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Boxing Blog & Random Thoughts |
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By Gary Purfield (12/30/11) Friday night on the undercard of Jermain Taylor’s return, Super Middleweight and former Super Six competitor Andre Dirrell 19-1 (13 KO) makes his return to the ring after twenty one months out of the ring. Dirrell takes on Darryl Cunningham 24-2 (10 KO) in a ten round bout from the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, California on a special edition of Showtime’s Shobox series. The last anyone saw of Dirrell was in March of last year. He was giving his confused post fight interview after being blindsided in his second Super Six bout. Dirrell, well ahead on the scorecards against Arthur Abraham, was looking to run out the clock in the eleventh round en route to a major upset victory. Dirrell got the win but not in the fashion he wanted. In the eleventh round Dirrell slipped to the canvas in the corner. Down on a knee he was clocked by a big Abraham punch on the side of the head. The lights went out for Dirrell as he slumped to the canvas unable to continue. Abraham was disqualified and Dirrell had the victory but it would cost him nearly two years of his boxing career in his prime. Prior to getting illegally drilled, Andre Dirrell was putting on a clinic taking apart a fighter that at the time was one of the feared punchers in the sport. It was that moment you look for in a talented contender when ability and skill cross paths with a fighters potential. Everyone knew Dirrell had speed, skill, and all the attributes to be a champion. But prior to the Abraham fight he had not been able to put it all together on one night. Against Carl Froch in his opening Super Six bout at times Dirrell was dominant but at other times he used too much movement and would not engage. It cost him as he lost a controversial decision in Froch’s hometown of Nottingham, England. Dirrell entered the Abraham bout a big underdog but was quickly dominating his slower and less skilled opponent. He appeared well on his way to the win and more importantly becoming a serious player in the Super Six tournament. He was clearly realizing his potential dominating Abraham including a knockdown in the fourth round. All of the talent and potential Dirrell possesses was on display that night. But then he was hit while down leading to serious concerns and issues over his ability to physically continue in the sport of boxing. Dirrell withdrew from the tournament and has been out of action since then due to the injury and due to waiting for a TV opportunity. “Mainly what kept me out was the injury, I had to be cleared. I was finally cleared but after that, I was cleared probably about eight months ago but I was looking for a TV date and a lot of the TV dates were taken. Fortunately Gary Shaw got me on this card. That’s pretty much what’s been holding me back. Half and half, half was getting a TV date and half my problems after the Abraham fight.” Dirrell spoke on his experience having to sit back and watch the Super Six unfold while he was unable to get into the ring. “I was there and watching and excited but at the end of the day I still want my shot. For the most part I it was stressful. I would watch some fights and I would be excited but then twelve o’clock I’d be ready to go hit the gym because I’d be so anxious to get back in there. A lot of the times I was stressed and would find myself in tears for no apparent reason.” While Dirrell lost an opportunity and time, he believes he benefitted from his Super Six experience. “It let me know where I stood in the sport of boxing. A lot of people didn’t believe I would make it as far as I did. Even with Carl Froch I showed my talent and I showed my world class with Arthur Abraham. It let me know where I stand in the sport of boxing and I look forward to continuing on that ride so when I get back in the ring you know as well as me that I belong on top. Dirrell is confident that he is medically past the blow from Abraham. He feels he is ready to go to resume his career despite some concerns after the incident in his last outing. “I thought about it in the beginning of my workout sessions but quickly, honestly, when I was getting the work in sparring sessions and just working out and working hard it all left my mind because I believe I will still be where I was when I left the sport. I’m feeling really good in my comeback. My only concern is looking great for the fans and having a good show. I’m not too concerned about the problems that persisted after the Abraham fight.” Now Dirrell moves forward to resume his career and pick up where he left off. He is confident that he can get to the top and be one of the best in the sport. Dirrell has high expectations for his comeback Friday night and want more than just a win. “I want to look good and I don’t want just a win. I want look excellent doing it and I want to impress the crowd.” Boxing can be cruel to those as they age and Dirrell, at age twenty eight is well aware his window of opportunity won’t stay open long. He plans on moving fast and accomplishing his goals in order to make an exit from the sport at the right time. “When I was twenty five or twenty six I saw it as a short window so no doubt in my mind I feel like it’s a short window and its added pressure that it’s a short window. I only want to do it within that short window. I want to retire like thirty four, thirty five years old. My time is now and I want to take advantage of it from here on out.” “I’m just looking to get the belts man. I want to go out there and I want to prove my worth. I want to prove myself. In 2012 after the Cunningham fight, I’m not looking past him at all, then proving all of the critics wrong. If I can get all six belts in one year than by all means I’m gonna try and get all the belts in one year. That’s how hungry I am.” Prior to dropping out of the Super Six Dirrell was scheduled to meet his former Olympic teammate and eventual Super Six Champion Andre Ward in the third round of the tournament. It’s a fight Dirrell says he still wants and believes the fans want as well. “Definitely, I know our day will come. That’s something the fans want to see so we’ll give it to them. It’s all just a matter of time.” Dirrell also had some very clear thoughts on Lucian Bute. Dirrell believes he is a talented but protected fighter who needs to get in with top fighters in the division. “He’s been fighting the same type of fighters and taking nothing away from him. He’s an excellent fighter. He has a great uppercut, has a great jab. He’s quick on his feet and his hands but you know when you’re fighting B- fighters and C+ fighters, then you fight them in your hometown. I’m not the first to say that. It’s just a grade evaluation. Not taking anything away, it’s just again, everybody, even his fans want to see him in there with the big dogs. He has to get in there with that speed. He has to get in there with that spunk. He has to get in there with that charisma. And that’s what everyone wants to see. Lucian Bute has a lot to prove. He’s protected, you can’t deny it.” Dirrell’s journey back starts Friday night. Similar to the headliner on the card Jermain Taylor (who makes his ring return against Jessie Nicklow), Dirrell will probably not be greatly tested in his bout with Cunningham. If he is at the same level as the he was against Abraham he should roll over Cunningham. Then he should quickly get the opportunity to prove himself in the deep and talented super middleweight division. Whether he gets Bute, Ward, or some of the other top fighters in the division Dirrell will be looking to make a name for himself. Dirrell has always had the personality to attract attention and the charisma to draw fans. Twenty one months ago he started to show the talent that could take him to the top. Now he gets the chance to pick up where he left off and move towards accomplishing his goals. “The ultimate goal for myself is to become world renown. I would love for my name to be a household name such as Pacquiao, such as Floyd Mayweather. And chasing them titles down is my dream. I got a strong, strong desire to become the best that ever did it. As long as I keep my mind set on that I know I can reach a pretty high level.” “I really want to make my
grandfather proud. He’s worked hard. He’s done so much in his
life. He’s given me so much. I want to see that smile on his face
at the end of the day. When that man goes to his casket at the end
of the day, god forbid, I want to see him with a smile on his face.
