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Contributing Writers
Australia:
Tony Nobbs
Srithar Visuasam
Asia:
Benjie Varella
Canada: Shawn O'Donnell
Paul McCreath
Europe:
James Slater
Mike Casey
Andrew Harrison
Christine Maynard
Adeyinka Makinde
Michael Klimes
Jim Dorney
Andrew Walker
John Wight
United States:
Vivek Wallace Geoffrey Ciani
Coach Tim Walker Frank Gonzalez Jr
Wray Edwards
Pavel Yakovlev
Scott Kraus
Robert Jackson
Errol Hyppolite
Thomas Scherr
Charles White
Yero Moody
Trish Kilcullen
P.H. Burbridge
Paul Strauss
Taj Eubanks
Karl E. H. Seigfried
Mike Dunn
WBA interim flyweight champion Luis Concepcion (19-1, 14 KOs) made quick work of his opponent tonight, taking out Roberto Leyva (26-10-1, 21 KO's) in the 4th round at the Arena Roberto Duran, in Panama City, Panama. Concepcion easily dominated the first three rounds of the fight and then took Leyva out in the 4th with a combo to the head that sent Leyva down for the count. l
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Talented, promising lightweight prospect John Molina Jr. (18-0, 14 KOs) of Covina, Calif., will make his main event debut and face his toughest test when he meets veteran Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (26-4-1, 14 KOs) of Mexico in what will be a solid 10-round bout for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) lightweight championship in a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation, tomorrow/Saturday, Nov. 28 live on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). continue l
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By Kenneth Neir Anthony Small grinded out a close but dull 12 round unanimous decision over challenger Thomas McDonough (34-3-3, 7 KO’s) to retain his light middleweight British and Commonwealth titles at the Robin Park Centre, Wigan, Lancashire. The final judges’ scores were 115-114m 116-113 and 115-114. Small, spent most of the fight moving on the outside throwing an odd shot every now and then and not looking very impressive. Small threw few combinations and seemed to be loading up with one shot at a time against the game but limited McDonagh. In the end, Small did just enough to get the decision but it wasn’t boxing at it’s finest. continue l
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Weigh-In Results: Lucian Bute 166.8 vs. Librado Andrade 166.71 l Joan Guzman 134.4 vs. Ali Funeka 133.9 l Pier-Olivier Cote 129.8 vs. Jason Hayward 129.8 l Kevin Bizier 145.7 vs. Patrick Cape 145.5 l Craig McEwan 160.9 vs. James Parison 160.9
A few days after the United States celebrated Thanksgiving, Canadians will be celebrating one of the biggest sporting events ever to land in Quebec City with an evening of non-stop boxing action highlighted by the HBO Boxing After Dark World Title Doubleheader featuring Lucian Bute defending his world super middleweight title in a highly-anticipated rematch against top contender Librado Andrade and the dangerous Ali Funeka taking on former Two-Division World Champion Joan Guzman in a vacant IBF lightweight title bout. All of the bouts are set and the fighters are ready for battle, this Saturday, November 28 at the Pepsi Colisee in Quebec City, Canada and live on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" at 10:00pm ET/PT.
Montreal's local hero originally from Galati, Romania and IBF World Super Middleweight Champion Lucian Bute (24-0-0, 19 KO's) and IBF number one ranked supper middleweight contender Librado Andrade (28-2-0, 21 KO's) who is originally from Jesus Del Monte, Guanajuato, Mexico who now resides in La Habra, California, will do battle in a 12 round IBF World Title Bout. continue l
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Thanksgiving report from Paul Williams’ training camp in Arlington, VA. - "Thanksgiving is the same ole', same ole' for me. I trained on Thanksgiving Day, so it's just another day. The only difference is that we (trainer George Peterson and I) shared a meal with George Peterson’s family members. The best part is Thanksgiving was enjoyable for me because I ate all the turkey and fixings that I liked. My workout regiment burns everything I eat right through so I am can have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.. continue l
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by James Slater - On Saturday, December 12th in Switzerland, reigning WBC heavyweight king Vitali Klitschko will meet the unbeaten Kevin Johnson in a fight most fans seem to think will be a relative cakewalk for "Dr. Iron Fist." However, this is heavyweight boxing, and anything can happen when the big guys square off. What is certain, is the fact that UK fight fans will get the chance to watch the action unfold live from the comfort of their armchairs, because Sky Sports have secured the rights to show the card live. And, with the intriguing fight being "free" as opposed to a pay-per-view attraction, all current Sky subscribers will be able to see the title fight without having to shell out any more of their hard earned cash. continue l
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Exclusive Interview by James Slater - Marco Huck, the current WBO cruiserweight champion, faces interim WBO belt holder Ola Afolabi on December 5th, in what will be his first defence of the belt he won by out-pointing Victor Emilio Ramirez back in August. The exciting fighter known as "Kapt'n" Huck could have a tough fight against Afolabi.
Formerly of London, England and now based in California where he trains at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym (under Roach assistant Juan Carlos Martinez for the Huck fight as Freddie will be working Amir Khan's corner Vs. Dmitriy Salita) - the loose-limbed Afolabi, at 29 the older man by four years, is definitely a clever and cute fighter who has even been compared to the great James Toney.
Having learnt his trade by sparring with such talents as the elder of the two Klitschko brothers, Michael Moorer and Toney himself, the 14-1-3(6) Afolabi sure has picked up some tricks - as he showed when he flattened Enzo Maccarinelli in his big win in March of this year, a 9th-round stoppage. continue l
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NEW YORK (Nov. 27, 2009)–Unbeaten lightweight prospect John Molina Jr. hopes to do what Andre Ward and 39 other boxers have done before him: graduate from competing on ShoBox: The New Generation to becoming a world champion. But first, Molina (18-0, 14 KOs), of Covina, Calif., will have to get past veteran Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (26-4-1, 14 KOs) of Mexico in order to continue his ascension through the 135-pound ranks. Molina will take on Honorio in a 10-rounder for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) lightweight championship on a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation, this Saturday, Nov. 28 live on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). continue l
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by James Slater - As has been reported previously, IBF cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek's next fight will take place at heavyweight. Successful in his heavyweight debut when he stopped fellow Pole Andrew Golota back in October, "Goral" is, for the time being at least, campaigning as a heavyweight. Set to fight next on February 6th, in his adopted home town of Newark, New Jersey, Adamek is currently searching for an opponent.
