Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

Showtime and the Super Six tourney farce

By Mark Hepplestall: When the super six tournament was made it was supposed to make a real undisputed champion of the Super Middleweight division, two years later and we all have more questions than answers from this awfully managed tournament. Some of the big name fighters have left and not been properly replaced, the judges and referee’s have been consistently awful and believe it or not there are more issues! Lets look at some of the big issues

Andre ward and his home advantage, if you already noticed Andre ward is the only boxer not to give anything away in this tournament. He has now completed 3 fights in his hometown and is looking to stage his next bout with Arthur Abraham in the same place. Now lets look at some of the other boxers, Mikkel Kessler went to the USA to fight Ward, got no protection from the referee and has now been retired basically by the referee not stopping Ward from headbutting.

Now making it clear it’s not Ward’s fault it’s the referee’s, as he is supposed to uphold the rules and not allow a boxer to stretch the rules in order to gain advantages in the fight. Next the dark horse Carl Froch won a close decision at home that could have gone either way depending on what you like to see in a fight and since then has been on the road, basically he will end up having only 1 out of 5 fights in his home country. The superb comeback used by many American writers, bloggers etc is that he is European and fought all his fights in Europe, unfortunately these same people do not consider the fact that almost every country in Europe has at one point in the last 100 years every single one of those countries has been at war with each other and they hate each other unlike in the USA.

An example would be The English hate the French and the German and maybe the Italians, while the above plus the Welsh, Scottish, Irish and everybody else hates the English.

So what have we learned from the Andre Ward guide to promoting a fight? Fighting in your home country is a home fight, fighting in your home state/city is a huge home fight and fighting 3 times in a row in Oakland is Showtime taking the mick.

look at the opposition, Ward has fought Kessler in a good fight, Green in an awful fight and Ward was then given two points for NOT fighting Andre Dirrell and defeating Sakio Bika instead. Okay the Kessler fight was great for Ward, he showed the world he wasn’t here to just make up the numbers and even though he wouldn’t have got away with the headbutts in any other country in the world he did very well, unfortunately he didn’t follow it up with a great bout. Allen Green was brought in to replace Jermaine Taylor who would have made such a better fight, unfortunately Green was awful, he didn’t really try to win, he was totally out of his depth.

Surely Showtime could have found a better fighter to take his place such as Lucian Bute, Edison Miranda, Jean Paul Mendy, Robert Stieglitz, even asking Peter Manfredo Jr to move up would have been a better idea. Next was Showtime shocked the world by just handing Andre Ward 2 points instead of making him work for them, it sort of supports the idea that the tournament is a fix. I actually thought the bout with Bika was much closer than the actual cards; I had Ward win by 4 rounds, not the official whitewash of the scorecards the judges observed.

 

[heyzel]

Interview with Chuck Wepner: Blood, Sweat & Tears!

Interview by Ken Hissner

Chuck “Bayonne Bleeder” was from Bayonne, NJ, and was nobody’s opponent. He spilled quite a bit of his own “blood” including receiving 72 stitches, a broken nose and cheekbone in his battle with Sonny Liston. Only Vito Antuofermo had more stitches. He “sweat” many hours in the gym from 226 in 1965 to 223 in 1978. His “tears” were not only from the many cuts he absorbed but learning Sylvester Stallone took his bout with Muhammad Ali to the screen and never compensated him until he went to court. Stallone said “Wepner had already made enough money from making appearances as the real Rocky. It was settled later for undisclosed terms.

Wepner had an outstanding amateur career with a 16-0 record being the only boxer from New Jersey to ever win the NYGG. That was in 1964. He was trained by Joe Barizzi and Ralph Palmaseno. He also served in the United States Marine Corps where he was 3-0. It’s been reported he was 81-0. “That record included bar and street fights. I knocked out 2 guys in those old phone booths you could sit down in at the Bayonne Broadway Tavern and another in the men’s room,” said Wepner.

When he turned professional he was 25 in August of 1964 at City Stadium, Bayonne, NJ, knocking out George Cooper in 3 rounds. Just 9 days later Wepner found himself fighting in Madison Square Garden defeating Rudy Pavesi over 4 rounds. Pavesi would only have one more fight after this defeating Bob Stallings who would deal Wepner his first loss a year later.

Wepner was managed by Al Braverman who was also the cut-man while being trained by numerous people but mostly by Dom Bufano with Bill Prezant who served as second. Only 9 of Wepner’s 51 opponents had losing records and even they could fight. Case in point was Everett Copeland, 1-6-1, had a pair of draws in Wepner’s third and seventh fights. A year later Copeland knocked out the 1960 Rome Olympic Gold Medalists Franco DePiccoli, 37-2, in Italy.

Back in Madison Square Garden Wepner would have the first of 4 meetings with tough Jerry Tomasetti, 3-1, winning a 4 rounder. In 1966 he would repeat the win over 6 rounds, get stopped in 1967 and win by stoppage in 1968 in their fourth encounter. “That was one tough guy,” said Wepner. These 4 fights were per the www.boxrec.com but Wepner felt there were only 3.

Wepner “upset” the former world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson’s brother, Ray, 10-1, who was on a 7 fight winning streak. He dropped Patterson in the second round and took a split decision. In Patterson’s next fight he defeated the German Juergen Blin, 6-0, who was a future European champion who would fight Muhammad Ali in 1967.

After Wepner’s loss to Stallings he was stopped by Buster Mathis, 5-0, having the fight halted in the third. He gave away 50 pounds to Mathis. Mathis won the 1964 Olympic Trials defeating “Smokin” Joe Frazier but broke his thumb and couldn’t go only to be replaced by Frazier who won the Gold Medal.

Wepner would go onto win 4 straight including the USA NJ State title stopping Don McAteer, 19-8-2, in April of 1967. This was followed by his only loss to Tomasetti and then a 9 fight winning streak followed. Included in that streak was Forest Ward, 4-0-2, who won the 1967 Pan Am Games and the Golden Gloves. In the finals of the gloves he defeated Ken Norton.
Wepner had Ward down 3 times in the seventh round bringing about an automatic stoppage.

Wepner’s 9 fight winning streak was stopped by Joe Roman, 20-5-1, in Puerto Rico in June of 1969. Wepner replied “No way I could win a decision down there but 5k and a trip to Puerto Rico?” Roman would challenge George Foreman for the WBC/WBA titles in 1973 getting hit after being knocked down which could have lead to a disqualification but didn’t.

Speaking of Foreman, he was Wepner’s next opponent stopping Wepner in the third round. “A friend and I once visited George later after one of his fights and he was the friendliest guy and made me feel good in front of my friend. On the way out there was Joe DiMaggio (Yankee Clipper). I have been a Yankee fan since I was 9. Later on I see Joe leaving with 2 state troopers and he went out of his way and came to say good-bye to me,” said Wepner.

