About
Kevin Iole is an award-winning journalist who covers MMA and boxing for Yahoo Sports. Iole has been on staff at Yahoo Sports since 2007, where he has focused on the combat sports. He began writing about fighting while still in college at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, and the first major bout he covered at ringside was the WBC heavyweight title match between Larry Holmes and Renaldo Snipes on June 11, 1981. Iole has won numerous awards, including Sportswriter of the Year in Nevada and Vermont multiple times each from the National Sportswriters & Sportscasters Association. He was chosen Outstanding Journalist by the Nevada Press Association in 1999, becoming the first sportswriter to be so honored. In 2007, Iole was selected by past winners as the Nat Fleischer Award winner, given for career excellence in boxing journalism. A native of Pittsburgh, Iole resides in Las Vegas, NV, with his wife, Betsy, and their Basset Hounds. When not watching fights, Iole is an avid golfer and loves to attend NHL hockey games.
Very nice Article on Manny Pacquiao “Manny Pacquiao, in true throwback fashion, taking on monster challenge in Errol Spence”
The Boxing World has very few of these “throwback” type of fighters left.
I miss many of those other boxers you mentioned in your article.
“Spence will undoubtedly be a big favorite when fight night comes. Doubting Manny Pacquiao, though, almost always comes at a price.”
Great piece Kevin. Keep up the good work!!
What exactly is canelo’s unique ability? The ability to cheat repeatedly and get away with it?!!!
Kerry, you can reach me at keviniole@gmail.com
Hi Kevin – do you have a direct email? Would love to discuss a potential interview opp. Thank you!
Dana white continues to pay these guys peanuts while he sits his fat ugly ass on the side making millions. This is worse than Roger Goodell, I can’t believe the fighters, society is still allowing this nonsense. Something seems very abusive, very wrong about dangling 50k in front of guys to bash their faces in while you literally make millions of the abuse they endure. This has to change. Dana has to pay these people better.
Well said. To get the largest audience, writing about Izzy is a smart move.
I know many may not be too excited to see a Blachowicz vs Glover match up, but I think Glover will be a handful for Blachowicz and that Jan will need to be very careful against him. Glover is one tough man, even at the ripe age of 41.
Keep up the good work Kevin.
I understand your thoughts. But for me, Adesanya was the star and the one people were talking about. My job is to get the largest audience and writing about Izzy achieved that for me. If Jan fights Glover and that happens, I might right the same way. But I just looked at the reality of the situation.
I think he was having a little fun given what Costa had said about him before. It wasn’t much of anything and caused no harm.
KEVIN – how can you defend your article on Israel adesanya classy ways even in victory when he jumped Paulo costa like a dog in front of the whole world on tv after beating him??
Hi Kevin,
I saw the nice piece you did on Adesanya after his loss to Blachowicz. I agree with most you said and agree Adesanya is a great athlete. But, would you have given the same story to Jan Blachowicz if he lost? The story should have been about Jan. He is more than humble in losses and even more so in his wins, which can not be said for Adesanya to the same extent. Don’t get me wrong, both are great athletes, but Jan deserves more headline then Adesayna with his great feat. He was given no chance by most people. 10 of his last 12 fights he came in as the underdog and has won 9 or the last 10. ESPN did the same thing last night and most sports fans outside the media noticed it and are talking about it. You could do a whole book on Jan Blachowicz and his adversities and challenges making it to be Champion. Jan is a real role model and the TRUE Champion.
Thanks again Kevin, I meet you a couple time and had dinner with you after the Pacquiao/Bronner fight. I enjoy following your stories and agree with your calls most of the time. But Please let Jan have more Praise after his accomplishments. There will be more time to praise Adesayna in the future when he wins again..But right now it should be all about the new father, light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz.
Kevin -Thanks for the quick reply. Do you think the purse could be bigger outside the US-say Japan or Europe?
He would make less than Jones, who said his guarantee was $1 million and made in the neighborhood of $3 million when all was said and done. So maybe $750k with upside capped at $1 million max? But it also deepnds on when in the series it comes. If it is after Holyfield, I think less, cuz I think fascination with this won’t last long.
Dear Kevin,
Buster Douglas just indicated that he’s game to have a rematch with Tyson. I think Buster at 60 is taking some risks but assuming he trims to a reasonable weight, what would a Douglas vs. Tyson purse look like for each?
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Breakmediagroup.com
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I just read your piece on Ian… wow… great story !!
https://sports.yahoo.com/alcoholism-drug-charges-and-time-in-a-spanish-prison-were-no-match-for-ian-heinisch-230947219.html
Hi Kevin, thanks for the quick reply. I’m not sure how I missed that piece, but I just found it and will read it. Thanks!! I’d love to hear your thoughts on his next fight with Derek Brunson…
Hi Carl, I wrote a big piece on Ian for his last fight … Amazing stuff. I’m st UFC media day right now
Hi Kevin, just wondering if you have thoughts on the Derek Brunson vs. Ian Heinisch official for UFC 241 in August?
You’ve likely heard Ian’s story, or read it (https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/ian-heinisch-ufc). If you haven’t read his story, its a good one.
I think Ian is a star in the making, and I think this next fight will showcase his talent. I also think when he wins this one, he’ll get a title shot for his next fight.
I’d love to hear your thoughts Kevin.
Thanks
Carl Shannon – Bangs Falls, Queens County Nova Scotia
Kevin, I hope you’re well. Wondering if I can send you a copy of Ken Regan’s collected photos – KNOCKOUT: The Art of Boxing, repackaged and reformatted from Insight Editions next month? Foreword by Ali, commentary by Mailer, and an afterword by Budd Schulberg. This is all set beside Regan’s boxing photography, some of the best in existence. Happy to speak more about the book via email.
https://insighteditions.com/product/knockout-2/
Ronald, I get your point, but the issue is this: The referee sees what is going on. He knows how hard the fighter is being hit and how often. So he has to make the decision to stop based on what he is seeing. If a fighter is bobbing and weaving or playing possum, the ref can see that. Last night, that wasn’t the case.
Teofimo was hitting him clean and hard and Diego wasn’t able to stop them.
Regarding giving a puncher’s chance, I think that phrase harkens back to a time when we didn’t know much about concussions and brain injuries. Now that we know what the impact of repeated clean punches to the head can be, we have to be cautious. No fight, no win, no title is worth being seriously injured.
Now, that said, you need a ref who is experienced and understands what is at stake and what fighters may try to do during a fight. As long as the ref sees the losing fighter is defending himself smartly and limiting the high-impact blows, it’s his obligation to keep the fight going. But when the loser is taking hard, repeated clean blows, it’s time to stop it.
Hope that helps.
I enjoyed reading your article of “Diego Magdaleno’s corner, referee fail boxer miserably amid vicious beatdown”. It highlighted the aspects of the referee’s failure to stop a fight. The plight made to protect a fighter should always be paramount. However, what about the ‘punchers chance’ of winning the fight ? In the past fighters have been robbed by referees stopping fights prematurely. There is no exact science as to exactly when a fight should be stopped, but rather an opinion. And that comes after the fighter experiences medical problems. Granted there are a times when the decision to stop a fight is a given. Boxing is a warriors sport, boxers know this when the sign on the dotted line, its that adrenaline rush from the desire to be the best at the Sweet Science. Since every person is different, how can one accurately predict the ‘what-ifs’ with boxing in determining to stop a fight ? For example, one fighter may coast when stunned by bobbing/weaving and clinching while others release a flurry of punches to gain distance from their opponent and then other clinch and throw rabbit punches. Some fighters act hurt to draw an opponent in to set them up too. I never want to see a fighter hurt, but at the same time I want to see a good fight. If referees start jumping the gun on stopping fights, fans and the fighters themselves will miss out on some of the greatest fights and in other cases the greatest comebacks.
On another note, fighters were robbed of going 15 rounds by people who didn’t have the guts to get inside the ring themselves. It has really watered down the sport. Because, rounds 10-12 are not true championship rounds, the rounds 12-15 really are. These last three rounds test the fortitude of all that training. Even look at post fight interviews from then and now, fighters have not spent everything they have in the ring in today’s sport as just as far back as the 1990’s. If one follows boxing closely, it is apparent that fighters today would struggle mightily with fighters who fought for 5 rounds. Training is the same but the mentality is very different, fighters today if given the opportunity would cherish the opportunity to test their limits, but tragically they are robbed.
It would be a true tragedy to the sport of boxing if it was turned into something like the NFL is nowadays. The game of football has so much taken away from the way the contact sport was meant to be played.
Thank you for the opportunity to ask questions.
Weather looks good this week. Let me know if there’s a day that works best.
I will be in New York for first part of time you are in LV but we should be able to get out.
14th-26th. Probably try to play before the 22nd as my daughter arrives then and holiday festivities get rolling.
Hi Steve, thank you. When are you going to be in LV?
Hi Kevin! I’m a fan of your work and have reached out the last couple times I visited to Vegas to see if you wanted a playing partner for a round at @realpuregolf. Schedules haven’t worked out though. Headed back over there from Germany in a couple of weeks if you have the time. I’ll also be taking in my first VGK game with the family!
Take care.
Steve
He told TMZ that it is, but that it’s going to be a three-round exhibition with no kicks. So he’s going to box a guy 30 pounds later. Hard pass.
Chuck from Vegas: Kevin is true this farce if a fight with Floyd Mayweather is back on?
I take it you have not done any research on Jon Jones’ two PED busts. Did you read the independent arbiter’s decision that came after 10 months of investigation? I did. Maybe you should read that first.
In your Cormier-Lewis article, did you really just call Jon Jones the greatest fighter ever? Are we talking about the same Jon Jones? You know, the one that got busted for PEDs…twice?
Well, anyways, do you think you could send me the contact info for your editor? I’d like to file a complaint.
Dear Mr. Iole
My name is Courton Loreno, I am a 3rd year law student at the University of North Dakota working on drafting mock federal legislation on boxing. My bill will be about improving boxer safety, both in terms of health and finances, as well as reducing corruption in the sport. I am writing to you because I am seeking expert opinions on the issue. I have read your Yahoo! articles and have found them to always give a thoughtful perspective on the sport and be honored to get your opinion on the topic. I am happy to work with your schedule to find a time that works best for you. I am flexible on dates, but I am shooting for having an interview done in October. The interview can be done however is workable for you, whether that be email, video conferencing, or something else. Thank you for your time.
Courton Loreno
J.D. Candidate of 2019
University of North Dakota School of Law
3601 University Ave., Apartment 164B
Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202
courton.loreno@und.edu
Hi Kevin,
Josh Gross here from Discovery Channel pr. Wanted to let you know that Kenny Florian is back calling all the action on a new season of BattleBots, which has moved to Discovery and premieres May 11. If you’d like to catch up with him to talk about the show, just let me know.
Thanks!
Josh