Is the WBC Diamond championship necessary?

WBC President Jose Sulaiman is instituting a brand new belt in his organization, which is going to be called the WBC Diamond belt. The new belt is being implemented with intentions of add more marketability and recognition to the bouts taking place between fighters who are competing at catch weights.

For example, former welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr and current lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez will be meeting on September 19 at a catch weight somewhere between 140lbs and 147lbs [the official weight still has yet to be disclosed]. WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto will face super lightweight champion and pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao on November 14 at a catch weight of 145lbs. Both fights feature the sport's currently active highest grossing super stars, but there is no world title being contested in either one of those bouts.

According to Sulaiman, the belt will revitalize modern boxing by adding greater appeal to the non-title catch weight bouts which he claims have not been a complete success. Should the winners of the Mayweather vs. Marquez and Cotto vs. Pacquiao fight meet each other next year, particularly if that fight is between Mayweather and Pacquiao, a Diamond Belt will not be necessary to market or promote such an extravegent event.

Casual sports fans outside of the boxing community are well acquainted with Mayweather and Pacquiao and they realize that a fight between the two champions is the biggest fight that can be made in boxing. In the middle of a free-falling economic recession, without the presence of a title belt, Pacquiao and Oscar De la hoya, fighting in a non-title fight at welterweight, showed the world the PPV numbers as well as the live gate that they were able to generate in their showdown on December 6.

One would argue that fighters will still have to pay a sanctioning fee to fight for the Diamond Championship, which translates to more money for the WBC, but not necessarily money that the fighters want debited from their purses. Should a Diamond belt champion accept a fight in a traditional eight weight division, then that belt will not even be necessary and will not even require a sanctioning fee to be paid to the WBC.

While the 18 Karat Gold Mold, Emeralds, Diamonds, and Italian Ferreri leather make for an exquisite eye catching championship title belt, it remains questions whether or not it is needed a remedy to improve the image of the sweet science and add marketability to the average occasional catch weight boxing match.

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Mayweather remains confident for September 19 fight; undaunted by rib injury!

Upon uffering a rib injury in training back in June, Floyd Mayweather was forced to withdraw from his July 18 fight with lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, but Mayweather had a speedy recovery and the bout has been rescheduled for September 19.

Clearly aware of the rib injury, Marquez has declared that his game plan consists of a body attack fully intended to hurt and dismantle Mayweather. "I know where he's been hurt and I'm going for it," said Marquez. "He is vulnerable now and I will take advantage of his weakness with a body attack that emphasizes two things-the right and the left."

Undaunted by setback in training that ultimately led to the postponement of the fight, Mayweather clearly has not lost any confidence in himself. Preparing for his newly rescheduled date with Marquez, Mayweather has been updating his Twitter page at www.twitter.com/mayweathermania and had a bold reply for his Mexican challenger.

Marquez says hes goin after my ribs but theres no weakness in MONEY MAY. Only
ribs he'll b diggin n2 will b at Outback after I take him down.

Should the fight be as memorable as the trash talk, boxing fans should be in for quite a spectacle at the MGM Grand on the night of September 19. Mayweather vs. Marquez: Number One/Numero Uno will be televised live on HBO Pay Per View.

photo: rankopedia

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Miguel Cotto threatens to vacate title: "145lbs is not a category!"

“The weight of 145 pounds is not a category."
- Miguel Cotto (who weighed 146lbs in his title defense against Joshua Clottey last month).

Mental games have already begun this past week, as pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao has requested that WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto put his title on the line when they meet in their highly anticipated welterweight contest scheduled for November 14th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. The 12 round fight will be fought at a catch weight of 145lbs, but there are still questions as to whether or not it will be a title fight. Cotto has recently insisted that he is willing to risk his title against the Philippine superstar – only if the fight takes place at the weight limit of 147lbs. In the event that Pacquiao refuses to comply with Cotto's request to meet him at the 147lbs pound limit, Cotto has threatened to vacate his title.

According to an interview with Puerto Rico’s newspaper Primerahora, Cotto adamantly claimed, “The weight of 145 pounds is not a category." With no intentions of mocking Mr. Cotto, I would be quick to point out that any fighter who is competing over the weight limit of 140lbs is officially considered a welterweight in the sport of boxing. Therefore, I believe Cotto's title absolutely should be on the line in his fight with Pacquiao this fall. In his last fight on June 13, a title defense against Joshua Clottey at Madison Square Garden, Cotto weighed in at 146lbs. How is the weight of 145lbs not a weight category in Cotto's upcoming fight with Pacquiao, if Cotto’s weight of 146lbs was justifiable enough for him to defend his championship against Clottey?

There are reasons why Cotto may not want to risk his title in this fight, which from a business stand point might make sense and are completely understandable. In a match up between these two fighters, Pacquiao is on A-side of the business equation, which means he is the bigger star of the two fighters. Being that he is Top Rank promoter Bob Arum's bread and butter super star, Pacquiao's star power will have a serious influence on how much revenue the event is going to generate. Should Cotto lose, he remains a star in his own right, as he will retain the loyalty and support of his native Puerto Rico, but he also realizes he would still have the WBO title as bargaining leverage for future fights if he loses to Pacquiao without putting it on the line.

Pacquiao is widely regarded as the best fighter in the world in any weight class, so belts should not make or break his status in the sport as much as he would like to win another world title in a new weight division. What is most important at the end of the day is the significance and anticipation of this mega fight. Should the fight result in a memorable battle between two of the best and most exciting pugilists in the world today, fans are probably not going to remember whether or not a sanctioning body’s title belt was being contested.

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Rest in Peace Vernon Forrest

Vernon Forrest 1971-2009

As if the untimely passing of Arturo Gatti did not leave all in the boxing world hanging their heads in mournful despair, two division world champion Vernon Forrest, 38, was murdered in Atlanta, GA over the weekend.

Forrest was gunned down by two men who had attempted to steal his Jaguar. Forrest ran after them with his own weapon, in what was an exchange of gun fire, only to be gunned down himself and fatally wounded by two semi-automatic weapons. At this time, police have not found any suspects.

Forrest, who had a professional record of 41-3, 29 KOs, was a fine champion who will best be remembered for his victories in over current welterweight champion Shane Mosley. My memory goes back to the night of Saturday, January 26, 2002 at the Theater in Madison Square Garden when Forrest handed Mosley the first loss of his professional career, a one-sided unanimous decision, in what was a battle of undefeated welterweight champions. Forrest's first win over Mosley is still the most decisive loss Mosley has ever suffered to this day.

Mosley fought Forrest in a return engagement six months later, but Forrest once again emerged victorious with a points win indicating a contest that was closer than their initial encounter. The consecutive wins over Mosley would earn Forrest Ring Magazine's 2002 Fighter of the Year Award. My sympathy goes out to Forrest's family and friends. A class act, both in and out of the ring, Forrest will be dearly missed.

R.I.P. Vernon Forrest.

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Pacquiao vs. Cotto is set for November 14!

After months of speculation as to whom he would be facing in his next fight, Pound for Pound king Manny Pacquiao has agreed to face WBO welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto at a catch weight of 145lbs on November 14. The fight, which Top Rank plans to promotionally bill as Power Surge, will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV and will be televised live on HBO PPV.

Over the weekend during a long distance phone call, Pacquiao and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum came to verbal agreement to make the 12 round super fight. Welterweight champion Shane Mosley had been making serious attempts to land a fight with the Philippines superstar, even going so far to insist that he would drop down in weight to 140lbs to face Pacquiao for his super lightweight championship, but it was too little too late for Sugar Shane. Pacquiao vs. Cotto made more sense to Pacquiao, Cotto and Arum from a business standpoint, knowing that it was an easier fight to make and negotiate being that both champions are promoted by Top Rank.

