Strength & Conditioning Changes In Pacquiao Camp

Photo: “FOREVER YOUNG” — Music legend and fight aficionado Bob Dylan(L) paid a visit to Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif. to watch Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao’s sparring session. Pacquiao is preparing for his eagerly-anticipated rematch against undefeated WBO World Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley. – Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 will take place, Saturday, April 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. — Photo Credit : Team Pacquiao

In a recent trip to Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym, I was pleasantly surprised to learn of some team changes. As I was talking to some of Manny Paquiao’s fans from Texas, strength and conditioning, Cecilo Flores, walked right by me. I was naturally shocked! This is the man who had been working with Robert Garcia in Oxnard, California. Shocked because I saw him in my last two trips to Garcia’s gym. Is he now working for the rival gym? He sure is.

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Weights: Brook-Robles, Bellew-Brudov, & Mitchell-Avakyan

#7 WBC cruiserweight contender Tony Bellew (20-2-1, 12 KO’s) made weight on Friday for his make or break fight aganst Valery Brudov (41-4, 28 KO’s) for their fight on Saturday night at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. Bellew weighed in at 197 lbs, whereas Brudov weighed 192.25 lbs.

For Bellew, this is 22 lbs heavier than he weighed for his last fight against WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson last November. Bellew has moved up in weight to the cruiserweight division due to his struggles to make weight at light heavyweight. With him now at a much heavier weight, Bellew feels that he’ll be stronger and will be able to fight at a higher level.

Bellew is putting a lot of pressure on himself to beat the 37-year-old Brudov, as he’s talking retirement if he loses to him. Bellew said to Sky Sports “It’s the be all or end all. It’s that big. If I can’t beat Valery Brudov then I’m not going to be a world champion and I just don’t think there’s much point in carrying on to be totally honest, so this is it for me.”

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Juan Manuel Marquez faces Mike Alvarado on May 17th at Inglewood forum

Juan Manuel Marquez (55-7-1, 40 KO’s) will be fighting former WBO light welterweight champion Mike Alvarado (34-2, 23 KO’s) on May 17th at the Forum, in Inglewood, California, USA. The winner of the fight will be facing the winner of the April 12th fight between Manny Pacquiao vs. WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley.

Marquez, 41, wants a chance to win a 5th division world title; whereas Alvarado is just looking to get his career back in order after getting stopped in the 10th round last October by the tough as nails Ruslan Provodnikov.

It’s unknown why Marquez feels that he needs to win another world title in order to somehow validate his career, as he’s already shown he’s a Hall of Fame type of fighter. Winning another world title is pretty much a meaningless thing at this point, especially if it comes against Pacquiao, who he already beat in his last fight. You have to wonder whether Marquez will feel he needs to win a 6th world title if he accomplishes his goal of winning a 5th. It goes on and on, and it’s not really worth it.

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Garcia vs. Herrera: Can Mauricio spoil the Garcia Klan’s homecoming?

This Saturday night from Bayamon, Puerto Rico Danny Garcia faces Mauricio Herrera on Showtime in what will be a homecoming of sorts for the Garcia Klan.

The fighting pride of Puerto Rican roots runs deep in the sport of boxing. The once proud and best pound for pound island for producing champions has recently hit a rough patch of fighters to support at the world level.

Miguel Cotto will no doubt fill the Mecca of boxing to the rafters when he takes on lineal middleweight title holder Sergio Martinez the eve of the Puerto Rican parade at the Garden.

The promising prospect Felix Verdejo is knocking on the door of stardom and soon enough will kick that door down in an attempt to fill the void left by Juanma Lopez’s once promising career.

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Tony Weeks Was Story – Angulo Should Be

Referee Tony Weeks took a lot of flak after rescuing Alfredo “Perro” Angulo from further damage at the hands of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Weeks halted things in the tenth, signifying that Alfredo had taken too much punishment. Some, including Angulo and his trainer were upset. They felt referee Weeks saw Angulo take one punch, a hard uppercut, and made a snap decision to stop the contest. Weeks explained his was not a hasty decision.

