Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy To Return July 23rd?

26.06.08 - by James Slater: In what will be his first fight this year, former IBF super-middleweight champion Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy, according to BoxRec, is set to fight again this July 23rd in California. Facing Colombia's 32-year-old Epifanio Mendoza, Lacy's ten round super-middleweight clash will go out on ESPN2..

Mendoza, a light-heavyweight these days, was last seen challenging unsuccessfully for Chad Dawson's WBC 175 pound world title. Stopped in the 4th round last September, Mendoza's record fell to a still more than reasonable 28-5-1(24). A tall guy at 6'1," the fighter known as "Diamante" has only been stopped twice in a career that began back in November of 1999. Without question, Dawson is the best fighter the 32-year-old has ever faced, however he has a few good wins on his record also. Back in June of 2003, for example, Mendoza stopped the then undefeated Rubin Williams in one round to win the NABA middleweight belt.

It's not clear what Mendoza has left today, boxing up at light-heavyweight - but if he's still got something to offer he just may make things quite tough for the returning Lacy. Lacy, of course, was a world champion and he was considered a future superstar at the time. Subsequently losing badly to Joe Calzaghe in March of 2006 and only boxing twice since - in less than convincing fashion - a number of people apparently feel "Left Hook" is a spent force.
After suffering a shoulder injury in his points win over Vitali Tsypko in his first fight back after Calzaghe shut him out over twelve rounds, Lacy won a decision over Contender star Peter Manfredo Jr on the under-card of the huge Mayweather-Hatton bill. Here again Lacy struggled. Now set to face the much taller Mendoza (Jeff stands at just 5'10") after having been absent for over seven months, the 31-year-old has it all to do.

Should he put on an impressive performance against the Colombian - who will be having his first fight in almost a year himself - Lacy will likely put himself back in the frame for some future big fights. Another struggle, however, and the cries of him being a finished fighter will continue.

"Left Hook" hasn't picked an overly easy opponent for his latest bout, and I see the man from St. Petersburg having to once again go the full route to get a win. Look for Lacy to gut out another close decision on July 23rd.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Thoroughbreds Peterson and Martirosyan Meet Trialhorses


By Jake Donovan

Slowly but surely, the presence of the Class of 2004 is being felt in the boxing world. A pair of Andres – Berto and Ward – both enjoyed dominant performances last weekend on HBO and Showtime, respectively.

On a smaller stage, 2004 US Olympian Vanes Martirosyan and former amateur standout Anthony Peterson look to take the biggest step of their respective careers, serving on both ends of a Versus doubleheader live from Las Vegas (Thursday, 8PM ET/PT).

Everything about tonight's fight is a debut for Anthony Peterson (26-0, 19KO). It's the first time as a pro he appears on VERSUS and in Las Vegas, while also fighting for the first time since he and brother Lamont (who fights next weekend on Showtime) signed with Top Rank.

His first opponent under the Top Rank banner is somewhat of step up in competition, depending on which version of Fernando Trejo shows up tonight. The Mexican trial horse splits his time between 130 and 135, more often than not coming up short when matched against notable opposition, but almost always proving to be a tough out on most nights.

Tonight, Trejo basically serves as a measuring stick for the direction in which Top Rank guide the younger Peterson's career. To date, there's been very little point of reference, with the talented boxer-puncher largely untested in the ring, therefore making his intangibles something of a question mark.

As amateurs, Anthony and Lamont were seen as can't miss prospects, both heavily favored to find a spot on the 2004 US Olympic roster. Both saw their dreams dashed at the Olympic Trials, losing against eventual Olympians, with Anthony's road to Athens hitting a dead end after falling short against Vicente Escobedo.

Considering his childhood, that he even made it that far in life, not just boxing, is a victory in and of itself. At times homeless and parent-less, Anthony and Lamont were often left to fend for themselves as kids. That changed when they met boxing trainer Barry Hunter, who would serve as a mentor in the ring and father figure outside of it.

Hunter has been with both Peterson brothers throughout their entire careers, and the strong bond in their relationship was proven earlier this year.

Also co-managed by Shelly Finkel, the Peterson's had their choice of big time promoters to sign with after having previously spent much of their pro careers fighting on cards promoted by Prize Fight Boxing, based just outside of Memphis. Finkel was angling to work out a deal with Golden Boy, while also fielding an offer from Top Rank. Hunter took the initiative to sign with Top Rank, much to Finkel's chagrin, as he planned for Anthony to fight in the co-feature slot for Oscar de la Hoya's homecoming last month.

