Sports Journalist · 23 articles
Last weekend, Israil Madrimov, one of boxing’s hottest prospects, defeated the teak tough Eric Walker in a WBA 154lbs title eliminator over 12 hard-fought rounds. It was a hugely eventful encounter, with the Uzbek seemingly fatigued and absorbing a surprising amount of body shots in the middle rounds. Madrimov (6-0, 5 KOs) then landed a […]
Argentina has enjoyed a love affair with the sweet science ever since British sailors brought the Queensbury Rules to the ports of Latin America in the early 1900s. That boxing became so swiftly woven into the fabric of the country is no surprise; for this is a sport that traditionally attracts an underclass of kids […]
Certain fighters speak to us through their struggles, their pain resonating with our own shortcomings. We seek a connection that is both inspiring and, at the same time, deeply human. It’s a rare commodity and far more valuable than the padded records of undefeated fighters and media-managed PR. Danny Roman’s story encapsulates why so many […]
The world is losing its mind. It took just five seconds of padwork for a 53-year-old Mike Tyson to dominate conversation across the boxing world. The obsession with the sport’s blue riband division remains, even among its old-stagers, but at a time when the lower weights are producing such exquisite technicians it can be maddening. […]
Inked across Artem Oganesyan’s heart is the depiction of a monument entitled, ‘We are our mountains’. The two figures, hewn from volcanic rock, are an imposing sight, stoic in their command of the land they oversee and unyielding to the punishing elements. “My tattoo is a symbol of Artsakh, my homeland in Armenia, representing the […]
They say that in boxing closed mouths don’t get fed. Goading a desired opponent into a fight has long been a ploy adopted by those wishing to further their ambitions, and since the birth of social media such provocations have become second nature to hungry young challengers. But what of boxing’s gentlemen? One of the […]
Rising prospect Caoimhin ‘Black Thunder’ Agyarko only has two words on his mind. It’s unrelenting, each question and probe inevitably returning to the same topic. World champion. “I want to be the first black Irish person to win a world title,” declared the undefeated middleweight from Belfast. “And I will. I want to leave behind a […]
In a recent episode of the Netflix smash hit ‘The Last Dance’, against a backdrop of Michael Jordan defying physics as he soared to the basket, coach Phil Jackson pointedly remarks upon the Chicago Bulls’ attitude to winning another championship. “We had this statement: ‘You’re only a success at the moment you perform a successful […]
“I just want to go out there and smash them.” The battle cry that echoes from Israil Madrimov’s (4-0, 4KOs) tongue with ice-cool composure – a statement uttered with an assured sense of certainty. The standout prospect of 2019 has been straining at the leash from the very beginning, even pleading with promoter Eddie Hearn […]
The Eastern Bloc remains synonymous with a certain type of austere aesthetic; a cold and unforgiving terrain inhabited by an unbreakable population, their spirit unbowed despite enduring the brutality of Soviet rule. Whilst such imagery makes booking a romantic getaway to the likes of Khiva in Uzbekistan a decidedly tough sell, it does provide the […]
When a 20-year-old prodigy called out the great Vasyl Lomachenko on Friday night, many were left scratching their heads. Those people clearly don’t know Devin Haney. “It’s No-machenko, because he doesn’t want to fight me… No-machenko, come on, let’s get this fight going!” The much-hyped American had spent four rounds peppering the solid, and as yet […]