Yarde to face world champion Benavidez in November
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BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
'I tried to stay away - but boxing found me'
After winning gold at the British Karate Championships, a 10-year-old Harlem Eubank went with his mother to the shop, where they bumped into his famous uncle."Harlem's just won a British title," his mum, beaming with pride, told Chris Eubank expected a hug or at least a smile... But the former world champion didn't miss a beat."I have 19 world title defences," he replied flatly, before carrying on with his day."That was it, he was gone," Harlem says now, laughing. "My mum was probably fuming but even at that age, I understood what he was trying to say. He was planting the seed that it's never enough, there's always more to do. Aim higher."It was vintage Eubank Sr - dismissive yet full of a lesson Harlem still carries with him today as he prepares for the biggest fight of his professional 31-year-old welterweight will face fellow Briton and former world-title challenger Jack Catterall at Manchester's AO Arena on Saturday."It's a massive statement fight. That's why I pushed for it. I believe I'll be a world champion and this is the fight that proves it," Harlem to BBC Sport, Harlem reflects on the weight of his family name and how he carved out his own boxing journey the hard way, earning respect through the traditional route. How boxing found its latest Eubank The Eubank name is steeped in British boxing folklore with unforgettable nights and iconic rivalries.A two-time world champion, the eccentric Eubank Sr was a boxing superstar who transcended the sport. And by the time Harlem turned professional in 2017, his cousin Chris Eubank Jr was already a British Harlem - a noticeably less flamboyant and more reserved character than his uncle and cousin - never intended to follow in their footsteps."I tried to stay away from boxing at first because my family had already done it," he explains. "They'd been to the top of the mountain so what's the point in me starting?"In his early years, Harlem threw himself into karate and football. He earned a black belt by the age of 11 and later for signed for Brighton & Hove Albion's youth 14, he walked into a boxing gym for the first time out of curiosity, but football coaches told him he had to choose. And so, boxing was put years later, though, something pulled him back."I came back to boxing at 18 and never looked back," he says. "It felt like boxing found me rather than me looking for it. It felt like it was meant to be." Building a profile on free-to-air television Harlem turned professional aged 23 but, much like his cousin, quickly realised that being a Eubank in boxing can be a double-edged sword."Everyone wants to beat you. They bring their best version into the ring every time because they think they're fighting for a world title," he an age of influencer boxing, Harlem could have arguably chosen an easier and more lucrative route rather than trading on his name. Instead, he fought on small-hall shows and steadily honed his craft."I've done it the traditional way. There's not a door I haven't kicked down myself," he a throwback to the ITV era when his uncle headlined to millions on free-to-air television, Harlem has spent the past few years as a regular headliner of Channel 5's Friday night boxing cards."Being on Channel 5 has allowed me to engage with different people, new audiences who aren't necessarily sports fans and just happen to stumble across boxing," he says. Harlem globetrotter - targeting world honours With his uncle and cousin watching from ringside, Harlem stopped Tyrone McKenna in the 10th round in March. But Chorley's Catterall is a different proposition.A proven contender who has operated at world level, Catterall is regarded by many as the man who should have become England's first male four-belt undisputed champion after a controversial points loss to Josh though, is relishing the role of underdog."Time and time again, I've had to prove people wrong," he says. "But I think people are starting to take notice of me now."Jack is the best at 147lb in the UK, hands down. Beating him will lead to the biggest and best fights, whether that's a world title next or taking on top names in the United States."
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Jack Catterall vs Harlem Eubank EXACT fight time – when are ring-walks for huge welterweight bout TONIGHT?
JACK CATTERALL is hoping for the perfect welterweight debut when he takes on boxing superstar Harlem Eubank TONIGHT! It was a tough pill to swallow for El Gato when he last competitively stepped foot in the ring as he suffered a split-decision defeat to Arnold Barboza Jr. 1 As a result, Catterall's shot at Teofimo Lopez 's world title went up in smoke as the champ got paired against the then-unbeaten Barboza Jr instead. However, after moving seven pounds north, the British star will be desperate to bounce back by putting a blemish on Eubank's impressive 21-0 record. But Catterall faces an aggressive Eubank who knocked recent opponent Tyron McKenna down THREE times before going on to win the contest. And for the fans that are only interested in the main event, SunSport can reveal the EXACT time. What time does Jack Catterall vs Harlem Eubank start and how can I watch it? Ring-walks for the main event is expected to get underway at around 10pm BST meaning that the first bell should go approximately 15 minutes later at 10:15pm BST. However, timings could change depending on the length of the undercard bouts. Coverage of the main card will start from 5pm BST Manchester AO Arena will host this huge event and it can accomodate for around 21,000 people, The fight will be exclusively shown on DAZN An Annual Super Saver subscription is a one-off payment of £119.99 / $224.99 for 12-months access (£14.99 / $19.99 per month if paying in monthly instalments). A Monthly Flexible pass, which can be cancelled at any time, is £24.99 / $29.99 per month. Who is on the Jack Catterall vs Harlem Eubank undercard? Here are all the bouts taking place on the huge Manchester bill: Jack Catterall vs Harlem Eubank Joe Cordina vs Jaret Gonzalez - for vacant WBO global lightweight title Aqib Fiaz vs Alex Murphy Pat Brown vs Lewis Oakford William Crolla vs Fraser Wilkinson Skye Nicolson vs Carla Campos Niall Brown vs Victor Ionascu Leo Atang vs Jiri Surmaj Alfie Middlemiss vs Mohammed Wako What has been said? Jack Catterall. Speaking to Ring, Sauderland said: "It's a big step up [for Harlem], that's what champions, real champions, need to do. Harlem's a fantastic character and fighter, the way he conducts himself is very humble. "The way he's progressed taking little steps up ... but this is the moment. "It's not the be-all and end-all, I won't sell it as that, but it is that moment where we find out. He's got the pressure of the name. "But Catterall, a great fighter, gentleman and an advert for the sport, I think the pressure is on him, when it comes to where he's been. He almost got there, this is sort of do or die for him. "For Eubank it's about finding out how many gears he has got to go through. "He's never been pushed like he's going to be pushed. Speed is on our side, I think we know pretty much everything there is to know about Catterall."
