Valuev: I am ready for Chagaev!

WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev feels he is "perfectly prepared" for his first mandatory title defense which is just seven days away. The Russian Giant (46-0, 34 KOs) will battle it out with Uzbek challenger Ruslan Chagaev (22-0, 17 KOs) in Stuttgart next Saturday. As always, he is brimming with confidence. "Everything has gone according to plan in practice," Valuev stated. "The two training camps in St. Petersburg and Kienbaum were pretty hard but very good. I am ready for Chagaev."

The biggest and tallest champion of all time holds an incredible 11-inch height advantage over his opponent. Yet he is certain not to underestimate him. "I take him very seriously. I never step into the ring without the right preparation. We watched him on tape and I also attended his fight against John Ruiz in Duesseldorf."

Valuev has completed his sparring preparations in Sauerland´s training camp base in Kienbaum (near Berlin) and will transfer to Stuttgart on Monday. A win over his unbeaten opponent would put him even closer to Rocky Marciano´s dream mark of 49-0. At 46-0 with 34 KOs, the 33-year-old Russian is making giant steps towards the record. "It would be a huge honour for me to break it," said Valuev. "Rocky Marciano is a legend. As is his fabulous record. Normally I don´t really care about stats or streaks but now that this historic mark is within reach, I really want get my name into the record books."

Coach Manuel Gabrielian, who once again put his fighter through exhausting training sessions, believes Valuev has a golden future ahead. "He has been getting better and better in the last year but he has not reached his peak yet," assessed the coach. "The best is yet to come. He will dominate the division."

Valuev received a special shot of confidence last month when his wife Galina gave birth to the couple´s second child, Irina. "It was just before I left St. Petersburg for Germany so the timing could not have been better," smiled the gentle giant. "It was an incredible feeling."

The Russian Giant also sent out a special Easter greeting to his fans. "I want to thank everyone for their tremendous support. Happy Easter to everyone."

Chris Cozzone: MMA is here to stay . . . but boxing is not going anywhere

By Chris Cozzone

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed the growing paranoia and defensive stance those in boxing have taken when it comes to mixed martial arts.

"UFC ain't s---," Floyd Mayweather, Jr., possibly boxing's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, told a popular boxing Web site last week, saying the top MMA organization was nothing "but a fad" and that Chuck Liddell, the Ultimate Fighting Championship's top fighter, wouldn't be able to hang with a decent heavyweight boxer.

UFC kingpin Dana White - whose company Zuffa has bought out all the major MMA competitors, including PRIDE and World Extreme Cagefighting - retaliated, saying he'd like to see any heavyweight boxer get in the cage and fight MMA style with Liddell.

While we're at it, why don't we round up 11 heavyweights to face the reigning Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, so we know if football is superior to boxing? Or make Serena Williams get into the ring against Laila Ali, to see if women's boxing can kick tennis' butt?

It makes as much sense to talk about MMA and boxing.

Call it a battle of popularity, this out-of-the-ring-and-cage war of words.

The reality is this:

The MMA is picking up numbers at the box offices, in venues across the nation, on pay-per-view and in the gyms.

Boxing, in the perception of many, is on a decline of sorts.

Boxing might be losing rounds in popularity, there's little reason to worry that it's going to fade away. Last time I checked, there were, on the average, somewhere between two and six televised boxing cards shown every weekend on TV.

MMA, on the other hand, has but a couple, but you can bank on that number growing.

Boxing is a cauliflower-earred, battle-scarred veteran that has survived laws banning the act, world wars, fixed fights, mafia interference, deaths in the ring and a hundred other ups-and-downs.

Every sport from baseball to wrestling has taken blows at reducing boxing's popularity, but the sport has always picked itself off the canvas and beaten the count, or, having lost a fight, returned to the arena for a rematch.

There is too much history in boxing. Watching Marco Antonio Barrera fight Juan Manuel Marquez a few weeks ago - a battle of the two best Mexicans in the world in their division, if not throughout all weights - is witnessing far more than two athletes in the ring. It was this era's version of a classic matchup, reminiscent of a Rocky Graziano-Tony Zale match from the '40s, or Carmen Basilio-Sugar Ray Robinson of the '50s, or Ad Wolgast-Joe Rivers of 1912.

MMA, on the other hand, is in its infancy. But don't make the mistake Floyd Mayweather made of calling it a fad.

Mayweather - and a great deal more of today's boxers, fans and promoters - can learn a lot from watching a UFC or PRIDE card.

Certainly there are exceptions - Barrera-Marquez and last month's superbantam match between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez are two that quickly come to mind - boxing has been reduced to something less than the best fighting the best.

The MMA does not pull punches or baby its fighters when it comes to making solid matches.

That generates excitement.

Mayweather ought to consider that when on May 5 he steps into the arena against Oscar De La Hoya on a much-anticipated showdown that has the power to enhance (if it lives up to the hype) or cripple (should it bomb) boxing.

If Mayweather really wants to show MMA fans how exciting boxing can be, let's see him show his wares in the ring against De La Hoya instead of a play-it-safe approach like the one he used in his last outing.

MMA or boxing? Fight fans have a choice of three shows to watch tonight. Boxing on Showtime and HBO go head-to-head with UFC on pay-per-view. On HBO, super middleweight king Joe Calzaghe (42-0, 31 KOs) faces Peter Manfredo (26-3, 12 KOs) in his hometown of Cardiff, Wales. On Showtime, from Springfield, Mo., former lightweight champ Diego Corrales (40-4, 33 KOs) takes a risky move by leaping up to welterweight, and an even riskier move by taking on Joshua Clottey (30-2, 19 KOs). On PPV, UFC 69: Shootout, from the Toyota Center in Houston, welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (13-1) defends his title against Matt Serra (15-4). In the co-main, New Mexico's No. 1 MMA prospect, highly-ranked welterweight fighter Diego "the Nightmare" Sanchez (19-0) goes up against Josh Koscheck (10-1). A win will nudge Sanchez one step closer to a title shot against the card's headliner, St. Pierre.

