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heyzel

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Dannie Willaims: “By next year I’ll be ready to contend with any one of the world cha

Dannie Willaims: “By next year I’ll be ready to contend with any one of the world champions”

by Geoffrey Ciani (Exclusive Interview by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - This week’s 137th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with lightweight prospect “Dangerous” Dannie Williams (18-1, 14 KOs) who is scheduled to face Antonio Cervantes (16-5-5, 11 KOs) tonight on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. Williams spoke about his upcoming fight and his future and also shared some opinions regarding the current boxing landscape. Here are some questions and answers from that interview:

JENNA J: Well you have a fight coming up on this week’s Friday Night Fights against Antonio Cervantes. Can you tell us a little bit about your opponent?

DANNIE WILLIAMS: I don’t know much about him. I just know he has 26 fights, he’s tough, and he’s coming to fight. This is another step-up fight for me to see where I’m at.

JENNA: Okay now you said it’s a step-up fight to see where you’re at. Where do you expect yourself to be by the end of the year?

WILLIAMS: By the end of the year I expect myself to at least be contending for a world title or in line for a world title, fighting for a USBA title by the end of the year, and just working hard and steadily climbing the latter. I should be about 22-1 by the end of the year and contending for a world title.

JENNA: Well you actually work with a world class trainer in Jack Loew. Can you tell us a little bit about what that working relationship has been like?

WILLIAMS: We got a good relationship. I’ve been working with him since 2008. We’ve got a good bond together. He’s like a father figure. He does his work, he loves his work, and he loves his job. He makes sure you’re getting paid for it and he’s doing a lot for you, and I love being around him and Kelly so it’s a great thing.

JENNA: Now you mentioned Kelly. Kelly Pavlik’s been in the news a lot of late and obviously not for the most positive reasons. Can you tell us what your thoughts were on this whole situation that’s happened?

WILLIAMS: I don’t know much about it. My thoughts are that he just needs to come back and do what he does best. You know he let his fans down a little bit, but he needs to come back and be world champion. I look up to him and it’s my time to shine on Friday Night Fights. When he sees me on Friday Night Fights it will bring him back.

JENNA: You’ve been obviously working in the gym and you’ve been around him these last few weeks, but did you see anything in the gym that would say that maybe he wasn’t prepared like people were saying?

WILLIAMS: No, he was prepared. He was ready. He was ready and prepared. Like I said I don’t know much about it. I’m just training hard and ready to go on Friday night.

JENNA: Alright well speaking of Friday night, what do you think it’s going to be like to get this type of exposure and this type of opportunity in front of the audience that Friday Night Fights provides?

WILLIAMS: I’ve been actually waiting to get on TV, so now it’s time and I’ve got to be ready. It’s going to be national live and plus the big thing is it’s in my hometown. I’m going to have a big crowd and a big fan base at home and I’m just ready to perform in front everybody on TV. So HBO and Showtime will be watching me and they’ll want to bring me on their network.

GEOFFREY CIANI: One thing that often defines a fighter is how they rebound from a loss. It’s been nearly two years since you suffered your first loss to Eloy Perez and I’m just wondering, what have you learned from that experience and what do you think you took out of that fight to make you stronger going forward?

WILLIAMS: I learned a lot from that fight. I learned not to just go on anybody’s show and just fight on anybody’s show because basically I had to get a knockout to win. The judges had the scorecard, they had me losing 98-91 and I dropped him three times in the fight in a ten-rounder. I had to lose twelve pounds to get down to 130. I had to lose pounds in like a day or two and it kind of killed me, but I still fought a good fight. I fought it out. I dropped him three times. I just didn’t get the decision. I learned a lot, but I came back to the drawing board and fought four months later. I fought another undefeated kid and stopped him in the first round. So I just had to get the hunger back and I’m just ready to be world champ.

CIANI: Now let’s go back to your amateur career for a moment here. You had a very decorated amateur background where you won a lot of national titles and whatnot. What was your amateur experience like and how was it for you when you first made the transition from the amateurs into the professional ranks?

WILLIAMS: My amateur experience was great. At the time I was training with Kevin Cunningham. He trained us and molded us to just stay busy and move, stay busy and box, box, box. Back then I was around Cory Spinks and Devon Alexander, and then I made the transition to the pros and I actually started sitting down. I had a little power, so then it transferred when I started training with Jack. I started sitting down on my punches and it was a big transition and that’s when I got a lot of knockdowns. I could box and sit down. I had to mix it up together and it’s working out really great for me.

