Heavyweight December – The December boxing calendar is filled with heavyweight action, and in this latest Talk’n’Shoot Podcast we look at all the fights set for December in boxing’s glamour division.
The big show comes on December 10th in Manchester as IBF world champion Anthony Joshua (17-0) defends his title against Eric Molina (25-3). The bout will be the second title defense for Joshua. The 27 year old won the belt last April with a second round stoppage of Charles Martin, and he defended the belt in June with a seventh round stoppage of Dominic Breazeale. Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn made a serious attempt at luring former champion Wladimir Klitschko to London for this December fight, but big Wlad is sidelined with an injury. The choice of Molina was not met with a lot of support, but it will give Joshua a common opponent with WBC world champion Deontay Wilder, and Wilder is certainly on Joshua’s list of potential 2017 opponents.
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Also in Manchester, hard hitting Cuban heavyweight Luis Ortiz (26-0) returns to face David Allen (9-1-1). Ortiz left Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy earlier this year and signed with Matchroom Boxing, but he fell flat in his debut for Hearn last month in Monaco, where he won a UD over a listless Malik Scott. Hearn is looking to see what kind of asset he has in Ortiz, who earlier this year was probably the most feared heavyweight out there.
The most competitive match on Hearn’s card is between British veterans Dereck Chisora (26-6) and Dilliam Whyte (19-1). White’s only loss came to Joshua and if he keeps on winning he will want a return shot at the IBF champion. Chisora represents his toughest opponent to date, as the experienced Chisora has been in there with a lot of top names.
Heavyweight December
The vacant WBO world heavyweight title will be contested on December 10th in New Zealand as Joseph Parker (21-0) faces Andy Ruiz Jr (29-0). The fight pits two young, undefeated fighters and is probably the most competitive of the heavyweight bouts set for December. Parker is 24 years old and Ruiz Jr is 27 and they are fighting for the WBO belt left vacant by Tyson Fury’s fall from grace.
The podcast also delves into Tyson Fury’s situation and things are certainly not clear. The bombastic former champion vacated multiple world titles earlier this year and retired amid allegations of failed drug tests. His re-match with Wladimir Klitschko was postponed and then cancelled and Fury has appeared o social media sending a lot of confusing messages. Fury was last seen this weekend at the Billy Joe Saunders fight in Paisley, Scotland on December 3rd.
The WBC has set an interim world title fight between former champion Bermane Stiverne and long time #1 contender Alexander Povetkin on December 17th. The full-fledged WBC world titleholder is Deontay Wilder, but he is recovering from a broken right hand and a torn right bicep that he received in his last fight, when he stopped Chris Arreola back in July. The winner of Stiverne and Povetkin will likely get the next shot at Wilder upon his return, probably for April of 2017.
Heavyweight December / Check out more boxing news and features at The Sweet Science.
