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Thursday, January 07, 2010

Mayweather/Pacquiao Is Off...Now Let's Move On

Now that the proposed Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao bout is off maybe everyone can move on. Every single day something was written as to why the bout would or wouldn't happen or why Mayweather is this or that. The same people who wrote such articles are the same ones who don't follow boxing regularly and only come around once in a while. At the same time, they are the same writers who sit behind a computer and bash boxing, with neither of them ever stepping into a ring to experience first hand what it is to be a boxer. Expect to see quite a few postings about how boxing missed out on a big opportunity or something along those lines. No shit! It doesn't take a genius to figure out boxing missed out on a huge opportunity with Mayweather/Pacquiao, so we really don't need the same garbage being posted repeatedly throughout the internet.

So now all those who were on the bandwagon for the past couple of months during the negotiations will hopefully go back to doing whatever it was they were doing before writing about boxing. You can bet the true boxing fans and media outlets who cover boxing on a regular basis will stick around and continue to support the sweet science. When another potential big fight is announced they'll be back on the bandwagon.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Boxing vs MMA...Let's Settle It

For as long as one can remember, MMA and the media have bashed boxing by writing countless articles about boxing being dead, Boxing not being able to compete with MMA, blah...blah...blah. Back in September, the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez bout went head-to-head with an MMA PPV the same night. After the PPV numbers were released, it was discovered that the Mayweather/Marquez not only exceeding expectations, but it beat the MMA event also. But you didn't hear a peep out of anyone. It was all hush, hush.

Now comes the potential mega fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao on March 13. If MMA is as popular and as dominant as they say it is, why doesn't it go head-to-head against the boxing blocbuster PPV event? Put together the biggest possible MMA bout and see how it compares to Mayweather vs Pacquiao. Then we'll see just how big and bad MMA is. This is the perfect opportunity to settle this nonsense. Simply put, it's put up or shut up for MMA.

Date: Nov 30, 2009

Boxing Alive and Well...Where Have You Been?

Unless you have been living under a rock lately, boxing is alive and well. Unfortunately, the "media" appears to have been doing so. Everyday something is written and posted that has to do with boxing is dying, boxing is struggling, boxing needs a big fight, boxing this and boxing that. It's all negativity, which is what the media is good at.

Now you do have those outlets who cover the sport on a REGULAR BASIS and those who are just casual boxing media and just come around for "big fights." You can tell them apart because those who cover the sweet science on a regular basis provide a wide range of boxing news and results from boxing cards across the country and around the world. And the others, they don't know shit about about boxing and write a bunch of crap. You won't see them covering smaller events or anything about boxing in general. These are the outlets who only get media credentials because they are a "big name" outlet. The only problem is fans don't go to their site for boxing news because they know the outlet doesn't cover boxing on a regular basis. So when a big fight comes around, they come up with nonsense like "Will this be the fight that saves boxing" or "Boxing needs to be lifted off the canvas."

When Sugar Ray Robinson retired, they (i.e media) said boxing would never be the same. When Muhammad Ali retired, they said the same thing. The media is always looking for the next fight to save boxing. In 2007, De La Hoya/Mayweather was supposed to be that fight. Later that year, it was Mayweather/Hatton. In 2008, it was De La Hoya/Pacquiao.

Oscar De La Hoya retired and the media ran a muck by writing boxing would not survive without him. Then came Manny Pacquiao and they hopped on his bandwagon and are now riding it as if their life depends on it. After Pacquiao, they will move on to someone else.

2009 has been an outstanding year for boxing with almost every division producing great young stars and exciting bouts. Heck, the media practically protested against Mayweather/Marquez in September and the fight still managed to sell over 1M PPV buys. 2010 will be even better with so many potential fights to be made.

Suddenly everyone is a boxing fan. Mayweather/Pacquiao won't save boxing, it will just let the casual media know that boxing is alive and well and ask them: Where have you been?

There has and always will be big fights in boxing. The sport of boxing is filled with superstars. Eventually, those superstars meet and fans are treated to a big fight. It's just like any other sport, eventually the two best teams meet. Boxers come and go, but boxing will be around longer than any of us.

So why can't the casual media comprehend that boxing is alive and well? First, they don't cover it enough to understand what's going on in the sport. Second, they don't know shit about boxing!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Boxing fans are one step closer to seeing Mayweater vs Pacquiao come to fruition. With talks set to begin soon, let's hope all parties involved will come to an agreement. Then we can really see who is the best P4P fighter in the world.
The bout will definitely be a great one because Pacquiao's style will force Mayweather to throw more punches than usual, but Mayweather's defensive skills will frustrate Pacquiao and expose his weaknesses. You can bet Mayweather won't be hit as much as previous opponents and Pacquiao will finally face a fighter in his prime that is arguably faster than him.

Kudos to Top Rank for televising the non-PPV undercard bouts from Pacquiao/Cotto this weekend for free. While some fans just prefer to watch the main event and co-feature, other fans like to watch all the bouts. Hopefully such access will be provided in the future.

Jesus Soto-Karass just seemed to be out of it against Alfonso Gomez during their title bout this past Saturday. Struggling to make weight probably had something to do with it, but it definitely was not the usual Soto-Karass

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. did not look impressive at all against Troy Rowland in the co-featured bout on the undercard to Pacquiao/Cotto. Give Rowland credit as he went the distance, but Chavez Jr. showed nothing that indicates he's ready for "big fights." John Duddy would provide a much needed test for Chavez Jr. Then we could really see what he can or can't do.

The Super Six Tourney resumes this Saturday when Andre Ward and Mikkel Kessler square in Ward's backyard of Oakland, CA live on Showtime. While Kessler is favored, Ward's speed and technical skills will make for an interesting bout.

