BOXING NEWS
- Thread starter Little Daz
- Start date
A three-way negotiating tussle these past few weeks has ended with Erik Morales agreeing to a rubber match with Marco Antonio Barrera at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas on November 27. It looked at first as if Barrera would be boxing Manny Pacquiao in a rematch on that date until Barrera reportedly said he needed more time to face his Filipino conqueror. Discussions then began between Pacquiao's camp and Top Rank, who promote outstanding WBC and IBF super-featherweight champ Morales, for a pay-per-view showdown on November 6. But clearly a more agreeable deal was hatched for great Mexican rivals Morales and Barrera to square off once again, with WBC lightweight champ Jose Luis Castillo possibly facing WBO king Diego Corrales in a terrific support. Morales won a disputed decision over Barrera in a super-bantamweight thriller in February 2000, when most thought Marco Antonio had deserved to win. Two years later, as featherweights, the roles were reversed when Barrera decisioned Morales but the majority opinion was that Morales had done enough to win what was a more tactical battle. Now they are set to do it again (at super-feather), leaving the exciting Pacquiao without an opponent. The Filipino's promoter Murad Muhammad also failed to deliver a rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez. He claims the Mexican big guns don't want to fight his man. Now Pacquiao may target WBC super-bantamweight champion Oscar Larios, another Mexican who like Barrera is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. Morales and Barrera are expected to earn in excess of $3m each for what will be a pay-per-view bout on HBO. Erik's WBC belt will be at stake, but there could be problems with the IBF. Robbie Peden of Australia stepped aside in the summer to permit then-champion Carlos Hernandez to defend against Morales. He may not be so obliging a second time. Interestingly, when Morales and Barrera fought the second time, Marco Antonio said he didn't want the WBC featherweight belt he won from his countryman. It was immediately vacated when he won it.
Any prospect of undefeated heavyweight Ike Ibeabuchi being released from prison any time soon to resume his career ended just over a week ago when the Nigerian's parole was denied. Ibeabuchi, 31, is at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada serving between five to 30 years for battery and sexual assault on a Las Vegas call girl in July 1999. The former boxer, who was unbeaten in 20 fights and had scored impressive victories over David Tua (pts) and future IBF champion Chris Byrd (rsf 5), also faces possible deportation to Nigeria when he is eventually released, probably in 2007. Tim Graham of the Buffalo News recently visited Ibeabuchi in Nevada before the parole notice and wrote an excellent piece for ESPN.com. It was clear from the article that Ibeabuchi had high hopes of boxing again. He even talked of taking on Mike Tyson in what the African thought would be "the biggest fight of all time". "People want to see who really is the baddest guy," he said. "My rap sheet's similar to Tyson's." That's nothing to brag about. Ibeabuchi has a chequered past. The call girl incident was one of many indiscretions. Those who knew him and worked with him often commented on his erratic behaviour as much as his fighting prowess. I saw Ibeabuchi fight 'live' only once and, to be honest, wasn't overly impressed. He didn't strike me as the next great heavyweight and his thrilling battle with Tua, which set punch-stat records, now appears less exceptional given how easily the squat Kiwi was subsequently handled by Lennox Lewis and twice outboxed by Hasim Rahman (though Tua won the first time by stoppage in controversial fashion and was held to a draw in the return). We will probably never know how good Ibeabuchi could have been. His outstanding performance was stopping Byrd. "Boxing is life to me," he told Graham. "It makes me a better person, proud of my ability and sense of being a human being. Boxing makes me a warrior. In boxing, you get out exactly what you put in. I refuse to be forgotten. I'm like a new car that's been parked. I might not be the latest model, but the engine is still fully intact." Trying to be philosophical, Ibeabuchi told Graham, "I'm grateful I've spent time here (in jail). I appreciate the serenity, the calm I have acquired. If not for the stain on my name, there's nothing wrong with taking a five-year break." The break will be a lot longer, though. And although Ibeabuchi said he refused to allow his will to be broken, the news he will be detained longer in the desert jail will surely hit him as hard as anyone he faced in the ring. He admitted, "I'm not perfect. I'm a human being. I have a moral standard." But there was little remorse for what he did. "In Nigeria, I wouldn't be in prison for what I did," he said. "The system here (in America) makes sure someone gets punished whenever a woman cries." Initially, Ibeabuchi was deemed too unstable to stand trial. He was put in a mental unit and given medication under force. It was some two-and-a-half years after his arrest before he faced the courts. He made an Alford plea, which in effect means Ibeabuchi didn't admit any guilt but conceded there was enough evidence to convict him. Graham reports that Ibeabuchi is much better. He works out every day and hasn't required medication since January 2002. But, worryingly, the ex-boxer admits, "I still have my rage."
