Boxing News Thread
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David Haye: He Can Talk The Talk. Can He Walk The Walk
By Rick Reeno
Background - Within a span of four-months, David Haye unified the cruiserweight division with his knockout victories of Jean Marc Mormeck and Enzo Maccarinelli. That wasn't enough. The Hayemaker has grown tired of the cruiserweights and moves forward with his planned conquest of the heavyweight division.
Even before the WBC placed Haye in the mandatory position to fight Mormeck, he was planning to move up in weight. Last April, Haye stepped in the ring weighing 217-pounds and stopped Tomasz Bonin in one-round. Last weekend, Haye signed a promotional deal with Golden Boy, and plans to make his American debut in the near future. The deal with Golden Boy will open the door for bigger fights, and televised dates on HBO.
November appears to be the target month for Haye's permanent jump to heavyweight. Several opponents have been rumored, nothing is concrete.
Perception From The Outside - Haye knows how to talk. After his two-round demolition of Maccarinelli, he was more than happy to send a message during his post-fight interview by giving a tongue lashing to the entire heavyweight division. He called the heavyweight division "a disgrace," and vowed to "restore order."
He talks a good game. Maybe too good for his own good.
I've discussed his impact on the heavyweight division with a decent number of people in the business and almost every person is skeptical for one reason - Haye's less than stellar chin. He was stopped by Carl Thompson in 2004, dropped hard by Mormeck last November and shaken up more than once by come-forward opponents.
There is no question that Haye is good boxer and keeps his body in remarkable shape. Smaller fighters have moved up in the past and found success, like James Toney, Evander Holyfield and Chris Byrd, but the backbone of their success came down to their chins. They were able to take a heavyweight punch, even when hit by the strongest and biggest fighters at the weight.
For all of his qualities, Haye is not a slick boxer like Toney or Byrd, and his chin is not in their league. Haye punches hard at cruiserweight, but the heavyweight division is a different ball of wax. Haye is not a deadly one-punch knockout artist - even at cruiserweight. Keep in mind that his two biggest wins at cruiserweight, Mormeck and Maccarinelli, were fighters with their own chin issues.
The entire sport is so desperate for a heavyweight savior that any fighter with momentum, like Haye, is automatically labeled as a possible force. Valuev, Povektin, Mesi, and a score of others have been viewed at one point or another as the second coming of heavyweight greatness.
Cold Hard Facts - Haye probably punches hard enough to get the respect of most heavyweights. He may prove to be fast enough to outbox most heavyweights. But when he steps in the ring with a technical fighter like a Wladimir Klitschko or an aggressive puncher like a Sam Peter, he's going to be in trouble because I don't see his chin standing up to the incoming punches. He can't dodge everything. Not even Byrd or Toney were able to avoid taking punches.
People might point to the chins of Lewis or Klitschko, but these fighters were knocked out by solid heavyweights who could punch. Hasim Rahman is not a small heavyweight and his record, 36 out of his 45-wins ending by KO, shows he can punch. Corrie Sanders was a puncher, as was Lamon Brewster and OIiver McCall. Lewis and Klitschko have much better chins than most give them credit for. I certainly think they have better chins than Haye.
In today's heavyweight division, the land of seven-foot giants, I don't see any fighter becoming a force without possessing a heavyweight chin in his arsenal.
By Rick Reeno
Background - Within a span of four-months, David Haye unified the cruiserweight division with his knockout victories of Jean Marc Mormeck and Enzo Maccarinelli. That wasn't enough. The Hayemaker has grown tired of the cruiserweights and moves forward with his planned conquest of the heavyweight division.
Even before the WBC placed Haye in the mandatory position to fight Mormeck, he was planning to move up in weight. Last April, Haye stepped in the ring weighing 217-pounds and stopped Tomasz Bonin in one-round. Last weekend, Haye signed a promotional deal with Golden Boy, and plans to make his American debut in the near future. The deal with Golden Boy will open the door for bigger fights, and televised dates on HBO.
November appears to be the target month for Haye's permanent jump to heavyweight. Several opponents have been rumored, nothing is concrete.
Perception From The Outside - Haye knows how to talk. After his two-round demolition of Maccarinelli, he was more than happy to send a message during his post-fight interview by giving a tongue lashing to the entire heavyweight division. He called the heavyweight division "a disgrace," and vowed to "restore order."
He talks a good game. Maybe too good for his own good.
I've discussed his impact on the heavyweight division with a decent number of people in the business and almost every person is skeptical for one reason - Haye's less than stellar chin. He was stopped by Carl Thompson in 2004, dropped hard by Mormeck last November and shaken up more than once by come-forward opponents.
There is no question that Haye is good boxer and keeps his body in remarkable shape. Smaller fighters have moved up in the past and found success, like James Toney, Evander Holyfield and Chris Byrd, but the backbone of their success came down to their chins. They were able to take a heavyweight punch, even when hit by the strongest and biggest fighters at the weight.
For all of his qualities, Haye is not a slick boxer like Toney or Byrd, and his chin is not in their league. Haye punches hard at cruiserweight, but the heavyweight division is a different ball of wax. Haye is not a deadly one-punch knockout artist - even at cruiserweight. Keep in mind that his two biggest wins at cruiserweight, Mormeck and Maccarinelli, were fighters with their own chin issues.
The entire sport is so desperate for a heavyweight savior that any fighter with momentum, like Haye, is automatically labeled as a possible force. Valuev, Povektin, Mesi, and a score of others have been viewed at one point or another as the second coming of heavyweight greatness.
Cold Hard Facts - Haye probably punches hard enough to get the respect of most heavyweights. He may prove to be fast enough to outbox most heavyweights. But when he steps in the ring with a technical fighter like a Wladimir Klitschko or an aggressive puncher like a Sam Peter, he's going to be in trouble because I don't see his chin standing up to the incoming punches. He can't dodge everything. Not even Byrd or Toney were able to avoid taking punches.
People might point to the chins of Lewis or Klitschko, but these fighters were knocked out by solid heavyweights who could punch. Hasim Rahman is not a small heavyweight and his record, 36 out of his 45-wins ending by KO, shows he can punch. Corrie Sanders was a puncher, as was Lamon Brewster and OIiver McCall. Lewis and Klitschko have much better chins than most give them credit for. I certainly think they have better chins than Haye.
In today's heavyweight division, the land of seven-foot giants, I don't see any fighter becoming a force without possessing a heavyweight chin in his arsenal.
Ricky Hatton-Paulie Malignaggi: Deal Set For November
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By Mark Vester
According to Ray Hatton, father/manager of Ricky Hatton, a deal is already set with IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi for a fight this November. Ray revealed the information during an appearance on BBC Radio.
"We did the deal before the last fight. Malignaggi had to win and he did but he broke his hand," said Ray Hatton. "The fight's likely to be in November. Where, we don't know at the moment. Once they've fought, they have about eight weeks off. By the time Malignaggi goes back in training the injury will be alright - it happens in a lot of cases."
Ray also revealed that his son was contacted by the handlers of Floyd Mayweather Jr. with praises for the win over Juan Lazcano. The surprise phone will fuel the rumors of a Mayweather-Hatton rematch in 2009.
"On the Sunday I was out with my grandson and we get a phone call from Floyd Mayweather's people congratulating us on a great job done, a tricky fight out of the way. That was a call out of the blue, which is very, very nice that less than 24 hours after the fight they're on the phone saying, good job, great show
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By Mark Vester
According to Ray Hatton, father/manager of Ricky Hatton, a deal is already set with IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi for a fight this November. Ray revealed the information during an appearance on BBC Radio.
"We did the deal before the last fight. Malignaggi had to win and he did but he broke his hand," said Ray Hatton. "The fight's likely to be in November. Where, we don't know at the moment. Once they've fought, they have about eight weeks off. By the time Malignaggi goes back in training the injury will be alright - it happens in a lot of cases."
