Boxing

Jorge Alvarado, Brendan McClorey and Mike Joyce at the 2020 Golden Gloves tournament before its cancellation.

Boxing

Chicago Golden Gloves boxing tournament canceled 2nd straight year

Because of statewide COVID-19 restrictions that would have set a hard cap on audience numbers, the organization will lose its main source of income for the year.

By Sam Kelly

Mike Tyson (left) says he’s producing a limited series about his life and career that will star Jamie Foxx (right) as the boxing great.

Movies and TV

Jamie Foxx to star as Mike Tyson in boxer’s take on his life

“I have been looking to tell my story for quite some time,” Tyson said in a statement Monday. He said he looks forward to creating a series that “not only captures my professional and personal journey but also inspires and entertains.”

By Associated Press

Boxing

Boxing great ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler dies at 66

Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to “Sugar” Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday.

By Associated Press

Leon Spinks lands a right hook against Muhammad Ali during their first fight for the world heavyweight title in 1978 in Las Vegas. Spinks won the title in his eighth pro fight.

Boxing

Requiem for a heavyweight — and for boxing

Leon Spinks’ recent death at 67 recalls the good ol’ days of a sport that is more in the hucksters’ hands than ever nowadays.

By Rick Telander

Hulu announced it has ordered “Iron Mike,” a limited series about the life of boxing great Mike Tyson. The boxer is not pleased.

Sports Media

Mike Tyson unhappy with planned Hulu miniseries

Tyson, who is not involved in the project, criticized Hulu on social media, saying the series smacked of insensitivity.

By Associated Press

In this Feb. 15, 1978, file photo, Leon Spinks, right, connects with a right hook to Muhammad Ali, during the late rounds of their championship fight in Las Vegas. Former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks Jr. died Friday night, Feb. 5, 2021, after battling prostate and other cancers. He was 67.

Boxing

Former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks dies at 67

Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. He had been battling prostate and other cancers.

By Associated Press

Boxing

Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view generated more than $80 million

His exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. on Nov. 28 sold more than 1.6 million pay-per-view buys — priced at $49.49 apiece — according to Tyson’s Legends Only League.

By USA TODAY

Vasiliy Lomachenko (left) and Teofimo Lopez

Sports Saturday

In an era of legalized wagers, boxing must become more transparent about injuries

Vasiliy Lomachenko fought Teofimo Lopez with an undisclosed shoulder injury Saturday in Las Vegas. The injury was not made public beforehand

By Larry Hamel

Alfred E. Jenkins Sr. lost at the 1960 Golden Gloves competition to a young fighter named Cassius Clay, the future heavyweight boxing champion who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali. But Mr. Jenkins won the national Golden Gloves heavyweight title in 1961.

Obituaries

Alfred E. Jenkins Sr., volunteer, Golden Gloves boxer who lost to the future Muhammad Ali, dead at 83

He lost in the 1960 Golden Gloves championships in Chicago. He won the next year, but a pro career never came. He veered into crime before winning praise for his volunteer work.

By Maureen O’Donnell

Mike Tyson said he will return to the ring in an exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr.

Boxing

Mike Tyson returning to boxing with eight-round exhibition vs. Roy Jones Jr.

Tyson, 54, has not fought professionally since June 11, 2005, when he refused to come out for the sixth round against Kevin McBride. The fight will be available by pay-per-view.

By USA TODAY

Obituaries

Boxer Tom O’Shea, a father figure to Chicago high school students he coached, dead at 81

As a high school English teacher and boxing coach, he sent students to the Olympics (including Nate Jones), Hollywood (Joseph Sikora) and productive lives. He died of COVID-19.

By Maureen O’Donnell

Boxing

Chicago’s Joshua Greer Jr. stunned by underdog Mike Plania

Plania scored a majority-decision victory after knocking Greer down in the first and sixth rounds.

By Ben Pope

Chicago boxer Joshua Greer Jr., with one of his signature pillows, poses during Monday’s weigh-in before his Tuesday fight against Mike Plania.

Boxing

Chicago boxer Joshua Greer Jr. ready for biggest fight yet

Greer (22-1-1) will face Mike Plania (23-1-0) in the headline fight of Top Rank’s Tuesday event on ESPN.

By Ben Pope

Boxing

Floyd Mayweather volunteers to pay for George Floyd’s funeral

Mayweather has been in touch with the family, according to Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions. He will handle costs for the funeral on June 9 in Floyd’s hometown of Houston, as well as other expenses.

By Associated Press

Promoter Bob Arum said Thursday he plans to stage a card of five fights on June 9 at the MGM Grand, the first of a series of fights over the next two months at the Las Vegas hotel.

Boxing

Boxing set for Las Vegas return next month

Promoter Bob Arum said Thursday he plans to stage a card of five fights on June 9 at the MGM Grand. ESPN will broadcast the card.

By Associated Press

Boxing

The ‘sweet science’ of boxing looking into spit science

The head of the British Boxing Board of Control said Wednesday the body was working on an “apparatus” that would allow fighters to safely spit out water as they catch their breath between rounds. It’s among dozens of protective measures under discussion.

By Associated Press

The FBI kept tabs on many wildly famous writers, actors and athletes, records show.

FBI files on Ali, Hemingway, Hef, Wright, Bradbury, Disney and 4 other celebs with Illinois ties

By Mary Norkol

James “Buster” Douglas, the former world heavyweight champion, works with a student at the Thompson Community Center in Columbus, Ohio, where he teaches youth boxing.

Boxing

Buster Douglas is ‘feeling good’ 3 decades after upsetting Mike Tyson

The former heavyweight champion now works with kids in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.

By Associated Press

Cheyenne Parker is playing for Sichuan Blue Whales of the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association this offseason.

Chicago Sky and WNBA

Sky players in Chinese pro league stay in U.S. amid coronavirus outbreak

The Women’s Chinese Basketball Association suspended its season as the Wuhan coronavirus continues to spread.

By Madeline Kenney

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Boxing

Wilder stops Ortiz in heavyweight title rematch

Deontay Wilder landed a vicious right hand to stop Luis Ortiz in the seventh round to retain his heavyweight title and set up a lucrative rematch with Tyson Fury in February.

By Associated Press