Boxing chronicles is back, and there is plenty to cover!

Boxing Chronicles is back and we're back with bang baby! Plenty has happened in the sport of boxing since my last update back in April. My last update was the aftermath coverage of the Calzaghe vs Hopkins fight. DAMN, it's been a long time. Let's get to boxing news!

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Floyd Mayweather Jr has retired from the sport of boxing. We all know about it already. He's also fired some choice words as well as hasty accusations at HBO ringside announcers Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant. More to come regarding that story later on.

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Wladimir Klitschko made another defense of his version (IBF, IBO, and WBO) of the heavyweight championship with an 11th round KO of WBO mandatory challenger Tony Thompson. Surely this was a more conclusive result for Klitschko than was his last outing, uneventful and uninspiring unanimous decision win over Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden. Thompson did manage to puzzle Klitschko early on with his southpaw style and sneaky body attack, but as the rounds progressed, Klitschko got more aggressive, started landing more right hands, and lowered the boom in the 11th round. Next up for Klitschko could very well be the undefeated Alex Povetkin, who is the mandatory challenger in the IBF.

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It looks like WBC Heavyweight Champion Sam Peter will be defending his title against Klitschko in October, but it's not the Klitschko we want to see him against. It's elderly brother Vitali Klitschko, that's right. The Klitschko who hasn't fought in four years. The Klitschko who [when he was the champion] pulled out of a number of mandatory defenses against Haseem Rahman.

Vitali can't possibly be the same fighter he was before. That's my opinion, anyway. He's 36 years old and hasn't been able to make it through a solid training camp since 2004. Peter is younger, in his prime, and he's shown some improvement technically. Lets see if Vitali can make it through a good long training camp.

With all of the WBC mandated fights that this guy has withdrawn from in the past 3 years, I don't know why the WBC continues to praise this guy and keep bringing him back for fights in their organization. What did he do for the WBC that was so special? He lost to Lennox Lewis in a shot for their title in a classic heavyweight fight that took place in June of 2003. Following the defeat at the hands of Lewis, he knocked out Kirk Johnson in an eliminator for that title several months later. He beat Cory Sanders for the vacate title the following year, and then defended it once against *drum roll* Danny Williams.

After that, Vitali pulled out of a number of defenses against Rahman and also pulled out of a comeback fight last year (if I'm not mistaking). I won't hold my breath on this guy coming back or even making it through a training camp.If the fight were to happen, my money is on Peter.

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The light heavyweight championship fight between champion Joe Calzaghe and former pound for pound king Roy Jones Jr appears to be set for September 20 at Madison Square Garden. HBO PPV will televise the event. The way Calzaghe was able to overwhelm and outwork Hopkins, it's difficult for me to see Jones doing any better. Nonetheless, it's still a big fight and folks want to see if Jones can turn the clock back, regain his old dazzling form, and upset the undefeated Welshmen.

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Manny Pacquiao won his fourth world title in as many weight classes by dominating, punishing, and stopping defending champion David Diaz in nine rounds back on June 28 in Las Vegas. Granted the fact that he wasn't exactly facing the utmost stiffest competition in the division, or at least the most skilled guy available, Pacquiao looked sensational in his lightweight debut. Rumor has it that Pacquiao will now face Humberto Soto in November 15. That would be a hell of a fight given the styles and punching power that both of these combatants carry in both hands. With Mayweather retired, at least for now, Pacquiao becomes the number one pound for pound fighter in the world.

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More to come tomorrow!