Boxing News Thread
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WBA at it again, this time with Gamboa
Yuriorkis Gamboa, one of the best featherweights in the world, was recently stripped of his belt by the miserable WBA without explanation. Here we go again.
Since late last year, the WBA had recognized two "regular" titleholders in the division, Gamboa and Jonathan Barros, who, by the way, had lost a one-sided decision to Gamboa in early 2010 before somehow being given a shot at a "regular" title -- even though Gamboa already held it.
Undefeated Chris John, of course, was long ago "elevated" to the alphabet organization's so-called "super champion," meaning the WBA had three titleholders in the same division. Frankly, I'm surprised there wasn't a fourth, because there wasn't even an interim titleholder -- although I probably shouldn't give the WBA any ideas.
The John/Gamboa/Barros situation is just another farce perpetrated by the WBA, which continues to destroy even the remotest sanity remaining among sanctioning bodies.
In the span of a few months, Gamboa went from holding two belts -- he also had claimed the IBF's version of the title -- to none, despite never losing and being one of the best and most exciting fighters in boxing. Depending on which version you believe, he was either stripped of or vacated the IBF belt before his last fight in March for not attending a weight check on the morning of the fight.
I actually don't feel bad for Gamboa for being stripped by the WBA, though, because his own ascension to the title was a joke in the first place. In 2009, Gamboa won a vacant interim belt -- a pointless trinket given that John was champion -- and then was made "regular" titleholder, with John being elevated to super champion. It was another fraudulent move by the WBA, because John was "promoted" even though he was not a unified titleholder, which was the organization's ludicrous explanation for creating a super champion in the first place. (You've entered the no-spin zone: The real reason the extra title was created was to allow the WBA to line its bank account by extracting a second sanctioning fee in the same division.)
Gamboa got his original title by unseemly means and was ultimately stripped of it in the same dirty manner. What's the old saying? Lie down with dogs and you get fleas.
Sans belts, Gamboa still will have his next fight on Sept. 10 on HBO, but how crazy and nonsensical is the entire situation? Even Gamboa's team is confused. I asked somebody involved with his career if he could explain what happened.
The answer: "No, because I'm still trying to decipher it and it's still being sorted out. Cluster---- in the truest sense of the word."
I said that even though I follow this insanity on a daily basis that I too was confused about what happened.
"So are they," the Gamboa team member said of the WBA. "That's why the whole thing is so f---ed up."
Yuriorkis Gamboa, one of the best featherweights in the world, was recently stripped of his belt by the miserable WBA without explanation. Here we go again.
Since late last year, the WBA had recognized two "regular" titleholders in the division, Gamboa and Jonathan Barros, who, by the way, had lost a one-sided decision to Gamboa in early 2010 before somehow being given a shot at a "regular" title -- even though Gamboa already held it.
Undefeated Chris John, of course, was long ago "elevated" to the alphabet organization's so-called "super champion," meaning the WBA had three titleholders in the same division. Frankly, I'm surprised there wasn't a fourth, because there wasn't even an interim titleholder -- although I probably shouldn't give the WBA any ideas.
The John/Gamboa/Barros situation is just another farce perpetrated by the WBA, which continues to destroy even the remotest sanity remaining among sanctioning bodies.
In the span of a few months, Gamboa went from holding two belts -- he also had claimed the IBF's version of the title -- to none, despite never losing and being one of the best and most exciting fighters in boxing. Depending on which version you believe, he was either stripped of or vacated the IBF belt before his last fight in March for not attending a weight check on the morning of the fight.
I actually don't feel bad for Gamboa for being stripped by the WBA, though, because his own ascension to the title was a joke in the first place. In 2009, Gamboa won a vacant interim belt -- a pointless trinket given that John was champion -- and then was made "regular" titleholder, with John being elevated to super champion. It was another fraudulent move by the WBA, because John was "promoted" even though he was not a unified titleholder, which was the organization's ludicrous explanation for creating a super champion in the first place. (You've entered the no-spin zone: The real reason the extra title was created was to allow the WBA to line its bank account by extracting a second sanctioning fee in the same division.)
Gamboa got his original title by unseemly means and was ultimately stripped of it in the same dirty manner. What's the old saying? Lie down with dogs and you get fleas.
Sans belts, Gamboa still will have his next fight on Sept. 10 on HBO, but how crazy and nonsensical is the entire situation? Even Gamboa's team is confused. I asked somebody involved with his career if he could explain what happened.
The answer: "No, because I'm still trying to decipher it and it's still being sorted out. Cluster---- in the truest sense of the word."
I said that even though I follow this insanity on a daily basis that I too was confused about what happened.
"So are they," the Gamboa team member said of the WBA. "That's why the whole thing is so f---ed up."
Sergio Martinez: Chavez Jr. will be stripped of title
By Dan Ambrose: Former WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez may wind up getting a title shot against the newly crowned WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman reportedly is saying that Chavez Jr. has a voluntary defense of his WBC title for his next fight but after that Chavez Jr. must face Martinez or else risk having his title stripped from him.
Martinez said this on his twitter: “Sulaiman: Chavez has a voluntary defense, then faces Martinez. If Chavez doesn’t sign this in his next fight contract, he won’t be champion.”
I wouldn’t get excited if I were Martinez. It doesn’t matter if the WBC says that Chavez Jr. has to fight Martinez. I don’t believe Chavez Jr. will get anywhere near Martinez. His promoter Bob Arum would have to be willing to put Chavez Jr. in with Martinez for the fight to happen and the chances of that occurring are slim and none. If the WBC pushes the matter, which I find it hard to believe they would, Chavez Jr. will likely vacated the belt and leave Martinez to fight for the title against the number #1 WBC contender. Chavez Jr. would then be off the hook for what would have been a sure beating. Chavez Jr. then could go after either IBF champion Daniel Geale or WBA title holder Gennady Golovkin. If Chavez Jr. comes into a fight with someone like Golovkin weighing 180s, it would be hard for the Russian and Chavez Jr. would likely win another title. Martinez can hope for Chavez Jr. to fight him but I seriously doubt it.
By Dan Ambrose: Former WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez may wind up getting a title shot against the newly crowned WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman reportedly is saying that Chavez Jr. has a voluntary defense of his WBC title for his next fight but after that Chavez Jr. must face Martinez or else risk having his title stripped from him.
