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Brian Minto has finished off Shane Cameron's heavyweight boxing aspirations and the gritty American says he would fight top New Zealand prospect Joseph Parker for "a solid retirement fund".
The 38-year-old battered Cameron, 36, into submission in west Auckland in a fight that was called off early with the Kiwi suffering heavy cuts.
The contest loomed as career-defining for both boxers and while Cameron's future looks bleak, Minto is set to enjoy an unexpectedly sweet twilight period Down Under.
He is a big winner in a limited New Zealand heavyweight scene that has been severely cannibalised over the past few weeks.
David Tua's departure will surely be followed by Cameron, leaving Parker, 21, top of the heap by default now.
He will fight Brazil and South American champion George Arias in March and already there is talk of Minto being thrown at him.
Whether that's sensible based on what was seen from the American's confrontational style in the Fight For Life headline act with Cameron remains to be seen. Minto is a brawler and Parker is a boxer, reliant on lightning hands and quick movement.
They share a common denominator in an increasingly small scene with both being coached by Kevin Barry.
Minto, suddenly a Duco darling with the promoter's dollars in his sights, is up for the challenge.
"Joseph is one of my friends; he and me became close. But this is business. If I can get a good solid retirement fund, I'd fight Joseph Parker, definitely. It's business," Minto said, believing he'd need a handsome cheque for the risks.
"You see Shane was a good heavyweight for me because he doesn't have size on me. A guy like Joseph, I'm already behind the eight-ball, he's way bigger than me."
Parker is set to spend Christmas in Samoa with family and will return to Las Vegas next month to build up for the Arias fight, his first since severely cutting an eyebrow against Afa Tatupu. The cut is healing sweetly but no risks are being taken.
Parker admitted he was a frustrated viewer ringside on Saturday night.
"When I see people fight and spar I want to jump in and do it again, but I have to be on the safe side," Parker said.
With Cameron yet to confirm his future, Parker said he had the utmost respect for the Kiwi veteran, along with Tua.
"They have set the example for us growing up," he said.
A payday against Parker might be the only incentive for Cameron too, though there seemed to be an air of inevitability in the Cameron camp as they digested the unexpected battering he had taken. His manager Ken Reinsfield said last night it could be the new year before any decision was made. They didn't want emotions to rule just as they didn't want to make a decision they may regret, Reinsfield saying too many boxers made comebacks after retiring.
Minto believed Cameron was showing signs of wear and needed to think heavily about his future.
"If you ain't getting any better and you are taking those kind of blows every fight ... he's got a baby coming ... he's got to be thinking ... he's been successful in a sport, it's time to step aside," Minto said.
"That's just the way the sport is. You don't want to be ... 10 years from now walking on your heels and having traumatic brain injury. I wish him all the best. He's a tough warrior, definitely. He's never backed down from fighting anybody so I give him all the respect in the world.
"But if you're not adjusting to get better, I just think it's time for him to find something else. He has taken a lot of punishment. This is a rough sport."
Just as Tua was undone by some poor matchmaking against the giant Belarusian Alexander Ustinov, Cameron bit off more than he could chew in taking on Minto's in-your-face approach after more than a year out of the ring.
"I think it was the wrong fight for him ... my style is rough for anyone because I put a lot of pressure on, it's just the way I fight."
Barry said it was "too early" to talk of a Parker-Minto fight. They would need to sit down now and plot a course forward but the immediate focus was on getting Parker ready for Arias.
Boxing | Shane Cameron's Career Looks Over | Stuff.co.nz
The 38-year-old battered Cameron, 36, into submission in west Auckland in a fight that was called off early with the Kiwi suffering heavy cuts.
The contest loomed as career-defining for both boxers and while Cameron's future looks bleak, Minto is set to enjoy an unexpectedly sweet twilight period Down Under.
He is a big winner in a limited New Zealand heavyweight scene that has been severely cannibalised over the past few weeks.
David Tua's departure will surely be followed by Cameron, leaving Parker, 21, top of the heap by default now.
He will fight Brazil and South American champion George Arias in March and already there is talk of Minto being thrown at him.
Whether that's sensible based on what was seen from the American's confrontational style in the Fight For Life headline act with Cameron remains to be seen. Minto is a brawler and Parker is a boxer, reliant on lightning hands and quick movement.
They share a common denominator in an increasingly small scene with both being coached by Kevin Barry.
Minto, suddenly a Duco darling with the promoter's dollars in his sights, is up for the challenge.
"Joseph is one of my friends; he and me became close. But this is business. If I can get a good solid retirement fund, I'd fight Joseph Parker, definitely. It's business," Minto said, believing he'd need a handsome cheque for the risks.
"You see Shane was a good heavyweight for me because he doesn't have size on me. A guy like Joseph, I'm already behind the eight-ball, he's way bigger than me."
Parker is set to spend Christmas in Samoa with family and will return to Las Vegas next month to build up for the Arias fight, his first since severely cutting an eyebrow against Afa Tatupu. The cut is healing sweetly but no risks are being taken.
Parker admitted he was a frustrated viewer ringside on Saturday night.
"When I see people fight and spar I want to jump in and do it again, but I have to be on the safe side," Parker said.
With Cameron yet to confirm his future, Parker said he had the utmost respect for the Kiwi veteran, along with Tua.
"They have set the example for us growing up," he said.
A payday against Parker might be the only incentive for Cameron too, though there seemed to be an air of inevitability in the Cameron camp as they digested the unexpected battering he had taken. His manager Ken Reinsfield said last night it could be the new year before any decision was made. They didn't want emotions to rule just as they didn't want to make a decision they may regret, Reinsfield saying too many boxers made comebacks after retiring.
Minto believed Cameron was showing signs of wear and needed to think heavily about his future.
"If you ain't getting any better and you are taking those kind of blows every fight ... he's got a baby coming ... he's got to be thinking ... he's been successful in a sport, it's time to step aside," Minto said.
"That's just the way the sport is. You don't want to be ... 10 years from now walking on your heels and having traumatic brain injury. I wish him all the best. He's a tough warrior, definitely. He's never backed down from fighting anybody so I give him all the respect in the world.
"But if you're not adjusting to get better, I just think it's time for him to find something else. He has taken a lot of punishment. This is a rough sport."
Just as Tua was undone by some poor matchmaking against the giant Belarusian Alexander Ustinov, Cameron bit off more than he could chew in taking on Minto's in-your-face approach after more than a year out of the ring.
"I think it was the wrong fight for him ... my style is rough for anyone because I put a lot of pressure on, it's just the way I fight."
Barry said it was "too early" to talk of a Parker-Minto fight. They would need to sit down now and plot a course forward but the immediate focus was on getting Parker ready for Arias.
Boxing | Shane Cameron's Career Looks Over | Stuff.co.nz
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2006/12/07
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World heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko has given up his WBC title and says he is unlikely to fight again because he is focusing on politics.
The World Boxing Council has made him a "champion emeritus", which would allow him to directly challenge a new champion if he wants to resume boxing.
But the 42-year-old, who is a Ukrainian opposition leader, said: "That is something I currently cannot imagine.
"My focus is on politics in Ukraine and I feel the people there need me." Massive crowds have demonstrated for weeks in Kiev against President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to shun closer ties with the European Union and Klitschko, who is very pro-EU and plans to run for president in 2015, has been prominent in the protests.
They were sparked by the Ukrainian government's decision not to sign a partnership deal with the EU - a move which seemed to come as a result of pressure from Russia.
The 6ft 7in heavyweight has won 45 of his 47 professional fights, 41 by knockout, with one of his two defeats a controversial reverse against Britain's Lennox Lewis in 2003.
The Ukrainian's younger brother Wladimir holds the other significant world heavyweight belts.
"I thank the WBC and its president Jose Sulaiman for the support in our battle for democracy and freedom in Ukraine," added the older Klitschko, who is leader of the Udar (Punch) political party.
Klitschko's last fight was in September 2012 when he stopped Manuel Charr in the fourth round.
BBC Sport - Vitali Klitschko: Heavyweight champion swaps boxing for politics
The World Boxing Council has made him a "champion emeritus", which would allow him to directly challenge a new champion if he wants to resume boxing.
But the 42-year-old, who is a Ukrainian opposition leader, said: "That is something I currently cannot imagine.
"My focus is on politics in Ukraine and I feel the people there need me." Massive crowds have demonstrated for weeks in Kiev against President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to shun closer ties with the European Union and Klitschko, who is very pro-EU and plans to run for president in 2015, has been prominent in the protests.
They were sparked by the Ukrainian government's decision not to sign a partnership deal with the EU - a move which seemed to come as a result of pressure from Russia.
The 6ft 7in heavyweight has won 45 of his 47 professional fights, 41 by knockout, with one of his two defeats a controversial reverse against Britain's Lennox Lewis in 2003.
The Ukrainian's younger brother Wladimir holds the other significant world heavyweight belts.
"I thank the WBC and its president Jose Sulaiman for the support in our battle for democracy and freedom in Ukraine," added the older Klitschko, who is leader of the Udar (Punch) political party.
Klitschko's last fight was in September 2012 when he stopped Manuel Charr in the fourth round.
BBC Sport - Vitali Klitschko: Heavyweight champion swaps boxing for politics
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2006/12/07
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Boxing is enjoying a revival in Thunder Bay as local fighters make their presence known at boxing cards in Canada and the United States
Leading Edge Boxing, located at Thunder Bay’s Centre of Change, formerly Hillcrest High School at 96 North High St., promotes the sport for both recreational and more serious fighters.
In the competitive sphere, 30-year-old Suvi Riekko of Leading Edge Boxing, fighting in a 145-pound bout, recently won a unanimous decision over Kim Putzier of St. Cloud, Minn.
They battled each other at a Minneapolis event on Dec. 7 at Uppercut Gym.
Riekko was the lone competitor from Thunder Bay, since the opponent slated to face teammate Michelle Pasch withdrew from the fight a few weeks in advance.
“It was a good challenge,” says Riekko of her victory. “This was her (Putzier’s) first fight, so she had the nerves going for her, too. She’s a southpaw, so I had to constantly keep reminding myself to move to my left and attack from the sides, hoping to land my right on her. It’s not like fighting an orthodox fighter.”
With three wins and one loss to her credit, the talented fighter highlights a benefit of boxing.
“I think it instills confidence in you,” says Riekko, who has been involved in the sport for two years. “To get up there and set foot in the ring is an achievement in itself.”
Her training partner at Leading Edge Boxing, the 38-year-old Pasch, might be older than your average competitor but she she’s still a force to contend with in the ring.
Currently holding a one-win, one-loss record, she’s eager to get more experience under her belt.
“When I get in that ring, nothing else matters,” says the determined fighter. “I am completely focused and ready to do battle. The moment is mine.”
Pasch is coming off a unanimous decision in her favor at a boxing card on Nov. 15 in Duluth, organized by Jungle Boy Boxing. She squared off against a much younger opponent — 20-year-old Ashley Heikes from Northfield, Minn., who weighed in at 155 pounds to her 147.
“It was a great battle,” says Pasch. “I felt relaxed and was able to attack her with many combos I have been working on at Leading Edge (Boxing).”
Both female boxers from Thunder Bay participated in a grand-scale event this summer — the 13th annual Ringside World Championships in Independence, Mo., from July 29 to Aug. 3.
“Although we did not win our matches, we performed very well and came home with such an incredible life experience,” says Pasch. “I left the ring with such an intense feeling rushing through me. It was a feeling of intense excitement and thrill, something that I will continue to seek . . . adrenaline.”
