Alvarez outpoints Scull to reclaim undisputed super middleweight championship
RIYADH: Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez re-unified the IBF super middleweight championship with his WBA (Super), WBC and WBO belts with a unanimous decision victory over William Scull on Sunday, setting up a bout with former Welterweight champion Terence Crawford in September.
World Boxing to seek IOC recognition for 2028 Games
Cuba's Scull, who had an advantage in height and reach over Alvarez, was unable to find an answer to the Mexican's methodical stalking and effective body blows as he suffered the first loss of his professional boxing career
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Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
Brilliant boxer Waseem's world title celebrated
Pakistan's WBA bantamweight champion Muhammad Waseem (second from right) is seen with Consulate General of Japan in Karachi Mr Hattori Masura (first right) and other Consulate officials. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD WASEEM "I am very proud of Waseem, I am not a big fan of sports but I am very impressed with Waseem's achievements," The Consulate General of Japan in Karachi Hattori Masaru was brimming with joy and delight as he hosted the recently crowned World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Muhammad Waseem at the reception on June 3 at his residence. The meeting and dinner were held to celebrate the Pakistani ace boxer's feat, which he achieved on May 10 in Quetta, where he defeated Venezuela's Wiston Orono with a knockout in the ninth round. Waseem had fulfilled his lifelong dream to win a world title in his hometown of Quetta, and he managed to bring several international boxers and officials from around the world to his city despite the aerial war that was taking place between India and Pakistan at the time. Mr. Hattori was honouring Waseem on Tuesday, emphasising the role the 37-year-old pugilist is playing in bridging the gap between Japan and Pakistan. Waseem has spent years training in Japan since 2015 onwards. The training in Japan gave him the foundation as he switched to professional boxing from amateur in 2015. Waseem's reception by the Japanese Consulate General was a mix of tribute to both Japan and Waseem's deep-rooted connection to Karachi, which had been his home and grooming ground after his home Quetta. "It is my honour to welcome the champion," Hattori told this correspondent. "He knows Japan so well and he is also a world champion, as a Jqapanse I am very much happy that he got the champion belt." At the dinner, Mr. Hattori was also accompanied by Mr Nakagawa Yasushi and Kumagae Takahiro. Waseem also invited his friend Farid Khan and this correspondent to attend the reception. Nakagawa, who is also a friend of Waseem's added that he insisted that the former two-time World Boxing Council Silver Flyweight champion bring his friends along at the intimate meeting which was followed by a traditional Kaiseki menu. Waseem is also in the middle of planning his next bout and he will aim to consolidate his world championship titles, where he would want to not only retain his WBA belt, which he had brought in a silver briefcase to show Mr. Hattori and his friends at the dinner, but he would want the WBC, World Boxing Oraganisation and the International Boxing Federation titles too. He is hoping to fight with Japan's multi-weight world champion Junto Nakatani. Mr Hattori shared his experience of Karachi and Pakistan since he was appointed a year and a half ago. "Karachi is a very cosmopolitan city, and every night and weekend there are events. But when it comes to sports here in Pakistan, I watched the softball event that I enjoyed very much. It was held by the Pakistan Softball Federation," said Hattori, who is a baseball fan himself. "Pakistan is totally different from Japanese customs and culture," he said when asked about how he would describe Pakistan to the world. "It is also the home to Indus Valley Civilisation, Japanese people know it well and we teach our children about it in junior high school, so people know about it well. When it comes to having cultural exchange through sports Mr Hattori added: "There are so many Japanese-oriented sports that are taken up by Pakistanis like Jiu-jitsu and Karate, so Pakistani people know about Japanese culture and that helps." Meanwhile, Waseem added that he wanted to thank the consulate officials. "The Japanese always respect the sportspersons and especially boxing, I have always been welcomed and respected by Mye Nakagawa, who is a great friend of mine, and by the Japanese Consulate, they have always supported me. "I am also looking for a fight, hopefully with Nakatani, but nothing is confirmed yet, I might know about it by next week or so," said Waseem. Waseem, also known as Falcon, will be flying out to the United Kingdom for further training by the end of this month. Meanwhile, Nakagawa concluded with encouraging words, "I'm greatly honored to have such a great athlete and a pride of Pakistan as a friend. I wish all him best and more success. And go on further, go Falcon, go."
