The Wire
January 2, 2009
In this years first installment of 'Call Em Out Fridays' we take an in-depth look at one of the sports deepest divisions. In 2008 we saw much progress as Margarito, Cotto, Clottey, and a few others set out to mark their territory, but despite Margarito defeating the man previously viewed as the best in the division (Cotto), the victory did little more than earn him high acclaim without totality to solidify it. As it stands, Andre Berto (WBC/23-0, 19KO's), Antonio Margarito (WBA/37-5, 27KO's) and Joshua Clottey (IBF/35-2, 20KO's) are current strap holders, with Miguel Cotto (32-1, 26KO's) expected to claim… More »
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January 2, 2009
Both Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins are definite future Hall of Famers, and as soon as they are eligible the two modern day greats will be getting the call - but the careers of both men may not be quite over yet. Calzaghe told his fans he would sit down and decide over Christmas whether or not he would fight again, and Hopkins' future is also as yet undetermined. At their respective ages of almost 37 and almost 44, both "The Pride of Wales" and "The Executioner" would be more than entitled to decide never to lace 'em up ever… More »
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January 2, 2009
Neither match-up is set in stone as of yet, but the frontrunners to next face the two Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, appear to be young contenders Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola and David "The Hayemaker" Haye. Looking at taking over the heavyweight division in 2009, both the Riverside, Californian and the Cyprus-based Londoner are anxious for their shot. Former cruiserweight king Haye has his sites on a June showdown with elder brother and WBC champion Vitali, while unbeaten Arreola is looking ahead to a May clash with IBF and WBO boss Wladimir. Supposing both fights do come off (as we… More »
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January 1, 2009
For quite a while now, there have been rumours saying Paul "The Punisher" Williams will fight Winky Wright. Talks have apparently been underway on both sides, but nothing has been officially announced. Adding to the plot concerning whether the fight will take place is the fact that the match-up has recently gone up on BoxRec as happening on March 14th, on the same bill as the Chad Dawson-Antonio Tarver rematch.
Okay, sometimes a fight going up on BoxRec does not 100-percent mean the bout will actually take place, but the site is usually as reliable as it is excellent. Let's suppose… More »
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January 1, 2009
2008 is nearly hitting its sunset and now it is time to really look back at what we’ve seen this year. Well this year we’ve seen the retirement (read: short hiatus) of Floyd Mayweather Jr., and early this month we saw the end of the “Golden Boy” era when Oscar De La Hoya was defeated in a most brutal fashion by the great Manny Pacquiao. In March we saw the greatest act of arguably Professional Boxing’s greatest trilogy. In July, Antonio Margarito finally made the jump to superstardom and the near unanimous respect of all of his critics when he… More »
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January 1, 2009
2009 is set to be an exciting year in Australian boxing with a number of fighters reaching defining stages in their careers and some hot prospects to be tested against the world’s best. The fights outlined below present some ideal bouts that would really heat up Aussie boxing on both a local and global scale.
Vic Darchinyan v Nonito Donaire II
Vic Darchinyan is clearly the biggest Australian name in world boxing, claiming the WBC, WBA & IBF super flyweight crowns in 2008 and was one of the fighters of the year. 2009 can potentially springboard the Armenian born Aussie to become… More »
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January 1, 2009
In 2006, Jimrex "The Executioner" Jaca from the Philippines gave Juan Manuel Marquez a reasonably competitive fight before he was iced in the 9th stanza. You may recall this was a televised fight in which the referee told the badly cut JMM that he was well ahead so he did not have to continue. For his indiscretion in plain sight, the referee in question was suspended for a period of time.
This year (2008), former WBA super featherweight title holder Yodsanan "3-K Battery" Sor Nanthachai, stopped Jaca in Thailand in the 6th round. 3-K, no slouch, has beaten such notables as… More »
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December 31, 2008
Though there have been a few chinks discovered in his armour - most notably his tendency to be a touch reckless and drop his hands when under return fire - unbeaten Yuriorkis Gamboa remains one of the very best boxing prospects to have come along in years. Blessed with an abundance of talent, including speed and withering punching power, the 27-year-old (Gamboa turned 27 just this past December 23rd) Cuban defector who now lives in Florida is also sensationally exciting to watch - each and every single time out.
If anything, his perceived defensive vulnerabilities have only served to make the… More »
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December 31, 2008
Shannan Taylor will have the man who guided the worlds current Pound for Pound King Manny Pacquaio to his first world title in his corner on February 11 when he takes on Anthony Mundine in a ten round middleweight “title eliminator”. The Bulli Blaster” has got away from ahead of the big fight at the Woollongong Entetainment Center, spending two weeks training at Angeles City in December under American trainer Rick Staheli..
“Rick is great” Taylor, 35, said after arriving home a week before Christmas. “I will be going over again in January before coming home just prior to the fight… More »
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December 31, 2008
All in all, 2008 was a positive year for boxing. We finally got some partial unification in the heavyweight division (although Klitschko’s win over Ibragimov in February was painful to watch), anointed a new undisputed pound for pound king (Manny Pacquiao, who continues to amaze us), saw great action fights at the championship level (Cotto-Margarito, Mijares-Darchinyan, Cunningham-Adamek, etc) and watched the rise of exciting new stars (Juan Manuel Lopez, James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo and Yuriorkis Gamboa, just to name a few). Below are my rankings to wrap up the year – here’s hoping for great things in ’09!
Heavyweight
C VACANT
1… More »
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December 31, 2008
According to an article in today's Manchester Evening News - the local paper of Ricky Hatton - "The Hitman's" mega-fight with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is a done deal, and all that has still to be determined is the location and venue of the May fight. Ray Hatton, Ricky's father and manager, told the paper his son is still extremely hopeful the fight will take place in London, at Wembley. Pacquiao and his team want the fight to be staged in Las Vegas..
According to Hatton's father, Ricky has also changed his mind about wanting to have just two more fights… More »
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December 31, 2008
After losing the green belt (WBC International super-bantamweight title) against unbeaten Pilipino prospect Balweg Bangoyan, Kenyan Sande Otieno is at pains to redeem his boxing career at a new weight-class..
