Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Peterson vs Danny Garcia, Bradley, Broner, Mikey Garcia, and Charlo!

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Peterson vs Danny Garcia, Bradley, Broner, Mikey Garcia, and Charlo!

Karen B. (Baltimore, MD): As a huge Lamont Peterson fan, I was very happy to see him win last Saturday night. What were your thoughts on his performance, and how do you see a proposed bout between he and Danny Garcia going if they do face off next?

Vivek W. (ESB): Coming into the night, I wanted to really get a feel for where Peterson was mentally, at this stage in his life. We’ve seen Peterson at the top of the ranks, and we’ve seen him look far less threatening. The past has taught us that Peterson can be whatever Peterson wants to be when his mind is right. Some would raise the failed steroid test. My response would be that it’s a non-factor. The lead official for the medical staff produced proof that he was being treated for a condition and the traces found were low enough to pass any other drug test in the sport except the overly stringent “zero policy” VADA based testing. Couple that with the fact that he was cleared by the IBF, and certainly you have to view it as a non-issue. What we saw Saturday was a man with a clean system, and after that performance, one could argue a clean slate and a bright future.

continue

Lamont Peterson defeats Dierry Jean in Front of Home Crowd

Lamont Peterson defeats Dierry Jean in Front of Home Crowd

(Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) By Justin Jones & Paul “Paparazzi” Jones: Washington, DC — There was no better way to describe Lamont Peterson’s performance last night at the DC Armory against challenger Dierry Jean other than “locked in.”

Peterson (32-2-1, 16 KOs), the reigning IBF Jr. Welterweight Champ, looked like a starved beast ready to attack as he stalked Jean (25-1, 17 KOs) from the second round on. The DC native landed thudding shots to the body, head turning left hooks, and stinging right hands en route to a unanimous decision victory in Showtime Championship Boxing’s main event (official scores were: 118-111, 116-112, and 115-113).

Although Peterson bested Jean in most of their exchanges and was the clear aggressor, Jean didn’t back down or go away easily. Indeed, Jean landed a good number of power shots of his own, and showed a sturdy chin. It was apparent, however, that Jean is not among the elite at 140 pounds.

continue

Huck stops Arslan; Price With KO

Huck stops Arslan; Price With KO

Marco Huck successfully defended his WBO Cruiserweight championship for the twelfth time Stuttgart, Germany in front of a raucous crowd. The fight was a rematch of their November 2012 fight which ended in a very controversial unanimous decision that went Huck’s way despite Firat Arslan dominating the fight and beating Huck clearly. Arslan drove Huck to the ropes and attacked constantly in every round and Huck could not keep him away and his heavy hands could not hurt Arslan. Going into the rematch Huck was forced to make the adjustments in there as Arslan was going to and did storm forward the whole fight. For Arslan the questions surrounded his age and if he could do it again and if he did would the judges give him a decision. Early on it was clear that Arslan had the crowd on its side and it was also clear that this was going to be a good fight.

continue

Malik Scott-Deontay Wilder in the works for March

Malik Scott-Deontay Wilder in the works for March

Fans have been wanting to see exciting KO artist Deontay Wilder take a step up in competition for some time now, and it looks as though these fans will get what they want this coming March. According to a news piece in The Tuscaloosa News, the 30-0(30) heavyweight contender will face the world ranked and highly skilled Malik Scott on March 15th.

“I can tell you it’s a fight we hope gets made,” Jay Deas, Wilder’s trainer told the publication. “It’s a great fight for both guys and hopefully a great fight for the fans. I’m hopeful it will [happen].”

Wanting to know more, I contacted Malik Scott, who improved to 36-1-1(13) last night with a rust-removing 2nd-round TKO over Grover Young. The win over Young was Scott’s first fight back since his controversial (counted out in the act of rising and appearing to be up before the count of “ten” in the 6th-round) fight with Dereck Chisora at Wembley. And Scott did confirm to me that he is all set to fight his friend Wilder next.

continue

Unbeaten welterweight Antonio Orozco stops Miguel Angel Huerta in two sizzling rounds

Unbeaten welterweight Antonio Orozco stops Miguel Angel Huerta in two sizzling rounds

Last night in Indio, California in a fight that went out on Fox Sports, unbeaten welterweight talent Antonio Orozco scored a thrilling if short TKO win after being hurt badly in the opening round of a violent slugfest with fellow Mexican Miguel Angel Huerta.

Orozco, managed by Golden Boy and looked at by many as a future world champion, was cracked hard by a full-blooded left hook to the jaw in the opening session. The 26-year-old held the shot well, in doing so proving he has a chin, and then had to take another left hand. Orozco overcame the toughest moment of his now 19-bout pro career.

