Klitschko-Haye heats up!

By Alexey Potapov

WBO/IBF/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and former WBC/WBA/WBO cruiserweight champion David Haye continued their bitter feud at a press conference in London. As he did last week in Germany, Haye wore a T-shirt with an image where he holds the severed heads of both Klitschko Brothers. “He sucks, he’s crap. I don’t like his style. I don’t like what he represents,” Haye said. Haye’s continued insults have angered the normally reserved Wladimir to such an extent that he lashed out at his challenger, calling his actions shameful and unsportsmanlike, and promising to punish Haye in the ring before he knocks him out on June 20th in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. “He needs to be taught how to behave,” stated Wlad. “He’s a loser and I want to shut his mouth!”

Wladimir Klitschko: When he tried to get this fight, the picture with my decapitated body was certainly below the belt but I swallowed it. But now he has the fight and I can’t understand why he continues these tricks. What example does it give children? This is shameful behaviour and I can’t understand it.

I chose David Haye not David Haye chose me. I have had three title defenses and I took this boy. Right now I see David Haye with a cut head of my brother (on a T-shirt). So I am asking what is going to be next? Are you going to cut my dad’s head or my mother’s head? Other family members? Maybe you will attack my religion, my race? This is over the edge. This is not about sport.

You listen to what I say, this guy is going to be punished. I will transform this person into a pizza face for 12 rounds, and in the 12th round I am going to knock him out. He will pay for it with pain in the ring, and after the fight at the press conference I’ll remind him of his words, and he will take back all the words and will apologize. I’m not going to use my energy on trash talk, it’s embarrassing. It casts a shadow on the sport.

David Haye: “I’ve received the reaction I wanted from him…All the shouting and screaming is necessary because people have to hear about the fight. I don’t care about good taste and I know some people may hate me. I’ll do what I have to do, including these silly little stunts. As long as people remember me as the best fighter in the world with bad taste I don’t care. In twenty years nobody will remember my T-shirt, everyone will remember that day when I knocked out Wladimir Klitschko.

“He doesn’t go in the ring to fight. He doesn’t give value for money. He’s embarrassing, everything he does in the ring is embarrassing. I want him to fight like a man, not run like a bitch. Stand and fight me Vladimir Bitchko! I’m going to smash his head in and he will be bleeding on the floor.

“He’s a big dude, has a decent jab and has a lot of physical tools but I will turn them against him. His jab, jab, grab tactics that he has been doing throughout his career, it’s not impressive, it won’t work against me. I will make him fight and he is a fighter who doesn’t like to fight.

“It’s going to be a changing of the guard on June 20…I’m faster and hungrier than any of the bums he has fought before. It will be a rude awakening for him. He will have to do the fight of his life or he’ll be leaving the ring on a stretcher.”

The press tour wraps up in New York City on Thursday.

Vic Darchinyan lashes out!

Unified world super flyweight champion Vic “Raging Bull’’ Darchinyan, who will attempt to become a world champion in a third weight class when he challenges IBF bantamweight champion Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko on Saturday, July 11, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT), has replied to comments by Nonito Donaire and his promoter Bob Arum. “I will fight Nonito Donaire, anywhere and anytime, just make sure to bring a belt and don’t be afraid,” said Darchinyan. “Bob Arum likes to talk up his fighters, just to build them up. He was talking about me not being able to attract fans, more people came to watch me and Christian Mijares in the pouring rain than all his boys in the same division on the same night in Vegas.”

He continued, “I think the flies that Bob Arum’s talking about are buzzing around the dribble coming out of his and Donaire’s mouth. Bob Arum should be worrying about his fighters not putting plaster in their wraps, not talking about me after I bashed his golden boy Arce, he needs to find another money maker so he is pushing Donaire. Arce and Montiel would bash Donaire, they are both Bob Arum’s fighters but he keeps talking about me? Why? Because I give the fans what they want and he knows that’s what brings the money in.

“I have been around too long not to know when someone is trying to raise the value of their fighter. I have won six world titles and I am the only undisputed world champion. I don’t handpick my opponents, I will fight anyone, anytime, anywhere.

“If it wasn’t for the one loss I have had, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Thank you Nonito. I beat myself and I have learned, Let’s see how the “Filipino Fraud” goes against me in a rematch. If he can win a title at super flyweight or bantamweight, he can come and take my belts. I just hope his corner doesn’t stop the fight before he is knocked out cold.

“Bob Arum needs to remember one thing, I promised him, I will punish, destroy and knock out all his fighters last time against Arce, bring them on one by one, even bring two at a time, I’m here waiting. Stop singing it and start bringing it Mr. Arum, money talks and bullshit walks”.

Pacman-Hitman sold out!

After capturing the world’s attention, “The Battle of East and West”, the mega-fight between Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao and Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton on May 2nd at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, has officially sold out. For those not as fortunate as the thousands of fans who will be in the arena that night, there is still a chance to experience the action in Las Vegas as closed circuit tickets are still available at Mandalay Bay, Mirage, TI, Monte Carlo, Circus Circus, Luxor and New York-New York. “Given that the live gate for this event is sold out, coupled with the sellout of tonight’s San Francisco Giants baseball game where Manny is the guest of honor, indicates to me that ‘The Battle of East and West’ is on track to break all existing pay-per-view records,” said Bob Arum, Chairman of Top Rank. Tickets for the closed circuit telecast are priced at $50, not including handling fees. All seats are general admission and are now on sale at each individual property’s box office outlets or by phone with a major credit card at (866) 799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person

Pacquiao on the mound!

Four-time world champion pound-for-pound king Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao throws out the first pitch for the San Francisco Giants-San Diego Padres major league baseball game Tuesday during “Filipino Heritage Night” at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Manny ‘Bobbleheads’ were given away as gifts to the sold out crowd. Pacquiao is preparing for his upcoming “The Battle of East and West” IBO Jr. Welterweight championship PPV fight against Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Inside the Pacquiao Camp!

Four-time world champion pound-for-pound king Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao trains before a packed media turnout at the Wildcard Boxing Club Wednesday for his upcoming “The Battle of East and West” world jr. welterweight championship fight against Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao vs Hatton is presented by Top Rank and Golden Boy and will be available on Pay Per View.

Punisher targets Executioner! Williams welcomes Hopkins fight

Moments ago, Fightnews spoke with George Petersen, who trains two-divison world champion Paul ‘The Punisher’ Williams (37-1, 27 KOs), regarding what possible fight would interest him next for Williams. One name that really excited him was two-division world champion Bernard ‘The Executioner’ Hopkins (49-5-1, 32 KOs). “We will take that fight all day long at a catchweight. One of Hopkins’ main strengths is that he intimidates people. Paul would not be intimidated. First thing we would attack would be his head. Calzaghe really put it on Hopkins down the stretch in their fight. Those volumes of punches are nothing compared to what Paul would throw. If our people who make the final decisions on these matters approached me with this offer, the answer is ‘yes’ all day long.” said Peterson.

More on de la Hoya retirement!

The day finally came. A day that Oscar De La Hoya was smart enough to realize and most athletes don’t. Athletes try to avoid this day. However, it’s inevitable that sooner or later be will be a day when they realize they can not live up to the potential from previous years. April 14th in the boxing world will no longer be known as the day before taxes are due. Instead, it will be known as the day one of the most popular boxers decided to hang up his gloves for good. On Tuesday, April 14th, the six time world champion announced his retirement from the sport. The announcement took place at the L.A. LIVE plaza, right across the street from STAPLES Center, where De La Hoya fought one of his best fights, losing a close decision to Shane Mosley. De La Hoya made his announcement before thousands of fans who were in attendance. From construction workers to business people during their lunch break, De La Hoya spoke somberly, but diplomatically, a trait that has made him beloved by boxing fans and the media alike.

The last time people will remember De La Hoya in a boxing ring was in December when he squared off against pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao. Looking like a fighter with little energy, De La Hoya could not withstand Pacquiao’s pressure and punches, thus ultimately being stopped in the eighth round.

Rather than make a quick decision, De La Hoya wisely took his time and came to the conclusion four months later. But, it was within a week that he was 100% sure of the decision.

“I came to the decision six days ago (from Tuesday),” said De La Hoya, as he was speaking to a group of print writers after his announcement. “It’s a bittersweet moment for me. What athlete wants to retire? I went back and forth about 20 times. I thought through all of the possibilities and I made this decision on my own.”

De La Hoya transcended this sport to new heights with his popularity. With his boxing skills, good looks, and charisma, De La Hoya made average sports fans into casual boxing fans.

Now there will be a void at the top as to who will assume the “responsibility” of taking over of promoting the sport as did De La Hoya over the last 15 years.

A few select fighters such as Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, and even Floyd Mayweather, assuming he returns from his retirement, are possibilities. Nonetheless, they will have big shoes to fill.

“Someone always comes along,” said HBO Boxing analyst Larry Merchant, who was in attendance for De La Hoya’s announcement. “I don’t know who or when that vacancy will be filled by, but someone will come along. It will be hard to replace someone like Oscar, especially in how he represented the Latino, particularly the Mexican-American population.”