Ray also revealed that his son was contacted by the handlers of Floyd Mayweather Jr. with praises for the win over Juan Lazcano. The surprise phone will fuel the rumors of a Mayweather-Hatton rematch in 2009.
"On the Sunday I was out with my grandson and we get a phone call from Floyd Mayweather's people congratulating us on a great job done, a tricky fight out of the way. That was a call out of the blue, which is very, very nice that less than 24 hours after the fight they're on the phone saying, good job, great show
The Best Weight Division in Boxing - Part Two
By Cliff Rold
Yesterday, a four-way debate looked to be turning out about as expected. The first part of an analysis looking at arguably the four best weight divisions in Boxing, from Champions to the number 5 spot, showed Welterweight to certainly be the strongest top half of any division in the sport. That’s only half of the test; depth in a division happens in the fielding of a solid top ten. Does Welterweight pass that test as well? For those who missed it, Part I can be found at http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=14191
Through that first part, the results for each division stand at:
Welterweight – 12 points
Jr. Bantamweight – 14 points
Lightweight – 16 points
Middleweight – 18 points
All of which dovetails into…
#6
Welterweight: Paul Williams (33-1, 24 KO)
Lightweight: Jose Armando Santa Cruz (25-3, 14 KO)
Jr. Bantamweight: Nobuo Nashiro (11-1, 7 KO)
Middleweight: Javier Castillejo (62-8, 42 KO)
Once again, Welterweights lead the pack but not necessarily by much. Williams was celebrated as the next big thing at 147 and may well turn out to be but first he has to avenge a loss to Carlos Quintana (#2) a little over one week from now. One loss doesn’t discount the work he got done last August against Antonio Margarito (#4) and, who knows, by the end of the years Williams-Margarito II could replace Cotto-Mayweather as the must-see fight in class. Santa Cruz hasn’t been all that visible since getting robbed against Lightweight champ Joel Casamayor last November, but his effort isn’t forgotten nor is the wide lead he held on the cards against David Diaz before being stopped late. Nashiro may yet develop into an elite fighter, but the possibility that his 2006 win against Castillo was as much timing as talent must be considered. Nearing 40, Castillejo has had a fine career, capturing titles at 154 and 160 lbs. but his recent stoppage loss to Sebastian Sylvester (#5) seems to signal the end of the road.
#7
Welterweight: Andre Berto (21-0, 18 KO)
Middleweight: John Duddy (23-0, 17 KO)
Lightweight: Yuri Romanov (20-2, 13 KO)
Jr. Bantamweight: Jorge Arce (49-4-1, 37 KO)
The seven spot isn’t the strongest spot in any division’s ratings, at least not yet. However, each of the first three listed are intriguing if flawed prospects. Berto hasn’t faced a serious top ten challenge yet but has the best athletic tools of this bunch and has faced solid veterans like David Estrada and Cosme Rivera. The only downside is that his chin, and stiff lack of head movement, look like a liability. Duddy is also vulnerable…to cuts, speed and probably anyone near the top at Middleweight in general. In his favor though is a bucket of guts and a win against tested veteran Howard Eastman. Romanov is coming along nicely but a loss to the chinny Graham Earl leaves a question mark and Arce, while still a great attraction among the little guys, looks about a bullet short of shot in the last year, including getting blanked by Cristian Mijares (#1).
#8
Jr. Bantamweight: Z Gorres (27-2-2, 15 KO)
Welterweight: Luis Collazo (28-3, 13 KO)
Lightweight: Amir Khan (17-0, 13 KO)
Middleweight: Giovanni Lorenzo (26-0, 18 KO)
Gorres is a tricky fighter, having taken Fernando Montiel (#2) and Vic Darchinyan (#5) to the wall while falling a hair short is a loss and draw. Only 26, stoppage wins over former titlist Eric Ortiz and Glenn Donaire both point to a fighter whose best may be yet to come. Collazo has his backers in the “who won the Ricky Hatton fight” debate but there was no debate about the one-sided nature of a loss to Shane Mosley (#3). Khan and Lorenzo are both undefeated potential future stars in their divisions, but of the two it is Khan who has been the more tested and who shows the better overall game.
#9
Welterweight: Joshua Clottey (34-2, 19 KO)
Middleweight: Randy Griffin (24-1-3, 12 KO)
Jr. Bantamweight: Kohei Kono (21-3, 7 KO)
Lightweight: Kid Diamond (25-1-1, 14 KO)
Clottey will have his shot at Zab Judah (#10 for the IBF bout this summer and he’ll be a strong dark horse pick. In December of 2006, he gave Margarito hell and he ended the career of the late Diego Corrales in a rough fight. Griffin doesn’t have a particularly deep resume, but his draw with Felix Sturm (#3) last October was an excellent account; he has the chance to go all the way and capture the WBA belt in a rematch in July. Kono is an all-Asian regional product whose opposition has been soft but it trumps a Diamond who looked just about ready for new employment in lucking out a bad decision win against Miguel Huerta in June 2007. He hasn’t fought since.
#10
Welterweight: Zab Judah (36-5, 25 KO)
Lightweight: Michael Katsidis (23-1, 20 KO)
Jr. Bantamweight: AJ Banal (17-0-1, 14 KO)
Middleweight: Amin Asikainen (24-1, 16 KO)
And finally we hit the bottom of the tens with some solid talent spread all around. Judah is a former World champion at 147 but suffers from big losses to Cotto (#1) and the current champ Mayweather. A loss to Clottey could be all she wrote for Zab. Katsidis can’t be knocked too much for a thrilling loss to the best Casamayor on display in years and holds an edge over a Banal simply by that competitive level. Banal though can not be discounted; expect him to be a major player soon based on the form he showed in stopping fellow undefeated Caril Herrera in his last outing. Asikainen rounds out the bottom, a one-big-win fighter who stopped Sylvester in their first 2006 outing only to have the favor returned in a rematch last year. His last bout came against the ancient Yori Boy Campas.
Having worked through the ratings, the results come out about as expected, with Welterweight the clear leader of the sport by final tallies of:
Welterweight: 18 pts.
Jr. Bantamweight: 28 pts.
Lightweight: 29 pts.
Middleweight: 32 pts.
That all could change is short order. Not rated because they have not yet arrived, Jr. Lightweight titans Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez are on their way to Lightweight and when they get there they’ll shake up not only debates about the best division in Boxing but the sport itself, adding two serious pound for pound players in a division currently without them. Conversely, Jr. Bantamweight’s hopes to further improve rely on a Mijares-Montiel fight that is far from guaranteed.
This doesn’t even factor in the strength at Light Heavyweight, Super Middleweight and Flyweight. Point being? For all those who shoo Boxing as less talented than in days past, all of these divisions point to a vibrant sport. Sure, maybe there’s no Robinson’s or Pep’s, but there was only ever one of each anyways.
For now, the obvious stands out as the tested and true…Welterweight is the best division in Boxing but there’s plenty of competition to go around
By Cliff Rold
Yesterday, a four-way debate looked to be turning out about as expected. The first part of an analysis looking at arguably the four best weight divisions in Boxing, from Champions to the number 5 spot, showed Welterweight to certainly be the strongest top half of any division in the sport. That’s only half of the test; depth in a division happens in the fielding of a solid top ten. Does Welterweight pass that test as well? For those who missed it, Part I can be found at http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=14191
Through that first part, the results for each division stand at:
Welterweight – 12 points
Jr. Bantamweight – 14 points
Lightweight – 16 points
Middleweight – 18 points
All of which dovetails into…
#6
Welterweight: Paul Williams (33-1, 24 KO)
Lightweight: Jose Armando Santa Cruz (25-3, 14 KO)
Jr. Bantamweight: Nobuo Nashiro (11-1, 7 KO)
Middleweight: Javier Castillejo (62-8, 42 KO)
Once again, Welterweights lead the pack but not necessarily by much. Williams was celebrated as the next big thing at 147 and may well turn out to be but first he has to avenge a loss to Carlos Quintana (#2) a little over one week from now. One loss doesn’t discount the work he got done last August against Antonio Margarito (#4) and, who knows, by the end of the years Williams-Margarito II could replace Cotto-Mayweather as the must-see fight in class. Santa Cruz hasn’t been all that visible since getting robbed against Lightweight champ Joel Casamayor last November, but his effort isn’t forgotten nor is the wide lead he held on the cards against David Diaz before being stopped late. Nashiro may yet develop into an elite fighter, but the possibility that his 2006 win against Castillo was as much timing as talent must be considered. Nearing 40, Castillejo has had a fine career, capturing titles at 154 and 160 lbs. but his recent stoppage loss to Sebastian Sylvester (#5) seems to signal the end of the road.
