Boxing News Thread
- Thread starter heyzel
- Start date
Macklin is the first person to step up.
Anyways, people have been high on Golovkin for many years going back to his Olympic days. He had over 300 fights and beat guys like Andre Dirrell, Lucien Bute, Daniel Geale, Andy Lee etc.
It's not much different than being a Rigondeaux fan who was phenomenal as an amateur but as a pro hasn't fought an elite fighter yet. That doesn't mean it isn't obvious Rigo is a great fighter. The difference of course is the top guy, Donaire, is fighting him, whereas the top guys have denied Golovkin for a long time now.
Anyways, people have been high on Golovkin for many years going back to his Olympic days. He had over 300 fights and beat guys like Andre Dirrell, Lucien Bute, Daniel Geale, Andy Lee etc.
It's not much different than being a Rigondeaux fan who was phenomenal as an amateur but as a pro hasn't fought an elite fighter yet. That doesn't mean it isn't obvious Rigo is a great fighter. The difference of course is the top guy, Donaire, is fighting him, whereas the top guys have denied Golovkin for a long time now.
Good fight as long as it lasts. I don't think Macklin has the style to beat GGG. I think it'll be a boxer that beats him at some point.
Props:
2-0-Sixx
Keith Thurman: Once I get Bradley in the ring it’s all over for him
April 3rd, 2013 | Post Comment
Bradley Thurman Bradley vs. Thurman timothy bradley keith thurman By Dan Ambrose: Unbeaten #1 WBO mandatory challenger Keith Thurman (20-0, 18 KO’s) says he’s going to finish off WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (30-0, 12 KO’s) when the two of them meet in the future if Bradley doesn’t get beaten in his next fight by one of promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank fighters Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, Brandon Rios or Mike Alvarado.
Thurman saw Bradley’s recent 12 round decision win over Ruslan Provodnikov and he feels that Bradley is quite fortunate that he was in the ring with the 5’7” Provodikov rather than himself because he thinks he would have destroyed Bradley had he hurt him the way that Provodnikov did.
Thurman said to RingTV “Tim Bradley was lucky that he wasn’t fighting me that fight…that would have been one of the easiest nights to grab a belt…As soon as I get my hands on him, it’s over.”
As poor as Bradley has looked in his last two fights you’d have to agree with the 24-year-old Thurman. He hits too hard and he’s too big for Bradley. Although Bradley is now a fairly heavy welterweight, he’s still more of a light welterweight in terms of power. There are lightweights with better power than Bradley, and he’d have major problems against the 5’9” Thurman. That would be a really tough fight for Bradley.
If Bradley doesn’t get beaten in his next fight, he’s likely going to have to defend his WBO title against Thurman unless Arum is able to get the World Boxing Association to let Bradley put off his mandatory defense for a little while longer so that he can fight other Top Rank stable fighters.
As far as Thurman goes, he’s got to win his next fight against WBA welterweight interim champion Diego Chaves (22-0, 18 KO’s) this summer.
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer is putting on a doubleheader on Showtime on July 20th or 27th pitting Thurman vs. Chaves and Andre Berto vs. Jesus Soto-Karass.
The fact that Golden Boy is maneuvering Thurman to take the Chaves fight suggests that they’re not going to bother having Thurman wait for the Bradley fight. Instead, Thurman would then be in line to face the winner of the June 22nd fight between WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi and Adrien Broner.
I think Broner will win the fight, but then vacate the title rather than facing the bigger and arguably stronger Thurman. In that case we’d see Thurman face the next contender in line, and that would be #2 WBA Marcos Maidana for the vacant WBA title. Maidana already turned down a fight with Thurman in the past, so it’s possible he could turn it down again. If so, Thurman might end up fighting #3 WBA Ed Paredes for the WBA title.
Thurman might actually hurt Bradley if that fight were to be made right now because Bradley suffered a concussion in his win over Provodnikov and there’s no telling if he’ll continue to have problems when he fights again. Putting him in with a puncher like Thurman night end up with Bradley getting knocked out in one or two rounds.
April 3rd, 2013 | Post Comment
Bradley Thurman Bradley vs. Thurman timothy bradley keith thurman By Dan Ambrose: Unbeaten #1 WBO mandatory challenger Keith Thurman (20-0, 18 KO’s) says he’s going to finish off WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (30-0, 12 KO’s) when the two of them meet in the future if Bradley doesn’t get beaten in his next fight by one of promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank fighters Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, Brandon Rios or Mike Alvarado.
Thurman saw Bradley’s recent 12 round decision win over Ruslan Provodnikov and he feels that Bradley is quite fortunate that he was in the ring with the 5’7” Provodikov rather than himself because he thinks he would have destroyed Bradley had he hurt him the way that Provodnikov did.
Thurman said to RingTV “Tim Bradley was lucky that he wasn’t fighting me that fight…that would have been one of the easiest nights to grab a belt…As soon as I get my hands on him, it’s over.”
