Terence Crawford thinks UFC fans support their own better than boxing.
[autotag]Terence Crawford[/autotag] thinks UFC fans support their own better than boxing.
In a discussion with former UFC champions Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, super welterweight boxing champion Crawford agreed that the best fight the best more often in the UFC than they do in boxing.
He also argued that beloved UFC superstars don’t get as much heat when they lose as boxers do. He explained how undefeated [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] set the bar so high in boxing.
“UFC do have a good way of putting on the best fights at the right time,” Crawford said on the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast. “Not only that, one thing that I love about the UFC is that a guy can lose and still be supported. Nowadays in boxing, Floyd made it to where you lose and they’re kicking you to the curb and saying you’re a bum, you’re this, you’re that.
“He left with an unblemished record, and he set the bar high. So, now everybody is trying to protect the 0 because you get one loss, now you’ve got to go way to the back of the bus. Now it’s like, dang – your shine is off now because of the fans and the media and how they go around.”
With the help of of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, it appears Crawford may get his highly anticipated matchup with the Ring, WBO, WBA and WBC super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. But first, Alvarez takes on undefeated IBF champ William Scull on May 3 (May 4 locally) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
UFC bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili continues to blow everyone’s mind with his cardio.
UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] continues to blow everyone’s mind with his cardio.
Many have wondered how Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) can push such an incredible pace seamlessly, and famed coach [autotag]Firas Zahabi[/autotag] believes it’s simply natural. Dvalishvili’s cardio was on full display when he retained his bantamweight title by rallying to outlast Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311.
After seeing that, Zahabi compared “The Machine’s” cardio to undefeated boxing legend [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag].
“His conditioning is just unreal,” Zahabi said on his YouTube channel. “I’ve seen guys get caught on drugs and EPO, who didn’t have cardio like him. I’m not saying he’s on EPO. I’m just saying, like, even if you are on EPO, you just don’t have that level of cardio.
“Like there’s only one other guy I’ve ever seen with cardio like that, and I will tell you it’s Mayweather. When he sits on the stool, he doesn’t even breathe. And I’m not saying any of these guys are doping. I don’t think Mayweather dopes at all or Merab is doping. I’m just saying it’s genetic.”
Zahabi explains that Dvalishvili’s cardio is not something you can teach or train for.
“You can go and do their workout, you can go and try to copy them. It’s useless,” Zahabi said. “It’s totally useless. It’s got to be genetic. It can’t be, ‘This guy is doing a secret formula.’ That would really blow my mind. That would really shock me. No, it’s genetic. Just how the length of your arm is genetic, just like your reflexes are partly genetic.
“You can always improve your reflex, you can always improve your cardio, but you have a limit. The size of your arteries, how big they are, your VO2 max. You have a genetic ceiling. You have a genetic potential. His potential is great, so he’s accentuated by training. He’s made himself (have) even better cardio because he’s training. You’re not going to get that level of cardio by following his routine.”
Jon Anik argues that Jon Jones has surpassed other undefeated greats in combat sports.
[autotag]Jon Anik[/autotag] argues that [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] has surpassed other undefeated greats in combat sports.
UFC heavyweight champion Jones has one blemish on his professional MMA record – a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill in a fight he was dominating. Jones, a former longtime UFC light heavyweight champion, has now also defended his heavyweight title when he finished Stipe Miocic by Round 3 TKO at UFC 309.
Although the likes of Joe Calzaghe and [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] finished their careers undefeated, Anik thinks Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) has tested himself more than the boxing greats.
“I think, with respect to Joe Calzaghe and Floyd Mayweather, that Jon Jones has already pushed himself beyond those guys,” Anik told MMA Junkie. “Even if people want to denigrate the Stipe win because it happened at 42 years of age, I don’t think there really is anything left for Jon Jones to accomplish. But there is financial gain to be had.”
Jones is currently receiving criticism for being unwilling to fight interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Jones argues that Aspinall adds nothing to his legacy, and Anik thinks money is the only thing Jones can gain from a risky fight against the Brit.
“What he wants like that $30-40-50 million dollar payday, which he so deserves at this time because in heavyweight MMA, anything can happen,” Anik said. “And certainly, in light heavyweight MMA anything can happen, but the consequences are so great when it comes to four-ounce gloves that these guys chuck.”
Oscar De La Hoya criticizes Floyd Mayweather for his exhibition bouts post his professional boxing career.
From one boxing legend to another, [autotag]Oscar De La Hoya[/autotag] is pleading [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] to hang up the gloves for good.
Mayweather retired from professional boxing after he defeated MMA star Conor McGregor in 2017, bringing his perfect record to 50 wins. Although Mayweather never set foot in the ring again as a professional fighter, he has stayed busy doing exhibition bouts with celebrities and influencers.
