Alexander Povetkin brutally knocks out David Price after a shaky start in Cardiff.

Former WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (34-1, 24 KOs) scored a brutal fifth round KO over hugely unfavored David Price (22-5, 18 KOs) tonight in the chief support feature in Cardiff. Povetkin had Price on the floor in round three from a vicious hook, Price regained his composure and managed to stun Povetkin, sending him into the ropes at the end of the round, Howard Foster administered an 8 count, ruling it a flash knockdown. With Povetkin appearing tired and disorganised, Price began to patiently dictate the action with the jab, riding the predictable waves of action from the Russian comfortably.. Povetkin found the breakthrough at the end of round five, a looping right hand left the Liverpool man upright but motionless, followed by a savage left hook that snapped the defenceless fighters head back, laying Price out cold..
Time was 1:02.
The fight was a huge ask for Price who entered the bout with nothing to lose..
Povetkin is now WBA mandatory for Anthony Joshua’s titles, but appeared verbally willing at ringside to fight Dillian Whyte next..

Ryan Burnett retains WBA Super title with tough points victory over Yonfrez Parejo.

Belfast’s WBA Super world Bantamweight champion Ryan Burnett 18-0 (9 Ko’s) made a first defence of his title with a hard fought 12 round unanimous decision over tough Venezuelan, Yonfrez Parejo 31-2-1 (10 Ko’s).. Burnett was reluctantly forced to relinquish the IBF belt he took from Lee Haskins a year ago due to a failed mandatory obligation, but looked completely unfazed, focussing fully on the task in hand. Both fighters fenced for openings early, with neither man committing in a battle that looked destined to be a tight knit affair.
The chess match edged the champions way in the fourth, with Burnett landing the cleaner more eye catching shots on the more predictable Parejo. The Venezuelan responded successfully with decent counters in the 5th but found himself returning to the back foot at the mercy of the accuracy of the champion in round 6. The capable visitor did appear to look frustrated through 7 and 8 as Burnett dictated the pattern of the action, Parejo often losing his composure in spells. Round 9 saw Parejo spring to life in an attempt to re-establish himself in the fight, displaying the type of class that earned himself the opportunity. Burnett showed great patience going into the tenth, comfortably in control yet consistently respectful of Parejo’s determined challenge. The illusive Burnett did start to apply pressure through the final minutes in an attempt to finish in style.. Both fighters continued to engage throughout the final round of a bout that was highly entertaining but always in the Champions favour.
Scores were.. 120-108 Twice.. 116-112.

Following the bout, Burnett revealed that he had boxed from round 3 onwards with a broken hand.

Cardiff latest.. Anthony Crolla labours to points victory over tougher than expected Ramirez.

Former WBA world lightweight champion Anthony Crolla 32-6-3 (13 Ko’s) scored a laboured time filling 10 round points victory over stubborn, Edson Ramirez 18-2-1 (8 Ko’s).. This tougher than expected matchup was only Crolla’s second outing since losing his treasured world title last March to the tough Jorge Linares.. Crolla suffered a cut eye in the third as a result of a clumsy head-butt, yet maintained his composure and continued to impose himself on the limited but rugged Mexican.. Despite sleepwalking his way through the middle rounds the Manchester fighter stuck to task, never allowing Ramirez the chance to catch a foothold in the contest. Bleeding profusely from the eye, Crolla stuck to his guns to notch up the W over an extremely tough visitor, pulled from the top drawer of the ‘who needs em club.’
Crolla is enjoying the twilight years of a 12 year career, is still banking on a final world title opportunity, but will definitely need a better selection of dance partner to showcase himself back to elite contention..
Points were... 100-91.. 100-90.. 98-92..

Cardiff Undercard results.. Josh Kelly dominates Jaded Carlos Molina.

Former 2016 Olympian Josh Kelly 5-0 (4 Ko’s) scored his biggest scalp to date by outpointing former IBF light middleweight champion Carlos Molina 28-8-2 (8 Ko’s) over 10 in Cardiff tonight, picking up the vacant WBA international Welterweight title.. Molina offered very little in the early rounds, allowing the young North East fighter to set the tempo of the bout.. Crisp jabs and a tight defence prevented the Chicago based Mexican from grabbing any momentum in a fight that always looked beyond him.. Kelly began to set his feet from round 6 onwards, obviously having no respect for the visitors power, looking for opportunities for the stoppage.. The experienced Molina did manage to mount a rally in the eighth, but was forced once again to go into survival mode as Josh maintained his dominance. A convincing victory over a fighter who had definitely seen better days, Molina coming off 2 successive points defeats..
Scores were..   98-92 twice.. and 99-91

Early results from Cardiff.. Cordina remains unbeaten.

