Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

got damn I feel bad for homie

German Boxing Federation Freeze $100,000 Of Chisora’s Purse, Push For Lifetime Ban As Well As Fine

By James Slater: It looks as though there is a good chance Dereck Chisora will face a severe punishment for his part in the Munich post-fight press conference brawl with David Haye - as well as for the “slap” he gave WBC heavyweight champ Vitali Klitschko and the “spit” he inflicted on younger brother Wladimir.

According to a news release on Fightnews.com, The Bund Deutscher Berufsboxer (The German Boxing Federation) has frozen $100,000 of Chisora’s $500,000 fight purse. More seriously, the Federation has recommended to the WBC and the BBB of C (British Boxing Board of Control) that “Del Boy” receive a lifetime ban as well as a $100,000 fine.

As broken up as follows:

“$50,000 for slapping Vitali, $25,000 for spitting [water] on Wladimir and $25,000 for the fight with David Haye,” BDB President Thomas Putz said today.

According to Fightnews.com, the final decision will be made by the WBC. Surely, however, The BBB of C will have the power to help decide Chisora’s fate.

Is a lifetime ban too severe a punishment? (Haye cannot be punished this way as he does not currently hold a licence. However, should Haye wish to fight again, he will have to argue his case in being worthy of receiving the licence to fight again). I think the $100,000 fine, with say, a year-long suspension would be enough of a punishment for Chisora, but maybe I’m being kind to the former British heavyweight champ.

The German Federation president certainly wants the book thrown at Chisora. It could well be that the talented heavyweight’s career comes to a premature end. As much as it would be Chisora’s fault and nobody else’s, it might be tough for some to not have some sympathy for the 28-year-old if he is banned.

 

[heyzel]

good read

Exclusive Interview: Former Two-Time King Bobby Czyz Talks About The Tyson “Bite,” Street Fighting, Ali, Hearns, Taylor And More!

By James Slater: Bobby Czyz, the former IBF light-heavyweight and WBA cruiserweight king, is one of the best former fighters you could wish to interview. A great guy who also called numerous fights for Showtime, Czyz, 44-8(28) was kind enough to share some of his stories with me earlier today. I had a bunch of questions ready for Bobby, yet he gave me such detailed answers I was unable to ask them all!

Here are some of the things “Chappie,” today a hugely successful commodities dealer, had to say:


James Slater: It’s great to be able to speak with you, Bobby. I have to say, even though I’m from the U.K, I miss your commentary on Showtime. I used to get tapes of the fights on Showtime. You were a great commentator.

Bobby Czyz: Thank you, that’s very kind. I had a great time with Al Albert and with Ferdie [Pacheco] You know, it’s a funny thing: you remember Don Dunphy?

J.S: Oh yeah.

B.C: He was known as The Voice of Boxing, and he took me to one side one time and he told me that I was the best announcer he’d ever seen. I told him ‘That’s a great compliment coming from you‘, and he said, ‘No you don’t understand - you talk the talk but you also walk the walk. You’ve done it in the ring yourself.’ And he complimented me on my speaking voice. I never slurred a word. That’s another interesting thing: I’ve been doing some research, and you look at any fighter who never had a great chin and was involved in a lot of tough fights, say for ten years or more in their career, and they can’t talk today! Meldrick Taylor, Thomas Hearns, Terry Norris. You know, all great fighters - even though Hearns always ducked me and would never fight me! - but today they can’t talk, to the extent that you can’t understand a damn word. Look at Foreman, Chuvalo, those guys, myself included - guys who had durability. We all talk fine. I’m not sure of the medical word for it, but basically, if you don’t have a chin in boxing you won’t be able to talk clearly when you’re done.

J.S: That’s interesting stuff, Bobby. But what about Ali?

B.C: Well, people say he has Parkinsons. He’s the only guy who ever got it from fighting. It’s ridiculous. Why don’t all fighters get Parkinsons if that’s the case?

J.S: Back to your commentary. We’ve just had that awful brawl with Haye and Chisora. You called the infamous Tyson “bite” fight live on the air. People are saying the thing in Germany was as bad or worse than that. What do you think?

B.C: Well, the Tyson thing - that was the first and only time I’ve ever been totally lost for words on air! It truly was a Pearl Harbour moment - a day that will live in infamy. The thing in Germany, which I actually never saw, that was different because it was outside the ring, and a bottle was involved. But from what I hear, I would maybe be inclined to give both guys a ban; especially the guy who initiated it. But then again, the heat of the moment is a funny thing. I was actually called to testify on Tyson in court. And I told them that during my career I had only once been in trouble for bad behaviour. I fought Donny Lalonde and I was beating the shit out of the guy yet I forearmed him in the face at one point, right in his nose. I never even knew I’d done it! I had to watch the tape later to actually believe I’d done it. I was way ahead on points and didn’t need to do anything like that. So it’s funny how, when you’re fighting another man, who is just two inches away and is trying to take your head off, you can lose your head in the heat of battle. It’s possible Tyson reacted in a primeval manner. It’s hard to think he [Tyson] never knew what he was doing but who knows for sure.

J.S: Yes, and what Haye and Chisora did was basically have a street fight…

B.C: Something I know about. I’ve actually had a couple of street fights in my life. One time a guy cut me off in his car - he was drunk and way out of line. So I said, ’hey, jerk off!’ and he came at me, he was like 210-pounds. I slipped a punch and then hit him and he went down hard. His buddy got out of the car and said, ’leave him alone, Bobby!’ I said, ’you know me and you cut me off like that!’ Anyway it’s funny - five years later I saw him at a gas station. I said, ‘hey jerk off, you wanna finish off?’ He locked himself in the gas station and called the police!

J.S: (laughing) That’s some story, Bobby. You had a great career in the ring, of course…

B.C: Thank you. Yeah, I first walked into the gym in September 1972, I was ten-years-old. My dad took me and I trained until my first-ever time sparring, on February 9th the next year, a day before my eleventh birthday. At the end of the 1st-round the other kid, who weighed 20-pounds more than me, which is a lot at that age - he was beaten up so bad they had to take him out. Another kid got in, aged 13, and I beat his ass too. I got a standing ovation in the gym and that was the first time I knew I was special. I decided right then to dedicate myself to boxing - for the next seven years until I turned pro, and for the next fourteen years until I became world champion.

J.S: You had so many great fights. Which ones do you remember the most today?

B.C: Winning the first title of course (against Slobodan Kacar), the two fights with Prince Charles Williams and the Lalonde fight. I really wanted a fight with Hearns but the son-of-a-bitch ducked me for so long! But I made my mark in the sport. I’ll never be called a great, great fighter like Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Floyd Mayweather or those guys - but I set goals and I accomplished them. My attitude was always, if you can’t compete with the best, then why bother at all?

J.S: Thanks so much for speaking with me, Champ.

B.C: You’re welcome, you have a good day.

 

[heyzel]

Sulaiman: Chavez Jr. has to fight Sergio Martinez or the WBC will have to follow the rules and strip him
February 24th, 2012

By William Mackay: WBA president Jose Sulaiman laid down the law for WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., saying that he’s got to defend his title against former WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez next or else the World Boxing Council will have to follow the rules and presumably strip Chavez Jr. of his paper title.

Sulaiman told ropeadope.radio.com “The winner of the February 4th fight [between Chavez Jr. and Marco Antonio Rubio] must meet Martinez if Martinez wins on March 17th, so if the champion does not comply with that or Martinez doesn’t, then we [the WBC] has to follow the rules…you have to lose the title. I hope that this does not happen.”

Well, Chavez Jr’s promoter Bob Arum is likely going to put the WBC in the position where they’re going to have to decide whether to enforce their rules or ignore them and let Arum continue to match with other fighters and not Martinez. Arum has already said that he plans on matching Chavez Jr. up with either Andy Lee or Antonio Margarito next.

Arum isn’t even talking about matching Chavez Jr. in two fights, as he says he doesn’t have any intention of matching Chavez Jr. against Martinez two fights from now. This obviously puts Sulaiman in the position to where he’ll need to force the issue if Arum chooses to go ahead and put Chavez Jr. in with Lee or Margarito for a title defense. It would be a situation where Arum is doing his own thing by matching Chavez Jr. against the guy that he wants to rather than putting Chavez Jr. in a dangerous fight against Martinez and possibly suffering a knockout loss.

