Boxing News Thread
- Thread starter heyzel
- Start date
Wladimir Klitschko Wants WBC Belt But Isn’t Desperate
By David P. Greisman
Wladimir Klitschko is the lineal heavyweight champion of the world. That is a designation. He also has plenty of property that comes with the territory, holding three of the four major world titles bestowed by sanctioning bodies.
The only one missing is the World Boxing Council belt, which had once belonged to his older brother, Vitali Klitschko, before Vitali retired. Bermane Stiverne went on to win the vacant belt, and then Deontay Wilder topped Stiverne earlier this year. Wilder’s mandatory challenger should he get by Johann Duhaupas on Sept. 26 is Alexander Povetkin.
Klitschko is interested in facing the winner of Wilder-Povetkin for the WBC title should that fight happen, though he also says he doesn’t need to have the title in his possession in order to be satisfied.
“I haven’t ever had the WBC belt. I’ve been asking the WBC for this fight, opportunity, for a long time, many years, but never got this opportunity through different circumstances,” Klitschko said on a Sept. 15 conference call ahead of his Oct. 24 bout against Tyson Fury in Dusseldorf, Germany.
“I’ve never had this title before. Am I desperate to have this title? Of course not. If you want to become the heavyweight champion, you need to go through me,” he said. “But on the other hand of course I am extremely excited about having another unification, the last and final unification that I can have in the heavyweight division.”
By David P. Greisman
Wladimir Klitschko is the lineal heavyweight champion of the world. That is a designation. He also has plenty of property that comes with the territory, holding three of the four major world titles bestowed by sanctioning bodies.
The only one missing is the World Boxing Council belt, which had once belonged to his older brother, Vitali Klitschko, before Vitali retired. Bermane Stiverne went on to win the vacant belt, and then Deontay Wilder topped Stiverne earlier this year. Wilder’s mandatory challenger should he get by Johann Duhaupas on Sept. 26 is Alexander Povetkin.
Klitschko is interested in facing the winner of Wilder-Povetkin for the WBC title should that fight happen, though he also says he doesn’t need to have the title in his possession in order to be satisfied.
“I haven’t ever had the WBC belt. I’ve been asking the WBC for this fight, opportunity, for a long time, many years, but never got this opportunity through different circumstances,” Klitschko said on a Sept. 15 conference call ahead of his Oct. 24 bout against Tyson Fury in Dusseldorf, Germany.
“I’ve never had this title before. Am I desperate to have this title? Of course not. If you want to become the heavyweight champion, you need to go through me,” he said. “But on the other hand of course I am extremely excited about having another unification, the last and final unification that I can have in the heavyweight division.”
Judge's ruling could force answers to how Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions operates
By Lance Pugmire contact the reporter
Floyd Mayweather Jr. Muhammad Ali Oscar De La Hoya
Powerful boxing manager Al Haymon’s attempt to move Oscar De La Hoya’s $300-million antitrust lawsuit against him out of the courts and toward a potential settlement in arbitration was denied this week by a federal judge.
The denial followed a similar decision by an arbitrator who has presided over De La Hoya’s split with his former Chief Executive Richard Schaefer and Haymon, and sets up the possibility of depositions, discovery exchanges and other details about how Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions operates.
See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>
Haymon manages Floyd Mayweather Jr. and several other high-profile fighters who split with Golden Boy this year, including unbeaten fighters Deontay Wilder, Leo Santa Cruz, Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia.
PBC started staging fights in March and has time-buy deals to have cards televised by NBC, ABC, CBS and ESPN, among others.
“Everything is going to come out,” said veteran fight promoter Bob Arum, whose Top Rank Inc. is also suing Haymon.
Haymon has a policy to not speak to reporters.
De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions is suing Haymon, the creator of PBC, for alleged violations of the federal Muhammad Ali Act that forbids a boxing manager from operating simultaneously as a fight promoter.
Haymon has retained promoters such as TGB Promotions in Sherman Oaks and Lou DiBella in New York to handle the promotions of various PBC cards, but Golden Boy claims in its lawsuit that Haymon is paying those promoters a small fee and actually directing fighter purses himself.
Andre Berto, right, lands a right to the head of Floyd Mayweather Jr. during their welterweight title boxing bout Saturday.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. blocks a punch by Andre Berto during their welterweight title fight Saturday night in Las Vegas.
In addition to the backing of a Kansas asset management company, Waddell & Reed, PBC is backed by other shareholders who could be identified as a result of the ruling in the Los Angeles court of U.S. Central District Court Judge John F. Walter.
Emails and other exchanges that reveal how PBC conducts business are also expected to be sought by those suing Haymon.
Arum sued Haymon earlier this year, alleging his practices intend to monopolize the sport. Arum lost former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to a settlement with PBC and is fighting in court to keep unbeaten super-featherweight champion Mikey Garcia from fleeing to PBC.
In his Tuesday ruling, Walter supported a Sept. 1 decision by arbitrator and retired judge Daniel H. Weinstein that determining the alleged antitrust actions “are not within the scope of the arbitration provision and that those claims are not presently arbitrable.”
Walter also scolded Haymon’s attorneys.
Although “the court was confident that defendants’ counsel would realize that the motion was now moot and withdraw it to avoid wasting judicial resources, counsel made the puzzling decision to pursue the motion and raised patently frivolous arguments in the reply,” Walter wrote.
Attorneys for Golden Boy Promotions and PBC did not immediately respond to interview requests from The Times.
Arum said Haymon’s attorneys have moved to dismiss his $100-million lawsuit filed on the same grounds as De La Hoya’s, but said the motion “has no chance.”
By Lance Pugmire contact the reporter
Floyd Mayweather Jr. Muhammad Ali Oscar De La Hoya
Powerful boxing manager Al Haymon’s attempt to move Oscar De La Hoya’s $300-million antitrust lawsuit against him out of the courts and toward a potential settlement in arbitration was denied this week by a federal judge.
The denial followed a similar decision by an arbitrator who has presided over De La Hoya’s split with his former Chief Executive Richard Schaefer and Haymon, and sets up the possibility of depositions, discovery exchanges and other details about how Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions operates.
See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>
Haymon manages Floyd Mayweather Jr. and several other high-profile fighters who split with Golden Boy this year, including unbeaten fighters Deontay Wilder, Leo Santa Cruz, Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia.
PBC started staging fights in March and has time-buy deals to have cards televised by NBC, ABC, CBS and ESPN, among others.
“Everything is going to come out,” said veteran fight promoter Bob Arum, whose Top Rank Inc. is also suing Haymon.
Haymon has a policy to not speak to reporters.
De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions is suing Haymon, the creator of PBC, for alleged violations of the federal Muhammad Ali Act that forbids a boxing manager from operating simultaneously as a fight promoter.
