Boxing News Thread
- Thread starter heyzel
- Start date
man, still pissed about the Guzman fight. Frank Warren did him dirty, there was no intention of making this fight happen, everyone knew Guzman would school Arthur. Shady shit. Frustrating as hell being a Guzman fan because he should be a star by now and ranked top ten P4P.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joe Calzaghe vs. Kelly Pavlik in The Works
According to promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank, talks have already begun for a potential meeting between WBC/WBO middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik and WBC/WBO/WBA super middleweight champ Joe Calzaghe, who decisioned light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins last month. Details
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joe Calzaghe vs. Kelly Pavlik in The Works
According to promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank, talks have already begun for a potential meeting between WBC/WBO middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik and WBC/WBO/WBA super middleweight champ Joe Calzaghe, who decisioned light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins last month. Details
Miranda: "Abraham is a fool for getting back in the ring with me. I will make him pay
14.05.08 - Exclusive Interview by James Slater: This June, at The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, two super-middleweights with a history will meet for a second time in a highly anticipated rematch. Back in September of 2006, in defending IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham's home country of Germany, Abraham met the big-punching Columbian Edison "Pantera" Miranda. What followed was one of the most brutal and controversial fights of recent years. Abraham suffered a broken jaw, by an illegal Miranda head butt according to the German, and a bloody battle ensued. Abraham won on points, but Miranda cried robbery. Now, on June 21st, at a non-title fight catch weight of 166 pounds, the two fierce enemies meet again.
Fans will likely know both Miranda and his exciting style well. After the loss to Abraham, the Columbian who now calls Puerto Rico his home fought the fearsome Kelly Pavlik in a final eliminator for a shot at then middleweight champ Jermain Taylor. Miranda lost, but claims his being forced to make middleweight was the reason. Miranda has since moved up to 168 pounds and has looked good in doing so.. Winning a world title is still his main priority, but the chance to get revenge over Abraham proved way too enticing an opportunity to pass - even though their rematch will not contest any title. Also, after an almost-signed fight with Mikkell Kessler fell through for "Pantera" this bout was very much welcomed.
Speaking to me through his interpreter and co-manager Greg Wantman recently, the 27-year-old Miranda, 30-2(26) had his game face very much on. Indeed, before even asking Miranda a question Wantman told me how he's never seen his fighter so motivated and up for a fight.
Here is what Edison had to say.
Q. Firstly, with your known weight problems in the past, will the Abraham rematch taking place at 166 pounds affect you at all?
Miranda: I was asked what the lowest weight I was willing to come down to would be for this fight. 166 pounds was the lowest I was willing to go down to. I am really a big super-middleweight, but with the right diet and the time I have [before the fight] I will be able to make this weight and keep my strength. Ideally, I would have liked the fight at 168-170 pounds, but Abraham refused to come up that high. I don't see a problem for me at 166 pounds.
Q. Abraham has said you could not beat him last time, when he had a broken jaw. He also says you fought dirty. How do you respond to this claim?
Miranda: Anyone who has seen me fight knows I am not a dirty fighter. Other than the fight in Germany, I have only ever had one point deducted from me in my whole career. In my first fight with Abraham the referee (Randy Neumann) threatened to disqualify me for legal shots to the body. I had no choice but to change my game-plan. Also, the head butt for which I was deducted points, came about simply because I was trying to work myself free from a clinch. I became frustrated in the fight, yes, but I am not a dirty fighter. In fact, if anyone was a dirty fighter in Germany it was Abraham. How many times did he hold me and rabbit punch me? He would even hold the ropes with me trapped between his arms! It was unreal, I cannot believe the stuff he was allowed to get away with. I tell you this, though, I am going to kill the guy this time!
Q. Before we get to fight two, do you still feel you won the first fight with Abraham?
Miranda: Yes. I actually feel I won the fight twice. I won in the 5th round (when a long time-out was called and it seemed as though the champion could not carry on due to his busted jaw) and I won on points also. That fight was just a robbery. I was robbed in Germany! (the official scores were 116-109, 115-109 and 114-109 - all for Abraham)
Q. So how will you win this time?
Miranda: Like I say, I'm going to kill him! There is nobody that is going to stop me from doing this. I have been waiting for this rematch to happen ever since the day I left Germany. Abraham is a fool for getting back in the ring with me. I will make him pay for pretending to be a champion after I destroyed him the first time. I will not let up until he is beaten. I want him to feel pain!
Q. What are Abraham's strengths as a fighter?
Miranda: His only strength is that he fights in his own country of Germany. He is a crap fighter anywhere else and I will expose this for the whole world to see come June 21st. I do not think he is a good boxer at all, or a real champion.
Q. So what type of fight are you expecting? It clearly sounds as though you think it will be brutal?
Miranda: It will be hide and seek. He will try and run from me. But the ring is only so large, and there are only four corners [for him] to run to. I will hunt him down like a wounded pig and slaughter him. The referee, whoever it is, better be ready to jump in before he gets too badly hurt. In Germany, I felt bad for him with every punch. His face looked horrible and he was bleeding non-stop. But now I want him to feel the pain again. The last fight will look like it was written by Walt Disney compared to what I plan on doing to him in this fight!
Q. Let's just talk briefly about your great, but losing fight with Kelly Palvlik. Was it your weight problems that led to your loss?
Miranda: Without a doubt. Kelly Pavlik is a great fighter, but I had to lose 47 pounds in less than six weeks for that fight. That nearly killed me! Making middleweight was always difficult for me, but I really wanted to fight Jermain Taylor bad. I am a much better fighter up at 168 pounds, and a much bigger puncher - just ask David Banks (3rd round KO victim in Miranda's last fight, in January of this year) if you can wake him up that is!
Q. Aside from putting on weight since the loss to Pavlik, what other changes have you made to your game?
Miranda: I've been working very hard on my movement and on my defence in the ring. I really believe that if I'd been able to have avoided some of Pavlik's punches I'd have still been in the fight. Honestly, I am a much better fighter now, as a super-middleweight.
Q. You almost had a fight signed with Mikkell Kessler. How annoyed were you that that fight never came off?
Miranda: I still think that fight will happen. I plan on getting to Kessler next. But after he sees what I do to Abraham I doubt he will want to sign the contract. Both fights [Kessler and Abraham] are great fights, but for different reasons. I had to jump on this opportunity to fight Abraham again now, while he is stupid enough to step in the ring with me. I knew I may not get this chance again.
Q. You're clearly pumped up for June 21st already. Do you have a final prediction?
Miranda: I am in shape already. There will be no shortcuts with the training for this fight. I will say this in closing; put your children to bed early, because I do not want them to see what my fists are capable of doing. The last time we fought, Abraham left the dressing room on a stretcher. This time he will not be so lucky. This time the stretcher better be waiting for him in his corner!
Like his style and attitude or not, Edison Miranda is a fighter who is not afraid to speak his mind
14.05.08 - Exclusive Interview by James Slater: This June, at The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, two super-middleweights with a history will meet for a second time in a highly anticipated rematch. Back in September of 2006, in defending IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham's home country of Germany, Abraham met the big-punching Columbian Edison "Pantera" Miranda. What followed was one of the most brutal and controversial fights of recent years. Abraham suffered a broken jaw, by an illegal Miranda head butt according to the German, and a bloody battle ensued. Abraham won on points, but Miranda cried robbery. Now, on June 21st, at a non-title fight catch weight of 166 pounds, the two fierce enemies meet again.