Martinez said this on his twitter: “Sulaiman: Chavez has a voluntary defense, then faces Martinez. If Chavez doesn’t sign this in his next fight contract, he won’t be champion.”
I wouldn’t get excited if I were Martinez. It doesn’t matter if the WBC says that Chavez Jr. has to fight Martinez. I don’t believe Chavez Jr. will get anywhere near Martinez. His promoter Bob Arum would have to be willing to put Chavez Jr. in with Martinez for the fight to happen and the chances of that occurring are slim and none. If the WBC pushes the matter, which I find it hard to believe they would, Chavez Jr. will likely vacated the belt and leave Martinez to fight for the title against the number #1 WBC contender. Chavez Jr. would then be off the hook for what would have been a sure beating. Chavez Jr. then could go after either IBF champion Daniel Geale or WBA title holder Gennady Golovkin. If Chavez Jr. comes into a fight with someone like Golovkin weighing 180s, it would be hard for the Russian and Chavez Jr. would likely win another title. Martinez can hope for Chavez Jr. to fight him but I seriously doubt it.
Ouma hospitalized after loss to Golovkin
By Jason Kim: Former IBF junior middleweight champion Kassim Ouma (27-8-1, 17 KO’s) was reportedly hospitalized after suffering a 10th round TKO loss to WBA World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (21-0, 18 KO’s) on Saturday night at the Arena Roberto Duran, Panama City, Panama.
Ouma, 32, took a lot of head shots in the loss to Golovkin and much of the fight took place at close range with both fighters taking a lot of hurt shots to the head. Even Golvokin looked like a mess by the end of the fight. However, given how hard Golovkin punches, Ouma clearly got the worst of it. By the 8th, the ringside doctor examined Ouma before the round due to the bad swelling he had around his right eye. Both eyes were swollen and the side of his face looked bad from the shots he’d been absorbing. Ouma was hurt by a number of hard right hands in the 10th and was nearly defenseless on the ropes at the time that referee Guillermo Perez Pineda halted the fight at 1:57 of the 10th round.
Ouma looked remarkably good for the first half of the fight and looked to be winning the bout. However, Golovkin started getting to Ouma beginning in the 7th, as Ouma started tiring and Golovkin’s hard shots were taking a lot out of him. Ouma continued to land a lot of punches into the 8th round. In the 9th, Golovkin teed off on Ouma and the action started to get ugly and one-sided from that point.
By Jason Kim: Former IBF junior middleweight champion Kassim Ouma (27-8-1, 17 KO’s) was reportedly hospitalized after suffering a 10th round TKO loss to WBA World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (21-0, 18 KO’s) on Saturday night at the Arena Roberto Duran, Panama City, Panama.
Ouma, 32, took a lot of head shots in the loss to Golovkin and much of the fight took place at close range with both fighters taking a lot of hurt shots to the head. Even Golvokin looked like a mess by the end of the fight. However, given how hard Golovkin punches, Ouma clearly got the worst of it. By the 8th, the ringside doctor examined Ouma before the round due to the bad swelling he had around his right eye. Both eyes were swollen and the side of his face looked bad from the shots he’d been absorbing. Ouma was hurt by a number of hard right hands in the 10th and was nearly defenseless on the ropes at the time that referee Guillermo Perez Pineda halted the fight at 1:57 of the 10th round.
Ouma looked remarkably good for the first half of the fight and looked to be winning the bout. However, Golovkin started getting to Ouma beginning in the 7th, as Ouma started tiring and Golovkin’s hard shots were taking a lot out of him. Ouma continued to land a lot of punches into the 8th round. In the 9th, Golovkin teed off on Ouma and the action started to get ugly and one-sided from that point.
Sergio Martinez: I’ll never fight Cotto, because he’s been ducking me for 1.5 years
By Dan Ambrose: Former two time world champion Sergio Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KO’s) has pretty much given up all hope of ever facing WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (36-2, 29 KO’s), who Martinez feels has been ducking him for the last year and half despite Martinez’s frequent attempts to get a fight with him.
Speaking on his twitter account, Martinez said “I’ll never fight Cotto. He is ducking me 1.5 years ago and until…I’m gong to be number #1 P4P. It’s my obsession.”
Indeed, Cotto probably won’t ever fight Martinez unless perhaps Martinez starts to suddenly look shot to pieces and has lost his skills enough for Cotto to have a chance at winning. Cotto hasn’t taken on a good top fighter since being destroyed by Manny Pacquiao two years ago. Since then, he’s faced WBA junior middleweight paper champion Yuri Foreman and easily beat him, and then beaten 38-year-old former two time world champion Ricardo Mayorga last March in a 12th round TKO win for Cotto. It was a fight where Cotto didn’t look impressive for the most part and was forced to box because he was getting drilled by Mayorga when he would exchange shots with him early.
Martinez has won his last three fights against Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and Sergiy Dzinziruk and looks nearly unbeatable right now. He has a fight scheduled for October against number #3 ranked World Boxing Council middleweight contender Darren Barker. Few people are giving Barker any chance against the hard hitting southpaw Martinez.
Martinez doesn’t see any point in facing junior middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan now, saying “Two years ago it would have been a good fight. Now [it] makes no sense.” Martinez clearly means he’s fighting too good at this point for Martirosyan to compete with him and he’s probably correct. I can’t see Martirosyan doing any better than Dzinziruk did in his 8th round blowout loss to Martinez in March.
By Dan Ambrose: Former two time world champion Sergio Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KO’s) has pretty much given up all hope of ever facing WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (36-2, 29 KO’s), who Martinez feels has been ducking him for the last year and half despite Martinez’s frequent attempts to get a fight with him.
Speaking on his twitter account, Martinez said “I’ll never fight Cotto. He is ducking me 1.5 years ago and until…I’m gong to be number #1 P4P. It’s my obsession.”
Indeed, Cotto probably won’t ever fight Martinez unless perhaps Martinez starts to suddenly look shot to pieces and has lost his skills enough for Cotto to have a chance at winning. Cotto hasn’t taken on a good top fighter since being destroyed by Manny Pacquiao two years ago. Since then, he’s faced WBA junior middleweight paper champion Yuri Foreman and easily beat him, and then beaten 38-year-old former two time world champion Ricardo Mayorga last March in a 12th round TKO win for Cotto. It was a fight where Cotto didn’t look impressive for the most part and was forced to box because he was getting drilled by Mayorga when he would exchange shots with him early.
Martinez has won his last three fights against Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and Sergiy Dzinziruk and looks nearly unbeatable right now. He has a fight scheduled for October against number #3 ranked World Boxing Council middleweight contender Darren Barker. Few people are giving Barker any chance against the hard hitting southpaw Martinez.
Martinez doesn’t see any point in facing junior middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan now, saying “Two years ago it would have been a good fight. Now [it] makes no sense.” Martinez clearly means he’s fighting too good at this point for Martirosyan to compete with him and he’s probably correct. I can’t see Martirosyan doing any better than Dzinziruk did in his 8th round blowout loss to Martinez in March.
De La Hoya: I would make Saul Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. anytime at 154 lbs
By Dan Ambrose: Promoter Oscar De La Hoya says he would make a fight between his fighter WBC junior middleweight champion Saul Alvarez (37-0-1, 27 KO’s) and unbeaten Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (43-0-1, 30 KO’s) in a second if the fight were to take place at 154 lbs. It’s hard to disagree with De La Hoya for wanting that fight, because Alvarez appears to be the much better skilled fighter compared to Chavez Jr., who is more of a wide open defensiveness slugger with only moderate power.
The one thing that would get in the way of De La Hoya making the Alvarez-Chavez Jr. fight happen, besides Chavez Jr. having issues trying to make the 154 pound weight, is probably Chavez’s promoter Bob Arum. He might not like the idea of putting Chavez Jr., a mini cash cow,, in with a non-Top Rank fighter and one that could potentially put a halt to the Chavez Jr. gravy train. A defeat like the one that Ryan Rhodes suffered against Alvarez would likely put a monkey wrench in Chavez Jr. continuing to having his fights aired on HBO.
De La Hoya said this about Alvarez on his twitter: “I have to admit that at 20-years old, I wasn’t even thinking of doing the things that Canelo can do in the ring. Ok, let’s say I do throw him in with [Alfredo] Angulo and beats him whoever comes up with the best excuse why Angulo lost gets a Golden Boy t-shirt. I would make Canelo vs. Chavez Jr. anytime at 1534 pounds.”
Alvarez would be at a size disadvantage against Chavez Jr. but it wouldn’t matter, because Alvarez is fighting like the junior middleweight division’s version of Juan Manuel Marquez. But Alvarez is hard to hit more than occasionally and when he does get hit, Alvarez is so quick and powerful that he pays his opponents back immediately. Chavez Jr. would be too slow and easy to hit to really compete with Alvarez and I see Chavez Jr. getting soundly beaten by a lopsided 12 round decision. Arum likely knows this too after seeing Alvarez’s display against the number #3 ranked Rhodes last night. I can’t see Arum wanting to put one of his cash cows in with Alvarez to be taken apart and made to look like an amateur, especially given Alvarez’s youth. It would be even worse for Chavez Jr. to be dominated by a 20-year-old like Alvarez.
By Dan Ambrose: Promoter Oscar De La Hoya says he would make a fight between his fighter WBC junior middleweight champion Saul Alvarez (37-0-1, 27 KO’s) and unbeaten Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (43-0-1, 30 KO’s) in a second if the fight were to take place at 154 lbs. It’s hard to disagree with De La Hoya for wanting that fight, because Alvarez appears to be the much better skilled fighter compared to Chavez Jr., who is more of a wide open defensiveness slugger with only moderate power.
The one thing that would get in the way of De La Hoya making the Alvarez-Chavez Jr. fight happen, besides Chavez Jr. having issues trying to make the 154 pound weight, is probably Chavez’s promoter Bob Arum. He might not like the idea of putting Chavez Jr., a mini cash cow,, in with a non-Top Rank fighter and one that could potentially put a halt to the Chavez Jr. gravy train. A defeat like the one that Ryan Rhodes suffered against Alvarez would likely put a monkey wrench in Chavez Jr. continuing to having his fights aired on HBO.
De La Hoya said this about Alvarez on his twitter: “I have to admit that at 20-years old, I wasn’t even thinking of doing the things that Canelo can do in the ring. Ok, let’s say I do throw him in with [Alfredo] Angulo and beats him whoever comes up with the best excuse why Angulo lost gets a Golden Boy t-shirt. I would make Canelo vs. Chavez Jr. anytime at 1534 pounds.”
Alvarez would be at a size disadvantage against Chavez Jr. but it wouldn’t matter, because Alvarez is fighting like the junior middleweight division’s version of Juan Manuel Marquez. But Alvarez is hard to hit more than occasionally and when he does get hit, Alvarez is so quick and powerful that he pays his opponents back immediately. Chavez Jr. would be too slow and easy to hit to really compete with Alvarez and I see Chavez Jr. getting soundly beaten by a lopsided 12 round decision. Arum likely knows this too after seeing Alvarez’s display against the number #3 ranked Rhodes last night. I can’t see Arum wanting to put one of his cash cows in with Alvarez to be taken apart and made to look like an amateur, especially given Alvarez’s youth. It would be even worse for Chavez Jr. to be dominated by a 20-year-old like Alvarez.
Amir Khan: "Zab Judah is very dange’s quick. I think he’s aerous, he can punch, and h
by Geoffrey Ciani (Exclusive Interview by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - Last week’s 129th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with reigning WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan (25-1, 17 KOs) who is scheduled to have a unification bout on July 23 against IBF champion Zab Judah (41-6, 28 KOs). Khan spoke about his upcoming fight, discussed his future plans, and also shared opinions on a variety of topics including Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach, Mayweather-Ortiz, Maidana-Guerrero, and more! Here is a complete transcript from that interview:
JENNA J: Well moving to our final guest of this week’s show, he is the reigning WBA junior welterweight champion of the world making his sixth appearance with On the Ropes, we’re joined by Amir “King” Khan! How’s the day going, Amir?
AMIR KHAN: I’m doing good, thanks! I’ve done my hard running and stuff, and I’m looking forward to my next training session with Freddie. Training is coming along really well. It’s been around about three weeks now we’ve been in camp, and with the fight getting closer I’m looking forward to it.
JENNA: Alright well you have a very big unification match against “Super” Zab Judah. How did this fight come to be, Amir?