Sulaiman believes that Chavez Jr. is the best fighter in the middleweight division for some odd reason, saying “Yes, they [Saul Alvarez and Chavez Jr.] are the best fighters in their division.”

I wonder if Sulaiman believes this or is just saying that to pick up points with Chavez Jr. and his promoter Arum.

 

[heyzel]

Sulaiman: The WBC will probably require Chisora to attend anger management classes, pay a $50,000 fine and be suspended
February 24th, 2012

By William Mackay: WBC President Jose Sulaiman says that British heavyweight Dereck Chisora will likely be required to attend anger management classes, pay a $50,000 fine and be suspended for a period of time due to Chisora’s behavior last week before and after his fight against WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in Munich, Germany.

Speaking with ropeadoperadio.com, Sulaiman said “The WBC is probably going to impose a 50,000 fine…and also we’re going to recommend and require he [Chisora] goes into anger management medical treatment and with that it will be a suspension, an indefinte suspension until the time the medical staff lets us know that he is mentally in his proper mind. That’s what the WBC is considering.”

I think that doesn’t sound like Chisora is going to be dealing with any kind of long term suspension, does it? If he’s going to attend anger management sessions, those could end rather quickly if Chisora forms a bond with the treatment staff or person. Chisora comes across as a quiet guy in a one on one type of meeting, so he’s not going to act out and show the kinds of behavior he did last weekend and last Friday. This could be a very short term suspension unless I miss my guess. And the $50,000 fine is smaller than the $100,000 that was mentioned on Thursday by the German Boxing Federation. By the way Sulaiman is talking, I don’t think Chisora is going to have to serve much of a suspension. It looks like he may get off easy for this unless Sulaiman changes his tune when the WBC meets to discuss the case.

Chisora was really stepping on some toes on Friday and Saturday. In those two days, Chisora slapped Vitali on Friday at the weigh-in, spit water into the face of Wladimir Klitschko before Chisora’s fight with Vitali, attempted to go after Vitali when he was entering the ring last Saturday night, and then got into a brawl with David Haye at the post fight press conference. Chisora took off his jack and walked over to Haye to confront him after he told Chisora that he didn’t want to fight him because he had lost his last three fights. Not sure why Chisora had to walk up on him. All Chisora had to do was correct Haye by telling him he hadn’t in fact lost his last three fights; he had lost three out of his last four fights. It still doesn’t sound very good, does it? Whatever the case, Chisora walked up on Haye when Haye was already riled up about Vitali not wanting to fight him. When Chisora walked up, he didn’t seem to understand that Haye wasn’t in the mood to play games right at that moment. Haye immediately nailed Chisora with a left-right combination followed by a couple of hard elbows to the head while wrestling him to the ground. When Chisora finally got up, he was staggering a little and no longer seemed to be as lethal. Instead of rushing Haye like you would have thought he would, Chisora’s foot speed slowed down and he didn’t seem to make much of an effort to corner Haye. Instead it was Chisora’s trainer that made the mistake of walking up to Haye and he was met with a nice left to the head and possibly right.

 

[heyzel]

Sugar” Shane Mosley vs. Saul Canelo Alvarez: A genuine mismatch
February 24th, 2012

By Gerardo Granados: Former three division champion Shane Mosley was a terrific boxer, talented and skilled but Kronos has done his job. The current WBC light middleweight champion Saul Alvarez is a young lion, hungry for fame and glory but he is over protected and spoon-fed.

Beside casual boxing fans as a friend of mine who thinks Shane is still in his prime and believes that Mosley is a real threat to Canelo. Only Mosley fans must still believe that He deserves a chance to dispute a world title. A year ago, in his last fight he lost to Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao in the poorest performance of his long boxing career. My friend strongly believes inactivity wont hurt Mosley’s reflexes or timing (what?).

A neighbor of mine thinks Mosley is too experienced for Alvarez, but he also believes Shane is in his early thirties. He was astonished when he heard Shane is already 40 and has 19 years as a pro; He said it cannot be possible because he had never heard of him before. He was not aware Shane beat Oscar De la Hoya twice, uh! The main reason might be that he was only 11 years old when Sugar faced the Golden Boy.

