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BOXING legend Anthony Morodi, known to his fans as Blue Jaguar, died Monday morning after a long illness.
He was 70.
Morodi won black South African titles at four weights in a career of 126 fights, with 95 wins - the second-highest number of professional victories by an SA boxer behind the 100 achieved by his friend and former opponent, Enoch "Schoolboy" Nhlapo.
Morodi turned professional in 1964 and in 1966, when black and white boxers were not allowed to fight because of apartheid, he lifted the black SA featherweight crown in 1966. The next year he won the bantamweight title.
To fight each other in those days, black and white pugilists would cross the border to neighbouring states, and in 1967 Morodi suffered a pair of six-round points defeats in Maseru to Arnold Taylor, who would become South Africa's second world champion in 1973.
In late 1967 Morodi won the black SA lightweight crown and the following year the SA super-featherweight belt.
He fought with mixed results in Australia and Mexico, but it was his battles with other South African ring legends that earned him a spot in the hearts of ring fans, who would shout "Bluuuueeee" when he was in the ring.
He beat the likes of "Schoolboy" Nhlapo and Happyboy Mgxaji, but was beaten several times by "Pangaman" Sekgapane, a future world title contender. He lost his SA lightweight title to Sekgapane in 1973 and a month later the super-featherweight belt to Mgxaji.
Already considered past his best, he beat Jim Watt of Scotland at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg in 1974 - Watt would go on to become the British, European and eventually the WBC's world lightweight champion in 1979.
Mixed race boxing was permitted in South Africa in the 1970s, but it came too late for Morodi, who retired in 1978 after suffering a one-round knockout defeat to Peet Bothma, a future SA lightweight champion.
He was 70.
Morodi won black South African titles at four weights in a career of 126 fights, with 95 wins - the second-highest number of professional victories by an SA boxer behind the 100 achieved by his friend and former opponent, Enoch "Schoolboy" Nhlapo.
Morodi turned professional in 1964 and in 1966, when black and white boxers were not allowed to fight because of apartheid, he lifted the black SA featherweight crown in 1966. The next year he won the bantamweight title.
To fight each other in those days, black and white pugilists would cross the border to neighbouring states, and in 1967 Morodi suffered a pair of six-round points defeats in Maseru to Arnold Taylor, who would become South Africa's second world champion in 1973.
In late 1967 Morodi won the black SA lightweight crown and the following year the SA super-featherweight belt.
He fought with mixed results in Australia and Mexico, but it was his battles with other South African ring legends that earned him a spot in the hearts of ring fans, who would shout "Bluuuueeee" when he was in the ring.
He beat the likes of "Schoolboy" Nhlapo and Happyboy Mgxaji, but was beaten several times by "Pangaman" Sekgapane, a future world title contender. He lost his SA lightweight title to Sekgapane in 1973 and a month later the super-featherweight belt to Mgxaji.
Already considered past his best, he beat Jim Watt of Scotland at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg in 1974 - Watt would go on to become the British, European and eventually the WBC's world lightweight champion in 1979.
Mixed race boxing was permitted in South Africa in the 1970s, but it came too late for Morodi, who retired in 1978 after suffering a one-round knockout defeat to Peet Bothma, a future SA lightweight champion.
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On Saturday 8 December a new record was set for professional boxing in Britain when 58 fights took place on one night. The previous highest record was set on a cold Monday night on February 4 1952 at a time of great upheaval and hardship. I have no idea how many of the fighters on that night 60 years ago had picked up the gloves during their national service but I would imagine the figure is high.
It was not the first time this year that the 60-year-old record has been under siege and there is every chance that in 2013 the record could tumble again. On that Monday in 1952 there were 12 shows, many at now demolished and lost venues, but there were no title fights above regional level. The reality is that many of the shows that night featured boxers that never moved anywhere near championship level and Monday night was simply a traditional night back then for real fights, old-school 50-50 affairs.
The landscape is different now and in addition to the rising number of fights, promotions and fighters at the moment there has also been a spectacular increase in television coverage: since the start of December BoxNation, Sky, Channel Five, ESPN and Loaded TV all screened significant live title fights involving British boxers.
There was no TV in 1952 for the warriors swapping punches at Leyton Baths and Great Yarmouth's Hippodrome but many of the important regional fights did receive national paper coverage.
In recent months huge crowds watched the end of Ricky Hatton, the latest world title fight from Carl Froch, Freddie Flintoff's madcap debut and David Price taking out Audley Harrison in less than 90 seconds. David Haye's show in the celebrity jungle will not hurt his figures when he finally agrees terms with Vitali Klitschko next year.
There is every chance that by the end of March next year more British boxers will have been in British, Commonwealth, European and world title fights than any particular year in the sixties or seventies. There were shocking years in the seventies when it was not unusual for fewer than a dozen meaningful fights to take place; the years were invariably rescued by a few prime time slots on the BBC featuring John Conteh or John H Stracey in a world title fight.
However, it should be remembered that the combined world title ambitions of the seventies icons Conteh, Stracey, Mo Hope, Jim Watt, Charlie Magri and Alan Minter are roughly equal to the efforts of Carl Froch at the same level in the past three glorious years.
It was possible in the late seventies and early eighties to fill a couple of VHS tapes with every single fight that was shown on British television and that includes the bizarre appearances by fighters on game shows and dressed as women on variety shows. It was a sad existence for a boxing fan recording Conteh swapping banter with Des O'Connor.
Back in 1952, but not boxing on that fateful February night, there were some big names floating about the business. It was the year after Randy Turpin had shocked the world of sport to win the middleweight title from Sugar Ray Robinson in London; a title he lost three months later in New York. In 1952 Turpin moved to light-heavyweight and won the British title when he stopped Don Cockell in a big fight. Cockell would get even bigger and fight Rocky Marciano for the world title in 1955 in one of the most gruesome spectacles of utter bravery ever seen in a ring.
Turpin, Robinson, big old Cockell and the real Rocky are big names to play with, as are Minter, Conteh and Magri from the seventies, but the brutal truth is that in last few days of 2012 with fighters such as Haye, Price and Froch the British boxing business is doing very good business indeed.
Bunce on Boxing: Record 58 fights in one night reveals a booming business - Others - More Sports - The Independent
It was not the first time this year that the 60-year-old record has been under siege and there is every chance that in 2013 the record could tumble again. On that Monday in 1952 there were 12 shows, many at now demolished and lost venues, but there were no title fights above regional level. The reality is that many of the shows that night featured boxers that never moved anywhere near championship level and Monday night was simply a traditional night back then for real fights, old-school 50-50 affairs.
The landscape is different now and in addition to the rising number of fights, promotions and fighters at the moment there has also been a spectacular increase in television coverage: since the start of December BoxNation, Sky, Channel Five, ESPN and Loaded TV all screened significant live title fights involving British boxers.
There was no TV in 1952 for the warriors swapping punches at Leyton Baths and Great Yarmouth's Hippodrome but many of the important regional fights did receive national paper coverage.
In recent months huge crowds watched the end of Ricky Hatton, the latest world title fight from Carl Froch, Freddie Flintoff's madcap debut and David Price taking out Audley Harrison in less than 90 seconds. David Haye's show in the celebrity jungle will not hurt his figures when he finally agrees terms with Vitali Klitschko next year.
There is every chance that by the end of March next year more British boxers will have been in British, Commonwealth, European and world title fights than any particular year in the sixties or seventies. There were shocking years in the seventies when it was not unusual for fewer than a dozen meaningful fights to take place; the years were invariably rescued by a few prime time slots on the BBC featuring John Conteh or John H Stracey in a world title fight.
However, it should be remembered that the combined world title ambitions of the seventies icons Conteh, Stracey, Mo Hope, Jim Watt, Charlie Magri and Alan Minter are roughly equal to the efforts of Carl Froch at the same level in the past three glorious years.
It was possible in the late seventies and early eighties to fill a couple of VHS tapes with every single fight that was shown on British television and that includes the bizarre appearances by fighters on game shows and dressed as women on variety shows. It was a sad existence for a boxing fan recording Conteh swapping banter with Des O'Connor.
Back in 1952, but not boxing on that fateful February night, there were some big names floating about the business. It was the year after Randy Turpin had shocked the world of sport to win the middleweight title from Sugar Ray Robinson in London; a title he lost three months later in New York. In 1952 Turpin moved to light-heavyweight and won the British title when he stopped Don Cockell in a big fight. Cockell would get even bigger and fight Rocky Marciano for the world title in 1955 in one of the most gruesome spectacles of utter bravery ever seen in a ring.
Turpin, Robinson, big old Cockell and the real Rocky are big names to play with, as are Minter, Conteh and Magri from the seventies, but the brutal truth is that in last few days of 2012 with fighters such as Haye, Price and Froch the British boxing business is doing very good business indeed.
Bunce on Boxing: Record 58 fights in one night reveals a booming business - Others - More Sports - The Independent
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2006/12/07
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Indian boxing's euphoric rise in the past four years met a sudden fall as a disappointing Olympic campaign was followed by international suspension in a thoroughly forgettable 2012, which was saved from being complete bummer by MC Mary Kom's bronze in London.
Indian boxing had risen considerably in profile after Vijender Singh brought home its first Olympic medal -- a bronze -- from Beijing four years ago.
What followed was a steady stream of international medals that gave the impression of the sport being on continuous rise.
But it got a reality check this year as none of the seven male boxers, who made the cut for the London Olympics, managed to finish on the podium.
Even though Mary Kom ensured that the boxing contingent did not return empty-handed from London, the five-time world champion's commendable feat could not hide the overall disappointment.
The biggest star of them all, Vijender, lost in the quarterfinals.
None of the other six qualified boxers, including World Championships bronze-medallist Vikas Krishan, could make much of an impression as they battled to adjust to a scoring system that required better endurance even though a couple of them could count themselves unlucky given the disparity that plagued Olympic judging.
It was the kind of disparity that drew intervention from the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and led to the suspension of three judges and a couple of decisions being overturned in the middle of the Games.
However, inconsistent judging can hardly be an excuse for the Indians, who seemed under-prepared at the biggest sporting show on earth.
It was left to veteran Mary Kom (51kg) to save the blushes for the eight-strong contingent, which had left for the British capital amid massive hype.
'Magnificent Mary', as she is called by AIBA for her unprecedented five world titles, was the lone Indian in fray when women's boxing made its Olympic debut in three weight categories.
And the 29-year-old Manipuri mother-of-two made the most of the first available opportunity by emerging triumphant over younger, stronger and taller opponents to realise a long-cherished dream.
In fact, her feat can easily be called the best moment for Indian boxing in the year going by. But the poor show of the men raised a pertinent question -- whether Indian boxing did enough to capitalise on the Beijing high? The answers are still not clear because no one is quite ready to admit yet that the preparations were not upto the mark for London.
Outside the ring too, the sport endured turbulent times as the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation went to polls, which were later declared null and void by AIBA alleging "possible manipulation".
The September elections were to lead to a change of guard but what transpired in the Annual General Meeting in Patiala was a farce.
Outgoing president Abhay Singh Chautala was made a nominated chairman following constitutional amendments and his brother-in-law and Rajasthan BJP MLA Abhishek Matoria, 29, took over as the new President after the house authorised Chautala to pick the new head.
Interestingly, Matoria had no known links to Indian boxing and some of the IABF officials were left stunned when he took over the position with Rajesh Bhandari as Secretary General.
The election process was questioned by the Sports Ministry before AIBA stepped in to provisionally suspend the federation. The world body asked for fresh elections and told the IABF to amend its constitution to make it compliant with the AIBA Statute.
The country's sports ministry was not to be left behind and suspended recognition to the IABF, asking it to hold re-elections.
The wrangling is on as to when these re-elections would be called as the current office-bearers are persona-non-grata for AIBA while the old guard is still mulling the next move.
The boxers, meanwhile, are wondering what the future holds even though they won't be affected immediately as the next round of AIBA events does not start before seven-eight months from now.
But the administrative mess has surely put a brake on Indian boxing's ascent for the time being.
Another massive blow came when the lone Indian franchise in the semi-professional World Series of Boxing, Mumbai Fighters, pulled out due to paucity of funds.
More than the funds, this pullout was a result of the alleged "lack of support" that franchise owners, TransStadia, complained about with regards to IABF.
Even though WSB offered Olympic quota places, there was hardly any enthusiasm for the event with top names such as Vijender giving it a miss despite being offered big money.
With the AIBA planning to do away with head-guards from next year, the WSB could have been the perfect platform to improve endurance for the Indian boxers but this again ended up being an opportunity missed.
And this is precisely how 2012 would go down -- a series of missed opportunities.
With no international event lined up for the next few months, the focus would firmly be on the administrative issues that need to be resolved at the earliest to chart out a better future for the sport.
But given the situation, the coming year would start off on an uncertain note for boxing in India.
Indian boxing had risen considerably in profile after Vijender Singh brought home its first Olympic medal -- a bronze -- from Beijing four years ago.
What followed was a steady stream of international medals that gave the impression of the sport being on continuous rise.
But it got a reality check this year as none of the seven male boxers, who made the cut for the London Olympics, managed to finish on the podium.
Even though Mary Kom ensured that the boxing contingent did not return empty-handed from London, the five-time world champion's commendable feat could not hide the overall disappointment.
The biggest star of them all, Vijender, lost in the quarterfinals.
None of the other six qualified boxers, including World Championships bronze-medallist Vikas Krishan, could make much of an impression as they battled to adjust to a scoring system that required better endurance even though a couple of them could count themselves unlucky given the disparity that plagued Olympic judging.
It was the kind of disparity that drew intervention from the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and led to the suspension of three judges and a couple of decisions being overturned in the middle of the Games.
However, inconsistent judging can hardly be an excuse for the Indians, who seemed under-prepared at the biggest sporting show on earth.
It was left to veteran Mary Kom (51kg) to save the blushes for the eight-strong contingent, which had left for the British capital amid massive hype.
'Magnificent Mary', as she is called by AIBA for her unprecedented five world titles, was the lone Indian in fray when women's boxing made its Olympic debut in three weight categories.
And the 29-year-old Manipuri mother-of-two made the most of the first available opportunity by emerging triumphant over younger, stronger and taller opponents to realise a long-cherished dream.
In fact, her feat can easily be called the best moment for Indian boxing in the year going by. But the poor show of the men raised a pertinent question -- whether Indian boxing did enough to capitalise on the Beijing high? The answers are still not clear because no one is quite ready to admit yet that the preparations were not upto the mark for London.
Outside the ring too, the sport endured turbulent times as the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation went to polls, which were later declared null and void by AIBA alleging "possible manipulation".
The September elections were to lead to a change of guard but what transpired in the Annual General Meeting in Patiala was a farce.
Outgoing president Abhay Singh Chautala was made a nominated chairman following constitutional amendments and his brother-in-law and Rajasthan BJP MLA Abhishek Matoria, 29, took over as the new President after the house authorised Chautala to pick the new head.
Interestingly, Matoria had no known links to Indian boxing and some of the IABF officials were left stunned when he took over the position with Rajesh Bhandari as Secretary General.
The election process was questioned by the Sports Ministry before AIBA stepped in to provisionally suspend the federation. The world body asked for fresh elections and told the IABF to amend its constitution to make it compliant with the AIBA Statute.
The country's sports ministry was not to be left behind and suspended recognition to the IABF, asking it to hold re-elections.
The wrangling is on as to when these re-elections would be called as the current office-bearers are persona-non-grata for AIBA while the old guard is still mulling the next move.
The boxers, meanwhile, are wondering what the future holds even though they won't be affected immediately as the next round of AIBA events does not start before seven-eight months from now.
But the administrative mess has surely put a brake on Indian boxing's ascent for the time being.
Another massive blow came when the lone Indian franchise in the semi-professional World Series of Boxing, Mumbai Fighters, pulled out due to paucity of funds.
More than the funds, this pullout was a result of the alleged "lack of support" that franchise owners, TransStadia, complained about with regards to IABF.
Even though WSB offered Olympic quota places, there was hardly any enthusiasm for the event with top names such as Vijender giving it a miss despite being offered big money.
With the AIBA planning to do away with head-guards from next year, the WSB could have been the perfect platform to improve endurance for the Indian boxers but this again ended up being an opportunity missed.
And this is precisely how 2012 would go down -- a series of missed opportunities.
With no international event lined up for the next few months, the focus would firmly be on the administrative issues that need to be resolved at the earliest to chart out a better future for the sport.
But given the situation, the coming year would start off on an uncertain note for boxing in India.
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2006/12/07
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29893
Drenched with sweat inside Lutwyche's Corporate Box Gym, Cooper stepped between the ropes, strapped his headgear on and proved he was a legitimate fighter in a heavy sparring session.
"I love and respect boxing and I don't want to turn this into a theatrical event," Cooper said. "I'm taking this seriously."
Cooper makes his professional boxing debut on February 8 at the Brisbane Convention Centre on the undercard of the Sonny Bill Williams versus Francois Botha main event.
Cooper has transformed from a man derided for avoiding collision into an imposing figure in the ring with a powerful right cross that has already dropped experienced boxers.
His trainer Shannon King, a kickboxing world champion and undefeated boxer, repeatedly told Cooper "calm down, calm down" as the lanky cruiserweight threw a series of power punches that ricocheted off his opponent's temple.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
King, a regular sparring partner of Anthony Mundine, has only been training Cooper for a week but has seen enough to predict a belt will eventually be around his waist.
"He could win a Queensland title within two years and go on much further from there," he said.
"He has the power. He's a freak power-wise. He does things he shouldn't be doing unless you have five years experience.
"We had 215 fights from this gym last year - we have more fights than any other gym - so I've seen a lot of fights and I really think Quade can be a really good boxer.
"There's still some issues. He keeps his chin up a bit."
Two weeks ago, Queensland Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said Cooper was a better boxer than "any of you think".
Cooper won his round of sparring on Wednesday, although it was against a professional kickboxer not a pugilist.
Cooper circled while throwing jabs, kept out of range and stepped in quickly to deliver brutal rights as his opponent backpedalled.
He was also caught on the chin twice and his defence against the ropes needs to improve.
The Australian Rugby Union has set a precedent by allowing Cooper to box during his contract and the 24-year-old wants to take advantage of it.
Asked if he would eventually fight for a title, Cooper said: "I hope so. In a few years I want to push for those things. If I work hard anything is possible."
Cooper expects to have an opponent signed by the end of this week.
Read more: Cooper turning heads in boxing ring | Super Rugby | Fox Sports
"I love and respect boxing and I don't want to turn this into a theatrical event," Cooper said. "I'm taking this seriously."
Cooper makes his professional boxing debut on February 8 at the Brisbane Convention Centre on the undercard of the Sonny Bill Williams versus Francois Botha main event.
Cooper has transformed from a man derided for avoiding collision into an imposing figure in the ring with a powerful right cross that has already dropped experienced boxers.
His trainer Shannon King, a kickboxing world champion and undefeated boxer, repeatedly told Cooper "calm down, calm down" as the lanky cruiserweight threw a series of power punches that ricocheted off his opponent's temple.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
King, a regular sparring partner of Anthony Mundine, has only been training Cooper for a week but has seen enough to predict a belt will eventually be around his waist.
"He could win a Queensland title within two years and go on much further from there," he said.
"He has the power. He's a freak power-wise. He does things he shouldn't be doing unless you have five years experience.
"We had 215 fights from this gym last year - we have more fights than any other gym - so I've seen a lot of fights and I really think Quade can be a really good boxer.
"There's still some issues. He keeps his chin up a bit."
Two weeks ago, Queensland Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said Cooper was a better boxer than "any of you think".
Cooper won his round of sparring on Wednesday, although it was against a professional kickboxer not a pugilist.
Cooper circled while throwing jabs, kept out of range and stepped in quickly to deliver brutal rights as his opponent backpedalled.
He was also caught on the chin twice and his defence against the ropes needs to improve.
The Australian Rugby Union has set a precedent by allowing Cooper to box during his contract and the 24-year-old wants to take advantage of it.
Asked if he would eventually fight for a title, Cooper said: "I hope so. In a few years I want to push for those things. If I work hard anything is possible."
Cooper expects to have an opponent signed by the end of this week.
Read more: Cooper turning heads in boxing ring | Super Rugby | Fox Sports
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EXTRA bus and train services will run on Wednesday to get Adelaide bargain-hunters to the shops on time for the annual Boxing Day sales.
"Go Zones" - providing services to the city every 15 minutes - will run to the city from 9am until noon and from the city between 4pm and 6pm.
Trains- with extra passenger cars - on the Belair and Grange lines will run every half hour from 9am to 10.30am and 4.30pm-6pm.
Industrial Relations Minister Russell Wortley said he was expecting hundreds of thousands of South Australians to take advantage of shops being open in Adelaide for the first time on Boxing Day. Stores will trade from 11am-5pm.
"This follows historic new reforms to shop trading hours which have helped to energise the city, provide a welcome boost to the retail sector and given shoppers the flexibility they have been asking for," he said.
Transport Services Minister Chloe Fox is encouraging South Australians to leave their cars at home when heading to the Boxing Day sales.
"We wanted to provide more frequent services to enable shoppers to take advantage of the post-Christmas sales," she said. "Now you can enjoy the bargain hunt without having to worry about hunting for a car park."
Extra buses and trains in Adelaide for Boxing Day sales | adelaidenow
"Go Zones" - providing services to the city every 15 minutes - will run to the city from 9am until noon and from the city between 4pm and 6pm.
Trains- with extra passenger cars - on the Belair and Grange lines will run every half hour from 9am to 10.30am and 4.30pm-6pm.
Industrial Relations Minister Russell Wortley said he was expecting hundreds of thousands of South Australians to take advantage of shops being open in Adelaide for the first time on Boxing Day. Stores will trade from 11am-5pm.
"This follows historic new reforms to shop trading hours which have helped to energise the city, provide a welcome boost to the retail sector and given shoppers the flexibility they have been asking for," he said.
Transport Services Minister Chloe Fox is encouraging South Australians to leave their cars at home when heading to the Boxing Day sales.
"We wanted to provide more frequent services to enable shoppers to take advantage of the post-Christmas sales," she said. "Now you can enjoy the bargain hunt without having to worry about hunting for a car park."
Extra buses and trains in Adelaide for Boxing Day sales | adelaidenow
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2006/12/07
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Much has been written about the way in which Juan Manuel Marquez laid out Manny Pacquiao with one vicious sixth-round punch in their fight in Las Vegas two weeks ago. Some of it has centered on the muscles Marquez was rocking, meaning there have been those who have wondered if he might be taking performance-enhancing drugs.