One of two goals is become the best and put that smile on my
grandfather’s face.” Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Fighters Fight: Jermain Taylor’s Return By Gary Purfield (12/29/11) “I had a conversation directly with one of the top neurologist in the world and here’s the exact conversation, I believe I can say this. I asked him, the doctor, if Jermain Taylor was your own kid would you let him fight. And what the doctor said was no, I wouldn’t let him fight and I wouldn’t let my own kid fight under any circumstances. But if what you’re asking me is, is Jermain Taylor any different than any other fighter, is there any more risk, is there any more unnecessary risk, than any other fighter, then I can’t tell you that. And based upon that, the man has the right to be master of his own dominion. Like he said, he’s a fighter, fighters fight.” That was Jermain Taylor’s promoter Lou Dibella speaking during a conference call Wednesday promoting Friday’s fight, where Jermain Taylor 28-4-1 (17 KO) makes his comeback to the ring after being out of boxing for more than two years. Taylor will headline a special edition of Showtime’s ShoBox series taking on Jessie Nicklow 22-2-3 (8 KO) from the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, California. It seems it was not that long ago Jermain Taylor was the future star of the middleweight division and one of boxing’s bright lights. The 2000 Olympic Bronze Medalist dethroned long time middleweight king Bernard Hopkins in July of 2005 and then won the rematch later the same year. Taylor brought the pleasant personality and excitement in the ring that would draw fans. He had taken over one of boxing’s glory divisions and seemed ready to continue his ascent in the sport. But according to Taylor he lost his hunger and got lazy. He failed to keep the fire and drive that got him to the title and was unable to maintain his place at the top of the mountain. He lost his title to Kelly Pavlik and then moved to Super Middleweight for the wrong reasons. He was brutally knocked out in consecutive fights against Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham. “I’ve taken two years off and now I’ve got my focus back. I’ve never taken a break from boxing. The two years I had off it just woke me up. I was fighting at 168. I was not supposed to be there, I was just lazy.” Taylor believes that he has regained his hunger and focus. He is back with his former trainer Pat Burns who was with him when he won the middleweight title and feels he is ready to get back to the top. Taylor also believes his renewed dedication is the answer to the stamina issues he had that cost him in fights he was winning early against Pavlik, Carl Froch, and Arthur Abraham. “I’m more focused. It wasn’t training camp that was bothering me. It was the off time that was catching up with me. Hanging out and all the other stuff. And now I’m boxing, boxing, boxing, boxing, that’s it. I was training but I wasn’t smart, I was fighting in a weight class I never should have been. I’m eating grapefruit right now; I’m eating steak right now. I ate a steak last night. I mean come on man, I’m a 160 pounder and I got lazy and I got off my game. Now I’m back on boxing. The first question for Taylor will be if he still has the skills and ability that got him to the top. But the bigger question is should he even be boxing at all. Against Pavlik, Froch, and Abraham he was not just stopped. He was knocked out in devastating fashion. Following the KO loss to Abraham in the super six opener he had to be hospitalized for several days before being allowed to return home from Germany. Before making his comeback Taylor underwent a series of medical exams to make sure he was physically fit to be in the ring. The outcome of those tests was enough to convince promoter Lou Dibella that Taylor was ready to return. Dibella did a rare thing in boxing after the Abraham fight. He chose to side with the fighters safety over a payday. Dibella, who has promoted Taylor since the beginning of his pro career, stated he would no longer promote Taylor if he chose to continue fighting at that time. But now after medical exams Dibella, who has no trouble making his feelings known, explained what convinced him that Taylor is ready to get back into the fight game. “After Jermain really made an effort to rededicate himself to the sport, to get himself into physical shape as a fighter. After seeing that he had seen the best specialists in the world from the Mayo Clinic to the Cleveland Clinic, to experts in Arkansas and Nevada, the neurological center in Nevada, every doctor had the same conclusion. After reviewing all the medical records including the medical records from Germany (following the Abraham fight) and they said the same thing, which was Jermain Taylor is physically able to fight; Jermain Taylor can resume his boxing career.” Dibella went on to state he asked Taylor for permission to speak with his doctors and was given the go ahead to do so. Dibella talked about learning from the doctors that his brain is not at any risk greater than any other fighter that steps in the ring and he is comfortable working with Taylor after speaking with the doctors. For his part Taylor has no concerns that he is medically at risk getting back in the ring following his past bouts. Taylor also believes his story coming back to the ring will give fans a reason to support his efforts. “I was never worried about that. That was the last thing on my mind. When I step in that ring, that I know you're putting your life on the line when you get in that ring, I would never step back in that ring again if it’s bad. So no, I never worried about that.” “Everybody loves a comeback. Everybody loves a comeback story. Everybody’s made mistakes. That’s why I love boxing so much. You can be down and come back and win a championship and everything else. That’s what I’m bringing back to boxing. Friday won’t tell everything considering his opponent. If Taylor is remotely what he used to be he should dispose of Nicklow without much difficulty based on his natural talent. Future fights will tell if Taylor has it in him to be at the top or if he should be in the ring at all. When Taylor stopped fighting it appeared he was the rare fighter who made the decision that his health and safety was more important than continuing his career. When he announced his return it appeared he was another delusional fighter unable to let go of the past. But few fighters in this position can say they have been cleared by the world renown Mayo Clinic. Jermain Taylor may be just another fighter who goes past his due date. But he may be a rare case of a fighter who stepped away at the right time to return at a better time. He may truly be ready to go and hungry to return. He could be the comeback story he believes he will provide to fans. Friday he starts the process. Time will tell how his story will end. Taylor was clear on why he is returning and his plans for his future. “I’m returning to boxing to be
number one and to hold those belts up in the air.”
