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Boxing is a tough sport to get ahead in. To even fight for several years and compile a winning record as a professional is far tougher than many fans seem to understand.
To put together a long enough winning streak to earn consideration as a challenger takes rare talent. To win a belt and hold onto it for multiple defenses, in most cases, makes you elite.
To turn back challenger after challenger, for year after year, makes you an all-time great. But even most Hall of Famers only manage to stay at the very top for a limited run.
It's the very rare fighter who manages to clean out a weight class and turn back all comers, to the point where their reign becomes an era in itself.
Pictures: Ranking the Most Impressive Stretches of Dominance in Boxing | Bleacher Report
To put together a long enough winning streak to earn consideration as a challenger takes rare talent. To win a belt and hold onto it for multiple defenses, in most cases, makes you elite.
To turn back challenger after challenger, for year after year, makes you an all-time great. But even most Hall of Famers only manage to stay at the very top for a limited run.
It's the very rare fighter who manages to clean out a weight class and turn back all comers, to the point where their reign becomes an era in itself.
Pictures: Ranking the Most Impressive Stretches of Dominance in Boxing | Bleacher Report
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2006/12/07
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"Boxing has a nostalgia problem. Any discussion about the fight game is really a discussion about the past and all arguments are really just variations on the barbershop scene in Coming to America."
With that big claim attached to a sexy Eddie Murphy reference, Jay Kaspian Kang made me to think about something I had suspected for a long time. In the conclusion to his great profile of Adrien Broner, Kang briefly argues that the constant talk of boxing being "saved" stems from boxing fans' obsession with the past. "When the past looms so large, I suppose, it looms so large," he writes.
If you hang around with boxing people, in real life or on Twitter, then it's pretty clear that many boxing fans have at least one eye on the rear-view mirror. Fans and journalists are forever working on their lists of all-time greats, sharing archived fights and discussing the significance of various eras.
Kang even points to fighters' choice of nicknames: "Every fighter named Ray will, at some point, go by Sugar." I guess it's lucky the name Ray is at a low ebb, popularity-wise. But at middleweight alone you'll find a "Kid Chocolate," a "Real Deal" and a "Marvellous" (well, Maravilla).
The way the media reacted to Floyd "Money" Mayweather (formerly "Pretty Boy," after heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson) beating Robert Guerrero illustrates the deference to history. There was universal recognition of Mayweather's sublime skills, but almost as much discussion of his place in boxing's pantheon of greats (though Mayweather draws that on himself more than most). Even the New York Times waded in – as did The Queensberry Rules, of course.
The most obvious manifestation of boxing's obsession with the past is the old barbershop/bar/gym chestnut: would X beat X? Would Mayweather beat Sugar Ray Leonard? Would Wlad Klitschko beat Muhammad Ali?
Tennis fans don't go on about whether John McEnroe could have beaten Roger Federer (possibly because the answer is obvious). Tennis has changed; Federer is an entirely different animal.
Other sports have statistics. Baseball fans can fall back on facts – it's hard to argue against Nolan Ryan's fastest pitch in history or Babe Ruth's 714 home runs from 8,399 at-bats.
Boxing, on the other hand, is subjective and it hasn't changed. Not much, anyway. Gloves are a bit thicker and athletes train a little differently, but two guys punching each other in the head are still two guys punching each other in the head.
In a lot of ways, it's easier to imagine Federer and McEnroe duking it out in the ring than it is to imagine them on the court together. The same goes for Ruth and Ryan. It's a lot more fun too – hence the appeal.
Then there's the problem of boxing's irregular timetable. Weeks and months go by without a major fight. Fans have to find something to do – and imagining Manny Pacquiao fighting Roberto Duran fits the bill.
Boxing fans like to take a trip down memory lane, that much is clear. The question is whether that's a problem. Kang opines that "the popularity of mixed martial arts can be explained by the fact that it's a new sport, unburdened with the cranky invectives of old men who won't let you enjoy a fight without telling you exactly how little you know about the history of the sport."
Unfortunately, that kind of thing is hard to prove. I can say from personal experience, though, that the emphasis on history is intimidating. After following the sport for five years, I can recite the list of lineal heavyweight champions from memory and I have a working knowledge the upper divisions in the post-war period but things become fuzzy below the welterweight or lightweight.
Some fans won't hesitate to call you out on that. Boxing's shrunken fanbase is ageing and, perhaps thanks to social media, more impassioned. The typical fan today is more enthusiastic, more of a boxing nerd, than the typical fan 30 years ago. That's great, but it can also make the sport less approachable.
I don't use the word nerd in a pejorative sense. I'm a nerd. But some fans take pleasure in flaunting their knowledge of fighters from the past, suggesting that those who aren't as interested aren't "real fans." I mean, if you don't have Bob Fitzsimmons – a fighter who died in 1917 and of whom scant footage exists – in your top 10 greatest fighters ever, then you don't really know anything about boxing.
Luckily, that type of fan is rare. The majority of those who are passionate about boxing just want to share what's great about the sweet science. Does boxing have a nostalgia problem?
It's a sport that finds itself looking back to bygone eras, perhaps understandably, but it doesn't need to be done in a way that turns people off. Boxing's continuity means fights from the past are timeless and rewatchable in a sense that a game of football isn't.
Does boxing have a nostalgia problem? | Sport | guardian.co.uk
With that big claim attached to a sexy Eddie Murphy reference, Jay Kaspian Kang made me to think about something I had suspected for a long time. In the conclusion to his great profile of Adrien Broner, Kang briefly argues that the constant talk of boxing being "saved" stems from boxing fans' obsession with the past. "When the past looms so large, I suppose, it looms so large," he writes.
If you hang around with boxing people, in real life or on Twitter, then it's pretty clear that many boxing fans have at least one eye on the rear-view mirror. Fans and journalists are forever working on their lists of all-time greats, sharing archived fights and discussing the significance of various eras.
Kang even points to fighters' choice of nicknames: "Every fighter named Ray will, at some point, go by Sugar." I guess it's lucky the name Ray is at a low ebb, popularity-wise. But at middleweight alone you'll find a "Kid Chocolate," a "Real Deal" and a "Marvellous" (well, Maravilla).
The way the media reacted to Floyd "Money" Mayweather (formerly "Pretty Boy," after heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson) beating Robert Guerrero illustrates the deference to history. There was universal recognition of Mayweather's sublime skills, but almost as much discussion of his place in boxing's pantheon of greats (though Mayweather draws that on himself more than most). Even the New York Times waded in – as did The Queensberry Rules, of course.
The most obvious manifestation of boxing's obsession with the past is the old barbershop/bar/gym chestnut: would X beat X? Would Mayweather beat Sugar Ray Leonard? Would Wlad Klitschko beat Muhammad Ali?
Tennis fans don't go on about whether John McEnroe could have beaten Roger Federer (possibly because the answer is obvious). Tennis has changed; Federer is an entirely different animal.
Other sports have statistics. Baseball fans can fall back on facts – it's hard to argue against Nolan Ryan's fastest pitch in history or Babe Ruth's 714 home runs from 8,399 at-bats.
Boxing, on the other hand, is subjective and it hasn't changed. Not much, anyway. Gloves are a bit thicker and athletes train a little differently, but two guys punching each other in the head are still two guys punching each other in the head.
In a lot of ways, it's easier to imagine Federer and McEnroe duking it out in the ring than it is to imagine them on the court together. The same goes for Ruth and Ryan. It's a lot more fun too – hence the appeal.
Then there's the problem of boxing's irregular timetable. Weeks and months go by without a major fight. Fans have to find something to do – and imagining Manny Pacquiao fighting Roberto Duran fits the bill.
Boxing fans like to take a trip down memory lane, that much is clear. The question is whether that's a problem. Kang opines that "the popularity of mixed martial arts can be explained by the fact that it's a new sport, unburdened with the cranky invectives of old men who won't let you enjoy a fight without telling you exactly how little you know about the history of the sport."
Unfortunately, that kind of thing is hard to prove. I can say from personal experience, though, that the emphasis on history is intimidating. After following the sport for five years, I can recite the list of lineal heavyweight champions from memory and I have a working knowledge the upper divisions in the post-war period but things become fuzzy below the welterweight or lightweight.
Some fans won't hesitate to call you out on that. Boxing's shrunken fanbase is ageing and, perhaps thanks to social media, more impassioned. The typical fan today is more enthusiastic, more of a boxing nerd, than the typical fan 30 years ago. That's great, but it can also make the sport less approachable.
I don't use the word nerd in a pejorative sense. I'm a nerd. But some fans take pleasure in flaunting their knowledge of fighters from the past, suggesting that those who aren't as interested aren't "real fans." I mean, if you don't have Bob Fitzsimmons – a fighter who died in 1917 and of whom scant footage exists – in your top 10 greatest fighters ever, then you don't really know anything about boxing.
Luckily, that type of fan is rare. The majority of those who are passionate about boxing just want to share what's great about the sweet science. Does boxing have a nostalgia problem?
It's a sport that finds itself looking back to bygone eras, perhaps understandably, but it doesn't need to be done in a way that turns people off. Boxing's continuity means fights from the past are timeless and rewatchable in a sense that a game of football isn't.
Does boxing have a nostalgia problem? | Sport | guardian.co.uk
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2006/12/07
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Emile Griffith, the elegant world champion whose career was overshadowed by the fatal beating he gave Bennie Paret in a 1962 title bout that darkened all of boxing, died Tuesday. He was 75.
He died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y, the International Boxing Hall of Fame said.
Griffith struggled with pugilistic dementia and required full-time care late in life. He was the first boxer from the U.S. Virgin Islands to become world champion and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
"Emile was a gifted athlete and truly a great boxer," Hall of Fame director Ed Brophy said. "Outside the ring he was as great a gentleman as he was a fighter. He always had time for boxing fans when visiting the hall on an annual basis and was one of the most popular boxers to return year after year." Griffith often attended fights in New York, especially at Madison Square Garden, where he headlined 23 times. He was also a frequent visitor to the many boxing clubs around New York City. He would slowly rise from his seat, often with assistance, and smile while waving when he was acknowledged.
The outpouring of love that he received late in life stood in stark contrast to the way he was received after March 24, 1962, when he fought Bennie "The Kid" Paret before a national TV audience at the Garden. Griffith knocked out his bitter rival in the 12th round to regain the welterweight title. Paret went into a coma and died from his injuries 10 days later.
Sports Illustrated reported in 2005 that Griffith may have been fueled by an anti-gay slur directed at him by Paret during the weigh-in. Over the years, Griffith described himself at various times as straight, gay and bisexual.
"People spit at me in the street. We stayed in a hotel. Every time there was a knock on the door, I would run into the next room. I was so scared," Griffith told The Associated Press in 1993, recalling the days after Paret's death.
The shocking outcome left a cloud over the sport for many years. NBC stopped airing boxing broadcasts, and then-New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller created a commission to investigate the bout and the sport. The referee that night, Ruby Goldstein, never worked another fight.
The fight became the basis for the 2005 documentary "Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story." One of the final scenes shows Griffith embracing Paret's son.
"I was never the same fighter after that. After that fight, I did enough to win. I would use my jab all the time. I never wanted to hurt the other guy," Griffith said. "I would have quit, but I didn't know how to do anything else but fight."
And fight he could.
Known for his overwhelming speed and slick style — certainly not his punching power — Griffith was a prodigy from the moment he stepped in Hall of Fame trainer Gil Clancy's gym in Queens. Griffith had been working in a hat factory when, as the story goes, he took off his shirt on a hot day and the factory owner realized how strong he was.
Under the eye of Clancy, Griffith blossomed into a New York Golden Gloves champion and eventually turned professional. He easily defeated the likes of Florentino Fernandez and Luis Rodriguez during an era when it was common to fight every couple of weeks, quickly earning a welterweight title shot against Paret in 1961.
