All articles tagged with #heavyweight
Anthony Smith returned from retirement to headline Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA’s heavyweight tournament, dominating Chase Sherman with precise striking, mounting control, and a rear-naked choke finish, signaling strong form as he pursues the $500k prize.
Tyson Fury weighed in at 267.9 lbs and Arslanbek Makhmudov at 264.9 lbs for their London heavyweight clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Fury notably lighter than before his Usyk bout as he returns after 16 months and Makhmudov maintaining his typical 260s weight ahead of the fight tomorrow night.
Tyson Fury weighed in at 122kg (19st 2lb), three pounds heavier than challenger Arslanbek Makhmudov, as he returns from two losses to Usyk. He says he’s back to be the hunter and aims to win a third world title, though questions about age and ring wear linger. Makhmudov, a 6ft 6in puncher with 19 knockouts in 23 fights, presents a serious test ahead of their Tottenham clash.
Tyson Fury arrived in his trademark theatrical style at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for his first fight in 15 months against Arslanbek Makhmudov, delivering headline-grabbing bravado about hunting every belt-holder and teasing future bouts with Usyk and Joshua, while the press conference mixed humor, a hint of training drama with SugarHill Steward present, and Netflix-linked promotion around Fury’s return.
Moses Itauma moved to 14-0 (12 KOs) by stopping Jermaine Franklin in five rounds at Manchester’s Co-op Live. The 21-year-old Brit pressured Franklin from the start, and a left uppercut early in Round 5 set up a follow-up right that dropped Franklin, prompting referee Steve Gray to stop the bout. Franklin falls to 24-3. Promoter Frank Warren indicated Itauma’s next fight could be in July, and Itauma sits No.1 in both the WBO and WBA rankings as he pursues a world title.
British heavyweight Moses Itauma, 21, arrives in Manchester with a nine-fight KO streak (11 KOs in 13 pro bouts) and says he wants rounds and a step up to world-title contention against Jermaine Franklin. His rapid rise includes a 61-second stoppage of Dillian Whyte and a career steered by trainer Ben Davison after sacrificing Olympic plans and family needs. Franklin is his toughest test yet and could shape a ladder toward a future showdown with Filip Hrgovic.
Alex Pereira is around 247–250 pounds as he prepares to face Ciryl Gane on June 14 at UFC White House for an interim heavyweight title, aiming to become the first UFC fighter to hold titles in three divisions (middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight). If he wins, a potential unification with undisputed champ Tom Aspinall could be on the horizon.
Jorge Masvidal argues Jon Jones deserves a big payday and a high-profile final fight, praising Jones as one of the greatest while noting UFC business realities. He suggests finding a major heavyweight matchup for Jones rather than sidelining him for the White House card and emphasizes the need to give the longtime champ a deserved paycheck before retirement.
Tom Aspinall says he’ll fight the winner of Ciryl Gane vs. Alex Pereira for the UFC interim heavyweight title as soon as he’s medically cleared to return, with a potential later unification bout in mind; his comeback follows a layoff due to eye surgery and he has since aligned with Eddie Hearn’s agency for possible future negotiations.
Professional Fighters League has released former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, ending his multi-sport run with the league after a stint that included high-profile boxing bouts and MMA appearances under a flexible contract.
Oleksandr Usyk will defend his WBC heavyweight title on May 23 in Egypt against Rico Verhoeven, a decorated kickboxer with just one pro boxing bout in 2014. The WBC’s approval of a crossover challenger without a traditional boxing ladder has sparked debate about eligibility and competitive order, even as promoters frame the bout as a global destination event to be streamed on DAZN as part of the “Glory in Giza” spectacle.
Oleksandr Usyk will defend the WBC heavyweight title against former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt, in a boxing bout headlined as 'Glory in Giza' and streamed on DAZN, marking a rare cross‑sport clash with more ticket and undercard details to be released in the coming weeks.
Oleksandr Usyk will defend the WBC heavyweight title against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, a cross‑sport bout pitting Usyk’s unified boxing reign against Verhoeven’s long kickboxing streak. Usyk last fought in July 2025, beating Daniel Dubois to retain multiple belts, while Verhoeven—primarily known for kickboxing—has limited boxing experience but shared mutual respect for the challenge.
Olympic wrestling gold medalist Gable Steveson extended his undefeated run with a first-round finish over Hugo Lezama at MFL 3 in Monterrey, reversing a takedown, delivering heavy ground-and-pound, and sparking talk of a UFC call or Contender Series appearance next.
Jon Jones revealed severe arthritis in his left hip, potentially needing a hip replacement, which could derail a planned June bout with Alex Pereira. Pereira says he remains interested in fighting at the White House event and is open to moving up to heavyweight if necessary, noting he’ll fight whoever is matched with him. The 205-pound division remains competitive as contenders beat each other, leaving Jones’ status a key factor for Pereira’s next move.