Ilunga Makabu promises to knock down Canelo Alvarez

MDP Live - Cruiserweight boxer Ilunga Makabu successfully defended his WBC title. The achievement was obtained after defeating Thabio Mchunu by winning points.

In that fight, Makubu won over Mchunu by points. Judges Steve Weisfeld and Jamie Garayua gave it a score of 115-113 and 116-112 for Makabu, while Nathan Palmer gave a score of 115-113 for Mchunu.

"Today, I didn't come for a knockout," said Makabu, who won the vacant WBC belt against Michal Cieslak almost exactly two years ago on January 31, 2020.

"I came to show that I can box. I'm going to box and knock Canelo in the next fight, baby."

In his debut in the United States, 34-year-old Makabu put pressure on his compatriot. He successfully followed his team's game plan from the opening bell to take his unbeaten record to 10.

“We are leading the fight comfortably. Junior (Makabu) boxed beautifully. We know about what Mchunu will do this time," said Ilunga Makabu coach Damien Durandt

“He brought some elements that surprised us. I told Junior not to look for a knockout. If it comes, we'll take it. What I want from the first round are points. He said to me, 'I understand you, honey.'”

The WBC has approved their match, even if it means a two-division jump for the undisputed super middleweight champion, who has won world titles in four different weight classes.

Even so, Canelo has a wide selection of potential opponents, including WBA, WBC and IBF middleweight champion Jermall Charlo and WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte World Boxing Schedule Officially Holds, WBC Heavyweight Champion Belt Battle

MDP Live - The World Boxing Schedule between Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte officially takes place in March 2022.

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has named Dillian Whyte the next opponent he wants to face in the world boxing arena.

The World Boxing Schedule decision between Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte has been uploaded on Tyson's personal social media.

The announcement prevented Tyson Fury from advancing against the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight boxing belt owner, Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury was previously linked against Oleksandr Usyk in the event for the undisputed champion title.

However, Fury's plans fell apart because Usyk had to play a rematch against Anthony Joshua.

The reason is Joshua is determined to take back his four titles from Usyk after losing the first match.

He also has the goal of beating Usyk to get back on track for the undisputed champion title fight against Fury.

This has resulted in Fury looking for another challenger which is none other than Dillian Whyte.

"I can't wait to punch Dillian Whyte in the face," Fury said.

"I'll give him the best hiding place he's never had before."

"Train hard, loser, because I will destroy you," continued Fury.

Dillian Whyte's promoter, Eddie Hearn, was then enthusiastic about the match Fury wanted to face.

He was sure Fury would swallow his own words by tasting Dillian Whyte's first defeat.

"What Tyson Fury wants to do is ease in March," Hearn told iFL TV.

"Now he has to fight Dillian Whyte, and after this commotion he will taste defeat."

"He will lose and be knocked out by Dillian Whyte," said Hearn optimistically.

Despite giving each other a hint, the Fury vs Whyte match has not been officially announced.

However, the match between the two heavyweight boxers is planned to clash in March.

Mark Magsayo World Champion, Manny Pacquiao: Welcome to the Club!

MDP Live - Mark Magsayo is the WBC featherweight world champion after beating incumbent Gary Russell to end the longest-running boxing championship record. Mark Magsayo's victory was welcomed by Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

Manny Pacquiao in particular congratulated Mark Magsayo after becoming world boxing champion by tweeting on social media. Manny said Mark Magsayo's success made the Philippines proud in the world boxing ring. "Congratulations @markmagsayo_MMM on your first world championship!''

"Thank you for bringing honor to our country by becoming the Philippines' newest world boxing champion. Welcome to the club."
The new WBC featherweight champion won on points after two of the three judges gave him a 115-113 win and one judge drew 114-114. The win extended Mark Magsayo's unbeaten record to 24-0 (16 KOs). "This has been my dream since I was a child. Thank you for the support from the Filipino fans. Now I am a world champion," said Mark Magsayo.

For Russell, the defeat ended his unbeaten hegemony since 2015 when he won the WBC featherweight title by defeating Jhonny Gonzalez on March 28, 2015. Russell, who has not fought more than once in a calendar year since 2014, stepped into the ring for the first time since February 2020 when he defeated Tugstsogt Nyampay of Mongolia.

However, the 33-year-old who now has a 31-2 record (18 KOs) has picked up a shoulder injury sustained in training which he says has had an impact on the result against Magsayo. "I hit him with some good shots in the third round and that's why he got hurt."

Mark Magsayo Wins WBC Belt, Here Are 5 Active World Boxing Champions from the Philippines

MDP Live - Mark Magsayo adds to the list of world boxing champions from the Philippines. He won the WBC featherweight title after winning by points over Gary Russell Jr., of America, in a fight in Atlantic City, New Jersey, January 23, 2022.

Mark Magsayo, 26, is the 45th world champion the Philippines has ever had, the fifth still active.

Check out the five currently active world boxing champions from the Philippines, apart from Mark Magsayo:

1. Nonito Donaire
(WBC bantamweight champion)

The 39-year-old boxer has won in four different classes. He has won the IBF flyweight, WBO bantamweight, WBO super bantamweight, and WBA featherweight titles. He currently holds the WBC bantamweight belt since May 2021. His boxing record is 42-6 (28 KOs).