The diminutive former Kenyan international is set to exchange jabs with North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight champion Bernabe “The Real Deal” Concepcion of Philippines for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) international featherweight title. The fight - dubbed “Judgment Day in the Far East”, -will be staged at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila on January 11.
Sande only took a day off for Christmas vacation (on December 25)… More »
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December 31, 2008
Henry Ramirez, trainer of unbeaten heavyweight contender Chris Arreola, is hopeful his charge will be getting a world title shot against Wladimir Klitschko next year. Very kindly taking time out to speak with this writer about this prospect and other things - including answering the critics who claim 27-year-old Arreola lacks dedication to the sport - Henry gave the following answers to my questions earlier today.
James Slater: I appreciate you talking to me, Henry. Firstly, what's the latest on the Wladimir Klitschko fight, is it signed yet?
Henry Ramirez: It's my understanding that the fight will happen. Chris is really… More »
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December 31, 2008
The 2008 final installment of the 'Left-Hook Lounge' couldn't come on a more fitting day as the questions presented this week will surely set the fireworks blazin'! I figured with today being my 33rd birthday a few of the fight fans out there would cut me some slack but it appears that heavy artillery in this weeks mailbag is being lobbed in one direction and I'm afraid I'm the unlucky recipient! (Smiles). At any rate, like the brave fighters we're here to discuss, I don't back down, I stand up! So with no further ado, we jump into our first… More »
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December 30, 2008
Wladimir Klitschko has been a fighter with his struggles like any other fighter. Despite the criticism Wladimir has faced, he has a better resume than anyone in the HW division. No one comes close to what he's done in the past 5 years barring Lennox Lewis. I believe Wladimir's career is looking a lot like Lennox Lewis's once did in the 1990's. The stoppage losses and coming back from adversity clearly remind us of the last All Time Great the Heavyweight Division has had in Lennox Lewis. But before we have a look at an analysis of Wladimir's career so… More »
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December 29, 2008
PROVIDENCE, RI – 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada, arguably one of the most decorated amateur boxers of the 21st century, is in many ways the United States’ top heavyweight hope to bring home a world title belt.
Estrada possesses the quickest hands and feet in the heavyweight division, along with solid “whiskers,” and he has also shown steady improvement in the power game. All told, though, he’s perceived by many promoters, managers and fighters as too risky to fight, largely because he can box the ears off of anybody in the world who weighs 200 pounds or more.
Estrada (15-1,… More »
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Undefeated prospect has big plans for 2009
December 29, 2008
CHICAGO, IL - Forget the cold weather and the snow in Chicago. Skip the holidays. Junior welterweight prospect Ivan Popoca is too focused on the task at hand to pay much attention to either.
Preparing for his next fight on Friday, January 23rd, the undefeated junior welterweight hasn’t stopped training through the holidays. Fighting five times in 2008, Popoca’s last two bouts have ended in crushing first round knockouts, further cementing his status for Chicago fight fans as must-see events.
“For me, 2009 is going to be a huge year, I want to set the tone on January 23rd and… More »
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December 29, 2008
On January 23, 2009, from the Mesquite Rodeo in Mesquite, Texas, FOXX 68 SPORTS presents an exciting fight card showcasing some of the best of North Texas boxing talent. Among those on the bill are Ft. Worth favorite, the popular Jose Orozco (1-0, 1 KO), the talented Roberto Marroquin (5-0, 4 KO’s) and fighter / promoter, Derrick James (21-7-1, 12 KO’s).
Orozco is a multiple time Ft. Worth Golden Gloves winner and a thrill-a-minute warrior. Marroquin was one win away from being a 2008 United States Olympian and recently fought on the undercard of the Oscar De La Hoya-Manny… More »
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December 28, 2008
According to an extremely interesting news bit on FightNews.com, unbeaten heavyweight contender Chris Arreola may be the next man to face IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. 27-year-old Arreola, nicknamed, of course, "The Nightmare," is the #2 contender with the IBF and apparently talks are currently underway for the Californian slugger to challenge "Dr. Steel Hammer" in April or May next year, most likely at The Staples Centre, Los Angeles. Klitscho, should he emerge victorious, would then have until September 13th to face another unbeaten contender in IBF #1 Alexander Povetkin.
This is interesting news, and the question that arises… More »
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December 28, 2008
A few weeks ago in an article entitled ”Is Cristobal Arreola the next great American heavyweight” I wrote that I was reserving judgment of his trainer, Henry Ramirez until after I saw what he looked like against Travis “Freight Train” Walker on Nov 29th. Well, I’m ready to damn Ramirez now! Yes, Arreola got rid of Walker in dramatic fashion and he again reminded us of why he’s considered “THE MAN” on this side of the pond. But I can’t ignore this sense that Arreola is fighting on borrowed time and if he doesn’t get some key things in order… More »
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...We Want A Rematch, We Want Cunningham vs. Adamek ll IBF World Cruiserweight Championship
December 28, 2008
Philadelphia, PA - 28th December 2008
Campaign for Cunningham-Adamek Rematch Gathers Momentum
On December 11th 2008 one of the fights of the decade took place in Newark, New Jersey between the then reigning International Boxing Federation cruiserweight king, Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham from Philadelphia, PA and Polish born expat, Tomasz ‘Goarl’ Adamek, from Jersey City, NJ.
