Boxing News Thread

[naner12]

Not the same Caballero homie. The fight just happened to take place in Panama because Panamanian prospect Luis Concepcion was the main event.

.. and here's Naito Vs. Wonjongkam III

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0GVQGDYF

 

[2-0-Sixx]

thanks, I realized it wasn't the same person this morning, was fucked up last night.

 

[heyzel]

Carl Froch Promises To "Smash Andre Dirrell To Smithereens" - Doubts Dirrell Will Wan

by James Slater - It's no secret how ultra-confident a fighter WBC super-middleweight champion Carl Froch is. It's also well known how "The Cobra" is a man who is completely unafraid to vocally express his confidence when heading into a fight - no matter who it's against. More than once already, the unbeaten 32-year-old has given both the fans and upcoming challenger and fellow Super-Six entrant Andre Dirrell a taste of his boastful confidence/arrogance.

Having previously gone on record as saying he will knock out the unbeaten Dirrell when they meet in Nottingham on October 17th, Froch today went a step further. Froch's KO prediction of course still sticks, but now the WBC champ is suggesting that the beating he gives the former Olympian will be so bad that the 27-year-old may not want to box on afterwards!

"Dirrell is confident, but it is my job to put him in his place and make him realise he is coming into the snake pit," Froch told The Daily Star.. "After I have smashed him to smithereens he may not even want to box on."

There is no doubting the withering punching power and great physical strength Froch possesses, and when on the attack, as against Jermain Taylor last time out, he can be brutal. But southpaw Dirrell, the better natural boxer by some way according to most experts, will be looking to take advantage of Froch's defensive holes and the clumsy element to his game his critics say he has still to work out. Things will likely work to the defending champion's way if he can make it a gruelling type of slugfest next month, but what if the younger man makes it a boxing match? Remember how "Bad Intentions" was outclassing and out-pointing Froch in their fight?

Even taking all this into account, though, it will take a great game-plan and an iron resolve from Dirrell, 18-0(13) if he's to take away Froch's title and unbeaten record. Dirrell will get hit in October, and we don't yet know of he'll be able to take "The Cobra's" stiff, relentless punches. I personally see a fight not all that dissimilar to Froch-Taylor, with Dirrell pulling ahead on the cards and making Froch look a little silly at times, only to eventually be worn down and taken out late.

For what it's worth, then, I think Froch will indeed get his KO win. But no way will "The Matrix" want to leave the Super-Six tourney as a result. That really would be a big shock.

 

[heyzel]

Jermain Taylor: "For this fight against Abraham it's about stepping up to the plate a

HOUSTON (September 8th, 2009) - Former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor knows what it takes to win – finish strong. And now Taylor has changed his training camp from Miami, Florida, to prepare for his explosive October 17th fight with Arthur Abraham in Berlin, Germany at o2 World. Taylor is going through a grueling 10-week training camp at former heavyweight champion George Foreman's gym in Houston, Texas, the George Foreman Youth Center.

The Taylor-Abraham fight is the start of the historic inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic round-robin six fighter tournament, featuring the class of the Super Middleweight division from home and abroad. Five of the world's top boxing promoters have collaborated with SHOWTIME Sports to facilitate this epic tournament. Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment, Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor Promotions, Mick Hennessy of Hennessy Sports, Gary Shaw of Gary Shaw Productions LLC and Wilfried and Kalle Sauerland of Sauerland Event will promote the tournament which begins October 17th and runs through spring 2011..

Tickets for Taylor vs. Abraham are now on sale by calling (01803/206070) or visit http://www.o2world.de/ - (Euro - €15, €29, €39, €60, €80, €150, €250, €1000) / From USA (01149-1803/206070) / $22, $42, $56, $86, $115, $215, $350, $1,434).

Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KO's) was stopped late in the 12th round, coming within 14 seconds of winning the super middleweight title in his last bout with Froch. Coming that close and not tasting victory is something that Taylor said will never happen again. That's why this training camp – Taylor's first in Houston – is different.

"It was time for a change from Miami. I got to comfortable and there can be a lot of distractions in Miami. I like the training environment here in Houston. The gym is located in a very remote part of Houston which allows total focus and commitment," said Taylor. "Things have been very intense and serious in camp. Everyone is working hard. There's going to be a lot of focus on the 10th, 11th, 12th round if the fight should go that far. Those are the rounds I usually get tired. I will be prepared to make sure I have the last few rounds under control."

George Foreman, who has 68 knockouts among his 76 career victories, has occasionally stopped by the gym and spoken with Taylor at camp, and Taylor has done some of his early morning runs with Foreman's sons.

"George will stop by the gym sometimes and observes our workouts. He has offered some good advice, not only about boxing , but about life in general. When George talks you can't do anything but listen," said Taylor.

But this camp isn't about reminiscing with boxing legends. It is about working to regain Taylor's place among boxing's elite, where he rightfully belongs.

"For this fight it's about stepping up to the plate and delivering. I have to dictate and control this fight," said Taylor.

Ozell Nelson, Taylor's trainer, knows that this tournament gives Taylor an opportunity to show the boxing world that Taylor is still a force, and should not be taken lightly.

"Jermain is going to come out and shock the people of Germany when he beats their hometown hero," Nelson said. "I know most people in the boxing world have written Jermain off. We're going back to the basics that got us here. It would be a huge mistake to think Jermain doesn't have anything left in the tank."

Abraham (30-0, 24 KO's) is the reigning middleweight champion and fighting in his hometown, but Taylor isn't concerned about the odds against him.

"I know Arthur's fighting in his hometown," Taylor said. "I'm no stranger to fighting overseas, being a former Olympian I know what it's like. I know he's going to have the crowd behind him. I'm going to keep the crowd out of the fight. I'm going to make him fight a way he doesn't want to fight. He's a tough fighter, but I will be ready for the challenge."

