Boxing News Thread
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Hopefully the Pope is a Golovkin fan and negotiates the fight
Sergio Martinez To Sit Down With Pope Francis
New York, NY - Next Wednesday, Middleweight Champion and pound-for-pounder Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez will have the opportunity of a lifetime when he sits down one-on-one with Pope Francis. The meeting between the two Argentineans will take place at the Vatican, and will mark the first time a professional fighter has had a one-on-one closed session meeting with the Pope since Muhammad Ali.
Martinez, who intends to speak about his anti-bullying and domestic violence against women campaigns, is absolutely ecstatic about the meeting.
"In the past couple of months, I will have had two of my dreams as a Catholic come true, to visit the Basilica of our Lady Guadalupe in Mexico and to be received by the Pope. I will be asking the Pope for blessings and spiritual protection to all of those who enter the ring," said Martinez.
Sergio Martinez To Sit Down With Pope Francis
New York, NY - Next Wednesday, Middleweight Champion and pound-for-pounder Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez will have the opportunity of a lifetime when he sits down one-on-one with Pope Francis. The meeting between the two Argentineans will take place at the Vatican, and will mark the first time a professional fighter has had a one-on-one closed session meeting with the Pope since Muhammad Ali.
Martinez, who intends to speak about his anti-bullying and domestic violence against women campaigns, is absolutely ecstatic about the meeting.
"In the past couple of months, I will have had two of my dreams as a Catholic come true, to visit the Basilica of our Lady Guadalupe in Mexico and to be received by the Pope. I will be asking the Pope for blessings and spiritual protection to all of those who enter the ring," said Martinez.
Freddie Roach confident he can lead Miguel Cotto to victory against Sergio Martinez
By Scott Christ S @scott christBLH on Oct 6 2013, 3:10p 158
Mike Ehrmann
Freddie Roach loved what he saw from Miguel Cotto last night, and is confident that Cotto would beat Sergio Martinez.
Freddie Roach was pretty ecstatic with the way Miguel Cotto looked last night in his three-round thrashing of Delvin Rodriguez in Orlando, and says he believes he has the right fighter to expose the weaknesses in Sergio Martinez if that fight can be made.
Martinez-Cotto is a fight that HBO wants, that Top Rank wants, and that most likely, Lou DiBella and Team Martinez will also want. Roach, who faced Martinez in 2012 with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, believes Cotto can finish the job.
"(Martinez is) a great athlete. He's very fast, of course. But the thing is he does have some flaws in his armor. I think we'd take advantage of them. I think I have the right guy to do it this time. ... Chavez fought one round and almost had him out. All Chavez had to do was let his hands go. got a disciplined fighter [in Cotto] who's going to follow a game plan like he did tonight. I think we can beat him."
Roach also said he sees no reason for a catchweight between 154 and 160, and that he's confident Cotto can beat Sergio at the full 160-pound middleweight limit.
For both fighters, the fight seems to make sense on paper. Neither of them are young or in their prime, but they are both worth money and are looking for significant fights. For Cotto, it would be a chance to win a world title in a fourth weight division, which would make him the first Puerto Rican to do so, following title reigns at 140, 147, and 154. For Martinez, who will turn 39 in February, it's a money fight against a well-known opponent that doesn't present a big physical risk like Gennady Golovkin would, to be honest.
Martinez would also be taking the fight after a lengthy stint out of the ring to recover from what are now recurring injuries, and it's worth wondering what he's going to have left physically.
By Scott Christ S @scott christBLH on Oct 6 2013, 3:10p 158
Mike Ehrmann
Freddie Roach loved what he saw from Miguel Cotto last night, and is confident that Cotto would beat Sergio Martinez.
Freddie Roach was pretty ecstatic with the way Miguel Cotto looked last night in his three-round thrashing of Delvin Rodriguez in Orlando, and says he believes he has the right fighter to expose the weaknesses in Sergio Martinez if that fight can be made.
Martinez-Cotto is a fight that HBO wants, that Top Rank wants, and that most likely, Lou DiBella and Team Martinez will also want. Roach, who faced Martinez in 2012 with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, believes Cotto can finish the job.
"(Martinez is) a great athlete. He's very fast, of course. But the thing is he does have some flaws in his armor. I think we'd take advantage of them. I think I have the right guy to do it this time. ... Chavez fought one round and almost had him out. All Chavez had to do was let his hands go. got a disciplined fighter [in Cotto] who's going to follow a game plan like he did tonight. I think we can beat him."