Hunter won that battle.

Peterson has won all of his battles in the ring thus far since turning pro in Memphis in 2004, underneath Glen Johnson's shocking knockout of Roy Jones Jr. To date, none of Anthony's opponents were given even a remote chance of winning, even with several of his fights appearing on ESPN2 and ShoBox.

That most likely won't change tonight, though Trejo should at least make his presence felt, which is a step up from what Peterson's grown accustomed through four years as a pro.

If you've watched Telefutura's Solo Boxeo Tecate series at any point since its inception, chances are you've seen Fernando Trejo (30-13-4, 18KO) on the B-side of a junior lightweight fight, with an even greater chance that it came in a losing effort. It happened last November, when Trejo was getting the better of Bobby Pacquiao in their televised co-feature before being forced to concede in the fourth round after suffering a freak injury.

An equally heartbreaking loss came three years ago, when he fell just short against undefeated junior lightweight prospect Urbano Antillon. That loss came four months after the biggest win of Trejo's career, a come-from-behind 10th round stoppage of then-unbeaten Jose Armando Santa Cruz.

Despite the less-than-stellar record, Trejo has been matched tough throughout his entire career, to where it can be argued that he boasts a better resume than Peterson.

The theme of 2008 so far has been experienced journeyman exposing undefeated but overprotected fighters. Peterson is a bit more of a proven commodity than most that've fallen short in recent months, but at the very least will know he's been in a fight – always an important step as you begin to transition from prospect to contender, at which point Peterson presently stands in his career.

The aforementioned formula is perhaps more befitting of the co-feature slot, where the undefeated, hard-hitting Armenian transplant Vanes "Nightmare" Martirosyan steps up against resurgent junior middleweight Angel "Toro" Hernandez.

A 2004 Olympian, Martirosyan (19-0, 13KO) takes a significant step up in competition in a career that's been lights out to date, though against limited opposition. A regular on the Versus series, Martirosyan's last bout was also in the co-feature capacity, starching Michi Munoz in three rounds that far and away overshadowed the 10 rounds of stink that came in the evening's main event between Kendall Holt and Ben Tackie.

Not that Munoz was any great shakes going in, but he represented one of the better names to grace Vanes' resume since turning pro in 2005, a few months after the 2004 Summer Olympics. Tonight, he could find himself in a dogfight for the first time in his young career.

Previously unbeaten middleweight Louis Turner found out the hard way just how much Angel Hernandez (28-6, 16KO) has left in the tank. Hernandez delivered one of the better performances in his career last October, taking Turner into deep waters before drowning the untested prospect in their eight-round war on the non-televised portion of Juan Diaz' stoppage of Julio Diaz in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

The win put the old pro's career in a new light, after having previously been best known for the fights he lost – a split decision to Kassim Ouma and a failed title bid against Winky Wright in a bout that was much closer than the Vegas scorecards suggested.

For this fight, Hernandez returns to the junior middleweight division, after showing up out of his element – though still winning – at 161 lb. for the Turner fight. Hernandez is generally fleshy, but far more effective when closer to the junior middleweight limit (he officially weighed in at 155 for tonight's fight, Martirosyan a pound lighter).

If Martirosyan has shown any flaws through three years as a pro, it's that his defense isn't exactly stellar. Of course, in order to exploit it, you have to wade through a hell of a lot of incoming, as Vanes already boasts one of the best jabs in the division, if not all of boxing, and earns the "Nightmare" nickname on the strength of a right hand that has closed many a show.

It would be quite a statement for Martirosyan to score a knockout tonight; Hernandez boasts a granite chin, and has only been stopped once in his career, eight years ago against another former Olympian, Rhoshii Wells. But then, making statements is what tonight's telecast is supposed to be all about, with judgment day now upon a pair of potential thoroughbreds in Vanes Martirosyan and Anthony Peterson.

Jake Donovan is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Tennessee Boxing Advisory Board. Comments/questions can be submitted to [email protected]

 

[heyzel]

Clottey Training Hard, Prepared To Battle Zab Judah

By Dave Sholler

Gearing up for his August 2nd IBF welterweight title fight against Zab Judah at The Palms Casino in Las Vegas, hard-nosed contender Joshua Clottey has taken his training camp to high altitudes.