Leading Edge Boxing has six boxers registered with Boxing Ontario, with two active boxers competitively at the moment. Other participants attend workouts on a more recreational basis.
“We have 20-30 boxers a night,” says boxing coach Karl Dahl. “It (boxing) is coming back. It had a bit of a downfall just because it wasn’t around in Thunder Bay for a number of years. MMA (mixed martial arts) is great but not everyone can do it and wants to do groundwork. They look at the standup aspect and that’s basically boxing.”
The gym features a number of workout options.
“As Leading Edge boxing, MMA and jiu-jitsu, we support each other,” says Dahl. “There is no animosity between the disciplines. We use some of their training and they use some of ours. Everyone’s doing well. It’s one big team.”
Julie Cybulski Malik, originally from London, Ont., is a personal trainer, competitive boxer and boxing coach at Leading Edge Boxing.
“In the last few months I’ve seen an increase in registrants for the boxing club,” says the 10-year veteran in the sport. “Twelve to 15 participants from them are well on their way to being competitive.”
Rory Slater, also a coach at Leading Edge Boxing, values the activity as an effective fitness choice.
“In order to box, you have to be in great shape,” he explains. “Like all sports, it gives you a sense of discipline and you have to be able to hone your craft.”
At upcoming boxing cards in 2014, club members hope to carry on a tradition of success for Leading Edge.
Boxing getting big again in Thunder Bay | The Chronicle-Journal
Leading Edge Boxing, located at Thunder Bay’s Centre of Change, formerly Hillcrest High School at 96 North High St., promotes the sport for both recreational and more serious fighters.
In the competitive sphere, 30-year-old Suvi Riekko of Leading Edge Boxing, fighting in a 145-pound bout, recently won a unanimous decision over Kim Putzier of St. Cloud, Minn.
They battled each other at a Minneapolis event on Dec. 7 at Uppercut Gym.
Riekko was the lone competitor from Thunder Bay, since the opponent slated to face teammate Michelle Pasch withdrew from the fight a few weeks in advance.
“It was a good challenge,” says Riekko of her victory. “This was her (Putzier’s) first fight, so she had the nerves going for her, too. She’s a southpaw, so I had to constantly keep reminding myself to move to my left and attack from the sides, hoping to land my right on her. It’s not like fighting an orthodox fighter.”
With three wins and one loss to her credit, the talented fighter highlights a benefit of boxing.
“I think it instills confidence in you,” says Riekko, who has been involved in the sport for two years. “To get up there and set foot in the ring is an achievement in itself.”
Her training partner at Leading Edge Boxing, the 38-year-old Pasch, might be older than your average competitor but she she’s still a force to contend with in the ring.
Currently holding a one-win, one-loss record, she’s eager to get more experience under her belt.
“When I get in that ring, nothing else matters,” says the determined fighter. “I am completely focused and ready to do battle. The moment is mine.”
Pasch is coming off a unanimous decision in her favor at a boxing card on Nov. 15 in Duluth, organized by Jungle Boy Boxing. She squared off against a much younger opponent — 20-year-old Ashley Heikes from Northfield, Minn., who weighed in at 155 pounds to her 147.
“It was a great battle,” says Pasch. “I felt relaxed and was able to attack her with many combos I have been working on at Leading Edge (Boxing).”
Both female boxers from Thunder Bay participated in a grand-scale event this summer — the 13th annual Ringside World Championships in Independence, Mo., from July 29 to Aug. 3.
“Although we did not win our matches, we performed very well and came home with such an incredible life experience,” says Pasch. “I left the ring with such an intense feeling rushing through me. It was a feeling of intense excitement and thrill, something that I will continue to seek . . . adrenaline.”
Leading Edge Boxing has six boxers registered with Boxing Ontario, with two active boxers competitively at the moment. Other participants attend workouts on a more recreational basis.
“We have 20-30 boxers a night,” says boxing coach Karl Dahl. “It (boxing) is coming back. It had a bit of a downfall just because it wasn’t around in Thunder Bay for a number of years. MMA (mixed martial arts) is great but not everyone can do it and wants to do groundwork. They look at the standup aspect and that’s basically boxing.”
The gym features a number of workout options.
“As Leading Edge boxing, MMA and jiu-jitsu, we support each other,” says Dahl. “There is no animosity between the disciplines. We use some of their training and they use some of ours. Everyone’s doing well. It’s one big team.”
Julie Cybulski Malik, originally from London, Ont., is a personal trainer, competitive boxer and boxing coach at Leading Edge Boxing.
“In the last few months I’ve seen an increase in registrants for the boxing club,” says the 10-year veteran in the sport. “Twelve to 15 participants from them are well on their way to being competitive.”
Rory Slater, also a coach at Leading Edge Boxing, values the activity as an effective fitness choice.
“In order to box, you have to be in great shape,” he explains. “Like all sports, it gives you a sense of discipline and you have to be able to hone your craft.”
At upcoming boxing cards in 2014, club members hope to carry on a tradition of success for Leading Edge.
Boxing getting big again in Thunder Bay | The Chronicle-Journal
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2006/12/07
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29893
If you have been waiting for the Klitschko brothers to leave the sport of boxing, half of your wish came true earlier this week. According to The Associated Press (via USA Today), Vitali Klitschko, 42, is leaving the sweet science to pursue political ambitions.
Vitali Klitschko is leaving boxing to concentrate on Ukrainian politics and his role as an opposition leader. Klitschko vacated his WBC world heavyweight title on Monday and said he doesn't expect to fight again as he pursues a presidential bid in his home country.
According to the same report, the WBC has elevated Klitschko to champion emeritus status, which means he can return to fight for the WBC heavyweight title anytime he wants. But Klitschko said he doesn’t see that happening.
This offer makes it theoretically possible to return to the ring, which I cannot imagine at all happening as things stand now. I am now concentrating on the politics in Ukraine, I feel people need me there.
In short, Klitschko is now retired. He leaves boxing with a record of 45-2 with 41 KOs.
He has been a great champion. His place in history is secure as one of the best heavyweights ever, and boxing fans will likely appreciate him even more as time passes on.
His 87 percent knockout ratio in 47 bouts is one of the more impressive feats in the history of the division, and he was one of the most dominating champions ever.
Moreover, Klitschko had an uncanny ability to break his opponents down. It seemed at times as if he crushed their hopes and dreams into a fine powder. Fighters like Sam Peter and Tomasz Adamek were just never the same after he pummeled them.
Heck, even Lennox Lewis thought better of giving it another go after beating Klitschko via stoppage due to cuts. Instead of a lucrative rematch, the all-timer called it a day.
But Klitschko is the one calling it quits now.
The Sweet Science’s Frank Lotierzo praises Klitschko as one of the finer big men in history:
Vitali possessed great punch anticipation and was hard to hit. He had more than adequate stamina and if he hit you clean, he could get you out of there evidenced by his high knockout ratio. Vitali was a confident fighter and was not intimidated by any opponent he fought. Regardless of his opponent's style, he forced them to address his strengths and awkwardness before they could even attempt to try and fight their fight. No, he didn't always look polished and refined, but he was damned effective and was a thinking fighter in the ring. In fact he never made mistakes or beat himself once in 47 bouts.
All that stuff is important historically. But what does Klitschko’s retirement mean for boxing’s heavyweight division right now?
Not much.
He has not faced an opponent since September 2012. He simply has not meant much to the division all year long, and that will not change going forward.
Oh sure, the Klitschko stranglehold on the division is looser than it was before. After all, if someone is going to wrangle the heavyweight division away from the grasp of the Ukrainians, that person only has one Klitschko brother to contend with now instead of two.
The problem, of course, is that the Klitschko brother who remains in boxing is not the 42-year-old statesman whose best years as a fighter had already passed him.
No, Wladimir does not seem as interested in life outside of the ring, unless one is to count his affections for his relatively new bride Hayden Panettiere.
In truth, he has been the better heavyweight for a while now. He holds every title belt that his brother does not have, including the lineal championship that he nabbed in his win over Alexander Povetkin last October.
In fact, big brother Vitali’s retirement may mean more for Wladimir than it does for anyone else in the division.
With Vitali gone, no other heavyweight in the world will have any sort of claim at being the best, and anyone daring to call himself such will have only one man to answer to now: Wladimir.
He will have the pick of the litter as well as the full beam of the spotlight.
So while some may believe Vitali’s retirement will mean lots of changes in the sport, don’t expect any new heavyweights to assert themselves as the next generation until 37-year-old Wladimir follows big brother’s footsteps into the horizon.
And that won’t happen anytime soon.
What Vitali Klitschko's Retirement Means for Boxing's Heavyweight Division | Bleacher Report
Vitali Klitschko is leaving boxing to concentrate on Ukrainian politics and his role as an opposition leader. Klitschko vacated his WBC world heavyweight title on Monday and said he doesn't expect to fight again as he pursues a presidential bid in his home country.
According to the same report, the WBC has elevated Klitschko to champion emeritus status, which means he can return to fight for the WBC heavyweight title anytime he wants. But Klitschko said he doesn’t see that happening.
This offer makes it theoretically possible to return to the ring, which I cannot imagine at all happening as things stand now. I am now concentrating on the politics in Ukraine, I feel people need me there.
In short, Klitschko is now retired. He leaves boxing with a record of 45-2 with 41 KOs.
He has been a great champion. His place in history is secure as one of the best heavyweights ever, and boxing fans will likely appreciate him even more as time passes on.
His 87 percent knockout ratio in 47 bouts is one of the more impressive feats in the history of the division, and he was one of the most dominating champions ever.
Moreover, Klitschko had an uncanny ability to break his opponents down. It seemed at times as if he crushed their hopes and dreams into a fine powder. Fighters like Sam Peter and Tomasz Adamek were just never the same after he pummeled them.
Heck, even Lennox Lewis thought better of giving it another go after beating Klitschko via stoppage due to cuts. Instead of a lucrative rematch, the all-timer called it a day.
But Klitschko is the one calling it quits now.
The Sweet Science’s Frank Lotierzo praises Klitschko as one of the finer big men in history:
Vitali possessed great punch anticipation and was hard to hit. He had more than adequate stamina and if he hit you clean, he could get you out of there evidenced by his high knockout ratio. Vitali was a confident fighter and was not intimidated by any opponent he fought. Regardless of his opponent's style, he forced them to address his strengths and awkwardness before they could even attempt to try and fight their fight. No, he didn't always look polished and refined, but he was damned effective and was a thinking fighter in the ring. In fact he never made mistakes or beat himself once in 47 bouts.
All that stuff is important historically. But what does Klitschko’s retirement mean for boxing’s heavyweight division right now?
Not much.
He has not faced an opponent since September 2012. He simply has not meant much to the division all year long, and that will not change going forward.
Oh sure, the Klitschko stranglehold on the division is looser than it was before. After all, if someone is going to wrangle the heavyweight division away from the grasp of the Ukrainians, that person only has one Klitschko brother to contend with now instead of two.
The problem, of course, is that the Klitschko brother who remains in boxing is not the 42-year-old statesman whose best years as a fighter had already passed him.
No, Wladimir does not seem as interested in life outside of the ring, unless one is to count his affections for his relatively new bride Hayden Panettiere.
In truth, he has been the better heavyweight for a while now. He holds every title belt that his brother does not have, including the lineal championship that he nabbed in his win over Alexander Povetkin last October.
In fact, big brother Vitali’s retirement may mean more for Wladimir than it does for anyone else in the division.
