To a Great Group of Individuals, All The Best During 2016!

All the best to you and yours in the New Year. May 2016 be kind.

To a Great Group of Individuals, All The Best During 2016!

WOW! I'm going to miss him

One of my dearest icons lost his battle with cancer.

My deepest condolences to all the love ones of Howard Davis Jr.

HDJ, I will see you at the crossroad. Unti then.... Holla!

WOW! I'm going to miss him

Mauricio" El Maestro" Herrera vs Ruslan" Siberian Rocky' Provodnikov the rematch

We are looking for for the re-match MH vs Provodikov, just waiting on the final aproval from HBO, to be televised sometime in March or early April. The two fighters are willing, Banner promotion and Gomez of golden boy are all in, just waiting on Peter Nelson the HBO. Hopefully the fight gets penciled in within the next few weeks. The first fight was phone boot war, both fighters taking lots punishment. Looking forward to start the first part of 2016 Boxing with a bang!

Mauricio" El Maestro" Herrera vs Ruslan" Siberian Rocky' Provodnikov the rematch

A Comeback for Ike Ibeabuchi?

Several web sites are reporting that Ike Ibeabuchi is plotting a comeback with an eye toward appearing on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao's next fight in April.

Ibeabuchi was released from prison in February of 2014. His story was nicely covered by Michael Woods in a piece that was posted here on TSS on April 14, 2014: "Whatever Happened to Ike Ibeabuchi?"

Ibeabuchi's last fight was March 20, 1999 when he dismissed Chris Byrd in five rounds. His signature win was a quick blastout of David Tua.

George Foreman will always be the standard-bearer when one talks about comebacks. But Foreman was 38 when he returned to the ring after a 10-year absence. Ibeabuchi turns 43 on Feb. 2 and will have been inactive for 17 years, assuming that reports of a comeback are true.

It's worth noting that Ibeabuchi is 14 months younger than Shannon Briggs who last fought in September, scoring a second round knockout over a lightly regarded opponent, Briggs' eighth straight win.

How good was Ibeabuchi? Frequent contributor "oubobcat" wrote that Ibeabuchi had the tools to be a dominant heavyweight champion. I concur.

A Comeback for Ike Ibeabuchi?

Ortiz Scores Most Impressive Stoppage Among Tomorrow's Heavyweights

In professional boxing, it's not about how many you beat or knock out - it's all about whom did you defeat or knockout? With the universally acknowledged heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitschko, losing his title to Tyson Fury last month the division now appears to be wide open. In Klitschko's last bout before fighting Fury, he was pushed to go the 12-round distance by Philidelphian Bryant Jennings 19-2 (10), a fighter who only fought 17 times as an amateur before turning pro. No, Jennings didn't deserve the decision he lost, but he was in the fight and absorbed Wladimir's Sunday punch repeatedly during the bout and never really flinched. And two bouts before fighting Klitschko, Jennings stopped undefeated Artur Szpilka in the 10th and final round of their bout. Incidentally, Szpilka will meet WBC heavyweight title holder Deontay Wilder 35-0 (34) this coming January 16th.

Jennings is a fighter with limited experience who was more than willing to meet other up and coming heavyweights on way up the ranks, and until this past weekend he acquitted himself well. For first time in his career Jennings lost via TKO at 2:41 of the seventh round. The fighter who recorded the first stoppage defeat over Jennings is WBA interim title holder Luis "The Real King Kong" Ortiz 24-0 (21). And based on how he looked against Jennings, he very well may be the most dangerous heavyweight in boxing because he can box and punch out of a southpaw stance. In addition to that Ortiz is very strong and knows how to apply his strength. Oh, and as he demonstrated against Jennings, he can fight both inside and outside.

During the first round of the fight it didn't take long for Jennings to realize that Ortiz's power was too much for him if he stayed outside and was caught at the end of his punches. In the second round Jennings smartly began pushing the action and was effective once he gathered that he was safer inside smothering the massive Cuban's shots. However, that took a lot out of him and he was forced to regroup from outside searching for another answer, but in the process he was getting repeatedly hurt. In the fourth round Jennings again found his way on the inside and seemed to once again stem the tide out the bout. But starting in the fifth round Ortiz began moving on his toes and was starting to pot-shot Jennings who was now coming in more slowly. By the sixth round Jennings made a fundamental mistake, most likely because he was wearing down....and the mistake was being stationary in front of Ortiz on the inside without letting his hands go. This cleared the path for Ortiz's powerful left and right uppercuts on the point of the chin of the crouching Jennings. The bout ended when Ortiz dropped Jennings with a perfect uppercut to the chin. Jennings beat the count but the bout was halted when Ortiz unloaded on an unsteady Jennings when the fight resumed.

Luis Ortiz scored a big win this past Saturday night. Bryant Jennings is a 6'3" 229 pound strong heavyweight who has been getting better with each fight. He pushed Wladimir Klitschko like not many other challengers could at a time when Wladimir was thought to be the alpha fighter in the division. Yet the 6'4" 239 pound Ortiz overwhelmed him with his strength, punch placement and astute boxing aptitude. This comes with having fought over three hundred times as an amateur in the Cuban boxing program. After the fight even Jennings admitted that Ortiz's pedigree was too much for him to overcome.

As of this writing the up and coming heavyweights getting the most attention are American Deontay Wilder and the UK's Anthony Joshua 15-0 (15) and now Ortiz. The difference is, Wilder has one meaningful win on his resume and that's Bermane Stiverne whom he defeated via unanimous decision. As for Anthony Joshua, he has yet to beat any fighter of note to this point. Whereas Ortiz conclusively stopped a younger heavyweight by today's standards that was coming off of his best showing. It wasn't just the stoppage that was impressive, it was his power and versatility exhibited along the way.

Based on his showing versus Bryant Jennings, Luis Ortiz looks like the most dangerous threat to newly crowned champ Tyson Fury 25-0 (18). The only problem with Ortiz is that he's 36 years old and seems to be a little lazy. His work-rate isn't upper-tier but his ability is. If the guy ever shows that he's willing to really work, he'd be a real terror. I expect Wilder and Joshua to look the other way regarding Ortiz, at least in the immediate future, which looks like a wise decision from a boxing business perspective. Ortiz exhibited outstanding technical boxing basics and fundamentals. He set up the finishing uppercut on Jennings beautifully.

Yes, a heavyweight who can box and punch is a virtual God send for fans who have been craving some action packed fights in the division for years. Hopefully, the clock won't expire on the 36 year old Cuban talent before he gets a shot at today's upper-tier heavyweight newcomers getting the Lion's share of attention.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Ortiz Scores Most Impressive Stoppage Among Tomorrow's Heavyweights

what real heavyweights look like

If you missed Jennings vs Otiz, you missed a real heavyweight fight. Jennings looked fearful going in, Ortiz looked right at home leaping the top rope and fanning the air with his combos during the introduction.
Jenning should not have made it out the first round, he turned his back and tried to run from the enslaught but the rope prevented his exit, yet once his adrenalin got flowing he put up a game effort and fought back like a man.

Ortiz remained calm and patient like the skilled, decorated veteran he is,.... not willing to settle for a points win.

I said Ortiz was going starch Jennings, even Fury said publically before their fight that he'd never get into the ring with Ortiz. (smart man)
Now Ortiz has his sights set on Wilder, his PED comments have rubbed the Cuban the wrong way. But in the fight game, fighting words are appropriate. ....I bet he won't except a match with Ortiz either, however there really isnt anywhere to hide. The heavyweights just got fun again.

what real heavyweights look like

Marcos Maidana looking very "Gangam Style"

maidana.jpg

I dont think we are going to see Marcos Maidana boxing anytime soon. This is him at the WBA Convention in Panama this past week.

Attached Images

• maidana.jpg (95.9 KB)

Marcos Maidana looking very "Gangam Style"

Joshua V Whyte

Did anyone watch Joshua V Whyte yesterday? Was a great fight, was on the edge of my seat from the first round.

It looked like it was going to be routine for AJ when Whyte almost didn't make it out of the first round, but then Whyte landed a big left hook in the second round and was extremely close to KOing Joshua, Joshua looked like Bambi on ice. At the time I thought that was it & Joshua was done for.

I think Joshua tries to fight too short, you can see he clearly idolizes Mike Tyson, so tries to fight like him (for example; when he's in close he tries to throw short hooks & put his whole body into them as Tyson did). Only difference is Tyson is 5'11 and Joshua 6'7.

Eddie Hearn really needs to step up the competition now, that's the first real punch AJ has taken in a bout since he turned pro.

What's everyone else's take on the fight? I bet Haye was salivating at ringside.

Joshua V Whyte

Roy Jones Jr knocked the F out in Russia

Roy got dropped and then knocked out cold to where he was out and timbered to the mat like a tree cut down at the base.

What I dont get about Roy is that he has such passion and hunger to remain in the sport, yet he is 25 lbs overweight.

If he is that diligent about competing then why is he not in fighting shape?

Roy Jones Jr knocked the F out in Russia

Forum Change - Need Feedback

Hey Forum faithful. I wanted to direct your attention to the "Regis Prograis, Abel Ramos ShoBox Workout Quotes" article.

You may notice that the text for this article now comes with FORMATTING. Before, the feed used to dump the text with limited attention, and it was hard to read. My aim was to make the piece more legible here in the FORUM.

Please check the article and let me know what you think. I'm interested if there are any browsers or mobile devices where the stuff may not be totally clean yet. But it is a big improvement, I think.

This should be noticed on all articles going forward, so if it breaks down and the text returns all garbled, let me know ASAP!

Forum Change - Need Feedback

Anyone from Texas? Free Tix for San Antonio Area Dec 12

Hy folks, I have a chance at a free ticket giveaway to help promote this weekend's really big boxing card at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. Anyone here in the area who would be serious about going?

This is he card with Omar Figueroa Jr facing Antonio DeMarco and the live event has 16 fights scheduled in all.

Anyone from Texas? Free Tix for San Antonio Area Dec 12

Its Time To Start The Debate - Fighter of the Year 2015?

OK perhaps this is out there already, but I think it is time to start the conversation. For at least the second year in a row, there does not seem to be a clear cut choice.

I think a case can be made for Deontay Wilder. He went (3-0) and became a World Champion, starting a hoped for rejuvenation of the Heavyweight scene. Everyone else on this list will probably only have 2 fights in 2015, I feel as if the additional ring time and exposure helped Wilder have a very strong year.

Its Time To Start The Debate - Fighter of the Year 2015?

Fury vs Briggs - St Patricks Day at MSG

Why not? Wilder will be busy. Haye is a few fights away.

Is there an immediate rematch clause?

If so, will WK allow Fury to fight someone else,for a fee, since his face needs extra time to heal?

Fury vs Briggs - St Patricks Day at MSG

The Tyson Fury Era begins

And so it begins.

A big champion with boxing skills,good footwork and a desire to hurt an opponent. A heavyweight champion with a fighting pedigree will be fun to watch as long as it last.

