Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

Juan Diaz Turns Down Agreed Upon Deal for Rematch with Malignaggi - News

September 29, 2009) In 1980 Roberto Duran became famous for uttering the words “no mas” in the eighth round of his rematch with “Sugar” Ray Leonard. Almost thirty years later, Juan Diaz is refusing to even entertain the thought of a rematch by saying “no gracias” to the deal his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, had already agreed to for a second meeting with Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi.

On August 22, Malignaggi and Diaz battled back and forth in what has been widely acclaimed as one of the best fights of 2009. Despite the close nature of the fight, and most observers believing Malignaggi had done enough to win, Diaz was awarded an astonishingly lopsided unanimous decision.

The verdict, which was particularly jaw-dropping given Judge Gale Van Hoy’s 118-110 scorecard in favor of Diaz, has had boxing fans far and wide clamoring for a rematch..

Over the course of the past two weeks Malignaggi’s promoter, Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment, and Diaz’s promoter, Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, began hammering out the details of Malignaggi vs. Diaz 2, with both sides agreeing that everything would be split and distributed evenly, from the fighter’s purses to the percentage of profits off the event that both companies would keep. The two sides had begun reaching out to venues in Chicago due to its neutral location between Malignaggi’s hometown of Brooklyn, New York, and Diaz’s hometown of Houston, Texas (where the first fight took place). Even HBO was onboard, agreeing to pay a hefty license fee for the rights to air the bout on December 12.

“I was very excited,” said Malignaggi of his reaction to the news a deal was nearing completion. “I knew the rematch was going to be a great fight and I knew I was going to beat the breaks off this guy.”

Things began to fall apart, however, when word of the deal being struck was met with vastly different responses by the camps of the respective fighters. While Malignaggi swiftly agreed to the terms of the deal and put into motions plans to start a training camp, Diaz and manager Willie Savannah rejected the offer his promoter had struck on his behalf, thus killing the dreams of all boxing fans that these two top junior welterweights would square off again.

“I assumed when Golden Boy and I reached an agreement, that the deal was done, and I think Richard Schaefer believed it was going to get done,” said DiBella. “I know that Golden Boy tried to make this fight with the license fee that was available; they were frustrated by unreasonable management and an unwilling fighter.”

Diaz did not give a specific reason for his withdrawal other than saying he deferred his decision to manager Willie Savannah. Whoever made the final call, Malignaggi suspects it was the overture of neutrality that ultimately killed the bout from the Diaz end.

“If Juan is a real fighter, he will pull up his skirt and tell Willie Savannah he wants the rematch,” said Malignaggi. “Willie doesn’t want to do a rematch because they can’t screw me the second time around. In the spirit of competition, Juan should want a rematch and this rematch should happen.”

“The problem with marketplace decisions are that they give the beneficiaries the idea that they have marketplace leverage, even when they don’t,” added DiBella, who has another theory why Team Diaz has chosen to stay away from Paulie Malignaggi this time around: “I guess Juan Diaz doesn’t want to see his mother crying with her head buried in her hands again.”

While Malignaggi will always be amenable to an opportunity to settle the score with Diaz, he is moving on, and not letting Diaz get in the way of him or his career advancement.

“I’m not going to wait on Juan Diaz,” he said. “I heard Diaz actually wants a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez [who stopped Diaz in nine rounds in February], but who gives a crap? Marquez will knock him out cold again. Here’s an idea. How about Malignaggi vs. Marquez? I’ve got to keep it going, with or without Juan Diaz.”

 

[heyzel]

John Murray Stops Jon Thaxton In 4th-Round - Regains British Lightweight Title

by James Slater - Tonight, on the outskirts of Manchester, 24-year-old local man John Murray stopped former British and European 135-pound champion Jon Thaxton of Norwich at 2-minutes and 30-seconds of the 4th-round. Fighting for the vacant British lightweight title (belt stripped from Murray for failure to make weight in fight with Scott Lawton back in the summer) the two men knew how much was on the line..

Murray boxed a perfect fight and a big right hand from him prompted referee Howard Foster to dive in and rescue Thaxton as he attempted to cover up along the ropes. Some people questioned the stoppage, and it did seem as though "Jono" knew where he was and what he was doing, and he initially disputed the ref's decision. The right hand wobbled the 35-year-old, sure, but should he have been stopped? Certainly, Thaxton's trainer, Dominic Ingle, didn't think so - saying that what the ref did was no way to stop a British title fight.

The arguments aside, Murray will go on to even bigger things now, and he improves to 28-0(16). Thaxton, who may well decide to announce his retirement after a fine seventeen year pro career, is now 34-11(19).

Coming out quite fast, southpaw Thaxton used plenty of movement, and he also threw a lot of jabs. Murray had a nice, tight guard and he boxed conservatively. As it turned out, the opening session was the only three minutes Thaxton won.

Wobbled by a right hand-left hook combo to the head in the 2nd, Thaxton fired back and some exciting trading took place. Murray really was being patient though, refusing to get overexcited and careless. The action was good, and Thaxton was letting both hands go as best he could. Clearly this was Murray's round.

Thaxton was boxing well again at the start of the 3rd, but he was soon caught by another right to the head. Looking a very dangerous weapon, Murray's right hand upstairs was giving the veteran who has been a pro since 1992 severe problems. Another round for the younger man.

Thaxton tried switching stance again briefly in the 4th, while Murray stalked his man, again with his hands held high. Then, suddenly, a big right hand tagged Thaxton and his legs became unsteady. Covering up and on the defensive along the ropes, Thaxton was then rescued by Foster. Initially it looked a premature call, and after the fight both Dominic and the even more experienced Brendan Ingle complained quite bitterly. Indeed, it's hard not to feel some sympathy for Thaxton, who has now lost his last three outings.

Should he decide to call it a day, Thaxton can hold his head up high, safe in the knowledge that he gave his all throughout his entire career. As for Murray, the sky truly is the limit.

 

[heyzel]

The Tuaman makes a statement

by Geoffrey Ciani - The last two times I saw David Tua fight was ringside at the Roseland Ballroom. He did not look especially impressive in either performance. One was a seventh round stoppage against the unheralded Maurice Wheeler and the other was a unanimous decision victory over Robert Hawkins. In both fights Tua appeared slow, plodding, and unmotivated. He simply was not the same fighter he had been while working his way up the ranks, impressing fans with his explosive knockout power. That Tua, it had seemed, was long gone..

Still, news of Tua landing a fight with fellow-New Zealander Shane Cameron tweaked my interest. There’s something fascinating about knockout artists, and Tua’s power and chin give him a chance against anyone. Those two attributes can carry one a long way in the sport. Tua’s problems always stemmed from a lack of motivation and/or a dedication. All too often he would be lulled into the same trap whereby he slowly plodded after his opponent, never moving his head, only looking to land a big left hook. Any fighter with a decent jab could offset his rhythm, sending him back into the cycle of plod, eat a jab, reset.

This fight became more interesting when an interview featuring Tua and Cameron seemed to suggest renewed interest on the part of Tua. Was he really rededicated? Was he actually taking his career seriously, realizing this might be the last chance for him to cash-in on his talent? We had heard all this before. Time and time again, we would hear news of a “new” Tuaman—one who would work the body, throw combinations, and come into the ring in fighting shape. Time and time again, he disappointed. Recent news of him hospitalizing a sparring partner turned a few heads, but still did not constitute real evidence that Tua was back. His fight with Shane Cameron, however, did.

David Tua is back!

