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The latest boxing top stories and breaking news

Mayweather pokes fun at Pacquiao with Christmas card

Floyd Mayweather Jr. decided to have a little bit of fun today on twitter at the expensive of Manny Pacquiao in sending out a humorous post making fun of Pacquiao’s interest in fighting him. Mayweather shows one recent episode in his dealings with Pacquiao where he offered him $40 million to fight him, and was turned down. Pacquiao wanted a 50-50 deal, and not the $40 million offered to him by Mayweather.

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Vitali Klitschko is all but retired – where does “Dr. Iron Fist” rank amongst the all-time heavyweight greats?

vitali4 (2)As fans know, Vitali Klitschko recently vacated his WBC heavyweight title and declared how he “cannot imagine” a ring return “as things stand now.” So, it seems there is a good chance that at age 42, the elder Klitschko brother has fought his last fight in the ring and can now retire from boxing, his contributions to the sport in the history books.

And Vitali achieved a lot in his 17-year pro career (that included a near four-year inactive period from 2004 to 2008), including winning both the WBO and the WBC crowns. As tough as nails and in possession of one of heavyweight boxing’s most reliable chins, Vitali punched his way to a fine 45-2(41) ledger. The two losses came about due to injury, and what’s more, Vitali was winning both bouts on the scorecards before a shoulder injury forced his retirement against Chris Byrd and before a savagely cut eye forced his retirement against Lennox Lewis.

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Marquez says no to Pacquiao fight

marquez56Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is going to need to look in another direction for his fighter Manny Pacquiao for his April 12th fight in Las Vegas, because Juan Manuel Marquez has his mind made up about not wanting to fight Pacquiao again.

There was some that believed that Marquez would eventually change his mind about fighting Pacquiao a fifth time if Arum waived enough money under Marquez’s nose, but it doesn’t look like Marquez wants the fight judging by his comments.

Everyone has price though, and I’m sure that Arum could persuade Marquez to take the fight if he gave him a 50-50 deal. Would Arum do that to get Marquez to agree to another fight with Pacquiao?

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2013 Year End Awards: Fighter of the year, KO of the year, Fight of the year, Upset of the year

002 Mayweather vs Canelo IMG_9443It’s that time of the year again: when fight fans take a look back at what went down in the fistic calendar. 2013 was, in many years one of the best for boxing in a long time. We saw some great action fights, we saw some superb displays of The Sweet Science, we saw a number of electrifying KO’s and we saw our share of controversy.

That said, this writer now gives his picks for the recipients of the following awards:

Fighter of the year. Fight of the year. KO of the year. Upset of the year.

See what you think:

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Floyd Mayweather: And the winner is…

Floyd MayweatherEvery December the boxing world buzz burns hot with the topic of who will Floyd Mayweather face next and what are the chances that it will be Manny Pacquiao.

All signs point to Amir Khan as the winner of the Money May Sweepstakes for May, 3 2014.

With numerous recent reports it would seem the only thing that needs to be figured out now is the place and undercard.

Obviously it needs to happen in a somewhat timely fashion in order to beat the drums of hype, something Golden Boy & Mayweather Promotions will need with the major backlash this fight has received any time it’s been mentioned since Amir was sparked out by Danny Garcia in the summer of 2012.

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Vitali Klitschko may have vacated the WBC crown, but it could soon be back in the Klitschko family…

Wladimir aims to become undisputed heavyweight king

wladimir67As fight fans have almost certainly read by now, Vitali Klitschko has vacated the WBC heavyweight title due to his political ambitions and has been declared The Champion Emeritus by the governing body. This news excited fans who crave a competitive heavyweight title fight, as they can now look forward to seeing two young studs battling for the vacated green belt.

