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10. Leo Santa Cruz
Pros: Fights at an absurdly relentless pace behind a high guard, using his long arms to punish with hooks to the body. He's as exciting on a minute-by-minute basis as any fighter in the sport. In his May 4 victory over Alexander Munoz, he became the first boxer in history to have both the Watson brothers and Mariachi Skull Guy in his corner at the same time during the prefight introductions. Now that's some serious representation.
Cons: Even with an ambitious five appearances on television in 2012, Santa Cruz needs a bit more time to build a bigger following and audience.
9. Victor Ortiz
Pros: It's getting to the point where fans can expect one of two scenarios each time Ortiz steps into the ring: It's either going to be a toe-to-toe battle or it'll end in a Tyson-esque meltdown. Sometimes we even get both. Interviews with Ortiz can be an equally bizarre ride. He is at times painfully honest -- such as following his loss to Marcos Maidana when, at 22, he openly contemplated retirement -- and at other times detached and almost unaware of the gravity of what just took place. He added to his fan base with a surprising appearance on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars" and never fails to entertain in some fashion.
Cons: Oritz is the kind of personality you can only take in occasional doses, unlike other polarizing fighters who draw you to the screen time and again, regardless of your level of loathing. And, of course, there's always that VO FaceLube commercial.
8. Canelo Alvarez
Pros: The red-haired and freckled Mexican warrior with the matinee idol looks is, despite having 43 pro fights under his belt, still just 22. Not only does he have an Oscar De La Hoya-like ability to attract mainstream female fans due to his smile, he brings in casual male fans with his exciting style. There's a certain star quality to Canelo that you can't teach, let alone describe, and few fighters his age have looked as comfortable as he does in the spotlight.
Cons: Up until this year, he had been brought along far too slowly for a fighter of his popularity and potential, feasting on an unexciting mix of faded names and journeyman contenders. Although he has made strides, he still isn't fluent enough in English to give his own interviews.
7. Gennady Golovkin
Pros: Has the face of a 12-year-old boy, but punches like Wreck-It Ralph. He also once endearingly referred to opponent Gabriel Rosado as "a good boy" in a postfight interview after stopping him. Such a polite fellow. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find another fighter who is as efficiently violent inside the ring and almost naively sweet outside of it. That contrast is compelling enough on its own, never mind his crushing right hand.
Cons: Despite the fact that he's been a middleweight titlist for three years and is a featured player on HBO, the only thing holding back Golovkin's ability to entertain is the fact that he’s too dangerous for his own good and could end up having difficulty finding big-name opponents -- same as Martinez did. But will it ever really get boring watching him knock out middle-of-the-road competition?
6. Amir Khan
Pros: The combination of his dynamic and top-end offensive talents mixed with his shaky chin make the vulnerable Khan, who fights with a tremendous amount of courage, a must-see attraction. He also has a way of speaking with a confidence that defies the reality of his own limitations, which is encouraging to some and tremendously irritating to others. Either way, we keep watching.
Cons: He's somehow equally overrated and underrated at the same time, making it impossible to get a grasp at any point on just how good he really is.
5. Manny Pacquiao
Pros: Still brings a very exciting style to the table and has arguably the most recognizable name among active fighters. Also, the expectant drama that should come as he attempts to recover from a brutal one-punch knockout against Juan Manuel Marquez while navigating the twilight of his career could be interesting. And, you know, there's always Buboy Fernandez.
Cons: Outside of a pair of recent bouts with Marquez, we really haven't seen Pacquiao in a competitive and evenly matched fight since 2009. The storylines in his personal life have also been played out ad nauseam in the various documentary series leading up to his fights.
4. Brandon Rios
Pros: There might not be another fighter in the sport who loves brawling at close range and testing his manhood more than Rios, who not only doesn't know how to make a bad fight, but might actually be crazy. Rios very well may have more talent and potential inside the ring than his style lets on, meaning he doesn't go to war each fight because he has to, but does so instead because it's too much fun for him not to. He's got the Gatti gene.
Cons: Only a lack of one-punch knockout power really separates Rios from becoming a breakout star and topping this list.
3. Lucas Matthysse
Pros: He has the best nickname in the sport -- "The Machine" -- and an explosive, wrecking-ball style to match. Oh yeah, and he don't need no stinking judges. (How does an 86.5 percent knockout rate grab ya?) Throw in the rat tail, tattoos and the raw emotion with which he fights, and Matthysse has become appointment viewing. The power in his hands, even on grazing shots, is frightening.
Cons: With his stock at the moment being as hot as a fighter's could be, Matthysse has a window to make a crossover leap. But although you could argue that his fists do enough talking for him, the opportunity to address the masses in English after one of his spectacular knockouts would greatly improve his value to the casual American audience.
2. Adrien Broner
Pros: If you find yourself irritated at the end of a Broner interview, it means he's doing it right. Although some say the fighter owes too much of his style and swagger to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Broner is slowly carving out his own niche with
Pros: Fights at an absurdly relentless pace behind a high guard, using his long arms to punish with hooks to the body. He's as exciting on a minute-by-minute basis as any fighter in the sport. In his May 4 victory over Alexander Munoz, he became the first boxer in history to have both the Watson brothers and Mariachi Skull Guy in his corner at the same time during the prefight introductions. Now that's some serious representation.
Cons: Even with an ambitious five appearances on television in 2012, Santa Cruz needs a bit more time to build a bigger following and audience.
9. Victor Ortiz
Pros: It's getting to the point where fans can expect one of two scenarios each time Ortiz steps into the ring: It's either going to be a toe-to-toe battle or it'll end in a Tyson-esque meltdown. Sometimes we even get both. Interviews with Ortiz can be an equally bizarre ride. He is at times painfully honest -- such as following his loss to Marcos Maidana when, at 22, he openly contemplated retirement -- and at other times detached and almost unaware of the gravity of what just took place. He added to his fan base with a surprising appearance on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars" and never fails to entertain in some fashion.
Cons: Oritz is the kind of personality you can only take in occasional doses, unlike other polarizing fighters who draw you to the screen time and again, regardless of your level of loathing. And, of course, there's always that VO FaceLube commercial.
8. Canelo Alvarez
Pros: The red-haired and freckled Mexican warrior with the matinee idol looks is, despite having 43 pro fights under his belt, still just 22. Not only does he have an Oscar De La Hoya-like ability to attract mainstream female fans due to his smile, he brings in casual male fans with his exciting style. There's a certain star quality to Canelo that you can't teach, let alone describe, and few fighters his age have looked as comfortable as he does in the spotlight.
Cons: Up until this year, he had been brought along far too slowly for a fighter of his popularity and potential, feasting on an unexciting mix of faded names and journeyman contenders. Although he has made strides, he still isn't fluent enough in English to give his own interviews.
7. Gennady Golovkin
Pros: Has the face of a 12-year-old boy, but punches like Wreck-It Ralph. He also once endearingly referred to opponent Gabriel Rosado as "a good boy" in a postfight interview after stopping him. Such a polite fellow. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find another fighter who is as efficiently violent inside the ring and almost naively sweet outside of it. That contrast is compelling enough on its own, never mind his crushing right hand.
Cons: Despite the fact that he's been a middleweight titlist for three years and is a featured player on HBO, the only thing holding back Golovkin's ability to entertain is the fact that he’s too dangerous for his own good and could end up having difficulty finding big-name opponents -- same as Martinez did. But will it ever really get boring watching him knock out middle-of-the-road competition?
6. Amir Khan
Pros: The combination of his dynamic and top-end offensive talents mixed with his shaky chin make the vulnerable Khan, who fights with a tremendous amount of courage, a must-see attraction. He also has a way of speaking with a confidence that defies the reality of his own limitations, which is encouraging to some and tremendously irritating to others. Either way, we keep watching.
Cons: He's somehow equally overrated and underrated at the same time, making it impossible to get a grasp at any point on just how good he really is.
5. Manny Pacquiao
Pros: Still brings a very exciting style to the table and has arguably the most recognizable name among active fighters. Also, the expectant drama that should come as he attempts to recover from a brutal one-punch knockout against Juan Manuel Marquez while navigating the twilight of his career could be interesting. And, you know, there's always Buboy Fernandez.
Cons: Outside of a pair of recent bouts with Marquez, we really haven't seen Pacquiao in a competitive and evenly matched fight since 2009. The storylines in his personal life have also been played out ad nauseam in the various documentary series leading up to his fights.
4. Brandon Rios
Pros: There might not be another fighter in the sport who loves brawling at close range and testing his manhood more than Rios, who not only doesn't know how to make a bad fight, but might actually be crazy. Rios very well may have more talent and potential inside the ring than his style lets on, meaning he doesn't go to war each fight because he has to, but does so instead because it's too much fun for him not to. He's got the Gatti gene.
Cons: Only a lack of one-punch knockout power really separates Rios from becoming a breakout star and topping this list.
3. Lucas Matthysse
Pros: He has the best nickname in the sport -- "The Machine" -- and an explosive, wrecking-ball style to match. Oh yeah, and he don't need no stinking judges. (How does an 86.5 percent knockout rate grab ya?) Throw in the rat tail, tattoos and the raw emotion with which he fights, and Matthysse has become appointment viewing. The power in his hands, even on grazing shots, is frightening.
Cons: With his stock at the moment being as hot as a fighter's could be, Matthysse has a window to make a crossover leap. But although you could argue that his fists do enough talking for him, the opportunity to address the masses in English after one of his spectacular knockouts would greatly improve his value to the casual American audience.
2. Adrien Broner
Pros: If you find yourself irritated at the end of a Broner interview, it means he's doing it right. Although some say the fighter owes too much of his style and swagger to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Broner is slowly carving out his own niche with
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Kery Davis, who has been a key and occasionally controversial figure for 15 years at HBO Sports, said Thursday he is leaving the network to pursue other, unspecified, opportunities.
The senior vice president of HBO Sports, Davis' role was, in large part, to buy the fights that HBO would broadcast. His departure, which he said is voluntary, is the first major change of the Ken Hershman Era.
Hershman began as president of HBO Sports in January 2012, succeeding Ross Greenburg, who had resigned under pressure in 2011.
"I have had 15 fulfilling years at HBO," Davis said. "Right now is the perfect time to transition. I have some meaningful goals left to accomplish in my work life. I look forward to maintaining my friendships at HBO."
There was intense speculation about Davis' job security shortly after Greenburg resigned. Davis was a key member of the Greenburg regime and came under extraordinary criticism from many in the media for a series of lackluster fights the network broadcast.
He was criticized for being too chummy with powerful boxing manager Al Haymon, a charge Davis always denied.
In a statement, Hershman praised Davis' work at HBO.
"For more than 15 years, Kery Davis was a major contributor to the HBO Boxing franchise, focused on delivering the finest in boxing programming to our subscribers.” Hershman said. "We wish him success with all of his new endeavors."
Y! SPORTS
The senior vice president of HBO Sports, Davis' role was, in large part, to buy the fights that HBO would broadcast. His departure, which he said is voluntary, is the first major change of the Ken Hershman Era.
Hershman began as president of HBO Sports in January 2012, succeeding Ross Greenburg, who had resigned under pressure in 2011.
"I have had 15 fulfilling years at HBO," Davis said. "Right now is the perfect time to transition. I have some meaningful goals left to accomplish in my work life. I look forward to maintaining my friendships at HBO."
There was intense speculation about Davis' job security shortly after Greenburg resigned. Davis was a key member of the Greenburg regime and came under extraordinary criticism from many in the media for a series of lackluster fights the network broadcast.
He was criticized for being too chummy with powerful boxing manager Al Haymon, a charge Davis always denied.
In a statement, Hershman praised Davis' work at HBO.
"For more than 15 years, Kery Davis was a major contributor to the HBO Boxing franchise, focused on delivering the finest in boxing programming to our subscribers.” Hershman said. "We wish him success with all of his new endeavors."
Y! SPORTS
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
There are many things a boxer can learn in the gym under a competent trainer: footwork, balance, a jab, defence and even how to throw a proper punch.
The one thing that can’t be mentored, and the one attribute Adonis Stevenson possesses, is power. The ability to destroy and annihilate an opponent when he connects. It’s a God-given talent. A fighter has it or he doesn’t. It’s that simple.
“When I throw a punch I feel, like, comfortable,” Stevenson, the new World Boxing Council light-heavyweight champion, said while laughing in the early moments of Sunday morning. “I just throw the punch and that’s it. I knock him out. It’s natural.”
Moments earlier, the clock literally struck midnight for Chad Dawson, his two-time reign as king of the 175-pound division now over. And, perhaps, his career as well.
Stevenson has everyone in the world of boxing blowing superlatives and waxing poetically following his one-round knockout victory over Dawson, before approximately 6,000 Bell Centre spectators.
Seventy-six seconds. That’s all it took for the carnage to be completed — the eighth consecutive KO victory by Stevenson, a 35-year-old resident of Longueuil, via Haiti, who improved his record to 21-1, including 18 KOs.
Dawson lost his second consecutive bout, after dropping down to super-middleweight last September, getting stopped by champ Andre Ward in the 10th round. Dawson, who now trains out of Las Vegas, slipped to 30-3. Coincidentally, two of those defeats have occurred in Montreal, a city he’ll only be too happy to see the last of from his rear-view mirror.