His victory over Shane Cameron is not all that impressive in and of itself. That was expected by many, myself included. It was the way Tua won that was impressive. He has not had a performance like that where he looked this explosive in years. The way he clobbered Shane Cameron reminded me of the way he bludgeoned John Ruiz back on HBO’s Night of the Young Heavyweights over thirteen years ago. His power was explosive, his punches seemed as fast (If not faster then) ever, and he still exhibited that relentless desire to press forward and chop down his opponent. More impressive was the fact that he was using elusive head movement and was throwing good powerful combinations, some of which were even started by powerful right hands. His trademark left hook looked as vicious as ever, and before long, Shane Cameron had no idea what hit him and probably had no idea where he was.

Keeping things in perspective, Shane Cameron is not exactly a world beater, so too much should not be made of this victory. In a day and age where there is not a whole lot to be excited about in the heavyweight division, this was a welcome turn of events. Can Tuaman make waves? If today was any indication, it appears he can. He will always be susceptible to fighters with a good jab who have a height and reach advantage, but regardless, he remains a dangerous foe for anyone out there. If he can continue doing the little things he did against Cameron—moving his head, throwing combinations, and being effective with his right hand—he can once again become a force in the heavyweight division. At age 36, maybe he finally realizes that he still has a chance to cash in on his talent. It was an impressive victory for Tua and it will be interesting to see where he goes from here. Hopefully, he will remain active and we will see him back in the ring against sometime soon

 

[heyzel]

Allan Green Wins, but not Super in UD Over Tarvis Simms

By Paul Strauss - The scorecards signified a strong showing for Allan "Sweetness" Green over unbeaten Tarvis Simms. But, the reality is his performance was not a Super Six performance. In fairness to the native Oklahoman, there were some unexpected circumstances that undoubtedly played a hand in his performance, such as a last minute (6 days) change in opponents. Originally he had been scheduled to fight the orthodox slugger named Victor Oganov, but the Russian injured his shoulder. The thirty-eight year old Simms eagerly stepped in to re-establish himself and his unbeaten record as a worthy contender..

In a pre=fight-interview Green claimed the much shorter Simms would not be able to withstand his onslaught, and he implied the fight would end in a knockout. Announcers Curt Menefee, Steve Farhood and Antonio Tarver all talked about the difficulties Green might have had adjusting late in his training camp to a completely different style fighter. Oganov fights squat, is strong and dangerous, but very hittable. The implication was that anyone Green could hit, he could take out, just as he has done with twenty of his previous opponents. On the other hand, the threesome advised viewers that Simms was clever, and would be fighting southpaw, which could prove to be a big last minute adjustment for Green.

But, Simms foxed them all by coming out orthodox. He also managed to get a jab established, and proved clever enough to elude Green's big shots, especially the left hook.

Green controlled the action and used his height advantage, but often times also smothered him self by allowing Simms to get in close. The three announcers were impressed with Simms performance early on, but wondered whether he could keep it up, because of the fact that he did take the fight on such short-notice. He had fought only once before in 2009, and in that fight he struggled to come away with a SD over Marcus Upshaw. Farhood also mentioned that Simms was obviously the smaller man, and had fought middleweight for most of his career, but on this night he had difficulty making the super-middleweight limit, and was seen running the night before weigh in and came in at 168 3/4 pounds. He didn't look flabby, but he did look thick around the middle.

Throughout the fight Green controlled the action, and landed more punches and harder punches, but there were times when he looked less than stellar. His combinations lacked the crispness we've become accustomed to expect with Sweetness. His timing seemed a bit off, and in the six-round Simms finally switched to southpaw. That seemed to confuse Green, who continued to move to his right into the power of Simms. In between rounds, Green could be heard to say, "He's fighting southpaw, what should I do?" That seemed to be a strange comment coming from a veteran fighter, who considered himself worthy of being chosen as a participant in the Super Six Tournament.

The most telling moments of the fight came when Simms was able to back Green up into the ropes. That was something that Green should never have let happen, and when it did, it revealed that Green was unsettled and somewhat surprised to find himself in that position. Simms changed his height disadvantage into an advantage and caught Green in an upright stance with his chin exposed. On at least one occasion he tagged Green sufficiently with a combination to warranted Curt Menefee into observing that Green was in trouble.

Simms wasn't able to press his momentary advantage enough to change the course of the fight, but it did make one wonder what would have happened if Green had been in there against one of the Super Six. It seems very possible Kessler, Froch and Abraham would have caused some serious damage if they were able to position Green similarly. It is also questionable whether Green exhibited enough speed and quickness last night to deal with the likes of the two Andres and Jermain.

In Greens defense, he mentioned during a post-fight interview that he re-injured his right shoulder. He explained that he just wasn't able to throw the power right hand the way he claims he normally can. That would also help to explain why he didn't throw more right hands against Simms when Simms changed to the southpaw stance. However, the fact remains that if Green expects to hold a position at the top of the division and continue to be someone ready to fight the eventual winner emerging from the Super Six Tournament, he had better be sharper and more powerful, and exhibit a better defense than he did last night at the First Council Casino, Newkirk, Oklahoma

 

[heyzel]

Audley Harrison And Danny Williams - Two Fighters Going In Opposite Directions

by James Slater - British heavyweights Audley Harrison and Danny Williams were expected to meet in the final of last night's instalment of "PrizeFighter;" instead the two rivals who have met twice before (one win each) never fought one another. Shocked in his first fight in the tourney by Carl Baker, Williams was decked heavily in the opening round, knocked down twice in the fight, and out-pointed over the three-rounds. Just like that, the 36-year-old's "PrizeFighter" adventure was over; as were his chances of getting it on with big Audley..

It's hard not to feel bad for Williams, now 41-8(31). Going into the tournament, "The Brixton Bomber" said he would retire if he failed to win it. As poor as he looked last night - with his punch resistance looking all but gone and his conditioning once again suspect - Danny should probably keep his word. A great servant of the sport during his fourteen year career, Williams gave it his best shot and fought some superb fighters. But now, having lost two of his last three fights, and being the age he is (ring years, with regards to wear and tear) the end looks to have arrived.

A gutsy warrior when he turned up in a good mental state, Williams can retire knowing he made his mark - on both the domestic and world scene.

As for 37-year-old Harrison, his career was given a much needed boost last night; as he wound up winning the tournament. As a result, "A-Force" once again had at least a partial right to be boastful. Okay, Harrison, now 26-4(19) didn't defeat any world class fighters last night, but he did show punching power, the ability to remain focused and a continued desire to fight. Now having the "PrizeFighter" trophy to sit alongside his Olympic gold medal in his collection of hardware (at least Audley would have the trophy, but he announced he was to give the prize to the family of former foe Michael Sprott, who suffered a personal tragedy recently) Harrison has a right to feel good about himself again.

It's still tough to see how the athletic southpaw can achieve his dream of becoming world heavyweight champion - post-fight he again said he is sure he can do it - but maybe, just maybe, the bit of success he gained last night will see to it that Audley gets the opportunity. His fight-ending left hand to the head of the previously unbeaten Coleman Barrett was a punch of real class and it would be interesting to see how last night's T.V panellist/commentator David Haye would take a shot like that from his fellow Brit.

If Haye can beat Nikolai Valuev next month, who knows - he just might make an all-British defence against the former Olympian. Stranger things have happened, after all.

Congratulations must go out to Harrison for showing up in shape and getting the job done last night in London. At the same time, commiserations must go out to Danny Williams, who may well have fought his last fight

 

[heyzel]

Rodriguez rocks, Andrade rolls in Rhode Island

LINCOLN, R.I. (October 3, 2009) – Hot prospect Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (12-0, 8 KOs) nearly pitched a shutout today, defeating battle-tested Darnell Boone by a unanimous 8-round decision in the main event on the “Saturday Afternoon Special” card at Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island. “Saturday Afternoon Special” was presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), in association with Star Boxing, Banner Promotions and DiBella Entertainment..