Although De La Hoya would have wanted to go out as a winner in his last fight as a professional, he feels at peace with his decision. He said he is 100% positive that he will stay retired.

Instead of dwelling on the defeat, De La Hoya feels that his loss to Pacquiao is a blessing and it was meant for something.

“I’m a firm believer in turning a negative into a positive,” said De La Hoya, who says he looks forward to spending more time with his wife, Millie, and his children. “In this sport, I learned to grow up as a fighter and as a person. I learned a lot in my victories and in my defeats. You find out who you really are.”

Asked of his boxing pinnacle, it would be him winning the gold medal at the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992.

In the end, De La Hoya has done more than enough to promote the sport he loved so much. Now De La Hoya will continue being an ambassador of the sport outside of the ring. He will have his priorities in promoting some of the best fighters in the world in his stable of fighters.

“Golden Boy Promotions will be my number one priority.”

However, he will no doubt speak on behalf of fighters and of boxing whenever the sport needs a shot in the arm.

Not to mention De La Hoya will continue to make a difference in the live of millions of people, especially in his hometown of East Los Angeles. From his Oscar De La Hoya Foundation to the Oscar De La Hoya Animo High School, De La Hoya will continue to be an ambassador to worthy causes.

De La Hoya will continue to influence and be an example to strive for success. He did to this reporter, the son of a farm worker and house cleaner who is now a high school teacher and feature boxing writer.

April 14th should not be a depressing day because of De La Hoya’s, but in reality a day of celebration.

Thanks again, Oscar!

IBF officials named!

By Nick Giongco

Pete Podgorski of Chicago will be the third man on the ring when Nonito Donaire makes the third defense of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight crown against unbeaten Raul ‘Cobra’ Martinez of the US this Sunday (April 18 in the US) at the Araneta Coliseum. The list was provided by Daniel Pancheri, a high-ranking executive of Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., who sent the lineup to Fightnews and Manila Bulletin yesterday. The three judges are Muhammad Rois of Indonesia, John Wright of Australia and Larry Hazzard Jr. of the US. The fight supervisor is Ray Wheatley of Australia. In the other IBF title fight–the battle between defending champion Ulises Solis of Mexico against Brian Viloria–the third man on the ring will be Bruce McTavish of the Philippines. McTavish is originally from New Zealand but has lived in the country since the late-1960s. Yongsak NaSongkla of Thailand, Rois and Wright are the three judges, while Wheatley will also supervise.

Campbell launches management firm!

Former unified lightweight champion and current jr. welterweight contender Nate Campbell has announced exclusively to Fightnews that he has formed Voodoo Management, a fighter management firm. Campbell believes the knowledge he gained on his rise to the top of the sport is a valuable asset to up and coming young fighters. “I’ve been through pretty much everything in my career. I’ve had the highs, I’ve had the lows, I’ve bounced back from losses to still be mentioned at the top of whatever division I fight in. I’ve had to swim with the sharks, and navigate the rough waters. I’ve learned so much about the business side of this sport, and I want to use that knowledge to benefit these up and coming kids.”

“I have no interest in becoming a promoter. None whatsoever. Living with Terry for several years, and seeing what promoters go through on a daily basis killed any desire I ever had to become a promoter. Terry can handle the promotional issues with the kids. Management is where I believe I can truly make a difference for a young fighter, and this is the direction I am going in. I won’t however be doing any “wholesale” signings. There are certain character traits I will need to see in a kid before I would consider representing him. Right now there are 4 or 5 kids I will be signing right away, and then I will evaluate fighters on an individual basis, face to face. This isn’t about the money, because these kids at this stage don’t make any money anyways. It’s about building something within the sport that will continue after my fighting days are over,” said Campbell.

Cotto has new trainer!

By Gabriel F. Cordero

WBO welterweight world champion Miguel Cotto has announced that Puerto Rican countryman Joe Santiago is his new trainer. The change came after Cotto parted ways with his uncle and longtime trainer Evangelist Cotto in a highly publicized incident last week. Santiago and Cotto began training this week in Tampa, Florida for the first defense of his title against IBF champ Joshua Clottey on June 13 in Madison Square Garden. Santiago has been with Cotto for a number of years as a nutritionist. Evangelista Cotto had been with Miguel for nearly 16 years.

De La Hoya Retires!

By Francisco Salazar

Ten time world champion in six weight divisions and future boxing hall of famer, “Golden Boy” Oscar de la Hoya announced his retirement at a press conference moments ago in Los Angeles. A very emotional Oscar stated, “These last four months have been very difficult for me. I’m announcing my retirement. I’ve been doing this since I was five years old. Boxing is the love of my life, boxing is my passion, boxing is what I was born to do. When I can’t compete, it’s not fair to me and it’s not fair to my fans. I’ve come to the conclusion it’s over inside the ring for me. My decision is based on a lot. Now I understand why athletes have a hard time. My life will continue to help the sport grow.” The ultra-popular 36-year-old ends with a record of 39-6, 30 KOs, and he is the highest grossing fighter in boxing history. His fight against Floyd Mayweather is the highest grossing boxing match of all time. Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer stated that a special tribute to Oscar’s career will take place on September 19.

Golden Boy Promotions Press Release

Famed boxing champion and future Hall of Fame fighter Oscar de la Hoya, one of the most decorated pugilist in the history of the sport, retired as a professional today during a noon press conference in Nokia Plaza LA Live in downtown Los Angeles.

“After heartfelt discussions with my family and my closest friends, it is with deep gratitude and appreciation that I announce my retirement from professional boxing,” said De La Hoya, who retires from the ring with a 39-6, 30 KOs record. “Boxing has been the single, most consistent part of my life and although I will miss the ring, I know that it is time for me to step away from the sport competitively and become more active in the other aspects of it that are already in place and ready for me to pursue.”

“My career has been nothing short of magical and I am forever grateful to all of the people who made it possible,” continued De La Hoya. “Most importantly I deeply appreciate all of my fans who showered me with their cheers and support, consistently holding me up throughout my 17-year professional career. I believe the true meaning of my career was not in the winning or losing, but in the gift of sharing my fights with all of them, as I never imagined it would mean so much to so many. It has been an honor to fight all of my fights for each and every one of you.”

De La Hoya will now take an even more substantial role in Golden Boy Promotions, working alongside the company’s CEO Richard Schaefer to continue to deliver quality boxing events around the world.

“This is truly a bittersweet day for boxing and its fans throughout the world as Oscar’s name has been synonymous with the sport for nearly two decades,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO Golden Boy Promotions. “It is been a privilege and honor for me to work with this amazing champion and watch the brilliance of his career both in and out of the ring. As one of my closest friends, both personally and professionally, I look forward to working with Oscar as he takes a more active role in Golden Boy Promotions now that he is no longer competing in the sport.”

Originally from East Los Angeles, where as a young child he laced up a pair of boxing gloves for the first time at four years old, he began his amateur career several years later and started dreaming of professional success. The 10-time world champion, who collected titles in six different weight divisions, has long been considered the most influential fighter of the sports modern era.

“Oscar de la Hoya has left an indelible legacy in and out of the ring,” Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. “This son of East L.A. has made the City of Angels proud, not only for his ten championships in six weight divisions, but for never forgetting his roots and giving back to his community.”

Having turned professional immediately following his 1992 Olympic gold medal victory in Barcelona, Spain, De La Hoya immediately turned in to a box office success. His popularity and following made him the highest grossing non-heavyweight fighter the history of the sport. Participating in 19 pay-per-view fights, De La Hoya drew over 14.1 million pay-per-view buys and over $696 million dollars in pay-per-view revenue throughout his career. He appeared in three of the top eight highest grossing pay-per-view boxing events including the granddaddy of them all - hissuper-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May 2007, which shattered the all-time pay-per-view record with 2.4 million homes in addition to generating a record-setting live gate of $19 million. It was the first pay-per-view fight to be purchased by over two million homes.

“Oscar de la Hoya has fashioned a storybook career through hard work, dedication, talent and the commitment to fighting the best fighters in the biggest fights,” said Ross Greenburg, President of HBO Sports. “HBO has had the privilege of televising his fights since 1993 and we watched him develop into a champion and a gracious ambassador for the sport.”

“The Golden Boy’s” Hall of Fame-bound career has seen him win 10 world championships in every division from 130 to 160 pounds while facing the elite of the sport including Floyd Mayweather Jr., Julio Cesar Chavez, Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley, Felix Trinidad, Pernell Whitaker, Ike Quartey, Fernando Vargas, Arturo Gatti, Genaro Hernandez, Jesse James Leija and Hector Camacho Sr. Along the way, De La Hoya has become boxing’s undisputed superstar and his acclaimed career and popularity will be remembered for decades to come.

“I marvel at my son’s success and know that all of the hard work and dedication he had when he was a kid and during the formative years of his boxing training made him the champion he became,” said Joel De La Hoya Sr. “I am extremely proud of my son and know he has achieved everything possible in the ring. It is now time for him to enjoy his family and pursue in earnest all of the other opportunities that await him.”

In addition to his success inside the ring, De La Hoya has made a conscious effort to generously give back to the same community which played such an integral role in making it possible for him to achieve such success. The Oscar de la Hoya Foundation was created in 1995 to bring a better quality of life to the people of East Los Angeles. The foundation provides funding for a number of projects including the Cecilia Gonzalez de la Hoya Cancer Center, the Oscar de la Hoya Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit and the Oscar de la Hoya Labor and Delivery Center, all located at the White Memorial Medical Center in East Los Angeles. In addition to his efforts to support medical care for citizens of East Los Angeles, De La Hoya’s dedication to education in the East Los Angeles area led him to establish the Oscar de la Hoya Animo Charter High School in 2003 which now serves over 500 students in grades nine through twelve and is ranked among the top 10 percent of schools in the state of California that serve similar communities. US News and World Report ranked the Oscar de la Hoya Animo Charter High School #53 out of the top 100 in the entire nation.

Most importantly De La Hoya will now have more time to spend with his wife Millie and children.

“In closing, I want to acknowledge my wonderful wife Millie, my children and my entire family who have been extremely supportive and patient with me, sacrificing a tremendous amount of our time together in order for me to pursue my career,” said De La Hoya. “Now it is time for me to be there for them.”

Cotto-Clottey NYC Presser!

WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey faced off at a news conference in New York City today to officially announce their world championship rumble on June 13 at Madison Square Garden. The bout will continue Cotto’s tradition of fighting on the eve of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Taylor says he’s ready!

Jermain Taylor doesn’t want his fight with Carl Froch to even go the maximum 12 rounds — he wants to knock out Froch much earlier. Still, for Taylor, it’s nice to know he can go 16 rounds if necessary. Taylor is in the tapering-down stage of training camp now, less than 12 days before his WBC Super Middleweight title bout with Froch on April 25 at the MGM Grand Theater at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. The fight card is being promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Hennessy Sports. Tickets are on sale and priced at $200, $100, $75 and $50. Tickets are available at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com your local Ticket Master and MGM Grand Box Office 866-646-0609. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will telecast live at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

But before trainer Ozell Nelson would let Taylor start to wind the camp down, Nelson made sure Taylor was in the type of physical shape necessary for a fight of this caliber. Late last week Taylor went 10 rounds with multiple sparring partners and then, without interruption, did another six rounds of intense handpad work with Nelson. It was the longest workout of the training camp.

“He did 16 rounds with ease,” Nelson said. “Jermain is going to be in excellent shape. He’s peaking just right. He finished real strong on the mitts, real strong. There was good snap on his punches. This camp is very confident about victory.”

Taylor agreed.

“Every fighter knows when he’s ready to do battle. I’m ready. My conditioning, stamina and mental preparation is on schedule. I’m peaking at just the right time. When you match his skill-sets with mine, I don’t see how Carl Froch can win this fight.”

Home Sweet Miami:

Jermain Taylor returned to Miami to train for his last fight, against Jeff Lacy, for the first time since 2005, when he won the middleweight champion over Bernard Hopkins. Things went extremely well, and Taylor beat Lacy in a lopsided decision, so it was back to Miami for the Carl Froch training camp. With this camp going just as well, Taylor gives plenty of credit to Miami.

“I always love being in Miami for training camp, it’s where I started my professional career,” Taylor said. “My environment has a lot to do with my training and preparation for a fight. Everything always

goes smooth in Miami. I like the weather conditions when I do my morning run. I know where everything is. I like the training facilities where I do my gym workouts. It’s a comfort feeling for me and that’s important.”

New Motivation, New Taylor:

Jermain Taylor is notorious for being hard on his sparring partners, and not just in the ring. To Taylor, every minute in the gym is work time, and he approaches each sparring session as if it were a prizefight. That normally means no talking to sparring partners, and certainly no joking around in or out of the ring. Taylor is also well-known for having a more serious, and downright cranky disposition the closer he gets to his fights. This training camp has been different. Taylor has been more talkative and more jovial with everyone in camp, even the sparring partners.

“It’s been amazing ,” said trainer Ozell Nelson. “He gets down to the gym and is talking, very active. When he steps in the ring he’s all serious, but afterward he’s still talking to the sparring partners, telling them he’s happy they came to work and stepped it up. He’s more relaxed, and I know he’s ready to go. He has a good outlook. And he’s thinking more in the ring instead of just whaling away with punches.”

Taylor said he’s more focused than ever, and it allows him to relax and mingle more with people in the camp.

“We’ve had a great camp, as far as the sparring partners go,” Taylor said. “I usually don’t talk or interact very much with my sparring partners because I approach the sparring sessions as though it’s fight night. It keeps me focus with an edge to my attitude, but this camp I opened up just a little with my sparring partners and it’s brought the best out of them. They really have pushed me with some serious and intense workouts.”

More chatter in the gym isn’t the only new side of Taylor to come out this camp, and not the only thing that has pleased Nelson. Taylor has also shown much more interest in watching video of his opponent than before recent fights.

“Jermain has really done his homework on Carl Froch, he wants that belt” said Nelson. “It shows me his focus is where it should be. We have a good feel on how Carl will fight Jermain and we are prepared to make any adjustments in the ring if needed.”

Training With A Purpose:

Jermain Taylor has been a professional boxer for more than nine years now, but he still learns something new from every training camp, present camp included. And while Taylor said he went through a stretch of his career when he didn’t enjoy his training camps as much as he should, the Carl Froch camp has been the perfect combination of hard work to keep him excited and focused on winning another title.

“This was the prefect fight for me,” said Taylor. “I couldn’t wait to get in camp and start training for this match. I’m excited again like I was when I started my career. I have a purpose, I’m fighting for a title, something lost and I want it back.”

In this training camp Taylor has been working on some of the same skills that allowed him to rise to the ranks of the boxing elite, namely a lightening-quick jab. But Taylor said he is also working on some new feints and countering techniques that he expects to use effectively against Froch.

“It’s about skill-sets,” said Taylor. “Carl can’t match me skills-for-skills, all I have to do is apply and execute my talents and I’ll come away with the victory.”

Gamboa featured on ShoBox!

When speaking of celebrated Cuban prizefighters, some of the names that readily come to mind are Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles, “Kid’ Chocolate, “Kid” Gavilan, Luis Manuel “El Feo” Rodriguez, Ultiminio “Sugar” Ramos and Joel Casamayor. It would be premature to suggest that Yuriorkis Gamboa is in that class – yet – but “The Cyclone” has certainly created a commotion and one would be hard-pressed to find anybody who doesn’t think the Miami-based Cuban has the potential to become a definite world champion and perhaps an all-time great. The 2004 Olympic Games gold medalist, 2009 Prospect of the Year and WBA No. 3-ranked contender, Gamboa (14-0, 12 KOs) will face second-ranked Jose “Cheo” Rojas (25-6-1, 17 KOs) of Caracas, Venezuela, for the interim WBA featherweight title this Friday on ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

In the co-feature at Buffalo Bills Casino at Primm, Nev., undefeated Selcuk Aydin (17-0, 14 KOs) of Turkey makes his ShoBox and United Sates debuts against hard-punching southpaw Said Ouali (25-2, 17 KOs), a native of Morocco who now lives in Las Vegas, in a 12-round battle of top 10 welterweights.

Tickets for an event presented by Hamburg, Germany-based Arena Boxing start at $20 and can be purchased at www.primmvalleyresorts.com. Doors open for the live event open at 6 p.m. PT.

“I want to fight for a world championship,” Gamboa said. “I want to be the best in the world. My objective is to win at 126 pounds and in about two years I would like to move up to 130 and then 135.”’

The confident, offensive-minded, hard-hitting Gamboa, who defected to the United States after a competition with Venezuela’s national team in late 2006, has been on the fast track to the big time since he turned pro 24 months ago (April 2007). This will be his fourth start at Buffalo Bills Casino.

Gamboa’s meteoric rise has drawn the attention of many due to a lethal combination of dazzling speed and one-punch power in both hands, a vulnerable chin and a sometimes-flawed defense, which can lead to knockdowns (he’s been decked three times) but makes for edge-of-your-seat fun and much-see TV.

Simply put, when Gamboa is in high gear and letting the combos fly, he is a spectacular fighter – his defensive deficiencies notwithstanding. Below are remarks from a few experts about the hyper-aggressive, flashy, five-foot-five, 27-year-old who is known for a powerful mixture of lightning-fast flurries and stop-you-in-your-tracks knockout punches:

ShoBox blow-by-blow announcer Nick Charles said: “To me, watching Gamboa for the first time was like getting hit by a tidal wave. There is no doubt he’s got flash, but what about that chin? The combination of his unmistakable skills and obvious weakness makes him a fighter I don’t want to miss in action.”