We're not saying that. Not at all. There is no real proof. But for those Marquez fans out there thinking it's unfair that anything like that be suggested, keep in mind that when you run with the devil, you have no one to blame but yourself when people try to burn you.
In this case, until proven otherwise, we'll call Angel Hernandez - AKA Angel Heredia - the former devil. It was as Angel Heredia that he testified for the government in the infamous BALCO case. In one subsequent interview (with Spiegel Sport), he talked about ways of beating drug tests.
The former athlete-turned-chemist from Mexico also said, "I've created 20 different drugs that are still undetectable for the doping testers." That was in 2008, and perhaps some of those drugs can now be detected, but it's doubtful all of them can.
Again, we're not pointing fingers. But you have to wonder why a guy like Marquez, who I have reported on for most of his 19-year career and consider to be a standup guy, would work with someone with this kind of reputation.
Especially if he didn't want people looking at him with a suspicious eye.
But he is, hiring Heredia as his strength and conditioning coach prior to his third fight with Pacquiao in November 2011. Heredia, or Hernandez, might very well now be the clean guy he claims he is after being a longtime admitted supplier of PEDs to elite athletes. And there might be nothing at all rotten in Denmark.
But right now Marquez has some saying things like, "If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck ..." In a way, that's his fault. If all he wanted was someone terrific to help him realize his fullest physical potential, we're sure there are plenty of qualified people who don't have the reputation of an Angel Heredia.
By the way, Marquez and Pacquiao both came back clean from the tests administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Let's examine further. Pacquiao was raising the same eyebrows during his unprecedented rise in weight classes - he has had success in eight. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and others in his camp intimated Pacquiao could be on PEDs. At one point, Pacquiao sued Mayweather, other family members and Golden Boy Promotions - Oscar De La Hoya's company. It was all settled out of court.
One of the things Mayweather had talked about was how Pacquiao went from starting his career at 106 pounds to fighting for a vacant junior middleweight title, which is 154 pounds. First of all, that particular fight with Antonio Margarito was contracted for 150 pounds. Also, Pacquiao never weighed close to that at the weigh-in, tipping the scale at 1442.
Second, when Pacquiao turned pro in the Philippines, he was 16.
When Mayweather was a 16-year-old amateur, guess what weight class he toiled in? Yup, 106 pounds.
Pacquiao was still 31 when he fought Margarito. Mayweather was 30 when he weighed in at 150 for his May 2007 junior middleweight title fight against De La Hoya.
Very little difference.
And there was always something Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said when Pacquiao was - and perhaps still is - under scrutiny. He said that really what Pacquiao has done in moving up is fight many of his fights at his walking-around weight.
For example, most fighters who compete at, say, 135 pounds, likely walk around at 145-150 between fights and then have to drop all that weight. Marquez made his bones at the Forum in Inglewood as a 126-pound featherweight. Chances are, he was walking around at 135 - at least - between fights.
In 19 years, he has moved up four weight classes. But as a 147-pound welterweight these days, he's probably fighting at close to his walking-around weight, just like Roach said Pacquiao has been. Marquez actually only weighed 143 at the weigh-in for this past fight, then gained five pounds to 148 on fight night.
Many times, a fighter weighs in at as much as 15 pounds heavier the next day. Sometimes more.
Yes, Marquez looked darn good for a man of 39. If a guy is fanatical about his workout regimen - Marquez has always been dedicated - can he look that good at his age? Probably, is the opinion here.
Is that the case? For now, yes. Later, who knows what might transpire?
One thing we do wonder is, how can any athlete enjoy something he or she earned by cheating? Not sure how that works.
Boxing does have a PED problem. Enough have been caught, suspended and had their reputations tainted. That's just damn embarrassing.
One more thing: That punch Marquez landed was as clean as they come. His momentum was going forward, Pacquiao's was coming toward Marquez. And it landed right on the chin, the place that Jim Lampley says puts one on "queer street."
When those stars are aligned, one doesn't have to be dirty.
Longtime announcer Rich Marotta starts Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame
Rich Marotta has been broadcasting boxing for 30 years. He has done other sports, and was previously the color commentator for the Kings, Oakland/L.A. Raiders and Clippers. But his love affair with the sweet science and wanting to do everything he can for it and its fans, is what propelled him to start the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
"Some of the greatest nights of my life have been spent at boxing matches, whether I broadcast them or not," Marotta said Friday. "I mean, really, the most memorable evenings of my life, and I think there are a lot of fans out there who feel the same way.
"For me, this is a way to kind of bring boxing to the people other than just watching the fight, but on a more personal basis."
Marotta formerly was on the board of directors at the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He remembers the large c
We're not saying that. Not at all. There is no real proof. But for those Marquez fans out there thinking it's unfair that anything like that be suggested, keep in mind that when you run with the devil, you have no one to blame but yourself when people try to burn you.
In this case, until proven otherwise, we'll call Angel Hernandez - AKA Angel Heredia - the former devil. It was as Angel Heredia that he testified for the government in the infamous BALCO case. In one subsequent interview (with Spiegel Sport), he talked about ways of beating drug tests.
The former athlete-turned-chemist from Mexico also said, "I've created 20 different drugs that are still undetectable for the doping testers." That was in 2008, and perhaps some of those drugs can now be detected, but it's doubtful all of them can.
Again, we're not pointing fingers. But you have to wonder why a guy like Marquez, who I have reported on for most of his 19-year career and consider to be a standup guy, would work with someone with this kind of reputation.
Especially if he didn't want people looking at him with a suspicious eye.
But he is, hiring Heredia as his strength and conditioning coach prior to his third fight with Pacquiao in November 2011. Heredia, or Hernandez, might very well now be the clean guy he claims he is after being a longtime admitted supplier of PEDs to elite athletes. And there might be nothing at all rotten in Denmark.
But right now Marquez has some saying things like, "If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck ..." In a way, that's his fault. If all he wanted was someone terrific to help him realize his fullest physical potential, we're sure there are plenty of qualified people who don't have the reputation of an Angel Heredia.
By the way, Marquez and Pacquiao both came back clean from the tests administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Let's examine further. Pacquiao was raising the same eyebrows during his unprecedented rise in weight classes - he has had success in eight. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and others in his camp intimated Pacquiao could be on PEDs. At one point, Pacquiao sued Mayweather, other family members and Golden Boy Promotions - Oscar De La Hoya's company. It was all settled out of court.
One of the things Mayweather had talked about was how Pacquiao went from starting his career at 106 pounds to fighting for a vacant junior middleweight title, which is 154 pounds. First of all, that particular fight with Antonio Margarito was contracted for 150 pounds. Also, Pacquiao never weighed close to that at the weigh-in, tipping the scale at 1442.
Second, when Pacquiao turned pro in the Philippines, he was 16.
When Mayweather was a 16-year-old amateur, guess what weight class he toiled in? Yup, 106 pounds.
Pacquiao was still 31 when he fought Margarito. Mayweather was 30 when he weighed in at 150 for his May 2007 junior middleweight title fight against De La Hoya.
Very little difference.
And there was always something Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said when Pacquiao was - and perhaps still is - under scrutiny. He said that really what Pacquiao has done in moving up is fight many of his fights at his walking-around weight.
For example, most fighters who compete at, say, 135 pounds, likely walk around at 145-150 between fights and then have to drop all that weight. Marquez made his bones at the Forum in Inglewood as a 126-pound featherweight. Chances are, he was walking around at 135 - at least - between fights.
In 19 years, he has moved up four weight classes. But as a 147-pound welterweight these days, he's probably fighting at close to his walking-around weight, just like Roach said Pacquiao has been. Marquez actually only weighed 143 at the weigh-in for this past fight, then gained five pounds to 148 on fight night.
Many times, a fighter weighs in at as much as 15 pounds heavier the next day. Sometimes more.
Yes, Marquez looked darn good for a man of 39. If a guy is fanatical about his workout regimen - Marquez has always been dedicated - can he look that good at his age? Probably, is the opinion here.
Is that the case? For now, yes. Later, who knows what might transpire?
One thing we do wonder is, how can any athlete enjoy something he or she earned by cheating? Not sure how that works.
Boxing does have a PED problem. Enough have been caught, suspended and had their reputations tainted. That's just damn embarrassing.
One more thing: That punch Marquez landed was as clean as they come. His momentum was going forward, Pacquiao's was coming toward Marquez. And it landed right on the chin, the place that Jim Lampley says puts one on "queer street."
When those stars are aligned, one doesn't have to be dirty.
Longtime announcer Rich Marotta starts Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame
Rich Marotta has been broadcasting boxing for 30 years. He has done other sports, and was previously the color commentator for the Kings, Oakland/L.A. Raiders and Clippers. But his love affair with the sweet science and wanting to do everything he can for it and its fans, is what propelled him to start the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
"Some of the greatest nights of my life have been spent at boxing matches, whether I broadcast them or not," Marotta said Friday. "I mean, really, the most memorable evenings of my life, and I think there are a lot of fans out there who feel the same way.
"For me, this is a way to kind of bring boxing to the people other than just watching the fight, but on a more personal basis."
Marotta formerly was on the board of directors at the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He remembers the large c
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The Yanks are coming. The American promoters Golden Boy are moving in on the British boxing scene, chequebook open and pen poised ready to buy up the best of British talent.
One Olympic medallist, the middleweight Anthony Ogogo, 24, who won a bronze medal at London 2012, has become the first of Team GB to turn pro, spurning promoters here to join the Los Angeles-based organisation, where he will team up with fellow Briton Amir Khan.
Golden Boy, whose application for a licence to promote in Britain is certain to be approved, say they are also determined to scoop up other British Olympians, including the highly marketable super-heavyweight Anthony Joshua and his fellow gold medallist Luke Campbell, the personable bantamweight who is temporarily swapping ring for rink in Torvill and Dean's New Year ITV series Dancing on Ice.
The reason for Golden Boy's invasion has the smack of another TV reality show about it: Britain's got talent – and currently the United States hasn't. Amateur boxing in the US is down and almost out, with the national Olympic Committee having ordered an inquiry into why American boxers failed abysmally at the London Games, returning without a single men's medal.
In Beijing four years previously the only medal they secured was a bronze, and their last gold was in Athens back in 2004, won by the middleweight Andre Ward.
So Golden Boy are importing young foreign fighters in the same manner as football's Premier League recruits from overseas. They have taken over from the octo- genarian Don King as the world's leading promoter, and their imme-diate focus is on buying British.
Their figurehead is the original golden boy of boxing, Oscar De La Hoya, but the man behind the move is their smooth-talking chief executive, Richard Schaefer, a former Swiss banker instrumental in creating a boxing empire which embraces luminaries such as Floyd Mayweather Jnr, Saul Alvarez, Miguel Cotto, Bernard Hopkins, David Haye and Khan.
Schaefer says he plans to stage four shows a year in this country as well as four in the US, which will feature major world title fights and young British stars. "We want to sign up some who represented Britain at the Olympics, those with the talent and charisma, who we will showcase both there and in the US," he says. "Britain is now our most important market."
While the US raid may be seen as a threat to British promoters, one of them, Frank Warren, is relaxed about it, recognising that the sort of seven-figure fees he splashed out in signing Olympic champion James DeGale after Beijing are no longer feasible.
"Times are changing," says Warren. "What was able to happen four years ago is not happening now because of the economy. I can understand Golden Boy moving in but this is a tough market. I have no doubt they can work with British promoters." Like Golden Boy and others, Warren has met Joshua several times but he says they have not talked money.
