Ignoring the Magomed tragedy will not make it go away

The Priority

Getting a new sense of professionalism spread throughout the NYSAC by getting rid of Melvina Lathan and the good old boys (aka old guard) and bringing in David Berlin to restore credibility to a commission that was badly hurting is important. However, getting the procedural/legal maneuvering out of the way so Magomed can get that to which he and his family are entitled in the courts is more important. In this connection, there are reports that the Abdusalamov may be in some danger of losing their place to live”, according to an article by William Weinbaum at ESPN.

See: http://ift.tt/1QkGTvy

Manifestly, the priority should be to somehow, someway help the Abdusalamov family live in a secure and dignified manner until the investigation into the NYSAC gets untangled. Right now, it appears to be stalled in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office, but as Thomas Hauser concludes in a recent and riveting 5-part series on the matter, “… it would be fantasy to imagine that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo pays much attention to the New York State Athletic Commission. Perhaps he should. The lives of fighters are at risk.”

What everyone may be missing here is that the Mago tragedy is not going away nor will it go away by ignoring it or stalling the legal actions involved. There are too many eyes focused on it.


Postscript: Insofar as straightening out the NYSAC, knowing what the right thing to do is one thing (and a pretty obvious one at that); being able to do it by influencing a monolithic organizational structure is quite another. As one pundit put it, “a major overhaul cannot come overnight when dealing with a leaden [hierarchical] bureaucracy. But we are not talking about that. What can be done overnight is making sure the right person is the third man in the ring. It is the referees and doctors I am concerned about. Choosing the right referees by knowing who is competent or not (and properly educating those who need it) has nothing to do with reforming a monolithic bureaucracy.. What this [involves is for someone] in charge to understand what the hell is really going on when you watch a boxing match. Sadly, I think that aspect is very weak today.”

Ignoring the Magomed tragedy will not make it go away

A Path for Floyd Mayweather to Compete in the 2016 Olympics?

Wu Ching-Kuo, the head of the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) has proposed that professionals be allowed to compete in Olympic boxing. He is working to make the change effective before the upcoming Rio games.

Unbeknownst to most people (including me), AIBA passed a rule in 2013 that opened Olympic competition to boxers that had fewer than 15 paid fights. By all accounts, most individual national federations are paying no heed. They continue to concentrate solely on grooming full-fledged amateurs for their Olympic squads.

Ching-Kuo's proposal has inevitably sparked talk that Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be lured back to the ring by the prospect of winning the gold medal that was denied him in 1996 when, at age 19, he lost a controversial decision to a Bulgarian who was eight years older.

According to an article in the London Guardian, if the proposed rule change takes effect, national teams may adopt it on a piecemeal basis, slotting in a professional "at a weight at which they do not consider to have current medal or qualification potential."

A Path for Floyd Mayweather to Compete in the 2016 Olympics?

Chad Dawson may be added to the March 12 show at Mohegan Sun

There are unconfirmed reports that former WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson will be added to the March 12 show vs. an opponent to be determined. Dawson vs. TBA would replace the fight between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter which had to be postponed when Thurman suffered an injury in a car accident.

Dawson, who defeated Bernard Hopkins in 2012, has gone 1-1-1 since suffering a first round knockout at the hands of Adonis Stevenson. In his last outing, on Dec. 8, Dawson scored a lopsided 10-round decision over Shujaa El Amin at Trenton, New Jersey.

Chad Dawson may be added to the March 12 show at Mohegan Sun

One time Thurman postpones the Porter fight

Car accident.Thurman was just hit in his mustang, one time. He has a sore neck. Fight postponed.

Just prolonging the Porters victory party.

One time Thurman postpones the Porter fight

Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido Headed to the Stub Hub Center on HBO

According to Lance Pugmire of the LA Times, the long-rumored match between super featherweights Francisco Vargas and Orlando Salido is "99 percent done." The bout, to be televised by HBO, will be staged on June 4 at the Stub Hub Center, a venue that sits approximately 10 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

Vargas' promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, and Salido's manager Sean Gibbons sealed the deal -- or 99 percent of it -- while attending Oscar's Feb. 19 show at the Belasco Theater in LA.

On paper, this will be a hugely entertaining match.