Despite David Haye's antics, he may be the one to bring the heavyweight division back to life. A bout against one of the Klitschko's will definitely garner much attention.

Should Miguel Cotto fight Antonio Margarito again? That's a tough one. Although Cotto says no, he may need to avenge that loss before he can fully move forward. Regardless of what is said, that fight will forever be in the back of his mind.

Nov 2, 2009

How great was it to see Mike Tyson involved with the sport boxing again. Yes, it was nice to see him reunite with Don King, but in case you missed it, Tyson joined the announce team on DonKingTV.com to call the action of Saturday's "Halloween Thrilla" in Vegas. He did very well and received positive feedback from those he worked with. Hopefully we'll see more of Tyson actively involved in the sport.

Wow. You can bet Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko did not expect challenger Yonnhy Perez to perform the way he did. Agbeko was overconfident going into the bout and it showed. The headbutt did not affect the bout in any way as Perez way ahead on the scorecards. However, the bout was a lot closer that what the scores read.

Watch out for Anotonio Escalante. Expect to see him a world title bout in 2010.

So much for Hector Camacho Jr.'s comeback. Although he barely defeated Yory Boy Campas, he couldn't even make weight for the bout and lost his WBC Carribean junior middleweight title at the scales. Now he wants to fight Fernando Vargas. That bout surely should not be on PPV.

Finally we get to see what David Haye can do at heavyweight. If he fights as good as he runs his mouth, we would see him defeat Nikolai Valuev and become champ. Then maybe we can see him fight one of the Klitschko's.

Will 2010 be the year we see Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fight a top, quality opponent? There is a difference between building up a fighter and protecting a fighter.

Manny Pacquiao's "adviser" Michael Koncz made mention that while his responsibilities grow, his pay stays the same. Such comments should be made privately or to Pacquiao himself, if not already. There's too much hens in the hen house and it's time for Pacquiao to clean house.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

From day one, Floyd Mayweather Jr. made it clear he would not weigh 144 and would weigh in as a welterweight for his bout with Juan Manuel Marquez. So for everyone (i.e. media) to seem so surprised that he did not make weight is ridiculous. After the weigh in is when questions should have been asked, not now. Why don't you go ask the promoters or TV network why they still decided to go through with the bout? Heck why don't you ask Juan Manuel Marquez himself why he decided to go through with the fight? Don't place all the blame on Mayweather just because you dislike him. There is enough blame to go around on this one so make sure you distribute it equally.

Get over it. If you don't like Mayweather then stop writing about him and quit bitching all the time. He beat the #2 Pound-For-Pound ranked fighter. Now he's ranked #2 behind Manny Pacquiao. Isn't Pound-For-Pound exactly what it says, Pound-For-Pound. That means you have beaten fighters in other weight classes. Doesn't matter if he was bigger or smaller than you. Go write about something else. But when another Mayweather bout is announced, I bet you'll want media credentials to go cover his bout. Then you'll write something negative and the process will keep repeating itself. What will probably make the media even more upset is when the figures are released for how much PPV buys there were for Mayweather/Marquez. Rumors have it being over 1M buys. Not too bad for a fight that many said nobody would watch. I can guarantee you that the two fights between Pacquiao and Marquez didn't draw anywhere near 1M buys.

It appears Shane Mosley will be the next hope to defeat Mayweather after he jumped in the ring after Mayweather's win Saturday night begging for a fight. Does Mayweather have to defeat everyone in Golden Boy Promotions before he can get some respect? De La Hoya keeps running his mouth about how so and so will be the first to defeat Mayweather. First he thought he would be the one. Then it was Hatton and now Marquez. You're running out of bullets De La Hoya.

Who does Mosley think he is? He is a champion right? Then shouldn't he be defending his title against the top welterweights like Andre Berto and Joshua Clottey. He chased a fight with Pacquiao for most of 2008 only to get left behind. Now he's chasing Mayweather for a bout. Mosley doesn't have the ability to pick and choose his opponents.

Chris Arreola will try to upset Vitali Klitschko Saturday night as the two heavyweight battle at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. It's hard not to cheer on Arreola, but the fact that he has not gone twelve rounds with quality opposition will hurt him if the fight goes the distance. Regardless, it's great to see true heavyweights bringing excitement back to the division. Unlike wannabe heavyweights, specifically David Haye.

Israel Vazquez makes his highly anticipated return to the ring Ocotober 10.

Great to see Michael Katsidis back on top after an impressive performance against Vicent Escobedo. A bout against Juan Manuel Marquez would be pretty interesting.

What can you say about Chris John and Rocky Juarez. John keeps proving the critics wrong and is the real deal. Juarez nearly pulled out the win with a late KO, but it just wasn't meant to be. Most likely, this was Juarez' last chance at a world title.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Say what you will, but the Mayweather/Marquez fight has more implications than many think. There's no doubt the winner will face the winner of the Pacquiao/Cotto bout on November 14. For Marquez, his motivation is the chance for a third meeting with Manny Pacquiao. As for Mayweather, he wants to keep that "0" in the loss column. Regardless of who wins, the winners will help setup another megafight for boxing in early 2010. Not bad for a sport that some say is dying.

It's the same people (i.e. media, idiots, so-called experts) who help build up boxing that also bring it down. If you think boxing is dying or it's boring or whatever the issue may be, go write about something else. Boxing was around before you and it will be around long after you.

The heavyweight division will garner much attention next weekend as Vitali Klitschko and Chris Arreola battle each other in L.A. for Klitschko's title. The first couple of rounds will be interesting, but Klitschko will eventually take over the fight. It's too early for Arreola to be in the ring with someone as technical as Klitschko is.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. won against a lesser opponent. So what else is new. Fans shouldn't have to pay to see such fights on PPV. At least Mario Lopez wasn't part of the announce team.