KHAN: Well we wanted to fight Bradley, but in my eyes he didn’t want the fight. Bradley kind of chickened out of the fight so then we had to turn the page over, and we got Zab Judah! Zab holds the IBF title. Zab Judah is very dangerous, he can punch, and he’s quick. I think he’s a tougher fight than Bradley. So we want that. We want the fans to see exciting fights and obviously put on good shows. So that’s the reason we’re taking on Zab Judah, and it’s a unification fight so that makes the fight even bigger.
JENNA: Before you guys have even gotten into the ring, you two have been landing blows on each other via cyberspace on Twitter. What’s that whole promotion been like so far?
KHAN: It’s been fine. At the end of the day I have a job and I’m just focused on my training now. Zab likes to put his words out and try to get himself confident in a way. That’s the way I see it. He’s giving himself confidence, but at the end of the day he can say what he wants because on the 23rd of July it’s going to be me and him. I’m sure he’s hoping he can do what he says, because I’m going to let my fists do all the talking.
JENNA: Well Zab Judah has kind of had a resurgence in his career. Many people thought he was done and all of a sudden he came back. He’s now the IBF light welterweight champion. What do you think about the Zab Judah that we see today?
KHAN: Yeah, Zab Judah is very dangerous. He’s sorted himself out and he’s a better fighter now. A lot of people thought he was done, and he’s come back and he’s proven a lot of people wrong by winning the title. You know he’s dangerous, and we can’t take this fight easy. We have to go into this fight training hard and ready for this fight, because I’m at that level now where I can’t afford to lose any if I want to fight the best out there. I have to beat the likes of Zab Judah and the people who they put in front of me. But yeah, Zab is dangerous still and I still think he’s got a little bit left in him.
JENNA: Okay now you mentioned he’s dangerous. A lot of people are actually saying this is actually a more dangerous fight for you than if you fought Timothy Bradley. Do you agree with that?
KHAN: Yeah I agree, because with Tim Bradley I don’t think he’s a big puncher. Bradley is not as awkward is Zab Judah. Zab Judah’s a southpaw and he’s quite awkward that way. I think yeah, in my eyes I think this fight is a tougher fight than Bradley. The Bradley fight was the one that I wanted to have a big unification fight, but he turned it down and then I had to go with this one. Like I said, whoever they put in front of me I’ll fight them and I’ll just win, and hopefully in the future a fight against Bradley can happen.
JENNA: Okay, we’re also on the line with my Co-Host Geoff.
GEOFFREY CIANI: Hi Amir. It’s a pleasure to have you back on the show.
KHAN: Thank you.
CIANI: Amir, I’ve noticed that a lot of your critics are mentioning, similar to what Jenna said, that Zab will be the fastest strongest guy you have faced in a long time. Questions about your chin are still arising. Do you feel in some sense, as far as your critics are concerned, that you have to prove your chin all over again even though you’ve arguably proved that in your fight with Maidana?
KHAN: Well no, not really. At the end of the day I just have to go in there and do what I do best. You are always going to get critics who are always going to be criticizing you because they just can’t stand you doing well. They got to get you on little things. That’s the only thing they got on me. Once I get Zab Judah out of the way they’re still going to have things to say about me and they’re still going to say things like I’m not good enough and whatever. Like I said, all of this just motivates me, and just pushes me, and just makes me train harder, and makes me want to prove people wrong.
CIANI: Now when you couldn’t get the Bradley fight, you’ve repeatedly said on this show that you’re goal is to clean out 140 and then make a move to welterweight perhaps as early as later this year. You’re actually doing exactly what you said you were going to do, but was there any debate whether it was going to be Judah next? There were rumors floating around that you may have taken on lesser opposition, but what made this fight that ultimately happened when Bradley declined?
KHAN: I really wanted a unification fight, because I wanted to be one of the youngest British fighters to be a unified champion. To do that we needed another belt and I needed another credible opponent. I mean in the 140 pound division there was hardly anyone left. A lot of people said maybe a rematch against Maidana, but I had beaten Maidana less than six months ago and I thought there is no motivation for me to go in there and beat him again. So we looked at the top ten and we had seen Zab Judah who also holds the IBF title. It will be a unification fight, also against a guy who is well known in America. He’s a five-time world champion. So we took that fight and hopefully we beat him and it will take us to a different level, but we know how dangerous Zab is. Zab’s still got speed. He’s still there and he’s still very dangerous.
CIANI: Now when you look at Zab and you watch fight footage of him, what about his fighting style most impresses you?
KHAN: Well you know he’s very awkward. I like the way how he makes his opponents miss and he comes back with a good big shot. I think that’s what we really need to do. We need to be careful. We can’t make mistakes. We have to hit and move and not get involved with this guy and just be smart, and we’ll be one step ahead of him every time.
CIANI: A lot of people often comment on the improvements you’ve made since pairing up with Freddie Roach, and a lot of people have said similar things about Zab since he teamed up with Fall of Famer Pernell Whitaker. I’m just curious if I could quickly get your thoughts on that angle of it where, in addition to having you and Judah inside the ring you have a battle of strategies going on between Freddie Roach and Pernell Whitaker?
KHAN: Yeah you know, we know Freddie. Freddie Roach is probably one of the best trainers in the world and we’ve seen what he’s done with the likes of Manny Pacquiao and other great fighters. Pernell Whitaker was a great fighter, but we’ve not really seen how good of a trainer he is. When me and Zab are going to be in the ring we’re going to be one-on-one. We’re going to be on our own and the best man will win the fight, and we’ll see what kind of training the fighters get. I’m not worrying about that. At the end of it, like I said Zab makes a lot of mistakes and he’s got a lot habits that will always be there. So we’re just going to capitalize on them. We don’t care about him changing new trainers and doing things differently. We know that we just have to beat Zab Judah, and be smart, and be one step ahead of him.
JENNA: Alright Amir, we talked a little bit before about how this fight came together. In your opinion though, really what do you think the reason was that Timothy Bradley didn’t take it? Do you think it was like people say that he was waiting out his contract? Or do you really believe he just didn’t want to fight you?