The Ghana native recently set up shop at The Fernwood Resort in the Pocono Mountains and his fight camp is well underway. Clottey, who now resides in Bronx, NY, decided to take advantage of the Poconos in hopes of gaining an edge in his preparations.

“I love running in the mountains,” Clottey said during a break in camp Wednesday. “I am training hard for this fight because I have to win the belt.”

Fighting for the 147-pound title recently vacated by Antonio Margarito, Clottey (34-2, 20 KOs) was stern in his assessment of the Judah bout. Refusing to divulge any details of his game plan, Clottey insisted that he will be prepared to trade with Judah (36-5, 25 KOs).

“I will let him (Judah) fight and I’ll let him throw his hands,” Clottey said firmly. “It’s time for me to win the title. I have to focus and make sure that I do what I know how to do well (in the ring).

“I’m going in there to do my job and take the belt.”

Clottey, 4-0 since losing his previous title fight to Antonio Margarito in December 2006, defeated Jose Luis Cruz in his last bout in April. Judah, a former welterweight and junior welterweight champion, is 2-3 with one no contest since 2006. Since losing to Miguel Cotto last year, “Super” Judah is 2-0 and most recently defeated Ryan Davis in November.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Weights from Las Vegas

Anthony Peterson 133 vs Fernando Trejo 132
(NABF interim lightweight title)
Vanes Martirosyan 154 vs Angel Hernandez 155
Miguel Angel Garcia 127 vs Jaesung Lee 127
Venue: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas
Promoter: Top Rank
TV: VERSUS

 

[heyzel]

At The Crossroads - John Duddy vs. Edison Miranda?

By James Boyle: Two fighters struggling to keep hope alive as they make their way through their up and down careers need to find an answer to right their slowly sinking ships. Last weekend Edison Miranda after taking at least the first 2 rounds against a slow starting (albeit an intentional strategy) Arthur Abraham was brutally knocked out in the 4th stanza. Once Abraham stepped on the gas it looked as though Miranda shouldn't have been in the same ring with the "King".

Miranda will always be a threat because of his punching power and will always be an attraction because of his boisterous nature. But even though he had a highlight KO over "Contender" participant David Banks Edison hasn't had a significant victory since nearly knocking out Willie Gibbs in one a year and a half ago. Yes he nearly knocked out Allan Green, but unbeknownst to all Green was a very sick man at the time. And let's not forget his destruction at the hands of "The Ghost."

John Duddy, loved by many because of his crowd pleasing style and charming personality, appears to have been very over-rated after his last few performances. Against the unknown and relatively inexperienced Walid Smichet he looked extremely pedestrian and was very fortunate to escape with a Majority decision. I personally had the fight scored a draw. Ever since his fight with Yory Boy Campas (another Duddy fight that I had scored a draw) he hasn't looked the same. Guys like Dupre Strickland and Alessio Furlan had no business whatsoever going 10 rounds with the Irishman. Although Duddy has maintained an undefeated record he has been playing with fire. Now Duddy is taking on yet another no-name fighter with very limited ability. His opponent, 33 year old Charles Howe hasn't fought in nearly a year since being stopped in one round by another former "Contender" Joey Gilbert. Doesn't say a whole lot about Chuck now does it? But after being cut up by Smichet I can understand Duddy going back to the drawing board for one more preliminary type fight. But then it's time for John to fish or cut bait. At 29 years of age John has pretty much finished with the learning curve.

So how can both Edison Miranda and John Duddy start to get back into the limelight? Answer: Have them fight each other. If Duddy can relatively easily beat Howe, and heaven knows that he should, he needs to finally have a marquee fight. He's only fought 2nd and 3rd rate fighters or guys that are long past their primes, like Eastman and Campas. Miranda also needs an opponent that could vault him back into title contention right away and show the boxing public that he's still a player. Yes, Duddy's a Middleweight and Miranda has moved up to Super, but Miranda seemed to have more power at Middleweight and might be better suited at 160 lbs. If not, how about a catchweight fight?

