4:59 PM ET Unified super middleweight world titlist Canelo Alvarez will put his belts on the line against Avni Yildirim on Feb. 27, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. While it is refreshing to see Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs) back in the ring so soon after his recent demolition of Callum Smith in December,
Boxing
3:14 PM ET Boxing’s biggest star, Canelo Alvarez, will return to the ring Feb. 27 versus mandatory challenger Avni Yildirim at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, per sources. The fight will be broadcast on DAZN and other PPV cable platforms everywhere except Mexico. It will be a stay-busy title defense for Alvarez (54-1-2,
8:57 AM ET A potential Anthony Joshua heavyweight unification bout against Tyson Fury could be the biggest fight of the year, but will it happen? When? And what should be next for lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez? A rematch against Vasiliy Lomachenko? A unification fight against Devin Haney? While these fights have all the ingredients to
11:56 AM ET Three-division titlist Claressa Shields will be returning to the ring for the first time in over a year to fight IBF Super Welterweight champion Marie-Eve Dicaire in a bout to unify the super welterweight division March 5. The fight will be the headliner of an all-women Pay Per View card on FITE
7:08 AM ET Devin Haney recites his lightweight hierarchy without hesitation. Himself, Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis then Ryan Garcia. The rankings of these top four young fighters will be debated by the boxing community often throughout 2021 — until they can settle the score. There have even been comparisons to the Four Kings (Sugar Ray
11:46 AM ET Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said a deal for the world heavyweight champion to meet Tyson Fury in an undisputed world heavyweight title bout this year is all but done, with a venue in the Middle East a front-runner to host it. Joshua beat Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev last month to retain his
2:28 PM ET One of boxing’s top events in early 2021 is officially canceled. The Jan. 30 bout between former light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev and Bek Melikuziev has been nixed after Kovalev failed a drug test because of banned substances, Golden Boy Promotions announced on Friday. 2 Related Kovalev was informed earlier this week
3:16 PM ET Nick Parkinson Close •Reports on boxing for ESPN.co.uk, as well as several national newspapers•Has been reporting on British boxing for over 15 years•Appears on BoxNation’s Boxing Matters show Alexander Povetkin and Dillian Whyte will face each other in a heavyweight rematch on March 6, promoter Matchroom announced Friday. Despite the United Kingdom
8:58 AM ET The level of inactivity in boxing was a little higher than usual in 2020. Due to COVID-19, several of the sport’s top fighters are in the midst of unusually long layoffs. Manny Pacquiao hasn’t fought since July 2019, and Deontay Wilder took his first loss in February just before the pandemic took
3:36 PM ET Former light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev has tested positive for banned substances ahead of his next fight. The 37-year-old’s test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association showed external testosterone and metabolites, according to results obtained by ESPN on Thursday. The sample was taken on Dec. 30 and now places his fight on Jan.