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Arum: If King Gets Mayweather, Pacquiao Deal in The Bag
By Lem Satterfield
On two occasions, negotiations for a megabout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather failed over the issue of Olympic style drug testing, this, with Top Rank Promotions acting on behalf of Pacquiao, and Golden Boy Promotions on behalf of Mayweather.
But during Thursday's national conference call promoting a March 12 clash between WBA junior middleweight king Miguel Cotto and ex-champion Ricardo Mayorga, Top Rank Promotions CEO, Bob Arum, said that he could make a Mayweather-Pacquiao bout in no time if long time rival, Don King, were handling Mayweather.
"If Don had Mayweather, and I, of course, have Manny Pacquiao, I didn't say that the fight would be made in a day, it would be made in one hour. Don and I would cut to the essentials, we would work out those few details, and we would make the fight," said Arum, who promotes Cotto while King promote Mayorga.
"Now with the experience that I had with the company [Golden Boy Promotions] that Mayweahter had been dealing with, the essentials were the last item," said Arum. "They was all of this nonsense that made for a lot of acrimony. Mayweather would do well to go with Don, and I would work with him. It would be one of the great, great promotions ever, if not, the greatest."
By Lem Satterfield
On two occasions, negotiations for a megabout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather failed over the issue of Olympic style drug testing, this, with Top Rank Promotions acting on behalf of Pacquiao, and Golden Boy Promotions on behalf of Mayweather.
But during Thursday's national conference call promoting a March 12 clash between WBA junior middleweight king Miguel Cotto and ex-champion Ricardo Mayorga, Top Rank Promotions CEO, Bob Arum, said that he could make a Mayweather-Pacquiao bout in no time if long time rival, Don King, were handling Mayweather.
"If Don had Mayweather, and I, of course, have Manny Pacquiao, I didn't say that the fight would be made in a day, it would be made in one hour. Don and I would cut to the essentials, we would work out those few details, and we would make the fight," said Arum, who promotes Cotto while King promote Mayorga.
"Now with the experience that I had with the company [Golden Boy Promotions] that Mayweahter had been dealing with, the essentials were the last item," said Arum. "They was all of this nonsense that made for a lot of acrimony. Mayweather would do well to go with Don, and I would work with him. It would be one of the great, great promotions ever, if not, the greatest."
Alfonso Gomez To Replace Chavez on March 19 Car
By Jhonny Gonzalez
As we reported last week, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will no longer fight on March 19 in Chiapas, Mexico. Chavez will head directly to a title fight with WBC middleweight champion Sebastian Zbik on June 4. According to Fernando Beltran, head of Zanfer Promotions, welterweight contender Alfonso Gomez (22-4, 11KOs) is the new headliner. The opponent for Gomez has not been determined. In the scheduled co-feature, WBA junior flyweight champion Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez will make the first defense of his title against former world champion Manuel "Chango" Vargas
By Jhonny Gonzalez
As we reported last week, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will no longer fight on March 19 in Chiapas, Mexico. Chavez will head directly to a title fight with WBC middleweight champion Sebastian Zbik on June 4. According to Fernando Beltran, head of Zanfer Promotions, welterweight contender Alfonso Gomez (22-4, 11KOs) is the new headliner. The opponent for Gomez has not been determined. In the scheduled co-feature, WBA junior flyweight champion Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez will make the first defense of his title against former world champion Manuel "Chango" Vargas
Smokin’” Bert Cooper - How Far Will His Comeback Go!?
y James Slater: 45-year-old Bert Cooper won again at the weekend. The six-round points win “Smokin’” Bert scored over the hefty Gabe Brown took place in Atlanta, on the under-card of Travis “Freight Train” Walker’s eight-round decision win over Darnell Wilson. Not covered by any major media, the two results from the card were reported just yesterday.
Walker went back to boxing as opposed to slugging, and with his height, reach and weight advantages, Travis was able to get past former cruiserweight Wilson. Maybe Walker will bag himself that thus far elusive big win somewhere down the road. But what about Cooper, the one-time world heavyweight title challenger? How far can his latest comeback possibly go?
It’s truly amazing that Bert is still able to fight and win at any level after all he’s been through both in and out of the ring. Drugs, booze and heavy beatings have all taken something out of Cooper over the years, yet at 45 here he still is: fighting and winning and earning a pay cheque. You’ve got to hand it to Cooper, even if you feel his comeback will wind up going pretty much nowhere.
Famous for the wars he engaged in with the likes of Evander Holyfield, Ray Mercer and Michael Moorer back in the 1990s, the Philly fighter came back last June, after an eight year layoff during which Bert got up to who knows what. Looking in good physical condition (surprisingly so), Cooper belted out a 6th-round KO over a big guy called Corey Winfield. Weighing a reasonable 241-pounds, Cooper had his hand raised for the first time since June of 2002.
Against Roy Jones Junior’s buddy, Brown, known as “Big G,” Cooper tipped-in at 244 - to his opponent’s 362! Despite the weight he was giving away, Bert smoked his way to a split decision win. Now 38-22(31) overall and 2-0(1) in his fanciful comeback, the one-time protégé of the legendary Joe Frazier will certainly fight on. Maybe Cooper will even wind up facing a name fighter next time.
Due to his two return fights not being televised, we cannot really judge how much Cooper has left. Brown is no contender, but he has been in with some good guys; such as Sam Peter and Dominick Guinn. Sure, Brown lost to both, but he did succeed in making Peter look clumsy in the early rounds of their December 2009 fight (eventually won by Peter, via4th-round TKO). Despite his girth, Brown has skills and he can box. So, for Cooper to have beaten him at age 45 and after damned near a decade out, he did quite well.
It may only take one promoter or another to catch on to Cooper’s comeback and, if he keeps on winning, match him with another blast from the past, one-time big name. No, we don’t particularly want it to happen, but admit it; you’d watch if Cooper were matched with, say, Evander Holyfield (in a rematch of their 1991 rumble). And ask yourself this: would a Holyfield-Cooper fight here in 2011 be any worse a proposition than “The Real Deal” Vs. Brian Nielsen, which is due to take place in Denmark in May?
Look around and you will see there are ageing, once-talented heavyweights clogging up the division by insisting they can still box when well into their 40s. Bert Cooper is just the latest guy to be added to the bunch. But as long as he has returned, and for as long as he manages to stick around, let’s wish “Smoke” the best of luck
y James Slater: 45-year-old Bert Cooper won again at the weekend. The six-round points win “Smokin’” Bert scored over the hefty Gabe Brown took place in Atlanta, on the under-card of Travis “Freight Train” Walker’s eight-round decision win over Darnell Wilson. Not covered by any major media, the two results from the card were reported just yesterday.
Walker went back to boxing as opposed to slugging, and with his height, reach and weight advantages, Travis was able to get past former cruiserweight Wilson. Maybe Walker will bag himself that thus far elusive big win somewhere down the road. But what about Cooper, the one-time world heavyweight title challenger? How far can his latest comeback possibly go?
It’s truly amazing that Bert is still able to fight and win at any level after all he’s been through both in and out of the ring. Drugs, booze and heavy beatings have all taken something out of Cooper over the years, yet at 45 here he still is: fighting and winning and earning a pay cheque. You’ve got to hand it to Cooper, even if you feel his comeback will wind up going pretty much nowhere.
Famous for the wars he engaged in with the likes of Evander Holyfield, Ray Mercer and Michael Moorer back in the 1990s, the Philly fighter came back last June, after an eight year layoff during which Bert got up to who knows what. Looking in good physical condition (surprisingly so), Cooper belted out a 6th-round KO over a big guy called Corey Winfield. Weighing a reasonable 241-pounds, Cooper had his hand raised for the first time since June of 2002.
