TalkingBoxing News
Michalczewski Retires
WED June 1 - Former WBO light heavyweight champion Dariusz Michalczewski just retired from professional boxing. The 37-year-old Michalczewski announced this significant step today on a press conference in Hamburg.
“I will begin a new career in a new profession. My time as a professional boxer is over”, Michalczewski said. “I fought 50 times, won 48 fights and lost twice. I had the feeling that I can’t bring 100% anymore of the performance needed. It took me long to get to this decision. But I leave boxing with no tears.”
Dariusz Michalczewski turned pro on September 16, 1991. Three years later, on September 10, 1994, he captured the WBO light heavyweight world crown, a title that he held more than nine years and that he defended 23 times successfully. Michalczewski also won the WBO cruiserweight belt and the WBA and IBF titles at light heavyweight.
On October 18, 2003, Michalczewski eventually lost his WBO crown to Mexican Julio Gonzalez with a split decision at Color Line Arena in Hamburg. 14 months later he failed in an attempt to lift the WBA light heavyweight crown from Fabrice Tiozzo and was knocked out for the first time in his career when the Frenchman stopped him in round 6 on February 26, 2005.
Michalczewski just founded a new boxing management company called “Young Tiger”.
“I want to use my experience in this business to find new talents and to promote them. What I want to find is a new Tiger. He should be like me: With lots physical and mental powers.”
Michalczewski’s former coach Fritz Sdunek will participate in this project. Universum Box-Promotion CEO Klaus-Peter Kohl attended the press conference and promised Michalczewski future support.
Dariusz Michalczewski is leaving boxing with a record of 48-2 with 39 knockouts. He fought under the banner of Universum Box-Promotion throughout his career.
Guzman Lays Down Challenge to Vazquez
WED June 1 - Joan Guzman, WBO Super Bantamweight Champion, and his New York based Manager Jose Nuñez, were far from impressed with IBF jr. featherweight champion Israel Vazquez’s performance on Tuesday night.
After Vazquez won a closer than necessary decision victory over journey man Armando Guerrero, Guzman and Nuñez presented a bold challenge to the Mexican gladiator.
“I am tired of hearing this guy say he wants to unify the Junior Featherweight Championship. Joan is here and has been here for over one year. Vazquez and Guzman share the same promoter, Sycuan Ringside Promotions,” noted Nuñez.
“If a unification bout does not come to pass between Vazquez and Nuñez, I put the blame all on Vazquez and his manager, Frank Espinoza.”
Though Guzman was scheduled to watch the bout between Vazquez and Guerrero in person, he was unable to travel to Chicago due to last minute personal reasons.
Guzman did share these words, “For over a year, I have been calling out Vazquez, I am just waiting for him to step up to bat. A bout between Vazquez and me would be a true treat for the fans.”
A much less diplomatic Nuñez closed with the following statement.
“I am sure and have been sure for well over a year that Guzman would kick Vazquez’s ass. That being said, Guzman and I are willing to bet $50,000 dollars against Vazquez and his manager Espinoza.”
“Make the fight happen Israel. Make it happen Frank. If the fights never gets done, you guys punked out. Put $50,000 on the line against our $50,000 and let the fans see who the true champion is at one hundred and twenty-two pounds!”
Vazquez Retains IBF in Chi-Town
WED June 1 - In a tough twelve-round battle against challenger Armando Guerrero in Chicago, IBF Jr. featherweight champion Israel Vazquez retained his title via a unanimous decision.
The unanimous 116-112 decision marks the 39th victory in Vazquez’s career, with only three loses.
Moments after the bout, televised on ESPN 2 and co-promoted by The Ho-Chunk Nation, Sycuan Ringside Promotions, Northeast Promotions, and One and a Million Inc, a few of the key players had the following comments.
Freddie Roach (Vazquez’s Trainer)
“Going into the last round, I told Israel he needed a knock-out to win. I did not believe, or think that, but you never know what judges are doing and it is was a close fight.”
“Guerrero was a tough guy. Israel started slow the first 4 to 5 rounds, but then he sucked it up and came on like a champ. Guerrero was a game kid, maybe he deserves a re-match down the line.”
Israel Vazquez (IBF Junior Featherweight Champion)
“As a fighter, he is very courageous. He always came forward, at no time was I hurt. He put a lot of pressure on me, but I knew he was going to be aggressive from watching tapes. In the final round I hurt him pretty good.”
“Lots of opportunities are available, I am open to fighting anyone. I would like to unify the title.”
Ruiz calls for stricter drug policy
WED June 1 - While Team Ruiz is pleased that the World Boxing Association has entered an order (dated May 16 2005) stripping James Toney and reinstating John Ruiz as the WBA heavyweight champion, based on Toney's violation of New York State Athletic Commission's illegal substance policy.
Team Ruiz believes the sanction banning Toney from competing for the WBA heavyweight title for two years isn't strict enough. The NYSAC meted out what, under its current guidelines, is the maximum punishment for a first offense: three-months suspension and $10,000 fine. Toney and his team have since scoffed at the WBA title, making the remarkable claim that he beat John "fair and square," despite testing positive for using an illegal performance-enhancing substance.
Experts have told us that nandrolone, the steroid Toney tested positive for, is the "Cadillac" of anabolic androgenic steroids. It is one of the most powerful performance-enhancing substances, providing the best results and least side effects. They've also told is that Toney's illegal drug guru must have screwed up because nandrolone, due to its chemical structure, is more easily detected than many other steroids. Toney is either and idiot or he simply decided to take a risk and not worry about the consequences. It's probably both based on his "I didn't do anything wrong" excuse regarding an alleged mixture of orally ingested prescription medicines magically turning into an anabolic androgenic steroid, nandrolone. Nonsense! This is a matter of medical science, not alchemy.