Francisco Vargas (23-0-1, 17 KOs) represented Mexico in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The 31-year-old scrapper from Mexico City won the WBA version of the super featherweight title in his last outing, a scintillating match with Japan's Takashi Miora. Vargas was trailing on two of the three scorecards when he stopped Miora in the ninth stanza.

Orlando Salido (43-13-3, 30 KOs) is a late bloomer. Fifteen fights into his pro career in his native Mexico, his record stood 8-6-1. Now based in Phoenix, the 35-year-old Salido is coming off a draw with Puerto Rico's Roman Martinez, a bout that cemented his reputation as one of the most fan-friendly fighters of his generation.

Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido Headed to the Stub Hub Center on HBO

When the Hammer Came Down on the Bull:

Now that Steve Smoger doesn’t work as often and Arthur Mercante Jr. seems to have seen the light of mercy, overly extended beat downs and needless punishment are not as prevalent as they once were. Tony Perez’s signature sadistic touch in the Cooney vs. Norton and Mercer vs. Morrison slaughters also is over thanks to Tony being retired. I could list many other such examples of where a referee allowed too many free shots but one in particular comes to mind—one that I caught on TV.

Garcia vs. Benton (1990)

“The fight was televised live nationally on USA Cable, and La Mancha employees said their switchboard was deluged with telephone calls in protest of [Referee] Yanez’s handling of the fight.”—From Times Wire Services dated November 7, 1990.

“Referee Roger Yanez, apparently on a lunch break, didn’t intervene and it looked like Benton had been killed. He slumped face first into the canvas and that prompted Yanez to react. He began counting. The fight was over and Garcia had a devastating knockout that got a lot of play because of the horrible officiating and the overall brutality of it.”—Geno McGahee (Ringside Report)

Highly touted Mexican-American Alex “The San Fernando Hammer” García was an amateur star in the super heavyweight division. He won the National Championships in 1986 and lost to legendary Teofilo Stevenson in the final at the 1986 World Amateur Boxing Championships Garcia started fast in the pro ranks and was 32-1 (his only loss coming to spoiler Dee Collier on cuts) when he was iced by limited Mike Dixon in a shocking upset. The free swinging Garcia would avenge this loss a year late, but the Dixon loss put his career in a cul de sac. After three wins against limited opposition he retired, but after a six-year—yes.. six year-- layoff made an ill-advised comeback against Wallace McDaniel and was KO’d in three. His final mark in the pros was a respectable 40-6. As one wag put it, “The ‘San Fernando Hammer’ …was a comet, burning bright for a period of time but then burning out.”

In 1990, Garcia fought Bernard “Bull” Benton in Phoenix; Benton was 18-5-1 at the time. Garcia was 17-1. The referee was Roger Yanez. Though he was coming off a one-round blowout at the hands of Pierre Coetzer in South Africa, The Bull, a former WBA cruiserweight champion, was a tough cookie, He had beaten Coetzer three years earlier and also held wins over Monte Masters (29-1), Ricky Parkey (13-2), and Alfonzo Ratliff (for the WBC cruiserweight title in 1985). He lost razor thin decisions to Carlos De Leon (39-4) and Boone Pultz (10-0) and was considered anything but a pushover against the heavy-handed and menacing looking Garcia. Benton’s career would be relatively short, but he was competitive at the highest level;

The Fight

In the second round, Garcia used his sharp jab to keep an incoming Bull at bay. After two nice body shots, the Hammer stunned the Bull with a left hook and then a right cross and the extended mugging was on. An onslaught of between 35 and 40 unanswered shots was launched. Many landed while Benton was out on his feet but pinned in a corner unable to fall. Some of the shots landed with full force, some landed low; the protracted volley included left hooks, right crosses, uppercuts, hard stuff to the body and groin. Garcia threw everything but the stool at the poor Bull. Announcers Al Albert and Sean O’Grady were shouting for the fight to be stopped as Benton’s head was snapping back violently. Then, as Benton fell face down on the canvas totally unconscious, Yanez began the count before realizing he could have counted to 1,000 as the crowd unloaded on him with boos. It was terrifying to witness.

Later, the spin was that the referee was out of position to make a make a timely decision; the reality was that the referee was on Mars.
According to a November 7 report in the LA Times titled “Arizona Criticized Referee,” referee Yanez was not allowed to work anymore bouts the rest of 1990—a whole two months. Buzz Alston, commissioner of the Arizona State Boxing Commission, said the decision was made after a review of Yanez’s performance during the Garcia-Benton fight October 9 at the La Mancha Athletic Club in Phoenix. Yanez last worked in 2005.

