Boxing News (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/31/08

1. Arthur Abraham's first fight in the US maybe June 21 against Edison Miranda??? Miranda is free after Mikkel Kessler pulled out of their fight. Showtime is loving the rematch between Abraham and Miranda. Some of you may remember Abraham defeated Miranda by UD in a very unusual fight where Abraham's jaw was severely broken and bleeding profusely. Miranda was deducted 5 points for fouls.

2. Vitali Klitschko is once again going to run for Mayor of Kiev. He ran for Mayor back in 2005 losing to Leonid Chernovetskiy , who has become the subject of corruption with the government calling for an early election. Vitali will be campaigning until the May 25 election. It is believed that if Vitali wins the election he will not pursue his fight with Samuel Peter. Ok update, Klitschko has stated win or lose the election he will still pursue his fight with Samuel Peter. The fight is looking to take place in September or October.

3. It appears another old-timer wants to come back to the ring. Jorge Paez, the former IBF Featherweight and Super Featherweight Champion, is scheduled to return to the ring in Mexico on June 28. Paez is 42 and has not fought since 2003. Paez is just another one of many names who have made or about to make their returns to the ring. Others as of late who are making comebacks are Iran Barkley, Saul Mamby, Tommy Morrison, Jeff Fenech and Azumah Nelson. I guess you can't forget Evander Holyfield who just will not quit.

4. Not to be outdone, Joe Mesi has stated he will be announcing his campaign to run for the soon to be vacant 61st District New York State Senate at a news conference on April 5. Mesi is not announcing a retirement from boxing but will be working on his campaign full-time. Mesi has also said he is a loyal democrat and always has been.

5. You have got to love how boxing works. Darnell "Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson who lost in his last fight against BJ Flores will be getting a title shot against WBA Cruiserweight Champion Firat Arslan. Flores won a UD over Wilson on February 8 yet Wilson gets the title shot first. This is another example of why people try to talk bad about boxing. There is no reason why Wilson should get a title shot before Flores. The fight between Wilson and Arslan will take place in Germany on May 3.

Mayweather KOs Big Show Highlights

Breaking News!!!!!!!! Floyd KOs Big Show

#1Pound4Pound Fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated Paul Big Show Wight at Wrestlemania XXIV. Floyd was being overworked by the 7 foot Big Show. Mayweather's handlers tried to pull Floyd out of the ring but Big Show followed. Big Show finally got a hold of Mayweather and threw him back in the ring. When Big Show was about to finish Mayweather with a chokeslam, Mayweather's handlers interfered again. As Big Show was distracted, Mayweather hit him with a chair. Mayweather then hit him low and dropped him to his knees. It was at that point Mayweather took off his protective mitts and then dropped the Big Show with a right hand. Floyd was wearing a brass knuckle when he landed the punch. I am sure a lot more drama will arise from this. Stay Tuned.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/29/08

1. It looks like IBF Middleweight Champion Arthur Abraham is ready to come to the US to fight after stopping Elvin Ayala in the 12 round today. Abraham has wanted to come to the US and said he would after this fight. Well after his impressive 12th round KO it seems the time is right.

2. Could there be a reason behind the madness of Mikkel Kessler??? Rumor has it Kessler is looking to move up to the Light Heavyweight division. It is rumored that Kessler pulled out of his fight with Edison Miranda after WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Danny Green announced his retirement. Since the WBA Title will become vacant, Kessler would move up in weight, get a decent ranking by the WBA and fight for the vacant title. If Kessler wins the title then he becomes a major player in a division with Roy Jones Jr., Antonio Tarver, Glen Johnson, Chris Byrd and a few more. So maybe he was not scared of Miranda at all, just was truly weighing his options.

3. It appears the WBO is giving newly crowned WBO Interim Lightweight Champion Joel Casamayor until April 4 to decide to take a fight with Nate Campbell. Casamayor has said several times he does not want the fight with Campbell since he defeated him in the past. With that being said, it appears Casamayor will be stripped of the WBO Interim Title and Anthony Peterson will then become the mandatory for Nate Campbell.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and The Big Show Wrestlemania XXIV Official Rules

The official rules for the Floyd "Money" Mayweather vs. Big Show match at WrestleMania® XXIV have just been announced: There MUST be a winner and anything goes. The match can be won by pinfall, submission, or knockout.

Let the drama begin!!!!

K-9 Defeats Ouma In A Crossroads Fight

Tonight on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, Cornelius K-9 Bundrage earned a UD over former IBF Junior Middleweight Champion Kassim Ouma. The official scores of the fight were 96-93 twice and 95-94. It was a close fight that was not very interesting in my opinion. Ouma, who has been on the downside for a few fights, just did not have the energy he used to have. Ouma has always been known as a volume puncher throwing 100+ punches a round. Tonight he did not throw 100 punches in a round. The reason he would throw so many punches is because he did not have a lot of power in his punches. He put some pressure on K-9 in rounds 3 and 4 after an accidental headbutt caused a cut on K-9. The blood flowed heavily from the left side of K-9's face but his corner eventually stopped the blood. K-9, who looks like a bodybuilder trying to box, was able to land some decent right hands on Ouma. Nothing spectacular about K-9's performance, he just simply outworked Ouma for the win. For Ouma, this is his 3rd loss in a row and he has an even longer road back to the top. Even at 29, with the way he fought tonight, I don't see him getting back to the top. For K-9, it was a decent win on his record but I don't see much happening for him. He is too stiff in the ring and does not have a lot of movement. K-9 may get another decent payday fight or two, but he just does not appear to have world class skills in the boxing ring. At 34, if he does not have the skills by now, I doubt if he will ever get them.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/28/08

1. Junior Witter has said he is tired of chasing a fight with Ricky Hatton. He said to make it easier since Hatton's camp has accused Witter of pricing himself out he will fight for free. Witter just asked that his training expenses and camp be paid, but he will not take any compensation. He said he would fight Hatton for free to prove he could always kick his ass.

2. The national anthems will not be performed for either Bernard Hopkins or Joe Calzaghe when they meet on April 19. Promoters feel to avoid a potential situation it will be best to just not have either anthem performed. This stems from the Floyd Mayweather Jr-Ricky Hatton fight when the British booed during the performance of the United States national anthem.

3. It may happen. Roy Jones Jr. and UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva may actually fight. Talks have began between the camps, but there is several things that must happen in order for this fight to happen. Silva has to get a release from the UFC, get a boxing license from the state the fight happens, along with other details that go with a fight such revenue split, venue etc. This fight will definitely be on PPV whenever it happens.

4. At first there were some technical difficulties in the telecast of the Cory Spinks-Verno Phillips fight, but by the time the 2nd fight started it was a clear telecast. Don King has done it again and look for more fights to be brought exclusively on the web. The next fight that may happen on donkingtv could feature Ricardo Mayorga. Be on the lookout.

5. There is some talk about a fight between Jeff Lacy and Allan Green taking place on the undercard of Shane Mosley-Zab Judah.

6. Lightweight Contender Zahir Raheem is no longer fighting on the April 18 edition of Friday Night Fights. Raheem is taking some time off from the gym after getting in a car accident. No replacement fight has been announced yet.

7. The Junior Witter-Timothy Bradley is official for May 10 in England. The co-feature will be Carl Froch against Denis Inkin in a Super Middleweight eliminator which was re-scheduled from March 29. Now the big news is Showtime is trying to show these two fights on a Special Addition of ShoBox. Hopefully that will work out.

8. The stitches for the cut over the right eye of Manny Pacquiao have been removed. The cut is healing and does not look to affect the scheduled June 28 date for Pacquiao to challenge WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz.

9. It appears that Jeff Wald, Contender Promoter and promoter of Brian Vera, does not want a rematch between Vera and Andy Lee. Last Friday, Vera upset Lee on ESPN2 Friday Night Fight and talks of a rematch began. However Wald said there is no way a rematch will happen because win or lose there is no upswing for Vera. I guess we will need to see how much money comes their way to make them say yes.

10. Speaking of Andy Lee, he is looking to officially sign with Top Rank real soon. Top Rank and Lee had agreed to terms but Lee had not officially signed the contract. Bob Arum said he still wanted to sign Lee to Top Rank but needed to modify the contract since Lee was no longer undefeated.

11. In a huge deal for all of you classic fight watchers, ESPN and Showtime have struck a deal to show some classic fights from Showtime exclusively on ESPN Classic. The fights will be on ESPN Classic on Thursdays at 8pm EST with a replay at midnight EST. This series began last night (Damn I missed it) with Corrales-Castillo I.

12. Unbeaten super featherweight sensation Yuriorkis Gamboa (9-0, 8 KOs) will now be fighting Darling Jimenez (23-2-2, 14 KOs) on May 17. The fight will still take place on HBO Boxing After Dark. Jimenez will be replacing Marcos Ramirez who decided he did not want the fight after all.

The Pride Of St. Louis Is Broken Tonight!!!! Spinks Loses His Title By Split Decision!!!!

Oh my goodness, Cory Spinks lost his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship to Verno Phillips. This is a total upset. The commentator who called the fight somehow saw a blowout in favor of Spinks. I did not see that. I had Spinks winning 115-113. The official scores were 115-113 Phillips, 115-113 Spinks, and 116-112 Phillips. I am in shock because I never thought Phillips would win. Spinks did not land very many power shots and that is what probably cost him the fight. Most of the rounds were very close and although I had Spinks winning by a close score I could see him losing. Phillips was the more aggressive fighter and when he got in on the inside he caught Spinks a few times. At the end of round 7, Phillips caught Spinks with 2 hard left hands that stunned Cory. In round 8 I saw a change in momentum towards Phillips as he was landing a little more. In round 9 Spinks tried to fight on the inside and got caught with 2 hard lefts that really got his attention. Round 11, I felt Spinks finally got some urgency in his system and brought the fight to Phillips a little more. However in round 12 you could feel Phillips putting pressure on and landing a few more shots on Spinks. When the decision was announced, Spinks was in total shock as was his corner. For the third time in the month of March the older fighter(Phillips, Nate Campbell and Joel Casamayor) beat the younger fighter (Spinks, Juan Diaz, and Michael Katsidis).

Disappointed by the loss, Cory Spinks immediately left the ring without an interview. Phillips was excited about his victory. He stated he knew there were doubters out there because of his age, but if Bernard Hopkins could do it so could he.

Where does Cory Spinks goes from here? He was already having a difficult time getting fights because he is a slick southpaw without knockout power. This is his 2nd title fight loss in his hometown of St. Louis. The first loss was to Zab Judah when he was TKOd in the 9th round for his Undisputed Welterweight Title. He then barely beat Roman Karmazin to win the IBF Junior Middleweight Title that he ended up losing tonight. Many will say, including myself, that the switch of trainers may have had some effect on Spinks. This is not an excuse, but when I watched the fight I did not see the intensity in Buddy Shaw like I did with Kevin Cunningham in the corner. No matter how well Spinks would win or lose a round, Cunningham always lit a fire in his ass to keep him going. Shaw did not instill any urgency in Spinks and Spinks did not fight with any fire. The whole time I was watching the fight I kept wondering if the close rounds were going to Spinks. I am sure some of the close rounds I gave to Spinks, probably were going to Phillips. I am sad this evening because I was hoping Spinks would put on a dominating performance but he did not. I take nothing away from Verno Phillips because he was game. He fought hard and aggressive. He landed the harder shots and won a lot on the inside. I am still a Cory Spinks fan because I am from St. Louis and because I appreciate good boxing skills. However tonight he just did not show the skills and desire I thought he should have shown. The Pride of St. Louis is broken tonight. The Spinks (Michael, Leon, and Cory), the die hard St. Louis fans, myself and everyone from St. Louis, our pride was broken this evening. We will come back though, we always do. Goodnight.

Devon Alexander-Miguel Callist Fight Result!!!

Devon Alexander put on a boxing clinic against Miguel Callist. Callist was game but never really in the fight. I personally had the fight 120-107 for Alexander. Right from round 1, Alexander established the jab and followed up with some left hands. Alexander moved on his feet very well and avoided a lot of punches. Callist from the 6th round on was in retreat mode for the most part, rarely throwing any punches. Callist backed away and ran from Alexander most of the fight. Every once in awhile Callist would throw a punch back in return, but he really was not impressive. Alexander threw some good combinations as the fight went on and had Callist stunned in rounds 7 and each round from 9-12. In round 12 Alexander finally knocked Callist down with a hard right hand, but still could not finish him. The official judges scorecards were 120-105, 120-106, and 120-106 which indicates how much Alexander dominated this fight.

When interviewed, Devon Alexander gave himself a C- and said he would like to dominate a little more. His trainer Kevin Cunningham said they want to fight the best. He believes Devon Alexander is ready for a title shot this year.