As poor as Bradley has looked in his last two fights you’d have to agree with the 24-year-old Thurman. He hits too hard and he’s too big for Bradley. Although Bradley is now a fairly heavy welterweight, he’s still more of a light welterweight in terms of power. There are lightweights with better power than Bradley, and he’d have major problems against the 5’9” Thurman. That would be a really tough fight for Bradley.
If Bradley doesn’t get beaten in his next fight, he’s likely going to have to defend his WBO title against Thurman unless Arum is able to get the World Boxing Association to let Bradley put off his mandatory defense for a little while longer so that he can fight other Top Rank stable fighters.
As far as Thurman goes, he’s got to win his next fight against WBA welterweight interim champion Diego Chaves (22-0, 18 KO’s) this summer.
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer is putting on a doubleheader on Showtime on July 20th or 27th pitting Thurman vs. Chaves and Andre Berto vs. Jesus Soto-Karass.
The fact that Golden Boy is maneuvering Thurman to take the Chaves fight suggests that they’re not going to bother having Thurman wait for the Bradley fight. Instead, Thurman would then be in line to face the winner of the June 22nd fight between WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi and Adrien Broner.
I think Broner will win the fight, but then vacate the title rather than facing the bigger and arguably stronger Thurman. In that case we’d see Thurman face the next contender in line, and that would be #2 WBA Marcos Maidana for the vacant WBA title. Maidana already turned down a fight with Thurman in the past, so it’s possible he could turn it down again. If so, Thurman might end up fighting #3 WBA Ed Paredes for the WBA title.
Thurman might actually hurt Bradley if that fight were to be made right now because Bradley suffered a concussion in his win over Provodnikov and there’s no telling if he’ll continue to have problems when he fights again. Putting him in with a puncher like Thurman night end up with Bradley getting knocked out in one or two rounds.
Brandon Rios needs to move up to 147
April 2nd, 2013 | Post Comment
Rios Alvarado Rios vs. Alvarado mike alvarado brandon rios By Dan Ambrose: If you saw Brandon Rios’ recent fight against Mike Alvarado last Saturday night then you may have noticed how heavy Rios was for the fight. Instead of being near the 140 lb. weight limit, Rios came into the fight reportedly weighing 161 pounds.
That’s 21 pounds of water weight Rios put on from Friday to Saturday and that’s just too much weight for someone who is campaigning as a light welterweight. Rios was pretty much a middleweight out there against Alvarado last Saturday, and completely lacking in muscle tone.
Rios didn’t look good after the 4th round and seemed to tire out in the second half of the fight in losing by a 12 round unanimous decision. I imagine Rios likes the idea of having an advantage in weight over his 140 pound opponents, but when you have to drain down in weight by 21 pounds the week before the fight that’s just not healthy.
I think a big reason for why Rios failed to perform as well in this fight as he did in the previous fight was the weight that he had to take off to make the 140 lb. limit. Taking off 21 pounds of water weight and then putting it back on within 24 hours has got to have had a negative effect on Rios just like it did when he drained himself last year in April to try and make 135 for his fight against Richard Abril.
Rios didn’t make weight for that fight, and he looked weak and sluggish in the second half of the fight. He thought his weight problems were taken care of after he moved up five pounds to fight at 140, but that’s clearly not heavy enough for him. Rios needs to honestly move up to 147, and even that might not be enough for him if he’s going to be coming into his fights weighing over 160.
Ideally, a fighter shouldn’t gain more than 10 to 12 pounds of water weight when rehydrating because when they start going more than that it leaves them weaker in a lot of cases. Rios moving up to 147 should be okay for now, but if he keeps getting bigger he’s going to need to move up to 154 in the new few years are sooner because he’s getting too heavy.
April 2nd, 2013 | Post Comment
Rios Alvarado Rios vs. Alvarado mike alvarado brandon rios By Dan Ambrose: If you saw Brandon Rios’ recent fight against Mike Alvarado last Saturday night then you may have noticed how heavy Rios was for the fight. Instead of being near the 140 lb. weight limit, Rios came into the fight reportedly weighing 161 pounds.
That’s 21 pounds of water weight Rios put on from Friday to Saturday and that’s just too much weight for someone who is campaigning as a light welterweight. Rios was pretty much a middleweight out there against Alvarado last Saturday, and completely lacking in muscle tone.
Rios didn’t look good after the 4th round and seemed to tire out in the second half of the fight in losing by a 12 round unanimous decision. I imagine Rios likes the idea of having an advantage in weight over his 140 pound opponents, but when you have to drain down in weight by 21 pounds the week before the fight that’s just not healthy.
I think a big reason for why Rios failed to perform as well in this fight as he did in the previous fight was the weight that he had to take off to make the 140 lb. limit. Taking off 21 pounds of water weight and then putting it back on within 24 hours has got to have had a negative effect on Rios just like it did when he drained himself last year in April to try and make 135 for his fight against Richard Abril.