Griffith won the championship with a 13th-round knockout at the Garden before losing the belt to Paret in a rematch five months later.
After winning back the title during his controversial third fight with Paret — many believe Paret never should have been allowed in the ring after a brutal loss to Gene Fullmer three months earlier — Griffith would eventually move up to middleweight. He knocked down Dick Tiger for the first time in his career and claimed the title with a narrow but unanimous decision.
Griffith would go on to lose twice during a thrilling trilogy with Nino Benvenuti, his lone victory coming at Shea Stadium in 1967, and lost two bouts against the great middleweight Carlos Monzon. Griffith would finally retire in 1977 after losing his last three fights, his record standing at 85-24-2 with 23 knockouts.
Griffith would go on to train several champions, including Wilfred Benitez and Juan Laporte, among the most popular boxers in Puerto Rican history.
His humor and generosity buoyed those close to him as his health deteriorated in later years. He would still make the pilgrimage to Canastota, N.Y., for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, regaling fans young and old with tales, even though the details often became hazy, the result of the many blows he sustained during his career.
There was no immediate word on survivors or funeral arrangements.
Former boxing champion Emile Griffith dies at 75
He died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y, the International Boxing Hall of Fame said.
Griffith struggled with pugilistic dementia and required full-time care late in life. He was the first boxer from the U.S. Virgin Islands to become world champion and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
"Emile was a gifted athlete and truly a great boxer," Hall of Fame director Ed Brophy said. "Outside the ring he was as great a gentleman as he was a fighter. He always had time for boxing fans when visiting the hall on an annual basis and was one of the most popular boxers to return year after year." Griffith often attended fights in New York, especially at Madison Square Garden, where he headlined 23 times. He was also a frequent visitor to the many boxing clubs around New York City. He would slowly rise from his seat, often with assistance, and smile while waving when he was acknowledged.
The outpouring of love that he received late in life stood in stark contrast to the way he was received after March 24, 1962, when he fought Bennie "The Kid" Paret before a national TV audience at the Garden. Griffith knocked out his bitter rival in the 12th round to regain the welterweight title. Paret went into a coma and died from his injuries 10 days later.
Sports Illustrated reported in 2005 that Griffith may have been fueled by an anti-gay slur directed at him by Paret during the weigh-in. Over the years, Griffith described himself at various times as straight, gay and bisexual.
"People spit at me in the street. We stayed in a hotel. Every time there was a knock on the door, I would run into the next room. I was so scared," Griffith told The Associated Press in 1993, recalling the days after Paret's death.
The shocking outcome left a cloud over the sport for many years. NBC stopped airing boxing broadcasts, and then-New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller created a commission to investigate the bout and the sport. The referee that night, Ruby Goldstein, never worked another fight.
The fight became the basis for the 2005 documentary "Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story." One of the final scenes shows Griffith embracing Paret's son.
"I was never the same fighter after that. After that fight, I did enough to win. I would use my jab all the time. I never wanted to hurt the other guy," Griffith said. "I would have quit, but I didn't know how to do anything else but fight."
And fight he could.
Known for his overwhelming speed and slick style — certainly not his punching power — Griffith was a prodigy from the moment he stepped in Hall of Fame trainer Gil Clancy's gym in Queens. Griffith had been working in a hat factory when, as the story goes, he took off his shirt on a hot day and the factory owner realized how strong he was.
Under the eye of Clancy, Griffith blossomed into a New York Golden Gloves champion and eventually turned professional. He easily defeated the likes of Florentino Fernandez and Luis Rodriguez during an era when it was common to fight every couple of weeks, quickly earning a welterweight title shot against Paret in 1961.
Griffith won the championship with a 13th-round knockout at the Garden before losing the belt to Paret in a rematch five months later.
After winning back the title during his controversial third fight with Paret — many believe Paret never should have been allowed in the ring after a brutal loss to Gene Fullmer three months earlier — Griffith would eventually move up to middleweight. He knocked down Dick Tiger for the first time in his career and claimed the title with a narrow but unanimous decision.
Griffith would go on to lose twice during a thrilling trilogy with Nino Benvenuti, his lone victory coming at Shea Stadium in 1967, and lost two bouts against the great middleweight Carlos Monzon. Griffith would finally retire in 1977 after losing his last three fights, his record standing at 85-24-2 with 23 knockouts.
Griffith would go on to train several champions, including Wilfred Benitez and Juan Laporte, among the most popular boxers in Puerto Rican history.
His humor and generosity buoyed those close to him as his health deteriorated in later years. He would still make the pilgrimage to Canastota, N.Y., for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, regaling fans young and old with tales, even though the details often became hazy, the result of the many blows he sustained during his career.
There was no immediate word on survivors or funeral arrangements.
Former boxing champion Emile Griffith dies at 75
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Olympic silver medallist Fred Evans has followed fellow Welsh amateur Andrew Selby in joining the new AIBA Pro Boxing competition.
The welterweight will fight in the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Pro Boxing next year.
Evans will still be allowed to compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio as well as any qualifying tournaments.
But the contract makes no provision for his release for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
"I want to try to get [Olympic] gold - that's definitely my aim," Evans said. "It's the top seven out of APB [AIBA Pro Boxing] at the weight who go automatically to the Olympics so it's a really good chance I am going to go there.
"I was looking at that more than the Commonwealth Games. I would have loved to have done the Commonwealth Games."
The Pro Boxing competition will launch later this year, and will allow amateur boxers to earn purses for competing while maintaining their Olympic eligibility, which was previously prohibited.
Evans competed in a similar format this year when representing Great Britain in the World Series of Boxing, also run by the AIBA.
The British team reached the quarter-finals but will not compete in the next series because of a lack of funds.
Evans won the welterweight silver medal at London 2012 to become the most successful Welsh Olympic boxer.
His bid to become the first Welshman to win Olympic boxing gold was thwarted by Kazakhstan's Serik Sapiyev.
Since the Games, Evans has turned down offers from professional promoters in order to keep open the chance of going one better at the Olympics in Rio in 2016.
His fellow Welshman, European amateur champion Andrew Selby, signed up to the new professional boxing system in June.
BBC Sport - Amateur Fred Evans joins Aiba Pro Boxing competition
The welterweight will fight in the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Pro Boxing next year.
Evans will still be allowed to compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio as well as any qualifying tournaments.
But the contract makes no provision for his release for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
"I want to try to get [Olympic] gold - that's definitely my aim," Evans said. "It's the top seven out of APB [AIBA Pro Boxing] at the weight who go automatically to the Olympics so it's a really good chance I am going to go there.
"I was looking at that more than the Commonwealth Games. I would have loved to have done the Commonwealth Games."
The Pro Boxing competition will launch later this year, and will allow amateur boxers to earn purses for competing while maintaining their Olympic eligibility, which was previously prohibited.
Evans competed in a similar format this year when representing Great Britain in the World Series of Boxing, also run by the AIBA.
The British team reached the quarter-finals but will not compete in the next series because of a lack of funds.
Evans won the welterweight silver medal at London 2012 to become the most successful Welsh Olympic boxer.
His bid to become the first Welshman to win Olympic boxing gold was thwarted by Kazakhstan's Serik Sapiyev.
Since the Games, Evans has turned down offers from professional promoters in order to keep open the chance of going one better at the Olympics in Rio in 2016.
His fellow Welshman, European amateur champion Andrew Selby, signed up to the new professional boxing system in June.
BBC Sport - Amateur Fred Evans joins Aiba Pro Boxing competition
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2006/12/07
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A month before Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar of Argentina fights for an interim featherweight title, he solidified his team by signing with promoter Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing.
"I am very happy to welcome such an excellent fighter as Jesus Marcelo Cuellar to my stable," Lewkowicz said.
Cuellar (22-1, 18 KOs), a 26-year-old southpaw, is set to challenge Claudio Marrero (14-0, 11 KOs) of the Dominican Republic for a vacant 126-pound interim title on Aug. 23 on the season finale of ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights" at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y. It is the first card being promoted by former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson's Iron Mike Productions.
Marrero-Cuellar is the co-feature on the card headlined by junior lightweight titlist Argenis Mendez (21-2, 11 KOs) making his first defense when he faces Arash Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs).
"I am very proud to be joining such a great promotional family, and I look forward to winning my first world championship next month for my family and all the people who have helped me to get there," Cuellar said.
Cuellar found his way to Lewkowicz through adviser Sebastian Contursi, an old friend of Lewkowicz's.
"I'm very happy to be joining forces with a great promoter like Sampson on this excellent fighter, and I look forward to many great fights in the future," said Contursi, who is best known for guiding the career of welterweight contender Marcos Maidana, also from Argentina.
Featherweight Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar to Sampson Boxing - ESPN
"I am very happy to welcome such an excellent fighter as Jesus Marcelo Cuellar to my stable," Lewkowicz said.
Cuellar (22-1, 18 KOs), a 26-year-old southpaw, is set to challenge Claudio Marrero (14-0, 11 KOs) of the Dominican Republic for a vacant 126-pound interim title on Aug. 23 on the season finale of ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights" at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y. It is the first card being promoted by former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson's Iron Mike Productions.
Marrero-Cuellar is the co-feature on the card headlined by junior lightweight titlist Argenis Mendez (21-2, 11 KOs) making his first defense when he faces Arash Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs).
"I am very proud to be joining such a great promotional family, and I look forward to winning my first world championship next month for my family and all the people who have helped me to get there," Cuellar said.
Cuellar found his way to Lewkowicz through adviser Sebastian Contursi, an old friend of Lewkowicz's.
"I'm very happy to be joining forces with a great promoter like Sampson on this excellent fighter, and I look forward to many great fights in the future," said Contursi, who is best known for guiding the career of welterweight contender Marcos Maidana, also from Argentina.
Featherweight Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar to Sampson Boxing - ESPN
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Two-time gold medalist Vasyl Lomachenko is ready to begin his pro boxing career, and he intends to wear a world title belt next year.
The Ukrainian Olympic star has signed a multiyear deal with Top Rank, Bob Arum's promotional company announced Friday.
Lomachenko will make his pro debut Oct. 12, and he expects to fight for a world championship by his third pro bout. Not many amateur fighters could make such an audacious plan for their future, but no amateur in recent history can match Lomachenko's achievements and potential.
"I am very excited and happy with Top Rank's offer and signing the contract," Lomachenko said. "I know I will have to prove I am the best and make history in pro boxing, but I have no doubts about it, as I did in the amateurs and I will do as a pro."
Lomachenko is widely considered one of the greatest amateur boxers of the last several decades. He won Olympic gold medals with unbeaten runs in Beijing and London, also claiming two world championships in between while dominating opponents with an athletic, aggressive style that should make him a nightmare for the world's top featherweights.
The 25-year-old is scheduled to make his pro debut against a still-to-be-determined opponent on the undercard of Juan Manuel Marquez's HBO pay-per-view welterweight bout against unbeaten Timothy Bradley at Las Vegas' Thomas and Mack Center.
"Bob Arum knows how to build champions, and I know how to fight," said Lomachenko, who will start his career at 126 pounds. "This will make a good team. I am happy finally it's all over, all negotiations are done, and I can concentrate on my training and start preparing for my first fight."
Lomachenko had specific goals for his pro career when he interviewed several promoters last month, and Top Rank should have the promotional clout to get him the quick title fight he seeks. If Lomachenko's pro fights are as entertaining as his amateur bouts, Top Rank also should have little trouble enticing HBO or other networks to feature him.
"Lomachenko is an exciting venture for Top Rank," said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. "He is taking one of the most aggressive career tacts I have ever seen in making his professional debut in a 10-round fight with his goal to fight — and win — a world title by his third professional fight. Top Rank is 100 percent onboard with his plan. We believe in Lomachenko."
