Boxing News Thread

[2-0-Sixx]

Hopkins-Calzaghe: National Anthems Banned


By Mark Vester

According to a report in the South Wales Echo, the signing of the national anthems for both sides have been banned from the upcoming Bernard Hopkins-Joe Calzaghe showdown on April 19 in Las Vegas. Thousands of Welsh fans are making the trip across the ocean to support Calzaghe quest to win a title in his second weight division.

Promoters and the venue, want to avoid fights in the crowd over the possible boos that might shower either sides' national anthem. Insiders say the agreement was put in place due to the boos that showered the American national anthem when Ricky Hatton challenged Floyd Mayweather Jr. last December. Everyone involved wants to avoid a similiar incident or any possibility of retaliation for last year.

“I think the anthems have been knocked on the head just in case for this fight,” Calzaghe said. “At the end of the day, it’s right because you can’t go booing their national anthem, I think that’s wrong.

"We have an American referee so booing their anthem would be a bit like suicide really. I’m not saying the Welsh fans would do anything wrong but you have to be careful. I think it’s definitely the right decision. You can’t go booing anthems. Imagine if a few thousand Americans did that in Cardiff, it would all kick off.”

Most Welsh boxing fans that spoke to the paper were upset because their star was being punished over something that was carried out by Hatton's fans, who are predominantly English.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Gamboa's opponent announced

Unbeaten super featherweight sensation Yuriorkis Gamboa (9-0, 8 KOs) will now face Darling Jimenez (23-2-2, 14 KOs) his May 17th HBO debut. Jiminez has won six straight, all by KO. Gamboa was originally slated to face WBO #2 Ranked Marcos Ramirez (25-0, 16 KOs), but Ramirez decided not to take the fight. A 2004 Olympic Gold medal winner for Cuba, Gamboa opened eyes in his U.S. television debut back in February as he brutally knocked out Johnny Edwards in one round on ESPN2 to win the NABF super featherweight title. He has been so impressive that after just nine fights, he is rated WBA #5 and WBC #8 respectively.

 

[Thir$ty B]

I feel sorry for Darling Jimenez

 

[REdRUM]

Yeah...what a name.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

this guy is still a big step up for Gamboa. regardless, gamboa still gonna knock him out

 

[naner12]

By Mark Vester

Scottrade Center, St. Louis - Mandatory, veteran challenger Verno Phillips (42-11-1, 21KOs) won the IBF Junior middleweight title with an upset twelve-round decision over Cory Spinks (36-5, 11KOs).

The split-decision scores were 115-113 for Phillips, 115-113 for Spinks, and 116-112 for Phillips. The fight appeared to be a one-sided affair for Spinks and very few ringside observers scored the fight in favor of Phillips. Spinks appeared to have too much speed and defense for the 38-year-old challenger.

Phillips was outboxed for the majority of the fight while landing an occassional decent right hand. Phillips tried his best to turn the fight around in the last three rounds, but Spinks would never let him establish a good rhythm. A right hand or two appeared to shake Spinks up, but nothing major and Phillips did little to follow-up either time.

In the co-feature, unbeaten junior welterweight Devon Alexander (15-0, 8KOs) won an easy twelve-round decision over Miguel Callist (24-7-1, 17KOs). Callist was dropped in the twelfth and final round, the only knockdown of the fight. The scores were 120-105, 120-106 and 120-106

OH MY FUCKING GOD WHAT A ROBBERY. I turned it off right after the fight ended because I figured the decision was pointless to hear and I had to take a shower and crash. This is the first I got online and that is fucking insane.

 

[naner12]

The only fight I've seen of Jimenez is when he blasted Anchondo on ESPN. He looked to have real good power but I think Gamboa is gonna blast him out anyway.

 

[Espiohti]

Haha y'all see Mayweather on Jim Rome is Burning.. he said Cotto needs to step his pay-per-view game up to fight him.. haha

 

[REdRUM]

LOL...

 

[heyzel]

OH MY FUCKING GOD WHAT A ROBBERY. I turned it off right after the fight ended because I figured the decision was pointless to hear and I had to take a shower and crash. This is the first I got online and that is fucking insane.

yes sir cory was robbed in his own backyard that shit was a shame I only had verno winning three rounds out that whole fight

 

[heyzel]

Haha y'all see Mayweather on Jim Rome is Burning.. he said Cotto needs to step his pay-per-view game up to fight him.. haha

mane floyd is trying to bullshit everyone in thinking it a another reason for a rematch with odh which is pointless to the public the only fight outhere right now is cotto and that if cotto get pass gomez

 

[heyzel]

Mikkel Kessler Heading To Light Heavyweight

By Mark Vester

An inside source tells BoxingScene.com that former super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler is looking at a possible move to light heavyweight division. Kessler had been scheduled to face Edison Miranda in a ten-round super middleweight contest on May 24 with Showtime televising, but after both sides reached an agreement for the fight - Kessler's camp pulled out without warning.

