Aurelia Butler

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    Artur Beterbiev BEATS Dmitry Bivol in controversial majority decision to remains unbeaten to become undisputed champion

    DMITRY BIVOL was utterly robbed of undisputed light-heavyweight glory by a Saudi Arabia scandal against Artur Beterbiev.The 33-year-old Russian WBA champ dared to take on the compatriot and silent assassin who held the WBC, IBF and WBO crowns.Artur Beterbiev became the undisputed unified light heavyweight champion of the world after edging out Dmitry BivolCredit: GettyBivol, left, finally crossed gloves with Beterbiev, rightCredit: GettyBeterbiev put on a clinic to try and slowly dismantle BivolCredit: GettyBut Bivol kept his rival honest by racking up smart points throughoutCredit: GettyBivol was left disappointed after his narrow defeatCredit: GettyAnd he controlled the bearded menace until the judges should have cemented his place in the pantheons of boxing’s best.But one terrible judge called it a: 114-114 draw and the other two managed to be even bigger jokes by scoring it: 116-112 and 115-113.Both magnificent amateurs prodded and poked in the opening two minutes and fifty seconds.Then they just as the wooden toll signalled the final 10, then plunged at each other and both landed heavy precise blows.READ MORE IN BOXINGBeterbiev looped in a right hook but the 33-year-old tagged back with a one-two counter.Bivol’s viper-like jab helped him take control of the second round when Beterbiev kept cutting the ring down and pushing the pace but not landing any flush punches.Bivol’s matador impression was masterful, his one-twos were crisp and his footwork made the bearded bull look basic at times.The first two minutes were always cagey and tactical but the final minute always seemed to be a gunfight and the third was not different.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBy the fourth round it felt like Bivol was recreating his Canelo clinic from 2022, inviting pressure on from the smaller, more spiteful man. But punishing it on the backfoot with precision and speed.Beterbiev’s constant pressure and bludgeoning blows earned him the fifth round when Bivol was clipped and had to dance out of the ring to avoid disaster.Fabio Wardley destroys Frazer Clarke as he mangles opponents jaw in astonishing first round KORound six was when he felt like Bivol was starting to drown in the desert. Wave after wave of Beterbiev attack seemed to be smothering him and filling his lungs with water when he was desperate for air.But even though he surrendered the centre of the ring for all of the first six rounds, he was still pinging counters in off the ropes and scoring.Bivol dared to be great in the seventh, but courage in the squared circle creates openings for your opponent and Beterbiev didn’t need asking twice..The WBA boss unleashed eye-catching and point-scoring blows but Beterbiev saw those as an invitation to attack and seemed to wobble his former Team Russian amateur understudy.Both men took the technical decision to do very little work in the first two minutes, sometimes they would only really engage in the final 30 seconds.It was the same in round eight when they waited until the last knockings to blow their energy and most spiteful shots.But it seemed to be Bivol who was banking rounds with regular flurries more successful than occasional blows.Round nine might have been Bivol’s best. He seemed so at home and comfortable in the most uncomfortable position imaginable. He was the sole prey of a violent Chechen KO artist who was chasing him around the ring. But he had the skill and psychological strength to make it look, at times, like a sparring session.Bivol had his chin checked at the start of the tenth, by a thudding right hand. And his heart and lungs at the end of the stanza. But every inch of his anatomy was getting full marks.Bivol was boxing beautifully in the penultimate round until a right hand around the back of the ear’ole knocked him out of his rhythm but not off his course to four-belt glory.Beterbiev hounded and pounded him but he absorbed and ran and even had the audacity to fire back.Round 12 was the Soviet slugfest we needed to end the week and the rivalry.READ MORE SUN STORIESBoth men when hammer and nail and when Bivol was still standing at the end, he knew he had done enough and began his deserved celebrations, for taming the Beast from the East, with supreme style and courage.But sickening and sad scoring ruined a magnificent fight and occasional and is a massive stain on Saudi’s new sponsoring of boxing. More

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    Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol LIVE RESULTS: Beterbiev WINS controversial thriller, Whittaker in hospital, Clarke KO’d