Haymon has retained promoters such as TGB Promotions in Sherman Oaks and Lou DiBella in New York to handle the promotions of various PBC cards, but Golden Boy claims in its lawsuit that Haymon is paying those promoters a small fee and actually directing fighter purses himself.
Andre Berto, right, lands a right to the head of Floyd Mayweather Jr. during their welterweight title boxing bout Saturday.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. blocks a punch by Andre Berto during their welterweight title fight Saturday night in Las Vegas.
In addition to the backing of a Kansas asset management company, Waddell & Reed, PBC is backed by other shareholders who could be identified as a result of the ruling in the Los Angeles court of U.S. Central District Court Judge John F. Walter.
Emails and other exchanges that reveal how PBC conducts business are also expected to be sought by those suing Haymon.
Arum sued Haymon earlier this year, alleging his practices intend to monopolize the sport. Arum lost former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to a settlement with PBC and is fighting in court to keep unbeaten super-featherweight champion Mikey Garcia from fleeing to PBC.
In his Tuesday ruling, Walter supported a Sept. 1 decision by arbitrator and retired judge Daniel H. Weinstein that determining the alleged antitrust actions “are not within the scope of the arbitration provision and that those claims are not presently arbitrable.”
Walter also scolded Haymon’s attorneys.
Although “the court was confident that defendants’ counsel would realize that the motion was now moot and withdraw it to avoid wasting judicial resources, counsel made the puzzling decision to pursue the motion and raised patently frivolous arguments in the reply,” Walter wrote.
Attorneys for Golden Boy Promotions and PBC did not immediately respond to interview requests from The Times.
Arum said Haymon’s attorneys have moved to dismiss his $100-million lawsuit filed on the same grounds as De La Hoya’s, but said the motion “has no chance.”
Last edited:
Rising star Erickson Lubin listens, learns, eyes title fight in 2016
[IMG]
On Erickson Lubin’s 18th birthday, his life changed forever.
That was two years ago on Oct. 1, the day Mike Tyson signed the amateur boxing star to a professional contract. Tyson incurred the wrath of USA Boxing President Charles Butler, who accused the ex-heavyweight champ of stealing Lubin away from the Olympic program and denying America’s top prospect a chance to become this country’s first male boxing gold medalist since 2004.
Lubin, now two weeks from turning 20, has no regrets. He no longer is with Tyson, whose promotional company, Iron Mike Productions, folded after he split with business partner Garry Jonas last year. Lubin (11-0, eight KOs) is one of boxing’s hottest prospects and is looking to moving up to title contender this year.
KHAN-PACQUIAO: Fight could go down in 2016
The super welterweight could take a big step toward that goal when he faces veteran Orlando Lora in a scheduled eight-round fight Friday in Winter Park, Fla., next door to his hometown of Orlando (Bounce TV, 9 p.m. ET).
Lora is a step up in competition for Lubin, who is coming off two first-round knockouts in a row. The 34-year-old Mexican (31-5-2, 19 KOs) has fought a murderers’ row of top fighters the last few years, including Keith Thurman, Jermall Charlo, Paulie Malignaggi and Julian Williams, though he lost to each.
“I’m real confident because I feel like I can surpass all of those fighters that he’s fought,” Lubin said. “I just have to make a statement tomorrow. It motivates me to go in there against a guy who’s fought those guys and surpass what they did to him.”
Lubin is now with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions but fondly recalls the Tyson days. “I really don’t (have any regrets),” Lubin told USA TODAY Sports Thursday. “Mike is a great guy who led me on the right path. We did what we had to do. It’s a business, and we just moved on.”
Lubin’s trainer, Jason Galarza, called it a valuable experience for Lubin with Tyson. “Definitely, he watched Tyson growing up, and he’s seen Tyson win a world championship at his age, and it was a really good learning experience,” Galarza explained.
MAYWEATHER IV STORY: USADA responds to ‘inaccuracies’
Galarza has been with Lubin since the fighter was 13 and knows what he has in the young rising star.
“I think he’s progressing very well,” Galarza said of Lubin, a southpaw knockout machine nicknamed “The Hammer.” “A lot of people question if we’re moving him a little too fast, but as a team, we know what we’ve got in him, and we have big plans for him.
“Al Haymon is definitely going to guide him, and put his career on the right path.”
Lubin’s biggest strength as a fighter, Galarza says, is his mind.
“He’s a really strong-minded individual, works very hard, and he’s a great listener,” the trainer said. “That’s why he was such a successful amateur. A key thing for a boxer is to be a good listener and to believe in what your corner tells you. If you listen to your corner, you should be successful. He’s been with me since he was going on 14, and he has not lost since.”
Six of Lubin’s eight knockouts have come in the first round, including his last two opponents: Kenneth Council (8-0, six KOs coming in) and Ayi Bruce (23-9, 15 KOs), who said Lubin was too young to face him and would get schooled.
Instead, it was Bruce who got schooled, lasting less than 3 minutes. Council lasted half that, getting KO’d 1:33 into the fight.
Asked if he was just that much better than them, Lubin, who describes his style as a boxer-puncher who can brawl and bang if need be, said, “Yes, I probably was, but sometimes you don’t know what your opponent looks like until fight night, and we had no tape on those guys. I just wanted to fight guys with good records, and we put the records on the line.”
Galarza says their long-range plan when Lubin turned pro was to have him lined up for a title fight by the time the Rio Olympics end in 2016. They’re right on target. He marvels at Lubin’s skills and boxing IQ.
“People always ask, ‘What can you do to enhance him and make him a better fighter?’ My answer is always the same,” Galarza said. “You can’t improve him. His talent was given by God. It’s nothing he was taught. People say, ‘Oh yeah I trained him, I taught him how to do that.’
“Impossible. This kid has natural talent in everything he does.
[IMG]
On Erickson Lubin’s 18th birthday, his life changed forever.
That was two years ago on Oct. 1, the day Mike Tyson signed the amateur boxing star to a professional contract. Tyson incurred the wrath of USA Boxing President Charles Butler, who accused the ex-heavyweight champ of stealing Lubin away from the Olympic program and denying America’s top prospect a chance to become this country’s first male boxing gold medalist since 2004.
Lubin, now two weeks from turning 20, has no regrets. He no longer is with Tyson, whose promotional company, Iron Mike Productions, folded after he split with business partner Garry Jonas last year. Lubin (11-0, eight KOs) is one of boxing’s hottest prospects and is looking to moving up to title contender this year.
KHAN-PACQUIAO: Fight could go down in 2016
The super welterweight could take a big step toward that goal when he faces veteran Orlando Lora in a scheduled eight-round fight Friday in Winter Park, Fla., next door to his hometown of Orlando (Bounce TV, 9 p.m. ET).
Lora is a step up in competition for Lubin, who is coming off two first-round knockouts in a row. The 34-year-old Mexican (31-5-2, 19 KOs) has fought a murderers’ row of top fighters the last few years, including Keith Thurman, Jermall Charlo, Paulie Malignaggi and Julian Williams, though he lost to each.
