(From The Associated Press)
===============================
LAS VEGAS - If Paul Williams thought the world's top boxers were scared of him before, just wait until they see the holes he punched in Winky Wright's once-impenetrable defence.
In his first main-event bout in boxing's capital city, Williams (37-1, 27 KOs) pounded at Wright's famed defensive posture from the opening bell. The Augusta, Ga., native was simply masterful, systematically breaking down the former champion in Wright's return from a 21-month ring absence.
With so many punches to block, Wright (51-5-1) simply didn't have time to land enough scoring blows against his much taller, longer opponent. Williams barely appeared tired by the closing bell, chasing Wright around the ring up to the final seconds while anticipating what his biggest win yet will do for his blossoming career.
"I felt like I did in the first round in the 12th," Williams said. "That was because of my hard training, and running seven miles a day. It helped my breathing."
The Mandalay Bay Events Center was half-full, but those fans now understand why Williams might be the sport's most intriguing talent. Williams threw 104 punches in the first round and 106 in the 12th, rarely taking a break in between.
Judges Jerry Roth and Robert Hoyle favoured Williams 119-109, while Adalaide Byrd gave every round to Williams, 120-108. The Associated Press had Williams winning 118-111.
In his first fight since losing a decision to Bernard Hopkins in the same ring in July 2007, Wright still had the strong defences that made him one of the sport's least pleasant opponents for a decade - but they weren't enough. For every counterpunching shot landed by Wright, Williams constantly replied with elaborate combinations, forcing Wright to retreat again.
Wright's left eye swelled nearly shut by the 11th round, making his corner's pleas for a knockout pretty much pointless.
Wright hadn't been in the ring since his disappointing 170-pound loss to Hopkins, whose technical wizardry was more than Wright could handle. While Wright spent the next year welcoming his son's birth and hitting the casinos on fight nights, he didn't seem particularly eager to fight again - an opinion underscored by rumours he had rejected several possible bouts on financial terms.
Wright insists he never considered quitting, but couldn't get a significant fight from Kelly Pavlik, Jermain Taylor or the other big names around his weight. He finally agreed to take on Williams in an HBO fight that should pay both men more than US$1 million.
"This is definitely not my last fight," Wright said. "I'm definitely coming back. I had a long layoff, and I'm definitely not going to wait that long again. He threw a lot of punches, but it was a great fight."
Since both fighters are used to rejection, each praised the other for accepting the bout in the weeks leading up to it. They embraced at Friday's weigh-in, both spoke reverently of each other afterward.
"I expected Winky to throw big shots, and he did," Williams said. "We went 12 hard rounds. I anticipated that it was going to be a tough fight."
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
VALERO CAPTURES WBC LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE - NOW 25-0 (25)
(From Sportinglife.com)
==========================
(And Jesus Chavez Retires)
Venezuelan Edwin Valero beat Antonio Pitalua in only the second round to capture the vacant WBC lightweight belt in Austin, Texas, on Saturday.
Colombian-born Mexico resident Pitalua put in a career best performance when knocking out Jose Armando Santa Cruz last year but he was on the receiving end against Valero.
Valero could now be a real threat to Juan Manuel Marquez after improving to a career performance of 25-0, all won by knockout.
Elsewhere on the 'Lightweight Lightning' bill, Mexican-born Austin resident Jesus Chavez lost to Australian Michael Katsidis in round seven.
Chavez was cut from a shoulder bump in the seventh, and after Katsidis landed some severe blows the Mexican conceded as he trudged to his corner after the bell.
Carlos Hernandez pushed Vicente Escobedo to the limit for 10 rounds but fell short in the end, the judges scoring the bout 96-91, 94-93, 95-91 in Escobedo's favour.
In the fourth fight on the card, Julio Diaz suffered the fourth stoppage of his career after losing to 30-year old Rolando Reyes.
==========================
(And Jesus Chavez Retires)
Venezuelan Edwin Valero beat Antonio Pitalua in only the second round to capture the vacant WBC lightweight belt in Austin, Texas, on Saturday.
Colombian-born Mexico resident Pitalua put in a career best performance when knocking out Jose Armando Santa Cruz last year but he was on the receiving end against Valero.
Valero could now be a real threat to Juan Manuel Marquez after improving to a career performance of 25-0, all won by knockout.
Elsewhere on the 'Lightweight Lightning' bill, Mexican-born Austin resident Jesus Chavez lost to Australian Michael Katsidis in round seven.
Chavez was cut from a shoulder bump in the seventh, and after Katsidis landed some severe blows the Mexican conceded as he trudged to his corner after the bell.
Carlos Hernandez pushed Vicente Escobedo to the limit for 10 rounds but fell short in the end, the judges scoring the bout 96-91, 94-93, 95-91 in Escobedo's favour.
In the fourth fight on the card, Julio Diaz suffered the fourth stoppage of his career after losing to 30-year old Rolando Reyes.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
CHAMBERS TOO FAST FOR PETER
(From March 27 - From Sportinglife.com)
========================
'Fast' Eddie Chambers beat Sam Peter with a majority decision after their 10-round heavyweight encounter at the Nokia Center in Los Angeles on Friday.
It was a workmanlike performance from Chambers (34-1 with 18 KOs) who just edged the competitive bout with Peter (30-3 with 23 KOs).
Jabs were aplenty in the opening two rounds before Peter had Chambers on the ropes in the third.
It was pretty tight after four rounds but from then on Chambers began to fight more effectively and he dominated the closing stages.
The judges scored the fight 95-95, 96-94, and 99-91 in favour of Chambers.
Chambers was delighted with his performance. He told the Los Angeles Times afterwards: "The jab worked great. I slipped his punches, worked for it. I also jabbed a lot to his body. I had him leery of that.
"A lot of people didn't think a puncher could hold off a big, strong guy like that, but I proved I could."
========================
'Fast' Eddie Chambers beat Sam Peter with a majority decision after their 10-round heavyweight encounter at the Nokia Center in Los Angeles on Friday.
It was a workmanlike performance from Chambers (34-1 with 18 KOs) who just edged the competitive bout with Peter (30-3 with 23 KOs).
Jabs were aplenty in the opening two rounds before Peter had Chambers on the ropes in the third.
It was pretty tight after four rounds but from then on Chambers began to fight more effectively and he dominated the closing stages.
The judges scored the fight 95-95, 96-94, and 99-91 in favour of Chambers.
Chambers was delighted with his performance. He told the Los Angeles Times afterwards: "The jab worked great. I slipped his punches, worked for it. I also jabbed a lot to his body. I had him leery of that.
"A lot of people didn't think a puncher could hold off a big, strong guy like that, but I proved I could."
JONES STOPS SHEIKA
(From March 21 Associated Press)
===================================
PENSACOLA, Fla. — Roy Jones Jr. says he is still addicted to boxing. Knocking out lightly regarded Omar Sheika did nothing to convince him that it's time, at 40, to hang up his gloves.
"Don't you understand?" Jones said after the referee stopped the fight at 1:45 of the fifth round Saturday night. "I haven't learned that yet. I'm going to rehab."
A hometown crowd roared its approval as Jones captured the North American Boxing Association's vacant light heavyweight championship.
Jones said he wants to fight again in two or three months and he's not particular about who or where as long as he has an opportunity to seek another world title.
"I'm not going to call any people by their names, but if you've got a belt tied to your waist you already know," Jones said.
He was asked if he'd like to drop down to super middleweight.
"I would like to, but if I told you I was doing that I'd be lying to you, because if somebody called me and told me they wanted me to fight for the heavyweight title tomorrow, I'd be on my way back to 199," Jones said.
That's one of the four weight classes Jones has dominated as an eight-time world champion.
Jones bloodied Sheika's face with a flurry of punches, but Sheika never went down and wanted to continue. Sheika kept Jones backed up in the ropes for much of the fight, but Jones did most of the damage.
"I'm glad the referee did stop the fight before I messed him up even more," Jones said.
It was the first title victory of any kind in nearly two years for Jones, once acclaimed as the world's best pound-for-pound boxer.
The win was Jones' 53rd, including 39 knockouts, against five losses. The 32-year-old Sheika of Patterson, N.J., fell to 27-9 with 18 knockouts.
The Jones-Sheika fight was the main event of a combination card of boxing and mixed martial arts fights promoted by Jones.
Jones fought for the first time in 10 years in Pensacola, where his professional career began two decades ago.
It was another comeback fight for Jones. In his last outing four months ago, he lost a lopsided unanimous decision to then-super-middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, who retired with a perfect 46-0 record.
Before the loss to Calzaghe, Jones had put together three straight wins. They included unanimous decisions over Felix Trinidad last year and Anthony Hanshaw in 2007 to claim the vacant IBC light heavyweight title.
===================================
PENSACOLA, Fla. — Roy Jones Jr. says he is still addicted to boxing. Knocking out lightly regarded Omar Sheika did nothing to convince him that it's time, at 40, to hang up his gloves.
"Don't you understand?" Jones said after the referee stopped the fight at 1:45 of the fifth round Saturday night. "I haven't learned that yet. I'm going to rehab."