The fans are certainly going to be ready for what is expected to be a non-stop action fight between two of the most exciting boxers in the super middleweight division.

"This tournament is historic, and on Oct. 17, Jermain Taylor is going to solidify himself among the great 168-pounders in the world by defeating the reigning middleweight champion Arthur Abraham in his adopted hometown of Berlin." Lou DiBella, Taylor's promoter, said. "We're looking forward to coming to Berlin, and disappointing some of the greatest boxing fans in the world."

For information on all SHOWTIME Sports telecasts, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries from its events and complete information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic, please visit

the website at http://www.sports.sho.com

About SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC

The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division. The field is comprised world renowned fighters

with a staggering combined record of 161-4-1 with 117 knockouts: former IBF middleweight champion “King” Arthur Abraham of Germany; U.S. Olympic medalist Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell of Flint, Mich.; WBC super middleweight champion Carl “The Cobra” Froch of England; WBA 168-pound champion Mikkel “Viking Warrior” Kessler of Denmark; former undisputed 160-pound world champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor of Little Rock, Ark.; and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre “S.O.G.” Ward of Oakland, Calif.

All bouts in the Super Six World Boxing Classic will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a

1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and

fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic trophy

 

[heyzel]

Junior Witter Says He Won't Retire, Plans To Move Up To Welterweight

by James Slater - While Britain's former IBF light-heavyweight champion Clinton Woods has today announced his retirement from boxing, Britain's former WBA light-welterweight champion Junior Witter has decided to carry on. Despite coming off a corner retirement loss to the unbeaten Devon Alexander in his last outing, 35-year-old Witter says he will carry on fighting, but up at welterweight..

Witter, who lost his WBA belt to Timothy Bradley last year and failed to regain the title against Alexander, was given much criticism for the way he quit on his stool after the 8th-round back on August 1st in California, but he has spoken of how much pain his elbow injury was giving him upon doing so.

"My elbow had gone, I was fighting with one arm," Witter said to The Star. "I knew I couldn't win and there was no point in simply taking punishment. It would have been like sending foot soldiers into a war armed with water pistols. The pain was bad, more so when I was missing punches and blocking than actually punching.

"I took some shots, but I didn't take a beating. Life is full of knocks and I may take a few more yet."

Witter went on to say how he can no longer make 140-pounds, and that he should have made the move up to 147 before the Alexander fight. Junior's plan, reportedly, is to go for the European welterweight title currently held by Italy's Gianluca Branco, and then, if successful there, go for a world title at his new weight. The plan sounds fine, but is the 35-year-old good enough to win a recognised belt in the talent-rich welterweight division of today?

Would Witter, 37-3-2(22) have a chance, in your opinion, of beating guys like Shane Mosley, Andre Berto or the winner of the Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao fight? Thought not. Perhaps Witter will target newly crowned IBF champ Isaac Hlatshwayo of South Africa instead. Far from a big puncher with just 10 KO's to his name, perhaps the 31-year-old from Soweto is a man Junior will see as beatable.

Witter is correct though, when he says he is a fighter who has never been subjected to a bad beating, and as well preserved as he is for his age maybe the man who ruled at 140-pounds from 2006 to 2008 can indeed become a two-time champion. The odds, however, will likely be very much against it.

 

[heyzel]

Exclusive Interview With Joshua Clottey - "I Will Be Bringing EVERYTHING To The Fight

by James Slater - 32-year-old Joshua Clottey of Accra, Ghana gets another well deserved shot at winning a big fight this coming December 26th - Boxing Day. Coming back after his controversial points loss to Miguel Cotto, the former IBF welterweight champion faces reigning WBA 147-pound king Sugar Shane Mosley, and "The Grand Master" is desperate to win and then be recognised as the best welterweight in the world.

Very kindly taking time out to speak with me earlier today, Clottey, 35-3(20) had the following answers to my questions:

James Slater: It's a pleasure to speak with you, Joshua, as always. Firstly, is the Shane Mosley fight a definite for December 26th?

Joshua Clottey: Yes, it's definite. I'm fighting Shane Mosley on December 26th..

J.S: It's strange to have such a big fight so close to Christmas. Is it a concern of yours having to train through the holidays and fight on Boxing Day?

J.C: It's my job to be a boxer, you know? Boxers have to do their job in the ring, we don't have to have holidays or time off at Christmas. This is a big fight that will be on HBO and I have to take advantage of it. This fight is my chance to become a two-time champion and I'm very happy about the fight.

J.S: Is Mosley a fighter you have wanted to fight for a while? Is he someone you've always had your eye on?

J.C: Yeah. Back in 2004, Lou DiBella asked me if I wanted to fight Shane Mosley and I said okay. Then, he got back to me and said that Mosley didn't want to do it. So you can see it's been a while, and you can see that I really want this fight. I love it when I get to fight the big names, like [Miguel] Cotto, [Antonio] Margarito and now Mosley. I always want to fight the best in my division.

J.S: Do you consider Mosley to be the best of all the current belt holders at welterweight?

J.C: There are a number of good fighters who some people say are the best in the division - like Cotto, Margarito, myself and [Andre] Berto. But Shane Mosley has shown he is the number-one because he beat Margarito, who was considered the best then. That's why I'm so happy about this fight; I will become the best in the world when I beat Mosley.

J.S: You will be the bigger man on December 26th, as you are very big for a welterweight. Will your plan be to wear Mosley down?

J.C: You're right, I am bigger. But he is more experienced. Which will win, the bigger man or the more experienced man? I know I will be bringing everything to this fight. Everything! I really want to win, and I'm coming to fight. He has been around a long time, and he's fought a lot of guys, so he has that experience. That, along with me bringing everything I have to the fight, will make it a very difficult fight for both of us.

J.S: Just going back to your last fight, with Cotto. Are you still angry? Do you still feel you won that fight?

J.C: Yeah, I felt I did enough to win. If you watch the fight closely you can see he never beat me. I beat the guy, and the people know that. Robberies are no good for boxing. I would love a rematch with Cotto, and with Margarito, because both those fights are questionable losses for me. I beat Cotto yet they gave it to him. If I lost a fight [fairly] I would admit it.

J.S: Who do you think wins on November 14th, between Cotto and Manny Pacquiao?

J.C: I'm not going to tell you who will win, but I will analyse the fight for you. Cotto has not fought this low for a long time, and I wonder if he will have to drain himself to make 145. If he's strong like he was when he fought me he will be very difficult for Pacquiao. But Pacquiao is very smart, and he'll be very serious for this fight - he'll move around a lot. When you throw punches at Cotto they all go in, Cotto has not got a good defence. Pacquiao, when you hit him, he gives you it right back. Cotto will have problems with Pacquiao but it will be a great fight.

J.S: And it goes without saying that you'd like to fight the winner!

J.C: I would love to fight the winner. I want to fight everybody in my weight division. I will fight anybody! If the people [the fans] asked me to go heavyweight, I'd go there. I fight for the people, and want them to love me.

J.S: Were you shocked when Mosley KO'd Margarito back in January?

J.C: I was a little bit shocked that he KO'd him, but I told everyone before the fight that Mosley would win. Margarito is defenceless to punches, and all Mosley's punches landed, and Mosley is not a small guy. Mosley played his own game and was too fast and too clever for Margarito.

J.S: When you face Mosley in December, do you think the fight will be one that goes all 12 rounds?

J.C: Well, I'm coming with everything and I'm good at bouncing back from a loss. I'm not going to say I'll knock out Mosley, I can't see that, but I will win. I will be ready to go all 12 rounds, but if a KO does come, it will come.

J.S: And is there added motivation on your part because if you win it will at last see you recognised as the best welterweight in the world?

J.C: Exactly. I want to be the best and I want the people to respect me as the best. I want people to say that the guy from Ghana is the best in the world. I always do all I can to get that respect. I want to be appreciated, this game is so hard. I want to be recognised for having longevity and for giving the fans the fights they want.

J.S: Well, it's been great speaking to you, Champ. I really appreciate your time and best wishes for December 26th.

J.C: Thank you.

 

[heyzel]

Rahman-Tua III And Rahman-Holyfield II Suggested For 2010

by James Slater - As was recently reported on Eastsideboxing.com, former two-time WBC heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman will return to action on the under-card of the October 3rd clash between David Tua and Shane Cameron in New Zealand. Set to face an as yet unannounced opponent, the 36-year-old will be having his first fight since being hammered to a one-sided defeat by Ring magazine, IBF and WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko..

According to Rahman's promoter, Steve Nelson, in talking to Dan Rafael over at ESPN.com, the plan is for "The Rock" and "The Tuaman" to meet in a third fight should they both win in October. The third fight of a series that began way back in 1998 (with Tua winning a 10th-round TKO that year, and the two fighting to a draw in 2003) would ideally take place late this year or early next. Added to this plan is the idea that Rahman, if he gets past Tua (which would be in no way certain) could then box a rematch with living legend and former four-time ruler Evander Holyfield.

The two veterans met back in 2002, and a good fight wound up ending due to a large and quite grotesque haematoma being put on Rahman's forehead (either by a punch or by an unintentional head butt). Losing on a technical decision, Rahman would surely like the chance to avenge the loss. Indeed, manager Nelson says the plan is for his fighter to first win in October, then beat Tua and then, in a farewell fight, possibly face Holyfield. The third fight in Rahman's latest comeback, whoever it is against, will definitely be his last bout.

"As long as Tua and Rock both win, we've talked about a third fight with Tua in New Zealand," Nelson told ESPN. "Then we'll look to do a farewell fight in the States after he gets past Tua. Whatever happens, Rock says that 2010 is his last year and he'd like to go out in a nice way. [A Holyfield-Rock II] would be a nice farewell fight for both of them."

While there would likely be some fan interest in a Tua-Rahman III (especially if Tua can beat Cameron in devastating KO fashion), a Holyfield-Rahman II would prove a much harder sell in my opinion. Fans simply want the all-time great from Atlanta to retire and enjoy his place in history, and they feel his fighting on whilst aged 47 is not a good thing for anyone. Rahman, too, is a fighter way past his best and probably better off retiring, but at 36 he is nowhere near the relic "The Real Deal" is.

Let's see how Rahman looks on October 3rd

 

[heyzel]

Mosley Eyes Clottey, Conte Lawsuit Moves Forward

By Robert Morales

Even though Bob Arum said Friday that he has made a deal for his fighter, Joshua Clottey, to challenge "Sugar" Shane Mosley for his welterweight world title Dec. 26 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, there has been no formal announcement. Arum told BoxingScene.com last Friday, "I made a deal with Richard Schaefer [CEO for Golden Boy Promotions] and confirmed it with HBO."

As Mosley awaits word that the deal is absolutely done, he has something else on his mind. Monday he will be in New York City to give a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against BALCO founder Victor Conte.

Mosley in December 2003 testified before a grand jury investigating BALCO that he ingested what later were identified as the steroids "the cream" and "the clear" during preparation for his second fight with Oscar De La Hoya in September of that year. Mosley also took EPO, a blood-doping agent that raises red blood cell production.

