Photo: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME – The old saying “If you build it they will come” rings true for boxing.
In 2013 the two biggest networks and promoters have improved the quality of their product despite engaging in a Cold War.
Both networks have done a great job building events along with lowering the average price of admission causing attendance to rise and the best example of this would be San Antonio, Texas.
Earlier this year Canelo Alvarez fought Austin Trout on Showtime in front of almost 40,000 fans at the Alamodome.
This summer Showtime had what was probably the best tripleheader of the year back in San Diego, oops I mean San Antonio.
Every great trainer throughout boxing’s storied history has insisted that fights are won and lost in the gym. If the age old adage is indeed true, former IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Marcos Maidana could be in serious trouble this weekend.
In sad news, it has been reported (though not widely) how always-exciting cruiserweight warrior Ezra Sellers passed away earlier today due to heart problems that only recently surfaced. The 45-year-old who lived in Pensacola, Florida was a humble fighter who let his fists do the talking and fellow fighters such as Roy Jones Junior and Al “Ice” Cole have expressed their sadness at Ezra’s unexpected passing.
Last Saturday, Ireland’s top-rated middleweight contender and world title challenger Matthew “Mack the Knife” Macklin (30-5, 20KO’s) once again put himself back into the title picture with an impressive 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated highly regarded prospect Lamar Russ. The bout against Russ came on HBO, the fourth consecutive bout for Macklin on their airwaves.
James Kirkland entered the ring on Saturday against undefeated Glen Tapia after a 20-month layoff full of injuries, drama, musical trainers, and another visit to jail. Nevertheless, it was business as usual as Kirkland didn’t seem to miss a beat. Kirkland, now 32-1 (28 KOs) stopped Glen Tapia (20-1, 12 KOs) in the sixth round of a brutal slugfest that saw both guys exchange shots that drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd. 
Like an avalanche, the possibility of a Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight in the near future is starting to swallow people whole.
It was in January of 2013 that I first met the Fury family. I’d just beaten the snow out of the UK by twelve hours and was sitting in a freezing Dutch ferry terminal waiting for a lift from Peter Fury – a man I’d never met – to spend a week in the famous Fury training camp in Belgium. The Ferry ride had been tortuous; high seas and an even higher crew had meant a sleepless night and much paranoia. I was the first writer or journalist to ever set foot in the remote Fury HQ. It was a land few had even considered. Rumours of the harshness of the camp had reached my ears, but there was little in the way of facts. I had to see for myself, for good or ill. Two and a half months later, Tyson Fury would bamboozle the American press, beat Steve Cunningham without Peter in his corner, and sing to a bemused Madison Square Garden crowd. I wasn’t to blame.
After impressively knocking out formerly undefeated Junior Middleweight Glen Tapia this past Saturday night on HBO’s Boxing After Dark, could James Kirkland (32-1, 28 KOs) be looking at an immediate title opportunity in 2014?