Personally I think it would be a super attractive match up. Miranda has extremely good power and can take most opponents (sans Pavlik and Abraham) out with a single shot if he lands it. However, at the same time he's vulnerable. He has tasted the canvas 7 times in his last 5 fights. So he certainly is a bit "chinny". And he doesn't seem to be the same fighter he was before hooking up with Pavlik. A few years ago this wouldn't be a contest. But now with Miranda obviously demoralized and wondering what has gone wrong he just might be ripe for the picking against a motivated and properly trained and educated Duddy. While Duddy doesn't seem to possess that kind of power he is technically a better fighter at least from an orthodox point of view. Maybe if he's learned his lessons from his past few fights or better yet improved in training camp he might be able to take advantage of Miranda's seemingly softening chin and score what would easily be the biggest victory of his career and vault him right back into the hunt for a title shot. The key for Duddy would be to survive Pantera's early all out assault and try to take Edison out into deep water because it seems at least to a certain extent that Miranda may have a bit of a stamina problem. Can't really tell yet. Duddy surely hasn't fought anyone with the power of Edison, but he has taken some terrific shots and has remained upright and he certainly has the "Irish" heart beating strong. I don't think it's too far-fetched that Duddy could score a victory here in a fight in which he would certainly be an underdog. If Duddy were to win I would have to say it would be a distance fight since he doesn't have the same kind of power possessed by Pavlik and Abraham.

For Miranda, if he can compose himself in the ring somewhat and not waste a lot of energy on meaningless punches he could certainly a few of his big bombs on Duddy's chin. Against Smichet Duddy couldn't avoid a punch if it was sent via Western Union. And Duddy's face has been falling to pieces lately in fights and that could certainly play a big role. Granted, Miranda fights in an unorthodox style and that's the only way he knows how to fight, and usually it's successful. But against smarter and more talented fighters it doesn't seem to do him much good. He needs to pace himself better and if he does could very easily score a win. Also, John Duddy would be facing someone the likes of which he has never encountered. Pantera could immediately swarm John and score an early and sensational knockout. Or take his time, lull John into a false sense of security and then land "OH S---" (as Chris Arreola would say) power shot that would end the night.

Either way, it's a very risky proposition for both men. If Miranda were to lose he would certainly be on his way to "opponent" status. If Duddy were to get cracked, cut to ribbons and stopped he would lose any remaining credibility that he has. So much to gain and yet so much to lose. But that's what makes this sport so exciting and dramatic. Two guys laying it on the line fighting for their professional careers. I would love to see a fight like this on HBO After Dark sometime in the near future. For the winner, new hope and possibly a bright future. For the loser it might be time to start thinking about a new career.

As for a prediction as to who would win? Well I don't know if we would be able to glean much from a Duddy victory over Howe even if he puts him out in a single round. So based on the information that we do have I would have to go with Miranda because of his experience and the far better opposition that he has faced. If Duddy were to win he'd certainly have to be at his best. Either way it would be one helluva event and a lot of fun for the fans. What do you think??? N'uff Said.

 

[heyzel]

Once Joe Calzaghe Retires, Who Is The Best Light-Heavyweight In The World?

by James Slater - Regardless of the criticism he's been getting from some people for choosing to face a faded Roy Jones Junior in what will almost certainly be his last fight, the fact cannot be denied that Joe Calzaghe is the best in the world at 175 pounds right now. Not only is Joe The Ring magazine and lineal champ, the 36-year-old is also the choice for the best in the world pound-for-pound when it comes to a vast number of people.

Without a doubt, "The Pride of Wales," for as long as he remains where he is before exiting the sport, is the best on the planet at light-heavyweight - despite his only having had one fight at the weight thus far. But when Joe goes, and it seems it will be early next year, who will be the most obvious choice to take over at the top in the opinion of most? As things stand right now, who is the best in the world after Calzaghe?

The light-heavyweight division has its share of good names at present. There are unbeaten young studs who have recently picked up a belt and are on the rise (Chad Dawson). There are grizzled, yet still teak-tough veteran former champions who will not go away (Glen Johnson and Bernard Hopkins). And there are guys who once dazzled and continue to do so in a slightly less formidable, but still respectable, manner (Roy Jones and Antonio Tarver). Then you have an unfashionable champion that not too many fans have seen fight (Zsolt Erdei) and an emerging puncher many feel has been avoided (Adrian Diaconu). So who do you like best? Who is the man to take over from Joe Calzaghe?

