Boxing News Thread
- Thread starter heyzel
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he's just now being charged for it. I don't know details just going by what's been reported.
floyd's alleged crime against his baby mama is obviously FAR MORE serious which is why he's facing multiple felonies, then gamboa's minor misdemeanor.
Further, I may crack jokes every now and then but I typically don't shit on any fighter who has domestic violence issues because boxing and abusing women almost goes hand in hand. The list of boxers who have struck a women unfortunately is nearly infinite. Floyd, Holyfield, Tyson, Valero, Gatti, Diego Corrales, Leonard, Robinson, Hagler, Louis, Ali, Foreman, Lamotta, the list goes on and on and on.
I do however shit on floyd for being an absolute moron outside of the ring. This is a grown ass man, a wealthy professional athlete who has more court cases per year then fights!
floyd's alleged crime against his baby mama is obviously FAR MORE serious which is why he's facing multiple felonies, then gamboa's minor misdemeanor.
Further, I may crack jokes every now and then but I typically don't shit on any fighter who has domestic violence issues because boxing and abusing women almost goes hand in hand. The list of boxers who have struck a women unfortunately is nearly infinite. Floyd, Holyfield, Tyson, Valero, Gatti, Diego Corrales, Leonard, Robinson, Hagler, Louis, Ali, Foreman, Lamotta, the list goes on and on and on.
I do however shit on floyd for being an absolute moron outside of the ring. This is a grown ass man, a wealthy professional athlete who has more court cases per year then fights!
Emanuel Steward “I just don’t see Mosley beating Manny Pacquiao, it’s hard for me to
by Geoffrey Ciani (Interviewed by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - This week’s 123rd edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with Hall of Fame boxing trainer Emanuel Steward who discussed a variety of topics including the upcoming mega bout between Shane Mosley and Manny Pacquiao, Chad Dawson’s May 21 matchup with Adrian Diaconu, Bernard Hopkins, Wladimir Klitschko’s heavyweight unification fight with David Haye, and more! Here are some excerpts from that interview:
His views on the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley this Saturday
“It’s an extremely intriguing fight to me because here is a fight that when it was first made it was totally criticized by everyone as being a total mismatch based on Mosley’s recent performances outside of the Margarito fight. The fight that he with Mora which wasn’t that exciting and then the terrible performance he had against Mayweather. Aside from staggering Mayweather I guess in the second round, I mean he was never really in the fight. But nevertheless the crowd and the public is going crazy. I cannot believe the amount of people that have been calling me up asking if I could get tickets at any price. It means to me that boxing is healthy still and the intriguing thing about it is people are dying to see a fight that I think when it was first established was like a 4:1 favorite for Pacquiao. I think that’s because the public still has a big desire to see marquee name fighters fighting each other. Especially like in the case of Pacquiao and Mosley who have for the most part really established themselves as really true warriors. So even though Mosley hasn’t been that great in his last fights, there are a lot of people asking me if I think Mosley can pull it off or if Sugar Shane can turn back the hands of time. It’s almost like Mike Tyson when he finally fought Lennox. It wasn’t the same Mike Tyson but the interest was still there because people are still trying to hold onto that Shane Mosley who had the two great fights with Oscar De La Hoya, and knocking out Vargas, and I guess Mayorga, and even t he fight he had with Miguel Cotto. So there are a lot of people in their own minds they’re kind of gradually forgetting about the Mayweather performance. I think it’s going to be a tremendous turnout and do big numbers with the pay-per-view that they’re selling. I think it’s good for boxing and regardless of who wins, which naturally favors Pacquiao, I think it’s going to be a good fight.”
His views on Mosley’s best chance to win against Pacquiao:
“Just myself it’s very difficult for me to see Shane beating him. I really can’t because Shane is not a puncher and he’s not really a boxer. Shane doesn’t really box. He’ll move around and he’ll like jingle his left hand and then he’ll jingle real loose-like and then he’ll explode with a bunch of flurries and then he gets back again and he rests again and he flurries again. So to beat Manny I think someone needs to box and try to make him get off balance a lot and use really good fundamental basics. That’s why Marquez always has given him and always will give a tough fight with Pacquiao because Marquez has such good basic balance. He made Manny get out of position a lot and he took advantage of it when he was out of position because of his fundamentals and basics being so sound. But that is not Shane. Shane would have to change and he’s not a big puncher. So I see him fighting a good competitive fight but I just don’t see Mosley beating Manny Pacquiao, it’s hard for me to really even create an image in my mind because he’s not the puncher, he’s not the boxer really. He’s a fighter! I see it being an exciting fight but I just don’t see him beating Manny.”
His views on Chad Dawson’s upcoming matchup against Adrian Diaconu and the training and preparation for that bout:
“Chad has been preparing good. He’s been training. That’s normal, but I think the opponent is a much more difficult opponent than many of the general fight fans realize. We studied him very closely and he’s a pretty good balanced out fighter and I think he’s going to enjoy a tremendous amount of unbelievable support from the Canadian fans, in particular the Romanians which have been really introduced and won over into the boxing world because of the unbelievable success of Lucian Bute. I think it’s going to have a lot of support from the Romanian crowd. He may have more support even than Jean Pascal in this fight actually. I think based on that and his natural talent that this could be a very difficult fight.”
His views on the Bernard Hopkins-Jean Pascal rematch and whether he believes Dawson will really get the winner should be beat Diaconu:
“Well I would say I hope that it is. That’s the best you can say. You never know what happens in boxing, but I think that Pascal and Hopkins is a very intriguing fight for the fact it was not really an exciting fight. Nevertheless I think they’re going to do unbelievable numbers in terms of the public that’s watching it on television as well as the live gate and it’s mainly because of two factors. One, everyone saw the fight because it was such a bad extremely bitter cold night that it seems everyone was home that night with nowhere to go. They didn’t want to go out in that weather so they watched the fight. Then the next factor was the unbelievable controversial decision. The fight was not an exciting fight but based on the controversial decision and the fact it was well watched means it’s going to have an unbelievable audience to watch the rematch between Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins. I asked Chad his opinion on the fight and I pretty much have to share the same. He says he doesn’t see where Jean Pascal can do anything differently to beat Bernard. If Bernard steps it up a little bit more Bernard will win more convincingly. Each fighter has his own merits and I think Bernard definitely will have an edge going to the fight, and probably even with the home crowd it will be almost 50-50 because of the way that the fans reacted to the last decision, but Jean Pascal is still a young fighter. You never know when he can get wired up and could possibly do something. For the most part Bernard seems to be the guy that is being a seasoned professional fighter, a very smart fighter, and the fact if he ever decided to step it up a little more very few guys would even go the limit with him because he’s such an accurate fighter and very experienced and seasoned.”
