Khan’s promoters at Golden Boy Promotions wanted him to fight Alexander in order to give Khan a chance to pick up his IBF 147 lb. title and show boxing fans that he would be a worthy opponent for Mayweather.
Khan’s trainer Virgil Hunter doesn’t know what Khan is going to do, but he feels that he’s going to need to dedicate himself fully to the sport if he wants to beat a talented fighter like Mayweather.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1-1, 32 KO’s) will likely look like a cruiserweight or a mini-heavyweight tonight when he steps inside the ring to face the much smaller and much lighter Brian Vera (23-6, 14 KO’s) in a fight that will be televised by HBO from the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, HBO Sports’ flagship boxing series, presents a dynamite split-site tripleheader headlined by the return of two of the sport’s biggest stars on SATURDAY, OCT. 5. The action begins at 3:30 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) with the heavyweight title fight WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO VS. ALEXANDER POVETKIN from SC Olimpiyskiy Arena in Moscow. Following a replay of the fight later that day at 9:45 p.m. (ET/PT), the doubleheader MIGUEL COTTO VS. DELVIN RODRIGUEZ AND TERENCE CRAWFORD VS. ANDREY KLIMOV will be presented from Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. (live ET/tape-delayed PT). The HBO Sports team will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.
Unbeaten KO artist Deontay Wilder will face experienced big guy Nicolai Firtha in his next pro outing, on the Bernard Hopkins-Karo Murat under-card at The Barclays Centre New York on October 26th.
Wilder, 29-0(29) is coming off that scary 1st-round destruction of former WBO heavyweight titlist Serhai Liakhovich and it will be interesting to see if he can keep his KO streak going against the 34-year-old who is both big and game.
Firtha, 21-10-1(8) is not a top-rated contender and his record is somewhat patchy, yet he has been in with some big names and acquitted himself well. Since being stopped (arguably prematurely) in the 5th-round by Tyson Fury in what was a sizzling slugfest while it lasted, Firtha has dropped a 12-round decision to Johnathon Banks (who went on to ruin Seth Mitchell via 2nd-round stoppage, before Banks lost the return via forgettable 12-round snoozer) and won a stay-busy six-rounder against Robert Hawkins.
During his casual media workout before the now drama riddled, 173 pound, non-title, ten round attraction, Austin, Texas, resident Bryan Vera told anxious media members in attendance at the Fortune Gym in Los Angeles, California, that it was just business as usual leading into what could be the most impactful bout of Vera’s nine year professional career this Saturday night when he finally squares off against a “heavily” favored Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
“I can only do what I can do,” stated a very relaxed Bryan Vera. “I can’t concern myself with the added drama that Chavez brings to the event. I have to stay focused, and hopefully give the fans a great fight on Saturday night.”
Most ringside observers are holding their collective breaths in anticipation for what could be a promotional meltdown on Friday, September 27th, during the customary pre-fight weigh in, which is slated to be held at 6PM EST/3PM PST later this afternoon inside the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California, if “La Estrella de la Noche” doesn’t make the abridged weight limit of 173 pounds.
Will we see the dramatic “Novella” come to an anticlimactic conclusion this afternoon on the scales?
This Saturday in Montreal the Bell Centre will be packed per usual and that loyal fan base will cheer and sing, O Canada until their blue in the face, for their guy Adonis “Superman” Stevenson when he is challenged for 175 supremacy by Tavoris Cloud.
Does Cloud have the skill set sharp enough to stop Stevenson’s reign in his first defense of his lineal title. A title that he ripped suddenly from Chad Dawson’s soul, leaving the former pound for pound fighter’s career in doubt after back to back knockout losses.
I mentioned a sharp skill set, more accurately it will likely be how rough he can make this fight on the inside, using his brute strength to wear down the champion enabling him to use his natural power and athleticism.
Unbeaten heavyweight contender Deontay Wilder (29-0, 29 KO’s) will be looking to pick up his 30th consecutive knockout against the always tough Nicolai Firtha (21-10-1, 8 KO’s) on October 26th at the Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. The Deontay-Firtha fight will be on the undercard of Bernard Hopkins vs. Kara Furat and Peter Quillin vs. Gabriel Rosado card.
At this point, the Wilder vs. Firtha fight might not be televised. However, boxing fans will no doubt get to see clips of the fight if that happens. It’s likely not going to last more than 1 round at best, so boxing fans won’t miss a lot by not being able to see the entire Deontay vs.Firtha fight, if Showtime chooses not to televise it.
LOS ANGELES (SEPTEMBER 26, 2013)—Below are quotes from Wednesday’s press conference in advance of Saturday’s Super Middleweight showdown between former WBC Middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and WBO #1 ranked Middleweight Bryan Vera that will take place at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
The show is promoted by Top Rank and Banner Promotions and will be televised LIVE on HBO’s Championship Boxing.
Bryan Vera (23-6, 14 KO’s)—“It has been the longest camp I have ever been in so I am not lying when I say I am in the best shape of my career.”
Arthur Pelullo—“Bryan knows he is fighting a great young fighter and it’s going to be a great night of boxing. We feel that Bryan will have an excellent night. When Bob Arum called me about the fight, Bryan didn’t blink an eyelash and said yes. He knew this could be a career changing fight. He wanted this fight from the get-go. He understands the formal task in front of him. He is a great fighter and he is coming to win the fight.”
First, former WBC, The Ring Magazine and lineal light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (22-2-1, 16 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time since defeating Aleksy Kuziemski last December. His opponent is American George “Honey Boy” Blades (23-4-2, 16 KOs). The last time the WBC #2-rated Pascal did not participate in the main bout of a major event was back in December of 2007, when he faced Brian Norman at the Bell Centre. Joachim Alcine then successfully defended his World Boxing Association (WBA) light middleweight title belt against Alfonso Mosquera in the main event.
After yesterday’s rescheduled date was announced as February 8th 2014 at the Phones 4 U Arena Manchester, following Haye’s withdrawal from the original September 28th date, Tyson Fury gave this reaction:
“I’m so glad to have this fight rescheduled – in my opinion, he’s a classless prima donna, a diva, a no good wannabe Bollywood actor and I can’t wait to put him in his place,” Tyson said.
“There’s lots of honest and hard working people in this world and I believe I’m going to punish and poleaxe this money grabbing cry baby for all of them – he’s getting knocked spark out!