Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

Andre Ward could be facing Lucian Bute soon

By Scott Gilfoid: WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward could be finding himself facing IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute in a huge unification bout in the near future after Ward wins the Super Six tournament. Ken Hershman, the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Showtime Sports, just signed Bute to a multi-fight contract with the network and one of the first things that Hershman wants to do is match Bute up with the Super Six tourney winner.


And as most people already know by now, it’s looking like it’s going to be Ward that wins the Super Six tourney and finds himself across from Bute in a huge money fight next year.

Hershman says “And now we have the opportunity with Lucian to take him and put him in with the winner of the Super Six for what would be the greatest fight in super middleweight history.”

I agree with Hershman up to a point. I think this will be the biggest fight in the history of the super middleweight division, but it’s really not that big of a deal. Bute is limited and has faced mostly mediocre opposition during his career. He should have been ruled knocked out in the 12th round two years ago in his fight with Librado Andrade, but escaped when the referee working the fight gave him extra time to get up after being knocked out and badly hurt by Andrade in the 12th.

Bute has continued to win, but he looks more stationary than he used to be, and with his weak chin and questionable stamina, I can’t see him as even a competitive fight with Ward. I actually see Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham as being more interesting match-ups for Ward than Bute.

At least Froch and Abraham can punch. Bute can throw a good uppercut, but that’s the extent of it. He has no overhand right and his left hook is nothing. Ward is going to beat him like no tomorrow and make him look foolish in the process. I think Hershman is late on signing Bute, because I see the Romanian as starting to lose a step, and he’s pretty much overrated as a champion.

I don’t think Bute will be a popular fighter, and can’t see him building a fan base inside the U.S. I know he’s popular in his adopted country of Canada, but he won’t be a star here. His hit and run style is frankly boring, and he’ll get knocked out in his first fight with Ward, if that’s going to be the first fight. Hershman needs to be pouring money down Ward’s throat, not Bute, because Ward is the future mega star for the super middleweight division. I see Bute as just a title holder, someone keeping the IBF belt warm until Ward takes it from him.

 

[heyzel]

Jeff Mayweather Details The Caballero-Juanma Brawl

By Chris Robinson

It should be of no surprise that one interested spectator at the Juan Manuel Lopez-Rafael Marquez weigh-in was featherweight contender Celestino Caballero. The Panamanian boxer-puncher has been itching for a crack at either man for years and reportedly emotions boiled over as he got into bit of a scuffle with Lopez’ team after each man had made weight inside the MGM Grand on Friday.

The reports have been varying but BoxingScene’s Ryan Burton, always a reliable source, claims that Caballero tried to get the attention of Lopez and that the two men exchanged words. Caballero would claim he was simply trying to talk to Lopez so that the Puerto Rican would agree to a fight with him, but things got out of hand as a shoving match ensued with a member of Lopez' team before security could defuse the situation.

In the building with Caballero was his trainer Jeff Mayweather, who was present at the weigh-in because one of his fighters, undefeated junior welterweight Mickey Bey, will be fighting on the Lopez-Marquez undercard. Mayweather claims that he was busy conducting an interview while the entire situation went down and that he knows Caballero didn’t have any bad intentions.

“Basically it was just one of those situations where me and Celestino were doing interviews with the press,” Mayweather said moments ago. “And of course we were in a section where it was nearly all Puerto Ricans in that area. Celestino was talking to them all, but I had enough sense and pride to realize that it was just talk and that it didn’t mean anything.”

While it was reported that a member from Lopez’ team attempted to charge Caballero, Mayweather feels that the individual was far from a threat given his diminutive stature.

“Everything happened so fast,” Mayweather mused. “I don’t know who he was but some little guy, about five foot tall, came all the way down and tried to hit Celestino. And when he came down there was a gigantic bodyguard with him but the bodyguard was trying to make sure that the little guy didn’t get his ass whooped by holding back Celestino. If Celestino got loose he would have smashed that little dude. We didn’t need to make a scene with Celestino having this big of a fight coming up.”

