List of All Articles with Tag 'boxing'

Josh Taylor will defend the WBO super-lightweight title in a main-event clash with Teofimo Lopez this weekend, as the boxers square off in New York City. Taylor, 32, previously reigned as undisputed champion in the division, and he retained that status – as well as his unbeaten record – in his most recent fight. That was a controversial decision win against Jack Catterall in February 2022, however, and Taylor vacated two belts and was stripped of another as he pursued a rematch with the Englishman. That fight fell through earlier this year, though, setting up this weekend’s bout between Scotland’s Taylor and American Lopez. Lopez, 25, is a former unified lightweight champion, who won the titles from Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020 before losing them to George Kambosos Jr in 2021. He has since bounced back from that sole professional loss with two straight wins at super-lightweight, however, stopping Pedro Campa in August and controversially outpointing Sandor Martin in December. Now Lopez is moving up a weight class in a bid to become a champion again. Here’s all you need to know. When is it? The fight will take place on Saturday 10 June, at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theatre in New York City. The main card is set to begin at 1am BST on Sunday 11 June (5pm PT, 7pm CT, 8pm ET). Ring walks for the main event are then due at approximately 4am BST (8pm PT, 10pm CT, 11pm ET). How can I watch it? In the US, the event will air live on ESPN and ESPN+. In the UK, Sky Sports will broadcast the fights. Sky Sports subscribers can watch the event live on TV, as well as on the broadcaster’s website and Sky Go app. Odds Taylor – 8/13 Lopez – 11/8 Draw – 12/1 Full odds via Betway. Full card (more fights to be confirmed) Josh Taylor (C) vs Teofimo Lopez (WBO super-lightweight title) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings Joe Rogan is right: Tyson Fury has ‘no chance in hell’ against Jon Jones Why is BT Sport being rebranded to TNT Sports? Eurosport merger explained What time does Josh Taylor vs Teofimo Lopez start in UK and US this weekend? How to watch Josh Taylor vs Teofimo Lopez online and on TV this weekend The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings

Jake Paul and Conor McGregor have reignited their feud, with the YouTuber claiming that he will ‘beat up’ the former UFC champion if they go head to head. Paul has gone 6-1 as a professional boxer in recent years, while McGregor is due to return to the Octagon later this year to fight Michael Chandler. Paul and McGregor have long traded barbs, however, and the latter called the American a ‘donkey’ this week. Paul, 26, was quick to respond to the Irishman, addressing McGregor’s comment while speaking on Impaulsive – a podcast hosted by his brother Logan Paul – on Wednesday (31 May). “I think Conor McGregor is funny as f***,” Paul said, “but when I watch him talk s*** about me, I’m like: ‘Guess what, Conor? I’ll beat the f*** out of you.’” Paul went on to mention his upcoming boxing match with Nate Diaz, with whom McGregor traded wins in the UFC in 2017. “You can’t box as good as me, and I’m gonna do to Nate what you couldn’t, which is knock him out,” Paul said. “You’re gonna be sitting there with your new beer company, which is failing, realising that you p****d your life away. You’re gonna say, ‘Damn, I really thought no one was gonna do what I did in this sport, I really thought no one was gonna be as big of a name, I really thought I was gonna be the biggest forever.’ “But you can’t have both lives; you can’t have the fun, party life and be the greatest fighter in the world, and you chose the wrong path. But that money fight will always be there, and when I knock Nate Diaz the f*** out and you realise I’m the biggest fight for you, call me.” While Paul vs Diaz is set for 5 August in Dallas, McGregor vs Chandler is still without a date, location and weight class. McGregor, 34, and Chandler are serving as opposing coaches on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, which began airing on Tuesday (30 May). At the end of the first episode, one of McGregor’s team members was knocked out within eight seconds. In May, a new documentary about McGregor’s career was released on Netflix. McGregor Forever is a four-part series covering the former champion’s fights with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Donald Cerrone, and his back-to-back bouts with Dustin Poirier in 2021. You can read The Independent’s review of the documentary here. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Conor McGregor mentee loses in eight seconds on The Ultimate Fighter How to watch The Ultimate Fighter 31 in the UK McGregor Forever: The problem with the new Conor McGregor documentary UFC star Dustin Poirier makes surprising Paul vs Diaz prediction What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout? The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings

It is a chilling statement uttered with the most flattering of intentions: “We’re dealing with a freak.” Those are the words of boxing promoter Ben Shalom, speaking over Zoom, pacing back and forth in a room that appears to have just a few small windows – just below the ceiling, along the back wall. You’d think he was a military commander fruitlessly planning how to take down Godzilla, but the Boxxer chief is in fact on the side of the monster in question here. And that monster is Adam Azim. It might seem an odd way to describe the 5ft 11in, 20-year-old super-lightweight, but put a pair of boxing gloves on the Briton and the results really are terrifying. “I remember when I was four years old,” the monster tells The Independent while lurking in a hallway inside Shane McGuigan’s gym. “My dad made me learn the basics at the back of the garden in Slough, he got me a speed ball in the garage. He used to put weighted hand wraps on me and make me do shadow boxing for like 20 minutes straight. Even when I was punching the speed ball, he used to put ankle weights on my legs and hands. I was very fast when I was young.” He is even faster now, his speed perhaps his greatest asset at this point in a fledgling professional career that is expected to grow into a captivating one. “When we saw him for the first time, we knew he was special,” says Shalom. “Everyone in boxing was talking about Adam Azim for a long time. We knew that a lot of promoters were going to be looking at him, and that we needed to secure him for a long time, because we believe that he can be literally one of the biggest stars that the country has seen – a household name. “We want him on the screens all the time. He almost reminds me of Amir Khan in 2005. Those were some of my earliest memories of boxing, Amir was boxing every couple of months on ITV and drawing huge audiences. We want to emulate that and take that to a new level.” Azim is still just 8-0, but with six emphatic knockout wins. “He looks at a lot of the world champions and believes that he would beat them in his next fight,” Shalom says, unquestionably serious, his eyes shark-like. “And Shane believes that. This is not a joke. “It’s high-risk, low-reward [for opponents]. I cannot tell you how feared this guy is; there’s world champions right now who would no way take a fight with him, even on a full camp’s notice, and I know that for a fact. We’re dealing with a freak, we’re dealing with a talent that you don’t see very often.” There is almost something humorous about the contrast between Shalom’s – clearly credible – observations and the unassuming way in which Azim speaks. He is, after all, just 20. But his life is not that of the average 20-year-old. Azim, like his highly-touted, 22-year-old brother Hassan, has been reared to be a champion. We discuss his love of action films – “The Raid, The Raid 2, all the Mission: Impossible films, I’m into DC and Marvel” – but that is the only extracurricular pastime that Azim allows himself. And it has been that way since he was young. Well, even younger. “I didn’t go out much,” he says. “I was always dedicated to boxing. I’d go swimming, cinema, or just chill out at a mate’s house. I didn’t really get to go out and explore, which... You’ve got to make sacrifices in your life. “Even now, I could go out and do a lot of stuff, but I’m just dedicated to my craft, because you can’t switch off in boxing. Footballers can do that because they have a team. All I really do on a weekend off is go for a walk, go round my mates’, or go to the cinema. That’s the same routine I’d done when I was younger. I ain’t gonna change it now, because you don’t wanna go the wrong way. I’ve got a goal to achieve, that’s all I wanna do.” Was there ever a threat of Azim going the ‘wrong way’? “I only went to secondary school for three months, because I was messing about, and my dad actually took me out and made me do home schooling so I could focus on boxing,” Azim says. “I believe if I’d gone to that school... I don’t know what I’d be doing now. My dad did the right thing, I thank my dad a lot for that.” Azim does seem genuinely grateful to be on this path, and to his dad for setting him on it. “He got me where I am today. He noticed I had that fighting spirit. In my family, our cousins and uncles are all fighters. I was meant to be a fighter – I can just feel it, you know?” Shalom agrees. “All he wants to do is fight; he would do it for free, he absolutely loves it. I’ve never met someone as focused as he is. It’s sometimes hard for Shane to calm him down. “It does take a lot for someone to become a star in boxing, there are so many elements that you can get wrong, [but] he’s made some really good decisions early on. His dad knows the game inside-out, and they’ve been preparing for this moment since he was about six years old. It literally is something that they knew was gonna come; they planned meticulously for the last 15 years. “You see tennis stars who’ve been taken around the world since they were young, they were almost bred to be No 1 in their sport. I really believe that’s how Adam has grown up. “He’s also a person who wants to stand for the right things and be the face of British boxing. We think he’s gonna be the one who really becomes synonymous with British boxing over the next five to 10 years.” You’d be a brave man to bet against a monster like this. Read More Built to survive, Dillian Whyte is fighting back and still here Dillian Whyte: ‘I was disappointed to lose to Tyson Fury, but if I lost 10 quid I’d be disappointed’ The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings Boxxer’s Ben Shalom: ‘I sacrificed my twenties, I sacrificed absolutely everything’ Leigh Wood and Chris Billam-Smith win world titles with victories over familiar foes Leigh Wood given message by trainer Ben Davison after controversial stoppage