Former world champion Paulie Ayala will be promoting his first show on October 10 at La Grave Field in Ft. Worth, TX. The card will be stacked with young talent as undefeated rising stars Casey Ramos and Chap Huggins will be the feature and co-feature respectively. Visit www.paulieayala.com for more info and tickets.

We finally get to see Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams get it on in December. Hopefully there will be no more setbacks for either fighter. Damn injuries have been a nuisance this summer.

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Zab Judah was once a top fighter in the sport of boxing, but that time has come and gone. After getting beat by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Carlos Baldomir, Judah has never been the same. His recent withdrawl from bouts with Matthew Hatton and Antonio Diaz were unprofessional and typical Judah. He says he was not motivated to fight Diaz and wants a "big" fight. News Flash Zab, you're not in that league so you better take any fight you can while you're still of interest to someone. Judah has worn out his welcome and boxing and now it's time to go.

So Manny Pacquiao wants to train in Baguiao where he'll definitely be visited often by nearby fans. Freddie Roach and Bob Arum are opposed to it as they feel it will cause too many distractions. Big Deal! It will be no different than when he trains at the Wild Card Gym in California. Pacquiao loves his fans and is for the most part accessible to them. Distractions don't bother Manny and the proof is in the pudding.

Shaq vs De La Hoya was entertaining and quite competitive. Unfortunately, Shaq did pull some punches so not to mess up the Golden Boy's pretty face. De La Hoya obviously has something left in the tank, but a comeback would have to be against someone his size. With all due respect to De La Hoya, Shaq won at least one round. Was the judge who scored the Malignaggi/Diaz bout 118-110 (Malignaggi) judging the exhibition bout?

Can Nevada please medically clear Edwin Valero and issue him a license so he can start defending his WBC title. Putting him on the Pacquiao/Cotto undercard would be a boost to an already great card. If not, start putting him on cards in Texas (where he is licensed) so we can see what all the talk is about.

A little over one week a way until Mayweather/Marquez. You can't say "Who Cares?" because everyone will be interested to see what happens. This fight has many implications riding on it. Let's face, the fight to be made is Mayweather vs Pacquiao. In order to make that fight, Mayweather has to beat Marquez. However, Marquez himself has unfinished business with Pacquiao. So who want's it more? You can't underestimate Marquez' heart, but Mayweather looks to be serious about making a statement in this fight.

Chavez Jr. will take on Jason LeHoullier this weekend in another "Latin Fury" PPV. Can't wait until they match Chavez Jr. against a legit opponent to really test him. No disrespect to LeHoullier, but Chavez Jr. has been protected long enough. The excuse of "he had no amateur experience" is getting old.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Despite long-layoff and rib injury, Mayweather is confident of beating Marquez

The former top boxer of the planet Floyd "Pretty Boy" Mayweather Jr. is confident he can defeat Mexican boxing star Juan Manuel "Dinamita" Marquez in their incoming must see boxing match on September 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Mayweather said despite his long lay-off from boxing due to his retirement and recent rib injury during training he has the skills to bring down Marquez in their titanic battle.

The boxing superstar said he respects the skills of Marquez as a boxer but come September 19, he will emerge victorious in their battle since he is the more superior and gifted boxer between them.

Sporting an impressive 39-0, 25 KOs record, Mayweather said after September 19 the people around the world will realize that he is still the premier boxer in the planet and not Filipino boxing superstar Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.

He said his retirement had not at all affective his skills both offensive and defensive and Marquez will know first hand why he is top boxer among professional boxers around the world.

A former boxing bronze medalist in the featherweight during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Mayweather hope to land a mega fight against Pacquiao next year if ever he successfully defeat Marquez in their scheduled fight.

Mayweather has won six world boxing championships in five different weight classes; he is the former WBC welterweight champion, a title he vacated upon his retirement. He was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1998 and 2007. ESPN.com listed Mayweather at number 48 on their "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time" list.

The boxing superstar pride himself to have won six world boxing championships in five different weight classes; he is the former WBC welterweight champion, a title he vacated upon his retirement.

He was also named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1998 and 2007.

Sport channel giant ESPN.com listed Mayweather at 48 on their "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time" list.

Marquez for his part already vowed to inflict Mayweather his first professional loss in boxing in their fight despite being the underdog among many boxing experts.

The Mexican boxing star who is currently training hard to upset the favored boxing superstar has vowed to use his jabs and over-all boxing skills to defeat Mayweather and arranged a third mega fight with his nemesis Pacquiao.

He said he will also concentrate on the left rib of Mayweather since this is the area where the latter had some injury during training.

The Mexican boxing warrior recently won his last two huge fights first against Cuban boxing star Joel Casamayor whom he knocked-out in the 11th round September last year.

After his exciting victory against Casamayor, Marquez followed it off with a masterful win against Juan "Baby Bull" Diaz via a ninth round stoppage.

Prior to the two exciting fights, the boxing star also had a memorable battle with Pacquiao whom he had a draw and a loss in their two fights.

Marquez is hoping that a victory against Mayweather can solidify further his status as one of the best boxers in the planet and arranged himself a third mega fight with Pacquiao.

On the other side of the fence, Mayweather is himself training hard to beat Marquez in his first fight after a long lay-off due to his retirement.

Boxing fans who wish to witness the clash between two of the best technical boxers all of all time should not dare miss the Mayweather-Marquez fight live.

It is a rare opportunity to witness two popular boxers fight together so do not miss your chance to see this boxing match live.
Thursday, July 30, 2009

Enough is never enough. Now that the Pacquiao/Cotto fight is official, questions as to whether Cotto's WBO welterweight title should be at stake are being asked just about everyday. Cotto recently said if he was to defend the title, it would be at 147lbs, the weight at which he won it. And if Pacquiao wants to fight for the title, then he should fight at 147lbs for a 147lb title.

