TalkingBoxing News
Johnson Fights Diaz on BDSSP
FRI May 13 - In a continued effort to promote boxing on Fox Sports Net's "Best Damn Sports Show Period", heavyweight contender Kirk Johnson, 35-2-1, will face Yanqui Diaz, 13-3, on June 9th at the Pechanga Resort in Temecula, CA.
The Johnson-Diaz bout will play co-feature to the heavyweight headliner featuring undefeated, former gold medalist Audley Harrison, 17-0, taking on Robert Davis, 31-6.
Byrd To Defend IBF Title; Lyakhovich Will Challenge
FRI May 13, JIM AMATO - IBF heavyweight champ Chris Byrd will put his portion of the title on the line against once beaten, IBF #7th ranked Serguei Lyakhovich.
The bout will be on the July 23rd Madison Square Garden card also featuring a WBC heavyweight eliminator for the 'interim' title between former champion Hassim Rahman and the talented Monte Barrett.
There was speculation that Byrd was going to face James Toney after Toney was judged the winner over WBA titleholder John Ruiz, however, now in light of charges that Toney had illegal drugs in his system, the WBA has ruled the bout as a 'No-Contest'.
In all likelihood the title will revert back to Ruiz and Toney will draw a stiff suspension. With Byrd now tied up, Ruiz may face the winner of the upcoming WBO title clash between Lamon Brewster and challenger Andrew Golota.
Another option may be for Ruiz to meet the winner of Byrd and Lyakhovich. Also undefeated Calvin Brock, fresh off his win over Jameel McCline has to be considered a viable contender.
As far as Lyakhovich challenging Byrd, Serguei is 22-1 with 14 knockouts and is a big strong guy that can take a good shot. He was hit hard on more then one occasion in his victory over Dominick Guinn and stood up well. Guinn's got some power. Ask Michael Grant who was creamed by Dominick. Serguei also packs a pretty good wallop as he hurt Guinn several times during their bruising battle on ESPN2 last year.
I recently talked with re-known trainer Kenny Weldon who is associated with Lyakhovich and is real high on this kid, which tells us a lot.
Byrd is a hard guy to fight with that style of his and he's tough too. He stands up under punishment a lot better then he is given credit for. To beat Byrd you have to pressure him. You have to walk him down, cut off the ring and force him in to exchanges. You can not let him dance and pick his spots. If you do he'll make a fool out of you.
I'm sure Lyakhovich will come in with a plan of attack designed to take Byrd out of his game plan. If Serguei can enforce his will on Chris, this could be a very interesting fight.
HUGE 8 Count Show, June 10th
FRI May 13 - Dominic Pesoli's 8 Count Productions present a huge night of professional boxing on Friday, June 10th as Telefutura's weekly internationally broadcast SOLO BOXEO de MILLER series returns to Chicago's Aragon Ballroom.
Headlining the terrific evening is a twelve round lightweight NABF title fight between Mexican Jose Armando Santa Cruz, 19-0 (10KO's) and Eleazar Contreras, Jr. 25-4-2 (9KO's) of Bakersfield, California. Santa Cruz was last seen in Chicago on April 22nd at the Cicero Stadium as he dismantled former world title challenger Justin Juuko on his way to a third round TKO. Contreras sports a five bout winning streak including wins over highly ranked Ernesto Zepeda and Gregorio Vargas within the last 18 months.
The co-main event is rescheduled from earlier this year as Chicago welterweights Germaine "Silky" Sanders, 23-3 (17KO's) and Luciano "El Gallo Michoacano" Perez, 12-1-1 (11KO's) square off in a ten round bout. Sanders, Chicago's slickest fighter, will attempt to stick and move quickly to avoid the bombs away punching style of the heavy handed, hard swinging Perez.
The undercard is headed by world ranked middleweight Kelly Pavlik, 24-0, (21KO's) of Youngstown, Ohio. Pavlik is currently ranked # 11 by the WBC, # 6 by the WBA, # 11 by the IBF and # 8 by the WBO. His most recent win was a Showtime televised second round TKO destruction over highly rated Dorian Beaupierre on March 4th of this year.
Returning to the 8 Count Productions ring is FOX-TV's 'Next Great Champ' finalist, Dave "Danger" Pareja, 4-1 (1KO) as he will appear in a six round light heavyweight bout. Pareja last bout was a second round crushing knockout of Ryan Franklin at the Aragon Ballroom on April 8th.
Also on the card are former Chicago Golden Gloves champions, The Brothers Gonzalez. Super middleweight Jimmy Gonzalez, 1-0 (1KO) will appear in a four round bout and middleweight Jorge Gonzalez, 2-0, will fight in a scheduled six rounder.
Local cruiserweight Mike Nevitt, 8-0 (4KO's) returns to the 8 Count Productions' ring in a six round bout as well as Chicago's hottest female prospect Rita Figueroa, 3-0 who will also appear in a scheduled six rounder.
Tickets are available now by calling the home of THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, 8 Count Productions offices at 312-226-5800. Additional information on this fantastic evening will be announced shortly and updated on the new 8 Count Productions website, www.8countproductions.com. Doors will open at 6pm with the first bell scheduled for 7pm.