Mosley has claimed all along he had no idea what these drugs were and that he was relying on personal trainer Darryl Hudson and Conte to make sure he was taking nothing that was banned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission; the fight, won by Mosley, was held in Las Vegas.

But Conte has said that Mosley knew "the cream" and "the clear" were undetectable steroids, thus Mosley's lawsuit. Conte in June lost a motion to have the lawsuit dismissed.

"I have a lawsuit against him because he is saying I knew I was taking steroids," said Mosley, speaking in animated tones to BoxingScene. "He is messing with my character."

Mosley called Monday to reiterate that he never actually tested positive for steroids after that De La Hoya fight, as was incorrectly written by this reporter last week in the "Insider Notebook."

He, of course, is right. He did not test positive. He became involved in this situation when Conte's San Francisco-area lab was raided by FBI agents. Mosley's name came up when a copy of a check he had written Conte was found. Mosley said the idea that he wrote a check to Conte shows he was not trying to hide anything.

"He (Mosley) was tested and he came back clean, so did Oscar," Keith Kizer said Tuesday. Kizer became executive director of the Nevada commission in June 2006, but he worked for the state Attorney General's office in 2003 and the commission was one of his clients.

Kizer noted that no one knew of "the cream" and "the clear" at the time of Mosley-De La Hoya II. He also said that the FBI called then-commissioner Marc Ratner less than two months after that fight and asked if the urine sample Mosley gave was still available.

"We checked with the lab ... and when the test comes back negative, they destroy it after 30 days," Kizer said. "It came back negative because there was no test for 'the cream' or 'the clear' back then."

Mosley subsequently testified before the grand jury and was never punished by any entity. He also noted that he testified truthfully and that's why he was never in any trouble with the feds.

"That's why I'm not in jail," Mosley said.

Marion Jones," the disgraced former track star, served nearly six months in prison for lying to federal BALCO investigators in November 2003 about her use of steroids, as well as her involvement in a check-fraud hustle with another former track star, sprinter Tim Montgomery

 

[heyzel]

Cristian Mijares Says: "I Can't Afford To Lose Again"

By Mark Vester

On September 12 at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico, former super flyweight champion Cristian Mijares will attempt to keep his career alive when he meets undefeated Nehomar Cermeno in a rematch for the interim-WBA bantamweight title. Mijares was once considered the best but after suffering back to back defeats, his career is on the ropes. He was knocked out by Vic Darchinyan last November and then lost a split-decision to Cermeno in March.

Mijares knows that defeat is not an option here. He promises to get revenge by beating Cermeno.

"I don't have the luxury of being able to lose on Saturday. I am sure that I will the fight, and the world championship, which will be my second crown. I am coming to the fight ready. I've really prepared myself to win. A loss for me would be really disastrous, but that is not going to happen," Mijares told ESTO

 

[heyzel]

Mayweather/Marquez: Roach, Steward, Dundee Thoughts

TRAINERS WEIGH-IN ON COMEBACKS AND MAYWEATHER’S RETURN

Roger Mayweather—

“Well I know one thing about layoffs and I know about fighters. If a fighter got skills - the greatest fighters in the world where people don't even know had layoffs. What did you think Sugar Ray Leonard had? He had a five and a half year layoff. He had two eye detached retina surgeries, right. But he still beat the greatest middleweight. He beat Marvin Hagler when he was laid off five and a half years. When Sugar Ray Robinson was laid off three years, that’s the greatest fighter on the globe. Muhammad Ali was laid off three years.

“So Floyd ain't going to be the only guy that’s been laid off in boxing. Most of the great guys - great fighters have something in common. They were all laid off anyway. All of them who were good, what they called great, they all had layoffs and they all still had spectacular performance when they fought. So guy keeps asking about how you laid off, when you laid off. Fights are won by skill. That’s all there is to it.”

Angelo Dundee—

“There is nothing more intricate than fighters. They are all different. You never know what effect a layoff is going to have. Ray Leonard, I knew he was always staying in shape, like basketball, other sports, he was very athletic so the layoff didn’t bother him in the Hagler fight. He was in great physical condition…but being in the ring, it’s a different feel. Being in shape is not enough for a fighter. Being in the gym is not enough. You need to be in the action. There is no substitute for a fight. Marquez has been a little busier than him (Mayweather), and the question mark is going to make this fight a good attraction.”

“Ray used to do a variety of things to stay in shape. Ali was a whole different physical effort and Foreman didn’t train in gym. He did roadwork and calisthenics, that’s where he put in most of his work. All fighters are different…Foreman knew how to train for a guy his age. When you get older, you can’t put in the effort like you did when you were a kid. You need to leave something in the tank. Will he overdo it in training? So there are many question marks in a comeback.”

“Fighters come back for the glow. There is the spotlight, and there is the dark, and there is no in between. You miss the glow. That feeling is the ultimate feeling.”

“Mayweather is just that great of a fighter. He’s smart, slick, and knows how to use the ring. He’s going to have a tough fight on his hands, but he should be able to overcome. You take what you got and you utilize it. When the bell rings, you’re going to see who the best fighter is. Floyd will have to beat a good Marquez.”

Emanuel Steward—

“Fighters come back because they still have a lot of fights still left in them. They don’t realize it. Many have been doing it since they were eight, nine, ten years old, and they miss it. Fighters like Floyd Mayweather and Muhammad Ali have a tremendous love for boxing which they don’t realize until they walk away.”

“I think Floyd’s going to look spectacular on September 19. Historically, guys of his caliber; crafty, skilled fighters, they come back good. Some guys, when they quit boxing, they are partying, but when Ali came back he was unbelievably sharp and looked splendid…The Leonard’s, Ali’s, I would put Floyd in that class, they never lost the love of the sport. They are different types of fighters that never left the sport spiritually or physically.”

