Boxing News Thread
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Froch vs. Taylor - Contracts Signed, Fan Friendly Tickets
By Rick Reeno
BoxingScene.com has been advised that everything is signed and sealed. Carl Froch (24-0, 19KOS) will defend his WBC super middleweight title against former middleweight king Jrmain Taylor (28-2, 17KOs) on April 25 at the MGM Mirage at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut. Showtime will televise the two-bout card that leads off with a super middleweight contest between contenders Allan Green and Carlos De Leon Jr.
By Rick Reeno
BoxingScene.com has been advised that everything is signed and sealed. Carl Froch (24-0, 19KOS) will defend his WBC super middleweight title against former middleweight king Jrmain Taylor (28-2, 17KOs) on April 25 at the MGM Mirage at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut. Showtime will televise the two-bout card that leads off with a super middleweight contest between contenders Allan Green and Carlos De Leon Jr.
Get Ready For A Slew Of Pay-Per-Views
By Jake Donovan
There’s nothing in the world more expensive than free.
For the past two months and change, the sport has seen some terrific boxing action without having to pay a dime beyond their normal cable/satellite package. One notable pay-per-view event took place over that stretch, with its matchups fittingly the weakest of 2009’s televised offerings to date.
That’s about to change big time.
It’s a sign of the times that fights deemed unfit for premium networks are going the a la carte route. Such shows should be treated as optional viewing, while boxing series housed on HBO, Showtime, ESPN2 and the likes considerably tighten up their standards. For those left over, kudos for finding a way to keep their fighters busy. If there’s an audience willing up to pay to see them, then it becomes win-win for everyone.
The question for the next four weeks is how fight fans will choose to spend their money, if at all.
Four pay-per-view events will air in as many Saturdays. Sometimes, there’s a decent alternative to where you don’t have to say to yourself, “Why would I pay for that?” Such is not the case in the next few weeks.
It’s worth noting that each show offers something different, which makes it easier to pick and choose, if all four don’t entice you.
This weekend offers a look at overseas action we would normally miss out on if not for the efforts of Jersey-based distributor Integrated Sports. With the time zone difference between here and England comes the return of the Saturday afternoon matinee, when once-beaten lightweight prospect Amir Khan takes on future Hall of Famer and former three-division champion Marco Antonio Barrera.
The card airs live from Manchester, England (4:00PM ET/1PM PT, $24.95).
Of the four pay-per-view telecasts offered, this one seems to fly deepest under the radar. Far more shine has been given to Golden Boy Promotions faux-lightweight tournament (April 4, Austin, TX, $39.95), but when comparing price to content, it’s hard to make a case against this weekend’s offering not being the best of the lot.
A year ago, few would’ve given any consideration in regards to the potential competitiveness of the show’s top billing. Amir Khan was a red-hot prospect rapidly being pushed toward title contention. Marco Antonio Barrera was considering retirement after having suffered his second straight loss, dropping a decision to Manny Pacquiao in a bout where he fared well for the first few rounds but appeared to mail it in during the second half of their October 2007 rematch.
What a difference a year makes.
Khan was since blitzed in less than a minute against hard-hitting Colombian export Breidis Prescott before picking up the pieces in his career to stop Oisin Fagan in two rounds last December. Barrera has since unretired (what a shock), though not looking particularly spectacular in his comeback fight, a fourth round knockout of Sammy Ventura last November. The win was followed up by a third-round disqualification of Freudis Rojas this past January, a fight in which Barrera suffered a cut and was nearly threatened with the prospect of postponing the fight.
Had such been the case, fans would still be left with a decent show, even if not particularly pay-per-view worthy. But credit to promoter Frank Warren, who added two alphabet title fights in the supporting slots. Former cruiserweight titlist Enzo Maccarrinelli fights for an interim version of his old belt when he faces American challenger Ola Afolabi, while super featherweight Nicky Cook finds himself in dangerous title defense against Roman “Rocky” Martinez.
Compare the trio of bouts to any pay-per-view in recent memory, and you’ll find that it measures up well. Add to the pot the fact that it comes at about half of the price, and you’re left with a Saturday afternoon of boxing well worth the investment.
The same cannot be said of the following week, easily the weakest of the bunch.
For years, Roy Jones Jr served as not just the best fighter in the world, but also his own boss. His Square Ring promotional company was never a sport powerhouse, but was enough to negotiate several lucrative contracts with HBO and provide a service for a few fighters through the years, including Winky Wright earlier in the decade as well as former cruiserweight champ Al “Ice” Cole and longtime friend Derrick Gainer.
Today, more substance has been added to the corporate level, namely the addition of John Wirt. A mixed bag of fighters has recently been added to the stable. Some are promising, like undefeated cruiserweight BJ Flores and potential junior welterweight contenders Dmitry Salita and Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa. Then there are retreads like former undisputed welterweight king Zab Judah.