After 12 action packed rounds, which saw the then Champ, Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham put on the canvas three times by flash knockdowns, the crown passed onto the new Champion, Tomasz ‘Goral’ Adamek, by a close split decision. Boxing fans around the world were treated to an amazing fight,… More »
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December 27, 2008
Having gotten into boxing in the early 80’s, I followed many fighters’ careers including Evander Holyfield. I witnessed most of Evander’s fights at some kind of gathering that usually included a lot of my friends, a BBQ, and alcohol. Although all of my friends are what I would call casual fans, I consider myself a serious fan, possibly a fanatic, and have been since I was 16. Having watched the rise and fall of Holyfield, now that his career is over (or is it), I can take a look back at his accomplishments and compare him with the other great… More »
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December 27, 2008
Back in the early part of this year, this writer had the pleasure of interviewing 90's heavyweight contender Joe Hipp, a member of the Blackfoot Indian tribe (hence his "Indian" nickname.) Hipp, who got as far as challenging for a version of the heavyweight title in 1995, and who had a great and memorable losing battle with Tommy "The Duke" Morrison in 1992, told me how he was planning to fight again in April or May of 2008. Now aged 46 and inactive since August of 2005, the 6'1" southpaw will apparently get his ring return, almost a year later… More »
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Mongolian prospect to make Las Vegas debut on Friday, January 23rd
December 27, 2008
RENO, NV -- Reno ’s "Let’s Get It On” Promotions has announced the signing of undefeated lightweight prospect Bayan Jargal of Arlington, Virginia.
“Tommy and I have watched him for a while and we truly believe with his continued growth he can be a world champion” said promoter Terry Lane. “As always, with a prospect the plan is keeping him busy and challenged and that’s our goal for 2009.”
The all action 26 year old Jargal, has amassed a professional record of 9-0-1 (6KO’s) since turning professional in November 2006. He finished his amateur career with an 80-10 record and represented… More »
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December 26, 2008
30-year-old Ricky Hatton is proud of the year he has had in 2008. Coming back as he did from his first pro loss, a KO loss at that, Hatton feels a sense of satisfaction from the way he has been able to bounce back from the 10th round stoppage loss to Floyd Mayweather Junior that befell him in December of 2007..
Okay, Hatton looked a little shaky from the get-go, out-pointing an inactive former lightweight in Juan Lazcano, and being hit and wobbled far more than he'd have liked throughout the 12 exciting rounds. But then, in his next fight some… More »
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December 26, 2008
After a long year of stellar action in the world of boxing, we've now reached the end of the road. The year of 2008 was filled with many thrillers; some predictable, many that weren't, but all in all it was a year that saw many unprecedented moments that will go down in the history books forever. Along the journey there were many individuals that made the quest a highly entertaining one. Today, we take a reflective look back and honor those individuals:
Fighter of the Year: I'll prefix this section by stating that this choice was no easy pick, but when… More »
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December 26, 2008
Sharing the bill with the Nate Campbell-Ali Funeka lightweight title clash on February 14th, is a light-middleweight bout that may well be the fight of the evening. Unbeaten 154-pound contender Alfredo Angulo of Mexico will meet Nicaraguan wild man Ricardo Mayorga over 12 scheduled rounds. Simply put, there is no way this fight will be anything other than fan-friendly and exciting..
Mayorga, now aged 35 and coming off a much better than expected showing against Sugar Shane Mosley - where a last second KO scored by an up until then largely struggling Mosley prevented "El Matador" from making it to the… More »
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December 26, 2008
It's crystal ball time again. With 2009 almost upon us, this writer thought it would be fun to attempt a few predictions for the sport of boxing in the coming 12 months. A number of hugely intriguing fights have already been signed, or at the very least are all but signed, and as such there are plenty of results to look ahead to - Here I try and call the results before they actually happen.
Who knows, I might even get a few correct! Limiting the predictions to bouts that are widely expected to happen next year - as opposed to… More »
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December 25, 2008
Heavyweight boxing is in the doldrums, dovetailing with a society in the midst of economic doom and gloom, the worst crop of big men in history many proclaim. Ever since the heavyweight champion hung them up whilst still on top, the division has toiled amid uncertainty, with nobody able to seize sole command of the division. How the public miss that guy now. Admittedly the fans took a while to warm to him due to his often scientific approach and the emphasis he placed on turning his bouts into chess matches, however he eventually earned universal acceptance when he put… More »
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December 25, 2008
As we reach the holiday season, I figured it was a good time to put together my Christmas list for 2009:
Day 1: An undisputed lightweight champion. Golden Boy Promotions announced this week that Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz will meet to determine the best lightweight in the world. While that kind of rhetoric is expected, until the winner of this contest meets Nate Campbell we will still have splintered division. Hopefully we can clarity this year in at least one division.
Day 2: Paul Williams vs. Antonio Margarito 2: The first battle was a highly contested, and the second would… More »
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December 25, 2008
2008 saw some great boxing action from Australian fighters, both on a local and international level. It was not a year in which household names Anthony Mundine and Danny Green created the most exciting action, the latter announcing his retirement. Instead, there were a number of other talented boxers capturing the limelight and giving fight fans many a memorable night.
The following is this writer’s opinion of the best fights of 2008 from Australian boxers. The fights have been selected based on the following criteria: action, skills demonstrated, importance of bout within the weight division and impact on the Australian… More »
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December 24, 2008
VERO BEACH, FL – Team McGirt has reevaluated middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr. (19-1-1, 9 KOs) and, after considerable soul searching, has collectively decided that the 26-year-old southpaw will return to old-school training and incorporate a more aggressive attack in order to take better advantage of his hand speed, as well as to avoid his frustrating “fight to the level of his opponent” pattern.
McGirt’s somewhat up-and-down career, at least of late, found him losing for the first time on April 11 to a fighter he had out on his feet, Carlos “Baby Sugar” DeLeon (20-2-2, 12 KOs), rebounding from that… More »
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December 24, 2008
While the heavyweight division is still poorly with leprosy there remains a healthy roster of quality fighters for us to enjoy, and numero uno has gone onto gate crash the premier poundage of 135 and pummel the 'Golden Boy'.
