Latest news with #NoLimit
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
When it comes to selling the Tszyu dream, it's ‘No más'
In the closing stages of the ninth round, Horn looked cooked. The Brisbane school teacher just made it to the bell after soaking up Pacquiao's biggest blows. As Horn sat on his stool, veteran referee Mark Nelson had seen enough. 'Jeff, listen, I'm here to protect you, ok?' Nelson said. 'I think you've had enough. Do you want to continue?' Horn's trainer, Glenn Rushton, was adamant his charge still had some fight left in him. 'Show me something in this round,' Nelson said, 'Or I'm going to stop the fight.' Horn rose from the stool. In those championship rounds, against one of the greatest of them all - Pacquiao is an eight-division world champion who has held belts in every weight class from 50 to 69 kilograms - the Australian underdog etched himself into sporting folklore. Three years later, in a fight against Tszyu, Horn was again on his stool at the end of the eighth. Tszyu had battered a punch-drunk Horn - who by this stage of his career had been pummelled by pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford - into submission. 'Have you got a punch left in you or not?' Rushton asked his fighter. 'No,' was the reply. 'Do you want to give us a minute?' On this occasion the right call was made. The fight was stopped and Horn never fought again. Which brings us back to Tszyu. When he was getting pumelled by Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev, in another humbling world title loss last October, he was too brave for his own good. After being knocked down on four separate occasions, the massacre only ended when his brother, Nikita, threw in the towel. On that occasion, the 'Soul Taker' had nothing left to give. But was that the case in his rematch with Fundora? Some of the most powerful men in the sport felt Tszyu quit prematurely. Turki Al-Sheikh, the billionaire Saudi Arabian boxing promoter, said this in a Tweet that was subsequently deleted. 'I said to you from the beginning, Tim Tszyu does not deserve to be on a Riyadh Season or Ring Magazine card. He can be a useful sparring partner for a champion in Riyadh Season.' Al-Sheikh had previously ruled out ever dealing with Tszyu again after the Australian pulled out of a scheduled clash with Vergil Ortiz Jnr, citing his recovery from the cut Fundora inflicted in their first fight. Which leaves Tszyu with precious few options as he attempts to rebuild a career and brand on the precipice. After opting to end the fight on his stool, the stock price of No Limit and broadcaster Main Event crashed through the floor. Charging punters $70, the going rate for the privilege of tuning into a Tszyu fight, will become an almost impossible sell. It was the same asking price to witness Paul Gallen earn a controversial points decision against long-time rival Sonny Bill Williams last week. There was one main difference between the Tszyu fight and that event, which was shown exclusively on Stan which, like this masthead, is owned by Nine Entertainment Regardless of the outcome, viewers knew Gallen, just like he did on the football field, would do everything humanly possible to win. Gallen isn't one to literally or figuratively finish on his stool. It's been 45 years since the most infamous end to a boxing bout. In the eighth round of their rematch, Roberto Duran waved his glove and turned his back on Sugar Ray Leonard. The man dubbed 'Hands of Stone' had had enough. 'No más,' said Duran, meaning 'No more' in Spanish. At some point, Tszyu will likely attempt another comeback. His spruikers will try to sell the dream; that he can overcome the latest setback, that he can add to the family's fighting legacy, that he can again become a world champion.
