Boxing News Thread
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Vitali Klitschko-David Haye A Real Possibility For September
by James Slater - As heavyweight contender and former cruiserweight king David Haye continues to play the waiting game with regards to getting his shot at a version of the world heavyweight title, it now looks as though the 28-year-old will get what he wants this coming September - some three months on from the date his shot against IBF and WBO ruler Wladimir Klitschko would have taken place. Now hoping to get big brother Vitali in the ring in an attempt to take the 37-year-old's WBC crown, word is there is a "realistic" chance Haye will indeed get the fight..
According to a number of sources - The Times newspaper and The BBC, for two - there are several obstacles to be overcome before the fight can happen, but Vitali and his manager Bernd Bonte are currently talking about making the match. One problem may be the WBC champion's obligation to defend his belt against former WBC ruler Oleg Maskaev; a fight "Dr Iron Fist" is not in any way interested in.
Also, Chris Arreola's name has been strongly mentioned as the next opponent for Vitali, if the Maskaev fight can be gotten out of (which is not to suggest for one minute that Klitschko is in any way afraid of Maskaev).
According to Bonte, though, the fight with Haye has more chance of taking place this year than one with the unbeaten Mexican-American.
"Arreola is a possibility, but Haye is realistic this year," Bonte told The Times. "It depends on a lot of things. It depends of what happens with Maskaev, it depends on Haye's health, it depends on what happens with Setanta (T.V station) and on what deal can be worked out."
With regards to Setanta, Bonte is referring to the trouble the TV company is in right now financially - Setanta, of course, being Haye's backer.
Still, if these obstacles can be overcome, a Vitali-Haye fight could then go ahead in September. Bonte says Cologne would be the likely venue to play host to the big fight.
"We have had approaches from a lot of arenas," Bonte continued. "But Cologne has the biggest of normal arenas in Germany."
And judging by the way the aborted Wladimir Klitschko-Haye fight sold in excess of 60,000 tickets, a big arena would be needed if Wladimir's older brother were to face the trash-talker instead.
Vitali himself, in speaking to BBC World Service, said he is most interested in facing the man who so insulted his brother.
"Let's talk in the ring with the fists," Vitali said. "He is injured, he has a big mouth but this fight will be very interesting. I want to see him in the ring. I don't fight for myself - not for me - I fight for boxing.
"We are discussing the details right now about the time and I think in September it can happen."
So, Haye may get his shot at a Klitschko after all. But what chance of victory, in the opinion of the fans, would "The Hayemaker" be deemed to have against the rock-chinned brother?
by James Slater - As heavyweight contender and former cruiserweight king David Haye continues to play the waiting game with regards to getting his shot at a version of the world heavyweight title, it now looks as though the 28-year-old will get what he wants this coming September - some three months on from the date his shot against IBF and WBO ruler Wladimir Klitschko would have taken place. Now hoping to get big brother Vitali in the ring in an attempt to take the 37-year-old's WBC crown, word is there is a "realistic" chance Haye will indeed get the fight..
According to a number of sources - The Times newspaper and The BBC, for two - there are several obstacles to be overcome before the fight can happen, but Vitali and his manager Bernd Bonte are currently talking about making the match. One problem may be the WBC champion's obligation to defend his belt against former WBC ruler Oleg Maskaev; a fight "Dr Iron Fist" is not in any way interested in.
Also, Chris Arreola's name has been strongly mentioned as the next opponent for Vitali, if the Maskaev fight can be gotten out of (which is not to suggest for one minute that Klitschko is in any way afraid of Maskaev).
According to Bonte, though, the fight with Haye has more chance of taking place this year than one with the unbeaten Mexican-American.
"Arreola is a possibility, but Haye is realistic this year," Bonte told The Times. "It depends on a lot of things. It depends of what happens with Maskaev, it depends on Haye's health, it depends on what happens with Setanta (T.V station) and on what deal can be worked out."
With regards to Setanta, Bonte is referring to the trouble the TV company is in right now financially - Setanta, of course, being Haye's backer.
Still, if these obstacles can be overcome, a Vitali-Haye fight could then go ahead in September. Bonte says Cologne would be the likely venue to play host to the big fight.
"We have had approaches from a lot of arenas," Bonte continued. "But Cologne has the biggest of normal arenas in Germany."
And judging by the way the aborted Wladimir Klitschko-Haye fight sold in excess of 60,000 tickets, a big arena would be needed if Wladimir's older brother were to face the trash-talker instead.
Vitali himself, in speaking to BBC World Service, said he is most interested in facing the man who so insulted his brother.
"Let's talk in the ring with the fists," Vitali said. "He is injured, he has a big mouth but this fight will be very interesting. I want to see him in the ring. I don't fight for myself - not for me - I fight for boxing.
"We are discussing the details right now about the time and I think in September it can happen."
So, Haye may get his shot at a Klitschko after all. But what chance of victory, in the opinion of the fans, would "The Hayemaker" be deemed to have against the rock-chinned brother?
Floyd Mayweather’s Next "Money" Move?