If David Haye is getting a heavyweight title shot, then Cris Arreola definitely deserves one. Arreola vs Klitschko is in the works for September in L.A. and should the bout happen, it would be the biggest heavyweight bout to take place in the U.S. in some time.

Paul Williams vs Kelly Pavlik, now there's a bout both fighters need and fans want. Style wise, this bout would make for an all out brawl between two lengthy fighters. Hopefully both sides can come terms and HBO can fork up the cash.

Never will understand how fight fans benefit from mega fights when the majority of tickets go to "VIPs" and "special guests." Reportedly, the Pacquiao/Cotto is nearly "soldout" as only a small portion of tickets will be made available to the public.

Monday, July 06, 2009

For someone who has never fought at heavyweight, David Haye sure runs his mouth a lot. Haye claims he is healed from a "back injury" that forced him to withdraw from a scheduled bout with Wladimir Klitschko. Now he's calling out both Klitschko brothers. Yes, Haye would bring some excitement to the relatively boring heavyweight division, but he won't last long against either Klitschko. Hopefully, Haye will get what he wants then he'll finally realize he was way out of his league.

Will we ever see a Nonito Donaire vs Vic Darchinyan rematch?...No. With Donaire moving up in weight and Gary Shaw too bitter to make the bout happen, it's more like never will we see such a match. It's a shame because both fighters are in their prime and fans should be rewarded with a rematch.

Felix "Tito" Trinidad wants one more fight before he calls it quits, again. Only a rematch with Bernard Hopkins interests him, but nobody wants to see that rematch. With all due respect to Trinidad, his days as a successful prize fighter have come and gone and another bout would tarnish his career further. Retire knowing you are in good health. There are plenty of ways to still be involved in the sweet science.

How about the WBC. After Anontio Margarito's initial six months of his year-long suspension are up, the WBC will once again rank Margarito. Funny how things work. I can't figure out which organization/commission is dumber... the WBO or the WBC. Actually, they all are.Boxing would be a lot better off with out these idiots. One undisputed champion, the way it was meant to be!

The "media" are off and running again with the reported IRS troubles of Floyd Mayweather Jr. If it's not one thing then it's another. They claimed Mayweather's injury was false. They claimed poor ticket sales was the reason for the postponement of the fight with Marquez. Mayweather may not be the most likable sports figure, but give the guy a break. Hopefully the same "media" that are tearing him down will build him back up after he reclaims the #1 Pound-for-Pound spot.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

By Richard Diaz, founder and director of sports performance at dhp elite training in Camarillo , Ca.

On June 12^th Chris John WBA Welterweight Champion and his trainer Craig Christian came to me for advice regarding Chris’s health

Chris and his trainer came to me due to health concerns after being treated in ah hyperbaric chamber during training. It's an unusual occurrence but it appears that Chris suffered from toxic oxygen syndrome which adversely affected his ability to breathe. He is recovering well but would have been taking a big chance if he were to make the fight date. While sparring he was experiencing chest pain, extremely high heart rate responses and poor reaction time.
As a side note: Having spent some time with Chris, it was clear to me that he wanted this fight and was training hard to prepare. This was to be his biggest pay day and it's a shame that he is going to miss the chance to defend his title for his 12th consecutive time.

Monday, June 22, 2009

You can't blame Wladimir Klitschko for fundamentally beating Ruslan Chagaev. Klitschko is so technically sound that it's hard to see anyone being competitive in the ring with him. Klitschko vs Klitschko is the real fight that would generate some real interest in the heavyweight division. If/When David Haye fight Klitschko, he will be exposed just like Chagaev was.

The injury bug continues to make the rounds as highly anticipated bouts throughout the summer have either been postponed or canceled. The most recent being the rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez. Hopefully, these two will evenutally meet as their is definitely some unfinished business between the two.

Too many cooks in the kitchen seems to have been the case with the recent Michael Moorer firing. Apparently, a conflict of personalities lead to the release of Moorer from his duties at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym.

This weekend Showtime, HBO and Top Rank PPV will all go head-to-head as each will televise their respective cards. You can never have too much boxing, but all in one night? That's what happens when networks rule the boxing world. It's on their terms/dates/time/etc.. Why not schedule accordingly to where each card is televised unapposed? Such competition is not a good thing in boxing.

Has Bob Arum forgot about Edwin Valero? With Mayweather out with an injury, why not match Marquez and Valero now. He's the WBC champ and should be fighting the best and not getting offers to fight c-level fighters. Unless, Arum would want to make Pacquiao/Marquez III. That would be far more profitable than Pacquiao/Cotto.

Victor Ortiz is coming and he's coming fast. His bout this weekend against Marco Maidana will be a tough one, but Ortiz is on the verge of exploding into a superstar and will not be derailed. Look for Ortiz to win by KO again.

Monday, June 01, 2009

It's no wonder why the heavyweight division is the way it is...a complete JOKE! With this past weeks canceled heavyweight title bout between Nikolay Valuev and Ruslan Chagaev, the division governing bodies completely have no clue of what's going on. What's worse, Chagaev has not fought nor defended his title when supposed to, due to always being injured. Regardless, he is still considered to be champion in recess. What the heck is that? He has had his opportunities and now it's time for him to start from the bottom and work his way up. It shouldn't be a long climb for him as there are no true contenders, including himself.

Instead of just reporting the fact Mike Tyson lost his daughter due to a tragic accident, the media has to add their ridiculous spin by restating all the past infamous events during Tyson's life. It's not breaking news he has suffered a tough life outside the ring, but why even touch on it when it has nothing to do with what happened?