With Vitali gone, no other heavyweight in the world will have any sort of claim at being the best, and anyone daring to call himself such will have only one man to answer to now: Wladimir.
He will have the pick of the litter as well as the full beam of the spotlight.
So while some may believe Vitali’s retirement will mean lots of changes in the sport, don’t expect any new heavyweights to assert themselves as the next generation until 37-year-old Wladimir follows big brother’s footsteps into the horizon.
And that won’t happen anytime soon.
What Vitali Klitschko's Retirement Means for Boxing's Heavyweight Division | Bleacher Report
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2006/12/07
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Indonesian boxing star Chris John said on Friday he was retiring two weeks after being dethroned as the world featherweight champion in his first ever loss in an astonishing career. Known as "The Dragon", John won the World Boxing Association featherweight champion crown in 2003 and successfully defended it 18 times.
But the 34-year-old finally lost the title to South African boxer Simpiwe Vetyeka in a December 6 bout in Perth, Western Australia, throwing in the towel after six rounds.
During more than 15 years in the ring, John -- who learnt to box using tatty gloves in a rural village -- fought 52 bouts and racked up 48 wins, three draws and just one loss.
"I was disappointed with my last performance but this is the right moment for me to retire," he told AFP, adding that he was "no longer young".
John, who began boxing professionally in 1997, said he was discussing his retirement plans with his management.
"I take great pleasure in sports so I think there's nothing wrong if I continue to work in the world of sports," he said.
He works with a Perth-based boxing promoter called Dragon Fire, which organises events in Australia, Indonesia and Singapore.
He would not go into details about his retirement plans Friday but in an interview with AFP in April, John said he hoped to train future Indonesian champions after his own professional career came to an end.
The boxer, who has Chinese origins and was raised as a Catholic in the mainly Muslim Southeast Asian country of 250 million, said he wanted to scout and train young talent for Dragon Fire.
In his comments Friday, John also said he wanted to spend more time with his wife and two daughters, aged five and eight.
John's success in carving out one of boxing's great modern careers is particularly remarkable given Indonesia is not regarded as a great centre for the sport.
There are few well-known Indonesians at the top level of boxing, and John was just the country's third world champion.
Ex-world boxing champ Chris John retires after defeat | Bangkok Post: news
But the 34-year-old finally lost the title to South African boxer Simpiwe Vetyeka in a December 6 bout in Perth, Western Australia, throwing in the towel after six rounds.
During more than 15 years in the ring, John -- who learnt to box using tatty gloves in a rural village -- fought 52 bouts and racked up 48 wins, three draws and just one loss.
"I was disappointed with my last performance but this is the right moment for me to retire," he told AFP, adding that he was "no longer young".
John, who began boxing professionally in 1997, said he was discussing his retirement plans with his management.
"I take great pleasure in sports so I think there's nothing wrong if I continue to work in the world of sports," he said.
He works with a Perth-based boxing promoter called Dragon Fire, which organises events in Australia, Indonesia and Singapore.
He would not go into details about his retirement plans Friday but in an interview with AFP in April, John said he hoped to train future Indonesian champions after his own professional career came to an end.
The boxer, who has Chinese origins and was raised as a Catholic in the mainly Muslim Southeast Asian country of 250 million, said he wanted to scout and train young talent for Dragon Fire.
In his comments Friday, John also said he wanted to spend more time with his wife and two daughters, aged five and eight.
John's success in carving out one of boxing's great modern careers is particularly remarkable given Indonesia is not regarded as a great centre for the sport.
There are few well-known Indonesians at the top level of boxing, and John was just the country's third world champion.
Ex-world boxing champ Chris John retires after defeat | Bangkok Post: news
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2006/12/07
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Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran all make multiple appearances in this ranking of the top fights of the 1980s. That quarter of Hall of Famers made the decade one of the best in the sport's history.
It's not a coincidence that George Kimball titled his terrific 2009 history of the era, Four Kings.
But boxing in the 1980s was filled with major stars and sensational fights. There are tons of classics that I left off due to space constraints, though, I do feel my top three are indisputable, even if the order might be quibbled over.
Pictures: Ranking the Top 10 Boxing Fights of the 1980s | Bleacher Report
It's not a coincidence that George Kimball titled his terrific 2009 history of the era, Four Kings.
But boxing in the 1980s was filled with major stars and sensational fights. There are tons of classics that I left off due to space constraints, though, I do feel my top three are indisputable, even if the order might be quibbled over.
Pictures: Ranking the Top 10 Boxing Fights of the 1980s | Bleacher Report
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Battered boxer Shane Cameron and his manager have criticised Fight for Life organisers for not having a registered doctor at last week's charity boxing event.
In a week when the dangers of boxing have been highlighted by Cameron's midweek emergency-ward visit and Sky Television presenter Stephen McIvor being admitted to hospital one day later with spinal fluid on the brain, the charity event's promoters have been forced to defend themselves against claims they failed to provide adequate medical precautions for the fighters on the bill at the Auckland venue last Saturday.
This comes just one month after Otorohanga boxer Daniel MacKinnon had brain surgery and technically died for 40 seconds after a fierce fight with Robbie Berridge on David Tua's undercard in Hamilton, an event run by the same promoters, Duco Events.
Cameron needed nine stitches to two separate cuts after his seventh-round TKO loss to American heavyweight Brian Minto.
Those included two deep, internal stitches which pulled together underlying tissue. While St Johns paramedics were in attendance, no-one on hand was capable of performing the required procedures.
"It's no secret I get cut," Cameron said. "Win or lose it was going to be a hard fight. Stitches were guaranteed. For them not to have a doctor there that's registered and can stitch me up . . . they should have anticipated that happening."
Retired Scottish doctor Brian Stuart was summoned to Cameron's changing room, but had no medical equipment.
"He had no idea," Cameron's manager, Ken Reinsfield, said. "If he didn't understand what was going on with the cuts, how would he know about a bleed on the brain? It's certainly not good and I don't want it to happen again.
"Fighters' safety should be paramount. Regardless of whether there is a hospital down the road, it's important the guy ringside is competent. I was shocked when I found out he wasn't registered."
A fight doctor usually has a torch to assess pupil dilation, steri strips - thin plasters used to temporarily close wounds - stitching tools and blood pressure monitors.
"There was none of that," Cameron claimed. "He said ‘I don't have the gear to stitch you up'."
While Stuart wouldn't comment, Duco promoter Dean Lonergan accepted things could have been handled better, but said Cameron's camp had rejected an ambulance ride. "We had an ambulance outside and the [Waitakere] hospital is literally five minutes down the road," he said.
"I offered to put Shane in an ambulance and get him stitched down there and Ken clearly said ‘no'. What am I supposed to do? He could have gone to the accident and emergency department and got stitched up immediately. It was their choice not to.
"Brian couldn't stitch, so be it. But the fact there was a hospital two minutes away gave me some level of comfort and certainty everything was going to be all right. They chose not to use it." On a night when eight novice boxers, including rugby, league and cricket stars Liam Messam, Sam Thaiday, Paul Gallen, Chris Cairns and Simon Doull fought, the Sunday Star-Times also understands not all charity boxers were assessed by Stuart post-fight.
"Lessons should have been learned," Cameron said. "Dan MacKinnon nearly lost his life. That's the brutality of the sport. All it takes is one whack. All the other boys were doing it for charity. Anything can happen." Cameron said in 16 years boxing he had never fought without a registered doctor on site.
"Never," he said. "Even right through my amateur ranks."
New Zealand's leading boxing medical professional, doctor Dave Renata, was contacted two weeks before the Fight for Life but, by that stage, had already committed to Isaac Peach's super middleweight bout against Fili Mailata at the Auckland Boxing Association.
Renata conducted all medicals at the Fight for Life weigh-ins, but then handed duties over to Stuart.
Around one hour after the defeat to Minto, Cameron's camp arranged for Renata to perform the stitching at the 36-year-old fighter's Mt Albert home.
"It was sorted out before the fight that Dave was going to have a replacement there," Lonergan said. "Obviously it didn't happen to the level we would have liked. We checked with the authorities but ultimately the responsibility lies with me. No-one else. In a perfect world we would have had Dave there all night but we had safety measures in place."
Boxing | Shane Cameron angry over ring doctor absence... | Stuff.co.nz
In a week when the dangers of boxing have been highlighted by Cameron's midweek emergency-ward visit and Sky Television presenter Stephen McIvor being admitted to hospital one day later with spinal fluid on the brain, the charity event's promoters have been forced to defend themselves against claims they failed to provide adequate medical precautions for the fighters on the bill at the Auckland venue last Saturday.
This comes just one month after Otorohanga boxer Daniel MacKinnon had brain surgery and technically died for 40 seconds after a fierce fight with Robbie Berridge on David Tua's undercard in Hamilton, an event run by the same promoters, Duco Events.
Cameron needed nine stitches to two separate cuts after his seventh-round TKO loss to American heavyweight Brian Minto.
Those included two deep, internal stitches which pulled together underlying tissue. While St Johns paramedics were in attendance, no-one on hand was capable of performing the required procedures.
"It's no secret I get cut," Cameron said. "Win or lose it was going to be a hard fight. Stitches were guaranteed. For them not to have a doctor there that's registered and can stitch me up . . . they should have anticipated that happening."
Retired Scottish doctor Brian Stuart was summoned to Cameron's changing room, but had no medical equipment.
"He had no idea," Cameron's manager, Ken Reinsfield, said. "If he didn't understand what was going on with the cuts, how would he know about a bleed on the brain? It's certainly not good and I don't want it to happen again.
"Fighters' safety should be paramount. Regardless of whether there is a hospital down the road, it's important the guy ringside is competent. I was shocked when I found out he wasn't registered."
A fight doctor usually has a torch to assess pupil dilation, steri strips - thin plasters used to temporarily close wounds - stitching tools and blood pressure monitors.
"There was none of that," Cameron claimed. "He said ‘I don't have the gear to stitch you up'."
While Stuart wouldn't comment, Duco promoter Dean Lonergan accepted things could have been handled better, but said Cameron's camp had rejected an ambulance ride. "We had an ambulance outside and the [Waitakere] hospital is literally five minutes down the road," he said.
"I offered to put Shane in an ambulance and get him stitched down there and Ken clearly said ‘no'. What am I supposed to do? He could have gone to the accident and emergency department and got stitched up immediately. It was their choice not to.
"Brian couldn't stitch, so be it. But the fact there was a hospital two minutes away gave me some level of comfort and certainty everything was going to be all right. They chose not to use it." On a night when eight novice boxers, including rugby, league and cricket stars Liam Messam, Sam Thaiday, Paul Gallen, Chris Cairns and Simon Doull fought, the Sunday Star-Times also understands not all charity boxers were assessed by Stuart post-fight.
"Lessons should have been learned," Cameron said. "Dan MacKinnon nearly lost his life. That's the brutality of the sport. All it takes is one whack. All the other boys were doing it for charity. Anything can happen." Cameron said in 16 years boxing he had never fought without a registered doctor on site.
"Never," he said. "Even right through my amateur ranks."
New Zealand's leading boxing medical professional, doctor Dave Renata, was contacted two weeks before the Fight for Life but, by that stage, had already committed to Isaac Peach's super middleweight bout against Fili Mailata at the Auckland Boxing Association.
Renata conducted all medicals at the Fight for Life weigh-ins, but then handed duties over to Stuart.
Around one hour after the defeat to Minto, Cameron's camp arranged for Renata to perform the stitching at the 36-year-old fighter's Mt Albert home.
