Monday, July 11, 2011
FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. VICTOR ORTIZ PRESS TOUR QUOTES Tuesday, June 28 - New York City
HBO®'s Emmy® Award-winning all-access series "24/7" premieres an all new edition when "24/7 Mayweather/Ortiz" debuts Saturday, Aug. 27 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The four-part series will air for three consecutive Saturday nights before the finale airs the night before the welterweight championship showdown in Las Vegas.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER, Six-Time World Champion in Five Weight Divisions
"I want to thank Victor Ortiz for stepping up to the plate and taking the test.
"I also want to say congratulations to Victor Ortiz. It's not easy to bounce back from a crucial loss. He bounced back like a true champion. I take my hat off to him.
"It's not all about the money. We all know I am going to make a ton of money. He [Ortiz] is going to make some good money too. I earned the right to make the money that I make.
"It starts here. Someone has to give him the opportunity to take the thrown. Why not let it be me?
"I don't duck or dodge anyone. This is for the fans. This is for the Pacquiao fans too. Do I want the Pacquiao fight? Absolutely, if that is what the fans want. I want to give the fans what they want, but I have to take it one step at a time. I cannot overlook Victor Ortiz.
"I don't want to hear about him [Ortiz] losing before. Right now he is the world champion. This is about me facing the world champion and fighting the best.
"My main focus is Victor Ortiz. I want to go to camp and dedicate myself.
"I want to give you excitement. I want to you to enjoy HBO 24/7.
"Anything can happen in the sport of boxing. If you beat me I want you to earn it. I don't want it to be tainted.
"This is not my last fight. Hopefully I can give you 10 more fights. I am closer to 40 than I am to 21, but I am not going anywhere.
"[To Ortiz] On Sept 17, I know you are going to be there and you are going to bring your best, and me and my team are going to bring our best.
"I have to have a lot of Mexican fans and I wouldn't be where I am today without them.
"I want to thank HBO. We have a relationship that goes far back. I am loyal to the company that I am with. I have been with HBO since the beginning of my career.
"My ultimate goal is to take the title from Victor Ortiz."
VICTOR ORTIZ, WBC Welterweight World Champion
"I realize there is a lot of love/hate going on here. Tell me one thing I haven't already heard. People who loved me left me. I have been through a bunch of bull. I am facing one of the best fighters of all of time. That was a dream of mine since I was a little kid. I am not supposed to be here according to statistics.
"I am newly crowned [champion] and I am not ready to give that up.
"It's not a challenge when you are a champion.
"I have to thank my team for motivating me. The times they wanted me to go to war, I went to war. Mayweather is a beast, but I'm a monster. If Mayweather wants to box, I will box. If he wants to bang, I will bang.
"At the end of the day, I am walking away from this fight with that championship. I'll be damned if someone is going to take that away from me.
"This is a dream to me. I am not going to put this dream down. I am going to run with it as long as I can. I want to be like Bernard Hopkins and hold my title for as long as I can.
"I don't need to match Mayweather word for word. I am not a talker. I never have been. At the end of the day, we are going to have gloves and my punches are not as soft as my words.
"I am Mexican to the fullest and I am going to show the world how the Mexicans roll.
"I am tired of hearing that he is fighting Manny Pacquiao next. He is fighting me next!"
"On September 17, there is going to be a repeat of what happened on July 7, 1985, when Roger Mayweather fought Julio Cesar Chavez."
LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO, Mayweather Promotions
"This is another Mayweather experience.
"This is going to be the biggest fight of this year.
"Floyd Mayweather doesn't need much of an introduction. He is the biggest star in the sport. He is the biggest attraction in the sport. He is the best fighter on the planet.
"Talk doesn't win fights. Skills do. Last [time] I checked, there was only one undefeated fighter on this dais.
"Mayweather has been the best in the sport since day one. He has been the biggest star in this sport since day one.
"He [Mayweather] is a Six-Time World Champion in Five Weight Divisions and he is back."
