Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

"I know that I’m the only guy that can beat Sergey Kovalev"
December 16, 2014

Adonis Stevenson (24-1, 20KO's) WBC light heavyweight champion signed with Al Haymon and made the jump to Showtime from HBO earlier this year has insisted that he is the only guy that can beat IBF/WBA/WBO light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev. “Nothing is easy,” said Stevenson, “but I know that I’m the only guy that can beat Sergey Kovalev. I will fight him in 2015.”

Stevenson is set to take on Russian Dmitry Sukhotsky (22-2, 16 KOs) this Saturday in Quebec City in a 12 round Championship fight. Stevenson was appearing to the public that he was ducking top competition fights. Jean Pascal has been saying he's been trying to get a deal done with Stevenson for six months and also called him "Aducknis Chickenson."

“I told Pascal that he was only a contender and he only deserved 30 percent and that’s why the fight didn’t happen, said Stevenson. "So he went with Kovalev because maybe he’s going to get more out of him. But I mean, look at Kovalev. He’s a world champion and he’s got three titles but I bet that he’s only making about $500,000 a fight. Come on, man.”

 

[heyzel]

Eddie Hearn Set To Bring Matchroom Sport To The U.S
December 15, 2014
Eddie Hearn

Eddie Hearn promoter for Matchroom Sport is set to make his way into the American market. Hearn is currently in the process of getting promotional licenses to promote here in the United States. Hearn has already build strong relationships with some of the biggest promoters here in the U.S, such as Top Rank, Lou DiBella, Golden Boy Promotions and manager/adviser Al Haymon.

Hearn is one of UK's best promoters and is now looking to obtain licenses in New York, Texas, Las Vegas and Los Angeles and is hoping to have them in the near future. Hearn also had said that he would love to expand his long list of fighters, looking to sign more American based fighters.

This past May Hearn promoted one of the highest grossing boxing events in British boxing history. In a rematch between Carl Froch and George Groves which attracted a record breaking 80,000 die hard boxing fans to Wembley Stadium in London.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

@naner12

This is big news. With Obama changing the US policy on Cuba, Cuba may now allow boxers to fight in America as pros


Thawing of U.S.-Cuba relations could be boon for boxing

 

[2-0-Sixx]

With Wednesday's thawing of a standoff that has seen the United States and Cuba on opposite sides of the political ring for decades, few sports may feel the impact more directly than boxing.

The fight game is one of Cuba's great passions, and fresh policy easing restrictions between the countries can be expected to see a further influx of boxers from the Caribbean nation.

"Boxing has a rich history in Cuba," said longtime HBO commentator Larry Merchant, in a telephone interview with USA TODAY Sports. "You see it generation after generation at the Olympics."

Merchant saw the Cuban boxing system firsthand in the mid-'70s, as part of an NBC delegation that visited baseball players, Olympic track athletes and the state-run fight program.

USA TODAY
Obama opens doors to Cuba after 56 years

Cuba has had huge success in Olympic boxing, with 34 gold medals all-time, second only to the U.S. Flyweight Robeisy Ramirez and light welterweight Roniel Iglesias won gold in London and either would add intrigue to their respective divisions if they turned pro.

However, recent defectors have struggled to hit the big time in the professional ranks.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux, the WBO 122-pound champion, is recognized as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but has struggled to generate public buzz or big paydays. Yuriorkis Gamboa is battling to get back into the mix at 130 pounds after being knocked out by Terence Crawford in June in a contender for fight of the year.

"With a lot of the Cuban guys the style is not seen as crowd-pleasing," Merchant said. "They're technical, they've been coached to win Olympic medals and people don't get so excited about watching it in the pros.

"Until now the authorities have either looked the other way or guys have been smuggled in. If the doors open it will obviously be easier. You will see some real, well-trained talent."

 

[naner12]

@naner12

This is big news. With Obama changing the US policy on Cuba, Cuba may now allow boxers to fight in America as pros


Thawing of U.S.-Cuba relations could be boon for boxing

I don't think it's going to do what that article suggests it'll do. Cuba allowed this for baseball players before all this happened in other countries and people were still trying to defect. Everything that's happening isn't changing the policies and government in Cuba. These guys will end up fighting for $250,000 purses (just an example) and most of the money is going to the government.

The high level guys that want to fight professional will likely still look to defect and become residents of America.

Off subject, am glad the embargo is lifted. That never really helped anyone.