However, according to Boxing News Magazine's "whispers" section, there is a possibility the 32-year-old with the iron chin will face former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman in his second fight at the new weight. continue l
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by Geoffrey Ciani - This week’s forty-ninth edition of On the Ropes featured exclusive interviews with Oleg Maskaev, Kevin Johnson, and Holly Holm. Highlighting this episode was the very interesting interview with former WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev. Maskaev is slated to take on Nagy Aguilera on December 11. If he wins this fight, he is then scheduled to face Ray Austin in a WBC title eliminator. Here are some excerpts from the interview:
On his upcoming fight December 11:
“It’s going to be a good fight for me because I know the guy has a great amateur background, so I’m training hard getting ready for this fight. I’m looking for a good fight and I’m ready to win.”
On the possibility of fighting Ray Austin in a title eliminator:
“The main goal I’m looking to fight Vitali Klitschko for the WBC championship. So first I’m going to win this fight and then I’m going to fight Ray Austin.. continue l
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Darren Barker has been hit with late change of opponent ahead of tomorrow night’s vacant British Middleweight title showdown at the Brentwood Centre. Former British Champ and original foe Wayne Elcock was forced to pull out earlier this week due to a stomach virus but promoter Mick Hennessy moved quickly to secure a replacement in the shape of ambitious young Bristol fighter, Danny Butler. The Hennessy Sports event is live on ITV4 from 7:30pm and Butler enters the bout with impressive credentials. The 22-year-old has a record of 18 wins from his 20 professional fights with both of his defeats coming on contentious points decisions. continue l
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FORMER British Champion Young Mutley believes his boxing future is on the line in next week's Prizefighter Light-Welterweights. Mutley, 33, has seen his career go backwards in the last two years after he lost to Colin Lynes in July 2007 with the British and European belts up for grabs. Another setback last month, when he was knocked out inside three rounds by Frenchman Mihaita Mutu, has left Mutley needing a big performance in Prizefighter. "My career is at a low but Prizefighter is what I need to get me back up there," admitted Mutley, who has won 26 out of 30 professional contests. continue l
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By Vivek Wallace - This week's 'Call Em Out Fridays' segment shines the spotlight on one of the most physically gifted fighters in the history of the sport, arguably the most supremely talented fighter over the past 20 years. Once aptly dubbed 'Superman', this smoking hot Olympic medalist came to the sport equipped with an ashtray of assets holding everything from amazing speed, to power in both hands, to cat-like reflexes, and serving as a cherry-on-top was a huge flair for showmanship that made him highly entertaining to watch as well. Of all the things mentioned in that sentence, the word ashtray is perhaps the most notable, as recent years have seen a once untouchable image go up in smoke, leaving enough rubbish to be noticed in the corner, yet no longer quite enough to command that center-of-the-room type attention he continues to seek. Some feel age was the culprit......some feel boredom with the sport set in.....others simply chalk it up as another case of Northern Exposure, which is common street vernacular for a not-so-durable chin being exposed. Whatever it was, no question, the answer revealed was the fact that things for Roy Jones are no longer the same. Or are they? Here lies the million dollar question. We've seen his rise in the sport, we've seen his fall in the sport, and now, it appears that we're on the brink of seeing his near successful attempt to rise yet again. continue l
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IFBA lightweight champion Chevelle Hallback has a thirty-five fight record and has fought boxing veterans such as Bonnie Canino, Lucia Rijker and Layla McCarter. Among those thirty-five names are Melissa Hernandez (11-1) and Holly Holm (25-1), who will meet December 4 in a defense of Holm's WIBA welterweight title. Chevelle fought Hernandez to a draw in February 2008 in a rough toe-to-toe battle, and lost a unanimous decision to Holm in May 2007. What does Hallback think of the pending "Bad Blood" bout between Holm and Hernandez? Is Melissa Hernandez too small for Holly Holm? Will their styles make for an exciting match? What did Hallback observe in her bouts with both women that could define who emerges the winner? continue l
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WBA Fedecentro Light Heavy Champ, Tommy Karpency (19-1-1 12kos) knocked out normally durable veteran Mike McFail in the third round Wednesday night in Morgantown, West Virginia. A vicious Karpency left hook to the body dropped McFail to the canvas, and referee Mike Napple halted the contest after McFail was unable to survive the count. Highlighting the undercard, local welterweight prospect Matt Bershire (9-1-1 4kos) looked impressive in stopping trialhorse Eric Burke in the fifth of their scheduled 6 rounder. In addition, local middleweight Paul Pindroh (1-0) won a four round unanimous decision over Francisco Portillo in a battle of debut boxers. All scores were 38-37. Simons' Promotions next scheduled card in Morgantown will take place January 29th at the Waterfront Place Hotel, and the main event will feature Tommy Karpency defending his WBA Fedecentro title against light heavy Dallas Vargas (22-4). continue l
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by James Slater, photo by Tom Casino - Mexican hard man Librado Andrade has made it quite clear he will start his second fight with IBF super-middleweight ruler Lucian Bute much faster than he started the first fight back in October of last year. Everyone knows what happened in that controversial final round last year, and Andrade now has a second chance to stop the unbeaten fighter he almost stopped over 14 months ago.
The questions is, will Saturday's intriguing rematch go the way Andrade wants it to, or will the superior boxing skills of Bute once again see him to victory?