“I’m real confident because I feel like I can surpass all of those fighters that he’s fought,” Lubin said. “I just have to make a statement tomorrow. It motivates me to go in there against a guy who’s fought those guys and surpass what they did to him.”
Lubin is now with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions but fondly recalls the Tyson days. “I really don’t (have any regrets),” Lubin told USA TODAY Sports Thursday. “Mike is a great guy who led me on the right path. We did what we had to do. It’s a business, and we just moved on.”
Lubin’s trainer, Jason Galarza, called it a valuable experience for Lubin with Tyson. “Definitely, he watched Tyson growing up, and he’s seen Tyson win a world championship at his age, and it was a really good learning experience,” Galarza explained.
MAYWEATHER IV STORY: USADA responds to ‘inaccuracies’
Galarza has been with Lubin since the fighter was 13 and knows what he has in the young rising star.
“I think he’s progressing very well,” Galarza said of Lubin, a southpaw knockout machine nicknamed “The Hammer.” “A lot of people question if we’re moving him a little too fast, but as a team, we know what we’ve got in him, and we have big plans for him.
“Al Haymon is definitely going to guide him, and put his career on the right path.”
Lubin’s biggest strength as a fighter, Galarza says, is his mind.
“He’s a really strong-minded individual, works very hard, and he’s a great listener,” the trainer said. “That’s why he was such a successful amateur. A key thing for a boxer is to be a good listener and to believe in what your corner tells you. If you listen to your corner, you should be successful. He’s been with me since he was going on 14, and he has not lost since.”
Six of Lubin’s eight knockouts have come in the first round, including his last two opponents: Kenneth Council (8-0, six KOs coming in) and Ayi Bruce (23-9, 15 KOs), who said Lubin was too young to face him and would get schooled.
Instead, it was Bruce who got schooled, lasting less than 3 minutes. Council lasted half that, getting KO’d 1:33 into the fight.
Asked if he was just that much better than them, Lubin, who describes his style as a boxer-puncher who can brawl and bang if need be, said, “Yes, I probably was, but sometimes you don’t know what your opponent looks like until fight night, and we had no tape on those guys. I just wanted to fight guys with good records, and we put the records on the line.”
Galarza says their long-range plan when Lubin turned pro was to have him lined up for a title fight by the time the Rio Olympics end in 2016. They’re right on target. He marvels at Lubin’s skills and boxing IQ.
“People always ask, ‘What can you do to enhance him and make him a better fighter?’ My answer is always the same,” Galarza said. “You can’t improve him. His talent was given by God. It’s nothing he was taught. People say, ‘Oh yeah I trained him, I taught him how to do that.’
“Impossible. This kid has natural talent in everything he does.
EXCLUSIVE Amir Khan: I can take Floyd Mayweather’s throne and be ‘The Best Ever’
Amir Khan reveals why Kell Brook can wait and that Manny Pacquiao could be next
Khan-flexes
Action Images
THERE is a danger that during your prime years you will not face Floyd Mayweather, and you’ll spend too much time worrying about it. Are you now at the point where enough is enough?
Yeah, I think I’m done now. The reason I wanted to fight Floyd Mayweather is because he’s a massive name in boxing. If the fight’s not going to happen – and now I believe it’s not going to happen – I’m going to have to look at other options to take his throne. There are big names like Keith Thurman, Kell Brook, Timothy Bradley, Manny Pacquiao.
All those fights are 50-50, or they favour me. In a way I’m in a position where I can be ‘The Best Ever’. It’s all out there for me to take. Hopefully now I can look at those big fights so I can take Mayweather’s place.
Is the Kell Brook now more likely to happen as a consequence of Mayweather fighting Berto?
That fight is something I’m looking at now. When I said to people I didn’t want to fight Kell Brook, and you can quote me on this, it was not because I was scared, it was because I wanted him to prove himself. He’s a [IBF] world [welterweight] champion so fight someone in the Top 5 or the Top 10. I hope he does that in his next fight because that proves how good he is. Prove yourself in a way where the American fans know who you are. I honestly want him to get those fights and win those fights, and look good, because then our fight will be even bigger; when we fight it will be massive, not only in England, but globally. The only reason that fight sells at the moment is because of Amir Khan. I think he can beat these top guys and prove himself but it’s all about having the balls to go in there and prove it.
I’ve shown that I will take those fights. I’ve been in there with the Maidanas, the [Danny] Garcias. Zab Judah, who had just beaten Lucas Matthysse, was another. Devon Alexander. I didn’t have to take these fights, I wanted to take these fights. People forget about that. People think that Kell Brook deserves a fight with me just because he’s won the world title? Prove yourself! If he proves himself, I will happily give him the fight.
You sound frustrated. Does it bother you that fans still doubt you? For whatever reason there does seem to be a lot of fans out there that do. There seems to be as many fans out there that hate you as love you. Why do think that is?
There’s always going to people that love you, and people that don’t love you. There’s always going to be haters. I think when you’re on a level that I’m on you’re always going to get hate. To be honest with you, it motivates me to work harder because I want to prove everyone wrong who doesn’t believe in me. So it never bothers me. If I didn’t have haters, it would mean nobody cared. This means people care, they know I’m big so they want to have a go at me. If I was a nobody, they would never want to talk about me.
Social media can, at times, be the work of the devil. Have you ever been subjected to any racism or anything like that from ‘haters’?
Not really. I’ve not come across many racist remarks it’s more about me as a fighter. It’s things like, ‘You’re not a good fighter’ or ‘This guy would beat you’ and in regards to Kell Brook a lot of people were calling me a chicken. But you have to understand that this is a business. It’s not just a case of two macho men jumping in the ring. Right now it might be worth, at the moment, £10 million but if we promoted it right, and he [Brook] was to fight the top guys in the division, like the Maidanas, or even my leftovers – he can fight the guys I’ve fought – and beat those guys then he’s made his name even bigger. Then people in America are going to be ‘Wow, those two guys should fight each other.’ Why is it only me fighting these top guys and he’s not really fighting anyone [well known]. That is the only reason, honestly, that the fight is not happening. Look, I hope the fight happens. Let’s all hope he fights someone in the Top 10 in the fight he’s got coming up – a recognised name. But I can’t see him fighting anyone dangerous but he should be because he’s a world champion!
Who are you looking to fight next and who are you looking at?
Probably late November or early December. To be honest, we’ve been waiting on Floyd Mayweather so we haven’t been looking at anyone else. Since the announcement [of Mayweather-Berto] I haven’t really had the chance to speak to Al Haymon who advises me. Listen, the Manny Pacquiao fight has been talked about and could happen early next year – that could be next. At the moment I’m keeping my options open.
Pacquiao would be huge. That must excite you?