Rodriguez outclassed veteran Boone (16-13-2, 6 KOs)in an entertaining match, using his quick hands and reach advantage to pepper his game opponent, winning eight rounds on one judge’s card and seven on the two others. The learning experience continued for former 2-time national amateur champion Rodriguez, who is developing into a complete package.

“Boone is a helluva fighter,” Rodriguez commented. “He brought his ‘A’ game and he took some good punches. I didn’t put him away but learned a lot from this fight.”

In the co-feature, 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius “The Extinguisher” Andrade (8-0, 6 KOs) and Chris “The Last Chapter” Chatman (4-1, 2 KOs) went to war in a true crowd pleasing junior middleweight bout featuring a pair of multi-talented, previously unbeaten southpaws.

“He was a tough opponent,” Andrade said after the fight before his hometown fans. “He fought a good fight. You know what I do. He came to fight and took it good. I used my head and boxed. I have nothing to complain about.”

“I felt I punished him and deserved victory,” a disappointed Chatman claimed. “Nobody is going to hit him harder or pressure him more. I will be back. I am a warrior. He won’t fight anybody like me, unless it is me again.”

Relentless punching Cape Verdean super middleweight Vladine Biosse (4-0, 3 KOs), former University of Rhode Island football player, passed his stiffest test to date and went the distance for the first time against Tafari Lawton (1-1).

Light welterweight Simeon Dunwell improved his record to 10-1 with a fourth round stoppage of David Marquez in the fourth round. Light welterweight Jesus Caro (5-0, 2 KOs) remained unbeaten by way of a unanimous fourth-round decision. Hartford junior middleweight David Bauza (2-0, 2 KOs) dominated Damien Butler until their fight was ended early in the second.


Andrade Train Keeps Rolling!

On Saturday at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island, the 2007 U.S. Amateur Champion, and 2008 U.S. Olympian, Demetrius Andrade improved his record to (8-0, 6KO) by beating previously unbeaten Chris Chatman (4-1, 2KO) in front of his hometown fans. The bout was promoted by Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing and Banner Promotions in association with Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment and Sports.

The 21-year-old Providence native Andrade, who is co- promoted by Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing and Banner Promotions, and is widely considered to be boxing' s next superstar, came out in the first using his noticeable size and reach advantage to score telling blows to both the body and head of Chatman.

At the weigh-in on Friday words were exchanged between the two fighters, which concluded with Andrade promising to punish and Chatman, and that's just what he did, working off a crisp jab to continuously score vicious four and five punch combinations at will.

Andrade repeatedely, peppered Chatman from the outside. Chatman hung tough but he was outgunned by Andrade round after round. At the end of the day Andrade picked up another sensational victory, pitching a shut out on all three judges scorecards. For the highly touted Andrade this was his eighth fight as a professional in a little less than a year. Each time out he has been nothing less than spectacular and has showed why many boxing experts chose him as the top prospect to come out of the 2008 Olympics. Look for Andrade to be back in action very soon.

About Star Boxing:

Star Boxing has been in operation since 1992. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry.

 

[heyzel]

David Tua Destroys Shane Cameron Inside Two-Rounds - The "Tuaman" Is Back!

by James Slater - A few hours ago in New Zealand, former heavyweight title challenger David Tua made a brutal return to the ring after a two year absence, as he destroyed rival and countryman Shane Cameron inside two short rounds. Dubbed "The Fight of The Century" in New Zealand, the fight turned out to be anything but as 37-year-old Tua, despite his layoff, proved way too good, way too powerful and way too quick for "The Mountain Warrior."

Tua, who is now 50-3-1(43) scored two knockdowns in the opening round. Unleashing bombs with both hands, Tua sent the 31-year-old reeling. Barely making it out of the round, Cameron, now 23-2(20) was under more fierce pressure in the 2nd-round, as Tua refused to let him off the hook. Stopping the action, referee Bruce McTavish awarded Tua the TKO win..

Thought by a good many people to be a fight that either guy could win, the heavyweight rumble wound up being a mismatch. Tua, looking fit and trim at just over 237-pounds, proved he has lost none of his power. The question is, how far can the exciting slugger go in this latest comeback? If he stays active, there could be a number of intriguing fights out there for the Samoan.

After the fight, Tua said he felt great and that he believes his career is well and truly back on track.

"I know I've lost a lot of weight and I think a lot of people have said I lost my speed," Tua told The New Zealand Herald. "Now I believe I have just started my career, if anything. So it was important for me to win this fight and win it well."

Hopefully, Tua's legal problems with former manager Kevin Barry are now over with and "The Terminator" can get back to doing what he does best - fight - on a regular basis. Even at 37 (Tua turns 38 in November) Tua could become a factor in the heavyweight division once again. Think how thrilling it would be, if he can get a couple more decent wins under his belt, for Tua to go in with the likes of Chris Arreola, David Haye or even Shannon Briggs! There could well be some fine entertainment to come from Tua yet.

As for Cameron, who was not really given much of a chance to get into the fight, his confidence will likely have taken a real hit. Who knows if he can come back. Tua, though, is back!

 

[heyzel]

Yuriorkis Gamboa Interview

TODD duBOEF (President, Top Rank): I think when everybody saw Gamboa the first time, the first time you saw him on television you saw how exciting he was. He has very much a Trinidad-esque charisma. And Solis is in a division searching for “Mr. Heavyweight.” I think that Solis, with his amateur credentials, was something that being in a partnership with Ahmet Öhner and Arena Box-Promotion, his organization, was something that Top Rank wanted to pursue because we believed in the product and build exposure around him.

We were a little disappointed Gamboa couldn’t fight on the show he originally planned to fight on (July 27) because of visa issues. We think the sky is the limit for both fighters and they are both in weight classes that if they deliver in the ring, there are going be lots of riches for them..

They are well-developed because they are mature and well-seasoned as amateurs and now we have to start working on the marketing side of it. Good doesn’t mean everything. You have to be marketable and amenable to the fans so the fans want to see you.

GAMBOA: I do not lose focus in preparation for this fight because I know that without winning this fight I can’t get to the bigger fight, Juan Manuel Lopez being one of them. I am completely focused on training for this fight and I am going to do everything possible to keep moving along and keep my record going.

I am going to be able to show off my skills, talents and abilities to the world. If I were him, I would want to take notice.

Fighting at The Garden?

GAMBOA: I would like to thank God for giving me the opportunity to fight in a place where so many world champions have fought and so many storied fights in the history of the sport and to give me the opportunity to perform there.

Are you happy with the progress of your career?

GAMBOA: Obviously I am very happy because I have satisfied every goal that I have set for myself. Bu the problem here is that I have many more goals to accomplish and I won’t be fully satisfied until I reach all of them.

More Garden…

GAMBOA: I know the importance of it and I know the significance of Madison Square Garden and the story of it and what it means to a Latin fighter and not just a Puerto Rican fighter. There have been many instances where non-Puerto Rican fighters have fought in the Garden and he has received that same support from Puerto Rican’s or any Latinos alike. I am very aware of it.

Has Roberto Duran given him any advice?

TONY GONZALEZ (Gamboa Advisor): Roberto did give him a base foundation of what it takes to not only become world champion but to stay a world champion and more importantly, to be marketable.

What is his impression of Juan Manuel Lopez?

