MONACO (AP) — IBF world lightweight champion Beatriz Ferreira’s opponent on Saturday has won her last three fights via stoppages — infrequent in women’s boxing due to two-minute rounds.
That means Elif Nur Turhan can punch. Ferreira is fine with that. The undefeated boxers traded verbal jabs at a press conference Thursday.
“I believe it’s going to be a war,” said Ferreira, a 32-year-old Brazilian. “We are going to put on a show for the public, but she won’t be able to take the belt — it’s not going to happen.”
Turhan (11-0, 7 KOs) was described by Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn as “pound for pound the biggest puncher in women’s boxing, one of the most feared fighters in the world.”
The co-main event is the fourth title defense for Ferreira (8-0, 2 KOs), who has held the IBF belt since April 2024. She was a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics and won a bronze medal at the Paris Games.
The 30-year-old Turhan plans to bring the belt to Istanbul.
“It’s all about the preparation. I’ve trained like a warrior,” she said. “I’ve put myself through the paces.”
Hearn said he wants the winner in Monte Carlo to face WBC lightweight champion Caroline Dubois.
The other co-main event features Shabaz Masoud (14-0, 4 KOs) against Peter McGrail (12-1, 6 KOs) in an all-British super bantamweight bout.
Walker shoves Olympic medalist McCormack
The face-to-face between British welterweights Conah Walker and Pat McCormack got heated.
“The fight’s not won at the press conference,” McCormack (8-0, 6 KOs), a silver medalist at the Tokyo Games, told Walker (16-3-1, 7 KOs).
A moment later, Walker gave McCormack a two-handed shove and said “shut your mouth son,” adding an expletive.
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