Wepner came back with 2 big wins over Pedro Agosto, 19-1, and Manuel Ramos, 23-9-2. Ramos had challenged Joe Frazier 2 years earlier for the NYSAC title. Wepner was then put in with the former champion Sonny Liston, 49-4, in June of 1970. He would last until the end of the ninth round being cut so bad he needed 72 stitches, broken nose and a broken cheek bone. “He hit harder than Foreman,” said Wepner.

Just 3 months later Wepner traveled to London to lose to Joe Bugner, 26-2. He was stopped in 3 rounds due to a cut eye. “I had a little nic by my eye and my manager Al Braverman went nuts. Bugner did surprise me how big and strong he was. Bugner would go onto win the British, Empire and European titles and challenge Ali twice.

Jerry Judge would stop Wepner 4 months later on cuts. “I hate to use an excuse but I was sick before the fight with a cold. I don’t want to take anything away from Judge because he was a good fighter,” said Wepner.

After scoring a couple of stoppages over Jesse Crown, 20-10-1, and Mike Boswell, 13-4, Wepner would his State title to Randy Neuman, 17-1, in the first of their 3 fights with the rematch in Wepner’s next fight winning back the title. Both fights went the 12 rounds. “Today Randy is a good friend of mine. He’s a very bright guy,” said Wepner. Neuman is a NJ referee.

After defeating John Clohessy, 14-3, and Bill Marquart, 10-4-2, the latter in a State title defense, Wepner was ready for one of his biggest fights. It was June of 1973 when he would meet former WBA champion Ernie Terrell, 46-7, at Convention Hall in Atlantic City for the vacant National Americas title. Both fighters were 6:06. The only official was referee Harold Valan who gave the decision to Wepner 7-5 in rounds. “I thought I pulled the fight out in the eleventh and twelfth rounds. If we fought in Chicago he wins,” said Wepner.

The following year in a “rubber match” Wepner stopped Neuman in a State title defense in 6 rounds. A clash of heads caused a severe gash to Neumann’s head. Wepner’s win streak would reach 8 as he stopped Terry Hinke, 37-3-2, in 11 rounds in Salt Lake City, UT. Hinke was down 3 times in the final round. “Don King told me if I beat Hinke who is a good puncher he would get me a title bout with Foreman. Just 3 weeks later Foreman loses to Ali. He then tells me he will get me Ali,” said Wepner.

Wepner was to get his first world title bout in March of 1975 against Muhammad Ali, 45-2, in the Richfield Coliseum, in Richfield, OH. “If I survived the Marines I’ll survive Ali,” said Wepner. Naturally it was a Don King Promotion and Wepner was brought in as a “sacrificial lamb” by King. What King and Ali didn’t realize was the determination and fearlessness of Wepner. “Say what you want about King but he took good care of me,” said Wepner.

“It was the only time I went to training camp and for 7 weeks. One of my sparring partners, Charley Polite, had to leave early in camp due to his wife’s illness. When King arrived I went to his office and said I need $6500 for Polite. He asked where he was going to get $6500. I told him don’t bull shit a bull shitter. He gave me the check for Polite,” said Wepner.

Don King asked Ali why he didn’t give Wepner a nickname like he did so many of his opponents. “He showed me respect I respect him,” said Ali. “I even wrote a pair of poems for Ali. One was called Good-bye Ali, Hello Chuck,” said Wepner.

It was a long night for the WBC/WBA champion including being knocked to the canvas from a right hand below the heart in the ninth round. It was a grueling match and Wepner landed his share of jabs.

In the fifteenth and final round with both fighters near exhaustion Wepner landed a right cross to the jaw of Ali. In the final minute he landed another right hand but was countered by a left and right by Ali putting Wepner in trouble. He started losing control of his legs but was able to get to the ropes for support. “My legs where shaky by the eleventh from exhaustion,” said Wepner.

In the meantime Ali had gone in a different direction after landing the combination. When he realized Wepner was in trouble he rushed in and landed a right hand that had Wepner falling across the corner of the ring to the other set of ropes with his hands down while Ali landed the final right hand to the head causing Wepner to fall to the canvas. While Wepner was pulling himself up by the ropes referee Tony Perez stopped counting and waved the fight over with just 19 seconds to go.

“It was the only time I was ever knocked down,” said Wepner. He did get to his feet but it was too late. Wepner won a lot of fans over after that effort. “The referee told me later if he knew there was only 20 seconds left he would not have stopped it,” said Wepner.

“Fighting Ali was the highlight of my career and the thing I was most known for. Later we even did a commercial for kids to brush their teeth. I was in a big tooth costume as Mr. Tooth Decay. I would knock Ali down and he would knock me down. Then they gave him a toothbrush and Ali said “I knocked out tooth decay kids. Make sure you brush your teeth. I am also working on a movie about my life and will keep you in touch.”

Wepner stopped his next 3 opponents and was matched in a “mixed” match against Andre the Giant who was 7’6” and tipped the scales at 550. This was in the summer of 1976. “We took it because the money was right. The only person Chuck ever feared was his wife Linda,” said Al Braverman.

Andre was a foot taller than Wepner and outweighed by well over 300 pounds. In the first round Wepner landed some good jabs and in close quarters with Andre bending over Wepner landed some hard chopping right hands. It looked like Andre got mad and picked Wepner up over his head and spun him around while walking to the ropes and dropping him outside of the ring. “It was all planned but my foot got caught on the rope as I was falling. His manager Gorilla Monsoon was standing over me on the floor with his foot on my chest so I wouldn’t get back into the ring,” said Wepner. Gradually Wepner climbed back into the ring and bedlam broke out ending the match with fans pouring into the ring. “Andre was a gentle giant,” said Wepner.

In October of the same year Wepner would only have his second fight of the year taking on unbeaten Duane Bobick, 36-0 (31), who represented the USA in the 1972 Olympics. He had defeated Cuban Teofilo Stevenson for the Pan Am Gold in 1971 and beat Larry Holmes so bad in the Olympic Trial finals that Holmes got disqualified for refusing not stop holding Bobick on the third and final warning in the third and last round. Wepner was stopped in the sixth round on cuts. “Bobick was very a strong puncher,” said Wepner.

Wepner would travel to South Africa to meet Mike Schutte, 33-6-1, and lose a 10 rounder. Schutte had defeated Rodney Bobick, Duane’s brother in his previous fight. “I won that one easily. The UK judge had me ahead 7-3,” said Bobick.

In Binghampton, NY, 3 months later Wepner would lose to Horst “Him” Geisler, 10-3, in the tenth and final round. “This was the toughest and strongest (along with Liston) fighter I met though I was at the end of my career. I heard he was killed by a truck later,” said Wepner. He ended with a 12-6 record with all bouts ending in knockout. He was from Montreal and no record of his death could be found.