The end came from a right-jab, left-cross combination to Dawson’s head. Dawson, attempting to throw his own right, fell backwards like an oak tree, sprawled flat on his back. He barely beat referee Michael Griffin’s count, clearly dazed. Montreal native Griffin, an experienced international ref, asked Dawson to raise his hands. He didn’t. Instead, Dawson used the ropes for balance.
Griffin waved the bout over. Stevenson ran around the ring before falling to his knees, overcome with joy. Dawson and his trainer, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, vehemently protested, gesticulating at the arbiter.
“I didn’t think it was safe to let him continue, to be honest,” Griffin said. “I didn’t think he was prepared to defend himself. That’s why the referee’s there, because the fighters are prepared to continue and, evidently, the corner was ready to let him continue.”
The bout, between two southpaws, was televised in the United States by HBO.
Dawson didn’t make himself available to the media, but told HBO in the ring: “It was a punch I didn’t see. He caught me. That’s it. He caught me with a good punch.”
Dawson originally was scheduled for a rematch against Jean Pascal, but Pascal signed to meet Lucian Bute. Stevenson, in turn, was the mandatory challenger for International Boxing Federation super-middleweight champ Carl Froch. But Froch wanted a rematch against Mikkel Kessler. So Yvon Michel, Stevenson’s promoter, and New York-based agent and matchmaker Don Majeski begged HBO to agree to a fight between Dawson and Stevenson.
It’s funny how things work out. The savvy Majeski believed the timing to be perfect, Dawson ripe to be picked following his defeat to Ward.
“This was like a fairy-tale ending where you get to kiss the princess and she doesn’t turn into a frog,” Majeski said. “It was an amazing performance.
“We said last year this is the guy that’ll fill that void. He’s 35 in years, but he’s 21 in terms of his professional career. This is a guy that’s never been tested. He’s never had a hard fight. I still don’t know if he can fight. I know he can punch.”
Stevenson’s victory should revitalize the sport locally. Montreal had a string of world champs for many years, beginning in 2007. But when Pascal lost to Bernard Hopkins, and then Bute was demolished by Froch in May 2012, it appeared the well had run dry. Stevenson, a fresh face, will energize the local scene although, when Pascal and the injured Bute eventually do meet — perhaps December or January — the Bell Centre will be sold out.
“Boxing’s back,” Michel said. “You have to have a locomotive, something that drives people. This means a lot. Without that win ... who would be the next champion? When would we have another world-championship fight? A lot of our fighters are good, but they’re not there yet.
“For the first time here, ever, a company here can call the shots. They’re going to come after us.”
Indeed, Michel and HBO executives huddled into the wee hours of Sunday morning, already discussing potential moves. Britain’s Tony Bellew, ranked first in the WBC, is the mandatory challenger, but Stevenson hopes to fry bigger game. The list includes IBF light-heavyweight champ Hopkins; Ward, who happened to be sitting at ringside, part of HBO’s telecast; Froch; Kessler, even the potential winner between Bute and Pascal although, if it’s the latter, that would mean two from Michel’s stable meeting.
For now, all parties concerned would like to keep Stevenson at 175 pounds. He won’t be meeting Dawson again; there was no rematch clause although Gary Shaw, Dawson’s promoter, retains an option to Stevenson’s next bout — a clause Michel can purchase back.
“I was shocked at what I saw,” Shaw said. “Nothing can shock me in boxing.”
And so, Stevenson’s reign begins. In a previous life, he was no choir boy himself, having served four years in prison for pimping and assault. He started late in boxing and has worked hard at turning his life around, the epiphany undoubtedly occurring two years ago, when he landed at the Kronk gym in Detroit, training under the late Emanuel Steward.
“This is a fight that welcomed him to big-time boxing,” said Steward’s nephew, Javan Hill, who now works with the champ. “There was a lot of talk that Adonis didn’t have the experience ... he never fought anybody like Chad. Adonis fought good guys, not nobodies.”
Hill sheepishl
The one thing that can’t be mentored, and the one attribute Adonis Stevenson possesses, is power. The ability to destroy and annihilate an opponent when he connects. It’s a God-given talent. A fighter has it or he doesn’t. It’s that simple.
“When I throw a punch I feel, like, comfortable,” Stevenson, the new World Boxing Council light-heavyweight champion, said while laughing in the early moments of Sunday morning. “I just throw the punch and that’s it. I knock him out. It’s natural.”
Moments earlier, the clock literally struck midnight for Chad Dawson, his two-time reign as king of the 175-pound division now over. And, perhaps, his career as well.
Stevenson has everyone in the world of boxing blowing superlatives and waxing poetically following his one-round knockout victory over Dawson, before approximately 6,000 Bell Centre spectators.
Seventy-six seconds. That’s all it took for the carnage to be completed — the eighth consecutive KO victory by Stevenson, a 35-year-old resident of Longueuil, via Haiti, who improved his record to 21-1, including 18 KOs.
Dawson lost his second consecutive bout, after dropping down to super-middleweight last September, getting stopped by champ Andre Ward in the 10th round. Dawson, who now trains out of Las Vegas, slipped to 30-3. Coincidentally, two of those defeats have occurred in Montreal, a city he’ll only be too happy to see the last of from his rear-view mirror.
The end came from a right-jab, left-cross combination to Dawson’s head. Dawson, attempting to throw his own right, fell backwards like an oak tree, sprawled flat on his back. He barely beat referee Michael Griffin’s count, clearly dazed. Montreal native Griffin, an experienced international ref, asked Dawson to raise his hands. He didn’t. Instead, Dawson used the ropes for balance.
Griffin waved the bout over. Stevenson ran around the ring before falling to his knees, overcome with joy. Dawson and his trainer, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, vehemently protested, gesticulating at the arbiter.
“I didn’t think it was safe to let him continue, to be honest,” Griffin said. “I didn’t think he was prepared to defend himself. That’s why the referee’s there, because the fighters are prepared to continue and, evidently, the corner was ready to let him continue.”
The bout, between two southpaws, was televised in the United States by HBO.
Dawson didn’t make himself available to the media, but told HBO in the ring: “It was a punch I didn’t see. He caught me. That’s it. He caught me with a good punch.”
Dawson originally was scheduled for a rematch against Jean Pascal, but Pascal signed to meet Lucian Bute. Stevenson, in turn, was the mandatory challenger for International Boxing Federation super-middleweight champ Carl Froch. But Froch wanted a rematch against Mikkel Kessler. So Yvon Michel, Stevenson’s promoter, and New York-based agent and matchmaker Don Majeski begged HBO to agree to a fight between Dawson and Stevenson.
It’s funny how things work out. The savvy Majeski believed the timing to be perfect, Dawson ripe to be picked following his defeat to Ward.
“This was like a fairy-tale ending where you get to kiss the princess and she doesn’t turn into a frog,” Majeski said. “It was an amazing performance.
“We said last year this is the guy that’ll fill that void. He’s 35 in years, but he’s 21 in terms of his professional career. This is a guy that’s never been tested. He’s never had a hard fight. I still don’t know if he can fight. I know he can punch.”
Stevenson’s victory should revitalize the sport locally. Montreal had a string of world champs for many years, beginning in 2007. But when Pascal lost to Bernard Hopkins, and then Bute was demolished by Froch in May 2012, it appeared the well had run dry. Stevenson, a fresh face, will energize the local scene although, when Pascal and the injured Bute eventually do meet — perhaps December or January — the Bell Centre will be sold out.
“Boxing’s back,” Michel said. “You have to have a locomotive, something that drives people. This means a lot. Without that win ... who would be the next champion? When would we have another world-championship fight? A lot of our fighters are good, but they’re not there yet.
“For the first time here, ever, a company here can call the shots. They’re going to come after us.”
Indeed, Michel and HBO executives huddled into the wee hours of Sunday morning, already discussing potential moves. Britain’s Tony Bellew, ranked first in the WBC, is the mandatory challenger, but Stevenson hopes to fry bigger game. The list includes IBF light-heavyweight champ Hopkins; Ward, who happened to be sitting at ringside, part of HBO’s telecast; Froch; Kessler, even the potential winner between Bute and Pascal although, if it’s the latter, that would mean two from Michel’s stable meeting.
For now, all parties concerned would like to keep Stevenson at 175 pounds. He won’t be meeting Dawson again; there was no rematch clause although Gary Shaw, Dawson’s promoter, retains an option to Stevenson’s next bout — a clause Michel can purchase back.
“I was shocked at what I saw,” Shaw said. “Nothing can shock me in boxing.”
And so, Stevenson’s reign begins. In a previous life, he was no choir boy himself, having served four years in prison for pimping and assault. He started late in boxing and has worked hard at turning his life around, the epiphany undoubtedly occurring two years ago, when he landed at the Kronk gym in Detroit, training under the late Emanuel Steward.
“This is a fight that welcomed him to big-time boxing,” said Steward’s nephew, Javan Hill, who now works with the champ. “There was a lot of talk that Adonis didn’t have the experience ... he never fought anybody like Chad. Adonis fought good guys, not nobodies.”
Hill sheepishl
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2006/12/07
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London's Olympic Park will stage professional boxing in September at the Copper Box Arena, a venue that hosted handball and fencing in the modern pentathlon during last year's games.
A multi-fight agreement was struck Monday for Sept. 21 at the 7,000-seat venue nicknamed the "box that rocks" during the Olympics, including a British middleweight title bout between champion Billy Joe Saunders and John Ryder.
Organizers hope the deal will re-establish east London as "the spiritual home of boxing in the U.K." and demonstrate to tax-payers that venues constructed for the Olympics can have lasting benefits.
Promoter Frank Warren says "the Copper Box is what all the investment in the Olympics was about - legacy and giving London a fantastic arena."
The north park of the Olympic Park re-opens to the general public next month for the first time since the games.
Read More: London's Olympic Park to host professional boxing - MMA - SI-com
A multi-fight agreement was struck Monday for Sept. 21 at the 7,000-seat venue nicknamed the "box that rocks" during the Olympics, including a British middleweight title bout between champion Billy Joe Saunders and John Ryder.
Organizers hope the deal will re-establish east London as "the spiritual home of boxing in the U.K." and demonstrate to tax-payers that venues constructed for the Olympics can have lasting benefits.
Promoter Frank Warren says "the Copper Box is what all the investment in the Olympics was about - legacy and giving London a fantastic arena."
The north park of the Olympic Park re-opens to the general public next month for the first time since the games.
Read More: London's Olympic Park to host professional boxing - MMA - SI-com
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2006/12/07
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Just one year after completing an 11-year prison sentence, former WBA welterweight champion James Page has been accused of robbing eight banks, according to Ryan Maquinana of BoxingScene-com.
Page, who is suspected of robbing eight banks over the past three months in the San Francisco Bay Area, was arrested on Monday, according to Maquinana. The 42-year-old was booked on one count of robbery and is being held on $395,000 bail.
This isn't Page's first issue with bank robberies, as he was found guilty of robbing a Bank of America in Atlanta back in 2001, which led to his decade-plus spent behind bars.
Page won the WBA welterweight championship vacated by Ike Quartey in 1998 when he knocked out Russia's Andrey Pestryaev. Page, who went by the nickname "Mighty Quinn," successfully defended the belt three times before being stripped and ultimately losing to Andrew Lewis in his bid to regain the title. Page's first arrest and subsequent prison term for robbery came not long after his loss to Lewis. He attempted to make a boxing comeback in late 2012, but lost to Azerbaijan's Rahman Yusubov and has allegedly returned to a life of crime. It remains to be seen how things will play out for Page moving forward, but his past criminal record certainly won't do him any favors.
Stories of successful boxers squandering their careers are nothing new, but Page sadly appears to have taken things to a new level.
Former Boxing Champion James Page Arrested for Allegedly Robbing 8 Banks | Bleacher Report
Page, who is suspected of robbing eight banks over the past three months in the San Francisco Bay Area, was arrested on Monday, according to Maquinana. The 42-year-old was booked on one count of robbery and is being held on $395,000 bail.
This isn't Page's first issue with bank robberies, as he was found guilty of robbing a Bank of America in Atlanta back in 2001, which led to his decade-plus spent behind bars.
Page won the WBA welterweight championship vacated by Ike Quartey in 1998 when he knocked out Russia's Andrey Pestryaev. Page, who went by the nickname "Mighty Quinn," successfully defended the belt three times before being stripped and ultimately losing to Andrew Lewis in his bid to regain the title. Page's first arrest and subsequent prison term for robbery came not long after his loss to Lewis. He attempted to make a boxing comeback in late 2012, but lost to Azerbaijan's Rahman Yusubov and has allegedly returned to a life of crime. It remains to be seen how things will play out for Page moving forward, but his past criminal record certainly won't do him any favors.
Stories of successful boxers squandering their careers are nothing new, but Page sadly appears to have taken things to a new level.
Former Boxing Champion James Page Arrested for Allegedly Robbing 8 Banks | Bleacher Report
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2006/12/07
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Mike Oliver's last bout was 20 months ago in Puerto Rico, a loss to Juan Manuel Lopez on a technical knockout in the second round.
