Europe:
James Slater
Mike Casey
Sebastian Swiecznik
Adeyinka Makinde
Michael Klimes
Jim Dorney
Andrew Walker
Andy Olsen
Neil Thompson
Neil Goodman
United States:
Frank Gonzalez Jr
Wray Edwards
Vivek Wallace Geoffrey Ciani
Ted Sares
P.H. Burbridge
Vanessa McConnell
"Old Yank" Schneider Paul McCreath
Yero Moody
John Martinez
Scoop Malinowski
Cesar Pancorvo
Nick Mathur
Matt Yanofsky
Taj Eubanks
Karl E. H. Seigfried
Gabriel DeCrease
Mike Dunn
South America:
Jaime Castro Núñez
Photos:
Wray Edwards
Peter Mark Heintzelman
Manny Pacquiao vs Oscar De La Hoya Official by James Slater - First of all, the fight was merely a much ridiculed possibility. Then the likelihood of the showdown actually taking place began to gather serious momentum, only for the match-up to appear to be off for good due to a breakdown in payment negotiations.
Well, a few moments ago, the on/off/on again "dream fight" between Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao was officially announced. The bout will take place in Las Vegas on December the 6th, and at 147 pounds. It has not been made clear yet what the purse spilt will be, but some compromise has been reached. The boxers will wear eight ounce gloves.
This is not in any way breaking news, as all fight fans were aware that this fight was all but sure to be officially announced today (Thursday) when it was revealed that De La Hoya would be making a "big announcement" today. continue l
472 comments Boxing News: Arvin/Thompson, Mia St.John, Braimah Kamoko
The U.S.B.O. had previously withheld and now officially withdraws title recognition to Ishmail Arvin with regard to the disputed fight against Anthony Thompson which took place on August 16th, 2008 in Washington D.C.
WBC International Champion, Mia St. John, just filmed an episode of TLC's highest rated show "LA INK" with Kat Von D. The show which airs Thursdays @ 7/6c, features a number of customers along with their back stories and motivations for choosing their tattoos. Due to the studio's Hollywood location, the clientèle has included and will feature a number of celebrities. Air date will likely be in September and the tattoo reveal won't be seen until then. continue l
4 comments Pacquiao vs De La Hoya and other random ramblings! By Robert Jackson: On December 6, 2008 former WBO middleweight champion Oscar De La Hoya is scheduled to face current WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao in a matchup that is "said" to be Oscar's last fight before retiring from the ring. Once Oscar conceded to a 67/33 split it was just a matter of time before he caved in to a 65/35 deal to make the fight with Filipino ICON Manny Pacquiao.
Oscar had made up his mind that Pacquiao was who he was going to fight and nothing could change that. The Sergio Mora and Paul Williams references were just psychological ploys to get Pacman to abandon his 60/40 stance, Oscar was never going to fight Williams and risk serious injury while a Mora fight would've generated underwhelming interest. I believe 65/35 is what Pacquiao wanted all along, having never fought as a 147lber how was he ever going to get a 60/40 split? continue l
161 comments Valuev Ruiz II Press Conference Videos Nikolai Valuev and John Ruiz would not stop staring at each other when they posed for the photographers following today´s press conference in Berlin. After two long minutes, they were finally separated by Wilfried Sauerland and Don King. “I think we will be seeing a very exciting fight on Saturday,” Sauerland predicted.
Both fighters are brimming with confidence ahead of their rematch. “I feel like I won the first fight,” Ruiz said.
“I am here in Germany to get the belt back. I have worked very hard in practice with my coach. I am in great shape and I will show that on Saturday.” His trainer, Manny Siaca Sr., was also confident of success. continue l
35 comments Kermit Cintron Vs. Lovemore N'dou - Can "The Killer" Become The First Man To Stop "The Black Panther?" by James Slater: Both fighters are coming off a loss, both fighters have recently signed with a new promoter in Lou DiBella, and both fighters very much want to become world champion again. Well, according to BoxRec, Kermit Cintron, the former IBF welterweight champion and Lovemore N'dou, the former IBF light-welterweight champion, will meet in an elimination bout on the November 15th Jermain Taylor-Jeff Lacy bill.
This is an interesting fight, and a very good test for both guys. With the loser not really appearing to have anywhere to go, the stakes are high - with a shot at the IBF welterweight title very much on the cards for the winner also. For the 37-year-old N'dou from Australia, currently 46-10-1 (31), the fight will be his first up at 147 pounds. The clash with Puerto Rico's 28-year-old Cintron, currently 29-2(27), will also offer N'dou a shot at redemption after losing on points last time out against Paulie Malignaggi. continue l
16 comments German boxing scene: Four action packed months coming up! By Sebastian Swiecznik: During the European Soccer Cup and the Olympics there wasn't many activity in the German boxing scene, but in the next four months we get more promising fights overhere then normally in two long years.
30.August 2008: Russian giant Nicolay Valuev (48-1-0, 34 KO) will make the start in Berlin with his rematch against former heavyweight champion John Ruiz (43-7-1, 29 KO). Although Ruiz is known for his "huggy bear" style, he showed some nice boxing in the first fight and, in my opinion, should have gotten the victory.