“Floyd is a brilliant boxing mind, just like Ali. The top fighters, they don’t have a lack of confidence. Layoffs do some fighters good…the time away heals the body up.”

Freddie Roach—

“Sometimes a break can be good for a fighter. Time can make you hungrier and give you a spark. But it can affect you in positive and negative ways…Mentally, it is a factor. You’re away from the sport and enjoying life, and its not conducive to a boxer’s life…A gym is a gym and a fight is a fight, and you can say you’ll get ready with sparring partners, but there is no place like a fight. You’ll just never know until fight night.”

Buddy McGirt—

“I don’t think the layoff is going to affect Mayweather. He’s a natural fighter. He’s picked a real tough guy to come back against, but I don’t think he will have any problem on fight night…He was staying busy, and sometimes you need the break to get away, and to get it together…I think is going to be a very good fight. Marquez is a very good fighter. He’s a warrior”

 

[heyzel]

Amir Khan Was Offered A Fight With Manny Pacquiao, Confirms His Father, Shah

by James Slater - Though it may be hard to believe, WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan was reportedly offered a fight with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao. Amir's father, Shah Khan, in talking to The Bolton News, confirmed that his son was indeed offered a late 2009 date with the Filipino sensation, only for the 22-year-old and his team to turn the offer down.

As we know, Pacquiao now faces a legitimate super-fight opponent in Miguel Cotto on November 14th, and it really is hard to fathom how a Pacquiao-Khan fight would have been received by the fans had Khan accepted it.. But, both Shah Khan and promoter Bob Arum have spoken about the big fight offer, and Arum even suggests that the two world champions - who, of course, are both trained by the same man in Freddie Roach and spar together quite often - could still clash at a later date.

Though many people will look at such a fight as an easy money affair for the lethal southpaw from General Santos City in The Philippines, money talks louder than anything, and if Arum wants the fight in, say, late 2010 or early 2011 (if Manny is still fighting) it could happen - stranger things have happened after all.

Shah Khan confirmed that his son was offered the mega-fight.

"We were offered the fight a few months ago but it is not an option at the moment," Khan's father said. "Maybe in a couple of years it is something we would look at but not a this stage."

Had Khan taken the fight this year, it's likely he would have been something like a 20-1 underdog. Wisely, Amir and his handlers turned the dangerous yet probably enormous payday down.

Promoter Arum praised Khan when speaking about him, and said that he can definitely see the 22-year-old getting it on with Pacquiao down the line.

"Amir's name was on the table, we offered him the fight, but his father, and his family, felt it was too early in his career," Arum is quoted as saying by The Bolton News. "Amir Khan has all the attributes of a great champion, and I think he's going to be a superstar in the sport. Okay, so he had a loss in his career [against Breidis Prescott], he made a mistake, but he looks great now. I can definitely see Amir and Manny meeting in the ring down the line."

Again, a high number of fans will probably look at such a fight as an easy and quick win for "Pac-Man," especially after how lethal the 30-year-old future Hall of Famer and perhaps all-time great has been looking lately. Interestingly, there was no word from trainer Roach in the article - would Freddie really have been keen on seeing his two fighters taking each other on?

The latest news surrounding just who Khan WILL face next suggests it will be WBA 140-pound mandatory challenger Dmitriy Salita. Surely a Khan-Pacquiao fight is a bad idea that needs to go away

 

[heyzel]

Ivan Calderon and Rocky Martinez Back In Action This Saturday

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (September 9, 2009) – “Undefeated Champions” is the name of the card that will feature world champions Iván “Iron Boy” Calderón and Román “Rocky” Martínez in title defenses this Saturday night (September 12), presented by PR Best Promotions, live on pay per view from the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan.

At yesterday’s press conference in San Juan, WBO junior flyweight champion Calderon (32-0-1, 6 KO’s) showed he was confident of defeating Rodel Mayol (25-3-1, 19 KO’s) in their rematch of the June 13 bout, when an accidental head-butt caused a cut to Calderon’s head and ended the fight in a technical draw..

“You will see the old Calderon, Calderon said, “the slick and fast Calderon.”

“I know that I will win this fight,” Mayol countered. “I’m prepared to do that and you will see Saturday."

 

[heyzel]

Team Peterson Exclusive on Mayweather Sparring Tale

Rick Reeno

The gym rats in Las Vegas are buzzing. Not about the upcoming fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez. And not about the November clash between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. Two weeks after it happened, the local gym rats and numerous Las Vegas insiders are still chatting, without rest, about the sparring session between Mayweather and undefeated junior welterweight Lamont Peterson.

With many of these gym stories, there is a lot truth and also a lot of fabrication. The recent story going around, about Mayweather working Peterson over until he quit, was one of those stories with a lot of fabrication. A trainer for one of Mayweather's current sparring partners sent a recent gym report to Doug Fischer, the editor for RingTV.com. In that report, the trainer disclosed his fighter's account of the Mayweather-Peterson sparring session.