Age is a total mismatch; After 21 title fights, Shane has very little gas left if not an empty tank already. Sure he has faced better opposition and is way more experienced than Canelo, but he is also too old now. Mosley is an old lion who has not win convincingly in the last two years.

Same height and reach but Alvarez might be bigger. If Pacman floored Sugar, what can Alvarez do if he is able to connect him solidly? In his last bout at the 154 pounds limit, Shane draw against Sergio Mora in a fight that “The Latin Snake” should have won.

Promoters will sell the fight as the biggest challenge for Alvarez already, they will say that Shane is not finished and will remark his vast experience. But the sad truth is that they wont be lying, because Alvarez has not engaged against top opposition in his short boxing career and the past prime Mosley might be his biggest challenge yet. Another argument to sale the fight could be that Jose Miguel Cotto wobbled a 19-year-old Alvarez, so Shane must have a good chance to do the same.

Mosley’s legs might not carry him for the full twelve rounds in a high tempo fight. Alvarez is a natural light middle. Meanwhile, Shane is a lightweight who has been successful at welter and light middleweight.

Alvarez defense is not that bad, he is a good counter puncher, has great power and has the mobility and speed to dominate and old Mosley. If Shane was 28 years old he would still be able to control the inexperienced Canelo but for some casual boxing fans he could still be able to do so.

Meanwhile, Alvarez´s countryman veteran old lion king Erik Morales will engage against a young hungry lion, prime high ranked Danny Garcia, the young belt holder will be spoon fed once more time.

For how long will this continue? Maybe forever. Can Mosley pull the upset of the year? It was sad for me to watch Sugar Ray Leonard lost to Terry Norris, was it for you? Pro Boxing is a business as we all already know but there should be a limit to avoid such mismatch fights

 

[RM211]

if trips says it was a stunt than it's official I'm glad I'm not the only one to see that lol

cant be a man and go off on your own judgement call.lol...anyways i dont see it a stunt, b hop has never "pulled a stunt" like that before so why now? it aint like he was gettin outclassed in the ring or something, and what bothers me more of this conversation, if it was so much of a stunt then why would hopkins want a rematch? he didnt have to fight dawson again, even though he clearly cuffed his leg and pushed him off. he didnt have to risk injury again to fight chad, he could've took a lesser opponent, he said fucc it cuz hopkins is a man, a legend, and like nazim said hopkins is cut from a different type of cloth.

 

[trips]

cant be a man and go off on your own judgement call.lol...anyways i dont see it a stunt, b hop has never "pulled a stunt" like that before so why now? it aint like he was gettin outclassed in the ring or something, and what bothers me more of this conversation, if it was so much of a stunt then why would hopkins want a rematch? he didnt have to fight dawson again, even though he clearly cuffed his leg and pushed him off. he didnt have to risk injury again to fight chad, he could've took a lesser opponent, he said fucc it cuz hopkins is a man, a legend, and like nazim said hopkins is cut from a different type of cloth.

you lost me here, had to stop reading

 

[RM211]

good breh, wasnt for you anyways....

 

[heyzel]

chill homie I'm just fucking around you see I put the lol behind what I said I know b hop is a stand up guy

 

[heyzel]

Happy Birthday Floyd Mayweather Junior! 35 And Still As Great As Ever

By James Slater: Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior will be celebrating today. Not only does “Money” turn the age of 35 today, but the all-time great can also celebrate the fact that he is as great, as special and as unbeatable-looking as he ever was. Despite now being at an age that has seen many great fighters who rely on their reflexes rather than their power begin to fade (think Sugar Ray Leonard, Ali), Floyd’s star continues to shine as brightly as it ever has; his skill set as intact as ever also.

In fact it could be argued that Mayweather is even better today than he was say five or six years ago. Always immaculately conditioned due to his incredible and admirable work ethic (unlike the great Ali, who got lazier and lazier in the gym when in his mid to late 30s, Mayweather pushes himself to the limit before each and every single fight), the 42-0(26) master has seen his blinding defence improve as he’s risen up the weights. That right hand bomb that came courtesy of Sugar Shane Mosley aside, nobody has hit Floyd with a significant head punch since Oscar De La Hoya (who got home with some left jabs and a few other hard shots in their massive event of a fight) - and that fight took place in 2007!