What'll I be watching? I'll be in Houston, covering UFC, but all I can say is, thank God for TiVo. While Calzaghe is a heavy favorite over Manfredo, he never fails to dazzle with his boxing skills. And Corrales-Clottey? Many in the know are expecting an upset for Clottey in a fight that should not fail to thrill.

(Source)

Team Klitschko comments!

K2 Promotions confirmed today that an agreement was not able to be reached between all of the parties involved in trying to secure an immediate world heavyweight championship fight between Vitali Klitschko and Oleg Maskaev.

“We exhausted every effort,” said Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions. “Klitschko vs. Maskaev would have been a truly historic event in Moscow. However, the deal was so complex and changed so many times and with issues still unresolved, we were not able to finalize it. In the end we ran up against deadlines from the television networks.”

Although Klitschko generated the most revenue for the promotion, he would have been paid the least. “Vitali was willing to accept about one third of the money that either Maskaev would have received for the fight, or Peter to step aside,” said Bernd Boente, Klitschko’s manager. “Vitali will now focus on fighting the winner of Maskaev-Peter fight to regain his title.”

Klitschko had retired in 2005 as the WBC Heavyweight Champion due to an injury, but announced his comeback earlier this year after his previous injuries had fully healed. Maskaev is the current WBC Heavyweight Champion and Peter is the WBC no. 1 contender following back to back victories over James Toney.

“My main objective was to regain my world title that I never lost in the ring,” said a disappointed Klitschko, “I want to thank the WBC for their support and especially Jose Sulaiman for keeping his promise that he made to me when I was given the great honor of WBC Champion Emeritus.”

Klitschko will now have the right to fight the winner of Maskaev vs no.1 ranked Samuel Peter before the year is over.

Memories of Tokyo

By Bernard Fernandez

The thin, sturdy cardboard box was in my mail slot at the Philadelphia Daily News. I didn’t have to open it to know what was inside. It was another boxing book, one of many which have arrived through the years in the expectation that I would read it and, hopefully, write a favorable review.

Truth be told, my duties for my primary employer and for Maxboxing keep me so busy that I don’t have as much time for reading as I once did. There is a backlog of books about fights and fighters I hope to get around to eventually, but, when I do clear my schedule enough for a few precious leisure hours, I often plunge into a mystery novel by favorite authors like Tami Hoag and Robert Crais instead of another boxing biography. Lack of dedication, I suppose.

But this particular tome demanded my immediate attention. Tyson-Douglas: The Inside Story of the Upset of the Century, co-authored by Douglas’ former manager, John Johnson, and Bill Long, reminded me of the damndest eight-day road trip I have taken, a journey to the mysterious Orient and into the surreal that is forever branded into my memory.

Contributing to that is the fact that Buster Douglas’ 10th-round knockout of the seemingly unbeatable Mike Tyson is widely considered to be the biggest upset in boxing history, maybe in all of sports. It is not the best fight I have ever covered in person, nor the most dramatic, nor the most controversial – that would be the first matchup of Julio Cesar Chavez and Meldrick Taylor, which took place at the Las Vegas Hilton just 34 days after Tyson-Douglas – but it surely is the most momentous, on several levels.

As HBO blow-by-blow announcer Jim Lampley says in his foreword to the book, “In 32 years of network television sports commentary of every kind imaginable, I’ve never done a stranger or more memorable telecast.”

A lot of us, those fortunate enough to have been in the Tokyo Dome the Sunday afternoon of Feb. 11, 1990 (due to the 14-hour time difference, the fight started on Saturday night, Feb. 10, in the United States), have the very same impression. But while some truths about the event are universal, many recollections are individually colored to fit attendees’ very unique experiences.

The “Inside Story of the Upset of the Century”? Yeah, well, Johnson was there, but I’m not so sure about Long, a former Ohio State football player who knew Johnson from JJ’s days as a graduate assistant on Woody Hayes’ Buckeyes staff. But Johnson’s printed recollections largely center on Douglas; I’m not sure anyone has the real “inside” story on what was happening with Tyson, the supposed Godzilla who proved to be not quite the monster everyone had presumed he was.

Actually, Tyson had been dropping hints for some time that he was slipping, but the public chose to overlook them as the rusting Iron Mike continued on his knockout spree. There were rumors, sure, that his dedication to training had waned, and members of his original support crew of Cus D’Amato, Jimmy Jacobs, Bill Cayton, Kevin Rooney and Steve Lott either had died or been shunted aside in a purge orchestrated by Tyson’s control-freak promoter, Don King.

Much has been made of the fact that cornermen Aaron Snowell and Jay Bright did not even have an Enswell in their kit box as the hematoma above Tyson’s left eye enlarged to alarming proportions; they attempted to reduce the swelling with what appeared to be a balloon or a condom filled with ice water. But being surrounded by yes-men and sycophants is only a symptom of what brought down the fearsome Tyson; the underlying cause is that he had simply begun not to care about the profession that had made him so fabulously rich and famous.

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I GOT NOTHIN’ TO DO WITH ROY

CHARLES JAY SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT IN “THE CASE OF THE MISSING JONES”

I would like to dispel a rumor which seems to be circulating out there; one that I absolutely don’t want to be held responsible for.

I fully understand that there is an incredible coincidence between the timing of the announcement of my new special report, “FOR WHOM DiBELLA TOLLS” and the apparent disappearance of Roy Jones Jr., the latest fighter signed by DiBella Entertainment.

