Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

Chris Arreola Guarantees a Win Over Vitali Klitschko

Under the watchful eye of trainer Henry Ramirez, the confident Arreola shadow-boxed, hit the mitts, clubbed the heavy bag, ripped the speed bag and did a series of conditioning exercises during an energetic 80-minute workout.

“I guarantee that it’s going to be an exciting fight and I guarantee that I’m going to come out with the world title and I’ll work my (expletive) off,’’ Arreola said.

The confident, popular, talented Arreola, who has had only one fight go the distance (24 by KO, two by DQ – on the way to a KO), will try to make history by becoming the first boxer of Mexican descent to capture a World Heavyweight Championship.

Tickets can be purchased at STAPLES Center, all TicketMaster outlets, by phone (800) 745-3000 and online at www.ticketmaster.com .

The 12-round world championship will be promoted by K2 Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions. It will air live on HBO at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

What Arreola and Goossen Tutor President, Dan Goossen, had to say Wednesday:

CRISTOBAL ARREOLA:

“I’m gonna win this fight, I’m gonna do it. The only thing I can do is go in there and put on a great fight for the fans in Los Angeles.

“Am I in the best shape of my life? Come Sept. 26, I will be. We still have two-and-a-half more weeks left of training and I’ll be there. There’s still a little bit more work to do. Come fight time, I’ll be ready to go 12 rounds.

“I’ve worked my butt off to get here and I’ve always seen this day coming. The good thing about it is I’ve been working my way up slowly but surely.

“To be honest with you, for me, it’s just another fight. I don’t try to get caught up in the hype or everything like that. It’s just another fight. It’s a tough fight, that’s what it is. It’s just another tough fight even though we all know it’s bigger than just another fight.

“I don’t want to get caught up with all this business about making history. Of course it’s history. It’s already known that it’s history. It’s already known that’s its going to be a big atmosphere in the STAPLES Center, why get caught up in it?

“Right now, I’m just staying home. Whenever people do see me, they congratulate me and wish me the best of luck. But I’m trying to stay focused and stay away from all that.

(On whether he will continue to live in Riverside with a victory):

“I’ll stay in Riverside. But, I’ll probably get a bigger house. That’s about it. I love being in Riverside. Not to take away from LA, but I’m just so used to being around there. It’s a whole different atmosphere from here. People are more relaxed.

(On working out in Joe Goossen’s gym):

“This gym is a gym. That’s exactly what it is. What you see is what you get. I don’t need fancy stuff, I have everything I need right here. Boxing bags, ring, speed bags. That’s it. There’s no need to go to a fancy facility or anything like that. I’m a rugged dude. I’m not trying to take anything away from it, I love it. It’s a great gym, it smells like boxing.

“Of course, I plan on unifying the titles. That should be the main goal of every fighter who wants to win the title. Of course, I want to be the undisputed heavyweight champion, but first things first, let’s go get the WBC title and then we’ll go after the rest of them.

“It really doesn’t matter to me who I fight. That’s up to Dan (Goossen). To me, my main goal is to unify the titles, no matter who it is.

“How do I relax? Play Madden. Play video games all day. I enjoy playing video games. It just relaxes me and takes my mind off of everything because you have to focus on your offense and defense.

“According to all the internet websites, I’m weighing upwards of 280 (pounds) or something like that. You know what; right now I weigh in the low 260's. Come fight time, I’m probably going to be 200 pounds (joking).

“Everything is going really good. I’m just adapting to working out twice a day. It’s a hard thing and my body is still getting used to it.”

DAN GOOSSEN:

“Two big men are going to collide, but the real, big talk of this fight is heavyweight history. This is a reflection of where we know we’re going and where we’ve been going for the last five years, and that’s making heavyweight history.

“This (Arreola) is the man that’s going to bring excitement back to the heavyweight division.

“You know what, this is what he is, this is what he prides himself on. He wants to make his fans happy.

“All the fans that have ever seen him can’t wait to see him again and again. He brings electricity to the right, along with sleeping power for his opponent.

“We’re going to go out there and have a great fight on Sept. 26, and I know heavyweight history is going to be made by Cristobal Arreola

 

[heyzel]

Pacquiao vs Cotto 24/7 Debuts on October 24, HBO

NEW YORK – HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured seven Sports Emmy® Awards, will return to present its seventh installment with 24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO, an all-new four-episode, all-access series, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports. Debuting SATURDAY, OCT. 24 (10:15-10:45 p.m. ET/PT), the series will follow Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, two of the sport’s brightest stars, as they prepare for their Nov. 14 pay-per-view showdown in Las Vegas. Pacquiao seeks to continue his reign as the sport’s pound-for-pound king, while Cotto looks to prove that his ring skills are ideal for derailing the Pacquiao express.

Noted Greenburg, “The ‘24/7’ franchise provides an engaging and accurate look into the lives of boxers as they toil and sacrifice to get ready for a huge showdown in the ring. Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto are dynamic individuals in and out of the ring, and our cameras will be there to capture all the drama prior to their fall face-off.”

Episodes two and three of 24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO debut on subsequent Saturdays – OCT. 31 (11:00-11:30 p.m.) and NOV. 7 (9:00-9:30 p.m.) – while the finale debuts FRIDAY, NOV. 13 (9:30-10:00 p.m.), just one night before the fight. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand.

24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews, as these exciting, versatile fighters prepare for the next mega-fight of 2009. They bring an international flair to the show, with Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) hailing from the Philippines and Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) a proud son of Puerto Rico, which has a long history of producing legendary competitors for the sweet science.

This fast-paced series will capture the interactions and rigors the two fighters experience in preparing for their contest. Making his third “24/7” appearance, Pacquiao is expected to surround himself with a familiar contingent of family and friends as he trains with trusted longtime associate Freddy Roach. HBO reality series newcomer Cotto, who never ducks a challenge, is taking on his biggest fight yet with trainer Joe Santiago as they seek to set a strategy to unseat the widely regarded pound-for-pound champ.

24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO is the latest installment of the acclaimed “24/7” franchise that began in 2007 with “De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7” and “Mayweather/Hatton 24/7.” The series continued in 2008 with “Calzaghe/Jones 24/7” and “De La Hoya/Pacquiao 24/7,” and in 2009 with “Pacquiao/Hatton 24/7” and “24/7 Mayweather/Marquez.”

At the 2009 Sports Emmy® Awards, “24/7” was recognized with four Emmys® for production excellence after receiving three Emmys® at the 2008 Sports Emmy® Awards.

On Saturday, November 14 at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT), HBO Pay-Per-View presents “Pacquiao vs. Cotto,” live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The executive producers of 24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; coordinating producer, Dave Harmon; producers, Scott Boggins and Bentley Weiner; writer, Aaron Cohen. Liev Schreiber narrates.

 

[heyzel]

Roach Lines Up Some Tough Sparring For Pacquiao

By Mark Vester

Trainer Freddie Roach is ready to fly over to Baguio to start training Manny Pacquiao for the November 14 bout with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. Roach, speaking with The Examiner, shot down rumors of Jose Luis Castillo being selected as a sparring partner for his fighter. Roach will make the trip on September 19.