No, Mayweather is not in any way shape or form a fighter who is showing any signs of slowing down. Even after taking long, potentially rust-gathering layoffs of a year or more, Mayweather’s brilliance still shone through; his reflexes as sharp as ever. In many ways, it may be Mayweather’s ability to have aged like a fine wine that is remembered as one of his strongest accomplishments.

Next up for the multi-weight king is of course Miguel Cotto (another fighter who, with experience on his side, is staving off Father Time’s advances), but ask any fan who is not from Puerto Rico and you will be told that Mayweather’s perfect record will go nowhere on May 5th. Mayweather’s legacy, his place in history, is already secure. What the 35-year-old is looking to do now is put the final touches on his fabulous career. After Cotto (and a few weeks in jail) there could be one more fight. We all know who we want that fight to be against, but even if the Pacquiao fight fails to come off, Mayweather’s credentials as one of the best ever will be untouchable.

Enjoy “Money” while you can, appreciate his boxing mastery while you can. And look for the soon-to-be WBA 154-pound ruler exit the game on his own terms, his “0” where he wants to keep it: at the end of his pro record.

 

[trips]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: CHAD DAWSON
By John McCormick

JM: Chad, your first fight with Hopkins ended very prematurely. What things did you see in the ring against him that night that you plan to take with you into the rematch?
Chad Dawson: “Even though the first fight was only two rounds everything we thought he would do, he did. Right hand and a head-butt is his favorite combination. The way Bernard throws his head into you was something that I couldn’t prepare for in the first fight. It is something that you have to go through and witness. He has been working on that craft for years, and I wasn’t able to prepare for that leading up to the first fight. But for this fight, I will be prepared and he will eat a nasty left uppercut if he tries that.”


JM: Bernard refused to engage in the traditional, press conference face-off today. Why do you think that is so?
Chad Dawson: “I can’t speak for him and I don’t know if it is a tactic or something he is trying to do to get in my head or something.”


JM: What was your reaction to the California State Athletic Commission overturning the referee’s original decision?
Chad Dawson: “I knew that the decision was going to be overturned anyway before it happened. I know that eventually they were going to take the title back and give it back to Bernard but the best thing that came out of it was that I got the rematch. Bernard Hopkins did not take any initiative to engage with me that night. He didn’t want to fight. You can see it in his body language that he didn’t want to fight that night.”


JM: Besides winning, what is the main thing you are trying to accomplish in this rematch?
Chad Dawson: “I am going to win the title. If you look at the fight, me and Bernard don’t match up for a great fight. But, if I take the fight to him, it will be Chad Dawson whooping Bernard Hopkins’ ass. I am going to take this old man out of the sport. I don’t respect him, and I disregard the fact that he is 47 years old. I am going to whoop his ass like he is 25.”


JM: Any predictions for April 28th?
Chad Dawson: “Bernard knows the difference between Jean Pascal and Chad Dawson. Everybody loves to talk about how Bernard Hopkins is a legend. I want to tell everyone right now that he will lose and he will lose bad.”

 

[MOREBASS]

^ I agree with Bad Chad. I honestly thought Bernard was looking for an out. He didn't want it that night. Hopefully he feels better this time around cause the fans got the short end of the stick in that first farce of a fight.

 

[heyzel]

Povetkin vs. Huck on Saturday on EPIX live, televised in U.S

Here are the weights from Stuttgart, Germany: WBA Heavyweight Title:
Alexander Povetkin: 104 kg vs Marco Huck: 95 kg

EU Middleweight Title: Dominik Britsch: 72,3 kg vs Roberto Santos: 72 kg

NEW YORK, NY (February 24, 2012) – World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion ALEXANDER POVETKIN defends his title against cruiserweight champion Marco Huck Tomorrow! Saturday, February 25, in the Porsche-Arena in Stuttgart, Germany. The fight will be televised live in the U.S. exclusively on EPIX, the multiplatform premium entertainment service. EpixHD.com will stream the fights live as part of a special free trial offer for boxing fans. Both will begin at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

The Povetkin-Huck rumble is the second of three heavyweight title fights airing on consecutive weeks, exclusively to the U.S., via EPIX and EpixHD.com.