Mark your calendars for November 14, as this tremendous welterweight match up will pit boxing’s pound for pound king of the Philippines against the finest pugilistic performer Puerto Rico currently has to offer! Pacquiao was last seen in the ring on May 2, scoring a 2nd round knockout of Manchester’s Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas to claim the super lightweight championship of the world. Just last month, Cotto won a dramatic and mildly entertaining split decision over Joshua Clottey to retain his WBO title on June 13 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

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Main Events remembers Arturo Gatti

Statement from Main Events about Arturo Gatti: The staff of Main Events was shocked and deeply saddened by the news of Arturo Gatti’s death. [Editor's note: the two-division champion was murdered at the age of 37 while vacationing in Brazil. His wife has been arrested]. Kathy Duva, Main Events CEO, shared her thoughts on Arturo, “There will never be another Arturo Gatti. His fights were among the most exciting and entertaining in the history of professional boxing. “

“Known throughout his career as ‘The Human Highlight Film,’ Arturo will be remembered by his fans as one of the all-time greats, and by his friends and family as one very special human being who will never be replaced. ““We at Main Events mourn his untimely death, extend our condolences to his family and close friends and wonder if boxing will ever be as much fun without him.”

Jolene Mizzone, Logistics and Fighter Relations Manager, expressed her sadness. “Everyone knew Arturo as a superstar boxer. To me he was like family. I knew Arturo the person, the man who would give me the shirt off his back. Arturo would do anything for the ones he loved. He was like a brother to me. I will miss him.”

Dennis Dueltgen, Chief of Operations, usually a man of few words was moved to share his thoughts also, “Most of all I think he was a regular guy. My mother-in-law was a big boxing fan. Arturo was aware of this. She knew him from the time he made his pro-debut to the end. It didn’t matter how big a star Arturo became or how big a fight he was in, if he saw her at a show he would take the time to spend a few minutes with her. It would always be genuine. It meant a lot to her and it meant a lot to me. He really was a caring person.”

IBF cruiserweight champion, Tomasz Adamek learned of Arturo’s death on the night of his successful title defense. Adamek was deeply moved by the tragic events. He dedicated his win to Arturo Gatti’s memory at his post-fight press conference. “We met not so long ago. We talked about his great fights and how he always fought for the fans first and for everything else second. I would be proud if in the future people compared me to Arturo Gatti in that respect. Every one of his fights was something to remember. There will never be another Arturo Gatti.”

We at Main Events extend our sincere condolences to Arturo’s family. We will dearly miss not only a great boxing legend but an even greater friend.

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R.I.P. Arturo Gatti

Over the weekend, the sport of boxing lost one of its most courageous warriors. Widely regarded as Boxing’s Ultimate Blood and Guts Warrior, former two-time world champion Arturo Gatti, 37, was found dead in his hotel room on Saturday in Brazil. A purse strap, stained with Gatti’s blood, was found in the hotel room leading investigators to believe that Gatti was strangled to death.

Police officers recently arrested Gatti’s wife, Amanda Rodrigues, whom they believe to be the murder suspect in Gatti’s death. When questioned by police how she did not realize for nearly 10 hours that Gatti was dead when she was in the room with him, Rodrigues was at a loss for words and unable to answer the question. Right about now, Rodrigues would appear to be guilty. Upon her conviction one can only hope that she remains in a jail cell for the rest of her life, with her entire life to think about what she has done while locked up. Boxing has lost one of its good men at a very young age.

Nobody could ever claim that this man ducked or dodged anybody when he was active as a fighter. Win or lose, he's fought a who's who of champions and contenders: Angel Manfredy, Ivan Robinson, Micky Ward, Oscar De la hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Carlos Baldomir, and others. Clearly he was boxing's human highlight reel. I am deeply saddened by his untimely passing.

Now that I have discussed his passing, what are your fondest memories and favorite fights of Arturo Gatti?

He was in so many spectacular, crowd pleasing fights over the years. His fight with Wilson Rodriguez at the theater in Madison Square Garden on March 23, 1996 (only the 2nd installment of HBO Boxing After Dark), might be one of the greatest fights I've EVER seen. His come from behind, 6th round stoppage of Rodriguez has to rank at the top of my list as one of the bravest efforts I have ever witnessed on behalf of a prize fighter.

Do you remember the ringside physican in Gatti's corner?

"Cover your left eye... COVER YOUR LEFT EYE OR IT'S OVER!"

Next round, with his eyes practically swollen shut, Gatti would knock Rodriguez out cold!

Nothing quite defines the meaning of the term heart more appropriately than Gatti’s performance and will to win in that fight.

After his final ring appearance two years ago this very day, which resulted in a 6th round knockout loss at the hands of Alfonso Gomez in Atlantic City, NJ, Gatti retired with a professional career record of 40-9 and 31 knockouts.

My sincere condolences go out to Gatti's family and friends.

R.I.P. Arturo Gatti.

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Will Floyd Mayweather Jr avoid Manny Pacquiao when the time comes?

The self proclaiming greatest fighter of all time, undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. has returned to the sport of boxing to face Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. Many have predicted, expected, and called for Mayweather’s return ever since he announced his retirement last summer. Now that the former pound for pound king is back to reclaim his throne, there have been questions as to why he is once again competing. Throughout the press tour, Mayweather has insisted that he is returning for the love of the sport, but also suggests that he fight for checks rather than bragging rights. Could it possibly be all about the money for Mayweather?

One would think that the love of the sport would stem from one’s feeling of climbing into the ring and mastering one’s art against a line of tough and worthy adversaries. In a recent interview on ESPN News, Floyd admitted, “Boxing is in my heart, it’s an adrenaline rush, but mainly it is the fans.” Mayweather later countered his passion for the sport with his love for money, boldly claiming, “You can call Pacquiao the best pound for pound, just call me the cash cow.”

Keeping in mind that he is fighting for checks rather than bragging rights, it is incumbent on Mayweather to realize that it takes two stars to make a big multi-million dollar PPV fight. Pacquiao serves as a substantially greater pay day for Mayweather than does Marquez, Shane Mosley, or Miguel Cotto. Considering the money that Mayweather generally takes home with him on the night of a fight, there could potentially be a difference of five to 10 million dollars going to Mayweather for a Pacquiao fight than for any other fight that could be made at this point. Why is this the case? Pacquiao is head and shoulders above any other potential Mayweather opponents as it pertains to star status and marketing power.

Given Money May’s love affair for currency, boxing fans and observers must be wondering if a fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao is ever going to happen. Is this a match up that is going to fall apart at the seams when it reaches the negotiation table? Just as people might forget that Pacquiao has two knockout losses early in his career as well as unanimous decision loss to Erik Morales in 2005, it should be dually noted that Marquez is not undefeated and has a split decision loss to Pacquiao that is a little over a year old. Pacquiao’s devastating two round knockout of Ricky Hatton sets the stage for what would be a huge mega fight between the two best pound for pound fighters in the world.

Should Mayweather successfully defeat Marquez on July 18, and in more impressive fashion than Pacquiao was able to accomplish, demand for a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight would be truly astronomical.

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Mayweather vs. Marquez officially set for July 18!

"I’m here to stay. I’m here to fight and reclaim what’s mine. I’m the king and nobody has taken my throne."
-Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

On the afternoon of the Pacquiao vs. Hatton fight in Las Vegas, former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr announced his return to the sport as well as his July 18 battle against lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez.