Any true expert in the field of sports anti-doping explain that the use of nandrolone dramatically boosted Toney's ability to train and compete, artificially adding to his strength, speed and power. More importantly, though, it super-charged his ability to recover from strenuous effort. Unlike in baseball or track-and-field, the use of this illegal substance, given the nature of competition and risks in championship level boxing, isn't much worse than cheating. It's criminal.
Team Ruiz has embarked on a mission to change drug-testing protocol in championship boxing. Rather than test immediately before and after the contest (geared only to determine if stimulants were used), testing for the use of anabolic androgenic steroids and other banned performance enhancing substances should be done randomly, anytime between the announcement of a fight right up until the day of the event. We believe that this method is the only way to prevent the use of illegal substances.
Now that the Toney's of the world know that nandrolone cannot be used because it can't be purged in sufficient time (especially in the case of Ruiz-Toney where training was shortened to five weeks), they will simply use one of the many other anabolic steroids that can be masked or eliminated right before the fight. In boxing, where an artificial and illegal imbalance of fair competition may mean not only the difference in several millions of dollars in future purses, but, more significantly, in a competitor's life or death, the system must be changed now.
Harrison-Davis Headlines BDSSP on FSN
WED June 1 - Long seen as boxing’s glamour division, the heavyweight class has always captured the imagination of fight fans from around the world. On Thursday, June 9, from the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California, Goossen Tutor Promotions is proud to present “The Best Damn Heavyweight Show Period” an action-packed card which will feature the present and future of the game's most compelling division.
In the main event, Great Britain's 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist Audley “A-Force” Harrison faces always-exciting Robert Davis, and in the co-feature, Kirk Johnson continues on his climb back to a heavyweight title shot as he squares off against Cuban bomber Yanqui Diaz.
“The wait is over for me and my fans,” said the unbeaten Harrison. “On June 9 people will realize I am ready to begin the next phase of my career that will end up with the heavyweight championship of the world.”
Both bouts are scheduled for ten rounds, and Harrison's bout will be televised live on FSN’s hit show “Best Damn Sports Show Period” beginning at 8pm ET / and 8pm PT (delay).
A native of England who has relocated his base of operations to Las Vegas, Audley Harrison (17-0, 12 KOs) is seen as a can’t miss prospect for world title honors. Blessed with size, power, and a veterans ring savvy, “A-Force” was coming off an impressive defense of his WBF heavyweight title against Tomasz Bonin last June before suffering an injury in the fall. Now making his first start since healing from the torn ligament in his finger, Harrison is poised to make a run at greatness in the coming months.
“I feel in great shape, my fitness is excellent and my hand has fully healed,” said Harrison. “I have always said 2005 would be the year I go for it and coming back on national television in the United States is a testament to the seriousness of what I plan to do.”
Promoter Dan Goossen stated, "right now we have one or two heavyweights out there that the media and fans are looking to as the future of this prestigious division. Once they see Audley on June 9, I believe he will immediately ascend to the top of this list. He has it all, size, strength, power and most importantly, the mind set."
Harrison’s opponent, Robert Davis (31-6, 19 KOs), has faced some of the best the heavyweight division has had to offer during his exciting eight year career, including former world champions Greg Page and Michael Moorer, and top contenders Monte Barrett, Joe Mesi, and Michael Grant. A two-fisted power puncher with a crowd-pleasing style, Davis brings a 3-fight unbeaten knockout streak into the ring with him on June 9.
Nova Scotia’s Kirk Johnson (35-2-1, 26 KOs) is unquestionably one of the most talented heavyweight fighters on the planet, having been at or around the top of the division for the last five years. But he has fallen short of the pinnacle of the division in losses to current champions Vitali Klitschko and John Ruiz, and he is well aware that he needs a few big wins to get back into serious contention. The 32-year-old Johnson is ready to make that commitment, starting now.
"He's in one of these positions that normally bring out the best in an athlete-- a do or die fight. It's win or forever hold your peace. Not only does Kirk have to win, but he needs to win pretty, something he is very capable of doing. It won't be easy though against Diaz, who is virtually in the same position and just as hungry for redemption," stated Goossen.
Cuban banger Yanqui Diaz (13-2, 8 KOs) may not have a lot of professional fights, but his record against highly regarded competition like Juan Carlos Gomez and Vaughn Bean speaks for itself, and he would like nothing better than to add the name of Kirk Johnson to his list of high-profile victims. A native of Pinar Del Rio, now living in Las Vegas, Diaz broke onto the world scene in 2004 with a first round blowout of the then-unbeaten former cruiserweight champion, Gomez. Diaz is coming off a loss to rising star Samuel Peter in January, but a win over Johnson will quickly erase that defeat in the eyes of the boxing public.
And the heavyweight action doesn’t stop there, as 2002 National Golden Gloves champion and promising pro prospect Malcolm “The Showstopper” Tann (15-1, 8 KOs) takes on his most imposing challenge to date in former world title challenger Vaughn Bean (45-5, 34 KOs) in a ten round contest, and 2003 National Golden Gloves champ Travis Walker (10-0, 8 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line in a six rounder against Chicago’s Lamar Stephens (6-1-1, 3 KOs).
Opening up the show will be a welterweight bout featuring another National Golden Gloves champion, Michigan’s Lorenzo Reynolds (5-0, 3 KOs), in a six rounder.
For tickets, priced at $125, $100 and $75, Online w/credit card, or please call the Pechanga Resort & Casino box-office at 951-303-2507 or toll free 888-711-2WIN, or visit the Pechanga box-office between 10am - 10pm daily.