On the undercard british heavyweight Scott Gammer (19-2-1, 9 KO) will face the 23 year old undefeated Italian heavyweight prospect Francesco Pianeta (16-0-0, 10 KO) for the European title. continue l
9 comments Boxing News: David Price, Jean Marc Renard dead, Ferreyro vs Martinez Olympic super-heavyweight bronze medallist David Price described his time at this summer’s Games in Beijing as ‘a wonderful experience’ but admits he was not at the top of his game for his semi-final bout against Roberto Cammarelle. In an interview with Setanta Sports News during Steve Bunce’s Boxing Hour Price said he was unable to put a ‘finger on what went wrong.'
“I think he lulled me into a false sense of security with his two previous performances. I was overly confident of going into the ring and doing a job on him.
“I probably underestimated him. I definitely underestimated his punching power and his hand speed. His hand speed is terrific. He was beating me to every punch. continue l
7 comments Boxing News: Team GB’s boxing coach sets the record straight, Braekhus to support Valuev
Great Britain's Olympic boxing coach Terry Edwards told Setanta Sports News he was in a ‘no win’ situation however well his boxers performed in Beijing this summer. Edwards' team of boxers were dogged by controversy before a single punch had been thrown. Frankie Gavin was unable to compete at the Games having failed to make his target weight, while Billy Joe Saunders faced allegations of lewd behaviour. continue l
1 comment "Merciless" Ray Mercer - The Heavyweight Who Won't Retire!
by James Slater - Nicknamed "Merciless" due to the manner in which he shows no opponent any compassion whatsoever when he's in the ring with them, Ray Mercer should actually be known by another moniker these days. Still fighting at age 47 and after a nineteen year pro career that began way back in February of 1989, the former WBO heavyweight champion should be nicknamed "Relentless" Ray Mercer or "Persistent" Ray Mercer or "Obstinate" Ray Mercer. Quite simply, the guy won't quit! continue l
5 comments Vitali Klitschko - Samuel Peter Press Conference Quotes And Photos Photos by: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME - On a night that will electrify the boxing world, active World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight Champion Sam Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) will defend his title against WBC Champion Emeritus Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs), making his dramatic return to the ring after a four-year absence, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, Saturday, October 11. Immediately following the heavyweight world title fight, which begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT on tape delay, two light heavyweight champions will meet, live on SHOWTIME, when Antonio "Magic Man" Tarver and "Bad" Chad Dawson square off in a long-awaited grudge match.
The Peter-Klitschko showdown will be co-promoted by Duva Boxing, K2 Promotions and Don King Productions from the O2 Arena in Berlin, Germany. Tarver vs. Dawson will be promoted by Gary Shaw Productions in association with AT Entertainment and take place at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. continue l
135 comments Boxing News: Molitor vs Labarda, GBP Introduce 'Next Boxing Generation'
After weeks of intense preparation, the wait has dwindled down to scant hours for IBF Junior Featherweight world champion, "The Canadian Kid" Steve Molitor (27-0, 10 KO's), prior to his title defense against undefeated Argentine, Ceferino Dario Labarda (18-0, 7 KO's) at Rumble at Rama V, taking placing at Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario. continue l
3 comments Charlotte Boxing Card On August 30
28.08.08 - By Dick Landis: Saturday (Aug. 30) evening's The Night of Champions promoted by Tommy Hill's Red Leather Sports marks the seventh boxing card this year in Charlotte, NC. with four more shows planned for the remainder of 2008. Saturday evening's scheduled 12 bouts will take place at the Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Arena in the City of Charlotte. The Night of Champions will feature an array of potentially upcoming "future champions." Ten of the 12 bouts at four rounds each highlight a group of young fighters either making their pro debut or they have just a few fights on each man's record. continue l
1 comment Some people can’t win; Jermain Taylor’s middleweight career in retrospect By Jason Peck - As a champion, Jermain Taylor’s middleweight career was considered lackluster at best, marred by unconvincing victories and a failure to match up with Bernard Hopkins’ legacy. But the boxing world attacked him most relentlessly for his ultimate crime – not fighting career middleweights.
Now wait a minute here…
His successor Kelly Pavlik will next fight Hopkins at a catch-weight of 170 pounds. Prior to that, Pavlik’s most likely possibilities included junior middleweight contender Marco Antonio Rubio, welterweight champ Paul Williams, and junior middleweight champ Sergio Mora.
What if Taylor had granted these guys a title shot? I suspect he wouldn’t have gotten Pavlik’s welcome response. continue l
46 comments Boxing News: Andaluz vs Williams, Julio Zarate in IBF Title Eliminator This Friday
CHICAGO, IL (August 27, 2008) Undefeated lightweight prospects Gadiel Andaluz and Danny Williams will square off in a special feature attraction bout just added to “LIBERTY”, an outstanding evening of world class professional boxing presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING. continue l
no comment Exclusive Interview With Charles "The Hatchet" Brewer - "I'm Happy The Fans Remember Me For Giving Them Good Fights"
by James Slater - Philadelphia's Charles "The Hatchet" Brewer carved out a career as one of modern-day boxing's most consistently exciting fighters during his tenure amongst the super-middleweights of the 1990s and early 2000s. Making his pro-debut at The Blue Horizon in Philly back in August of 1989, Brewer fought the best right up until his final bout - a 10th round TKO loss to Lolenga Mock in April of 2005. The fight with Mock marked a number of fights in which Brewer boxed abroad. Fighting in Countries like Germany, Denmark and the U.K, Charles was never afraid of going into another guy's backyard.