Regarding Wladimir Klitchko’s unification bout against David Haye this July:
“I’m glad that the fight is taking place because once again it’s a match that’s good for boxing. It’s one of the two fights that the public has had interest in that the public seemed to have demanded more so than just being a fight that a certain promoter or two found convenient for them. I’d say outside of the Pacquiao and Mayweather fight this is the only other fight that the public seemed to have some interest in mainly because of the I guess verbal abuse and cartoon abuse that David Haye has heaped upon t he Klitschkos. So I think it’s going to be an exciting fight because of the fact that Klitschko is going to be out of his normal emotional calm state of mind because he has been so angered by David Haye and I think that Haye has the mindset of a winner. Unlike a lot of the guys who fought Wladimir recently and Vitali, they were glad to say that they participated and got to make some money but never came in there with that burning desire or confidence that they were going to win. So I think David brings a new energy. He still can punch. He’s got fast hands. In all of the areas that I look at it Wladimir has to be favored, size-wise, experience, and I guess in this case maybe hometown advantage. One big question that still exists is both guys have questionable chins and whoever gets caught early could change the whole fight.”
On when he expects training camp for Wladimir to kick into high gear:
“Well Wladimir has a scheduled system setup where it’s about six weeks. So everything is laid out pretty good. He’ll box about 130 rounds, because whenever he spars he spars 12 rounds almost always. That’s in about maybe another two weeks, but he’s never out of condition. That’s the one thing you should remember. Wherever he’s calls me from he’s usually just coming from the gym, or coming from running or working out. So he comes in for training camp lighter than he actually weighs in when he weighs in for the fight, which is unusual. He’ll come into training camp at 235 or 237 and the night of the fight he’ll be 242 or 244 and that’s after training hard, sparring, and doing a lot of everything that goes with the training camp because he’s already in shape when he comes to camp. The reason his weight goes up is because he eats three solid meals at regular times, whereas he’s normally so busy like any young single guy that he’s not eating in regular intervals, but he’s always in good condition and outstanding shape.”
On why he believes so many all time greats (like George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, and Larry Holmes) have all come “On the Ropes Boxing Radio” and expressed the opinion that they believe Floyd Mayweather Junior is reluctant to face Manny Pacquiao:
“Because it’s true. Manny went in I guess with the last situation and agreed to everything that was demanded and Floyd for the most part backed off and Floyd really actually believes that Manny is using some type of an enhancement and this and that. Regardless of whether it’s true or not he really believed it. It’s an interesting fight because if the fight would place, maybe it’s changing now because of so much inactivity on the part of Floyd, that Floyd would win the fight! Now maybe Floyd doesn’t believe it that much. So maybe that’s the problem. But Floyd seriously has doubts about Manny’s use of performance enhancing drugs. Whether it’s true or not it’s his belief and that’s the main thing and that’s what he’s concerned about. I don’t know what could be the solution. Manny came in and said he would come in and do anything that he needed and it still didn’t take place. So I don’t know. I think eventually it’s a 50-50 chance that the fight may take place. It’s not much more than that. You know right now Pacquiao’s doing very well as we can see when he can fight a Shane Mosley who hasn’t had an impressive performance, and I guess if we take away the Margarito fight going all the way back to Cotto which was a loss. But still nevertheless Manny is drawing unbelievable numbers. I guess he’s gone down to Dallas doing 50,000. He never fought there before and is fighting a guy who never fought there before. I mean here’s a guy from the Philippines fighting a guy from Africa and they still did 50,000. So he’s doing extremely well. He does big numbers so he’s in an extremely good position right now, without even Mayweather.”
by Geoffrey Ciani (Interviewed by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - This week’s 123rd edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with Hall of Fame boxing trainer Emanuel Steward who discussed a variety of topics including the upcoming mega bout between Shane Mosley and Manny Pacquiao, Chad Dawson’s May 21 matchup with Adrian Diaconu, Bernard Hopkins, Wladimir Klitschko’s heavyweight unification fight with David Haye, and more! Here are some excerpts from that interview:
His views on the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley this Saturday
“It’s an extremely intriguing fight to me because here is a fight that when it was first made it was totally criticized by everyone as being a total mismatch based on Mosley’s recent performances outside of the Margarito fight. The fight that he with Mora which wasn’t that exciting and then the terrible performance he had against Mayweather. Aside from staggering Mayweather I guess in the second round, I mean he was never really in the fight. But nevertheless the crowd and the public is going crazy. I cannot believe the amount of people that have been calling me up asking if I could get tickets at any price. It means to me that boxing is healthy still and the intriguing thing about it is people are dying to see a fight that I think when it was first established was like a 4:1 favorite for Pacquiao. I think that’s because the public still has a big desire to see marquee name fighters fighting each other. Especially like in the case of Pacquiao and Mosley who have for the most part really established themselves as really true warriors. So even though Mosley hasn’t been that great in his last fights, there are a lot of people asking me if I think Mosley can pull it off or if Sugar Shane can turn back the hands of time. It’s almost like Mike Tyson when he finally fought Lennox. It wasn’t the same Mike Tyson but the interest was still there because people are still trying to hold onto that Shane Mosley who had the two great fights with Oscar De La Hoya, and knocking out Vargas, and I guess Mayorga, and even t he fight he had with Miguel Cotto. So there are a lot of people in their own minds they’re kind of gradually forgetting about the Mayweather performance. I think it’s going to be a tremendous turnout and do big numbers with the pay-per-view that they’re selling. I think it’s good for boxing and regardless of who wins, which naturally favors Pacquiao, I think it’s going to be a good fight.”
His views on Mosley’s best chance to win against Pacquiao:
“Just myself it’s very difficult for me to see Shane beating him. I really can’t because Shane is not a puncher and he’s not really a boxer. Shane doesn’t really box. He’ll move around and he’ll like jingle his left hand and then he’ll jingle real loose-like and then he’ll explode with a bunch of flurries and then he gets back again and he rests again and he flurries again. So to beat Manny I think someone needs to box and try to make him get off balance a lot and use really good fundamental basics. That’s why Marquez always has given him and always will give a tough fight with Pacquiao because Marquez has such good basic balance. He made Manny get out of position a lot and he took advantage of it when he was out of position because of his fundamentals and basics being so sound. But that is not Shane. Shane would have to change and he’s not a big puncher. So I see him fighting a good competitive fight but I just don’t see Mosley beating Manny Pacquiao, it’s hard for me to really even create an image in my mind because he’s not the puncher, he’s not the boxer really. He’s a fighter! I see it being an exciting fight but I just don’t see him beating Manny.”
His views on Chad Dawson’s upcoming matchup against Adrian Diaconu and the training and preparation for that bout:
“Chad has been preparing good. He’s been training. That’s normal, but I think the opponent is a much more difficult opponent than many of the general fight fans realize. We studied him very closely and he’s a pretty good balanced out fighter and I think he’s going to enjoy a tremendous amount of unbelievable support from the Canadian fans, in particular the Romanians which have been really introduced and won over into the boxing world because of the unbelievable success of Lucian Bute. I think it’s going to have a lot of support from the Romanian crowd. He may have more support even than Jean Pascal in this fight actually. I think based on that and his natural talent that this could be a very difficult fight.”