Because they’re still in the building stage, any card featuring Roy Jones is bound to run thin in its undercard. Such was the case last November, when Jones and undefeated former super middleweight kingpin Joe Calzaghe tried to promote a show on their own. The night featured arguably the worst undercard in pay-per-view history, and the show as a whole bombed at the box office and on the entertainment front.
The same might be said of the March 21 telecast topped by Jones’ match with Omar Sheika (live from Pensacola, 9PM ET/6PM PT, $29.95). The show comes with a twist, a rare card that will feature both boxing and MMA on the same telecast. It’s not a completely foreign concept to merge the two worlds together, as several cards have applied this formula. It will mark a first at least on the pay-per-view front, which the event’s organizers have used in its tagline, referring to the night as “historic.”
A more fitting term might be prehistoric. The top two names are today’s 40-year old version of Roy Jones, and 45-year old UFC Hall-of-Fame fighter, the legendary Ken Shamrock. If you’re not yet enticed, then chances are the rest of the show won’t convince you. BJ Flores is slated to appear, against an opponent yet to be named, not a very good sign less than two weeks from fight night.
Though not a direct conflict, far more value can be found with ESPN’s offering earlier that day. The Worldwide Leader in Sports picks up the live international feed for an intriguing heavyweight scrap between Vitali Klitschko and mandatory challenger, former cruiserweight titlist Juan Carlos Gomez.
If boxing on a Saturday is your only concern, chances are $30 will stay in your wallet while you catch heavyweight action for the low price of what already comes with a basic cable/satellite subscription.
The final two Saturdays of the pay-per-view blitz both air opposite telecasts airing live on Showtime. Both come at a suggested retail price of $39.95 and even with the price tag still make for a tough decision whether to hit your pockets or tune into America’s #1 Boxing Network (even if HBO has plenty to say about that slogan with its recent offerings).
Showtime offers its second Shobox telecast of the month and third in the span of five weekends, with their March 28 installment featuring no fewer than three undefeated prospects – Andre Dirrell in a super middleweight bout, and Ronald Hearns and Harry Joe Yorgey squaring off in a junior middleweight scrap where somebody’s 0 must go.
It’s not a bad card on paper, but also not the type of show that will rally friends and family around the tube on a Saturday night.
Depending on which way you view it, Latin Fury 8 (March 28, Tijuana, Mexico, $39.95) may very well turn that trick.
The glass half-empty view is that it’s the latest in a series of Top Rank independently produced pay-per-views in which plenty of names are featured, but in fights not particularly difficult to predict.
A far more optimistic view is that it’s a night where you can see several notable fighters in one viewing. The show is topped by Mexico’s newest favorite son, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, who puts his own undefeated record on the line against fellow unbeaten Luciano Cuello of Spain.
On the surface, it’s a matchup better served to air on Azteca America. But as was the case in Chavez Jr’s last ring appearance, Top Rank uses the opportunity to showcase some of its better fighters who otherwise aren’t afforded their fair share of publicity.
Outstanding junior bantamweight titlist Fernando Montiel adds three pounds to his frame, as the Mexican boxer-puncher tests the bantamweight waters when he faces Diego Silva in preliminary action. The co-feature slot features grizzled junior lightweight Humberto Soto, who puts his alphabet strap on the line against veteran journeyman Antonio “T-Rex” Davis.
Also on the show is former junior middleweight titlist Alex “Terra” Garcia, as well as an interesting loser-leaves-town match between Jose Luis Castillo and Antonio Diaz.
If there’s a negative viewpoint to be taken with Golden Boy Promotions’ tournament-style night of lightweights (April 4, Austin, Texas, 9PM ET/6PM PT, $39.95), it’s that the night is loaded with matches where the loser will need to start looking for a new line of work.
Many consider the show the strongest of the next four Saturdays. It started out that way on paper, with four decent matchups slated for the telecast. The show is now down to three confirmed fights after Jorge Barrios was forced to withdraw from his crossroads match with Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez due to an eardrum injury suffered in training.
The bad news is that Barrios probably did the best job of those on the card in promoting the show, thanks to his well-publicized verbal spat with Edwin Valero (who headlines the card against Antonio Pitalua) in a recent pre-fight press conference.
On the upside, the winner of his match with Hernandez didn’t figure to advance very far in the grand scheme of all things lightweight. Both are well past their sell-date, not to mention that neither fighter owns a single respectable win above the junior lightweight limit.
In that vein, the show doesn’t take much of a hit. The three remaining bouts are still worth the price of admission – so long as you don’t read too much into the sales pitch.
The event began as a “lightweight tournament” with hopes of claiming the last man standing as the most worthy contender to Juan Manuel Marquez and the lineal lightweight crown. Golden Boy Promotions has since backed off of that claim, now referring to the show as a “tournament-style” event rather than going through the trouble of actually posting brackets.