Rios didn’t make weight for that fight, and he looked weak and sluggish in the second half of the fight. He thought his weight problems were taken care of after he moved up five pounds to fight at 140, but that’s clearly not heavy enough for him. Rios needs to honestly move up to 147, and even that might not be enough for him if he’s going to be coming into his fights weighing over 160.
Ideally, a fighter shouldn’t gain more than 10 to 12 pounds of water weight when rehydrating because when they start going more than that it leaves them weaker in a lot of cases. Rios moving up to 147 should be okay for now, but if he keeps getting bigger he’s going to need to move up to 154 in the new few years are sooner because he’s getting too heavy.
Props:
trips
Thurman-Chaves & Berto-Soto Karass on July 20th or 27th on Showtime
April 2nd, 2013 | Post Comment
Thurman Chaves Thurman vs. Chaves Diego Chaves Berto Soto Karass Berto vs. Soto Karass keith thurman jesus soto karass andre berto By Allan Fox: According to Dan Rafael, Golden Boy Promotions is putting together a big fight card on July 20th or July 27th on Showtime with #10 WBC welterweight Jesus Soto-Karass (27-8-3, 17 KO’s) facing former IBFC/WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (28-2, 22 KO’s) and #1 WBO, #4 WBA, #13 IBF, Keith Thurman (20-0, 18 KO’s) battling Interim WBA World welterweight champion Diego Chaves (22-0, 18 KO’s) at a still to be determined venue.
This is a good card because we’ll find out a lot of things starting with whether Berto has anything left in the tank after having lost two out of his last three fights and looked poor in all three of them. Berto is coming off of a 12 round unanimous decision loss to Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero last November.
Berto, #15 WBC, took a beating in that fight, and was never really competitive. Guerrero didn’t do anything special other than throwing a lot of punches and roughing Berto up along the ropes, but that was all he needed to do. Berto was too tired to fight in the center of the ring and he made a calculated error by fighting with the shoulder roll defense the entire fight. Berto didn’t look comfortable with the new style and it led to him taking a lot of punishment.
Thurman, 24, easily defeated former IBF welterweight champion Jan Zaveck by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision to become WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley’s mandatory challenger. Thurman is waiting for his title shot against Bradley but he may end up having to wait an awfully long time because Bradley’s a Top Rank fighter, and his promoter is likely going to prolong the wait for Thurman.
Bradley will likely not be the WBO champion for very much longer and I’d be surprised if he ever does defend his title against Thurman.
Chaves, #1 WBA, is the mandatory challenger for WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi. He’ll be getting a shot at the winner of the Malignaggi-Adrien Broner fight real soon provided that he gets past Thurman. I doubt that Chaves will, though, because Thurman is bigger, stronger and faster than him, and I expect Thurman to get an easy knockout win.
Related:
April 2nd, 2013 | Post Comment
Thurman Chaves Thurman vs. Chaves Diego Chaves Berto Soto Karass Berto vs. Soto Karass keith thurman jesus soto karass andre berto By Allan Fox: According to Dan Rafael, Golden Boy Promotions is putting together a big fight card on July 20th or July 27th on Showtime with #10 WBC welterweight Jesus Soto-Karass (27-8-3, 17 KO’s) facing former IBFC/WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (28-2, 22 KO’s) and #1 WBO, #4 WBA, #13 IBF, Keith Thurman (20-0, 18 KO’s) battling Interim WBA World welterweight champion Diego Chaves (22-0, 18 KO’s) at a still to be determined venue.
This is a good card because we’ll find out a lot of things starting with whether Berto has anything left in the tank after having lost two out of his last three fights and looked poor in all three of them. Berto is coming off of a 12 round unanimous decision loss to Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero last November.
Berto, #15 WBC, took a beating in that fight, and was never really competitive. Guerrero didn’t do anything special other than throwing a lot of punches and roughing Berto up along the ropes, but that was all he needed to do. Berto was too tired to fight in the center of the ring and he made a calculated error by fighting with the shoulder roll defense the entire fight. Berto didn’t look comfortable with the new style and it led to him taking a lot of punishment.
Thurman, 24, easily defeated former IBF welterweight champion Jan Zaveck by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision to become WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley’s mandatory challenger. Thurman is waiting for his title shot against Bradley but he may end up having to wait an awfully long time because Bradley’s a Top Rank fighter, and his promoter is likely going to prolong the wait for Thurman.
Bradley will likely not be the WBO champion for very much longer and I’d be surprised if he ever does defend his title against Thurman.
Chaves, #1 WBA, is the mandatory challenger for WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi. He’ll be getting a shot at the winner of the Malignaggi-Adrien Broner fight real soon provided that he gets past Thurman. I doubt that Chaves will, though, because Thurman is bigger, stronger and faster than him, and I expect Thurman to get an easy knockout win.
