When UFC parent company Zuffa purchased World Extreme Cagefighting, it elected to build the promotion around lighter weight classes. The most high profile of those divisions was the 145-pound weight class and its dominant and charismatic champion Urijah Faber. On Sunday, Faber and former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver will fight for the WEC featherweight title on a show that will demonstrate how far WEC has grown in the past year and a half.
Faber has been promoted as WEC’s biggest star, and he has backed up that hype in the cage. Faber carries a 20-1 record into the fight with Pulver, and his only loss came at 155 pounds against 11-1 lightweight contender Tyson Griffin.
Faber was promoted as one of America’s top 145-pound stars for years, but it was mostly on smaller shows with no national penetration. His popularity has grown with the popularity of the weight class.
Faber faces a legend in Jens Pulver. (WEC)
“I’ve always been pushing for the smaller weight classes,” Faber said. “Ever since I started this game they’ve made me a headliner in shows and it’s moved to a different level. I’m happy to see the sport growing to where fans appreciate fighters of all different weight classes.”
To amass an undefeated record at 145 pounds, Faber has shown an ability to deal with a variety of different styles. Faber doesn’t feel Pulver has a unique strength that he hasn’t dealt with before but poses danger because of his collection of skills.
“I’ve fought guys that are dangerous on either side of the game,” Faber noted. “I think he’s dangerous because of how well rounded he is.”
Like Faber, Pulver has never suffered defeat at 145 pounds. With an 8-0 record, Pulver feels more comfortable at that weight class than at 155. Pulver also has a level of experience and comfort on big stages that none of Faber’s past opponents can match.
“That’s one thing a lot of his opponents don’t have,” Pulver said. “They’ll be going for a world title fight for the first time. It’s like ‘Oh my God, I’m fighting for the world title.’ I’ve had that world title. I’ve defended that world title. I’ve been on that big stage a ton of times. I’m not going to get overwhelmed.”
Faber says the experience Pulver has accrued fighting big-name fighters on high-profile cards will be a non-factor Sunday. “I’m not concerned about experience,” Faber said. “The experience is not what’s going to set us apart. It’s who the better fighter is.”
To prove he is the better fighter, Pulver vows to demonstrate an array of skills. “I’d like to get away from the standup. It’s kind of painful,” Pulver joked. “I’m enjoying going back to wrestling and jiu-jitsu. I’m not going to be one-dimensional trying to pound people with my left hand.”
Regardless of where the fight takes place, both fighters will be looking to finish. Faber hasn’t fought to a decision since 2004, a string of 17 straight fights. Pulver hasn’t fought to a decision since 2002, a string of 14 straight fights. Neither man likes to rely on the judges.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that Jens and I are guys that go out there for the kill,” Faber said. “We’re not out there to win a round; we’re out there to win a fight. That goes for every second of the fight. It’s going to be exciting and action-packed.”
Faber vs. Pulver was planned to be WEC’s biggest show to date when Pulver joined WEC’s featherweight division. But the show appears headed for even greater success than most predicted.
It will take place at Sacramento’s Arco Arena. WEC initially sold tickets only in the lower bowl, but after those sold out, the promotion opened up the upper level as well. It is possible the show will draw a larger crowd than UFC’s last show in the building, which featured two title bouts as well as fights featuring Tito Ortiz and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The show is also expected to draw the highest rating for a WEC show on Versus.
Pulver attributes this success to the increased status of WEC as a brand name. “They got out of the old ‘WEC is the UFC minor league,’” Faber said. “It has become OK to like other styles of fighting and other shows.”
A large part of the show’s success in Sacramento also has to do with hometown fighter Faber, whose stature has grown significantly in the past year. Faber has noticed the increased attention, and attributes it to enhanced visibility.
“I think the biggest thing is just people being exposed to me,” Faber noted. “As far as star power goes, Zuffa sees something in me and put me out to the public. People are receiving it well. I’m an exciting fighter and people think I’m interesting and I’m honored to have the support.”
Given the fact Faber is fighting in his hometown, a highly partisan crowd is expected. Faber says this will play to his advantage.
“It’s going to be motivating to have people cheering for me,” Faber said. “It’s going to be a unique feeling at that level. I can’t wait to get out there in front of my friends and family and fans and put on a show.”
Pulver says he isn’t going to let a negative response affect his performance. “I’m just motivated by winning the world title. When I get in the cage it’s all going to be a buzz in my head. I’ll just pretend they’re cheering for me.”
Giant 6′ 8″ heavyweight Tye Fields said today he is prepared and ready to go into the biggest fight of his career when he takes on Monte Barrett on Top Rank’s ‘Lethal Combination’ PPV card on Saturday, June 28.
“I have a heart of a lion,” said Fields at his Media Day today at the Top Rank gym today in Las Vegas.
“Like a baseball player, Tye Fields is going from AA and AAA ball to the Major Leagues on June 28,” said Bob Arum. “Tye did great in the minors, now he’s going to the majors to fight Monte Barrett. We will see what will happen that night and move on from there. Me, I happen to believe Tye is the real deal.”
Fields, 40-1, vs. Barrett, 33-6, will be on the ‘Lethal Combination’ HBO Pay Per View telecast which features Manny Pacquiao challenging world champion David Diaz for the WBC Lightweight Championship at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.
“Tye is totally prepared. He is punching extremely hard in workouts. We’re all proud and excited,” said Jessie Reid, chief trainer.
“Tye is going to surprise a lot of people with his performance,” said Billy Baxter, Tye’s manager.
Giant 6′8″ heavyweight Tye “Big Sky” Fields of Las Vegas will talk about his upcoming fight against Monte Barrett at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas on Thursday, May 29, 11 am.
Fields, 47-1, has been training and wiring in for weeks to take on Barrett, 33-6. Fields has working out with his chief trainer Jesse Reid who has brought in an assortment of sparring partners.
“Tye is ready for Barrett, I can assure everyone of that,” said manager Billy Baxter of Las Vegas.
Fields vs. Barrett will be on Top Rank’s big ‘Lethal Combination’ PPV featuring Manny Pacquiao against world lightweight champion David Diaz of Chicago at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on Saturday, June 28.
Pacquiao and Diaz will be available on HBO Pay Per View.
TOP RANK GYM
3041 Business Ln
Las Vegas, NV 89103
(702) 739-1501
TORRES VS. HOLT “NO EXCUSES REMATCH” TICKETS NOW ON SALE!
Tickets are now on sale for the super-heated ‘No Excuses Rematch’ featuring world champion Ricardo Torres and #1-rated challenger Kendall Holt at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Las Vegas on July 5. Tickets are $150, $100, $50 and are available at ticketmaster.com and at (702) 474-4000.