By P.H. Burbridge - Now, that the Mayweather-Marquez fight is on hold due to Floyd’s rib injury and amidst rumblings that ticket sales were less than record setting is it reasonable to believe that Floyd’s bargaining power leading into a future negotiation with Manny Pacquiao will be diminished? I think the answer is “yes”. In previous statements, Floyd has always pointed to his record setting PPV buy rates in matches between common opponents as proof that HE’S the bigger draw between the two and as such deserves a higher percentage of the purse split. The fight with Juan Manuel Marquez could turn out to disprove that claim and may be clear cut evidence that Floyd alone does not have enough fan appeal to draw in paying customers. As it stands today, he can use the fact that he reached a higher plateau at the box office than Manny but not if he doesn’t reach a comparable plateau against Marquez.. That will render his arguments invalid. Some think it’s invalid now. It is true that his fights against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton garnered more revenue than Manny’s but it’s also true that the real attraction in those fights wasn’t Mayweather. Perhaps Floyd’s antics raised the overall visibility of those fights but there’s little doubt that the majority of the paying customers were paying to see Oscar and Ricky. Not to mention, they were paying to see Oscar and Ricky win. Some have made the argument that prior to those two fights Floyd’s marketability was limited to hardcore fight fans and that his exposure to a larger general audience didn’t take place until the Arturo Gatti fight. In that fight, Arturo was the draw. In the end it was Floyd’s absolute mastery and dominance that became the story but he wasn’t the one that people tuned into see. Granted, afterwards he did emerge as a bigger star and it gave him the visibility he needed leading into the fight with De La Hoya. Before that fans were somewhat lukewarm to Floyd at the box office. Poor returns on the Marquez fight may remind people of that time and I’m sure if they don’t remember, Bob Arum will be there to jog their memory.
Currently, from a business perspective Floyd and his team are in a tough spot.
So, if you’re Floyd’s advisors what do you do now? Do you try to get out of the Marquez fight? I think if they could they would. With Manny very near to signing to fight with Miguel Cotto and the possibility that Floyd’s fight with Marquez will significantly diminish his bargaining power the question they must be asking themselves is “how do we get out of this fight?”! If he doesn’t he could lose Pacquiao all together because there is NO GUARANTEE that Manny will beat Cotto. In fact, in the minds of many boxing insiders Miguel Cotto is the worst opponent for Pacquiao because of his definite power and the redemptive stakes involved.
Upon considering all this some interesting scenarios begin to emerge when looking at Floyd’s possible future.
Scenario #1, if he moves forward with the Marquez fight and wins in his usual manner by decision as most expect but the box office returns are relatively poor then he can forget about getting a 50/50 split with Pacquiao! Frankly, he can forget about 55/45 too because Arum will demand and GET the original 60/40 split in Manny’s favor. At that point, Floyd will have no choice but to accept that. In my opinion, the only way for Floyd to avoid this fate would be by delivering SPECTACULAR knock out of JMM. Regardless, of the PPV returns he can then make the argument to THE PUBLIC that he utterly destroyed a fighter that Manny is perceived to have struggled with. It won’t matter so much that fewer people actually tuned in to see that fight when there are thousands of replays through every media outlet available along with Floyd himself LOUDLY banging the drum as we all know is his talent. A win in that fashion will also start up a new argument that will ultimately be decided by the Ring Magazine when they publish their new P4P rankings. Who’ll be #1? That ranking will go a long way in determining Floyd’s new bargaining power. You can bet that there will be many pundits who proclaim Floyd #1 and Manny #2. We may even be split down the middle. If that does happens then you can expect a long and tedious negotiation process for a PBF-MP fight. Toss in the bad blood between Arum and Mayweather and we may suffer through months of back and forth.
Scenario #2, if Manny moves forward and does fight Miguel Cotto and BEATS him then it doesn’t matter what Floyd does against Marquez because Manny at that point will have won 7 world titles in 7 different weight divisions. That historic event will put his struggles with Juan Manuel Marquez to bed for good and Floyd will be back to the original 60/40 deal. Take it or leave it. Manny could also then threaten to do business with “Sugar” Shane Mosley indicating to the public that “he” wants to clean up the division. After all it was Shane who took out the often avoided and generally perceived to be the #1 fighter in the division, the now disgraced Antonio Margarito. Manny at that point could even flirt with the idea of challenging the light hitting Cory Spinks at Jr middleweight for an 8th world title in as many weight divisions. (That’s a bit of a stretch but I wanted to put it out there any way. You never know how invincible he might be feeling after winning a 7th world title. Don’t underestimate a fighter’s ego!) The historic implications alone of such a match would do huge numbers. Bob Arum would have no problem making a fight like that a “must see” for even the casual sports fans. All this of course is bad business for Floyd. He could potentially be left out in the cold.
Scenario #3, Manny takes on Cotto and is BEATEN! Suddenly, Manny is no longer the #1 fighter in the world and his marketability outside of the Philippines is back to the pre-De La Hoya level. It will matter HOW Manny is beaten as well. If he loses by close decision then he may still be able to command a decent percentage in a fight with Floyd but if he is knocked out all bets are off! Manny could also find himself left out in the cold because at that point the only fight that would really make sense would be between Mayweather and Cotto. That scenario is also bad for Floyd because you can bet that he won’t be making any where near the amount of cash that he would have against Pacquiao regardless of the percentage split. Not to mention, that Miguel Cotto will gain a renewed confidence and credibility by beating Manny and could threaten to sign a Margarito rematch instead of a fight with Floyd and use that as his bargaining chip. By doing so he could potentially leave Floyd the odd man out or at least command a 50/50 split. Arum may even attempt to get a percentage split that favors Miguel.
Again, that would depend on how Cotto wins.
Scenario #4, Floyd finds a way to get out of his fight with Marquez and starts negotiations with Manny now. He can then negotiate based upon the higher revenue returns for his fights with Oscar and Ricky. In order to do that he would have to provide some kind of back room compensation to JMM and Golden Boy Promotions. Step aside deals are nothing new in professional boxing. In my opinion, that would seem to be the safest way to go and Floyd has always shown a safety first approach in the ring as well as at the negotiation table.
If they can’t opt out of that fight I have a couple of recommendations for Team Mayweather.
