Former IBF featherweight champion Billy Dib (36-2, 21 KO’s) got back on the winning track on Friday night in defeating a ring rusty 33-year-old Mike Oliver (25-4, 8 KO’s) by a 10 round majority decision at the Connecticut Convention Center, in Hartford, Connecticut. The final judges scores were 96-92, 96-92 and 94-94. Dib was docked a point each in rounds 2 and 3 for throwing low blows.
Oliver went on the canvas after the 1st point deduction and it’s unclear whether he was hurt by a body shot, the low blow or if he was merely acting so that he would get the point taken away from Dib. Whatever the case, Dib was docked a point for the shot. Referee Mike Ortega seemed to react a little quick in taking off a point in the first low blow.
(Photo credit: Esther Lin) Despite the emergence of a Gennady Golovkin, what’s something special about the famous boxing “duo” which we can’t find in other boxers of this generation, so much so that the sport would seem to dim and weaken if they retire?
Former two division world champion Daniel Ponce De Leon (44-5, 35 KO’s) wants to face unbeaten #2 WBO, #3 WBA, #5 WBC, #8 IBF, featherweight contender Gary Russell Jr. (22-0, 13 KO’s) next on September 7th, according to The Record. De Leon, 32, was reportedly offered the fight and he definitely wants the fight, but at 130 lbs. [super featherweight], not featherweight.
Light heavyweight Allan Green (32-4, 22 KO’s) has reportedly pulled out of his scheduled bout against unbeaten Eleider Alvarez (12-0, 8 KO’s) due to a case of food poisoning, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.
Lennox Lewis thinks heavyweight David Price (15-1, 13 KO’s) will avenge his loss to Tony Thompson (37-3, 25 KO’s) tomorrow night and do it in style by knocking the 41-year-old American out in the process at the Echo Arena, in Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom.
Former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1, 32 KO’s) says he wants to face WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (27-0, 24 KO’s) at 168 lbs, and he thinks he’s can KO him if the fight gets made, according to The Record. Chavez Jr. might be open to fighting Golovkin at 160, but he prefers 168 so that he’ll be full strength.
The light heavyweight division has been very active over the last few years. Fighters, networks, and promoters found away to give boxing fans something they rarely get in the sports current state…clarity. With all 3 forces working together all hell broke loose with unforeseen upsets, draws, rematches, and the triangle theory once again got debunked. We got entertaining scraps that warranted rematch fights with Chad Dawson vs. Glenn Johnson and Bernard Hopkins vs. Jean Pascal.
(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) Golden Boy Promotions has decided to price the upcoming September 14th fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and their fighter Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at $65 for standard definition and $75 for high definition pay per view. This is good news. Golden Boy could have gotten really greedy and priced the fight into the $70s for standard definition and boxing fans likely would have purchased the fight in just as high numbers as they will for the $65 fight card.