Leigh Wood regained the WBA featherweight title with a decision win over Mauricio Lara on Saturday, avenging a knockout loss to the Mexican in the process. Wood was fighting in his hometown of Nottingham in February when he suffered a controversial TKO defeat by Lara, who took the WBA belt from the 34-year-old in Round 7. However, Lara, 25, was stripped of the title on Friday (26 May), after failing to make weight for his Manchester rematch with Wood. Furthermore, only Wood was eligible to win the vacant title in the main-event bout. And Wood did just that, knocking down Lara in Round 2 and going on to beat the Mexican via unanimous decision. Elsewhere, Chris Billam-Smith won his first world title, and Michael Conlan suffered a brutal KO loss – more on those results below. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Leigh Wood and Chris Billam-Smith win world titles with victories over familiar foes Tyson Fury sends Anthony Joshua ‘draft contract’ for Wembley fight Katie Taylor’s long reign as boxing queen over despite heroic last stand

Leigh Wood and Chris Billam-Smith enjoyed successful evenings against familiar foes on Saturday, winning world titles in their respective fights. Wood avenged a knockout loss to Mauricio Lara by outpointing the Mexican in Manchester, regaining the WBA featherweight title that he lost in the pair’s first clash. Meanwhile, Billam-Smith was a decision victor over former sparring partner Lawrence Okolie, winning the WBO cruiserweight title at the stadium that is home to his beloved AFC Bournemouth. Wood, 34, was fighting in his hometown of Nottingham when he lost the WBA featherweight belt to Lara in February, as the Mexican won with a controversial TKO in Round 7. However, Lara was stripped of the title on Friday (26 May) after failing to make weight for his rematch with Wood, who was the only fighter eligible to win the gold in Saturday’s main event. And Wood, who was leading his first fight with Lara at the time of the stoppage, got out ahead of the 25-year-old again in Manchester. This time, though, the Briton was able to stay composed throughout, earning a unanimous-decision win (118-109, 118-109, 116-111). Meanwhile, at Vitality Stadium – home to Premier League club Bournemouth – Billam-Smith won a scrappy majority decision against Okolie to claim his first world title. Billam-Smith, in front of a raucous home crowd, knocked down his ex-sparring partner three times, while Okolie also had two points docked for excessive holding. It all led to scorecards of 112-112, 116-107, 115-108 in favour of Billam-Smith. “The Gentleman” then dedicated the win to his mother, who is suffering from breast cancer, and his son, who turned one year old on Friday. Elsewhere, Michael Conlan did not have such a happy homecoming. The Northern Irishman, fighting in his hometown of Belfast, was stopped by Luis Alberto Lopez in the fifth round. Mexican Lopez dropped Conlan with a vicious uppercut, and the towel came in as Conlan struggled to find his bearings. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Mauricio Lara stripped of title before Leigh Wood rematch amid weigh-in drama Wood vs Lara LIVE: Latest boxing fight updates and results What time does Wood vs Lara start in UK and US this weekend?

Tyson Fury has reiterated that he would only be open to fighting Jon Jones in a boxing match, as his back-and-forth with the UFC champion continues. UFC commentator Joe Rogan claimed earlier this year that Fury, the WBC heavyweight boxing champion, would have ‘no chance in hell’ of beating Jones, who holds the UFC heavyweight title, in a fight. Fury, 34, took exception to that suggestion, before clarifying that he would only ever fight Jones, 35, in the boxing ring. And on Thursday (25 May), the Briton doubled down on that stance. Responding to quotes from UFC president Dana White, who offered to organise Fury vs Jones in the Octagon, the “Gypsy King” wrote on Instagram: “I don’t roll round the floor, I stand up and punch. “If you guys want to fight me, it’s got to be under boxing rules.” Jones is widely considered to be the greatest light-heavyweight in UFC history, and he made a long-awaited move up to heavyweight in March. Returning to competition after three years away, the American submitted Ciryl Gane in Round 1 to win the vacant title. Jones and Fury are both without opponents as things stand. The American was expected to defend his title against former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic this summer, but that bout appears to have fallen through. Meanwhile, talks between Fury and unified heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk collapsed in March. Usyk is now set to defend his titles against Daniel Dubois in Poland in August. The Ukrainian is unbeaten, while Briton Dubois – his mandatory challenger – has suffered just one loss as a professional. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Joe Rogan is right: Tyson Fury has ‘no chance in hell’ against Jon Jones Tyson Fury seen consoling devastated boxer after first pro loss Oleksandr Usyk promoter provides major update on Daniel Dubois fight

