Brand-new IBF Light Middleweight Champion “King” Carlos Molina says when he heard the ring announcer say the words “and the NEW”, he could finally relax a bit.
“I knew I had reached one of the goals I set on the day I started boxing,” said the happy champion, now home in his beloved Chicago.
Following service in the US Navy, where the moniker, ‘USS’ comes from, and a successful amateur career, in which he won the 178lb National Golden Gloves, Steve Cunningham embarked on a professional career in 2000. Cunningham headed into the Krzysztof Wlodarczyk IBF Cruiserweight title bout on a 19 fight win streak. Wkodarczyk recieved a disputed split decision. In the rematch, Cunningham settled the score, winning the IBF Cruiserweight title.
Later that year Cunningham stopped Marco Huck in Germany. Currently, Cunningham competes in the Heavyweight division. Although Cunningham lost his last outing to British Heavyweight hope Tyson Fury, a bout in which Cunningham dropped the much larger Fury in the second round, Peter Fury was impressed enough to invite Cunningham into the Fury camp, to spar Tyson in preparation for David Haye.
This week Boxingroundup caught up with Steve Cunningham, to find out how camp has gone.
Earlier tonight, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s SMS Promotions and Lou DiBella’s DiBella Entertainment presented an exciting seven-bout card before a loud and vibrant crowd at the beautiful Resorts World Casino in Jamaica, Queens. Hot 97’s DJ Carmelo created a party-like atmosphere mixing it up from the DJ booth and the special Monday night of boxing also featured three separate live performances from three of 50’s G-Unit rap artists including Tony Yayo.
Headlining the card was SMS promoted undefeated junior lightweight contender Mark Davis taking on the always-dangerous Carlos Vinan.
Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr put to rest any belief in Oscar De la Hoya’s so called blueprint designed to beat him. The 36 year old Mayweather appears to be like a fine wine, getting better with age as he dominated Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on Saturday night.
In typical fashion, Floyd appeared to take his time in the early rounds to gauge his opponent’s game plan. From then on, the fight was a technical mismatch as the teacher (Mayweather) took the pupil (Alvarez) to school round after round.
In the end, Mayweather was awarded a majority decision. Scores were 117-111 (Craig Metcalfe), 116-112 (Dave Moretti), and the atrocious 114-114 card turned in by the infamous C.J. Ross (seen here boxrec.com/media/index.php/C.J._Ross). I had the fight scored 118-110.
NEW YORK (September 16, 2013) Undefeated junior welterweight Chris Algieri and former world champion Joshua Clottey were both victorious Saturday night at the “RockinFights 10” sold out professional boxing event at The Paramount in Huntington, New York.
“It was a tremendous night for our fans in Huntington who once again displayed their tremendous support of our events with our tenth straight knockout at The Paramount,” said Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing.
“Algieri continues to show why he’s one of the best junior welterweight prospects in boxing and Clottey looked like the former world champion that he is. We expect big opportunities ahead for both fighters in the near future.”
Coming up with the title that I have used for this article wasn’t easy, simply because I wanted to get my point across without offending any fighter that I may mention as I continue. Unfortunately I don’t think that I succeeded at doing that, but phrasing it the way I did makes my theme as direct as I would like it to be.
As soon as Mayweather Jr. effortlessly scratched Canelo off the list of the fighters that could possibly beat Floyd, boxing press as well as the fans asked the next logical question: who should be next?
What had happened this past Saturday night was not a competitive boxing match; it was a boxing performance symphony. For the boxing fans and enthusiasts that prefer a technical fighter to a brawler, witnessed a work of art that is Mayweather Jr. The angles of the punches, the defense, and the timing, were delivered with such finesse, that many knowledgeable people calling it his best performance yet.
British and Commonwealth Welterweight Champion Frankie Gavin, who aims to secure his Lonsdale belt outright this Saturday (21 September) at The Copper Box Arena when he faces David Barnes, spoke today about rival Amir Khan’s chances in a potential showdown with the pound-for-pound number one fighter Floyd Mayweather Jnr., saying simply “he hasn’t really got any!”
Gavin, Britain’s only ever amateur world champion, was responding to media reports that Khan is a leading contender to become the next opponent for Mayweather, who made light work of his supposed number one threat, Canelo Alverez, last Saturday which was shown live on BoxNation in the UK.
Gavin continued, “Khan is an excellent fighter but Mayweather is definitely a step too far for him, as he is for anyone at the moment.”
Jeff H. (Orlando, FL): I thought Mayweather’s effort was an amazing one. The limited time off seemed to only help his reflexes and sharpness. How did you rate his performance and what do you see next for him?
Vivek W. (ESB): I plan to elaborate on a very deep level about Mayweather a little later in the week in a separate piece. But in short context, I would just have to say that yet again, he proved to the masses precisely how strong of a talent he truly is. It’s one thing to acknowledge how gifted he is. But what amazes me to a depth that knows no end is the fact that this is a man who has done everything from party like a rock star to take two year lay-offs, and in between; yet the level in which he performs is still light years ahead of anyone in the sport. All at the ripe age of 36. A point in which every other fighter (not named Hopkins) is winding down.
If this were baseball, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. just pitched a no-hitter.
Fight week in Las Vegas, NV for the biggest boxing event of the year ended on Saturday with another stellar performance by the Pound for Pound king. In front of a pro-Canelo crowd, “Money” Mayweather tamed the Mexican superstar en route to a 12 round decision. Skills certainly pay the bills for Mayweather. Speed, accuracy, precise counter punching, ring generalship…you name it. It was another showcase fight.
Earlier in April of this year, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez unified the WBA Light Middleweight title against Austin Trout and established himself as “the man to beat” at the division. Mayweather just beat the man of the division. At 36 years of age and four more fights left on his exclusive Showtime contract, Mayweather is running out of opponents as he continues to make things look easy. Regardless of who Mayweather chooses to fight next, you can bet the world will still be tuning in.
Judge C.J. Ross tells us “I stand behind my decision” and isn’t phased by all the ferocious criticism she’s received from both experts and amateurs.
In case you missed it — Floyd Mayweather scored a convincing victory over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez last night … but C.J. was the only judge to score them evenly.
After the fight, boxing expert Teddy Atlas went on ESPN and said Ross’ score was a travesty and suggested she was paid off by gamblers.