KHAN: I just really think he just didn’t want to fight. Look, he’s been out of the game now since early January. That’s a long time. Now he’s going to not be getting a fight in July, so he’s going to move a couple of more, so it will be at least nine months before he next fights again. It’s a long time for a guy at his level at that age he’s at. He’s at his peak. He needs to get as many fights as possible, so I don’t know why he’s staying out really. He should be active. In my eyes I don’t think Bradley wanted to lose the two titles he has and also he didn’t want to lose the zero in his record. He’s undefeated at the moment and he really knew he was going to get beat, and maybe that’s the reason he’s not taking the fight.
JENNA: Yeah, it kind of seems like he’s the odd man out because before they were talking maybe a potential fight between him and Mayweather. Mayweather’s now fighting Ortiz. You have Manny Pacquiao who’s fighting Marquez. Where do you see Timothy Bradley’s future and would you still consider a fight with him if you beat Zab Judah?
KHAN: Well once I beat Judah, I think it just depends on how I’m making the weight and everything and whether I want to move up a division. I’d like to maybe look at the winner of the Mayweather-Ortiz fight. That’s a fight for me in the future, but let’s just see how it goes. I want to bethe unified champ. I want to be number one at the 140 pound division before I move up, so we’ll just see how it goes.
JENNA: What do you think about Floyd Mayweather Junior’s choice of opponent of Victor Ortiz for his comeback?
KHAN: Yeah, you know Victor is coming from a good win. He won a world title and he’s very dangerous. He has a lot of power and everything, but I think Floyd just has that style where he’s very perfect, he’s very smart, and he can break down someone like Victor Ortiz who has far less experience and maybe take him out. I mean Victor Ortiz has got a lot of heart and he’ll be there all the way, but I don’t think he’s matched on the same level as Floyd Mayweather. I think Mayweather is maybe a level ahead.
JENNA: Now back to your fight with Zab Judah, how do you expect it to play out? I mean via Twitter you said he might be doing a “chicken dance” again. Do you expect him to go twelve rounds with you?
KHAN: Well at the end of the day we train for the full distance and we’ll be ready for the full twelve rounds, but who knows? I think if I catch him with a good shot I don’t think he’ll be there, but you never know. At the end of the day we’re just going to have to stick to the game plan. If he goes in the first round he goes, if he stays through the twelfth round we’re still going to be in front of him and winning rounds.
JENNA: Alright Amir, one of your former opponents Marcos Maidana has an interesting fight coming up in August. He’ll be facing off against Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. How do you see that one playing out?
KHAN: I think he’ll beat “Ghost” Guerrero to be honest with you, because Guerrero has moved up so many weights and I think you had seen in his last fight I think the punching power and everything, he felt that against Michael Katsidis. When he fights Maidana in the 140 pound division I think it’s a different game really, because he’s going to be so strong and powerful. I really think Maidana will walk through Guerrero. It will be a tough fight for both of them, but it will be exciting.
JENNA: Alright now what is your official prediction for your fight on July 23 against “Super” Zab Judah?
KHAN: My official prediction would be maybe a late stoppage or a twelve round decision, and a win for me.
JENNA: Finally, you have a lot of fans and supporters. Is there anything you want to say to them that are looking forward to this fight?
KHAN: Yeah, I just want to thank all of my fans out there and hopefully they will be tuned in on HBO for the fight and you’ll get to see me fight. Hopefully I can prove all the critics wrong and come away with another good fight in America, move up the rankings, and hopefully one day become pound-for-pound champion of the world.
JENNA: Alright well Amir, it’s always a pleasure to have you on the show. Thank you for your time and we wish you the best of luck on the 23rd.
KHAN: Thank you. Thank you very much.
CIANI: Thanks Amir. Good luck.
KHAN: Thank you.
by Geoffrey Ciani (Exclusive Interview by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - Last week’s 129th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with reigning WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan (25-1, 17 KOs) who is scheduled to have a unification bout on July 23 against IBF champion Zab Judah (41-6, 28 KOs). Khan spoke about his upcoming fight, discussed his future plans, and also shared opinions on a variety of topics including Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach, Mayweather-Ortiz, Maidana-Guerrero, and more! Here is a complete transcript from that interview:
JENNA J: Well moving to our final guest of this week’s show, he is the reigning WBA junior welterweight champion of the world making his sixth appearance with On the Ropes, we’re joined by Amir “King” Khan! How’s the day going, Amir?
AMIR KHAN: I’m doing good, thanks! I’ve done my hard running and stuff, and I’m looking forward to my next training session with Freddie. Training is coming along really well. It’s been around about three weeks now we’ve been in camp, and with the fight getting closer I’m looking forward to it.
JENNA: Alright well you have a very big unification match against “Super” Zab Judah. How did this fight come to be, Amir?
KHAN: Well we wanted to fight Bradley, but in my eyes he didn’t want the fight. Bradley kind of chickened out of the fight so then we had to turn the page over, and we got Zab Judah! Zab holds the IBF title. Zab Judah is very dangerous, he can punch, and he’s quick. I think he’s a tougher fight than Bradley. So we want that. We want the fans to see exciting fights and obviously put on good shows. So that’s the reason we’re taking on Zab Judah, and it’s a unification fight so that makes the fight even bigger.
JENNA: Before you guys have even gotten into the ring, you two have been landing blows on each other via cyberspace on Twitter. What’s that whole promotion been like so far?
KHAN: It’s been fine. At the end of the day I have a job and I’m just focused on my training now. Zab likes to put his words out and try to get himself confident in a way. That’s the way I see it. He’s giving himself confidence, but at the end of the day he can say what he wants because on the 23rd of July it’s going to be me and him. I’m sure he’s hoping he can do what he says, because I’m going to let my fists do all the talking.
JENNA: Well Zab Judah has kind of had a resurgence in his career. Many people thought he was done and all of a sudden he came back. He’s now the IBF light welterweight champion. What do you think about the Zab Judah that we see today?
KHAN: Yeah, Zab Judah is very dangerous. He’s sorted himself out and he’s a better fighter now. A lot of people thought he was done, and he’s come back and he’s proven a lot of people wrong by winning the title. You know he’s dangerous, and we can’t take this fight easy. We have to go into this fight training hard and ready for this fight, because I’m at that level now where I can’t afford to lose any if I want to fight the best out there. I have to beat the likes of Zab Judah and the people who they put in front of me. But yeah, Zab is dangerous still and I still think he’s got a little bit left in him.
