Malignaggi – ‘Stylistically This Fight Doesn’t Favour Chris Algieri’ / Khan v Algieri

Tonight in New York from the Barclays Center, Amir Khan squares off against light hitting Chris Algieri in a much criticised fight that has brought considerable pressure on Khan from ALL corners – particularly the fans – who have bombarded his twitter feed over recent days and weeks to let him know exactly how they feel about this fight – which is largely seen as meaningless.

Kugan Cassius spoke to former 2 weight champ Paulie Malignaggi for iFLtv ahead of the fight to discuss his own thoughts on the contest.

The New Yorker – who was due to box on the card before sustaining a cut in training – is in the UK for Sky Sports punditry duties ahead of tomorrows Brook v Gavin card from London and essentially agrees with the fans, albeit it a little more respectfully than some of the tweets I’ve seen.

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Miguel Cotto Media Day Quotes

Los Angeles (May 28, 2015) – Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s), the reigning WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion and the first native of Puerto Rico to become world champion in four different weight classes, will defend his titles against former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) of Australia on June 6, 2015 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a 12-round fight that will be televised live on HBO. Cotto hosted a Los Angeles media workout Tuesday afternoon at Wild Card Boxing Club in preparation for his title defense against Geale.

Here’s what Cotto and his trainer, Freddie Roach, had to say:

Miguel Cotto – WBC & Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion

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Cotto Will Stop Geale Says Freddie Roach

Ahead of his fighter’s June 6th defence of the WBC 160lb belt he won last year against an injured Sergio Martinez – Freddie Roach has spoken to fighthype.com regarding the outcome of the catchweight contest between Miguel Cotto & Daniel Geale – predicting that despite the significant height, reach and rehydration weight advantages the Aussie is going to have – his man can stop the former 3x world champion in the 8th or 9th rounds.

There has been fierce media criticism of Cotto for seemingly refusing to fight mandatory challenger – Kazakh wrecking machine Gennady Golovkin – yet Roach claims it was he who picked Geale as the opponent for Cotto and thus, surely accepts part of the responsibility?

He said;

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Kell Brook – ‘It’s Gonna Be All Action From Me’

Sheffield’s IBF 147lb champion Kell Brook has spoken out at today’s presser to promote his headline title defence against Frankie Gavin on Saturday’s ‘Rule Britannia’ card promising that he is ready, in shape and intending to look good when he steps out under the bright lights of London’s O2 Arena.

Brook, who destroyed mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan in style back in February, has tweeted previously that he can see this one ending inside 3 rounds – yet whatever ends up happening in the ring against the former world amateur champion – he is promising that he has come to fight on Saturday.

“It’ll be all action from me. It’s a Box Office card and all these fans (are) coming out, so I’m expecting Frankie Gavin to give the fans what they want – and that’s an all action fight.”

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Kevin Mitchell Credits Matchroom For Resurgence / Focused On Linares

For many, Dagenham lightweight Kevin Mitchell is one of the most likable characters in British boxing – and at times has been one of the most frustrating to follow the career of – notably in his two crushing defeats to Michael Katsidis at Frank Warren’s massive Upton Park show in 2010 and then again in his second heavy loss to Scotland’s Ricky Burns in 2012 which was ostensibly the end of him at the time.

It’s been well documented that a party lifestyle and the distractions of both fame and money were responsible for the past hiccups in a stop-start career – that has enjoyed a resurgence under promoter Eddie Hearn and trainer Tony Sims – and it culminates Saturday in his challenge to dangerous Venezuelan WBC champion, Jorge Linares.

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Khan vs. Algieri – A Must KO Win For Khan

The fight will take place on May 29 at the Barclays center, a high capacity indoor arena in Brooklyn, NY. Usually boxers need excuses why they do not take a certain fight but Amir Khan (30-3) has been trying to justify his choice and has offered excuses why he should fight Christopher Algieri (20-1). The British boxer can gain credibility only from a stoppage win over this opponent even though Algieri went the distance with Pacquiao and holds a win, albeit a controversial SD, over rough and tumble Ruslan Provodnikov.

Chris Algieri is a little taller and his reach is a little longer but he lacks in experience and skill compared to Khan. In fact he lacks in experience compared to any high-level boxer. Khan is an Olympic silver medalist and his transition to the paid ranks was not seamless but he has more fights than Algieri, a journeyman with little if any amateur experience. The American has been floored 8 times in his last two fights and it would take a stretch of imagination to conjure up a winning path for him in this fight.

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‘Rule Britannia’ : Best UK Card In Years Being Mis-Sold / Preview & Predictions

As boxing fans – be it writers, ticket buyers or the fighters themselves, we are all interested in good, solid, competitive and meaningful fights – as often as is humanly possible – preferably as part of our normal Sky package, terrestrial TV or even on a specific subscription fight channel like Boxnation – who provide the very best international content from America and beyond, week in, week out.

After a barrage of criticism over the quality of their ‘regular’ domestic cards and the decision to make ANY card of championship quality a PPV – I’m beginning to wonder just how well the buy rate is doing for this Saturday’s ‘Rule Brittannia’ show from London’s O2 – that in my eyes, is one of the very best British fight cards in a good long while.

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Khan Says He Took Algieri Out Of Desperation

Poor old Chris Algieri. Ahead of his much maligned fight with Amir Khan on Friday at the Barclays Center in New York, the British fighter has suggested a desperate scrabble for a suitable opponent was partly responsible for choosing to fight the former kick-boxer, insinuating to Espn that due to various complications, nobody else credible was available in the wake of him not getting the May 2nd Floyd fight ahead of Manny Pacquiao.

“There were a few names I wanted to fight. (Adrien) Broner was another name which I got no response back. Another one, Miguel Cotto, would have been a great fight for me.”

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Eubank Jr Wants To Fight Golovkin

After he wouldn’t vacate his WBA (interim) 160lb title – thus ensuring negotiations for the rematch with WBO mandatory Billy Joe Saunders broke down recently – it would appear that Brighton’s Chris Eubank Jr is to ultimately stay on the WBA route according to promoter Frank Warren – a road which leads to all things triple G.

Warren spoke to iFLtv for their ‘Cassius & Helder’ show to talk about the former super-middleweight legend’s son – and what the plans for the team ultimately are. Asked if chasing down Golovkin’s WBA (sup) is the ultimate aim – a route blocked by WBA (reg) Danny Jacobs – Warren said;

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The Steel City Boss On Spike TV

This weekend, British fans get the chance to see Commonwealth bantamweight champion Ross “The Boss” Burkinshaw (14-5-2, 8ko) take another step in his “Cinderella Man” story when he challenges for the WBO inter-continental title on free to air TV in the UK against South Africa’s Klass Mboyane.

The Sheffield fighter, who has enjoyed a career resurgence under Wincobank veteran Ryan Rhodes in the corner, finally gets the television exposure he deserves in a promotional master stroke by Dennis Hobson – that will hopefully see him move one step closer to his dream of capturing a world title – and get his name out to a far wider audience.

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