Most fighters begin their pro careers in four-round bouts before moving up gradually to 10- and 12-round contests. Not Lomachenko, who plans to test his vaunted amateur record and world-class skills in difficult fights from the start — just the way Olympic stars used to do it before amateur boxing lost much of its allure over the past two decades.
"Because of his tremendous amateur accomplishments, he is not your typical boxer turning pro," said Carl Moretti, Top Rank's vice president of boxing operations. "He reminds me of the Olympians from the '76 and '84 (American) teams, like (Sugar Ray) Leonard, (Leon and Michael) Spinks, (Evander) Holyfield, (Pernell) Whitaker, (Mark) Breland. They were ready to face established pros from Day One."
Last year, Lomachenko considered starting his career with APB, the professional arm of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), but ultimately decided to move to North America with the backing of an elite promoter. Lomachenko is expected to train in Los Angeles, where fellow two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming of China began his pro career this year.
Top Rank also signed Oleksandr Usyk, the Olympic heavyweight gold medalist in London. Lomachenko and Usyk, who will begin his pro career as a cruiserweight, are close friends and training partners.
Lomachenko has been the biggest name in amateur boxing for a half-decade, but Top Rank has signed a prime selection of the most talented Olympic boxers from the London Games. Along with Zou, Top Rank also promotes Puerto Rico's Felix Verdejo, Mexico's Oscar Valdez and American lightweight Jose Ramirez, who nearly beat Lomachenko at the 2011 world championships.
Top Rank signs Olympic boxing star Lomachenko
The Ukrainian Olympic star has signed a multiyear deal with Top Rank, Bob Arum's promotional company announced Friday.
Lomachenko will make his pro debut Oct. 12, and he expects to fight for a world championship by his third pro bout. Not many amateur fighters could make such an audacious plan for their future, but no amateur in recent history can match Lomachenko's achievements and potential.
"I am very excited and happy with Top Rank's offer and signing the contract," Lomachenko said. "I know I will have to prove I am the best and make history in pro boxing, but I have no doubts about it, as I did in the amateurs and I will do as a pro."
Lomachenko is widely considered one of the greatest amateur boxers of the last several decades. He won Olympic gold medals with unbeaten runs in Beijing and London, also claiming two world championships in between while dominating opponents with an athletic, aggressive style that should make him a nightmare for the world's top featherweights.
The 25-year-old is scheduled to make his pro debut against a still-to-be-determined opponent on the undercard of Juan Manuel Marquez's HBO pay-per-view welterweight bout against unbeaten Timothy Bradley at Las Vegas' Thomas and Mack Center.
"Bob Arum knows how to build champions, and I know how to fight," said Lomachenko, who will start his career at 126 pounds. "This will make a good team. I am happy finally it's all over, all negotiations are done, and I can concentrate on my training and start preparing for my first fight."
Lomachenko had specific goals for his pro career when he interviewed several promoters last month, and Top Rank should have the promotional clout to get him the quick title fight he seeks. If Lomachenko's pro fights are as entertaining as his amateur bouts, Top Rank also should have little trouble enticing HBO or other networks to feature him.
"Lomachenko is an exciting venture for Top Rank," said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. "He is taking one of the most aggressive career tacts I have ever seen in making his professional debut in a 10-round fight with his goal to fight — and win — a world title by his third professional fight. Top Rank is 100 percent onboard with his plan. We believe in Lomachenko."
Most fighters begin their pro careers in four-round bouts before moving up gradually to 10- and 12-round contests. Not Lomachenko, who plans to test his vaunted amateur record and world-class skills in difficult fights from the start — just the way Olympic stars used to do it before amateur boxing lost much of its allure over the past two decades.
"Because of his tremendous amateur accomplishments, he is not your typical boxer turning pro," said Carl Moretti, Top Rank's vice president of boxing operations. "He reminds me of the Olympians from the '76 and '84 (American) teams, like (Sugar Ray) Leonard, (Leon and Michael) Spinks, (Evander) Holyfield, (Pernell) Whitaker, (Mark) Breland. They were ready to face established pros from Day One."
Last year, Lomachenko considered starting his career with APB, the professional arm of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), but ultimately decided to move to North America with the backing of an elite promoter. Lomachenko is expected to train in Los Angeles, where fellow two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming of China began his pro career this year.
Top Rank also signed Oleksandr Usyk, the Olympic heavyweight gold medalist in London. Lomachenko and Usyk, who will begin his pro career as a cruiserweight, are close friends and training partners.
Lomachenko has been the biggest name in amateur boxing for a half-decade, but Top Rank has signed a prime selection of the most talented Olympic boxers from the London Games. Along with Zou, Top Rank also promotes Puerto Rico's Felix Verdejo, Mexico's Oscar Valdez and American lightweight Jose Ramirez, who nearly beat Lomachenko at the 2011 world championships.
Top Rank signs Olympic boxing star Lomachenko
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Milan Melindo’s heart-breaking loss to WBA and WBO flyweight champion Francisco Estrada over the weekend should not be a discouragement to local boxing fans. True, it appeared that Estrada outlasted the previously undefeated Melindo, but let’s recall that this was only “El Metodico”s’ first defeat. Estrada, who had averted a collision course between Melindo and countryman Brian Viloria by beating the latter soundly, was well-prepared for his defense. There is nothing to be worried about.
Also, it does not diminish the respect for ALA Promotions and Cagayan de Oro Mayor (and former Misamis Oriental governor) Oscar Moreno for all their efforts in creating programs to give grassroots opportunities for aspiring boxers. The fact that we have regular world title fights involving Filipinos is a testament to the success of their programs. And in professional sports, occasional losses are a fact of life. As the saying goes, you can’t win ’em all. Take the case of AJ Banal, who has only had two defeats in his career, but people remember those defeats because they were world title shots. Still, if that is the only remaining hurdle to overcome, then we’re in pretty good shape. Filipino boxers are exciting to watch, and technically proficient, and mix the best of both worlds.
What has happened to professional boxing over the last few decades? Why are Filipino boxers now being looked at as a blessing to the sport, outside of the phenomenal contribution of Manny Pacquiao? To begin with, there has been a diminishment of respect for the sport since the late 1970’s. This was a result of a disconnect with true boxing fans, who crave a personal connection with the boxers.
Time was when promoters rented venues like the venerable Madison Square Garden for their fight cards. This brought the sport closer to the fans, since cheap seats provided great visibility and provided fans with an “I was there” experience. Fights were unique, colossal bouts, memorable events. There were only three boxing entities, the WBC, WBA and IBF. Weight classes were distinct and separate, and it was very difficult to climb up or go down to a different weight class. They were just too far apart. Even if you had the same boxers fighting each other often (Leonard, Duran, Hagler Hearns, for example, or Robinson-LaMotta), they were outstanding, to the point that people still talk about them today.
What changed?
The connection between pro boxing and big-time gambling became stronger when hotel-casino chains started offering site fees to promoters. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on venues, promoters were now earning millions of dollars per fight simply for shifting from public venues to casino complexes. The motive behind this was simple: in a competitive industry, casinos need more events and reasons to invite high rollers. Boxing provides a perfect excuse. Big gamers enjoy the sport, and can bet on the outcome of each bout. In exchange for being hosted in the best rooms (sometimes flown in for free in private jets) and getting free ringside tickets to the fights, there is the understanding that they will gamble their money away in their host casino. So the casino makes tons of money just by holding a fight there. The impact of this vast new source of revenue tempted promoters, managers and even boxers themselves to create new boxing organizations, anything to make a buck. What resulted was a proliferation of “alphabet soup” groups. And though some of them did establish a certain degree of credibility, the end result was obvious. Boxers were no longer competing for a few championships. They no longer needed to go through the Golden Gloves or win an Olympic medal to establish themselves. All they needed was to win about 10 or so fights against patsies, and they were suddenly contenders. Boxing became a mill, a factory, mass-producing champions for a voracious audience.
But the biggest impact of this was subconscious, on two fronts. First, the regular man on the street was no longer close to the game. He no longer had hometown fighters to see up close, and could not really be inspired in person. Many of those who watched fights in the arenas were bettors, who would scream for blood if their favored fighter would lose, since he cost them a ton of money. This became the new culture of boxing. It was taken away from the true fans and placed at the disposal of big gamblers. Gone are the days when crowds applaud even the losing boxer.
And with all the manufactured champions, closer weight classes and catchweight fights, many fights are no longer as special as they once were.
But let’s look at the track records of Filipino fighters. Comparing them to foreign fighters, many of our champions in recent years have been able to reign for years, like Manny Pacquiao and Donnie Nietes. Nietes is now closing in on Flash Elorde’s record of reigning as world champion for seven years uninterrupted. Our other boxers like Banal and Melindo have very few losses compared to almost all those who are contenders on the world stage.
How did this come about?
First of all, most of our boxers train in isolation, away from highly urbanized areas and are from very poor families in the provinces. Although that may sound like a familiar refrain, they are constantly reminded of their backgrounds, and are ingrained with the focus to get the job done. Being away from the US is a blessing in disguise. Our boxers are away from the media spotlight and the culture that celebrates quick glory and selfishness. The pervasiveness of that atmosphere in the US has had the effect of making boxers more selfish and impatient.
Promoters like ALA have made it a philosophy to teach the virtue of patience and being ready for a world title shot. They train together, not alone. They feel part of a team, not the breadwinner and funder of a large corporation.
It’s Filipino values that make the winning more special.
[url=www-
Also, it does not diminish the respect for ALA Promotions and Cagayan de Oro Mayor (and former Misamis Oriental governor) Oscar Moreno for all their efforts in creating programs to give grassroots opportunities for aspiring boxers. The fact that we have regular world title fights involving Filipinos is a testament to the success of their programs. And in professional sports, occasional losses are a fact of life. As the saying goes, you can’t win ’em all. Take the case of AJ Banal, who has only had two defeats in his career, but people remember those defeats because they were world title shots. Still, if that is the only remaining hurdle to overcome, then we’re in pretty good shape. Filipino boxers are exciting to watch, and technically proficient, and mix the best of both worlds.
What has happened to professional boxing over the last few decades? Why are Filipino boxers now being looked at as a blessing to the sport, outside of the phenomenal contribution of Manny Pacquiao? To begin with, there has been a diminishment of respect for the sport since the late 1970’s. This was a result of a disconnect with true boxing fans, who crave a personal connection with the boxers.
Time was when promoters rented venues like the venerable Madison Square Garden for their fight cards. This brought the sport closer to the fans, since cheap seats provided great visibility and provided fans with an “I was there” experience. Fights were unique, colossal bouts, memorable events. There were only three boxing entities, the WBC, WBA and IBF. Weight classes were distinct and separate, and it was very difficult to climb up or go down to a different weight class. They were just too far apart. Even if you had the same boxers fighting each other often (Leonard, Duran, Hagler Hearns, for example, or Robinson-LaMotta), they were outstanding, to the point that people still talk about them today.
What changed?
The connection between pro boxing and big-time gambling became stronger when hotel-casino chains started offering site fees to promoters. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on venues, promoters were now earning millions of dollars per fight simply for shifting from public venues to casino complexes. The motive behind this was simple: in a competitive industry, casinos need more events and reasons to invite high rollers. Boxing provides a perfect excuse. Big gamers enjoy the sport, and can bet on the outcome of each bout. In exchange for being hosted in the best rooms (sometimes flown in for free in private jets) and getting free ringside tickets to the fights, there is the understanding that they will gamble their money away in their host casino. So the casino makes tons of money just by holding a fight there. The impact of this vast new source of revenue tempted promoters, managers and even boxers themselves to create new boxing organizations, anything to make a buck. What resulted was a proliferation of “alphabet soup” groups. And though some of them did establish a certain degree of credibility, the end result was obvious. Boxers were no longer competing for a few championships. They no longer needed to go through the Golden Gloves or win an Olympic medal to establish themselves. All they needed was to win about 10 or so fights against patsies, and they were suddenly contenders. Boxing became a mill, a factory, mass-producing champions for a voracious audience.