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Express Tribune
Lucha libre takes over WWE
WWE's Netflix era has been a bit shakier than it was expected to be, and the company, under TKO, has been making some questionable decisions, such as releasing the beloved veteran R-Truth and several others since WrestleMania 41, jacked up ticket prices, and the overall creative direction. But at the same time, there's a lot to be excited about. Lucha is taking over WWE. With the arrival of new luchadors, the company is bent on targeting the Latino market. And it's no surprise the move coincides with WWE buying AAA, the 33-year-old Mexican promotion. Lucha libre has long been a part of WWE shows and international pro-wrestling in general. The rich history of Latino stars, the colourful masks, high-flying in-ring style, all have an appeal worldwide. One can evaluate it based on the success of one of the most popular luchadors in history, Rey Mysterio. And with the lucha invasion of WWE, there are many more willing to step up and find their own place on the global stage. Dark Angel The newest addition to the Monday Night Raw roster is the 'Dark Angel' Stephanie Vaquer. The Chilean superstar has lit the wrestling world on fire since last year. She is the first Chilean woman to compete and win championships in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and WWE. My first introduction to Vaquer was when she appeared in AEW last year during a brief stint. She faced off against Mercedes Mone in a Winner Takes All match where both Mone's TBS Championship and Vaquer's Strong Women's Championship were on the line. Going into the match, most of the audience wasn't aware of her. You could hear their indifference to Vaquer challenging a top star. But in the span of one match, Vaquer performed so well and impressed the crowd so much that everyone began chanting for her. She was facing an established star like Mone and yet was able to turn the crowd in her favour in a few minutes. That's what put her on WWE's radar and soon, she joined the company. Since joining, she has been a double champion in NXT and has further raised her stock. On Monday, she defeated Ivy Nile and one-half of the women's tag champ Liv Morgan to qualify for the upcoming Money in the Bank match this weekend. Cero Miedo Penta has been a man of many names throughout his career. But his 'Cero Miedo' (zero fear) motto has been a constant. The dark enigma has been around for a long time and has accumulated numerous accolades around the world. And since joining WWE in early 2025, he's slowly coming into his own on the grand stage. I first saw him perform as part of the Lucha Underground (LU) promotion in late 2014. The word 'aura' has been dragged across the mud and repeatedly stomped into the ground by kids at this point, but Penta certainly has it. He has had it for as long as I've seen him perform. In LU, Penta made himself a megastar in a short time with his insane charisma and brutal moves. His storyline with the veteran Vampiro put him on the map. As a fan, his eventual bloody fight with Vampiro and the post-match big reveal was one of the greatest story endings in wrestling – something that would even make M Night Shyamalan nervous. Penta is also set to compete in the men's Money in the Bank and is involved in a rivalry with El Grande Americano, who's definitely a different iconic luchador and not Chad Gable in a mask. With zero fear, Penta is all ready to display dangerous feats in the ladder match in which he is sure to feel like home with his history of competing in brutal matches. Speaking of lucha libre and dangerous matches, Penta's younger brother Rey Fenix isn't far behind either. The former Lucha Bros signed with WWE at the same time. And Fenix has been killing it on SmackDown since his arrival. It's a certainty that the brothers will reform the tag team in the future. And except for any unforeseen circumstances, they are guaranteed to win tag and singles titles during their run and become mainstays on the roster for years. AAA WWE already employs a number of fantastic luchadors on the roster such as Andrade, who is a rock solid addition to any promotion and it's mind-boggling why he isn't a world champion. Besides him, you have the Latino World Order faction with Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde and Dragon Lee led by the legendary Mysterio; and Legado Del Fantasma with Santos Escobar, Angel and Berto. And now with WWE's acquisition of AAA, the roster has opened up. You have luchadores and luchadoras that perform in the Mexican promotion being able to perform under the WWE brand. WWE's Worlds Collide premium live event, which is also slated for this weekend, will be a pure showcase of lucha libre. Besides the aforementioned stars, it will include AAA's best offerings. So far, the matches announced include Legado Del Fantasma vs. El Hijo de Dr Wagner Jr, Pagano, and Psycho Clown. El Hijo del Vikingo will face Chad Gable for the AAA Mega Championship. Ethan Page will defend his NXT North American Championship against Je'Von Evans, Laredo Kid and Rey Fénix. And LWO will fight Octagón Jr, Aero Star, and Mr. Iguana. It's almost unbelievable that in 2025, we are seeing the likes of Vikingo, Laredo Kid, Aero Star, Fenix, Penta, and many more wrestle under the WWE brand. While WWE has been looking for the next Rey Mysterio to cater to the Hispanic audience for nearly two decades, they have not been able to find one. Many have come and tried, including another iconic luchador Mistico aka Sin Cara, but none have been able to match what Mysterio has been doing for decades. But now with a vast pool of talent opening up, the possibility to find stars that transcend the wrestling world and become part of pop culture are higher than before. Names like Penta, Fenix and Vaquer are a few who could achieve mega success in WWE, if booked right.
Express Tribune
15-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Jake Paul says he'll make Chavez Jr. quit to earn boxing's respect
Jake Paul is setting his sights on respect as he prepares to face former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on June 28. Known for his polarizing reputation in boxing, Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) is determined to prove his critics wrong with a decisive win over the seasoned Mexican fighter. Paul's previous wins over MMA stars Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley, and Anderson Silva were dismissed by many in the boxing community due to the opponents' lack of boxing pedigree. His latest victory over Mike Tyson drew headlines but little validation, as Tyson, now in his late 50s, is long past his prime. This time, Paul faces Chavez Jr. (54-6-1, 34 KOs), a fighter with deep boxing roots and real professional experience. Though Chavez Jr.'s recent performances have raised eyebrows—marked by losses to Daniel Jacobs, Mario Abel Cazares, and Silva—he is currently riding a two-fight win streak, including a victory over Uriah Hall. Paul, confident and outspoken as ever, doesn't want any excuses if he beats the former champ. "I'm gonna shock the world once again and prove how good I am," Paul said at a recent press event. "I'm gonna embarrass him and make him quit like he always does." Despite Chavez Jr.'s declining form, Paul insists this fight is a statement opportunity. A win on June 28, he says, should silence doubters and cement his legitimacy in the sport. Whether fans agree remains to be seen, but Paul is demanding his respect—win or lose.