#7
Welterweight: Andre Berto (21-0, 18 KO)
Middleweight: John Duddy (23-0, 17 KO)
Lightweight: Yuri Romanov (20-2, 13 KO)
Jr. Bantamweight: Jorge Arce (49-4-1, 37 KO)
The seven spot isn’t the strongest spot in any division’s ratings, at least not yet. However, each of the first three listed are intriguing if flawed prospects. Berto hasn’t faced a serious top ten challenge yet but has the best athletic tools of this bunch and has faced solid veterans like David Estrada and Cosme Rivera. The only downside is that his chin, and stiff lack of head movement, look like a liability. Duddy is also vulnerable…to cuts, speed and probably anyone near the top at Middleweight in general. In his favor though is a bucket of guts and a win against tested veteran Howard Eastman. Romanov is coming along nicely but a loss to the chinny Graham Earl leaves a question mark and Arce, while still a great attraction among the little guys, looks about a bullet short of shot in the last year, including getting blanked by Cristian Mijares (#1).
#8
Jr. Bantamweight: Z Gorres (27-2-2, 15 KO)
Welterweight: Luis Collazo (28-3, 13 KO)
Lightweight: Amir Khan (17-0, 13 KO)
Middleweight: Giovanni Lorenzo (26-0, 18 KO)
Gorres is a tricky fighter, having taken Fernando Montiel (#2) and Vic Darchinyan (#5) to the wall while falling a hair short is a loss and draw. Only 26, stoppage wins over former titlist Eric Ortiz and Glenn Donaire both point to a fighter whose best may be yet to come. Collazo has his backers in the “who won the Ricky Hatton fight” debate but there was no debate about the one-sided nature of a loss to Shane Mosley (#3). Khan and Lorenzo are both undefeated potential future stars in their divisions, but of the two it is Khan who has been the more tested and who shows the better overall game.
#9
Welterweight: Joshua Clottey (34-2, 19 KO)
Middleweight: Randy Griffin (24-1-3, 12 KO)
Jr. Bantamweight: Kohei Kono (21-3, 7 KO)
Lightweight: Kid Diamond (25-1-1, 14 KO)
Clottey will have his shot at Zab Judah (#10 for the IBF bout this summer and he’ll be a strong dark horse pick. In December of 2006, he gave Margarito hell and he ended the career of the late Diego Corrales in a rough fight. Griffin doesn’t have a particularly deep resume, but his draw with Felix Sturm (#3) last October was an excellent account; he has the chance to go all the way and capture the WBA belt in a rematch in July. Kono is an all-Asian regional product whose opposition has been soft but it trumps a Diamond who looked just about ready for new employment in lucking out a bad decision win against Miguel Huerta in June 2007. He hasn’t fought since.
#10
Welterweight: Zab Judah (36-5, 25 KO)
Lightweight: Michael Katsidis (23-1, 20 KO)
Jr. Bantamweight: AJ Banal (17-0-1, 14 KO)
Middleweight: Amin Asikainen (24-1, 16 KO)
And finally we hit the bottom of the tens with some solid talent spread all around. Judah is a former World champion at 147 but suffers from big losses to Cotto (#1) and the current champ Mayweather. A loss to Clottey could be all she wrote for Zab. Katsidis can’t be knocked too much for a thrilling loss to the best Casamayor on display in years and holds an edge over a Banal simply by that competitive level. Banal though can not be discounted; expect him to be a major player soon based on the form he showed in stopping fellow undefeated Caril Herrera in his last outing. Asikainen rounds out the bottom, a one-big-win fighter who stopped Sylvester in their first 2006 outing only to have the favor returned in a rematch last year. His last bout came against the ancient Yori Boy Campas.
Having worked through the ratings, the results come out about as expected, with Welterweight the clear leader of the sport by final tallies of:
Welterweight: 18 pts.
Jr. Bantamweight: 28 pts.
Lightweight: 29 pts.
Middleweight: 32 pts.
That all could change is short order. Not rated because they have not yet arrived, Jr. Lightweight titans Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez are on their way to Lightweight and when they get there they’ll shake up not only debates about the best division in Boxing but the sport itself, adding two serious pound for pound players in a division currently without them. Conversely, Jr. Bantamweight’s hopes to further improve rely on a Mijares-Montiel fight that is far from guaranteed.
This doesn’t even factor in the strength at Light Heavyweight, Super Middleweight and Flyweight. Point being? For all those who shoo Boxing as less talented than in days past, all of these divisions point to a vibrant sport. Sure, maybe there’s no Robinson’s or Pep’s, but there was only ever one of each anyways.
For now, the obvious stands out as the tested and true…Welterweight is the best division in Boxing but there’s plenty of competition to go around
Ronald Hearns-Jose Luis Gonzalez Opens ShoBox on 6/20
By Mike Nosky
Eddie Chambers and Raphael Butler are scheduled to meet up on June 20 in the Cayman Islands on the undercard of the ShoBox card which is being headlined by the super middleweight showdown between former Olympians Andre Ward and Jerson Ravelo.
But if you are interested in seeing the whole fight between Chambers (30-1, 16KOs) and Butler (31-4, 24KOs), you need to get on a plane and be in attendance because Showtime, who will be airing their show as part of their ShoBox series, will only be showing highlights of the heavyweight tilt.
The televised co-feature will be a ten round super welterweight bout between Ronald Hearns and Jose Luis Gonzalez.
Hearns, the 29-year-old son of the living legend Thomas Hearns, is 18-0 (14) as a professional. He has only recently picked up the level of his opposition as he scored an eighth round stoppage win over Juan Astorga in February on the undercard of the Kelly Pavlik-Jermain Taylor rematch in Las Vegas.
Gonzalez (12-3-1, 10KOs) was prominently featured on two ESPN2 cards six weeks apart a few months back. In March, he seemingly handled previously undefeated Jason Lehoullier over ten rounds only to have the judges score the bout as a draw. Six weeks later, he dropped a ten round decision to his nemesis Carson Jones.
This card is being promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions and while I’m mentioning GT, a quick congratulations to Josh Goossen-Brown who helped lead his High School, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, to the Division III Baseball Championship, defeating South Hills at Dodger Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The junior Goossen-Brown picked up the win in the semi-final match against Quartz Hill pitching six innings out of the bullpen.
Josh is the son of Goossen Tutor matchmaker Tom Brown and the nephew of promoter Dan Goossen
By Mike Nosky
Eddie Chambers and Raphael Butler are scheduled to meet up on June 20 in the Cayman Islands on the undercard of the ShoBox card which is being headlined by the super middleweight showdown between former Olympians Andre Ward and Jerson Ravelo.
But if you are interested in seeing the whole fight between Chambers (30-1, 16KOs) and Butler (31-4, 24KOs), you need to get on a plane and be in attendance because Showtime, who will be airing their show as part of their ShoBox series, will only be showing highlights of the heavyweight tilt.
The televised co-feature will be a ten round super welterweight bout between Ronald Hearns and Jose Luis Gonzalez.