    ARTUR BETERBIEV has beaten Dmitry Bivol on points after a thrilling main event in Riyadh!On the undercard, Fabio Wardley has destroyed Frazer Clarke inside ONE round in their long-awaited rematch.While Chris Eubank Jr finally made his return to the ring with a stoppage victory over Kamil Szeremeta, which included a fierce confrontation with rival Conor Benn afterwards.Though Ben Whittaker’s fight against Liam Cameron has ended controversially with both fighters falling over the top rope in never-before-seen circumstances.Whittaker was taken out of the arena in a wheelchair and the fight w was ruled a technical decision split draw.Main event ring-walks: 10.50pm BSTTV channel: DAZN / Sky Sports Box Office / TNT Sports Box OfficeLive stream: DAZN app / NOW / discovery+BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSFollow ALL the action with our live blog below…”I did not good today”Artur Beterbiev speaking to DAZN after beating Dmitry Bivol: “I feel not bad. I did not good today. I wanted to box with more quality. I’ll be better one day. It was a little bit uncomfortable. Of course, it was a tough fight because Dmitry is a tough champion and he has tough skills, better than me.”During the fight, we always try to change something. I didn’t deliver more punches, I don’t know. Today I am lucky too.”Copy linkCopied”Utterly robbed”The thoughts of our reporter Wally Downes Jr in RiyadhDmitry Bivol was utterly robbed of undisputed light-heavyweight glory by a Saudi Arabia scandal against Artur Beterbiev.The 33-year-old Russian WBA champ dared to take on the compatriot and silent assassin who held the WBC, IBF and WBO crowns.And he controlled the bearded menace until the judges should have cemented his place in the pantheons of boxing’s best.But one terrible judge called it a: 114-114 draw and the other two managed to be even bigger jokes by scoring it: 116-112 and 115-113.Credit: GETTYCopy linkCopiedInstant classicWhatCredit: GETTYACredit: GETTYFightCredit: GETTYCopy linkCopiedTough oneThat’s a very tough one to take for Dmitry Bivol, who genuinely though he’d done enough to clinch it. He boxed beautifully and he can be proud of himself.Dmitrii Bivol reacts following defeat to Artur BeterbievCredit: GETTYCopy linkCopiedHistoryArtur Beterbiev is now the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. He is the first undisputed champion of the division since Roy Jones Jr in 2002.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev beats Dmitry Bivol by majority decisionArtur Beterbiev gets a razor thin decision from the judges!One judged scored it 114-114, while the other two went 115-113 and 116-12 in Beterbiev’s favour. As I mentioned, the judges clearly preferred his aggression.UndisputedCredit: GETTYCopy linkCopied”That was epic”Former world middleweight champion Darren Barker on DAZN: “What a fantastic contest that was. We saw a bit of everything there for all the marbles in the division. That was epic!”He’s not wrong.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry BivolEddie Hearn is jumping around in the crowd, he thinks his man Dmitry Bivol has done enough. It’s so subjective – do you prefer the accuracy and precision of Bivol or the relentless busy pressure of Artur Beterbiev.The judges will decide.”I still think the draw is on the table here,” says the DAZN commentator.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 12These three minutes could define either one of these man’s careers.Artur Beterbiev doesn’t waste any time in searching for a knockout, but he’s yet to land anything of substance. Remember, Beterbiev has never gone the distance in his professional career.60 seconds left on the clock and Beterbiev is throwing the kitchen sink at Bivol, who wisely clinches to slow things down.The pair have a messy final seconds as the bell goes and Bivol runs to hug his corner. He thinks he’s done enough as Beterbiev looks pensive in his corner.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 11It’s the championship rounds here, folks and Bivol has the advantage. Even Artur Beterbiev’s corner accepts that and have told his man that he requires a knockout.He comes out with bad intentions but Bivol manages to land a good series of punches of his own. Will he regret that flurry of punches? He slows down as Beterbiev connects with some mean body shots.Bivol showing real signs of fatigue here. Can he survive one round and clinch this undisputed title?Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 10Still incredibly tight but a few of the pundits have the scorecards in favour of Dmitry Bivol. And he continues to rise to the occasion with a one-two to the body and head.As we’ve seen throughout the night, Beterbiev returns with pressure and some decent late shots but Bivol’s defence has been amazing tonight.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 9Four rounds remaining, folks. This fight is still well up for grabs with both fighters priced at 10/11 with the bookies.Dmitry Bivol is somehow keeping his composure with some great ‘upstairs, downstairs’ attacks that give Artur Beterbiev something to think about. Another round for Bivol, who’s paced himself wonderfully tonight.