But the biggest impact of this was subconscious, on two fronts. First, the regular man on the street was no longer close to the game. He no longer had hometown fighters to see up close, and could not really be inspired in person. Many of those who watched fights in the arenas were bettors, who would scream for blood if their favored fighter would lose, since he cost them a ton of money. This became the new culture of boxing. It was taken away from the true fans and placed at the disposal of big gamblers. Gone are the days when crowds applaud even the losing boxer.
And with all the manufactured champions, closer weight classes and catchweight fights, many fights are no longer as special as they once were.
But let’s look at the track records of Filipino fighters. Comparing them to foreign fighters, many of our champions in recent years have been able to reign for years, like Manny Pacquiao and Donnie Nietes. Nietes is now closing in on Flash Elorde’s record of reigning as world champion for seven years uninterrupted. Our other boxers like Banal and Melindo have very few losses compared to almost all those who are contenders on the world stage.
How did this come about?
First of all, most of our boxers train in isolation, away from highly urbanized areas and are from very poor families in the provinces. Although that may sound like a familiar refrain, they are constantly reminded of their backgrounds, and are ingrained with the focus to get the job done. Being away from the US is a blessing in disguise. Our boxers are away from the media spotlight and the culture that celebrates quick glory and selfishness. The pervasiveness of that atmosphere in the US has had the effect of making boxers more selfish and impatient.
Promoters like ALA have made it a philosophy to teach the virtue of patience and being ready for a world title shot. They train together, not alone. They feel part of a team, not the breadwinner and funder of a large corporation.
It’s Filipino values that make the winning more special.
[url=www-
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Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao has set his sights on a new title -- president of the Philippines.
In a recent interview, the fighter nicknamed Pacman, who is already a beloved icon and congressman in his homeland, has hinted he is considering leading his nation when he retires from the ring.
In the Agence France-Presse chat over the weekend, Pacquiao was grilled on his political ambitions and when he was asked if he was interested in the top job, he said, "Yes."
"When I started boxing, of course I was planning, you know, and thinking about getting to become a champion," he said.
"So when I enter politics it's the same thing. But, you know, it's far away. It's God's will."
Pacquiao was elected into the Philippine House of Representatives in a landslide victory in 2010.
His retirement grows ever nearer after 54 victories and two losses, which came in his last two fights.
He is set to face Brandon Rios in November.
Boxing's Manny Pacquiao to run for president | Other Sports | Sports | Toronto Sun
In a recent interview, the fighter nicknamed Pacman, who is already a beloved icon and congressman in his homeland, has hinted he is considering leading his nation when he retires from the ring.
In the Agence France-Presse chat over the weekend, Pacquiao was grilled on his political ambitions and when he was asked if he was interested in the top job, he said, "Yes."
"When I started boxing, of course I was planning, you know, and thinking about getting to become a champion," he said.
"So when I enter politics it's the same thing. But, you know, it's far away. It's God's will."
Pacquiao was elected into the Philippine House of Representatives in a landslide victory in 2010.
His retirement grows ever nearer after 54 victories and two losses, which came in his last two fights.
He is set to face Brandon Rios in November.
Boxing's Manny Pacquiao to run for president | Other Sports | Sports | Toronto Sun
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Four Cuban boxers will begin training in China this week in preparation for the 2013 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Kazakhstan in October and the World Series of Boxing the following month, a sports official said Tuesday.
Eduardo Limonta, secretary of the Cuban Boxing Federation, said the team is headed by 18-year-old heavyweight Yoandy Toirac, who is considered the promising star of Cuban boxing in the 91kg plus category.
Toirac won the gold medal at the Cordova Cardin Memorial Tournament in Cuba this year, defeating China's Zhang Zhilei, runner-up at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The small Cuban delegation also includes Leinier Pero, in the 91kg category, Ramon Luis (75kg) and Arisnoides Despaigne (69kg), according to the website of Radio Habana Cuba.
Limonta said the team will stay "in Beijing for 16 days, preparing for the year's main events".
"We've already had similar experiences in China, where we'll make the most of fights against several of the top boxers they have in the large divisions," Limonta added.
Cuba's boxing squad features 36 pre-selected boxers with the main goal this year of doing well at the Kazakhstan world championships and the world series.
The squad will also face Mexico's Guerreros (Warriors) on Aug. 29 and 30, prior to the world series, and participate in the Pan-American Championship in Chile from Aug. 27 to Sept. 3.
Cuba's boxers have garnered 67 Olympic medals and 116 titles in world championships.
Cuban boxers to train in China - Xinhua | English.news.cn
Eduardo Limonta, secretary of the Cuban Boxing Federation, said the team is headed by 18-year-old heavyweight Yoandy Toirac, who is considered the promising star of Cuban boxing in the 91kg plus category.
Toirac won the gold medal at the Cordova Cardin Memorial Tournament in Cuba this year, defeating China's Zhang Zhilei, runner-up at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The small Cuban delegation also includes Leinier Pero, in the 91kg category, Ramon Luis (75kg) and Arisnoides Despaigne (69kg), according to the website of Radio Habana Cuba.
Limonta said the team will stay "in Beijing for 16 days, preparing for the year's main events".
"We've already had similar experiences in China, where we'll make the most of fights against several of the top boxers they have in the large divisions," Limonta added.
Cuba's boxing squad features 36 pre-selected boxers with the main goal this year of doing well at the Kazakhstan world championships and the world series.
The squad will also face Mexico's Guerreros (Warriors) on Aug. 29 and 30, prior to the world series, and participate in the Pan-American Championship in Chile from Aug. 27 to Sept. 3.
Cuba's boxers have garnered 67 Olympic medals and 116 titles in world championships.
Cuban boxers to train in China - Xinhua | English.news.cn
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For the last 25 years or so, the major leagues, when it comes to boxing, is fighting on either HBO or Showtime. That is not going to change at any point in the foreseeable future.
Though the two premium cable networks reach a vastly smaller audience than basic cable or broadcast network channels do, they pursued boxing programming with vigor and spoke with their wallets. Because they were willing to pay promoters literally millions of dollars for the rights to broadcast fights – and because nobody else was offering a tenth as much – they have repeatedly over the last two or three decades landed the biggest fights. The problem with that, though, is that the fighters began to compete only twice or, at max, three times a year, because the cost for their services got so high.
The biggest stars in boxing over the last 10 years have been Floyd Mayweather Jr., Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao. None of them has fought on a broadcast network or on basic cable in that time. They have each fought a handful of times on premium cable, but mostly have existed on pay-per-view.
Fighting on pay-per-view means they are competing in front of the smallest possible audience. It's never a good thing for a sport when its biggest stars are rarely seen by the fans it is courting.
Imagine how big of a star Mayweather would be had everything else been the same but he had fought the bulk of his career on NBC, which has a reach of more than 100 million homes, instead of on HBO, which has a reach less than a third of that.
But beyond the stars, the middle-class fighters who have the ability to develop into stars need a breeding ground, a place where they can meet other quality fighters and gain the experience that is critical to high-level success.
Much has been made in recent times over the differences between modern boxing and the fight game of 40, 50 or 60 years ago. The biggest difference, though, is that fighters in the bygone era fought more often than the bulk of current fighters do.
In the 1980s and 1990s, USA Network's Tuesday Night Fights provided that forum. USA Network rarely had championship bouts, but it gave exposure and experience to guys like De La Hoya, Mayweather, Lennox Lewis, Roy Jones Jr., James Toney, Arturo Gatti and Fernando Vargas, among others.
In much the same way, promoter Kathy Duva's "Fight Night" series on the NBC Sports Network (and twice so far on regular NBC) is doing the same job.
It has largely provided quality fights and served as a launching pad or a recalibration point for a series of fighters, who have gone on to find a new life on the premium cable channels. A great example of that was the Jesus Soto Karass-Gabriel Rosado bout that was the co-main event of the series opener on Jan. 21, 2012.
Soto Karass lost that fight via a fifth round stoppage, but it was an entertaining back-and-forth slugfest. Significantly, though, it earned him a ticket back to the major leagues. His knockout of former welterweight champion Andre Berto last Saturday was his third appearance on Showtime since the Rosado fight.
Rosado's last two fights have been against Gennady Golovkin on HBO and against J'Leon Love on Showtime pay-per-view on the Mayweather-Robert Guerrero undercard.
Duva has promoted 10 cards on NBC Sports Network and two on NBC. In the 18 months since, Soto Karass, Rosado and Zab Judah have already appeared on either HBO or Showtime after being on those cards.
Antwone Smith and Siarhei Liakhovich are scheduled to be on Showtime on Aug. 9. Sergey Kovalev will be on HBO against Nathan Cleverly for the WBO light heavyweight belt on Aug. 17. And Duva is in talks with HBO about fights for Curtis Stevens, Bryant Jennings and Tomasz Adamek.
All in all, it's a solid record and one that only should get better. Duva is promoting a tripleheader on NBC Sports Network on Saturday beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., that has the potential to ship more boxers off to premium cable land.
Oh, and the card also figures to be first-rate.
That all stems from the philosophy Duva brought when the concept for the Fight Night series was first born. Once upon a time, Duva's company, Main Events, was one of the country's three top promoters, along with Top Rank and Don King Productions.
It had then, as Golden Boy and Top Rank do now, dozens upon dozens of fighters under contract and great relations with HBO and Showtime.
But after husband Dan's tragic death, and a court fight with her in-laws over the rights to the company, things changed dramatically.
The boxing landscape was changing and managers were maddening. Duva finally came to believe that, at least for the way she liked to promote, it made no sense to have 50, 60 or 70 fighters under contract.
"Our selling point to NBC when we were competing with the mega-promoters, which is what I'll call Top Rank and Golden Boy now, was, 'We don't have to give a win to anybody,' " she said. "I said, 'We're going to put on fights that are [evenly] matched and entertaining and you're going to want to keep us because the fights are good, and not because I tell you I have more fighters under contract than the next guy.'
"One of the criticisms I hear about what we're trying to do is [a lack of big] names. Well, we're here to create names. If I have a bunch of names, quote-unquote, … frankly, it's harder to put those guys in a competitive fight. When you get locked into a contract where you have to give the guy a fortune every time he gets into the ring, now you're locked in tough negotiations with your own fighter because the managers don't want them to fight anybody [significant]."
In Saturday's main event, Stevens will meet Saul Roman in a 10-round middleweight bout. A win will likely get Stevens an HBO date in early 2014. Roman is coming off a darkhorse Fight of the Year contender against Jose Pinzon.
Former heavyweight contender Eddie
Though the two premium cable networks reach a vastly smaller audience than basic cable or broadcast network channels do, they pursued boxing programming with vigor and spoke with their wallets. Because they were willing to pay promoters literally millions of dollars for the rights to broadcast fights – and because nobody else was offering a tenth as much – they have repeatedly over the last two or three decades landed the biggest fights. The problem with that, though, is that the fighters began to compete only twice or, at max, three times a year, because the cost for their services got so high.
The biggest stars in boxing over the last 10 years have been Floyd Mayweather Jr., Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao. None of them has fought on a broadcast network or on basic cable in that time. They have each fought a handful of times on premium cable, but mostly have existed on pay-per-view.
Fighting on pay-per-view means they are competing in front of the smallest possible audience. It's never a good thing for a sport when its biggest stars are rarely seen by the fans it is courting.