Jones was supposed to emerge on Monday or Tuesday to sign a contract to fight Anthony Hanshaw on June 9. But he could not be found. He would not return attempts on the part of promoter Lou DiBella (aka Diabolical L.O.U.) to reach him on the phone, only later responding, over a text message and through an intermediary, that he was rejecting Lou’s offer.

All of that is THEIR business. I want to make at least three things perfectly clear. I have not had any conversations with Roy Jones Jr. as of yet regarding “FOR WHOM DiBELLA TOLLS.” And although we intend to be thorough and comprehensive, neither The Fight Page nor Operation Cleanup has anything in the way of a “witness protection program” set up at this time. It’s just not in the budget right now. So if Jones is a no-show, it has nothing to do with us.

Jones reportedly made a verbal agreement to fight for $500,000, then later demanded $1.5 million from DiBella. If Lou considers this a “shakedown,” it is not one that was engineered or encouraged by me. Also, I have no evidence to suggest that after the announcement of “FOR WHOM DiBELLA TOLLS” came out, Lou spent so much time trying to get me on the phone that he completely lost track of where his fighter was.

I want the people at Showtime and Gary Shaw Productions (the promoter of Hanshaw) to know that I was not a participant on this occasion, but merely an innocent bystander.

– Charles Jay

(Source)

Jones avoids Hanshaw with text message

By Mark Vester

It appears that Roy Jones Jr. is still missing in action and many in the business are scratching their heads as to the latest fumble by Jones.

Last week, it appeared a fight between Jones and Anthony Hanshaw was verbally agreed upon for a June 9 headliner on Showtime. Promoter Lou DiBella, who was handling the fight for Jones, was skepitcal and told boxing scribe Dan Rafael he did not consider the fight a done deal until Jones signed the actual contract.

Once Jones gave DiBella the verbal go ahead as to terms, he vanished for several days by ceasing all communications with DiBella, who tried in vain to contact him on the telephone in order to close the fight.

Rafael reports after DiBella repeatedly left messages for Jones on Tuesday, the former light heavyweight king reneged on his verbal agreement to accept $500,000 for the fight. He never returned DiBella's phone calls to pass along the news. Instead he directed his personal assistant, Linda Padget, to send a text message to DiBella, stating he was refusing to fight unless he was guaranteed $1.5 million, which is triple the amount of the original agreement.

It doesn't stop there. Jones also demanded half the purse up front ($750,000).

A fighter who is 1-3 in his last four ring appearances, two of the losses by knockout, has to be living in another universe by making such outrageous demands. Several weeks ago, both HBO and Showtime rejected a proposed meeting between Jones and Omar Sheika. After several hurdles, DiBella was finally able to secure Jones a televised date.

Over the years, Jones has burned plenty of bridges with people in the sport, including HBO, and now it appears he burned a nice bridge with Showtime as well.

(Source)

Oscar De La Hoya vs Floyd Mayweather Jr Update

Both Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr took part in the mandatory WBC 30-day safety weight check-in from their respective training camps. Jose Penagaricano, the President of the Puerto Rico Boxing Commission, supervised De La Hoya's weight check which took place yesterday at the Wilfredo Gomez Gym in Puerto Rico where the champion trains. De La Hoya's weight: 164.5 pounds.

Mayweather weighed in this morning at the Las Vegas offices of Dr. Robert Voy, a long-standing and renowned Nevada doctor. The documented weight was then immediately reported by Mayweather's advisory Leonard Ellerbe to Golden
Boy Promotions and the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Mayweather's weight: 152 pounds.

The De La Hoya vs. Mayweather pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, will be distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes and in 176 countries around the world. The telecast will be available in HD-TV. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For your daily De La Hoya vs. Mayweather fight week updates visit www.hbo.com.

On Sunday, Apr. 15 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT, HBO will premiere the all-access prime time series "De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7." The four-part series, with unprecedented access, will chronicle the fighters' preparations for the May 5 mega-fight at MGM Grand and will provide viewers with a compelling look at two extraordinary champions.

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POLL POSITION

This week’s boxing question was pretty straight forward; of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, who is, pound-for-pound, the best fighter in the world? And in a sign that things may be changing atop the mythical rankings 59.4% of respondents thought Grand Rapids , Michigan ’s Floyd Mayweather Jr. was indeed the man.

And while Pacquiao couldn’t out-tally Mayweather, the fact that over 40% sided with the wildly popular Phillippino fighter marks a seismic shift in thinking.

Two years ago the thought of anybody else even being considered as the best fighter in the world would’ve been meet with scorn and ridicule. Led by Mayweather’s contractors over at HBO, everyone conceded that the loquacious stylist had a stranglehold on the lb.-for-lb. crown.

However, with marginal opponents like Victoriano Sosa, Henry Bruseles, and Sharmba Mitchell dotting his recent resume, and with Manny Pacquiao running roughshod over the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, and Erik Morales, while holding Juan Manuel Marquez to a hard-fought draw, the pendulum seems to be swinging from Mayweather’s technical genius to Pacquiao’s blood curdling aggression.

Top Rank wins in court again!

The U.S. Court of Appeals For the Ninth Circuit has denied Golden Boy's emergency motion for injunctive relief on grounds that Golden Boy did not demonstrate the possibility of irreparable harm or that the balance of hardship tipped in their favor. Bob Arum, Top Rank CEO, stated that "Golden Boy has been firing bullets wildly to stop the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jorge Solis world championship match at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on April 14." Arum added "it's a disgrace that with all of the money he makes from fighting that De La Hoya would spend so much time and money to stop fighters from fighting. He is supposed to promote fights, not prohibit them."

Nikolai Valuev: "Rocky Marciano is a legend. And for me it would be an honor to break his record."

By Daniel Hiller

Now just nine days out from his mandatory world title defense against Ruslan Chagaev (22-0-1, 17 KOs), WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev (46-0, 34 KOs) has pronounced himself to be 100% prepared. The bout will take place at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart. The popular seven-foot, 325-pounder, the largest world champion in the history of boxing, spoke to boxen.com about the fight and a variety of other topics, including the hallowed record of Rocky Marciano, which he is just four wins away from breaking.

