Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

Khan’s options for April 16th bout are dwindling

By William Mackay: Well, you can add EBU light welterweight champion Paul McCloskey to the list of names that won’t be fighting WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan on April 16th after his promoter reported that a fight with Khan was dead in the water because of a low offer from Khan. Light welterweight contender Lamont Peterson had already been ruled out as an opponent because he had supposedly “priced himself out” for a fight with Khan by asking for too much money.


Unless Khan wants to revisit those potential fights, the options available to him are as follows: Breidis Prescott, Lucas Matthysse, Michael Katsidis and John Murray.

Prescott, who already knocked Khan out in 2008 in a 1st round blowout win, has made it clear that he won’t price himself out for a fight with Khan. However, Khan seems to be avoiding Prescott like the plague because of how easily he was beaten by the hard punching Colombian fighter three years ago. Although Khan likes to make an excuse that he proved that his chin isn’t vulnerable in his last fight against Marcos Maidana, the face remains that Khan’s chin is still poor. He showed that it’s not total glass, but it’s still a poor chin. Khan ran from Maidana the entire night and when Khan finally slowed down in the 10th, he got tagged and badly hurt. That tells me that Khan’s chin is still very questionable.

So will Khan take a fight with Prescott? It’s the best fight out there if Khan wants to attract attention and get boxing fans interested in watching his next fight. However, Prescott would have a very real chance of knocking Khan out because his hooks seem to go right around Khan’s guard and find his head every time. I don’t think Khan could ever beat Prescott even if he chose to run all night long.

If Khan fought John Murry or Katsidis, it would make Khan look like he’s cherry picking smaller fighters, because both of those guys are lightweights and not light welterweights. However, this is a move I can see Khan making in order to fight someone that won’t have much of a chance of planing him on the deck. It’s not exactly sporting to fight guys smaller and I wouldn’t be pleased at a match-up between these guys and Khan.

As far as Matthysse goes, I can’t see Khan ever willingly choosing to fight this guy. He hits too hard and it would be like Khan facing a more strategic version of Maidana. The only way I ever see Khan fighting Matthysse is if he’s made the mandatory challenger for Khan and he’s being threatened by the WBA to have his title stripped.

 

[heyzel]

Tim Bradley Fights The Flu as Devon Alexander Bout Nears

By Lem Satterfield

WBO junior welterweight king Tim Bradley is battling a minor case of the flu as he trains for his HBO televised, Jan. 29 clash opposite WBC titlist Devon Alexander that is slated for the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich. Bradley (26-0, 11 knockouts) will not allow the flu to interfere with his training for Alexander (21-0, 13 KOs), and has no intention of withdrawing from the fight. He believes everything will be 100% come fight night.

"I've got this flu. I'm trying to get out of this flu bug. That's not good, but I'm still going to fight, though. No excuses. I ain't going to turn this fight down, even if I'm sick in the ring, I'm still going to fight. I'm resting. Lots of resting. But training camp is still going on strong. I'm still fighting and I feel I'm getting my strength back. I'm getting toward the final stages of this flu," Bradley said. "My nose is still stopped up and everything, but I'm still feeling good and feeling strong. My weight is good and I'm just ready to go."

Bradley has already begun to pick up his training. He plans to do at least 15 rounds of sparring on Saturday and says everything will be normal as he enters fight week.

"Actually, I just ran this morning for about 45 minutes, and I am about to go into training at the gym. I should be at the gym at around noon. I've already started to tapering off with the sparring due to the fact that I'm a little under the weather. I'm tapering down right now, and I'll close on Saturday and do about 15 rounds of sparring on Saturday. But, you know, right now, I'm going about three times a week. I will be sparring today, and that's about six rounds today. But I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be alright."

 

[heyzel]

Klitschko vs. Solis: Will Vitali’s age rear it’s ugly head on 3/19?