GAMBOA: I think that any fan of boxing, and I include myself a fan as well, he has God-given ability and you can’t deny that. He became world champion because of those attributes and I recognize those skills and I think a fight between JuanMa and me would make for a great fight.

Does he plan to stay at this weight or move up in the future?

GAMBOA: I plan to stay here at 126 lbs, I want to make a name for myself at 126 and once I make a name for myself at this division I will seek to go up a category or two. Chris John is a name that interests me, I saw him fight against Rocky Juarez and I know that he just beat him and is considered a super champion with the WBA. If Rafael Marquez ever wants to consider a move up like Juan Manuel Lopez is, I think that would be a great battle between Rafael Marquez as well. Any champion that has made a name for himself and wants to challenge me or me to challenge them, I am here for the task.

*******************************************

Undefeated world champions JUAN MANUEL “JuanMa” LOPEZ and YURIORKIS GAMBOA will be serving hard shots of tropical punch when they defend their titles, in separate fights, headlining “Island Warriors: Latin Fury 12,” Saturday, October 10, broadcast Live on Pay-Per-View from the WaMu Theater in the “Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden. Lopez will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight title against top contender and Tanzania native ROGERS MTAGWA. Gamboa will be defending his World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight belt against Panamanian strongman WHYBER GARCIA. The televised portion of this boxing extravaganza will begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT with two exciting 10-round bouts – undefeated Top-10 heavyweight contender ODLANIER SOLIS of Cuba against two-time world title challenger FRES OQUENDO of Puerto Rico, and super welterweight contenders PAWEL WOLAK of Poland against CARLOS NASCIMENTO of Brazil. These eight sluggers boast a combined record of 182-25-2 (132 KOs), a winning percentage of 87% and a victory by knockout ratio of 73%.

Top-10 middleweight contender and New York fan favorite IRELAND’S JOHN DUDDY will also be featured, on the non-televised undercard in a 10-round middleweight bout.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Arena Boxing U,S, and PR Best Boxing, Remaining Tickets, priced at $250, $150, $75, and $50, can be purchased at the Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets or online at www.thegarden.com. The “Island Warriors: Latin Fury 12” pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $39.95. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. For fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com.

 

[heyzel]

'Call Em Out Fridays': Paul Williams - Ounce For Ounce, Pound For Pound

By Vivek Wallace - In this week's 'Call Em Out Fridays' we speak a name that rarely slips from the tongue of anyone outside of his own camp. Be it the media, his contemporaries, or adversaries; No matter which direction you look in, few care to openly have anything to do with this particular figure. In theory, that sentence may come across as a bad thing, however, to the subject himself it probably equates to a good feeling, partly because he is bad. In an era of the sport where the mythical pound-for-pound crown is handed out like free demo's at a rap concert, Paul Williams (37-1, 27KO's) has arguably stated his case where it counts.....In the ring. Once upon a time, Williams called the deepest division in the sport home (the welterweight division). During that span he shared table space with the likes of a rising Miguel Cotto, the now suspended Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey, and for a short while, even the 'money man' himself, Floyd Mayweather jr. After hitting the scene and establishing an identity of his own, he set out to take that of his division rival, Antonio Margarito, whom many considered to be 'the most feared'. It was quite a spectacle to see these two warriors that no one cared to face actually face one another, but by the end of the night, it was clear who left the indelible mark on the grand welterweight stage..

In the aftermath of a victory over a man that few others dared to face, it was believed that Williams was indeed as good as advertised and destined to find his place amongst the best of not only today, but perhaps his era and beyond. With confidence growing and the proverbial 'wind' at his back, his next outing against a hungry southpaw from Puerto Rico (Carlos Quintana) quickly taught him a valuable lesson that was initially deemed as a setback, yet ultimately served as a step forward. That lesson......."Never forget what it took to get there (the top)....And let that serve as a reminder why never to go back (to the bottom)". After letting that lesson soak in, the next victory in the career of Paul Williams would start an all out assault on not only the welterweight division, but literally each one in close proximity, as the lanky warrior literally cast his ballad in the pound-for-pound race by scaling the walls surrounding the 147lb division. A one round destruction over Quintana in a subsequent rematch kicked off a 4-win streak that included a journeyman middleweight (Kolle), a battle-tested jr. middleweight (Phillips), and perhaps one of the best defenders of this era, Ronald 'Winky' Wright. Some would argue that Wright was not at his best, but few can question that his well patented defense was on par, yet was simply not enough, as the workrate of Paul Williams showed us once again how difficult it is to combat such a fighter.

With so many key notes in his rearview, a glimpse of the past when examined thoroughly also leaves room for a few legitimate questions. Many have used the argument that Williams was only able to find such dominant success as a welterweight because he possessed an odd ability to transform a typical middleweight frame into a much smaller identity. Whether that's true or not can be debated, but what we can say is that the results to this point have remained the same regardless of weight location he dwelled. Other critics introduce the fact that he has yet to face a prime opponent of his size with the ability to land with power. The Margarito fight answered that question to some, while others have chose to withhold that opinion, pending his trip to the dark-side where a date with the 'Ghost' awaits. Every step of his progress has been met with a critics attempt to see him regress. For some odd reason, it often seems that no matter what he does, the level of respect offered never quite seems to stack up. The irony with Williams is that he'll never develop the resume needed to establish true P4P legitimacy because none of the 'great ones' want to fight him. Cotto, Mayweather, Cintron and many others have all opted out without a cause. Known for a hand full of call-outs himself lately, Mosley was in-fact called out by Williams as well, only to publicly state that he has "no interest" in such a fight. It was this kind of fear factor that led me to say (at the time prematurely) back in 2007 that I viewed him as the official "Dark Horse" of the sport; and followed that statement with a guarantee that he could fill out his frame and climb his way up the charts until he met the only other man in the game to rival his punch output (Joe Calzaghe). With Calzaghe since retired, perhaps we'll never get the chance to see that, but if Williams is able to decisively defeat Pavlik, an already feared man will quickly learn exactly how lonely it can be at the top. Pacquiao has the warrior spirit and Mayweather has the genius ring IQ, but when the chapter is closed, I wouldn't rule out a final sentence that says "it's Williams who has the goods". Granted, his resume is light of any true heavy weights, but ounce for ounce, his value without question is a pound for pound.

 

[heyzel]

Where is Floyd's Fighter's Heart?

By Steve Janoski - When I heard that Floyd Mayweather was returning to the ring, my first thought was, “This will be it.”

I had envisioned him returning to the sport like a conquering hero, a modern day Hernan Cortes, crushing those welterweights who he had been accused of ducking over the years with sharp left hooks and stiff straight rights. After these brawls, he would join the pantheon of boxing heroes and be called one of the Greatest Of All Time, alongside the Alis and Fraziers, the Durans and Lenoards, the Haglers and Hearns..

Yes, I thought. This must be it.

And then…I heard that he was fighting Juan Manuel Marquez… and I knew that this year‘s “Money” wasn’t any different than the last one.

Not that Marquez isn’t a great fighter, mind you- he most certainly is. However, he’s a small great fighter, one that is two weight classes lighter and five inches shorter in reach. On top of this, Floyd Mayweather is an incredible fighter, a once-in-a-lifetime talent with superb reflexes, impeccable ring generalship, and yet-unmatched hand speed.

Floyd has been blessed with that we mortals could only dream of having; even more remarkable, his skills, which for most men fade with age, have seemed to have only been enhanced, more defined in their perfection.

And that may be the real reason why Floyd is a rarity amongst fighters- unlike most warriors, whose hearts and wills outlive their skills, Floyd is the opposite- a fighter whose skills have outlasted what his heart, and maybe his head, tell him he can do.

