Antonio Escalante: Taking the reins

Antonio Escalante: Taking the reins By Joseph Herron, photo by Esteban Stipnieks: After creating a massive buzz throughout the boxing world in 2010, Super Featherweight puncher Antonio Escalante (28-4, 19 KOs) suffered a massive hindrance to his fight career after dropping two consecutive bouts by surprising and head scratching knock-out.

Although the losses set the El Paso, Texas resident back in the pecking order of the ultra competitive Featherweight division, the overall experience has self-admittedly made the 27 year old fighter a much wiser combatant.

“I had been ranked as a number one contender for three years in the WBO without any big opportunities because I was viewed as a high risk/low reward type of fighter in 2010,” insists Tony Escalante. “Right after I knocked Edel Ruiz out in the third round on ESPN’s ‘Friday Night Fights’, I was given the opportunity to fight Daniel Ponce De Leon in a WBO title eliminator bout. The catch was that it was scheduled just three weeks after the fight on ESPN.”

“I really didn’t feel comfortable taking the fight on such short notice against such an experienced fighter, but my handlers advised me to take it because I wasn’t getting very many big fight opportunities. It ended up being one of the worst decisions I ever made.”

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Ricardo “Rocky” Juarez: “My dream is still to become a world champion”

By Joseph Herron – Every young fighter dreams of one day becoming a world champion once they lace up the gloves for the first time.

But the commitment, discipline, sacrifice, and pain that every prizefighter is forced to endure is enough to turn even the most ardent of athletes away from the ring. Despite recognizing the various obstacles on the pathway to glory, every fighter indeed has a vision; and until they accomplish their ultimate goal, most of these brave warriors will continue to place themselves in harm’s way for our entertainment.

2000 American Olympic Silver Medalist Ricardo “Rocky” Juarez (28-10-1, 20 KOs) still possesses this dream; and it still burns feverishly within him just as the first day he began boxing.

“My goal in this business has always been to be a world champion. I feel like I’ve been right there on the borderline. I’ve come so close and have been in a lot of great championship type fights. I know I have what it takes to do it. It just hasn’t officially happened for me.”

The Rock has certainly come unnervingly close to grabbing championship hardware throughout his storied fight career.

After beginning his professional career with a perfect 23-0 record, the hard punching Houston, Texas native was in line to face the WBC Featherweight Champion In-Jin Chi of South Korea in August of 2005. In what was billed as a possible “Fight of the Year” candidate, the highly anticipated match-up was slated to air on HBO as the co-main event of the Fernando Vargas/Javier Castillejo spectacle.

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Emanuel Steward, The People’s Champion

(July 7, 1944 to October 25, 2012)

Written by Damian McCann

Legendary boxing icon, Emanuel Steward passed away peacefully with his loving family present last Thursday at the age of 68.

During his lifetime he amassed a vast wealth of experience and knowledge of the sweet science. He had many roles in the sport as a commentator, manager and promoter, but it will be as a trainer that he will be most remembered in the history of boxing.

As an amateur star he compiled a distinguished record of 97 fights with only 3 losses including winning the 1963 National Golden Gloves Bantamweight Championship in Chicago. He was inducted into both the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Los Angeles and the International Hall of Fame in New York in 1996 in recognition of his achievements and contribution to boxing.

But he also leaves a legacy as one of the most respected and loved people in the sport; boxing fans around the world loved him and he loved them. No matter how busy or gruelling a schedule he had he always had time for a handshake, a photograph and a conversation.

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Rocky Juarez vs. Antonio Escalante: Weigh-in report

By Joseph Herron, photo by Esteban Stipnieks: Earlier today from the historic Joe and Harry Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas, 2000 Olympic Silver medalist and former title challenger Rocky Juarez (28-10-1, 20 KOs) from Houston, Texas met face to face with heavy-handed, 27 year old Super Featherweight contender Antonio Escalante (28-4, 19 KOs) of El Paso, Texas, at the Leija-Battah Promotions official weigh-in presentation.

While both men were greeted with cameras and flashes, the two knock-out artists were eager to step on the commission scale and authenticate their highly anticipated Super Featherweight showdown, which is slated to be broadcast on Telefutura “Solo Boxeo Tecate” with a 12 PM EST/11 PM PST start time.

Rocky Juarez was the first fighter to hit the scale and weighed in at exactly 130 pounds. The eleven year fight veteran looked to be in superb shape and expressed his enthusiasm to get in the ring tomorrow night.

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The Legacy of Emanuel Steward Part 1: An Irreplaceable Ambassador of Boxing

by Geoffrey Ciani – The sport of boxing lost a remarkable individual when Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward passed away yesterday at the age of 68. Steward of course was an outstanding world class trainer, a tremendous commentator and analyst, and an overall great ambassador for the sport that he loved. But with Emanuel, his total contributions to boxing were far greater than the sum of its parts. His passion and enthusiasm endeared fans, boxers, and fellow trainers alike. He possessed a very unique gift that enabled him to enhance the entire boxing experience for a whole community dedicated to the sweet science in varying capacities.

With his vast wealth of knowledge, experience, and a proven track record of success, Emanuel Steward was undoubtedly one of the greatest trainers the sport of boxing has ever seen. In fact, he trained and/or managed 41 world champions during his illustrious career, and this included two of the longest reigning heavyweight champions in history: Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. His long celebrated success was largely the result of his incredible boxing mind. Steward was simply masterful when it came to developing a sound fight plan that would give his boxers their best chance at victory. He also had an exceptional ability when it came to fine-tuning the existing strengths of a given fighter. This was important. Emanuel never tried to implement a complete stylistic overhaul. Instead he worked with what he had in front of him and always stressed the importance of fundamental basics, which included good balance and working behind a solid jab. This was essential to his philosophical outlook as a trainer.