CIANI: What do you think is the one thing you do best right now where you could really showcase your talents come Friday night?

WILLIAMS: The most important thing is that I could punch. I’ve been working on good defense and movement, a straight jab, but most of all just being patient and setting up the big shot, because it’s only going to take one shot for me.

CIANI: What are of your game do you feel right now that you could use the most improvement on?

WILLIAMS: Basically just staying focused, when I get hit don’t get riled up. Just staying focused, because if I get hit I want to hit right back. That’s not the good thing. You just stay calm and set it up, and use a lot of head movement, and I’ll be alright. Patience though is the most important thing.

JENNA: Seeing that you’re competing in the lightweight division, this particular weight class doesn’t really have a big star anymore. Juan Manuel Marquez is moving up to face Manny Pacquiao at a catch weight. So now it’s really wide open. Where do you see yourself in the division and do you think this is where you can really make your mark as a champion?

WILLIAMS: I know I’m top ten right now. You know I’m just learning and just gradually working my way up. I don’t want to rush anything. I just want to take my time and just be consistent with my fights so I can learn, because every fight you learn something. I just want to be consistent in fighting so I can learn so by next year I’ll be ready to contend with any one of the world champions.

JENNA: The champion of lightweight is facing Manny Pacquiao in November. Do you think he has got any chance in the third fight with him?

WILLIAMS: I like Marquez. He’s consistent with his punches. I like him a lot but I don’t think he’s going to catch up with Manny Pacquiao. I think Manny Pacquiao is too much for Marquez and a little younger than him. I think Manny’s too much for him right now.

CIANI: Maybe you could tell the fans out there a little bit about some of the fighters you most admired when you first started getting into the sport?

WILLIAMS: Most of the good fighters I admired when I first got it, Sugar Shane Mosley, Roy Jones at the time when he was at the top of his game. I admired him a lot. He was a good boxer and slick. Also Floyd Mayweather, but most of all I admired the people that were around me in St. Louis like Cory Spinks and Devon Alexander. So those were guys I admired a lot.

CIANI: You mentioned Devon Alexander a couple of times and I know you worked in the same gym as him. He’s making the jump up to welterweight. Do you think he will have more success up at 147 than he did at 140?

WILLIAMS: I don’t know. I just think whatever weight he thinks is best for him, go for. I think he should change his game up just a little bit because he’s got the same style from the amateurs in the pros. I think everybody is catching on to it. I think he needs to just change up a little bit and he’ll do great.

JENNA: Since you’re known for your power, do you expect that to be the one thing that impresses fans the most when they see you this upcoming Friday?

WILLIAMS: Yes, that’s what I’m looking for. Everybody wants the big knockout on TV, so if the first time up I can get a knockout would be great. But I want the fans to know me as an overall fighter with slickness and speed, and just know how to settle down and show patience, but the big knockout—that’s what I’m looking for!

JENNA: Alright well once you get through this fight here, how many more times do you see yourself fighting before the end of the year?

WILLIAMS: After this fight I want to see myself fight at least two more times.
 
2-0-Sixx

2-0-Sixx

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May 13, 2002
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#10,622
heyzel said:
How true. I rate Ortiz as a better fighter than both Khan and Pacquiao, and the reason I do is because he’s bigger, more rugged, nearly as fast and with better power.
Click to expand...
Just to nitpick a little - one fight ago Ortiz wasn't even the #1 ranked junior welterweight, in fact, he wasn't even in the top 5 while Khan is the #1 junior welterweight. Ortiz got a draw against Peterson and got KO'd by Maidana, had a lackluster performance against a faded Nate Campbell, while Khan clearly beat Maidana and everyone else he fought at 140. So yeah, if we want to go through the top 20 pound for pound list, as of right now, Ortiz isn't even in the top 20 while Khan is.

And to rate Ortiz better than Pacquiao is just plain absurd and flirting with being downright retarded. We don't even have to compare resumes or accomplishments between the two. Ortiz has had one title fight, Pac like 20+. Pac has fought and beat hall of famers, ortiz has fought none.

So as usual, I disagree with Chris Williams biased ass.
 
