Larry Merchant throws best jab of the night

09/09/201209/09/2012 Eddy Pronishev

by Paul Strauss: (Vitali stops Charr in 4th on bad cut), DeMarco vs Molina – Junior sits it out, Ward vs Dawson – Andre makes another one look easy

To start off the night’s festivities, HBO showed a replay of forty-one year old Vitali Klitschko’s 4th round TKO destruction of Manuel Charr at the Olimpiyskia in Moscow, Russia. After the fight, announcer Jim Lampley asked Larry about the possibility of David Haye remaining a thorn in the side of the Klitschko brothers. Larry reminded Jim about Haye’s “Loser’s Limp” display done after his fight with Wladimir when he removed his shoe to show everyone his injured little toe. The implication was that was the reason for his loss. In Larry’s deliberate manner, he said Haye should have removed his shorts, which would have revealed the the real reason for his loss. It was obvious Larry meant we wouldn’t be seeing any Fruit of the Looms.

Well, Dr. Iron Fist had his boxer shorts on while showing a total disregard for anything Charr might try to do. Vitali kept both hands low, inviting Charr to try something. Charr’s strategy seemed to be to tire out Vitali by letting him tee off on him? Well, let that be a lesson to fledging boxers. If you simply hold up what you hope is a tight guard, but don’t punch back, your opponent is going to find a way to penetrate your defense, as did Vitali. Soon he was getting through with a variety of shots, and by the third round a cut had developed over Charr’s right eyelid. In the fourth, Referee Guido Callverli stopped the action long enough for the ringside physician to take a look. After twice wiping away a considerable amount of blood, the doctor said no go, and the fight was stopped. Larry and Max Kellerman thought it might have been a little premature. They alluded to Moscow’s lack of experience with world title fights. Lampley pointed out the physician seemed to have a German sounding name and not a Russian one, for all that’s worth.

Klitschko stops Charr in 4th; Abdusalamov stops McCline with a jab

09/14/201609/08/2012 Eddy Pronishev

Klitschko stops Charr in 4th; Abdusalamov stops McCline with a jab By Rob Smith: WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (45-2, 41 KO’s) added his 41st knockout of his career on Saturday night in stopping a game but badly overmatched Manuel Charr (21-1, 11 KO’s) in a 4th round stoppage at the at the Olimpiyskiy, in Moscow, Russia. The fight was halted after Vitali opened up a bad cut over the 27-year-old Charr’s right eyebrow in the 4th round after connecting with a left hook to the head. Charr was furious with the stoppage and packed back and forth, swearing.

However, he wasn’t doing anything in the fight other than just taking terrible punishment. Vitali knocked Charr down with a hard right hand at the end of the 3rd round. It was pretty clear that Charr would have been badly hurt if the fight had gone into the second half of the fight because he was literally a punching bag tonight, and unable to land any shots. Vitali landed whatever he wanted against the helpless Charr and made it look easy.

Undefeated heavyweight contender Magomed Abdusalamov (16-0, 16 KO’s) was knocked down by a hard right hand from journeyman Jameel McCline (41-14-3, 24 KO’s) tonight but was able to come back to get a 2nd round stoppage by knocking McCline down with a jab. Abdusalamov, #13 WBA, was badly hurt after McCline tagged him with a tremendous right hand early in the 1st round. Abdusalamov stayed down a long time from that shot, and probably would have been finished off had McCline not stopped punching after that. It’s unclear why McCline backed off, because he Abdusalamov where he wanted him but he just seemed to go into a hole after that knockdown.

Charr has no chance of beating Vitali tonight

09/14/201609/08/2012 Eddy Pronishev

By Michael Collins: If you’re interested in seeing a sick mismatch then in tune in to watch WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (44-2, 40 KO’s) deconstruct a badly over-matched opponent with a pumped up resume in 27-year-old Manuel Charr (21-0, 11 KO’s) in their fight in Moscow, Russia. The fight will be televised on HBO tonight as part of a split site telecast with WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Andre Ward facing Chad Dawson.

Vitali must have closed his eyes and picked an opponent randomly in selecting Charr, because I can’t imagine a worse opponent than this for Vitali. To say that the slow as molasses Charr is tailor made for Vitali is putting it lightly. This guy was created to be knocked out by Vitali. Charr has no hand speed, average power and is so easy to hit. He’s not really even proven that he can dominate the 2nd tier fighters that he’s built up his unbeaten record on. Charr’s win over Zack Page was highly controversial.

I had Page winning that fight by four rounds, but I was surprised that the German based Charr got the decision. Charr also looked awful against Danny Williams, Owen Back, Sharman Williams, Robert Hawkins and Taras Bydenko. Those should have been one-sided fights but they turned out to be life and death matches for Charr, and it was not impressive stuff from the 6’4 1/2″ fighter.

