The UFC is back with another exciting event, and this time it's UFC 288 which promises to be a night full of thrilling bouts. One of the latest additions to the card is the short-notice co-headliner, featuring Gilbert Burns vs. Belal Muhammad. The organization made it obvious that they would begin searching for alternatives when the co-main event featuring Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush on May's UFC 288 show was scrapped. Dana White, the president of the UFC, consequently released a special announcement about the contest that was broadcast on the promotion's YouTube account. The main event of UFC 288 is a bantamweight title fight between champion Aljamain Sterling and former champion Henry Cejudo, which takes place on May 6 at the Prudential Centre in New Jersey. “What I love about this fight is both guys wanted it to be five rounds,” said White. “Two of the best guys in the division, and both guys think they deserve a title shot after this.” Burns will compete in the octagon three times in 2023. "Durinho" beat Jorge Masvidal by a unanimous decision at UFC 287 last month after submitting Neil Magny in the opening round of UFC 283 in January. The Brazilian requested the UFC declare him as a reserve contender for the next Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington title bout, which would qualify him for the victor, after his victory against Masvidal. Additionally, on short notice, Burns offered his services and identified others, including Muhammad and former interim champion Dustin Poirier. Muhammad will try to secure his first crack at the UFC championship by improving his current undefeated run. Muhammad is currently on a four-fight winning run consisting of wins over Sean Brady, Vicente Luque, Stephen Thompson, and Demian Maia. He has not dropped in his last nine fights. It's important to note that this fight is taking place on short notice, which adds an extra level of unpredictability to the bout. Both fighters have had less time to prepare and may need to rely on their instincts and experience in the cage to secure the win. Overall, this co-headliner is a great addition to an already stacked card, and fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be an unforgettable night of MMA action. Will Burns' grappling be enough to secure the victory, or will Muhammad's striking game prove too much for the Brazilian? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain – this is a fight you won't want to miss.

Ryan Garcia will be defeated, according to former five division world champion Floyd Mayweather, who much of his career promoted Gervonta Davis. This coming Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Davis and Garcia will meet. After defeating UFC superstar Conor McGregor in a high-profile crossover match to improve to a perfect 50-0 record, Mayweather announced his retirement from the sport in 2017. Following his retirement, Mayweather concentrated on Mayweather Promotions, his promotional organisation. The biggest celebrity under Mayweather's management was Davis, but their relationship ended last year. Despite their split, Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, has been helping Davis' team promote the Garcia fight. Mayweather believes Davis will come out on top spectacularly in his upcoming test. “Ryan hasn’t won a title yet. We don’t talk about no interim belt – that don’t count. And we not taking nothing away from the guy, [Javier] Fortuna, but he was just an opponent. I’m gonna have 'Tank' in the best shape of his life. And just know, when he hit that boy, he ain’t gonna wake up until next year," Mayweather told the media.

Lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett may not return to the Octagon for some time. "The Baddy" most recently competed at UFC 282, where he won a contentious decision against Jared Gordon. While many thought Gordon had done enough to be proclaimed the winner, Pimblett confidently claimed he'd controlled the battle, which turned off many supporters. Pimblett's next steps in the UFC have remained unknown in the months after his previous fight, despite being undefeated in the Octagon. During his bout with Gordon, the former Cage Warriors champion suffered an ankle injury. "I had to get surgery after my last fight," Pimblett explained. "Last fight, I hurt my foot in the first round, in like the first minute or two, threw a kick, hurt it. I felt it, like, but we crack on, we get through the fight. At the end of the fight, I remember going back to the medical room and being like, 'My foot's sore.' "Couldn't get it looked at properly until I got home. Then, when the actual swelling went down, I didn't know if I needed to get surgery. It was a lot worse than we thought. I had to get inner and outer-ligament surgery, like reconstruction, so, it's big." 'The Baddy' was then asked how long he expected to be on crutches. He said he'll be out for another six weeks or so. Worse, he doesn't appear certain that he'll be able to enter the Octagon this year. "Could be another six weeks," Pimblett said. "I've already been on them for six, six and a half... I'll be lucky to fight this year."