This fighting spirit saw to it that Brewer ascended all the way to the IBF's 168 pound throne. Capturing the title with a 5th round stoppage of Gary Ballard in June of '97, Charles would make three successful retentions - including one against Britain's unlucky Herol "Bomber" Graham the following year. continue l
142 comments Boxing News: James Kirkland, Pawel Wolak, Matt Remillard
AUSTIN, Wednesday, August 27th - In the ring, James “Mandingo” Kirkland has been compared to Mike Tyson ferocious power, a desire to knockout you out with every punch and one of the meanest, fiercest scowls you will ever come across inside the ropes. He even looks the part, with black trunks, no socks and no flashy robes to distract from the business at hand. continue l
5 comments Breidis Prescott - "I KNOW I Can Knock Amir Khan Out!"
27.08.08 - by James Slater - Unbeaten, but also largely unknown, Colombian Breidis Prescott is talking a very good fight ahead of his showdown with the likewise unbeaten, but a whole hell of a lot more well known, Amir Khan. With less than a week-and-a-half to go before the September 6th match-up, the 19-0(17) puncher has made it clear he is coming to The M.E.N Arena in Manchester, U.K to win. continue l
22 comments Muhammad Ali Vs. The Best Of British
by James Slater - During his career, Muhammad Ali earned himself a reputation for giving every single worthy opponent out there a chance. Sometimes fighting the same guy twice, even three times, Ali ducked no-one and fought all manner of nationalities. Ali saw off the best Germany had to offer (Karl Mildenberger, Willi Besmanoff), the best Canada had to offer (George Chuvalo, twice), the best America had to offer (too many to list) and even the best Belgium had to offer(!) (Jean-Pierre Coopman). continue l
53 comments The 'Left-Hook' Lounge: Vivek Wallace's Weekly Mailbag Featuring Oscar, Pacquiao, Jones Jr., and Election Talk! This weeks 'Left-Hook Lounge' installment takes us on a different type of journey. Not only do the usual suspects - De La Hoya, Pacquiao, Pavlik, and Roy Jones Jr. - make the list, but as the presidential elections heat up, one fan dared ask that question. Yeah, that question! So with no need to set the table, we jump right in the mix with a question from Delray Beach, Florida, where a fight fan asked the following:
Pedro Gutierrez (Delray Beach, Fl): I read your 'open letter' to Oscar De La Hoya last week and I wanted to know, if Oscar does in fact get the fight against Pacquiao, and actually lose it, in your mind does he go down as one of the greatest big-name flops in the history of the sport?continue l
113 comments News: Valuev´s Boxing Robe On eBay, Warriors Boxing Inks Danny O’Connor
Big man, big heart: After his WBA heavyweight title fight against John Ruiz, Nikolai Valuev will make a special charity donation, selling his boxing robe on ebay. The auction (www.ebay.de/starsandcharity) has already started and will end on September 1. All money will go to German medical aid organisation action medeor, which provides medical equipment to people in developing countries. “I hope for lots of boxing fans to join the auction so that a lot of money will be raised to help children in the poorer regions of the world,” Valuev said. “This project means a lot to me.. continue l
7 comments Oscar De La Hoya: Taking the easy way out - Part two By P.H. Burbridge (A voice in the crowd) - Well, here we are late August and Oscar De La Hoya is still playing his cat and mouse game over who his final ring opponent will be on Dec 6th! One thing is crystal clear. Oscar has NO intention of fighting anyone who has the SLIGHTEST chance of beating him. I made the mistake of believing Oscar cared about his legacy as well as what fight fans thought BUT that was clearly a mistake on my part.
The truth is much simpler. Oscar wants a “retirement party” not a retirement fight. Meaning he doesn’t want to have to FIGHT on Dec 6th 2008. He wants a “party” with a bunch of feel good moments and here’s the best part, HE WANTS US TO FOOT THE BILL! My problem with that is that when I authorize the cable people to charge me that $49.95 or in this case most probably $54.95 for a fight, I actually want to see a FIGHT! I don’t think I’m alone on that one! continue l
278 comments Oliver McCall - Will "The Atomic Bull" Fight Again? 26.08.08 - by James Slater - It's been over ten months since former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall fought. Losing on points over 12 rounds against tricky Cuban southpaw Juan Carlos Gomez in a rematch he didn't have to take, McCall saw his long unbeaten run come to an end.
Before the rematch loss to Gomez (the two boxed a No-Contest in October of 2005, which was called such due to Gomez's failed post-fight drugs test), "The Atomic Bull" had been doing very well. Working his way, slowly but surely, towards another crack at the title, the 43-year-old won 10 in a row, with the No-Contest bout mixed in. Showing he was still extremely tough, dangerous and willing to work hard, McCall, quite amazingly, got himself back in the WBC top-five ranked heavyweights in the world. Were we about to see another George Foreman-style comeback? continue l
55 comments Orlando Pineda, the wise man behind César Canchila (The odyssey to become champion of the world) By Jaime Castro-Núñez - Photos: Marco Pérez: Walking his pupil into the ring, he had the confidence typical of people who have lived their lives. His footsteps were firm, his glance secure, his thoughts crystal clear and his ears seemed not to listen to the much-excited Mexican crowd chanting “Seeeguuura, Seeeguuura, Seeeguuura.” The kid behind him, on the contrary, was still amazed by the casinos, lights and gamblers that have made of Las Vegas one of the most exciting cities on earth. It was the time of the truth for César Canchila, a 26-year-old warrior labeled as “unknown-quality fighter” by boxing erudites. The reason for such scornful adjective was quite simple: nobody outside his native Colombia had seen him ever. In fact, it was his first time overseas. And there he was, at the MGM, on PPV, living the dream in front of a crowd waiting for Cotto-Margarito “¡La Batalla!. continue l
2 comments Deontay Wilder - A Heavyweight To Look Forward To? by James Slater: In holding the distinction of being the only U.S boxer from this year's 26.08.08 - Olympics to capture a medal - any medal - heavyweight Deontay Wilder of Tuscaloosa, Alabama must be feeling quite special right about now. In winning a bronze medal in the 201 pound category, the 22-year-old saved his country from the embarrassment of coming home from Beijing without a single medal in boxing.
