Freddie Roach: “It’s for the soul of boxing.”

“It’s for the soul of boxing.”

This was Freddie Roach’s summation of the stakes involved in Manny Pacquaio’s upcoming fight – the most lucrative in boxing history – against Floyd Mayweather Jr at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2.

“I can’t lose this fight,” he went on as we sat downstairs from Wildcard in the private gym he opened last year for the sole purpose of working with the likes of Manny Pacquaio and Miguel Cotto in seclusion.

It had been six years since my last visit to the Wildcard Boxing Club, and ten years since I’d been a regular while living in the city. The changes that had taken place in that time were immediately obvious during my initial arrival at the gym two days prior.

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Lebedev beats Kalenga; Brutal Undercard KO Extravaganza In Russia!

In an outstanding cruiserweight war, Number 1 Ranked Contender YOURI “El Toro” KALENGA was in the biggest fight of his life on Friday night in Moscow, Russia, challenging World Boxing Association (‘WBA’) Champion DENIS LEBEDEV.

With each warrior being dropped once during the 12-round battle, judges’ scores were 115-112 twice and 116-111 for Lebedev.

“I tip my hat to Lebedev, he’s a great fighter and perhaps I’ll get another chance to face him. He’s without question the toughest fighter I’ve faced but I thought I clearly won the fight,” said the disappointed Kalenga.

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Josh Warrington & “We Are Leeds”

Tonight in Leeds, UK half of the city will come to a stand still when their favourite son Josh Warrington steps between the ropes once more to face Dennis Tuberion in an official eliminator for the WBC featherweight title, live on Sky Sports 2.

The unbeaten Yorkshireman is well known for the large and loyal base of support he enjoys in his home town and it’s a safe bet the roof of the First Direct Arena will come off when he makes his ring walk.

Warrington (20-0, 4ko) whilst not a noted puncher at the weight, possesses a fantastic work rate, and has been working his way consistently up the rankings capturing British, Commonwealth and European featherweight championships along the way.

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British Heavyweight Hope Anthony Joshua – Frank Warren Shares His Thoughts

Stop and ask any British boxing fan in the street who they believe our next great hope for winning the world heavyweight title is and you will more than likely hear a variety of answers, but one name that will crop up time and time again is Olympic Gold medalist and undefeated powerhouse Anthony Joshua (11-0, 11ko).

If that is a name that is unfamiliar to you then I suggest you read on, because in his column for the Independent newspaper this week, veteran British promoter Frank Warren offered his thoughts on the fighter he tried to sign after London 2012 and leveled some criticism at the way he believes Joshua’s career is being handled under the guidance of Warren’s promotional rivals Matchroom Sport.

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Warrington v Tubieron – We Are Leeds Preview

Josh Warrington, 20-0 (4KO’s), returns home tonight when he faces Filipino Dennis Tubieron, 19-3-2 (8KO’s), at his beloved First Direct Arena in Leeds, backed by a ferocious fan base that look set to test the buildings foundations once more.

At stake will be the lightly regarded vacant WBC international featherweight title and more importantly the mandatory challenger position for the WBC featherweight world championship, recently acquired by the impressive Gary Russell Jnr.

To see Warrington exercise this mandatory option if victorious, which would see him fight Russell Jnr – who demolished the world-class Jhonny Gonzalez in 4 to claim the WBC crown – is hard to believe in the immediate future.

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Video: Garcia vs Peterson; Lee vs Quillin – Weigh-In – Live PBC on NBC Telecast at 8:30 PM ET Tonight

Weigh-In Results:
Andy Lee 159.6 – Peter Quillin 161.4 (Quillin unable to make weight)
Danny Garcia 142.2 – Lamont Peterson 143
Viktor Postol 143.8 – Jake Giuriceo 142.8
Luis Collazo 147.8 – Christopher Degollado 149
Felix Diaz 142 – Gabriel Bracero 142
Errol Spence Jr 146.6 Samuel Vargas 146
Marcus Browne 174.8 – Aaron Pryor Jr 174.4
Prichard Colon 147.8 – Daniel Calzada 148.8
Heather Hardy 122 – Renata Domsodi 120.6
Ryan Burnett 118.8 – Stephon McIntyre 121.8

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“Mayweather/Pacquiao: At Last” – Preview

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mfEyBvKyVmY

HBO Sports, widely recognized for its engaging storytelling presentations and winner of ten George F. Peabody Awards for broadcast excellence, has begun production on the one-hour special MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST, detailing the nearly six-year journey to the most-anticipated fight of the modern era, the May 2 Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao blockbuster welterweight unification title bout.

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Frank Warren Looking Past Jennings To Put Klitschko V Fury Together

Veteran British promoter Frank Warren has spoken to TalkSPORT in the UK today to once again signal his intent with regards to enforcing Tyson Fury’s mandatory challenge to Wladimir Klitshcko, once the giant Ukranian fights relative American novice Bryant Jennings in New York on the 25th April.

It is also a sign of Warren’s level of belief in the chance of Jennings dethroning the long time champion, a belief that is slim on the ground with regards to every day boxing fans.

Let’s for arguments sake assume that the consensus opinion is correct here, which I believe it is.

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Chat With Ross Burkinshaw – Commonwealth & WBO European Bantamweight Champion

When British boxing fans think of the Steel City of Sheffield, a whole host of names from the annals of modern boxing history get conjured up. Perhaps the most famous among them is “Prince” Naseem Hamed, whose legendary exploits are world famous. Yet for us Brits, Sheffield is the home of guys like Johnny Nelson, Paul “Silky” Jones, Clinton Woods, Ryan Rhodes and nowadays “Kid Galahad” and IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook. And that’s just the fighters!

One of the boxers destined for greater things and following in such footsteps as both today and yesterdays Sheffield legends, is Commonwealth and WBO European bantamweight champion Ross Burkinshaw.

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Hearn Asks Fans To Dig Deep Again

So the big news that landed in Britain today, to a decidedly mixed reception its worth noting, is the announcement of Kell Brook fighting Frankie Gavin on May 30th at London’s O2 on a card that is to be PPV in the UK on Sky Box Office.

Rumours have abounded for the last couple of days that Birmingham’s Gavin would be the man to face Kell Brook, after he was first linked to an eliminator fight with Timothy Bradley, and that speculation became a reality earlier today.

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