Bute, 24-0(19) was miles ahead on points going into the final round of last year's fight, but the stubbornness of the iron-chinned Andrade and his refusal to get discouraged saw him almost pull off a sensational last-round stoppage victory. Some experts felt the hammering Bute took in that 12th round would have a lasting effect on him, perhaps even shortening his career. But "Le Tombeur" looked great in his next fight, when he TKO'd the useful Fulgencio Zuniga inside just four-rounds - in a fight that took place less than five months after the hard night with Andrade. continue l
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Everton fan Tony Bellew says his club should build a new stadium - because he wants to fight there for a world title. The "Bomber" is racing up the British rankings and has won eight of his 11 fights by KO. Next year the true blue is targeting a crack at the British light-heavyweight crown currently held by Nathan Cleverly. Bellew's last fight was a first round stoppage in Liverpool, and the big fight atmosphere at the Liverpool Echo Arena has left him eager for more fights on Merseyside. The 26-year-old's ultimate dream is to win a world title at the home of Everton FC, the club he has supported since he was a boy. continue l
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Paul McCreath - On December 5 in Atlantic City New Jersey two American heavyweights of some note, Chris Arreola and Brian Minto will collide in a ten round match to be televised on HBO World Championship Boxing. This is a bout that could spell the end of the title dreams for either man should he lose. It is on the undercard of the Paul Williams-Sergio Martinez middleweight title match.
Arreola is the better known of the two fighters.He recently was stopped in 10 rounds by Vitali Klitschko in a WBC heavyweight title bout. While he fought bravely he was well beaten.There has been much controversy over Chris, mainly regarding his weight. He stands 6 foot 4 inches and has weighed over 250 pounds for his last 4 fights. As an amateur he was a National Golden Gloves Champ at 175.According to health experts anyone weighing over 245 pounds at his height would be considered obese. You can disagree with those numbers if you like but there is no denying he is fat yet it does not seem as though it has effected his stamina all that much so far in his career. In the one fight that would have tested his stamina against Vitali he was well beaten after ten rounds but more worn down from punishment than out of gas. continue l
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by James Slater, photo by Tom Casino - Teak-tough Mexican warrior Librado Andrade came within a whisker of grabbing the IBF super-middleweight title in October of last year, when he knocked down defending champion Lucian Bute in the dying seconds of the 12th and final round in Montreal, Canada. The fight was instantly thrown into controversy when referee Marlon Wright, upon administering a count to an exhausted Bute, broke the count to warn the challenger for moving too far out of a neutral corner. Bute survived the round, as the bell rang a second or so after the eight-count was finally completed , and the barely-upright champion kept his title via unanimous decision.
Now, this Saturday evening, in Quebec City, Canada, the awaited rematch takes place.
Feeling he will finish what he began in the final seconds of the initial meeting with the unbeaten Bute, 31-year-old Andrade, 28-2(21) has been enjoying a great training camp under coach Howard Grant.
Now based in Canada of course, as is Romanian Bute, Andrade began our talk by telling me how enjoyable the camp he has had in preparation for the 29-year-old southpaw has been. continue l
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by James Slater - Undefeated Welshman Nathan Cleverly will be hoping for a happy new year in January, as he travels to Italy to fight for the vacant European light-heavyweight title. The 22-year-old who burst into public prominence at a high level in October of 2008, when he won the Commonwealth title with a win over Tony Oakey, will face the experienced Antonio Brancalion, the 33-year-old former European Union champion at 175-pounds. continue l
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Birmingham hot-shot Frankie Gavin has promised to dish out some revenge for the Irish when he takes on French opponent Samir Tergaoui. Gavin, who's parents are from Tipperary, was left gutted last week when Thierry Henry's handball to set up Williams Gallas' extra-time winner sent Ireland crashing out of the World Cup. The 23-year-old takes on the hard-hitting Frenchman Tergaoui - who has seven KO wins inside three round - on December 5th at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on Amir Khan's undercard. "I'm going to smash Tergaoui up for the people of Ireland who feel the same about the French as I do at the moment," fumed Gavin, Britain's first ever world amateur champion. "This won't make up for missing out on the biggest football tournament in the world, but it will make me feel a lot better after I've knocked him out,. continue l
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On Thursday December 3rd in the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center "The Real Million Dollar Baby" Maureen Shea (13-2, 7KO) will look to fulfill a life-long dream by capturing a world championship when she takes on Jenna Shiver (9-4-1, 2KO) for the interim WBA Female Super Bantamweight Title on the Joe DeGuardia Star Boxing promoted "Hustler Boxing" card. The bout, which is being aired live on Versus (the first ever televised female championship on the network), is scheduled for ten rounds in the 122 lb. division.
Q: Maureen how has training been for your upcoming fight?
MS: Training has been great! I took about two weeks off after my last fight. I had to regroup, reassess and re-plan. After doing that I was right back in the gym.
Q: I am told you have a new trainer in your corner now, Tommy Brooks. When did you start working with Tommy?
MS: I began to train at the PAL gym in Hackensack, NJ with Tommy around mid August. I wanted a fresh start. I am grateful that I am working with such a well respected trainer. I also have Aroz "Terrific" Gist in my corner now. Some might recognize him from his work with Kendall Holt. Neither one has ever worked with a female before and we are really having a great time in the gym. We are focused, but it is fun! continue l
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by James Slater - Power puncher Edison Miranda, an exciting fighter who has very much made a name for himself as a world class, KO or be KO'd practitioner, may be close to getting another crack at a recognised world title. According to the man with all the news, Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, "Pantera" is currently in line to face WBO super-middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz in Germany on January 9th next year.
"We're pretty close to a deal," Leon Margules of Warriors boxing told ESPN.com. continue l
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YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO (November 24, 2009) – World Middleweight Champion KELLY “The Ghost” PAVLIK returns home, to Youngstown State University’s Beeghly Center, on Saturday, December 19, to defend his titles against top-rated contender MIGUEL ESPINO. Promoted by Top Rank, the Pavlik-Espino world title tilt will headline an all-action two-country world championship doubleheader, produced and distributed Live on Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. The suggested retail price is $39.95.
Combined, these two sluggers boast an incredible record of 55-3-1 (40 KOs), a winning percentage of 92% and a victory by knockout ratio of 72%!