Last Saturday, Vitali Klitschko successfully defended his World Boxing Council (WBC) crown, winning a unanimous decision over world-rated contender Dereck Chisora. Next Saturday! March 3, unified world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko will defend his belts against two-time cruiserweight champion Jean Marc Mormeck.

As has become the custom, EPIX will once again present the closed-captioned simulcast of the three world heavyweight championship fights on a jumbotron in Times Square (Broadway between 44th and 45th Sts.)

“I prepared in my home city of Chekhov. Working with Alexander Zimin has been very good. There is a good chemistry between us and we get along very well. I am in great shape for Saturday,” said Povetkin.“

"I had a good camp. The sparring sessions helped me to build a lot of confidence. I also expected the training for this fight to be a bit different compared to my latest title defenses at cruiserweight. However, to be honest, there was no big change leading up to this bout, at least not training-wise,” said Huck. “But the media and fan interest has been gigantic. That was to be expected, though, because we are fighting for the biggest prize in boxing!”

Povetkin (23-0, 16 KOs), of Russia, captured the vacant WBA heavyweight title last August, winning a gutsy unanimous decision over former WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev, who entered the fight as the No. 1-rated contender. Povetkin, the 2004 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist, has an impressive resume which includes a knockout victory over former two-time heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, and unanimous decision victories over one-time heavyweight title challenger Eddie Chambers and former U.S. Olympians Jason Estrada and Larry Donald. Povetkin, who has been promoted by Sauerland Event throughout his entire professional career, enters this fight having won four of his last six bouts by knockout, which includes his most recent title defense, an eighth-round stoppage of Cedric Boswell on December 3. All of Povetkin’s heavyweight title fights have been televised live in the U.S. on EPIX.

Huck (34-1, 25 KOs), of Berlin, Germany, enters this fight riding a four-year, 15-bout winning streak. He captured the WBO cruiserweight crown in 2009 with a 12-round unanimous decision victory over Victor Ramirez. Huck has successfully defended that title eight times, five by knockout.

 

[heyzel]

Povetkin vs. Huck on Saturday on EPIX live, televised in U.S

Here are the weights from Stuttgart, Germany: WBA Heavyweight Title:
Alexander Povetkin: 104 kg vs Marco Huck: 95 kg

EU Middleweight Title: Dominik Britsch: 72,3 kg vs Roberto Santos: 72 kg

NEW YORK, NY (February 24, 2012) – World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion ALEXANDER POVETKIN defends his title against cruiserweight champion Marco Huck Tomorrow! Saturday, February 25, in the Porsche-Arena in Stuttgart, Germany. The fight will be televised live in the U.S. exclusively on EPIX, the multiplatform premium entertainment service. EpixHD.com will stream the fights live as part of a special free trial offer for boxing fans. Both will begin at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

The Povetkin-Huck rumble is the second of three heavyweight title fights airing on consecutive weeks, exclusively to the U.S., via EPIX and EpixHD.com.



Last Saturday, Vitali Klitschko successfully defended his World Boxing Council (WBC) crown, winning a unanimous decision over world-rated contender Dereck Chisora. Next Saturday! March 3, unified world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko will defend his belts against two-time cruiserweight champion Jean Marc Mormeck.

As has become the custom, EPIX will once again present the closed-captioned simulcast of the three world heavyweight championship fights on a jumbotron in Times Square (Broadway between 44th and 45th Sts.)

“I prepared in my home city of Chekhov. Working with Alexander Zimin has been very good. There is a good chemistry between us and we get along very well. I am in great shape for Saturday,” said Povetkin.“

"I had a good camp. The sparring sessions helped me to build a lot of confidence. I also expected the training for this fight to be a bit different compared to my latest title defenses at cruiserweight. However, to be honest, there was no big change leading up to this bout, at least not training-wise,” said Huck. “But the media and fan interest has been gigantic. That was to be expected, though, because we are fighting for the biggest prize in boxing!”

