This past week there has been much discussion about a potential cruiserweight fight between former IBA World Cruiserweight champion Bobby Gunn and former world champion in multiple weight classes Roy Jones Jr.
Gunn spoke out yesterday in response to Jones Jr’s statement earlier this week:
“Thank you Roy for the response that you gave to me. You are such a classy champion, and that’s why you are loved by the world—not just boxing fans, but the world in general. Everybody knows the name and loves Roy Jones Jr. I truly hope from the bottom of my heart that you get the fight with David Haye or Krzsztof Wlodarczyk, but if you don’t I will give you the fight that the boxing world needs. You and I can be the Arturo Gatti/Mickey Ward cruiserweight super fight. We will be the fight that nobody puts a lot of weight into, but we will put on a show that goes through the roof. We will give the boxing world what they want by giving them the super fight of the year. Styles make a fight, and quite honestly my brother, me and you is a perfect matchup.
Roy, you are a champion in and out of the ring, and it would be my honor and dream to step in the ring with you. Everything I have done and accomplished throughout my life wouldn’t hold a candle to having the chance to step between the ropes with you and go to battle. You are a great man, and I believe you will bring the greatness out of me. God Bless champ, and again, I hope you get what you want, but if you don’t, the Gunn is at your door knocking…it’s not complicated, this is an easy deal. Let’s make it happen.”
In coming weeks the boxing world will find out if this fight will happen or not. With the ongoing drama of the top welterweights in the world, boxing fans could certainly get into looking forward to a matchup between Jones Jr. and Gunn.
The news conference was attended by San Juan Mayor JORGE SANTINI and took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the Museo de Vida Silvestre.
"I am very happy to have this very important show in our city,” Santini said. “We know how good Orlando Salido is but we are also are very confident that Juanma will be at his best and will regain his world championship."
Lopez-Salido II will take place Saturday, March 10, and will be televised live from Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, P.R. on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast.) The SHOWTIME telecast will open with undefeated No. 1 featherweight contender MIKEY GARCIA (27-0, 23 KOs), from Oxnard, Calif., risking his record and rating as well as his impending world title shot in a 10-round featherweight battle against an opponent to be announced.
Here are what the fighters had to say on Tuesday:
ORLANDO SALIDO:
"I expect a very different fight. I know he will be better then last time.
“But I don’t see him changing much. He might try in the beginning to fight in a different style but he will come back to his strengths. He is going to feel that he is the better and stronger man, and that he is not.
"I want to show that my first win was not a fluke. I came back to fight in Puerto Rico because he gave the opportunity to me to fight for a world championship here and I have never had any problem winning in an opponents’ home base."
JUANMA LOPEZ:
"I am very happy to have the opportunity to fight in the Roberto Clemente Coliseum where my idol Tito Trinidad had so many fights and this is a dream come true for me.
"I want to thank Salido for coming back to Puerto Rico and giving me this opportunity. I knew Salido was a tough fighter and he came prepared and beat me and I offered no excuses.
"This fight is the most Important of my career and I will train very hard to regain my title.
On changes he will make in this fight:
“We will make changes for this fight like all fights. But I don’t want to give too many specifics. Most importantly against Salido I have to be intelligent inside the ring.
“I don’t see him changing at all. He won his first fight with me and I’ve seen his last two fights before that. He’s going to fight the same style.
“You have to be smart and use your boxing skills. That is the only way to beat Salido. I learned that in our first fight.”
♔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.
Derek Ennis using 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius Andrade as springboard
NABO Junior Middleweight Title Fight Feb. 10 on ESPN FNF live from Mohegan Sun
Andrade-Ennis headlines the Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing show on ESPN Friday Night Fights at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The 10-round bout has future world title belt implications for the winner.
