Ola Afolabi will challenge Poland’s Lukasz Janik for the vacant International Boxing Organization’s Cruiserweight World Title on Saturday, NOVEMBER 2 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden, announced Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions. The Afolabi/Janik 12-round clash will be part of MONSTERS COLLIDE, the Middleweight World Title Clash between boxing’s fastest rising star, WBA/IBO Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and world ranked contender Curtis Stevens.
Month: October 2013
Sav’s View- Fantasy Matchups a worthwhile debate?
Throughout the history of boxing there has been so many great fighters, some that have been around at the same time, and some that have just missed each other by only a few years. Not content with the careers these great fighters have had many people often question what would happen if Fighter X took on Fighter Y both at their peaks.
Given the recent victory by Floyd Mayweather over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez so many fantasy matchups were made with Mayweather constantly coming out on top. So many forum threads were created pitching Mayweather against true legends of the business from Sugar Ray Robinson to Sugar Ray Leonard to Pernell Whitaker.
Money Mayweather vs the Problem: Made by the Greatest Promoters of All Time
There has been a lot of speculation about who Moneys’ next opponent will be. The name of Danny Garcia has propped up along with Bradley, if he gets past Marquez. Sergio Martinez and even GGG has been mentioned. Danny will put up a game fight and so would Bradley, but they are no match for Money. Sergio would give Money fits in an entertaining fight but Money would most likely win this. GGG, I dont even see as an option, too strong, too big, too much.
There has however been one name that many would like to see but dare not to mention, sort of like cosa nostra, so no one goes there. Thats Broner aka The Problem. He is the mini me of Floyd and is lining himself up to take over the spot once Floyd leaves it, which by most accounts wont be too long. Either he steps aside or will be pushed aside. Its the law of the jungle. With the exception of Hagler, Lennox and Calzaghe, most champs dont step aside, they get beat aside. It’s the figher in them that doesn’t know when to quit, and that limelight, fans and ambiance is more addictive than any narcotic.
Bradley/Marquez Officials Announced
World Boxing Organization (WBO), by president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel, announced today the referees and judges who will work this Saturday, October 12, in the title bouts between Timothy Bradley against Juan Manuel Marquez and Orlando Salido versus Orlando Cruz, to be held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a Top Rank presentation.
Gone In Sixty Seconds! – Marianne Marston Stops Lazar In One
On Friday night at York Hall in London, TRAD TKO Gym’s Marianne Marston made very short work of her fight with Katalina Lazar, stopping the Romanian late replacement in just sixty seven seconds of the first round.
In front of a highly partisan crowd, that included a large contingent of fans from her favourite football team, Arsenal, Marianne put on yet another sensational performance.
From the off Marianne and Katalina exchanged stiff jabs, then around the twenty second mark Marianne switched focus to the body, letting rip with a vicious hook to the body, with the wind knocked out of her Katalina had no option but to take to one knee.
Katalina managed to make it to her feet just as referee Ken Curtis reached the nine count.
Left-Hook Lounge: Miguel Cotto, Wladimir Klitschko, Felix Verdejo, & More!!!
Jesus Q. (Brooklyn, NYC): Last Saturday night was a great night of action for Puerto Rico in the world of Boxing. How did you rate the performances of Miguel Cotto and Felix Verdejo?
Vivek W. (ESB): I watched Cotto’s domination with a very strong enthusiasm for what I felt was a solid performance. I thought he showed aggression on a level some didn’t know still existed, and I thought his dedication to the double jab and body work were a thing of beauty. That being said, I’d quickly caution anyone out there who even thinks for a second that this was even a remote indication of what we can expect from him on a higher level. If you want to rate his opponent with any accuracy, ask yourself how many “benchmark” fights take place on the elite level with men who enter the ring with more than 3 career losses? It happens, but very rarely at the elite level, and practically none in fighters under the age of 33.
Fight Report: York Hall, London October 4th – Retzke Crowned Champ, Impressive Victories For Prince, Weaver, Marston
Over the years I’ve been to some of the biggest and most extravagant World Championship events both in America and Europe, I’ve also attended hundreds of small hall shows and can’t deny that I get a buzz from them all, even those with dubious over matching, but I’ve never been emotionally blown away like I was on Friday night.
Why, well for a start Mark Prince’s return was a major factor for my emotional state and I’m sure it was for many others in attendance.
Mark had returned to the fray to raise awareness of, and funds for, the Kiyan Prince foundation – www.kiyan.org – which is a charitable trust that Mark had created in memory of his murdered son Kiyan, a talented footballer.
Another factor was former Big Brother star, Angel McKenzie, finally getting to challenge for a World title here in the UK, after various attempts abroad.
Arum wants Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez next year in June at Giants Stadium
Cotto hasn’t decided yet, and he’s going to think it over and look at all the options has available to him. Whether Martinez is the best fight he can get is unclear.
If Cotto can get a fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. or former WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez then that would be by far the better fight than to face the arguably much less popular Martinez.
A rematch with Mayweather is something that Cotto has already said he wants, and he should be looking to stay in the running for that fight instead of moving up to middleweight to fight a bigger fighter like Sergio.
Sanchez thinks Golovkin can face Mayweather or Cotto
Once Stevens is out of the way, Sanchez wants Golovkin to face Mayweather or Cotto. He believes that Golovkin can down to 154 to face either of them as long as he has a full 8 week training camp to trim down.
Sanchez said to RingTV “Gennedy came into camp weighing 167 before training, so it would be just a matter of getting enough time to get down to 154…we would start losing some of the weight that we have to earlier…it’s just a matter of having the time to do it.”
Kovalev vs. Sillakh possible for November 30th on HBO
WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1, 20 KO’s) could be facing fringe contender Ismayl Sillakh (21-1, 17 KO’s) for his first title defense on HBO on November 30th, according to Dan Rafael. It’s still definite but it’s of the names being mentioned for the 30-year-old Kovalev.
The light heavyweight division has less than impressive contenders, so this might be about as good as it gets unless Kovalev faces Nathan Cleverly again. We already saw how much of a mismatch that fight was with Kovalev stopping Cleverly in 4 rounds last August.
Sillakh’s stock has really dropped since he was stopped by Denis Grachev in the 8th round last year in April. Sillakh was winning the fight handily when he got nailed by a big right hand from Grachev in the 8th round, and then taken out with a flurry of punches.