“FLOYD IS MORE THAN READY FOR MARQUEZ. HIS HAND SPEED, REFLEXES, CONDITIONING, TIMING AND RHYTHM ARE ALL THERE. MY FIGHTER TOLD ME THAT LAMONT PETERSON SHOWED UP AT FLOYD’S GYM TWO WEEKS AGO TRYING TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF. AFTER VERBALLY ABUSING EACH OTHER FOR 30 MINUTES WHILE PUTTING ON THEIR HANDWRAPS, THEY WENT EIGHT 4-MINUTE ROUNDS WITH 15 SECONDS REST, WHICH WAS A SPARRING SESSION WORTH PAYING FOR ACCORDING TO MY FIGHTER. AFTER EIGHT ROUNDS, LAMONT COULDN'T GO NO MORE BECAUSE OF FATIGUE. THAT’S WHEN FLOYD REALLY STARTED TAUNTING HIM SAYING TO HIM ‘ANOTHER ROUND, ANOTHER ROUND!’ WHEN LAMONT REFUSED TO GO ANOTHER ROUND, THAT’S WHEN THE VERBAL ABUSE WENT TO RECORD LEVELS IN THE MAYWEATHER CAMP. NAME CALLING AND VERBAL ABUSE CONTINUED TO BE DIRECTED AT LAMONT FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES.”

There were many who were impressed after reading that bit of information. I was impressed until I spoke with a well-known insider in Las Vegas, who told me - "You heard what? That's not true. I know several guys who were there and Lamont Peterson worked Mayweather over." After making several more calls to my contacts in Vegas, it became embarrassing to even repeat the above story.

Then I began to dig.

I got a hold of one individual who was actually there. He completely backed the version of the story where Peterson handled his business and sent shockwaves in the Mayweather gym. Due to a friendly relationship with the Mayweather team, the person asked to remain anonymous.

"Lamont did his thing. If anybody got their ass kicked - it was Floyd. Lamont went to town on the boy. Make no mistake, it was competitive and exciting to watch."

Then I dug some more.

The hunt led me to Team Peterson member Jeff Miller. He was present for the sparring and backed the story of my sources. After showing him a copy of the story floating around the net, with Mayweather making Lamont quit, he advised me to contact Peterson's trainer/manager Barry Hunter.

I then made my way to Hunter. Coincidentally, Hunter had heard about the story Monday night through his wife - and I didn't blame him for being animated at times during our conversation. He couldn't believe that so many people were running with the story - without speaking to both sides.

The two days of sparring took place by chance. Lamont, Hunter and their entourage were in town for Anthony Peterson's fight at the Hard Rock. They were looking to get in some sparring work. A mutual friend, former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, made a suggestion to head over to the Mayweather Gym. Rahman made the call and got them the green light.

Hunter was more than ready to set the record straight.

"That's bullsh*t. There were several people in the gym. If you are going to put the story out there, at least tell the truth. We weren’t even going to speak about it. I had a few people ask me about it and I said 'I plead the fifth.' The first day was real hostile. They went to war the first day. Lamont had 18-ounce gloves on and Floyd had on 14-ounce gloves. They went 8 to 10 4-minute rounds with 15 to 30 second rests. The first day was relatively even, the second day Lamont did his thing," Hunter told BoxingScene.com

"Keep in mind, Lamont was out of shape with 18-ounce gloves on. I have to tell you, it was unbelievable to watch. I wish I had a tape to show you. They thought after the first day we weren't coming back but we went right back. The second day, Lamont was off the chain. It was raw, uncut and things they said to each other you certainly wouldn’t say in a church. They, meaning the uncle and father, thought that was the best work that Floyd ever got. The combinations, the skill, it was unbelievable to watch those two.

“Lamont did not go there to make a name for himself. Lamont is not a stranger to sparring former and current world champions. I'll keep the names a secret but it wasn't the first time he went into someone's backyard and put it on. I can't take nothing away from Floyd, he can fight. What got him is this. The average person Floyd spars can't hold a candle to him. But Lamont is a world champion like Floyd, not some sparring partner. And I think it caught Floyd off-guard. If they ever show a tape of that, his reign of terror will be over."

I asked Hunter about one version of the story where Peterson, prior to the start of the last round of their second day of sparring, went after Mayweather with a vengeance. That incident did take place but contrary to some of the stories, it was Hunter who stopped the sparring after the situation began to intensify.

"We said 'one more round,’ and they said 'one more round. ' Floyd went to go drink some water and Lamont went right to him and hit him. He didn't want no breaks. Lamont went into his bang of tricks in that round. I remember there was one punch he threw where it looked like a pitcher was winding up to throw a ball, and he threw a bodyshot. Then it was getting a bit heated,” Hunter said.

“Lamont is one of the toughest men I've ever known in my life. He took off his head gear and wanted to fight without head gear. They went in the middle of the ring, face to face, talking back and forth. I went in and got him and I took him out because now it was beyond fighting. I stopped it and that's the truth."

Peterson will get his big chance at the spotlight when he challenges WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley on December 5. I’ve spoken to a few on my respected colleagues about Bradley-Peterson. The predictions are literally split down the middle - an early indicator of a great fig

 

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Wladimir Klitschko Talks David Haye, Povetkin, More

By Andrey Krikunov

In his recent interview to newspaper “Sport den’ za dnem,” WBO/IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko said that he was tired of the constant injuries of his opponents and chose Eddie Chambers for his next fight only because he was easier to deal with. On the other hand, the situation with Alexander Povetkin is much more complex. Povetkin’s promoter Wilfried Sauerland wants to make a huge profit from the Klitschko fight, while the Russian boxer and his team have different opinion on this matter.

“There are a lot of reasons explaining why I’ll fight Chambers, - says Wladimir. – Povetkin had a real chance to fight me last December. But in the end we had to look for another opponent in 4-5 weeks before the fight. Then the same story happened with David Haye. Except in that case we had even less time for the search. To tell you the truth, these two incidents left and unpleasant aftertaste. I’ve read the interview of Povetkin’s new trainer where he says that it’s too early for the Russian to step into the ring with Klitschko. All that combined embarrasses me. That is why I’ve chosen Chambers – at least his situation is clear. As for Haye, I’ve already got tired of commenting on his behavior”.