His views on the Bernard Hopkins-Jean Pascal rematch and whether he believes Dawson will really get the winner should be beat Diaconu:
“Well I would say I hope that it is. That’s the best you can say. You never know what happens in boxing, but I think that Pascal and Hopkins is a very intriguing fight for the fact it was not really an exciting fight. Nevertheless I think they’re going to do unbelievable numbers in terms of the public that’s watching it on television as well as the live gate and it’s mainly because of two factors. One, everyone saw the fight because it was such a bad extremely bitter cold night that it seems everyone was home that night with nowhere to go. They didn’t want to go out in that weather so they watched the fight. Then the next factor was the unbelievable controversial decision. The fight was not an exciting fight but based on the controversial decision and the fact it was well watched means it’s going to have an unbelievable audience to watch the rematch between Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins. I asked Chad his opinion on the fight and I pretty much have to share the same. He says he doesn’t see where Jean Pascal can do anything differently to beat Bernard. If Bernard steps it up a little bit more Bernard will win more convincingly. Each fighter has his own merits and I think Bernard definitely will have an edge going to the fight, and probably even with the home crowd it will be almost 50-50 because of the way that the fans reacted to the last decision, but Jean Pascal is still a young fighter. You never know when he can get wired up and could possibly do something. For the most part Bernard seems to be the guy that is being a seasoned professional fighter, a very smart fighter, and the fact if he ever decided to step it up a little more very few guys would even go the limit with him because he’s such an accurate fighter and very experienced and seasoned.”
Regarding Wladimir Klitchko’s unification bout against David Haye this July:
“I’m glad that the fight is taking place because once again it’s a match that’s good for boxing. It’s one of the two fights that the public has had interest in that the public seemed to have demanded more so than just being a fight that a certain promoter or two found convenient for them. I’d say outside of the Pacquiao and Mayweather fight this is the only other fight that the public seemed to have some interest in mainly because of the I guess verbal abuse and cartoon abuse that David Haye has heaped upon t he Klitschkos. So I think it’s going to be an exciting fight because of the fact that Klitschko is going to be out of his normal emotional calm state of mind because he has been so angered by David Haye and I think that Haye has the mindset of a winner. Unlike a lot of the guys who fought Wladimir recently and Vitali, they were glad to say that they participated and got to make some money but never came in there with that burning desire or confidence that they were going to win. So I think David brings a new energy. He still can punch. He’s got fast hands. In all of the areas that I look at it Wladimir has to be favored, size-wise, experience, and I guess in this case maybe hometown advantage. One big question that still exists is both guys have questionable chins and whoever gets caught early could change the whole fight.”
On when he expects training camp for Wladimir to kick into high gear:
“Well Wladimir has a scheduled system setup where it’s about six weeks. So everything is laid out pretty good. He’ll box about 130 rounds, because whenever he spars he spars 12 rounds almost always. That’s in about maybe another two weeks, but he’s never out of condition. That’s the one thing you should remember. Wherever he’s calls me from he’s usually just coming from the gym, or coming from running or working out. So he comes in for training camp lighter than he actually weighs in when he weighs in for the fight, which is unusual. He’ll come into training camp at 235 or 237 and the night of the fight he’ll be 242 or 244 and that’s after training hard, sparring, and doing a lot of everything that goes with the training camp because he’s already in shape when he comes to camp. The reason his weight goes up is because he eats three solid meals at regular times, whereas he’s normally so busy like any young single guy that he’s not eating in regular intervals, but he’s always in good condition and outstanding shape.”
On why he believes so many all time greats (like George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, and Larry Holmes) have all come “On the Ropes Boxing Radio” and expressed the opinion that they believe Floyd Mayweather Junior is reluctant to face Manny Pacquiao:
“Because it’s true. Manny went in I guess with the last situation and agreed to everything that was demanded and Floyd for the most part backed off and Floyd really actually believes that Manny is using some type of an enhancement and this and that. Regardless of whether it’s true or not he really believed it. It’s an interesting fight because if the fight would place, maybe it’s changing now because of so much inactivity on the part of Floyd, that Floyd would win the fight! Now maybe Floyd doesn’t believe it that much. So maybe that’s the problem. But Floyd seriously has doubts about Manny’s use of performance enhancing drugs. Whether it’s true or not it’s his belief and that’s the main thing and that’s what he’s concerned about. I don’t know what could be the solution. Manny came in and said he would come in and do anything that he needed and it still didn’t take place. So I don’t know. I think eventually it’s a 50-50 chance that the fight may take place. It’s not much more than that. You know right now Pacquiao’s doing very well as we can see when he can fight a Shane Mosley who hasn’t had an impressive performance, and I guess if we take away the Margarito fight going all the way back to Cotto which was a loss. But still nevertheless Manny is drawing unbelievable numbers. I guess he’s gone down to Dallas doing 50,000. He never fought there before and is fighting a guy who never fought there before. I mean here’s a guy from the Philippines fighting a guy from Africa and they still did 50,000. So he’s doing extremely well. He does big numbers so he’s in an extremely good position right now, without even Mayweather.”
Agbeko: I will still knock-out Abner Mares
By Prince Dornu-Leiku: IBF Bantamweight champ Joseph King Kong Agbeko has assured Ghanaians that he will knock out challenger Abner Mares when the duo finally get to slug it out for the unification of their belts in the Don King fashioned Bantamweight finals.
“Yes I was very confident of knocking him out if the fight had happened. He is a very good fighter no doubt but I prepared very well and knew I will take him out. I can assure my fans that I will still beat him when we meet. It’s a competition between me and myself to knock him out and I think I will still do it,” Agbeko told Ghanaian journalists at a press conference on his return to the country.
Held last Monday at Media Centre of the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra, Agbeko took the opportunity to explain to his countrymen what really happened that prompted the postponement of his scheduled April 23rd fight against Mares. The boxer revealed that organizers had to call off the fight after medical doctors declared him unfit six days ahead of the fight when he suffered from sudden onset sciatica on arrival at Los Angeles airport from New York.
Onset Sciatica is a severe pain down the lower back into the leg. It is caused by inflammation or irritation of the sciatic nerve, the longest and largest nerve in the body. Agbeko revealed that the effects of enduring three hours of flight delay at JFK and additional six hours of flight made him tired so much that he slipped and fell, but not that he collapsed as had been widely circulated in Ghana.
“I slipped, lost control and fell. I did not collapse as has been suggested by some people. Doctors said I need rest and after I will get back into the ring,” said Agbeko who added that the fight with Abner had to be postponed also because of certain medicines given him which could have passed for steroids and consequent drug failure if the April 23rd bout had come off.
