VIDEO: The tale of Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe

05/26/2016 Rummys Corner

Canelo Alvarez recently decided it was time to relinquish his WBC middleweight title rather than face fellow titleholder Gennady Golovkin in a unification bout. Many fans are outraged over Canelo’s reluctance to face Golovkin. It remains to be seen how this will ultimately impact Alvarez’s career and drawing power. But in the midst of this recent disappointment for boxing fans, many observers are comparing this situation to one that occurred back in the early 1990s when undisputed heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe deposited the heavyweight version of the WBC title into a trash bin rather than face his mandatory Lennox Lewis.

Iran Barkley speaks: “The Blade” on Hearns, Leonard, Duran, Benn and more

04/16/201604/16/2016 James Slater

As he is often fond of saying whenever he grants an interview, former three-weight champion Iran Barkley never had things easy during his career. The blood and guts warrior who gave his all in memorable battles with the likes of Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Nigel Benn and others, can come across as bitter at times – bitter over how he feels he was not paid the type of big money he should have been and bitter over how he feels he was “robbed” in some of his fights.

But Barkley always gives a good interview – with a career full of great fights, how could he not – and today, recently married, the 55-year-old comes across as more upbeat and cheerful. ESB has had the pleasure of speaking with “The Blade” on a number of occasions and each time he has been kind enough to grant some of his time, Barkley has proven a very interesting subject.

Hagler-Hearns: still the greatest fight in middleweight history – but what if there’d been a rematch?

04/15/2016 James Slater

It’s just over three decades old (31 years ago today to be exact) but no fight has surpassed the epic three-round war between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns since it took place in Las Vegas in 1985 – certainly no middleweight fight has topped “The War.” With seemingly reckless abandon, the two greats, who were at their peak at the time of the showdown, launched into one another. Fans, experts and even the commentators could barely do anything but watch in awe as the magnificent warfare unfolded.

Sugar Ray Leonard – Kevin Howard: the failed comeback that came before the ultimate return to glory

04/08/201604/07/2016 James Slater

Over three decades ago, May 11th 1984, former unified welterweight king Sugar Ray Leonard, boxing as a light-middleweight, fought for the first time since a near two year layoff. Going in with the little-known Kevin Howard, Leonard was returning to the ring having announced his retirement in November of 1982 due to suffering a detached retina in his left eye.

Coming back with an idea of perhaps making a bold challenge for Marvelous Marvin Hagler’s middleweight crown (Hagler acted as co-commentator for HBO), Leonard was thoroughly dissatisfied with his performance against Howard. Not only did Sugar Ray feel rusty, he was also knocked down in the bout, the 4th-round knockdown from a Howard right hand to the head being the 27-year-old’s first-ever trip to the canvas during a largely glorious career.

Sugar Ray Leonard-Marvin Hagler: still the most controversial decision in boxing history

04/07/201604/06/2016 James Slater

There have always been debatable decisions in boxing and there will continue to be so. Yet when it comes to picking one fight that is sure to cause a very passionate debate on the subject of who should have been awarded the judges’ decision, there is one fight that is the big daddy of them all: Sugar Ray Leonard’s 12-round split decision victory over reigning and defending middleweight king Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

When the ex-marine broke the draft dodger’s jaw – Norton-Ali

04/02/201604/01/2016 James Slater

It might be something of a morbid subject, but Muhammad Ali, a man who literally gave everything he had in the pursuit of the greatness he achieved in the ring, is, despite the ghastly health problems he has been suffering with for over three decades, outliving his former ring rivals by a quite substantial amount of time. Ali, now aged 74 and more or less housebound, has lived longer than former foes including: Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Jimmy Ellis, Sir Henry Cooper, Jimmy Young, Ron Lyle, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson and even his final ring rival, Trevor Berbick.

Get well soon, Herol “Bomber” Graham

03/23/201603/22/2016 James Slater

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.

George Chuvalo looks back on his 50-year-old fight with Ali, still thinks he won!

03/12/2016 James Slater

This March 29th marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Muhammad Ali-George Chuvalo world title fight. The fight, not widely expected beforehand to be too memorable – Ali, having trouble finding U.S venues willing to host his fights due to his political beliefs, only took on Chuvalo as a late replacement because he was also finding it tough getting the big fights – instead proved very interesting.