In 1978 Wepner scored 2 knockouts in North Jersey before meeting young prospect Scott Frank, 4-0, for the State title in Totowa. Wepner would lose for the final time over 12 rounds and announce his retirement. The referee was former world champion “Jersey” Joe Walcott. “He was young and tough. Braverman wanted to stop it after the eighth but I told him I was going the distance,” said Wepner.

Wepner would be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in October of 1982 with a record of 35-14-2 (17). “Henry Hascup is head of the Hall of Fame and is one great guy. He does so much of this work by himself. He and Burt Sugar are two of the best historians on boxing,” said Wepner. This writer has to agree about Hascup being a great guy and a tireless worker for boxing. Last week in Trenton there he was with his wife doing the announcing at an amateur show in Trenton. They are also one of the best looking couples in the game.

Wepner has worked for what is called Allied Liquors now for 41 years. He and his wife celebrated their birthdays last Saturday. “I met my wife (Linda) in the early 90’s. I knew I would have to change my lifestyle and I did. It was a second chance for me,” said Wepner. Go to http://wepner.homestead.com and you’ll see Chuck and his beautiful wife Linda in Bayonne, NJ.

The re-union between “Big” George Foreman and the “Bayonne Bleeder” Chuck Wepner happened at Resorts Casino Hotel on March 4th! Wepner arrived first with his wife Linda and it seemed like everyone (including me) wanted to get their picture taken with him. He couldn’t have been more gracious about it. Foreman arrived with his son “Big Wheel” and George’s brother Roy. They too couldn’t have been nicer. Dolores Fischer of Dee Lee Promotions had both there as guests..

 

[heyzel]

It's war for Golden Boy-Top Rank over promo rights to Donaire, JM Marquez

By Michael Marley


AS VEGAS—The Bloods and the Crips are planning joint outings for barbecues and roller skating excursions.

Friends and foes of Moammar Daffy Khadafy (one of 107 spellings of his surname) are getting ready to sit down at the table of Libyan brotherhood.

And boxing promotional archrivals Golden Boy and Top Rank are going to, in the best interest of the sport, lay down their arms and hug out their differences.

The first two are false and, based on some things I learned here Wednesday, the only grip the fight game's top two promotional outfits will get on each other is a bear hug.

ITEM #1—Not content to sit idly by as Floyd Mayweather Jr. works out his legal issues and, then when he does that goes looking for a tuneup fight, Bob Arum and associates have zeroed in on Mexican ringmaster Juan Manuel Marquez as Manny Pacquiao's opponent for November, presuming that May 7 foe Sugar Shane Mosley is disposed of first.

Juan Ma will show up at the MGM Grand Hotel any minute now as part of the Mexican TV broadcast team doing the Arum-Don King Ricardo Mayorga-Miguel Cotto PPV card Saturday night.

According to Top Rankers, the slick counterpuncher and historic Pacman nemesis has a deal which expires with Oscar De La Hoya's company 10 days hence. The magic date, they contend, is March 20 and they say JMM is then free and clear to come under the TR banner and get the third chance he longs for against Megamanny.

Clearly, this is a boom time for nearly 40 fighters in the Pacman sphere with Mosley being 39 and cashing in next, 38 year old Marquez in the wings and with Nicaraguan's most exportable nutjob, meaning Mayorga, celebrating his 38th natal day today Thursday.

We'll see what Golden Boy has to say about Juan Ma's legal entanglements with them, if any.

ITEM #2—Next battlefront for the endless war between the Arums and the Goldens is for the services of hotter than a meteorite Nonito Donaire Jr. I reported to you last weekend that Donaire seems to be contending that he is now free and clear of Top Rank and that former Nevada commission chairman Jerry Bailey is handling this legal matter.

One source inside TR claims that Bailey is merely the local mouthpiece for the “Filipino Flash” and that the real player behind Donaire's sudden urge to free himself of the Arum yoke is old sparring partner and Golden Boy litigator, the New York attorney Judd Burstein.

I can't verify that as I pen this piece but I do know that some loose lipped Goldens were telling friends at last Saturday's Canelo Alvarez HBO showcase in Anaheim that it won't be long before the 28 year old Donaire puts on a GBP jersey.

You know where this is heading if Donaire persists, right? Tell the arbitrator to start warming up in the bullpen, folks.

ITEM #3—With historic archrivals Arum and King getting along like long lost brothers in this “Relentless” co-promotion, Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer may be trying to roil the calm waters for both of the 79 year old promoters.

Mr. King ranted and raved Wednesday about a column in which, or so DK claimed, negative comments about HBO boxing boss Ross Greenburg were wrongly attributed to him when they were actually only came rolling off Arum's acidic lips.

“I join in Bob's sentiments about being treated unfairly by HBO but I don't make it personal. I don't call for any guy to be fired behind all that. I may agree with Bob was saying but I don't take it to that kind of level.”

King and Arum have long claimed that Al Haymon and Golden Boy get preferrential treatment, Favored Nation status you might call it, from Greenburg and his fight buying cronies at the premium cable network.

As you know, the Mosley-Pacquiao fight left the HBO station and is riding the rails with rival Showtime and its sister network, CBS.

As I left the MGM Wednesday night, King was deep in a phone conversation with Herr Schaefer in which the Golden Guy was telling the highhaired one that he shouldn't join awful Arum in attacking Greenburg and HBO.

The Goldens, it seems, want King as an ally and not as a force friendly to the dreaded Arum.

What a lovely war...at least for the war correspondents.

On Thursday, Mayweather returns to familiar confines, a Las Vegas criminal courtroom.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: It's war for Golden Boy-Top Rank over promo rights to Donaire, JM Marquez - National Boxing | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-n...mo-rights-to-donaire-jm-marquez#ixzz1GELuaX4E

 

[heyzel]

Ricardo Mayorga: Miguel Cotto is "my golden ticket to Manny Pacquiao" Continue readi

AS VEGAS—In a city whose glistening cathedrals of chance attest to the fact that “the house always wins,” a prospector named Ricardo Mayorga is looking to get lucky.

Mayorga, the loudmouth from Nicaragua who turns age 38 today (Thursday), said on Wednesday that he views his Saturday night PPV opponent, the redoubtable Miguel Cotto, as a lottery ticket. Having tried and failed against superstars named Tito Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya while training sporadically and often unethusiastically, the chatterbox from Managua views this bout as his Last Chance Cafe, his possible Superlotto strike.

“I need to earn a golden ticket. This is my ticket, my golden ticket,” Mayorga said while meeting the media in the bowels of the MGM Grand Garden Arena. “This is my ticket to Manny Pacquiao.

“If I don't knock Cotto out in three or four rounds, I won't get that time, I won't get the opportunity to fight Pacquiao. If I beat him in the late rounds or by decision, then I realize I might not be (deemed) as deserving of the fight against Pacquiao.”