"Where did you hear that? Roach said. "It is not true. Why would I use him, he is shot. I can't use a shot guy to get Manny ready for Cotto. I keep saying it but I will say it again, anyone who thinks Cotto is easy and is not dangerous is a complete fool. I've got Sean Porter. I've got Ray Serrano. I've got Urbano Antillon and I've got Manny's pal, David Revello. He is Manny's friend but David always give him good, solid work. David comes in to fight in camp.

"I have four guys who have the right styles for us to get ready for Cotto. Everyone thinks all Miguel does is attack but he can box also. This is a guy who was able to neutralize Shane Mosley's great speed. You have to take that into account."

There still appears to be a minor rift between Roach and Pacquiao team member Michael Koncz.

"Last time he went and got Manny a sparring partner, he got some 168-pounder," Roach said. "He said he didn't know better. It's like the where are we training thing. He's afraid to ask Manny these things. So he should stay out of areas that are between me and Manny. The four guys I've got lined up...they will do the job

 

[2-0-Sixx]

RIGONDEAUX

Some boxers can exhibit the finer points of the sport in a sparring session and former Cuban amateur star Guillermo Rigondeaux is one of them.

I watched the 28-year-old junior featherweight go eight rounds (four with 108-pound title challenger Rodel Mayol and four with featherweight prospect Abraham Lopez) last week and I’ll be damned if either sparring partner landed ONE clean punch.

Rigondeaux, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time amateur world champ, is a slick southpaw with the defensive prowess of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the gutsy savvy of Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson. With his hands down by his waist, Rigondeaux made his sparring partners miss with only the slightest lean or side step.

Mayol, a Filipino vet with extremely fast hands, couldn’t hit the Cuban in the ass with the proverbial handful of rice. Ultra-elusive junior flyweight champ Ivan Casamayor, who Mayol faces in a rematch on Saturday, will be easier to deal with than Rigondeaux.

Lopez (8-0, 7 KOs) fared a little better as he was able to force Rigondeaux to give more ground than Mayol because of his greater size and power, however I noticed that the 21-year-old La Puente, Calif., native advanced with caution.

That’s because the Cuban can crack. Roach told me Rigondeaux knocked out unbeaten lightweight prospect Jesus “Pollo” Hernandez in a sparring session a few weeks ago.

Rigondeaux (2-0, 2 KOs) headlines an ESPN-televised show from Miami, Fla., next Friday. He’ll face 71-bout veteran Giovanni Andrade in a 10 rounder and I fully expect him to KO the Brazilian.

Roach says Rigondeaux is so seasoned (from more than 400 amateur bouts) that he’d put the southpaw in with Rafael Marquez or Israel Vazquez this year.

 

[MOREBASS]

I can't wait to see Guillermo when he starts to get used to fighting as a pro!

Plus, he's training under Roach, so he'll definitely never be short on quality training or training partners.

It speaks volumes that he's already fighting a guy that's had 71 fights under his belt. Guillermo is going to be a monster.

I think the author made a typo, and its Ivan Calderon that's fighting Mayol, not Casamayor.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

agreed w/everything including the typo.

I rarely hear Freddie Roach talk so highly of a guy with 2 pro fights, I mean he actually said he would beat Marquez & Vazquez right now if they fought. I'm pretty stoked for his next fight, I'm a true believer in this guy (and someone had to take the place of my ex-favorite prospect, james kirkland who is getting sentanced next week possible 45-53 months in prison ).

 

[heyzel]

Emanuel Steward shares his thoughts on Mayweather-Marquez

Exclusive Interview by Geoffrey Ciani - I was recently afforded the opportunity to have a nice chat with legendary boxing trainer, Emanuel Steward. I asked him about his thoughts on the upcoming mega bout between Floyd Mayweather Junior and Juan Manuel Marquez. Here is what he had to say:

Q: The weight limit for the Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez mega-bout is at a catch weight of 144 pounds. Marquez has never fought at this weight before. In fact, he never fought above 135 pounds where he’s only fought twice. Do you think he will be able to properly be able to adjust to the weight and be effective?

A: I don’t see 144 as a real true weight for Marquez, to be honest with you. I think he’s really 134-35 is where he really matches out, but I’ve had gym workouts where I saw guys who are much smaller surprise the big guy, even quality bigger guys. In this case, Floyd is a bigger guy and he’s a good fighter. The 144 I don’t think will hurt Floyd that much, to be very honest with you. I mean, I’m saying I don’t think it’s going to weaken him. I think going into the fight Floyd will have a natural physical size advantage that, regardless of what they may weigh on the scales, his natural strength in good shape—I think that’s about 147-46 and Marquez is about maybe ten pounds less than that..

But the thing that’s the difference: Floyd is not a physical fighter. You know what I mean? He’s not a guy who really is very physical and roughs you up and takes advantage and uses his weight a lot and size, and that’s the difference. He’s more of a technical fighter, so therefore the size may not be as big a factor as it would be with another guy who was a more physical type guy, like say Kenny Norton was, or those types of heavyweights, or some guys like even (Julio Cesar) Chavez to some degree, who applied a lot of pressure and was more physical.

Q: In addition to being the naturally smaller man, Marquez is also 36 years old, and in my opinion, I thought he began showing his age a little bit in his last fight with Juan Diaz despite scoring a very impressive dramatic knockout victory. Do you think this is another factor that might come into play in this fight?

A: Well, I know Juan Manuel is 36 but I don’t think it’s going to be that big a factor. I see it as a much more competitive fight than most. I give a slight, maybe Floyd may have the edge a little bit on natural size, but it still almost kind of balances out a little bit. Don’t forget, Diaz was a very fast and strong kid, and he was very physical—he used his physical size a lot. He was bullying, getting him to brawl, pushing Marquez into the ropes—so he used his physical size. Even though they both were fighting as lightweights, he was more physical than Floyd would be. I don’t think Floyd would be that physical. So I think even though Floyd would have the advantage in weight and natural size, I don’t think he will be pushing him around a lot.

But Marquez is a balanced out solid professional fighter. The one thing that I look at in all of those Mexicans, and especially him, is we can never underestimate a thing called pride and emotions. He right now is, for the first time in his life, the star of Mexico. I think that feeling is going to push him a lot further than his normal talent would push him a normal fight, like the fights with Barrera and those type of fights. This fight here, with him being the biggest star now in Mexican boxing—at least that’s what I think—and the fact that he’s fighting a guy that if he can beat right here, would make him be right up there in his mind with Chavez and Slavador Sanchez and those type guys.

I think then he’s fighting for his country, like most Mexicans, and even more so this time—and not just for his country the way Mexican fighters fight but he’s also very motivated to be the superstar in Mexico now. That can offset maybe five or six or seven pounds, and the fact that Floyd is not physical—he doesn’t rough and bully and push much like Diaz did.

Q: Now Emmanuel, it’s been nearly two years since we saw Floyd Mayweather Junior last inside the ring. Given his style of fighting, what type of ring rust do you think we might expect from him?

