Last night in Alexandria, Louisiana, former IBF heavyweight champ “Prince” Charles Martin improved to 25-1-1(23) with a quick, one-round KO over journeyman Michael Marrone, 21-8(15).
Fighting for the second time since his dire showing against unbeaten star Anthony Joshua, where the southpaw was taken out inside two disappointing rounds, Martin is now 2-0(2) in his post-Joshua comeback. A hard left hand to the body dropped Marrone, the swift end coming in the very first round.
Who’s the best, the most amusing, the most original, the most fun talker in boxing today – Tyson Fury? Adrien Broner? Keith Thurman? Floyd Mayweather? The answer is, none of the above.
This title, this distinction simply has to go out to unbeaten heavyweight puncher Jarrell Miller, AKA, “Big Baby.” We don’t know yet how great Miller can fight, not at the highest level anyway, but if Miller keeps running his mouth, chances are one of the big names he has called out, and is calling out, will take the bait and get in the ring with him.
In a battle of exciting featherweight brawlers, Chris Avalos (27-5, 20 KOs) was awarded a TKO victory after the doctor ruled that Miguel Flores (21-2, 9 KOs) could no longer continue due to a cut sustained during their featherweight matchup that headlined Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday night from Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria, Louisiana.
What Joe Smith, Jr. (23-2-0, 19KO) failed to remember in his bout with Sullivan Barrera (20-1, 14KO) at the Forum in Inglewood, CA was something punchers should never forget. Great knockout artists like Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano never forgot it, and in a big way it was responsible for their greatness. It was something that would lay the foundation for them, something a construction worker like Joe, of all people, should know.
“Hammerin Hank is back at 135 and he’s stronger than ever” says an animated Hank Lundy. When the man from Philadelphia is pressed for his future ambitions, there is only one goal, a lightweight world title.
It was in an encounter with the high school bully, when an uppercut left the other guy asleep, that Hank first realized that he could fight. Soon enough, his uncle had him down the boxing gym. And so Lundy embarked on what proved to be a successful amateur career. Highlights included a silver medal at the 2005 national golden gloves and representing the United States at the Pan-Am championships.
Former IBF welterweight king Shawn Porter has released a short but very colourful and amusing video on his twitter page. Wearing a leather jacket without a shirt, dark shades and a cowboy hat, Porter goes into his very best Mr T impression as he calls out former WBC welterweight champ Danny Garcia.
“I’ve only just heard that the WBC would like Showtime Shawn Porter to fight another title eliminator, and they want me to fight none other than the cherry picker himself – Danny Garcia,” Porter says as he stares down the camera. “What I say to you, Danny Garcia – let’s get it on. Oh yeah!”
Ghana’s Emmanuel ‘Game Boy’ Tagoe (27-1, 13 KOs) will make mincemeat of former IBF super featherweight champion, Argenis Mendez (24-5-1, 12 KOs) of the Dominican Republic when the duo clash in Accra for Tagoe’s IBO Lightweight world title on August 26, according to Asamoah Gyan, manager and promoter of the Ghanaian boxer.
Gyan, more famous as captain of Ghana’s national soccer team, was at the Seconds Out gym in the Ghanaian capital on Monday afternoon to watch his prodigy train in preparation for the fight against Mendez.
We don’t have too long to wait until the hugely interesting Mikey Garcia-Adrien Broner fight (July 29) and understandably Broner’s trainer Mike Stafford is talking a great, great fight going in. Speaking with RingTV.com, AB’s coach said that all the negative stuff aimed at his fighter from the writers and the fans is unjustified and that as Broner, 33-2(24) has “never lost to a Mexican,” and has “never lost at 140,” his chances of beating the unbeaten Garcia should in no way be marginalised.
The undisputed middleweight championship of the world. This is the lofty title that one fighter may lay claim to before the end of 2017, or in the early stages of 2018.
Not too long ago, unbeaten and, before now, heavily avoided Kazakh warrior Gennady Golovkin looked like the only fighter capable of scooping up all four universally accepted 160 pound titles – WBC,WBA,IBF,WBO – but now, with GGG’s upcoming fight with Canelo Alvarez viewed by most as a 50/50 clash, and with the winner set to face the winner of the WBO title fight that will go down that same night, between Billy Joe Saunders and former GGG victim Willie Monroe Jr, there are differing opinions on who may become THE middleweight king in five to seven months from now.
Popular Long Island light heavyweight contender JOE SMITH JR. (23-2-0, 19 KO’S), gritted his way through Saturday’s ten round battle with SULLIVAN BARRERA (20-1-0, 14 KO’s), after suffering a broken jaw early in the 2nd round. Even with a broken jaw, Smith Jr. dug deep to fire away at the skilled Barrera until the final bell, in which he ultimately fell short by scores of 96-93 and 97-92 twice.