I think we can pretty much eliminate the trio that is Hopkins, Jones and Johnson. No disrespect to these three greats, but at their current age neither guy figures to be around for too much longer. And Calzaghe has already beaten Hopkins and is getting ready to beat up Jones (which he surely will do). And as for Johnson, surely even as stubborn and determined a fighter as he does not exactly have a long reign atop the division ahead of him. After a combined four of five fights at most, these three former champions will very likely have retired themselves. No, for a long-time successor to Calzaghe and a truly dominant champion we must look to the younger guys.

Dawson, though he struggled against Johnson in his last fight and has, according to some critics, a suspect chin, is a good candidate. He's young enough at 25, he holds a major title with his WBC belt and he's both talented and exciting. Should he get past Diaconu in what will very possibly be his next fight, "Bad Chad" may become the man to take over from Joe.

But what about Tarver and Erdei? When it comes to "The Magic Man" you never really know. Capable of looking like dynamite in one fight (KO 2 Jones), but then like blank ammunition in another (L 12 Hopkins), Tarver is unreliable at best. Also, as with Hopkins, Jones and Johnson, age is against him. Still, it's impossible to write off a fighter who holds the IBF title and who looked almost back to his best last time out (Vs. the tough Clinton Woods). As for Erdei, he may be the dark horse of the weight class. Yes, he's world champion, according to the WBO anyway, and he's unbeaten. But Erdei has yet to box a meaningful fight outside of either Germany or Hungary. This hurts him in terms of public recognition. In terms of fighting ability, however, the Hungarian might be the best in the world. Erdei must get moving soon at his current age of 34, though.

When all is said and done, in the opinion of this writer at least, the next dominant force at the top of today's light-heavyweight division comes down to two fighters - Chad Dawson or Zsolt Erdei. With the dangerous, but still unproven, Adrian Diaconu also in with a shout. Could Joe Calzaghe beat each and every one of these fighters if he were to take them on next? Sure. But once he's gone it will be one of these guys who will take over for him atop the 175 pound division of the late 2000s.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

vanes already scoring the knockdown. he's lookin good.

el toro is taking a severe beating and he keeps laughing, lol. that's tight

 

[2-0-Sixx]

This is a great read from Nate Campbell. I always love reading his letters....


Nate Campbell Sends a Message To Manny Pacquiao, David Diaz


To David and Manny,

Good luck to both of you this Saturday. I know alot of folks are predicting Manny to win this with ease, but I also know it ain't gonna happen that easily. But that's neither here nor there. I'm writing this letter because I want the winner of your fight to really consider the history that could be made by fighting the winner of my September 13th fight with Joan Guzman, which of course I am confident will be me Anyways, the winner of your fight in meeting the winner of my fight has the chance to do something that has only been done once in the history of boxing. A complete unification of the IBF,WBO, WBC, and WBA world titles. The only other person in history to accomplish that feat was Bernard Hopkins. Roy never did it. Oscar never did it. Floyd never did it. Nobody except Bernard ever did it.

And that's not to say we would be better than those guys, or anything like that, but we do have the opportunity to do something that they never did. So lets truly make the effort, for the sake of history, to make a fight between us a reality, before mandatories, or other economic realities prevent the titles from staying together. We all know there is plenty of money to go around, and let's face it, all of us are financially ok already anyways, so for once, let's NOT make it about the money, and lets do whats right for boxing. We have a chance to make a complete unification happen. Lets not let money, or our promoters, or anything else get in the way of that.

As much as I love Don and Terry, I have no problem telling both of them that after the Guzman fight, they don't need to bother sending me any bout agreements that don't have either David or Manny's name on it (whoever wins). And both of you could tell Bob the same thing. Don't forget that these guys are supposed to work for US, not the other way around. And specifically to David, I know a fight with Manny would mean alot more $$ than a fight with you would, but if you win on Saturday, everything I have said here still stands.

This chance to make history and unify all four world titles is bigger than you and me. Alot bigger. And even though it might not be for a ton of money, we still would need to fight, and not let this opportunity get away. It's about history. It's about being the second man in the history of boxing to do this. And so to whichever of you guys wins on Saturday, don't forget what this sport has given you, and understand that sometimes something needs to be given back. Relax a while, enjoy your victory, spend time with your family, and then tell Bob that the only fight you are interested in is the Campbell-Guzman winner. We can always make money, but it's not too often that we get the chance to make history.