Nikolai, another week-and-a-half to the fight – how good is your form?
Now I am at 100%. I prepare myself 100% for every fight.

What do you know about your opponent Ruslan Chagaev, who is called the "White Tyson?" What are his strengths and weaknesses?
Honestly, I don't answer questions about strengths and weaknesses of the opponent as the fight approaches. My coach and I have looked together at the fights of Chagaev on video. Also we were present at the last fight of Chagaev against John Ruiz in Dusseldorf.

You live in St. Petersburg, your coach is an Armenian. Why have you chosen to have your training camp in Germany? Wouldn't it be more pleasant to remain in your native country, particularly as you have just become a father for the second time?
Germany has become during the last few years my second homeland. I spend about half of the year here. And in Germany I have one thing above all else: my peace. In St. Petersburg, this is not the case. I'm preparing for the coming fight against Chagaev in Kienbaum near Berlin where we have previously trained several times before big fights. Here we have ideal training conditions. Also, in Germany the search for suitable sparring partners is much easier to manage.

Has the birth of your daughter Irina given you a further boost before the title defense?
Of course! The birth of my daughter, this was an indescribable feeling. Luckily she came into the world when I was in St. Petersburg. It happened between two training camps. Therefore my daughter Irina caught the optimum time to see the light of the world.

Will your wife Galina be supporting you at ringside in Stuttgart?
No, Galina isn't coming to Stuttgart. She's staying at home with our baby. I think, the reasons for it are clear.

Would you support your son if he decided to become a boxer?
Grigorij will select an occupation for himself. It is important above all that he pursues that what he seriously wants to do. And if that should be boxing, then I will support him in that also.

The fight fans in Germany have known you for many years through the TV broadcasts on ARD. Now with Viasat Sport, there is also a network which will show your fights in Russia for the next five years. Is that for you a recognition of your achievement?
Absolutely! I am excited by it. It's wonderful that my fights can be followed in all regions of Russia.

For your last four fights, you and your manager Wilfried Sauerland have worked with the legendary American promoter Don King. How is the collaboration with him going?
Actually, I only meet Don King during the fight nights. I personally maintain no business connections with him. All contractual obligations are fulfilled by my manager Wilfried Sauerland.

What do you think about the world champions in the other organizatons? Which opponent would you prefer to have a unification fight against?
For a unification fight I would prefer Wladimir Klitschko.

Many mention your name in comparison to Rocky Marciano. What do you think about this boxer and his record?
I had intitially not at all been preoccupied with this record. Statistics are not so important to me. But last year before the fight in Chicago, I was asked by American journalists over and over about it – so it also became a topic for me. Rocky Marciano is a legend. And for me it would be an honor to break his record.

What do you think about the surprising comeback attempt of Vitali Klitschko?
That is his thing...

At a press conference recently Vitali called you a "Luftballon" or "PR project." Do you get annoyed by such statements by another champion?
The chance to find out which of us is a "Luftballoon" can be only happen in the ring. One can talk a lot. He should prove it in the ring. I don't count myself among the loud talkers.

How do you motivate yourself for a fight? Are there some rituals?
No.

But, nevertheless, you always step over the ring ropes instead of climbing through like the other boxers. Isn't that a ritual? Or do you do this to intimidate your opponents?
Neither. I do this because it is simply easier for me to step over the ropes than to climb through.

Your title defense soon approaches against "White Tyson." What would like you to say to your fans before this fight?
It is of course a very nice feeling to feel the support of the fans backing me. I warmly thank all of you for your support. I wish for the fans above all health and a lot of success. And, of course, a thrilling fight.

Philippine officials looking into death of boxer

MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine boxing officials said they planned to fly to Bangkok on Wednesday to investigate the death of a Filipino boxer hours after an unauthorized match believed to have been arranged by an illegal boxing syndicate.

Lito Sisnorio, 24, former World Boxing Council youth flyweight champion, died of suspected brain injuries on Saturday after a fourth-round knockout by former WBC flyweight champion Chatchai Sasakul of Thailand.

We "want to get initial information on what brought Sisnorio to the fight and who are the people responsible in Thailand," said Nasser Cruz, boxing division chief of the government's Games and Amusement Board, which issues permits to Filipino boxers.

Cruz said Sisnorio did not have permission to fight and was pitted against an opponent who was older and had twice as much experience.

A permit is issued after a boxer receives medical clearance and his boxing record is reviewed. Cruz said Sisnorio's fight record failed to qualify him.

Philippine boxing officials complained that despite an agreement with Thai authorities to ban Filipino boxers with no clearance, many still end up in rings in Thailand.

Cruz said a syndicate in Thailand is believed to recruit retired or suspended boxers from the Philippines who do not have permits to fight.

He said the Games and Amusement Board would seek assistance from Thai authorities through the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok "to help us control illegal activities of professional boxers not passing by GAB to get a permit."

He also noted that while Philippine boxing officials are regulated by the government, boxing authorities in Thailand are private individuals.

Cruz said the Philippines might file a protest with international boxing bodies in an attempt to end the unapproved fights.

(Source)

Roy Jones Jr is Missing; Search is on to find Him

New York "Calling all cars! Calling all cars! Be on the lookout for a former world champion fighter who always refers to himself in the third person. Goes by the name of ROY JONES, JR.. Last seen heading south . . . waaaaaay south and as far away as possible from super middleweight contender ANTHONY HANSHAW. Approach with extreme caution and for heaven's sake, bring plenty of backup -- backup contracts. He is armed with amendments and codicils and brother, he isn't afraid to use them!"