A hometown crowd roared its approval as Jones captured the North American Boxing Association's vacant light heavyweight championship.
Jones said he wants to fight again in two or three months and he's not particular about who or where as long as he has an opportunity to seek another world title.
"I'm not going to call any people by their names, but if you've got a belt tied to your waist you already know," Jones said.
He was asked if he'd like to drop down to super middleweight.
"I would like to, but if I told you I was doing that I'd be lying to you, because if somebody called me and told me they wanted me to fight for the heavyweight title tomorrow, I'd be on my way back to 199," Jones said.
That's one of the four weight classes Jones has dominated as an eight-time world champion.
Jones bloodied Sheika's face with a flurry of punches, but Sheika never went down and wanted to continue. Sheika kept Jones backed up in the ropes for much of the fight, but Jones did most of the damage.
"I'm glad the referee did stop the fight before I messed him up even more," Jones said.
It was the first title victory of any kind in nearly two years for Jones, once acclaimed as the world's best pound-for-pound boxer.
The win was Jones' 53rd, including 39 knockouts, against five losses. The 32-year-old Sheika of Patterson, N.J., fell to 27-9 with 18 knockouts.
The Jones-Sheika fight was the main event of a combination card of boxing and mixed martial arts fights promoted by Jones.
Jones fought for the first time in 10 years in Pensacola, where his professional career began two decades ago.
It was another comeback fight for Jones. In his last outing four months ago, he lost a lopsided unanimous decision to then-super-middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, who retired with a perfect 46-0 record.
Before the loss to Calzaghe, Jones had put together three straight wins. They included unanimous decisions over Felix Trinidad last year and Anthony Hanshaw in 2007 to claim the vacant IBC light heavyweight title.
KLITSCHKO STOPS GOMEZ
(From March 21 itn.co.uk)
=========================
Klitschko makes light work of Gomez
Vitali Klitschko successfully retained his WBC world heavyweight title with a ninth-round stoppage of Juan Carlos Gomez in Stuttgart.
The 37-year-old knocked down Gomez, a former WBC cruiserweight champion, three times, the last of which prompted referee Daniel van de Wiele to stop the fight.
"After the sixth I became bit impatient but I knew he did not have much fuel after that" - Vitali KlitschkoIt was Klitschko's first defence of the belt he won in October against Samuel Peter. That bout marked his return to the sport after four years in retirement.
Klitschko said: "I knew Gomez very well and knew this was not going to be easy.
"After the sixth I became bit impatient but I knew he did not have much fuel after that."
The Ukrainian, 10cm taller than his opponent, who is 35, began cautiously in the first few rounds but gradually went on the attack to the delight of some 12,500 spectators in Stuttgart's sold-out Schleyer Hall.
© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
=========================
Klitschko makes light work of Gomez
Vitali Klitschko successfully retained his WBC world heavyweight title with a ninth-round stoppage of Juan Carlos Gomez in Stuttgart.
The 37-year-old knocked down Gomez, a former WBC cruiserweight champion, three times, the last of which prompted referee Daniel van de Wiele to stop the fight.
"After the sixth I became bit impatient but I knew he did not have much fuel after that" - Vitali KlitschkoIt was Klitschko's first defence of the belt he won in October against Samuel Peter. That bout marked his return to the sport after four years in retirement.
Klitschko said: "I knew Gomez very well and knew this was not going to be easy.
"After the sixth I became bit impatient but I knew he did not have much fuel after that."
The Ukrainian, 10cm taller than his opponent, who is 35, began cautiously in the first few rounds but gradually went on the attack to the delight of some 12,500 spectators in Stuttgart's sold-out Schleyer Hall.
© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
CALZAGHE RETIRES!
Calzaghe goes out on his terms
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports
Feb 5, 4:34 pm EST
Bernard Hopkins is undoubtedly an angry man today. And Chad Dawson surely can’t be too happy. Nor, one would imagine, are Carl Froch, Glen Johnson and Jermain Taylor.
That disparate group of boxers shared a desire for a fight against Joe Calzaghe, who foiled them all on Thursday as he had 46 opponents when he announced his retirement from boxing.
The long-time super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion spent the past couple of months deciding whether he wanted to fight any more.
After waxing Roy Jones Jr. at Madison Square Garden in November, Calzaghe improved his record to 46-0 and unquestionably established himself as one of the greats of the current era.
Hopkins was desperate for a rematch of their April 19 bout, which Calzaghe won by split decision. Dawson, the unbeaten IBF light heavyweight champion, had hoped a fight with, and a victory over, Calzaghe would establish him as one of the game’s elite.
Froch won the super middleweight title that Calzaghe relinquished when he moved to light heavyweight and began campaigning for a bout that would have been huge in the United Kingdom.
Calzaghe considered those possibilities, but he chose to walk away. He walks away with his faculties, his reputation and, of course, that unbeaten record.
He was a target because of his success, because potential opponents knew they could increase their own stature by defeating him.
And many of those men will speak disdainfully of him for walking away, questioning his courage, his heart and his manhood for not accepting another challenge. They’ll point to the fact that, in a similar situation a little more than a decade ago, Calzaghe whined about Steve Collins’ decision to retire rather than to face him.
Just like Collins had little to gain by facing a relatively unknown Calzaghe in 1997, so, too, does the nearly 37-year-old Calzaghe have little to gain by fighting again.
He’s not going to burnish his reputation, regardless of whether he became the first man to stop Hopkins or the first man to defeat Dawson.
“I thought long and hard about things, but I’ve decided to retire from boxing,” Calzaghe told the BBC, which broke the news of his retirement. “It was a difficult decision, but I’ve achieved everything I’ve wanted to achieve in boxing.”
He was 22-0 in world championship bouts, held the super middleweight belt for more than 10 years and was rarely challenged.
He could have pursued a rematch with Hopkins, that would have paid him millions, but there was no upside other than money in that fight for him.
Had he chosen to stick around, he inevitably would have lost. The reason why there are so few boxers who have retired undefeated is that most stay long past their primes. They fight when they’re only a shell of the man that the fans once knew.
Exhibit A in the modern era, of course, is former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, who is almost pitiable the way he’s hanging on.
Even defeating a young and skilled fighter like Dawson would have done little for Calzaghe’s reputation. After a closing stretch in which he routed the previously unbeaten Jeff Lacy and Mikkel Kessler and then knocked off a pair of icons in Hopkins and Jones, nothing Calzaghe could have done after defeating Jones would have impacted the perception of him.
He’ll suffer because he fought Hopkins when Hopkins was 43 and not in his prime. He’ll suffer because he faced Jones five years after Jones had become just another boxer.
Whether it was his fault that those fights didn’t happen earlier or not, questions will always surround him whether he was good enough to have beaten them in their primes.
He told the BBC that his greatest accomplishment was finishing his career unbeaten, noting he hadn’t lost since July 1990, when he was an amateur.
“I fought some great fights, against some great fighters, and to do that is beyond my wildest dreams,” Calzaghe said. “Like I said, it was just incredible.”
He did everything correctly during his professional career. He came ready to fight, he always came in shape and, more often than not, he was highly entertaining.
He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer and will go down as, arguably, the greatest fighter in British boxing history.
In his autobiography, “No Ordinary Joe,” he writes of his satisfaction of his lopsided victory over Lacy in 2006.
“I love to hear people say to me, ‘That was a great fight,’ ” Calzaghe wrote. “It’s nice and it doesn’t happen all the time because in some of my fights, I’ve been ordinary. But it’s always the first thing I ask my Dad: ‘Was it a good fight?’ I didn’t realize how good my performance was until I overhead some people talking as I walked out of the ring.
“Was I really that good, Dad?”
His father, Enzo, who taught him to box and served as his trainer for his entire career, was speaking of the Lacy fight, but perfectly captured his son’s career when he answered, “You were brilliant, Joe. (Expletive) brilliant.”
All those fighters who are angry that Calzaghe is stepping away would even have to grudgingly admit that.
When he stepped between the ropes, Joe Calzaghe was brilliant.
(Expletive) brilliant.
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports
Feb 5, 4:34 pm EST
Bernard Hopkins is undoubtedly an angry man today. And Chad Dawson surely can’t be too happy. Nor, one would imagine, are Carl Froch, Glen Johnson and Jermain Taylor.
That disparate group of boxers shared a desire for a fight against Joe Calzaghe, who foiled them all on Thursday as he had 46 opponents when he announced his retirement from boxing.
The long-time super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion spent the past couple of months deciding whether he wanted to fight any more.
After waxing Roy Jones Jr. at Madison Square Garden in November, Calzaghe improved his record to 46-0 and unquestionably established himself as one of the greats of the current era.
Hopkins was desperate for a rematch of their April 19 bout, which Calzaghe won by split decision. Dawson, the unbeaten IBF light heavyweight champion, had hoped a fight with, and a victory over, Calzaghe would establish him as one of the game’s elite.
Froch won the super middleweight title that Calzaghe relinquished when he moved to light heavyweight and began campaigning for a bout that would have been huge in the United Kingdom.