Tickets, priced at $208, $158, $108 and $58, including $8 processing fee, go on sale Tomorrow! Wednesday, November 25, at 9 a.m. ET, online at www.Tickets.com. They can also be purchased at the Beeghly Center box office, beginning Monday, November 30. continue l
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It is my pleasure, on behalf of the Boxing Promoter's Association (BPA), to congratulate our sport in once again showing that BOXING is truly desired by fans. The Top Rank-promoted fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto last week exceeded 1.25 million buys and generated over $70 million in domestic pay-per-view revenue. According to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Pacquiao-Cotto also generated a live gate of 15,930 fans from all over the world, making it the 14th highest grossing sporting event in the state's history, all for which were BOXING events. continue l
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Exclusive Interview by James Slater - 34-year-old Brian "The Beast" Minto, 34-2(21) will fight the biggest fight of his pro career on December 5th in Atlantic City, N.J, as he will square off with fellow tough guy Chris Arreola. Fighting in an important heavyweight bout that could propel the winner into a world title shot, the #5 ranked WBO contender knows how hard the fight will be.
28-year-old Arreola, 27-1(24) is coming back after a brave loss to WBC heavyweight king Vitali Klitschko, while Minto, a warrior who has never been stopped, is hungry for his first crack at a world title.
Very kindly taking time out to speak with me over the phone from the offices of his manager Pat Nelson earlier today, Minto gave the following answers to my questions:
James Slater: It's great to speak with you, Brian. I know you have this big fight coming up. Your fight with Chris Arreola is obviously a big opportunity for you, you feel you have the style to beat him - what with your speed and your tenacity?
Brian Minto: Right. I will have to use my quickness, I'm sure he'll come out fast, trying to take me out the first couple of rounds. I know I'll have to be careful early. I have to make sure my defence is tight, and I have to make him miss. Make him miss and make him pay. continue l
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Anthony Fitzgerald is predicting a win inside four rounds when he meets Lee Murtagh for the vacant Irish Super Middleweight title on the Sierra Fight Night at the National Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, December 5th. The bill is headlined by reigning European Middleweight Champion Matthew Macklin’s clash with Uruguayan champ, Rafa Sosa Pintos but Dubliner Fitzgerald believes he can steal the show with a knockout performance. continue l
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by Stuart Young - With the careers of established world stars Joe Calzaghe & Clinton Woods at an end, the impending retirements of former world champions Ricky Hatton & Junior Witter seemingly no more than a few fights away (at best) our heavyweights hopefuls, Danny Williams, Martin Rogan & Matt Skelton reputations laying in tatters, entertaining domestic level fighters like Ryan Rhodes, Jamie Moore & Michael Jennings all the wrong side of 30, with neither of the trio ever making the breakthrough to world class, Alex Arthur & Enzo Maccarinelli's continual underperforming, leading many to suggest that neither will never fulfil their potential. continue l
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Michael Herron - The month of May can not seem further away yet that is how long the boxing world will wait before the most anticipated fight of the decade is upon us. For fight fans however time is not a factor when it comes to comparing, contrasting, and debating which fighter will ultimately reign supreme. Though a definitive answer will be provided in the near future the battle for now will wage on the accomplishments and merits of each fighter’s past. What roads did each fighter travel; what choices did they make along the way; what obstacles did they overcome to get where they are today; though they may seem like polar opposites, Mayweather and Pacquiao’s paths toward each other are more alike than we might imagine.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr’s reputation as the Pretty Boy suggests that his career has taken the path of least resistance. A former Olympian, Mayweather it is assumed, simply followed the golden brick road of great fighters like Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya before him. continue l
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LOS ANGELES, November 25 - A top ten contender in the ratings of all four major sanctioning bodies, bantamweight star Abner Mares is gearing up for his first world title shot in 2010 and on Tuesday, signed a new promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions for five years, continuing the relationship that has led him to near the top of the boxing world. "Golden Boy Promotions is like a family to me and I've felt that way ever since I signed with them and now I'm ready for my shot at a world title," said Mares, a 2004 Olympian for Mexico who signed his new contract at the Golden Boy Promotions offices in Los Angeles yesterday afternoon. continue l
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After making his return to the ring with a win against a tough adversary on the August 28th installment of the Budweiser Boxing series, former WBA Super Welterweight Champion (2007-2008) Joachim “Ti-Joa” Alcine (31-1-0, 19KO’s) of Laval, Québec looks to continue his comeback on the 5th of December at the Casino de Montréal. His opponent will be Nice, France’s own Christophe “Rocky” Canclaux (40-2-0, 25KO’s), the former European Champion (2003-2007) and currently ranked #4 by the WBC, #6 by the WBA and #9 by the IBF. Alcine is currently training in Vero Beach, Florida, under the keen eye of world famous trainer James “Buddy” McGirt. continue l
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by Andrew Harrison, safesideoftheropes.com - Photo by: Tom Casino / SHOWTME
Whoever put this together knew what they were doing.
The Super Six is proving to be everything Showtime’s bigwigs were hoping it would be, especially after Andre Ward’s startling weekend victory over tournament favourite Mikkel Kessler. As the dust begins to settle on the first round of matches, we are perhaps better placed to assess each man’s chances heading into the second stage of the tournament, with implications and permutations abound.
Here are a few key points from the opening three fights: Home advantage looks indispensable, with all three victors having had their gloves raised in front of their own fans. It may just have had a bearing on the widely criticised refereeing in the Froch-Dirrell and Ward-Kessler bouts, as well as on the judges, with many observers cocking an eyebrow at Froch’s decision victory in Nottingham. In hindsight, how shrewd were Ward’s people in securing him all three openers in the States? continue l
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by James Slater - The upcoming WBC heavyweight title defence by Vitali Klitschko against the unbeaten Kevin Johnson will be supported by two other heavyweight bouts, according to BoxRec.com. Fighting in the opening bouts on the Switzerland show, will be former top-rated cruiserweight-turned heavyweight Jonathon Banks against Germany's Marcel Zeller, and unbeaten Russian giant Alexander Ustinov against former world title challenger Monte Barrett. continue l
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The British Middleweight title will be up for grabs at the Brentwood Centre in Essex this weekend when Commonwealth Champ Darren Barker aims to add the Lonsdale belt to his list of honours while Birmingham’s Wayne Elcock looks to regain his old title. The Hennessy Sports event is live on ITV4 and the undercard will see a host of emerging young talent with their own title ambitions including Barker’s gym mates, Bradley “Buzzsaw” Evans and Bobby “Boogaloo” Ward. continue l
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by James Slater - The fans want it, the two fighters appear to want it, and now the two key promoters are to begin talks to try and get the fight done. I'm talking, of course, about the eagerly anticipated would be mega-fight between pound-for-pound rivals Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Junior.