Here is the YouTube and be forewarned, this is not for those with a weak stomach or those under the age of 21: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wcuwbw71pw

Can you name some others?

When the Hammer Came Down on the Bull:

Dicky Eklund: And two classices each for a diffrent reason.

Most people think of Dicky Eklund as the older half-brother of Irish Micky Ward and as the character Christian Bale played so well in the movie The Fighter. However, in addition to having been a very fine boxer, Eklund is as complex a person as you will ever come across. During two of his fights in Halifax, Canada in 1981, there were some things that occurred that revealed still another side to “The Pride of Lowell.”
Alan Clarke vs. Dicky Eklund: 1981

Hidden in Eklund’s dossier was a particularly interesting and somewhat revealing fight at the Metro Center in Halifax, Canada in 1981. Dicky met tough Allen Clarke (20-4-1 coming in). The referee was one Honey Carvery. After a back and forth battle during the first eight rounds, Eklund maneuvered his Canadian foe into a corner and launched an overhand right. He then unloaded a devastating gut shot that caused the stunned Clarke’s hands to come down. Dicky immediately shot a left hook upstairs and Clarke was out on his feet. But it didn’t end there as the referee failed to smother Dicky’s unrestrained attack of eight or nine rights and lefts at full speed. Dicky had free shots at Clark’s unprotected head before Alan sank to the canvas unconscious. The crown was aghast and horrified. Clarke was lucky to have survived.

Meanwhile, a visibly concerned Eklund watched over Clark as he slowly recovered from the nonstop battering. This was Mercer-Morrison before Mercer-Morrison, but this was worse. Eklund was visibly upset at the referee. Reportedly, he then grabbed the microphone from the ring announcer and said something to the effect,” I hope Alan is okay, nobody wants to see anyone hurt like that. “This would endear him to the Halifax
fans.

Here is the YouTube and be forewarned: this is not for the faint of heart:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP1xLnxFrE8


Chris Clarke vs. Eklund: 1981

”Dicky could have killed him on the ropes and let him off.”—Poster named dunski

Two months later, Eklund fought Alan’s brother, the highly regarded Chris Clarke (22-1 at the time), again at the Metro Center. Clark was a tough cookie and had defeated Aaron Pryor in the amateurs. In fact, he was the first Canadian boxer ever to win gold at the Pan American Games. Chris, the former Commonwealth (British Empire) welterweight title holder, had also split two with the rugged world title contender Clyde Gary.

After a slow start, Dicky, using his great hand speed, picked up the pace and trapped Chris on the ropes in the eighth and it appeared a repeat of the Alan Clarke massacre was in the offing, but for some reason Dicky deliberately backed off and let Clarke off the hook. Still, it appeared to everyone but two of the judges that Dicky had done more than enough to win. However, he shockingly “lost” a highly controversial split-decision. Even though the fight was in Halifax, the crowd roundly booed the decision. It was as if the fight had been held in Lowell. Many observers (including the announcers and myself) felt Dicky may have held back too much and that the earlier fight with Alan Clark may have impacted his psyche. Curiously, before the decision was announced, Dicky and Alan (who was in his brother’s corner) hugged each other in mutual respect.

Chris Clark finished his career in 1987 with a fine 29-4 mark while Brother Alan tallied a 21-9-1 mark. Eklund, a road warrior of sorts, ended up with a deceptive 19-10 mark and was never stopped despite having fought the likes of Kevin Howard, Dave Boy Green, Erkki Meronen, Willie Rodriguez, Reggie Miller, and Sugar Ray Leonard. On October 25, 1983, Eklund beat James Lucas to win the USA New England Welterweight Title. He won a rematch victory over Lucas in 1985 and then retired.

Here is the YouTube of the eighth round in the second fight and also the crowd reaction to the horrible decision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73hz58Su41c

As for referee Honey Carvery, he worked on for several more years in Halifax but my memory of him is not positive.

This will be my last post for a bit as I now prepare for the Powerlifting season on the East Coast and Canada.

Dicky Eklund: And two classices each for a diffrent reason.

another STORY slipped between the cracks FLOYD-ANTI-GAY slurs in video

2:28


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umBqh_zm-c0


Now we don't want TSS to look racist throwing a Philippine under the bus for sharing his natural birth right OPINION when a man of another race uses terrible anti-gay slurs.

