World cruiserweight contender Troy Ross is experiencing abdominal pains and has been hospitalized in Toronto, where he is undergoing precautionary tests. He has been forced to withdraw from fighting June 24 on the ?Friday Night At The Fights? show at Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Ross (24-2, 16 KOs), a two-time Canadian Olympian, is [...]
Saturday, June 18, 2011
James DeGale needs to delete George�Groves defeat from the script
? Frank Warren calls for rematch for super-middleweight title
? 'What James needed to do was be more emphatic'
James DeGale has been billed as "Hollywood" since he turned professional but after George Groves took his British super-middleweight crown that script requires a major rewrite.
DeGale might look at Amir Khan to discover how redemption is found after the most desperate of nights. The Bolton man returned from an opening-round demolition by Breidis Prescott in August 2008 to become a world champion within a year. The 25-year-old Londoner's career stands at a similar crossroads: he could buckle or this may be his Khan moment.
David Haye, who was in Groves's corner on Saturday night, also recovered from being stopped by Carl Thompson as a cruiserweight to become the WBA heavyweight champion. And DeGale was unrepentant after a display that was too tentative. "It felt like I didn't lose properly like that," he said. Amir Khan, David Haye both got knocked out.. It feels like [Groves] has nicked the title off me and I'm the champion. So hopefully we'll get the rematch. That's what I want, straight away, as soon as."
Scorecards of 115-115, 115-114, 115-114 in favour of Groves, after 12 riveting rounds, illustrate how close it was and support the suggestion he may have been fortunate.
DeGale, however, was always in peril of failing to convince the judges that his cautious approach of stepping continually forward, while unloading only sporadically, was the performance of a champion emphatically defending a title.
Frank Warren, DeGale's promoter, was clear that this was what cost his man. "He gave that fight to him. There were rounds there where there wasn't a lot of action and judges can go either way in that situation.
"I thought James won the fight by one or two rounds. But although he was walking him down, he wasn't throwing enough shots. What James needed to do was be more emphatic. If he'd stepped his work-rate up a bit he would have got the decision, and may even have stopped him."
A subdued DeGale came close to conceding Warren's point when admitting he did not get going until the closing rounds. "I just didn't want to make a mistake," he said. "I hit him with the cleanest shots when I hurt him in the ninth. I think the last four rounds I won easy; the second half of the fight was easy."
DeGale did accept he had been fooled by Groves's pre-fight claims that he would ensure it was a war. Instead the 23-year-old from Hammersmith, who added the British title to his Commonwealth belt, consistentlyrefused to engage. "I thought he had come to fight," DeGale said. Groves did, but in an astute manner, and his ability to find a way to the win was reminiscent of Joe Calzaghe, who retired unbeaten and as arguably the greatest post-war fighter from these shores.
For DeGale, a rematch would offer immediate succour. Warren said: "The [British Boxing] Board of Control should order it. It's a natural rematch so I don't see why they shouldn't do it."
Whether this happens is in Groves's hands. In a stinging reference to the defeat he also handed DeGale five years ago, when they were amateurs, he said: "How many times do I have to beat this man? Does he want a best-of-five?"
"He has no titles, he's just come off a loss, I'm pretty sure I can find a better opponent than James DeGale. Possibly I can see it happening a few years down the line, when we've both got different versions of the world title." For Groves this path is now clearer while DeGale must come through this "gut-check" to prove he can still be a true champion.
Nathan Cleverly made a first defence of the WBO light-heavyweight title by stopping Aleksy Kuziemski in four rounds. "Let's get the big fights on," said Cleverly, who is unbeaten and seems likely to fight in his native Wales next time out. Hours later Bernard Hopkins, 46, defeated Jean Pascal on points in Montreal to become the oldest world champion ever.
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BoxingInsider?s Boxing Blogger Richard Pierson To Box On July 16 in N.J.
By Scoop Malinowski BoxingInsider.com’s resident blogger and pro fighter Richard Pierson makes his return to the ring next month. Pierson (9-2, with 6 KO’s) will ...
James DeGale: How I train
Olympic gold medallist James DeGale on battling the 'fat gene', building muscle and relaxing after a hard workout
What is your fitness regime like?
I train four hours a day, six days a week. I do a lot of running, I do lots of strength and conditioning, lots of contact sparring. I do ground work, lots of lifting my own body weight ? it's pretty hard and pretty intense but you have to go through it.
What's your workout like on an average day?
I wake up at 6am and have a recovery run in Epping forest, probably around eight or nine miles. I go back to my coach's house, sleep, have something to eat, then I go back to the gym at 1pm. I do various things in the gym, like strength and conditioning, sparring, pads, and then I have a shower and go home, relax and recover for the next day's hard training. Keeping physically fit helps keep me mentally in the zone as well.
Is cardiovascular training just as important as building muscle?
It is; obviously we have to make weight [for a fight]. I do a lot of running: I run four or five times a week. I probably do 25-30 miles in a week. The majority of fighters are not big and bulky and muscly, they're lean athletes.
How do you lose weight for a fight?
I have to make 12 stone. I walk around at about 13.5 stone, so I have to get down and watch what I eat. Losing weight for me is about eating healthy and training hard and the weight falls off me.
Do you always keep an eye on what you eat?
Of course. I've got the "fat gene" in my family, so I've always got to watch what I eat. Prior to a fight when I have to make weight, obviously I can't eat all the rubbish - chocolate and stuff like that. Straight after I can relax and eat what I want.
Are boxing classes a good way for regular people to lose weight and stay fit?
It's a fantastic way [to get fit]. What's that thing my coach says? "Get fighting fit without getting hit". There's lots of cardio and it's a great way to get weight off and keep fit. You don't have to be interested in fighting.
What are your methods for building muscle and strength?
We do a lot of strength and conditioning work. We don't lift heavy, heavy weight; it's light weights but lots of repetitions. We lift our own body weight a lot, so pull-ups, lots of dips, lots of push-ups.
How do you recover from injury?
I've been lucky, I haven't been injured too much ? the last injury I had was runner's knee. That drove me mad because I couldn't run past 10 minutes without it hurting. But with good physio and good people around you, you get it sorted.
How do you relax away from the gym?
When I'm not preparing for a fight, I like to chill, go to the cinema and socialise with my mates.
? James DeGale was speaking at a training session incorporating the boxing game on Kinect Sports for Xbox 360. For more information, visit xbox.com/kinectsports.
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Manny confidential: Training vid shows Pacman has a lighter side
Showtime/CBS rolls out the final episode of "Fight Camp 360" tonight (10 p.m. ET/PT). It'll take us through the final moments of prep before the big Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley fight.
MySpace has some cool behind-the-scenes video of Pacman during training camp. It's almost shocking to see how relaxed Pacquiao is during his workouts, but that's what makes him great. Going into fights with a fearless and light attitude helps him deal with anything thrown his way.
There are three more secret Pacman videos over on MySpace. The final episode of Fight Camp 360 also airs again tomorrow on local CBS affiliates.
You can watch the Pacquiao-Mosley pay-per-view right here on Yahoo! Sports.
Blasted on Twitter, Pacquiao scraps his account
Boxing's pound-for-pound champ is tough as nails in the ring, but he wilted in the toughest arena in the world -- the Internet.
Congressman Manny Pacquiao's affair with social media was a short one. After dealing with a fake account that sprouted up in January, "Pac-Man" decided to try Twitter with a real account in late February.
Pacquiao quickly found out there's no buffer on Twitter. His� problems began a few days ago as he watched a Filipino Congressional impeachment hearing from afar. Training for his fight with Shane Mosley in May, Pacquiao tried to ease concerns about his absence from Congress during the major vote. From GMA News:
"I vote NO! and I can give my explanation thanks," he [tweeted] emphatically just a few minutes before midnight [on Mar. 21].
That unleashed a hail of criticism from followers, who wondered why Pacquiao wasn't fulfulling his political duties.
"to hell with @congmp. Why the [expletive] did you run for congress when you know you'd barely be present?" said @RAndRat.
According to GMA News, Pacquiao responded with a personal shot�at one tweeter who asked, "Why are you not at the plenary?"
Pacquiao shot back: "@momblogger e di mag reklamo ka doon sa lolo mo hahahaha thanks" (Go tell it to your grandpa!)
More than a few angry Filipinos fired back:
"he shouldn't tweet that way. he is, after all, a billionaire congressman," said @emvisi.
"You may be trying to folksy and humorous, @CongMP, but the matter at hand is too serious to be flippant about," opined @jesterinexile. "because @CongMP is absent, saranggani province has no say in a national issue. that is irresponsible beyond belief," he added.
Pacquiao decided he'd had enough of the people and their unfiltered access. GMA News says @congmp was deleted at 4:20 p.m. on March 23.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Weekend Afterthoughts, Featuring Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. Vs. Sergio Martinez, Scoring Disputes, The Trainer Of The Year So Far And More
(Carl Froch celebrates his victory Saturday night. Via Showtime)
It's Tuesday night, so naturally you're wondering, "Geez, what did Tim think of all the stuff that happened almost four days ago?" Wonder no longer, friends.
