Boxing

Ex-world champion Caleb Plant still doesn't get the respect he has earned. But if he defeats David Benavidez for the interim WBC super middleweight title, that will change.

Omar Zlitni holds a decades-old, black-and-white photo of himself as a boxer in his prime, posing in shorts and a training vest before Libya's then-dictator, Moamer Kadhafi, banned his beloved sport.Following Libya's 2011 revolution, in which Kadhafi was ousted and killed, Zlitni reunited with former fighters and worked to revive boxing, re-establishing the national federation through their "own efforts".

The Women's World Boxing Championships began in India on Thursday with several nations boycotting because of the presence of Russians and Belarusians competing under their flags.GB Boxing said last month that the IBA's move to allow boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete in India under their national flags defied IOC resolutions.

Undisputed  super-middleweight king Saul "Canelo" Alvarez will defend his title against Britain's John Ryder in Guadalajara in May, the first time the Mexican superstar has fought in his homeland since 2011.It is the first time Alvarez has fought in Mexico since defeating Kermit Cintron in Mexico City in 2011.

Australian Tim Tszyu stopped American Tony Harrison in round nine with a blistering performance Sunday, lifting the interim WBO super welterweight title.Tszyu, son of former light welterweight world champion Kostya Tszyu, said his victory sent a message to US undisputed world super welterweight boxing champion Jermell Charlo.

Tim Tszyu, an undefeated Australian boxer, was supposed to fight Jermell Charlo on Jan. 28 for the undisputed super welterweight title. After Charlo broke his hand in training, Tszyu agreed to fight Tony Harrison in Australia on Saturday.

After Hlaing Htet Aung landed another vicious kick to his opponent's chest, the referee called a stop to the bout of traditional Myanmar boxing, the crowd cheered and the ringside band ended their tune with a flourish.I had no experience in fighting then," said Hlaing Htet Aung.

Japan's Naoya Inoue will fight for two world titles in his super-bantamweight debut when he takes on American Stephen Fulton in Yokohama in May, the boxer nicknamed "Monster" said Monday.The 28-year-old Fulton is one of two world champions in the super-bantamweight division -- Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev holds the WBA and IBF belts.

American soldiers received Muay Thai lessons from a champion fighter in Thailand during the annual multilateral "Cobra Gold" military drills hosted by the Asian nation. Soldiers took instruction and punched and kicked alongside Thai champion Sombat Banchamek, or Buakaw (White Lotus) as he is widely known in the country. "For every U.S. soldier who came to train in Cobra Gold, they also want to exchange and study our culture regarding Muay Thai, which is our national art,” Buakaw said.

Ciryl Gane described Saturday's UFC heavyweight title fight against Jon 'Bones' Jones in Las Vegas as "the biggest fight" of his career and insisted he would "give a good fight" against arguably the biggest name in the MMA world. "This is without a doubt the biggest fight of my career," says Gane.

Showtime announced its schedule for the next quarter on Tuesday with a lot of entertaining matches planned. More, though, needs to be done to revive boxing.

British reality TV star Tommy Fury beat American YouTuber Jake Paul on points Sunday in a boxing spectacle intended to boost Saudi Arabia's reputation as a top-flight fight destination.Saudi Arabia's boxing push has fuelled allegations of "sportswashing", or the use of athletics to distract from human rights abuses.

Jake Paul will fight his first pro boxer on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, but Tommy Fury's record is littered with tomato cans.

Conor Benn has been cleared of a doping offence after the World Boxing Council ruled a "highly-elevated consumption of eggs" constituted a "reasonable explanation" for his positive finding.It added: "Mr Benn's documented and highly-elevated consumption of eggs during the times relevant to the sample collection, raised a reasonable explanation for the Adverse Finding.

Eight countries, including the United States, are boycotting the upcoming women's and men's world championships in New Delhi and Tashkent after the IBA allowed boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete with their national flags and anthems. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has removed the IBA from the Paris qualification process due to governance and other issues but the suspended body has said both championships will be the "main qualification events" for next year's Games.

Leigh Wood was cruising to victory when he was caught by a Mauricio Lara left hook and dropped on Saturday. Controversy ensued after trainer Ben Davison stopped the fight, but he made the right, and gutsy, call.

Artur Beterbiev's undefeated record (19-0) and 100% KO rate is enough for a Top 10 spot in the rankings.

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will fight fringe contender Jermaine Franklin on April 1 in London needing to answer the question if he still has what it takes to get back to the top.