Any prospect of undefeated heavyweight Ike Ibeabuchi being released from prison any time soon to resume his career ended just over a week ago when the Nigerian's parole was denied. Ibeabuchi, 31, is at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada serving between five to 30 years for battery and sexual assault on a Las Vegas call girl in July 1999. The former boxer, who was unbeaten in 20 fights and had scored impressive victories over David Tua (pts) and future IBF champion Chris Byrd (rsf 5), also faces possible deportation to Nigeria when he is eventually released, probably in 2007. Tim Graham of the Buffalo News recently visited Ibeabuchi in Nevada before the parole notice and wrote an excellent piece for ESPN.com. It was clear from the article that Ibeabuchi had high hopes of boxing again. He even talked of taking on Mike Tyson in what the African thought would be "the biggest fight of all time". "People want to see who really is the baddest guy," he said. "My rap sheet's similar to Tyson's." That's nothing to brag about. Ibeabuchi has a chequered past. The call girl incident was one of many indiscretions. Those who knew him and worked with him often commented on his erratic behaviour as much as his fighting prowess. I saw Ibeabuchi fight 'live' only once and, to be honest, wasn't overly impressed. He didn't strike me as the next great heavyweight and his thrilling battle with Tua, which set punch-stat records, now appears less exceptional given how easily the squat Kiwi was subsequently handled by Lennox Lewis and twice outboxed by Hasim Rahman (though Tua won the first time by stoppage in controversial fashion and was held to a draw in the return). We will probably never know how good Ibeabuchi could have been. His outstanding performance was stopping Byrd. "Boxing is life to me," he told Graham. "It makes me a better person, proud of my ability and sense of being a human being. Boxing makes me a warrior. In boxing, you get out exactly what you put in. I refuse to be forgotten. I'm like a new car that's been parked. I might not be the latest model, but the engine is still fully intact." Trying to be philosophical, Ibeabuchi told Graham, "I'm grateful I've spent time here (in jail). I appreciate the serenity, the calm I have acquired. If not for the stain on my name, there's nothing wrong with taking a five-year break." The break will be a lot longer, though. And although Ibeabuchi said he refused to allow his will to be broken, the news he will be detained longer in the desert jail will surely hit him as hard as anyone he faced in the ring. He admitted, "I'm not perfect. I'm a human being. I have a moral standard." But there was little remorse for what he did. "In Nigeria, I wouldn't be in prison for what I did," he said. "The system here (in America) makes sure someone gets punished whenever a woman cries." Initially, Ibeabuchi was deemed too unstable to stand trial. He was put in a mental unit and given medication under force. It was some two-and-a-half years after his arrest before he faced the courts. He made an Alford plea, which in effect means Ibeabuchi didn't admit any guilt but conceded there was enough evidence to convict him. Graham reports that Ibeabuchi is much better. He works out every day and hasn't required medication since January 2002. But, worryingly, the ex-boxer admits, "I still have my rage."
If the Joe Mesi-Vassiliy Jirov fight had been a 12-rounder rather than 10 Mesi could now be dead or disabled. Mesi wants to continue his career but action must be taken to protect him from himself. And looking at Mesi's last two victories, his potential for progress would appear limited anyway. Why take the risk just for one payday to go down to the likes of Vitali Klitschko? All the money in the world will do Mesi no good if he can't spend it.