Following Manny Pacquiao's two round destruction of Ricky Hatton, boxing fans are looking forward to the fight between Mayweather and Marquez, which will be contested at a catch weight of 144lbs, staged at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas NV, and will be televised on HBO PPV in a card promotionally billed "Number One/Numero Uno." HBO's acclaimed reality series, 24/7, will once again return to cover the lives and training camps of both Mayweather and Marquez in the weeks leading up to their date with destiny in Mayweather/Marquez 24/7.

While Pacquiao has built a reputation for myself as the reigning best pound for pound fighter in the world, Mayweather insists that he remains the best. During the official announcement of the Mayweather vs. Marquez fight a couple weeks ago, Mayweather implied, "When it comes to July 18, I don’t need to tell you what I’m going to do. A small man will never retire me. I’m here to stay. I’m here to fight and reclaim what’s mine. I’m the king and nobody has taken my throne."

Marquez acknowledges that that he must beat the best if he really wants to be considered the best. As the days and months wind down and we get closer to July 18, fans and experts will focusing on the three fighters who are undeniably the top three best pound for pound fighters in the world today - Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, and Juan Manuel Marquez. It could be fun to witness just how things will unfold between these three elite-level fighters!

photo: daylife.com

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Pacquiao destroys Hatton!

Manny Pacquiao KO2 Ricky Hatton... Last night I made my usual trip to Miami Mike's Sports Zone, where I watch all of the big PPV boxing matches. Attendance at the Sports Zone last night was great, which illustrates just how many people in a given county of a specific state enjoy the sport of boxing.

At the MGM Grand in Las Vegas NV, pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao stopped Ricky Hatton in 2nd round to win the junior welterweight championship of the world. Pacquiao scored two knockdowns in the first round, but Hatton wasn't seriously hurt and survived the first round. The knockdown in the second round, product of a left hook by Pacquiao, instantly froze Hatton and sent him sprawling to the canvas for the ten count. The ringside physician, along with a number of Hatton's handlers, were tending to Hatton who remained on the canvas for several minutes. In what was classified as the most significant fight of the year, with boxing media and experts almost split down the middle as to who they believed would emerge victorious, Pacquiao made it look effortless.

With such an electrifying victory, Pacquiao may have set himself up for a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr, who announced his return to sport as well as his July 18 fight against lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez at a catch weight of 144lbs. Mayweather must first defeat Marquez before a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight can even become reality. Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum suggested to the media that he would not wait around for Mayweather. “We’re not going to wait around for Mayweather,” said Arum. “If Cotto wants to come down a few pounds, we can make that happen. Or we can go with Shane Mosley.”

At the end of the evening, I took a few moments to speak to observers at the Sports Zone about the prospects of a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight as well as the upcoming Mayweather vs. Marquez fight. A cute waitress of Philippino descent approached me and professed her love for Pacquiao, raising her forearm and showing me the name "Pacquiao" tattooed to her forearm. That is the kind of love and following that Pacquiao brings into the ring with him for each and every fight.

Undercard results

Humberto Soto TKO9 Benoit Gaudet
Daniel Jacobs W8 Michael Walker
Matvey Korobov TKO2 Anthony Bartinelli
Erislandy Lara W4 Chris Gray

television: HBO Pay Per View

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The wait is over! Pacquiao vs. Hatton prediction, Floyd Mayweather Jr, and more!

I have been idle for a while, but the wait is finally over. The wait for an update at Boxingchronicles.com, but more significantly, the wait for the much anticipated sweet scientific meeting between East and West.

Pound for Pound king Manny Pacquiao will meet defending world champion Ricky Hatton in a 140lb title fight tonight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. Yours truly will be enjoying a meal and some drinks at Miami Mike's Sports Zone, pound for pound the best sports bar in the country, while covering this event.

Pacquiao was last seen in December dismantling and stopping Oscar De la hoya in nine one-sided and embarrassing rounds. Hatton's last fight was a November title defense against Paulie Malignaggi, in which the British star pummeled and stopped the Brooklyn native in eleven equally one-sided rounds.

HBO's acclaimed reality series Pacquiao vs. Hatton 24/7 has been a hype machine that has steered up both boxing fans and casual sports fans around the world in anticipation of tonight's contest. Anybody who is anybody, competing professionally from lightweight to welterweight, is watching this fight with attentive eyes. At this point in time, those weight classes serve as the economic linkage in boxing, a pre-crashed Wall Street if you will, and it is populated with a number of talented, experienced and exciting fighters, young and old, who are all watching closely tonight because they want a shot at glory as well as a nice fat pay check.

Pacquiao vs. Hatton is so far the biggest and perhaps most significant fight of 2009. I say 'so far' only because an official announcement is expected to be made this evening prior to the fight taking place. Undefeated former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr, who has not seen action in the prize ring since stopping Hatton in a welterweight title fight in December of 2007, is planning a come back fight for July 18.

While the opponent and venue have not yet been made public, it is expected that Mayweather will be fighting a previous Pacquiao victim - world lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez - at a catch weight of 144lbs. The fight will probably take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.Such a come back fight would stand alone as a significant money-making affair watched by millions around the world. Another HBO 24/7 series upcoming for that fight? You can bank on it.

Should Mayweather defeat Marquez in July, and Pacquiao beat Hatton tonight, that sets the stage for what could potentially be a Superbowl of boxing at the end of the year. Rarely does anybody get a chance to witness two of the best pound for pound fighters, in their primes, facing off against one another to determine who is the undisputed, universally recognized best boxer in the world pound for pound. Usually the top pound for pound fighters are too far apart from one another in weight, but I can already envision what is truly and honestly the real Dream Match - Pound 4 Pound: Pacquiao vs. Mayweather. Superbowl of Boxing. Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet, ladies and gentlemen. First thing is first; we have tonight's super fight between Pacquiao and Hatton which isn't too shabby either.

Pacquiao has improved skill wise ever since losing a decision to Erik Morales in March of 2005. Since that defeat, Pacquiao has become a fast, two fisted fighter who is using his right hand along with his devastating straight left. While Pacquiao's punching power has not been nearly as apparent since moving up in weight from the junior featherweight and featherweight weight classes, he makes up for it with boxing skill.

Ever since Hatton's crushing defeat at the hands of Mayweather, Hatton fired trainer Billy Graham and replaced him with Floyd Mayweather Sr. Mayweather Sr. has worked with Hatton to improve his hand speed, defense, and ability to throw combinations. Hatton has been known to punch to the body with full force, reminiscent of Mexican legend and all-time great Julio Cesar Chavez, but he has not always been successful neutralizing the opposing charge of his opponents when fighting his way inside. I think Hatton is going to move his head more as he comes in, but Pacquiao's speed of hand and foot as well as boxing ability will keep Pacquiao a step ahead of Hatton all night long.

Pacquiao is a special fighter. He is perceived as a the best pound for pound fighter in the world for a reason. With only one loss to Morales in the last 10 years, which he managed to avenge twice with brutal stoppages, Pacquiao has defeated a who's who from 122lbs to 147lbs. That is a wide span of multiple weight divisions. Outside of his title winning victory over Kostya Tszyu in 2005, Hatton still has yet to achieve something special in the ring that also defines him as a special fighter.

