Mr. Gary Russell Jr: Back in the mix…perhaps

005RussellvictoryIMG_6217It’s been a frustrating year for the talented Mr. Russell.

Following a very active start to his professional career, fighting nineteen times in only three years, the former Olympian from the DMV area could visibly see the light of Championship gold glowing in the distance.

But after suffering numerous physical ailments throughout his 2012-2013 campaign, most recently a fracture in his left hand while competing against Vyacheslav Gusev in March of this year, the seemingly unstoppable momentum of the Russell Junior Express began to decrease, and the luminescent beam at the end of the tunnel started to flicker.

As a result of being riddled with several injuries, Gary was reduced to competing just four times within the last twenty months…an unanticipated and unwelcomed surprise to the ever so hopeful Team Russell.

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Floyd Mayweather vs. Saul Alvarez – a technical comparison and forecast

Mayweather and Canelo faceoffThe two candidates for “The One” on Sept. 14 are the most discussed boxers at present. A technical review of some key points in their game could shift the focus away from weight loss and diet speculations, emotionally biased pro and cons with utter disrespect for one and idolizing praise for the other. Both boxers deserve respect prior to the fight and I hope both will be worthy of it after September 14.

Boxing is not an exact science and it does not “compute” well. The sweet science has very little to do with a single science at all. Game plans very often last until the first sub-concussive blow and strategies sometimes turn out to be wishful thinking. However there is a system of fundamental skills (the basics) and it will be my basis for my technical comparison.

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Ashley Theophane On Sparring Floyd Mayweather And His Sept 14th Fight

ashleyI’ve officially been a member of Mayweather Promotions for just over two weeks now – and it feels great!

My fight with Pablo Cesar Cano has been signed and sealed for September 14th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

I’m the PPV opener for Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather vs. Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez showdown. Which is a huge honour and a huge responsibility, handed to me by Leonard Ellerbe and Floyd himself.

My fight will be followed by my team mate, and world champion, Ishe Smith, as he defends his world title against Carlos Molina. My former opponent, who is currently world champion, Danny Garcia will face the dangerous Lucas Matthysse in the co-main event.

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Ronald Gavril: #TheOne to Watch

Q.1 Ronald, you made short work of Dave Courchaine at the StubHub Center on Saturday night. How happy were you with the performance?

I am very happy of course, I had very good training for it and the result is a great
satisfaction.

Q.2 Were you hoping the fight would last a few more rounds or is getting the early
KO something you are always happy to take?

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Saul Canelo Alvarez Media Day Workout Quotes / Photos

canelo22BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. (Aug. 28, 2013) – Dozens of TV camera crews, newspaper reporters, photographers, online boxing media and bloggers made the 100-plus mile trek up the mountain to Big Bear Lake from the Los Angeles area on Tuesday to catch their final glimpse of WBC, WBA & Ring Magazine Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KO’s) before he travels to Las Vegas for his mega-showdown with undefeated Eight-Time and Five-Division World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather (44-0, 26 KO’s) as they headline “THE ONE: MAYWEATHER VS. CANELO’’ fight card on Saturday, Sept. 14, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

During his two-hour media workout at Shane Mosley’s jam-packed home gym, that was streamed live on YouTube, UStream, sports.sho.com/live, http://www.goldenboypromotions.com, and http://www.mayweatherpromotions.com, the super welterweight world champion did countless interviews, some in groups and others in one-on-ones. He also hit the heavy bag, sparred several rounds with weighted gloves and did calisthenics as 50’s doo-wop and early 60’s music blared in the background.

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Where Will Marquez Be In 2014? 2015? 2016?

marquez5Juan Manuel Marquez has been a top notch champion in boxing forever, and it seems as though the seconds had stopped ticking for Dinamita as his performance has not diminished a bit over the years. As a matter of fact, I have heard many boxing fans and analysts suggest that he has actually gotten better as he got older.

Being that Marquez is 40 years old, and is performing at peak, do we have a lighter version of Bernard Hopkins on our hands?

I am not attempting to compare Hopkins and Marquez, but if things keep going the way they are for Juan, I don’t foresee a retirement anytime soon for Dinamita, unless of course his family insists.

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An Interview with Caleb Truax

Q.1 Caleb, you discovered your talent for boxing quite late on. Tell us a little about your introduction to the sport.

Yes, I didn’t begin boxing until I was 19. I was always a big boxing fan, but never knew it was accessible in MN. Ultimately, I saw an ad in the local City Pages for a tough guy tournament, decided to enter with a friend, and that’s how I was introduced to competing in the sport.

Q.2 Growing up in Minnesota you were heavily involved in team sports. How did it feel to step into the individual environment of a boxing ring for the first time?

As a kid, I played every sport there was to play, but outside of golf, I never played individual sports. It was definitely a change not to have any teammates to rely on, but I welcomed it. I enjoy having everything start and stop with me in the ring. I think not having any safety valves to the left or right, as is the case on a team, brings out the best of me.

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Allan Green & Blake Caparello clash for the vacant IBO Light Heavyweight World Title

photoThe vacant IBO Light Heavyweight World Title fight between American Allan Green 32-4 and Australian Blake Caparello 17-0 will take place in Australia, October 17 at the Melbourne Pavilion.

Green will start red hot favourite for the title despite travelling to Australia for the contest. Green had a stellar amateur career winning 4 regional Golden Glove tournaments and the 2002 National Golden Glove tournament finishing with an amateur record of 55-5. In stark contrast Caparello had only 9 amateur fights before turning pro.

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Dereck Chisora-Denis Boytsov for European crown on September 21st – who wins?

chisora6Dereck Chisora will be back in action again next month, just over two months after his stoppage win over the previously unbeaten Malik Scott, and “Del Boy” will look to take away another top level fighter’s perfect record on September 21st as he is set to face Russia’s Denis Boytsov in a bout that will contest the European heavyweight belt.

According to the web site of UK trade paper Boxing News, Chisora-Boytsov will take place on Frank Warren’s show at the Copperbox Arena in London.

“That’s a good show,” Warren said to BN. “[Chisora’s] got to get the European and hopefully he can get himself into a good position. I watched Pulev and Thompson at the weekend. We certainly wouldn’t worry about fighting either of those.”

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Double Olympic Champion Vasyl Lomachenko Turns Pro at 25 years of age

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Vasyl Lomachenko will fight Jonathan Oquendo in a 10 round featherweight bout on the undercard of Juan Manuel Marquez and Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on October 12. If you are wondering why a newcomer is rushed into a 10 round fight on his debut instead of a four or a six rounder, it’s because of his outstanding amateur pedigree and unique skill set.

Lomachenko is a double Olympic champion, a double World champion and he boasts a record of 396-1 in the amateur ranks. He brings over 1000 quality rounds of experience and this is something money can’t buy. His style is a complete package and you have to see him in action to appreciate a power plant of skill and athleticism. To make things even bleaker for his opponents, he is also a southpaw with power in both hands.

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