The shows starts now....

The Tyson Fury Era begins

Sad to Hear About O'Neil Bell

O'Neil Bell fatally shot in Atlanta by one of the four armed men who was in the process of robbing him.

Sad to Hear About O'Neil Bell

Golovkin Trainer Sanchez Assesses #Canelo Win, Weight

In my eyes, Canelo's stock rose with his effort Saturday night, as he boxed mega-smart, worked smarter, not harder, and was the better ring general against Miguel Cotto at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, while picking up the WBC and RING middleweight titles.
Everyone doesn't agree; most of the folks who aren't fully sold on the Mexican's victory cite the same detractor.
His size...they saw a light heavyweight fighting a middleweight, and thus, believe the playing field wasn't even.
I touched based with someone who was up close, on site, and had his wise eyes trained on the action, for very good reason. A strong possibility exists that Abel Sanchez, ringside for the Canelo UD12 victory, will get his guy Gennady Golovkin ready to accept a challenge from the Mexican.
So, Abel, I liked Canelos' work...your thoughts?
"Yes, but he is going to need a lot more than that to get GGG off him," Sanchez told me.
Noted...
So, did the bout play out as you thought it would?
"Exactly."
Right...it was not a war, there were but one or two instances of reckless and glorious--for the fans--trading. Was that the right strategy for each guy?
"No," Sanchez said. "I though Cotto moving got caught more." So, maybe he should have moved less, worked inside more? "A little more, I thought he was smarter at close range."
Interesting take; I liked Cotto when he moved as I think his mobility was a clear edge in his favor...
So anyway, maybe strategy was immaterial, right? Because Canelo was I think the fresher man, and had better reflexes..and was BIGGER...
"True," Sanchez replied.
What is your guesstimate on how much bigger, Abel? Neither man agreed to hop on a scale and let HBO record their day of fight weight..and why that would be I can only guess..what do you think each weighed, Abel?
"160 for Cotto and 175 for Canelo," said the trainer, with four decades of pugilism study under his belt. "And they said they were not middleweight!" he pointed out, pointedly.
In the ring right after the win, Canelo told Max Kellerman that he'd fight Golovkin then and there..and then at the postfight presser, made it clear that the 155-154 range is where he's most comfortable. I think many if not most if not almost all think the middleweight title should be contested using the regular, good ole middleweight max weight cap of 160 pounds. But this is a new era of leveraging, and but of course, businessmen and fighters will gain whatever strategic edge they can. And Canelo thinks he has an edge if and when he gets Golovkin to fight at 154, because 3G has never been less than 158.5, as he was when he fought Lajuan Simon end of 2011.
Thoughts on that, if indeed that is the only way to get Canelo to accept a fight, in the near future, with the fighting pride of Kazakhstan?
"It is a mockery and an insult to all great Mexican warriors that fought and defended their title with pride," said Sanchez. "Now, if it wasn't for a particular title, he can fight at whatever weight he wants."
Noted..
So we've heard 3G would carve and starve to 154 for Floyd Mayweather, and that $8 plus million he'd get for that fight. What about for Canelo? That is something that is being talked about behind closed doors now...

Golovkin Trainer Sanchez Assesses #Canelo Win, Weight

Mexico Gets the Win; Canelo Scores UD12 Victory Over Cotto

The boxing world has been hungering for a real-deal super fight, a pairing that would surpass the Super Bowl of over-hype, an antidote to the Ishtar was Mayweather-Pacquiao.
Hopes abounded that the Saturday night clash, between Miguel Cotto, an aging but resurgent Puerto Rican icon, and the cinnamon-topped Mexican hitter Canelo Alvarez, would fill the bill, make us forget that night when Mayweather and Pacquiao made oodles of cash, but not one fan to the sport.

And you know what, it satisfied.

More so if you are a fan of Canelo; after 12 rounds, the judges had it for the Mexican, whose power was superior and whose stamina was quite reasonable, by scores of 117-111, 119-109, 118-110.

Canelo snagged that many more fans when he spoke to Max Kellerman after, and said hell yes, me and Gennady Golovkin can fight right now.

Cotto left the ring and then refused to chat with Kellerman in his dressing room.

For those wondering, no, there is no rematch clause.

The Ring middleweight title was up for grabs, though the max weight was 155, or under.

Canelo, age 25, came in with a 44-1 mark, Cotto, age 35, was 40-4.

In the first, Cotto was moving ever so smartly. Canelo was a step behind.

In the second, we saw more movement from the Puerto Rican, and Canelo looked to close the distance. A sharp right from Cotto was the best land of the round.

In the third, Canelo got a bead on him. His right was on message. Slip, dip and rip right from Canelo was spot on.

In the fourth, they were trading jabs. Cotto was moving, and busy, and Canelo was having fun, dancing some. His right hand made Cotto blink hard.

In the fifth, Cotto ripped combos. A left upper from Canelo landed clean and this fight was tight. In the sixth, more shuffles from Canelo. The jab from the Mexican was effective. Lederman had him up 4-2. In the seventh, Cotto was more stationary, and looked to fight inside. Canelo was so confident, his right upper after a Cotto right fell short, was nasty. Was this the round of cruciality, when you knew Canelo would get that W?

In the eighth, Cotto wanted more space, and his work in the second half of the round, based on his legs, won it for him.

In the ninth, Cotto had the edge in power punches. Cotto's jab and movement worked for him, too, though. In the tenth, Cotto was busier early. He had good energy...Cotto complained he was hit on his back. He was dancing, then Cotto got stumbled late. In the 11th, Cotto was moving, maybe too much. He was looking less fresh. In the 12th, we got some action we were hoping for, rumbling. A cut formed on the Cotto left eye, and he looked in avoidant mode.

To the cards...

Follow Woods on da Twitter. https://twitter.com/Woodsy1069

Mexico Gets the Win; Canelo Scores UD12 Victory Over Cotto

Locations Of The P4P Most Corrupted, Incompetent Judges

1. Los Vegas, Nv.
2. San Antonio, Tx.
3. Anywhere in South Africa.
4. Tie between Houston, Tx. and the whole state of Florida and Oklahoma.
7. The whole country of Germany.
8. The Empire State of New York, USA.
9. Denver, Co.
10. Tie between Perth, Australia and all of Puerto Rica.

Locations Of The P4P Most Corrupted, Incompetent Judges

Readers Predictions for Cotto vs Alvarez

Seems to me that we need a good old fashioned TSS Readers predict the outcome of the fight page/thread so lets get it started. Get your picks in here before the card kicks off.
Cotto and Roach are smart enough to know that the WBC wants the redhead to win for a variety of reasons. Canelo has a bright future and Cotto has one foot out the door. Translation, Canelo will bring in more money for the WBC, not to mention Cotto refused to pay the fees so the 'BC stripped him.
If the fight goes to the cards Canelo wins. He is Oscar's new Golden Boy.
I feel Cotto has to get inside as soon as possible and do damage. I predict Cotto drops Alvarez for the full count on a left hook to the body in the middle rounds. Cotto by KO in 6.
What do you think TSS?

Readers Predictions for Cotto vs Alvarez

Live Stream for the Cotto-Canelo Final Press Conference

On right now.

http://ift.tt/11Jgb74

Live Stream for the Cotto-Canelo Final Press Conference

WBC Declares Cotto Is No Longer WBC Middleweight Champ

The WBC threw a sharp haymaker, it looks like, at Miguel Cotto, days away from his superfight against young Mexican gunner Canelo Alvarez.
The sanctioning body, based in Mexico, sent out a release, announcing that they are no longer recognizing Cotto as WBC world middleweight champion.
He has held that belt since the summer of 2014, when he wrested it from Sergio Martinez.
Here is the WBC release:
The World Boxing Council worked tirelessly through a process that began over two years ago to secure the celebration of the highly anticipated fight between Miguel Cotto and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. The WBC is proud of that accomplishment that is giving boxing fans around the world a very important fight to see.
After several weeks of communications, countless attempts and good faith time extensions trying to preserve the fight as a WBC World Championship, Miguel Cotto and his promotion did not agree to comply with the WBC Rules & Regulations, while Saúl Alvarez has agreed to do so.
Accordingly, the WBC must rule on the matter prior to the fight. The WBC hereby announces that effective immediately has withdrawn recognition of Miguel Cotto as WBC World Middleweight Champion. If Saul “Canelo” Alvarez wins the fight against Cotto, he will be recognized as the WBC middleweight world champion.The WBC’s decision is premised on the fact that Miguel Cotto and his camp are not willing to abide by the governing WBC Rules & Regulations, and the specific conditions the WBC established to sanction the fight.
Simply put: they are not willing to respect the very same rules and conditions which applied to Cotto becoming WBC champion. The WBC wishes Miguel Cotto the best of luck as we truly regret the course of action which led to them taking such decision.
The WBC is a non-profit governing organization founded 53 years ago. The WBC has implemented all of the current rules in the sport, paving the way to a much safer boxing. The WBC creates, implements and enforces, its Rules & Regulations to bring safety, order, unity, justice and equality to a sport that was marred with abuse and unfairness. Since the first day of existence of our organization, the WBC has taken countless actions for the protection of the boxer and it is a fact that most if not all boxers dream of conquering the green belt.
The WBC stands by its honorability and will not participate in the abuse of power and greediness, which has taken our boxing world to regrettable actions from different parties. The WBC wishes the promotion great success and we are satisfied that this great fight for boxing will be enjoyed by millions of fans around the world.
The WBC didn't specify how Cotto didn't comply. Did he refuse to pay a quite healthy sanctioning fee? One would surmise so. I checked, and asked WBC boss Mauricio Sulaiman for specifics. I will insert his reply when received..
So, we wonder how the chips might fall on this matter. If Canelo (ranked No. 1 by WBC, Jorge Heiland is No. 2, Arif Magomedov No. 2) wins, he has the belt. If not, the belt is now up for grabs.
Or is it?
Gennady Golovkin is the WBC "interim" champ and has waited with exceeding patience for a crack at the "real" crown. Maybe the WBC will simply transfer the "real" belt to him, if Cotto beats Canelo. That makes sense...but this is boxing..and life...how often does what makes sense occur?

WBC Declares Cotto Is No Longer WBC Middleweight Champ

Alvarez and Cotto and a middleweight belt

http://ift.tt/1SWd17U

Did I read right? So the best chance for unification will be Alvarez defeating Cotto and then Golovkin beating him?

Alvarez and Cotto and a middleweight belt

Terence Crawford Craving Fight, Wants Pacquiao Bout, Or Matthysse, Or...