Roach also said he sees no reason for a catchweight between 154 and 160, and that he's confident Cotto can beat Sergio at the full 160-pound middleweight limit.
For both fighters, the fight seems to make sense on paper. Neither of them are young or in their prime, but they are both worth money and are looking for significant fights. For Cotto, it would be a chance to win a world title in a fourth weight division, which would make him the first Puerto Rican to do so, following title reigns at 140, 147, and 154. For Martinez, who will turn 39 in February, it's a money fight against a well-known opponent that doesn't present a big physical risk like Gennady Golovkin would, to be honest.
Martinez would also be taking the fight after a lengthy stint out of the ring to recover from what are now recurring injuries, and it's worth wondering what he's going to have left physically.
Floyd Mayweather's trainer: Pacquiao last man standing, it can happen. If Pacquiao buckled Floyd, we would stop the fight
Jenna J: There is still a fight the boxing fans want to see, and now that there are no other big names out there, do you think a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight can happen?
Floyd Mayweather Sr: You know what, I’m just telling you the truth, that fight could happen, that fight could happen if they get him on the straight and narrow, that fight can happen. That fight can happen much quicker then the Hopkins fight, and Martinez like you were talking about.
I believe that fight with Pacquiao can take place, Amir Khan can take place, for what we got left I think Pacquiao is the man to take a shot at Floyd, and as long as they make sure he do the right things, make sure he clean with everything, check him from head to toe, and if we check him from head to toe, we can go!
We bow down to nobody, and like I said, Pacquiao is a good one, he was not good before, but now being that things are so small, and we ain’t got nobody now, hey look, I guess he is the last man standing, that’s what it looks like to me. I think little Floyd can give Pacquiao a very good whooping, so right now with the way things are looking with him, I think all these guys need to get what’s coming to them anyway, because you get a chance to see what time it is.
Jenna: Now Floyd, the one thing that has always stood in the way of Mayweather-Pacquiao fight was drug testing, does it have to be that same case again? Does Pacquiao have to take every test to make the fight with Floyd?
Mayweather Sr: Oh yes, hell yes. He got to take every test! Anytime someone do stuff like that, he have to take every test. I’ll make sure that Floyd make him take every test. We can come up with nothing wrong with him, every test, any and all of them he got to take. It should be that way, he ain’t knocking my son out, and giving my son problems by hitting him, and him hitting you and you not going no where, nah he ain’t going for that stuff. He’s got to take every test there is.
Jenna: If that fight does happen, Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, do you think Floyd really has to knock him out, and do what Marquez did to him, to really have an impressive performance?
Mayweather Sr: Floyd ain’t got to do it. Floyd has beaten Marquez’s ass already, whopped him easy. Marquez does not want to fight Floyd again, and Floyd will do the same thing to Pacquiao, it will be simple. Pacquiao and Marquez were going back and fourth when they were fighting each other. Marquez would have a moment here, and Pacquiao would have a moment here.
Floyd did not have a problem with Marquez, everything Floyd whopped him in, every round, and whooped him all the way, it was easy and he will definitely do Pacquiao the same way, if not easier, so that’s why everybody would know. If anything looks strange, little Floyd getting buckled or this and that by Pacquiao, then somebody is going to have to answer to this. We would have to stop that fight right there to see what the hell is going on with Pacquiao, cause something won’t be right, believe that.
Jenna J: There is still a fight the boxing fans want to see, and now that there are no other big names out there, do you think a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight can happen?
Floyd Mayweather Sr: You know what, I’m just telling you the truth, that fight could happen, that fight could happen if they get him on the straight and narrow, that fight can happen. That fight can happen much quicker then the Hopkins fight, and Martinez like you were talking about.
I believe that fight with Pacquiao can take place, Amir Khan can take place, for what we got left I think Pacquiao is the man to take a shot at Floyd, and as long as they make sure he do the right things, make sure he clean with everything, check him from head to toe, and if we check him from head to toe, we can go!
We bow down to nobody, and like I said, Pacquiao is a good one, he was not good before, but now being that things are so small, and we ain’t got nobody now, hey look, I guess he is the last man standing, that’s what it looks like to me. I think little Floyd can give Pacquiao a very good whooping, so right now with the way things are looking with him, I think all these guys need to get what’s coming to them anyway, because you get a chance to see what time it is.