Oliver, a Hartford featherweight, needed time to recuperate from that fight. He rested his body and mind, stepping away from the sport that consumed his life. But at 33, he was not ready to step away. So when the opportunity to jump back in the ring against former champion Billy Dib presented itself, Oliver and his manager, Sammy Vega, signed on. Oliver was added to the July 5 card Wednesday afternoon, just hours before Curtis Jackson III — otherwise known as a rapper 50 Cent — stepped to the podium to promote the ESPN "Friday Night Fights" show at the Connecticut Convention Center.
The event is billed as "50 Cent's Birthday Bash" because it comes the night before the rapper turns 38 and will feature an array of Hartford and New Haven fighters on the undercard. But amid the boxers, managers, trainers and a celebrity rapper on the podium Wednesday, Oliver was a familiar face for local boxing fans.
"I'm back," Oliver said as he took the microphone. "I'm really back, I'm really hungry."
Oliver, whose first professional fight was in 2001, is 25-3 and was once a rising star. He lost consecutive bouts in 2008, but he was fighting well with four wins in a row before his loss in Puerto Rico.
The loss to Lopez was emphatic, though, and Oliver needed some time off. Still, he soon found himself itching to get back into the ring.
"Of course I missed it … I'm very excited to get back," Oliver said. "I feel 100 percent strong now, better than I did in 2011 when I went to Puerto Rico. I'm ready. I'm physically ready. … I'm excited to prove to people that I'm back."
As Oliver looks to revive his career, he'll face a challenging opponent next month. Dib, an Australian, is the former IBF featherweight champion and IBO super featherweight champion. Dib is coming off a March loss to Evgeny Gradovich at Foxwoods, so he'll be hungry, too.
Vega admits it would have been nice to give Oliver a bout before facing an opponent of Dib's stature. But the opportunity is immense — if Oliver can upset Dib in a bout promoted by 50 Cent and on national TV, his career will be back on track.
"He's hungry, he's going to be home and he's going to have the support from his crowd," said Vega, a former amateur boxing champion. "It will be a tough fight. We know that. But we know that Mikey can make it happen and when he does, it's going to put Mike where he left off."
The main event at the Convention Center will pit Eleider Alvarez against Allan Green in a light heavyweight bout. Besides Oliver, other state fighters on the card include Javier "El Chino" Flores and Oscar Diaz of Hartford, and Jimmy Williams, Nate Green and David Wilson of New Haven.
"It's special for me to be home," Oliver said. "It will be special to get a good win back here in my hometown."
Rapper 50 Cent Promotes Boxing: Rapper 50 Cent was in Hartford Wednesday to promote a July boxing card - Courant-com
Oliver, a Hartford featherweight, needed time to recuperate from that fight. He rested his body and mind, stepping away from the sport that consumed his life. But at 33, he was not ready to step away. So when the opportunity to jump back in the ring against former champion Billy Dib presented itself, Oliver and his manager, Sammy Vega, signed on. Oliver was added to the July 5 card Wednesday afternoon, just hours before Curtis Jackson III — otherwise known as a rapper 50 Cent — stepped to the podium to promote the ESPN "Friday Night Fights" show at the Connecticut Convention Center.
The event is billed as "50 Cent's Birthday Bash" because it comes the night before the rapper turns 38 and will feature an array of Hartford and New Haven fighters on the undercard. But amid the boxers, managers, trainers and a celebrity rapper on the podium Wednesday, Oliver was a familiar face for local boxing fans.
"I'm back," Oliver said as he took the microphone. "I'm really back, I'm really hungry."
Oliver, whose first professional fight was in 2001, is 25-3 and was once a rising star. He lost consecutive bouts in 2008, but he was fighting well with four wins in a row before his loss in Puerto Rico.
The loss to Lopez was emphatic, though, and Oliver needed some time off. Still, he soon found himself itching to get back into the ring.
"Of course I missed it … I'm very excited to get back," Oliver said. "I feel 100 percent strong now, better than I did in 2011 when I went to Puerto Rico. I'm ready. I'm physically ready. … I'm excited to prove to people that I'm back."
As Oliver looks to revive his career, he'll face a challenging opponent next month. Dib, an Australian, is the former IBF featherweight champion and IBO super featherweight champion. Dib is coming off a March loss to Evgeny Gradovich at Foxwoods, so he'll be hungry, too.
Vega admits it would have been nice to give Oliver a bout before facing an opponent of Dib's stature. But the opportunity is immense — if Oliver can upset Dib in a bout promoted by 50 Cent and on national TV, his career will be back on track.
"He's hungry, he's going to be home and he's going to have the support from his crowd," said Vega, a former amateur boxing champion. "It will be a tough fight. We know that. But we know that Mikey can make it happen and when he does, it's going to put Mike where he left off."
The main event at the Convention Center will pit Eleider Alvarez against Allan Green in a light heavyweight bout. Besides Oliver, other state fighters on the card include Javier "El Chino" Flores and Oscar Diaz of Hartford, and Jimmy Williams, Nate Green and David Wilson of New Haven.
"It's special for me to be home," Oliver said. "It will be special to get a good win back here in my hometown."
Rapper 50 Cent Promotes Boxing: Rapper 50 Cent was in Hartford Wednesday to promote a July boxing card - Courant-com
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New Zealand's Joseph Parker announced his arrival in the ranks of respected heavyweights last night with a second round knockout which pitched durable South African heavyweight Francois Botha into retirement.
After the fight, Botha acknowledged that his 62-fight, 23-year career was over - though he is not quite done with boxing yet.
He has exhibition fights planned with former world champions Evander Holyfield (in Tanzania) and Mike Tyson (in the Congo) to raise money for children's charity and said last night that the Parker fight would be his last competitive effort.
"He [Parker] proved it tonight," said Botha when asked if Parker was a better boxer than Sonny Bill Williams, who defeated Botha in controversial circumstances in their fight recently. "He is much, much better and he has a really good future. You know, if I was going to keep boxing, I had to beat Sonny Bill and I had to beat Baby Joseph - but he retired me instead."
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Parker was his ice-cold calm when he arrived in the ring last night. There were no obvious signs of nerves or stress, unusual in a 21-year-old and Parker put it down to Team Parker and his mates picking on an unusual way to prepare for a fight: "We just put some music on and did some dancing.
It's a really good way to prepare for a fight and I found it made me relaxed and happy. I was a bit nervous about not being nervous but it was a good result."
Trainer Kevin Barry, delighted with the outcome, said: "He was so calm and composed and in the dressing room, he was listening to me and focusing and staying cool and staying with the game plan and, when you see that in a 21-year-old, you know you are seeing maturity beyond his years. I thought it was a tremendous performance."
Most had picked Parker to win, courtesy of his long reach and handspeed, but that prediction came with the caveat that he would be unlikely to knock out the tough Botha, who has footed it with some of the world's great heavyweights in a long career.
That's how it looked after a largely quiet first round where Parker was still finding his range and the wily Botha was slipping punches, leaning back, with clever head movement.
That all changed in the second round. Botha came on strongly for a time but one flashing combination showed Parker's danger and speed. When he caught Botha with a right hand, the 44-year-old wobbled and Parker launched a blistering attack which ended only when the referee called matters off.
It was a fine, if brief, display by Parker which demonstrated all the potential he has, beginning a professional career which is beginning to flower just as New Zealand's best known heavyweight, David Tua, is on the comeback trail.
Tua would love to have the speed of Parker's punches and Parker has definitely put down a marker. The next boxers approached to take him on will look at him carefully.
The night had started well for the Botha family, with Francois' son Marcel, 23, making his professional debut against Jeremy Sebastian, brother of Australian singer Guy, in their welterweight clash over four rounds. Sebastian probably won the first round but Botha started to find his range in the second and third rounds and won a unanimous points decision, egged on by father Francois from the sidelines.
Celebrities from the world of sport and media were among the crowd of about 2000 at the black tie dinner at Trusts Arena. On the guest list were former Warriors stalwarts Monty Betham and Wairangi Koopu, Millie Holmes, former All Black and Blues captain Ali Williams, team-mate Anthony Boric, Australian underworld celebrity Mick Gatto, Teulia Blakely, TV's Shortland Street actors Benjamin Mitchell and Pua Magasiva, Laura McGoldrick and Gretchen Hawkesby. There was also a large representation from radio, there to see the The Rock v Mai FM clash between Bryce Casey and Nickson Clark.
Gatto, a former top-line boxer, was acquitted by a Supreme Court jury of the 2004 murder of a Melbourne hitman. Last year, he survived a A$10 million tax bill to sit ringside with some of Melbourne gangland's biggest names at Shane Cameron's bout against Danny Green.
He also drew criticism last month after it was revealed he had won a boxing licence allowing him to stage bouts in Victoria. Victorian premier, Dr Denis Napthine, said he didn't want Gatto running boxing events in his state.
Fight For Life promoters - Duco Events, who staged last night's bout - had been hopeful of persuading Gatto into the ring at some stage and maybe that prospect was a little closer with the appearance of Gatto last night, though the word is that Gatto's 57-year-old knees may preclude a comeback, even for Fight For Life.
On the undercard, Australian late call-up Arlene Blencowe surprised by beating 40-year-old former world champion Daniella Smith for the vacant women's WIBA light welterweight world crown. The surprise extended to Blencowe herself who made a tearful speech of thanks at the bout's end, only her third fight.
RESULTS:
On the undercard, the bouts were decided as follows:
- Marcel Botha (South Africa) defeated Jeremy Sebastian (Australia) - welterweight, unanimous decision.
- Sam Rapira (NZ) defeated Viliami Taofi (Tonga) - light heavyweight, referee stopped contest, rd 1.
- Daniella Smith (NZ) lost to Arlene Blencoe (Australia) - women's WIBA light welterweight world title, unanimous decision.
- Bryce Casey (The Rock) defeated Nickson Clark (Mai FM), unanimous decision.
- Jordan Tuigamala (NZ) defeated Joey Allen (NZ) - super middleweight, unanimous decision.
- Colin Lane lost to Matthew Wood (dwarf boxing) - unanimous decision
Boxing: Parker delivers second round KO - Sport - NZ Herald News
After the fight, Botha acknowledged that his 62-fight, 23-year career was over - though he is not quite done with boxing yet.
He has exhibition fights planned with former world champions Evander Holyfield (in Tanzania) and Mike Tyson (in the Congo) to raise money for children's charity and said last night that the Parker fight would be his last competitive effort.
"He [Parker] proved it tonight," said Botha when asked if Parker was a better boxer than Sonny Bill Williams, who defeated Botha in controversial circumstances in their fight recently. "He is much, much better and he has a really good future. You know, if I was going to keep boxing, I had to beat Sonny Bill and I had to beat Baby Joseph - but he retired me instead."
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Parker was his ice-cold calm when he arrived in the ring last night. There were no obvious signs of nerves or stress, unusual in a 21-year-old and Parker put it down to Team Parker and his mates picking on an unusual way to prepare for a fight: "We just put some music on and did some dancing.
It's a really good way to prepare for a fight and I found it made me relaxed and happy. I was a bit nervous about not being nervous but it was a good result."
Trainer Kevin Barry, delighted with the outcome, said: "He was so calm and composed and in the dressing room, he was listening to me and focusing and staying cool and staying with the game plan and, when you see that in a 21-year-old, you know you are seeing maturity beyond his years. I thought it was a tremendous performance."
Most had picked Parker to win, courtesy of his long reach and handspeed, but that prediction came with the caveat that he would be unlikely to knock out the tough Botha, who has footed it with some of the world's great heavyweights in a long career.
That's how it looked after a largely quiet first round where Parker was still finding his range and the wily Botha was slipping punches, leaning back, with clever head movement.
That all changed in the second round. Botha came on strongly for a time but one flashing combination showed Parker's danger and speed. When he caught Botha with a right hand, the 44-year-old wobbled and Parker launched a blistering attack which ended only when the referee called matters off.
It was a fine, if brief, display by Parker which demonstrated all the potential he has, beginning a professional career which is beginning to flower just as New Zealand's best known heavyweight, David Tua, is on the comeback trail.
Tua would love to have the speed of Parker's punches and Parker has definitely put down a marker. The next boxers approached to take him on will look at him carefully.
The night had started well for the Botha family, with Francois' son Marcel, 23, making his professional debut against Jeremy Sebastian, brother of Australian singer Guy, in their welterweight clash over four rounds. Sebastian probably won the first round but Botha started to find his range in the second and third rounds and won a unanimous points decision, egged on by father Francois from the sidelines.
Celebrities from the world of sport and media were among the crowd of about 2000 at the black tie dinner at Trusts Arena. On the guest list were former Warriors stalwarts Monty Betham and Wairangi Koopu, Millie Holmes, former All Black and Blues captain Ali Williams, team-mate Anthony Boric, Australian underworld celebrity Mick Gatto, Teulia Blakely, TV's Shortland Street actors Benjamin Mitchell and Pua Magasiva, Laura McGoldrick and Gretchen Hawkesby. There was also a large representation from radio, there to see the The Rock v Mai FM clash between Bryce Casey and Nickson Clark.
Gatto, a former top-line boxer, was acquitted by a Supreme Court jury of the 2004 murder of a Melbourne hitman. Last year, he survived a A$10 million tax bill to sit ringside with some of Melbourne gangland's biggest names at Shane Cameron's bout against Danny Green.
He also drew criticism last month after it was revealed he had won a boxing licence allowing him to stage bouts in Victoria. Victorian premier, Dr Denis Napthine, said he didn't want Gatto running boxing events in his state.