#1, Knock out Juan Manuel Marquez in SPECTACULAR fashion and #2, PRAY that Manny Pacquiao gets past Miguel Cotto in one piece
By P.H. Burbridge - Now, that the Mayweather-Marquez fight is on hold due to Floyd’s rib injury and amidst rumblings that ticket sales were less than record setting is it reasonable to believe that Floyd’s bargaining power leading into a future negotiation with Manny Pacquiao will be diminished? I think the answer is “yes”. In previous statements, Floyd has always pointed to his record setting PPV buy rates in matches between common opponents as proof that HE’S the bigger draw between the two and as such deserves a higher percentage of the purse split. The fight with Juan Manuel Marquez could turn out to disprove that claim and may be clear cut evidence that Floyd alone does not have enough fan appeal to draw in paying customers. As it stands today, he can use the fact that he reached a higher plateau at the box office than Manny but not if he doesn’t reach a comparable plateau against Marquez.. That will render his arguments invalid. Some think it’s invalid now. It is true that his fights against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton garnered more revenue than Manny’s but it’s also true that the real attraction in those fights wasn’t Mayweather. Perhaps Floyd’s antics raised the overall visibility of those fights but there’s little doubt that the majority of the paying customers were paying to see Oscar and Ricky. Not to mention, they were paying to see Oscar and Ricky win. Some have made the argument that prior to those two fights Floyd’s marketability was limited to hardcore fight fans and that his exposure to a larger general audience didn’t take place until the Arturo Gatti fight. In that fight, Arturo was the draw. In the end it was Floyd’s absolute mastery and dominance that became the story but he wasn’t the one that people tuned into see. Granted, afterwards he did emerge as a bigger star and it gave him the visibility he needed leading into the fight with De La Hoya. Before that fans were somewhat lukewarm to Floyd at the box office. Poor returns on the Marquez fight may remind people of that time and I’m sure if they don’t remember, Bob Arum will be there to jog their memory.
Currently, from a business perspective Floyd and his team are in a tough spot.
So, if you’re Floyd’s advisors what do you do now? Do you try to get out of the Marquez fight? I think if they could they would. With Manny very near to signing to fight with Miguel Cotto and the possibility that Floyd’s fight with Marquez will significantly diminish his bargaining power the question they must be asking themselves is “how do we get out of this fight?”! If he doesn’t he could lose Pacquiao all together because there is NO GUARANTEE that Manny will beat Cotto. In fact, in the minds of many boxing insiders Miguel Cotto is the worst opponent for Pacquiao because of his definite power and the redemptive stakes involved.
Upon considering all this some interesting scenarios begin to emerge when looking at Floyd’s possible future.
Scenario #1, if he moves forward with the Marquez fight and wins in his usual manner by decision as most expect but the box office returns are relatively poor then he can forget about getting a 50/50 split with Pacquiao! Frankly, he can forget about 55/45 too because Arum will demand and GET the original 60/40 split in Manny’s favor. At that point, Floyd will have no choice but to accept that. In my opinion, the only way for Floyd to avoid this fate would be by delivering SPECTACULAR knock out of JMM. Regardless, of the PPV returns he can then make the argument to THE PUBLIC that he utterly destroyed a fighter that Manny is perceived to have struggled with. It won’t matter so much that fewer people actually tuned in to see that fight when there are thousands of replays through every media outlet available along with Floyd himself LOUDLY banging the drum as we all know is his talent. A win in that fashion will also start up a new argument that will ultimately be decided by the Ring Magazine when they publish their new P4P rankings. Who’ll be #1? That ranking will go a long way in determining Floyd’s new bargaining power. You can bet that there will be many pundits who proclaim Floyd #1 and Manny #2. We may even be split down the middle. If that does happens then you can expect a long and tedious negotiation process for a PBF-MP fight. Toss in the bad blood between Arum and Mayweather and we may suffer through months of back and forth.
Scenario #2, if Manny moves forward and does fight Miguel Cotto and BEATS him then it doesn’t matter what Floyd does against Marquez because Manny at that point will have won 7 world titles in 7 different weight divisions. That historic event will put his struggles with Juan Manuel Marquez to bed for good and Floyd will be back to the original 60/40 deal. Take it or leave it. Manny could also then threaten to do business with “Sugar” Shane Mosley indicating to the public that “he” wants to clean up the division. After all it was Shane who took out the often avoided and generally perceived to be the #1 fighter in the division, the now disgraced Antonio Margarito. Manny at that point could even flirt with the idea of challenging the light hitting Cory Spinks at Jr middleweight for an 8th world title in as many weight divisions. (That’s a bit of a stretch but I wanted to put it out there any way. You never know how invincible he might be feeling after winning a 7th world title. Don’t underestimate a fighter’s ego!) The historic implications alone of such a match would do huge numbers. Bob Arum would have no problem making a fight like that a “must see” for even the casual sports fans. All this of course is bad business for Floyd. He could potentially be left out in the cold.
Scenario #3, Manny takes on Cotto and is BEATEN! Suddenly, Manny is no longer the #1 fighter in the world and his marketability outside of the Philippines is back to the pre-De La Hoya level. It will matter HOW Manny is beaten as well. If he loses by close decision then he may still be able to command a decent percentage in a fight with Floyd but if he is knocked out all bets are off! Manny could also find himself left out in the cold because at that point the only fight that would really make sense would be between Mayweather and Cotto. That scenario is also bad for Floyd because you can bet that he won’t be making any where near the amount of cash that he would have against Pacquiao regardless of the percentage split. Not to mention, that Miguel Cotto will gain a renewed confidence and credibility by beating Manny and could threaten to sign a Margarito rematch instead of a fight with Floyd and use that as his bargaining chip. By doing so he could potentially leave Floyd the odd man out or at least command a 50/50 split. Arum may even attempt to get a percentage split that favors Miguel.
Again, that would depend on how Cotto wins.
Scenario #4, Floyd finds a way to get out of his fight with Marquez and starts negotiations with Manny now. He can then negotiate based upon the higher revenue returns for his fights with Oscar and Ricky. In order to do that he would have to provide some kind of back room compensation to JMM and Golden Boy Promotions. Step aside deals are nothing new in professional boxing. In my opinion, that would seem to be the safest way to go and Floyd has always shown a safety first approach in the ring as well as at the negotiation table.
If they can’t opt out of that fight I have a couple of recommendations for Team Mayweather.