Perennial contender Ray Austin discusses his career, the heavyweight division, and the Klitschkos

09/05/2012 Eddy Pronishev

by Pavel Yakovlev: (September 5, 2012) – Anyone following the heavyweight division knows about Ray “The Rainman” Austin. A professional since 1998, he has fought in several elimination bouts to determine mandatory challengers for the heavyweight champions. In 2007 Austin tangled with Vladimir Klitschko for the IBF world heavyweight title. In addition, the towering fighter – he stands over 6’6” and weighs around 240 lbs. – has squared off against top names such as Odlanier Solis, Sultan Ibragimov, Andrew Golota, Lance Whittaker, Larry Donald, Bermane Stiverne, and DaVarryl Williamson, among others. A perennial contender who is still capable of winning world-class bouts at age 41, Austin will most likely figure in more high profile matches before his career winds down.

Vitali defends his WBC title on Saturday against Charr

09/14/201609/04/2012 Eddy Pronishev

By Rob Smith: 41-year-old WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (44-2, 40 KO’s) will be defending his World Boxing Council title on Saturday night against the unbeaten and highly ambitious #7 WBC Manuel Charr (21-0, 11 KO’s) at the Olimpiyskiy, in Moscow, Russia. Vitali has picked out an opponent with an unbeaten record but with little real substance to it. Charr is unbeaten but he’s not fought anyone in the top 15, and he struggled badly against a past his best Danny Williams and also against journeyman Zack Page.

With this possibly being Vitali’s last fight of his career it’s disappointing to see him pick out the 27-year-old Charr to fight instead of someone a little more talented like Denis Boytsov or Kubrat Pulev. Never the less, Vitali’s German fans watching the fight on television, as well as the Russian fans in Moscow, likely won’t care that Vitali is taking a soft touch in the incredibly slow Charr to beat up instead of someone that can give him a decent fight.

There’s a possibility that if Vitali gets past Charr in one piece without struggling he could end up facing former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye in late December or early 2013. The chance is there but it’s still more likely that Vitali hangs up his gloves and goes into politics in Ukraine.

Klitschko vs Charr: Manuel Charr Interview

02/22/202309/03/2012 Vladimir S

Questions & answers with Manuel Charr (21-0, 11 KO), a challenger for the WBC heavyweight title. The Lebanon-born Charr, nicknamed “Diamond Boy” will face Vitali Klitschko (44-2, 40 KO) on Saturday in Moscow, Russia.

Q: Hello Manuel, please tell us something about you history, your family and origin. How did you get to Germany?

A: My father was a Syrian citizen but I was born and raised in Lebanon. Sadly my father died in 1986 during the war. We have lived in Beirut till we came over as fugitives to Germany in 1989. We, that have been my mother, my 5 sisters, my 2 brothers and I. I was just 6 years old. First we stayed for a couple of weeks in Berlin Wedding and then we moved to Katernberg (a district of Essen) next to Gelsenkirchen, in the center of Germany. There I grow up, went to school and learned German.

Q: Do you visit Syria sometimes?
A: I do have some family there, but me close family is in Germany, so I hardly go over there.

WBC “Welcomes Back David Haye,” Fresh Hopes For Vitali Challenge

09/14/201608/31/2012 Eddy Pronishev

By James Slater: The WBC group led by Don Jose Sulaiman has “welcomed back” David Haye; the fighter the organization said would never be granted a fight for their world heavyweight title due to his actions in the infamous Munich brawl with Dereck Chicora – and for going ahead and fighting Chisora in the Luxemburg Boxing Council-sanctioned fight this past July.

The WBC had previously stated that: “any fighter involved in the Haye V Chisora fight, will be banned by the WBC.”

But today, as has been reported by the WBC website, Haye, who had “amicable” talks with the organization this week, is now back in line for a shot at their heavyweight belt.

“The WBC was the first organization in recognizing David as world champion, when he conquered the cruiserweight title in 2007,” a WBC statement read. “Then Haye fought in the heavyweight division, and now he wants a fresh shot against current champion Vitali Klitschko.

“The talk was amicable and David Haye is welcome to return to the WBC.”

Who Has The Best (If Any) Chance In His Upcoming Fight With A Klitschko – Manuel Charr Or Mariusz Wach?

09/14/201608/23/2012 Eddy Pronishev

by James Slater – The two reigning heavyweight kings the Klitschkos, Wladimir and Vitali, are so good and so all-conquering, it’s got to the point where both men are having to search incredibly hard for their next acceptable challenger.

In fact, if you ask some fans, some harsher critics, neither sibling has actually managed to find an acceptable challenger for his next outing. Wladimir, the Ring Magazine, WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO ruler will face unbeaten but largely untested Pole Mariusz Wach, while WBC king Vitali will face the even less tested but also unbeaten Manuel Charr of Beirut.

Let’s take a look and decide which of the two massive outsiders has the best shot, the best prayer, the best hope of being blessed with a miracle in the coming months.

27-year-old Charr, 21-0(11) gets his chance first, on September 8th in Moscow. Smaller than Vitali, possessing only a fraction of “Dr. Iron Fist’s” punching power and experience, Charr, known as “Diamond Boy,” looks to have only one chance in my opinion: that Vitali, all 41-years of him, either suddenly grows old in the ring or suffers an injury (okay, that’s two chances Charr has!)