(Let me correct that. I'm not going to go into any details about how I most likely got robbed by an "exotic dancer" in Atlantic City Saturday night. So here are my thoughts on "some of the stuff that happened almost four days ago." Things like the things in the headline, or sweaty referees, or the Showtime and HBO undercards, etc.)
There's Little Point To Heated Boxing Hall Of Fame Debates Over Mike Tyson Et Al
With Mike Tyson headlining the 2011 Boxing Hall of Fame class that was inducted this past weekend, it sparked some fairly chippy public skirmishes between boxing writers over whether Tyson should be in Canastota. On one side are those who argue Tyson was a major force in the heavyweight division, one of the most famous boxers and sporting figures of all time, etc., etc., and on the other side are those who argue Tyson lost every major fight of his career.
There's a certain kind of entertainment to be had in such skirmishes, of course; who doesn't enjoy a war of words between top-notch wordsmiths? But in reality, there's virtually no value in these particular battles over the Hall beyond those empty calories. The truth is, there are no standards for who deserves induction, and without them, any boxer can be voted in for any reason whatsoever. It's all up to the Thomas Hausers and Dan Rafaels and Rusty Rubins and Lint Baldwins of the world to just go, "Yeah." And from there, you can debate all you want whether "yeah" was the correct answer, but without any rules of engagement, it's almost entirely a meaningless free-for-all.
That's not to say that debates about fighters' legacies can't be legitimate. That Tyson is now in the Hall of Fame is as good a time as any to debate his legacy. I'll come down on the "pro-" side below, vis-a-vis Tyson, but also examine how boxing differs from other sports on Halls of Fame when it comes to its standards.
NFL’s Zbikowski scores a first-round TKO with a body shot
Las Vegas _ Tom Zbikowski is accustomed to crushing ribs when he's on the football field. He used the same principle tonight in the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Zbikowski, a safety for the Baltimore Ravens, drilled Richard Bryant with a left hook to the ribs. The flabby Bryant stood for a second and then crumbled to the floor. He rose to his feet at the count of seven, but referee Russell Mora didn't he feel he was able to go on. Zbikowski picked up his second professional win at 1:45 of the first round.
Zbikowski, a former All-American at Notre Dame, last fought in 2006. With the NFL lockout looming, Zbikowski decided it was time to step back in to the ring. He fought 100 times as an amateur and said before the fight, he's always wanted to get back in the ring.
As an opponent, Bryant was about what you'd expect a guy with one pro fight to face. Give Bryant some credit, he stood toe-to-toe with the NFL player and blasted him with a few thumping rights. Zbikowski, giving away 32 pounds, walked right through the shots. If Zbikowski chooses to makes a run at a legitimate boxing career he'll have to go to battle at cruiserweight, one of boxing's least glamorous divisions. He plays football around 215 pounds. He weighed in yesterday at 193.
Jessie Vargas returns to Fight Night Club
Junior welterweight prospect Jessie Vargas returns to <i>Fight Night Club</i> on Thursday night at Club Nokia in Los Angeles.The former amateur star, who is trained by Roger Mayweather in his hometown of Las Vegas, faces Oxnard, Calif.-based Argentine Pablo Sarmiento in the eight-round welterweight main event on Sports Net and RingTV.com.Vargas (11-0, 6 knockouts) has stopped his two previous opponents at the downtown night spot, Robert Luna in one round in February and Ernest Zavala in six rounds in June. In between he stopped Arturo Morua in six rounds on the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Shane Mosley card in May, giving Vargas three straight KOs.The 39-year-old Sarmiento (34-13-2, 16 KOs) has some ability and experience but is making a comeback after a six-year hiatus from the sport, having last fought when he lost a split decision to Colin Lynes in 2004.Also on the card, in the co-main event, Anthony Martinez (5-0, 4 KOs) of Las Vegas faces Ronnie Peterson of St. Paul, Minn., in a four-round welterweight bout. Martinez is 2-0 since returning from a three-year hiatus from boxing.Irish prospect Jamie Kavanagh (2-0, 1 KO) faces Ricardo Malfavon (0-2) of Santa Ana, Calif., in a four-round welterweight bout. Kavanagh, who had an extensive amateur career, is trained by Freddie Roach in Hollywood.Salvador Rios (1-0, 1 KO) of Santa Ana fights Marcus Robinson of Lancaster, Calif., who is making his pro debut. And Ramon Valadez (1-1) of Los Angeles faces Carlos Hernandez (3-3-2) of San Fernando, Calif., in a four-round lightweight bout.The card also includes three amateur bouts.Tickets, ranging from $19.75 to $250 (on stage), are available by calling TicketMaster at 1-800-745-3000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-745-3000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-745-3000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-745-3000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Staples Center box office.
Ortiz puts Harris down four times, stops him in three
Victor Ortiz took the first round to feel out opponent Vivian Harris and then unloaded.Ortiz (28-2-1, 22 KOs) put Harris (29-5-1, 19 KOs) down three times in the second round to set up the knockout in the third on the Shane Mosley-Sergio Mora card Saturday at Staples Center.The Ventura, Calif. resident landed a right-hook and then a quick right uppercut to end it 45 seconds into the round. Referee Raul Caiz waved off the fight the moment Harris hit the canvas.Harris, from Brooklyn, N.Y., was coming off a knockout loss to Lucas Matthysse in February.
NFL’s Zbikowski scores a first-round TKO with a body shot
Las Vegas _ Tom Zbikowski is accustomed to crushing ribs when he's on the football field. He used the same principle tonight in the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Zbikowski, a safety for the Baltimore Ravens, drilled Richard Bryant with a left hook to the ribs. The flabby Bryant stood for a second and then crumbled to the floor. He rose to his feet at the count of seven, but referee Russell Mora didn't he feel he was able to go on. Zbikowski picked up his second professional win at 1:45 of the first round.
Zbikowski, a former All-American at Notre Dame, last fought in 2006. With the NFL lockout looming, Zbikowski decided it was time to step back in to the ring. He fought 100 times as an amateur and said before the fight, he's always wanted to get back in the ring.
As an opponent, Bryant was about what you'd expect a guy with one pro fight to face. Give Bryant some credit, he stood toe-to-toe with the NFL player and blasted him with a few thumping rights. Zbikowski, giving away 32 pounds, walked right through the shots. If Zbikowski chooses to makes a run at a legitimate boxing career he'll have to go to battle at cruiserweight, one of boxing's least glamorous divisions. He plays football around 215 pounds. He weighed in yesterday at 193.
Kirkland released from prison
James Kirkland was released from prison in Three Rivers, Texas, today and plans to resume training as soon as possible, said his attorney, Michael Miller.Kirkland, behind bars since he was arrested for possession of a gun by a felon in April of last year, went to a half-way house in his hometown of Austin, Texas. He must stay there for a week, after which he can leave during the day to begin training for his comeback fight."I can't wait to get back in the ring and pick up where I left off," Kirkland said in a statement released Friday. "I apologize to all my friends, family, team members and fans for everything that happened, but I promise that I will make everybody proud in the coming months and years."The former junior middleweight contender, who has not fought since March of last year, is expected to get back into the ring in early December. One possibility is the Dec. 11 card featuring Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana in Las Vegas.Kirkland's handlers had hoped he would fight next month but his release was delayed a few weeks. That and the fact he can't leave the half-way house for a week to train properly precluded an earlier fight.Miller said Kirkland (25-0, 22 knockouts) weighs only 172 pounds after taking part in exercise programs in prison."He took part in an abs class," Miller said. "And he took part in a run-walk class. He probably put in 40 miles a week doing that. He usually starts training camp at about 180 pounds so he's in pretty good shape."Miller also is optimistic that Kirkland's legal problems are behind him."He's saying all the right things," Miller said. "He said, 'I get it now. I understand. I was a dumb ass in the past. I'm not going to do it anymore. I have children who look up to me. I have fans I let down.' I've been preaching to him that it's actions and not words that are important, though."He's looking forward to proving his naysayers wrong."Kirkland is a convicted felon (for armed robbery in 2003), which makes it illegal for him to possess a gun.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
In Returning Against Victor Ortiz, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Trumps Manny Pacquiao For Once
(Floyd Mayweather, getting booed while attending Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto)
Big news today. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will be back Sept. 17, although it won?t be against Manny Pacquiao, which makes it inherently disappointing; it means the Super Bowl of boxing still isn?t happening. But the sport?s reigning pay-per-view king, unlikable though he is in comparison to his good-guy rival, is at least taking on the best welterweight outside of Pacquiao ? Victor Ortiz -- and for that reason there?s some amount of sizzle to the match-up.
Listen, Mayweather is a lot of bad things. He?s a woman-beater. He?s a racist homophobe. He?s an alleged assaulter of security guards. He?s a semi-retired fighter who rarely faces the best available competition.
And Pacquiao is a lot of good things. He?s a great figurehead for the sport, a boxer-congressman who tries his best to deliver action and excitement inside the ring and comports himself with class and dignity outside it.
But I think that in the ongoing series of chess moves involving the sport?s two best boxers and two biggest stars, Mayweather wins this round by fighting Ortiz. Overall, Mayweather is significantly more to blame in my book for Pacquiao-Mayweather falling through a few times. But Mayweather-Ortiz trumps Pacquiao?s latest goings-on.
