Boxing News Thread

[HERESY]

POSSIBLE 8 MAN TOURNAMENT:

Oscar De La Hoya Contemplating Eight-man Tournament: Fan Reaction

Golden Boy Promotions founder, Oscar De La Hoya, is current entertaining the idea of an eight-man tournament involving the best 154-pounders in boxing right now, and he's hoping to secure a few big-names as well. He also wants to make the tournament significantly shorter than others in the past

"Why not do an eight-man tournament in a shorter period of time," De La Hoya said. "Why not have three fights or even four fights in one night and make it a single-elimination tournament in a shorter amount of time. It doesn't have to last a year or two years. You can make it single-elimination, and this tournament can last just a few months."

I definitely like the idea of an eight-man tournament at 154 pounds, as it's arguably the most stacked division in boxing right now. It'll give fans of the sport the opportunity to enjoy multiple competitive fights in a short period of time, while giving the lesser known fighters the opportunity to reach a larger audience.

"You don't necessarily have to be the winner of a tournament like this," De La Hoya added. "If you fight in a great fight, then you're going to come out of that tournament a star. Win or lose, as long as you fight, you don't lose. But a tournament at 154 pounds would be incredible. It would be amazing. … [Cornelius] Bundrage, [Austin] Trout, [Erislandy] Lara, [Saul Alvarez] Canelo, [Miguel] Cotto, [James] Kirkland, [Alfredo] Angulo making a comeback. [expletive], I might even throw myself into the mix."

Securing top name fighters like Miguel Cotto won't be easy, but it is possible if the money is right. Even without the biggest names in the division, there are still enough competent fighters at 154 pounds to make the tournament a success.

It should be an easy sell for Golden Boy promotions, and I for one look forward to the possibilities.

David is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing practitioner that has watched and studied MMA for the past 7 years. Follow him on twitter P @pimpmanmiami kingwriter and check out his blog.

 

[HERESY]

THE RING:

Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya won't reveal the next opponent for WBC junior middleweight titleholder Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, who is slated for a return to the ring on Sept. 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegs, but he did unveal his musings about a potential 154-pound tournament on Sunday.

"Golden Boy is all about thinking outside of the box and to bring the best fights in this division. I haven't talked to anyone formally about it," said De La Hoya, adding that he would bring his idea to Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer and matchmaker Eric Gomez.

"What's going to happen is that I'm going to sit down with Richard and with my matchmakers and we're going to analyze who we have at 154 and then we'll take it from there."

Unlike Showtime's Super Six Classic, which produced THE RING's super middleweight champion Andre Ward and featured a round-robin format that lasted just over two years through December of last year, De La Hoya said his event would begin with quarterfinal, eight-man bracket.

"Why not do an eight-man tournament in a shorter period of time. Why not have three fights or even four fights in one night and make it a single-elimination tournament in a shorter amount of time. It doesn't have to last a year or two years. You can make it single-elimination, and this tournament can last just a few months," said De La Hoya.

"You don't necessarily have to be the winner of a tournament like this. If you fight in a great fight, then you're going to come out of that tournament a star. Win or lose, as long as you fight, you don't lose. But a tournament at 154 pounds would be incredible. It would be amazing."

The weight class is loaded, De La Hoya contends, starting with three-division titlewinner Miguel Cotto, who is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. that ended his string of three straight stoppage victories.

IBF beltholder Cornelius Bundrage is coming off Saturday night's Showtime-televised seventh-round stoppage of Cory Spinks, whom Bundrage originally dethroned by fifth-round stoppage in August of 2010. On the Bundrage-Spinks undercard, Cuban-born left-hander Erislandy Lara unanimously decisioned Freddy Hernandez

Lara was coming off a first-round knockout of Ronald Hearns in April. Prior to facing Hearns, Lara had not been in the ring since July of last year, when he lost a disputed majority decision to former two-time titleholder e Paul Williams which many observers thought Lara had won.

There is also southpaw WBA "regular" titleholder Austin Trout, who is coming off a defense of his crown against Delvin Rodriguez on June 2.