After Mayweather he’s the biggest name, so yeah, it would be massive.
We spoke to your trainer Virgil Hunter and he made the comment that you have the ability to be one of the best fighters of all-time, but he also mentioned that he only wants you to fight the top names from now on because he’s concerned that you switch off when you’re fighting who you may deem to be ‘lesser’ opponents. Is there truth in that?
You could say that. When I was up against Devon [Alexander] I knew it was a 50-50 fight and I couldn’t make any mistakes, and I fought with that in mind. Then against guys like [Danny] Garcia and the guy I fought in my last fight, Algieri, I felt I was going to walk through them. I didn’t feel that Garcia was on my level, he was an up-and-coming fighter. He wasn’t even a name, really, I thought I’d blow him away. Same with [Lamont] Peterson as well. I fought him in his backyard. At that time I was coming off wins over Maidana, Judah, and I was a two-time world champion. I thought those guys [Peterson and Garcia] had nothing on me, it was going to be a walk in the park. So that over-confidence can affect you and it somehow doesn’t make you as strong. At times I do turn off when I think the opponents won’t be a problem. I understand where Virgil is coming from, and why I’ve always got to be switched on.
Amir Khan reveals why Kell Brook can wait and that Manny Pacquiao could be next
Khan-flexes
Action Images
THERE is a danger that during your prime years you will not face Floyd Mayweather, and you’ll spend too much time worrying about it. Are you now at the point where enough is enough?
Yeah, I think I’m done now. The reason I wanted to fight Floyd Mayweather is because he’s a massive name in boxing. If the fight’s not going to happen – and now I believe it’s not going to happen – I’m going to have to look at other options to take his throne. There are big names like Keith Thurman, Kell Brook, Timothy Bradley, Manny Pacquiao.
All those fights are 50-50, or they favour me. In a way I’m in a position where I can be ‘The Best Ever’. It’s all out there for me to take. Hopefully now I can look at those big fights so I can take Mayweather’s place.
Is the Kell Brook now more likely to happen as a consequence of Mayweather fighting Berto?
That fight is something I’m looking at now. When I said to people I didn’t want to fight Kell Brook, and you can quote me on this, it was not because I was scared, it was because I wanted him to prove himself. He’s a [IBF] world [welterweight] champion so fight someone in the Top 5 or the Top 10. I hope he does that in his next fight because that proves how good he is. Prove yourself in a way where the American fans know who you are. I honestly want him to get those fights and win those fights, and look good, because then our fight will be even bigger; when we fight it will be massive, not only in England, but globally. The only reason that fight sells at the moment is because of Amir Khan. I think he can beat these top guys and prove himself but it’s all about having the balls to go in there and prove it.
I’ve shown that I will take those fights. I’ve been in there with the Maidanas, the [Danny] Garcias. Zab Judah, who had just beaten Lucas Matthysse, was another. Devon Alexander. I didn’t have to take these fights, I wanted to take these fights. People forget about that. People think that Kell Brook deserves a fight with me just because he’s won the world title? Prove yourself! If he proves himself, I will happily give him the fight.
You sound frustrated. Does it bother you that fans still doubt you? For whatever reason there does seem to be a lot of fans out there that do. There seems to be as many fans out there that hate you as love you. Why do think that is?
There’s always going to people that love you, and people that don’t love you. There’s always going to be haters. I think when you’re on a level that I’m on you’re always going to get hate. To be honest with you, it motivates me to work harder because I want to prove everyone wrong who doesn’t believe in me. So it never bothers me. If I didn’t have haters, it would mean nobody cared. This means people care, they know I’m big so they want to have a go at me. If I was a nobody, they would never want to talk about me.
Social media can, at times, be the work of the devil. Have you ever been subjected to any racism or anything like that from ‘haters’?
Not really. I’ve not come across many racist remarks it’s more about me as a fighter. It’s things like, ‘You’re not a good fighter’ or ‘This guy would beat you’ and in regards to Kell Brook a lot of people were calling me a chicken. But you have to understand that this is a business. It’s not just a case of two macho men jumping in the ring. Right now it might be worth, at the moment, £10 million but if we promoted it right, and he [Brook] was to fight the top guys in the division, like the Maidanas, or even my leftovers – he can fight the guys I’ve fought – and beat those guys then he’s made his name even bigger. Then people in America are going to be ‘Wow, those two guys should fight each other.’ Why is it only me fighting these top guys and he’s not really fighting anyone [well known]. That is the only reason, honestly, that the fight is not happening. Look, I hope the fight happens. Let’s all hope he fights someone in the Top 10 in the fight he’s got coming up – a recognised name. But I can’t see him fighting anyone dangerous but he should be because he’s a world champion!
Who are you looking to fight next and who are you looking at?
Probably late November or early December. To be honest, we’ve been waiting on Floyd Mayweather so we haven’t been looking at anyone else. Since the announcement [of Mayweather-Berto] I haven’t really had the chance to speak to Al Haymon who advises me. Listen, the Manny Pacquiao fight has been talked about and could happen early next year – that could be next. At the moment I’m keeping my options open.
Pacquiao would be huge. That must excite you?
After Mayweather he’s the biggest name, so yeah, it would be massive.
We spoke to your trainer Virgil Hunter and he made the comment that you have the ability to be one of the best fighters of all-time, but he also mentioned that he only wants you to fight the top names from now on because he’s concerned that you switch off when you’re fighting who you may deem to be ‘lesser’ opponents. Is there truth in that?
You could say that. When I was up against Devon [Alexander] I knew it was a 50-50 fight and I couldn’t make any mistakes, and I fought with that in mind. Then against guys like [Danny] Garcia and the guy I fought in my last fight, Algieri, I felt I was going to walk through them. I didn’t feel that Garcia was on my level, he was an up-and-coming fighter. He wasn’t even a name, really, I thought I’d blow him away. Same with [Lamont] Peterson as well. I fought him in his backyard. At that time I was coming off wins over Maidana, Judah, and I was a two-time world champion. I thought those guys [Peterson and Garcia] had nothing on me, it was going to be a walk in the park. So that over-confidence can affect you and it somehow doesn’t make you as strong. At times I do turn off when I think the opponents won’t be a problem. I understand where Virgil is coming from, and why I’ve always got to be switched on.
Julian Williams' Trainer Details Situation With Austin Trout
Posted by: Ryan Burton on 9/22/2015 .
By Ryan Burton
Later tonight, undefeated super welterweight prospect Julian "J-Rock" Williams will return to the ring against rugged Argentine Luciano Cuello (35-3) at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Penn. The fight will be televised on FoxSports1.
In this Q&A, BoxingScene.com talks to Williams trainer Stephen Edwards about the upcoming fight and also about the recent back and forth social media chatter between Williams and former champion Austin Trout.