My advice for Alexander after a fight like this, is to learn to cut off the ring a little more. If he could have cut the ring off, he could have finished this guy. The other thing is watch when you lift your feet off the ground to throw your power punches. Alexander got out of position a little bit and it could cost him in the future against better fighters. However this young man has a bright future and I look forward to him fighting again real soon. I enjoyed his dominating performance and I can't wait to say I saw this young man when he was coming up the ranks. Congratulations.

Spinks Family

The Spinks Family. Michael Spinks, Don King (no relations at all) Cory Spinks and Leon Spinks. This is history people and you will see all three Spinks tonight on www.donkingtv.com, when Cory Spinks defends his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against Verno Phillips. The telecast begins at 7pm CST.

Kelly Pavlik And Gary Lockett Face Off

Kelly Pavlik and Gary Lockett face off for the first time at today's press conference to announce their June 7 fight on HBO at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.

Floyd Mayweather and The Big Show On Larry King Live

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/27/08

1. Hold up wait a minute. It appears Carlos Quintana is not happy with the date or the money being offered in his rematch with Paul Williams scheduled for June 7. Quintana, who is now the Champion in this fight, wants the fight to be on June 14 instead of June 7 and he also wants more than the $250,000 he is being offered. The $250,000 is the same amount he received in the first fight as the challenger. I have to admit since he is the champ he should get a little more say in the fight this time.

2. It appears Wladimir Klitschko's next opponent will be Tony Thompson this July in Germany. Thompson is Klitschko's WBO mandatory and at 6'5 with a record of 31-1, he appears to be a big test for Klitschko. Thompson is the last top American Heavyweight for awhile until someone else starts to step up. It is all on you Tony to bring back the Heavyweight Title back to the US.

3. Cory Spinks is favored to retain his IBF Junior Middleweight Title against Verno Phillips tonight. The fight will be shown live on http://www.donkingtv.com/. The telecast will begin at 7pm CST.

4. Floyd Mayweather Jr. continues to have plans working for him. It appears that Mayweather-Hatton II may happen in 2009. Hatton who has blamed referee Joe Cortez for his loss is targeting Mayweather for a rematch in England in 2009. Mayweather is very interested in the rematch. Of course Mayweather has a wrestling match this weekend against 7 foot 440 pound Big Show. Then if Oscar wins in May, Mayweather is scheduled to fight him September 20. Then if Mayweather wins and Hatton wins his two fights he is scheduled to have this year, he and Mayweather will meet in 2009. I guess a Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight will never happen????

5. The May 17th edition of HBO Boxing After Dark will be slightly altered. Marcos Ramirez (25-0, 16 KOs) has been pulled simply because Ramirez has decided not to take the fight against Yuriorkis Gamboa (9-0, 8 KOs). The card will not be cancelled as the search for a replacement opponent for Gamboa is on now.

6. The Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez rematch sold about 400,000 PPVs and made about $20.2 Million in revenue. Those are great numbers for any fight especially for one in the lower weight divisions. Sounds like the based on public demand and now money we definitely need to have a 3rd fight.

The Pride Of St. Louis: TONIGHT!!!!!!

Alright boxing fans, tonight is the night. Live from St. Louis, Missouri at the Scottrade Center it is The Pride of St. Louis. In the co-feature you have one of St. Louis's own in Devin Alexander taking on Miguel Callist. The main event will feature 2 Division Champion and current IBF Junior Middleweight Champion Cory "The Next Generation" Spinks defending his title against Verno Phillips. Cory will have his uncle Michael Spinks as well as his father Leon Spinks in his corner for this fight. All three are from St. Louis which adds a spark to this fight. As a St. Louis bred man, I don't think this fight should be missed. If you can't make it to the fight, like unfortunately I can't, then watch it live on www.donkingtv.com starting at 7pm. I may not be there in physical presence but please believe my spirit will be there. Do not miss this fight especially since it is free on www.donkingtv.com. There is no excuse to miss this fight. Watch one of the best pure boxers in the sport, Cory Spinks, fight along with his father and uncle who are former Heavyweight Champions in his corner. This is truly the Pride of St. Louis tonight. Don't Miss It!!!!!

Floyd Mayweather Jr and Big Show Wrestlemania XXIV

Floyd Mayweather Jr and Big Show WWE Press Conference

The Pride Of St. Louis: Weigh-In

Cory Spinks 153 vs Verno Phillips 153

(IBF junior middleweight championship)

Devon Alexander 137 vs Miguel Callist 140

(WBC C/A and WBA Fedelatin 140lb titles)

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and The Big Show On The Today Show

This morning, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the Big Show were on the Today Show promoting their Wrestlemania fight. The fight is going to take place on PPV this Sunday for those of you who are interested. Also Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the Big Show will be on Larry King Live at 9pm EST on CNN.

Video of Brian Vera Upset Of Andy Lee

Below is the 7th and last round of the Andy Lee-Brian Vera fight from last Friday. You will see that Lee is definitely hurt, but also see how the stoppage may have been a little premature. However if the ref did not stop it then, he would have stopped it a moment or two later. As I stated in Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/26/08, a rematch of this fight may happen in July. After watching this and knowing the prospect of Andy Lee, it should be interesting.

Legendary Knockout: Foreman KO Moorer

Below is a few minutes from the HBO Legendary Night of George Foreman-Michael Moorer. This is one of my favorite KOs of all time, probably because of the history that came with it. George Foreman became the oldest man ever to win the Heavyweight Title. I laugh at this segment because Michael Moorer says Foreman is lying about him setting up the KO. What is really funny is Moorer's trainer, Teddy Atlas, tells him to not stand in front of Foreman. Moorer seemed a little bitter in the interview but says he wasn't. I don't know, his corner told him to not stand in front of Foreman, when George sees the footage he describes it as it happens, and even Jim Lampley says George said what he was going to do before the fight. Seems Moorer was the only person of interest who did not see it coming. Oh well.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/26/08

1. The May 24 fight between Edison Miranda and Mikkel Kessler is OFF!!!!!! Kessler who had refused the fight several times before they actually made the fight pulled out. No reason was given at all. Showtime had announced it was going to show the fight, so Kessler has definitely left a bad taste in their mouth. Miranda promoter Leon Margules of Seminole Warriors Boxing and promoter Lou DiBella, who brokered the deal on behalf of Kessler's Danish promoter Mogens Palle are all upset because they worked hard to make the deal work. Everything that Kessler requested was in the deal. I doubt if this is the last we hear about this situation. To see all the demands of Kessler check out this link here http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=14992&more=1


2. Andy Lee-Brian Vera rematch????? Most likely yes. Due to the fact it was an upset by Vera in the eyes of most, the demand for a rematch is high. Lee wants it, his manager and trainer Emmanuel Steward wants it and so does the promotor of the fight. Promoter Lisa Elovich of Pugnacious Promotion - who promoted the first Vera-Lee matchup has a July 25 ESPN2 Friday Night Fight date and would love to present a rematch. The drama is set already for the rematch and that particular weekend happens to be the annual "Future Night of Champions" at the Saratoga Springs City Center in Saratoga Springs, New York.

3. Edwin Valero, who was just approved for a license in Texas, is in need of a US promotor. Teiken Promotions, based out of Japan, is Valero's promoter. Teiken Promotions is looking for a partner in the US to help Valero get the name opponents, US television and big money fights.

4. One of my favorite referees, Joe Cortez, will be the third man in the ring for the Bernard Hopkins-Joe Calzaghe fight on April 19. Cortez, known for his saying "I'm fair but I'm firm," has been in the ring for 138 world title fights.

5. Tonight on Larry King Live, which airs on CNN, the topic is behind the WWE. Vince McMahon, Big Show, and Floyd Mayweather Jr along with others will be the featured guests on the show. Larry King Live comes on CNN at 9pm EST.

6. Laila Ali stated in the May issue of Essence Magazine that her and her husband, former NFL Player Curtis Conway, are expecting their first child. This will be the first child for the couple who got married this past July. Congratulations to them both.

Cory Spinks and Verno Phillips Face Off

Verno Phillips faces Cory Spinks at the final press conference before their IBF Junior Middleweight fight this Thursday. For more info go to http://www.donkingtv.com/.

Also an added bonus for you true boxing fans, Leon and Michael Spinks both will be in the corner of Cory Spinks. Leon is the father of Cory and Michael is the uncle of Cory. So if you watch the fight you get to see a family affair in the corner of Cory Spinks.

Watch How Classless Zab Judah Is!!!! Ignorance At Its Peak

Below is the press conference of Sugar Shane Mosley and Zab Judah. Notice how disrespectful Judah is when Mosley was talking. Judah then wanted to argue about who fought Cotto better. Both guys lost and Judah lost by TKO and he acted as if he did not. Dude, we all saw you crying because you got hit low. First of all dude, that first so called low blow was not low, it was a body shot. The second low blow was low but it still made me laugh because payback is a b*tch. Then you took a knee because you were getting beat up by Cotto so bad. And finally he dropped you flat on your back. Do you remember??? I do not remember Shane getting beat up like that at all. I don't remember him touching the canvas once. The ref stopped your fight because he was tired of seeing you get beat up. If I was the ref I would have sat on the ropes and continued to watch you get beat up.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/25/08

1. Golden Boy Promotions signed former Lightweight Champion Juan Diaz to a promotional contract. This was expected for quite some time but was delayed when Diaz lost to Nate Cambell earlier this month. The first fight under this contract will be announced soon.

2. Calvin Brock, who has not been heard from since his loss to Eddie Chambers in November, stated he had surgery in December 2007 to repair retinal damage in his right eye. Brock said once the damage heals he will resume training and return back to the ring. Until then he will rest to ensure his eye is 100% healed.

3. WBA Super Featherweight Champion Edwin Valero has been approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for a boxing license. Valero has not fought in the US in four years after he was medical suspension. He had sustained a blood clot on the brain after being in a motorcycle crash. When he was supposed to fight in the US, his MRI came back with irregularities and he was suspended indefinitely from fighting in the US. Now after passing all the medical tests in Texas, Valero has a real chance at possibly fighting elsewhere in the US. However he has to take it one fight and state at a time.

4. Chicago referee Gerald Scott will be the third man in the ring for the Cory Spinks-Verno Phillips fight this Thursday in St. Louis. The judges will be Jerry Griffin, Robert Hoyle, Robert Paolino. For more info on this fight please go to http://www.donkingtv.com/.

5. Zab Judah has asked that Sugar Shane Mosley be tested for steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. As you may know, Mosley was linked to having used these products in the past. Mosley admitted to unknowingly taking some performance enhancing drugs back in 2003. Mosley said his trainer gave it to him, but he did not know what it was. So hopefully this will all be worked out and Mosley will take the test and prove he is clean today of all drugs.

6. It is being said that Junior Witter will defend his WBC Junior Welterweight Title against his mandatory challenger Timothy Bradley on May 10. The fight is looking to take place in the US but the venue is unknown at this time.

7. Teddy Atlas and Everlast Worldwide Inc have come together to launch the Teddy Atlas Workout System. This workout system will be available this spring online at http://www.everlast.com/ as well as select retailers. For more info on this product please refer to http://www.everlast.com/teddy-atlas-landing.html

Something That Made Me Laugh!!!!

I was reading on Boxingtalk.com an interview Brad Cooney did with Shannon Briggs and I couldn't help but laugh. Several times in the interview Briggs mentioned having asthma and pneumonia before his last fight. Now I have never had asthma but I heard it can be quite the b*tch. Anyway the reason I laughed is because Briggs kept mentioning he had asthma as if he deserved a special award for being a fighter with asthma. Why I laugh is because Briggs who is like 6'4 270 is a huge man, yet everytime something happens he mentions his asthma. What he never mentions is the fact he gained a lot of weight since he first started boxing. He fought George Foreman in 1997 at a weight of 227 but in his last fight against Sultan Ibrigramov he fought at 273. If ashtma is such a big concern, then he should keep his weight down. I know from many people that being overweight and out of shape does not help those with asthma. Talk to your doctor Shannon. Plus I have heard Teddy Atlas tell Shannon he needs to lose some weight on Friday Night Fights. Briggs mentioned he is the first Heavyweight Champion with asthma and states Tyson, Ali and even Jack Johnson did not have asthma. Well he is right, but why is he mentioning these names? When anyone thinks of great heavyweights regardless of condition, Shannon Briggs name does not come up. Isn't it funny how people always like to have an excuse ready so that if they lose they can use it and if they win they can play on it? Shannon Briggs is not the first fighter to fight sick or with some form of condition. Sam Langford fought while he was partially blind, but he did not speak of it at all. Fighters have fought with broken bones and many other injuries and conditions. So if you are going to fight, keep all of your excuses out of the ring otherwise just hang it up. If you would like to read the entire Briggs interview, please go to http://www.boxingtalk.com/pag/article15307.html.

