Interview: Billy Dib on the rise despite defeat

569Exclusive interview by Adam Santarossa: Billy Dib returned to Australia days ago light on luggage after losing his world title and a pint or two short of blood following the ten staples that were needed for a cut to the back of his head and the fourteen stitches that were needed to seal the wound above his right eye.

I spoke with the former IBF Featherweight World Champion in an exclusive interview just days after his defeat and Dib says it’s only physical wounds he carries after his split decision point’s defeat to Evgeny Gradovich.

“The wounds that are healing are the actual wounds that I suffered in the fight. I suffered a few cuts on the eye and two cuts on the head that I’m recovering from. But other than that everything is good. My health is good and in due time I’ll be back in the ring getting ready for the next one.

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Commey and Bilal ready to rock Accra Friday

Richie Commey-Volosinas-070712-TGS057By Prince Dornu-Leiku: The countdown is almost over and the much awaited bout in Ghana featuring Richard Commey against Bilal Mohammed will go ahead on Friday despite the postponement of the main bill they were anticipating to fight on.

The two Ghanaian boxers who have been training very hard for this rumble meet for the IBF Continental Africa Lightweight Crown this Friday, March 8 in Accra amid the expected presence of IBF Africa President, Onesmo Ngowi on the fight night now christened ‘moment of truth’ barely 48 hours after the country’s independence day celebrations.

Hitherto scheduled to be an undercard of Fresh King Entertainment’s promotion of former world champion, Joseph King Kong Agbeko’s IBO Bantamweight title fight against Luis Melendez of Colombia, the Commey-Bilal showdown has to be re-organised by Michael Amoo-Bediako Sr’s UK based Streetwise Management following the postponement of Agbeko’s fight to March 22.

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Has Adrien Broner Rejuvanated Floyd Mayweather’s Fighting Spirit??

broner3434by Robert Jackson: Adrien Broner’s splash unto the scene is seen as refreshing and welcoming to some, and just more of the same (Mayweatheresque) to others. In any case Broner has made an impact as he inches higher and higher up the P4P ladder. Neglecting his lackluster performance against Daniel Ponce De Leon, the 23 year old Broner has trailblazed a path through the 130lb and 135lb divisions culminating in a dominating 8 round destruction of Antonio DeMarco relieving him of his 135lb strap.

The P4P ladder has seen its share of comer’s and goer’s with long time P4P staple Manny Pacquiao dropping off of his #1 or #2 (depending on who you talk to) perch after being KO’d and put to sleep by Juan Manuel Marquez in their 4th battle, last December. Top 10, 175lber Chad Dawson has also dropped from hieghts of P4P status with his TKO loss to Andre Ward who like Broner is also inching his way up to the TOP.

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Juridiction – Does civil court have authority over a state commission?

chavez934by Paul Strauss: Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. got hit right between the eyes with a suspension (9 mo) and hefty fine ($900K). He’s just now coming out of his stupor, and coming to the realization that, “Hey, that’s a hell of a lot of money, and I don’t want to pay it. I’m not even sure I can pay it!”

So, what’s a poor pug like JCC jr to do? JCC jr told them he was sorry and that it was just a little majiuana. What’s the big deal? Well, he was reminded about his previous transgression, but he quickly brushed that aside as nothing more than an innocent attempt at trying to make weight.

Again, Chavez says, “What’s the big deal?” Well, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) wasn’t convinced, and proved to be unsympathetic. They used the full weight of their authority to send a wake up call to this mellowed out youngster, who is used to getting his way.

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Richard Abril survives Bogere’s take down attempts to gain SD

003AbrilvictoryIMG_7283by Paul Strauss: When did take downs (ala MMA) slip into boxing contests? Boxing is supposed to be the sweet science confined to footwork, punching, blocking, and slipping punches and numerous other refinements. An occasional clinch is permissable, but when done in excess, penalties are imposed. But, “take downs” are strictly “verboten”. If a fighter wants to engage in such tactics, he is encouraged to take up a different sport such as martial arts or MMA.