According to published reports, Canelo Alvarez will defend his super middleweight titles on May 6 in Jalisco, Mexico, against interim WBO champion John Ryder of London. The plan is then for Alvarez to rematch Dmitry Bivol in September.

Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Games over the IOC's willingness to let athletes from Russia and its close ally Belarus return to international competition for the 2024 Games, albeit as neutrals without national flags or anthems. Russians have competed as neutrals in the past three Olympics as punishment for state-backed doping, but Ukraine hopes to secure widespread international support for banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Paris Olympics.

Internet celebrity Andrew Tate had offered her a new life. "You must understand that once you are mine, you will be mine forever," Tate told her on Feb. 4 last year in one of dozens of WhatsApp messages cited by Romanian prosecutors who allege he trafficked and sexually exploited several women. Tate, an influencer with millions of online followers, urged the Moldovan woman to join him in Romania.

Francis Ngannou's free agency will be difficult given the lack of great options. He wants to face boxing champ Tyson Fury, but his best bet may be to sign with a rival MMA organization like PFL or Bellator.

That the fight between Beterbiev and Bivol, if it occurs, would be for the undisputed light heavyweight title makes it that much better.

Unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev is 18-0 with 18 KOs but doesn't get a lot of recognition as one of the best light heavyweights ever. One of his trainers says that should change.

Golden Boy Promotions received Tuesday a draft contract from Premier Boxing Champions for a planned April 15 bout in Las Vegas between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia.

Former WBA heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee, who knocked out Michael Dokes in 1983 to win the title, died Thursday in South Africa.

Davis ended the bout Saturday after eight rounds, as a flurry late in Round 8 left Garcia unable to see.

Ennis managed to find a way to win going away despite not being able to get off his best stuff.

Ennis is 29-0 with 27 KOs and aspires to fight all of the elite in boxing's welterweight division. His next bout is Saturday in Washington, D.C., against Karen Chukhadzhian.

Dmitry Bivol and Claressa Shields were outstanding throughout 2022.

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano had a lot of pressure on them in their April 30 bout in New York, but they delivered a classic clash that is the Yahoo Sports 2022 female boxing Fight of the Year.

Lopez seems fully together mentally and is looking forward to a strong performance Saturday against veteran Sandor Martin.

Bradley is part of a 10-person Hall of Fame class.

Boxing fans had hoped Terence Crawford would end 2022 by fighting Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight title. Instead, he faces David Avanesyan on Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska.

Blachowicz was on a plane from Poland to Las Vegas when he got a shot at the suddenly vacant UFC light heavyweight title. He'll meet Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 282 Saturday for the belt.

Referee Mills Lane, a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame who officiated some of the most significant boxing matches of the second half of the 20th century, died Tuesday at 85.

Boxing powerhouse Cuba has given the green light to women who wish to partake in tournaments for the first time since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, sports officials said on Monday. But Cuba's aspiring women boxers - for decades banned from competing in competition - until now have had no choice but to migrate to reach the highest levels of their sport. "Women's boxing in Cuba... is going to bring us to the international medal table," said Ariel Saínz, vice president of Cuba's Institute of Sports (INDER), at a news conference, after announcing the government's decision to legalize participation by women in the sport.

Gonzalez lost a narrow majority decision by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114 in a bout that he may have let slip through his hands.

Fury was impressive in victory and said he is ready to fight all comers.

Roman Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Estrada have already put on two great fights and promise a third when they meet for super flyweight supremacy Saturday.

The promoter claimed the payment was denied because it was a new bank account.

Tyson Fury, the WBC heavyweight champion, thought about retiring after a win over Dillian Whyte in April. But he said he still has the itch to compete and will face rival Derek Chisora on Saturday in Tottenham, England.

Prograis hasn't fought for a world title since losing a unification bout to Josh Taylor in 2019. He'll meet Jose Zepeda on Saturday in Carson, California, for the vacant WBC belt, the start of a campaign to prove he's the best in the world.

Garcia and Davis didn't let petty politics or feuds get in the way and they announced on social media that they've agreed to fight next year.

Highly regarded Seniesa Estrada returns to action on Saturday after a dispute over pay with her former promoter sidelined her for nearly a year. She's looking for the biggest fights she can get.

There are more talented fighters in boxing than there has been in a long time, so here are some suggested fights we'd love to see happen within the next 12 months.

Bivol was coming off a victory in May over Canelo Alvarez and looked every bit the part of the Fighter of the Year on Saturday.

Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez is largely anonymous despite a 44-0 record with 30 knockouts. But if he defeats Dmitry Bivol on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, that will quickly change.