"It was sorted out before the fight that Dave was going to have a replacement there," Lonergan said. "Obviously it didn't happen to the level we would have liked. We checked with the authorities but ultimately the responsibility lies with me. No-one else. In a perfect world we would have had Dave there all night but we had safety measures in place."
Boxing | Shane Cameron angry over ring doctor absence... | Stuff.co.nz
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2006/12/07
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If you're wondering what that feeling is, it's the hangover effect of not having any boxing to watch this past weekend.
But that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to talk about.
We have more speculation about a potential new entrant into the Floyd Mayweather sweepstakes, some blunt advice from Mayweather to his protege Adrien Broner and the speculation about Manny Pacquiao's next foe. Hint, it's not going to be Mayweather.
All that and our assessment of the Fighter of the Year contenders and a year-end warning about boxing's continued issues with performance-enhancing drugs.
These are the hottest boxing storylines for the last full week of 2013!
Pictures: The Hottest Boxing Storylines for the Week of Dec. 23 | Bleacher Report
But that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to talk about.
We have more speculation about a potential new entrant into the Floyd Mayweather sweepstakes, some blunt advice from Mayweather to his protege Adrien Broner and the speculation about Manny Pacquiao's next foe. Hint, it's not going to be Mayweather.
All that and our assessment of the Fighter of the Year contenders and a year-end warning about boxing's continued issues with performance-enhancing drugs.
These are the hottest boxing storylines for the last full week of 2013!
Pictures: The Hottest Boxing Storylines for the Week of Dec. 23 | Bleacher Report
Join:
2006/12/07
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29893
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has asked for boxing gloves from his wife for Christmas, to use at weekly kick-boxing sessions at the gym he attends.
The Lib Dem leader revealed his wish in his Call Clegg LBC radio phone-in, being broadcast on Christmas Day.
Mr Clegg said he recommended kick-boxing, saying it helped him "to get stuff out of my system".
He admitted that he sometimes liked to imagine people on the receiving end of his sessions, but did not say who.
Mr Clegg conceded that his choice was a gift to political satirists, saying: "This is so going to be misinterpreted - but I've actually asked for a pair of boxing gloves.
"Not to wear them in the House of Commons, although come to think about it, maybe I should. It's because once a week, I go to a gym and... I do these exercises.
"The boxing gloves in the gym are slightly smelly. So I thought I may as well just ask for my own boxing gloves and I'll take them to the gym.
"It's just really good exercise. So I've asked Miriam for a pair of 12oz boxing gloves."
He recommended kickboxing to anyone seeking a good workout.
"I love it. It's very good fun... I'm not any good at it, but it's incredibly good exercise," he told host Nick Ferrari during the programme recorded at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
Asked if he had asked for a specific colour he said: "Yellow, of course."
BBC News - Nick Clegg wants boxing gloves for Christmas
The Lib Dem leader revealed his wish in his Call Clegg LBC radio phone-in, being broadcast on Christmas Day.
Mr Clegg said he recommended kick-boxing, saying it helped him "to get stuff out of my system".
He admitted that he sometimes liked to imagine people on the receiving end of his sessions, but did not say who.
Mr Clegg conceded that his choice was a gift to political satirists, saying: "This is so going to be misinterpreted - but I've actually asked for a pair of boxing gloves.
"Not to wear them in the House of Commons, although come to think about it, maybe I should. It's because once a week, I go to a gym and... I do these exercises.
"The boxing gloves in the gym are slightly smelly. So I thought I may as well just ask for my own boxing gloves and I'll take them to the gym.
"It's just really good exercise. So I've asked Miriam for a pair of 12oz boxing gloves."
He recommended kickboxing to anyone seeking a good workout.
"I love it. It's very good fun... I'm not any good at it, but it's incredibly good exercise," he told host Nick Ferrari during the programme recorded at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
Asked if he had asked for a specific colour he said: "Yellow, of course."
BBC News - Nick Clegg wants boxing gloves for Christmas
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The traditional Boxing Day sales are expected to provide a boost to high street retailers, as shoppers look for increasingly competitive discounts.
Many large department stores and chains opened early on Thursday, while a number of online sales began on Christmas Eve.
John Lewis said internet orders on Christmas Eve were up 13% on 2012 and Christmas Day sales up 19%.
Analysts Experian said online sales were becoming more important each year.
Experian said actual "footfall" - people visiting high street shops - was down 7.6% in the week leading up to Christmas, in part due to the increasing popularity of online shopping.
It estimated UK consumers would spend 45 million hours on retail websites on Christmas Day.
It added that the earlier start to the sales this year, with heavier discounting, contributed to the drop in footfall, along with bad weather disrupting travel.
Jane Hawksworth from the group said: "Given the current level of discounting by the retailers to attract shoppers pre Christmas and the increased activity online, it will be interesting to see how this affects the January sale period."
However, Boxing Day brought actual crowds to shopping hubs across the country.
In London's Oxford Street, some had queued outside their favourite retailers since the early hours of the morning in their eagerness to grab the best bargain.
Speaking to the BBC's Today programme on Radio 4, some people said they had been in a queue outside the flagship Topshop branch since 6am.
'Perfect storm'
One woman said she was looking to buy coats, another said her spending would depend on "how good the deal was".
The period after Christmas is vital for retailers, who clear their stock ahead of a new season.
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard, an analyst which also measures footfall, said that the
post-Christmas sales would be crucial for retailers as the pre-Christmas period had been disappointing.
Black Friday
She told the BBC that "Everything culminated into a perfect storm, all of our shopping locations struggled to meet last year's performance.
"We were hit with a double whammy of wind and rain."
Ms Wehrle added that UK shops adopting the US tradition of Black Friday, where large discounts are offered on products the Friday after the traditional Thanksgiving public holiday, also dented sales the week before Christmas.
"Black Friday becoming something in the UK impacted on sales.... It also coincided with payday for many, so there was a big push for retailers to get some sales. Retailers did a lot of cut price offers and events."
She said that shoppers are also "increasingly savvy" about when they decided to seek a bargain. "They hold out now," she said.
Earlier in December the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales had risen during November and cold weather had boosted sales of warm clothing.
Sales rose by 0.3% in November from the month before and were up 2% from a year earlier.
Online sales hit a record, the ONS said, reaching 11.9% of total sales when spending on fuel was excluded.
BBC News - Retailers look for Boxing Day boost as sales begin
Many large department stores and chains opened early on Thursday, while a number of online sales began on Christmas Eve.
John Lewis said internet orders on Christmas Eve were up 13% on 2012 and Christmas Day sales up 19%.
Analysts Experian said online sales were becoming more important each year.
Experian said actual "footfall" - people visiting high street shops - was down 7.6% in the week leading up to Christmas, in part due to the increasing popularity of online shopping.
It estimated UK consumers would spend 45 million hours on retail websites on Christmas Day.
It added that the earlier start to the sales this year, with heavier discounting, contributed to the drop in footfall, along with bad weather disrupting travel.
Jane Hawksworth from the group said: "Given the current level of discounting by the retailers to attract shoppers pre Christmas and the increased activity online, it will be interesting to see how this affects the January sale period."
However, Boxing Day brought actual crowds to shopping hubs across the country.
In London's Oxford Street, some had queued outside their favourite retailers since the early hours of the morning in their eagerness to grab the best bargain.
Speaking to the BBC's Today programme on Radio 4, some people said they had been in a queue outside the flagship Topshop branch since 6am.
'Perfect storm'
One woman said she was looking to buy coats, another said her spending would depend on "how good the deal was".
The period after Christmas is vital for retailers, who clear their stock ahead of a new season.
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard, an analyst which also measures footfall, said that the
post-Christmas sales would be crucial for retailers as the pre-Christmas period had been disappointing.
Black Friday
She told the BBC that "Everything culminated into a perfect storm, all of our shopping locations struggled to meet last year's performance.
"We were hit with a double whammy of wind and rain."
Ms Wehrle added that UK shops adopting the US tradition of Black Friday, where large discounts are offered on products the Friday after the traditional Thanksgiving public holiday, also dented sales the week before Christmas.
"Black Friday becoming something in the UK impacted on sales.... It also coincided with payday for many, so there was a big push for retailers to get some sales. Retailers did a lot of cut price offers and events."
She said that shoppers are also "increasingly savvy" about when they decided to seek a bargain. "They hold out now," she said.
Earlier in December the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales had risen during November and cold weather had boosted sales of warm clothing.
Sales rose by 0.3% in November from the month before and were up 2% from a year earlier.
Online sales hit a record, the ONS said, reaching 11.9% of total sales when spending on fuel was excluded.
BBC News - Retailers look for Boxing Day boost as sales begin
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2006/12/07
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Christmas Day tranquility turned to buzzing excitement on Thursday as stores across much of Canada filled with the sounds of eager Boxing Day deal hunters and ringing registers.
In Vancouver, shoppers lined up outside downtown stores with windows signs advertising deep discounts and buy-one-get-one-free deals. Those piling into Future Shop came out later carrying everything from televisions and game consoles to computer keyboards and headphones.
General Manager Dan Christie said Future Shop's online discounts began on Christmas Eve, but many people still chose to shop in-person on Boxing Day.
"Our baskets are almost all gone," he said.
Even those who wished for better discounts managed to pick up something. Sydney Robinson settled for a plaid shirt at a packed clothing store after paying just $5 less than full price.
Tanja Milosevic left Future Shop carrying a Nintendo Wii U for her young son, even though she had hoped for more than just $50 off the $300-console.
"It's still expensive...but I needed a present for him for Christmas," she said, referring to Christmas in Serbia, which is on Jan. 7.
In southern Ontario, it's unclear how last weekend's ice storm has affected sales, but weather problems have apparently not deterred people looking for a good bargain.
Cassidy Chin said that though the lines at Toronto's downtown Eaton Centre were long and the weather outside had been frightful, it wasn't enough to scare him away.
"We've never been out Boxing Day shopping. The weather hasn't impacted it at all, we just wanted to get out and get some sales," he said while queued outside a trendy clothing store.
"However, this is insane."
Pamela Favotto intended to pick up a new pair of boots, but that plan was dashed by the throng of shoppers.
"I'm leaving soon," she said.
"As soon as I saw the lineup to get into a store, I was like, 'These people are crazy, I don't want to stay here.' It's too crowded."
Anthony Casalanguida, the General Manager at Toronto's giant Yorkdale shopping mall, said you would never know there were weather problems based on the volume of shoppers in his facility, which was on track to increase by five per cent compared to last year.
However, people have also been coming to the mall since Monday for a different purpose, thanks to last weekend's ice storm knocking out power in many Toronto-area homes.
"We're seen a little bit more people taking advantage of electricity for recharging their phones and their iPads and their computers," Casalanguida said.
"Utilizing the shopping centre as a warming centre probably was something that people did do, but at that point I don't necessarily think we were too concerned about that."
"You would not know there was a weather-related issue."
In Montreal, shoppers jammed onto Sainte-Catherine Street, the city's main commercial thoroughfare.
But some said Boxing Day is no longer the frenzy it once was.
Mongi Bouabane, a taxi driver for 15 years, stood outside Future Shop trying to coax shoppers into his cab.
Bouabane said it's usually far busier.
"In the past, there was a line here for people waiting for a taxi," he said.
"Maybe it's the Internet. I don't know. "
Not everyone is comfortable buying online.
Suzanne Aya, 42, braved the crowds to save $40 on a computer hard drive.
"I need to see it in person," she said.