Torres, the WBO junior welterweight champion, and Holt will arrive into Las Vegas on June 27. They will have their first press lunch at Planet Hollywood on June 28, the day of the Pacquiao vs. Diaz fight.
That description fits many great athletes including WBC world super welterweight champ Vernon” the Viper” Forrest (40-2-1ND, 29KO’s) and his head trainer, former two-time world champ, James Buddy McGirt.
In mid-March, at McGirt BOXING in Vero Beach, Florida, Forrest began preparing for a challenge from contender Sergio” the Latin Snake” Mora, nearly three months in advance of their JUNE 7th,Mohegan Sun showdown, which indicates the seriousness and dedication of a fighter who strives to be one step ahead of his competition.” In boxing, things can change quickly,” Forrest explained. “I try to stay prepared, fight hard and let situations and politics work itself out.”
In any field, team work is essential in achieving success. But in boxing, the bulk of accountability rests with the fighter.” You can’t call in a sub to finish the job,” points out Charles Watson, Forrest’s strength and conditioning coach and co-manager.
Watson, who served as Evander Holyfield’s business manager for nine years, has been with Forrest since 1996, and has definite ideas about the qualities that make a champion.” I look for a good, overall athlete who has the desire to be a world champ,” Watson stated.” You can see it in everything they do, from conditioning to ring work. A successful fighter must lead a clean life. No substance abuse.”
Boxing fans look no farther than Vernon Forrest. He fits all of Watson’s criteria. Forrest, 37, has captured world titles in three weight classes (140,147,154), and wants to accomplish much more in his career including more championships. “My goal has always been to be a multi-weight class champion,” declared Forrest. “Hard work is the equalizer. Everyone is born with certain God-given talents. Those who work hardest will rise to the top.”
And, witnessed by the hard, uninterrupted training session with McGirt, Forrest continues his rise to the top. Forrest and McGirt shared some laughs while the trainer wrapped and taped his fighter’s hands prior to a two-hour workout. Forrest, no more than a few pounds over fighting weight, then stepped in the ring and shadow boxed for three rounds followed by three more rounds of pad work with McGirt. Forrest smiled as he wiped his own sweat from his face, clearly satisfied that his leanly-toned body was responding like a man at 27, not 37. “Vernon knows what he has to do, and does it,” observed McGirt.
Forrest finished-up by skipping rope and scraping the leather off the speed bag for several rounds. McGirt, pleased with the afternoon’s workout, cut the wraps off Forrest’s hands and grabbed a cigar, perhaps inhaling the sense that a victory is in the making.
Forrest, McGirt and Watson spent the next 15 minutes talking boxing and business. Forrest, who started his career over sixteen years ago, has been managing and promoting himself since 1999, and calls all the shots. He enjoys the business end, and plans to be productive in boxing when his fighting days are over. “It’s important to be relevant,” Forrest said. “When I become irrelevant in the ring, it will be time to retire, and move on to new and different challenges.”
It’s new challenges and opportunities that Forrest thrives on. He compares winning world titles to having children. “Each time I won a world championship, I accomplished an important goal. I love each championship just like you love each of your kids: equally.
Except for his two losses to Ricardo Mayorga and one no decision, Forrest has been unbeatable. Sergio Mora, undefeated (20-0-1,5KO’s), will need all of his hand and foot speed to upset the confident champion. Watch for Mora’s flashy flurries near the end of each round, attempting to sway the judges in his favor. But, in the late rounds, don’t be surprised if a tired “Latin Snake” gets swallowed-up by “the Viper’s” venomous power shots. Forrest is a patient fighter with a sharp jab and an eye for opponent’s mistakes. Regardless of the outcome, this could be one of the year’s most exciting bouts.
Forrest obviously takes a diligent approach to fighting and managing his own affairs. He’s a loyal, grateful guy who still employs his amateur and long-time assistant trainer, Al Mitchell. You can spot the venerable Mitchell helping McGirt in the corner, during a bout, with Watson close by. And, when all is said and done, Vernon Forrest appreciates the supreme effort everyone gives, especially himself. “I like taking all the risks, all the blame, and all the glory, “Forrest notes. Sounds like a champion who knows how to win, accept defeat, and come back a winner.
Undefeated USBA titleholder finding it difficult to get a big fight!
By Mike Indri
Retired Boxers Foundation
This Saturday night Lajuan Simon, 18-0 (9 KO’s), headlines a Rising Star Promotions fightcard at the Showboat Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, taking on Indiana native James Morrow, a loser in four of his last five bouts.
Morrow, to his credit, compiled an 8-0-1 record before getting knocked out by former Olympian Dante Craig (TKO2) in August of 2005. Since that time the thirty-one year-old Hoosier has managed three wins, to go along with nine losses, one draw and a no-contest.
“No one wants to fight Lajuan,” notes Rising Star Promotions president Greg Azar.
“Lajuan is ready to take on anyone, and the worst part is, the guys in the IBF’s (International Boxing Federation) top 15 won’t fight Lajuan, nobody will fight him.” Azar added “We might have to take the long road, but at 18-0 I think the middleweight division will be forced to reckon with Lujaun Simon very soon.”
Obviously, Simon and his promotional team are frustrated with the fact that the dangerous Philadelphia fighter is not a highly sought after opponent, making fights for the current USBA champion nearly impossible.
Too dangerous and risky for a higher ranked contender to challenge, the affable twenty-nine year-old simply uses his current dilemma as motivation.
“I’m willing to take on whoever is in front of me, to get to Kelly Pavlik. My goal is to be world champion!” Simon, who now works full-time at the IRS building, in Philadelphia, constructing cubicles and modular offices, has taken notice to the IBF rankings.
“I see this guy Lorenzo (Giovanni Lorenzo, currently the IBF’s # 4 ranked contender), and John Duddy (ranked # 10) ahead of me, I’ll fight them.”
Simon began his professional career in 2002 and was a relatively busy until suffering a broken jaw during a grueling eight round battle against Levan Easley. Suffering the damaging blow early in the fight, Simon showed the will and heart that has guided him throughout his fistic career and gutted out a hard fought split-decision win. Forced to tentatively slow his pace, Simon boxed his way to two unanimous decision victories in 2007. His September 13th win over Detroit, Michigan veteran southpaw Corey Johnson yielded Simon the coveted USBA belt, as the title was vacant.
This led to Simon’s impressive win over the heavy-handed Elco Garcia, this past February 15th, in the very same Showboat Hotel & Casino ring that Simon will enter tomorrow evening. That commanding victory, over the Mexican brawler whose fists have earned him the nickname “The Animal”, solidified Simon as a bona-fide world title contender.