What is Bob Arum doing or not doing? He has two great stars in Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Edwin Valero who are awaiting big fights. Arum chooses to continue to protect Chavez Jr. by putting him on his PPV events and matching him against lower-level opponents. Come on. It's about time Chavez Jr. be matched with a quality opponent and see what he's really made of. As far as Valero, heck the guy is the WBC champ and should be fighting big names. But Arum seems to think otherwise as he tried matching Valero against a lesser opponent on his upcoming PPV, but Valero declined the purse and chance to fight. That should send some type of message to Arum to quit making crappy matches and match the big boy with the big boys.

Shane Mosley has called out just about everyone, but the problem is no one wants anything to do with him. After his impressive performance against Antonio Margarito, many believed Mosley would be matched with the likes of Pacquiao, Mayweather, Cotto and even Williams, but that has not been the case. Mosley may be the odd man out with potential blockbuster fights being planned without his name included.

Monday, May 18, 2009

A recent article was written about why TV cameras tend to zoom in on a fighter when his cutman is working on a cut. Apparently seeing blood during televised boxing events does not sit well with the author, who also is a cutman himself. Is this what the boxing media has come to? Come on. Blood is part of the sport. If you don't like it maybe you should not be writing about it and find something else to do.

Edison Miranda was overrated before his bout with Andre Ward and after his loss should not even be ranked. If he and his corner are found guilty of any wrongdoing due to the suspicious substance seized on Saturday night, he should be banned for life from the sport. Enough of this nonsense.

Hopefully Ricky Hatton can make a decision soon as to whether he will continue boxing and not linger on like a certain NFL quarterback who seems to do so every year around this time.

The Mayweather/Marquez press tour is in full swing as both fighters will hit the road promoting their July 18 showdown. Like him or not, Mayweather will bring back a sense of refreshness to the sport as he plays his "Money Mayweather" character. On the other hand, Marquez will be polite and respectable, at least until fight night.

Holding events in fighter's hometowns is a big hit and is starting to catch on. This weekend's Ward/Miranda event was staged in Oakland, CA (Ward's hometown) and over 7,000 fans showed up to support their favorite fighter. Pavlik drew a big crowd for his last fight in Youngstown and Juan Diaz definitely had his following when he faught Marquez in Houston back in February. However, all big fights will still continue to be held in Vegas, regardless.

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Not even half way through the year and already boxing has produced the kind of bouts and action fans have been wanting for some time. Give credit to the promoters for willing to work with and not against each other to make these fights. With Floyd Mayweather Jr. returning, the plot has thickened and boxing continues to gain momentum.

However, you're always going to have those idiots who write "boxing is dead" or "boxing is boring" or something along those lines. Most of them have no clue what's going on in the sport of boxing and it's evident by their reporting and coverage. Always finding something negative to write about or going to an event to cover it, but only writing a paragraph which makes absolutely no sense at all. Oh well, I guess the real problem is not boxing it self, it's the media coverage.

Now that Oscar De La Hoya has retired, many are waiting to see who will be the next big attraction. Can you say Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr? While De La Hoya's in ring career is up for debate, his career out of the ring will have a bigger impact on the sport of boxing than many believe. There are plenty of young rising stars on their way up and parity is something that boxing could use.

Who the heck does David Haye think he is? He's had one fight at heavyweight and already he's running his mouth about his next opponent, heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko. If Haye can box as good as he runs his mouth, he just might have a chance. But most guys who run their mouth usually get hit in the mouth come fight night.

What's the deal with all these interim title bouts. Enough with all this crap of making up title bouts. Let's match the top contenders against each other and let them fight for the titles. As long as we have multiple champions in each division, there will never be a true champion. That also goes for "The Ring Magazine" titles. They mean no more than the WBC, WBA or any other three letter abbreviation title. Too many politics in boxing makes for too much red tape.

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

The lightweight division just got a little more crowded after Edwin Valero's exciting TKO win this past weekend. Next for Valero is a July 25 bout on Top Rank's Latin Fury 9 PPV.

Vicente Escobedo established himself as a top contender in the lightweight division with his victory on the undercard of the "Lightweight Lightning" PPV. Hopefully he will see more action on upcoming televised cards.

Finally, Vladimir Klitschko vs David Haye is set and we can finally find out if Haye fights as good as he talks.

Cris Arreola will have his toughest test to date against veteran Jameel McCline this weekend on the undercard to William vs Wright. Arreola should come out victorious and hopefully get a shot at one of the Klitschko's later this year. In the end, it will have to be Klitschko vs Klitschko to settle who is the real heavyweight champion.

If you haven't faught in about two years and want to make a comeback, Paul Williams probably isn't the guy you want to face in your first bout. However, Winky Wright will do such thing this Saturday.

Pacquiao/Hatton 24/7 debuts this weekend and will air every Saturday leading up to the highly anticipated bout. Regardless if Hatton puts on weight the night before the fight or not, he stands no chance against Manny Pacquiao. Hatton is 0-1 in big fights and he'll be 0-2 after May 2.

Richard Shaefer and Bob Arum went back and forth as to who Valero should fight next (see the post fight presser on www.randdboxingblog.com). Why not have Valero vs Marquez in July and then the winner fight Manny Pacquiao later this year? That's if Floyd Mayweather Jr. doesn't come out of retirement before then. Enough of this waiting around crap like Shane Mosley is doing. There are plenty of great potential fights out there to be made.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

What a difference a week makes. Last week the media were off and running with the rumors of Floyd Mayweather Jr. making his ring return. A week later, the same media are doing what they do best, bashing the former P4P king. I mean come on, they were just rumors. So know that no announcement has come from Mayweather himself, the media feels somewhat betrayed and feel the need to rip him a new one. It's as if they get more satisfaction from bashing Mayweather than they do from an orgasm. Here's a thought. Why not wait until an "OFFICIAL" announcement is made before going off and writing about it.

The problem with media coverage of boxing is the media itself. More articles and stories are written regarding something not related to boxing or something negative. Instead of building up a sport that that gives them the opporunity to make a living, they bring it down. Let's leave that crap to someone else and bring boxing back to the forefront. There's a lot of other topics to right about.