With his faultless demolitions of David Diaz and Oscar De La Hoya, Philipino fireball, Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao has once again done his nickname justice; something he has failed to do since chewing up Barrera 5 years ago. Following the destructive moves up in weight, Pacquiao now commands a wealth of pulling power as boxing buzzes around him, but as easily as Manny… More »
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December 24, 2008
This weeks 'Left-Hook Lounge' takes a look at a few highly intriguing questions and scenario's directly from the minds of some of the sports most avid fans. Weeks after the strong performance by Manny Pacquiao, one fight fan still decided to ponder his true worth as it relates to his perceived greatness. Other topics touched upon were the Holyfield/Valuev debacle which many question (for good reason), as well as the potential late '09 showdown between Mayweather and Pacquiao. With no more preliminaries necessary, we jump into the mix, starting with our first question which comes from a fight fan in… More »
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December 24, 2008
Team Sauerland will reconsider its plan to offer Evander Holyfield a rematch against WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev following Tommy Brooks´ outrageous remarks in the press. The coach of the 46-year-old boxing legend, who lost a close majority decision by the scores of 116-112, 115-114 and 114-114, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “I think it was just some home cooking for a promoter’s fighter. I think somebody was just greasing somebody’s palms..”
Wilfried Sauerland was shocked when he found out about the statements. “I can understand his disappointment,” the manager said. “After all, his fighter put on a an impressive performance for… More »
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December 23, 2008
Unequivocally the biggest name in boxing for the past decade has been Oscar De La Hoya. In the same sense, arguably, the best boxer during that same time frame has been Floyd Mayweather Jr. Both have been proverbially on the mountain top of the sport, yet neither man has gained our absolute respect or undying admiration. No, we only reserve those attributes for fighters who exhibit great skill in the ring, undeniable willingness to face the best of the best - no matter who it is, and to always give their best effort, win or lose, under the most adverse… More »
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December 23, 2008
As a man, there are few foods that are dearer to my heart than a sandwich. Simple to make and I can put anything my heart desires in between two hunks of bread, that’s a little slice of culinary heaven for me. There are several parts to a sandwich, but nothing is more important that what’s in the middle.
Just as savory a treat as a good sandwich is, the “middleweights” offer boxing the meatiest portion of the weight-class cuisine. I don’t mean the middleweight division in and of itself - no, the middleweights ranging from 154-pounds to 168-pounds. Not… More »
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December 23, 2008
LAS VEGAS, NV - World ranked cruiserweight BJ Flores is preparing for a busy 2009 as he looks towards battles against either world champion Tomasz Adamek or former champion Wayne Braithwaite.
“Right now we’re in the negotiating stage for two possible fights," Flores says. "Either I go straight to fighting the newly crowned champion Tomasz Adamek for an optional defense or I fight Wayne Braithwaite as part of an elimination process for the IBF title which Adamek just won from Steve Cunningham.
"Both are terrific fighters, but I believe I can beat either one and look forward to challenging myself… More »
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December 23, 2008
Daisuke Naito (34-2-3, 22 KOs) kept his WBC flyweight belt with a stoppage victory over Shingo Yamaguchi (23-6-2, 9 KOs) in the eleventh round in Tokyo.
Naito easily piled up the points over the ten rounds but didnt leave the decision to the judges as connected with a roundhouse right in the eleventh to end proceedings.
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December 23, 2008
In 2008, Mexican icon Juan Manuel Marquez solidified his place among boxing's elite and became Mexico's number one fighter by knocking out Joel Casamayor and winning a championship in a third weight class. As 2009 opens, Marquez will not be resting on his laurels, as he accepted the challenge to face former three-time lightweight champion Juan "The Baby Bull" Diaz on Saturday, February 28th in what promises to be an early Fight of The Year candidate..
"This fight between Marquez and Diaz will shake the lightweight division to its core and truly determine the best 135-pounder in the world," said Oscar… More »
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December 23, 2008
David Haye’s announcement that he is set to challenge Vitali Klitschko for the WBC heavyweight title next June may have been premature.
“I was out in Germany to watch Wladimir Klitschko bore everybody to sleep with his jab (in witnessing Wladimir’s seventh round stoppage win over Hasim Rahman). We agreed terms for myself and Vitali at a London venue to be decided. The fight is going to happen in June. It's all done and dusted, just need to dot the i's and cross the t's,” claimed Haye at the beginning of last week.
Dotting the I’s and crossing the t’s could… More »
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December 23, 2008
There are a number of potentially thrilling fights already well on the way to being made for 2009. With Ricky Hatton-Manny Pacquiao all but a done deal and Vitali Klitschko-David Haye also scheduled, along with other mouth-watering bouts such as Antonio Margarito-Miguel Cotto II and Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz also to look forward to, next year will have no shortage of big fights..
However, one fight, set for February 7th in California, is a fight that could possibly prove to be the best of the lot. Super-flyweights Vic Darchinyan and Jorge Arce clash in what could well be the new year's… More »
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December 23, 2008
WBC BOXER OF THE YEAR - Manny Pacquiao, Philippines: Manny won the World Boxing Council super featherweight world title by decision against defending champion Juan Manuel Marquez in March, then won the WBC lightweight world title by TKO against defending champion David Diaz three months later in June. Manny finished the year in December with a sensational TKO win against Oscar De La Hoya in the welterweight division..
WBC HONORABLE MENTION BOXER OF THE YEAR
Edgar Sosa, Mexico: Edgar successfully defended the WBC light flyweight world title four times, defeating top level opponents which included mandatory challenger Juanito Rubillar of the Philippines… More »
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December 23, 2008
The World Boxing Council: The alphabet group that created such a mess a few months ago that they actually had three of their own world heavyweight champions all at the same time! It is a good thing there were no unification bouts with the belt holders of other organizations or we might have had four champs. As it is we had Oleg Maskaev as the regular belt holder after he took the title by KO from Hasim Rahman. They also had Vitali Klitschko as the champion emeritus (whatever that means) and later they added Sam Peter as their interim world… More »
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December 23, 2008
Right about now, fans will be reading various people's choices for 2008's best of the year, boxing-wise. You know the stuff - this or that writer, or this or that publication, gives his or her, or its opinion of what made the boxing world tick, and what its loudest and brightest moments were over the past 12 months, and readers will take it upon themselves to either agree or disagree. Picking just one bout as fight of the year proves to be quite a tough job this year - for we had a number of classics to choose from. We… More »
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December 22, 2008
Ok, we all knew the day would come, and within the last 36 hours guess what? It has. To some, the return of Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a welcomed effect, but to others, his act has quickly become reminiscent of one of those little bugs that you rarely see outside at night until you turn the light on, and suddenly, they come from the woodworks, anxious to gloat in the glow. For Mayweather, the lights and glow that he now prepares to bask in are also very close to home as well; As in the very famed Las Vegas strip,… More »
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December 22, 2008
Dear Santa, It’s that time of year again, when I know you’re getting tons and tons of letters from people around the world asking for gifts this Holiday season. I’ve got to be honest with you though; with the exception of a horrible injustice done to me in Florida on April 12th, I’ve had a great year. I knocked out Hugo Pineda and Aaron Norwood, was crowned people’s champion again after the robbery against Chad Dawson, and I’ve got good friends and a great team around me..