Simon still calls Philadelphia home, and lives in the City of Brotherly Love with his long-time girlfriend Taleka, and her daughter Sanaa, age 7. Lujuan and Taleka celebrated the birth of their daughter Jakiya last year. Obviously Simon fights to support his family, and his family is there in support of his fighting - to achieve his goal of becoming a world champion.
Watching Marvin Hagler on TV was all it took to get Simon hooked on boxing. From that moment on, Simon went to the gym, looking to emulate his idol.
While Simon may be correct in thinking of Hagler as the “hardest working fighter ever”, the three minutes of non-stop action and pressure that Simon, a self-described boxer-puncher, engulfs upon his opponents every round is a testament to his own work ethic and dedication.
“I don’t do anything different in training than other fighters, it must be the extras. The extra mile or two of running, things like that”
Simon has all the tools to reach the pinnacle in boxing, to be a “great” fighter and become a world champion.
If this likable Philly fighter overcomes all the obstacles and achieves what so very few who enter the squared circle can only dream of, it won’t be his ever constant jab or his never ending body attack that will one day make him a boxing great - it will be what is already making this full-time worker, full-time struggler and full-time father great…his heart - in, and out, of the ring.
Also featured on the Rising Star Promotions fightcard will be former WBA World Heavyweight Champion Bruce Seldon.
Seldon. 37-6 (33 KO’s), returns after over 14 months of inactivity and will look to give it one more shot, facing fellow Atlantic City resident Livin Castillo, 14-4 (9 KO’s), in an eight rounder. The thirty-two year-old Ecuador-born Castillo, whose claim to boxing fame is his getting quickly knocked out by former world champions Oleg Maskaev (TKO3-2005), Jorge Castro (KO 4-2003) and Jean Marc Mormeck (KO3-2000), will look to keep the powerful Seldon from adding his name to Livin’s KO list.
The come backing “Atlantic City Express” is said to be in championship-form physical condition. If so, Castillo must be prepared for a rib crunching body attack and a truly debilitating jab. If Bruce, now at the age of forty-one, can get his mental condition into that same “championship-form”, he can be a dangerous fighter in a heavyweight division that is not filled with many dangerous fighters. Ever since Seldon’s confidence shattering debacle of a defeat at the hands of Mike Tyson in 1996, the former champ’s most destructive opponent has always been himself.
One disappointing note to an otherwise exciting five-bout fightcard is the unfortunate absence of former two-time Olympian Patrick Lopez.
The thirty year-old Lopez, 12-1 (10 KO’s), had yet another contracted opponent abruptly pull out just days prior to fight night. The Venezuelan welterweight, trained by Oscar Suarez, one of boxing’s best trainers and best people, apparently faces the same misfortune as does Lujuan Simon, of being too good for his own good, which in turn equates to no one wanting to fight you. The real loser in this is the boxing fan, as Patrick Lopez is a superiorly gifted fighter, and his knockout power is something to behold. A future star in the 140-pound division - if anyone will step up to face him!
Tickets are still available by calling Ticketmaster at 1(800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling the Showboat Hotel & Casino House of Blues Box Office at 1(609) 236-Blue.
Ricky Hatton won every round on Saturday night, 55,000 people traipsed out of this stadium smiling and a glorious fight in New York is planned for October.
But there was still something wrong with his performance. It sounds like a bad joke, like the apocryphal tale about George Best, the champagne bottles, the £20 notes and Miss World in his suite at The Hilton, Park Lane, when the waiter arrived with a tray of caviar and turned to the boy wonder and said: “Georgie Boy, where did it all go wrong?” Boxing, however, is not a joke.
Long before the wall of denial surrounded Hatton in the post-fight cheering club it was obvious that everybody involved with the boxer is determined to ignore the facts. On Saturday night Hatton was easier to hit than he has been at any point in this truly brilliant career and even more alarming was his sudden reaction to almost every single punch that he was caught with.
There was a time when Hatton shrugged off the most fierce of punches with disdain but on Saturday he repeatedly showed everybody at ringside that for a second at least he was hurt. The second of reaction which is a tell-tale indicator of dwindling punch-resistance was tragic to watch.
Juan Lazcano is a veteran Mexican who was hand-picked with apparent genius because of his inactivity and his lack of damaging punching power against high quality light-welterweights. He often looked uneasy under Hatton’s pressure but there were perhaps 20 or even 30 seconds in most of the rounds when Lazcano stood his ground, planted his feet and connected with every punch he threw.
Hatton from a few years ago, when his technical work with his trainer Billy Graham included hours and hours of blocking and avoiding punches, would have walked through Lazcano’s punches or simply avoided them. Instead, and to the delight of the capacity and raucous crowd, he was caught again and again and in Hatton’s fighting style that meant that he came back again and again.
The glorious homecoming which started off with the boxer entering the stadium wearing a fat suit was becoming increasingly serious as each round passed and the temperature dropped. At no point did Lazcano look in danger of toppling over from the punches but there were several moments when the referee could have walked in-between the boxers and rescued the Mexican.
It seemed that just at the moment of potential intervention something sounded in Lazcano’s head that triggered his fightback and Hatton had no reply but bravery for Lazcano’s few moments of glory in each round. In the last two rounds both boxers were bruised, cut and tired but, not surprisingly, 55,000 people managed to motivate and move Hatton through the often painful seconds. There was joy and fireworks at the fight’s conclusion but in the ring there was a noticeably icy embrace between Hatton and Graham. Rumours of a split have been spreading since the minutes after the defeat last December against American Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, but in the weeks before Saturday’s fight there had been denial after denial.
Hatton was happy with his performance and the men that will promote him in the future, Golden Boy’s duo of Richard Schaeffer and Oscar de la Hoya, spoke boldly of bigger fights in front of bigger audiences. Their commitment to the Hatton show is unswerving and their assessment that the Manchester boxer is the sport’s main attraction is spot on, but that raises a few disturbing questions.
If Hatton, at 29 and after 11 years as a professional, is finally starting to slow down and feel the effects of both the punches in the ring and the pain of losing weight away from the bright lights, there is every chance that more defeats loom in a future that now seems to be running out.
There is talk of a fight against the International Boxing Federation light-welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi at Maddison Square Garden in October, which Hatton would in theory start as favourite. Malignaggi came close to losing his title in Saturday night’s chief supporting fight but scraped home on points and declared a desperate interest to fight Hatton. However, Malignaggi could be both the worst and the best opponent for Hatton. The New York fighter lacks a devastating punch and that is good for Hatton but on his day he can be amazingly fluid and that could be bad.
If a fight against Malignaggi was taking place 12 months ago the bookmakers would have closed the account because Hatton would have been an overwhelming favourite. Sadly, the new Hatton is just a good fighter and not any longer the outstanding, the thrilling and unmissable boxer he was in the past.
STUDIO CITY, Calif. — A decade after teaming up to cover the Nagano Winter Olympics for CBS, commentator Gus Johnson and Showtime boxing and mixed martial arts producer David Dinkins Jr. are together again.Monday CBS announced the lineup for its first prime-time MMA telecast of the EliteXC event May 31.
In the commentator’s booth, alongside Dinkins and blow-by-blow analyst Johnson, will be veteran fighter Frank Shamrock, and Showtime’s Mauro Ranallo and Karyn Bryant.
Johnson, who is best known for his energetic calls of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and NFL games, said it’s his intention to “not only highlight what these great athletes are doing in the ring, but also make it a story-driven broadcast.”
And the storylines come in abundance. From the improbable, and controversial, saga of Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson, to the rise of woman’s MMA through Gina Carano, producers won’t have to look hard to find stories that resonate with, what CBS and EliteXC are hoping for, is a captivated audience.
Dinkins is familiar with the card’s cast of characters from his time producing boxing (and roughly eight months with MMA) for Showtime. Last September, the premium cable network tasked Dinkins with building the new EliteXC and ShoXC programs. And now he’s ready to display his work.
“[With] the [Mike] Tyson experiences we had, we learned to expect the unexpected,” he said. “In a sport like this, we have sudden violence, quick stoppages. You can have an event end in 30 seconds or a championship fight go 29 minutes bell-to-bell. You have to be ready for all the possibilities and permutations you can think of.”
According to ProElite Executive Chairman Doug DeLuca, CBS plans on courting three distinct audiences — the hardcore fans, casual viewers and new viewers — among the young, male demographic that’s embraced MMA. But the main target of the three is the last. Getting new fans to take notice of MMA and subsequent broadcasts is a priority for CBS, as acknowledged by its Primetime President Kelly Kahl. Kahl called the event a hybrid between entertainment and sport, with emphasis on the latter, and both Johnson and Ranolla are determined to reveal just that — even if it requires training at Renzo Gracie’s jiu-jitsu academy to understand the action as much as possible.
“We want to be true to the sport, and true to what it is,” said Gary Shaw, president of Live Events for EliteXC, said. “This is no joke when they get in that cage. People get hurt.”
Other than preparing to provide the most real and raw production possible, little remains for the first Saturday Night Fight except for the bouts and subsequent examination of ratings.
While DeLuca set the bar low with the hope of achieving a 3.0 rating or above, Primetime is enacting a west-coast tape delay to boost ratings and help eclipse the 4.7 million viewers who watched UFC 75.
“This thing is going to be on network television,” DeLuca said. “There’s a lot of pressure not only for us but for the sport. If it doesn’t do well on network television, what does that mean for the sport?”
LAS VEGAS — One strived to recapture a title he believed was wrongly taken away, the other hoped to leave behind a legacy he felt was inappropriately tarnished.
Instead, both left the octagon Saturday night with their faces bloodied and swollen and their pride also somewhat bruised.
Sherk was attempting to regain his Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight belt in a scheduled five-round bout in the sold-out MGM Grand, but instead ran into the left knee of B.J. Penn late the third. Penn then pounced on Sherk and landed a series of right fists to the head. The bell sounded during the barrage, but Sherk was too beaten to continue.
“I didn’t even hear the bell ring,” Sherk said.
Three fights earlier, Ortiz also hoped to leave the octagon with his arms raised in triumph, but instead lost a unanimous decision to Lyoto Machida. Before he departed, however, Ortiz insisted there was still plenty of fight left in him, whether with the UFC or another organization.
Ortiz, a Huntington Beach native and former light-heavyweight champion, had grown fed up with his relationship with UFC President Dana White, which reached a new level of hostility last week when White made some disparaging remarks during a conference call with reporters.
Ortiz, 33, said before the fight that he was not interested in re-signing with the organization that he had been part of the last 11 years. However, he left the door open a crack during a post-fight interview.
Sherk (35-3-1) was stripped of his title last year after testing positive for nandrolone, although he steadfastly denied using the anabolic steroid. Penn (14-4-1) defeated Joe Stevenson earlier this year to win the vacant title, forcing Sherk to go toe to toe with Penn to get it back.
That’s how they fought for the first three rounds, with Penn opening cuts under Sherk’s eyes before a left-right-left combination backed Sherk into the cage. That’s when Penn jumped into Sherk with a raised left knee, dropping him into a heap.
Ortiz (16-6-1) lost all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards. Machida, a clever southpaw from Brazil, dodged Ortiz’s blows from the start and avoided his patented take-down attempts. Then he made him pay with a variety of counterpunches and kicks.
Ortiz managed to pull Machida into a Muay Thai clinch early in the third round and landed some knee shots to the body, but Machida (13-0-0) followed with the biggest blow, a knee to Ortiz’s ribs that dropped the former champion to the canvas.
“He kind of knocked the wind out of me for a second,” Ortiz said.
Machida, 29, then pounced on Ortiz and landed a number of elbows and punches to the head, one opening a gash over Ortiz’s right eye. Machida then found himself in serious trouble with about 25 seconds remaining when Ortiz managed to lock his legs around Machida’s neck in a triangle chokehold, but Machida again proved too slick and wiggled free.
“I thought I had him there for a second,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz, who came into the fight wearing a black T-shirt that read, “I Did It My Way,” reiterated his plans to continue fighting for a living, took a final jab at White and ended with a parting goodbye.
“I gave 11 years to this octagon and it’s too bad that I’m leaving right now,” he said. “I’ll be going to greener pastures, I hope, for the future.”
However, when asked if that was, indeed, his final fight in the UFC, Ortiz didn’t completely close the door.
“I haven’t decided at all,” he said. “I’m going to go back home, take about two weeks off.”
Georges St. Pierre will defend his welterweight championship against Jon Fitch in the featured bout at UFC 87 on Aug. 9 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
UFC representatives announced the long-awaited showdown Thursday.
St. Pierre (16-2, 10-2 UFC) has looked all but invincible since his surprising loss to Matt Serra at UFC 69 in April 2007. The 27-year-old roared past Josh Koscheck and future UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes en route to a rematch with Serra at UFC 83 last month, a rematch that St. Pierre dominated by second-round TKO.
One of the sport’s most dynamic fighters, St. Pierre owns a pair of stoppage victories against Hughes along with wins over reigning International Fight League welterweight champion Jay Hieron and former Icon Sport champions Frank Trigg and Jason “Mayhem” Miller. He has also defeated UFC lightweight titleholder BJ Penn and one-time 155-pound kingpin Sean Sherk.