 

[CZAR]

Andy Lee????? B whahahahhaahhah cmon dude again! Andy Lee is a bum. Just because he pulled a upset over another unproven dude doesnt mean jack. I want him to fight Lemieux. I think that would be a good fight. Whats up? Got Em!!

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Andy Lee????? B whahahahhaahhah cmon dude again! Andy Lee is a bum. Just because he pulled a upset over another unproven dude doesnt mean jack. I want him to fight Lemieux. I think that would be a good fight. Whats up? Got Em!!

Well he's a title holder so someone will want that belt. As for GGG he's fighting Murray in February and wants to unify every belt. He's waiting for Cotto/Canelo, so after Murray he's going to have to fight someone since he stays active. Options would be Lee or Lemieux. Either one are decent but again if he wants to unify all the belts he should go with Lee while he waits for his WBC shot (since he is currently mandatory to Cotto's belt) plus Lemieux's promoter said there is "no rush" to fight Golovkin so it appears they don't want that fight any time soon.

 

[CZAR]

Ok I forgot he does have a fight with Murray. After that he should fight Lemieux or atleast try to get the fight with him instead of Lee. If Lemieux's camp doesnt want the fight thats a different story. Lemieux said he wasnt scared of him so they need to make that happen next year fasho. GGG will dominate Lee and it wont go past 5 rounds if that. Got Em!!

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Ok I forgot he does have a fight with Murray. After that he should fight Lemieux or atleast try to get the fight with him instead of Lee. If Lemieux's camp doesnt want the fight thats a different story. Lemieux said he wasnt scared of him so they need to make that happen next year fasho. GGG will dominate Lee and it wont go past 5 rounds if that. Got Em!!

Yeah Lemieux said he's not scared of ggg but went on to say there are plenty of other good middleweights out there to fight like Peter Quillin and his promoter Yvon Michel said there's no rush for GGG. So based on that I think they want a fight or two before GGG, which is fine by me. So whoever is willing to fight Golovkin after Murray he'll fight that person. He can't really move up in weight either because he'll lose his mandatory WBC belt, so the best thing for GGG is to do what he's doing, just fight the highest ranked middleweights available while he waits for his crack at the wbc belt (I'm hoping that's Canelo but who fucking knows anymore what is going on with Cotto and if he's even going to fight Canelo next or not)

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Oddly enough I want to see a rematch between Lee and Chavez Jr.

Catch - With proper drug testing and not in Texas.

 

[trips]

fucked up

Mauricio Herrera-"I have been robbed my whole career."

 

[trips]

take his belt if hes not on your level khan lol, fight would be huge in the UK

 

[trips]

50 Cent talks Tapia film, says Mayweather-Pacquiao wont happen

 

[trips]

Chavez Sr. Hits The Ring Before 3,000 Fans

By Miguel Rivera

Earlier tonight in Hermosillo, Mexico - Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. returned to the ring for the first time in 9 years, for a four round boxing exhibition at the Multipurpose Center (CUM). About 3,000 fans turned out to remember the skills that made Chavez, now 52-years-old, a legend in the ring.

The event was staged for charity to help the poor children of the region during the holidays. Chavez asked every fan who attended this event to bring a toy.

 

[trips]

 

[trips]

Mickey Rourke’s boxing opponent, 29, confesses he took a dive

Elliot Seymour, the 29-year-old boxer who fell to gray-haired Hollywood hitter Mickey Rourke, 62, during a knock-out match in Russia last month, has now come forward and admitted what almost everybody who watched the fight already figured: It was a sham.

Mr. Seymour said he took a dive after making a deal for $15,000 for a second-round fall — $10,000 of which he got up front and the remainder, when he landed in the United States, TMZ Sports reported.

 

[trips]

W. Klitschko to fight in Brooklyn

Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko is coming back to New York -- Brooklyn to be exact.

Klitschko, whose 18th title defense will take place on April 25 in the second fight of his three-fight HBO contract, will fight at the Barclays Center in what will be the first heavyweight championship bout at the 2-year-old arena, which has already hosted more than a dozen fight cards.

Klitschko's opponent is not signed yet, but his team is far down the road in negotiations with unbeaten Philadelphia contender Bryant Jennings and the deal is expected to be wrapped in the next couple of weeks.