Though a date has yet to be fixed for the fight, Agbeko said he will start training again after six weeks as directed by the doctors to regain total fitness. It now looks likely that the fight against Abner Mares will happen in late July or early August. The duration may be long since his last fight against Yohnny Perez but King Kong says there will be no ring rustiness because he previously sat out for 15 months before beating Perez.
“Even though I feel better now and could even enter the ring tomorrow, I have to go by the directives of the doctors who treated me. It was the biggest disappointment in my career because I really prepared for the fight and was eager to give Ghanaians something to cheer about. But there is nothing to worry about because I will come back even stronger, everything will be alright,” Agbeko said.
By Prince Dornu-Leiku: IBF Bantamweight champ Joseph King Kong Agbeko has assured Ghanaians that he will knock out challenger Abner Mares when the duo finally get to slug it out for the unification of their belts in the Don King fashioned Bantamweight finals.
“Yes I was very confident of knocking him out if the fight had happened. He is a very good fighter no doubt but I prepared very well and knew I will take him out. I can assure my fans that I will still beat him when we meet. It’s a competition between me and myself to knock him out and I think I will still do it,” Agbeko told Ghanaian journalists at a press conference on his return to the country.
Held last Monday at Media Centre of the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra, Agbeko took the opportunity to explain to his countrymen what really happened that prompted the postponement of his scheduled April 23rd fight against Mares. The boxer revealed that organizers had to call off the fight after medical doctors declared him unfit six days ahead of the fight when he suffered from sudden onset sciatica on arrival at Los Angeles airport from New York.
Onset Sciatica is a severe pain down the lower back into the leg. It is caused by inflammation or irritation of the sciatic nerve, the longest and largest nerve in the body. Agbeko revealed that the effects of enduring three hours of flight delay at JFK and additional six hours of flight made him tired so much that he slipped and fell, but not that he collapsed as had been widely circulated in Ghana.
“I slipped, lost control and fell. I did not collapse as has been suggested by some people. Doctors said I need rest and after I will get back into the ring,” said Agbeko who added that the fight with Abner had to be postponed also because of certain medicines given him which could have passed for steroids and consequent drug failure if the April 23rd bout had come off.
Though a date has yet to be fixed for the fight, Agbeko said he will start training again after six weeks as directed by the doctors to regain total fitness. It now looks likely that the fight against Abner Mares will happen in late July or early August. The duration may be long since his last fight against Yohnny Perez but King Kong says there will be no ring rustiness because he previously sat out for 15 months before beating Perez.
“Even though I feel better now and could even enter the ring tomorrow, I have to go by the directives of the doctors who treated me. It was the biggest disappointment in my career because I really prepared for the fight and was eager to give Ghanaians something to cheer about. But there is nothing to worry about because I will come back even stronger, everything will be alright,” Agbeko said.
Pacquiao to make $20 million minimum this Saturday, Mosley $5 million
By Dan Ambrose: Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime – For what appears to be a huge mismatch on paper involving a fighter in his prime in Manny Pacquiao against an aging fighter on the downside of his career in 39-year-old Shane Mosley this Saturday night, the two fighters are going to walk out of this fight with a whole bunch of money regardless of what happens in the ring. According to boxing news from Dan Rafael, Pacquiao will be getting a guarantee of $20 million for this Saturday’s fight, whereas Mosley will get a respectable $5 million.
Both fighter’s money could very well be more than that depending on what the final pay per view numbers come out to. With the Fight Camp 360 episodes being aired on CBS, this could be a fight that could bring in as many as 1.4 million PPV buys or more. That’s a lot of buys for a fight that isn’t really all that appealing on paper. It’s not that the fight wouldn’t have been an interesting one say six years ago when Mosley was still young at 33. But at 39 with his last win coming two years ago, Mosley doesn’t have much more of a puncher’s chance in this fight against Pacquiao.
Normally, boxing fans prefer to see fights that are more competitive than this going in. However, this fight is being marketed to the casual boxing fans without a lot of information about the two fighters other than what they’re seeing on Fight Camp 360. As a result, the Pacquiao vs. Mosley fight could bring in better numbers than any of Pacquiao’s recent fights. That would be a big deal because this could lead to more Pacquiao fights being advertised on CBS with equally big PPV numbers in theory. In the best possible world, it would be nice to see Pacquiao taking on some guys that are fighting well and not coming off of a loss or struggling the way that the 39-year-old Mosley is. But if the casual boxing fans want to buy these kinds of fights, who’s to argue?
By Dan Ambrose: Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime – For what appears to be a huge mismatch on paper involving a fighter in his prime in Manny Pacquiao against an aging fighter on the downside of his career in 39-year-old Shane Mosley this Saturday night, the two fighters are going to walk out of this fight with a whole bunch of money regardless of what happens in the ring. According to boxing news from Dan Rafael, Pacquiao will be getting a guarantee of $20 million for this Saturday’s fight, whereas Mosley will get a respectable $5 million.
Both fighter’s money could very well be more than that depending on what the final pay per view numbers come out to. With the Fight Camp 360 episodes being aired on CBS, this could be a fight that could bring in as many as 1.4 million PPV buys or more. That’s a lot of buys for a fight that isn’t really all that appealing on paper. It’s not that the fight wouldn’t have been an interesting one say six years ago when Mosley was still young at 33. But at 39 with his last win coming two years ago, Mosley doesn’t have much more of a puncher’s chance in this fight against Pacquiao.
Normally, boxing fans prefer to see fights that are more competitive than this going in. However, this fight is being marketed to the casual boxing fans without a lot of information about the two fighters other than what they’re seeing on Fight Camp 360. As a result, the Pacquiao vs. Mosley fight could bring in better numbers than any of Pacquiao’s recent fights. That would be a big deal because this could lead to more Pacquiao fights being advertised on CBS with equally big PPV numbers in theory. In the best possible world, it would be nice to see Pacquiao taking on some guys that are fighting well and not coming off of a loss or struggling the way that the 39-year-old Mosley is. But if the casual boxing fans want to buy these kinds of fights, who’s to argue?
Margarito’s eye injury still a problem, September fight with Cotto in jeopardy
By Dan Ambrose: Former IBF welterweight champion Antonio Margarito (38-7, 27 KO’s) recent right injury that he suffered in his loss to Manny Pacquiao last November is still giving Margarito a lot problems, enough to where his scheduled September 17th fight against WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto may not be able to take place. Margarito suffered a fractured right orbital bone in the loss to Pacquiao and the injury is failing to heal the way that his team had hoped it would.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Margarito will have the eye examined next week at the University of Utah’s John A Moran Eye Center. Margarito’s promoter Bob Arum said in the LA Times article “The eye is still giving him trouble. It has not completely healed.”
Eye injures are very serious and some of them can lead to permanent problems that often shorten a fighter’s career. It’s unclear now whether Margarito’s eye will heal up enough for him to return to action anytime soon. As such, Arum is reportedly considering matching Cotto up with middleweight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in September if Chavez Jr. wins his next fight against WBC middleweight champion Sebastian Zbik next month on June 4th. Chavez Jr. has a good chance of winning that fight because Zbik isn’t considered all that good of fighter.
