National Teams from the United States and Puerto Rico will convene in the boxing Mecca of Philadelphia for an Olympic-style boxing dual on April 26 at the Liacouras Center. This major event will feature top boxers from both teams as each prepare for the Olympic Games.
The competition will showcase many of the athletes who will be vying for gold in Beijing in August. The United States and Puerto Rico battled prior to the Olympic Games in 2004 as well, and many of the same faces could be on hand for the April 26 match-up. 2007 World Champion and two-time Olympian Rau'shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) could face a rematch with 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian and Pan American Games gold medalist McWilliams Arroyo. The two squared off at the light flyweight division in their earlier battle, but both have moved up to the flyweight division for the 2008 Olympic Games.
"The U.S. National Team has had a strong rivalry with Puerto Rico for years. This event will preview many of the top contenders in Beijing, and promises to be a night of outstanding competition," said USA Boxing CEO Jim Millman."
The United States is enjoying a resurgence in amateur boxing, and is currently ranked second in the world based upon their finish at the 2007 World Championships in Chicago, Ill. Puerto Rico and the United States haven't faced off in head-to-head dual action since May of 2004 as the two nations battled prior to the 2004 Olympic Games.
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States' member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
See the competition LIVE Sat., April 26th, on www.GoFightLive.tv, starting at 7 PM EDT!
Showing posts with label Pan American Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pan American Games. Show all posts
Monday, April 21, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
German education for Matt Godfrey
German education for Matt Godfrey
PROVIDENCE– NABF cruiserweight champion Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey (16-1, 9 KOs) has been boxing professionally for four years, after a lengthy amateur career, but his ring education reached another level last month in Germany, albeit in defeat.
As the No. 1 rated contender in the World Boxing Council, Godfrey was matched against No. 2 ranked Rudy Kraj in a 12-round WBC Title Eliminator to determine the WBC’s mandatory challenger to title-holder David Haye. Kraj won a unanimous 12-round decision by scores of 117-111, 116-113, and 115-113.
Fighters react differently to adversity, especially a first loss; they generally come back stronger than ever because of the experience or fold-up and end-up nothing more than a club fighter. The 27-year-old Godfrey says he’s learned valuable lessons about himself and boxing that will help make him a world champion in the not too distant future.
“I went overseas to fight Kraj in his backyard,” Godfrey said. “I got through a difficult fight and learned a lot that I hadn’t experienced in my first 16 pro fights. I proved that I can dig down and go 12 hard rounds. I also learned that I have to become a lot meaner and more aggressive. I can’t just rely on my boxing ability, being ‘Too Smooth,’ and just looking good in the ring. I need to bite down, push forward and take the fight away from my opponent – like Vinny Paz did – instead of just boxing around in the ring.”
“The loss wasn’t devastating to his career,” Godfrey’s manager Bret Hallenback explained, “as long as he’s learned and that depends on how he comes back. It’s too early to say right now, but it’s no more than one loss, and I strongly believe he learned a lot. One thing he learned is that he’s not invincible, which will put pressure on him in future fights. It was a huge eye-opener for him. Matt has to be aggressive and use the skills and power he definitely has. It was an education. He took a loss, not a beating, and I have no doubt that he learned a valuable lesson. We need to get him into a big fight to prove his last fight wasn’t the norm, but more of a fluke, and an education for him.”
Godfrey was second heavyweight alternate on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, compiling a 194-23 amateur record, including six national championships -- four open tournaments highlighted by the 2004 Everlast U.S. Championships, plus two in the Junior Olympics – as well as a Bronze medal at the 2001 Pan-American Games, Silver in all four of that year’s national major tournaments (National Golden Gloves, PAL (Police Athletic League), U.S. Championships and U.S. Challenge).
His most notable wins as a pro were devastating stoppages of highly-touted prospects Shaun George and Felix Cora, Jr. on national television of. Matt was riding high until he fought Czech Republic native Kraj in Germany.
“I was terribly disappointed with my first loss, but now I realize that all champions (not named Floyd Mayweather or Joe Calzaghe) lose at some point. It isn’t the end of the world, as long as you learn from a loss, and I’ve learned a lot. I know what I’m capable of and I just have to put it all together. I still believe I’m the best cruiserweight in the world. I can’t wait to fight again. I went back into the gym right away and I’ve been working as hard as if I was preparing for a fight. I want to fight the top guys, on television, and get back to where I belong.”