Notes
Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Happy Holidays from the World of Boxing By Gary Purfield (12/24/11) Before the new year even begins, 2012 is shaping up to be an exciting time in the sport of boxing. Several developments have made for fights that are scheduled and events that are worth looking forward to. So here in the spirit of Christmas and the holidays, I present several gifts from the great sport of boxing that no matter what they say is far from dead. No we don’t have a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout scheduled but plenty of other great fights are on the docket so get over it. With Mayweather headed to jail for ninety days the dream bout is that much less likely to happen (and it was not very likely in the first place). It means you will not be like the people in the Lexus commercials that get a new luxury car for Christmas (really, who does get a freaking Lexus for Christmas, seriously) but you still have several fine gifts under the tree waiting for you.
This was the gift you wanted,
told everyone you wanted, and made it clear that someone better get
it for you. This fight is an excellent occurrence on several
fronts. Right off the bat the fact that the first go round was a
fight of the year slugfest so why not ask for part two. Often
rematches of action fights are more tactical the second time around
but don’t count on it with these two. Their styles should make for
exciting fights which boxing fans want. Throw in the fact that the
fight was made despite Berto having to give up a title belt to make
this happen and it shows that boxing may be heading in the right
direction of valuing good fights over boxing politics. That is a
gift worth receiving if you are a boxing fan. Cunningham-Hernandez 2-The gift that will be hidden behind the tree but worth finding: This one which will take place
in Germany and will be well worth the effort of finding an internet
stream if you are trying to watch from the States. Both fighters
are bitter over the outcome of the first fight, especially
Cunningham who feels he was the victim of blatant hometown
manipulation that cost him his title. The first fight provided
decent action while it lasted but this time around should be even
better as both men will likely push for a knockout to take any funny
business out of the hands of judges, referees, and doctors. Friday Night Fights-The gift that keeps on giving (Cheese of the Month Club): Last year was an incredible
year for ESPN’s boxing series and this year’s schedule thus far
appears to be following in the same footsteps of giving fans good
boxing over and over. The opening card on 1/6 has two evenly
matched fights right off the bat between contenders Dyah Davis and
Alfonzo Lopez and prospects Denis Douglin and Sam Martinez. Then
Teon Kennedy who does not know how to be in a bad fight is evenly
matched with Chris Martin the following week. Throw in Provodnikov-Diaz
should be fun, Andrade will get a good test from tough battle tested
Derek Ennis, and John Molina on the schedule means you will get
action. Eddie Chambers-Sergei Liakhovich-the “big” gift you can’t wait to open: Forget that this is not for a
title and that either guy would get destroyed by a Klitschko or
already has been. So you got a forty inch flat screen instead of a
60 inch. It is still a great TV and you are going to watch it.
Simply enjoy the fact that two heavyweights with good boxing skills
that are around the same size will be fighting on TV. If these two
fought in the ‘golden eras” of the heavyweight division they would
have been about the same size as other top heavyweights. It is more
of a recent phenomenon we have become obsessed with the jolly green
giant heavyweights and only care about the 200 plus division if it
involves someone who can beat a Klitschko. Appreciate the fact that
two very skilled fighters will step into the ring for quality
heavyweight action that is on free cable. NBC into Boxing-The new technology digital toy everyone wants: The opening card of this series on January 21 from the Arena in Philly and in general NBC getting back into boxing with Main Events Promotions may become the biggest development in boxing in the future years. Frankly it is the IPhone or modern technology of modern boxing. It may be the innovation that was needed to keep boxing moving forward in a new and fast changing world. Several key points that are positive. At least four shows will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network which is free cable meaning no PPV, subscription network, or extra cost to the fan. The shows will be promoted by a company in Main Events that knows how to actually “promote” boxing by using every possible outlet to bring attention to the event. But all of that is meaningless
if the product that is promoted and shown on TV does not deliver.
Well the hype is that the fights will be based on matching skilled
fighters on equal levels that have a blend of styles that should
deliver a good fight for the fans every time. This is not set up to
be another chance for coddled prospects to beat up an inferior
opponent. Take the supporting bout in the first show between Gabe
Rosado and Jesus Soto-Karass. Between the two fighters they have
eleven losses (five for Rosado and six for Soto-Karass) but that was
not the point when this fight was made. The point was that both
guys are willing to engage, both guys have good talent and
experience, and the combination of these two in the ring will
benefit the fan because it should be exciting. With hall of fame
promoter Russell Peltz being the primary matchmaker for the NBC
cards this type of fight will be the norm. It should be a win-win
for boxing and its fans. Have a Merry Christmas, Happy
Hanukkah, or happy holiday in whatever is your tradition. Eat,
drink, be merry, and protect yourself at all times. Best wishes to
all and to all a goodnight. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Andre Ward vs. Carl Froch: By Gary Purfield (12/15/11)
Fighters:
Andre “S.O.G.” Ward vs.
Carl “The Cobra” Froch
Where:
When:
TV:
Last fight: Froch MD win over Glen Johnson June 4, 2011
The long and winding road of Showtime’s Super Six Tournament draws to a close this Saturday in Atlantic City, NJ after more than two years of fights and roadblocks. When this whole thing started most experts thought it would be Kessler and Abraham fighting for the title but the tournaments two dark horses, Andre Ward and Carl Froch have emerged as the best and most resilient in the field to reach the end. Below we break down the specifics of Saturday’s finale between American Ward and England’s Froch. Like last week in DC with Khan vs. Peterson it will be a battle of fighters from across either side of the pond, but this time it is the American who is favored and the Englishmen that is coming in as the underdog. Boxing
ability: Power:
Speed:
Stamina/Conditioning: Defense:
Chin:
Experience: Wear and
Tear:
Keys to Victory Andre Ward:
Carl Froch:
Prediction: Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Tony Luis: Fighting, Working, and Moving Up
Meet Tony Luis, one of
Montreal’s hottest young prospects, who balances a boxing career
that could soon take off by Gary Purfield (12/13/11) Boxing is an international sport. All over the world young prospects ply their trade in the gym and on the road as they work for their chance to make it to the top. Many of these prospects come with interesting and varying stories to tell. Something about the sport of boxing attracts and draws those who have a fire inside them, an overwhelming desire to compete, test their abilities, and make a difference for themselves and others. In recent years Canada, specifically the city of Montreal, has become a hotbed for boxing like no other spot in the world. While hockey will always reign supreme in the area, boxing has become a major attraction often drawing the eyes of the world with stars such as Lucian Bute and Jean Pascal. Outside of Montreal, in Cornwall Ontario Canada, another talented young prospect is emerging with thoughts of becoming a champion and dreams of being a star in Canada as well as the United States. Twenty three year old junior welterweight Tony Luis 13-0 (5 KO) has begun making a name for himself in Canada as fighter to watch. Luis is well-spoken and well accomplished in and outside of the ring. I had the opportunity to talk with Tony recently to discuss his background in boxing and where he intends to go with his career in the future. Tony first studied Karate as a kid but then began training with his father who runs a boxing gym along with running a business. His father Jorge Luis was also a professional fighter and now trains fighters in their gym in Cornwall. Tony was pressed to make the decision between Karate and boxing but for him it was an easy call once he found his father’s old boxing videos and saw what he wanted for his future. “At 11 years old I had to make a decision to pick one and went with boxing and fell in love with it.” Tony found tapes of classic fights including his father fighting. The first fighter he saw was Mike Tyson and was taken aback by his power. He stated the second boxing video he saw was the Rocky 4 movie and as a kid the movie inspired him. In addition he looked up to Sugar Ray Leonard and Ali for their “speedy flare”.