Chavez Jr. is a very beatable fighter as well, but he’s been pushed up the rankings and is now at the number #1 spot despite having faced two fringe contenders during his career in John Duddy and Billy Lyell. Cotto would have a great chance then at picking up the WBC paper title and winning a third world title. It wouldn’t be the same, of course, of Cotto facing the best fighter at middleweight in Sergio Martinez, but then again Cotto would likely have no chance whatsoever against Martinez if he were to fight him. Chavez Jr. is a much more beatable fighter for Cotto and would give him a nice WBC belt that he would then likely immediately give up rather than face some of the contenders.
By Dan Ambrose: Former IBF welterweight champion Antonio Margarito (38-7, 27 KO’s) recent right injury that he suffered in his loss to Manny Pacquiao last November is still giving Margarito a lot problems, enough to where his scheduled September 17th fight against WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto may not be able to take place. Margarito suffered a fractured right orbital bone in the loss to Pacquiao and the injury is failing to heal the way that his team had hoped it would.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Margarito will have the eye examined next week at the University of Utah’s John A Moran Eye Center. Margarito’s promoter Bob Arum said in the LA Times article “The eye is still giving him trouble. It has not completely healed.”
Eye injures are very serious and some of them can lead to permanent problems that often shorten a fighter’s career. It’s unclear now whether Margarito’s eye will heal up enough for him to return to action anytime soon. As such, Arum is reportedly considering matching Cotto up with middleweight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in September if Chavez Jr. wins his next fight against WBC middleweight champion Sebastian Zbik next month on June 4th. Chavez Jr. has a good chance of winning that fight because Zbik isn’t considered all that good of fighter.
Chavez Jr. is a very beatable fighter as well, but he’s been pushed up the rankings and is now at the number #1 spot despite having faced two fringe contenders during his career in John Duddy and Billy Lyell. Cotto would have a great chance then at picking up the WBC paper title and winning a third world title. It wouldn’t be the same, of course, of Cotto facing the best fighter at middleweight in Sergio Martinez, but then again Cotto would likely have no chance whatsoever against Martinez if he were to fight him. Chavez Jr. is a much more beatable fighter for Cotto and would give him a nice WBC belt that he would then likely immediately give up rather than face some of the contenders.
Khan to meet with Ariza today to possibly sign him back up
By Sean McDaniel: According to reports, WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan will be meeting with his old trainer today Alex Ariza to possibly mend fences with him and have him back on board as his trainer. Khan looked horrible in his last fight against Paul McCloskey, looking tired by the 6th round and seemingly not in a good position to go another six rounds had the fight not been abruptly halted due to a head clash in the 6th.
Ariza had done a good job previously of training Khan for his important bout against knockout artist Marcos Maidana last year. However, Khan suddenly let Ariza go before training camp started to get ready for the McCloskey fight and picked up another trainer.
It’s really unclear whether Ariza would have made a difference in the McCloskey fight or not. Khan seemed to be tired because, unlike in the Maidana fight, Khan was throwing a lot of punches and missing with them. McCloskey had Khan hitting air for much of the fight. When a fighter misses, they tend to get tired quickly. Khan also was taking more chances and expending a lot more energy in the McCloskey fight than he was in the Maidana fight. The reason for that was simple. McCloskey wasn’t throwing any punches and had no power to worry Khan the way that Maidana did. As such, Khan was opening up a lot more with his offense compared to the Maidana fight. The end result was the Khan gassed out a little by the 6th. It would have likely been the same result no matter who his conditioning coach was for the fight. Khan had a weak puncher in front of him who was mostly focused on making Khan miss with his shots, and McCloskey did a great job at doing that. I doubt that Ariza will have any real affect on Khan other than perhaps psychological.
Khan’s next opponent is unknown right now. He was hoping to fight WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, but the money offered to Bradley wasn’t enough to really make it worth the trouble to fight Khan. Bradley was guaranteed $1.2 million by HBO to fight anyone in his next fight, and he was only bumped up $100,000 to $1.3 to fight Khan. As you can see, it hardly is worth the trouble to take the fight, especially given that it was supposed to be the biggest one that could be made at light welterweight. Khan will now likely fight someone like Erik Morales or possibly Zab Judah next. Marcos Maidana and Roberto Guerrero’s names have also been mentioned as a possible opponent for Khan, but I can’t realistically see Khan fighting either of these guys. My guess is Khan takes on the old timer Morales next. He’s less dangerous than Judah and Khan would get a good payday.
By Sean McDaniel: According to reports, WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan will be meeting with his old trainer today Alex Ariza to possibly mend fences with him and have him back on board as his trainer. Khan looked horrible in his last fight against Paul McCloskey, looking tired by the 6th round and seemingly not in a good position to go another six rounds had the fight not been abruptly halted due to a head clash in the 6th.
Ariza had done a good job previously of training Khan for his important bout against knockout artist Marcos Maidana last year. However, Khan suddenly let Ariza go before training camp started to get ready for the McCloskey fight and picked up another trainer.
It’s really unclear whether Ariza would have made a difference in the McCloskey fight or not. Khan seemed to be tired because, unlike in the Maidana fight, Khan was throwing a lot of punches and missing with them. McCloskey had Khan hitting air for much of the fight. When a fighter misses, they tend to get tired quickly. Khan also was taking more chances and expending a lot more energy in the McCloskey fight than he was in the Maidana fight. The reason for that was simple. McCloskey wasn’t throwing any punches and had no power to worry Khan the way that Maidana did. As such, Khan was opening up a lot more with his offense compared to the Maidana fight. The end result was the Khan gassed out a little by the 6th. It would have likely been the same result no matter who his conditioning coach was for the fight. Khan had a weak puncher in front of him who was mostly focused on making Khan miss with his shots, and McCloskey did a great job at doing that. I doubt that Ariza will have any real affect on Khan other than perhaps psychological.
Khan’s next opponent is unknown right now. He was hoping to fight WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, but the money offered to Bradley wasn’t enough to really make it worth the trouble to fight Khan. Bradley was guaranteed $1.2 million by HBO to fight anyone in his next fight, and he was only bumped up $100,000 to $1.3 to fight Khan. As you can see, it hardly is worth the trouble to take the fight, especially given that it was supposed to be the biggest one that could be made at light welterweight. Khan will now likely fight someone like Erik Morales or possibly Zab Judah next. Marcos Maidana and Roberto Guerrero’s names have also been mentioned as a possible opponent for Khan, but I can’t realistically see Khan fighting either of these guys. My guess is Khan takes on the old timer Morales next. He’s less dangerous than Judah and Khan would get a good payday.