Mayweather’s most recent one was on Aug. 24, when he went the distance with John Gotti III in Mexico City. The fight was ruled a no result, given it was an exhibition bout, so no scoring was involved. It was an uneventful fight that had no knockdowns and plenty of boos.
De La Hoya is not keen on Mayweather’s exhibitions, and would like to see him stop.
“Floyd Mayweather fought another exhibition against Gotti last Saturday, a real sh*t show that left the crowd booing in the arena at the end,” De La Hoya said on his Instagram. “In the middle of the second round, Floyd literally had the referee swapped out. He didn’t like that the referee told him to stop hitting behind the head. Floyd is used to having the refs do whatever he wants, and he wasn’t getting his way this time.
“It was so embarrassing. Floyd, you’re 50 years old. You’re a legend in this sport, and I’ve stood up for you in countless interviews, including Shannon Sharpe’s podcast last week. But you have to stop embarrassing yourself with these exhibitions. I know life i hard and life is expensive, but come one man, put your legacy first. Nobody wants to remember you like this.”
Mayweather has fought in eight exhibition bouts since retiring professionally from boxing. The multiple-time former champion hasn’t shown any intention of stopping these exhibition bouts.
De La Hoya and Mayweather share more than the boxing promotor space. The two fought back in 2007 for the WBC middleweight title in a blockbuster fight. Mayweather defeated De La Hoya via split decision.
UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] is always seeking big fights.
O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) has goals of becoming the sport’s most lucrative name, and a name he’s interested in fighting is undefeated boxing legend [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag].
Mayweather dominated John Gotti III in an eight-round exhibition this past Saturday in Mexico City, and the 47-year-old still is planning a few more. O’Malley hopes he can share the ring with Mayweather some day in an exhibition match.
“The first couple of highlights I watched from like, Round 1 and 3, Floyd was piecing him up, looking good as f*ck,” O’Malley said on his “TimboSugarShow” podcast. “Like pull 2’s, like it was f*cking pretty sick. Me vs Floyd? I would love that. That would be crazy. Just get him right at the end, f*cking put him out, put him in. Exhibition sh*t? One hundred percent.”
O’Malley defends his 135-pound title against Merab Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the UFC 306 main event Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas. He has plans to compete in boxing, targeting names such as Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia.
Check out full highlights of Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III, the rematch.
Boxing great [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] returned Saturday for another exhibition bout as he battled [autotag]John Gotti III[/autotag], the son of the infamous American mobster.
The rematch at Arena CDMX in Mexico City was eight two-minute rounds and headlined a DAZN pay-per-view event.
One day after the fight, DAZN has released a full highlight video of the contest, which can be viewed above.
Well, this is a new one: Floyd Mayweather kicked the referee out of the ring mid-fight vs. John Gotti III.
The rematch between [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] and [autotag]John Gotti III[/autotag] included no brawl. Just more Mayweather domination.
And boos.
The crowd voiced its displeasure after the eight-round exhibition in Mexico City.
There were no knockdowns. No glassy-eyed looks. No staggering.
Because the fight was an exhibition, it was not officially scored. But Mayweather, 47, dominated Gotti, 31, the grandson of late crime boss John Gotti. Mayweather was able to hit Gotti with relative ease and connected plenty — but he never rocked his opponent.
“Gotti is tough as nails.” Mayweather said after the fight.
Mayweather praised Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., who was there as part of the broadcast team, then said “Mexico City, I love you guys. Thanks for coming out.’’
The fans cheered.
The first fight between Mayweather and Gotti, in June 2023, ended in a brawl after the referee stopped the fight in the sixth round because of excessive trash talk and holding. Gotti maneuvered around the referee and threw punches at Mayweather and members of the fighters’ camps flooded into the ring as a melee broke out.
There were moments of tension Saturday. Gotti grew agitated when the rounds, which were supposed to be two minutes, ran long. And Mayweather looked angry when the referee warned him about punches to the back of Gotti’s head. In fact, a new referee entered the ring.
But it was largely peaceful — more peaceful than the crowd hoped for, seemingly — and it ended with Mayweather and Gotti embracing.
“He’s my guy,” Mayweather said of Gotti, with his arm around his opponent. “But we had to put on a show for the people. And I want to thank Gotti for being a man of his word and we ran it back twice.”
Check out these photos highlighting the exhibition boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and John Gotti III in Mexico City
Check out these photos highlighting the exhibition boxing match between [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] and [autotag]John Gotti III[/autotag] at Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City. (Photos by Getty Images and Reuters)
Sep 20, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Jeff Driskel (6) is hit from behind by Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Trey DePriest (33) and defensive back Landon Collins (26) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Manny Pacquiao expects to be fighting Floyd Mayweather in 2024 under the Rizin banner.