The kid wants it. He doesn't want to let it marinate, and yes, he's respectful of the legend that is Manny Pacquiao, but Terence Crawford is hungry.
He wants to figure out his next, he's craving fighting three times next year, and he'd love for that first test to be the Congressman.
I chatted with Brian Macintyre, the trainer and co-manager of the fighting pride of Nebraska, Crawford, to see if he has any update of what would be quite the signature bout of the 29-0 (17 KOs) WBO 140 pound champion's career.
What about it, does Mac think that Pacman would want that stiff test, in what he says will be his bye-bye bout, before he snags a Senate seat in the Philippines?
"We're ready whenever, however," Mac told me. "If they ready, we're ready. Terence is in the gym and you know he respects Manny as a warrior...but he's ready to beat Manny. And if it's Lucas Matthysse or Viktor Postol, it doesn't matter..Terence wants 'em!"
But yes, Pacman is first choice, and ideally, the Pacman brigade figures out pretty quick if he wants to go out with that proverbial bang, against a guy who MIGHT be in the cluster to be a dominator in the sport over the next several years in the post Mayweather, post Pacquiao era.
Me, if I had a vote, and I don't, lol, I'd be aligned with Tim Bradley, who has fought Manny twice. He's been there, done that, and then again..and he told Boxing Scene a few days ago, "I want to see Crawford get that Manny Pacquiao fight."
He I guess is thinking what Manny of us are...wouldn't it be nice to get that litmus test for Crawford, and nice for the fans to see a fresh pairing, not a somewhat recycled one? Hopefully, soon we all know...

Terence Crawford Craving Fight, Wants Pacquiao Bout, Or Matthysse, Or...

HOLY HOLLY! Holm Run Showing From Ex Boxing Champ, Who Destroys Rousey

The signs and signals and hints, now they are apparent, in that proverbial rear view mirror, after the unconquerable one got KTFO.

She seemed on edge, in a different way, like the excess media attention had slithered into her brain, lodged there, was a tumor of annoyance. Her impatience at handling difficult questions told us her temperment was what it often appeared to be, edgy, but now teetering towards edgy and untethered. What if, you ask now, knowing you should have been cognizant of that leading up to UFC 193, after Rondy Rousey got kicked into unconsciousness by a super-strong and committed athlete with just two-plus years of mixed martial arts training tucked into her belt, she is human, and can be bested?

If went out the Octagon door, and remaining tall and proud is Holm, a boxing ace thought to be past her pugilistic prime. Maybe so, but today is hers to savor.

She was the benificiary of a beyond-iffy----sorry UFC boss Dana White, it's absolutely fair game to question Rousey's strategy--- gameplan, which saw the grappling/judo ace Rousey look to prove that RING cover was not mistake.

She tried to be the boss standing up with someone who had years of experience on her, and ate 5-ounce serving of fist sandwiches for that hubris.

And in that rear view mirror, more puzzling information...Rousey looked out of sorts against a left-hander, who's rear hand kissed her lips and chin a few times. Yeah, no, choosing a left-hander to prove something is to be done only after lengthy contemplation and preparation. But maybe there was that...and maybe Ms. Holm is just all that..and while many think Rousey was EXPOSED, maybe it is Holm who is exposed...as being a magnificent physical and athletic specimen.

But of course, in that mirror, we can look and see and ponder the actions and reasons and behaviors which resulted in much euphoria when Rousey got punched and then kicked into a humbler place. She acted petulant and childish when refusing to touch gloves before the match with home, and Fate saw it, and interceded.

Now, now we will see if the gushy assessments are spot on. Now we see if Rousey has the stuff of legends..or maybe more so was a product of environment and skilled mystique building and being a big fish in a pond of guppies, in women's MMA, just in the nascent stage...Rousey will be given the chance to see if she can do better against Holm in a rematch..and if the ferocity and the bluster and the attitude was perhaps more of a front than a reality...This morning, she woke up, realized it was no bad dream, and Ronda Rousey faces an unconquerable certainty: she is faced with the most difficult physical challenge of her athletic arc.

Look in the mirror and see the resolution to that puzzle? I look and I see a haze...I see no hints which inform me..I see for Ronda Rousey a massive challenge and an athlete who may, or may not, be up to the task.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rise of Ronda Rousey has been an improbable one, considering that not many years ago, the man running the promotion she fights in, UFC, said he'd never run womens' fights.

It's not so improbable when you watch her, see how she acts, note her charisma, see the obvious magnetism in her actions, and sense the less tangible pull you find yourself feeling when you see her perform.

The camera is interested in her, and not just for the fact that she eats arms for lunch, is a stone-cold tendon killer as she submits foe after foe in the Octagon.

The imprint of the 28-year-old is widening, and it's clear that her star will be enlargening, brightening; she's on the cover of the current RING magazine, a decision which has been debated heatedly, with purist boxing fans pointing out that it's insulting to accomplished female fighters that an 0-0 pugilist who merely aspires to try her hands at pugilism gets a RING cover.

But with more copious attention comes increased scrutiny, right Dr. Ben Carson?

The 12-0 Rousey headlines a UFC PPV event in Melbourne, Australia Saturday night, where she will look to deal with Holly Holm in her typical bloodlessly ruthless and abbreviated fashion.

Holm sports a 9-0 mark in MMA, which she's been doing since 2011, after going 33-2-3 as a pro boxer. Most expect that even if she hits the Octagon with barbed wire wrapping on her limbs, the Rousey armbar will be activated and have her surrendering in short order.

"Rowdy" Ronda yesterday drew an unwanted buzz burst when it was noted that she spoke of a violent encounter with her ex boyfriend in the autobiography she put out a few months ago. At the Thursday media day event to hype the Holm fight, the California resident was asked about the violent situation with the ex she doesn't name in the book, "My Fight/Your Fight."

"So if someone is blocking you into an apartment and won't let you leave, you're entitled to defend yourself and find a way out," she explained. "If you're trying to get into your car and leave and they're grabbing your steering wheel and saying you can't leave, technically you're being kidnapped, and you can defend yourself in any way that is necessary," she said, in order to paint the incident as self defense.

"I punched him in the face with a straight right, then a left hook," the former teen judo ace recounted in the book; to give context to the scuffle, she noted he took took nude pictures of her without asking, and then blocked her from leaving his apartment after she delved into the subject with him.

"He staggered back and fell against the door." She said he wanted to continue to debate. "I walked around the car, pulled him by the neck of the hoodie again, dragged him onto the sidewalk and left him writhing there as I sped away," Rousey wrote.

The publicizing of the scrap puzzled or enraged some folks who noted she's been a vocal critic of boxer Floyd Mayweather, who served 60 days of a 90 day sentence in jail in December 2011 after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery domestic violence charge for hitting the mother of his three children, in front of two said children.

Rousey's mocked him for that altercation, and persistently needed him for his lack of character.

The issue itself, athletes battering their partners, is an ultra-hot button matter, being that the NFL hierarchy is knee-deep in getting grilled on the matter of now Dallas Cowboys' player Greg Hardy. He was arrested after cops were called to his residence, and his then girlfriend said he assaulted her, in May 2014. Hardy denied that he entered the bathroom, the place where the woman said the then Carolina Panthers footballer threw her, where she hit a wall, and then fell into the tub.

Hardy said she fell in the tub; he was suspended for ten games, appealed, and that was dropped to four games. Hardy went to court to answer charges, was sentenced to 18 months and a 60-day jail term, suspended. But he appealed that verdict and charges were dropped, when the lady didn't attend the jury trial. He returned to the field of play on Oct. 11, but fans still debate whether he should be allowed to compete.

The NFL had the fire lit under their feet when Ray Rice in March 2014 was seen on video punching the woman he's now married to, knocking her out, while they were in an Atlantic City casino. He too was suspended, indefinitely, but he appealed, and can be signed and play in the league if a team so chooses to. The ex Baltimore Raven is not with a team now. Fans and media debated whether his off the field behavior should be held against him, or what he does away from the field is by and large not pertinent to him playing football.

Rousey was under the microscope, by extension, when it was last month revealed she was dating fellow fighter Travis Browne, a heavyweight in the UFC. He'd been accused by his ex wife of hitting her, with her posting pics on Instagram and presenting the marks on her as a result of domestic violence. He went on record saying his ex was serving up "false accusations." The Browne situation seems like it is a touchy one; on a conference call last week, Rousey was asked about dating Browne, and abruptly her line went dead. Her phone died, she explained, to eye rolls, but was terse and said "next question" when asked about Browne the next day.

Boyfriend drama has been a not infrequent theme in a life notable for the difficult terrain she's navigated. Rousey's father commited suicide in 1995, and she is, amateur shrinks theorize, working out some rage issues inside the cage, in her workplace.

In May, she explained that she decided to pose tastefully nude in the 2012 ESPN The Magazine "Body Issue" after she stumbled on nude pics taken by the ex she said she had that violent rumble with. They were stored on his hard drive, and she erased them. But, she said, she wanted to beat anyone else to the punch, by doing the nude thing before anyone else leaked possible pics. "I'm going to put them out there on my terms," Rousey explained.

I asked a UFC rep if boss Dana White has addressed the Rousey/domestic violence incident revelation, and would furnish a response.

"No, but Ronda addressed (it) in her media scrum yesterday that is available online," said Dave Sholler, a UFC VP of PR.

Difficult spot for White; he'd been asked when women would fight in his Octagon, in 2011. "Never!" the combustible deal maker replied.

Never went out the window, faster than you can say "depleted roster of name attractions," and she debuted in 2012 in the premier MMA league; now Rousey drives the front car in the MMA train. White wouldn't and couldn't, I don't think, throw her under any bus, as her aura grows, with ever more movie roles and forays into WWE, and other outside-MMA milieus. But the Rousey road he now has to drive through is rockier, littered with scrutinizers looking to snare her scalp, in the name of fairness, or principle, or political correctness, so the less he says on this book's revelation, maybe the better for him, and the company.

Anti Mayweather folks have enjoyed Rousey's jabs at "Money." She has zinged his supposed inability to read, and he's responded that he didn't even know who she was. He had to know, when she picked up the Best Fighter Award at the July ESPYs, and said, "I can't help but really say I wonder how Floyd feels being beat by a woman for once. I'd like to see him pretend to not know who I am now."

The Rousey altercation laid out in the book has spurred intense debate, and while it could translate into a beefier PPV buy rate, it makes for at least a thorny patch for the UFC officers.

Meanwhile, on social media, side-takers are weighing in; is she not being critiqued and held to the same standards as men who engaged in such an altercation? Is Rousey not that much different, in fact, than Mayweather, and should she not be, at the least, chided for hypocrisy?

Up for debate...how much, or little, should off the field or out of the cage missteps affect how we perceive the athletes we follow...and should they be seen as role models, or simply fallible human beings who shouldn't be expected to live up to our projected desires as more perfect models of humanity?

Meanwhile, through it all, the shows go on. The NFL serves up the organized mayhem which blows away church-going as the favored weekend distraction endeavor in our United States, while a small but growing and intellectually well-armed critics carve away at the mission of the league and the cultural worth of such brain-rattling competitive fare; and the UFC's visibility and brand strength continue to be impacted by Ronda Rousey, a compelling spitfire of combat, yet another athlete whose traits which aid her in overwhelming the body and will of foes may not serve her as well outside her workplace.