Mayweather Sr. thinks Mosley can beat Pacquiao if he can fight like he did against Ma
By Eric Thomas: Floyd Mayweather Sr. believes that Shane Mosley (46-1-1, 39 KO’s) can pull off an upset on Saturday night against Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KO’s) if Shane can reach back to the kind of performance that he put in two years ago when he defeated Antonio Margarito by a 9th round TKO in January 2009. In an interview at fighthype.com, Mayweather Sr. said that Mosley would have a chance to win against Pacquiao under those conditions but that’s as far as Mayweather Sr. would go.
Mayweather Sr. wouldn’t say that Mosley would actually beat him if Mosley were to fight as good as he did against Margarito, only that he would have a chance. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of Mosley, and that’s for good reason. Mayweather Sr. is skeptical about what Mosley has left. He says he’s not sure that Mosley is the fighter that he once was two years ago. He’s says that if Mosley can get back to that level, he will have a chance in this fight.
The big question is whether Mosley can do that. Two years is a long time when you get up there in your late 30s. You can lose a lot in a short time, especially when you sit inactive for a year like Mosley foolishly did after stopping Margarito. Mosley didn’t fight against after that bout until taking on Mayweather Jr. last year in May. Mosley looked rusty in that fight and seemed to run completely out of gas after the 2nd round. Then in Mosley’s next bout in September 2010 against Sergio Mora, Mosley again looked bad in struggling to get a 12 round draw against Mora. It’s hard to see Mosley as the same fighter when he’s looking bad in not just one but two consecutive fights.
By Eric Thomas: Floyd Mayweather Sr. believes that Shane Mosley (46-1-1, 39 KO’s) can pull off an upset on Saturday night against Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KO’s) if Shane can reach back to the kind of performance that he put in two years ago when he defeated Antonio Margarito by a 9th round TKO in January 2009. In an interview at fighthype.com, Mayweather Sr. said that Mosley would have a chance to win against Pacquiao under those conditions but that’s as far as Mayweather Sr. would go.
Mayweather Sr. wouldn’t say that Mosley would actually beat him if Mosley were to fight as good as he did against Margarito, only that he would have a chance. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of Mosley, and that’s for good reason. Mayweather Sr. is skeptical about what Mosley has left. He says he’s not sure that Mosley is the fighter that he once was two years ago. He’s says that if Mosley can get back to that level, he will have a chance in this fight.
The big question is whether Mosley can do that. Two years is a long time when you get up there in your late 30s. You can lose a lot in a short time, especially when you sit inactive for a year like Mosley foolishly did after stopping Margarito. Mosley didn’t fight against after that bout until taking on Mayweather Jr. last year in May. Mosley looked rusty in that fight and seemed to run completely out of gas after the 2nd round. Then in Mosley’s next bout in September 2010 against Sergio Mora, Mosley again looked bad in struggling to get a 12 round draw against Mora. It’s hard to see Mosley as the same fighter when he’s looking bad in not just one but two consecutive fights.
Pryor Jr. defeats Andrade, Wilder stops Pena
Indio, Calif. (May 6, 2011) – Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. was the home to another night of action-packed fights with Golden Boy Promotions presenting an exciting six-bout event televised on TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate.” If you missed the live action or televised broadcast, below is a summary of the results:
Aaron Pryor Jr MD 10 Librado Andrade
Sergey Kovalev TKO 3 Terrance Woods
Enrique Ornelas UD 8 Hector Hernandez
Deontay Wilder TKO 1 Reggie Pena
Juan Sandoval UD 4 Hugo Ramos
Don’t miss the “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” action next Friday, May 13 from the Hilton Hotel & Casino in Ponce, Puerto Rico which is headlined by a 10-round lightweight bout featuring Lares, Puerto Rico native, who now resides in Newark, New Jersey, Mike “The Artist” Perez (12-0-1, 6 KO’s) against Memphis, Tennessee’s Ira Terry (24-4, 14 KO’s) in an eight round lightweight fight. The co-main event will feature Guaynabo, Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Vidal (13-0, 8 KO’s) against an opponent to be determined in an eight round flyweight fight.
Indio, Calif. (May 6, 2011) – Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. was the home to another night of action-packed fights with Golden Boy Promotions presenting an exciting six-bout event televised on TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate.” If you missed the live action or televised broadcast, below is a summary of the results:
Aaron Pryor Jr MD 10 Librado Andrade
Sergey Kovalev TKO 3 Terrance Woods
Enrique Ornelas UD 8 Hector Hernandez
Deontay Wilder TKO 1 Reggie Pena
Juan Sandoval UD 4 Hugo Ramos
Don’t miss the “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” action next Friday, May 13 from the Hilton Hotel & Casino in Ponce, Puerto Rico which is headlined by a 10-round lightweight bout featuring Lares, Puerto Rico native, who now resides in Newark, New Jersey, Mike “The Artist” Perez (12-0-1, 6 KO’s) against Memphis, Tennessee’s Ira Terry (24-4, 14 KO’s) in an eight round lightweight fight. The co-main event will feature Guaynabo, Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Vidal (13-0, 8 KO’s) against an opponent to be determined in an eight round flyweight fight.
Alfonso“El Tigre”Lopez III: “Pavlik picked the wrong opponent”
Joseph Herron: Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime - When ringside observers look back on 2011, more than likely it will be dubbed “the year of the upset”. From mild to monumental, boxing fans have already seen numerous upsets and have been treated to a virtual roller-coaster ride inside the squared circle; Brian Vera’s split decision over Mora, Wolak’s TKO victory over Foreman, Rubio’s 7 round KO over Lemieux, Ortiz’s UD victory against former champ Andre Berto, Salido’s stunning TKO victory over Lopez, and who could forget the colossal upset of Ishida’s first round shocker over James Kirkland.
With drama-laden bouts throughout almost every fight card thus far in 2011, will the Pacquiao/Mosley PPV event prove to be an exception?
On the eve of what is supposed to be a big comeback for Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik, who at one time was considered to be one of boxing’s main attractions, Alfonso “El Tigre” Lopez is preparing to pull off his own upset victory.
“If Team Pavlik thinks that I’m just going to stand in front of him and take his shots for ten rounds, they’re in for a shock,” claims Lopez. “I have a much different plan for Saturday night.”
To say that this fight means a great deal to Kelly Pavlik would be a major understatement. Some fight scribes have stated that Pavlik’s career rests solely on a decisive victory tomorrow night, and that a loss would be absolutely devastating.
So when the decision was made for this very important comeback fight, and Lopez received the call informing him that he had been chosen as Kelly’s next opponent, the undefeated Super Middleweight WBC Continental Americas Champion was very surprised.
“No way…there’s no way they just picked me,” thought Lopez. “I guess they think that I’m an easy opponent. Well, they’ll have to prove that to me because right now I don’t think I’m that guy.”
At 21-0 with 16 knock-outs, Lopez has proven that he is anything but an easy opponent for anyone. But, with better than average hand speed, good footwork, power in both hands, and no promotional machine behind him, Alfonso Lopez felt that he was quickly becoming an avoided fighter.