By Dave Lahr: It’s terrible to get old in the sport of boxing. When fighters get old, they get the stuffing beaten out of them and it has a way of making boxing fans completely forget about all the good the fighter may accomplished earlier in their career. This is why I’m worried that WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (41-2, 38 KO’s) is about to tarnish his legacy by taking a major whipping by the younger, faster and superior boxer Odlanier Solis (17-0, 12 KO’s) on March 19th in Cologne, Germany.


Klitschko, 39, has been showing signs of age in his past three fights to the point where he can longer throw right hands without getting nailed due to the time it takes for him to land his shots. The old reflexes just aren’t there for Vitali anymore, and he’s been reduced to just jabbing and throwing short left hooks. Vitali is just getting by with his height and reach right now, and coasting against the inferior opposition that he’s been put in with. But the age for Vitali. It’s something you can’t ignore going into this fight.

The signs of aging – the loss of reflexes, the diminished hand speed and the inability to block incoming right hands – are all there for Vitali. This fight is coming at the worst possible time for Vitali, because Solis is the best fighter that he’s faced perhaps since his fight with Lennox Lewis. Now if this fight were to have happened then, I’d say Vitali would have a great chance of winning it, but not now. Vitali is too old, too slow and too lethargic to beat the young Solis.

 

[heyzel]

Holyfield vs. Williams on Saturday

By Dan Ambrose: 48-year-old Evander Holyfield (43-10-2, 28 KO’s) will continue his chase after another heavyweight title shot on Saturday when he takes on little known journeyman fighter Sherman Williams (34-11-2, 19 KO’s) in a 10 round bout a The Greenbrier, in White Suphur Springs, West Virginia. This isn’t a fight that will be shown on HBO or Showtime, as Holyfield is far removed from fighting on those networks nowadays as his boxing skills have badly declined.


Holyfield still hopes to get a title shot against the Klitschkos or David Haye, and says that he’s the same fighter he was at 38 and 28. It’s hard to believe that looking at Holyfield’s last fight against Francois Botha last year in April. In that fight, Holyfield’s work rate was poor, his accuracy awful and seemed only capable of landing one punch at a time. Sure, Holyfield would throw two or three, but he’d almost always miss with two of three or three out of four of his shots against the stationary Botha.

The thing is Botha was there to be hit and yet Holyfield still missed. The bounce in his legs were all but gone and his hand speed has badly deteriorated. To Holyfield’s credit, he did show that he still has good power when he dropped Botha with a single right hand in the 8th round. However, when the action resumed, Holyfield still ending up missing several shots before putting Botha away with a right hand that caused the referee to step in and halt the fight.

At this age, Holyfield should have been long retired from the sport. Getting hit in the head at his age is something that you have to worry about, because he’s already had tons of wars in the past during his 27-year pro career. Holyfield says he doesn’t need the money but you have wonder what’s keeping him in the sport.

 

[heyzel]

Roger Mayweather Avoids Trial, Strikes Deal, No Jail

By Mark Vester

According to a report in the Las Vegas Review Journal, Roger Mayweather, the uncle and head trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr., struck a deal with Las Vegas prosecutors that will keep him out of jail. In four days, he was scheduled to go to trial in his 19-month-old battery case. On Thursday, Mayweather, 49, will plead no contest to two misdemeanor counts of battery. As part of the plea deal, Mayweather will be placed on informal probation, pay a $1,000 fine, attend domestic violence counseling and perform 50 hours of community service.

Mayweather was originally charged with two felony battery counts stemming from an Aug. 2, 2009, incident in which he is accused of choking and punching 26-year-old female fighter Melissa St. Vil at her apartment in the 700 block of Rock Springs Drive, near Rainbow Boulevard and Washington Avenue. Mayweather owned the property and rented it to a man who let St. Vil live there

 

[heyzel]

Schaefer: Berto-Ortiz Looks "Promising" For April 16

By Lem Satterfield

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said that negotiations look "promising" for Victor Ortiz (28-2-2, 22 KOs) to challenge WBC welterweight King Andre Berto (27-0, 21 knockouts), as part of an HBO televised, April 16, split-site double-header that will include WBA junior welterweight king Amir Khan fighting from his native England.