Sugar Shane Mosley-Zab Supa Dupa Dumb Judah

Yesterday Sugar Shane Mosley and Zab Judah met at the ESPN Zone in NYC to announce their May 31 HBO PPV fight at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. As usual Judah could not wait to run his mouth to prove he is classless and ignorant. Desperate for attention as most class clowns are, Judah said he was going to bet $100,000 that he would KO Mosley in their fight. Well I doubt if Judah even wins the fight let alone KOs Mosley. Of the two fighters, Judah is the one who has danced like a chicken in the ring and been on his back the most. Mosley has stood the test of times with the best fighters and only been knocked down once and never stopped in a fight. If it is not obvious, I am rooting for Mosley to win this fight. I hope Shane times Zab perfectly and knocks Zab out of the ring. Shane has fought the better opposition, is the better fighter as well as the better person. Zab has won some good fights and disgraced himself in others. So I am going to put my undisclosed amount of money on Sugar Shane Mosley to pull out a victory on May 31. I am sure most will do the same. I will give a detailed preview when it gets closer to the fight. I will work hard to say something nice about Zab but believe me my eyes will be closed when I do it.

Cory Spinks-Verno Phillips Preview

Cory Spinks will win. I believe this because I am from St. Louis and because it is true. Verno is a tough former 2 time Junior Middleweight Champion. However when he steps up in competition, he is outclassed. The cycle of being outclassed by better boxers will not change in this fight either. I feel Cory Spinks is a level above Phillips especially at this stage of Phillips career. Spinks who is a very quick and slick southpaw will utilize his right jab and shoot straight left hands down the line at Phillips all night long. Phillips is tough so he will never give up and I doubt if he is seriously hurt in the fight. However I do see Phillips being dominated by the better boxer in Spinks. Spinks has a new trainer in his corner for this fight, Buddy Shaw, but I do not see too much of a change. Spinks has already developed a style that has worked for him and not much will change because of a new trainer. He will still display the teachings of Kevin Cunningham, which is the stick and move methods that has helped him become a 2 division champion. I can see Phillips trying to outmuscle Spinks to make it a real fight, but the clean effective punching will land by Spinks. Spinks is more precise with his punches and does not engage. The fact that Spinks moves so much makes him a hard target to hit. So I see a 12 round UD in favor of Cory Spinks. For Phillips I see him giving a game performance that you would expect from a champion, but he will fall short. To see this fight live, log on to http://www.donkingtv.com/ at 7pm CST.

Cory Spinks Representing St. Louis

Here is a video of some Cory Spinks highlights. Cory Spinks will be defending his IBF Junior Middleweight Title this Thursday in St. Louis at the Scottrade Center. I am trying to make it to St. Louis to represent my hometown hero. For those of you who may not make it, please watch the fight live on http://www.donkingtv.com/. Cory is a great boxer who is very underrated for the craft he has. Respect the man for what he does and support him, especially if you are from St. Louis. Represent for the Lou Cory. One Love from #1Pound4Pound.

Webisode #3: The Buildup: Cotto-Gomez

For more on the Buildup go to http://www.alfonsosgomez.com/.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/24/08

1. WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Danny Green has suddenly decided to retire. Green stated he wanted to spend more time with his family and avoid any health issues. This comes as a surprise because Green had a fight coming in May and a potential big money rematch with Anthony Mundine. However when you feel it is time to leave the sport, you should leave the sport. Good luck to Green and his family in the future.

2. Ricky Hatton's fight against Juan Lazcano will be televised live on Versus on May 24. The undercard fight between Paulie Malignaggi and Lovemore N'dou will also be televised. The fight will take take place live in the afternoon on Versus as it will be in the evening over in England.

3. Unbeaten Super Featherweight sensation Yuriorkis Gamboa (9-0, 8 KOs) will be fighting on HBO Boxing After Dark on May 17 against WBO #2 Ranked Marcos Ramirez (25-0, 16 KOS). This fight looks to be an explosive fight as both fighters are undefeated.

4. Thursday, March 27 Fox Sports is going to air the tape delay of Andre Ward's fight against Rubin Williams. Check your local listings for the airing.

5. Lennox Lewis may return....???? Rumors are circulating that Lennox is personally hinting at a return to the ring. Stay tuned for more info on this one.

Long Lost Family????

Friday as I was watching Friday Night Fights with Andy Lee as the main event, I thought I saw two. Then it hit me, Andy Lee looks like he could be a younger Teddy Atlas or Atlas's long lost son. These two pictures above give you some idea but if you can look at Friday Night Fights from March 21, 2008 you will really see the obvious. Teddy if you happen to see this, don't be mad. I am a huge fan of your, but I really thought you two favored.

Casamayor TKOs Katsidis In A War!!!!

Not the result I wanted in this fight but a good fight it was. Joel Casamayor TKOd Michael Katsidis in the 10th round of their fight Saturday night. In what appeared in the first round to be an easy night for Casamayor turned out to be a war. Casamayor knocked Katsidis down twice in the first round with the left hands. The first knockdown appeared to be more of a quick left that landed and ended in a flash knockdown. Casamayor who loves to break the rules hit Katsidis while he was down with another hard punch. Moments later Casamayor threw out a right jab and then hit Katsidis with a extremely hard and clean left hand. This time Katsidis looked really hurt. However Katsidis weathered the storm and made it to round 2. In round 2 Katsidis seemed to have gotten his legs back but was still bothered by lefts hands from Casamayor. Honestly Katsidis looked very uncomfortable with southpaws. I had heard he was having a difficult time in sparring with southpaws too. By the third round, Katsidis was more aggressive as Casamayor slowed down. Katsidis began landing more of his punches such as the hard right hands. In round 4 Katsidis caught Casamayor with a 3 punch combination that made Casamayor stumble. In the 6th round, Katsidis caught Casamayor with a hard right hand to the midsection that led to Casamayor retreating. Katsidis landed a right hand and as Casamayor was laying on the ropes he caught another right hand. At this point Casamayor fell completely out of the ring, but got back in to beat the 10 count. In rounds 7 and 8, Casamayor continued to look somewhat fatigued and landed some blows here and there. However those rounds belonged to Katsidis. Round 9 was interesting because Casamayor was deducted a point for a low blow which was helping Katsidis who was becoming slightly ahead on the scorecards. Things were looking good for Katsidis especially after the horrible first round. In round 10 Katsidis raced out to put pressure on Casamayor and as Katsidis was about to throw his punch, Casamayor caught him with a left hook he never saw. Katsidis got on his feet but his legs looked horrible. They appeared to be like jello, but the ref let the fight continue. Katsidis got back in there but after a few more punches from Casamayor, the ref stopped the fight at :30 seconds of the 10th round. I have no arguments about the stoppage but I would have let it continue because Katsidis was still fighting at that time. Not saying he would have lasted but I would have given him a little more time.

For Casamayor this fight was redemption for his terrible performance in November. I am still no Casamayor fan, but he surprised me with his left hand. At 36, it is obvious he has to fight in spurts, but can still take some good punches. He also can still throw a good punch too. As the Ring Magazine Champion, Casamayor is still considered to be the Champion of the Lightweight Division. When asked if he wanted to fight Nate Campbell, Casamayor stated he had beat him in the past and wanted to look forward to big money fights. Casamayor mentioned big money opponents such as Manny Pacquiao, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Erik Morales. The funny thing about those three names is none of these guys are true Lightweights. However we all know money talks.

For Katsidis, he fought a great fight and showed the heart of a champion. Sure he got careless and lost but he is young and will bounce back. Hopefully he will learn a little more about control in the ring as well as about southpaws and come back. Honestly I would not be opposed to seeing a rematch of this fight, but I doubt it will ever happen. Entering the tenth round, Katsidis was ahead 84-83 on two cards, while Casamayor was ahead 85-82 on the third card. This is an indication that although Katsidis was knocked down twice in the first round, he still had some control in the fight. So for true boxing we would see a rematch, but since it is for money the rematch will not happen. Oh well, this fight is another example of why I am still a true boxing fan.

Casamayor-Katsidis Weight

Joel Casamayor 134.25

Michael Katsidis 133.75

(Ring Magazine Lightweight Championship Title and

WBO interim lightweight title)

Let it be known #1Pound4Pound does not want Casamayor to win.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/22/08

1. Don King is going to telecast the IBF Junior Middleweight Championship between Cory Spinks and Verno Phillips live on the internet on http://www.donkingtv.com/. The fight takes place live from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on Thursday March 27. The telecast will begin at 8pm EST. This is a huge event so please check it on the internet.

2. According to Bob Arum, if Manny Pacquiao fights a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez then Pacquiao deserves $8-10 Million. However Arum does not think the fight should happen immediately.

3. Boxing meets MMA???? Former Pound4Pound King Roy Jones Jr. has been mentioned by current MMA Pound4Pound King Anderson Silva. Silva ,who is the UFC Middleweight Champion, has said he wanted to try his skills in boxing. Having cleared out his division for the time being, Silva has said he would love to fight Jones. At first I ignored this rumor but it is coming up more and more. Jones is looking for a fight that would draw lots of interest and money. This could be that fight. MMA people want to prove they are better than boxers and vice versa. It could be an interesting fight because Silva is similar to Tarver, a tall slim southpaw with great speed, punching power and punching ability. Tarver as you know has 2 victories over Jones. If money starts yelling don't be surprised if this fight happens.

Too Much Hype Too Soon!!!!

In what many would say is a huge upset, Brian Vera TKOd Andy Lee in the 7th round of their fight on Friday night. Lee, who is trained and managed by Hall of Famer Emmanuel Steward, just did not seem to have it going on in the fight. All of the things he was supposed to have such as a strong right jab, good movement, good defensive skills, and great combinations were all a no-show in the fight. Lee knocked Vera down in the first round and it seemed like it would be a short night of work for Lee. Then as the fight went on, Vera was landing his rights hand more and more consistently. Vera, best known from Season 3 of the Contender, is a tough fighter who can take some punishment. I doubt if he will ever be a World Champion but showed a lot of heart in beating Lee. Steward who takes a personal relationship with many of his fighters such as Thomas Hearns, Wladimir Klitschko, and Lennox Lewis to name a few is probably very devastated at this moment. When the fight was stopped, slightly premature as Lee was throwing a punch at the time of the stoppage, Steward did not argue. Lee had been hit with many clean shots and even cut over his right eye. He looked to be a beaten fighter; bleeding, breathing hard, tired, and just plain defeated. So yes Andy Lee was not really to fight for the Middleweight Championship as Steward had proclaimed. However Lee is young and still has a lot to learn. He should take this fight and watch it several times and critique his mistakes. Maybe it was the bright lights on US television that got to Lee, you never know. What we do know is, he needs to go back to the drawing board and make the changes necessary to win. He can still be a champion, just not as quick as many had hoped.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/21/08

1. Yesterday I said Floyd Mayweather Jr. had given his uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather an ultimatum about training Steve Forbes. Well Roger Mayweather is no longer the trainer of Steve Forbes. Forbes was contacted by his promoter Jeff Wald who informed Steve about Floyd's comments. Forbes in turn called Roger who said he would speak to Floyd and call him back. Roger never called Forbes back and never showed at the gym. Forbes then called Jeff Mayweather and asked him to be his new trainer. So Jeff will be training Steve Forbes beginning today. Talk about drama.

2. For those of you who know boxing, Andy Lee will be fighting on ESPN 2 Friday Night Fights tonight. That's right, the fighter Emmanuel Steward has deemed as the next great fighter is going to be fighting tonight against Brian Vera. Andy Lee is very powerful and known for some great KOs in his short career so check him out tonight.

3. More Floyd Mayweather Jr. news. It has been said that Mayweather and his friend 50 Cent got into a fight over a bet and some money. Someone from 50 Cent's camp said they came to blows but the fight was broken up. They squashed the beef and are on good terms. Because both guys have such huge egos neither one backed down which started the fight.

4. Roy Jones Jr., who is looking for a fight wherever he can find one, has now set his sights on the winner of the Clinton Woods-Antonio Tarver fight. Jones has a TKO victory over Woods from 2002 and has lost 2 of 3 to Tarver. Jones thinks Woods will win and prefers to fight Woods. Personally if Roy wants to redeem himself he should either fight Tarver or Glen Johnson because both have KO wins over him. I love Roy but if he wants to prove his greatness he needs to fight the guys who KOd him, beat them then yell his greatness again.