Considering that Santa, I truly believe it’s better to give than to receive, so… More »
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December 22, 2008
European super bantamweight champion Rendall Munroe shared the spotlight on Thursday night at Dublin's City University with Commonwealth bantam ruler Jason Booth and Irish Olympic hero Darren Sutherland, who made a triumphant professional debut at super middleweight on a Frank Maloney promotion.
Munroe weathered a fast start off the blocks by Italian champion Fabrizio Trotta, who proved his near miss at the European Union belt in June was no fluke. Trotta showed superb countering skills, punishing Munroe for every miss but when the European titlist began found his rhythm by the third round, Trotta's luck was about to run out.
Displaying his… More »
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Bastie Samir Scores 1st Round KO in Washington D.C.
December 22, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 21, 2008 -- "THE BEAST", Bastie Samir continued his wreckage through the East Coast on Saturday night with a crunching first round knockout of William “BAM BAM” Armstead at the Burr Arena in Washington, D.C.
Along with his punishing jab, Samir was relentless with his body shots, dropping Armstead twice in the first round. A final left hook to the chin called a halt to the carnage at the 1:20 mark of the opening stanza of the scheduled four round middleweight bout.
“Best he’s looked so far, the bazooka jab was on target from the outset and Bastie’s… More »
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December 22, 2008
Floyd Mayweather Jr. says he’s impressed with how Manny Pacquiao demolish Oscar De La Hoya, but believes he can handle the Filipino dynamo if and when they face on the ring.
"He’s (Pacquiao) an excellent fighter. It was a tremendous win, but I’ll beat his (expletive)," Leonard Ellerbe quoted Mayweather as saying.
Ellerbe, Mayweather’s aide-de-camp, told ESPN.com that Mayweather is now contemplating on making a comeback after announcing his retirement following a sensational tenth-round knockout win over Ricky Hatton in December of last year.
The 31-year-old Michigan-born puncher, according to Ellerbe, also watched Hatton’s easy conquest of Paulie Malignaggi last month.
Ellerbe said… More »
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December 21, 2008
Roman Karmazin (37-3-1, 23 KOs) reestablished himself as a world contender with a twelve round unanimous decision over Bronco McKart (51-9-1, 31 KOs) on Saturday night at the Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood, CA. Scores were 117-111, 118-110, 119-109.
Joan Guzman (29-0, 18 KOs) showed his class as he took a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over Ameth Diaz (25-7, 19 KOs) on Saturday night at the Palacio de los Deportes in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Scores were 119-109, 120-108, 119-109.
WBA Fedelatin super featherweight title, Argenis Mendez (13-1, 8 KOs) pounded out an eight round unanimous decision over Arturo Gomez (15-11-3).… More »
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December 21, 2008
WBC super featherweight interim champion Humberto Soto (46-7-2, 29 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Francisco Lorenzo (33-5, 14 KOs) at Parque Andres Quintana Roo in Cozumel, Mexico.
Soto showed his class how as he overcame a decent performance from Lorenzo who pushed the pace for the full bout scores at the end of the twelve rounds were 118-108, 117-109, 117-109.
Guty Espadas Jr (44-7, 28 KOs) won a lop-sided ten round technical decision over journeyman Fredy Blandon (9-16, 5 KOs).
Antonio Lozada Jr (18-0, 16 KOs) took a six round unanimous decision over late sub Tomas Sierra… More »
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December 21, 2008
Evander Holyfield's (42-10-2, 27 KOs) latest attempts at a 5th heavyweight crown have ended in failure with Nicolay Valuev (50-1, 34 KOs) winning a very very tight majority decision. Scores were 114-114, 115-114, 116-112.
Holyfield was perhaps ahead on the scorecards at the sixth round mark with the champion looking really slow and reluctant to engage in anything while Holyfield pushed the action and had some success with his jab. After the sixth round mark Valuev seemed to throw his jab more trying to control the action. In the tenth round Holyfield seemed to up the pace and started to put… More »
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December 21, 2008
Two judges had the fight 116-112 and 115-114 with the other scoring it even. The crowd saw it the other way and voiced their displeasure with a chorus of boos. Holyfield, 46, was bidding to become the oldest and first five-time heavyweight champion. The judges stole that from him with a very poor decision. It what was an admitedly poor, dull fight. Holyfield was much the busier fighter. He kept to the outside, slipping in and out throwing combinations. Valuev struggled to keep Holyfield at bay with his jab and was very inactive throughout the fight. Although obviously very disappointed,… More »
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December 21, 2008
According to today's edition of The Sunday Mirror, the eagerly awaited fight practically all of boxing wants to see, in Manny Pacquiao Vs. Ricky Hatton, is very much a done deal for May 2nd next year in Las Vegas. The paper states that "Pac-Man" will fight "The Hitman" on May 2nd at either The MGM Grand or The Thomas and Mack Centre, and that both boxers and their managements will finalize the details before Christmas. The news article also states how Hatton will begin training for the mega-fight on February the 1st, after he has enjoyed his traditional family cruise..
This… More »
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December 21, 2008
World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev (50-1, 34 KOs) won a fight that few people felt he deserved tonight in Switzerland, defeating Evander Holyfield (42-10-2, 27 KOs) by a controversial 12-round majority decision. Valuev, 35, looked bad, unable to pull the trigger, weak, slow and doing little other than plodding after Holyfield in most of the rounds.