BoxingScene.com: There has been a lot of talk between your fighter Julian Williams and Austin Trout. So much so that their Twitter war of words was even more publicized when Trout told Julian "This is how you do it son" when he stopped Joey Hernandez on national TV. Julian has since responded to which Trout responded again. What is your take on the situation?
Stephen Edwards: First off I want to say congratulations to Trout and his team. Barry Hunter and Boog have him looking really good. That's the best I have seen him look in his 4 fight win streak. My take on the situation is Trout and J-Rock are competitors - both of them look at each other as food. They are in the same division and with the same people, a fight is inevitable. Fighters are competitive so I don't give it much thought. My job is to get Julian ready for his opponent in front of him.
BoxingScene.com: Were there ever any negotiations for a fight with Trout? I know you guys are preparing for a tough fighter in Luciano Cuello of Argentina but Julian has wanted this fight for a long time.
Stephen Edwards: Well here is the thing, pride rules boxing. People will say one thing in public and another in private. I was asked almost a year ago would I take a fight with Trout. I said yes. Early this year I thought we had the fight and we started hiring southpaw sparring. The next thing I know I was told we wouldn't be fighting Trout. We kept the southpaws because we fought Joey Hernandez. After Julian stopped the Russian kid on the Deontay Wilder undercard, he mentioned Trout because his name kept being brought up to us but the fight never materialized.
We thought we would fight Trout again for this September fight but again it didn't happen. As a team we couldn't understand why Trout needed to fight Joey Hernandez in order to fight Julian. But I suspect he needed more time with his new coaches and his confidence was a little bit shaky because he struggled with Daniel Dawson and Luis Galarza.
I understand that and Trout has to do what's best for Trout. There's nothing wrong with being a smart businessman. But at the same time he shouldn't lie to the public and the media. He has put off J-Rock for about a year now privately but publicly he acts like he's doing Julian a favor by entertaining a fight with him. Trout is not a "shot caller". He's the one who has been slid a favor. How many ex-world champions do you know that can get 4 comeback fights against the guys he's been fighting? He should be thankful that he wasn't thrown to one of the young guns in Haymon's stable like a J-Rock, or one of the Charlo twins, or Chris Pearson or Terrel Gausha. They did him a favor, he's not doing us a favor. Look at a guy like Chris Algieri. He had to fight Pacman and Khan back to back.
Sometimes fighters get a warped sense of themselves. Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez are shot callers. Not Austin Trout. Floyd did Berto a favor when he called his number. Pacman did Chris Algieri a favor when he called his number. Canelo did Lara a favor when last year he took him out of the Ishe Smith fight. Even Ishe understood what was going on. Cotto did Delvin Rodriguez a favor when he fought him on HBO. Austin Trout is not in that league as far as star power. He's not doing us any favors. Julian wants to be champion of the world. He doesn't have to fight to Austin Trout. Trout is just a guy we accepted that turned us down.
BoxingScene.com: Your fight with Cuello is just days away and I know the focus is on him but Trout said that Williams "can be next." With all that being said, do you intend to take him up on his offer assuming everything goes well with Cuello?
Stephen Edwards: It really depends Ryan. We have to sit down with the powers that be and see what's up. We want a title a shot. Julian is ranked by the IBF, WBA and WBC. He can fight Charlo for the title now that he beat K9, Erislandy Lara or somebody high in the WBC after Floyd vacates. It we are made to go through Trout in order to get a title shot then fine, but I'm not so sure that Trout wants to fight. What Julian won't do is be played like Amir Khan gets played by Floyd Mayweather. Floyd pulls Khan back and forth on a yo yo, because he knows he can. Khan takes off, waits around, thinks he's getting the fight then Floyd pulls the carpet from under his feet every time. Julian won't let Trout do that to him Ryan. If we get offered a title shot then Trout can be his 1st defense. Julian won't let Trout control or dictate his destiny. They could have already fought.
BoxingScene.com: Trout has now won 4 fights in a row and like you said he seems to have gotten his rhythm back. How do you see the fight playing out.
Stephen Edwards: I don't publicly get into game plans. If I say how the fight will play out I will tip off my game plan. I will say this, there is a reason why the fight didn't happen already. There is a reason why Trout was willing to fight the Daniel Dawson's of the worlds and not Julian Williams. Sometimes actions speak louder than words. In all actuality he should have fought Julian last year because he wasn't as developed as he is now. Julian will win I will leave it at that.
BoxingScene.com: Trout has the name as a former champion that Julian needs on his resume. What do you think a victory does for him at this point in his career?
Stephen Edwards: I think it would be a good notch under Julian's belt. Anytime you can defeat an ex-champion it's a good notch. What's ironic is Trout and Julian have defeated the same number of ex-world champions, which is 1.
I respect Trout, he has a solid victory over Cotto and that victory is looking better and better with each Cotto performance. But again Trout doesn't define Julian's career. Julian wants to be undisputed super welterweight champion of the world. While Austin Trout was putting the fight off Julian got ranked by The Ring, by the WBC, WBA, IBF and transnational board. He's even ranked by ESPN and BoxingScene now have him in their tops 10s. It would be solid a victory but Julian has his sights on a bigger fish and he will let it be known to the world, God willing after he defeats Lucian Cuello.
Posted by: Ryan Burton on 9/22/2015 .
By Ryan Burton
Later tonight, undefeated super welterweight prospect Julian "J-Rock" Williams will return to the ring against rugged Argentine Luciano Cuello (35-3) at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Penn. The fight will be televised on FoxSports1.
In this Q&A, BoxingScene.com talks to Williams trainer Stephen Edwards about the upcoming fight and also about the recent back and forth social media chatter between Williams and former champion Austin Trout.
BoxingScene.com: There has been a lot of talk between your fighter Julian Williams and Austin Trout. So much so that their Twitter war of words was even more publicized when Trout told Julian "This is how you do it son" when he stopped Joey Hernandez on national TV. Julian has since responded to which Trout responded again. What is your take on the situation?
Stephen Edwards: First off I want to say congratulations to Trout and his team. Barry Hunter and Boog have him looking really good. That's the best I have seen him look in his 4 fight win streak. My take on the situation is Trout and J-Rock are competitors - both of them look at each other as food. They are in the same division and with the same people, a fight is inevitable. Fighters are competitive so I don't give it much thought. My job is to get Julian ready for his opponent in front of him.
BoxingScene.com: Were there ever any negotiations for a fight with Trout? I know you guys are preparing for a tough fighter in Luciano Cuello of Argentina but Julian has wanted this fight for a long time.
Stephen Edwards: Well here is the thing, pride rules boxing. People will say one thing in public and another in private. I was asked almost a year ago would I take a fight with Trout. I said yes. Early this year I thought we had the fight and we started hiring southpaw sparring. The next thing I know I was told we wouldn't be fighting Trout. We kept the southpaws because we fought Joey Hernandez. After Julian stopped the Russian kid on the Deontay Wilder undercard, he mentioned Trout because his name kept being brought up to us but the fight never materialized.