Golden Boy's muscle-flexing is tantamount to a declaration of war on the czar of amateur boxing's international governing body, Dr C K Wu, who has instructed that the word "amateur" be removed from the sport in a bid to take control of all forms of boxing. His World Series of Boxing (WS😎, in which Britain now has a franchise, the British Lionhearts, offers young boxers a share of $1 million (£620,000) prize money for shedding vests and headguards to fight in a pro-style format. Team GB's Olympic welterweight silver medallist, Fred Evans, has already signed up, along with his 2012 team-mate Andrew Selby and a fistful of other squad members.
Joshua, currently the hottest ticket in boxing, has said he is giving serious consideration to joining them in what could be a pro apprenticeship, but Schaefer thinks he will persuade him and others in the GB team to take the orthodox professional route under Golden Boy's stewardship.
WSB cannot match the millions Golden Boy will dangle in front of big Josh, such is the desperate search for a new heavyweight hope. Yet there is a snag. Joshua has a conviction for a minor drug offence – possession – which could preclude him from obtaining a visa to live or box in the US. However, Golden Boy's extensive influence could prove helpful in this direction.
Britain's impressive performances so far in the WSB tournament, allied to the Olympic achievements, suggest they are becoming the world's most dominant boxing nation, which is reflected in the upgrading of UK Sport funding by 44 per cent, from £9.5m to £13.8m.
However, this is subject to a one-year review because of infighting outside the ring which has been as combative as that inside it, with the individual home nations squabbling over whether the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA), formed after Beijing, should be in control of financial as well as fistic matters.
Will WSB work here? The problem is an apparent lack of television interest. It needs a more widely watched network than ESPN if it is to capture a bigger public following that will sustain the employment of British boxers.
Which is why Golden Boy, who helped Khan to resurrect his career last week by cherry-picking the light-punching Carlos Molina from their stable as his comeback opponent, could be equally prescient by backing Britain to become Oscar's winners.
Britain's golden boys
Five British boxers have won Olympic gold medals in the post-war years but none so far has gone on to become a professional world champion:
Terry Spinks
Flyweight, Melbourne 1956
Youngest Briton ever to win boxing gold, aged 18. Former apprentice jockey, became British featherweight champion but never fought for world title. Died this year aged 74.
Dick McTaggart
Lightweight, Melbourne 1956
Voted tournament's best boxer, and also won light-welterweight bronze at Rome 1960. Five times ABA champion, never turned pro. Aged 77.
Chris Finnegan
Middleweight, Mexico City 1968
British and European champ fought American
One Olympic medallist, the middleweight Anthony Ogogo, 24, who won a bronze medal at London 2012, has become the first of Team GB to turn pro, spurning promoters here to join the Los Angeles-based organisation, where he will team up with fellow Briton Amir Khan.
Golden Boy, whose application for a licence to promote in Britain is certain to be approved, say they are also determined to scoop up other British Olympians, including the highly marketable super-heavyweight Anthony Joshua and his fellow gold medallist Luke Campbell, the personable bantamweight who is temporarily swapping ring for rink in Torvill and Dean's New Year ITV series Dancing on Ice.
The reason for Golden Boy's invasion has the smack of another TV reality show about it: Britain's got talent – and currently the United States hasn't. Amateur boxing in the US is down and almost out, with the national Olympic Committee having ordered an inquiry into why American boxers failed abysmally at the London Games, returning without a single men's medal.
In Beijing four years previously the only medal they secured was a bronze, and their last gold was in Athens back in 2004, won by the middleweight Andre Ward.
So Golden Boy are importing young foreign fighters in the same manner as football's Premier League recruits from overseas. They have taken over from the octo- genarian Don King as the world's leading promoter, and their imme-diate focus is on buying British.
Their figurehead is the original golden boy of boxing, Oscar De La Hoya, but the man behind the move is their smooth-talking chief executive, Richard Schaefer, a former Swiss banker instrumental in creating a boxing empire which embraces luminaries such as Floyd Mayweather Jnr, Saul Alvarez, Miguel Cotto, Bernard Hopkins, David Haye and Khan.
Schaefer says he plans to stage four shows a year in this country as well as four in the US, which will feature major world title fights and young British stars. "We want to sign up some who represented Britain at the Olympics, those with the talent and charisma, who we will showcase both there and in the US," he says. "Britain is now our most important market."
While the US raid may be seen as a threat to British promoters, one of them, Frank Warren, is relaxed about it, recognising that the sort of seven-figure fees he splashed out in signing Olympic champion James DeGale after Beijing are no longer feasible.
"Times are changing," says Warren. "What was able to happen four years ago is not happening now because of the economy. I can understand Golden Boy moving in but this is a tough market. I have no doubt they can work with British promoters." Like Golden Boy and others, Warren has met Joshua several times but he says they have not talked money.
Golden Boy's muscle-flexing is tantamount to a declaration of war on the czar of amateur boxing's international governing body, Dr C K Wu, who has instructed that the word "amateur" be removed from the sport in a bid to take control of all forms of boxing. His World Series of Boxing (WS😎, in which Britain now has a franchise, the British Lionhearts, offers young boxers a share of $1 million (£620,000) prize money for shedding vests and headguards to fight in a pro-style format. Team GB's Olympic welterweight silver medallist, Fred Evans, has already signed up, along with his 2012 team-mate Andrew Selby and a fistful of other squad members.
Joshua, currently the hottest ticket in boxing, has said he is giving serious consideration to joining them in what could be a pro apprenticeship, but Schaefer thinks he will persuade him and others in the GB team to take the orthodox professional route under Golden Boy's stewardship.
WSB cannot match the millions Golden Boy will dangle in front of big Josh, such is the desperate search for a new heavyweight hope. Yet there is a snag. Joshua has a conviction for a minor drug offence – possession – which could preclude him from obtaining a visa to live or box in the US. However, Golden Boy's extensive influence could prove helpful in this direction.
Britain's impressive performances so far in the WSB tournament, allied to the Olympic achievements, suggest they are becoming the world's most dominant boxing nation, which is reflected in the upgrading of UK Sport funding by 44 per cent, from £9.5m to £13.8m.
However, this is subject to a one-year review because of infighting outside the ring which has been as combative as that inside it, with the individual home nations squabbling over whether the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA), formed after Beijing, should be in control of financial as well as fistic matters.
Will WSB work here? The problem is an apparent lack of television interest. It needs a more widely watched network than ESPN if it is to capture a bigger public following that will sustain the employment of British boxers.
Which is why Golden Boy, who helped Khan to resurrect his career last week by cherry-picking the light-punching Carlos Molina from their stable as his comeback opponent, could be equally prescient by backing Britain to become Oscar's winners.
Britain's golden boys
Five British boxers have won Olympic gold medals in the post-war years but none so far has gone on to become a professional world champion:
Terry Spinks
Flyweight, Melbourne 1956
Youngest Briton ever to win boxing gold, aged 18. Former apprentice jockey, became British featherweight champion but never fought for world title. Died this year aged 74.
Dick McTaggart
Lightweight, Melbourne 1956
Voted tournament's best boxer, and also won light-welterweight bronze at Rome 1960. Five times ABA champion, never turned pro. Aged 77.
Chris Finnegan
Middleweight, Mexico City 1968
British and European champ fought American
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2006/12/07
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29893
RETAILERS are predicting a $3 billion sales bonanza as Queenslanders armed with gift cards or hunting for a bargain hit the Boxing Day sales.
Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said the post-Christmas sales would give the industry a much-needed boost after a tough year from online competition, cost-of-living increases and a high Australian dollar.
"In post-Christmas sales we are expecting $14.8 billion this year (and) for Queensland it's about $3 billion," he said.
He said the sales period, which runs until January 15, would see almost $7 billion nationally spent on non-food, discretionary items, and retailers were expecting many of the gift cards bought in the Christmas rush to be redeemed in that period.
"One of the big things that's selling very, very well is gift cards," he said. "We will see a very large percentage of the gift cards that are sold pre-Christmas being used directly after Christmas in the Boxing Day sales."
David Jones Queens Plaza store manager Shelley McGrath said the company was expecting more than a million customers through their doors during the sales period.
"It's a very exciting day and it has a really fun and festive feel to it as well," she said.
"It's a traditional part of the shopping year now when family and friends come together on Boxing Day and make a real day of it.
"Traditionally the David Jones clearance sale goes for over a month, but we do advise customers to get in early to avoid disappointment."
Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said the post-Christmas sales would give the industry a much-needed boost after a tough year from online competition, cost-of-living increases and a high Australian dollar.
"In post-Christmas sales we are expecting $14.8 billion this year (and) for Queensland it's about $3 billion," he said.
He said the sales period, which runs until January 15, would see almost $7 billion nationally spent on non-food, discretionary items, and retailers were expecting many of the gift cards bought in the Christmas rush to be redeemed in that period.
"One of the big things that's selling very, very well is gift cards," he said. "We will see a very large percentage of the gift cards that are sold pre-Christmas being used directly after Christmas in the Boxing Day sales."
David Jones Queens Plaza store manager Shelley McGrath said the company was expecting more than a million customers through their doors during the sales period.
"It's a very exciting day and it has a really fun and festive feel to it as well," she said.
"It's a traditional part of the shopping year now when family and friends come together on Boxing Day and make a real day of it.
"Traditionally the David Jones clearance sale goes for over a month, but we do advise customers to get in early to avoid disappointment."
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2006/12/07
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29893
CHARITABLE youngsters braved the cold winter weather as they volunteered to sleep under the stars at the home of Grimsby Town FC.
Armed with cardboard to build shelters, graduates of Grimsby Town's National Citizen Service (NCS) scheme – a Government initiative to help 16 and 17 year-olds learn new skills – took up camp at Blundell Park in aid of two charities. The event began after the final whistle of Grimsby Town's match against Wrexham on Friday night, helping raise money for St Andrew's Hospice and the homeless charity Doorstep.
Katherine Gooderham, 16, from Market Rasen, said it "opened her eyes".
"The situation really put things into perspective and made me realise that there are people who have no choice but to live on the streets," she said.
"This was not only about raising money but raising awareness of homelessness.
"I have never done something like that before and I would do it again for charity.
"It was fun to build our shelters, which helped to keep the cold out a bit.
"I got about an hour's sleep overall. By the morning, I was wearing four pairs of trousers, two jumpers, a coat, hat and gloves."
Hollie Nielsen, of Healing, had a rough night's sleep and said the event made her appreciate her own home.
The 18-year-old added: "You don't realise how good you have it until it's gone.
"There are people out on the streets tonight trying to find any shelter they can to stay warm.
"The sleepover was hard at times but I hope we have raised a lot of money for the two charities.
"I was surprised with how generous all the Grimsby Town fans were – they filled our buckets with money during half time."
Armed with cardboard to build shelters, graduates of Grimsby Town's National Citizen Service (NCS) scheme – a Government initiative to help 16 and 17 year-olds learn new skills – took up camp at Blundell Park in aid of two charities. The event began after the final whistle of Grimsby Town's match against Wrexham on Friday night, helping raise money for St Andrew's Hospice and the homeless charity Doorstep.
Katherine Gooderham, 16, from Market Rasen, said it "opened her eyes".
"The situation really put things into perspective and made me realise that there are people who have no choice but to live on the streets," she said.
"This was not only about raising money but raising awareness of homelessness.
"I have never done something like that before and I would do it again for charity.
"It was fun to build our shelters, which helped to keep the cold out a bit.
