Tony Thompson vs Kubrat Pulev on August 24 in Schwerin, Germany

Michael Sprott(GB) vs Kubrat Pulev (BUL) Fight fans can look forward to a real stacked up card on August 24. With European Light Heavyweight Champion Juergen Braehmer defending his title (against Stefano Abatangelo) and super-middleweight contender Arthur Abraham (against Willbeforce Shihepo) trying to get in position for another world title shot, the show is already loaded with highlights. Now the Sport- und Kongresshalle Schwerin will also play host to a special heavyweight attraction. Kubrat Pulev (17-0, 9 KO´s) and Tony Thompson (38-3, 26 KO´s) will fight it out in an IBF final eliminator with the winner to challenge for the world title.

Pulev, maybe the most avoided heavyweight in recent times, cannot wait to step into the ring again. In 2012, the current IBF International and European Champion made it to the top of the rankings, beating Michael Sprott, Alexander Dimitrenko as well as Alexander Ustinov – all of them inside the distance. But as fighters like Tomasz Adamek, Tyson Fury and Ruslan Chagaev refused to be matched with the 32-year-old Bulgarian, his career came to a brief halt at the start of 2013.

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Sergey Kovalev – Clear and Present Danger

Credit where credit’s due, most fighters in Nathan Cleverly’s position would avoid a showdown with such a fierce-punching, and unbeaten, rival. There may well be unanswered questions over Sergey Kovalev’s endurance, but why worry about endurance when concussive power in both hands negates the need for such a trait? And who’s to say that the Sergey couldn’t destroy opponents all night long if necessary?

The cold war’s over and Russia’s weapons are no longer steeped in mystery, the world’s well aware of the destructive capabilities of this particular piece of Russian hardware, and it’s even based in the United States of America! One may argue that Sergey’s rise through the ranks is a result of careful selection of opponents but in all fairness, his opponents are exactly that, opponents – they certainly didn’t prepare to help Sergey notch up a knockout rate of above 83%.

To look a little further into the quality of opposition, what did actually happen when Sergey Kovalev stepped up in class and challenged a seasoned pro whom had recently tangled with Tavoris Cloud and, what many spectators feel, won – Gabriel Campillo was, undoubtedly, a test for Sergey.

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Interview with “Fast” Eddie Chambers

Chip Mitchell: Eddie, let’s first talk about the decision to move down from heavyweight to cruiserweight? Was part of the decision it based more on size or more opportunities in the division?

Fast Eddie Chambers: It is a combination of all that. But honestly when you thing about the opportunities in cruiserweight it’s almost in some ways just as difficult because you see a lot of these champions sitting on belts. At least in heavyweight division you’ve got one guy saying ‘Look I’m going to try to rule the division’.

In the cruiserweight division we have four different champions and they’re all sitting on belts. And they are like ‘I don’t want to pick and choose’ and the promoters have to do this and that. Like Kathy (Duva) was saying a little earlier, they talk about having this other fight already made or that other fight made, so they’re not really thinking about getting anybody a shot at taking their title. They are thinking of keeping their belts and sitting on them.

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Pacquiao-Rios Notebook: Beijing Edition

BEIJING (July 30, 2013) — Stop No. 2 on the Manny Pacquiao – Brandon Rios 23,722-mile international media tour to promote their historic 12-round welterweight rumble has landed them in Beijing. On Monday, Pacquiao, Rios and their respective trainers, Hall of Famer Freddie Roach and Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia, began the day with a little morning roadwork – approximately 3,000 steps worth — as they climbed a portion of the Great Wall, at Shuiguan, which was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and is famous for its precipitous cliffs and beautiful views.

Before embarking on the massive climb, Rios and Garcia ducked into a souvenir stand and emerged wearing cowboy hats. “The rancheros have hit Beijing,” exclaimed Rios to the delight of the hundreds of tourists visiting and the media covering.

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V. Klitschko vs. Stiverne WBC purse bid postponed again

OTTAWA, Canada (July 26, 2013) — When heavyweight contender Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne (21-1, 20 KOs) upset Chris Arreola (35-3, 30 KOs) on HBO this past April 27, in a title elimination bout, it set-up the dangerous Canadian for a super fight versus future Hall of Famer and long-time World Boxing Council (WBC) World Heavyweight Champion, Vitali Klitschko (45-2, 41 KOs).