 

[m.w.merlino]

Campbell writes well. Didn't know he was fighting Guzman though?

 

[2-0-Sixx]

yeah it's going to be a great fight. I think Guzman takes this though, he's a mini-mayweather and campbell doesn't move around plus he's aged a bit. I think Guzman will try to make a statement though and trade shots with campbell.

What nate says makes sense and I agree with him. Pacquiao should go after the belts and unify. I'll be pissed if he fights Ricky hatton or some shit.

 

[naner12]

Just got finished watching the Versus fight card and god damn they kept knocking Peterson all fucking fight. Apparently he's fighting a guy who might not be the greatest but can survive and stay in there. Why the fuck do the expect any different from Peterson then the 12 other guys that beat him minus Bobby Pacquiao. How'd they get that Peterson could blow through him whenever he wanted?

I usually hate Versus commentary but damn that shit was annoying.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

yeah they were awful tonight. They ripped on peterson for no good reason. I mean he did win every single round.

And that guy's loss to bobby pac was due to a shoulder injury, dislocated it and couln't continue. Not like he got KTFO or some shit.

what did you think of Vanes? Kinda similar to the peterson fight, where both guys took a beating and you just hoped for the KO. Hernandez doesn't look like anything like the guy I remember.

 

[naner12]

Vanes looked good to me. He needed to go 10 rounds sooner or later. The only thing I didn't like was that he got clipped with ridiculous overhand rights. I know he's gonna get hit in a 10 rounder eventually but the shots were so telegraphed looked like he pulled them out his back pocket. I think both are ready to take a bigger step up. Wouldn't mind seeing Anthony Peterson fight a guy like Julio Diaz or Vanes taking on someone like Andrey Tsurkan.

EDIT: Just saw that Tsurkan is scheduled to fight Angulo on the BAD that features Gamboa/Kirkland/Angulo again. That should be a dope scrap.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

yeah, he did get caught a few times but it was later in the fight where I'm pretty sure Vanes knew nothing hernandez threw at him could hurt him and vanes was taking a bit more risks because of it. He's young though, only 22, so we'll see how he does against tougher opponents.

Damn, so they are having another card with Gamboa/Kirkland/Angulo? lol, that's sick.

 

[naner12]

Damn, so they are having another card with Gamboa/Kirkland/Angulo? lol, that's sick.

Yea, if that's the same card that Kirkland vs. Julio is happening that's gonna be insane. HBO is doing a dope thing in trying to build up 3 future stars for future cards/PPVs.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Miguel Cotto Takes it To The Next Level For Margarito

By Mark Vester

WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto is taking his training to the next level for his July 26 clash with Antonio Margarito. With a month to go until fight time, Cotto is well below the regulated weight and his body is more cut than ever seen in the past.

Assistant trainer Miguel Diaz is very impressed with Cotto's progress for the fight.

"I believe that Miguel is more than advanced in his work. On Thursday, he had to weigh a maximum weight of 169-pounds and he is well under that limit," Diaz told Primera Hora. "Miguel is working very hard. I've never seen him so cut and show so much muscle definition with 30-days to go for a fight."

Diaz predicts that Cotto will knock Margarito out before the ninth-round. He doesn't see Margarito having the tools to win, but at the same time they view him as the biggest threat Cotto has ever faced.

"Margarito is not only strong but determined. Margarito is willing to die to win a fight. He is going to put everything on the line because he needs a defining fight in his career and for him - this is the defining fight," Diaz said. But Margarito does not have the ring intelligence, the offensive and defensive power of Cotto. We are very well aware that Margarito is a man where Miguel does not have the luxury of taking it easy for a single round round or backing off because Margarito will then get himself together."

 

[heyzel]

Roy Jones Talks Calzaghe, Jermain Taylor vs. Carl Froch?

By Mark Vester

Roy Jones Jr. confirmed the latest details about his upcoming bout with Joe Calzaghe and says the fight is almost sure to land on September 20 in Las Vegas, with the MGM Grand as the likely host. The fight will take place at light heavyweight limit of 175-pounds. Jones also spoke about some of the recent promotional splits. During the negotiations for the fight, Jones split from Don King and Calzaghe split from promoter Frank Warren.

Jones says it's the first time that two fighters sat down and personally came to a deal. They did not want Golden Boy, King or anyone else involved. The fight is slated to be the last for Calzaghe and could become the last for Jones.

