4+ hour, 8+ min ago (373+ words) Janibek Alimkhanuly has won all 17 of his professional fights Janibek Alimkhanuly has tested positive for a banned substance before his scheduled middleweight unification bout against Erislandy Lara on Saturday. The World Boxing Organisation (WBO) says it has been informed of the Kazakh fighter's failed test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) and an internal investigation is under way. Alimkhanuly, who holds the IBF and WBO titles, has been pulled from the bout against WBA champion Lara and replaced by Venezuela's Johan Gonzalez, according to American media. It has been reported the banned substance is meldonium, a performance-enhancing drug which can boost an athlete's endurance. It has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) since 2016. Alimkhanuly's 'A' sample returned an adverse analytical finding, and the fighter has requested that a second 'B' sample be tested. Writing on X, Alimkhanuly said…...

16+ hour, 16+ min ago (919+ words) When boxer Aidan Walsh announced his retirement from the sport last month, and said he was doing so with relief, it was clear his relationship with the sport was complicated. There were great days - Commonwealth Games gold and silver medals; and an Olympic bronze the Belfast-born boxer won in Tokyo, when he was joined in Team Ireland by his sister Michaela. But the dark days have also left a mark " the smell of boxing gloves reminds him of the stress of having to perform at the highest level; the legacy of injuries accrued in the ring; and the emotional jabs he encountered over the years, such as those delivered by some of the coaches he encountered. "I've come to learn that emotional bullying is a lot worse than physical bullying," he said. "I think I would rather get punched all…...

1+ day, 2+ hour ago (378+ words) Celtic captain Callum McGregor says doing a U-turn on his Scotland retirement for next summer's World Cup is "not something I've thought of". The 32-year-old called time on his international career after Euro 2024 having won 63 caps. Asked if he would have any interest in a recall for the World Cup, McGregor said: "To be honest, it's not something I've thought of. "Obviously the guys have done amazing to qualify in the last international break. I've a lot of good team-mates and good friends in there, so I was so happy for them. "And for me, I just want to concentrate on the job I've got here. I don't want to get drawn into anything like that, I've got a big, big job here, change of manager soon probably, so I'll just keep trying to play well and help the team…...

1+ day, 6+ hour ago (421+ words) Oleksandr Usyk (left) has won all 24 pro bouts and Wilder has won 44, lost four and drawn one Unified heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk has named Deontay Wilder as the "first option" for his next fight. The Ukrainian stopped Londoner Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion. Usyk, 38, then vacated his WBO belt, with Britain's Fabio Wardley upgraded from 'interim' to full champion. "I continue fighting next year. I want to fight Deontay Wilder. I think it's interesting," he told Boxing King Media. Wilder, a former WBC world champion and once the division's most feared puncher, has struggled since his trilogy with Tyson Fury. The American's stock plummeted after back-to-back stoppage defeats by Joseph Parker in 2023 and Zhilei Zhang in 2024. After more than a year out, Wilder, 40, returned in June with a low-key seventh-round…...

1+ day, 6+ hour ago (421+ words) Oleksandr Usyk (left) has won all 24 pro bouts and Wilder has won 44, lost four and drawn one Unified heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk has named Deontay Wilder as the "first option" for his next fight. The Ukrainian stopped Londoner Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion. Usyk, 38, then vacated his WBO belt, with Britain's Fabio Wardley upgraded from 'interim' to full champion. "I continue fighting next year. I want to fight Deontay Wilder. I think it's interesting," he told Boxing King Media. Wilder, a former WBC world champion and once the division's most feared puncher, has struggled since his trilogy with Tyson Fury. The American's stock plummeted after back-to-back stoppage defeats by Joseph Parker in 2023 and Zhilei Zhang in 2024. After more than a year out, Wilder, 40, returned in June with a low-key seventh-round…...

