Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Ward, GGG, Lomachenko, & Klitschko/Joshua!!

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Ward, GGG, Lomachenko, & Klitschko/Joshua!!

Robbie N. (Texas): You can argue that Andre Ward lost (to Kovalev), we saw GGG look beatable against Jacobs, and Roman Gonzalez is obviously beatable, as well. What argument can be made against placing Lomachenko as #1 in your opinion?

Vito W.: I’ll give my thoughts, but as I’ve indicated before, I don’t subscribe to the ‘mythical’ angle. When we look at the text book definition of P4P, there’s no true angle for multiple men to wear that badge at one time. (For further explanation, please see past articles/mailbags where I’ve touched on that topic). As it relates to the ‘mythical’ perspective, I still think naysayers have an angle to keep him from the #1 spot, for the simple fact that he hasn’t done enough in the sport to claim the title. I think from a skill standpoint, what makes him most dangerous is the fact that he has an amazing offense to dispatch with that incredible footwork/defense. The last guy we saw deeply skilled on both offense and defense has some thinking he’s “TBE” (Mayweather). Loma has very similar attributes, and as a result, could create that same type of legacy.

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GGG likely to skip Saunders June fight, rest up and concentrate on Canelo September showdown

GGG likely to skip Saunders June fight, rest up and concentrate on Canelo September showdown

It doesn’t look as though world middleweight ruler Gennady Golovkin will go ahead with a planned June fight, and will instead rest up and focus fully on the still hoped for superfight with Canelo Alvarez this September. According to “multiple sources” who spoke with Yahoo! Sports, GGG will skip the June fight.

WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders, who was all set to travel over to Golovkin’s home country of Kazakhstan for the June fight, said all along that he would not wait indefinitely, that he would move on to another fight if Triple-G didn’t sign the contract ASAP. Now it seems BJS will indeed move on (and not be too happy about it; losing out as he has on such a massive opportunity and payday).

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Ward, Kovalev NYC Presser

Ward, Kovalev NYC Presser

On Monday at Le Parker Meridien in New York City, Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Andre “SOG” Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) and former Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) formally addressed the media on their highly-anticipated rematch on Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

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Pacquiao vs Horn on 7/1 in Brisbane, Australia

Pacquiao vs Horn on 7/1 in Brisbane, Australia

Add Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia to the list of venues on foreign soil that will play host to a MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO fight. Boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade, Pacquiao has accepted the challenge of undefeated No. 2 world-rated contender JEFF “The Hornet” HORN to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title, Saturday, July 1 (Sunday, July 2, in Australia). Promoted by Top Rank® and Duco Events, “The Battle of Brisbane” is expected to attract 55,000 fans and a record pay-per-view audience in Australia. It will also be seen live in the U.S. Look for details on the U.S. telecast in the following weeks.

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Make way for the new stars: Lomachenko, Crawford, Thurman are today’s pound-for-pound best

Make way for the new stars: Lomachenko, Crawford, Thurman are today's pound-for-pound best

Manny Pacquiao’s star is fading, Andre Ward has been labelled dull by fight fans so many times he has stopped caring, and Sergey Kovalev may well see himself closely, narrowly outboxed and outscored by S.O.G in their June return. So who today is deserving of the mythical but also lofty title of pound-for-pound king?

It seems we have to make way for the new guard, for the news stars: Vasyl Lomachenko, the pick for many even before this past weekend’s utter dismantling of a very good fighter in Jason Sosa, and Terence Crawford, he of the speed, accuracy and power, and also Keith Thurman, a throwback in terms of constantly seeking out the very best opposition and thus far beating them.

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Can Anthony Joshua become boxing’s first billionaire?

Can Anthony Joshua become boxing's first billionaire?

Maybe we should call him Anthony “Money” Joshua. That nickname is of course exclusive property of one Floyd Mayweather Junior; currently the richest, most successful prize fighter in boxing history. However, as stinking rich as he is, Mayweather never earned himself the staggering total of a $billion.

But Joshua, in speaking with GQ Magazine, says that this is now the goal he has to aspire to. Reflecting on how the status of having made it big has changed drastically in today’s world, Joshua says that becoming a millionaire is no longer the huge achievement it once was.

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Josesito Lopez Scores Unanimous Decision Against Saul Corral

Josesito Lopez Scores Unanimous Decision Against Saul Corral

Josesito Lopez (35-7, 19 KOs) earned a decisive unanimous decision (100-89, 100-89, 100-89) over Saul Corral (21-9, 12 KOs) in the Ringstar Sports promoted main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 & FOX Deportes from The Novo at L.A. Live.

Although Corral was able to finish the fight, Lopez controlled the action throughout, dropping Corral to the canvas in the 10th round to cement the victory.

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Why Bivol vs. Clarkson Could Be a Fight Without an Underdog – Ward, Kovalev, More!

Why Bivol vs. Clarkson Could Be a Fight Without an Underdog – Ward, Kovalev, More!

By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones – In a division with well-known fighters and perennial pound-for-pound entrants, including Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev, up-and-coming WBA Interim Light Heavyweight ChampDmitry Bivol (9-0, 7 KOs) is intent on building his own legacy on American soil.

Bivol, 26, will be featured on his first major televised card when he steps into the ring as the favorite against Samuel “The Main Event” Clarkson (19-3, 12 KOs) on Friday at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

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