Jenna: Now Floyd, the one thing that has always stood in the way of Mayweather-Pacquiao fight was drug testing, does it have to be that same case again? Does Pacquiao have to take every test to make the fight with Floyd?
Mayweather Sr: Oh yes, hell yes. He got to take every test! Anytime someone do stuff like that, he have to take every test. I’ll make sure that Floyd make him take every test. We can come up with nothing wrong with him, every test, any and all of them he got to take. It should be that way, he ain’t knocking my son out, and giving my son problems by hitting him, and him hitting you and you not going no where, nah he ain’t going for that stuff. He’s got to take every test there is.
Jenna: If that fight does happen, Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, do you think Floyd really has to knock him out, and do what Marquez did to him, to really have an impressive performance?
Mayweather Sr: Floyd ain’t got to do it. Floyd has beaten Marquez’s ass already, whopped him easy. Marquez does not want to fight Floyd again, and Floyd will do the same thing to Pacquiao, it will be simple. Pacquiao and Marquez were going back and fourth when they were fighting each other. Marquez would have a moment here, and Pacquiao would have a moment here.
Floyd did not have a problem with Marquez, everything Floyd whopped him in, every round, and whooped him all the way, it was easy and he will definitely do Pacquiao the same way, if not easier, so that’s why everybody would know. If anything looks strange, little Floyd getting buckled or this and that by Pacquiao, then somebody is going to have to answer to this. We would have to stop that fight right there to see what the hell is going on with Pacquiao, cause something won’t be right, believe that.
Stevenson, Kovalev Doubleheader In Play For Nov 30 On H B O
BoxingScene.com
By Rick Reeno
Promoter Yvon Michel is working hard to finalize the date of November 30th for the next title defense of WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson (22-1, 19KOs). Michel tells BoxingScene.com that mandatory challenger Tony Bellew (20-1-1, 12KOs) will indeed be the next opponent. The Bell Centre in Montreal will not be available and Michel is trying to set the fight down in Quebec.
In the HBO televised co-feature, Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1, 20KOs) would make the first defense of his WBO light heavyweight title against a yet to be determined opponent.
HBO is slowly building a mouth-watering unification between Stevenson and Kovalev, potentially for 2014
BoxingScene.com
By Rick Reeno
Promoter Yvon Michel is working hard to finalize the date of November 30th for the next title defense of WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson (22-1, 19KOs). Michel tells BoxingScene.com that mandatory challenger Tony Bellew (20-1-1, 12KOs) will indeed be the next opponent. The Bell Centre in Montreal will not be available and Michel is trying to set the fight down in Quebec.
In the HBO televised co-feature, Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1, 20KOs) would make the first defense of his WBO light heavyweight title against a yet to be determined opponent.
HBO is slowly building a mouth-watering unification between Stevenson and Kovalev, potentially for 2014
Lol Tyson Fury on a twitter rampage after apparently Lennox Lewis said he would have KOd Fury in a round. I guess the British Boxing Board is going to fine him for homophobic remarks. There was a lot more but deleted now
Tyson also said on twitter that "Wladimir Klitschko is 100 percent homosexual" but all the gat stuff has been deleted
Tyson also said on twitter that "Wladimir Klitschko is 100 percent homosexual" but all the gat stuff has been deleted
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Lennox Lewis and Promoters in talks for £100 Million Klitschko Comeback Fight!
October 10th, 2013 | Post Comment - 49 Comments
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wladimir klitschko vitali klitschko lennox lewis By Ciaran McKinney: Former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Lennox Lewis has stated that he is in preliminary training whilst promoters consider his offer of a £100 million purse for a comeback fight against one of the Klitschko brothers. Lewis has stated that he would prefer to face the younger Wladimir. However, the promoters would like to see a rematch of the Las Vegas bout against Vitali that ended on cuts in favor of Lewis.
He says that promoters are considering his offer and will be back to him after a period of consideration and if this fight does come to fruition, then it would mirror the situation of George Foreman, who came out of retirement to win the Heavyweight Championship belt at the grand old age of 48, the same as Lewis now. As provisional training is already underway in Lewis’ camp, it is said that he could be ready to fight in as little as 6 months.