Hearns, the 29-year-old son of the living legend Thomas Hearns, is 18-0 (14) as a professional. He has only recently picked up the level of his opposition as he scored an eighth round stoppage win over Juan Astorga in February on the undercard of the Kelly Pavlik-Jermain Taylor rematch in Las Vegas.
Gonzalez (12-3-1, 10KOs) was prominently featured on two ESPN2 cards six weeks apart a few months back. In March, he seemingly handled previously undefeated Jason Lehoullier over ten rounds only to have the judges score the bout as a draw. Six weeks later, he dropped a ten round decision to his nemesis Carson Jones.
This card is being promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions and while I’m mentioning GT, a quick congratulations to Josh Goossen-Brown who helped lead his High School, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, to the Division III Baseball Championship, defeating South Hills at Dodger Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The junior Goossen-Brown picked up the win in the semi-final match against Quartz Hill pitching six innings out of the bullpen.
Josh is the son of Goossen Tutor matchmaker Tom Brown and the nephew of promoter Dan Goossen
'Call em Out Fridays': Does Wright Have Anything Left?: Where's Winky?
30.05.08 - By Vivek Wallace, photo by Wray Edwards/ESB - In this weeks 'Call em Out Fridays' session we take an in-depth look at a man viewed by most in the boxing world as an enigma. Easy to read for some, while consistently hard to understand for others. Typically in the weekly 'Call Out' sessions we blow the whistle by exposing fighters or key figures in the sport who don't always give the fans what they want. This week is a different type of 'Call Out'. This 'Call Out' is being done for the sole purpose of reminding fight fans of a guy whose inactivity - coupled with a non-fan friendly fight style when he is active - allows many fans and fighters to frequently forget him. The fighter at hand is the talented and currently hidden 'Winky' Wright. In standard 'Call Out' fashion, we lay out the positives and the negatives, and when it's all over, we let the great debates begin......
THE WINKY UPSIDE PERSPECTIVE: For those out there who are totally non-biased, there's certainly no denying that 'Winky' Wright is as solid a fighter as any found on the current top 10 Pound for Pound ledger. His main claim to fame, a solid text book jab, coupled with an amazing counterpunching ability and a defense that remains as impenetrable as any in the sport.. Despite having to take the non-scenic route in his career, fighting his way up the ranks by making a living overseas and in small boxing holes around the globe, his talent allowed him to eventually land on the big stage where he was able to prove his mettle against future Hall of Famers like Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad to name a few. The victory over Puerto Rican great Felix 'Tito' Trinidad in particular was the one that eventually gained him the true acclaim among fight fans that those closer to him knew he always deserved. Coming into the fight, the odds against him were pretty stiff, and boxing scribes all around the globe had suggested that the ever raging Trinidad would eventually walk him down and knock him out. To the contrary, he would rise to the occassion and deliver a performance for the ages. The victory on the scorecards was a landslide, with Wright tallying scores of 120-107, and 119-108 on the other two scorecards. The true irony came after the fight when very few members of the media gave the respect due to 'Winky', stating that Trinidad's previous layoff was the deciding factor, despite the fact that he was touted so strongly after being able to destroy brute Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga in his tune-up fight prior to. Had a lopsided victory over a legend like Trinidad come at the hands of a Floyd Mayweather Jr. it would have catapaulted him higher into the realm of greatness, yet for Wright, there was barely any further interest supported. With two indisputable victories over Shane Mosley and a clear uncontested victory over Trinidad under his belt, Wright continued to show his worth by facing then undefeated Middleweight Champion, Jermain Taylor. Many in attendance felt his effort was good enough to garner a victory but in the end, he would have to accept what resulted as a very contested draw. Despite losses to Bernard Hopkins and Fernando Vargas, his total body of work - to include his solid amateur background - is one of greatness, and has currently allowed him to amass a ring record of 51-4-1, 25KO's.
THE WINKY DOWNSIDE PERSPECTIVE: All of the great ring moments withstanding, the one element to 'Winky' Wright that continues to plague him is that categorically, he sits in a spot along that proverbial road less traveled, where most in the sport who matter find him to be a far greater risk than reward. It doesn't help that his ring style is considered by most to be a bit dull because the main premise of his effort is a sustained impenetrable defensive stance with a 'peek-a-boo' jab that's only employed as a counter attack. The non-fan-friendly style and the fact that few fighters have been able to figure it out have continued to plague Wright throughout his career. Even in his early days, bigger American promoters like Don King would not acquaint themselves with him, forcing him to sign with the French based Acaries Brothers, who kept him predominantly in Europe and France, where he lived up to the potential he knew he always had. The unfortunate thing is that after having to take the non-conventional route of fighting overseas and enduring the pain of minimal notoriety, even the wins over future Hall of Famers will not help turn the fortunes of Wright. His current inactive period of nearly a year is living proof of that. Jermain Taylor was conquered by Kelly Pavlik, yet NO THOUGHT or true effort was ever given to a Pavlik/Wright fight. When Wright campaigned as a Jr. Middleweight where he shared top billing with Oscar Dela Hoya, there was never any true effort given to make a fight with him on behalf of Oscar for the same reasons. As it stands, Wright remains too good to face the non-contending, but too good to be given a shot by the perinnial. It's a catch 22 as formidable as the NBA's #23. As the days slip past, so does the window of opportunity which has closer and closer to actually closing shut!
THE BOTTOMLINE: In my humble observation, there is no way to accurately deny 'Winky' Wrights pure skill and ability. The fact that so many in his path today continue to overlook him and fail to extend valid offers to face him is a travesty in its highest form. Wright has every right to be named in the same breath as the Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s and the Roy Jones Jr.'s of this era. From an overall talent standpoint he may not be as polished, but fundamentally there are few in the sport over the last decade who could argue to be more solid. The flipside of this argument is the fact that Wright and his camp can be a bit more active (or proactive) finding him more challenges and including him in the mix. This is arguably one of the best times in the sport in years, and one of it's most formidable talents is rarely on the bill. Kelly Pavlik, Arthur Abraham, Gary Lockett, the list goes on.....Even a trip back to 154 lbs would be nice if it would have been able to help him garner a catchweight fight with Mayweather Jr., but none of these fights have materialized and it appears that his camp is doing very little to explore those options which is a bit odd, knowing that few opponents are knocking at his door. The unfortunate storyline here is that within a few years Wright will decide to hang the gloves up for good and his true worth to the sport will never be measured accurately. A man whose potential could have yeilded him legendary status, will unfortunately go down as another good that was never formally ordained as great. Fortunately, there's still time to add to the last chapter. I can only hope that the effort to finish on a high note parallel the skill that allows him to fight at one. It appears that Wright may never get his due, and the unfortunate politics of the sport prove this theory as we watch this matter evolve from an initial case of "WHO'S WRIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG?, TO A MATTER OF WHERE'S WRIGHT AND WHO CARES? As a huge fight fan and someone who appreciates the sweet science and his ability, I do, but as it relates to the masses, the question remains unanswered, and the debate continues
30.05.08 - By Vivek Wallace, photo by Wray Edwards/ESB - In this weeks 'Call em Out Fridays' session we take an in-depth look at a man viewed by most in the boxing world as an enigma. Easy to read for some, while consistently hard to understand for others. Typically in the weekly 'Call Out' sessions we blow the whistle by exposing fighters or key figures in the sport who don't always give the fans what they want. This week is a different type of 'Call Out'. This 'Call Out' is being done for the sole purpose of reminding fight fans of a guy whose inactivity - coupled with a non-fan friendly fight style when he is active - allows many fans and fighters to frequently forget him. The fighter at hand is the talented and currently hidden 'Winky' Wright. In standard 'Call Out' fashion, we lay out the positives and the negatives, and when it's all over, we let the great debates begin......
