Chavez Jr. expected back in the ring in May with new trainer Beristain

chavez423 By Bill Phanco: It looks as if trainer Freddie Roach is on the way out as trainer for former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1-1, 32 KO’s), according to Doghouseboxing.com. Roach’s replacement is said to be legendary trainer Nacho Beristain, the same guy that molded Juan Manuel Marquez’s career.

Chavez Jr. returning to the ring in May could hinge on his upcoming suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for him testing positive for marijuana for his last fight in September. If the commission gives him a lengthy suspension then the May fight date obviously won’t happen. However, he’s expected to receive a shorter six month or less retroactive suspension and that would enable him to fight because the suspension will have started from September 2012. Matthew Macklin is one of the possible opponents that Chavez Jr. could face if he returns to the ring in May. If Chavez Jr. wins his next fight, he’ll be meeting Sergio Martinez in a rematch in September 2013.

Roach did a pretty good job as Chavez Jr’s trainer. There was only that one loss that Chavez Jr. suffered recently to Sergio Martinez that marred Roach’s otherwise near perfect job with Chavez Jr. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot that Roach could do with Chavez Jr. as you saw with his latest training camp for the Martinez fight.

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Froch: I’ll be at my best when I face Kessler in 2013

By Michael Collins: IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch doesn’t believe he was at his best when he was beaten by Mikkel Kessler in 2010, and Andre Ward in 2011. Something got in the way of both fights that kept Froch from being 100%. However, Froch believes he was firing on all cylinders when he stopped IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute in May of this year to grab his IBF title. Forch also thinks he was 100% when he beat Yusaf Mack recently in Nottingham.

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First Annual “Gogue Awards” for the boxing year 2012 – Part II

By Joseph Herron — After somewhat of an historic year in the world of boxing, expert fight strategist and prolific trainer James Gogue gives Eastsideboxing.com his exclusive insight into the best and worst of the sweet science during the year 2012.

Here’s a recap of the categories and winners that were published in Part I of the first annual “Gogue Awards”:

Fighter of the Year 2012 – Juan Manuel Marquez
Fight of the Year 2012 – Marquez KO6 Pacquiao, Dec 8th
Round of the Year 2012 – Rios vs. Alvarado, Round 5, Oct 13th
Upset of the Year 2012 – Lopez TKO9 Ortiz, June 23rd
KO of the Year 2012 – Marquez KO6 Pacquiao, Dec 8th

Gogue Award for Worst Decision of the Year 2012 – Cloud SD12 Campillo, Feb 18th

“There were some very questionable decisions throughout the boxing year 2012,” admits James Gogue. “But none more impactful to the unfortunate recipient than Tavoris Cloud getting the split decision victory over Gabriel Campillo in Corpus Christi, Texas, earlier this year.”

“Some would argue that Timothy Bradley’s split decision victory over Manny Pacquiao would be the worst decision of the year, but that unpopular judgment did nothing to deflate the career of the Pac-Man. The right man won in the court of public opinion, and the media outcry following the controversial verdict made sure of that.”

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First Annual “Gogue Awards” for the boxing year 2012 – Part I

By Joseph Herron: After somewhat of an historic year in the world of boxing, expert fight strategist and prolific trainer James Gogue gives Eastsideboxing.com his exclusive insight into the best and worst of the sweet science during the year 2012.

Gogue Award for Fighter of the Year 2012 – Juan Manuel Marquez

“During 2012, we saw many fighters make a solid and convincing argument for “Fighter of the Year’ honors,” admits James Gogue. “Danny Garcia, Abner Mares, Nonito Donaire, Austin Trout, Wladimir Klitschko, Leo Santa Cruz, Adrien Broner…they all deserve recognition for their respective accomplishments in the ring throughout 2012.”

“Although these fighters made great strides to further their clout within the industry, one fighter accomplished something that impacted the sport greater than any other individual achievement. That was Juan Manuel Marquez doing the unthinkable and knocking Manny Pacquiao unconscious. JMM finally gained that signature win on his resume that eluded the Mexican fight legend throughout his entire 17 year professional career.”

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Haye should forget about Vitali and either retire or fight someone else

By Michael Collins: It’s kind of sad to see former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (26-2, 24 KO’s) still hanging around waiting and hoping that he’ll somehow get a big fight with WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko. It’s pretty clear that isn’t going to happen, and he’s just wasting his time talking about the fight all the time when the signs are pretty clear that there’s just no interest from Vitali’s side.

