Boxing/MMA

Wood seeing stars ahead of bout

Paul Kent HOURS before yesterday's weigh-in, Garth Wood was in his Melbourne hotel room talking like a man with a sock in his mouth.

Klassen a 'major challenge' for Will

Ron Reed TWO of Australia's top boxing mentors are worried Will Tomlinson may have bitten off more than he can chew with South African Malcolm Klassen.

Overeem to fight at UFC 164

12:12PM Ben Harvy ALISTAIR Overeem could be back inside the cage before the end of September.

Will's trainer pumps up opponent

3:16PM Ron Reed WORLD champion boxer Will Tomlinson's trainer has taken the unusual step of talking up the opposition for this week's title defence.

Mum has Ramadan in her sights

11:00PM Grantlee Kieza BRISBANE'S Shannon O'Connell is aiming to win the first all-Australian female world title fight after a thrilling performance in Korea this week.

Garcia to face Lopez for WBO title

7:21AM MIKEY Garcia will put his minor WBO featherweight title on the line against Juan Manuel Lopez on June 15 in Dallas.

Women's shelter boss backed Tyson

12:12AM WHO can Mike Tyson turn to for a character reference? The leader of Nevada's largest shelter for battered women, apparently.

Leapai's a lean mean fighting machine

Grantlee Kieza AS Alex Leapai prepares to make a meal of John Napari tonight, a diet of lean muscle and veges will be firing his dramatically reshaped physique.

Boxing taking blow from footballers

Ron Reed WILL Tomlinson has become the second world champion boxer to protest about the proliferation of footballers getting in the ring.

IBF can't overturn Soliman sanctions

4:41PM THE IBF says it can't overturn the sanctions imposed on Sam Soliman following a drugs test, despite acknowledging his B sample tested negative.

Family gives Jarrod his focus

11:00PM Grantlee Kieza EVERY few weeks as he mentors kids who have lost their direction, Jarrod Fletcher thinks how lucky he was growing up beside a Queensland beach.

Pacquiao has Rios in his sights

5:33PM Greg Beacham MANNY Pacquiao will return to the ring on November 24 to meet Brandon Rios in a welterweight bout in Macau.

Dib eyes Gradovich rematch

3:52PM Adrian Warren RECENTLY deposed IBF featherweight boxing world champion Billy Dib is eyeing a rematch with his conqueror Evgeny Gradovich late this year.

Even time is on Floyd's side

3:08PM Jamie Pandaram FLOYD Mayweather's dispatched his 44th opponent to maintain a perfect professional record and the WBC welterweight title yesterday

Klitschko defends four belts

9:05AM WORLD heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko has defended his four belts, outclassing Francesco Pianeta with a sixth-round knockout.

Mayweather, Guerrero make weight

1:45PM UNBEATEN Floyd Mayweather and Robert Guerrero made weight for their Sunday showdown for Mayweather's World Boxing Council welterweight world title.

'I will humble Mayweather'

11:28AM FLOYD Mayweather has been called a "woman beater" and told he'll be hurt to see "how he likes it" by the father of his next opponent Robert Guerrero.

Klitschko puts belts on the line

11:09AM IF world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko beats Francesco Pianeta Saturday, he's poised to make at least $17,250,000 off his bout.

Why boxing is the best workout

4:21PM By Damien Kelly A BOXING workout is a great way to lose weight, tone up, gain strength and keep the mind sharp - here's how to do it.

'Blind date' title fight for Hopkins

12:14PM BERNARD Hopkins placed his right hand near his neck as his left hand tightened the imaginary tie he wore at Joe Hand Gym.

Bisping needs neck surgery

10:30AM Ben Harvy MICHAEL Bisping took next to no damage in his bad blood fight against Alan Belcher at UFC 159, but he's still going under the knife.

Anderson wants superfight with ...

8:39AM Ben Harvy WITH a cheeky schoolboy grin on his face, UFC president Dana White told media that middleweight champ Anderson Silva called him after UFC 159.

Soliman fights back over ban

Jamie Pandaram SAM Soliman has declared that German officials will be left "embarrassed" after banning him for nine months for allegedly failing a drug test.

Why boxing is dying

Paul Kent THIS weekend two heavyweights who few know will step into the ring, dance around long enough for their cheques to clear and disappear again.

Browne puts out Toney's lights

10:40AM Rod Reed JAMES Toney, once one of the world's toughest and most accomplished boxers, was a sad sight in his bout against Lucas Browne last night.