Stephen Espinoza, president of Showtime Sports, has always been a man of the people. an early adopter of Twitter who used the service to communicate with followers. Since starting with Showtime Sports, Espinoza has never shied away from the spotlight and has been a prominent figure in the boxing world. On Wednesday, during media duties for the Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight, which will be broadcast live on Showtime pay-per-view on April 22 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Espinoza debunked rumours that the long-awaited welterweight unification fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford, the IBF, WBA, and WBC champions, would be announced on Saturday night's television broadcast. “We're close [to making Errol Spence vs Terence Crawford], but you know, we've spoken over the years, you've heard me say before, the deals not done till it's done,” said the president of Showtime Sports, Stephen Espinoza to Fight Hub TV. “Particularly this one because I thought we would get a deal done last fall and we were very close…it didn't happen. So I'm not going to make that mistake, again. This deal is not done until it's done.” Although Espinoza's words might frighten blue-collar fight fans who think that this might lead to political scheming, which could lead to the dreaded outcome of no bout taking place. When discussing the state of this battle with battle Hub TV on Wednesday, Espinoza seemed extremely optimistic. “The good thing is we're much closer now than we were last fall,” furthered Espinoza to Fight Hub TV. “We are making progress. There are active discussions going on. At this point, there are no plans for anything on Saturday [in terms of an announcement of Spence vs. Crawford]. It doesn't mean it won't happen. We could stay up into the late hours get everything done…and everybody [fly in], but I hate to throw cold water on it because I want the fight as much as anybody, but I think people are sort of trying to connect dots that aren't connected.”

Demetrious Johnson is aware that his MMA career is winding down. The former UFC flyweight champion acknowledges he is nearing the end of his professional career as he gets ready for a trilogy fight versus Adriano Moraes in the first-ever U.S. ONE Championship fight. It's not that his health has declined or that he believes he can no longer compete against the finest fighters in the world. Johnson claimed that the key is just realising when to declare it a career. “It’s definitely possible [this is my last fight],” Johnson said Wednesday on The MMA Hour. “Being 36, I sit down with the wife and kids, even my close friends, my inner circle who they don’t watch mixed martial arts, they don’t train, they all have normal citizen jobs you could say, and sometimes I sit there and think, how much more do I need to do? How much more do I want to do? “I’ve stated in a couple of interviews, I want to compete in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in IBJJF, because my kids are doing it, too. There comes a point where it’s like how much more do I need to do?” Johnson has made significant career advancements and has enjoyed financial success. However, he gained motivation from seeing some of his closest fighting friends achieve success outside of the ring. He enjoys the concept of relying on anything other than MMA to make a living and has already established a successful YouTube channel through his love of gaming. He claimed that the only scenario in which he would likely return to the ring would be a payoff so absurd that he would be unable to refuse it. “For me, I’ve been grinding so I think if I do step away, I don’t see myself coming back unless something just falls in my lap like I’ve got to go back and do it,” Johnson said. “We’ll see. Even if Johnson decides to hang up his gloves after his third bout against Moraes, don't anticipate him to do it in the ring and announce his decision aloud. It's likely that he will first discuss retirement with his wife before telling the rest of the world. “I think for me to share that moment with the world instead of her, would be [a disservice] to what she’s committed to me in my career,” Johnson said.

Deontay Wilder's co-manager Shelly Finkel claims that his fighter is open to travelling abroad in 2023 to take on fellow former world champion Anthony Joshua. Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn recently revealed that Wilder and WBC world champion Tyson Fury were the two probable opponents for Joshua's upcoming fight, which might take place in Saudi Arabia. Joshua competed earlier this month, defeating Jermaine Franklin in a twelve-round unanimous decision. The victory ended Oleksandr Usyk's two-fight losing streak to him. In his last outing in October, Wilder defeated Robert Helenius in a single round. Wilder's two-fight losing run versus Fury was broken by the triumph. Joshua was supposed to fight again this summer, but the British athlete announced on social media that his next match wouldn't happen until December. Finkel said that Wilder has no problem taking on Joshua in Saudi Arabia for their next bout. "Deontay has wanted to fight Joshua for a long time and of course is willing to fight him in Saudi Arabia," Finkel told Sky Sports.Wilder's trainer, former heavyweight Malik Scott, predicts that the deadly puncher will defeat Joshua in three rounds. Andy Ruiz and Wilder were scheduled to compete in the final WBC eliminator. These discussions are now in a standstill. Joshua's rematch with domestic rival Dillian Whyte was scheduled to be his next opponent. When they fought in 2015, Joshua prevailed in seven rounds via knockout. Joshua's management are progressively bringing up Fury and Wilder but Whyte is still considered as the favourite for the next fight.