RICHARD SCHAEFER, CEO, Golden Boy Promotions
"This is going to be a real fight. It is a dangerous fight for both fighters.
"Year after year, Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions have put together the biggest fights of the year.
"Victor Ortiz has been surrounded by the same team. He believes in them and they believe in them. There is a friendship and a mutual respect there and that is the reason that they keep going from victory to victory.
"I have to applaud Floyd for taking the fight with Victor Ortiz. He might have just challenged himself too much because he hasn't fought in 16 months. Victor Ortiz was active. He is 10 years younger. He can hurt Floyd Mayweather. He has the power and that is the story line. Is the star, the undefeated Mayweather going to remain undefeated, or is the power going to put a stop to that?"
DANNY GARCIA, Ortiz's Trainer
"Floyd Mayweather is one of the greatest champions ever, but I have the current champion and on September 17 I will have the best pound-for-pound fighter.
"We are going to work very hard, we are going to have a good plan and fight a great fight. We expect Floyd to give a great fight too.
"We want to dedicate this fight to the Mexican people.
"About two months ago we became the welterweight champion of the world and we felt amazing. We will feel even more special when we become the pound-for-pound champion on September 17."
ROLANDO ARELLANO, Ortiz's Manager
"We are not making boxing history, we are making sports history. We would like to thank Floyd Mayweather for giving a young lion an opportunity to take over his pound-for-pound kingdom.
"On September 17, we will declare war on Mayweather and Mayweather will declare war on us.
"This fight is one the greatest fight in the history of boxing. It is going to have a local impact, a regional impact, a national impact and a global impact. If you live on the moon, when Ortiz knocks out Mayweather you will about hear it.
"Victor Ortiz will change the course of boxing history, just as the Mexican warriors have before him."
BOB HALLORAN, Director of Sports, MGM Resorts International
"It took 16 months for Floyd to go 10 min away [from home].
"This is the biggest turnout of media and fans since guess when? The last time Floyd was in New York City.
"Regardless of whom you are rooting for, one man made this fight happen [Mayweather]. The reason he [Ortiz] is here is because he is a world champion, and this man elected him to be his next opponent.
"Mayweather is a minus 750 favorite and Ortiz is a plus 525 underdog."
(ALL PHOTOS BY;KEISHA MORRISEY EXCEPT PROMOTIONAL PICTURE)
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.
Bout Card Announced for the GBC on July 15th at The Buckhead Theatre
Some of the biggest names and prospects will be competing in the Georgia Boxing Championship at The Buckhead Theatre on July 15th. Including, welterweight Paul “The Truth” Delgado and light welterweight Nicole “Notorious” Woods. Paul will be making his first return to the ring since his IBF World Welterweight Title fight in Slovenia this past February and Nicole, a former world title fight competitor, Atlanta native and Atlanta Firefighter will top the card.
Paul Delgado (25-10-1) vs Luis Galarza (16-2)? Welterweight 8 Rds (MAIN EVENT)
Nicole Woods (11-8-1) vs Elesia Moreno (1-1)? Light Welterweight 4 Rds
Dino Dumonjic (4-1) vs Jared Robinson (5-0)? Light Welterweight 4 Rds
Winston Mathis (7-4) vs Chris Gray (13-16)? Welterweight 6 Rds
Clinton Hester (1-3-1) vs Nick White (Debut)? Cruiserweight 4 Rds
Keandrea Leatherwood (7-0) vs Martez Barnes (1-0)? Middleweight 4 Rds
Chris Jordan (4-4) vs Quinton Rankin (2-0)? Cruiserweight 4 Rds
Ghislain Ntsikoto (1-1) vs Michael Wicker (Debut)? Middleweight 4 Rds
Jeremiah Adams (Debut) vs Larry Depeyster (Debut)? Super Middleweight 4 Rds
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.
McBride faces long odds against undefeated Wach
Fans and experts scoffed, but McBride delivered, ending Tyson’s career with a sixth-round knockout that remains one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
As he prepares for his latest test July 29th, 2011 against undefeated Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach, McBride – now 38 – is channeling the same swagger he brought to the ring six years ago Tyson, again looking to land a blow powerful enough to reverberate through the streets of his native Clones, Ireland.