THE WINKY UPSIDE PERSPECTIVE: For those out there who are totally non-biased, there's certainly no denying that 'Winky' Wright is as solid a fighter as any found on the current top 10 Pound for Pound ledger. His main claim to fame, a solid text book jab, coupled with an amazing counterpunching ability and a defense that remains as impenetrable as any in the sport.. Despite having to take the non-scenic route in his career, fighting his way up the ranks by making a living overseas and in small boxing holes around the globe, his talent allowed him to eventually land on the big stage where he was able to prove his mettle against future Hall of Famers like Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad to name a few. The victory over Puerto Rican great Felix 'Tito' Trinidad in particular was the one that eventually gained him the true acclaim among fight fans that those closer to him knew he always deserved. Coming into the fight, the odds against him were pretty stiff, and boxing scribes all around the globe had suggested that the ever raging Trinidad would eventually walk him down and knock him out. To the contrary, he would rise to the occassion and deliver a performance for the ages. The victory on the scorecards was a landslide, with Wright tallying scores of 120-107, and 119-108 on the other two scorecards. The true irony came after the fight when very few members of the media gave the respect due to 'Winky', stating that Trinidad's previous layoff was the deciding factor, despite the fact that he was touted so strongly after being able to destroy brute Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga in his tune-up fight prior to. Had a lopsided victory over a legend like Trinidad come at the hands of a Floyd Mayweather Jr. it would have catapaulted him higher into the realm of greatness, yet for Wright, there was barely any further interest supported. With two indisputable victories over Shane Mosley and a clear uncontested victory over Trinidad under his belt, Wright continued to show his worth by facing then undefeated Middleweight Champion, Jermain Taylor. Many in attendance felt his effort was good enough to garner a victory but in the end, he would have to accept what resulted as a very contested draw. Despite losses to Bernard Hopkins and Fernando Vargas, his total body of work - to include his solid amateur background - is one of greatness, and has currently allowed him to amass a ring record of 51-4-1, 25KO's.
THE WINKY DOWNSIDE PERSPECTIVE: All of the great ring moments withstanding, the one element to 'Winky' Wright that continues to plague him is that categorically, he sits in a spot along that proverbial road less traveled, where most in the sport who matter find him to be a far greater risk than reward. It doesn't help that his ring style is considered by most to be a bit dull because the main premise of his effort is a sustained impenetrable defensive stance with a 'peek-a-boo' jab that's only employed as a counter attack. The non-fan-friendly style and the fact that few fighters have been able to figure it out have continued to plague Wright throughout his career. Even in his early days, bigger American promoters like Don King would not acquaint themselves with him, forcing him to sign with the French based Acaries Brothers, who kept him predominantly in Europe and France, where he lived up to the potential he knew he always had. The unfortunate thing is that after having to take the non-conventional route of fighting overseas and enduring the pain of minimal notoriety, even the wins over future Hall of Famers will not help turn the fortunes of Wright. His current inactive period of nearly a year is living proof of that. Jermain Taylor was conquered by Kelly Pavlik, yet NO THOUGHT or true effort was ever given to a Pavlik/Wright fight. When Wright campaigned as a Jr. Middleweight where he shared top billing with Oscar Dela Hoya, there was never any true effort given to make a fight with him on behalf of Oscar for the same reasons. As it stands, Wright remains too good to face the non-contending, but too good to be given a shot by the perinnial. It's a catch 22 as formidable as the NBA's #23. As the days slip past, so does the window of opportunity which has closer and closer to actually closing shut!
THE BOTTOMLINE: In my humble observation, there is no way to accurately deny 'Winky' Wrights pure skill and ability. The fact that so many in his path today continue to overlook him and fail to extend valid offers to face him is a travesty in its highest form. Wright has every right to be named in the same breath as the Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s and the Roy Jones Jr.'s of this era. From an overall talent standpoint he may not be as polished, but fundamentally there are few in the sport over the last decade who could argue to be more solid. The flipside of this argument is the fact that Wright and his camp can be a bit more active (or proactive) finding him more challenges and including him in the mix. This is arguably one of the best times in the sport in years, and one of it's most formidable talents is rarely on the bill. Kelly Pavlik, Arthur Abraham, Gary Lockett, the list goes on.....Even a trip back to 154 lbs would be nice if it would have been able to help him garner a catchweight fight with Mayweather Jr., but none of these fights have materialized and it appears that his camp is doing very little to explore those options which is a bit odd, knowing that few opponents are knocking at his door. The unfortunate storyline here is that within a few years Wright will decide to hang the gloves up for good and his true worth to the sport will never be measured accurately. A man whose potential could have yeilded him legendary status, will unfortunately go down as another good that was never formally ordained as great. Fortunately, there's still time to add to the last chapter. I can only hope that the effort to finish on a high note parallel the skill that allows him to fight at one. It appears that Wright may never get his due, and the unfortunate politics of the sport prove this theory as we watch this matter evolve from an initial case of "WHO'S WRIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG?, TO A MATTER OF WHERE'S WRIGHT AND WHO CARES? As a huge fight fan and someone who appreciates the sweet science and his ability, I do, but as it relates to the masses, the question remains unanswered, and the debate continues
Angelo Dundee Fight Series Announced!
Headlining Angelo's first 2 hour program installment will be "9 Time World Champion" in six different weight classes and Puerto Rico's perennial "favorite son" Hector "macho" Camacho. Angelo and Hector have forged a new union to bring Hector back into the "spot-light” and Mr. Dundee, trainer of 15 World Champions, has vowed to see that "the Macho Man" performs at the level to make another bid for a tenth championship.. His first opponent is a formidable obstacle, Perry Ballard, himself a "3 Time World Champion". Camacho vs. Ballard will be a battle for the WBE Lt. Middleweight Belt.
The Co-Main Event will feature women’s boxing icon Christy “The Coal Miners Daughter” Martin in an NABF Championship fight. Recognized as the First Lady of Boxing, Martin touts a record of 47 wins (31 knockouts), 5 losses and 2 draws. A sure inductee into the Boxing Hall of Fame, Martin goal is to accumulate 50 wins before calling it a career. Standing in her way is a formidable opponent, Houston area favorite Valerie “The Wolfe” Mahfood. Mahfood has made her fame fighting the world’s toughest female fighters. With a record of 19 wins (9 knockouts,) 14 losses and 3 draws the colorful Beaumont native, with her trademark purple Mohawk, has fought the best female fighter in the world, including Laila Ali and Ann Wolfe.
Angelo Dundee’s 5th Street Gym.com TV Broadcast will be lead by the Legendary Boxing, Hall of Fame Play by Play announcer “The Colonel” Bob Sheridan. Sheridan will bring his extensive understanding of the game and his vast personnel knowledge of many of its major participants. Prompted by Angelo’s years of personnel relationships, other sports notables will be joining the program to share their thoughts and insights on a wide variety of topics and controversies. Making this a knockout “cutting edge” programming format!
This multi-faceted programming format will be produced for WORLD WIDE distribution by Adversary Sports & Entertainment, Hollywood, FL.
Headlining Angelo's first 2 hour program installment will be "9 Time World Champion" in six different weight classes and Puerto Rico's perennial "favorite son" Hector "macho" Camacho. Angelo and Hector have forged a new union to bring Hector back into the "spot-light” and Mr. Dundee, trainer of 15 World Champions, has vowed to see that "the Macho Man" performs at the level to make another bid for a tenth championship.. His first opponent is a formidable obstacle, Perry Ballard, himself a "3 Time World Champion". Camacho vs. Ballard will be a battle for the WBE Lt. Middleweight Belt.
The Co-Main Event will feature women’s boxing icon Christy “The Coal Miners Daughter” Martin in an NABF Championship fight. Recognized as the First Lady of Boxing, Martin touts a record of 47 wins (31 knockouts), 5 losses and 2 draws. A sure inductee into the Boxing Hall of Fame, Martin goal is to accumulate 50 wins before calling it a career. Standing in her way is a formidable opponent, Houston area favorite Valerie “The Wolfe” Mahfood. Mahfood has made her fame fighting the world’s toughest female fighters. With a record of 19 wins (9 knockouts,) 14 losses and 3 draws the colorful Beaumont native, with her trademark purple Mohawk, has fought the best female fighter in the world, including Laila Ali and Ann Wolfe.
