Carl Frampton wants Leo Santa Cruz fight

Cyclone Promotions presents Boxing at The Odyssey Arena. 12 x 3 Minute rounds IBF World Title Eliminator and European Title Defence between Carl Frampton (Belfast) and Jeremy Parodi, (France) Photo: ©Russell Pritchard – Belfast sensation Carl Frampton has opened the door to a spectacular world title showdown with Leo Santa Cruz next year.

The WBC super-bantamweight champion, Santa Cruz, called out the Ulsterman ahead of his fight with undefeated Cesar Seda this weekend on BoxNation, naming him as a potential opponent for a mega bout in 2014.

Frampton is currently the mandatory challenger for Kiko Martinez’s IBF world title, raising the stakes in a future matchup with Santa Cruz, should he triumph over the Spaniard once again, having stopped him in nine rounds when they met last February.

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“People power” in boxing: Pacquiao-Mayweather (part II)

NO solid fight for the unbeaten “number one” boxer except the resurrected eight-division champion whom he got accustomed to avoid. Thus who is the Money Team looking for to challenge their “man” outside of the Filipino sports icon? Nobody.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. runs on the wrong side of the road if he is not fighting Manny Pacquiao next, while Pacman has an unfinished business to do with Timothy Bradley if Floyd decides to stray in barren grounds. The world has yet to see the best of Mayweather and no opponent but Pacquiao can bring it out in him.

FMJ will do a calamitous disservice to himself, his promotional outfits and Showtime if he opts to continue ignoring his worst fear in Pacquiao. Counter flows are forbidden in a single-way-narrow-street game called boxing.

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Lucas Browne closes year with another knockout

LUCAS “BIG DADDY” BROWNE can now turn his attention to title fights in 2014 after he ended this year with another stunning knockout.

The Aussie banger dispatched New Orleans-born Kiwi Clarence Tillman inside two rounds at the Melbourne Pavilion in Flemington on Friday night (December 13th).

Tillman previously managed to go the distance with Browne in August 2011, but was swiftly outgunned this evening.

After a patient opening two minutes, Lucas began to rip shots to the body before homing in on Tillman’s head with heavy right hooks.

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Mike Perez vs. Carlos Takam on Janaury 18th on HBO

Montreal, Canada (December 13, 2013) World ranked heavyweight Mike “The Rebel” Perez will make a quick return to the ring taking on hard-hitting contender Carlos Takam of France on Saturday, JANUARY 18 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

The Perez/Takam clash contested for the World Boxing Council (‘WBC’) US-NBC Title will be a featured bout on the massive event headlined by Canada’s two most popular fighters, Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute. Perez vs. Takam is presented by K2 Promotions while Pascal vs. Bute is promoted by GYM Promotions and Interbox. January 18 will be a tripleheader televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

“We’re thrilled to bring Mike back to the ring and back on HBO so quickly following his win on NOVEMBER 2 at Madison Square Garden” said Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions. “Mike’s battle with Magomed Abdusalamov was a highly competitive bout and in light of Mago’s injuries from that fight Mike will be dedicating this upcoming bout to him.”

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Weights: Amir Mansour – 229 Kelvin Price – 240

838 Photo: Rich Graessle/Main Events – Trent Laidler, Palm Beach, FL Pro Debut VS. Vincent Floyd, Philadelphia, Pro Debut – 4 Rounds Middleweight
Trent Laidler – Weight: 158.5
Vincent Floyd – Weight: 160

David Rodriguez, El Paso, TX,36-0, 34 KOs VS. Darnell Wilson, Miami, FL 24-17-3, 20 KOs – 6 Rounds Heavyweight
David Rodriguez – Weight: 254.5
Darnell Wilson – Weight: 239

Steve Cunningham, Philadelphia,25-6, 12 KOs VS. Manuel Quezada, Bakersfield, Ca, 29-7, 18 KOs – 8 Rounds Heavyweight
Steve Cunningham – Weight: 208
Manuel Quezada – Weight:230

Andrew Peurifoy, Sicklerville, NJ, Pro Debut VS. Aaron Leonard, Philadelphia, PA, -0-1-1 – 4 Rounds Heavyweight
Andrew Peurifoy – Weight:201.5
Aaron Leonard – Weight: 211

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Broner vs. Maidana: Will Chino shut Broner’s mouth or will Adrian’s speed be too much of a problem for Marcos?