There are several reasons behind the disclaimer. For starters, should Valero win the main event, his next option isn’t necessarily the winner of any of the other bouts. Part of it has to do with his not being promoted by Golden Boy, who can convince most of its other fighters to face each other for as long as they so choose.
Since Valero is with Top Rank, his hand is far less likely to be forced the way they’d prefer. Ditto for Julio Diaz, who stands a very good chance of getting past aged former two-division champ Joel Casamayor.
That would leave Michael Katsidis and former junior lightweight titlist Jesus Chavez as the last man standing, in terms of fighters who’s every move Golden Boy can control. That is unless a suitable replacement can be found for Barrios in the current TBA slot opposite Carlos Hernandez.
But treated as a one-night event, the show stacks up well on its own. Whether or not it’s enough to sway fans away from Showtime’s doubleheader that same evening is another matter.
In Golden Boy’s favor is that the pay-per-view telecast airs two hours earlier than the start of the live East Coast feed of Showtime’s Shobox telecast (11PM ET/PT), headlined by a junior welterweight alphabet unification match between Kendall Holt and Tim Bradley. In terms of tournament-themed events, the winner of Showtime’s main event would easily serve as the top challenger to the winner of yet another pay-per-view. This one would be the year’s biggest event, when Ricky Hatton puts his lineal junior welterweight crown on the line against Manny Pacquiao.
Is it enough to convince viewers that there exists such a thing as too much boxing and to ignore the action not already included in your cable or satellite subscription?
The next four weekends will provide the answer to that question, as boxing fans will have to decide if enjoying the sport for the relative price of nothing is worth investing so heavily back into the sport.
By Jake Donovan
There’s nothing in the world more expensive than free.
For the past two months and change, the sport has seen some terrific boxing action without having to pay a dime beyond their normal cable/satellite package. One notable pay-per-view event took place over that stretch, with its matchups fittingly the weakest of 2009’s televised offerings to date.
That’s about to change big time.
It’s a sign of the times that fights deemed unfit for premium networks are going the a la carte route. Such shows should be treated as optional viewing, while boxing series housed on HBO, Showtime, ESPN2 and the likes considerably tighten up their standards. For those left over, kudos for finding a way to keep their fighters busy. If there’s an audience willing up to pay to see them, then it becomes win-win for everyone.
The question for the next four weeks is how fight fans will choose to spend their money, if at all.
Four pay-per-view events will air in as many Saturdays. Sometimes, there’s a decent alternative to where you don’t have to say to yourself, “Why would I pay for that?” Such is not the case in the next few weeks.
It’s worth noting that each show offers something different, which makes it easier to pick and choose, if all four don’t entice you.
This weekend offers a look at overseas action we would normally miss out on if not for the efforts of Jersey-based distributor Integrated Sports. With the time zone difference between here and England comes the return of the Saturday afternoon matinee, when once-beaten lightweight prospect Amir Khan takes on future Hall of Famer and former three-division champion Marco Antonio Barrera.
The card airs live from Manchester, England (4:00PM ET/1PM PT, $24.95).
Of the four pay-per-view telecasts offered, this one seems to fly deepest under the radar. Far more shine has been given to Golden Boy Promotions faux-lightweight tournament (April 4, Austin, TX, $39.95), but when comparing price to content, it’s hard to make a case against this weekend’s offering not being the best of the lot.
A year ago, few would’ve given any consideration in regards to the potential competitiveness of the show’s top billing. Amir Khan was a red-hot prospect rapidly being pushed toward title contention. Marco Antonio Barrera was considering retirement after having suffered his second straight loss, dropping a decision to Manny Pacquiao in a bout where he fared well for the first few rounds but appeared to mail it in during the second half of their October 2007 rematch.
What a difference a year makes.
Khan was since blitzed in less than a minute against hard-hitting Colombian export Breidis Prescott before picking up the pieces in his career to stop Oisin Fagan in two rounds last December. Barrera has since unretired (what a shock), though not looking particularly spectacular in his comeback fight, a fourth round knockout of Sammy Ventura last November. The win was followed up by a third-round disqualification of Freudis Rojas this past January, a fight in which Barrera suffered a cut and was nearly threatened with the prospect of postponing the fight.
Had such been the case, fans would still be left with a decent show, even if not particularly pay-per-view worthy. But credit to promoter Frank Warren, who added two alphabet title fights in the supporting slots. Former cruiserweight titlist Enzo Maccarrinelli fights for an interim version of his old belt when he faces American challenger Ola Afolabi, while super featherweight Nicky Cook finds himself in dangerous title defense against Roman “Rocky” Martinez.
Compare the trio of bouts to any pay-per-view in recent memory, and you’ll find that it measures up well. Add to the pot the fact that it comes at about half of the price, and you’re left with a Saturday afternoon of boxing well worth the investment.
