✅ Merab Dvalishvili successfully defends his title for the first time, defeating Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision!

This was Nurmagomedov's first loss in his professional career.

✅ Islam Makhachev choked out Renato Moicano in the 1st round at #UFC311 and set a new record for the most title defenses in the lightweight division!

Adesanya vs. Imavov Headlines UFC Fight Night 250

On February 1, 2025, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will host UFC Fight Night 250, featuring a main event clash between former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and rising star Nassourdine Imavov.

Main Card Highlights:
• Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov
• Gilbert Burns vs. Belal Muhammad
• Paulo Costa vs. Sean Strickland
• Holly Holm vs. Irene Aldana

The event will stream live on ESPN+, with prelims starting at 9:00 AM ET and the main card at 12:00 PM ET. Don’t miss this action-packed lineup featuring global UFC stars!

48-year-old Wladimir Klitschko is making a comeback to the ring to fight for a title.

This was revealed by his promoter, Tom Loeffler, in an interview. The goal is to become the oldest world champion in history. Currently, the record is held by George Foreman, who won the title at the age of 45.

Klitschko retired in April 2017 after losing to Anthony Joshua by TKO.

Isaac Cruz has declined the fight with Ryan Garcia, citing that he already has a bout scheduled for February 1. As a result, Ryan will face Rolly Romero, who accepted the offer.

On the same card, Devin Haney is expected to take on Jose Ramirez, as previously anticipated.

Turki Al al-Sheikh announced that the card featuring Garcia and Haney will be branded as a The Ring Magazine event and will take place in the U.S. in May. Both fights will be contested in the welterweight division.

A press conference took place ahead of the highly anticipated fight scheduled for Friday. The bout will feature Naoya “The Monster” Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs), the 31-year-old Japanese fighter widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world and the undisputed champion at super bantamweight. He will defend his titles against South Korean boxer Yo Joon Kim (21-2-2, 13 KOs).

The video above is claimed to show clips from one of the amateur boxing matches of Alex Pereira.

Before rising to prominence in kickboxing and mixed martial arts, Alex Pereira indeed had a career as an amateur boxer in Brazil. Reports suggest that he competed in 28 bouts, securing 25 victories.

52 years ago, on January 22, 1973, George Foreman defeated Joe Frazier by TKO in the 2nd round to claim the WBA and WBC heavyweight titles.

Joe Frazier was guaranteed $850,000, while George Foreman earned $375,000.

Las Vegas bookmakers had Frazier as the favorite with 3.5-to-1 odds.

The fight was held with 8-ounce gloves and scheduled for 15 rounds.

Frazier was knocked down three times in the first round and three more times in the second before the referee stopped the bout.

The fight was named “1973 Fight of the Year” by The Ring magazine.

Inoue’s opponent, Yo Joon Kim, on why he started boxing:

“I grew up without parents, and other kids teased me about it. I learned to fight at school because I was bullied.”

37 years ago, in January 1988, 21-year-old Mike Tyson knocked out 38-year-old Larry Holmes.

Mike was the 8-to-1 favorite.

Before the fight, Tyson admitted that as a young amateur boxer, he often fantasized about one day defeating Holmes.

However, after the bout, Tyson remarked: “Larry Holmes was a legendary fighter, and if he had been in his prime, I wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

Undisputed super bantamweight champion, Naoya “Monster” Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs), a 31-year-old Japanese boxer, scored a fourth-round stoppage victory over Yoh Jun Kim, a 32-year-old South Korean fighter, in Tokyo.

The Ring Magazine has announced its first boxing card, titled Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, set to take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26, 2025, in collaboration with SNK Games.

Fans who preorder the video game of the same name will get early access to tickets.

Fight Card:
• Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn
• Anthony Yarde vs. Lyndon Arthur
• Liam Smith vs. Aaron McKenna
• Chris Billam-Smith vs. Brandon Glanton
• Viddal Riley vs. Cheavon Clarke

Tim Tszyu and Keith Thurman Could Face Off This Summer

Former world champions Tim Tszyu and Keith Thurman are expected to meet in the ring this summer. According to insider reports, both fighters plan to have separate bouts this spring: Tszyu is set to fight in Australia, while Thurman will compete under the banner of Premier Boxing Champions in the United States.

Following these matches, promoters aim to organize a head-to-head clash between the two, which could take place either in Australia or the U.S.

A fight between Tszyu and Thurman has been discussed in the past but never materialized. With renewed efforts, the chances of this highly anticipated matchup are higher than ever, leaving boxing fans eagerly awaiting an official announcement of the date and location.

The WBC has created a special championship belt for the winner of the upcoming fight between Isaac Cruz and Ángel Fierro.

Scheduled for February 1, the event honors the memory of three-time super bantamweight world champion Israel Vázquez, who passed away in December after battling cancer. The belt has been named in his honor as a tribute to his legacy.

Kenshiro Teraji and Seiggo Yuri Akui, Japan’s light flyweight world champions, will face off in a unification bout on March 13 in Tokyo. WBO champion Anthony Olascuaga will also feature on the same fight card.

George Kambosos will fight in Sydney on March 22.

The former lightweight world champion is moving up to super lightweight, aiming for a future world title shot in the new division. The 31-year-old Australian will return to the ring after last year’s loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko in a bout for the vacant title.

Aljamain Sterling Predicts a Long Championship Reign for Merab Dvalishvili

Former UFC champion Aljamain Sterling believes that current bantamweight titleholder Merab Dvalishvili has what it takes to keep the belt for a long time.

“After his win over Umar, I told him, ‘Man, you’ve proven you can beat the best! Now you have everything it takes to stay champion,’” Sterling said.

According to him, Dvalishvili’s fighting style makes him a nightmare for any opponent: “If you don’t knock him out in the first round, he’s just going to break you.”

Now, the question is—who will challenge Merab next? Sean O’Malley and Cory Sandhagen are potential contenders, but the champion has yet to make an official statement.

Dan Hooker on His Fight with Justin Gaethje: “UFC Wants to See Someone Die”

Ranked #6 lightweight contender Dan Hooker has shared his thoughts on his upcoming showdown against #3 ranked Justin Gaethje at UFC 313.

“I think the UFC just wants to see someone die. They want a guaranteed finish. They know neither of us will back down—this is going to be a war,” Hooker said.

Fans are already hyped for this matchup, as Gaethje is known for his relentless aggression, while Hooker has built a reputation for brutal and uncompromising fights.

Will they deliver the all-out war the UFC is hoping for? We’ll find out soon at UFC 313.

20 Years Ago – January 29, 2005:

Arturo Gatti knocked out Jesse James Leija in the 5th round, successfully defending his WBC super lightweight title for the second time.