Related:
GOLOVKIN RETURNING JUNE 23; MACKLIN BOUT VERY POSSIBLE
By Corey Quincy | April 04, 2013
At this time last year, Gennady Golovkin was just another star in the abyss. Gaining popularity in his native Kazakstan and Germany, nobody except the most intangible boxing observers saw him fight live. In one year, he's had three fights and already Gennady Golovkin has become a near superstar. In his September 2012 US television debut, he mangled talented Polish contender Gregorz Proksa straight into a brutal fifth round knockout. Springing right back into January he picked apart tough Philly-based Gabriel Rosado over 7 rounds. Most recently, he participated in a big Monte Carlo pay-per-view to dismantle durable Japanese fighter Nobuhiro Ishida, delivering him his first knockout defeat over a short three rounds.
Clinging onto the WBA and IBO world Middleweight championships, Gennady Golovkin (26-0-0 23 KO's) is hungry for more. He is now scheduled to return on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" tripleheader in New York. His opponent is not in ink, although Tom Loeffler said in a statement that Matthew Macklin is a "very possible" opponent, and social media chat ups by both have nodded the idea along.
The information I have gathered pertaining to the HBO card is brief, but it looks like Lou Dibella/Rodney Berman prodigy Thomas "Tommy Gun" Oosthuizen will provide chief support along with another to-be-announced televised fight. Golovkin-Macklin is a mouthwatering fight. Macklin is known for his readiness throughout every bout. Always he presses the action. Against a man with the firepower of Golovkin, that puts him in danger, but he'll take that risk. Again, While the Middleweight clash is reportedly "Likely", it is not done as of now.
By Corey Quincy | April 04, 2013
At this time last year, Gennady Golovkin was just another star in the abyss. Gaining popularity in his native Kazakstan and Germany, nobody except the most intangible boxing observers saw him fight live. In one year, he's had three fights and already Gennady Golovkin has become a near superstar. In his September 2012 US television debut, he mangled talented Polish contender Gregorz Proksa straight into a brutal fifth round knockout. Springing right back into January he picked apart tough Philly-based Gabriel Rosado over 7 rounds. Most recently, he participated in a big Monte Carlo pay-per-view to dismantle durable Japanese fighter Nobuhiro Ishida, delivering him his first knockout defeat over a short three rounds.
Clinging onto the WBA and IBO world Middleweight championships, Gennady Golovkin (26-0-0 23 KO's) is hungry for more. He is now scheduled to return on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" tripleheader in New York. His opponent is not in ink, although Tom Loeffler said in a statement that Matthew Macklin is a "very possible" opponent, and social media chat ups by both have nodded the idea along.
The information I have gathered pertaining to the HBO card is brief, but it looks like Lou Dibella/Rodney Berman prodigy Thomas "Tommy Gun" Oosthuizen will provide chief support along with another to-be-announced televised fight. Golovkin-Macklin is a mouthwatering fight. Macklin is known for his readiness throughout every bout. Always he presses the action. Against a man with the firepower of Golovkin, that puts him in danger, but he'll take that risk. Again, While the Middleweight clash is reportedly "Likely", it is not done as of now.
Juan Manuel Marquez 'would Love' To Face Tim Bradley, Nacho Prefers Pacquiao
Juan Manuel Marquez 'Would Love' To Face Tim Bradley
By Jose Luis Camarillo, notifight.com
Last night in Las Vegas, Juan Manuel Marquez (55-6-1, 40KOs) may have rubbed shoulders with his next opponent. Both Marquez, and WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (30-0, 12KOs), were ringside at the Mandalay Bay to watch the junior welterweight rematch between Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado.
Marquez, who turns 40 in a couple of months, told BoxingScene.com that he would make a final decision on his career, and the opponent of choice, in "two weeks" time. And then the Mexican star stated that he would "love to fight Bradley." One of the goals for Marquez is to capture a world title in a fifth weight division. Later in the same interview Marquez discussed the possibility of facing Brandon Rios, because he feels their two styles will create a very entertaining fight.
Nacho: Marquez Should Face Pacquiao, Not Bradley or Rios
by Rene Umanzor
Nacho Beristain, the longtime trainer of Juan Manuel Marquez, has advised his fighter to face Manny Pacquiao for a fifth time. Marquez, who turns 40 later this year, will decide the future of his career in the next few weeks. In a recent interview that ran on BoxingScene.com, Marquez expressed his interest in facing WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley or junior welterweight brawler Brandon Rios. But, Marquez says he is not interested in facing Pacquiao again.
There is only one problem, Marquez wants a lot of money for his next fight - and the only opponent who can bring that high number is Pacquiao.
"I think Juan can be well prepared to fight Brandon Rios or Timothy Bradley, but definitely the best fight out there for him is Pacquiao - because he is going to bring a lot of money. Brandon Rios is a very strong fighter but to be very frank - Mike Alvarado is also on the list - but Pacquiao guarantees big profits to the promoter and the fighter. That fight would bring a very substantial purse that benefits everyone involved in the event - and that is something that neither Brandon Rios or Timothy Bradley is able to bring," Beristain said.