Errol Spence Jr has claimed that his bout with Terence Crawford, ‘one of the biggest fights of the century’, may simply be a ‘one-sided a**-whooping’. Spence vs Crawford, a fight first discussed in 2018 and desired by boxing fans ever since, was finally confirmed on Thursday (25 May), with the unbeaten Americans due to clash in Las Vegas on 29 July. Spence Jr, 33, will enter the T-Mobile Arena as unified welterweight champion, while Crawford, 35, holds the WBO title. As such, an undisputed champion will emerge from their contest, as long as it does not end as a draw. “Finally giving the fans what they want!” Spence Jr wrote on Instagram on Thursday. “This one [is] a throwback fight on paper but it could be a one sided a** whooping. One of the biggest fights of the century.” Meanwhile, fellow southpaw Crawford said in an Instagram video: “The wait is over, it’s game time [...] Everybody come out, show support, watch me fry this fish.” Spence Jr and Crawford were in talks last autumn over a November bout, but negotiations fell through, leading the latter to box David Avanesyan in December. Crawford stopped Avanesyan in Round 6, while Spence Jr last fought in April 2022, beating Yordenis Ugas in the 10th round. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Tyson Fury seen consoling devastated boxer after first pro loss Oleksandr Usyk promoter provides major update on Daniel Dubois fight Katie Taylor’s long reign as boxing queen over despite heroic last stand Wood vs Lara live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend

Former sparring partners Lawrence Okolie and Chris Billam-Smith will meet in a world-title fight this weekend. Okolie enters Billam-Smith’s hometown of Bournemouth with the WBO cruiserweight belt and an unbeaten record, but the challenger will be buoyed by great support at Vitality Stadium – home to his beloved AFC Bournemouth. In his most recent fight, Okolie outpointed David Light in March, with the beaten New Zealander suffering a ‘mild stroke’ but expected to make a ‘full recovery’. Meanwhile, Billam-Smith produced a knockout-of-the-year contender against Armend Xhoxhaj in December. Okolie (19-0, 14 KOs) said of Billam-Smith (17-1, 12 KOs) this week: “Chris, I love you, but I have to get the KO in this one.” Here’s all you need to know. When is it? The fight will take place at Vitality Stadium, home to Premier League side AFC Bournemouth, on Saturday 27 May. The main card is set to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET), with ring walks for the main event expected at approximately 10pm BST (3pm PT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET). How can I watch it? The event will air live on Sky Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s website and Sky Go app also streaming the fights. No US broadcaster has yet been confirmed for the event. Odds Okolie – 2/7 Billam-Smith – 11/4 Draw – 14/1 Full odds via Betway. Full card (subject to change) Lawrence Okolie (C) vs Chris Billam-Smith (WBO cruiserweight title) Mikael Lawal (C) vs Isaac Chamberlain (British cruiserweight title) Lee Cutler vs Stanley Stannard (super-welterweight) Mace Ruegg vs Dean Dodge (super-featherweight) Sam Eggington vs Joe Pigford (super-welterweight) Michael McKinson vs TBA (welterweight) Tommy Welch vs TBA (heavyweight) Karriss Artingsall vs. Jade Taylor (featherweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Wood vs Lara live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend Katie Taylor’s long reign as boxing queen over despite heroic last stand ‘Daylight robbery’: Vasiliy Lomachenko’s team plan to appeal Devin Haney defeat Joe Rogan is right: Tyson Fury has ‘no chance in hell’ against Jon Jones What time does Okolie vs Billam-Smith start in UK and US this weekend? What time does Wood vs Lara start in UK and US this weekend? How to watch Wood vs Lara online and on TV this weekend