“I’ve sparred with guys that have more impressive amateur backgrounds telling me that I ‘m a very good fighter and asking me why I haven’t been signed by a major promoter? Well, now I have my chance to show everyone that I belong at this level,” declares Lopez. “Now it’s up to me to prove it on the biggest stage against the biggest named opponent of my career.”
Although Pavlik has the “big stage” fight experience, his upcoming bout against Alfonso will mark his ring debut at 168 lbs. His opponent this Saturday night is quite accustomed to fighting bigger men.
“This will be my fourth time fighting at 168 lbs,” claims Alfonso. “Although I’ve fought at light- heavyweight for the majority of my career, making 168 lbs is no problem for me.”
This is something that Lopez continually works on between fights.
“When I was 18 years old and I played college football at Sam Houston State, I weighed as high as 215 lbs,” claims Lopez. “But I wasn’t in fight shape back then…I’m a gym-rat now and I feel good at 168 lbs.”
“If you want every advantage, you must respect the sport of boxing and stay in shape 365 days of every year,” declares the Cut & Shoot, TX, resident. “You should do everything you can to be in the best shape possible in order to give yourself the best chance to win.”
Initially setting out to play football, Lopez quickly realized that his passion lied inside the ring.
“One Summer I was helping a friend of mine train for a Tough-Man competition and I had forgotten how much I loved boxing,” states the 29 year old fighter. “I turned in my pads when I got back to school and told the coaches that I was meant to box. I’ve been fighting ever since.”
Although Alfonso didn’t start competing in the amateurs until he was 18 years old, he wasn’t a novice to the sport of boxing.
“My Dad started teaching me the sport when I was 6 or 7 years old,” claims the Corpus Christi, TX, born fighter. “I learned the basics and sparred with my cousins in the backyard. That’s when I really fell in love with the sport.”
Lopez began to realize his calling shortly after meeting trainer and mentor Henry Harris.
“I really wanted to learn everything I could about technique and strategies,” claims Lopez. “I loved hearing the old war stories in the ring from Henry and Roy Harris. Through their tutelage, I really began to cultivate the fighter within me.”
Alfonso became an avid student of the fight game and studied fighters like Willie Pep, Rocky Marciano, and Sugar Ray Robinson. He worked at improving constantly; always believing that boxing was his destiny.
“I truly believe that I was meant to do this and I plan to make the most of this opportunity,” proclaims Lopez.
“I’ve given my life to boxing,” states Alfonso. “There are a lot of things that I could have done as a college graduate, but I chose to shove my family into an apartment on my trainer’s property and basically live in the gym.”
“I’ve made all of the sacrifices and I’ve done everything the right way…I’ve prepared for this opportunity and I’m ready,” claims “El Tigre”.
While most ringside observers feel that this fight was designed to make Pavlik look good, Lopez has an adverse view of the current situation.
“Pavlik is a very good, tough fighter, but my trainer and I have studied “The Ghost” ever since we found out that we were getting this opportunity, and we’ve found several things that we can exploit in Pavlik’s style,” states Lopez. “We know this a good fight and a tough fight, but we also know that it’s a fight where I can look good and score a decisive victory. That’s ultimately why we agreed to accept the opportunity to fight Kelly.”
Alfonso feels that this moment has been a long time coming, and would like to address the individuals who have stood by his side during his quest for boxing greatness.
“To everyone who has stuck by me throughout this hard but wonderful journey, especially my wife Gina Lee Lopez and my two kids Madeline Juliana and Alfonso Gavin Lopez IV, we’re almost there and I won’t let anyone down. To those who have never seen me fight or who are on the fence, tune in and watch closely. I am coming home with a victory.”
Watch WBC Continental Americas Super Middleweight Champion Alfonso “El Tigre” Lopez fight former Ring Magazine and Universally recognized Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik in a 10 round super middleweight showdown tomorrow night on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao/Sugar Shane Mosley Event on Showtime PPV. You can purchase the event online or through your local cable or satellite provider at $54.95.
Joseph Herron: Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime - When ringside observers look back on 2011, more than likely it will be dubbed “the year of the upset”. From mild to monumental, boxing fans have already seen numerous upsets and have been treated to a virtual roller-coaster ride inside the squared circle; Brian Vera’s split decision over Mora, Wolak’s TKO victory over Foreman, Rubio’s 7 round KO over Lemieux, Ortiz’s UD victory against former champ Andre Berto, Salido’s stunning TKO victory over Lopez, and who could forget the colossal upset of Ishida’s first round shocker over James Kirkland.
With drama-laden bouts throughout almost every fight card thus far in 2011, will the Pacquiao/Mosley PPV event prove to be an exception?
On the eve of what is supposed to be a big comeback for Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik, who at one time was considered to be one of boxing’s main attractions, Alfonso “El Tigre” Lopez is preparing to pull off his own upset victory.
“If Team Pavlik thinks that I’m just going to stand in front of him and take his shots for ten rounds, they’re in for a shock,” claims Lopez. “I have a much different plan for Saturday night.”
To say that this fight means a great deal to Kelly Pavlik would be a major understatement. Some fight scribes have stated that Pavlik’s career rests solely on a decisive victory tomorrow night, and that a loss would be absolutely devastating.
So when the decision was made for this very important comeback fight, and Lopez received the call informing him that he had been chosen as Kelly’s next opponent, the undefeated Super Middleweight WBC Continental Americas Champion was very surprised.
“No way…there’s no way they just picked me,” thought Lopez. “I guess they think that I’m an easy opponent. Well, they’ll have to prove that to me because right now I don’t think I’m that guy.”
At 21-0 with 16 knock-outs, Lopez has proven that he is anything but an easy opponent for anyone. But, with better than average hand speed, good footwork, power in both hands, and no promotional machine behind him, Alfonso Lopez felt that he was quickly becoming an avoided fighter.
“I’ve sparred with guys that have more impressive amateur backgrounds telling me that I ‘m a very good fighter and asking me why I haven’t been signed by a major promoter? Well, now I have my chance to show everyone that I belong at this level,” declares Lopez. “Now it’s up to me to prove it on the biggest stage against the biggest named opponent of my career.”
Although Pavlik has the “big stage” fight experience, his upcoming bout against Alfonso will mark his ring debut at 168 lbs. His opponent this Saturday night is quite accustomed to fighting bigger men.
“This will be my fourth time fighting at 168 lbs,” claims Alfonso. “Although I’ve fought at light- heavyweight for the majority of my career, making 168 lbs is no problem for me.”
This is something that Lopez continually works on between fights.
“When I was 18 years old and I played college football at Sam Houston State, I weighed as high as 215 lbs,” claims Lopez. “But I wasn’t in fight shape back then…I’m a gym-rat now and I feel good at 168 lbs.”
“If you want every advantage, you must respect the sport of boxing and stay in shape 365 days of every year,” declares the Cut & Shoot, TX, resident. “You should do everything you can to be in the best shape possible in order to give yourself the best chance to win.”