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heyzel

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Jul 24, 2005
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Khan Doubts Guerrero’s Injury, Maidana Tears Into Khan - “El Chino” Hopes For An Aug

Khan Doubts Guerrero’s Injury, Maidana Tears Into Khan - “El Chino” Hopes For An Aug. 27th Replacement

By James Slater - Where would we be without Twitter? In a better place, perhaps. Amir Khan, the WBA “super” champion at 140-pounds (as well as the IBF title holder) has read about the withdrawal Robert Guerrero was forced to make through injury, from his scheduled August 27th bout with “regular” WBA 140-pound champ Marcos Maidana - and Khan, via his Twitter page, has doubted the legitimacy of Guerrero’s shoulder injury.

“No injury, I reckon Maidana paid off Guerrero step aside money, so he can become the WBA champ because I have moved up as WBA super champ,” Khan is reported to have written on his Twitter page..

Strange indeed if Khan has had these thoughts, because, A: Maidana is already the “regular” WBA champ and will remain as such even with the Guerrero fight off. And, B: why would a true pro like Khan question the legitimacy of a fellow pro’s injury? It makes me wonder, did Khan really write this, or not?

In any case, “El Chino,” as Maidana is known, has bitten; responding with strong words via his own Twitter account.

“Amir Con says I paid Guerrero money to step aside. What a liar Amir Con is! You’re the one paying around to avoid fight[ing] me again. You know it, you put it in writing to the WBA. I’d fight you tomorrow at your backyard. Stop running.”

Maidana maintains that Khan asked the WBA, via letter, for an 18-month “extension” regarding a return fight of the battle the two put on in December of last year. Maidana suggests Khan wants nothing further to do with him, and that he was lucky to have gotten through the first fight (maybe someone should remind Marcos he did actually lose the fight!).

This war of words appears to be heading nowhere, however, as Khan is in line to face the winner of the Sept. 17th, Erik Morales-Lucas Mattyhsse clash; probably in the U.S in December. Then, with a planned move up to 147 on Khan’s agenda, Maidana will likely be left to simmer down at 140. No doubt, the fans would love to see a Khan-Maidana II, as great as the first fight was - but it’s not likely to happen.

Regarding what he will do next, Maidana told Fightnews.com he is hopeful he will still fight on August 27th, with Golden Boy finding him a late replacement.

“My team and I made a huge effort by having a 12-week training camp and we don’t wanna throw that away,” he said. “Luckily, GBP is trying to get me an opponent and save the show. Let’s see if anyone dares to face me on August 27th.”

Let’s see indeed. But it doesn’t look too likely, seeing as how Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer has told ESPN.com that the entire card has been postponed and will “hopefully be rescheduled for a later date.”

“Marcos Maidana obviously wants to fight. But on a weeks notice it is impossible to find a suitable opponent on such short notice,” Schaefer added.

We all know who Maidana would love to fight next, but it seems the Argentine will unfortunately have to bide his time as his promoters find another opponent for him later this year.
 
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bigface

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Feb 3, 2006
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Ortiz is better then 40 year old Mosley, shot to shit Margarito, and 38 yr old Marquez that's for sure. We don't know how good Manny is anymore because he's too busy fighting nothing but old men and shot to shit fighters. The one fight Ortiz had a 147lb he beat a unbeaten Berto, to me that says a lot. Mayweather has been off for 16 months and is still fighting better fighters then Manny. I find that funny..
 
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heyzel

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Jul 24, 2005
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The IBF Stands Alone

By Michael Montero: Only a few days after the controversy of Showtime’s bantamweight tournament finals, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) has ordered an immediate rematch between Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko. Unless you’ve been living under a rock since last Saturday, you either saw or have heard about the abysmal officiating of Russell Mora, who repeatedly allowed Golden Boy Promotion’s Abner Mares to hit his opponent below the belt over the entirety of the bout.

To miss a few calls here and there is forgivable, but to blow the call like Mora did in the 11th round – where Mares hit Agbeko right in the middle of the cup, yet was awarded with a knockdown – is a classic example of how the 3rd man in the ring can directly affect the outcome of a close fight. What was quite possibly a 10-9 round for Agbeko suddenly became a 10-8 round for Mares, ultimately changing Jimmy Lennon’s post fight announcement from “and still…” to “and the new…”

The silver lining in all of this is that the IBF saw what we the fans saw and did the right thing. Imagine that, a sanctioning body doing the right thing! Sounds insane, right? But this just goes to show that some of the alphabet boys are better than others, not all sanctioning bodies are created equal. And in this writer’s humble opinion, the IBF stands alone as the best of the major sanctioning organizations in professional boxing. I’m not saying they’re perfect, but they actually tend to follow their own rules while the rest seem to change them as they go. Here are some quick stats to show you what I mean.