That was in the morning, Mayorga's amusing but seemingly endless spiel about why this is only the fifth out of 37 pro bouts (make that 41 as he claims the official record gyps him out of four victories that are unrecorded) that he has religiously conditioned himself for beforehand.

In the afternoon, Sunshine Boys Reunited, meaning longtime archrivals Bob Arum and Don King barked into any and all available microphones. Taking his cue from Mayorga or vice versa, King was the proverbial broken record going on and on about how his man would smash big betting favorite Cotto, the Pride of Puerto Rico, and then destroy Pacman.

Mayorga was said to have reacted angrily in Los Angeles the other day when a media type stated that he had done nothing “to deserve” a Pacquiao fight.

“Pacquiao knocked out Cotto in the ninth or 10th round, late in the fight,” Mayorga said. “That is why I am going to knock Cotto in four rounds. (Actually, Pacman halted Cotto in the 12th and final round.)

“Then people will know that I am better than Cotto. I'm going to go out and prove that I deserve a shot at Pacquiao. In the first round, I will either knock Cotto down or bust one of his two eyes open.”

Mayorga described Cotto taking a precautionary knee against Mexican Mauler Antonio Margarito as being “very cowardly.

“Me, I don't take a knee, I don't bow out like that. That is just very cowardly.”

Adding to his delusions of grandeur, Mayorga, who was doing some political shilling by wearing a teeshirt supporting Nicraguan President Daniel Ortega, then said “half of Puerto Rico” would rooting for him to beat Cotto back.

“At least half of Puerto Rico will be rooting for me. Lots of people over there, they think that he is very snobby, that he is very stuck up. In LA, he spoke only in English which is very vulgar and disrespectful . He showed a lack of respect to the Spanish (speaking) people.”

All the prefight blather seems to be going in one of Cotto's ears and out the other.

“ I am tranquilo, I am calm,” Cotto said. “I am tranquilo, I am just trying to stay in my proper style.”

Cotto did not even fire back at the “very cowardly” remarks.

“The most important thing other than my family is my health,” Cotto said. “What Mayorga said is just ignorance.”

Mayorga and Cotto trainer Emanuel Steward share the same fight prediction in terms of distance, both saying it will not go past four rounds.

“As Mayorga has gotten older, he has really slowed down. He is fighting more conventionally, he has slowed down on the old, impulsive style. Miguel will catch him with solid left hooks and with solid left jabs. Miguel will catch him while he is swinging with all those wide, wild punches.”

Steward said Cotto and Pacquiao have something in common, besides having had Hall Of Fame careers, a distinction never attributed to the erratic Mayorga.

“We punch through the pads, the others punch to the target and not through it,” the former Kronk Gym guru said.

“Miguel and Pacquiao are the only two fighters around today who are doing that.”

If Cotto punches through early and often, that “golden ticket” for Mayorga will go uncashed

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Ricardo Mayorga: Miguel Cotto is "my golden ticket to Manny Pacquiao" - National Boxing | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-n...golden-ticket-to-manny-pacquiao#ixzz1GEMzEvMx

 

[heyzel]

Welterweight Mike Jones a key reason for Donaire-Moreno heading East? Continue readi

t always feels great to be right in the thick of things when it comes to a big fight week and such is the case with Saturday's Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Mayorga bout in Las Vegas. While at the final press conference inside of the MGM Grand yesterday I was able to catch up to some familiar boxing luminaries and the talked wasn't strictly just about the WBA junior middleweight title fight that lies ahead.

BoxingScene.com's Rick Reeno learned that Bob Arum, who oversees Cotto, had some revealing news about another one of his star fighters as it looks like the proposed May 28th Nonito Donaire-Anselmo Moreno bantamweight unification tilt will now be heading to the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City as opposed to the Bay Area in California where it was originally going to take place. Donaire is weeks removed from a thrilling 2nd round TKO over Fernando Montiel at the Mandalay Bay, a performance that netted him the WBC and WBO crowns.

Several people were excited about the possibility of Donaire returning to his adopted hometown and Arum said last month that he was exploring possible venues in the area for the contest. Donaire trains out of the Undisputed Boxing Gym in San Carlos and he has a legion of followers around town that would have likely made for a good sell.

I initially was stumped as to why the bout would be heading out East but Reeno told me that it is simply because of welterweight contender Mike Jones, who will be seeing time as the evening's co-feature attraction. Jones, a Philadelphia native, always sells well near his hometown and has built a huge following in Atlantic City.

Jones was last seen winning a clear decision over Jesus Soto Karass underneath Donaire's blitzing of Montiel. The fight was a rematch of a November match that saw Jones barely come away with a majority decision after storming out of the gates against Karass inside of Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

No word yet on Jones next foe.


In the news

Emanuel Steward trades venom with Ricardo Mayorga

An inside look at the Cotto-Mayorga press conference in Las Vegas

Ricardo Mayorga says he trains from the heart, out to stop Cotto early

Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Welterweight Mike Jones a key reason for Donaire-Moreno heading East? - Las Vegas Boxing | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-l...ast?CID=examiner_alerts_article#ixzz1GENEq7Ee

 

[heyzel]

Boxer Yuri Foreman, the 'Lion of Zion,' reaches across many barriers

By Jerry Izenberg

LAS VEGAS — He is back from the hospital ... back from surgery ... back from rehab ... and on Saturday, Yuri Foreman will seek the most important answer of all in the only place he can find it.

It is nine months since the night he left Yankee Stadium on one leg last June ... nine months since he tried to continue a desperate defense of his junior middleweight title on one leg against Miguel Cotto, who could see the limping Foreman was already done.

For Foreman, it was an exercise in courage, and for those final few minutes before they halted it much too late, Foreman had touched the Yankee Stadium crowd in a way that nobody expected.

Chauvinistic as the heavily partisan Puerto Rican crowd was in its support for Cotto, it rose to its feet and shattered the Bronx air with its approval of the way their man’s opponent had fought on despite the pain ... fought on when so many would not have been able to continue a battle like that on heart alone.

When he returned to Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn for the first time, Foreman was on crutches. A month later he was sparring, and do not think the rest of the gym wasn’t watching.

On Saturday night, the quest for the definitive answer continues here at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino’s Grand Garden Arena when Foreman takes on a middle-echelon fighter named Pawel Wolak, who is not a big banger but a scrappy kind of opponent who will make Foreman fight, which is exactly what Foreman wants.

It is what he has always wanted. When he was a kid in Belarus, where he had to fight because his mother took him to the gym and made him fight out of necessity, Belarus was not a particularly friendly place for a Jewish kid. The family moved to Israel and Israel was not a particularly friendly place for a Russian immigrant.

As he once explained it, in Belarus he was a Jew, in Israel he was a Russian, and here, well, in his words, “I am just a nice kid from Brooklyn who likes to fight and wants to be a rabbi.”