Who looks out of place? Arreola hits Home Depot Center
Chris Arreola's ample physique stood out during this photo opp with the fellas at the Red Bulls-Galaxy soccer game at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles.
Thierry Henry is a surprisingly big dude, but the rest of the crew is dwarfed by the American heavyweight boxer.
Give Arreola credit, as you can see below, he's a smart guy. There's nothing more slimming than hitting your local broadcast booth.
Dancing Ahmed reminds us of dancing Hamed
Let's play boxing world scramble. Usman Ahmed and Prince Naseem Hamed are pretty close, right? The fighters are similar in more ways than meets the eye.
This goofy video of Ahmed dancing his way to the ring felt like deja vu. Watch the flyweight boogie on down and then nearly have his taken off at the 1:03 mark by Ashley Sexton.
There's nothing fans love more than watching a showboat get crushed. Before his fight against Wayne McCullough in 1998, Hamed came to the ring to theme of "Thriller."
When Hamed took a big step up in competition, Marco Antonio Barrera taught him a lesson and even slammed his head into the corner (5:45 mark).
The worst part about Ahmed is that he's barely established himself in the game. He hasn't fought since December and sports a very pedestrian 6-4 record. Hamed went 36-1 and at different times held the 126 belt with three different sanctioning bodies.
There's Little Point To Heated Boxing Hall Of Fame Debates Over Mike Tyson Et Al
With Mike Tyson headlining the 2011 Boxing Hall of Fame class that was inducted this past weekend, it sparked some fairly chippy public skirmishes between boxing writers over whether Tyson should be in Canastota. On one side are those who argue Tyson was a major force in the heavyweight division, one of the most famous boxers and sporting figures of all time, etc., etc., and on the other side are those who argue Tyson lost every major fight of his career.
There's a certain kind of entertainment to be had in such skirmishes, of course; who doesn't enjoy a war of words between top-notch wordsmiths? But in reality, there's virtually no value in these particular battles over the Hall beyond those empty calories. The truth is, there are no standards for who deserves induction, and without them, any boxer can be voted in for any reason whatsoever. It's all up to the Thomas Hausers and Dan Rafaels and Rusty Rubins and Lint Baldwins of the world to just go, "Yeah." And from there, you can debate all you want whether "yeah" was the correct answer, but without any rules of engagement, it's almost entirely a meaningless free-for-all.
That's not to say that debates about fighters' legacies can't be legitimate. That Tyson is now in the Hall of Fame is as good a time as any to debate his legacy. I'll come down on the "pro-" side below, vis-a-vis Tyson, but also examine how boxing differs from other sports on Halls of Fame when it comes to its standards.
Dougie's MASSIVE Monday mailbag
<b>LONG MONTH AHEAD</b>What's up Doug?Man is October going to suck, but November through mid December is going to be awesome. Just a few thoughts... Smart move for Golden Boy Promotions signing Paul Malignaggi. He's a decent attraction in New York, and could probably attract some fans if they were to put together a card with him and someone like Danny Jacobs. Like everyone else, I eventually see him being used as a name for one of the young studs at GBP. But that was the idea for Juan Diaz and Malignaggi more/less ended Diaz's status at the elite level. Interesting fight with Canelo, but a fight with Ortiz would probably go exactly like Khan-Malignaggi. Stoked about Khan-Maidana and Williams-Martinez. See a UD or late round KO for Khan with him going down himself and a close UD for Punisher. I think Khan-Maidana could end up looking a lot like Khan-Kotelnik, but Kotelnik doesn't have the power Maidana does (and Khan is very chinny), and Williams I think will simply outwork Martinez in a fight very similar to the first one (although I'm pulling for Martinez). What are your thoughts on the possible inclusion of Glen Johnson in the Super 4, er, I mean 6? I think he would be a worthy addition and it would be nice to see someone who hasn't always gotten the benefit of the doubt, get an opportunity like this. After Green's showing (if you can call it that) against Ward, I don't know anyone in the top 20 at 168 that I could pick that he would clearly beat. I know Ward is a beast, but Green showed NOTHING, and I would pick The Road Warrior to pound out a UD. Lastly, and I know I'm in the extreme minority, but I'm excited about Pacquiao-Margarito. I'm actually given Margarito a solid chance, and I haven't even seen 24/7 yet! I'll be in Dallas for that one. My view is that, when Clottey did throw punches, you know the three he actually threw, he was effective. Margarito isn't going into a shell and he has proven he can break an elite boxer with faster hands and feet. Is Cotto equal to Pacquiao in that department? Of course not. And hey, if it goes how people think, it will be fun while it lasts. Have a good one. -- Brandon, Texas <b>You might be right about the Pacquiao-Margarito matchup. It all depends on how much Margarito has left. I thought he looked like a spent bullet in his camp for the Mosley fight and we know what happened when he stepped foot in the ring. He looked OK outworking Robert Garcia in May (considering the layoff and the solid opponent), but he didn't look like his old self. Maybe Margz needed the time away from boxing and the Garcia fight was merely a rust-shaking exercise. Maybe he's still got something. If he looks strong in this camp, who knows? Maybe he can do more than just go down swinging. We'll see. I don't have much of an opinion on Johnson's inclusion in the Super Six. His fight with Green doesn't really seem like it's part of the tournament to me. It's kind of like a consolation prize bout for two guys who weren't supposed to be in the Super Six to begin with. But hey, I'm happy that Gentleman Glen is getting another decent payday and an opportunity to extend his exemplary career.I'm just as stoked about Khan-Maidana and the Martinez-Williams rematch as you are. I also favor Khan over the Argentine slugger, but I think he has to box Maidana almost exactly the way he did against Andreas Kotelnik (safety first) to get the job done. At the moment, I'm feelin' Martinez in the rematch of the year but I reserve the right to change my opinion as the fight nears. (I plan to drop in the middleweight champ's training camp in Oxnard, Calif., along with Michael Rosenthal next week, and that visit will likely influence my pick one way or another.)Signing Malignaggi was a good move as far as jump starting GBP's move into the New York City market but I don't envision the slick-boxing motor-mouth to be a force in the 147-pound division, where he plans to campaign from now on. I think Malignaggi can make for some good local showdowns at the Barclays Center (especially if Jacobs, as you suggested, is in the co-featured bout) and he can definitely let his fellow New Yorkers know about Golden Boy's shows at the new Brooklyn arena. Malignaggi vs. Carlos Quintana, Delvin Rodriguez, Demetrius Hopkins, Francisco Figueroa, Shamone Alvarez and Dmitry Salita (don't laugh, Paulie and 'Star of David' can draw 15,000 if their bout is promoted right) are all East Coast welterweight bouts that probably should take place at Barclays.I don't mind the quiet of October before the storm that will be November. There's enough happening to keep us from falling completely asleep this month, especially on the weekend of Oct. 15-16 (thanks to Telefutura, Showtime, ESPN3.com and Integrated Sports PPV).</b><b>TOP 5 JAMES KIRKLAND FIGHTS</b>Now that James Kirkland is out of jail, who are your top 5 matchups for him? -- gopal rao <b>1. Alfredo Angulo (I don't care if 'Perro' is booted from the U.S., if the fight has to take place in Mexico, so be it -- it's a guaranteed fight of the year)2. Miguel Cotto (I'm fascinated by how Cotto's experience, poise and precision power punching may match up with Kirkland's speed and relentless pressure/offense)3. Antonio Margarito (win, lose or draw vs. Pacquiao, if the Punching Pariah proves to have his legs under him, decent reflexes and the ability to let his hands go in bunches I can't envision a showdown with Kirkland <I>not</I> delivering non-stop excitement) 4. Sergio Mora (yeah, yeah, I know that most of you can't stand the so-called "Latin Fake," but I like him and I believe he's a world-class talent, so since most of you disagree with that opinion, I can't think of a better fight for Mora to prove himself in -- Kirkland will either brutally maul Mora, which will make those smitten with Snake Hate happy, or he'll do what Mosley couldn't: force the East L.A. native to stand his ground and make for a compelling boxer-vs.-pressure fighter matchup)5. Cornelius Bundrage (Kirkland's never met a right hand that he didn't like, and K9 had a good right hand before he hooked up with Emanuel Steward; now that the Detroit native has a world title and a hall-of-fame trainer in his corner his confidence is sky high, which should help make for a fun fight with the Texas Terror)(Honorable mention: Paul Williams, Shane Mosley, Kermit Cintron, Sergei Dzinziruk and Anthony Mundine.)</b><b>SELL OUT</b>Dude, How much money are they paying you to write your two mailbags every week, update the irrevelant Ring ratings, spin any conversation in Golden Boys favor and make excuse after excuse for them. Just read what you wrote about Oscar's take over quotes in the Friday mailbag. You sold out, bro. You are the epitome of a sell out. We all have wives and kids. Quit using your "busy family life" as an excuse for ending what was once an ecellent work ethic and the abilty and effort to write intriguing, unbiased behind the scene articles. Do they literally ask you to defend them at all cost or is thay just your way of thanking them for your "Golden" paycheck? By the way, there is a fuss over the Golden Girls comments outside of life inside of the delusional editorial board room of Ring TV. The fact that you use the opportunity to defend GB fighter Mora's pathetic effort to answer a question about your newly signed prospect, Malignagi should be a wake up call to even you. At one time you were a boxing fan. How do you think boxing fans feel about Golden Boy's way of doing things?