Fight For Life promoters - Duco Events, who staged last night's bout - had been hopeful of persuading Gatto into the ring at some stage and maybe that prospect was a little closer with the appearance of Gatto last night, though the word is that Gatto's 57-year-old knees may preclude a comeback, even for Fight For Life.
On the undercard, Australian late call-up Arlene Blencowe surprised by beating 40-year-old former world champion Daniella Smith for the vacant women's WIBA light welterweight world crown. The surprise extended to Blencowe herself who made a tearful speech of thanks at the bout's end, only her third fight.
RESULTS:
On the undercard, the bouts were decided as follows:
- Marcel Botha (South Africa) defeated Jeremy Sebastian (Australia) - welterweight, unanimous decision.
- Sam Rapira (NZ) defeated Viliami Taofi (Tonga) - light heavyweight, referee stopped contest, rd 1.
- Daniella Smith (NZ) lost to Arlene Blencoe (Australia) - women's WIBA light welterweight world title, unanimous decision.
- Bryce Casey (The Rock) defeated Nickson Clark (Mai FM), unanimous decision.
- Jordan Tuigamala (NZ) defeated Joey Allen (NZ) - super middleweight, unanimous decision.
- Colin Lane lost to Matthew Wood (dwarf boxing) - unanimous decision
Boxing: Parker delivers second round KO - Sport - NZ Herald News
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Riddick Bowe now understands why people warned him that Muay Thai is a dangerous sport.
"I would have to say, they have a valid point," said Bowe, after his debut in Thai kickboxing ended with a thud in the second round. "It's much harder than boxing."
The former world heavyweight boxing champion had hoped to prove his critics wrong and show that he could comeback from retirement into an entirely new sport and revive some of his past glory. But Bowe is now 45 and weighs 300 pounds, and he looked it Friday in his first fight since 2008.
Slow and out of shape, the fighter known as "Big Daddy" took a big beating from his 30-year-old unheralded Russian opponent Levgen Golovin, who attacked with repeated kicks to the shins that knocked Bowe off his feet five times. The bout ended with a technical knockout after his last fall when Bowe sat on the ground clutching his legs, wincing in pain.
"You can recover from a head shot or a body shot, but when you get kicked in the leg it lasts a long time," Bowe said, as his trainer iced his left shin. "My leg is still hurting. I don't know how long it's been -- 15 minutes?"
Not once during the brief fight, which ended 2 minutes into the second round, did Bowe land a punch or a kick. But he was happy to trade barbs with reporters afterward showing the wit that made him one of boxing's charismatic personalities during his brief reign as champion two decades ago.
"This ain't a setback it's a getback," Bowe said, referring to his comeback. "I had a lot of fun. I'm going to do it again. Next time it's going to be different."
Like so many boxers, Bowe lost the struggle to stay out of the ring. He had his reasons: He's bored with retirement; his millions are gone and he needs the money; he misses the adoration of fans; he loves to fight -- and knows little else.
Bowe said he was inspired by the comeback of George Foreman, who won a heavyweight title at age 45. But the comebacks of aging champions don't always go so well. Think of Muhammad Ali, at 38 and two years after retirement, taking punishment round after round from Larry Holmes. There was onetime heavyweight champion Greg Page coming back and nearly losing his life for a few thousand dollars. Heavyweight great Joe Louis paid dearly for his attempt to come back at an advanced age.
Bowe escaped without serious injury and made $150,000 for his Muay Thai debut, organized by Thai promoters trying to increase the international appeal of Thailand's national sport. The money is a far cry from the millions he earned by beating Evander Holyfield in 1992 to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.
In his heyday, Bowe fought on boxing's grandest stages in Las Vegas and New York.
His return to fighting took place at an outdoor ring set up beside the beach in Pattaya, a Thai town best known for its sprawling seaside red-light district.
Surveying the scene before the fight started, Bowe shook his head sadly.
"I should be moving up, but I'm moving backwards here," he said.
His fight was one of a dozen at the venue, which had the atmosphere of a village fairground with loud music and amusement park rides nearby. Promoters had said they hoped to draw about 20,000 people, but a crowd closer to 1,000 turned up even though admission was free.
On a sweltering night, Bowe sat and sweated for hours as he waited his turn to fight. The venue had no changing rooms, so Bowe and other fighters stripped down and changed in open air tents beside the stage.
"I've never seen anything like this," Bowe said, his spirits lifted by fans who came up to ask for autographs and wish him luck.
One American fan stared in awe at Bowe.
"He was such an underrated and great champion," said Jerry Mathison, a former fighter turned songwriter who lives in Thailand. "I can't believe he's here, in Pattaya."
In some ways, Friday's fight is the latest bizarre episode for Bowe, whose life in and out of the ring was marked by drama.
One of his three fights against Holyfield was interrupted by a parachutist who landed beside the ring. A fight against Andrew Golota in 1996 set off a riot in the ring at Madison Square Garden. Bowe left boxing later in 1996 at 29 for a career in the U.S. Marines, but that lasted only a few days. He then served 17 months in prison for interstate domestic violence after going to North Carolina to haul his now-former wife and their five children back home to Maryland.
Despite his loss, Bowe was optimistic before limping away into a car.
"Hey, we're going to do this again. I'll be back soon," he said. "I'm not a quitter. I want to do it until I get it right."
Bowe's opponent shook his head in disbelief when told the aging boxer plans to return to Muay Thai.
"It would be a big mistake. It's not for him," said Golovin, a trim and fit 220 pounds. "He's too slow and a bit too old."
Ex-boxing champ Riddick Bowe punished in MMA debut - ESPN
"I would have to say, they have a valid point," said Bowe, after his debut in Thai kickboxing ended with a thud in the second round. "It's much harder than boxing."
The former world heavyweight boxing champion had hoped to prove his critics wrong and show that he could comeback from retirement into an entirely new sport and revive some of his past glory. But Bowe is now 45 and weighs 300 pounds, and he looked it Friday in his first fight since 2008.
Slow and out of shape, the fighter known as "Big Daddy" took a big beating from his 30-year-old unheralded Russian opponent Levgen Golovin, who attacked with repeated kicks to the shins that knocked Bowe off his feet five times. The bout ended with a technical knockout after his last fall when Bowe sat on the ground clutching his legs, wincing in pain.
"You can recover from a head shot or a body shot, but when you get kicked in the leg it lasts a long time," Bowe said, as his trainer iced his left shin. "My leg is still hurting. I don't know how long it's been -- 15 minutes?"
Not once during the brief fight, which ended 2 minutes into the second round, did Bowe land a punch or a kick. But he was happy to trade barbs with reporters afterward showing the wit that made him one of boxing's charismatic personalities during his brief reign as champion two decades ago.
"This ain't a setback it's a getback," Bowe said, referring to his comeback. "I had a lot of fun. I'm going to do it again. Next time it's going to be different."
Like so many boxers, Bowe lost the struggle to stay out of the ring. He had his reasons: He's bored with retirement; his millions are gone and he needs the money; he misses the adoration of fans; he loves to fight -- and knows little else.
Bowe said he was inspired by the comeback of George Foreman, who won a heavyweight title at age 45. But the comebacks of aging champions don't always go so well. Think of Muhammad Ali, at 38 and two years after retirement, taking punishment round after round from Larry Holmes. There was onetime heavyweight champion Greg Page coming back and nearly losing his life for a few thousand dollars. Heavyweight great Joe Louis paid dearly for his attempt to come back at an advanced age.
Bowe escaped without serious injury and made $150,000 for his Muay Thai debut, organized by Thai promoters trying to increase the international appeal of Thailand's national sport. The money is a far cry from the millions he earned by beating Evander Holyfield in 1992 to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.
In his heyday, Bowe fought on boxing's grandest stages in Las Vegas and New York.
His return to fighting took place at an outdoor ring set up beside the beach in Pattaya, a Thai town best known for its sprawling seaside red-light district.
Surveying the scene before the fight started, Bowe shook his head sadly.
"I should be moving up, but I'm moving backwards here," he said.
His fight was one of a dozen at the venue, which had the atmosphere of a village fairground with loud music and amusement park rides nearby. Promoters had said they hoped to draw about 20,000 people, but a crowd closer to 1,000 turned up even though admission was free.
On a sweltering night, Bowe sat and sweated for hours as he waited his turn to fight. The venue had no changing rooms, so Bowe and other fighters stripped down and changed in open air tents beside the stage.
"I've never seen anything like this," Bowe said, his spirits lifted by fans who came up to ask for autographs and wish him luck.
One American fan stared in awe at Bowe.
"He was such an underrated and great champion," said Jerry Mathison, a former fighter turned songwriter who lives in Thailand. "I can't believe he's here, in Pattaya."
In some ways, Friday's fight is the latest bizarre episode for Bowe, whose life in and out of the ring was marked by drama.
One of his three fights against Holyfield was interrupted by a parachutist who landed beside the ring. A fight against Andrew Golota in 1996 set off a riot in the ring at Madison Square Garden. Bowe left boxing later in 1996 at 29 for a career in the U.S. Marines, but that lasted only a few days. He then served 17 months in prison for interstate domestic violence after going to North Carolina to haul his now-former wife and their five children back home to Maryland.
Despite his loss, Bowe was optimistic before limping away into a car.
"Hey, we're going to do this again. I'll be back soon," he said. "I'm not a quitter. I want to do it until I get it right."
Bowe's opponent shook his head in disbelief when told the aging boxer plans to return to Muay Thai.
"It would be a big mistake. It's not for him," said Golovin, a trim and fit 220 pounds. "He's too slow and a bit too old."
Ex-boxing champ Riddick Bowe punished in MMA debut - ESPN
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It means the WBO featherweight title is vacant after the unbeaten American failed to make weight.
The 25-year-old Garcia knocked Lopez down with a right cross in the second round and put his opponent on the canvas again with a strong left-hand 1:34 into the fourth round.
"The disappointment was there because I lost my title," Garcia said after his 32nd consecutive victory.
"I was crying a little bit because I knew I wasn't the champion. But everybody got a chance to see I'm a good fighter. This was a satisfying victory."
"It's not that I wanted to make a statement. We just had a really good night," the Californian added after his 27th career knockout.
The 25-year-old Garcia knocked Lopez down with a right cross in the second round and put his opponent on the canvas again with a strong left-hand 1:34 into the fourth round.
"The disappointment was there because I lost my title," Garcia said after his 32nd consecutive victory.
"I was crying a little bit because I knew I wasn't the champion. But everybody got a chance to see I'm a good fighter. This was a satisfying victory."
"It's not that I wanted to make a statement. We just had a really good night," the Californian added after his 27th career knockout.
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Their relationship as fighter and trainer provided James Warring and Dave Clark countless memories through a boxing journey that included championship achievement.
Warring and Clark will have another occasion for additional recollections. On Sunday, Warring and Clark will be inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony will culminate a weekend of festivities at the Wyndham Hotel in Tampa.
“I never dreamed of an honor like this,” Clark said. “Boxing has been my life. Thanks to boxing, I was able to travel all over the world and it didn’t cost me a cent.”
Clark, 81, worked as a trainer with the Miami-Dade County amateur boxing program for 32 years until his retirement in 2003. Clark also is lauded for training Warring and Robert Daniels to professional world titles. Daniels became the first native Miamian to win a professional world belt in 1989, followed by Warring’s title-winning performance two years later.
“James was such a smart fighter, so disciplined,” said Clark, a Coral Springs resident. “When I found out we were in the same Hall of Fame group, it made the selection even more special.
“I have been truly blessed. I enjoyed the opportunity of going to the gym every day and teaching kids like James not only about boxing but life’s challenges. To this day, I get phone calls or cards from many of them during Christmas and Father’s Day.”
Originally a kickboxer, Warring, 54, met Clark when he joined the Tropical Gym’s amateur program after a college football career at Eastern Illinois University.
“I turned to boxing to help me with kickboxing,” Warring said. “Boxing became more than an activity and I decided to pursue it as a career.”
Warring, who lives in South Dade and currently runs an after-school program at the 27th Avenue Gym in Liberty City, knew of Clark’s work with Daniels and 1980s heavyweight contender Jose Ribalta.
“Dave was a great teacher and coach and I appreciated what he did with my career,” Warring said. “People have told me I should have been in the Hall of Fame sooner, but God has a plan for everything. I feel great that Dave and I are going in together.”
Warring, who remains active in the sport as a referee, won the world cruiserweight title, knocking out James Pritchard 24 seconds into their fight in Italy.
“I didn’t have a chance to see the knockout,” Clark said. “I was going down the steps to settle on my seat at ringside and when I turn around there is all this commotion. The fight was over.”
Clark and Warring credit Dwaine Simpson, the retired director of the Miami-Dade amateur boxing program, for the influential role he played in their careers. Simpson, a Florida Boxing Hall of Fame inductee two years ago, also was instrumental in nominating Clark and Warring for this year’s class.
“Dave is the best boxing teacher that I’ve ever known, bar none,” Simpson said. “The world is full of trainers — they can get you in shape and tell you what to do. But there are a few left that can teach you what to do. Dave was that type of trainer.
“James showed what a fighter can accomplish with determination and the willingness to learn. Of all the boxers that came through our program, James stood out not only for his skills and dedication but how he treated people.”
