Aussie Prospect Malachi Urquhart Inks With Dragon Fire Boxing

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: May 4, 2026 By Dragon Fire Boxing -  It’s an exciting time for me to sign with Dragon Fire Boxing. They have represented a lot of great fighters and have got them to the top. It’s means a lot to have them representing me and it’s a privilege to have so early in my career. I feel the timing is great. 

“Being in the same stable as Jason, Andrew and Bruno is a huge part of my future in boxing. They have been at the top for a long time now and for my self seeing first hand in the gym what it takes to get there is only going to benefit me for the future”

“I want to be the best version of my self. With the right team and path I believe the best version of myself can become a world champion in the future.”

“To the people that continue to support me, this is only the beginning! A long road ahead and I need you all to continue supporting me and fuelling my fire! Thank you.” 

Urquharts message to fighters his division. “Come see me!”

Tony Tolj discusses new protégé Urquhart;

“Malachi is a great talent who I am fortunate to be able to develop with legendary trainers Tony Nobbs along with Angelo Hyder. This is not a short term project, we will back Mal all the way for him to be able to achieve all he can”

Its exciting times ahead and I look forward to the journey together with the whole team and unleashing the “Malachi Crunch” 

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Ramirez-Benavidez Preview

Boxing’s Cruiserweight division, positioned between the Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions on the weight scale, is often one that one does not associate with marquee fights that become dates on the calendar that the entire sport marks down and looks forward to. The reason for that is that the division is not viewed as a career destination for most fighters. Either fighters start as a Cruiserweights with a keen eye towards becoming Heavyweights, Light-Heavyweights move into the division with the same eventual goal of becoming Heavyweights, or the Cruiserweight division ends up being a fallback option for those who have tested the Heavyweight waters and feel they can compete more effectively in the division just below the Heavyweights.

Although this observer has periodically chronicled the division, most notably referencing the 1986 WBA World Cruiserweight championship fight between the late Dwight Muhammad Qawi and Evander Holyfield, an encounter between two eventual Hall of Famers that was one of the best fights in the entire sport throughout the 1980’s that has stood the test of time, marquee attractions usually are absent from the division, which was then known as the Jr. Heavyweight division. On Cinco De Mayo weekend, however, the Cruiserweight division will see such an encounter between two world champions and stars of the sport as Gilberto Ramirez will defend his unified WBA/WBO World Cruiserweight championship against undefeated current WBC World Light-Heavyweight champion David Benavidez on May 2nd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as part of its Ultimate subscription plan or as a standalone pay-per-view option either through DAZN or Prime Video* (*Prime Video option for the United States only for those who do not want access through DAZN.*)

This is a rare instance where not only will the Cruiserweight division get to be front and center with a fight in a coveted spot on the Boxing calendar, normally reserved for many of the sport’s biggest battles, but also brings together two offensive-minded fighters with crowd-pleasing styles that on paper, should mesh well with each other. In addition to that, these two fighters are both multi-division world champions having each won world titles in both the Super-Middleweight and Light-Heavyweight divisions previously in their respective careers.

While both fighters like to come forward and engage with their opponents and both are known for throwing punches in volume, the champion in this encounter Ramirez has one slight advantage at least in paper going into this fight. He has fought in the 190lb.-200lb. Cruiserweight division before and that experience in having competed in the division for three years might give him an edge over Ramirez who is moving up to Cruiserweight for the first time in his career. This is a fight where both fighters have high career knockout percentages where the challenger Benavidez has an edge of having stopped over 80% of his opponents compared to the champion’s 62%. The key, however, will be whether Benavidez will be as effective now in his third weight division as he has been previously. It is also worth noting that the only blemish on Ramirez’ record came in a decision loss to Dmitry Bivol in a failed bid to become a Light-Heavyweight world champion before embarking on the Cruiserweight division. Bivol is a master boxer that presents a difficult puzzle for opponents to try and solve with only Artur Beterbiev having been able to score a victory over Bivol to this point in his career so a loss to a fighter of Bivol’s caliber is in no way a disgrace and to Ramirez’ credit, he did give a good account of himself in defeat when they met in November 2022.