St. Pierre respects Fitch’s talent and toughness.
“He’s a very, very tough guy,” St. Pierre told UFC.com. “I’m [going to] have to train hard and be very well prepared, because he may be my toughest fight yet.”
On a 15-fight winning streak, Fitch (16-2, 8-0 UFC) tied UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie’s longstanding record with his eighth consecutive win inside the Octagon at UFC 82 in March as the 30-year-old defeated Team Quest’s Chris Wilson by unanimous decision.
“I think I’ve paid my dues,” Fitch said. “There aren’t too many guys that go 8-0 in the UFC. I’ve fought a lot of tough guys. Whether or not the fans really know the names of those guys who fought, those guys were all tough bastards. I’ve grinded away, and I think I’ve gotten to a position where I do deserve a title shot.”
Since he made his promotional debut with a unanimous decision win over Brock Larson in October 2005, Fitch has submitted Josh Burkman and Roan Carneiro, knocked out Thiago Alves and decisioned Diego Sanchez, who was 17-1 when they fought. He also holds UFC victories against Luigi Fioravanti and Kuniyoshi Hironaka.
“I’ve earned my position,” Fitch said. “Nobody took care of me. Nobody coddled me. Nobody gave me easy fights. I asked [UFC matchmaker] Joe Silva a long time ago to give me the toughest guys they could find to fight. I’m here to find out how good I am.”
A heavyweight match between former WWE superstar Brock Lesnar and Mark Coleman, the originally scheduled main event at UFC 87, has been called off after Coleman withdrew with a knee injury. Lesnar, who wrestled collegiately at the University of Minnesota, will remain on the card, though a replacement opponent has not yet been named.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans are eagerly anticipating the biggest Featherweight title fight in the history of the sport on June 1, 2008 as “The California Kid” Urijah Faber defends his WEC featherweight title belt against Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver.
The matchbetween the current WEC Champion Faber and former UFC® star Pulver will be broadcast on the Versus network and promises to be an explosive contest between two world-class fighters.The match will be broadcast on June 1 at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT).A preview “WEC Outside the Cage: Faber vs. Pulver” will be broadcast May at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET.
Faber is currently the top-ranked featherweight MMA fighter in the world with a record of 20-1.he earned the WEC Featherweight title in March of 2006 and has successfully defended it four times since then. His most recent victory came when he choked out Jeff Curran in December of 2006 in the fight’s second round.For an exclusive interview with Urijah Faber please see:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z98DUcCzbVY
Jens Pulver has a record of 22-8-1 and was the first lightweight champion in the UFC®.Pulver is undefeated in his last eight fights in the 145 lb division.Pulver has a long history in MMA as well as boxing and all indications are that he takes this fight very seriously.
Also on the card for the June 1 event will be Miguel Angel Torres (33-1) defending his WEC Bantamweight champion belt versus Yoshira Maeda (23-4-2).Another fight that will be on the same card will be WEC Lightweight champ Rob McCullogh who is defending against Kenneth Alexander.Mark Munoz will also fight Chuck Grigsby the same night.
LOS ANGELES, May 22 –The fighters have arrived in Manchester, England for one of the biggest sporting events to hit the United Kingdom in years and the sound of IBO & Ring Magazine World Junior Welterweight Champion Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton’s (43-1, 31 KOs) theme song can be heard on every street corner.
Fortunately for American fight fans, they too can be part of the mayhem in Manchester when VERSUS televises live on Saturday the spectacular double-header that includes Hatton’s return to the ring against former world title challenger and top rated contender Juan Lazcano, as well as a co-feature bout between IBF World Junior Welterweight Champion Paulie ‘The Magic Man’ Malignaggi in a re-match with rugged South African-Australian battler Lovemore N’Dou.
With an expected 55,000 fans ascending on the City of Manchester Stadium to see the bout live, Hatton, coming off the only loss of his career to pound-for-pound best Floyd Mayweather last December, is ready to show his worldwide fan base, why he is still a great champion.
“It’s great to be back in action and it’s an absolute dream come true to fight at the Manchester City Stadium against a fighter like Lazcano who comes to fight.” said Hatton. “A fight like this can’t fail to be a winner. Also, it’s my way of thanking all of my loyal fans whether they are here in the stadium or watching live in the United States. I can’t wait!”
The VERSUS telecast will begin at a special time of 3:30pm ET/12:30pm PT, marking the first ever collaboration between the network and Golden Boy Promotions. The live fight will be produced and shown in HD where available. The championship doubleheader will be replayed on Sunday, May 25 at 10:00pm ET.
Looking to spoil Hatton’s party is Lazcano (37-4-1, 27 KOs). “I’m here in Manchester but have no fear of Ricky Hatton or his fans,” said Lazcano. “I know I will ‘WOW’ the world on Saturday when I beat Ricky and take his belts from him!”
IBF World Junior Welterweight Champion Malignaggi (24-1, 5 KOs), is fighting for the first time outside of the United States, and has a chance to show a world-wide audience that he is more than just a flashy fighter with a big mouth.
“I am going to razzle and dazzle the 55,000 fans at the City of Manchester Stadium Saturday night and all those watching back in the States will remember why they love to see me fight,” said Malignaggi. “It will be another dominating performance as I plan to outbox and outwork him just like the first fight!”
His opponent N’dou has other plans. “No one can beat me in front of a crowd this big. The last time we fought the referee didn’t let me fight my fight but this time I will take him to school, give him a boxing lesson and he’ll be lucky to last twelve rounds.”
“Homecoming” is promoted by Punch Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions and Frank Maloney Promotions. Malignaggi vs. N’Dou is presented in association with DiBella Entertainment.
Rusty Rubin is the editor of the Ringsports.com website and the author of three acclaimed boxing books! “Woozel, Boxing and Me”, “Off the Canvas” and “Billy Soose, the Champion Time Forgot” co-authored by Tom Donelson.
The California Boxing Hall of Fame will honor many great fighters and boxing folks at their June 21st induction ceremonies. The event will take place at the Sportsman Lodge in Studio City, Cal.
Among those being honored are Joe Louis, Jackie McCoy, Eddie Futch, Laila Ali, Mando Ramos, and many more.
For more information or tickets for this Saturday afternoon event, call: (818) 761-4887 or via e-mail at neicyrox@sbcglobal.net.
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I feel the highest tribute one can receive is positive comments about his endeavors in his chosen field of work. I thank everyone who has taken time to make those comments to me, either in person or other means of communication. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.***
I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to the longevity of our magazine, (now on hold) face to face, but that would require a lot of long distance travel, something I am no longer up to.
