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Dave McKenna

Undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue (R) punches Ramon Cardenas in the fourth round of their title fight at T-Mobile Arena on May 04, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Inoue retained his titles with an eighth-round TKO.

Naoya Inoue And Ramon Cardenas Salvaged Boxing’s Meek Weekend

HBO Sports boxing commentator Jim Lampley provides commentary as he previews the upcoming WBC Heavyweight Championship fight for television viewers between James Toney and Hasim Rahman at Boardwalk Hall on March 18, 2006 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Jim Lampley Knows Friday Night’s Alright For Fighting

Turki Al-Sheikh and actor Jason Statham (left) at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Picture date: Saturday December 21, 2024.

Saudi Arabia’s Latest Boxing Spectacle Is A Times Square Fight Card With No Start Time And No Tickets

Muhammad Ali smashes a right to the head of George Foreman.

George Foreman Got As Good As He Gave

Gervonta Davis takes a knee in the middle of round nine due to the grease in his braids dripped into his eyes against Lamont Roach Jr. during their bout for Davis' WBA lightweight title at Barclays Center on March 01, 2025 in New York City. (

Gervonta Davis Escapes With A Draw After Hair Care Debacle

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

The Tale Of The Early-Round KO Of Muhammad Ali’s Champburger

Dmitrii Bivol fights Artur Beterbiev as the headline act of Beterbiev v Bivol 2: The Last Crescendo at Kingdom Arena on February 22, 2025 in Riyadh.

We’ll Take More Bivol Vs. Beterbiev, Less Of Everything Else

Japan’s Naoya Inoue poses during the official weigh-in in Tokyo on May 5, 2024 ahead of his super-bantamweight title boxing match against Mexico’s Luis Nery.

The Big Stage Calls For Naoya Inoue

Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, and other publications.

Owen Lewis

Tyson Fury (left) and Oleksandr Usyk during the WBA, WBC, WBO, IBO World Heavyweight championship contest at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Picture date: Saturday December 21, 2024. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)

Someone Got Inside Tyson Fury’s Head For A Change

Barry Petchesky

'With a Turned Thumb', (Pollice Verso), 1872. A victorious Roman gladiator awaiting the verdict of the Emperor. After the painting by Jean-Leon Gerome. (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)

Overexplained Lists

Gladiators, Ranked

Israel Daramola

Mike Tyson holding his championship titles in the ring

Mortality Always Wins By Knockout

David Roth

A giant screen above the ring shows US retired pro-boxer Mike Tyson sitting on the corner stool between rounds during the heavyweight boxing bout against Jake Paul on November 15, 2024.

Tyson/Paul Was A Boxing Match That Felt Like Netflix

UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, at right, punches challenger Stipe Miocic, who is on his back, during their heavyweight title bout at Madison Square Garden in New York, on November 16, 2024.

Jon Jones Doesn’t Have To Change His Evil Ways

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano fight at AT&T Stadium on November 15, 2024.

Ifs, Ands, And Headbutts: Irish Superhero Katie Taylor Takes Another Disputed Decision From Amanda Serrano

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 8: Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis poses during the weigh in ahead of his November 9th IBF World Welterweight title fight against Karen Chukhadzhian at 2300 Arena on November 8, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (

Boots Ennis Learns That Being Boring Can Be Worse Than Losing

Canelo Alvarez poses at the press conference for the Berlanga fight

Canelo Álvarez No Longer Cares About Showcasing His Greatness

French boxer Laurent Dauthuille trains on October 27, 1946 at the Palais sed Sports in Paris before his match against Robert Charron.

Everlast Love: The Tale Of Me And The Heavy Bag

Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.

Hamilton Nolan

Welterweight contender Jaron Ennis trains during a media workout for his upcoming fight against Custio Clayton at Churchill Boxing Club on May 11, 2022 in Santa Monica, California.

Philly Has A Hero Named Boots

esse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (R) of the United States and Juan Francisco Estrada (L) of Mexico fight during their WBC world and Ring Magazine super flyweight title bout

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez Is A Little Guy With Big Aspirations

Gervonta "Tank" Davis clobbers Frank Martin with a huge left hook.

Who On Earth Wants To Fight Tank Davis Now?

Tyson Fury (third left) and Oleksandr Usyk (third right) pose alongside promoter Frank Warren (fourth left), actor Sylvester Stallone (centre) and The Saudi Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment Turki Alalshikh during a press conference at Outernet London.

Don’t Expect Much Resistance To A Saudi Boxing Takeover

David Benavidez waits for the start of a fight for an interim WBC light heavyweight title against Oleksandr Gvozdyk at MGM Grand Garden Arena on June 15, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

David Benavidez Underwhelmed In Victory

Ryan Garcia (white trunks) reacts against Devin Haney (gray trunks) during their WBC Super Lightweight title bout at Barclays Center on April 20, 2024 in New York City.

Ryan Garcia Turned A Sad Show Into A Thrilling Fight

Ryan Garcia speaks to reporters during a media workout at World Class Boxing Gym on April 9, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.

Ryan Garcia Is Promoting His Title Fight By Having A Mental Breakdown

I am a freelance writer who has covered a wide variety of topics over the years. I’ve written about sports, crime, technology, fitness, and entertainment for a variety of outlets.