The Aragon Ballroom is located at 1106 W. Lawrence Avenue and 4800 North (near the corner of Lawrence Ave. and Broadway), 5 miles north of Downtown Chicago and 4 blocks west of Lake Shore Drive.
Listen to KO Chicago Radio every Wednesday at it's new time, 5:30pm on WJJG, 1530-AM brought to you by 8 Count Productions, THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING.
WBC, Shaw Review Castillo-Corrales
FRI May 13 - Upon reading today's press release from the WBC that it was naming a committee to review the [Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo] fight," Gary Shaw, president and CEO of Gary Shaw Productions, LLC., Corrales' promoter, issued the following statement.
"I will be naming my own committee to review the WBC committee, including the true reason of its genesis, its true purpose and its final findings," stated Shaw who is in Las Vegas where his fighter Winky Wright will be challenging Felix Trinidad this Saturday night in a middleweight PPV extravaganza.
"The WBC is very proud of the great fight between Jose Luis Castillo and Diego Corrales, and we believe that it is one of the greatest fights in many years. The WBC does not want at all to take any merits from Corrales or Castillo, and we also respect Corrales' return from being practically knocked out to come back and win the title, but there has been a lot of furor about the fight. There have been many protests from most of the press in Mexico and Latin America, as well as the Federal Boxing Commission in regards to the performance of the referee, who, among other things, let approximately 40 seconds go from the moment of the second knockdown to the continuing of the action in the tenth round. The WBC is naming a committee to review the fight.
"The lightweight championship of the world was held under the trademark of the WBC, and is our obligation to respond to all matters that receive a request, and we think that there was something that was done wrong. It is our obligation to those who trust the WBC's impartiality, rules, and actions."
Hutchinson Out of Fight With Speedy
According to Gonzales’ trainer, Jesse Reid, “this guy wanted no part of Speedy!” Guilty Boxing expressed their frustration with Hutchinson’s reluctance, which was based in part on a desire to fight someone of a lesser caliber.
Reid’s contacts at Guilty Boxing said Hutchinson “flat-out refused to fight Gonzales. He was looking for a bum and we don’t non-competitive fights.”
Unfortunately for Speedy, there was not enough time to find a replacement for Hutchinson. Although, Gonzales quipped, “I told them to bring that pu**y from New York out here. I’ll fight him with one hand.” Gonzales was referring to Paul Malignaggi, with whom there’s been a much publicized feud.
Team Speedy took the news in stride; however, Gonzales’ co-manager Patrick Doljanin had plenty of vitriol for Paul Malignaggi. “Someone told me about this twerp flapping his yap about Speedy taking this fight. It shows you how much he doesn’t know about the business, the sport, and developing a fighter.” Shouldn’t this geek be working on Karate Kid V, anyway?”
Doljanin still remains skeptical about a showdown between his charge and Malignaggi. “Look, Malignancy said, and I have a copy of the website interview, the Speedy was a bum and he was using him as his tune-up fight. Now, he needs a tune-up fight. He’s already back-pedaling. What a worm.”
“This little fella is out of his mind, delusional. He is NOT a draw, Speedy is. It was Speedy’s name the fans were chanting at Foxwoods. They cheered when the scared shitless “Paula” was dragged out by his collar. The guy is a bore. Tapes of his fights have been suggested to people as a cure for insomnia.”
The war of words continues to escalate. Malignaggi was quoted as saying “Gonzales has the worst management team ever…if they keep talking I’m going to kick their ass on the spot.” Doljanin and co-manager Albert Falcon found it interesting that they have become the targets of Malignaggi rage, “its further proof that he wants nothing to do with Speedy”, said Falcon. As far as business sense, this numb-nut couldn’t make money running a lemonade stand.” Doljanin added, laughingly, “Now he wants to fight a 42-year old guy. Now that’s funny; I’ve got chunks of guys like “Paula” in my stool.”
"I am planning to fight a lot in the next 12 months. Now is the time to make my move.''
FRI May 13 - Joe Hutchinson (33-4-2) surprisingly backed-out of his fight with prospect Al “Speedy” Gonzales today. The fight was to have taken place Friday night at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tyson Getting in Shape, Photos from Tom Casino
FRI May 13 - Former undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson worked the slip bag, sparred and shadow boxed before cooling down after a spirited 90-minute training at The Central Gym in Phoenix, Arizona on Thursday. PHOTOS BY THE GREAT TOM CASINO
"I'm feeling good and the hard work is paying off. I can feel it," said Tyson,
who makes his eagerly awaited return to the ring against Kevin McBride June 11th on SHOWTIME Pay Per View.
"I have been training for almost two months and feel excited about where I am at.
"It's funny, but I am doing all the little things now in training that I should have done when I was younger.
"I am working much harder.
Looking on in the first picture is assistant trainer Tom Patti and head trainer and Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech.
Said Jeff Fenech, who is working with Tyson as his trainer, "I am proud of the effort Mike's putting into the preparation for this fight.
"On June 11th, the world is not going to see a new Mike Tyson, but the old one."
Said Tom Patti, who works with Tyson, "I'm pleased to see Mike working as hard as he is, with such determination and enthusiasm."
Special Thanks to Tom Casino/Showtime.