Against Roy Jones Junior’s buddy, Brown, known as “Big G,” Cooper tipped-in at 244 - to his opponent’s 362! Despite the weight he was giving away, Bert smoked his way to a split decision win. Now 38-22(31) overall and 2-0(1) in his fanciful comeback, the one-time protégé of the legendary Joe Frazier will certainly fight on. Maybe Cooper will even wind up facing a name fighter next time.
Due to his two return fights not being televised, we cannot really judge how much Cooper has left. Brown is no contender, but he has been in with some good guys; such as Sam Peter and Dominick Guinn. Sure, Brown lost to both, but he did succeed in making Peter look clumsy in the early rounds of their December 2009 fight (eventually won by Peter, via4th-round TKO). Despite his girth, Brown has skills and he can box. So, for Cooper to have beaten him at age 45 and after damned near a decade out, he did quite well.
It may only take one promoter or another to catch on to Cooper’s comeback and, if he keeps on winning, match him with another blast from the past, one-time big name. No, we don’t particularly want it to happen, but admit it; you’d watch if Cooper were matched with, say, Evander Holyfield (in a rematch of their 1991 rumble). And ask yourself this: would a Holyfield-Cooper fight here in 2011 be any worse a proposition than “The Real Deal” Vs. Brian Nielsen, which is due to take place in Denmark in May?
Look around and you will see there are ageing, once-talented heavyweights clogging up the division by insisting they can still box when well into their 40s. Bert Cooper is just the latest guy to be added to the bunch. But as long as he has returned, and for as long as he manages to stick around, let’s wish “Smoke” the best of luck
De La Hoya Talks Amir Khan, David Haye, Hatton, More
Amir Khan is destined for greatness across the globe in the eyes of boxing's very own 'Golden Boy', Oscar de la Hoya.
WBA light-welterweight king Khan has already left his mark on America having beaten Pauli Malignaggi and Marcos Maidana on US canvas inside the last year.
But De La Hoya told Ringside that the 24-year-old from Bolton can become a trans-Atlantic phenomenon if he continues to front up to the challenges put before him.
The next test comes in the shape of European champion Paul McCloskey in April, when 'King Khan' returns to Manchester to defend his crown in a Sky Box Office HD bout.
It's a fight De La Hoya, owner of Golden Boy Promotions, can't wait for - not least because he has a natural soft spot for a fighter from his own stable.
"Amir really is a genuinely nice guy; I feel he really has a good heart," he told Ringside.
"Amir Khan really wants to be great and, obviously, to be great you have to face the very best. I think this is the perfect time for him to do that.
"We can truly make him a superstar here in America and all over the world. I believe he is the perfect package; he's a good-looking guy, he speaks well, he fights with a lot of heart which he proved in his last fight against Maidana. I believe Amir Khan can go very, very far.
"He can not only be one of the best coming out of Europe but he can be one of the best coming out of the whole world.
"I believe the fact that Ricky Hatton was able to captivate so many [American] fans despite from where he's from is truly, truly remarkable. I believe you have to admire the guy because he was your regular Joe Shmoe from the street that people loved.
"He was able to bring 30-40,000 fans to support him when he fought Floyd Mayweather; it was unbelievable. Again, that's the beauty of boxing. No other sport will do that."
Although it is nearly a decade since De La Hoya established Golden Boy Promotions, his fighter's heart and his business head still jar - particularly when potential match-ups on the scale of David Haye against Wladimir Klitschko are left in limbo.
"One of the secrets to becoming great or becoming a good champion is you have to fight the best, you have to put whoever is put in front of you," he reflected. "This is a sport, this is what we live for; we live for these big fights, these great name fighters to face.
"David Haye and Klitschko - just get in the ring and fight. It will be a great fight. It doesn't matter who wins or loses, so long as it's a great fight you will have two winners.
"Yes (boxing) is a business, there are a lot of little issues with the TV and the revenues and everything but as a fighter I'd think 'let's fight, let's get it on'. It shouldn't be that difficult to make - I believe it is do-able.
"David Haye is a great champion, David Haye is a very charismatic person, he's a great athlete which I believe is one of his advantages over Klitschko; he can be one of the fighters who can knock out a Klitschko - he's that powerful, that fast, he's a thinker. He can surprise a Klitschko, I believe.
"Klitschko is a great fighter also - he's a strong fighter, a big guy; it's a dangerous fight for David but it's also a very winnable fight for David Haye."
For now, though, there is no guarantee that fight will happen before Haye's intended retirement in October.
While the WBA World Heavyweight champion can expect to enjoy a lucrative post-fight career, De La Hoya is concerned that prospective prizes are distracting too many up-and-coming fighters from present pain.
"A lot of fighters today are thinking about the bigger picture but you have to be careful with the way you say it because the bottom line is that ultimately you are a fighter and you have to focus on your fighting and your training," he warned.
"That's what is going to get you the big pay-days, that is what is going to get you more opportunities outside the ring once you retire. The bottom line is first you have to get the world title then you go after business and the money and success.
"A lot of fighters sometimes forget about that; they want to jump over the boxing and go straight to the business; you have to do all of your hard work inside the ring, inside the gym, and then after five, 10, 15 years you can think about business. That's the way it should work
Amir Khan is destined for greatness across the globe in the eyes of boxing's very own 'Golden Boy', Oscar de la Hoya.
WBA light-welterweight king Khan has already left his mark on America having beaten Pauli Malignaggi and Marcos Maidana on US canvas inside the last year.
But De La Hoya told Ringside that the 24-year-old from Bolton can become a trans-Atlantic phenomenon if he continues to front up to the challenges put before him.
The next test comes in the shape of European champion Paul McCloskey in April, when 'King Khan' returns to Manchester to defend his crown in a Sky Box Office HD bout.
It's a fight De La Hoya, owner of Golden Boy Promotions, can't wait for - not least because he has a natural soft spot for a fighter from his own stable.
"Amir really is a genuinely nice guy; I feel he really has a good heart," he told Ringside.
"Amir Khan really wants to be great and, obviously, to be great you have to face the very best. I think this is the perfect time for him to do that.
"We can truly make him a superstar here in America and all over the world. I believe he is the perfect package; he's a good-looking guy, he speaks well, he fights with a lot of heart which he proved in his last fight against Maidana. I believe Amir Khan can go very, very far.
"He can not only be one of the best coming out of Europe but he can be one of the best coming out of the whole world.
"I believe the fact that Ricky Hatton was able to captivate so many [American] fans despite from where he's from is truly, truly remarkable. I believe you have to admire the guy because he was your regular Joe Shmoe from the street that people loved.
"He was able to bring 30-40,000 fans to support him when he fought Floyd Mayweather; it was unbelievable. Again, that's the beauty of boxing. No other sport will do that."
Although it is nearly a decade since De La Hoya established Golden Boy Promotions, his fighter's heart and his business head still jar - particularly when potential match-ups on the scale of David Haye against Wladimir Klitschko are left in limbo.
"One of the secrets to becoming great or becoming a good champion is you have to fight the best, you have to put whoever is put in front of you," he reflected. "This is a sport, this is what we live for; we live for these big fights, these great name fighters to face.
"David Haye and Klitschko - just get in the ring and fight. It will be a great fight. It doesn't matter who wins or loses, so long as it's a great fight you will have two winners.
"Yes (boxing) is a business, there are a lot of little issues with the TV and the revenues and everything but as a fighter I'd think 'let's fight, let's get it on'. It shouldn't be that difficult to make - I believe it is do-able.
"David Haye is a great champion, David Haye is a very charismatic person, he's a great athlete which I believe is one of his advantages over Klitschko; he can be one of the fighters who can knock out a Klitschko - he's that powerful, that fast, he's a thinker. He can surprise a Klitschko, I believe.
"Klitschko is a great fighter also - he's a strong fighter, a big guy; it's a dangerous fight for David but it's also a very winnable fight for David Haye."
For now, though, there is no guarantee that fight will happen before Haye's intended retirement in October.
While the WBA World Heavyweight champion can expect to enjoy a lucrative post-fight career, De La Hoya is concerned that prospective prizes are distracting too many up-and-coming fighters from present pain.