Once upon we had a Floyd Mayweather Jr. who truly fought. We watched him embarrass the indomitable Chico Corrales, knocking him down five times in 10 rounds. We saw him in 24-rounds of war with Jose Luis Castillo, winning both times, the first by the narrowest of narrow margins.

Later, he battered the heroic Arturo Gatti into submission, raked Zab Judah (after Judah’s pre-requisite “Four Good Rounds” were over), and out-brawled Baldomir. He out-thought De La Hoya, and out-slugged Hatton. Two weeks ago, we saw him “come back” to the sport we all knew he never left against a determined, but outclassed, Juan Manuel Marquez in a decidedly one-sided fight that featured Mayweather at his finest.

Those last names are big ones to be sure; Hatton and De La Hoya are amongst the most popular fighters in this generation. Unfortunately for Floyd, that’s all they are- just names.

The Mayweather-De La Hoya fight was done plainly for the money. It was not the finest matchup that could be made- a 154 lb. Mayweather fighting out of his weight class, and being more conservative than normal against the quickly-aging De La Hoya who had always performed less than brilliantly in his biggest fights. Ricky Hatton was another one of those odd mismatches, with the tough Englishman who always struggled at welterweight stepping up for only the second time, and ending up way above his head. And since then, there was… well, silence.

Not from boxing fans, mind you. Since “Money” decided to move up to welter, we’ve all wanted to see him fight the big dogs; no more old warriors or blown up 140-pounders or 8-loss brawlers. No, we’ve wanted to see him get in with the lethal fighters, the Sugar Shanes, the Killer Cottos, the Clotteys. I would love to see him fight the Paul William, Andre Berto, hell, even the Collazo or Quintana. Just fight full size welterweights, the guys that he knows (and they know) could actually hurt him, the guys aren’t going to get in the ring with their hands down or forget to jab.

But that won’t happen. On Sept. 19, we saw that Mayweather knew full well that his smaller, slower opponent could hurt him no more than a puppy can hurt a pitbull. Unfortunately it seems that this is how Floyd likes things, and it is beginning to appear that this pitbull is silently fearful about facing dogs his size.

The look on Mayweather’s face when Sugar Shane Mosley got in the ring after the fight showed us all we needed to know- Floyd, looking more shook than Max Kellerman, didn’t react with his typical bravado. While not one man in the boxing world questions whether Sugar Shane would fight him, we all question whether Floyd is so willing. The “banter” after the fight did little to dispel that belief in those of us who hold it.

Regardless, Floyd will go on his way. He will beat Pacquiao in similar fashion as he dispatched Marquez, and probably go on to fight another fighter that he is sure he could beat before he retires again. He will make loud noises about how he is the greatest, but no one will listen. Why? Because for most fighters, it’s the names in the win-and-loss column that that defines their legacy; for Floyd, it appears that it will be the names not in any column that define his.

And that is not only a waste of God given talent, but also a God damn shame.

 

[heyzel]

Tomasz Adamek - Can He Flatten A Heavyweight? And What Will He Do Post-Golota?

by James Slater - Now that modern day legends Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Junior have apparently come to an agreement to meet in a long awaited rematch of their 1993 fight early next year (reliant on Jones beting Australia's Danny Green in December, of course) IBF cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek has seemingly been left out in the cold when it comes to a mega fight.

Well, the Polish hero still has his fight with one-time heavyweight contender Andrew Golota to look forward to - a fight that is being referred to as a "The Polish Fight of The Century" - but the 32-year-old's chances of ending the career of a great seem a lot slimmer now that "B-Hop" is seemingly no longer interested in fighting him..

The question is, what big fights can "Goral" look ahead to after he's dealt with his countryman in big guy Golota?

Though the October 24th fight has been treated to its fair share of publicity, in countries other than Poland, at that, Golota's chances of winning don't look all that great; despite his weight advantage. "The Foul Pole" has not looked good in a long time. Knocked down and suffering a nasty-looking arm injury in his last fight, against "The Rain Man," Ray Austin, Golota fully looked his 41 years. And before that, against Mike Mollo in January of 2008, and against Kevin McBride in October of the year before, Golota got hit plenty and was marked up (in the Mollo fight especially).

Sure, Golota showed heart in the Mollo fight, but a faster, more accurate puncher like Adamek would have beaten him. And though he is a good 30 or 40 pounds the lighter man, Adamek will do so on the 24th of this month. The fight might be interesting for a few rounds, as the challenge-challenged (!) 200-pound champ adjusts to his opponent's poundage, but Adamek will take care of business soon enough - by my reckoning in about six or seven rounds. But what then?

Unless Adamek sees the Golota fight as a chance to test the waters in a weight class he may decide to stay at (a possibility) the man many see as the best 200-pounder in the sport will drop back down to cruiser. But who could he fight there that will result in attractive and well-paying fights?

Providing he doesn't think a win over Golota means he is capable of handling the elite heavyweights, Adamek could try to unify the belts at cruiserweight. Former IBF champ Steve "U.S.S" Cunningham - who lost his belt to Adamek in a December 2008 thriller, and who has recently bounced back with an elimination win over Wayne Braithwaite - would be the most welcomed opponent for Adamek where the fans are concerned. And Cunningham is aching for a shot at revenge.

If this fight can be worked out, both guys will be happy. But assuming he once again beats Cunningham, who else is there for Adamek at 200-pounds? Italy's Giacobbe Fragomeni has the WBC belt at the weight, but there would be little interest in a fight between the 40-year-old and Adamek. And while a fight between Adamek and WBA ruler Guillermo Jones could be a real battle, it's no potential super-fight. The WBO belt is about to be decided in an intriguing fight between Marco Huck of Germany and British-born Ola Afolabi. The winner Vs. Adamek would be a decent fight for the hardcore fans, but will the IBF champ look that way?

Cunningham and possibly B.J Flores aside (who was unable to secure a sensible offer from the Adamek camp) there aren't that many big, T/V-friendly fights out there for Adamek at cruiserweight. In fact, the more you think about it, if he does well against Golota (which he will) maybe Adamek WILL stay at heavyweight.

As interesting as a couple of his potential cruiserweight options are, Adamek - who wants to become a legend - might well look to further heavyweight opponents to fight so as to really put his name in the history books.

Adamek-Klitschko, anyone

 

[heyzel]

Is Kelly Pavlik’s career on the line against Williams

By Bill Patrice Jones - There was a time when if you were a white working class boxing champion, who was explosive and drew big crowds then you by default had a passageway to big money. With the ever changing landscape of pro boxing and the business of it all, this is unfortunately for Kelly Pavlik no longer the case.

Kelly Pavlik meets all the above criteria, and if colour means far less now than it once did in determining a fighter’s moneymaking ability, Pavlik more than makes up for that with his: crowd pleasing style, toughness and determination to win at all costs. Yet where is the safe money for Pavlik anymore? It is nowhere to be seen…

Kelly Pavlik fought his way to the title the old fashioned way, the hard way. Blasting his way through the standard tomato cans before gradually stepping up in class and then ultimately moving from prospect to number one contender with a stellar year in 2007 that saw him ice Jose Luis Zertuche in the eighth and then pummel the much feared Edison Miranda into submission in a classic brawl.. He was the undisputed number one contender and completed his journey by knocking out reigning champion Jermain Taylor in seven of the best rounds we have seen in the twenty-first century: A star had been born!