$55 for an informercial of GB talent. Each and evry fight slanted tremendously in their favor. Oh I forgot, you got to commentate for the over seas listener. CHA-CHING Each and every sentence you wrote defends GB Promotions at all costs. Wake Up. Your integrity is Long Gone. You sold your soul bro. I thought you were better than this. Below is your best line:"Honestly, I think all he wants to do is what all promoters should want to for their companies and that's to build towards the future and be as organized as they can be for the betterment of the sport." Please refrain from using the word "honestly" when describing your feelings and the line "for the betterment of the sport" when talking about Golden Boys actions, you snake oil salesman. Nothing you and Nigel and Schaffer are doing is for the betterment of the sport. You are destroying it. -- Chris <b>Honestly, Chris, I think you're an ignorant a__hole.Honestly, if you had half a brain and really read what I wrote you'd know that I wasn't "defending" anyone. But, honestly, instead of regurgitating the same dog doo-doo complaints and allegations you've read from some boxing writers -- all of whom have their biases and favorites in this business -- and from fellow dips__ts on message boards, why don't you explain to me in detail HOW Golden Boy Promotions is destroying boxing.If it's by having $55 "infomercials" for their talent, I don't think they are alone in the "destruction" of the sport. (I think there's another major promoter doing big business out there, a fat cat whose name is always absent when jerk-offs like you go on your weekly anti-GBP rants, and he happens to love in-house pay-per-view shows. However, I honestly believe that you and many others lack the balls to judge the major U.S. promoters without petty bias.)Break it down for me, Mr. Know-It-All, because I honestly want to hear the "truth" that you believe I'm afraid or unwilling to write now that I'm at RingTV.com and making that bigtime Golden Boy money.If I'm so disconnected from boxing fans these days why bother asking me: "How do you think boxing fans feel about Golden Boy's way of doing things?" You've anointed yourself as the Conscience of Boxing and the Voice of all Fans, so why don't <I>you</I> TELL me what exactly De La Vader and his Evil Empire are doing that is making so-called fans like yourself feel so uneasy or upset?Honestly, I don't believe that you <I>can</I> tell me anything. I don't think you have the knowledge to back your words up, "bro." I honestly view you as sorry-ass parrot who doesn't have original thoughts and can't see beyond the biases of some clueless hardcore fans and a few disgruntled, misguided boxing scribes. What's almost laughable is this question: "Do they literally ask you to defend them at all cost or is (that) just your way of thanking them for your 'Golden' paycheck?"The higher ups at Golden Boy Promotions rarely read RingTV.com, and that's not a diss on us or them; they're too occupied running a busy company and managing a very large stable of fighters to comb through every story on every boxing website on a daily basis. But the bottom line is that they don't give a rat's ass what I or Michael Rosenthal or Nigel Collins or William Dettloff or any other RING staffer writes online or in the magazine. The only boxing stories they read are the ones that certain boxing writers email to their smart phones. I know you refuse to believe what I'm telling you but that's the truth. GBP may own THE RING but we don't get any special attention or privileges. Honestly, we can barely get them on the phone. The boxing writers you probably idolize, guys like my old cohort Steve Kim (who I'm guessing is a hero of yours), get call backs from Schaefer a lot faster than I or Rosenthal or Dettloff do.Again, I know you think I'm flat-out lying to you, but I'm telling the truth.You know why I can state what you've just read? Because GBP doesn't monitor what I write or censor me. So I could write all kinds of nasty things about De La Vader & Company and not worry about any kind of "punishment" but, honestly (don't you just love it when I use that word?), I don't think GBP is hurting the sport. I think for the most part the company is good for boxing. And guess what? I honestly don't give a f___ what you think of my opinions. I don't care what GBP thinks of my opinions either. If I did -- if I were <I>really</I> someone who only wanted to parrot the company line the way you parrot the s__ you read online -- I wouldn't have defended Manny Pacquiao as a drug-free fighter who didn't need to adhere to Floyd Mayweather's random testing demands during the fight negotiations early this year. I wouldn't defend Antonio Margarito's innocence and his right to fight Manny Pacquiao as much as I have. If I was someone who really wanted to make my "bosses" happy, as you believe, I'd damn Margarito to hell and slam the s___ out of Bob Arum's Nov. 13 pay-per-view card. Honestly, I could go on and on. I could state that if I was really a GBP homer I wouldn't have "defended" Sergio Mora at all, I would have backed up Shane Mosley -- the Golden Boy PARTNER (hello?) who stands to make more money for the company in future fights. I could tell you that it's the producer working for the network that hires commentators for international broadcasts, not the promoter of the show. I could HONESTLY write another 10 paragraphs defending myself to you, but I won't waste any more mailbag space or the time of the real boxing fans (who out number jerks like you by about 100-1) because what I stated at the start of this reply is the ultimate truth: you're an a__hole. I KNOW that it doesn't matter what I write and it doesn't matter what GBP does. Your narrow mind is made up. You think GBP is destroying boxing and you believe that I am a sell out. Fine. Noted. And now you know how I honestly feel about you.</b><b>THOUGHTS & MORE TOP FIVES</b>Hey Dougie,Been a bit since I've written in, but I have been dutifully reading your work in the mean time. I happened to watch the international broadcast of the Alvarez-Baldomir PPV and though I didn't agree with your score in the main event I definitely enjoyed your commentary. I hope they move you up in the commentary world, you deserve the chance to be on regularly.Moving on! I just re-watched Mares-Perez and Perez-Agbeko in the past few days, both awesome fights. I'm officially extremely excited for the bantam tournament. Although it won't totally determine the top dawg, it's a fun way to add some high stakes to some already action packed fights. So, with do respect to Mosley and Mayweather, Who R U Picking?Meanwhile in Top 5 land, I've got a few to pick your brain with:Top 5 sentimental favorite fighters (either in your career or life, whichever)Top 5 favorite fights to watch, i.e. the ones you can watch over and over again and still get excited forTop 5 beers, if you're a beer drinker.Top 5 might not be applicable, but your top favorite divisions to watch (I personally like welterweight, although the banties can be a lot of fun too) As always, keep up the good job! -- Robb<b>Thanks for the kind words, Robb.Agbeko-Perez and Perez-Mares were indeed excellent 12-round bantamweight battles. I have no doubt that Darchinyan-Mares and Perez-Agbeko II will deliver just as much action (if not more).Right now I favor Mares by decision and Perez by a razor-thin (perhaps controversial) margin over Agbeko. I have a lot of respect for Perez, but I wonder if the hard 36 rounds the Colombian fought back-to-back-to-back vs. Silence Mabuza, Agbeko and Mares will take their toll in his next bout.Anyway, I thought Mares won the draw with Perez in May, so it's only fitting if they meet again in the finals of Showtime's tournament. Top five sentimental favorites: Terry Norris, James Toney, Lamon Brewster, Shane Mosley and Marco Antonio Barrera. Top five favorite fights I never tire of watching: Carbajal-Gonzalez I, Leonard-Hearns I, Hagler-Hearns, Hagler-Leonard, and Barkley-Duran.Top five favorite beers: Guinness, Newcastle, Modelo, Corona, and Tecate (not really one my favorite beers but they heavily sponsor my favorite sport).Top five favorite divisions to watch: welterweight, junior welterweight, lightweight, featherweight and bantamweight .</b> <b>TOP FIVE MEXICAN FIGHTERS</b>Doug my mom said shed love to host the Golden Boy vs the Korean Hammer at our next charity event! LOL. BTW even though I know you hate that stuff that was probably the best response I've heard. I feel the same way, bud.Hope you can make it October 15 in Indio for Solo Boxeo's main event: Eloy Perez 18-0-2 (5) takes on Dominic Salcido 18-2 (9).Oh, here's my top 5 question: Who's the top 5 best Mexican fighters? This may be the most discussed and most controversial question around boxing circles. Constant debate of Salvador Sanchez vs JC Chavez and countless others. My mentor the late great Don Familton didn't even have Chavez in his top 5, showing how deep the Mexican tradition runs! -- Sam<b>Hey Sam. I'll definitely be at Fantasy Springs in Indio, Calif. On Oct. 15. Perez is one of my "prospects to watch in 2010" and I think he's moving along very well. We'll see how he deals with an awkward athletic boxing style when he fights Salcido. I'm also looking forward to watching the other prospects on that card (mainly Frankie Gomez, Charles Huerta and Deontay Wilder). Tell your mom she'll have to find a bigger venue than usual to host De La Hoya-Kim. I think there would be a lot of interest in that one.OK, now on to the meat of your email. The five best Mexican fighters ever. Wow. That's a tough one. I understand why Coach Familton left Chavez out of his personal top five. He had seen some of the best World War II-era Mexican fighters ply their trade in the flesh -- men such as Baby Arizmendi, Kid Azteca and Enrique Bolanos -- and he believed the overall skill and the quality of their opposition was superior to Chavez's. One can certainly argue Familton's point. Arizmendi fought great fighters such as Henry Armstrong, Lou Ambers, Tony Canzoneri and Chalky Wright (and he owned wins over Armstrong and Wright) as well as other top fighters of his day, such as Mike Belloise. He makes my personal list, but so does Chavez. Going on accomplishments alone, I have to include JC Superstar. He won 107 pro fights, was unbeaten in his first 90, and engaged in 36 title bouts in four weight classes. But beyond numbers -- and more importantly -- Chavez fought the best of his era, and he didn't discriminate. He fought the best African-American (Whitaker, Mayweather, Taylor, Randall, Lockridge), Puerto Rican (Camacho, Rosario, LaPorte, Fuentes), Mexican (Ramirez, Gonzalez, Martinez), and Mexican-American (De La Hoya, Castillo, Lopez) fighters of his day. Hell, he even got in there with a few scrappy white guys (Haugen, Gamache). In all seriousness, Chavez wasn't perfect (in or out of the ring) and he didn't always win but from late 1984 through 1990, he was the baddest man on the planet (with due respect to Iron Mike). What an incredible run he had.Anyway, here's my all-time Mexican top five: Chavez, Arizmendi, Salvador Sanchez, Ruben Olivares, and Ricardo Lopez.Honorable mention: Vicente Saldivar, Carlos Zarate, Kid Azteca, Enrique Bolanos, and Miguel Canto.Top five Mexican fighters I've covered: Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Humberto Gonzalez and Jose Luis Castillo.</b>