Wladimir also told why he wanted to fight Haye at first. He confessed that he was impressed by the effective PR-campaign of the British boxer.

“Do you know why I chose Haye? - asked Klitschko. – Because he was interesting for the public. Interesting because of his shameless and provocative behavior, I can’t find other words for it. But in that way he earned himself certain fame. A lot of boxing fans wanted to see us fight. And that interest is directly connected with the financial aspects. In every bout our promotional company always wants to get two victories – sporting in the ring and financial outside of it”.

Finally, Ukrainian boxer answered whether he was sorry for promoter Don King, who had lost part of his influence lately. “Do I feel sorry for King? – questioned Klitschko. – It’s like to enter the cage with a bear and to feel sorry that he is hungry”.

 

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Cotto: "Pacquiao has fought a lot of tough fighters but never one like me

I will train harder than I have ever trained before because Miguel Cotto will be my toughest test as a professional fighter,” said Pacquiao. “I know Miguel Cotto is an excellent fighter and a great world champion.

“He is strong and smart and that is a dangerous combination for anyone who challenges him. But like every fight, I will not enter the ring alone. My countrymen don’t just give me their support. They also give me their strength, their pride and their love. That is why I must give my all. I fight to win and to give honor to the Philippines.”

“He has fought a lot of tough fighters but never one like me,” said Cotto. “The world will know who the best is when we meet in the ring

 

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Antonio Tarver To Join SHOWTIME Annouce Team This Saturday For Ward-Pudwill, Kessler-

Said Tarver, “My first time out of the gate with Nick Charles and Steve Farhood was an absolute blast. I’m looking forward to working with Steve again and Al Bernstein this weekend when I return to SHOWTIME. Al called the Olympic Games in ’96 and I have such a great deal of respect for him. He is one of the most knowledgeable and respected announcers around. I’ll have to be sharp as a knife! I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”

SHOWTIME will televise the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight Championship between defending champ Mikkel Kessler and challenger Gusmyr Perdomo on same-day coverage from Herning, Denmark.

Immediately following Kessler vs. Perdomo, SHOWTIME will air a LIVE 10-round Super Middleweight bout between unbeaten U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward and Shelby Pudwill from Temecula, Calif. Kessler and Ward will face each other later this fall (Nov. 21) in the first stage of SHOWTIME Sports' groundbreaking tournament, the Super Six World Boxing Classic, a six-fighter tournament featuring the class of the super middleweight division

 

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Unbeaten Heavyweight Travis Kauffman, A Fighter To Get Excited About?

by James Slater - Unbeaten 24-year-old heavyweight up-and-comer Travis Kauffman, who has been using Muhammad Ali's legendary Deer Lake training camp recently, is a 6'3," approx 225-pounder out of Reading, Pennsylvania. Currently 18-0(15) as a pro, "The GW Hope" is beginning to get a fair amount of ink devoted to him. Is the man who made his paid debut back in January of 2006 a fighter to get excited about?

A decent amateur, who fought in the 2001 Junior Olympics and the 2003 National Golden Gloves, Kauffman dedicated himself to boxing after the sad passing of his mother in 2001. As with the great Oscar De La Hoya before him, Kauffman promised to win the (Junior) Olympics in honour of his mother; unfortunately, Travis was placed third in the 2001 tournament. Nevertheless, the young fighter had his inspiration and, feeling the pro game suited his style better, Kauffman has so far done his job well.

Having fought on the under-card of a number of high profile bouts, the 24-year-old puncher has begun to get himself some good publicity. Able to switch from orthodox to southpaw and efficient at counter punching, Kauffman is more than just a gutsy brawler. Yet to be tested at anything approaching world class level, Kauffman knows he has time on his side.

Still, though he has met no big names as of yet, the heavyweight hopeful has met and defeated some decent fighters; Kauffman has not exactly been babied. In amongst usual suspects like Dan Whetzel, Travis Fulton and Cliff Couser (Whetzel out-pointed, Fulton and Couser taken out quickly) are wins over Malachy Farrell (TKO 3) and Livin Castillo (TKO 3). Okay, neither of these two fighters are world beaters, but Farrell was a decent enough young and never stopped prospect at the time, and Castillo is an experienced guy who has been in with everyone from Oleg Maskaev to Eddie Chambers. A lot of young heavies have fought much worse on the way up.

Next up for Kauffman is 28-year-old Tony Grano, a fighter with a 15-1-1(12) pro record. Not too much is known about Grano, but, at a lower level, he has proved he can punch some. Fans will get the chance to see this fight, as it will be televised live on ShowBox: The Next Generation. Promoted by Gary Shaw, the September 18th fight will be Kauffman's first T.V headlining opportunity.

Fans will be able to make their own minds up; is Kauffman a fighter to get excited about? Both young and determined, Kauffman is also a puncher with pretty fast hands. Things look good for him right now. Let's see if he can keep winning and improving.

 

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James Toney-Matthew Greer This Saturday - Time To See What "Lights Out" Has Left

by James Slater - This Saturday night in Temecula, CA, on the same card as the Andre Ward Shelby Pudwill fight, all-time great and current heavyweight contender James Toney fights for the first time since his poor showing against Fres Oquendo last December. Facing the 12-5(11) Matthew Greer, a fighter who, in truth, he should handle with relative ease, "Lights Out" will re-launch his heavyweight campaign for a fourth time.

In recent interviews (one with this writer) the recently turned 41-year-old former middleweight, super-middleweight and cruiserweight champion has spoken of his continued desire to fight either one or even both of the Klitschko brothers - or as James refers to them, "the Klistchko sisters." We will perhaps get some inkling of how serious Toney is about this when we see him in action against 32-year-old Greer..

