TalkingBoxing News
Is Mitchell Ducking Clottey?
WED May 18 - Minutes after posting my interview with Joshua Clottey, Jose Nunez, Joshua’s new manager was informed that Mitchell might be taking the easy way out.
Nunez stated, “Sharmba claimed that he wanted to fight a ranked welterweight and we gave him the opportunity. Now we are getting notice that he might be pulling out of the fight. He has been knocked down at 135 and 140; I guess he’s just terrified of getting knocked down at 147.”
It has not yet been confirmed if Sharmba Mitchell is really backing out of the fight, but if he does Clottey’s manager and promoters are willing to take legal action against the former world champion.
“A bout agreement has already been signed, so either we get a fight in the ring or one in the courts system of the United States. We’re tired of seeing Sharmba run around the ring. He needs to man up and face Joshua. This is going to be one of the toughest fights of his career,” said Nunez.
“If Sharmba punks out of this one we will just keep working towards fighting bigger and better opponents until we get a title shot. The journey has just begun for Joshua and me.”
Harris-Maussa Added to Gatti Undercard
WED May 18 - WBA jr. welterweight champion Vivian Harris will headline the June 25 “Thunder & Lightning” undercard when he defends his crown against Carlos Maussa in a 12 round co-feature bout, it was announced today by Main Events CEO Kathy Duva. HBO Pay-Per-View will broadcast the bout live, beginning at 9pm ET/6pm PT.
Harris (25-1-1, 17 KO’s) won the WBA jr. welterweight title on October 19, 2002, when he destroyed Diobelys Hurtado in two rounds (TKO 2). The 26-year-old Guyana native who lives in Brooklyn, NY has successfully defended the crown three times, defeating Souleyman Mbaye and Oktay Urkal (twice). Harris is ranked #2 by The Ring magazine and has won nine consecutive bouts.
Maussa (17-2, 15 KO’s) is the former WBC Latin Americas super lightweight champion. The 33-year-old Monteria Cordoba, Colombia native captured the vacant title on May 29, 2003, by decisioning Hicklet Lau (W 12). Maussa earned the biggest win of his career on September 26, 2003, when he stopped previously undefeated top-prospect Jeffrey Resto (TKO 6). Three months later on December 6, 2003, Maussa unsuccessfully challenged current WBO jr. welterweight champion Miguel Cotto for the WBC International super lightweight crown (TKOby 8).
Main Events and Top Rank are promoting the evening of boxing, in association with Caesars Atlantic City and Bally’s Atlantic City.
'Bull' vs. 'Nightmare' Heats Up
WED May 18 - Harsh words were exchanged at a conference held to discuss the July 2 SHOWTIME-televised 12-round heavyweight battle in Reno, Nevada, between undefeated USBA and NABF Champion Samuel “The Nigerian Nightmare” Peter, 23-0 (20), and NABA Champion Taurus “The Bull” Sykes, 23-1-1 (6)..
Peter and Sykes will be vying to unify all the major regional belts in North America. A victory for Peter would further solidify the power-punching 24-year-old Nigerian as THE new heavyweight on the scene. A victory for New York’s Sykes would catapult him into the picture as a serious force in the division. Both seemed aware of the importance of winning.
“I’m a slick and crafty boxer and a lot stronger than people think,” asserted Sykes. “I have great defense, and my jab is devastating. I’ll control him with my jab. I’m not worried at all. What can he bring that I haven’t already seen? A knife?”
“You don’t have a day job? I suggest you start sending out applications,” quipped hot-blooded manager Ivalyo Gotzev, to which Sykes replied “I suggest you go get another heavyweight.”
The Peter vs. Sykes fight was arranged after a press release issued by Sykes’ camp claimed that Sykes would end up calling Peter “Toby,” (an allusion to the slavery drama, Roots) at the conclusion of their match. Peter’s promoter Dino Duva swiftly responded by publicly challenging Sykes to face his young heavyweight and Sykes promptly accepted.
As is his custom, for much of the conference, Peter seemed content to allow Sykes to make his threatening statements unchallenged. Former opponent Jeremy Williams was also very vocal before being put to sleep by Peter in the second round of a SHOWTIME-televised showcase last December.
“He’s never fought a heavyweight like me. This fight is NOT going the distance” said Sykes.
“The day you signed the contract was the day you started digging your own grave. Right now, you’re a walking corpse,” replied Peter.
Featuring an important clash between promising heavyweight contenders, the Duva Boxing promoted event will be the first ever held at the brand-new 7000-seat Reno Events Center.
The Samuel Peter vs. Taurus Sykes triple title showdown will be the sole fight broadcast July 2 on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Tickets are priced at $200, $100, $75, $55, and $30. The fight is sponsored by “Reno/Tahoe – America’s Adventure Place." First bout starts at 4:30 p.m.
Brewster: "All Pressure on Golota"
WED May 18 - Lamon Brewster: “I’m coming here to take care of business and give Chicago a great show. There hasn’t been a heavyweight title fight here in 24 years. I’m a Midwest guy. People from the Midwest are the best. If we see you stranded on the side of the road, we’ll probably pull over to help. Fighting in the Midwest in a city like Chicago is something that I always dreamed of.