In the 2nd, 35-year-old veteran Huerta went for it but, in breathtaking fashion, Orozco completely turned the fight around with a blistering left hook of his own.

continue

Lamont Peterson vs. Dierry Jean: Official Weigh-in Results, Final Thoughts, and Predictions —Charlo, Rosado, Matthysse, and More!

Lamont Peterson vs. Dierry Jean: Official Weigh-in Results, Final Thoughts, and Predictions —Charlo, Rosado, Matthysse, and More!

By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones & Justin Jones: Washington, DC — Official weigh-ins for the “Lamont Peterson vs. Dierry Jean” IBF Junior Welterweight World Championship clash were held this afternoon at the Marriott Renaissance hotel (Washington, DC).

Lamont Peterson (31-2-1, 16 KOs), who celebrates his 30th birthday today, weighed in at 139.5 lbs which was under the contracted 140-pound limit. Dierry Jean (25-0, 17 KOs) also made weight tipping the scales at 139 lbs.

Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (22-0, 11 KOs) and “King” Gabriel Rosado (21-7, 13 KOs, 1 NC) made the Jr. Middleweight 154-pound limit without incidence. Charlo weighed in at 153 lbs, while Rosado weighed 154 lbs.

Comprehensive weigh-in results for the televised portion of the card appear below:

continue

IBF Orders Froch/Groves Rematch!

IBF Orders Froch/Groves Rematch!

Carl Froch has been ordered to give domestic rival George Groves a rematch within 90 days or be stripped of his world title by the International Boxing Federation.

Froch claimed on Friday that Groves rejected “a seven-figure sum” for a second chance after their controversial fight in November, which the champion won with a contentious ninth-round stoppage to keep his WBA and IBF belts.

Groves admits he has turned down an offer but is adamant he is as eager as ever to get back into the ring with Froch, and his cause has been helped after the IBF decided the bout was controversial enough to merit an immediate rematch.

continue

Garcia vs. Burgos: Is Burgos just a stepping stone for Mikey’s big plans for 2014?

Garcia vs. Burgos: Is Burgos just a stepping stone for Mikey’s big plans for 2014?

Fresh off a banner year for boxing in 2013 this Friday and Saturday will be the busiest fight weekend so far for 2014. And since the rematch between Jhonny Gonzalez and Abner Mares is postponed due to injury this will also be the last major network (not HBO2 Macua) championship fight card until March, when the boxing year will really heat up.

Normally one of the major network premium channels will take advantage of the bye week on the Saturday a little over a week before the Super Bowl.

Shane Mosely vs. Antontio Margarito was the biggest fight that I recall of late that filled a void from the overdose of hype before the big game.

continue

Peterson vs. Jean/Rosado vs. Charlo: Showtime fights this Saturday feature “real” matchups

Peterson vs. Jean/Rosado vs. Charlo: Showtime fights this Saturday feature “real” matchups

by Chris Carlso, photos © Paul “Paparazzi” Jones/ESB — Counter programming was the norm last year and this Saturday night marks the first battle in the ongoing war that turned cold between HBO a.k.a. Top Rank and Company and Golden Boy now in exclusive cahoots with Showtime who is broadcasting their event from the nation’s capital city Washington D.C.

Showtime who may not lead HBO in subscribers had clearly been the better network pound for pound the last 2 years.
The two fights that top the bill are very legit with the main event between Lamont Peterson and Dierry Jean basically a 50-50 type fight on paper. Peterson comes in a slight favor according to the betting websites yet more and more fans and scribes are leaning towards the challenger Dierry Jean.

continue

Carl Froch says a Vegas fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Junior motivates him more than a Groves return

Carl Froch says a Vegas fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Junior motivates him more than a Groves return

It seems Carl Froch will not be facing bitter British rival George Groves in a rematch – not in his next fight, anyway. “The Cobra,” who says he has many options, told Sky Sports Ringside that a fight with Mexico’s Julio Cesar Chavez Junior is “closer to being made than a Groves rematch.” Froch also said that the idea of facing Chavez in Las Vegas, where he has never boxed, motivates him hugely.

Under fierce pressure from Groves to grant him a rematch – with many fans also asking for a second slice of the action that ended prematurely back in November – Froch says he is not all that interested in “going over old ground and beating George Groves again.”

Froch said that should he fight twice this year, as he usually does, he will look at facing Groves and Julio Chavez Junior but, “not in that order.”

continue