Latest news with #Cruiserweight
The Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Who are the oldest active professional boxers today?
Boxing is a sport where youth is a valuable commodity. To keep your reactions and hand speed is an uphill climb as a fighter ages, which leads to fighters commonly retiring before the age of 40. But we are increasingly seeing fighters push the limits of how old a fighter can be and still be competitive. For example, Artur Beterbiev becoming the undisputed light-heavyweight champion at nearly 40, Manny Pacquiao returning to challenge for the WBC welterweight title at 46 or perhaps the most extreme example, Oliver McCall having his second fight of the year at 60 years old. In honour of McCall's incredible resurgence, being undefeated in three fights since 2024, here are the oldest active professional boxers. • Watch over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters with a DAZN subscription. More information here. Firat Arslan Age: 54 Nationality: Germany Division: Cruiserweight Record: 56-9-3 (41 KOs) Arslan is a career cruiserweight based out of Germany, who made his professional debut in 1997, and has been active every year since, bar 2009, due to a life-threatening cycling injury. Arslan won his first version of a world title in 2008 when he converted his WBA Interim title into the Regular belt, beating Virgil Hill on points. He lost this title the next year to Guillermo Jones The German challenged unsuccessfully for full world titles three times, fighting Marco Huck twice for the WBO cruiserweight title and Yoan Pablo Hernandez for the IBF title between 2012 and 2014. Undeterred by falling short, Arslan continued to campaign and in 2020 earned himself a shot at Kevin Lerena's IBO cruiserweight title, but once again lost, getting knocked out in the sixth round. In 2023, aged 52, the German former champion fought Edin Puhalo in what was supposed to be his farewell, which he won via knockout. But Arslan couldn't be kept away and returned to the ring in 2024. Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs is one of the heaviest hitters that the heavyweight division has ever seen, across 60 victories had a knockout ratio of 90 per cent and faced some of the best from his era. Briggs made his professional debut in 1992 and went undefeated in his first 25 fights before a defeat at the hands of Darrol Wilson in 1996. In 1997 in Atlantic City, Briggs has his first shot at a world title against Lennox Lewis, who outclassed the Brooklyn native and ended the fight in the fifth round with a technical knockout. After nearly ten years, Briggs would get another shot at a world title, against Siarhei Liakhovich in 2006. He secured the WBO belt with a twelfth-round knockout, having been behind on all three scorecards. His reign was short-lived, losing the title in his next fight against Sultan Ibragimov. There was one final chance at world title glory for Briggs, who faced Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title in 2010, but he was beaten on boxing ability over 12 rounds by one half of the Klitschko heavyweight dynasty. The former WBO champion retreated to small hall shows afterwards and retired in 2016. Briggs is now 53 and has not fought in nearly ten years but has recently announced he will be returning to the ring as a professional in July against an undecided opponent. Oliver McCall Oliver McCall holds the record as the oldest man to win a professional heavyweight fight, at 60. His career has lasted over 40 years, and he has been in 76 fights in that time. In such a long career, the Chicago-born fighter had the opportunity to share the ring with heavyweight greats such as James 'Buster' Douglas, Tony Tucker, Lennox Lewis and Larry Holmes. McCall debuted in 1985, with mixed results, losing five fights before challenging for his first world title against Lennox Lewis in 1994. In the defining moment of his career, McCall knocked out Lewis in the second round to claim the WBC title, defending once before losing it to Frank Bruno the next year. He would only compete for a world title once more in his career in a rematch with Lennox Lewis that saw him pulled out of the fight in the fifth round. The former WBC champion continued to fight until 2014 when he retired for the first time, only to return in 2018 and retire again in 2019. 2024 saw McCall return once again at 59, and since then, he has gone undefeated in three fights, with two wins and a draw.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Badou Jack vs Noel Mikaelian rematch ordered by WBC after appeal from Don King
A rematch has been ordered between WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack and Noel Mikaelian, after an appeal by Don King Productions was upheld. Jack defeated Mikaelian via majority decision in May, on the undercard of Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's win against William Scull, with some fans feeling that the result could have gone the other way. An appeal was made by Mikaelian's promoter, and has subsequently been 'granted' by the WBC. A statement from organisation read: 'The WBC Board of Governors has reviewed all the different matters pertaining to the Cruiserweight division and has finalized its voting process, which results in the following ruling. 