Hammer-fisted southpaw James Kirkland had originally agreed to replace Williams as the new opponent for Alvarez after a career-ending injury from a motorcycle accident rendered the former two-time welterweight titleholder paralyzed from the waist down.

But Kirkland cited recovery from shoulder surgery on his right arm and money as his reasons for not taking the bout.

Still others to be considered are Carlos Molina , Alfredo Angulo or former welterweight beltholder Carlos Quintana, the latter of whom has split bouts with Williams and who looked very strong in scoring his recent knockout on the Mayweather-Cotto card.

Molina is coming off a controversial 10th-round disqualification loss to Kirkland in March, and Angulo, off a sixth-round knockout loss to Kirkland during which both fighters were floored in the first round in March. Still another is unbeaten Vanes Martirosyan, said De La Hoya.

"Bundrage, Trout, Lara, Canelo, Cotto, Kirkland, Angulo making a comeback. S--t, I might even throw myself into the mix," said the former world titlewinner.

"That's how good this tournament could be. These are just ideas that I'm throwing out there, and it would seem to me that the public would really demand it and that the public would love it."
------------


I wouldn't mind seeing this.

 

[Lamberto Quintero]

Lam, you're fam and all but 206 already proved you wrong. Listen, you went on and on about mannyt his and floyd that, yet the same things you accused them of Canelo has done MORE. Let Canelo go fight Lara or one of the other champions, top ten ranked fighters and people coming off wins. He doesn't need any more "tune up" fights, bro.

And the fact that he is mexican has NOTHING to do with why he is being questioned.

The part about race was a joke, but my only point is that what canelo is doing is part of boxing so criticizing him only is wrong. It's the way this sport has become, just seems like more people call him out for it when there are others doing the same shit.

 

[HERESY]

The part about race was a joke, but my only point is that what canelo is doing is part of boxing so criticizing him only is wrong. It's the way this sport has become, just seems like more people call him out for it when there are others doing the same shit.

Fam, organizations have their own rules when it comes to champions and how the belts are defended. Why would Mayorga even be considered for a bout when there are other ranked fighters and champions out there? What others are doing the same shit as he is? Floyd and Pac are fighting the best people out there (not counting a fight with each other.) The other guys, Lara, K9, etc are all fighting contenders, guys coming off wins and champs.

I'm going to ask you the same question that I asked ironlungs:

If Canelo fights Mayorga and beats him, and Chavez goes on to beat Martinez, who is going to be the bigger draw?

 

[heyzel]

Floyd Mayweather suffering in jail
July 9th, 2012

By Mark Havey: Floyd Mayweather Jr is undoubtedly one of the best defensive fighters to ever grace a boxing ring. A pugilist specialist who has a legion loyal fans. Along with another man, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather sits at the highest echelon of boxing.

It’s a pinnacle that he surely misses since he was sentenced in Clark County, Nevada for domestic violence and is serving his sentence at the Clark County Detention Centre. The world champion isn’t coping well with prison and it has been reported that he has sunken deeper into depression. Mayweather is so desperate for interaction that he is asking his fans to write in so he can reply.

Another serious problem that could impact his career is his eating, or lack of it. it has been stated by staff in charge of him that he is starving himself and isn’t in a good place. Why is he starving himself? He doesn’t like the food. His problem is the lack of healthy options. The champion has been subjected to meals like farmhouse stew, chilli mac, cheeseburger casserole and Mexican stroganoff. Not the food for a boxing champion, after all, you are what you eat.

I fully agree with Floyd Mayweather being sent to prison as he deserves to be punished. He is a role model to children and shouldn’t hit anyone outside of the ring, certainly not the mother of his children. I don’t know what the food is that he has been offered. But if he is willing to starve himself to avoid eating junk, it must be bad. This I do not agree with. Everyone should be able to eat a healthy diet. No one can be sure at what weight and condition Floyd will leave jail in, but don’t expect him to fight this year.

