The long awaited and long overdue showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao finally took place this May. It shattered all boxing PPV records and was the biggest fight of all time, even though the fight itself fell short of expectations. Apparently boxing is trying to capitalize and build on the success of that blockbuster event. In fact, the later part of 2015 will feature 4 more PPV cards, including three high profile matches.
WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto faces a tough ask when he defends his title against the younger, stronger ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on November 21st, in what is set to be a massive Mexico v Puerto Rico prizefight in Las Vegas.
The Puerto Rican modern great – the first fighter from the country to capture 4 world titles at 4 different weights – says he is still feeling fresh at 34 years of age, and that after hanging them up seemed to be a reasonable option not so long ago, the rejuvenation he has experienced under veteran trainer Freddie Roach means retirement is now “another two, three more years” away, and a possible rematch with Floyd Mayweather is a realistic option should Floyd fight on after September.
He will enter his WBC middleweight fight with Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33ko) in Las Vegas a slight favourite in the eyes of many fans and trade insiders, especially given his youth and natural size and strength advantages over the Puerto Rican champion, however Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (45-1-1, 32ko) is keen not rest on his laurels, telling media on this week’s press tour that he will leave no stone unturned in his preparations for the November 21st Mexico v Puerto Rico mega-fight.
“I feel the honor and pride of fighting for my country. (It’s a) big responsibility and the best thing I can do to honor that is prepare and win my fight,” Canelo said.
It has now been officially confirmed and announced that Chicago based Pole Andrzej Fonfara will indeed be facing former WBO 175lb champion Nathan Cleverly at the “Windy City’s” UIC Pavillion on October 16th, in a Premier Boxing Champions on Spike broadcast.
At the first official presser to announce the fight yesterday (Weds), Fonfara, who battered Julio Cesar Chavez Jr into quitting on his stool in April, is insistent that while he isn’t looking past Cleverly, he is more keen to right past wrongs – wrongs that he feels include his UD loss to lineal WBC 175lb champ Adonis Stevenson from May of 2014.
Unbeaten Scottish heavyweight Gary Cornish (21-0, 12ko) has been something of a “forgotten man” ahead of his September 12th Commonwealth title clash with Anthony Joshua in London, as British fans in particular await AJ’s mooted end of year clash with fellow unbeaten Londoner Dillian Whyte, seemingly looking straight past the Inverness man.
However, September’s clash isn’t a popularity contest, and Cornish’s manager – veteran Scottish fight figure Tommy Gilmour – who looks after the fighter with the assistance of returning sex-swap promoter Kellie Maloney, feels his man is in the best possible shape and should not be overlooked ahead of the biggest fight of his career.
This fight headlines the third installment of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and pits two of Southern California’s most exciting fighters against each other live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, in primetime on basic cable this Saturday, August 29 with televised coverage beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
It will certainly make a change from fighting in his Oakland backyard, but WBA (sup) 168 lb champion Andre Ward, last seen bloodying Britain’s Paul Smith in June, could be set to make an appearance on the Cotto/Canelo undercard in Las Vegas according to his promoters Roc Nation Sports.
The firm, which also handles WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, is keen on placing Ward, who is seemingly inching up to the 175lb division, in a showcase bout on the November 21st HBO PPV bill, and are hoping to have a decision finalised within a fortnight.
This Saturday sees California-based Mexican rivals Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares go to war at the Staples Center on a PBC on ESPN broadcast that represents a battle of Los Angeles, securing not only local bragging rights for the winner, but a surefire move on to bigger and better things.
WBC 122lb champ Santa Cruz is fighting up at 126 for the first time against former 3 weight world champ Mares, although physically he will be the bigger – and ostensibly stronger man on the night – he realises that both guys, especially Mares, badly need the win to progress, and especially if it’s a close one, a rematch will almost certainly be called for.
Britain’s Martin Murray will face veteran 36 year old 2nd tier Colombian Jose Miguel Torres (31-6, 27ko) on September 5th in Leeds UK as part of what’s shaping up to be a pretty underwhelming card all in all.
In all fairness to new Matchroom signing Murray, and even promoter Eddie Hearn, the St.Helen’s man is stepping in to fill a gap on the bill left by Gavin McDonnell, who is helping twin Jamie prepare for his world title rematch with Tomoki Kameda in Texas, and it can’t have been easy to get a decent test in time, even though it is being billed that way.
Saturday’s Mosley/Mayorga 2 clash of veterans, an irrelevant but curiously intriguing fight, especially for those fans in the UK and elsewhere who DON’T have to buy a PPV, is back on today after Don King failed in his attempt to stop it when a judge in Miami ruled against the veteran promoter, despite King having claimed to have Mayorga still under contract.
As it’s highly unlikely Mayorga is to fight again, as well as the fact he has also boxed twice last year following his last “serious” fight against Miguel Cotto in 2011, the judge ruled in favour of “Sugar” Shane – who is also promoting the event – yet the comeback, which has sold a paltry 2000 tickets thus far, has baffled fellow former world champion Ricky Hatton, who can’t seem to get his head around it.