Angelo Dundee’s 5th Street Gym.com TV Broadcast will be lead by the Legendary Boxing, Hall of Fame Play by Play announcer “The Colonel” Bob Sheridan. Sheridan will bring his extensive understanding of the game and his vast personnel knowledge of many of its major participants. Prompted by Angelo’s years of personnel relationships, other sports notables will be joining the program to share their thoughts and insights on a wide variety of topics and controversies. Making this a knockout “cutting edge” programming format!
This multi-faceted programming format will be produced for WORLD WIDE distribution by Adversary Sports & Entertainment, Hollywood, FL.
Did anyone catch the Danny Williams Vs. Konstantin Airich fight yesterday? Shit was fucking ridiculous. They called gave Williams two low blow warning and on the second one they took away TWO points. Next round Williams gets knocked down, gets up and hits with a good punch and backs up into the ring post and gets called for another knockdown. Somewhere along the line he gets another point taking away for low blows.
Finally he drops Airich and Airich walks to his corner and starts talking to his fucking cornermen after the fucking count. Dude gets badly hurt again in the 6th round and THEY RING THE FUCKING BELL AT 1:30 OF THE 6TH ROUND. They cut the entire fucking round short because dude was about to get knocked. Williams finally makes his corner throw in the towel and somehow wins the fight. Horrible officiating all around.
BTW .. all of the referees warnings to Williams were in spanish, which he doesn't speak.
Finally he drops Airich and Airich walks to his corner and starts talking to his fucking cornermen after the fucking count. Dude gets badly hurt again in the 6th round and THEY RING THE FUCKING BELL AT 1:30 OF THE 6TH ROUND. They cut the entire fucking round short because dude was about to get knocked. Williams finally makes his corner throw in the towel and somehow wins the fight. Horrible officiating all around.
BTW .. all of the referees warnings to Williams were in spanish, which he doesn't speak.
Guzman Confident of a Summer Showdown With Campbell
By Jake Donovan
Regardless of Joel Casamayor's decision between now and Tuesday regarding a potential Nate Campbell rematch, Joan Guzman can now take comfort in the fact that a lightweight title shot is within reach.
"I was guaranteed by the WBO that Guzman is number one, and that nobody will move in front of him," manager Jose Nunez informed Boxingscene.com. "That's straight from Paco (Francisco Valcarcel, WBO President). If Casamayor passes on the fight, then Guzman is the immediate mandatory. It won't be Amir Khan."
The clarification comes on the heels of confusion over who is the true mandatory challenger. Campbell is regarded as the organization's champion, with Casamayor as its interim titlist. The top two challengers after that are unbeaten, but still largely untested, prospects-cum contenders Amir Khan and Anthony Peterson.
It was speculated that Casamayor would pass on the Campbell fight unless an outstanding enough purse bid was submitted. Promoter Don King's bid of $1.22 million surpassed any other, but the claim is that the net amount will pale in comparison to what the Cuban can make for a fall showdown against either Juan Diaz or the latest rumored entrant, Juan Manuel Marquez, who has expressed an interest in joining the lightweight fracas.
Should Casamayor pass on the fight (which many believe will be the case), Guzman will officially be named Campbell's mandatory challenger. The only thing it doesn't ensure is Dominican receiving an immediate title shot. The WBO is already on record stating that Campbell will be granted an optional defense in the event that Casamayor rejects the offer.
It's worth noting, however, that a WBO lightweight mandatory defense hasn't been made since Acelino Freitas won the vacant with a controversial decision over Zahir Raheem in April 2006. Even with unified champions afforded more time between mandatories, the WBO's would still be well overdue.
Guzman is okay with whatever ruling comes about – but is confident that the Galaxxy Warrior will still look his way early next week when searching for his next opponent.
"I hope that the WBO mandates the fight, because the Campbell fight is the one I want," insists Guzman, who is spending time with his family while his mother remains in the hospital after being diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier this month.
"I'm ready to go, the moment Casamayor turns down the fight, I'm ready to step in. There's really no other fight out there for him. It doesn't make sense for him to look elsewhere. We're both willing to take on the best, so why fight someone else to get ready for each other."
While Campbell has always put his fighting pride before any dollar amount, there is a hint of truth to Guzman's claim of limited options. All signs point toward Casamayor squaring off against another Golden Boy promoted lightweight. Ditto for Juan Diaz (if Casamayor faces Marquez, Diaz will most likely face Michael Katsidis), while David Diaz is less than a month away from his PPV showdown against Filipino phenom Manny Pacquiao.
There are always guys like Jose Armandao Santa Cruz, whom many believe was robbed out of a decision win over Casamayor last November. But such a fight would be the epitome of high-risk, no reward or profile of any kind. The same could be said of a matchup with, say Zahir Raheem, who probably deserves a title shot, but often finds himself on the outside looking in when it comes to network interest.
As mentioned earlier, Khan and Peterson are still in need of a competition upgrade before pursuing titles, alphabet or linear. Julio Diaz is just now on the comeback trail after his eight-round drubbing against Juan Diaz last October.
A Juan Manuel Marquez fight was offered by Golden Boy, but Campbell rightfully stepped up and said there was no need to wait for November for such a fight when he's ready to go by no later than September.
This brings us back to Guzman, who hasn't fought since November and is anxious to get back in the ring. That he's willing to take on Campbell without a tune-up begs the question of why the recently crowned champion would want to look anywhere else.
"Nate doesn't need a tune-up. At this point in his career, he doesn't need to waste his time against guys who don't deserve the shot in the first place. He only needs big fights."
Should it come to Campbell-Guzman, the Dominican insists that he'll be ready to fight at the drop of the dime, and not prolong matters for the sake of seeking a better deal elsewhere, as Casamayor has done. In showing Campbell the proper respect, Guzman believes the champion will ultimately step up and do the fight thing.
"I don't really believe Nate to be the type to turn down any fights. I don't think he'll string me along like Casamayor's been doing to him. Nate truly lives up to his nickname – the Galaxxy Warrior. He'll fight anyone in the world, and doesn't fear anyone."
Guzman also wanted to point out that he was embarrassed by a press release allegedly quoting his thoughts on Nate Campbell, and the suggestion that the Flordian was ducking him.
"I wasn't happy about what was written, it's not the type of person I am," he insists. "Publicists need to do their jobs and make a living, but sometimes they get carried away. I have all of the respect in the world for Nate, who has overcome the odds and has always shown a willingness to take on all comers, putting the fight before the dollar amount.
"That's why I believe, once the WBO says I'm his next challenger, that he'll do the right thing and grant me the opportunity to fight for my third world title."
Unlike Casamayor and Golden Boy, who seemed all too willing to let the chips fall where they may in all of this, Guzman's team is firmly behind him in securing a Campbell fight – TV date and all.
"Sycuan Ringside Promotions (Guzman's exclusive promoter) already has a SHOWTIME date reserved, and would love to fill it with a Campbell-Guzman fight," says Nunez. "Nate doesn't have to worry about Don King dipping into his own pockets to put the fight on his website.
"It's really just up to the WBO to make the fight happen – or for Nate to do the right thing, and fight the best fighter out there, and the only one willing to fight him."
Jake Donovan is a member of the Boxing Writers
By Jake Donovan
Regardless of Joel Casamayor's decision between now and Tuesday regarding a potential Nate Campbell rematch, Joan Guzman can now take comfort in the fact that a lightweight title shot is within reach.
"I was guaranteed by the WBO that Guzman is number one, and that nobody will move in front of him," manager Jose Nunez informed Boxingscene.com. "That's straight from Paco (Francisco Valcarcel, WBO President). If Casamayor passes on the fight, then Guzman is the immediate mandatory. It won't be Amir Khan."