Rene Umanzor covers boxing in Mexico for The Record.
Juan Manuel Marquez 'Would Love' To Face Tim Bradley
By Jose Luis Camarillo, notifight.com
Last night in Las Vegas, Juan Manuel Marquez (55-6-1, 40KOs) may have rubbed shoulders with his next opponent. Both Marquez, and WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (30-0, 12KOs), were ringside at the Mandalay Bay to watch the junior welterweight rematch between Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado.
Marquez, who turns 40 in a couple of months, told BoxingScene.com that he would make a final decision on his career, and the opponent of choice, in "two weeks" time. And then the Mexican star stated that he would "love to fight Bradley." One of the goals for Marquez is to capture a world title in a fifth weight division. Later in the same interview Marquez discussed the possibility of facing Brandon Rios, because he feels their two styles will create a very entertaining fight.
Nacho: Marquez Should Face Pacquiao, Not Bradley or Rios
by Rene Umanzor
Nacho Beristain, the longtime trainer of Juan Manuel Marquez, has advised his fighter to face Manny Pacquiao for a fifth time. Marquez, who turns 40 later this year, will decide the future of his career in the next few weeks. In a recent interview that ran on BoxingScene.com, Marquez expressed his interest in facing WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley or junior welterweight brawler Brandon Rios. But, Marquez says he is not interested in facing Pacquiao again.
There is only one problem, Marquez wants a lot of money for his next fight - and the only opponent who can bring that high number is Pacquiao.
"I think Juan can be well prepared to fight Brandon Rios or Timothy Bradley, but definitely the best fight out there for him is Pacquiao - because he is going to bring a lot of money. Brandon Rios is a very strong fighter but to be very frank - Mike Alvarado is also on the list - but Pacquiao guarantees big profits to the promoter and the fighter. That fight would bring a very substantial purse that benefits everyone involved in the event - and that is something that neither Brandon Rios or Timothy Bradley is able to bring," Beristain said.
Rene Umanzor covers boxing in Mexico for The Record.
Over 200 million to watch two time Chinese Gold Medalist make his pro debut??
This will be the most watched fight in history
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...896450326.html
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By KATE O'KEEFFE And GORDON MARINO
When the biggest names in boxing talk about the future of
the sport, they point to a soft-spoken man who weighs
only a little over 100 pounds and hails from one of China's
poorest provinces.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time world
amateur boxing champion Zou Shiming will make his
professional debut on April 6 in a four-round flyweight
bout against Eleazar Valenzuela of Mexico at the Venetian
Macao Resort in Macau.
Saturday's fight featuring Zou Shiming—China's first
Olympic gold medalist in boxing—will be the most-watched telecast in the professional sport's history, says
his promoter, the octogenarian Bob Arum, who has
represented boxers from Muhammad Ali to Manny
Pacquiao.
"Such is the demographics of China," he said, predicting
that more than 200 million homes in the world's most
populous country will tune in to see Mr. Zou, who, at 31
years of age, is a gray beard in terms of a fighter making
his pro debut.
The fight, which is taking place in the Chinese gambling
enclave of Macau, will be broadcast free in China. But Mr.
Arum hopes to ultimately be able to charge Chinese
viewers for future boxing events, a la pay-per-view, as he
does in the U.S., assuming Saturday's fight is a popular
success.
It is an event that would have literally been impossible
just a few decades ago and one that underscores the
rising importance of China as a source of growth for many
global industries, including sports.
Boxing was banned in China in the 1960s and '70s during
late Communist dictator Mao Zedong's rule. The sport
was considered too savage and too Western. It wasn't
until 1986 that boxing was allowed again after authorities
realized its many weight classes could aid the country's
pursuit of Olympic medals.
Mr. Zou proved them right, winning gold for China in both
the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. This weekend he will make
his professional debut at the Venetian Macao, Las Vegas
Sands Corp.'s LVS -0.56% flagship casino-resort in the
world's largest gambling market.
Two world championship bouts will take place at the
"Fists of Gold" event—so named for Mr. Zou's pair of
Olympic medals. But all eyes in China will be on Mr. Zou,
who fights in the flyweight class, which is between 108-112 pounds. He is favored to win over his opponent,
Eleazar Valenzuela of Mexico.
"Every country in the world is patriotic to some degree but
in China that support is kind of…feverish," said Michael
Haskamp, co-founder of Hong Kong-based Legend
Fighting Championship, an organizer of mixed martial arts
contests. Legend isn't involved in "Fists of Gold."
In an interview, Mr. Zou was humble but focused as he
talked about his ambitions. In addition to wanting to win
championships, he said he hopes to inspire more of his
countrymen to take an interest in the sport he loves.
When asked what kind of boxer nickname he might adopt,
Mr. Zou said he hoped fans would decide for themselves
after seeing him fight. "One thing without a doubt is that
I'm a happy boxer," he said with a broad smile. "As long
as I'm in the ring I'm happy."