The only region where Boxing Day madness was largely absent was Atlantic Canada, where many merchants are restricted from opening on the day after Christmas. Those stores are to open Friday.
Read more: Canadians hit the stores for Boxing Day sales madness | CTV News
In Vancouver, shoppers lined up outside downtown stores with windows signs advertising deep discounts and buy-one-get-one-free deals. Those piling into Future Shop came out later carrying everything from televisions and game consoles to computer keyboards and headphones.
General Manager Dan Christie said Future Shop's online discounts began on Christmas Eve, but many people still chose to shop in-person on Boxing Day.
"Our baskets are almost all gone," he said.
Even those who wished for better discounts managed to pick up something. Sydney Robinson settled for a plaid shirt at a packed clothing store after paying just $5 less than full price.
Tanja Milosevic left Future Shop carrying a Nintendo Wii U for her young son, even though she had hoped for more than just $50 off the $300-console.
"It's still expensive...but I needed a present for him for Christmas," she said, referring to Christmas in Serbia, which is on Jan. 7.
In southern Ontario, it's unclear how last weekend's ice storm has affected sales, but weather problems have apparently not deterred people looking for a good bargain.
Cassidy Chin said that though the lines at Toronto's downtown Eaton Centre were long and the weather outside had been frightful, it wasn't enough to scare him away.
"We've never been out Boxing Day shopping. The weather hasn't impacted it at all, we just wanted to get out and get some sales," he said while queued outside a trendy clothing store.
"However, this is insane."
Pamela Favotto intended to pick up a new pair of boots, but that plan was dashed by the throng of shoppers.
"I'm leaving soon," she said.
"As soon as I saw the lineup to get into a store, I was like, 'These people are crazy, I don't want to stay here.' It's too crowded."
Anthony Casalanguida, the General Manager at Toronto's giant Yorkdale shopping mall, said you would never know there were weather problems based on the volume of shoppers in his facility, which was on track to increase by five per cent compared to last year.
However, people have also been coming to the mall since Monday for a different purpose, thanks to last weekend's ice storm knocking out power in many Toronto-area homes.
"We're seen a little bit more people taking advantage of electricity for recharging their phones and their iPads and their computers," Casalanguida said.
"Utilizing the shopping centre as a warming centre probably was something that people did do, but at that point I don't necessarily think we were too concerned about that."
"You would not know there was a weather-related issue."
In Montreal, shoppers jammed onto Sainte-Catherine Street, the city's main commercial thoroughfare.
But some said Boxing Day is no longer the frenzy it once was.
Mongi Bouabane, a taxi driver for 15 years, stood outside Future Shop trying to coax shoppers into his cab.
Bouabane said it's usually far busier.
"In the past, there was a line here for people waiting for a taxi," he said.
"Maybe it's the Internet. I don't know. "
Not everyone is comfortable buying online.
Suzanne Aya, 42, braved the crowds to save $40 on a computer hard drive.
"I need to see it in person," she said.
The only region where Boxing Day madness was largely absent was Atlantic Canada, where many merchants are restricted from opening on the day after Christmas. Those stores are to open Friday.
Read more: Canadians hit the stores for Boxing Day sales madness | CTV News
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
If one single thing contributed to a banner year for boxing in 2013, it was the proliferation of meaningful match-ups at every level, both in the UK and overseas.
It was aided at the top of the sport's complex match-making pyramid by Floyd Mayweather Jnr moving his vast influence to the broadcasters Showtime, part of CBS, from Home Box Office.
The five-weight world champion signed to his new televisual paymasters in the United States for a fee of $250 million for six fights and, suddenly, Showtime was a major player again after years of dominance by HBO.
The rivalry between the stations re-invigorated competition and spawned a series of more competitive fights. Mayweather's contest with rising Mexican star Saul Alvarez, for example, became the highest-grossing pay-per-view fight of all time.
The September extravaganza generated $150 million in revenue from 2.2 million pay-per-view buys. It was a win-win-win for Mayweather, Golden Boy Promotions (who have promotional relationships with both protagonists) and Showtime.
At that elite level, the desire from the general public to see Manny Pacquiao face Mayweather still burns brightly. Pacquiao looked, if not quite back to his best then not far off, when outpointing Brandon Rios at the Cotai Arena in Macau late in the year, a welcome performance after two losses.
But a vibrant relationship between television and promoters underpinned the best in many a year. Competitiveness between broadcasters was mirrored in the UK as BoxNation and Sky Sports went head to head.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, ever-emerging and with a burgeoning stable, and Sky Sports created a powerful alliance in Europe and pay-per-view boxing returned on Sky Box Office for the first time in two years - the last being David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko - mainly due to the pulsating contests Carl Froch generates whenever he steps into a ring.
His two pay-per-view contests, Mikkel Kessler and George Groves, did not disappoint, not in action, nor drama, nor controversy. Froch had a battle royale with Kessler, and deserved his moment of redemption.
However, Froch, now into his mid-thirties, needs to think clearly about his exit strategy from the sport. He fought Groves in the same manner in which he battled with Jean Pascal in 2008 to earn the WBC crown. And, in spite of his impervious granite chin, he was made to look pedestrian by the 25 year-old, and had to take heavy shots.
My instinct is that Froch would have stopped Groves had their fight not been stopped 'prematurely' by referee Howard Foster in the ninth round, but there is the sense that a rematch is the honourable way to go. However, as Froch's team balances business against the risk in a rematch, be prepared for it not to happen. Not immediately, at any rate.
Back to boxing on television in the UK. Overall, BoxNation, a dedicated home for boxing, showed the majority of the highest-profile fights from around the world throughout the year. Frank Warren's ambitious plans for the station included a new sponsorship deal with Rainham Steel, and the station is likely to be floated on the stock market.
Significantly, midway through the year, BoxNation created a weekly highlights package for BT Sport. Warren, like Bob Arum's Top Rank Inc. in the United States, still burns brightly as a promoter in the face of the rising young guns.
British Boxing ended on a high on Dec 21 when Stuart Hall triumphantly lifted the IBF bantamweight title in Leeds against Vusi Malinga, consigning to dust the life of drugs and drink binges he had embraced in Ibiza years earlier.
The 33 year-old's transformation was complete as he proved that the toughest of sports can have the greatest of healing properties. The same can be said of Darren Barker, who had carried heavily with him the premature and tragic departure from this life of his brother Gary.
Barker won the IBF middleweight title on an emotional night in Atlantic City, when Gary returned to urge Darren on after he had been knocked down in the sixth round from a body shot and had to regain his feet and beat the count.
The IBF crown stayed with him only until Dec 8, as a recurrence of hip issues saw Barker in crippling pain against Felix Sturm in Stuttgart. But, by then, and with a payday in Germany which will secure the popular fighter's future, Barker's fairytale of becoming a world champion had been completed.
Ricky Burns struggled in two defences of the WBO lightweight title and ended the year with a broken jaw, having somehow managed to get a draw against Raymundo Beltran. Even the Scottish crowd were booing the decision. Burns will face unbeaten Terence Crawford in March, 2014.
The year in boxing 2013: Floyd Mayweather still on top - Telegraph
It was aided at the top of the sport's complex match-making pyramid by Floyd Mayweather Jnr moving his vast influence to the broadcasters Showtime, part of CBS, from Home Box Office.
The five-weight world champion signed to his new televisual paymasters in the United States for a fee of $250 million for six fights and, suddenly, Showtime was a major player again after years of dominance by HBO.
The rivalry between the stations re-invigorated competition and spawned a series of more competitive fights. Mayweather's contest with rising Mexican star Saul Alvarez, for example, became the highest-grossing pay-per-view fight of all time.
The September extravaganza generated $150 million in revenue from 2.2 million pay-per-view buys. It was a win-win-win for Mayweather, Golden Boy Promotions (who have promotional relationships with both protagonists) and Showtime.
At that elite level, the desire from the general public to see Manny Pacquiao face Mayweather still burns brightly. Pacquiao looked, if not quite back to his best then not far off, when outpointing Brandon Rios at the Cotai Arena in Macau late in the year, a welcome performance after two losses.
But a vibrant relationship between television and promoters underpinned the best in many a year. Competitiveness between broadcasters was mirrored in the UK as BoxNation and Sky Sports went head to head.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, ever-emerging and with a burgeoning stable, and Sky Sports created a powerful alliance in Europe and pay-per-view boxing returned on Sky Box Office for the first time in two years - the last being David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko - mainly due to the pulsating contests Carl Froch generates whenever he steps into a ring.
His two pay-per-view contests, Mikkel Kessler and George Groves, did not disappoint, not in action, nor drama, nor controversy. Froch had a battle royale with Kessler, and deserved his moment of redemption.
However, Froch, now into his mid-thirties, needs to think clearly about his exit strategy from the sport. He fought Groves in the same manner in which he battled with Jean Pascal in 2008 to earn the WBC crown. And, in spite of his impervious granite chin, he was made to look pedestrian by the 25 year-old, and had to take heavy shots.
My instinct is that Froch would have stopped Groves had their fight not been stopped 'prematurely' by referee Howard Foster in the ninth round, but there is the sense that a rematch is the honourable way to go. However, as Froch's team balances business against the risk in a rematch, be prepared for it not to happen. Not immediately, at any rate.
Back to boxing on television in the UK. Overall, BoxNation, a dedicated home for boxing, showed the majority of the highest-profile fights from around the world throughout the year. Frank Warren's ambitious plans for the station included a new sponsorship deal with Rainham Steel, and the station is likely to be floated on the stock market.
Significantly, midway through the year, BoxNation created a weekly highlights package for BT Sport. Warren, like Bob Arum's Top Rank Inc. in the United States, still burns brightly as a promoter in the face of the rising young guns.
British Boxing ended on a high on Dec 21 when Stuart Hall triumphantly lifted the IBF bantamweight title in Leeds against Vusi Malinga, consigning to dust the life of drugs and drink binges he had embraced in Ibiza years earlier.
The 33 year-old's transformation was complete as he proved that the toughest of sports can have the greatest of healing properties. The same can be said of Darren Barker, who had carried heavily with him the premature and tragic departure from this life of his brother Gary.
Barker won the IBF middleweight title on an emotional night in Atlantic City, when Gary returned to urge Darren on after he had been knocked down in the sixth round from a body shot and had to regain his feet and beat the count.
The IBF crown stayed with him only until Dec 8, as a recurrence of hip issues saw Barker in crippling pain against Felix Sturm in Stuttgart. But, by then, and with a payday in Germany which will secure the popular fighter's future, Barker's fairytale of becoming a world champion had been completed.
Ricky Burns struggled in two defences of the WBO lightweight title and ended the year with a broken jaw, having somehow managed to get a draw against Raymundo Beltran. Even the Scottish crowd were booing the decision. Burns will face unbeaten Terence Crawford in March, 2014.
The year in boxing 2013: Floyd Mayweather still on top - Telegraph
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1. HBO dumps Golden Boy
In late March, HBO Sports president Ken Hershman shocked the boxing world when he announced the leading cable network in boxing would no longer do business with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. Tired of developing GBP’s talent and seeing it march across the street to Showtime, which is now run by former GBP general counsel Stephen Espinoza, HBO began a game of chicken that continues.
2. Mayweather-Alvarez set pay-per-view record
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul “Canelo’’ Alvarez weren’t able to break the all-time pay-per-view sales record of 2.48 million set by Mayweather-De La Hoya six years ago, but when they met in September to unify the super-middleweight class they shattered the all-time record for gross pay-per-view sales, generating more than $150 million from 2.2 million buys.
