Freddie Roach would watch Pacquiao vs. Provodnikov on TV from home

05/29/2014 Vitali Shaposhnikov

It is no secret that most, if not all boxing trainers would prefer not have their fighters face each other. Aside from having the difficulty of choosing which one to train, it is a mental burden knowing that you could have potentially ended one of your own client’s careers.

The idea of Ruslan Provodnikov vs. Manny Pacquiao has been slowly gaining ground, although no official talks ever taken place. Still, the two explosive styles would most certainly make a crowd friendly event. It would most likely turn out to be a non-stop action from bell to bell, with one of the fighters probably leaving the arena with a KO loss on their record.

Carl Froch v George Groves 2: The Rematch Is Here!

05/29/201405/29/2014 John Wight

The most anticipated fight in British boxing in decades is upon us. On Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London, Carl Froch and George Groves will climb into the ring in front of 80,000 spectators, with millions watching on television not only in Britain but around the world.

Not since the Eubank v Benn rematch at Old Trafford in 1993 has a domestic boxing rivalry generated this much excitement. Frank Bruno’s heavyweight clash with Lennox Lewis at Cardiff Arms Park, again in 1993, is also up there, but in terms of scale and magnitude, Carl Froch v George Groves exceeds both.

Photos: Miguel Cotto Los Angeles Media Day

05/29/201405/29/2014 HBO Boxing

May 28, 2014, Hollywood,Ca — Three-time world champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico works out with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach during media day Wednesday at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood for his eagerly-anticipated World Middleweight Championship collision against WBC world Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez from Argentina.

Promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions, Top Rank®, DiBella Entertainment and Sampson Boxing, in association with Maravilla Box, Tecate and Madison Square Garden, the Cotto – Martínez World Middleweight Championship event will take place on Saturday, June 7, at the “Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden and is produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

LIVE! Froch vs Groves 2 – The Weigh-In LIVE from Wembley Arena

06/01/201405/29/2014 HBO Boxing

Official Weights from London:

Carl Froch: 167.9 lbs.
George Groves: 166.4 lbs.

Saturday’s HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins at 4:00 p.m. (ET/PT) with a world featherweight title fight (Vetyeka vs. Donaire) from Macau. The main event of the day live at 4:45 p.m. (ET/PT) features a highly anticipated 12-round title rematch between super middleweight title-holder Carl Froch and top contender and arch-rival George Groves.

American boxing fans can catch a highly anticipated UK rematch and a title fight from Macau when HBO BOXING AFTER DARK®: CARL FROCH VS. GEORGE GROVES II AND SIMPIWE VETYEKA VS. NONITO DONAIRE is seen SATURDAY, MAY 31 at 4:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The HBO Sports team will be calling both events, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino. Other HBO playdates: June 1 (8:30 a.m.) and 3 (1:00 a.m.) – HBO2 playdates: June 1 (3:15 p.m.) and 2 (11:00 p.m.)

Hey Floyd, Manny! Remember when Wladimir Klitschko called out David Haye on YouTube?

05/29/201405/29/2014 Alexander Caldwell

Remember when heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko called out David Haye in a YouTube video? You remember David Haye, right? He was the polite-sounding, trash-talking, loud-mouth, who was packing a glass toe, and literally talked himself into the heavyweight spotlight without really doing much of anything to actually earn it. Sure, Haye picked up an ABC strap when he squeaked by Nikolai Valuev with an uneventful majority decision victory over the faded aging behemoth. But even before that happened, Haye had already talked himself into title contention by using nothing more than his big loud mouth. It was brilliant! An amazing demonstration of successful self-promotion, the likes of which hasn’t been matched by any other boxer in recent years. And it worked too, even if he did bail out of fights with each Klitschko brother before targeting easier prey in Valuev, for his silly alphabet title trinket that few true fight fans even recognized. It was genius on the part of Haye.

Are Mayweather & Pacquiao hoping Cotto beats Martinez?