HOLY HOLLY! Holm Run Showing From Ex Boxing Champ, Who Destroys Rousey

Rousey Domestic Altercation Puts UFC Star Under Harsher Spotlight

The rise of Ronda Rousey has been an improbable one, considering that not many years ago, the man running the promotion she fights in, UFC, said he'd never run womens' fights.
It's not so improbable when you watch her, see how she acts, note her charisma, see the obvious magnetism in her actions, and sense the less tangible pull you find yourself feeling when you see her perform.
The camera is interested in her, and not just for the fact that she eats arms for lunch, is a stone-cold tendon killer as she submits foe after foe in the Octagon.
The imprint of the 28-year-old is widening, and it's clear that her star will be enlargening, brightening; she's on the cover of the current RING magazine, a decision which has been debated heatedly, with purist boxing fans pointing out that it's insulting to accomplished female fighters that an 0-0 pugilist who merely aspires to try her hands at pugilism gets a RING cover.
But with more copious attention comes increased scrutiny, right Dr. Ben Carson?
The 12-0 Rousey headlines a UFC PPV event in Melbourne, Australia Saturday night, where she will look to deal with Holly Holm in her typical bloodlessly ruthless and abbreviated fashion.
Holm sports a 9-0 mark in MMA, which she's been doing since 2011, after going 33-2-3 as a pro boxer. Most expect that even if she hits the Octagon with barbed wire wrapping on her limbs, the Rousey armbar will be activated and have her surrendering in short order.
"Rowdy" Ronda yesterday drew an unwanted buzz burst when it was noted that she spoke of a violent encounter with her ex boyfriend in the autobiography she put out a few months ago. At the Thursday media day event to hype the Holm fight, the California resident was asked about the violent situation with the ex she doesn't name in the book, "My Fight/Your Fight."
"So if someone is blocking you into an apartment and won't let you leave, you're entitled to defend yourself and find a way out," she explained. "If you're trying to get into your car and leave and they're grabbing your steering wheel and saying you can't leave, technically you're being kidnapped, and you can defend yourself in any way that is necessary," she said, in order to paint the incident as self defense.
"I punched him in the face with a straight right, then a left hook," the former teen judo ace recounted in the book; to give context to the scuffle, she noted he took took nude pictures of her without asking, and then blocked her from leaving his apartment after she delved into the subject with him.
"He staggered back and fell against the door." She said he wanted to continue to debate. "I walked around the car, pulled him by the neck of the hoodie again, dragged him onto the sidewalk and left him writhing there as I sped away," Rousey wrote.
The publicizing of the scrap puzzled or enraged some folks who noted she's been a vocal critic of boxer Floyd Mayweather, who served 60 days of a 90 day sentence in jail in December 2011 after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery domestic violence charge for hitting the mother of his three children, in front of two said children.
Rousey's mocked him for that altercation, and persistently needed him for his lack of character.
The issue itself, athletes battering their partners, is an ultra-hot button matter, being that the NFL hierarchy is knee-deep in getting grilled on the matter of now Dallas Cowboys' player Greg Hardy. He was arrested after cops were called to his residence, and his then girlfriend said he assaulted her, in May 2014. Hardy denied that he entered the bathroom, the place where the woman said the then Carolina Panthers footballer threw her, where she hit a wall, and then fell into the tub.
Hardy said she fell in the tub; he was suspended for ten games, appealed, and that was dropped to four games. Hardy went to court to answer charges, was sentenced to 18 months and a 60-day jail term, suspended. But he appealed that verdict and charges were dropped, when the lady didn't attend the jury trial. He returned to the field of play on Oct. 11, but fans still debate whether he should be allowed to compete.
The NFL had the fire lit under their feet when Ray Rice in March 2014 was seen on video punching the woman he's now married to, knocking her out, while they were in an Atlantic City casino. He too was suspended, indefinitely, but he appealed, and can be signed and play in the league if a team so chooses to. The ex Baltimore Raven is not with a team now. Fans and media debated whether his off the field behavior should be held against him, or what he does away from the field is by and large not pertinent to him playing football.
Rousey was under the microscope, by extension, when it was last month revealed she was dating fellow fighter Travis Browne, a heavyweight in the UFC. He'd been accused by his ex wife of hitting her, with her posting pics on Instagram and presenting the marks on her as a result of domestic violence. He went on record saying his ex was serving up "false accusations." The Browne situation seems like it is a touchy one; on a conference call last week, Rousey was asked about dating Browne, and abruptly her line went dead. Her phone died, she explained, to eye rolls, but was terse and said "next question" when asked about Browne the next day.
Boyfriend drama has been a not infrequent theme in a life notable for the difficult terrain she's navigated. Rousey's father commited suicide in 1995, and she is, amateur shrinks theorize, working out some rage issues inside the cage, in her workplace.
In May, she explained that she decided to pose tastefully nude in the 2012 ESPN The Magazine "Body Issue" after she stumbled on nude pics taken by the ex she said she had that violent rumble with. They were stored on his hard drive, and she erased them. But, she said, she wanted to beat anyone else to the punch, by doing the nude thing before anyone else leaked possible pics. "I'm going to put them out there on my terms," Rousey explained.
I asked a UFC rep if boss Dana White has addressed the Rousey/domestic violence incident revelation, and would furnish a response.
"No, but Ronda addressed (it) in her media scrum yesterday that is available online," said Dave Sholler, a UFC VP of PR.
Difficult spot for White; he'd been asked when women would fight in his Octagon, in 2011. "Never!" the combustible deal maker replied.
Never went out the window, faster than you can say "depleted roster of name attractions," and she debuted in 2012 in the premier MMA league; now Rousey drives the front car in the MMA train. White wouldn't and couldn't, I don't think, throw her under any bus, as her aura grows, with ever more movie roles and forays into WWE, and other outside-MMA milieus. But the Rousey road he now has to drive through is rockier, littered with scrutinizers looking to snare her scalp, in the name of fairness, or principle, or political correctness, so the less he says on this book's revelation, maybe the better for him, and the company.
Anti Mayweather folks have enjoyed Rousey's jabs at "Money." She has zinged his supposed inability to read, and he's responded that he didn't even know who she was. He had to know, when she picked up the Best Fighter Award at the July ESPYs, and said, "I can't help but really say I wonder how Floyd feels being beat by a woman for once. I'd like to see him pretend to not know who I am now."
The Rousey altercation laid out in the book has spurred intense debate, and while it could translate into a beefier PPV buy rate, it makes for at least a thorny patch for the UFC officers.
Meanwhile, on social media, side-takers are weighing in; is she not being critiqued and held to the same standards as men who engaged in such an altercation? Is Rousey not that much different, in fact, than Mayweather, and should she not be, at the least, chided for hypocrisy?
Up for debate...how much, or little, should off the field or out of the cage missteps affect how we perceive the athletes we follow...and should they be seen as role models, or simply fallible human beings who shouldn't be expected to live up to our projected desires as more perfect models of humanity?
Meanwhile, through it all, the shows go on. The NFL serves up the organized mayhem which blows away church-going as the favored weekend distraction endeavor in our United States, while a small but growing and intellectually well-armed critics carve away at the mission of the league and the cultural worth of such brain-rattling competitive fare; and the UFC's visibility and brand strength continue to be impacted by Ronda Rousey, a compelling spitfire of combat, yet another athlete whose traits which aid her in overwhelming the body and will of foes may not serve her as well outside her workplace.

Rousey Domestic Altercation Puts UFC Star Under Harsher Spotlight

Golovkin Trainer Sanchez Responds To Floyd's Fight Hype Remarks

Some of y'all who don't care for Floyd Mayweather, his risk averse style of fighting, his "the bling is the thing" fixation on money...you might be saying to yourself, man, how can we miss you if you don't go away?
The "Money" man stepped away from the ring after his September win over Andre Berto, but his presence is still primary in the game..Manny Pacquiao said he's negotiating with Floyd people for a rematch, and he's still promoting fights, and still talking about the sport. On Fight Hype, he touched on a range of subjects, including who maybe deserves the No. 1 pound for pound slot in the game. Does Gennady Golovkin? Here's a snippet from his Fight Hype chat: "The thing is, as far as boxing, it's all about taking risks and taking chances. I did it. I took risks. I took chances. I'm just waiting to see if Triple G is going to go up and fight Andre Ward. I'm going to be convinced when he can go up and beat Andre Ward. Until then, I'm not convinced."
Ok, interesting. I think he won't get across the board pushback on not being fully sold on 3G until GGG gets that signature tangle. But about him taking risks...I think you will get loads of pushback on that one, from the "Floyd cherrypicked brigade."
I touched based with Golovkins' trainer, Abel Sanchez, fresh off celebrating his 60th birthday. What did he think of that Ward/Golovkin topic from Floyd? Do you, Abel, perceive that Floyd took risks on the order of GGG going up to meet a guy suited for 175 pounds? Also, what about that supposed insitutional preference for a Caucasian standard-bearer?
Sanchez read this material, and said, "I agree with your points and will point out that Floyd sold out the MGM how many fights in a row, I can't believe that all those fights were attended by all non-white fans, so I think Floyd has fans from all races, as does Ward. The success that GGG is having is due to fighting consistently, his demeanor towards all fans, media, his character and honesty is evident, and that endears and makes followers of non-boxing fans."
I agree...and add that that manner of being, to me, is more impressive than PPV numbers. So, when I see the mockingbirds trying to crap on the GGG PPV numbers I sorta squint and say, yeah, no, don't you get that a fixation on numbers as a gauge of success is a spiritually deficient methodology? I fall for it, too, mind you, I pursue numbers...but no, it's not the enlightened path.
Sanchez continued: "Also the success, opportunities and fights that GGG is having were planned way in advance, sometimes 6-8 months, so the planning of fights and opponents have to be penciled in against names that are for sure. GGG wants to fight three to four times per year, when opponents have persistent issues, injuries, legal troubles, it would be very irresponsible for us as the GGG team to book or schedule fights with names that are not dependable."
Yes, indeed, Sanchez is referring to Ward here, for those unsure. Ward had to pull out of a Nov. 21 fight because of a bum knee, and was on the shelf for two years with a promoter beef, after being off because of an arm injury.
"GGG will continue to fight and attempt to unify the 160 pounds division, move up or down when it makes financial sense and/or when we have a willing, dependable opponent," Sanchez said, in closing.
Oh, another thing to chew on..I think that it's possible that his race may have helped him more than he realizes, in a way Floyd's not considering...one does wonder how many people paid to watch him fight to see him lose, because they didn't care for what he stood for, as a successful and independent black man? So Floyd says, "From the looks of things, what's going on in the sport of boxing, they want their superstar to be Caucasian. It's obvious." And just maybe that preference, felt by many boxing fans, actually bolstered his bottom line...
Thoughts, readers?
Follow Woods on Twitter. https://twitter.com/Woodsy1069

Golovkin Trainer Sanchez Responds To Floyd's Fight Hype Remarks

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Forum Friends - New Forum calendar is Ready

Hi folks. Ive been brought aboard to help improve some of the bells and whistels around the site. Recently, Iw as touring the forum and found the "calendar" section was sitting idle and unused.