Mayweather is of course referring to Caballero’s November 27th date with Jason Litzau at the aforementioned MGM Grand. Caballero was unable to lure any suitable opponents at 126 pounds into the ring with him so he had to move up to the junior lightweight limit to make the fight with Litzau come off. Mayweather feels that Caballero will come away with a clear win on the 27th, partly due to the work he has been getting in camp.

“He’s working with Mickey Bey, preparing for the fight,” Mayweather continued. “[Mickey] actually fought Jason quite a few times in the amateurs and who is now probably a much better fighter than Jason. So he’s getting top of the line work, world class work. He’s going to be ready.”

As for Bey, who faces off with journeyman Eric Cruz later tonight, Mayweather feels that his talent has thus far exceeded his accomplishments. Bey hasn't fought in nearly a year and Mayweather feels that all of his problems have taken place outside of the ring.

“I’ve always said when it comes to Mickey, if he doesn’t become champion of the world, to me personally, he would be a failure,” a very blunt Mayweather claimed. “He’s that good. His talent is that good. He’s a guy that I think a long time ago would have been a world champion if he didn’t have all this managerial bullshit to deal with. If everything was lined up and everything was in the right place and he didn’t have to go through promoter to promoter, I would think he would have already been a world champion.”

As for the Lopez-Marquez bout, Mayweather will obviously be watching with a keen eye in hopes that Caballero can possibly lure either man into the ring with him in 2011. Lopez is the favorite in the bout but Marquez is a lively dog because of his great power and heart. Mayweather sees a grueling fight either way.

“They both look like they came in great shape,” Mayweather said. “They look ready to fight. I lean towards Lopez because he’s a great offensive fighter and he’s younger and he hasn’t been in as many wars. But at the same time that I say that, I could also see him tasting the canvas once or twice. I think it’s going to be a tough, tough fight.”

As for any news on his nephew Floyd, who has an upcoming hearing in Nevada on Tuesday for charges of coercion and various misdemeanors, Jeff says that their talks have been low key.

“Basically for the most part we don’t talk too much about anything that’s going on with him,” Mayweather coined. “More or less he just wishes me well with my fighters. I have two guys fighting this weekend and I have another two fighting on the 27th. So it’s more or less just trying to encourage me with my fighters and that’s it.”

Outside of Bey and Litzau, Mayweather also oversees the duties of undefeated middleweight Brandon Gonzales, unbeaten welterweight Chase Corbin and standout amateur Kevin Newman amongst others. It’s a stark contrast from his early days as a trainer when he had to hustle just to get by and Mayweather is obviously excited about what lies ahead.

“It’s like I’ve been blessed. I think any trainer would love to have the group of guys that I have. All of them have so much talent and I just know our future is bright. The future is really bright for my team. The most important thing is creating that chemistry and that’s how I treat my fighters. I like to say it’s a great unit but it’s more like a family.”

 

[heyzel]

Judah Helping Mayweather Overcome Personal Troubles

By Lem Satterfield

In 2006, Zab Judah's relationship with Floyd Mayweather Jr. took a disastrous turn. The close friends became bitter rivals when a deal was finalized for the two of them to fight in April of that year. The pre-fight hype was filled with trash talk on both sides. The fight, which took place at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, turned very ugly when an in-ring brawl broke out in the tenth round between both camps.

The brawl began when Judah landed a hard low blow on Mayweather. Trainer/uncle Roger Mayweather charged the ring and made an attempt to go after Judah, which led to both camps rushing the ring and punches being exchanged. The Nevada State Athletic Commission punished several of the involved parties with suspensions, including Zab, his father/trainer Yoel Judah and Mayweather's adviser and assistant trainer, Leonard Ellerbe.

Several years later, Judah moved from New York to Las Vegas, where Mayweather resides, and the two boxers began to slowly repair their relationship.