JENNA: Okay now you mentioned he’s dangerous. A lot of people are actually saying this is actually a more dangerous fight for you than if you fought Timothy Bradley. Do you agree with that?
KHAN: Yeah I agree, because with Tim Bradley I don’t think he’s a big puncher. Bradley is not as awkward is Zab Judah. Zab Judah’s a southpaw and he’s quite awkward that way. I think yeah, in my eyes I think this fight is a tougher fight than Bradley. The Bradley fight was the one that I wanted to have a big unification fight, but he turned it down and then I had to go with this one. Like I said, whoever they put in front of me I’ll fight them and I’ll just win, and hopefully in the future a fight against Bradley can happen.
JENNA: Okay, we’re also on the line with my Co-Host Geoff.
GEOFFREY CIANI: Hi Amir. It’s a pleasure to have you back on the show.
KHAN: Thank you.
CIANI: Amir, I’ve noticed that a lot of your critics are mentioning, similar to what Jenna said, that Zab will be the fastest strongest guy you have faced in a long time. Questions about your chin are still arising. Do you feel in some sense, as far as your critics are concerned, that you have to prove your chin all over again even though you’ve arguably proved that in your fight with Maidana?
KHAN: Well no, not really. At the end of the day I just have to go in there and do what I do best. You are always going to get critics who are always going to be criticizing you because they just can’t stand you doing well. They got to get you on little things. That’s the only thing they got on me. Once I get Zab Judah out of the way they’re still going to have things to say about me and they’re still going to say things like I’m not good enough and whatever. Like I said, all of this just motivates me, and just pushes me, and just makes me train harder, and makes me want to prove people wrong.
CIANI: Now when you couldn’t get the Bradley fight, you’ve repeatedly said on this show that you’re goal is to clean out 140 and then make a move to welterweight perhaps as early as later this year. You’re actually doing exactly what you said you were going to do, but was there any debate whether it was going to be Judah next? There were rumors floating around that you may have taken on lesser opposition, but what made this fight that ultimately happened when Bradley declined?
KHAN: I really wanted a unification fight, because I wanted to be one of the youngest British fighters to be a unified champion. To do that we needed another belt and I needed another credible opponent. I mean in the 140 pound division there was hardly anyone left. A lot of people said maybe a rematch against Maidana, but I had beaten Maidana less than six months ago and I thought there is no motivation for me to go in there and beat him again. So we looked at the top ten and we had seen Zab Judah who also holds the IBF title. It will be a unification fight, also against a guy who is well known in America. He’s a five-time world champion. So we took that fight and hopefully we beat him and it will take us to a different level, but we know how dangerous Zab is. Zab’s still got speed. He’s still there and he’s still very dangerous.
CIANI: Now when you look at Zab and you watch fight footage of him, what about his fighting style most impresses you?
KHAN: Well you know he’s very awkward. I like the way how he makes his opponents miss and he comes back with a good big shot. I think that’s what we really need to do. We need to be careful. We can’t make mistakes. We have to hit and move and not get involved with this guy and just be smart, and we’ll be one step ahead of him every time.
CIANI: A lot of people often comment on the improvements you’ve made since pairing up with Freddie Roach, and a lot of people have said similar things about Zab since he teamed up with Fall of Famer Pernell Whitaker. I’m just curious if I could quickly get your thoughts on that angle of it where, in addition to having you and Judah inside the ring you have a battle of strategies going on between Freddie Roach and Pernell Whitaker?
KHAN: Yeah you know, we know Freddie. Freddie Roach is probably one of the best trainers in the world and we’ve seen what he’s done with the likes of Manny Pacquiao and other great fighters. Pernell Whitaker was a great fighter, but we’ve not really seen how good of a trainer he is. When me and Zab are going to be in the ring we’re going to be one-on-one. We’re going to be on our own and the best man will win the fight, and we’ll see what kind of training the fighters get. I’m not worrying about that. At the end of it, like I said Zab makes a lot of mistakes and he’s got a lot habits that will always be there. So we’re just going to capitalize on them. We don’t care about him changing new trainers and doing things differently. We know that we just have to beat Zab Judah, and be smart, and be one step ahead of him.
JENNA: Alright Amir, we talked a little bit before about how this fight came together. In your opinion though, really what do you think the reason was that Timothy Bradley didn’t take it? Do you think it was like people say that he was waiting out his contract? Or do you really believe he just didn’t want to fight you?
KHAN: I just really think he just didn’t want to fight. Look, he’s been out of the game now since early January. That’s a long time. Now he’s going to not be getting a fight in July, so he’s going to move a couple of more, so it will be at least nine months before he next fights again. It’s a long time for a guy at his level at that age he’s at. He’s at his peak. He needs to get as many fights as possible, so I don’t know why he’s staying out really. He should be active. In my eyes I don’t think Bradley wanted to lose the two titles he has and also he didn’t want to lose the zero in his record. He’s undefeated at the moment and he really knew he was going to get beat, and maybe that’s the reason he’s not taking the fight.
JENNA: Yeah, it kind of seems like he’s the odd man out because before they were talking maybe a potential fight between him and Mayweather. Mayweather’s now fighting Ortiz. You have Manny Pacquiao who’s fighting Marquez. Where do you see Timothy Bradley’s future and would you still consider a fight with him if you beat Zab Judah?
KHAN: Well once I beat Judah, I think it just depends on how I’m making the weight and everything and whether I want to move up a division. I’d like to maybe look at the winner of the Mayweather-Ortiz fight. That’s a fight for me in the future, but let’s just see how it goes. I want to bethe unified champ. I want to be number one at the 140 pound division before I move up, so we’ll just see how it goes.
JENNA: What do you think about Floyd Mayweather Junior’s choice of opponent of Victor Ortiz for his comeback?
KHAN: Yeah, you know Victor is coming from a good win. He won a world title and he’s very dangerous. He has a lot of power and everything, but I think Floyd just has that style where he’s very perfect, he’s very smart, and he can break down someone like Victor Ortiz who has far less experience and maybe take him out. I mean Victor Ortiz has got a lot of heart and he’ll be there all the way, but I don’t think he’s matched on the same level as Floyd Mayweather. I think Mayweather is maybe a level ahead.
JENNA: Now back to your fight with Zab Judah, how do you expect it to play out? I mean via Twitter you said he might be doing a “chicken dance” again. Do you expect him to go twelve rounds with you?