Calzaghe considered those possibilities, but he chose to walk away. He walks away with his faculties, his reputation and, of course, that unbeaten record.
He was a target because of his success, because potential opponents knew they could increase their own stature by defeating him.
And many of those men will speak disdainfully of him for walking away, questioning his courage, his heart and his manhood for not accepting another challenge. They’ll point to the fact that, in a similar situation a little more than a decade ago, Calzaghe whined about Steve Collins’ decision to retire rather than to face him.
Just like Collins had little to gain by facing a relatively unknown Calzaghe in 1997, so, too, does the nearly 37-year-old Calzaghe have little to gain by fighting again.
He’s not going to burnish his reputation, regardless of whether he became the first man to stop Hopkins or the first man to defeat Dawson.
“I thought long and hard about things, but I’ve decided to retire from boxing,” Calzaghe told the BBC, which broke the news of his retirement. “It was a difficult decision, but I’ve achieved everything I’ve wanted to achieve in boxing.”
He was 22-0 in world championship bouts, held the super middleweight belt for more than 10 years and was rarely challenged.
He could have pursued a rematch with Hopkins, that would have paid him millions, but there was no upside other than money in that fight for him.
Had he chosen to stick around, he inevitably would have lost. The reason why there are so few boxers who have retired undefeated is that most stay long past their primes. They fight when they’re only a shell of the man that the fans once knew.
Exhibit A in the modern era, of course, is former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, who is almost pitiable the way he’s hanging on.
Even defeating a young and skilled fighter like Dawson would have done little for Calzaghe’s reputation. After a closing stretch in which he routed the previously unbeaten Jeff Lacy and Mikkel Kessler and then knocked off a pair of icons in Hopkins and Jones, nothing Calzaghe could have done after defeating Jones would have impacted the perception of him.
He’ll suffer because he fought Hopkins when Hopkins was 43 and not in his prime. He’ll suffer because he faced Jones five years after Jones had become just another boxer.
Whether it was his fault that those fights didn’t happen earlier or not, questions will always surround him whether he was good enough to have beaten them in their primes.
He told the BBC that his greatest accomplishment was finishing his career unbeaten, noting he hadn’t lost since July 1990, when he was an amateur.
“I fought some great fights, against some great fighters, and to do that is beyond my wildest dreams,” Calzaghe said. “Like I said, it was just incredible.”
He did everything correctly during his professional career. He came ready to fight, he always came in shape and, more often than not, he was highly entertaining.
He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer and will go down as, arguably, the greatest fighter in British boxing history.
In his autobiography, “No Ordinary Joe,” he writes of his satisfaction of his lopsided victory over Lacy in 2006.
“I love to hear people say to me, ‘That was a great fight,’ ” Calzaghe wrote. “It’s nice and it doesn’t happen all the time because in some of my fights, I’ve been ordinary. But it’s always the first thing I ask my Dad: ‘Was it a good fight?’ I didn’t realize how good my performance was until I overhead some people talking as I walked out of the ring.
“Was I really that good, Dad?”
His father, Enzo, who taught him to box and served as his trainer for his entire career, was speaking of the Lacy fight, but perfectly captured his son’s career when he answered, “You were brilliant, Joe. (Expletive) brilliant.”
All those fighters who are angry that Calzaghe is stepping away would even have to grudgingly admit that.
When he stepped between the ropes, Joe Calzaghe was brilliant.
(Expletive) brilliant.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Shane Mosley rolls back the years to dismantle Antonio Margarito
(From Telegraph.co.uk)
Shane Mosley, 37, rolled back the years to create a major upset by dominating Antonio Margarito, considered one of the world's most durable fighters, knocking him out in the ninth round of their World Boxing Association welterweight bout at the Staples Center, Los Angeles on Saturday.
Margarito, who had beaten Miguel Cotto six months ago in a scintillating performance in which he had shown himself to be virtually impregnable by weathering Cotto's storm before stopping the Puerto Rican, came into this fight as the clear favourite.
But Margarito simply had no answer to Mosley's speed and accuracy as he appeared to land with right hands and left hooks, seemingly at will, as the fight wore on.
Two left hooks and seven unanswered punches put Margarito down at the end of the eighth round, the Mexican saved only by the bell. Even at the start of the ninth, he looked, and was, a beaten man.
Margarito lost every round on one of the judge's scorecards, all but one on another, with the third judge giving two rounds to the Mexican.
"It was my strategy, my focus, my game plan," said Mosley. "It was a tough fight, but it was a great plan. It was my left hook."
Margarito dropped to 37-6 with 27 knockouts after being stopped for the first time. Mosley moved his record to 46-5 with 39 knockouts.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Bowe looks rusty, still beats Pukall
(From Stripes.com)
====================
MANNHEIM, Germany — Early last week, former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe predicted he would knock out Gene Pukall Saturday night in the second or third round.
The 41-year-old Bowe won but in a lackluster performance, winning a unanimous decision in the eight-round affair.
The bout was the first time "Big Daddy" Bowe fought professionally since 2005 and served as his third fight in 12 years. Bowe’s time away from the sport showed.
The bearded Bowe, who moved to Kaiserslautern three months ago to resurrect his boxing career, failed to knock out a much smaller opponent, who prior to Saturday night had been KO’d in the first round of two of his last three fights.
Overall, the fight was marked by little action and less movement. For much of the fight, the men stood nearly flat-footed, not venturing far from the center of the ring.
Still, Bowe controlled the over-matched Pukall from the start and brought his opponent crashing to the canvas with a lone left hook at the end of the fifth round. It was the only real excitement of their bout.
The men took to the ring just after 9 p.m. Saturday with Pukall choosing a rock song for his entrance music. "In da Club" by 50 Cent blared through the SAP Arena as Bowe made his way to the ring in a white robe and white trunks.
The lack of movement and relatively few punches of the first round could be chalked up to the boxers feeling each other out. The boxers exchanged punches at the end of the second round, but none of the blows did terrible damage.
As the fight continued, Bowe, at times, would drop his gloves to his side to either adjust his trunks or when he appeared to be getting instructions from his corner. He still did damage to Pukall, landing some heavy rights to the 33-year-old’s face. For most of the fight, the crowd was as quiet as clergy, but a few shouts of "go Big Daddy" and "move" could be heard.
Throughout the fight, Pukall did his best to keep his face buried behind his gloves, but at the very end of the fifth round Bowe landed a left hook that dropped his challenger like a bad habit. Pukall stumbled back to his feet late in the count, and the round ended seconds later.
The fight dragged on until the bell sounded to end the bout following the eighth round.
Bowe improved to 43-1 (33 KOs), while Pukall’s record now stands at 14-13-2. Bowe billed the fight as a comeback bid to regain the heavyweight belts. While he showed flashes of his old self Saturday night in a few combinations, Bowe will need to improve by leaps and bounds if he’s serious about a title run.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Fortysomethings believe they can recapture titles
(From the timesonline.co.uk)
================================
They shared 32 of the most exciting rounds in the history of the world heavyweight championship, two American legends whose three clashes are fondly remembered by fans around the world. They were multiple world champions who should be enjoying well-deserved retirements. But over the next nine days, Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield will lace up their gloves to return to the ring.
The millions they made have gone and what is left are the memories. Memories rarely pay the bills, so both, now in their forties, thousands of miles from home and more than 13 years on from their glory nights in Las Vegas, are back to fight. The fear is that if they box on too long, they might not have the memories, either.
Next week, in Zurich, Holyfield makes another seemingly doomed attempt to win back the world title when he challenges Nikolay Valuev, the 7ft giant from Russia, for the WBA belt. Tomorrow, in Mannheim, Germany, Bowe starts a comeback when he faces Gene Pukall in a low-grade eight-round bout.
There is no seniors tour in boxing and tales of old glory reclaimed are few and far between. But there is often a buck to be made off an old reputation somewhere. The inability of Holyfield, 46, to accept the decline in his talents has long been a concern in boxing circles and he was suspended in New York in 2004 - although the suspension was lifted. It was once claimed on Bowe's behalf in court that he was brain-damaged.
That they can still box fills many who love the sport with dread and those that condemn it with anger. The pair themselves believe that they are still chasing a dream and trying to earn a living. “Money makes the world go round,” Bowe said. “Why knock a man when he is trying to do something right? I'm from Brownsville [a rough suburb of New York], I could easily go and get a gun and do something bad. I'm just trying to earn an honest dollar.”
The pair met in three remarkable bouts in the early Nineties. Bowe won the first and third, but the second, in 1993, is the best remembered. Bowe was on course to repeat his earlier win when, in round seven, a man strapped to an enormous fan parachuted into the Caesars Palace ring. The bout was suspended for 21 minutes amid turmoil and when it restarted Holyfield sneaked a majority points decision.
Bowe, 40, has spent the past three months in Kaiserslautern, in southwest Germany, preparing for his return, his mind a mixture of excitement and anxiety. “I can't sleep,” Bowe said. “It's a good sign that I'm anxious, because it means I'm ready. I want to be a three-time champion like my idol Muhammad Ali.”