“Hopefully, I can connect,” McBride said, “and the Irish will be singing again.”
Three months removed from a unanimous decision loss to former cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek, McBride (35-9-1, 29 KOs) will face Wach (24-0, 12 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) International heavyweight title in the 12-round main event of “Heat Wave,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. McBride’s bout against Wach is one of two title fights on July 29th; Elvin Ayala (23-5-1, 11 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., will battle former two-time world champion Israel “Pito” Cardona (36-10, 28 KOs) of Hartford in the 10-round co-feature for the vacant WBC U.S. National Boxing Council (USNBC) middleweight title, a belt once held by former world champions Paul Williams and Lamont Peterson.
Once again, McBride faces long odds; Wach is a shade taller at 6-foot-7 ½ and is also seven years younger than his opponent. Originally from Krakow, Poland, Wach now trains in North Bergen, N.J., under the tutelage of Juan and Carlos De Leon, who are famous for their work with undefeated heavyweight “Baby” Joe Mesi.
Though he’s admittedly unfamiliar with the WBC International title and its illustrious history – Wladimir Klitschko, Oliver McCall and John Ruiz are among a prestigious list of former champions – McBride is well aware of what a victory could mean as his career draws to a close. More than half of the fighters who’ve won this belt have gone on to win a major world title, and the winner on July 29th might get an opportunity to add to that list.
For McBride, it’s now or never; despite beating Tyson, he’s never fought for a major world title. After getting knocked out by Andrew Golota in 2007, he took three years off before returning to the ring last summer against journeyman Zack Page. McBride hasn’t had much success in his comeback, winning only once in four tries within the past year, but he knows it only takes one punch to shock the world and take his career to new heights.
“Every fighter has a dream,” McBride said. “I want to be the second Cinderella story of this century. Everyone counted out [former two-time world heavyweight champion] George Foreman [against Michael Moorer in 1994] and he came back and won a world title when he was 45 years old.
“Foreman proved the last thing that leaves you is your power. I don’t have any particular strategy; I’m just trying to catch him on his chin and prove I’m a better fighter. Don’t leave your seat too quickly, because anything can happen at any given second.”
Ranked No. 13 in the WBC, Wach – who recently signed a multi-year promotional agreement with CES in association with Global Boxing Promotions – began working with the De Leon brothers six weeks ago in hopes of becoming a more versatile boxer, not just a puncher with exceptional power.
“The De Leon brothers have been a great addition to my team,” Wach said. “The experience they have between them has given me a new dimension to my arsenal. Juan has helped improve my power by getting me to commit more to my punches. Carlos [a former four-time cruiserweight champion] has fought so many great fighters and has a world of wisdom to impart; it’s a great honor to have him with me. It’s also comforting to know that whatever situation arises, both men in my corner will have the answers waiting for me.”
“He’s learned a lot,” Juan De Leon said. “Whoever has seen him in the past, he looks nothing like he did eight weeks ago. What I’ve been doing is making sure he uses his distance. He’s tall, has a good jab, has tremendous power, footwork, flexibility – he has everything. My job is to put it all together.
“He was built to throw punches,” he added, “but now we’ve taught him how to move and how to cut off the ring. We’ve taught him to use every inch of the ring. He knows when to push and when to step back. He knows what to do when feels a little tired. When either my brother or I say something, he delivers right away. We’ve got a great team here and we’re excited about the opportunity of having a future world champion on our hands.”
Before he focuses on a world title, Wach must first deal with McBride, who has proven he can excel in the underdog role. The 6-foot-6 slugger became the youngest super heavyweight in Olympic history when he represented Ireland in the 1992 Summer Games, competing amongst a field that included former world-title contender Larry Donald and semifinalist Brian Nielson, who won the International Boxing Organization (IBO) heavyweight title in 1996.