If you click on "calendar" now, it takes you to the calendar that is on The Sweet Science and the Boxing Channel. you may have noticed that the calendar has been enhanced with more dats and historical dates noted as well, and that will continue.

Check it out, let me know what you think. If you would like to see a fighter or a particular event in boxing history appear on the calendar, let me know!

Any and all feedback is welcome - enjoy!

Miguel Iturrate
IBOP

Forum Friends - New Forum calendar is Ready

Sadam Ali Wants Bradley, Willing To Pay to Play

Sadam Ali is the No. 1 ranked contender by the WBO at 147 pounds. He waited for a title shot against WBO champ Tim Bradley, craved it, and craves it still.
He was bypassed, in favor of vet Brandon Rios, a bigger name but apparently more deteriorated talent than the Brooklyn-based Ali. Bradley handled Rios with ease, finally knuckling down with body shots and taking the Cali-based boxer out, and to the retirement hammock, on Saturday night in Las Vegas, and on HBO.
Meanwhile, that same Saturday night, Ali got his checkbook ready.
His team told me they are willing to offer promoter Bob Arum $100,000 to NOT block a Bradley vs. Ali fight. Arum for the record, is Bradley's promoter, while Golden Boy promotes Ali.
Team Ali's Mahmoud Ali, father of Sadam, told me that Top Rank offered Sadam step aside money, $100,000, as a feel-good offering so Rios could leap-frog Ali. That was turned down, and the Alis hoped the WBO would lay down the law, and stick to their regulations.
That's a new one to me..a fighter offering a PROMOTER a bounty to help make a fight reach fruition. Boxing, theater of the unexpected. This one certainly fills that bill..

Sadam Ali Wants Bradley, Willing To Pay to Play

Andre Ward Forced To Withdraw From 11/21

WARD FORCED TO WITHDRAW FROM
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 MIGUEL COTTO VS. CANELO ALVAREZ CO-FEATURE
NEW YORK (November 4, 2015) – Roc Nation Sports regretfully announces that due to an injury sustained while training, Andre Ward will be unable to participate in his previously scheduled Saturday, Nov. 21 bout at the Mandalay Events Center in Las Vegas. A replacement fight for the HBO Pay-Per-View produced and distributed event is currently being worked on.
Ward has been suffering from significant inflammation and constant pain in his right knee that is severely restricting his mobility. He has been advised by his physician to immediately rest and begin rehab on the knee to reduce the inflammation.
“I’m extremely disappointed that I’m missing this opportunity on November 21, but at the same time, I’m encouraged,” said Ward. “Anytime I have had a minor or major setback in my career, by the Grace of God, I’ve come back stronger and this will be no different. I’m looking forward to a big 2016. Thank you to all my fans for your support and patience.”
“Andre’s injury is a huge disappointment not only to him, but all of us involved with this promotion,” said David Itskowitch, COO Boxing of Roc Nation Sports. “We have no doubt that Andre will come back stronger than ever once his knee heals and that he will be a force in the light heavyweight division. We are working diligently to make an intriguing fight that will deliver a level of excitement commensurate with this great event.”
“While we feel terrible for Andre that he has encountered this setback, we have no doubt that Andre will return stronger than ever in 2016,” said James Prince and Josh Dubin, Ward’s management team.

Andre Ward Forced To Withdraw From 11/21

Is Change Good for Tim Bradley, with Bam Bam Rios in his Face?

Welterweights Tim “Desert Storm” Bradley and Brandon “Bam, Bam” Rios saw this fight coming down the tunnel a long time ago.
Both are Southern California elite prizefighters, one African-American and the other Mexican-American. That formula usually equals a dynamic, crowd-pleasing match up.
WBO welterweight titlist Bradley (32-1-1, 12 Kos) finally meets Rios (33-2-1, 24 Kos) in the prize ring on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. HBO will televise the Top Rank main event.
“I always had an eye on Bam Bam,” said Bradley, who trains in Indio. “I knew one day we could possibly meet.”
Rios, who moved up to welterweight after dominating the lightweight division, said Bradley’s name had been mentioned as a possibility the last two years.
“I finally have a fight and I’m happy about it,” said Rios, who trains in Riverside. “Bradley is a warrior and that’s what I expect.”
From his first pro fight Bradley exhibited extraordinary speed and agility. In the beginning he was overlooked by the big promoters and landed in the lap of newly formed Thompson Boxing Promotions. For the first three fights he was virtually untouchable at shows in Corona and Ontario, Calif.
Under the guidance of Joel Diaz and brothers, the speedy Bradley transformed into a real prizefighter, including possessing a willingness to engage in all-out war. At the same time he showed tremendous heart and fortitude. Those are things you cannot teach.
Rios arrived as an amateur slugger in Southern California who had problems with boxer types. He had problems sparring the quick, fleet fighters like Vicente Escobedo. But if someone stood in front of him, he blew them out, as he did the first time I saw him at the Maywood Activity early in his career.
Rios has always been under the guidance of Robert Garcia and quickly learned how to fight sluggers, runners, holders and dirty fighters. He loved to fight and seemingly opened the big guns full bore whenever someone tagged him with a good shot. You can’t teach that.
A new component for Bradley has been the addition of trainer Teddy Atlas. The ESPN boxing analyst who was mentored by the late great Cus D’Amato has always been a strict disciplinarian.
During one visit Atlas drilled Bradley on the intricacies of inside fighting. Every facet of Bradley’s movements were analyzed and dissected by the trainer and rehearsed like the pivotal line from Hamlet.
“You’re too far over,” Atlas told Bradley. “Your hands are a little too low.”
They were infractions that were maybe an inch or too incorrect, according to Atlas.
Will Bradley be thinking about these subtleties inside the ring when Rios has a mad dog rush on him?
Rios has one gear and though changes and additions have been added to his repertoire, they’re not as minute as those Bradley must learn.
“Oh, we’ve made some changes to Brandon,” said Garcia, a former world champion. “I have him moving his head more so he doesn’t take as many punches. He’s much better at it now.”
On paper it would seem that Bradley has a tremendous advantage in pure athleticism and defensive capabilities. But if his own history tells us anything it’s that he has a warrior’s heart. At what point will the “Desert Storm” stay in the pocket exchanging rockets with Rios?
“Teddy has me focused,” says Bradley. “It’s a mind game.”
Rios has one speed, one dimension and one goal: that’s to knock the other guy out. It’s simple and direct. No alternative plan or miss-directions necessary.
“I’ve been sparring with all kinds of different styles,” said Rios. “I’m ready for whatever.”

Is Change Good for Tim Bradley, with Bam Bam Rios in his Face?

ATLAS NOT SHRUGGING Bradley Handles Rios Easily, Scotes Stoppage In 9th

In the HBO main event, two name vets, Tim Bradley and Brandon Rios, TV faves, got it on. A possible fight of the year was teased, not even close though. Because Bradley was so dialed in, sharp, and Rios was....not.
The WBO 147 crown was up for grabs on Saturday, at Thomas and Mack in Vegas. A left hook to the body sent Rios down and then more body shots sent him to a knee, and the ref halted it. The end came at 2:49
Top Rank put the show together.
In the first, Bradley came out banging. Rios, who needed extra time to shed .2 pounds Friday, threw wide shots. Bradley was now with Teddy Atlas; would he tweak his game or be the same? They rumbled some, then Bradley backed off, moved, and banged to the body. A hard right, a sweeping left clanged Rios, who shook his head no. Atlas after said he didn't want Tim to get greedy. Two, three, then slide. In the second, Rios wanted to be more aggressive. He landed a sharp right, and the crowd buzzed. He was now dictating, backing Tim up, being busy, throwing low, making it a fight. In the third, Bradley was moving more again. They were toe to toe, and then Rios got hit low. The round favored Bradley, probably. Atlas after said he wants every round to be all focus.
In the fourth, we saw Bradley move. He hooked as Teddy told him not to, as a lead...Then Bradley put together combos. Bradley went 33-87, 14-62 for Rios...In the fifth, the left hook worked for Tim. He was busier, as before, winning another round. Let's go, work on the inside, said Robert Garcia to Rios after. To the sixth, we saw Bradley hooking, and Rios plodding after him. Inside, Bradley ripped left hooks after smothering smartly. Then he jabbed from the outside...Different looks from Bradley. Garcia pleaded for harder work...To the seventh, Atlas talked to Max Kellerman, busted his chops, calling him easy to impress, after Max said that they were impressed with Bradley's quick learning acumen.
In the eighth, Bradley after hearing Atlas yelling encouragement about them being impervious to fire got to work. Rios heard it from Garcia, again. What's going on, you're disappointing everybody, he said. In the ninth, Rios was there...but not real there. Tim ripped a hook to the body, ouchie. Down goes Rios, off an uppercut..then he went down again and that was it.

