middleweight

Follow our live build-up ahead of our full text commentary stream of the unification fight between Alvarez and Crawford.

Khamzat Chimaev overpowers title holder Dricus Du Plessis in a lopsided UFC title bout in the Octagon.

Khamzat Chimaev is the new undisputed UFC middleweight champion after a dominant display against title holder Dricus Du Plessis at the United Center in Chicago.

Billed as a battle between the undefeated UFC middleweights, Du Plessis put his belt on the line for the third time on Saturday against Chimaev, the No 3-ranked contender and considered one of the most feared pound-for-pound fighters on the UFC roster.

But Chimaev was in control of the bout from the beginning until the end in one of the most one-sided title fights in UFC history; all three judges scored the bout 50-44 for the Chechen fighter, who holds dual Russian and United Arab Emirates citizenship.

“I am happy, always,” Chimaev said post-fight. “I never have a game plan, just go in and work like I do in the gym. That guy [Du Plessis] is strong. I couldn’t finish. I respect that guy. He is the only champion that would say my name. This guy has big heart.”

The victory extends Chimaev’s unbeaten UFC win streak to 15. Du Plessis experienced his first UFC loss and drops to 23-3 for his mixed martial arts (MMA) career.

Chimaev, who first entered UFC in 2020 and has previously defeated former champions Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker, was rarely threatened against Du Plessis, and despite being denied a finish by the South African he relentlessly took down the defending champion in the opening minute of every round.

The 31-year-old converted 12 of 17 takedown attempts in the bout and spent 84% of the 25-minute fight in control of Du Plessis, according to official UFC match data.

Du Plessis’s only moment to stage a come-from-behind victory came in the final round when he spun his way on top of his tiring opponent and executed a guillotine. Unfortunately for the reigning champion, the choke only lasted a couple of seconds as Chimaev methodically fought his way out and again resumed his control of the fight until the final bell.

“The man has incredible control on top,” Du Plessis said. “It wasn’t a matter of strength; it wasn’t physical; it was almost like he knew what your next move was. I could almost taste that victory [with the guillotine choke hold], but he beat me fair and square. He was the better man tonight. I’ll be coming to get my belt back, but for now, it’s his. He deserves it.”

KHAMZAT CHIMAEV is the UFC’s new middleweight champion following a BLOWOUT victory over Dricus Du Plessis.

But MMA fans weren’t happy with his wrestling-dominant display and showered him with BOOS after UFC 319’s main event judges turned in their 50-44 scorecards

8

8

8

8

Fan favourite Chimaev, 31, went into his maiden title fight as a HUGE favourite over the dominant champ.

And he ripped the 185lbs strap from DDP’s clutches with a wide unanimous decision victory, a little over five years after his incredible debut in MMA‘s top promotion.

An elated Chimaev said: “I’m happy, happy as always to get my money. Dana [White] send me my money, brother.”

He added: “That guy is strong, I couldn’t finish him. Respect to that guy.

“The only champion was saying my name. This guy has big heart.

“He’s a real lion, an African real lion. Thank you, brother.”

A slew of fight fans flocked to X after Chimaev’s post-fight interview to lambast his style.

One wrote: “I will never watch another Chimaev fight for as long as I live.

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

8

8

“The absolute most boring, overrated, bulls**t fighter to ever watch.

“I don’t give a f**k if you disagree, you’re wrong.”

Another said: ” Bro, Chimaev is such a boring fighter. Fighters like him are ruining UFC.”

And another said: “I have never seen a more boring fighter than Khamzat Chimaev. Dominant but boring as hell.”

Chimaev, unsurprisingly, immediately shot for a takedown after pawing out some range-guaging strikes and was successful in grounding the South African in the first.

DDP accepted the takedown but remained calm under the relentless top pressure.

But he must have started to panic when he got put into a mounted crucifix.

Du Plessis managed to get out of the precarious possession with just over two minutes of the round remaining, but he remained under the challenger.

That guy is strong, I couldn’t finish him. Respect to that guy.”

Khamzat Chimaev on Dricus Du Plessis

Du Plessis briefly managed to force a scramble with 30 seconds to go, but found himself grounded again just before the horn went.