He is just a year short of ordination. You have to know because this is hardly a routine story and Foreman is hardly a routine person. When he started to fight in Israel, he trained under a Russian immigrant who had no gym. They went to the authorities in Haifa and asked for help because as his trainer explained:

“I’m trying to keep these kids off the street, and we need a ring and a heavy bag.”
The immigrants were not a high priority for city hall. “You want to fight,” he was told, “go fight the Arabs.”

So he did. Foreman wound up in an all-Arab gym in a village called Kfar Yassif. When he walked in he looked at them and they looked at him and he says: “I was thinking, ‘You want a piece of me? Well, that’s okay.’ I didn’t exactly look like a native of that village.”

He won them over and in the National Israeli tournament he did not fight for the all-Caucasian team that wanted him. He fought on the teams of his Arab friends. “It is just a Middle Eastern thing that power is respected. And when they saw I could fight there was no doubt we would become friends.”

This is old news, but you are reading it here because of something Foreman said yesterday. And also because of something dating back to the night he lost his title at Yankee Stadium and limped back to the dressing room through the crowd and men and women who waved Puerto Rican flags delayed their departure from the stadium to applaud his courage.

So with that in mind and with the recollection of youth boxing at Kfar Yassif, he explained something on his mind for some time.

“I think they need to build a lot of gyms in places where Arabs and Jews could be together and train together,” he said. “Listen, that’s not far-fetched. Look at Gleason’s in Brooklyn. It’s like a melting pot. One of my friends there is actually named Jihad, and nobody thinks anything of it because he wants for all of us what we want for him. We push each other. We say come on you can do better to each other.

“Nobody looks at race or ethnic background there. If you can fight then we know that you want what we want.”

On Saturday, Foreman will probably be a sentimental favorite with the crowd because they know what he is trying to come back from.

They know. They will cheer. But this is a lonely sport. There is no second string and no juniors. The crows really can’t help once the bell rings. You are on your own.

Saturday night, as his nickname indicates, he will find whether he is once again “The Lion of Zion.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Katsidis challenges Guerrero: Target my eye.



Katsidis to ignore eye injury
Adrian Warren
19:39 AEST Thu Mar 10 2011

Michael Katsidis is determined to fight with an eye injury that threatened to postpone his fight against Robert Guerrero next month and will dare the two-division world champion to target the afflicted area.

Former WBO interim lightweight world champion Katsidis will fight the American at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 10 Australian time.

The bout was plunged into doubt after the 30-year-old Queenslander required stitches in a wound inflicted during a sparring session at his training camp in Thailand.

Katsidis told AAP the fight had effectively been called off on medical advice, but he couldn't face the prospect of missing out on the contest.

"I couldn't sleep, I was knocking on my trainer and manager Brendon (Smith's) door at 6.30 in the morning," Katsidis said from Thailand.

"I got up and was doing hundreds of push-ups and I worked my arse off in the morning and afternoon.

"It (the cut) was bad, it wouldn't have got to the point that the fight was off if it wasn't, but I'm a fighter.

"It's just a cut, I will go in there and knock him out."

Asked if he was worried former IBF featherweight and super featherweight world champion Guerrero would target the injury, Katsidis said: "I hope he does ... it's going to be his downfall, I will guarantee that, I really do hope he goes for my eye."

Katsidis is coming off a ninth-round stoppage loss to Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez.

The Australian, who took the fight just over a month after the death of his brother Stathi, was still ruing his failure to knock the Mexican superstar out after flooring him in the third round.

"I don't know why I didn't do that at the time," Katsidis said.

"My brother just died four weeks before and there were a lot of shoulders to cry on around me at the time, I didn't need that.

"If I hit Guerrero and he goes down like that, I will finish him off, I won't give a sucker a break."

 

[heyzel]

Michael Katsidis is a bad ass but I see Guerrero out boxing him in the later rounds

 

[heyzel]

Can the Little Assassin Sting Mexico?

By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.


Rommel Asenjo of the Braveheart Boxing Club of North Cotabato will fight for the WBO minimumweight title against Mexico’s Raul Garcia this April 30. Asenjo (20W-2L, 16 KO’s) is the current WBO Oriental 105 lb division champion. He is christened “My Little Assassin” by former North Cotabato Gov. Manny Pinol. Two years ago he gave Cebu fight fans a glimpse of his punching power when he knocked out Thai Wutisak Sithoei in only 34 seconds at the Cebu Coliseum. He has also scored first round KO over Sadiki Abdulazizi of Tanzania. Asenjo will be fighting on Mexican soil for this title challenge.

Raul Garcia is a 28 y.o.southpaw and known to Filipino fight fans having beaten Florante Conde by split decision for IBF minimumweight title last June 2008. Garcia (29W (KO 17) -L 1-D1) made four successful defenses before losing to South African Nkosinathi Joyi by unanimous decision last March 2010.

Garcia, who hails from La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, beat Luis dela Rosa of Colombia for WBO interim belt last October 2010.Garcia down once in 2nd round and was hurt on several occasions but he showed true grit and cooly boxed out of harm's way. Garcia was mentioned as an opponent of WBO minimumweight champ Donnie Nietes but Nietes has announced his plan to campaign for a world title at lt.flyweight.

With Nietes moving up in weight, Garcia and Asenjo will be fighting for the world crown instead of the interim title.

ALA Promotions announced Asenjo's title shot during their press conference for Donnie Nietes' fight in Bacolod City against Mexico's Armando Vaquez.

Can Asenjo follow in the footsteps of his stablemate Edrin ‘The Sting’ Dapudong, who scored a stunning first round KO win in Mexico last year?

 

[heyzel]

Martinez: 'I will be in my best shape ever

By Diego Morilla



What has training been like for this fight?
As always, I trained in Oxnard [Calif.], because here is where I have my entire team and the places where I like to run in the morning. We worked with Gaby Sarmiento, his brother Pablo and with Cecilio Flores -- that's my team. This [past] week I sparred with Daniel Santos, Austin Trout and Victor Cayo -- that's the great group of guys I worked with. The whole training experience was excellent. We finished this past Sunday with two days of hard work, and it has been the best training camp in my career so far, because I am physically impeccable and my experience is playing in my favor. For this fight, I believe I will be in my best physical and mental shape ever.

What will be the most difficult aspect of Dzinziruk's style?
We haven't sat down with my trainer yet to talk about the fight plan, but I believe he is a very calculating fighter. He is exactly the opposite of guys like Paul Williams or Kelly Pavlik. They are aggressive fighters, and Dzinziruk is a difficult fighter because he calculates his aggression quite well and he is a good counterpuncher, so I will have to be careful not to fall in his trap and go after him. I have to do the opposite. I have a lot of work ahead of me as far as strategy goes.