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Sergio Perales: Back on track

By Adrian Hernandez – On October 26th, at “Casa de Amistad” in Harlingen, TX, Bantamweight prospect Sergio “Time to Shine” Perales will be making his return to the ring since stopping Rafael Casias in three rounds on March 23rd of this year.

The 25 year old fighter is currently rated number 8 by the IBF, but has not been active over the last year due to lingering injuries as well as his scholastic requirements at the University of Texas at Brownsville.

Trainer Robert Campos is excited for the fight but has expressed a bit of concern coming into the scheduled bout.

“Sergio and I are excited for the fight,” stated the veteran fight trainer. “We look forward to getting back in the ring and hopefully shaking off some of the ring rust. I have total confidence in my fighter and the skills he possesses, but as of late we have not been as active. Any fighter or coach will tell you that inactivity is always something to be a bit concerned about.”

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Memories of Emanuel Steward: When Living Legends Leave Us

by Izyaslav “Slava” Koza: I met Emanuel Steward face to face on three different occasions. The first time was to schedule a video interview shortly after I conducted one with Wladimir Klitschko before his unification bout against Sultan Ibragimov. At his request and as a great honor to me, the second time, and when the video was recorded, was at his bungalow at a resort where part of the training camp for that fight took place. Too busy with both the upcoming bout preparations as well as an upcoming HBO telecast Emanuel still spent the better part of an hour answering all sorts of fantasy boxing questions an interviewer/fan like myself could make up.

The interviews could be found at my YouTube channel under www.youtube.com/novirasputin2
After the interview, and despite the above mentioned schedule Emanuel spent another hour discussing more boxing, life, politics, and everything else in general. As a final imprint on the impression he would forever make on me the man took out a Kronk Gym T-shirt and handed it over as reminder of our interaction.

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Emanuel Steward…R.I.P.

By Joseph Herron – Ladies and gentlemen, it’s with very heavy heart that I report one of the greatest proponents of boxing has passed away.

It’s been confirmed that Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward passed away on Thursday, October 25th, at a Chicago area hospital

The Hall of Fame trainer was responsible for the cultivation of so many great fight careers, including Tommy Hearns, Hilmer Kenty, Mickey Goodwin, Milton McCrory, Jimmy Paul, Duane Thomas, Steve McCrory, and Gerald McLellan.

There weren’t many trainers who could nurture a young fighter’s career from the amateur level and make him a world champion…but Emanuel was very special.

Under the legendary trainer’s tutelage, “The Hitman” Thomas Hearns became a five division world champion. The all-time great fighter was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame earlier this year and heralded Emanuel Steward as the greatest trainer, mentor, and friend a fighter could ever hope to have.

Emanuel did so much for not only his fighters at the world renowned Kronk Gym, but for the entire community of Detroit that he loved so dearly.

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Paulie Malignaggi: “I had Cano swatting at flies all night”

By Joseph Herron – On Saturday, October 20th, “The Magic Man” Paulie Malignaggi (32-4, 7 KOs) defeated Pablo Cesar Cano (25-2-1, 19 KOs) by way of controversial split decision as part of a quadruple header, which was broadcast on Showtime Championship Boxing.

Although many have cited folly with the official fight verdict, the reigning WBA Welterweight Champion visited “The Pugilist KOrner” to share his insight into the twelve round contest and answer the fight critics who believe his opponent deserved the hard fought victory.

“First of all, Cano came to fight. I think Pablo Cano is a very good fighter and he has a bright future ahead of him,” stated Paulie Malignaggi. “I definitely think I won the fight, but I had to work hard for it.”

“Just by watching some of his fights before I stepped in the ring with him, I knew Cano wasn’t going to lay down for me. He has heavy hands and good technique, and he’s advanced for a 23 year old fighter.”

“But no matter how much he came at me, I always kept the fight in the middle of the ring. Trust me, that wasn’t his doing. If Pablo had his way, he would have fought me with my back against the ropes. Ringside judges score for effective aggression, not just aggression. But sometimes in boxing, in America especially, boxers don’t get as much credit as punchers in the eyes of the judges.”

“Sometimes I felt like Cano was just following me around in circles and wasn’t effective in cutting off the ring or shortening the distance, which is why my back was never touching the ropes. Cano landed the occasional right hand and he is very heavy handed, but a lot of his punches didn’t land cleanly. I rolled away from a lot of his shots and they hit me in the neck or on the shoulder.”

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Erik Morales: For him the bell tolls

By Marc Livitz – isiting hours are just about done, yet the one of the curators of the sweet science has allowed us to look back in retrospect on perhaps one of the most memorable careers in recent boxing history.

An individual who has on numerous occasions defied the odds, silenced the critics, and most pleasingly kept the heart and soul of the sport, the fans, in a perpetual state of amazement. Praise indeed is due to one Erik “El Terrible” Morales.

The four division champion from Zona Norte, Tijuana, BC, Mexico has provided many years of great memories within the ring for nearly two decades. He never backed down from a challenge and he often fought the best. Perhaps he may be best remembered for not only his exciting trilogy with fellow Mexican rival, Marco Antonio Barrera but also the absolute vitriol and near biblically proportionate hatred between the two warriors.

Some feel his February 2000 victory over Barrera was a heist, yet for whatever reason this particular fight is not the talk around many a water cooler. Even though he lost the next two fights to his Mexico City antagonist, Erik Morales did more than simply let the boxing public know that he meant business and would never run from a battle.

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