DAZN

KID GALAHAD lost his IBF featherweight title after suffering a ruthless knockout to violent Spanish slugger Kiko Martinez.The veteran – now of 55 fights – had lost on six of his seven previous visits to the UK, against stars like Josh Warrington, Scott Quigg, Carl Frampton and Rendall Munroe.
Spanish slugger Kiko Martinez is the new IBF featherweight championCredit: PA
He knocked out Kid Galahad for the belt in SheffieldCredit: PA

But he made up for the misery by starching the 31-year-old hometown favourite with identical right hooks at the very end of the fifth and start of the fifth.
Galahad, in just his second defence, was coasting into a wide lead when he was smacked with just 10 seconds of the fifth remaining.
He recovered after an eight count and got a minute to recuperate but it was all over just six seconds into the sixth when 35-year-old Martinez unleashed an identical shot and was crowned world champion.
Galahad, real name Barry Awad, won his red world title in August in promoter Eddie Hearn’s Essex garden.
So Saturday night was supposed to be a proud homecoming for the local lad forged in Sheffield’s legendary Ingle gym.
Hyper-dedicated Galahad, who is in bed at 7pm every night, looked on the cusp of a very early night against the respected Spaniard.

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After switching stace a couple of times in the first round, a precise shot or two clipped Martinez’s skull and he seemed to stiffen and stagger but managed to recover quickly.
The Alicante brawler tried to make it a dog fight as early as the second but ice-cool Galahad kept the fight at range and picked him off at distance.
When Martinez and his goatee beard lunged in with hooks, the Brit pivoted out of danger and countered crisply.
Martinez, giving away height and reach advantages, was trying to barrel his way through Galahad’s guard but the champ was too quick and clever to be breached.
Galahad needed to strip off to make weight on Friday but only showed off his naked ambition to unify the 9st division with his third round display.
Martinez could not handle the befuddling switch hitting ambidextrous Galahad has mastered after years of practice in the Wincobank gym Brendan Ingle created.
By the start of the fourth, Martinez’s right eye was pink and grazed as Galahad played matador over the bullish yet bamboozled visitor.
Growing in confidence, Galahad landed a couple of adventurous uppercuts but Martinez continued dipping forwards and slashing away unsuccessfully.
And the knowledgeable Sheffield arena crowd roared when the local lad produced some dazzling defensive footwork to evade an attack when it seemed he was backed into a corner.
Then it all went wrong in sensational fashion.
With Galahad coasting, Martinez landed a brilliant right hook that collapsed the heavy favourite into the floor.
The Qatar-born ace needed eight to recover and then the bell went to end the session.
Trainer Dominic Ingle had 60 seconds to help his man recover and cling on to his title.
But as soon as he walked back out he was demolished with a magnificent punch that shattered him into the floor.
The referee waved the bout off without even thinking about a count and the medical staff dived in instantly to make Galahad could get oxygen.
Thankfully he rose to his feet and walked back to his corner for emergency care while Martinez was able to celebrate a wonderful win for the old warhorse.
Kid Galahad strips and misses weight by one ounce but returns to scale inside featherweight limit for Kiko Martinez bout More

GENNADY GOLOVKIN and Ryota Murata have confirmed their middleweight unification bout in Japan… in a rare WEDNESDAY fight night.Golovkin will put his IBF title on the line against Murata’s WBA version on December 29 in Saitama.
Gennady Golovkin will fight Ryota Murata on December 29Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Ryota Murata will welcome Gennady Golovkin to his hometownCredit: Getty
Japan has a long history of New Year’s Eve events in martial arts, stretching back to the early 2000s.
But Golovkin’s trip to the Far East will conclude two days shy of the landmark date on the fight calendar.
He travels to Murata’s hometown for a midweek, Wednesday main-event, a rarity in boxing.
GGG won the IBF title vacated by former rival Canelo Alvarez, 31, in October 2019 in a razor-thin points victory over Sergiy Derevyanchenko, 36.
He defended it against Kamil Szeremeta, 32, in his last fight in December 2020, but has not returned since.
Golovkin, 39, said: “I am really excited to be bringing the Big Drama Show to Japan, a country where boxing is very popular.  

“Ryota Murata has been an outstanding champion.  It is going to be a special night when we meet in the ring to unify our titles.  
“We are going to give the fans a great fight.”    
Murata, 35, has a 16–2 record and has been beaten only by Hassan N’Dam, 37, and Rob Brant, 31, but won both rematches.
He was the WBA’s ‘Regular’ champion and was later elevated to their full title with Canelo now campaigning at super-middleweight.
Golovkin was unfortunate not to walk away with a 2017 win against Alvarez, after they drew, and contentiously lost the rematch a year later.
Murata considers the controversial results a write off, as he set his sights on dethroning Kazakhstan’s middleweight king.
I am really excited to be bringing the Big Drama Show to Japan. Gennady Golovkin
He said: “I feel that my entire amateur and professional boxing career has been a preparation for this fight against Gennady Golovkin.  
“This fight will determine my place in the middleweight division and boxing history.
“Gennady Golovkin has long been the standard-bearer of the middleweight division. To me, he is still undefeated. I have the highest respect for him.  
“It has been almost two years since my last fight, because of the pandemic, but I have put that time to good use, working very hard with my trainers on improving my physical conditioning and adding more power to my punches.  
“I am so proud Japan is hosting this fight.  It is a great honour for me.”
Chris Eubank Jr says Gennady Golovkin fight has to happen soon More