Current World Champions:
IBF – 16
WBO – 19
WBC – 20
WBA – 34

Divisions with Multiple World Champions:
IBF – 0
WBO – 2
WBC – 3
WBA – 13

Types of World Titles:
IBF – Regular
WBO – Regular, Interim
WBA – Regular, Interim, Super
WBC – Regular, Interim, Emeritus, Silver, Diamond

Consider that of all the sanctioning organizations, the IBF is the only one to not hand out “Interim” or “Emeritus” titles like they’re candy. Furthermore, they’re the only group that has fewer champions (16) than there are actual divisions in pro boxing (17). What sets them apart is the fact that they award only one champ per weight class – none of the others can claim that. So if you follow the IBF, at least you know who their champions are. By contrast, look at the WBA in the lightweight division. They currently recognize Juan Manuel Marquez as the “Super” Champion, Brandon Rios as the “Regular” Champion and Robert Guerrero as the “Interim” Champion. How the hell is the casual boxing fan supposed to know who to call the lightweight champion of the world when there are THREE of them in the very same sanctioning body? It’s confusing enough for a lot of folks that there are often four different champions per division, but now there are three in one organization alone? Madness!

But it’s more than that; it’s also the ethics of some of these people. Take the WBC and what they did to Timothy Bradley recently. He had held the WBC junior welterweight title for some time, but was suddenly stripped for no apparent reason. There was no mandatory due and Bradley had not been inactive for more than a year. Yet when the Erik Morales-Lucas Matthysse match was announced as part of the undercard for the upcoming Mayweather-Ortiz PPV card, the WBC promptly stripped Bradley and announced that Morales-Matthysse would be for their “vacant” 140 pound championship. It’s pretty evident that WBC dictator – oops, I meant president – Jose Sulaiman is trying to help his boy Erik Morales become the first Mexican to win titles in four different weight classes. This isn’t the first time Sulaiman has shown bias toward a Mexican fighter, or the first time the WBC has changed their rules on the fly and stripped somebody for no reason. Those of you who remember the Graciano Rocchigiani fiasco years back know exactly what I mean.

And I really don’t mean to beat a dead horse with the WBA, but just look at their ongoing madness with the heavyweight division. In a couple weeks Ruslan Chagaev will fight Alexander Povetkin. It’s a very solid matchup that could certainly propel the winner to a top three ranking in the division – that’s great. What’s not great is the fact that this fight will be for the WBA “regular” heavyweight title. As you ponder the sanity of the WBA officials, remember that Wladimir Klitschko just won their title only a month ago by embarrassing David Haye. It didn’t take but a couple weeks for the disgusting WBA to sanction a bout for the “regular” title since Klitschko was a unified champ and therefore recognized as “super” champion. Interesting how the belt that Klitschko took from Haye was a “regular” one, yet suddenly became a “super” one the very minute it exchanged hands, isn’t it? Also consider this – the winner of the Chagaev-Povetkin match and subsequent WBA “regular” heavyweight champion will either be a guy that Klitschko already destroyed (Chagaev), or a guy that shamelessly ducked him (Povetkin), turning down a career high payday in the process. Even more pathetic, the guy ranked #3 behind Chagaev and Povetkin is none other than Hasim Rahman; the same man Klitschko totally decimated back in 2008. So it wouldn’t be completely out of the realm of possibility to end up seeing the Chagaev-Povetkin winner having to face Rahman for their “mandatory” next year. Try explaining to your casual boxing friends how Wladimir Klitschko is the WBA “super” champion, while the “regular” champ (and their mandatory!) is either a man that he’s already beat into submission, or a guy that ran from him like Wesley Snipes from the IRS. But I digress…

The point of my rant is that while the WBA and WBC may often have us boxing fans pulling out our hair, there is a silver lining here, and that is the IBF. This organization not only has clear rules, but they actually follow them. You can be sure that when the IBF declares a mandatory, that fighter has probably earned it (their recent HW tourneys for instance). There are no divisions with three champions, no stripping of titles for political reasons, no looking the other way when an injustice is done onto a fighter. This latest Mares-Agbeko scenario is the perfect example. For what it’s worth, Golden Boy Promotions is who wanted Russell Mora as the ref and got the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s blessing, while Agbeko promoter Don King protested for somebody else. But the IBF has taken things out of the promoter’s hands, the athletic commission’s hands and even the network’s hands. With the order for an immediate rematch they are putting control back into the fighter’s hands and that’s the way it should be. Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko get to settle this for everybody and answer all our questions.