In a recent interview with myself, when talking about how his preparations were going for Saturday night's fight, Toney, 71-6-3(43) said he'd just left the gym at 209-pounds. If this was indeed true (and I ain't calling Toney a liar) this will surely have been the lightest poundage the future Hall of Famer has carried for some years. Let's see what he weighs-in at for his upcoming fight before we get too excited, but could it be that Toney has somehow whipped himself into the same kind of formidable-looking condition he was in back when he first made his assault on the big guys' weight class by taking out Evander Holyfield in October of 2003?

This may be wishful thinking and time may well have been called on Toney ever getting back to that kind of fighting fitness, but if he has somehow rolled back the years due to a renewed zest for working out, things could still be interesting regarding Toney and the heavyweight division. If he enters the ring against "The Gator" at, say 218 or 225, and if he looks good and strong in carrying this weight, Toney will have gone some way towards making people believe he is once again 100-percent focused and ready.

But ready for either Wladimir or Vitali? It may well be, or perhaps certainly is, way too much to expect any 41-year-old former middleweight, no matter how great he is, to be able to mix it with the giants from Ukraine. At 5'10" and with a reach of 72," how would Toney get close enough to be able to land any punches on either one of the two heavyweight rulers, even being as clever and as fully experienced as he is?

Showing up in great shape and taking care of Matthew Greer (perhaps Toney's first stoppage at heavyweight since the 9th-round TKO over "The Real Deal?") is one thing, but the two Klitschko brothers are another, surely. This is not to say there are no other meaningful fights out there for an in shape and rededicated James Toney, but let's see if he can indeed get past phase-one of his latest comeback in style before we begin looking at them.

A close decision win where he struggles even sporadically will not be enough from Toney on Saturday. He needs to win clearly, and he needs to win impressively. A stoppage at the halfway stage would suffice. But can Toney do it? What's he really got left? We'll soon see.

 

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Marquez: "I'm Ready, I'll Fight Mayweather Tomorrow"

By Mark Vester

WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez is very, very confident and ready to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. right now. The fight takes place on September 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Marquez is finishing up his training camp in Mexico and preparing to head over to Los Angeles for some media functions and then to Las Vegas.

"I am ready! If they want, we can fight tomorrow. I am going up against an opponent with a difficult style and he is a great fighter. During the past few weeks of training, I have worked hard in the gym with sparring partners who have a similiar style to Mayweather and I already have a plan to that I expect will get me the victory," Marquez told ESTO.

Marquez is not paying attention to recent media headlines that involve Mayweather. He is only paying attention to the fight. Marquez is getting a lot of inspiration from the great Julio Cesar Chavez.

"I've read that he has had problems, even criminal, but I also know that he is a professional, and that he is going to arrive very well prepared for this battle. I don't place my trust in those things, I' going for the win," Marquez said. "I am inspired by Julio. I admire him for the great sportsman that he was".

"He says that he is going to be at the weight limit of 144-pounds. I will go up to 142, which I consider to be an ideal weight".

 

[heyzel]

Chris John Training To Knock Rocky Juarez Out

Chris John defends his WBA featherweight title against Rocky Juarez on the September 19 undercard to Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez.

Watching Chris John train in Big Bear, California I have noticed there is a change in a matter of urgency in the way he deals with his sparring partners and even the heavy bag and speedball. I have also noticed the tone of his coach, urging him to “hurt him, hit him harder”, this is a lot different from the other camps I’ve been to, why?

Harry Summers

Why is there a different atmosphere in this preparation than other previous training camps?

Craig Christian

Well I’m glad you noticed, so we must be getting the result we are looking for. Look, Chris must knock Juarez out to win this fight, we are fighting him on Mexican Independence Day, it will be worse than in Texas. 20,000 Mexicans cheering every time Juarez throws a punch whether he lands or misses by 6 inches the Judges will be influenced by the crowd they are only human. We will not get a decision in Vegas we must win by KO. This is make or break for Chris John we have discussed this and we agree the judges will not give us a decision, KO it must be. So aggression, strength and power is what we have focused on in training.

HS

After the last fight many boxing experts and public opinion all concurred Chris John won the fight, surely the Judges couldn’t be biased again?

CC

They are only human beings, you have 20,000 people in the stadium all supporting Juarez, he throws a left, right and misses, to the people in the back and maybe the middle it looks like they’ve landed, they’re cheering. Juarez throws another combo and lands, the people in the front, middle and back are screaming for Juarez either way all he has to do is throw. All the noise is for Rocky, hit or miss just throw and believe me if you haven’t been there they are loud, you can’t even yell instructions, no way your fighter can even hear you, it’s that loud man. You tell me the judges are not influenced by the crowd, man they’re only human, I’m not saying they cheat or anything like that but I do say they will be influenced by the crowd we must KO Rocky to silence the crowd and take it out of the judges hands.

HS

An interesting theory, do you think Chris John can do this? Out of his 42 fights, he has only won by KO on 22 occasions and Rocky Juarez has never been KO’d

CC

Well that’s what we decided and we have been training for the KO for 8 weeks now and I’m pleased with where Chris John is at, I think Chris can will stop him, it could be early, it could be late. If he catches him with the punches we have been working on it will be over for Rocky.

HS

Who will you next fight be?

CC

The only thing we have been focused on is Rocky Juarez if we don’t win, Chris will be back fighting for Daniel Bahari on Indosia Tv Station at 1 O’clock in the morning for 500 Thousand Rupiah, About 100 bucks a fight so there’s no next until we win this.

HS

Ok thank you and good luck we don’t want him to lose then.

So fight fans expect to see an aggressive Chris John and a K.O win or it’s as they say from the Penthouse to the Shithouse for the Dragon.