Alas, Sigfried & Roy Jones, Jr. pulled a disappearing act on undefeated super middleweight contender Hanshaw, whom both Jones and promoter Lou DiBella had verbally agreed to terms to fight on June 2, in a 10-round light heavyweight bout that would have been broadcast live on SHOWTIME.

"We had agreed to terms and signed our parts of the contract," stated Hanshaw's promoter Gary Shaw. "Lou DiBella was supposed to get Jones to sign all his documents and the promotion would have been ready to go. We are still waiting to hear back. I'm just hoping Roy hasn't been abducted by aliens!"

"If Jones is refusing to fight a super middleweight moving up to light heavyweight, you can bet he won't be challenging me either," said Chad Dawson, the newly-minted undefeated WBC light heavyweight champion. "Maybe he heard DiBella toss out his name as a possible opponent for middleweight champion Jermain Taylor? Roy must like them really small."

"Am I small enough?" asked undefeated IBF/IBO flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan. "If making me move up 73 pounds isn't enough, then I suggest Roy get out of his chicken coop and get some fresh air before he fowls up anymore fights for himself!"

(Source)

Golden Boy, Talks Training Camp, Roach, and More.

When Oscar De La Hoya decided to drop his long-time trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. this past January, the announcement of who the “Golden Boy” would tap to train him for his mega-bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5th became the most anticipated one of the young year. He chose Freddie Roach, and in early March, the two set up a full-time training camp in Puerto Rico to begin the heavy work of preparing for Floyd Jr.

During a media teleconference this past week Oscar De La Hoya brimmed with confidence and energy when reporting how his training under Roach had been going. About a month in to camp, Oscar says that Roach has whipped him into shape, lined up great sparring partners and devised a strategy to beat “Pretty Boy” Floyd.

“Everything is going great, as planned. I’m truly excited about working with Freddie Roach. He is very instrumental at this point in my career. He makes a huge difference when it comes to getting the right strategy and getting in tip top shape. I’ve got sparring partners that have the speed and even more power than Mayweather. I didn’t think I could get in better shape at this point in my career, but Freddie has really kicked it up a notch.”

Oscar also says that, though he respects his former trainer Mayweather Sr., the differences between he and Roach’s styles are stark.

“There’s a big difference. The styles are totally, totally different. Floyd Sr. is a great trainer, but the way they hold the mitts and the way they talk to you is night and day. Sr. will have you throw a 25 punch combo where maybe those first 3, 4, 5 punches will be effective but the rest will be all arm punches. With Freddie Roach you will be throwing punches that you will be throwing during the fight. Freddie Roach is more intense. Its combination after combination, ducking under punches, constant pressure, and it’s allowed me to get in better shape. I feel in incredible shape right now. I could never understand why Manny (Pacquiao, the energetic pound for pound great and long time and current charge of Roach) was so explosive, now I know, it’s because of Freddie Roach.”

Roach has also brought out the aggressiveness in the former Olympic gold medalist, says Oscar.

“Roach is a trainer that has an aggressive style, he likes to fight. For many years my style was always like that, very aggressive and out front. But over the years I started to change my style to one as more of a boxer. That aggressive style is what I like; fighting hard with a lot of aggression.”

When De La Hoya hired Roach to prepare him for Mayweather Jr. he cited Roach’s ability to develop a sound fight strategy as a main appeal. And it seems that Roach has risen to Oscar’s expectations thus far as the six-division champion says he and Roach already have Floyd Jr. figured out.

“We have him down. It’s not a fight where I have to change my strategy or change my whole game; it’s going to be a fight where I have to make little adjustments here and there. I’ll be able to do whatever I want to do inside that ring on May 5th.”

If nothing else, Oscar’s confidence seems in place. But many pundits will still have him as the solid underdog to Floyd Jr. come fight night, in large part because of the four-division champion’s blinding speed.

De La Hoya, who will have former two-time in-ring adversary and Golden Boy Promotions partner, Shane Mosley in camp with him this coming week as a sparring partner, is unconvinced. Oscar believes that a combination of his own speed and ring savvy will make the difference for him against Floyd.

“I’m sure there will be many times where I will lure him into my trap. I’ll take some risks. I’ll be in tremendous shape where I’ll have no problem taking those risks. There will be times where I forget to block a punch, let him hit me once or twice or three times to see what happens” says the naturally bigger De La Hoya speaking of the luxuries he believes his size and intelligence will afford him against Mayweather.

“People will be very surprised on how much I’ll be able to match his speed. Fighters like this really take me to another level.”

(Source)

Ray Mercer Responds to Kimbo in Interview

Former Heavyweight World Champion Ray Mercer gives an exclusive interview to touchgloves.com and speaks about his upcoming fight with Kimbo Slice.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) April 2, 2007 -- Former Olympic Gold Medalist and Heavyweight Champion Ray Mercer sat down with touchgloves.com for an exclusive interview regarding his upcoming fight with Kimbo Slice. Mercer speaks about his reasoning behind the fight, Kimbo's weaknesses and his future as a fighter.

Mercer has previously faced Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes, Wladamir Klithscho and most recently current Heavyweight Champion Shannon Briggs. Mercer also has two separate Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bouts under his belt. Slice, an underground street fighter who has gained fame through a series of street fights released throughout the internet is often shown in bare-knuckle fights that all have mostly ended in knock-outs.

Here is a clip of the interview:

What do you think of the past fights you've seen of Kimbo?
He's a street fighter. I've had some street fights of my own, where you come in hard, throwing hooks, throwing punches that don't even have a name. I feel as a professional boxer, an Olympic Gold Medalist, and former World Champion, that I can adjust to whatever I need to do. I have good people in my corner. I'm going to have everything I need to get in there and win. I took the fight because I think I can win.

What do you think are his biggest weaknesses?
He doesn't know how to box. That's what I think his biggest weakness is, he doesn't know how to box.