“McBride isn’t the fastest fighter, but he’s very tough and smart,” Wach said. “I'm used to facing tall opponents, but what makes this fight different is that McBride has a lot of experience and doesn't give up easily. He took very strong punches from Mike Tyson and never gave up and never quit when Tomasz Adamek was out-boxing him, so I know I'm in for a good challenge.”
Unlike McBride, Wach understands the significance of the WBC International title and has one eye toward the future as he prepares for July 29th. The Klitschkos – both Wladimir and WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko – are waiting in the wings for whichever contender dares to challenge them next.
“It is an honor to have the opportunity to fight for this title, because it brings me one step closer to a fight with one of the Klitschko brothers for the world title,” Wach said.
“I want the opportunity to fight the best in the world, but I know I must earn it first, and this is part of that. This belt is essential to my heavyweight championship dreams coming true. All the great fighters have won belts like this one before facing the legends of their day. The legends of my day have won this belt, and so will I.”
Whether or not Wach succeeds depends on McBride’s ability to land his trademark knockout punch. McBride isn’t interested in trying to outbox the taller, rangier Wach on July 29th; his goal is to connect squarely on the chin, perhaps with a blow strong enough to make an entire country feel the aftershock.
“He better watch out,” McBride said. “I’m going to go in there and take care of business. I fight with no fear. This guy is undefeated – God bless him – but I’m not here to lose. I’ve got 29 knockouts, so I must be doing something right.
“This is a great opportunity, and wherever there’s an opportunity, there’s a chance.”
The undercard of “Heat Wave” features Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas Falowo (3-0, 3 KOs) facing Russ Niggemyer (2-2, 2 KOs) of Hilliard, Ohio; New Haven welterweight Edwin Soto (6-0-1, 2 KOs) battling Jose Duran (6-5-2, 3 KOs) of Sarasota, Fla.; undefeated heavyweight Artur Spzilka of Poland (5-0, 3 KOs) facing Philadelphia’s David Williams (6-4-1, 2 KOs), and New Bedford, Mass., welterweight Johnathan Vazquez (4-0, 3 KOs) taking on Agustine Maurus of Lawrence, Mass., in Maurus’ debut. Cruiserweight Jose Torres of Springfield, Mass., will make his debut against Orion Sistrunk (5-25-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia; super middleweight Greg McCoy (2-3-1, 1 KO) of New Haven will fight in a separate four-round bout; and super middleweight Keith Kozlin (6-2, 4 KOs) of Warwick, R.I., will face Woonsocket’s Reynaldo Rodriguez (5-2, 2 KOs) in a six-round intrastate showdown. Also, former “The Contender” reality television star Jeff Fraza (17-3, 10 KOs) of Haverhill, Mass., will face Pawtucket, R.I., light middleweight Eddie Soto (12-2, 4 KOs) in a six-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.
Amanda "The Real Deal" Serrano vs. Karen Dulin SATURDAY - July 16, 2011 Resorts Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.
USBA heavyweight champ Maurice Harris seeks redemption July 16 title defense vs. Derric Rossy in Atlantic City
Much more than his title belt will be on line Saturday night , July 16 when USBA Heavyweight Champion Maurice “Sugar Moe” Harris makes his first defense against Derric“The Shaolin Fist” Rossy at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. Harris needs to erase the memories of his last fight in order to keep his roller coaster-like career alive.
Harris (24-15-2, 10 KOs) was stopped in the third round by Tony “The Tiger” Thompson (36-2, 24 KOs) in May, live on ESPN Friday Night Fights in their IBF Box-Off.
“I was used to taking last minute fights and didn’t know how to handle two months of training for that fight,” Harris said.“I left it in the gym and on the roads running. That wasn’t me. I wanted to look so good fighting on television for my family and those supporting me. I put too much pressure on myself. I take nothing away from Tony Thompson. I respect him and he was the better man that night, but he was fouling (rabbit punches) me throughout the fight. No excuses, though, I blame myself. I’m a man. I know I need to focus on the task at hand and not worry about my last fight.”