"The fight will be at the Barclays Center and we are very, very pleased," Bernd Boente, Klitschko's manager, told ESPN.com on Wednesday night. "The contract is not signed yet but we have a handshake deal and we are getting everything finalized. It's a really good deal for both sides. We are all looking forward to a big event."

Boente said that if the deal with Jennings (19-0, 10 KOs) is not finalized, Klitschko (63-3, 54 KOs) would still fight at the Barclays Center but against a different opponent.

Boente had also been in talks with the Barclays Center's rival New York arena, Madison Square Garden. Klitschko, who is from Ukraine but a huge star in Germany, where his fights usually take place, has not fought in the United States since unifying two belts with a one-sided decision victory against Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden in 2008.

Klitschko, however, has wanted to fight in New York again and the new deal with HBO, which began with his fifth-round knockout of Kubrat Pulev on Nov. 15 in Germany, made it more feasible.

"The Barclays offer was better (than Madison Square Garden's)," Boente said. "We really like the people at the Garden. I really like Joel Fisher (executive vice president of MSG Sports). We had fights with Wladimir and (older brother) Vitali there, but the overall cooperation is better with Barclays. They are putting huge marketing money into this and that is important."

Boente and Brett Yormark, the Barclays Center CEO, held talks about the arena hosting a Klitschko defense as the arena's first boxing event in 2012, but it fell through because, at the time, the arena had an exclusive deal with Golden Boy Promotions to put on boxing events and Klitschko was not interested in cutting it in when it had nothing to do with his career. Now that Golden Boy is no longer exclusive, Boente said he and Yormark made a deal.

"They really want to have this event. I had meetings with the Garden and Barclays and Brett really wanted a Klitschko fight," Boente said. "Remember, they wanted to open the arena with one of Wladimir's fights. We are really excited to go there. I've been through the whole arena. It's fantastic, a great arena. It's one the best arenas I've seen."

Klitschko typically trains in the Austrian mountains for his fights but Boente said that Klitschko, who resides in Hollywood, Florida, will train there, which will keep him closer to his fiancé, actress Hayden Panettiere, who gave birth to their first child, a girl named Kaya, on Dec. 9.

"A review on the year: The birth of my daughter, two successful championship defenses and many other achievements on the way," Klitschko wrote on his Instagram account on Monday. "It was a great year and I'm looking forward to 2015. I'm ready to take on new challenges!"

The fight will take place just days after Klitschko will have begun his 10th year with a world title, second-longest in heavyweight history. Klitschko, the lineal champion and owner of three major alphabet belts, began his second title reign by knocking out Chris Byrd in the seventh round on April 22, 2006 in Germany, and is chasing Joe Louis' all-time record of 11 years, 8 months, 8 days as heavyweight champion.

Klitschko's 17 consecutive title defenses are third-most in heavyweight history behind only Larry Holmes (20) and Louis (25, which is an all-time record for any weight class).

 

[trips]

Top 30 Best Knockouts 2014 HD

 

[trips]

Adrien Broner is penciled in to return on March 7th but no tv platform has been announced. Could this be part of Haymon's NBC Sports fights?

 

[trips]

CORNELIUS BUNDRAGE LIKES IDEA OF TIMOTHY BRADLEY SHOWDOWN: "WE WILL DEFINITELY WELCOME THE CHALLENGE"

PC: Man, you had some people calling your name after the fights last Saturday. Charlo and Bradley said they want a piece of the dog.

CB: Ah man, you know them guys. What I always say, don't bark if you can't bite. That's my motto. It's a lot of opportunities out there for me with me being a champ of the world. I'm a current and reigning champion and that brings a lot of opportunities. The Canelo and Cotto fight isn't signed, sealed and delivered yet. You know, it's still beef with Mayweather. You know I still want that fight. All I gotta do is get an investor to put that money up. You know I know people in high places. Bradley talking about moving up. I read one of his FightHype interviews and he thinking about moving up and fighting Bundrage or Canelo or Cotto, so that's a possibility. Then you got one of the Charlo Brothers; Milli and Vanilli. I'll tell you, man, be careful what you ask for because you just might get it.

PC: Do you feel like Jermall is too inexperienced for what you bring to the table to beat you?

CB: Yeah, he young and he hungry and he call himself a lion and I understand all that, but Al Haymon and them done got him to this point with very low risk. That can come back to haunt him. It will come back to haunt him if he fights me. He don't have the kind of experience that I have. I'm nothing to play with.