What can Dzinziruk do that no other fighter has done before? What sort of new challenge does he present?
He is the classic European boxer, and since I lived in Europe for so long and fought for so many years there -- well, I mean, I won't go as far as saying that I dominate every style, but I believe he is the typical German fighter who would be happy to win every round 1-0. If he lands just one punch, he is happy with that. What I have to do is try to overcome that, to try to beat him with my changes in rhythm and speed.

[+] EnlargeSergio Martinez
Al Bello/Getty ImagesSergio Martinez expects something of a chess match against Sergei Dzinziruk in the early rounds, but expects to attack late and win convincingly.

How do you deal with the pressure of being the favorite and suddenly one of the most watched champions in boxing right now, and living up to your newfound fame?
The truth is that I don't feel the pressure. I never feel that. On the contrary, I believe it is a motivation. Today, I am living in the United States and I am being considered the No. 3 pound-for-pound, and this is really big for me. But it only motivates me to push harder to reach No. 1 as soon as possible. I wish for 2011 to be the year I achieve that.

What would it take for you to get in the ring with [Manny] Pacquiao or [Floyd] Mayweather? How necessary do you think they are to establish your legacy?
All it would take is for them to sign the fight with me, and then we could fight. What is missing is probably the most difficult part, which is coming to some sort of agreement in the negotiations.

Do you think you will have to clean up the division against [Dmitry] Pirog, [Felix] Sturm and others before you get a chance?
Well, I am already in the top three pound-for-pound, and I am being seen as one of the best in the world. I can only look up, and when I do that, all I see is Mayweather and Pacquiao. I can't look back. I have to look ahead now and make the commitment to fight them and achieve that, to make those fights happen.

Given your age and the precious few fights ahead of you, is it difficult to focus on the fight at hand and not the fights ahead?
I never look beyond my next fight. To me, life ends on March 12, because on that day I fight the most important fight of my life. Maybe on March 13, I could sit down and think about what the future holds for me.

How do you envision the fight playing out Saturday night?
I believe this fight is going to take a lot of work, strategically speaking. We will have to be very cautious and not fall into their trap. We have to work the early rounds from the outside and maybe after the fourth or fifth round start charging forward to measure his reactions. And once I get familiar with him, I might start working on some of his mistakes. And if he doesn't make any mistakes, I will have to force him to make them. But I do believe the first four rounds will be very quiet and calculated. In the second half, I will do what I always do, which is to make the fight a constant attack, to leave a mark -- not just win, but win convincingly, too.

 

[heyzel]

Zab Judah vs. Juan Manuel Marquez this summer?

Only days after his seventh round stoppage of Kaizer Mabuza to regain the IBF light welterweight title he first held over ten years ago, and Zab Judah is already looking towards his next bout.

In a recent interview with FightHype, Judah revealed plans to target lightweight kingpin Juan Manuel Marquez this summer, which on the face of it might seem like an out of left field target for the former two weight champion.

If nothing else though Zab was serious about wanting Marquez, speaking to fans yesterday through his twitter account, Judah reiterated his plans, posting:
"I know Marquez is a great fighter but after this one you guys will see! Super Judah the Greatest behind JESUS CHRIST!"
"I hope this one happens it will be a great fight Judah vs Marquez this summer!!"
"And the fight will be at 140 4 the IBF"

The main issue with the fight happening for the time being is likely the persistent rumor that Marquez is on the verge of leaving current promoters Golden Boy to join rivals Top Rank, presumably in hopes of getting a third fight against Manny Pacquiao.

Judah is now promoted by Main Events/Super Judah promotions, so the ongoing battle between Golden Boy and Top Rank wouldn't be an issue as such.

In the news: 50 Cent blasts Manny Pacquiao, praises Floyd Mayweather

The problem that might arise would be whether Marquez, having signed to Top Rank might be offered a third shot at Pacquiao immediately, which would obviously be a much more lucrative and high profile than a shot at Judah's IBF light welterweight title.

Also until Marquez decides what he is going to do, the ongoing negotiations between himself and Golden Boy might have him sidelined for the next few months, making a summer bout unlikely.

That aside, the bout does make sense for both Judah and Marquez if they can make it happen.

Having won his title a little over a week ago, Judah has to an extent missed the boat on big summer bouts with any of the other light welterweight champions or big names.

Already in the works for the coming months, Amir Khan and Tim Bradley look set to face off against each other, and before then Khan takes on highly ranked Paul McCloskey.

Marcos Maidana is fighting Erik Morales, with the WBA title at stake (Khan has been elevated to 'super' champion).

Devon Alexander is a possibility at this stage, but will likely want an easier comeback after his first career loss to Tim Bradley, and Victor Ortiz has moved up to welterweight for the time being and takes on Andre Berto next month.

So as far as big name opponents available right now for Judah, Marquez is probably the biggest.
Marquez himself on the other hand has been looking for an opportunity for a title at light welterweight for some time, and having turned down the much larger Amir Khan last year, who he would have been at a marked disadvantage against, Judah represents a much more even match up.

For the time being, Judah is the only one speaking about the match up, and it isn't known what Marquez makes of it or whether he's interested.

Judah does represent the best chance Marquez has right now of becoming the first four weight Mexican champion however, and could also get him a step closer to his much coveted third fight with Pacquiao.

Ely Christopher, Pitt: "Judah wanting Marquez proves he ain't in it for an easy title run, JMM might be a tough fight for him though, he wouldn't run through him like Floyd did"

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Zab Judah vs. Juan Manuel Marquez this summer? - Pittsburgh Fight Sports | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/fight-sport...juan-manuel-marquez-this-summer#ixzz1GEcwu3l0

 

[heyzel]

Saul Alvarez eyes June title defense

By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
Archive

Just days after 20-year-old Saul "Canelo" Alvarez became the youngest fighter to win a junior middleweight title, he is already looking ahead to his first defense.

Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said he is holding June 18 open for a pay-per-view card to be headlined by the Mexican sensation, who hopes to fight in his home country.

Rafael's Boxing Blog

Get the latest scoop and analysis on the world of boxing from ESPN.com's Dan Rafael in his blog.

Alvarez won the title Saturday night when he worked over Matthew Hatton for 12 lopsided rounds at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Schaefer, who met Monday with Alvarez and his team in Los Angeles, said the fight could take place in Guadalajara, where Alvarez lives.

"Canelo wants to be back in June and we have to see what we're going to do, but we are holding that date," Schaefer said. "He's only 20 and he's ready to go again. He's looking forward to staying active."

No opponent has been selected. Schaefer said he has a list of potential opponents he has discussed with Alvarez and his team, but he did not want to make it public. He said he plans to go to New York to discuss the pay-per-view and possible opponents with HBO.

Alvarez (36-0-1, 26 KOs), the 2010 ESPN.com prospect of the year, is a major star in Mexico and seems to be on his way to being one in the United States. The fight against Hatton drew an overwhelmingly pro-Alvarez crowd of 11,674, the second-largest fight crowd in Honda Center's history.

