LAS VEGAS (Oct. 31, 2014) – The stars of boxing’s present and future will be out in full force at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Dec. 13, when Golden Boy Promotions in association with Khan Promotions and The Great Promotions present a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader featuring a pivotal welterweight showdown and two world championship fights, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).
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Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Andre Ward, Golovkin, Walters/Donaire, Khan/Alexander
Marc T. (Athens, GA): I’m tired of hearing all of the talk about Golovkin and how he’s “the most feared man in Boxing”. Andre Ward’s team sent HBO a direct statement saying that he wants the fight, & Golovkin responded in saying he’s basically “not ready” for Ward. What are your thoughts about GGG and this whole “most feared” reputation being built around him?
Vivek W. (ESB): For starters, I think there’s a slight hint of truth to it. Strong promotion and network support can be credited for this growing cult following, slash, bootleg version of an almost Tyson-like mystique. When we look back at Tyson, many of us were young enough to buy into the ‘Boogeyman’ persona that he embodied; but as adults when you look back, it’s very easy to note that most of the men he destroyed had no chance against you and I on two weeks training, let alone him! Our entire perception of Tyson – (one of my personal favorites) – vanished when he faced someone who couldn’t be intimidated and wouldn’t be denied. There lies both my question and answer relative to GGG.
Guerrero: The Khan fight was never offered to me
British boxing star Amir Khan (29-3, 19 KOs) will be fighting former two division world champion Devon Alexander (26-2, 14 KOs) on December 13th at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Before the Alexander fight was agreed on, Khan had been saying that Alexander and Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero were two of the names that they were looking at for his December fight. However, Guerrero says that the fight against Khan was never even offered to him.
“The [Khan] fight was never offered to me,” Guerrero said on his twitter.
Amir Khan faces Devon Alexander on 12/13 on Showtime
Showtime and HBO will have competing boxing shows on December 13th. On Showtime, Amir Khan (29-3, 19 KOs) faces Devon Alexander (26-2, 14 KOs) in the main event at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. On the same night on HBO, former two division world champion Timothy Bradley will be in action against Diego Chaves.
The good news for boxing fans is neither of them will be on pay-per-view, but it’s still not a great thing unless you’ve got Tivo and can record one of the fight cards while viewing the other.
Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag – Mayweather vs Khan, Golovkin, Donaire, & Steven A. Smith
Barry N. (Houston, TX): Floyd Mayweather has ripped several people in the news lately and it’s not only uncalled for, but also kind of hard to understand it all. What do you think is really going on with him lately?
Vivek W. (ESB): The on-going drama we’ve seen lately between these four men have somewhat reached a boiling point. While Smith and Mayweather Sr. have stepped away from the table, it seems little Floyd and Khan still have a few things to air out, which we’ve heard lately. There are so many different angles to this discussion that I don’t even know where to start, but I guess the safest statement for me to lead off with is the fact that I think there’s a hint of truth to all of their respective positions, with the exception of maybe Steven A. Smith’s.
Khan questions whether Mayweather can outbox him
Recently ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith said on his “First Take” program on ESPN that he felt that if WBA/WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr opted to face Amir Khan but not World Boxing Organization 147lb champion Manny Pacquiao in one of his last two remaining fights that he would come on ESPN and say Mayweather is avoiding a fight against Pacquiao.
Smith had no problems with Mayweather finishing his career with fights against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Miguel Cotto, because he felt those two fighters were worthy for Mayweather to fight instead of Pacquiao. But Smith doesn’t believe Khan is worthy of a fight against Mayweather, as he points out that Khan was destroyed by Danny Garcia in four rounds just two years ago in 2012, and that Khan doesn’t have the same box office appeal as Mayweather does.
Mayweather: Khan has Danny Garcia problems & Pacquiao has Marquez problems
WBA/WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr says the recent quotes coming from a British boxing site about him being interested in facing Amir Khan are total lies. Mayweather says he didn’t make those quotes, and he’s not sure who he plans on fighting next.
Mayweather says Khan still has unfinished business with WBA/WBC 140lb champion Danny Garcia, who knocked Khan out in the 4th round two years ago in July 2012. Khan never avenged the loss to Garcia, and he still hasn’t avenged his losses to Breidis Prescott and Lamont Peterson.
Mayweather also says that Manny Pacquiao still has unfinished business with Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao was knocked out cold by Marquez in the 6th round by him two years ago, and he still hasn’t fought Marquez since then to try and avenge the defeat. Marquez reportedly priced himself out of the November fight against Pacquiao by asking for too much money.
Mayweather: I’ll punish Khan if the fight happens
Floyd Mayweather Jr (47-0, 26 KOs) is starting to show interest in facing British boxing star Amir Khan (29-3, 19 KOs) after listening to the fighter call him out for well over a year now. Mayweather says his father Floyd Sr really wants him to fight Khan to shut him up for good and he’s thinking about doing that.
Mayweather isn’t saying he’ll absolutely face him, but he says he wants to fight him if he feels he’s earned the fight.
Khan does have wins over Zab Judah, Paulie Malignaggi, Luis Collazo and Marcos Maidana. But Khan failed when he stepped it up against 1st tier fighters Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia in 2011 and 2012.
Khan would give Mayweather problems, says Malignaggi
The more and more former two division world boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi thinks Floyd Mayweather Jr could be in for a really tough time against Amir Khan if he selects him as one of his opponents in 2015. Malignggi says Khan’s hand speed, height, reach and overall fighting style would give Mayweather fits at this point in his career.
Malignaggi feels that Maywether can move around the ring like he used to, and unless he’s able to move a great deal, he’ll struggle against the younger 28-year-old Khan if that fight gets made.
De La Hoya: Why not Amir Khan vs. Lamont Peterson in Washington, D.C?
Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions floated the idea today of Amir Khan facing IBF light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson in Washington, DC. Khan previously fought Peterson in that city three years ago in Khan losing by a 12 round split decision after being docked points in the 7th and 12th rounds for shoving Peterson.
The referee working the fight Joseph Cooper had repeatedly warned Khan to stop shoving Peterson, but Khan had no other alternative because he was getting worked over by him on the inside and he didn’t have any other way of keeping Peterson off of him other than by shoving him.