Latest news with #worldtitle
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Do it in a heartbeat': Jai Opetaia's promoter wants seven-figure Suncorp Stadium super-card
Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium could host a seven-figure boxing supercard, with promoter Mick Francis saying he will push the Queensland government for funding to stage a world title unification blockbuster between Jai Opetaia and Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez. Opetaia is Australia's pound-for-pound best boxer and defended his IBF cruiserweight world title in devastating fashion against Italian challenger Claudio Squeo on Sunday night. While Squeo was being stretchered out of the arena, with a broken jaw, Opetaia doubled down on his call for a unification bout with Mexico's Ramirez. Francis says an Opetaia-Ramirez showdown could be held at Suncorp Stadium, but needs the Queensland state government to back it. 'If we had government support, we could make it happen,' Francis told CODE Sports. 'This fight has been building for a while, and it's a stadium fight, but the State government has to get behind it. 'We had some guys here tonight from Experience Gold Coast, and they brought a couple of State dignitaries along. 'If they want to make it happen, they'll make it happen. 'I would suggest to put a major event on at Suncorp, you'd need $9 million or $10 million from the State government. But they'd get it back ten-fold. 'If you put it on at the right time of year, it'll definitely sell out.' Jeff Horn staged two fights at Suncorp Stadium, including his heroic world title win over Manny Pacquiao in 2017. He then fought Anthony Mundine at the venue a year later. Francis said it would take some serious buy-in from the Queensland government and other promoters in Australia, but argued it could be done. 'We've done it before with Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn, so I don't see why we couldn't do it again,' he said. 'And boxing's bigger now than it was back then. 'Imagine No Limit, Matchroom Boxing, Spencer Brown, Tasman Fighters, Riyadh Season, Main Event, Foxtel, and DAZN. 'If we all work together, guess what? We can do massive shows, massive events and highlight Australian boxing. 'We just need to get off our asses and make it work. 'We'd love to do that. Jai would love to fight on the same card as Tim Tszyu. 'But we need to work with other promoters and join forces. 'If we went to the State government and said we want to put Jai Opetaia, Tim Tszyu, Justis Huni, Conor Wallace and George Kambosos on, we would get the funding. 'Every one of those fighters has a big name, and they're all good guys. Tim's a great guy, we can put Nikita on too. 'Make it a 10-fight supercard. We'd do that in a heartbeat.' Opetaia lives on the Gold Coast, and has headlined three cards on the Glitter Strip. And while he loves the idea of a stadium fight, he says his preference is still in his hometown. 'Central Coast Stadium – Gosford – that's what I'm chasing, bro,' Opetaia told CODE Sports in the dressing rooms after knocking out Squeo with a brutal right hook. 'I've been chasing Central Coast Stadium since I was a little kid. 'I've always wanted to take a world title back there, it's my home. 'I'm a Central Coast boy. I've got people at home, that's where I come from. 'People from there, they feel like they don't have purpose. They don't have much. We didn't have much. 'To go around the world, and then back home and do it there, that's the ultimate goal.' Opetaia laughed when he's asked if he had scraps in and around Gosford Stadium back in the day. 'I got bashed a couple of times, but that's about it,' he joked. Opetaia was relentless against overmatched Squeo on Sunday, forcing 'Il Toro Rosso' to one knee when he broke the Italian's jaw with a right hook. Opetaia later said he knew instantly that it was broken. 'I felt it, and I heard it click when it landed,' Opetaia said. 'I heard the punch when it hit his jaw and I thought, 'This poor bastard'. 'I've been there before. I saw his jaw, and when I looked at it, it had a little bump.' It was the same venue and the same ring Opetaia's own jaw was shattered when he first won the IBF world title against Mairis Breidis in 2022. 'I didn't go down though,' Opetaia told Code Sports.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Abdullah Mason stops Jeremia Nakathila in 5th round to set up WBO lightweight title shot