"I met with Victor Ortiz today, and we're working on Victor and Berto. There are a few things that I need to discuss as a follow up with Victor, but it looks promising," said Schaefer. "It would be April 16, and it would be together with the Khan fight from England, tape-delayed, and paired with the live fight of Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto

 

[heyzel]

Matthysse-Corley: Face To Face, Promise Knockout Wins

On Friday at the Polideportivo Vicente Polimeni in Las Heras, Mendoza, Argentina, a great doubleheader will take place with WBA light flyweight world champion, Juan Carlos Reveco, facing Nicaraguan Miguel Tellez and junior welterweight Lucas Matthysse against former WBO world junior welterweight champion, American DeMarcus Corley.



At the Sheraton Hotel in the capital Mendoza, a very full press conference with the four main fighters took place.



Matthysse vs. Corley will be for 12 rounds for the vacant WBO Intercontinental welterweight title, while the fight between Reveco and Tellez will be a 10-round flyweight bout. The evening will be televised by HBO's Plus for Latin America and Telefutura to the U.S.

Lucas said he was "well prepared for the fight" and has been working with lefties (Corley is one) since he began his training for what was his last fight (in November) against Zab Judah.

"After Judah I rested for only a week and returned to training. I came stronger mentally, in good spirits and eager to return, "he said.

"Corley is a good fighter, I saw his fight with (Marcos) Maidana and I think he won by one or two points. He will be difficult but I think I will win by KO. I don't know what round, but I think I will," said Matthysse.

For his part, Corley said, "The fight with Maidana was something else. Now I do not want to leave things in the hands of judges. This time I won, but it was given to Marcos. I'm going out to fight with Lucas, nothing to move or run like did Judah. I'll go for it and I hope to win quickly. And I'm very curious to show how I'll knock Matthysse out."

Reveco said it was "an enormous satisfaction for participating in an evening so large and that it can reach the world with HBO."

He added: "I want to pass the test of Téllez and then make a defense of my title. So I prepared well, conscious, knowing that this is a very important fight despite my title not being at stake."

Tellez did not say much at the conference but expressed confidence: "I appreciate the opportunity you gave me to fight a world champion. I came to do my job well and win."

 

[Tony]

By Mark Vester

According to a report in the Las Vegas Review Journal, Roger Mayweather, the uncle and head trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr., struck a deal with Las Vegas prosecutors that will keep him out of jail. In four days, he was scheduled to go to trial in his 19-month-old battery case. On Thursday, Mayweather, 49, will plead no contest to two misdemeanor counts of battery. As part of the plea deal, Mayweather will be placed on informal probation, pay a $1,000 fine, attend domestic violence counseling and perform 50 hours of community service.

Mayweather was originally charged with two felony battery counts stemming from an Aug. 2, 2009, incident in which he is accused of choking and punching 26-year-old female fighter Melissa St. Vil at her apartment in the 700 block of Rock Springs Drive, near Rainbow Boulevard and Washington Avenue. Mayweather owned the property and rented it to a man who let St. Vil live there

Now hopefully Floyd can get off....

 

[Tony]

By Lem Satterfield

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said that negotiations look "promising" for Victor Ortiz (28-2-2, 22 KOs) to challenge WBC welterweight King Andre Berto (27-0, 21 knockouts), as part of an HBO televised, April 16, split-site double-header that will include WBA junior welterweight king Amir Khan fighting from his native England.

"I met with Victor Ortiz today, and we're working on Victor and Berto. There are a few things that I need to discuss as a follow up with Victor, but it looks promising," said Schaefer. "It would be April 16, and it would be together with the Khan fight from England, tape-delayed, and paired with the live fight of Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto

206, is Victor Ortiz a good enough opponent for Berto? I think so....

 

[2-0-Sixx]

206, is Victor Ortiz a good enough opponent for Berto? I think so....