Chavez Jr. will most likely remain undefeated after this weekend's fight. So will he ever step up in competition or will Top Rank continue to protect him? They sure aren't building him up.

Pavlik vs Mora is official, but it's definitley not worthy of PPV. Top Rank should have known this fight is not wanted when the TV networks past on it.

Berto vs Urango and Angulo vs Cintron is official and will take place on May 30 live on HBO. Berto should've faught Mosley, but Mosley is only interested in Cotto, Pacquiao or Hatton.

Friday, March 20, 2009

It's not so much as to if but as to when Floyd Mayweather Jr. will make his highly anticipated return. Rumors being reported are that he has been working out and talks are ongoing about a potential fight this summer. Great. But they are just rumors. When there is something signed making his return official, then we can believe it. Let's not forget last year when we were told the rematch between Mayweather/De La Hoya was all but complete only to have Mayweather announce his retirement soon after. And for all those media outlets who say they could care less if he comes back and don't care to cover it, that's a bunch of BS. Love him or hate him, everyone will pay close attention to Mayweather's return regardless of who he fights.

It's now safe to say Marco Antonio Barrera is done. He has nothing left and hasn't had anything since losing to Manny Pacquiao. The cut he sustained against Khan will forever come into play should he decide to fight again.

So now Shane Mosley does not want any part of Andre Berto. He wants the winner of either Cotto/Clottey (yet to be finalized) or Pacquiao/Hatton. Why not fight Berto this summer? He says he only wants big fights, well right now Berto would be pretty big. He would have to wait till the end of the year to fight the winners of the aforementioned fights. Give the fans what they want!

Vitali Klitschko vs Juan Carlos Gomez should be decent heavyweight bout, but something tells me it won't. Klitschko is just too big for Gomez and he'll just outbox him all night. Should David Haye fight Wladimir Klitschko, it will be the same outcome and Cris Arreola is not on the same level with the Klischko's. So eventually the brothers will have to meet each other to determine the real heavyweight champion. Now that would spark some interest in the heavyweight division.

The injury bug continues to plague the scheduled fighters on the April 4 "Lightweight Lightning" PPV. Regardless, there are still plenty of young warriors who will see action: Edwin Valero, Jesus Chavez, Antonio Pitalua, Michael Katsidis and more.

If Chavez Jr. wins his bout next week on Top Rank's "Tijuana Thunder" PPV, maybe we can finally see him matched against better quality opponents. How much longer does he need to be protected? Let's see what he's really made of.

Mark it on your calendar, May 23, Texas Slugfest featuring the future stars of boxing: Joey Dunmoodie vs Chap Huggins. Tickets ($40, $20 and $12) are on sale now at www.texasslugfest.com.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Boxing's young rising stars took center stage this past weekend with James Kirkland, Victor Ortiz and Mike Alvarardo all scoring impressive wins. Ortiz is just a few fights away from really breaking through. Alvarado waited till the last round for the knockout and closed the show with a bang. Kirkland is a beast and he is definitely the real deal. Kudos to Anne Wolfe for the work she has done with Kirkland. Alfredo Angulo vs James Kirland needs to happen now and not later. Too many times fighters are protected in order to build up a potential fight only tho have one of the fighters lose. The end result is that same potential bout losing it's luster. Case in point, Antonio Margarito.

Amir Khan and Marco Antonio Barrera do battle this weekend in what should an interesting fight. Khan has more to lose as he is being regarded as one of the rising stars. Barrera is just trying to prove to himself and everyone else he still has it. We'll soon find out.

Will someone please fix the heavyweight division. It's a mess and no one seems to know what is going on. The once popular division has a decent pool of talent but there is no sense of direction in regards to matchmaking.

Boxing will be back in Ft. Worth, TX on May 23 when Harrison Boxing Group presents another installment of Texas Slugfest at LaGrave Field. The featured bout will be local stars Joey "Flash" Dunmoodie against undefeated Chap Huggins in a highly anticipated bout. Please visit www.texasslugfest.com for more information.

Less than one month away for "Lightweight Lighting" on April 4 in Austin, TX. Edwin Valero will take center stage against Antonio Pitalua in addition to a high action-packed card. Make sure you get your tickets or watch on PPV is you are not able to attend.

It appears Miguel Cotto's next opponent will be Joshua Clottey on June 13 in New York at Madison Square Garden. If this is the case, then Andre Berto should face Shane Mosley with the winner facing the Cotto/Clottey winner.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has to come back sometime this year. He just has to. You can just feel the announcement of a mega-fight involving Mayweather coming soon...

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

For the second month in a row, we have a fight worthy of the Fight of The Year Award. Juan Manuel Marquez vs Juan Diaz was a great fight between two warriors. You would think Marquez would want time to think about his next opponent, but that is not the case. Immediatly after the fight, Marquez made it known he wants to fight Floyd Mayeather Jr. You can't say this fight will never happen, but you never say never, especially in boxing.

Rocky Juarez came within one round of winning a world title against Chris John. The fight ended in a draw and a rematch will most likely take place later this year. It will be held here in the states, most likely in LA.

On the undercard to Marquez/Diaz, young rising star Daniel Jacobs looked impressive as he scored a TKO to remain undefeated and continue his rise within ranks. Keep an eye out for Jacobs as he will definitely be making his name known.

What's the deal with the Nonito Donaire vs Raul Martinez fight? First it was rescheduled for April. Then it was called off by Donaire's manager and now there are reports that they are trying to still make the fight. Sounds like Donaire finally realized Martinez will be no walk in the park. He's about as real as they come. Let's hope Donaire is not ducking Martinez because champions are supposed to fight.

Luis Yanez will have his second pro fight on April 17 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX.

