JUNE, 2008
Duddy Gets Decision, Title Fight Looms
MON June 30, JAMES STILLERMAN, Ringside - The mostly Irish and Bostonian boxing fans who crowded into the Castle in downtown Boston were all smiling Saturday night as their fighters - John Duddy, Donny Orr, Edwin Rodriquez, and Mark Clancy - all emerged victorious in dominating fashion. Fan favorite, Ireland's Duddy, looked remarkable under the tutelage of new trainer, Pat Burns, as he dominated former WBC Middleweight challenger, Charlie Howe on his way to a ten round unanimous decision.
> Yahoo!: Pacquiao KOs Diaz for WBC Lightweight Title
Pacquiao's Fighting Who? For How Much?
WED June 25, CLIFF ROLD - Serious Boxing lovers know the following conversation. They've all had some version of it with the names changing, the sentiments often the same. "Manny Pacquiao is fighting this weekend."
"Really? On HBO?"
"No. On Pay-Per-View."
"Oh, okay. Who's he fighting? Marquez again?"
"No. David Diaz."
"Who?" [Link Requires You To Become a Member at MaxBoxing.com]
Abraham Wipes Out Miranda
MON June 23, ANDRES ANTONIO CARRIEDO - The third weekend of June was a big one for Showtime and the 160/68 lb. weight range. Despite facts that prove otherwise, many within the boxing community claim that the weight range is relatively barren of formidable opposition for Undisputed 160 lb. champion Kelly Pavlik. Pavlik recently dismissed the immediate possibility of facing the likes of, among others, German based Armenian born IBF 160 lb. titlist Arthur Abraham in part because of his anonymity here in the US...
> Ward Preaches Patience, Practices Wild Punishment
Abraham TKO's Miranda in Four!
SUN June 22, FRANK GONZALEZ JR. - If you remember the first time Edison "Pantera" Miranda (30-3, 26 KO's) and "King" Arthur Abraham (27-0, 22 KO's) fought (back in September of 2006 for the IBF Middleweight title), Miranda broke Abraham's jaw and bullied him for most of the fight but lost a controversial decision because Miranda was penalized for a total of five points during the course of the fight...
> ESPN: Marquez Earns Mandatory Shot with Upset Win
Jerson Ravelo: On a Date with Destiny
THU June 19, DANNY SERRATELLI - Expect a fight of the year candidate this Friday on Showtime when undefeated 2004 Olympic gold medalist Andre "S.O.G." Ward, 15-0, 10 KO's takes on The Brick City's best, 200 Olympian, Jerson "SuperJerz" Ravelo 18-2, 12 KO's. Promoter Dan Goossen recently said, "Ravelo is a fighter who's still on the upswing in his own career, so it's another good matchup...
Berto Era? The Andre Era? Or just a New Era?
WED June 18, ANDRES ANTONIO CARRIEDO - Lou DiBella was recently quoted proclaiming that the Andre Berto era may begin this weekend. Should Berto win his fight this Saturday night at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN against Miki Rodriguez he�ll claim the WBC 147 lb. crown recently vacated by Floyd Mayweather Jr. A win on Saturday night could, potentially, thrust Berto into the limelight. It would also be the first major title claimed by a U.S. based 2004 Olympian.
Mayweather Top Fifty All-Time? Not so fast!
TUE June 17, JAMES STILLERMAN - A week ago, Floyd "Pretty Boy" Mayweather announced his retirement and this time it actually seemed sincere, unlike the other half hearted attempts following the Oscar Da La Hoya and Carlos Baldomir fights. At those press conferences he tearfully said he was done with boxing, but returned each time. This move to retire surprised me and probably many other fight fans considering how much money was left on the table (possibly $30 million) for the rematch fight against Oscar Da La Hoya...
154 lb. Tailspin
WED June 11, ANDRES ANTONIO CARRIEDO - Vernon Forrest landed a hard right cross on Sergio Mora in the waning seconds of their WBC 154 lb. title match on Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort and grimaced as the East Los Angeles native took the shot. Mora, threw his hands up in the air as if to say,"Let's go another 12 rounds," thus, amplifying the difference in the fight. Mora won the fight by modest margins of 116-112 and 115-113 on two cards...
How �bout Some Chicks and Midgets?