"With the fight that we had, you know, yeah, that put a little distance between us for a little while. But yeah, you know, I love his family, you know what I'm saying?" said Judah. "I know his children and his mother. I respect his family and he has the same respect for my family."

"We work out at the same 24-hour fitness gym. We don't fight in the same gym anymore, and we don't spar each other anymore. But we still see each other now and then, like when we are playing basketball with each other. You can sometimes catch us out together at 1 a.m. in Las Vegas playing basketball against each other. When we play ball, it's usually Team Judah against Team Mayweather."

At the present, the career of Mayweather has come to a pause as the former five division champion is battling domestic violence charges and other legal troubles. Judah, a recent convert from Judaism to Christianity, has reached out, spiritually, to Mayweather, to help him overcome his personal problems.

"The other night, I was talking to him about the Bible. We were just speaking about God, and he was just telling me his religion, and I was talking about my religion. He told me that he believed in God, and, you know, that he says his prayers and I was telling him that you have to find Jesus, you know what I'm saying?" said Judah.

"I think that I'm kind of like getting to him, you know what I'm saying? Hopefully, you know, the Lord will put the Holy Spirit on him and bring him over to Christ. Once he gets God in his life, I mean, he will be that much better off. Floyd's not a close- minded person. He's a very open-minded person, and I believe that, in time, he'll come around. I wish for him, and I pray for him, and God is good. When it's Floyd's time, then God will bring him over to him. I think that Floyd's looking into it, you know?"

 

[surcaliman]

@206...hagler vs hopkins...

that would be the shit...2 ofmy all time favorites...i know all the ol skool mexican boxing fans loved them some marvin hagler.

 

[surcaliman]

so who you got winning?

 

[heyzel]

hagler in a 12 rd dec I think he would be the busyer fighter and b-hop always starts out slow

 

[heyzel]

Lopez wants fight with Juan Manuel Marquez at 130

By Jason Kim: After defeating former two division world champion Rafael Marquez when he was unable to come out for the 9th round on Saturday night, World Boxing Organization featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez (30-0, 27 KO’s) said he’d like to fight Rafael in a rematch after his shoulder heals and then Lopez wants to take on his older and bigger brother WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KO’s) at 130 pound catch-weight, according to Philboxing.com.


Lopez said “I would love to fight Rafa again, I know he hurt his shoulder and he asked for a rematch and I would like to do it again, he is a tremendous warrior, a very strong puncher, he gave me the most difficult fight of my career. We have a date for next year in Puerto Rico maybe we can do it again there. I want the fight, he wants the fight, let’s just tell Beltran and Arum to make everything work and we’ll fight. If the rematch goes on, then after beating Rafael again, I would love to fight Juanma Marquez, maybe he can come down to 130 pounds and we can get it on. I only want to fight the best and that should be a good story, fighting the Marquez brothers, I really want to fight Juanma at 130.”

There are a couple of things that might cause problems for a Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Lopez bout. First of all, Marquez would have a lot of problems getting down to 130 at this point in his career. It’s hard enough for him to make 135, but to ask him to get even lower at 130 would likely leave the older Marquez weight drained and in no condition to fight.

The second thing is Marquez could likely make a lot more money facing other guys like Manny Pacquiao at a higher weight. Marquez would be taking a huge pay cut to fight Lopez at 130. If Lopez really does want to fight Marquez, he needs to move up higher to get closer to 135 so that Marquez doesn’t have to struggle as much. It’s not worth it for Marquez to have to drain himself to face a guy that needs him more than he needs Lopez.

If Lopez is willing to fight Marquez at 135 or say 133, I have doubt that Marquez would overpower Lopez. Marquez is too skilled and too powerful for the little Lopez, and I think this would be an easy fight for him. However, if Marquez is forced to drain himself down to 130, then I can see the fight being closer with Marquez still winning but having to push himself to win. Lopez had all he could handle against Rafael last night, and would have lost to a younger version of Rafael.

