The congressman needs no introduction while Algieri came out of the blue for most fans. “Real Rocky” came to attention by outpointing “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov by a controversial SD after Algieri was floored twice in the 1st round. This is the only big name in his record and based on his performance in that bout, Chris is in over his head with Pacman.
An IBF super middleweight elimination bout between 168-pound contender Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell (23-1, 16 KOs), of Flint, Mich., and veteran spoiler Derek “The Black Lion” Edwards (27-3-1, 14 KOs), of Las Vegas, has been confirmed as a 12-round co-feature of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition quadrupleheader on Friday, Dec. 19, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Quebec.
For the switch-hitting Dirrell, the elimination bout for the IBF’s No. 2 position behind No. 1 James DeGale and champion Carl Froch will be his first start on SHOWTIME and fifth overall since getting injured against then-undefeated Arthur Abraham in his second Super Six World Boxing Classic fight on SHOWTIME on March 27, 2010.
Wladimir Klitschko, by common consensus has been the Lineal Heavyweight Champion since 2009, but for the first time during his reign he has finally defeated his number one contender.
The Ring Magazine recognised Dr. Steel Hammer as the Lineal Champion the night he handed Ruslan Chagaev, the world’s number three heavyweight, the first blemish on his record. Although this was a dominating performance against a highly ranked opponent, most boxing journalists and fight folk agreed that Wladimir’s elder sibling Vitali was still in fact the “baddest man on the planet”. So Wladimir, although the Ring Champion was not actually the best boxer in his family, let alone the ruler of the entire heavyweight division. When The Greatest danced around the ring, mesmerizing Cleveland Williams with Ali Shuffles and pummeling him with incessant combinations, he owned the division. When Iron Mike steam rolled Michael Spinks in ninety-one beautifully brutal seconds, we all knew who The Heavyweight Champion was, it was beyond doubt.
The Champ seems invincible, just too damn big and powerful for anyone in the division. He is aptly named Dr. Steelhammer. Many years ago he was bludgeoned, walloped and clobbered by three different opponents. Instead of those kayo losses destroying his confidence, and convincing him he was in the wrong profession, they banged, pounded and forged him and his nickname into one unassailable, indomitable force.
The audience at the O2 arena was roaring with excitement and there was huge support for the challenger Kubrat Pulev who was a visitor at Klitschko’s home turf. The valiant Pulev jumped right at Wladimir from the opening bell and tried to brawl with him at close at middle range. Klitschko did not back down and after some wrestling and jostling for position he found “the frequency” and exploited a big opening in Pulev’s defense.
Pulev kept his right hand up but too far forward inviting Wladimir to throw left hooks. Klitschko was cautious at first watching out for traps but tested the opening, connected and put Pulev down with a left hook in the first round. “The Cobra” rose quickly and went forward again making the same mistake and Klitschko repeated the exercise with the left hook knocking Pulev down for the second time. Pulev beat the count again and fought back at the champion who tried to finish him in the first round but the challenger survived somehow.
Bulgarian challenger Kubrat Pulev (20-1, 11 KOs) proved to be too weak in the chin tonight in getting stopped in the 5th round by IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (63-3, 53 KOs) at the O2 Arena in Hamburg, Germany.
Pulev was knocked down four times in the fight from left hooks. He was down twice in the 1st, once in the 3rd and a final time in the 5th. Referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight at 2:11 of the 5th after Wladimir put Pulev down with a left hook to the head that put Pulev down on his back. The shot caused a huge swelling under Pulev’s right eye.
A night of exciting fights in Charlotte, NC, a city not traditionally known for its boxing venues but that is looking to change thanks to Jonathan Nazeer of JKN Sports, Entertainment & Marketing. I was fortunate to be ringside at the Midnight Rodeo Thursday Night Fights for what turned out to be an excellent card stacked with young talented boxers. The card started off with 5 amateur bouts, each improving in skill and action. However, the three professional fights are what stole the show that night.
Famed former boxer and current trainer John David Jackson was in the corner for one of his promising young prospects Steve Geffrard.
The time is now for Matthew Macklin. That final window of opportunity to realise his dreams of being crowned a world champion has opened in the form of a makeable fight with the winner the Matt Korobov/ Andy Lee WBO World Middleweight title fight in December.
There can be no mistakes from here on in.
This won’t be the first time the courageous Birmingham man has heard such assertions, but I have a feeling it will be the last should he fail to dispose of Jorge Sebastian Heiland on Saturday night in Dublin. Failure, however, is not something the 32 year old is entertaining, admitting openly this week that retirement beckons should the unthinkable happen.
Ahead of the seismic heavyweight collision between European champion Dereck Chisora and unbeaten Manchester traveller Tyson Fury on Saturday 29th November at the ExCeL London, boxing writer Glynn Evans canvassed the trade’s leading fight faces in search of the winner.
Remaining tickets are available on the Eventim Ticket Hotline on 0844 249 1000 or www.eventim.co.uk and VIP packages are available from www.galahospitality.co.uk
BoxNation will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546 and Talk Talk 525. Join at www.boxnation.com. Or watch online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android.
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev – WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion
“Hello everyone thank you so much for everything. I already changed diapers. I already lost track of how many diapers, maybe 15 or so. It is easy because I have experience with my nephews. My older sister has two babies so I have done this a lot. Beating Hopkins is a little bit more dangerous than changing diapers but he peed on my hand when I changed him. It is most important to be here with my family.