There has already been talk of how Bermane Stiverne, the WBC number-one contender, could face either unbeaten banger Deontay Wilder for the vacant belt, or maybe Stiverne could face the experienced Chris Arreola for Vitali’s old crown. However, those fans who feel the WBC belt will be the property of one of these guys for long had better think again – because Wladimir, Vitali’s baby brother, has announced it is his intention to add his sibling’s old belt to his Ring Magazine, IBF, WBO, IBO and WBA crowns.

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The Pugilist KOrner: Shawn Porter, Paulie Malignaggi, Miguel Flores, Don Chargin, Jermall Charlo, and Hank Lundy

Tonight at 9PM EST/6PM PST, “JEK III Productions” presents the new IBF Welterweight Champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter, two division world champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, undefeated Featherweight prospect Miguel Flores, Hall of Fame matchmaker and promoter Don “War a Week“ Chargin, undefeated Junior Middleweight prospect Jermall Charlo, and Junior Welterweight contender “Hammerin” Hank Lundy on tonight’s two hour episode of “The Pugilist KOrner”.

Pugilist KOrner listener line: 718-506-1506

Kicking off tonight’s two hour program will be newly crowned IBF Welterweight Champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter (23-0-1, 14 KOs). The talented Akron, Ohio native will discuss his impressive title winning effort against two division world champion Devon Alexander. “Showtime” will also discuss the landscape of the packed Welterweight division, as well as last Saturday night’s epic in San Antonio, Texas between Adrien Broner and Marcos Maidana.

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Maidana Shocked the Boxing World with an Upset Victory over Broner

maidana788931Marcos “El Chino” Maidana shook up the boxing world as he upset, Adrien “The Problem” Broner over twelve dominating rounds in which he scored two knockdowns and in the process became the new World Boxing Association Champion with an unanimous decision victory by three scorecards of 115-110, 116-109 and 117-109. This competitive and really interesting welterweight bout, which could be considered the upset of the year, was held at the Alamadome in San Antonio, Texas and was televised on Showtime.

The 30 year old, Maidana from Argentina, improved his record to 35-3, 31KOs and won his fourth consecutive bout. He won a world title in his third attempt, after trying unsuccessfully to do so against, Adriy Kotelnik and Amir Khan. Broner from Cincinnati, Ohio suffered his first professional loss and dropped his record to 27-1, 22KOs.

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Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Broner/Maidana, Thurman, Ariza Caught on Camera, & Goldenboy Promotions Incredible Year!!!

broner7851Shawn O. (Brooklyn, NYC): What a fight between Broner and Maidana! I was pulling for Maidana, but I didn’t think he’d get it done! Do you think it was a case of Broner being “exposed” or was Maidana just the better man last Saturday night?

Vivek W. (ESB): In my weekly pre-fight Facebook post, I listed a quote that said “To he who much is given, much is expected. And in the sport of Boxing, those who declare themselves great must first be tested”! In the end, Adrien Broner was….in more ways than one! Some viewed this fight as a “Fight of the Year” candidate. I think that overwhelming response answers the question relative to whether or not he was “exposed”. You can’t have that type of battle and be considered a “bust”. I don’t think Broner was “exposed”, in terms of being cleared as a bad fighter. “Exposed” in the sense that he isn’t as polished as his smack talk made it seem? Yeah….I’d co-sign that angle. Clearly we saw that there are a few things which prevent him from being that elite, world class fighter any time soon that we were beginning to think he was.

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Marcos Maidana solves The Problem

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John Lennon believed[1] “there’s no problem, only solutions.” How prophetic. After 12 brutal rounds at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Marcos ‘El Chino’ Maidana finally solved Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner and delivered the Cincinnati wunderkind’s first loss.

Going into the fight, Broner was a heavy, odds-on favourite. Bookmakers rarely get their numbers wrong and rated The Problem a shoo-in to take his record to 28-0, most probably by way of decision. The perceived wisdom of fight commentators was that Maidana was cannon-fodder – a tough, durable opponent carefully chosen to allow Broner to showcase his skills and further his credentials as a pay-per-view star come 2014.

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