In a statement channeling the thoughts of fan and critic alike, Lewis said in an interview with the Daily Mail after being ringside for Wladimir’s mauling of Povetkin;
“In a way this fight confirmed my disappointment with the state of heavyweight boxing right now. The best they could find to challenge Wladimir was a kid who is not fully developed either physically or in terms of experience.
This is without doubt a potentially massive fight and one of the biggest in living memory if it comes to pass, but with so many ifs-ands-buts inbetween, it remains merely talk at this point.
Would you be happy to see this fight take place, or is it a damning indictment of the current state of the Heavyweight division, leave your views and opinions below!
Read more at Lennox Lewis and Promoters in talks for £100 Million Klitschko Comeback Fight!
October 10th, 2013 | Post Comment - 49 Comments
96Share 1 129Share 13Tweet
wladimir klitschko vitali klitschko lennox lewis By Ciaran McKinney: Former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Lennox Lewis has stated that he is in preliminary training whilst promoters consider his offer of a £100 million purse for a comeback fight against one of the Klitschko brothers. Lewis has stated that he would prefer to face the younger Wladimir. However, the promoters would like to see a rematch of the Las Vegas bout against Vitali that ended on cuts in favor of Lewis.
He says that promoters are considering his offer and will be back to him after a period of consideration and if this fight does come to fruition, then it would mirror the situation of George Foreman, who came out of retirement to win the Heavyweight Championship belt at the grand old age of 48, the same as Lewis now. As provisional training is already underway in Lewis’ camp, it is said that he could be ready to fight in as little as 6 months.
In a statement channeling the thoughts of fan and critic alike, Lewis said in an interview with the Daily Mail after being ringside for Wladimir’s mauling of Povetkin;
“In a way this fight confirmed my disappointment with the state of heavyweight boxing right now. The best they could find to challenge Wladimir was a kid who is not fully developed either physically or in terms of experience.
This is without doubt a potentially massive fight and one of the biggest in living memory if it comes to pass, but with so many ifs-ands-buts inbetween, it remains merely talk at this point.
Would you be happy to see this fight take place, or is it a damning indictment of the current state of the Heavyweight division, leave your views and opinions below!
Read more at Lennox Lewis and Promoters in talks for £100 Million Klitschko Comeback Fight!
Fans want Canelo-Cotto, not Cotto-Martinez
October 10th, 2013 | Post Comment - 16 Comments
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sergio martinez saul alvarez miguel cotto By Dan Ambrose: It looks like Bob Arum of Top Rank, Lou Dibella and Sampson Lewkowicz may be talking about a fight that boxing fans aren’t all that interested in seeing with the Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez idea. According to a poll at RingTV, boxing fans much prefer to see Cotto fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez than Sergio Martinez. 48.8 percent of the fans polled picked Cotto-Canelo as the fight they want to see, whereas only 30.1 percent want to see Cotto fight the aging 39-year-old Martinez.
Cotto’s adviser Gaby Penagaricano also seems intrigued at the idea of Cotto and Canelo mixing it up, saying to RingTV “We need to know what makes the most sense for Miguel. I think that [a fight] with Canelo] would be a very big fight.”
Gaby is right. There’s no question about it that a Cotto vs. Canelo fight is the much better fight Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez. It’s also a more winnable fight for Cotto because Canelo will be there right in front of him for the most part trying to mix it up for 12 rounds. The 5’9″ Canelo isn’t quite as tall as the 5’10″ Martinez, and he doesn’t move around the ring the way that Martinez does.
There’s a lot less risk involved for Cotto in getting out-boxed by Canelo as there is against Sergio. The only thing Cotto has to worry about with Canelo is that he doesn’t get battered and knocked out. With Martinez, if his legs are working good, he’ll probably make Cotto look silly by moving around the ring for 12 rounds pot-shotting him at will. If you thought Cotto looked bad against Austin Trout, just imagine how he’ll look against an even more slippery fighter in Sergio.
In terms of money and fan interest, Canelo vs. Cotto is clearly the much better fight than Cotto vs. Martinez. There’s not a huge Argentinian population in the U.S to pool from to attract fans to a Cotto-Martinez fight, because Martinez is originally from Argentina and now lives in Spain. He’s popular in the U.S, but not at the level of Canelo and he doesn’t have a huge Mexican fan base to back him the way that Canelo does. You’d hate to see Cotto fight Martinez and end up getting beaten for less money than he’ll get against Sergio Martinez.