KHAN: Well at the end of the day we train for the full distance and we’ll be ready for the full twelve rounds, but who knows? I think if I catch him with a good shot I don’t think he’ll be there, but you never know. At the end of the day we’re just going to have to stick to the game plan. If he goes in the first round he goes, if he stays through the twelfth round we’re still going to be in front of him and winning rounds.
JENNA: Alright Amir, one of your former opponents Marcos Maidana has an interesting fight coming up in August. He’ll be facing off against Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. How do you see that one playing out?
KHAN: I think he’ll beat “Ghost” Guerrero to be honest with you, because Guerrero has moved up so many weights and I think you had seen in his last fight I think the punching power and everything, he felt that against Michael Katsidis. When he fights Maidana in the 140 pound division I think it’s a different game really, because he’s going to be so strong and powerful. I really think Maidana will walk through Guerrero. It will be a tough fight for both of them, but it will be exciting.
JENNA: Alright now what is your official prediction for your fight on July 23 against “Super” Zab Judah?
KHAN: My official prediction would be maybe a late stoppage or a twelve round decision, and a win for me.
JENNA: Finally, you have a lot of fans and supporters. Is there anything you want to say to them that are looking forward to this fight?
KHAN: Yeah, I just want to thank all of my fans out there and hopefully they will be tuned in on HBO for the fight and you’ll get to see me fight. Hopefully I can prove all the critics wrong and come away with another good fight in America, move up the rankings, and hopefully one day become pound-for-pound champion of the world.
JENNA: Alright well Amir, it’s always a pleasure to have you on the show. Thank you for your time and we wish you the best of luck on the 23rd.
KHAN: Thank you. Thank you very much.
CIANI: Thanks Amir. Good luck.
KHAN: Thank you.
exactly how I saw it.
Cotto ducks no man, he's fought everyone, the thing is Bob Arum has him lined up for Margarito in December (assuming he gets medically cleared) and that's a big money fight, so Arum isn't going to take a high risk low reward fight before then, Cotto will sit out until Margarito is ready and if Margarito isn't available by then he'll fight Kermit Cintron who is #2 at junior middleweight while Cotto is #1 which would make it for The Ring belt, and that is the second best scenario for Cotto, so Martinez just isn't in the mix right now and that's not cotto's fault as Martinez hasn't fought at 154 pounds in a couple years now.
Cotto ducks no man, he's fought everyone, the thing is Bob Arum has him lined up for Margarito in December (assuming he gets medically cleared) and that's a big money fight, so Arum isn't going to take a high risk low reward fight before then, Cotto will sit out until Margarito is ready and if Margarito isn't available by then he'll fight Kermit Cintron who is #2 at junior middleweight while Cotto is #1 which would make it for The Ring belt, and that is the second best scenario for Cotto, so Martinez just isn't in the mix right now and that's not cotto's fault as Martinez hasn't fought at 154 pounds in a couple years now.
So it's really starting to look like Lucien Bute vs Kelly Pavlik after Bute wins his little up coming fight in Romania. What do you guys think? Too soon for Pavlik? Or is Bootay just so untested it's the perfect fight for Pavlik to get back on top?
I like this fight. I'm not sure of the outcome but its a solid fight. Bute needs a name on his resume, Pavlik provides that. On the other hand a Pavlik win would definitely tell the world he's back.
I'll be going for Pavlik, but my gut tells my Bootay decisions him. He'll always have that suspect chin though so if Pavlik can find a grove and land one of those 1-2 combo's it could lay him out.
I like this fight. I'm not sure of the outcome but its a solid fight. Bute needs a name on his resume, Pavlik provides that. On the other hand a Pavlik win would definitely tell the world he's back.
I'll be going for Pavlik, but my gut tells my Bootay decisions him. He'll always have that suspect chin though so if Pavlik can find a grove and land one of those 1-2 combo's it could lay him out.
Make it happen on CBS Bob...
Arum said he thinks boxing could return to prime-time network television on CBS this year. But if it happens, it will probably be without Pacquiao because he might be too expensive.
"Manny makes between $20 million to $30 million a fight," Arum said. "How are you going to leave that kind of money on the table to fight on free TV?
"I'm not ruling it out completely. But I don't know that you could make it work (economically)."
If not Pacquiao, Arum said, former world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik might be a candidate for a CBS bout.
Pavlik, 29, has a compelling life story, as he has battled alcoholism. Arum said he thinks there are enough worthy super middleweight opponents for Pavlik to create a good TV matchup.
"Lucien Bute is a possibility," Arum said. "Andre Ward. Carl Froch. There are lots of good fights for Kelly."
Arum said he thinks boxing could return to prime-time network television on CBS this year. But if it happens, it will probably be without Pacquiao because he might be too expensive.
"Manny makes between $20 million to $30 million a fight," Arum said. "How are you going to leave that kind of money on the table to fight on free TV?
"I'm not ruling it out completely. But I don't know that you could make it work (economically)."
If not Pacquiao, Arum said, former world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik might be a candidate for a CBS bout.
Pavlik, 29, has a compelling life story, as he has battled alcoholism. Arum said he thinks there are enough worthy super middleweight opponents for Pavlik to create a good TV matchup.
"Lucien Bute is a possibility," Arum said. "Andre Ward. Carl Froch. There are lots of good fights for Kelly."
Bute-Pavlik, 90% Chance of Happening in Nov
Multiple outlets in Romania are reporting that Lucian Bute vs. Kelly Pavlik has a 90% probability of taking place in November. InterBox, the promotional brand behind Bute, reportedly made Pavlik an "offer he can't refuse," according to a source within InterBox who spoke with the outlets on the condition of anonymity. Bute will defend his IBF super middleweight title against undefeated Jean Paul Mendy on July 9 at the Romexpo Exhibition Centre in Bucharest, Romania. If Bute and Pavlik agree on the terms, the fight will be televised in the United States by Showtime, which has an exclusive agreement with Bute.
Multiple outlets in Romania are reporting that Lucian Bute vs. Kelly Pavlik has a 90% probability of taking place in November. InterBox, the promotional brand behind Bute, reportedly made Pavlik an "offer he can't refuse," according to a source within InterBox who spoke with the outlets on the condition of anonymity. Bute will defend his IBF super middleweight title against undefeated Jean Paul Mendy on July 9 at the Romexpo Exhibition Centre in Bucharest, Romania. If Bute and Pavlik agree on the terms, the fight will be televised in the United States by Showtime, which has an exclusive agreement with Bute.