Bernard Hopkins isn't highly regarded by those who have done business with him. He's been to court with his former promoter Butch Lewis and America Presents, sued Don King and been sued by Lou DiBella, who despises him as a man but respects him as a fighter. British promoter Frank Warren also claimed Hopkins was impossible to deal with because the American backed out of a fight against Joe Calzaghe. But by agreeing to fight Oscar De La Hoya on September 18, Hopkins feels every decision he has made in his career has been justified. Forced out of his Miami Beach training camp a week early because of Hurricane Frances, Hopkins is guaranteed $8m against the Golden Boy. If pay-per-view sales in America exceed 1.5m, Bernard could possibly double that figure. That's much more than he was offered to box Calzaghe or Roy Jones in a rematch, or James Toney at cruiser (all fights which have fallen through in recent years). "This (fight) is for all fighters, encouraging them that they can make their own decisions," said Hopkins. "They can still come out on top when they have the courage and patience to continue winning." Not every fighter, however, has Hopkins' talent, speed of thought, strength of character or remarkable dedication. He is, without doubt, the Marvin Hagler of his generation, an old-school champion who came up the hard way, stays in shape and will never allow anyone to take him by surprise. Hopkins, nicknamed "The Executioner", comes from an impoverished background. "I'm not perfect," he admitted. "I'm always paranoid in boxing. I learned that in the business, not the ring. In the ring, you know I'm so comfortable." Hopkins has earned enough from boxing to be comfortable financially along with a wife and young daughter. Though he is a reformed character (having been to jail for bank robbery) and tremendous role model, at the core of the man is someone still more at home in the severe surroundings of hometown Philadelphia. "I'm more paranoid in the suburbs where I live (in Deleware) than I am in the ghetto when I ride back to Philly," he explained. "I'm actually comfortable when I ride home and you can hear gunshots 15 blocks away. You pay no attention to it because you're used to it." But self-control and discipline are Hopkins' greatest attributes, even if he admits that in training he can be a difficult man to be around. "I'm real moody," he said. "But when the fight's over I'm the nicest person to be around. I can change that personality which some fighters can't. They take that fighter personality into society and then you make the papers, the news. In the ring, though, I go in with the mentality that we're in the streets. I don't care about you, your family or who you are with. That might seem cruel and make you angry, but you have to understand that to be a fighter - to be a real fighter - is a mental game. Once you know you have to be strong mentally, you have to take that into combat and into the ring and perform. But when it's all said and done, we're going to hug each other. Most fighters do. When the fight's over, nine out of 10 times we will embrace each other and go about our business. That's the most beautiful thing about boxing."
For most fighters, training camp means precisely that - a place of seclusion, hard work, discipline and no distractions. Not Ricardo Mayorga, the wayward Nicaraguan who boxes Felix Trinidad in New York on October 2. He found time for a night on the tiles with a young lady last week which very nearly resulted in the Trinidad match being cancelled. His partner for the evening on September 2 accused Mayorga of rape at a hotel where they went for the evening. Police in Managua went searching for the boxer, who was nowhere to be found before he surfaced at the international airport trying to board a flight to the United States. Mayorga was promptly arrested and questioned, but later released and given permission to fly to Las Vegas, where he arrived in time last Saturday to sit ringside for the main events at Don King's promotion for the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Ricardo, known for his wild, erratic behaviour - he drinks, smokes and enjoys driving at high speed through the streets in Managua - claimed he had been set up. He insisted that hotel staff, who verified the boxer had been at the hotel with the lady, could confirm they left happily together. Unperturbed by the events, Mayorga said in Vegas, "I'm going to sleep in the ring and wait for Trinidad." He said the incident had cost him only one day's training.