So the next time you’re strapped for cash and wondering if you should pony up for a PPV or tickets to a local fight card, don’t only think about who’s promoting the event - think about who’s sanctioning it. That’s important too. At the end of the day the only power we boxing fans truly have with the promoters, networks and sanctioning bodies themselves is with our wallets.
 
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heyzel

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Jul 24, 2005
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Who is the Future of Heavyweight Boxing?

By Shaun Murphy: The heavyweight division has undergone a demographic shift! In the not-to-distant past, American heavyweights dominated boxing’s golden division and, frankly, the rest of Planet Earth’s inhabitants couldn’t compete. Nowadays, Europeans hold the power, but can Americans return to their previous thrones?

Why America Dominated?

A core prerequisite for a nation to produce elite-level heavyweight fighters is a reservoir of big men who are willing to take the risks, a market to promote them and great trainers to hone their skills. Of course, when legalized fist fighting was first introduced into America those three elements existed in such abundance that in the 1920s there was an estimated 20,000 heavyweight boxers.

But times have changed. The days of Rocky Maricano learning his craft while punching his way through club fighters in Boston, Massachusetts and Mike Tyson working himself into a prism of organized rage in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York are over. I believe the reason for this is a mixture of improved educational opportunities and sports such American football, basketball and mixed martial arts becoming the first choice for big American athletes.

This has resulted in a shallow pool of talent and Las Vegas’ Caesar’s Palace and New York City’s Madison Square Garden being replaced by the Imtech Arena in Hamburg, Germany as heavyweights with names as hard to pronounce as their punches are to take hold centre stage.

Why Europeans are on Top?

I don’t believe Europeans are supermen. In fact, many are awkward and crude and seem to lack the finesse that turns brawling into art. Nevertheless, the aforementioned sociological prerequisite for elite-level fighters exists in Europe to such a degree that sheer numbers are invading the heavyweight ranks in a wave of violence that American fighters can’t cope with. If you call it war, manpower is overwhelming a weakened enemy.

Wladimir Klitschko, on the British boxing programme Ringside, said the European amateur system is the cause of their dominance. I agree. Although American gyms have the big-time trainers and the money to create great fighters, European nations such as Russia, the Ukraine and even Britain have a grass roots amateur system that skims its fighting cream into structures that result in fighters such as the Klitschkos, Thomas Ademek, Robert Helunius and Tyson Fury. And, in Europe, there aren’t the same opportunities to enter other sports: combined with the decline in American numbers, that’s why the division has changed.

Who Will be Next?

I believe the golden age of the American heavyweight is over and the effects of the effeminate elements of the culture – such as rabid consumerism (please don’t take offence) – have entered the collective subconscious and created men who see heavyweight boxing as too hard a way to earn their money, and who can blame them?

This may be a bitter pill for many Americans to swallow, but there is a chance of redemption. Destroy the NFL, the NBA, your educational system, Hollywood, the UFC, the free market, equal opportunities, the music industry and any other auspicious opportunity that that your biggest, toughest are offered. If not, buy a ticket to Germany and just accept what’s happened. Hell, in 40 years’ time, the epicentre of heavyweight boxing just might be India
 
T-Rip

T-Rip

T Camp
#10,634
Jan 18, 2006
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#10,634
lol, that last page is pretty funny. Mayweather apparently is undefeated cuz he talked his opponents to death and a fighter with no jab may have as good of a style as Manny, even I won't talk that bad about Pac.
 
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heyzel

Sicc OG
#10,636
Jul 24, 2005
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#10,636
King Kong Agbeko: “I’m going to open my mouth wide and say to the world that I’m goin

King Kong Agbeko: “I’m going to open my mouth wide and say to the world that I’m going to knockout Abner Mares





by Geoffrey Ciani (Exclusive Interview by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - This week’s 138th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with former IBF bantamweight champion King Kong Agbeko (28-3, 22 KOs) who is coming off an extremely controversial majority decision loss at the hands of Abner Mares (22-0-1, 13 KOs) in Showtime’s Bantamweight Tournament Final. Agbeko spoke about the fight, the unfair treatment he received at the hands of referee Russell Mora, and the upcoming rematch. Here is what he had to say:

JENNA J: Let’s talk a little bit about your fight you had this past weekend with Abner Mares. It certainly had its fair share of controversy. You lost your IBF bantamweight title. You’ve had a few days to reflect on it. How do you feel about the fight?