Said Steve Farhood, ShoBox analyst and boxing historian: “Gamboa’s speed, power and style generate as much excitement as any fresh face that has come along in recent memory. The fact that he’s an Olympic gold medalist adds quality and accomplishment to the flash. I was in Florida for his first fight in the States, and he blew me away. He has a certain presence in the ring, and the fact that he’s been dropped a couple of times only adds to the urgency to watch him every time he fights.”

Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports said: “I think Gamboa is one of best in fighters in the world who doesn’t have a title. He has no peers offensively and if he ever tightens his defense, he could become a superstar.”

Offered Dan Rafael of ESPN.com: “I like Gamboa and think he is very exciting. Whether he wins, or eventually loses, he’s always exciting to watch and, because of his style, he is always in a good fight, which is what I want to see when I tune in to ShoBox. Rojas is a pretty reasonable step up for Gamboa.’
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Gamboa has maintained a high level of activity since going pro after bringing home flyweight gold to Cuba. The ambitious prospect-turned-contender has already fought twice in ‘09 after competing five times in ‘08 and on six occasions in ‘07.

A mature, highly skilled boxer-puncher, the undefeated dynamo made more like a “Hurricane” than a “Cyclone” in his last outing, blowing away the vastly more experienced, former world title challenger, Colombian southpaw, Walter Estrada, in only 35 seconds, on Feb. 20, 2009, at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“It didn’t go exactly how I wanted,” said Gamboa, who has stormed through the ratings at a startling speed and is ranked by the four major organizations. “I was hoping to get some work in, but I knocked Estrada out and that’s not a bad thing. I never look for a knockout.

“It seems with my style that the knockouts just happen. Thankfully they have happened often.”

The crowd-pleasing, always-attacking Gamboa rebounded from a knockdown to score a 10th-round TKO over Roger Gonzalez in his outing before last on Jan. 9, 2009, at Buffalo Bills Casino. The match was halted at 2:12.

“My defense (he tends to hold his hands low) is something I know I have to correct as I advance in my career,” said Gamboa, who’s cocky inside the ring but a respectful gentleman outside. “Little by little I’m trying to perfect my craft and that’s why I train hard in the gym. It is something I’m going to get corrected.”

On July 18, 2008, at Buffalo Bills Casino, Gamboa looked devastating as he annihilated Al Seeger in the first round to capture the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) featherweight belt.

None of Gamboa’s foes have entered the ring with a losing record.

Southpaw Rojas, who owns a KO 3 victory over current junior featherweight standout and WBA titleholder Celestino Caballero, is making his Shobox debut and second start in the United States.

In the last 12 years, the 19-year veteran’s only defeats came against WBA champs Chris John, Yober Ortega and Antonio Cermeno. The five-foot-eight-inch, 36-year-old is 9-1-1 in his last 11 starts, including a third-round TKO over Rafael Castillo in his last outing on March 20, 2008.

An awkward, aggressive boxer-puncher who is not unaccustomed to coming back from a layoff, Rojas is getting a fifth shot at an elusive WBA belt – his third at 126 pounds. He went 0-2 at 122.

Two outings ago, in a rematch of a Dec. 4, 2004 bout that ended in a fourth-round technical draw, Rojas lost a decision to the still-undefeated John in a hard-fought match on March 3, 2007.

In their initial encounter, Rojas led John by one point on two of the three scorecards after three rounds. It was stopped at 1:41 of the fourth with both boxers cut over their right eyes by a clash of heads.

Rojas was a top amateur for Venezuela before turning pro July 29, 1989 (Gamboa was six-and-a-half). Rojas’ career was interrupted for four years (1992-96) when he served in the Venezuelan military.

Aydin is an exciting, untested fighter who’s ranked eighth in the WBC, one notch lower in the IBF. A 5-foot-seven, 25-year-old, Aydin will be making his ShoBox and U.S. debuts.

An excellent European amateur, Aydin competed in the 2004 Olympic Games. He turned pro on Nov. 10, 2006 – about a year and a half after he was suspended for hitting a referee.

In his last outing, the aggressive boxer-puncher twice leveled Luis Hernandez en route to winning by first-round TKO on March 8, 2008.

Ouali, who is rated sixth in the WBC, No. 12 in the WBA and No. 4 in the IBF, has won 10 in a row, including eight straight by knockout. A fighter not always known for power won his ‘09 debut with a first-round TKO over Johnathon Nelson on Jan. 16. Ouali fought at Buffalo Bills Casino in his outing before that, registering a fifth-round TKO over Allen Conyers on Sept. 5, 2008.

“Moving to the United States on April 4, 2000, was something I worked for my whole life, since I was a little kid,” the 5-foot-10, 30-year-old southpaw said. “I literally started from nothing. I started from scratch, from the Diamond Gloves to the Golden Gloves to the Nationals.

“My style is kind of different. I like to throw power shots but I know how to box, too. Different guys, you’ve got to fight them differently. That’s what I’m trying; it’s about how you can adjust.

“I’m left-handed, but it depends on what I do. Some sports I play with my left hand, some I play with my right hand. I write just with my right hand. When I throw a ball, I use my left hand.

“In my Moroccan culture, doing things with your left hand was like a sin. When you’re left-handed, they try to change you to right-handed. They did it to me. I’m more right-handed than left-handed, I think.”

Charles and Farhood will call the ShoBox action. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go to the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://sports.sho.com.

Alexander to face Rodriguez!

Jesus “Chuy” Rodriguez, a winner in 11 of his last 12 matches, signed a contract today to face undefeated World Boxing Council No. 1-ranked super lightweight Devon Alexander “The Great” on Friday, April 24 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis and on SHOWTIME. Alexander (17-0, 10 KOs) is the Gateway City’s fastest-rising star, and Rodriguez (19-3, 5 KOs), from Salinas, Calif., will look to give him a stiff test in a match scheduled for 10 rounds. The main event will feature two more St. Louisans battling for the vacant International Boxing Federation junior middleweight championship when former four-time world champion Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks (36-5, 11 KOs) meets IBF No. 6-ranked contender Deandre “The Bull” Latimore (19-1, 16 KOs).

Tickets, all in the lower bowl, priced at $100 ringside, $60, $40, $25 and $10 (with a limited number of Golden Circle seats available at $300) are on sale now at Scottrade Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, or online at ticketmaster.com. A per ticket facility fee will be added to all tickets purchased at all locations, including at the Scottrade Center Box Office. Additional Ticketmaster service charges and handling fees apply. For disabled seating, call 314-622-5420.

Both fights will be televised on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME beginning at 11 p.m. ET/PT (10 p.m. CT, delayed on the West Coast). A full undercard will be presented. Doors open at 6 p.m.

The event is promoted by Don King Productions with Spinks vs. Latimore presented in association with Rumble Time Promotions and DiBella Entertainment.

Alexander, a 22-year-old phenom trained and managed by Kevin Cunningham, was recently named mandatory challenger to the WBC 140-pound champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley, so he has his first world championship match riding on this fight.

Bradley added the World Boxing Organization 140-pound title to his resume by defeating then-champion Kendall Holt on April 4, also on SHOWTIME, which means Alexander will next face a unified world champion if he can get past Rodriguez.

“A world championship fight is what I have been working towards my whole life,” Alexander said. “To earn that chance in front of my hometown fans in St. Louis would mean a lot to me.”

Alexander’s promoter Don King sees a bright future for this budding star.

“Devon Alexander has all the skills to become a world champion and he’s going to earn his first title shot by defeating Jesus Rodriguez in St. Louis on April 24,” King said. “Not only is Devon a great fighter but he’s an outstanding individual, a young man the people of St. Louis can be proud of.”

Rodriguez’s three losses have all come against undefeated fighters. He lost his debut against a fighter also making his first appearance in 1999 and against two fighters who remain undefeated: Vladimir Zykov, who had 15 wins when he faced Rodriguez in 2006, and Mike Alvarado, who had 19 wins when Rodriguez dropped a 10-round decision when they met on Feb. 15, 2008.

It should be noted that Rodriguez defeated Omri Lowther, a highly decorated amateur who was undefeated in nine fights as a professional when they met in 2007. Rodriguez won an eight-round unanimous decision.

Nick Charles will describe the ShoBox action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go to the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://sports.sho.com.

Full Report: Molina-Paredes!

By Shamus Young

Carlos Molina took an easy 10 round decision over Ed Paredes Saturday night at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA. The welterweight Molina poured on a consistent attack to the body and head, occasionally becoming so focused on offense that he would get stung by the heavy-handed Paredes. Molina would then regroup and go back to his casual domination. . After ten rounds, the judges gave the decision to Molina by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 96-94. Fightnews had it 98-92 for Molina. With the win, Molina moves to 16-4-1, and Paredes drops to 21-3. In the co-feature, Lightweights Sarah Pucek and Tammie Johnson fought to a majority draw over four entertaining rounds. Pucek, 3-0-1, won her previous bouts through superior boxing skill. In this fight she showed her heart, going toe to toe with the heavy hitting Johnson, and winning most exchanges. Fightnews thought that Pucek did enough to win every one of the four rounds. The judges saw it differently, judging the bout a draw by scores of 39-37 for Pucek and two scores of 38-38.

Carlos Molina took an easy 10 round decision over Ed Paredes Saturday night at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA. It took Molina a round to get warmed up, but once warm, he poured on a consistent attack to the body and head, slipping most of what Paredes threw in return. Molina would occasionally become so focused on offense that he let himself get hit by big shots from the heavy handed Paredes, but Molina would regroup and go back to his casual domination. After ten rounds, the judges gave the decision to Molina by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 96-94.Fightnews had it 98-92 for Molina. With the win, Molina moves to 16-4-1, and Paredes drops to 21-3.

In the co-feature, Lightweights Sarah Pucek and Tammie Johnson fought to a majority draw over four entertaining rounds. Pucek, 3-0-1, won her previous bouts through superior boxing skill. In this fight she showed her heart, going toe to toe with the heavy hitting Johnson, 3-2-2, and winning most exchanges. Fightnews thought that Pucek did enough to win every one of the four rounds. The judges saw it differently, judging the bout a draw by scores of 39-37 for Pucek and two scores of 38-38.

In undercard action, Welterweights Dashon Johnson and Darren Darby fought a rubber-match. In their first fight, Darby stunned Johnson repeatedly and took the win. In the second fight, Johnson boxed and took a decision. In this fight, Johnson started out boxing, then got caught in the second, losing his mouthpiece. Darby continues to pour it on in the third, causing Johnson to lose his gum shield twice more, prompting referee Louis Jackvony to take two points from Johnson. Johnson went back to boxing in the fourth, mixing a snappy jab and solid body work to take the remaining rounds. Judges gave the fight to Johnson with unanimous scores of 57-55. Fightnews scored it a draw, 56-56.

Fransisco Reyes had an auspicious pro debut, with a first round TKO of Nick Brannies, 1-2. Reyes, the former Golden Gloves champ from Seattle, used his reach and hand speed to pepper Brannies from the opening bell. Reyes dropped Brannies with a liver shot in the first round. Brannies rose to beat the count, then indicated he couldn’t continue, causing referee Robert Howard to wave the bout off at 1:04.

Super Middleweight Aubrey Morrow used his hand speed and superior boxing skills to dominate Ty Macdougall. After a spirited first round, Morrow started to move and give angles and punished Macdougall from the outside. In the third round, Morrow dropped Macdougall with about 30 seconds to go. Macdougall got up only to be swamped with punches and fall again at the bell. The fight was called off during the break. Official time of stoppage was 3:00 of round three. Morrow moves to 3-0-1, while Macdougall drops to 0-1-1.

The opening bout was an entertaining draw between Junior Welterweights Miguel Garcia and Guillerno Delgadillo, both making their pro debut. Both fighters showed skills that made them seem like seasoned pros. The southpaw Delgadillo won the first two rounds by using a jab and a good straight right. Guillerno ran out of steam in the third round, which let Garcia come inside and pour on punches. One judge had it 39-37 for Garcia. The other two judges and Fightnews scored it 38-38.

The fight card was the 71st installment of the Battle at the Boat from Brian Halquist Productions at the Emerald Queen Casino I-5 in Tacoma, WA.

Rivera headlines May 8!

Featherweight prospect Carlos Rivera 15-3-2 (5 KOs) will risk his seven fight unbeaten streak against rugged Ghanaian Alex “Ali” Baba 26-14-1 (19 KOs) May 8 at the A la Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa. Rivera is coming off a career best victory in February, as he defeated Johnnie Edwards via unanimous decision. A former world title challenger, Baba is known for his impressive durability, having only been stopped twice during his solid career. The Rivera-Baba bout will serve as the main event and is scheduled for eight rounds.

Unbeaten prospect Ahsandi “Mr. Brixx” Gibbs 10-0 (4 KO’s) of St. Petersburg, FL will take a step up in competition as he will battle tough veteran Marcus Upshaw 9-3-1 (3 KO’s) of Jacksonville, FL over eight rounds for the vacant Florida State Middleweight crown. Gibbs, who scored a highlight reel KO over Mark Sanders in his last fight, will have to be at his best to defeat Upshaw.

An often overlooked fighter, Upshaw’s losses have come against solid opposition. Upshaw also battled renowned prospect Buddy McGirt Jr. to a draw last November in a fight many thought he deserved the nod in.

Tampa’s Jenna Shiver 8-4-1 (2 KO’s) will look to keep the momentum going after earning a highly entertaining victory against Christina Leadbeater in March. Shiver will battle the ever famous TBA in a four or six round Featherweight contest.

Jose “Hands of Steel” Duran 6-3-2 (3 KO’s) of Sarasota, FL will battle Ocean Springs, MS’ Laquel Fleming 1-2-2 in a four rounder at a catch weight of 144 lbs.

More local talent is expected to be added to the card shortly.

Tickets can be ordered by going to Ticketmaster.com. The A La Carte Event Pavilion is located at 4050 Dana Shores Drive in Tampa, Florida. The card is being promoted by Starfight Productions.

Starfight Productions is based out of Tampa, Florida and is operated by Aaron Jacobs, Shea Bailey, Pete Fernandez, Mike Asmer, and Randy Feldman.

Gonzalez takes on Nishioka Monterrey card features return of Rafael Marquez

Promociones del Pueblo will announce a title fight with former bantam champ Jhonny Gonzalez and the return of Rafael Marquez, later today in Mexico City. The card will be staged May 23 at the Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico. The main event headlines Gonzalez (40-6, 34 KOs) who will challenge WBC Super Bantam Champ Toshiaki Nishioka (33-4-3, 20 KOs) for his belt. Nishioka defeated Genaro Garcia for the title in January-and he has not suffered a loss for over five years now. In the co-main, former champ Rafael Marquez (37-5, 33 KOs) will make his return, most likely, against ex-champ Mauricio Martinez (35-9-1, 23 KOs), in a WBC eliminator at 122. Marquez has not fought since his final episode with Israel Vazquez. Also scheduled to fight: Chihuahua’s Victor Zaleta (8-1, 5 KOs) takes on Francisco Arce (28-5-2, 19 KOs); Juarez’s Javier “Zorro” Castro (19-2, 17 KOs) returns to lightweight after suffering a loss to Antonio Diaz, to take on Guadalupe Rosales (28-4, 16 KOs); and Marco “Dorado” Reyes (11-0, 10 KOs), fresh off a win to Yory Boy Campas, takes on TBA. – Chris Cozzone

Q&A: Ricky Hatton!

With just 24 days left until his IBO light-welterweight title defence against Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Ricky Hatton is supremely confident he can defeat the generally recognised “pound for pound” champion from the Phillipines. He spoke exclusively to Fightnews today from his base in Vegas about the key aspects of his upcoming fight. The 30 year old Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) is refreshed and re-generated following his link with new trainer Floyd Mayweather Snr, with the central high activity and pressure style now complemented with an increased focus on defence, his jab and combination work. Hatton is generally recognised as the “king” of the 140 pound division and is undefeated in 43 fights over a twelve year period at this weight. He is not under-estimating his challenge against the 30 year old Manny Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs) who has an enviable list of wins against recognised champions in his success as a four weight world champion. The fight promises to be one of the biggest in 2009 to date with Hatton’s vast army of traveling fans from the UK ready to invade Las Vegas on May 2nd.

Ricky, how is training going for your fight with Manny Pacquiao on May 2nd at the MGM Grand?

We are seven weeks into training now for this fight and I am in this best shape and focus since I fought Kostya Tszyu in 2005. In many ways I am head and shoulders above the fighter that defeated the recognised king of the 140 pound division in Kostya Tszyu and I am undefeated at this weight in 12 years and 43 of my 45 fights. I have always stated that no one in the world can beat me at 140 pounds and I stand by that statement. Let’s remember that Manny Pacquiao has never fought at 140 pounds and I have been here for twelve years. He has only fought twice above 130 pounds and this I feel is the crucial aspect of the fight. He knows I am going to pressure him and throw lots of punches and I don’t believe he will be able to take the combination of my pressure and my power at 140 pounds. I found it harder going upto 147 pounds and although Pacquiao has fought at 147 pounds I think the win against Oscar de La Hoya flattered him because Oscar was so dead at the weight. Oscar had never made 147 in twelve years and was not the fully fledged, strong fighter that we have all known to love and respect.

What has the impact of Floyd Mayweather Snr had on your training camp since you joined forces prior to the Malignaggi fight last year ?

I can honestly say that Floyd Mayweather Snr has put that extra 5% to my game at the highest level. After the defeat against Mayweather Jr and even in my win over Juan Lazcano I knew I needed to go back to the drawing board. I took too many punches against Lazcano and Floyd has helped me improve my defense, use my jab more, throw more combinations and got me back to the “old” Ricky Hatton if that makes sense. I have always been a come-forward aggressive pressure fighter but I got a little predictable and gung-ho, just charging out and trying to knock out my opponent. Now, with Floyd’s guidance and experience I am re-invigorated and focussed and in the best shape of my boxing career. He is a great new addition to Team Hatton and when I fought Malignaggi last year it was perceived like the Pacquiao fight – slick boxer versus the power puncher in myself. If you watched the fight you will see I outboxed, out jabbed and dominated Malignaggi in a controlled and effective manner – not reckless and people under-estimate the boxing ability I have. I think Team Pacquiao think I am just going to charge out at the opening bell and they will be able to pick me off, move to the side and take me to the cleaners. If they think that then they totally underestimate me.

Ricky, what do you see as the keys to victory against Manny?

I have watched many of Pacquiao’s fights on tape and he is a slick, fast and effective boxer but if you look at the defeat by Erik Morales in 2005 and the close fights with Manuel Marquez he doesn’t like sustained pressure. I am a fighter that is constantly in your face, constantly throwing punches, outworking, stopping the opponent getting into his rhythm and throwing his own punches. I don’t think anyone ever expected me to break the great Kostya Tszyu down and make him quit on his stool. That is the challenge Manny faces in a fully fledged big light welterweight who will always be on the advance, but not recklessly like the Mayweather fight. I have a boxing brain and ability that not many people see past when they see me up close and personal. You will see more of the fighter that stopped Malignaggi and Tszyu than came out winging and recklessly against Floyd Mayweather Jr. It is going to be an exciting contest.

Respected trainer Freddie Roach has stated this fight will be the best three rounds in recent boxing history but his man will stop you inside three rounds. What is your view of this?

Every time I hear a story about Manny’s training camp and opinions like this It gives me encouragement. Freddie is one of the most respected trainers in boxing and he and Manny have never before talked about knocking out an opponent with such ease. They have always gone about their work in a relatively quiet way and I always believe that when people act, say and do things out of character it is because they are worried. I am not saying they are scared but this is definitely out of character for them both. Lets face it- no one has stopped me inside three rounds and at 140 pounds no one has defeated me. Floyd Mayweather Jr stopped me in ten rounds and that fight was at 147 pounds – what makes anyone think that a fighter, who has only two fights above 130 pounds is going to walk through me and stop me inside three rounds. In some ways I am glad they are thinking like that and it is a sign they think it is an easy night at the office, which is so far from the truth. Believe me Ricky Hatton will be the toughest fight he has ever had. If they think I will run out at the bell and charge at Manny then I think they will be in for a shock. I have seen some of his training sessions in LA on YouTube and they clearly think I am a one trick pony – move forward in straight lines and easy to hit. If Manny does stop me in three rounds then I will shake his hands and congratulate him but no one has done that so far, even a huge Luis Collazo or the great Kostya Tszyu. Jose Luis Castillo was a strong fighter and had great punching power at 140 pounds and he couldn’t stop me either.

Who have you been sparring with in the training camp, here in Las Vegas?

We have had a team of four sparring partners with the main one Cuban southpaw Erislandy Lara who is an excellent boxer who shuffles his feet like Manny and likes to throw punches at angles. He is a good boxer and was the world amateur champion for Cuba in 2005 so he comes with a good pedigree.

What is your view of Pacquiao’s recent performances at lightweight and 147 pounds against Oscar de La Hoya?

I never like to be disrespectful in boxing but these two wins made Manny look good and perhaps gave him a false sense of achievement. WBC lightweight champion David Diaz was one of the division’s weakest champions and Manny ran rings round him and he didn’t seem to have a plan B and Oscar was just “shot” at the weight. He weighed 147 pounds for the first time in twelve years and on the night of the fight he was still 147 pounds which shocked everyone. You could see in his legs, eyes and face that he was not the great Oscar we loved and enjoyed watching. I don’t know how he dropped the weight but he looked drained and consequently the win flattered Pacquiao. Even in the last few years you can argue that Manny fought Morales and Barrera past their prime and when he fought a dangerous opponent in Juan Manuel Marquez he pushed him really close. I am still at my prime at 140 pounds and it will take a very good fighter to beat me in this frame of mind and I don’t think that Manny’s recent performances make me worry to my boots. He is a great boxer, great speed but I am supremely confident of a win for all my fans.

How has the defeat against Floyd Mayweather affected your mental approach to this “super-fight”?

The loss against Mayweather did highlight to me that I needed to change my approach and not just charge out and try and knock my opponent’s head off and that was the issue with Floyd. He is a great fighter and has fast hands and if you just charge against him it plays into his hands. My plan under Mayweather Snr is to be more controlled in my aggression and power. I have learned more control and focus from this defeat and you saw that in the Malignaggi fight where I was still aggressive, still applied pressure but used my jab, my movement and my effective combinations. It also made me realise that my real strength is at 140 pounds and not 147 pounds. You saw in my two fights at welterweight that I struggled and Luis Collazo gave me a tough hard fight. At 140 pounds I am the boss, I have the pedigree and I have the experience. No one has beaten me and I am not ready for Manny to be that first person to defeat me at my weight. I want to retire eventually as the top 140 pound fighter since Kostya Tszyu and with an undefeated record of 43 wins then I should be confident against Manny, who is used to fighting guys ten pounds below me. I made that move up and it is a totally difference way of fighting and the De La Hoya experience could make him too confident.

If you defeat Pacquiao does that set up a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr?

My attention is currently on the job in hand but there are still some good fights out there for me if I defeat Manny. There is a re-match with Floyd that would motivate me greatly or we could match up at 140 pounds with Juan Manuel Marquez. Either opponent will give the fans a great fight but first things first, lets concentrate on Manny Pacquiao.

Homecoming” for Lacy!

By Flattop

It is a “Homecoming” for former super middleweight champion Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy (24-2, 17 KOs) as he continues his comeback this Friday at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida against “The Next Great Champ” winner Otis “Triple OG” Griffin (19-4-2, 7 KOs). This is the return to the ring for Lacy coming off his hard fought decision loss to Jermain Taylor in November 2008 and his first fight in the bay area in nearly three years since a capacity crowd witnessed his thrilling knockout of Robin Reid at the St. Pete Times Forum on August 6, 2005. “I wanted my first fight back to be right here in Tampa,” said the St. Pete native. “It really don’t matter who I fight, I’m just looking to get back in action!” Looking ahead, Lacy has talked about a cross-state showdown with Pensacola’s own Roy Jones Jr. “The Jones fight would be a huge fight for Florida,” observed Lacy. Lacy had called out Orlando native Antonio Tarver but Tarver refused the fight. “His head is lost in the clouds,” explained Lacy.

“Homecoming” is presented by Left Hook Promotions in association with One Punch Productions, and features several Tampa Bay area notables on the undercard, including undefeated St. Pete featherweight Kermit “Bazooka” Gonzalez (6-0-1, 3 KOs) who faces undefeated Derrick Wilson (4-0, 1 KO) plus heavyweight Lenroy “TNT” Thomas (11-1, 7 KOs) - originally from Jamaica and now fighting out of St. Petersburg - against veteran Wes Taylor (7-12-1, 7 KOs). Also in action are Sarasota light heavyweight brawler Adam Jaco (4-2-1), undefeated welterweight Said El Harrak (3-0, 1 KO), plus Tampa featherweight female sensation Adawirky Lopez (3-1).

Doors open at 7pm and the action starts at 8pm. Tickets are priced at $18.50, $40, $85, $135, and there are a limited number of $200 Platinum Ringside seats. Tickets are available at the USF Sun Dome box office. VIP packages are available by calling 813-503-8109.

Spinks-Latimore Update!

The three best boxers in St. Louis will be showcased on the same Don King-promoted fight card at Scottrade Center on Friday, April 24. The main event will feature the long-awaited hometown showdown for the vacant International Boxing Federation junior middleweight championship between former four-time world champion Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks (36-5, 11 KOs) taking on IBF No. 6-ranked contender Deandre “The Bull” Latimore (19-1, 16 KOs). The co-feature showcases the Gateway City’s fastest-rising star, undefeated World Boxing Council No. 1-ranked super lightweight Devon Alexander “The Great” (17-0, 10 KOs) meeting an opponent to be announced. Both fights will be televised on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME beginning at 11 p.m. ET/PT (10 p.m. CT, delayed on the West Coast). A full undercard will be presented. Doors open at 6 p.m.

“I love St. Louis and I’m happy to have the top three prizefighters from this great American city on the same card at Scottrade Center,” King said. “Spring is almost here so it’s the perfect time to meet me in St. Louis on April 24 to see the best of the old and best of the new. It’s going to be what we call a Lou thing.”

Tickets, all in the lower bowl, priced at $100 ringside, $60, $40, $25 and $10 (with a limited number of Golden Circle seats available at $300) are on sale now at Scottrade Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, or online at ticketmaster.com. A per ticket facility fee will be added to all tickets purchased at all locations, including at the Scottrade Center Box Office. Additional Ticketmaster service charges and handling fees apply. For disabled seating, call 314-622-5420.

The event is promoted by Don King Productions with Spinks vs. Latimore presented in association with Rumble Time Promotions and DiBella Entertainment.

Spinks, 31, is a former undisputed welterweight champion who also held the IBF junior middleweight championship, a crown he won in St. Louis on July 8, 2006, by winning a majority decision over then-champion Roman “Made in Hell” Karmazin.

Spinks lost that title at Scottrade Center on March 27, 2008, dropping a split decision to Verno Phillips after making the decision to split with his longtime trainer and manager Kevin Cunningham. Spinks and Cunningham have since reconciled and are working together again, and Phillips has vacated the title to move up to the middleweight division. Spinks thinks he will regain the title because his vast world championship experience will be too much for his 23-year-old cross-town rival.

“Deandre faced my stablemate Devon Alexander in the amateurs when they were both coming up,” Spinks said. “My question to Deandre is who have you faced? The first time he met a guy with a winning record, Ian Gardner knocked him out in three. He stopped Sechew Powell in his last fight but he’s not ready for me yet.”

Latimore, 23, met Powell in the biggest fight of his young career during his most-recent appearance on June 11 at the Hard Rock Times Square in New York. Powell had earned the IBF’s No. 1 ranking in the junior middleweight division and was mandatory challenger to face the newly crowned champion Phillips but decided to face Latimore first.

The match was competitive until the seventh round when Latimore broke through, hurting Powell with a right hook. Latimore rocked Powell again with an uppercut before pinning him in a corner. Powell’s lack of an appropriate response led the referee to halt the contest in a major upset victory for Latimore.

Latimore co-promoter Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment, is looking forward to the event. “It is an honor to work on this show with Don King, as well as co-promote boxing’s next great young champion, Deandre Latimore, with our partner Rumble Time Promotions,” DiBella said. “The Battle of St. Lou will guarantee high drama.”

Alexander, a 22-year-old phenom who is also trained by Cunningham, was recently named mandatory challenger to the WBC 140-pound champion, so he has his first world championship match riding on this fight.

“A world championship fight is what I have been working towards my whole life,” Alexander said. “To earn that chance in front of my hometown fans in St. Louis would mean a lot to me.”

Spinks won his first world title by defeating Michele Piccirillo in 2003 to become the IBF welterweight champion. He added the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association 147-pound titles by defeating Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga later that year.

After successfully defending his crowns with a unanimous decision win over Zab “Super” Judah in a seesaw affair in 2004 that saw both fighters hitting the canvas, Spinks agreed to a rematch with Judah in front of a record crowd of 22,370 in his hometown on Feb. 5, 2005. Judah scored a technical knockout in round nine to spoil Spinks’s homecoming.

After moving up to 154 pounds and becoming world champion again, Spinks took a one-time gamble at 160 pounds to challenge then-World Boxing Council and -World Boxing Organization middleweight champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor at the FedEx Forum in Memphis on May 19, 2007.

Taylor experienced tremendous difficulty exerting his will over Spinks, who proved he could compete at the higher weight by darting in and out of range while landing during exchanges. Ringside experts and judges had difficulty agreeing on a winner after the fight went the distance. In a rarity, one judge favored Spinks by the wide margin of 117-111, while another judge favored Taylor by the same score. The third judge favored Taylor 115-113 to break the deadlock.

Nick Charles will describe the ShoBox action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood serving as expert anlyst The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phil dir directing.

For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go to the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://sports.sho.com.

O’Connor on Froch-Taylor card!

One of the New England area’s top prospects will get the opportunity to perform in front of his local fans on Saturday, April 25th, when unbeaten Danny O’Connor steps into the ring on the undercard of the highly anticipated super middleweight championship fight between Jermain Taylor and Carl Froch at the MGM Grand Theater at MGM at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut. “April 25th is going to be a great night for fight fans, and we credit DiBella Entertainment for making it happen,” said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing, O’Connor’s promoter. “Lou (DiBella) asked us if Danny was available for this card and we jumped at the chance to get him back in the ring. Danny is the future of this sport, and it will be a treat for his local fans to see him at this stage of his career.”

2008 United States Olympic alternate Danny O’Connor (5-0, 2 KOs) has wasted no time establishing himself as one of the most promising junior welterweight prospects in the United States. A southpaw with ring savvy beyond his 23 years, the Framingham native has fought three times thus far in 2009, looking more impressive with each outing. In his last bout, on March 14th, he needed only 86 seconds to dispatch Charles Wade.

The fight card is being promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Hennessy Sports. Tickets are on sale now and priced at $200, $100, $75 and $50. Tickets are available at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com , your local Ticketmaster, and the MGM Grand Box Office 866-646-0609.

HBO’s Arthur Curry passes

Arthur Curry, Director of Boxing Talent Relations at HBO Sports, has passed away in New York City. “If ever there was a person who was a perfect fit for his job, it was Artie,” said HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg. “He loved boxers, and they loved him back. Artie was in many ways our personal ambassador to the boxing community, and he will be sorely missed by all of the people that he touched. He will be missed by all of his friends and colleagues at HBO Sports, who looked forward to his friendly greeting every day. This is a big loss for everybody who knew Artie. I am grateful that for two decades he represented HBO Sports and distinguished himself every day.”

Nuzhnenko, Senchenko make weight!

Unbeaten WBA welterweight champion Yuriy Nuzhnenko (28-0-1, 13 KOs) weighed in at 147lbs even for his title defense against also unbeaten Vyacheslav Senchenko on Friday night at the Sportpalace Drusba in Donetsk, Ukraine. Senchenko (28-0, 20 KOs) scaled in at 146.6 lbs.
Other weights:
Oleg Yefimovich 126 vs Osman Aktas 125.5
(EBU featherweight title)
Vladimir Kravets 140 vs Yauhen Kruhlik 139
(EBU-EE light welterweight title)
Stas Merdov 125.5 vs Nikita Lukin 125.5
Stas Kashtanov 170 vs Andrey Ageev 170
Andrey Kudriavtsev 133.75 vs Nico Schroeder 135
Promoter: Union Boxing Promotions
Venue: Sport Palace “Druzhba”, Donetsk
TV: Eurosport + Megasport (Ukraine)

Juanma responds to Penalosa!

WBO junior featherweight champion Juan Manuel ‘Juanma’ Lopez (24-0, 22 KOs) is well ahead of schedule in training as he preparation for his title defense against WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa (54-6-2, 36 KOs). Lopez released the following statement upon hearing Penalosa’s comments that Lopez will suffer the same fate as former world champion Jhonny Gonzalez who was knocked out by Penalosa. “There is no comparison between his fight with Gonzalez and the fight he is going to have with me. Gonzalez is right handed and I’m a southpaw for one. Also, Gonzalez was well known to have been struggling to make the 118 pound weight limit for the fight with Penalosa whereas I make 122 pounds very comfortably. I respect Penalosa’s power but I’ve been in with strong fighters as well such as former world champion Daniel Ponce De Leon, who I defeated to win my world title. Penalosa is a come forward type of fighter which works perfect for me. I’m going to fight my fight as normal and fully expect a spectacular victory for me,” said Lopez. Lopez-Penalosa takes place on April 25th at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and is promoted by The fight card is being promoted by Top Rank and PR Best Boxing (Ivan & Peter Rivera).

“Punisher” ready to punish Winky!

Two-division world champion Paul Williams (36-1, 27 KOs) battles former undisputed junior middleweight world Champion Winky Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs) this Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. Owner of world titles at welterweight and junior middleweight, Williams is now chasing after glory at middleweight. With wins over Antonio Margarito, Carlos Quintana, Sharmba Mitchell and Vernon Phillips, the 160-pound weight class had better watch out for “The Punisher.”
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Get up-close and personal with Paul “The Punisher” Williams during a recent Everlast photo shoot. Learn how “The most feared man” in boxing feels about his upcoming April 11th middleweight bout with Winky Wright, and his thoughts on why even world title holders won’t meet him in the ring.

Q&A: Billy Dib!

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Former IBO 130 pound world champion Billy Dib (22-1, 11 KOs) talks to Fightnews and explains why he has IBF featherweight champion Cristobal Cruz in his sights, the best win he scored in the USA, and why Sugar Shane Mosley is his greatest supporter, plus reveals that the Grange Gym will be promoting him in 2009.

Fighthnews: You have had some great wins in the USA. Please tell me in your opinion - your best win and why?

Rogers Mtagwa – easily my most favorite and best win overseas. Mtagwa was really being touted as something big in the US and one who was ‘tough’ and expected to take care of me. With no disrespect and the judges decisions and scorecards tell the story, I won the bout convincingly and shut him out, never giving him a chance. I really felt on top of my game that night and also, I got to fulfill a dream with the bout being at Madison Square Garden on my great friend ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley’s undercard when he faced Miguel Cotto.

My manager always says to me that I have been very fortunate in life to fight at ‘The Garden’ because of the history that goes with it and that a lot of great fighters don’t get to fight there. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity.

Fightnews: You have a great relationship with Shane Mosley who travelled to Australia for your most recent contest. Can you tell me about your friendship with this future hall of famer and how it developed.