Yet just as this star was born the match up problems for Kelly began. Where were his meaningful and financially rewarding fights going to come from? First up to bat was Taylor again waving his rematch clause in camp Pavlik’s face and shaking his head. Kelly was going to have to leave his titles for the time being and move up to 164 pounds to fight Taylor again. Pavlik was understandably unhappy about this clause but ultimately could not say no, and while Taylor decided to fight at a more measured pace looking to box Kelly (well aware of the devastating power) Pavlik proved too much for him again, outworking the vengeance seeking Olympian over 12 entertaining rounds.

Now it was time to reign. Kelly dismantled an overmatched Gary Lockett in his first defence and then sought out the big fight. Calzaghe had other arrangements, as did Abraham and Sturm and with the absence of a worthwhile title defence Kelly became desperate. In the end he was almost forced by GBP (Golden, boy promotions) and HBO to move up in weight (something he should never have done) to fight Bernard Hopkins. Kelly never wanted a piece of Hopkins, especially at 175 yet where else was he to turn? He wanted a payday and GBP were offering him one, he had no choice. Pavlik was motivated to fight Hopkins for the wrong reasons, logic from Pavlik’s perspective said the fight was too risky and meaningless (Hopkins had lost his middleweight title and was no longer fighting there). Conversely Hopkins had been vying desperately for an avenue to restate his greatness in the wake of his disappointment with Calzaghe. He had fully adjusted to 175 pounds (perhaps his best weight division) and wanted nothing more than to disrupt an American dream in mid-flight. Hopkins did more than disrupt Pavlik’s flight he almost forced a crash landing. Pavlik suffered a psychologically damaging beating in a fight he never wanted to participate in.

He has bounced back with another routine defence against Rubio and once again is looking for the payday. But where is it? The super middleweight division is rapidly becoming the middleweight division of the past, and much of the talent in this era can be found there: Calzaghe, Froch, Taylor, Kessler, etc even opponents like Bika and Pascal offer more than those at middleweight. Talks for a proposed unification with Abraham broke down and all for the wrong reasons. Abraham claimed Pavlik wanted nothing to do with him, Kelly the same. Yet not long after it was revealed Kelly was more interested in a money defence with Sergio Mora (a fight which would have resulted in certain victory for the ghost).

Pavlik has danced between super fights and money defenses ever since he became champion and has failed to settle happily into either.

Receiving the gratitude and excitement of myself and boxing fans around the world Pavlik has now signed to face one of the most exciting and avoided boxers alive: Paul Williams. The once freakishly big welterweight is out to prove he has what it takes to win his fourth world title at middleweight.

This author expects the fight to be very crowd pleasing. Williams can throw so many punches at times he resembles something out of a video game. His conditioning is beautiful and when he senses an opening he unleashes volleys of punches at a good distance. Yet Pavlik himself is known for his relentless approach, he throws combinations all night and has out jabbed Jermain Taylor (a fighter with a very skillful jab himself). Paul will fight with a necessary degree of caution but will warm to the challenge and if Pavlik cannot get his man out of there or sense he is controlling the pace he may very well grow frustrated. Kelly’s corner always focuses on the fundamentals and insist Kelly make it easy by simply employing a double jab and making use of the right hand. Yet Hopkin’s predicted and prophetically that the Pavlik camp would implode once the fight turned against him and it did. Could we see something similar if Paul’s speed and skill fluster the ghost? A knockout is perpetually possible when Kelly is in the ring so nothing can be certain. Yet this author is starting to foresee an entertaining 12 rounds where Williams will take advantage of Pavlik’s one dimensional (but thus far remarkably effective) approach and inactivity scoring a very close UD.


It’s a fight the world will watch, but at what cost to Pavlik? If he were to lose especially so shortly after the Hopkin’s fiasco where would his future be? Williams is coming up and Kelly has never lost at 160. If Paul were to lose it could be written off as a bridge too far, but if Pavlik were to be beaten handily it might bankrupt his chances of making huge money in the future.

There are myriad reasons to be excited about this wonderful stylistic clash and in the opinion of this author one more is that Pavlik’s career may very well be on the line.

We just cant wait!

 

[heyzel]

Evander Holyfield Talks Comeback, David Haye

James Slater - On a number of occasions, Britain's David Haye has spoken of how he will emulate the achievements of the great Evander Holyfield, by going up from cruiserweight to unify the heavyweight titles also. "The Real Deal" was the undisputed cruiserweight king in the late 1980s, before moving up to become the undisputed ruler at heavyweight in 1990. Haye was seen as the main man at cruiserweight in 2008 (although he did not add the IBF strap to the Ring magazine, WBC, WBA ad WBO titles he won), and now, in late 2009, "The Hayemaker" is weeks away from going for his first heavyweight title; against WBA boss Nikolai Valuev.

Thus far, Holyfield has never really spoken much about Haye and his plans to follow his lead, but in an interview with The BBC, the 46-year-old legend did give his opinion on the man who admires him so much. And guess what? According to Evander it's possible he and Haye could even wind up fighting next year!

Holyfield, who has been inactive since his own fight with Nikolai Valuev (when he lost a very close and debatable decision in Switzerland last December) said he is planning to fight again in November of this year, and then, he says, he will be fighting for a world title next Spring.

First though, Evander spoke about the comparisons that have been made between he and Haye.

"We're different, I didn't have one fight and then get my opportunity," Holyfield told BBC. "I moved up in 1988 and had six fights in two years before I was finally ranked number one and got the opportunity to fight the winner of Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas. When people try to compare me to David Haye, I say, "wait a minute, I fought six heavyweights and beat them, they didn't make me number one contender straight away."

And Evander sure did fight and earn his number one spot - seeing off good men like Pinklon Thomas, Mike Dokes and the unbeaten Alex Stewart. Holyfield is right to say how Haye has been given his shot at a heavyweight title so much quicker than he was given his, and he is correct to question whether or not Haye is good enough to win it.

"David Haye only fought one fight [up at heavyweight] (actually, Haye has beaten two heavies; Tomasz Bonin and Monte Barrett) and it will only tell you how good he is by how well he does in the fight with Valuev," Holyfield said. "He's a very skilful fighter, but he's moving up to the heavyweight division and he's fighting a giant."

The former four-time heavyweight king then moved on to the subject of his latest comeback, which he says will see him fight for a fifth heavyweight championship.

"I'll be fighting in November and hopefully in February or March I'll be fighting for a world title," he said. "It's not a dream, it's reality, it just hasn't happened yet. If I become world champion I won't fight him [Haye], but if he gets the belt first I will."

There is no word yet on who Holyfield will fight in November, or where, and it's tough to see how "The Real Deal" will be fighting for any legit version of the heavyweight championship next February or March. He certainly won't be fighting WBC champ Vitali Klitschko, who is next rumoured to be boxing in December, Evander won't be going in with IBF and WBO ruler Wladimir Klitschko, who will next faces Eddie Chambers, and that just leaves the WBA belt. But the WBA have made it clear that November 7th's Valuev-Haye winner must make a first defence against former champ John Ruiz.

Is Holyfield fooling himself? Would we really want to see him fight Valuev again or see him fight Haye anyway? The idea of the living legend in there with the fast and hard-hitting Haye is surely enough to worry any fight fan.

 

[WYNO707X4]

I had a dream the other night that Holyfield was my p.e teacher in high school. He was a Koo cat and he punch me in my gut a few times.WTF!

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Looks like BERNARD HOPKINS will have his first tune up fight in years against Enrique Ornelas on Dec 2nd in Philadelphia. Obviously this is to shake the ring rust for his upcoming fight against Roy Jones (assuming Roy gets past Danny Green as well).

Golden Boy also announced SHANE MOSLEY will fight ANDRE BERTO in Las Vegas on Jan. 30‎th.