5. Yesterday Don King appeared in Broward County, Florida courthouse in regards to his $2.5 Billion (Yes Billion) lawsuit against ESPN filed in 2005. The defamation lawsuit was filed by King in response to a ESPN Sports Century documentary in which King was portrayed as a con artist and bully who has ripped of millions of dollars from fighters. The documentary also had statements saying King had made death threats to journalists and fighters he promoted. King said all of these statements were false and defamed his character. Of course ESPN denied these allegations and said most of the information in the documentary had been said years prior to their documentary.

Joel Casamayor-Michael Katsidis Preview

Saturday night will be the Lightweight Championship between Ring Magazine Champion Joel Casamayor and Michael Katsidis. This fight should be very interesting. Last time Casamayor was in the ring(November 10, 2007), he received a gift SD over Jose Armando Santa Cruz. Yes I said a gift decision, because he did not win that fight and I have watched it several times and still do not see how he received the decision. Casamayor had been out of the ring for over a year when he fought Santa Cruz, so ring rust may have played a big part in his performance that night. Katsidis is a tough fighter who has a never say die style. Last time he was in the ring(July 21, 2007), Katsidis won a UD in a blood and guts type of fight. He suffered cuts over and under both eyes.

So what to look for in the fight between Casamayor-Katsidis is an ugly fight. Casamayor is slick southpaw who rarely makes a good fight. He slips punches and grabs a lot. He tends to lean in with his head creating headbutts. Casamayor can also get a little dirty on the inside. For a guy like Katsidis who has been cut a lot, he is doomed to cut again in this fight. Casamayor does not have great power but he can punch. Age and lack of activity have appeared to slow Casamayor down. Katsidis is a young lion willing to give his all in the ring, and blood and cuts does not bother him. This fight will be an ugly one. Casamayor is going to try and establish his jab and move around. As a southpaw Casamayor is going to try and use odd angles to get inside and punch Katsidis. I expect a few headbutts caused by Casamayor because of his akward southpaw style. I expect several clinches too. Casamayor does not have the power to KO Katsidis but could possibly get a TKO due to cuts. Now Katsidis on the other hand he is going to be very aggressive. He is going to want to make Casamayor expend his energy. Do not let Casamayor make this into a slow boring fight. Katsidis loves action and he is going to have to take the fight to the older slightly slower Casamayor. He will need to establish a jab on Casamayor and then follow up with his power punches especially the uppercut. Casamayor is not as quick as he used to be and the uppercut would work well in this fight. The issue for Katsidis is he is going to have to watch the dirty tactics from Casamayor such as headbutts and low blows. Casamayor is an older fight with dirty tricks and is not afraid to use them. Katsidis will have to watch for the left, right, and head in this fight. If Katsidis can put the pressure on Casamayor and tire those old legs of Casamayor I expect Katsidis to win. Personally after seeing Casamayor in his last fight not to mention some of his other controversial fights, I would love to see his get KOd. I am not a fan of Joel Casamayor and I think he is a dirty cocky a$$hole. So I am rooting against him and I think Katsidis can get the job done if he just focus.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/20/08

1. Floyd Mayweather Jr., who seems to always be on the radar nowadays, is unhappy with his trainer and uncle Roger Mayweather training Steve Forbes. Forbes, as you know is going to fight Oscar De La Hoya on May 3 and if Forbes wins the rematch between Floyd and Oscar would possibly not happen. Floyd says by training Forbes that Roger is taking money out of both of their pockets. Floyd even went as far as to say if it does not stop he may have to pay his dad, Floyd Mayweather Sr, more money than Oscar is paying him. The Mayweather family drama continues.

2. In other Floyd Mayweather Jr. news, Mayweather has defended his $20 million payday. Many have stated Floyd inflated the figure to boost his ego and publicity for the fight. It has been believed that Floyd will only make $1 million but at most $4-5 million. Floyd has stood firm that he is going to be paid $20 million and that he deserves every penny.

3. Showtime has announced some big fights for the upcoming months. Starting with the April 11th edition of ShoBox, a doubleheader featuring junior welterweights Josesito Lopz against Edgar Santana, and super middleweights James McGirt Jr. against Carlos De Leon Jr. Then on May 2, Andre Dirrell and Anthony Hanshaw will fight in this Super Middleweight attraction. On a Showtime fight night special edition, Edison Miranda and former champ Mikkel Kessler will fight on May 24. Finally on June 7 Vernon Forrest will defend his WBC Super Welterweight Title against Contender Season One Champion Sergio Mora. In the main event of this telecast is the immediate rematch between new WBO Welterweight Champion Carlos Quintana and former WBO Champ Paul Williams.

Classic Fight: Hearns-Duran June 15, 1984

Here is a classic fight for you real boxing fans out there. I hope you enjoy it.

Knockout Rewind!!!

Kelly Pavlik KO's Jose Luis Zertuche

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/19/08

1. Sycuan Ringside Promotions has re-signed WBO Super Featherweight Champion Joan Guzman to a multi-fight/multimillion dollar contract. Guzman is currently training in Las Vegas for his May 3 fight against Alex Arthur.

2. Former world champion Reggie Johnson was indicted on a second-degree felony charge of theft yesterday. A corporation run by Johnson received at least $120,000 in grant money for boxing camps and never held one. The boxing camps were to be held last summer for children displaced by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. If convicted Johnson could face sentences ranging from probation to 20 years in prison. Johnson, 41, last fought against Julio Gonzalez in February winning by a disputed decision.

3. Former IBF/WBA/WBO Lightweight Champion Juan Diaz has signed a long term agreement with Everlast Worldwide Inc. Everlast which is legendary in boxing equipment will allow Diaz to exclusively wear their products in Diaz's professional fights as well as Everlast sponsored events. Also as part of the contract with Diaz, Everlast has agreed to donate to a cause related to education.

4. The other day I spoke about Victor Burgos and the donation that he was going to be given this past Saturday. Well here is a good article about Burgos that I found on Boxingtalk.com. Please take a look. http://www.boxingtalk.com/pag/article15264.html Also please keep Burgos and his family in your prayers.

5. Here comes the drama. I mentioned that Floyd Mayweather Jr. was suing Bob Arum and Top Rank for not paying him in full. Well Bob Arum said it is true that he did not pay Mayweather all of his money, but stated that Mayweather and some of his associates owe him lots of money. Arum claims Mayweather and his associates owe him and his Top Rank promotional company millions of dollars. Arum is planning to countersue Mayweather and his associates. I told you this would get ugly.

6. In an interview with Percy Crawford, Floyd Mayweather Sr. made the comment that he may retire at the end of the year with Oscar De La Hoya. Mayweather Sr. said he does not want to work himself to death and if no fighter can pay him what he feels he deserves he may just pack it up. Time will tell if this happens.

7. Kevin Cunningham, former trainer of IBF Junior Middleweight Cory Spinks. has opened up his own Bar and Grill in St. Louis Missouri. Knockouts Bar and Grill is a 6400 sq. ft Bar and Grill that is another avenue for Cunningham to help his community by providing jobs to people, just like he has provided guidance through boxing with the Hyde Park Boxing Club. So Congratulations to Kevin Cunningham and his efforts to help his community. I will be stopping by to show some love in the near future.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/18/08

1. The Joan Guzman-Alex Arthur fight originally scheduled for April 26 has been moved to May 3 at the Meadowbank Arena, Edinburgh.

2. Over the weekend Antonio Margarito had a surprise birthday party for his 30th birthday. Antonio's wife Michelle, his management team, Sergio Diaz Jr. along with Francisco "Pancho" Espinoza arranged the surprise party for the Margarito at Pepe's Mexican Restaurant in El Monte California.

3. The WBC has stated it will rate Juan Manuel Marquez #1 in the Super Featherweight division despite his loss. The WBC is also hoping there is a rematch between Marquez and Pacquiao.

Webisode #2: The Buildup: Cotto-Gomez

It is Webisode #2 of The Buildup. For more about Alfonso Gomez, go to http://www.alfonsosgomez.com/.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/17/08

1. Universum Box-Promotion won the right to promote the rematch between WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev and seven-foot former champion Nikolai Valuev. Universum won the right with a purse bid of $4,354,840. The fight is scheduled to take place on May 31.

2. Kevin Cunningham in no longer the trainer for WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Cory Spinks. Cunningham is still the manager of Spinks. Cunningham said it was time for the two to go there seperate ways and he did not state who was replacing him as trainer.

3. Gary Shaw said he would release Vivian Harris if Harris bought out his contract. Harris has agreed but nothing has happened yet.

4. Tye Fields-Hasim Rahman fight may soon come true. Bob Arum and Top Rank are hard at work on this fight, so don't be suprised if this fight happens soon.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/16/08

1. Bob Arum has stated that Manny Pacquiao will indeed move up to Lightweight (135 pounds) to challenge David Diaz for the WBC Lightweight Championship on June 28 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

2. It appears that Ricky Hatton-Paulie Malignaggi fight is very close to being signed. Of course they both would have to win their fights on May 24. Hatton against Juan Lazcano and Malignaggi against Lovemore N'Dou.

3. In other Ricky Hatton news, 45,000 tickets have been sold in about 36 hours for Hatton's next fight on May 24. The fight is going to take place at the City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester England.

4. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is suing his old promoter Top Rank for backpay. In the lawsuit filed in Las Vegas, Mayweather claims he was shortchanged for his fights against Arturo Gatti and Zab Judah. In his fight deal for those two fights, Mayweather was supposed to receive 85% and 80% respectively of Top Rank's revenues for both fights. It also states that Top Rank has never released any accounting of its income. This lawsuit can get ugly very quick because Bob Arum and Mayweather and Al Haymon (Mayweather's advisor) do not get along at all.

Pacquiao, By An Extremely Close Split Decision!!!!!

In one of the closet fights I have seen before, Manny Pacquiao slipped by Juan Manuel Marquez by Split Decision. Scores were 115-112, 114-113 Pacquiao, 115-112 Marquez. Had it not been for the knockdown Pacquiao had on Marquez in the 3rd round this fight would have been a draw, AGAIN!!!!. This fight saw both guys get cut badly, both guys wobbled, both guys bleeding, and both guys give their all. It was not quite the fight of the year because that is clearly going to Vasquez-Marquez III thus far, but it was a great fight. I personally had Pacquiao winning by one point which was because of the knockdown. So 114-113 would be my score as well. I had the fight even based on rounds. It was just that close of a fight. Pacquiao appeared to be the stronger fighter as he came into the the ring at 145 pounds unofficially. At 145 pounds, that means Pacquiao gained 16 pounds since the weigh in on Friday afternoon. The punches that landed for each fighter was the left hand for Pacquiao which floored Marquez in the third and the right hand landed for Marquez at ease. To be honest Marquez landed more right hands than Pacquiao. The difference in this fight was discipline in my opinion. Pacquiao was not as wild in this fight as he was in the first fight and he did block more punches than before. Marquez was the same consistent fight he has always been, continually to be cool under pressure landing right hands. Marquez and Pacquiao both were cut by unintentional headbutts in the 7th round. Then Marquez opened a real bad cut over Pacquiao's eye in the 8th round. In the 9th and 10th rounds, Pacquiao hit Marquez repeatedly with left hands that opened up a real bad cut over Marquez's right eye. When the 12th round came you could sense it was a close fight and Marquez came out as the aggressor. Now the HBO announcers were all on Marquez's side saying he was doing so much, but Pacquiao was more off balance than anything. He blocked many of Marquez's punches in the 12th. However I still think Marquez could have won that round too. This was a very good fight. They boxed and the brawled and we need both in a good fight. Marquez of course felt he did not lose the fight and Pacquiao felt he won the fight. As stated I had Pacquiao winning by one point but a draw would have been just fine. I think this fight needs to happen again. I still did not see a clear cut winner between these two guys. The fans would love it and it could generate some good money. I guess time will tell what happens.

After the fight Marquez stated he felt like he won and wants a rematch. Pacquiao has said he is ready to move on to other fights. Lets see how much money talks in the form of a rematch.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/15/08

1. Jorge Arce has challenged Israel Vasquez????? Apparently Arce has told his promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, to make this fight happen. Arce plans to fight on May 17 in Mexico and again in August to prepare for Vasquez. Then if all goes accordingly Arce and Vasquez will fight in November.

2. Humberto Soto has gotten back in the win column with a 6th round TKO over Carlos Urias. Plans are for Soto to challenge IBF Super Featherweight Champion Mzonke Fana on May 17.

3. Golden Boy Promotions will promote their first fight card in the Philippines on April 6. The card will take place at the Araneta Coliseum with “INVASION: Philippines vs. The World. WBO World Bantamweight Champion Gerry Penalosa (52-6, 35 KOs), who will defend his belt in a rematch against former champ Ratanachai Sor Vorapin (71-9, 47 KOs), of Thailand will be the main event.