It started through a mutual friend introduction in Las Vegas and subsequently, Shane emailed to invite me to his home at Pomona, California where we got to properly meet, sit down and talk about where I was heading, where I would like to go, etc and then it was the ultimate, Shane threw me some gloves and we jumped into the ring and sparred. It was daunting at first because you’re in the ring with a legend, but quickly (and after a few punches!) I had to show him something and I’m forever grateful that he saw something in me that day in which to support me further with my career.

Fightnews: Please tell me who is on your radar and why.

Not to sound clichéd, but I’m really concentrating on my fights, one by one. My manager and I have a saying which is ‘Rome’ – as in “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and that’s how we are looking at my future career. We’re patiently building a sound base and platform in which to expand from.

I’ve been very fortunate to have achieved a great deal in my career to date, however that chapter’s closed and I now want to achieve a lot more. My manager and trainer work closely together discussing opportunities that are offered and also on future opponents they feel we want to challenge. I’ve never dodged an opponent and I’m looking for great fights that yes, hopefully I win, but also make me a better fighter for when the really big chances present themselves.

Too answer your question definitively, the IBF champion – Cristobel Cruz and WBA champion – Chris John are two opponents I would really love to fight. Cruz is a tough, walk-in-and-fight Mexican who I really rate my chances against and Chris John, well his record and standing speak for itself, however with the greatest respect, I believe I could beat him and I would love the opportunity to show this. I believe, as does my team that either opponent would be a great fight.

Fightnews: You have a good team behind you - trainer Billy Hussein and manager Nathan Butler. Tell be about your team.

There’s the old saying, “a happy fighter’s a good fighter” and both Billy and Nathan provide this. Billy’s credentials as a trainer are second to none and name a big fighter in this country that Billy hasn’t had some involvement with. I really enjoyed our first training preparation together for the Browne fight and I’d like to think people saw not only improvement in me, but also that I really enjoyed the fight.

Nathan and I came together late last year and he stepped into the manager’s role for me post-Luevano and has done a fantastic job taking care of ‘outside the ring’ matters. Whether it be fights to organize, speaking with promoters, guest appearances on things like 2KY’s ‘Big Sport Breakfast’ or upcoming on ‘Wide World of Sports’ and through to introducing new sponsors, he’s taken care of all that for me.

Billy and Nathan take care of things out of the ring, to give me every chance of success in it.

Fightnews: You have agreement with the Grange Gym who will promote you in 2009. Your thoughts please.

Straight up, hat’s off to ‘The Grange.’ They really put on great shows and are genuinely aiming to improve the standard of shows and fights for all concerned. Both Bill and Garrie are great guys and I enjoy being on their shows. I’d like to think they enjoy having me fight on their shows.

Recently after the Browne fight, we had a really positive discussion and agreed that we wanted to move forward together, working to help one another achieve bigger things. I’m very grateful of their support and aim to be consistently performing on their shows, for my benefit, ‘The Grange’ and overall, supporters of boxing.

Australian boxing need people like ‘The Grange’ who really invest a lot of time, effort and money exposing fighters like me to the public on quality, televised promotions and I want to be a part of these exciting opportunities.

Klassen-Baloyi undercard!

By Ron Jackson

Branco Milenkovic of Branco Sports Productions has announced the undercard for the IBF junior lightweight title fight between Cassius Baloyi and Malcolm Klassen to be held at the North West University Sports Complex in Mafikeng on Saturday April 18. There are a scheduled 70 rounds of boxing with the main attraction being Baloyi’s second defence of his IBF belt against the mandatory challenger Malcolm Klassen. The 34-year-old Baloyi 36-3-1; 19 who has won six world organisation belts will be taking part in his 24th “world” title fight in his sixteenth year as a professional fighter. It has been reported that Baloyi will be receiving his biggest purse ever against the 28-year-old Klassen 23-4-2; 13, a former South African featherweight champion who also held the IBF junior lightweight belt for less than six months. This will be Klassen’s third “world” title fight and also his richest purse ever.

In the main supporting bout scheduled for 12 rounds world ranked Moruti Mthalane 22-2 defends his SA flyweight title against Lehlohonolo Ramagole 7-1. The only two defeats on Mthalane’s record were against Nkqubela Gwazela when challenging for the SA flyweight title and the controversial cut eye loss to Nonito Donaire when challenging for the for the IBF and IBO flyweight belts. The 25-year-old Ramagole has only lost to Joel Kunene.

In another scheduled 12 rounder Lesley Sekotswe 8-0 from Botswana defends his African Boxing Union International super flyweight title against Nkosana Sobethu 17-10-3 from the Eastern Cape.

Other bouts: Welterweight, 6 rounds: Mthobisi Buthelezi v Seroba Binda; Lightweight, 6 rounds: Vusumzi Tyatyeka v Joseph Modise; Bantamweight, 6 rounds: Cletus Mbhele v Johannes Nthontho, Flyweight, 6 rounds: Anele Makwelo v Maluleki Jola; Bantamweight, 6 rounds: Godlife Mabitsela v Siyanda Mfundisi; Junior middleweight, 4 rounds: Sandra Almeida v Essiane Clotilde.

* * *

Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotions has announced some of the fights scheduled to take place at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park on June 13. In a potential explosive encounter between two unbeaten fighters Thomas Oosthuizen meets Jared Lovett at light heavyweight and in the junior welterweight division Philip Ndou faces Kaizer Mabuza. In another intriguing match-up at junior middleweight Jan Bergman meets Bongani Mwelase.

Gavern-Rhodes This Saturday! Battle Headlines Seven Bout Card in Wilkes-Barre, PA!

By Kurt Wolfheimer

Boxing will make its triumphant return to the scenic town of Wilkes-Barre PA on Saturday night April 11th at the beautiful Woodlands Inn and Resort. Headlining the card which is promoted by Andre Kut of KEA Boxing Promotions is the hard hitting former Scranton Police Officer, Jason Gavern (16-5-3, 8 KOs) in the six round main event. Gavern the former 2001 PA State super heavyweight champion, recently captured a unanimous decision victory over Butler, PA’s Jim Emrick (7-3-1, 2 KOs) and looks to take that next step up as he moves toward national contention, when he tangles with Michael “Big Daddy” Rhodes (3-4-3, 1 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA. Doors open at 7 PM with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 PM. Tickets are priced at $100, $60, and $40. For more information contact the Woodlands Inn and Resort at 574-824-9831.

Gavern was eager to get back and put a great showing on for his friends and brethren throughout the region. “It is great to be back near Scranton and I will have the Police and Firemen rooting me on,” said Gavern. I need to put on a good show for my fans. It just hasn’t happened when I fought up here. I just want to let my fans know that I am going to do my best to have them get their money’s worth. I have always seemed to fight down to competition and I heard Rhodes went the distance with Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson and has fought several other good prospects, so it should be one hell of a test for me.”

The inaugural card at The Woodlands Inn and Resort will also feature local fan favorite Anthony Cusumano (2-2-1) of Old Forge, PA. The exciting super featherweight avenged a loss to scrappy Markel Muhammad with a clear cut unanimous decision victory in his last bout. Cusumano will look to continue his winning ways against Emanuelle Rosas (0-4). The hard luck fighter has tested several top prospects, including undefeated fighters, such as Joselito Collado (6-0, 2 KOs) and Lou Del Valle (5-0, 3 KOs) and should provide quite a test for the Old Forge native.

New Jersey welterweight Antonio “Tony the Tiger” Espinoza (9-0, 1 KO) will try to keep his undefeated record intact in a six round contest against upset minded Darrell Martin (4-7, 1 KO). Jules Blackwell (8-2-2, 3 KOs) was the most recent fighter to feel the sting of Martin, going down by KO in the third round. Could Espinoza be next?

Irish eyes will be smiling in a special women’s junior middleweight contest featuring the professional debut of Julie “The Irish Fury” Albanese against April Richards (Pro Debut). She is the sister of heavyweight Adam “Swamp Donkey” Richards (21-2, 14 KOs). If she is anything like her brother, Albanese will have one tough test on Saturday night.

Philly lightweight prospect Clinton Douglass (2-2-2) is set to swap punches with Baltimore, Maryland’s Raymondo Elliott (0-1) in a four round scrap.

New York City light heavyweight Denys Lozada (5-2, 2 KOs) will be tested by tough Philadelphian Reshawn Scott (1-2).

Undefeated welterweight prospect Issouf Kinda (2-0) is also scheduled to appear against an opponent to be announced.

The Woodlands in Wilkes-Barre, PA offers a restaurant, four bars and a hotel that is the ideal setting for fans looking to enjoy a great night at a reasonable price. This is world class boxing in an intimate setting that is hosted by the owners who are boxing enthusiasts. A combination like this will bring many nights of quality action packed entertainment to those KEA BOXING fans, which have enjoyed the extras and have come to expect nothing less.

The Woodlands Inn and Resort is located in the foothills of the beautiful Pocono Mountains and is easily accessible from the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstates 80, 81 and 84.