Kessler's withdrawal is said to be strategically timed with the recent retirement of WBA light heavyweight champion Danny Green. Green announced his retirement on Easter Sunday and made it official the next day.

With Green hanging up the gloves, the WBA title becomes vacant. Green was scheduled to defend the title against mandatory challenger Hugo Garay of Argentina on April 27. From what BoxingScene was told, Kessler will move up to 175-pounds, receive a decent enough ranking from the WBA to fight Garay for the vacant title. A win would position Kessler for numerous bouts in what is becoming a loaded division with Antonio Tarver, Clinton Woods, Chad Dawson, Joe Calzaghe, Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr., Glen Johnson and Felix Trinidad in the mix.

 

[heyzel]

Casamayor Given Deadline For Nate Campbell

By Mark Vester

According to Terry Trekas of One Punch Productions, co-promoter for WBO/WBA/IBF lightweight champion Nate Campbell, the WBO has given interim-champion Joel Casamayor until April 4 to decide whether or not he will fight Campbell.

Based on Casamayor's recent statements about not being interested in a bout with Campbell, it's unlikely the fight will happen. Juan Diaz, recently signed by Golden Boy Promotions, who also promote Casamayor, is said to be a possible opponent for Casamayor in the near future.

Casamayor holds a 2003 decision win over Campbell and is using that win to justify his decision to seek out another opponent. He wants to face the likes of Manny Pacquiao or Marco Antonio Barrera. The chances of landing either is very slim.

Should Casamayor turn down the chance to fight Campbell, the WBO, according to their guidelines, would strip him of the interim-title and elect Anthony Peterson as the mandatory challenger

 

[heyzel]

No Brian Vera-Andy Lee Rematch Says Wald

By Mark Vester

It appears a rematch between "Contender" star Brian Vera and middleweight prospect Andy Lee is not going to happen, according to Vera's promoter Jeff Wald, who sees no reason for Vera to fight Lee again.

Lee, regarded as one of the best prospects in the sport, was stopped by Vera in the seventh round of their televised contest on March 21. Emanuel Steward, manager and trainer of Lee, had told various media outlets that rematch was being worked on for a July date. Wald told boxing scribe Dan Rafael that a rematch had no chance of taking place.

"Not a chance on God's earth," Wald said. "No reason to. Lee doesn't mean anything. There is no upside to a rematch. There are better fights out there for Brian. There are more meaningful opponents. I'm very proud of what Brian did because nobody gave him a chance. Why should we do a rematch? What for? There's better money elsewhere

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Tyrone Brunson Breaks Valero's Record, Marquez Wins

By Mark Vester

History was made at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

Well, sort of.

Middleweight Tyrone Brunson (19-0, 19KOs) stopped Francis McKechnai (3-15, 3KOs) in only 72-seconds to break Edwin Valero's record for consecutive first-round knockouts.

Valero stopped his first 18 opponents in the first round, and as bad as some of them were, they don't even compare to the stiffs that grace the resume of Brunson. Unless some of the records are off, and I don't think they are, Brunson has only fought a single fighter with a winning record.

The real sham of the padded record was Brunson trip to New Zealand in 2007, where he fought two stiffs only "four days apart." On June 4, Brunson, then 16-0 with 16KOs, stopped Lee Hunter, who was making his "pro debut." Talk about a mismatch that would never get approved by a single athletic commission within the United States. A few days later, on June 8, he tied Valero's record by stopping Jamie Waru, who was 18-21.

Valero won the WBA super featherweight title by his 20th fight. There should be an asterisk near Brunson's name in the boxing record book.

In the main event, Raul Marquez (41-3, 29KOs) won a ten-round split-decision over Bronco McKart (51-9, 31KOs) in a battle of veteran, former junior middleweight champions. The scores were 97-93 Marquez, 96-94 Marquez, and 96-95 McKart.