Early Results From Las Vegas

WBO Featherweight Champion Steven Luevano defeated Terdsak Jandaeng in a battle of two southpaws. Luevano was dropped in the 4th round but for most of the fight he controlled the fight and picked his shots. Scores were 118-109, 119-109, 119-109.

David Diaz had a harder than expected fight against Ramon Montano in a 10 round non-title bout. However Diaz pulled through and won a MD, scores were 95-95, 99-91, 97-93. Diaz, fulfilled his part of the deal for a future summer fight with Manny Pacquiao, by beating Montano. Time will soon tell what Pacquiao gets done tonight.

NABO bantamweight titleholder Abner Mares had no trouble getting rid of Diosdado Gabi. Gabi was supposed to be a tough test for Mares on paper, but that is where the toughness ended. Mares dropped Gabi twice in the 2nd round and the fight was stopped at :49 of the 2nd round.

Roy Jones Jr. In Germany!!!

Roy Jones Jr. and Markus Beyer in Germany after Beyer's fight. It appears that Jones Jr. and Beyer are going to fight in Germany this summer. More details on this will come as soon as I know.

Unfinished Business: The Weigh-In

Juan Manuel Marquez: 130 Pounds

Manny Pacquiao: 129 Pounds

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/14/08

1. Who said trash talking does not work? It appears Mikkel Kessler will be fighting Edison Miranda on May 24 at a venue to be announced on Showtime. It was said Kessler turned the fight down on at least two occasions in the past. Then Miranda started trash talking Kessler. Now it is said the fight will now happen. Hopefully this is a lesson to Ricky Hatton who continues to say as long as Junior Witter talks trash about him he will never fight Witter. Sometimes the best way to shut the bully up is to take it straight to him and whoop his a$$, if you can LOL.

2. The Carlos Quintana-Paul Williams rematch is getting closer and closer to becoming complete. It could come as early as May 24 on HBO, however Quintana prefers the fight to be more in the mid to late June range. HBO and Showtime both have interest in showing the fight so it will be televised, but the date and network need to be worked out.

3. In a slight contrast to rumor #2, it has been mentioned that HBO and Showtime will once again collide with fights on June 7 this time. HBO is going to televise a tripleheader on June 7 with Kelly Pavlik-Gary Lockett as the main event, Daniel Ponce De Leon-Juan Manuel Lopez, and Andy Lee-Marco Antonio Rubio. Showtime has moved Vernon Forrest fight against Sergio Mora from May 10 to June 7 and is going to pair it with Carlos Quintana-Paul Williams rematch to form a doubleheader. Should be interesting to see which rumor is right, #2 or #3!!!!!

4. It appears that Paulie Malignaggi will be fighting his contractual mandatory rematch against Lovemore N'dou on the undercard of Ricky Hatton-Juan Lazcano on May 24 in England. If Hatton and Malignaggi both win they will then fight each other in the fall in the United States. As far as the May 24 date, Golden Boy is still trying to work out those fights being televised. However at this time it appears if it is televised in the United States it will not be on HBO or Showtime.

5. The Lightweight Title eliminator between Zahir Raheem and "Kid Diamond" Almazbek Raiymkulov for April 18 on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights is OFF!!! The IBF, which was going to sanction the fight as their eliminator, decided not to after Kid Diamond did not go to the doctor to clear up an old medical suspension. Since Kid Diamond missed the deadline to qualify for the fight, Raheem's camp is now trying to talk to Ali Funeka of South Africa about fighting. Funeka is next in line on the IBF rankings. The winner would become the mandatory for newly crowned Lightweight Champion Nate Campbell.

6. Markus Beyer won an 8 round UD today in Germany to set up a potential fight with Roy Jones Jr. Jones Jr. was at the fight and said he is looking to possibly do some business with Beyer in Germany. Should be interesting to see if Roy Jones Jr. will indeed fight outside of the United States. As many know, since Roy Jones Jr. got robbed of a decision in Seoul Korea in 1988 of his well deserved Gold Medal, he has had no desire to fight outside of the US.

7. Miguel Cotto weighed 159 pounds at his 30 day weigh in. Cotto as you know will be defending his WBA Welterweight Title on April 12 against Alfonso Gomez. Be sure to check out The Buildup on http://www.alfonsosgomez.com/.

8. Peter Manfredo Jr. got back in the win column tonight beating Shane "The Irish Hitman" Benfield via 6th round TKO. Manfredo's body attack took a toll on Benfield and the fight was stopped at 2:30 of the 6th round.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/13/08

1. Former WBA Junior Welterweight Vivian Harris has stated he wants a release from his promotional contract with Gary Shaw Productions. Harris has stated Gary Shaw has not returned any of his calls among others that were not stated as of yet. More to come about this matter in the future.

2. Former Heavyweight Champion Hasim Rahman appears to be fighting in either late April or May against Heavyweight contender Derrick Rossy. If Rahman losses this fight he may want to hang up the gloves.

3. #1 IBF Welterweight Joshua Clottey is going to fight Jose Luis Cruz on April 3 in Brooklyn, NY at Aviator Sports at Floyd Bennett Field.

4. Brian Young of Prize Fight Boxing has stated his Light Heavyweight contender DeAndrey Abron will challenge WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Zsolt Erdei in Germany on April 26.

5. Mike Tyson, who despite all of his issues still has a strong fan following and a huge heart, is going to the UK on May 29 to help raise money for various charities. Tyson participated in helping raise money in the UK once before about 2 years ago when he helped raise money for one charity which was for the family of a Yorkshire police woman who was brutally killed in the line of duty. It is great to see Mike Tyson use his name and celebrity for a good cause.

6. Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson both have passed the WBC's 30 day weigh in. Glen Johnson weighed in at 186 which is just 11 pounds over the Light Heavyweight limit. Dawson on the other hand weighed in at 175 which is the Light Heavyweight limit. It is very rare that a fighter is on weight 30 days in advance. This gets me even more excited to see these two fight on April 12 live on Showtime.

7. Joe Mesi, who was supposed to headline the April 4 ESPN2 Friday Night Fight, injured his shoulder and has withdrawn from the fight. Mesi has been advised to rest his shoulder for 3-4 weeks and then have it re-evaluated.

8. This Saturday, March 15, Thompson Boxing Promotions will honor former champion Victor Burgos. For those of you who may not know, Burgos was forced to quit boxing after having brain surgery last year. After his fight with Vic Darchinyan, in which Burgos took quite a beating, Burgos slipped into a coma due to bleeding on the brain. Burgos has recovered but will not box again. Thompson Boxing Promotions will honor Burgos by making a donation to him at a private event at the Doubletree Hotel in Orange County, CA. WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Israel Vasquez is expected to be in attendance. In the main event of the fight card at the event, Burgos's nephew Juan Carlos Burgos will be fighting.

What If...Andrew Golota???

Andrew Golota at one point seemed to have it all to become a Heavyweight Champion. He had the body at 6'4 240 pounds with a 79'' reach. Golota had the skills; strong jab, good power, ability to block punches and take punches. He also had a strong fan base especially among his natives, the Polish, as well as many Americans. What Andrew Golota seemed to be missing was the mental aspect of boxing. As many of you know Andrew Golota has always got to the gates of the promised land (the big fights or heavyweight championships) and just dropped the key. Either by not bringing the total package or as we recall from his two fights with Riddick Bowe he just melted down. As long as Golota's name is ever mentioned in boxing, his two fights with Bowe where he was clearly winning the fight and decided to throw low blows, will always be what comes to mind first. Those two fights will come to mind even before his fight with Mike Tyson where he quit. Even after some time away from boxing when Golota returned and signed with Don King, he went on to have 3 title shots in a row. In the first two fights many argued Andrew deserved the decision, against Chris Byrd and John Ruiz. However in his fight with Lamon Brewster, he just never showed up except for physically, being KOd in just 53 seconds. Andrew still fights today and still has a huge following. As crazy as the heavyweight division is he could still get a title, but at 40 his time is running out. So with all that said lets contemplate, what if.

What if Andrew Golota had better discipline? What if Andrew Golota never had those demons in his head that caused him to throw low blows against Riddick Bowe? What if Andrew Golota was in better shape for his fight against Lennox Lewis? What if Andrew Golota never quit against Michael Grant? What if Andrew Golota never quit against Mike Tyson? What if Andrew Golota had been just a little more aggressive against Chris Byrd? What if Andrew Golota had broke some of the clinches in his fight against John Ruiz? What if Andrew Golota would have shown up more than just physically against Lamon Brewster? What if Andrew Golota had a friend to confide in so he could talk his issues out? What if Andrew Golota had someone to figure out what caused him to throw low blows? What if Andrew Golota had someone to really figure out what was going on in his brain? What if Andrew Golota would have won just one of his four title challenges? What if Andrew Golota would have kept his punches up against Bowe and either won the fight by decision or by KO? What if Andrew Golota would have never lost focus? What if...???

Below is a good video I found that shows some of Andrew Golota's best moments as a fighter and some of his worst. When I think of Golota I think of the good and the bad. I watched him in fights and really was impressed but when I turned my head he would disappoint me. I don't know what to think of Andrew Golota which is why I sometimes sit back and ponder what if.

Y'all Must Have Forgot

Roy Jones Jr's first music video? Anyone remember it??? If not then Y'all Must Have Forgot!!!

Maskaev-Peter 3/8/08 The Last 3 Rounds

The last 3 rounds of the Maskaev-Peter fight from 3/8/08, including the KO of Maskaev. If you missed it then watch it. If you do not have time to watch the whole 3 rounds, then fast forward to about the 8:30 part of the video and start watching there. This way you will see the lead up as well as the KO.

Manny Pacquiao Is Ready!!!!

I have made my official pick for this weekend's rematch between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao for Marquez's WBC Super Featherweight Championship. My pick is Manny Pacquiao. Here is a picture of him looking in great shape and ready to KO Marquez this Saturday.

Million Dollar Mayweather.

Here is a video of Floyd Mayweather Jr. telling Big Show to put his money where his mouth is. Floyd counts $1 million in cash. If you don't believe me, then watch for yourself.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/12/08

1. It is official, Ricky Hatton will be fighting Juan Lazcano on May 24, 2008 at the City of Manchester Stadium before a capacity crowd of 55,000 fans.

2. Edison Miranda has officially called Mikkel Kessler. no longer a fighter. Miranda is still talking trash on Kessler after Kessler turned down the chance to fight Miranda on multiple occasions. Now Miranda has told Winky Wright since he has no fight coming up to contact his promoter to make a fight. Should be interesting to see what happens with this one.

3. The WBC has ordered that new WBC Heavyweight Champion Samuel Peter defends his title against Vitali Klitschko. The free negotiations period will begin on Monday for the promoters to strike a deal. As you may call Vitali Klitschko is the Champion Emeritus and gets his chance at the championship although he has not fought since December 2005. The Peter-Klitschko fight appears to be heading towards a fall fight date.

4. Here is some drama for your mama. Newly crowned Lightweight Champion Nate Campbell and former champion Juan Diaz were both not made to take a pre or post fight drug test. Not sure why that was, however I have heard they have different rules about blood and drug tests in Mexico. In other words they may not be required. Just a little thought there.

5. World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman has stated that Jose Luis Castillo did actually lose the weight to make 140lbs by 11am on the day of the fight. However the doctors ruled that Castillo was not physically fit to fight after losing so much weight so fast and generating high blood pressure. Sulaiman said no fines or suspensions would be placed on Castillo, but he did urge Castillo to retire. He believes if Castillo fights again it will not be at the level that he was accustomed to in his prime.

Floyd And The WWE

Floyd Mayweather Jr. again was at a WWE event for the weigh in of his wrestling match against Big Show. Floyd weighed in at 159lbs and Big Show weighed 441lbs. After some trash talking, Floyd got thrown out of the ring by Big Show. Now if you watch it appears Floyd may have actually hurt himself. It looks like he hit his elbow and if that is the case this may not be good. Not for the silly a$$ wrestling match but for his real career as a boxer. All this silly play can actually be serious. Yes I know wrestling like this is supposed to be fake, but one false move can still get someone seriously hurt. I think it is a mistake for Floyd to even mess around with this, but he is convinced it is a good idea. Not every way a person can make money is a good idea to make money. I think this is one avenue he may regret later whether he admits it or not. Check out the video below and let me know if you think he is really hurt.

Unfinished Business: Marquez-Pacquiao II

HOT DAMN!!!!!!

The time has almost finally arrived. Juan Manuel Marquez vs Manny Pacquiao the rematch. In May 2004, Marquez and Pacquiao fought a hard fight to a draw. In this fight Marquez hit the canvas 3 times, all in the first round. Showing the heart of a champion, Marquez fought back and earned a hard fought draw. He earned a draw in a fight many thought he had lost based on the first round. A fight that many thought he actually came back and won. After this fight you knew there had to be a rematch right???? Well yes but for awhile we thought it would never come.