In addition to Clark and Warring, the 2013 Florida Boxing Hall of Fame class features other members of the local boxing community: trainers Howard Davis Jr. and Roberto Quesada, promoters Brad Jacobs and Henry Rivalta, and retired boxing writer Sharon Robb.
“With the exception of my family, boxing is what I love more than anything in the world,” said Quesada, who has worked with 17 world champions in a 37-year career. “God has blessed me with the opportunity to work in a sport that I know and love the most.”
Luis Sarria, one of the notable trainers in the original 5th Street Gym and a member of Muhammad Ali’s training team in the 1960s and 1970s, will be inducted posthumously.
Read more here: James Warring, Dave Clark to enter Florida Boxing Hall of Fame - Boxing - MiamiHerald-com
Warring and Clark will have another occasion for additional recollections. On Sunday, Warring and Clark will be inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony will culminate a weekend of festivities at the Wyndham Hotel in Tampa.
“I never dreamed of an honor like this,” Clark said. “Boxing has been my life. Thanks to boxing, I was able to travel all over the world and it didn’t cost me a cent.”
Clark, 81, worked as a trainer with the Miami-Dade County amateur boxing program for 32 years until his retirement in 2003. Clark also is lauded for training Warring and Robert Daniels to professional world titles. Daniels became the first native Miamian to win a professional world belt in 1989, followed by Warring’s title-winning performance two years later.
“James was such a smart fighter, so disciplined,” said Clark, a Coral Springs resident. “When I found out we were in the same Hall of Fame group, it made the selection even more special.
“I have been truly blessed. I enjoyed the opportunity of going to the gym every day and teaching kids like James not only about boxing but life’s challenges. To this day, I get phone calls or cards from many of them during Christmas and Father’s Day.”
Originally a kickboxer, Warring, 54, met Clark when he joined the Tropical Gym’s amateur program after a college football career at Eastern Illinois University.
“I turned to boxing to help me with kickboxing,” Warring said. “Boxing became more than an activity and I decided to pursue it as a career.”
Warring, who lives in South Dade and currently runs an after-school program at the 27th Avenue Gym in Liberty City, knew of Clark’s work with Daniels and 1980s heavyweight contender Jose Ribalta.
“Dave was a great teacher and coach and I appreciated what he did with my career,” Warring said. “People have told me I should have been in the Hall of Fame sooner, but God has a plan for everything. I feel great that Dave and I are going in together.”
Warring, who remains active in the sport as a referee, won the world cruiserweight title, knocking out James Pritchard 24 seconds into their fight in Italy.
“I didn’t have a chance to see the knockout,” Clark said. “I was going down the steps to settle on my seat at ringside and when I turn around there is all this commotion. The fight was over.”
Clark and Warring credit Dwaine Simpson, the retired director of the Miami-Dade amateur boxing program, for the influential role he played in their careers. Simpson, a Florida Boxing Hall of Fame inductee two years ago, also was instrumental in nominating Clark and Warring for this year’s class.
“Dave is the best boxing teacher that I’ve ever known, bar none,” Simpson said. “The world is full of trainers — they can get you in shape and tell you what to do. But there are a few left that can teach you what to do. Dave was that type of trainer.
“James showed what a fighter can accomplish with determination and the willingness to learn. Of all the boxers that came through our program, James stood out not only for his skills and dedication but how he treated people.”
In addition to Clark and Warring, the 2013 Florida Boxing Hall of Fame class features other members of the local boxing community: trainers Howard Davis Jr. and Roberto Quesada, promoters Brad Jacobs and Henry Rivalta, and retired boxing writer Sharon Robb.
“With the exception of my family, boxing is what I love more than anything in the world,” said Quesada, who has worked with 17 world champions in a 37-year career. “God has blessed me with the opportunity to work in a sport that I know and love the most.”
Luis Sarria, one of the notable trainers in the original 5th Street Gym and a member of Muhammad Ali’s training team in the 1960s and 1970s, will be inducted posthumously.
Read more here: James Warring, Dave Clark to enter Florida Boxing Hall of Fame - Boxing - MiamiHerald-com
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The Massachusetts Fallen Heroes are fighting back.
Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Bay State has lost 170 heroes in the global war on terror, according to Dan Magoon, president and founder of Massachusetts Fallen Heroes. Next Tuesday, 20 veterans of the US armed services, law enforcement, and firefighters (including Boston Marathon first responders) will lace up the gloves in the “Fight for the Fallen” boxing card, proceeds of which will help create a permanent memorial in Boston to honor the fallen men and women and establish a support network for their families.
The fisticuffs will begin at Hynes Auditorium at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $30; VIP tickets are $100. Visit The Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial for more information.
The local heroes have been training in sweaty gyms — punching bags, skipping rope, and sparring against each other — for weeks. They removed their mouthguards long enough to voice their thoughts on their mission and why they are supporting the cause.
■ Dan McMorrow, Boston Police officer and US Marine Corps, served in Iraq:
“It’s good that Iraq is in the rearview mirror. It’s going to be great when Afghanistan is in the rearview mirror, but up until that happens, we still can’t let our guard down, just like here. You can’t let it down here. You can’t let it down there.
“I’m doing this because being a US Marine and a Boston Police officer and American, I’m very, very proud of the mission at hand. I was privileged to serve over there in Iraq two times with the Marine Corps. I’ve always been a supporter of Mass. Fallen Heroes, and this tattoo on my arm has an 11 — that’s for the 11 guys we lost in my battalion in my first tour in Iraq, so it’s important to me to get involved in it.
“I continue to serve my city. I’m too old for the Marine Corps but not too old to box. When they said there was a boxing event, the adrenaline junkie in me just wanted to get involved in it. I’ll be hitting my 50th birthday, and to raise some money for the event, it’s a win-win for me and for everybody involved.”
■ Sean Milliken, 31, Boston firefighter (Ladder One) and US Navy, twice deployed off Iran, Iraq, and Somalia:
“I was stationed on a guided missile destroyer, the USS Ramage out of Norfolk, Va. The worst part was probably just being at sea for 50 days straight in the Middle East.
“I’m doing it for all the guys that died in Iraq and Afghanistan that are from the Commonwealth, and for the Marathon bombing victims and my brother and all the guys on active duty. “
■ Dan Corey, Boston firefighter (Ladder 24) and US Marine Corps, served in Iraq in 2005 and 2007.
“Any highway there is a highway of death. 2005 was a lot worse. Stuff was a lot crazier. The worst day was when we lost guys. That’s it. Suicide bombers. I don’t want to get into all the details, but we lost Marines.
“Everyone mourns, but there’s really nothing you can do. You’re still there. You keep your mind off of it, [but] it will stay with you for the rest of your life. The worst thing you can do is bottle it up. I learned to talk to people about it and get it all out. I learned and I’m doing pretty good.
“I love the sport of boxing. Just doing this little bit shows you how much I respect the sport. It’s great. Just the dedication, the training. I mean, it sucks at first because you get your head punched in in the ring. It gets frustrating. It doesn’t matter how big or how strong or how quick you think you are.”
■ Jeremiah Foley, Boston firefighter (Tower Ladder 10) and US Marines, served two tours in Afghanistan:
“I don’t talk about it. Most Americans don’t understand about it. Americans are at the mall, so they don’t understand. They weren’t there.
“Boxing is an art. You’re moving at different angles with your footwork. A street fight is furious and there’s no art to it. A lot of dudes can bang but they’d get [messed] up in the ring. It’s a great workout.
“I think it’s a great cause. It’s a way to remember all my friends who can’t be here anymore or are [missing] legs and upper limbs. So this is a piece that I can give back to them.”
■ Lt. Paul McCarthy, Massachusetts State Police:
“The gym I work out in is the same gym Bomber No. 1 worked out in. I was familiar with him. I’ve done a little sparring with him. He’s not a good person — I knew that before — just very standoffish and abrasive. Unfriendly.
“He was respectful in the ring. He could’ve really hurt me, he’s that good. He had a shot at the Olympics.
“I wasn’t fond of him. It seemed like he had a lot of time to train. I’m in there various hours with my busy schedule and he’s in there all the time. Of course, I had to earn my money and he’s got it given to him. So who wouldn’t be good if you could train 6-8 hours a day? But that’s the system we live in, I guess.’’
■ Robert Flynn, US Marine Corps, served two tours in Afghanistan:
“The hottest days there were the worst. One day it was 130 degrees. I’m walking around carrying 80 pounds of gear, patrolling anywhere from 3-10 miles. We drank a lot of hot water. We had no refrigerators out there so we would bury our water in the dirt and try and keep it temperate at least. We were out in the sun all day, scorching hot.
“I’m fighting for all the men and women in Massachusetts who have fallen for our country. The bombings break my heart. I’d do anything to go back. I’d fight more to protect our country. Do whatever I could to keep this from happening ever again.”
■ Bill Bulger, Milton Police officer:
“The soldiers have been forgotten because [the wars] have been going on for so long. [People] are more apt to freak out when it happens in their neck of the woods, in their backyard, in your backyard.
“But you can’t forget about it. I don’t. Every time I hear of a soldier getting killed, I take a moment of si
Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Bay State has lost 170 heroes in the global war on terror, according to Dan Magoon, president and founder of Massachusetts Fallen Heroes. Next Tuesday, 20 veterans of the US armed services, law enforcement, and firefighters (including Boston Marathon first responders) will lace up the gloves in the “Fight for the Fallen” boxing card, proceeds of which will help create a permanent memorial in Boston to honor the fallen men and women and establish a support network for their families.
The fisticuffs will begin at Hynes Auditorium at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $30; VIP tickets are $100. Visit The Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial for more information.
The local heroes have been training in sweaty gyms — punching bags, skipping rope, and sparring against each other — for weeks. They removed their mouthguards long enough to voice their thoughts on their mission and why they are supporting the cause.
■ Dan McMorrow, Boston Police officer and US Marine Corps, served in Iraq:
“It’s good that Iraq is in the rearview mirror. It’s going to be great when Afghanistan is in the rearview mirror, but up until that happens, we still can’t let our guard down, just like here. You can’t let it down here. You can’t let it down there.
“I’m doing this because being a US Marine and a Boston Police officer and American, I’m very, very proud of the mission at hand. I was privileged to serve over there in Iraq two times with the Marine Corps. I’ve always been a supporter of Mass. Fallen Heroes, and this tattoo on my arm has an 11 — that’s for the 11 guys we lost in my battalion in my first tour in Iraq, so it’s important to me to get involved in it.
“I continue to serve my city. I’m too old for the Marine Corps but not too old to box. When they said there was a boxing event, the adrenaline junkie in me just wanted to get involved in it. I’ll be hitting my 50th birthday, and to raise some money for the event, it’s a win-win for me and for everybody involved.”
■ Sean Milliken, 31, Boston firefighter (Ladder One) and US Navy, twice deployed off Iran, Iraq, and Somalia:
“I was stationed on a guided missile destroyer, the USS Ramage out of Norfolk, Va. The worst part was probably just being at sea for 50 days straight in the Middle East.
“I’m doing it for all the guys that died in Iraq and Afghanistan that are from the Commonwealth, and for the Marathon bombing victims and my brother and all the guys on active duty. “
■ Dan Corey, Boston firefighter (Ladder 24) and US Marine Corps, served in Iraq in 2005 and 2007.
“Any highway there is a highway of death. 2005 was a lot worse. Stuff was a lot crazier. The worst day was when we lost guys. That’s it. Suicide bombers. I don’t want to get into all the details, but we lost Marines.
“Everyone mourns, but there’s really nothing you can do. You’re still there. You keep your mind off of it, [but] it will stay with you for the rest of your life. The worst thing you can do is bottle it up. I learned to talk to people about it and get it all out. I learned and I’m doing pretty good.
“I love the sport of boxing. Just doing this little bit shows you how much I respect the sport. It’s great. Just the dedication, the training. I mean, it sucks at first because you get your head punched in in the ring. It gets frustrating. It doesn’t matter how big or how strong or how quick you think you are.”
■ Jeremiah Foley, Boston firefighter (Tower Ladder 10) and US Marines, served two tours in Afghanistan:
“I don’t talk about it. Most Americans don’t understand about it. Americans are at the mall, so they don’t understand. They weren’t there.
“Boxing is an art. You’re moving at different angles with your footwork. A street fight is furious and there’s no art to it. A lot of dudes can bang but they’d get [messed] up in the ring. It’s a great workout.
“I think it’s a great cause. It’s a way to remember all my friends who can’t be here anymore or are [missing] legs and upper limbs. So this is a piece that I can give back to them.”
■ Lt. Paul McCarthy, Massachusetts State Police:
“The gym I work out in is the same gym Bomber No. 1 worked out in. I was familiar with him. I’ve done a little sparring with him. He’s not a good person — I knew that before — just very standoffish and abrasive. Unfriendly.
“He was respectful in the ring. He could’ve really hurt me, he’s that good. He had a shot at the Olympics.
“I wasn’t fond of him. It seemed like he had a lot of time to train. I’m in there various hours with my busy schedule and he’s in there all the time. Of course, I had to earn my money and he’s got it given to him. So who wouldn’t be good if you could train 6-8 hours a day? But that’s the system we live in, I guess.’’