The same cannot be said of the following week, easily the weakest of the bunch.
For years, Roy Jones Jr served as not just the best fighter in the world, but also his own boss. His Square Ring promotional company was never a sport powerhouse, but was enough to negotiate several lucrative contracts with HBO and provide a service for a few fighters through the years, including Winky Wright earlier in the decade as well as former cruiserweight champ Al “Ice” Cole and longtime friend Derrick Gainer.
Today, more substance has been added to the corporate level, namely the addition of John Wirt. A mixed bag of fighters has recently been added to the stable. Some are promising, like undefeated cruiserweight BJ Flores and potential junior welterweight contenders Dmitry Salita and Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa. Then there are retreads like former undisputed welterweight king Zab Judah.
Because they’re still in the building stage, any card featuring Roy Jones is bound to run thin in its undercard. Such was the case last November, when Jones and undefeated former super middleweight kingpin Joe Calzaghe tried to promote a show on their own. The night featured arguably the worst undercard in pay-per-view history, and the show as a whole bombed at the box office and on the entertainment front.
The same might be said of the March 21 telecast topped by Jones’ match with Omar Sheika (live from Pensacola, 9PM ET/6PM PT, $29.95). The show comes with a twist, a rare card that will feature both boxing and MMA on the same telecast. It’s not a completely foreign concept to merge the two worlds together, as several cards have applied this formula. It will mark a first at least on the pay-per-view front, which the event’s organizers have used in its tagline, referring to the night as “historic.”
A more fitting term might be prehistoric. The top two names are today’s 40-year old version of Roy Jones, and 45-year old UFC Hall-of-Fame fighter, the legendary Ken Shamrock. If you’re not yet enticed, then chances are the rest of the show won’t convince you. BJ Flores is slated to appear, against an opponent yet to be named, not a very good sign less than two weeks from fight night.
Though not a direct conflict, far more value can be found with ESPN’s offering earlier that day. The Worldwide Leader in Sports picks up the live international feed for an intriguing heavyweight scrap between Vitali Klitschko and mandatory challenger, former cruiserweight titlist Juan Carlos Gomez.
If boxing on a Saturday is your only concern, chances are $30 will stay in your wallet while you catch heavyweight action for the low price of what already comes with a basic cable/satellite subscription.
The final two Saturdays of the pay-per-view blitz both air opposite telecasts airing live on Showtime. Both come at a suggested retail price of $39.95 and even with the price tag still make for a tough decision whether to hit your pockets or tune into America’s #1 Boxing Network (even if HBO has plenty to say about that slogan with its recent offerings).
Showtime offers its second Shobox telecast of the month and third in the span of five weekends, with their March 28 installment featuring no fewer than three undefeated prospects – Andre Dirrell in a super middleweight bout, and Ronald Hearns and Harry Joe Yorgey squaring off in a junior middleweight scrap where somebody’s 0 must go.
It’s not a bad card on paper, but also not the type of show that will rally friends and family around the tube on a Saturday night.
Depending on which way you view it, Latin Fury 8 (March 28, Tijuana, Mexico, $39.95) may very well turn that trick.
The glass half-empty view is that it’s the latest in a series of Top Rank independently produced pay-per-views in which plenty of names are featured, but in fights not particularly difficult to predict.
A far more optimistic view is that it’s a night where you can see several notable fighters in one viewing. The show is topped by Mexico’s newest favorite son, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, who puts his own undefeated record on the line against fellow unbeaten Luciano Cuello of Spain.
On the surface, it’s a matchup better served to air on Azteca America. But as was the case in Chavez Jr’s last ring appearance, Top Rank uses the opportunity to showcase some of its better fighters who otherwise aren’t afforded their fair share of publicity.
Outstanding junior bantamweight titlist Fernando Montiel adds three pounds to his frame, as the Mexican boxer-puncher tests the bantamweight waters when he faces Diego Silva in preliminary action. The co-feature slot features grizzled junior lightweight Humberto Soto, who puts his alphabet strap on the line against veteran journeyman Antonio “T-Rex” Davis.
Also on the show is former junior middleweight titlist Alex “Terra” Garcia, as well as an interesting loser-leaves-town match between Jose Luis Castillo and Antonio Diaz.
If there’s a negative viewpoint to be taken with Golden Boy Promotions’ tournament-style night of lightweights (April 4, Austin, Texas, 9PM ET/6PM PT, $39.95), it’s that the night is loaded with matches where the loser will need to start looking for a new line of work.
Many consider the show the strongest of the next four Saturdays. It started out that way on paper, with four decent matchups slated for the telecast. The show is now down to three confirmed fights after Jorge Barrios was forced to withdraw from his crossroads match with Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez due to an eardrum injury suffered in training.