We thought we would fight Trout again for this September fight but again it didn't happen. As a team we couldn't understand why Trout needed to fight Joey Hernandez in order to fight Julian. But I suspect he needed more time with his new coaches and his confidence was a little bit shaky because he struggled with Daniel Dawson and Luis Galarza.
I understand that and Trout has to do what's best for Trout. There's nothing wrong with being a smart businessman. But at the same time he shouldn't lie to the public and the media. He has put off J-Rock for about a year now privately but publicly he acts like he's doing Julian a favor by entertaining a fight with him. Trout is not a "shot caller". He's the one who has been slid a favor. How many ex-world champions do you know that can get 4 comeback fights against the guys he's been fighting? He should be thankful that he wasn't thrown to one of the young guns in Haymon's stable like a J-Rock, or one of the Charlo twins, or Chris Pearson or Terrel Gausha. They did him a favor, he's not doing us a favor. Look at a guy like Chris Algieri. He had to fight Pacman and Khan back to back.
Sometimes fighters get a warped sense of themselves. Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez are shot callers. Not Austin Trout. Floyd did Berto a favor when he called his number. Pacman did Chris Algieri a favor when he called his number. Canelo did Lara a favor when last year he took him out of the Ishe Smith fight. Even Ishe understood what was going on. Cotto did Delvin Rodriguez a favor when he fought him on HBO. Austin Trout is not in that league as far as star power. He's not doing us any favors. Julian wants to be champion of the world. He doesn't have to fight to Austin Trout. Trout is just a guy we accepted that turned us down.
BoxingScene.com: Your fight with Cuello is just days away and I know the focus is on him but Trout said that Williams "can be next." With all that being said, do you intend to take him up on his offer assuming everything goes well with Cuello?
Stephen Edwards: It really depends Ryan. We have to sit down with the powers that be and see what's up. We want a title a shot. Julian is ranked by the IBF, WBA and WBC. He can fight Charlo for the title now that he beat K9, Erislandy Lara or somebody high in the WBC after Floyd vacates. It we are made to go through Trout in order to get a title shot then fine, but I'm not so sure that Trout wants to fight. What Julian won't do is be played like Amir Khan gets played by Floyd Mayweather. Floyd pulls Khan back and forth on a yo yo, because he knows he can. Khan takes off, waits around, thinks he's getting the fight then Floyd pulls the carpet from under his feet every time. Julian won't let Trout do that to him Ryan. If we get offered a title shot then Trout can be his 1st defense. Julian won't let Trout control or dictate his destiny. They could have already fought.
BoxingScene.com: Trout has now won 4 fights in a row and like you said he seems to have gotten his rhythm back. How do you see the fight playing out.
Stephen Edwards: I don't publicly get into game plans. If I say how the fight will play out I will tip off my game plan. I will say this, there is a reason why the fight didn't happen already. There is a reason why Trout was willing to fight the Daniel Dawson's of the worlds and not Julian Williams. Sometimes actions speak louder than words. In all actuality he should have fought Julian last year because he wasn't as developed as he is now. Julian will win I will leave it at that.
BoxingScene.com: Trout has the name as a former champion that Julian needs on his resume. What do you think a victory does for him at this point in his career?
Stephen Edwards: I think it would be a good notch under Julian's belt. Anytime you can defeat an ex-champion it's a good notch. What's ironic is Trout and Julian have defeated the same number of ex-world champions, which is 1.
I respect Trout, he has a solid victory over Cotto and that victory is looking better and better with each Cotto performance. But again Trout doesn't define Julian's career. Julian wants to be undisputed super welterweight champion of the world. While Austin Trout was putting the fight off Julian got ranked by The Ring, by the WBC, WBA, IBF and transnational board. He's even ranked by ESPN and BoxingScene now have him in their tops 10s. It would be solid a victory but Julian has his sights on a bigger fish and he will let it be known to the world, God willing after he defeats Lucian Cuello.
W. Klitschko's opponent turns press conference into carnival
W. Klitschko's opponent turns press conference into carnival with Batman-Joker gimmick
Wladimir Klitschko has already gone on record suggesting that his opponent on Oct. 24 is both “psychologically unstable” and “bipolar.” Rather than be upset about the claims, Tyson Fury decided to play into Klitschko’s accusations during an absolutely bizarre news conference in London on Wednesday.
After the current IBF, WBO, WBA (Super) and The Ring heavyweight champion took his seat with his titles spread across a table in front of him, Fury made a grand entrance that would have made Adam West proud.
Dressed in full Batman attire, Fury’s 6-foot-9 frame entered the room to the theme song from the 1966 TV series much to the surprise of all in attendance. Once seated, and the press conference got started, things took another turn for the outlandish. After Klitschko was introduced, the Neal Hefti-composed theme began playing again when a man dressed like the Joker interrupted the proceedings and approached Fury.
“Why so serious?” the man said while pointing at Fury. The British boxer then bounded over the table and wrestled his nemesis to the floor in a clearly staged act that drew laughter and applause from the media. The two rolled around, knocking Klitschko’s titles off the tables in the process, before Fury finally subdued the Joker.
more here
W. Klitschko's opponent turns press conference into carnival with Batman-Joker gimmick
Wladimir Klitschko has already gone on record suggesting that his opponent on Oct. 24 is both “psychologically unstable” and “bipolar.” Rather than be upset about the claims, Tyson Fury decided to play into Klitschko’s accusations during an absolutely bizarre news conference in London on Wednesday.
After the current IBF, WBO, WBA (Super) and The Ring heavyweight champion took his seat with his titles spread across a table in front of him, Fury made a grand entrance that would have made Adam West proud.
Dressed in full Batman attire, Fury’s 6-foot-9 frame entered the room to the theme song from the 1966 TV series much to the surprise of all in attendance. Once seated, and the press conference got started, things took another turn for the outlandish. After Klitschko was introduced, the Neal Hefti-composed theme began playing again when a man dressed like the Joker interrupted the proceedings and approached Fury.
“Why so serious?” the man said while pointing at Fury. The British boxer then bounded over the table and wrestled his nemesis to the floor in a clearly staged act that drew laughter and applause from the media. The two rolled around, knocking Klitschko’s titles off the tables in the process, before Fury finally subdued the Joker.
more here
Props:
2-0-Sixx and 2-0-Sixx
I guess the batman gimmick did a number on Klitchko, the fight has been postponed! Wlad saying he hurt his leg
lol
Klitschko Injured, Fury World Title Clash Postponed - Boxing News
lol
Klitschko Injured, Fury World Title Clash Postponed - Boxing News
Props:
T-Rip and T-Rip
Dan Rafael chat wrap 9/25:
- The Wlad vs. Fury fight will be postponed due to Wlad's injury (torn calf muscle). Guessing it takes place early December.
