Hopkins beats Murat; Deontay stops Firtha; Quillin stops Rosado

hopkins78 Making his first defense of his IBF light heavyweight title champion Bernard Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KO’s) defeated Karo Murat (25-2-1m 15 KO’s) by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. The final judges scores were 117-110, 119-108, 119-108. Hopkins took a lot of shots in the fight and it was a lot of back and forth action between them. This was easily the most exciting Hopkins fight in quite some time.

Speaking of Floyd Mayweather Jr., Hopkins said “I can make 160. If the negotiations are serious, I can make 160.”

Anthony Joshua destroys Paul Butlin in 2nd round TKO

British heavyweight prospect Anthony Joshua (2-0, 2 KO’s) dispatched a badly over-matched Paul Butlin (14-20, 3 KO’s) in an impressive 2nd round stoppage on Saturday night on the undercard of the Kell Brook vs. Vyacheslav Senchenko fight card at the at the Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom.

Joshua jabbed and hammered the punching bag-like Butlin at will in the 1st round. At the start of the 2nd round, the 6’6″ Joshua connected with a combination to the head that sent the 37-year-old Butlin down on the canvas on his backside. He got back up to his feet but his left eye was cut badly and he staggered against the ropes. Surprisingly the referee let the fight continue. Joshua then waded in with a couple of shots before the white towel was tossed in by Butlin’s corner to have the fight stopped.

Showtime to show Zab Judah vs. Paulie Malignaggi, Adrien Broner vs. Marcos Maidana

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Oct. 26, 2013) – To celebrate one of the strongest years of programming in boxing history, SHOWTIME Sports® and Golden Boy Promotions will deliver back-to-back blockbuster events airing live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 14. Both events will be quadrupleheaders featuring six world championship fights including the most exciting and dynamic champions and challengers in the welterweight, super welterweight and super bantamweight divisions.

Throughout this past year, month after month, week after week, SHOWTIME and Golden Boy Promotions have featured the sport’s biggest stars in the most significant and meaningful fights in every relevant division in boxing. They joined forces to produce the most lucrative pay-per-view event in television history with perennial pound-for-pound superstar Floyd “Money” Mayweather,grew the average audience for live boxing on SHOWTIME by more than 30 percent from 2012, and attracted record crowds at sold-out arenas from coast to coast.

Almost 40-years on: “The Rumble in The Jungle” remains Ali’s finest hour

In some ways, the epic interview/speech the great Muhammad Ali gave immediately after he had shocked the world in regaining his heavyweight crown with an incredible 8th-round KO over an “invincible” George Foreman in October of 1974 was as memorable as his ring performance. Ali, who had been stripped of his crown unfairly in 1967, was now back on top of the world and he would be damned if he didn’t let his emotions out in words moments after he’d regained what was rightfully his!

“All of you bow, all of you crawl, all you suckers who write Ring magazine, Boxing Illustrated, never again make me an underdog; until I’m about 50-years-old – then you might get me,” Ali bellowed into the microphone held by the late David Frost. And how he was entitled to say such words.

Why Deontay Wilder may or may not be a hype job

U.S. Olympic Bronze Medalist Deontay Wilder (29-0, 29 KOs) has been completely written off by some and praised as if he is the new Muhammad Ali by others, as you might know, this weekend he is scheduled to fight yet another out matched opponent, Nicolai Firtha (21-10, 8 KOs). Considering that this is his 30th fight and he still hasn’t fought anyone of significance, it is easy to remain skeptical. There are many reasons why he could be a hype job and many reasons why he might not be. Whatever side you are on, here are some things to consider.

First of all, the question why Deontay wilder hasn’t gotten any fights against tough opposition may not be as black and white as people think. It seems as though major consensus is that his promoters simply don’t want him to fight anyone of skill, in fear that he will loose and no longer produce cash, but it is also entirely possible that fighters who are trying to work towards a title shot do not want to risk fighting him.

Deontay Wilder looking to impress tonight against Firtha

#3 WBC, #7 WBA, Deontay Wilder (29-0, 29 KO’s) will be looking to stay in the hunt for a world title shot by staying busy tonight in a 10 round scheduled bout against Nicolai Firtha (21-10, 8 KO’s) at the Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. Wilder will likely be facing one of the top contenders such as Bermane Stiverne or Chris Arreola in early 2014 and then fighting for a world title soon after that. Deontay actually sees himself getting a title shot by the early to the middle point of next year.

Deontay said “I’m thinking early-to-mid next year [for world title shot]. We’re trying to line it up now. At the moment I’m ranked number 3 by the WBC, so we’re in planning right now.”

Arthur Abraham vs. De Carolis tonight in Germany

33-year-old Arthur Abraham (37-4, 28 KO’s) will be taking part tonight against little known fringe contender Giovanni De Carolis (20-4, 10 KO’s) in a scheduled 12 round bout at the EWE-Arena, Oldenburg, Niedersachsen, Germany. This is a warm-up bout for Abraham to get him ready for his third fight against WBO super middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz in 2014.

The fighters have faced each other twice with each guy winning one fight and losing the other. Now Abraham is ready to put himself in position for yet another Stieglitz bout and he just has to defeat #13 IBF De Carolis. This should be fairly easy for Abraham, but I also thought that he would easily win his last fight against Willbeforce Shihepo last August, and boy was I wrong.

Froch vs Groves LIVE and exclusive in the United States on awetv.com

froch#7 On Saturday afternoon November 23rd, boxing fans will get an early holiday gift as one of most anticipated All-English bouts in a long time will take place as IBF/WBA Super Middleweight champion Carl Froch defends his crown against undefeated George Groves.

The bout will be televised LIVE and exclusively in the United States by AWE and awetv.com

The announcement comes on the heels of a great afternoon of boxing that will see IBF number-one Welterweight Kell Brook take on former WBA Welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko that will be shown LIVE TODAY AT 3 PM EST / 12 PACIFIC