The Age
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
When it comes to selling the Tszyu dream, it's ‘No más'
In the closing stages of the ninth round, Horn looked cooked. The Brisbane school teacher just made it to the bell after soaking up Pacquiao's biggest blows. As Horn sat on his stool, veteran referee Mark Nelson had seen enough. 'Jeff, listen, I'm here to protect you, ok?' Nelson said. 'I think you've had enough. Do you want to continue?' Horn's trainer, Glenn Rushton, was adamant his charge still had some fight left in him. 'Show me something in this round,' Nelson said, 'Or I'm going to stop the fight.' Horn rose from the stool. In those championship rounds, against one of the greatest of them all - Pacquiao is an eight-division world champion who has held belts in every weight class from 50 to 69 kilograms - the Australian underdog etched himself into sporting folklore. Three years later, in a fight against Tszyu, Horn was again on his stool at the end of the eighth. Tszyu had battered a punch-drunk Horn - who by this stage of his career had been pummelled by pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford - into submission. 'Have you got a punch left in you or not?' Rushton asked his fighter. 'No,' was the reply. 'Do you want to give us a minute?' On this occasion the right call was made. The fight was stopped and Horn never fought again. Which brings us back to Tszyu. When he was getting pumelled by Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev, in another humbling world title loss last October, he was too brave for his own good. After being knocked down on four separate occasions, the massacre only ended when his brother, Nikita, threw in the towel. On that occasion, the 'Soul Taker' had nothing left to give. But was that the case in his rematch with Fundora? Some of the most powerful men in the sport felt Tszyu quit prematurely. Turki Al-Sheikh, the billionaire Saudi Arabian boxing promoter, said this in a Tweet that was subsequently deleted. 'I said to you from the beginning, Tim Tszyu does not deserve to be on a Riyadh Season or Ring Magazine card. He can be a useful sparring partner for a champion in Riyadh Season.' Al-Sheikh had previously ruled out ever dealing with Tszyu again after the Australian pulled out of a scheduled clash with Vergil Ortiz Jnr, citing his recovery from the cut Fundora inflicted in their first fight. Which leaves Tszyu with precious few options as he attempts to rebuild a career and brand on the precipice. After opting to end the fight on his stool, the stock price of No Limit and broadcaster Main Event crashed through the floor. Charging punters $70, the going rate for the privilege of tuning into a Tszyu fight, will become an almost impossible sell. It was the same asking price to witness Paul Gallen earn a controversial points decision against long-time rival Sonny Bill Williams last week. There was one main difference between the Tszyu fight and that event, which was shown exclusively on Stan which, like this masthead, is owned by Nine Entertainment Regardless of the outcome, viewers knew Gallen, just like he did on the football field, would do everything humanly possible to win. Gallen isn't one to literally or figuratively finish on his stool. It's been 45 years since the most infamous end to a boxing bout. In the eighth round of their rematch, Roberto Duran waved his glove and turned his back on Sugar Ray Leonard. The man dubbed 'Hands of Stone' had had enough. 'No más,' said Duran, meaning 'No more' in Spanish. At some point, Tszyu will likely attempt another comeback. His spruikers will try to sell the dream; that he can overcome the latest setback, that he can add to the family's fighting legacy, that he can again become a world champion.
News.com.au
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Nikita Tszyu to make long-awaited boxing comeback in August
Nikita Tszyu will make his long awaited return to the ring on August 20, nearly exactly a year after his last fight, and just in time for a proposed showdown with Michael Zerafa later in the year. Tszyu has been out of action since his August 28, 2024 fight of the year win over Koen Mazoudier. The 27-year-old had surgery on tendons in his hand following that dramatic ninth round stoppage win, and suffered a series of setbacks in his recovery. Tszyu then welcomed the birth of his first child, a daughter named Curiosity, last week, but will be fit and firing to return next month. Tszyu has been linked to a fight with Zerafa later in the year. That bout would likely be at middleweight, with Zerafa eyeing up a WBA world title fight if he wins. It has been a hectic year for Nikita already. 'The Butcher' was married in a lowkey ceremony in January, and was initially scheduled to return to the ring in May in Sydney, before those plans were shelved. He was then slated to fight in Cairns last week, but that was put on ice as well. Instead, Nikita will fight exactly one month after older brother Tim's must-win world title rematch against Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas. No opponent has been confirmed, but several names are in the mix. Meanwhile, Melbourne and Sydney are possible destinations the fight could be held. 'The Butcher is back, baby,' No Limit boss George Rose said. 'You don't know what you've got until it's gone, and we've all been craving Nikita Tszyu. 'He's special. He's unique. He's must-see TV. 'Nikita's style, energy and chaos is unlike anything else in the sport. 'Now he's healthy, he's focused, and he's ready to bring that unmissable all-action brand of boxing back. 'Nikita Tszyu is not just a fighter, he's an experience. 'And the timing couldn't be better with Tim heading to Las Vegas to bring home the WBC belt against Fundora. 'Then just a few weeks later, Nikita steps back in for what's shaping as one of the biggest months in the history of Australian boxing. 'This is a huge month. For the sport. For the fan. And for the Tszyu name.'