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 8Beterbiev has thrown nearly double the number of punches tonight, but Bivol has landed more. It was a fairly quiet round until the final 20 seconds where the pair of them start slugging like a WWE fight – Bivol probably got the better of that exchange.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 7″You’re not tired. Nobody can beat you,” scream Artur Beterbiev’s corner. I wonder what he communicated to them…Is Beterbiev tired? He’s certainly started to mark up a bit and has definitely dropped off in this round. Bivol seizes his opportunity with a terrific combination and some eye-catching shots that the judges will like.Beterbiev comes roaring back in the final 30 seconds, but Bivol seemed to block most of it.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 6This is just mesmerising stuff. It’s the most dangerous chess match ever played.Dmitry Bivol forgot his jab in the last two rounds but he’s found it again and that’s brought him some joy to slow Beterbiev’s relentless pressure. Tough round to score, perhaps Beterbiev because of punch output.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 5Bivol is keeping his hands nice and high when moving around the ring but even the shots he’s blocking make a huge thud.Beterbiev is looking relentless here now. He’s throwing punch after punch and the crowd erupts when Bivol looks briefly unbalanced. Don’t think there was too much damage done, but the pressure is ramping up.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 4Artur Beterbiev is asserting himself a little more at the start of this round, but that doesn’t stop Dmitry Bivol from firing off a fiery one-two before slipping away.That doesn’t deter the 39-year-old, who comes back swinging with some spiteful punches that look real, real nasty. Think that round goes Beterbiev’s way as he grows into the contest.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 3Artur Beterbiev is moving through the gears now. He came out with real intent, throwing two or three heavy rights but Bivol’s movement is preventing him from connecting properly.Dmitry Bivol, as you would expect, remains calm and delivers a cracking one-two to the temple of his opponent.Big hits! Bivol fires off a strong right but Beterbiev returns the favour just seconds later. Neither man is backing down here. It’s exactly what we wanted it to be, folks.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 2I will tell you that this easily the loudest crowd I’ve heard for a fight in Saudi.Artur Beterbiev is known as a slow starter, so Dmitry Bivol will need to make these earlier rounds count. Bivol connects with a nice left hook but Beterbiev just absorbs it, moves forward and attacks with a stiff jab just before the bell. Bivol has probably landed more scoring punches in the opening two rounds.Bivol landed nine jabs in that opening round, which is the most a Beterbiev opponent has ever landed against him.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 1″This is boxing’s version of Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo,” says the DAZN commentator. Quite like that. I’d pay more than £19.99 for that.Anyway, Artur Beterbiev starts on the front foot as the aggressor. He’s taking control of the centre of the ring with Dmitry Bivol dancing around him.No significant damage done or taken from either of these fighters in the opening round – although Bivol enjoyed some good scoring jabs and combinations.But seconds before the bell, both landed and both reacted to those punches.Copy linkCopiedArtur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – Round 1Ding Ding! It’s show time! Who’s ‘O’ is going to go?Copy linkCopiedLet’s get this party started!Michael Buffer has uttered those five magic words, and that can only mean one thing – the fighters are on their way out now.Now we’ve seen a few stylish and elaborate outfits for the ring walks tonight — but Artur Beterbiev has just entered the ring wearing a sweaty white Fred Perry t-shirt. Love it.He also got from the entrance to the ring in about 30 seconds flat. Dmitry Bivol was no slouch either. We’re moments away.Copy linkCopiedBloody good repMissy Elliott has now finished her performance, and DAZN are showing the preview trailer for this fight.I’ve actually grown to love these trailers ahead of fights — but I’m fairly certain the Voice Over is done by Chris Finch from The Office, right?Chris Finch, IQ of 142, one of the cleverest blokes I know, certainly the cleverest bloke you know.Anyway, I’ve posted the trailer here if you want to get those juices flowing. Warning… it’s over four minutes.Copy linkCopiedUpdateThe show was nice.I won’t lie to you, folks. I popped to the kitchen to grab a KitKat and a brew somewhere between Ciara and Busta Rhymes’ performances. I’m sure it was good.It was a KitKat Chunky if you’re wondering.Copy linkCopiedThe BuffStill looking good, still sounding good – Michael Buffer introduces the musical acts.We’ve got Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott performing soon after Turki Alalshikh delivers a quick speech and a fireworks display. I would take a screenshot but c’mon, you can imagine what fireworks look like.Copy linkCopied More