"A lot of fighters today are thinking about the bigger picture but you have to be careful with the way you say it because the bottom line is that ultimately you are a fighter and you have to focus on your fighting and your training," he warned.
"That's what is going to get you the big pay-days, that is what is going to get you more opportunities outside the ring once you retire. The bottom line is first you have to get the world title then you go after business and the money and success.
"A lot of fighters sometimes forget about that; they want to jump over the boxing and go straight to the business; you have to do all of your hard work inside the ring, inside the gym, and then after five, 10, 15 years you can think about business. That's the way it should work
Andre Ward Hopes To Face Carl Froch in Vegas Clash
By Phil D. Jay
WBA super-middleweight champion Andre Ward is already looking towards the final bout of Showtime’s Super-Six Tournament, and sees a fight with Britain's WBC champion Carl “The Cobra” Froch as the perfect way to end the tournament later this year.
Ward, 27, takes on German-based Armenian Arthur Abraham on May 14th, the man Froch comprehensively beat over twelve rounds in Finland last November and sees himself and Froch making it to the last two for a unification showdown for both 168lb titles.
"I would definitely choose The Cobra (over Johnson)," Ward told the Nottingham Evening Post. "And I think Las Vegas would be a perfect venue. It would be an awesome climax to this tournament.
"I can see Carl Froch getting his hand raised against Glen Johnson but it's going to be tough because I don't think that Glen has ever been a pushover."
Californian Ward, is unbeaten in 23 fights so far in his six-year career and many boxing pundits believe that the American has had it easier than Froch in the tournament so far, after landslide points wins over Sakio Bika and Allan Green in his last two fights.
The 2004 Olympic gold medallist will be hoping that a knockout victory over 31 year-old Abraham (32-2), will be the catalyst for him to go on and beat Froch, who is the current tournament favourite and has fought almost every world-class fighter at 168lbs in the past two years
By Phil D. Jay
WBA super-middleweight champion Andre Ward is already looking towards the final bout of Showtime’s Super-Six Tournament, and sees a fight with Britain's WBC champion Carl “The Cobra” Froch as the perfect way to end the tournament later this year.
Ward, 27, takes on German-based Armenian Arthur Abraham on May 14th, the man Froch comprehensively beat over twelve rounds in Finland last November and sees himself and Froch making it to the last two for a unification showdown for both 168lb titles.
"I would definitely choose The Cobra (over Johnson)," Ward told the Nottingham Evening Post. "And I think Las Vegas would be a perfect venue. It would be an awesome climax to this tournament.
"I can see Carl Froch getting his hand raised against Glen Johnson but it's going to be tough because I don't think that Glen has ever been a pushover."
Californian Ward, is unbeaten in 23 fights so far in his six-year career and many boxing pundits believe that the American has had it easier than Froch in the tournament so far, after landslide points wins over Sakio Bika and Allan Green in his last two fights.
The 2004 Olympic gold medallist will be hoping that a knockout victory over 31 year-old Abraham (32-2), will be the catalyst for him to go on and beat Froch, who is the current tournament favourite and has fought almost every world-class fighter at 168lbs in the past two years
Dan Rafael
Baltimore Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski, who fought once professionally in 2006, plans to return to boxing next week in the likely event that NFL owners lock out players once the deadline to secure a new collective bargaining agreement expires at midnight ET Thursday.
If there is no deal, Zbikowski will fight a four-round bout as a cruiserweight on March 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the televised undercard of the Showtime PPV card headlined by junior middleweight titleholder Miguel Cotto's first defense against Ricardo Mayorga.
Zbikowski's request for a boxing license is on the agenda of Tuesday's Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting. He must go before the panel for a license because he has been inactive as a fighter for more than 36 consecutive months. Getting the license, however, is likely a formality.
"He's coming back to boxing, assuming there's a lockout," Carl Moretti of promoter Top Rank told ESPN.com on Wednesday. "If there's a lockout, at that point, he's free to go ahead and fight. He's fought once already and he probably has the most extensive amateur (boxing) background of any pro football player, and he really loves the sport."
Zbikowski played college football at Notre Dame from 2003 to 2007. He went by the name "Tommy Z" during the build up to his lone pro fight, coming into the ring to the Notre Dame fight song. He needed just 49 seconds to knock out Robert Bell at Madison Square Garden in New York in June 2006 on the undercard of another Cotto fight -- a junior welterweight title defense against Paulie Malignaggi.
It was a one-shot deal for Zbikowski, who played the next season for the Fighting Irish and was eventually selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
For the fight against Bell, Zbikowski fought as a heavyweight, weighing 214 pounds. For the fight next week, he plans to fight slightly below 200 pounds in the cruiserweight division, Moretti said.
Zbikowski, 25, of Arlington Heights, Ill., is being trained by Orlando Cuellar, who is best known as the longtime trainer of former light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson. Miguel Diaz, one of boxing most respected cutmen, will also be in his corner.
Zbikowski, whose first fight was also on a Top Rank card, attended the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley press conference in Las Vegas last month and met with Top Rank chief Bob Arum to talk about fighting again in the event of a lockout.
As an amateur, Zbikowski, who took up boxing when he was 9, fashioned a 75-15 record.
Baltimore Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski, who fought once professionally in 2006, plans to return to boxing next week in the likely event that NFL owners lock out players once the deadline to secure a new collective bargaining agreement expires at midnight ET Thursday.
If there is no deal, Zbikowski will fight a four-round bout as a cruiserweight on March 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the televised undercard of the Showtime PPV card headlined by junior middleweight titleholder Miguel Cotto's first defense against Ricardo Mayorga.
Zbikowski's request for a boxing license is on the agenda of Tuesday's Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting. He must go before the panel for a license because he has been inactive as a fighter for more than 36 consecutive months. Getting the license, however, is likely a formality.
"He's coming back to boxing, assuming there's a lockout," Carl Moretti of promoter Top Rank told ESPN.com on Wednesday. "If there's a lockout, at that point, he's free to go ahead and fight. He's fought once already and he probably has the most extensive amateur (boxing) background of any pro football player, and he really loves the sport."
Zbikowski played college football at Notre Dame from 2003 to 2007. He went by the name "Tommy Z" during the build up to his lone pro fight, coming into the ring to the Notre Dame fight song. He needed just 49 seconds to knock out Robert Bell at Madison Square Garden in New York in June 2006 on the undercard of another Cotto fight -- a junior welterweight title defense against Paulie Malignaggi.
It was a one-shot deal for Zbikowski, who played the next season for the Fighting Irish and was eventually selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
For the fight against Bell, Zbikowski fought as a heavyweight, weighing 214 pounds. For the fight next week, he plans to fight slightly below 200 pounds in the cruiserweight division, Moretti said.
Zbikowski, 25, of Arlington Heights, Ill., is being trained by Orlando Cuellar, who is best known as the longtime trainer of former light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson. Miguel Diaz, one of boxing most respected cutmen, will also be in his corner.
Zbikowski, whose first fight was also on a Top Rank card, attended the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley press conference in Las Vegas last month and met with Top Rank chief Bob Arum to talk about fighting again in the event of a lockout.
As an amateur, Zbikowski, who took up boxing when he was 9, fashioned a 75-15 record.
Dirrell says he’ll be fighting in 3 – 3 1/2 months
By Scott Gilfoid: Top super middleweight talent Andre Dirrell (19-1, 13 KO’s) says he’ll be back in the ring fighting in 3 to 3 1/2 months according to his twitter account. Dirrell, along with Andre Ward, are the two premier fighters in the super middleweight division. Dirrell hasn’t fought since being fouled last year by Arthur Abraham in the Super Six tournament.
Dirrell, 27, has been sitting out of action for the past year dealing with headaches and dizziness from the shot he took from Abraham after slipping on the canvas in the 11th round last March 27th. Abraham was disqualified for the foul, and Dirrell went home the victor but at a steep price. The headaches have since disappeared and Dirrell has been given the all clear to fight by his doctor.