News.com.au
25-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Liam Paro sends title statement in bloody ‘destruction' after fellow Aussie bolsters rematch bid
Australia's Liam Paro has declared himself ready to take on some of the sport's biggest names after scoring a brutal stoppage win over Jonathan Navarro – which lacerated the tough American's nose and likely broke his orbital. Paul vs Chavez Jr | SUN 29 JUNE 10AM AEST | Jake Paul will take the next step to becoming a world champion when he faces former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. | Order now with Main Event on Kayo Sports Making his hyped No Limit debut in Cairns, Paro dropped Navarro in the fifth round with a big left hand and then, after his rival beat the count, finished the round battering him against the ropes. Tellingly, Navarro would not come out for the sixth, with pictures of his corner showing a pool of blood beneath his stool. Fighting for the first time since losing his IBF super lightweight title, Paro now looks set to be pitched straight back into world title contention. Already this week, No Limit CEO George Rose told Fox Sports Australia of a hitlist for his client that includes names like Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz. Importantly, the star Mackay southpaw wants the same. 'I want another belt,' Paro said immediately afterwards. 'Two time champion has a ring to it'. Paro's brutal finish capped off an exciting night in north Queensland. In the co-main, Australia's Liam Wilson punched his way back into world title contention – and potentially, another shot at Mexican superstar Emanuel Navarrete – after earning a tough win over slick Argentinian Ayrton Gimenez. While Gimenez appeared filthy with the judges' scorecards afterwards, Wilson accused his rival of spending much of the fight 'on his bike' and then called out WBO super featherweight king Navarrete. Already, No Limit CEO George Rose has said that if Navarrete gets through his next defence against Charly Suarez, he then wants to bring the Mexican Down Under for Wilson -- a rematch of their contentious 2023 encounter. Elsewhere on the undercard, rising Australian stars Callum Peters and Kirra Ruston both enjoyed brutal stoppage wins, with the later posting a potential Knockout of the Year contender. For Paro, the win proved he is definitely back after losing the IBF crown to Richardson Hitchins last December. 'First and foremost, all glory to God,' Paro told Main Event's Ben Damon in the ring immediately afterwards. And from there, he shouted: 'North Queensland, I'm back'. Isn't he what? First round, it was a composed Paro who landed solidly with his left hand. By the end of the round, there was also drama for Navarro, who was bleeding heavily from a head cut and complaining its cause had been a headbutt. However referee Chris Condon ruled that the gash had been caused by a punch. While the American's corner did a strong job of stopping the bleeding between rounds, and in the second saw Navarro go back to work, it was the Australian who started to surge. In the third, Paro began to assert his dominance, not only throwing more prominently but enjoying great success with the straight left, and also at one point a strong right hook. By the fourth, the boisterous crowd were now chanting for Paro as again the Queenslander scored regularly against a Los Angeles rival who, while continually try to land a big right hand, had few answers for what was coming his way. The end then came in the fifth. With Navarro first dropped by Paro and then, at the end of the round, appearing only to be held up by the ropes. Main Event's Ben Damon called it 'destruction' from Paro in commentary. 'He's a mess,' Damon said of Navarro after round five. WILSON BOOSTS BID FOR LONG-AWAITED REMATCH Liam Wilson punched his way back into world title contention – and potentially, another shot at Mexican superstar Emanuel Navarrete – after earning a tough win over slick Argentinian Ayrton Gimenez. Fighting in the co-main to Liam Paro's hyped No Limit debut, 29-year-old Wilson was made to work hard for his decision win against a slick rival who the Aussie suggested afterwards was 'on his bike' for chunks of the bout. 'But I wouldn't say he was scared,' the Queenslander continued of what was eventually a win on all three scorecards 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94. 'That's his style. He's a good boxer.' Immediately after the fight, Gimenez raised his hands into the air triumphantly, before then being hoisted up by his ecstatic trainer who also seemed convinced of victory. Certainly Wilson appeared to control chunks of the fight, pushing his rival onto the back foot and landing heavy. However, there was also no doubting the Argentinian, a slick mover who had plenty of his own moments, made it a competitive fight. Immediately afterwards, Wilson said he now wanted a rematch with Navarrete, should the Mexican superstar get through his next mandated defence. Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, No Limit boss George Rose confirmed discussions were already underway to bring the WBO super featherweight king Down Under for a blockbuster rematch. It has now been over two years since Wilson's controversial stoppage loss against Navarrete in America – which included both a famed '27 second' count and dramatic accusations of scale tampering. However, both No Limit and Team Wilson are convinced they can square the ledger on Australian soil, although Navarrete must first get through a mandated rematch with Charly Suarez. HYPED AUSSIE CALLS FOR TITLE SHOT Hyped Australian prospect Callum '50 Cal' Peters needed just 92 seconds to score the third straight first round finish of his career – and then immediately demanded an Australian title fight. Branded Australia's Most Avoided Fighter by No Limit CEO George Rose, Peters dropped Cairns debutant Luca Lanigan three times in the first round, and each time with a right hand, before the fight was waved off. While the undefeated 22-year-old will now return to the amateurs, where he is gunning for a gold medal at the IBA World Championships in September, he also took time in the mic afterwards to call out Australian middleweight champ Xavier Fletcher. 'Xavier Fletcher,' he said, looking down the barrel of a Fox Sports camera, 'sign the contract bro'. Peters also praised Lanigan, a local Muay Thai fighter, who took the fight on just two days notice after a pair of international rivals withdrew. Speaking with Fox Sports Australia after winning on Jai Opetaia's recent card, Fletcher confirmed his willingness to face the rising No Limit prospect should he win his next national title defence against Dominic Molinaro in July. 'He gets hit too much, makes too many mistakes,' the Brisbane-based champ also said of Peters, while also warning his hyped amateur style will quickly prove his 'downfall' in the professional ranks. Speaking after his win on Wednesday night however, 50 Cal reminded that he already had a win over Fletcher in the amateurs and was happy to now double down with a national title on the line. He said he would be happy to sort the fight for after the worlds, adding that he could fight twice as a professional between September and December. Incredibly, Peters is also looking to compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and even the 2028 LA Olympics. Earlier this month, Rose compared Peters to no less than Australian boxing great Dave Sands given he is now looking for fights anywhere from middleweight to light heavyweight. Rose has also suggested Peters can win a world title faster than even the seven fights it took Jeff Fenech. KO OF THE YEAR CONTENDER Australian light heavyweight Kirra Ruston continued his incredible rise in the sport, earning a brutal Knockout Of the Year contender against India's Kartik Kumar While Kumar entered the bout on an undefeated tear of nine straight wins, eight via KO, and arguably won the opening round with a strong jab, it was only midway through the second when Ruston went bang. After landing a big right hand on Kumar, the Indian immediately buckled, then dropped. He would then stay down for the full count. 'It felt like I was just getting started,' Ruston said afterwards, having now taken his own undefeated career start to seven straight. 'But the game plan keeps working so why change it? 'I wanted to see what he had in the first round and he had some pop on his shots. 'I had to stay nice and sharp and eventually saw the right hook 'Thankfully I landed it…' Didn't he what? Asked what was next by Main Event commentator Ben Damon, the 27-year-old said: 'This is just the beginning. 'There are a lot of people out there that could be great potential fights. 'We'll go back and plan it out. 'But I'm here, and I'm staying here. 'I've got Australia on my back and I want to take it all the way to the top.' ENTERTAINING AUSSIE DROPS TEAM PACQUIAO RIVAL Australian featherweight Vegas Larfield earned himself an entertaining decision win over big punching Filipino Bryan Cabrillos – which included a contentious knockdown ruling in the final round. Now two years removed from his sole loss against Albert Nolan, Larfield continued his climb up the domestic rankings against a rival who trains out of Manny Pacquiao's gym in the Philippines. While Cabrillos spent the night continually searching for big right hands, and often found his mark, it was Larfield who had the greater success, particularly to the body, and boxed solidly throughout. In the final round, the Queenslander had his biggest moment of the fight, dropping his rival with a big right hand. Immediately, Cabrillos complained