■ Robert Flynn, US Marine Corps, served two tours in Afghanistan:
“The hottest days there were the worst. One day it was 130 degrees. I’m walking around carrying 80 pounds of gear, patrolling anywhere from 3-10 miles. We drank a lot of hot water. We had no refrigerators out there so we would bury our water in the dirt and try and keep it temperate at least. We were out in the sun all day, scorching hot.
“I’m fighting for all the men and women in Massachusetts who have fallen for our country. The bombings break my heart. I’d do anything to go back. I’d fight more to protect our country. Do whatever I could to keep this from happening ever again.”
■ Bill Bulger, Milton Police officer:
“The soldiers have been forgotten because [the wars] have been going on for so long. [People] are more apt to freak out when it happens in their neck of the woods, in their backyard, in your backyard.
“But you can’t forget about it. I don’t. Every time I hear of a soldier getting killed, I take a moment of si
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A Lonsdale boxing champion's belt belonging to a boxer who became the first in his category to win it outright is being auctioned.
Johnny Basham from Newport was British welterweight champion for three years running from 1914 to 1916.
But his story had dark episodes as he faced a manslaughter charge after an opponent died and he endured poverty, forcing his widow to sell the belt.
The auction at Bonham's in Chester is expected to fetch £30,000. Basham was born in Newport in 1890 and took up boxing in professionally in 1909. A slim-framed man, he was said to have lightning punching power, and became a local and national figure in the boxing world.
He first took the British welterweight title in 1914 a few months after the outbreak of World War I.
He had joined the Army in 1912 and as a Royal Welch Fusilier was stationed at the Barracks in Hightown, Wrexham, with many of his fights taking place in the town or in nearby Liverpool.
Whilst the war interfered with his boxing career, he still managed to defend his title in 1915 and 1916, meaning he was awarded the Lonsdale belt outright.
During the war Basham was a member of an elite corps of boxers known as the Famous Six who worked as army physical training instructors. The group included Cardiff fighter "Peerless" Jim Driscoll, a British and Commonwealth featherweight champion.
His career took a nasty turn when an opponent, Harry Price, died in the ring and he faced manslaughter charges. He received a lot of public support, but still had to face a trial. Fortunately for him, the magistrate ruled that the fight had been conducted along sporting lines and Basham was acquitted.
When the war finished, the boxer resumed his fighting full-time and in 1921 took the British and European middleweight champion titles in a single fight. Johnny Basham was the first person in the welterweight category to win the Lonsdale belt outright after three successive victories as British champion
Basham was known as a generous man and despite earning a fair amount in his career ended his time in poverty.
During WWII, he could often be found in pubs among American troops displaying his belt in the hope they would buy him drinks.
He remained a popular figure in Newport in his lifetime, and a sportsman's committee organised a boxing tournament with the aim of raising money to provide him with a pension. Sadly, he died just a week before the event in 1947.
'Centre of attention'
His grave remained marked only with a plain wooden cross until 40 years later when Newport and its twin town Heidenheim in Germany held a boxing tournament in the city and raised money for a memorial stone.
Boxing historian Gareth Jones said: "When you think of Welsh boxing from 100 years ago, you think of Jim Driscoll, Freddie Welsh and Jimmy Wilde.
"In the next tier would be Johnny Basham. He won a British and European title at two different weights which I don't think any other Welsh fighter has done.
"It's a pity that he's not up there with the others. He's not a name that that's known among non-boxing aficionados."
Mr Jones added the story of Basham's fall into poverty was common enough among boxers and other sportsmen who came from nothing, spending the money they earned on their friends and spreading the wealth around while they had it.
He added: "When they have been the centre of attention, what do they do when it finishes? A lot of them turn to drink. Johnny Basham seems to have done that."
BBC News - Boxing champion Johnny Basham's Lonsdale belt auctioned
Johnny Basham from Newport was British welterweight champion for three years running from 1914 to 1916.
But his story had dark episodes as he faced a manslaughter charge after an opponent died and he endured poverty, forcing his widow to sell the belt.
The auction at Bonham's in Chester is expected to fetch £30,000. Basham was born in Newport in 1890 and took up boxing in professionally in 1909. A slim-framed man, he was said to have lightning punching power, and became a local and national figure in the boxing world.
He first took the British welterweight title in 1914 a few months after the outbreak of World War I.
He had joined the Army in 1912 and as a Royal Welch Fusilier was stationed at the Barracks in Hightown, Wrexham, with many of his fights taking place in the town or in nearby Liverpool.
Whilst the war interfered with his boxing career, he still managed to defend his title in 1915 and 1916, meaning he was awarded the Lonsdale belt outright.
During the war Basham was a member of an elite corps of boxers known as the Famous Six who worked as army physical training instructors. The group included Cardiff fighter "Peerless" Jim Driscoll, a British and Commonwealth featherweight champion.
His career took a nasty turn when an opponent, Harry Price, died in the ring and he faced manslaughter charges. He received a lot of public support, but still had to face a trial. Fortunately for him, the magistrate ruled that the fight had been conducted along sporting lines and Basham was acquitted.
When the war finished, the boxer resumed his fighting full-time and in 1921 took the British and European middleweight champion titles in a single fight. Johnny Basham was the first person in the welterweight category to win the Lonsdale belt outright after three successive victories as British champion
Basham was known as a generous man and despite earning a fair amount in his career ended his time in poverty.
During WWII, he could often be found in pubs among American troops displaying his belt in the hope they would buy him drinks.
He remained a popular figure in Newport in his lifetime, and a sportsman's committee organised a boxing tournament with the aim of raising money to provide him with a pension. Sadly, he died just a week before the event in 1947.
'Centre of attention'
His grave remained marked only with a plain wooden cross until 40 years later when Newport and its twin town Heidenheim in Germany held a boxing tournament in the city and raised money for a memorial stone.
Boxing historian Gareth Jones said: "When you think of Welsh boxing from 100 years ago, you think of Jim Driscoll, Freddie Welsh and Jimmy Wilde.
"In the next tier would be Johnny Basham. He won a British and European title at two different weights which I don't think any other Welsh fighter has done.
"It's a pity that he's not up there with the others. He's not a name that that's known among non-boxing aficionados."
Mr Jones added the story of Basham's fall into poverty was common enough among boxers and other sportsmen who came from nothing, spending the money they earned on their friends and spreading the wealth around while they had it.
He added: "When they have been the centre of attention, what do they do when it finishes? A lot of them turn to drink. Johnny Basham seems to have done that."
BBC News - Boxing champion Johnny Basham's Lonsdale belt auctioned
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2006/12/07
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29893
He Miami Heat’s epic win against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the NBA Finals in overtime on Tuesday night was as exciting as anything I’ve seen in sports in a long time. And it got me thinking -- what if the insanity that often prevails in the boxing business was extended to pro basketball?
If this Heat-Spurs series was boxing:
• There would be no deciding Game 7 because one team would refuse to take random drug tests and the other team would insist on taking most of the money.
• There would be no Game 7 because the Heat would be ordered face the last-place Orlando Magic instead.
• There would be no Game 7 because one team would sign with Top Rank and one team would go with Golden Boy.
• There would be no Game 7 because one team would want it on HBO and one would want to play on Showtime.
• It wouldn't matter who won Game 7 because some sanctioning organization would just give both teams titles, for a small sanctioning fee, of course.
• There would be a Game 7, but it would be on pay-per-view and cost fans $59.95 ($69.95 in HD).
• There would be a Game 7, but not until 2015, when the teams would make a deal to play it. Gotta let it marinate!
What if NBA Finals were boxing? - Dan Rafael Blog - ESPN
If this Heat-Spurs series was boxing:
• There would be no deciding Game 7 because one team would refuse to take random drug tests and the other team would insist on taking most of the money.
• There would be no Game 7 because the Heat would be ordered face the last-place Orlando Magic instead.
• There would be no Game 7 because one team would sign with Top Rank and one team would go with Golden Boy.
• There would be no Game 7 because one team would want it on HBO and one would want to play on Showtime.
• It wouldn't matter who won Game 7 because some sanctioning organization would just give both teams titles, for a small sanctioning fee, of course.
• There would be a Game 7, but it would be on pay-per-view and cost fans $59.95 ($69.95 in HD).
• There would be a Game 7, but not until 2015, when the teams would make a deal to play it. Gotta let it marinate!
What if NBA Finals were boxing? - Dan Rafael Blog - ESPN
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A former professional boxing world champion from Pittsburg was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday on charges of robbing six East Bay banks, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
James Page, 42, who won the World Boxing Association's welterweight title in 1998, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of bank robbery.
Authorities say Page stole $17,796 from banks in Walnut Creek, Pleasanton, Oakley, Emeryville, Antioch and Lafayette between March 6 and June 8. Initially, authorities said he robbed eight banks.
A break in the robbery investigation came on May 29 after Oakley officers responded to a domestic dispute between Page and another person, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Oakley police recognized Page's truck as matching the description of a vehicle involved in a bank robbery earlier that day in Oakley.
In that incident, the robber handed a teller a note demanding money, police said. No gun was seen.
Authorities found that Page had served 11 years in federal prison for a bank robbery in Atlanta in 2001, leading them to arrest him on June 10 in Oakland. He later admitted to robbing the Oakley bank, authorities said.
A call to Page's attorney was not immediately returned.
Page, a native of Pittsburg, began his boxing career locally but quickly climbed the ladder of fame, attracting the attention of boxing promoter Don King and knocking out Russian Andrei Pestriaev in two rounds in Paris to win the World Boxing Association title in 1998.
Trouble soon found him, however. He was stripped of his title for failing to show up to a mandatory fight in 2000 and was arrested for a bank robbery a short time after his final professional fight to win back the title.
In a jailhouse interview with this newspaper earlier this month, Page said, "It's something I got to fight. I'll have my day in court."
Page, who remains in federal custody, is scheduled to appear for arraignment June 27 in federal court in Oakland.
Former boxing world champion, a Pittsburg native, indicted on bank robbery charges - ContraCostaTimes-com
James Page, 42, who won the World Boxing Association's welterweight title in 1998, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of bank robbery.
Authorities say Page stole $17,796 from banks in Walnut Creek, Pleasanton, Oakley, Emeryville, Antioch and Lafayette between March 6 and June 8. Initially, authorities said he robbed eight banks.
A break in the robbery investigation came on May 29 after Oakley officers responded to a domestic dispute between Page and another person, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Oakley police recognized Page's truck as matching the description of a vehicle involved in a bank robbery earlier that day in Oakley.
In that incident, the robber handed a teller a note demanding money, police said. No gun was seen.
Authorities found that Page had served 11 years in federal prison for a bank robbery in Atlanta in 2001, leading them to arrest him on June 10 in Oakland. He later admitted to robbing the Oakley bank, authorities said.
A call to Page's attorney was not immediately returned.
Page, a native of Pittsburg, began his boxing career locally but quickly climbed the ladder of fame, attracting the attention of boxing promoter Don King and knocking out Russian Andrei Pestriaev in two rounds in Paris to win the World Boxing Association title in 1998.
Trouble soon found him, however. He was stripped of his title for failing to show up to a mandatory fight in 2000 and was arrested for a bank robbery a short time after his final professional fight to win back the title.
In a jailhouse interview with this newspaper earlier this month, Page said, "It's something I got to fight. I'll have my day in court."
Page, who remains in federal custody, is scheduled to appear for arraignment June 27 in federal court in Oakland.
Former boxing world champion, a Pittsburg native, indicted on bank robbery charges - ContraCostaTimes-com
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2006/12/07
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29893
Most of the greatest stars in modern boxing told us they were the best. Floyd Mayweather is screaming in our ear today, and Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali echoed the chants and pounded their chest before him.
Adrien Broner is aiming for being the greatest. Or at least he is screaming the same song of past champs. That much we’ll give him. The boxing public agrees that Broner talks a good game. Where he stands on pound-for-pound lists or in the level of past champions is a debate that hasn’t even started for the 23 year-old, two-division champ.
But today, Broner is a star because he audaciously says he’s the best and acquires a love or hate relationship with the media and boxing fans.
Like him or not, Broner is doing something right. The guy fights like Mayweather with one punch knockout power. And there is little neutrality with boxing fans when the “Can Man” goes off on a tangent about why he is the future of boxing. He talks a good game and backs it up. All 26 of Broner’s opponents failed to beat him—22 lost by knockout. Count a knockout for Broner against public opinion as well.
Do you remember a young Kobe Bryant emulating Michael Jordan on the basketball court, with his tongue wag and hand gestures?
That’s who Broner reminds me of. The dude is a Mayweather mini-me. But unlike Kobe, who denied his infatuation to be like MJ, Broner embraces any comparison to Money May. He’ll jump at every chance to praise himself, and Mayweather and the two hang out like friends. Broner stays close to Floyd outside of the ring and fights like him inside of it. That doesn’t make him a star. That makes him smart.
And if Broner wins when he moves up two weight classes to fight Paulie Malignaggi for the welterweight title this Saturday, he will probably have more reason to brag and give us more reason to watch.
Or maybe give us more reason to admire or detest.