Abdullah Mason is heading toward a shot at the world title. Mason (18-0, 16 KOs) stopped Jeremia Nakathila at the beginning of Round 5 in their ESPN-televised main event bout Saturday night from the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. Advertisement It was a mature performance from Mason, 21, who didn't rush his work and boxed behind a sharp southpaw jab. Mason rocked Nakathila with a left hand in the final minute of Round 3, but Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs) was saved by the bell. Mason continued his success into Round 4, consistently finding the target with his powerful backhand and wobbling Nakathila on every connection. Nakathila, 35, complained to his corner team and the referee that he couldn't see out of his left eye between the fourth and fifth rounds. The referee called the ringside doctor to examine Nakathila's eye at the beginning of Round 5, and upon hearing that Nakathila couldn't see out of the eye, he advised the referee to stop the bout. Mason vs. Nakathila was upgraded to the main-event slot late Friday after Keyshawn Davis' fight with Edwin De Los Santos was canceled just 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place because Davis missed weight by more than four pounds at the weigh-in and the two sides could not reach an agreement to allow the bout to continue. Davis was subsequently stripped of his WBO lightweight title. Advertisement Mason, Uncrowned's runner-up for 2024 Prospect of the Year, is the No. 2-ranked contender for the belt formerly held by Davis, and he will likely be ordered to face Sam Noakes, the WBO No. 1-ranked lightweight, for the vacant championship later this year. Noakes was planning a fight with Ireland's Jono Carroll in August, sources close to the situation told Uncrowned. But with a world title shot looming, the bout may now not go ahead. "That should be workable, and that's something we definitely want," Mason said about a potential Noakes fight for the WBO title. "We want to work toward those world titles." Check out full Mason vs. Nakathila results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned's play-by-play of the main card. Advertisement Main card Lightweight: Abdullah Mason def. Jeremia Nakathila via fifth-round TKO (doctor stoppage) | Watch video Super lightweight: Nahir Albright def. Kelvin Davis via majority decision (95-95, 97-93, 96-94) Prelims Welterweight: Tiger Johnson def. Janelson Bocachica via unanimous decision (100-90, 97-93, 98-92) Middleweight: Troy Isley def. Etoundi Michel William via unanimous decision (98-92, 96-94, 96-94) Welterweight: Keon Davis def. Michael Velez-Garcia via second-round KO | Watch video Middleweight: Euri Cedeño def. Abel Mina via fifth-round TKO (corner retirement) Lightweight: Deric Davis def. Naheem Parker via second-round TKO | Watch video Advertisement Cruiserweight: Patrick O'Connor def. Marcus Smith via second-round TKO | Watch video
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Fabio Wardley vs Justis Huni LIVE RESULTS: Main event ON NOW with Wardley LABOURING in massive Portman Road test
No Whyte Dillian Whyte was meant to be on this card but pulled out of his bout without ever having an opponent. His last fight in England was in November 2022 and the Body Snatcher, aged 37, is fast running out of time for another tilt at the world title. Whyte could now face Lawrence Okolie in August. Promoter Frank Warren said earlier this week: "He's not going to be on the card now. "He's had an opportunity for a big big fight in August and we're looking to get that over the line. "That's going to take priority."
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Callum Simpson vs Ivan Zucco LIVE RESULTS: Card on NOW as Adam Azim returns on huge Barnsley bill – fight time, updates
CALLUM SIMPSON will be looking to take the next step towards a world title shot as he faces undefeated Italian Ivan Zucco TONIGHT! The proud Barnsley native will be looking to put on a show in front of a home crowd as he looks to add the vacant European 168lb strap to his collection. The big stadium fight takes place at the home of the Tykes, Oakwell. The explosive Adam Azim was meant to return to the ring to take on Eliot Chavez, but his fight has been CALLED OFF after an illegal weight cut by the Mexican.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Vivid memories burned into your brain' - McGuigan reflects on Pedrosa fight
In an interview with BBC Sport NI's Thomas Niblock, forty years on, Barry McGuigan reflects on the night when a UK television audience of 19 million watched him beat Panamanian fighter Eusebio Pedrosa to win the world title at Loftus Road on 8 June 1985.
