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.
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.
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?
Adonis Stevenson says he needs “all the titles” at light-heavyweight and that “it’s time” to make a fight between himself and the winner of the upcoming, eagerly anticipated Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward showdown. Ward has said he believes the winner of the November 19th fight deserves to be placed at the very top of the pound-for-pound ratings, while Stevenson – who tells Premier Boxing Champions that he beats Ward and/or Kovalev – says the fans deserve to see who the best 175 pound champion is.
Go back a few months, and Cuban heavyweight Luis Ortiz could scarcely get himself an opponent, let alone a big name or a reigning champion. But, having signed with Matchroom, the big, powerful and previously avoided southpaw is closer than ever to the big, big fights his talents deserve. This doesn’t mean Ortiz will get all he wants – he must first get past Malik Scott tomorrow night in Monaco – but the likes of Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua are at least possibilities now.
Is Mexican star and former champion Julio Cesar Chavez Junior once again committed, fully dedicated and ready to stay as such as he tries to get his latest comeback off the ground? The 30 year-old says so and, in speaking with ESPN.com, Chavez Jnr said his aim is to engage in further world title fights down the road.
Chavez, 49-2-1(32) will return to action after well over a year out this December 10, against Germany’s Dominik Britsch in a ten-rounder to be fought at an agreed weight of 170 pounds. Chavez Jnr – again promoted with Zanfer with whom he has reunited after a split with Top Rank – says he is happy with the quality of his comeback opponent, but he is already looking at bigger fights. Much bigger fights. The former WBC middleweight ruler says he wants either Saul Canelo Alvarez or Gennady Golovkin.
IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua insists he is fully focused on his upcoming December 10 challenger Eric Molina, but the 17-0(17) star is also looking towards the future. Joshua makes the second defence of his belt against the dangerously determined Molina, and AJ is already planning his third and fourth defences.
As fans know, the word is that Joshua, if he’s victorious against Molina, will engage in his very first super-fight next spring against former king Wladimir Klitschko.
It seems Kell Brook will remain at welterweight, where he of course holds the IBF crown. It had been assumed by many that Brook would vacate his welterweight belt having bulked up to middleweight for his unsuccessful challenge of world champ Gennady Golovkin in September. Brook himself said many times how he felt so much stronger as a 160-pounder, having avoided “killing myself” to make 147.
But now, promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed how he has “reached out” to Top Rank head Bob Arum with regards to a possible Brook-Manny Pacquiao unification fight. Hearn, in speaking with The Daily Mail, also mentioned Brook’s mandatory challenger, Errol Spence Jnr.
Amir Khan says the most important fight to him right now is a return meeting with Danny Garcia. WBC welterweight champ Garcia – who faces big underdog Samuel Vargas on Saturday night in Philadelphia and is set to meet WBA welterweight champ Keith Thurman in a big unification showdown in March of next year – shocked Khan when they fought down at 140 in 2012.
Since suffering the 4th-round stoppage loss, Khan has craved a shot at revenge. Right now, even though preliminary talks between Khan and British rival Kell Brook have begun, Khan says he would put that fight on the back-burner in favor of a shot at revenge against Garcia. Khan says “Swift” is trying his best to avoid a rematch with him.
Will Tyson Fury fight again, and if so will he be anything like the force he was a year ago? It was twelve months ago this month when unbeaten contender Fury went from contender to world champion, defeating Wladimir Klitschko in one of British boxing’s finest victories. Since then, however, it’s been all downhill for Fury.
Weight gain, a lack of desire, huge amounts of controversy as a result of speaking his mind and, finally, mental health issues. Tyson experienced the lot and these events resulted in Fury being stripped of his belts, with him possibly seeing his career ended. Some feel this will not be the case, insisting the 28-year-old will come again; while others feel we will never see Fury inside a boxing ring again. Plenty of people want Fury back though – not least WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder.