Khan vs. Alexander: East meets West at the crossroads

12/15/201412/12/2014 Chris Carlson

Contender crossroads is the theme heading into Saturday nights Showtime main event from the MGM Grand in the city that never sleeps Las Vegas. If Amir wins he will be in line for a huge fight. If Devon wins he saves a once promising career.

For the last two years the only thing that Amir Kahn talks about in interviews is Floyd Mayweather. That and how he’s made significant improvements to his tool belt as a boxer. If Amir Khan can be 75% as good as he thinks he is major fights will be on tap for 2015 and beyond.

Slowly but surely the tide is turning in Khan’s favor for landing Mayweather. There is a small swell of fans who think Khan is being ducked because of his skill set and speed. Meanwhile, his handlers have been carefully matching him after Danny Garcia stopped Khan in the summer of 2012.

Thurman: Amir Khan is overrated

12/12/2014 Jeff Sorby

(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) Interim WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman says he sees #1 WBC, #2 WBA Amir Khan (29-3, 19 KOs) as an overrated fighter. Thurman feels that Khan hasn’t beaten anyone at welterweight yet, and that he’s now fighting Devon Alexander for a possible chance to get a fight against boxing’s biggest star Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Thurman feels that Khan should at least be fighting actual welterweights without catch-weights. Thurman has made no secret to the fact that he’d be more than willing to share the ring with Khan if he would be willing to take the fight.

Bundu plans on using his intelligence to beat Keith Thurman

12/10/201412/10/2014 T.Baker

This Saturday night, #3 WBC, #4 WBA welterweight contender Leonard Bundu (31-0-1, 11 KOs) will be looking to use his ring intelligence to hand WBA interim 147 pound champion Keith Thurman (23-0, 21 KOs) his first loss of his career when they get inside the ring to face each other on Showtime from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Thurman-Bundu fight will be on the undercard of the Amir Khan vs. Devon Alexander fight.

Bundu, 40, fights a lot younger than his chronological age. He’s more like a guy in his late 20s rather than his early 40s. Bundu isn’t a big puncher though, and that’s going to make it tough on him against the hard hitting Thurman. Bundu doesn’t want to get in a war with Thurman, and that’s why he’ll be coming into the fight looking to outsmart him for 12 rounds.

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag – Pacquiao, Mayweather, Khan, Thurman, & More!

11/26/2014 Vivek Wallace

Laney G. (Oakland, CA): For the first time in a few years, I feel very strongly about Manny Pacquiao. I thought he looked strong and as good as we’ve seen since the knockout. How did you rate his performance and do you think he’s a threat to Mayweather?

Vivek W. (ESB): I like to look at the big picture when making my assessments. In this situation, like any other, I think it’s another one of those times when you have to also see the good, the bad, and the “ugly”, each for what they truly are. On the “good” side, I would agree, totally, that this is the best I’ve seen Pacquiao since prior to the Marquez stoppage. He threw nearly 700 punches, he was fast, and his power proved to be very much a threat to anyone facing him. There’s a reason why I’ve rated him as my personal favorite offensive fighter in the game for nearly a decade now.

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Malignaggi, Mayweather/Pacquiao, Thurman/Kahn, & Danny Garcia!

10/02/201410/01/2014 Vivek Wallace

Austin E. (Charlotte, NC): Paulie Malignaggi was recently quoted saying that he feels Thurman and Khan both have enough in their arsenal to defeat Mayweather and Pacquaio. I was curious to hear your thoughts on his words and whether or not you find them true?

Vivek W. (ESB): Malignaggi is one of those guys who has earned my respect both in and outside of the ring. Despite his limited power, I always viewed him as a fighter who had a very strong grip on the fundamental element of boxing. Listening to him in the role of commentator, I think his words solidify that position, as I think he’s a complete natural at breaking it all down. Few have done a better job than Paulie behind the mic, as it relates to articulating how certain fighters need to go about execution to gain victory in a given match. I think this is the first time I totally questioned his logic, but in all truthfulness, I can’t say that he’s wrong, either.

Is Mayweather more at risk against Khan and Thurman rather than Pacquiao?

09/29/2014 Rob Smith

While many boxing fans believe that Manny Pacquiao presents the biggest risk to the unbeaten record of Floyd Mayweather Jr, Paulie Malignaggi is under the belief that Pacquiao would be an easy fight for Mayweather at this stage in Pacquiao’s career. Malignaggi doesn’t say why he believes that but it could have something to do with how poor Pacquiao looked in his last fight against a quality fighter in Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.

Pacquiao looked terrible in that fight before getting knocked out in the 6th round. Since then, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum has eased him back in terms of competition by putting him in with Brandon Rios and Tim Bradley, and Pacquiao was able to resume winning again.

Keith Thurman wants Kell Brook fight, says De La Hoya

08/18/201408/18/2014 T.Baker

Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions says he had a conversation with his fighter WBA interim 147lb champ Keith Thurman last Saturday night, and he said that he wants to face IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook. Thurman can take the fight in the UK if that’s where Brook and his promoter Eddie Hearn want it to take place.

Brook has a voluntary title defense for his next fight in November or December. That means he could definitely take the fight with Thurman if Hearn gives him the green light to take it. Brook is one of those fighters who will face anyone, so it’s really up to Hearn whether or not he’ll let him take on Thurman.

Thurman: Porter outworked Brook

08/17/201408/17/2014 Jeff Sorby

WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman says that Britain’s Kell Brook (33-0, 22 KOs) got outworked last night by IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter (24-1-1, 15 KOs) through the entire 12 round bout at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Thurman feels that the judges focused more on Brook landing the cleaner landing shots rather than the high volume punching from Porter. The judges gave it to the guy with the better power, in other words.

Thurman says he knows how to beat Mayweather

04/29/201404/27/2014 Rob Smith

WBA interim welterweight champion Keith Thurman (23-0, 21 KO’s) may be inexperienced but he feels that he knows already how to beat WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., who he hopes to fight in 2015 if he gets his way. Thurman feels that it’s pretty simple in how to beat Mayweather. He feels his power, counter punching, and boxing ability will be the key to him getting a victory over Mayweather next year.

Like in all of his fights, Thurman says he’ll use in an out movement to get the better of Floyd. Thurman didn’t say anything about what he’d do about his slow hand speed or the fact that he can’t fight going backwards.

Will Floyd Mayweather risk a fight with one of the young guns? Thurman and Porter breaking through at 147

04/27/2014 James Slater

Today’s welterweight division is almost ridiculously talented, with the 147-pound weight class being stacked with excellent fighters. Floyd Mayweather Junior is of course the king of the hill, and any fighter from 140 to 147 (and 154-pounds also) is gunning for that life changing payday. But 154 aside, Mayweather has more than enough potential challengers at welterweight.

Over the past few months, two welterweight young guns have really broken through and impressed: Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman. Both guys are talented, fast (Thurman especially) and powerful (Porter especially). Helping make an already exciting weight class that much more exciting – with top class operators Tim Bradley, Manny Pacquiao and (expected to move up from 140 any time now) Danny Garcia also fighting at 147 – Thurman and Porter have some people thinking they are capable of testing Floyd and testing him hard. But will Mayweather, who next faces the powerful yet slow-footed Marcos Maidana, an 11-1 underdog, risk a fight with one of the young guns who are hungry for the ultimate challenge?