A: I don’t think we’re going to see that much. I just don’t see it. I may be wrong, but most fighters who are off from boxing who want to be off who still had their heart and soul in boxing while they were off, were still training all of the time, and were good reflex fighters—they don’t get as rusty as some other guys who leave and get into other things and don’t really have their heart into boxing. Like Sonny Liston and those guys who became champions, they didn’t really have the interest or focus anymore.

But (Muhammad) Ali, even though he was off for nearly four years, he was away from boxing, still had the want and desire, and was still training. I remember he even came here to Detroit one time, and one of the first things he said was, “Where is the gym?” We went down to gym and he was boxing and training, and Floyd, even though he’s been off, he still goes to the gym—he trains all the time. So those type of fighters—Ray Leonard was off, and he came back phenomenal and beat at the time the top fighter in the world—Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

So fighters with good reflexes and skills who are off but really have their heart and mind in boxing while they’re off and are still doing things is different than someone that just leaves boxing and they’re golfing, and partying, or doing this and doing that, and they come back just for money—that’s a little different. I think he’s never really left boxing, meaning Floyd—physically or spiritually. He might go out to nightclubs but I know he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke. He loves being in the party environment but he’s a clean man himself, and he loves going to that gym and training nonstop, and he’s been doing that even when he’s inactive.

Q: On a similar note, Floyd hasn’t fought below the 147 pound limit since he faced Arturo Gatti way back in June of 2005. Is it safe to assume, then, that you do not think he will have any problems with making a lower weight than he has in a long time?

A: No, I don’t. I think he will make the weight good. He’s a very conditioned guy. A lot of guys are now fighting fights where the money is. If it’s a good name match-up with another name, just look at this fight itself, and the fact that you maybe could have Marquez if he can win this fight fighting a (Miguel) Cotto or something, or even look at (Manny) Pacquiao and Cotto. The match-ups right now are being made because of name recognition and people thinking up dream fights, where the weights are just flexible. What I am saying is, some of the guys who are fighting maybe as a welterweight or a junior middleweight sometimes really aren’t that, anyway, and I think Floyd is one of those. Floyd has always been a right 143-144 pounder to me.

Q: Now coming into this fight, should Floyd still be regarded as the pound for pound king in boxing or do you think Manny Pacquiao has rightly surpassed him in that regard?

A: I think Manny has surpassed him. He’s been active. He’s fought top notch guys at their peak and continued it for five years, too, almost which is unbelievable. Where there was questions about Floyd not wanting to fight Margarito at the time, and there was no money he said with Shane Mosley, so he avoided a lot of those real tough fights whereas Manny, whoever they make a match with he just says, “Let’s fight!” I don’t care whether it’s been Barrera, and the fights with Marquez, (Eric) Morales, Ricky Hatton, Oscar (De La Hoya), I mean—he’s earned the right. He is definitely the pound for pound champion as far as I’m concerned, and not just because of activity but the high level of competition he’s continuously fought for five years and performed great in all of those fights.

Q: In your view, what are some of the most important questions going into this fight?

A: Well, I think the biggest thing most people are going to be concerned about is—what I’m listening to the general public, because I don’t have any super questions to be very honest with you—whether the size advantage that Floyd will enjoy will be a factor. That’s the biggest question I have, whether he’ll really be able to use that size and push around and take advantage of that because he may do that, but his typical style is not that. He is a very technical fighter and if you look at most of his fights, after the first few rounds, he is maybe behind sometimes. He paces his punches and takes his time very patiently, so I don’t think he’s going to use his size that much to be very physical even though he is a naturally bigger guy.

The next biggest thing is will the layoff affect him? I would say those are the two big questions I would have for myself. How much will the layoff affect? In both cases, I think the layoff won’t affect him that much and I don’t think he’ll be able to physically take advantage of the size that he has. So I can see this coming down to being a well contested fight with a small guy fighting a guy a little bigger, but the bigger guy doesn’t utilize his physical size that much and the smaller guy, I think, being that he’s had that activity level and that tremendous emotional thing that he’s going through being the big star in Mexico is going to pretty much balance it out to being a pretty good fight.

Q: Who do you think has the easier job in this match-up: Roger Mayweather or Nacho Beristain?

A: The easier job? I would say Mayweather, still. You’re dealing with someone who’s been a born fighter who’s been boxing since he was five years old, and he’s just a natural, natural talent. And he’s still fighting where, even though they both fought there a lot, he’s still fighting in Las Vegas where he’s very comfortable, where he lives, and the climate and everything is conducive, so I think there’s an easier job for Roger. I think Nacho’s got to train his fighter for a guy who’s bigger than anyone that he’s actually ever fought and then also the fact that he’s fighting one of the most gifted talented fighters in boxing.

But Marquez has won a lot of his fights because of his great ring intelligence, patience, and how he is able to dissect people, but he’s going in with a guy that does the same thing. Look at Floyd’s fights with Zab Judah, Oscar, and even Ricky Hatton—a lot of those fights, he was not ahead after the first four or five rounds. He systematically underlies and dissects his opponents and then he went to work, and Marquez does the same thing. So I think that the roughest job is going to be with Nacho.

Q: Based on the styles of the two fighters that we have coming into this one, what type of fight do you expect to unfold? What do you think we can expect to see inside the ring?

A: Well I think you’re going to see at the beginning a very technical fight. After about four rounds, I think both guys will realize they have to decidedly get an advantage and you’re going to see it heat up a little bit more and that’s going to be almost like typical of how both of these guys fight, anyway. So I think it’s going to start off a technical fight and become more aggressive and explosive, and that’s going to be initiated by Marquez more so than Floyd.

Q: Do you have any other thoughts on the fight you would like to share?

A: No, I just think it’s going to be an exceptionally good fight. I’m really proud of the networks for putting together these types of fights. They’re not all exactly the natural weight divisions, you know, they’re making adjustments and amendments, but they are all extremely competitive fights and all of these are winning fighters, not just record wise but the mindset. In this case here you’ve got Floyd’s ego battling to take back over his pound for pound status and you got Marquez determined to stay as the number one star of Mexico, which he’s always been in the background, always secondary to Barrera or somebody else. And he was still a top world class fighter when Chavez was still fighting, and I remember that very well. He couldn’t get his fight with (Naseem) Hamed that he wanted, so this is his big break right here. You’re going to see a lot of emotions coming into this fight with two guys who have winning mindsets and big egos.

Q: Last question, Emmanuel: Is there anything else you would like to say to all of your fans out at East Side Boxing?

A: Nope. Keep supporting East Side Boxing, it’s one of the best websites there is out there. I just love the support that people are giving to boxing right now, especially in view of the fact that we don’t have any one big superstar like we used to have with an unbeaten (Mike) Tyson, and then you had De La Hoya. Fans are supporting boxing good, I think, and I appreciate it.

***

I would like to thank Emmanuel Steward for his time and insight and wish him the very best of luck in all future endeavors both inside and outside the ring.