Luis was a six time provincial champion and competed in international events. He represented Canada at international meets and at 17, qualified for the Beijing Olympic trials where Tony stated that he lost a controversial decision. “I opted to go pro instead of waiting four years. Figured if I was going to deal with politics of the game may as well get paid for it and not wait another four years. I wanted to go pro and had desire to be a world champion. Figured if I started young I would have more time to develop.” Luis sees himself as being more suited for the pro version of the sport considering his desire to go to the body and fight on the inside which works in the pros but goes unnoticed in the amateur world. Luis believes he has the athletic skills and technical ability to make it to the top. “I have hand speed. I can box, I can move, I can fight on the inside, I hit the body well. On the inside or outside I can hack it in the ring. What I didn’t have when I first went pro I settle down on my feet more, get the man strength and everything kicking in, along with my dad and plying trade and being in the gym I’m turning into a complete pro.” “Always went to the body. When I was younger and first started watching tapes of boxing body shots and in fighting Julio Cesar Chavez was a big inspiration for me. Pressure, pressure, and just grind away and his commitment to the body was something you don’t see from a lot of fighters you see today. You don’t see a lot of fighters go to the body the way some of the fighters from previous errors did. It came natural to me. To be honest I always hit harder to the body than I did to the head. For some reason I just get better power on my shots downstairs than I do upstairs. From my very first amateur fight I stopped a kid with body shots. I always went to the body more than the head.” Luis started with five wins all by decision. But as he has settled into the pros and physically matured the power has emerged. In his last eight bouts he has five knockouts including a first round knockout of Alejandro Barrera 21-9 (7 KO) to win the vacant WBC Continental Americas title. “I’ve been doing strength training as well along with my running and everything else. Practicing in the gym and learning to turn the shots over properly and just the whole maturing process. “A fighter should never look for the knockout because if you look for it you’re not going to get it. You set it up and get the knockout by staying busy, punching in bunches, and it is the punch they don’t see is what gets them. For me that is the mantra that has always worked for me. To be honest I have not changed my basic style at the root from when I first went pro. It’s just now everything else, growing up and developing the other factors, strength come into play along with the ability that I had before.” While he learned in the amateurs and now in the pro game that the business of boxing can be difficult he feels protected with his father as his manager and trainer. Obviously they have the typical obstacles that come along with working within the family but together they feel comfortable and believe they have the recipe to be successful. “Since day one. You couldn’t ask for a better guy than your dad in your corner. Especially as a manager in your career to make sure your career is being steered in the right direction. Your career is not being manipulated or mislead by anyone. As far as a trainer you couldn’t ask for a better trainer. He knows the sport, he loves the sport, he’s been involved in the sport as a fighter himself and has been a fan of it all his life.” “Typical father-son, it’s an up and down thing. We’ve had our battles and we work through the bad times and work through the good times and we made it, we’re here.” Luis may have a successful boxing career ahead but for now he has to earn a living along with fighting like many other prospects. While some fighters find a simple job (understandably so considering the demands of being a professional fighter) Tony opted for a challenging career that can wear down the most dedicated of individuals. Luis works at a drug and alcohol treatment center in a field that often burns out its workers due to the stress of the job and the difficulty of helping addicts. But despite the pitfalls Luis has taken a liking to the job and takes pride in helping juveniles try to get their life on track. With the difficulties come success stories and relationships that drive those in the treatment profession. “I work for a treatment center for Aboriginal teenagers on an Indian reservation. It’s basically alcohol and drug rehab. My job consists of counselor, slash coach, slash cab driver, slash big brother, but that’s pretty much what my job entails.” “It pretty much depends. Some weeks they throw forty-fifty hours at me, some weeks I’m only working twenty four. The training is around that sometimes but at the same time I couldn’t ask for a better employer because he’s actually very supportive of the boxing and I can take a couple of weeks for training camp I don’t have to even ask twice. He’s always been very supportive of the boxing and makes things as easy as possible for me.” “It’s a rewarding job, sometimes it’s challenging. It’s not always easy and sometimes you want to go somewhere else, but for the most part when the kid trusts you, you’re cruising.” I asked Tony the question I ask many young fighters who have to balance the demands of training with a full time job. How do you manage to accomplish all the aspects of training, running almost every morning, training in the gym almost every day, and throw in sparring and strength training along with a full time job? What drives someone to mentally and physically continue such a rigorous lifestyle. “I only have one answer for you. I love the sport. If I didn’t love the sport I wouldn’t be putting myself through that. It does drain you sometimes, mentally if anything. Especially with my job its shift work so sometimes I am working days but sometimes could be working evenings or overnight. When a fight comes up, I still got to get up and do training. The body clock is off, but I go to gym anyway and do what I have to do. It’s hard. If I didn’t love the sport I would not be doing it. That’s the only answer I can give you that I love the sport. You got to be a little crazy to be a fighter and I’m no different.” Luis got his boxing genes and knowledge from his father. But other parts of his life, including his work ethic and ability to work with juveniles seem, to have been passed down from father to son as well. Tony Luis describes his father, Jorge Luis, as a busy full time entrepreneur running a gym and hair salon. That gym like most boxing gyms has been a place where youth can avoid the streets to stay out of trouble, something the family takes pride in. “Plenty of kids whose life could have gone another way for the worse. Even if they don’t go on to be champions in the ring, they became champions in life and boxing played a part in that so the gym has been nothing but positive for a lot of the youth that came into that place.” But the rigors of training and working were hardly as difficult as what Luis had to deal with five days before his third pro fight. Luis had to bury his mother right before the fight and then decided to go on with