Floyd throws the word ''Faggot'' around in this video.............Hurtful to the gay community, especially when his right hand man is Ellerbe

another STORY slipped between the cracks FLOYD-ANTI-GAY slurs in video

GGG vs. Canelo a done deal

In case you missed it -- it was first reported on this site by our west coast bureau chief David A. Avila -- Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez have agreed to meet after disposing of their next opponents. Tom Loeffler, the manager of Golovkin, has confirmed that the agreement is written, not verbal.

Of course, Dominic Wade (GGG's opponent on April 23) and Amir Kahn (Canelo's opponent on May 7) may spoil the soup, albeit that's highly unlikely. In conversations with other media, Loeffler mentioned the names of Danny Jacobs and Billy Joe Saunders as future opponents for Triple-G. If Golovkin-Jacobs comes off, it would almost certainly be held in New York City. Loeffler did not indicate whether he would be willing to go to London to meet Saunders, an Irish Traveler like countryman Tyson Fury.

GGG vs. Canelo a done deal

Rigondeaux vs. Dickens, then Frampton and/or Quigg?

http://ift.tt/1XznJne

So Rigo won't change his style - I have no worries with that. Then again I usually prefer yer Cuban over yer Mexican if you will.

I don't know about Dickens but on paper it looks like the Jackal a couple of cuts above. What do you boys and girls think the likelihood of him actually facing Frampton and/or Quigg after this one?

Rigondeaux vs. Dickens, then Frampton and/or Quigg?

Will Chagaev be the last of the short Heavyweights?

Ruslan “White Tyson” Chagaev (34-2-1) doesn’t fight very often, but when he does, he usually wins. Since losing to Russian Alexander Povetkin in 2011, the 5’11” WBA World Heavyweight Champion has gone 7-0 with 5 wins coming by way of stoppages. Interestingly, many of his early bouts were in the USA,

Chagaev’s signature win was his MD over Nicolay Valuev, thus ending the Russian giant’s threat to beat Rocky Marciano’s record of 49-0. His last win was a blowout of 6’5” Francesco Pianeta (31-1-1 coming) suggesting that he can handle himself quite capably against taller fighters, though he was stopped by Wladimir Klitschko in 2009. Rusian’s next tall order is a March 5, 2015 bout against 6’4”Austriailan Luca “Big Daddy” Browne (23-0) in Grozny with the WBA World Heavyweight crown at state.

While the Uzbekistani’s overall level of opposition has been far above that of Browne, his level of activity has been dismal. Nevertheless, off of his last fight against Pianeta and based on Browne’s less-than compelling effort against 7’1” Julius Long (16-18 coming in) in August 2015, the nod leans towards “White Tyson” to retain his title--and should he accomplish that, Chagaev will remain the last man under 6’0” to remain somewhat of a factor in the heavyweight division.

Of course, if Chagaev loses, the heavyweight division will have achieved its rapid change into something else and that something else is not likely to revert anytime soon,

Will Chagaev be the last of the short Heavyweights?

another story slipped between the cracks..PAC-GATE

Apparently Nike has snatched its endorsements away from Pac regarding his comparing Gays to wild animals
The story has nearly shut down the internet with every politically correct journalist in the world taking shots at Pac from the firing line of social accountability.

Was he wrong? Does he get a pass? Does he deserve the ridicule?

another story slipped between the cracks..PAC-GATE

Another Comeback for Zab Judah

Yesterday, Feb. 16, it was announced that Zab Judah will return to the ring on March 12 at the Downtown Events Center in Las Vegas, opposing Albuquerque's Josh Torres. Judah last fought on Dec. 7, 2013 at the Barclays Center, losing a unanimous decision to fellow Brooklynite Paulie Malignaggi.

Judah (42-9, 29 KOs) unified the world welterweight title back in 2005 and went on to win a piece of the super lightweight title. He's on the downside at the age of 38, but on paper is far too skilled for the 26-year-old Torres (15-4-2) who is coming off a third round stoppage of trial horse Daniel Gonzalez.

Judah had three comeback fights fall out last year. His match with Torres will reportedly be televised on CBS.