Be sure to tune into the HBO PPV this Saturday to watch the mega bout between Floyd Mayweather Junior and Juan

 

[heyzel]

Why Floyd Mayweather will beat Juan Manuel Marquez

by Geoffrey Ciani - The long awaited mega bout between former pound for pound King Floyd Mayweather Junior and Mexican warrior Juan Manuel Marquez is finally here. The bout was originally slated to take place on July 18, but was pushed back after Mayweather suffered a mysterious rib injury in training camp. Now the two combatants are ready to do battle this Saturday night on an HBO pay per view event. Who will win?

Like the majority of observers, I believe that Mayweather will win this contest. I have maintained this belief since the fight was first signed. That the fight was delayed has done little to sway my opinion. True, the extra time for preparations may help Marquez better adjust to the catch weight limit of 144 pounds. With an extra two month’s training camp he will probably be more comfortable at the weight. Still, at the end of the day, this delay is meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Juan Manuel Marquez is not a natural 144 pound fighter. In fact, he has only had two fights at 135 pounds.. Although he looked tremendous in those two bouts, the extra nine pounds will prove to be far too much for the brave Mexican pugilist to overcome. Unlike his former foe Manny Pacquiao, who is a freak of nature that was able to move up in weight and remain effective (even arguably becoming more effective), Juan Manuel will not celebrate the same level of success against bigger opponents. His body frame and fighting style are simply not suited for this much weight, and it will show against Floyd.

Juan Manuel Marquez has also begun showing his age in recent fights. In his last contest against Juan Diaz, he managed to score a very dramatic and impressive come from behind knockout victory. Marquez deserves tremendous credit for this win. He fended off the pressure attacks being applied by Diaz en route to weathering the storm, wearing him down, and knocking him out. Despite this noteworthy performance, however, Marquez did begin showing his age in this fight. At times, he looked slower than we had ever seen previously, and he appeared to be more bothered and confused than we are accustomed to inside the ring.

The fact that Marquez is aging and attempting to jump up almost ten pounds above his natural fighting size is going to be his undoing in this fight. He is not just stepping into the ring against a fighter who is naturally bigger. He is also going up against one of the most physically gifted boxers of this generation. Floyd is bigger than Marquez, he is faster, and over all, he is a better fighter with a superior set of skills—and it will show inside the ring. Everything Marquez can do, Mayweather can do better. The only advantages Marquez has going into this one are heart and pride. He has faced adversity inside the ring, and he has proven his worth time and time again as a blood and guts warrior willing to do everything in his power to find a way to win. Unfortunately, his fighting spirit will not be enough to propel him to victory against Mayweather.

Floyd Mayweather Junior has not had a fight in almost two years. For normal fighters, this could be reason for concern. After all, fighters who are away from the ring often lose focus and desire. This is not the case with Mayweather. In fact, Mayweather’s entire ‘retirement’ was probably nothing more than a ploy. No serious fan of the sport truly believed that was the last we would see have him inside the squared circle. Most observers believe he always intended to make a comeback, and his own father echoed this sentiment sometime back when he was a special guest on the on-line boxing radio program On the Ropes. Floyd has never allowed himself to get out of shape. He is a gym rat who has taken great care of himself, so the idea that he might suffer so-called “ring rust” seems very farfetched.

On the contrary, I expect Floyd to come out as sharp as we have ever seen him. He is going to want to make a statement against Marquez. During his brief two year absence from the ring, Manny Pacquiao has replaced him as the pound for pound King in boxing, and rightfully so. After all, Pacquiao takes on all comers and has been doing so for a number of years, taking on the best challenges available and emerging victorious far more often than not. In his last two bouts, he impressively dominated foes who were naturally much bigger than him in Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. Floyd is going to want to make a statement, and what better way to do so than against Marquez—a man who many feel deserved a victory against Pacquiao in each of their two previous encounters.

A big win against the man who made Pacquiao struggle both times he faced him would be exactly what Floyd needs to propel himself back into the boxing lime light. No matter how impressive he looks, it will not be enough for him to reclaim his mythical pound for pound title. That will still belong to Pacquiao until he gets beaten, which is a distinct possibility come November when he squares off against Miguel Cotto. It will, however, pave the way for what will almost certainly be the biggest fight in boxing history if Pacquiao is able to beat Cotto.

Marquez is an outstanding fighter. He will undoubtedly give it everything he has in this fight, and he will probably have his moments, too, but he is biting off far more than he can chew in this one. Everything Marquez can do, Floyd can do better. Mayweather’s speed advantage should be obvious from the onset, and once he begins landing accurate shots on Marquez’s face with more and more frequency as the fight progresses, it will only be a matter of time before Floyd stops him. Marquez is a warrior so he might well remain on his feet on the receiving end of a tremendous beating, but I suspect his corner will be forced to mercifully put a halt to the contest before we reach the final bell.

My prediction: Mayweather TKO9

 

[heyzel]

Pacquiao vs Mayweather: Tactical Warfare!

By P.H. Burbridge - What if Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr emerge from their next fights victorious? How would a fight between these two great fighters play out? Who would be able to do what to the other? Those are the questions I’ll attempt to answer in this edition of “Tactical Warfare”. This data will obviously be based on both fighters in their current state. After they emerge from their next fight I’ll likely write an amended “Tactical Warfare” based on their performances. But, who knows either one could lose and there may be no reason to write another edition. I personally hope this fight comes off and the title at stake is for P4P supremacy!

The set up:

Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao are landmark talents who are on completely different ends of the fistic spectrum in and out of the ring. They both have legitimate claims to the P4P title and the only way to settle the argument for everyone concerned should they both emerge victorious in their fights against Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto is to fight each other. In preparing for “Tactical Warfare” I reviewed as much fight footage as I could get my hands on for each guy and studied their evolution into world champions. I really wanted to take some time and gain a greater understanding of each guy’s technical ability without all the rhetoric that we usually end up hearing and reading.

But, first let’s put some that rhetoric into context.

The knock on Floyd:

There are those who think that Floyd’s out of the ring antics are a diversionary tactic to mask his less than aesthetically pleasing performances in the ring. Inside the ring he sometimes reminds us of another slick shut out style fighter, Pernell Whitaker. Not in their fighting style but more so in terms of technical mastery along with a shared accomplishment as P4P king. There’s also a perception that both lacked punching power. Both are given much respect for their in ring virtuosity but their fights have lacked real drama in the eyes of many. Fans crave knockouts. We can appreciate great technique but there is no greater currency in this sport than the knockout. That’s what we want. If you’re not going to deliver that then you better be able to draw people to you in some other way. In my opinion that’s why Floyd has incorporated the ‘trash talk” approach and it’s really the key difference between he and Pernell. Whitaker wasn’t nearly as insulting or as entertaining at the podium as Mayweather. There was far less swagger in “Sweet Pea” than there is in “Pretty Boy” Floyd and the results or consequences are quite significant. Being the P4P king didn’t translate into the kind of compensation for Whitaker that “Money” Mayweather has grown accustomed to. Not by a long shot! Suffice it to say that there’s a method to Floyd’s madness and no one can argue with his results. But, in the minds of many he’ll never be acknowledgement in a manner you’d think his talent would guarantee because he has failed to make matches with the fighters generally considered to be the best in the division at the time. No Cotto fight, no Margarito fight, no Williams fight, etc……

Financially, it hasn’t hurt him because he was able to secure much more lucrative matches with higher stature less threatening foes. It has hurt him from a credibility stand point. Some accuse Floyd of creating a template for future fighters to use that shows how to make the most cash for the least amount of risk. You can argue it both ways but Mayweather is not the first to be accused of this. At times, Ray Leonard suffered the same criticism as did Oscar De La Hoya but at the end of the day the value in taking such an approach is all too obvious. Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya are both RICH! Very rich and that’s the real name of the game in Floyd’s mind. Floyd has never lost sight of this and don’t expect him too anytime soon.

