Abner Mares – I have no problem facing Rigondeaux, I have fought him before

In an interview with FightHype, former WBC featherweight world champion Abner Mares discussed his amateur bout with Guillermo Rigondeaux in the finals of the Pan American Games. In that fight Mares lost and ended up walking away with the silver medal and Rigondeaux took the gold.

In the interview Mares said he was not scared of Rigondeaux and would love to fight him. ‘I think there is a great possibility I beat him, we just have to work hard and find a way.’ A possible clash between Rigondeaux and a well known talent like Mares is long overdue and I am sure there would be a lot of public interest in this fight.

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Smith: I have improved since first fight – Abraham has not

Paul Smith says that the confidence from his first clash with Arthur Abraham and the improvements in the gym means he will be taking the WBO World Super Middleweight title back to Liverpool after the pair rematch on Saturday at O2 World in Berlin, live on Sky Sports. Smith pushed Abraham to the limit when the pair met for the Armenian-German’s belt in September in Kiel, where the champion held onto his belt but controversy reigned over the wide-margins in the scoring after such a close contest.

The Liverpool favourite landed the rematch he craved in December and has been working tirelessly in the gym with trainer Joe Gallagher to build upon the confidence from their first meeting and perfect a plan to leave the result in no doubt. Smith feels primed to rip the title from a champion that he respects, but does not believe can offer anything more than he did in their first meeting.

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Golovkin vs Murray: Press Conference Quotes, Videos, Photos

Middleweight World Champion GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN and top rated challenger MARTIN MURRAY give their final thoughts at today’s final press conference.

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN

“Martin Murray is a great fighter, he looks strong here today. He is the biggest test of my career.”

“Thanks to everyone for putting this event together, it’s great to be back in Monte Carlo, I love fighting here. Thanks to my team and my coach Abel Sanchez.”

“I promise a great fight on Saturday night and a big drama show.”

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Golovkin on Murray: ‘He is great fighter, he is strong, I respect him’

In the press conference for the upcoming Golovkin vs Murray fight, the dominant 160lb champion had a lot of good words to say about his latest choice of opponent. Martin Murray from the UK has 29 wins in 31 fights with 1 loss and a draw. After winning the British, Commonwealth and WBA Inter-Continental straps Murray faced WBA Super champion Felix Sturm.

That fight finished with a very controversial split decision draw as the final result and Murray was denied his world title. After two back to back wins which saw Murray gain the interim WBA title he then went into a fight with Sergio Martinez, who despite being dropped in the fight and looking as though he lost the majority of the exchanges, came away with the unanimous decision. This was the second title fight for Murray and the second time a home-cooked decision had cost him the title.

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Roach: Golovkin ‘hasn’t fought anybody yet’

In an interview with FightHype, trainer Freddie Roach had a brief discussion regarding a potential matchup between middleweight champions Miguel Cotto and Gennady Golovkin. Roach immediately stated that to this point Golovkin has not fought the best fighters in the division. When discussing Golovkins past victims he said ‘they’re not that good, lets face it.’

I do not know how true this is as Golovkin has been beating top ten middleweights for a good amount of time now and making them look amateurish. This is a similar illusion created when Mayweather fights, many people think Mayweather doesn’t take the toughest choice of opponents because he beats them with such ease. What people don’t realise is that these are not easy fights, guys like Mayweather and Golovkin just make them look easy. Name another middleweight who could stop both Marco Antonio Rubio and Daniel Geale in less than 5 rounds combined?

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Bob Arum discusses Brook vs Marquez

Bob Arum, in an interview with FightHype, has said that pound for pound figher and four weight world champion Juan Manuel Marquez is in the process of testing out his knee and checking to see how the rehabilitation is going. Arum said that it would be in the next few months that an announcement would be made as to whether Marquez would be able to continue his boxing career, despite wanting to fight on and win that fifth world title and break the record for mexican boxers.

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Lee Purdy retires from boxing

26 fights, 20 wins, 13 knockouts. Lee Purdy the former British and IBF International Welterweight Champion is hanging up the gloves at age 27. His promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed the retirement yesterday.

The news is mostly put down to the fact that Purdy sustained a severed and detached retina in his left eye during a fight with long reigning European Champion Leonard Bundu late in 2013. At the time the extent of the injuries were not know and he was expect to return to the ring in late 2014 or early 2015 and excitement in the UK was beginning to build after it was suggested he could be fighting the winner of Frankie Gavin and Bradley Skeete for the British title.

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Remembering a classic: Kevin Kelley and Troy Dorsey go to war in featherweight showdown

On this day in 1992, two featherweights met in New York and engaged in a fierce fight that severely tested the mettle of both men. In fact, both Kevin Kelley of Flushing in New York and Troy Dorsey of Mansfield, Texas threw so much leather, fans could have been forgiven for thinking it was going out of fashion.

Entering the bout, Dorsey, the former IBF featherweight ruler and a natural warrior who had cut his teeth as a world class kick boxer, was the older man by five years at age 29. Sporting a 12-4-4 record, Dorsey was to be the 26-0 Kelley’s first big test. And how the teak-tough Texan tested the slick southpaw from Queens.

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Pacquiao confirms Mayweather Jr.’s Statement

During the All-Star Game in New York City this past weekend, Floyd Mayweather Jr. gave a quick interview to an on-site reporter David Aldridge, stating that nothing has yet been signed, despite some rumors claiming that Manny Pacquiao has already done so: “I haven’t signed yet, and he hasn’t signed yet. It’s just been speculation and rumors,” declared Mayweather Jr.

In the midst of all the speculations, this statement came not as much a disappointment, but more of a surprise. Although it is hard to classify anything as a surprise when it comes to the Mayweather Jr. vs. Pacquiao history, Floyd’s direct confirmation that no paperwork has yet been touched by either camp was contrary to the many rumors of the fight being announced any second now.

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Video: Freddie Roach Confirms Manny Pacquiao Is Training For Floyd Mayweather

Freddie Roach confirms that Manny Pacquiao is Training For Floyd Mayweather…and, “I know nothing…let’s be positive,” stated Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, who was tight-lipped regarding an update on negotiations for the long-awaited mega-fight between undefeated pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather and 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. Check out what else he did have to say to FightHype.com

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