In this case, this observer feels it is more likely that we will see two fighters come forward and engage in some heated exchanges of punches, likely early in the scheduled twelve round world championship bout than it being a similar scenario where Ramirez had to combat an extremely technical boxer in Bivol. What will be interesting, however, is seeing as both Ramirez and Benavidez are come forward, pressure fighters who throw at a high volume, which fighter will take the initiative to try and implement that approach? Will it be the champion who will try and impose his will and experience having fought at this weight before on Benavidez or will it be the challenger who will try to back the champion up and show that his punching power will carry with him up to the Cruiserweight division?

Two very interesting questions that yours truly is as curious as anyone as to what will be the answers. While you never know what will happen when two fighters get into a ring regardless of similarities in styles and how a fight looks on paper, I personally have a hard time not seeing a scenario where at some point in the fight the two fighters are going to stand and trade punches with each other and that could very well end up looking like a 50/50 toss up as to who will get the better of it in a bout that some likely will suggest will not go the distance.

For a division in the Cruiserweights that has almost always been starved for mainstream attention in the sport, despite having countless notable fighters pass through it either on the way up to Heavyweight or on the way down towards the end of their careers, this is finally one fight that is worthy of such mainstream attention. If this turns out to be similar to the thrilling battle that Qawi and Holyfield provided forty years ago, hopefully the Cruiserweights will be able to take advantage of the increased exposure, which could lead to more lucrative bouts down the road,

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Ramirez vs. Benavidez takes place on Saturday, May 2nd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month or as a standalone pay-per-view option for $79.99 and will also be available on a pay-per-view basis at the aforementioned price on digital streaming entertainment platform Prime Video (*Prime Video access available in United States only.*)

The card will begin at 5:30PM ET/2:30PM PT with free preliminary bouts with the main card available to subscribers and pay-per-view customers beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT.

(*North American Start Times Only*)

(*Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*)

Visit www.DAZN.com for ordering information, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, or to subscribe to DAZN Ultimate. To order through Prime Video, download the Prime Video app on your streaming device of choice or visit www.PrimeVideo.com for ordering information and a list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, and Smart TVs.

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12 Rounds In A Phone Booth: Miller Outlasts Pero

Initially, this column was intended to be a post-feature covering two Heavyweight bouts taking place on April 25th taking place in two different countries. As some might know, however, the scheduled bout between former WBO World Cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie and Tony Yoka, which was to take place in Paris, France, was cancelled in the days prior to the bout due to Okolie having been found to have tested positive for what was described as an “Adverse Finding" in randomized prefight testing conducted by the Voluntary Anti-doping Agency (VADA). 

With that fight being cancelled the focus shifted to Las Vegas, NV where Heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller met undefeated contender Lenier Pero in a twelve round WBA Heavyweight elimination bout at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Casino. It can be viewed as the most unintentional of coincidences that one fight that depending on one's perspective, which would have gotten significant attention, was cancelled due to a fighter testing positive for an adverse finding, and the focus shifted to Jarrell Miller, a fighter who has seen his own career negatively impacted over the years due to the subject of testing positive for banned substances, resulting in a lengthy hiatus from active competition, and has seen his career stall in the years since his return in 2022. 

In his previous outing prior to his encounter with Pero, Miller literally lost his toupee in the midst of battle in his fight with Kingsley Ibeh in January of this year. While some may view it as something that one would not want exposed publicly, particularly in Madison Square Garden and it turned into what is known today as a viral moment, Miller boldly threw the out into the crowd and pounded his way to a hard fought ten round split decision.

In making the most of that unique circumstance, Miller now proudly showing a bald head entered this fight with the unbeaten Pero looking to continue building momentum. It seemed as though it would be a difficult task in going against the former highly decorated amateur, who had scored knockouts in eight of his thirteen professional wins.