Andrade (15-0, 10 KOs), fighting out of nearby Providence, in addition to being an
Andrade is rapidly climbing the ratings ladder, currently ranked in the top 15 of all four major governing bodies: No. 9 by the World Boxing Organization ("WBO"), No. 13 by the International Boxing Federation ("IBF") and World Boxing Council ("WBC") and No. 15 by the World Boxing Association ("WBA"). He is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions.
The confident 5' 8" Ennis (23-3-1, 13 KOs), a former USBA title-holder who is rated No. 9 by the IBF, believes a victory against Andrade will put him right back into the junior middleweight picture. "I'm just looking at this as another fight," Ennis said. "But, as soon as I beat him, I'm right back on top. I really don't know too much about him other than he's tall (6' 1") and a southpaw.
"Coming from Philly, I have a good name or persona, so everybody knows I'm coming to fight. People are going to see a lot of speed and pressure put on by me in a world-class fight."
Ennis' most significant victory to date was against another relatively tall Olympian, 6' 1" world title challenger Ermosele Albert (22-3-1), of Nigeria, by way of a12-round decisions in 2009 for the vacant USBA championship.
"This fight is a great opportunity for us," Ennis' co-manager Moe Gonzalez (E & M Management) noted. "We know he's in tough against this kid, but Derek is tough, too. They better not think they have a cakewalk, Derek is coming to fight. He doesn't have problems with southpaws or taller guys. Derek really gets up for fights like this and he'll be ready."
Saturday January 28th at the Paramount Theater in Huntington, Long Island. Headlining the show will be Undefeated Jr. Welterweight Chris Algieri (12-0 6KO Huntington, NY) as he takes he takes on hard hitting Curtis Smith (10-5 5KO Atlanta, GA) SHOBOX TRIPLEHEADER
FINAL WEIGHTS AND QUOTES
Friday, Jan. 20, The Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nev.
Live at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) on SHOWTIME®
Rico “Suavecito” Ramos: 122 pounds
Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux: 120.5 pounds
Guy Robb: 128.5 pounds
Joel Diaz Jr.: 129 pounds
Matthew Villanueva: 115 pounds
Michael “El Unico” Ruiz Jr.: 114.5 pounds
All six fighters made weight Thursday from the Key West Ballroom at Palms Casino Resort a day before an exciting special edition tripleheader on SHOWTIME® which will feature World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion Rico Ramos defending his title for the first time against the WBA interim champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, matching two world champions and two of the sport's rising stars.
The main event showdown and two more exciting co-features on ShoBox: The New Generation, Friday, Jan. 20, at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) originates from the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.
Ramos (20-0, 11 KOs) of Los Angeles weighed in at 122 pounds on Thursday while the 31-year-old Rigondeaux (8-0, 6 KOs), of Miami, Fla., by way of Cuba, tipped the scales at 120.5.
In an eight-round super featherweight attraction between two undefeated prospects, Guy Robb (7-0, 3 KOs), a 22-year-old out of Sacramento, Calif., registered a weight of 128.5 pounds and Joel Diaz Jr. (6-0, 5 KOs) of Los Angeles weighed 129 pounds.
Opening the ShoBox telecast, undefeated Matthew Villanueva (6-0-1, 6 KOs) of Burbank, Calif. will fight Mike Ruiz Jr. (8-1-1, 3 KOs) of Fresno, Calif., in an eight-round super flyweight affair. Villanueva weighed 115 pounds while Ruiz Jr. weighed 114.5 pounds.
The night of fights are being promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.
Here’s what each fighter had to say on Thursday:
RICO RAMOS:
“A lot of people are doubting me for this fight but who cares? It's me and him in that ring. I came to keep that title. I'm the WBA champ and I will stay the champ.
“It's hard work to stay the champion. I put a lot of hard work and dedication into this. I'm still moving, man. I've got my son, he's two, that keeps me motivated. I've got my fans, my friends, my family, it all keeps me motivated.”
GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX:
“Of course I should be the betting favorite. What should I expect from Ramos? He has to worry what to expect from me!