Prediction

This fight will be exciting, perhaps even a classic, as long as it lasts. Similar to the great lightweight fight between Marquez and Juan Diaz a month and a half ago, this is a solid match up of pressure and precision. Personally I don't believe Hatton is going to have an answer for Pacquiao's straight left hand. I think Pacquiao is just too fast, accurate, and Hatton will not be able to avoid Pacquiao's left hand. I think Pacquiao has the tools to outbox Hatton, but I see him stopping Hatton due to an accumulation of punishment. Hatton will pose a serious threat for the first six rounds or so, putting forth a spirited effort to up end Pacquiao with his aggression and body punches, but Pacquiao's blinding punch output and accuracy will gradually force Hatton into a survival mode, at which point Hatton's aggression will be followed up with holding and clinching rather than letting his hands go when he gets remotely close to Pacquiao. Pacquiao's punches with have an accumulative effect and I eventually see him hurting Hatton and finishing him off in the middle to late rounds.

Pacquiao TKO 9

Pacquiao vs. Hatton: East Meets West will be televised on HBO PPV. Telecast will begin at 9PM E/T 6PM P/T.

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Mayweather vs. Marquez on June 18? Hopkins vs. Trinidad II in November?

It would appear that two fighters are planning on coming out of retirement this year, one of which I'm looking forward to seeing again while the other should seriously remain retired.

Sources close to the situation have suggested that former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr will likely come out of retirement to fight current lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez. The fight would take place at a reasonable catch weight of 145lbs. Marquez intends to go up to 140lbs anyway, and Money May could probably fight at 140lbs if he elected to do as much. Mayweather vs. Marquez would be a battle that pits two of boxing most intelligent technicians of the last ten years against one another. I'm still waiting for a public announcement on Mayweather's comeback as well as the official signing of the bout, but it will probably happen on July 18 in Las Vegas and be televised on HBO PPV.

From what I read earlier today, former three division world champion Felix Trinidad wants to make yet another return to the ring against former two division champion Bernard Hopkins, the man who hand him his first professional defeat back in September of 2001. Trinidad, 36, would be well served to stay retired, as he has only fought twice in the past four years and lost both bouts [unanimous decision loss to Winky Wright in 2005 & unanimous decision loss to Roy Jones, Jr in January 2008] in convincing fashion. Planning to make the fight sometime in November, promoter Don King and Golden Boy Promotions are close to reaching an agreement.

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Cotto vs. Clottey officially set for June 13!

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum held a press conference in New York City earlier this week to officially announce the welterweight title unification fight between WBO champion Miguel Cotto and IBF titlist Joshua Clottey. The fight will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day parade and will be televised live on HBO. The timing and location of this contest has become a traditional right of passage for Cotto, the Puerto Rican superstar who has fought at Madison Square Garden on the weekend of this holiday for four of the last five years.

In terms of the significance of this fight, it is highly significant for all of the fights that take place at 147lbs as well as for the fighters who campaign in that weight class. The winner of the Cotto vs. Clottey will cement his status as the number one contender for welterweight champion Shane Mosley. What makes this fight so interesting is that it could turn out to be a good fight with some fireworks. Clottey, who is more or less the dark horse of the welterweight division as Winky Wright was for many years at super welterweight, does not come easy for anybody he fights. Ever since his close unanimous decision loss to then WBO champion Antonio Margarito in December of 2006, Clottey has been on a nice winning streak that includes wins over Zab Judah and the late Diego Corrales.

Whether or not Cotto has recovered from the potential physical damage of the knockout loss to Margarito last summer remains unknown, as his last fight against Michael Jennings failed to answer those questions. Jennings put up very little resistance and was finished in that fight from a competitive stand point the moment Cotto laid hands on him. We still don't know the aftermath of the punishment Cotto took from Margarito. Regardless of whether or not Margarito's gloves were loaded with an illegal substance, Cotto still took physical punishment. Physical damage, whether it is the product of illegal wraps or legally wrapped fists, can not be reversed. Meldrick Taylor never took a punch quite the same way again after his classic encounter with Julio Cesar Chavez in 1990, a fight in which Chavez came from behind to stop Taylor with two seconds remaining in contest.

There are questions to be answered on June 13, and boxing fans just might have some fun as they get those answers when these two top welterweights meet each other in the ring at Madison Square Garden.

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Rest in Peace Arthur Curry

Last week in New York City, Arthur Curry, Director of Boxing Talent Relations at HBO Sports, passed away due to unknown causes. Acting as a liaison, Curry was the friendly and personable connection between HBO and many of boxing's super stars such as Roy Jones, Jr, Riddick Bowe, James Toney, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Curry was loved by the fighters as much as he was by HBO's staff and family. Executives and television broadcasting crew members were close with Curry, as was evident in the emotional distress exhibited by HBO ring announcers Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant, as they spent a few moments grieving Curry's tragic and untimely death concluding the Williams vs. Wright telecast last Saturday night. Curry died at the young age of 49. May he rest in peace; my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

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Boxingchronicles.com Pound 4 Pound update!

The latest Pound for Pound rankings are in at Boxingchronicles.com. With the retirement of Joe Calzaghe, Juan Manuel Marquez's knockout of Juan Diaz, and Paul Williams lopsided conquest of Winky Wright, who's in, who's out, who's up and who's down? Click here to see for yourself and feel free to comment!

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The Punisher punishes Wright the Wright way!

Paul Williams W12 Winky Wright... They say defense wins championships in Superbowls, but it was the offense and overwhelming work rate of Paul Williams that caused former super welterweight champion Winky Wright so much trouble on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Event Center in Las Vegas, NV. Williams threw practically every punch in the book over the course of twelve rounds, winning a lopsided unanimous decision over the former champion. Official scores were 119-109 (2X) and 120-108 all in favor of Williams. Boxingchronicles.com scored the fight 118-110 for Williams, giving Wright rounds 5 and 6. Williams has an unbelievable work rate; he never even showed signs of slowing down at any point in the fight. Gunshy does not go in the same sentence as the name Paul Williams. Williams would love to go back down 147lbs and fight welterweight champion Shane Mosley, but if that doesn't happen middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik should be mandated to face Williams, but I highly doubt Pavlik's promoter Bob Arum would ever allow that to happen. Last night's performance by Williams could not have possibly done anything to change Arum's mind.

Chris Arreola KO4 Jameel McCline... Undefeated heavyweight contender Chris Arreola may have delivered one of the best performances of his young career to date, as he dominated Jameel McCline for the most part with good body work and right hands in the first three rounds and stopped him with a right hand in the fourth round. Arreola blasted McCline with a beautiful left uppercut, followed by two right hands that put McCline down for the count. Nice showing by Arreola, who maintains that he is ready for the Klitschko brothers. I liked the body work, the right hands, and the left uppercut that set up the knockout. Hopefully Arreola can lose some of that excess weight.

television: HBO World Championship Boxing

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Wright vs. Williams tonight in Las Vegas!

Tonight is fight night on HBO, as former two-time welterweight titlist Paul "The Punisher" Williams and former undisputed super welterweight champion Winky Wright square off in a twelve round middleweight contest live at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV.

Williams has remained active from 147lbs to 160lbs, scoring wins that included his one round revenge stoppage of Carlos Quintana, another first round stoppage of Andy Kolle in his middleweight debut, and a 9th round TKO win over former IBF junior middleweight champion Verno Phillips in his most recent outing.

Wright, who is ten years Williams senior, hasn't seen action in the prize ring since losing a close unanimous decision to then-light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins in July of 2007. Depending on what kind of shape Wright is in for this fight and how much he has left to give, this fight could interesting and entertaining to watch Facing a guy like Williams, who is in prime fighting shape, this might not be pretty for Wright, but I think it will be a good scrap.

Over the years with age, Wright has become more stationary and does not move like he used to. He stands there in front of his opponents with that turtle shell defense and throws punches. Williams is pretty offensive minded himself, so it's quite possible that this fight will be fought in telephone booth. Neither of these guys really have a reputation for hugging or holding. I look for this to be a battle of attrition, in which there are two solid fighters giving their greatest efforts to impose their wills in one another.