The fight takes place on June 16th at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City and the New Jersey Athletic Control Board Rules for MMA will apply.

Click here to read the entire touchgloves.com interview with Ray Mercer.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR., AND THE UNEASY MATTER OF LEGACY

By Charles Farrell

I can’t get overly enthused about the upcoming Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather fight. As a hardcore fight fan, it doesn’t interest me nearly as much as the two recent Raphael Marquez-Israel Vazquez and Juan Manuel Marquez-Marco Antonio Barrera match-ups.

Obviously I’m in the minority here, since Oscar and Floyd will be unevenly splitting in excess of thirty million dollars for what will likely only be an unpleasant night’s work for one of them.

De La Hoya will surely be made to look foolish by a prime Mayweather, but since Oscar is taking the lion’s share of the purse and since Floyd isn’t much of a puncher at any weight, whatever embarrassment he feels should soon pass.

Should pass. But maybe not. In the past few decades—basically since the final years of Muhammad Ali’s career—top tier fighters have started to regard what they’ve accomplished in the ring as their “legacy.”

There are contemporary fighters who may deserve to have their careers, once ended, seen historically. James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, and Marco Antonio Barrera come to mind as possible choices.

I know that some people will also include Evander Holyfield, although I’m not one of them. Still, there’s the heavyweight and cruiserweight championship thing, the overachievement, the overrated Tyson victories, and a couple of other things that can be thrown in, so I take the point.

But both Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather are now thinking in terms of legacy. Seventy-nine fights between them, yet they’re trying to place themselves into the pantheon of all-timers.

With Floyd, you have to wait and see, I guess. He’s never lost and he’s fought most of the guys he should have (at least until he moved up to welterweight), so it’s unfair to judge him just yet.

But De La Hoya’s history, minus one fight, is already written. And it falls far short of greatness.

He’s only had forty-two fights for one thing—some of them questionable. And, if anybody’s counting, he’s only 7-4 in his last eleven.

Like all professional boxers who raise the standard of what fighters can earn, come up with viable strategies for how to market themselves, and construct a post-career plan for continued activity within the profession, De La Hoya is an important figure. His real significance may emerge outside the ring as an innovative promoter

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Maske shocks the world!

By Wolfgang Schiffbauer

On November 23, 1996 at the Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany, Virgil Hill defeated Henry Maske in a WBA/IBF light heavyweight unification. Maske, a German superstar, announced prior to the bout that it would be his last. In front of over 12,000 spectators, Hill won a close split decision. Maske retired. Now, ten years, four months and eight days later, at the very same arena, Hill, now the WBA cruiserweight world champion, faced Henry Maske one more time. Again in front of the sold-out tousands in Munich. The only title on the line: Redemption.

The first started, as expected, slow. Maske and Hill, both 43-years old, tried to figure each other out with their jab. It was Hill, however, who was more active and landed some good straights to the body of southpaw Maske. The German stepped up the pace in the second as he tried to etablish his jab. But Hill was to quick with his right, landing it to the body at will to win the round. At the end, both fighters engaged in a little exchange with no meaninfull punches landed. The third was Maske’s best so far. He was able to caught Hill with some good right jabs but Hill was still the more active boxer and occaisionally catched Maske with his left-right combinations.

Round four was another close one. Maske was able to catch Hill with his jab and his left straight, while Hill connected with some good body shots. It was, however, a better round for Maske, who still showed some signs of ring rust. Hill’s left eye started to swell in the fifth as a result of Maske’s jab, who was now in control of the bout and catched Hill often with his straight, fast shots. The current WBA cruiserweight champion started more aggressive into the sixth stanza, returning to his body attack. But Maske looked for counters and was able to land some good right hands at Hill’s face. Round seven was also close, but it was Maske, who seemed to dictate the action and land the clearer punches.

“Quicksilver” Hill tried to corner his foe but was unable to, as Maske showed good ring generalship. The eight was the most spectacular so far: Maske was able to outbox his foe in the first part of the round but then an accidental headbutt occured and Hill was badly cut over the left eye. As a result, the referee took a point away from “Gentleman” Maske but clearly marked the cut as a result of an accident. Because of the bad cut, Hill changed his fight plan in the ninth, moving around the ring and trying to knock Maske out with a single punch. But still, it was Maske who was in command of the round, as he countered Hill’s attacks.

Going into the tenth, it seemed like the underdog Maske was able to build up a small lead on the scorecards. Hill was playing the same game like in the ninth, looking for the big money punch, without getting caught anymore on his left eye. Maske, however, was still better. He landed better punches and outboxed Hill. As the championship rounds started, Maske was in control of the fight. The American tried to connect with wild punches but was again countered very well by Maske, who already suprised everyone with an exception of his own team. The twelth and final round was another great one for the comebacking Maske. He once again sensationally outboxed Hill, who was completly out of the fight in the later rounds. Maske had won the bout, and it only had to be confirmed by ring announcer Michael Buffer, who read the scores ten years ago. Moments later, it was official. 116-113 and 117-110 twice, a unanimous decision for Maske.

“The crowd was amazing, they gave me the time to do my mental work. And it was a mentally tough fight”, said Maske after the bout. “Boxing is a sport you can never be sure of winning. But during the middle of the bout, I felt like I was on winning street.” Maske didn’t comment on a possible return to the ring after this great show against Hill. The “Gentleman” thanked the crowd of 12,500, all of them on their feet in excitement for Maske.

He was inactive for over ten years. He fought the only guy who ever beat him, in 1996. He was a huge underdog and his comeback was compared to the devastating Axel Schulz attempt. But he was looking for redemption and shocked the world. Henry Maske finally got his revenge, in beating Virgil Hill in Munich after an amazing performance. After two rounds of ring rust, he came back strong, and slowly started to completely outbox Hill. A sensational performance by the “Gentleman” Henry Maske.