The 35-year-old Harris, winner of the 2002 Thunderbox Heavyweight Tournament, has defeated world champions (Sergei Liakhovich) and challengers but he’s also lost to several club fighters during his up-and-down career.
“I was so confident Maurice would beat Thompson that I would have bet my house,”Harris’ promoter (Boxing 360 CEO/Founder) Mario Yagobi remarked.” His last fight was a fluke. Maurice was hit behind the head so many times that he had double, even triple vision. Otherwise he would have been able to have a much better performance. I know how talented he is and I believe in him.”
“No way Derrick Rossy beats Maurice, but he also needs to come back strong to show people that this is the real Moe, not the fighter people saw in his last fight. Maurice has it all over Rossy: boxing IQ and experience. He’s motivated because he needs to win. . His boxing career is at stake. There’s no place for him to go if he doesn’t win.”
Rossy (25-4, 14 KOs), rated No. 15 by the WBA, was a standout college football player at Boston College. He also lost in this year’s IBF Box-Off to Eddie Chambers by 12-round decision. His most significant victories have been versus former WBO champion and 1988 Olympic gold-medal winner Ray Mercer (DEC12) and world title challenger Carl David Drummond (DEC10)
“Rossy is a good fighter and it should be an interesting fight,” IBF No. 8 rated Harris commented. “I know he’s inexperienced – he’s been fighting six years and I’ve been doing this for 20 –and he makes a lot of mistakes. I need to beat him to get back where I was. He’s in my way and I don’t plan on giving up my belt.
Other members of Boxing 360’s stable include WBC #5 super bantamweight Leon “Hurry Up” Moore, former IBF super middleweight champion Alejandro “Naco” Berrio, unbeaten welterweight prospect Vitaliy “Demyan”Demyanenko WBC Caribbean & NY State super middleweight champion Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen, Dominican lightweight champion Eudy “AK47” Bernardo, KO king Tyrone Brunson, heavyweight Mike Mollo, unbeaten NABF featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano, Nick “Hands of Gold” Casal, middleweight prospect DonYil Livingston, Joel Diaz Jr., and “King”David Estrada.
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.
Peter ‘Kid Chocolate’ Quillin on mission
Coming off of an explosive third-round destruction of former world title challenger Jesse Brinkley this past April for the USBO super middleweight title, Quillin (24-0, 18 KOs) will return to compete in his natural middleweight division in an old fashioned throw-down with veteran “Marvelous” Tarvis Simms (27-1-1, 11 KOs) in 10-round bout on the July 23 Amir Khan vs. Zab Judah undercard at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Quillin-Simms will be fought on the off-television portion of the event, while Khan vs. Judah headlines on HBO. “A fight is a fight and my time will come,” IBF # 5 rated Quillin said.“I put in the same effort to put on an impressive winning performance,” IBF #5 rated Quillin said. “The pressure last camp was to see how I would beat Brinkley. This time it’s Tarvis Simms and I’m training to destroy him.
“I’m never in a comfortable situation because, in boxing, you can always lose. I figure, why put in anything less than maximum effort in training?I’m trying to prove that I’m an elite, top-10 fighter and, even when I win a world title, I’m always going to be a hungry fighter because of where I come from.After my last fight I went right back in the Wild Card Gym training with Freddie Roach and Eric Brown.I’ve already started back training in the torture chamber (with strength-and-conditioning coach Brad Bose at Anatomi Gym in Santa Monica).”
The 40-year-old Simms is 12 years older than Quillin and the twin brother of two-time World Junior Middleweight Champion Travis Simms. His only loss was a 10-round decision to Allan Green two years ago, when he was a late replacement fighting for the first time in 14 months.
“What I’m looking for against Simms is rounds,” Quillin explained.“My last three fights were all four rounds or less.I had a first-round knockout in Quebec, followed by a fourth-round TKO, and then stopped a world title challenger in the third. Tarvis is 27-1-1 but he’s stepping-up to fight me, not the other way around. I met him and he’s a cool guy. I’m hoping that he’s preparing as hard as me to put in the rounds and showcase his talent. If he does, it will be an entertaining fight.”