Stiverne completely dominated former world title challenger Arreola, dropping him in the third round, en route to a unanimous 12-round decision (118-109, 117-110, 117-110) for the vacant WBC Silver title.

A purse bid was set and postponed, reset and re-postponed. Finally, July 22 was supposed to be the final purse bid date when, surprisingly, the WBC once again granted another extension requested by the Team Klitschko, forcing the mandatory challenger to wait once again for his world title shot that he has now earned twice by winning a pair “title elimination” bouts. WBO No. 1 contender Stiverne, who is also rated No. 10 in the world by The Ring Magazine, had knocked out Ray Austin in the 10th round of their WBC heavyweight title eliminator on June 25, 2011.

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Zsolt Erdei Calls Out Andre Ward

New York, NY (7/29/13) – Former light heavyweight and cruiserweight world champion Zsolt Erdei (33-1, 18KO’s) isn’t looking for any easy fights after suffering his first professional defeat in a razor-thin and questionable split decision loss to Denis Grachev in the first leg of the Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super 4 Tournament. Erdei is instead offering up his services to super middleweight kingpin and ESPN.com’s pound-for-pound number two-ranked fighter in the world, Andre Ward.

Ward, who is coming off a shoulder injury and extensive rehab, hasn’t fought since scoring a 10th-round TKO over Chad Dawson in September of last year. Erdei says he has no problem in moving down to super middleweight and would jump at the opportunity.

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Chris Traietti Dominates Dion Stanley

Iraq War Veteran, Chris Traietti scored a six round knockout over Dion Stanley as the referee stopped the bout at 1:11 after Traietti landed several combinations that had Stanley down for the second time in the fight, the other knockdown was in the fifth round.

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Left-Hook Lounge: Duran/Mayweather, Andre Berto & Keith Thurman!!!

Kevin O. (Aventura, FL): Is it safe to say that Andre Berto is now done as a fighter? He has changed trainers and I don’t know of a way that any one out there can rebuild him at this stage to make him a top contender. What are your thoughts?

Vivek W. (ESB): I’ve been asked this question by almost every fight fan that I know and to be very truthful, it’s a very easy question to answer. For starters, when people ask me should he retire? I can address that one very easily in saying “NO”. There are several fighters around the sport who one can argue should, but the reason that I argue he should not is because he has a ton of heart, which means win, lose, or draw, he will make for competitive fights. Fight fans want to see competitive fights. You may enter that competitive fight knowing what the outcome is when he’s facing a perennial contender, but you know that he has just enough ability to land his shots and make it interesting before he ultimately gets bust up in the face and takes an “L”.

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Bastie Samir back in US sparring with Mayweather

Ghanaian boxer, Bastie Samir is back in the US sparring with Floyd Mayweather as the pound-for-pound king prepares for the biggest fight of the year against Saul Canelo Alvarez on September 14.

Bastie, senior brother of recently crowned IBF Youth Welterweight champion, Issah Samir started his professional career in the USA.

He previously sparred with Mayweather before the unbeaten American fought against Miguel Cotto in May last year but came down to Ghana at the end of 2012 to receive herbal treatment on an injury. Whilst here in Ghana, he fought three times, claiming knockout wins in all before the call came from Mayweather that he once again needed the services of the former Black Bombers captain.

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Jesus Soto Karass: Give This Man A World Title Shot!

Last night in San Antonio was quite simply boxing at its very best. The Golden Boy card – surely the leading candidate for Card Of The Year (if there is such an award) – gave us three, count them, three, great fights; two of which are definite FOTY candidates. With the televised opener (at least it was on BoxNation, and how grateful should UK fight fans be for that channel picking up last night’s card!) we had a very good fight in Keith Thurman-Diego Chaves, while with the two epics that were Omar Figueroa-Nihito Arakawa and Jesus Soto Karass-Andre Berto we had unforgettable action delivered by way of two breathtaking slugfests.

The WBC interim lightweight battle was truly awesome, with both guys hammering away at each other with scarcely a jab or anything resembling a clinch in sight all night. That fight may not be topped as far as 2013’s FOTY award goes, but last night’s main event sure came close. Andre Berto, once looked at as a star and a future pound-for-pound talent, showed a ton of heart in his must-win war with Mexican warrior Soto Karass, but he didn’t win. A huge setback, the 12th-round TKO may well have ended Berto’s chances of being an elite fighter.

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