"I am free and he is free and this will be the first time in a very long time that two fighters sat down and ironed out all the details themselves. We didn't want nobody like Golden Boy, or Frank Warren or Don King involved and we're fortunate enough to get this done our way," Jones told reporter Greg Leon.

With Calzaghe moving forward with Jones, the WBC will strip him of their super middleweight title. The BBC reports that Jermain Taylor is expected to face mandatory challenger Carl Froch for the vacant title. Taylor returns on HBO in November and his target for the last few weeks has been Jeff Lacy. Froch, an rising unbeaten fighter from the UK, will probably provide a tougher challenge than Lacy.

 

[heyzel]

Does Roy Jones see a weakness in Calzaghe?

By Geoffrey Ciani As of this moment, it appears a forthcoming showdown between Joe Calzaghe and Roy Jones Junior will soon be upon us. Negotiations for the bout have supposedly been in the works for some time, which is hardly surprising given Jones is a notoriously tough negotiator. Even though this fight would have made more sense some ten years earlier, it is nonetheless, still an intriguing clash, and one that ought to attract major interest within the boxing community.

Calzaghe is coming off the most impressive win in his career, having just beaten the ageless warrior, Bernard Hopkins. On the other hand, Jones is coming off a total farce in which he beat a grossly overmatched Felix Trinidad in a bout that should probably have never happened, given Tito was fighting well above his normal weight after a long period of inactivity. For Calzaghe, the Jones fight makes perfect sense. Given Jones’ already cemented legacy and the fact that he is clearly in decline, this could be an easy way for Calzaghe to get another feather in his cap to help secure his own legacy. For Jones, this bout is an entirely different matter.

Does Roy Jones see a weakness in Calzaghe’s style that he thinks he can exploit?

Upon first hearing of the possibility of such a contest, my immediate reaction was that Calzaghe will probably outwork and out-hustle Jones en route to a decision victory. I still believe that this is the most likely outcome; Calzaghe has absurd stamina to go along with his incredible work rate. Such a combination presents a most daunting task for Jones, especially at this stage in his career, where a series of losses in recent years has reduced him to taking on sub-par competition. In his fight with Hopkins, Calzaghe proved he is amongst the very best the sport has to offer, and indeed, an argument can be made that he is in fact the best (although, Manny Pacquiao will have something to say about that tomorrow night).

That Jones apparently wants this fight with Calzaghe is most intriguing. In many ways, it reminds me of when Hopkins was hell-bent on squaring off against Jones’ two-time conqueror, Antonio Tarver. Hopkins saw something in Tarver’s style that he knew he could exploit, and did he ever! It appears that Jones must see, or at least think he sees, a similar type of weakness in Calzaghe. I, for one, am hard-pressed to see what that weakness is, but perhaps Jones is taking more of a calculated risk and hoping for the best. After all, it is not as if he shan’t be well-paid for his efforts.

That said, I believe Jones’ best chance against Calzaghe obviously revolves around counter-punching. Against Hopkins, Calzaghe was caught with many flush counters, especially in the early-going before Joe began making the necessary adjustments. One of these counters even dropped Calzaghe on his ass in the first round. Given that Hopkins is not especially known for his punching power (which is probably underrated by most, incidentally), is it possible that this is what Jones is banking on? That he will have ample counter-punching opportunities against Joe’s often reckless style and that since he has more speed and power in his punches than Hopkins, this will lead him to victory, or at the very least, give him a chance at victory?

I do think Jones is banking on the fact that Calzaghe probably does not have the type of power to knock him out. Of course, Calzaghe has such a high punch output that a late stoppage is never out of the question, but chances are, Joe will not stop Jones early. This means Jones will have several chances to catch Calzaghe with something big, and something quick. More specifically, the longer Jones can hang around, the greater his chances of catching Calzaghe with a punch he does not see coming.

Although I still maintain that my initial reaction is the most likely outcome whereby Calzaghe will outwork and out-hustle Jones en route to a unanimous decision, perhaps Jones has more of a chance than I first realized. After all, Jones still has speed, and he still has decent pop in his punches. Maybe he can land something big on Calzaghe and help re-establish himself after disappointing efforts against Tarver and Glenn Johnson? Time will tell. Either way, the more I think about this match-up, the more interesting its prospects become.