KING KONG AGBEKO: Yeah I didn’t lose the fight to Abner Mares. I think I lost the fight to the referee because the referee took away my belt. The referee was for Mares, so I never lost any fight. It’s just that the referee took my belt from me. I’m very, very disappointed in the referee. His officiating was very, very bad and I’m very disappointed in Abner Mares for punching me below the belt.

JENNA: Do you think that all the low blows took you out of your game plan early because you started a little slow?

AGBEKO: Yeah. I suffered a low blow in the second round but the low blows made me slower. The blows were very, very heavy and every time he hit me it weakened me. I had to be very, very strong because my fans were watching me and I’m live on Showtime with everybody watching me. So I had to be like a man and stand tough like I did to put up a good fight, but I was really getting very seriously hurt and those low blows slowed me down.

JENNA: Now going into the later rounds people were really starting to question why Russell Mora wasn’t taking away a point from Abner Mares. What were you thinking at that point? He had already landed about fifteen or sixteen low blows. What were you thinking going into the middle rounds?

AGBEKO: First of all the fans know that the referee counted me and it wasn’t a knockdown. I slipped from throwing my own punch and he counted me and it went to Mares’ advantage because he got two points and then he was giving me a lot of low blows. If the referee was fair then Abner Mares could have lost some points or maybe even have been disqualified in the fight. The referee wasn’t warning him and he wasn’t doing anything, but I knew that if he called the punch low in the eleventh round I could have won the fight.

JENNA: In the tenth round you got hit with a shot that caused you to bend down. Russell Mora looked like he was going to take a point but he decided not to. He just firmly warned Mares, but in the eleventh as you mentioned it was a clear low blow and he started counting. What were you thinking at that moment when he started calling that a knockdown?

AGBEKO: You know before the eleventh round, I think the tenth or the seventh round or something, I got hit with a very, very serious punch on the low side and it was very tough for me. The referee didn’t do anything about it, but I came back to fight again. But in the eleventh round it truly affected me and when it hit me I couldn’t do anything! I couldn’t do anything! Before I realized the referee was counting me! He was counting me! Then I had to think about my fans, I had to think about the TV, I had to think about the publicity and everything, so I had to be strong and stand up but I was really, really suffering.

JENNA: Well after the fight you were very upset and you had so many points taken away you lost on the card, and you actually wanted to go over to the referee Mora. What was going on at the end of the fight after the cards were announced?

AGBEKO: Yeah you know it was out of anger because the referee didn’t know his job. He’s the third man in the ring so he’s supposed to be fair and treat everything good, but he just destroyed the fight! So after the fight I was just going to ask why he did that to me and why he had to treat me like that. It was a bad decision so I was a little upset. It was very, very upset.

JENNA: Okay now let’s go to what you were saying there. Why do you think Russell Mora called the fight the way that he did. I mean this was a Golden Boy fight card and also Russell Mora is of Mexican descent. What do you think his reason was for not calling all of these low blows against Mora?

AGBEKO: I don’t know, but Mora is a Mexican so maybe he’s fighting for his Mexican flag and that’s why he was helping him. I don’t know the connection between him and Golden Boy Promotion. I don’t know, but he was just doing everything possible to throw the fight for me.

GEOFFREY CIANI: Aside from all the low blows, one thing that I noticed earlier in the fight is you didn’t look as sharp as we’re used to seeing and you weren’t using your jab and your right hand as much as you normally do, and you seemed to be throwing wide with your left hook. What was the reason for your slow start in the early rounds in getting your offense together?

AGBEKO: In the first and the second round I just took it easy just to see what Mares was bringing in. I wanted to see the style that I was going to fight and I wanted to take it easy, and after the second round I could continue. But I was affected with the low blows and they made me slower, so when I wanted to pick up from there I was taking a lot of blows so it slowed me down to get my rhythm.

CIANI: In the fourth round of the fight you landed a big right hand which really seemed to hurt Mares, but you didn’t seem to follow up on that. Why is that?

AGBEKO: Yeah I didn’t follow up on him because I was trying to do my job and just taking my time to take his mind off the points and then I can come back and get them back, but I think too much longer than I should have.