Dan Rafael over at ESPN.com confirmed in a recent news article that promoters Bob Arum, representing Pacquiao and Richard Schaefer, representing Mayweather, will meet today in Las Vegas and begin talks that they hope will result in a deal being thrashed out for what could well be the fight of the decade.
This is obviously great news, even if the beginning of preliminary talks doesn't mean it will be in any way easy making the fight. But, fingers crossed, Schaefer and Arum WILL be able to reach a deal.
Schaefer does sound a touch more upbeat than does Arum.
"Floyd and me want to see if we can get the fight done," Schaefer told ESPN.com. "The fact that I am flying to Las Vegas to meet with Bob shows you how serious our side is about making the fight. Bob and I will approach this without egos and try to get it done under fair terms. Floyd gave me his marching orders and I will see today how it goes and report back.. continue l
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November 24, 2009 (Chicago, IL)- The family of fallen Chicago boxer Francisco “Paco” Rodriquez have announced that through organ donation, Paco’s tragic death will save the lives of at least eight people, including his own uncle. “We just learned that Paco and our uncle are a match,” said Alex Rodriguez, Paco’s brother.
“Our uncle has been on the waiting list for a kidney transplant for a long, long time,” Alex continued. “So although we’ve tragically lost Paco, we’re able to give this incredible gift of life to another family member.. continue l
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by James Slater - Huge unbeaten British heavyweight hope Tyson Fury gets back into the ring this coming Saturday night, as he faces durable Bulgarian journeyman Yavor Marichev over a scheduled six rounds. Boxing on the under-card of the Darren Barker-Wayne Elcock British middleweight title fight, the 21-year-old will be having his first fight since injuring his hand in his September 26th points win over Tomas Mrazek.
Currently 9-0(7), Fury will look to get a few rounds in and get himself a workout out of 26-year-old Marinchev, before looking ahead to his mandated rematch with John McDermott, who he controversially out-pointed over ten rounds on September 11th of this year. The argument about who the better fighter is out of Fury and McDermott is still very much undecided, and the rematch, planned for some time early next year, should be some fight. continue l
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By Coach Tim Walker – It’s gonna be huge! Sure I know “gonna” isn’t an actual word but it speaks volumes as to the potential potency and possibly backlash of the Roy Jones Jr. verses Danny Green matchup scheduled December 2, 2009 in the Acer Arena, Sydney, Australia.
It speaks volumes because we all want to know if Roy Jones still has the goods to be on the world stage of the truly, truly elite boxers. Can he still throw 5 rapid-fire left hooks in a row? Can he dodge punches in an instant? Is his chin really as vulnerable as many have felt in recent years? Is he, for lack of a better way of saying it, still Superman?
Questions that his recent competition has not offered up enough fire power to provide the type of answers fight fans want. But that is typical Jones Junior. He makes fighters, even those who are eventual world champions, look slow, predictable and unworthy of being in the same ring with him.
Will the Acer Arena sell out? Probably. But whether it sells out or not is not the point for boxing fans. Why? Roy Jones was unequivocally the world’s best boxer throughout the 90’s and much of the 2000’s. continue l
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by Dan Lewis - On the 19th September this year at the MGM Grand, Floyd Mayweather beat up Juan Manuel Márquez for twelve rounds. A fight when billed almost everyone thought Mayweather would win, Marquez a fighter who has won five World titles at three different weights was not given a real chance by the boxing media. At the end of the fight Marquez nursed a swollen face and bloody nose whilst Mayweather looked as if he hadn’t even broken in to a sweat. It was easy for Mayweather that night he didn’t move out of second gear, his defence was impeccable and his accuracy was equally impressive. continue l
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by James Slater - We aren't sure exactly when the fight will take place, but new WBA heavyweight champion David Haye WILL meet John Ruiz some time next year, in his first defence of the belt. Mandatory challenger and former two-time WBA champ Ruiz has already began talking about the fight, and he told The Times recently how he feels Haye is a "runner," and that his style is good for him. For his part, Haye said shortly after his points win over Nikolai Valuev that he plans to knock Ruiz out. But doing this has proven a tough job for every single opponent "The Quiet Man" has met. Except one. continue l
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-- Click here to listen to the show -- by Jenna J - As always, this week's 2 hour edition of On the Ropes will start at its regularly scheduled time, 6pm Eastern Time. You can listen live by clicking “play” on the player or enter our chat on the blogtalk message board; you can also call into the show at (646)716-5404.
On the Ropes is back to bring you the latest and greatest in the world of boxing! Join me Jenna J, the Hostess, along with my talented Producer, the amazing Geoffrey Ciani (aka-Rummy) and my Co-Host Nick Powers.
Topics for Discussion
• Andre Ward's upset win over Mikkel Kessler
• Super 6 stage 2 upcoming bouts for both Ward & Kessler
• Pacquiao vs Cotto ppv numbers and Mayweather fight talks
• Marcos Maidana & Zsolt Erdei title bout wins
• Evander Holyfield vs. Francois Botha announcement for Jan. 16th. continue l
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Los Angeles, CA (November 23, 2009) – On Saturday night December 5th, in the main event at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, Three-time World Champion Paul Williams, the “Most Feared Fighter in the World,” will face his latest challenge, this coming from WBC Super Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez, in a scheduled 12-round middleweight bout. In the 10-round co-featured bout, Cristobal Arreola will see his first action since a courageous loss at the hands of WBC heavyweight Champion Vitali Klitschko, when he battles bruiser Brian Minto.
