The latest boxing top stories and breaking news
Last week, David Haye had to temporarily postpone his 29th of June comeback against Manuel Charr due to a hand injury. Team Hayemaker do hope this fight can be remade, but they are already planning a clash with the Mancunian Monster Tyson Fury before the year’s end.
Haye’s trainer and manager Adam Booth told Sky Sports News, “The plan is Manuel Charr then we will look later on this year. We are interested in the fight [with Fury] – it’s a huge domestic fight in the UK.”
“I would like to fight anyone in the top ten world rankings: Dmytro Kucher, Ola Afolabi, BJ Flores, Thabiso Mchunu, and there are others. I am willing to fight any and all of these guys.”— Olanrewaju Durodola
Nigerian-born cruiserweight Olanrewaju Durodola (15-1, 14 KOs) defeated Victor Barragan on April 20 in Saint Joseph, Missouri to capture the vacant WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight title. I was recently afforded a chance to catch up with the Kansas City resident to speak about his boxing career and future aspirations. Durodola, who goes by the ring moniker “God’s Power”, also discussed how his former profession in law enforcement and his Olympic boxing experience helped him develop as a boxer. Here is a complete transcript from the interview:
GEOFFREY CIANI: Hello Olandrewau. How is everything going today?
OLANREWAJU DURODOLA: Oh! Everything is going fine, thank you.
CIANI: Great! Now you’re coming off of a fourth round stoppage against Victor Barragan last month. How would you evaluate your performance?
Marv G. (Charlotte, NC): Despite the layoff, time in jail, and partying, I really thought Mayweather looked incredible. Do you think Guerrero was just a joke? Or do you think Floyd is really that good?
Vivek W. (ESB): We’ve seen quite a few fighters around the sport enter the ring with far less time off and the effects the layoff is typically very much pronounced. I don’t care who you are and what your profession is, you’d be hard-pressed to see anyone take that amount of time off and still be able to execute at such a high level. I saw a few things that let me know Mayweather isn’t totally who he used to be. But in the end, what I saw most is that he doesn’t have to be. Michael Jordan at 90% was still heads above everyone across from him. In the case of Floyd Mayweather, I don’t think things are any different.
“This dude Dierry Jean don’t even know what he got himself into, man. When they signed that contract, they signed that contract because they thought that this was going to be an easy contest. This is not a contest. This is a fight!”—Cleotis Pendarvis
This Friday night on SHOBOX: The New Generation, a clash between junior welterweight contenders Cleotis Pendarvis (17-3, 6 KOs) and Dierry Jean (24-0, 16 KOs) will take place in order to determine the new IBF mandatory challenger. Last night I was afforded the opportunity to speak with Pendarvis, and the 26 year old Los Angeles southpaw shared his views on his upcoming opportunity. He also discussed a number of other topics, which included his boxing philosophy, working with Sugar Shane Mosley as his chief sparring partner for Friday’s match, future aspirations, Floyd Mayweather’s dominant victory over Robert Guerrero, the showdown between Lucas Matthysse and Lamont Peterson, and more. Here is a complete transcript from that interview:
GEOFFREY CIANI: Hello boxing fans. This is Geoff Ciani from East Side Boxing, and I am here today with junior welterweight contender Cleotis Pendarvis. How’s everything going today, Cleotis?
CLEOTIS PENDARVIS: Oh, it’s going on man. It’s going fine. It’s going well. You know I’m just toning it down. Camp went well. I’m basically ready.
CIANI: Great! Now your big fight coming up this weekend against Dierry Jean is an IBF eliminator bout that will be televised on Showtime. You said camp went well and that you’re basically ready. Can you tell us a little bit more about your training and preparations?
Audio:
PENDARVIS: You know just in and out on a daily basis putting the miles in, the sparring in. One of the chief sparring partners was Shane Mosley and I brought in some young talent, which is around the same age as myself, very strong and powerful guys just to prepare me for the best Dierry Jean come May 10. I put in the work and did everything that I felt like I needed to do, and now camp is toning down. I’m ready to fly out and go out there and put on a performance for the world.
(Photo credit: Naoki Fakuda) My pre-fight ‘just the facts’ article made reference to a quicker, sharper, Money Mayweather with the return of good legs which were rested and not overtrained. Rest and pace were the recipe of success for the 36 year old. Following the Rigondeaux and Canelo fights where both men won using ‘boxing skill’, Mayweather had to put on a show to rival or exceed both men’s performances and that he did. Floyd Sr. working ‘Lil’ Floyd’s corner as chief 2nd for the 1st time in 13 years, did his part strategizing and giving good corner instructions between rounds.
