Miguel Cotto says 2017 will be his final year as a fighter

11/14/2016 James Slater

Puerto Rican legend and guaranteed future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto says he will fight until the end of next year and then retire. The former four weight king, speaking with Carlos Narvaez of El Vocero newspaper, said he will continue working with Roc Nation, “with the same intensity,” but that after December 31 2017 he will fight no more.

Cotto, 40-5(33) and now aged 36, has not fought since dropping a competitive decision to Canelo Alvarez, in a middleweight title fight, last November 21. There is a possibility the two will meet in a rematch, but Cotto insists such a fight will have to happen before the end of next year or it will not happen.

The Muhammad Ali who crushed Cleveland Williams: could anyone have beaten him?

11/19/201611/14/2016 James Slater

Mike Tyson? Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko? Joe Louis? Lennox Lewis? Rocky Marciano? Any other heavyweight you care to mention! Would the Muhammad Ali of 50 years ago today – when he was every bit an unhittable, lightening-fast, lethal-punching fighting machine against Cleveland Williams – have beaten any of them?

Historians call it Muhammad Ali’s peak performance; his defining, shining moment of true brilliance in a career filled with majesty. This is the Ali-Cleveland Williams fight from 50 years ago: November 14th 1966. “Ali never danced like that again,” one writer wrote. “That version of Ali would have beaten any heavyweight in history,” a number of experts have claimed.

Froch-Golovkin Super-Fight! Could it still happen?

11/14/2016 James Slater

If the fight actually took place, how many fight fans would tune in, and pay to do so? It’s a guaranteed great fight that might actually have a small chance of getting made: Gennady Golovkin-Carl Froch! Wow, yes, wow. Yes, super-middleweight warrior and former champ Carl Froch is retired, but, as the saying, the adage, goes – they all come back.

And, according to GGG promoter Tom Loeffler, there is a possibility – just a small one – that “The Cobra” might be enticed to come back to fight the feared middleweight king. Speaking with IFL TV in Monaco at the Ortiz-Scott card, Loeffler said, with a smile (or maybe a mischievous grin) that he and Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn are working on a GGG-Froch match-up. This is a match-up that can only be described as a potential super-fight, one that millions of fans would cheerfully pay to see unfold it it was made a reality.

Disappointment over Ortiz-Scott, Hearn says he will find “someone who will come to win” for Dec 10 return

11/13/201611/13/2016 James Slater

Cuban heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz, by his own admission, and that of his promoter, was dissatisfied with the decision victory he pounded out over Malik Scott last night in Monaco. Ortiz, who won via lopsided scores on the three cards, blamed Scott’s negative tactics for the dull encounter. Ortiz wanted a showcase in his Matchroom debut but it failed to materialise.

Fans are split now on whether or not the powerful southpaw is as good as it once appeared. Any fighter can have a less than spectacular night, and Scott was less than willing to go to war, but is Ortiz the big threat to the likes of Deontay Wilder (who of course crushed Scott inside a single round a few years back in a non-title fight) and Anthony Joshua that many felt he was? Is age catching up with Ortiz who, at 37, is no spring chicken?

Hughie Fury confirms he is in talks with Deontay Wilder, is confident he can beat him

11/13/201611/13/2016 James Slater

It seems there is a pretty good chance we could see a Wilder-Fury fight next year after all: Wilder Vs. Hughie Fury. With big Tyson out of the way due to well-documented problems, it could be up to cousin Hughie, himself a big guy, to face the reigning WBC heavyweight king. Speaking with The Mirror, the unbeaten contender confirmed how his team are currently in talks with Wilder over a possible March fight.

And Hughie, who claims he was offered “silly money” to fight IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua – turning down the poor offer – is convinced he has what it takes to defeat Wilder.

“Bleed For This” – Vinny Pazienza bio-pic getting rave reviews

11/12/2016 James Slater

Fans who know the Vinny Pazienza story, and fight fans who do not, are in for a great, emotional ride when they go to see the new film, “Bleed For This,” which tells the at times almost unbelievable tale of the popular Rhode Island warrior. The film, directed by Ben Younger and starring Miles Teller (“War Dogs,” “Fantastic Four”) as Pazienza, has not yet received a poor review by the film critics.

Kell Brook talks up Errol Spence Jnr fight: He has to earn his stripes

11/12/201611/12/2016 James Slater

It’s one of the hottest fights between young and gifted welterweights and it could happen in the UK in the first quarter of next year. It’s a Kell Brook-Errol Spence Jnr fight, with IBF ruler Brook defending against mandatory contender Spence. And Brook says he will send the unbeaten Spence home “with his tail between his legs” with a successful defence.

A Half Century ago: when “The Greatest” was in his blinding, unbeatable prime

11/12/2016 James Slater

50 years ago, 1966, the world was being dazzled, baffled and entertained by a heavyweight champion who fought like no heavyweight before him. Muhammad Ali, aged 24 and approaching his absolute peak, had won the crown two years earlier and he had made six retentions since shocking the greatly feared Sonny Liston.

Amazingly – truly amazingly when we look back today – the jury was still out, at least partially, on how good Ali was; or if he was even a “real” fighter. The sage old timers were appalled at the manner in which Ali held his hands dangerously low and worse, pulled back from punches instead of slipping them in the traditional manner. Also, Ali’s self-proclaimed prettiness bothered the old school: what would happen if the pretty boy had to take a shot, a real shot, to that beautiful face?