He won the heavyweight title from Holyfield in 1992, lost it in the infamous rematch but won the WBO title from Herbie Hide in 1995. Surprisingly, that Holyfield loss is still his only one in 44 bouts. The boxer known as “Big Daddy” vanished from the sport in 1996 after two brutal bouts with Andrew Golota, the Pole being disqualified in both for low punching.
His life then became a mess. He tried to join the Marines, but quit after only 11 days of basic training. In 2000 he was in court for kidnapping his wife and five children. His defence counsel appealed for a lenient sentence claiming that he had suffered brain damage in the ring. He was initially sentenced to 30 days and ordered to get treatment, although that was later raised and he served 17 months. He tried a comeback in 2004, which lasted two bouts. Now he misses the glory and needs the money.
“I'm just trying to get my swagger back,” Bowe said. “I missed it all, the people wanting to speak to you, the people wanting to shake your hand. It's the only thing I know, I'm not going to go out and be a construction worker. I guess money plays a part. I got married again. I live in the house I had with my first wife. I would like to buy a house so it can be the one I have with my new wife. I want to be able to leave something to my youngest daughter, who is 3.
“I've been training all the time. I was in California for a bit, I was in Kentucky. I think people in America were trying to freeze me out. I got a call one day and I was invited to Germany. Everything has been as they said so far.
“I truly believe I can be world champion again if these people give me the chance. If I pick my opponents right, when the time is right I'll be ready. I'm going to take my time. I think it will be at least ten fights over an 18-month period.”
Holyfield last boxed 14 months ago, when he won only three rounds in an unsuccessful attempt to take Sultan Ibragimov's WBO title in Moscow. That Ibragimov won only one round in a unification match against Wladimir Klitschko in February gives an indication of how far Holyfield is off the summit of the division. Against Valuev, as well as disadvantages in height, reach, weight and youth, he also has inactivity to overcome. Few have earned as much as the four-times heavyweight champion in the ring. His four bouts against Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson were among the richest in history. But the money has gone.
Last summer Holyfield was in court facing jail over missing support payments to one of his 11 children, although a payment deal was worked out. He was also faced with losing his sprawling 109-room mansion in Atlanta. “I'm not bankrupt, I'm just not liquid,” Holyfield said at the time.
He is believed to be earning $650,000 (about £432,000) for the dubious privilege of facing Valuev. However, Holyfield insists that even an unlikely win would not stop him. He says that he will keep going until he unifies all the titles. “I had this goal even before I had any money problems,” Holyfield said. “You get tired of telling people you're not doing it for the money. I might not have fought in over a year but all those who think that I am not able to compete for the world title will be more than surprised. I have been boxing for 38 years, so I know how to make the correct assessments.”
Even his old rival Bowe believes that it is time for Holyfield to finish. “Evander has a great legacy, I don't want to see that get messed up,” Bowe said. “But it's not up to me to tell him what to do.
“I don't think Evander can still win the title. The difference between me and Evander is Evander is 46 and I'm 40. I believe I can still win the title at 42. Once you are 43 or 44 it's time to chill out, time to be at home with the wife and kids. I want to be able to drop my daughter off at the school bus and be there when she comes home.”
Bowe's return comes on the undercard of Wladimir Klitschko's defence of his WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles against Hasim Rahman, but he does not see this weekend being the end of the road. That will be when he gets to face Klitschko.
“I think a fight with Klitschko could be a barn-burner, but it takes two guys who are willing to give everything, two guys who are willing to die for what they do,” Bowe said. “Klitschko is a bit of a pretty boy, but I still think I'm pretty.”
Past their sell-by date
Heavyweights who went on too long:
Muhammad Ali Did not look the same after the Thrilla in Manila against Joe Frazier in 1975 and retired after regaining the title from Leon Spinks in 1978. There were two comebacks; the sad display against Larry Holmes in 1980 and a final beating at the hands of Trevor Berbick in 1981, a month short of his 40th birthday. Has suffered from Parkinson’s disease since the mid-Eighties.
Greg Page A short-lived WBA champion between 1984 and 1985, he was still boxing in 2001, aged 42, and was left confined to a wheelchair after being knocked out for the Kentucky title. His condition was said to have been made much worse because of inadequate medical facilities ringside.
Joe Louis Money troubles drove the “Brown Bomber” back to the ring in 1950, a year after his retirement, although he was a shadow of the man who had ruled the heavyweights for a decade. There were tears when Rocky Marciano brutally knocked him out the next year at the age of 37.
Floyd Patterson Lost the heavyweight title in a round to Sonny Liston in 1962, still boxing a decade later when Ali beat him up.
Larry Holmes Heavyweight champion in the Seventies and Eighties, he had his last bout in 2002 at the age of 52.
================================
They shared 32 of the most exciting rounds in the history of the world heavyweight championship, two American legends whose three clashes are fondly remembered by fans around the world. They were multiple world champions who should be enjoying well-deserved retirements. But over the next nine days, Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield will lace up their gloves to return to the ring.
The millions they made have gone and what is left are the memories. Memories rarely pay the bills, so both, now in their forties, thousands of miles from home and more than 13 years on from their glory nights in Las Vegas, are back to fight. The fear is that if they box on too long, they might not have the memories, either.
Next week, in Zurich, Holyfield makes another seemingly doomed attempt to win back the world title when he challenges Nikolay Valuev, the 7ft giant from Russia, for the WBA belt. Tomorrow, in Mannheim, Germany, Bowe starts a comeback when he faces Gene Pukall in a low-grade eight-round bout.
There is no seniors tour in boxing and tales of old glory reclaimed are few and far between. But there is often a buck to be made off an old reputation somewhere. The inability of Holyfield, 46, to accept the decline in his talents has long been a concern in boxing circles and he was suspended in New York in 2004 - although the suspension was lifted. It was once claimed on Bowe's behalf in court that he was brain-damaged.
That they can still box fills many who love the sport with dread and those that condemn it with anger. The pair themselves believe that they are still chasing a dream and trying to earn a living. “Money makes the world go round,” Bowe said. “Why knock a man when he is trying to do something right? I'm from Brownsville [a rough suburb of New York], I could easily go and get a gun and do something bad. I'm just trying to earn an honest dollar.”
The pair met in three remarkable bouts in the early Nineties. Bowe won the first and third, but the second, in 1993, is the best remembered. Bowe was on course to repeat his earlier win when, in round seven, a man strapped to an enormous fan parachuted into the Caesars Palace ring. The bout was suspended for 21 minutes amid turmoil and when it restarted Holyfield sneaked a majority points decision.
Bowe, 40, has spent the past three months in Kaiserslautern, in southwest Germany, preparing for his return, his mind a mixture of excitement and anxiety. “I can't sleep,” Bowe said. “It's a good sign that I'm anxious, because it means I'm ready. I want to be a three-time champion like my idol Muhammad Ali.”
He won the heavyweight title from Holyfield in 1992, lost it in the infamous rematch but won the WBO title from Herbie Hide in 1995. Surprisingly, that Holyfield loss is still his only one in 44 bouts. The boxer known as “Big Daddy” vanished from the sport in 1996 after two brutal bouts with Andrew Golota, the Pole being disqualified in both for low punching.
His life then became a mess. He tried to join the Marines, but quit after only 11 days of basic training. In 2000 he was in court for kidnapping his wife and five children. His defence counsel appealed for a lenient sentence claiming that he had suffered brain damage in the ring. He was initially sentenced to 30 days and ordered to get treatment, although that was later raised and he served 17 months. He tried a comeback in 2004, which lasted two bouts. Now he misses the glory and needs the money.
“I'm just trying to get my swagger back,” Bowe said. “I missed it all, the people wanting to speak to you, the people wanting to shake your hand. It's the only thing I know, I'm not going to go out and be a construction worker. I guess money plays a part. I got married again. I live in the house I had with my first wife. I would like to buy a house so it can be the one I have with my new wife. I want to be able to leave something to my youngest daughter, who is 3.
“I've been training all the time. I was in California for a bit, I was in Kentucky. I think people in America were trying to freeze me out. I got a call one day and I was invited to Germany. Everything has been as they said so far.
“I truly believe I can be world champion again if these people give me the chance. If I pick my opponents right, when the time is right I'll be ready. I'm going to take my time. I think it will be at least ten fights over an 18-month period.”
Holyfield last boxed 14 months ago, when he won only three rounds in an unsuccessful attempt to take Sultan Ibragimov's WBO title in Moscow. That Ibragimov won only one round in a unification match against Wladimir Klitschko in February gives an indication of how far Holyfield is off the summit of the division. Against Valuev, as well as disadvantages in height, reach, weight and youth, he also has inactivity to overcome. Few have earned as much as the four-times heavyweight champion in the ring. His four bouts against Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson were among the richest in history. But the money has gone.
Last summer Holyfield was in court facing jail over missing support payments to one of his 11 children, although a payment deal was worked out. He was also faced with losing his sprawling 109-room mansion in Atlanta. “I'm not bankrupt, I'm just not liquid,” Holyfield said at the time.