05/28/201405/28/2014 Alexander Caldwell

Miguel Cotto’s chances against Sergio Martinez are probably slim. Martinez is likely too big and too skilled for Cotto, who never really shined at any point during his campaign north of 147. Cotto has had an exceptional boxing career and is surely a first ballot future HOF’er, but he is clearly on the downside and Martinez has the type of style that will befuddle Cotto. The boxing pride of Puerto Rico is biting off more than he can chew. If Martinez’s stamina is even close to what we are accustomed to seeing from him, this fight could be an absolute nightmare for Cotto where he endures a prolonged beating and may not even survive to see the final bell.

But who knows? This is boxing and one punch can change a fight, right? Maybe Martinez will show his age. Perhaps his long career has taken its toll and recent injuries will impact his performance. Or maybe Freddie Roach will have a magical ace up his sleeve, or perhaps Cotto will even have something left in the tank for a change over the last few rounds should he make it that far. There is even the possibility of a freak accident, a bad/controversial decision, or a botched call by the referee. Anything can happen in boxing, so maybe we shouldn’t be too quick to write Cotto off just yet.

Peace Through Fighting: The Humanity of Boxing

05/28/201405/28/2014 Bill Barner

“Boxing is a science that adds humanity to a peoples’ conduct & courage to their national character. With boxing, trifling quarrels do not produce assassination and revenge is never finished by murder.” Pierce Egan, 1820

“Boxing is egalitarian. In the ring, rank, age, colour and wealth are irrelevant.” Nelson Mandela

“Politics is comparable to boxing. The only thing is that in politics there are basically no rules. In boxing, you can get a black eye, but in politics you can get poison in your food or a bullet in the head.” Wladimir Klitchko

“In here were two guys killing each other. But I guess that’s better than million.” Sylvester Stallone, Rocky IV.

Canelo-Lara Full Undercard Set For July 12 On Showtime PPV

05/28/201405/27/2014 Showtime Boxing

LAS VEGAS (May 27, 2014) – The hottest fight of the summer of 2014 deserves a sizzling undercard, and Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME PPV are pleased to announce the three bouts that will support the main event featuring Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara on Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In the co-main event, former three-division world champion Abner Mares returns to face Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo in a 10-round featherweight bout. In the SHOWTIME PPV opening bout, Johan Perez defends his interim WBA Junior Welterweight World Championship against Mauricio Herrera in s 12-round match up.

Matthew Saad Muhammad Obit – Matthew: You Gave Us Everything You Had!

05/28/201405/27/2014 Peltz Boxing

Matthew Saad Muhammad, perhaps the most entertaining light-heavyweight in boxing history, passed away over the weekend at the age of 59. Promoter J Russell Peltz, International Boxing Hall of Fame class of 2004, recalls his days with Saad.

Matthew: You Gave Us Everything You Had!

I was in my car Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh with my wife, Linda, and our grand-children and we were on our way to see the Pirates play at PNC Park when the call came in over the car-phone speaker. It was Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, calling from Las Vegas, to tell us that Matthew Saad Muhammad had passed away the night before.

Eddie boxed several times for me in the 1970s and 1980s and we have a friendship based on mutual respect. Eddie has become a keeper-of-the-flame for the fighters of his era and in January, 2011, he and his wife flew from Las Vegas to Philadelphia to attend Bennie Briscoe’s funeral, something I will never forget.

Bernd Boente suggests Klitschko vs. Stiverne for the sake of history

05/28/201405/27/2014 Vitali Shaposhnikov

For the heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, finding a formidable foe which not only fits contractual parameters but pleases the fans as well is no easy task.

While Wladimir steps inside the ring on a regular basis, his opposition is not always as exciting and competitive as we would like.

Lately, boxing fans have been asking for Klitschko vs. Kubrat Pulev, and while there have been some rumors surrounding the possibility of this fight happening, it seems as though team Klitschko would rather face Bermane Stiverne.

“The only reason that Wladimir wants to face Stiverne instead of Pulev, is because he wants to make history.