The Venetian has been heavily promoting the fight with
advertisements and VIP events. On site the casino has set
up special photo booths so guests can get their pictures
taken with a high-tech image of a hooded Mr. Zou in
fighting stance.
The casino even commissioned a theme song for the
event. Local pop star Stephanie Cheng sings about the
fight in auto-tuned Mandarin, while rapper Kevin Chau, or
"Gold Mountain," spits English verses such as: "I got 1.3
billion wishin' / Two fists of gold will elevate their
position." At one point Mr. Chau references the Boxer
Rebellion, an antiforeign movement in China at the turn of
the 20th century.
As is often the case with a fighter's first big bout, the size
of the purse hasn't been announced.
As a diminutive 12-year-old, a young Zou Shiming began
studying martial arts, but after much pestering he
convinced his parents and a local coach to let him take up
boxing instead. In 1996 Mr. Zou became a member of
Guizhou province boxing team. Twelve years later he
would become China's first boxing gold medalist in the
Olympics.
In preparation for this weekend's debut, Mr. Arum in
February sent Mr. Zou to study in the U.S. with boxing
maestro Freddie Roach.
"When I first began working with him, I was a little
concerned about him coming to my gym…because the
only sparring partner I had for him at 112 [pounds] was a
world champion Brian Viloria," said Mr. Roach, a Hall of
Fame trainer. "But when I put them together I was quite
pleased. Shiming is a great student. He picks up things
quickly."
Roach had high praise for Mr. Zou's speed, timing, and
sense of distance. Trying to teach his student the power
game, Mr. Roach is working on getting Shiming to engage
and sit down on his punches. Right now, Mr. Roach said,
"Shiming's best combination is a right uppercut to the
body followed by a left hook to the head."
Mr. Zou's professional debut has been a cultural exchange
for both the boxer and his promoter. While training in
Hollywood, Calif., Mr. Zou learned his first few words of
English. Mr. Arum said he took "the kid" to sleek Beverly
Hills hot spot Mr. Chow for dinner for a taste of home.
"There are no Chinese people here," Mr. Zou correctly
observed, according to Mr. Arum.
While Mr. Arum was in Beijing in January to announce the
fight, he experienced a cultural shock of his own: no one
in the Chinese restaurant where he was dining had ever
heard of Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley. (But they did know
of rapper 50 Cent.)
Mr. Arum said he doesn't plan to teach Mr. Zou the trash-talking skills that some of his U.S. boxing counterparts
have mastered. "First of all, it wouldn't work, and,
secondly, it'd be counter-productive," he said. "We want
him to be like he is: a decent, humble, family guy."
This will be the most watched fight in history
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...896450326.html
↓ More
By KATE O'KEEFFE And GORDON MARINO
When the biggest names in boxing talk about the future of
the sport, they point to a soft-spoken man who weighs
only a little over 100 pounds and hails from one of China's
poorest provinces.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time world
amateur boxing champion Zou Shiming will make his
professional debut on April 6 in a four-round flyweight
bout against Eleazar Valenzuela of Mexico at the Venetian
Macao Resort in Macau.
Saturday's fight featuring Zou Shiming—China's first
Olympic gold medalist in boxing—will be the most-watched telecast in the professional sport's history, says
his promoter, the octogenarian Bob Arum, who has
represented boxers from Muhammad Ali to Manny
Pacquiao.
"Such is the demographics of China," he said, predicting
that more than 200 million homes in the world's most
populous country will tune in to see Mr. Zou, who, at 31
years of age, is a gray beard in terms of a fighter making
his pro debut.
The fight, which is taking place in the Chinese gambling
enclave of Macau, will be broadcast free in China. But Mr.
Arum hopes to ultimately be able to charge Chinese
viewers for future boxing events, a la pay-per-view, as he
does in the U.S., assuming Saturday's fight is a popular
success.
It is an event that would have literally been impossible
just a few decades ago and one that underscores the
rising importance of China as a source of growth for many
global industries, including sports.
Boxing was banned in China in the 1960s and '70s during
late Communist dictator Mao Zedong's rule. The sport
was considered too savage and too Western. It wasn't
until 1986 that boxing was allowed again after authorities
realized its many weight classes could aid the country's
pursuit of Olympic medals.
Mr. Zou proved them right, winning gold for China in both
the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. This weekend he will make
his professional debut at the Venetian Macao, Las Vegas
Sands Corp.'s LVS -0.56% flagship casino-resort in the
world's largest gambling market.
Two world championship bouts will take place at the
"Fists of Gold" event—so named for Mr. Zou's pair of
Olympic medals. But all eyes in China will be on Mr. Zou,
who fights in the flyweight class, which is between 108-112 pounds. He is favored to win over his opponent,
Eleazar Valenzuela of Mexico.
"Every country in the world is patriotic to some degree but
in China that support is kind of…feverish," said Michael
Haskamp, co-founder of Hong Kong-based Legend
Fighting Championship, an organizer of mixed martial arts
contests. Legend isn't involved in "Fists of Gold."
