Tag: MMA

Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao or Canelo Alvarez? Not likely

Floyd Mayweather told Reuters that he’s finished as a boxer, although he is open to participating in more exhibitions.

Floyd Mayweather evidently has no plans whatsoever to fight again in a sanctioned bout.

The 42-year-old all-time great told Reuters that he’s finished as a boxer, although he is open to participating in more exhibitions. He said his focus is on his chain of boxing fitness gyms and his promotional company.

So much for rematches with Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez.

“I’ve got calls to get back into the ring, but my health is my wealth,” Mayweather told the wire service at the opening of one of his gyms in Torrance, California. “Boxing is a very, very brutal sport. In the last few years a lot of fighters have died inside that squared circle.”

He added, “You have got to know when to hang it up. I had a great career.”

Mayweather “retired” in 2007 but came back in 2009, easily outpointing Juan Manuel Marquez to kick off one last serious run in his career. He walked away again after beating Andre Berto in 2015 only to return once more to face MMA star Conor McGregor in 2017.

That was his last fight, giving him a final record of 50-0. Since then, he has done exhibitions. One took place in January, when he defeated Japanese kick boxer Tenshin Nasukawa.

“I’ll still travel and do exhibitions. I make great money doing exhibitions, between $10 and $30 million,” he said. “I think I make more doing that than most fighters make fighting.”

Mayweather also said he expects to expand into mixed martial arts one day.

“Eventually I will move on to build my brand in MMA,” he said, “but for right now I’m in boxing, and boxing will always be at the top as long as I’m involved.”

Paulie Malignaggi open to boxing match vs. MMA fighter Jason Knight

Paulie Malignaggi is open to the idea of fighting Jason Knight, so long as it is a boxing match.

Paulie Malignaggi might come out of retirement for one more fight – if the price is right and it’s a strict boxing match.

Mixed martial artist Jason Knight challenged Malignaggi, the former two-division titleholder, to a boxing match on social media Monday. Knight was coming off a fifth-round stoppage of Artem Lobov in a bare knuckle boxing bout on Saturday promoted by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships. Malignaggi had dropped a controversial decision to Lobov, also in a BKFC match, over the summer.

Malignaggi claimed he broke his hands in that fight and recently swore off making a return. He has had to deal with brittle hands nearly his entire career.

Cognizant of Malignaggi’s hand issues, Knight offered a different possibility.

“I know u don’t want to fight BKFC again but what would u say to a boxing fight??” Knight wrote on Instagram. “I have no prior boxing but I bet I can school you at your own game!!”

Malignaggi responded on Instagram shortly thereafter:

“Well done Jason, solid adjustments Saturday night. I have not yet seen the fight but saw (highlights) and your sense of timing and disciplined game plan was very impressive to notice. You def caught onto a few tactics from my fight and fought smarter.

“I wish my hands could survive the impact again (because) truthfully I enjoyed the experience and wouldn’t have minded facing you after your display. However I have a career history of hand problems and I cannot keep risking them or I’m gonna wind up with permanent damage to them.

“If there are interested parties that are willing to put up enough money I am not against regular boxing though where some protection for my hands is there. Maybe David (BKFC promoter) can do a card where you and I glove up but instead of a ring we can fight in the BKFC squared circle with our undercard consisting of bare knuckle fights.

“Again it’s (dependent) on the compensation. After all, we are prizefighters. Once again though, well done and congrats on an impressive display.”

 

 

 

Tyson Fury accepts challenge of UFC’s Stipe Miocic: ‘after I get Wilder out of the way?

Tyson Fury, at least in words, has accepted UFC’s Stipe Miocic’s offer for a crossover fight.

Tyson Fury has a lot on his plate these days.

That apparently includes the possibility of a crossover fight with Stipe Miocic, the UFC heavyweight champion who recently stated his desire to fight the “Gypsy King.” Miocic told ESPN that he would rather face Fury than engage in a third fight with former UFC titleholder Daniel Cormier.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Fury, it seems, has taken up Miocic on his offer.

“Stipe says he wants to box me. That would be a good fight, for sure,” Fury told his management company MTK Global.

Fury, of course, has a pretty packed schedule. He is tentatively scheduled to face Wilder in February if the American titleholder defeats Luis Ortiz in their November 23 rematch.

“After I get Wilder out of the way, I’ll fight Stipe in a boxing match if he wants it,” Fury continued. “It would be a big crossover fight like Mayweather and McGregor.”

Fury (29-0-1, 20 knockouts) is no stranger to the crossover fight, having already stepped into the professional wrestling universe against the WWE’s Braun Strowman in October. Most recently, Fury was shown on a video throwing knees and elbows with UFC middleweight champion Darren Till in the gym. That caught Miocic’s attention on Twitter.

Fury, for his part, relishes the idea of taking on the UFC stars.

“I’m open to (fighting Miocic), so he should come and see me,” Fury said. “It would be the same outcome for any of (the UFC fighters): They’ll all get smashed.”

 

UFC 500 Moments – No. 402: Nate Diaz’s double bird

While locking up a triangle choke, Diaz began flexing at the camera before giving both middle fingers and then Kurt Pellegrino tapped out.

While locking up a triangle choke, Diaz began flexing at the camera before giving both middle fingers and then Kurt Pellegrino tapped out.