Alfredo Angulo, Virgil Hunter Interview Transcript

Virgil Hunter – Alfredo is very much up for this fight and into this fight. That’s not to say he wasn’t in any other bouts that he did, but we understand the magnitude of this opportunity and we intend to make the most of it.

I’m very pleased with the camp situation. We’re fortunate to have several of the guys in camp doing mini camps and conditioning, and because of that we’re able to provide Alfredo with a lot of different looks in sparring, which I feel complements the style that he has and he has the opportunity to pick up on various things that the styles offer.

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Martinez-Cotto official for June 7th – Cotto goes for history!

While we fight fans must sit and endure Floyd Mayweather’s silly games of not doing the right thing and announcing who he will fight next, another great fight was today announced as official: middleweight king Sergio Martinez will, as has been expected for some time, face former 140-pound, 147-pound and 154-pound ruler Miguel Cotto.

The fight will take place at a 159-pound catch-weight, just a pound below the middleweight limit, and will take place at Madison Square Garden during the weekend of the annual Puerto Rican Day parade. So, Cotto can expect a ton of fan support and fight fans can expect a potentially explosive fight that will go out on HBO pay-per-view, but can Cotto realise his dream of making history and become the first Puerto Rican fighter to win world titles at four different weights?

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Cotto-Martinez a done deal for June 7th!

It's official @RealMiguelCotto will face @MaravillaBox June 7 @TheGarden. #CottoMartinez

— Sergio Martínez (@maravillabox) February 20, 2014

It’s finally a done deal; WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (51-2-2, 28 KO’s) will be defending his title against 33-year-old former three division world champion Miguel Cotto (38-4, 31 KO’s) on June 7th at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Cotto vs. Martinez is projected by some to be the biggest fight of 2014. I’m not sure that it’ll be the biggest fight of the year, but it’ll definitely be a top five fight as long as they put a decent undercard with it. I’m not holding my breath at that happening.

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Four to Watch in 2014

Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs)

Why Tune In?

He’s undefeated. He’s fought big names such as Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ruslan Provodnikov, Joel Cassamayor, Devon Alexander, Lamont Peterson, Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt, and Junior Witter. Guess what? He hasn’t given that “0” up in the loss column yet. There’s something about this kid that just won’t take no for an answer. Desert Storm is an appropriate nickname for Bradley, not just because of fights like his war with Provodnikov- but his sheer will to go out and protect his “0”, by not going out to protect his “0”. You follow me? None of the names mentioned above are a walk in the park. For a guy with little power, he doesn’t fight like it. Witness how he dogged Devon Alexander and basically took his heart and made him quit. Timmy has earned his way to Top 3 status Pound 4 Pound in my book.

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Brazil’s Marcus de Oliveira Is Hunting The World’s Best Light-Heavyweights

(2/19/14) Trainers get a certain feeling when they work the mitts with boxers who possess natural power. South Florida’s Ricky Fisler realizes that sensation when he does glove-work with light-heavyweight Marcus de Oliveira. “It’s thrilling to work with a fighter who has that instinctive ability to distribute his weight when he punches,” says Fisler. “Marcus is can do that; he is gifted. His punches feel like sledgehammers.”

The Brazilian-born, Miami-based de Oliveira fights this Friday in Cleveland. The bout – against an opponent not yet identified – is likely to be the first of two tune-ups prior to seeking a match against a world-class foe. Fisler has high expectations of his fighter, and for good reasons, too. Currently 23-1-1 with 21 knockouts, de Oliveira carries one-punch KO power in both hands. 15 of his opponents have taken the full count. The Brazilian has a puncher’s chance against any top-rated fighter in his weight class.

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Chávez, Jr. Training Camp Quotes

(Rafael Soto/Top Rank) CULIACÁN, MÉXICO (February 19, 2014) – Former World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR is in his final days of training camp in México as he prepares for his 12-round super middleweight rematch against Top-Five contender and two-fisted Texan BRYAN VERA. Chávez Jr. – Vera II will take place next week – Saturday, March 1 – at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. It will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will open with two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist and 2013 Prospect of the Year, VASYL LOMACHENKO, in only his second professional bout, challenging World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion ORLANDO SALIDO.

Here is what Chávez Jr. had to say today:

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Arum: What Mayweather has done to Khan is disgraceful!

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is all bent out of shape with the way that Floyd Mayweather Jr. has treated Britain’s Amir Khan by not naming him as his next opponent for May 3rd, and having him compete for the fight with Marcos Maidana on his website poll at Mayweatherpromotions.com.

Khan won the poll, but Mayweather still hasn’t named him as his next opponent yet. Arum says he would never do that with his fighters in his stable, and he thinks that Khan should “cut his ties with them.” Arum thinks Mayweather has decided to fight Maidana instead of Khan.

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Mayweather Should Have Picked Khan!

Based on recent media reports, it is highly likely that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will probably face Marcos Maidana rather than Amir Khan on Cinco de Mayo weekend (May 3rd), which is a bit of a shame if you ask me, because I feel that a contest against the Brit would have raised the global profile of boxing.

From a purely financial perspective, it made sense for Mayweather Jr. to face Amir Khan, with Broner fighting on the undercard trying to gain some measure of revenge over Marcos Maidana.

However, a lot of casual fans of the sport feel (quite justifiably) that Amir Khan didn’t deserve the privilege of fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr., because he has lost two of his last four bouts and has never achieved anything at welterweight (other than gaining a controversial decision victory over Julio Diaz).

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Ruslan Provodnikov…feared man at Junior Welterweight

After winning the WBO Junior Welterweight Championship by stopping heralded tough guy and incumbent title holder “Mile High” Mike Alvarado in the reigning champ’s hometown of Denver, Colorado, on October 19th of last year, most fight fans would have guessed that big fight opportunities would be easily attainable for undefeated Russian native Ruslan Provodnikov in 2014.

With sledgehammers for fists and an iron chin to match, the irresistible force at 140 pounds always displays violent drama in the ring whenever he graces the light blue canvas…the kind that brings enthusiasm to arenas and excites fight fans around the world.

The 30 year old champ represents the kind of warrior that most avid boxing enthusiasts are willing to support.

So with a fan friendly style and a piece of coveted hardware around his waist, why is the HBO featured title holder still searching for a suitable challenger?

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Floyd Mayweather: He’s not a super-hero

From the fighters mentioned as next opponents, the only boxer that Floyd Mayweather Jr. should face would be Manny Pacquiao (assuming he doesn’t renew his contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank).

Floyd should not hold the sole responsibility for the Pacquiao super-bout not happening, because (as the old adage goes), “it takes two to tango”, as some of the heavily-publicised demands from Manny’s team from previous attempts to negotiate the fight seemed strange or unreasonable – limited blood testing, 50:50 split of the pot; HBO’s involvement etc.

I also don’t believe that Floyd’s legacy will be tarnished if he doesn’t fight Manny, because it’s not uncommon for some of the biggest stars in boxing not to fight each other, but this has not affected their legacies in any way. For example: Roy Jones Jr. didn’t fight Gerald McClellan, Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn, Steve Collins, Dariusz Michalczewski or Julian Jackson.

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