#1, Knock out Juan Manuel Marquez in SPECTACULAR fashion and #2, PRAY that Manny Pacquiao gets past Miguel Cotto in one piece
Vitali Klitschko: "I Will Talk To David Haye With My Fists"
By Mark Vester
WBO/IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has his hands full, facing Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday night in Germany and then making a mandatory defense against Alexander Povetkin. Older brother Vitali Klitschko, the WBC champion, is free at the moment and looking over his options. No decision has been rendered in his arbitration with the WBC, who are trying to force him to defend against Oleg Maskaev.
Haye was due to fight Wladimir on Saturday. He withdrew with a back injury and was quickly replaced by Chagaev. He expressed interest in a September meeting with Vitali The older Klitschko says the talkative Brit has a big mouth that needs to be shut.
"Let's talk in the ring with the fists," Vitali told BBC World Service. "He is injured, he has a big mouth but this fight will be very interesting. I want to see him in the ring," he added. "I don't fight for myself - not for me - I fight for boxing. We are discussing the details right now about the time and I think in September it can happen."
Haye's manager Adam Booth said the fight was possible for September if Vitali was serious.
"Vitali wants to fight he would be up for it," Booth said
By Mark Vester
WBO/IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has his hands full, facing Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday night in Germany and then making a mandatory defense against Alexander Povetkin. Older brother Vitali Klitschko, the WBC champion, is free at the moment and looking over his options. No decision has been rendered in his arbitration with the WBC, who are trying to force him to defend against Oleg Maskaev.
Haye was due to fight Wladimir on Saturday. He withdrew with a back injury and was quickly replaced by Chagaev. He expressed interest in a September meeting with Vitali The older Klitschko says the talkative Brit has a big mouth that needs to be shut.
"Let's talk in the ring with the fists," Vitali told BBC World Service. "He is injured, he has a big mouth but this fight will be very interesting. I want to see him in the ring," he added. "I don't fight for myself - not for me - I fight for boxing. We are discussing the details right now about the time and I think in September it can happen."
Haye's manager Adam Booth said the fight was possible for September if Vitali was serious.
"Vitali wants to fight he would be up for it," Booth said
Adrian Diaconu-Jean Pascal: O Canada…Keep It Coming
By Cliff Rold
Friday night, televised at 9 PM EST on Versus, the Go-Go girls will be smoking, the beer flowing, the fan loud and loving it. It will be fight night at the Bell Centre in Montreal, one of the most reliable locales in all of the sweet science these days.
And they’ve got one hell of a main event on tap.
Making his second defense of the WBC Light Heavyweight belt, 31-year old Romanian Adrian Diaconu (26-0, 15 KO) will square off with 26-year old Haitian Jean Pascal (22-1, 15 KO). Born abroad, the bout will be a homecoming for both.
How is that possible?
It’s all in the numbers. Of his 23 professional bouts, Pascal has gone toed the line in Montreal for seventeen with four of his other six contested in the Quebec province. Diaconu has been slightly more traveled with fifteen bouts in Montreal and three of his other ten in the province. Birthplace be damned; this is a local superfight of a special kind.
At ring center, it should be a fight of the most violent kind. Diaconu has been a reliable, pressuring action fighter for the bulk of his career. He burst on the U.S. scene with a nationally televised win over contender Rico Hoye and furthered his impression on the hardcore base with a web-streamed title winning war in Romania against the rugged Chris Henry in 2008.
Pascal has been a bit more familiar to U.S. audiences. Multiple ESPN appearances looked to have him headed towards the big punching Edison Miranda but things went in a different direction. He traveled to the United Kingdom for a shot at a vacant WBC Super Middleweight title, dropping a bruising decision to Carl Froch but raising his stock. Word of the action’s quality spread and the fight was the first of a Fox Sports experiment in viewing tape delayed foreign bouts.
It was a treat in the Christmas season.
This Friday’s bout should be extra heat for the summer. It is also proof that patience and loyalty to the game pays off.
Canada has always had a sharp fight history. Former Heavyweight champion Tommy Burns and all-time great Sam Langford both hailed from up north. Local scrapper Yvon Durrelle came within a hair of the Light Heavyweight championship of the world from the great Archie Moore before losing what some argue as history’s greatest fight.
They’ve never been averse to imports either. Welterweight great Jimmy McLarnin crossed the Atlantic from Ireland at age three and made his debut in Vancouver before having the bulk of his career in the States. Last Sunday, Canada’s 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist Lennox Lewis, a London import at age 12, was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Impressively Canada, Montreal in particular, has remained faithful to fistiana even when the men between the strands were less than elite. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, regular ESPN2 Friday Night Fights viewers saw raucous crowds for battles involving the likes of Eric Lucas, Glenn Catley, Matthew Hilton, Omar Shieka, and a frequently visiting Dingaan Thobela. While none were ever threatening the doors of the pound-for-pound elite, they sold tickets the envy of many a man on such lists.
They were, they are, fight fans. And presently, they are getting some of the skill sets they might have been missing before. This week’s main event is case in point. The winner will be a candidate for a showdown with the winner of this fall’s Chad Dawson-Glen Johnson rematch.
Should the winner be Diaconu, it would be especially sweet for fans who have wondered what might have been. He and Dawson came close to facing off in 2007 only for a hand injury to keep Diaconu from the ring. Should Pascal win, bouts with Dawson or a rematch with Froch would get any fight fan talking.
And that’s if either man doesn’t want to stay looking in their back yard. After all, Diaconu isn’t Canada’s only Romanian draw. IBF Super Middleweight titlist Lucian Bute (24-0, 19 KO) might just be the best of a quietly impressive domain. He is also another example of the growth of quality in the current Canadian market. Winner of eleven straight at the Bell Centre, he is rated no lower than second in most of the ratings at 168 and the crowds have grown with his acclaim. Versus the winner of Friday’s bout, Canada could do ticket sales reminiscent of Sugar Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran at the right venue (hint Olympic Stadium hint).
