It’s a special edition of HBO BOXING AFTER DARK® when HBO Sports presents MANNY PACQUIAO VS. JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ III, the exclusive replay of their welterweight title showdown, this SATURDAY, NOV. 19 at 10:30 p.m. ET/ PT on HBO. The HBO Sports team, which was ringside for the live event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, calls all the action. The replay will be available in HDTV.
Pacquiao, a worldwide icon, and Marquez, the battle-tested ring veteran, met for the third chapter of their stirring rivalry in a mega-fight on Saturday, Nov. 12. The showdown was carried live on HBO Pay-Per-View® and the hotly contested encounter resulted in Pacquiao capturing a majority decision.
In addition to the exclusive replay, HBO will have its cameras ringside Saturday night for the live telecast of the middleweight title fight from Houston as Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. meets Peter Manfredo Jr. in a 12-round matchup.
The night of boxing programming starts on HBO at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT with episode #1 of “24/7 COTTO/MARGARITO” as the all-access series focuses on the two rivals as they prepare for their Dec. 3 pay-per-view rematch at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
BURNS CAN’T CALL WINNER OF CROLLA-LIMOND
New Interim World Boxing Organization (WBO) Lightweight Champion Ricky Burns says it’s too close to call between domestic rivals Anthony Crolla and Willie Limond in their big British Lightweight title showdown.
Manchester star Crolla, the champion, and Glasgow challenger Limond meet at the Ravenscraig Sports Centre in Motherwell on Friday 25th November, live on BoxNation (Sky Platform Ch. 456).
Burns, who defeated world star Michael Katsidis to become Scotland’s first two-weight world champion in nearly twenty years, says that it will come down to who has the most desire on the night.
“I can’t wait to see this fight it’s going to be a real cracker between two of the best fighters on the domestic scene,” said Burns
“They’re both really nice guys outside the ring and are good mates, but don’t let the friendship between them fool you,”
“This is either win or lose and everything is on the line between them so when these two get going in the ring in I reckon it’s going to be a real war,”
“Limond’s a classy boxer with fantastic skill and has got the edge on experience, while the younger Crolla has really impressed me in the last few years, especially when he won the title against John Watson,”
“I think that it will boil down to who wants it most on the night will get it,”
“There’s a lot on the line for the winner who will go on to bigger fights while the loser will be set back.”
Coatbridge ace Burns is the most wanted man in the 135lb division following his win over Katsidis and has a number of options that promoter Frank Warren will discuss with him.
He added, “The lightweight division is a really hot here and abroad at the moment,”
“Kevin Mitchell beat John Murray in a great fight back in July, while Murray has got a tough fight against WBA World Champion Brandon Rios coming up,”
“If Murray wins – and I’m hoping he does the job – then that opens up a unification fight between us. If he doesn’t then I’d love a shot at Rios,”
“On the world scene Juan Manuel Marquez is there and so is Robert Guerrero plus Miguel Vazquez so I’m looking at some big fights ahead.”
Tickets for Crolla v Limond, priced at £40 and £60, are available on through Morrison’s Gym on 0141 554 7777 or St Andrew’s Sporting Club on 0141 810 5700.
WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin Trout Heading for High-Profile Showdowns
The future is looking extremely bright for World Boxing Association (WBA) Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout (24-0, 14 KO’s) after the virtuoso performance he turned in against Australian challenger Frank LoPorto on Friday night at Cohen Stadium in El Paso, Texas.
Making the second defense of his title and his national television debut, Trout was masterful in logging a dominant TKO victory at 2:32 of the sixth round. Showing off his elite-level power, speed, timing, and fluid movement, Trout was barely touched while delivering a savage beating to his #14-ranked opponent.
It was the type of showing that gets the boxing world’s attention.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” said his elated promoter, Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions. “Austin was sensational. He set out to make a statement and he made it emphatically. He is now regarded as an elite-level fighter in a very talent-deep division.”
Cohen says that Trout now has two options for his next fight and both are lucrative, important fights.
“Miguel Cotto is the super champion of the WBA Junior Middleweight division. He won his title in June 2010 against Yuri Foreman. When you’re the super champion of the WBA, the rules state you need to defend against your mandatory every 18 months, so the winner of the upcoming fight between Cotto and Antonio Margarito must make their mandatory title defense against Austin Trout. We want to make that fight against either guy as soon as possible.”
If, however, the winner of the December 3 rematch between Cotto and Margarito declines to face Trout in his first defense, the other option would be a defense against Australia’s colorful Anthony “The Man” Mundine.
“If they choose not to fight us and vacate the belt, then we’ll be the only ones with a rightful claim to be WBA champion. In that case, we’ll make our mandatory against Mundine in a fight that would have not only all the new fans Austin made over the weekend, but the entire continent of Australia also buzzing the day it was made. Either way, it’s a win for my fighter. He’s finally going to get the kind of fight he’s dreamed of getting and all the recognition that will also come when he wins. He went from something of a secret in boxing to one of the hottest fighters in the sport with that one terrific performance.”
After that, Cohen says the Austin Trout hit list will have some recognizable names on it. “After Cotto or Mundine, it’s on to (WBC Light Middleweight Champion) Canelo Alvarez, James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo; we’re going to clean out the 154-lb division before we’re done. The future is very, very bright for Austin Trout.”