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Abel Sanchez: “A third fight between Marco Huck and Ola Afolabi is coming” – Huck/Afolabi 3

Ola Afolabi vs Marco HuckBy Joseph Herron – With the prospect of Denis Lebedev defending his WBA Cruiserweight title against former Heavyweight title challenger “Fast” Eddie Chambers in 2013, many fight scribes and boxing fans alike have been pondering the possibility of potential opponents for WBO Champion Marco Huck.

Trainer Abel Sanchez recently visited “The Pugilist KOrner” and made an intriguing declaration concerning the hard punching German based title holder.

“My fighter, Ola Afolabi, will be facing Marco Huck for a third time on March 2nd in Germany,” insists Big Bear Lake based fight trainer. “I just spoke with Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions and he stated that the deal is 99.9% completed.”

Seven months ago, the two powerful Cruisers met in the ring for a second time and treated the fight fans in attendance to an entertaining slugfest and fight of the year candidate. Because the competitive sequel ended with an inconclusive majority draw verdict, most die-hard fight fans have been clamoring for third pairing between Huck and Afolabi.

Abel Sanchez is hoping that a third fight will indeed be the charm for Ola Afolabi.

“Both previous fights were very competitive and entertaining. So it just makes sense to do it again. The first bout resulted in a very close win for Huck, and the second was an entertaining majority draw. So hopefully the third bout will finally end in my fighter’s favor.”

“Fast” Eddie Chambers graciously accepts Denis Lebedev’s post-fight challenge

chambers54353By Joseph Herron – On December 17th, at the Crocus City Hall in Myakinino, Russia, WBA Cruiserweight Champion Denis Lebedev (25-1, 19 KOs) impressively dispatched Santander Silgado in just four rounds, giving the fight fans in attendance a devastating knock-out of the year candidate to remember.

After the successful title defense, the hard punching Russian fighter precariously issued a post-fight challenge to perennial Heavyweight contender turned Cruiserweight pugilist, “Fast” Eddie Chambers (36-3, 18 KOs).

The versatile Philly based fighter recently appeared on this week’s edition of “The Pugilist KOrner’s: Weekend Wrap” to graciously accept Mr. Lebedev’s proposal.

“The idea of competing for the WBA Cruiserweight Championship in my first bout within this talented division sounds awesome,” admits Eddie Chambers. “I didn’t think most Cruisers would want to give me the opportunity right away, but I guess my body of work in the Heavyweight division precedes me.”

Although the 30 year old fight veteran is a little surprised about being targeted by a current title holder, “Fast” Eddie can see why a hungry and driven fighter like Denis Lebedev would pursue a former Heavyweight title challenger.

Today’s Heavyweights: Breaking Down The Best Young Guns In The U.S – Wilder, Jennings, Arreola, Hanks, Scott, Banks, Mitchell, Hamer

004WildervsPriceIMG_4870By James Slater, pohoto by Tom Casino/Showtime – Astonishingly, America has not been able to lay claim to even a portion of the heavyweight championship of the world for over half a decade. For not since Shannon Briggs lost his WBO title to Sultan Ibragimov in early 2007 has America – once the superpower of heavyweight boxing – held a major crown in the sport’s one-time glamour weight class.

Today, at the end of what has been an eventful 2012 for the young guns that might, just might be able to regain the prestigious championship, there are a handful of talented, hard working big men who, both individually and as a group of contenders, aim to bring the titles back home. At one point, for a good year or so, former linebacker turned heavyweight contender Seth Mitchell was looked at as the top dog, yet this young heavyweight was recently blasted out inside a couple of wild rounds by experienced Klitschko sparring partner and former cruiserweight title challenger Johnathon Banks.

Mitchell and Banks will meet again in February, but most good judges feel former Emanuel Steward-coached Banks, no slouch of a fighter, will repeat the win. But as dangerous and as durable as Banks is (unbeaten as a heavy, beaten just once as a cruiser), the former Kronk pupil will not be the man to end the reign of the mighty Klitschkos. Banks has more or less said he will not even try to land a fight with either sibling; so close to them is he (even adopting the role of head trainer for Wladimir, since the sad passing of Steward). Banks prefers a shot at “regular” WBA boss Alexander Povetkin. If he can topple the unbeaten Russian, Banks will no doubt get a hero’s welcome in the U.S, even if he will only have won a dubious at best version of the world title (everyone knows Wladimir is the REAL WBA champ).

So which of the other young (or youngish) and unbeaten (or close to it) U.S heavies are worth investing hope on when it comes to achieving world domination?

The Legacy of Emanuel Steward Part 6: Perspective from Tarick Salmaci

The Legacy of Emanuel Steward Part 6: Perspective from Tarick Salmaci

“So his selflessness—that’s what I’ll remember most is his selflessness. I remember that most, and he always made us feel like we were something, and we always wanted to impress him as kids.”—Tarick Salmaci

Exclusive Interview by Geoffrey Ciani – This is Part Six of an ongoing series dedicated to the memory and legacy of an remarkable individual, Emanuel Steward, whose contributions to the world of boxing are simply extraordinary. In this installment, former Kronk fighter Tarick Salmaci shares his views and some of his unique experiences growing up in the Kronk Gym throughout his childhood. Here is a complete transcript of my discussion with Tarick:

GEOFFREY CIANI: Tarick, it was a big loss for the boxing world, especially the Kronk community, when we lost an exceptional individual when Emanuel Steward passed away. As someone who had the opportunity to work with Emanuel, what are your personal views on his personal impact on the world of boxing?