He is believed to be earning $650,000 (about £432,000) for the dubious privilege of facing Valuev. However, Holyfield insists that even an unlikely win would not stop him. He says that he will keep going until he unifies all the titles. “I had this goal even before I had any money problems,” Holyfield said. “You get tired of telling people you're not doing it for the money. I might not have fought in over a year but all those who think that I am not able to compete for the world title will be more than surprised. I have been boxing for 38 years, so I know how to make the correct assessments.”
Even his old rival Bowe believes that it is time for Holyfield to finish. “Evander has a great legacy, I don't want to see that get messed up,” Bowe said. “But it's not up to me to tell him what to do.
“I don't think Evander can still win the title. The difference between me and Evander is Evander is 46 and I'm 40. I believe I can still win the title at 42. Once you are 43 or 44 it's time to chill out, time to be at home with the wife and kids. I want to be able to drop my daughter off at the school bus and be there when she comes home.”
Bowe's return comes on the undercard of Wladimir Klitschko's defence of his WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles against Hasim Rahman, but he does not see this weekend being the end of the road. That will be when he gets to face Klitschko.
“I think a fight with Klitschko could be a barn-burner, but it takes two guys who are willing to give everything, two guys who are willing to die for what they do,” Bowe said. “Klitschko is a bit of a pretty boy, but I still think I'm pretty.”
Past their sell-by date
Heavyweights who went on too long:
Muhammad Ali Did not look the same after the Thrilla in Manila against Joe Frazier in 1975 and retired after regaining the title from Leon Spinks in 1978. There were two comebacks; the sad display against Larry Holmes in 1980 and a final beating at the hands of Trevor Berbick in 1981, a month short of his 40th birthday. Has suffered from Parkinson’s disease since the mid-Eighties.
Greg Page A short-lived WBA champion between 1984 and 1985, he was still boxing in 2001, aged 42, and was left confined to a wheelchair after being knocked out for the Kentucky title. His condition was said to have been made much worse because of inadequate medical facilities ringside.
Joe Louis Money troubles drove the “Brown Bomber” back to the ring in 1950, a year after his retirement, although he was a shadow of the man who had ruled the heavyweights for a decade. There were tears when Rocky Marciano brutally knocked him out the next year at the age of 37.
Floyd Patterson Lost the heavyweight title in a round to Sonny Liston in 1962, still boxing a decade later when Ali beat him up.
Larry Holmes Heavyweight champion in the Seventies and Eighties, he had his last bout in 2002 at the age of 52.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
PACQUIAO STUNS DE LA HOYA
Smaller Pacquiao Topples De La Hoya
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Manny Pacquiao fought a lot bigger than he looked. Oscar De La Hoya simply looked old.
Pacquiao dominated his bigger and more famous opponent from the opening bell Saturday night, giving De La Hoya a beating before De La Hoya declined to come out of his corner after the eighth round.
The fight was so lopsided that it could mean the end for De La Hoya, boxing’s richest and most marketable star.
It was only the second time in his 16-year professional career that he was stopped in a fight, and it came at the hands of a fighter who fought at 129 pounds months earlier. At 35, he seemed not only well beyond his prime but unable to offer any answer to the punches that Pacquiao was landing almost at will.
De La Hoya’s left eye was closed shut as he sat on his stool after the eighth round and the ring doctor, referee and his cornermen discussed his condition. De La Hoya had no complaints when his corner decided he had enough, walking to the center of the ring to congratulate Pacquiao.
“You’re still my idol,” Pacquiao told him.
“No, you’re my idol,” De La Hoya said.
Two of the three ringside judges scored all eight rounds for Pacquiao, while a third gave De La Hoya only the first round.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Manny Pacquiao fought a lot bigger than he looked. Oscar De La Hoya simply looked old.
Pacquiao dominated his bigger and more famous opponent from the opening bell Saturday night, giving De La Hoya a beating before De La Hoya declined to come out of his corner after the eighth round.
The fight was so lopsided that it could mean the end for De La Hoya, boxing’s richest and most marketable star.
It was only the second time in his 16-year professional career that he was stopped in a fight, and it came at the hands of a fighter who fought at 129 pounds months earlier. At 35, he seemed not only well beyond his prime but unable to offer any answer to the punches that Pacquiao was landing almost at will.
De La Hoya’s left eye was closed shut as he sat on his stool after the eighth round and the ring doctor, referee and his cornermen discussed his condition. De La Hoya had no complaints when his corner decided he had enough, walking to the center of the ring to congratulate Pacquiao.
“You’re still my idol,” Pacquiao told him.
“No, you’re my idol,” De La Hoya said.
Two of the three ringside judges scored all eight rounds for Pacquiao, while a third gave De La Hoya only the first round.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Bowe Comeback?
FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS
Boxing: Bowe to make another ring comeback
FRANKFURT- Former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe will fight for the first time in three years on the undercard of the Wladimir Klitschko v Hasim Rahim IBF title fight Dec. 13 against a still to be determined opponent, the organisers said Thursday.
Bowe, 41, retired in 1996 and came back in 2004. He had another fight in 2005 and has not fought since.
Bowe's only loss in 43 fights was against Evander Holyfield, who at age 46, is preparing to fight Nikolai Valuev next month for the WBA title.
And German newspaper reports said Thursday Lennox Lewis, 42, was preparing for a comeback fight against Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir's older brother, and the WBC champion.
Bild newspaper said the fight could take place in the middle of next year.
Boxing: Bowe to make another ring comeback
FRANKFURT- Former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe will fight for the first time in three years on the undercard of the Wladimir Klitschko v Hasim Rahim IBF title fight Dec. 13 against a still to be determined opponent, the organisers said Thursday.
Bowe, 41, retired in 1996 and came back in 2004. He had another fight in 2005 and has not fought since.
Bowe's only loss in 43 fights was against Evander Holyfield, who at age 46, is preparing to fight Nikolai Valuev next month for the WBA title.
And German newspaper reports said Thursday Lennox Lewis, 42, was preparing for a comeback fight against Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir's older brother, and the WBC champion.
Bild newspaper said the fight could take place in the middle of next year.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Holyfield, 46, to get another title shot
Seven-foot Russian boxer will defend WBA heavyweight title against Holyfield Dec. 20
By JEFF SCHULTZ
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, November 10, 2008
The end might actually be near for Evander Holyfield. But it won’t arrive without one more title shot.
Holyfield, who said he plans to retire by the end of 2009, will meet the 7-foot Russian, Nikolai Valuev, for the WBA heavyweight title Dec. 20 in Zurich, Switzerland. Final contracts are expected to be signed before the end of the week.
“I knew I would get one more shot, I just had to be patient,” said Holyfield, who turned 46 last month. “But I realized my time is running out and I’ve got to get this thing pretty soon. My whole thing, how old do you want to be when you pursue this?”
Holyfield, countering pleas from fans, media and the boxing community, has been putting off retirement until he reclaims the championship. He has not held a share of the title since losing the WBA belt to John Ruiz in March of 2001. Holyfield now says he plans to retire before the end of the next year, although he’s quick to add, “I’m not in control of my life. If the Lord says, ‘I made you heavyweight champion again and I want you to keep fighting,’ I’ll stay as long as He wants me to stay.”
Holyfield (42-9-2) is expected to make only $600,000 for the bout. He has reunited with his first manager, Ken Sanders, but doesn’t currently have a trainer.
Valuev (49-1, 34 knockouts), who is likely to be a significant favorite, had put off committing to fighting Holyfield because of a lack of interest. But no other bouts materialized and one potential opponent, Andrew Golota, lost Saturday in China.
Despite recent public financial issues with outstanding loans and child support, Holyfield strongly reiterated he is not fighting for the money but rather for a desire to reclaim the championship.
“People are always asking me, ‘Why are you keeping this going? Are you doing this for the money?’ ” he said. “It’s kind of odd. I had this as a goal even before I had any money problems and situations. You get tired of explaining to somebody that you’re not doing this for the money. It may look like it now, but it’s not the case.”
The Valuev bout is being held in Switzerland due to a general lack of interest by sites in the U.S. Organizers hope the bout will be on pay-per-view, but Holyfield said, “I don’t think it will be. It’s sort of like this is going to happen in secret. That’s too bad because it’s going to be a great story. It’s going to be a shocker.”
By JEFF SCHULTZ
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, November 10, 2008
The end might actually be near for Evander Holyfield. But it won’t arrive without one more title shot.
Holyfield, who said he plans to retire by the end of 2009, will meet the 7-foot Russian, Nikolai Valuev, for the WBA heavyweight title Dec. 20 in Zurich, Switzerland. Final contracts are expected to be signed before the end of the week.
“I knew I would get one more shot, I just had to be patient,” said Holyfield, who turned 46 last month. “But I realized my time is running out and I’ve got to get this thing pretty soon. My whole thing, how old do you want to be when you pursue this?”
Holyfield, countering pleas from fans, media and the boxing community, has been putting off retirement until he reclaims the championship. He has not held a share of the title since losing the WBA belt to John Ruiz in March of 2001. Holyfield now says he plans to retire before the end of the next year, although he’s quick to add, “I’m not in control of my life. If the Lord says, ‘I made you heavyweight champion again and I want you to keep fighting,’ I’ll stay as long as He wants me to stay.”