Imagine how big of a star Mayweather would be had everything else been the same but he had fought the bulk of his career on NBC, which has a reach of more than 100 million homes, instead of on HBO, which has a reach less than a third of that.
But beyond the stars, the middle-class fighters who have the ability to develop into stars need a breeding ground, a place where they can meet other quality fighters and gain the experience that is critical to high-level success.
Much has been made in recent times over the differences between modern boxing and the fight game of 40, 50 or 60 years ago. The biggest difference, though, is that fighters in the bygone era fought more often than the bulk of current fighters do.
In the 1980s and 1990s, USA Network's Tuesday Night Fights provided that forum. USA Network rarely had championship bouts, but it gave exposure and experience to guys like De La Hoya, Mayweather, Lennox Lewis, Roy Jones Jr., James Toney, Arturo Gatti and Fernando Vargas, among others.
In much the same way, promoter Kathy Duva's "Fight Night" series on the NBC Sports Network (and twice so far on regular NBC) is doing the same job.
It has largely provided quality fights and served as a launching pad or a recalibration point for a series of fighters, who have gone on to find a new life on the premium cable channels. A great example of that was the Jesus Soto Karass-Gabriel Rosado bout that was the co-main event of the series opener on Jan. 21, 2012.
Soto Karass lost that fight via a fifth round stoppage, but it was an entertaining back-and-forth slugfest. Significantly, though, it earned him a ticket back to the major leagues. His knockout of former welterweight champion Andre Berto last Saturday was his third appearance on Showtime since the Rosado fight.
Rosado's last two fights have been against Gennady Golovkin on HBO and against J'Leon Love on Showtime pay-per-view on the Mayweather-Robert Guerrero undercard.
Duva has promoted 10 cards on NBC Sports Network and two on NBC. In the 18 months since, Soto Karass, Rosado and Zab Judah have already appeared on either HBO or Showtime after being on those cards.
Antwone Smith and Siarhei Liakhovich are scheduled to be on Showtime on Aug. 9. Sergey Kovalev will be on HBO against Nathan Cleverly for the WBO light heavyweight belt on Aug. 17. And Duva is in talks with HBO about fights for Curtis Stevens, Bryant Jennings and Tomasz Adamek.
All in all, it's a solid record and one that only should get better. Duva is promoting a tripleheader on NBC Sports Network on Saturday beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., that has the potential to ship more boxers off to premium cable land.
Oh, and the card also figures to be first-rate.
That all stems from the philosophy Duva brought when the concept for the Fight Night series was first born. Once upon a time, Duva's company, Main Events, was one of the country's three top promoters, along with Top Rank and Don King Productions.
It had then, as Golden Boy and Top Rank do now, dozens upon dozens of fighters under contract and great relations with HBO and Showtime.
But after husband Dan's tragic death, and a court fight with her in-laws over the rights to the company, things changed dramatically.
The boxing landscape was changing and managers were maddening. Duva finally came to believe that, at least for the way she liked to promote, it made no sense to have 50, 60 or 70 fighters under contract.
"Our selling point to NBC when we were competing with the mega-promoters, which is what I'll call Top Rank and Golden Boy now, was, 'We don't have to give a win to anybody,' " she said. "I said, 'We're going to put on fights that are [evenly] matched and entertaining and you're going to want to keep us because the fights are good, and not because I tell you I have more fighters under contract than the next guy.'
"One of the criticisms I hear about what we're trying to do is [a lack of big] names. Well, we're here to create names. If I have a bunch of names, quote-unquote, … frankly, it's harder to put those guys in a competitive fight. When you get locked into a contract where you have to give the guy a fortune every time he gets into the ring, now you're locked in tough negotiations with your own fighter because the managers don't want them to fight anybody [significant]."
In Saturday's main event, Stevens will meet Saul Roman in a 10-round middleweight bout. A win will likely get Stevens an HBO date in early 2014. Roman is coming off a darkhorse Fight of the Year contender against Jose Pinzon.
Former heavyweight contender Eddie
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Denver's Mike Alvarado will fight Russian Ruslan Provodnikov in the first major boxing championship bout in Colorado in nearly 13 years, Alvarado's promoter and manager confirmed Thursday.
The junior welterweight fight is scheduled for Oct. 19 at the FirstBank Center in Broomfield. It will air live on HBO immediately after a replay of the Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Tim Bradley fight from a week earlier.
Alvarado (34-1) is coming off a career-making victory by unanimous decision over Brandon Rios in March, a fight-of-the-year candidate. Provodnikov (22-2) lost to Bradley in a brawl two weeks before Alvarado-Rios.
"This matchup is perfect for Mike," said Henry Delgado, Alvarado's manager. "Mike can do what he wants. He can bang and he can box."
Alvarado is expected to earn more than $1 million to fight Provodnikov, likely almost doubling his previous career high.
Provodnikov — who calls himself the "Siberian Rocky" — last fought Bradley at 147 pounds, the welterweight limit. But Provodnikov will come back down in weight to fight Alvarado at the junior welterweight limit of 140 pounds.
"When Mike reached this level, you fight the elite every time out," said Carl Moretti, vice president of promoter Top Rank. "That's what he's doing. This is not a showcase fight. Mike proved his mettle. Provodnikov showed what he had against Bradley. It's a big night for boxing."
Colorado last hosted a major boxing title fight in September 2000, when Stevie Johnston failed to take the WBC lightweight belt from Jose Luis Castillo in a 12-round draw at the Pepsi Center.
"I was hoping for an easier showcase fight for Mike," said Shann Vilhauer, Alvarado's trainer. "Something like Stevie Johnston's title defense at Magness Arena."
Johnston defended his lightweight championship in March 2000 on the University of Denver campus in a fight that aired on ESPN.
"But this is HBO. They ain't gonna put garbage on that network," Vilhauer said.
Alvarado, in his victory over Rios in March, won the interim WBO junior welterweight title.
Details about ticket sales for the Oct. 19 fight will be announced later.
Read more: Mike Alvarado to fight Ruslan Provodnikov, defend boxing title in Colorado - The Denver Post Mike Alvarado to fight Ruslan Provodnikov, defend boxing title in Colorado - The Denver Post
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: Terms of Use - The Denver Post
Follow us: @Denverpost on Twitter | Denverpost on Facebook
The junior welterweight fight is scheduled for Oct. 19 at the FirstBank Center in Broomfield. It will air live on HBO immediately after a replay of the Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Tim Bradley fight from a week earlier.
Alvarado (34-1) is coming off a career-making victory by unanimous decision over Brandon Rios in March, a fight-of-the-year candidate. Provodnikov (22-2) lost to Bradley in a brawl two weeks before Alvarado-Rios.
"This matchup is perfect for Mike," said Henry Delgado, Alvarado's manager. "Mike can do what he wants. He can bang and he can box."
Alvarado is expected to earn more than $1 million to fight Provodnikov, likely almost doubling his previous career high.
Provodnikov — who calls himself the "Siberian Rocky" — last fought Bradley at 147 pounds, the welterweight limit. But Provodnikov will come back down in weight to fight Alvarado at the junior welterweight limit of 140 pounds.
"When Mike reached this level, you fight the elite every time out," said Carl Moretti, vice president of promoter Top Rank. "That's what he's doing. This is not a showcase fight. Mike proved his mettle. Provodnikov showed what he had against Bradley. It's a big night for boxing."
Colorado last hosted a major boxing title fight in September 2000, when Stevie Johnston failed to take the WBC lightweight belt from Jose Luis Castillo in a 12-round draw at the Pepsi Center.
"I was hoping for an easier showcase fight for Mike," said Shann Vilhauer, Alvarado's trainer. "Something like Stevie Johnston's title defense at Magness Arena."
Johnston defended his lightweight championship in March 2000 on the University of Denver campus in a fight that aired on ESPN.
"But this is HBO. They ain't gonna put garbage on that network," Vilhauer said.
Alvarado, in his victory over Rios in March, won the interim WBO junior welterweight title.
Details about ticket sales for the Oct. 19 fight will be announced later.
Read more: Mike Alvarado to fight Ruslan Provodnikov, defend boxing title in Colorado - The Denver Post Mike Alvarado to fight Ruslan Provodnikov, defend boxing title in Colorado - The Denver Post
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: Terms of Use - The Denver Post
Follow us: @Denverpost on Twitter | Denverpost on Facebook
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Boxing SA's chairman, Ngconde Balfour, tendered his resignation, with immediate effect, the Ministry of Sport said on Friday.
“Minister (Fikile) Mbalula thanked Mr Balfour for his sterling job and for steering the boxing sport to greater heights,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Since being appointed in September 2011, Mr Balfour, together with his team have profiled boxing and ensured all the policy and programmatic bottlenecks are attended to.”
A new BSA chairman would be appointed before the provincial and national indabas start on August 23, with an aim to discussing the turnaround strategy for boxing in South Africa.
In his letter of resignation, Balfour, a former minister of sport, said he was proud of BSA's “unqualified annual report this financial year”.
“You gave us some mandates to achieve and your support was never waivering,” he said of Mbalula.
“Integrity and good governance are important to me and I will never compromise those.
“May your support for boxing continue.” – Sapa
Balfour resigns from Boxing SA - Boxing | IOL.co.za
“Minister (Fikile) Mbalula thanked Mr Balfour for his sterling job and for steering the boxing sport to greater heights,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Since being appointed in September 2011, Mr Balfour, together with his team have profiled boxing and ensured all the policy and programmatic bottlenecks are attended to.”
A new BSA chairman would be appointed before the provincial and national indabas start on August 23, with an aim to discussing the turnaround strategy for boxing in South Africa.
In his letter of resignation, Balfour, a former minister of sport, said he was proud of BSA's “unqualified annual report this financial year”.
“You gave us some mandates to achieve and your support was never waivering,” he said of Mbalula.
“Integrity and good governance are important to me and I will never compromise those.
“May your support for boxing continue.” – Sapa
Balfour resigns from Boxing SA - Boxing | IOL.co.za
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2006/12/07
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There is more than a whiff of a potential world heavyweight title bout when you speak to giant Russian Alexander Ustinov, who will fight David Tua in Hamilton on August 31.
The giant Ustinov, all 2.02m and 136kg of him, hails from the K2 Promotions camp, the boxing company owned and managed by the two brothers who have dominated heavyweight boxing for almost 10 years - Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. The former owns the WBC world title; Wladimir the rest (WBA, IBF, WBO), the only time in history all heavyweight world titles have been held by brothers.
The 36-year-old Ustinov (ranked 10th in the world by the WBA and seventh by the IBF) is quietly spoken; trash talk seems unnecessary from a man so big and he has connections with the Klitschkos that go beyond being part of the K2 stable. He sparred with older brother Vitali early in his career, the two men of similar size.
But he has never sparred with nor fought younger brother Wladimir. Asked why, Ustinov says through an interpreter it is not up to him; he has to be invited to spar.
"In order to become a better professional, it is good to spar or fight with someone who is better than you; who can help improve your performance.
Generally speaking, Wladimir fights smaller fighters rather than those of the same height as him, so there is not so much need to spar with someone like me."
That's one explanation. There is another story - that Wladimir knows he may have to fight Ustinov for a title one day so chooses not to give too much away in sparring.
So that's one reason why Tua is laying it all on the line in this bout against Ustinov. He is a direct line to at least one of the Klitschkos, with 37-year-old Wladimir probably more likely than 42-year-old Vitali who has hovered close to retirement, his last fight almost a year ago.
But why is Ustinov fighting Tua?
"David Tua is pretty famous, he is ranked reasonably highly and he is a good, strong opponent," says Ustinov. "It's a great opportunity for me to go up against a boxing legend. I want to win a world title, same as anyone who trains and fights like this; it is my main goal in life."