But, even if you don’t agree with Mayweather’s method you shouldn’t ignore this reality.

Floyd Mayweather Jr IS a brilliant and I do mean BRILLIANT fighter! Anyone with eyes and a boxing brain can see that.

He has more natural talent than perhaps anyone since Roy Jones Jr. I’ve always been more of a “fighter” type of guy as opposed to “boxer” type of guy. But, at the end of the day it’s impossible for a Julio Cesar Chavez disciple like my self not to recognize that this guy is truly gifted. So, far he’s been unbeatable and with the exception of a close and controversial decision win against Jose Luis Castillo in their first fight Floyd has shown an incredible ability to acclimate to just about any style. People have called him a “virtuoso in the ring” but I think that’s even an understatement. From a technical perspective this guy is Niccolò Paganini in boxing trunks and NO amount of distaste for his demeanor can change that. Floyd is one of the smartest fighters we’ve ever seen and his ring generalship puts him in a class all by himself.

He’s a complete fighter!

In the case of Manny Pacquiao you have Floyd’s lunar opposite in almost every regard. He’s exactly the type of ambassador we need in our sport. He’s more the type of fighter that I generally tend to root for because he’s a puncher and his intention is stop guys not outbox them. I generally tend to root for guys like Manny because he appears to be a genuinely nice person outside of the ring. You don’t hear any foul language or any attempt to intimidate or down play his opponents talent leading in to a fight. It’s not his nature. In the ring, he’s never in a dull fight and he takes chances. He’s hittable which creates just the right amount of doubt and appear beatable. In an odd way that in itself adds to his appeal especially amongst those who might tend to root against him. Pacquiao has emerged as a truly special fighter who’s style doesn’t fit easily into any box. He can be quite unorthodox and because of it he gives guys who are highly technically skilled like Juan Manuel Marquez fits. He lands punches you’re not supposed to land but more importantly he throws punches you’re not supposed to throw. He’s a wild card and being a technical wizard may not be enough to beat him because of it. Technical fighters HATE unpredictability. He also has arguably the best trainer in the world today, Freddie Roach. Manny’s credibility with fans is at an all time high and there’s no telling how important a figure he’ll become if he continues to win.

Is it to soon to compare him to Ray Robinson? Yes! Right now I don’t think it’s fair to compare Manny or Floyd with any of those great fighters of the past because you can’t truly assess a fighter’s career until after its ended. Doing it before then is a waste of time. So, forget the “all time great” stuff for a while.

I think we can all agree that BOTH fighters have credentials of the highest order and a win by either over the other would re-invigorate the GOAT debate.

One of the truly difficult things to do when breaking down a fight is removing all the sentiment from the process. What most boxing analyst are guilty of is allowing their like or dislike of a fighter enter into their analytical conclusions. In some cases, if you really admire one fighter and despise the other you subconsciously build a case for the fighter you favor. In preparing for this article I made a conscious effort to remove all sentiment from the equation. I reviewed as much footage as I could acquire on for both fighters and spent the most time studying their recent performances. In Manny’s case I studied 25 fights and for Floyd I studied 37 fights. I’ve seen each one of their most important fights. But, I also did my best to review both fighters’ entire careers so I could track their progression from fight to fight to gain a better understanding of how their styles have evolved. I wanted to know what factors contributed to their ascension to the status they currently enjoy. I turned down the volume and processed the information with my eyes not with my ears.

What you’re about to read is not a prediction it’s a breakdown of possible tactical scenarios that any good camp would take into consideration in preparing their fighter for the task at hand. That’s it. There are a million reasons why fighters win and lose. Sometimes they don’t execute the tactical plan on fight night because they are not physically prepared and / or the tactical plan is just plain bad to begin with or they just get caught. Sometimes it’s that simple. In boxing, one punch can render all the best tactical advice and preparation useless no matter how brilliant or deficient it is.

That’s the bottom line!

So, here it is……..

Pacquiao vs Mayweather: Tactical Warfare!

First off, Manny is the busier fighter of the two. He throws a lot of punches and does so by darting in and out of range. Manny routinely throws somewhere in the area of 50-60 punches per round to Floyd’s 30-40 punches per round. Floyd is a precision puncher and when he lands he usually lands clean whereas Manny overwhelms his opponents with activity while mixing in hard shots from a variety of angles. Manny will have to avoid falling into the trap that pretty much all of Mayweather’s previous opponents have fallen into and that’s fighting at Floyd’s pace. Floyd has the ability to make normally very busy fighters hold their punches. Certainly his defensive skills are the cause but Roach will have to work very hard to make sure Manny maintains his normal work rate. Even if he’s not landing he’ll have to throw because it’s an integral part of his rhythm base. Manny cannot afford to get into a precision punching contest with Floyd. Bet on Roach spending a lot of time making sure Manny’s stays on his usual pace. If Manny throws at his normal rate and can avoid being hurt then I think he’ll be on solid ground in this fight. He clearly has the higher punch output and SHOULD land more punches. I think Floyd will throw fewer but land at a higher connect percentage. If Manny finds himself trying to match Floyd’s accuracy and it lowers his punch out put he’ll be making a big mistake. And it’s one that could lead to a KO for Floyd. Much is made of Floyd’s lack of power but I disagree with that and even though it’s a cliché “his speed is his power”. But aside from his fast hands NO one is going to walk through Floyd. He has enough power to make you think twice and remind you to tighten up your defense. You can bet that Freddie Roach isn’t one who thinks Floyd’s punching power is a non issue. Roach will want to limit Manny’s exposure as much as possible and will plan on a measured but steady attack. Fast pace, in and out!

If Manny can make Floyd fight at a faster pace then he will be successful in getting Floyd out of his comfort zone and it may even sap his energy. I’m positive that Roach will send Manny out to test that theory. After all Floyd’s the older less active fighter at this stage and he also recently showed some vulnerability in training for the JMM fight with his rib injury. Manny has maintained a very busy fight schedule and has been relatively injury free so you can expect him to be ready to go red line through all twelve rounds if need be. This will have to be a fast paced fight for Manny to emerge with a “W”. He’ll have to engage and re-engage over and over. That’s the key. He can’t allow himself to follow Floyd around the ring. Manny must cut off the ring and keep his hands moving without loading up on too many punches. His volume will be more important than his power in this fight.