A fight between Cotto and Canelo is the more exciting fight because Canelo won’t be running from Cotto the way that Sergio will. We just saw Sergio run circles around the ring for 12 rounds last year in beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in September of 2012. When Martinez finally did stop running in the 12th round, he got knocked down and was hurt pretty badly in the last seconds of the fight.
If the 32-year-old Cotto was a younger fighter, I think it would be okay for him to fight Sergio Martinez, because he would still be young enough to rebuild himself for other big fights. But he’s up there in age and nearing the end of his career. That’s why he needs to take the biggest fight possible for him next against Canelo rather than a lesser fight against Martinez
Read more at Fans want Canelo-Cotto, not Cotto-Martinez
October 10th, 2013 | Post Comment - 16 Comments
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sergio martinez saul alvarez miguel cotto By Dan Ambrose: It looks like Bob Arum of Top Rank, Lou Dibella and Sampson Lewkowicz may be talking about a fight that boxing fans aren’t all that interested in seeing with the Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez idea. According to a poll at RingTV, boxing fans much prefer to see Cotto fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez than Sergio Martinez. 48.8 percent of the fans polled picked Cotto-Canelo as the fight they want to see, whereas only 30.1 percent want to see Cotto fight the aging 39-year-old Martinez.
Cotto’s adviser Gaby Penagaricano also seems intrigued at the idea of Cotto and Canelo mixing it up, saying to RingTV “We need to know what makes the most sense for Miguel. I think that [a fight] with Canelo] would be a very big fight.”
Gaby is right. There’s no question about it that a Cotto vs. Canelo fight is the much better fight Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez. It’s also a more winnable fight for Cotto because Canelo will be there right in front of him for the most part trying to mix it up for 12 rounds. The 5’9″ Canelo isn’t quite as tall as the 5’10″ Martinez, and he doesn’t move around the ring the way that Martinez does.
There’s a lot less risk involved for Cotto in getting out-boxed by Canelo as there is against Sergio. The only thing Cotto has to worry about with Canelo is that he doesn’t get battered and knocked out. With Martinez, if his legs are working good, he’ll probably make Cotto look silly by moving around the ring for 12 rounds pot-shotting him at will. If you thought Cotto looked bad against Austin Trout, just imagine how he’ll look against an even more slippery fighter in Sergio.
In terms of money and fan interest, Canelo vs. Cotto is clearly the much better fight than Cotto vs. Martinez. There’s not a huge Argentinian population in the U.S to pool from to attract fans to a Cotto-Martinez fight, because Martinez is originally from Argentina and now lives in Spain. He’s popular in the U.S, but not at the level of Canelo and he doesn’t have a huge Mexican fan base to back him the way that Canelo does. You’d hate to see Cotto fight Martinez and end up getting beaten for less money than he’ll get against Sergio Martinez.
A fight between Cotto and Canelo is the more exciting fight because Canelo won’t be running from Cotto the way that Sergio will. We just saw Sergio run circles around the ring for 12 rounds last year in beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in September of 2012. When Martinez finally did stop running in the 12th round, he got knocked down and was hurt pretty badly in the last seconds of the fight.
If the 32-year-old Cotto was a younger fighter, I think it would be okay for him to fight Sergio Martinez, because he would still be young enough to rebuild himself for other big fights. But he’s up there in age and nearing the end of his career. That’s why he needs to take the biggest fight possible for him next against Canelo rather than a lesser fight against Martinez
Read more at Fans want Canelo-Cotto, not Cotto-Martinez
Broner vs Maidana: December 14 PPV coming together with Leo Santa Cruz, Keith Thurman probable
By Scott Christ S @scott christBLH on Oct 10 2013, 4:45p 42
Harry How
Showtime will head back to pay-per-view for a December 14 card headlined by Broner-Maidana, and it appears that Leo Santa Cruz and Keith Thurman will also be featured on the show.
Nothing has been made official just yet, but Golden Boy is working on finalizing all the deals to announce the expected December 14 Showtime pay-per-view event to be headlined by Adrien Broner defending his WBA welterweight title against Marcos Maidana from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Today, it was reported at BoxingScene.com that Leo Santa Cruz will likely be on that show, defending his WBC super bantamweight belt against Cesar Seda Jr, a former super flyweight title challenger. Santa Cruz (25-0-1, 15 KO) had been trying to secure a fight against Cristian Mijares for November 2, but that isn't going to happen. Seda (25-1, 17 KO) had been scheduled to fight on October 26 on the Hopkins-Murat card, but will now pass on that to face Santa Cruz in December.