In an interview, Mr. Zou was humble but focused as he
talked about his ambitions. In addition to wanting to win
championships, he said he hopes to inspire more of his
countrymen to take an interest in the sport he loves.
When asked what kind of boxer nickname he might adopt,
Mr. Zou said he hoped fans would decide for themselves
after seeing him fight. "One thing without a doubt is that
I'm a happy boxer," he said with a broad smile. "As long
as I'm in the ring I'm happy."
The Venetian has been heavily promoting the fight with
advertisements and VIP events. On site the casino has set
up special photo booths so guests can get their pictures
taken with a high-tech image of a hooded Mr. Zou in
fighting stance.
The casino even commissioned a theme song for the
event. Local pop star Stephanie Cheng sings about the
fight in auto-tuned Mandarin, while rapper Kevin Chau, or
"Gold Mountain," spits English verses such as: "I got 1.3
billion wishin' / Two fists of gold will elevate their
position." At one point Mr. Chau references the Boxer
Rebellion, an antiforeign movement in China at the turn of
the 20th century.
As is often the case with a fighter's first big bout, the size
of the purse hasn't been announced.
As a diminutive 12-year-old, a young Zou Shiming began
studying martial arts, but after much pestering he
convinced his parents and a local coach to let him take up
boxing instead. In 1996 Mr. Zou became a member of
Guizhou province boxing team. Twelve years later he
would become China's first boxing gold medalist in the
Olympics.
In preparation for this weekend's debut, Mr. Arum in
February sent Mr. Zou to study in the U.S. with boxing
maestro Freddie Roach.
"When I first began working with him, I was a little
concerned about him coming to my gym…because the
only sparring partner I had for him at 112 [pounds] was a
world champion Brian Viloria," said Mr. Roach, a Hall of
Fame trainer. "But when I put them together I was quite
pleased. Shiming is a great student. He picks up things
quickly."
Roach had high praise for Mr. Zou's speed, timing, and
sense of distance. Trying to teach his student the power
game, Mr. Roach is working on getting Shiming to engage
and sit down on his punches. Right now, Mr. Roach said,
"Shiming's best combination is a right uppercut to the
body followed by a left hook to the head."
Mr. Zou's professional debut has been a cultural exchange
for both the boxer and his promoter. While training in
Hollywood, Calif., Mr. Zou learned his first few words of
English. Mr. Arum said he took "the kid" to sleek Beverly
Hills hot spot Mr. Chow for dinner for a taste of home.
"There are no Chinese people here," Mr. Zou correctly
observed, according to Mr. Arum.
While Mr. Arum was in Beijing in January to announce the
fight, he experienced a cultural shock of his own: no one
in the Chinese restaurant where he was dining had ever
heard of Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley. (But they did know
of rapper 50 Cent.)
Mr. Arum said he doesn't plan to teach Mr. Zou the trash-talking skills that some of his U.S. boxing counterparts
have mastered. "First of all, it wouldn't work, and,
secondly, it'd be counter-productive," he said. "We want
him to be like he is: a decent, humble, family guy."
Robert Guerrero, 30-Day Weight at 159
.
WBC interim-welterweight champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (31-1-1, 18KOs) took part in the WBC's mandatory 30-day weigh-in. Guerrero stepped on the scale at an even 159-pounds,, which is 12 north above the welterweight division limit of 147. Guerrero challenges full WBC champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26KOs) on May 4th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Showtime Pay-Per-View will televise
How in the hell has these guy make 135lb and this picture is 3 years old.
.
WBC interim-welterweight champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (31-1-1, 18KOs) took part in the WBC's mandatory 30-day weigh-in. Guerrero stepped on the scale at an even 159-pounds,, which is 12 north above the welterweight division limit of 147. Guerrero challenges full WBC champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26KOs) on May 4th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Showtime Pay-Per-View will televise
How in the hell has these guy make 135lb and this picture is 3 years old.
Last edited:
Props:
JLMACN and 2-0-Sixx
HBO's Lederman: Canelo is Going To Destroy Trout!
By Chris Robinson
You will be hard pressed to be anyone involved in boxing with as much as enthusiasm for the sport as Harold Lederman.
Serving as an unofficial ringside judge for HBO for over 25 years, Lederman has endeared himself to fans across the globe and his affable nature makes him someone you can’t help but to like.
While in town for Mike Alvarado’s entertaining rematch victory over Brandon Rios this past weekend in Las Vegas, I again caught up with Lederman.
As is often the case during our dialogue, I made it a point to get Harold’s thoughts on some upcoming prize fights, ranging from Nonito Donaire’s clash with fellow junior featherweight titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux to the May 4th Floyd Mayweather-Robert Guerrero tussle and everything in between.
There was one match in particular that seemed to draw the most surprising comments from Lederman, that being the April 20th junior middleweight unification clash between WBC champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and WBA belt holder Austin ‘No Doubt’ Trout.
