Kovalev looking for exception with IBF to face Pascal

IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 KOs) is looking to get an exception by the International Boxing Federation in order for him to bypass #1 IBF mandatory challenger Nadjib Mohammedi so that Kovalev can defend his titles against 32-year-old former WBC 175 pound champ Jean Pascal (29-2-1, 17 KOs) on March 14th next year at a still to be determined venue.

With WBC champion Adonis Stevenson taking his time in defending his title against Pascal, Kovalev is looking to move on in and take out Pascal before Stevenson has a chance. It will then give Kovalev an opportunity to beat Pascal before facing Stevenson at some point in the future if he can get him to agree to the fight.

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Erislandy Lara focused on Ishe Smith fight

WBA World junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (19-2-2, 12 KOs) isn’t coming into his fight this Friday night against 36-year-old former IBF junior middleweight champion Ishe Smith (26-6, 12 KOs) with mental baggage from his last fight against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez from last July.

Lara lost the fight to Canelo by a 12 round split decision in a bout that really could have gone the other way if Lara had done a little more offensively. Lara feels that he did enough to win the fight, and that’s why he’s coming into this Saturday’s title defense against Smith without feeling regretful about the Canelo match-up. Lara is totally focused on doing his job against Smith, and holding onto his WBA title.

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Interview With The Serrano Sisters

Recently, I had the pleasure to sit down with the boxing stars Cindy and Amanda Serrano at their home turf, Gym X, where they spend countless hours honing their craft.

I found them to be engaging, quick witted and passionate about their own personal stories. Lastly, as the ladies would later point out being blessed with good looks doesn’t hurt either.

How much of a mark the sisters can stamp out to help propel female boxing into the mainstream remains uncertain. One thing that is certain, this duo has the talent, growing fan base and the “it factor charm”, making them a very marketable package in and out of the ring.

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Pacquiao: “A fight with Amir would be an exciting fight”

The road to Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been long and treacherous. With fans waiting and hoping, both champions seem to have varying stories about why the other one is the cause for the fight not being made. While Mayweather Jr. is feeling alright without having the name Manny Pacquiao on his resume, the Filipino champion seems to want this fight sooner rather than later.

“I’ll never be frustrated if the Floyd fight doesn’t happen. Modesty aside, I’m happy and content with the legacy I have in boxing, even if I don’t fight Floyd. Though I’m ready to fight him anytime, anywhere – it’s him who refuses. I’ve made it clear that I want to fight him,” stated Pacquiao to The Telegraph.co.uk right before his bout against Chris Algieri in Macau, China.

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On This Day: Mike Tyson obliterates Alex Stewart inside a round

A number of years ago, when speaking with the superb KO Magazine, heavyweight icon Mike Tyson spoke about when he may have been at his blistering peak. Many times, Tyson had heard “experts” say he was at his very best when blasting out the previously unbeaten Michael Spinks, in a mere 91-seconds, in 1988. However, when asked by KO when he was at his very best, “Iron” Mike responded by saying he was “pretty good the night I beat Alex Stewart.”

By the time of the fight that took place on this very day in 1990, Tyson had lost his cloak of invincibility at the hands of one James Douglas. But was Tyson, as fast, as compact and as ruthlessly determined to prove the loss in Tokyo was a mere fluke, indeed at his very best the night he blitzed through power-hitter Stewart?

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Alexander Povetkin is in Wladimir Klitschko’s Future Plans

Maybe it’s his dominance in the heavyweight division, his skill-set and physical abilities above those who challenge him, and perhaps his opposition doesn’t have that explosive marketability, but it seems as though Wladimir Klitschko doesn’t have to push himself too hard in his title defenses, making his fights seem effortless and even static to a degree. It’s a rare occurrence for the boxing community to get excited about any of his bouts.

The last fight that I can think of, where there was genuine interest and enthusiasm from the boxing fans as well as the media, was when Wladimir faced Alexander Povetkin in Moscow, Russia, last October. That fight was not only a popularity success, but also one of the biggest financial accomplishments for team Klitschko.

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Prizefighter – Ward v Hughes & The Undercard – Ringside Review

Martin J Ward D10 Maxi Hughes – (10 x 3 – Super Featherweight British Title Eliminator)

It wasn’t just the gallant Prizefighter lightweights that York Hall was treated to this Saturday night in the hallowed ballroom in the heart of Bethnal Green. Essex based traveller and lightweight prospect Martin J Ward 10-0-1 (5KO’s) was thrust into his first bona fide test against the once beaten and very capable Yorkshireman Maxi Hughes 13-1-1 (2KO’s) a man with his own designs on progression.

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Prizefighter – Lightweights III – Ringside Report

It may not be for the purists and Matchroom and Sky Sports might have bigger fish to fry going forward, but when Prizefighter delivers, it delivers in spades. Tonight was one such occasion when 8 men with nothing to lose and everything to gain stepped through the ropes to provide passion-drenched non-stop action, which brought the historic York Hall to its feet. In the process providing a timely reminder of what made Prizefighter great, knockouts, all out wars, controversial decisions aplenty, not to mention the emergence of a potential star.

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David Lemieux Stops Gabriel Rosado In U.S. Debut

A crowd of 6,532 at Barclays Center were treated to a special performance from two warriors Saturday night as David Lemieux (33-2, 31 KOs)stopped “King” Gabriel Rosado (21-9, 13 KOs)in the 10th round of a very competitive main event on HBO Boxing After Dark.

The Montreal-native Lemieux retained his NABF Middleweight title while displaying the incredible power that has put the entire middleweight division on notice. Lemieux scored a knockdown in round three when he delivered a flurry that knocked the Philadelphia-born Rosado off-balance and put him on the canvas.

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Lundy loses split decision to Dulorme

Anchored by a knockdown in the opening round Saturday, Thomas Dulorme retained his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) light welterweight title and captured the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) crown with a 96-93, 93-96, 97-92 split decision win over Hank Lundy at the Barclays Center.

The 10-round bout, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions and CES Boxing, aired live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark.

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