 

[heyzel]

Lamont Peterson hands over his medical records to IBF
July 9th, 2012

By William Mackay: IBF light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson has reportedly handed over his medical record to the International Boxing Federation for them to review his case to decide whether they’ll strip Peterson or not of his IBF title after he tested positive for synthetic testosterone while training for a now canceled rematch against Amir Khan.

According to RingTV, the IBF will make a determination soon whether to keep Peterson the IBF 140 pound champ or strip him of his title. Golden Boy Promotions, the promoter for Khan, wants the IBF title back in his possession and they want his loss to Peterson overturned and ruled a no contest. The World Boxing Association (WBA) has already stripped Peterson of his WBA title and the belt will be vacant for this Saturday’s fight between WBC light welterweight champion Danny Garcia and Khan in Las Vegas, Nevada. Khan and Golden Boy were hoping that the IBF title would be up for grabs for this fight as well, but it doesn’t look as if there will be enough time for the IBF to make their determination before the fight.

Even if Khan does get the IBF and WBA titles back, he plans on vacating them anyway and moving up in weight to the welterweight division after the Garcia fight, provided he wins it, of course. If gets the IBF belt back after the Garcia fight, it’ll be pretty much meaningless to him unless they change the results of the fight to a no contest like what Golden Boy is asking for

 

[heyzel]

Andre Dirrell turns down fight against Adonis Stevenson, Don George to step in and take it
July 9th, 2012

By Scott Gilfoid: Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to inform you that super middleweight talent Andre Dirrell (20-1, 14 KO’s) has turned down an IBF 168 pound eliminator bout against the very beatable Adonis Stevenson (18-1, 15 KO’s), according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.

Instead of Dirrell taking the fight against Stevenson, which will take place on August 11th in Montreal, Canada, it will be super middleweight contender Don George (22-2-1, 19 KO’s) who will take the fight. Talk about your big letdowns. I was looking forward to seeing Dirrell thrash Stevenson in front of his Canadian fans on August 11th. This is terrible news.

It’s unclear why Dirrell down the fight, but my guess is the cash wasn’t right. I knew it was going to be a long shot for Stevenson’s promoter to get a talent like Dirrell in the ring anyway, because I figured they wouldn’t offer him enough green stuff to wet his beak. Dirrell was obviously at a big disadvantage here because he’s only once in the last two years, and with that much time off he wasn’t likely going to get what he felt he deserved. At any rate, we still need to wait and see what Dirrell has to say say about why he rejected the Stevenson fight, but it seems likely the cash wasn’t to his liking.

Stevenson’s promoter has had a difficult time trying to find someone to face his fighter with the following fighters saying no to a fight against him: Sakio Bika, Edwin Rodriguez, Kelly Pavlik, and Mikkel Kessler.

It’s interesting that the 27-year-old George will be the one to get the Stevenson fight, because he lost his last fight against Edwin Rodriguez last March in a one-sided 10 round decision loss. That right there should disqualify George for the elimination bout, I think. It’ll be too easy for Stevenson to win this fight.

The winner of the Stevenson-George fight will be the mandatory challenger for IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch. Good luck trying to get that fight. I suppose the Stevenson vs. George winner will eventually face Froch, but you can forget about that fight happening in 2012, and I have my doubts it will take place in 2013, if at all. I don’t see Froch fighting too much longer. I know he wants Mikkel Kessler and a couple of other fights, but I don’t see him sticking around too much longer, especially if he gets whipped by Kessler. Froch will probably wrap up his career at that point.

 

[heyzel]

CHAD DAWSON: "I'M HAPPY TO BE THE UNDERDOG IN THIS FIGHT"
By Press Release | July 09, 2012

Today at Oracle Arena in Oakland Calif, undefeated WBA and WBC super-middeweight champion, Andre "S.O.G." Ward (25-0, 13 KOs) and WBC light-heavyweight champion, "BAD" Chad Dawson (31-1, 17 KOs) hosted a press conference to discuss their upcoming championship bout, taking place September 8, 2012 at Oracle Arena televised live on HBO Championship Boxing.