Future Stars: Fighters to be Excited About
By: Albert Alvarez
I was recently asked on which fighters do I feel are a shot or two away from making some real noise. I must admit that it was a tough question for me to answer, I mean in all honesty there are a lot of fighters that are very close to breaking out. Some names that come to mind right away are Mickey Garcia, Kell Brook, Nathan Cleverly, Tavoris Cloud,
I was recently asked on which fighters do I feel are a shot or two away from making some real noise. I must admit that it was a tough question for me to answer, I mean in all honesty there are a lot of fighters that are very close to breaking out. Some names that come to mind right away are Mickey Garcia, Kell Brook, Nathan Cleverly, Tavoris Cloud,
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Ring Ratings Update
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fQYQSWgZhcU?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fQYQSWgZhcU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Two former RING-rated contenders -- Jorge Barrios and Guillermo Jones -- successfully returned to action following periods of inactivity over a relatively light weekend of boxing action.Barrios, a 34-year-old former junior lightweight belt holder, easily out-pointed Wilson Alcorro over 10 rounds in Corrientes, Argentina on Friday. Jones, a 38-year-old cruiserweight titleholder, scored an 11th-round TKO over Valery Brudov in Panama City, Panama on Saturday.Both Barrios, who hadn't fought since last November, and Jones, who had been inactive since his title-winning stoppage of Firat Arslan more than two years ago, looked impressive given their time away from the ring. However, the seasoned pros did not earn their way back into THE RING's rankings."A pair of veterans, cruiserweight Guillermo Jones and lightweight Jorge Barrios, returned to action following lengthy layoffs," said Nigel Collins, Editor-in-Chief of THE RING. "But it was decided not to rate them at this time because their victories did not come against opponents currently rated by THE RING. Should Jones and Barrios stay active and successful against future foes, they could earn their way back into the top 10."There wasn't much action that caused movement in the magazine's rankings but Ryol Li Lee's upset decision victory over top-rated 122-pound titleholder Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym resulted in a new No. 1 contender at junior featherweight.<b>RING RATINGS UPDATE:</b> <b>JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHTS:</b> Lee's defeat of Kratingdaenggym (No. 1 last week) causes a significant shake-up at 122-pounds. Lee debuts at No. 2, while Toshiaki Nishioka (No. 2 last week) takes over the No. 1 position. Kratingdaenggym slips to No. 3. The realignment bumps down everybody rated No. 3 or below last week one place each and forces out Akifumi Shimoda (No. 10 last week).<b>FLYWEIGHTS:</b> Luis Concepcion (No. 6 last week) jumps to No. 4 on the strength of his knockout of Denkaosan Kaovichit (No. 4 last week), while Kaovichit falls to No. 6.
Roach says Khan won’t be fighting ‘Pacman’ anytime soon
The British tabloids love a good dust up especially if it involves family members. So when Freddie Roach suggested that Amir Khan should move to welterweight down the road and mentioned Manny Pacquiao in the breath, some of the Brit papers went wild.
Amir Khan could be just one fight away from a showdown with his friend and hero Manny Pacquiao. [...] Roach wants Khan to step up if he beats [Timothy] Bradley and feels world pound-for-pound king Pac Man (right) would be a natural opponent in a blockbusting fight to end 2011.
The legendary trainer explained that his quote was taken out of context. Roach clarified his statement to The Telegraph's Gareth A. Davies
"I had said that I wanted Amir to clean out the light-welterweight division and then step up to face the best in the welterweight division, fighters like Manny Pacquiao," Roach said. "It was said in a tongue-in-cheek way, and that should have been obvious. I would never want them to fight each other. And I can never, ever see that fight happening."
Roach said there is another top dog at 147, he would like to see step in there with Khan.
"Amir looks up to Manny and respects him so much I could never see them fighting. But as I say, I have two boxers who I train who could beat Floyd Mayweather. One of them is Manny Pacquiao. The other is Amir Khan."
Khan is tentatively scheduled to face Bradley on July 23. Khan's promoter Golden Boy set today as the deadline to finalize the fight. Bradley is unhappy with his promoter Gary Shaw and the current $1.3 million offer on the table.
Book Reviews: The Autobiographies Of Barry McGuigan And Carl Froch
Boxing fans looking for a book to accompany them onto the beach this summer are in luck, with Ebury Publishing having released a pair of autobiographies ahead of the sunburn season, to help tide interested parties through the interminable tedium of the airport lounge.
Sergio Martinez signs new deal with DiBella
On Tuesday afternoon in New York City, WBC Middleweight Diamond Champion and universally recognized top-3 pound for pound fighter, Sergio ?Maravilla? Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KOs) signed a new multiyear, multimillion dollar deal that will keep his promotional interest with DiBella Entertainment (?DBE?) for the foreseeable future.
Evil Pound-For-Pound Top 20
Late at night, Evil Tim he comes to me, he says, "Let me write about your pound-for-pound list." So I let Evil Tim write a guest column.
Every boxer in the world today is atrocious. These so-called top 20 "pound-for-pound" boxers are so bad that I would trade a pound of lint for every pound of boxer on this list, use the lint to build same-sized lint golems, and then my lint golems would defeat the originals. Let me enlighten you.
Alvarez takes another step toward stardom
LOS ANGELES -- Victor Ortiz scored an impressive knockout of Vivian Harris, putting the veteran down four times in less than three rounds, on Saturday at Staples Center. Daniel Ponce de Leon looked positively scary in his KO of Antonio Escalante. And Shane Mosley's listless performance in his draw with Sergio Mora was further evidence that he is in decline.Saul "Canelo" Alvarez was the talk of this card, though.Alvarez (34-0-1, 26 knockouts) was nothing short of sensational, becoming the first to knock out Carlos Baldomir since very early in the Argentine's career as 13,591 mostly Mexican and Mexican-American fans roared their approval.And it wasn't just the result, which wasn't terribly surprising given Baldomir's age (39) and the fact he has lost whatever hand speed he once had. It was <i>how</i> Alvarez did it.The 20-year-old from Guadalajara demonstrated maturity beyond his years, patiently outboxing a clever, awkward opponent with far more experience than he has. He displayed a world-class jab to set up powerful, well-timed rights.Baldomir (45-13-6, 14 KOs), reputed to have one of the best chins in boxing, took many of Alvarez's best shots early in the fight but gradually broke down as his baby-faced foe landed more and more telling blows.Then Alvarez gave the crowd exactly what it wanted - a thrilling finish in the third round. He landed one hellacious shot ... then another ... then another and Baldomir started to wilt. Finally, a straight left put the Argentine on his face and ended the fight two seconds before the end of the round as the crowd erupted."I'm very happy, I'm full of emotions to be the first to knock out Baldomir in a big fight," he said through a translator.Again, we shouldn't read too much into a victory over a faded opponent who was never particularly good to begin with. Baldomir was a good test, though, a tough, veteran fighter who was desperately trying to hang on as a contender. And he aced the test.It's becoming more and more obvious that he'll be the next Mexican star, among fans both south of the border and in the United States. He's good looking, he's well-spoken, he's humble, he mixes well with the masses ... and it is becoming more and more clear that he's very talented.Of course, he must continue to win. And one person with considerable knowledge of boxing is fairly certain he will."He hits really hard," Baldomir said through a translator. "I was surprised by his power. No one has hit me like he did. He's definitely going to be a real champion. He's the real deal."<a href="mailto:ringtveditor@yahoo.com">Michael Rosenthal can be reached at RingTVeditor@yahoo.com</a>
Esquivias Injured, Reynoso vs. Almarez Now Locked n Loaded Main Event
With Efrain Esquivias sidelined due to a cut suffered while training, Thompson Boxing Promotions' "Locked N' Loaded" event on Friday, June 24th will now see Jose "El Nino" Reynoso's junior welterweight showdown with Esteban Almaraz move into the main event slot at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario.