The perception that Pero would create a difficult task for Miller to overcome seemed to be gradually manifesting in the first two rounds as Pero consistently beat Miller to the punch and seemed to get the better of the combat. It was in round three that things started to tip in Miller's favor as he started to gradually use his over 300lb. frame to walk Paro backwards and force the fight to be fought in close. With the tempo of the combat shifting towards Miller, it set up the definition of a *Fight In A Phone Booth.” By definition, a fight fought exclusively in close where there was not much room to move.

Although this set up obviously created a narrow space, it resulted in a grueling battle that Miller got the better of for the remainder of the scheduled twelve round bout, resulting in him earning a convincing twelve round unanimous decision. In some ways, this fight resembled Miller's previous outing against Kingsley Ibeh in that it was a grueling encounter where Miller had to grind tooth and nail to get a victory. While this bout was void of knockdowns and the type of highlights that would turn heads, it was a competitive give and take battle and Miller’s victory here did serve in continuing to build momentum.

As for what's next for Jarrell Miller, what was billed as a WBA Heavyweight elimination bout will not likely result in him getting a world title shot in the immediate future due to current Unified World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk being scheduled to defend the WBC portion of his unified crown against former Kickboxing World Heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven in May. Despite the WBA world title, which Usyk also holds not being on the line in that upcoming title defense, the logical route for Miller in the short-term would seem to be to remain active and try to continue building momentum towards the eventual goal of fighting for a world title. The circumstances, which led to Miller losing his opportunity to fight for a world title when he was in line to fight then unified world champion Anthony Joshua in the summer of 2019, the lengthy absence that followed, and some stumbles along the way since his return, could very well turn into one of the best redemption stories the sport of Boxing has seen in recent times. A story that will obviously continue to evolve with time.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Tanaka Saburi challenges for first title May 29 in Perth – Thunderdome 54

Credit: Mike O'Hara/ Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: April 24, 2026 By Dragon Fire Boxing -  May 29th, Dragon Fire Boxing hits the Metro City Arena for the second time this year for the 54th edition of the iconic Thunderdome series with a stacked card.

One of the prospects coming through is Jnr Welterweight, Tanaka Saburi

Having had another show stealing performance on Thunderdome 53, Saburi returns and is ready to put on another great performance.

Tanaka Saburi opens up;

“My last fight was a big step forward for me. I got the win by TKO, so overall I’m happy with the result, but I’m also very honest with myself, I feel like I could’ve taken him out earlier. I was a bit of a late starter in that fight. I took that first round just to read him, figure out his timing, his reactions, what he was trying to do. Once I made those adjustments, I started cooking and really turning up the pace. That’s when everything began to flow, more time my shots were landing cleaner, I was more confident, and I felt in control. But at this level, I know I can’t afford to give rounds away or take too long to get going. Since that fight, I’ve really focused on starting faster, being sharper from the opening bell, and making sure that when I hurt someone, I finish the job properly.”

“My opponent is a solid fighter, and I respect him. He’s naturally a bit heavier than me, but that’s not something that worries me at all. I’ve been sparring bigger guys my whole life, so I’m used to that kind of size and pressure. He had a great performance in his fight with Devon Kelly, so credit to him, he showed what he’s capable of. But at the end of the day, styles win fights. It’s not just about size or strength, it’s about how styles match up, and I truly believe my style is the one that comes out on top here. I’ve studied what I need to study, I’ve prepared the way I need to prepare, and I know exactly what I have to do when we’re in there”.

“This means everything to me. To be fighting for a professional title in just my 4th fight is something you don’t really hear of, it shows the belief I have in myself and the risks I’m willing to take early in my career. A lot of fighters take their time, build slowly, but I’ve always believed I’m ready for big moments. This is one of them. It’s not just about winning a belt, these times it’s about proving that I belong at this level, that I can handle pressure, and that I’m here to build something serious in this sport. This is the first step toward where I want to go, and I’m not taking it lightly.”