CIANI: Was there anything about Abner Mares that surprised you in the fight? When he was fighting legally that is, was there anything about his style that surprised you?

AGBEKO Nothing really surprised me. You know the only thing that surprised me most was he was punching too much below the belt. It was too much, which I think as a world class fighter when you do something three, four, five, six times, you should be able to stop, but he wasn’t able to stop. He was just doing it every time.

CIANI: Now is there anything strategically that you would do different in the rematch that might help you get started better earlier in the fight?

AGBEKO: Yeah, definitely! There are a lot of things that I’m going to do differently in the rematch. I want to make everybody know that Abner Mares wasn’t anybody. If I’m given the rematch today, believe me I’m going to open my mouth wide and say to the world that I’m going to knockout Abner Mares and I’m going to knock him out!

CIANI: King Kong, one thing that occurred to the people I was watching the fight with is we didn’t understand was, and I think this is a testament to you on one hand, that you never did complain. You kept fighting and you kept going about your business, but after he landed so many low blows, why did you never complain earlier in the fight about that?

AGBEKO: After every round my trainer complained to the referee, and myself, I complained to him after every round. I was hit with the headbutt and I was going to complain to the referee, and then he came after me and then the referee counted me. So because of that when he did something I couldn’t stop to complain. Sometimes he gave me a low blow and I would go back and put my hand up so the referee would know what he was doing, but the referee always ignored me. I knew I was the only person there and I knew the referee was with Mares and the referee sided with him. So if I tried to complain and I don’t take my time the referee could stop me for something because I could see he was really, really behind Mares. So I was the only person in the ring.

JENNA: You know with Abner Mares low blows are nothing new to him. There were a lot of complaints from Vic Darchinyan about getting low blows. Do you think that’s something in Abner’s style or do you think he does that intentionally?

MARES: I think Abner did. I think he’s professional, and he should definitely be able to when he brings something and you know it’s wrong and you can get disqualified by that, you should be able to try and stop it, but he wasn’t stopping. He kept doing it, and kept doing it, and the referee made him feel very comfortable doing it because he wasn’t getting any warning from the referee, any deduction, nothing! So he felt comfortable and he was doing it, so I think it was intentional. It was there plan for them to wear me down. So it was very, very intentional for them to steal my belt from me. It was stolen.

JENNA: So you think Abner Mares was intentionally going low because the referee wasn’t taking any points away, and he figured he could keep going down there to weaken you?

AGBEKO: Yeah I think so, because he is a professional boxer and he knows it is wrong, so at least he should try not to do it anytime he goes there. In the eleventh round you could see he side stepped and then he threw straight below the belt. He knows. He’s been doing it every time and he’s been training all the time and he has to know the right targets where the punch, and I don’t think he’s training for targets below the belt so why should he do that in the ring?

JENNA: Alright King Kong, even though the IBF has approved a rematch for this fight, there are no guarantees Abner Mares is going to take it. What will you do if he chooses not to take a rematch with you?

AGBEKO: If I don’t get a rematch with Abner Mares I would say that’s unfair because I believe Golden Boy will come out clean to protect the IBF’s reputation because this is bad for their reputation. This is bad for them and they have to come out clean. Boxing is something that brings every country together. It’s not a rich man’s game. Everybody has to be treated fairly whether you’re from Africa, you’re from America, you’re from anywhere, you have to get the fair treatment. I believe the Nevada commission is going to treat me fair by dealing with the referee as well, and the Golden Boy Promotion has to treat me fair by proving that they are good organization and they have the better boxer. So they don’t have to be scared of anything. They have to fight me, and if they don’t fight me then Abner Mares should not be called a champion because you have to beat the champion convincingly to become the champion, not for the referee to steal it and give you a belt for free and to be called a champion. That’s not the way you should do it. They want to make Abner Mares a boxer that comes from Golden Boy and becomes champion, but you don’t have to steal from me if you really want to make him a champion. Let him fight and win clean then you can say you prepared him for the class.

JENNA: You mentioned a lot about Russell Mora the referee for this fight. What do you think should happen to him? Do you think he should be allowed to referee after his performance this past weekend?