There's another reason. Two fights ago, Ustinov was knocked out by the hard-hitting and much respected Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev, his first and only loss in a 29-fight career. Pulev has a 17-0 record and is perhaps the most avoided heavyweight in any of the world organisations.
It wasn't a pretty loss. Ustinov, the bigger man against the 1.94m Pulev, tried to dominate the 32-year-old Bulgarian (known as 'The Cobra') but took some punishment. In the 11th of 12 rounds, a Pulev flurry ended when Ustinov dropped to one knee, without seeming to have been hit by a knockout punch, and was counted out.
It looked like Ustinov quit but when asked he would only say that he would change "many things" about his strategy against Pulev - who now fights American Tony Thompson a week before the Tua-Ustinov clash; a fight which looks likely to lead directly to a title shot against Wladimir Klitschko.
The suspicion is that Ustinov's mental toughness was not what it could have been against the punishing Bulgarian, something he will need to overcome against Tua - and which will provide considerable motivation for the big Russian.
Ustinov needs to show he can foot it at the top level and foot it against a puncher; Tua is a renowned puncher and a win over him would be enough to solidify his world rankings - far more than his most recent win after his defeat by Pulev, an eight-round unanimous decision against Croatian journeyman Ivica Perkovic.
Ustinov has also fought (and beaten) Tua's latter-day nemesis, Monte Barrett, in a unanimous decision almost a year before Tua had his draw and then loss to Barrett.
"I would have said, had you asked me before the fight, that Tua would win [against Barrett]," says Ustinov.
Tua has had problems with taller boxers who can jab and Ustinov will tower over the much shorter Tua. So Ustinov thinks it is smart that Tua has hired the man reputed to be the world's biggest heavyweight, American Julius Long, as a sparing partner.
"For me, I generally fight shorter opponents so I don't need to spar against a smaller man to get used to it. But it is a great choice by Tua; he will be prepared after sparring against Long."
However, it's likely Ustinov doesn't think it is that smart a move. In 2008, Ustinov fought Long, knocking out the 2.16m, 140kg heavyweight two minutes into the first round.
Boxing: David and the Goliath - Sport - NZ Herald News
The giant Ustinov, all 2.02m and 136kg of him, hails from the K2 Promotions camp, the boxing company owned and managed by the two brothers who have dominated heavyweight boxing for almost 10 years - Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. The former owns the WBC world title; Wladimir the rest (WBA, IBF, WBO), the only time in history all heavyweight world titles have been held by brothers.
The 36-year-old Ustinov (ranked 10th in the world by the WBA and seventh by the IBF) is quietly spoken; trash talk seems unnecessary from a man so big and he has connections with the Klitschkos that go beyond being part of the K2 stable. He sparred with older brother Vitali early in his career, the two men of similar size.
But he has never sparred with nor fought younger brother Wladimir. Asked why, Ustinov says through an interpreter it is not up to him; he has to be invited to spar.
"In order to become a better professional, it is good to spar or fight with someone who is better than you; who can help improve your performance.
Generally speaking, Wladimir fights smaller fighters rather than those of the same height as him, so there is not so much need to spar with someone like me."
That's one explanation. There is another story - that Wladimir knows he may have to fight Ustinov for a title one day so chooses not to give too much away in sparring.
So that's one reason why Tua is laying it all on the line in this bout against Ustinov. He is a direct line to at least one of the Klitschkos, with 37-year-old Wladimir probably more likely than 42-year-old Vitali who has hovered close to retirement, his last fight almost a year ago.
But why is Ustinov fighting Tua?
"David Tua is pretty famous, he is ranked reasonably highly and he is a good, strong opponent," says Ustinov. "It's a great opportunity for me to go up against a boxing legend. I want to win a world title, same as anyone who trains and fights like this; it is my main goal in life."
There's another reason. Two fights ago, Ustinov was knocked out by the hard-hitting and much respected Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev, his first and only loss in a 29-fight career. Pulev has a 17-0 record and is perhaps the most avoided heavyweight in any of the world organisations.
It wasn't a pretty loss. Ustinov, the bigger man against the 1.94m Pulev, tried to dominate the 32-year-old Bulgarian (known as 'The Cobra') but took some punishment. In the 11th of 12 rounds, a Pulev flurry ended when Ustinov dropped to one knee, without seeming to have been hit by a knockout punch, and was counted out.
It looked like Ustinov quit but when asked he would only say that he would change "many things" about his strategy against Pulev - who now fights American Tony Thompson a week before the Tua-Ustinov clash; a fight which looks likely to lead directly to a title shot against Wladimir Klitschko.
The suspicion is that Ustinov's mental toughness was not what it could have been against the punishing Bulgarian, something he will need to overcome against Tua - and which will provide considerable motivation for the big Russian.
Ustinov needs to show he can foot it at the top level and foot it against a puncher; Tua is a renowned puncher and a win over him would be enough to solidify his world rankings - far more than his most recent win after his defeat by Pulev, an eight-round unanimous decision against Croatian journeyman Ivica Perkovic.
Ustinov has also fought (and beaten) Tua's latter-day nemesis, Monte Barrett, in a unanimous decision almost a year before Tua had his draw and then loss to Barrett.
"I would have said, had you asked me before the fight, that Tua would win [against Barrett]," says Ustinov.
Tua has had problems with taller boxers who can jab and Ustinov will tower over the much shorter Tua. So Ustinov thinks it is smart that Tua has hired the man reputed to be the world's biggest heavyweight, American Julius Long, as a sparing partner.
"For me, I generally fight shorter opponents so I don't need to spar against a smaller man to get used to it. But it is a great choice by Tua; he will be prepared after sparring against Long."
However, it's likely Ustinov doesn't think it is that smart a move. In 2008, Ustinov fought Long, knocking out the 2.16m, 140kg heavyweight two minutes into the first round.
Boxing: David and the Goliath - Sport - NZ Herald News
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IF YOU need a lawyer, you want one that will fight for you.
Meet Lovemore Ndou.
The three-time world boxing champion in two weight divisions is also a solicitor with the Bazzi Lawyers firm.
Despite all of his glittering sporting achievements, the South African-born fighter and Liverpool resident regards his education as among his greatest accomplishments.
"I would say winning three boxing world titles is my greatest achievement,'' he said. "When I first laced a pair of boxing gloves I only dreamt of winning one world title.
"The other greatest achievement I would say is graduating at university with degrees in law, communications, psychology and a graduate diploma in legal studies.
"For someone who started school four years late to go on and achieve so much means a lot to me, it's a blessing."
The former boxer now MMA fightergot into law as a result of his own dealings with boxing promoters and managers. "I found them very arrogant and difficult to deal with," he said.
"To be successful in this profession you need to have a bit of mongrel and cockiness in you, as long as you don't go overboard with it. This is where I see the similarities to boxing. "
He also wanted to set an example to other athletes.
"It's good to be talented in sports but it's great to be educated. Education is the best thing anyone can have,'' he said.
"I also wanted to prove to people that not all boxers are boofheads."
As a solicitor he most enjoys being able to help other people.
"There is nothing I find more appalling than seeing an innocent man being sent to jail for a crime he didn't commit," he said.
"There is also nothing I find more appalling than seeing a fit parent being denied access, contact and having a meaningful relationship with his or her children because his or her ex-partner is just spiteful.
"Children deserve to have a meaningful relationship with both their parents."
No Cookies | thetelegraph-com.au
Meet Lovemore Ndou.
The three-time world boxing champion in two weight divisions is also a solicitor with the Bazzi Lawyers firm.
Despite all of his glittering sporting achievements, the South African-born fighter and Liverpool resident regards his education as among his greatest accomplishments.
"I would say winning three boxing world titles is my greatest achievement,'' he said. "When I first laced a pair of boxing gloves I only dreamt of winning one world title.
"The other greatest achievement I would say is graduating at university with degrees in law, communications, psychology and a graduate diploma in legal studies.
"For someone who started school four years late to go on and achieve so much means a lot to me, it's a blessing."
The former boxer now MMA fightergot into law as a result of his own dealings with boxing promoters and managers. "I found them very arrogant and difficult to deal with," he said.
"To be successful in this profession you need to have a bit of mongrel and cockiness in you, as long as you don't go overboard with it. This is where I see the similarities to boxing. "
He also wanted to set an example to other athletes.
"It's good to be talented in sports but it's great to be educated. Education is the best thing anyone can have,'' he said.
"I also wanted to prove to people that not all boxers are boofheads."
As a solicitor he most enjoys being able to help other people.
"There is nothing I find more appalling than seeing an innocent man being sent to jail for a crime he didn't commit," he said.
"There is also nothing I find more appalling than seeing a fit parent being denied access, contact and having a meaningful relationship with his or her children because his or her ex-partner is just spiteful.
"Children deserve to have a meaningful relationship with both their parents."
No Cookies | thetelegraph-com.au
Join:
2006/12/07
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29893
On the same day Major League Baseball issued stiff suspensions for links to performance enhancing drugs supplied by the Miami-based Biogenensis clinic -- including a whopping 211-game ban for three-time MVP Alex Rodriguez -- another athlete connected to the clinic, lightweight titleholder Yuri Gamboa, was probably in the gym, working out. In January, Gamboa's name was published in a Miami New Times report as one of the athletes who had been supplied PEDs by clinic chief Tony Bosch. In a notebook obtained by the New Times, Bosch outlined an extensive program for Gamboa, including a six-day-a-week HGH regime, IGF-1 -- a human growth hormone-like substance believed to boost strength and endurance -- and a cream with 20 percent testosterone.
In a country where there is a presumption of innocence, Gamboa is certainly entitled due process. But the fact that 12 baseball players accepted 50-game suspensions -- issued absent of a positive test, no less -- certainly speaks to the credibility of the report and the evidence Bosch had on each. Yet five months after the report came out, Gamboa was back in the ring, winning a unanimous decision, live on HBO, in front of a full house at the Bell Centre in Canada.
There was no investigation into Gamboa, no formal interviews done about what he did and when he did it. Only during fighter meetings, when quizzed by HBO's broadcast team, did Gamboa have to acknowledge that he took substances from the Biogenesis clinic, that he didn't know what they were and that he was no longer using them.
Gamboa could get away with such vague, unverifiable statements because boxing has no means of investigating him. There is no collective bargaining agreement in boxing. There is no union, no commissioner, no strong governing body of any kind. Drug testing is performed on a state by state basis and usually only involves pre- and post-fight urine testing, which, with an ever changing landscape of designer drugs, is akin to trying to catch a fish in a net with a three-foot hole in it.
It's a terrifying fact: Perhaps the world's most dangerous sport is the easiest to cheat in.
"PEDs in boxing are an endemic problem," said promoter Lou DiBella. "It's bad enough if you're hitting a baseball or a hockey puck, but when you are punching someone in the head, steroids become a life-altering way of cheating."
In a sport that has already taken the lives of Benny Paret, Duk Koo Kim and Leavander Johnson, among others, it would behoove athletes to ensure a level playing field. But there is virtually no sense of urgency to create a uniform testing system. Several fighters, most notably Nonito Donaire and Floyd Mayweather, have taken stands against PED use, often asking (and in the case of Mayweather, requiring) opponents to undergo random blood and urine testing before a fight. But far more often than not, matches take place with ineffective testing.
The reason: Money. While major sports leagues foot the bill for its extensive testing procedures, states operate with much smaller budgets. According to Nevada State Athletic Commissioner Keith Kizer, Nevada, site of most of boxing's biggest fights, only has $10,000 per year to test its fighters. Agencies that conduct comprehensive drug testing -- like the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) -- can cost $10,000 or more per fight. The blood and urine testing for Tim Bradley's welterweight title defense against Juan Manuel Marquez in October, a procedure that will be performed at the WADA-accredited Sports Medicine Research & Testing Laboratory in Utah and overseen by the Nevada commission, will cost in the neighborhood of $35,000, money the promoter, Top Rank, has agreed to pay.