Also, the fight drew 1.4 million viewers to HBO, according to the network. HBO said that was the biggest audience for a "Boxing After Dark" main event in two years, since James Kirkland stopped Joel "Love Child" Julio in the sixth round of a junior middleweight fight in March 2009.

Golden Boy also announced -- although it did not provide numbers -- that in Mexico, the fight was Televisa's highest-rated boxing broadcast in three years.

"Last Saturday night was one I'll never forget and I thank all my fans for their support," Alvarez said. "I promise that I will always give them the fights they want to see and that I will proudly represent them and Mexico every time I step in the ring."

If Alvarez is successful June 18, his next bout is targeted for Sept. 17, the weekend of Mexican Independence Day, which is a traditional date for a major Mexican boxing event.

 

[heyzel]

Roach wants Pacman to spend time with family — for now

Fully aware that the next eight weeks will be a tough one for boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, trainer Freddie Roach has one piece of advice for the world’s pound-for-pound king.

“Spend time with your family first," said the four-time Trainer of the Year. “By Monday, the hard grind begins."

Setting their sights on kicking off training camp for the May 7 title fight against Sugar Shane Mosley, Roach and Pacquiao agreed to scrap a planned few days of workout in Manila, and instead, will set everything in motion Monday when they pitch camp in Baguio City.

With four more days of rest, the Sarangani congressman left for General Santos City Thursday morning, aiming to return to Manila by Saturday evening.

On Sunday, it’s off to Baguio for the boxing champion and the rest of his entourage.

The high-altitude training worked favorably for the 32-year-old Pacquiao in his fights against Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, both of whom he easily beat in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

The fighting congressman hopes the magic works again, as he gears up for a 12-round showdown with the 39-year-old Mosley at the MGM Grand where the Filipino’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title will be at stake.

Roach has reminded Pacquiao not to take the aging American boxer for granted, since the 51-year-old trainer still considers him as a very 'dangerous opponent’ despite his advanced age.

“We will be preparing for a hungry and possibly he best Mosley, the one who knocked out (Antonio) Margarito," said Roach, referring to the ninth round destruction Mosley inflicted on the Mexican boxer in their 2009 title encounter.

But Pacquiao already assured Roach that even if training camp has yet to begin, he is already keeping himself in shape by doing roadwork in the morning, spending time in the gym in the afternoon under the supervision of long-time Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez, and playing basketball at night when time permits.

Roach plans to stay four weeks in Baguio, and then transfer training camp to the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles for the final stretch of the eight-week preparation. - KY, RCJ, GMA News

 

[heyzel]

Hopkins-Pascal: Jean has to set a faster pace this time

By Dan Ambrose: If WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (26-1-1, 16 KO’s) wants to make 46-year-old Bernard Hopkins (51-5-2, 32 KO’s) look all of his age on May 21st, Pascal has to pressure Hopkins and force him to fight a lot harder than he did the last time. Pascal and Hopkins fought to a dull 12 round majority draw last time they fought in December.

Pascal made the mistake of fighting Hopkins the same way that Pascal had fought Chad Dawson months earlier. In the Dawson fight, which Pascal won by an 11th round technical decision, Pascal used movement and in and out attacks to score points and ultimately build up a big enough lead to get the win after the fight was halted due to a cut that Dawson suffered in the 11th.

However, this style was ineffective against the much busier Hopkins, because he was putting a lot of pressure on Pascal the entire fight and out-working him. By moving a lot and attacking only sparingly, Pascal ultimately let the aging Hopkins get plenty of rest breaks to recover.

Pascal needed to watch Hopkins’ fight with Joe Calzaghe and note that Hopkins was unable to fight hard for 12 rounds without flopping around on the canvas in what appeared to be moves to get breaks to recover. Pascal needed to set a fast pace against Hopkins and make him fight a lot harder than he wanted to.

This style of fighting isn’t what Pascal is accustomed to, but he’s going to need to adopt this style if he wants to beat Hopkins in the rematch. Moving around and fighting in brief spurts won’t get the job done against Hopkins. This kind of approach will be giving Hopkins plenty of rest for him to perhaps squeeze out a 12 round decision.
Share and Enjoy:

 

[2-0-Sixx]

the problem for pascal is if he pressures hopkins and fights at a higher tempo he's going to be gassed in the later rounds. I hope to the boxing gods he does because Hopkins would probably knock him out.

pascal has shit stamina. I don't know how he trains but he appears to do heavy lifting and shit just by looking at his body.

IMO he should focus entirely on conditioning, and try to put his foot on the pedal late in the fight when 46 year old hopkins is slowing down. Preserve that energy early so you can have it late.

 

[heyzel]

agreed B hop has pascal number . I think b-hop can get in his head and Hopkins took his best shot that last fight

 

[heyzel]

Rudy Perez Teaching Marcos Maidana Dirty Tricks?

By Francisco Hernandez: Erik Morales and his dad Jose Morales don’t mind if Rudy Perez trains Marcos Maidana and makes him a better fighter, but they are concerned that Rudy Perez may try to teach Maidana dirty tricks to use against Erik.

Speaking to Mexican media, Erik’s dad Jose expressed his concern about possible knee, elbow, and head blows that Rudy Perez may teach Maidana to use against Erik in their upcoming fight in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 9.

Marcos Maidana would do well to learn dirty tricks from Rudy Perez in order to neutralize them when fighters like Amir Khan who like to hold a lot try to use them. Maidana will not need to use dirty tricks or fouls when he fights Erik Morales, because Morales is a clean fighter, and the fight will be a straightforward slugfest. Some people have criticized this fight because they say Morales is no longer the Morales of old. It is true, Morales isn’t the same Morales of old, he has lost his speed and his power. Yet the fight remains an interesting one, and Morales deserves a chance because of his honesty. With this fight Erik Morales is making an honest statement that deserves respect. In effect Morales is saying –look I am not fooling anyone or myself, let me fight the meanest muther in the division, If I beat him then I am back, If I lose then that’s it and I retire.

Unlike the Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley fight where many people believe Pacquiao may carry Mosley a few rounds or even for the whole fight to make it look competitive, Marcos Maidana will not carry Morales, Maidana will come out to destroy Morales and for the time the fight lasts it will be pure violence, a young slugger bursting with energy going after a veteran and legend who will have to use every skill and ounce of resource left in his being to survive each round. Yes, logic tells us that Morales should lose and by kayo, but he will be carried out on his shield; he will not make back room deals for Maidana to carry him.