Say what you will about Broner’s opposition thus far, and doubt his ability, it really doesn’t matter. The guy is a ball of entertainment filled in a 140 pound chiseled body that is looking for a knockout in every fight. Some fans will pay for a Mayweather fight just to see him lose. Broner has that quality. Some fans glue themselves to a TV to see Kobe fail to live up to his lofty expectations. Broner has that quality. Yet, Broner continues to win just like Kobe and Floyd. And no matter what our opinion is on the supposed future of boxing, it gives us reason to debate his presence.
He makes us wonder why we should watch him fight. Who is this guy? And why should I watch him? Guys like that don’t grow on trees. Neither do stars.
Broner is always smiling and having a blast in front of our eyes. He raps his own song on the way to the ring, usually knocks out his opponent and dances his way home. Mistake his confidence for arrogance, or challenge his level of opposition, do what you want and say what you say.
If he makes you wonder, he makes you watch. And sometimes in sports, that’s all it takes to become a star.
The Case for Adrien Broner as the Best Young Star in Boxing | Bleacher Report
Adrien Broner is aiming for being the greatest. Or at least he is screaming the same song of past champs. That much we’ll give him. The boxing public agrees that Broner talks a good game. Where he stands on pound-for-pound lists or in the level of past champions is a debate that hasn’t even started for the 23 year-old, two-division champ.
But today, Broner is a star because he audaciously says he’s the best and acquires a love or hate relationship with the media and boxing fans.
Like him or not, Broner is doing something right. The guy fights like Mayweather with one punch knockout power. And there is little neutrality with boxing fans when the “Can Man” goes off on a tangent about why he is the future of boxing. He talks a good game and backs it up. All 26 of Broner’s opponents failed to beat him—22 lost by knockout. Count a knockout for Broner against public opinion as well.
Do you remember a young Kobe Bryant emulating Michael Jordan on the basketball court, with his tongue wag and hand gestures?
That’s who Broner reminds me of. The dude is a Mayweather mini-me. But unlike Kobe, who denied his infatuation to be like MJ, Broner embraces any comparison to Money May. He’ll jump at every chance to praise himself, and Mayweather and the two hang out like friends. Broner stays close to Floyd outside of the ring and fights like him inside of it. That doesn’t make him a star. That makes him smart.
And if Broner wins when he moves up two weight classes to fight Paulie Malignaggi for the welterweight title this Saturday, he will probably have more reason to brag and give us more reason to watch.
Or maybe give us more reason to admire or detest.
Say what you will about Broner’s opposition thus far, and doubt his ability, it really doesn’t matter. The guy is a ball of entertainment filled in a 140 pound chiseled body that is looking for a knockout in every fight. Some fans will pay for a Mayweather fight just to see him lose. Broner has that quality. Some fans glue themselves to a TV to see Kobe fail to live up to his lofty expectations. Broner has that quality. Yet, Broner continues to win just like Kobe and Floyd. And no matter what our opinion is on the supposed future of boxing, it gives us reason to debate his presence.
He makes us wonder why we should watch him fight. Who is this guy? And why should I watch him? Guys like that don’t grow on trees. Neither do stars.
Broner is always smiling and having a blast in front of our eyes. He raps his own song on the way to the ring, usually knocks out his opponent and dances his way home. Mistake his confidence for arrogance, or challenge his level of opposition, do what you want and say what you say.
If he makes you wonder, he makes you watch. And sometimes in sports, that’s all it takes to become a star.
The Case for Adrien Broner as the Best Young Star in Boxing | Bleacher Report
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Adrien “The Problem” Broner got the victory in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center over Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi. No big surprise to most people.
But the win wasn’t much of a victory. Broner (27-0, 22 KOs) was expected to dominate Malignaggi (32-5, 7 KOs) and prove himself. It didn’t happen. Malignaggi stayed busy and stayed on his feet the whole fight. He was more aggressive than Broner, particularly in the first half of the fight. He hit Broner plenty, if not hard. He had a game plan and he stuck to it.
Broner starts slow but by the third or fourth round, he takes charge and takes care of business. Although Broner did come out to play, fans who kept expecting to see him stop Malignaggi kept expecting something until the final bell.
Judge Tom Miller had it for Malignaggi, 115-113; Judges Glen Feldman and Tom Schreck saw it for Broner, 115-113 and 117-111.
Malignaggi has heart and determination. He pleased his hometown Brooklyn fans and he proved himself worthy of the matchup, a victory in its own way. He had far less trouble with Broner than with Miguel Cotto or Amir Khan. This is damning stuff when you’re Adrien Broner.
Malignaggi said after the fight, “”I’m not going to lie, it could have gone either way. But I don’t think you take the belt from the champion in his hometown.” He went on to say that the fans got their money’s worth, and that he’d made plenty of money in boxing and has a great career on Showtime. He went on to made accusations of fight fixing and blasted boxing politics. Is this an admission he’s done with fighting?
After the fight and again in the post-fight news conference, Broner said he would let his fans pick his next opponent. Discussion on Twitter immediately turned to Marcos Maidana, who had a sweet little knockout win over Josesito Lopez. Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer said, “In my opinion, Adrien Broner versus Marcos Maidana is one of the hottest fights in the 147 pound division.” How about Lucas Matthysse? Robert Guerrero’s name also surfaced. So did Gennady Golovkin among some wisenheimers on Twitter. As if.
Broner’s naysayers (and they are many) says he still hasn’t faced anyone considered a real threat. Whoever Broner fights, he’s now under increasing pressure to deliver a breakout performance in the ring. You can keep winning and still lose the fans. Meanwhile, Broner needs to dial back the trash talk and less than admirable behavior outside the ring, including the stuff he engaged in after the fight, which I won’t reward him by repeating.
Two men who have earned respect outside of the ring didn’t meet expectations in their rematch tonight. Seth Mitchell (26-1-0, 19 KOs) made it even, winning back his title belt from Johnathon Banks (29-2-1, 19 KOs) in a unanimous decision. Banks went down in the second round, but the replay showed it was more a loss of balance. Banks hurt Mitchell at the end of the third round, but he couldn’t finish the job. Mitchell stayed in it, and the two slugged and slogged through the mud to finish 12 rounds with Mitchell taking a narrowly scored unanimous decision.
Read more: Boxing results: Broner wins split decision, doesn
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But the win wasn’t much of a victory. Broner (27-0, 22 KOs) was expected to dominate Malignaggi (32-5, 7 KOs) and prove himself. It didn’t happen. Malignaggi stayed busy and stayed on his feet the whole fight. He was more aggressive than Broner, particularly in the first half of the fight. He hit Broner plenty, if not hard. He had a game plan and he stuck to it.
Broner starts slow but by the third or fourth round, he takes charge and takes care of business. Although Broner did come out to play, fans who kept expecting to see him stop Malignaggi kept expecting something until the final bell.
Judge Tom Miller had it for Malignaggi, 115-113; Judges Glen Feldman and Tom Schreck saw it for Broner, 115-113 and 117-111.
Malignaggi has heart and determination. He pleased his hometown Brooklyn fans and he proved himself worthy of the matchup, a victory in its own way. He had far less trouble with Broner than with Miguel Cotto or Amir Khan. This is damning stuff when you’re Adrien Broner.
Malignaggi said after the fight, “”I’m not going to lie, it could have gone either way. But I don’t think you take the belt from the champion in his hometown.” He went on to say that the fans got their money’s worth, and that he’d made plenty of money in boxing and has a great career on Showtime. He went on to made accusations of fight fixing and blasted boxing politics. Is this an admission he’s done with fighting?
After the fight and again in the post-fight news conference, Broner said he would let his fans pick his next opponent. Discussion on Twitter immediately turned to Marcos Maidana, who had a sweet little knockout win over Josesito Lopez. Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer said, “In my opinion, Adrien Broner versus Marcos Maidana is one of the hottest fights in the 147 pound division.” How about Lucas Matthysse? Robert Guerrero’s name also surfaced. So did Gennady Golovkin among some wisenheimers on Twitter. As if.
Broner’s naysayers (and they are many) says he still hasn’t faced anyone considered a real threat. Whoever Broner fights, he’s now under increasing pressure to deliver a breakout performance in the ring. You can keep winning and still lose the fans. Meanwhile, Broner needs to dial back the trash talk and less than admirable behavior outside the ring, including the stuff he engaged in after the fight, which I won’t reward him by repeating.
Two men who have earned respect outside of the ring didn’t meet expectations in their rematch tonight. Seth Mitchell (26-1-0, 19 KOs) made it even, winning back his title belt from Johnathon Banks (29-2-1, 19 KOs) in a unanimous decision. Banks went down in the second round, but the replay showed it was more a loss of balance. Banks hurt Mitchell at the end of the third round, but he couldn’t finish the job. Mitchell stayed in it, and the two slugged and slogged through the mud to finish 12 rounds with Mitchell taking a narrowly scored unanimous decision.
Read more: Boxing results: Broner wins split decision, doesn
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When it comes time to draw up lists of the hottest fighters, most of the names are obvious. Lucas Matthysse is coming off a brutal TKO of world champion Lamont Peterson. The junior welterweight is one of the most enthusiastically talked about fighters in the sport.
Floyd Mayweather and Saul Alvarez will spend the summer promoting one of the biggest pay-per-view events of recent years. That's as hot as you can get in boxing.
I won't be discussing them, or other usual suspects, such as Guillermo Rigondeaux or Gennady Golovkin. This is a stock-watch list for fighters who are on the rise, but not yet at the very top of the sport.
These are fighters who have recently won big fights in an impressive manner, putting them in position for major opportunities.
Who's Hot and Who's Not in Boxing? | Bleacher Report
Floyd Mayweather and Saul Alvarez will spend the summer promoting one of the biggest pay-per-view events of recent years. That's as hot as you can get in boxing.
I won't be discussing them, or other usual suspects, such as Guillermo Rigondeaux or Gennady Golovkin. This is a stock-watch list for fighters who are on the rise, but not yet at the very top of the sport.
These are fighters who have recently won big fights in an impressive manner, putting them in position for major opportunities.
Who's Hot and Who's Not in Boxing? | Bleacher Report
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Floyd Mayweather and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez stared each other down for nearly a minute and the cheers from the fans packed into Times Square grew louder by the second.
This is the matchup they've been waiting to see: Four belts, two undefeated fan favorites _ and a title fight simply billed as "The One."
"Canelo, I appreciate you for taking the fight," Mayweather said on a steamy Monday in the heart of Manhattan in front of a few thousand fans standing behind metal barriers or sitting in temporary bleachers with Broadway marquees serving as a colorful backdrop.
"Now," Mayweather said, "let's give the fans what they want to see."
The fighters kicked off an 11-city tour to officially announce and promote their title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sept. 14. The promotional tour includes stops in cities such as Washington D.C., Chicago, Miami and Mexico City, and is jumpstarting the hype ahead of one of boxing's most anticipated bouts in recent memory.
Mayweather, 36, is unbeaten in 44 fights with the last a unanimous 12-round decision over Robert Guerrero on May 4 in defense of his 147-pound title.
"The Earth is my turf," Mayweather said. "You can put me in any ring and I will always come out victorious."
Alvarez, a 22-year-old star from Mexico, is 42-0-1 and unified the 154-pound titles in April with a unanimous victory over Austin Trout on April 20.
"In the sport of boxing, it's everybody's time, and this is my time," Alvarez said through a translator as fans chanted "Mex-i-co!"
"I'm going to win."
The 12-round fight will be contested at 152 pounds with both men's super welterweight/junior middleweight titles on the line _ Mayweather's WBA super welterweight "super" championship, and Alvarez's WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine super welterweight championships.
The bout, expected to be a monstrous draw on pay-per-view for Showtime, also just might satisfy many fans who had been wishing during the last several years for Mayweather to take on Manny Pacquiao.
"In every sport, there are certain rare occasions when you have the best fighting the best," said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports. "The Super Bowl, Final Four, the college football national championship. Sept. 14 will be one of those occasions _ the two biggest stars in the sport, the two biggest fan bases.
"We have America's No. 1 fighter versus Mexico's No. 1 fighter. We have the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport versus the No. 1 new star in the sport."
There remains some dispute over who set the 152-pound catch weight, with Mayweather's camp saying Alvarez's people brought it up first. Alvarez, however, insisted it was Mayweather who decided on having both fight at 152 pounds instead of 154.
"It wasn't me," Alvarez told reporters before the news conference. "I don't want to fight 2 pounds below my weight class."
There was also some contention between the two because Alvarez chose to headline his own fight card against Trout rather than be included on the undercard of Mayweather-Guerrero card. But both fighters agreed that this is a matchup that needed to happen.
"I've visualized this fight for years," Alvarez said, "and I feel I'm going to win."
The fighters each announced on Twitter last month that they would face each other, exciting boxing fans around the world. Monday's event marked perhaps the sport's most ambitious promotional tour since Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya also stopped in 11 cities before their 2007 bout _ won by Mayweather. Alvarez has been picking De La Hoya's brain about fighting Mayweather, and the former champion believes the young star has a few advantages _ including youth _ he didn't have.
"I used reckless pressure and he's going to use smart pressure," De La Hoya said. "That's what going to be the difference. ... And I have three letters for (Alvarez): jab."
Each fighter took a stroll down a makeshift red carpet leading to the dais with pops of confetti marking their entrances. Mayweather received a noticeable amount of boos with the crowd appearing to slightly favor Alvarez.