Ryan Garcia is confident that he is the king of boxing ahead of his highly-anticipated bout with Gervonta Davis. The 24-year old Californian boasts an impressive record of 23-0 with 19 KOs and has a huge following of 9.5 million Instagram followers. He believes that whoever wins the upcoming bout between him and Davis at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will become the face of boxing. "We really came together and conquered the poison that’s been stopping boxing from making the biggest fights," said Garcia. "We found a way. This is a moment that boxing has been longing for. You really can’t make a bigger fight than this." Garcia is well aware of the challenges facing boxing, including those who prioritize business over fighting. He is proud to be part of a big fight that isn't "marinated" until it's spoiled. Garcia has earned the right to sell the fight, with his talent as a fighter and his enormous following on social media. Despite his confidence, Garcia recognizes that his upcoming bout with Davis will be a huge challenge. He believes that the fight could inspire young fighters to get into boxing and chase their dreams. "To me, this is important to everybody that it takes courage to go after something that nobody believed you could do," said Garcia. "That’s why I’m standing here today. To make everybody realize that if you’re in there and chase your dream like you’ve never chased anything before, and you’ll see something special happen." Garcia's words show his passion for the sport and his desire to see boxing succeed. His confidence and energy could be just what the sport needs to inspire the next generation of fighters.

Former two-division world champion Shakur “Fearless” Stevenson made a solid debut as a fully-fledged lightweight when he knocked out undefeated Shuichiro Yoshino in six rounds at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday night. The hometown fighter showed impressive control over the tempo and range of the fight, sending his opponent to the deck with a left hand in the second round and completing the victory with a flurry of punches in the sixth. “I had bricks in my hands," Stevenson said of his performance. "We did what we were supposed to do. We settled our business and now we’re going to enjoy it with the family.” The 25-year-old fighter has previously won world titles at featherweight and super featherweight, but he proved he is now a fully fledged 135-pounder with this impressive performance. His control over the fight left no doubt that he is a serious contender in the lightweight division, where he will be looking to challenge other top fighters in the near future. “Just tell all those other lightweights to get ready," Stevenson said. "I’m waiting for them. I can’t wait for them to finish the fights they’ve got going on, and then it’s my turn.” Stevenson’s confident post-fight statement is sure to create plenty of buzz in the boxing world, with fans eagerly anticipating his next move. With his impressive record of 20-0 (10 knockouts) and his powerful display in this latest bout, Stevenson is definitely someone to watch in the coming months.

Undisputed middleweight world champion and Michigan's own Claressa "GWOAT" Shields is set to make boxing history once again as she takes on four-division champion Hanna Gabriels in a rematch. The event will take place at the world-class Little Caesars Arena located in the heart of Detroit on Saturday, June 3, and will be streamed live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada. Shields first faced Gabriels in her sixth professional fight back in 2018, where Gabriels managed to knock down the Flint, Michigan-native in round one. This remains the only time Shields has been knocked down in her professional or amateur career, and although she recovered to win by unanimous decision, she is looking for an emphatic ending to their rivalry during their upcoming rematch. "Claressa Shields is making history again by opening up professional boxing at the brand-new world-class Little Caesars Arena in the heart of Detroit," says Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. "Tommy Hearns won his first world title at Joe Louis Arena in 1980, and now in 2023, Claressa will electrify fans watching the fight at the arena and live on DAZN in the USA and Canada." This "HERstoric" event marks the resurrection of big-time championship events in Detroit and highlights the city's rich history in boxing. Fans of the sport are eagerly anticipating the rematch, which could potentially end with an emphatic victory for Shields over Gabriels. With her formidable reputation and impressive record, Shields is a force to be reckoned with in the world of boxing and will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the all-time greats.