Unbeaten local boy, Joe Cordina 6-0 (5 Ko’s) scored an impressive 3rd round stoppage of Belgium’s Hakim Ben Ali, 19-5 (1 Ko) in the opening tv bout at the Principality tonight in Cardiff.. Joe steadily worked the experienced Ali over, dropping him 3 times in the closer.. The stoppage is a bonus for the young Olympian, Ali having only been stopped once previously in a 24 fight career..

Heavyweight betting odds for tomorrow’s fights.

Interesting action in the sports books this weekend concerning tomorrow’s two major heavyweight bouts in Cardiff, and with just 24 hours to go the numbers leave very little for the gambling man to profit from.. Anthony Joshua has settled as 1/17 favourite to beat Jo Parker, who himself rides in as an Evens (5/5) underdog to pull the upset.. Not extremely generous.. Joshua to win by knockout is the slimmest odds at 1/36, the alternative Parker Ko or stoppage placed at a healthy 8/0.. Bookmakers appear to be overlooking a Joshua points victory by offering a quite lucrative 5/0 alongside an equally mouthwatering 8/0 for a Parker points victory.. The draw, being the most unlikely eventuality May draw opportunists with an alluring 41/0..

The oddsmakers do seem to be offering slightly more in the bout between former world champion Alex Povetkin and the UK’s hugely popular David Price.. Predictably they have Povetkin as a 1/06 favourite, odds that appear hardly worth spitting at, while in contrast they place Price as a sizeable 10/0 underdog.. Surprisingly they have attractive odds on a Povetkin points win at 9/0, with the tasty placement of 34/0 on the hugely unlikely Price points win, 25 points separating impossibility from a distinct possibility.. The bookmakers expectations all point towards a Povetkin stoppage at an almost inactive 1/13 and the alternative upset Price knockout placed at 11/0.. leaving once again a sizeable chancers bet on the draw at 51/0..

Gamble sensibly.. Mirageboxings tip being the Povetkin points win.. Most of the obvious outcomes offering nothing.. Povetkin has a habit of allowing fighters, usually levels beneath him to hang around into the late rounds.. 9/0 is a good punt even if it is just for fun..

NSAC Director Robert Bennett, lodges for disciplinary action against Alvarez over drug test failure.

Nevada State Athletic Control board Director Robert Bennett has finally filed an official lobby for Disciplinary action against Saul Alvarez, following the drug test failure earlier in the month where Canelo tested positive for the banned stimulant Clenbuterol. Bennett’s protest stresses, whether intentional or not, by allowing Clenbuterol to enter his system, Alvarez engaged in conduct that reflected discredit to unarmed combat and is guilty of foul or unsportsmanlike conduct that was detrimental to a contest.
In reference to his complaint, Bennett is requesting that the Commission impose a temporary suspension on Alvarez in compliance with the State Commissions guidelines. If Imposed, such a suspension could render Alvarez ineligible to box for at least six months from the date of the initial infringement, leaving Canelo incapacitated until September. The Commission is scheduled to address the case within 4 weeks..
Alvarez was set to box in a highly anticipated rematch against Gennady Golovkin on May 5th at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas.. The bout is tentatively still on, although the host venue is already issuing ticket refunds.

Weights from Joshua v Parker card in Cardiff, Wales.

Anthony Joshua 242 vs. Joseph Parker 236
(WBA/IBF/WBO Unification.)

Alexander Povetkin 229 vs. David Price 256
(WBA World title eliminator)

Ryan Burnett 117 vs. Yonfrez Parejo 117
(WBA bantamweight title)

Anthony Crolla 136    vs.   Edson Ramirez 136
Carlos Molina 147      vs.   Josh Kelly 147
Joshua Buatsi 178       vs.   Bartlomiej Grafka 174
Sean McGoldrick 122 vs.   Ricky Little 121
Hakim Ben Ali 134     vs.   Joe Cordina 134
Morgan Jones 167       vs.   Mose Auimatagi 166

The Event is hosted by The Principality Stadium in Cardiff,
and promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.

The Main events will be broadcast In the Uk and Europe on Sky Box Office and Coast to Coast in the United States by Showtime.

Deontay Wilder opts to shun Saturdays unification bout in Cardiff..