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    Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol fight breaks protocol with unconventional announcement in Riyad

    ARTUR BETERBIEV’S enthralling victory over Dmitry Bivol had an unpredictable opening – even before they got inside the ring.There was a surprise break from protocol moments ahead of a ding-dong fight from which Beterbiev eventually emerged as undisputed light-heavyweight champion of the world by a majority verdict. Beterbiev became undisputed champion after an epic 12 roundsCredit: GettyBivol landed on Beterbiev here but lost on points by a majority decisionCredit: GettyBivol left it all in the ring in a humdinger of a fightCredit: GettyThe Russian-Canadian, who started the night as a three-belt title-holder, was the man chosen to walk out first.Normally whoever is first out into the arena has the same honour when it comes to getting in the ring.But this time, without explanation, an announcement revealed the opposite would happen – with Bivol stepping in before his opponent.He entered the long-awaited contest as the WBA light-heavyweight champ, boasting 23 wins in 23 fights, with 12 knockouts.READ MORE BOXING NEWSMeanwhile, Beterbiev had triumphed by KO in all his 20 previous bouts.That made him boxing’s only current champ with a 100% stoppage rate.And when he stepped into the ring – AFTER Bivol – he ignored the usual glitz of these occasions.Instead of a brash outfit he opted for an old Fred Perry T-shirt.Most read in BoxingBattered Bivol was gutted to lose the verdictCredit: GettyFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSHowever, once the fight started, there was no dressing down from either man – leaving everything in the ring in an epic 12-rounder that lived up to expectations.The build-up to the fight had been unusual for more than the switch from protocol.Ben Whittaker fight STOPPED after freak injury as he and rival Liam Cameron both fall OVER the top ropeMusical acts like Ciara, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhyme strutted their stuff.Boxing legends Beterbiev, 39, and 33-year-old Bivol then bust a gut – as each attempted to maintain the “undefeated” tag on their CVs.The former took the verdict despite one judge calling it a draw – with the scores being 114-114, 115-113, 116-112.Beterbiev did lose one record – his perfect record for knockouts.But that minor blot was eclipsed by his achievement of becoming the division’s first undisputed champ since Roy Jones Jr 22 years ago.Beterbiev triumphed in what some pundits called a ‘chess match’Credit: Getty More

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    Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke 2 LIVE RESULT: Latest updates as Wardley BEATS Clarke after brutal first-round KO

