Former Heavyweight Champ Mike Weaver: The Man They Called Hercules!

By James Slater – Today, long since retired, former WBA heavyweight champ Weaver says Larry Holmes was the best fighter he ever met. Weaver and Holmes had a great action fight in 1979 (as well as a rematch many years later, when both were coming towards the end) and it was during this losing battle that Weaver, a former Marine, made his name. Later on, in a real career turnaround, the man Ken Norton called Hercules stunned John Tate and the boxing world to become champ.

But as great as Holmes was and as special as the win over Tate was, the name Bernardo Mercado sticks uppermost in 61-year-old Weaver’s mind – as I discovered when speaking with the Texan recently

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Wilder stops Manswell in 1st round!

By Rob Smith: Heavyweight Deontay Wilder (24-0, 24 KO’s) stayed unbeaten tonight with a 1st round knockout win over a badly overmatched Kertson Manswell (22-6, 17 KO’s) at the Exposition Hall in Mobile, Alabama. The 26-year-old Wilder had Manswell on the canvas exactly three separate times before the bout was finally halted at 2:10 of the 1st round.

The 6’7″ Wilder caught Manswell with a long chopping right hand followed by a left hook to score the 1st knockdown. The 35-year-old Manswell got back to his feet groggily, shaking his head as if trying to clear the cobwebs from it. When the action resumed, Wilder connected with another big left hand that put Mansell on the canvas. Manswell got back to his feet and Wilder jumped on him hitting with a right hand followed by a left hook to put Manswell down for the third and final time. Manswell looked like he could have continued fighting but given how easily Wilder kept knocking him down, the referee opted to halt the fight at that point.

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A muscular Mayweather will be impossible for Pacquiao to beat

By Michael Collins: If you’ve had the chance to see the muscle that Floyd Mayweather Jr. has put on during his jail term at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, it’s hard to look at him and imagine Manny Pacquiao being able to compete with him now. Mayweather Jr. looks a lot more muscular in the shoulders and arms, and I’m now wondering whether he can even make 147 in the future without having to drain himself in the process.

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Adamek vs. Walker: A good test for Tomasz or another one of his mismatches?

Adamek vs. Walker: A good test for Tomasz or another one of his mismatches?By Rob Smith: Former two division world champion Tomasz Adamek (46-2, 28 KO’s) faces 6’4 1/2″ Travis Walker (39-7-1, 32 KO’s) next month on September 8th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The reaction to this fight is mixed with many Adamek supporters seeing the 33-year-old Walker as being a good test for the 35-year-old Adamek, whereas others see it just another one of Adamek’s many recent fights against 2nd tier opposition.

It’s difficult to look at Walker’s poor record of success in the last two years against decent opposition and think it’s a good test for Adamek. Walker has lost pretty much every time he’s stepped it up against better opposition and in some cases, he’s even getting beaten by 2nd tier quality opponents. In the past two years, Walker has lost to Johnathan Banks, Alex Leapai, Ruslan Chagaev and Kubrat Pulev.

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Dawson: I’m going to use my superior boxing skills against Andre Ward

WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (31-1, 17 KO’s) doesn’t foresee himself having any problems whatsoever in making weight for his fight against WBC super middleweight champion Andre Ward (25-0, 13 KO’s) next month on September 8th at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. Dawson, 30, will be moving down seven pounds from light heavyweight to fight Ward at 168 in Ward’s home city of Oakland.

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Deontay Wilder looking to make a statement against Manswell tonight

Unbeaten heavyweight Deontay Wilder (23-0, 23 KO’s) will be looking to impress and win over new boxing fans tonight in his 10 round bout against Kertson Manswell (22-5, 17 KO’s) at the Exposition Hall, in Mobile, Alabama. First and foremost the 6’7″ Wilder will be looking to KO the 35-year-old Manwell in their Fox Sports televised fight. However, Wilder would like to get some rounds in so that he showcase his skills and show off his new jab to boxing fans.

The 26-year-old Wilder told RingTV “What I really want to display the most is my jab. I want to show the world that jab as well as the speed of my punches. I’ve got the best footwork in the business.”

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Steward may not be able to help Amir Khan

Recently there’s been talk of trainer Emanuel Steward being in the running for the position as new trainer for former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (26-3, 18 KO’s), if Khan decides to boot current trainer Freddie Roach. However, I’m skeptical about Steward being able to help Khan’s game in any real way.

If Khan’s fragile chin can’t take a healthy shot without him getting blasted out then I think even Steward would be a fail for him. Steward does well with giant heavyweights that have a built in height and reach advantage over their opponents. Khan, 5’10”, is taller than the average light welterweight but not that much taller to where he can just stay on the outside without ever getting his fragile chin touched.

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Matt Skelton, Michael Grant Possibilities For Unbeaten David Price – If The Heavyweight Contender Can Get Past “A-Force” In October

By James Slater: Though he has yet to defeat fellow former Olympian Audley Harrison in a fight set for October 13th, David Price and his team have already got an eye on what could come next. According to The Liverpool Echo, the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist who is 13-0(11) as a pro has been approached with an offer to fight in South Africa next February, on a card that will honour Nelson Mandela.

29-year-old Price has been offered a fight with experienced former world heavyweight title challenger Michael Grant. Grant is almost as big as Price, and the veteran who is coming off KO wins over Tye Fields and Frans Botha would in all likelihood make a good learning opponent for the hope from Liverpool.

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Unbeaten But Untested: Can Polish Giant Mariusz Wach Give Wladimir Klitschko A Fight?

Eastside Boxing: Do you feel you are the man to end the reign of the Klitschkos?

Mariusz Wach, unbeaten Polish heavyweight contender: “I feel I am, and I’m looking to facing them in the future. They are both great champions, but I have a dream to achieve and a family to take care of. I also have the support of my Polish people and their support makes me stronger. I have the size and strength, but also the heart and skills to be the one to beat them. I’m waiting for my opportunity, and when it comes, I’ll be ready!”

This week, on Kyiv Post.com, it was reported how the Polish media in general has been buzzing over the fact that unbeaten, 6’7” Mariusz Wach had come to a deal with heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko, with a fight all but done for Hamburg, Germany in either November or December. Upon hearing this news, some fans groaned about 32-year-old Wach’s credentials. But, as is the case with big brother and reigning WBC champ Vitali, Wladimir has pretty much ran out of challengers to defend against. Simply put: the Klitschkos have cleaned out their weight class.

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