Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara talk ring names ahead of their July 12 Showtime PPV® showdown

Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara talk ring names ahead of their July 12 Showtime PPV® showdown

LAS VEGAS (June 11, 2014) – It is a tradition as old as the sweet science itself – fighters from minimumweight to heavyweight express themselves with their very own unique ring name. Anything goes as everything from Sugars to Executioners have made their way into the squared circle throughout boxing’s storied history, and Saturday, July 12 is no exception.

The main event of the SHOWTIME PPV showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara will face off not only for junior middleweight supremacy, but honor and glory at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

SAUL “CANELO” ALVAREZ
“My nickname was given to me by my trainer Jose ‘Chepo’ Reynoso when I first started training at Reynoso’s Gym because of my red hair. First called me “Canelito” [Little Cinnamon] because I was still very young, around 12- or 13-years-old. As I grew older, it changed to ‘Canelo.’

continue

Miguel Cotto gifts boxing fans a thrilling future

Miguel Cotto gifts boxing fans a thrilling future

Sometimes boxing hands its fans surprises, outcomes that open doors to more exhilarating fights, and this is something that every boxing fan can appreciate and treasure. There are too many people out there, claiming that boxing is a lost sport, bringing less entertainment and claiming a miniscule number of new fans. While sometimes even I start believing such rumors, its fights like Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez that change my mind, bringing my thought back to where they belong: appreciating the sport and seeing it flourish.

Weeks leading up to the fight, it was clear that the majority of boxing community expected Sergio Martinez to win the fight. Why? Some claimed that he was simply a fresher fighter, with better footwork and ring generalship. Truth be told, I was one of those people. Rummaging through various forums, I found that loads of boxing fans wholeheartedly believed that Cotto was simply too old and had been through too many wars. Some suggested that he was now devoting too much time to the business aspect of his career, and that maybe it would be wise for Miguel to hang up the gloves and dive into his promotional endeavors.

continue

Sergio Martinez Ought to Hang It Up

Sergio Martinez Ought to Hang It Up

It’s not much of a surprise Miquel Cotto was victorious over Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez. After all, the experts openly expressed their concerns over Martinez’ fourteen month absence from the ring. They were concerned about Sergio’s troublesome knee and shoulder injuries, plus a broken hand? His body seemed to be breaking down. Despite Sergio’s assurances, many experts doubted whether he could come back and regain his previously superb condition and superior abilities?

We now know they were right. However, even Cotto and Freddie Roach had to have been surprised by how easy it was for Cotto to get Sergio on queer street. For pete’s sake, Sergio was wobbled with Cotto’s first left hook! It was baffling? What a predicament Sergio was in! The opening bell had barely stopped ringing! This lineal world middleweight champion from Argentina had never been in such a dilemma.

continue

Miguel Cotto: Leverage

Miguel Cotto: Leverage

Congratulations to Miguel Cotto the Lineal middleweight champion. Not too long ago Cotto turned down a cool $10M guarantee from Canelo Alvarez to instead fight Sergio Martinez then recognized as THE middleweight champion. Why Cotto turned down this offer was a calculated risk on the former 154lb champions part. Having previously lost to Mayweather and then losing again to Austin Trout in an upset, there was no way that Cotto would carry his skills and power up to 160lbs and beat Martinez, or could he?

Why then would Cotto embark on an endeavor that many even the odds makers saw as a ‘fool’s errand’? Cotto always saw himself as the A-side but against some of the elite fighters always came up short. Against Canelo, Cotto would’ve been the B-side, even with $10M in his pocket, and Alvarez would’ve made twice that. So what other’s saw as ‘fools gold’, Miguel Cotto and more importantly Freddie Roach saw as the ‘pot of gold’ and the end of the rainbow. Stepping up and beating the lineal middleweight champion would propel Miguel Cotto to the highest heights of his 14 year career and return him to the A-side status he always believed himself to be.

continue

Paul Butler Says Best Is Yet To Come Following Title Win

YouTube video
New IBF World Bantamweight Champion Paul Butler says the best is yet to come from him after he dethroned Stuart Hall at the weekend.

The Ellesmere Port ace won the title by split-points decision – in just his 16th professional fight and only his second at bantamweight – by using his quick footwork and hand speed to beat the bigger and stronger Hall.

Butler, 25, thanked his loyal fans who cheered him to victory to become Ellesmere Port’s first ever world champion.

“That was the best night of my life, unbelievable, something I’ll always remember,” Said Butler.

continue

Could Andy Lee be next for middleweight champ Miguel Cotto?

Could Andy Lee be next for middleweight champ Miguel Cotto?

Even though Sergio Martinez resembled an aging armored knight clumsily bumbling around the ring on shoddy wooden stilts, Miguel Cotto still shocked the world with his history making performance when he stopped the former middleweight king in dominant style. The victory puts Cotto in a great position to land some big name opponents and some nice paydays. Miguel has loads of lucrative options out there right now, and everyone near or around 160 is going to want a piece of him. Everyone.

It is therefore logical to assume he may soon wind up facing one of boxing’s big 3 money makers, which would involve a possible match with Canelo Alvarez or a return bout with either Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao. But looking into the immediate future, a rematch with either P4P star seems unlikely. Cotto and Pacquiao have formed a brotherly bond since they are now both under the tutelage of Freddie Roach. And with Mayweather expected to fight again in September, that’s probably a little too soon for Cotto to make his return after such an awesome win. That makes Alvarez the default frontrunner based on process of elimination.

continue

Bryant Jennings vs. Mike Perez Set for July 26 MSG/HBO

Bryant Jennings vs. Mike Perez Set for July 26 MSG/HBO

New York City (June 9, 2014) Undefeated heavyweight’s BRYANT “By By” JENNINGS and MIKE “The Rebel” PEREZ will clash in a World Boxing Council (“WBC”) Heavyweight Title Eliminator on SATURDAY, JULY 26 at The Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden. The fight will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT, it was announced today by K2 Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions in association with Antonio Leonard Promotions.

The winner of the 12-round bout will become the mandatory challenger for the WBC Heavyweight Title, which was vacated by longtime champion Vitali Klitschko earlier this year.

continue

Miguel Cotto dethrones Sergio Martinez by RTD 10 – a state of the art assault and battery

Miguel Cotto dethrones Sergio Martinez by RTD 10 – a state of the art assault and battery

This was a bright sunshiny day for boxing and the bout brought memories of the golden days of boxing – a sold out Garden, two gladiators without any “0s” to protect and seemingly free of corporate clog and Swiss bank restraint jackets.

Another great ingredient was the job done by the referee. If you didn’t catch his name or even notice him most of the time than he did a rare feat – he did his job right without even touching the boxers. The most impressive thing a referee can do is remain unobtrusive and unimposing. Michael Griffin set a very high standard and quietly outclassed noisy star referees who won’t stop hollering and physically engage the fighters with the risk of injury to all parties.

continue

Mayweather/Pacquiao: Will It Ever Happen?

Mayweather/Pacquiao: Will It Ever Happen?

The world is waiting for the most anticipated fight of our time, the clash of the titans in Floyd “Money” Mayweather the pound for pound king and Fighter of the Decade Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao”. But the question is, will it ever happen?

Fans around the world hungers for a mega-fight that could well reinstate boxing back to its glory days more so if the two soon hall of fame boxers agree to its terms for the much awaited fight.

Boxing’s popularity have declined in the past years while counterpart MMA’s popularity skyrocketed and is currently at its height.

continue

G4 Quotes: Golovkin-Geale & Jennings-Perez

G4 Quotes: Golovkin-Geale & Jennings-Perez

New York City (June 9, 2014) Saturday afternoon in New York City, a Press Conference was held for “G4”, the boxing extravaganza set for SATURDAY, JULY 26 at ‘The Mecca of Boxing”, Madison Square Garden and Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

In attendance were WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN, Two-Time World Champion DANIEL ‘The Real Deal” GEALE along with undefeated heavyweight contenders BRYANT “By By” JENNINGS and MIKE “The Rebel” PEREZ in addition to undefeated welterweight prospect DUSTY HERNANDEZ-HARRISON. Hosting the press conference were Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions and Gary Shaw of Gary Shaw Productions.

continue