3. Cable wars benefit boxing fans
Since the 1970s, HBO has been the undisputed king of premium cable boxing, putting on the biggest fights — with the exception of the years Mike Tyson fought on Showtime. HBO’s decision to dump Golden Boy Promotions made Showtime a legitimate rival this year. But the real winners were fight fans, who saw new stars emerging on HBO out of necessity and familiar ones on Showtime in far more competitive fights than was the norm in recent years.
4. New star is born: Gennady Golovkin
Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin became a star, knocking out four opponents to increase his record to 28-0 with 25 KOs. That’s the best KO ratio among active champions and the kind of concussive outcomes that sell tickets and drive interest. His final KO of the year, vs. Curtis Stevens, drew the third-largest audience for a boxing match on cable in 2013, peaking at 1.566 million.
5. Bradley-Provodnikov fight of the year
Welterweight champion Tim Bradley put on a brutally spectacular performance on March 16, surviving a savage attack from Ruslan Provodnikov to retain his title. After a controversial win over Manny Pacquiao, Bradley wanted to prove he could stand and fight and paid for it. He was stunned in the opening round, out on his feet in the second and flattened in the 12th yet rallied to beat back Provodnikov by throwing 1,000 punches and landing 38 percent of them.
Gazing into crystal ball for 2014
1. Stevenson-Kovalev will end early
Light heavyweight is often an under-appreciated division, but when WBC champion Adonis Stevenson and WBO titlist Sergey Kovalev finally agree to take the money and square off in 2014 people will watch because they know that no matter when the game starts, they’ll be getting to bed early. This is a fight that can end only one way: in a concussion.
2. Deontay Wilder will be tested
The 6-foot-7 former Olympic bronze medalist is America’s great hope to recapture some portion of the heavyweight title and with the retirement of WBC champion Vitali Klitschko, opportunity may be knocking. Wilder is 30-0 with 30 KOs, but has not yet faced the division’s heavy iron. At some point next year he will get his chance.
3. Mayweather-Pacquiao bout never happens
For years now, fight fans have pined for a showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. (45-0, 26 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs) but finances, PED questions and boxing politics prevented it. That won’t change in 2014. Mayweather turns 37 in February and Pacquiao is a worn-down 35. Neither is looking to fight the other even though it would still be the highest grossing fight in history. One more loss for Pacquiao and he’ll retire to a life of political fights in the Philippines.
Boxing: Looking back and ahead | Boston Herald
In late March, HBO Sports president Ken Hershman shocked the boxing world when he announced the leading cable network in boxing would no longer do business with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. Tired of developing GBP’s talent and seeing it march across the street to Showtime, which is now run by former GBP general counsel Stephen Espinoza, HBO began a game of chicken that continues.
2. Mayweather-Alvarez set pay-per-view record
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul “Canelo’’ Alvarez weren’t able to break the all-time pay-per-view sales record of 2.48 million set by Mayweather-De La Hoya six years ago, but when they met in September to unify the super-middleweight class they shattered the all-time record for gross pay-per-view sales, generating more than $150 million from 2.2 million buys.
3. Cable wars benefit boxing fans
Since the 1970s, HBO has been the undisputed king of premium cable boxing, putting on the biggest fights — with the exception of the years Mike Tyson fought on Showtime. HBO’s decision to dump Golden Boy Promotions made Showtime a legitimate rival this year. But the real winners were fight fans, who saw new stars emerging on HBO out of necessity and familiar ones on Showtime in far more competitive fights than was the norm in recent years.
4. New star is born: Gennady Golovkin
Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin became a star, knocking out four opponents to increase his record to 28-0 with 25 KOs. That’s the best KO ratio among active champions and the kind of concussive outcomes that sell tickets and drive interest. His final KO of the year, vs. Curtis Stevens, drew the third-largest audience for a boxing match on cable in 2013, peaking at 1.566 million.
5. Bradley-Provodnikov fight of the year
Welterweight champion Tim Bradley put on a brutally spectacular performance on March 16, surviving a savage attack from Ruslan Provodnikov to retain his title. After a controversial win over Manny Pacquiao, Bradley wanted to prove he could stand and fight and paid for it. He was stunned in the opening round, out on his feet in the second and flattened in the 12th yet rallied to beat back Provodnikov by throwing 1,000 punches and landing 38 percent of them.
Gazing into crystal ball for 2014
1. Stevenson-Kovalev will end early
Light heavyweight is often an under-appreciated division, but when WBC champion Adonis Stevenson and WBO titlist Sergey Kovalev finally agree to take the money and square off in 2014 people will watch because they know that no matter when the game starts, they’ll be getting to bed early. This is a fight that can end only one way: in a concussion.
2. Deontay Wilder will be tested
The 6-foot-7 former Olympic bronze medalist is America’s great hope to recapture some portion of the heavyweight title and with the retirement of WBC champion Vitali Klitschko, opportunity may be knocking. Wilder is 30-0 with 30 KOs, but has not yet faced the division’s heavy iron. At some point next year he will get his chance.
3. Mayweather-Pacquiao bout never happens
For years now, fight fans have pined for a showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. (45-0, 26 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs) but finances, PED questions and boxing politics prevented it. That won’t change in 2014. Mayweather turns 37 in February and Pacquiao is a worn-down 35. Neither is looking to fight the other even though it would still be the highest grossing fight in history. One more loss for Pacquiao and he’ll retire to a life of political fights in the Philippines.
Boxing: Looking back and ahead | Boston Herald
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2006/12/07
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Roy Jones Jr. shifted his sights from Anderson Silva after the former UFC middleweight champion suffered a gruesome injury at UFC 168.
Instead of a bout with "The Spider," Jones Jr. wants somebody else—somebody more abrasive, somebody more retired.
...Somebody named Nick Diaz.
The boxing legend talked with MMAjunkie's Ariel Helwani after UFC 168.
"Look, I want to fight this guy (Anderson Silva)," Jones Jr. said. "He wants to box me, I want to box him, (but) he's going to be out. So if I can't box him, I want to box Nick Diaz."
This statement, far-fetched as it may seem, is not totally random.
Diaz called out Jones Jr. in the past, prompting a reply of "Nick who?" from the boxing great.
While this fight probably will not happen, Jones Jr. recently changed his tune regarding Diaz, re-igniting the curiosity surrounding the bout.
In a pure boxing match—which is what both fighters are aiming to set up—I do not see how Diaz can hang with Jones Jr. Diaz's boxing in MMA is great, but Jones Jr., even at his age, would have a distinct advantage inside the ring.
UFC light heavyweight Daniel Cormier agrees with this position, but he takes an interesting angle, saying that he believes Diaz would fare better against Jones Jr. than Silva would have in a potential matchup.
Roy Jones would fight anybody, but with that being said, I truly believe that Nick Diaz, in a pure boxing match, actually stands a slightly better chance than Anderson, because he is a little better boxer than Anderson Silva—just pure boxing...Am I saying Nick Diaz is going to beat Roy Jones Jr., even at 43 years old? Slap me if I do.
Intriguing as this fight sounds, it will probably never happen, just like the past times reports have grumbled about a Roy Jones Jr. boxing match against a mixed martial artist.
For the sake of fun and discussion, though, I want to hear your thoughts. How would Diaz fare against Jones Jr. inside the boxing ring?
Roy Jones Jr. Wants Boxing Match with Retired UFC Vet Nick Diaz | Bleacher Report
Instead of a bout with "The Spider," Jones Jr. wants somebody else—somebody more abrasive, somebody more retired.
...Somebody named Nick Diaz.
The boxing legend talked with MMAjunkie's Ariel Helwani after UFC 168.
"Look, I want to fight this guy (Anderson Silva)," Jones Jr. said. "He wants to box me, I want to box him, (but) he's going to be out. So if I can't box him, I want to box Nick Diaz."
This statement, far-fetched as it may seem, is not totally random.
Diaz called out Jones Jr. in the past, prompting a reply of "Nick who?" from the boxing great.
While this fight probably will not happen, Jones Jr. recently changed his tune regarding Diaz, re-igniting the curiosity surrounding the bout.
In a pure boxing match—which is what both fighters are aiming to set up—I do not see how Diaz can hang with Jones Jr. Diaz's boxing in MMA is great, but Jones Jr., even at his age, would have a distinct advantage inside the ring.
UFC light heavyweight Daniel Cormier agrees with this position, but he takes an interesting angle, saying that he believes Diaz would fare better against Jones Jr. than Silva would have in a potential matchup.
Roy Jones would fight anybody, but with that being said, I truly believe that Nick Diaz, in a pure boxing match, actually stands a slightly better chance than Anderson, because he is a little better boxer than Anderson Silva—just pure boxing...Am I saying Nick Diaz is going to beat Roy Jones Jr., even at 43 years old? Slap me if I do.
Intriguing as this fight sounds, it will probably never happen, just like the past times reports have grumbled about a Roy Jones Jr. boxing match against a mixed martial artist.
For the sake of fun and discussion, though, I want to hear your thoughts. How would Diaz fare against Jones Jr. inside the boxing ring?
Roy Jones Jr. Wants Boxing Match with Retired UFC Vet Nick Diaz | Bleacher Report
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Every fight has taken a little bit more out of Sergio Martinez. He made a big splash on HBO in 2008 at the advanced age of 33. In 2009, he and Paul Williams put on a Fight of the Year contender. In 2010, he dethroned Kelly Pavlik as king of the middleweights, made a case for Fighter of the Year, and smashed Williams in a rematch with one of the most sensational one-punch knockouts in memory.
In 2011, he dominated a pair of credible challengers, yet found himself at the mercy of boxing politics, as his WBC title was stripped away in one of the most bogus and transparent decisions ever, all but gifted to favored son Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Then came 2012. Martinez was able to break out as more of a star, beating Matthew Macklin and then Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, the latter fight a very successful HBO pay-per-view event. But the chinks in the armor began to show. Macklin gave Martinez a bit more trouble than was anticipated, and though Sergio stopped his challenger after 11 rounds, the fight dented up the champ a little bit.
The fight with Chavez was 11 rounds of Martinez smacking around a lazy inferior, and then all hell broke loose in the 12th, as Julio woke from his 33-minute slumber and decided to fight, using his rather enormous physical size advantage to march right at Martinez, pressuring away, landing shots, and shaking up the Argentine champ, who hit the canvas, barely survived the round, and while he ultimately won easily on the cards (as he should have), it was a bigger, perhaps more permanent dent.
What was hinted at against Macklin became glaring against Chavez, who could only manage one round of credible resistance to Martinez's technical superiority. Sergio was getting old. He suffered some injuries in that 12th round against Chavez and sat out to heal up and undergo a knee surgery, which led to his April 2013 return at home against Britain's Martin Murray.
This time, Martinez was very, very fortunate to get out with his title. He was down twice officially (three times, really) and though many believed Murray had done more than enough to get the upset win, Martinez got the scores and retained his championship once more. But the red flag on Sergio's future was clear: every fight, it seemed to get just a little worse for him. Every fight seemed one fairly big step closer to the inevitable end of what has been an exciting, admirable run at the top of the 160-pound weight class.
Sergio Martinez will turn 39 in two months. His body is giving out on him, at least as an elite athlete, a very normal aging process for a fighter. And given his style, bad legs aren't going to do him any favors. He sat out the remainder of 2013, and now appears potentially headed for a fight with Miguel Cotto in June 2014. Cotto looked terrific against Delvin Rodriguez this year and is a big star still, and physically speaking, may be the best and safest option for Martinez. Cotto has been small at 154 and will be even smaller at 160, but he's a good enough fighter that he should be able to deal with that so long as it's against someone like Martinez, who's really more of a junior middleweight in his own right.
