TalkingBoxing News
Tyson, Mitchell, Ali Pictures
WED June 8 -
Photo by:Tom Casino/SHOWTIME PPV :: World Champion Laila Ali, training at Howard University,06,07,2005, will defend her titles against Erin Toughill on Showtime PPV on June 11 at MCI Center in Washington, DC.
Photo by:Tom Casino/SHOWTIME PPV :: Washington, DC-area native Sharmba Mitchell works out at Howard University,06,07,2005, as he trains for his June 11 Showtime PPV title bout against NABA Welterweight Champion Chris "The Mechanic" Smith in front of his hometown fans at the MCI Center.
Photos by:Tom Casino/SHOWTIME PPV :: Two-time world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson prepares with trainer Jeff Fenech for his upcoming June 11 bout against Kevin McBride on Showtime PPV in a public workout at Howard University in Washington, DC.
Kessler Retains WBA Title over Mundine
WED June 8 - Denmark's Mikkel Kessler defended his World Boxing Association super-middleweight title at the Entertainment Centre in Sydney today defeating former champion Anthony Mundine via a 12-round decision.
Kessler, 36-0, made a first defense of his title he won with a eight-round stoppage over Manny Siaca in November.
In the end, the hard-punching 'Viking Warrior', who has 27 KO's, was extended the distance with Mundine and took scores of 116-112, 120-108 and 117-113.
Mundine, 23-3, put up a good fight, but was unsuccessful in winning his title back since losing a decision to the same Siaca in May of last year.
"There are some good names out there and I would love to unify against [Joe] Calzaghe, [Jeff] Lacy or [Markus] Beyer," Kessler told TalkingBoxing.com before the bout.
Ruiz Open Letter to WBA, Toney
WED June 8 - To President Gilberto Mendoza: I am proud to be the World Boxing Association Heavyweight Champion. As the first Latino to ever win the world heavyweight title, it is an honor that I have fought for or defended nine times since August of 2000.
It has come to my attention that, behind my back, James Toney and his people are attempting to have the WBA lift or modify the two-year sanction against him fighting for my title. That punishment was imposed on him May 16, 2005, as a result of his testing positive for his use of an illegal performance enhancing drug in our April 30th fight. The WBA Championship Rules against “the use of drugs…in amounts which are intended to artificially and disloyally increase the boxer’s performance before or during a fight” could not be clearer:
“…the challenger shall be disqualified and shall not box for the title from World Boxing Association during the next two (2) years and only after presentation of medical evidence that he has been rehabilitated.”
Toney has not appealed this ruling, either to the WBA, pursuant to its Appeal Regulations, or to the New York State Athletic Commission. The reason: his explanation about taking prescription drugs for an arm injury turning into a performance enhancing anabolic steroid is a lie. The NYSAC has already rejected this false excuse. Ask yourself, why has he not appealed? The answer is obvious: Toney knows that if he does, the results of his blood tests would be open to the public, the extremely high levels of the illegal steroid he took would be revealed, and his “excuse” would be laughed at.
Instead he hides behind this false story and is trying to have the WBA’s two-year ban lifted in a similar way. He has already brought shame upon himself and the sport of boxing by his illegal actions. The WBA would do the same to itself by not following its rules.
Toney’s failure to appeal is all the justification you need to reject any request he makes for relief from the sanctions the rules of the WBA demand, and all that the rest of the boxing world should need to realize that not only is Toney a cheat, he is a liar.
John Ruiz - WBA Heavyweight Champion