The bad news is that Barrios probably did the best job of those on the card in promoting the show, thanks to his well-publicized verbal spat with Edwin Valero (who headlines the card against Antonio Pitalua) in a recent pre-fight press conference.
On the upside, the winner of his match with Hernandez didn’t figure to advance very far in the grand scheme of all things lightweight. Both are well past their sell-date, not to mention that neither fighter owns a single respectable win above the junior lightweight limit.
In that vein, the show doesn’t take much of a hit. The three remaining bouts are still worth the price of admission – so long as you don’t read too much into the sales pitch.
The event began as a “lightweight tournament” with hopes of claiming the last man standing as the most worthy contender to Juan Manuel Marquez and the lineal lightweight crown. Golden Boy Promotions has since backed off of that claim, now referring to the show as a “tournament-style” event rather than going through the trouble of actually posting brackets.
There are several reasons behind the disclaimer. For starters, should Valero win the main event, his next option isn’t necessarily the winner of any of the other bouts. Part of it has to do with his not being promoted by Golden Boy, who can convince most of its other fighters to face each other for as long as they so choose.
Since Valero is with Top Rank, his hand is far less likely to be forced the way they’d prefer. Ditto for Julio Diaz, who stands a very good chance of getting past aged former two-division champ Joel Casamayor.
That would leave Michael Katsidis and former junior lightweight titlist Jesus Chavez as the last man standing, in terms of fighters who’s every move Golden Boy can control. That is unless a suitable replacement can be found for Barrios in the current TBA slot opposite Carlos Hernandez.
But treated as a one-night event, the show stacks up well on its own. Whether or not it’s enough to sway fans away from Showtime’s doubleheader that same evening is another matter.
In Golden Boy’s favor is that the pay-per-view telecast airs two hours earlier than the start of the live East Coast feed of Showtime’s Shobox telecast (11PM ET/PT), headlined by a junior welterweight alphabet unification match between Kendall Holt and Tim Bradley. In terms of tournament-themed events, the winner of Showtime’s main event would easily serve as the top challenger to the winner of yet another pay-per-view. This one would be the year’s biggest event, when Ricky Hatton puts his lineal junior welterweight crown on the line against Manny Pacquiao.
Is it enough to convince viewers that there exists such a thing as too much boxing and to ignore the action not already included in your cable or satellite subscription?
The next four weekends will provide the answer to that question, as boxing fans will have to decide if enjoying the sport for the relative price of nothing is worth investing so heavily back into the sport.
James Kirkland Wants Alfredo Angulo Clash To Build
By Mark Vester
Last Saturday, undefeated junior middleweight prospect James Kirkland (25-0, 22KOs) fought his way to a solid win by battering Joel Julio for a six-round stoppage in San Jose, California. Another rising junior middleweight prospect, Alfredo Angulo (15-0, 12KOs), is also making a big name for himself at the weight. Both fighters love to brawl, come forward and throw a lot of power punches. Both are also becoming solid contenders. Unless one of them is beaten along the way, a showdown will have to happen.
The growing hype for the two of them to fight is almost similiar to a period, going a few years back, when rising prospects Fernando Vargas and David Reid were pounding through the ranks at 154 and captured major titles. Reid suffered a loss before the two of them could ever fight and very quickly their careers went in different directions.
Kirkland tells BoxingScene.com's Ernest Gabion that he would love to fight Angulo at any time, but he would rather give it more time and have the fight build up to something much bigger - like a championship fight.
"A lot of people want me to fight Angulo. I would love to fight Angulo at any time, but for now I would like to let it marinate. I would like to let it build up, let him get to win more and let myself win more. I want to let it all pile up into something that steams up so much that everybody is dying to see it - and that's what I want to happen," Kirkland tells BoxingScene
By Mark Vester
Last Saturday, undefeated junior middleweight prospect James Kirkland (25-0, 22KOs) fought his way to a solid win by battering Joel Julio for a six-round stoppage in San Jose, California. Another rising junior middleweight prospect, Alfredo Angulo (15-0, 12KOs), is also making a big name for himself at the weight. Both fighters love to brawl, come forward and throw a lot of power punches. Both are also becoming solid contenders. Unless one of them is beaten along the way, a showdown will have to happen.
The growing hype for the two of them to fight is almost similiar to a period, going a few years back, when rising prospects Fernando Vargas and David Reid were pounding through the ranks at 154 and captured major titles. Reid suffered a loss before the two of them could ever fight and very quickly their careers went in different directions.
Kirkland tells BoxingScene.com's Ernest Gabion that he would love to fight Angulo at any time, but he would rather give it more time and have the fight build up to something much bigger - like a championship fight.