With less than 24 hours to go before the WBA / WBO and IBF unification bout between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker takes place in Cardiff, the enormity of the electrifying event is well and truly sinking in for all concerned..  Except for WBC Champion, Deontay Wilder.. All of the worlds eyes are on the huge event, the press presence is enormous with most everyone viewing Wilder as a potential opponent for the winner of Saturdays bout.. It only seems obvious that the WBC Champion would attend to stake his case as custodian of the final piece of the unification puzzle.. Wrong.. Deontay Wilder whom is so eager to secure the bout didn’t even take up the offer of an all expenses paid trip to be an honorary guest in Cardiff, a decision that has staggered both Joshua and Parker’s people.. “It’s a PR disaster.” Said Hearn, “He wanted to dictate that he jumped in the ring after the bout to confront the victor,” terms that both Hearn and Joshua weren’t comfortable with.. “He could have sat as close to the ring as he wished, but it’s not hype we need, the fight is hyped, his presence would have allowed us to start negotiating a potential fight immediately, all we can think is that he’s being badly advised.” Wilder went from convincing the world that he was a major force by stopping the much avoided Luis Ortiz a month ago, to appearing incompetent as a serious interest in potentially the biggest heavyweight championship cleanup in 15 years.. Joshua’s mind is firmly focussed on Parker and likewise, while Wilder has no other immediate obligation, even making time to try to swerve a possible Whyte fight with a bunch of impossible conditions.. This weekends stage would have been the perfect platform for Wilder to announce himself in a business manner and make a serious attempt to court the press and voice his intentions.. A no show at an event of this magnitude is a serious black eye to the way his cause will be viewed as a stand up willing participant in the future of the unification proceedings.. Wilder as of tonight has made no moves to travel, and word has it that he has no intentions to, as a snub to Hearn and Joshua.. Such petulance could cost him a lot of points in the war to convince the public at a time when its most crucial.. Regardless, Saturdays fight is big news, with Wilders attendance an afterthought.

Jacobs v Sulecki, WBA middleweight final eliminator in Brooklyn.

Daniel Jacobs and Maciej Sulecki will meet in final eliminator for the WBA World Middleweight title at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, on April 28.. The bout will feature on a live Home Box Office event, with the victor becoming mandatory challenger for the possible May 5 rematch between Saul Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin. It’s a huge incentive for Jacobs, to secure a possible rematch with Golovkin and to perform back in his home town for the first time since stopping Sergio Mora back in 2016, in the 4th defense of his WBA crown.
The April date will be Danny’s second appearance under Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing USA umbrella. Daniels Matchroom debut was a convincing decision over tough Luis Arias, last November in nearby Uniondale..
Hearn is confident that the 31 year old Miracle man can return to become a dominant force in the 160s, starting with April 28th..

“I’m grateful for the WBA for this opportunity and it gives me even more motivation going into April 28,” said Jacobs. “I feel that I beat GGG in the first fight and everyone knows my plan has always been to fight the winner of the rematch – now there is no hiding place”

Jacobs will be regarded as the WBA number one challenger, regardless of the May 5th bout taking place or not, providing that he comes through Sulecki successfully..

Golovkin v Alvarez Cinco de Mayo rematch in trouble.

The highly anticipated return bout between Saul Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) and 3 belt middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) appears to be in dire straits by all accounts. The fight was scheduled to play out on Cinco de Mayo weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, site of their initial meeting last September, broadcast live as part of a pay per view event by Home Box Office..
The trouble stems from Alvarez’ recent suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after twice testing positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol last month. Canelo has a hearing scheduled for April 10th to plead his case to the NSAC and is currently unsure of his immediate boxing future.. The Mexicans team did issue a lame statement that claims the traces of Clenbuterol were down to a batch of conveniently contaminated meat, of which there have been historically confirmed prior cases in South America.
The outcome is yet unknown, but one indication that the bout could face postponement is that, the T-Mobile Arena box office is already offering refunds for already purchased tickets according to MGM Grand employees.
Word on the street has it that the rematch is more likely to be rescheduled for late September, when the controversy has run its course.. An irate Golovkin has expressed an interest in an alternative unification bout with WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders (26-0, 12 KOs) possibly in the United Kingdom, however at such short notice and Saunders tied up into a pending bout with challenger Martin Murray, it is highly unlikely.. Golovkin does still wish to be active in the meantime, with many potential targets being muted, Demetrius Andrade and Spike O’Sullivan are the two aforementioned. O’Sullivan being scheduled to appear on the eve of the GGG v Alvarez rematch on an ESPN card in Las Vegas, would be a natural replacement.
As of today, nothing is set in stone and is purely speculative, more news will be updated as we hear..