Pacquiao is adept at slipping an orthodox jab and sliding underneath it to his right and firing his most effective punch, the straight left hand. In his recent fight with Hatton, Manny showed a much improved right hook which is a newly developed weapon that future opponents should be weary of. Freddie Roach has been talking about Manny’s right hand becoming a bigger factor all the way back to the first Erik Morales fight (“Manila Ice” is what they called it!) but it only really became evident in the Hatton fight. The pre-Hatton version of Manny used his right hand a couple of different ways. First, he has a pretty stiff jab that he routinely uses to slap down or deflect his opponent’s jab. It’s has great defensive value. That said from an opponent’s perspective the tactic of slapping down an opponents jab may also create an opportunity. But, it’s an opportunity only a fighter as fast as Manny himself could take advantage of. If Manny allows himself to be duped by a left shoulder feint while extending his right jab in anticipation of blocking his opponents jab then he could leave himself open to a counter left hook which is one of Floyd’s best punches. Floyd can also turn his jab into a hook in a blink of an eye. In fact, in reviewing Floyd dating all the way back to his days as the best 130 pounder in the world he throws that punch whenever he wants to do damage. He used it to stunning affect against Diego Corrales all the way up to backing up Oscar De La Hoya off of him in their fight. The hook he landed against Hatton was more a case of Floyd allowing Ricky to knock himself out by lunging in. Hatton was caught with the check hook and by jumping in added to the power of that shot. I’m talking about the hook Floyd throws when he plants himself and steps into the punch. It’s one of if not the hardest shot he throws and it’s EXTREMELY fast. Floyd is adept at feinting with his left shoulder and then firing that hook instead of his jab. He’s also capable of turning that hook upward so it almost comes at you like an uppercut at times. For opponent’s it’s a dangerous variation that only a supremely fast fighter would even attempt. It tells you something about his confidence level. If you’re not a supremely fast handed fighter then you’re opponent hits you with a counter right hook from either the orthodox or southpaw stance for throwing that. So, far no one has made Floyd pay for that but maybe with the advent of time his reflexes have slowed just enough for Manny to capitalize if Floyd shoots one his way.

My advice to Pacquiao; “Watch out for that left hook!”

However, as with any punch there’s a counter punch and there are times when Floyd fires his left hook and leaves the canvas in an attempt to use his full body weight in its delivery. When Floyd does that he opens himself up to Manny best punch, his straight left hand. If Manny can get Floyd to commit himself to that left hook and then time him while slipping to his left he can create enough room to deliver that punch. Zab Judah was able to get that punch in early in his fight with Floyd and so did Demarcus Corley. PBF quickly adjusted once he figured out what was triggering both guys. So, if Manny does have any success with that counter strategy then he’ll have to make those shots count because chances are Floyd will close down that avenue once he knows what’s triggering Pacquiao. Floyd’s adaptability is maybe the best in the game. His boxing mind works very fast and if one thing is not working he can just as easily find another means to avoid shots. He solved the puzzles of Judah and Corley and was able to take away their opportunities. For Manny, in order to minimize Floyd’s left hook he’ll have to use his legs and keep Floyd spinning so he can’t plant and fire. This will take the zip out of Floyd’s hook.

But, back to Manny’s right hook. Roach has him sitting down on that punch more now than I think we’ve ever seen before and I think it adds a new dynamic to Manny’s arsenal one that Mayweather shouldn’t ignore. Manny showed great power in that punch against Hatton and brought it over the top of Ricky’s lazy jab to knock him down in the 1st round. It appears that he can deliver it as a standard hook or over the top in variation so Mayweather will be making a big mistake if he assumes that once he’s blocked Manny’s jab that the only follow up punch from his left side will be another jab. It could be that right hook. I don’t think before the Hatton fight that punch could really have qualified as a MAJOR concern. But, now it is. It’s a legitimate improvement in Pacquiao and a credit to Roach. Now, in relation to Manny’s hardest punch, his straight left hand. This is a great punch when it lands because Manny delivers it with the full weight of his body behind it. That’s why it’s so devastating. He taps out a couple of range finding jabs and then he explodes into that punch. If it lands it’s bad news for the guy standing in the way. You don’t want to get hit with that punch so you better hope you’re leaning back with your hands up or slightly out of range because if you’re not you saw what Pacquiao did to Hatton. Now, do I think he can put Floyd to sleep with that punch like he did Ricky? No! But, I do think he can make Floyd think twice about getting hit with it and it WILL do damage. The only punch that I can honestly say truly visibly hurt Mayweather was delivered by another southpaw, Demarcus Corley and it was hard left hook over Floyd’s right hand.

Mayweather was wobbled by that shot but he also recovered in a blink of an eye.

But, my advice to Mayweather is “Don’t get hit with that SHOT!

But, here’s more intrigue. Manny’s straight left hand does offer an opportunity for his opponents. At times when Manny fires it he puts himself out of position and squares himself up. This is not a carefully guarded secret. The fact that he’s been doing it for so many years tells you that Roach either has not been able to correct it or a part of him knows that he shouldn’t correct it. At least not completely. Because of Manny’s excellent speed 98% of the guys he fights won’t be able to do anything about it anyway. Roach has been playing the averages on that shot and up until now he’s been right to do so. When Manny came to Roach he was a one handed fighter. That one punch is the one being discussed. It’s Manny most feared weapon but its also his Achilles heel. I’m sure Roger Mayweather salivates when he see’s Manny throwing and missing that shot because he knows his nephew has the SPEED to make him pay for it. Chances are Floyd will show an opening for that shot forcing Manny to commit to it and counter with his own straight right hand which if it lands will have twice the impact because as previously stated Pacquiao puts all his body weight behind that shot. There could be catastrophic consequences for Manny if that happens. PBF is a master of getting guys to run into shots and if Manny bites this could be a recipe for disaster. Freddie Roach I’m sure will work very hard to find a way of identifying that look so Manny avoids that trigger. It will ultimately come down to a timing issue and the answer for Pacquiao might be to fire his left hand when Floyd is in a straight up stance or has his back to the ropes. In the center of the ring it’s 50/50 and against Mayweather I don’t like those odds.

The challenge for Freddie Roach in devising a tactical plan is that Floyd is so damn adaptable and has a complete array of looks and technical triggers to confuse his opponents.

He makes in ring adjustments better than anyone else and as a fighter his ring intelligence is second to none. His defense is so tight that he forces his opponents to attempt a million variations of their own game plan in an attempt to just land ONE solid blow. He forces them to change up their approach round after round. While opponents are trying to find one thing that works Floyd is busy adjusting to his opponents speed, range and punching power. That allows him to start gauging the risk factor for his own offensive moves. The Zab Judah fight was a perfect example of Floyd studying a fighter who had speed comparable to his own. He allowed Zab in the first 4 rounds to show him everything he had speed and power-wise and then he made the adjustments in both areas to over take Judah. Zab Judah was a VERY GOOD and naturally gifted fighter back in his day and was very dangerous but Floyd’s ring generalship made the difference. Floyd has a spellbinding ability to make fighters fight his fight and at his pace. That’s very dangerous for Manny. Pacquiao CANNOT allow himself to get into a chess match with Floyd while only throwing 30-40 punches per round. If he does he’ll be playing right into Mayweather’s hands. That’s the kind of fight that Floyd wants. Floyd wants to control the pace and he wants to win the exchanges one at a time. He just doesn’t want to engage in that many exchanges. The fewer the better for Floyd. He’s the flashier fighter and he’ll be content to steal rounds.

