Vitali Klitschko: “Sdunek was like a father to me”

12/23/2014 Vitali Shaposhnikov

Of the entire elite roster of professional boxers, Fritz Sdunek had one favorite, one boxer that he loved and cherished as their mutual career took off to unbelievable heights. Like Freddie Roach is a father model to Pacquiao, so was Sdunek to Vitali Klitschko. They not only appreciated each other in a professional setting, but were a true family outside of it.

“I was shocked to find out about Fritz’s death. I cannot believe it. Fritz has gone through many trials in the recent past. He beat cancer, and has gone through a heart surgery. It’s hard to believe that his heart no longer beats. I know many people, but have never met anyone with such a soul, and with such a truly big and kind heart. A heart that warmed everyone around him.

Five Fighters to Watch in 2015

12/23/201412/23/2014 Jazz Singh Gill

As we see out the year of 2014, boxing fans will look back and be nothing more than truly excited about the year to come.

Whilst there may not have been many real legacy defining super-fights, many new contenders have emerged, ready to pose a threat to those that dominate. Some divisions have opened up and could be conquered by anyone, while others have contenders vying for an imperious champion.

At featherweight a true legend in Nonito Donaire was put away by Nicholas Walters. Sergey Kovalev was not able to do the same to Bernard Hopkins, but he showed he is a worthy successor to the oldest champion in boxing history.

Khan adds Marquez and Bradley to his list of names he wants to fight

12/22/2014 Bill Phanco

Amir Khan says that besides Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao, he’d like to add Tim Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez to the list of guys he wants to face in the near future. Khan has been after a fight against Mayweather for ages now, but he’s not been fighting the preliminary guys that would get him the Mayweather fight unfortunately.

Instead of fighting big punchers like Kell Brook, Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, Khan has been fighting the likes of Carlos Molina, Julio Diaz, Luis Collazo and Devon Alexander. This has led to Khan not picking up the name recognition in the United States that he needs for him to lure the likes of Mayweather to fight him.

Rios thinks Mayweather is name dropping to increase his popularity

12/22/2014 Rob Smith

Former WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios is extremely skeptical that a fight between the two biggest stars in boxing Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao will take place in 2015. Rios says he’ll believe it when he sees the two fighters in the ring.

Rios says he’s suspicious of Mayweather’s motives for suddenly saying he’s interested in the Pacquiao fight. Rios thinks that one of the reason why Mayweather is mentioning a fight against Pacquiao right now is perhaps an effort for Mayweather to boost his name value. Rios thinks Mayweather is afraid that his name is dying and that by mentioning Pacquiao, he could be raising his name.

Is Beterbiev ready for Adonis Stevenson?

12/22/2014 Jeff Sorby

Former WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal, who appears to be tired of seeing WBC 175 title holder Adonis Stevenson face weak opposition, suggested recently that Stevenson should face contender Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs) in his next optional defense so that he can rebuild his image with the boxing public.

Stevenson won over a lot of boxing fans with his 1st round knockout win over Chad Dawson last year in June of 2013. Since then, however, Stevenson has backed off from tough opposition and beaten Tavoris Cloud, Tony Bellew, Andrzej Fonfara and Dmitry Sukhotsky. Pascal wants to see Stevenson rebuild his name because he wants his fight against him in 2015 to be a big event. It’s not likely to be a big even with the kind of opposition that Stevenson has been facing.

Khan rules out Kell Brook fight

12/22/2014 Bill Phanco

One fight that boxing fans likely won’t be seeing in 2015 is a clash between two of the top British fighters at 147. Amir Khan doesn’t have a world title belt in his possession, but he’s sure acting like he has one.

Khan says he won’t be fighting the highly popular and big punching IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook because he feels that he’s not shown him the type of respect that he wants. If that wasn’t enough of a reason for Khan, he also added that Brook isn’t on the same level as him.

The Greatest Super Middleweight Boxers of All-Time

12/22/2014 Adam McMeeking

On the 28th of March, 1984, Murray Sutherland, with a modest record of forty-one wins, eleven losses and one draw, defeated Ernie Singletary for the vacant International Boxing Federation title, becoming the first internationally accepted world champion in the one hundred and sixty-eight pounds, super middleweight division.

A little over thirty years have passed since Scotland’s Sutherland was crowned champion, and in that time dozens of talented pugilists have graced the division. Initially boxing’s elite seemed to merely use it as a pit-stop, on the way to light heavyweight, or as simply an opportunity to capture a title in a different weight class. Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and James Toney didn’t stay long, but by the end of the 1990’s the reigns of Jones, Benn and Eubank had helped it evolve into a respected weight class in its own right.

Seldin and Smith Winners In “Rockin Fight” Fashion!

12/22/201412/22/2014 Coach K

Joe Deguardia’s Star Boxing returned to Long Island’s hottest boxing venue “The Paramount Theater” for the 16th edition of its popular boxing series “Rockin Fight” with this card absent the presence of “The Pride of Huntington” Chris Algieri who is on vacation following his big fight with Manny Pacquiao. While Algieri’s absence was felt the crowd pleasing card was left in the fine hands of Star Boxing’s power punching light welterweight Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin and Joe Deguardia’s newly signed light heavyweight Joe “The Irish Bomber” Smith Jr.

The Good, The Bad and the Unfair: A Week in the Life of Boxing

12/21/201412/21/2014 Ryan Forde-Kelly

The events of the past week have been a microcosm of the world of boxing, the good, the bad and the downright unfair unfolding before us. All of the events, euphoric, frustrating and heartbreaking in equal measure, the greatest and yet cruelest of sports ever perceived in full view once more.

The Good

When Andy Lee entered the ring against unbeaten former World Amateur champion, Matt Korobov, he did so as a huge underdog. Korobov was the house fighter and champion elect, primed for big things by his promoter Top Rank at least. Whereas Lee was a fringe world level fighter beaten twice, by Brian Vera in ’08 (a defeat he avenged in ‘11) and Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr in a ridiculous weight mismatch in ‘12.

Cuellar Whips Tamayo To Retain Title On SHOWTIME BOXING

12/21/2014 Showtime Boxing

Aggressive-minded Jesus “El Jinete” Cuellar (26-1, 20 KOs), of Santa Fe, Argentina, won his ninth in a row and retained his interim WBA Featherweight Championship for a third time with a rock-solid fifth-round knockout over fellow southpaw Ruben “Kanelito” Tamayo (23-5-4, 17 KOs), of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico, in the Goossen Promotions main event Saturday on SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME from Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Wash.

In the co-feature, world-ranked featherweight Gary Russell Jr. (25-1, 14 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., pitched a near-shutout against Christopher Martin (28-5-3, 9 KOs) of Chula Vista, Calif., winning a lopsided 10-round decision.