Ali’s gloves from historic Liston fight fetch $836,000 at auction

02/23/201402/23/2014 James Slater

The unforgettable first fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston is 50-years old on Tuesday and yesterday, the gloves the then Cassius Clay wore when he shook up the world sold at auction for just under $900,00. An anonymous bidder now owns this piece of fistic history and the bounty he or she paid goes to show how big and important and just plain special Ali was, is and always will be.

Back a half century ago, nobody thought the brash, somewhat annoying loudmouth would really amount to too much; certainly nobody from the fight fraternity thought Clay stood any chance against the fearsome “unbeatable” Liston. Even today, with Ali’s legend secure, there are many people who refuse to accept Clay’s 7th round retirement victory as legit. Liston took a dive they claimed then and they claim today; and as for the massive controversy the second fight and its “Phantom Punch” caused – forget it!

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Martinez-Cotto official for June 7th – Cotto goes for history!

02/21/201402/20/2014 James Slater

While we fight fans must sit and endure Floyd Mayweather’s silly games of not doing the right thing and announcing who he will fight next, another great fight was today announced as official: middleweight king Sergio Martinez will, as has been expected for some time, face former 140-pound, 147-pound and 154-pound ruler Miguel Cotto.

The fight will take place at a 159-pound catch-weight, just a pound below the middleweight limit, and will take place at Madison Square Garden during the weekend of the annual Puerto Rican Day parade. So, Cotto can expect a ton of fan support and fight fans can expect a potentially explosive fight that will go out on HBO pay-per-view, but can Cotto realise his dream of making history and become the first Puerto Rican fighter to win world titles at four different weights?

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Tyson Fury tips-in at a heavy 274-pounds for clash with Joey Abell!

02/14/201402/14/2014 James Slater

The weights are in for tomorrow’s heavyweight doubleheader in London, and the biggest shock/newsworthy item is the poundage Tyson Fury came in at.

Fury tipped-in at 274-pounds, some twenty pounds heavier than for his last fight, while his opponent Joey Abell came in at 241-pounds. Fury did not remove his shirt while weighing in.

In the chief support, Dereck Chisora, who has battled weight problems himself in the past, came in at a solid 238-pounds. His rival, Kevin Johnson, who is aiming to score the upset and ruin plans for a Chisora-Fury rematch in the summer, tipped-in at 240-pounds.

So, the Fury fight will attract most headlines and unbeaten Tyson’s weight has already done so. For those fans who like to bet on the underdog, maybe Abell is a fighter worth betting on.

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Shannon Briggs looking in superb physical shape for comeback fight against Kertson Manswell

02/13/201402/12/2014 James Slater

In a sport that has been and will continue to be absolutely littered with comebacks, boxing and its fans have to be persuaded over time that a former champ climbing back through the ropes has any kind of genuine shot at enjoying any real success. The latest name to get set for a ring return is Shannon Briggs, the former lineal and WBO heavyweight ruler.

Briggs is 42-years-old now and he hasn’t fought since being badly beaten – in a valiantly brave or foolishly stubborn effort, depending on your opinion – by Vitali Klitschko in October of 2010. Briggs, 51-6-1(45) will face sometimes dangerous journeyman Kertson Manswell, 24-8(18) in Atlanta on February 23rd. Briggs still believes he can regain a world title and the Manswell fight will, he hopes, be the first step towards bigger things.

One thing that might make Briggs’ comeback look at least something like realistic is the physical shape “The Cannon” appears to have got himself in. Briggs has posted plenty of pictures of himself on his Twitter account and, sporting a shaven head to go with the muscles, Briggs looks to be in great shape. Of course, looks can be deceiving, but it does seem as though Briggs has been working very hard in the gym.

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Floyd Mayweather Junior asks his fans who he should fight next: Khan or Maidana

02/03/2014 James Slater

Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior didn’t do as was widely expected and use the platform of the always huge Super bowl weekend to announce who his next fight would be; instead Mayweather took to his Twitter account and asked his fans do do the choosing of his next opponent for him. But fans have just two names to choose from: Britain’s Amir Khna and Argentina’s Marcos Maidana.

“I’m going to let the fans vote,” wrote Mayweather. “Tell me who I should fight next. Khan or Maidana?”

It’s a pity Mayweather’s list has just two fighters on it – just think how many votes Floyd would receive if Manny Pacquiao was on the list! But as it is, it’s almost guaranteed, in my opinion anyway, that the lion’s share of the fans vote for Maidana. Ever since the possibility of Mayweather facing Khan was brought up, fans everywhere have complained of the fight being “an obvious mis-match,” or “an easy pay day for Floyd.” It’s a no-brainer that these same fans will now ask for Mayweather to get it on with the dangerous if somewhat crude at times Maidana.