Fans will likely know both Miranda and his exciting style well. After the loss to Abraham, the Columbian who now calls Puerto Rico his home fought the fearsome Kelly Pavlik in a final eliminator for a shot at then middleweight champ Jermain Taylor. Miranda lost, but claims his being forced to make middleweight was the reason. Miranda has since moved up to 168 pounds and has looked good in doing so.. Winning a world title is still his main priority, but the chance to get revenge over Abraham proved way too enticing an opportunity to pass - even though their rematch will not contest any title. Also, after an almost-signed fight with Mikkell Kessler fell through for "Pantera" this bout was very much welcomed.
Speaking to me through his interpreter and co-manager Greg Wantman recently, the 27-year-old Miranda, 30-2(26) had his game face very much on. Indeed, before even asking Miranda a question Wantman told me how he's never seen his fighter so motivated and up for a fight.
Here is what Edison had to say.
Q. Firstly, with your known weight problems in the past, will the Abraham rematch taking place at 166 pounds affect you at all?
Miranda: I was asked what the lowest weight I was willing to come down to would be for this fight. 166 pounds was the lowest I was willing to go down to. I am really a big super-middleweight, but with the right diet and the time I have [before the fight] I will be able to make this weight and keep my strength. Ideally, I would have liked the fight at 168-170 pounds, but Abraham refused to come up that high. I don't see a problem for me at 166 pounds.
Q. Abraham has said you could not beat him last time, when he had a broken jaw. He also says you fought dirty. How do you respond to this claim?
Miranda: Anyone who has seen me fight knows I am not a dirty fighter. Other than the fight in Germany, I have only ever had one point deducted from me in my whole career. In my first fight with Abraham the referee (Randy Neumann) threatened to disqualify me for legal shots to the body. I had no choice but to change my game-plan. Also, the head butt for which I was deducted points, came about simply because I was trying to work myself free from a clinch. I became frustrated in the fight, yes, but I am not a dirty fighter. In fact, if anyone was a dirty fighter in Germany it was Abraham. How many times did he hold me and rabbit punch me? He would even hold the ropes with me trapped between his arms! It was unreal, I cannot believe the stuff he was allowed to get away with. I tell you this, though, I am going to kill the guy this time!
Q. Before we get to fight two, do you still feel you won the first fight with Abraham?
Miranda: Yes. I actually feel I won the fight twice. I won in the 5th round (when a long time-out was called and it seemed as though the champion could not carry on due to his busted jaw) and I won on points also. That fight was just a robbery. I was robbed in Germany! (the official scores were 116-109, 115-109 and 114-109 - all for Abraham)
Q. So how will you win this time?
Miranda: Like I say, I'm going to kill him! There is nobody that is going to stop me from doing this. I have been waiting for this rematch to happen ever since the day I left Germany. Abraham is a fool for getting back in the ring with me. I will make him pay for pretending to be a champion after I destroyed him the first time. I will not let up until he is beaten. I want him to feel pain!
Q. What are Abraham's strengths as a fighter?
Miranda: His only strength is that he fights in his own country of Germany. He is a crap fighter anywhere else and I will expose this for the whole world to see come June 21st. I do not think he is a good boxer at all, or a real champion.
Q. So what type of fight are you expecting? It clearly sounds as though you think it will be brutal?
Miranda: It will be hide and seek. He will try and run from me. But the ring is only so large, and there are only four corners [for him] to run to. I will hunt him down like a wounded pig and slaughter him. The referee, whoever it is, better be ready to jump in before he gets too badly hurt. In Germany, I felt bad for him with every punch. His face looked horrible and he was bleeding non-stop. But now I want him to feel the pain again. The last fight will look like it was written by Walt Disney compared to what I plan on doing to him in this fight!
Q. Let's just talk briefly about your great, but losing fight with Kelly Palvlik. Was it your weight problems that led to your loss?
Miranda: Without a doubt. Kelly Pavlik is a great fighter, but I had to lose 47 pounds in less than six weeks for that fight. That nearly killed me! Making middleweight was always difficult for me, but I really wanted to fight Jermain Taylor bad. I am a much better fighter up at 168 pounds, and a much bigger puncher - just ask David Banks (3rd round KO victim in Miranda's last fight, in January of this year) if you can wake him up that is!
Q. Aside from putting on weight since the loss to Pavlik, what other changes have you made to your game?
Miranda: I've been working very hard on my movement and on my defence in the ring. I really believe that if I'd been able to have avoided some of Pavlik's punches I'd have still been in the fight. Honestly, I am a much better fighter now, as a super-middleweight.
Q. You almost had a fight signed with Mikkell Kessler. How annoyed were you that that fight never came off?
Miranda: I still think that fight will happen. I plan on getting to Kessler next. But after he sees what I do to Abraham I doubt he will want to sign the contract. Both fights [Kessler and Abraham] are great fights, but for different reasons. I had to jump on this opportunity to fight Abraham again now, while he is stupid enough to step in the ring with me. I knew I may not get this chance again.
Q. You're clearly pumped up for June 21st already. Do you have a final prediction?
Miranda: I am in shape already. There will be no shortcuts with the training for this fight. I will say this in closing; put your children to bed early, because I do not want them to see what my fists are capable of doing. The last time we fought, Abraham left the dressing room on a stretcher. This time he will not be so lucky. This time the stretcher better be waiting for him in his corner!
Like his style and attitude or not, Edison Miranda is a fighter who is not afraid to speak his mind
Margarito/Cotto Still Not Signed, But There's Hope
By Scoop Malinowski, Boxinginsider.com: The boxing event of the summer is still not signed but there is hope. A source close to the situation informed that the Welterweight unification clash between Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto has yet to be officially inked by all parties. Margarito of course is already signed and has been for almost a month. However Cotto has yet to put his signature to the dotted line and "is still dealing with Bob Arum." Also, our source added that Cotto seems to be showing "doubts about himself already.."
In any event, the press/media tour is scheduled to being next Thursday in New York City - of course it all depends on if Cotto agrees to the fight and signs the contract to face Margarito on July 26. It appears it's make or break for Margarito vs. Cotto in the next seven days. Stay tuned...
Source: www.boxinginsider.com
By Scoop Malinowski, Boxinginsider.com: The boxing event of the summer is still not signed but there is hope. A source close to the situation informed that the Welterweight unification clash between Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto has yet to be officially inked by all parties. Margarito of course is already signed and has been for almost a month. However Cotto has yet to put his signature to the dotted line and "is still dealing with Bob Arum." Also, our source added that Cotto seems to be showing "doubts about himself already.."
In any event, the press/media tour is scheduled to being next Thursday in New York City - of course it all depends on if Cotto agrees to the fight and signs the contract to face Margarito on July 26. It appears it's make or break for Margarito vs. Cotto in the next seven days. Stay tuned...
Source: www.boxinginsider.com
Solis vs Botha on May 30th in Spain
Olympic gold medallist Odlanier Solis and former world heavyweight champion Francois Botha were meant to meet in the ring in December 2007 but the “White Buffalo” drew in his horns on very short notice. Now everything is set and the contracts are signed for the fight to take place on May 30th in Bilbao, Spain..
“Botha still has a very good name”, states Solis (9-0-0, 6 kos). “His only problem will be that I don’t care much about names. I’m looking forward to finally meeting him in the ring though.”
ARENA-CEO Ahmet Öner: “By beating Botha Odlanier can once more show that he belongs to the elite of heavyweight boxing. In addition to that fighting such an experienced opponent will definitely help him to improve his game and beating Botha will bring him closer to a title fight.”
In his 18 years in professional boxing Botha (45-4-2, 28 kos) only lost to world class athletes: Michael Moorer (November 1996), Mike Tyson (January 1999), Lennox Lewis (July 2000) and Wladimir Klitschko (March 2002).
Olympic gold medallist Odlanier Solis and former world heavyweight champion Francois Botha were meant to meet in the ring in December 2007 but the “White Buffalo” drew in his horns on very short notice. Now everything is set and the contracts are signed for the fight to take place on May 30th in Bilbao, Spain..
“Botha still has a very good name”, states Solis (9-0-0, 6 kos). “His only problem will be that I don’t care much about names. I’m looking forward to finally meeting him in the ring though.”
ARENA-CEO Ahmet Öner: “By beating Botha Odlanier can once more show that he belongs to the elite of heavyweight boxing. In addition to that fighting such an experienced opponent will definitely help him to improve his game and beating Botha will bring him closer to a title fight.”
In his 18 years in professional boxing Botha (45-4-2, 28 kos) only lost to world class athletes: Michael Moorer (November 1996), Mike Tyson (January 1999), Lennox Lewis (July 2000) and Wladimir Klitschko (March 2002).
Khan: I'll smash him up!
Wednesday, May 14 2008
Amir Khan has welcomed Michael Gomez's claims that he will flatten him when the pair meet at the N.I.A in Birmingham, England on June 21. In a recent interview, Gomez said that he would knock out the 21-year-old British boxing sensation. But undefeated Khan, who defends his Commonwealth lightweight title for the fourth time, is happy to hear Gomez's comments. "I wondered when Gomez would start opening his mouth, and it hasn't taken long," said Khan. "Actually, I want him to say he is going to knock me out because it only makes me want to smash him up even more so I train harder....To be honest, it suits me down to the ground if Gomez does bring the fight to me because then I can pick him off at will. I'll be too quick and too strong for him - and I'm going to show him that on June 21. I'm going to give him a real beating and don't be surprised if he retires after it. I know that this fight won't be going the distance, but there's only one man who is going to win by knockout and that's me.
Wednesday, May 14 2008
Amir Khan has welcomed Michael Gomez's claims that he will flatten him when the pair meet at the N.I.A in Birmingham, England on June 21. In a recent interview, Gomez said that he would knock out the 21-year-old British boxing sensation. But undefeated Khan, who defends his Commonwealth lightweight title for the fourth time, is happy to hear Gomez's comments. "I wondered when Gomez would start opening his mouth, and it hasn't taken long," said Khan. "Actually, I want him to say he is going to knock me out because it only makes me want to smash him up even more so I train harder....To be honest, it suits me down to the ground if Gomez does bring the fight to me because then I can pick him off at will. I'll be too quick and too strong for him - and I'm going to show him that on June 21. I'm going to give him a real beating and don't be surprised if he retires after it. I know that this fight won't be going the distance, but there's only one man who is going to win by knockout and that's me.
The WBC health care plan and other medical issues
Last month, a news release was circulated throughout the boxing community. Its headline (in solid capital letters with an exclamation point) read, "THANK YOU, JOSE SULAIMAN and the WBC!" A subhead informed readers, "WBC meets members' needs with health care plan."
Not exactly.
The plan provides for the partial payment of medical expenses incurred in conjunction with illnesses, accidents and other medical conditions. But it will not cover conditions related to boxing.
That's a huge hole in the coverage. If a fighter needs medical care for a broken jaw, detached retina or other condition suffered as a consequence of the sweet science, he's on his own. That's like a health care plan for members of the military that doesn't cover combat-related injuries.
How will one determine whether a condition is related to boxing? After all, there are gray areas. That determination will be made in the first instance by a claims examiner hired by the plan provider.
Let's put the WBC-endorsed plan in perspective.
[+] EnlargeThomas Lohnes/AFP/Getty Images
A broken jaw, like the one suffered by Arthur Abraham in September 2006, wouldn't be covered by the WBC's health care plan.
Glenn Davidow, an insurance broker based in Southern California, procures policies that groups (or individuals) need when they seek insurance. Davidow was approached by Jill Diamond of World Boxing Cares about the possibility of health insurance for boxers. He took the issue to the Consolidated Workers Association, which agreed to underwrite the plan.
The CWA is not an insurance company. It's a corporation that offers lifestyle benefits such as discounted vacation packages and prepaid legal fees to small employers, church groups, trade associations and the like. In this case, the CWA is offering a "health care plan." Because of various state and federal laws, the offering is technically not "insurance."
Plan participants will pay dues, not "premiums," to the CWA. Brad Wessler of Claims & Benefits Management Inc., is the administrator hired by the CWA. He will collect the plan dues and adjudicate claims for benefits.
The one-page news release (which modestly referred to the WBC eight times) also states that the plan is open to "the entire boxing community." But that, apparently, is not the case.
Davidow says, most likely, the plan will be limited to people licensed by a government athletic commission and their families.
"We're not talking about a clearly defined membership group," Wessler says. "I don't think a final determination has been made yet as to who will be eligible to participate."
Either way, the rationale for limiting the plan to "the boxing community" is essentially a marketing tool. Keep in mind, as far as the CWA is concerned, this is a for-profit venture (like selling discounted vacation packages). The WBC endorsement is significant primarily for marketing purposes. The program could be run just as easily with the endorsement of the Association of Boxing Commissions or another world sanctioning organization.
There will be three coverage plans, each of which will offer a different level of benefits.
Depending on the plan chosen, individual rates are expected to run from $97 to $195 per month with family rates ranging from $143 to $445 monthly. These rates have been set by actuaries based on the expected demographics of the insured group. A similar package could be put together for a lower-risk group (such as certified public accountants and their families), in which case either the premiums would be less or the benefits would be greater.
Because the CWA is doing this to make money (nothing wrong with that), the benefits paid to plan participants will be limited, as they are under most insurance policies. That includes limits on the amount paid for each procedure, each doctor's visit and hospital stays of varying duration.
Health care providers will be allowed to charge more than the benefit amount, and most of them will. By way of example, it's unlikely that the benefits paid will come close to covering the full cost of hospitalization. Plan participants will be responsible for paying the unreimbursed portion of all health care costs. But Wessler says that if a participant uses an in-network provider, the co-payment that he or she is responsible for will often be less than would otherwise be the case because the CWA has negotiated with in-network providers for reduced rates.
With certain narrow exceptions, pre-existing conditions will not be covered for the first 12 months of a person's participation in the plan.
The powers that be hope to launch the plan on June 1, shortly after it is presented at the NABF convention in Tucson, Ariz.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As noted in a previous column, Juan Manuel Marquez suffered a terrible cut on his right eyelid in the ninth round of his March 15 fight against Manny Pacquiao.
Afterward, Marquez's trainer, Nacho Beristain, could be seen on television packing what appeared to be a long, yellow string soaked in a liquid solution into the wound, covering the cut with Vaseline, and sending Marquez out for subsequent rounds.
Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, said later that he'd been told the string was soaked in epinephrine (a legal coagulant) and that it had been removed from the laceration before Marquez left his corner for each round.
Kizer subsequently learned that the packing had been left in the cut, but said, "Our primary concern is the safety of the fighter. There's no rule against leaving something like that in a cut, so it's at the discretion of the ring doctor and the commission whether or not to allow it."
Michael Schwartz, the president of the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians, who is widely recognized as a first-rate ring doctor, takes a contrary view.
When apprised of the NSAC's position, Schwartz told ESPN.com, "That's ridiculous. It's totally absurd. It shocks me. Any time there's a foreign object in the eye, you're increasing the danger to the fighter. If a cut is bad enough to warrant doing something like that, the ring doctor should stop the fight."
The Nevada Annotated Code does not specifically state that it's illegal to place a foreign object inside a cut and leave it there during a round. But a little common sense is in order.
• Can a cornerman legally put a butterfly bandage on a cut between rounds?
• Can a cornerman legally suture a cut between rounds?
• Can a cornerman legally leave packing in a fighter's nose and send him out for the next round?
• What if a string packed into a laceration dangles out during a round and gets into the fighter's eye?
Come on, guys. Referees require a fighter's corner to wipe extra Vaseline off a cut. And Nevada is telling the world that it's all right for a fighter to come out with a foreign object packed into a laceration?
The core problem here is that the Nevada State Athletic Commission has a policy of refusing to admit that it ever makes a mistake. That might be good spin politics, but it's lousy regulation, because without correction, bad decisions become standard practice.
It's precisely because Nevada is a leader that the NSAC should call a halt to the practice of allowing foreign objects to be packed into lacerations between rounds. The appropriate response now would be to say, "It shouldn't have been allowed to happen before, and we won't allow it to happen again in the future
Last month, a news release was circulated throughout the boxing community. Its headline (in solid capital letters with an exclamation point) read, "THANK YOU, JOSE SULAIMAN and the WBC!" A subhead informed readers, "WBC meets members' needs with health care plan."
Not exactly.
The plan provides for the partial payment of medical expenses incurred in conjunction with illnesses, accidents and other medical conditions. But it will not cover conditions related to boxing.
That's a huge hole in the coverage. If a fighter needs medical care for a broken jaw, detached retina or other condition suffered as a consequence of the sweet science, he's on his own. That's like a health care plan for members of the military that doesn't cover combat-related injuries.
How will one determine whether a condition is related to boxing? After all, there are gray areas. That determination will be made in the first instance by a claims examiner hired by the plan provider.
Let's put the WBC-endorsed plan in perspective.
[+] EnlargeThomas Lohnes/AFP/Getty Images
A broken jaw, like the one suffered by Arthur Abraham in September 2006, wouldn't be covered by the WBC's health care plan.
Glenn Davidow, an insurance broker based in Southern California, procures policies that groups (or individuals) need when they seek insurance. Davidow was approached by Jill Diamond of World Boxing Cares about the possibility of health insurance for boxers. He took the issue to the Consolidated Workers Association, which agreed to underwrite the plan.
The CWA is not an insurance company. It's a corporation that offers lifestyle benefits such as discounted vacation packages and prepaid legal fees to small employers, church groups, trade associations and the like. In this case, the CWA is offering a "health care plan." Because of various state and federal laws, the offering is technically not "insurance."
Plan participants will pay dues, not "premiums," to the CWA. Brad Wessler of Claims & Benefits Management Inc., is the administrator hired by the CWA. He will collect the plan dues and adjudicate claims for benefits.
The one-page news release (which modestly referred to the WBC eight times) also states that the plan is open to "the entire boxing community." But that, apparently, is not the case.
Davidow says, most likely, the plan will be limited to people licensed by a government athletic commission and their families.
"We're not talking about a clearly defined membership group," Wessler says. "I don't think a final determination has been made yet as to who will be eligible to participate."
Either way, the rationale for limiting the plan to "the boxing community" is essentially a marketing tool. Keep in mind, as far as the CWA is concerned, this is a for-profit venture (like selling discounted vacation packages). The WBC endorsement is significant primarily for marketing purposes. The program could be run just as easily with the endorsement of the Association of Boxing Commissions or another world sanctioning organization.
There will be three coverage plans, each of which will offer a different level of benefits.
Depending on the plan chosen, individual rates are expected to run from $97 to $195 per month with family rates ranging from $143 to $445 monthly. These rates have been set by actuaries based on the expected demographics of the insured group. A similar package could be put together for a lower-risk group (such as certified public accountants and their families), in which case either the premiums would be less or the benefits would be greater.
Because the CWA is doing this to make money (nothing wrong with that), the benefits paid to plan participants will be limited, as they are under most insurance policies. That includes limits on the amount paid for each procedure, each doctor's visit and hospital stays of varying duration.
Health care providers will be allowed to charge more than the benefit amount, and most of them will. By way of example, it's unlikely that the benefits paid will come close to covering the full cost of hospitalization. Plan participants will be responsible for paying the unreimbursed portion of all health care costs. But Wessler says that if a participant uses an in-network provider, the co-payment that he or she is responsible for will often be less than would otherwise be the case because the CWA has negotiated with in-network providers for reduced rates.
With certain narrow exceptions, pre-existing conditions will not be covered for the first 12 months of a person's participation in the plan.
The powers that be hope to launch the plan on June 1, shortly after it is presented at the NABF convention in Tucson, Ariz.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As noted in a previous column, Juan Manuel Marquez suffered a terrible cut on his right eyelid in the ninth round of his March 15 fight against Manny Pacquiao.
Afterward, Marquez's trainer, Nacho Beristain, could be seen on television packing what appeared to be a long, yellow string soaked in a liquid solution into the wound, covering the cut with Vaseline, and sending Marquez out for subsequent rounds.
Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, said later that he'd been told the string was soaked in epinephrine (a legal coagulant) and that it had been removed from the laceration before Marquez left his corner for each round.
Kizer subsequently learned that the packing had been left in the cut, but said, "Our primary concern is the safety of the fighter. There's no rule against leaving something like that in a cut, so it's at the discretion of the ring doctor and the commission whether or not to allow it."
Michael Schwartz, the president of the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians, who is widely recognized as a first-rate ring doctor, takes a contrary view.
When apprised of the NSAC's position, Schwartz told ESPN.com, "That's ridiculous. It's totally absurd. It shocks me. Any time there's a foreign object in the eye, you're increasing the danger to the fighter. If a cut is bad enough to warrant doing something like that, the ring doctor should stop the fight."
The Nevada Annotated Code does not specifically state that it's illegal to place a foreign object inside a cut and leave it there during a round. But a little common sense is in order.
• Can a cornerman legally put a butterfly bandage on a cut between rounds?
• Can a cornerman legally suture a cut between rounds?
• Can a cornerman legally leave packing in a fighter's nose and send him out for the next round?
• What if a string packed into a laceration dangles out during a round and gets into the fighter's eye?
Come on, guys. Referees require a fighter's corner to wipe extra Vaseline off a cut. And Nevada is telling the world that it's all right for a fighter to come out with a foreign object packed into a laceration?
The core problem here is that the Nevada State Athletic Commission has a policy of refusing to admit that it ever makes a mistake. That might be good spin politics, but it's lousy regulation, because without correction, bad decisions become standard practice.
It's precisely because Nevada is a leader that the NSAC should call a halt to the practice of allowing foreign objects to be packed into lacerations between rounds. The appropriate response now would be to say, "It shouldn't have been allowed to happen before, and we won't allow it to happen again in the future
Proud, skilled super flyweights to test each other on Saturday
By Graham Houston
Special to ESPN.com
The super flyweight division offers one of the year's most appealing fights on Saturday when Mexico's classy Cristian Mijares meets Venezuelan puncher Alexander Munoz.
They are probably not considered big-name fighters -- unless you're an aficionado -- but Mijares and Munoz are big in skill. It is a clash of champions, the two best in the world at their weight, and probably the most significant fight at 115 pounds since Johnny Tapia outpointed Danny Romero in Las Vegas 11 years ago.
For Hispanic fans, the fight has the same cachet as great matches in the lighter weight classes such as Salvador Sanchez vs. Wilfredo Gomez, Gomez vs. Carlos Zarate and Rubin Olivares vs. Chucho Castillo, among many others.
A look at the fighters' records indicates the quality of the fight, which will be televised on pay-per-view from Mijares' hometown of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico.
Mijares hasn't lost in six years, and he has won seven consecutive world title bouts.
"El Explosivo" Munoz has lost only twice, both times to Martin Castillo, in 34 fights, and he knocked down the excellent Mexican fighter in the rematch.
Munoz has won seven title fights in two reigns as champion, and he is the puncher in Saturday's bout, with 27 of his 32 wins coming inside the distance.
Fights such as this are usually memorable, matching fiercely proud, skilled fighters at the top of their form.
Mijares, 26, has established himself as one of boxing's best champions. His dominant win over Jorge Arce a year ago surprised a lot of people. The powerful Arce was outclassed; he couldn't do a thing with Mijares, who put on a masterful display of boxing.
Alexander Munoz's only losses have come to Martin Castillo, left.
Munoz's biggest wins have been in Japan, where he has appeared seven times. He was disappointing in his first fight with Castillo, who gave him something of a boxing lesson in Texas.
Munoz fought like a man who expected to walk in and knock his man out that night, and he had good reason for such a line of thought, having halted 23 opponents in 24 bouts before meeting Castillo. While Munoz was seeking to land his bombs, Castillo was scoring points. More than this, Castillo twice knocked Munoz down.
Sometimes a fighter can show improvement after a defeat, and such was the case with Munoz. He had become too infatuated with his punching power and neglectful of technique. Munoz fought much better in the rematch with Castillo, losing by split decision.
In his recent fights, Munoz, 29, has not been blowing people out, but his performances have been more skillful, with use of the jab and combinations as well as proper balance and pacing. He has stopped only two of his past seven opponents, but the points wins were against boxers known for durability or, in the case of Kuniyuki Aizawa, exceptional speed and elusiveness.
Munoz, right, and Mijares both hold victories over Katsushige Kawashima, left.
Mijares, who had a desperate struggle when winning the title from the tough banger Katsushige Kawashima in Japan, has matured into a high-quality technician who is pleasing to watch because he is willing to fight on the inside as well as box at long range. He showed his big heart when, after being knocked down heavily in the second round by Kawashima, he finished strongly to win by split decision. In a rematch four months later, Mijares wore down Kawashima for a stoppage in 10 rounds. This, and the win over Arce, saw Mijares at his absolute best.
In his most recent fight, though, Mijares found himself involved in a war with the seemingly perennial world title challenger, Jose Navarro. That was the fight in which one judge astonishingly had Mijares losing every round. It was a split decision that was one round on one scorecard from being a draw.
Mijares took a lot of punches in that fight, and although he was a worthy winner he had to dig deep.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Mijares, right, burst on the scene by boxing circles around Jorge Arce in April 2007.
Prior to the Navarro fight, I would have made Mijares a fairly strong favorite over Munoz, but doubts were raised. Navarro is a top-quality fighter, but if he was able to land so many punches, it seems a fair assumption that Munoz, too, will be hitting the target -- and the Venezuelan is heavy-handed.
It is possible, though, that Mijares, fighting in Las Vegas on pay-per-view, wanted to put on an exciting show. By staying right in front of Navarro in a give-and-take way, Mijares certainly made it a fun fight for the fans, but he also made it harder for himself than probably was necessary.
Mijares is an intelligent, experienced boxer and he surely knows that getting involved in prolonged exchanges with Munoz is probably not a good idea. So, I would expect Mijares to box and move, getting in and getting out, and try to sap Munoz's strength by going to the body every chance he gets.
Munoz will be putting pressure on Mijares from the start, seeking to drive in the straight right hand through the middle and looking to bring the left hooks and uppercuts into play when he closes the distance. Mijares will have to use his superior speed, beating Munoz to the punch, getting off the one-twos and combinations from his southpaw stance and trying to bemuse the bigger puncher with movement, always trying to stay a step ahead.
It would be a big risk for Mijares to get too enthusiastic and stay in front of Munoz too long. There might be a chance for Mijares to do some sustained scoring, but probably not until later in the fight, and only if he has managed to slow Munoz down.
Munoz is probably the most technically proficient fighter Mijares has faced, and perhaps ominously the Venezuelan boxer has never had any trouble with southpaws -- he destroyed Thailand's former flyweight champion Sornpichai Kratingdaenggym and outclassed Eiji Kojima, Celes Kobayashi and Hidenobu Honda.
The Gomez Palacio setting helps Mijares, of course. He can draw strength from the crowd's support.
There is a suspicion, too, that Munoz might be struggling to make the 115-pound limit. He had to lose weight at the weigh-in for his last fight, against Katsushige Kawashima, and although he won a unanimous decision, Munoz did seem to be struggling a bit in the later rounds. Mijares, meanwhile, is noted for coming on strongly late in fights -- big finishes earned him the verdicts in his first fight with Kawashima and in February's thriller with Navarro.
Someone as seasoned, competent and dangerous as Munoz has to be respected, but Mijares has the opportunity to score a memorable victory if he boxes the sort of savvy fight of which he is capable. I believe that Mijares will do this, and I expect him to overcome moments of adversity to take command with sharp boxing and quick punching to take a hard-fought but unanimous decision
By Graham Houston
Special to ESPN.com
The super flyweight division offers one of the year's most appealing fights on Saturday when Mexico's classy Cristian Mijares meets Venezuelan puncher Alexander Munoz.
They are probably not considered big-name fighters -- unless you're an aficionado -- but Mijares and Munoz are big in skill. It is a clash of champions, the two best in the world at their weight, and probably the most significant fight at 115 pounds since Johnny Tapia outpointed Danny Romero in Las Vegas 11 years ago.
For Hispanic fans, the fight has the same cachet as great matches in the lighter weight classes such as Salvador Sanchez vs. Wilfredo Gomez, Gomez vs. Carlos Zarate and Rubin Olivares vs. Chucho Castillo, among many others.
A look at the fighters' records indicates the quality of the fight, which will be televised on pay-per-view from Mijares' hometown of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico.
Mijares hasn't lost in six years, and he has won seven consecutive world title bouts.
"El Explosivo" Munoz has lost only twice, both times to Martin Castillo, in 34 fights, and he knocked down the excellent Mexican fighter in the rematch.
Munoz has won seven title fights in two reigns as champion, and he is the puncher in Saturday's bout, with 27 of his 32 wins coming inside the distance.
Fights such as this are usually memorable, matching fiercely proud, skilled fighters at the top of their form.
Mijares, 26, has established himself as one of boxing's best champions. His dominant win over Jorge Arce a year ago surprised a lot of people. The powerful Arce was outclassed; he couldn't do a thing with Mijares, who put on a masterful display of boxing.
Alexander Munoz's only losses have come to Martin Castillo, left.
Munoz's biggest wins have been in Japan, where he has appeared seven times. He was disappointing in his first fight with Castillo, who gave him something of a boxing lesson in Texas.
Munoz fought like a man who expected to walk in and knock his man out that night, and he had good reason for such a line of thought, having halted 23 opponents in 24 bouts before meeting Castillo. While Munoz was seeking to land his bombs, Castillo was scoring points. More than this, Castillo twice knocked Munoz down.
Sometimes a fighter can show improvement after a defeat, and such was the case with Munoz. He had become too infatuated with his punching power and neglectful of technique. Munoz fought much better in the rematch with Castillo, losing by split decision.
In his recent fights, Munoz, 29, has not been blowing people out, but his performances have been more skillful, with use of the jab and combinations as well as proper balance and pacing. He has stopped only two of his past seven opponents, but the points wins were against boxers known for durability or, in the case of Kuniyuki Aizawa, exceptional speed and elusiveness.
Munoz, right, and Mijares both hold victories over Katsushige Kawashima, left.