It looks like a rematch between boxing legends [autotag]Manny Pacquiao[/autotag] and [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] may be a thing in 2024, and under MMA promotion Rizin Fighting Federation.
On Sunday morning during Rizin 45, Pacquiao along with Rizn CEO [autotag]Nobuyuki Sakakibara[/autotag] said they expect to see a rematch with Mayweather sometime in 2024. No details were shared on a specific date, weight class, or even if it will be an exhibition or professional bout.
“Can you please fight Floyd Mayweather next year?” Sakakibara asked.
“Thank you so much for inviting me here again,” Pacquiao replied. “I’m sorry for the last time that we promised we were going to fight this year, but like Sakakibara explained, this year I will see you here in Japan again with a big fight against Floyd Mayweather. I’m excited for that. Thank you for all the support in Rizin, and thank you Sakakibara.”
CEO Sakakibara: "Could you please fight against Floyd Mayweather?"
Mayweather has fought twice under the Rizin banner in his exhibition career chapter following his retirement from professional boxing. Mayweather competed against Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018 and then against MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura in 2022 in boxing exhibitions.
Mayweather, now 46, was last seen in action in June when he fought John Gotti III to a no contest after the fight turned into a brawl involving both teams.
Pacquiao retired from professional boxing in September 2021 after losing his WBA title to Yordenis Ugas. He’s done one exhibition bout since, defeating YouTuber DK Yoo in a decision back in December 2022. Pacquiao was recently in the headlines in the MMA world after UFC star Conor McGregor once again challenged him to a boxing match. Pacquiao is currently signed to Rizin.
Floyd Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe is confident that 17-year-old Curmel Moton will be a world champion by the end of next year.
The handlers of almost all gifted prospects are careful to ease them along the road to greatness. And for good reason: One slip up can spoil the best laid plans.
That’s why Floyd Mayweather Promotions’ approach to the young career of 17-year-old junior lightweight Curmel Moton is so striking. They expect the Hall of Famer’s protégé to accomplish special things in a matter of months, not years.
Moton has only one pro fight under his belt.
“We’ve surveyed the landscape and timing-wise we feel very comfortable saying he’ll be a world champion by the end of [next] year,” Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe told Boxing Junkie.
Moton became one of the U.S.’ top amateurs not long after his father introduced him to boxing at 5 years old and moved the family from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, where he caught Mayweather’s eye and quickly became a mainstay at his famous gym.
The prodigy won 18 national titles and says he finished his amateur career with a record of 144-6, leaving little doubt about his skillset.
He had his first professional test on the Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo card on Sept. 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where he stopped overmatched Ezequiel Flores (4-1, 3 KOs) only 1 minute, 48 seconds into the scheduled six-rounder.
That was enough time see that he was no ordinary rookie, although he acknowledged that he had butterflies before the fight.
“The day of the weigh-in I was nervous,” Moton told Boxing Junkie. “The morning of the fight I was nervous. Then I put on my uniform (matching red-and-white shirt and trunks) and looked at myself in the mirror. I thought, ‘This is fresh!”
“I started feeling like [I belong here].”
The big question is whether Moton will ultimately belong among the best fighters in the world.
Ellerbe and Co. certainly believe so, which is why the company has sponsored him and surrounded him with some of the best fighters in the world since he was a child. They like everything about him, his ability (speed, power, instincts), his work ethic and the way he carries himself outside of the ring.
Ellerbe doesn’t want to compare him directly to Mayweather, which would impose unnecessary pressure on the young man. However, he sees potential greatness in him.
“Young fighters can get sidetracked,” Ellerbe said. “[Moton] just stayed the course and worked really hard to get to this point. I’m just really, really happy about what his future holds. He just has to continue to stay humble. That’s the key.
“As success comes he has to continue to work hard, stay focused, listen to his team. And the sky’s the limit.”
All this is why Moton will be fast-tracked along the lines of two-time Olympic champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, who fought for a major world title in his second professional fight.
He probably won’t emulate the feat of Wilfredo Benitez, who won a world title at 17. However, few in history have turned the trick at 18.
“Me personally and Floyd, we’ve had this conversation a number of times recently,” Ellerbe said. “This kid is special. And we’re going to handle him accordingly. His path is going to be a little different from most fighters his age who are good.
“He’s really, really special.”
Moton appreciates those words.
“I want to be one of the youngest world champions ever,” he said. “I want to make history, do great things in the sport.”
The top fighters in and around Moton’s weight are officially on notice.
Watch on 