“If Golota fights dirty, it’ll look so bad for Illinois and the city of Chicago. No one should want to be champion by using dirty tactics. There have been fights where Golota didn’t fight dirty. The referee just needs to do his job to honor the city of Chicago and the sport of boxing.
“All the pressure is on Golota. I have a job to do. The ref will make the call, even if it’s against me. Fair is fair.
“The referee needs to do his job. Look what happened to Gerald McClellan.”
On his less than spectacular performance against Kali Meehan:
“This fight is important so that I can show the fans that anyone can have an off night.”
On his past knee problems:
“I didn’t want to have knee surgery because I’d be off for a year. I’ve been going to rehab and now my knee feels good. This is one of the first fights where I’ve been able to run and skip rope (during training).
“I have aches and pains and I’m still thankful. My knee may hurt, but somewhere there’s a guy who doesn’t have a knee. I always try to think of the positive.”
On whether he thinks the fight will go the distance:
“Bill Slayton told me to never take a man 12 rounds if you don’t have to. It’s better to beat him early than to beat him for 12 rounds and possibly give him brain damage.”
“Someday I’ll tell my kids, ‘This is what your father done. So you can eat. So you can go to the best schools. This is what I do because this is my gift from God.’
“I say that hip hop saved my life. Public Enemy helped me to grow conscious of myself and my community. Public Enemy inspired me to be a role model to my community.
“Only the lion can defend the lion pride. My family is my pride.
“As an individual, we can be whatever we want to be. Why do you expect us (fighters) to have animosity toward another man? When the Bulls lose a game and they see the other team in a nightclub the next night, they don’t get into a fight over it.
“People are people. Unless people living in Poland have 6 arms and 4 legs, we’re all the same. I got one heart. I hope you got one.
“I’m confident. I’m don’t have to growl or talk about eating anybody’s
kids.
“I’m ready mentally, but it doesn’t hurt to check your list and check it twice.
Paul “Hurricane” Briggs Quotes
“Five years ago I told myself that I wanted to be a world champion. Five years and four months later, here I am. I’m very, very good at achieving what I want to achieve.
“Being from the other side of the planet, a lot of top American fighters didn’t want to fight me because they didn’t know me. I’ve had to fight whoever the WBC told me to fight. I beat Jorge Castro. I beat Jesus Ruiz and then I beat Stipe Drews. Still, Tarver wouldn’t fight me.”
“Tarver was offered $2.2 million to face me and $3 million to face an old Glen Johnson. Tarver took the Johnson money and ran. I would say to Tarver that ‘jet planes don’t have rear view mirrors.’ He has had the opportunity to face Paul Briggs and avoided me each time.
“American boxers like to talk a lot. If you just keep knocking everybody out, the whole world has to take notice.
“My father used to train me. He was a fighter, as was my grandfather and uncle.”
On his world championship kickboxing career in the Muay Thai discipline:
“I’ve had 60 professional Muay Thai fights. My record is 55-5 with 39 KOs. Muay Thai includes elbows, knees, kicking and boxing.
“My Muay Thai experience makes me more viscious. I’m a fighter first, a boxer second. Technique and skill will take you only so far. Then it comes down to how much fight the dog has.
“Boxing and Mauy Thai are two completely different sports. Muay Thai is a five-round sprint. Boxing is a 10-round marathon.
“I’ve gone 10 rounds without getting hit and I haven’t lost a fight in 10 years.”
“I won the Australian Kick Boxing Championship at the age of 15 when I knocked out a 28-year-old man. I had a huge ego and a little too much money. By the time I was 22, I was broke. I got into the wrong scene and was working as a DJ in a techno club. I did massive amounts of cocaine and ecstasy. I was working as a “stand-over man” (a debt collector for drug dealers) and breaking people’s legs.”
“I loathed myself. I was scum of the earth. My friends were dropping like flies from drugs and bullets. I wanted better for myself and I came through it all.”
“I started training again and lost 20 pounds right away. I learned to love myself again and met my wife. We now live on the Gold Coast which has the best surfing in the world and we have two beautiful kids. My daughter’s second birthday is Saturday, the night of my fight.”
On what he thinks of Adamek:
“Fighting is not for everyone. I respect any man who steps through the ropes to take on another man’s will with his own two hands. Technically, Adamek is well-schooled and has all the moves, but he’s never really been tested. He’s never fought anyone with my power or tenacity. He can’t handle my power and aggression.”
On the anticipated huge pro-Adamek Polish crowd at the United Center:
“So I’m in his house. It’s nothing new. I’ve fought all over the world. I don’t have to fight every person in the stands. I just have to fight Tomasz Adamek.”
On this training camp, his second with Jack Mosley:
“I’m a different fighter than I was in my last fight. I spent six weeks in Big Bear. I went back to Australia for a bit to train with Anthony Mundine who’s preparing for his fight with WBA super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler.”
Briggs message to Adamek:
“This is gonna be a fight. There’s no tomorrow for me.”