Initially setting out to play football, Lopez quickly realized that his passion lied inside the ring.
“One Summer I was helping a friend of mine train for a Tough-Man competition and I had forgotten how much I loved boxing,” states the 29 year old fighter. “I turned in my pads when I got back to school and told the coaches that I was meant to box. I’ve been fighting ever since.”
Although Alfonso didn’t start competing in the amateurs until he was 18 years old, he wasn’t a novice to the sport of boxing.
“My Dad started teaching me the sport when I was 6 or 7 years old,” claims the Corpus Christi, TX, born fighter. “I learned the basics and sparred with my cousins in the backyard. That’s when I really fell in love with the sport.”
Lopez began to realize his calling shortly after meeting trainer and mentor Henry Harris.
“I really wanted to learn everything I could about technique and strategies,” claims Lopez. “I loved hearing the old war stories in the ring from Henry and Roy Harris. Through their tutelage, I really began to cultivate the fighter within me.”
Alfonso became an avid student of the fight game and studied fighters like Willie Pep, Rocky Marciano, and Sugar Ray Robinson. He worked at improving constantly; always believing that boxing was his destiny.
“I truly believe that I was meant to do this and I plan to make the most of this opportunity,” proclaims Lopez.
“I’ve given my life to boxing,” states Alfonso. “There are a lot of things that I could have done as a college graduate, but I chose to shove my family into an apartment on my trainer’s property and basically live in the gym.”
“I’ve made all of the sacrifices and I’ve done everything the right way…I’ve prepared for this opportunity and I’m ready,” claims “El Tigre”.
While most ringside observers feel that this fight was designed to make Pavlik look good, Lopez has an adverse view of the current situation.
“Pavlik is a very good, tough fighter, but my trainer and I have studied “The Ghost” ever since we found out that we were getting this opportunity, and we’ve found several things that we can exploit in Pavlik’s style,” states Lopez. “We know this a good fight and a tough fight, but we also know that it’s a fight where I can look good and score a decisive victory. That’s ultimately why we agreed to accept the opportunity to fight Kelly.”
Alfonso feels that this moment has been a long time coming, and would like to address the individuals who have stood by his side during his quest for boxing greatness.
“To everyone who has stuck by me throughout this hard but wonderful journey, especially my wife Gina Lee Lopez and my two kids Madeline Juliana and Alfonso Gavin Lopez IV, we’re almost there and I won’t let anyone down. To those who have never seen me fight or who are on the fence, tune in and watch closely. I am coming home with a victory.”
Watch WBC Continental Americas Super Middleweight Champion Alfonso “El Tigre” Lopez fight former Ring Magazine and Universally recognized Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik in a 10 round super middleweight showdown tomorrow night on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao/Sugar Shane Mosley Event on Showtime PPV. You can purchase the event online or through your local cable or satellite provider at $54.95.
Mayweathers pick Pacquiao over Mosley
May 7, 2011 18:50:46
It’s no joke, but the same family who loathed Manny Pacquiao is picking him to beat Sugar Shane Mosley for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title on Saturday (Sunday in the Philippines).
Indirectly making their choice, Floyd Mayweather Sr. and his brother, Roger, are on the same page for a possible Pacquiao victory.
Floyd Sr. said that Mosley, 39, should be in the same condition as when he fought Antonio
Margarito two years ago in order to beat the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter.
"If he trained good enough and hard enough to perform like he did with Margarito in the ring that particular night, then he’s got a chance," said Floyd Sr, who acknowledges Mosley had shown some age especially in his 12-round unanimous decision loss to Floyd Jr. last year.
Roger, a former two-time world champion, said that Mosley’s chance of pulling off an upset rests solely on the fight plan laid out for him by trainer Nazeem Richardson.
"He’ll still make it a better fight. It doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t win as a 40-year-old," said Roger, who trains Floyd Jr., inactive for over a year now since his 2010 encounter with Mosley.
"It’s a matter of how you attack Pacquiao and that’s the difference."
That the Mayweather brothers are on the side of Pacquiao in this rare moment definitely comes as a big surprise.
Along with his son, Floyd Jr., the Mayweathers have criticized Pacquiao in the past owing to two failed bids at arranging a fight with the younger Mayweather.
Disagreement in the drug testing procedures to be administered for both Pacquiao and Floyd Jr. led to the indefinite shelving of the mammoth promotional fight.
This eventually led to accusations by the Mayweathers that the Filipino boxing superstar is using performance-enhancing drugs.
Roger, however, is for the materialization of the match.
"We’ll see who’s the best fighter in the world, that’s the only way you would know," he said of the fight that many anticipate would go down as the biggest in the history of boxing.
Roger, who admits not having watched any Pacquiao fights in his entire life, said the monetary consideration expected to be gained from pitting two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world should not be put aside.
"There’s enough money on the table. It’s a lot of money, so it should happen," he explained. – JVP, GMA News
May 7, 2011 18:50:46
It’s no joke, but the same family who loathed Manny Pacquiao is picking him to beat Sugar Shane Mosley for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title on Saturday (Sunday in the Philippines).
Indirectly making their choice, Floyd Mayweather Sr. and his brother, Roger, are on the same page for a possible Pacquiao victory.
Floyd Sr. said that Mosley, 39, should be in the same condition as when he fought Antonio
Margarito two years ago in order to beat the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter.
"If he trained good enough and hard enough to perform like he did with Margarito in the ring that particular night, then he’s got a chance," said Floyd Sr, who acknowledges Mosley had shown some age especially in his 12-round unanimous decision loss to Floyd Jr. last year.
Roger, a former two-time world champion, said that Mosley’s chance of pulling off an upset rests solely on the fight plan laid out for him by trainer Nazeem Richardson.
"He’ll still make it a better fight. It doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t win as a 40-year-old," said Roger, who trains Floyd Jr., inactive for over a year now since his 2010 encounter with Mosley.
"It’s a matter of how you attack Pacquiao and that’s the difference."
That the Mayweather brothers are on the side of Pacquiao in this rare moment definitely comes as a big surprise.
Along with his son, Floyd Jr., the Mayweathers have criticized Pacquiao in the past owing to two failed bids at arranging a fight with the younger Mayweather.
Disagreement in the drug testing procedures to be administered for both Pacquiao and Floyd Jr. led to the indefinite shelving of the mammoth promotional fight.
This eventually led to accusations by the Mayweathers that the Filipino boxing superstar is using performance-enhancing drugs.
Roger, however, is for the materialization of the match.
"We’ll see who’s the best fighter in the world, that’s the only way you would know," he said of the fight that many anticipate would go down as the biggest in the history of boxing.
Roger, who admits not having watched any Pacquiao fights in his entire life, said the monetary consideration expected to be gained from pitting two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world should not be put aside.
"There’s enough money on the table. It’s a lot of money, so it should happen," he explained. – JVP, GMA News