Maidana vs. Guerrero finalized for August 27th – Breaking news!
By Dan Ambrose: Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, is reporting that the August 27th bout between two time world champion Robert Guerrero (29-1-1, 18 KO’s) and WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (30-2, 27 KO’s) has been finalized. The bout will be shown on HBO and will be taking place at the HP Pavilion, in San Jose, California. This will be the first fight for the 28-year-old Guerrero, who Golden Boy are very high on and hope he can make a mark in this division.
Maidana’s star status has dimmed somewhat after losing to WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan last December by a 12 round decision, and then following that fight up with a narrow 12 round decision over 34-year-old Erik Morales. Although Maidana got the win over Morales, Maidana struggled against a fighter that he should have been able to handily beat if he were the real thing.
Maidana was lucky to have escaped with a narrow in that fight. Guerrero is an even worse match-up for Maidana than Khan and Morales were, because Guerrero has an excellent chin and has few holes in his game. He’s not an aging fighter like Morales, who if he had been five or six years young, likely would have dominated Maidana.
The winner of the Maidana vs. Guerrero fight has a chance to face the winner of the July 23rd bout between Khan and IBF champion Zab Judah. WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley could possibly step in and face the Khan-Judah winner but it’s not likely to happen. This gives Guerero and to a lesser extent Maidana a chance to fight the Khan-Judah winner. If Maidana and Khan both win their next fights, it’s doubtful that Khan will fight Maidana age. In that case, you can look for Khan to vacate his WBA title and move up in weight to the welterweight division if the World Boxing Association insists on him fighting Maidana again.
In an article at the Los Angeles Times, Schaefer said “This is an opportunity for an absolutely sensational fight. You know when you make a fight like this, it can be an all-out slugfest, a candidate to be fight of the year.”
Maidana might have problems with Guerero’s boxing skills and combination punching. Guerrero is a very good inside fighter and lot better than Maidana in that department. Maidana, however, will have the power advantage on his size and he could give Guerrero problems.
By Dan Ambrose: Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, is reporting that the August 27th bout between two time world champion Robert Guerrero (29-1-1, 18 KO’s) and WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (30-2, 27 KO’s) has been finalized. The bout will be shown on HBO and will be taking place at the HP Pavilion, in San Jose, California. This will be the first fight for the 28-year-old Guerrero, who Golden Boy are very high on and hope he can make a mark in this division.
Maidana’s star status has dimmed somewhat after losing to WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan last December by a 12 round decision, and then following that fight up with a narrow 12 round decision over 34-year-old Erik Morales. Although Maidana got the win over Morales, Maidana struggled against a fighter that he should have been able to handily beat if he were the real thing.
Maidana was lucky to have escaped with a narrow in that fight. Guerrero is an even worse match-up for Maidana than Khan and Morales were, because Guerrero has an excellent chin and has few holes in his game. He’s not an aging fighter like Morales, who if he had been five or six years young, likely would have dominated Maidana.
The winner of the Maidana vs. Guerrero fight has a chance to face the winner of the July 23rd bout between Khan and IBF champion Zab Judah. WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley could possibly step in and face the Khan-Judah winner but it’s not likely to happen. This gives Guerero and to a lesser extent Maidana a chance to fight the Khan-Judah winner. If Maidana and Khan both win their next fights, it’s doubtful that Khan will fight Maidana age. In that case, you can look for Khan to vacate his WBA title and move up in weight to the welterweight division if the World Boxing Association insists on him fighting Maidana again.
In an article at the Los Angeles Times, Schaefer said “This is an opportunity for an absolutely sensational fight. You know when you make a fight like this, it can be an all-out slugfest, a candidate to be fight of the year.”
Maidana might have problems with Guerero’s boxing skills and combination punching. Guerrero is a very good inside fighter and lot better than Maidana in that department. Maidana, however, will have the power advantage on his size and he could give Guerrero problems.
Bute's been cracked by big punchers before. I can't imagine his chin being suspect off a 12th round against a pressuring machine. Pavlik's chin would be just as suspect as Bute's in that case, and Bute far more comfortable and established at the weight. Pavlik has accomplished nothing higher than MW other than decisioning Taylor in a rematch after crushing his face in the first.
That being said I'll be pulling for Pavlik. Hopefully he can pull it off.
.. and I just finished watching GG/Ouma and I hope Ouma is alright. Ouma landed clean on Golovkin plenty but he took a fucking beating in the process. Golovkin's people really need to start thinking about taking the next step, he's clearly shown he fights at a high level and he needs to be fighting top competition sometime this year.
That being said I'll be pulling for Pavlik. Hopefully he can pull it off.
.. and I just finished watching GG/Ouma and I hope Ouma is alright. Ouma landed clean on Golovkin plenty but he took a fucking beating in the process. Golovkin's people really need to start thinking about taking the next step, he's clearly shown he fights at a high level and he needs to be fighting top competition sometime this year.
Disappointed to say the least. I really like Guerrero and it's rare to see a kid with such a monstrous fan following before even making it. I mean the kid was packing out venues in Maryland fighting in co main events and shit.
I don't know why he cut so much weight for a 154lb fight after never fighting under 160 in his entire career. He just looked all around bad that night, I mean Brewer threw like 4-5 right hands that he picked up off the canvas. I've always thought Guerrero was fairly chinny, I've seen him go down plenty but his overall technique is usually far better than what he showed there.
Much credit to Brewer though, he came in at 40 years old after all kinds of injuries and blew away someone I still think is gonna reach the top. I'm hoping he struggled with his cut and comes back on form.
I don't know why he cut so much weight for a 154lb fight after never fighting under 160 in his entire career. He just looked all around bad that night, I mean Brewer threw like 4-5 right hands that he picked up off the canvas. I've always thought Guerrero was fairly chinny, I've seen him go down plenty but his overall technique is usually far better than what he showed there.
Much credit to Brewer though, he came in at 40 years old after all kinds of injuries and blew away someone I still think is gonna reach the top. I'm hoping he struggled with his cut and comes back on form.