Marquez changes mind about not wanting to fight Pacquiao again

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum must be smiling like a Cheshire cat right about now with the news that 40-year-old Juan Manuel Marquez has had a change of mind about never wanting to fight Arum’s number 1 money fighter Manny Pacquiao. Well, Marquez isn’t exactly falling all over himself at the thought of fighting Pacquiao for a fifth time, because he feels already beat him 4 times and proved that he’s the superior fighter.

By having Marquez fight Pacquiao in September, Arum will see Pacquiao’s pay-per-view numbers back into the million range where they had been for many years until Arum made the questionable decision to match him up against Brandon Rios and stick the fight in Macao, China instead of the United States.

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Bradley: I’m going to erase doubts in people’s minds in Pacquiao rematch

WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (31-0, 12 KO’s) is still bothered that boxing fans don’t believe he rightfully beat Filipino Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) in their fight in 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It bothers Bradley that he’s seen as a paper champion and not a legitimate one in people’s minds because of two judges giving him a close decision that pretty much the entire world disagreed with.

“He is the superstar and he is the icon, the legend,” Bradley said to the Manila Bulletin. “He is still the top dog. I am just happy to get this chance to fight Manny again. I will make it official (this time) to erase it on people’s minds. I am much tougher now.”

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WBA/WBC 140 lb. champion Danny Garcia arrive tomorrow to Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO- World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) super lightweight champion, Danny “Swift” Garcia will arrive in Puerto Rico tomorrow to participate in the first press conference for his next title defense against Mexican Mauricio Herrera on Saturday, March 15, at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, in a Golden Boy Promotions and Swift Promotions presentation, in association with PR Best Boxing Promotions Promotions (PRBBP), which will air on Showtime.

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Brawling Hurts the Sweet Science

“Gentlemen, come out fighting at the bell.” For years we’ve heard that or similar invitations made to two boxers, not two brawlers. When it’s the latter, the public is turned off and turns away from the sport. Ideally, brawling has no place in the sport; although, it’s always been there. In fact, some of boxing’s most popular and colorful boxers weren’t above fracturing a rule or ten. Guys like Harry Greb, Fritzie Zivic, Sandy Saddler, and Two Ton Tony Galento. The modern day list holds more than just a few. We won’t offend individuals by naming them. The truth is some of the best of our current crop of greats, such as Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Bernard Hopkins, and Andre Ward aren’t above cleverly using elbows, forearms, a glove behind the head pulling a man off balance, and the good old noggin. The difference is the men have many other skills to bring about a victory.

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The “Atomic Bull” keeps raging: Oliver McCall upsets Polish prospect Rekowski to notch up 70th pro bout!

It was a big night of boxing in a number of countries last night, yet flying somewhat under the radar was a card that took place in Poland. In action was former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall – a fighter and a man who has been through just about as many ups and downs as can be imagined during his 48-years – and the old “Atomic Bull” proved his is amazingly not quite finished yet.

Facing the much younger and unbeaten, 12-0(10) coming in, Marcin Rekowswki, McCall dropped his man in the 3rd-round and ultimately won an eight-round split decision (77-75 twice, with the loser getting a 76-75 nod on the third card) – this after the result was initially and erroneously announced as a win for the Pole. McCall, in improving his astonishing record to 57-13(37) boxed his 70th pro fight. An added bonus for the tough old geezer (McCall has never been close to hitting the mat, in the ring or in the gym and has never been legitimately stopped in almost 30-years of paid fighting) came in the form of revenge, as Rekowski had previously beaten Oliver’s fighting son, Elijah.

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Photos: Golovkin stops Adama

(Photo/Courtesy Sumio Yamada) Monte Carlo (February 1, 2014) In front of a packed house of cheering boxing fans in Monte Carlo and millions watching around the world on Saturday night, WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin stormed to a seventh round stoppage of Ghana’s Osumanu Adama at the Salles des Etoiles.

The knockout, Golovkin’s sixteenth in a row and tenth world title defense improved Golovkin’s record to 29-0 (26KO’s) and boosted his knockout ratio to 89.66, the highest among the active world champions and the highest in the history of boxing’s glamour division. With the loss Adama fell to 22-4 (16KO’s).

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Selby stops Munroe; Buckland defeats Rees; Joshua destroys Darch

British featherweight champion Lee Selby (18-1, 7 KO’s) had an easy time defeating former World title challenger Rendall Munroe (27-4-1, 11 KO’s) by a 7th round stoppage on Saturday night to win the vacant European featherweight strap at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. The fight was one-sided, but the stoppage was somewhat controversial due to referee Ian John Lewis halting it while Munroe was still upright and not quite out of it.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:31 of the round. Munroe wasn’t going anywhere even if he had survived the round, because he couldn’t handle the speed, power and size of Selby. Munroe was a very good fighter at one time, but he didn’t look it tonight. He looked like a fighter past his prime facing someone much too good for him. Leading up to the stoppage, Selby hurt Munroe with a right hand that sent him backwards into the corner where he was taking shots until Lewis stopped the fight.

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Golovkin defeats Adama by 7th round quick stoppage

(Photo/Courtesy Sumio Yamada) WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (29-0, 26 KO’s) did what he said he was going to do by going out and halting challenger Osumanu Adama (22-4, 16 KO’s) in the 7th round in a three knockdown performance at the at the Salle des etoiles, in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Golovkin knocked Adama down with a jab in the 7th. Shortly after that, Golovkin hit Adama with a left hook square in the jaw that staggered Adama, sending him backwards a couple of steps.

The referee Louis Pabon quickly stopped the fight at that point rather than waiting to see if Adama would recover from the shot. The official time of the stoppage was 1:20. It’s hard to say if Adama would have made it through the round, because he had been staggered several other times in the fight and he’d been able to recoup from the punches.

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Virgil Hunting for Trainer of the Year

Virgil Hunter began his career as a boxing trainer by coaching youth from probation centers. In order to grow as a trainer, Hunter sought the mentorship of trainers like Bobby Warren, Jimmie Simmons, Charlie Smith, and Tiger Floyd. He has associated himself with the likes of Barry Hunter, Leon Lawson, Tony Morrison, Kevin Cunningham, and Nazim Richardson. Virgil’s growth as a trainer first became evident to me based on the rise of his star fighter, Andre Ward. Virgil’s work with Ward have helped put his name on the map. As a result, Virgil has became the hunted trainer as three big names in boxing have solicited his services in the last 2 years.

This is all important when you think about being at the right place at the right time. However, in the case of Virgil Hunter, that cliche is too simple to describe a man who has worked hard to put himself in the right place at a crucial time in his career. The three boxers are Amir Khan, Alfredo Angulo, and Andre Berto. The first two hired Virgil in the fall of 2012 while the latter hired him in June of 2013. These three, along with Andre Ward are the key ingredients that can elevate Virgil Hunter to 2014 Trainer of the Year.

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Golovkin – Adama: Photos and Weights From Monte Carlo

Gennady Golovkin, 159.2 vs. Osumanu Adama, 159.2
Ilunga “Junior” Makabu, 193.5 vs. Ruben Angel Mino, 199.3
Max Bursak, 159.72 vs. Jarrod Fletcher, 159
Nkonsinathi Joyi, 106.9 vs, Rey Loreto, 107.6
Roman Belaev, 146.2 vs. Dean Byrne, 146

Gennady Golovkin is hoping his outstanding 2013 can push him to even greater heights in the new year by beating the biggest names in the middleweight division.

The unbeaten Kazakhstani assassin has become one of boxing’s most feared punchers after brutally blasting his way past all four challengers last year to amass a record of 28 wins with 25 knockouts.

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