the fight. Tony didn’t bring this up in my interview with him but later decided to pass this information along. Despite the difficulty of putting the situation out in the open, Luis hopes that his experience can help someone going through a similar situation. So on he moves with his father by his side, an undefeated record, and an improving skill set. Luis is already making a name for himself in Canada where boxing has heated up in the last few years. But he is hardly content to stop there. Luis looks south to the States as well where he wants to bring his talents to the bright lights of Sin City. “Montreal is basically Vegas north. It’s the Las Vegas of Canada. To be honest, Canada’s always had good quality fighters dating back to the eighties.” “Recently Montreal is hot again. Guys like Bute and Pascal put boxing back on the map again internationally. For guys like me and up and coming guys to get on these cards and big shows it’s come alive again.” “It’s amazing thinking about that (fighting in front of big crowds in Montreal) but at the same time I still want to crack the states to. My dream has always been, my friends and I have always wanted to make it to Vegas one day and watch a fight. I always told myself I wouldn’t spend all this money in Vegas, I want to make all this money in Vegas.” Currently Tony is being looked at by several big name US promoters and looks for a deal to come soon. “I have some promoters looking at me right now. We had a couple options looking at we’ll see what happens. We want to hit the US market and it’s all part of taking the step up as well.” For now, it is still a growing process. Learning the skills and gaining the experience needed to take on bigger challenges is part of the process for a developing fighter. A fighter with talent is not enough and has to build his craft against the right opposition and challenge himself with a higher class opponent when the time is right. “The last fight got us the WBC Intercontinental title at 140, got me ranked. There’s still the climb, now the climb is going to start. It got us ranked thirty in the WBC. Just want to keep developing and leave it up to my promoters and managers but I would like to make a couple of defenses and hopefully get some more TV time next year. Climb the ladder and get closer and closer to achieving my ultimate goal of becoming a world champion.” “It’s something that is a combination, it has to play itself out and one fight at a time. But at the same time the advantage for me is I’m still young and I have time to develop and get the right fights at the right time. I’m in no rush but at the same time I do know it is time to take a step up soon. I would like to say by the time I have had twenty fights I will be ready to take on the best in the world.” So outside of boxing and work: “I’m a good guy. Like to go out and have laughs with friends. I have a big heart and am very giving. I do have that fighters temper. Very passionate guy that likes to laugh and have a good time.” In many ways it is the typical fighter story. He dealt with loss, trains hard, fights hard, and has to work hard outside of boxing to make ends meet. But to make it so simple trivializes his and every fighter’s story. Because Tony Luis, like every one of these fighters that steps into the ring putting so much on the line for the fan’s entertainment and in pursuit of a better life has their own unique story. Notes
Check out this clip of Tony Luis in action:
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Lamont Peterson “King” of the Capital Lamont Peterson takes a split decision win over Amir Khan to win the IBF and WBA light welterweight titles Coverage from Washington D.C. by Gary Purfield (12/10/11)
Lamont Peterson 30-1-1 (15 KO) overcame a rough start and several technical disadvantages to pull the upset of Amir Khan 26-2 (18 KO) in front a wild hometown audience of nearly 9,000 at the Walter E Convention Center in Washington DC. Peterson won by split decision with scores 113-112 twice and 111-15 on the dissenting card in a back and forth slugfest. For the record the Boxing Tribune saw it 113-112 for Amir Khan. Peterson came in the underdog and the widely accepted opinion was that Khan’s speed and technical boxing skills would be too much for the tough DC native to overcome. Early on it appeared this opinion was accurate. Khan started fast using his superior speed and movement to pound Peterson with combinations in round one. Khan put Peterson on the canvas twice in round one but only one was ruled a knockdown as the second trip to the floor came from a shove.
The bout swung from boxing match to brawl throughout with momentum swinging back and forth depending on the style of fight that was taking place at any one time. From a distance Khan’s speed and skill were too much. But when Peterson got the fight into the phone booth Khan had no answers and absorbed one punch after another, especially the right uppercut that Peterson stunned Khan with multiple times. Khan lost a point in round seven and again in round twelve for excessive pushing off with his elbow. While Khan was doing some shoving the deductions seemed sudden as neither was preceded by any warnings. The two points lost ended up being crucial as they cost the Bolton England native his IBF and WBA belts which stay in DC with Peterson. The bout was extremely close and several rounds could have gone either way but Peterson earned the victory by digging deep and fighting through adversity with extra help from a supportive audience. Khan had his share of supporters as well, known as Khan’s army who took to blowing air horns throughout the fight, but they were hardly a match in the noise department for the Washington DC crowd that was determined to play their part supporting the local fighter. Afterwards Peterson spoke of his background and how it prepared him for tonight. “I stand for something and I’ve been taught since I was young not to fall for anything. In the ring I am the same way. I’m not going to just lay down for anyone.” Khan was disappointed with the decision and the point deductions stating “it was like I was against two people, the referee and Lamont.” Khan believed he was the clean fighter and that Peterson was holding his head down throughout the night. He stated he is ready for a rematch. Credit goes to both fighters as they engaged in a highly entertaining bout that could be a fight of the year candidate. Both were beaten up by the end of the bout as Khan had a large mouse under his left eye and Peterson’s right eye was basically closed. While Khan still has to learn how to fight when he is being pressured, he showed his chin is not as shaky as thought. He absorbed a ton of bombs and fought on, often throwing his arms in the air to taunt his opponent saying his shots were not hurting him. Peterson for his part showed the grit that comes along with his well-known difficult background by coming back in a fight that looked lost early on. Peterson stated he would definitely give Khan a rematch. Considering the close nature and excitement the fight, another go round would certainly be welcomed by fans. The question will be, does the new IBF/WBA champ Peterson get to keep home field advantage next time or does the fight make its way across the pond to Khan’s native England.