Also likely for the show, it appears, is a welterweight fight between Keith Thurman (21-0, 19 KO) and Jesus Soto Karass (28-8-3, 18 KO). Thurman, who pointlessly holds the WBA interim title, which you can see definitely needs to exist given that he'll be fighting on the same date as the guy who holds the full title, is coming off of an exciting win over Diego Chaves in July. That same night, Soto Karass upset Andre Berto in the main event from San Antonio.
After the hits from Mayweather-Canelo, Bradley-Marquez, and Pacquiao-Rios, will you be buying this show, especially given that it's right in the panicky heart of the Christmas shopping season
By Scott Christ S @scott christBLH on Oct 10 2013, 4:45p 42
Harry How
Showtime will head back to pay-per-view for a December 14 card headlined by Broner-Maidana, and it appears that Leo Santa Cruz and Keith Thurman will also be featured on the show.
Nothing has been made official just yet, but Golden Boy is working on finalizing all the deals to announce the expected December 14 Showtime pay-per-view event to be headlined by Adrien Broner defending his WBA welterweight title against Marcos Maidana from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Today, it was reported at BoxingScene.com that Leo Santa Cruz will likely be on that show, defending his WBC super bantamweight belt against Cesar Seda Jr, a former super flyweight title challenger. Santa Cruz (25-0-1, 15 KO) had been trying to secure a fight against Cristian Mijares for November 2, but that isn't going to happen. Seda (25-1, 17 KO) had been scheduled to fight on October 26 on the Hopkins-Murat card, but will now pass on that to face Santa Cruz in December.
Also likely for the show, it appears, is a welterweight fight between Keith Thurman (21-0, 19 KO) and Jesus Soto Karass (28-8-3, 18 KO). Thurman, who pointlessly holds the WBA interim title, which you can see definitely needs to exist given that he'll be fighting on the same date as the guy who holds the full title, is coming off of an exciting win over Diego Chaves in July. That same night, Soto Karass upset Andre Berto in the main event from San Antonio.
After the hits from Mayweather-Canelo, Bradley-Marquez, and Pacquiao-Rios, will you be buying this show, especially given that it's right in the panicky heart of the Christmas shopping season
Pretty obvious, imo, they are giving Ortiz an immediate title shot against a weak title holder so that it will set up Ortiz vs Canelo next year. You heard it here first.
Props:
RobertoxYLx
TROUT VS. LARA ADDED TO DECEMBER 7 JUDAH VS. MALIGNAGGI BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN
By Ben Thompson | October 11, 2013
According to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, the December 7 Barclays Center card featuring the battle for Brooklyn between hometown favorites Zab Judah and Paulie Malignaggi is now finalized. The co-main event features the return of former jr. middleweight champion Austin Trout, who will have a tough assignment against top jr. middleweight contender Erislandy Lara.
Opening up the Showtime tripleheader will be WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika, who defends his title for the first time against undefeated challenger Anthony Dirrell. An official announcement from Golden Boy Promotions will be coming soon.
By Ben Thompson | October 11, 2013
According to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, the December 7 Barclays Center card featuring the battle for Brooklyn between hometown favorites Zab Judah and Paulie Malignaggi is now finalized. The co-main event features the return of former jr. middleweight champion Austin Trout, who will have a tough assignment against top jr. middleweight contender Erislandy Lara.
Opening up the Showtime tripleheader will be WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika, who defends his title for the first time against undefeated challenger Anthony Dirrell. An official announcement from Golden Boy Promotions will be coming soon.
LEONARD ELLERBE: "FLOYD MAYWEATHER IS GETTING BETTER...THAT'S TROUBLE FOR THESE GUYS OUT THERE"
By Ben Thompson | October 09, 2013
"I have seen the evolution, you know, and it's a great feeling. I just told him, and he knows I keep it real with him, but I honestly feel in my heart that he's getting better. I know what history says and I know what logic says, but there's sometimes that there are some people in life on this earth that are special, you know, have certain gifts, and I think that he's just one of those people," stated Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, who recently made a surprise visit to FightHype Radio and shared his thoughts on Floyd Mayweather's victory over Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. As far as Ellerbe is concerned, it was Mayweather's best performance to date, and given the fact that he plans on being more active than he's been in the past, the undefeated pound-for-pound king is only going to get better.