The major fight this weekend takes place in Manchester, England when two seasoned veterans meet.
Ricky Hatton, the hometown favorite goes up against Juan Lazcano. Both these fighters are getting up in years, and neither is that big a puncher, although Hatton tends to inflict a bit more damage.
Picking a winner here looks to easy, as both fighters have good chins, but Hatton has refused to lose at home. That being said, the logical choice is Hatton by decision, although I wouldn’t rule out a TKO.
Glove2Glove:
Patricia Page, wife of former heavyweight champ Greg Page has set up their second annual fundraising dinner and silent auction to be held in the Executive West Inn in Louisville, Kentucky on June 14th.
For information on how to help our fallen fighter, please call (502) 363-3609…Your support as always is greatly appreciated.
Please say a prayer for the complete recovery of ring announcer Michael Buffer who has been diagnosed with throat cancer.
Former President of the GoldenState Boxers Assn. and wrestling great Count Billy Varga is in a So. Cal. nursing home and would love to hear from his fans….Please drop him a line at Brighton Gardens of Northridge, 17630 W. Devonshire St., Northridge, Cal 91330.
Prayers for the return to health of Patti Brandenburg, wife of boxing manager Gary.
Please say prayers for the recovery of good friend and great boxing guy Norm Cote, Past President of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, who is undergoing dialysis three times a week. Norm’s a great guy and a real fighter and we have to be there in his corner.
Please say a prayer for the recovery of Geneva Luna, mother of our ace photographer, Ray. Geneva suffered a stroke on Easter Sunday.
Prayers also for former World Boxing Hall of Fame President Charlie Casas who is having some severe health problems as well as one of the founders and past President, Dub Harris, who suffered a stroke.
Prayers for Audrey Talmo, wife of solid boxing guy, Ed. Also prayers for the recovery of Mills Lane and Denis Wilxox.
Please say prayers for Phill Grazide of Santa Rosa, CA. a big supporter of amateur boxing, who is suffering the crippling effects of rheumatoid arthritis.***
Needless to say we need prayers for the return to health of both former champs Greg Page and Gerald McClellan, both confined to wheelchairs.***
Glove2Glove is a non-denominational group set up to aide those boxing folks and their friends and relatives in need of prayers and cards. We accept no money and contact our members when someone is in need. It’s absolutely free to join. God doesn’t ask for money, and neither do we. Joining us is as Simple as sending us your e-mail address. And even if you’re not a member, feel free to contact us if you are aware of some boxing person in need.***
LOS ANGELES, May 21 – In a few years, boxing historians may look back on Friday, June 27 as a day when fans got to see the fighters making up the future of the sport of boxing all fighting on one spectacular card. Given the amateur pedigree and pro success of Abner Mares, Nestor Rocha, the Velasquez Brothers and Hector Sanchez – who own a combined pro record of 61-0 – it goes without saying that Golden Boy Promotions’ latest card at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California will be another one to remember.
Doors open at 4:00pm and the first bell rings at 4:30pm. The TeleFutura ‘Solo Boxeo’ broadcast begins at 8pm ET / PT (delayed on the west coast).
Tickets, priced at $35, $75 and $125, can be purchased at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa Box Office at (951) 755-5391 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Abner Mares (16-0, 10 KOs) is considered by most boxing insiders to be the sport’s next bantamweight star. The Montebello, California resident and member of the 2004 Mexican Olympic team, burst onto the pro scene in style, dazzling fans with his speed and boxing skills. Despite being just 22 years old, he has already beaten fighters far more experienced than him, including his most recent conquest over 34-fight veteran Diosdado Gabi, who he took out in just two rounds to retain his NABO Bantamweight championship on March 15. Further confirming his status as a boxing prodigy, Mares is trained by legendary Mexican trainer Nacho Beristain, who considers Mares one of the most talented fighters he has ever trained.
The pride of Montebello, California, Nestor Rocha (18-1, 6 KOs) has thrilled fans from Texas to Tokyo over the course of his seven year career. Hitting his stride in the last couple of years, Rocha bounced back from his lone loss with a ninth round TKO of former Mexican Olympian Cesar Morales last November, and he is eager to follow up that win in even more emphatic fashion on June 27.
Carlos Velasquez (7-0, 6 KOs) has been tearing through the junior lightweight division since turning pro in February of 2007. A 2004 Puerto Rican Olympian who compiled an incredible amateur record of 220-30 and owns an amateur win over highly regarded Cuban champion Yuriorkis Gamboa, Velasquez has won all seven of his pro fights, six by knockout, and looks to follow in the footsteps of Puerto Rican icon Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad to multiple world titles. In his last bout on March 22, he decisioned 48-fight veteran Manuel Sarabia over six rounds.
The twin brother of fellow prospect Carlos Velasquez, featherweight prospect Juan Velasquez (7-0, 4 KOs) has the experience, talent and desire to make a lot of noise in the 126-pound division. A stellar amateur who compiled a record of 210-40, Juan’s pro journey began on February 22, 2007, when he scored a four round unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten Manuel Angulo. He has only gone the distance twice more in his subsequent six fights as he has compiled an unbeaten record which includes three first round knockouts and a win over 34-fight veteran Elvis Martinez.
Junior welterweight Hector Sanchez (13-0, 5 KOs) is a two-time Puerto Rican national amateur champion and a 2000 Junior Olympic Bronze medalist who compiled a 72-10 amateur record. A tall (6’2”) and complete fighter who can box or bang, the 21-year-old turned pro with a four-round win over John Temple in March of 2005 and with 11 more victories under his belt, including a first round TKO of fellow prospect Roberto Astacio in September of 2007, he is hitting his stride and ready to make his move into elite level of the junior welterweight division on his way towards reaching a self imposed goal of World Championships in five weight divisions. Sanchez made his debut under the Golden Boy Promotions banner on the May 3, 2008 De La Hoya vs. Forbes undercard.
Opponents for all fighters will be announced shortly.
“I am sending, on behalf of the 164 nations affiliated with the WBC, best wishes for Vitali Klitschko to win the mayoral election in Kiev, Ukraine, on May 25.
“I hope that the voting citizens of Kiev will take into strong consideration the perseverance and efficiency that Vitali utilized to make his company successful in business, his strong feelings of patriotism and love for Ukraine, and the great qualities and abilities of a young sportsman with his clean mind and heart to lead the city of Kiev to reach its highest goals and ideals
“If elected, Vitali Klitschko would be the first fighting mayor in the 300-year history of boxing, and would have a great opportunity to once again become the heavyweight champion of the world.
“The fighting mayor and world champion would be seen favorably by the whole world as an example for sportsmen to lead their citizens with their charisma, human virtues and values.