 

[REdRUM]

Rafa was starting to really hurt Lopez, IMO. Obviously, Marquez was taking a lot of shots, but with only one arm, what do you expect.

Unless Juan Manuel Marquez had to come down to 130, and it really, really affected him, Lopez does NOT want any part of him. ESPECIALLY anywhere above 130. Juan Manuel would demolish him. He was almost out a couple times last night against Rafa, and Juan Manuel is a bigger puncher with quicker cominations than his younger brother. Either way, Lopez loses to the older Marquez brother.

 

[dirty bra$$co1]

clean tha most ghost guerreo won

 

[2-0-Sixx]

so who you got winning?

I think hagler ranks as the greatest MW of all time but one on one I think a prime hopkins could UD him. For one, hopkins is a lot taller than hagler and could use his distance, and like hagler hopkins has an iron chin, so I don't think haglers power would have been a huge factor. I think hopkins would have played it smart and out boxed him and even when hagler gets in the inside hopkins has very good and underated inside game as well and frustrate the shit out of hagler. Prime hopkins just too crafty for hagler, imo.

 

[WYNO707X4]

JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ VS LOPEZ. SHIT NOT EVEN CLOSE BIG BROTHER MARQUEZ WOULD PUT HIM DOWN.BUT I THINK LOPEZ IS RUNNING. FIGHT CABALLERO,GAMBOA

 

[2-0-Sixx]

i heard lopez may give marquez a rematch while he waits for gamboa who is next in line for chris john which bob arum hopes will set up gamboa vs lopez in june. only bad thing about this is Cab is being ducked

 

[WYNO707X4]

CELESTINO.IM MY TOP 5 FAVORITE.MANNY,MARGARITO,CANELO,CHAVEZ JR AND CELESTINO

 

[2-0-Sixx]

hagler in a 12 rd dec I think he would be the busyer fighter and b-hop always starts out slow

prime hopkins rarely ever lost around. he became a slow starter once he hit 39-40 years of age like against taylor but that wasn't his best days

 

[heyzel]

Andre Ward-Glen Johnson Could Be Next in Super Six

By Ruslan Chikov

There is a very good chance that WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward will defend his title against Glen Johnson in the semi-finals of the Super Six Boxing Classic. According to a report in Golzka, the current point standings will allow both Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch to enter the semi-finals of the tournament. Their fight is happening on November 27 in Helsinki, Finland.

Andre Ward, the points leader [seed 1], will have to face the fighter with the lowest tally [seed 4] in the first semi-final encounter. The only way Johnson will not become the the fourth seed is if Arthur Abraham beats Carl Froch. If Carl Froch wins, decision or knockout, he will become "seed 2" with a score tally of either 4 or 5. A Froch [seed 2]victory will send him right to a rematch with Abraham [seed 3] in the semi-final stage, and Johnson [seed 4] will go right to a fight with Ward [seed 1].

If Froch wins, people are going to wonder about the tie in scoring between Abraham and Johnson. Both will have a tally of three points. There are three tie-breaker mechanisms in the Super Six. After going through all of them, Abraham will receive a higher seed than Johnson.

If Froch wins, Abraham and Johnson will be tied with three points each. The fighter with the most knockouts in the tournament is due the higher seed position. Because both Abraham and Johnson would have a single knockout to their credit, the final tie-breaker mechanism comes in the picture - "scorecards."

In the event of a "TKO/KO tie" - the fighter with the most scorecards points in the tournament receives the higher seed. Abraham has already accomplished 21 rounds worth of scorecard points between his two bouts with Andre Dirrell and Jermain Taylor. Even without the upcoming rounds with Froch, "King Arthur" is well above Johnson in scorecard points

 

[heyzel]

Juanma Rips Caballero During Hero's Arrival: "Who is He

By Jhonny Gonzalez

WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez arrived in Puerto Rico on Sunday night to a hero's welcome. Dozens of fans and reporters were waiting for Juanma to arrive at the Luis Munoz Marin airport. Last Saturday in Las Vegas, Juanma stopped Rafael Marquez within eight rounds. It was Juanma's biggest career victory.