While Gennady Golovkin beats down the door, the idea of a Martinez-Golovkin fight seems almost pointless or even mean-spirited. It's hard to imagine anybody picking Martinez to survive the power and style of the ferocious Golovkin anymore, so it would be more a fight for fight fans to feel satisfied that they saw a ritualistic passing of the torch than anything. Maybe there's nothing particularly wrong about that, either, but it's certainly not necessary, and I think even Golovkin and his team understand that they're likely to inherit the crown rather than take it from its previous owner.
It may simple be a question of whether or not Martinez will lose before he retires, because both seem just around the corner. If he were to fight and beat Cotto, that might be as good a time as any to get out of the sport before something goes wrong, with a final big-time win over one of the generation's top names.
2014 Boxing Preview: Sergio Martinez and the dying of the light - Bad Left Hook
In 2011, he dominated a pair of credible challengers, yet found himself at the mercy of boxing politics, as his WBC title was stripped away in one of the most bogus and transparent decisions ever, all but gifted to favored son Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Then came 2012. Martinez was able to break out as more of a star, beating Matthew Macklin and then Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, the latter fight a very successful HBO pay-per-view event. But the chinks in the armor began to show. Macklin gave Martinez a bit more trouble than was anticipated, and though Sergio stopped his challenger after 11 rounds, the fight dented up the champ a little bit.
The fight with Chavez was 11 rounds of Martinez smacking around a lazy inferior, and then all hell broke loose in the 12th, as Julio woke from his 33-minute slumber and decided to fight, using his rather enormous physical size advantage to march right at Martinez, pressuring away, landing shots, and shaking up the Argentine champ, who hit the canvas, barely survived the round, and while he ultimately won easily on the cards (as he should have), it was a bigger, perhaps more permanent dent.
What was hinted at against Macklin became glaring against Chavez, who could only manage one round of credible resistance to Martinez's technical superiority. Sergio was getting old. He suffered some injuries in that 12th round against Chavez and sat out to heal up and undergo a knee surgery, which led to his April 2013 return at home against Britain's Martin Murray.
This time, Martinez was very, very fortunate to get out with his title. He was down twice officially (three times, really) and though many believed Murray had done more than enough to get the upset win, Martinez got the scores and retained his championship once more. But the red flag on Sergio's future was clear: every fight, it seemed to get just a little worse for him. Every fight seemed one fairly big step closer to the inevitable end of what has been an exciting, admirable run at the top of the 160-pound weight class.
Sergio Martinez will turn 39 in two months. His body is giving out on him, at least as an elite athlete, a very normal aging process for a fighter. And given his style, bad legs aren't going to do him any favors. He sat out the remainder of 2013, and now appears potentially headed for a fight with Miguel Cotto in June 2014. Cotto looked terrific against Delvin Rodriguez this year and is a big star still, and physically speaking, may be the best and safest option for Martinez. Cotto has been small at 154 and will be even smaller at 160, but he's a good enough fighter that he should be able to deal with that so long as it's against someone like Martinez, who's really more of a junior middleweight in his own right.
While Gennady Golovkin beats down the door, the idea of a Martinez-Golovkin fight seems almost pointless or even mean-spirited. It's hard to imagine anybody picking Martinez to survive the power and style of the ferocious Golovkin anymore, so it would be more a fight for fight fans to feel satisfied that they saw a ritualistic passing of the torch than anything. Maybe there's nothing particularly wrong about that, either, but it's certainly not necessary, and I think even Golovkin and his team understand that they're likely to inherit the crown rather than take it from its previous owner.
It may simple be a question of whether or not Martinez will lose before he retires, because both seem just around the corner. If he were to fight and beat Cotto, that might be as good a time as any to get out of the sport before something goes wrong, with a final big-time win over one of the generation's top names.
2014 Boxing Preview: Sergio Martinez and the dying of the light - Bad Left Hook
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As Myer tries to lure back online shoppers following its week long website outage, David Jones has hit back with new online-only specials designed to thwart its rival’s recovery.
Myer’s website was returned to service on Thursday, one week after first encountering problems on Boxing Day. The retailer has offered free delivery for orders placed by Sunday in attempt to patch up its reputation with shoppers. Chief executive Bernie Brookes has also promised online-only specials, however these were not yet ready when the website came back online.
Swooping on the opportunity, David Jones has announced some extra discounts for online shoppers. A David Jones spokeswoman said the retailer’s website had received 1.5 million visits since its clearance sales went live at 6pm on Christmas Eve. Online sales for the period were up 100 per cent compared to last year, she said.
The additional discounts were to “reward our online customers for their loyalty and patronage throughout the year in particular during the current clearance period,” DJs chief executive Paul Zahra said in a statement.
Mr Brookes said it was a smart move by the opposition to “capitalise on the fact we were offline”.
Mr Brookes has said the malfunction would not decrease Myer’s profitability as online sales make up less than 1 per cent of the company’s $2.8 billion in sales. He said he believed Myer would lose no more than $1 million in sales due to the time spent offline.
In a note to clients CBA analysts Andrew McLennan and Sam Teeger said the online failure “over the all important Christmas clearance period” will reduce sales, add to costs and possibly lead to capital expenditure. The analysts estimated that Myer’s like-for-like sales growth in the three months to December 2013 would be dragged down by 40 basis points. The company could achieve same store sales growth of 0.24 per cent in the quarter, they said.
“Free shipping and deeper discounting could cost Myer at the CODB [cost of doing business] and COGS [cost of goods sold] line,” the analysts said.
But Mr Brookes said it was cheaper for Myer to offer free delivery and aggressive discounting than taking out advertisements to apologise to customers, for example.
“Our objective is to rebuild the confidence in our online store,” he said. “We are better off apologising to our customers [with these offers].”
The department store announced the website’s operation on Twitter and Facebook on Thursday morning.
“We’re so sorry for keeping you all waiting – myer-com.au is now open again. Our Stocktake Sale catalogue offers are back online,” the company said in a tweet.
A notice on the website said promised stocktake launch deals would be coming “very soon”.
A communication breakdown between a software application and internet servers was encountered on Boxing Day. Although the issue was identified and fixed that evening, the website was taken down again the following morning due to continued issues
Read more: Myer back online after Boxing Day glitch
Myer’s website was returned to service on Thursday, one week after first encountering problems on Boxing Day. The retailer has offered free delivery for orders placed by Sunday in attempt to patch up its reputation with shoppers. Chief executive Bernie Brookes has also promised online-only specials, however these were not yet ready when the website came back online.
Swooping on the opportunity, David Jones has announced some extra discounts for online shoppers. A David Jones spokeswoman said the retailer’s website had received 1.5 million visits since its clearance sales went live at 6pm on Christmas Eve. Online sales for the period were up 100 per cent compared to last year, she said.
The additional discounts were to “reward our online customers for their loyalty and patronage throughout the year in particular during the current clearance period,” DJs chief executive Paul Zahra said in a statement.
Mr Brookes said it was a smart move by the opposition to “capitalise on the fact we were offline”.
Mr Brookes has said the malfunction would not decrease Myer’s profitability as online sales make up less than 1 per cent of the company’s $2.8 billion in sales. He said he believed Myer would lose no more than $1 million in sales due to the time spent offline.
In a note to clients CBA analysts Andrew McLennan and Sam Teeger said the online failure “over the all important Christmas clearance period” will reduce sales, add to costs and possibly lead to capital expenditure. The analysts estimated that Myer’s like-for-like sales growth in the three months to December 2013 would be dragged down by 40 basis points. The company could achieve same store sales growth of 0.24 per cent in the quarter, they said.
“Free shipping and deeper discounting could cost Myer at the CODB [cost of doing business] and COGS [cost of goods sold] line,” the analysts said.
But Mr Brookes said it was cheaper for Myer to offer free delivery and aggressive discounting than taking out advertisements to apologise to customers, for example.
“Our objective is to rebuild the confidence in our online store,” he said. “We are better off apologising to our customers [with these offers].”
The department store announced the website’s operation on Twitter and Facebook on Thursday morning.
“We’re so sorry for keeping you all waiting – myer-com.au is now open again. Our Stocktake Sale catalogue offers are back online,” the company said in a tweet.
A notice on the website said promised stocktake launch deals would be coming “very soon”.
A communication breakdown between a software application and internet servers was encountered on Boxing Day. Although the issue was identified and fixed that evening, the website was taken down again the following morning due to continued issues
Read more: Myer back online after Boxing Day glitch
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2006/12/07
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29893
As everyone expected, it doesn’t look like former heavyweight champion David Haye (26-2) has any solid plans to retire despite apparently being advised to do so by specialists after undergoing surprise shoulder surgery late last year.
Haye posted a picture of himself back in training on Twitter on Thursday, and said: "First session of the year. 2014 is going to be my healthiest, let's start as we mean to go on".
Haye last fought in May 2012, coming out of ‘retirement’ to record a fifth round stoppage of Dereck Chisora at Upton Park.
Since then, he has been scheduled to fight Lebanese Manuel Charr in June, only to pull out with an injured left hand, and subsequently announce a PPV ‘Battle of Britain’ fight with Tyson Fury for September.
The Bermondsey heavyweight was then forced to cancel after suffering a deep cut above the eye in sparring one week beforehand, revealed via a picture he posted on Twitter.
The Fury clash was then rescheduled for February 8 this year, only for Haye to undergo surprise shoulder surgery in November, posting pictures of himself in a hospital bed and wearing an elaborate looking shoulder sling.
According to the press release issued by Hayemaker Boxing, Haye was advised to retire by his surgeon.
At the time, Haye said: “Perhaps it just wasn't meant to be. The boxing gods keep hinting that maybe enough is enough and that it's time to finally hang up my gloves.”
“I genuinely believed the shoulder injury wasn't that bad. But the doctor sent me for a detailed MRI scan and within 24 hours I was told the full extent of the damage. Twenty-four hours after that I was in the operating theatre.”
Despite earning huge amounts of money from boxing, it seems that the opportunity to repair a legacy tainted somewhat by a thoroughly disappointing performance against Wladimir Klitschko is what keeps Haye going.
His inability to cause the younger brother any kind of problem in their heavyweight unification fight was attributed afterwards to a dodgy looking little toe, for which Haye received pain numbing injections just before the fight.
To me, it looked as if these injections affected his balance, as he appeared unable to get any decent shots off and slumped to the canvas several times under the weight of the Ukrainian champion.
When Haye, referred to recently by Livefight as a ‘master of public relations’, displayed his toe to the world’s press after the fight, he was ridiculed in what was actually a public relations disaster.
It is widely believed that the poor show, as well as a previous one-sided victory over former Olympic gold medalist Audley Harrision, brought about a temporary end to Pay Per View boxing on SKY - resurrected by the Carl Froch v Mikkel Kessler fight last year.
Subsequent attempts to get another crack at either Wladimir or Vitali were unsuccessful, but with the older brother now a ‘champion emeritus’ and pursing a political career, the path to the WBC belt has become a bit easier, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Haye manages to get a crack at the WBC title (Canadian Bermane Stiverne is now the ’Silver’ champion) in the first half of this year.
On the other hand, don’t be surprised if the fight gets announced, and then doesn’t happen, for whatever reason.