- Was told by a superb source that Mayweather-Berto will not reach 450k buys.
- If Trout and J-Rock want to make a fight it will be easy to make, since they are both with Haymon. Hopefully late 2015/early 2016.
- Guys who stay in great shape year round? Klitschko, Hopkins, Ward, Mayweather, Joshua, Thurman, Wilder, GGG, Bradley and many others.
- Voted Canelo number 10 in the PFP rankings. Has Klitschko number 1 (was number 2, but Mayweather retired), followed by: 2. Ward, 3. GGG, 4. Kovalev, 5. Pacquiao.
- Ward will likely be on the Canelo-Cotto undercard.
- Wants to see Spence vs. a credible 147 lb'er. Doesn't need to be a top fighter yet, but a quality fighter. Vasquez would be a good opponent. Spence may be the best prospect in boxing.
- Could see Spence vs. Thurman or Porter in the future. Both fights Spence could win.
- Really wants to see Matthysse vs. Crawford. Crawford is more skilled, but Matthysse is a relentless puncher.
- Oscar Valdez is a few fights away from a title shot.
- Doubts Malignaggi has another title shot left in him.
- Believed Lemieux beat Joan Alcine.
- Believes Maidana will fight at either 147 or 154 based on where he gets the most money.
- In his prime RJJ would have handled both Tarver and Glen Johnson with ease.
- Pryor vs. JCC at 140? JCC (sr).
- What grade would he give the GGG-Lemieux undercard? B+.
- Khan should fight Manny before rematching Garcia. Better money. Arum says Khan is the frontrunner to be Manny's next opponent.
- TR had mentioned Walters fighting Gamboa next, but that is off. Opponent is TBA.
- Abraham and Hopkins are talking a lot about having a fight in the US, likely in Feb. or March. Gives Hopkins a very good chance to win that fight.
- Gonzalez will not be Beterbiev's next opponent.
- To him Centeno lost vs. J-Rock. He was getting crushed and his cut was not very big. In his eyes he quit because he knew he was going to lose.
- More people doubt Cotto would take a GGG fight than Canelo.
- 99.999% of people believe Mayweather will be back.
- Kassi is a good opponent for Breazeale.
- December 5 on Showtime: Quillin vs. Jacobs.
- Doesn't get the constant mismatches PBC shows. They do show a lot of good fights, but also a lot of mismatches.
- PBC does not market their fighters with a long term plan or storyline (except Quillin-Jacobs). Everything seems to be a one-off.
- Biggest boxing promotional company? PBC (de facto).
- Prime Tszyu vs. Mayweather? Mayweather (despite Tszyu being one of his favorite fighters).
- Chudinov vs. Buglioni is a weirdly interesting fight. Chudinov by KO.
- GGG did not duck Andre Ward. Ward saying that is incorrect.
- Jermain Taylor does not have a fight scheduled (and hopefully never will).
- Tayler a HOF'er? No chance.
- Higher ranking all-time HW, Vitali or Wlad? Wlad.
- Estrada vs. Marquez? Always liked Marquez. He will give a good fight, but Estrada is too skilled at this point.
- Chocolatito vs. Carbajal, Chiquita, or Lopez? He would be competitive in all of them.
- Better career: Ricky Burns or Nathan Cleverly? Burns.
- Horrible NBC/PBC production moment when they stopped showing the Centeno fight with 2 rounds to go.
- Fastest hands in boxing? Maybe GRJ.
- Stevenson and Kovalev's teams should just shut up and make the fight.
- You know Wilder's opponent is bad when the advertising doesn't even mention him.
- Prime Pavlik vs. GGG? GGG by late stoppage.
- TR tried to make Lomachenko vs. Rigo, but Rigo's money demands killed the fight.
- Loma vs. Rigo? Lomachenko. Bigger, stronger, better.
- Has not heard Lomachenko talk about rematching Salido.
- Frampton's team is insisting they deserve 60% of the purse vs. Quigg. Dan agrees that Frampton has the real title, is the bigger draw and generates more money.
- Spoke with Paul Williams recently and he seemed in good spirits. Says he is going to the gym and working with younger fighters. He was a real fighter. Fought Margarito when no one wanted to and took Sergio on short notice.
- Best up and coming HW? Joshua. Joshua by KO over Whyte.
- Margarito does not have any more high level boxing left in him (if he comes back).
- 10 years ago he would have been very skeptical of what Wlad has done post Peters. A credit to his determination.
- Believes an active champion should fight 3 times a year (or more).
- Would love to see Pacquiao vs. Matthysse.
- GRJ vs. Escandon is no longer taking place Oct. 24. Likely will be rescheduled in December.
- Showtime could still possibly put on Brook-Chaves.
- ESPN and Spike have the two best PBC broadcasts.
- 122 would be a real stretch for Chocolatito. When he met him in person he is very naturally small.
- Funniest fighter he has interviewed? Rahman, Wlad, Hopkins.
- Roger's health was part of the reason Floyd switched back to Floyd Sr. training him.
- He he had one vote for the HOF, Ward or Froch? Ward, easily.
- Tim Bradley HOF'er? Probably
- The Wlad vs. Fury fight will be postponed due to Wlad's injury (torn calf muscle). Guessing it takes place early December.
- Was told by a superb source that Mayweather-Berto will not reach 450k buys.
- If Trout and J-Rock want to make a fight it will be easy to make, since they are both with Haymon. Hopefully late 2015/early 2016.
- Guys who stay in great shape year round? Klitschko, Hopkins, Ward, Mayweather, Joshua, Thurman, Wilder, GGG, Bradley and many others.
- Voted Canelo number 10 in the PFP rankings. Has Klitschko number 1 (was number 2, but Mayweather retired), followed by: 2. Ward, 3. GGG, 4. Kovalev, 5. Pacquiao.
- Ward will likely be on the Canelo-Cotto undercard.
- Wants to see Spence vs. a credible 147 lb'er. Doesn't need to be a top fighter yet, but a quality fighter. Vasquez would be a good opponent. Spence may be the best prospect in boxing.
- Could see Spence vs. Thurman or Porter in the future. Both fights Spence could win.
- Really wants to see Matthysse vs. Crawford. Crawford is more skilled, but Matthysse is a relentless puncher.
- Oscar Valdez is a few fights away from a title shot.
- Doubts Malignaggi has another title shot left in him.
- Believed Lemieux beat Joan Alcine.
- Believes Maidana will fight at either 147 or 154 based on where he gets the most money.
- In his prime RJJ would have handled both Tarver and Glen Johnson with ease.
- Pryor vs. JCC at 140? JCC (sr).
- What grade would he give the GGG-Lemieux undercard? B+.
- Khan should fight Manny before rematching Garcia. Better money. Arum says Khan is the frontrunner to be Manny's next opponent.
- TR had mentioned Walters fighting Gamboa next, but that is off. Opponent is TBA.
