By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones – Former three-division World Champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (27-1, 22 KOs) held an open workout today at the Bald Eagle Boxing Annex (DC) in preparation for his May 3rd showdown against Carlos Molina (17-1-1, 7 KOs).
The 10-round Junior Welterweight bout, which is part of the Mayweather vs. Maidana (SHOWTIME PPV®) undercard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (NV), marks the return of Broner, 24, after losing to Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (35-3, 31 KOs) last December.
This Saturday night from the fan friendly StubHub Center in Carson California, yet another Golden Boy Promotions Tripleheader will broadcasted by Showtime Sports.
The card has recognizable names in what some boxing fans, many media members, and all the betting websites, have labeled as showcase type action fights that will surely be a boom or bust on social media Saturday night.
As a team in 2013, Richard Schafer, Stephan Espinoza, and who else Al Haymon, saw increased ratings, huge PPV numbers, and quality fights that produced a banner year. Showtime has put all their chips in fueling the sport of boxing and creating real competition with HBO.
ABOUT THE FIGHTERS
Omar Figueroa became the WBC Lightweight Champion on July 27, 2013 after winning a unanimous decision against Japanese champion Nihito Arakawa in Figueroa’s home state of Texas. The bout was a 12-round, brutal but fan-friendly fight that resulted in both fighters taking the rest of 2013 off.
A hand injury suffered in his bout against Arakawa forced Figueroa to withdraw from his scheduled March title defense against Canelo Alvarez’s older brother, Ricardo Alvarez. This led to Figueroa scheduling an April 26, 2014 bout against former amateur boxing rival Jerry Belmontes.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been in the sport of boxing going on 18 years now but has been boxing all his life. He has fought in multiple weight classes against many fighters who will one day be inducted into the hall of fame. He is widely considered to be the pound for pound king of boxing. Floyd was asked about what he thought about Bernard Hopkins calling him out to face off in the ring, and he believes that everyone is trying to hit the jackpot and fight him. He is highest paid athlete in the sport and make no mistake everyone in the sport wants the opportunity to dethrone the king.
Mayweather is very conscious of this which is why he trains the way he does. He makes it known that he never overlooks an opponent. Every person he faces in that squared circle has the potential to destroy his plans of becoming the best to ever lace up the gloves. People who have seen Mayweather train say that he trains like a man who hasn’t made a dime yet, even though his career has earned him hundreds of millions. He acknowledges that all the young stars want to be in his current position so they are coming full force to knock his head off.
He’s at ease dodging competition for the basic reason that, whoever he handpicks as an opponent, there are those who pay to watch his fights enough to make him richer every time, by several millions of U.S. dollars.
Thus, Floyd Mayweather Jr. may retire without fighting Manny Pacquiao or any prime boxer in Floyd’s level who has a potential to beat him. Thus, he doesn’t feel obliged to compete in boxing considering boxing is a sport, not a vaudeville show. Thus, King Floyd continues to sit atop his throne to rule the sport and everyone involved in it.
Kudos, who shares the blame?
Light welterweight, Gabriel Duluc (8-1, 1KO) will look to get 2014 off to a good start as he headlines the main event at the Dorchester Armory in Dorchester, Massachusetts this Saturday, April 26th in a six round bout against experienced veteran, Josh “Steamin” Beeman (5-15, 2KOs).
Duluc suffered an extremely controversial loss in his last outing against Jonathan Perez. He was knockdown at the end of the first round but was up well before the ten count ended and ready to fight, yet referee, Leo Gerstel stopped the bout, giving Perez the technical knockout victory and handed Duluc his first professional loss.
As much as I’d like to see Alex Leapai become the first Australian in history to win the Heavyweight title, he has some task to overcome in Wladimir Klitschko.
Klitschko has been undefeated since 2004 and his resume lists a host of former World Champions including Samuel Peter, Chris Byrd, Lamon Brewster, Hasim Rahman, Ruslan Chagaev, Jean Marc Mormeck, Alexander Povetkin and David Haye.
Boxing experts are give Leapai a “punchers chance” of victory , meaning that given his destructive power, if the Australian lands flush, there’s a good chance that he’ll knock Klitschko out.
The big problem is landing that punch.
The Argentine kingpin knows gaining victory over Mayweather will be the biggest scalp of all despite the fact that both Maidana’s WBA welterweight title and the undefeated Michigan magician’s WBC belt are on the line.
The explosive 30-year-old, with 31 knockouts in his 35 wins, is adamant he will shock the world, causing the biggest upset since James ‘Buster’ Douglas’ overcame Mike Tyson nearly 25 years ago, when the duo clash at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 3rd.
“I am a champion and I am ready to fight for my title. Most importantly, I am preparing to beat Mayweather. The last thing that I’m worried about is my title. I want to just train and beat Mayweather,” said Maidana, whose fight is live on BoxNation.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER, 10-Time World Champion
“In 18 years I haven’t brought my best out yet. Being around the sport for so long, I have a lot of experience. I’ve boxed my whole life. I’ve never worked a job.
“As I get older I want to settle down and be with my family. I’ve had enough fun.
“It feels good to be in camp. Everyone on the team is ready to go out and do what we do best.
“This is a give and take type of sport. Al Haymon has done a good job. Leonard Ellerbe has done a good job. Now it’s time for me to go out and do what I do.
NEW YORK CITY (April 22, 2014) – Photo by Tom Casino / Showtime – Former WBA Welterweight World Champion and current WBA International Welterweight Champion Luis Collazo spent the afternoon of his birthday speaking with reporters about what he calls the “highest plateau that one can fight on.” Collazo, who turned 33-years-old today, will face former unified world champion Amir “King” Khan in the co-main event of “THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana” on Saturday, May 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas live on SHOWTIME PPV®.
Collazo opened up about his spirituality, work ethic and excitement for this chance of a lifetime taking place in less than two weeks. Below is a selection of Collazo’s thoughts ahead of his fight against Khan.