It’s still too early to know who Dirrell will be fighting in his first fight back, but it will likely be a quality fighter. Dirrell isn’t someone that believes in taking on soft touches in order to pad his record. He’s probably going to take on at least a fringe contender in his first fight back.
Although Dirrell has one loss on his record from his fight with Carl Froch in 2009, you can still consider Dirrell unbeaten because Dirrell appeared to win that fight by a lopsided margin. I had Dirrell winning eight rounds to three with one even, and that was me being incredibly generous to Froch. I actually think it was an more lopsided fight than that because the only clean shots that I could see Froch landing in the fight was when he was holding onto Dirrell and pounding him with rabbit shots.
By Scott Gilfoid: Top super middleweight talent Andre Dirrell (19-1, 13 KO’s) says he’ll be back in the ring fighting in 3 to 3 1/2 months according to his twitter account. Dirrell, along with Andre Ward, are the two premier fighters in the super middleweight division. Dirrell hasn’t fought since being fouled last year by Arthur Abraham in the Super Six tournament.
Dirrell, 27, has been sitting out of action for the past year dealing with headaches and dizziness from the shot he took from Abraham after slipping on the canvas in the 11th round last March 27th. Abraham was disqualified for the foul, and Dirrell went home the victor but at a steep price. The headaches have since disappeared and Dirrell has been given the all clear to fight by his doctor.
It’s still too early to know who Dirrell will be fighting in his first fight back, but it will likely be a quality fighter. Dirrell isn’t someone that believes in taking on soft touches in order to pad his record. He’s probably going to take on at least a fringe contender in his first fight back.
Although Dirrell has one loss on his record from his fight with Carl Froch in 2009, you can still consider Dirrell unbeaten because Dirrell appeared to win that fight by a lopsided margin. I had Dirrell winning eight rounds to three with one even, and that was me being incredibly generous to Froch. I actually think it was an more lopsided fight than that because the only clean shots that I could see Froch landing in the fight was when he was holding onto Dirrell and pounding him with rabbit shots.
Arum denies that Mayweather-Pacquiao discussions are going on
y Eric Thomas: Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is denying that a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is being put together, according to the latest boxing news banter. Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, denied that there are negotiations underway between the sports’ two biggest stars. This flies in the face of what was previously said by Michael Koncz, the close adviser for Pacquiao, who recently said that things are looking good in the talks between Pacquiao and Mayweather for a fight.
The question then is who to believe – Arum or Koncz? Since Koncz has always been a pretty transparent guy, I tend to believe what he’s saying more than Arum. It could be that Arum doesn’t want the pressure on him until he’s ready to make his announcement.
Mayweather needs this fight perhaps a lot more than Pacquiao because of all of the legal problems he’s been facing. Mayweather could end up doing a considerable amount of time if he’s found guilty of the various charges against him and if so, it could effectively end his career if he’s given more than 5 years. This may be Mayweather’s last chance of taking the Pacquiao fight. It’s possible that Mayweather will be able to beat the charges and not do any time, but you can’t be too sure of anything. Mayweather can make a lot of money on this fight and he won’t have the same opportunity if he does a long stretch of time behind bars.
y Eric Thomas: Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is denying that a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is being put together, according to the latest boxing news banter. Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, denied that there are negotiations underway between the sports’ two biggest stars. This flies in the face of what was previously said by Michael Koncz, the close adviser for Pacquiao, who recently said that things are looking good in the talks between Pacquiao and Mayweather for a fight.
The question then is who to believe – Arum or Koncz? Since Koncz has always been a pretty transparent guy, I tend to believe what he’s saying more than Arum. It could be that Arum doesn’t want the pressure on him until he’s ready to make his announcement.
Mayweather needs this fight perhaps a lot more than Pacquiao because of all of the legal problems he’s been facing. Mayweather could end up doing a considerable amount of time if he’s found guilty of the various charges against him and if so, it could effectively end his career if he’s given more than 5 years. This may be Mayweather’s last chance of taking the Pacquiao fight. It’s possible that Mayweather will be able to beat the charges and not do any time, but you can’t be too sure of anything. Mayweather can make a lot of money on this fight and he won’t have the same opportunity if he does a long stretch of time behind bars.
Martinez-Dzinziruk: Sergio wants Cotto next if victorius on March 12th
by Jim Dower: Both Miguel Cotto and Sergio Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KO’s) will be fighting on March 12th in separate bouts in different venues. Martinez will be fighting Sergiy Dzinziruk (37-0, 23 KO’s) for the vacant WBC middleweight Diamond belt at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Cotto, 30, is facing a tough bout against Ricardo Mayorga at the MGM Grand on the 12th.
If both Cotto and Martinez with their respective bouts, it could open up the possibility of a fight between Martinez and Cotto. However, the one thing that may get in the way of that happening is that Martinez doesn’t fight for Top Rank, and that could destroy any chances that there may be of the fight taking place. Martinez says he wants this fight rather than moving up in weight to the super middleweight division to chase the big names at that weight.
Cotto, the WBA junior middleweight champion, would be a good fight for Martinez because he would have a size advantage over Cotto and that would help Martinez in a big way. Without a fight against Cotto, Martinez’s options are slim at middleweight due to the lack of big names at the weight class. Former WBC/WBO champ Kelly Pavlik just moved up in weight to the super middleweight division, but he has an advantage compared to the 5’10″ Martinez because Pavlik is 6’2 1/2″ and has the height and frame to fight against the bigger fighters at that weight. Martinez would struggle. As such, Cotto might be the best thing that Martinez can hope for after the Dzinziruk fight. There’s also Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. if he beats WBC champion Sebastian Zbik in June, but Chavez Jr. isn’t a big star in the U.S.
by Jim Dower: Both Miguel Cotto and Sergio Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KO’s) will be fighting on March 12th in separate bouts in different venues. Martinez will be fighting Sergiy Dzinziruk (37-0, 23 KO’s) for the vacant WBC middleweight Diamond belt at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Cotto, 30, is facing a tough bout against Ricardo Mayorga at the MGM Grand on the 12th.
If both Cotto and Martinez with their respective bouts, it could open up the possibility of a fight between Martinez and Cotto. However, the one thing that may get in the way of that happening is that Martinez doesn’t fight for Top Rank, and that could destroy any chances that there may be of the fight taking place. Martinez says he wants this fight rather than moving up in weight to the super middleweight division to chase the big names at that weight.
Cotto, the WBA junior middleweight champion, would be a good fight for Martinez because he would have a size advantage over Cotto and that would help Martinez in a big way. Without a fight against Cotto, Martinez’s options are slim at middleweight due to the lack of big names at the weight class. Former WBC/WBO champ Kelly Pavlik just moved up in weight to the super middleweight division, but he has an advantage compared to the 5’10″ Martinez because Pavlik is 6’2 1/2″ and has the height and frame to fight against the bigger fighters at that weight. Martinez would struggle. As such, Cotto might be the best thing that Martinez can hope for after the Dzinziruk fight. There’s also Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. if he beats WBC champion Sebastian Zbik in June, but Chavez Jr. isn’t a big star in the U.S.
Pernell Whitaker: “Zab Judah’s always been a boxer but he’s gotten away from it for a
y Geoffrey Ciani (Interviewed by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - This week’s 114th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio featured an exclusive interview with Hall of Fame boxer Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker (40-4-1, 17 KOs) who was a world champion in four different weight classes. Whitaker is currently training Zab Judah (40-6, 27 KOs) for his fight this Saturday March 5 against Kaizer Mabuza (23-6-3, 14 KOs) which is for the vacant IBF junior welterweight championship. Whitaker spoke about Judah’s upcoming fight and also reflected on his career and spoke a bit about the current boxing landscape. Here is what he had to say:
On how he feels about Zab Judah’s upcoming fight against Kaizer Mabuza:
“I feel great. You know I feel good about it. He feels great about it so we’re looking forward to it.”
On what he believes Zab needs to do in order to be successful against Mabuza:
“I’m not going to talk about the strategy of the fight. With the preparation, we can talk about that. I think he prepared very well for this upcoming fight. He’s only looking at one fight at a time. He isn’t preparing for anybody in the future or anything else. He’s just preparing for this one particular fight on March 5. He has a great game plan for it, but I’m not going to release it to anybody. I just want everyone to know this is going to be a great ride. Just slap your seatbelt on and get your beverage and popcorn and everything you need because you’re not going to want to keep getting up and stepping away from it.”
His views on Zab Judah as a boxer at 33 years of age:
“He’s an excellent boxer. He’s more of a boxer now than he was before because that’s what I do. I know boxing. I don’t know anything about being a runner or a slugger or a puncher or anything. I just think power comes with speed and that’s what he has now. Judah’s always been a boxer but he’s gotten away from it for awhile and now he’s back!”
On making the transition from boxer to trainer:
“For me? I mean I’m not a fighter or a trainer, I’m a scientist. I know the science of boxing and I don’t have an opinion. I got facts!”
On what it’s like being a trainer as opposed to being a fighter:
“I mean I haven’t really missed anything. It’s good to be on the other side and to see someone else go out there and present your style and add it to what it is with their own and be successful doing it. I’m not trying to do anything but help fighters to see. You know you can’t be Pernell Whitaker. There are no more Pernell Whitakers in our. I can only teach you the things that work for you and you only for your particular body. So you can forget me trying to teach you how to be like Pernell Whitaker because I don’t think I will be able to do that. You just got to be your own fighter and just believe and trust what I tell you.”
On which performance best defined his career:
“All of them! Every single fight I’ve ever laced up a pair of gloves in thirty years was special to me. I have no one fight I can pick out and go down the catalogue and pick which one of these guys fought the best. Every fight was important. Every fight was a great fight for me.”
On whether he had a single most memorable moment of his career that jumped out over the others:
“No and you guys probably would know that because every fight I ever had, even if it had controversy itself and it looked good itself. Every fight that jumped out at me was a good fight, was a great fight for me. I don’t know about the opponents but it was great for me.”
Regarding some of his more controversial fights:
“Every fight that I ever had that had anything to do with controversy was controversial. It wasn’t just a couple, but a fight’s a fight. I don’t complain about them. I don’t look back at them.”
His views on today’s top star in boxing like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Junior:
“Well I think I like Pacquiao the best out of all of them personally myself. He’s more consistent as a fighter fighting good in the ring competing. He’s the one that stands out. I don’t know about a whole lot of other fighters. If you try and bring up names to me I’d have no clue because I really haven’t been following.”
On how he feels he would have matched up in a fight against Manny Pacquiao:
“Now you want me to go back talking and start sounding crazy? I have no clue. I haven’t watched him that much, but to me he is still a great fighter. If you’re asking me whether Pacquiao can beat me or not obviously I’m going to say no. I don’t think that they can beat Pernell Whitaker. There are no more Pernell Whitakers. Put it that way. That’s all it is.”
On what he considers to have been his best asset he brought into the ring during his peak fighting days:
“You guys probably watched me in the past and knew every time I stepped out there into that ring I gave 100% and every performance I put on showed something different and whatever it was, you guys used to call me a showboat and now you’re calling me the best pound-for-pound. So I have no clue how to satisfy you guys. You know not to say I’m glad to be out of the sport. I’m glad I did compete and competed very, very well. Like I said, the thing that you guys used to see when you called me a showboat, now guys do it and you think it’s the most positive thing on the planet. I will just say this. I had a great time in the boxing ring.”
His views on Julio Cesar Chavez as a fighter:
“Chavez was a great fighter. He was a great, great fighter. When I competed against him it was big. That was one of the good fights of mine, that along with the other fifty.”
His views on his fight against Oscar De La Hoya and the judges scoring:
“I was having so much fun in that boxing ring that night. Oscar is a good friend of mine and it’s not personal or anything. It’s never personal. I just thought I had done enough to win the fight. I had done a lot more to win than to let it get away from me. That’s fine. Like I said it wasn’t the first time I had been in a fight that was controversial like that. So I don’t look back at it. I don’t regret anything I’ve done. People just see it differently. Another thing is guys just wanted to see me lose one time. In my time nobody ever actually outboxed me or beat me so they were just waiting to see somebody get it done. The only person I think that got it done on me where it was just close enough to get away from me was Trinidad. So that’s the closest fight I ever had that I think was close enough to get away from me. The rest of them I think I won.”
On what it was like to make the decision to retire from professional boxing:
“Well my shoulder jumped out of place for some reason and that was just a sign I think that came from above and said enough is enough. Like I said I had to stay out for a year after breaking my jaw against Trinidad so when I decided to come back and tune up after a year layoff and my shoulder went out then that was enough. That was it. I thought that was enough and I thought the time had come. I had no regrets on letting it go. I’m not chasing no glory or anything. I think I had done enough to solidify myself.”
On who gave him the toughest match in his entire career:
“The toughest match? Every fight I have ever been in was tough. Fights are no tougher than what you make them. I try and make fights as easy as possible. I show guys how to make these fights as easy as possible. If you want to fight a tough fight then it’s easy to fight a tough fight, but if you just want to make the fight as easy as possible then there is a way to do that. So I don’t think I ever put myself in a position where I was in a tough fight. All of my fights, actually, I thought were very easy and win them.”
On how he first started using the nickname “Sweet Pea”:
“That’s the name they gave me when I was about 9 years old. I was just in the boxing ring and I had on my boxing shoes “Sweet Pete” and they misquoted it and as “Sweet Pea” and I couldn’t get it changed out of the papers so I just went with it and ever since then it stuck and it stayed with me and I guess it just grew on me, but it started when I was 9 years old.”
Regarding his favorite fighters when he was coming up in the sport:
“I had no favorite fighters. I had none, none whatsoever. Everybody liked Muhammad Ali. So he’s the greatest of all time but me personally, I have no particular one fighter that sticks out. I have my own style. Everything that I had done in that boxing ring was original. It was all mine. Everything I had done in that ring was original and done by Pernell Whitaker. It was done by Pernell Whitaker. It was designed by Pernell Whitaker only. I copied nobody’s style. I had my own. People want this style but they can’t have it.”
On how he would ultimately like to be remembered by boxing fans:
“I like the way remember me now, as one of the greatest fighters ever, as the best defensive fighter ever probably. I mean I would say that I’m the best defensive fighter ever. If you got somebody you know that’s better, please! I want to hear somebody tell me a name. Give me a name who could be better?”
On the current Olympic boxing format and the way Olympic boxing in America is seemingly in decline:
“Hey, it’s taking a lot out of boxing the way they score the amateur boxing now. I guess they do it to try and make it more competitive for other countries. I guess the United States and Cuba were more dominant than all of the other countries and winning all of the Gold Medals and they wanted to find ways for some of these other countries to win and that’s the format they came up with. Now I don’t even follow it. I couldn’t keep up with that computer system so there was no sense in me following it.”
Regarding some of his experiences during his amateur boxing career:
“Oh, that was my best! I think my amateur career was better than my whole professional career and everything else, because amateur boxing is all about having fun. It was just fun. You’d be with your teammates and you get to meet other people from different countries and you’re competing. It wasn’t business. It was just having fun and boxing.”
His views on the crowd from some of the top names from the amateur class of 1984:
“All of those guys were just fun guys. They were fun to be around. They were just fun guys around other guys looking for fun. They would be eating and sleeping and laughing and joking together. You can’t make that up.”
On whether he is currently working with any other fighters besides Zab Judah:
“I’m not working with anybody right now. If guys want to work with me then they can try and find me some kind of way, but I’m not working with anybody right now other than Zab. I only really want to work with one person at a time. I can’t be two or three places at the same time right now.”
On what he believes is most important strength for Zab to utilize to be successful:
“I’m not going to tell you! I’m not going to tell. I’m not going to tell.”
On what it would mean to him to train a fighter and lead him to the championship:
“Now that’s a good question! I’m looking forward to that because it would be my first time. I’ve been on the boxing side of being a champion, but now being on the other side and winning the world title is just like me being in there and winning the world title. We’ll win it all together. He’ll take the belt home. I’ll just take on the good money.”
On what he wants to say to all of his fans and supporters:
“Thank you for all of the support you’ve given me throughout my 30 years and tune in on March 5 and we can all have fun together. Thank you very much
y Geoffrey Ciani (Interviewed by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - This week’s 114th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio featured an exclusive interview with Hall of Fame boxer Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker (40-4-1, 17 KOs) who was a world champion in four different weight classes. Whitaker is currently training Zab Judah (40-6, 27 KOs) for his fight this Saturday March 5 against Kaizer Mabuza (23-6-3, 14 KOs) which is for the vacant IBF junior welterweight championship. Whitaker spoke about Judah’s upcoming fight and also reflected on his career and spoke a bit about the current boxing landscape. Here is what he had to say:
On how he feels about Zab Judah’s upcoming fight against Kaizer Mabuza:
“I feel great. You know I feel good about it. He feels great about it so we’re looking forward to it.”
On what he believes Zab needs to do in order to be successful against Mabuza:
“I’m not going to talk about the strategy of the fight. With the preparation, we can talk about that. I think he prepared very well for this upcoming fight. He’s only looking at one fight at a time. He isn’t preparing for anybody in the future or anything else. He’s just preparing for this one particular fight on March 5. He has a great game plan for it, but I’m not going to release it to anybody. I just want everyone to know this is going to be a great ride. Just slap your seatbelt on and get your beverage and popcorn and everything you need because you’re not going to want to keep getting up and stepping away from it.”
His views on Zab Judah as a boxer at 33 years of age:
“He’s an excellent boxer. He’s more of a boxer now than he was before because that’s what I do. I know boxing. I don’t know anything about being a runner or a slugger or a puncher or anything. I just think power comes with speed and that’s what he has now. Judah’s always been a boxer but he’s gotten away from it for awhile and now he’s back!”
On making the transition from boxer to trainer:
“For me? I mean I’m not a fighter or a trainer, I’m a scientist. I know the science of boxing and I don’t have an opinion. I got facts!”
On what it’s like being a trainer as opposed to being a fighter:
“I mean I haven’t really missed anything. It’s good to be on the other side and to see someone else go out there and present your style and add it to what it is with their own and be successful doing it. I’m not trying to do anything but help fighters to see. You know you can’t be Pernell Whitaker. There are no more Pernell Whitakers in our. I can only teach you the things that work for you and you only for your particular body. So you can forget me trying to teach you how to be like Pernell Whitaker because I don’t think I will be able to do that. You just got to be your own fighter and just believe and trust what I tell you.”
On which performance best defined his career:
“All of them! Every single fight I’ve ever laced up a pair of gloves in thirty years was special to me. I have no one fight I can pick out and go down the catalogue and pick which one of these guys fought the best. Every fight was important. Every fight was a great fight for me.”
On whether he had a single most memorable moment of his career that jumped out over the others:
“No and you guys probably would know that because every fight I ever had, even if it had controversy itself and it looked good itself. Every fight that jumped out at me was a good fight, was a great fight for me. I don’t know about the opponents but it was great for me.”
Regarding some of his more controversial fights:
“Every fight that I ever had that had anything to do with controversy was controversial. It wasn’t just a couple, but a fight’s a fight. I don’t complain about them. I don’t look back at them.”
His views on today’s top star in boxing like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Junior:
“Well I think I like Pacquiao the best out of all of them personally myself. He’s more consistent as a fighter fighting good in the ring competing. He’s the one that stands out. I don’t know about a whole lot of other fighters. If you try and bring up names to me I’d have no clue because I really haven’t been following.”
On how he feels he would have matched up in a fight against Manny Pacquiao:
“Now you want me to go back talking and start sounding crazy? I have no clue. I haven’t watched him that much, but to me he is still a great fighter. If you’re asking me whether Pacquiao can beat me or not obviously I’m going to say no. I don’t think that they can beat Pernell Whitaker. There are no more Pernell Whitakers. Put it that way. That’s all it is.”
On what he considers to have been his best asset he brought into the ring during his peak fighting days:
“You guys probably watched me in the past and knew every time I stepped out there into that ring I gave 100% and every performance I put on showed something different and whatever it was, you guys used to call me a showboat and now you’re calling me the best pound-for-pound. So I have no clue how to satisfy you guys. You know not to say I’m glad to be out of the sport. I’m glad I did compete and competed very, very well. Like I said, the thing that you guys used to see when you called me a showboat, now guys do it and you think it’s the most positive thing on the planet. I will just say this. I had a great time in the boxing ring.”
His views on Julio Cesar Chavez as a fighter:
“Chavez was a great fighter. He was a great, great fighter. When I competed against him it was big. That was one of the good fights of mine, that along with the other fifty.”
His views on his fight against Oscar De La Hoya and the judges scoring:
“I was having so much fun in that boxing ring that night. Oscar is a good friend of mine and it’s not personal or anything. It’s never personal. I just thought I had done enough to win the fight. I had done a lot more to win than to let it get away from me. That’s fine. Like I said it wasn’t the first time I had been in a fight that was controversial like that. So I don’t look back at it. I don’t regret anything I’ve done. People just see it differently. Another thing is guys just wanted to see me lose one time. In my time nobody ever actually outboxed me or beat me so they were just waiting to see somebody get it done. The only person I think that got it done on me where it was just close enough to get away from me was Trinidad. So that’s the closest fight I ever had that I think was close enough to get away from me. The rest of them I think I won.”
On what it was like to make the decision to retire from professional boxing:
“Well my shoulder jumped out of place for some reason and that was just a sign I think that came from above and said enough is enough. Like I said I had to stay out for a year after breaking my jaw against Trinidad so when I decided to come back and tune up after a year layoff and my shoulder went out then that was enough. That was it. I thought that was enough and I thought the time had come. I had no regrets on letting it go. I’m not chasing no glory or anything. I think I had done enough to solidify myself.”
On who gave him the toughest match in his entire career:
“The toughest match? Every fight I have ever been in was tough. Fights are no tougher than what you make them. I try and make fights as easy as possible. I show guys how to make these fights as easy as possible. If you want to fight a tough fight then it’s easy to fight a tough fight, but if you just want to make the fight as easy as possible then there is a way to do that. So I don’t think I ever put myself in a position where I was in a tough fight. All of my fights, actually, I thought were very easy and win them.”
On how he first started using the nickname “Sweet Pea”:
“That’s the name they gave me when I was about 9 years old. I was just in the boxing ring and I had on my boxing shoes “Sweet Pete” and they misquoted it and as “Sweet Pea” and I couldn’t get it changed out of the papers so I just went with it and ever since then it stuck and it stayed with me and I guess it just grew on me, but it started when I was 9 years old.”
Regarding his favorite fighters when he was coming up in the sport:
“I had no favorite fighters. I had none, none whatsoever. Everybody liked Muhammad Ali. So he’s the greatest of all time but me personally, I have no particular one fighter that sticks out. I have my own style. Everything that I had done in that boxing ring was original. It was all mine. Everything I had done in that ring was original and done by Pernell Whitaker. It was done by Pernell Whitaker. It was designed by Pernell Whitaker only. I copied nobody’s style. I had my own. People want this style but they can’t have it.”
On how he would ultimately like to be remembered by boxing fans:
“I like the way remember me now, as one of the greatest fighters ever, as the best defensive fighter ever probably. I mean I would say that I’m the best defensive fighter ever. If you got somebody you know that’s better, please! I want to hear somebody tell me a name. Give me a name who could be better?”
On the current Olympic boxing format and the way Olympic boxing in America is seemingly in decline:
“Hey, it’s taking a lot out of boxing the way they score the amateur boxing now. I guess they do it to try and make it more competitive for other countries. I guess the United States and Cuba were more dominant than all of the other countries and winning all of the Gold Medals and they wanted to find ways for some of these other countries to win and that’s the format they came up with. Now I don’t even follow it. I couldn’t keep up with that computer system so there was no sense in me following it.”
Regarding some of his experiences during his amateur boxing career:
“Oh, that was my best! I think my amateur career was better than my whole professional career and everything else, because amateur boxing is all about having fun. It was just fun. You’d be with your teammates and you get to meet other people from different countries and you’re competing. It wasn’t business. It was just having fun and boxing.”
His views on the crowd from some of the top names from the amateur class of 1984:
“All of those guys were just fun guys. They were fun to be around. They were just fun guys around other guys looking for fun. They would be eating and sleeping and laughing and joking together. You can’t make that up.”
On whether he is currently working with any other fighters besides Zab Judah:
“I’m not working with anybody right now. If guys want to work with me then they can try and find me some kind of way, but I’m not working with anybody right now other than Zab. I only really want to work with one person at a time. I can’t be two or three places at the same time right now.”
On what he believes is most important strength for Zab to utilize to be successful:
“I’m not going to tell you! I’m not going to tell. I’m not going to tell.”
On what it would mean to him to train a fighter and lead him to the championship:
“Now that’s a good question! I’m looking forward to that because it would be my first time. I’ve been on the boxing side of being a champion, but now being on the other side and winning the world title is just like me being in there and winning the world title. We’ll win it all together. He’ll take the belt home. I’ll just take on the good money.”
On what he wants to say to all of his fans and supporters:
“Thank you for all of the support you’ve given me throughout my 30 years and tune in on March 5 and we can all have fun together. Thank you very much
damn, I was really hoping that the lil bro could be something...
Luis Valero, Brother of Edwin Knocked Out in One
By By Pablo Fletes and Ludo Saenz at ringside
Casino Pharaohs, Managua, Nicaragua - Hometown super bantamweight Danny Erazo (2-2, 1KOs) shocked the entire crowd by scoring a first round knockout of Venezuelan prospect Luis Valero (3-1, 3KOs), brother of the late champion Edwin "El Inca" Valero. The fight only last 54-seconds but it was exciting and the crowd was standing. Valero came out with both guns blazing, trying to imitate the style of his late brother.
Valero landed a powerful left that sent Erazo down, but he rose from the canvas and went to war with the Venezuelan boxer. During the back and forth exchange of hard punches, a counter right hand caught Valero flush and put him down. He also beat the count but he was out of his feet. Erazo punished him against the ropes until referee Enrique Portocarrero decided to intervene in order to prevent further punishment.
Luis Valero, Brother of Edwin Knocked Out in One
By By Pablo Fletes and Ludo Saenz at ringside
Casino Pharaohs, Managua, Nicaragua - Hometown super bantamweight Danny Erazo (2-2, 1KOs) shocked the entire crowd by scoring a first round knockout of Venezuelan prospect Luis Valero (3-1, 3KOs), brother of the late champion Edwin "El Inca" Valero. The fight only last 54-seconds but it was exciting and the crowd was standing. Valero came out with both guns blazing, trying to imitate the style of his late brother.
Valero landed a powerful left that sent Erazo down, but he rose from the canvas and went to war with the Venezuelan boxer. During the back and forth exchange of hard punches, a counter right hand caught Valero flush and put him down. He also beat the count but he was out of his feet. Erazo punished him against the ropes until referee Enrique Portocarrero decided to intervene in order to prevent further punishment.
Khan says he will move up to 147 after Bradley fight, wants Mayweather
By William Mackay: WBA Super World light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) will be moving up to 147 after his unification bout with Timothy Bradley in July. Before that, Khan faces little known EBU champion Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s) in April in a fight that Khan specifically asked despite there being pretty much zero interest in the mismatch. Khan says he’ll stop McCloskey in six. Few boxing fans would disagree with that, because McCloskey is slow, not particularly powerful and probably beatable to many of the top contenders.
In an interview with Eastsideboxing.com’s On The Ropes Boxing Radio, Khan once again mentioned that he wants to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. when he moves up to 147 later on in the year. However, the chances of that fight happening aren’t too good right now, due to Mayweather’s legal problems. Khan will likely have to settle for a number if less interesting and in some ways even more dangerous fights for him unless he continues with his trend of mostly fighting weak punchers the way he’s been doing since being stopped in the 1st round by Breidis Prescott in 2008.
If Mayweather won’t fight Khan, which is likely, Khan’s options are less than thrilling at 147. There’s Shane Mosley, who will be turning 40 soon. A Khan-Mosley fight will be bit of a joke, especially after Mosley loses to Manny Pacquiao in May. Khan will look like a cherry picker if he fights Mosley coming off of yet another loss. My guess is Khan will probably look to fight Mosley rather than say someone dangerous like Mike Jones or Andre Berto. I see both of those guys beating Khan. You have to have power to fight in the welterweight division and Khan’s style of fighting, which is basically a mix of slaps, running and holding, won’t get the job done against the better punchers in the division.
Khan throws flurries with little power and then immediately runs or holds. You got to have more than that to fight at welterweight unless you’re going to cherry pick opponents. Khan would be better to stay at light welterweight and then step up if Mayweather shows interest. I doubt he will. Khan will then be forced to pick and choose fighters at welterweight and probably take on guys that no one wants to see him fight. We’re seeing that now with Khan facing McCloskey. Well, you can expect a lot more of that at welterweight unless Mayweather shows interest in him.
The thing with Mayweather is that it doesn’t matter if Khan loses to him, because Khan would be getting a huge payday. But if Khan loses to Jones, Berto, Kell Brook and other top fighters, his stock goes way down. Looking at Khan’s last fight with Marcos Maidana, I think it’s safe to say that Khan wouldn’t do well against Jones, Berto and some of the other top fighters at welterweight.
By William Mackay: WBA Super World light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) will be moving up to 147 after his unification bout with Timothy Bradley in July. Before that, Khan faces little known EBU champion Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s) in April in a fight that Khan specifically asked despite there being pretty much zero interest in the mismatch. Khan says he’ll stop McCloskey in six. Few boxing fans would disagree with that, because McCloskey is slow, not particularly powerful and probably beatable to many of the top contenders.
In an interview with Eastsideboxing.com’s On The Ropes Boxing Radio, Khan once again mentioned that he wants to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. when he moves up to 147 later on in the year. However, the chances of that fight happening aren’t too good right now, due to Mayweather’s legal problems. Khan will likely have to settle for a number if less interesting and in some ways even more dangerous fights for him unless he continues with his trend of mostly fighting weak punchers the way he’s been doing since being stopped in the 1st round by Breidis Prescott in 2008.
If Mayweather won’t fight Khan, which is likely, Khan’s options are less than thrilling at 147. There’s Shane Mosley, who will be turning 40 soon. A Khan-Mosley fight will be bit of a joke, especially after Mosley loses to Manny Pacquiao in May. Khan will look like a cherry picker if he fights Mosley coming off of yet another loss. My guess is Khan will probably look to fight Mosley rather than say someone dangerous like Mike Jones or Andre Berto. I see both of those guys beating Khan. You have to have power to fight in the welterweight division and Khan’s style of fighting, which is basically a mix of slaps, running and holding, won’t get the job done against the better punchers in the division.
Khan throws flurries with little power and then immediately runs or holds. You got to have more than that to fight at welterweight unless you’re going to cherry pick opponents. Khan would be better to stay at light welterweight and then step up if Mayweather shows interest. I doubt he will. Khan will then be forced to pick and choose fighters at welterweight and probably take on guys that no one wants to see him fight. We’re seeing that now with Khan facing McCloskey. Well, you can expect a lot more of that at welterweight unless Mayweather shows interest in him.