This weekend Azteca America and HBO will feature a pool of young rising stars including Victor Ortiz, Robert Guerrero, James Kirkland and Mike Alvarado. Should be another great weekend of boxing...for free.

Tickets for the "Lightweight Lighting" event on April 4 in Austin, TX featuring Edwin Valero, Antonio Pitalua, Jesus Chavez, Joel Casamayor and more are on sale now.

For the latest boxing news, visit www.randdboxingblog.com

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

All of a sudden the lightweight division has exploded with a pool full of talent being featured in upcoming bouts. This weekend, Juan Diaz and Juan Manuel Marquez battle each other for four lightweight titles. Ironically, Diaz will have a chance to claim the titles he lost to Nate Campbell nearly one year ago. Also adding excitement to the division is the announcement of "Lightweight Lighting" by Golden Boy Promotions which will be held on April 4 in Austin, TX. Edwin Valero and Joel Casamayor are a few of the lightweight stars on the card. With Manny Pacquiao vacating the WBC lightweight title, Valero may get a shot at the tile in Austin.

Miguel Cotto and Kelly Pavlik are both back and looked good in their respective "comeback" fights. Although their opponents were not of their caliber, it was important for both to get back in the win column. It's not often you get to see two great fighters on one PPV. Good job by Top Rank to pick up the tab when no other TV networks would.

Luis Yanez was successful in his pro debut last weekend in Dallas, TX. Yanez earned a majority decision and is scheduled to fight again on April 17.

Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton will begin a promotional tour this weekend for their mega-fight on May 2. HBO cameras will be following the fighters throughout training camp and fans can go behind the scenes when the 24/7 series begins in April.

For the latest boxing news visit www.randdboxingblog.com.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

How can a judge(s) misjudge a fight? They get the best seat in the house and still can't get it right. Even with three judges, how can each see and judge a fight with so much disparity? Such was the case this past weekend in Sunrise, FL during the Sergio Martinez/Kermit Cintron fight. Anyone who saw (at home or in attendance) the fight clearly saw that fight should not have ended in a draw. Martinez won enough rounds (even scoring a knockdown) to garner at least a majority win, not a draw. Such judging continues to overshadow boxing and the respective state commissions need to reconsider the criteria for becoming a judge. Refereeing is another issue for another day.

Luis Yanez is set to make his debut this Friday Feb 20 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. If you have not purchased your tickets, make sure you do because Yanez will be putting on a show his first time out. Visit www.thelatinlegend.com for more info.

The Tarver/Dawson rematch is now off due to Dawson suffering an injury to his right hand. No word of reschduling as of yet.

Miguel Cotto and Kelly Pavlik return the ring this weekend, each looking to avenge their first loss as prize fighters. With wins, Cotto and Pavlik and position themselves for fights fans want to see: Cotto vs Mosley 2 or Cotto vs Pacquiao and Pavlik vs Abraham.

Kenall Holt and Timothy Bradley will finally get it on in Motreal Canada for a unification bout. Talks about a fight between the two started late last year and now will come to fruition.

For the latest boxing news and coverage, visit us at www.randdboxingblog.com. As always, thanks for your support.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

So now we know the fate of Antonio Margarito and his trainer Javier Capetillo. He will have to wait one full year before applying for reinstatement. He can't fight anywhere in the US. If he fights somewhere else, then so be it. So now we know. So now lets move and not beat this thing to death. There's nothing else to know.

Vic Darchinyan absolutely dominated Jorge Arce last weekend in what many thought would be a more competitive fight. Hopefully Gary Shaw can find it in his big heart to work with Top Rank and Bob Arum again to give Darchinyan a chance at redemption against Nonito Donaire. However, Donaire has to first get by Raul "The Cobra" Martinez next month.

This weekend, HBO will televise three bouts featuring Nate Campbell, Alfredo Angulo and Kermit Cintron. Angulo has to be as frustrated as anyone having to deal with the withdrawl of Ricardo Mayorga. Regardless, Angulo will get some ring work and hopefully continue his way towards the top. Nate Campbell's fight against Ali Funeka will tell us a lot about who the best lightweight is.

Now that HBO has officially been awared the broadcast rights, fans can expect the award winning 24/7 series leading up to the upcoming Pacquiao/Hatton fight on May 2.

Golden Boy Promotions will be staging a lightweight tournament on 4/4/09 featuring Edwin Valero and Michael Katisidis. There are also talks of possibly adding Joel Casamayor. With Valero only being licensed in Texas, that makes the Lone Star state the most likely place to stage the event. This makes the Diaz/Marquez and Campbell/Funeka fights even more important because the winners from these two fights will most likely be matched against the winners from the 4/4/09 matches.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

And just like that, the focus shifted from Mosley's upset over Antonio Margarito to the hand wrapping of Margarito. The California Athletic State Commission (CASC) found an illegal substance during the initial wrapping of Margarito's hands. The CASC has since suspended Margarito and his trainer, Javier Capetillo until a scheduled hearing on Feb 10, 2009. It's unfortunate Mosley's impressive performance has been overshadowed by negativity, again.

Speaking of Capetillo, he is the trainer for Jorge Arce, who will battle Vic Darchinyan on Feb 7 in California. The suspension will have an impact on Arce as he will be without the services of Capetillo in his corner.

As of now, the rematch between Margarito/Cotto is scheduled for sometime in June in New York. However, after Margarito's loss, the rematch is not as attractive as it was before last Saturday. A rematch between Cotto and Mosley would make more sense, if Cotto wins his fight on Feb 21. Andre Berto could be a possible opponent for Cotto in June after his promoter, Lou DiBella, mentioned Berto would be willing to fight Cotto and unify the titles.