Now, having proven his talent and skill, the question will be asked; can Wilder become a pro heavyweight we will one day be very excited about? Yes, it's still embryonic days at the moment, and Wilder hasn't even announced a pro career yet. But surely he will do so soon. The heavyweight division is crying out for a new star hailing for the United States, and if there's any chance Wilder may be it he would be a fool not to go for it in the paid ranks as soon as he can. continue l
54 comments Another Russian Giant Is Coming: Alexander Ustinov By Paul McCreath, photo by Wray Edwards / ESB - As if the towering presence of Nicolay Valuev is not enough to scare off a lot of heavyweights now we have another Russian giant on the way. This one is not quite as large as Big Nic but at 6 foot 7and 1/2 inches tall and around 300 pounds he will do. At that size Alex Ustinov is probably the second biggest heavyweight in the world. There are probably several lower level heavies who are a bit taller and of course Butterbean is heavier but for all around size I think Alex is second only to Valuev.
Now of course size is not everything in boxing.We have had several really big men in recent years who fell considerably short in the skills department. The name Tye Fields comes to mind as one with which most of you will be familiar . The majority of big men have the same problems. They tend to be slow and usually don't punch their weight. If truth be told a lot of them can't fight a lick and rely only on their size and strength to roll through the soft touches before being flattened by their first talented opponent. continue l
59 comments Boxing News: Kevin Johnson vs Bruce Seldon, Tickets On Sale For "Radisson Rumble", Euro Boxing Roundup
BRONX, NY - Aug 25, 2008 On September 5th Star Boxing's top rated heavyweight Kevin "Kingpin" Johnson returns to the ring when he takes on former WBA heavyweight champion of the world Bruce "The Atlantic City Express" Seldon (38-6, 34KO's). The heavyweight fight is the co-feature to the "Mighty" Mike Arnaoutis (19-2-2, 9KO's) ten round jr. welterweight bout against Nasser Athumani (20-6, 16KO's) at Bally's Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. continue l
13 comments German boxing round-up: Garay vs. Brähmer, Kotelnik's chance to shine... 26.08.08 - By Sebastian Swiecznik: Rumors say that WBA champion Hugo Hernan Garay will defend his title on October 18 against former German amateur star Jürgen Brähmer (WBA #2, IBF #7 and WBO #3). The fight will most likely take place in Germany. Brähmer, who held wins against Felix Sturm, Ricky Hatton and Carl Froch at the amateurs, will have to dig down very deep to beat the tough Garay. In former WBO middleweight champion Hector Velazco, the German already fought a guy who stylistically is very similar to Garay. The aggressive Argentinean gave him a lot of trouble, but Brähmer showed great heart by surviving a knockdown and beating Velazco on points.
One of the most skilled German based fighters, Andreas Kotelnik, will get the chance to present his boxing skills to the American public on the November 8. The WBA super lightweight champion will take on Dmitriy Salita (WBA #3) on the televised undercard of the HBO-PPV clash between Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr.. continue l
2 comments Comparing the All-Time Greats: Namely, Why You Can’t 25.08.08 - By Jason Peck- Ever wonder who would win in a fight: Prime Mike Tyson or Ali? Hagler or Hopkins? How about Salvador Sanchez versus Willie Pep? Lightweight Roberto Duran versus lightweight Floyd Mayweather?
Matching up history’s greatest champions is a popular topic for most boxing fans, so it’s no wonder the boxing publications follow suit. In fact, I was just reading the current issue of Ring Magazine, when the magazine’s claim that current WBO welterweight champ Paul Williams could take a prime Leonard Hearns really rubbed me the wrong way. continue l
164 comments Olympic Gold Medallist James DeGale - "I Won't Repeat The Mistakes Audley Harrison Made" by James Slater - Fresh off his superb gold medal win in Beijing, middleweight talent James DeGale has been talking about his future. The 22-year-old British boxer has not made up his mind yet about turning pro or not, but, as he told The Sun newspaper today, he is sure he will not follow in the footsteps of heavyweight Audley Harrison.
As fight fans know, "A-Force" was once in the exact same position DeGale finds himself in now. Yet after doing the same as DeGale and capturing a much sought after Olympic gold medal, Harrison became a huge letdown as a professional. Harrison made some good money, but never got as far as challenging for a major title (though he is still trying and has not given up yet). continue l
40 comments Paul Williams And Chris Arreola To Co-Headline Card On November 29th? by James Slater - Two top-notch fighters who have been hoping for a big name opponent to face in their next fight, in Paul Williams and Chris Arreola, respectively, are set to return to action on the same bill in November - according to BoxRec.com. Williams, who had been hoping to land a fight with anyone from Antonio Margarito (in a rematch) to middleweight king Kelly Pavlik, is set to defend his WBO welterweight belt against an as yet unannounced challenger. While unbeaten heavyweight slugger Arreola, whose name has been linked with that of David Tua for some time now, will also be in action against a TBA.
Both men have fought on the same card in the past, and whoever the two fight on the November 29th card (venue yet to be determined, HBO to televise) it should prove interesting. Both fighters are exciting and almost always put on a good, fan-friendly showing. The two have something else in common, however, in that they have both been somewhat frustrated at not being able to land a big fight before the end of the year. continue l
140 comments James Kirkland and Alfredo Angulo on a collision course 25.08.08 - Gil Aviles: These two prospects/contenders have been making noise in the154 pound division for the past year. Both have aggressive styles and devastating offensive arsenals and they tend to blow away their opposition in impressive fashion. It seems as though these young lions are destined to meet at some point, if they continue to win. When and if it this fight does happen boxing fans will be in for a real treat.
James Kirkland with a record of 22 (19) - 0 (0) - 0 has a few more fights than Angulo, whose record is 13 (10) - 0 (0) – 0. Yet, Angulo's has fought the better level of competition. For instance Kirkland's next scheduled opponent Ricardo Cortes (9/05/2008 on ESPN2), was destroyed in one round by Angulo earlier this year. Let's see what Kirkland can do against him, I am sure that he will try to equal that feat. Angulo is scheduled to take on Andrey Tsurkan (10/04/2008) a very tough Ukrainian fighter from the my hometown, Bronx, New York. continue l
34 comments Boxing News: Emanuel Augustus Relocates To Las Vegas, Khan Congratulates DeGale
Las Vegas, Nevada (August 25, 2008) Current World Boxing Organization oriental welterweight champion Emanuel "The Drunken Master" Augustus arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada today at 10:15 A.M. pacific time at McCaren Airport from Sydney, Australia to begin training with Roger Mayweather at the Mayweather Boxing Club. Emanuel Augustus has relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada to prepare for an all out assault on the Jr. welterweight division and the opportunity to fight for a world title. continue l
42 comments Photos: Valuev, Ruiz public work-out
Photos by Sauerland Event - Five days ahead of their clash for the vacant WBA heavyweight title, Nikolai Valuev and John Ruiz today underwent a public training session in the heart of Berlin. “I want the title back,” the Russian Giant said after a light work-out in the Axel-Springer-Passage where he gave a taste of his improved mobility. Prior to Valuev´s appearance, which attracted plenty of curious fans, Ruiz had displayed his good shape with shadow boxing and skipping exercises. “I am 36 years old,” he commented. “If I want to become world champion again, I have to defeat Valuev. But I am confident I will get this done. I will certainly make the most of this chance.. continue l
46 comments The Original Slick Willie: Prime Pastrano By Mike Casey: My father, who has always shared my love for the purest form of boxing, has seen many a sublime exhibition between the great practitioners of the Noble Art in his 60 years around the fight game. To this day, he picks out one contest above all others that exemplified pure boxing at its finest and subtlest, and his choice will probably surprise you as much as it did me. You might not even know of it unless you have some silver in your hair or are just an incurable boxing geek. It was the 10 rounds heavyweight bout in which Joe Erskine of Wales outpointed Willie Pastrano of New Orleans at Wembley Stadium on February 24, 1959.
Now there are a couple of names to send the blood-and-thunder brigade running for the hills! Joe and Willie, bless them, couldn’t punch their way out of the proverbial paper bag. And that’s the point. They were artists. They were painters with boxing gloves for brushes. When you can’t hit, you’ve got to be pretty darn well schooled in all other areas of the game in order to skip around the lions and tigers. continue l
37 comments BOXING SUMMER SCHOOL – The Early History of Rules 101
By “Old Yank” Schneider - Dark is the best word for describing the history of boxing and the evolution of its rules. As we march back in time, boxing history becomes more stark then the black and white of film noir. History begins to fade into the black and grays of old tin-type photographs and eventually into the blunt colors of black and blue. Eventually we find ourselves standing in the rain and fog of a gas-lit London street looking for the alleyway the leads us to the action we came to see. continue l
39 comments Boxing News: WBC Congratulates China, Jason Estrada, Richel Hersisia
The World Boxing Council, which will held its 46th convention in Chengdu, China, congratulates such country on the medals that several of its boxers obtained in the recent Olympic tournament that took place in Beijing. The Chinese fighters won two gold medals and a silver one, and in addition to getting the victory, they showed exceptional quality at all times. continue l
8 comments Chris Byrd To Fight Again - Says He Hopes To Be Back In November 25.08.08 - by James Slater - It seems Chris Byrd does not know how to quit. It seems, too, as though he has a problem dealing with reality. A great guy, no-one wants to see the former heavyweight champ beaten up or seriously hurt. But this is exactly what happened to the 38-year-old in his last fight.