And it’s not just the main event. They’re keeping it local on this week’s undercard as well. Perhaps the most talented winner of the reality series Contender tournament yet, 33-year old Season Four winner Troy Ross (21-1, 15 KO) steps in with journeyman former contender Michael Simms (20-10-1, 13 KO). Ross, born in Guyana and residing in Toronto, has been a less frequent traveler to Montreal. While Simms has lost six of his last seven, he has never been stopped. Should Ross, who scored three stoppages in four Contender bouts, continue his heavy handed ways, he too could gain traction.
A Cruiserweight, Ross competes in a division which has struggled regularly through its tenure for traction. It has though, right now, one of its best draws ever atop the class. World Champion Tomasz Adamek (37-1, 25 KO) is a packed house attraction at the Prudential Center in New Jersey and a bout with Ross could easily become on the biggest North American Cruiserweight bouts in years. Ross needs only to bring some ticket sellers to his pocket to compliment the eyes which followed him on the Contender.
Montreal is the right place to look.
Boxing fans, pundits, and network buyers often concentrate too much of their attention of pound-for-pound talents. It can be forgotten that, first and foremost, this is a sport and sport is about entertainment. Montreal has made this week, has been making for a while, has featured entertaining fights regardless of where the talent variables laid.
The x-factors score high in 2009 and the punches are flying and landing. Whatever is going on in Canada right now, keep it coming. Boxing can never have enough of the good stuff
By Cliff Rold
Friday night, televised at 9 PM EST on Versus, the Go-Go girls will be smoking, the beer flowing, the fan loud and loving it. It will be fight night at the Bell Centre in Montreal, one of the most reliable locales in all of the sweet science these days.
And they’ve got one hell of a main event on tap.
Making his second defense of the WBC Light Heavyweight belt, 31-year old Romanian Adrian Diaconu (26-0, 15 KO) will square off with 26-year old Haitian Jean Pascal (22-1, 15 KO). Born abroad, the bout will be a homecoming for both.
How is that possible?
It’s all in the numbers. Of his 23 professional bouts, Pascal has gone toed the line in Montreal for seventeen with four of his other six contested in the Quebec province. Diaconu has been slightly more traveled with fifteen bouts in Montreal and three of his other ten in the province. Birthplace be damned; this is a local superfight of a special kind.
At ring center, it should be a fight of the most violent kind. Diaconu has been a reliable, pressuring action fighter for the bulk of his career. He burst on the U.S. scene with a nationally televised win over contender Rico Hoye and furthered his impression on the hardcore base with a web-streamed title winning war in Romania against the rugged Chris Henry in 2008.
Pascal has been a bit more familiar to U.S. audiences. Multiple ESPN appearances looked to have him headed towards the big punching Edison Miranda but things went in a different direction. He traveled to the United Kingdom for a shot at a vacant WBC Super Middleweight title, dropping a bruising decision to Carl Froch but raising his stock. Word of the action’s quality spread and the fight was the first of a Fox Sports experiment in viewing tape delayed foreign bouts.
It was a treat in the Christmas season.
This Friday’s bout should be extra heat for the summer. It is also proof that patience and loyalty to the game pays off.
Canada has always had a sharp fight history. Former Heavyweight champion Tommy Burns and all-time great Sam Langford both hailed from up north. Local scrapper Yvon Durrelle came within a hair of the Light Heavyweight championship of the world from the great Archie Moore before losing what some argue as history’s greatest fight.
They’ve never been averse to imports either. Welterweight great Jimmy McLarnin crossed the Atlantic from Ireland at age three and made his debut in Vancouver before having the bulk of his career in the States. Last Sunday, Canada’s 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist Lennox Lewis, a London import at age 12, was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Impressively Canada, Montreal in particular, has remained faithful to fistiana even when the men between the strands were less than elite. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, regular ESPN2 Friday Night Fights viewers saw raucous crowds for battles involving the likes of Eric Lucas, Glenn Catley, Matthew Hilton, Omar Shieka, and a frequently visiting Dingaan Thobela. While none were ever threatening the doors of the pound-for-pound elite, they sold tickets the envy of many a man on such lists.
They were, they are, fight fans. And presently, they are getting some of the skill sets they might have been missing before. This week’s main event is case in point. The winner will be a candidate for a showdown with the winner of this fall’s Chad Dawson-Glen Johnson rematch.
Should the winner be Diaconu, it would be especially sweet for fans who have wondered what might have been. He and Dawson came close to facing off in 2007 only for a hand injury to keep Diaconu from the ring. Should Pascal win, bouts with Dawson or a rematch with Froch would get any fight fan talking.
And that’s if either man doesn’t want to stay looking in their back yard. After all, Diaconu isn’t Canada’s only Romanian draw. IBF Super Middleweight titlist Lucian Bute (24-0, 19 KO) might just be the best of a quietly impressive domain. He is also another example of the growth of quality in the current Canadian market. Winner of eleven straight at the Bell Centre, he is rated no lower than second in most of the ratings at 168 and the crowds have grown with his acclaim. Versus the winner of Friday’s bout, Canada could do ticket sales reminiscent of Sugar Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran at the right venue (hint Olympic Stadium hint).
And it’s not just the main event. They’re keeping it local on this week’s undercard as well. Perhaps the most talented winner of the reality series Contender tournament yet, 33-year old Season Four winner Troy Ross (21-1, 15 KO) steps in with journeyman former contender Michael Simms (20-10-1, 13 KO). Ross, born in Guyana and residing in Toronto, has been a less frequent traveler to Montreal. While Simms has lost six of his last seven, he has never been stopped. Should Ross, who scored three stoppages in four Contender bouts, continue his heavy handed ways, he too could gain traction.