    FABIO WARDLEY has knocked out Frazer Clarke in round one of their blockbuster rematch.The champ came out of the traps in rapid fashion and caught the challenger with some huge blows.Wardley landed a devastating right to floor Clarke – forcing the referee to wave the bout off after just two minutes and 28 seconds.All the action from this stacked Saudi card, which sees Artur Beterbiev fight Dmitry Bivol at the top of the bill, can be caught on our independent LIVE BLOGTV channel: DAZN / Sky Sports Box Office / TNT Sports Box OfficeLive stream: DAZN app / NOW TV / discovery+CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSFollow ALL the action from Wardley vs Clarke 2 below…Bivol grateful for opportunity, why not a rematch?Bivol expressed his gratitude for having the opportunity and said he “doesn’t have any explanations” because it would sound like excuses, having suffered a first professional defeat tonight.”Congrats to Artur and his team, he deserves it. I don’t know, just did my job and felt I could do better – always feel that way – I didn’t see the fight, he won so what can I say?”Bivol says Beterbiev’s very powerful – no kidding – and cites a bruise on his hand from all the rough-housing, while you can see cuts around his eyes. A rematch? “Why not, of course if I have the chance then yes, this is my dream.Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev: It was uncomfortableHow do you feel, Artur? “I feel… not bad! It wasn’t tough, it was uncomfortable… of course it was a tough fight but [out of us two], Allah chose me.On in-fight changes and confidence in the result: “I always try to change something but I wanted to punch him [more], maybe that’s why I didn’t deliver more punches today. I felt uncomfortable because usually I’m not waiting [for the scorecards].”On the instruction from his corner before R10, telling him he needed a knockout to prevail: “They always say that!”He’s happy to have finally gone the full 12-round, 36-minute distance and pointed to prior experience as a key factor on this occasion in a bout of very fine margins indeed. Rematch feels inevitable next year.Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev wins via majority decision!The bout went to the scorecards for the first time in Artur Beterbiev’s professional career and, given his pressure as well as the impact of his work down the stretch… he gets the nod! 114-114, 115-113, 116-112 the scores as Beterbiev inflicts Bivol’s first career defeat to clinch undisputed status at 175lbs, with a performance that he could’ve done even more in! Wow.Post-fight comments coming.Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R12Into the decder they go, Beterbiev the aggressor and Bivol lands three combos to push him back – very briefly – that relentless pressure persists before Bivol is again warned for pulling the head down when clinching. He won’t mind, he’s trying to avoid a late avalanche of pressure and it’s working as they head into the final minute. Beterbiev throws more power punches but Bivol evades, they’ll need the scorecards…Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R11Bivol unloads a flurry, then Beterbiev does the same and starts throwing uppercuts in the pocket as Bivol teeters away and tries to halt the surge of momentum, tying up momentarily. Bivol shelling up isn’t a good look as Beterbiev advances with another successful pummelling attack, of which there have been many! Final round coming up and it’s still all to play for, hangs in the balance…Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R10Beterbiev with a better stanza as far as punch connects are concerned, Bivol picking his moments though as Artur finishes it strong. Bivol in control, though these spirited bursts can often change the perception of a swing round…Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R9Bivol lands body-head-body, his left hand has found the mark and unsurprisingly that confidence continues to soar as he probably banks another hard-fought round, where Beterbiev’s pressure is patchy and he’s unable to keep this fight at short or mid-distance.Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R8Again, another partially blocked right still pushes Bivol back a few paces midway through another tense round without much noteworthy action to speak of. Bivol’s narrowly missed with a few power hooks, while Beterbiev does the same before they exchange furiously to finish a stanza Bivol kept at his own speed. That suits him far more, can he maintain this?Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R7You can see Beterbiev thinking a lot but throwing less as Bivol pounces, using time against him to throw more flurries and combos in the spaces where he’s not committing forward. Right on cue then, Bivol unloads a bit more than you’d expect and is immediately punished – the final minute sees evasive action needed as Beterbiev builds up scoring punches.Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R6Into the sixth and Beterbiev’s leaning on his earlier body punching, as subtle as it may have seemed. He’s got the crowd going again, Bivol lands a series of punches before Artur answers back with a flurry of his own and Bivol’s screw left jab stops him in his tracks momentarily.Beterbiev needs to be more active, Bivol’s tight defence and movement is stifling that though. When he lands… it’s a worry.Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R5Bivol bobs and weaves out of trouble, armed with the high guard, to keep Beterbiev hitting his gloves and not piercing the defences. They exchange cuffing right hands, Beterbiev gets the crowd going after landing a powerful jab and pressing… the bell comes to Bivol’s aid after trading a little too much for comfort there late!Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R4Into the fourth and Beterbiev, known as a slow-starter, absorbs another slick Bivol flurry before landing a disguised body shot. Still stalking his prey, Beterbiev lands a few rights and Bivol shells up momentarily while retreating before firing back off the ropes as the lateral movement is being stress-tested, though that jab continues to make the unified champion think twice before entering.Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R3Beterbiev gets a face full of jabs early to start the stanza, Bivol emboldended to open up more again and connects flush on a combo but again, needs to be careful… even the partially blocked punches are having an impact and this continues to heat up, evidenced by them trading – briefly – at the end of another competitive round.Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R2Bivol lands a partially blocked left hand to start the stanza, then opens up with a combo as Beterbiev walks forward unbothered, almost welcoming the punches as they fly towards him at speed.Bivol’s boxing well off the back foot but can’t afford to keep going backwards, even if Beterbiev is noticeably more measured with his output than normal. Copy linkCopiedBeterbiev vs. Bivol R1 Rapid ringwalks to grand acclaim, introductions out of the way and the two unbeaten world champions standing opposite one another. Moments away now from the first bell as referee Thomas Taylor reminds them about beltlines… we’re off! Tense start and naturally so, Bivol jabbing to the body and Beterbiev looks purposeful with his subtle moments, waiting to land a fight-altering punch. Jabs to the body are his mode of attack, Bivol fires with a jab combo as they exchange at short-range in centre ring, Bivol looking to open up and take centre, the patience will need to be at another level tonight from *that* Canelo performance if he’s to keep Artur away. Beterbiev lands a sneaky right hand, the round’s best punch, in the final seconds. Ooooh, this is gonna be good!Copy linkCopiedMain event moments away…Artur Beterbiev’s blockbuster light-heavyweight clash against Dmitry Bivol is moments away with the main event reportedly brought forward this evening.Due to the rapid undercard and Fabio Wardley needing just two minutes and 28 seconds to knockout Frazer Clarke in the Co-main event, Beterbiev vs Bivol will take place earlier than expected.For round-by-round updates of the huge undisputed clash, follow SunSport’s independent LIVE BLOG.Copy linkCopiedThen there was one…Stay tuned for the main event, when unified champion Artur Beterbiev faces WBA titleholder Dmitry Bivol in a long-awaited showdown for all the marbles at light-heavyweight. It’ll be the first time since the four-belt era that a new king reigns at 175lbs. I’ve been told we have just under an hour to wait, by virtue of quick stoppage victories for Chris Eubank Jr and (pressingly!) Fabio Wardley’s first-round destruction job at Frazer Clarke’s expense.I’ll still be here but James Anderson is poised to take you through the action, so click and follow that live blog commentary here. Ready?Copy linkCopiedWarren stays winning!After Raven Chapman sadly fell well short in her WBC world featherweight title shot against Skye Nicolson earlier tonight, Frank Warren will be delighted that his new signee Fabio Wardley has done exactly as he outlined in Thursday’s presser: make a statement! Heavyweight boxing is so unpredictable that you never really know when a new contender emerges to become a mainstay within the world-level landscape, much like Agit Kabayel and Martin Bakole have done – powered by Riyadh Season cards – over the past year or so.Wardley, trained by highly-rated coach Ben Davison, shares him with former unified champion Anthony Joshua and rising teen star Moses Itauma among others, and it’ll be interesting to see how Warren manoevures him in next given those highly-ranked contenders now. As for Clarke, who made his 10th professional appearance tonight and turned 33 in August, one can only wonder how he rebuilds after such a stunning stoppage defeat. Unlike their March meeting, what positives can he possibly take from a conclusive first career defeat?Copy linkCopiedAND STILL! Wardley speaks…R1, 2:28 is the official time of the stoppage, in what was a tentative round for 90 seconds or so… Round 13 indeed, true to his word!Wardley on his fast finish: “Always know once I’ve hurt someone, I get rid of them. Went into the first fight with a lot of background stuff, my team said maybe we should pull out, had a couple of issues but we fixed them and got the gameplan right, executed on the night.””Sometimes it takes a little bit of brains, I took enough from the first fight where I had success but needed to be a bit cuter, set things up and disguise them. I can’t help it! War by name and nature.”He concluded the interview saying while his series of titles look great, he wants to become a world champion and doubled down on a desire to return to Saudi shores after two stoppages in Riyadh a year apart.Credit: GettyCopy linkCopiedWardley with concussive R1 finish!There are several concerned people in the ring around Clarke’s corner, Wardley passionately celebrating and shoving team members off him to get his point across, we’ll see what he’s unhappy about shortly. Eventually Clarke rises to his feet and the pair share a nice moment, while replays show the sequence of events which led to the finish.Clarke looked like he’d been snake-bitten, Wardley pounced to body-and-head. Having spun him around off the ropes while still unsteady, a three-punch combo was all she wrote – an overhand right to end it.Copy linkCopiedWardley vs. Clarke R1We’re off! A promotional showdown between Frank Warren and Ben Shalom too, which adds another interesting layer if you’re so inclined. Clarke feinting plenty in the early going, looking to flick out that jab and see what sort of reactions the champion gives him in response.Wardley throws an overhand right that wobbles Clarke, he looks hurt and certainly is! Just like that, pinned in the corner, he’s crumbled to a knee and ref Victor Loughlin wisely waves it off after a five-count.Clarke looks worse for wear, his face tells the story and it’s all over!Credit: GettyCopy linkCopiedRingwalk and introduction time!Clarke savours the moment on stage with two songs, the second lyrically modified to prop him up at Wardley’s expense – think Zhilei Zhang against Joseph Parker (didn’t go very well for him but hey…)Wardley walks out to Can’t Be Touched and the lyrics for that are fitting for the must-watch fighting style he possesses too. Round 13 anyone? We’re about to see whether Fabio is true to his word.Copy linkCopiedWardley-Clarke 2 up next…It’s almost time for the evening’s chief support bout and without wanting to jinx it, I must say, things are flying by – refreshing. Opetaia’s doing his post-fight interviews ringside and taking pictures with local fans after a destructive performance that will only whet the appetite for him to face the CBS-Zurdo winner in early 2025.Alalshikh told ESPN in early May that he originally planned to match the Beterbiev-Bivol loser with Opetaia, who could very well move up to join the cruiserweight ranks in 12-18 months’ time. Who knows?Copy linkCopiedOpetaia speaks…WBA president Gilberto Mendoza Jr watched ringside and that title will be on the line come November 16 when Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez boxes WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith in a Riyadh unification duel.On what was a near flawless title defence: “I felt good, nothing but respect to Jack and his family, big thanks to my family too… we jumped through some hurdles to get here, so many ups and downs but we stayed strong and together… the ins and outs of boxing.” R6, 2:00 was the official time of the TKO (corner retirement), as the 29-year-old – who won his $1.6m legal case against former promoter Dean Lonergan on Thursday – has even more reason to celebrate.Copy linkCopiedOpetaia stops Massey in the sixth!In round five, I can hear more of Massey’s support team further back in the crowd barking insutrctions, urging their man to throw with Opetaia and match his pace. If you could ever show a novice an example of levels in this sport, it’d be this fight unfolding right here. Massey’s a bloodied mess through five rounds and Jai is jogging on the spot between rounds unbothered, almost as if he’s sparring.”Don’t let him back you up,” is the cry from Jonas, but it’s falling on deaf ears as Massey is being picked apart further… Joe Gallagher wisely throws the towel in and no-one can have any complaints really.Credit: GettyCopy linkCopied More

