Yesterday at Boxing Laboratory in Oxnard, California, former WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion, Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) opened his training session to the media in advance of his upcoming showdown with Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (31-0, 15 KOs). Below are quotes from this event. Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” takes place 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.
Month: May 2017
Evander Holyfield: Heading to the Hall of Fame
Heavyweight great – and cruiserweight greatest – Evander Holyfield is likely to be putting the finishing touches to his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech right about now; “The Real Deal” set to be immortalized in Canastota in a few days’ time. If ever a fighter was/is worthy of going into The Hall, it is the former undisputed cruiser king and the former four-time heavyweight ruler.
Miguel Cotto signs big with Golden Boy Promotions
Four-division world champion and surefire first ballot Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) will return to Golden Boy Promotions for a multi-fight deal starting with his 12-round bout for the vacant WBO Light Middleweight World Championship against Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs). The fight will be on Saturday August 26 from Carson, Calif’s StubHub Center and live on HBO World Championship Boxing starting at 9:45 p.m. EST/PST.
Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne to return to action on Friday night, will face Matthew Greer
Putting his recent, well-documented problems behind him, Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne returns to action this Friday in New South Wales. Having his first fight since March of last year, when Browne turned in a magnificent effort to defeat WBA heavyweight champ Ruslan Chagaev in one of the most exciting heavyweight rumbles of the year, “Big Daddy” will face oft-beaten journeyman Michael Greer, 16-20(13).
Stevenson says he wants Ward-Kovalev winner after Fonfara return
Even though he is pushing 40, WBC light-heavyweight champ Adonis Stevenson retains the ambition of becoming unified 175 pound king. The powerful southpaw faces tough Polish warrior Andrzej Fonfara on Saturday night, in what is an interesting rematch of the unexpectedly exciting battle the two put on back in May of 2014.
Stevenson-Fonfara II final press conference quotes for Saturday on Showtime
WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis Stevenson and Andrzej Fonfara sounded off at the final press conference on Tuesday at Montreal Casino for their 175-pound rematch this Saturday live on SHOWTIME from Bell Centre.
WBC Light Heavyweight No. 1 contender Eleider Alvarez and former 175-pound champ Jean Pascal also faced off for their co-featured bout that opens the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Mike Perez: Can “The Rebel” make waves as a cruiserweight?
Having suffered his share of misfortune during his promising heavyweight career, Cuban southpaw Mike Perez, 21-2-1(13) is currently looking in fantastic shape as he gets ready for his drop down to cruiserweight. The Irish-based 31 year old will face Tommy McCarthy, 9-1, on June 10 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Perez showed real talent at heavyweight, but at 6’1” maybe he always was going to be a little too small to be expected to be able to deal with the absolute giants.
Ranking the welterweight’s: Today’s new top-10
Arguably the best, most talented and exciting weight class in the sport today, the welterweight division is currently crammed full with great fighters. New star Errol Spence Junior is for many the new top dog, having relieved a brave but, in the end, outclassed Kell Brook of his belt. But does Spence deserve to be ranked at number-one?
Here is a top-10 you may or may not agree with:
Mike Tyson releases new book dedicated to Cus D’Amato – says if Cus hadn’t died when he did, “there would have been no Don King”
Mike Tyson knows full well he owes all his ring success to one man, Cus D’Amato, and, as is evident in the former heavyweight king’s new book: “Iron Ambition,” Tyson has never forgotten it. The new book, released today, is the youngest ever heavyweight champion’s written tribute to his legendary father figure/trainer/mentor and it promises to be a truly great read.
The book not only focuses on D’Amato’s time with Tyson but also on Cus’ life before “Iron Mike;” back in the 1950s when the eccentric but genius trainer was guiding the likes of Floyd Patterson and fighting the mob.
Where should GGG-Canelo be held, and can the fight really pull in 3 million pay-per-view buys?
Oscar De La Hoya revealed last week how the fast approaching, biggest fight of the year between middleweight king Gennady Golovkin and Mexican superstar Saul Alvarez will take place in either Dallas or Las Vegas. Talking with Fight Hub TV, De La Hoya also said he is expecting the September showdown to pull in a staggering 3 million pay-per-view buys.