Bellew stops Dos Santos; Joshua and Cleverly also win

bellew7898By Scott Gilfoid: Former WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (22-2-1, 14 KO’s) stopped 36-year-old Brazilian Julio Cesar Dos Santos (26-3, 23 KO’s) in the 5th round on Saturday night at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. Bellew connected with a left hook that dropped Dos Santos in the 5th. Dos Santos staggered to his feet, but the referee halted it anyway.

Dos Santos was nailing Bellew with monstrous shots in the 3rd and 4th rounds. Going into the 5th, Dos Santos looked like he was on his way to victory. He looked like he was going to get to Bellew. Fortunately for Bellew, Dos Santos threw a left hook at the same time that Bellew threw his own left hook. Bellew’s left hand got there first and sent Dos Santos down.

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Skelton compares Anthony Joshua to Audley Harrison

joshua222By Scott Gilfoid: 47-year-old Matt Skelton (28-8, 23 KO’s) will be the next opponent for 2012 London Olympics super heavyweight gold medalist Anthony Joshua (6-0, 6 KO’s) this Saturday night at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. Their fight is scheduled for 6 rounds, but it’s not expected to go more than 3 rounds due to the clever match-making by Joshua’s promoter.

Skelton compares the 6’6” Joshua with 6’5” Audley Harrison, a British heavyweight who captured an Olympic gold medalist in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Indeed, Harrison did a better job and was far more dominating than Joshua in winning his gold medal. But unfortunately for Harrison (31-7, 23 KOs) his boxing career failed to pan out the way some thought it would be, as he never captured a world heavyweight title.

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Anthony Joshua faces Matt Skelton this Saturday night in step up fight

joshua2By Scott Gilfoid: 2012 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Anthony Joshua (6-0, 6 KOs) will be taking a nice little step up fight in taking on 47-year-old Matt Skelton (28-8, 23 KO’s) in a scheduled 6 round bout at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK.

The fact that this is being called a step for the 6’6” Joshua kind of gives you an idea of the type of woeful opposition he’s been facing since he turned pro in 2013. His promoter Eddie Hearn has been taking no chances with the 24-year-old Joshua in bringing him up at a snail’s pace despite him earning a gold medal at the London Olympics.

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Anthony Joshua: Skelton is the toughest test of my career

joshua2By Scott Gilfoid: 2012 Olympic super heavyweight Gold medalist for Britain from the London Olympics Anthony Joshua (6-0, 6 KO’s) will be fighting what he refers to as his toughest fight of his pro career against 47-year-old Matt Skelton (28-8, 23 KO’s) in less than two weeks on July 12th at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK.

Joshua, 24, will be meeting Skelton in an 8 round bout on the same card as Nathan Cleverly vs. Alejandro Emilio Valori and Tony Bellew vs. Julio Cesar Dos Santos. For an Olympic gold medalist, Joshua has been matched against disappointingly soft opposition by his promoter Eddie Hearn.

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After Matt Skelton, what’s next for Anthony Joshua?

joshua673Unbeaten heavyweight prospect Anthony Joshua is 24-years -old with a record of 6 wins, no losses (KO 6) and will be facing 47-year-old journeyman Matt Skelton on 12th July in the Liverpool Echo Arena in the UK.

Considering when Joshua steps into the ring against vastly experienced Skelton with just 40 weeks as a pro 6 fights and only 9 rounds to show, it’s a big step up for any boxer for their 7th pro fight. But for someone who only started learning how to box at 18 years old and to become an Olympic super-heavyweight boxing gold medalist at 22, it’s an unbelievable achievement for Joshua.

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Anthony Joshua looking to add 47-year-old Matt Skelton’s scalp to his collection on July 12th

joshua22By Scott Gilfoid: Instead of taking a step up after his victory over 38-year-old Matt Legg last Saturday night, heavyweight prospect Anthony Joshua (6-0, 6 KO’s) will be making more of a lateral move in fighting 47-year-old journeyman Matt Skelton (28-8, 23 KO’s) on July 12th next month in Liverpool, UK. It’s hard to figure out why Joshua is being matched against Skelton, because this guy hasn’t fought in over a year since March of 2013. By the time he steps foot inside the ring to fight Joshua next month, it’ll have been almost a year and a half since Skelton last fought.

I don’t know if it’s very sporting to fight someone who has been out of the ring for as long as Skelton. His advanced age is one thing, but look all the time he’s been out of the ring. How in the world is the British Boxing Board of Control sanctioning this fight?

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British Heavyweight Weekend: What did we learn?

Image: British Heavyweight Weekend: What did we learn?By Paul McT: Both Tyson Fury and David Price were in action over the last two days, both came away with a win but what did each fight say about how far these prospects have come?

Friday night boxing in Britain is uncommon, but a welcome addition nonetheless. Friday’s action was interesting, with Price fighting a tough weathered fighter in Matt Skelton, and Andrew ”Freddie” Flintoff  facing off against Richard Dawson, a fellow novice. The less said about the Flintoff fight the better, although I myself appreciate the publicity boxing received.

David Price: More of the same

Yet another brutal knockout victory for the softly spoken Price showcased his power, again. As impressive as his power is, the recent lack of rounds is dangerous, we have yet to see him being pushed or even have his defence tested.

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Price obliterates Skelton; 41-year-old Tony Thompson next

Image: Price obliterates Skelton; 41-year-old Tony Thompson nextBy William Mackay: British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion David Price (15-0, 13 KO’s) did what many boxing fans expected him to do tonight by blowing away Matt Skelton (28-7, 23 KO’s) a the Aintree Equestrian Centre, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom.

Price badly hurt Skelton with a series of powerful body shots in the 2nd round that sent Skelton down on the canvas in pain. The referee stopped the fight at that point. Skelton’s corner threw the towel in previous to the knockdown.

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Price’s promoter to make huge offer to Tyson Fury

Image: Price's promoter to make huge offer to Tyson FuryBy Sean McDaniel: Frank Maloney, the promoter for British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion David Price (15-0, 13 KO’s) says he’s going to make a huge offer of £650,000 to unbeaten Tyson Fury (19-0, 14 KO’s) this coming to see if he can get Fury to agree to fight the 6’8″ Price in 2013.

Price defeated Matt Skelton (28-7, 23 KO’s) tonight by a 2nd round TKO in Liverpool, England. Maloney wants to match Price up in February against an American heavyweight contender rumored to be 41-year-old Tony Thompson. Following that fight, Maloney wants to match Price against either Derek Chisora or Tyson Fury, depending on which fighter he can get to agree to face Price.

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Deontay Wilder would have been a problem for David Price if he had been in with him tonight

Image: Deontay Wilder would have been a problem for David Price if he had been in with him tonightBy Scott Gilfoid: After watching how stiff and robotic British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion David Price (15-0, 13 KO’s) looked in defeating 45-year-old Matt Skelton (28-7, 23 KO’s) tonight in Liverpool, England, I firmly believe that unbeaten heavyweight prospect Deontay Wilder (25-0, 25 KO’s) would have destroyed Price in one or two rounds. Price showed that he can be hit and all it takes is one big shot from Wilder and he’d likely have Price out of there almost immediately.

Price’s outside game wouldn’t work against the 6’7″ Wilder because Price is too slow and stiff. He doesn’t have the quickness that Wilder has. Wilder would be able to bomb Price nearly at will from the outside he’s so much faster with his left hook and right hand compared to him. It would be like target practice for Wilder with him landing his big power shots on the bulls-eye of Price head.

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