Month: February 2013

Pacquiao vs. Marquez V: “Don’t Play It Again, Sam”

pac53By Marc Livitz: Popular sentiment does not always equal undeniable proof.

Quite often, results can create an aura of their own, and through the course of time, the memories become distorted and the truth is stretched. History gives way to legends and sometimes on to myth. The three hundred defeated the one hundred thousand or so, Saint George killed the dragon, and William Wallace was eight feet in height. These and many more are unlikely episodes yet they are padded by time and tradition.

Boxing cannot as a sport and pastime allow itself to permit the shocking to trump the significant. Earlier this weekend, ESPN aired a replay of the noteworthy and now perhaps in the ranks of fireside chat happenings of December 8, 2012.

Did all time great Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez save fifty people from a burning building? Not exactly. He did what most of us hadn’t anticipated, which of course was to knock Manny Pacquiao across the next three dimensions.

The sixth round knockout cleared the argument in regard to the nonsensical pound for pound debate. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. clearly sat upon the throne, although many would argue that perhaps Marquez or Andre Ward held the rights upon which to take off the load. Boxing in 2012 had its fair share of upsets and horrific displays of ringside judging.

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Will Rees have a ‘Problem?’

By J.D: February 16th at the Boardwalk Hall Atlantic City will see Gavin ‘The Rock’ Rees (37-1-1 18 ko’s) lock horns with WBC Lightweight Champion Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner (25-0-0 21 ko’s).
Rees has been given little chance by many of upsetting the odds, but as a former world champion at Light Welterweight and the current European and most recently crowned British Champion of the lightweight division has he perhaps been written off too soon as just another learning curve for the highly touted Broner?

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Donaire vs. Rigondeaux: Nonito in risky fight on 4/13

rigondeaux4By Jeff Sorby: WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KO’s) is finally facing a quality fighter in WBA World super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KO’s) on April 13th in New York. Rigondeaux is expected to sign shortly, and the fight will then likely take place in New York at Madison Square Garden.

The southpaw Rigondeaux potentially has the talent to give Donaire a lot of problems due to his power, speed, counter punching ability and defensive skills. Donaire defeated Jorge Arce, Toshiaki Nishioka, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and Jeffrey Mathebula in 2012. Some boxing experts thought Arce and Nishioka were going to be tough tests for Donaire, but they ended up being badly over-matched in losing by knockouts.

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Saul Alvarez to fight on May 4th in Las Vegas, Nevada

alvarez1By Bill Phanco: WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KO’s) is set to fight on the Floyd Mayweather Jr. undercard on May 4th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 22-year-old Canelo doesn’t have an opponent as of yet, but could see him in against WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout. He’s the only fighter that has been consistently mentioned for Canelo, and it’s kind of a situation where if Canelo doesn’t face him he’ll take major heat from the boxing world.

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Andy Lee’s stock drops in win over Fitzgerald

lee6By Kevin Chittenden: Middleweight contender Andy Lee (29-2, 20 KO’s) looked like a shell of his former self last Saturday night in having to really battle hard against a fighter that he would have likely blown out a year ago in Anthony Fitzgerald (13-4, 4 KO’s).

The 28-year-old Lee defeated Fitzgerald by a 10 round decision, but it was far from easy. Lee’s former trainer, the legendary Emanuel Steward, passed away last October, leaving Lee having to start over with a new trainer after having been with Steward for many years.

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Hearn steering Frampton towards IBF or WBC titles; Quigg believes he’ll fight him soon

frampton22By Michael Collins: Eddie Hearn of Mathroom Sport is positioning his fighter EBU super bantamweight champion Carl Frampton (16-0, 11 KO’s) towards the vacant IBF and WBC 122 pound titles, and away from the WBA and WBO champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Nonito Donaire following Frampton’s 9th round TKO win over former EBU super bantamweight champion Kiko Martinez last Saturday night in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Quigg, the interim WBA super bantamweight champion, was at the fight last night and he believes he’ll get a shot against Frampton eventually.

Quigg told Sky Sports News “It’s going to happen. They [Frampton & Hearn] are talking about getting an IBF shot or a WBC shot, if there’s a world title on the line then it would be even bigger. But the fight will definitely happen. I want it and he wants it. It’s got to happen. The public wants it.”

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Ricky Burns: Vazquez is the toughest opponent of my career

burns4By Michael Collins: WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (35-2, 10 KO’s) believes he’s going to be in a real tough one on March 16th against IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez (33-3, 10 KO’s) at the Wembley Arena in London, England. Burns has the home advantage of sorts given that he’s from the UK while Vazquez is from Mexico, but he still expects it to be a tough fight.

Burns said to Sky Sports “It’s the toughest fight of my career with two world titles on the line. He’s not the world champion for nothing. When you look at his record, he’s only lost to two fighters at the top of their game. I know myself it’s a tough ask, but I’m going to be really bring it. He’s going to bring out the best in me. He’s the fight I’ve always wanted, so I’m looking forward to it.”

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Frampton TKO’s Martinez in 9th round; Lee decisions Fitzgerald; Selby defeats Lindsay

frampton4By Jeff Sorby: After a shaky start in the first three rounds tonight, Carl Frampton (16-0, 11 KO’s) came on strong to dominate and stop EBU super bantamweight champion Kiko Martinez (27-4, 19 KO’s) by a 9th round TKO at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Martinez ran into a right hand from Frampton in the 9th that put him down. The fight was then halted after Martinez got back to his feet but was too hurt to continue. Frampton spent much of the fight moving around the ring, clinching, ducking below the waist, and trying to avoid the pressure from Martinez.

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Exclusive interview with Sakio Bika

bika33by Dan Emicus:

How did you get into boxing?

I started boxing when I was 13 years old. I hurt my knee when I was playing soccer and swapped over to boxing. I went to a boxing Academy in Cameroon and the winners were getting prizes. I started winning, I started getting prizes and haven’t stopped since!

You were born in Cameroon, yet relocated to Australia by the time you embarked on your professional career. Was this due to boxing not being as popular in Cameroon, or is there more to it than that?

Boxing is popular in Cameroon, but only in the amateur system. Not professional boxing. The Government looks after the amateur program very well. From equipment and money to spend, through to the prizes I mentioned. When it’s time to turn professional there is nothing though, no opportunities.

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Campbell vs. Bizier: Twilight for the Galaxxy Warrior?

By John G. Thompson: This Friday at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Nate “The Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell (36-9-1, 26 KO’s, 1 NC) faces Kevin Bizier (19-0, 13 KO’s), a relative unknown to US boxing fans, but none the less he is an undefeated fighter in his prime, fighting in his home town, with a two inch (5 cm) height advantage, a six inch (15 cm) reach advantage, and proven knockout power. The “Galaxxy Warrior” is a former lightweight champion, but now at age 40 and having only won three of his last eight bouts, how much does Campbell have left?

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