2+ day, 14+ min ago (395+ words) Constantin Ursu added the European title to his Commonwealth belt Constantin Ursu's trainer says the European and Commonwealth welterweight champion wants to win the British title next year. The Plymouth-based Moldovan won a unanimous points decision over Ryan Amos to add the European belt to his Commonwealth title on Saturday "We will be boxing for the British Championship in the early part of next year," Marlee Dann told BBC Sport. "If Constantin wins the British, which I heavily favour and so do many others, then he will then be in line for basically any title having won a British, a Commonwealth and a European - the only stage next is world." From Moldova to Plymouth - the boxer aiming for a world title Ursu's fight was his first since March following surgery for a torn bicep. The win took his record to…...

2+ day, 4+ hour ago (427+ words) Tom Aspinall has lost just three of his 19 UFC bouts Tom Aspinall has been diagnosed with a rare condition in both eyes and is not yet clear to return to action - more than a month after sustaining the injury during his heavyweight title defence at UFC 321. French opponent Ciryl Gane accidentally poked the Briton in both eyes while attempting a punch late in the first round of their bout in Abu Dhabi on 25 October. Aspinall, 32, was unable to continue and retained his belt as the fight was waved off as a no-contest. A medical report, posted by Aspinall on his Instagram account, external, shows he has been diagnosed with "significant traumatic bilateral Brown's syndrome" and still suffering from "persistent" double vision. Brown's syndrome is a condition, external where the eye cannot move upwards, particularly when looking inward. He also has…...

3+ day, 6+ hour ago (276+ words) Francesca Hennessy remains undefeated in seven fights as all three judges score it 100-90 in her favour over Fabiana Bytyqi. Hennessy remains undefeated with win over Bytyqi. Video, 00:03:55Hennessy remains undefeated with win over Bytyqi Up Next. The woman who changed boxing's hijab rules Video, 00:02:15The woman who changed boxing's hijab rules No third Eubank v Benn fight - Bunce. Video, 00:00:34No third Eubank v Benn fight - Bunce 'I always knew I'd go into boxing' - McCann. Video, 00:03:47'I always knew I'd go into boxing' - McCann 'Never label me a thug' - Clarke and TKV face off. Video, 00:02:32'Never label me a thug' - Clarke and TKV face off Frank pleased with Spurs' performance despite defeat at PSG. Video, 00:02:37Frank pleased with Spurs' performance despite defeat at PSG Prince Albert's connection with New Orleans Saints. Video, 00:01:21Prince Albert's connection with New Orleans Saints 'It's really special' - Scott excited for home…...

3+ day, 14+ hour ago (295+ words) Francesca Hennessy remains undefeated in seven fights as all three judges score it 100-90 in her favour over Fabiana Bytyqi. Hennessy stays undefeated with win over Bytyqi. Video, 00:03:55Hennessy stays undefeated with win over Bytyqi Up Next. Watch Taylor and Serrano weigh in for trilogy bout. Video, 00:00:43Watch Taylor and Serrano weigh in for trilogy bout The woman who changed boxing's hijab rules Video, 00:02:15The woman who changed boxing's hijab rules Taylor & Serrano clash before headguard face-off. Video, 00:01:42Taylor & Serrano clash before headguard face-off How Serrano could dethrone 'warrior' Taylor. Video, 00:03:11How Serrano could dethrone 'warrior' Taylor 'Never label me a thug' - Clarke and TKV face off. Video, 00:02:32'Never label me a thug' - Clarke and TKV face off Frank pleased with Spurs' performance despite defeat at PSG. Video, 00:02:37Frank pleased with Spurs' performance despite defeat at PSG Prince Albert's connection with New Orleans Saints. Video, 00:01:21Prince Albert's connection…...

3+ day, 15+ hour ago (476+ words) Lifting the British heavyweight title would be the fullfilment of a dream for boxing champion Frazer Clarke. The Staffordshire fighter, an Olympic bronze medallist, has been in the gym "day in, day out", preparing for Saturday's match against Jeamie 'TKV' Tshikevaat at Derby's Vaillant Arena. The fight was originally scheduled for October, but had to be rescheduled after TKV suffered an injury in training. The 34-year-old from Burton-upon-Trent said his training meant he had barely seen his children but they would appreciate it when their dad became a British champion. He was still that 11-year-old boy who used to go on YouTube and watch all the greats, he said, listing fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Ricky Hatton, Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roy Jones as his inspirations. "I'm still that kid inside, you know this doesn't feel…...