Once again, Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford have agreed to fight. Once again, fans are crossing their fingers. The problem is that other key figures in this deal, of anxious dispositions and with sweaty hands hidden behind their backs, may be doing the same. Spence vs Crawford, or Crawford vs Spence, has proven to be one of the most elusive fights of a generation. Two champions, both alike in stature, in unfair America, where we lay our scene, a pair of star-crossed southpaws take this bout... yet they have done so before, and still the contest eluded the sport’s devotees. It is a bout that was first discussed in 2018, perhaps earlier, and one that seemed to be within grasp last autumn. Terms were agreed, fans were told, over a November meeting between the welterweight champions – both unbeaten and both undeterred by the prospect of losing their gold or records. Because that is the problem. In these situations, it is rarely the fault of the competitors that these bouts fall through; it is never a fear from the fighters that derails negotiations. Pride, perhaps, plays a decisive and often disappointing role, but not fear. That is for the men in suits, not those wearing 8oz gloves. That is why, when news emerged on Wednesday that unified champion Spence (28-0, 22 knockouts) and WBO champion Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) had agreed terms over a 29 July clash in Las Vegas, excitement was premature. It was, and is, understandable, but premature nevertheless. When Spence, 33, and Crawford, 35, agreed terms last year, the latter instead went on to box David Avanesyan, stopping the Armenian in December. Meanwhile, Spence has not fought since a TKO win over Yordenis Ugas 13 months ago. Both Spence and Crawford have struggled for activity in recent times, and both are slowly approaching the end of their primes. There is, of course, reason to hope – a few reasons, in fact. Over the course of the last month, we have seen two match-ups to satisfy boxing purists and suck in casual viewers, and neither fight should be taken for granted. In April, after years of baying from fans and the fighters themselves, lightweights Ryan Garcia and Gervonta “Tank” Davis squared off in a catchweight contest. Last week, Devin Haney defended his undisputed lightweight titles against former unified champion Vasiliy Lomachenko in a dynamic contest with a dramatic conclusion. All the while, the heavyweights are held up, and the obstructive factors in negotiations between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are pointers as to why Spence-Crawford will not be ‘on’ until the first bell rings. In the case of Fury and Usyk, a purse split (unfair as it was on the Ukrainian) was agreed, as was a rematch clause, only for the deal to dissolve due to a different dispute: one around the purse split in the rematch clause​. It would have been funny, had it not been so farcical. Errol Spence Jr Terence Crawford Age 32 35 Record 28-0 (22 KOs) 39-0 (30 KOs) Stance Southpaw Southpaw Titles WBC, WBA, IBF welterweight belts WBO welterweight belt (Formerly WBO lightweight belt; WBC, WBO, WBA [Super], IBF light-welterweight belts) Notable wins Shawn Porter, Mikey Garcia, Carlos Ocampo, Kell Brook Shawn Porter, Jose Benavidez Jr, Kell Brook, Amir Khan So, with reports suggesting that this Spence-Crawford deal contains a rematch clause for both fighters, and that a trilogy is likely in the case of a 1-1 scoreline by the end of 2023, there is reason for hesitancy. Such a deal contains enough moving parts to concern even the most enraptured observer. The prospect of a trilogy also threatens to hold up the division, though if the fights deliver in the way that fans have long hoped, few will mind besides any stranded contenders themselves. The point here is not to suggest that Spence-Crawford will not in fact come to pass; as of this week, it looks likelier than ever that the Americans will share a ring at long last. Last year, Spence shared a cartoon of himself imagined as a shark, knocking on the locker room door of Crawford; on Wednesday, Crawford shared an illustration of himself as a god of the tides, carrying a shark on his trident. An official announcement may even be impending. However, boxing fans have been burnt enough times that they should exercise caution until the moment the bell rings, and one of the most-anticipated fights of a generation finally begins. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith rematch postponed for second time ‘Daylight robbery’: Vasiliy Lomachenko’s team plan to appeal Devin Haney defeat Katie Taylor’s long reign as boxing queen over despite heroic last stand Oleksandr Usyk promoter provides major update on Daniel Dubois fight Deontay Wilder claims Oleksandr Usyk is ‘a lot afraid’ of heavyweight clash Katie Taylor’s long reign as boxing queen over despite heroic last stand