Stopped, comprehensively beaten and forced to soak up punishment in a fight that was hard to watch against Shaun George back in May, it appeared Byrd would have no option but to retire for good afterwards. Indeed, his wife went as far as saying she'd demand her husband quit after the 9th round stoppage loss in which he broke a bone and tore muscles in his left shoulder. continue l
96 comments New Foe For Amin Asikainen Miika Forsström: Finnish middleweight contender "Idi" Amin Asikainen (24-1, 16 KOs) takes on Roberto De Oliveira de Jesus of Brazil (13-2, 6 KOs) August 30 in Tampere, Finland. It is a tune-up fight for Asikainen, who later this year fights for the vacant European middleweight title against Khoren Gevor. Originally Asikainen was scheduled to take on Claudio Ariel Abalos, who had to pull out of the fight because of visa problems. Asikainen versus De Oliveira de Jesus is scheduled for 8 rounds. continue l
2 comments Boxing News: Deandre Latimore Wants Cory Spinks, Greg Kielsa Set to Conquer Heavyweight Division
LAS VEGAS, NV (August 25, 2008) World ranked junior middleweight Deandre Latimore is calling out fellow St. Louis native Cory Spinks for a hometown showdown this fall. Said Latimore, “I’m out here training in the summer heat of Vegas, but everywhere I go people ask me about fighting Cory. I haven’t fought in St. Louis in almost a year and this would be a great fight for the fans.” Latimore knocked out #1 ranked Sechew Powell on June 11th in New York City in an ESPN2 televised bout. continue l
9 comments Manny Pacquiao: Is He Really the Best Pound for Pound? 25.08.08 - By Michael Herron: It seems everyone has bought into Larry Merchant and HBO's insistence that Pacquiao is the best pound for pound (P4P) fighter in boxing. Yes, Pac is an exciting fighter but are his accomplishments and performances in the ring really up to P4P standards? His claim to the top spot, in my opinion, is largely based on his wins over Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera. Truth is, only his first fight with Barrera is representative of a top P4P fighter performance; which I will describe as beating the best while they are the best. Let’s not forget he lost his first fight with Morales and only beat him after he lost to Raheem. By the time of the rematch Morales was a shot fighter, and the third fight was just unnecessary. In addition, let me add that the Barrera rematch was also unnecessary as Barrera at that time was also far past his prime.
Looking closer at Pacquiao it seems that whenever he has a not so great performance in the ring, his next fight is usually against an opponent that will make him look good. continue l
616 comments Willie Kickett outclasses Rodriguez
By Tony Nobbs: Australia's super featherweight sensation Cool Willie Kickett (12-0, 5 KO's) defeated his second world top 15 opponent in succession by pitching a near shut out against Argentine Vicente Martin Rodriguez (21-2, 10 KO's) over ten fast rounds at Gosford, NSW, on Friday night.
The WA whiz was untroubled by the 23 year old from La Salada, Buenos Aires, who came in somehow built as the best import to come out and appear on a Fox show. The 21 year old Koori speedster stunned Rodriguez in the second and was too slick, controlling the action all the way. continue l
8 comments News: Karpency returns with a win, Beibut Shumenov, Cuban Boxing Trio set for "Celtic Crossing"
25.08.08 - Pennsylavania light heavy, Tommy Karpency (12-1-1) returned with an impressive first round stoppage of former I.B.C. champ, Etianne Whitaker (33-30-2) in the main event at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, West Virginia on Friday night. The 6 bout card, promoted by Simons' Promotions, provided alittle bit of everything for the 'packed house' crowd. continue l
1 comment Calzaghe vs. Jones: The Breakdown and the Prediction By Ted Sares:
One thing I learned from the '88 Olympics: It's not a question of if they can screw you over; it's a question of if they will. It's not the gold medal they took away from me. The medal doesn't mean anything. It's that they said I lost. That experience is well and alive in my mind.
--Roy Jones Jr
It would bother me to lose a title, but business is business and I want the biggest fights and the most money
--Joe Calzaghe continue l
1226 comments Boxing News: Irish Boxing Show, Mike Dallas, "Path To Glory" on Aug 29
Promoter Tom Moran, the former manager of heavyweight titlist Tim Witherspoon and current manager of former world junior middleweight champion Kassim “The Dream” Ouma, has announced what he calls “A major Irish boxing show” to be held at the Northeast Philadelphia National Guard Armory on Saturday, October 4. continue l
no comment Pat Valentino 1920-2008 - “A Second Life”
23.08.08 - By Carlos Acevedo: Pat Valentino, heavyweight contender of the 1940s, was famous both for his savagery in the ring and, incongruously, for his chic hairstyle, which he often jokingly compared to that of Samson. He won the California State Heavyweight title in 1948 and was one of the most popular attractions in California for nearly a decade. He died of pneumonia on July 25th in Las Vegas.
Valentino, whose real name was Pasquale Guglielmi, was born on January 25, 1920, in the Excelsior District of San Francisco. continue l
14 comments Manfredo Tames The Savage, Spina Continues to Shine! By Trish Kilcullen - Photos by Peter Mark Heintzelman - Last night at the Twin River Event Center, in Lincoln, Rhode Island, and before a packed and partisan crowd, Peter Manfredo, Jr. tamed Donny “The Savage” McCrary by a technical knock out decision in round two!
Both of “The Contender” fame, they had not before met in the ring. McCrary was not a challenge to be fluffed off, as he had fought the likes of David Banks and Sakio Bika, not to mention Yuri Foreman and Allan Green, and at the ripe young age of 25 years, has established himself in the super middleweight world.
Twenty-seven year old Manfredo, “The Pride of Providence” had to be pumped by the excitement of the boxing fandom, with standing room only left, and the sound was deafening, as he and his entourage entered his home turf forum. This man is the biggest draw in New England boxing, and Classic Entertainment & Sports’ Jimmy Burchfield’s eyes were gleaming. continue l
43 comments Twin River Event Center Undercard Photo Report
By Trish Kilcullen - Photos by Peter Mark Heintzelman - Camacho Decisions Espinal - Well, not all fighters and fights can burn bridges, as the six rounds at middleweight between Angel Camacho and Ariel Espinal revealed, during a full six round decision fight that had many a fan yawning, stretching, and retiring to the lobby to tip the waiters and waitresses for a double shot of some imbibing liquid. continue l
2 comments Keeping Up With... Tony "The Tiger" Lopez
By Shawn M. Murphy: Recently I spoke with former three-time world champion Tony "The Tiger" Lopez. During his career, Lopez would win the IBF Super Featherweight title twice and the WBA Lightweight title. His victory over Rocky Lockridge in 1988 was Ring Magazines "Fight of the Year". Other notables that Lopez beat during his career were John John Molina, Jorge Paez, Brian Mitchell, Joey Gamache and Dingaan Thobela. Lopez retired in 1999 with a final record of 50-8-1 with 34 KO'S. continue l
23 comments 'Call Em Out Fridays': Open Letter To Oscar De La Hoya - Define Your Legacy With Dignity, Not Dollars 22.08.08 - By Vivek Wallace
Oscar,
On a weekly basis I've made it a habit to consistently 'call out' a different fighter or figure in the sport whose actions have created optimal room for judgment and analysis by fans who sit on both sides of the spectrum. The current negotiations for your pending fight with Manny Pacquiao have managed to stir up a ton of feedback, and in an open forum, today, I toss my thoughts into the proverbial 'hat-of-discretion' in my own eclectic way. continue l
924 comments Where Are They Now? Boone Kirkman
By Shawn M. Murphy - Born Daniel Victor Kirkman, "Boone" was a 1965 National AAU Heavyweight Champion. Kirkman turned pro in 1966 under Jack Hurley. Kirkman was always a huge draw and crowd-pleaser in the Seattle area. Although he would never fight for the heavyweight title, Kirkman beat many notables during his twelve year career including Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, Ron Stander and Jimmy Ellis. Kirkman retired in 1978 with a final record of 36-6 with 25 KO'S. continue l
23 comments
by James Slater - First of all, the fight was merely a much ridiculed possibility. Then the likelihood of the showdown actually taking place began to gather serious momentum, only for the match-up to appear to be off for good due to a breakdown in payment negotiations.
By Robert Jackson: On December 6, 2008 former WBO middleweight champion Oscar De La Hoya is scheduled to face current WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao in a matchup that is "said" to be Oscar's last fight before retiring from the ring. Once Oscar conceded to a 67/33 split it was just a matter of time before he caved in to a 65/35 deal to make the fight with Filipino ICON Manny Pacquiao. 
Nikolai Valuev and John Ruiz would not stop staring at each other when they posed for the photographers following today´s press conference in Berlin. After two long minutes, they were finally separated by Wilfried Sauerland and Don King. “I think we will be seeing a very exciting fight on Saturday,” Sauerland predicted.
by James Slater: Both fighters are coming off a loss, both fighters have recently signed with a new promoter in Lou DiBella, and both fighters very much want to become world champion again. Well, according to BoxRec, Kermit Cintron, the former IBF welterweight champion and Lovemore N'dou, the former IBF light-welterweight champion, will meet in an elimination bout on the November 15th Jermain Taylor-Jeff Lacy bill.
By Sebastian Swiecznik: During the European Soccer Cup and the Olympics there wasn't many activity in the German boxing scene, but in the next four months we get more promising fights overhere then normally in two long years. 
Olympic super-heavyweight bronze medallist David Price described his time at this summer’s Games in Beijing as ‘a wonderful experience’ but admits he was not at the top of his game for his semi-final bout against Roberto Cammarelle. In an interview with Setanta Sports News during Steve Bunce’s Boxing Hour Price said he was unable to put a ‘finger on what went wrong.' vs Klitschko 02.jpg)
Photos by: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME - On a night that will electrify the boxing world, active World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight Champion Sam Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) will defend his title against WBC Champion Emeritus Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs), making his dramatic return to the ring after a four-year absence, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, Saturday, October 11. Immediately following the heavyweight world title fight, which begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT on tape delay, two light heavyweight champions will meet, live on SHOWTIME, when Antonio "Magic Man" Tarver and "Bad" Chad Dawson square off in a long-awaited grudge match. 
By Jason Peck - As a champion, Jermain Taylor’s middleweight career was considered lackluster at best, marred by unconvincing victories and a failure to match up with Bernard Hopkins’ legacy. But the boxing world attacked him most relentlessly for his ultimate crime – not fighting career middleweights.
This weeks 'Left-Hook Lounge' installment takes us on a different type of journey. Not only do the usual suspects - De La Hoya, Pacquiao, Pavlik, and Roy Jones Jr. - make the list, but as the presidential elections heat up, one fan dared ask that question. Yeah, that question! So with no need to set the table, we jump right in the mix with a question from Delray Beach, Florida, where a fight fan asked the following:
By P.H. Burbridge (A voice in the crowd) - Well, here we are late August and Oscar De La Hoya is still playing his cat and mouse game over who his final ring opponent will be on Dec 6th! One thing is crystal clear. Oscar has NO intention of fighting anyone who has the SLIGHTEST chance of beating him. I made the mistake of believing Oscar cared about his legacy as well as what fight fans thought BUT that was clearly a mistake on my part.
26.08.08 - by James Slater - It's been over ten months since former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall fought. Losing on points over 12 rounds against tricky Cuban southpaw Juan Carlos Gomez in a rematch he didn't have to take, McCall saw his long unbeaten run come to an end.