Also on the undercard, former lightweight champion Stevie Johnston (42-5-1, 18KOs) won a ten-round decision over Dairo Esalas (30-12, 24KOs). Johnston gets one

 

[heyzel]

Mayweather Jr. Belittles De La Hoya, Hatton

By Mark Vester

During a recent interview on Sky Box Office to speak about his wresting match against "The Big Show" at Wrestlemania XXIV, WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. was back in full character when asked about possible rematches with Oscar De La Hoya, tentatively scheduled for September, and Ricky Hatton, eyed for next year in London.

Mayweather won a split-decision over De La Hoya last May and stopped Hatton in the tenth-round of their welterweight bout last December.

"Ricky Hatton, what does he do? He's a boxer, he's one-dimensional. Floyd Mayweather 'the entertainer': versatile. So he'll be sitting at home, and if you're listening, tune in and buy the pay-per-view," Mayweather said.

Mayweather had similiar comments for De La Hoya.

"When you mention Oscar De La Hoya you mention an ordinary fighter. When you mention Floyd Mayweather you mention an entertainer who isn't afraid to go out there to take a chance, take a risk, to go out the box," Mayweather said. "I want to push myself to the limit."

 

[heyzel]

Kizer Says Marquez Corner Did Nothing Illegal

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

The executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission Keith Kizer says the trainer of Juan Manuel Marquez, Ignacio Beristain, did nothing illegal when he inserted a “string” into a gaping wound on the right eyelid suffered by Marquez in the ninth roundof his WBC super featherweight title fight against Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao last March 15 in Las Vegas.

Kizer was responding to a question from Viva Sports/Manila Standard based on an article by Thomas Hauser, which was carried by ESPN.

In the article Hauser posed the question “what was going on when referee Kenny Bayless’ back was turned?” stating that “a horrible , gaping wound on his (Marquez’s) right eyelid was sustained in Round 9 and was so deep that it filleted open.”

Hauser claimed that Marquez’s trainer Nacho Beristain could be seen on television “packing what appeared to be a long yellow string soaked in an undetermined liquid solution into the wound, covering the cut with Vaseline and sending Marquez out for the next round with the string still inside the wound.”

He said this appeared to happen after rounds 9 and 11 while the HBO telecast he claimed was “inconclusive regarding what happened in round 10.”

The award-winning journalist noted that in Nevada “its illegal to apply any medication – except coagulants, Avetine, thrombin and epinephrine to a cut during a fight. It’s also illegal to place a foreign object inside a cut and leave it there during a round. But the ring physician assigned to Marquez’s corner appeared not to notice – or maybe he noticed and just didn’t care.”

In his initial response to our questions Kizer said he was not aware of the Hauser article but after Viva Sports/Manila Standard emailed him a copy the NSAC executive director responded promptly.

Kizer said that Hauser hadn’t even spoken to him about the issue but explained that “the ‘string’ was used in place of Q-tips that are prepared with epinephrine/Vaseline. The corner felt that by wedging the string into the wound they obtained better hemostatis.”

Kizer added “our doctors did not think it was very helpful and do not see it becoming standard among cut men as it offers no new advantage.

 

[heyzel]

Ray Hatton: "Ricky vs. Witter Will Happen"

By Mark Vester

According to Ricky Hatton's father Ray, a fight between his son and WBC junior welterweight champion Junior Witter will happen down the line, but it will happen on Ricky's terms.

Ray was responding to Witter's recent challenge of fighting his son "for free." Witter said that as long as his training expenses are covered, he will fight Hatton for free. Witter issued the challenge to show the boxing public that Hatton was indeed avoiding him while at the same time making very strong attempt to force his UK-rival to accept the fight by applying public pressure.

"No disrespect to Junior, we've met him and he's a nice guy," Ray Hatton told Setanta Sports. "I just basically think people around him have advised him wrongly and read Ricky Hatton wrong. You'll never meet a nicer person than Ricky, but he does have a stubborn streak when he digs his heels in.

"He said: 'Dad, one day I think I'll wake up and say make the fight now, get it made now. But I want to feel that I'm making the fight. I don't want to feel that I'm forced to make the fight.'"

Hatton returns to action on May 24 against Juan Lazcano. His next bout will probably come against the man scheduled to defend his IBF title on the undercard, Paulie Malignaggi, should he defeat Lovemore N'dou in their rematch. Witter defends against mandatory Timothy Bradley on May 10

 

[heyzel]

The Political Victims of Boxing

By Marty Mulcahey

28 years ago, American politicians halted the life's work of hundreds of patriotic athletes, crushing dreams and rendering years of intense training inconsequential. Among them were eleven boxers, whose futures were negatively impacted by not participating in the 1980 Summer Olympics.