Also making the news in the last few days, was Friday's scuffle between Celestino Caballero and Juanma's team members. Words were exchanged between the fighters at Friday's weigh-in and things quickly became physical. Juanma was asked about the incident and whether he will consider fighting Caballero in March. Juanma has no interest until Caballero proves that he is capable of generating money.

"Who is Caballero? I'm not against fighting him, but he does not generate money. This is a business and right now I generate the most in this division. If he wants to fight me, he has to get to my level and then we'll talk," Juanma said.

Juanm will consider a rematch with Marquez, or a possible fight with WBA champion Chirs John of Indonesia. Even a fight with Juan Manuel Marquez was mentioned but there is very little chance of that taking place since Juanma would like the fight at either 126 or 130-pounds.

“Chris John is the one we care about because he's a champion and the other big name at the weight. That's what we want, the big names," said Juanma. "Marquez is also a possibility. They requested a rematch and we can have one, but it must be in Puerto Rico, in my backyard, because I fought him in his."

 

[heyzel]

Mayweather Sr. Lands in The Hospital, Possible Heart Issue

By Peter Ciani

It's being reported by Brad Cooney of 8CountNews that Floyd Mayweather Sr., father and former trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr., has been hospitalized in Las Vegas. Per Cooney's report, Mayweather experienced severe chest pains that traveled to his ribs and he went to the hospital on Saturday to have the issue examined. Mayweather has been at the hospital for the last two days. He first experienced the pain on Friday night. He told Cooney that it may be an issue related to his heart.

"They think it may be something to do with my heart. You know I have this lung issue, and we believe it's tied into that. They have completed a lot of tests on me, and I have some more to take tomorrow," Mayweather Sr. said.

Mayweather has been fighting the disease sarcoidosis for a few years. A brief on sarcoidosis by the United States Department of Health - sarcoidosis can affect any organ in your body. However, it's more likely to occur in some organs than in others. The disease usually starts in the lungs, skin, and/or lymph nodes (especially the lymph nodes in your chest).

The disease also often affects the eyes and the liver. Although less common, sarcoidosis can affect the heart and brain, leading to serious complications.

If many granulomas form in an organ, they can affect how the organ works. This can cause signs and symptoms. Signs and symptoms vary depending on which organs are affected. Many people who have sarcoidosis have no symptoms or mild symptoms.

Lofgren's syndrome is a classic set of signs and symptoms that is typical in some people who have sarcoidosis. Lofgren's syndrome may cause fever, enlarged lymph nodes, arthritis (usually in the ankles), and/or erythema nodosum (er-i-THE-ma no-DO-sum).

Erythema nodosum is a rash of red or reddish-purple bumps on your ankles and shins. The rash may be warm and tender to the touch.

 

[heyzel]

I think hagler ranks as the greatest MW of all time but one on one I think a prime hopkins could UD him. For one, hopkins is a lot taller than hagler and could use his distance, and like hagler hopkins has an iron chin, so I don't think haglers power would have been a huge factor. I think hopkins would have played it smart and out boxed him and even when hagler gets in the inside hopkins has very good and underated inside game as well and frustrate the shit out of hagler. Prime hopkins just too crafty for hagler, imo.

Hagler at his best was the most complete fighter I have seen and Hagler will be the one more willing to put his foot on the gas pedal and walk through anything he needs to to get the win. I just can't see Hopkins stealing championship rounds off Hagler, it just wouldn't happen.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Hagler at his best was the most complete fighter I have seen and Hagler will be the one more willing to put his foot on the gas pedal and walk through anything he needs to to get the win. I just can't see Hopkins stealing championship rounds off Hagler, it just wouldn't happen.

just to state, prime hagler was early 80's, prime hopkins was late 90's/early 00's. We'd have to say this is a 12 round fight since we've never seen hopkins go 15 rounds.

