De La Hoya: Canelo wants to be second to nobody, that’s why he moved to HBO

09/30/2014 Rob Smith

Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya says that one of the reasons why the 24-year-old former WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez moved to HBO was because he didn’t want to be second to anybody in fighting on Showtime. With Canelo’s situation in fighting on Showtime, he was badly overshadowed by the more popular and much more accomplished Floyd Mayweather Jr.

That situation wasn’t going to go away until Mayweather finished out his contract with Showtime, because he was simply a more talented fighter than the red-haired Canelo. That fact was borne out when the two fighters faced each other last year in September and Mayweather made Canelo look bad in beating him by a 12 round unanimous decision.

continue

Golovkin ready for Rubio fight, says Sanchez

10/17/201409/30/2014 T.Baker

Trainer Abel Sanchez says his fighter WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (30-, 27 KOs) is 100 percent ready for his clash next month against WBC interim middleweight champion Marco Antonio Rubio (59-6-1, 51 KOs) on their “Mexican Style” fight card on October 18th at the StubHub Center, in Carson, California, USA.

Sanchez believes that the hard hitting Rubio will be coming to slug it out with Golovkin, and that’s what he’s hoping for. Sanchez wants to see the two of them slugging it out in front of the boxing fans at the StubHub Center and the fans that tune in to watch the fight on HBO Championship Boxing.

continue

Leonard wants Pacquiao and Mayweather to face each other

09/30/2014 T.Baker

Boxing star Sugar Ray Leonard thinks that it’s time WBA/WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao face each other in a mega fight. Leonard thinks it’s time the two stars get inside the ring to face each other for the sake of the fans as well as their own legacies. He sees it as an important fight for their careers.

Leonard didn’t touch on the issues that have held the two fighters back from facing each other in the past. The fight likely would have taken place long ago if the two had agreed on the blood testing that Mayweather wanted in his attempt to get a fight against Pacquiao in 2010. After that missed attempt at putting the fight together, it was pretty much over in terms of putting a fight together.

continue

Soliman will have confidence against Jermain Taylor

09/29/2014 Jeff Sorby

#15 IBF Jermain Taylor (32-4-1, 20 KOs) will be challenging IBF middleweight champion Sam Soliman (44-11, 18 KOs) in a little over a week on October 8th at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, in Biloxi, Mississippi, USA.

Taylor hasn’t done much to deserve a world title shot, but that doesn’t matter because he’s been selected by Soliman’s management due to his name recognition and obviously because he’s perceived as an opponent that Soliman can likely beat.

continue

Paul Smith feels confident Arthur Abraham will give him a rematch

10/01/201409/29/2014 Bill Phanco

Britain’s Paul Smith (35-4, 20 KOs) says that WBO super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (41-4, 28 KOs) gave him a handshake when he asked him at the post-fight press conference if he’ll agree to give him an immediate rematch. Smith, 31, interpreted the handshake from Abraham to mean that he’ll get his badly needed rematch with the 34-year-old German based champion.

Last Saturday night, Smith lost a 12 round unanimous decision to Abraham by the scores of 117-111, 117-110 and 119-109. Many people who saw the fight felt that Abraham did enough to get the victory. Some fans felt that it should have been a draw while a smaller minority felt that Smith won the fight. However, because of the scores being so wide, Smith and his promoter Eddie Hearn feel that a rematch is warranted.

continue

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.

continue

Abraham vs Smith: ‘That’s What Happens In Germany’

10/01/201409/29/2014 Ryan Forde-Kelly

First of all, congratulations to Paul Smith who delivered a career best performance, which he promised, on the night when it mattered the most. A monumental effort behind enemy lines, which was appreciated by every set of fully functioning eyeballs which had the joy of tuning in for what was a tremendous fight.

Isn’t it such a shame that we find ourselves on familiar ground once again, marveling at inconceivable ineptitude that points to the darker side of boxing, which has soiled its name for far too long.

continue

RIP Dan Goossen

09/29/201409/29/2014 Goossen Tutor Promotions

Statement from the Goossen Family: “It is with overwhelming regret that we announce the passing of Dan Goossen, 64, from complications relating to liver cancer. The sudden news of his diagnosis was very much a private matter and his final days were spent surrounded by his family and closest friends. Sadness is difficult to escape as we grieve his passing, however we are filled with pride by the fact that Dan Goossen battled this aggressive illness with boundless strength and the last days of his life were fought and lived with unflinching bravery, pure love and grace beyond measure.”

Arrangements are pending and details will be announced in the next few days.

continue

Deal still not reached for Stiverne vs. Wilder fight, says De La Hoya

09/29/201409/28/2014 Kevin Chittenden

A couple days ago reports surfaced about there being a deal for a December fight between WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) and #1 WBC Deontay Wilder. Apparently, someone spoke too soon, because Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya says that there has been no deal reached between the 35-year-old Stiverne and the 6’7” Wilder.

If the two sides are unable to come to an agreement in their negotiations then it’ll go to purse bids on October 1st next week. That’s when the World Boxing Council has scheduled a purse bid in order to finally get the fight put together.

Contrary to wretched WBC comments @OscarDeLaHoya told me today he has NOT reached terms with King on Stiverne-Wilder. #boxing,” said Dan Rafael on his Twitter.

continue

Beterbiev could be the top guy at 175

09/28/2014 Jeff Sorby

Never mind about Bernard Hopkins, Adonis Stevenson, Jean Pascal and Sergey Kovalev, the fighter that could be the best in the light heavyweight division is Artur Beterbiev (6-0, 6 KOs). After Beterbiev’s 2nd round knockout win over former IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud (24-3, 19 KOs) last night at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, I think you can make an argument that Beterbiev beats all the other fighters in the light heavyweight division.

No offense to 49-year-old Hopkins, but beating Karo Murat, Cloud and Beibut Shumenov hardly makes him the best fighter in the division. He’s still pretty much the same fighter that Chad Dawson beat two years ago in 2012, only Hopkins probably isn’t even as good as he was back then.

continue