James "Jazza" Dickens, the current IBO featherweight champion, has taken to social media in search of his next fight. Dickens won the title back in October of last year with a victory over Lerato Dlamini in Liverpool. He holds a win over former WBA champion Leigh Wood and has previously challenged for the IBF crown. Despite his impressive record of 32-4, with 12 knockouts, Dickens has yet to have a date confirmed for his first title defense. In an attempt to kickstart talks, he mentioned fellow British featherweight Josh Warrington as a potential future foe in a tweet to Matchroom Boxing's official account. "Both myself and [Josh Warrington are] sitting on the side waiting [for a date]," Dickens wrote on Twitter. "I’ve got the [IBO title] and I’m happy to make this [fight], respectfully." The two fighters have never faced each other before, but a potential matchup would certainly generate plenty of interest among boxing fans. Warrington is a former IBF featherweight champion and boasts an impressive record of 30-1, with 7 knockouts. While there has been no official confirmation of a bout between the two fighters, Dickens' tweet has certainly got the attention of Warrington and boxing fans around the world. Dickens remains focused on his training as he waits for his next opportunity to step into the ring and defend his title.

Scottish Champion Josh Taylor to Honor Ken Buchanan's Legacy in NYC Title Defense Against Teofimo Lopez Scottish super lightweight champion Josh Taylor is set to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Teofimo Lopez this summer in New York City. The fight holds special significance for Taylor, who aims to follow in the footsteps of his revered forebear, Ken Buchanan. Buchanan, Scotland's first undisputed boxing champion, made the same voyage to the United States in 1972 to take on Roberto Duran, only to suffer a controversial loss after being struck with a low blow in the 13th round. Sadly, Buchanan passed away earlier this month, but Taylor intends to honor his legacy by winning his upcoming fight. "My fight with Teofimo Lopez ends up the same way, except it’s me knocking him out," Taylor confidently declared during an ESPN broadcast of a recent boxing bout. Taylor, who developed his skills with the help of additional training, is one of Scotland's most promising athletes and is already making waves in the world of boxing. He is supremely confident about his upcoming match with Lopez and has predicted a quick victory, forecasting the fight will not go beyond the sixth or eighth round. Boxing enthusiasts from around the world are eagerly awaiting this clash of titans, with Taylor poised to continue the legacy left behind by his late Scottish compatriot. Despite the similarities between the two voyages made by Buchanan and Taylor, the latter has high hopes of a different outcome and is ready to bring his A-game to retain his title.

The UFC has announced a highly anticipated rematch between Raquel Pennington and Irene Aldana. The two bantamweights will square off at UFC Vegas 73 on May 20th, 2023, in what promises to be an electrifying showdown. Pennington and Aldana first fought at Prelim Card of Anjos vs Edwards in July 2019, with Pennington winning by a split decision. Since then, both fighters have continued to build their resumes and rise to the ranks of the bantamweight division. Earlier speculations stated that Aldana and Pennington would face off in San Antonio's March 25 main event. The fight, however, was never staged. Since their 2019 battle, neither fighter has suffered a defeat, but Pennington has had a better recent record with an extra victory. She last suffered a defeat against Holly Holm at UFC 246 in January 2020. A split decision victory against Ketlen Vieira in January gave Raquel Pennington a five-fight winning run. In addition to being on a winning run, Pennington, who is rated second at bantamweight, has victories over Aspen Ladd, Macy Chiasson, Pannie Kianzad, and Mario Reneau. This will mark Pennington's second main event appearance in the UFC; her first being the title fight at UFC 224, which she dropped to Amanda Nunes by TKO. Irene Aldana recently defeated Macy Chiasson by way of knockout at UFC 279 in September. She defeated Yana Kunitskaya via TKO earlier, at UFC 264. This will be the Mexican fighter's second UFC main event, and she is presently rated fifth at bantamweight. She lost a decision against Holly Holm in her maiden major event, which was also her last defeat, in October 2020. Aldana has a 7-4 record in the Las Vegas-based promotion, including victories against Lucie Pudilova, Bethe Correia, and Ketlen Vieira, among others. Aldana had been expected to be Amanda Nunes' next opponent by some spectators and analysts. The company chose to match Nunes up with Julianna Pea in a trilogy fight, though. Whether you're a die-hard UFC fan or a casual observer, this is a fight that you won't want to miss. Be sure to tune in on May 20th to witness two of the best bantamweights in the world go head-to-head in a battle for supremacy.