Chimaev was at his suffocating best once again after the restart, taking down the champion with a double leg after they traded body kicks.

He chipped away at DDP with knees to the body as he looked for the champion to make a mistake.

But DDP didn’t panic as he rode out the round with Chimaev on his back.

DDP looked visibly fatigued ahead of the third round, and his depleted gas tank no doubt played a part in Chimaev securing the easiest takedown of the fight seconds after the restart.

8

8

Chimaev managed to secure a mounted crucifix again, but Du Plessis once again did a good job protecting his head in the body of the challenger.

Chimaev managed to bloody the champion with a few short elbows in the crucifix position.

Du Plessis managed to stuff a takedown for the first time at the start of the fourth, but he was eventually grounded again by a relentless Chimaev.

Du Plessis was given some brief respite with a minute to go when referee Marc Goddard bizarrely separated the pair.

But Chimaev quickly got him to the canvas after eating a body shot.

Du Plessis came out swinging in the fifth, letting his hands go after throwing a flying knee.

But it took Chimaev a mere 30 seconds to take him down for the umpteenth time.

DDP managed to get back to his feet with just over two minutes of the round remaining and wound up on top of the challenger.

And after landing on his back, he went for a Hail Mary guillotine. Chimaev, however, was able to pop his head out.

Chaos ensued after referee Marc Goddard separated the pair on the ground, with Chimaev getting caught by two hard shots.

He then shot for a takedown but saw his attempt to re-ground the fight stuffed.

Du Plessis looked for a rear-naked choke, but Chimaev was wise to it and defended it before ending the round, and the fight, in top position.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..

The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.

Reinier de Ridder survives a brutal knockdown to win by split decision against Robert Whittaker in the main event at Etihad Arena in the UAE.

Reinier de Ridder secured the biggest win of his Octagon career at UFC Abu Dhabi, narrowly securing a hard-fought split decision over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at the Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates.

De Ridder (21-2) earned his third win of 2025 by defeating the Australian by split decision; two of the three judges scored the 84kg (185-pound) bout 48-47 for de Ridder, while a third had it 48-47 for Whittaker.

“I don’t want to fight like this [Whittaker], man, this guy was too tough,” de Ridder said in a post-fight interview on Saturday. “I expected to take him down. He was so tough, so durable. Heavy f****** hands.”

The Dutch fighter had to survive a brutal knockdown in round three when Whittaker dropped him with a right hand to the chin in the opening minute.

De Ridder managed to survive the attack, and consolidated his overall superiority in strikes – de Ridder landed 169 in total, compared with 100 for Whittaker, according to official UFC statistics – and recovered to win the final two rounds by wearing down the 34-year-old with repeated knees to the body and constant grappling.

Throughout the five-round fight, there was little to separate the pair. When the final bell sounded, the split decision reflected the closeness of the contest.

De Ridder’s victory was his fourth Ultimate Fighting Championship career victory. Whittaker (27-9) has now lost two straight and three of his five most recent fights.

Following his victory, de Ridder, ranked 13th heading into the Whittaker fight, called for a title shot against the winner of the middleweight championship bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 on August 16.

“I want to finish a guy in the first round, so maybe it would be better if I fought Khamzat [Chimaev] or Dricus [Du Plessis]. Give me my title shot.”

In the co-main event, former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan defeated Marcus McGhee by unanimous decision. Yan outpaced his opponent in total strikes, significant strikes, control and takedowns.

In the middleweight match, Shara Magomedov bounced back from his first professional loss, which came against Michael Page in February, to win over Marc-Andre Barriault by unanimous decision. Magomedov earned a 30-27 score from all three judges.

Mike “The Body Snatcher” McCallum was so feared for his impeccable technique that the “four kings” of the 1980s declined to fight him. Nevertheless, McCallum won world titles at super welterweight, middleweight and light heavyweight and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.

McCallum, the first Jamaican-born champion, died Saturday in Las Vegas at 68. The Jamaica Observer reported that McCallum fell ill while driving to a gym and pulled off the road. He was found to be unresponsive, and was later pronounced dead.