Up until the 8th round, as far as I can tell, Valuev came close to winning none of the rounds. That's not to say that Holyfield was much better, because he looked awful, but he was at least landing a couple… More »
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December 21, 2008
This was boxing at its most masochist - a 46 year old giving up 7 stone in weight, over a foot in height and being banned from the New York State Athletic Commission many moons ago, (and not to mention having not fought since losing 14 months ago), in arguably the worst heavyweight title fight in history with a result that was just plain ugly. Ironically, the fight between Evander Holyfield & Interim WBA champion Nikolai Valuev was staged in Switzerland - the only country in the world in which euthanasia is legal - and by the fifth round I… More »
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December 21, 2008
Nikolai Valuev retained his WBA heavyweight title with a close majority decision against Evander Holyfield. In front of a boisterous sell-out crowd of 12,500 fans in Zurich, the Russian Giant was ahead 116-112 and 115-114 on two scorecards, while the third judge called the bout a 114-114 draw. “It was an honour for me to fight a legend like Evander Holyfield,” Valuev said. “He proved that he is a great boxer. It was a very close and a very fast fight..”
A victory would have made Holyfield the oldest heavyweight champion of all time, and the 46-year-old started out strongly, surprising… More »
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December 21, 2008
There was much criticism from the start at the prospect of a World Heavyweight Title bout between WBA Champion Nikolai Valeuv and all time great American heavyweight and former four time World Champion Evander Holyfield. From the outset, when the fight was merely a rumor, the idea created a unified voice in the boxing world...and the voice said "No," loud and clear..
As if the heavyweight division has not come under fire enough in recent years, once again the division seemed to be getting the wrong type of attention. However, after much criticism the public was able to breath a… More »
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December 21, 2008
As expected, Evander Holyfield is still not ready to hang up the gloves; even after last night's "loss" to the huge Nikolay Valuev. We all thought this would be the case with Evander, and that even if he were soundly beaten the stubborn 46-year-old would let everyone know he was still in pursuit of his unlikely - if not damn delusional - goal of once again becoming undisputed heavyweight champion.
However, Holyfield was not anywhere close to clearly beaten last night in Switzerland - in fact he was out and out robbed. Holyfield did more work, threw and landed more punches… More »
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December 21, 2008
Though he was comprehensively beaten by the great Bernard Hopkins back in October, losing for the very first time as a pro, 26-year-old Kelly Pavlik still has something the amazing 43-year-old does not - a world title. Pavlik lost the catch-weight non-title bout on October 18th, and with it his unbeaten record, but he remains the WBC, WBO and, more importantly, Ring magazine middleweight champion..
Attempting to put the B-Hop points loss behind him, the fighter known as "The Ghost" will return to the ring to defend his 160-pound belts on February 21st. Opposing Pavlik will be 28-year-old Mexican Marco Antonio… More »
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December 21, 2008
Okay, mates, blokes, friends, amigos, and/or aficionados pull up a comfortable chair near your computer, pour some nice single malt Oban with its West Highland character, and torch up a nice Rocky Patel Renaissance Toro (Rocky describes the Renaissance as reminiscent of old style Cubans — rich and decadent. "It's the kind of cigar that your father's grandfather smoked," he says.)). It’s now time to discuss all things boxing, and this month’s topics are the following, but feel free to inject your own topic as long as (hopefully) it pertains to boxing:
1) Evander Holyfield, by most accounts, beat the “Russian… More »
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December 20, 2008
Yes, most of us would say that at 46 years old, Evander Holyfield should walk off into the sunset and enjoy retirement until he gets his call from the Hall of Fame in Canastota. But getting robbed of a 12 round decision against Nikolay Valuev Saturday at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland isn’t the way a former heavyweight champion – or any fighter for that matter - should be treated.
Scores were 116-112, 115-114, and 114-114 for Valuev, in what may have been the most disgraceful decision of 2008, and the fans agreed with their booing.
“I can’t be disappointed in what… More »
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December 20, 2008
Evander Holyfield is the epitome of that is right and wrong is the sport of boxing. Recently he has been more of whats wrong than whats right. His current attempt to wrestle a paper title away current interim champion Nikolai Valuev was a farce to begin with. Ruslan Chagaev is the real title holder, but even so, there is still no champion at this weight class.
On paper this fight seemed like a monumental mismatch. The disparity between where Holyfield and Valuev are in their careers is almost if not more so than the difference in the two pugilist height.… More »
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December 20, 2008
Suitland, MD - With the explosion of alphabet boxing associations organizing championship bouts for TV networks, the public has become confused about who the real boxing champions are today, and there is a long standing debate as to whether the multitude of champions in each division are good for boxing in general. They days when identifiable phenoms like Mohammed Ali and Mike Tyson attracted millions of fans to boxing are long gone and fans are screaming for a dominant champion like Mike Tyson to re-emerge.
But at no time in boxing history have so many entertaining, but meaningless (at least… More »
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December 20, 2008
WASHINGTON D.C. – At the Howard University Burr Arena on the undercard of tonight’s Jesse Brinkley vs. James Johnson match, Chicago’s popular journeyman boxer David “The Weezel” (sic) Estrada will challenge Kreshnik Cato (17-6, 2 KO’s) for the World Boxing Foundation middleweight title.
Estrada, who weighed in at 159 lbs. at the weigh-in Friday night, said, “I’m fighting Saturday for the WBF belt. This is an opportunity especially for a guy of my status, with my record. I’m going to make the best of it and bring back a world title to Chicago. This is not the Illinois State Belt… More »
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December 20, 2008
The Super lightweight European titlefight between the defending champion Gianluca Branco (42-2-1, 22 KO´s) and Finnish challenger Juho Tolppola (21-5-1, 9 KOs) ended in a very controversial fashion last night.
The challenger Tolppola seemed to dominate the earlier round when the fight was stopped in the 9th round due a swelling in the side of Tolppola´s head. Branco was ruled as the winner by technical knockout. As if the decision wasnt controversial enough The fight was stopped by an Italian doctor.