"We think this testing process is going to be a good thing," Kizer said. "We hope other promoters will take advantage of it."
Will they? It's doubtful. Top Rank can afford to foot the bill because it is one of the biggest promoters in boxing, just like Donaire and Mayweather can afford testing because of their respective financial success. But a lesser fighter making $15,000 or $20,000 on HBO's Boxing After Dark, ShoBox show or an NBC Sports Network show? It's likely he would rather run the risk of facing a juiced up opponent than take money out of his pocket.
The simple, scary bottom line is this: PED use in boxing won't become a front burner issue until someone is killed in the ring because of it, until a fighter who caves in someone's skull tests positive for a substance that gave him the strength to do it. It's not a matter of if that will happen, but when. Then you will hear fighters refusing to fight. Then you will hear promoters rant and rave about the need for stricter testing. Then you will hear elected officials call for a federal system to oversee all of it.
Then, though, it will be too late.
Read More: Boxing tempting sad fate with lack of drug testing - MMA - Chris Mannix - SI-com
In a country where there is a presumption of innocence, Gamboa is certainly entitled due process. But the fact that 12 baseball players accepted 50-game suspensions -- issued absent of a positive test, no less -- certainly speaks to the credibility of the report and the evidence Bosch had on each. Yet five months after the report came out, Gamboa was back in the ring, winning a unanimous decision, live on HBO, in front of a full house at the Bell Centre in Canada.
There was no investigation into Gamboa, no formal interviews done about what he did and when he did it. Only during fighter meetings, when quizzed by HBO's broadcast team, did Gamboa have to acknowledge that he took substances from the Biogenesis clinic, that he didn't know what they were and that he was no longer using them.
Gamboa could get away with such vague, unverifiable statements because boxing has no means of investigating him. There is no collective bargaining agreement in boxing. There is no union, no commissioner, no strong governing body of any kind. Drug testing is performed on a state by state basis and usually only involves pre- and post-fight urine testing, which, with an ever changing landscape of designer drugs, is akin to trying to catch a fish in a net with a three-foot hole in it.
It's a terrifying fact: Perhaps the world's most dangerous sport is the easiest to cheat in.
"PEDs in boxing are an endemic problem," said promoter Lou DiBella. "It's bad enough if you're hitting a baseball or a hockey puck, but when you are punching someone in the head, steroids become a life-altering way of cheating."
In a sport that has already taken the lives of Benny Paret, Duk Koo Kim and Leavander Johnson, among others, it would behoove athletes to ensure a level playing field. But there is virtually no sense of urgency to create a uniform testing system. Several fighters, most notably Nonito Donaire and Floyd Mayweather, have taken stands against PED use, often asking (and in the case of Mayweather, requiring) opponents to undergo random blood and urine testing before a fight. But far more often than not, matches take place with ineffective testing.
The reason: Money. While major sports leagues foot the bill for its extensive testing procedures, states operate with much smaller budgets. According to Nevada State Athletic Commissioner Keith Kizer, Nevada, site of most of boxing's biggest fights, only has $10,000 per year to test its fighters. Agencies that conduct comprehensive drug testing -- like the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) -- can cost $10,000 or more per fight. The blood and urine testing for Tim Bradley's welterweight title defense against Juan Manuel Marquez in October, a procedure that will be performed at the WADA-accredited Sports Medicine Research & Testing Laboratory in Utah and overseen by the Nevada commission, will cost in the neighborhood of $35,000, money the promoter, Top Rank, has agreed to pay.
"We think this testing process is going to be a good thing," Kizer said. "We hope other promoters will take advantage of it."
Will they? It's doubtful. Top Rank can afford to foot the bill because it is one of the biggest promoters in boxing, just like Donaire and Mayweather can afford testing because of their respective financial success. But a lesser fighter making $15,000 or $20,000 on HBO's Boxing After Dark, ShoBox show or an NBC Sports Network show? It's likely he would rather run the risk of facing a juiced up opponent than take money out of his pocket.
The simple, scary bottom line is this: PED use in boxing won't become a front burner issue until someone is killed in the ring because of it, until a fighter who caves in someone's skull tests positive for a substance that gave him the strength to do it. It's not a matter of if that will happen, but when. Then you will hear fighters refusing to fight. Then you will hear promoters rant and rave about the need for stricter testing. Then you will hear elected officials call for a federal system to oversee all of it.
Then, though, it will be too late.
Read More: Boxing tempting sad fate with lack of drug testing - MMA - Chris Mannix - SI-com
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Alexander Ustinov knows David Tua has the power to end fights early, but says he has come to New Zealand to win - even if it means re-writing history in the process.
Ustinov visited Ringside Gym in Hamilton yesterday as part of his promotional tour of the country for his fight with Tua at Claudelands Arena on August 31.
The 2.02-metre Belarussian boxer said he was aware of Tua's reputation as a fighter who has knockout power in both hands and during their face-off on Monday he could tell he was fired up.
"I could see in his eyes that he's prepared for the fight. He's determined. We're definitely sharing the same goal.
"He's a very experienced fighter. He's ranked quite highly. He's known in the boxing world as quite a strong, powerful man famous for his left hook so I think the best strategy I have is to really not let him go in close to me so I'll try really hard to not let him overtake the fight," Ustinov said.
There has been much talk about the possible world title shot opportunity Tua may get if he wins convincingly and Ustinov said he shared that motivation.
The fight night has been billed as David v Goliath, referring to the Bible story and the significant size difference between the two men.
Those familiar with the Bible's account will know the young shepherd David defeats the Philistine giant Goliath by firing a stone at his forehead with a sling.
Ustinov said he knew of the story, but his memory was hazy when it came to which man won.
"Yeah, I do have an idea of what it is about but, to be honest, I don't remember who won. But even if David won in the Bible, I think I'll have to change it."
He said he will re-write the story on fight night.
"With boxing, just like any other sport, you never know what might happen on the actual day so even though he might be a very experienced athlete or boxer, it could all be changed in a second."
Ustinov worked the pads with trainer Vladimir Zadiran yesterday. He was sluggish and punched and moved unconventionally, showing plenty of openings for Tua.
There were whispers among the small crowd, which had gathered at the gym to watch. "Put your money on David," they said.
Ustinov has been training hard since the fight was made, but has to take time off to promote the fight.
"We only arrived a few days ago so I'm still recovering, I'm still adjusting to this country, to this climate."
But he plans to return to training "day and night" to get in the best shape possible.
Ustinov said he harboured no bad feelings for Tua and appeared relaxed and quietly confident that he has a strategy to defeat him.
"It's sport. It's a game. So I usually try to switch off all of my emotions," he said.
"I had an opportunity to fight some friends in the ring so that's when you really have to switch everything off and just fight."
Despite Tua's trainer David Hedgcock predicting a knockout in the middle rounds, Ustinov would not be drawn on specifics.
"I came here to win, I don't need anything else. I'll give it all. I'll really try to beat David."
Boxing | Goliath ready to re-write clash with David... | Stuff.co.nz
Ustinov visited Ringside Gym in Hamilton yesterday as part of his promotional tour of the country for his fight with Tua at Claudelands Arena on August 31.
The 2.02-metre Belarussian boxer said he was aware of Tua's reputation as a fighter who has knockout power in both hands and during their face-off on Monday he could tell he was fired up.
"I could see in his eyes that he's prepared for the fight. He's determined. We're definitely sharing the same goal.
"He's a very experienced fighter. He's ranked quite highly. He's known in the boxing world as quite a strong, powerful man famous for his left hook so I think the best strategy I have is to really not let him go in close to me so I'll try really hard to not let him overtake the fight," Ustinov said.
There has been much talk about the possible world title shot opportunity Tua may get if he wins convincingly and Ustinov said he shared that motivation.
The fight night has been billed as David v Goliath, referring to the Bible story and the significant size difference between the two men.
Those familiar with the Bible's account will know the young shepherd David defeats the Philistine giant Goliath by firing a stone at his forehead with a sling.
Ustinov said he knew of the story, but his memory was hazy when it came to which man won.
"Yeah, I do have an idea of what it is about but, to be honest, I don't remember who won. But even if David won in the Bible, I think I'll have to change it."
He said he will re-write the story on fight night.
"With boxing, just like any other sport, you never know what might happen on the actual day so even though he might be a very experienced athlete or boxer, it could all be changed in a second."
Ustinov worked the pads with trainer Vladimir Zadiran yesterday. He was sluggish and punched and moved unconventionally, showing plenty of openings for Tua.
There were whispers among the small crowd, which had gathered at the gym to watch. "Put your money on David," they said.
Ustinov has been training hard since the fight was made, but has to take time off to promote the fight.
"We only arrived a few days ago so I'm still recovering, I'm still adjusting to this country, to this climate."
But he plans to return to training "day and night" to get in the best shape possible.
Ustinov said he harboured no bad feelings for Tua and appeared relaxed and quietly confident that he has a strategy to defeat him.
"It's sport. It's a game. So I usually try to switch off all of my emotions," he said.
"I had an opportunity to fight some friends in the ring so that's when you really have to switch everything off and just fight."
Despite Tua's trainer David Hedgcock predicting a knockout in the middle rounds, Ustinov would not be drawn on specifics.
"I came here to win, I don't need anything else. I'll give it all. I'll really try to beat David."
Boxing | Goliath ready to re-write clash with David... | Stuff.co.nz
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The final press conference for Saturday’s fight card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem took place Thursday. The only televised boxing event scheduled for this Saturday will feature Gamalier Rodriguez (21-2-3, 15 KOs) defending his NABO featherweight belt against Jorge Pazos (19-5-1, 13 KOs) in the scheduled 10-round main event. Also on the card, welterweight Ronald Cruz (17-2, 12 KOs) tries to get back on the winning track against Rodolfo Armenta (12-10-1, 9 KOs). Also on the card is hot prospect and Puerto Rican Olympian Felix Verdejo (6-0, 5 KOs), who seeks to maintain his undefeated record in a six-round super featherweight bout against Guillermo Delgadillo (4-4-1, 0 KOs). Wilfredo Gomez, one of the greatest of all Puerto Rican boxers, will be ringside Saturday evening cheering for fellow-countrymen Rodriguez and Verdejo.
Here’s what the fighters had to say:
Gamalier Rodriguez: “Tell Pazos he’s going home with a loss Saturday. I’m happy to be with Top Rank and have my first fight on the East Coast.
Jorge Pazos: “I lost my last two fights but they were against guys I had to chase, especially against Orlando Cruz. He moved a lot. I hope I don’t have to chase this guy Saturday.”
Ronald Cruz: “I want to thank all of my fans for supporting me during my last two fights. I want to reward their loyalty Saturday when I fight Armenta. Training has been solid and I’m glad to be back in action so soon after my last fight (June 14).
Rodolfo Armenta: “This is my first fight on the East Coast. I’ve fought some tough guys and I’m doing it again but I have confidence in my ability.”
Also at the press conference was Hall-of-Famer Wilfredo Gomez, who flew here from Puerto Rico to support rising junior lightweight prospect Felix Verdejo. Verdejo boxes Guillermo DelGadillo in a scheduled six-round televised fight.
Doors open at 6.30pm; first fight 7p.m. Tickets priced at $50 and $75 and $130 (luxury suites) can be purchased through the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000). Tickets also are on sale at Peltz Boxing, Sands Event Center | Bethlehem Event Center, and Tickets for Concerts, Sports, Arts, Theater, Family, Events, more. Official Ticketmaster site. In Bethlehem, tickets are available at Deja Brew, Inc., 101 West 4th Street (610-865-2739) and at Pronto Insurance Notary, 232 East 3rd Street (610-419-6790). The Rodriguez-Pazos fight will be on Solo Boxeo Tecate, aired on UniMas, beginning at midnight. The card is being promoted by Top Rank and Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with BAM Boxing and the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.
