James Slater

Kennedy McKinney: “How Come I Ain’t In The Hall Of Fame!”

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mckinney56564Former IBF and WBO super-bantamweight ruler “King” Kennedy McKinney feels he is more than deserving of being enshrined in The Boxing Hall of Fame. An Olympic gold medallist, McKinney made a name for himself by showing he was a warrior willing to go anywhere to fight anyone at pro level.

With a number of highlight reel moments to choose from in his thrilling, up and down career, it’s a tough job picking where to start when speaking with the 47-year-old who walked away with a 36-6-1(19) ledger in the spring of 2003.

A good enough place to start is Kennedy’s 1992 IBF title win over Welcome Ncita: a fight that saw awesome two-way action, an incredible turnaround and a truly epic one-punch KO.

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Matt Skelton, Michael Grant Possibilities For Unbeaten David Price – If The Heavyweight Contender Can Get Past “A-Force” In October

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By James Slater: Though he has yet to defeat fellow former Olympian Audley Harrison in a fight set for October 13th, David Price and his team have already got an eye on what could come next. According to The Liverpool Echo, the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist who is 13-0(11) as a pro has been approached with an offer to fight in South Africa next February, on a card that will honour Nelson Mandela.

29-year-old Price has been offered a fight with experienced former world heavyweight title challenger Michael Grant. Grant is almost as big as Price, and the veteran who is coming off KO wins over Tye Fields and Frans Botha would in all likelihood make a good learning opponent for the hope from Liverpool.

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Unbeaten But Untested: Can Polish Giant Mariusz Wach Give Wladimir Klitschko A Fight?

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Eastside Boxing: Do you feel you are the man to end the reign of the Klitschkos?

Mariusz Wach, unbeaten Polish heavyweight contender: “I feel I am, and I’m looking to facing them in the future. They are both great champions, but I have a dream to achieve and a family to take care of. I also have the support of my Polish people and their support makes me stronger. I have the size and strength, but also the heart and skills to be the one to beat them. I’m waiting for my opportunity, and when it comes, I’ll be ready!”

This week, on Kyiv Post.com, it was reported how the Polish media in general has been buzzing over the fact that unbeaten, 6’7” Mariusz Wach had come to a deal with heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko, with a fight all but done for Hamburg, Germany in either November or December. Upon hearing this news, some fans groaned about 32-year-old Wach’s credentials. But, as is the case with big brother and reigning WBC champ Vitali, Wladimir has pretty much ran out of challengers to defend against. Simply put: the Klitschkos have cleaned out their weight class.

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Floyd Mayweather Released From Jail

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By James Slater – Today, boxing superstar Floyd “Money” Mayweather left the Las Vegas jail that has been his home since June. Once again a free man, expected to get back to his job as the world’s best boxer soon, it’s possible the 43-0 master will box as soon as later this year. Reports said the 35-year-old had a tough time of it during his 87-day sentence (reduced due to good behaviour), with some reports suggesting the premiere athlete was barely touching the prison food and water available to him.

Some reports said Floyd was consuming just 800 calories per day. But today, though he might have looked a little underweight (dressed in a baggy hoody as he was it’s hard to really tell), Mayweather beamed as he climbed into his awaiting Bentley. Driving himself away after saying nothing to the gathered media, Mayweather, sporting a thick goatee beard, gave a victory sign with his hand and then he was gone.

Already, barely hours after he has begun to breathe free air again, people are asking, ‘who will Floyd fight next? And ‘when will he fight next?’

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Unbeaten Duo Kubrat Pulev, Alexander Ustinov Set For September Clash In Germany

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By James Slater – “I’m ready now for a title shot. If my promoters give me this chance, I will undoubtedly accept it,” unbeaten heavyweight contender Alexander Ustinov, 27-0(21).

“Of course it is my dream to become world champion one day, and I’m confident my chance will come,” unbeaten heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev, 16-0(8).

An interesting and significant heavyweight clash between two highly ranked, unbeaten contenders will take place in Hamburg, Germany on September 29th. 35-year-old, 6’7.5” giant Alexander Ustinov of Russia will face 31-year-old Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev, himself no small heavyweight at a little above 6’4.” The fight will be an IBF eliminator, and the idea is that the winner will go on to give reigning IBF heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko (who of course also holds The Ring Magazine belt, and the WBA, WBO, IBO straps) a good challenge.

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Exclusive Interview With Lamon Brewster

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By James Slater: In compiling a fine 35-6(30) pro record, “Relentless” Lamon Brewster gave fight fans some incredible heavyweight fights. Lamon, who became WBO champ in 2004 (and defended the belt three times) is best known for his big upset stoppage win over the mighty Wladimir Klitschko. No fighter since has been able to do what Brewster did some eight years ago, and the Indianapolis warrior’s legend has certainly grown some as a result.

Here, in an interview I conducted over the phone with Lamon, I get a chance to ask Brewer about his key fights.

J.S: It’s great to be able to speak with you, Lamont. You had a great, exciting career, and you scored a number of KO’s – one over Wladimir Klitschko of course, and I’ll come to that later. But you were such a tough guy – who hit you the hardest in your career, amateur and pro?

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The Late Great Angelo Dundee On Boxing: Why Ali Would Have Beaten The Klitschkos

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By James Slater: With both Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali, currently receiving all manner of deserved praise – with top writers such as Dan Rafael saying that the two giants, Vitali in particular, would have given “any heavyweight who ever lived trouble” – some experts have resorted to mythical match-making to see to it that Drs. “Steel Hammer and Iron Fist” have a real fight.

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