Floyd fought toe-to-toe for spells and then used his legs for better ring generalship, lateral movement and advantage when needed. He beat Guerrero to the punch throughout the fight and made the Gilroy Ca., native MISS 80% of his punches. Defense that was ‘so so’ for the Cotto fight was ‘great’ for the ‘May Day’ main event. Floyd’s offensive output was conservative but most dominant and effective in rounds 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11; especially rounds 8 and 11.
Floyd warned Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero that soon he would be discoveingr the real thing and not just exchanging words and verbal threats. Guerrero nodded and like Mick Dundee expressed hi had “No worries!” The Ghost was envisioning being able to beat down this man he was exchanging stare downs with. He was convinced he would be ready to deal with Floyd’s slick movements and fast hands. He was convinced he could make Floyd pay for lead rights he knew would be coming once they stepped into the squared circle. Guerrero was dead serious nothing was going to deter him from victory.
However, the reality of the night was similiar to a story Freddie Roach tells about getting ready to fight Hector “Macho Man” Camacho. Freddie prepared by getting the fastest sparring partners around. He worked hard with these guys, against their speed, and was confident he was ready for the “Macho Man”. But the reality of his night in the ring was similiar to that of Guerrero’s on Saturday night at the MGM Grand. Robert discovered just like Freddie had their real opponent’s speed was much greater than any sparring partner could duplicate. The real thing was at another level all together.
So much for Floyd Mayweather Junior slowing down even a little due to age/inactivity/jail time. “Money May” may be 36-years-old now and he may have fought just four times in the last three years, but, as he showed last night in totally dominating a tough but outclassed Robert Guerrero, Mayweather is as great as ever. The two months in jail proved to be totally irrelevant, and any suggestions Guerrero or anyone else might have made about Floyd having slowed down a little were blown clean out of the water.
In short, Mayweather made it look easy last night. Looking as razor-sharp as ever, his right hand especially, “Money” made “The Ghost” look like a somewhat clumsy amateur on occasion. The problem, once again, was Mayweather won so easily the fight became boring for many fans; some of them leaving The MGM Grand before the fight ended. These people may be guilty of failing to appreciate a master at work, but fans want entertainment and, bottom line, there is no fighter out there capable of making Mayweather work hard enough for a thrilling, competitive fight to break out. Floyd is simply head and shoulders above everyone else at 147 and 154-pounds. It might be that Mayweather will have to take on a big name from the talent-rich 140-pound weight class soon.
(Photo credit: Naoki Fakuda) Almost without exception, the boxing experts pick Mayweather to win. Most say it will be by UD. That’s because they don’t see Mayweather getting reckless and take any unnecessary chances to win by kayo. They go right down the line and are forced to pick Little Money. Over the years Mayweather, Jr. has had a chance to grow into the weight class, so he will be stronger and more comfortable at the welterweight level.
He is used to fighting bigger men. This will be only the third time for Guerrero. There’s no argument when the experts go down the list of necessary skills and all the assets are on Mayweather’s side. He is faster. He is more skilled, both defensively and offensively. He is a great counter puncher. He can fight rough if he has to, using his elbows, and leverage to maneuver his man. He will take seize any moment of relaxation or careless Guerrero might provide.
(Photo credit: Naoki Fakuda) By Joseph Herron: As the world awaits the highly publicized Mayweather/Guerrero clash for the WBC Welterweight Championship, undefeated Welterweight prospect Benjamin Whitaker of San Antonio, Texas, gives Eastsideboxing.com his expert opinion of what fight fans should expect to see from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, this evening.
“I know most fight fans and boxing writers are expecting to see the usual brand of Mayweather dominance in the ring, but I see a much more competitive fight playing out tonight in Las Vegas,” claims the highly touted, Alamo City prospect. “Both men will be coming into the ring with a very confident frame of mind, which always makes for an entertaining scrap.”
Tonight, the world of boxing welcomes the return of P4P King, Floyd Mayweather. Another year away from the ring and a short incarceration stint will play their hand at leveraging what most consider to be sheer greatness. Whether or not the man across from him (Robert Guerrero) holds the key to exploit this possibility is another story. That question we can’t answer. What we can answer is the fact that between the calendar year of 2012 and current, something very interesting happened in the world of Boxing.
All the men who dominated the sport in close proximity to Mayweather saw things come to an abrupt end. Cotto, Pacquiao, Margarito, Williams, and Mosley were each ushered one by one to the doorstep of retirement. Some refuse to walk in, yet each clearly have one foot in, one foot out. Mayweather remains the last man standing of that golden era. Quickly, we take a look at the odds of him remaining that way beyond tonight: