Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

Martirosyan interested in fighting Mosley

By Dan Ambrose: Unbeaten junior middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan (28-0, 17 KO’s) is very interested in fighting 39-year-old Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KO’s), and has been calling him out on his Twitter page to try and get the former three division world champion Mosley to take him on. Martirosyan, 24, had this to say to Mosley on his Twitter page: “SugarShane, why don’t you fight me next” I wanna fight Shane Mosley. Shane don’t be a b*tch and fight me.” Mosley doesn’t seem all that interested in fighting the mostly unknown Martirosyan, responding back on his twitter page with “Stop talking. It’s not going to happen. Go fight somebody like you up and coming. Maybe in 3 or 4 years you can fight my son. LOL. How about I come down to Freddie [Roach] gym and give you what you want for free. I don’t know you.”


It doesn’t look like Martirosyan is going to be able to make a name off of the near 40-year-old Mosley. Instead of going after Mosley, Martirosyan might be better off fighting a rematch with Kassim Ouma, who he beat by a controversial 10 round decision in January. Many boxing fans, this writer included, felt that Martirosyan lost that fight. He looked really bad and was hit often by Ouma. Despite the poor showing, Martirosyan is currently ranked number #6 WBC, #WBA, #IBF, #3 WBO. Martirosyan will be fighting on December 4th against a still to be determined opponent at the Honda Center, in Anaheim, California.

Martirosyan needs a win over a fighter with a name like Mosley so that he can start building his own fan base. Based on how he’s looked in fights against Ouma and Joe Greene, who Martirosyan just finished beating by a 10 round decision in June, he’s got a long way before he builds a decent fan base. Martirosyan’s hit, run and hold style of fighting is painful to watch because it’s so boring. He lacks the excitement that Mosley had in his prime, and he doesn’t compare with a lot of the other more interesting fighters in the junior middleweight division like Miguel Cotto, Paul Williams and James Kirkland.

 

[heyzel]

Pacquiao retirement talk a trick to get fans to purchase the fight?

By Chris Williams: One of the main themes running throughout the first episode of HBO’s 24/7 Pacquiao/Margarito episode 1 was retirement talk for Manny Pacquiao. It was something that was discussed over and over again to the point where it was beyond boring.


It reminded me of someone trying to sell something to people and playing on their fears by telling them “This is the last of it. Come get it while you still can.’ This is the way it seems to me, not just in the first episode of the 24/7 Pacquiao/Margarito, but also in the past six weeks since the Pacquiao vs. Margarito fight was announced.

We have a fight that was less than appealing to fans, and now all of a sudden Pacquiao’s camp is droning on without stop about Pacquiao possibly retiring in the near future. Every time you turn around, Freddie Roach is opening his yap and talking about it.

It just seems to me to be one of those tricks that they use on television and in department stores to sell a bad product. “Going out of business, get it while you can.” It’s pretty clear if you have your eyes open that Pacquiao isn’t going to be retiring anytime soon.

The guy likes the adoration, the perks and the money. He’s not going to give it up, and that’s why it seems so painfully obvious what they’re doing by talking the Pacquiao retirement talk all the time. It looks like they’re trying to play to your fears so that you’ll feel that this is the last chance you’ll get to see this great fighter in the ring.

It doesn’t matter if they’re putting him in with less than desirable opponents. If they play on the fear, people will purchase the fight on PPV. I’m not going pay a dime for this fight unless they discount it by $54 and sell it for $1 on PPV, because that’s what I feel it’s worth. Pacquiao should be fighting Sergio Martinez or Paul Williams, not Antonio Margarito.

I could understand this fight if Margarito had already proved that he can still punch after he was exposed for having a plaster-like material in his hand wraps last year. Now, a lot of boxing fans question whether Margarito has power of his own and not aided by loaded hand wraps.

 

[heyzel]

Johnson sees Super Six bout against Green as a great opportunity

By Scott Gilfoid: 41-year-old former IBF light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson (50-14-2, 34 KO’s) plans on making the most of his great opportunity against Allan Green (29-2, 20 KO’s) in their Super Six tournament bout at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Johnson is replacing Mikkel Kessler who dropped out of the tournament because of an injury. Johnson has the luck of facing Green, an opponent that he’s well familiar with because he’s sparred with him many times in preparing for fights and helping him prepare for fights. In an article at the Las Vegas Review Journal, Johnson says “My first reaction [to getting picked to fight in the Super Six tournament] was, ‘Wow, what a great opportunity. This is, I think, the best tournament in boxing. When the possibility to be a part of it came up, I immediately started doing what I need to do to get down to the weight. I haven’t done 168 in like 10 years, so I just have to commit myself and go to work.”


That’s the whole problem. Johnson has had recent struggles in making the 175 pound limit for his fights in the light heavyweight division, and now he’s going to have to melt off even more weight. Johnson will no doubt be able to take the fight off, but the question is to what degree will he be weakened by the process.

At 41, taking off weight becomes harder in many cases and for him to have to take off an extra seven pounds could leave him very beatable by Green on November 6th. However, the good news for Johnson is that Green also had the same problem of struggling to make weight in his last fight against Andre Ward in March, and he looked terrible. Green didn’t make any adjustments to being weight drained and fought a really poor fight tactically. Of the Super Six tournament contestants, Johnson would figure to have the best chance of beating Green rather than the other Super Six tournament fighters Andre Ward, Carl Froch, and Arthur Abraham.

Johnson has lost two of his last three fights and has become more of a gate keeper in the light heavyweight division at this point in his career rather than real threat to any of the light heavyweight champions. Johnson matches up well with Green, but not so well against Ward, Abraham and Froch. Those are fights that Johnson will likely lose if he faces them.

 

[heyzel]

Ward-Bika: Andre Will have the U.S. hopes riding on his shoulders on November 27th

By Scott Gilfoid: WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (22-0, 13 KO’s) is almost guaranteed to win the Super Six tournament at this point. They only thing that lies between Ward and the title and two crude sluggers Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham, and neither of them have the boxing skills nor the hand speed to handle Ward. It’s sad that the gifted talent Andre Dirrell had to leave the tournament prematurely after being injured from a punch from Abraham in his last fight in March. However, Ward will continue to carry U.S. torch to glory in the tourney and will come up and the eventual Super Six tournament winner.


Before Ward does this, he has a fight coming up next month against 31-year-old Sakio Bika at the Oracle Arena, in Oakland, California. This fight is more of a formality than an actual competitive fight. Bika is made of the same cloth as Froch and Abraham, and will no doubt come out swinging wild haymakers and trying to score an early knockout. I see this as an even easier win for Ward than his last fight against Allan Green last March. Ward won that fight by a one-sided 12 round decision, winning every round of the bout with ease.

It’s hard to improve on that amazing performance but I think Ward will do just that against the limited Bika. Ward will use his speed and movement to dance circles around Bika and beat him even easier than Lucian Bute did in the past. Bika is a good fighter, don’t get me wrong. He’s a very serviceable fighter that’s capable of beating a lot of the top fighters in the super middleweight division. However, Ward is a great fighter and second to none now that Dirrell is temporarily out of commission for awhile. Beating Bika is going to be like child’s play for Ward. This is going to be far too easy for Ward, but it will give him a chance to show the other Super Six tournament contestants what their up against.

 

[heyzel]

Arum: Cotto vs Berto Tough To Make, Andre is Overpaid

By Lem Satterfield

WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto is set to return on November 27 against Mexico's Freddy Hernandez at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. If successful, Berto has mentioned a number of desired opponents for 2011. One of the opponents at the top of Berto's list is WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto.

Cotto's promoter, Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, says a fight with Berto is very hard to make because of the economics involved. Berto receives a significant sum of money for every fight picked up by HBO. Arum believes Berto is being overpaid by the network for "ordinary fights." And because he's already being paid a very high amount per bout, Arum says it's very difficult to make a deal to fight Cotto because Berto is going to request an even larger sum of money.

"The problem with Berto is that he's a lovely kid and he's a good fighter, but he's a tulip, which means that his value has been set by what HBO is paying him for his fights. And, like the frenzy over tulips centuries ago in Holland, it's the same thing," Arum said.

"Berto shouldn't command anything like what HBO is paying him. Therefore, it makes it very, very difficult to make a big fight for Berto against somebody like a Miguel Cotto because the kid wants to be paid more than he would get paid for ordinary fights. Therefore, he would be vastly overpaid. So it's very difficult

 

[heyzel]

DiBella Responds To Arum on Cotto-Berto Difficulties

By Rick Reeno

Lou DiBella, promoter of WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto, reached out to BoxingScene.com to reply to the recent comments that were made by Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank, regarding a possible fight between Berto and WBA 154-pound champion Miguel Cotto.

In an earlier story by BoxingScene's Lem Satterfield, Arum said a potential Cotto-Berto fight was very difficult to make because of the economics involved. Berto's high earning power with HBO, according to Arum, would make the numbers too difficult to manage.

"Berto shouldn't command anything like what HBO is paying him. Therefore, it makes it very, very difficult to make a big fight for Berto against somebody like a Miguel Cotto because the kid wants to be paid more than he would get paid for ordinary fights. Therefore, he would be vastly overpaid. So it's very difficult," Arum said.

DiBella tells BoxingScene that a Cotto-Berto fight is easier to make than Arum leads on. According to DiBella, there is no problem with Cotto receiving the lion's share of the money.

"If Cotto's people really wanted to make the fight, and Arum really wanted to make the fight, then the fight would get made because we wouldn't price ourselves out of it. We have no problem with Cotto making significantly more money and we never asked for anything that resembled Cotto's share of the pie, but if Bob believes that Berto is entitled to 25%, then he's right - then the fight is difficult to make," DiBella said.

"Whenever me and Bob want to make a fight, the fight gets made, so I guess he doesn't want to make the fight. Bob may say it's very difficult, but Bob knows that it's not very diffcult to negotiate with me. I guess he wants to keep it in-house. And Miguel Cotto vs. [Julio Cesar] Chavez Jr. would be a public execution

 

[heyzel]

Mike Tyson: David Haye is Not Ready For The Klitschkos

By Mark Vester

According to former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, more time is needed before WBA champion David Haye is physically ready to fight either of the Klitschko brothers. Tyson told BoxingScene.com's Rick Reeno that Haye needs to be more active and fight several times per year.

Tyson doesn't think Haye is going to be sharp enough by fighting once or twice a year. Tyson likes what the Klitschko brothers are doing wth their activity level. Both brothers try to fight at least three times per year. Before he makes a deal to fight a Klitschko, Tyson wants to see Haye in the ring with some of the Klitschkos' past opponents.

"Before he even does that. David Haye should beat the guys the Klitschkos beat and compare the two fights. He should fight the guys the Klitschkos beat and then after he beats like 5 guys that the Klitschkos beat, then he and the Klitschkos should fight. That's if he wants it. He hasn't fought anybody. He needs to stay sharp. He needs to stay sharp if he wants to become a successful champion," Tyson told BoxingScene.com.

"Tyson doesn't exactly agree with Haye's selection of Audley Harrison for November 13, but he's not against the fight taking place because Haye shouldn't sit around waiting; he should be out there fighting a live body to stay active.

"He should fight somebody. Instead of not fighting anybody, he should fight somebody. You need to fight somebody. You need to stay active. You need to stay sharp and fight like four times a year. You can't just fight one time a year. He should fight four times a year for two years, and then fight the Klitschkos," Tyson said.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Berto is probably the most overpaid boxer in the sport, so I agree with the bobfather on this one. Berto is going to make $1.25+ million fighting Freddy Hernandez on the UNDERCARD next month. Unbelievable.

HBO would have to put up like $4 million for this non-pvv fight between cotto-berto in order for it to work and I seriously doubt HBO would put up that kind of cash.

 

[heyzel]

Roger Mayweather's Assault Trial Kicked To January 24

By Mark Vester

Roger Mayweather's criminal trial has been postponed for a second time by Clark County District Court Judge Valerie Adair. Mayweather is facing felony assault charges which stem from an August 2009 brawl with 26-year-old female boxer Melissa St. Vil. The incident took place when Mayweather arrived to an apartment that he owns in Las Vegas, and found St. Vil staying there. Vil alleges that Mayweather punched and choked her until she was nearly unconscious before police arrived to break it up. Mayweather was originally scheduled for trial in August. The charges carry a possible 10-year prison sentence.

 

[heyzel]

Berto is probably the most overpaid boxer in the sport, so I agree with the bobfather on this one. Berto is going to make $1.25+ million fighting Freddy Hernandez on the UNDERCARD next month. Unbelievable.

HBO would have to put up like $4 million for this non-pvv fight between cotto-berto in order for it to work and I seriously doubt HBO would put up that kind of cash.

that crazy for a undercard fight and berto can't draw homeless people to his fights

 

[naner12]

that crazy for a undercard fight and berto can't draw homeless people to his fights

Ha I went to Berto/Collazo and it remains #1 on my list of fights I've seen live. Unfortunately he couldn't sell out that arena, which was small, and a lot of people there were pulling for Collazo anyway. Berto pulling out of the Mosley fight might have cost him more than he thinks. If you're an opponent fighting Berto there's a high possibility you're getting paid dick because so much money has to go to him .. maybe he can secure a fight that means something and proves he deserves and get beaten down into a pay cut.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

I don't understand how/why HBO pays Berto so much. I guess Al Haymon really does have power over HBO but still, makes no sense. Doesn't sell well, doesn't get big ratings. He's talented and most of his fights are pretty entertaining, but not always.

 

[heyzel]

Cloud vs Zuniga: Tavoris Ready To Put on a Show

By Lem Satterfield

IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud is set to defend his title against veteran challenger Fulgencio Zuniga on the December 17 undercard to the WBC heavyweight eliminator between 2004 Olympic gold medal winner Odlanier Solis and Cleveland's Ray Austin at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.

A win over Zuniga (24-4-1, 21 knockouts) could be the final step before Cloud (21-0, 18 KOs) faces former champion Chad Dawson (29-1, 17 KOs), or the winner of Jean Pascal vs. Bernard Hopkins, taking place on December 18.

"I don't know too much about him, but I know that he has a desire to fight for the light heavyweight championship of the world. I know that he will be trying to capitalize on that opportunity, and that I am not taking him lightly at all. I know that he's going to bring his 'A' game and that he's going to try to do his absolute best. So, you know, I'm not sleeping on this guy at all," Cloud said.

The champion expects a decent amount of local supporters to show their support at the fight, and in turn - Cloud plans to put on a show.

"Miami is like a seven or eight hour drive from Tallahassee. I'm expecting some people to come to the fight. You know, some people may not come because it's the holiday season and everything. But regardless, Tavoris Cloud is the only fighter in the world that doesn't need another fighter to be an exciting fighter," Cloud said.

 

[naner12]

What a disappointing fight for Cloud to take. There's definitely better fights for him that Zuniga was owns his best wins two weight classes and a few years ago .. at least take a fight against a not so good LHW. Zuniga was highly ineffective when he stepped up to SMW and I can't imagine this is going to be any kind of competitive.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

i think its a stay busy fighy for cloud since chad dawson said he wants to fight him in march

 

[naner12]

i think its a stay busy fighy for cloud since chad dawson said he wants to fight him in march

Yeah, I've just never been a fan of sanctioning world title fights on throw away fights like these. What happened to the days of people taking non title fights for a stay busy? Make the fight at 177lbs or some dumb shit, there's no possible way in hell that Zuniga is any organizations top 25 at LHW. It's impossible and a joke.

I never complain about the amount of sanctioning bodies that matter (4 depending on who you ask) but if you want to make boxing look like a joke show them a guy like Zuniga fighting a for a title coming off losses in a lower weight division that he was NEVER champion in.

 

[heyzel]

Amir Khan: I'd Walk Over Bradley, Alexander is Flawed

By Mark Vester

WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan breaks down the junior welterweight division, one by one, and gives his opinion on several of the names at the weight. Khan defends his title against mandatory Marcos Maidana on December 11 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. He considers Maidana as the second best fighter at 140-pounds. Khan doesn't consider WBC champion Devon Alexander, or WBO champion Timothy Bradley, as serious threats. He thinks he would beat both of them without any problems.

Thoughts on Alexander - "After watching the last fight of Alexander, there are a lot of weaknesses. I think Maidana has more than the other two [Bradley and Alexander]....skill, heart, everything."

Thoughts on Bradley - "I don't see Bradley as a threat. Maybe two years ago, I said that I see him as a threat. At that time people were saying 'would you fight Bradley' and I wouldn't fight him because two years ago after my defeat, I wanted to build myself up again. Now, I think I would walk over him."

Thoughts on Ortiz - "Ortiz is a good fighter. I think that's a future opponent. He's tough and has a good style and is quite explosive. Ortiz, I think that's a good fight for me in the future."

 

[heyzel]

Arum Talks Cotto-Margarito Rematch, Chavez-Foreman

By Lem Satterfield

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., for the moment, has a showdown with WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto in his future. Chavez is going to face Alfonso Gomez on December 4 in California. According to Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, those plans could be altered based on the outcome of Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito, scheduled for November 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

If Margarito wins, he has a choice of having a rematch with Pacquiao or Cotto. But even if Margarito loses, but looks good in the fight, Arum says a rematch with Cotto could happen in the first half of 2011. If a Cotto-Margarito rematch were to happen, Arum says Chavez could end up facing someone along the lines of a Yuri Foreman.

"The fight with Chavez and Cotto is what is on the drawing board for right now. But, if, for example, Margarito lost to Pacquiao, but looked very, very good in losing the fight, then, maybe, the fight to make is a Cotto-Margarito rematch. And then, you might have Chavez fight somebody like a Yuri Foreman. We'll have to get one fight at a time done. We have a lot of options in those weight classes," Arum said.

 

[heyzel]

welterweight Super Six the world would want to see

By Marquise Bullock: In a world of corrupt promoters, and fighters afraid to take risk, we’re force to see unnecessary fights for one of the millions of titles fighters compete for nowadays. But in the last decade the welterweight division has always had some good fights, and it’ll always be that way for some reason. But in this fantasy Super Six for welterweights. who world be named victorious. Here’s a list of six exciting welterweights the world wouldn’t mind seeing mixing it up. And who would win this fantasy? Is the question that will always leave fight fans on edge.


“Sugar” Shane Mosley - A prime Shane Mosley was a problem for any man. Even though suffering loses to Vernon Forrest, ad least he had the guts to get in the ring and risk his undefeated record against the former Olympian, Forrest. Mosley had the total package, speed, power, and great heart with endurance to go with it. One of boxing’s legends.

Zab “Super” Judah- Ok I know what your thinking, why this guy? Well let’s just say a prime, focused Zab Judah, you know, like the Judah that beat Cory Spinks. When Judah was focused, the Brooklyn native was very on point and hard to beat. He’s a southpaw with the most hand speed that I’ve seen on a slick style boxer. And one thing we all know about Judah, he never ducked anyone and when he came to fight, he came to bang!

