Joan Guzman vs Soto, Hopkins, Mares added to card Nov 17

[2-0-Sixx]

This is going to be a great boxing night. Make sure to check it out, I've been talking about undefeated Guzman for a long time now, Soto is no joke either. He recently knocked out Manny Pacquiao's little brother, Bobby.

Big test for both fighters. The winner of this fight will most definitely get a chance at Pacquiao in early 2008. Definitely a night to pay close attention to.

Recently added to the card is considered by most boxing insiders to be the sport’s next can’t miss prospect, Abner Mares (14-0, 9 KO’s), a member of the 2004 Mexican Olympic team. He will face Damian David Marchiano (14-2-1, 5 KO’s).

Also added, the nephew of middleweight legend Bernard Hopkins Demetrius “The Gladiator” Hopkins (27-0-1, 11 KO’s).


Joan “Little Tyson” Guzman 27 (KO 17), lost 0

Humberto “Zorrito” Soto 43 (KO 27) - lost 5 (last loss was 5 years ago), 2 draws

 

[REdRUM]

Should be a very entertaining fight; great matchup, IMO.

 

[hoggin303]

i agree gonna be a damn good fight, tonight in chicago gonna be a good one too, juan diaz defending against julio diaz. I got juan diaz in this one

 

[2-0-Sixx]

By Jake Donovan

Another weekend, another upcoming fight between two fighters facing each other just for the hell of it. In a division where there is plenty of money to be made by playing it safe and holding out for bigger game, a pair of junior lightweight contenders instead opt to face each other, with little more than bragging rights at stake.

This month's edition of HBO's Boxing After Dark, in a nutshell.

Boxing junkies are in for a treat as Humberto Soto and undefeated Joan Guzman collide in the lone live fight to air this weekend (Saturday, HBO, 9:45PM ET/PT, Atlantic City, NJ). With Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao generally regarded as the top two junior lightweights in the world, the winner of this fight should warrant consideration as 'best of the rest', at the very least.

It's been a long road to the top for both contestants, though for very different reasons.

For Guzman (27-0, 17KO), it's been a difficult run ever since turning pro following one of the most successful amateur careers in Dominican boxing history (310-10 in the non-pay ranks), including a trip to the 1996 Olympics. Much of his prime has been plagued by inactivity, due in part to the majority of notable contenders from 122-130 unwilling to share a ring with the Brooklyn-based Dominican boxer-puncher; the rest due to the wrong people being placed in charge of looking out for his best interests.

There was a time where Guzman seemingly had more promoters than fans. Frank Warren, Goossen Tutor, Sycuan Ringside, Zanfer, Golden Boy – it's almost easier to list the promoters who didn't have paper on Guzman at one point or another during his 11-year, 27-fight career.

Such was a heavy price to pay – agreeing to give options to rival promoters for a chance at a notable fight here, and an alphabet trinket there. Yet through it all, Guzman failed to secure a big fight with any of the big names during his stay at 122 and 126. The closest he came was a planned April 2005 unification bout with then-fellow 122 lb. alphabet titlist Oscar Larios, a bout that was supposed to be the lone selling point of an otherwise pathetic PPV card in El Paso, TX, headlined by Marco Antonio Barrera.

Instead, the plans would fall in line with Guzman's career progress at the time – if not for bad luck, no luck at all.

......

Read the rest at boxingscene.com

 

[2-0-Sixx]

I know these are two pretty unknown names, but both could be the future of boxing and the winner will likely get a shot at Pacquiao. Definitely something to pay attention to, plus I think it's going to be a very good fight.

Real class shown by both fighters. Nothing but respect for each other....


JOAN GUZMAN

"I am anxious and ready to get in the ring. I am very happy and excited and it's my time now. Soto is in the same position as me. He's coming up like I am looking for the big fights. We hold the key for each other

"I have spent the last four months training in Las Vegas and the only thing on my mind during camp has been this fight.

"I know I am a dangerous fighter. No one wants to fight me either. I keep wining titles but nobody wanted to fight me at 126 (lbs.), and now I move up in weight and won title at 130 pounds. I won't run away from anyone. I've said it time and time again that I will fight anyone, anywhere.

"Soto presents a tough challenge but I feel I have what it takes to beat him. I feel like I can beat any 130 pound fighter out there.

"Its going to be a great show and also I am glad the Dominicans will be able to see me on regular television on HBO.

"We are both hungry fighters who want to show the boxing world what they've got. Every fight is emotional, but for whatever reason, the emotional level for this fight has been kicked up a few levels."

"Soto is a powerful fighter coming forward. The fans are going to see a great fight I think it is going to be like Leonard and Duran (Soto interjected "Camacho vs Chavez".) Guzman responded "Don't forget who's Champ."​

HUMBERTO SOTO

"I am a man of few words. I just want to thank everyone for being here today at the final press conference.

"We're ready for a great battle with Guzman. Why I haven't gotten the opportunity before I don t know but there's a lot of opportunity now. I know there's a lot of guys are there way out and the new generation is here. We want to show the new generation just as good as the old with a great fight.

"A lot of people have asked why I haven't fought someone like Guzman before. This division is retiring a lot of its legends and the new ones need to step up.

"Guzman is a great fighter. He is a lot of skills and as far as I am concerned, he maybe the best 130-pound fighter out there.

"I love a challenge and that's why I took this fight. I want to be world champion.

"This is my second opportunity against a Undefeated fighter. A lot of people didn't expect me to beat Rocky Juarez the first time. He had Olympic credentials and no one gave me a shot, but I proved everyone wrong. Maybe Guzman is the favorite for this fight, but that doesn't mean much to me because I have been scratched off before and 've succeeded."​

 

[REdRUM]

Great reads; can't wait for this.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Glad I'm not the only one!

I didn't realize Soto is a lot taller:

Golden Boy East Pres. Bernard Hopkins, WBO Jr. Lightweight Champion Joan Guzman,
challenger Humberto Soto and Pres. of Top Rank Todd duBoef pose at the New York press conference

 

[2-0-Sixx]

mayweather sr. looks like a crackhead, doesn't he? lol

“Guzman is a very special talent,” bragged Mayweather, Sr., who is working with Guzman for the first time. “He has the total package. Power, strength and stamina, but what separates him from the rest is his blinding speed. Soto is going to have a hard time hitting my guy.

“We’ve worked on a number of things that are going to make Guzman an even more dangerous fighter. We can’t disclose our strategy or go into specifics, but you will see a very special fighter on Saturday.”