Goossen Tutor Promotions and Caesars Atlantic City in association with DiBella Entertainment are presenting this evening of boxing and Williams vs. Martinez and Arreola vs. Minto will be broadcast on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:30 PM ET/6:30 PM PT. continue l
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by James Slater - It's perhaps fitting that 47-year-old Evander Holyfield and 41-year-old Frans Botha will clash on January 16th next year, for exactly 20 years (and one day) ago on that very date, two other veteran heavyweights met in a bout that was perceived as nothing much more than a "fun" fight. George Foreman, then 41, and Gerry Cooney, then a mere lad of 33, are the two big names who clashed in Atlantic City, and their fight was somewhat sarcastically dubbed "Two Geezers At Caesars.. continue l
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Richard H. (Toronto, CA): You have been very huge on Andre Ward, and one of the few to give him a chance against Kessler. What did you see in the past that me (and I'm sure others) failed to?
Vivek W. (ESB): Truthfully, there are two things that I think have to remain a focal point when looking at Ward. First off, you never underestimate the heart of champion. That sounds so cliche-ish, but I truly believe that. This guy won a Gold in the Olympic games for a reason, and when you look at that type pedigree (Ali, Oscar, Whitaker, Patterson, Leonard, Spinks, etc), there's no question, categorically, something great is bound to happen when you land on that side. Secondly, (this is gonna sound cliche-ish as well), the guy has simply never learned how to lose. This is a fighter who had a 6 year stretch as an amateur in which he NEVER LOSS ONE FIGHT. He followed that effort by stepping on an Olympic stage and didn't lose one fight against the best competition in the world, either. continue l
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by Yero Moody - With the buzz of Manny Pacquiao's superb performance against Miguel Cotto last Saturday dwindling it's a perfect time to address some key issues concerning Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Jr and the man I call the X factor, Shane Mosley. Manny is listed as the number one pound for pound fighter in the world followed by Floyd and then Shane Mosley listed as number 3.
Both Pacquiao and Mayweather passed on fighting Mosley. As we know Pacquiao chose Miguel Cotto and Mayweather chose Juan Manuel Marquez. Mayweather was ripped for turning down Mosley while Manny was given a pass. I'll address this double standard later in the article. continue l
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EUROPEAN super-bantamweight champion Rendall Munroe has thrown a lifeline to the fading career of Bernard Dunne. The Leicester binman is willing to risk next year's world title challenge against WBC 8st 10lb champion Toshiaki Nishioka and face the Irishman first. Munroe (20-1) is ranked second in the world by the WBC and underlined his world title credentials outpointing Simone Maludrottu last week. It was the fifth title defence by the southpaw who took the title from Kiko Martinez - who had flattened Dunne in 86 seconds. continue l
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by James Slater, photo by Peter Mark Heintzelman -- Ahead of his fighter Paul "The Punisher" Williams' December 5th middleweight fight with 34-year-old fellow southpaw Sergio Martinez, 44-1-2(24), trainer George Peterson very kindly gave me the following interview yesterday evening (UK time).
Speaking about the fight his 28-year-old warrior, 37-1(27) will have in Atlantic City, his thoughts on a possible Williams-Manny Pacquiao fight and other things, George gave me the following answers to my questions:
James Slater: It's great to speak with you again, Sir. First of all, how has camp been going for the Sergio Martinez fight?
George Peterson: Camp has been great. We've had a pretty short camp to get ready for a lefthander, but other than that it's been great. continue l
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DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.—Don King Productions issued a press release yesterday stating the company had a valid promotional contract with heavyweight boxer John Ruiz. Upon further review, Don King has learned that Ruiz’s contract with DKP has expired. “My boxing department had advised me my contract was still active, which turned out to be incorrect,” King said. “I apologize to John, his representatives, boxing fans and members of the media for making this mistake.. continue l
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LAS VEGAS (Nov. 23, 2009) – Team Ruiz Press Release: Team Ruiz has responded to false allegations made in two press releases by promoter Don King, who erroneously stated that, “John Ruiz is my fighter,” as well as falsely claiming the World Boxing Association (WBA) had sanctioned an “Interim” title fight between one of King’s fighters, Kali Meehan, and former champion Ruslan Chagaev.
Ruiz’ contract with Don King Productions (DKP) expired last month, prior to his Nov. 7 fight against Adnan Serin, legally allowing Ruiz to become a promotional free agent. continue l
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Mikkel Kessler has vowed to bounce back stronger than ever after his 11th round technical decision defeat against Andre Ward. The Viking Warrior was trailing on all three scorecards when the fight was stopped due to a cut caused by an unintentional headbutt. “I have lost the world title once and won it straight back so I know how to do it,” Kessler said. “With the support of my home fans in Denmark I will beat Carl Froch and become world champion again. That is why this tournament is great – I have the chance to make amends immediately.”
Kessler admitted it was tough to fight Ward. “He was very fast and very good. He ruined my style,” he said. “It was not my day. Now I will go home, watch the tape and then bounce back stronger than ever.”
Said Wilfried Sauerland: “Congratulations to Andre Ward, he fought a great fight and deserved to win. I was impressed by his speed and his technical abilities. However, the referee should have stopped the holding and headbutting, but we do not want to take anything away from his performance and his victory. Mikkel will come back and do very well in this tournament, no doubt about that.. continue l
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By Michael R. Cumberbatch - If you did not get an opportunity to catch the Floyd Mayweather Jr. exclusive interview with Sky Sports’ Adam Smith you are probably in the minority amongst boxing fans. Mayweather, whose words are often dismissed by his legion of critics those include fight fans and writers alike for reasons well chronicled. It doesn’t mean that Moneys statements are void of truth.