“If Vitali is elected, the WBC would appoint a committee of the top officers of the WBC to go, along with myself, to attend his inauguration.”
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (May 20, 2008) – Two-division champion Joan Guzman has made it no secret that he intends to win a title in the lightweight division. He already has an opponent in mind; the lightweight kingpin and always colorful Nate Campbell.
Campbell (32-5-1, 25 KOs), who got married last Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla., is currently on his honeymoon.
“Everyone has seen the picture of Nate and his wife in their cute, white, wedding outfits,” said Guzman, who has a record of 28-0, with 17 knockouts. “I hope they’re enjoying their honeymoon because Nate’s honeymoon at the top of the lightweight division is going to end once he finds the courage to fight me.”
Guzman may or may not get his wish since Campbell’s team is in a WBO purse bid with Campbell’s mandatory challenger Joel Casamayor. The purse bid is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27.
“I don’t know why Nate is considering fighting Casamayor,” said Guzman, who is exclusively promoted by San Diego-based Sycuan Ringside Promotions. “I think he’s afraid of me. I’ll make Nate look so bad that he’ll retire after I wipe the floor with him.
“I guess I can understand why Nate doesn’t want to fight me. Twenty-eight boxers have tried to beat me and none of them came close to succeeding.
“I honestly thought Nate was a serious fighter, but I’m starting to question that. If Nate wants a real challenge, he knows where to find me.”
ABOUT SYCUAN RINGSIDE PROMOTIONS
Sycuan Ringside Promotions has many notable boxers in its stable, including undefeated former World Boxing Organization junior lightweight champion Joan Guzman, World Boxing Council super bantamweight champion Israel Vazquez, World Boxing Association super bantamweight champion Celestino Caballero, former WBC welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir, former International Boxing Federation lightweight champion Julio Diaz, lightweight sensation Jorge Paez Jr., undefeated cruiserweight prospect Shawn Hawk and once-beaten, super middleweight prospect Henry Buchanan.
Sycuan Ringside Promotions is led by Glenn Quiroga, president; Willie Tucker, executive vice president; and Scott Woodworth, vice president.
Frank Shamrock, a five-time Ultimate Fighting champion and perhaps the biggest name in the sport, will serve as an analyst and color commentator for the inaugural “CBS Elitexc Saturday Night Fights.”The telecast will be anchored by CBS veteran play-by-play man Gus Johnson, a practicing martial artist and mainstay for the network’s college basketball, NBA and NFL games. He’ll be joined by Mauro Ranallo, who hosts Showtime’s mixed martial arts programming, and Showtime boxing reporter Karyn Bryant.
“The expertise and knowledge of this diverse cast of announcers will not only excite and inform the hardcore fan, but will educate and entertain people tuning in to watch mixed martial arts for the very first time,” said Douglas DeLuca, executive chairman of ProElite, which produces the Elitexc fights in partnership with Showtime.
Shamrock, a pioneer of full-contact cage fighting and the first UFC middleweight champion, has beaten some of the sport’s biggest names, including Tito Ortiz, Bas Rutten, Enson Inoue, Jeremy Horn and Phil Baroni. He once had a guest-starring role on “Walker, Texas Ranger” and is the younger brother of mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler Ken Shamrock.
The CBS event will be broadcast live May 31 from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., at 9 p.m. EDT.
They don’t have the lengthy track record of Don King and Bob Arum, but Gary Shaw and Dana White are certainly off to a good start in creating MMA’s version of boxing’s most famous promotional rivals.
Say this for EliteXC’s Shaw: When the promoter is mad, you don’t need much prodding to pull it out of him.
Incensed by comments UFC President White made in a recent interview deriding Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson, EliteXC’s headline attraction for its May 31 broadcast on CBS, Shaw fired back with both guns blazing during a Thursday media conference call.
In a May 21 interview with the Long Beach Press-Telegram, White offered up his assessment of Slice and rival promotion EliteXC, whose coveted CBS slot will be the first mixed martial arts broadcast in primetime on network television. The 16-month-old Elite XC lacks the massive brand recognition the UFC has spent years building, but with the CBS slot, they’ve landed a deal that eluded UFC when it fell out of negotiations with both CBS and HBO last year.
“The amount of talent and fights we put on are second to none. Think about it, the CBS fight that they are coming up with, who gives a crap about Kimbo Slice?” White told the Press-Telegram. “This guy can’t fight MMA. You know what would happen if he fought in the UFC? I’d put him in against (UFC lightweight champion) B.J. Penn and (Slice) would get annihilated. Kimbo has no credibility at all in MMA. I am telling you, B.J. Penn would beat him.”
With the 155-pound Penn giving up 80 pounds to the heavyweight Slice (including Kimbo’s beard), that’s saying something.
And Shaw didn’t like it one bit.
“Dana White is a jack-off. Dana White is a f–ing idiot,” Shaw said. “And you can quote me on that. If he cared about MMA, he would understand that. Comments like that make you look like a jerk. B.J.’s brother works for our company. If (Dana) wasn’t an idiot, May 31 would be the UFC instead of us on CBS.”
As of press time Thursday afternoon, White did not return calls for comment.
The debut of MMA on network television breaks new ground, but the bitter aftertaste of being beaten there is something Shaw no doubt is more than happy to remind White of. Yet Elite XC does not have a hit reality show, years of pay-per-view successes and the bulk of the game’s best fighters on its roster — all advantages the UFC and White would reflexively point to, and with good reason. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
However, the larger issue is market dominance, something the UFC seemingly quelled with its purchase of Pride in 2007. Not unlike the dot.com phenomenon, suitors jump in when a buck can seemingly be made, and so far the Zuffa-owned corporation has kept pace with better offerings.
But unlike other rival promotions which have fizzled in recent months — the much-hyped M-1 Global among them — Shaw comes from a boxing background, where he quietly labored in the shadows of King and Arum, forever an underdog, financially outgunned, working the margins and fostering relationships to get his talent to the top level. He prospered despite this.
White, UFC and Zuffa have been the toughest guy in the neighborhood for a while, and for good reason. However, Shaw survived in a rougher one, longer than MMA has been around. In these personal attacks, both seem a little too quick to show how unintimidated they are. It’s posturing for a confrontation both know might be inevitable, but neither wants to openly address.
Who was the second best heavyweight around during the first title reign of Muhammad Ali ? A strong argument could be made for Chicago’s Ernie Terrell. Why ? Because he earned it. He was even good enough to hold the WBA version of the heavyweight title but everyone knew who the ” real ” champ was.