PC: Your company's COO, "Dollar Bill", was actually seen at the Timothy Bradley/Diego Chaves weigh-ins. They say where there is smoke, there is fire. In this case, where there is a "Dollar Bill", is there a contract being worked on?

CB: Um, that's a fight that can happen. It can be body vs. body and somebody gonna win (laughing). But yeah, my man Bill was there. Listen, I know he's killing himself to make 147. I was out there in Los Angeles one day and I saw a picture and I said, "Man, is that Bradley?" He was looking a little overweight, so it makes sense fighting at 147 and having to get all of that weight off all the time; it makes sense to move up. It was bothering me making 154 when I was walking around at a certain weight. I was going to move up to middleweight, but now I believe I could make welterweight. I'll be staying here at junior middleweight, if not going down to welterweight. If I fight 3 or 4 times in 2015, I might go down.

PC: You feel like you are the perfect guy to welcome Tim Bradley to 154.

CB: Man...welcome to the big leagues. This where the big boys at. The junior middleweight division has always been hot. I'm thrilled and happy to be able to hold it down. I believe I am the current oldest champion after Bernard Hopkins took the loss. That's why I tweeted that I got the torch after that fight. We will definitely welcome the challenge of Bradley. It makes a lot of sense.

PC: Ironically, both you and Tim Bradley are managed by your wives.

CB: Since we are both managed by our wives, we can fight and see who has the best husband and they can do the negotiations. We can bring that action to HBO!

PC: How do you see a fight between you and Bradley playing out?

CB: I'll have to look at some of his tapes. I got a lot of respect for Bradley. He is a strong guy. We done kicked it and talked before. I got a lot of respect for Bradley, man. One thing I do respect about him is he's not a loud mouth. He just go out there and do his job, but of course I think I would win, just like he believes he would win. I think it would be a rough, tough fight. He showed the heart he's got in the Provodnikov fight. I've also seen him box, so he kind of remind me a whole lot of myself. It would be like me against me. It's like fighting in a mirror, but I'm a little lighter than him (laughing). I would probably be the underdog as usual. It don't matter to me though. It would be a good fight though; very, very, very entertaining. He comes to fight and them the kind of fights I want, man. I would fight a guy like a Charlo because he's a mandatory, but them kind of fights...but then again, with him, he's better for me to fight when the time comes because I think his brother is the one that likes to move and box. I had a chance to fight Lara back in the day, but Lara does too much moving and running and all that stuff. I'm looking for guys that's gonna fight. I want to fight guys that's gonna fight. I like Canelo because he will fight, Cotto, he will fight. You gotta give the fans what they wanna see, man. I think Bradley talking about fighting in May. We can definitely get to it in May. I'll go to his hometown; it don't matter to me. I'm used to going to people hometown and winning. I just came from Mexico in another guy's country and beat Molina, so I'm up for a challenge.

PC: Canelo is another guy who you have been saying his name for awhile and his fight with Cotto isn't signed, so that's a possibility as well.

CB: Man, Oscar scared to death to let me fight Canelo. When I fought Cory Spinks the second time, I saw Oscar just eyeing me. He couldn't take his eyes off of me. We were supposed to be fighting, that's why we signed with Golden Boy. Emmanuel Steward took me to Golden Boy to sign with them because we wanted the fight with Canelo, but they were trying to push us to fight Lara. But we didn't sign with Golden Boy to fight Lara. We went to Golden Boy to fight the A fighter, not the B or C fighter. They were trying to be slick or whatever, man, but Canelo ducked me for all them years. I got the belt back; ain't no ducking no more. If the fight don't go through between him and Cotto, the IBF champ, the king of the ring K9, at 41 years old, still barking and biting; ain't going nowhere and went nowhere. Any of these cats could get it, man. And that's from Bradley to Canelo. And with Cotto, those guys done approached me twice talking about fighting and stood me up both times, so I'm not thinking about Cotto unless the contract is sealed and delivered. I don't trust their word. Cotto could still get it though.

PC: I hope to see you back in there with a big name in the first quarter of the year. Best of luck to you and your team. Is there anything you want to add?

CB: I want to say this because a lot of people don't know what I'm gonna do next. A lot of guys been calling me and I'm trying to figure out what's the best move. I got the guys from Australia calling me out and I just want to make the best decision for Team K9. Let my people know they can follow me @K9Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter page! Merry Christmas to everybody and I'll know something real soon!