Hopkins has extremely good counter punching skills and sets up traps like no other fighter. In his prime hopkins did great against pressure fighters. Hopkins never looked better. Hopkins was a master of controlling the pace and picking his spots. He knew the angles and knew where to position himself to land solid shots and avoid incoming shots. Like Hagler, he was versatile. He could box from the outside using the ring, or maul guys up close or "stink it out" if he had too. He had huge bag of dirty tricks up his sleeve to frustrate opponents. As proven throughout his career, he is very effective against southpaws (never lost to one at MW).

Hagler had more power, had a great jab when used, and was a great pressure fighter although he could box well when he chose to. Hopkins was a quicker and slicker and had a brilliant fighting brain in there, his ring IQ was second to none.

Hopkins has overall better skills, speed, defense and intelligence, whereas Hagler has great pressure, workrate and power. Again, power would not be a huge factor in this fight for either guy, since both have iron chins. Hopkins intelligence, defense and speed would be the deciding factors, imo. Hagler would be a tad too slow for hopkins defense and again, hopkins knows how to control fighters and the tempo, he was a master at it, and I see it being no different against hagler; hopkins would be in control.

I think it would be a close fight with hopkins taking the early rounds, splitting most of the middle rounds and I'm sure the final 12th round would be a war. But overall it would be a tactical fight, one that hopkins would control, and I think hopkins would put enough rounds in the bank to get the decision. It would never be a brawl except maybe in the final round and that would not be good for hagler. If hagler cannot force hopkins to constantly exchange, he'd lose and hopkins was one of the most disciplined fighters I've ever seen in that regard (keeping his cool, not making mistakes and exchanging etc).

 

[heyzel]

just to state, prime hagler was early 80's, prime hopkins was late 90's/early 00's. We'd have to say this is a 12 round fight since we've never seen hopkins go 15 rounds.

Hopkins has extremely good counter punching skills and sets up traps like no other fighter. In his prime hopkins did great against pressure fighters. Hopkins never looked better. Hopkins was a master of controlling the pace and picking his spots. He knew the angles and knew where to position himself to land solid shots and avoid incoming shots. Like Hagler, he was versatile. He could box from the outside using the ring, or maul guys up close or "stink it out" if he had too. He had huge bag of dirty tricks up his sleeve to frustrate opponents. As proven throughout his career, he is very effective against southpaws (never lost to one at MW).

Hagler had more power, had a great jab when used, and was a great pressure fighter although he could box well when he chose to. Hopkins was a quicker and slicker and had a brilliant fighting brain in there, his ring IQ was second to none.

Hopkins has overall better skills, speed, defense and intelligence, whereas Hagler has great pressure, workrate and power. Again, power would not be a huge factor in this fight for either guy, since both have iron chins. Hopkins intelligence, defense and speed would be the deciding factors, imo. Hagler would be a tad too slow for hopkins defense and again, hopkins knows how to control fighters and the tempo, he was a master at it, and I see it being no different against hagler; hopkins would be in control.

I think it would be a close fight with hopkins taking the early rounds, splitting most of the middle rounds and I'm sure the final 12th round would be a war. But overall it would be a tactical fight, one that hopkins would control, and I think hopkins would put enough rounds in the bank to get the decision. It would never be a brawl except maybe in the final round and that would not be good for hagler. If hagler cannot force hopkins to constantly exchange, he'd lose and hopkins was one of the most disciplined fighters I've ever seen in that regard (keeping his cool, not making mistakes and exchanging etc).

hagler from 77-84 was unstoppable and he's the only one of the two that didn't lose to the best two natural middleweights he fought. But I think hagler would out box Bhop ultimately. hagler would start othodox for this one and look to go jab for jab with Bhop. hagler jab was a beast , better than Bhops.... close opening rounds but marv ahead and crucially been able to do some good slowing down work by attacking bhop to the body.