"The swelling did not effect my vision or ability to box in any way. The swelling is in the side… More »
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December 20, 2008
With just a week left until Christmas, I finally finished my boxing wish list for the next year, with five potential fights that would be fantastic for the sport if they could be put together. Some are closer to happening and more realistic than others, but each of these fights should happen and would make for a very exciting 2009.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton (Wembley): Before being destroyed over 8 embarrassing rounds, Oscar de la Hoya and the Golden Boy team were making noise about a super-fight with Hatton in the UK. There were even some suggestions that the… More »
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December 20, 2008
Dear Chris Arreola & Kevin Johnson: Your promoters have done a good job making the public think you are good fighters. People on this site say I haven't fought anyone. I want to fight the best, so why don't one of you two be my step up fight. Arreola you were at my fight with Billy Zumbrum last year calling me out. So now why don't you "Put up or Shut up." Or did you see something in that fight that is a little over your head? I was mentioned for your Nov fight, but you or mother Goossen got… More »
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December 20, 2008
Two time world champion, Joan Guzman, proved to the world that he can make weight. On Friday, December 19th, Joan Guzman, weighed in below the 135lbs. weight limit for his fight against Ameth Diaz. The fight which will take place Saturday, December 20th at the Palacio de Deportes in Dominican Republic and is promoted by Jay Boxing Promotions, will be an elimination bout for the WBA 135lb. title..
Guzman proved to his fans and all others in the boxing world that his inability to make weight for his bout against Campbell in September was not because he could no longer… More »
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December 20, 2008
In this weeks 'Call Em Out Fridays' segment we take a look at one the sports most storied figures. With a pro career spanning an amazing 24 years, flanked by various straps and accolades, few have accomplished more in the sport. That being said, father-time waits for no man and right about now, many would agree that Holyfields operating on borrowed time. As we prepare to see what could be the final installment of his career, today, like all other 'Call Em Out Fridays', we'll dissect all angles involved. We'll take a look at the fan 'Supportive' perspective, the 'Critics'… More »
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December 20, 2008
European super bantamweight champion Rendall Munroe solidified his top ten world ranking with a sterling performance to stop Italian titlist Fabrizio Trotta at 1:27 of the fifth round last night at City University In Dublin, Ireland. Munroe overcame a slow start to hammer away at Trotta's body and take over the contest by the third frame before the Italian claimed he could not continued after injuring his right wrist in the fifth..
2008 Olympic Bronze Medallist Darren Sutherland delivered upon expectations with a torrid professional debut to knock out Bulgarian opponent Georgi Iliev at 2:44 of the first round at super… More »
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December 20, 2008
Continuing on an odyssey that will end only when he reigns supreme once more as undisputed king of the heavyweights, Evander Holyfield will attempt to snatch the WBA title from the giant’s den Saturday night when he takes on Nicolay Valuev in Switzerland. The gargantuan Russian, who sports a professional record 49-1-1NC, will enter the ring an overwhelming betting favourite while American Holyfield will once again enter the ring installed as a target of protest and ridicule for a large section of the sports press and various respected voices in the boxing community. At 46 years of age, and having… More »
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December 19, 2008
LOS ANGELES,- Golden Boy Promotions is proud to announce that former two-time world champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero has been added to its roster of fighters. Guerrero signed with Golden Boy Promotions today and is slated to make his Golden Boy Promotions debut in early 2009.
"California has been known for its great world champions and Robert Guerrero is no exception to this rule as he is one of the most exciting young fighter in the sport today," said President of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar de la Hoya. "We can't wait to get him another title shot and I am… More »
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December 19, 2008
Los Angeles, CA – On the heels of last month’s signing of East LA 2008 Olympian Shawn Estrada, Goossen Tutor Promotions’ President Dan Goossen has signed undefeated Covina, CA lightweight John Molina, Jr. to an exclusive promotional contract with the company.
One of the hottest young lightweight prospects in boxing, Molina, who will turn 26 three days after Christmas, is 14-0 with 10 of those wins coming by way of knockout. At 5-11, he is tall for his weight class and uses his height, speed and knockout power in both hands to his advantage. Eight of his 10 knockouts have come… More »
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December 19, 2008
For Erick “Dynamite” Vega, making it on season 4 of the Contender was not only a dream come true but an effort that took him many years to get the major recognition he badly craved. “It was great to be on the show” said Vega who just missed a spot on the 2004 Mexican Olympic team that produced rising stars Alfredo Angulo and Abner Mares. “The exposure was unbelievable”.
Vega’s hopes of winning The Contender Championship were unfortunately derailed by Akinyemi “AK 47” Laleye. Vega fought hard and badly hurt Laleye in the fifth round but dropped a unanimous decision in… More »
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December 19, 2008
DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.—Promoter Don King continues his over-40-year tradition of distributing turkeys to families in need during the holidays with an ambitious plan to distribute 100,000 turkeys—2.2 million pounds of turkey in all—in five states on Monday.
Kelly Hiser of Kelly Oil has assembled an impressive team including Don King Productions, Inc., Kelly Oil, Cargill, Southwest Airlines and Feeding America. The goal of this year’s “Christmas Turkey Tour” is to disseminate 100,000 turkeys—20,000 turkeys in each of five states in a single day: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
Longtime Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is pleased so see the Turkey Tour making… More »
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December 19, 2008
The bout between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton on May 2 in Las Vegas is nearly a done deal according to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer.
Schaefer told AP "I’m encouraged by the way it’s going, and I’m talking to the Hatton's (on Friday) again."
Schaefer also said Juan Manuel Marquez vs Juan Diaz is a go for February 28 in Diaz' hometown of Houston, Texas.