Boxing - Haye set to fight on despite doctors' warnings - Yahoo Eurosport UK
Haye posted a picture of himself back in training on Twitter on Thursday, and said: "First session of the year. 2014 is going to be my healthiest, let's start as we mean to go on".
Haye last fought in May 2012, coming out of ‘retirement’ to record a fifth round stoppage of Dereck Chisora at Upton Park.
Since then, he has been scheduled to fight Lebanese Manuel Charr in June, only to pull out with an injured left hand, and subsequently announce a PPV ‘Battle of Britain’ fight with Tyson Fury for September.
The Bermondsey heavyweight was then forced to cancel after suffering a deep cut above the eye in sparring one week beforehand, revealed via a picture he posted on Twitter.
The Fury clash was then rescheduled for February 8 this year, only for Haye to undergo surprise shoulder surgery in November, posting pictures of himself in a hospital bed and wearing an elaborate looking shoulder sling.
According to the press release issued by Hayemaker Boxing, Haye was advised to retire by his surgeon.
At the time, Haye said: “Perhaps it just wasn't meant to be. The boxing gods keep hinting that maybe enough is enough and that it's time to finally hang up my gloves.”
“I genuinely believed the shoulder injury wasn't that bad. But the doctor sent me for a detailed MRI scan and within 24 hours I was told the full extent of the damage. Twenty-four hours after that I was in the operating theatre.”
Despite earning huge amounts of money from boxing, it seems that the opportunity to repair a legacy tainted somewhat by a thoroughly disappointing performance against Wladimir Klitschko is what keeps Haye going.
His inability to cause the younger brother any kind of problem in their heavyweight unification fight was attributed afterwards to a dodgy looking little toe, for which Haye received pain numbing injections just before the fight.
To me, it looked as if these injections affected his balance, as he appeared unable to get any decent shots off and slumped to the canvas several times under the weight of the Ukrainian champion.
When Haye, referred to recently by Livefight as a ‘master of public relations’, displayed his toe to the world’s press after the fight, he was ridiculed in what was actually a public relations disaster.
It is widely believed that the poor show, as well as a previous one-sided victory over former Olympic gold medalist Audley Harrision, brought about a temporary end to Pay Per View boxing on SKY - resurrected by the Carl Froch v Mikkel Kessler fight last year.
Subsequent attempts to get another crack at either Wladimir or Vitali were unsuccessful, but with the older brother now a ‘champion emeritus’ and pursing a political career, the path to the WBC belt has become a bit easier, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Haye manages to get a crack at the WBC title (Canadian Bermane Stiverne is now the ’Silver’ champion) in the first half of this year.
On the other hand, don’t be surprised if the fight gets announced, and then doesn’t happen, for whatever reason.
Boxing - Haye set to fight on despite doctors' warnings - Yahoo Eurosport UK
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Legendary former undisputed cruiser and heavyweight champion Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield is the star name in the latest series of Celebrity Big Brother, which started on Channel 5 on Friday night. Holyfield, 51, is one of the biggest names ever to appear on the show, which switched from Channel 4 over to Channel 5 three years ago.
Born in Atmore, Alabama, Holyfield began his professional career at light heavy before going on to dominate the cruiserweight division in the late eighties. He stepped up to heavyweight and walked through James Tillis, Pinklon Thomas and Michael Dokes before a mouth watering clash with Mike Tyson was arranged, only for Tyson to lose against rank outsider James ‘Buster’ Douglas beforehand.
It took Holyfield just three rounds to beat Douglas, and he went on to defend against George Foreman, Bert Cooper and Larry Holmes before losing to Riddick ‘Big Daddy’ Bowe in one of the best heavyweight title contests seen in recent years. Holyfield recaptured the titles in another classic with Bowe two years later, before losing to Michael Moorer in his next fight. A third match with Bowe ended in a eighth round stoppage loss, but Holyfield then famously went on to capture the WBA title with an 11th round stoppage of Mike Tyson. In the rematch that followed, Tyson was disqualified in the third round for biting part of Holyfield’s ear off in what remains one of the most despicable acts seen in a championship contest.
Holyfield then went on to avenge his loss to Michael Moorer, picking up the IBF belt before recording a highly controversial draw against Lennox Lewis in 1999. Six months later, Lewis outpointed Holyfield in the rematch. A trilogy with John Ruiz began in 2000 with a victory in which Holyfield picked up the vacant WBA title. This was the last time he would be a recognised champion, as he lost the title in the second contest nine months later. The third meeting was a Split Decision draw.
Holyfield went on to challenge for world honours on three more occasions, losing to Chris Byrd for the IBF strap in 2002. He then took his first contest outside the US, travelling to Russia to take on Sultan Ibragimov for the WBO title in 2007. Holyfield was then extremely unlucky not to become a world champion at the age of 46 when he was on the wrong end of a points loss to giant Russian Nikolay Valuev in 2008 for the WBA title in Switzerland. Holyfield’s last fight was a tenth round stoppage of Dane Brian Nielsen for the lightly regarded WBF title in Copenhagen. His record stands at 44 wins, ten losses and two draws.
Despite earning a reported $230 million from boxing, Holyfield has experienced financial difficulties of late - he has reportedly fathered 11 children by six different women, and divorced from his third wife last year.
Other celebrities entering the house include ex-comedian Jim ‘Nick Nick’ Davidson, octogenarian tap dancer Lionel Blair, singer Linda Nolan and N-Dubz rapper Dappy, famed for his ridiculous headgear.
Boxing - Evander Holyfield enters the Big Brother house - Yahoo Eurosport UK
Born in Atmore, Alabama, Holyfield began his professional career at light heavy before going on to dominate the cruiserweight division in the late eighties. He stepped up to heavyweight and walked through James Tillis, Pinklon Thomas and Michael Dokes before a mouth watering clash with Mike Tyson was arranged, only for Tyson to lose against rank outsider James ‘Buster’ Douglas beforehand.
It took Holyfield just three rounds to beat Douglas, and he went on to defend against George Foreman, Bert Cooper and Larry Holmes before losing to Riddick ‘Big Daddy’ Bowe in one of the best heavyweight title contests seen in recent years. Holyfield recaptured the titles in another classic with Bowe two years later, before losing to Michael Moorer in his next fight. A third match with Bowe ended in a eighth round stoppage loss, but Holyfield then famously went on to capture the WBA title with an 11th round stoppage of Mike Tyson. In the rematch that followed, Tyson was disqualified in the third round for biting part of Holyfield’s ear off in what remains one of the most despicable acts seen in a championship contest.
Holyfield then went on to avenge his loss to Michael Moorer, picking up the IBF belt before recording a highly controversial draw against Lennox Lewis in 1999. Six months later, Lewis outpointed Holyfield in the rematch. A trilogy with John Ruiz began in 2000 with a victory in which Holyfield picked up the vacant WBA title. This was the last time he would be a recognised champion, as he lost the title in the second contest nine months later. The third meeting was a Split Decision draw.
Holyfield went on to challenge for world honours on three more occasions, losing to Chris Byrd for the IBF strap in 2002. He then took his first contest outside the US, travelling to Russia to take on Sultan Ibragimov for the WBO title in 2007. Holyfield was then extremely unlucky not to become a world champion at the age of 46 when he was on the wrong end of a points loss to giant Russian Nikolay Valuev in 2008 for the WBA title in Switzerland. Holyfield’s last fight was a tenth round stoppage of Dane Brian Nielsen for the lightly regarded WBF title in Copenhagen. His record stands at 44 wins, ten losses and two draws.
Despite earning a reported $230 million from boxing, Holyfield has experienced financial difficulties of late - he has reportedly fathered 11 children by six different women, and divorced from his third wife last year.
Other celebrities entering the house include ex-comedian Jim ‘Nick Nick’ Davidson, octogenarian tap dancer Lionel Blair, singer Linda Nolan and N-Dubz rapper Dappy, famed for his ridiculous headgear.
Boxing - Evander Holyfield enters the Big Brother house - Yahoo Eurosport UK
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Manny Pacquiao has confirmed he is not in talks with Floyd Mayweather over a proposed fight between the pair, in an interview with Philboxing-com.
Fight fans have long dreamed of seeing Pacquiao and the undefeated Mayweather square off, with Manila newspapers claiming over Christmas that a September 2014 date had been set.
But Pacquiao denied the rumours, and questioned whether he will ever fight Mayweather, who has also dismissed the reports as a "lie".
"I have no plan to go to the US to talk to Floyd. That's not true," Pacquiao said. "If it's a done deal already, how come I do not know anything about it?"
Having beaten Brandon Rios in Macau in November to bounce back from successive defeats to Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, speculation over a long-awaited showdown with Mayweather was renewed.
Disagreements over pre-fight blood testing scuppered previous talks between Pacquiao and Mayweather, with the American vowing to never work with the Filipino's promoter Bob Arum.
Pacquiao will next fight on April 12 according to Arum, though an opponent has not yet been chosen.
Read more at Manny Pacquiao: No Floyd Mayweather negotiations | Boxing News | ESPN.co.uk
Fight fans have long dreamed of seeing Pacquiao and the undefeated Mayweather square off, with Manila newspapers claiming over Christmas that a September 2014 date had been set.
But Pacquiao denied the rumours, and questioned whether he will ever fight Mayweather, who has also dismissed the reports as a "lie".
"I have no plan to go to the US to talk to Floyd. That's not true," Pacquiao said. "If it's a done deal already, how come I do not know anything about it?"
Having beaten Brandon Rios in Macau in November to bounce back from successive defeats to Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, speculation over a long-awaited showdown with Mayweather was renewed.
Disagreements over pre-fight blood testing scuppered previous talks between Pacquiao and Mayweather, with the American vowing to never work with the Filipino's promoter Bob Arum.
Pacquiao will next fight on April 12 according to Arum, though an opponent has not yet been chosen.
Read more at Manny Pacquiao: No Floyd Mayweather negotiations | Boxing News | ESPN.co.uk
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2006/12/07
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Maidana (35-3, 31 KOs), 30, hurt Broner in the opening round, knocked him down with a hard left hook in Round 2 and went on to simply outwork the 24-year-old to score a unanimous decision (115-110, 116-109, 117-109).
Broner (27-1, 22 KOs), who was knocked down a second time on yet another left hook in a wild Round 8 -- which featured Maidana being docked a point for head-butting -- showed plenty of heart in defeat after being rocked multiple times. But the loss clearly exposed his lack of punch output as Maidana beat him with activity just as much as with power shots and a focus to the body.
Maidana outlanded the three-division titlist 269-149, according to CompuBox, and attempted more than two times as many shots.
Key moment: Maidana set the tone in the opening seconds by staggering Broner with his patented windmill right hand, forcing "The Problem" to spend the rest of the opening frame looking to tie up. We've got your number: 231. That's the number of power shots landed by Maidana, who put Broner on the defensive right off the start and never stopped attacking with combinations from awkward angles.
Last word: Broner is as talented as any fighter in boxing today, but Maidana, thanks to a suffocating attack, simply wanted it more and was able to overwhelm and overpower him. The way in which Broner was defeated begs an interesting question about whether a recent move up two weight divisions from 135 to 147 pounds was too hasty. Broner stands directly in front of his opponents, looking to counter with quick, accurate shots, but he hasn't necessarily convinced that he has carried his power with him up to welterweight. Maidana followed the blueprint for intelligent pressure against Broner, drawn up by Daniel Ponce De Leon and Paulie Malignaggi in tight defeats, and applied his punching power appropriately to see through the plan.
Rapid Reaction: Maidana upsets Broner - Boxing Blog - ESPN