Boring Fights Because of His Superior Defense
Mayweather can control and dictate the pace and the manner in which his fights play out because of his defensive prowess. This is a gift that few fighters have. continue l
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DKP Press Release: The World Boxing Association held meetings at their recent annual convention in Medellin, Colombia, where they ordered an interim heavyweight championship between WBA No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Kali Meehan and former WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev. Meehan earned the WBA No. 1 position in October 2007 by scoring a sixth-round technical knockout over DaVarryl Williamson at Madison Square Garden, and he has been patiently waiting to fight for the WBA heavyweight championship ever since. "I am grateful Don King has maintained his faith in me, and I will become the WBA interim heavyweight champion," Meehan said. "I look forward to meeting and defeating Ruslan Chagaev and then facing the winner of David Haye versus John Ruiz.. continue l
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Brendan Galbraith - The highly rated Irish-based Cuban sensation Alexei ‘The Hurricane’ Acosta (8 stone 9 IIbs) recorded a second round TKO over the tough and experienced former Commonwealth and British Title contender, Sean ‘Short Fuse’ Hughes (8 stone 10 IIbs) at the Holiday Inn, Belfast, Northern Ireland. For the 21-year-old Cuban, now based full-time at the Kronk Gym in Belfast under the guidance of trainer, Tony Dunlop, this was his first appearance in front of a Belfast crowd.
Bantamweight, Alexei Acosta stirs hype and expectation in equal amounts and this emanates from his pedigree as a former World Amateur Champion and his explosive introduction to the pro ranks. Going into the Hughes fight, the 21 year old had impressively concluded all of his 8 pro fights inside the distance and all within 3 rounds.
Acosta’s challenger for his 9th pro fight was a very good step in class. Sean Hughes is a former English Super Bantamweight Champion. He lost in the 10th round of a competitive challenge to Jason Booth for the Commonwealth Title last year and shares a win and loss with Esham Pickering – the latter being a failed attempt for the British Title. continue l
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When Star Boxing's IBF #3 rated welterweight Delvin Rodriguez (24-3-2, 14KO) steps into the ring against Poland's IBF #4 rated Rafal "Braveheart" Jackiewicz (34-8-1, 18KO) for the #1 spot in the IBF World Ratings in an official IBF Welterweight Title eliminator in Elk, Poland on Friday November 27th, Rodriguez doesn't intend to leave any questioning in the outcome of the fight. "I'm going to look to knock him out, or give him a beating for the entire twelve rounds we are in that ring together, so in the end there will be no question who the winner of the fight actually is." stated Rodriguez. continue l
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Promoter Eddie Bazira and Baltic Pro Box Promotions, in association with Real Deal Events LLC, SES Boxing, Fight Production and Risum Boxing, are proud to announce that contracts has been signed for legendary former four-time heavyweight champion of the world Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield to challenge Francois Botha for the South Africans World Boxing Federation World title on January 16 at Nelson Mandela Memorial Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.A sell-out crowd of 80.000 spectators is expected, and details are being finalized for world-wide Pay-Per-View distribution. Sweden-based Baltic Pro Box Promotions will host several press conferences in the coming days in Kampala to kick off the promotion of what will be the biggest fight ever in Uganda. continue l
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Brendan Galbraith - Grigor Sarohanian (1-0) vs Paddy McDonagh (debut) (4 x 3 minute rounds) - McDonagh (12 stone 11 Ilbs) made his pro debut against a very tough and durable Latvian opponent Grigor Sarohanian (12 stone 8 Ilbs). The first round was pretty even, with both men landing good shots. The Latvian native probably shaded the opener with impressive countering and sporadic flurries. McDonagh came into the fight more in the 2nd and 3rd rounds by pressing the fight and have some success, particularly with his left hand. Both men hit a lot of gloves and missed wild shots.
The final round was McDonagh’s best round - pressing well to land several good lefts to the head. He countered well and again had success. Feeling a little more confident towards the end of the fight, McDonagh introduced a couple of uppercuts that failed to make the desired impact. Overall, an impressive debut for McDonagh who faced a tough and dangerous opponent in Sarohanian. The ref raised McDonagh’s hand at the end and he won 39-37 on the scorecards. continue l
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Weigh-In Results: Lucian Bute 166.8 vs. Librado Andrade 166.71 l Joan Guzman 134.4 vs. Ali Funeka 133.9 l Pier-Olivier Cote 129.8 vs. Jason Hayward 129.8 l Kevin Bizier 145.7 vs. Patrick Cape 145.5 l Craig McEwan 160.9 vs. James Parison 160.9 
Exclusive Interview by James Slater - Marco Huck, the current WBO cruiserweight champion, faces interim WBO belt holder Ola Afolabi on December 5th, in what will be his first defence of the belt he won by out-pointing Victor Emilio Ramirez back in August. The exciting fighter known as "Kapt'n" Huck could have a tough fight against Afolabi.
by Geoffrey Ciani - This week’s forty-ninth edition of On the Ropes featured exclusive interviews with Oleg Maskaev, Kevin Johnson, and Holly Holm. Highlighting this episode was the very interesting interview with former WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev. Maskaev is slated to take on Nagy Aguilera on December 11. If he wins this fight, he is then scheduled to face Ray Austin in a WBC title eliminator. Here are some excerpts from the interview:
By Vivek Wallace - This week's 'Call Em Out Fridays' segment shines the spotlight on one of the most physically gifted fighters in the history of the sport, arguably the most supremely talented fighter over the past 20 years. Once aptly dubbed 'Superman', this smoking hot Olympic medalist came to the sport equipped with an ashtray of assets holding everything from amazing speed, to power in both hands, to cat-like reflexes, and serving as a cherry-on-top was a huge flair for showmanship that made him highly entertaining to watch as well. Of all the things mentioned in that sentence, the word ashtray is perhaps the most notable, as recent years have seen a once untouchable image go up in smoke, leaving enough rubbish to be noticed in the corner, yet no longer quite enough to command that center-of-the-room type attention he continues to seek. Some feel age was the culprit......some feel boredom with the sport set in.....others simply chalk it up as another case of Northern Exposure, which is common street vernacular for a not-so-durable chin being exposed. Whatever it was, no question, the answer revealed was the fact that things for Roy Jones are no longer the same. Or are they? Here lies the million dollar question. We've seen his rise in the sport, we've seen his fall in the sport, and now, it appears that we're on the brink of seeing his near successful attempt to rise yet again. 
by James Slater, photo by Tom Casino - Mexican hard man Librado Andrade has made it quite clear he will start his second fight with IBF super-middleweight ruler Lucian Bute much faster than he started the first fight back in October of last year. Everyone knows what happened in that controversial final round last year, and Andrade now has a second chance to stop the unbeaten fighter he almost stopped over 14 months ago.