TARICK SALMACI: Good question. I think he’ll always be a part of boxing. He’s part of the game. He’ll always be part of the game. He helped make boxing what it is as far as training world champions, being involved in all these mega fights he was involved in throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s, and current. It’s just when it comes to boxing he’s a legend. That’s a given right there.

CIANI: Can you tell the fans out there a little bit about what it was like the first time that you worked with Emanuel?

SALMACI: Let me start by saying that Emanuel, I mean I first met him when I was 11 years old. So I kind of grew up around Emanuel, and from the first time meeting him as a kid he always made you feel important. You know what I mean? That’s one thing he always did, and I noticed that as a kid. He made us feel important, and we always tried to impress him. I mean we were like 11 and 12 years old, here we are, kids from the ghetto, and this man would take us. We were young kids! And with Emanuel this was like the 80s. So he was already on top of his game. He would pick us up and take us to the most expensive restaurant in Detroit. There was a steakhouse called “Carl’s Chop House”, and he’d take about 14 or 15 of us there randomly. Every month, every couple of months, he would take us all there to experience something we never experienced before.

Team Oquendo Wants a Showdown with Magomed Abdusalamov

Oquendo WBC Convention Cancunby Pavel Yakovlev, photo: Carlos Baeza – Fres Oquendo is ready for action, and his team is eyeing a showdown with power-punching Magomed Abdusalamov. Recently, Sampson Lewkowicz – Abdusalamov’s promoter — offered to match his fighter with any contender for “a sum of one dollar.” Oquendo’s manager Tom Tsatas is interested. “We accept, but because both guys are so high in the ratings, we want to make it an eliminator for the WBC’s #2 spot,” said Tsatas. “The winner will be in line for a title fight.”

Oquendo definitely wants the bout. “If they can make this fight, it will be a great Christmas gift for me,” he said. “I’ve seen Mago. He’s very strong. He has devastating power. He’s good, but I’m on a higher level. If I beat Mago, my next shot will be against Klitschko.”

In the latest WBC ratings, Oquendo is ranked 12th and Abdusalamov is 10th. Oquendo, a world-rated heavyweight for most of the past decade, has fought twice for world championships. He won three fights this year and has a record of 35-7 (23 KO’s). Abdusalamov, whose record is 16-0 (16 KO’s), is a former two time Russian amateur champion. The 31-year-old Dagestani is known for his pulverizing power: ten of his KO’s have come in the first round. Recently, Abdusalamov stopped former top contender Jameel McCline in two rounds.

Skipp Scott Interview: “I Want KO’s!”

photoBy James Slater: Houston’s very own heavyweight hope Skipp “Strictly Business” Scott is set for his next fight on January 10th. The 6’8” giant, last seen scoring a 1st-round KO back in May to improve his record to an impressive 15-1(10) will face the experienced Kertson Manswell of Trinidad and Tobago, and Skipp says he wants to “make a statement” in the Lou Savarese-promoted bout that will kick off 2013.

Here, Skipp speaks about his upcoming fight with “The Warrior:”

James Slater: You will be back in action in January, correct, Skipp?

Skipp Scott: That’s correct, yes.

J.S: And do you know who you will be fighting, and where?

Wladimir Klitschko – Alexander Povetkin On Collision Course

KlitschkoBanks001_PublicAddressby Richard Smith: Not for the first time, heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko and fellow Olympic champion Alexander Povetkin are rumoured to be a on a collision course. Ordinarily, a fight between the dominant champion of the era and an unbeaten Olympic gold medalist would be a thrilling prospect. Instead, even if the fight finally takes place, its lustre will have dimmed considerably since the matchup was first proposed in 2008.

Four years ago, Povetkin was coming off consecutive victories over former Vitali Klitschko conqueror Chris Byrd and undefeated prospect Eddie Chambers. From that point on, his career stagnated. In fact, it was Chambers who would ultimately get a shot at Wladimir, suffering a 12th round stoppage defeat in March 2010. Meanwhile, Povetkin was picking up victories over such boxing notables as Taurus Sykes, Leo Nolan and Teke Oruh. Since claiming the vacant WBA ‘regular’ title with victory over Ruslan Chagaev in 2011, his most exciting win came over Marco Huck, a cruiserweight.

Nonito Donaire: “With the style that I’ve developed, anyone will fall”

donaire2334By Joseph Herron — After annihilating five-division world titlist Jorge Arce this past Saturday night at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, boxing fans around the world are anxious to see who Nonito Donaire will step in the ring with in 2013.

Most fight fans and boxing scribes have been clamoring for a Super Bantamweight showdown with WBC title holder Abner Mares or WBA champ Guillermo Rigondeaux. While the matchmaking for Donaire has most recently been decided by boxing manager extraordinaire Cameron Dunkin and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, “The Filipino Flash” claims that he is and always has been ready to take on the best fighters in boxing.

“As much as you want to fight someone, sometimes it just doesn’t happen in the boxing industry. It’s really not up to you unless you’re a Pacquiao or a Mayweather,” insists Nonito Donaire. “At this point in my career, I just tell my handlers that I want to fight this guy, and they see if they can make it happen.”

“If it’s not possible at the time, then they just send over the contract that says you’re fighting this person or that person. If they place Mares or Rigondeaux on that dotted line next to my name, then that’s who I’ll meet in the ring. That’s the way it usually is with me. It doesn’t matter who it is. If your name is on the contract, then that’s who I’m going to fight. It’s just a blessing to be able to fight as often as I have been.”