Holyfield (42-9-2) is expected to make only $600,000 for the bout. He has reunited with his first manager, Ken Sanders, but doesn’t currently have a trainer.
Valuev (49-1, 34 knockouts), who is likely to be a significant favorite, had put off committing to fighting Holyfield because of a lack of interest. But no other bouts materialized and one potential opponent, Andrew Golota, lost Saturday in China.
Despite recent public financial issues with outstanding loans and child support, Holyfield strongly reiterated he is not fighting for the money but rather for a desire to reclaim the championship.
“People are always asking me, ‘Why are you keeping this going? Are you doing this for the money?’ ” he said. “It’s kind of odd. I had this as a goal even before I had any money problems and situations. You get tired of explaining to somebody that you’re not doing this for the money. It may look like it now, but it’s not the case.”
The Valuev bout is being held in Switzerland due to a general lack of interest by sites in the U.S. Organizers hope the bout will be on pay-per-view, but Holyfield said, “I don’t think it will be. It’s sort of like this is going to happen in secret. That’s too bad because it’s going to be a great story. It’s going to be a shocker.”
Sunday, November 9, 2008
CALZAGHE BEATS JONES KEEPS TITLE
(From Bloomberg)
Welsh Boxer Calzaghe Beats Jones, Keeps Light Heavyweight Title
By Nancy Kercheval
Nov. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Undefeated Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe won a unanimous decision over Roy Jones Jr., pelting his opponent with a flurry of punches to retain his light heavyweight title in a 12-round fight last night at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Calzaghe, undefeated in 46 bouts, received three identical judge's scores of 118-109 over Jones, an eight-time world champion whose record fell to 52-5. The winner is three victories shy of the 49-0 record held by Rocky Marciano.
``This could be my last fight,'' said Calzaghe in a broadcast interview. ``I have to go and sit down and evaluate the situation.''
Calzaghe, wearing black sequined shorts, was knocked down with 45 seconds left in the first round.
``I was stunned,'' said the 36-year-old boxer. ``When I go down, I just get upset. I didn't see the punch coming. It was a good shot.''
Calzaghe threw 985 punches, landing 344 or 35 percent, as his 39-year-old opponent connected with 159, or 33 percent, of his 475 attempts. Of the total, Calzaghe landed 120 jabs and 224 power punches, opening up a cut over his opponent's eye in the seventh round. Jones returned 12 jabs and 147 punches.
``I gave it my best effort,'' said Jones, wearing orange and black shorts. ``He was a better man tonight.''
Both men weighed in at 174.5 pounds and could reach 24 inches. At 6 feet, Calzaghe had a one-inch height advantage over Jones, of Pensacola, Florida.
Welsh Boxer Calzaghe Beats Jones, Keeps Light Heavyweight Title
By Nancy Kercheval
Nov. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Undefeated Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe won a unanimous decision over Roy Jones Jr., pelting his opponent with a flurry of punches to retain his light heavyweight title in a 12-round fight last night at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Calzaghe, undefeated in 46 bouts, received three identical judge's scores of 118-109 over Jones, an eight-time world champion whose record fell to 52-5. The winner is three victories shy of the 49-0 record held by Rocky Marciano.
``This could be my last fight,'' said Calzaghe in a broadcast interview. ``I have to go and sit down and evaluate the situation.''
Calzaghe, wearing black sequined shorts, was knocked down with 45 seconds left in the first round.
``I was stunned,'' said the 36-year-old boxer. ``When I go down, I just get upset. I didn't see the punch coming. It was a good shot.''
Calzaghe threw 985 punches, landing 344 or 35 percent, as his 39-year-old opponent connected with 159, or 33 percent, of his 475 attempts. Of the total, Calzaghe landed 120 jabs and 224 power punches, opening up a cut over his opponent's eye in the seventh round. Jones returned 12 jabs and 147 punches.
``I gave it my best effort,'' said Jones, wearing orange and black shorts. ``He was a better man tonight.''
Both men weighed in at 174.5 pounds and could reach 24 inches. At 6 feet, Calzaghe had a one-inch height advantage over Jones, of Pensacola, Florida.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Hopkins Upsets Pavlik
Hopkins gives lesson to Pavlik and doubters
From The Associated Press
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — After thoroughly confusing and dominating previously unbeaten Kelly Pavlik, Bernard Hopkins walked to the edge of the ring and stared at some of his detractors in the media.
The message was obvious. Don't ever doubt me again, even at 43 years old.
"I'm tired" of having to prove himself, Hopkins said. "What do I have to do? Kill someone? I believe I am the most underrated fighter when it comes to defense, when it comes to offense, when it comes to my heart. In my heart, I fought like I had to prove something."
Hopkins (49-5-1) showed himself to be one of boxing's all-time greats Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall, taking Pavlik to school in a 12-round non-title fight in which he beat up and embarrassed the middleweight champion with skills honed in a magnificent 20-year career.
"To be 43 years old and doing anything in sports is good," Hopkins said.
The one-sided victory could set a rematch with Roy Jones Jr. early next year, provided Hopkins' longtime antagonist beats Joe Calzaghe next month in a fight in New York City. Calzaghe scored a controversial decision over Hopkins in April.
Jones beat Hopkins in a 12-round decision in 1993.
"If I am going to fight again, it has to be no later than January or February, or it's a wrap," Hopkins said, hinting at retirement. "Because of the time frame, I can't keep starting this old 1965 car and think that it is going to take me through. I know my limits."
Pavlik (34-1) will have to start again after being exposed. What's obvious is that the Youngstown, Ohio, fighter will have to stay in the middleweight ranks.
His fight against Hopkins was at 170 pounds, and Pavlik looked slow and powerless in carrying an extra nine pounds.
Pavlik is required to meet Marco Rubio of Mexico for the WBA middleweight title. Rubio maintained his status as the WBA's No. 1 contender with a split decision over Enrique Ornelas earlier on the card.
Pavlik clearly has weaknesses.
"The strategy coming in was to win the fight, back Bernard up and cut the ring off," said Jack Loew, Pavlik's trainer. "Things were just not working. We went to Game A, B, C and just nothing worked tonight."
Hopkins was a big reason for that. He watched countless hours of video on Pavlik and noticed that most of his opponents danced to his right.
Hopkins said that allowed Pavlik to jab with his left and set up his powerful right.
"I kept going to my right, which was his left and he could not handle it," Hopkins said. "His feet couldn't adjust going that way. He could not throw across his chest with his right hand."
Pavlik looked lost from the opening bell as Hopkins beat him to the punch countless times.
A left hook in the second round caused Pavlik to buckle momentarily. Hopkins drew blood from Pavlik's nose in the fifth round and taunted his foe in the seventh, winding up for punches in an impressive flurry.
The question coming into the fight was whether Pavlik could become the first man to knock out Hopkins. By the final round, Hopkins was battering his opponent and threatening to make Pavlik's first loss a knockout.
"I just wanted to step on the gas pedal," Hopkins said. "I wanted to stop him."
Hopkins threw 304 power punches in the fight and landed almost half, according to CompuBox Statistics.
Pavlik threw only 211 power punches and landed just 55.
"I knew I was a better fighter than Kelly Pavlik and I knew I could overwhelmingly outgun whatever he did," Hopkins said. "He's a straightforward guy and if you notice Bernard Hopkins is at his best when he comes to me like that."
A gracious Hopkins walked over to Pavlik after the fight and told him he would be one of the game's top fighters, provided he stayed in the middleweight ranks.
"He still is the new face of American boxing; one loss is not the end of the world," Loew added.
When asked about Hopkins, Loew gave him credit, noting he had believed that his fighter could wear the old man down.
"He surprised me, he really did," Loew said. "But again our work rate wasn't there. We couldn't get off and throw punches. Kelly was throwing one or two punches at a time."
From The Associated Press
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — After thoroughly confusing and dominating previously unbeaten Kelly Pavlik, Bernard Hopkins walked to the edge of the ring and stared at some of his detractors in the media.
The message was obvious. Don't ever doubt me again, even at 43 years old.
"I'm tired" of having to prove himself, Hopkins said. "What do I have to do? Kill someone? I believe I am the most underrated fighter when it comes to defense, when it comes to offense, when it comes to my heart. In my heart, I fought like I had to prove something."
Hopkins (49-5-1) showed himself to be one of boxing's all-time greats Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall, taking Pavlik to school in a 12-round non-title fight in which he beat up and embarrassed the middleweight champion with skills honed in a magnificent 20-year career.
"To be 43 years old and doing anything in sports is good," Hopkins said.
The one-sided victory could set a rematch with Roy Jones Jr. early next year, provided Hopkins' longtime antagonist beats Joe Calzaghe next month in a fight in New York City. Calzaghe scored a controversial decision over Hopkins in April.
Jones beat Hopkins in a 12-round decision in 1993.
"If I am going to fight again, it has to be no later than January or February, or it's a wrap," Hopkins said, hinting at retirement. "Because of the time frame, I can't keep starting this old 1965 car and think that it is going to take me through. I know my limits."