Mitchell is one of the few American heavyweights with potential and he may now carry the mantle of American with the best chance of toppling a Klitschko to win the heavyweight title. Stopping Ibragimov 30-4-1 (16 KO) was impressive considering the veteran had never been beaten inside the distance to this point and is considered a durable heavyweight. Mitchell 24-0-1 (18 KO) could certainly use more seasoning before taking on a Klitschko considering he started boxing late after his football career ended but he certainly has tremendous upside and potential. The final non-televised bout featured Washington DC native and brother of the main event winner, Anthony Peterson in an eight round lightweight bout with veteran Daniel Attah, also of Washington DC. Peterson has not fought since his DQ loss to Brandon Rios over one year ago where he was getting badly beaten before being tossed for repeated low blows. The lightweight contender Peterson had an easy outing tonight as he had no problem picking apart Attah who was badly outclassed. Attah spent half the fight on the ropes being pounded to the head and body and the other half running around the ring to escape punishment. All three judges scored it a shutout by scores of 80-72. Peterson looked decent against lesser competition but probably should have been able to get Attah out of there considering the wide gap in skill. Peterson moves to 31-1 (20 KO) while Attah falls to 26-9-1 (9 KO). Dublin native Jamie Kavanagh who now trains at the Wildcard gym in Los Angeles fought to a majority draw against Ramesis Gil of Puerto Rico. Kavanagh is a highly touted lightweight prospect who drew the attention of top trainer Freddie Roach but hardly looked the part tonight. Kavanagh 8-0-1 (3 KO) landed his share of punches but was lacking on defense as Gil 6-3-5 (5 KO) had no trouble landing shots of his own. Kavanagh suffered a large cut in round five over his right eye from an accidental clash of heads. The scores were 58-56 for Kavanagh while the other two judges saw it 57-57. Fernando Guerrero got back in the win column after his KO loss to Grady Brewer with a fifth round knockout of Robert Kliewer. Guerrero easily controlled the entire fight teeing off on his overmatched opponent. It was target practice for the Dominican native as he regularly pushed Kliewer into the ropes to land combinations to the head and body. Guerrero scored a knockdown in round two and then another in round four. Guerrero pounced on his hurt opponent in round five getting another knockdown. When Kliewer 11-14-2 (5 KO) got to his feet on wobbly legs Guerrero 22-1 (17 KO) charged across the ring and landed a straight left that sent his opponent sprawling to his back. Enough was enough and the bout was halted for a KO at forty five seconds of round five. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
All photos by Joe Glorioso. To see additional fight photos from this
card, visit Joe Glorioso's Flickr page:
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The British are coming with Belts by Gary Purfield (12/07/11)
Saturday night’s HBO main event presents an interesting round of story lines. The champion is on the road. He comes to America from Britain bearing belts instead of bullets. The challenger is at home. He will defend the nation’s capital with Boxing Gloves. Two different men from differing paths will step into the ring in Washington DC when IBF/WBA champ Amir Khan 26-1 (18 KO) crosses the pond to defend his belts against Lamont Peterson 29-1-1 (15 KO) who will be fighting in front of partisan hometown crowd. Khan, whose family emigrated from Pakistan, grew up in Bolton England. He won a silver medal in the 2004 Olympics has been primed and groomed for stardom. He was well on his way winning his first eighteen fights and gaining stardom in England. Then he suffered his well-known setback being knocked out in one round by Breidis Prescott. The loss became a blessing in disguise as Khan came to America to be trained by Freddie Roach and often is found in camp with superstar Manny Pacquiao. Since the loss Khan has won eight straight, picked up two major title belts, and has hardly lost a round in the process. He blew away a faded Marco Antonio Barrera, dominated veteran Kotelnyk, and blasted Paulie Malignaggi in Paulie’s backyard at Madison Square Garden. Khan survived a replay of his chin issues when he defeated power puncher Marcos Maidana and followed that up by ripping apart Zab Judah in five one sided rounds. Peterson’s back story is well known. Along with his brother Anthony he was left without parents and homeless at a young age. Discovered by trainer Barry Hunter who took them in, taught them to box, and became a father figure, they became successful boxers. Peterson’s brother Anthony will be on the undercard Saturday night. Peterson got his first crack at the big stage and a title when he took on fellow undefeated 140lb young gun Tim Bradley two years ago. In a fight that was considered an even matchup Peterson was dropped early in and hurt in round three. He recovered from the knockdown and fought hard but could never get into the fight, suffering a wide unanimous decision loss taking his undefeated record. Peterson bounced back with a TKO over Damian Fuller setting him up with another big chance against Victor Ortiz on HBO. Ortiz was still rebounding from the crushing loss to Maidana and Peterson had a chance to separate himself in the loaded Jr. Welterweight division. But again Peterson tasted the canvas in round three, this time going down twice, and looked like he would suffer another loss against top competition. But Peterson battled back, slowly gaining control of the fight and was able to walk away with a draw. Peterson then knocked out Victor Cayo in the twelfth round earlier this year. Now the two different paths to this point will cross. The irony is usually the champ has the hometown advantage. Surely Khan could have forced a fight in England but he has bigger dreams in mind as he looks to become a star in the States and all over the world. So he has decided to cross the Atlantic and fight in America. He will venture into the challengers backyard to show he can beat anyone, anytime, and especially anyplace. Khan’s risk taking is Peterson’s opportunity. In boxing a loss and a draw in two premium cable opportunities can spell disaster for your career in the big money fights. Instead he hit jackpot getting an opportunity at one of the sports fastest rising stars. With a win, Peterson quickly vaults up the rankings at 140lbs and gains two of the four major belts in the division. And he gets to make his move at home. Albeit the crowd is sure to have plenty of Brits invading the US Capitol to support their man (surely still singing about the fact that there is only one Ricky Hatton) but Peterson should have the majority of the crowd on his side. Of course Khan did this once before taking on Malignaggi in New York City where the brash challenger was born and raised. But Paulie was past his best days at the time while Peterson is probably maturing into his prime. Peterson will bring speed and skills that could upset the champ. While most of Khan’s opponents face a significant height and reach disadvantage Peterson is only an inch shorter and has a surprising three inch reach advantage according to BoxRec. He does not have the one punch power to attack the champ’s chin but his athletic gifts, experience gained from tough fights with Bradley and Ortiz, along with hometown support can make him a live dog. Of course Khan has only gotten better with each fight as well. The lightning fast Brit has added much better defense since working with Roach to protect his chin. While not known as a one punch KO artist he hits with power and has become an expert at working behind his long jab to make opponents pay for any attempts at coming inside. One man is coming to conquer
America. He is brining speed, power, and skill with his belts. One
man is looking to stop him at the country’s front door. He will be
backed by a tough upbringing and the support of his home city. They