"Yeah, it says when you get in your late 30's, you're supposed to slow down. To me, from what I see and what I know, and I think I'm capable and qualified of knowing what he's able to bring to the table, Floyd Mayweather is getting better, and it's all because, I told people, I said the worst thing for the fighters that he has to compete against is that when we did that deal with Showtime and CBS, is that Floyd Mayweather had a chance to be active, and that's trouble for these guys out there that, you know, he has to compete against," Ellerbe explained. "Floyd's been beating these guys, and with all due respect to them because they all are very, very good fighters, is that he's been beating them off of 16, 18, 22 months off, you know, and as he says partying. He don't drink or smoke, but just partying and hanging out. Now with him being active, and you see the difference in the last two fights, and I've said it and I'll say it over again, he's sharp as a razor."
In fact, Ellerbe believes the performance against Canelo was so dominant that it actually made Victor Ortiz's effort during his 4th round knockout loss to Mayweather look good. "It was his best performance because you gotta understand, it's how you go about doing something. I'm telling you, man, this game is about timing and inches, and you know it was not no whole lot of moving around. Floyd sat in the pocket with this cat and, you know, he made him miss and made him pay. Now when you look back on the Victor Ortiz fight, Victor Ortiz don't look so bad after all because clearly you see a youngster, a young fighter who's clearly getting frustrated because he can't get no get-back. You know, he's getting touched and he can't get no get-back," he continued. "From being on this side of the fence and knowing what Floyd brings to the table and seeing what kind of work he puts in, that man takes his job very, very, very seriously. See, the fans don't get a chance to see him put in that kind of work because all they see is the, you know, the entertainment side of it, the persona side of it, the Money Mayweather, but Floyd Mayweather the fighter, I'm just glad I'm on this side of the fence and not the other side where you gotta deal with a guy [like this] because he'd be a handful to deal with with [for] anybody."
By Ben Thompson | October 09, 2013
"I have seen the evolution, you know, and it's a great feeling. I just told him, and he knows I keep it real with him, but I honestly feel in my heart that he's getting better. I know what history says and I know what logic says, but there's sometimes that there are some people in life on this earth that are special, you know, have certain gifts, and I think that he's just one of those people," stated Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, who recently made a surprise visit to FightHype Radio and shared his thoughts on Floyd Mayweather's victory over Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. As far as Ellerbe is concerned, it was Mayweather's best performance to date, and given the fact that he plans on being more active than he's been in the past, the undefeated pound-for-pound king is only going to get better.
"Yeah, it says when you get in your late 30's, you're supposed to slow down. To me, from what I see and what I know, and I think I'm capable and qualified of knowing what he's able to bring to the table, Floyd Mayweather is getting better, and it's all because, I told people, I said the worst thing for the fighters that he has to compete against is that when we did that deal with Showtime and CBS, is that Floyd Mayweather had a chance to be active, and that's trouble for these guys out there that, you know, he has to compete against," Ellerbe explained. "Floyd's been beating these guys, and with all due respect to them because they all are very, very good fighters, is that he's been beating them off of 16, 18, 22 months off, you know, and as he says partying. He don't drink or smoke, but just partying and hanging out. Now with him being active, and you see the difference in the last two fights, and I've said it and I'll say it over again, he's sharp as a razor."
In fact, Ellerbe believes the performance against Canelo was so dominant that it actually made Victor Ortiz's effort during his 4th round knockout loss to Mayweather look good. "It was his best performance because you gotta understand, it's how you go about doing something. I'm telling you, man, this game is about timing and inches, and you know it was not no whole lot of moving around. Floyd sat in the pocket with this cat and, you know, he made him miss and made him pay. Now when you look back on the Victor Ortiz fight, Victor Ortiz don't look so bad after all because clearly you see a youngster, a young fighter who's clearly getting frustrated because he can't get no get-back. You know, he's getting touched and he can't get no get-back," he continued. "From being on this side of the fence and knowing what Floyd brings to the table and seeing what kind of work he puts in, that man takes his job very, very, very seriously. See, the fans don't get a chance to see him put in that kind of work because all they see is the, you know, the entertainment side of it, the persona side of it, the Money Mayweather, but Floyd Mayweather the fighter, I'm just glad I'm on this side of the fence and not the other side where you gotta deal with a guy [like this] because he'd be a handful to deal with with [for] anybody."