AFTER THE DRAW

This fight should have happened years ago but Marquez, who was offered $750,000 wanted, $1.5 million. Then Marquez sat idol for awhile and eventually went to Indonesia to fight Chris John for $30,000. Sad part of this story is Marquez lost his WBA Featherweight Title to Chris John in March 2006 and received only $30,000 in return. Yes, Marquez actually lost his title and $720,000. Marquez went on to fight a few less exciting fighters until he signed a deal with Golden Boy Promotions. Right away with this deal he fought Marco Antonio Barrera in March 2007 and won a UD and picked up the WBC Super Featherweight Title. For those who watched closely we knew the time was coming for this rematch.

After the draw, Manny Pacquiao went on to become probably the hottest boxer in the world. He beat Erik Morales by KO 2 out of 3 times and beat Marco Antonio Barrera by UD among other fights. Pacquiao has been in several movies in his hometown in the Philippines as well as recorded an album. Pacquiao has lived the dream of all boxers while Marquez struggled for awhile. But you know what the rematch has finally been made for March 15, 2008.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: PACQUIAO

Unfinished Business it is, after fighting to a draw. Both fighters have gotten older since their first fight. Marquez has proven that at 34 he still have a lot left along with his big heart. Pacquiao at 29 has proven he can live the rock star lifestyle and still win his fights no matter what people say. Pacquiao has improved tremendously since the first fight with Marquez. He has developed his fighting style into becoming a two hand fighter. Where in the first fight all of Pacquiao's power punches were thrown with his left hand, he has now added the right hand. Still a strong come forward type of fighter, Pacquiao has learned how to block more punches and still land his own. His power is still great and now it exists in both hands. Pacquiao is also very quick with strong legs and balance for a fighter who fights in a brawling style.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: MARQUEZ

Marquez is still a strong puncher too. However as I have watched him in his fight with Barrera and his fight with Rocky Juarez, I have seen him get hit a little more than he needs to. This leads me to believe he has lost some of his quickness over the years. After watching his fight with Juarez I have also started to wonder if he still has the same power at Super Featherweight as he did at Featherweight. Marquez could not get Juarez out even after having him badly cut. It appeared he never really hurt Juarez. Now Marquez still is tough as hell and can take some shots. You cannot count him out just because of his age or what he did in his last fight. This fight with Pacquiao means the world to Marquez. Of the three lighter weight Mexican Legends, he is the only one Pacquiao has not KOd. Pacquiao has KOd both Morales and Barrera and Marquez wants to end that. Marquez is fighting for himself, his country, and for his pride. He is dangerous. Pacquiao is fighting to prove he should have won the first fight and to officially finish off the last of the Mexican legends in his generation.

#1POUND 4POUND'S OFFICIAL PICK

Here is my official pick, I believe Manny Pacquiao will win and either by late round stoppage (rounds 9-12) or by a UD. I think Pacquiao will be too much for Marquez in the speed and power areas. Plus now that Pacquiao is using both hands and has power in both hands I think he will be the stronger fighter. I believe Marquez will be game and will make a great fight. I even think he will hurt Pacquiao at least once in the fight, but I don't think he will be able to finish Pacquiao. The video I have seen of Pacquiao shows him to be in great shape and Freddie Roach has isolated Pacquiao to keep him from distractions. Although I have not seen Marquez spar or any video of him training, I think whatever he brings Pacquiao will still be too much. Pacquiao is at his peak and right now I just don't see him losing at this time. Time will tell if I am right.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/11/08

1. Roy Jones Jr. vs Markus Beyer??? It is very possible. Roy Jones Jr. is going to Germany to watch Markus Beyer fight Murat Mahmudov on Friday night in Munich, Germany. Beyer is a 3-time WBC Super Middleweight Champion and has not fought in about a year in a half. Jones Jr. is not really a fan of leaving the US but interest has struck him and he is going to Germany. Arena Promotions CEO Ahmet Oner said if the fight is made between Jones Jr. and Beyer, he will do whatever he can to stage the fight in Germany.

2. Timothy Bradley who became the mandatory challenger to Junior Witter for the WBC Junior Welterweight Title is ready to fight anytime. Witter, who was supposed to fight Demetrius Hopkins on March 22 before Hopkins pulled out due to issues with his promoter and manager, is in fight shape. Bradley, who was supposed to fight this past weekend against Jose Luis Castillo who could not make weight, is also in great fight shape. Bradley says lets not wait since we are both in great shape. Hopefully this fight will happen soon because it was sad to see both fighters have fights scheduled only to have both cancelled.

3. Jeff Fenech, who is already a hall of famer as well as a 3-time world champion, is supposed to make a comeback in mid-June in a rematch against Samart Payakaroon. The bout is supposed to take place in Bangkok, Thailand. In their first fight that took place on May 8, 1987, Fenech won by 4th round KO in Sydney Australia. Fenech has not fought since losing on May 18, 1996 and will be 44 years old by the time he fights. Payakaroon is 45 and has not fought since losing in September 1994. Should be interesting.

4. Evander Holyfield, who is currently on a book tour promoting his new book Becoming Holyfield, said a third fight with Mike Tyson appears to be on its way to becoming reality. When asked what would a fight with Tyson do for his career, Holyfield said bring money and excitement to the Heavyweight division. Time will tell if this fight really happens or not. FYI, Becoming Holyfield is currently on sale at bookstores everywhere.

5. Nate Campbell, who pulled an upset against Juan Diaz over the weekend to become the Lightweight Champion, won twice Saturday night. Campbell out $50,000 on himself to win the fight. The odds were against Campbell at 4-1. Sounds like a great bet that really paid off for him.

6. It appears that WBA "regular" Super Middleweight Champion Anthony Mundine will fight Sam Soliman for the third time in May. Mundine already has two wins of Soliman, a controversial split decision in 2001 and a 9th round KO of Soliman in March 2007 to win the WBA belt he has now. The fight is pretty meaningless to many, but Mundine is hoping it will lead to a lucrative rematch with current WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Danny Green. Mundine holds a decision win over Green as well. Soliman, who picked up quite a few fans while he was on the Contender last year, is hoping he can claim his first World Title again.

7. ESPN2 Wednesday Night Fights will show an IBF Junior Welterweight Title eliminator between Juan Urango and Carlos Wilfredo Vilches. Urango is trying to win another world title having previously held the WBO Junior Welterweight Title. Also in action on the undercard is up and coming hot prospect "Mean" Joe Greene.

8. It is official, Kelly Pavlik will defend his Middleweight Championship against Gary Lockett either on June 7 or 14. Bob Arum said it depends on whether HBO can accommodate a live tripleheader. The fight could either happen at Madison Square Garden as originally planned or at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Juan Manuel Lopez will be challenging WBO Junior Featherweight Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon. If HBO can accommodate a live tripleheader then middleweight prospect Andy Lee will be fighting Marco Antonio Rubio in the first fight of the telecast followed by Ponce De Leon-Lopez and then Pavlik-Lockett. The plot thickens for the main event because Lockett is trained by Enzo Calzaghe, who is the father and trainer of Super Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe. It has been mentioned of a possible Pavlik-Calzaghe fight down the road. I guess a lot also depends on Calzaghe's fight with Bernard Hopkins on April 19. So many scenarios can come in the coming months, I am excited.

Disturbing News That Pisses Me Off!!!!!!

Mamby, 60, loses decision!
By Robert Coster
Former world champion Saoul Mamby lost a ten round decision to one Anthony Osbourne last Saturday in the Cayman Islands. Many question whether Mamby, who will turn 61 in June, should be allowed to fight anywhere. Certainly Osbourne (6-25-1) is no ball of fire but, even so, it's interesting to note that the aged Mamby (45-34-6, 19 KOs) turned pro 36 years ago (before Osbourne's birth), won a world title eight years later and there is no doubt that Saoul's "comeback" to ring action will be cited in the Guiness Book of Records. Another notable fact should be mentioned. Mamby, noted for having one of the toughest chins in boxing history, went the ten round distance with a man 29 years his junior -- an admirable feat for the worthy old champion with eleven grandkids -- but still not good for his health.Monday, March 10 2008
Source: Fightnews.com

For those of you that did not know, Saoul Mamby was trying to fight a few weeks ago in Iowa. I think this is a disgrace and it saddens me this is allowed to happen. Mamby was not allowed to fight in Iowa so he went to the Cayman Islands where they did not care. Iran Barkley ended up fighting on the card in Iowa. Barkley is 47 years old and is said to have vision problems from being a fighter. He supposedly passed all of his medical exams and was allowed to fight. This is why my sport is taking a beating in the mainstream sense. Fighters who are not healthy, too old, or have many other issues are allowed to get licenses to fight. The thing is if they do not pass the medical exams they will go to Indian Reservations where no medical exams are required or like Mamby, fighters will go to other countries or Islands to fight. This is sad. Hell the guy Mamby was fighting probably should not fight with a record of 6-25. This is a disgrace and I am truly saddened by this news. It is situations like this where I truly wish we had a united boxing commission to stop this madness. Something needs to be done!!!!!!!

Marquez-Pacquiao II

Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao faced off today at a press conference in Los Angeles. These two will be fighting in a long overdue highly anticipated rematch this Saturday. I will have a fight preview coming very soon.

The Buildup: Cotto vs Gomez Webisode 1

Here is the first webisode of The Buildup. If you want to learn more about The Buildup or Alfonso Gomez please go to www.alfonsosgomez.com.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/10/08

1. Jermain Taylor-Ricardo Mayorga maybe in the works for this summer with the winner facing Roy Jones Jr. in the fall. Mayorga, who beat Fernardo Vargas in November at a catchweight of 164, will not come down to 147 or 154 as previously stated if he fights Taylor. Taylor has said he will fight at Super Middleweight which is 168. Should be interesting because Mayorga did not look that good at 164 even though he beat a shot Vargas. This is a fight in my opinion that should never happen, but $$$$$ always talks.

2. Winky Wright must really think he can beat Kelly Pavlik.Wright's Winky Promotions along with Golden Boy Promotions are trying to offer Pavlik a purse that is more than what he made for both fights against Taylor. If that is not enough Winky will make the fight in Cleveland Ohio, in other words Pavlik's backyard. This should be very interesting because that would mean money and location is not an excuse for Pavlik. ****UPDATE**** I have heard that the offer is $4 million. What is not certain is if $4million is how much Pavlik would get or is $4 million for the whole fight. If it is for the whole fight and Winky is still agreeing to giving Pavlik a 60/40 split then, Pavlik would earn $2.4 million and Winky would get $1.6 million. I have heard Pavlik got about $2.5 million for his rematch with Jermain Taylor. Should be interesting to see how this turns out in the end.

3. Those of you who want to see Jorge Linares fight in the US, you may get your wish soon. He has stated he will be defending his WBC Featherweight title in the US in May. Time will tell if a fight happens for him in May in the US.

4. Promoter Gary Shaw has inked a deal with Ahmet Oner as a new joint venture where Gary Shaw's GSP Promotions will be Arena Box Promotions (Arena) exclusive US Promoter. Arena Box Promotions is based out of Hamburg, Germany. The first fight under this new joint venture will be the May 17 HBO Boxing After Dark card featuring Heavyweight Odlanier Solis (7-0;5KOs) and Super Featherweight Yuriokis Gamboa (9-0;8KOs).

Post Fight Thoughts!!!

First of all this was a great weekend of fights and once again I was glad to be a fan. The boxing I saw this weekend was very competitive and I enjoyed it all. Now what is next for the winners of the major fights here. Lets take a look.

Samuel Peter fought a great fight. In his fight, Peter showed how he has improved as a boxer no longer fighting as an amateur professional. Peter has added the jab to his fight game and he is finding out it is a great tool to set up punches. The upper body movements has allowed him to avoid as many punches as he used to take therefore making him a better fighter. I want to see Peter continue to work on his jab and even double and triple his jab. Continue to work on defensive tactics such as keeping his off hand up more to block punches. Also keep working on ducking and dodging punches. If Samuel Peter keeps improving he has a real chance at beating either Klitschko brother they put in front of him. Wladimir Klitschko rematch is the fight we want to see but boxing politics may have Peter fighting Vitali first. In boxing it is not a deal until there is a fight outside of the ring to make the fight inside of the ring. An example of that is Peter getting his shot at Oleg Maskaev. So lets see how the drama unfolds but until then Samuel Peter is the WBC Heavyweight Champion.