of a low blow however referee Chris Condon dismissed it with a shake of a head. However, Condon also never started a count, with the final scorecards also showing confusion as to if the knockdown had been counted, with Larfield earning the decision: 58-55, 58-56 and 59-55. Regardless, the win was yet another strong showing from the 23-year-old, who has now won four straight since the shock Nolan loss. PRELIMS WRAP First up, Queenslander Caden 'Raging Bull' Russo earned a convincing win over Aaron Stahl, a former opponent of Nikita Tszyu. Ingham product Russo boxed solidly throughout to score a convincing win on all three judges' scorecards -- 59-55, 59-55 and 60-54. In the second fight of the night, Cairns local Quinton 'Da Hitman' Smith earned his first professional win in style -- a brutal first round stoppage of debutant Laphya Reuben. After first forcing Reuben to a knee midway through opening round, Smith then quickly doubled down when the fight was restarted, pushing Reuben into a corner where a series of unanswered shots then forced referee Phil Holiday to wave it off with only two seconds of the round remaining. Later, Cairns heavyweight Thomas Warria continued his undefeated career start in front of a boisterous home crowd, earning a split decision win over fellow North Queenslander Ricky Sandrel. A 110kg southpaw, Warria landed big with his left hand through the opening two rounds, including a left-right combination in the second which stunned his bearded rival dubbed 'Lumberjack'. Yet Sandrel, for his part, hung tough through all four rounds of what was his own professional debut, and landed big as the bell sounded to end the third. However the fight still appeared to be a convincing win for Warria, with two judges giving him the fight 40-36 and 39-37. However, a third ringside official gave the fight to Sandrel 40-36. Regardless, Warria was eventually announced the winner and climbed up onto the ring ropes, which inturn brought an appropriate response from the Cairns Convention Centre crowd.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Kids on the Block, Gloria Estefan & More to Headline 2025 ‘GMA' Summer Concert Series
There's some new kids in town on Good Morning America's 2025 summer concert series lineup, with New Kids on the Block, Laufey and more acts locked in to perform on the program over the next few months. As shared exclusively with Billboard, the show's annual string of mid-year live performances will kick off June 12, with the 'Step by Step' boy band delivering what will be the last concert inside GMA's Times Square studio. After that, 'Whole Lotta Money' rapper BIA and 'No Limit' artist G-Eazy will take the stage July 18 at an outdoor venue in Indianapolis ahead of tipoff at the WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and Colombian singer Manuel Turizo becomes the first artist to perform at GMA's new studio downtown on Aug. 1. More from Billboard New Kids on the Block Announces 35th Anniversary Reissue of 'Step By Step' Album NBA Finals 2025 Livestream: Here's How to Watch Pacers vs. Thunder Game Online for Free Thousands Fill Nation's Capital for WorldPride Parade With Reneé Rapp, Laverne Cox, Gay Men's Chorus & More The next two weeks after that will see punk-rock band Good Charlotte and the Icelandic 'From the Start' singer performing at the new studio on Aug. 8 and 15, respectively. Fresh off of a memorable performance at the 2025 American Music Awards, Gloria Estefan will take the stage on Aug. 22, followed by Dierks Bentley on Aug. 27, and Teyana Taylor on Aug. 29. 'We're thrilled to host this year's Summer Concert Series in our brand-new, state-of-the-art studio,' said Simone Swink, senior executive producer of Good Morning America. 'It's an exciting chapter for us, and we can't wait to welcome incredible artists and our viewers into our home, right here in the heart of downtown Manhattan.' All of the performances listed will broadcast live during GMA, which airs from 7 to 9 a.m. ET on ABC. This year's programming follows a 2024 lineup that featured Green Day, Carrie Underwood, Nicky Jam, Kane Brown, G-Eazy, Sofi Tukker, Megan Moroney and Old Dominion. Before that, BTS' Jung Kook, Carly Rae Jepson, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Remy Ma, Tim McGraw and more performed for the morning show in 2025. See the full 2025 GMA summer concert schedule below. June 12 – New Kids on the Block July 18 – BIA & G-Eazy Aug. 1 – Manuel Turizo Aug. 8 – Good Charlotte Aug. 15 – Laufey Aug. 22 – Gloria Estefan Aug. 27 – Dierks Bentley Aug. 29 – Teyana Taylor Best of Billboard Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Pentatonix & Train Will Bring Their Holiday Hits to iHeart Christmas Concert Fox Plans NFT Debut With $20 'Masked Singer' Collectibles 14 Things That Changed (or Didn't) at Farm Aid 2021