"The road I've taken to this point has not been easy. Being back on HBO is a big thing, but fighting on HBO in my hometown is huge. To be great you have to fight the best. Chad has beaten the best so these are the type fights I want to take. I will put on a great show for all the fans that come out to Oracle Arena." - Andre Ward

"This is a big fight for me. I know their will be a huge crowd for Andre, but I'm not afraid. I'm happy to be the underdog in this fight. I haven't been the underdog in a long time and I'll do what I have to do to win this fight" - Chad Dawson

"This is the type of fight that makes a crossover superstar. Nothing will get in Andre's way, no chatter, no nothing. He is focused on this fight! This is why I can't to see 17,000 fans in Oracle Arena on Sept, 8. It will be filled with electricity. Andre is a special fighter and Virgil is the Zen Master." - Dan Goossen

"We all saw what Chad did to Hopkins and I believe Dawson is the better fighter. The winner of this fight is no doubt going to be a superstar. I'm so confident in this fight Goossen can have his six brothers be the judges. In this fight you have two fighters who hold belts, who are steroid free, who are young and will bring their best on fight night" - Gary Shaw

"Weight training shouldn't take the thrill of the victory away. It's a battle to get to 168 lbs for both fighters. While other fighters are playing games not taking fighters, these two have stepped up. Its going to be a great fight for all the fans" - Virgil Hunter

"I'm very exited to be involved with this fight. You go two prime, hungry, young guys ready to go at it. It will be a tactical fight and Chad will be ready. I think Chad and Andre are going to mix very well. I think clean combination punching will be Dawson's advantage." - John Scully"

 

[heyzel]

ANDRE WARD: "I'M ALREADY IN BEAST MODE...I WILL BE READY ON SEPTEMBER 8TH"
By Ben Thompson | July 09, 2012

"I'm already in Beast mode in terms of just preparing my mind and preparing my body. A lot of people are talking a lot of different things about Chad and what type of challenge he's going to be, his height and his reach, and his strength coach is talking from a scientific standpoint; I love when strength coaches get involved. All that's fine. I'm hearing it, but I'm really just locked in on getting my hand raised in a major way on September 8th...I'm locking in on the best Chad Dawson and I will be ready September 8th, regardles of how he shows up physically. I know for a fact that he's going to show up in top form," stated undefeated super middleweight king Andre Ward, who talked about his upcoming September 8th showdown with light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson. Check out what else he had to say!

BT: Dre, I know your press conference is tomorrow (Monday), so I had to call you to get a sneak peek at what you guys are going to be talking about.

AW: Yeah, we're announcing the fight tomorrow at the Oracle in Oakland. I mean, just simply put, this Saturday was 10 weeks out, or something like that, and I'm already in Beast mode in terms of just preparing my mind and preparing my body. A lot of people are talking a lot of different things about Chad and what type of challenge he's going to be, his height and his reach, and his strength coach is talking from a scientific standpoint; I love when strength coaches get involved. All that's fine. I'm hearing it, but I'm really just locked in on getting my hand raised in a major way on September 8th.

BT: Do you think Chad may have made a mistake in asking for this fight to take place at 168?

AW: I mean...I guess your first thought...conventional wisdom and knowledge would say that he's got a tall frame and he hasn't made the weight...I can't remember when he's made 168...conventional wisdom would say that he's not having a problem, but, you know, Chad Dawson pretty much made this fight at 168 on his own. I didn't request it. I'm a 168-pounder. I don't know if it's something his promoter talked him into or if it's something else. Apparently he really believes he can fight at both weight classes, and listening to his people, they feel the same way. At the end of the day, that's not my concern. After the fight, of course a lot of people are going to bring up the weight issue, but, I mean, Chad Dawson made this fight on his own at 168 pounds. I never requested it; didn't push for it. I got a call that said, "Hey, the weight situation is done." They wanted it at 168 and that's what it was. I really don't know. Time will tell. I mean, at the end of the day, you gotta take the man at his word, you know? Him and his team, his strength & conditioning coach, whoever the guy is, is talking about how lean he's going to be and how strong he's going to be, so that's what I'm preparing for. I'm not concerned about the fact that he's not going to be 100% and all that kind stuff. That's for the fans and the media to debate. I'm locking in on the best Chad Dawson and I will be ready September 8th, regardles of how he shows up physically. I know for a fact that he's going to show up in top form.