MORE ON HOLYFIELD IN CALGARY

By Gillian Armstrong

Rumours have been swirling like tumbleweeds on downtown Calgary streets for the past few weeks regarding a possible mega fight (ok, mega for Calgary) coming to the city. Evander Holyfield, one of the sport’s most recognizable and controversial figures is allegedly coming to Cowtown sometime this spring.

Jeff Popeil, Executive Producer at Calgary’s Showbox Productions has confirmed to The Fight Network that he is “past the point of skirting around the possibility of it, but the truth is there is no deal in place.”

Showbox Productions is best known for staging shows like Bjorn Again and The Pink Floyd Experience and has had no prior experience with boxing promotions. Popeil said that the show, if it happens, will be “a little bit non-traditional. There will be a whole bunch of boxing consultants involved. Who I am not at liberty to disclose, but they are involved in boxing in a huge way.”

Popeil confirmed to The Fight Network that he has spoken directly to Kathy Duva, CEO of Holyfield’s New Jersey based promoter Main Events regarding the fight.

Donald Tremblay, the chief publicist for Main Events was also not going into any more details just yet, saying that “the fight is a possibility but nothing has been confirmed.”

Holyfield is a past Olympian and former world champion in both the heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions. The 44 year old has been no stranger to controversy in the past few years. He was placed first under a medical suspension by the New York State Athletic Commission in 2004, after questions were raised about his skills and performance. The NYSAC voted to change that to an administrative suspension in 2005, after Holyfield completed a series of medical tests and he has subsequently fought three times, his last on March 17 in Corpus Christi, Texas against journeyman Vinny Maddalone. The fight was stopped in the 3rd round by Maddalone’s corner.

Tarver headlines ABC's return to boxing

By Dan Rafael

Former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver is not the only one making a comeback. So is ABC, a onetime stalwart of televised boxing.

Tarver (24-4, 18 KOs) hasn't fought since losing a lopsided decision and his light heavyweight crown to Bernard Hopkins in June, unless you count his movie victory as Mason "The Line" Dixon over Rocky Balboa in the sixth installment of the popular movie series (which came out on DVD this week).

ABC has been away from boxing for much longer. The last fight the network televised was on June 17, 2000, when Jose Luis Castillo upset Stevie Johnston to win the lightweight title in Bell Gardens, Calif.

Now, Tarver will return to the ring on ABC on April 22 to face New York-based Albanian Elvir Muriqi (34-3, 21 KOs), 27, a crowd-pleasing brawler known as "The Kosovo Kid." They'll meet in a scheduled 12-rounder in the 3,000-seat room upstairs at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. The one-hour telecast begins at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Promoter Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing has been working on the time buy deal for months with ABC, whose sports programming is now overseen by sister company ESPN, which will handle the production of the event and feature "Friday Night Fights" broadcasters Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas.

With the Hilton locked in as the host casino and the deal with ABC awaiting nothing more than some paperwork formalities, the fight is on.

"I think it's going to be great for boxing and great for ABC, and the ratings will be very high," DeGuardia told ESPN.com. "It's a great thing for the fighters to get the exposure from a network like ABC. It's good for our sport. Anything good for boxing, I am for."

Tarver, 38, has been training for the fight in Vero Beach, Fla., with trainer Buddy McGirt.

"Antonio is anxious to get in there," McGirt said. "He's excited about being the first fight on ABC in a long time."

The fight will culminate a big weekend in Atlantic City for Star Boxing. DeGuardia is also promoting a Friday night "ShoBox" card on Showtime at Bally's, where junior welterweights Mike Arnaoutis and Kendall Holt will square off in a title eliminator. The winner gets a shot at titlist Ricardo Torres.

"We'll have an important fight on Showtime and then there will be an exciting fight with Tarver-Muriqi on ABC," DeGuardia said. "It will be a big Atlantic City weekend for us and a revival of boxing on network TV."

(Source)

Taylor puts middleweight title on line vs. Spinks

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Jermain Taylor's promoter has heard enough criticism of the middleweight champion's choice of opponents.

Taylor will put his title on the line May 19 against Cory Spinks in Memphis, Tenn. It's Taylor's second straight fight against someone from a smaller weight class. Spinks, the son of former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, is the IBF junior middleweight champion.

"This fight was offered to a large number of middleweights who turned it down," said Lou DiBella, Taylor's promoter.

Organizers held a teleconference Thursday for the fight, which will be televised by HBO. Included on the call was Don King, Spinks' promoter.

"I've never met Don King," Taylor said. "Looking forward to meeting him."

King called Taylor "one of the best out there."

Taylor, a Little Rock native, beat former junior middleweight champion Kassim Ouma in a December decision. That fight was in North Little Rock.

Before that, though, Taylor (26-0-1) proved he was willing and able to fight the middleweight division's top names. He became the middleweight champion in July 2005 by beating Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas, then outpointed Hopkins there again that December. Taylor escaped with a draw against Winky Wright in June in Memphis.

Spinks is 36-3.

"I want to fight the best," Spinks said. "And Jermain is the best."

Spinks outpointed Rodney Jones last month.

Floyd puts the World on Blast

By Thomas Gerbasi

Oscar De La Hoya. Shane Mosley. Golden Boy Promotions. Bob Arum. Don King. Even the nosy media. No one was safe from the vitriol of four-division world champ Floyd Mayweather during a Wednesday media teleconference, adding some more life to the biggest boxing event of 2007.

Conversely, the ‘Golden Boy’s portion of the call was significantly more sedate, no surprise after the media circus that saw the two traipse around the country to promote their May 5th megafight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. But Mayweather’s mouth has started to get on the nerves of De La Hoya.