The clarification comes on the heels of confusion over who is the true mandatory challenger. Campbell is regarded as the organization's champion, with Casamayor as its interim titlist. The top two challengers after that are unbeaten, but still largely untested, prospects-cum contenders Amir Khan and Anthony Peterson.
It was speculated that Casamayor would pass on the Campbell fight unless an outstanding enough purse bid was submitted. Promoter Don King's bid of $1.22 million surpassed any other, but the claim is that the net amount will pale in comparison to what the Cuban can make for a fall showdown against either Juan Diaz or the latest rumored entrant, Juan Manuel Marquez, who has expressed an interest in joining the lightweight fracas.
Should Casamayor pass on the fight (which many believe will be the case), Guzman will officially be named Campbell's mandatory challenger. The only thing it doesn't ensure is Dominican receiving an immediate title shot. The WBO is already on record stating that Campbell will be granted an optional defense in the event that Casamayor rejects the offer.
It's worth noting, however, that a WBO lightweight mandatory defense hasn't been made since Acelino Freitas won the vacant with a controversial decision over Zahir Raheem in April 2006. Even with unified champions afforded more time between mandatories, the WBO's would still be well overdue.
Guzman is okay with whatever ruling comes about – but is confident that the Galaxxy Warrior will still look his way early next week when searching for his next opponent.
"I hope that the WBO mandates the fight, because the Campbell fight is the one I want," insists Guzman, who is spending time with his family while his mother remains in the hospital after being diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier this month.
"I'm ready to go, the moment Casamayor turns down the fight, I'm ready to step in. There's really no other fight out there for him. It doesn't make sense for him to look elsewhere. We're both willing to take on the best, so why fight someone else to get ready for each other."
While Campbell has always put his fighting pride before any dollar amount, there is a hint of truth to Guzman's claim of limited options. All signs point toward Casamayor squaring off against another Golden Boy promoted lightweight. Ditto for Juan Diaz (if Casamayor faces Marquez, Diaz will most likely face Michael Katsidis), while David Diaz is less than a month away from his PPV showdown against Filipino phenom Manny Pacquiao.
There are always guys like Jose Armandao Santa Cruz, whom many believe was robbed out of a decision win over Casamayor last November. But such a fight would be the epitome of high-risk, no reward or profile of any kind. The same could be said of a matchup with, say Zahir Raheem, who probably deserves a title shot, but often finds himself on the outside looking in when it comes to network interest.
As mentioned earlier, Khan and Peterson are still in need of a competition upgrade before pursuing titles, alphabet or linear. Julio Diaz is just now on the comeback trail after his eight-round drubbing against Juan Diaz last October.
A Juan Manuel Marquez fight was offered by Golden Boy, but Campbell rightfully stepped up and said there was no need to wait for November for such a fight when he's ready to go by no later than September.
This brings us back to Guzman, who hasn't fought since November and is anxious to get back in the ring. That he's willing to take on Campbell without a tune-up begs the question of why the recently crowned champion would want to look anywhere else.
"Nate doesn't need a tune-up. At this point in his career, he doesn't need to waste his time against guys who don't deserve the shot in the first place. He only needs big fights."
Should it come to Campbell-Guzman, the Dominican insists that he'll be ready to fight at the drop of the dime, and not prolong matters for the sake of seeking a better deal elsewhere, as Casamayor has done. In showing Campbell the proper respect, Guzman believes the champion will ultimately step up and do the fight thing.
"I don't really believe Nate to be the type to turn down any fights. I don't think he'll string me along like Casamayor's been doing to him. Nate truly lives up to his nickname – the Galaxxy Warrior. He'll fight anyone in the world, and doesn't fear anyone."
Guzman also wanted to point out that he was embarrassed by a press release allegedly quoting his thoughts on Nate Campbell, and the suggestion that the Flordian was ducking him.
"I wasn't happy about what was written, it's not the type of person I am," he insists. "Publicists need to do their jobs and make a living, but sometimes they get carried away. I have all of the respect in the world for Nate, who has overcome the odds and has always shown a willingness to take on all comers, putting the fight before the dollar amount.
"That's why I believe, once the WBO says I'm his next challenger, that he'll do the right thing and grant me the opportunity to fight for my third world title."
Unlike Casamayor and Golden Boy, who seemed all too willing to let the chips fall where they may in all of this, Guzman's team is firmly behind him in securing a Campbell fight – TV date and all.
"Sycuan Ringside Promotions (Guzman's exclusive promoter) already has a SHOWTIME date reserved, and would love to fill it with a Campbell-Guzman fight," says Nunez. "Nate doesn't have to worry about Don King dipping into his own pockets to put the fight on his website.
"It's really just up to the WBO to make the fight happen – or for Nate to do the right thing, and fight the best fighter out there, and the only one willing to fight him."
Jake Donovan is a member of the Boxing Writers
Jermain Taylor vs. Jeff Lacy Being Discussed For 168
By Mark Vester
The opponent of the moment for Jermain Taylor's return is none other than Jeff Lacy, his former US Olympic teamate for 2000. The two boxers are friends, but that shouldn't stop a fight from taking place. A few years ago when Taylor was the undisputed middleweight champion and Jeff Lacy was the IBF super middleweight champ, Lacy told BoxingScene.com that he was willing to fight Taylor regardless of their friendship.
"Of course, this is a business. We could have friendship on the other side of fighting no matter what may happen. This is a business. It's all about everybody recognizing who is the best in the world," Lacy said.
Lou DiBella informed that Dan Rafael that an offer was presented to Lacy's promoter, Golden Boy. The offer has yet to be accepted, but Golden Boy is interested in the fight.
"We've made them an offer," DiBella said. "They have not accepted yet, so we'll see
By Mark Vester
The opponent of the moment for Jermain Taylor's return is none other than Jeff Lacy, his former US Olympic teamate for 2000. The two boxers are friends, but that shouldn't stop a fight from taking place. A few years ago when Taylor was the undisputed middleweight champion and Jeff Lacy was the IBF super middleweight champ, Lacy told BoxingScene.com that he was willing to fight Taylor regardless of their friendship.
"Of course, this is a business. We could have friendship on the other side of fighting no matter what may happen. This is a business. It's all about everybody recognizing who is the best in the world," Lacy said.
Lou DiBella informed that Dan Rafael that an offer was presented to Lacy's promoter, Golden Boy. The offer has yet to be accepted, but Golden Boy is interested in the fight.
"We've made them an offer," DiBella said. "They have not accepted yet, so we'll see
Mosley's Ex-Coach Claims He Doped For De La Hoya Bout
By Mark Vester
Derryl Hudson, the former strenght and conditioning coach of Shane Mosley, claims that he, along with convicted BALCO president Victor Conte, watched Mosley inject himself with the endurance-boosting drug EPO a few weeks before his 2003 rematch with Oscar De La Hoya. Mosley won the rematch with a late rally to clinch a close unanimous decision. Hudson made the allegations in court papers filed on Friday.
Last September, Mosley told The Los Angeles Times that he "unknowingly"used the undetectable steroids from the infamous BALCO lab.
"I didn't understand it to be blood doping, I was told it would keep my [red] blood cells high," Mosley said. "I didn't know the extent of this. To be honest, I didn't care to have it, but [Hudson] kept saying this stuff was great, and described it as 'icing on the cake,' because when you work as hard as I do, you need something to help you recover. Like vitamins, I thought."
Hudson took exception to Mosley's comments and sued the fighter in February for defamation and making false allegations, stating that Mosley was fully aware of what he was taking and the benefits.
“Mr. Mosley admitted to me that he knew the drugs provided to him by Mr. Conte were illegal performance-enhancing drugs,” Hudson said, according to the papers.