"I got about an hour's sleep overall. By the morning, I was wearing four pairs of trousers, two jumpers, a coat, hat and gloves."
Hollie Nielsen, of Healing, had a rough night's sleep and said the event made her appreciate her own home.
The 18-year-old added: "You don't realise how good you have it until it's gone.
"There are people out on the streets tonight trying to find any shelter they can to stay warm.
"The sleepover was hard at times but I hope we have raised a lot of money for the two charities.
"I was surprised with how generous all the Grimsby Town fans were – they filled our buckets with money during half time."
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2006/12/07
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29893
Tis the season to put on a few pounds, let the stitches heal the wounds, to soothe the swollen hands, take the weight off the feet without every second counting… and confer the annual awards.
Anno Domni 2012 began with Muhammad Ali further defying Parkinson’s by reaching his landmark 70th birthday. It ended with Manny Pacquiao being knocked flat out of contention as pound-for-pound king by the anatomically reconstructed 39-year-old Juan Manuel Marquez.
Between those ring-posts, history was made...
BOXER OF THE YEAR
Sergio Martinez achieved, at last, the recognition and the world title of which he had been deprived for too long.
The Argentine matinee idol, having begun his year by knocking out our own Matthew Macklin, went on to beat Son of Chavez and thus overcome the boxing politics in which he had been unfairly entangled.
He did so with a master-class for 11 rounds of dazzling style against Julio Cesar Jnr, capped off by his courageous recovery from a 12th round knock-down. The classic middleweight division found its latest successor to Sugar Ray Robinson.
BRITISH BOXER OF THE YEAR
Carl Froch, the outstanding fighter of his UK generation, gritted his teeth to come back from last year.s disappointing Super Six Final defeat by the accomplished Andre Ward.
He did so in commanding fashion, putting an end to the fancied Lucien Bute's unbeaten record to regain a world super-middleweight title.
A similar stoppage blitzing of Yusaf Mack not only gave the Nottingham Cobra a rousing homecoming but served notice on Ward and Mikkel Kessler that he intends, in 2013, to avenge the only two defeats of his warrior career.
WOMAN BOXER OF THE YEAR
Nicola Adams took her indelible place in the record books by becoming the first female to win Olympic gold in the boxing ring.
The wee lass from Leeds lit up London 2012 with her sunshine smile and lifted the roof off the cacophonous ExCel Arena by decking Chinese legend Can Can Ren en route to winning her historic final.
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez*.
The asterix is there because the veteran Mexican idol had turned to a self-confessed former Olympics steroid provider to build him up physically in his desperation to secure a result against the legendary PacMan at the fourth attempt.
Marquez consistently denied using drugs to turn himself into a mini Arnold Schwarzenagger. So while there is no boxer of the year accolade from me, there is no denying that the Las Vegas night in its own right, with both men floored before Marquez landed his Hail Mary punch as Pacquiao appeared to be on the point of sixth round victory, was the thriller of 2012.
Read more: Boxing review of 2012, by Jeff Powell, with Ricky Hatton, Manny Pacquiao and more | Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Anno Domni 2012 began with Muhammad Ali further defying Parkinson’s by reaching his landmark 70th birthday. It ended with Manny Pacquiao being knocked flat out of contention as pound-for-pound king by the anatomically reconstructed 39-year-old Juan Manuel Marquez.
Between those ring-posts, history was made...
BOXER OF THE YEAR
Sergio Martinez achieved, at last, the recognition and the world title of which he had been deprived for too long.
The Argentine matinee idol, having begun his year by knocking out our own Matthew Macklin, went on to beat Son of Chavez and thus overcome the boxing politics in which he had been unfairly entangled.
He did so with a master-class for 11 rounds of dazzling style against Julio Cesar Jnr, capped off by his courageous recovery from a 12th round knock-down. The classic middleweight division found its latest successor to Sugar Ray Robinson.
BRITISH BOXER OF THE YEAR
Carl Froch, the outstanding fighter of his UK generation, gritted his teeth to come back from last year.s disappointing Super Six Final defeat by the accomplished Andre Ward.
He did so in commanding fashion, putting an end to the fancied Lucien Bute's unbeaten record to regain a world super-middleweight title.
A similar stoppage blitzing of Yusaf Mack not only gave the Nottingham Cobra a rousing homecoming but served notice on Ward and Mikkel Kessler that he intends, in 2013, to avenge the only two defeats of his warrior career.
WOMAN BOXER OF THE YEAR
Nicola Adams took her indelible place in the record books by becoming the first female to win Olympic gold in the boxing ring.
The wee lass from Leeds lit up London 2012 with her sunshine smile and lifted the roof off the cacophonous ExCel Arena by decking Chinese legend Can Can Ren en route to winning her historic final.
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez*.
The asterix is there because the veteran Mexican idol had turned to a self-confessed former Olympics steroid provider to build him up physically in his desperation to secure a result against the legendary PacMan at the fourth attempt.
Marquez consistently denied using drugs to turn himself into a mini Arnold Schwarzenagger. So while there is no boxer of the year accolade from me, there is no denying that the Las Vegas night in its own right, with both men floored before Marquez landed his Hail Mary punch as Pacquiao appeared to be on the point of sixth round victory, was the thriller of 2012.
Read more: Boxing review of 2012, by Jeff Powell, with Ricky Hatton, Manny Pacquiao and more | Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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2006/12/07
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Boxing Day has been marred by tragedy after three people were killed and two critically injured in two separate traffic accidents within minutes of each other.
A husband and wife visiting from Fiji, both aged 70, died when a four-wheel-drive they were passengers in rolled on the Hume Highway shortly before 7am near Holbrook in south-east NSW.
Seven people were on board the seven-seater Nissan Patrol when it rolled about six kilometres north of Holbrook. The other five occupants were from the ACT. All are members of the same family.
Two were critically injured and were flown to hospitals in Canberra and Melbourne for treatment, including a 14-year-old boy. Three others suffered minor injuries.
Officers are investigating why the vehicle lost control and rolled. It has been towed for forensic examination.
In a separate incident, a man died in a two-car collision in Sydney’s north-west.
The two early-morning incidents bring the national Christmas holiday road toll to 13.
Five people have been killed in Victoria since December 23, while in South Australia, a motorist died when his car left the road and caught fire south-east of Adelaide. The death was the second in the state during the holiday period.
Tasmania and Western Australia have each recorded one death.
Police today repeated their pleas for motorists to drive responsibly and to the conditions.
A husband and wife visiting from Fiji, both aged 70, died when a four-wheel-drive they were passengers in rolled on the Hume Highway shortly before 7am near Holbrook in south-east NSW.
Seven people were on board the seven-seater Nissan Patrol when it rolled about six kilometres north of Holbrook. The other five occupants were from the ACT. All are members of the same family.
Two were critically injured and were flown to hospitals in Canberra and Melbourne for treatment, including a 14-year-old boy. Three others suffered minor injuries.
Officers are investigating why the vehicle lost control and rolled. It has been towed for forensic examination.
In a separate incident, a man died in a two-car collision in Sydney’s north-west.
The two early-morning incidents bring the national Christmas holiday road toll to 13.
Five people have been killed in Victoria since December 23, while in South Australia, a motorist died when his car left the road and caught fire south-east of Adelaide. The death was the second in the state during the holiday period.
Tasmania and Western Australia have each recorded one death.
Police today repeated their pleas for motorists to drive responsibly and to the conditions.
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2006/12/07
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Boxing's new wave of stars – young, talented, aggressive fighters like Nonito Donaire, Abner Mares, Lucas Matthysse and Brandon Rios – have the ability to take the sport to another level.
It's always been filled with problems, but boxing has drifted far from the mainstream in the last quarter century. There is the occasional event or two a year that capture the public's imagination and lead to wistful dreams of what could be. But for the most part, those who run boxing make those who run the NHL look like business juggernauts.
Any NHL fan could tell you how difficult that is to do, but it's the truth.
Boxing is never going to be what we want it to be. It's never going to be a clean and tidy sport with a logical business plan. Smart, well-run businesses spend time and invest money to research their customers and learn what they want. They then find ways to deliver that product.
Not boxing.
Boxing is the sport that takes its biggest potential event and lets it evaporate amid chaos and finger-pointing, with two fools allowing a fight that would have paid them the equivalent of the GDP of Slovakia slip through their fingers while arguing over which of them was wrong. There is no making sense of what goes on in boxing, though at its best, it is so compelling that we can't turn away.
By its standards, boxing had a marvelous year in 2012. There were great fights, sometimes on a weekly basis, and television ratings on HBO and Showtime increased in response. There were even back-to-back weekends in December when network television dared to grace its air with the sport.
Still, boxing fans deserve far more.
Unraveling the many Byzantine feuds and petty disagreements that permeate the sport is only slightly less complex than trying to understand the issues in the Middle East.
There are few workable solutions, unfortunately. There is no barrier to entry, so anyone with enough money to pay a state licensing fee can become a manager or, with slightly more money, can get a promoter's license. A fax machine and a cell phone is all that is needed to set up shop.
The only group that can bring some sort of order to this chaos is the fighters themselves.
It's no secret that Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions hate Bob Arum and Todd duBoef of Top Rank. The sides refuse to do business with each other.
Their refusal to work together severely impacted the potential of a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight – at least a $100 million mistake. But the superfight isn't the only mouth-watering matchup impacted by the petty squabbling between the two promotions. It's also depriving the audience of fights such as Mares (Golden Boy) against Donaire (Top Rank) and Rios (Top Rank) against Matthysse (Golden Boy).
Mares wants to fight Donaire, and Donaire has made it just as clear that he wants to fight Mares. There has been no movement toward putting together the most significant super bantamweight bout since Erik Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera III in 2004, though, because of the feud. Journalists and fans can scream about it all they want, but it won't matter. Only the fighters can make an impact, though it's going to take a massive sacrifice and a lot of courage on their part to accomplish anything meaningful.
Donaire told Yahoo! Sports before his third-round knockout of Jorge Arce on Dec. 15 that he has asked Top Rank officials about a potential Mares bout, but hasn't gotten a firm answer.
"They say they're working on it, but it never really happens," he said.
It's going to take the star fighters speaking out to end this travesty. Clearly, it's a difficult situation for the fighters to be in because they only make money when they fight.
It's easy for a sports columnist to urge boxers such as Donaire, Mares, Rios and Matthysse to not fight until they're offered the fight they want. The boxers are the ones who will suffer as they need to fight to not only earn money, but to hone their skills and keep themselves in the public eye.
Still, imagine how effective a news conference in Los Angeles would be if Mares and Donaire each walked to a podium and said they're willing to fight each other but that their promoters would not help them make the bout they wanted? It would clearly have an impact, but it couldn't be a one-time thing to make a significant difference. The sport's big names would have to consistently pressure its promoters in order to get the biggest fights made.
It's never going to be 100 percent effective, but if boxing's budding stars band together, they and only they can be a force for positive change in the game.
Boxing flourishes around the world – stadiums are packed with fans, television ratings are through the roof and fighters are celebrities of the highest order.
In the U.S., where the most fights are held and where the vast majority of stars compete, the sport has become the stuff of cable television.
Boxing needs its stars, now more than ever.
As good as 2012 was, 2013, 2014 and 2015 can be significantly better if the world's best boxers put the onus on their promoters to make the fights the world wants to see.