Mijares, who had a desperate struggle when winning the title from the tough banger Katsushige Kawashima in Japan, has matured into a high-quality technician who is pleasing to watch because he is willing to fight on the inside as well as box at long range. He showed his big heart when, after being knocked down heavily in the second round by Kawashima, he finished strongly to win by split decision. In a rematch four months later, Mijares wore down Kawashima for a stoppage in 10 rounds. This, and the win over Arce, saw Mijares at his absolute best.
In his most recent fight, though, Mijares found himself involved in a war with the seemingly perennial world title challenger, Jose Navarro. That was the fight in which one judge astonishingly had Mijares losing every round. It was a split decision that was one round on one scorecard from being a draw.
Mijares took a lot of punches in that fight, and although he was a worthy winner he had to dig deep.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Mijares, right, burst on the scene by boxing circles around Jorge Arce in April 2007.
Prior to the Navarro fight, I would have made Mijares a fairly strong favorite over Munoz, but doubts were raised. Navarro is a top-quality fighter, but if he was able to land so many punches, it seems a fair assumption that Munoz, too, will be hitting the target -- and the Venezuelan is heavy-handed.
It is possible, though, that Mijares, fighting in Las Vegas on pay-per-view, wanted to put on an exciting show. By staying right in front of Navarro in a give-and-take way, Mijares certainly made it a fun fight for the fans, but he also made it harder for himself than probably was necessary.
Mijares is an intelligent, experienced boxer and he surely knows that getting involved in prolonged exchanges with Munoz is probably not a good idea. So, I would expect Mijares to box and move, getting in and getting out, and try to sap Munoz's strength by going to the body every chance he gets.
Munoz will be putting pressure on Mijares from the start, seeking to drive in the straight right hand through the middle and looking to bring the left hooks and uppercuts into play when he closes the distance. Mijares will have to use his superior speed, beating Munoz to the punch, getting off the one-twos and combinations from his southpaw stance and trying to bemuse the bigger puncher with movement, always trying to stay a step ahead.
It would be a big risk for Mijares to get too enthusiastic and stay in front of Munoz too long. There might be a chance for Mijares to do some sustained scoring, but probably not until later in the fight, and only if he has managed to slow Munoz down.
Munoz is probably the most technically proficient fighter Mijares has faced, and perhaps ominously the Venezuelan boxer has never had any trouble with southpaws -- he destroyed Thailand's former flyweight champion Sornpichai Kratingdaenggym and outclassed Eiji Kojima, Celes Kobayashi and Hidenobu Honda.
The Gomez Palacio setting helps Mijares, of course. He can draw strength from the crowd's support.
There is a suspicion, too, that Munoz might be struggling to make the 115-pound limit. He had to lose weight at the weigh-in for his last fight, against Katsushige Kawashima, and although he won a unanimous decision, Munoz did seem to be struggling a bit in the later rounds. Mijares, meanwhile, is noted for coming on strongly late in fights -- big finishes earned him the verdicts in his first fight with Kawashima and in February's thriller with Navarro.
Someone as seasoned, competent and dangerous as Munoz has to be respected, but Mijares has the opportunity to score a memorable victory if he boxes the sort of savvy fight of which he is capable. I believe that Mijares will do this, and I expect him to overcome moments of adversity to take command with sharp boxing and quick punching to take a hard-fought but unanimous decision
Cotto vs. Margarito likely for July 26!
By FightFan News Wire (13-May-2008)
Reports are circulating that a deal is nearly complete that will see welterweight champions Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito collide July 26!
Several sources are now reporting a deal that will see WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and IBF welterweight champion Antonio Margarito is now complete and will be announced as early as next week. The fight has been rumored for some time with both fighters sharing the same promoter in Bob Arum’s ‘Top Rank Promotions’. It is believed the fight will be held in Las Vegas, across the country from Cotto’s normal fighting havens of New York and New Jersey. In Las Vegas Cotto will fight before a broader audience with a strong showing expected from the highly populated Mexican and Mexican American communities in neighboring areas. The bout would see two welterweight titles unified with the winner positioning themselves as the clear front-runner to face top rated welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. The fight is expected to be made available on pay-per-view
By FightFan News Wire (13-May-2008)
Reports are circulating that a deal is nearly complete that will see welterweight champions Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito collide July 26!
Several sources are now reporting a deal that will see WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and IBF welterweight champion Antonio Margarito is now complete and will be announced as early as next week. The fight has been rumored for some time with both fighters sharing the same promoter in Bob Arum’s ‘Top Rank Promotions’. It is believed the fight will be held in Las Vegas, across the country from Cotto’s normal fighting havens of New York and New Jersey. In Las Vegas Cotto will fight before a broader audience with a strong showing expected from the highly populated Mexican and Mexican American communities in neighboring areas. The bout would see two welterweight titles unified with the winner positioning themselves as the clear front-runner to face top rated welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. The fight is expected to be made available on pay-per-view
Just a reminder guys that Tye Fields is fightin on 6-28 on the Pacquaio undercard.
lmao.
I seriously helped start an internet phenomenon!
check out this picture (I didn't make this one):
lmao, the wikipedia entry is in the works.
And the Tye Fields forum is in full effect:
http://tyfieldsfans.proboards24.com/index.cgi?board=general
lmao.
I seriously helped start an internet phenomenon!
check out this picture (I didn't make this one):
lmao, the wikipedia entry is in the works.
And the Tye Fields forum is in full effect:
http://tyfieldsfans.proboards24.com/index.cgi?board=general
So Arthur gets the belt without even stepping in the ring. Beautiful.
Paper champ:
Alex Arthur Now The WBO 130-Pound Champ
According to a recent report in Sportinglife, the WBO has elevated Alex Arthur to the status of "full" super featherweight champion after reigning champ Joan Guzman vacated the title and prepares to move up in weight to the lightweight division. Details
After Frank Warren did everything he could to make the fight not happen, Guzman basically said here, take the belt you fuckin pussy. How frustrating. Hopefully Guzman will get a title shot at 135. He deserves it.
Paper champ:
Alex Arthur Now The WBO 130-Pound Champ
According to a recent report in Sportinglife, the WBO has elevated Alex Arthur to the status of "full" super featherweight champion after reigning champ Joan Guzman vacated the title and prepares to move up in weight to the lightweight division. Details
After Frank Warren did everything he could to make the fight not happen, Guzman basically said here, take the belt you fuckin pussy. How frustrating. Hopefully Guzman will get a title shot at 135. He deserves it.
Joan Guzman: Weight and See - Redux
By Jake Donovan
Fighter trains for a planned trip to Scotland, with a WBO title at stake. Fight is delayed – and again. Fight is eventually cancelled altogether, with fighter moving up to a new weight class.
It's been an all-too familiar scenario for undefeated soon-to-be ex-junior lightweight Joan Guzman, whose team informed BoxingScene.com Tuesday evening of their plans to vacate his current alphabet title in search of bigger and better fights at lightweight.
The plans functionally kill any hope of rescheduling a planned mandatory defense against Scottish junior lightweight Alex Arthur, who will most likely receive an upgrade from interim titlist to full-term status without so much as stepping foot in the ring.
While Guzman knows his next bout will take place at lightweight, when he elects to return to the ring is unknown. More pressing issues have surfaced, with news of his mother developing a head tumor forcing the Dominican to momentarily step away from the sport.
"Once we received about his Mom, there was no question in my mind that boxing takes a back seat," says Jose Nunez, Guzman's manager and long-time close friend. "It was frustrating by itself to extend training camp without knowing how long it would be before they rescheduled the (Arthur) fight. The last we heard was that it might be July, which would've meant another training camp when he's already close to weight now.
"But between the waiting, and now his mother, I told him to just be with her and not to worry about boxing for right now."