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    Fabio Wardley leaves Frazer Clarke with DENT in skull and mangled jaw after astonishing first round KO

    FABIO WARDLEY defended his British heavyweight title with a stunning first round KO against Frazer Clarke.The Riyadh showdown saw them facing-off in a rematch after a brilliant draw back in March.Fabio Wardley knocked out Frazer Clarke in round one of their heavyweight title fightCredit: GettyThe ref waved off the fight with Clarke out of sorts and slumped against the ropeCredit: GettyThe emphatic win moves Wardley to a record of 18-0Credit: GettyWardley retained his British heavyweight titleCredit: GettyHowever, a huge shot from Wardley against Clarke’s jaw ended the contest inside one round.Clarke was seen slumped against the corner of the ring after the brutal punch, prompting the referee to wave off the fight.Medical professional’s were seen attending to Clarke following the fight in the ring.Pictures of Clarke showed his jaw looking out of place, while there also appeared to be a sizeable DENT in the side of his head.READ MORE IN BOXINGSpeaking on commentary for TNT Sports, Carl Frampton said his jaw appeared to be “dislocated or broken”.Frank Warren later confirmed Clarke had suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone, explaining the dent in his head.The win moves Wardley to a record of 18 wins, one draw and zero defeats, with 17 of those victories coming by knockout.The first fight between the pair in March had seen the 29-year-old Suffolk Puncher survive a mangled nose back when it was smashed it into a bloody mess.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBut in Riyadh on Saturday night it was 33-year-old Clarke and his mess of a corner that needed wiping off of the floor.Brilliant Wardley grinned: “I know that once I hurt someone, I can get rid of them.Fabio Wardley swaps jobs and holds pads for heavyweight trainer in Frazer Clarke rrmatch training session“I had a few issues for the first fight but I got rid of them, had a gameplan and executed it.“I learned enough from the first fight to know I had enough to beat him properly. “I can’t help it, it’s my name; War by name War by nature.“I want belts and titles next, these domestic ones are great but I want the ones that have ‘world’ written on them.”Clarke – who spent a decade with Team GB in Sheffield – started with the crisper jab.But as soon as Wardley landed his violent right hand – honed in white-collar pub brawls in Ipswich pubs – Clarke was finished.The former security guard vowed to return to manning doors, if he could not snatch the British and Commonwealth titles off the novice.But it now seems unlikely that the ruffians in Burton-on-Trent would be worried about rushing his pub on a Friday night.Wardley landed a stunning right hand on Clarke’s temple that shattered his Lonsdale belt dreams and his senses.The 19st giant did well to stay on his feet but he bounced around the corner before taking another pasting and folding into the canvas.READ MORE SUN STORIESClarke’s crumpled face looked melted in the heat of Wardley’s attack and the Saudi sun.But Wardley now races on to be considered a serious world title contender when the belts are carved up after the December 21 rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. More

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    Jack Massey throws in towel as beer-loving Aussie Jai Opetaia secures impressive sixth-round stoppage win

    JACK MASSEY had his world title dream sunk by beer-loving Aussie cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia.The Cheshire trier had a crack at the IBF title but the ruthless 29-year-old champ – who told SunSport in fight week that he proudly still mixes pulling punches and pints – was one round too much for him.Jack Massey was beaten by Jai OpetaiaCredit: GettyOpetaia won the IBF World Cruiserweight title fight against MasseyCredit: GettyThe 31-year-old Brit challenger made a bold start, catching most of Opetaia’s attacks on his gloves and trying to counter.The former scaffolder did not look poles apart in ability from the undefeated champ.But a right hook at the end of the session swayed it into the Aussie’s favour.Massey kept Opetaia honest in the second too, letting a few probing shots slip through, but none of his big and dangerous left hands that have a horrible habit of rendering 14st men unconscious.READ MORE BOXING NEWSThe Englishman landed a lead left hook as soon as the third started that splashed sweat beads off Opetaia’s chiselled face.It was a far more even contest than the bookies fancied at the start of the week, following Opeteia’s violent early finishes of brave Brit’s Jordan Thompson and Ellis Zorro.Massey scored with a couple of impressive jabs in the fourth but he got too close to Samoan sun and got his wings and whiskers singed but the dangerous leftie.The Cheshire challenger planned to take Opetaia into the later deep rounds but by the fifth his face was turning purple and bloody.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAnd respected and caring trainer Joe Gallagher correctly threw in the white towel in the sixth when it was clearly a matter of time when his lad would get seriously hurt.Opetaia spoke after the fight and offered his respect to Massey.Watch moment Conor Benn SHOVES Chris Eubank Jr and calls him ‘dead boy walking’ before boxing rivals are separated He said: “I felt good, nothing but respect to Jack and his family, big thanks to my family too.”We jumped through some hurdles to get here, so many ups and downs but we stayed strong and together… the ins and outs of boxing.”Meanwhile, boxer Ben Whittaker had to leave the event in a wheelchair after a freak injury.He was taken to hospital after he fell out of the ring during his fight with Liam Cameron.Cameron managed to get himself back into the ring and was ready to continue the bout.However, Whittaker was unable to continue and the result was handed to Cameron. More