For Manny, he must remain true to his style and not get drawn into any of Floyd’s mind games in our out of the ring. Manny’s feet and punch out put should allow him to score more often and IF he can avoid the many traps that Floyd will be setting he should be able to win more rounds. The pace will be everything to Manny. Remember Pacquiao doesn’t need to win this fight by knockout.

He has the higher punch out put and if his legs will allow him he can win this fight by out hustling Floyd.

The question is can Manny ignore his natural instinct to fight and maintain a disciplined game plan? Chances are he’s going to miss a lot in this fight which for a lot of fighters impacts their psyche and shuts down their reasoning skills. They some times just keep repeating themselves and end up running out of rounds.

For Floyd, what happens if Manny get’s on pace to throw 75 punches a round? Will Mayweather be able to up his own punch out put to keep pace AND can he maintain that over 12 rounds? Or will Floyd make the most unlikely adjustment of them all and attempt to hunt Pacquiao down? That’s a real possibility that not many are willing to consider but it’s one that wouldn’t surprise me if he finds he’s landing clean head shots against Pacquiao. Sometimes it’s not about the brute strength of a punch but rather the precision in which it is delivered that makes the difference.

Whatever method these two apply in attempting to Solve the Rubik's cube of each other you can bet that the event will be create a new standard for super fights and remind people that professional boxing is still the premier fighting sport in the world

 

[heyzel]

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Talks Pre-Fight Training, Retirement and more in October Men's F

NEW YORK, NY--On September 19, welterweight fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr. will return to the ring for the first time after surprising boxing fans two years ago by announcing his retirement. In the October issue of Men's Fitness, Mayweather discusses his decision to retire and the inspiration that ultimately led him back into the ring. "I had been fighting since 1987 without a vacation," he says. "I needed to get to know myself again.."

The October issue of Men's Fitness hits newsstands September 21 nationwide. Following are highlights from the interview.

On how reconciling with his father led him back into the ring...
"My 10-year-old son was always asking to go to the gym. So my dad started working with him and I started tagging along. It was really special to see my dad working with my son. It was stuff you needed to get on a video camera. This ultimately led him to start going back to the gym, hitting the heavy bags and sparring. "I missed the fans and the atmosphere and I thought, as long as I'm doing all this stuff, I might as well get back into what I love, and that's boxing."

On pre-fight training which starts with a massage, shadowboxing and five to nine rounds of sparring then ends with hand pad/heavy bag intervals and hours at the "fitness gym"...
"I want to push myself to the limit and always try to be the best. I'm always trying to outdo my last performance."

On his community initiatives...
"Someday I want a kid to surpass me. Someone who wouldn't have a chance except for the programs that keep getting cut. And I want to start golf programs in the inner-city schools. I'm going to start playing too, now that it's right outside my house."

On the growing popularity of MMA...
"We got black fighters and Hispanic fighters dominating the sport. There are no white fighters in boxing that are dominating, so they had to go to something else and start something new."

On pattering himself after multi-talented stars like Jaime Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson by pursuing outside endeavors outside the ring...
"We believe in rolling the dice and taking chances. I didn't do it by myself. I had a good team

 

[heyzel]

Floyd Mayweather Senior Suggests Manny Pacquiao May Be Taking Illegal Supplements

by James Slater - In a new interview that is sure to shock, outrage and even offend fans of Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Senior has come forward and suggested that the Filipino legend and current pound-for-pound king may be taking illegal supplements such as steroids.

Talking exclusively with David Mayo of The Grand Rapids Press, Floyd Senior, now reunited with his son Floyd "Money" Mayweather Junior, spoke about his suspicions.

"I believe he's [Manny Pacquiao] on some type of supplements," Mayweather Snr. said. "I'm convinced (unintelligible) - but I don't think he can beat Little Floyd with steroids in him or not. I just don't think he - he don't have that kind of talent, that kind of skills, whatever he has in him..

"That's what they do now, man. I think everyone should be checked a lot more thoroughly than they are now, because some of 'em slide through and sometimes people know what's going on when they don't say nothing."

This is a quite astonishing claim by one of the sport's premier trainers. Will Team-Pacquiao be so angry they will even feel the need to take Mayweather Snr to court? That remains to be seen, but not for one minute do I believe the God-fearing "Pac-Man" would ever take steroids. It's simply not his way. But why would Mayweather make such a claim without a genuine belief in what he's saying? Surely he had to know he'd get into all kinds of trouble if his claims were utterly without foundation.

The fans are going to be talking about this one for some time, and, as is often the case when a controversial article appears, there will be some people who choose to believe Mayweather Snr's claims. One thing is sure: the potential mega fight between Pacquiao and "Money" Mayweather will now be an even bigger affair.

Let's now wait and see how Manny Pacquiao himself, his trainer Freddie Roach, his family and his vast number of adoring fans take to this latest news. Of course, this is not the first time Mayweather Senior has made a controversial statement, and it's sure to not be the last; but has Big Floyd gone way too far this time? And are his latest comments about the superb fighter who took his son's place atop the pound-for-pound charts evidence that he sees Pacquiao as a very genuine threat to Mayweather Jr's unbeaten record



http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=21177&more=1

 

[heyzel]

Kessler vs. Ward: Breakdown and Prediction

By Ted Sares - He’s very fast. He throws nice jabs and then follows up with a right or left. He’s a one, two, fighter. He’s the best one-two combination puncher out there --Librado Andrade on Kessler.

I’m ready! -- Andre Ward

When Olympic Gold Medal winner Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (20-0) meets Mikkel Kessler on November 12 in Oakland, CA, he will learn that the “Viking Warrior: (42-1) is neither Shelby Pudwill nor Edison Miranda. What he will discover is that Kessler has fought far superior opposition, has solid technical skills, and has extremley heavy hands capable of sending Ward into Marin County Dreamland.

Power - Kessler has the clear edge. His KO% is 74.42; Ward’s is 65, but The Dane achieves clean knockouts while S.O.G.’s come by way of stoppage, cuts, or DQ‘s.

Chin - Kessler has the clear edge. Ward has been hurt (by Kenny Kost) and he has been down (by Daniel Boone). Kessler has a granite chin..

Quality of opposition

Kessler has a monumental edge here. For every Dhafir Smith (16-15-5) Ward has fought, the Dane has fought a Jamie “Rocky” Balboa (64-25-1). For every Miranda Ward has fought, Kessler has duked with Librado Andrade (24-0 coming in), Markus Beyer (34-2-1 coming in), Eric Lucas (38-6-3 coming in), Dingaan Thobela (40-9-1 at the time), and Tony Menefee (72-8-1). For every Darnell Boone, the Dane has fought Joe Calzaghe and Anthony Mundine. Ward iced Jerson Ravelo, but Kessler has iced Julio Cesar Green, Henry Porras (26-1), Craig Cummings (51-4-1), and some thirty others. As well, The Viking Warrior has gone to war with seven different world champions.