Pavlik (34-1) will have to start again after being exposed. What's obvious is that the Youngstown, Ohio, fighter will have to stay in the middleweight ranks.
His fight against Hopkins was at 170 pounds, and Pavlik looked slow and powerless in carrying an extra nine pounds.
Pavlik is required to meet Marco Rubio of Mexico for the WBA middleweight title. Rubio maintained his status as the WBA's No. 1 contender with a split decision over Enrique Ornelas earlier on the card.
Pavlik clearly has weaknesses.
"The strategy coming in was to win the fight, back Bernard up and cut the ring off," said Jack Loew, Pavlik's trainer. "Things were just not working. We went to Game A, B, C and just nothing worked tonight."
Hopkins was a big reason for that. He watched countless hours of video on Pavlik and noticed that most of his opponents danced to his right.
Hopkins said that allowed Pavlik to jab with his left and set up his powerful right.
"I kept going to my right, which was his left and he could not handle it," Hopkins said. "His feet couldn't adjust going that way. He could not throw across his chest with his right hand."
Pavlik looked lost from the opening bell as Hopkins beat him to the punch countless times.
A left hook in the second round caused Pavlik to buckle momentarily. Hopkins drew blood from Pavlik's nose in the fifth round and taunted his foe in the seventh, winding up for punches in an impressive flurry.
The question coming into the fight was whether Pavlik could become the first man to knock out Hopkins. By the final round, Hopkins was battering his opponent and threatening to make Pavlik's first loss a knockout.
"I just wanted to step on the gas pedal," Hopkins said. "I wanted to stop him."
Hopkins threw 304 power punches in the fight and landed almost half, according to CompuBox Statistics.
Pavlik threw only 211 power punches and landed just 55.
"I knew I was a better fighter than Kelly Pavlik and I knew I could overwhelmingly outgun whatever he did," Hopkins said. "He's a straightforward guy and if you notice Bernard Hopkins is at his best when he comes to me like that."
A gracious Hopkins walked over to Pavlik after the fight and told him he would be one of the game's top fighters, provided he stayed in the middleweight ranks.
"He still is the new face of American boxing; one loss is not the end of the world," Loew added.
When asked about Hopkins, Loew gave him credit, noting he had believed that his fighter could wear the old man down.
"He surprised me, he really did," Loew said. "But again our work rate wasn't there. We couldn't get off and throw punches. Kelly was throwing one or two punches at a time."
Sunday, October 12, 2008
V. Klitschko Returns - Pounds Peter - Takes WBC Belt
From Newsday
===========
Vitali Klitschko had not fought in nearly four years, but the mayoral candidate from Kiev pounded Samuel Peter to reclaim the WBC heavyweight title when Peter did not answer the bell for the ninth round.
It has long been Vitali's dream to hold a heavyweight title at the same time as his brother, Wladimir, who currently has the IBF and WBO belts.
Peter chose not to come back out after eight rounds of heavy pressure from Klitschko. The bout took place in Berlin in front of more than 12,000 people at the new O2 World Arena. It was televised on Showtime.
"If Samuel Peter didn't stop the fight, I have the feeling in the next two rounds, I would have knocked him out," Klitschko said to the AP. "He got more and more punches, and his chin (was) not so strong as the first rounds."
Wladimir Klitschko dealt Peter his only previous loss, in September 2005 in a 12-round unanimous decision in Atlantic City. The Klitschkos have long said they would never fight each other.
Vitali Klitschko also held the WBC belt in 2004.
In an undercard fight, Cuban heavyweight Odlanier Solis improved to 12-0 and captured the WBC international heavyweight belt by beating American Chauncy Welliver. Solis, a former gold medalist, defected from Cuba with teammates Yuriorkis Gamboa and Yan Barthelemy.
In another bout televised by Showtime last night -- but from Las Vegas -- Chad Dawson beat veteran Antonio Tarver.
===========
Vitali Klitschko had not fought in nearly four years, but the mayoral candidate from Kiev pounded Samuel Peter to reclaim the WBC heavyweight title when Peter did not answer the bell for the ninth round.
It has long been Vitali's dream to hold a heavyweight title at the same time as his brother, Wladimir, who currently has the IBF and WBO belts.
Peter chose not to come back out after eight rounds of heavy pressure from Klitschko. The bout took place in Berlin in front of more than 12,000 people at the new O2 World Arena. It was televised on Showtime.
"If Samuel Peter didn't stop the fight, I have the feeling in the next two rounds, I would have knocked him out," Klitschko said to the AP. "He got more and more punches, and his chin (was) not so strong as the first rounds."
Wladimir Klitschko dealt Peter his only previous loss, in September 2005 in a 12-round unanimous decision in Atlantic City. The Klitschkos have long said they would never fight each other.
Vitali Klitschko also held the WBC belt in 2004.
In an undercard fight, Cuban heavyweight Odlanier Solis improved to 12-0 and captured the WBC international heavyweight belt by beating American Chauncy Welliver. Solis, a former gold medalist, defected from Cuba with teammates Yuriorkis Gamboa and Yan Barthelemy.
In another bout televised by Showtime last night -- but from Las Vegas -- Chad Dawson beat veteran Antonio Tarver.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Holyfield v Valuev in December. One Last Shot For The Champ!
From ESPN.com
Evander Holyfield has accepted an offer to challenge Nikolai Valuev for his heavyweight world title, the former four-time champion told ESPN.com Wednesday night.
Holyfield (42-9-2, 27 KOs) said his attorney is reviewing a contract from Valuev promoter Sauerland Event for a fight that would take place Dec. 20 in either Germany or Switzerland.
"It's solid. They asked if I will take the fight for the offer they made and if everything is straight up, I will take that fight," Holyfield said. "My lawyer is looking at it."
If Evander Holyfield does fight Nikolai Valuev and win the world heavyweight title, he would be the oldest champion since George Foreman.
Although Holyfield will turn 46 on Oct. 19, he said other people make more of a big deal about his age than he does. If he wins the fight, Holyfield would become the oldest heavyweight champion in history, even older than George Foreman, who was 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994 in one of boxing's greatest upsets.
"They said I was too old when I was 34 and was getting ready to fight Mike Tyson for the first time," said Holyfield, who knocked out Tyson in a huge upset to win a title. "There's nothing new with what people say. I have a desire and I am the one who got to train and I am willing to make the sacrifices necessary to be the best. Just imagine a 46-year-old guy being heavyweight champ of the world?"
It would be Holyfield's first fight in 14 months. In his last bout, he lost a unanimous decision in Moscow to Sultan Ibragimov for a version of the title in October 2007.
Many figured that would be Holyfield's last shot at a championship, but he said he never lost faith.
"I felt that I would get another opportunity," Holyfield said. "I don't believe in that fight with Ibragimov that I did enough to take the fight. He moved a lot and I didn't take the title from him. It was what it was. I was hoping I would get another opportunity and here it is. I'm thankful to God. Nobody mentioned my name about nothing, but this opportunity is here now."
Holyfield, who is 6-foot-2 and about 215 pounds, will be at a massive size disadvantage in the fight, like most of Valuev's opponents.
Russia's Valuev (49-1, 34 KOs), who regained a vacant belt by outpointing John Ruiz in a rematch on Aug. 30, is the biggest titleholder in history. He is 7-feet and weighs about 320 pounds. Holyfield, a light heavyweight in the 1984 Olympics and former cruiserweight world champion, said the size difference doesn't bother him.
"Of course, he will be the biggest guy I have fought but it's something that could be very interesting," Holyfield said. "I will have a big target. I have to do the things I believe he can't do. He can't move laterally. I got to get in quick, fight and don't stand still too long. I just have to be in tremendous shape to outmaneuver him."
Holyfield said he was looking for a new trainer to prepare him for the fight after working most recently with Ronnie Shields.
"I always keep myself in shape," he said. "I'm probably looking for another trainer. Ronnie left after Ibragimov. I haven't made arrangements yet on a trainer. I hadn't really thought of who would be the right person."
Holyfield made news in July when his financial problems were made public after the mother of one of his children took him to court over missing child support payments. There were also threats of foreclosure on his sprawling, 54,000-square-foot suburban Atlanta estate.
Holyfield would not disclose his purse for the bout, although it is less than $750,000.
"Whatever it is, I'm honored to get the opportunity," he said. "It is the lowest amount I ever made for a championship fight, but I am just appreciative I got the opportunity."
Evander Holyfield has accepted an offer to challenge Nikolai Valuev for his heavyweight world title, the former four-time champion told ESPN.com Wednesday night.
Holyfield (42-9-2, 27 KOs) said his attorney is reviewing a contract from Valuev promoter Sauerland Event for a fight that would take place Dec. 20 in either Germany or Switzerland.
"It's solid. They asked if I will take the fight for the offer they made and if everything is straight up, I will take that fight," Holyfield said. "My lawyer is looking at it."
If Evander Holyfield does fight Nikolai Valuev and win the world heavyweight title, he would be the oldest champion since George Foreman.