Photo: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME – The old saying “If you build it they will come” rings true for boxing.

In 2013 the two biggest networks and promoters have improved the quality of their product despite engaging in a Cold War.

Both networks have done a great job building events along with lowering the average price of admission causing attendance to rise and the best example of this would be San Antonio, Texas.

Earlier this year Canelo Alvarez fought Austin Trout on Showtime in front of almost 40,000 fans at the Alamodome.

This summer Showtime had what was probably the best tripleheader of the year back in San Diego, oops I mean San Antonio.

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Trainer Rick Morones Jr: “Adrien Broner will KO Marcos Maidana”

Every great trainer throughout boxing’s storied history has insisted that fights are won and lost in the gym. If the age old adage is indeed true, former IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Marcos Maidana could be in serious trouble this weekend.

Throughout the entire week leading up to the eventual “gun fight” with the hard punching Argentine, three division world champion and current WBA Welterweight title holder Adrien “The Problem” Broner has been finalizing head trainer Mike Stafford’s game plan at the Team Morones Boxing Club in San Antonio, Texas.

Talented, young gym owner and trainer Rick Morones Jr. has been thoroughly impressed with what he’s seen from the Cincinnati, Ohio native during the days leading into the highly anticipated showdown.

“Adrien Broner is a beast,” claims the 28 year old boxing mentor.

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Remembering thrilling warrior Ezra Sellers – the former IBO cruiserweight champ passes away at age 45

EZRA In sad news, it has been reported (though not widely) how always-exciting cruiserweight warrior Ezra Sellers passed away earlier today due to heart problems that only recently surfaced. The 45-year-old who lived in Pensacola, Florida was a humble fighter who let his fists do the talking and fellow fighters such as Roy Jones Junior and Al “Ice” Cole have expressed their sadness at Ezra’s unexpected passing.

Turning pro as a heavyweight after a brief amateur career, Sellers was matched with a 5-0 Bruce Seldon in August of 1989. The future WBA heavyweight champ was a little too much for the green Sellers, stopping him inside two-rounds in Atlantic City. After taking some time to take stock, Ezra, as determined as ever, return to the ring in 1992, winning three fights by quick KO before being TKO’d in the 4th-round by a little-known fighter named Ed Thompson in ‘93.

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Macklin wants rematch against Felix Sturm

Last Saturday, Ireland’s top-rated middleweight contender and world title challenger Matthew “Mack the Knife” Macklin (30-5, 20KO’s) once again put himself back into the title picture with an impressive 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated highly regarded prospect Lamar Russ. The bout against Russ came on HBO, the fourth consecutive bout for Macklin on their airwaves.

With the bout and some much needed rounds behind him, Macklin now has his sites set on once again challenging for a piece of the middleweight crown, and finally having the chance to exact his revenge on former foe Felix Sturm. Sturm, who earlier on Saturday stopped IBF middleweight champion Darren Barker in two rounds, won a highly, if not outright robbery decision over Macklin back in 2011.

“I punched Felix around the ring for 12 rounds in our fight in 2011, only to be robbed in what was described by many, including Lennox Lewis, Al Bernstein, and Andre Ward, as one of the worst, if not THE worst decisions they have ever seen.

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Is James Kirkland Really Back?

James Kirkland entered the ring on Saturday against undefeated Glen Tapia after a 20-month layoff full of injuries, drama, musical trainers, and another visit to jail. Nevertheless, it was business as usual as Kirkland didn’t seem to miss a beat. Kirkland, now 32-1 (28 KOs) stopped Glen Tapia (20-1, 12 KOs) in the sixth round of a brutal slugfest that saw both guys exchange shots that drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd.

Both fighters went to the body and head in the early parts of the fight. However, it was Kirkland that continued to mix the attack up while Tapia began to headhunt. The sweat-equity that Kirkland put into the body-assault began to pay off and Tapia began to slow down. Kirkland’s punches took their toll and Tapia seemed to lose his legs at least two rounds before the stoppage.

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