BT: When you were coming up as an amateur and early as a pro, did you keep an eye out on Chad with the thought that some day you two would meet inside the ring?

AW: Of course. I mean, you don't know for sure, but I've always been a student of the game from a very young age, 10, 11 years old, when I first started boxing, so I knew of Chad Dawson. Anybody that's remotely in my range or close to my weight class is a possibility. In the amateurs, Chad was a little older than me I think by a couple years. We never crossed paths in the amateurs; I never saw him fight as an amateur or anything like that. Early on, when he was fighting under Dan Birmingham, I followed him and I watched him. When he switched to Eddie Mustafa, I kept tabs on him because we had the same managers at the time. Then he made the switch to John Scully, so yeah, I've definitely known who Chad was and I definitely kept tabs on him, absolutely. Again, because he was so close to my weight class and I've heard him referencing fighting at 168 before, you know for a fact it's a possibility.

BT: I know as a fighter, you're definitely willing to fight anybody and everybody. That being said, do you feel like this is the right time for this fight or was it more of a situation where you had to take it because there's not much out there?

AW: I think it's a combination of both. I think it's the right time for the fight, but then, on the same hand, I mean, who else is out there? I hear Carl Froch and Kessler try to bring my name up from time to time, but there's no validity to them wanting to fight again. There's some young, up-and-coming guys, but in terms of what a network like HBO is looking for, this is really the only viable option that I had, and I'm fine with it. I'm not going to allow myself to be forced into a fight, or anything like that, that we don't think is the right situation, but collectively as a team, why not fight now? I'm not going to be fighting in my 40's, so this is the right time to get it on.

BT: Obviously every fight is an important fight, and this one is no different, but just how important is this fight to you in terms of your career?

AW: I mean, obviously it's a big fight. It's on a huge network. It's two big names in the sport. It's the biggest American name that I've faced. I think it's a lot of excitement within the boxing community, but also outside of the boxing community. I mean, with the Super Six, not just in California but across the country, when I would tell people the European fighters that I had to fight, they didn't know who they were and I had to explain who they were. I haven't had to do that with Chad Dawson, so that let's me know that this is a big fight. People know who Chad Dawson is, they know who I am, and of course, at the end of the day, the only way you progress in this sport is by winning, and that's what I'm locked in on. For me personally, I don't really put too much stock into how big the event is or what's going to take place for the winner. At the end of the day, all I'm focused on is winning. If I would've fought a tune-up in June, which I tried to do, the end goal would've been to win and to look good doing it. That's why I'm locked in and I got like one single focus and that's prepare for the fight. I don't really get caught up in the mechanics of everything and what people are saying. I mean, obvioulsy I'm aware of it, but I don't focus on that. I mean, it's another day that I gotta go out there and I have to perform and I have to prepare myself to go to war. At the end of the day, I need to get my hand raised in order to continue to progress like I want to.

BT: You guys are going to be doing a 24/7 for this fight. Does it ever get annoying or are there ever any concerns about having a camera crew follow you around that much?

AW: I wouldn't say it's a concern. I mean, you gotta understand, I've had cameras in my face for the past 2 years with the Super Six, and Showtime, they're no joke. They're intense. You have a whole crew with you throughout the year, not just for 8 weeks or whatever, so it's not a problem and I'm not concerned about it. I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to the world and the American people just really understanding who I am and just being able to get a better understanding of who I am as a person and what I stand for and how I prepare. I think it's a beautiful thing. This is what I train for and this is what I have trained for all these years, to get to a certain point, and I feel like I'm on my way.

BT: That's wassup. Well I know you gotta save some for the press conference, so we can end on that note, but real quick, the Olympics are coming up. I know you're going to be watching, right?

AW: Oh yeah. The Olympics is coming at the perfect time with me being in training camp; I got stuff to do. I'm happy about that.