In his prime when he was more active and at his very best, one might say that Winky had the Wright style to trouble Williams. He's a slick defensive-minded southpaw by nature. Quintana, another southpaw who is more less a poor man's version of Wright, was able to outbox Williams and Quintana's defense is not as tight as Wright's. Having seen Wright in recent photos, he looks physically drawn and somewhat frail in his return to 160lbs after almost 2 years of inactivity. Williams, who has decent fire power, throws a lot of punches from different angles and also has advantages in size and reach, which served him well in the first 7 or 8 rounds when he masterfully outworked Antonio Margarito in July of 2007.

At this stage, looking at Wright and taking into account their activity and careers over the course of the past two years, I'd say Williams wins a clear decision in a fight in which the judges might have it scored a little closer than it really is.

In the televised co-feature, undefeated heavyweight contender Chris Arreola faces his stiffest test to date when he takes on three-time heavyweight title challenger Jameel McCline. McCline has been in the ring with a who's-who of heavyweights including Michael Grant, Shannon Briggs, Wladimir Klitschko, Chris Byrd, Calvin Brock, and Sam Peter just to name a few.

Having built a reputation as a veteran gatekeeper who's done just enough to lose competitively, McCline dropped Sam Peter three times in their fight in October of 2007. Peter went on to out hussle McCline and win the fight by a close decision. McCline has also dropped Chris Byrd and Calvin Brock, but also found himself on the losing end of those fights that ended in decisions. Arreola is a young contender who's had a tendency to come into his fight overweight and showed vulnerability in the early rounds of his last fight against Travis Walker. Walker knocked Arreola down in the 2nd round of their fight last November, but failed to capitalize on it as Arreola stopped Walker in the following round.

McCline can be dangerous early on, but Arreola is vulnerable early. It might take about five or six rounds for Arreola to even figure McCline out, if McCline brings his A-game to this fight. Arreola is not a one punch knockout artist and I don't recall McCline being taken out by one punch. If Arreola stops McCline, it'll probably be in the later rounds based on accumulation of punishment. In any case, I pick Arreola either by a late stoppage or a sloppy decision win.

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Wladimir Klitschko vs David Haye set for June 20!

After months of ongoing negotiations with a number of them stalling, an agreement has finally been reached between the parties of IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and former cruiserweight champion David Haye. Klitschko will defend his titles against Haye on June 20, at a site that is still yet to be determined. HBO will televise in the US, which adds another upcoming fight to the list of intriguing matches that have been and will be televised by the network.

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Boxing Chronicles notebook: Pavlik, Cotto vs. Clottey, HBO, and more!

It would appear that two of Bob Arum's biggest stars almost have their next fights officially set in stone. WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik will defend his titles against former WBC super welterweight champion Sergio Mora at some point in July. Once again, it's not Arthur Abraham, Winky Wright or Paul Williams, but I suppose we're allowing Pavlik one more gimme before mandating that he face the Wright vs. Williams winner or Abraham in order to legitimize his claim as the middleweight champion of the world.

WBO champion Miguel Cotto and IBF titlist Joshua Clottey will meet in a welterweight championship unification at Madison Square Garden on June 13, which is the eve of the Puerto Rican Day parade in NYC. HBO will televise. While Cotto isn't facing Shane Mosley, Clottey certainly remains seasoned and skilled enough to pose a serious challenge to Cotto. Cotto vs. Clottey is practically an even money fight that should make for interesting viewing, so I'm satisfied with this intriguing match up as well as the fact that it will be televised on HBO World Championship Boxing. Perhaps I'll even take the train right into Penn Station to see this fight live at Madison Garden!

The fact that Cotto vs. Clottey will be World Championship Boxing rather than PPV is further evidence that HBO is carefully weeding out fights that they will or will not accept on their network. When you look at HBO's boxing schedule, as well as the fights that have already aired on HBO this year, you will notice that Mosley vs. Margarito and Marquez vs. Diaz were both on HBO World Championship Boxing. Williams vs. Wright, Dawson vs. Tarver II, and Cotto vs. Clottey will all also air live on HBO's regular network rather than their PPV outlet. Floyd Mayweather's rumored return to the ring in July, as well as Bernard Hopkin's challenge of IBF cruiser weight champion Tomasz Adamek, are also being considered by the cable giant at this moment. The only fight in the foreseeable future that will be on HBO PPV is Pacquiao vs. Hatton on May 2, which is warranted given the fact that Pacquiao vs. Hatton is currently one of the most significant fights as well as the biggest and most anticipated event in the sport of boxing. Hatton is the world champion at 140lbs. Pacquiao is pound for pound the best fighter in the world. Both combatants are viewed as heros in their respective countries and have shown their ability to draw crowds to their events in the USA - particularly in Las Vegas.

This week on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, former WBC heavyweight champion Sam Peter returns to the ring against Eddy Chambers. This will be the first fight on Peter's comeback trail from having suffered an 8th round TKO loss to Vitali Klitschko this past October, losing his WBC title in the process. We'll see how Peter looks physically going into this fight, whether he is in sufficient fighting shape or whether he's overweight and has had one two many dates with the refrigerator leading up to this fight. I think Peter is going to have his hands full with Chambers, but I am not yet ready to commit to a prediction. Tune in this Friday on ESPN2 to see the fight.

Another terrific title unification fight is coming up in a couple weeks, as WBC champion Timothy Bradley and WBO kingpin Kendall Holt meet in a super lightweight title fight on April 4th in Montreal, Canada. Bradley is coming off his upset title winning victory over Junior Witter in the UK, as well as a unanimous decision over Edner Cherry in his first title defense. Holt, the WBO rose from two knockdowns to score a 1st round TKO/headbutt stoppage of Ricardo Torres. He made a successful defense of his title by winning a close split decision over Demetrius Hopkins this past December. With less than two weeks to go before the fight, I have to go with Bradley by decision. I think he's a good little fighter who is gradually going to get better with experience.

WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto is likely to defend his title on May 30 against .... IBF super lightweight champion Juan Urango!?!? Isn't Urango a 140lber??? Isn't Berto a 147lber (a big one at that?) What happened to a Berto vs. Collazo rematch??? Come on, Andre!

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Jones stops Sheika in five!

Roy Jones Jr TKO5 Omar Sheika... On Saturday night, at the Pensacola Civic Center in Pensacola, FL, former Pound for Pound king Roy Jones Jr was too fast and had too many tools in his arsenal for Omar Sheika, as he outboxed him for four one sided rounds. In the fifth round, the referee saw fit to end the contest [I felt prematurely] awarding Jones the TKO victory in the fifth round. I'm going to go out on a limb and call that the worst stoppage I've seen in recent memory. Sheika was clearly losing each and every round, but it's not like he was taking punishment from Jones that could cause him serious bodily harm. Sheika was still trying to compete, and it was only the fifth round, so the referee probably should've given the man a serious fighting chance to win the bout and allowed the fans to see the fight that they had paid good money attend live as well as watch on PPV.

Although Jones appeared to be well on his way to winning a lopsided decision, anything could've happened in the remaining five and a half rounds had the referee not jumped the gun so quickly. My guess is that the fight was in Jones's hometown of Pensacola, this was a Roy Jones show both from a promotional and geographic standpoint, and the referee did a little hometown cooking by sparing Jones from being taken the full distance by a fighter of Sheika's calliber. Furthermore, it's fortunate that nobody was seriously injured and Jones performed well in front of his adoring hometown crowd.