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
I tried Daniel Dubois' sprint routine - and it's not for the fainthearted
'I've worked with World Cup winners, and Daniel Dubois has the best physique I've ever seen,' his physio Ravi Gill tells me as we stand ringside, watching the would-be undisputed world champion train. It is not just his hulking frame or knockout power that impresses Gill either – it is Dubois' ability to work hard and recover fast, which is vital if he is to go 12 rounds with Oleksandr Usyk on 19 July. His regular 20-round training sessions play a significant role in forging this fight-ready fitness, but there is another training method he uses to supercharge his heart and lungs: running. Most mornings, the newly-signed Brooks Running athlete covers between 5km and 8km at a fairly easy pace, and three times per week his strength and conditioning coach takes him to an athletics track for taxing interval sessions. But one of Dubois' regular fitness tests stands above all others – his Saturday hill sprints. His trainer Don Charles runs me through the weekly workout, and the session could strike fear into even the most-seasoned athletes. But in the interests of entertainment and providing a point of comparison for Dubois' pre-fight fitness, I resolved to give it a go. How to do Daniel Dubois' Saturday hill sprints Complete the following sequence 20 times: Hill sprint x120m Walking recovery (back down the hill) x120m 'On Saturdays, Daniel does the mother of all sprint workouts in Greenwich Park,' Charles says. He estimates the gradient of the hill starts at 20 degrees before climbing to nearer 40 degrees by the end. 'It's approximately 120m from bottom to top, and he does it inside 20 seconds,' Charles adds. 'It takes him about one minute and 15 seconds to get back down to the bottom, then he hits it again. He does that 20 times, and he's recovered for every sprint.' What are the benefits of this workout? 'This workout is about learning to push your heart to the max, recover, then push it again,' Charles says. In boxing, athletes have just 60 seconds to recover between three-minute rounds. The ability to perform at a high level within each round is vital but being able to recover more efficiently than your opponent can give you the upper hand the next time the bell rings. For this reason, pre-fight training needs to teach your body to work hard, while also practising recovering quickly from these intense efforts. Hill sprints can have plenty of desirable physiological effects for an athlete too, such as increasing VO2 max – the maximum amount of oxygen you can take in and use during exercise. What happened when I tried Daniel Dubois' hill sprint workout As a fitness writer, I have tried a lot of athletes' training plans such as those used by Olympic champion triathlete Alex Yee, CrossFit legend Mat Fraser and adventurer Ross Edgley. But this one intimidated me. Why? Because there is no gimmick – it is just good, honest work. I live outside of London, but luckily the capital does not have a monopoly on gradients. So I found a sufficiently steep hill in Bristol early one morning and set to work. The first few rounds are fun. Most people stop sprinting after the age of 20-something, but there is a childlike joy that comes with running as fast as you can. Outdoor sessions also offer an intangible feel-good factor, so I was off to a good start. This feel-good factor started to subside after round five. I tackled this workout in the midst of a heatwave, and as the sun rose, so did the mercury. Beads of sweat on my brow turned to torrents, my heart rate shot skywards, and my face bore an uncanny resemblance to 'cranberry crunch' on the Dulux paint colour charts. But with a fitness tracker monitoring my efforts to keep me honest, my only two choices are to give up or keep moving. Somewhat reluctantly, I opt for the latter. The next five rounds are a slog, and my reward for completing them is the realisation that I am only halfway there. At this point, my sprints lack the springiness I had enjoyed at the start, and I can feel my walks back down the hill become marginally more lackadaisical. A glance at my fitness tracker afterwards shows me this is my slowest portion of the session, with paces falling from 28 seconds per interval to more like 34, and the walk back also taking a few extra seconds. It is at this point that I remember Charles' claim about Dubois: 'He's recovered for every sprint.' I, on the other hand, feel far from fresh as I start my eleventh round – one of the many reasons why Dubois is an elite athlete, and I am not. It is after the twelfth round that a switch flicks in my head. With 60 per cent of the workout in the rear-view mirror, my mind can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I begin to attack each interval with renewed vigour. The next six rounds are the hardest of the lot, with the final few steepest metres of my route routinely knocking the wind out of my sails. But despite this, I shave a few seconds off my interval times to bring them back down to 30 seconds. I still cannot touch Dubois' sub-20-second efforts, even though he is a full 20kg heavier than me, but it is an improvement. Finally, I find myself enduring the last couple of hill sprints before traipsing down the decline one last time and lying down on a bench. By this point my shirt is sodden, and my lungs heave as I try to bring my breathing back under control. The session took me 38 minutes in total, and reduced me to a sweaty mess with nothing more than a hill. It is brutal, gruelling and effective, providing as much of a mental test as a physical one as I fought the urge to stop on several occasions. This sort of workout falls under the banner of 'type-two fun': 'Hurts to do, fun in retrospect.' It might even creep into the realms of type three: 'Not fun at the time or in retrospect, but makes for a good story.' Either way, if Dubois is able to do this weekly at the paces his trainer Don Charles provided, Usyk has a seriously fit fighter to contend with on 19 July.