New generation of boxing stars can cure what ails sport by standing up to promoters - Yahoo! Sports
It's always been filled with problems, but boxing has drifted far from the mainstream in the last quarter century. There is the occasional event or two a year that capture the public's imagination and lead to wistful dreams of what could be. But for the most part, those who run boxing make those who run the NHL look like business juggernauts.
Any NHL fan could tell you how difficult that is to do, but it's the truth.
Boxing is never going to be what we want it to be. It's never going to be a clean and tidy sport with a logical business plan. Smart, well-run businesses spend time and invest money to research their customers and learn what they want. They then find ways to deliver that product.
Not boxing.
Boxing is the sport that takes its biggest potential event and lets it evaporate amid chaos and finger-pointing, with two fools allowing a fight that would have paid them the equivalent of the GDP of Slovakia slip through their fingers while arguing over which of them was wrong. There is no making sense of what goes on in boxing, though at its best, it is so compelling that we can't turn away.
By its standards, boxing had a marvelous year in 2012. There were great fights, sometimes on a weekly basis, and television ratings on HBO and Showtime increased in response. There were even back-to-back weekends in December when network television dared to grace its air with the sport.
Still, boxing fans deserve far more.
Unraveling the many Byzantine feuds and petty disagreements that permeate the sport is only slightly less complex than trying to understand the issues in the Middle East.
There are few workable solutions, unfortunately. There is no barrier to entry, so anyone with enough money to pay a state licensing fee can become a manager or, with slightly more money, can get a promoter's license. A fax machine and a cell phone is all that is needed to set up shop.
The only group that can bring some sort of order to this chaos is the fighters themselves.
It's no secret that Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions hate Bob Arum and Todd duBoef of Top Rank. The sides refuse to do business with each other.
Their refusal to work together severely impacted the potential of a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight – at least a $100 million mistake. But the superfight isn't the only mouth-watering matchup impacted by the petty squabbling between the two promotions. It's also depriving the audience of fights such as Mares (Golden Boy) against Donaire (Top Rank) and Rios (Top Rank) against Matthysse (Golden Boy).
Mares wants to fight Donaire, and Donaire has made it just as clear that he wants to fight Mares. There has been no movement toward putting together the most significant super bantamweight bout since Erik Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera III in 2004, though, because of the feud. Journalists and fans can scream about it all they want, but it won't matter. Only the fighters can make an impact, though it's going to take a massive sacrifice and a lot of courage on their part to accomplish anything meaningful.
Donaire told Yahoo! Sports before his third-round knockout of Jorge Arce on Dec. 15 that he has asked Top Rank officials about a potential Mares bout, but hasn't gotten a firm answer.
"They say they're working on it, but it never really happens," he said.
It's going to take the star fighters speaking out to end this travesty. Clearly, it's a difficult situation for the fighters to be in because they only make money when they fight.
It's easy for a sports columnist to urge boxers such as Donaire, Mares, Rios and Matthysse to not fight until they're offered the fight they want. The boxers are the ones who will suffer as they need to fight to not only earn money, but to hone their skills and keep themselves in the public eye.
Still, imagine how effective a news conference in Los Angeles would be if Mares and Donaire each walked to a podium and said they're willing to fight each other but that their promoters would not help them make the bout they wanted? It would clearly have an impact, but it couldn't be a one-time thing to make a significant difference. The sport's big names would have to consistently pressure its promoters in order to get the biggest fights made.
It's never going to be 100 percent effective, but if boxing's budding stars band together, they and only they can be a force for positive change in the game.
Boxing flourishes around the world – stadiums are packed with fans, television ratings are through the roof and fighters are celebrities of the highest order.
In the U.S., where the most fights are held and where the vast majority of stars compete, the sport has become the stuff of cable television.
Boxing needs its stars, now more than ever.
As good as 2012 was, 2013, 2014 and 2015 can be significantly better if the world's best boxers put the onus on their promoters to make the fights the world wants to see.
New generation of boxing stars can cure what ails sport by standing up to promoters - Yahoo! Sports
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London 2012 bronze medallist Anthony Ogogo has signed his first professional contract, with his debut set to be in February in the United States.
Middleweight Ogogo, 24, has joined Los Angeles-based promoter Golden Boy Promotions.
"Following the Olympics I've been looking to the future and considering a number of options," said the Lowestoft fighter. "I feel that the time is now right to turn professional with Golden Boy."
Ogogo has been contemplating whether to turn pro since his podium finish at London 2012.
He produced a memorable Olympic moment when he upset Ukraine's world number one Ievgen Khytrov in a thrilling bout on his way to a bronze medal.
He said in October that he may have to forego his "massive desire" to go to Rio 2016 in favour of turning professional.
Ogogo's exploits in London dramatically raised his profile and attracted the attention of numerous promoters, including former world champion Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy organisation and the Barry Hearn-owned Matchroom Sport.
He opted to join Golden Boy, who say the Briton is likely to make his professional debut in Brooklyn on 9 February against an opponent yet to be decided. "Anthony Ogogo has everything you look for in a boxer," said Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer.
"He can fight, he has style and charisma and he has amazing crossover potential.
"I have no doubt that Anthony has the skills in the ring and the personality outside of it to make him a global boxing star.
"We are proud to have him on our team and this is just the first step in our growing commitment to British boxing."
"It has been very good working with Anthony over the last three years and he did extremely well to win a medal at the 2012 Games," said GB Boxing Performance Director Rob McCracken. "It is disappointing for us that Anthony has decided his future lies away from the GB Boxing squad but he departs with our best regards and we wish him every success in his future career."
Ogogo's honours list also includes a European silver medal (2012), Commonwealth Games silver medal (2010) and Junior Olympics gold medal (2004).
BBC Sport - Anthony Ogogo, Olympic boxing medallist, turns professional
Middleweight Ogogo, 24, has joined Los Angeles-based promoter Golden Boy Promotions.
"Following the Olympics I've been looking to the future and considering a number of options," said the Lowestoft fighter. "I feel that the time is now right to turn professional with Golden Boy."
Ogogo has been contemplating whether to turn pro since his podium finish at London 2012.
He produced a memorable Olympic moment when he upset Ukraine's world number one Ievgen Khytrov in a thrilling bout on his way to a bronze medal.
He said in October that he may have to forego his "massive desire" to go to Rio 2016 in favour of turning professional.
Ogogo's exploits in London dramatically raised his profile and attracted the attention of numerous promoters, including former world champion Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy organisation and the Barry Hearn-owned Matchroom Sport.
He opted to join Golden Boy, who say the Briton is likely to make his professional debut in Brooklyn on 9 February against an opponent yet to be decided. "Anthony Ogogo has everything you look for in a boxer," said Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer.
"He can fight, he has style and charisma and he has amazing crossover potential.
"I have no doubt that Anthony has the skills in the ring and the personality outside of it to make him a global boxing star.
"We are proud to have him on our team and this is just the first step in our growing commitment to British boxing."
"It has been very good working with Anthony over the last three years and he did extremely well to win a medal at the 2012 Games," said GB Boxing Performance Director Rob McCracken. "It is disappointing for us that Anthony has decided his future lies away from the GB Boxing squad but he departs with our best regards and we wish him every success in his future career."
Ogogo's honours list also includes a European silver medal (2012), Commonwealth Games silver medal (2010) and Junior Olympics gold medal (2004).
BBC Sport - Anthony Ogogo, Olympic boxing medallist, turns professional
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Two men have been charged over a fatal crash in Bullsbrook on Boxing Day in which a 47-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman were killed.
The male driver and passenger were travelling along Neaves Road when the Jeep Cherokee collided with a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Both the male motorcycle rider and female passenger died at the scene.
A 45-year-old Ellenbrook man and the 48-year-old Bullsbrook male passenger failed to stop at the scene and render assistance.
Police report that the driver was charged with two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death while the passenger was charged with attempt to pervert the course of justice.
Both men will appear in the Joondalup Magistrates Court on Monday January, 14.
Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Read more: Men charged over fatal Boxing Day crash
The male driver and passenger were travelling along Neaves Road when the Jeep Cherokee collided with a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Both the male motorcycle rider and female passenger died at the scene.
A 45-year-old Ellenbrook man and the 48-year-old Bullsbrook male passenger failed to stop at the scene and render assistance.
Police report that the driver was charged with two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death while the passenger was charged with attempt to pervert the course of justice.
Both men will appear in the Joondalup Magistrates Court on Monday January, 14.
Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Read more: Men charged over fatal Boxing Day crash
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Boxing is unpredictable.
Oftentimes fights appear one way on paper and end up the opposite when the fighters get into the ring.
Upsets are common, and stars rise and fall as fast as you can reach the count of 10.
A fighter can lose every second of every round and land a shot in the final seconds to win the fight. For that reason, a fight is never truly over until the final bell rings.
The year 2012 showed all of these ideas in a stark light. It was a year of upsets, comebacks and rising and falling stars.
These are the most surprising outcomes in boxing in the past year.
Read More: Boxing's Biggest Surprises in 2012 | Bleacher Report
Oftentimes fights appear one way on paper and end up the opposite when the fighters get into the ring.
Upsets are common, and stars rise and fall as fast as you can reach the count of 10.
A fighter can lose every second of every round and land a shot in the final seconds to win the fight. For that reason, a fight is never truly over until the final bell rings.
The year 2012 showed all of these ideas in a stark light. It was a year of upsets, comebacks and rising and falling stars.
These are the most surprising outcomes in boxing in the past year.
Read More: Boxing's Biggest Surprises in 2012 | Bleacher Report
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2006/12/07
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29893
An image can enshrine a moment in all its glory, and boxing is all about moments—both sad and exhilarating. From superstars who fell unexpectedly to their rivals to icons behind bars instead of in the ring, boxing's most memorable images are far-ranging.
A dramatic turn of events or a controversial result are what fuel forums, tweets and discussion widespread. And as long as there is discussion, there is a sport moving forward.
Even as fans move forward into 2013, the unforgettable images of 2012 stay forever burned in their heads as they discussed how the events that inspired those images have changed the state of boxing.
Here's a walk down boxing's memory lane in 2012 with 10 iconic images.
Read More: The 10 Most Memorable Images of Boxing in 2012 | Bleacher Report
A dramatic turn of events or a controversial result are what fuel forums, tweets and discussion widespread. And as long as there is discussion, there is a sport moving forward.
Even as fans move forward into 2013, the unforgettable images of 2012 stay forever burned in their heads as they discussed how the events that inspired those images have changed the state of boxing.
Here's a walk down boxing's memory lane in 2012 with 10 iconic images.
Read More: The 10 Most Memorable Images of Boxing in 2012 | Bleacher Report
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Ailing former three-times world flyweight boxing champion Chartchai Chionoi, who suffered long-term brain damage, has been hospitalised and will be transferred from Chiang Mai to Bangkok for special treatment.
Chartchai, whose real name is Naris and is aged 80, has been staying at San Kamphaeng Hospital in Chiang Mai. He has been closely tended by his wife Sirinthon.
She said that her husband was admitted to the hospital after he had trouble eating. Mr Chartchai is to be moved to Thammasat University Hospital in Bangkok for further treatment for chronic traumatic brain injury associated with boxing. Currently, he is on a ventilator, being tube fed and has an IV drip.
Mr Chartchai was Thailand's second world champion boxer and was known as the Little Marciano of Asia back in his hey day. He won his world flyweight title in Quezon City in the Philippines in 1962. He also had many occasions when he fought in front of the King, which his family considers to be their greatest honour.