“Come ready. I know what you bring, and I respect you as a fighter. I’m sure you’re coming in confident, just like I am. Let’s go in there and put on a proper fight for everyone watching. At the same time, I pray that we both make it back safely to our families, God bless. But once that bell rings, it’s business. I’m coming in there focused, disciplined, and ready to do what I need to do to take that belt.

“To all my family and friends, this one is truly for us. Boxing is known as a lonely sport, and a lot of the time it can feel that way, but for me, I’ve never felt alone on this journey. I’ve had people supporting me from day one, and I carry that with me every time I step into the ring. All the sacrifices, the early mornings, the hard sessions—it’s not just me, it’s all of us. That’s why this win isn’t just mine. This is going to be a win for all of us. I’m going in there to make you proud, and when I bring that belt home, it belongs to every single person who’s been backing me.”.

Tickets on sale now at megatix.com.au & the event will be broadcast by Livecombatsports.com.au

 

 

Material Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing/Photo Courtesy of: Mike O'Hara Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Okolie-Yoka Fight And Full Undercard Cancelled

It has been announced by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions that the scheduled April 25th Boxing card that was to be held in Paris, France headlined by a scheduled twelve round Heavyweight bout between former WBO World Cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie and Tony Yoka has been cancelled. The cancellation comes following Okolie having what is described as an “Adverse Finding" in random prefight drug testing conducted by the Voluntary Anti-doping Agency (VADA). An official statement from Queensberry Promotions, released across it's respective social media platforms can be read below. As of this writing, there is no word on what the potential fallout will be or if there will be an attempt to reschedule the bout at a later date. We will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available.

Credit: Queensberry Promotions 

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Owen Corrigan Challenges Mad Dog Micah Rivetti For Light Heavyweight title May 29 In Perth – Thunderdome 54

Press Release: April 20, 2026 By Dragon Fire Boxing - 

Credit: Mike O'Hara/Dragon Fire Boxing 

May 29th, Dragon Fire Boxing hits the Metro City Arena for the second time this year for the 54th edition of the iconic Thunderdome series with a stacked card.

One of the main events features undefeated Owen “Bomber” Corrigan” 5-0 taking of Micah Rivetti in a rematch for the Australian National Boxing Federations Light Heavyweight Australasian Championship.

The first fight was a cracker with the result a Split Decision and expect no difference in the second.

Corrigan opened up about his title fight challenge;

“The last fight is over and time to forget about it, wasn’t a trademark performance from my end but I take full accountability, sometimes you have those nights where you can’t get into your rhythm so you just make sure you win the rounds, thanks again for all the fans for coming out in support this fight will definitely live up to the expectations”

“Micah is a good opponent, I knew that going into the last fight, his record doesn’t indicate what he actually brings. Records are for djs. I’ll be honest I’m focused on being the best I can be rather than focusing on opponents. I’m fully confident going into this fight that I’ve got the ability to get the win emphatically”

“Second title and a major title too, madness what can happen when you put your mind to something, I just do the fighting it’s my team I’m grateful for. No point fighting for titles, I’m going to win it.”

“Micah, he’s a good guy I am too, I look forward to letting the boxing do the talk”.

“Shoutout to the fans, I cringe calling them fans because they are way more than that. They know that too. We’re on this journey together. When one goes to war we all go to war!!”

Your not going to want to miss this one!

Tickets on sale now at megatix.com.au & the event will be broadcast by Livecombatsports.com.au

 

  

 

 

 

Material Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing/Photo Courtesy of: Mike O'Hara Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Fury Works Off Rust

April 11, 2026 marked the beginning of a new chapter for former two-time World Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. Following another in a series of sabbaticals away from the sport of Boxing, this one following suffering his only two career defeats in consecutive fights to Oleksandr Usyk, this chapter at the age of thirty-seven was the start of a comeback. Fury’s opponent for his first fight in nearly two years was contender Arslanbek Makhmudov in London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

 Makhmudov, a veteran of twenty-three professional fights coming into this encounter, had the size and punching power that on paper appeared as though he may have been able to pose a legitimate challenge to Fury, and was not a soft touch for a “Comeback Fight.” Initially, Makhmudov seemed as though he would provide just that by frequently and aggressively pushing Fury back against the ropes and frailing wide, looping punches. Although it needs to be pointed out that Tyson Fury has not been known as a traditionally fast starter in fights, at minimum, it seemed like he would have trouble finding a rhythm, primarily due to Makhmudov’s aggression.