Boxing News | Rodriguez-Pazos Final Press Conference
Here’s what the fighters had to say:
Gamalier Rodriguez: “Tell Pazos he’s going home with a loss Saturday. I’m happy to be with Top Rank and have my first fight on the East Coast.
Jorge Pazos: “I lost my last two fights but they were against guys I had to chase, especially against Orlando Cruz. He moved a lot. I hope I don’t have to chase this guy Saturday.”
Ronald Cruz: “I want to thank all of my fans for supporting me during my last two fights. I want to reward their loyalty Saturday when I fight Armenta. Training has been solid and I’m glad to be back in action so soon after my last fight (June 14).
Rodolfo Armenta: “This is my first fight on the East Coast. I’ve fought some tough guys and I’m doing it again but I have confidence in my ability.”
Also at the press conference was Hall-of-Famer Wilfredo Gomez, who flew here from Puerto Rico to support rising junior lightweight prospect Felix Verdejo. Verdejo boxes Guillermo DelGadillo in a scheduled six-round televised fight.
Doors open at 6.30pm; first fight 7p.m. Tickets priced at $50 and $75 and $130 (luxury suites) can be purchased through the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000). Tickets also are on sale at Peltz Boxing, Sands Event Center | Bethlehem Event Center, and Tickets for Concerts, Sports, Arts, Theater, Family, Events, more. Official Ticketmaster site. In Bethlehem, tickets are available at Deja Brew, Inc., 101 West 4th Street (610-865-2739) and at Pronto Insurance Notary, 232 East 3rd Street (610-419-6790). The Rodriguez-Pazos fight will be on Solo Boxeo Tecate, aired on UniMas, beginning at midnight. The card is being promoted by Top Rank and Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with BAM Boxing and the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.
Boxing News | Rodriguez-Pazos Final Press Conference
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With states having their own boxing halls of fame, it seemed odd that Nevada – where so many high-profile prize fights have taken place over the decades – was without one of its own.
Boxing commentator Rich Marotta set out to fix that, announcing the formation of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame late last year. The Reno, Nev., resident, along with a board of directors and a lot of work from his son Joey, will see the fruits of their labor reach its satisfying completion, with Saturday marking the induction of the inaugural class.
The gala at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino in Las Vegas sold out a week ago and promises to be a memorable night for a state that has produced so many historic moments in the sport.
Some of the biggest names in boxing are among the Hall's first class.
In the category of Nevada-resident boxers, Mike Tyson, Mike McCallum, and the late Diego Corrales make up the first group of fighters. Corrales' wife Michelle will accept on his behalf. The non-Nevada resident category is for fighters who have a rich history of fighting in the state. This is where Oscar De La Hoya, Julio Cesar Chavez, Larry Holmes, and Sugar Ray Leonard will be inducted.
Eddie Futch and Freddie Roach are the two trainers getting inducted. The late Futch's wife Eva will accept on his behalf.
Referees Mills Lane and Joe Cortez will go in together. The two refereed some of the biggest fights in boxing over the past three decades.
Al Bernstein and Royce Feour will go in as part of the media category. Bernstein hit a triple crown, as he is a member if the International Boxing Hall of Fame and was recently selected as part of the Connecticut Hall.
Longtime rivals Bob Arum and Don King will go in the promoter category. Marc Ratner and James Nave will be inducted into the category for executives, and Sig Rogich and Kirk Kerkorian will enter as special contributors.
The induction kicks off at 4:00 p.m. and couldn't have been accomplished without the tireless effort of the Marottas and his board of directors. With Las Vegas being known as where big fights take place in the Western Hemisphere, it was only right that somebody stepped up to provide the state of Nevada with its own boxing shrine.
Nevada boxing hall of fame inducts inaugural class | RingTV
Boxing commentator Rich Marotta set out to fix that, announcing the formation of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame late last year. The Reno, Nev., resident, along with a board of directors and a lot of work from his son Joey, will see the fruits of their labor reach its satisfying completion, with Saturday marking the induction of the inaugural class.
The gala at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino in Las Vegas sold out a week ago and promises to be a memorable night for a state that has produced so many historic moments in the sport.
Some of the biggest names in boxing are among the Hall's first class.
In the category of Nevada-resident boxers, Mike Tyson, Mike McCallum, and the late Diego Corrales make up the first group of fighters. Corrales' wife Michelle will accept on his behalf. The non-Nevada resident category is for fighters who have a rich history of fighting in the state. This is where Oscar De La Hoya, Julio Cesar Chavez, Larry Holmes, and Sugar Ray Leonard will be inducted.
Eddie Futch and Freddie Roach are the two trainers getting inducted. The late Futch's wife Eva will accept on his behalf.
Referees Mills Lane and Joe Cortez will go in together. The two refereed some of the biggest fights in boxing over the past three decades.
Al Bernstein and Royce Feour will go in as part of the media category. Bernstein hit a triple crown, as he is a member if the International Boxing Hall of Fame and was recently selected as part of the Connecticut Hall.
Longtime rivals Bob Arum and Don King will go in the promoter category. Marc Ratner and James Nave will be inducted into the category for executives, and Sig Rogich and Kirk Kerkorian will enter as special contributors.
The induction kicks off at 4:00 p.m. and couldn't have been accomplished without the tireless effort of the Marottas and his board of directors. With Las Vegas being known as where big fights take place in the Western Hemisphere, it was only right that somebody stepped up to provide the state of Nevada with its own boxing shrine.
Nevada boxing hall of fame inducts inaugural class | RingTV
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Mike Tyson is primed to make his boxing comeback on Aug. 23, but he will not be in his fighting togs. The former heavyweight champion is returning to the world of the ring as a promoter and president of Iron Mike Productions. The Brooklyn-born fighter, now 47, developed his concussive craft in upstate New York, and that is where he will make his debut as a promoter. His first show, featuring a super-featherweight title tussle, will take place at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y., and will be televised on ESPN Friday Night Fights.
Despite his sordid history with promoters, Tyson is excited about the new endeavor. "Believe me," he laughed, "the last thing I ever thought I'd be doing would be returning to boxing as a promoter. But these two great businessmen approached me and I loved their ideas. I'm going to be very hands-on, personally checking on the conditioning and style of all our fighters."
Tyson, who clearly loves talking about the nitty-gritty of boxing, also revealed ambitions beyond simply promoting professional bouts. "I want to put together an amateur team that competes with teams from other countries," he said. "I even want to work with kids who are just starting out and haven't even had their first bout."
Mike Tyson Gets Back Into Boxing, Tim Tebow Leads NFL Running QBs - WSJ-com
Despite his sordid history with promoters, Tyson is excited about the new endeavor. "Believe me," he laughed, "the last thing I ever thought I'd be doing would be returning to boxing as a promoter. But these two great businessmen approached me and I loved their ideas. I'm going to be very hands-on, personally checking on the conditioning and style of all our fighters."
Tyson, who clearly loves talking about the nitty-gritty of boxing, also revealed ambitions beyond simply promoting professional bouts. "I want to put together an amateur team that competes with teams from other countries," he said. "I even want to work with kids who are just starting out and haven't even had their first bout."
Mike Tyson Gets Back Into Boxing, Tim Tebow Leads NFL Running QBs - WSJ-com
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Sure, he talks about his career in his hit one-man stage show, appeared for his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011 and is a regular at ringside for big fights.
But Tyson did not have an official role in the sport -- until now. Tyson is entering the promotional end of the sport and is excited to be there. "I thought about it, I talked to my wife [Kiki] about it and we thought we wanted to do it," Tyson said in an interview with ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights" about his upstart Iron Mike Productions. "I feel so awesome to be involved with the game again. That just feels so awesome."
The first card under the Iron Mike Productions banner will take place Aug. 23 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. The card, the season finale of "Friday Night Fights," will feature junior lightweight world titleholder Argenis Mendez (21-2, 11 KOs) in his first title defense against Arash Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs) in the main event with Claudio Marrero (14-0, 11 KOs) taking on Jesus Andres Cuellar (22-1, 18 KOs) for a vacant interim featherweight title in the co-feature.
Tyson's involvement in the promotional aspect of the sport he once ruled comes as a partner in the former Acquinity Sports, a Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based promotional company that has been around for about two years and has a growing stable of talent, including Mendez and Marrero.
Tyson worked on a deal with Acquinity Sports chief executive Garry Jonas for the past five months before making it official a few weeks ago and changing the name of the company to Iron Mike Productions.
"They gave me a call and believed we could help each other," Tyson said of Jonas and Henry Rivalta, who heads boxing operations for the company. "We struck up a deal where we would form Iron Mike Productions. We have a few fighters, we have a world champion and a few up-and-coming contenders, and we're still recruiting fighters. I just thought that would be something remarkable because I always wanted to be in boxing but I was unable to because of all the stuff that I've done that wasn't too cool, back in the past."
Tyson, the youngest world heavyweight champion in history when he knocked out the late Trevor Berbick in the second round in 1986 at age 20, had many controversial moments in the ring. The most famous, of course, was when he bit off a chunk of Evander Holyfield's ear in a 1997 championship fight and was disqualified.
But Tyson, through all the ups and downs, remains one of the most famous fighters ever, as well as a mainstream personality, reborn after his well-received appearances in the first two "Hangover" films. Tyson hopes to use his fame, along with his vast boxing experience and knowledge, when it comes to promoting. He said he plans to be more than just a figurehead for Iron Mike Productions.
"I'm going to try to be as hands on as possible to make sure that everything is on the up and up with the fighters -- properly prepared, passing all of their physicals," Tyson said. "I just want to make sure that everything is on the up and up with the fighters. I don't want them to wind up like I did when I finished fighting -- broken, useless."
Tyson, who finished his career in deep financial stress after earning hundreds of millions of dollars in the ring as a pay-per-view superstar, said he wants to recruit heavyweights and find the next American champion, as well as look to other weight classes for fighters, American and foreign.
"This is just something that is very exciting for me, and this is all I ever wanted to do in life," Tyson said. "I'm just very fortunate that I was able to go into show business as well. But, this is something very exciting to me, and I'm very grateful."
Tyson is not the first former fighter to enter the promotional business, and those former fighters have had varying degrees of success. Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions has become one of the top promoters in the world. Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s upstart Mayweather Promotions is becoming more active and signing fighters. Others, such as Roy Jones and Sugar Ray Leonard, have not had the same kind of success as promoters that they had as fighters.
Tyson said his main goal is to help the fighters while also making a few dollars.
"I learned, if I was ever a promoter, I wouldn't be like these guys, the guys that promoted me," Tyson said, speaking mainly about Don King. "I would make sure that these fighters -- it's all about the fighters. I don't do this because I want to make a lot of money. Everybody's trying to make a buck. I want to see successful fighters and great fighters, and I would hate to see fighters end up like me, when I finished fighting. I'm just one of the very fortunate ones, and I'm very grateful for that. I would never like them to be like me."
One of the things that got Tyson thinking about going into the promotional business was when he saw a recent ESPN2 card that was promoted by rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, who also is relatively new on the promotional scene.
"One of the reasons I'm really gung-ho about this is that I saw 50 Cent's show on ESPN," Tyson said. "He had an awesome show. It inspired me. It got me very energized. I just wanted to [do] something in particular. If I was going to do a fight, I would want it to be at that level.
"But hopefully, God willing, I want to supersede that. But that was just awesome. I was really intrigued by his show, and that pretty much inspired me to just go gung-ho and just do this."
Mike Tyson excited to enter promotional realm of boxing - ESPN