He had already consulted with the ringside physician, and listened in on the conversations in Angulo’s corner, in addition to what he was closely watching over nine punishing rounds. Good referees always weigh important questions before stopping a fight. If they come up with negatives for important questions such as: Is the fighter defending himself (fighting back)? Is the fighter taking (high#) hard, clean power punches?

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Erislandy The American Dream Lara elevated to WBA World Champion

(Photo By Al Applerose) HOUSTON, TX (March 13, 2014) – Super Welterweight sensation, Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (19-1-2, 12 KOs) has been elevated to World Champion by the WBA (World Boxing Association) after successfully defending his interim title against Afredo Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) and Austin Trout (26-2, 14 KOs). The Cuban born fighter, who now resides in Houston, Texas, is happy that the WBA has made their decision to make him a World Champion.

“I applaud the WBA for their decision to make me a world champion and I want to send a special thank you to a good friend of mine Gilberto Mendoza from the WBA,” said Erislandy Lara. “I’ve never had anything come easy to me. I’ve fought everyone that has been offered to me with no hesitation. All I want is an opportunity to prove I’m the best fighter in the division. I’ve worked my entire life to become a world champion and now the dream has come true. I’m truly living the American Dream and I love this country that I now call home.”

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Chris Arreola vs. Bermane Stiverne II to be televised by ESPN on May 10th

ESPN has reportedly bought the rights to televised the rematch between heavyweights Chris Arreola (36-3, 31 KO’s) and Bermane Stiverne (23-1-1, 20 KO’s) on May 10th in their fight for the vacant WBC heavyweight title at a still to be determined venue. For boxing fans this is a big deal because they won’t need an expensive premium channel like HBO or Showtime to see the fight now that ESPN will televise it.

While it sounds nice that ESPN was able to purchase the fight to televise on their network, it gives you an idea of how much interest HBO and Showtime had in televising the fight. Believe me, if they had wanted to show the fight, they would have purchased it.

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Kovalev Training Camp Report: All Eyes on Krusher

Ft. Lauderdale, FL: WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev is truly under the microscope as he prepares to defend his title against Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew on March 29th at the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall live on HBO Boxing After Dark. For the past two days HBO cameras have filmed “Krusher” at his training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Although this is the third time Sergey will appear on HBO Boxing After Dark, it is his first appearance in the main event. As a result, this is Kovalev’s first experience with a camera crew there to record his every move.

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Rafael Mensah ready for world’s best Lightweights

Unbeaten Ghanaian Lightweight, Rafael Mensah remains resolute in the pledge to follow in the footsteps of childhood hero, Ike Bazooka Quartey and bring Ghana another WBA world title.
One of the best kept secrets in Ghanaian boxing circles, Mensah, 21-0, 16 KOs has steadily found his way into the WBA rankings and is currently number 8 in the world.

He’s coming off a successful defence of the WBA Pan Africa Lightweight belt courtesy a round 4 TKO Mouibi Serouna of Togo and will be in action again on May 3 against former African champion, Abdul Malik Jabir.

When Eastsideboxing.com caught with Rafael Mensah in Accra, the boxer affirmed his readiness to challenge the elite Lightweights in world boxing but until he gets a shot he will be defending his African version of the WBA Lightweight belt.

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Danny Garcia eyes future Mayweather showdown if he beats Herrera this Saturday

Unified light-welterweight world champion Danny Garcia is unfazed at being overlooked as Floyd Mayweather’s next opponent.

The undefeated 25-year-old knows that victory this Saturday night against Mauricio Herrera, live and exclusive on BoxNation, will herald further calls for him to be the next man to face pound-for-pound king Mayweather.

Having blitzed his way past a host of top names in the 140-pound division, Garcia has emerged as one of boxing’s leading lights and returns to action in Puerto Rico this weekend following his momentous victory over Lucas Matthysse last September.

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