The thing with Mayweather is that it doesn’t matter if Khan loses to him, because Khan would be getting a huge payday. But if Khan loses to Jones, Berto, Kell Brook and other top fighters, his stock goes way down. Looking at Khan’s last fight with Marcos Maidana, I think it’s safe to say that Khan wouldn’t do well against Jones, Berto and some of the other top fighters at welterweight.
Donaire vs. Moreno and Mike Jones vs. Antonin Decarie on 5/28
By Chris Williams: WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (26-1, 18 KO’s) will be returning to the ring for a unification bout against WBA bantamweight champion Anselmo Moreno on May 28th. Also on the card will be unbeaten welterweight contender Mike Jones (24-0, 18 KO’s) against Canadian contender Antonin Decarie (25-1, 7 KO’s). The Moreno-Donaire fight seems hardly worth it because Moreno is totally unknown in the United States and winning another useless alphabet title doesn’t really give Donaire the shot in the arm that his people think it will be.
When you’re capturing paper titles, you get diminishing returns. It was good that Donaire stopped Fernando Montiel in his last fight, but if your goal is to move up in weight and take on the likes of Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa, fighting unknowns like Moreno is like spinning your wheels and staying in the same place. Bob Arum must see some kind of gain in this fight with Moreno because I can’t see it. Moreno is a slapper and a mover, and on top of that, he’s a southpaw.
There is no upside in Donaire fighting this guy unless Arum is going to sleep on Donaire’s career and putting him in with less than big names he was doing for the four years after Donaire stopped Vic Darchinyan in 2007. Donaire’s career basically stalled after that win, as he was put in with one dull opponent after another, ones that boxing fans didn’t care about. They cared about the Montiel and Darchinyan fights, but they won’t care about Moreno because he’s not on the same level as Darchinyan and Montiel.
Jones recently defeated Jesus Soto-Karass by a 12 round decision in their rematch on February 19th. Jones got the win but still looked stiff, slow and wide open on defense. He’s trying to get a title shot but Jones doesn’t look in the same league as guys like Andre Berto or Manny Pacquiao. Jones might be able to beat a guy like WBA welterweight paper champion Vyacheslav Senchenko, but who really cares if he fights and beats him? Jones is a good B level fighter in a C level division. No way is Jones an A class fighter because he’s way too flawed and is getting up there in age.
By Chris Williams: WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (26-1, 18 KO’s) will be returning to the ring for a unification bout against WBA bantamweight champion Anselmo Moreno on May 28th. Also on the card will be unbeaten welterweight contender Mike Jones (24-0, 18 KO’s) against Canadian contender Antonin Decarie (25-1, 7 KO’s). The Moreno-Donaire fight seems hardly worth it because Moreno is totally unknown in the United States and winning another useless alphabet title doesn’t really give Donaire the shot in the arm that his people think it will be.
When you’re capturing paper titles, you get diminishing returns. It was good that Donaire stopped Fernando Montiel in his last fight, but if your goal is to move up in weight and take on the likes of Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa, fighting unknowns like Moreno is like spinning your wheels and staying in the same place. Bob Arum must see some kind of gain in this fight with Moreno because I can’t see it. Moreno is a slapper and a mover, and on top of that, he’s a southpaw.
There is no upside in Donaire fighting this guy unless Arum is going to sleep on Donaire’s career and putting him in with less than big names he was doing for the four years after Donaire stopped Vic Darchinyan in 2007. Donaire’s career basically stalled after that win, as he was put in with one dull opponent after another, ones that boxing fans didn’t care about. They cared about the Montiel and Darchinyan fights, but they won’t care about Moreno because he’s not on the same level as Darchinyan and Montiel.
Jones recently defeated Jesus Soto-Karass by a 12 round decision in their rematch on February 19th. Jones got the win but still looked stiff, slow and wide open on defense. He’s trying to get a title shot but Jones doesn’t look in the same league as guys like Andre Berto or Manny Pacquiao. Jones might be able to beat a guy like WBA welterweight paper champion Vyacheslav Senchenko, but who really cares if he fights and beats him? Jones is a good B level fighter in a C level division. No way is Jones an A class fighter because he’s way too flawed and is getting up there in age.
Devon Alexander vs. Lucas Matthysse in June or July
y Eric Thomas: A proposed fight between knockout artist Lucas Matthysse (28-1, 26 KO’s) and former WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Devon Alexander (21-1, 13 KO’s) could be taking place in June or July, according to news from Dan Rafael of ESPN. This is a fight that boxing fans would likely be eager to see, as the fight will be shown on HBO if it can be successfully put together.
Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, is currently working on trying to put together the fight. Schaefer says that Matthysse wants the fight, and doesn’t mind fighting in Alexander’s home town of Saint Louis, Missouri as long as neutral officials are working the fight. The fact that Matthysse is willing to fight in Alexander’s home town shows how much confidence Matthysse has, because just last year in August, former WBC light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik fought Alexander in Saint Louis and wound up losing by a controversial 12 round decision.
Alexander’s promoter Don King is okay with the fight and the only thing that needs to be settled now is the numbers.
Alexander, ranked #2 WBC, needs a win right now, especially an impressive if possible because he needs to make boxing fans forget about his poor performances against Kotelnik and his recent loss to WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley last January. Alexander didn’t appear to want to continue fighting after getting hurt by a headbutt in the 10th round against Bradley. At the time of the stoppage, Alexander was behind in the fight and didn’t look confident. Alexander looked terrible throughout the Bradley fight, looking weak, lacking aggression and fighting a stupid fight from start to finish.
Alexander is still owed a date on HBO, and the Matthysse fight will be satisfying that date. It’s a risky fight for Alexander because Matthysse has been looking really good as of late. He lost a controversial 12 round decision to Zab Judah last November. And recently, Matthysse destroyed DeMarcus Corley by an 8th round stoppage in January.
If the Alexander-Matthysse fight can be put together, a bout between junior middleweight contender Erislandy Lara and IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelius Bundrage will possibly be on the undercard.
y Eric Thomas: A proposed fight between knockout artist Lucas Matthysse (28-1, 26 KO’s) and former WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Devon Alexander (21-1, 13 KO’s) could be taking place in June or July, according to news from Dan Rafael of ESPN. This is a fight that boxing fans would likely be eager to see, as the fight will be shown on HBO if it can be successfully put together.
Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, is currently working on trying to put together the fight. Schaefer says that Matthysse wants the fight, and doesn’t mind fighting in Alexander’s home town of Saint Louis, Missouri as long as neutral officials are working the fight. The fact that Matthysse is willing to fight in Alexander’s home town shows how much confidence Matthysse has, because just last year in August, former WBC light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik fought Alexander in Saint Louis and wound up losing by a controversial 12 round decision.
Alexander’s promoter Don King is okay with the fight and the only thing that needs to be settled now is the numbers.
Alexander, ranked #2 WBC, needs a win right now, especially an impressive if possible because he needs to make boxing fans forget about his poor performances against Kotelnik and his recent loss to WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley last January. Alexander didn’t appear to want to continue fighting after getting hurt by a headbutt in the 10th round against Bradley. At the time of the stoppage, Alexander was behind in the fight and didn’t look confident. Alexander looked terrible throughout the Bradley fight, looking weak, lacking aggression and fighting a stupid fight from start to finish.
Alexander is still owed a date on HBO, and the Matthysse fight will be satisfying that date. It’s a risky fight for Alexander because Matthysse has been looking really good as of late. He lost a controversial 12 round decision to Zab Judah last November. And recently, Matthysse destroyed DeMarcus Corley by an 8th round stoppage in January.
If the Alexander-Matthysse fight can be put together, a bout between junior middleweight contender Erislandy Lara and IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelius Bundrage will possibly be on the undercard.