ATLAS NOT SHRUGGING Bradley Handles Rios Easily, Scotes Stoppage In 9th

JERMALL CHARLO MAKES FIRST TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST WILKY CAMPFORT

SUPER WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION JERMALL CHARLO MAKES FIRST TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST WILKY CAMPFORT ON
PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBC
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28 FROM THE BOMB FACTORY IN
DALLAS, TEXAS
PLUS! DALLAS-NATIVE & RISING STAR ERROL SPENCE JR. FACES
MEXICO'S ALEJANDRO BARRERA IN THE CO-MAIN EVENT
Tickets on Sale Now!
DALLAS (October 29, 2015) - Super welterweight world champion Jermall Charlo (22-0, 17 KOs) will defend his title in his home state against "Silky" Wilky Campfort (21-1, 12 KOs) as Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC comes to The Bomb Factory in Dallas Saturday, November 28. Televised coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
Also featured, Dallas-native and 2012 Olympian Errol "The Truth" Spence Jr. (18-0, 15 KOs) takes on Mexico's Alejandro "El Elegido" Barrera (28-2, 18 KOs) in a 12-round contest.
"I haven't stepped out of the gym since I won the title," said Charlo. "You get the title, you defend it. That's the motto. I know Campfort is hungry and at the top of his game, but I've been training just as hard, if not harder, to defend my title. It took everything I have to get here and it's going to take everything I have to remain here."
"I am ready to fight," said Campfort. "I am not in this business to run. I'm not afraif of anybody. I'm coming to win a world title and achieve my dream. Charlo better not underestimate me, because I have only victory on my mind."
"I'm excited for another opportunity to prove that I'm the real deal and I'm ready for any gut that's put in front of me," said Spence Jr. "This will be my first time fighting in my hometown and I'm ready to put on a show for Dallas. November 28, it's going to be another man down."
"This is a great opportunity to showcase my skills on a big stage," said Barrera. "I am always in great shape and I plan on giving the fans a great fight. November 28 I will announce myself to the world with a great performance."
The November 28 event features two rising stars in the sport, both from Texas as they showcase their skills on Thanksgiving weekend. The undefeated Charlo will be defending his world title for the first time while the undefeated Spence Jr. looks to make another impressive statement in his young career that has many calling him a future world champion.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Leija*Battah Promotions, are priced at $100, $85, $45 and $25, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Seating in suites and tables for groups is also available. To purchase tickets visit www.ticketfly.com, http://ift.tt/1EqIpH9or by emailing m@leijabattahpromo.com. Tickets can also be purchased by calling TicketFly at(877) 987-6487, Leija Battah Promotions at (210) 979-3302 or by visiting The Bomb Factory box office.
A newly crowned champion at 24-years-old, Charlo grabbed his title with a dominant third-round stoppage of Cornelius Bundrage in September. Residing in Houston, Charlo fights in his home state for the first time since a 2013 stoppage of Orlando Lora. Charlo built up his resume in 2014 with dominant victories over Hector Munoz, Norberto Gonzalez and Lenny Bottai before shutting out Michael Finney in March leading up to his world title fight.
Born in Haiti but fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Campfort has not lost since his second pro fight in 2009. The 30-year-old has fought professionally in the U.S., Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic and his native-Haiti. He's won six fights since the beginning of 2014 including stoppages of Milton Nunez and Devon Moncrieffe. In his last contest he stopped Ronald Montes in the second round on September 18.
A member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team who boasted a highly decorated amateur career, the 25-year-old Spence Jr.will look to put on a show in front of his hometown Dallas crowd. Spence Jr. is widely regarded as one of the top rising prospects in the sport and was dominant in his PBC debut on April 11 as he defeated Samuel Vargas by fourth-round knockout and he followed that up by stopping Phil Lo Greco in the third round on June 20. Most recently, Spence Jr. recorded a flawless performance in his win over South African Chris van Heerden with an eighth-round stoppage on September 11.
Fighting out of Monterrey, Mexico, Barrera will be fighting in the U.S. for the second time in his career after picking up a victory over John Mackey in 2012. The 29-year-old won his first 20 bouts after turning pro in 2007 and enters this fight with three straight victories including triumphs over Juan Montiel and Jose De Jesus Macias in 2015.
For more information visit http://ift.tt/1FXiFUChttp://ift.tt/1EaFrX1 andhttp://ift.tt/1Msn4fz, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @FutureOfBoxing, @ErrolSpenceJr, @LeijaBattahPR, @NBCSports, and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at http://ift.tt/1OG36R6 and http://ift.tt/1bAHw1V.Highlights available to embed at http://www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.

JERMALL CHARLO MAKES FIRST TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST WILKY CAMPFORT

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Laywer Looks At The Arum V. Haymon Judge Ruling

Some folks care only for the business inside the ring, but the fights outside the ring are also brutal, in a different way, and can mightily impact what you do or don't see on your screen. So, they are "newsworthy" and deserve to be discussed.
Case in point: Bob Arum, the pound for pound king of the promotional business, a major player and then some in this space since 1966, has no love for the methods employed by reclusive deal-maker Al Haymon.
That's an understatement; Arum believes Haymon plays fast and loose and dirty. And he wanted to prove that point in court...Arum's stance, in which he accused Haymon of "rigging" the industry, went before a California judge last week, and the judge dismissed an antitrust allegation, while also stating that Haymon's Kansas-based Wall St. financial backers (Waddell & Reed) cannot be targeted in this suit.
The Arum combo says that Haymon is illegally trying to create a monopoly situation, which is supposed to be verboten in our nation, where a "free market" is supposed to reign. In recent history, as more mega corporations amass more goodies, this nation hasn't cracked down on monopolistic practices, though, arguably, that trend might be reversing, as our citizenry is now better comprehending the anti-for-the-masses practices our elected officials have been propagating the last four decades.
In this filed suit, it is alleged that Haymon uses tactics that are beyond unbecoming; but unless a fighter comes forward and testifies that he was explicitly prevented from signing with someone other than Haymon, for example, I don't see how a judge latches on to some of the Arum-team allegations. I did think to myself, as this case was publicized, that it would seemingly be hard to prove that Haymon is in an illegal manner restricting or denying Top Rank's ability to compete and thrive, being that TR had the B side, Manny Pacquiao, in that May 2 "Super Fight" which exceeded expectations in grossing obscene piles of loot for a select few. But I'm a boxing writer...so I asked a NYC-based attorney friend to mull this judgement on a suit which came together in June and offer some thoughts on what it means.
"Bottom line, very thorough and well-reasoned decision, but more importantly, based soundly on the law," my attorney friend told me. "Top Rank needs to tighten up its factual allegations beyond mere conclusions. The procedural rule the defendants relied on permits dismissal if there is no legal theory or the complaint lacks sufficient facts to support the legally cognizable theories alleged. Both of those basis' were found lacking here. That said, the courts allow liberal pleadings and are permitting TR to serve an Amended Complaint with more factual meat on its bones."
He continued: "The Court is looking for facts that TR has been injured by Haymon's conduct. The decision specifically states, that TR “has not identified a single bout that it has attempted to promote but was precluded from promoting by the Haymon Defendants, a single venue from which it has been blocked, or a single network that has refused to broadcast a fight promoted by Top Rank.”
Right; and that seems like iffy territory there, anyway. I mean, Showtime can "refuse to broadcast" an Arum-promoted bout...but they have free will in choosing who to do business with. So, there has to be an element of unfairness, lack of fair play, in that refusal...and that has to be found and presented to the court.
"Lawyer X" continued: "Also, the court indicated the lawsuit lacked facts sufficient to show an Anti-Trust violation existed. Specifically, the decision states, “Top Rank only alleges that the Haymon Defendants, on one occasion, withheld their consent and refused to allow Roc Nation to promote a bout involving one of the Haymon Defendants’ boxers. With respect to venue blocking, Top Rank only alleges that the Haymon Defendants blocked Golden Boy and Banner Promotions from booking a venue for a single fight.”
Looks to me like the judge said, OK, they were blocked from booking a card at venues. But Haymon is allowed to out-bid another party for a site to put on a fight. Right? (Now, if bids were put in to block, and then no cards were placed in those venues, then I don't condone that practice. Let's fight each other with honorable methods, that's my plea.)
"X" continued: "The Court found that there were insufficient facts to sue the Haymon financial backers. The court advised that it needs to see what actionable conduct each the specific defendant engaged in as opposed to lumping all 9 (I believe its 9) defendants together as each collectively and individually committing the same violative acts as the others. Lastly, the Court held that there was no legal claim for aiding and abetting or conspiring by companies, individuals who were nothing more than investors."
So, what does X think is next step for Top Rank? "If TR doesn’t come back with detailed facts and specifics… which are hard to come by whenever Haymon is involved, those portions already stricken may be DOA the second time around. It is never good to have your lawsuit gutted before the defendant even puts in an answer to it!"
There ya go...a look at one of the outside the ring battles featuring two giants of industry, protecting territory, and seeking to expand reach. This one will be a 15 rounder...

Laywer Looks At The Arum V. Haymon Judge Ruling

Golovkin Talks PEDs

The PED kerfuffle hit baseball way before fight sports, somewhat strange, I think, in that when you use PEDs to gain an extra advantage in baseball, you might crush the ball harder. In boxing, an extra edge can help you crack skulls harder, and if we are measuring the possibility of carnage, then one would think PEDs in boxing should be a hot button issue.
The story, the subject, waxes and wanes.
The PED situation popped up courtesy fightwriting dean Thomas Hauser before the last Floyd Mayweather fight, and he followed up with a check-in on Oct. 13.
I also wrote about WHY it matters, overall, and focused on that subject in the context of Floyd Mayweather.
Gennady Golovkin is at or near the lead of the pack to wrestle the leadership baton from "TBE," so it serves that we, the fans, and the media, will be looking to him for clarity on many matters now.
Such as, PEDs in the game...What does he think about them?
"I think (testing) is very important for people," the 33-year-old Kazakhstan native, who lives in California, told me. "Not just for athletes, for people. For next life...doping is not good for people. I use before this fight VADA testing, every time I show I don't like doping...it's very important. I like for everybody natural."
Is it important as a leader to show you're clean, I wondered..
His promoter Loeffler noted that in a combat sport, cheating can have disastrous consequences, so that's important to his kid, and with the WBC, a push is being made to ramp up more testing.
Trainer Abel Sanchez told me 3G was tested about four times, by the VADA crew. "I believe one blood and three urines," he said. And we know that Tom Hauser wrote of some seemingly early cutoffs for Floyd Mayweather, in some of his bouts being overseen by USADA. When was the last time Gennady was tested, by VADA?
"Yesterday (Thursday), late afternoon," Sanchez told me. "Every time, they just showed up, no warning." Solid, I say, as it should be...Amen...
I think all of us can encourage all these guys to walk the walk, be a role model in this area.
Some of the "leaders" I would expect to take a stand on this issue, the so-called sages and moralists in fact are conspicuously absent in their support of stringent testing.
You know some of the guys I'm thinking about....

Golovkin Talks PEDs

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Atlas Was Never in Military, But Remains Sternest Drill Instructor in Boxing