Another Comeback for Zab Judah

Possible Rationale for Martin fighting Joshua in England

Joshua is not getting knocked out and Team Martin knows it. It probably also knows Martin's limitations and the fact the Glazkov win was a fluke. Martin will not draw flies fighting the US, so taking this fight in Joshua’s hometown area presents the greatest monetary reward in the shortest amount of time, and that scenario fits well with the current business model for boxing. The one glitch in the model is that the risk-reward equation could be impacted disproportionally if Charles takes an especially brutal beating. In the end, however, he will be garnering an early retirement package thanks, by extension, to Glazkof’s trick knee. And that’s as good as it’s going to get for Prince Charles Martin.

Possible Rationale for Martin fighting Joshua in England

Ibf heavyweight title fight london

That's right, Anthony Joshua will be challenging new IBF Heavyweight Champ Charles Martin 9th of April.

That's two of the heavyweight straps now going to be kept under lock and key by promoters and managers.

Just to put this into perspective, Anthony Joshua fought Gary Cornish 6 months ago.

He will undoubtedly be kept away from big fights for the foreseeable future in my view.

Ibf heavyweight title fight london

Big Fights er'y where

They done gone and done it... Lomenchenkos vs Walters is officially in the mix. 126 lbs, no catch weight, no excuses.

Walters has already missed the mark once, and he fought five pounds over the limit in his last fight.
I personally think Walters has missed the window of opportunity, or either Lomanchenko and TR is exploiting an opportunity, but either way you see it, the fight would have been much more interesting if it happened a year and a half ago.

As it stands to day I think Walters will give a decent account of himself, but unless he has some kind of revolutionary, cutting edge type weigh loss regimine, I have to favor Lomenchenko in this one.

Big Fights er'y where

Tyson Fury vs............Vitali K!

Wlad is done. The rematch is not happening. It would have been signed already or a date held.

Lets face it , Vitali thought he would be high up in that illegal junta in Ukraine. He is not.

Wlad won't face Fury again. Big Brother will!

Lets see.......

Tyson Fury vs............Vitali K!

Andre Ward vs Sullivan Barrera Finally Set

TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD AND UNDEFEATED SULLIVAN BARRERA SET FOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN ON SATURDAY, MARCH 26 AT ORACLE ARENA IN OAKLAND, CCALIFORNIA TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO(r)

NEW YORK, NY (February 9, 2016) - Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce that
Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15
KOs) will return to the ring on Saturday, March 26, to begin his assault on the
light heavyweight division when he takes on undefeated and number one rated IBF
light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) in a 12-round bout at
Oracle Arena in Ward's hometown of Oakland, California. The event will be televised
live on HBO World Championship Boxing(r) beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service
charges and taxes, go on sale Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 5:00 PM PT and will be available at
all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800)
745-3000.

"I don't really have much to say other than this. On March 26, it will be very
simple. I'll be in a new weight class against a tough opponent but I'm coming with
the same approach," said Ward. "I'll be in great shape and ready for battle.
Sullivan Barrera has had a lot to say lately and I love it. He's going to have an
opportunity to back up every word that he has spoken. These are the type of
challenges I like and on March 26, it's go time."

"We as a team had a tough choice to make - crash the party by taking out Ward first
or wait for the mandatory and take out Kovalev," said Barrera. "We decided that the
time is now. Ward will fall first and then we will go after the belts."

"Having cleaned out the super middleweight division, Andre's next challenge is to
become the best light heavyweight in the world, and that challenge begins with the
IBF's number one rated contender in Sullivan Barrera," said David Itskowitch, COO of
Boxing Roc Nation Sports. "With both fighters having their sights set on an
eventually showdown with Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev,
there's a lot on the line in this fight, but only one man will move on. March 26 is
a night of boxing that no fan should miss."

"I'm excited to be on Team Ward as we enter the light heavyweight division. No
weapons formed against us shall prosper," said James Prince, Ward's manager.

On March 26, before a hometown crowd, pound for pound star Andre Ward returns to HBO
in his light heavyweight debut against undefeated Sullivan Barrera" said Peter
Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. "With a perfect record dating back to
the age of 12 years old, Andre has risen to every challenge as both an amateur and a
professional, including world titles and an Olympic gold medal. Now, he takes on
Barrera, one of the toughest challengers as Ward moves up the scale. Boxing fans
won't want to miss it."

Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his warrior's
instinct inside it, Ward's skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding
amateur career. He racked up every title in the books, culminating with a gold medal
in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. As the only
male American boxer to claim Olympic gold since 1996, Ward joined the likes of
Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. He turned professional on
December 18, 2004, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Chris
Molina at Staples Center in a fight that was televised live on HBO. He has gone on
to rack up 27 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in
the process. After becoming the Ring Magazine and WBA Super Middleweight World
Champion, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the
2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine and the
Boxing Writers Association of America), it was announced that Ward signed an
exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports in January 2015, opening a
new chapter in his storied boxing career. The Bay Area product returned to the ring
on June 20, 2015 at the Oracle Arena in front of his hometown fans in Oakland,
California and scored a ninth-round knockout over Paul Smith, continuing his
unbeaten streak which dates back to when he was a 13-year-old amateur. Ward recently
stepped in front of the camera for a completely different role, a part in the New
Line/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Warner Bros. feature "Creed." Fellow Bay Area natives,
director Ryan Coogler and the film's star Michael B. Jordan, reached out to Ward so
that he could provide his expertise for the film. In addition to working in front of
the camera with Ward, Jordan spent time at Ward's home gym in preparation for his
role as Apollo Creed's son. Now it's time for Ward to get back to his day job when
he faces the undefeated Barrera on March 26.

Born in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Barrera had an impressive amateur run with a record of
285-27. As an amateur, he was able to earn World Amateur Championships in Germany,
Cuba, Venezuela and Central America. During his amateur career he also defeated
former Light Heavyweight World Champions Chad Dawson and Beibut Shumenov. Following
his defection from Cuba, where he was a member of the country's national team,
Barrera made his professional debut in 2009 with a first round technical knockout
win over Anthony Adorno in his adopted hometown of Miami, Florida. He would go on to
knockout the first five opponents he faced in his professional career in either the
first or second round. Barrera made his television debut in January of 2015 with his
appearance on ESPN's Friday Night Fights, when he scored a fourth round knockout win
over former Super Middleweight World Champion Jeff Lacy. Barrera quietly rose
through the ratings of the light heavyweight division until he was afforded the
opportunity to fight former Light Heavyweight World Title Challenger Karo Murat to
become the IBF's number one rated light heavyweight contender. Barrera seized the
opportunity, knocking out Murat in the fifth round on December 12, 2015 in his HBO
Latino Boxing debut at the Civic Auditorium in Glendale, California. Sullivan is
trained by legendary trainer, Abel Sanchez, who is best known for his work with
middleweight champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin. When he is not at The Summit in Big
Bear Lake, California training with Sanchez, Barrera resides in Miami, Florida.

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round fight which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in
association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena
in Oakland, California and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing
beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Follow the conversation using #WardBarrera.

For more information, please visit http://ift.tt/1Sn5dyZ;http://ift.tt/1XoYbJj;.
Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at
http://ift.tt/1Sn5dz1;http://ift.tt/1XoYbJl;.

For more information, visit http://ift.tt/1Sn5emn;http://ift.tt/1XoYdRF;, follow on
Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at
http://ift.tt/1Sn5emt;http://ift.tt/1XoYbJn;.

Andre Ward vs Sullivan Barrera Finally Set

Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Miguel Cotto ??

England's venerable "Sporting Life" is reporting that Juan Manuel Marquez hopes to return to the ring in May and has reached out to Miguel Cotto management as a possible opponent.

The 42-year-old Marquez has fought only twice since his shocking knockout of Manny Pacquiao, most recently in May of last year when he scored a unanimous decision over Mike Alvarado.

Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Miguel Cotto ??

Scott Quigg ????

I see Quigg is up next for Frampton. From what I have seen from Quigg tells me he is coming to win.

I see Quigg as having a good chance to upset Frampton.

Any of you gentlemen have a good read on this fight?

Scott Quigg ????

Reports in the Russian Media Say That Roy Jones Jr. is Retiring

According to reports in the Russian media, Roy Jones Jr. is calling it quits. If true, Jones will leave the sport with a record of 62-9. In his last fight, in Moscow, he suffered a 4th round knockout at the hands of Enzo Maccarinelli.

Jones, who celebrated his 47th birthday on January 19, won titles in four weight classes -- middleweight to heavyweight. In his heyday as a middleweight, he was widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

USA Today boxing writer Dan Rafael speculates that Jones -- who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Russia -- will have a farewell fight in his hometown of Pensacola, Florida in the late spring or early summer. There is no mention of retirement on Jones' official web site which is primarily a link to over-priced "collectibles."

