Last night in Houston, Texas, two popular and exciting fighters proved they still have something to offer the sport. Former unified lightweight king Juan Diaz, having his first fight in 17-months, went to war with Mexico’s tough and game Fernando Garcia, winning a fan-friendly affair by 9th-round TKO. While former top dog at 140-pounds, Mike Alvarado, also returning from a long layoff, beat Saul Corral via 3rd-round KO.
Kali Meehan: Once Anthony Joshua has won the title, Joseph Parker will beat him
After a 19 year professional career that has propelled him all over the globe, former heavyweight world title challenger, Australian based New Zealander, Kali Meehan 42-6 (32 KOs), knows what qualities are required to reach the pinnacle of the sport. I recently spoke to “Mean Hands” Meehan, via telephone – from his home in Wyongah, New South Wales, Australia – to discuss both his colorful career, and to hear his assessment of his previous opponent, one of boxing’s rising stars: Joseph Parker.
Hailing from Levuka town, on the Fijian island of Ovalau – an island on which rugby is virtually a way of life – Kali Meehan’s mother would surely never have envisaged that her future son would one day become a successful prize-fighter, when she ventured to New Zealand half a century ago.
Breidis Prescott predicts Canelo win over Khan in six
Back when unknown Colombian puncher Breidis Prescott flattened Amir Khan inside a minute of the very first round with a quite ruthless and impressive display of power, Khan’s career seemed all but over at top level. Instead, Khan, showing great character, regrouped and managed to reach the very top of the sport; showing his potential in beating the likes of Andriy Kotelnik (to become WBA 140-pound champ), Marcos Maidana and Zab Judah.
Prescott, by comparison, failed to live up to the September 2008 performance that suggested to some the long-armed banger was a future star. Prescott went on to fight plenty of recognizable names – such as Miguel Vazquez, Kevin Mitchell (in another UK appearance), Mike Alvarado and Terence Crawford. Prescott gave them all fair to tough fights, but he lost to each of these fighters. Prescott was, and more than likely still is, anxious for a second fight with Khan, but it never happened.
Roy Jones Junior will fight Vyron Phillips in a cruiserweight affair this Sunday in Phoenix
The once great Roy Jones Junior, a guaranteed future Hall of Famer, insists on fighting on. Even the brutal and quite sad to see KO the once untouchable master suffered at the hands of big-hitting Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli in Russia was not enough to convince the 47-year-old to walk away. Jones Junior, and his co-promoters at URShow, came up with what you could call a novel idea in Jones fighting a fan, with the fan offered the sum of $100,000 as payment if he were to defeat the living legend.
The Arizona State Commission said no to this idea, however, insisting Jones Junior fight an actual fighter. Enter sometime MMA, sometime boxer Vyron Phillips, who has been granted a license, along with Jones, by the Commission to fight this Sunday evening in Phoenix. According to a piece on RingTV.com, the Jones-Phillips fight, a boxing match, not an MMA bout, will be fought at the cruiserweight limit of 200-pounds and will be scheduled for either six or eight-rounds.
Deontay Wilder: Once I’ve got Povetkin out of the way, I am looking forward to fighting Fury
Not too long ago, heavyweight champion Tyson Fury posted his “wish-list” on Twitter, with the big fights he wants, in order, revealed. Well, WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder – the fighter who, in the opinion of many, is the third best big man in the sport after Fury and Wladimir Klitschko – has listed the big fights he would like next.
Speaking with Sky Sports, “The Bronze Bomber” said he would like to fight Tyson Fury after his upcoming defence in Russia against Alexander Povetkin (a fight Wilder says he is not “foolish enough” to look past) and then after that, he wants the winner of the upcoming Charles Martin-Anthony Joshua bout.
Eddie Hearn says this November is a possibility for Fury-Joshua showdown
British promoter Eddie Hearn is working on making a number of big fights this year, and top of the list is a potential all-British blockbuster up at heavyweight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Hearn, in his column for Mail Online, wrote how he is somewhat amused by people suggesting, via social media and on the boxing web sites, that he would not let his fighter Joshua in with Fury so soon.
Not so, writes Hearn, who feels the fight is a natural and will be worked on for as soon as this November providing both heavies win their next fight. Fury will of course fight former champ Wladimir Klitschko at a still-to-be-determined date (possibly June 4th), while Joshua will challenge IBF ruler Charles Martin next month. The would-be unification would be a “huge fight,” Hearn writes and that “all being well we might make Joshua-Fury in November.”
Roach says Pacquiao’s right hand is now “stronger than his left!”
Superstar Manny Pacquiao began working at the Wild Card gym of his equally famous trainer, Freddie Roach on Monday, and Roach liked what he saw from Pac-Man in sparring. Getting ready to face Tim Bradley for a third and final time – Pacquiao repeatedly stating how the April 9th fight will be his final ring appearance before saying adios – the future Hall of Famer is also overcoming the shoulder injury he carried with him into the “Fight of the Century” against Floyd Mayweather Junior last May.
But, as Dan Rafael reports on ESPN.com, there are no concerns about the shoulder. Not for Roach anyway. Roach, who has said a few times he believes his southpaw dynamo will score a KO over Bradley this time, has been amazed at the strength of Manny’s right hand. Pacquiao tore his rotator cuff, a quite common injury for boxers, and had to undergo surgery to repair it. Roach is praising his fighter’s doctor, who, he says, has worked a near miracle!
GGG promoter Loeffler: Khan-Golovkin would be a huge fight
Tom Loeffler, the promoter of middleweight sensation Gennady Golovkin, has strongly suggested the unbeaten terror known as GGG could have not one but two fights in the UK, against British opposition, this coming summer. As has previously been reported, Billy Joe Saunders is a very real possibility for Golovkin at a big stadium in the UK this summer (provided Saunders gets past Max Bursak in April and Golovkin gets past Dominic Wade also next month), but Loeffler, in speaking with Sky Sports, also has his eye on a possible Amir Khan fight.
Khan, if he manages to beat Canelo Alvarez in May, would be in the exact position Canelo is in right now: mandated to fight Golovkin. And Loeffler says he feels a Khan challenge of GGG would be a big fight in both the UK and the U.S.
Theophane talks Broner fight
LAS VEGAS (March 18, 2016) – 140-pound contender Ashley “The Treasure” Theophane and super middleweight contender J’Leon Love hosted a Las Vegas media workout Thursday as they prepared for their respective showdowns on Friday, April 1 from the DC Armory in Washington, D.C.
Theophane takes on super lightweight world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike beginning at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Love will compete in a non-televised undercard attraction.
Ward vs Barrera: Interview Transcript
Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) and undefeated, number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) hosted their final international media conference. Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.