WED June 11, CLIFF ROLD - There are upsides and downsides to rainmakers, fighters whose drawing power is, or is perceived to be, a lottery ticket for potential opponents. The upside occurs when the rainmaker is a Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, or Oscar De La Hoya, fighters who accepted the responsibility... [Link Requires You To Become a Member at MaxBoxing.com]
10 Great Fights that Must Happen
TUE June 10, JAMES STILLERMAN - There are numerous critics who believe boxing is a dying sport and while it has fallen on some hard times these critics can't be further from the truth. Over the last year and a half boxing has had many high profile match ups most notably the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather fight which helped them become the top three paid athletes last year. There were several other exciting fights including Mikkel Kessler vs. Joe Calzaghe, Miguel Cotto vs. Shane Mosley, Carlos Quintana vs. Paul Williams, Antonio Margarito vs. Kermit Cintron, Jermain Taylor vs. Kelly Palvik, and Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Calzaghe just to name a few.
Pavlik and Lopez Score Early Knockouts
SUN June 8, FRANK GONZALEZ JR. - Saturday night in Atlantic City, Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik improved his record to 34-0, with 30 KO's after making easy work of Gary Lockett (30-2, 21 KO's). Lockett landed a few good shots and put on his best menacing face but he took a knee twice in the second round after being tagged a few good times by Pavlik, then again in the third, after a series of unanswered punches in the third found Lockett on his knee yet again, his corner (Enzo Calzaghe) threw in the towel. Lockett couldn't handle the power and quality of Pavlik.
Reflecting on Mayweather's Retirement
SUN June 8, FRANK GONZALEZ JR. - As we've heard by now, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is retiring from boxing again. Most of us are sure he'll be back. The question is when? The answer is simple; when it's safe to come back. This is not about love or hate. This is about logically assessing the value of a fighter who was crowned the best in the business.
Is Mosley the Latest Victim of His Own Lies?
FRI June 6, ANTONIO ANDRES CARRIEDO - Shane Mosley knows what he did and what he didn't do. He says he took steroids, but that he didn't know they were steroids when he was taking them. Infamous BALCO founder Victor Conte and former Mosley conditioning coach Derryl Hudson say otherwise. If the Trevor Graham and Marion Jones trials are any indication of how former BALCO witnesses (Mosley is among this group) will fare in US District Court against the San Francisco District Attorney's Office then Mosley may be in for a much tougher fight than any he expected to have this year.
When Only One Fight Matters
THU June 5, ANDRES ANTONIO CARRIEDO - Creating great match ups and big events in boxing are not always a mutually exclusive propositions; it just seems that way sometimes. Part of this stems from the disproportionate popularity of Oscar De la Hoya within mainstream culture compared to every other figure in boxing. Anything involving De la Hoya or his Golden Boy Promotions outfit carries added mainstream significance which usually leads to more money and mainstream recognition.
Talking Boxing with Vernon Forrest
WED June 4, JAMES STILLERMAN - WBC and current top rated Ring Magazine light middleweight champ Vernon "The Viper" Forrest, 40-2, is less than a week away from a showdown with former 'Contender' star Sergio Mora. Forrest, who was the 2002 fighter of the year when he beat 'Sugar' Shane Mosley twice to win the world welterweight title, is coming back from elbow surgery, which kept him out of the sport for nearly two years. Since returning, Forrest is 5-0 and along the way has beaten top fighters...
American Exceptionalism and Kelly Pavlik
WED June 4, CLIFF ROLD - His market value isn't yet what it could become, but make no mistake: those tuning into HBO this weekend to get a look at World Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik will be getting a look at one of the two most important fighters in the United States fight market today. Sure, it'll be a look against Gary Lockett (30-1, 21 KO), an anonymous Welshman expected to lose, but he'll probably lose on his back... [Link Requires You To Become a Member at MaxBoxing.com]
Talking Boxing with Sergio Mora
MON June 2, JAMES STILLERMAN - Season one Contender winner, Sergio "The Latin Snake" Mora, 20-0-1, is less than one week away from putting his undefeated record on the line against WBC jr. middleweight champion Vernon "The Viper" Forrest on Showtime Championship Boxing, June 7th at 9PM/EST. Mora, who has had an excellent and injury free camp, faces his biggest fight of his career and will have the opportunity to win his first major belt in Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
> Leonard on Mora's Chances vs. Forrest
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