Chartchai Chionoi is considered as one of Thailand's great fighters, alongside Pone Kingpetch, Saensak Muangsurin and Khaosai Galaxy.
Chartchai, whose real name is Naris and is aged 80, has been staying at San Kamphaeng Hospital in Chiang Mai. He has been closely tended by his wife Sirinthon.
She said that her husband was admitted to the hospital after he had trouble eating. Mr Chartchai is to be moved to Thammasat University Hospital in Bangkok for further treatment for chronic traumatic brain injury associated with boxing. Currently, he is on a ventilator, being tube fed and has an IV drip.
Mr Chartchai was Thailand's second world champion boxer and was known as the Little Marciano of Asia back in his hey day. He won his world flyweight title in Quezon City in the Philippines in 1962. He also had many occasions when he fought in front of the King, which his family considers to be their greatest honour.
Chartchai Chionoi is considered as one of Thailand's great fighters, alongside Pone Kingpetch, Saensak Muangsurin and Khaosai Galaxy.
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If you swam long enough against the current of the "boxing is dead" rhetoric, you may have noticed that 2012 was a quietly fruitful year for the sport. Outside of the typically crippling moments of bad publicity (from apocalyptically bad scorecards to the rampant suspicion -- and occasional proof -- of a performance-enhancing drug problem), the past year saw boxing gain an increased presence in the mainstream. There were high-profile bouts that actually lived up to expectations, a handful of legitimate fight of the year candidates and the increased development of tomorrow's stars such as Andre Ward, Nonito Donaire, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Adrien Broner.
In light of everything that went right and the opportunity to build on the momentum, here are my 10 wishes for 2013:
10. Enough of the counter promoting
Between too many fights airing on pay-per-view and the others playing on premium cable (forget being forced to find Internet streams for fights overseas), it's hard enough for boxing fans to gain access to great fights. So please stop making them choose by greedily counter promoting. There are enough vacant weekends throughout the year. Stop the madness.
9. More feature shows
There's the phenomenal documentary series "24/7" from HBO, along with the recent addition of "The Fight Game with Jim Lampley" -- a welcomed treat. And don't forget about Showtime's "All Access," which is not only excellent, it gets better with each installment. But here's to hoping we see more programming focused on boxing's great history as we once had with ESPN Classic's "Ringside" and HBO's "Legendary Nights."
8. The emergence of a third power promoter
Boxing is a world with two revolving planets (Top Rank and Golden Boy) and a group of shooting stars who appear a few times per year. Some of the game's top fighters are represented by these "other" promoters and most do an outstanding job. But none has the financial impact of the two powers that be, and with their refusal to match top fighters against each other (more on that below), we could use a third company willing to go for broke in order to produce the fights that aid boxing's long-term health. Will a guy like 50 Cent fill that void? It remains to be seen.
7. A full veto of alphabet titles
Ask any former fan the reason they stopped watching and they'll mention the confusion over multiple titleholders and too many divisions. Even hard-core fans have trouble pinning down the legitimate champions. With the lack of a central governing body to name its own champions and everyone else willing to get on board, true clarity is hard to come by. But any fan, journalist, television network or promoter who even mentions the names of the alphabet titles and sanctioning bodies sets us back even further. Can we all agree to stop?
6. A network television blockbuster
Getting fights on network TV twice in December was a fine achievement and hopefully just the beginning. But for this experiment to have a lasting impact, at least one promoter is going to have to place a big-name fight in a competitive time slot. Saturday afternoon bouts between exciting prospects is one thing, but drawing viewers into a prime-time fight on free TV in a matchup between established names typically reserved for cable is taking things to the next level. It's a tremendous gamble, the kind that brings to mind the 1995 Mike Tyson-Buster Mathis Jr. fight on Fox, which did a 16.9 overnight rating -- a testament to Tyson's drawing power in his second fight after prison. That kind of success is nearly impossible to equal, but showcasing a young star -- Canelo, anyone? -- in an attempt to build drawing power ahead of a future PPV slot is not a horrible idea.
5. A heavyweight tournament
The "Klitschko era" has been short on heavyweight contenders or anyone the general public could pick out of a police lineup, but it's becoming quietly long on large men with potential to make compelling fights. With Vitali Klitschko's alphabet title potentially available should he retire, how about a tournament for the vacant belt, setting up a showdown in 2014 against recognized champion Wladimir Klitschko. Allow Wladimir, who turns 37 in March, his typical two title defenses in 2013 (how about Alexander Povetkin and Chris Arreola?). Meanwhile, the remaining heavyweights of note compete in a formal elimination system, not necessarily as drawn out as the ill-conceived Super Six super middleweight tournament, but featuring exciting names such as Marco Huck, David Price, Tyson Fury, Tomasz Adamek, David Haye or Robert Helenius, to name a few. Tell me you wouldn't be interested.
4. Pacquiao-Marquez V
For a rivalry that as recently as one month ago was out of storylines and battling customer fatigue entering its fourth and (supposedly) final chapter, something happened along the way for Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. After one of the single most dramatic and historically significant action fights of the modern era, a fifth fight in 2013 would be a financial juggernaut and one of the biggest crossover events in recent years. It also would address a series of new storylines and questions that need answering: Was Marquez clean in Chapter 4? Can Pacquiao rebound from such a devastating knockout? Who will be left standing as the winner of the rivalry after a fifth and final installment?
3. Final thawing of the promotional "Cold War"
Ever try to explain to a casual fan why there's no chance exciting fighter "A" will ever face fighter "B" though they're both champions in the same division? It's fun, right? It would be like the owners of the Heat and Thunder refusing to play each other in the NBA Finals. One could argue that the beef between promotional giants Top Rank and Golden Boy -- and their refusal to work together for the betterment of the sport -- is the undisputed No. 1 hurdle holding back boxing. Enough is enough.
2. A unified drug-testing program
There's an unspoken w
In light of everything that went right and the opportunity to build on the momentum, here are my 10 wishes for 2013:
10. Enough of the counter promoting
Between too many fights airing on pay-per-view and the others playing on premium cable (forget being forced to find Internet streams for fights overseas), it's hard enough for boxing fans to gain access to great fights. So please stop making them choose by greedily counter promoting. There are enough vacant weekends throughout the year. Stop the madness.
9. More feature shows
There's the phenomenal documentary series "24/7" from HBO, along with the recent addition of "The Fight Game with Jim Lampley" -- a welcomed treat. And don't forget about Showtime's "All Access," which is not only excellent, it gets better with each installment. But here's to hoping we see more programming focused on boxing's great history as we once had with ESPN Classic's "Ringside" and HBO's "Legendary Nights."
8. The emergence of a third power promoter
Boxing is a world with two revolving planets (Top Rank and Golden Boy) and a group of shooting stars who appear a few times per year. Some of the game's top fighters are represented by these "other" promoters and most do an outstanding job. But none has the financial impact of the two powers that be, and with their refusal to match top fighters against each other (more on that below), we could use a third company willing to go for broke in order to produce the fights that aid boxing's long-term health. Will a guy like 50 Cent fill that void? It remains to be seen.
7. A full veto of alphabet titles
Ask any former fan the reason they stopped watching and they'll mention the confusion over multiple titleholders and too many divisions. Even hard-core fans have trouble pinning down the legitimate champions. With the lack of a central governing body to name its own champions and everyone else willing to get on board, true clarity is hard to come by. But any fan, journalist, television network or promoter who even mentions the names of the alphabet titles and sanctioning bodies sets us back even further. Can we all agree to stop?
6. A network television blockbuster
Getting fights on network TV twice in December was a fine achievement and hopefully just the beginning. But for this experiment to have a lasting impact, at least one promoter is going to have to place a big-name fight in a competitive time slot. Saturday afternoon bouts between exciting prospects is one thing, but drawing viewers into a prime-time fight on free TV in a matchup between established names typically reserved for cable is taking things to the next level. It's a tremendous gamble, the kind that brings to mind the 1995 Mike Tyson-Buster Mathis Jr. fight on Fox, which did a 16.9 overnight rating -- a testament to Tyson's drawing power in his second fight after prison. That kind of success is nearly impossible to equal, but showcasing a young star -- Canelo, anyone? -- in an attempt to build drawing power ahead of a future PPV slot is not a horrible idea.
5. A heavyweight tournament
The "Klitschko era" has been short on heavyweight contenders or anyone the general public could pick out of a police lineup, but it's becoming quietly long on large men with potential to make compelling fights. With Vitali Klitschko's alphabet title potentially available should he retire, how about a tournament for the vacant belt, setting up a showdown in 2014 against recognized champion Wladimir Klitschko. Allow Wladimir, who turns 37 in March, his typical two title defenses in 2013 (how about Alexander Povetkin and Chris Arreola?). Meanwhile, the remaining heavyweights of note compete in a formal elimination system, not necessarily as drawn out as the ill-conceived Super Six super middleweight tournament, but featuring exciting names such as Marco Huck, David Price, Tyson Fury, Tomasz Adamek, David Haye or Robert Helenius, to name a few. Tell me you wouldn't be interested.
4. Pacquiao-Marquez V
For a rivalry that as recently as one month ago was out of storylines and battling customer fatigue entering its fourth and (supposedly) final chapter, something happened along the way for Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. After one of the single most dramatic and historically significant action fights of the modern era, a fifth fight in 2013 would be a financial juggernaut and one of the biggest crossover events in recent years. It also would address a series of new storylines and questions that need answering: Was Marquez clean in Chapter 4? Can Pacquiao rebound from such a devastating knockout? Who will be left standing as the winner of the rivalry after a fifth and final installment?
3. Final thawing of the promotional "Cold War"
Ever try to explain to a casual fan why there's no chance exciting fighter "A" will ever face fighter "B" though they're both champions in the same division? It's fun, right? It would be like the owners of the Heat and Thunder refusing to play each other in the NBA Finals. One could argue that the beef between promotional giants Top Rank and Golden Boy -- and their refusal to work together for the betterment of the sport -- is the undisputed No. 1 hurdle holding back boxing. Enough is enough.
2. A unified drug-testing program
There's an unspoken w
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Yes, 2012 is in the books, but beyond last week's daily annual awards for fighter, knockout, round, prospect and fight of the year, I handed out some additional hardware on Wednesday. And now, here is Part 2:
Most important business development: The return of boxing to network television. Boxing was essentially banished from network TV in the late 1990s, with a few exceptions. But in back-to-back weeks in December, it returned to Saturday afternoons on CBS (Leo Santa Cruz versus Alberto Guevara in a bantamweight title fight) and NBC (Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham in a heavyweight rematch) thanks to the hard work of promoters Golden Boy and Main Events, respectively. Both cards performed very well in the ratings, meaning you can probably count on seeing more network action in 2013 and, hopefully, beyond. Boxing on free TV can be a game-changer for the sport.
Event of the year: Begrudgingly, I'm going with the night of Sept. 15 in Las Vegas. I was very clear from the outset that I despised the idea of two major cards competing in the same city on the same night when Top Rank/HBO PPV and Showtime/Golden Boy went head-to-head with Sergio Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at the Thomas & Mack Center and Canelo Alvarez-Josesito Lopez down the street at the MGM Grand on Mexican Independence Day weekend. It caused a lot of unnecessary issues and a lot of hurt feelings for a lot of people in the business. But ultimately the fans turned out for both events. The HBO PPV was a huge success, Showtime's ratings were robust, and both cards produced quality entertainment. That said, I hope we don't see another conflict like that this year. (But I won't hold my breath.) Non-event of the year: Same as the past few years -- a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight. And now the whole thing is down the drain after Pacquiao's knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez last month. Only in boxing could the ego, greed and stupidity of some of those involved blow up one of the biggest potential events in history. Even if the fight does happen someday, it will never be what it should have been -- easily the biggest money fight ever and the ultimate summit meeting of the two best fighters on the planet. But that ship has sailed for what will instead go down as one of the most disappointing situations in sports history. No matter what happens from here on out, there will always be a gaping hole in the legacies of both fighters.