Another 140 pound opponent? Why wont Berto fight a 147 pounder, like Kermit Cintron who's been embarrassing him on boxing websites?

berto is quickly becoming one of the biggest jokes in boxing.

Like Shane Mosley said to Berto on twitter yesterday:

@AndreBerto You Need to grow a pair of balls and fight someone over the 140 pound limit

 

[heyzel]

Now hopefully Floyd can get off....

I hope floyd can ge off but with that video tape of the kids getting help it's looking good

 

[2-0-Sixx]

lol comedy

Mayorga sure does know how to sell a fight, here he is today pushing cotto they almost exchange blows

 

[WYNO707X4]

LOL

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Berto is too big and way too fast for Ortiz, and he knows it.

Ortiz has almost no chance in my opinion.

 

[heyzel]

Roy Jones Jr. hired back as HBO analyst

By Matt Stein: 42-year-old Roy Jones Jr. has reportedly been hired back as an HBO analyst to cover as part of the permanent analyst on HBO’s Boxing After Dark series, according to fightnews. Jones has recently filled in for the Foreman-Cotto and Judah vs. Matthysse fights and did an excellent job of bringing humor and a sense of lightness to the coverage of the events.


Apparently, HBO wasn’t looking for a permanent guy, even though Lennox Lewis recently left and there appeared to be an opening. The analyst team has gotten kind of stale in recent years with a general stiffness and lack of humor permeating the broadcasts. By adding Jones to the team, he will immediately lighten up the team and make it little more interesting to watch. Jones previously worked as an HBO analyst from 1996 to 2005.

This has certainly come at a good time for Jones, as his boxing career is sinking with losses to Joe Calzaghe, Danny Green and Bernard Hopkins occurring recently. Jones’ once impressive skills have badly eroded to the point where he’s no longer a factor in the light heavyweight division

 

[heyzel]

Schaefer talking about Berto/Ortiz, Khan/TBA split site HBO doubleheader on 4/16

By Dan Ambrose: Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer is looking to put together a split site doubleheader on April 16th HBO split site doubleheader between WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (27-0, 21 KO’s) taking on yet another light welterweight in 23-year-old Victor Ortiz (28-2-2, 22 KO’s) that could take place at the Home Depot Center in Carson, according to boxing news from the Los Angeles Times. And fighting in England in the other part of the doubleheader will be WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) facing one of three possible opponents – Lamont Peterson, John Murray or Paul McCloskey.


Berto has been wasting away at welterweight for the past seven years little known weak opponents for the most part. Since 2008, Berto has served as the WBC welterweight paper champion, earning the title with a win over little known Miguel Angel Rodriguez and then defending the title five times, two of them coming against light welterweights dragged up to welterweight to face Berto. The fights against welterweights for Berto were against Luis Collazo, Carlos Quintana and Freddy Hernandez. When Berto attempted to get a fight with Manny Pacquiao recently, Berto found out that it probably wasn’t helpful that he hadn’t fought a big named opponent during his seven pro career, because that was the main reason he didn’t get the fight with Pacquiao.

Berto, whose fights are shown on HBO, was supposed to be finally stepping it up in 2011 against quality opposition that boxing fans know and care about. However, it’s disappointing that Berto is picking the light welterweight Ortiz to fight instead of someone from his own weight class. Taking on and beating Ortiz won’t prove anything other than Berto can beat fighters from the smaller visions consistently. It’s scary to think of what will happen when Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. retire. If Berto becomes the main guy at welterweight, it would be terrible if Berto’s fights are the only things fans are seeing on HBO from the welterweight division with him raiding the light welterweight division for opponents every other fight.