BJ Flores W10 Jose Luis Herrera... In the co-feature, top cruiserweight contender BJ Flores thoroughly outboxed Jose Luis Herrera, who I had last seen stopping previously undefeated Aaron Williams on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, and won an easy 10 round unanimous decision. Official scores of the contest were 98-92 and 99-91 (twice) all in favor of Flores. Flores is a really good technically sound boxer; if he had more punching power he could probably do even more damage. According to Flores in an interview he did with Boxingtalk's Greg Leon, he broke his left knuckle in the third round and couldn't really use his left hand as much as he would've liked. Although the fight was deprived of any type of excitement, Flores still put on a boxing clinic even with the broken knuckle and showed why he's one of the best cruiserweights in the world today.

television: Square Ring PPV

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Klitschko stops Gomez in ninth round!

Vitali Klitschko TKO9 Juan Carlos Gomez... On Saturday night, at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Vitali Klitschko retained his title with a sloppy by effective ninth round TKO of former cruiserweight champion Juan Carlos Gomez. The opening stanza, which I actually gave to Gomez, was pretty close. From the second round on, Klitschko assumed command as he began to find his range with the left jab and nailed Gomez with straight right hands and jarring left hooks.

After four rounds, Gomez's right eye was beginning to swell shut and was also bleeding. Klitschko dropped Gomez in the seventh round, but Gomez got up and was able to survive the round. Klitschko suffered a cut above his hairline, product of accidental clash of heads. In the ninth round, Klitschko once again dropped Gomez, but Gomez made it to his feet again. Klitschko continued to punish Gomez, as Gomez turned his back to him and the referee mercifully stopped the contest.

Overall, I felt that this was a sloppy performance on Vitali's part, but he was still effective enough to lay a beating on a skilled and experienced former champion. Klitschko has a pretty good straight right hand, but he paws way too much with his jab. His size is by far his greatest asset as well as the fact that he lets his hands go. Other than that he looks too loose and wide open for counter punches. If he was to face somebody the caliber of his brother, with that kind of height, reach, and boxing ability, I think he would be at serious risk of being exposed. However, somebody the likes of WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev might be able to pose a spirited challenge to Klitschko.

television: ESPN Classic

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Is Floyd Mayweather Jr returning to the ring?

A source says he's sparring and trying to plan a return to the ring on July 11!

According to an article I read on ESPN by Dan Rafael, former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr has been in the gym sparring and is itching to make a return to the ring. Mayweather has not seen action since December of 2007, when he knocked out Ricky Hatton in 10 rounds to retain the WBC welterweight championship of the world. After a rematch with Oscar De la hoya had been scheduled for September 20 of last year, Mayweather humbly announced his retirement from the sport of boxing.

Such news is reassuring to read, but I would like to hear it or read it from either Floyd Mayweather, Jr or his advisor and close confident Leonard Ellerbe rather than just a source. There are so many sources out there these days, right down to a simple cab driver or security officer, who has absolutely no legitimate projection of an athlete's future business endeavor. I for one would like to see Mayweather in the ring again, primarily against against Miguel Cotto, welterweight champion Shane Mosley, or most preferably - current pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao. As I have noted previously on numerous occasions, Pacquiao vs. Mayweather is a huge event, staging a potentially exciting fight, for millions of dollars in what could be the greatest payday for both combatants.

There is not one serious boxing fan who would not want to go to Las Vegas to attend that fight live or pay to see it on PPV. Regardless of who would win or lose, it is definitely the type of fight against the caliber of opponent who could push Money May to the edge of his physical and mental ring abilities. Mayweather would not be able to pot shot and run his way to a decision. Pacquiao is simply too fast and throws too many punches. Whoever were to emerge victorious, Pacquiao vs. Mayweather is certainly a fight worth watching. Mayweather's been in a few boring fights, but I have rarely ever seen Pacquiao in a dull fight (one-sided or competitive) and nobody has ever tarnished Mayweather's undefeated record.

The source claims that Mayweather has been discussing a July 11th date with HBO for his return to the ring, which Mayweather would prefer to have on HBO World Championship Boxing, but there are a couple monkey wrenches that conflict with those plans. HBO would have to come up with a license fee in order to put Mayweather's summer comeback fight on HBO, or else that event might also air live on PPV.

The other obstacle would be a conflict of dates, as July 11 is the date currently being negotiated for a proposed cruiserweight title fight between IBF champion Tomasz Adamek and former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins. However, Main Events and Golden Boy Promotions, the respective promoters for Adamek and Hopkins, have not yet committed to that date, so it remains questionable whether or not Mayweather's return engagement would fill that time slot.

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Khan wins technical decision over Barrera!

Ladies and gentlemen, I have been busy eating crow for what was a completely inaccurate prediction last week. I picked Marco Antonio Barrera to defeat Amir Khan based on experience and class. I could not have been more wrong.

Amir Khan W5 Marco Antonio Barrera... Amir Khan, 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist, defeated Marco Antonio Barrera by technical decision, in what was a WBO lightweight title eliminator, at the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, UK last Saturday night. From the opening bell, Khan's hand and foot speed bothered the aged former champion, but perhaps the most telling blow was an accidental headbutt that opened a deep gash on Barrera's hairline. The cut continued to bleed into Barrera's left eye as the rounds progressed, but the doctor and the referee allowed the fight to continue for four rounds before ending the contest in the fifth round. According the rules of the WBO, if a fight is stopped after four rounds due to an accidental clash of heads, the result is determined by the official scores. At the time of the stoppage, the three official judges scored the fight 50-45 (twice) and 50-44, all in favor of Khan.

I had said that Khan would have to fight an almost perfect fight to defeat a boxer the likes of Barrera. Unfortunately for Barrera, he didn't even fight a perfect fight for as long as it lasted and he still won every minute of every round. Surely, the blood pouring down into the left eye did not help Barrera's cause, but he just wasn't letting his hands go and he could not find Khan. After the first round, I could already see the difference between the two combatants. I actually scored the first round 10-8 for Khan, as did one of the three judges. Khan did get a little help from the referee and the doctor for letting it go on until four rounds were completed. That was the difference in a No Contest vs. a technical decision win for the hometown hero.

Having said all of that, I believe that a rematch with Breidis Prescott is a fight that should happen for Khan. As long as Prescott remains undefeated and is on the rise himself in the lightweight division, nobody is going to take Khan seriously if he fails to avenge that loss or even fails to make an attempt. Surely the 55 second knockout loss that Khan suffered at the hands of Prescott back in September remains a demon that Khan is still going to have to exercise if he hopes to compete against the bigger and more technically sound punchers of the 135lb and 140lb weight classes.

Ola Afolabi TKO 9 Enzo Maccarinelli... Enzo Maccarinelli was on the comeback trail from what had been a devastating 2nd round TKO loss to David Haye, in what was a fight for the undisputed cruiserweight championship back in March of 2008. Maccarinelli had every intention of returning to prominence and gaining the interim WBO cruiserweight title, but Ola “Kryptonite” Afolabi had other plans as he shocked the world and derailed the plans of Maccarinelli by stopping him in the 9th round with a big right hand. Throughout the first eight rounds, Maccarinelli was in control of the fight for the most part as he outworked Afolabi but Afolabi was able to stun Maccarinelli on numerous occasions. Time of the stoppage was 1:50 of round 9. Afolabi is now the interim WBO cruiserweight champion of the world.

Roman Martinez TKO4 Nicky Cook... There's a fresh new face in the super featherweight landscape, and he is undefeated Roman "Rocky" Martinez. Martinez dethroned defending WBO champion Nicky Cook by means of a TKO in impressive fashion. After controlling the first three rounds, Martinez dropped Cook with two left uppercuts, but Cook rose to his feet and beat the count. Shortly thereafter, Martinez dropped Cook again with huge left hook. Cook once again rose to his feet, but on shaky legs this time around, at which point the referee stopped the contest.

television: Integrated Sports PPV

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Dawson vs. Tarver II rescheduled for May 9!

