Sugar Shane Mosley and Roberto Duran, two of the finest lightweights in boxing history – Mosley being at his fastest and most dazzling in the weight class he never lost in, Duran being ranked by many historians as THE greatest 135-pounder of all-time – have hooked up and are working together as Mosley searches for one more world title. 44-year-old Mosley, 49-9-1(41) has already captured titles at 135, 147 and 154, but he still craves more.
James Slater
Get well soon, Herol “Bomber” Graham
British great Herol Graham – widely recognized as one of the finest fighters of recent years never to have won a world title – is currently in hospital, battling complications that arose from a burst appendix, so reports The Sheffield Star. The former British, Commonwealth and European king who retired with a 48-6(28) record in 1998 – after a stoppage loss to Charles Brewer in what was the ludicrously talented southpaw’s third crack at world glory – has been given a boost by way of hospital visits from the likes of Frank Bruno, Colin McMillan and other British boxing stars.
Pacquiao speaks about his recent lack of KO wins: I’m a 140-pounder, I can make 135
Superstar Manny Pacquiao, a once vicious, unstoppable whirlwind of a fighter, has heard the criticism thrown his way for not scoring a knockout victory in quite some time (Pac-Man’s last stoppage win coming over Miguel Cotto back in 2009) – and the former multi-weight king has an explanation: he is not a welterweight.
Despite having fought in the 147-pound division for some time – included amongst his welterweight bouts the highest grossing fight in history with Floyd Mayweather Junior – 37-year-old Pacquiao, 57-6-2(38) told ESPN Deportes he is really a natural 140-pounder who could still make lightweight if he really wanted to. This, Pac-Man says, accounts for his long string of KO-less fights.
New WBA heavyweight champ Lucas Browne fails drugs test, is seeking legal advice
Recently crowned WBA heavyweight titlist Lucas Browne, who made history by becoming the first Australian to win a portion of the world heavyweight title with his stunning stoppage win over Ruslan Chagaev, is today seeking legal advice after reports surfaced saying he failed a drugs test.
According to a story broken by ESPN.com and subsequently picked up by a vast number of publications and web sites, Browne tested positive for the metabolism booster, Clenbuterol. Browne, responding to the report via his Twitter page, insists he knows nothing about these events and that he will seek the advice of a lawyer immediately.
Hughie Fury-Dominick Guinn set for Saturday night
Hughie Fury, cousin of heavyweight ruler Tyson Fury, has a busy schedule planned; with two fights set for the next month. The unbeaten 22-year-old who is currently 18-0(10) will face a TBA on April 30th but this Saturday, durable, never stopped Dominick Guinn will face the contender on very short notice.
Nagy Aguilera was to have fought Fury – who has just signed a deal with promoter Frank Warren but will still work with Mick Hennessey also – but he pulled out injured, leaving the respective promoters of Fury to find a late replacement foe.
Mayweather shows off his money, says he is happy in retirement “making seven figures a month”
They don’t call him “Money” for nothing. All-time great Floyd Mayweather Junior, might be retired, but the 49-0 star has never been shy or retiring when it comes to talking about the incredible fortune he has amassed during his career. The recently turned 39-year-old took to Instagram yesterday to show off a large portion of his cash and to also state that he is more than content in retirement.
Mayweather, who is worth around $500 million or more, posted a picture of himself counting bundles of dollars and wrote the following:
Roy Jones Junior takes out Vyron Phillips in two-rounds
Last night in Phoenix, former great Roy Jones Junior destroyed part-time boxer/MMA fighter Vyron Phillips with a crushing 2nd-round KO. The 47-year-old legend, taking part in something of a novelty bout – with Phillips set to pick up $100,000 if he won – dropped Phillips flat on his face with a right hand shot. The fight was all over with less than a minute to go in the second-round.
Porter-Thurman has a new date, will likely get a new venue too
Fans everywhere were disappointed when the potentially explosive, possible fight of the year welterweight showdown between Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman was postponed due to Thurman being injured with whiplash in a car crash. The fight should be in the history books now, as it should have gone down on March 12th in Uncasville, Connecticut.
But now, with a new date set for June 25th (this fight was simply too good not to happen) it appears the 147-pound clash will also have a new venue: the Barclays Centre in New York. This is the world according to Dan Rafael over at ESPN.com, who reports that the New York venue is now likely to play host to the fight. Which fighter this will benefit the most, is an interesting question. Thurman is from Florida, while Porter hails from Akron, Ohio (but now lives in Las Vegas). Which fighter will get the lion’s share of the fans on the night of June 25th and will this have any bearing on who wins the fight?
Is Khan top 10 P4P if he beats Canelo? Froch says yes
Fight fans everywhere agree it will be a momentous result, upset, occasion if Britain’s Amir Khan can defeat Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and take his middleweight title in May. When the fight was first announced, there were not too many people seemingly willing to give Khan, a former 140-pound champion who has boxed just a handful of times as a welterweight, much of a chance.
But since then, and in seeing Khan bulk up but seemingly maintain his amazing hand speed (at least in the video footage that has been released of Khan shadowboxing) more and more fans and experts are giving Khan at least an outside chance of making his audacious challenge a success on may 7. One man who says he knows how Khan can win, but that he has to “box smart and not let his heart overrule his head” to do so, is British legend and (surely) future Hall of Famer Carl Froch.
Juan Diaz, Mike Alvarado score stoppage wins in Houston
Last night in Houston, Texas, two popular and exciting fighters proved they still have something to offer the sport. Former unified lightweight king Juan Diaz, having his first fight in 17-months, went to war with Mexico’s tough and game Fernando Garcia, winning a fan-friendly affair by 9th-round TKO. While former top dog at 140-pounds, Mike Alvarado, also returning from a long layoff, beat Saul Corral via 3rd-round KO.