Returning from the 2004 Olympic games in Athens was a 17 year old boxer from Bolton, whose performances there belied his juvenility and gained him the adoration of a nation. Amir ‘King’ Khan’s star could not be higher back in his home country and, after defeating the man who defeated him in the Olympic final, the professional ranks beckoned with a huge amount of potential being seen in this likable young star. Ten years later and that adoration and faith seems to have faded in the wash slightly. Prior to his impressive victory over his best opponent since his complete capitulation against Danny Garcia, Khan had been busy lobbying quite desperately for a bout with the undefeated phenomenon Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather, only for his pleas to fall on deaf ears. Opinion seemed to be split on the subject, however, as many pundits believe that he has the tools to truly give Floyd a test that he most definitely has not been given in a while. The fans, meanwhile, seemed to incessantly question what it is exactly Khan has done to deserve such a coveted opportunity. I wanted to examine why Khan’s credibility is so low right now, but also whether he genuinely has the weaponry to at least threaten Mayweather’s seemingly impregnable fortress.
Stiverne-Arreola II fight week coverage – Open Workouts
This afternoon on the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles, Bermane Stiverne and Chris Arreola held open workouts as they prepared for this Saturday’s WBC heavyweight title match. Please check out the embedded video to see the fighters in action.
Southern California native Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola arrived first around 3pm and after some stretching and shadowboxing, he worked the mitts with longtime trainer Henry Ramirez. Chris was his normal jovial self and was joking with media members as he worked up a sweat. He appeared in good shape and high spirits only days ahead of the biggest fight of his career. After a few minutes skipping rope, he stepped aside to talk with media and leave the ring area open for his opponent to work. Arreola made it a point to tell media he is in much better condition for the rematch with Stiverne than he was in their first bout. He beamed with confidence as he answered questions and seemed very relaxed.
Mikkel Kessler: “I still feel I have something to prove”
Following months of speculation, today, former five-time World Champion Mikkel Kessler announced his intentions to continue boxing and fight his way back to the top of the sport he loves.
“I’ve thought a lot about whether I should continue my career,’’ said Kessler. ‘’I became a father and I have a life outside of boxing that I really appreciate. I’ve got a special responsibility. So it was not a decision I took lightly.
‘’But I still feel I have something to prove. I hate to lose! And I lost my last fight against Carl Froch. Many thought that I would quit, but I owe it to myself and my fans to finish on top. My last performance showed that I still belong at the top. And I know that my fans believe in me.’
Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara – Los Angeles press conference quotes
(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) LOS ANGELES (May 6, 2014) – A four-city, four-day, whirlwind press tour for “HONOR & GLORY: Canelo vs. Lara,” a highly anticipated event headlined by a showdown between former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez and WBA Junior Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara, commenced Tuesday at El Pueblo Historical Monument in Los Angeles.
Hundreds of fans and media members turned out for the Golden Boy Promotions open-to-the-public press conference that also was streamed live in High Definition across multiple SHOWTIME platforms, including via satellite feed, YouTube, Ustream and sports.sho.com/live.
Wladimir Klitschko’s Business and Opponent Approach Compared to Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s
When it comes to making money, it seems like there is simply no parallel to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Whether it’s a guaranteed paycheck, record PPV numbers, or his ability to run Mayweather Promotions, Floyd is a genius when it comes to raking up dozens of millions of dollars thanks to his self promotion and boxing talent.
There have been countless debates about who else compares to Mayweather Jr. in that department. Some have suggested that Manny Pacquiao is a good rival when it comes to cashing in, but after looking at the numbers, this is simply not true. If not Pacquaio, than who?
According to James Ali Bashir, Wladimir Klitschko’s co-trainer, Wladimir and Floyd are very similar in their approach to the financial process of their fights.
Samuel Peter out of Super-8 Heavyweight Tournament, an offer is put to Johnathon Banks to take part
The full line-up is almost complete for the June 4th “Super-8” heavyweight tournament that will take place in New Zealand. According to a report in The New Zealand Herald, former WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter is out, but Wladimir Klitschko trainer and top-ranked heavy Johnathon Banks has been given an offer to take part.
Peter, who would likely have been one of the most attractive/intriguing names had he boxed in the tournament, injured his calf and says fighting three times in one night (as per the formula of the tournament) is “too risky.” As a result of Peter’s withdrawal, Kiwi heavyweight Anthony Nansen has stepped in, taking on what he calls a “life-changing opportunity.”
Canelo Alvarez vs Erislandy Lara on July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena
Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez will square off against WBA Junior Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara in a 12-round bout. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV.
Lara was originally scheduled to defend his WBA title against Ishe Smith on Friday, May 2 in Las Vegas to kickoff Cinco de Mayo Weekend withdrew from the fight to face Canelo.
Nathan Cleverly: I’ll be at my best at Cruiserweight
Nathan Cleverly makes his Cruiserweight debut against Sean Corbin at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on May 17, live on Sky Sports – and the Welsh star promises to pack a punch at his new weight. Cleverly moves up from Light Heavyweight for the first time against the Guyanese puncher and the former WBO champion returns to the scene of his final fight at Light Heavyweight against big-hitting Russian Sergey Kovalev in August, and says he is ready to show that he’ll have extra power up at 200lbs.
“I can still make Light Heavyweight – but there’s a difference between making the weight and performing at my best at the weight,” said Cleverly. “There’s no way I can perform at my best at 12st 7lbs. My body fat percentage is too low and I feel sluggish when I try to get down to the weight, my mouth gets dry and my legs get heavy.
Title Fight Spoiled by Panicked Exit
This was just after the WBC/WBA welterweight (147 pounds) unification title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Marcos Maidana had just finished at the venue. It was reported that over 60 people were injured after a rush to leave the arena. Some exits were found to be closed and leaving spectators were funneled to certain directions of egress.
The Las Vegas police confirmed reports of a loud bang in the area that probably led to spectators stampeding out. The bang was caused by a temporary wall that fell down near the adjacent food court, Poleski added. The bulk of the medical transports were for minor injuries like cuts, and sprains, as well as leg and back injuries. “Most of the injured seemed to be from traumas associated with being stepped on,” said Clark County spokesman Erik Pappa.
Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: A Look Back at Mayweather vs Maidana, A Measurement of the ‘New’ Amir Khan, & a Look at the Same Old Adrien Broner!!!
Greg H. (Bronx, NYC): Going into the Maidana fight I thought Floyd Mayweather was in for an easy night, but I know you felt it would be tough from the beginning. What were your thoughts about both of their performance? And do you think a rematch is warranted?
Vivek W. (ESB): From the moment this fight was signed, I felt we would get precisely the fight we saw at the end of the night. I was shocked at the odds when they were initially announced, and I was even more shocked to see that they ballooned to the point in which they did by fight night (12:1). I don’t claim to know boxing any better than the next man, but what I learned once again is that the countless hours of film study in the still of the night does make a difference when giving educated feedback. Mayweather has always performed with a certain level of genius; but my logic from day one was that there was no way a precision based puncher who throws one shot at a time could get a decisive victory over a fighter who throws 70 punches per round with power at the end of each one.