“I'm very happy for the opportunity to win a title with less than 10 pro fights. I'm ready for the challenge.”
GUY ROBB:
“Boxing came into my life at a perfect time. I was getting in a little trouble but I was on the verge of getting in big trouble. I was introduced to Ray Woods and I was intrigued by who he was (Diego Corrales' stepfather and original trainer).
“Boxing was fun when I started. But I didn't like getting tired and beat on so I realized I had to give it 100 percent. It took over my life.
“This fight will be action-packed. He's aggressive but I plan to beat him up. It should be a brutal fight.”
JOEL DIAZ JR.:
“I don't want to rely on just one punch. Yeah, I can brawl but I can box. If I have to stay in his face and throw punches all day, fine. But I'm ready for anything.
“I can't wrong go with this opportunity. I took it on two weeks notice. I'm going to show everybody what I got. With all the people watching, you don't want to look bad.”
MATTHEW VILLANUEVA:
“I've got to get this victory, that's first. But if I can do it in big fashion, a KO, even better. I believe I can knock him out.
“I've sparred Ruiz before and I believe I got the best of him. It was my reach, my aggression, my power. And now, I'm even more conditioned than I was when we sparred.”
MIKE RUIZ JR.:
“This is do or die. It sucks when you don't put your hand up at the end of a fight (like my last outing). I've gotta do this.
“I feel good. I feel I'm two or three times better than when we sparred the first time. The sparring sessions were pretty even but now I'm sharper.”
♔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.It's a pound-for-pound super showdown that's failed twice at the negotiation table in the past two years, a match-up that would surpass all pay-per-view figures in boxing and one that would unify two alphabet titles… WBC welterweight world championship incumbent Floyd Mayweather Jr wants it, WBO titlist at 147lbs Manny Pacquiao wants it but the team behind the Filipino have mixed opinions about how the bout can turn from pipe-dream into reality.
Credit: Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather)
"I'm ready to put my belt up. What about you Manny Pacquiao? Let's make history," Mayweather (42-0-0, 26ko) said via his official Twitter account yesterday, Wednesday, one day after calling "punk" Pacman out for a fight on May 5.
There had been increasing suggestions that Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38ko) would not shirk from the challenge and meet it head on, however, his trainer; Freddie Roach, trusted adviser; Michael Koncz and promoter; Bob Arum, of Top Rank Boxing, have all made public their thoughts and, although differing from each other, all suggest a further postponement to what is already a protracted and laboured attempt at putting together two of the finest fighters from the past decade.
"I think it has to happen in 2012, because people are starting to say, 'Who cares at this point?'" explained Roach regarding the frustration felt by fans during a segment with host Mario Diaz of WPIX. "It is starting to lose momentum instead of gaining, so they better do it this year. I definitely think it will be the second fight for both of them this year. I think they will both have one more fight, a tune-up fight."
Mayweather's allowance to push his 87-day jail sentence back until June 1 hinged on his previous commitment to box on Cinco de Mayo so, in the event that Pacquiao is not his opponent, another - likely Saul Canelo Alvarez - will be drafted in. For Pacquiao, it could well be a fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez the following month.
Pushing the Mayweather v Pacquiao fight into the second half of the year is a stance also advocated by Koncz, who regards the MGM Grand Garden Arena's 16,800 seats to have a capacity too meagre for a contest of this calibre. Koncz, like Bob Arum, believes a makeshift 40,000 seat arena should be constructed on the strip. Such a task would render a May 5 date too soon.
"Why would I tell Manny to fight on the 5th and throw away a percentage of 30 million? That's crazy," Koncz was quoted by AP to have said, perhaps overlooking the fact that Las Vegas already has a mega-stadium - the Motor Speedway - that could entertain 140,000 people.
Arum echoed Koncz's views on the outdoor ground: "[The fight] could happen very easily," he said during an address on GMA TV in the Philippines. "[But] the fight badly needs [the makeshift arena]."
♔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.