In the co-main event, scheduled for eight rounds in the featherweight division, Colombia's Daulis Prescott (22-0, 17 KOs), the younger brother of Breidis Prescott, the only fighter with a win over current WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan, will make ...
In the co-main event, scheduled for eight rounds in the featherweight division, Colombia's Daulis Prescott (22-0, 17 KOs), the younger brother of Breidis Prescott, the only fighter with a win over current WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan, will make ...
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Ying Yang Kickboxing in Belgium
In May members of the Ying Yang Kickboxing club went to Belgium to take part in a four day training seminar in Thai Boxing. This was done to further their knowledge in this discipline and to train for upcoming K1 competitions.
Jose Benavidez Jr. shines, home sweet home
By: Albert Alvarez
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Last night, Showdown/Top Rank Promotions put forth a great show. Thenight started off with middleweight, Justin Williams 3-3-1� stopping Jovan Munoz� 12-2 in 3 entertaining rounds. Then super bantamweights, Alexis ”Beaver” Santiago 8-0-1 and Carlos Luque 2-7-0 fought in a brawl with ”Beaver” recieving the nod in a war that lasted from start [...]
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Last night, Showdown/Top Rank Promotions put forth a great show. Thenight started off with middleweight, Justin Williams 3-3-1� stopping Jovan Munoz� 12-2 in 3 entertaining rounds. Then super bantamweights, Alexis ”Beaver” Santiago 8-0-1 and Carlos Luque 2-7-0 fought in a brawl with ”Beaver” recieving the nod in a war that lasted from start [...]
Amir Khan confirms Las Vegas unification bout with Zab Judah
? Khan preparing to defend WBA light-welterweight title
? Fight to be staged at Mandalay Bay Center on 23 July
Amir Khan has confirmed his next defence of his WBA light-welterweight title will be a unification bout with Zab Judah on 23 July at Las Vegas's Mandalay Bay Center.
Khan had already suggested Judah would be his next opponent, but has now confirmed the fight at a televised press conference.
Khan said: "I'm excited to have the opportunity to unify the 140-pound division which always has been a dream of mine. Fighting Zab was the toughest option my team presented to me, but a true champion is up for any challenge.
"I was already in training because it doesn't matter who I fight; I will train hard no matter who it is because I want to be the best."
Judah said: "I got what I wanted, so I am happy. Now it's time to go work. I've been praying on this fight.
"My goal is to be undisputed champion at two weights. I did it at 147 and I'm gonna do it at 140 starting with Amir Khan. I'm gonna work hard. I'm very experienced, so whichever way he brings the fight, I can deal with it and take it from him."
The 24-year-old Khan beat Paul McCloskey in April and had been linked with fights against either Timothy Bradley or Erik Morales.
Judah, 33, beat Junior Witter in 2000 and was involved in a stormy bout with Kostya Tszyu, which ended up with him throwing a stool. He has also lost to Carlos Baldomir, Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto.
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Avoiding the munchies, slimmer Arreola looks to get career back on track
Chris Arreola simply hasn't treated his boxing career as a profession in recent years. The heavy-handed heavyweight has failed to monitor his diet and too often entered big fights carrying way too much extra weight.
The 30-year-old's career is far from over, but his spot as a solid draw is in jeopardy with a loss this weekend against Nagy Aguilera Arreola faces Aguilera on the undercard of the Andre Ward-Arthur Abraham fight this weekend at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Ca.
As an athlete, Arreola (30-2, 26 KOs) is far from a regular guy , but he does carry the fast food gene most of us average Joes battle on a daily basis.
"I'm not eating out as much as I used to. I make my own meals at home. At the most, I eat out once a week where I used to eat out every day. Eating out is horrible," Arreola told FightNews.com. "I would watch food commercials on T.V. and I would go and eat. I would even eat at midnight, one, or two in the morning. It makes a huge difference."
In era of increased knowledge about nutrition and training, that's ridiculous to hear from a former world title contender. Arreola says he's learned his lesson and this week, appears to be trimmer.
The Mexican-American, born just minutes away from the Home Depot Center in East L.A. and currently residing in Riverside, says he'll weigh between 234 and 239. That's down from 249 in his last fight and a high of 263 in Dec. of 2009 against Brian Minto.
A word of caution, we've heard this before about Arreola showing a new dedication to his conditioning. The true story will be told on the scale today and then in the ring tomorrow when his gas tank is tested.
Angelo Dundee: The best I've trained
<font size="1" color="#000000">Angelo Dundee says Sugar Ray Leonard was one of the best boxers he ever trained. Photo / Jeff Julian-FightWireImages</font>Angelo Dundee is etched into the collective memory of every fight fan who came of age in the 1960s, '70s and '80s. The stories, images and sound bites are indelible.The urban myth of Dundee tearing one of Cassius Clay's gloves between rounds to buy his fighter precious recovery minutes after the brash young heavyweight contender was decked by Britain's Henry Cooper in their 1963 fight.Calming Clay down and keeping him in the fight against heavily favored Sonny Liston when the bold but emotional young fighter believed the mob-controlled heavyweight champ had purposely rubbed some kind of an astringent into his eyes during their 1964 title bout.The soon-to-be Muhammad Ali wildly celebrating with Dundee in the center of the Miami Beach ring after stopping Liston to claim the biggest prize in sports. Yelling "Careful! Careful!" at the top of his lungs whenever Ali leaned against the dangerously loose ropes of an outdoor ring in Zaire to avoid the murderous head-seeking haymakers of George Foreman just a few rounds before his veteran fighter beat the odds once again to regain the heavyweight championship of world in 1974. Telling Sugar Ray Leonard "You're blowin' it son, you're blowin' it" when the welterweight king was trailing on points late in his 1981 showdown with fellow champ Thomas Hearns, who was stopped in the 14th round of the instant classic. Screaming "Stick and jab! Stick and jab!" throughout Leonard's improbable comeback victory over Marvelous Marvin Hagler in 1987.The trials and tribulations that Dundee went through with his two most famous fighters hold a special place with most boxing fans. However, the 89-year-old trainer, who recently reopened the famed 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach, regards the other talented fighters he's trained during a hall-of-fame career that has spanned six decades as highly as he does Ali and Leonard. Dundee has worked with the best of the best during his extraordinary life. He and his brother Jim worked as seconds for Joe Louis and Marcel Cerdan's USO boxing exhibitions during World War II. Dundee hooked up with his older brother Chris, a New York city-based fight manager, when he left the military in 1944. Chris introduced his eager younger brother to Stillman's Gym where Dundee watched and learned from the most respected trainers of the day, Chickie Ferrera, Ray Arcel, Charley Goldman and Freddie Brown, among others. When Chris relocated to Miami Beach to promote fights in the late 1940s, Dundee followed and soon found himself running one of the sport's most storied gyms, the 5th Street, where he would soon train wonderfully talented Cuban boxer names Luis Rodriguez and a teenage prodigy from New Orleans named Willie Pastrano among many other future contenders and champions. When RingTV.com recently interviewed Dundee for <I>The best I've trained</I>, a periodic feature asking the sport's greatest trainers to rate their fighters in 10 categories, the legendary cornerman brought up Rodriguez, who held the welterweight title and was inducted into the hall of fame in 1997, and Willie Pastrano, who won the light heavyweight title in 1963, as much as he did Ali and Leonard.Dundee worked Foreman's corner during some of the former heavyweight champ's comeback fights, including his title bouts against Evander Holyfield and Michael Moorer, and he served as a cutman for Hall of Famer Carmen Basilio but he only included fighters for whom he served as the head trainer in this feature. <b>Best Overall Fighter: Muhammad Ali</b> -- Muhammad had it all: natural talent, unbelievable speed and reflexes for a big man, skills, smarts, courage, you name it, he had it. But it was the uniqueness of his style and his personality that made him special. He was the first big man that moved. He was the first super star that talked. There's only one Ali. He changed the concept of boxing. <b>Best Boxer: (three-way tie) Sugar Ray Leonard, Willie Pastrano and Luis Rodriguez</b> -- It's hard for me to pick one out of those three. I trained so many good boxers. I love boxers because they hang around the sport longer than brawlers. Ray was as complete a boxer as I ever saw. Willie was special because he didn't have the power that my other boxers had. He was a pure boxer. He relied on footwork, timing and guts. He out-boxed a great fighter when he beat Harold Johnson to win the light heavyweight title. Nobody thought he could do it. Pastrano out-boxed heavyweights who outweighed him by 20 pounds, and he had no punch! Rodriguez, in my opinion, is one of the most-underrated boxers ever. He doesn't get enough credit for how good he was and for who he beat. He had the misfortune of being a welterweight at the same time Emile Griffith was in that weight class. They fought four times and Luis lost three of them, all by split decision, but I thought my guy won every one of those losses. The sad thing is that the one time he beat Griffith, which was for the title, he didn't really get any attention. Featherweight champ Davey Moore, who was knocked out by Sugar Ramos on that card in Los Angeles, fell into a coma and later died. That sad news overshadowed what should have been Luis' shining moment. He was a magnificent fighter. He fought the toughest middleweights out there at the time and outclassed most of them. He played with (Rubin) "Hurricane" Carter. It broke my heart that Luis never got his due.