Some will contend that without official word on the rescheduling of the Arthur fight, Guzman could've remained champion until the sanctioning body intervened. But with the amount of work it takes for him to shrink down to 130 lb, it was decided by Nunez that a move to lightweight upon his return to the sport would be the wisest choice for all involved.
"I want to make that clear – it was my decision to have Guzman vacate the title. He was willing to split his time between extended training camp and being with his Mom, just because he so badly wanted this fight. But I didn't see how was worth it. We still don't know when the fight would've been, and before all of that, family comes first."
It's the second time in just two years that a planned trip to Scotland fell by the wayside for Guzman. A series of postponements between late 2005 and early 2006 led the Dominican to believe that a featherweight fight with then-titlist Scott Harrison would never happen. Guzman decided to abandon featherweight in favor of the 130 lb. division, which at the time still housed Manny Pacquiao, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.
Guzman would never land fights against any of the aforementioned trio, but would fight three times in 2006 before a training camp injury limited his activity to just one fight in 2007, a points win on HBO over fellow divisional high-risk, low-reward entrant Humberto Soto. Four fights in two years may not sound like much, but it's four more than Harrison's since experienced, at least in the ring, with a series of injuries and out-of-the-ring occurrences leaving the Scot inactive since November 2005.
The irony in the parallels drawn between the two scenarios is that Guzman's vacating the title would've pave the way for a much desired all-Scot showdown between Arthur and Harrison. The only issue being the biggest roadblock; Harrison's inability to have his boxing license renewed by the BBBC.
For the moment, none of the three have yet to register their first fight of 2008.
The silver lining among the cloud is that, from a boxing perspective, news of Guzman traveling five pounds north allows the lightweight division to rival that of welterweight and junior bantamweight as the deepest in the sport. Guzman's arrival follows on the heels of Manny Pacquiao moving up in weight, as well as Golden Boy Promotion's sudden desire to match up Juan Manuel Marquez against recently crowned unified lightweight titlist Nate Campbell.
Of course, when three fighters of such caliber move up, it can only mean bad news for the division that previously housed them. This, in effect, leaves junior lightweight in a sudden state of disarray, not to mention disinterest, at least until the division's next generation of fighters, such as undefeated prospects Yuriorkis Gamboa and Guzman's stable mate and countryman Argenis Mendez, are ready for prime time.
Until then, it will have to settle for, among others: Edwin Valero, Humberto Soto, Jorge Barrios, whoever the IBF 130 lb. titlist is at the moment, as the belt has become boxing's version of hot potato, and Arthur.
Not that any of it is of particular concern to Team Guzman.
"This is the third division in a row where we tried to line up big fights, and were instead given excuses for why they can't yet happen," says Nunez. "Nobody was worried about who'd Guzman next fight, nor is it anyone else's job but mine to worry about that."
"The same for these other guys and their managers. (The WBO) will either give Arthur the belt, or fight the next highest contender in a vacant title bout. All I can do is wish him and well, but what he does beyond my kind words isn't really my concern. I get paid to worry about Guzman, who has more important things than boxing to worry about right now."
Though upon his return, it'll be an all-too familiar scenario for Guzman – weight and see
By Jake Donovan
Fighter trains for a planned trip to Scotland, with a WBO title at stake. Fight is delayed – and again. Fight is eventually cancelled altogether, with fighter moving up to a new weight class.
It's been an all-too familiar scenario for undefeated soon-to-be ex-junior lightweight Joan Guzman, whose team informed BoxingScene.com Tuesday evening of their plans to vacate his current alphabet title in search of bigger and better fights at lightweight.
The plans functionally kill any hope of rescheduling a planned mandatory defense against Scottish junior lightweight Alex Arthur, who will most likely receive an upgrade from interim titlist to full-term status without so much as stepping foot in the ring.
While Guzman knows his next bout will take place at lightweight, when he elects to return to the ring is unknown. More pressing issues have surfaced, with news of his mother developing a head tumor forcing the Dominican to momentarily step away from the sport.
"Once we received about his Mom, there was no question in my mind that boxing takes a back seat," says Jose Nunez, Guzman's manager and long-time close friend. "It was frustrating by itself to extend training camp without knowing how long it would be before they rescheduled the (Arthur) fight. The last we heard was that it might be July, which would've meant another training camp when he's already close to weight now.
"But between the waiting, and now his mother, I told him to just be with her and not to worry about boxing for right now."
Some will contend that without official word on the rescheduling of the Arthur fight, Guzman could've remained champion until the sanctioning body intervened. But with the amount of work it takes for him to shrink down to 130 lb, it was decided by Nunez that a move to lightweight upon his return to the sport would be the wisest choice for all involved.
"I want to make that clear – it was my decision to have Guzman vacate the title. He was willing to split his time between extended training camp and being with his Mom, just because he so badly wanted this fight. But I didn't see how was worth it. We still don't know when the fight would've been, and before all of that, family comes first."
It's the second time in just two years that a planned trip to Scotland fell by the wayside for Guzman. A series of postponements between late 2005 and early 2006 led the Dominican to believe that a featherweight fight with then-titlist Scott Harrison would never happen. Guzman decided to abandon featherweight in favor of the 130 lb. division, which at the time still housed Manny Pacquiao, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.
Guzman would never land fights against any of the aforementioned trio, but would fight three times in 2006 before a training camp injury limited his activity to just one fight in 2007, a points win on HBO over fellow divisional high-risk, low-reward entrant Humberto Soto. Four fights in two years may not sound like much, but it's four more than Harrison's since experienced, at least in the ring, with a series of injuries and out-of-the-ring occurrences leaving the Scot inactive since November 2005.
The irony in the parallels drawn between the two scenarios is that Guzman's vacating the title would've pave the way for a much desired all-Scot showdown between Arthur and Harrison. The only issue being the biggest roadblock; Harrison's inability to have his boxing license renewed by the BBBC.
For the moment, none of the three have yet to register their first fight of 2008.
The silver lining among the cloud is that, from a boxing perspective, news of Guzman traveling five pounds north allows the lightweight division to rival that of welterweight and junior bantamweight as the deepest in the sport. Guzman's arrival follows on the heels of Manny Pacquiao moving up in weight, as well as Golden Boy Promotion's sudden desire to match up Juan Manuel Marquez against recently crowned unified lightweight titlist Nate Campbell.
Of course, when three fighters of such caliber move up, it can only mean bad news for the division that previously housed them. This, in effect, leaves junior lightweight in a sudden state of disarray, not to mention disinterest, at least until the division's next generation of fighters, such as undefeated prospects Yuriorkis Gamboa and Guzman's stable mate and countryman Argenis Mendez, are ready for prime time.
Until then, it will have to settle for, among others: Edwin Valero, Humberto Soto, Jorge Barrios, whoever the IBF 130 lb. titlist is at the moment, as the belt has become boxing's version of hot potato, and Arthur.
Not that any of it is of particular concern to Team Guzman.
"This is the third division in a row where we tried to line up big fights, and were instead given excuses for why they can't yet happen," says Nunez. "Nobody was worried about who'd Guzman next fight, nor is it anyone else's job but mine to worry about that."
"The same for these other guys and their managers. (The WBO) will either give Arthur the belt, or fight the next highest contender in a vacant title bout. All I can do is wish him and well, but what he does beyond my kind words isn't really my concern. I get paid to worry about Guzman, who has more important things than boxing to worry about right now."
Though upon his return, it'll be an all-too familiar scenario for Guzman – weight and see
Malignaggi: "I'll Ruin Ricky Hatton's Dream"
By Mark Vester
IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi has vowed to ruin Ricky Hatton's dream of fighting at Madison Square Garden. Hatton returns against Juan Lazcano on May 24 in Manchester. In the co-feature, Malignaggi defends his title in a rematch with Lovemore N'dou. Should both stars come out on top, they would likely face off at New York's MSG in the fall.