A Cruiserweight, Ross competes in a division which has struggled regularly through its tenure for traction. It has though, right now, one of its best draws ever atop the class. World Champion Tomasz Adamek (37-1, 25 KO) is a packed house attraction at the Prudential Center in New Jersey and a bout with Ross could easily become on the biggest North American Cruiserweight bouts in years. Ross needs only to bring some ticket sellers to his pocket to compliment the eyes which followed him on the Contender.
Montreal is the right place to look.
Boxing fans, pundits, and network buyers often concentrate too much of their attention of pound-for-pound talents. It can be forgotten that, first and foremost, this is a sport and sport is about entertainment. Montreal has made this week, has been making for a while, has featured entertaining fights regardless of where the talent variables laid.
The x-factors score high in 2009 and the punches are flying and landing. Whatever is going on in Canada right now, keep it coming. Boxing can never have enough of the good stuff
Mosley vs Clottey, Arum is Interested in The Fight
By Mark Vester
At the present, Top Rank's Bob Arum is trying to put the finishing touches on a deal to match Manny Pacquiao and WBO welterweight Miguel Cotto. Their mega-showdown will take place on November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Once that deal is finished, Arum told the Los Angeles Times that he's got another fight on his mind - Joshua Clottey vs. Shane Mosley. Clottey was on the losing end of a close split-decision against Miguel Cotto last week in New York.
For the last few weeks, Mosley, and every member of Golden Boy Promotions, have been trying to bait Pacquiao to the table. Arum recently told BoxingScene.com's Ronnie Nathanielsz that Mosley's comments, and those coming from Golden Boy, will not prevent a Pacquiao-Cotto deal from being finalized.
With Mosley being left in the cold, a few possible options exist. WBC champion Andre Berto and Paul Williams are both ready, willing and able. Clottey for sure wants the fight. I don't see Mosley, who is trying to get the biggest "money" fight possible, take a fight with Clottey who doesn't bring that kind of money to the table. Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer already told BoxingScene that Mosley has no interest in Williams either. That leaves Berto, an opponent Mosley is likely to fight
By Mark Vester
At the present, Top Rank's Bob Arum is trying to put the finishing touches on a deal to match Manny Pacquiao and WBO welterweight Miguel Cotto. Their mega-showdown will take place on November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Once that deal is finished, Arum told the Los Angeles Times that he's got another fight on his mind - Joshua Clottey vs. Shane Mosley. Clottey was on the losing end of a close split-decision against Miguel Cotto last week in New York.
For the last few weeks, Mosley, and every member of Golden Boy Promotions, have been trying to bait Pacquiao to the table. Arum recently told BoxingScene.com's Ronnie Nathanielsz that Mosley's comments, and those coming from Golden Boy, will not prevent a Pacquiao-Cotto deal from being finalized.
With Mosley being left in the cold, a few possible options exist. WBC champion Andre Berto and Paul Williams are both ready, willing and able. Clottey for sure wants the fight. I don't see Mosley, who is trying to get the biggest "money" fight possible, take a fight with Clottey who doesn't bring that kind of money to the table. Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer already told BoxingScene that Mosley has no interest in Williams either. That leaves Berto, an opponent Mosley is likely to fight
yeah shane won't fight Clottey. Besides him his options are limited really to Berto and Paul Williams.
IMO he should just fight someone, pretty much anyone to stay active and a big money fight can come later either against Mayweather, Miguel Cotto rematch or Pacquiao. But none of those fights he can get now.
IMO he should just fight someone, pretty much anyone to stay active and a big money fight can come later either against Mayweather, Miguel Cotto rematch or Pacquiao. But none of those fights he can get now.
well, it's not completely impossible. Marquez is really getting treated like he's a bum, even though he's #2 pound 4 pound and a couple rounds away from being #1. Obviously it's because he's a 135 pound fighter, but still, Floyd hasn't fought in a while and his body is showing that - getting his ribs fucked up during sparring is the reason the date is postponed.
JMM has a lot of huevos fighting Mayweather. Losing to him will pretty much guarantee he'll lose his chance at fighting Pacquiao again, or least for a while when it counts before he gets old.
JMM has a lot of huevos fighting Mayweather. Losing to him will pretty much guarantee he'll lose his chance at fighting Pacquiao again, or least for a while when it counts before he gets old.
I agree. Marquez is the fighter that gave Pacman the most problems in the last few years of Pacs reign, so PBF better be ready.
2-0, what you think of Valero and how he stacks up against the best in the division? I'd like to see him get into a competitive fight to see if he has a chin and endurance to go the distance.
2-0, what you think of Valero and how he stacks up against the best in the division? I'd like to see him get into a competitive fight to see if he has a chin and endurance to go the distance.
Valero is dope because he's a savage and he has hugo chavez on his chest, lol. Marquez would kick his ass though. He needs more experience, I was disappointed to hear he's already wanting/demanding big payday fights, he's not ready for that.
Valero is so stationary and doesn't move his head the slightest bit. The first time he fights a very technically skilled fighter that can counter punch and also take a punch (like marquez) he's going to be in a lot of trouble. Or any slick, elusive, defensive fighter will probably box the shit out of him.
But his power is insane and his handspeed is pretty damn fast too so I see him kind of in a way like a young pacquiao and I'd love to see Valero get Freddie Roach as his trainer to teach him some things. Pacman was extremely one dimensional but he had raw power and handspeed, just like valero.
Valero is so stationary and doesn't move his head the slightest bit. The first time he fights a very technically skilled fighter that can counter punch and also take a punch (like marquez) he's going to be in a lot of trouble. Or any slick, elusive, defensive fighter will probably box the shit out of him.
But his power is insane and his handspeed is pretty damn fast too so I see him kind of in a way like a young pacquiao and I'd love to see Valero get Freddie Roach as his trainer to teach him some things. Pacman was extremely one dimensional but he had raw power and handspeed, just like valero.