Mosley also has a pending defamation lawsuit against Conte, claiming the former BALCO founder lied to lied to reporters last year when he claimed that Mosley knowingly purchased and used banned drugs. Mosley testified before a grand jury investigating BALCO and said that he was misled by Conte into believing he was injecting legal supplements.
“I explicity sought and received Conte’s assurance that everything he was recommending was entirely legal and authorized for use in my sport,” Mosley said in a court filing.
By Mark Vester
Derryl Hudson, the former strenght and conditioning coach of Shane Mosley, claims that he, along with convicted BALCO president Victor Conte, watched Mosley inject himself with the endurance-boosting drug EPO a few weeks before his 2003 rematch with Oscar De La Hoya. Mosley won the rematch with a late rally to clinch a close unanimous decision. Hudson made the allegations in court papers filed on Friday.
Last September, Mosley told The Los Angeles Times that he "unknowingly"used the undetectable steroids from the infamous BALCO lab.
"I didn't understand it to be blood doping, I was told it would keep my [red] blood cells high," Mosley said. "I didn't know the extent of this. To be honest, I didn't care to have it, but [Hudson] kept saying this stuff was great, and described it as 'icing on the cake,' because when you work as hard as I do, you need something to help you recover. Like vitamins, I thought."
Hudson took exception to Mosley's comments and sued the fighter in February for defamation and making false allegations, stating that Mosley was fully aware of what he was taking and the benefits.
“Mr. Mosley admitted to me that he knew the drugs provided to him by Mr. Conte were illegal performance-enhancing drugs,” Hudson said, according to the papers.
Mosley also has a pending defamation lawsuit against Conte, claiming the former BALCO founder lied to lied to reporters last year when he claimed that Mosley knowingly purchased and used banned drugs. Mosley testified before a grand jury investigating BALCO and said that he was misled by Conte into believing he was injecting legal supplements.
“I explicity sought and received Conte’s assurance that everything he was recommending was entirely legal and authorized for use in my sport,” Mosley said in a court filing.
So I found this on the other site. This is the promoter/manager/whatever of the FIGHTER ringing the bell, not the official timekeeper! lmao, you cant get more currupt then this!
That's dope to hear, I'm glad Guzman will (hopefully) get a shot at Nate and his belt.
But the more I think about this whole situation, really proves that Frank Warren did some dirty shit and was behind the Guzman-Aurthur fight getting called off. There is a joke that WBO stands for WarrenBO, right, that he dictates what happens. Well I think he made a deal with Guzman, basically saying, look, we cancel this fight with my boy Aurthur, you move up to 135 and promise you that the WBO will make you the #1 contender and you'll get a title shot as a mandatory. I mean think about it - Guzman within days after deciding to go from 130 to 135 is made the #1 contender with the WBO. How does that make sense? It doesn't.
Regardless, hope Guzman wins the belt from Nate and he can fight Pacquaio. Marquez WONT fight Guzman, since he blatantly ducked him already, Casamayor could be a possibility too
But the more I think about this whole situation, really proves that Frank Warren did some dirty shit and was behind the Guzman-Aurthur fight getting called off. There is a joke that WBO stands for WarrenBO, right, that he dictates what happens. Well I think he made a deal with Guzman, basically saying, look, we cancel this fight with my boy Aurthur, you move up to 135 and promise you that the WBO will make you the #1 contender and you'll get a title shot as a mandatory. I mean think about it - Guzman within days after deciding to go from 130 to 135 is made the #1 contender with the WBO. How does that make sense? It doesn't.
Regardless, hope Guzman wins the belt from Nate and he can fight Pacquaio. Marquez WONT fight Guzman, since he blatantly ducked him already, Casamayor could be a possibility too
Sam Peter: "If Vitali Can't Fight, I Want Wladimir
By Mark Vester
WBC heavyweight champ Samuel Peter is claiming he was robbed when he faced Wladimir Klitschko in 2005 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Peter knocked Klitschko down three times in the fight but was never able to get past Klitschko's jab for most of the twelve-rounds. All three of the official judges scored it 114-111 in favor of Klitschko.
Peter sees an opportunity for revenge when he faces older brother Vitali Klitschko, the WBC's Emeritus champion, in a mandatory defense slated for October.
Given Vitali's track record with pre-fight injuries, Peter says that he wants a unification rematch with IBF champion Wladimir if the fight with Vitali doesn't come off.
“I was robbed in my fight with Klitschko in 2005. If he is ready to put his belt down I will put mine and fight him,” said Peter. “I am ready to fight either of them any time. I am a lion.”
By Mark Vester
WBC heavyweight champ Samuel Peter is claiming he was robbed when he faced Wladimir Klitschko in 2005 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Peter knocked Klitschko down three times in the fight but was never able to get past Klitschko's jab for most of the twelve-rounds. All three of the official judges scored it 114-111 in favor of Klitschko.
Peter sees an opportunity for revenge when he faces older brother Vitali Klitschko, the WBC's Emeritus champion, in a mandatory defense slated for October.
Given Vitali's track record with pre-fight injuries, Peter says that he wants a unification rematch with IBF champion Wladimir if the fight with Vitali doesn't come off.
“I was robbed in my fight with Klitschko in 2005. If he is ready to put his belt down I will put mine and fight him,” said Peter. “I am ready to fight either of them any time. I am a lion.”
James Moore Calls Out James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo
Undefeated junior middleweight James Moore, a native of County Wicklow, Ireland, who fights out of Queens, New York, can’t wait to open the televised portion of ESPN 2’s Wednesday Fights on June 4 at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, NY. As a veteran of 314 amateur fights and the onetime captain of the Irish national amateur team, he is much too experienced to underestimate his opponent, Gabriel Rosada, 9-2 (6 KOS), of Philadelphia.
The main event will feature Yusaf Mack, 24-2-2 (15 KOS), of Philadelphia vs. Daniel Judah, 22-2-3 (10 KOS), of Brooklyn. At stake will be the vacant NABA light heavyweight title. The show is being promoted by Winky Wright Promotions, in association with Thomas Gallagher Productions.
Being the confident young man that he is, Moore expects to defeat Rosada handily. He will then actively campaign to secure the most challenging fights available. There are scores of young guns in his division, and he is eager to fight any of them right now.
They include James Kirkland, 22-0 (14 KOS), of Austin, TX; Alfredo Angulo, 13-0 (10 KOS), a Mexican who resides in California; Ronald Hearns, 18-0 (14 KOS) of Detroit; and New York rivals Pawel Wolak, 21-0 (14 KOS); and Andrey Tsurkan, 26-3 (17 KOS).
“Kirkland and Angulo looked good on HBO
Undefeated junior middleweight James Moore, a native of County Wicklow, Ireland, who fights out of Queens, New York, can’t wait to open the televised portion of ESPN 2’s Wednesday Fights on June 4 at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, NY. As a veteran of 314 amateur fights and the onetime captain of the Irish national amateur team, he is much too experienced to underestimate his opponent, Gabriel Rosada, 9-2 (6 KOS), of Philadelphia.
The main event will feature Yusaf Mack, 24-2-2 (15 KOS), of Philadelphia vs. Daniel Judah, 22-2-3 (10 KOS), of Brooklyn. At stake will be the vacant NABA light heavyweight title. The show is being promoted by Winky Wright Promotions, in association with Thomas Gallagher Productions.
Being the confident young man that he is, Moore expects to defeat Rosada handily. He will then actively campaign to secure the most challenging fights available. There are scores of young guns in his division, and he is eager to fight any of them right now.
They include James Kirkland, 22-0 (14 KOS), of Austin, TX; Alfredo Angulo, 13-0 (10 KOS), a Mexican who resides in California; Ronald Hearns, 18-0 (14 KOS) of Detroit; and New York rivals Pawel Wolak, 21-0 (14 KOS); and Andrey Tsurkan, 26-3 (17 KOS).
“Kirkland and Angulo looked good on HBO