After searching for an opponent, it appears rising star, Raul Martinez, will take on Nonito Donaire sometime in March. Martinez confirmed to R&D Boxing Blog that talks for the fight are taking place and they are awaiting a decision from Donaire's camp.

Finally, the Hatton/Pacquiao mega-fight is official and is set to take place on May 2 in Las Vegas, NV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Tickets go on sale Jan 30 and a quick sellout is expected. The interest from fans (not corporations who receive free tickets) has been tremendous and the atmosphere on fight night will be spectacular.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

A tune-up fight sounds like a good idea when a fighter wants to get some work in before taking on an opponent of a higher level. However, it does not always turn out to be a wise choice. Case in point, Marco Antonio Barrera. He has a schedule bout with Amir Khan in March, but took a fight this past weekend to shake off some ring rust. His original opponent failed to show up to the weigh-in and ended up fight a late replacement. Although Barrera won by DQ, it nearly cost him his upcoming bout with Khan. Barrera suffered a severe cut/gash which required stitches. Since then, Barrera has been cleared to fight next month, but tune-up fights will soon be looked at with more caution, considering the potential risks involved.

Ricardo Mayorga has pulled out of his Feb 14 bout with Alfredo Angulo for unknown reasons. Reports surfaced indicating Mayorga had pulled out, but no one from his camp ever notified anyone. A red flag should have been waved when he failed to show up to the press conference last week in FL, but at the time, promoter Don King assured everyone Mayorga would show up to fight. Promoter Gary Shaw has verbally shown his displeasure with the whole fiasco, as he promotes Angulo and is now faced with the tough task of either finding another opponent or just cancel the fight.

Over 10,000 tickets have been sold for the Feb 28 Diaz/Marquez fight in Houston, TX and additional tickets have been available in various price ranges. For ticket info, visit www.ToyotaCenterTix.com.

The undercard for the Feb 20 event featuring the pro-debut of Luis Yanez has been finalized and will feature a line-up of young rising stars including, Hector Beltran, Jesse Lara, Anthony Smith and Jabbar Hurd. For a complete fight card, please visit www.randdboxingblog.com or www.thelatinlegend.com.

The highly anticipated bout between Jorge Arce and Vic Darchinyan is just days away and already the tension between the two fighters is on display. Both fighters have been attending a series of fight week events and have had to deal with being in and around the same area for long periods of time. However, not one word has been spoken or exchanged between the two, but it's obvious both are eager to settle it in the ring. They will meet face-to-face during the final press conference and again during the final weigh-in before the showdown on Saturday night. Boxing fans should be in for a treat.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

It was a great fight that was overshadowed by pathetic judging. Take nothing away from Andre Berto, he proved he is worthy of being the champion he is. Luis Collazo on the other hand, faught his heart out and was within reach of obtaining his goal of becoming champion. However, after the final bell rang, the decision was left up to the judges. It's never a comfortable feeling waiting to hear the judges scorecards after a fight like Berto/Collazo. For Collazo, the judge who scored the bout 116-111 must have hurt more than Berto's punches. It must not take much to become a judge these days. It's almost guaranteed that one judge will turn in a scorecard that will make it seem as though the judge was watching a completely different fight. A judge is sat ringside so he/she can have the best vantage point to score the fight. Even then, they find ways to screw up. And this talk of judges not scoring body punches is nonsense. This is not the Olympics. You score all punches landed to the body or head. I hope this judge never scores another bout.

Roy Jones Jr. is set to make his ring to return on March 21 in his hometown of Pensacola, FL. Jones has not faught since his unanimous decision loss to Joe Calzaghe in November.

The negotiations for Pacquiao vs Hatton on May 2 in Las Vegas continue as Bob Arum is making one last effort to convince Pacquiao to accept a 52-48 split instead of the 60-40 he initially asked for. Arum has become frustrated with the way things have gone and is ready to pull the plug on the fight if a deal is not reached by this week. Hatton is on board and has agreed to the bout. Everyone is anxiously awaiting word from Pacquiao and his camp.

Bob Arum is expected to officially announce the new TV deal with Azteca America later this week. The new deal will provide a new boxing series that will serve to replace the wrongfully canceled series "Solo Boxeo."

Friday, January 09, 2009

Bob Arum and Top Rank need to be commended and recognized for their outstanding work in signing a new TV deal with Azteca America to develop a new boxing series just weeks after the widely popular "Solo Boxeo" series was canceled. While a lot of work still needs to be done and details need to be ironed out, boxing fans will be treated to the same action-packed bouts "Solo Boxeo" provided. Top Rank undoubtedly has their superstar caliber fighters, but they also have a stable of young rising stars who are looking to showcase their talents. It's the attention and opportunities that Top Rank gives to their young stars that will give fans the kind of fights they want when they tune in. For more information on this story, please visit www.randdboxingblog.com.

After a short break to enjoy the holidays, boxing returns to TV with ESPN's season premiere of "Friday Night Fights" featuring hot prospect Yuriorkis Gamboa. January and February are full of highly anticipated fights: Margarito/Mosley, Darchinyan/Arce, Diaz/Marquez to name a few. What's even better, none are on PPV. Fans are finally getting fights they have been wanting and not having to fork up $40 or $50 for a PPV. Hopefully, the boxing minds can work together and provide great fights for all of 2009.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena or the Thomas & Mack Center? That's the only question remaining before an official announcement is made regarding the Pacquiao/Hatton bout. Hopefully this one gets done soon. The war of words between trainers Mayweather Sr. and Freddie Roach has already begun.

If you plan on being in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area on Thursday January 15 and have not gotten your tickets for Texas Slug Fest 5, make sure you get them. The widely popular series will kick off the local boxing scene with a bang featuring a highly anticipated and action-packed card featuring rising stars Chap Huggins, Brent Urbin, Angel Sigala and many more. For more information, please visit www.texasslugfest.com.