Gary Russell Jr: Steady as he goes

007RussellandGusevIMG_4311By Joseph Herron: As the time tested axiom states, “all good things come to those who wait”. Unfortunately, the waiting period is often the most difficult part of being a prizefighter.

According to former Olympian Gary Russell Jr, the lingering interlude of uncertainty is just about over. The undefeated contender from Capitol Heights, Maryland, feels that he is more than ready to reach out and grab the brass ring of boxing.

“I’m ready,” insists the sharp shooting southpaw. “I’m more than ready to win my first world title and become a world champion.”

After years of honing his craft, Mr. Russell feels confident that the opportunity of a lifetime will arrive sometime in 2013.

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Khan vs Diaz: Analysis and Thoughts

Amir Khanby Matthew Rhodes

So, the next opponent for Amir Khan has been announced.

Let me start out by saying that Julio Diaz is a clear improvement on the limited Carlos Molina who Khan comprehensively defeated in his return to action after his brutal loss to Danny Garcia. Yet he, on paper, shouldn’t be a threat to Khan in his British return.

So who is Julio Diaz?

The headlines are he’s a 33 year old Mexican boxer based in California with a record of 40 wins, seven losses and one draw, 29 of those wins coming by stoppage. The highlight of his career so far was probably a period between 2004 and 2007 when he held the IBF version of the World Lightweight title two times. On paper that’s a solid enough record… but it’s worth looking behind it.

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Chavez Jr. receives 900K fine and 9 month suspension

By Bill Phanco: The Nevada State Athletic Commission came down with by far their biggest fine ever given to a fighter by fining former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. $900,000 and giving him a 9 month suspension for him testing positive for marijuana for his last fight in September against Sergio Martinez.

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Lucas Browne vs Masataka Takehara This Friday

LUCAS “BIG DADDY” BROWNE has fast earned a reputation as one of the heavyweight division’s hard hitters, but he won’t necessarily be looking for an early finish this Friday night.

The unbeaten Australian banger faces Masataka Takehara at Lions in Richlands, Queensland and knows he’s likely to have a tough bout on his hands.

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Saul Alvarez vs. Austin Trout on Showtime non-PPV on 4/20 in San Antonio, Texas

alvarez5654By Jeff Sorby: WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KO’s) has decided to pull out of the May 4th card on Showtime/CBS pay per view after failing to get Floyd Mayweather Jr. to agree to fight him on September 14th. That was the condition that the 22-year-old Canelo set for Mayweather Jr. in order to fight on his undercard and help pump up the PPV numbers.

So instead of Canelo fighting on May 4th, he’ll be fighting on April 20th in a non-PPV bout on regular Showtime against WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout (26-0, 14 KO’s), says Dan Rafael of ESPN. For boxing fans, this is a really good deal because they won’t have to pay to see Canelo fight other than signing up for Showtime if they don’t currently have it.

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N.E. Prospect Kielczweski takes on Garcia This Friday on ESPN FNF

By James Stillerman: Junior lightweight pugilist, Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (15-0, 3KOs) looks to keep his undefeated record intact as he takes on Gil “La Metrealleta” Garcia (5-3-1, 1KO) in a eight round bout at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT on Friday March 1st. This fight is on the undercard of the main event of Billy Dib vs. Evgeny Gradovich and will be televised on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

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Luis Rosa Jr.: An Up And Coming Contender

By James Stillerman: Super bantamweight fighter, Luis “KO King” Rosa Jr. (12-0, 6KOs) looks move up in his weight class as he takes on the always dangerous, Jhovany Collado, (4-6-2, 1KO) in a eight round bout at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT on Friday March 1st. His fight is on the undercard of the main event of Billy Dib vs. Evgeny Gradovic and will be televised on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

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Lamont Peterson: Price trumps cost

peterson#1By Marc Livitz: Washington, D.C. has experienced its fair sum of sporting heartbreak over the years. The hot air which surrounds the views of many concerning the home of United States politics can sometimes get in the way of a good night at the fights. Alas, heat rises and eventually settles. The same can be said for the state of a practitioner of the sweet science who is just a hanging chad away from eventual stardom in his own right and in his own light. Lamont Peterson recently made his case to get back on the road to a championship this past Friday in the little town on the Potomac. He had to wait over a year to get back into the ring after winning the light welterweight title from Amir Khan in late 2011.

Peterson, of course had his WBA title stripped away from him last year and saw his lucrative payday in the form of a May 2012 rematch with Khan go up in flames after he tested positive for synthetic testosterone.

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Khan vs. Diaz & Judah vs. Garcia in split-site doubleheader on April 27th on Showtime

khan5634By Jeff Sorby: Former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (27-3, 19 KO’s) will be facing Julio Diaz (40-7-1, 29 KO’s) on April 27th as the co-feature for the Zab Judah vs. Danny Garcia fight in a split-site card on Showtime, according to RingTV. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer came up with the idea to increase the strength of the two fights put lumping them together.

The Khan-Diaz fight will be tape delayed from the Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom. That fight will take place earlier in the day U.S time, but be then televised later in the evening on Saturday night in the U.S on Showtime. The Judah-Garcia fight will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

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Canelo could pull out of May 4th PPV card if he doesn’t receive Mayweather fight guarantee

alvarez3 - CopyBy Kevin Chittenden: Floyd Mayweather Jr’s May 4th card could take a big hit if WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KO’s) chooses to pull out of the card and fight on another date. Canelo was supposed to be the co-main event in a fight against WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout, but Canelo reportedly wants a guarantee from Mayweather that he’ll fight him on September 14th.

Canelo won’t sign for the May 4th fight date unless he receives that guarantee, and it doesn’t look like Mayweather is going to go that. It was thought that Mayweather would fight Canelo in September, but maybe he has other ideas or possibly he doesn’t like the idea of Canelo trying to force the fight instead of letting Mayweather select him.

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