HBO still intends to televise.

The rematch between IBF/IBO light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson and former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver will happen on May 9 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. They were originally scheduled to meet on March 14, but Dawson withdrew from the fight due to an injury suffered in training. According to an interview conducted by Ryan Burton on Boxingtalk, Alfredo Angulo will appear on the under card.

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Kirkland and Ortiz score impressive stoppages; Guerrero vs. Yordan ends in No Contest!

Boxing was the center of attention on Saturday night, in the San Francisco Bay area, where light middleweight prospect James Kirkland and up and coming light welterweight Victor Ortiz scored impressive knockout wins on HBO Boxing After Dark. There were a total of three televised fights that took place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. As I said earlier this week, I failed to cover these fights live due to the fact that I was out of town on Saturday, but I recorded a replay of the telecast on HBO2 a couple nights ago. The card was promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

James Kirkland TKO6 Joel Julio... James Kirkland showed his perseverance and determination, as he attacked Joel Julio from the get go with combinations and relentless pressure. At times, Julio was the more accurate puncher, as he was able to catch Kirkland with right hands as he was coming straight in. For the most part, Kirkland kept attacking and Julio had not a clue as to how he was going to escape the onslaught. Kirkland opened a cut above Julio's right eye with a left hand at the end of round one.

Julio had his moments, such as round three when he was able to crack Kirkland on the chin with a crisp left hand, but unfortunately for him it didn't even phase Kirkland. Slipping into a mode of retreat as a result of his discomfort for Kirkland's aggressive style, Julio tried to box a little bit more in rounds four and five by using his jab to set up some right hands. Undaunted by anything Julio was able to land, Kirkland continued to punish him with both hands and was beginning to break him down to the body. At the end of the sixth round, the referee decided to stop the contest, noting that Julio's bloody and swollen right eye was only going to worsen as he continued to take punishment for the remaining rounds.

With the win, Kirkland moves to 25-0, 22 KOs. This marks the second consecutive loss for Julio, who had lost a split decision in a title challenge against WBO champion Sergeii Dzinziruk - also a southpaw. Kirkland is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the 154lb weight class, where title holders such as Vernon Forrest, Sergeii Dzinziruk, and Daniel Santos currently campaign. Sergio Martinez, the slick veteran from Argentina who was robbed of a decision win in his draw against Kermit Cintron last month, would be a decent fight for Kirkland.

Personally speaking, I would love to see Kirkland against Alfredo Angulo. That would be a battle of two young undefeated hard-hitting pressure fighters who always enter the ring with intentions of exchanging blows with their opponents.


Victor Ortiz TKO2 Mike Arnaoutis... Victor Ortiz looked sensational, brutally stopping the game and experienced former title challenger Mike Arnaoutis in two rounds. This was an impressive win for Ortiz, as he was able to stop Arnaoutis, who previously took current WBO champion Kendall Holt the distance and also lost a close debatable decision to Ricardo Torres when they fought for the vacant WBO title a few years back. As Max Kellerman pointed out, Ortiz looked a bit tight in the first round.

After a feeling out process, in what was slow first round won by Ortiz primarily based on his activity, Ortiz stunned Aranoutis with a lunging left hand that immediately drove Arnaoutis into the ropes. Sensing that Aranoutis was hurt and possibly ready to be taken out, Ortiz pursued him by attacking with a vicious barrage of punches. Shortly thereafter, the referee jumped in and waved the fight off to protect Arnaoutis from taking unnecessary punishment.

Ortiz, who looks to be the future of boxing once aging stars like Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins, and Juan Manuel Marquez are no longer actively fighting, is currently in the process of crossing over from prospect to contender at this early stage of his career. He will probably fight one more opponent, who is on the level of an Arnaoutis and then hopefully a top 10 contender en route to a title shot or a meaningful big money match up with one of the division's elite.

Robert Guerrero NC2 Daud Yordan... In the opening bout it appeared as though Robert Guerrero was going to get all he could handle, in from of his adoring home town fans, from the relatively unknown and undefeated Daud Yordan of Indonesia. Yordan was able to catch Guerrero with a few left hooks and right hands, as Guerrero was coming forward and trying to land leather on his opponent. Yordan won the first round on my scorecard, but scorecards would become irrelevant as both fighters clashed heads, opening a cut above Guerrero's right eye. The referee called time, directed Guerrero to the ring side physician, and Guerrero claimed that his sight was impaired by severity of the cut and the bleeding.

The referee called a halt to the bout and it was declared a no-contest. HBO's ringside expert commentator and former three time heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis mentioned that Guerrero could have fought on for another couple of rounds, and after four rounds the fight would've gone to the scorecards in adherence to the rules of the bout, thus giving him a chance to earn a victory in front of his home town crowd. Point well taken on Lewis's behalf, but I think Guerrero knew that he was going to be in for a tough night. Would Guerrero have been in any jeopardy of losing had the fight continued? That we will never know, but what is not up for debate is that the referee's duty is to protect the fighter's health and safety. Had that fight continued, perhaps the cut would have opened even more and become more of a hazard.
television: HBO Boxing After Dark

While it is true that champions like Bernard Hopkins, Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Shane Mosley will not be around forever, it is becoming abundantly clear that we are getting some fresh young faces to carry boxing into the new generation. After all, the fighters that fans have fallen in love with over the course of time had to start some where.

Here in 2009, we are just beginning to get a glimpse of these young gladiators who are marching their respective paths to world championships. Some of them, such as undefeated WBO super bantamweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez, who will be seen in a title defense on HBO April 25, have already won a title.

I'm looking forward to seeing Lopez's next fight against WBO Bantamweight Champion Gerry Penalosa, who is coming up in weight to face Lopez. I also look forward to seeing Kirkland, Ortiz, and Angulo in their next appearances. According to an interview with Angulo, conducted by Ryan Burton on Boxingtalk, Angulo will next appear on the undercard of the recently rescheduled Dawson vs. Tarver rematch on May 9. According to Golden Boy Promotions Senior Executive Richard Schaefer, Kirkland and Ortiz will be probably be fighting again on June 27.

Again, who said boxing was dying?

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Khan and Barrera meet in crossroads fight!

On Saturday afternoon, from the MEN Arena in Manchester England, British lightweight contender Amir Khan will square off with ring legend and former three division champion Marco Antonio Barrera.

Khan, who won a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, was considered an emerging British phenomenon on the rise to super stardom, touted by many as the second coming of Prince Naseem Hamed.

Wins over the likes of Gary St. Clair and Michael Gomez contributed to the padding of Khan's undefeated professional record, and there were those in the British isles who believed that Khan's rise to prominence was inevitable, but the general boxing public was still waiting for Khan to make a significant splash against a legitimate top contender.

Some observers were anxious, even as recently as a year ago, to see Khan against the like's of Juan Manuel Marquez, Joel Casamayor, and Juan Diaz. Undefeated as a professional, Khan met fellow undefeated lightweight Breidis Prescott of Columbia on September 6, 2008. In the eyes of fans and experts, following the embarrassing 54 second KO loss to Prescott, Khan had been reduced from being Great Britain's most promising young superstar in the making to boxing's latest hype job.

Many felt they had seen the last of Barrera, following his retirement after his second loss to Manny Pacquiao in October of 2007, but rarely do boxers who ever reach Barrera's level of success and acclaim stay retired without making a comeback. Throughout his career, Barrera has posted wins over the likes of Kennedy McKinney, Erik Morales, Kevin Kelley, Johnny Tapia, and Hamed just to name a few.