Nate Campbell, I am proud of because he finally did it. I saw his first fight agaist Robbie Peden and I have to admit I found it funny. However watching him last night showed how much he has improved as a boxer as well as matured as a person. Yes he still talks trash but he handled his business in the ring instead of showboating and losing the fight. I will admit I figured Diaz would bull his way against Campbell and work down Campbell's 36 year old body. However that did not happen and I am happy. Campbell now has the IBF/WBA/WBO Lightweight Titles and as far as I am concerned is the true champion. Sure Joel Casamayor has the Ring Magazine belt, but he does not appear to be the champion in most eyes. If Casamayor gets past Michael Katisidis on March 22, I think Campbell and Casamayor should do a rematch of their fight. I see Campbell winning the fight this time and then according to everyone he will be the "official" Lightweight Champion. Before Campbell won last night I thought he could beat Casamayor anyway, so I guess time will tell. Now hopefully Campbell can remain champion for awhile and pick up some well deserved high dollar paydays. Once again Happy Birthday, Congratulations on your win, and good luck on your wedding May 17.

John Ruiz won last night but I did not see the fight. I have read it was a boring fight like most of his fights. Not really sure what is next for Ruiz, obviously by winning he will fight on. It appears the WBC is building him up to fight Samuel Peter down the road if he wins another fight or two. Not sure how that will work. I have never been a big Ruiz fan because of his holding style. I guess time will tell what will happen for him. As for Jameel McCline, his days as a top contender are over. He never really had what it took to be a champion and it has always shown. He could continue to fight as a gatekeeper for up and coming fighters or just call it a career. I tend to hope he leans towards calling it a career.

David Haye got the job done last night and in sensational fashion. I was impressed by Haye's power however his style makes me nervous. I know his only loss was by KO and honestly I can see it happening again. Haye keeps his left hand extremely low which can be very dangerous. He wants to move up to Heavyweight which is a great idea, but he is going to have to add some more skills to his game. First he needs to get the left hand up higher and block punches better. Utilize a jab a lot more to establish his position before throwing his power shots. I think he will need to learn how to slip and duck punches better too. I want to see him succeed at Heavyweight because I think his style will bring excitement, but if he continues to hang his left low he will get caught. We already know he has been KOd and has been knocked down, so the more he can do to avoid that happening the better. With his power Haye is always going to be a threat and an attraction now he needs to make sure all the hype is worthwhile. Good Luck I want to see you get a Heavyweight title.

David Haye KO Enzo Maccranelli Fight

The complete fight of David Haye's KO of Enzo Maccranelli. Great KO!!!!!

Samuel Peter Is The Only WBC Heavyweight Champion Now!!!!!!!

Samuel Peter scored a 6th round TKO over Oleg Maskaev. In a heavyweight fight that was not boring like Klitschko-Ibragimov on February 23, Samuel Peter proved he is for real. Both fighters started out somewhat feeling out each other in the first round with Peter landing some good jabs. In the third round Peter rocked Maskaev and had him hurt but could not finish the job. A little excited and not throwing the proper punches, Peter let Maskaev off the hook. As the round progressed, Peter himself was rocked by Maskaev in the exciting third round. At the end of the 4th round the scores were announced as 39-37(twice for Peter) and 40-38(Peter). FYI if you did not know, the WBC allows open scoring in Mexico. I do not like it but that is the way life goes. In the 5th round started to land his jab a little bit and try to find opening to set Maskaev up for some power shots. In the sixth round Peter rocked Maskaev again and this time stayed calm to go in for the kill. Peter landed straight punches to the face and side of the face of Maskaev who stumbled into the far right neutral corner. After 3 more hard punches, the referee stopped the fight at 2:56 of the 6th round. With this win Samuel Peter was crowned the WBC Heavyweight Champion. No more interim WBC Heavyweight Champion, Samuel Peter is now the only WBC Heavyweight Champion. Now Samuel Peter says he is ready to fight anybody. He feels he is the true Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World and ready to prove. The biggest fight for Samuel Peter is a rematch with IBF/WBO Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko, who he fought in September 2005. However the issue is that Vitali Klitschko is supposed to fight Peter next due to his Championship Emeritus. Should be interesting to see how this all plays out in the months to come. I suppose Peter and his camp will worry about that tomorrow, but for tonight they will celebrate Samuel's great win tonight.

And New Lightweight Champion of the World...Nate Campbell

Nate Campbell defeated Juan Diaz by Split decision, .114-113 Diaz, 115-112, 116-111 Campbell. In a fight I thought that Diaz would win a close decision, it turned out to be Nate Campbell who did. Campbell kept up his clean effective punching through the whole fight and never seemed to tire. Campbell landed very well to the body of Diaz as well as to the head with the right hand. In round 6, Campbell was deducted a point for a headbutt and Diaz was cut over his left eye. However replays showed that the cut was caused by a left hand punch in a clinch. Therefore Campbell lost a point for no reason. The cut opened up over Diaz's eye and affected his vision, along with the huge bruise under his left eye caused from Campbell's right hands. As the fight wore on, Campbell continued to land his clean effective punches as Diaz was losing his vision in his left eye. Diaz slowed a little and Campbell just took over. Campbell punished Diaz to his swollen and cut eye as well as the body. In some sequences, Campbell pushed Diaz backwards which is unusual for Diaz. It was a great win for Campbell whose birthday was yesterday. So Happy Birthday and a Great Win to Nate Campbell.

John Ruiz Wins UD Over Jameel McCline

Not televised and from what I have heard that is a good thing, John Ruiz won a boring and ugly UD over Jameel McCline. Scores were 117-111, 118-110, and 119-109 in a bout that left the fans in Cancun, Mexico bored, annoyed and irritated. I heard the fans were mocking the fighters as John Ruiz who promised to add action to his style continued to grab and hold as he has always done. In others words despite the win his demand is still very low.

David Haye KOs Enzo Maccarinelli In 2!!!!!!

David Haye made short work of Enzo Maccarinelli this evening. He connected on a couple of right hands to hurt Enzo. Once Haye got Maccarinelli in the corner and went to work to finish him. Maccarinelli dropped his hands to try and hold Haye and Haye connected with a hard right hand to put Maccarinelli down. Maccarinelli got to his feet but stumbled around the ring. The ref looked into his eyes and waved the fight off. David Haye added Maccarinelli's WBO title to his WBA and WBC Cruiserweight Titles. The fight ended at 2:04 of the 2nd round.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/8/08

1. Manny Pacquiao weighed 133lbs for his 7 day weigh in. He is looking great for his fight next week against Juan Manuel Marquez.

2. Teddy Atlas has been selected Grand Marshall for the Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade set for this Sunday beginning at 11:30 am through 3:00 p.m. Atlas is highly regarded and cherished in his hometown for the humanitarian efforts of the Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation, which remembers and continues the legacy of his late father.

3. Starting March 10, Gomez vs Cotto: The Buildup will debut on www.alfonsosgomez.com. It is an online documentary that goes behinds the scenes and shows Alfonso Gomez getting ready for his fight against Miguel Cotto. There will be six weekly webisodes beginning on March 10 at 10am EST.

Weigh In From Cancun

Samuel Peter 250

Oleg Maskaev 243

Nate Campbell 134.5

Juan Diaz 134

Not pictured or being televised:

John Ruiz 233

Jameel McCline 268

Haye-Maccarinelli Weights

David Haye 198

Enzo Maccarinelli 197

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/7/08

1. Jose Luis Castillo was asked to weigh in yesterday after the Heavyweights, a full day before he was scheduled to weigh in. Castillio weighed 147.5, that is 7.5 pounds too much. He had as of yesterday 24 hours to make 140. More to come on this.
UPDATE: Jose Luis Castillo has officially backed out of his fight against Timothy Bradley in Cancun, Mexico. Castillo released a statement saying due to stomach pains his doctor and trainers thought it would best for him to not fight. The stomach issues were making it hard for Castillo to lose those last 3 pounds. Where he goes from here is anyone's guess. This is the 3rd time Castillo has had issues with weight. Twice against Diego Corrales he missed the 135 limit and then he missed the weight here although not officially.

2. Ronnie Shields will not be in the corner of Juan Diaz. Shields broke his leg in Cancun. Derwin Richards who trained Diaz for his fight against Julio Diaz will work the corner.

3. Ricky Hatton has officially signed with Golden Boy Promotions. This is a move we had already seen coming, glad it is official now.

4. TJ Wilson who lost on ShoBox last week, 2/29/08, to Travis Walker tested positive for marijuana. He was fined $500 and has been suspended till May 29.

5. Zahir Raheem vs. "Kid Diamond" Almazbek Raiymkulov will take place on April 18, 2008 as a lightweight title eliminator on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights.

6. The IBF Cruiserweight Title Eliminator between O'Neil Bell and Tomasz Adamek will be aired live on ESPN Classic April 19, 2008.

7. Timothy Bradley became the WBC Junior Welterweight mandatory challenger to Junior Witter when he weighed in at 139lbs. Since Bradley made weight and Castillo could not and pulled out of the fight, Bradley automatically became Witter's mandatory.

8. Evander Holyfield who is a 4-time Heavyweight Champion and also the first Undisputed Cruiserweight Champion of the World will be ringside at the David Haye-Enzo Maccarinelli fight on March 8, 2008. Holyfield, who is in England promoting his autobiography, said after hearing how explosive both these fighters are he had to be ringside to see them.

Robert Guerrero KO Jason Litzau 2/29/08

Here is the 8th round of the fight between Robert Guerrero and Jason Litzau from 2/29/08.

Maskaev-Peter;Diaz-Campbell

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/6/08

1. It is said that Mikkel Kessler has turned down a fight with Edison Miranda on multiple occassions. When the fight was offered to Kessler at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida he turned down the location. Then Seminole Warriors Boxing, Miranda's promoter, suggested a neutral location again Kessler turned the fight down. Even when HBO and Showtime showed extreme interest in the fight, he turned it down again. Kessler has not fought since losing to Joe Calzaghe in November and has not been heard from much either. A fight like this would do wonders for Kessler if he beat Miranda. However it is up to him to fight. Miranda has made all kinds of negative comments towards Kessler in regards him turning down the fight.

2. David Haye who is fighting Enzo Maccarinelli on Saturday did not show up for the final press conference today. Haye stated in advance he has a sleep pattern he is trying to follow and did not want to break that. Since the fight is being shown live for the US, the fight is going to happen in London at 2am. Haye stated he asked for the conference to be later in the afternoon as the others were but they did not work with him to do so.

3. Roy Jones Jr.-Jermain Taylor has cooled down but it is not frozen yet. Lou Dibella, Taylor's promoter, plans on talking with Don King who represents Roy Jones Jr. Dibella has said he would prefer Taylor to fight maybe Mayorga or Trinidad first and then fight Jones Jr. Dibella realizes that even though Jermain got so much respect for his two fights against Kelly Pavlik, they were still losses. So Jermain needs to come back and win before he challenge Roy Jones Jr. By the way I think Roy Jones Jr. would beat Taylor.

4. Nothing is signed but it appears that Kelly Pavlik-Gary Lockett is getting closer and closer to being completed for June 7, 2008 at Madison Square Garden.

5. Carlos Quintana who defeated Paul Williams for the WBO Welterweight Championship looks to be defending against Williams in a rematch. Quintana tried to use his new belt to get another big name opponent but was unsuccessful. Shane Mosley is going to fight Zab Judah, Kermit Cintron is fighting Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto is fighting Alfonso Gomez, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is having found in his world wrestling among other things. Since Quintana does not want to sit idle he is working on having a rematch with Williams to prove that the first fight was no fluke.

6. Peter Manfredo Jr., best known for being on the first season of the Contender, is fighting on March 14 against Shane Benfield. After this fight, Manfredo is contemplating moving back down to Middleweight (160) where he feels he is more comfortable. He says he can fight at Super Middleweight but feels he would be better at Middleweight. He also stated he has to get a little meaner in the ring.

7. Gary Stark Jr. avenged his KO loss to Andres Ledemsa by UD. Here is what he looked like after the fight, which proves that it is not all glitz and glamour for fighters.

8. Jeff Lacy has switched head trainers. Roger Bloodworth is going replace Dan Birmingham as Lacy's head trainer. Lacy felt he needed a trainer that was going to challenge him a little more since he had become so familiar with Birmingham's training techniques.

Manny Pacquiao...Looking Great

Manny Pacquiao is looking great 10 days before his rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15, 2008. Pacquiao looked to be in great shape and appears to focused on the task. FYI in advance I am picking Pacquiao to KO Marquez in their fight.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/5/08

1. Don King has decided not to promote Juan Diaz after his fight Saturday night in Cancun. Diaz's manager Willie Savannah has complained about King for a long period of time. Savannah signed with Golden Boy in 2006 then turned around and agreed to sign with Don King and tried to place a bidding war with Golden Boy. Golden Boy bowed out because they felt Savannah was wrong for signing a contract then trying to make them bid against King. Just last month Diaz's lawyer, Fred Levin, quit due to complaints from Willie Savannah. Sounds like the problem is Savannah because Levin had never dropped a client and Don King has never just let a fighter go without a fight. Stay tuned...