Cory Spinks- At one point this man was the undisputed welterweight champion of the world. Him fighting in his home town of St Louis, was just as big as the “Super Bowl.” Spinks had tremendous skill; was a very, very good technical boxer also a southpaw himself. He could’ve been a great potentially, but he faded away into the dark somewhere.

Felix Tito Trinidad- A lot of boxing fans don’t know this, but Trinidad is the youngest welterweight champion ever wining it at just the age of 20 years old. He beat Oscar De La Hoya for the WBC, and ranks second in welterweight title defenses behind Henry Armstrong with 15. Felix had some fast hands and some pretty good power, all while doing it with a peek-a-boo style of fighting. He would give any welterweight trouble.

Paul “The Punisher” Williams- Ok to start this one off, Williams is beatable. The blue print was set on how to beat him when Carlos Quintana out boxed him beautifully. Who’s Quintana. So fight fans don’t be frightened. But despite that Williams is very tough to beat. Standing at 6’2 and an 82 inch reach advantage, not to mention a high punch out put, Williams is a match up nightmare. But he lacks defense and we all know that could be costly.

Sergio Martinez- Before making noise at Jr. middleweight and middleweight, this slick Argentine was a welterweight. In my opinion he has a style like Joe Calzaghe. He can expose you quick if you’re not careful. He’s 35 years of age now, but I’ve seen videos of a young Martinez at welter, this guy was the real deal. Before meeting up against Williams he had only one loss, a controversial loss at that. From the hands of Margarito. But a young welterweight Martinez was a beast. And just to add to things, he’s another southpaw people would have to worry about.

So there you have it. These welterweights would put on a great show. But who would win? All the welterweights I’ve mentioned have had the share of success, and always put on a show. And to spice things up a bit, what if this was in all of their primes, and like I said a focused Judah. Not to mention most of these guys were all avoided throughout their respective careers. Who would win?

 

[heyzel]

Froch say Khan is fighting “Hand-picked” opponents and not impressing

By William Mackay: Former WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch was telling it like it is in an interview by Geoffrey Ciani on East Side Boxing’s On the Ropes Boxing Radio program today. Froch had this to say about WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan: “At the minute, he’s hand picking his opponents and he’s not really impressing anybody…I’ve yet to name someone on his record that’s a top level fighter where I’m impressed with the win. That flattening by [Breidis] Prescott was certainly a bad one.”


Khan was knocked out in the 1st round by Prescott, but then failed to even try and avenge the defeat. Instead, Khan has been matched against five consecutive weak punchers until he was forced to fight WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (29-1, 27 KO’s) or else Khan would have been stripped of his title by the WBA. I have to say that I agree with Froch about the hand-picked opponents.

Instead of going after the best fighter among the light welterweight champions last year, Khan faces Andriy Kotelnik, who many people saw as the worst of the champions. Khan won the fight, but it seemed as if he fought Kotelnik simply because he was seen as a lesser threat than the other champions. Khan has also faced Paulie Malignaggi recently instead of Maidana or a better fighter. Khan said he chose Malignaggi because he’s better known in the U.S, which is where Khan wants to become a bigger star. However, Maidana has built a huge fanbase in the United States in the past year, and I’d venture to guess that he’s more popular than Malignaggi, even though Malignaggi has been shown on cable a lot more often than Maidana. However, Malignaggi’s fights haven’t been nearly as exciting as Maidana’s and it’s been mostly a frustrating experience watching Malignaggi.

Froch says “I’ve not seen much improvement under Freddie Roach [speaking about Khan] to be honest…The only major flaw Khan’s got is he’s got a glass jaw.” A weak chin is something that may cause Khan to get knocked out by Maidana in their fight on December 11th. I can see that happening unless Khan can run for 12 rounds without ever stopping to take a breather.