Although Holyfield will turn 46 on Oct. 19, he said other people make more of a big deal about his age than he does. If he wins the fight, Holyfield would become the oldest heavyweight champion in history, even older than George Foreman, who was 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994 in one of boxing's greatest upsets.
"They said I was too old when I was 34 and was getting ready to fight Mike Tyson for the first time," said Holyfield, who knocked out Tyson in a huge upset to win a title. "There's nothing new with what people say. I have a desire and I am the one who got to train and I am willing to make the sacrifices necessary to be the best. Just imagine a 46-year-old guy being heavyweight champ of the world?"
It would be Holyfield's first fight in 14 months. In his last bout, he lost a unanimous decision in Moscow to Sultan Ibragimov for a version of the title in October 2007.
Many figured that would be Holyfield's last shot at a championship, but he said he never lost faith.
"I felt that I would get another opportunity," Holyfield said. "I don't believe in that fight with Ibragimov that I did enough to take the fight. He moved a lot and I didn't take the title from him. It was what it was. I was hoping I would get another opportunity and here it is. I'm thankful to God. Nobody mentioned my name about nothing, but this opportunity is here now."
Holyfield, who is 6-foot-2 and about 215 pounds, will be at a massive size disadvantage in the fight, like most of Valuev's opponents.
Russia's Valuev (49-1, 34 KOs), who regained a vacant belt by outpointing John Ruiz in a rematch on Aug. 30, is the biggest titleholder in history. He is 7-feet and weighs about 320 pounds. Holyfield, a light heavyweight in the 1984 Olympics and former cruiserweight world champion, said the size difference doesn't bother him.
"Of course, he will be the biggest guy I have fought but it's something that could be very interesting," Holyfield said. "I will have a big target. I have to do the things I believe he can't do. He can't move laterally. I got to get in quick, fight and don't stand still too long. I just have to be in tremendous shape to outmaneuver him."
Holyfield said he was looking for a new trainer to prepare him for the fight after working most recently with Ronnie Shields.
"I always keep myself in shape," he said. "I'm probably looking for another trainer. Ronnie left after Ibragimov. I haven't made arrangements yet on a trainer. I hadn't really thought of who would be the right person."
Holyfield made news in July when his financial problems were made public after the mother of one of his children took him to court over missing child support payments. There were also threats of foreclosure on his sprawling, 54,000-square-foot suburban Atlanta estate.
Holyfield would not disclose his purse for the bout, although it is less than $750,000.
"Whatever it is, I'm honored to get the opportunity," he said. "It is the lowest amount I ever made for a championship fight, but I am just appreciative I got the opportunity."
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Mosley KOs Mayorga in Last Second!
Mosley delivers last-second knockout of Mayorga
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — American Shane Mosley knocked Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga out with one second left in the 12th round, unleashing a left hook to the head in their non-title super welterweight fight.
The 37-year-old Mosley floored Mayorga twice in a final round demolition Saturday, closing the deal with a flurry of punches in a temporary outdoor boxing ring at the Home Depot Centre.
He connected on a left-right combination for the first knockdown as Mayorga got up at the count of seven.
Mayorga should have stayed down. Mosley (45-5, 38 KOs) waded in as the referee was finishing his count and decked Mayorga with a short left hook on the next punch.
"I closed the show," Mosley said of the fight between two former world champions. "I got the knockout."
Mayorga, 35, pressed the attack in the first three rounds before Mosley took over. The turning point came in the sixth when Mosley landed several solid rights that hurt the unorthodox Mayorga who had a 10-pound weight advantage.
"I could feel him getting weaker," said Mosley of Mayorga who played to the pro-Mosley crowd despite getting noticeably weaker in the later rounds.
"He was trying to play like he was strong. He might have stole some rounds here and there but I wanted to go for the knockout."
At least one of the ringside judge's didn't agree and had Mayorga ahead on points heading into the final round.
Mosley's last fight before Saturday was in November of last year, when he dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Miguel Cotto.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
"Punisher" Williams a success at Middle
Williams stops Kolle in opening round
===================
From The Associated Press
===================
SAN JACINTO, Calif.: WBO welterweight champion Paul Williams stopped Andy Kolle in the first round Thursday night at Soboba Casino.
Williams (35-1, 26 KOs) finished off Kolle (17-2, 12 KOs) with a double right hook to the body and a left to the chin that knocked the middleweight through the ropes about midway through the first round.
"He was good enough to land his punches but I wanted to see if he could take my punches," said Williams, who weighed 157 pounds.
Unable to find a suitable opponent at the 147-pound level, Williams was placed against the 160-pound Kolle to see what he could do against a heavier fighter who stood at his height.
===================
From The Associated Press
===================
SAN JACINTO, Calif.: WBO welterweight champion Paul Williams stopped Andy Kolle in the first round Thursday night at Soboba Casino.
Williams (35-1, 26 KOs) finished off Kolle (17-2, 12 KOs) with a double right hook to the body and a left to the chin that knocked the middleweight through the ropes about midway through the first round.
"He was good enough to land his punches but I wanted to see if he could take my punches," said Williams, who weighed 157 pounds.
Unable to find a suitable opponent at the 147-pound level, Williams was placed against the 160-pound Kolle to see what he could do against a heavier fighter who stood at his height.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
MERCER WINS - SELDON LOSES
SELDON KNOCKED OUT IN FOURTH ROUND(From Atlantic City Press)
ATLANTIC CITY - As the bell sounded to begin the fourth round Friday night, Asbury Park heavyweight Kevin Johnson turned to his sister, Karen Johnson, and shouted to her that she was about to see a knockout.
Seconds later, he delivered.
Johnson floored Atlantic City native Bruce Seldon with a straight right that resulted in a TKO victory before a stunned crowd of Seldon supporters at Bally's Atlantic City.
"I give Bruce a lot of credit because he caught me a few times in the first couple rounds," Johnson said. "But I knew I was too fast for him. That's when I turned to my sister and told her I was going to drop him."
Seldon (38-7, 30 KOs), the 41-year-old former WBA champion, did not go down from Johnson's power as much from the pain of getting hit on a left eye that was already swollen grotesquely from a thumb suffered the round before.
He never saw the decisive punch until it was too late. Once it landed, Seldon dropped to the canvas in obvious pain. He managed to beat referee Earl Brown's 10-count, but it was clear that he would not be able to continue. Brown halted the bout at the 28-second mark of the round as Seldon staggered back to his corner and had to be helped to his dressing room.
"I couldn't see out of my eye at all," said Seldon, who is due to see an ophthalmologist this weekend. "Then he threw that right hand down the pike. The pain was so excruciating, I had to go down.
"I'm just so disappointed. I don't want to take anything away from him, but his power wasn't bothering me at all. After the way the first two rounds went, I could feel him wearing down and I really expected to dominate the second half of the fight. But then he thumbed me and everything changed."
Seldon had vowed in the days before the fight that he would press the action, and he wasted no time in fulfilling that promise. In the final minute of the opening round, he spotted an opening in Johnson's defense and launched a left hook-straight combo that sent Johnson reeling into the ropes. Seldon followed him there and let him know what it is like to be hit by a legitimate, experienced heavyweight. Johnson, who had not been tested for most of his first 20 fights, appeared puzzled and ate more punches than he blocked.
Seldon dominated most of the next round as well, producing roaring cheers from supporters.
"My grandmother told me that one day I'd get hit by an old man and that I'd realize that old men hit the hardest," Johnson said with a laugh. "She was right. Bruce can hit. I learned in the first round that I couldn't afford to drop my hands against him the way I could against some of the other guys I've fought."
The bout turned in Johnson's favor midway through the third round. Seldon was in command until he suddenly spun away and covered his left eye with his glove. He got up and lasted the rest of the round, but his eye was already closing by the time trainer Bill Johnson began to apply an end swell.
Seconds later, the fight, and maybe Seldon's career, was over.
Johnson said afterward that he wanted to fight Andrew Golota or Nikolay Valuev in hopes of becoming a world champion. Seldon, clearly distraught by the defeat, will decide in the coming weeks if he wants to keep fighting or retire.
"This is the first time I've had a serious injury to my face since I fought Oliver McCall in 1991," Seldon said. "To have it happen again at my age is not a good sign."
Seldon's trainer, Bill Johnson, said he was going to advise Seldon to stop boxing.
"I think he should stop," Johnson said. "If he can't beat Kevin Johnson, there's no reason to keep going. Nothing against Kevin Johnson, but he's nothing special. Bruce should have beaten him easy, even with the cut."
====================================================
By Per Ake Persson (Boxingscene.com)
Former heavyweight champ "Merciless" Ray Mercer had enough left to beat "the Dutch Sonny Liston" Richel Hersisia on a majority decision over six two-minute rounds. It was scored 59-55 for Mercer from two Swedish judges while Belgian Daniel Van de Wiele came up with 57-57. Mercer controlled the action behind a heavy jab in the first rounds and seemed to shake Hersisia in the second. The Dutchman had good spells in the fourth and fifth when Mercer looked every bit a faded 47-year old. In the final round Ray went for the body and Hersisa didn´t like that one bit and with the strong finish Mercer won 58-56 on my card.
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