'The WBC has granted the appeal presented by Don King Productions and is ordering a direct rematch between Badou Jack [and] Noel Mikaelyan. Free negotiations begin today (June 2nd), and if there is no agreement, a purse bid will take place July 1st, 2025.' There was further clarification of the cruiserweight landscape by the WBC, which outlined the status of its interim belt. Yamil Peralta and Ryan Rozicki had fought for the strap in December, only to draw and leave the title vacant. No 10-ranked Jean Pascal will face Michal Cieslak, rated fifth by the WBC, at the end of the month, with the winner facing WBC silver champ Peralta, who is ranked third at cruiserweight. Second-placed Rozicki remains injured, and so must provide an update to preserve his spot in the WBC's rating. The WBC's cruiserweight crown has been a point of contention for some time. Jack earned world-champion status at a third different weight in February 2023, defeating Ilunga Makabu with a 12th-round knockout. Makabu had been set to face Mikaelian, then holding the WBC silver title, in a mandatory defence, only for the bout to be postponed less than a month out from fight night. It was only a month later that Makabu would go on to fight Jack, losing in three rounds the belt he had held for nearly three years. In September 2023, Jack announced that he would challenge for a world title at bridgerweight, vacating and becoming champion in recess. Makabu was given a shot at regaining his belt against the new mandatory challenger, Mikaelian. However, the Armenian-German would produce a fourth-round stoppage to secure the vacant cruiserweight title and become a world champion for the first time. Mikaelian never got the chance to defend his belt inside the ring. A fight with Rozicki encountered many postponements due to injuries, before legal issues between Mikaelian and promoter King saw him withdraw from the fight entirely. At the end of 2024, with neither Jack nor Mikaelian fighting since their respective wins over Makabu, a decision was reached to reinstate the former as world champion, dropping the latter to champion in recess. Ironically, an injury to Rozicki enabled Mikaelian to get a shot at reinstated champion Jack.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Tommy Fury vs Kenan Hanjalic LIVE RESULTS: Roman Fury secures dominant stoppage win ahead of TNT's huge return
TOMMY Fury returns to action TONIGHT in Hungary to take on Kenan Hanjalic - and he'll be desperate to secure a win just like half-brother Roman! The ref was forced to call an end to what was a heavily dominated fight after just round 4. TNT is in action next as he puts his 4-0-0 record on the line against Josip Pehar, who has a record of 7-5-0. Tommy also puts his perfect record on the line, currently 10-0-0 after consecutive victories against KSI and Jake Paul, with opponent Hanjalic currently 5-1-0. Today, 17:20 By Connor Greaves Fury shoved during face-off Tommy Fury was on the receiving end of a shove shock from his comeback opponent during a heated face-off. The build-up to the relatively short-notice fight had been cordial up until their final face-off on Thursday. The pair went eye-to-eye after successfully weighing in for the contest and proceeded to push one another with their foreheads. Today, 17:02 By Connor Greaves Tonight's card The Fury family take up half of tonight's bill as Tommy's brother Roman is also on the card. Here is the card in full: Tommy Fury vs Kenan Hanjalic ; Cruiserweight Varadi Sandor vs Nikolas Panic ; Light heavyweight Valentin Koloszar vs Alexandru Ionita ; Featherweight Roman Fury vs Josip Pehar ; Heavyweight Today, 17:02 By Nyle Smith How the fighters weighed in Fury and Hanjalic both took to the scales yesterday ahead of tonight's huge bout. Fury - 207.46lbs Hanjalic - 210.1lbs The Brit comes in a huge 24.86lbs heavier than he was for his last fight two years ago against KSI.
The Irish Sun
24-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘Appalling' – Fans demand Brandon Glanton reprimanded after sick threat to give Chris Billam-Smith brain damage
BRANDON GLANTON was slammed for shamefully vowing to give opponent Chris Billam-Smith "brain damage". The cruiserweight rivals meet on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn's grudge match at 3 Brandon Glanton has been slammed for his comments about Chris Billam-Smith Credit: PA 3 Glanton vowed to give Chris Billam-Smith 'brain damage' Credit: Getty And American Glanton branded Billam-Smith a "b***h" for not shaking his hand in 2023 after the Brit's victory over He said: "I stuck my hand out, he walked straight past me. It's disrespectful. "I said in interviews, we're men before we're fighters, right? And he's a father before he's a fighter so your son has a b***h as a father. "I don't care about these cameras, these lights, I'm going to f*** you up. That's why I'm here. It's not a show everyone knows, I'm going to give you brain damage." READ MORE IN BOXING Glanton's disgusting comments were rightly slammed by fans online as one said: "Brandon Glanton should be reprimanded for his comments on Chris Billam-Smith. "Absolutely no need for that sort of language." Another added: "Brandon Glanton is a clown. Scummy thing to say in an already dangerous sport. "Why's he going in that much on CBS? One of the nicest guys in boxing." Most read in Boxing CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS One fumed: "In a sport like boxing there needs to consequences for saying you want to give someone brain damage. Appalling." Another said: "Brandon Glanton absolutely sucks." EXCLUSIVE: Chris Eubank Jr's promoter teases stunning Conor Benn rematch at Old Trafford over 30 years after dads' famous fight Classy Billam-Smith - the former WBO champion - hit back: "I'll leave my talking to Saturday." The Bournemouth boxer beat Okolie for the WBO and made two defences of the title until losing it to Gilberto Ramirez in November. Glanton meanwhile is 20-2 with 17 knockouts. 3 Chris Billam-Smith and Brandon Glanton face off ahead of the Cruiserweight fight Credit: Getty