Taking into account as impressive of a resume as Barrera has, one would declare that he has established quite a legacy for himself in the sport of boxing. Khan, 29, has much more to prove going into this fight than does his opponent who is one of Mexico's finest champions of recent memory. Barrera is making one last stand in a career that probably should have been permanently complete following the loss to Pacquiao in 2007. Khan is still rebounding from the knockout loss to Prescott and feels that a win over Barrera will elevate him to lightweight title contention or at least a big payday.

Barrera's losses to Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao are more excusable, as they pertain to his standing in all-time history, than they were a couple of years ago, as Marquez and Pacquiao are arguably the two best pound for pound fighters in the world today. Pacquiao went out of his natural weight element to dominate and stop Oscar De la hoya in a welterweight fight, while Marquez has now scored two consecutive knock out wins over Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz. Therefore, Barrera may not be as finished or over the hill as we once thought.

Given the fact that Khan is a fragile-chinned, relatively recent first round knockout victim who still remains unproven, coupled with Barrera's incomparable professional experience against top flight opposition, I am inclined to pick the old warrior in this one - probably by decision, but a stoppage win would not surprise me at all.

Khan vs. Barrera can be seen live on PPV, distributed by Integrated Sports, on Saturday, March 14 at 4pm E/T 1PM P/T.

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Cotto vs. Clottey June 13 at Madison Square Garden?

According to Boxingscene.com, it looks like a unification title fight between WBO welterweight titlist Miguel Cotto and IBF welterweight belt holder Joshua Clottey is almost officially set for Madison Square Garden on June 13, which is the weekend of the Puerto Day Parade in New York City.

In a way, I'm a bit surprised that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum did not choose Cintron as Cotto's next opponent, being that both guys are Puerto Rican and the idea for the event is to stage it at Madison Square Garden on the weekend of the Puerto Rican Day parade. Cintron tarnished his reputation in his last fight with the way he carried on about the so called headbutt that dropped him in the seventh round, rather than the straight left hand that Martinez landed. As if that wasn't enough, he cried robbery when the official judges declared that fight a draw. Therefore I am delighted that Arum did not select him as Cotto's next opponent.

Furthermore, Clottey currently resides in Bronx, NY, both Cotto and Clottey fight under the Top Rank banner, and overall this is a much better match up than Cotto vs. Cintron. Would I most like to see Mosley vs. Cotto II? Yes, but I won't beat a dead horse over and over again. To his credit, Clottey is a titleholder as well as a top three welterweight would could present Cotto with spirited challenge, so Cotto vs. Clottey is fine by me. No complaints on my end; lets make this fight happen Bobfather!

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Carl Froch set to defend title against Jermain Taylor

Press Release: NEW YORK - A household name in his native England, talented, undefeated Carl Froch will look to make a major statement - and enhance his reputation in America -- when he defends his World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight title against one of the most highly regarded and recognizable fighters of his generation, former undisputed middleweight belt-holder Jermain Taylor, Saturday, April 25, on Showtime Championship Boxing from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.

A formal announcement was made by Ken Hershman, Senior VP and General Manager of Sports and Event Programming for SHOWTIME.

“Jermain Taylor is a great fighter and I am excited to have him make his SHOWTIME debut on April 25,” said Hershman. “He’s the more accomplished fighter and the better-known guy right now, but in Froch, he’s facing the naturally bigger fighter and a man that has never lost. Our viewers have come to expect competitive fights month-in, month-out on SHOWTIME and this fight should be no different.

“The 168-pound weight division is one of the deepest and most exciting in boxing,” Hershman continued. “Froch-Taylor is just one of many compelling matchups that this division has to offer.”

The telecast will air live at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) from MGM Grand Theater at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. The fight card is being co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Hennessy Sports.

“I expect fireworks in this matchup,” said DiBella Entertainment President Lou DiBella. “There is an aggressive, straight-ahead, rugged champion fighting a seasoned athletic warrior. It is a can’t-miss fight and the title will change hands.”

“We are honored to be hosting the WBC World Super Middleweight Championship in association with DiBella Entertainment and SHOWTIME,” said Joseph Jimenez, Senior Vice President of Casino Marketing for MGM Grand at Foxwoods. “We are excited to showcase our beautiful property and magnificent theater at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods.”

Tickets are on sale now and priced at $200, $100, $75 and $50. Tickets are available at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com, your local Ticket Master and MGM Grand Box Office 866-646-0649.

Froch (24-0, 19 KOs), of Nottingham, England, will be making the first defense of the vacant 168-pound crown he gained in his last outing with a unanimous 12-round decision over Jean Pascal on Dec. 6, 2008. He earned the title shot after registering a fourth-round TKO over Albert Rybacki on May 20, 2008, on ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME.

The six-foot, 31-year-old Froch, who has fought all but one of his fights in the UK , is one of 30 Shobox alums to become a world titleholder. A victory over Taylor would provide Froch instant stardom. The winner on April 25 will perhaps have the opportunity to unify against the IBF champion, the winner of this Friday’s Lucian Bute vs. Fulgencio Zuniga bout.

Taylor (28-2-1, 17 KOs), of Little Rock, Ark., has had a prolific pro career since winning a bronze medal for the United States in the 2000 Olympic Games. The six-foot-one-inch, 30-year-old Taylor is the only boxer to twice defeat future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins.

In a WBC title eliminator last Nov. 15, Taylor dominated Jeff Lacy en route to taking a unanimous decision. Taylor also has defeated former champions Cory Spinks, Raul Marquez and William Joppy.

When he outpointed Hopkins the first time, Taylor became 160-pound world champion in the WBC, World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organization (WBO).

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING announcers Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein will call the action with Jim Gray reporting from ringside. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins Jr., with Bob Dunphy directing.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please visit the SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

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Boxing Chronicles Scorecards: Marquez -vs- Diaz & John -vs- Juarez

Here is how BoxingChronicles.com scored the Marquez vs. Diaz and John vs. Juarez title fights that took place at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX a couple weeks ago on HBO.

Marquez vs Diaz - World Lightweight Championship

Marquez won by TKO in 9.
Official judges scores:
Max DeLuca: 77-75 Diaz
Duane Ford: 77-75 Marquez
Levi Martinez: 76-76

John vs Juarez - World Featherweight Championship

Official judges scores:
Tom Miller, Raul Caiz, and Gale Van Hoy: 114-114

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Kirkland/Ortiz/Guerrero fight reviews coming soon!

Over the weekend, James Kirkland and Victor Ortiz both scored impressive TKO wins on HBO Boxing After Dark, but I was not at home to watch these fights. I believe they are going to replayed one more time tonight on one of HBO's channels - HBO2 East I believe. Upon watching all three of the televised fights in their completion, I will post an update regarding my views based on the performances of Kirkland, Ortiz, and Robert Guerrero, whose fight ended in a highly disappointing no-contest. Ortiz appears to be the goods at 140lbs; this young kid has a bright future ahead of him in the talent laden jr welterweight division. Last time I saw Ortiz, he looked sensational on the the Pacquiao/De la hoya under card, stopping Jeffery Resto in devastating fashion. The two round destruction of "Mighty" Mike Arnaoutis is clearly the biggest win of his career to this day, especially when you consider the fact that some experts and journalists, including but not limited to Boxingtalk's Greg Leon, were picking Arnaoutis to defeat Ortiz. I am definitely looking forward to watching a replay of these fights this evening. Stay tuned to BoxingChronicles.com!

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