<b>Best puncher: Florentino Fernandez</b> -- I love boxers but I've trained some bangers in my time. (Former heavyweight titleholder) Pinklon Thomas could whack, but nobody could punch like Fernandez. He was the best puncher out of Cuba. He was a converted southpaw so his left hook was murder. He broke Gene Fullmer's forearm with a left hook during their middleweight title fight. He could hurt anyone with any kind of punch no matter where it landed. <b>Quickest hands: Rodriguez</b> -- This surprises people. Everyone thinks it's either Ray or Muhammad, and those two were fast. Don't get me wrong. Speed was their bread and butter. Ray had the fastest combinations of all my fighters. Muhammad had a fast one-two. But the quickest hands belonged to Luis. He could hit you over and over again with a jab that you didn't expect to get hit with. He was fast but also nimble and graceful. And it was effortless. Sometimes that speed made things too easy for him and he would get cocky with bigger guys. He did that with Nino Benvenuti, who he fought in Italy for the middleweight title. He won 10 straight rounds, just by sticking and moving, and then he comes back to the corner after the 10th round and tells me "I'm going to knock this guy out." I tell him "No, take it easy, keep doing what you're doing." But he goes out and gets hit with a perfect left hook that drops him like a sack of bricks. The referee stands over him and starts counting to 10 as fast as he can. I yelled at him: "What's the rush!? You could count to 100 and it wouldn't make a difference. My guy's out." Poor Luis. <b>Quickest feet: (tie) Leonard and Pastrano.</b> -- Ray's feet were quick in a way that he could shift position or change angles when on the inside in the blink of an eye. Most of his opponents couldn't handle the way he moved those feet of his. Pastrano's feet were fast in a different way. He was usually able to get in and out of range without getting hit but he also made his opponents move out of position by the way he moved his feet. He could feint you out of your jockstrap with his footwork! I'd have to say Willie had the most educated footwork of the fighters I've trained. He used to bounce on his toes so much I called him the pogo stick, but he didn't have herky-jerky movement. His rhythm was good. <b>Best defense: (four-way tie) Rodriguez, Pastrano, Ali and Leonard</b> -- This is a tough one. All of my guys learned defense and they all had their own ways to go about protecting themselves in the ring. Rodriguez kept his hands up and he had this constant bouncy head movement that made guys miss just by an inch or two. He didn't have to duck or move around much to make a guy miss. He also blocked punches well with his gloves. Pastrano avoided trouble with his footwork and by constantly shifting his shoulders. His upper body was always moving to one angle or the other. In their prime, Ali and Leonard had the kind of reflexes that made them untouchable. Ray could get out of the way of another guy's punch before he let it go. Ali would lean away from punches, usually with his hands down by his waist. But when he was young, he was hardly touched.<b>Best chin: Ali</b> -- Muhammad took a great shot. Look at all the punchers he was in with, especially when he was older -- (Joe) Frazier, Foreman, (Ernie) Shavers. I wasn't proud of the fact that he could take a big punch because he used to be able to avoid those shots. Believe me, I liked it better when we didn't know if he could take a punch. Of course, I had a feeling he would be the tough son of a gun he turned out to be. Part of his ability to take a shot was his heart. I knew he had that when he got caught against Sonny Banks early in his career. Sonny hit him with a left hook in the first round that was so hard and on the money that Muhammad was out cold on his way down. He woke up when he hit the canvas and got up to drop Sonny in the next round and then stop him a few rounds later. That's when I knew I had a great fighter. <b>Best jab: (three-way tie) Rodriguez, Ali, Leonard</b> -- This is another tough one. I was lucky to train so many good boxers who could jab. I taught the jab as boxing's most important punch but these three already had good jabs before they came to train with me. When I think about it, all of my guys had good jabs. It was Pastrano's main punch. Pinklon Thomas had a good left stick. He gave Mike Tyson trouble with his jab when Tyson was at his best. But the best jabs of the guys I trained belonged to Luis, Ray and Muhammad. Ray had a great jab. Muhammad's was a thing of beauty. Luis' jab was smooth but tricky. These guys could dominate fights with their jabs.<b>Strongest: Ali</b> -- Look what Muhammad did to Liston when he was still growing! He manhandled guys who were known for their strength. Muhammad was a lot stronger than people thought. That's how he was able to slow Frazier down, by tying him up inside. It's how he wore Foreman down in Zaire. By the time his body fully matured in the late 1960s, there weren't a lot of guys who could outmuscle Ali. <b>Smartest: no pick</b> -- They all had their smarts, every fighter I ever trained. People think I'm joking around when I say this but I'm serious. Fighters are much smarter than people realize. I know this because as their trainer it was my job to get to know them, and I did. I got to know every one of my fighters like I was their best friend or their brother. That to me is the essence of training. You learn your kid's thinking and you figure out how to bring out his talent and his confidence when it's time to fight. You have to recognize the smarts in your fighter if you want to get the best out of him. I tried to do that with my fighters and I think I usually did a pretty good job. I had great times with all my fighters. They were all very special people.
Manny Pacquiao Anthem, ?Pacman? By South Psycho Cide
Manny Pacquiao Anthem titled “Pacman” by South Psycho Cide. 5 Time Best Hip Hop SD Music Awards Nominee & Mexican/Filipino group south pscho cide redords. ...
Chavez-Gomez PPV card may lead to anticipated fights in 2011
<font size="1" color="#000000">Top Rank's stacked Dec. 4 pay-per-view card from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., features (from left to right) Humberto Soto, Nonito Donaire, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Alfonso Gomez, Urbano Antillon, and Brandon Rios. Chavez, Donaire and Rios have major bouts to look forward to in 2011 if they win on Dec. 4. Photo / Chris Farina-Top Rank</font>Fans will enjoy the four fights Top Rank has put together for its Dec. 4 show, but the anticipated showdowns to which the bouts might lead next year are really worth getting excited about.Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. takes on Alfonso Gomez in the main event of Bob Arum's independent pay-per-view event at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The 12-round middleweight bout is supported by Nonito Donaire's bantamweight debut against former titleholder Wladimir Sidorenko and an can't-miss lightweight slugfest between beltholder Humberto Soto and top contender Urbano Antillon.If Chavez (41-01, 30 knockouts) prevails against Gomez, his next fight will be against junior middleweight beltholder Miguel Cotto, according to Chavez's co-promoter Fernando Beltran. Many fans thought the fight, which would stoke boxing's storied Mexico-vs.-Puerto Rico rivalry, would happen on Dec. 4. But Cotto, who won a 154-pound title in May, wanted to take the rest of the year off. Whenever and wherever the fight eventually takes place it is all but guaranteed to pack the venue, even it winds up in a stadium.If Donaire (24-1, 16 KOs) beats Sidorenko (AKA Volodymyr Sydorenko), Arum says fans can expect the former flyweight titleholder to finally face Mexican rival Fernando Montiel in a fascinating 118-pound clash with pound-for-pound implications sometime in the first half of 2011.And if those two bouts aren't enough to look forward to, Arum says the winner of the Soto-Antillon fight will face Brandon Rios next March, provided the budding attraction beats tough Noe Bolanos in the opening bout of the Dec. 4 card.Arum described Rios as a "new sensation" at the kick-off press conference for the Chavez-Gomez card on Monday in L.A. That description is a bit premature for Rios, who is coming off an impressive victory over heavily favored Anthony Peterson. But it might fit if the 24-year-old slugger were to win a world title, especially if he does so in thrilling fashion.And Rios (25-0-1, 17 KOs) would likely create a fight-of-the-year candidate against either Soto (53-7-2, 32 KOs), a seasoned boxer-puncher, or Antillon, (28-1, 20 KOs), a heavy handed pressure fighter.Hardcore fans aren't the only people who realize this, according to Arum."Both HBO and Showtime want to do the fight in March," Arum said. "That's why we wanted to keep (Rios) active."Rios, who is expecting the birth of his daughter on Dec. 4, said news of his impending title shot is "another blessing" but the Oxnard, Calif., resident shouldn't lose focus of his next opponent.Bolanos (21-5-1, 13 KOs) is a journeyman, but the 23-year-old Mexico native is young, durable and confident despite going 2-5-1 (with one no contest) in his last nine bouts. Perhaps that's because Bolanos, who began his career with 18 straight victories, has only lost to undefeated prospects and fringe contenders. And the aggressive fighter was competitive in some of those losses.At the very least Bolanos, who has never been stopped, should take Rios rounds and put up a decent fight.Donaire will probably get more than a decent fight from his Dec. 4 opponent. Although the San Francisco-based Filipino boxer-puncher is considered one of the sport's brightest talents, he should receive a test from Sidorenko (22-2-2, 7 KOs), a former amateur star from Ukraine who won a bronze medal in the 2000 Olympic Games.The 34-year-old veteran held a bantamweight title for three years (2005-08) and defended it six times against top-notch opposition. Among Sidorenko's victories are decisions over former 122-pound titleholder Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym and former 118-pound titleholder Joseph Agbeko. Both Kratingdaenggym and Agbeko were undefeated when they faced the well-schooled technician, who is now trained by Freddie Roach."Nonito wanted to test the waters at bantamweight before the big fight with Montiel was made but