On March 21st, 1980, the United States announced it would not participate in the Summer Olympics because of Russia's invasion of Afghanistan. There would be no "Miracle on Ice" (yes, American politicians had no moral objections to competing against Russians at the 1980 Winter Olympics hosted by America) for an American boxer against a formidable rival from Russia or Cuba. Imagine how the career of James Broad would have been boosted if he were to have upset legendary Cuban heavyweight Teofilo Stevenson.

The specter of the 1980 USA Olympic boxing team entered my mind again because of recent calls from human rights organizations to boycott this year’s Olympics in China. The cause - human rights in China and Tibet - is certainly worthy and impossible to argue against. However, the effectiveness of athletic boycotts, and the ensuing discourse over the reasons for the sporting prohibition are unclear. Did America's boycott of the Moscow Olympics, and Russia's ensuing withdrawal from the Los Angeles Olympics have any real world effect? If so, it is not apparent at first sight, since Russia did not have its beleaguered military retreat from Afghanistan until 1989.

How important is it to a future professional to win an Olympic Gold medal, or just to participate in the Gold medal bout and come away with a Silver medal? You only have to look at the three participants from non-communist countries that advanced to the finals of the 1980 Olympic competition. John Mugabi, Bernardo Pinango, and Patrizio Oliva all went on to win a portion of the world title after turning pro. Even one communist boxer, Slobodan Kacar of Yugoslavia, went on to win a world title in the pro ranks. There can be no doubt that an Olympic medal greatly influences the subsequent career trajectory of a boxer.

An Olympic gold medal does more than elevate the boxer in the eyes of the public; it’s a virtual guarantee that the boxer is put on a higher pay scale in the developmental portion of his career. Take the failed pro aspirations of 2000 US Olympian Ricardo Williams as an example. The amateur sensation signed a million dollar contract (reportedly 1.4 million), before his career puttered out with a 10-2 record and he received a three year jail sentence for selling cocaine. It is easier for promoters to secure TV dates for a "former Olympian" as opposed to a hard working kid on the way up named Marvin Hagler.

The era in which these fights would have taken place also needs to be considered. The cold war was a hot topic internationally, and the Russians were the kind of sporting enemy that slick public relations types on Wall Street had fantasies about. There were only three TV stations (sorry, PBS doesn't exist for anyone under the age of 30), and the Olympics were highly anticipated events that much of the nation’s sporting focus went toward. Boxing was not limited to 3 AM replays on CNBC or MSNBC; we are talking prime Saturday viewing (especially in view of the success of the 1976 American Olympic boxing team) that gave Super Bowl type exposure.

All of this was lost on the eleven men listed below. I think a recap of their careers shows that they sorely needed a push to start their careers. One should not generalize, but maybe this whole team was born under a bad star. Almost the whole team suffered ill-fated careers, and even the ones who fought and won world titles had their worlds crash around them abruptly.

Robert Shannon (Jr. Flyweight from Seattle, Washington) - The baby of the team, a 17 year old who stuck around for the 1984 Olympics. Unfortunately, Russia boycotted those Olympics, and the competition and aura of the winners was affected. The second strike against Shannon was getting knocked out by future champion Sung-Kil Moon of Korea in that competition. In the pros, Shannon faltered, lacking a big punch and perhaps pushed too fast into a fight with mirror image, but more mature, Greg Richardson. It seems doubly difficult for non Hispanic boxers - Shannon had a black father and white mother - of American citizenship to win world titles below bantamweight. Ended his career with a 18-6-2 record, and no world title bouts.

Richard Sandoval (Flyweight from Pomona, California) - This dynamo learned from the mistakes of his older brother, Alberto "Superfly" Snadoval, while battling his way through the amateur and pro ranks. Give credit to Sandoval for winning his world title by beating the best bantamweight of the era. Sandoval used his all around skills to knock out Hall of Famer Jeff Chandler, winning the bantamweight crown. His career came to an abrupt end, as he suffered a brain injury in his third title defense. Sandoval survived the injury, and is involved with boxing as the manager of the Top Rank gym in Las Vegas

 

[naner12]

ARTHUR ABRAHAM VS. EDISON MIRANDA II?!?!

I know BoxRec usually jumps the gun on shit but I was checking to see the results of the Hernandez/Braithwaite fight (which fucking Hernandez lost badly apparently .. so much for my hopes of a cuban cruiserweight champion) and clicked on Abrahams name and his next opponent listed is Edison Miranda ..

http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=208432&cat=boxer

... and it says location United States so no bullshit hometown shit.