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The “Atomic Bull” keeps raging: Oliver McCall upsets Polish prospect Rekowski to notch up 70th pro bout!

02/02/201402/02/2014 James Slater

It was a big night of boxing in a number of countries last night, yet flying somewhat under the radar was a card that took place in Poland. In action was former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall – a fighter and a man who has been through just about as many ups and downs as can be imagined during his 48-years – and the old “Atomic Bull” proved his is amazingly not quite finished yet.

Facing the much younger and unbeaten, 12-0(10) coming in, Marcin Rekowswki, McCall dropped his man in the 3rd-round and ultimately won an eight-round split decision (77-75 twice, with the loser getting a 76-75 nod on the third card) – this after the result was initially and erroneously announced as a win for the Pole. McCall, in improving his astonishing record to 57-13(37) boxed his 70th pro fight. An added bonus for the tough old geezer (McCall has never been close to hitting the mat, in the ring or in the gym and has never been legitimately stopped in almost 30-years of paid fighting) came in the form of revenge, as Rekowski had previously beaten Oliver’s fighting son, Elijah.

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Freddie Roach says his former charge Amir Khan can upset Mayweather!

01/30/2014 James Slater

The fight has still not been announced as official yet, but most boxing people seem to think superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior WILL do as expected and next fight British star Amir Khan. Boxing fans are waiting patiently for Mayweather’s announcement, and maybe over the Super Bowl weekend, Floyd will put an end to any and all speculation.

But one man has a very good idea of what will transpire in the ring if Mayweather does indeed fight Khan on May 3rd: Khan’s former trainer Freddie Roach. Roach was a guest on Sky Sports’ Ringside: Toe to Toe podcast this week and he said he feels his former pupil can cause the shock and upset Mayweather “if he fights the correct fight.”

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Juan Manuel Lopez-Daniel Ponce De Leon to clash in rematch on Garcia-Herrera card in Puerto Rico

01/29/2014 James Slater

A very interesting and potentially explosive card is all set to go down in Puerto Rico on March 15th. Topping the bill will be light-welterweight champ Danny Garcia, defending his Ring Magazine and WBA/WBC 140-pound belts against tough Mexican Mauricio Herrera. Also on the card will be the heavyweight meeting between puncher Deontay Wilder and boxer Malik Scott.

Both these fights intrigue, yet the third fight confirmed for the card caught my eye. Remember back in the summer of 2008, when an unbeaten 25-year-old “Juanma” Lopez blasted onto the world stage with a bang in the form of a 1st-round KO over Mexico’s Daniel Ponce De Leon? Lopez of Puerto Rico snatched the WBO super-bantamweight belt with the win and superstardom seemed to be in his future. Things didn’t quite work out that way for the southpaw slugger, even if he did thrill millions of fans in his subsequent fights.

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Malik Scott-Deontay Wilder in the works for March

01/25/201401/25/2014 James Slater

Fans have been wanting to see exciting KO artist Deontay Wilder take a step up in competition for some time now, and it looks as though these fans will get what they want this coming March. According to a news piece in The Tuscaloosa News, the 30-0(30) heavyweight contender will face the world ranked and highly skilled Malik Scott on March 15th.

“I can tell you it’s a fight we hope gets made,” Jay Deas, Wilder’s trainer told the publication. “It’s a great fight for both guys and hopefully a great fight for the fans. I’m hopeful it will [happen].”

Wanting to know more, I contacted Malik Scott, who improved to 36-1-1(13) last night with a rust-removing 2nd-round TKO over Grover Young. The win over Young was Scott’s first fight back since his controversial (counted out in the act of rising and appearing to be up before the count of “ten” in the 6th-round) fight with Dereck Chisora at Wembley. And Scott did confirm to me that he is all set to fight his friend Wilder next.

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Unbeaten welterweight Antonio Orozco stops Miguel Angel Huerta in two sizzling rounds

01/25/201401/25/2014 James Slater

Last night in Indio, California in a fight that went out on Fox Sports, unbeaten welterweight talent Antonio Orozco scored a thrilling if short TKO win after being hurt badly in the opening round of a violent slugfest with fellow Mexican Miguel Angel Huerta.

Orozco, managed by Golden Boy and looked at by many as a future world champion, was cracked hard by a full-blooded left hook to the jaw in the opening session. The 26-year-old held the shot well, in doing so proving he has a chin, and then had to take another left hand. Orozco overcame the toughest moment of his now 19-bout pro career.

In the 2nd, 35-year-old veteran Huerta went for it but, in breathtaking fashion, Orozco completely turned the fight around with a blistering left hook of his own.

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