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December 19, 2008
Evander Holyfield will be looking to become the only fighter in history to have won the heavyweight title five times when he steps into the ring in Zurich Switzerland on Saturday night. At 46 years of age, he would also become the oldest heavyweight champion of the world. His opponent Nikolay Valuev, is 11 years his junior. Holyfield will be conceding a remarkable 43 kgs in weight and 30 cm in height to the Russian giant. Holyfield is a former undisputed world champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight. However he last held a world title back in 2001 after defeating… More »
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December 19, 2008
Los Angeles, CA – On the heels of last month’s signing of East LA 2008 Olympian Shawn Estrada, Goossen Tutor Promotions’ President Dan Goossen has signed undefeated Covina, CA lightweight John Molina, Jr. to an exclusive promotional contract with the company. One of the hottest young lightweight prospects in boxing, Molina, who will turn 26 three days after Christmas, is 14-0 with 10 of those wins coming by way of knockout..
At 5-11, he is tall for his weight class and uses his height, speed and knockout power in both hands to his advantage. Eight of his 10 knockouts… More »
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December 19, 2008
Reigning IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey is at a loss as to why the big fights continue to elude him. The 31-year-old with the excellent 35-2(20) record felt the big opportunities would come his way after finally becoming a world champion this past August, with his fine win over Zab Judah, but this has not been the case.
Calling Joshua up to ask him if the recent word that he would face Kermit Cintron next was true, as well as to ask him other questions, this writer had the pleasure of speaking with the African who lives in New York earlier… More »
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December 19, 2008
In just over 24 hour's time, former four-time holder of the heavyweight title, Evander Holyfield, will go up against the massive current WBA belt holder, Nikolay Valuev. Now aged 46, Holyfield has often referred to the amazing achievements of another legend in George Foreman, who was able to win back the title at the age of 45. "The Real Deal" has drawn inspiration from what "Big" George did, and aims to go one better and win back (at least a portion of) the title at 46..
However, though Foreman, who, of course, once fought Holyfield, wishes the underdog well in his… More »
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December 19, 2008
We hear a lot of complaining about the sport nowadays. There’s no great match-ups, and no great fights like they used to have them back in the days of [insert bygone era here]. Recently we watched such a great fight. But it to seems to have been forgotten in record time.
Steve Cunnignham and Tomasz Adamek proved the Golden Boy theory of promotions wrong: You don’t need good looks, mainstream appeal or an HBO series to stage an amazing brawl. But a week later I’m baffled by the lukewarm reception this inspired scrap has received from the boxing public. You would… More »
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December 19, 2008
PPV Main Event (12 round, WBA Heavyweight Championship): Nikolai “The Russian Giant” Valuev (49-1, 34 KOs), 2-time and reigning WBA Heavyweight Champion, St. Petersburg, Russia vs. Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield (47-9-2, 27 KOs), 4-time World Heavyweight Champion, Atlanta, Georgia. Also on PPV (8-rounds, super middleweights): Mads “Golden Boy” Larsen (50-2, 37 KOs), former IBO & WBF super middleweight champion vs. Roberto Cocco (9-2, 5 KOs).
Weights From Switzerland:
Nicolai Valuev 310 ¾ lbs. - Evander Holyfield 214 ¼ lbs.
(WBA Heavyweight Championship)
Francisco Pianeta 242 ¼ lbs. - Johann Duhaupas 223 ¼ lbs.
(European Union Heavyweight Championship)
Eileen Olzsewski 110 ¾ lbs. - Nadia… More »
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December 19, 2008
Without a single doubt, unbeaten light-heavyweight up-and-comer Nathan Cleverly is one of the best, if not the best, world title prospects in Britain right now. Already having captured and defended the Commonwealth 175-pound title, after a mere 14 pro bouts, the 21-year-old Welshman has his sights set far higher. Not wanting to rush things, the level-headed fighter who is also an accomplished mathematics student, says he will be ready for the best in the world in around eighteen months..
Naturally gifted, clever (in and out of the ring), dedicated to training and hugely ambitious, the Welshman could well be a… More »
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December 18, 2008
BANGKOK -- The WBC Asian Boxing Council (ABCO) announced 2008 ABCO awards winners. The conference was held on Tuesday 16th December 2008 at Asia Hotel in Bangkok , Thailand.
The awards were presented by Pol. Gen. Kovid Bhakdibhumi, the WBC Vice-President and ABCO President. Boxers and Promoters of OneSongchai.Co., Ltd have received the award as followed; WBC#5 featherweight Chonlatarn Or Piriyapinyo was announced as "the outstanding fighter of the year," former WBC female atomweight champion Winyu Paradorngym as "female fighter of the year" and Miss Pariyakorn Ratanasuban as "the honorary promoter of the year.” More »
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December 18, 2008
Evander Holyfield is convinced that neither size nor age will matter in Saturday's showdown with WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev.
The 46-year-old challenger is determined to become the oldest heavyweight champion in the history of boxing when he takes on "The Russian Giant" in front of a sell-out crowd of 12,500 fans in Zurich.
"I will display a performance that will surprise many people," Holyfield said at Wednesday's official press conference.
"I have been asked about my age so many times but that is fine. It is not about how old you are. It is about how old you feel and what you… More »
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December 18, 2008
Floyd Mayweather Jr is not looking to fight Ricky Hatton and is enjoying his time away from boxing, according to his adviser Leonard Ellerbe.
Ellerbe, speaking to The Grand Rapids Press, says he knows nothing of mooted clashes with Pacquiao or Hatton, the pair having also been touted as possible opponents for each other.
"I don't know where that [the Hatton story] came from because no one from our side has spoken with them," Ellerbe said. "I have not spoken with [Hatton’s lawyer] Gareth [Williams] and I have not spoken with Ray Hatton. Al Haymon [Mayweather’s other adviser] hasn't spoken… More »
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December 18, 2008
New York, NY – DiBella Entertainment is starting 2009 in style with two great world championship matchups, featuring hard-charging WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto making his second title defense versus number-one rated challenger and former WBA world champion Luis Collazo, and budding 154 pound superstar Sergio Martinez taking on undefeated, world-rated contender Joe Greene, for the interim WBC belt, to be seen on HBO’s Boxing After Dark, on Saturday, January 17, from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, MS..
With his dominant TKO victory over Miguel Angel Rodriguez this past June to claim the vacant WBC welterweight crown, Andre… More »
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