"Listen, he's had all these goals," Malignaggi told Sky Sports. "He wanted to top the bill at the City of Manchester Stadium, he's going to do it; he wanted to top the bill in Las Vegas, he going to do it; and he's got a chance to top the bill at Madison Square Gardens, another one of his goals. You know Madison Square Gardens is the Mecca of boxing. Ricky could put his name in history as having had one of the major fights in the Garden, but Paulie Malignaggi is going to come out on top.
Malignaggi says that he will pick up where Floyd Mayweather Jr. left off. Mayweather handed Hatton his first defeat last December by way of a tenth-round knockout.
"And don't start laughing, everyone's saying 'he don't stop anybody how's he going to stop Ricky Hatton?' I believe it's going to be easier to stop Ricky Hatton than it will be to stop Lovemore N'dou," Malignaggi said
By Mark Vester
IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi has vowed to ruin Ricky Hatton's dream of fighting at Madison Square Garden. Hatton returns against Juan Lazcano on May 24 in Manchester. In the co-feature, Malignaggi defends his title in a rematch with Lovemore N'dou. Should both stars come out on top, they would likely face off at New York's MSG in the fall.
"Listen, he's had all these goals," Malignaggi told Sky Sports. "He wanted to top the bill at the City of Manchester Stadium, he's going to do it; he wanted to top the bill in Las Vegas, he going to do it; and he's got a chance to top the bill at Madison Square Gardens, another one of his goals. You know Madison Square Gardens is the Mecca of boxing. Ricky could put his name in history as having had one of the major fights in the Garden, but Paulie Malignaggi is going to come out on top.
Malignaggi says that he will pick up where Floyd Mayweather Jr. left off. Mayweather handed Hatton his first defeat last December by way of a tenth-round knockout.
"And don't start laughing, everyone's saying 'he don't stop anybody how's he going to stop Ricky Hatton?' I believe it's going to be easier to stop Ricky Hatton than it will be to stop Lovemore N'dou," Malignaggi said
Mike Tyson: "I Thought Hopkins Beat Calzaghe"
By Mark Vester
In the aftermath of last month's Las Vegas scrap between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins, the public opinion was split as to which fighter pulled out the win. The fight was close, with many media members handing their selection a decision win by one or two points at best. Some had it scored a draw. Officially Calzaghe pulled out a split-decision to send Hopkins into retirement.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, told MaxBoxing/BoxingScene.com's Javier Molina that he saw Hopkins winning the fight, but is not upset with the decision going the other way.
"It was a good fight. I thought Bernard won though. But, I'm happy that Calzaghe won this. It was a good fight," Tyson said.
Former four-division champion Roy Jones Jr. told Molina that Hopkins performed well, but Calzaghe's high workrate was too much for him in the end. Jones felt Calzaghe was the clear winner, but he also held a huge stake in the Welsh fighter coming out on top. At the present Jones is one of the frontrunners to fight Calzaghe in November.
"I thought it was a good fight. Calzaghe put the pressure on. If it wasn't for Calzaghe pushing the fight, it would not have been a good fight because Calzaghe was throwing all the punches, he pushed all the action, he made it a good fight. I thought it was a good fight for him," Jones said. "I thought Bernard fought exceptionally well. He had a very smart fight plan. I thought he did a great job, but I just think the punch output was too much for him
By Mark Vester
In the aftermath of last month's Las Vegas scrap between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins, the public opinion was split as to which fighter pulled out the win. The fight was close, with many media members handing their selection a decision win by one or two points at best. Some had it scored a draw. Officially Calzaghe pulled out a split-decision to send Hopkins into retirement.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, told MaxBoxing/BoxingScene.com's Javier Molina that he saw Hopkins winning the fight, but is not upset with the decision going the other way.
"It was a good fight. I thought Bernard won though. But, I'm happy that Calzaghe won this. It was a good fight," Tyson said.
Former four-division champion Roy Jones Jr. told Molina that Hopkins performed well, but Calzaghe's high workrate was too much for him in the end. Jones felt Calzaghe was the clear winner, but he also held a huge stake in the Welsh fighter coming out on top. At the present Jones is one of the frontrunners to fight Calzaghe in November.
"I thought it was a good fight. Calzaghe put the pressure on. If it wasn't for Calzaghe pushing the fight, it would not have been a good fight because Calzaghe was throwing all the punches, he pushed all the action, he made it a good fight. I thought it was a good fight for him," Jones said. "I thought Bernard fought exceptionally well. He had a very smart fight plan. I thought he did a great job, but I just think the punch output was too much for him
Miguel Cotto's Contract Causing Frustration
By Mark Vester
Frustration is building over Miguel Cotto's contract to fight Antonio Margarito on July 26 in Las Vegas. A press tour is scheduled to begin next week in Mexico, but Cotto has yet to sign the contract and promoter Bob Arum and Team Margarito are frustrated with not having a fully signed agreement.
Arum told Primera Hora that it frustrates him to move forward without having the security of a fully signed agreement. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the purse has been agreed upon, but Cotto's side wants a bigger percentage of the gate and the pay-per-view revenue. Negotiations are still ongoing.
"In moments like this, I don't know (what will happen). The US economy is in a recession. The fight has not been finalized. I don't have the security (of a signed contract) that the fight is going to happen," Arum said.
Yesterday, the representatives of Cotto conversed with Arum to discuss the economic aspects, but such seems that the edicts are distant.
Cotto's lawyer Gabriel Peñagarícano (used to be the lawyer for the WBC), said the fight is not in jeopardy and they are confident on reaching a deal to fight Margarito.
"The fight is not in danger. We are confident in being able to reach the necessary agreements," Peñagarícano said.
By Mark Vester
Frustration is building over Miguel Cotto's contract to fight Antonio Margarito on July 26 in Las Vegas. A press tour is scheduled to begin next week in Mexico, but Cotto has yet to sign the contract and promoter Bob Arum and Team Margarito are frustrated with not having a fully signed agreement.
Arum told Primera Hora that it frustrates him to move forward without having the security of a fully signed agreement. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the purse has been agreed upon, but Cotto's side wants a bigger percentage of the gate and the pay-per-view revenue. Negotiations are still ongoing.
"In moments like this, I don't know (what will happen). The US economy is in a recession. The fight has not been finalized. I don't have the security (of a signed contract) that the fight is going to happen," Arum said.
Yesterday, the representatives of Cotto conversed with Arum to discuss the economic aspects, but such seems that the edicts are distant.
Cotto's lawyer Gabriel Peñagarícano (used to be the lawyer for the WBC), said the fight is not in jeopardy and they are confident on reaching a deal to fight Margarito.
"The fight is not in danger. We are confident in being able to reach the necessary agreements," Peñagarícano said.
thats why I only care about the Ring Belt. The WBO, WBA and especially the WBC are all corrupt. Some better than others, but they all have problems.
You cant get a Ring Belt by winning a "vacated" belt, or there aren't any co-champions or retarded ass shit like that. You got to beat the man that beat the man and so on. And in the event that a champion retires with the belt, then the #1 contender must beat the #2 contender (which is why there has been no Heavyweight champ since Lennox Lewis).
You cant get a Ring Belt by winning a "vacated" belt, or there aren't any co-champions or retarded ass shit like that. You got to beat the man that beat the man and so on. And in the event that a champion retires with the belt, then the #1 contender must beat the #2 contender (which is why there has been no Heavyweight champ since Lennox Lewis).