From the second round, however, Fury, showing his skillset and ability to make adjustments, took control of the fight. While the contest often resembled a grappling match due to Fury frequently tying up Makhmudov on the inside and frequent jockeying for position between the two massive Heavyweights who weighed a combined 533lbs. While often ugly and not the most entertaining fight to watch, particularly for the over 50,000 spectators in attendance, gradually as Fury took over the tempo of the combat, he would showcase his hand speed and frequently caught Makhmudov with combinations as he came forward. This would be the pattern for the majority of the scheduled twelve round bout. Makhmudov continued to press forward, but was unable to land anything significant to change the tempo or hurt Fury.

While as the fight progressed it seemed like Fury could have pressed the issue any time he wanted and possibly could have gotten a stoppage of an opponent in Makhmudov, who was exhausted by the middle and late rounds, the former world champion opted to use the majority of the rounds to work off the “Ring Rust” on his way to winning a wide twelve round unanimous decision.

Put simply, there is not much analysis one could offer beyond saying that Fury took a round to find his footing after a long layoff, and put forth a workmanlike performance in a lopsided, and at times, ugly outing. What stood out to this observer, however, was a more serious approach by Fury as this fight just saw a fighter going about his business and did not feature some of the showboating tactics that he has been known for throughout his career. Perhaps this chapter of Fury’s career will be highlighted by a more serious approach as he continues his career with an aim towards trying to secure an opportunity to become a three-time World Heavyweight champion.

As refreshing as it was to see a fighter in Fury adopt a more serious temperament as he does not need showboating tactics and never did, there was the moment after the fight where Fury joined in the ring by H.E. Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, the man who has been primarily responsible for a significant majority of major fights having taken place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the recent history of the sport and the owner of Ring Magazine, called out former two-time World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn, who were seated at ringside for a fight perhaps later this year in London. 

A fight between Fury and Joshua has been one of many potential fights throughout the history of Boxing that at times has been in negotiations on and off, particularly during the period where the two British Heavyweights were the two world champions in the division, which would have been perhaps the biggest Heavyweight fight to be held in England in Boxing history, perhaps only rivaled by the October 1993 World Heavyweight championship fight between then WBC world champion Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno, which took place at National Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, that marked at that point in time the first time that two British fighters had met in the ring for a version of the World Heavyweight championship in nearly one hundred years.

Although Lewis-Bruno, which took place on a rainy night in Cardiff, Wales and was in danger of being postponed because of weather conditions, will always hold a special place in Boxing history for its significance and for being one of the best Heavyweight fights of the 1990’s, some would claim that a potential fight between Fury and Joshua would be bigger. Yours truly will not get into that debate as one who has always held British Boxing in high regard and respect, but what I will say is perhaps this fight, if it finally does happen, would have been bigger if it were made when the Fury and Joshua had the opportunity to meet for what would have been the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world. For a variety of reasons, all having to do with the business side of the sport, the fight did not happen.

Now with H.E. Turki Al-Sheikh being actively involved in the sport as a power broker and significant investor, perhaps a Fury-Joshua fight might finally get over the finish line, but whether or not Al-Sheikh succeeds, the potential for it being a scenario where buyers remorse may ultimately be the feeling both he and Boxing fans worldwide are left with is there. Unfortunately, while it will no doubt still be a significant event, particularly throughout the United Kingdom, Boxing and particularly those promoters and networks who were involved several years back when the opportunity was there to stage a fight for all the marbles in the Heavyweight division, which would have been more significant than merely a big event between two star Heavyweights and future Hall of Famers. For that, the business of the sport is to blame.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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