Reports in the Russian Media Say That Roy Jones Jr. is Retiring

He's done it again..

Mayweather has again been voted BWAA fighter of the year. Personally I think it's well deserved for a variety of reasons.

He's done it again..

Days of Whine and Roses

The old timer aficionados (a possible oxymoron) like to hone in on the heavyweights because that division is unlimited regarding size. They assert that bigger is not better and that old timers like Jack Johnson would rampage through the current division. Notwithstanding the coordinated giants of today, these “historians” contend that hard times breed hard men, forgetting of course that Eastern Europe and the global ghettos has been rife with hard times for decades. Their focus has been on the U.S. and their Geritol-based whining has become flat-out tiresome. Comments like,

“…even a blind heavyweight champion in a wheelchair would be lauded as a superman in this era..
Or

“… Welcome to the brave new era of the big and the super-sized and a title belt for one and all. Never mind the lack of talent - feel the muscles, suck up the promo bullshit, learn to recite the current heavyweight ‘champions’ off by heart (careful you don’t forget one of them) and tell yourself you’re having a great time and that your head isn’t really aching.”

“How would [Jack] Johnson have done against today’s heavyweight pretenders? It would be a joke. Jack often toyed with overmatched opponents. During the fight he would talk and wave to ringsiders he knew, or carry on conversations with reporters while hapless opponents tried to hit him. Today he could send out for a full course meal, finish it with one hand, then have a cigar, read the evening paper and follow it with a short nap – and he would still come out the winner! “Bottom line: in my opinion, Jack Johnson is the greatest heavyweight champion of all.”

Are infantile and laced with pejoratives aimed at anyone and anything not historic.

They also whine that “Boxing is dead” but this has been heard even in the very best of times. It’s difficult to keep a good thing down, as it suddenly emerges where it once was previously dormant.

Modernists seldom go after old timers, mostly because they don’t claim to have been at ringside for Harry Greb or Jack Johnson fights. Modernists discuss what they have seen and what they have learned firsthand. Modernists deal with what they can feel and touch; they are realistic.

Days of Whine and Roses

What's next for Middleweight Matthew Macklin, the pet of Irish mobsters?

Matthew Macklin (34-6, 22 KOs) has competed mostly as a middleweight. He currently holds something called the WBC International super welterweight title. He has won three straight and five of his last six since suffering a third round knockout at the hands of Gennady Golovkin.

Macklin would love a rematch with Felix Sturm. He lost a hotly disputed decision to Sturm in 2014 on Sturm's home turf in Germany. Sturm was then the WBA middleweight champion. But that match -- indeed, any future match for Macklin -- has been complicated by Friday's events in Dublin. It would be a risk for any promoter to use him because of the added expense of tighter security.

Macklin has never been convicted of a crime, but his associates are a hard-boiled lot. According to a piece by Ken Foy that ran in the June 6, 2014 issue of the Irish News, "members of the Christy Kinahan international crime syndicate and senior members of the (Irish) mob are regularly seen at his fights....the mobsters have used his fights in the past for crime summits."

The 58-year-old Christy Kinahan has been called the godfather of Irish crime lords. Macklin is friends with Daniel Kinahan, Christy Kinahan's eldest son, and was frequently seen in the company of the late Gary Hutch, a career criminal (purportedly turned stool pigeon) who was murdered in Costa del Sol, Spain, last year. A hired assassin pumped three bullets into Hutch at 11 am in the swimming pool area of an apartment in which he was staying. There's a school of thought that Friday's fatal shooting at the Dublin weigh-in was in retaliation for Hutch's murder.

Costa del Sol, with its pristine beaches, has long been a favorite haunt of aristocratic playboys and European gangsters. The MGM boxing gym there (the initials stand for Macklin Gym Mirabella) was ostensibly built with Kinahan money. In a previous incident near the gym, Macklin's trainer Jamie Moore was shot in both legs after leaving a party in a villa owned by Daniel Kinahan.

One thing seems certain: The next time that Matthew Macklin or one of his stablemates has a fight, the weigh-in will be held in secret or else under extremely tight security.

What's next for Middleweight Matthew Macklin, the pet of Irish mobsters?

Late Breaking Story: Gunfire at weigh-in forces cancellation of big Dublin boxing show

I'm writing this at 9:30 am Friday Pacific Time. This is is a story we will be following as more news becomes available.

Gunmen burst into a weigh-in open to the public at the Regency Hotel in north Dublin and shot three people, one fatally. The unidentified victims were said to be in their 20s and 30s. The perpetrators reportedly burst into the weigh-in carrying AK-47 assault rifles, dressed in police-style gear.

The weigh-in was for tomorrow's fight at Dublin's National Stadium, an event co-promoted by Frank Warren and a company called MGM Promotions, based in Spain. The main event was to feature a bout between Jamie Kavanagh, a Dublin fighter who has been training in Los Angeles, and veteran Antonio Bento of Portugal.

Check back with us during the day as more info becomes available.

Late Breaking Story: Gunfire at weigh-in forces cancellation of big Dublin boxing show

Canelo opens up @ -300

Khan is at + 240.

As of right now I think that -300 is a steal.

Canelo opens up @ -300

The Top Ranked Middleweight Contenders. Who Are These Guys?

USA Today boxing writer Dan Rafael says that the biggest fight out there right now is a middleweight bout between Gennady Golovkin and "Canelo" Alvarez. But the powers that be at HBO want that match to simmer on the backburner a while longer. They have set aside the date of April 23 for GGG's next exposure and the date of May 7 for Canelo. The opponents at the moment, are the ubiquitous TBA.

If they were to choose among the top contenders of the three major sanctioning organizations, these would be their choices: Tureano Johnson (IBF), Jorge Sabastian Heiland (WBA), or Alfonso Blanco (WBC).

Johnson, 19-1, is from Atlanta by way of the Bahamas. He has yet to fight anyone of note. Heiland, 26-4-2, is from Argentina. His signature win was a 10th round knockout of Matthew Macklin in Dublin. Alfonso Blanco, 12-0, fights out of Oxnard, California. In his last fight in his native Venezuela, he won a 12-round decision over 41-year-old globetrotter Sergey Khomitsky.

Tureano Johnson is out of the running as he is on the shelf with an injury. Rafael reports that Golovkin's most likely opponent on April 23 will be Dominic Wade, 18-0, who hails from the DC area. Wade is ranked #3 by the IBF, #7 by the WBC, and #8 by the WBA.

A more intriguing opponent than any of the aforementioned is England's Billy Joe Saunders (23-0), who owns a shard of the middleweight title (the WBO version) and is coming off a win over Andy Lee. Saunders is an Irish Traveler, like his countryman Tyson Fury, which gives HBO a storyline that it wouldn't have with any of the others.

Has there ever been such a gap between the reigning title holders and their top contenders?

The Top Ranked Middleweight Contenders. Who Are These Guys?

There were 157 boxing shows worldwide in January. What do we make of this?

In January of 2016, according to info provided by BoxRec, there were 157 professional boxing events spread across 44 countries. The United States topped the list with 29 shows. The only other countries in double digits were Argentina (13), Mexico (11), and Thailand (10).

What do we make of this? On the surface, it refutes the often-heard refrain that boxing is dying. Globally there was a lot of activity. And keep in mind that January is traditionally a slow month. Promoters in many locales are indisposed to run shows in the coldest months when winter storms can wreak havoc with travel plans. Moreover, in many countries the month of December is associated with gift-giving, leaving folks with less disposable income. Years ago, many neighborhood fight clubs went dark around Christmas.

How does this compare with January in other years? To satisfy my curiosity, I went back ten years to January of 2006. What I found was somewhat disturbing.

Ten years ago, in 2006, there were 196 January shows spread across 42 countries. The drop-off from 2006 to 2016 would have been even more severe if not for the fact that there were only four Saturdays in January of 2006, whereas there were five Saturdays in January of this year. The United States housed 46 boxing shows in January of 2006 versus 29 in the month just passed.

This is a very imperfect study. The term "boxing show" covers a wide range of promotions -- from events in large, multi-purpose arenas to smokers at the Knights of Columbus hall. For all I know, attendance and gate receipts may have actually been higher in January of 2016.

On the surface, however, it appears that the slow erosion in the popularity of boxing has continued into the 21st century. Or am I reading too much into the findings of a very small sample?

There were 157 boxing shows worldwide in January. What do we make of this?