Style

Ward is a stylist who showed good stuff against Miranda, but the Colombian bomber was a willing opponent. He uses great hand speed, stiff jabs and straight lefts along with excellent ring movement to win his fights. With great amateur credential, he has a high ring IQ and knows what he is doing most of the time, but he is not as good a closer as Kessler. He is content to win a decision rather than risk going for the kill. Against Miranda, he showed he could fight well inside and proved quite versatile.

Unlike Ward, Kessler blends big power with fine technical skills and pressure to beat his opponents. This was best shown when he shut out rugged Librado Andrade in 2007 by scores of 120--108. Against the great Joe Calzaghe, the Dane lost but still showed off his great ring abilities. The cards were 117-111, 116-112, 116-112. Calzaghe started slowly but took control in the mid rounds and showed incredible grit down the stretch to win the unanimous, albeit close decision

To sum up their differences, Ward has a considerable arsenal of skills, but so does the more orthodox Kessler--along with impressive power

The Outcome

On paper, this one would appear easy to predict, but given Ward’s athleticism and speed, he could well make this a far more difficult fight for the WBA World super middleweight tile holder. Nevertheless, Mikkel Kessler is the super star and Andre Ward is the upstart challenger.

That said, I can see Ward staying on the outside with good movement content to jab and use his body shots and occasional hooks to keep Kessler at bay. If he can do this, he can win a decision. Joe Calzaghe laid out the blueprint, but Ward is no Calzaghe. And Kessler didn’t become a champion by winning easy fights. Sooner or later, I see him closing the gap as he stalks Ward (who has never before been in such a pressure-filled fight) from the outset using his patented one-two. If he is able to catch him in a corner or on the ropes (or even in the middle of the ring), he will, in my opinion, buzz him--and if Kost and Boone can hurt Ward, Kessler will wax him in the same manner as he did Markus Beyer.

The thing is, Kessler can knock Andre out, but Andre cannot knock Kessler out. Ward will be the runner and Kessler will be the chaser. Sooner or later, he will catch his prey and finish matters decisively.

Both fighters have now done their part by dispatching their dreadful warm-up foes. Now the real thing looms. Let the hype begin.

 

[MOREBASS]

Good interview with Manny Steward, and I agree with almost everything he said except for the fact that Floyd will not show any rust.

I think that fighters who tend to rely on reflexes are affected most by layoffs, and I don't think that Floyd was in a boxing gym during his layoff. He had too much on his table, and you could just tell he needed a break from it completely.

I know that he is one of the finest athletes in all of sports though, so I don't think he was out of shape, but being in physical shape and being in boxing shape are completely different, IMO.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Mayweather Sr. needs to stop smoking crack rock.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Manny isn't on any type of steroid. Floyd Sr. is just talking shit. He can't really think that.

 

[WYNO707X4]

i kind of belive it.look at manny from wen he fought marquez the first fight and now. look how big his head has gotten from the first fight wit marquez. same shit happen to barry bonds.who knows i hope it aint true i like manny alot he a warrior like most mexican fighters. fuck mayweather

 

[WYNO707X4]

o yea i order latin furry #11 by top rank last saturday. shit was good.the only thing that got me piss that chavez jr stop his opponent in the first round but fuck it he won

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Very interesting fight right here....


Guzman-Funeka Heads To 11/28 after Golden Boy Bid Win

By Jake Donovan

Joan Guzman and Ali Funeka, you can now exhale. Your unscheduled vacant title fight appears to have finally found a home.

BoxingScene.com was informed that Golden Boy Promotions, who earlier this summer signed Guzman to a promotional deal, won a purse bid held earlier in the day for the IBF-ordered title fight. Their winning bid of 212,000 was just enough to edge out the next highest submission of 202,000 placed by Gary Shaw Productions, the US promoter of record for Funeka.

Early plans call for the fight to land on November 28 in Canada beneath the HBO-televised super middleweight title fight rematch between Lucian Bute and Librado Andrade, a fight for which Golden Boy also won the purse bid. No word on whether or not this fight will be added to the broadcast, or appear on the non-televised undercard portion of the show.

At the very least, the announcement brings momentary resolution to what has been a wild roller coaster ride in making this fight a reality.

Guzman (29-0, 17KO) hasn’t fought since a December 2008 homecoming win over Ameth Diaz in the Dominican Republic. He was originally scheduled to face Yuri Romanov shortly after the alphabet title was made available by Nate Campbell, who relinquished the title on the scales prior to his gutty win over Funeka earlier this year.

Funkea (30-2, 25KO), who hasn’t fought since the razor-thin loss to Campbell in his lone stateside-televised appearance, was only added to the title picture by process of elimination.

Plans for Guzman-Romanov were thwarted when it was learned that the Dominican was on administrative suspension due to his pulling out of a September 2008 scheduled title fight with Campbell after failing to make weight.

The next highest challenger, Fernando Angulo, was named as a replacement, though removed after a successful protest lodged by Funeka’s camp. What didn’t come of the move, however, was an immediate title fight opportunity for Funeka.

Instead, enough time had passed to where Guzman was no longer under suspension, allowing the sanctioning body to reverted back to original plans of a Guzman-Romanov faceoff, only for that fight to be scrapped after Romanov encountered unexpected Visa issues.

That’s when Funeka was finally given a second chance at his first major title.

Once the matchup was finalized, the next step was finding a home for the fight. It was hoped that Showtime could find enough money in its remaining boxing budget for 2009 to serve as the final leg of a year-end tripleheader which includes Tim Bradley-Lamont Peterson and Vic Darchinyan-Tomas Rojas at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California.

However, such plans were contingent on the show’s promoter, Gary Shaw, obtaining the rights to the lightweight fight. They fell short by $10,000, though nothing should yet be ruled out.

Golden Boy Promotions also won a purse bid for the rights to promote the Bute-Andrade rematch, but wisely saw fit to stage the fight in Bute’s backyard (Golden Boy promotes Andrade), where they believed it had the best chance of turning a profit.

Applying such logic to Guzman-Funeka isn’t quite as simple a task. Neither fighter is regarded as a draw of any kind in the states, which would mean such a fight would need to take place either in Guzman’s native Dominican Republic or in Funeka’s South Africa homeland.

It’s highly doubtful that any stateside-based network will send a camera crew to either location, which means finding the best available undercard slot, such as the November 28 HBO Boxing After Dark telecast.

Wherever and whenever the fight lands, it will hopefully prove to be an easier task than was the case in trying to put it together in the first place.

 

[MOREBASS]

Interesting matchup. I'd like to see how Guzman deals with the frame of Faneka. I know he likes to stay on the outside, but would that really be a wise choice for him against that reach?


Anyways, I'm picking Guzman to win a decision.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

style wise, and size wise, it's a bizarre matchup. Guzman is 5'7 and Funeka is 6'1. Nate Campbell was also 5'7 but he has a much longer reach (72") than guzman (67"). It's going to be strange but I think guzman should be able to out-box him.

My only concern is guzman is 33 years old now and I wonder if he's starting to slip a bit. We'll see.

The good news is this is just another good/interesing fight to look forward to to what should turn out to be an awesome end of 2009.