"A lot of people want me to fight Angulo. I would love to fight Angulo at any time, but for now I would like to let it marinate. I would like to let it build up, let him get to win more and let myself win more. I want to let it all pile up into something that steams up so much that everybody is dying to see it - and that's what I want to happen," Kirkland tells BoxingScene
Edwin Valero Wants a Piece of Juan Manuel Marquez
By Brent Matteo Alderson
In what was somewhat of surprise to the boxing world, Edwin Valero recently replaced his current trainer, Kenny Adams with Robert Alcazar, the man that trained Oscar De La Hoya for the majority of his professional bouts.
Valero’s manager, Jose Castillo noted that local was the impetus for the switch, “They had already talked in the past before Edwin went to Japan. When he came back from Japan he went to Vegas, but he always wanted to be in California. He had lived here before and had worked with Alcazar on a couple of times occasions. So we came to an agreement and now it’s set. Edwin has a wife and two kids and they have lived here in California before and they liked it here.”
Castillo said the fact that Alcazar is bi-lingual wasn’t one of the determining factors, but is definitely a positive, “It wasn’t the dominant factor, but it helps since they both speak Spanish. We talked to Robert and liked what he had to say about the things he would like to work on with Edwin. One or two days back in 2004 they talked and Edwin did one or two days of training with him and liked it and always had in the back of his mind. Alcazar said he would like to have more than three or four weeks to work with Edwin and said after this fight and his next one that Valero will be the complete package.”
According to reports Edwin is already looking sharp and is training hard at the South Coast Kick Boxing gym in Costa Mesa, California for his April 4th bout for the WBC 135 pound title against the hard punching Antonio Pitalua 46-3 (40) and weighed in at 140 ½ pounds on Saturday for the official WBC 30-day weigh. Valero’s manager commented, “He’s already in terrific shape; he could fight next week.”
This past Thursday Valero sparred 10 rounds with fringe contender Josesito Lopez 23-3,
“I had never seen Valero, but I was impressed. He’s the complete package, he has it all. He’s good on his feet, he has good stamina, he punches hard, he’s a real accurate puncher and defensively he’s solid, I was impressed,” noted Henry Ramirez, Lopez’s trainer.
When asked about the probable outcome of a potential clash between Valero and Juan Manuel Marquez, Josesito responded, “I don’t know. That’s would be a good one. That’s a tough fight. Edwin is good, but Marquez is the first or second best pound for pound fighter in the world. It’s hard to say.”
Castillo commented, “Marquez is a good fighter, but I think Juan [Diaz] could have won the fight if he had more of a punch, but we would love to have a shot at Marquez. Valero would definitely win that fight, but he’s moving up to 140 and I don’t think he wants any part of Edwin. I can tell you that.”
Notes:
Favorite Quote: - Former heavyweight contender Randal Tex Cobb once commented, “If you screw things up in tennis, it’s 15-love. If you screw up in boxing, it's your ass.”
James Kirkland looked like a beast this past weekend. He was even ripped as a little boy. Imagine a fight between him and Alfredo Angulo. Can you say “WAR.”
By Brent Matteo Alderson
In what was somewhat of surprise to the boxing world, Edwin Valero recently replaced his current trainer, Kenny Adams with Robert Alcazar, the man that trained Oscar De La Hoya for the majority of his professional bouts.
Valero’s manager, Jose Castillo noted that local was the impetus for the switch, “They had already talked in the past before Edwin went to Japan. When he came back from Japan he went to Vegas, but he always wanted to be in California. He had lived here before and had worked with Alcazar on a couple of times occasions. So we came to an agreement and now it’s set. Edwin has a wife and two kids and they have lived here in California before and they liked it here.”
Castillo said the fact that Alcazar is bi-lingual wasn’t one of the determining factors, but is definitely a positive, “It wasn’t the dominant factor, but it helps since they both speak Spanish. We talked to Robert and liked what he had to say about the things he would like to work on with Edwin. One or two days back in 2004 they talked and Edwin did one or two days of training with him and liked it and always had in the back of his mind. Alcazar said he would like to have more than three or four weeks to work with Edwin and said after this fight and his next one that Valero will be the complete package.”
According to reports Edwin is already looking sharp and is training hard at the South Coast Kick Boxing gym in Costa Mesa, California for his April 4th bout for the WBC 135 pound title against the hard punching Antonio Pitalua 46-3 (40) and weighed in at 140 ½ pounds on Saturday for the official WBC 30-day weigh. Valero’s manager commented, “He’s already in terrific shape; he could fight next week.”
This past Thursday Valero sparred 10 rounds with fringe contender Josesito Lopez 23-3,
“I had never seen Valero, but I was impressed. He’s the complete package, he has it all. He’s good on his feet, he has good stamina, he punches hard, he’s a real accurate puncher and defensively he’s solid, I was impressed,” noted Henry Ramirez, Lopez’s trainer.
When asked about the probable outcome of a potential clash between Valero and Juan Manuel Marquez, Josesito responded, “I don’t know. That’s would be a good one. That’s a tough fight. Edwin is good, but Marquez is the first or second best pound for pound fighter in the world. It’s hard to say.”
