The season premiere of Espn2’s Friday Night Fights will begin in sub zero degree weather at the Target Center from Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the main event IBF Super Featherweight Champion Argenis Mendez takes on unbeaten challenger Rances Barthalemy and serving as the co-feature is local attraction Caleb Truax squaring off with tough as nails Ossie Duran. The event is promoted by Iron Mike Productions, Seconds Out Promotions, and Warrior Boxing.
Top Stories Boxing
The latest boxing top stories and breaking news
Khan signs for Mayweather fight but is also willing to face Pacquiao – which match-up is most appealing?
As boxing fans may have read by now, Amir Khan, the former WBA/IBF 140-pound champion, has put pen to paper to face superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior next May and is awaiting Floyd’s signature on the contract. This match-up, though derided by many, has long been expected (at least for a number of months now) and not too many people would be shocked if the match-up went ahead.
But Khan, in speaking with The Mail, also said he would be more than willing to face former friend and spar-mate Manny Pacquiao if Mayweather instead opts to face the fighter seen as his other option for May in Marcos Maidana.
Tyson Fury says he’ll be back in February – calls out Chisora, Wilder, Browne, Jones Jr for 2014
Unbeaten British giant Tyson Fury is ready to put a largely frustrating and unproductive 2013 behind him and enjoy a “big” 2014. Fury, who last fought in April of 2013 (getting up from an early knockdown to halt Steve Cunningham in New York) saw long months of his upwardly mobile career go down the drain due to his British super-fight with David Haye falling apart not once but twice.
Fury, understandably angry at the Haye fight disappearing (apparently for good, what with Haye’s shoulder injury) even announced his retirement from boxing on his official Twitter page. Fury, though, a born fighting man as he is so proud to point out, has forgotten all about hanging ‘em up and has been on Twitter again. Fury announced today how he will “be back in Feb.” and how he “can’t wait for 2014.”
Manny Pacquiao Responds To Mayweather Jr.: “I’m Glad That He Is Still Thinking Of Me”
After witnessing Floyd Mayweather Jr. make numerous posts poking fun at Manny Pacquiao as well as other possible opponents using his Twitter account, it is no secret that he is trying hard. But what is he trying to do?
While it is not uncommon for competition, whether it’s boxing, basketball, or any other competitive sport, to try and devalue their opponent using various online social tools such as Twitter and Facebook, usually there is a quick and direct response from the other party, offending right back.
Final pound-for-pound rankings of the year for 2013
2013 was a very good year for boxing by and large, and the elite operators of the last 12 months really had a chance to show their class. The mythical but always interesting/debatable/essential pound-for-pound rankings saw some old stars remain where they were, whilst some new stars burst into the charts.
Guys like Mayweather, Klitschko and Ward continued to enjoy lofty positions P-4-P, while gifted boxers Guillermo Rigondeaux, Mikey Garcia and Danny Garcia proved their worth in bringing some new blood into the rankings of many boxing publications.
Mayweather pokes fun at Pacquiao with Christmas card
This is my Christmas card to the world… Happy Sleepy Holidays zzzzzzzzzzzz pic.twitter.com/ynxAJiJmyS
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) December 23, 2013
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.
Vitali Klitschko is all but retired – where does “Dr. Iron Fist” rank amongst the all-time heavyweight greats?
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.
Marquez says no to Pacquiao fight
Top 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?
2013 Year End Awards: Fighter of the year, KO of the year, Fight of the year, Upset of the year
It’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:
Floyd Mayweather: And the winner is…
Every 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.