One fan, though, got Mayweather to crack up when he held up a Chucky doll from the "Child's Play" movie franchise, taking a clear shot at Alvarez's hair color.
The two took their seats after their stare-down _ Mayweather next to Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO Mayweather Promotions, and Alvarez next to De la Hoya, the president of Golden Boy Promotions. It was a mostly tame news conference with the banter between sides at a minimum.
Before the news conference, Mayweather talked about shooting a commercial with the Spanish-speaking Alvarez and someone asked why he isn't doing his usual trash talking with his opponent.
"He wouldn't understand me anyway," Mayweather said, laughing.
It is the second in Mayweather's six-bout, 30-month contract with Showtime that could pay him more than $200 million. After Mayweather beat Guerrero, he said he wanted to fight again in September _ marking the first time since 2007 he will be in the ring twice in a calendar year.
"I said I was going to be very active so I could stay sharp and be at the top of my game," Mayweather said.
Mayweather showed little rust while dominating Guerrero by using superior defensive skills in his first ring appearance since serving a jail term for assaulting the mother of his children.
Alvarez is a confident and rapidly rising fighter who should provide a huge test for Mayweather. Alvarez was dominant against the previously unbeaten Trout, showing up some fans and media who speculated that perhaps he wasn't ready to face such an experienced opponent.
"To be the best," Alvarez said when asked before the news conference what his motivation is to fight Mayweather now. "(I want) to go down in history as the guy who beat the guy people consider the best."
When the news conference was over, both fighters got up and stared each other down one
This is the matchup they've been waiting to see: Four belts, two undefeated fan favorites _ and a title fight simply billed as "The One."
"Canelo, I appreciate you for taking the fight," Mayweather said on a steamy Monday in the heart of Manhattan in front of a few thousand fans standing behind metal barriers or sitting in temporary bleachers with Broadway marquees serving as a colorful backdrop.
"Now," Mayweather said, "let's give the fans what they want to see."
The fighters kicked off an 11-city tour to officially announce and promote their title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sept. 14. The promotional tour includes stops in cities such as Washington D.C., Chicago, Miami and Mexico City, and is jumpstarting the hype ahead of one of boxing's most anticipated bouts in recent memory.
Mayweather, 36, is unbeaten in 44 fights with the last a unanimous 12-round decision over Robert Guerrero on May 4 in defense of his 147-pound title.
"The Earth is my turf," Mayweather said. "You can put me in any ring and I will always come out victorious."
Alvarez, a 22-year-old star from Mexico, is 42-0-1 and unified the 154-pound titles in April with a unanimous victory over Austin Trout on April 20.
"In the sport of boxing, it's everybody's time, and this is my time," Alvarez said through a translator as fans chanted "Mex-i-co!"
"I'm going to win."
The 12-round fight will be contested at 152 pounds with both men's super welterweight/junior middleweight titles on the line _ Mayweather's WBA super welterweight "super" championship, and Alvarez's WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine super welterweight championships.
The bout, expected to be a monstrous draw on pay-per-view for Showtime, also just might satisfy many fans who had been wishing during the last several years for Mayweather to take on Manny Pacquiao.
"In every sport, there are certain rare occasions when you have the best fighting the best," said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports. "The Super Bowl, Final Four, the college football national championship. Sept. 14 will be one of those occasions _ the two biggest stars in the sport, the two biggest fan bases.
"We have America's No. 1 fighter versus Mexico's No. 1 fighter. We have the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport versus the No. 1 new star in the sport."
There remains some dispute over who set the 152-pound catch weight, with Mayweather's camp saying Alvarez's people brought it up first. Alvarez, however, insisted it was Mayweather who decided on having both fight at 152 pounds instead of 154.
"It wasn't me," Alvarez told reporters before the news conference. "I don't want to fight 2 pounds below my weight class."
There was also some contention between the two because Alvarez chose to headline his own fight card against Trout rather than be included on the undercard of Mayweather-Guerrero card. But both fighters agreed that this is a matchup that needed to happen.
"I've visualized this fight for years," Alvarez said, "and I feel I'm going to win."
The fighters each announced on Twitter last month that they would face each other, exciting boxing fans around the world. Monday's event marked perhaps the sport's most ambitious promotional tour since Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya also stopped in 11 cities before their 2007 bout _ won by Mayweather. Alvarez has been picking De La Hoya's brain about fighting Mayweather, and the former champion believes the young star has a few advantages _ including youth _ he didn't have.
"I used reckless pressure and he's going to use smart pressure," De La Hoya said. "That's what going to be the difference. ... And I have three letters for (Alvarez): jab."
Each fighter took a stroll down a makeshift red carpet leading to the dais with pops of confetti marking their entrances. Mayweather received a noticeable amount of boos with the crowd appearing to slightly favor Alvarez.
One fan, though, got Mayweather to crack up when he held up a Chucky doll from the "Child's Play" movie franchise, taking a clear shot at Alvarez's hair color.
The two took their seats after their stare-down _ Mayweather next to Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO Mayweather Promotions, and Alvarez next to De la Hoya, the president of Golden Boy Promotions. It was a mostly tame news conference with the banter between sides at a minimum.
Before the news conference, Mayweather talked about shooting a commercial with the Spanish-speaking Alvarez and someone asked why he isn't doing his usual trash talking with his opponent.
"He wouldn't understand me anyway," Mayweather said, laughing.
It is the second in Mayweather's six-bout, 30-month contract with Showtime that could pay him more than $200 million. After Mayweather beat Guerrero, he said he wanted to fight again in September _ marking the first time since 2007 he will be in the ring twice in a calendar year.
"I said I was going to be very active so I could stay sharp and be at the top of my game," Mayweather said.
Mayweather showed little rust while dominating Guerrero by using superior defensive skills in his first ring appearance since serving a jail term for assaulting the mother of his children.
Alvarez is a confident and rapidly rising fighter who should provide a huge test for Mayweather. Alvarez was dominant against the previously unbeaten Trout, showing up some fans and media who speculated that perhaps he wasn't ready to face such an experienced opponent.
"To be the best," Alvarez said when asked before the news conference what his motivation is to fight Mayweather now. "(I want) to go down in history as the guy who beat the guy people consider the best."
When the news conference was over, both fighters got up and stared each other down one
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Trainer Lee Parore says Kiwi legend still has the ability to deliver that big punch
When it comes to boxing, few people are ever completely retired.
In March last year, David Tua publicly said he was done with a sport that had seen him travel from the Olympics to being one of New Zealand's highest-paid athletes back to living in his own boxing gym.
He's been through a divorce and countless legal proceedings with former business partners Kevin Barry and Martin Pugh, but it appears that there's still some life left in the 40-year-old.
The Samoa Observer reported in September last year that Tua wanted to return to the ring and that long-awaited bout will happen at the end of August in Hamilton against towering Russian Alexander Ustinov.
It's unfair to say that this is Tua's last chance, given how many opportunities a boxer will be afforded in his career - but there can't be many kilometres left to run on his odometer.
Victory over the 2.02m Ustinov, who is 28-1 and has 64 kickboxing fights to his credit, would put Tua back on the map in a heavyweight division that is dominated by the Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali.
He would probably be at least one more impressive performance away from a world title shot but Tua and his knockout power is a huge drawcard.
Tua and his trainer, Lee Parore, along with David Higgins from Duco Events, fronted a press conference in Auckland yesterday to talk about the August 31 bout, which has been dubbed "David vs Goliath".
Two big questions remain about the 52-4-2 Tua.
First, what is his motivation like to train and second, does he still possess the same punching power that has seen him win 43 of his career bouts by knockout.
Parore moved to alleviate concerns about Tua's work ethic and said the 1.78m fighter was moving towards where he needed to be.
"He's on track, David is on track," Parore said. "We've done about 17 weeks of training over about the last 20 weeks. Obviously, first of all, it's just about establishing a good health basis so we can actually do the work that David needs to do. We've done some good rounds on the bag over the past six weeks. His fitness is coming up really well and we are on track."
As for the motivation side of things, Tua fielded that.
"I'm not just doing this for a 'payday' as they say. I believe it's a fire from within and I know I could sit here all day and try and explain it but I'm living it and I think it's the best thing I can do."
Parore said he was confident Tua still had the ability to deliver a big punch. "We are going to be doing our best to make sure that David turns up on the night with the goods."
A fit and motivated Tua showed what he could produce when he floored Shane Cameron in the second round of their 2009 encounter but since then he has lumbered through wins over Friday Ahunanya and Demetrice King, while he also had a draw and a loss against Monte Barrett.
The loss to Barrett in August, 2011 was the last time Tua stepped in the ring.
Tua is certainly in the twilight stage of his career but few can dispute his appeal with the New Zealand public, and they may be about to witness one more run towards the top if he turns up ready to perform in nine weeks' time against his Goliath.
Boxing: Tua has sights on huge Russian - Sport - NZ Herald News
When it comes to boxing, few people are ever completely retired.
In March last year, David Tua publicly said he was done with a sport that had seen him travel from the Olympics to being one of New Zealand's highest-paid athletes back to living in his own boxing gym.
He's been through a divorce and countless legal proceedings with former business partners Kevin Barry and Martin Pugh, but it appears that there's still some life left in the 40-year-old.
The Samoa Observer reported in September last year that Tua wanted to return to the ring and that long-awaited bout will happen at the end of August in Hamilton against towering Russian Alexander Ustinov.
It's unfair to say that this is Tua's last chance, given how many opportunities a boxer will be afforded in his career - but there can't be many kilometres left to run on his odometer.
Victory over the 2.02m Ustinov, who is 28-1 and has 64 kickboxing fights to his credit, would put Tua back on the map in a heavyweight division that is dominated by the Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali.
He would probably be at least one more impressive performance away from a world title shot but Tua and his knockout power is a huge drawcard.
Tua and his trainer, Lee Parore, along with David Higgins from Duco Events, fronted a press conference in Auckland yesterday to talk about the August 31 bout, which has been dubbed "David vs Goliath".
Two big questions remain about the 52-4-2 Tua.
First, what is his motivation like to train and second, does he still possess the same punching power that has seen him win 43 of his career bouts by knockout.
Parore moved to alleviate concerns about Tua's work ethic and said the 1.78m fighter was moving towards where he needed to be.
"He's on track, David is on track," Parore said. "We've done about 17 weeks of training over about the last 20 weeks. Obviously, first of all, it's just about establishing a good health basis so we can actually do the work that David needs to do. We've done some good rounds on the bag over the past six weeks. His fitness is coming up really well and we are on track."
As for the motivation side of things, Tua fielded that.
"I'm not just doing this for a 'payday' as they say. I believe it's a fire from within and I know I could sit here all day and try and explain it but I'm living it and I think it's the best thing I can do."
Parore said he was confident Tua still had the ability to deliver a big punch. "We are going to be doing our best to make sure that David turns up on the night with the goods."
A fit and motivated Tua showed what he could produce when he floored Shane Cameron in the second round of their 2009 encounter but since then he has lumbered through wins over Friday Ahunanya and Demetrice King, while he also had a draw and a loss against Monte Barrett.
The loss to Barrett in August, 2011 was the last time Tua stepped in the ring.
Tua is certainly in the twilight stage of his career but few can dispute his appeal with the New Zealand public, and they may be about to witness one more run towards the top if he turns up ready to perform in nine weeks' time against his Goliath.
Boxing: Tua has sights on huge Russian - Sport - NZ Herald News
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The boardroom disharmony has seen UK Sport threaten to take responsibility for British Olympic boxers from BABA.
And Carr told BBC Sport: "They are putting their own interests over and above those of their athletes and coaches. I think that's reprehensible."
UK Sport has set BABA a deadline of 10 June to address its governance issues.
BABA has seen a funding increase to £13.8m in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympics, following a record haul of five medals - including three golds - at London 2012. But Derek Mapp, chairman of BABA, was voted out of his post at an extraordinary general meeting tabled by Amateur Boxing Scotland at the end of May.
Mapp had the support of the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association but England and Scotland voted against him, with Scotland unhappy at their lack of representation in Team GB.
Carr repeated UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl's threat to divert Olympic funding from BABA unless it resolves its differences.
"I hope it will work itself out," Carr added. "We hope that the people that are in power and have got a fractured relationship with each other will see sense and come together and have a workable, legal and progressive solution to their governance issues.
"If by 10 June they are still in this fractious, argumentative frame of mind where they are not providing proper governance for the sport, then we will enact what is called a special purpose vehicle.
"We will actually put in the legal framework to protect the interests of the athletes and the coaches and the performance director who is dealing with them, because the last thing we want is a huge disruption to their schedule, having nowhere to live or train.
"We are not going to take over boxing but we're going to secure our interests in it for as long as it takes for boxing to get their act together and see sense."
Carr, who succeeded Baroness Campbell to his new role earlier this year, says his overall aim is for Team GB to win more medals across all sports at the 2016 Olympics than the 65 they managed in 2012.
He explained: "We had a home Games and, if we meet our goal, which would be to win more medals in 2016 than we did last year, then that would be the first time anyone has done that.
"But we would not be saying it was a target if we did not think it was achievable.
"We think there are a number of sports that are ready to step up with the big boys, the ones people might regard as our bankers [for medals]. If they do that, we will meet our target."
BBC Sport - UK Sport chairman Rod Carr warns British boxing over row