Castillo commented, “Marquez is a good fighter, but I think Juan [Diaz] could have won the fight if he had more of a punch, but we would love to have a shot at Marquez. Valero would definitely win that fight, but he’s moving up to 140 and I don’t think he wants any part of Edwin. I can tell you that.”
Notes:
Favorite Quote: - Former heavyweight contender Randal Tex Cobb once commented, “If you screw things up in tennis, it’s 15-love. If you screw up in boxing, it's your ass.”
James Kirkland looked like a beast this past weekend. He was even ripped as a little boy. Imagine a fight between him and Alfredo Angulo. Can you say “WAR.”
Shit's kinda sad.......
Mike Tyson Wants To Help Manny Pacquiao, Wild Card
By Mark Vester
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has fallen on hard times. He recently contacted Freddie Roach about possibly being hired as a trainer at Roach's Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California. Tyson earned at least $100 million dollars during the course of his career and Roach was a bit shaken up when the former champ called to ask for a job.
Roach considers Tyson a good friend but he turned down the request for a variety of reasons. He recently hired former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer in a trainer's role at the gym. Tyson is a very big fan of Pacquiao. Roach revealed that Iron Mike came down to Pacquiao's training camp for last December's bout with Oscar De La Hoya. Tyson gave Pacquiao some tips to beat Oscar.
“Mike’s a good guy, he respects me a lot. I just don’t think he has the patience to be a trainer. Unfortunately Mike isn’t doing too well at the moment. I just got a call that he wants a job. Mike came to Manny’s last training day for the De La Hoya fight,” said Roach to Sky Sports.
“He just told us to be careful moving in straight lines because Oscar has the longer reach. They were sensible stuff. It’s nice to see Mike. I’m a big fan of Tyson. He’s a nice guy."
Mike Tyson Wants To Help Manny Pacquiao, Wild Card
By Mark Vester
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has fallen on hard times. He recently contacted Freddie Roach about possibly being hired as a trainer at Roach's Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California. Tyson earned at least $100 million dollars during the course of his career and Roach was a bit shaken up when the former champ called to ask for a job.
Roach considers Tyson a good friend but he turned down the request for a variety of reasons. He recently hired former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer in a trainer's role at the gym. Tyson is a very big fan of Pacquiao. Roach revealed that Iron Mike came down to Pacquiao's training camp for last December's bout with Oscar De La Hoya. Tyson gave Pacquiao some tips to beat Oscar.
“Mike’s a good guy, he respects me a lot. I just don’t think he has the patience to be a trainer. Unfortunately Mike isn’t doing too well at the moment. I just got a call that he wants a job. Mike came to Manny’s last training day for the De La Hoya fight,” said Roach to Sky Sports.
“He just told us to be careful moving in straight lines because Oscar has the longer reach. They were sensible stuff. It’s nice to see Mike. I’m a big fan of Tyson. He’s a nice guy."
I love pavlik, but come on!!!! Well at least the good news out of this is we can all hope to FINALLY see Mora KO'd.
Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Mora Agreement Reached
By Robert Morales
Promoter Bob Arum informed Boxingscene.com on Wednesday afternoon that he has come to terms with Sergio Mora’s team for a fight between Mora and middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik.
Once finalized, the world middleweight title fight will take place either June 20, July 18 or July 25, and most likely in Atlantic City.
"I have talked to (Mora's promoter) Jeff Wald and everything is OK from their side," Arum said via telephone from Boston.
Arum, who promotes Pavlik, said that he still has to meet with the fighter and his team before an accord can be reached. Arum said he would be meeting with Team Pavlik next week in Las Vegas in hopes of finalizing the deal.
Mora, of Los Angeles, became the first champion on "The Contender" boxing reality series when he defeated Peter Manfredo Jr. in May 2005 in Las Vegas.
He would go on to become the first – and to date, only – fighter from the series to go on to win a major alphabet title after upsetting Vernon Forrest via majority decision last June in Uncasville, Conn.
The reign was short-lived; Forrest took back his title with a lopsided decision over Mora just three months later in their rematch in Las Vegas.
The fight would mark Pavlik’s third defense of the world middleweight title he wrested from Jermain Taylor in September 2007. Pavlik was floored in the second round, but rallied back to stop Taylor in what was hailed by the Boxing Writers Association of America as the Fight of the Year for 2007.
Arum also spoke of the proposed June 13 welterweight title unification match between Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey.
Similarly, Arum said Clottey is on board but that the deal won't be consummated until Cotto comes to terms. That fight would be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, on the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade.
Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Mora Agreement Reached
By Robert Morales
Promoter Bob Arum informed Boxingscene.com on Wednesday afternoon that he has come to terms with Sergio Mora’s team for a fight between Mora and middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik.