Mike Tyson is feeling low following his defeat by Danny Williams in July. The former two-time world heavyweight king gave an interesting exclusive interview to Boxingtalk.com, explaining he was trying to keep himself together (mentally) after such a disappointing result. "It (defeat) is nothing for my career, because guys lose, come back and win titles all the time," he said. "But I was very disappointed because I trained so hard. I was ready to knock this guy out and become a sensation again, and then pow!" Tyson didn't give Williams much credit, labelling him "a journeyman". Tyson insisted his knee was the reason for his defeat. He is walking again, but said: "My leg hurts a little. I'm getting therapy for it and am doing good. After all these years fighting, this thing with my leg is the only thing that has prevented me from fighting. I never worried about brain damage or anything like that." Asked if he had watched the Williams fight on tape, Tyson said: "I'm too hurt to see it. I'm just trying to get myself together without becoming discouraged or frustrated. The fight was ready to be over. All these people who said he was too tough for me should know he wasn't. He fought back and was gallant. But the bravest thing he did was step into the ring with me."
For most fighters, training camp means precisely that - a place of seclusion, hard work, discipline and no distractions. Not Ricardo Mayorga, the wayward Nicaraguan who boxes Felix Trinidad in New York on October 2. He found time for a night on the tiles with a young lady last week which very nearly resulted in the Trinidad match being cancelled. His partner for the evening on September 2 accused Mayorga of rape at a hotel where they went for the evening. Police in Managua went searching for the boxer, who was nowhere to be found before he surfaced at the international airport trying to board a flight to the United States. Mayorga was promptly arrested and questioned, but later released and given permission to fly to Las Vegas, where he arrived in time last Saturday to sit ringside for the main events at Don King's promotion for the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Ricardo, known for his wild, erratic behaviour - he drinks, smokes and enjoys driving at high speed through the streets in Managua - claimed he had been set up. He insisted that hotel staff, who verified the boxer had been at the hotel with the lady, could confirm they left happily together. Unperturbed by the events, Mayorga said in Vegas, "I'm going to sleep in the ring and wait for Trinidad." He said the incident had cost him only one day's training.
Mike Tyson is feeling low following his defeat by Danny Williams in July. The former two-time world heavyweight king gave an interesting exclusive interview to Boxingtalk.com, explaining he was trying to keep himself together (mentally) after such a disappointing result. "It (defeat) is nothing for my career, because guys lose, come back and win titles all the time," he said. "But I was very disappointed because I trained so hard. I was ready to knock this guy out and become a sensation again, and then pow!" Tyson didn't give Williams much credit, labelling him "a journeyman". Tyson insisted his knee was the reason for his defeat. He is walking again, but said: "My leg hurts a little. I'm getting therapy for it and am doing good. After all these years fighting, this thing with my leg is the only thing that has prevented me from fighting. I never worried about brain damage or anything like that." Asked if he had watched the Williams fight on tape, Tyson said: "I'm too hurt to see it. I'm just trying to get myself together without becoming discouraged or frustrated. The fight was ready to be over. All these people who said he was too tough for me should know he wasn't. He fought back and was gallant. But the bravest thing he did was step into the ring with me."
Ward to get blurred peripheral vision repaired
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SportsTicker
LOWELL, Mass. -- Retired boxer Micky Ward is scheduled to undergo surgery to both eyes Sept. 16 to repair an injury suffered in his final fight.
Ward will have surgery at the Mass Eye & Ear Hospital to fix blurred peripheral vision suffered June 7, 2003 in his third fight against Arturo Gatti. He retired directly after the match.
One of boxing's most popular and respected fighters, Ward, 38, was 38-13 with 27 KOs in his 18 years as a pro. He defeated previously unbeaten Shea Neary in London to become WBU light welterweight champion in March 2000.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SportsTicker
LOWELL, Mass. -- Retired boxer Micky Ward is scheduled to undergo surgery to both eyes Sept. 16 to repair an injury suffered in his final fight.
Ward will have surgery at the Mass Eye & Ear Hospital to fix blurred peripheral vision suffered June 7, 2003 in his third fight against Arturo Gatti. He retired directly after the match.
One of boxing's most popular and respected fighters, Ward, 38, was 38-13 with 27 KOs in his 18 years as a pro. He defeated previously unbeaten Shea Neary in London to become WBU light welterweight champion in March 2000.