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Helenius vs. Sprott, Huck vs. Afolabi 3 on March 2nd, in Germany

By Michael Collins: Big unbeaten 6’6 ½” heavyweight Robert Helenius (18-0, 11 KO’s) will be facing high level journeyman Michael Sprott (37-19, 17 KO’s) in a scheduled 10 round bout on March 2nd in what may be a more competitive fight than what many boxing fans think at the Koenig Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany according to German boxen site x-boxen.

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The Best Of 2012 – Who Was The Fighter Of The Year?

By James Slater – All in all, though 2012 saw a startling and quite unacceptable number of top names from our beloved sport failing drugs tests, the past 12-months were pretty good for boxing (sure, we saw our fair share of debatable, even plain bad decisions). We were treated to a number of truly great fights involving marquee names, we witnessed a number of unforgettable KO’s and we saw some quality match-making.

Indeed, as we approach the very end of 2012, it’s a tough job picking award winners for Fighter Of The Year. KO of The Year? That’s an easy one this year – the stunner that occurred in the 6th-round of a fourth meeting between two all-time greats; one from Mexico, the other hailing from The Philippines. But just who was 2012’s Fighter of The Year?

Here, for what it’s worth, take it or leave it, I list my choices:

Fighter Of The Year:

1: Juan Manuel Marquez.

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Pacquiao-Marquez 5 could be a tough fight to make; both of their wives want them to retire

By Marcus Richardson: Whether Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez end up fighting for a fifth time may rest on whether both of their wives will allow them to continue fighting. It’s no secret that Marquez and Pacquiao’s wives both want them to retire.

Pacquiao’s wife was stunned at seeing Pacquiao knocked cold by Marquez in the 6th round in their fourth fight on December 8th, and she’s worried that Pacquiao could badly hurt in a 5th fight. She wants Pacquiao to retire straightaway, although she’s leaving the final decision with him.

Marquez’s wife had an agreement from Marquez that he’d retire after the fourth fight with Pacquiao, but now Marquez is hoping to talk his wife into allowing him to fight one more time before retiring in a final fight with Pacquiao. So far, Marquez’s wife is reportedly still adamant about wanting him to hang up his gloves. He’s going to try and convince her in the coming weeks/months to allow him to fight Pacquiao for a 5th fight.

The problem with the two fighters is that they’ll want to keep fighting unless something or someone makes them talk. The competitive drive between these guys is too strong for them to retire when the interest in still there with the boxing public.

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Manuel Charr vs. Dereck Chisora in March 2013?

By Michael Collins: In a battle of recent former heavyweight title challengers, Dereck Chisora (15-4, 9 KO’s) might be facing #8 WBC Manuel Charr (22-1, 12 KO’s) in a still to be determined venue in Germany in March. The Charr-Chisora fight should be an interesting fight if it happens because both fighters can pack a punch but are unfortunately too deeply flawed to capture a world title at this time. Both fighters are crude brawlers so this should be an appealing fight for boxing fans that like to see a lot of slugging.

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Oops! 1st a draw then Adamek gets SD to sink USS Cunningham

adamek3 By Paul Strauss: When has hall of fame announcer Michael Buffer ever needed a second try to announce the winner of a fight? It just doesn’t happen. But, happen it did at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA. The main event of NBC’s Saturday afternoon telecast featured a rematch of Tomasz Adamek and Steve “USS” Cunningham. The result was first announced as a split decision draw. Hold the phone! Michael Buffer hadn’t relinquished the microphone yet. The iconic announcer seemed confused as he was informed there had been a mistake. A mistake? That’s putting it lightly. This was a staggering screw up.

The winner gets the IBF North American Heavyweight title belt (okay, so that isn’t a big deal). More important he goes to the front of the line for a possible title shot against Wladimir Klitschko. Needless to say, Cunningham was crushed, not once, but twice. First, he thought he had gotten screwed out of a win. Then, he gets hammered a second time when he realizes he didn’t even get a (split) draw!

Confucius said, “To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.” I guarantee you Cunningham is going to remember this monumental screw up. The fight was close and exciting, but most people expected Cunningham would be declared the winner, if only by a slight edge, or possibly a draw. He fought an intelligent fight, avoiding for the most part, Adamek’s heavier shots. In their first fight, four years prior, he got a little over eager, thinking he had Adamek where he wanted.

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