Terrell turned professional in 1957. At 6′6” he learned early how to use his height and reach to his advantage. He developed a good jab and learned how to tie up his opponents on the inside. It wasn’t pretty but it was effective. He won eighteen of his first twenty contests losing two eight round split decisions to Johnny Gray. In 1960 he was outscored by the capable Wayne Bethea. In 1962 Ernie suffered a major set back when he was halted by the powerful Cleveland Williams.
Terrell began his march to the top in 1963 defeating Williams in a return match and top contender Zora Folley. In 1964 Big Ernie beat Gerhard Zech, Jefferson Davis and stopped a young Bob Foster. When the WBA stripped Ali of his title recognition they matched Terrell with perrenial contender Eddie Machen. It was an ugly fight with a lot of wrestling and little punching but Terrell did what he had to do to win the ” vacant ” title.
Maybe Ernie was not considered the real champion but he did establish himself as the most formidable challenger to Ali. He closed 1965 with a decision over rugged George Chuvalo. In 1966 Terrell defeated slick Doug Jones. Finally after a failed attempt Terrell and Ali were finally matched to unify the title. The bout would take place at the Houston Astrodome. Ernie’s bold refusal to acknowledge Ali’s Muslim name and refer to him as Clay irked Muhammad who vowed to punish Ernie. Punish he did as Ali worked Terrell over throughout the fifteen rounder. Round after round Ali would lash out at Terrell with punishing jabs and flurries while screaming ” what’s my name ? “. To Ernie’s credit he gamely absorbed the punishment with a very swollen eye. When it was all over there was no doubt who the King of the heavyweights was.
The WBA would later strip Ali of the title again in 1967 for refusing induction into the Armed Forces. An eight man elimination tourney was set up to determine Ali’s successor. Ernie was one of the eight contestants and an early favorite to win the tournement. Terrell was eliminated in the first leg of the tourney being upset by Thad Spencer. Terrell looked to be finished when he next lost to Mexican Manuel Ramos. He would not fight again until 1970 and his comeback drew little interest until he scored a major upset in 1972 by halting highly rated Jose Luis Garcia. In 1973 Ernie lost a very controversial verdict to Chuck Wepner but his career then came crashing down when he was belted out in one round by Jeff ” Candy Slim ” Merritt.
In all Terrell fought 54 times winning 45 of them. He stopped 21 foes. Ernie suffered nine losses but was only stopped twice. Today Ernie is remembered as a footnote to Ali’s pre-exile days. In reality he was a viable contender who was overshadowed by ” The Greatest “.
It’s hard to be a Boxing fan these days. With the emergence of MMA over the last decade it is no longer in vogue to appreciate a good stiff jab. Nor is it any fun to watch a guy breakdown his opponent over a 12 round fight in route to a unanimous decision. No my friends, the “in” thing is for immediate satisfaction by way of what they call an arm bar or ankle lock. If not that, we certainly need a guy lying helpless on his back in the first round while tattooed freak #2 continues to lower the boom on their unprotected opponent. Many of my friends won’t watch Boxing anymore. Instead they watch the “quick fix” that is the MMA and take any opportunity they can to belittle my beloved sport of Boxing for being the boring sham that they seem to think it is.
On the other hand, if I have to watch Sultan Ibragamov fight again, I might start to agree with them.
Even your friendly neighborhood scribe gets frustrated with the sport of Boxing on occasion. After all, I grew up watching fights on network TV. Not a weekend passed that I didn’t have at least one fight to watch on one of the big three networks. My man Tim Ryan and the Great Gil Clancy would be ringside on CBS at least two weeks a month. If not them, the not so great team of Marv Albert and Dr Ferdie Pacheco would be calling the action on NBC. The granddaddy of them all, ABC’s Wide World of Sports would televise Heavyweight Championship fights, LIVE!
Heck, any fights that you find on “free” TV now are usually mismatches or showcases. In the old days, you saw the likes of Saoul Mamby against Leroy Haley or Bazooka Limon battling Bobby Chacon in real competitive fights pitting two champs or contenders. Those types of televised fights have gone the way of the Dodo bird. By the way, the people that call ESPN and Fox Sports “free TV”, I would like you to have a talk with my cable provider because they feel differently.
What does this have to do with Cotto and Margarito you ask?
This match up between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito on July 26th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas is the type of fight that makes all my pain and negativity go away as it relates to the current state of Boxing. Two very good Champions who are trying to achieve greatness are fighting each other. The fight will be for Miguel Cotto’s WBA Welterweight crown. Margarito, who is the IBF champ, will vacate his crown to make this historic bout happen. There is not a better and more competitive match up out there right now.
For the Boxing die hard fans out there, I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. For the casual fan that doesn’t follow the sport and might not understand the attraction of it, I urge you to watch this one. For those who think Oscar De La Hoya is the only fighter still active in Boxing, make it a point to watch this fight!Start saving your fifty bucks now. This fight is a sure fire classic and will not disappoint. I already have the signed affidavit from my beautiful wife to allow me to spend the $59.95. She has also given me clearance to ignore her all day in preparation for the viewing. It must be a big one for her to give me such a long leash.
More on this great bout as we draw closer.
Ode to Chris Byrd:
I was never a big fan of Chris Byrd’s style in the ring, nor did I rush to the television to watch him fight. He is what one would call boring. After watching him take an unnecessary and ugly beating last Friday from Shaun George, I felt bad for him. I should have known things weren’t looking good for Chris that night. When he came into the ring less the forty pounds that he used to take in the ring as a heavyweight, he looked sick. His skinny calves made Tommy Hearns’ calves look like Popeye’s. You can’t beat father time and you can’t lose that much weight at that advanced age and expect to compete. (See Roy Jones)
Chris Byrd will never be remembered as a great fighter. He will however be remembered as an overachiever who did more with his little body than most do with their big one. He fought big heavyweights like David Tua, Jameel McCline and Vitali Klitschko and did well. He started the downward spiral of Evander Holyfield with a victory over “The Real Deal” He was a two time Heavyweight Champion and deserves respect as such. He held his head high and from all reports is a very good family man. I want to say thank you to Chris Byrd for giving your heart and soul to Boxing and for using your talents to their fullest. For once, I hope Chris listens to his wife and stays retired. A guy like him would do well in a TV studio or ringside doing color with HBO. Well done Mr. Byrd.
Fenech-Nelson III
Please tell me this is a joke. Word on the street is that Jeff Fenech and Azumah Nelson plan on another rematch that supposedly will take place in Melbourne on June 24th. Last time I checked, I don’t think either of these guys has fought in over ten years. I can’t wait for the pending “Azumah Nelson Grill” that will most likely follow. As the Barry Tompkins once said in Moscow, “they better stop it, before someone gets killed.”