Oleksandr Usyk is set to defend his heavyweight titles against Daniel Dubois in Poland in August, the champion’s promoter has said. Talks between Usyk and WBC champion Tyson Fury collapsed in March, opening the door for the Ukrainian’s mandatory challenger, Dubois. Dubois, 25, is now expected to fight Usyk, 36, in Wroclaw on 12 August, according to Alex Krassyuk. “We won the bid,” Usyk’s promoter wrote on Twitter on Thursday. “Looking to stage the fight in Wroclaw, Poland on August 12th.” Unbeaten Usyk last competed in August, retaining the unified belts with a second straight decision win over Anthony Joshua, the man he dethroned in 2021. Meanwhile, Briton Dubois last fought in December, battling past an injury to stop Kevin Lerena. Dubois has suffered one defeat as a professional, against Joe Joyce in 2020. Read More Deontay Wilder claims Oleksandr Usyk is ‘a lot afraid’ of heavyweight clash Tyson Fury in talks with unbeaten heavyweight Demsey McKean over fight in Australia The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings

Deontay Wilder has accused Oleksandr Usyk of being ‘afraid’ of fighting him, while teasing a return to the ring. Wilder last fought in October, knocking out Robert Helenius in the first round, and Usyk last competed in August, when he outpointed Anthony Joshua for the second time in a year. The Ukrainian is expected to defend the unified heavyweight titles against Daniel Dubois this summer, while American Wilder is without an opponent. Discussing the prospect of a bout with Usyk, Wilder told ES News on Thursday (25 May): “I’m all for it, but he’s a little afraid – not a little afraid, but a lot afraid. “I’m in the business, so I know a lot of things. I’m ready to go at any given moment in time, they know that.” Addressing the collapse of negotiations between Usyk and Tyson Fury in March, Wilder added: “I’m simple, I don’t do all that stuff. I don’t put up too much of a fight as far as trying to get a fight done [goes]. “I feel like we all can eat. That’s how it should be, being able to help each other fight. It’s not about overpricing yourself out of a fight, because we’re all risking our lives. Damn, let us all at least get a piece of the f***ing pie. “I’ve always given people a piece of the pie, because you just never know what’s gonna happen in and out of that ring. But they don’t make them like me, man, I’m very rare.” Wilder, 37, also spoke about his own return to the ring, saying: “I’ll be back real soon, I promise, you don’t want to miss it. “[Usyk], stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Tyson Fury seen consoling devastated boxer after first pro loss Joe Rogan is right: Tyson Fury has ‘no chance in hell’ against Jon Jones Katie Taylor’s long reign as boxing queen over despite heroic last stand Wood vs Lara live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend

Former sparring partners Lawrence Okolie and Chris Billam-Smith will meet in a world-title fight this weekend. Okolie enters Billam-Smith’s hometown of Bournemouth with the WBO cruiserweight belt and an unbeaten record, but the challenger will be buoyed by great support at Vitality Stadium – home to his beloved AFC Bournemouth. In his most recent fight, Okolie outpointed David Light in March, with the beaten New Zealander suffering a ‘mild stroke’ but expected to make a ‘full recovery’. Meanwhile, Billam-Smith produced a knockout-of-the-year contender against Armend Xhoxhaj in December. Okolie (19-0, 14 KOs) said of Billam-Smith (17-1, 12 KOs) this week: “Chris, I love you, but I have to get the KO in this one.” Here’s all you need to know. When is it? The fight will take place at Vitality Stadium, home to Premier League side AFC Bournemouth, on Saturday 27 May. The main card is set to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET), with ring walks for the main event expected at approximately 10pm BST (3pm PT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET). How can I watch it? The event will air live on Sky Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s website and Sky Go app also streaming the fights. No US broadcaster has yet been confirmed for the event. Odds Okolie – 2/7 Billam-Smith – 11/4 Draw – 14/1 Full odds via Betway. Full card (subject to change) Lawrence Okolie (C) vs Chris Billam-Smith (WBO cruiserweight title) Mikael Lawal (C) vs Isaac Chamberlain (British cruiserweight title) Lee Cutler vs Stanley Stannard (super-welterweight) Mace Ruegg vs Dean Dodge (super-featherweight) Sam Eggington vs Joe Pigford (super-welterweight) Michael McKinson vs TBA (welterweight) Tommy Welch vs TBA (heavyweight) Karriss Artingsall vs. Jade Taylor (featherweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Wood vs Lara live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend Katie Taylor’s long reign as boxing queen over despite heroic last stand ‘Daylight robbery’: Vasiliy Lomachenko’s team plan to appeal Devin Haney defeat Joe Rogan is right: Tyson Fury has ‘no chance in hell’ against Jon Jones How to watch Okolie vs Billam-Smith online and on TV this weekend What time does Wood vs Lara start in UK and US this weekend? How to watch Wood vs Lara online and on TV this weekend