KID GALAHAD stripped down and missed weight by one OUNCE – before swiftly returning to scale inside the featherweight limit. Galahad returns home to Sheffield for the first defence of his IBF belt, won against Jazza Dickens in August.
Kid Galahad stripped down and missed weight by one OUNCECredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Kid Galahad ahead of his fight with Kiko MartinezCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
But the homecoming title parade almost hit the rocks after he stepped on the scales just above the featherweight limit at 126.1lb.
And despite stripping off with only a towel protecting his modesty, the Brit was still an ounce short.
But it did not take long for Galahad to return to the scales where he successfully made 125.5lb, inside the 126lb cut off.
Galahad, 31, has been beaten just once in his 29-fight career, against Josh Warrington, 30, in a disputed 2019 points loss.
But he captured the title vacated by Warrington in 11 rounds against Dickens, 30, in their rematch two months ago.
Spanish veteran Martinez, 35, has fought the likes of Carl Frampton, 34, Scott Quigg, 33, and Warrington in Britain.

He was also unlucky to be on the end of a points loss to Zelfa Barrett, 28, in February.
But Galahad promised no such controversy when he takes on the experienced Martinez.
He said: “Forget those unification fights for now, it’s all about Kiko Martinez on Saturday night, going in there and doing a job on him.
“I’m not looking to just go in there and win.
“He’s had some bad decisions in the past against Barrett and Warrington, so I know he’s going to come and not try leave it to the judges’ hands – that’s what I’m going to do.
“I’m going to go in there and seriously hurt him.”
Liam Williams reacts to Chris Eubank Jr December 11th fight confirmation More

JAIME MUNGUIA is on the way to becoming Mexico’s next great hope – and already has boxing royalty in his corner. The former light-middleweight champion is trained by the legendary Erik Morales, who enjoyed one of the greatest rivalries of all time with Antonio Barrera.
Jaime Munguia is on the way to becoming Mexico’s next great hopeCredit: Getty
Jaime Munguia is a former light-middleweight championCredit: Getty
Unbeaten Munguia, still only 25, can only dream of such an epic trilogy with fellow countryman Canelo Alvarez, currently boxing’s top attraction.
But if anyone is going to guide him into a potential all-Mexican showdown, Morales is the man for it.
The pair were introduced by promoter Fernando Beltran, and Munguia’s idol soon turned into a mentor.
Mungia told SunSport: “I’ve always been a fan of Erik.
“He’s a great idol of mine and he’s was a very technical fighter, entertaining to watch, he had a great defence. 
“He had great attacks and he was a very complete fighter, always very fun to watch.
“My favourite fight was the one with Daniel Zaragoza, where he won the world championship.” 

Munguia won the WBO world title against Sadam Ali in 2018 as a 21-year-old and made five defences – one against Britain’s Liam Smith – before moving up.
He is now at middleweight, where he has won three times, and returns against veteran American Gabriel Rosado over the weekend.
It will be his toughest test at 160lb, the division where in 2018 Munguia was refused the chance to fight Gennady Golovkin by the Nevada commission.
He said: “I have a lot to prove in this new weight division. 
“I am ready to show everybody what I am made of, I’m ready to show what I’ve learned from my experience and that I’m a great fighter.”
Rosado, 35, has had a storied 41-fight career with several ups and downs, enough to justify his role in 2015 Hollywood hit Creed, a Rocky spin-off movie.
Jaime Munguia beat Britain’s Liam Smith in 2018Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Jaime Munguia in his last fight against Kamil SzeremetaCredit: Getty
In his last fight, he knocked out hot prospect Bektemir Melikuziev, 25, a fierce reminder of his giant killing ability.
Munguia said: “I think Gabriel will come out and box, use his jab. But I have to be very careful, because Gabriel is a very experienced fighter. 
“I feel I need to be prepared for whatever Gabe is able to do in the ring and adapt to that. 
“But of course I will make sure I am the best version of myself fight night and take control of the fight on the night.” 
Munguia was ruled out of filling in for Canelo – who was serving a six-month drug ban – to face GGG at late notice almost four years ago amid safety fears.
Now settled at middleweight, the heavy-hitter – who snubbed the Olympics to turn professional at 16 – has set his sights on finally fighting Kazakhstan’s 39-year-old danger man.
And the move up to middleweight has also put him within touching distance of Canelo, 31, now the undisputed super-middleweight champion.
Jaime Munguia training to fight Gabriel RosadoCredit: Instagram @jaimemunguiaoficial
American boxing veteran Gabriel RosadoCredit: Instagram @kinggabrosado
Alvarez has long yearned for a Mexican counter part fit to share the spotlight, having failed to do so with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, 35, who he dominated in 2017.
Munguia’s trainer Morales came off second best in his epic trilogy series with Barrera, which stretched from 2000-2004.
The brutal rounds still live long in the memory for boxing fans, and has inspired Munguia to try and one day replicate the rivalry with Canelo.
He said: “I think that would be something historic. It would be a very exciting fight, for all boxing fans to see.” 
“Obviously, it would be a great war. I’d apply a lot of pressure, come forward. That’s what Mexican fighters do. 
“It would be an exciting war for all the fans.” 
Marco Antonio Barrera, left, in his 2002 rematch with Erik MoralesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Jaime Munguia pictured next to trainer Erik Morales, middleCredit: Instagram @terrible100
Canelo Alvarez is boxing’s top attractionCredit: Getty More