 

[HERESY]

Tickets for this fight go on sale tommorow? My bday is on the 3rd of spetember, I think I should treat myself.

 

[heyzel]

JOSESITO LOPEZ TO FACE SAUL ALVAREZ ON SEPTEMBER 15
By Ben Thompson | July 09, 2012

Sometimes your first instinct is the right choice. After weeks of speculation, the opponent for WBC jr. middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez has finally been revealed. According to several reports, Alvarez will be defending his title against Josesito Lopez when he returns to the ring on September 15. Lopez is coming off of a career-defining win, stopping former welterweight champion Victor Ortiz in 9 rounds after breaking his jaw. Ortiz was orginially supposed to get the coveted assignment to face Alvarez, but the upset-minded Lopez derailed those plans, forcing Golden Boy Promotions to come up with Plan B.

Prior to the upset, that Plan B had already been discussed according to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. "We have contingency plans in place, which we have worked out with Showtime, because you never know what will happen," Schaefer explained when he first announced that Alvarez would be facing Ortiz in the main event of a card dubbed "Knockout Kings", which was originally supposed to be televised on pay-per-view. "Of course, Josesito Lopez would be part of those contingency plans." Evidently, despite the fact that numerous opponents were rumored to be in the running, it looks like Lopez was the frontrunner all along.

The bout will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and will reportedly be televised on Showtime, going head-to-head with the Chavez Jr. vs. Martinez pay-per-view event taking place on the same date and in the same city.


golden boy knows damn well that canelo is too big for lopez

 

[bigface]

LOL.. Canelo vs. 144lb Lopez this can't be life.

 

[CZAR]

LOL.. Canelo vs. 144lb Lopez this can't be life.

Wow this is just plain silly! Lopez is gonna get destroyed. I hope he just comes out of the fight with no serious damage! Got Em!!

 

[IronLungs420]

JOSESITO LOPEZ TO FACE SAUL ALVAREZ ON SEPTEMBER 15
By Ben Thompson | July 09, 2012

Sometimes your first instinct is the right choice. After weeks of speculation, the opponent for WBC jr. middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez has finally been revealed. According to several reports, Alvarez will be defending his title against Josesito Lopez when he returns to the ring on September 15. Lopez is coming off of a career-defining win, stopping former welterweight champion Victor Ortiz in 9 rounds after breaking his jaw. Ortiz was orginially supposed to get the coveted assignment to face Alvarez, but the upset-minded Lopez derailed those plans, forcing Golden Boy Promotions to come up with Plan B.

Prior to the upset, that Plan B had already been discussed according to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. "We have contingency plans in place, which we have worked out with Showtime, because you never know what will happen," Schaefer explained when he first announced that Alvarez would be facing Ortiz in the main event of a card dubbed "Knockout Kings", which was originally supposed to be televised on pay-per-view. "Of course, Josesito Lopez would be part of those contingency plans." Evidently, despite the fact that numerous opponents were rumored to be in the running, it looks like Lopez was the frontrunner all along.

The bout will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and will reportedly be televised on Showtime, going head-to-head with the Chavez Jr. vs. Martinez pay-per-view event taking place on the same date and in the same city.


golden boy knows damn well that canelo is too big for lopez

when do tickets go on sale for this event???

 

[2-0-Sixx]

I'm kinda liking that mayorga fight suddenly lol.

good for lopez I guess, he gets a nice payday, loses and can go right back down in weight.

ill warch Chavez vs Martinez and catch the showtime replay.

 

[Lamberto Quintero]

That's fuckin lame.

@ heresy: if junior somehow beats maravilla, he will be a bigger draw than canelo no matter who canelo fights.

 

[CZAR]

I'm kinda liking that mayorga fight suddenly lol.

good for lopez I guess, he gets a nice payday, loses and can go right back down in weight.

ill warch Chavez vs Martinez and catch the showtime replay.

Man u aint lying. I actually would rather see him fight Mayorga than that small dude. I know u must have a DVR. I am gonna order the PPV and also record the Showtime fight at the sametime and then watch after the PPV goes off. Got Em!!