 

[heyzel]

Haye vs Klitschko – Good for Boxing

By John F. McKenna (McJack): It appears that the much anticipated fight between David Haye, AKA “The Hayemaker” (26-1, 23 KO’s) and Vladimir Klitschko, AKA “Dr. Steelhammer” (55-3, 49 KO’s) is finally going to take place. The fight between WBA title holder David Haye and Vladimir Klitschko who holds the IBF, WBO titles will be a unification match. Vitali Klitschko is the WBC title holder. It has long been the dream of the Klitschko’s to hold all four titles. Klitschko manager Bernd Bonte said the Haye – Klitschko fight is 99% sealed and that all the previous obstacles for the fight taking place had been worked out. The fight will most likely take place at a German venue either on June 25 or July 2.

The Haye – Klitschko title fight will be a huge shot in the arm for boxing and in particular the heavyweight division. A heavyweight title fight is the biggest prize in sports and captures the imagination of boxing fans and sports fans alike as no other event does. The heavyweight division has long been at the forefront when it comes to generating excitement. The Jack Dempsey – Georges Carpentier fight on July 2, 1921 generated the first million dollar gate in boxing history when over 80,000 fans descended on Boyles Thirty Acres in Jersey City, New Jersey to watch Dempsey KO a badly overmatched Carpentier. The live gate was nearly $1,800,000. The Dempsey – Carpentier fight and the excitement it engendered is what boxing needed at the time. This story has been repeated over and over in boxing history. The heavyweight division has been counted out many times, only to be revived by a fight that captures the imagination of the boxing fans.

Like him or not, David Haye generates controversy and excitement, which translates into ticket sales. David Haye is already boasting that he is going to “crush both of the Klitschko Brothers.” In a press conference a couple of years ago, the “Hayemaker” showed up wearing a tee shirt depicting the decapitated heads and corpses of the Klitschko Brothers. It definitely got both of the Klitschko’s attention. The Brothers were understandably upset. Perhaps that is what Haye is attempting to do, get Vlad so rattled that he loses his cool and fights out of anger and starts making mistakes that he normally would not make.

Part of Muhammad Ali’s strategy was to do a psych job on his opponents. That was what the name calling was all about. Joe Frazier became the “Gorilla” that Ali would destroy in Manila. Floyd Patterson was the “Rabbit, George Chuvalo the “Washer Woman” and Ernie Shavers was the “Acorn”. Ali pysched out George Foreman by not sitting down between rounds and by saying to him “Don’t fall now George, the whole world is watching!” Sonny Liston was the “Big Ugly Bear”. In some instances the psychological warfare seems to have worked. Liston quit in his corner between rounds. Foreman too appeared to be taken in by the psych job and wore himself out attempting to take Ali’s head off. Ernie Terrell also appeared to be under Ali’s spell when Ali kept asking him “What’s my name?”, when Terrell would not call him by his Muslim name. Not one of Terrell’s better performances.

It is difficult to ascertain whether David Haye actually believes his own trash talk.

Based on some of his performances and the opponents he has fought, it would seem he is somewhat delusional if he thinks he can handle both of the Klitschko’s as easily as he claims he will. One thing is certain. Many of the boxing fans who pay money to watch this fight will be doing so in hopes of watching Haye get his head handed to him.

It is difficult for this author to see how Haye can get past Klitschko’s left jab, which I believe is one of the best of any Heavyweight Champion in boxing history. Couple that with Vlad’s powerful left hook, which he used to KO Eddie Chambers a year ago and his devastating right hand. Any of the weapons in “Dr. Steelhammer’s” arsenal can end a fight at any time. To make matters worse for Haye, Vlad continually works with Emanuel Steward to improve his technique and appears to be getting better with each fight.

Hopefully this fight does happen and boxing fans all over the world get the opportunity to view it. A rebirth of interest in the heavyweight division is sorely needed.

 

[heyzel]

Matthew Hatton says he could fight Berto in the summer

By William Mackay: Welterweight Matthew Hatton (41-5-2, 16 KO’s) may have been easily beaten last weekend in his lopsided 12 round decision loss to Mexican Saul Alvarez, but it sure looks like Hatton is getting a soft landing from this one-sided loss. Hatton told SKy Sports Ringside that Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, spoke to him about him fighting WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto in the summer.

Here’s what Hatton had to say: “Richard Schaefer told me after the fight HBO was very impressed with my showing and mentioned a possible fight against Andre Berto. My teams is working on another world title opportunity as I speak.”

I think that’s a pretty awful idea if you ask me. Hatton lost to an unproven 20-year-old by the scores of 119-108, 119-108 and 119-108. That’s as lopsided as you can get. Hatton was never competitive in any round in the fight. How can HBO be impressed with a fighter who lost every round and basically just showed a good chin. I give him that, but that’s not enough to waste a fight against Berto. HBO should be applying pressure on Berto’s promoter to get him to take on a good welterweight like Mike Jones. I don’t think Jones is all that great, but I do think he’s a heck of a lot better than Hatton. That’s the fight HBO should be pushing for. You got to get Berto fighting guys that have a shot at beating. Hatton, although he has a great chin and heart, he doesn’t have the kind of power needed to beat someone like Berto. It would be another lopsided loss for Hatton. I think he might even get stopped because Berto can punch almost as hard as Alvarez, but he’s a lot faster than him and he throws better combinations.

 

[heyzel]

Haye plans on taking away Wladimir’s jab

By William Mackay: WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (25-1, 23 KO’s) says he’s going to take away IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s (55-3, 49 KO’s) jab when they get it on in June or July. Haye, speaking with Sky Sports Ringside, said that he’s going to take away Wladimir’s main weapon when they meet up. In this case, Haye is talking about Wladimir’s powerful jab, which is one of the best in the division.

Haye said “Wladimir’s jab is his most important component for him. If he can’t have his jab working and can’t feel his opponent at the end of his jab, he doesn’t like it. He then goes and grabs a hold of somebody. He’s not the easiest guy to take out clean. You got to set him up for something. Some guys just go out there trying to swing at his chin. You won’t land. You have to set him up…He’s never fought anyone with the athleticism, speed or determination that I got. You have to have a game plan. He’s smart fighter. I’ve seen him adapt to fighters. He’s never been in the ring with someone as quick as me.”

Haye doesn’t say how he’s going to keep from getting hit with Wladimir’s jabs, but you can probably get a good idea by looking at Haye’s fight with big seven foot Nikolay Valuev to figure what he’ll do against Wladimir to take his jab away. Haye moved around a lot against Valuev and made Valuev turn constantly. Haye would on occasion rush forward and throw a single shot and then start moving again. Basically, it’s the same style that Tomasz Adamek uses but with more hand speed and power. It’s really the only thing Haye can do unless he wants to rush Wladimir over and over again and try to fight him in close with power shots. That might not work because Wladimir is strong enough to use his size on Haye in close. Besides, he’ll likely clinch Haye to stop him from punching. If Haye continues to throw punches, they’ll likely be rabbit shots and that will get him penalized and perhaps even disqualified. He gets away with those kinds of tactics in England but in Germany, he’ll lose points for rabbit punches.