Last night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, The Joint in Las Vegas, NV, Richard Abril 18-3-1 (8 KOs) was subjected to at least two successful take downs and multiple head butts on the part of Sharif “The Lion” Bogere 23-1-0 (15 KOs) Abril’s upright body was mauled by The lunging Lion and tossed down to the canvas. It’s probably doing MMA a disservice by comparing what happened in last night’s contest to MMA. No, what happened last night was just plain ugly. Abril was forced to do his best to ward off the flaying swings, head butts, attempted headlocks, and hip tosses engaged in by Bogere, which lacked the grace or nobility of a lion.

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Photos: Abril Retains WBA Title, Russell Wins

001AbrilvsBogereIMG_6674 It may not have been an artistic success, but WBA Lightweight World Champion Richar “El Tigre” Abril will take it.

“I am very happy to get the win, but I’m not happy at all with the way the fight went,” said Abril after retaining his WBA 135-pound title with a unanimous 12-round decision over previously undefeated Sharif “The Lion” Bogere in the main event of Saturday’s SHOWTIME BOXING – Special Edition live on SHOWTIME® from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The lanky, Cuban-born Abril (18-3-1, 8 KO’s), of Miami, Fla., won his first title defense by the scores of 116-110 twice and 115-111. Bogere, a Ugandan living in Las Vegas, dropped to 23-1 with 15 knockouts.

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Abril defeats Bogere; Russell Jr. dominates Gusev

By Jeff Sorby: Using his 5’11” height, WBA lightweight champion Richar Abril (18-3-1, 8 KO’s) defeated Sharif Bogere (23-1, 15 KO’s) on Saturday night by a 12 round unanimous decision in a physical at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

At times, the fight looked more like an MMA type of fight than actual boxing match, as Bogere often charged forward with his head lowered like a little ram. Abril was cut over his right eye, as well as his left from impacts from Bogere’s head.

The judges’ scored the fight 115-111, 116-110, 116-110.

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Gradovich decisions Dib

587By Jeff Sorby: Unbeaten Evgeny Gradovich (16-0, 8 KO’s) unseated IBF featherweight champion Billy Dib (35-2, 21 KO’s) on Friday night in beating him by a 12 round split decision on Friday Night Fights at the Foxwoods Resort, in Mashantucket, Connecticut, USA.

The judges had it scored 114-112 and 114-112 for Gradovich, and 114-112 for Dib. Gradovich took the action to Dib, backing him up constantly throughout the fight, and hitting him nonstop. The fight likely would have been a lot more one-sided than it already was had the referee not broken up the action quite so often.

It was like watching a replay of the Marcos Maidana vs. Amir Khan fight where the referee kept pulling Maidana off Khan while he was trying to finish off Khan on the inside.

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The Origin of Boxing Fan

by Lawrence L.Yearsley – Speaking in a sporting context only, I think the word ‘FAN’ is all too freely banded about these days. Football fan, tennis fan, and cricket fan are good examples. If asked most people will tell you it’s a diminutive of, or short for the word, fanatic; meaning a fanatic of the sport. Do not be fooled by this, it’s just not true, they’ve only hijacked the word from pugilistic parlance. The true meaning (or etymology) of the word is fundamentally linked and integral to the world of boxing, or prize fighting as it was originally called.

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NSAC hits JCC Jr. where it hurts, in the pocket book

chavez56By Paul Strauss: Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.’s fans are crying foul. They feel their hero is being unfairly singled out and picked on for doing something as simple as smoking a joint(s). What’s the big deal they say? It’s not like he is engaging in blood doping, or using some other performance enhancing drug. After all, marijuana just makes you mellow, right?

Apparently, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) doesn’t feel that way. For one thing, this is JCC Jr’s second offense. You might recall, he was previously busted for testing positive for using a banned diuretic. Fighters use such substances to dehydrate and help make weight, but they also them to mask banned substances. Hence, the concern by commissions.

In this case, the NSAC suspended JCC Jr. for nine months and fined him $900,000, which reportedly is about 30% of his purse for the Sergio Martinez fight.

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