In the ring, his attention to detail and faultless technique enabled him to post a 49-5-1 record. McCallum earned his nickname by repeatedly punching the body and head. More often than not, bouts ended in knockouts — he recorded 36 KOs and was never knocked out.

The Ring magazine ranked him in 2011 as eighth on its list of the “10 best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years.”

Not that his inability to secure a bout with the “kings,” Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard or Marvin Hagler, spoiled his mood. It was particularly telling that Hearns wouldn’t fight McCallum, because they were longtime sparring partners before becoming champions.

McCallum was disappointed but remained all smiles outside the ring, consistently carrying himself with a pleasant, if serious, disposition.

“None of ‘The Four Kings,’ wanted anything to do with that guy and I know that for a fact because I tried to make some of those fights,” Hall of Fame boxer Lou DiBella told longtime boxing writer Kevin Iole. “He was the most perfect technical fighter I’ve ever seen, and he wasn’t a pitty-pat guy.”

McCallum became the first Jamaican boxer to win a world title when he defeated Irishman Sean Mannion by unanimous decision in 1984 at Madison Square Garden for the WBA Junior Middleweight crown.

Jamaican Sport Minister Olivia Grange issued a statement upon learning of McCallum’s passing, saying, “It is with utter and complete sadness that I learned of the death of Jamaica’s three-time World Boxing Champion Michael McKenzie McCallum.

“I express my personal condolences to his mother, siblings and his children. On behalf of the Ministry of Sports I take this opportunity to extend our sympathies to the family and friends of this legendary Jamaican.”

Michael McKenzie McCallum was born Dec. 7, 1956, in Kingston, Jamaica, and began boxing as a teenager, racking up as many as 250 amateur bouts before turning pro in 1981. He represented Jamaica at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals.

He boxed professionally until 1997, successfully defending the WBA junior middleweight crown six times, including wins over Julian Jackson, Milton McCrory and Donald Curry before moving up a weight class to middleweight.

McCallum defeated Herol Graham in 1989 to become WBA middleweight champion and defended the belt with wins over Steve Collins, Michael Watson and Sumbu Kalambay. He won his third division title in 1994 by again stepping up in weight class and defeating Jeff Harding for the WBC light heavyweight crown.

He met his match against James Toney, fighting to a draw Dec. 13, 1991, before losing to Toney twice. McCallum also dropped a 12-round decision to Roy Jones in a 1997 light heavyweight title fight.

He retired shortly thereafter and became a successful trainer, taking great pride in teaching his body-punching technique to young boxers.

Jones expressed sadness to Kevin Iole, saying, “Man, we lost another beautiful boxing soul. May he rest in peace.”

Jones also lamented that McCallum was unable to book fights against the four kings.

“In the junior middleweight division, everyone always went around Mike McCallum, and that says a lot about him,” Jones said. “Not even Marvin [Hagler] ever talked much about fighting Mike McCallum. You don’t have to listen to what they say [about him]. You watch what they do and everyone wanted to go around him for a reason.”

In a post on X, the WBC said: “Rest in Peace to the legendary Mike ‘The Body Snatcher’ McCallum. Former WBA world champion and one of the most technically gifted fighters of his era. Thank you for the fights, the lessons, and the greatness.”

Warning: this article contains discussion of eating disorders

Paul Craig says he developed an eating disorder while cutting weight for his four-fight stint at middleweight and has urged any fighter who has experienced the same to “get help and support”.

The 37-year-old Scotsman, who has spent the majority of his 11-year career at light-heavyweight, moved down to middleweight in 2023 with a submission win over Andre Muniz.

Craig, who lost his next three fights in the division, said he restricted his calorie intake for 10 weeks leading up to the bouts.

Craig weighs around 220lb (15st 7lb) normally and described the cut to the UFC’s middleweight threshold of 185lb (13st 2lb) as “horrible”.

“I set myself a goal of being middleweight champion and focussed and did it. But mentally, I ended up with an eating disorder,” said Craig.

“The best thing I did was talk to people about it because for a long time I was embarrassed of it.

“I do believe there are other fighters out there going through this so put it out there, get the help and support.”

The National Health Service (NHS) describes an eating disorder, external as a mental health condition where people use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations.

Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much, too little, disordered eating or worrying about body weight or shape.