Boxing

Actor Justin Austin (left) portrays he real-life boxer Emile Griffith (right) in Terrence Blanchard’s “Champion.” The opera is having its Chicago debut at Lyric Opera.

Terence Blanchard peels back the layers of real-life boxer Emile Griffith in ‘Champion’

“Hopefully he would say we got it right to a large degree. ... To show the humanity in him was important to the story,” Blanchard says of the late Griffith, the subject of his 2013 opera.

By Jeff Johnson | For the Sun-Times

Joseph “Jojo” Awinongya Jr poses for a portrait at the Chicago Sports & Fitness Club in Joliet, IL, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023.

Boxing

Champion boxer Joseph ‘Jo Jo’ Awinongya Jr. forges his own path as he starts college — at 16

Despite his many accolades, the 16-year-old champion didn’t set out to be a boxer — that was the passion of his father. Now several wins later, the younger Awinongya faces new challenges, including a new weight class where tougher opponents await and college classes.

By Anthony Vazquez

Sports Saturday

What explains Jake Paul, Johnny Manziel? New batch of ‘Untold’ docs does

Netflix’s latest set of thoroughly researched films also fills in some blanks about the BALCO steroid dispensary and Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators.

By Richard Roeper

New play highlights improbable friendship between boxer Gene Tunney and Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw

By Neil Steinberg

Michael Flatley and his “Lord Of The Dance” company perform at Wembley Arena in 2006, in London, England. Flatley once considered a career as a boxer.

Entertainment and Culture

For Michael Flatley and Joseph Sikora, Golden Gloves led to success beyond ring

Both credit lessons they learned from boxing for their success in the entertainment world and consider competing in the Chicago Golden Gloves a key part of their development.

By Associated Press

Jordan Gearey (left), 27, a case manager with a Puerto Rican Cultural Center violence prevention program trains withChristian Colunga, 24, at The Barracks Boxing Club on the Northwest Side.

News

Friendship starts with a fight, blossoms into a boxing club training at-risk youth

‘The vision for the gym is to be able to serve the community we’re in and the neighborhoods we grew up in,’ said Antonio Beniquez, co-founder of the Barracks Boxing Club on the Northwest Side.

By Michael Loria

Mills Lane, a well-known boxing referee who also served as a judge in Nevada, has died at age 85.

Obituaries

Mills Lane, boxing referee who officiated Tyson-Holyfield rematch, dies at age 85

Lane, who was also an attorney, served as a judge and prosecutor before hosting a daytime courtroom TV show.

By USA TODAY SPORTS

Two women have filed lawsuits against former boxer George Foreman saying he sexually assaulted them when they were minors in the 1970s.

Boxing

Lawsuits accuse George Foreman of sexually assaulting two minors in the 1970s

The women, now in their 60s and identified in the lawsuit by pseudonyms, are seeking damages for sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

By USA TODAY SPORTS

Movies and TV

Flashy ‘Mike’ miniseries depicts both feats and flaws of the polarizing boxer

Trevante Rhodes (‘Moonlighting’) nails Tyson’s look and sound in the Hulu project.

By Richard Roeper

Mike Tyson will not face charges for hitting a fellow airplane passenger.

Boxing

Mike Tyson won’t face charges for punching fellow airplane passenger

The passenger and Tyson both requested that charges not be filed, District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said in a statement.

By Associated Press

Mike Tyson appears to have repeatedly punched a passenger on a plane about to fly out of San Francisco after reportedly becoming irritated by the man’s attempts to talk to him.

Boxing

Video appears to show Mike Tyson hitting airplane passenger

The passenger was sitting in the row behind Tyson and excitedly trying to talk to the retired boxer before Tyson stood up, turned around and unloaded with a flurry of punches, the video footage published by TMZ shows.

By USA TODAY SPORTS

Bears

Looking for Justin Fields in Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow — and not finding him. Yet.

The Bears quarterback isn’t like either Super Bowl quarterback. Is there hope?

By Rick Morrissey

Sports Saturday

Ex-Illini hoops hero Deron Williams still has a whole lot of fight left in him

Williams, 37, will enter the ring Saturday night for a professional boxing match against 38-year-old football star Frank Gore.

By Steve Greenberg

Boxing

Tyson Fury stops Deontay Wilder in 11th round in another heavyweight thriller

Fury got up from two fourth-round knockdowns and stopped Wilder to retain his WBC title in the conclusion to a superlative heavyweight trilogy.

By Greg Beacham | Associated Press

Muhammad Ali is the subject of filmmaker Ken Burns’ latest PBS documentary.

Sports Media

Filmmaker Ken Burns turns his camera to Muhammad Ali

“He’s complicated, there’s undertow, there’s flaws, and we don’t hesitate to remind people throughout this film that there are,” Burns said. “At the end, he is a transcendent American character. He has so much, still today, to offer us.”

By Dan Gelston | Associated Press

Muhammad Ali rode in the Bud Billiken Parade on the South Side in 1966,

Columnists

GOP tries to sucker punch U.S. history

Whitewashing United States history is part of a Republican campaign to embrace anti-factual ignorance.

By Neil Steinberg

Claressa Shields, right, reacts after winning a Professional Fighters League mixed martial arts bout against Brittney Elkin in Atlantic City, N.J.

Sports

Claressa Shields defeats Brittney Elkin in MMA debut

The former boxing and Olympic champion overcame a slow start to capture her first MMA victory.

By Dan Gelston | Associated Press

Boxing

Logan Paul survives eight-round exhibition vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather and Paul boxed an eight-round exhibition Sunday night at Hard Rock Stadium. With the bout not being scored, no winner was declared.

By Associated Press

Boxing

‘The Kings’ takes us back to a time when Leonard, Duran, Hagler and Hearns ruled the world

The four-part documentary series premieres at 7 p.m. Sunday on Showtime.

By Richard Roeper

Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders shake hands with Matchroom Promoter Eddie Hearn looking on during a press conference on May 6 in Arlington, Texas.

Boxing

Record crowd at Canelo-Saunders has me asking: What pandemic?

Over 60,000 people are expected to pack AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Saturday to watch the super-middleweights vie to become the undisputed king at 168 pounds.

By Emmanuel Camarillo