 

[heyzel]

Edison Miranda and Manny Quezada Headline Oct 22 Show At Tachi Palace

A 28-year old native of Colombia, Miranda (32-4, 28 KO) recently signed to a promotional agreement with Goossen Tutor and Warriors Boxing and will make his debut under its banner when he takes on Mexican super Middleweight Champion Francisco “Panchito” Sierra (20-2, 19 KO) for the NABO Super Middleweight Championship in the scheduled 12-round main event.

After stopping Howard Eastman in the seventh round of an IBF Middleweight Title Elimination bout for his 26th straight win to start his career, Miranda sustained his first loss when he dropped a hard-fought decision to World Champion Arthur Abraham. After impressive wins over contenders Willie Gibbs and rising star Allan Green, he was stopped in seven by Kelly Pavlik in a WBC Middleweight Title Elimination bout. Miranda then moved up to super middleweight and won his first two bouts before losing to Abraham again. He bounced back with another pair of victories before dropping a 12-round decision to NABF and NABO Super Middleweight titleholder Andre Ward in his most recent outing back in May.

In joining Ward as a member of the Goossen Tutor stable of boxers, Miranda (now ranked #9 by the IBF and WBC), looking for that last piece of the puzzle to get him over the top, has put his day-in, day-out boxing future in the hands of renowned trainer Joe Goossen, who has guided the likes of Michael Nunn, Rafael and Gabriel Ruelas, Joel Casamayor and Diego Corrales to World Championships.

“I am extremely excited to have my first fight with Joe being for a title,” Miranda said through an interpreter. “Dan Goossen is one of the most successful promoters in the business and his brother, Joe, one of the top trainers. I now have a great team with Warriors and my managers to guide me toward my dream of being a World Champion, and I look forward to making a big impression with the fans at the Tachi Palace.”

In a scheduled 10-round Heavyweight Attraction, local favorite Manny Quezada (28-4, Wasco, CA) will square off with Nicolai “Stone Man” Firtha (16-6-1, 7 KO, Akron, OH).

Quezada, 31, vaulted up to #4 in the WBC heavyweight rankings by virtue of his first-round destruction of Travis Walker in the third defense of his WBC CABOFE belt in his last ring appearance back in July at Tachi. “El Toro” has certainly enjoyed performing in the friendly confines on Tachi, as he has been victorious in 15 of his 16 efforts there—including his last 13 straight bouts.

“The Tachi Palace is like my second home,” said Quezada, who lives 45 minutes north of the casino. “It definitely feels that way when I fight there. So I am excited about being back and I can’t wait. It’s fun, for sure hearing my local fans cheering for me.

“I get really motivated fighting there. Everybody knows me there and the fans get me ready when I come out. I know times are tough right now and I am thankful that they come out and support me and I won’t let them down. I’m going to be ready to fight and make sure they can enjoy themselves that night.”

Featured on the undercard will be a pair of undefeated boxers from the Goossen Tutor stable -- Philadelphia-bred heavyweight Malik Scott and another local attraction, junior Welterweight Mike Dallas, Jr., of Bakersfield, CA.

The 28-year old Scott (32-0, 11 KO) recently inked a multi-year extension to continue on with Goossen-Tutor as his promoter and Joe Goossen as his trainer. Idle since last December when he decisioned Raphael Butler, Scott got himself back into boxing condition by sparring with stablemate Chris Arreola during preparation for his World title confrontation with Vitali Klitschko.

Dallas Jr. (10-0-1, 2 KO) is coming off the biggest victory of his young career. On the Andre Ward-Shelby Pudwill undercard in Temecula, CA three weeks ago, the 22-year old Jackie Kallen-managed gladiator went toe-to-toe with New Yorker Vincent Arroyo in a battle of unbeatens and emerged with a unanimous decision win. No stranger to Tachi, he has won all five of his bouts contested there and will look to take another step in his progression up the junior Welterweight ranks.

One other local bout has Bakersfield’s Ephraim Martinez (2-0) opposing Hugo Ramos (2-3-1, 1 KO, Palm Springs, CA) in scheduled four-round super bantamweight action.

“We’ve put on some terrific, competitive shows for our great fans at the Tachi Palace & Casino over the years, but this one ranks right up there with the best of them,” Dan Goossen exclaimed.

“In Edison Miranda and Manny Quezada we have a pair of exciting, hard-hitting contenders who will be in line for World Championship shots in the very near future with victories. Malik Scott is another young heavyweight with great promise as his perfect record shows, and needs to go out there and let the fans see the power he’s capable of delivering. And Mike Dallas, Jr. passed a big test his last time out and will return to his fighting home to entertain his fans. I believe we’ll see KOs in virtually each fight on Oct. 22.”

 

[heyzel]

Hatton vs. Ndou on Nov. 13

Ricky Hatton’s Hatton Promotions, Art Pelullo’s Banner Promotions, and Rodney Berman’s Golden Gloves Promotions will present a sensational world championship fight card on Friday, November, 13, 2009, at the Fenton Manor Sports Complex located on City Road in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England..

In the main event scheduled for 12 rounds, “Magic” Matthew Hatton, 37-4-1 with 14 knockouts, of Manchester, England, will challenge IBO welterweight world champion “The Black Panther” Lovemore Ndou, 47-11-1 with 31 knockouts, of Sydney, Australia.

Hatton, now 28 years old, has won four fights in a row, which include a sixth-round TKO against Ted Bami in an IBO title eliminator on March 28. Matthew’s winning streak also saw him score a decisive 10-round unanimous decision against former contender Ben Tackie in November, 2008, and in Matthew’s most recent fight in May, 2009, an eight-round unanimous decision against Ernesto Zepeda.

The 38 year-old Ndou won the vacant IBO welterweight world title with a 12 round unanimous decision against Phillip Ndou – no relation - in July, 2009. A native of South Africa who is now an Australian citizen, Lovemore is also a former IBF junior welterweight world champion

 

[heyzel]

Joshua Clottey To Face Carlos Quintana December 5th

by James Slater - Originally, it looked as though former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey would engage in a huge fight with reigning WBA 147-pound king "Sugar" Shane Mosley. But, as fans now know, HBO changed their minds on the December 26th date, and Clottey and Mosley were left to look for another opponent. The man with all the news, Dan Rafael over at ESPN.com, has revealed how Clottey's search is over. Now set to face former WBO welterweight champ Carlos Quintana on the under-card of the upcoming December 5th clash between middleweight ruler Kelly Pavlik and Paul "The Punisher" Williams, 32-year-old Clottey could well move on to another crack at a world title if he can beat the Southpaw from Puerto Rico..

According to Rafael, the fight will take place over ten scheduled rounds and at an agreed weight of no more than 149-pounds. Who will win, Ghana's Clottey, or one-time Paul Williams conqueror, Quintana?

A very good fight that could conceivably go either way, Clottey-Quintana will see two of the best in the world at 147 going at it. Sure, 32-year-old Quintana was blown away by Williams in the rematch the two men fought a few months after "El Indio" had upset the lanky southpaw in February of 2008, but it's unlikely he will be blasted out by Clottey - a wear-you-down type of operator as opposed to a one-punch KO kind of fighter.

Quintana - who was originally going to fight on the October 24th Kermit Cintron card in his home country before agreeing to fight Clottey - has had one win since being stopped in less than a round by Williams; when he hammered Joshua Onyango to defeat in less than four-rounds last October. Likely to be suffering from at least a little ring rust as a result of his recent inactivity (just three fights in almost two years), Quintana, 26-2(20) will nonetheless fancy his chances against Clottey, 35-3(20).