 

[heyzel]

ADRIEN BRONER: "I'M NOT JUST A CHAMPION...IF THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY WILL KNOW"
By Ben Thompson | July 10, 2012

"I just want everybody to know that I'm not just a champion; I'm a people's champion. I don't want people to think that I'm a cocky, arrogant guy. I'm just a humble guy who came from nothing and understands what I got on my plate, and I'm not going to let it go to waste...I'm not an ordinary guy. I can't do things that the ordinary people do, so I gotta do something different...If they don't know, they will know, so we gonna let the fighting do the talking, but I'ma talk my ass off anyway. Band Camp all the way," stated WBO featherweight champion Adrien "The Problem" Broner, who gave us an update from training camp as he prepares for his upcoming July 21 title defense against Vicente Escobedo. Check it out!

BT: What's up, Problem? How's training camp going?

AB: I'm arlight, man. Training camp's going well; I'm just ready to fight.

BT: You still got a little bit of time left; you ain't getting amped up yet, are you?

AB: Hey man, you know I don't ever get amped, man. This is what I do. Amped up for what? I've been doing this for a long time, man. You know, this is about a long stroke; we ain't short-jabbin'.

BT: (Laughing) That's wassup. You're out in Colorado, right?

AB: Yep.

BT: Have your training camps always been out there or did you just start doing that recently?

AB: Every training camp has been in Colorodo, man. I always come out here to train.

BT: Do you train out there for the physical conditioning benefits that you get from being in the mountains or is it just to avoid distractions at home?

AB: That, but the altitude, you know, the environment is just different out here. They love me out here, you know, we have no problems; I clear my mind out here.

BT: Cool, cool. So I know you already knew what was going to be shown in the "2 Days" special Saturday night, but did you watch it?

AB: Yeah, I watched. I can't lie about that.

BT: What did you think?

AB: I liked it. You know, of course, it's me. I love seeing myself doing something positive. It was great; it was cool.

BT: Obviously the purpose of the show is to give people a better understanding of who you are. What is it that you're hoping fans learned about you after watching that?

AB: Well, for one, I'm not just some hood kid who's just trying to be something that I'm not. I'm living my dream and I'm being myself. And, you know, I'm not a dumb kid. I speak fluently, I'm very well-educated, and I just want everybody to know that I'm not just a champion; I'm a people's champion. I don't want people to think that I'm a cocky, arrogant guy. I'm just a humble guy who came from nothing and understands what I got on my plate, and I'm not going to let it go to waste. I'm just enjoying my life.

BT: No doubt. For me, I think the most important thing that stood out is that, unlike some fighters, you recognize the fact that there is an entertainment aspect to this sport , and sometimes, you have to let your guard down and put yourself out there in order for fans to gravitate towards you.

AB: Exactly! I mean, no disrespect to the extra humble guys; I call them nice guys in suits, because in front of the camera, they got the smile on, they're talking good, you know, they're using the correct language, they're using the big words, they're saying the things they wouldn't say off camera. I mean, if they were off camera, they'll be talking in a different way, "What's up, nigga," this and that, and then they get on camera and then it's, "How are you doing?" They just put the proper talk on. No, that's not me. That's just not me. I'm going to be me on any given Sunday, just like today, you called me and I'm gonna be me. I'm gonna be the same. I'm me. If I feel like swearing in a sentence, I'm going to swear in a sentence, you know? If I want to say "Fuck", I'm going to say, "Fuck!" I mean, that's just how I feel. I'm being me, and if you don't like it, then everybody is entitled to their opinion and everyone can't be a fan. With that being said, some people gonna love me and a lot of people gonna hate me, but at the same time, I'ma always give love to the ones who love me and I'ma give love back to the ones who hate me too. So, you know, I'ma just keep doing me.

BT: As long as they keep watching (laughing). So tell me what you got up your sleeve for July 21st. I know you're not just walking out to the ring without having something special planned.