“I truly feel that Mayweather needs a humbling experience,” said De La Hoya. “He really is a little brat. Just the way he comes across, he’s very arrogant. We were on a press tour and he can get on the podium and say a few nice things and then his real side comes out. It’s uncalled for and unnecessary. You would never see Tiger Woods talk bad about Jack Nicklaus. It’s disrespectful and revs me up.”

Not that the hyper ‘Pretty Boy Floyd’ needs any revving of his own.

“There are two things we know about Oscar – we know he gets tired and we know that he will lay down,” said Mayweather, referring to De La Hoya’s 2004 knockout loss to Bernard Hopkins. “We also know Oscar can be beat because he’s got four ‘L’s. In Oscar’s last four fights, he’s 2-2. In my last four fights, I’m 4-0. There’s no style that can beat Floyd Mayweather because we haven’t seen him lose yet.”

Through 37 fights, Mayweather has been perfect while rising to the top of many pound for pound lists, and in many pundits’ eyes, the Grand Rapids native will enter the ring this spring as a heavy favorite. So to close the gap a bit, De La Hoya has enlisted Freddie Roach as his trainer, a change from Floyd Mayweather Sr., but a successful move thus far as far as ‘The Golden Boy’ is concerned.

“The styles are totally different,” said De La Hoya of his past and present trainers. “Floyd Sr. is a great trainer and I have nothing negative to say, but the way they hold the mitts and talk to you is night and day. Freddie is more intense and it’s non-stop with him. Combination after combination, ducking under punches, its constant pressure and it’s gotten me in better shape.”

To get ready for Mayweather’s speed, De La Hoya will even bring in old rival and current business partner Shane Mosley for a month beginning next week.

“We’ve always been friends, ever since we were kids,” said De La Hoya of Mosley, who holds two wins over the East LA native. “He was always the top fighter in the amateurs and every time we would meet or travel together, we always got along. He’s always been a guy I got along with. He’s going to do me the honors of coming down to help me on the second of April and he’ll be here for a month.”

“People are going to be very surprised at how I’ll be able to match his (Mayweather’s) speed,” he continued. “Fighters like this really take me to a whole new level.”

Mayweather was less complimentary of “Sugar Shane”.

“If Shane Mosley is a sparring partner, then that’s what he is,” said Mayweather. “That’s all Shane Mosley’s ever been, was a sparring partner. I can’t really say nothing bad about Shane because he’s not his own boss. If I’m gonna say anything or talk about Shane, I’m gonna talk to his wife or I’m gonna talk to Oscar because they’re his bosses. So all I can say is Shane ain’t nothin’ but a sparring partner.”

Whoa. But he was just getting started, opting to toss out a few jabs at his opponent.

“He ain’t real and you all keep believing the stories he’s been telling you,” said Mayweather of his May dance partner. “Oscar De La Hoya is a fake-ass fighter and he says stuff like I don’t belong to stay in the sport of boxing and I don’t deserve certain things, and we all know that Oscar De La Hoya’s greedy, he’s ungrateful, and he’s a brat. HBO will tell you that. Richard Schaefer says stuff like Oscar De La Hoya is the most decorated champion and the most famous champion. No he’s not. The most famous fighter in boxing ever is either Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson. And they say he’s the highest grossing. No, that would be Mike Tyson. And the best fighter would be Floyd Mayweather. You don’t even mention that guy Oscar’s name in the same sentence as us three.”

Next on the firing line was the media, for digging into his own personal affairs when it comes to his relationship with his father.

“We’re here to talk about me and Oscar,” said Mayweather. “I’m not fighting my dad. What happened in the past happened in the past and we’ll leave it at that. The media loves trying to find out what’s going on with me and my dad, and they’re the ones who’ve been keeping all this negative s**t going for all these years and it ain’t even nothing that big. My dad is in the gym everyday, but Roger is my trainer and he’s gonna train me on my May 5th. Me and my dad’s personal business is our personal business. When you interview me I don’t ask you what’s going on with you and your dad or you and your mom.”

What Mayweather did reveal about his reconciliation with his father is that “He’s been in the gym and there’s been nothing but love.” And if De La Hoya’s concerned about Mayweather Jr. getting his strategic secrets from Sr., he’s not letting on.

“I don’t think it’s gonna make a difference,” said De La Hoya. “We have him down and it’s not gonna be a fight where I have to change my strategy or my whole game. I have to make little adjustments here and there.”

The biggest adjustment Mayweather could be facing will be entering the biggest promotion of his career with the spotlight squarely on him. Sure, he’s been in big fights before, but nothing quite like this. You could chalk his constant chatter up to nerves, but he won’t.

“I’m never nervous,” he bristles. “I’ve been in 18 championship fights. This guy doesn’t pose no threat to me at all. I’ve been in there with every style. He hasn’t been in there with a style like mine. I never fought one fight the same. You just don’t know what Floyd Mayweather you’re gonna get on May 5th, but I promise you this, you will get an exciting fight.”

And if you believe the 30-year old Mayweather, it will be his last promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

“I don’t ever want to do business with Golden Boy Promotions again,” he said. “I can’t say what the future holds, but you can see how the company is. It’s like when Bernard Hopkins’ nephew (Demetrius) fought. He was Golden Boy Promotions, he fought Steve Forbes, he got his ass kicked, and look how they gave him the fight. So going into this fight, you’ve got to watch them because they’re slick – they’ve got tricks up their sleeves and they know what I’m talking about. They get mad about me putting their company on blast but to be honest, they’re no different from Don King or Bob Arum. Oscar talks bad about Bob Arum, but then he goes and do the same thing Bob Arum do.”

Floyd Mayweather won’t make any friends with his comments on Wednesday, but that’s okay. He’s not in the friend-making business; he’s in the fighting business, and in this game, winning is everything. And that’s what he plans on doing on May 5th. As he puts it, “I’m a fighter with special effects, I can do whatever it takes to win.”

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