each stake their claim this Saturday in the nation’s capital. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Segura-Viloria: The best fight few will see
by Gary Purfield (12/07/11) This Saturday in Manila, Philippines two hardnosed tough fighters will square off in what should be an exciting action packed fight for however long it lasts. One fighter has a world title belt and the challenger is moving up a division after previously being the lineal title holder in his previous division. Both men even have interesting back stories that would play well in your typical TV feature piece before big fights to make the viewer’s care about the fighters. So obviously this fight is going to be televised on Showtime or HBO. Neither network had any interest. Well at least ESPN or another cable network would go after it. Not even a sniff from anyone. In fact the WBO Flyweight title bout between champion Brian Viloria 29-3 (16 KO) and challenger Giovani Segura 28-1-1 (24 KO) was just recently picked up by Integrated Sports PPV. While this at least provides the hardcore boxing heads in America a chance to see the fight they will have shell out $29.95 to watch the action. Considering boxing fans have shelled out for two $50 plus PPV cards recently, those on a budget may not have the option. Considering the elements of this fight one simple reason exists as to why this fight is being ignored. The participants are 112lb flyweights, otherwise known as little guys. This could end up being a fight of the year candidate. Segura’s berserker style two fisted attack is pure action. He is simply never been in a bad fight. Viloria is no stranger to mixing it up leading to what could be a dramatic bout. As stated above, both fighters bring good stories to go with their fighting style. Viloria who is Filipino but born and raised in Hawaii is known as the “Hawaiian Punch” and is known as a decent respected man outside the ring. He had an excellent amateur career defeating Nonito Donaire on the way to making the 2000 Olympic team in Sydney. As a pro Viloria is a two time title holder at light flyweight and reigning WBO flyweight title holder. He has junior flyweight title wins over Ulises Solis and Eric Ortiz, while most recently winning a flyweight title defeating Julio Cesar Miranda. All three losses were in title bouts came against respected opposition including Omar Nino Romero and Carlos Tamara. Viloria has fought in the Continental States, his native Hawaii, and the Philippines where he fights again this weekend. Segura is just simply likeable and great to watch. He comes off in interviews as an easy going fun loving guy appreciative of what he is getting to do for a living. He started boxing later than most in his teenage years but what he did not get in fundamentals he makes up for in sheer tenacity and power. El Guerrero Azteca (the Aztec Warrior) lives up to his nickname during his ring entrances garbed in Aztec gear and helmet and lives up to the lofty nickname in the ring by being a true warrior. He is simply must see TV that not enough people will get to see. Segura’s only loss was to Cesar Canchila by decision but he avenged that defeat several months later with a fourth round knockout to win his first world title. After several defenses he went on the road to Puerto Rico to take on longtime light flyweight division kingpin and undefeated boxing master Ivan Calderon in a unification match. Segura used his size, pressure, and tenacity to walk down his smaller more skilled foe to earn the biggest win of his career with an eighth round knockout. Segura then finished things faster in the rematch stopping Calderon in three. While the casual fans will always prefer the heavyweights, middleweights, and welterweights, the lower weight divisions often provide the best “fights” and bang for your buck. They throw tons of punches and most know they better be entertaining to attract a crowd. The fight should have a good live audience in Manila supporting Viloria which will not deter Segura one bit considering the Mexican American walked into Puerto Rico to dethrone Ivan Calderon last year. It is probably also being offered on TV in other nations where the smaller fighters are appreciated. But for whatever reason it is not appreciated enough in America. This is a shame because Segura especially has everything to become a fan favorite if he got the exposure. He fights hard, scores exciting knockouts, and has a likeable almost comical personality. Viloria for his right should be appreciated considering he fights for his country and represented the United States in the Olympics. But unfortunately Segura and Viloria will not get the exposure they deserve unless a whole lot of people suddenly find $29.95 they can part with. Notes
Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Cotto, Boricua Nation, the Garden, by Gary Purfield (12/03/11) Let’s get this out in the open before I start. This is not a coverage or news piece of Cotto-Margarito. This is more an editorial about my night at Madison Square Garden. I was a paying customer sitting in the seats to get the full experience of a Cotto fight and the Puerto Rico-Mexico rivalry from the stands. So with that disclaimer out of the way let’s get to it. I had been looking forward to this fight for months could not wait for the much anticipated rematch. I ventured up the Jersey turnpike with my barber/buddy Miguel in his fancy rental car to hit Jersey City where we made camp for the night at a cheap hotel. Miguel spent part of his childhood in Puerto Rico so the proud Boricua was just as psyched as I was to be heading to the Garden. After a few glasses of rum (it was a Puerto Rico night) we split the hotel and got on the Path train to NYC. The plan was to arrive by 6:15 to meet up with some buddies and Boxing Tribune readers that were also in the city for the fight. Unfortunately my dumbass in my excitement and beginning to be buzzed state realized three stops in on the train that I had left the tickets in the hotel room. One jump off the path, jump back on the other way, run to hotel for tix, run back to path, jump back on, an hour later in the same spot. Finally we reach 33rd St in New York at 7:20. Way past schedule and missed our buddies who had already headed to their destinations to watch the fight. Not one to miss out on some fun in New York before the fights we found a local sports bar, slammed down some cold ones before hitting the garden. Once getting inside it was obvious we had entered Puerto Rico north. Other than the fact that we had no beaches and cold weather, this may as well have been the island that has produced Felix Trinidad, Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfred Benitez, and so many more ring greats. Everywhere you looked you saw a different way to cover yourself in the colors of Puerto Rico. Flag capes, bandanas, Cotto Ecko gear, straw hats, and my favorite, a Puerto Rico colored slip on Mohawk. We took our seats as Mike Lee of Notre Dame fame was entering the ring to complete the untelevised undercard. Ironic because of all the 22,000 seats in the Garden we were seated on the aisle of the two rows that represented the Mike Lee fan section. Complete with Mike Lee shirts they were primed for their Fighting Irish fighter who made their night with his fourth round KO of Allen Medina. Unfortunately this would turn into a problem throughout the night as several of the Lee fans became far more interested with getting up and going to the concession stands every few minutes (literally) for more beers and bathroom breaks to flush the booze. Normally I am a patient patron but after about the twentieth trip they had to be told to stop walking in front of me during the fights and at least wait for a round to end. Nine o’clock rolled around and it was time for my secondary reason for the trip. My own city of Philadelphia’s Mike Jones entered the ring to take on Sebastian Lujan with a title opportunity on the line. The Mike Lee crowd was unaware of Mike Jones so Miguel and I did our best to give them the particulars. I explained Jones may have to make it a boxing match early but look