Once finalized, the world middleweight title fight will take place either June 20, July 18 or July 25, and most likely in Atlantic City.
"I have talked to (Mora's promoter) Jeff Wald and everything is OK from their side," Arum said via telephone from Boston.
Arum, who promotes Pavlik, said that he still has to meet with the fighter and his team before an accord can be reached. Arum said he would be meeting with Team Pavlik next week in Las Vegas in hopes of finalizing the deal.
Mora, of Los Angeles, became the first champion on "The Contender" boxing reality series when he defeated Peter Manfredo Jr. in May 2005 in Las Vegas.
He would go on to become the first – and to date, only – fighter from the series to go on to win a major alphabet title after upsetting Vernon Forrest via majority decision last June in Uncasville, Conn.
The reign was short-lived; Forrest took back his title with a lopsided decision over Mora just three months later in their rematch in Las Vegas.
The fight would mark Pavlik’s third defense of the world middleweight title he wrested from Jermain Taylor in September 2007. Pavlik was floored in the second round, but rallied back to stop Taylor in what was hailed by the Boxing Writers Association of America as the Fight of the Year for 2007.
Arum also spoke of the proposed June 13 welterweight title unification match between Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey.
Similarly, Arum said Clottey is on board but that the deal won't be consummated until Cotto comes to terms. That fight would be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, on the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade.
same here. Normally I'd be upset with a fight like this, especially coming right after RUBIO (lol), but they said Pavlik is supposed to fight 2 more times this year. So if he beats mora and fights either Arthur Abraham (ideal fight), the winner of winky/paul williams, or Sturm by the end of the year, I'm perfectly fine with that.
HUGE news for James Kirkland. Big step up.
Dzindziruk vs. Kirkland in The Works For June 27
By Mark Vester
Eric Gomez, Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions, informed Doug Fischer of The Ring Online , that attempts are being made to match unbeaten junior middleweight James Kirkland (25-0, 22 KOs) against WBO champion Sergei Dzindziruk (36-0, 22 KOs) of Germany. The fight would take place on June 27 with HBO televising. If Dzindziruk falls through, WBA champion Daniel Santos is being looked at as another possibility for Kirkland.
Kirkland will first have to first get past his next bout, scheduled for the May 2 undercard to Pacquiao-Hatton in Las Vegas. The May opponent is unknown but it may come down to Chicago native Michael Walker (19-1, 12 KOs).
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I see this fight going one of two ways: Dzindziruk will box the shit out of Kirkland, or Kirkland's pressure will be just too damn much for Dzindziruk to handle. Interesting because Kirkland has never fought anyone as skilled as Dzindziruk (based on my understanding) and Dzindziruk has never faced anyone as relentless as Kirkland. Should be a fun one to watch.
Dzindziruk vs. Kirkland in The Works For June 27
By Mark Vester
Eric Gomez, Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions, informed Doug Fischer of The Ring Online , that attempts are being made to match unbeaten junior middleweight James Kirkland (25-0, 22 KOs) against WBO champion Sergei Dzindziruk (36-0, 22 KOs) of Germany. The fight would take place on June 27 with HBO televising. If Dzindziruk falls through, WBA champion Daniel Santos is being looked at as another possibility for Kirkland.
Kirkland will first have to first get past his next bout, scheduled for the May 2 undercard to Pacquiao-Hatton in Las Vegas. The May opponent is unknown but it may come down to Chicago native Michael Walker (19-1, 12 KOs).
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I see this fight going one of two ways: Dzindziruk will box the shit out of Kirkland, or Kirkland's pressure will be just too damn much for Dzindziruk to handle. Interesting because Kirkland has never fought anyone as skilled as Dzindziruk (based on my understanding) and Dzindziruk has never faced anyone as relentless as Kirkland. Should be a fun one to watch.
bhop is nuts!!
Hopkins vs. Adamek To Take Place on July 11?
By Michał Koper
According to Polsat TV, that owns the Polish TV rights to Tomasz Adamek, there is a tentative date of July 11 for Adamek to defend his IBF cruiserweight against Bernard Hopkins. New York’s Madison Square Garden and the Prudential Center in New Jersey are two of the possible venues being discussed.
Golden Boy Promotions, where Hopkins is a partner, and Main Events, who co-promote Adamek, are currently in talks to make the fight a reality.
Hopkins vs. Adamek To Take Place on July 11?
By Michał Koper
According to Polsat TV, that owns the Polish TV rights to Tomasz Adamek, there is a tentative date of July 11 for Adamek to defend his IBF cruiserweight against Bernard Hopkins. New York’s Madison Square Garden and the Prudential Center in New Jersey are two of the possible venues being discussed.
Golden Boy Promotions, where Hopkins is a partner, and Main Events, who co-promote Adamek, are currently in talks to make the fight a reality.