the guy he picked is no piece of cake," Arum said.Donaire is giddy at the prospect of fighting Montiel in a high-profile bout that Arum says would be televised on HBO, but he also understands that Sidorenko is not to be underestimated."I'm fighting a guy who is an Olympic medalist and a former champ," Donaire said at Monday's press conference at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown L.A. "He's a very good fighter. You can't say that he's not on my level."More than a few boxing insiders are saying that Gomez (22-4-2, 11 KOs) is not on Chavez's level. This is due in part because the son of the Mexican legend was so impressive in his last bout -- a one-sided drubbing of fringe middleweight contender John Duddy -- but mainly because Chavez appears too big for the graduate of the first season of <I>The Contender</I> reality TV series.Chavez-Gomez basically matches a 6-foot middleweight against a stocky welterweight at a 157-pound catch weight. However, Gomez has overcome size disparities in previous bouts. The 29-year-old Southern Californian defeated Peter Manfredo Jr. (then 21-0) and Jesse Brinkley (then 25-2) in five-round middleweight bouts that were part of <I>The Contender</I> series. Gomez, who has won four in a row since being outclassed by Miguel Cotto in 2008, exhibited underrated boxing skills in victories over fringe contender Jesus Soto-Karass and shopworn former lightweight champ Jose Luis Castillo.Chavez, who seemed amused when Gomez surprised the media by reciting a Spanish-language rap during his time behind the podium at the press conference, says he's expecting a tough fight from his countryman."The styles we bring to the ring are going to make the fans the real winners on the night of the fight," he said, "and I promise you that I'm going to look better than I did against Duddy."<b>WEIGHTY ISSUES</b>Chavez looked like he weighed a solid 175 pounds at the press conference, but Beltran isn't concerned.The Mexican promoter, who handles most of Chavez's business affairs, says that he's putting the ever-growing 24 year old on a plane to the Philippines this week where the fighter will be reunited with trainer Freddie Roach, who is currently in Baguio City preparing Manny Pacquiao for the Filipino icon's Nov. 13 showdown with Antonio Margarito. Beltran says a month in the Philippines and a month in Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif., will ensure that Chavez makes the 157-pound limit for his bout with Gomez."If he can make 157 pounds without trouble, I think he'll be able to make 154 pounds for a Cotto fight," said Beltran, who believes Chavez-Cotto could happen as early as March of 2011. Beltran admits that middleweight is probably the natural weight class for Chavez but he prefers the star of his stable to fight at junior middleweight because of the opportunities the 154-pound division presents."Junior is probably the perfect sparring partner for Pacquiao to prepare for Margarito, but I don't want him to spar with Manny," he said. "You never know, maybe one day they will fight each other."Much was made of the weight Rios weighed the night he fought Peterson. The Kansas native weighed in at 135 pounds but put on 16 pounds overnight to enter the ring at 151, making him significantly heavier than Peterson, who only put on four pounds after the weigh-in. Rios is unapologetic about his weight fluctuation. "Get used it," he says to those who cried foul after the Peterson fight. "I'm a big lightweight, and 151 is my walk-around weight. If I broke the rules, I'm not the only one who does."Indeed. Many young fighters campaign in divisions that are far lighter than their natural weights. Donaire, who held a 112-pound title, says he often weighed as much as 140 pounds between fights. "I'm around 130, 133 pounds right now," Donaire said at Monday's press conference.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Perez-Salcido tops prospect stacked undercard
Surging unbeaten prospect Eloy Perez will face former prospect Dominic Salcido in the main event of a Telefutura-televised show on Oct. 15 at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, Calif.The 10-round showdown between the talented California junior lightweights will top a <i>Solo Boxeo</i> broadcast stacked with young prospects in various weight classes.Featherweight prospect Charles Huerta of Paramount, Calif., amateur star Randy Caballero, a bantamweight from Coachella, Calif., and undefeated heavyweight hopefuls Seth Mitchell of Brandywine, Md., and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deontay Wilder of Tuscaloosa, Ala., will be featured in separate bouts.Perez (18-0-2, 5 knockouts), of Salinas, Calif., has had a busy 2010. The 23-year-old Washington native began the year by out-boxing and out-slugging once-beaten prospect David Rodela in an exciting 10-round bout in January before outclassing more-experienced Mexican veteran Gilberto Sanchez Leon on the Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley underacrd in May. Perez became the first fighter to knockout Derrick Campos when he stopped the tough journeyman in the fifth round of his last bout, which was also on <i>Solo Boxeo</i>, last month. Salcido (18-2, 9 KOs), of Rialto, Calif., was lauded as one of Southern California's most-talented prospects before he faced Vicente Escobedo two years ago and was stopped in the sixth round of a competitive bout. Salcido has gone 2-1 in his three bouts since the loss to Escobedo, getting stopped by Colombian journeyman Llido Julio but out-pointing unbeaten prospect Guillermo Sanchez in his last bout.A victory over the streaking Perez would put Salcido's career back on track. Another win for Perez would move the crafty boxer a step closer to contender status.
WBA Light Middle Champ Austin Trout Defends Tonight In Mexico
Austin Trout makes his maiden voyage tonight at Auditorio Miguel Barragan in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, putting the WBA 154 pound belt on the line against David Lopez in an-all southpaw battle.
Trout gets the unusual experience of a reigning champion heading into an arena full the challenger's faithful fans but the American came through a [...]
Trout gets the unusual experience of a reigning champion heading into an arena full the challenger's faithful fans but the American came through a [...]
Dawson beats up Diaconu to earn shot at BHop or Pascal
Chad Dawson's changed a lot in his life, but he never lost the basic boxing skills that put him on the boxing pound-for-pound list for much of 2008, 2009 and 2010. The young light heavyweight, a bit forgotten by some boxing fans, cruised to a win over Adrian Diaconu via unanimous decision 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112, tonight at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
The victory for Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs) should get him a shot at his old WBC 175-pound title. Bernard Hopkins challenges the champ Jean Pascal in tonight's main event in Canada. In the prefight, Hopkins said that if won the title, Dawson would be next. The same goes for Pascal.
Under the tutelage of new trainer Emmanuel Stewart, Dawson threw his punches with more conviction, but still seemed to be unwilling to really pour it on against Diaconu, who was a bit outclassed.
Dawson, 28, outlanded Diaconu 240 to 105. He pummeled the Romanian with 157 power shots, landing at a 59 percent clip. By the end of the fight, Diaconu (27-3, 15 KOs) had significant bruising around his left with a cut below the eye on the cheek. He had redness around his right eye as well.
Dawson lost the title last summer against Pascal. The Haitian living in Canada was ahead on the scorecards in the 11th when a headbutt busted open a huge cut over Dawson's eye, forced a stoppage. Pascal won the belt via technical decision.
Roach says Khan won’t be fighting ‘Pacman’ anytime soon
The British tabloids love a good dust up especially if it involves family members. So when Freddie Roach suggested that Amir Khan should move to welterweight down the road and mentioned Manny Pacquiao in the breath, some of the Brit papers went wild.
Amir Khan could be just one fight away from a showdown with his friend and hero Manny Pacquiao. [...] Roach wants Khan to step up if he beats [Timothy] Bradley and feels world pound-for-pound king Pac Man (right) would be a natural opponent in a blockbusting fight to end 2011.
The legendary trainer explained that his quote was taken out of context. Roach clarified his statement to The Telegraph's Gareth A. Davies
"I had said that I wanted Amir to clean out the light-welterweight division and then step up to face the best in the welterweight division, fighters like Manny Pacquiao," Roach said. "It was said in a tongue-in-cheek way, and that should have been obvious. I would never want them to fight each other. And I can never, ever see that fight happening."
Roach said there is another top dog at 147, he would like to see step in there with Khan.
"Amir looks up to Manny and respects him so much I could never see them fighting. But as I say, I have two boxers who I train who could beat Floyd Mayweather. One of them is Manny Pacquiao. The other is Amir Khan."
Khan is tentatively scheduled to face Bradley on July 23. Khan's promoter Golden Boy set today as the deadline to finalize the fight. Bradley is unhappy with his promoter Gary Shaw and the current $1.3 million offer on the table.
Alvarez stops Baldomir in six
LOS ANGELES -- Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, a rising star in Mexico, continued his ascent with a spectacular third-round knockout of veteran Carlos Baldomir on the Shane Mosley-Sergio Mora card Saturday at Staples Center.Alvarez (34-0-1, 26 KOs) hurt Baldomir (45-13-6, 14 KOs) with a number of punches toward the end of the final round but it was a straight left that put the Argentine on his face and ended the fight.Baldomir, who had been KO'd only once before, was able to get to his feet but was too wobbly to continue.Baldomir was a good test for the 20-year-old from Guadalajara because of his experience and awkward style. However, Alvarez, mature beyond his years and much quicker than Baldomir, patiently outboxed his 39-year-old foe and landed more and more hard punches as the fight progressed.Baldomir, who has one of the best chins in boxing, took most of the big shots but was slowly worn down. Alvarez hurt Baldomir with several punches before the final blow.
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