Teddy Atlas never served in the armed forces of the United States, but the longtime ESPN boxing commentator and occasional trainer always has felt a special affinity for the regimentation that is a major part of a soldier’s life. In many ways Atlas is a drill instructor or commanding officer who brooks no dissent on those occasions when he issues a Staten Island-accented order. Whenever Atlas aligns himself with a fighter, a process which he undertakes now only after painstaking investigation, his first directive is always that it’s his way or the highway.
It was only after such a laborious study of his newest pupil, Timothy Bradley Jr., that Atlas, 59, decided to return to the corner. It probably is no coincidence that Bradley (32-1-1, 12 KOs), who defends his 147-pound strap against Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios (33-2-1, 24 KOs) in the HBO-televised main event on Nov. 7 at the recently renovated Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, has dubbed himself “Desert Storm,” which suggests military precision, attention to detail and coolness under fire.
OK, so the 32-year-old Bradley also never wore a uniform or toted a rifle. His nickname, he says, owes in part to the fact he makes his home in the desert – that would be Palm Springs, Calif. – and in part because of his action-heavy style and respect for those who serve or have served their country with honor and distinction.
The pairing of Atlas and Bradley has the feel of an orderly chain of command that any veteran of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard would recognize. When they begin preparations for the Rios bout, it’s Atlas who will be pulling rank because, well, that’s the way it has to be whenever he becomes involved with a fighter.
“It’s a big responsibility,” Atlas said of taking on a fighter for the first time since he parted ways, acrimoniously, with Alexander Povetkin in January 2012. “That’s the way I’ve always looked at these things. You’ve got somebody’s career – and their life, to an extent – in your hands. They put their trust in you so you got to be sure you can get the job done and done right.
“I spent several days thinking about it (accepting Bradley’s request for Atlas to train him). I went back and forth, going over so many things. It wasn’t an easy decision. It would have been very easy to say no instead of yes. I was hesitant at first, but what I knew about the kid in terms of his character – not only in the ring, but in his personal life – was a factor.
“Actually, my daughter Nicole helped convince me to do this. She also had a part in my deciding to train Povetkin. With Povetkin, I said no several times and he and his people continued to ask. Nicole said, `Why don’t you go to Russia and at least give it a chance? Because that’s who you are, Dad. You’re a really good commentator, but in your heart you’re still a teacher and a trainer.’”
Toward the end, after 2½ years together in which Atlas helped take Povetkin to the WBA “regular” heavyweight title, the fighter began to chafe at some of the trainer’s dictums. Povetkin didn’t want to travel from Russia to the U.S. to train as he been doing, which was a precondition of their working together because of Atlas’ broadcasting commitments to ESPN. Nor did Povetkin agree – or, at least, his manager, Vladimir Hryunov didn’t – with Atlas’ assessment that the still-learning fighter had not progressed enough to accept a title bout with IBF/WBO/WBA/lineal champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2010. Povetkin did wind up challenging Klitschko on Oct. 5, 2013, with Alexander Zimin as his chief second, and he demonstrated that he still wasn’t ready in being easily outpointed by Floyd Mayweathersque margins.
Atlas came away from the experience feeling “betrayed,” but then he had been down that road before and understood that loyalty in boxing is a fragile commodity. One notable example of the friction that is the byproduct of a relationship gone sour is the nasty falling-out in the early 1980s between Atlas and future light heavyweight champion Donny Lalonde.
“He ran things like an Army camp,” Lalonde complained of Atlas’ demanding training methods. Atlas doesn’t dispute that assessment. In fact, he’s rather proud of it. What was that recruiting slogan from a few years ago? Oh, yeah. There’s strong, and there’s Army strong.
“Donny Lalonde is not wrong,” Atlas said. “I do run things like an Army camp. But I will never apologize for doing things the way I did, and still do. And that way served Lalonde damn well. Yeah, I was in charge and there was a reason I was in charge. I was the trainer, and I had the responsibility.
“The strange thing is that Lalonde literally begged me to train him. He came all the way from Canada on his own dime. I told him no. He came to Gleason’s Gym (in Brooklyn, N.Y.) where I was training other fighters and he just pursued me. But I didn’t follow my best instincts, which was that there was something about him I just couldn’t trust.”
Atlas learned his craft during seven years of apprenticeship under the legendary Cus D’Amato in Catskill, N.Y. The pay wasn’t good – actually, nothing – but the education he received from the man who had guided Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres to world championships was so invaluable that maybe a price tag shouldn’t be attached to it.
“I have respect for the sport,” Atlas said. “I spent all that time learning my craft and making no money with Cus. I don’t regret spending those seven years in the gym. You lock yourself away, if you will, to make that commitment and that sacrifice.”
But although Atlas loved D’Amato almost like another father, he began to see another side to the old man after a teenaged Mike Tyson showed up, renewing Cus’ dream of having another heavyweight champion. A petulant Tyson acted out at times, but wasn’t reprimanded for it. Atlas, primarily responsible for training the young slugger, personally barred him from participating in an upcoming amateur tournament by way of punishment, then was stunned to see Tyson walk through the door anyway, with D’Amato’s approval. Atlas’ authority in the gym had been undercut, and he was left with the realization that there is no such thing as a trainer’s absolute control, unless both parties mutually consent to such an arrangement and stick to it no matter what.
Other fighters have drifted in and out of Atlas’ life, more often adhering to his mandates for only so long until they came to the conclusion that they were the bosses, not the ones to be bossed around. And any proposed changes in the relationship, Atlas made it clear, were non-negotiable.
“Before I had that safety net of the commentating, which I’ve had for 18 years, I felt that way to an extent,” he said of the pressure some trainers feel to stick with recalcitrant fighters who provide their primary or sole source of income. “I might have to think about something two or more times before I said no.”
Perhaps the most memorable example of Atlas at his prickly best was the night that Michael Moorer was in the process of dethroning IBF/WBA heavyweight champion on April 22, 1994, in Las Vegas. Moorer was winning, all right, but not following Atlas’ instructions to the letter.
“I just sat on the stool and said, `You don’t want to fight. You don’t want to win this damn thing, so I’ll fight,’” Atlas said at the time. “Get outside, give me the water and I’ll take your place.’ And I made him say to me that he wanted to fight before I would get up. I said, `You don’t want to fight.’ He said, `No, I do.’ Thank God.”
So what was it about Bradley, who recently parted ways with his longtime trainer, Joel Diaz, that swayed Atlas into again slipping into the trainer’s role he has been so reluctant to assume?
“He was a guest on my radio show (on Sirius XM) a couple of months ago,” Atlas recalled. “It was right after his fight with (Jessie) Vargas. There was a controversial ending to that fight in that (Bradley) got nailed and hurt by a really big right hand with about 30 seconds left in the last round. With Vargas going after him, the referee, Pat Russell, erroneously stopped the fight. He heard the 10-second clapper and he thought it was the bell. Everybody – including Vargas and Bradley – that the fight had been stopped and Vargas had won. Vargas even started celebrating.
“We talked about whether Bradley could have survived another 10 seconds, and being the gladiator he is, he said he could have. And then I asked him a question: `Do you know why you got hurt?’ He said, `Well, I got hit with a right hand, Teddy.’ I said, `Of course, but do you know WHY?’ He said, `No, Would you tell me?’
“I told him he had his left hand low, but he had a James Toney-type shoulder roll before he went to throw his own right hand. The problem was he did it a little prematurely sometimes before he got Vargas’ right hand out of the way. Basically, Timmy was telegraphing that his own right hand was coming. It gave Vargas a clear runway to catch him when his left hand was down.”
Bradley went back home to Palm Springs, studied the tape of the fight, spotted the problem and wondered why no one else had detected it. Not long after that, he called Atlas to ask if he would consider becoming his new chief second.
Burned in the past, Atlas was unsure whether he wanted to expose himself to another flame of disappointment.
“It’s become very easy for me to say no, especially after what happened with Povetkin,” Atlas said. “It would have been easy to say no again. But I was going out to California anyway, to do the PBC on ESPN fight between (Abner) Mares and (Leo) Santa Cruz. I spent two days after that fight with Bradley. I broke down tape of his fights with Vargas and (Ruslan) Provodnikov like I would for ESPN viewers. I pointed out some things to him that he hadn’t realized.
“I went home and spent several more days thinking about it. I went back and forth on so many things. I talked to my family again. Then I called Timmy up and said, `OK.’”
But it wasn’t the 32-year-old Bradley’s star status or potential for improvement that was the deciding factor for Atlas. He’s turned down other talented fighters without so much as a second thought. There was something about Bradley, though, that resonated.
“You are who you are,” Atlas said. “And what you are as a fighter is connected to who you are as a person, and that goes to your background, you past, your upbringing. I liked the way Timmy carried himself, with respect and a certain quiet toughness. He had a standard of conduct that was obvious and, quite frankly, you see less and less in society today.”
Bradley, the father of three children with his manager-wife, Monica, and the stepfather of two of her kids from a previous marriage, understands that he and Atlas share a bond that at least partly transcends boxing.
“Teddy don’t have a million fighters. Teddy was retired,” Bradley noted. “I told him, `Hey, man, you can’t hide all that knowledge. You got to pass it on.
“The reason why Teddy is doing this is because of the person that I am. I’m a family guy; he’s the same way. He’s also a guy with a high boxing IQ. He hasn’t trained fighters in years, but he’s trained some of the best in the world.
“He has the time. He’s going to work it out with his schedule. I’m his only fighter. It’s a great fit, man. I can learn a lot from Teddy.”
So it’s back to boot camp for Atlas, whose military experience, such as it is, has been limited to occasionally working with the West Point boxing team and his friendship with two-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Parcells, who was an assistant at Army and the head coach at the Air Force Academy before moving on to the NFL.
“Someone told me that when Parcells left the Giants and Ray Handley took over, some of the players were asked at training camp what the difference between them was,” Atlas said. “They said, `Oh, it’s much better now, much nicer, much easier, much more player-friendly. Handley is not a dictator like Parcells was.’ It was very similar to what Lalonde said about me.
“Yeah, it was much better until the season started and they weren’t winning. Then those guys found out it wasn’t better. It was misery and a disaster.”
So what happens the next time a fighter in need of a make-over seeks out Atlas? Is there training life for him beyond Timothy Bradley Jr.?
“I saw how Timmy was in his house, as a husband and father,” Atlas said. “I saw what’s important to him, and to me. I decided if I was going to come back and train, it was going to be for a person like this.
“Timmy said, `Anything you ask me to do, I’ll do.’ I could tell it wasn’t just lip service. I think I’m pretty good at being able to read people. Lalonde told me some of the same things, but I didn’t follow my best instincts then, which was that there was something about him that I just shouldn’t trust.
“My experience with him affected me. I said to myself, `The next time someone comes to me unsolicited, I’m going to pay more attention to my instincts. So here we are, 30 years later. When Timmy told me he’d do what I told him to do, no questions asked, I believed it. There is a truthfulness to him. It’s kind of refreshing, really.”

Atlas Was Never in Military, But Remains Sternest Drill Instructor in Boxing

Gennady Golovkin Blog Part 1: Monday, September 21

What does it mean for your career to be making your headlining Pay-Per-View debut?
“Pay-Per-View to me means reaching the highest level in the sport. This has given me the opportunity for my first title unification fight.
“All the big names in boxing have fought on Pay-Per-View and I look forward to making my first Pay-Per-View on October 17 against champion David Lemieux.
“I want the biggest fights against the top names in the middleweight division and that means Pay-Per-View.
“I appreciate the support of my fans and I look forward to putting on another amazing show for them.
“Since I started fighting in the United States and on HBO three years ago my exposure has increased dramatically and I’m happy with my career.”
Road to Golovkin/Lemieux debuts Saturday, October 3 at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT on HBO.
Golovkin vs. Lemieux takes place Saturday, October 17 from Madison Square Garden and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Gennady Golovkin Blog Part 1: Monday, September 21

One of Southern California's Best 7 Year Old Boxers

Greetings TSS Friends, Some of you have asked about my son periodically because I have mentioned that he has been boxing since he was 4.5 years...

