BoxingCircles

05/27/2026

The wild and turbulent life of former three-weight champion Johnny Tapia reached it's conclusion in 2012 when he was found dead at his home in Albuquerque. He was 45 years old.

The autopsy report stated that Tapia's death was the result of heart problems and the onset of Hepatitis C, likely from the many tattoos he had.

In a chaotic life that included jail, struggles with mental illness, su***de attempts and five times being declared clinically dead as a result of drug overdoses, Tapia managed to win several titles in three weight classes, winning the WBA bantamweight belt, the IBF and WBO junior-bantamweight championships and the IBF featherweight belt.

Tapia said the raw fury he displayed in winning his world titles came from the horrific memory of seeing his mother being kidnapped and murdered when he was 8.

"Mi vida loca,” or my crazy life, were the words tattooed on his belly.

05/27/2026

Boxing was Rocky Graziano’s way out, not a dream carefully planned.

05/27/2026

Double ABA champion and former WBC light-heavyweight champion John Conteh was born in Liverpool in 1951.

05/23/2026

Top match up ✨️🇺🇸

05/23/2026

Shout out to our newest followers! Apologies if we've missed anyone. Excited to have you onboard! Sadiretin Yaman, David Santhosh, Stanley Isaac, Kacy Williams, Jonathan Panama, Drummerman Ron, Yusuf A Sabur, Miguel Saad, Bijan Bayne, Damion Sanders, Beylal Racheha, Edward Littleford, Vino Cabana San Pablo

05/22/2026

On this day in 1990, Rocky Graziano, the former world middleweight champion whose turbulent life later inspired a film, died at the age of 71 from cardiopulmonary failure at New York Hospital. He had been hospitalised earlier that month after suffering a stroke.
Known for his aggressive, hard-punching style and relentless pressure, Graziano compiled a professional record of 67 wins, 10 losses and 6 draws between 1942 and 1952. His legendary trilogy with Tony Zale in the years following World War II remains one of the most brutal and unforgettable rivalries in boxing history.

05/22/2026

Lee Selby, nicknamed "Lightning" (and sometimes called the "Welsh Mayweather" for his slick defensive style), had an outstanding traditional career. He did things the hard way, rising from small-hall shows in Wales to the absolute pinnacle of world boxing.
​A quick breakdown of his impressive run covers the key stages of his career:
​The Traditional Climb (2008–2014)
​Unlike heavily hyped prospects, Selby started at the bottom. After an early career points loss in 2009, he went on a spectacular 22-fight winning streak, clearing out the domestic and regional scene entirely. He won every major belt on the traditional ladder:
​Welsh & Celtic Featherweight Titles
​British & Commonwealth Featherweight Titles (won as a massive underdog by knocking out Stephen Smith in 2011)
​European (EBU) Featherweight Title
​By winning the British title outright, he claimed the prestigious Lonsdale Belt.
​World Champion Status (2015–2018)
​In May 2015, Selby reached the summit by defeating Evgeny Gradovich to capture the IBF World Featherweight Title.
​He became Wales' 12th world champion and proved to be highly stable at the top, holding the belt for three years and successfully defending it 5 times against top international contenders like Fernando Montiel and Jonathan Victor Barros. At the peak of his reign, he was the UK's longest-reigning world champion.
​Title Loss & Moving Up (2018–2022)
​**The Warrington Battle (2018): Selby lost his IBF crown in a classic, grueling fight against Josh Warrington via a split decision at Elland Road.
​Lightweight Run: He subsequently moved up to lightweight, securing a great victory over former world champion Ricky Burns in 2019, before losing a razor-thin split decision to future undisputed champion George Kambosos Jr. in 2020.
​Retirement: After a stoppage defeat to Gustavo Lemos in Argentina, Selby officially hung up the gloves in April 2022.
​Career Overview
​Selby closed his professional chapter as an incredibly well-respected, healthy, and financially secure fighter who won everything available to him.

05/21/2026

'ln my career l never had an easy fight. My record was built fighting class boxers and always well-ranked, former world champions, continental champions, among others.'

- Eder Jofre

05/21/2026

05/19/2026

Kirkland Laing was one of British boxing’s great “what if?” fighters — a hugely talented welterweight nicknamed “The Gifted One.”
Born in Jamaica and raised in Nottingham, Laing had a flashy, unconventional style with low hands, slick movement and brilliant reflexes. At his best he could make elite fighters look ordinary. �
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His greatest moment came in 1982 when he shocked the boxing world by outpointing Roberto Durán in Detroit. Duran was still near his prime and expected to win comfortably, but Laing boxed beautifully and earned one of the biggest upsets of the year. �
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Career highlights:
British welterweight champion (twice)
European welterweight champion
Record: 43 wins, 12 losses, 1 draw
Known for natural talent rather than discipline �
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The sad side of the story is that Laing struggled badly outside the ring with drink, drugs, gambling and inconsistency. Many people in boxing believe he had world champion ability but never fulfilled it fully because of his chaotic lifestyle. �
FightPost: Boxing & MMA News +2
Among boxing fans he’s often mentioned alongside fighters like Herol Graham as one of the best British fighters never to win a world title. His talent was admired enormously by hardcore boxing people. �
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