Fuck yeah, I'd thought you'd dig his tattoo...LOL
I agree that he doesn't move his head at all, but those are things that can be taught. His power is something that can't be taught and is rare. If Freddie Roach got a hold of him to train, it would be scary.
I like your comparison between him and a young Pac, though I think Valero's got more power and Pac had more speed.
PS: LMAO@ your sig. I just noticed, fuck that shit it breaks my heart.
I agree that he doesn't move his head at all, but those are things that can be taught. His power is something that can't be taught and is rare. If Freddie Roach got a hold of him to train, it would be scary.
I like your comparison between him and a young Pac, though I think Valero's got more power and Pac had more speed.
PS: LMAO@ your sig. I just noticed, fuck that shit it breaks my heart.
Chambers is one of those fighters that I've liked since I first saw him fight. I'm not even really sure why .. he doesn't even have the type of style that I usually become a fan of but I've been interested in his progress.
I just hope he can get in shape .. he could have easily shut out a fat Peter had he been in better shape himself.
I just hope he can get in shape .. he could have easily shut out a fat Peter had he been in better shape himself.
Haye Unimpressed With Wladimir's Victory, Still Wants to Fight Both Klitschko Brother
By Seth Green: Former cruiserweight champion David Haye (22-1, 21 KOs) was less than impressed with IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko's 9th round stoppage over challenger Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday, saying, "Wladimir [is] the cure for insomnia. He couldn't be more boring," to Sky Sports. Haye had been set to fight Wladimir on June 20th, but David suddenly pulled out of the bout claiming that his back was too injured for him to make the fight. Haye wanted Wladimir to postpone the bout for three weeks, but Wladimir declined to wait around for Haye after David began mentioning needing more time than that.
Haye feels that many of the 60,000 tickets that were sold for Saturday's bout were because of him. "Wladimir sold 65,000 tickets off the back of the fact he was going to fight me."
Haye may be correct in part about that, because there were a great deal of boxing fans that wanted to see Wladimir fight him so that he could shut him up for his incessant trash talking. However, what Haye seems to be missing is that virtually all of Wladimir's past fights in Germany of sold incredibly well and have led to the fights selling out.
Haye is hoping to fight Vitali Klitschko, the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion next if possible. For that matter, Haye is aware of Vitali now having a free date in September now that Vitali has won his arbitration hearing with the WBC, which allows Vitali to make an optional defense in September rather than to fight Oleg Maskaev, his mandatory for the WBC. Thus far, Vitali seems interested in wanting to fight Haye as well.
In the meantime, Wladimir said after his fight on Saturday that he still wants to fight Haye, but that he'll have to "get in line." Unfortunately, if Haye does go ahead and fight Vitali in September, there's a high possibility that Haye will lose the fight which will all but eliminate the chance of a future Wladimir-Haye match-up for the time being. Haye, naturally, could work his way into an eventual title shot against Wladimir even if Vitali does blast Haye out, yet it would take some time for that to happen.
Haye has said that he plans on retiring by the age of 30. He would have to probably extend that a little unless Wladimir has no qualms about fighting Haye on the back of his loss to Vitali. There's question marks whether Haye has the chin or the size to beat the other heavyweight contenders in the division like Alexander Dimitrenko, Alexander Povetkin, Chris Arreola or even Chagaev.
Haye looked very vulnerable at times in his last bout against 38-year-old Monte Barrett in November, and even though he stopped Barrett in the 5th, Haye didn't impress all that much. His chin and his lack of size will no doubt be his limiting factors in the future. Unless his chin gets better in a hurry, Haye will probably never get a chance at fighting Wladimir.
The only way I see Haye getting a chance at Wladimir is if Haye focuses strictly on B level fighters after he loses to Vitali, and is rewarded by the ranking bodies pushing Haye upward without having to take on a top contender in the division. Knowing how boxing is, that very well could happen because there are so few big named heavyweights in the division right now, Haye would probably be pushed back up without fighting a sole.
Look at him now. Haye is currently ranked #2 in the WBO, despite only having a win over Monte Barrett and an obscure fighter by the name of Tomasz Bonin, neither of which I consider to be top 15 fighters.
By Seth Green: Former cruiserweight champion David Haye (22-1, 21 KOs) was less than impressed with IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko's 9th round stoppage over challenger Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday, saying, "Wladimir [is] the cure for insomnia. He couldn't be more boring," to Sky Sports. Haye had been set to fight Wladimir on June 20th, but David suddenly pulled out of the bout claiming that his back was too injured for him to make the fight. Haye wanted Wladimir to postpone the bout for three weeks, but Wladimir declined to wait around for Haye after David began mentioning needing more time than that.
Haye feels that many of the 60,000 tickets that were sold for Saturday's bout were because of him. "Wladimir sold 65,000 tickets off the back of the fact he was going to fight me."
Haye may be correct in part about that, because there were a great deal of boxing fans that wanted to see Wladimir fight him so that he could shut him up for his incessant trash talking. However, what Haye seems to be missing is that virtually all of Wladimir's past fights in Germany of sold incredibly well and have led to the fights selling out.
Haye is hoping to fight Vitali Klitschko, the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion next if possible. For that matter, Haye is aware of Vitali now having a free date in September now that Vitali has won his arbitration hearing with the WBC, which allows Vitali to make an optional defense in September rather than to fight Oleg Maskaev, his mandatory for the WBC. Thus far, Vitali seems interested in wanting to fight Haye as well.
In the meantime, Wladimir said after his fight on Saturday that he still wants to fight Haye, but that he'll have to "get in line." Unfortunately, if Haye does go ahead and fight Vitali in September, there's a high possibility that Haye will lose the fight which will all but eliminate the chance of a future Wladimir-Haye match-up for the time being. Haye, naturally, could work his way into an eventual title shot against Wladimir even if Vitali does blast Haye out, yet it would take some time for that to happen.