No boxer appreciates being active more than “Kid Chocolate,” who was on the shelf for 18 months (2008-2010) with a broken hand, hairline fracture of his eye socket and emergency appendectomy.
“Boxing isn’t a job for me because I love it,” Quillin remarked.“I want to stay busy and active and I’m happy Golden Boy got me right back in the ring. I train hard, five hours a day, six days a week and that doesn’t include all of the running I do.I’m like old-time boxers who liked to fight all the time.I want to bring that back to boxing because fans appreciate and enjoy it.
“I was a street kid growing up in Grand Rapids. I never thought that I’d be anything in life.I learned from boxing that anything I do, I need to fight for it, in or out of the ring. That’s what gave me the courage to move to Brooklyn and then to California.I’ve been to so many different places because of boxing.I’m hungry to make it big. Boxing really saved my life.”
“Kid Chocolate” is continuing on his mission for excellence.
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.
No Holds Barred: M-1 Hits A Home Run, Boxing Strikes Out, ADCC and Catch Wrestling On Deck
No Holds Barred: M-1 Hits A Home Run, Boxing Strikes Out, ADCC and Catch Wrestling On Deck
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2011-07-11T03_00_36-07_00
On this audio edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the main lessons of the three main combat sports shows televised this weekend in the U.S.
The best of the three was the M-1 Challenge XXVI mixed martial arts card, which took place Friday, July 8, at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, California, and was telecast live on Showtime. In the main event, heavyweight M-1 contender Kenny "Deuce" Garner won by a second-round KO over Pat Bennett. In the co-main event of this card, which had five fights televised, Arthur Guseinov knocked out Tyson Jeffries with a picture-perfect spinning back fist in the first round of their middleweight fight.
The next best show was also on Showtime, but featured boxing. On Saturday, July 9, from Carson, California, Brandon Rios retained his WBA lightweight title with a third-round stoppage of Urbano Antillon in an all-out battle. Also, Carlos Molina upset Kermit Cintron, winning a clear-cut, 10-round unanimous decision in their junior middleweight bout.
The biggest disgrace occurred on the HBO-televised boxing card from Atlantic City, New Jersey, also on July 9. Junior middleweight Paul Williams was given a majority decision victory over Erislandy Lara in a fight which virtually no one except two of the judges thought Williams had won.
We thus discuss the significance of these three shows.
We also comment on some recent developments in grappling, including plans for the 2011 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championships, which take place September 24-25 in Nottingham, England, and the attempts to revive catch-as-catch-can wrestling as a real sport.
No Holds Barred: George Kimball and the State of Boxing
After a long battle with esophageal cancer, George Kimball passed away Wednesday, July 6, at age 67, in New York.
While many reminiscences are being written about his life, we are focusing on his contributions to the battle for boxing reform. The lead boxing writer for the Boston Herald for 25 years, George was one of the few newspaper reporters who helped launch the Boxing Writers' Rankings Poll in 2000, and remained a registered voter in it until its demise some years later. We also read comments about his passing from Howie Sirota, who founded the Boxing Writers' Rankings Poll.
On October 18, 2008, we conducted an interview with George in Atlantic City before the Bernard Hopkins-Kelly Pavlik fight. We discussed the book he had just written, Four Kings: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing (http://www.mcbooks.com/bookstore/product_details.php?id=739). This marvelous book traced the intertwined careers of Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Roberto Duran. We spoke with him right after he had participated in a forum on the book with trainer Emanuel Steward, promoter Bob Arum, and announcer Larry Merchant.
We also discussed with him why such an era of so many great rivalries can't happen today, why media coverage of boxing is harder to do today than it was in the past, the changed role of publicists, the decline of newspapers, the Internet and television and the future of boxing, and more. As part of our tribute to him, we replay that interview on No Holds Barred.
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.