TalkingBoxing News
Karmazin Beats Ouma for Title
FRI July 15 - Roman Karmazin won a rather easy 12-round unanimous decision, wrestling the IBF 154-lb title from the fingers of Kassim Ouma. Karmazin, 34-1-1, got off to a hot start, dropping Ouma, 21-2-1, twice in the third round last night in Las Vegas, televised on HBO Latino. Ouma fought back afterwards, but Karmazin came on late as well, closing the show.
"I told everyone that he was a good fighter, but not a superstar," Karmazin said after the bout, who was coming off a decision win over former WBC middleweight champ Keith Holmes in April.
Glen Hamada scored it 118-108, judge Chuck Giampa 117-109 and judge Patricia Jarman scored it 116-110 all in favor of Karmazin.
Guzman Teams with Mayweather
FRI July 15 - When Joan Guzman jumps to the featherweight division on August 26th, he will have a new face in his corner, trainer Roger Mayweather. Guzman will travel to Las Vegas, where he will train under the guidance of Mayweather at the Top Rank Gym. Roger Mayweather is also the trainer of pound for pound sensation Floyd Mayweather Junior.
“We felt that adding Mayweather to Guzman’s team will aid him in his campaign for a featherweight championship. Mayweather is a world class trainer and we welcome him with open arms to Team Guzman,” stated Jose Nuñez, Guzman’s manager.
“I look forward to working with Mayweather. He is a knowledgeable in the sport of boxing and I look forward to learning from him,” said Guzman.
Weeks ago, Joan Guzman vacated his W.B.O. Super Bantamweight Championship in order to campaign as a featherweight. On August 26th, 2005 Guzman will challenge the W.B.O.’s # 1 ranked featherweight Terdsak Jandaeng of Thailand in White Plains, New York. The bout will be televised on Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo. The bout is promoted by Sycuan Ringside Promotions, in association with Northeast Promotions and Goossen Tutor Boxing.
If Guzman can beat Terdsak, he will become the mandatory contender to W.B.O. Featherweight Champion Scott Harrison.
Vitali To Defend against Rahman-Barrett Winner
FRI July 15 - World Boxing Council Heavyweight Champion Vitali Klitschko’s next fight will be against the winner of the Aug. 13 Hasim Rahman-Monte Barrett “interim” WBC heavyweight title bout.
A letter from the WBC dated July 14 and sent to Klitschko, the management teams of Rahman and Barrett and Don King Productions, said that Klitschko, as WBC champion, will get 65 percent of the purse. The “interim” champion, whether it is Rahman or Barrett, will get 35 percent. The match will take place later this year.
“I am proud to be the WBC heavyweight champion and I want to thank the WBC and its president, Jose Sulaiman, for finding a fair solution to our situation,” said Klitschko, who had strongly considered making a voluntary title defense in September. “There has been a lot of criticism against me lately but now that I am healthy and able to fight, and know when my next fight will be, I am keen to go forward and show the critics and especially my fans who the real heavyweight champion of the world is.
“Whoever I fight next, I will be ready. I will not be rooting for either Rahman or Barrett, but Rahman has been talking so much and saying so many bad things about me, I think I would love to personally shut him up once and for all.’’
WBC Rejects Vitali's Petition, Must Defend Against Rahman-Barrett
FRI July 15 - The WBC’s Board of Governors today rejected heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko’s request for an exception that
would
enable him to make another optional defense of his title.
The ruling also stated that Klitschko must face the WBC interim heavyweight champion, which will be determined when WBC No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Hasim “The Rock” Rahman meets WBC No. 2-ranked contender Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett on Aug. 13 at the United Center in Chicago, which will be broadcast domestically live on pay per view.
Klitschko won the vacant WBC title (vacated by Lennox Lewis) by defeating Corrie Sanders on April 24, 2004, and was granted the ability by the WBC to make an optional defense on Dec. 11, 2004, against Danny Williams under the condition that he must face his mandatory challenger next. Klitschko hasn’t fought since Dec. 11 and has never met a mandatory challenger.
Rahman earned the right to be the WBC No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger by defeating Kali “Checkmate” Meehan in an elimination bout on Nov. 13, 2004.
Klitschko was supposed to have met Rahman on three separate occasions: on April 30 (postponed due to Vitali’s jogging “thigh injury”); June 18 (postponed as Vitali needed more time to recover from “jogging injury”); and July 23 (Vitali’s “thigh injury” spread to his back, necessitating “minor back surgery” on April 19.
Rahman’s promoter Don King, recognizing Klitschko’s inability to perform, successfully petitioned the WBC to sanction Rahman vs. Barrett as a WBC interim heavyweight championship match, which allows the organization to name the winner of this fight its outright champion if Klitschko is unable or unwilling to fight.
Klitscho’s health has recovered to the point where he asked the WBC permission to face a lower-ranked opponent on Sept. 24.
WORLD BOXING COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE – JULY 15, 2005
The Board of Governors of the World Boxing Council, presided by doctor Jose Sulaiman, announces from its offices in Mexico City that a final decision has been taken in regards to the heavyweight division, as follows:
1. The WBC requires that Vitali Klitschko make his following defense against the interim champion, winner of the Rahman-Barrett fight of August 13, 2005 in Chicago to comply with the WBC Rules and Regulations for a champion.
2. Vitali Klitschko would be approved to make a voluntary defense on September 24, only if there is a consent or acceptance agreement with the parties of the interim championship bout, as it has been the case in many occasions in the past.
3. Based on all considerations, including the last 5 fights of the 3 boxers, the WBC has decided that:
a) A split of 65-35% is applied if Klitschko is not approved to fight on September 24.
b) However, a split of 55-45% will be applied if Vitali is approved to fight on September 24.
4. If Klitschko does not fight on September 24, the winner of Rahman and Barrett must be ready and medically approved to fight Klitschko within 6 to 8 weeks after the August 13 bout.
5. If Klitschko is allowed to fight on September 24, the winners of the interim championship fight and champion Klitschko’s fight must be ready to fight for the undisputed WBC title no later than December 2005.
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