- Abraham and Hopkins are talking a lot about having a fight in the US, likely in Feb. or March. Gives Hopkins a very good chance to win that fight.
- Gonzalez will not be Beterbiev's next opponent.
- To him Centeno lost vs. J-Rock. He was getting crushed and his cut was not very big. In his eyes he quit because he knew he was going to lose.
- More people doubt Cotto would take a GGG fight than Canelo.
- 99.999% of people believe Mayweather will be back.
- Kassi is a good opponent for Breazeale.
- December 5 on Showtime: Quillin vs. Jacobs.
- Doesn't get the constant mismatches PBC shows. They do show a lot of good fights, but also a lot of mismatches.
- PBC does not market their fighters with a long term plan or storyline (except Quillin-Jacobs). Everything seems to be a one-off.
- Biggest boxing promotional company? PBC (de facto).
- Prime Tszyu vs. Mayweather? Mayweather (despite Tszyu being one of his favorite fighters).
- Chudinov vs. Buglioni is a weirdly interesting fight. Chudinov by KO.
- GGG did not duck Andre Ward. Ward saying that is incorrect.
- Jermain Taylor does not have a fight scheduled (and hopefully never will).
- Tayler a HOF'er? No chance.
- Higher ranking all-time HW, Vitali or Wlad? Wlad.
- Estrada vs. Marquez? Always liked Marquez. He will give a good fight, but Estrada is too skilled at this point.
- Chocolatito vs. Carbajal, Chiquita, or Lopez? He would be competitive in all of them.
- Better career: Ricky Burns or Nathan Cleverly? Burns.
- Horrible NBC/PBC production moment when they stopped showing the Centeno fight with 2 rounds to go.
- Fastest hands in boxing? Maybe GRJ.
- Stevenson and Kovalev's teams should just shut up and make the fight.
- You know Wilder's opponent is bad when the advertising doesn't even mention him.
- Prime Pavlik vs. GGG? GGG by late stoppage.
- TR tried to make Lomachenko vs. Rigo, but Rigo's money demands killed the fight.
- Loma vs. Rigo? Lomachenko. Bigger, stronger, better.
- Has not heard Lomachenko talk about rematching Salido.
- Frampton's team is insisting they deserve 60% of the purse vs. Quigg. Dan agrees that Frampton has the real title, is the bigger draw and generates more money.
- Spoke with Paul Williams recently and he seemed in good spirits. Says he is going to the gym and working with younger fighters. He was a real fighter. Fought Margarito when no one wanted to and took Sergio on short notice.
- Best up and coming HW? Joshua. Joshua by KO over Whyte.
- Margarito does not have any more high level boxing left in him (if he comes back).
- 10 years ago he would have been very skeptical of what Wlad has done post Peters. A credit to his determination.
- Believes an active champion should fight 3 times a year (or more).
- Would love to see Pacquiao vs. Matthysse.
- GRJ vs. Escandon is no longer taking place Oct. 24. Likely will be rescheduled in December.
- Showtime could still possibly put on Brook-Chaves.
- ESPN and Spike have the two best PBC broadcasts.
- 122 would be a real stretch for Chocolatito. When he met him in person he is very naturally small.
- Funniest fighter he has interviewed? Rahman, Wlad, Hopkins.
- Roger's health was part of the reason Floyd switched back to Floyd Sr. training him.
- He he had one vote for the HOF, Ward or Froch? Ward, easily.
- Tim Bradley HOF'er? Probably
Its just he always keeps hands down. He has no idea what stick and move means lol
Props:
heyzel and heyzel
The fight was actually pretty entertaining. That's the problem though, Wilder shouldnt be having entertaining fights with guys of this caliber, he should be blowing them out of the water. To his credit, Frenchy was a tough guy, appeared to be very durable. Wilder's eye was swollen pretty good, his defense is very leaky which you don't like to see against really slow plodding fighters like Frenchy. But if there is any positive here, it's good experience for Wilder. Sometimes these tough guys that just won't fold are good fights for developing guys. It seemed Wilder "discovered" his uppercut in the later rounds and realized he's so much physically stronger that he can just maul opponents, get on the inside and be rough and physical, especially with that uppercut. When he's at mid range, his defense sucks. But oddly enough when he's inside fighting he seems a bit more protected, and he's so physically strong if he fights like that more often it's going to be hard for opponents to withstand that kind of strength. Hopefully he learns from it, we'll see.
Props:
heyzel and heyzel
I've made fun of Billy Dib plenty of times but Damn this is rough. Poor guy.
Billy Dib Hit With Tragic Loss: Wife, 21, Passes Away
By Edward Chaykovsky
Former world champion Billy Dib (39-4, 23KOs) suffered a tragic loss on Saturday, when his wife, 21-year-old Sara Selim Dib, lost her battle with leukemia. A funeral service was held on Sunday at Rookwood cemetery in Sydney, Australia.
She was diagnosed with leukemia only eight weeks ago. According to family members her unexpected passing was attributed to complications with her treatment.
Dibb spent the last few days at his wife's side, sleeping on the floor in her hospital room. They were scheduled to get married in December, but after her diagnoses they pushed everything forward and got married just six weeks ago.
'To God we belong and to God we shall return. At 11.30pm last night, my heart passed away. Sara Selim Dib, my best friend, my soul, my everything, my angel forever,' Billy Dib, 30, wrote on Facebook.
Dib's brother, Jihad, thanked the countless thousands who sent over messages of support in the last few days.
"We have been so touched and overwhelmed with the well-wishes we've received since Sara's tragic passing," Jihad told The Daily Telegraph. "Sara was loved by young and old, she had a way of bringing people together, and even in death she has made that so."
Billy Dib Hit With Tragic Loss: Wife, 21, Passes Away
By Edward Chaykovsky
Former world champion Billy Dib (39-4, 23KOs) suffered a tragic loss on Saturday, when his wife, 21-year-old Sara Selim Dib, lost her battle with leukemia. A funeral service was held on Sunday at Rookwood cemetery in Sydney, Australia.
She was diagnosed with leukemia only eight weeks ago. According to family members her unexpected passing was attributed to complications with her treatment.
Dibb spent the last few days at his wife's side, sleeping on the floor in her hospital room. They were scheduled to get married in December, but after her diagnoses they pushed everything forward and got married just six weeks ago.
'To God we belong and to God we shall return. At 11.30pm last night, my heart passed away. Sara Selim Dib, my best friend, my soul, my everything, my angel forever,' Billy Dib, 30, wrote on Facebook.
Dib's brother, Jihad, thanked the countless thousands who sent over messages of support in the last few days.
"We have been so touched and overwhelmed with the well-wishes we've received since Sara's tragic passing," Jihad told The Daily Telegraph. "Sara was loved by young and old, she had a way of bringing people together, and even in death she has made that so."