Povetkin (23-0, 16 KOs), of Russia, captured the vacant WBA heavyweight title last August, winning a gutsy unanimous decision over former WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev, who entered the fight as the No. 1-rated contender. Povetkin, the 2004 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist, has an impressive resume which includes a knockout victory over former two-time heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, and unanimous decision victories over one-time heavyweight title challenger Eddie Chambers and former U.S. Olympians Jason Estrada and Larry Donald. Povetkin, who has been promoted by Sauerland Event throughout his entire professional career, enters this fight having won four of his last six bouts by knockout, which includes his most recent title defense, an eighth-round stoppage of Cedric Boswell on December 3. All of Povetkin’s heavyweight title fights have been televised live in the U.S. on EPIX.

Huck (34-1, 25 KOs), of Berlin, Germany, enters this fight riding a four-year, 15-bout winning streak. He captured the WBO cruiserweight crown in 2009 with a 12-round unanimous decision victory over Victor Ramirez. Huck has successfully defended that title eight times, five by knockout.

 

[heyzel]

Arum: If Pavlik looks good in his tune-up fights, I’ll match him against Chavez Jr. next year on PPV
February 24th, 2012

By Jason Kim: Top Rank President Bob Arum says he wants to match former WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik up with WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. next year if Pavlik wins his next two tune-up fights that Arum has planned out for him. Pavlik will be fighting on April 14th, and after that he’ll take one more tune-up fight in 2012, and then Arum wants to look to put him in with Chavez Jr. in a Top Rank in house fight.

Arum said to vindy.com “If he [Pavlik] looks like he’s back [after his two tune-up fights], then we’ll make a pay-er-view fight against Chavez.”

I bet Pavlik likes that idea, because he recently said he wasn’t at all impressed with what he saw of Chavez Jr. in his recent win over Marco Antonio Rubio earlier this month. Chavez Jr. labored to a 12 round unanimous decision over the same guy that Pavlik completely dominated in stopping Rubio in the 9th round in 2009.

Pavlik is a much bigger puncher than Chavez Jr. and it will be interesting to see how Chavez Jr. does in that fight because he tends to try and slug it out with everyone he faces. If he does that against Pavlik, he could be in for a short night. Chavez’s promoter Freddie Roach would likely try and change his fighting style so he can avoid getting hit with Pavlik’s big shots.

Roach would try to have Chavez Jr. use the blueprint created by Bernard Hopkins in order to beat Pavlik. I don’t think it will be possible for a slow fighter like Chavez Jr. to accomplish that and he’d make things a lot worse for himself if he makes the mistake of rehydrating to 180 pounds. All that extra weight doesn’t translate to added power for Chavez Jr., and only makes him better at roughing up on the inside. Chavez Jr. will get knocked out by Pavlik while he’s trying to come in at him if he comes in that heavy.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

they are dumb if they think Pavlik will be a walk in the park. He's a guy that will rehydrate 15-20 pounds himself. Pavlik by KO. Make it happen bob

 

[heyzel]

I hope so Chavez Jrnis nothing like his father

 

[heyzel]

Cleverly defeats Karpency by boring decision: The win highlights Nathan’s lack of power
February 25th, 2012

By Scott Gilfoid: WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly easily beat his hand-picked rusty fringe contender opponent Tommy Karpency by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.The final judges’ scores were 120-108, 120-108 and 120-108. It was one of those fights that just shake your head and make you wonder why in all that’s good a mismatch of this kind was put together for Cleverly. This was embarrassing.

Why Cleverly wanted to fight this guy in front of his Welsh fans in Wales, I have no idea.

Cleverly won the fight no problem, as Karpency looked beaten down from the earliest rounds and just looking to save his hide and survive. But the win showed all of Cleverly’s faults – his lack of power, average hand speed, nonexistent defense and the utterly soft match making that’s quickly becoming a hallmark of Cleverly’s fights. While some British boxing fans see Cleverly as the next Joe Calzaghe, I can’t even begin to agree. I guess if you take away Calzaghe’s speed, defense, power and slickness, what’s left is Cleverly.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Calzaghes power? The guy couldn't crack an egg. He had more speed though obviously

 

[trips]

lofl

[video=youtube;utl1-uWmcOM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utl1-uWmcOM&context=C3bbd566ADOEgsToPDskKCVibm25V2sJAXbMeKR2Gm[/video]