"The Grand Master" shouldn't have any real problems with Quintana's lefty stance, having beaten notable southpaws like Zab Judah in the past. Also, in coming off his extremely close June points loss to Miguel Cotto (who has a December 2006 5th-round retirement win over Quintana), Clottey will be anxious to earn himself an impressive win.

Adding further intrigue and value for money to the already hugely anticipated Pavlik-Williams showdown, the clash of former welterweight titlists should be a good fight. Don't expect a slugfest, but expect more of a high quality boxing match that will break into a fight on occasion. Because of his greater activity level and his incredible physical strength at the weight, Clottey has to be the pick to win - most likely via competitive decision.

 

[heyzel]

Hearn: Audley Harrison could fight for a world title inside a year

BARRY Hearn believes Prizefighter Heavyweights III winner Audley Harrison could have a shot at a world title before 2011. Hearn, who promoted Friday’s Prizefighter event, thinks Harrison, 37, is finally showing his ability after winning an Olympic gold in 2000. “Winning Prizefighter is the biggest thing that has happened to Audley Harrison since turning professional and he did it with style and power,” said Hearn. “He showed people he has ability and turned the boos into cheers..

“I’ve watched Audley’s career since he turned professional with an Olympic gold medal around his neck.

“He’s had his critics - I’ve been one of them - who have complained he talks a great fight but doesn’t deliver.

“Audley is a great self-publicist but on Friday he showed he is a great fighter and a potential world-beater.

“His style is infuriating and I would hate to train him as I he believe he has a gameplan that he concocts himself and, as usual, listens to nobody.

“The fact is though, he is a class act as every punch that knocked down three different opponents was executed quite beautifully and would’ve had a concussive effect on any heavyweight in the world.

“Where does Audley go from him? Well, it all depends on Audley!

“If he concentrates on his boxing and allows professionals to do their job properly, then I believe he could get a crack at a world heavyweight title in the next 12 months.

“Lets be honest, time isn’t on his side. He’s coming up to his 38th birthday and few television networks are, at this moment, banging the door down to have him on their station.

“It’s harsh but true so he needs to do a job inside and outside of the ring.

“For me the plan would be simple. A quick warm-up, fight a European challenger, then straight for a world title. Achievable? Yes. Impossible? No. Likely? Who knows? It depends on Audley.”

Harrison had threatened to quit boxing if he failed in Prizefighter but impressive victories over Scott Belshaw and previously undefeated duo Danny Hughes and Coleman Barrett saved his career.

However, he was still booed by a number of people among a sell-out crowd of 5,000 at the ExCel Arena in London and Hearn believes Harrison should do his talking in the ring.

“People will always boo a fighter that talks a good fight and doesn’t deliver,” added Hearn. “He has lost to Michael Sprott and Martin Rogan and that did not fit with his assertions that he was going to be undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

“The British public like to see triers, not posers. They like heart and effort as well as quality and Audley hadn’t shown enough of that in the past. But on Friday he began to show what he can do. The manor of his victory has reinvented some level of British support but there’s still a long way to go.

“Had Audley not won Prizefighter, the only way for him to go would’ve been retirement. The fact he won it means he has one last chance on his personal road to redemption and a last crack at achieving his dreams.

“It’s not going to be easy and there’s still a long, hard road ahead but at least he is travelling in the right direction.”

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[heyzel]

DiBella Entertainment Prospects Go 6-0 Over The Weekend

Whether in Oklahoma or Rhode Island, it was a clean sweep for DiBella Entertainment (“DBE”) this past weekend as one of the best super middleweights in the world, and five of the best young prospects in all of boxing, scored impressive wins in their quests to reach the world championship level. The winnings ways started on Friday night at the First Council Casino in Newkirk, Oklahoma where DBE presented a televised triple header on Showtime’s ShoBox series. In the main event, WBC #6, WBO #9, IBF #11, WBA #12 ranked super middleweight Allan Green (29-1, 20 KOs) won a dominant unanimous over late replacement, Tarvis Simms(25-1-1, 11 KOs.). Green was originally scheduled to face rugged, power puncher Victor Oganov (26-2, 26 KOs) as he waits for an opportunity to enter Showtime’s Super Six: World Boxing Classic tournament. Instead, in Simms he faced a slick boxer who changed stances several times throughout the course of the contest. Nevertheless, Green proved he could adapt to any style by winning nearly every round.

“Allan trained for Victor Oganov and Oganov is nothing like Tarvis,” said promoter Lou DiBella. “It was a dominating win against a skilled pro that was impossible to look impressive against.”

The co-feature matched two of the best young welterweights in the world as DBE’s own Antwone Smith (17-1, 9 KOs) battled previously unbeaten Henry Crawford (22-1-1, 9 KOs). Crawford started strong, winning the first two rounds with his tremendous speed, but for the rest of the fight, Smith began flashing the skills that have led him to upset wins over Richard Gutierrez and Norberto Gonzalez in his previous two fights. Smith dropped Crawford once in round six, and again in round nine before Crawford’s corner had seen their man get beat up too much.

At only 22 years of age, Smith has already faced, and defeated, stiffer competition than many top contenders in the game. Given his age, and experience, the prognosis on Smith’s career appears to be a limitless future.

“Antwone again proved he’s one of the best young fighters in the game by stopping Crawford,” said DiBella. “There is no 22-year old pro in the country with more impressive wins than Antwone Smith. With DBE behind him, he’ll be given the best opportunities to meet his potential.”

In the televised opener, unbeaten super middleweight prospect Marcus Johnson (18-0, 14 KOs) faced the stiffest test of his young career, and passed with flying colors, by winning an 8-round decision over Victor Villereal (8-4-2, 4 KOs). Johnson dropped Villereal in round six and coasted the rest of the way to an 80-71, 80-71, 79-72 decision. The dominance of Johnson’s performance was even more impressive considering that he hurt his hand sixth round and had to switch styles, opting to box Villereal instead of going for the kill.

“Marcus Johnson is a beast-in-waiting and a skilled boxer,” said DiBella. “When he hurt his right hand the boxer took over. Given the adversity, I thought it was a real impressive performance against a tough pro.”

Even when the television cameras weren’t rolling in Oklahoma, DBE was. On the non-televised portion of the show middleweight prospect Willie Monroe, Jr. (6-0, 2 KOs), and heavyweight prospect Tor Hamer (9-0, 7 KOs) scored big wins. Monroe won a 4-round decision over Tyson Schwieger, while Hamer continued his trend of winning, and winning big, by knocking out Howard Jones 22 seconds into the first round.

“Willie and Tor are two fighters on course for greatness,” said DiBella. “Tor showed what a monster he can be, and Willie did his thing by out-slicking a game challenger. They might have different styles, but these are two fighters with endless potential.”

Although the ring in the Oklahoma was dismantled, and ShoBox went off the air, that didn’t stop DBE from taking their winning act elsewhere. Saturday, on a card promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports from the Twin Rivers Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island, young prodigy Edwin Rodriguez (12-0, 8 KOs) passed the stiffest test of his professional career with a unanimous decision win over Darnell Boone (16-13-2, 6 KOs).

Boone, who has made a career out of derailing top prospects, was simply no match for Rodriguez’s accurate punching and slick boxing skills. A shutout win over a an experienced warhorse like Boone has the whole DBE team excited over hometown hero from Worcester, Massachusetts.

“In another New England main event, Edwin proved himself against stepped up competition,” said DiBella. “He’s on course to be a ranked and television-showcased fighter. Thanks to world-class promoter Jimmy Burchfield for giving Edwin the chance to showcase his skills not too far from his home.”