On paper, Trout is looked at as Alvarez’s stiffest test to date yet Lederman isn’t expecting too much of a fight.
“I hate to say this, but I think Canelo’s going to destroy him,” Lederman said bluntly. “I like Austin Trout, I like Greg Cohen, I like the whole team; but Canelo’s something special. He really is.”
In Lederman’s eyes, Alvarez represents the future of the sport.
“Let me tell you something, I really believe, from the bottom of my heart, that Canelo is a star,” Lederman said of Alvarez. “I can’t help saying that. Canelo is a star. He can box, he can move, he can punch. He’s 22 years old and he fights like a veteran that’s 35 years old. He’s a guy that’s just a terrific, natural, great fighter. I love Canelo Alvarez.”
Trout is coming off of his biggest victory as a professional this past December, when he went into New York’s Madison Square Garden and scored a commanding unanimous decision victory over Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto.
Lederman gave all praise to Trout for the victory, but simply can’t be swayed in his prediction for his next fight.
“He did impress me against Cotto,” Lederman admitted. “He took on a good fighter and he beat a good fighter and I thought he did very, very well. I just think Canelo’s something special. Cotto, on the other hand, a little bit on the way down. I hate to say it, but that’s what it appears.
By Chris Robinson
You will be hard pressed to be anyone involved in boxing with as much as enthusiasm for the sport as Harold Lederman.
Serving as an unofficial ringside judge for HBO for over 25 years, Lederman has endeared himself to fans across the globe and his affable nature makes him someone you can’t help but to like.
While in town for Mike Alvarado’s entertaining rematch victory over Brandon Rios this past weekend in Las Vegas, I again caught up with Lederman.
As is often the case during our dialogue, I made it a point to get Harold’s thoughts on some upcoming prize fights, ranging from Nonito Donaire’s clash with fellow junior featherweight titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux to the May 4th Floyd Mayweather-Robert Guerrero tussle and everything in between.
There was one match in particular that seemed to draw the most surprising comments from Lederman, that being the April 20th junior middleweight unification clash between WBC champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and WBA belt holder Austin ‘No Doubt’ Trout.
On paper, Trout is looked at as Alvarez’s stiffest test to date yet Lederman isn’t expecting too much of a fight.
“I hate to say this, but I think Canelo’s going to destroy him,” Lederman said bluntly. “I like Austin Trout, I like Greg Cohen, I like the whole team; but Canelo’s something special. He really is.”
In Lederman’s eyes, Alvarez represents the future of the sport.
“Let me tell you something, I really believe, from the bottom of my heart, that Canelo is a star,” Lederman said of Alvarez. “I can’t help saying that. Canelo is a star. He can box, he can move, he can punch. He’s 22 years old and he fights like a veteran that’s 35 years old. He’s a guy that’s just a terrific, natural, great fighter. I love Canelo Alvarez.”
Trout is coming off of his biggest victory as a professional this past December, when he went into New York’s Madison Square Garden and scored a commanding unanimous decision victory over Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto.
Lederman gave all praise to Trout for the victory, but simply can’t be swayed in his prediction for his next fight.
“He did impress me against Cotto,” Lederman admitted. “He took on a good fighter and he beat a good fighter and I thought he did very, very well. I just think Canelo’s something special. Cotto, on the other hand, a little bit on the way down. I hate to say it, but that’s what it appears.
Props:
IronLungs420
Robert Guerrero, 30-Day Weight at 159
.
WBC interim-welterweight champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (31-1-1, 18KOs) took part in the WBC's mandatory 30-day weigh-in. Guerrero stepped on the scale at an even 159-pounds,, which is 12 north above the welterweight division limit of 147. Guerrero challenges full WBC champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26KOs) on May 4th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Showtime Pay-Per-View will televise
How in the hell has these guy make 135lb and this picture is 3 years old.
.
WBC interim-welterweight champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (31-1-1, 18KOs) took part in the WBC's mandatory 30-day weigh-in. Guerrero stepped on the scale at an even 159-pounds,, which is 12 north above the welterweight division limit of 147. Guerrero challenges full WBC champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26KOs) on May 4th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Showtime Pay-Per-View will televise
How in the hell has these guy make 135lb and this picture is 3 years old.
i don't know.....
I would love to see that. Got Em!!
He dont wanna be Serg's punching bag anymore lol. Got Em!!
Funny enough I would root for Chavez to beat GGG simply because 206 seems to think he is the best thing since sliced bologna lol. Got Em!!
Agreed. Ward would destroy GGG also even at a catch weight. Got Em!!
Agreed. Trout is gonna out box Canelo watch. Got Em!!
He dont wanna be Serg's punching bag anymore lol. Got Em!!
Funny enough I would root for Chavez to beat GGG simply because 206 seems to think he is the best thing since sliced bologna lol. Got Em!!
Agreed. Ward would destroy GGG also even at a catch weight. Got Em!!
Agreed. Trout is gonna out box Canelo watch. Got Em!!