 

[heyzel]

Andy Lee-Craig McEwen Bout Set For March 12 on HBO

By Rick Reeno

Promoter Lou DiBella has advised BoxingScene.com that a deal has been reached for Scottish middleweight Craig McEwen (19-0, 10KOs) to face Irishman Andy Lee (24-1, 18Kos) in an HBO televised co-feature on March 12 at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. One of DiBella’s star fighters, Sergio Martinez, faces Sergei Dzinziruk in the HBO televised main event. Lee was scheduled to fight John Duddy, who announced his retirement earlier this week. McEwen vs. Lee will also feature a battle of superstar trainers. Lee is trained by Emanuel Steward, while McEwen is trained by Freddie Roach.

 

[heyzel]

Mayorga: I'll Be 178 on Fight Night, PR Don't Want Cotto

By Rey Colon

Ricardo Mayorga was very well 'prepared' to make so many verbal bombs that he silenced Miguel Cotto, and said the WBA 154-pound champion was not wanted by Puerto Rico and Felix Trinidad was still considered the real boxing idol of the country despite being retired. Mayorga challenges Cotto for the title on March 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"I think that Puerto Rico doesn't want him. He will never have the charisma or the talent of Trinidad, who was a star. Cotto does not have the charisma to be a star. He is not liked. Your own people do not want you. When Trinidad came, more than a million Puerto Ricans went to meet him to take pictures. When Cotto is coming, he is only greeted his manager and his family. He does not like it because he is not on the same level as that man and he never will be," Mayorga said in front of Cotto.

"After I knock him out on March 12, I intend to come to Puerto Rico to live here to be his nightmare. I'll get you on March 12. I'll knock you out. You're scared looking at my size. Listen to what I'm going to say, on the day of the weigh-in I'll be 153 pounds and on the day of the fight I'll be at 178. You will feel the impact of a man

 

[heyzel]

Witherspoon thinks Khan is being shielded from some tougher fighters

By William Mackay: In an interview of former heavyweight Tim Witherspoon at fighthype.com, Witherspoon pointed out what a lot of boxing fans believe about World Boxing (WBA) light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s), saying this about Khan: “There are some dudes out there that will take him out in the 1st or 2nd round. I think that’s why they keeping him from some of them dudes. They were up there saying they want Mayweather in England.”

This was to the question about whether Witherspoon felt that Khan’s days were numbered. You want to give Khan the benefit of the doubt, but when you see him being kept away from guys like Breidis Prescott, who knocked him out in one round in 2008, it makes you wonder. You see Khan not fighting a rematch with Marcos Maidana, who had him staggering around the ring, and you see referee Joe Cortez brought in for the Khan-Maidana fight, and you see Khan being steered towards European fighters now instead of someone tough like Prescott or Lucas Matthysee.

 

[heyzel]

Roger says there won’t be a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight if Manny loses to Mosley

By Chris Williams: Roger Mayweather, the uncle and trainer for boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr., correctly pointed out that unless Manny Pacquiao can get by his next fight against 39-year-old Shane Mosley on May 7th, there won’t be a future fight between Pacquiao and his nephew Floyd Jr. In an interview with ontheropesboxingradio program, Roger said “If Shane Mosley beats Pacquiao, then we aint even tot to worry about that”, [referring to a fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao.]


Pacquiao would then effectively have been exposed and eliminated by Mosley, and the fight that we would then be seeing is a rematch between Mosley and Mayweather with, of course, the full random blood testing being done leading up to the fight. Mosley had no problems with taking the blood testing last year when he fought Mayweather, and it’s doubtful that anything would change in a rematch.

Roger believes that Mosley will beat Pacquiao, having this belief because Roger feels that part of what makes Pacquiao so good is that he fights guys at catch weights, which he feels helps Pacquiao get an advantage. The Mosley-Pacquiao fight won’t be held at a catch weight, so anything can happen in this fight. We may see a major upset if Mosley isn’t weakened and is able to come into the fight at full strength.

It would be kind of sad to see Pacquiao getting eliminated by Mosley after all the hype made about Pacquiao by all these fans. I never thought for a second that Pacquiao could ever beat Floyd Mayweather, but I think Pacquiao would have an advantage over Mosley, if only because he’s almost 100 years old now.