AB: Oh, listen man, you know I'm not an ordinary guy. I can't do things that the ordinary people do, so I gotta do something different. Like I said, they always said I was different when I was coming up. I don't know if they were calling me retarded or was they just saying I was a special kid? I don't know (laughing), so you know me, I'ma do me, man. It's going to be something real spectacular, man; fresh, fly, and flashy, man. It's Adrien "The Problem" Broner, this is what I do. I live for this. I was born for this, man. I promise to God, right hand on the Bible right now, if you go to my first grade teacher, they'll tell you the same thing. I was a show out, I was a class clown, and I loved to entertain. I'm just saying, I'm just being me. I've got something planned real good; they're going to love it. The walkout entrance is going to be nice.

BT: Well I just wanted to touch base for a quick update from camp. I'll get more from you about your July 21 plans for Escobedo as the fight gets closer.

AB: If they don't know, they will know, so we gonna let the fighting do the talking, but I'ma talk my ass off anyway. Band Camp all the way. Band Camp in the building. Adrien "The Problem" Broner in the building. It is what it is.

 

[bigface]

So I'm hearing that Ricky Hatton is making a comeback. lol Malignaggi vs Hatton 2..

Malignaggi Eager: I Know That I Can Beat Ricky Hatton!

By Rick Reeno

Across the ocean, the rumors are spreading hot and heavy like a forest fire. According to several UK media outlets, there are circulating rumors that former two division world champion Ricky Hatton (45-2, 32KOs) is considering a comeback - and he wants to target WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (31-4, 7KOs).

Hatton, 33-years-old, has been in active since the brutal two round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao in May of 2009. Several UK journalists have told BoxingScene.com that Hatton has been training and appears to be losing weight.

Hatton himself has not confirmed the return or made any comments regarding the rumors.

Prior to the loss to Pacquiao, Hatton stopped Malignaggi in the eleventh round of an IBO 140-pound title match in November of 2008.

As the Hatton rumors continue to explode, Malignaggi has already been contacted by every major news outlet in the UK.

The talkative New Yorker advised BoxingScene that he's been dreaming of securing the opportunity to avenge the Hatton loss.

"I'm hearing that Ricky Hatton is interested in a comeback and I'm hearing rumors that I'm the target of that comeback. I've had two rematches in my career and I'm 2-0 in those rematches. In our fight, he did very well. I'd like to think that are a lot of things that I could have done [better] and I'd like to think that I've made a lot of changes on my team that have really, really brought out the best in me," Malignaggi told BoxingScene.com

"It's loss that I've had to live with. It's a loss that hindered me and every day I think about that loss and it bothers me. It's unfortunate because I should have done much better but it was what it was. The rematch is something that interests me. I have nothing but respect for Ricky, his fans and his family. They were nothing but respectful to me during the entire promotion and I expect nothing less in the rematch. I know that he wants to come back and win a title to reclaim old glory but it's my time now and I know that I can beat Ricky Hatton."

 

[heyzel]

CHAVEZ SR. TO MARTINEZ: "YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN KO'D BY 1 MEXICAN, WHY NOT 2"
By Fernando Pimentel | July 10, 2012

The war of words is heating up between the camps of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Sergio Martinez. Moments ago, during a press conference held in Los Angeles to officially announce their anticipated showdown, the father of Chavez Jr., Hall of Famer and Mexican icon Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., did not mince words when it came to letting Martinez know exactly what's in store for him on September 15th. "With all due respect, Argentina always beats us in soccer, but as boxers, us Mexicans always beat you," he commented.

"You have already been KO'd by one Mexican, why not 2," Chavez Sr. continued, making it clear that he's not impressed with reigning middleweight king and is confident that his son will score a knockout victory. The elder Chavez Sr. has good reason to believe in his son's abilities, particularly given his last performance, when he walked through the punches of Martinez's stablemate Andy Lee en route to a 7th round TKO victory. Martinez, being a natural 154-pounder, could be giving up roughly 20 pounds or more in size when he steps into the ring with Chavez Jr. on fight night. Whether or not that will make a difference remains to be seen, but one thing is clear. The bad blood between these camps is sure to produce fireworks on September 15th.