2. The Louisiana State Boxing & Wrestling Commission has placed super middleweight contender Allan Green on indefinite suspension. Green as you may recall pulled out of his ESPN2 fight date with no explanation. Rumor has it another promoter has been talking to Green about bigger and better fights therefore creating issues between his current promoter, Tony Holden. Allan Green has not released a statement as to why he pulled out of his fight or any other matters. Right now, Green is not in good company with his promoter or ESPN, which has had Green in the main event in several of their fight cards.

3. It appears through all the possible opponents for Kelly Pavlik, Bob Arum is going to go with a unknown opponent. It is said the two opponents on the new list are Gary Lockett and Marco Antonio Rubio. Rubio is somewhat known to US fans however Lockett is being said as the lead opponent. If Lockett, who has never fought outside of Europe, gets the fight with Pavlik then Andy Lee will fight Marco Antonio Rubio. As you know Andy Lee is managed and trained by Emmanuel Steward and just signed with Top Rank last week.

4. In other Andy Lee news, he is scheduled to fight on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights on March 21 against Brian Vera. He also has a date in April for a club fight card in Detroit. However he may have to step off of his May fight date because Bob Arum does not want him to possibly get injured before his June 7 debut on Top Rank.

Championship Heat...At Last...Finally!!!!

AT LAST...

Oleg Maskaev is finally going to fight Samuel Peter for the WBC Heavyweight Championship. Nate Campbell is finally going to get his shot at the Lightweight title when he fights Juan Diaz this Saturday. The title of this weekend's card in Cancun, Mexico is Championship Heat but I call it At Last... Finally. As many already know Sam Peter fought two WBC eliminators, had to go through a legal battle, become interim champion and defend that before finally getting his chance at Oleg Maskaev. Peter finally gets his shot at the real WBC belt that he has been owed since 2006. At Last...Finally!

FINALLY

Nate Campbell is going to finally get his IBF mandatory shot at Juan Diaz. Campbell has been the mandatory for Diaz for quite some time and has not had his chance at the title. Diaz who is the IBF/WBA/WBO lightweight champion has a lot of mandatories but Nate Campbell is the fighter who has had to wait the longest. Promotional disagreements between Diaz's camp and Don King has really prolonged this fight. This fight was not truly official until like 2 weeks ago. But At Last...Finally the fight is going to happen.

BREAKDOWN:

OLEG MASKAEV-SAMUEL PETER; AT LAST...FINALLY

Now my breakdown of both fights. Sam Peter has improved his boxing skills tremendously. He has learned how to establish a consistent jab and move his head a little more. His conditioning looks a lot better as he has dropped some weight and toned his body. Evidence of his conditioning being better was in his last fight against Jameel McCline, where he was knocked down three times but still managed to win. You saw many weaknesses in Peter but you also saw the strength and true heart of a champion in that fight. I feel if Peter establishes the jab like he did against James Toney, he will be a headache all night long for Maskaev. Peter probably has the power advantage too, so a jab and a hard right hand could be a great combination for Peter to win the fight. Now Maskaev, he is an inconsistent fighter. He looks best against Hasim Rahman. What I know about Maskaev is he has been knocked out several times, but he has a hard right hand that can KO people too. I mean ask Rahman about the right hand. The key for him to win is to make Peter stay on the outside of his jab. Do not try to exchange with Peter unless he has too. As I stated Maskaev has a great right hand but his chin has failed him a few times. I sense Peter's power is more than Maskaev. I do worry about Maskaev's conditioning. He has not fought since the end of 2006 and he has gotten older. At 37, his legs may not be the strongest so he wants to use his jab and avoid too many punches especially early. If he does that he maybe able to get a late round stoppage or win a decision. I think this is Samuel Peter's coming out party personally. I think he wants to prove that his last fight against McCline was an off night and he is the true WBC Champion. The workout clips I have seen of Peter shows he has worked hard in all areas and I think come Saturday it will all pay off for him.

BREAKDOWN:

JUAN DIAZ-NATE CAMPBELL; AT LAST...FINALLY

Now the Nate Campbell-Juan Diaz fight is going to be a good fight as well. I expect a very active fight. Diaz is exactly what his nickname says, a baby bull. There is no stop, not even a pause in his game. He does not have great power, but he has great activity. His condition is great and no fighter can take a break with him. Diaz works the body very well and has some nice inside punches such as his uppercut. Campbell is a underrated fighter with power. He has to stay consistent with his fight plan and not let Diaz bull his way inside. Campbell should establish a hard jab right away to keep Diaz at a distance. If Campbell establishes his jab early he can follow behind it with his hard right hand. Diaz has not been in too much danger from what I have seen because he gets inside so quick that he smothers the other fighter from throwing hard punches. So in order for Campbell to be successful he cannot let Diaz smother his punches. My take on the fight is I think Diaz with his young aggressive style will be too much for Campbell. I think it will be a UD for Diaz. Campbell will bust Diaz up a little but I just don't think he will be able to keep Diaz off of him the whole fight or KO him early. I do expect a great fight between these two guys.

David Haye WBA,WBC Cruiserweight Champion

The Cruiserweight Division is one of the most underrated divisions around. However this weekend David Haye (20-1, 19KOs) who is the WBA & WBC Cruiserweight Champion will be taking on Enzo Maccarinelli (28-1, 21KOs) who is the WBO Cruiserweight Champion. Enzo is trained by Enzo Calzaghe who is the father and trainer of Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe. Haye who has fought at heavyweight a few times was going to move up to heavyweight permanently before signing to face Maccarinelli. This is a huge fight over in the UK because both of these guys are power punches. I have only seen David Haye when he KOd Jean Marc Mormeck to become champion. He has some serious power but I do worry about his stamina and how low he keeps his left hand. I have never seen Maccarinelli but I have heard he has great power and decent boxing skills. A lot of trash has been spoken between the two fighters and Saturday March 8, 2008 they will meet in the ring. The talking will be over and the fight will happen. Live on Showtime from London England in a fight titled Bombs Away you will see David Haye vs Enzo Maccarinelli in one of the biggest Cruiserweight fights ever. Don't miss it.

Below is some highlights I found of David Haye. Since he is the only one of the two fighters I know about I am going for Haye to win.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/4/08

1. It has been said that Jose Luis Castillo is having trouble making weight AGAIN. On the 7 day weigh in papers he failed to fill in a weight which is against the rules of the WBC. On his 30 weight check, Castillo weighed in at 151. Castillo is supposed to fight Timothy Bradley on Saturday in Cancun, Mexico depending on his weight. His weight needs to be 140 or below.
2. I have heard that Lucian Bute could be the fighter that faces Jeff Lacy on May 31st on the undercard of Shane Mosley-Zab Judah. It would be for Bute's IBF SuperMiddleweight title. The same title Lacy once had before getting beat from pillar to post against Joe Calzaghe.
3. It is said now that Chris Byrd is a promotional free agent. Byrd who I reported before is planning on fighting at the light heavyweight division, is free to sign with whatever promotional company brings the right offer.
4. Roger Mayweather who is the uncle and trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr. is certainly busy these days. He is training Steve Forbes for his May 3, 2008 fight against Oscar De La Hoya and he is training Ishe Smith for his April 30, 2008 fight against Joel Julio.
5. It has been reported that it took 30 stitches to cover up those gashes over the eyes of Israel Vasquez.
6. The WBA has ordered a rematch of WBA Heavyweight Champion Ruslan Chagaev and former WBA Champion and current mandatory Nicolay Valuev. If an agreement has not been reached by April 3rd an immediate purse bid will be called. You may recall, Chagaev won the title from Valuev via decision in April 2007.

Boxing Rumors (Maybe Hidden Truths) 3/3/08

1. HBO has signed Ricky Hatton to a 3 fight deal. Golden Boy Promotions will be representing Hatton in this deal.
2. 3 time World Champion William Joppy who was beaten up Friday by Lucian Bute is retiring from boxing.
3. Joan Guzman will defend his WBO Super Featherweight title against interim champion Alex Arthur on April 26, 2008.
4. Gary Shaw protested the Vasquez-Marquez III decision stating the ref should not have taken the point away for low blows or a knockdown. His protest did nothing as the decision for Vasquez stays the same.
5. Rumor has it Arturo Gatti will be boxing in a 3 round exhibition on March 22. Seems he just can't say goodbye even after getting his a$$ whooped last time out. I honestly hope this is just rumor because he needs to move on.

Damn That Was A Great Fight!

Damn that was a great fight. Israel Vasquez got a Split Decision victory over Rafael Marquez in a fight that was all action. All ACTION!!!!!. Both fighters were rocked and both fighters fought back. The never say die attitudes brought us the fight of the year thus far. The action started as soon as the bell rang for round 1. Early on Marquez was landing the better shots and even knocked Vasquez down in the 4th round. It was the first time Vasquez had been knocked down in this trilogy. Even though he was hurt Vasquez got up and rocked Marquez with a left hook. The action was back and forth the whole fight. It appeared that Vasquez was just a little bit stronger and hit a little bit harder than Marquez especially as it got to the later rounds. Marquez who is known for power may not have brought all his power he had at Bantamweight to the Super Bantamweight division. In the 10th round Marquez, who had been warned 3 times for low blows, had a point taken away. I did not think the shot was that low however because he had been warned openly I was not angry about the point being taken away. However with the fight as close as it was at that moment, a loss of one point was huge for Marquez. It actually evened it out for Vasquez who was knocked down in the 4th. Going into the 11th round it was close as close could be and the last two rounds were important to both fighters. It was then that it appeared that fatigue somewhat set in Marquez and Vasquez was still going strong. Vasquez landed the harder shots and I believe outlanded Marquez in both the 11th and 12th round. In the 12th round Vasquez got Marquez hurt and knocked him into his own corner. As Marquez was going into the corner it appeared he could either be knocked down or knocked out. Marquez grabbed the top rope as it appeared he was on his way down. The ref ruled it a knockdown because it appeared the only thing that kept Marquez up was the ropes. I personally felt if the ref did not rule that a knockdown Vasquez had enough time to possibly knock Marquez out. With less than 10 seconds left at that point there was not much Marquez could do to comeback. The scores were 114-111 for Vazquez, 114-111 for Marquez and 113-112 for Vazquez.

When interviewed after the fight Marquez felt like he had won the fight based on his work in the earlier rounds. He was highly upset about losing a point for low blows as well as being ruled knocked down in the 12th. He said he was fine but just grabbed the ropes as he was going backwards. Marquez was not opposed to fighting Vasquez a fourth time. (Hell Yeah)

Vasquez was happy with the decision obviously and ready to possibly test the waters in other divisions. Possibly moving up to featherweight or super featherweight are viable options for Vasquez. However he too was not opposed to fighting Marquez a fourth time. (Hell Yeah)

The trilogy is over and it was a great one. Put this up in boxing history as one of the best trilogies ever. The action, the blood, the will, the determination are all right up there with other great fights. If you have not seen this fight then shame on you. Israel Vasquez and Rafael Marquez did what two warriors should do in the ring every time, Let it all hang out. And if they decide to fight a fourth time, I'M READY!!!!

Two True Warriors at the post fight conference. Beaten, Battered, but Respected.

FNF and ShoBox February 29, 2008

In a sensational fight, Robert "the Ghost" Guerrero iced Jason Litzau in the 8th round. Litzau was a game opponent but certainly not on Guerrero's level. After being knocked down once in the 8th, Litzau was dropped once again for good with a hard combination towards the end of the round. For Guerrero this was his 5th straight win by KO and he looked good doing it. Now he is ready to face the bigger names for bigger money and possible title unification.

Travis Walker got revenge on his controversial loss to TJ Wilson. In their last fight, Wilson attacked at Walker got him hurt and the ref stopped the fight after 15 seconds. Not this time, Walker came at Wilson and was landing the harder shots. Walker landed some nice right hands in the 2nd and had Wilson out on his feet.

Michael Walker, who replaced Allan Green on 2 days notice, battled to a majority draw with 3 time title challenger Antwun Echols. Walker had been aggressive and had some success with his right hands but not sure if he was in the best shape to go 10 rounds. Walker kinda faded and let Echols do some work. Echols is an older fighter and it showed throughout the fight because his legs looked very shaky.

Sechew Powell came right out of the dressing room, into the ring and just iced Kevin Finley. Finley was never in the fight and Powell beat him like he stole his last $5. After this 1st round TKO it is time to see Powell step his game up to better opponents.