Haye has said that he plans on retiring by the age of 30. He would have to probably extend that a little unless Wladimir has no qualms about fighting Haye on the back of his loss to Vitali. There's question marks whether Haye has the chin or the size to beat the other heavyweight contenders in the division like Alexander Dimitrenko, Alexander Povetkin, Chris Arreola or even Chagaev.
Haye looked very vulnerable at times in his last bout against 38-year-old Monte Barrett in November, and even though he stopped Barrett in the 5th, Haye didn't impress all that much. His chin and his lack of size will no doubt be his limiting factors in the future. Unless his chin gets better in a hurry, Haye will probably never get a chance at fighting Wladimir.
The only way I see Haye getting a chance at Wladimir is if Haye focuses strictly on B level fighters after he loses to Vitali, and is rewarded by the ranking bodies pushing Haye upward without having to take on a top contender in the division. Knowing how boxing is, that very well could happen because there are so few big named heavyweights in the division right now, Haye would probably be pushed back up without fighting a sole.
Look at him now. Haye is currently ranked #2 in the WBO, despite only having a win over Monte Barrett and an obscure fighter by the name of Tomasz Bonin, neither of which I consider to be top 15 fighters.
Solis: “I will end the Klitschko’s reign!”
After Wladimir Klitschko’s one-sided win over Ruslan Chagaev Saturday night in Germany heavyweight sensation Odlanier Solis feels it’s time for him to take over in order to bring back action and excitement to the division. “To me this fight showed why nobody is interested in heavyweight boxing at the moment”, states Solis. “Of course, Klitschko looked strong but that was merely because his opponent did absolutely nothing. It seems to me that all the guys who enter the ring with either Klitschko freeze with respect or are just not good enough to actually challenge the champions. I am the only worthy challenger out there..”
“La Sombra” Solis, three-time world amateur champion and 2004 Olympic gold medallist knocked out Dominique Alexander in one round last week in Miami taking his pro-record to 14-0. “I would knock out both Klitschkos as well. I am the one who will end their reign and I am ready to prove it anytime anyplace
After Wladimir Klitschko’s one-sided win over Ruslan Chagaev Saturday night in Germany heavyweight sensation Odlanier Solis feels it’s time for him to take over in order to bring back action and excitement to the division. “To me this fight showed why nobody is interested in heavyweight boxing at the moment”, states Solis. “Of course, Klitschko looked strong but that was merely because his opponent did absolutely nothing. It seems to me that all the guys who enter the ring with either Klitschko freeze with respect or are just not good enough to actually challenge the champions. I am the only worthy challenger out there..”
“La Sombra” Solis, three-time world amateur champion and 2004 Olympic gold medallist knocked out Dominique Alexander in one round last week in Miami taking his pro-record to 14-0. “I would knock out both Klitschkos as well. I am the one who will end their reign and I am ready to prove it anytime anyplace
Wladimir Klitschko Vows To Shut Haye's "Dirty Mouth
By Mark Vester
After WBO/IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko retained his titles with a stoppage of Ruslan Chagaev in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, he had some hard words for David Haye. The British fighter was scheduled to meet Klitschko before pulling out with a back injury. Wladimir will not forget about Haye and his months of trash talk. He vowed to knock him out in the future. Wladimir will likely make a mandatory defense against undefeated Alexander Povetkin in September.
"I am very upset about David Haye, he has a big, bad and dirty mouth, I can not rely on this man, he is immature as a fighter and immature as a person," Klitschko fumed to Sky Sports. "I missed a fight in April to accommodate him, he couldn't deliver Chelsea (Stamford Bridge), so we moved the fight here.
"There is no blame on him physically, a fighter's health is important and boxers get injured. But he kept telling journalists that he needed two more weeks to recover, then he needed three, four weeks, I just kept hearing he needed more and more time. If he wants to fight me now, no problem, get in frigging line, I will knock him out in the 12th."
Wladimir also had some words for WBA champion Nikolai Valuev. He says the seven-foot giant turned down the opportunity to fight him when Haye withdrew. Chagaev jumped at the chance.
"Nikolai Valuev was the first boxer we asked when Haye pulled out and he was also the first fighter who said 'no'," said Klitschko. "Ruslan Chagaev didn't take too long to accept the fight and respect to him for that. I will come back to box here and I also want to box at Madison Square Garden again.
"The Klitschko brothers have almost all the belts and I am just enjoying the process, I am not thinking of my legacy, I just want to find the best fighter in the world and beat him
By Mark Vester
After WBO/IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko retained his titles with a stoppage of Ruslan Chagaev in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, he had some hard words for David Haye. The British fighter was scheduled to meet Klitschko before pulling out with a back injury. Wladimir will not forget about Haye and his months of trash talk. He vowed to knock him out in the future. Wladimir will likely make a mandatory defense against undefeated Alexander Povetkin in September.
"I am very upset about David Haye, he has a big, bad and dirty mouth, I can not rely on this man, he is immature as a fighter and immature as a person," Klitschko fumed to Sky Sports. "I missed a fight in April to accommodate him, he couldn't deliver Chelsea (Stamford Bridge), so we moved the fight here.
"There is no blame on him physically, a fighter's health is important and boxers get injured. But he kept telling journalists that he needed two more weeks to recover, then he needed three, four weeks, I just kept hearing he needed more and more time. If he wants to fight me now, no problem, get in frigging line, I will knock him out in the 12th."
Wladimir also had some words for WBA champion Nikolai Valuev. He says the seven-foot giant turned down the opportunity to fight him when Haye withdrew. Chagaev jumped at the chance.
"Nikolai Valuev was the first boxer we asked when Haye pulled out and he was also the first fighter who said 'no'," said Klitschko. "Ruslan Chagaev didn't take too long to accept the fight and respect to him for that. I will come back to box here and I also want to box at Madison Square Garden again.
"The Klitschko brothers have almost all the belts and I am just enjoying the process, I am not thinking of my legacy, I just want to find the best fighter in the world and beat him