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    Chris Eubank Jr blows away Kamil Szeremeta with seventh round TKO after knocking Pole down in just 47 seconds

    CHRIS EUBANK JR butted heads with Spring opponent Conor Benn after body snatching Kamil Szeremeta.The 35-year-old Brighton bruiser dropped the once-tough Pole four times inside seven rounds to get his first win back after 13 months.Chris Eubank Jr dropped Kamil Szeremeta four times inside seven roundsCredit: GettyEubank Jr celebrated his first win back after 13 months with NeymarCredit: GettyEubank Jr butted heads with Conor Benn after body snatching SzeremetaCredit: GettyThen welterweight rival Benn, 28, leaped into the ring to start promoting their overdue cash-grab clash that collapsed two years ago after a couple of failed drugs tests from the son of British ring legend Nigel.The pair touched shiny foreheads and promised plenty before shuffling off to count their proposed cash.The bearded victor said: “I could have finished that in the first round but I was having fun in there and I wanted to prepare for the big fight that is coming next.”After 13 months out of the ring, Eubank Jr blew away the cobwebs and almost his Polish opponent in the first minute.Read More on BoxingA textbook one-two right down the pipe robbed Szeremeta of his senses and he ducked down into the canvas for a count of eight.Eubank Jr refused to rush in but his coolness almost cost him when the Brighton brawler was whacked with a right hand that sent him racing away from danger after an early scare.Jr put on a beautiful second-round showing of uppercuts that would have dropped a lesser opponent.The rasping blows were whipped up from his hip and slashed into Szeremeta’s tough face to earn him another round and a huge boost in confidence.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAfter a sizzling six minutes, the third round turned scrappy and clumsy. Eubank Jr fell to the canvas twice, without a knockdown scored.And then a cut emerged above the Brit’s right eye that appeared to have come from a head clash but was confirmed to have been the result of a punch by the ref at the start of round five.Watch incredible moment Chris Eubank Jr trains for blockbuster Kamil Szeremeta fight in traditional Saudi robeThere were brief flashes of the brilliant Eubank Jr who starched Liam Smith last September at the start of the fourth.But either his ring rust or Szeremeta’s courage flattened out his performance in the final two minutes of the session.The fifth was a dull affair after Eubank Jr’s OTT vows to shimmy, shine and shellack his way to a sensational victory faded into the empty atmosphere.In round six Szeremeta was decked with just 15 seconds left but he spent only two on the canvas before bouncing back up from a right hook to the ribs and one to the head.But in the seventh round he was decked two more times with booming shots to the ribs and the referee rightly waved it off to let the pantomime begin.The infamy-loving pair met in a blatantly staged confrontation on Friday afternoon – miraculously with every click snatching boxing YouTube channel herded into the exact same spaceAnd on Saturday night – with Brazil superstar Neymar standing between them in a denim waistcoat – they posed and preened and talked rubbish ahead of their clash in 2025. More

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    Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn square up as Neymar ‘acts like guest referee’ in baffling scenes

    NEYMAR left fans in stitches after he bizarrely appeared in the ring behind Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn as they faced off.The boxing rivals came face-to-face after Eubank’s seventh-round KO win over Kamil Szeremeta.Neymar was seen ‘acting like a referee’ as Chris Eubank Jr squared off with Conor BennEubank Jr won by TKO over Kamil SzeremetaCredit: GettyEubank KO’d his rival in round seven – the fourth knockdown of the fightCredit: GettyNeymar appeared in the ring at the event afterwardsCredit: GettyThere were heated scenes as Benn then stepped into the ring.They were then seen facing off with one another, with football superstar Neymar making a surprise appearance in the background.Eubank was seen putting his hand on the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain stars shoulder and saying: “This is my boy, we’re coming for you.”Benn then replied in Spanish, with Eubank asking Neymar to translate before he whispered in his ear.READ MORE IN BOXINGBut the 32-year-old’s appearance, seemingly as a makeshift ref-come translator left fans confused.It prompted one fan on social media to ask: “Nah why is Neymar acting as the referee for the face off?”A second said: “HAHAHAHAHA WHAT?”A third added: “Why is Neymar in the ring hosting a face off between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn????”Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAnother said: “Neymar in the middle of Connor Benn and Chris Eubank JR like the promoter of the fight is killing me.”A fifth said: “Neymar mediating a face off between Chris Eubank Jr & Conor Benn… 12 words you never thought you’d read in one sentence.”Watch moment Conor Benn SHOVES Chris Eubank Jr and calls him ‘dead boy walking’ before boxing rivals are separated SunSport reporter Chisanga Malata posted: “Neymar squaring off Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr – after translating Benn’s Spanish trash talk – is an utterly, utterly bizarre scene.” More