Paul McCreath - On December 5 in Atlantic City New Jersey two American heavyweights of some note, Chris Arreola and Brian Minto will collide in a ten round match to be televised on HBO World Championship Boxing. This is a bout that could spell the end of the title dreams for either man should he lose. It is on the undercard of the Paul Williams-Sergio Martinez middleweight title match.
by James Slater, photo by Tom Casino - Teak-tough Mexican warrior Librado Andrade came within a whisker of grabbing the IBF super-middleweight title in October of last year, when he knocked down defending champion Lucian Bute in the dying seconds of the 12th and final round in Montreal, Canada. The fight was instantly thrown into controversy when referee Marlon Wright, upon administering a count to an exhausted Bute, broke the count to warn the challenger for moving too far out of a neutral corner. Bute survived the round, as the bell rang a second or so after the eight-count was finally completed , and the barely-upright champion kept his title via unanimous decision.
On Thursday December 3rd in the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center "The Real Million Dollar Baby" Maureen Shea (13-2, 7KO) will look to fulfill a life-long dream by capturing a world championship when she takes on Jenna Shiver (9-4-1, 2KO) for the interim WBA Female Super Bantamweight Title on the Joe DeGuardia Star Boxing promoted "Hustler Boxing" card. The bout, which is being aired live on Versus (the first ever televised female championship on the network), is scheduled for ten rounds in the 122 lb. division.
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO (November 24, 2009) – World Middleweight Champion KELLY “The Ghost” PAVLIK returns home, to Youngstown State University’s Beeghly Center, on Saturday, December 19, to defend his titles against top-rated contender MIGUEL ESPINO. Promoted by Top Rank, the Pavlik-Espino world title tilt will headline an all-action two-country world championship doubleheader, produced and distributed Live on Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. The suggested retail price is $39.95.
Exclusive Interview by James Slater - 34-year-old Brian "The Beast" Minto, 34-2(21) will fight the biggest fight of his pro career on December 5th in Atlantic City, N.J, as he will square off with fellow tough guy Chris Arreola. Fighting in an important heavyweight bout that could propel the winner into a world title shot, the #5 ranked WBO contender knows how hard the fight will be.
Michael Herron - The month of May can not seem further away yet that is how long the boxing world will wait before the most anticipated fight of the decade is upon us. For fight fans however time is not a factor when it comes to comparing, contrasting, and debating which fighter will ultimately reign supreme. Though a definitive answer will be provided in the near future the battle for now will wage on the accomplishments and merits of each fighter’s past. What roads did each fighter travel; what choices did they make along the way; what obstacles did they overcome to get where they are today; though they may seem like polar opposites, Mayweather and Pacquiao’s paths toward each other are more alike than we might imagine. 
by Andrew Harrison, safesideoftheropes.com - Photo by: Tom Casino / SHOWTME 
by James Slater - The fans want it, the two fighters appear to want it, and now the two key promoters are to begin talks to try and get the fight done. I'm talking, of course, about the eagerly anticipated would be mega-fight between pound-for-pound rivals Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Junior.
By Coach Tim Walker – It’s gonna be huge! Sure I know “gonna” isn’t an actual word but it speaks volumes as to the potential potency and possibly backlash of the Roy Jones Jr. verses Danny Green matchup scheduled December 2, 2009 in the Acer Arena, Sydney, Australia.
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Richard H. (Toronto, CA): You have been very huge on Andre Ward, and one of the few to give him a chance against Kessler. What did you see in the past that me (and I'm sure others) failed to?
by James Slater, photo by Peter Mark Heintzelman -- Ahead of his fighter Paul "The Punisher" Williams' December 5th middleweight fight with 34-year-old fellow southpaw Sergio Martinez, 44-1-2(24), trainer George Peterson very kindly gave me the following interview yesterday evening (UK time).
Mikkel Kessler has vowed to bounce back stronger than ever after his 11th round technical decision defeat against Andre Ward. The Viking Warrior was trailing on all three scorecards when the fight was stopped due to a cut caused by an unintentional headbutt. “I have lost the world title once and won it straight back so I know how to do it,” Kessler said. “With the support of my home fans in Denmark I will beat Carl Froch and become world champion again. That is why this tournament is great – I have the chance to make amends immediately.”
Brendan Galbraith - The highly rated Irish-based Cuban sensation Alexei ‘The Hurricane’ Acosta (8 stone 9 IIbs) recorded a second round TKO over the tough and experienced former Commonwealth and British Title contender, Sean ‘Short Fuse’ Hughes (8 stone 10 IIbs) at the Holiday Inn, Belfast, Northern Ireland. For the 21-year-old Cuban, now based full-time at the Kronk Gym in Belfast under the guidance of trainer, Tony Dunlop, this was his first appearance in front of a Belfast crowd.
Brendan Galbraith - Grigor Sarohanian (1-0) vs Paddy McDonagh (debut) (4 x 3 minute rounds) - McDonagh (12 stone 11 Ilbs) made his pro debut against a very tough and durable Latvian opponent Grigor Sarohanian (12 stone 8 Ilbs). The first round was pretty even, with both men landing good shots. The Latvian native probably shaded the opener with impressive countering and sporadic flurries. McDonagh came into the fight more in the 2nd and 3rd rounds by pressing the fight and have some success, particularly with his left hand. Both men hit a lot of gloves and missed wild shots.