AGBEKO: I think Russell Mora should be kicked out of the business, because I believe he’s been a ref for a long time right now and I’m surprised if he can’t see things like this in the ring, and he shifts and he can’t see or do anything about, then why should he allowed to be in the ring with other boxers? Boxing is a dangerous sport! So when you’re in the ring your life is at stake. Your life is at risk. So why should that referee be in the ring to put people’s lives in danger? When you’re getting a lot of low blows it can result in something bad medically, so why should that referee be in the ring where he can destroy somebody’s life? It’s very, very bad, so I don’t think Russell Mora should be allowed to be in the ring because he’s going to destroy people’s lives!

JENNA: I have one final question. The fans have really gotten your back since this fight. They’ve all stood behind you. Is there anything you want to say to your supporters?

AGBEKO: Yeah, yeah, I really want to thank them so much. I really want to thank them. They have been very loyal to me and I have been very loyal to them. Without the fans I would have quit. I would have quit during the fight because those low blows were hurtful to me and I wasn’t able to do anything but I thought about my fans. I think so much about them, and I knew that I had to fight for them. I had to give them a good show, I had to give the TV a good show, and my fans watching me on TV and watching me live, I had to give them a good show. So I had to stand like a man and fight. So I really, really thank them for their support and I want to assure them that when the rematch comes up I am not going to disappoint them.

***
 
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heyzel

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Khan apologizes for claiming Guerrero wasn’t injured, says Maidana was lucky

Khan apologizes for claiming Guerrero wasn’t injured, says Maidana was lucky not to get beaten up


By William Mackay: WBA Super World light welterweight champion Amir Khan apologized for his earlier claim that Robert Guerrero’s shoulder injury wasn’t real and that he had been paid a step aside fee by WBA light welterweight champ Marcos Maidana.

Khan reversed course in his twitter today, saying “Guys I was messing around about the injury of Guerrero. Apologies for the tweet. I’m sure he didn’t get paid step aside money…Let’s hope he recovers. Bet Maidana’s happy for not wanting to get beaten up.”

Maidana has already said he’s willing to fight Khan if he’s up to it. Khan says he has nothing to gain from fighting Maidana again after squeaking by with a 12 round decision last December in a fight that Khan took a ferocious beating in. A lot of boxing fans think Khan is flat out terrified of fighting Maidana again. These thoughts also echoed by Maidana.

It’s likely that Khan will never fight Maidana or his former conqueror Breidis Prescott again. Khan is looking to fight only one more time at 140, and is hoping to get a fight against Erik Morales if he beats Lucas Matthysse next month on September 17th.

As for Maidana, Golden Boy promotions is trying to find a last second opponent to save the August 27th date but things aren’t looking good at this time with only one week to go before the fight date.

Guerrero may have suffered a serious shoulder injury. It’s unclear whether he’ll need surgery or not to repair the damage done in a sparring session. If so, it could be awhile before we see Guerrero in the ring.
 
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heyzel

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Schaefer interested in rescheduling the Maidana-Guerrero fight

By Eric Thomas: Robert Guerrero’s left shoulder injury could potentially be a long lasting injury. Guerrero was supposed to be fighting WBA light welterweight champion Marcos Maidana on August 27th in San Jose, California. However, Guerrero badly injured his left shoulder during a sparring session on Thursday, and there are worries that the injury may have occurred to the left rotator cuff.

This is an area that often requires surgery to repair, and fighters sometimes aren’t the same afterwards. Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, still wants to reschedule the Guerrero-Maidana fight once the extent of the injury is known and he has an idea of how long it’s going to take Guerrero to come back from it. Will Maidana sit around and wait for Guerrero to convalesce?

It’s doubtful unless it’s a minor injury. If it does involve surgery, it could take Guerrero quite a long time to come back from this, especially if his rotator cuff is involved. We saw that kind of injury to Jeff “Left hook” Lacy, and his left hook hasn’t been the same since he recovered.

The good news is Guerrero isn’t a huge puncher, so that even if one of his weapons is weakened substantially, it won’t matter a whole lot. He’s kind of a finesse boxer now that he’s moved up in weight. He’s not going to be knocking out a lot of guys at 140 no matter how strong his left side is. This might not have much of an effect on his career other than wiping out the Maidana fight and making Guerrero potentially lose a lot of time if it requires surgery.
 
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2-0-Sixx

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#10,640
so which catchweight fight against an old man did pacquiao have again? Only catchweight fight he had was against Cotto, one whole pound less than what cotto previously weighed in at.

His upcoming fight against marquez is at a catchweight, which was a request of Marquez not pacquiao. Same weight as he did against mayweather, which floyd didn't even bother to make weight in.
 
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