One of Southern California's Best 7 Year Old Boxers

Statement of Thomas Hauser with Regard to the September 17, 2015, Comments by USADA

USADA’s response is long on verbiage and short on documented facts. I intend to write another longform article on this subject at some point in the future. For now, I note the following:
(1) The USADA statement goes to great lengths to discredit Victor Conte, attacking him on three separate occasions for past misdeeds (which I referenced in “Can Boxing Trust USADA?”). USADA also states that I “cherry picked Jeff Novitzky’s response to questions posed to him by Mr. Rogan regarding Victor Conte.”
Mr. Novitzky’s remarks came in an interview conducted by Joe Rogan last month (The Joe Rogan Experience #685). In that interview, Mr. Rogan and Mr. Novitzky also discussed IVs. Let’s pick a whole barrel of cherries:
Joe Rogan: “What’s the reason why they can’t use an IV? Is it to mask possible performance enhancing drugs?”
Jeff Novitzsky: “That’s the primary reason. I saw it up front and center in cycling. They were using IVs of saline solution to manipulate their blood level readings, which were being used to determine if they were blood doping. It could also be used to flush a system. It dilutes blood and urine so that natural steroid profiles are very hard to read after you’ve taken an IV bag. That’s the primary reason. WADA also prohibits them for some health reasons. When an IV is administered, especially close to a competition, there’s a possibility of blowing out a vein or having clotting after the IV is taken out. There could be some issues with edema and swelling. If the idea is to rehydrate, it’s much safer to do it orally. Studies show that orally rehydrating is better for you if you’re mildly dehydrated. There’s two things that they show consistently. Number one, it’s obviously safer to put something through your mouth than put it in a needle in your vein. Number two, your perceived rate of exertion, how hard you feel you’re working after rehydrating orally, is less than if you rehydrate via IV. If you rehydrate orally properly, the next day you’re going to feel a whole lot better when you’re exerting yourself.”
“Now that’s mild dehydration,” Novitzky added. As for extreme dehydration, Novitzky suggested, “You probably should go to a hospital. [And] I think you need to notify the commission where you’re fighting.”
If Floyd Mayweather was dehydrated after the May 1 weigh-in, the USADA doping control officer could have given him several glasses of water. USADA has yet to explain the medical justification and supporting data that led it to grant a retroactive therapeutic use exemption nineteen days after the fact for a procedure that's on the World Anti- Doping Agency’s "Prohibited Substances and Methods List".
(2) Most of the public attention regarding “Can Boxing Trust USADA?” has focussed on the IV that was administered to Floyd Mayweather one day before his fight against Manny Pacquiao. However, the article also references the two testosterone-to- epitestosterone-ratio test results regarding Mr. Mayweather that were made available to this writer. It would be instructive if Mr. Mayweather granted a waiver to USADA allowing it to release the testosterone-to-epitestosterone-ratio test results for each urine test administered to him by USADA for each of his fights beginning with Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley up to and including Mayweather vs. Andre Berto.
(3) The issues involved here go far beyond Floyd Mayweather. In that regard, I note that USADA’s contention that it advised the New York State Athletic Commission on October 17, 2012, concerning Erik Morales testing positive for Clenbuterol is rebutted by the statement of Laz Benitez (a spokesperson for the New York State Department of State, which oversees the NYSAC). On August 10, 2015, Mr. Benitez advised in writing, “There is no indication in the Commission’s files that it was notified of this matter prior to October 18, 2012.”

Statement of Thomas Hauser with Regard to the September 17, 2015, Comments by USADA

Triple G at 165 lbs at the 30 day mark

Nice to see Triple in shape right at the middleweight limit 30 days out.

Lemieux is right below the 30 day limit, at 175.8. The 30 day limit is 176 lbs.

Advantage Triple G

Triple G at 165 lbs at the 30 day mark

Enough About A Cheat, Another Ali Is Going To Bring The Heat

Money May is on his way out. And their is no doubt.

I've already put out the word about the teenage son of the late, great Smokin' Joe Frazier blazing through the amateurs. Now let me holla about the grandson of the GOAT Ali.

NO! I will just drop this video because the old, gray trolls are going to go into full-alert keyboard war. Maybe because in their youth, they didn't get far. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LvOa72BUAi0. Holla!

Enough About A Cheat, Another Ali Is Going To Bring The Heat

Hauser on Mayweather-Berto

There has been an outpouring of commentary about an article entitled “Can Boxing Trust USADA?” that I wrote last week for SBNation.com [http://ift.tt/1EOFIBf]. I plan on returning to the issues raised by that article at another time. This article is about Saturday night’s fight between Floyd Mayweather and Andre Berto.
Mayweather is one of the most gifted defensive fighters ever and also one of the most polarizing figures in boxing. He was raised by fighters and has amassed an unblemished record of 49 victories in 49 pro fights.
“Floyd knows everything there is to know about boxing except losing,” his uncle (former WBA super-featherweight and WBC super-lightweight champion Roger Mayweather) has said.
Mayweather is a fifteen-round fighter in a twelve-round era. He tires less than his opponent as a fight goes on. Ray Leonard (who most knowledgeable observers place comfortably above Floyd in historical rankings), acknowledges, “Mayweather is one of the best conditioned fighters I have ever seen, bar none. You have to give him his credit. Sometimes there's outrageous things he says and does. But when he goes into that ring, he's always in shape. That's what I respect about him.”
But there’s a downside to the Mayweather saga.
Floyd has a well-documented history of violence against women.
His conspicuous consumption and constant bragging about how much money he makes appeals to some. But given the reality of economic inequality in America today, it turns a lot of people off.
Recently, Mayweather bought a car called the Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita for $4,800,000. In recent years, he has bought more than one hundred luxury cars.
According to the University of Nevada Las Vegas website, the cost of living on-campus and attending UNLV for a full school year is $20,012. That includes tuition, fees, rent, utilities, food, books, other school supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses.
Instead of adding that car to his collection, Mayweather could have taken the money and gifted 240 full-year scholarships to young men and women in his hometown of Las Vegas. And for readers who are saying, “Why doesn’t Hauser donate some money for scholarships,” I’ll note that, several years ago, I had a financial windfall and donated $6,700 to the Arthur Curry Scholarship Fund at St. Francis College in Brooklyn.
Where Mayweather’s in-ring performances are concerned, the most valid complaint has been his choice of opponents. Mayweather has never beaten an elite fighter in his prime. In recent years, he has avoided the best available competition, preferring to fight ordinary opponents or once-dangerous fighters who’ve seen better days.
Andre Berto fit into the Mayweather-opponent mold.
Berto’s father was a Haitian immigrant who competed as a mixed martial artist when Andre was a boy and ran a martial arts academy in Winter Haven, Florida, when Andre was growing up.
“I was exposed to a lot of things early, good and bad,” Berto told this writer several years ago. “Winter Haven is a rough town. Drugs, street gangs, AIDS; it’s all there. A lot of kids think there’s no way out, that there’s no way they can be better than what’s there. You see guys who could have been superstar athletes who gave in to drugs. I had a vision early that I could be great. In school, I was always a little stronger, a little faster, and a little better than the other kids. I wanted to be one of the ones who stood out. And I was living off the example that my father set for me. Self-respect, hard work, stay straight, stay focussed. When I was growing up, my father always told me, ‘The saddest thing in the world is wasted talent.’”
Andre played running back for the Winter Haven High School football team and ran the 100 and 200-yard dash in track. But his true love was boxing. “Running the streets” had a different meaning for him. He was doing roadwork. When he came to school with a black eye and puffed-up lip, it was from sparring, not a gang fight.
By the time Berto was a senior in high school, boxing had taken him to 22 countries. He was a decorated amateur, compiling a 260-and-12 record. He was knocked down twice in the amateurs but never stopped.
The knockdowns came at the 2002 National Golden Gloves.
“I’d won it the year before and was ranked number-one in the country at 152 pounds,” Berto recalls. “I got in the ring with a guy I didn’t know named DeShawn Johnson. I thought it would be an easy fight. He knocked me down twice in the first round and won a decision. I wanted to fight him again so bad. And a month later, he got jumped in a club. Some guys stomped him and shot him and he died.”
Berto turned pro in December 2004 and was regarded as a super-star in the making. At the close of 2010, he was 27-and-0 with 22 knockouts and the WBC welterweight champion.
“My spirit is to try to be dominant,” Andre told the media. “I want to be a superstar. I want to bring it back to the days when Mike Tyson would fight on television, and everybody got off work early so they wouldn’t miss it.”
But in recent years, Berto has regressed as a fighter. Like many Al Haymon clients, he was maneuvered around tough challenges and failed to develop his full potential. Since 2010, Andre has lost four of seven fights, including a knockout defeat at the hands of Jesus Soto Karass.
“The welterweight division is among the deepest in boxing,” Chris Mannix wrote for SI.com after Berto was named as Mayweather’s opponent for September 12. “There are established stars, rising stars, and compelling young talents. So of course, Floyd Mayweather picked one of the least qualified of them all. On the list of recent Mayweather opponents, Berto ranks among the worst.”
The match-up was so unappealing that Showtime entered into negotiations with Team Mayweather with an eye toward moving the fight from pay-per-view to CBS. Sources say that the idea failed for a number of reasons. Mayweather was reluctant to give up his contractual guarantee, and CBS-Showtime financial models predicted that advertising revenue would be significantly less than the projected income from even a diminished number of PPV buys. There wasn’t enough time to market the event to potential advertisers. And given Mayweather’s history of domestic violence, many mainstream advertisers didn’t want to be associated with him.
The odds varied widely. But generally, Mayweather was a 20-to-1 favorite.
The announced fight night attendance was 13,395, well short of a sellout. That number included quite a few complimentary tickets in addition to tickets that were sold at a discount.
From the opening bell on, Berto seemed resigned to his fate. He was a challenger who didn’t challenge. There were two guys in the ring, but it wasn’t much of a fight.
Mayweather isn’t a big puncher. But as Oscar De La Hoya has noted, “Every fighter has a punch.” Floyd’s punches might not stun. But they sting and are hard enough to keep opponents from coming forward with abandon.
Berto looked tight in the opening rounds and befuddled for most of the night. He came forward in a straight line, made zero adjustments, threw few meaningful punches, and fought as though Mayweather’s body was off limits.
Indeed, Andre talked more aggressively during the fight than he fought in it. Mayweather, as one might expect, responded to the verbiage. In round ten, referee Kenny Bayless stopped the proceedings briefly and told the fighters to stop trash-talking.
That led Showtime analyst Al Bernstein to observe, “Let’s be honest. The most interesting thing about this fight has been the debate.”
Blow-by-blow commentator Mauro Ranallo added, “The conversation might be more interesting than what we’re seeing in the ring.”
Mayweather outlanded Berto by a 232-to-83 margin. This observer gave Andre one round. The judges scored it 120-108, 118-110, 117-111 for Mayweather.
Prior to the fight, Mayweather and his team said repeatedly that this would be his last fight. Afterward, Floyd proclaimed, “My career is over. It’s official. You got to know when to hang ‘em up. I’m leaving the sport with all of my faculties. I’ve accomplished everything. There’s nothing more to accomplish in the sport.”
If Mayweather really doesn’t fight again, he deserves credit for standing by his word and leaving at the top (as Lennox Lewis did a decade ago). Most observers, myself included, think that Floyd will fight again.
There have been times in the past when Mayweather’s word was suspect. Time will tell whether or not he’s telling the truth now.
Thomas Hauser can be reached by email at thauser@rcn.com. His most recent book (Thomas Hauser on Boxing) was published by the University of Arkansas Press.
Photo Credit: Idris Erba/Mayweather Promotions

Hauser on Mayweather-Berto