2. Johnriel Casimero
(WBO bantamweight champion)

The 31-year-old boxer has a 31-4 record (21 KOs). He has been a WBO champion since 2019 and has twice defended his belt. He was scheduled to unify the title against Nonito Donaire in August last year, but the fight was cancelled.

3. Jerwin Ancajas
(IBF super flyweight champion)

The 30-year-old boxer has a 33-1-2 (22 KO) record. He has been a super flyweight champion (junior bantam) since 2016 and has defended his title 10 times. Ancajas last fought on April 10, 2021 and won over Jonathan Rodriguez (Mexico). He is scheduled to appear again on February 22.

4. Rene Mark Cuarto
(IBF mini flyweight champion)

The boxer has held the IBF mini flyweight title since 2021 and has only successfully defended his title once. His fighting record in the world boxing ring is 19-2 (11 KOs).

5. Mark Magsayo
(WBC featherweight champion)

The 28-year-old boxer is unbeaten in 24 fights. He won 16 wins by knockout. "My dream has come true," said Mark Magsayo after beating Russell Jr. "It's been my dream since I was a kid. I'm very proud that I'm a champion now."

The Philippines previously had many big names in the world boxing ring. One of them is Manny Pacquiao, 43, who has won in eight different classes. He retired in August 2021 for being a candidate for president of the Philippines.

Mark Magsayo snatches WBC belt from Gary Russell, Manny Pacquiao's successor

MDP Live - Mark Magsayo snatched Gary Russell's WBC belt to become the new world champion from the Philippines following the triumph of Manny Pacquiao who last year announced that he would hang up his boxing gloves. Mark Magsayo ordained himself as WBC featherweight world champion after defeating incumbent Gary Russell Jr. with absolute numbers.

Two judges, Mark Consentino and Henry Grant, gave Mark Magsayo a 115-113 victory over Russell in a 12-round battle at the Borgata Event Center, New Jersey, United States, Sunday (23/1/2022). Meanwhile Judge Lynne Carter scored a draw, 114-114.

Gary Russell, who is the longest-serving champion, struggled against the undefeated challenger Magsayo from the Philippines. The win was enough for Magsayo to extend his ring record to 24-0 (16 KOs). Magsayo, who is known to be left-handed, used his strength to beat Russell, who was reportedly injured in the fight.

The 33-year-old Russell, who hasn't fought for nearly two years, told Showtime's Jim Gray he believes he suffered a torn tendon in his right shoulder during round four. However, the final result showed Russell lost for the second time in his career which took his fighting record to 32-2 (18 KOs).

He hasn't been beaten since triple division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko defeated him by unanimous decision in the then-vacant 12-round WBO featherweight title fight in June 2014. Russell is known as the longest-serving reigning champion who has rarely fought.

Russell has no rematch clause in his contract as Magsayo is a mandatory challenger for his title. He also tells Gray he wants a rematch, but Russell questions whether Magsayo wants one.

CompuBox counted 81 more strokes for Magsayo than Russell (150-543 to 69-323). Russell was clearly restricted as he could only use one hand during the last eight rounds. Russell is generally regarded as one of the most talented boxers in the sport, but the Washington, D.C. native, has often come under criticism for his lack of fighting.

The 2008 US Olympics loss to Magsayo marked only the sixth defense of the WBC belt that Russell won by defeating Mexico's Jhonny Gonzalez in the fourth round of their March 2015 fight in Las Vegas.

Tyson Fury Takes WBC Belt Off Dillian Whyte vs Deontay Wilder

MDP Live - Tyson Fury stripped of his WBC heavyweight belt paving the way for Dillian Whyte to take on Deontay Wilder for the title. The discourse of Tyson Fury resigning was taken to fight Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk in a unification duel.

Dillian Whyte waited several years to win the world title and is now finally set as the mandatory challenger. He is now looking to strike a deal with Fury in early 2022, although the contract value has yet to be agreed.

Promoter Bob Arum has revealed Fury could choose to vacate his WBC title and keep his Ring magazine belt if a deal cannot be reached. “If we can't reach an agreement with Dillian Whyte, we will fight for the Ring Magazine belt and the 'lineal' title and we will choose another opponent. We have to get Tyson back in the ring by the end of March…," Bob Arum told talkSPORT.

"Frank [Warren] and I are determined to come up to him with an acceptable opponent and we want to have that fight in Cardiff. Andy Ruiz Jr is a possibility. I see Joseph Parker having a good win over Derek Chisora ​​– it could be a possibility."

Should Fury vacate his belt then Wilder will be at the forefront to fight mandatory challenger Whyte for the belt as he is ranked No1 by the WBC. Wilder lost the title after being stopped in the seventh round by Fury in February 2020.

He then faced him again in October, this time losing by knockout in the 11th round despite dropping Fury twice. Meanwhile, Fury is likely to take on someone of the caliber of Parker or Ruiz Jr pending a clash with Usyk or Joshua.

Usyk currently holds the IBF, WBA and WBO titles, securing the belt after beating Joshua by a unanimous decision at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September. AJ has contractual rights for a rematch with Usyk - an option that looked increasingly likely after Whyte was ordered to fight for the WBC belt.

This is because Fury and Usyk hope to make the clash irresistible by paying AJ to step aside. However, with Whyte now also entering the duel equation, it is highly unlikely that Fury and Usyk will choose to pay Whyte and Joshua the money.