OMG moment of the year: Has to be Marquez's stunning one-punch KO against Pacquiao with one second left in the sixth round. I thought at that point in the fight that Pacquiao was closing in on his own stoppage win, and then all of a sudden ... boom! Runner-up: Chavez dropping Martinez in the final 90 seconds of what had been a one-sided Martinez domination. Both moments were electrifying.
Best experience of the year: Thanks to my side gig as an analyst for Epix boxing telecasts, I traveled to Nottingham, England, Carl Froch's hometown, to call his upset knockout win against Lucian Bute in May. It was my first trip to England and one of the best experiences of my career covering boxing. Working with fellow announcers Bruce Beck, Sugar Ray Leonard, Chris Mannix and our whole crew on the show was a pleasure, and riding around Nottingham (on the other side of the road for the first time) as executive producer/driver Travis Pomposello navigated more roundabouts than any road system should have was quite an experience. I still regret that I was unable to convince Travis to stop at the Porsche dealership we kept passing, but at least the atmosphere on fight night was incredible. I rate it No. 2 on my all-time list behind the atmosphere at the MGM Grand for Mayweather-Ricky Hatton.
R.I.P.: 2012 was a particularly tough year in terms of losses in the boxing community, including the great Angelo Dundee, good pal Bert Sugar, Johnny Tapia, Hector Camacho Sr., Goody Petronelli, Carmen Basilio, Julio Gonzalez and Corrie Sanders. They will all be missed. But the passing of Emanuel Steward, a dear friend and a wonderful ambassador for the sport, was particularly hard to take.
Misery award: The 2012 U.S. Olympic men's boxing team, which didn't win a single medal for the first time ever. This is rock-bottom status for a U.S. amateur system that has been driven into the ground for years. Runners-up (tie): HBO buying Keith Thurman-Orlando Lora and Showtime buying Jayson Velez-Salvador Sanchez II. Neither had any business airing on premium cable.
Quickest rise of the year: Leo Santa Cruz went from a prospect known only among hard-core fans (he was on my 2011 year-end top prospects list) to one of the sport's most notable young talents. He went 5-0, won a bantamweight world title, became a Showtime regular, headlined the return of boxing to CBS and, most important, made one action-packed fight after another.
Shame on you award: We have four winners, Lamont Peterson, Andre Berto, Antonio Tarver and Erik Morales, all of whom were busted for using banned substances. Performance-enhancing drugs are a major problem in boxing, and commissions badly need to beef up testing. Three of these fighters were caught by either VADA or USADA, which were contracted for specific fights outside of commission oversight. Only Tarver's test came from a postfight California commission test. Amazingly, after Morales failed multiple tests, New York still allowed him to fight.
Welcome award I: The beautiful new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., which opened for boxing in October, is a welcome addition to the fight circuit. Golden Boy will promote there regularly and already has cards slated for February, March and April.
Welcome award II: WealthTV, the upstart cable network, is in very few homes, but every boxing fan should be calling their cable or satellite provider to ask for it. WealthTV showed a number of notable fights, including those involving Bute, 2012 ESPN.com prospect of the year David Price, Tys
Most important business development: The return of boxing to network television. Boxing was essentially banished from network TV in the late 1990s, with a few exceptions. But in back-to-back weeks in December, it returned to Saturday afternoons on CBS (Leo Santa Cruz versus Alberto Guevara in a bantamweight title fight) and NBC (Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham in a heavyweight rematch) thanks to the hard work of promoters Golden Boy and Main Events, respectively. Both cards performed very well in the ratings, meaning you can probably count on seeing more network action in 2013 and, hopefully, beyond. Boxing on free TV can be a game-changer for the sport.
Event of the year: Begrudgingly, I'm going with the night of Sept. 15 in Las Vegas. I was very clear from the outset that I despised the idea of two major cards competing in the same city on the same night when Top Rank/HBO PPV and Showtime/Golden Boy went head-to-head with Sergio Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at the Thomas & Mack Center and Canelo Alvarez-Josesito Lopez down the street at the MGM Grand on Mexican Independence Day weekend. It caused a lot of unnecessary issues and a lot of hurt feelings for a lot of people in the business. But ultimately the fans turned out for both events. The HBO PPV was a huge success, Showtime's ratings were robust, and both cards produced quality entertainment. That said, I hope we don't see another conflict like that this year. (But I won't hold my breath.) Non-event of the year: Same as the past few years -- a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight. And now the whole thing is down the drain after Pacquiao's knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez last month. Only in boxing could the ego, greed and stupidity of some of those involved blow up one of the biggest potential events in history. Even if the fight does happen someday, it will never be what it should have been -- easily the biggest money fight ever and the ultimate summit meeting of the two best fighters on the planet. But that ship has sailed for what will instead go down as one of the most disappointing situations in sports history. No matter what happens from here on out, there will always be a gaping hole in the legacies of both fighters.
OMG moment of the year: Has to be Marquez's stunning one-punch KO against Pacquiao with one second left in the sixth round. I thought at that point in the fight that Pacquiao was closing in on his own stoppage win, and then all of a sudden ... boom! Runner-up: Chavez dropping Martinez in the final 90 seconds of what had been a one-sided Martinez domination. Both moments were electrifying.
Best experience of the year: Thanks to my side gig as an analyst for Epix boxing telecasts, I traveled to Nottingham, England, Carl Froch's hometown, to call his upset knockout win against Lucian Bute in May. It was my first trip to England and one of the best experiences of my career covering boxing. Working with fellow announcers Bruce Beck, Sugar Ray Leonard, Chris Mannix and our whole crew on the show was a pleasure, and riding around Nottingham (on the other side of the road for the first time) as executive producer/driver Travis Pomposello navigated more roundabouts than any road system should have was quite an experience. I still regret that I was unable to convince Travis to stop at the Porsche dealership we kept passing, but at least the atmosphere on fight night was incredible. I rate it No. 2 on my all-time list behind the atmosphere at the MGM Grand for Mayweather-Ricky Hatton.
R.I.P.: 2012 was a particularly tough year in terms of losses in the boxing community, including the great Angelo Dundee, good pal Bert Sugar, Johnny Tapia, Hector Camacho Sr., Goody Petronelli, Carmen Basilio, Julio Gonzalez and Corrie Sanders. They will all be missed. But the passing of Emanuel Steward, a dear friend and a wonderful ambassador for the sport, was particularly hard to take.
Misery award: The 2012 U.S. Olympic men's boxing team, which didn't win a single medal for the first time ever. This is rock-bottom status for a U.S. amateur system that has been driven into the ground for years. Runners-up (tie): HBO buying Keith Thurman-Orlando Lora and Showtime buying Jayson Velez-Salvador Sanchez II. Neither had any business airing on premium cable.
Quickest rise of the year: Leo Santa Cruz went from a prospect known only among hard-core fans (he was on my 2011 year-end top prospects list) to one of the sport's most notable young talents. He went 5-0, won a bantamweight world title, became a Showtime regular, headlined the return of boxing to CBS and, most important, made one action-packed fight after another.
Shame on you award: We have four winners, Lamont Peterson, Andre Berto, Antonio Tarver and Erik Morales, all of whom were busted for using banned substances. Performance-enhancing drugs are a major problem in boxing, and commissions badly need to beef up testing. Three of these fighters were caught by either VADA or USADA, which were contracted for specific fights outside of commission oversight. Only Tarver's test came from a postfight California commission test. Amazingly, after Morales failed multiple tests, New York still allowed him to fight.
Welcome award I: The beautiful new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., which opened for boxing in October, is a welcome addition to the fight circuit. Golden Boy will promote there regularly and already has cards slated for February, March and April.
Welcome award II: WealthTV, the upstart cable network, is in very few homes, but every boxing fan should be calling their cable or satellite provider to ask for it. WealthTV showed a number of notable fights, including those involving Bute, 2012 ESPN.com prospect of the year David Price, Tys
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Garcia knocked out Khan in the fourth round of their world title fight in July and the Englishman is desperate for a rematch, but his new trainer Virgil Hunter may put a block on the contest after saying that his charge "does not understand how to fight on the inside".
"I'd love the rematch against Garcia because I know deep down I'm a better fighter than him," Khan said after putting Molina through the mill and forcing a 10th-round technical knockout.
"I made a mistake in that fight and I paid for that. I know I can beat him, especially with the help of my new trainer Virgil Hunter and being based in San Francisco.
"I'll knock Danny Garcia out. We want the rematch – any time, anywhere – but I don't think Garcia will."
Khan may have to wait until next summer, with Garcia scheduled to defend the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association light-welterweight belts against Zab Judah, who Khan has beaten, in February, though Garcia has stated he is willing to compete in a rematch.
"If the money's right then we'll definitely fight whenever and wherever," said Garcia, who was ringside at the Khan-Molina bout. "My team will make the decision."
The contest with Garcia would bring enormous dangers for Khan, whose attack is world-class, but whose defence, conversely, remains suspect, given the three career knockouts against him.
The reality is that this was a 'honeymoon' fight for the Khan-Hunter axis, a comeback fight against an opponent tailor-made for Khan's fast-hands, fast-feet style after consecutive losses.
Predictably, Khan handled Molina with ease. The Bolton fighter had experience, speed, power and reach advantages over the Californian, who was game but overwhelmed time and again by Khan's skills.
Molina's corner pulled him out after the 10th round. Khan moved to 27-3; Molina suffered his first defeat in his 19th professional ring appearance.
Worryingly, though, for Khan, he was still caught on the counter by Molina in exchanges. It will be a topic of discussion when Khan picks up again with Hunter in camp early next year.
"I thought I stuck to my game plan and was keeping faith in my jab," Khan said. "Virgil's teaching me things, like speed, patience, picking the right shots and when to throw them. Sometimes I'm too brave for my own good."
After the bout, Saj Mohamed, a member of Khan's team, tweeted a picture of the boxer's hands alongside the message: 'Ouch @AmirKingKhan Both hands fractured! Molina was one tough cookie'.
Hunter espouses what he calls 'slip-slide style' old school techniques which allow fighters to work effectively in close range, with elbow locks and holds in the clinch.
"Amir's not ready to fight on the inside yet," Hunter said yesterday. "He has to understand the inside before he is ready to fight on the inside.
"I have not implemented any of those tactics with him yet. What I have done on the inside with him is work on escape routes. Fighting on the inside takes a lot of practice. We are talking about a kid who has quick feet, quick reflexes and quick reactions.
"Right now, he doesn't have to fight on the inside. All he has to do is move and get out of the way. I wanted to make it very simple that he didn't have to do anything he had to stop and think about."
What Hunter will be heartened by is Khan's return to the game plan, behind his jab, later in the fight against Molina.
Golden Boy, Khan's promoters, may yet decide to prepare a more cautious route back to a potential rematch against Garcia, if the Philadelphian comes through his February date with Judah. (© Daily Telegraph, London)
Boxing: Slick Khan broken but not beaten in comeback - Other Sports, Sport - Independent.ie