By Jaime Castro-Núñez - Photos: Marco Pérez: Walking his pupil into the ring, he had the confidence typical of people who have lived their lives. His footsteps were firm, his glance secure, his thoughts crystal clear and his ears seemed not to listen to the much-excited Mexican crowd chanting “Seeeguuura, Seeeguuura, Seeeguuura.” The kid behind him, on the contrary, was still amazed by the casinos, lights and gamblers that have made of Las Vegas one of the most exciting cities on earth. It was the time of the truth for César Canchila, a 26-year-old warrior labeled as “unknown-quality fighter” by boxing erudites. The reason for such scornful adjective was quite simple: nobody outside his native Colombia had seen him ever. In fact, it was his first time overseas. And there he was, at the MGM, on PPV, living the dream in front of a crowd waiting for Cotto-Margarito “¡La Batalla!. 
by James Slater: In holding the distinction of being the only U.S boxer from this year's 26.08.08 - Olympics to capture a medal - any medal - heavyweight Deontay Wilder of Tuscaloosa, Alabama must be feeling quite special right about now. In winning a bronze medal in the 201 pound category, the 22-year-old saved his country from the embarrassment of coming home from Beijing without a single medal in boxing.
By Paul McCreath, photo by Wray Edwards / ESB - As if the towering presence of Nicolay Valuev is not enough to scare off a lot of heavyweights now we have another Russian giant on the way. This one is not quite as large as Big Nic but at 6 foot 7and 1/2 inches tall and around 300 pounds he will do. At that size Alex Ustinov is probably the second biggest heavyweight in the world. There are probably several lower level heavies who are a bit taller and of course Butterbean is heavier but for all around size I think Alex is second only to Valuev.
26.08.08 - By Sebastian Swiecznik: Rumors say that WBA champion Hugo Hernan Garay will defend his title on October 18 against former German amateur star Jürgen Brähmer (WBA #2, IBF #7 and WBO #3). The fight will most likely take place in Germany. Brähmer, who held wins against Felix Sturm, Ricky Hatton and Carl Froch at the amateurs, will have to dig down very deep to beat the tough Garay. In former WBO middleweight champion Hector Velazco, the German already fought a guy who stylistically is very similar to Garay. The aggressive Argentinean gave him a lot of trouble, but Brähmer showed great heart by surviving a knockdown and beating Velazco on points.
25.08.08 - By Jason Peck- Ever wonder who would win in a fight: Prime Mike Tyson or Ali? Hagler or Hopkins? How about Salvador Sanchez versus Willie Pep? Lightweight Roberto Duran versus lightweight Floyd Mayweather? 
by James Slater - Fresh off his superb gold medal win in Beijing, middleweight talent James DeGale has been talking about his future. The 22-year-old British boxer has not made up his mind yet about turning pro or not, but, as he told The Sun newspaper today, he is sure he will not follow in the footsteps of heavyweight Audley Harrison.
by James Slater - Two top-notch fighters who have been hoping for a big name opponent to face in their next fight, in Paul Williams and Chris Arreola, respectively, are set to return to action on the same bill in November - according to BoxRec.com. Williams, who had been hoping to land a fight with anyone from Antonio Margarito (in a rematch) to middleweight king Kelly Pavlik, is set to defend his WBO welterweight belt against an as yet unannounced challenger. While unbeaten heavyweight slugger Arreola, whose name has been linked with that of David Tua for some time now, will also be in action against a TBA.
25.08.08 - Gil Aviles: These two prospects/contenders have been making noise in the154 pound division for the past year. Both have aggressive styles and devastating offensive arsenals and they tend to blow away their opposition in impressive fashion. It seems as though these young lions are destined to meet at some point, if they continue to win. When and if it this fight does happen boxing fans will be in for a real treat.
By Mike Casey: My father, who has always shared my love for the purest form of boxing, has seen many a sublime exhibition between the great practitioners of the Noble Art in his 60 years around the fight game. To this day, he picks out one contest above all others that exemplified pure boxing at its finest and subtlest, and his choice will probably surprise you as much as it did me. You might not even know of it unless you have some silver in your hair or are just an incurable boxing geek. It was the 10 rounds heavyweight bout in which Joe Erskine of Wales outpointed Willie Pastrano of New Orleans at Wembley Stadium on February 24, 1959.
25.08.08 - by James Slater - It seems Chris Byrd does not know how to quit. It seems, too, as though he has a problem dealing with reality. A great guy, no-one wants to see the former heavyweight champ beaten up or seriously hurt. But this is exactly what happened to the 38-year-old in his last fight.
25.08.08 - By Michael Herron: It seems everyone has bought into Larry Merchant and HBO's insistence that Pacquiao is the best pound for pound (P4P) fighter in boxing. Yes, Pac is an exciting fighter but are his accomplishments and performances in the ring really up to P4P standards? His claim to the top spot, in my opinion, is largely based on his wins over Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera. Truth is, only his first fight with Barrera is representative of a top P4P fighter performance; which I will describe as beating the best while they are the best. Let’s not forget he lost his first fight with Morales and only beat him after he lost to Raheem. By the time of the rematch Morales was a shot fighter, and the third fight was just unnecessary. In addition, let me add that the Barrera rematch was also unnecessary as Barrera at that time was also far past his prime. 
By Ted Sares: 
By Trish Kilcullen - Photos by Peter Mark Heintzelman - Last night at the Twin River Event Center, in Lincoln, Rhode Island, and before a packed and partisan crowd, Peter Manfredo, Jr. tamed Donny “The Savage” McCrary by a technical knock out decision in round two!
22.08.08 - By Vivek Wallace