Once rated No. 1, Godfrey dropped to No. 7 after his loss, which surprised Godfrey’s promoter, Jimmy Burchfield (Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc.). “I don’t understand why he’s rated any lower than No. 3,” Burchfield noted. “He lost a close 12-round decision to the No. 2 guy and dropped all of the way to No. 7? I don’t get it. Matt won the championship rounds. He took over the fight but started off too slow and ended-up finishing just a little short. There’s no question that this experience is going to make him an even better fighter.”
Bob Trieger: Full Court Press
PROVIDENCE– NABF cruiserweight champion Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey (16-1, 9 KOs) has been boxing professionally for four years, after a lengthy amateur career, but his ring education reached another level last month in Germany, albeit in defeat.
As the No. 1 rated contender in the World Boxing Council, Godfrey was matched against No. 2 ranked Rudy Kraj in a 12-round WBC Title Eliminator to determine the WBC’s mandatory challenger to title-holder David Haye. Kraj won a unanimous 12-round decision by scores of 117-111, 116-113, and 115-113.
Fighters react differently to adversity, especially a first loss; they generally come back stronger than ever because of the experience or fold-up and end-up nothing more than a club fighter. The 27-year-old Godfrey says he’s learned valuable lessons about himself and boxing that will help make him a world champion in the not too distant future.
“I went overseas to fight Kraj in his backyard,” Godfrey said. “I got through a difficult fight and learned a lot that I hadn’t experienced in my first 16 pro fights. I proved that I can dig down and go 12 hard rounds. I also learned that I have to become a lot meaner and more aggressive. I can’t just rely on my boxing ability, being ‘Too Smooth,’ and just looking good in the ring. I need to bite down, push forward and take the fight away from my opponent – like Vinny Paz did – instead of just boxing around in the ring.”
“The loss wasn’t devastating to his career,” Godfrey’s manager Bret Hallenback explained, “as long as he’s learned and that depends on how he comes back. It’s too early to say right now, but it’s no more than one loss, and I strongly believe he learned a lot. One thing he learned is that he’s not invincible, which will put pressure on him in future fights. It was a huge eye-opener for him. Matt has to be aggressive and use the skills and power he definitely has. It was an education. He took a loss, not a beating, and I have no doubt that he learned a valuable lesson. We need to get him into a big fight to prove his last fight wasn’t the norm, but more of a fluke, and an education for him.”
Godfrey was second heavyweight alternate on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, compiling a 194-23 amateur record, including six national championships -- four open tournaments highlighted by the 2004 Everlast U.S. Championships, plus two in the Junior Olympics – as well as a Bronze medal at the 2001 Pan-American Games, Silver in all four of that year’s national major tournaments (National Golden Gloves, PAL (Police Athletic League), U.S. Championships and U.S. Challenge).
His most notable wins as a pro were devastating stoppages of highly-touted prospects Shaun George and Felix Cora, Jr. on national television of. Matt was riding high until he fought Czech Republic native Kraj in Germany.
“I was terribly disappointed with my first loss, but now I realize that all champions (not named Floyd Mayweather or Joe Calzaghe) lose at some point. It isn’t the end of the world, as long as you learn from a loss, and I’ve learned a lot. I know what I’m capable of and I just have to put it all together. I still believe I’m the best cruiserweight in the world. I can’t wait to fight again. I went back into the gym right away and I’ve been working as hard as if I was preparing for a fight. I want to fight the top guys, on television, and get back to where I belong.”
Once rated No. 1, Godfrey dropped to No. 7 after his loss, which surprised Godfrey’s promoter, Jimmy Burchfield (Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc.). “I don’t understand why he’s rated any lower than No. 3,” Burchfield noted. “He lost a close 12-round decision to the No. 2 guy and dropped all of the way to No. 7? I don’t get it. Matt won the championship rounds. He took over the fight but started off too slow and ended-up finishing just a little short. There’s no question that this experience is going to make him an even better fighter.”
Bob Trieger: Full Court Press
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