 

[heyzel]

Euro Boxing Roundup: Solis vs Botha is Off, Sylvester vs Sturm, Tua pulls out of Odes

By Per Ake Persson: Cuban heavy Odlanier Solis is injured and the fight against South African Frans Botha set for July 4 in Ankara is off. On is WBC Int´l cruiser champ Herbie Hide, who defends the title against Swiss-Albanian Nuri Seferi. Middleweight Mahir Oral will face Latvian Jurijs Boreiko. The show is headlined by Sinan Samil Sam and Paolo Vidoz in a fight for the EBU heavy title..

EBU middle champ Sebastian Sylvester has since the last update of this column been named official challenger for WBA champ Felix Sturm. The winner of Sturm vs Griffin July 5 has 120 days to defend against Sylvester.

Sauerland Event have acted quickly to the news that WBA heavy champ Ruslan Chagaev is injured and are asking for either Chagaev to be stripped of the title or to have Valuev fight for an interim title. This was the second postponement of the scheduled rematch between Chagaev and Valuev and considering the rumors around the champion Sauerland are asking for an independent evalutation of Chagaev´s physical status.

EBU supermiddle champ Karo Murat will defend the title against Spaniard Gabriel Campillo with August 30 or September 20 at a site to be announced in Germany.

The big show planned for Odessa, Ukraine, July 12 is postponed until September after headliner David Tua pulled out

 

[heyzel]

Mosley-Mayorga - All Risk And No Reward For Sugar Shane?

by James Slater: Former lightweight-welterweight and light-middleweight champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley has certainly picked a risky opponent for his next fight. With his sights still very much on becoming a world champion yet again before his great career is over, Mosley choosing to take on the wildly dangerous yet no longer world class Ricardo Mayorga is quite a surprise..

Beaten almost every time he has stepped up to face the best (his two shock wins over Vernon Forrest being the Nicaraguan's only truly impressive wins), Mayorga is now looked at as a faded force at top level. But, at the same time, Mayorga remains a very dangerous faded force at top level. Sure, he's been used as a veritable punching bag by the returning duo that was Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad recently, but the fact remains Mayorga can still punch, is still a wild man and has an unpredictability that could make him a handful for a number of fighters. Will Shane Mosley be one of them?

Mosley is by far the better boxer, the more disciplined fighter and the more talented fighter, but what does he have to gain by taking on Mayorga? If he beats him, the critics may well say, "so what, Trinidad and De La Hoya have already beaten up on Mayorga anyway." While if Mayorga should get extremely lucky and cause the upset, what then for the 36-year-old Mosley? Again, it's a strange fight for Mosley to take at this stage of his career.

Normally a shrewd guy when it comes down to who to fight, Mosley, without ever ducking anyone, has almost always fought opponents who his defeating would gain for him something substantial - be it a world title or the right to fight for one. But what will a win over Mayorga get him? The original plan was for Shane to box new WBC light-middleweight champ Sergio Mora, and that fight made sense. This fight was scrapped through no fault of Mosley's, but "Sugar's" decision to take the Mayorga fight instead wasn't really seen coming.

Will the fight even be a success at the box-office? Mayorga, now 34 and with only his November 2007 points win over the also-faded Fernando Vargas to speak of in terms of reasonable wins in the last three years, is no longer a pay-per-view attraction. Not only that, but will "El Matador" even be able to get down to 154 pounds in a manner that leaves him at 100 percent? The Vargas fight took pace at 164 pounds, and Mayorga had to work hard to make that.

The more you look at it, the better it would have been for Mosley to have hung around at welterweight. Surely a big fight would have materialised for him at 147 before too long. In taking the option he has in facing Mayorga, however, Mosley runs the risk of taking part in a fight that, A: not too many fans will want to pay to see, B: could well become an ugly fight with Mayorga giving him fits with his wild man, crazy antics, or C: sees him get caught by a lucky punch and beaten.

But even if Mosley puts on a clinic and beats the living daylights out of Mayorga, what will the effort of doing that have earned him at the end of the day? Of all the fights Shane Mosley has taken in his long and largely successful career, this one ranks right up there with his bad decision to take on Winky Wright back in 2004. But at least there a win would have earned him huge respect for defeating a much avoided boxer. Once again, what will a win over a 34-year-old Mayorga get him?