for your drunken excitement and fireworks later when Lujan has been worn down. At one point during the fight I thought the crowd had grown restless with the “boxing” as boos began to rain down. Then I noticed the monitor was showing the villain for the night, one Antonio Margarito aka Margacheato entering the arena. The boos and screams were filled with anger and venom. I knew this was going to be fun. During the next round the reaction was 100% opposite as Cotto’s entrance was shown and the building exploded with PR flags a waiving. Jones did not disappoint putting on a boxing clinic and winning a clear unanimous decision (I had it nine rounds to three from my seat in section 119). Jones won but the careful performance against the awkward and dangerous Lujan did not quiet grab the Puerto Rican crowd the way I had hoped, but Jones has plenty of time and fights in the future for that. He won today and can look good tomorrow. On to Wolak-Rodriguez rematch. I assured everyone around me as I returned with my Tecate that this would provide guaranteed fireworks. No way these two won’t beat each other senseless and bring the crowd to life. But this is boxing and nothing is guaranteed. While it was a decent fight it did not produce the back and forth action of their FNF contest earlier this year with Rodriguez using his reach and skill to run away with the bout. A darn good bout but though. No sweat though, Brandon Rios is guaranteed action up next. Except Rios had done too much sweating in a futile effort the last four days trying to force his body to 135lbs when he probably should have moved up more than a year ago. Rios-Murray provided some good inside brawling action but again failed to capture the crowd until the later rounds when Murray’s face became a bloody mess. As the fight went on the crowd began getting into the action and the crowd atmosphere I had come to see began to emerge. But all in all it was clear this audience came for one thing and was only partly focused on the under card as they prepared for the main event. The loudest moments of the under card were when Cotto was shown on the jumbotron and chants of Cotto-Cotto broke out throughout the arena. Backing up, we had one crisis amongst the Mike Lee crowd during the Rios fight when one kid came from the concourse announcing the devastating news that they had cut off alcohol sales at 11pm. While I was not feeling the grieving loss over this matter the Lee fans felt I was regretting not getting up earlier to get one more Tecate. This was made worse when we noticed that those in the VIP ringside seats down low were being brought beer by staff, but when we asked the MSG waiters for the same treatment we got a flat denial that they don’t serve to our section. Side note, this is my first time at the Garden since the renovations and it was done very nicely. The place is really modern but still feels like the garden (although I am still upset about this early closing of the booze distribution). Now if you have gotten this far in the article you are waiting for the fun just like I was at this point in the night. Immediately following Bam Bam’s flattening of the Englishman the chants began. Cotto-Cotto, songs of Puerto Rico where I could only make out a few Spanish words that were sung and I got the feeling that something special was about to happen. A tribute to Joe Frazier highlighted by the fight of the century where Smoking Joe defeats Ali is shown with Joe’s son Marvin in the ring. The crowd gave a roaring ovation after the ten count which was great to see. While they are here for Cotto they are boxing fans and showed great love for Frazier and the respect the Philly warrior deserves. With a color guard ring it was National Anthem time beginning with Mexico. It was here the greatest boxing rivalry began to come out. Boos and jeers rained down as the poor singer belted out Mexico’s national anthem. Personally I am not one for booing any anthem but this crowd was heated and into the rivalry feeling no such thoughts of proper decency for the song that represents Mexico and at that moment Margarito. After a fun filled Puerto Rican anthem and the song of USA it was finally time for the entrances. By this point the crowd was rocking and ready to go. Everyone knew Margarito would go first and it was clear they wanted their shot to let him know how they felt. When the monitor began showing a highlight reel they let it fly. Then it was time to “open the door for the criminal” as Margarito referred to himself earlier in the week and he began his entrance. His smug smile and clear enjoyment at playing the villain role was apparent and simply fueled the crowd to rain down boos and other insults you can’t put on a respectable news site. Then the monitor began the Cotto highlight reel with the song Seven Nation Army from the White Stripes. Half the audience bounced up and down to the bass and drums awaiting the chance to spur on their Puerto Rican hero. Ironically this was the song that Cotto entered to in the first bout with Margarito. I started thinking, is this some psychological ploy by Cotto to relive that night in 2008 where he took a career changing beating and prepare himself to right what he felt was the ultimate wrong. When he began his entrance the crowd reached its biggest fever moment. Once inside the ring the two combatants could not have been more opposite. Margarito with his easy smile and Cotto looking like a cold determined man on a mission. The names were announced with the now common theme of anger towards Margarito and adulation for Cotto. And it was not just the Puerto Ricans. Other than the few Mexican fans in attendance everyone was clearly for the man in the white hat, Miguel Cotto, and letting their feelings be known. When the bell rang what struck me was the nervous energy within the crowd. While they roared every time Cotto landed head snapping combination there loomed a concern that Margarito would repeat the performance of three years ago and wear down the crowd favorite. Cotto took round one and took round two in a big way that had the crowd in a frenzy. But then Margarito came on pushing Cotto back giving everyone visions of 2008. That nervous energy crept in again and for moments the crowd went quiet. But Cotto would bring them back in as once again his hands did damage and his feet got him out of harm’s way. Round six was tighter with Margarito trying to use his pressure to turn the tide but Cotto was not having it this time. By round seven Margarito’s Pacquiao beaten eye was closing fast and Cotto was getting stronger. The visions of the first fight were crawling away. Whether Margarito had no power from too many ring wars, or a lack of plaster, he was not able to impose himself this time. Cotto had no trouble keeping up the hit and move pace using superior skills to control the bout. He took Margarito’s shots and targeted the eye with his famous left hook. The crowd, now sensing the win was inevitable was able to let loose and roar at every punch landed, waiting for the moment that Cotto’s hand would be raised for redemption and revenge. A quick note of analysis on the actual fight. In this writers opinion the biggest difference for Cotto was he hit and moved back to the center of the ring most of the night opposed to laying on the ropes. Sure the fact that he took his opponents shots better played a part, but he never allowed Margarito to pin him for prolonged periods of a round and this was the difference in the two fights. Margarito never stopped coming and he took Cotto’s shots with no issue other than the bad eye closing but Cotto’s crisp punching and improved ring movement controlled the night. Moving forward to that moment after round nine. As the bell for the tenth round sounded but referee Steve Smoger called for the doctor to look at Margarito’s eye the crowd sensed the end was about to occur. Cotto’s pre-fight prediction that he would take advantage of the eye the way Margarito took advantage of the plaster came to fruition. Even without sound it was clear on the jumbotron that Margarito was begging for the fight to go on but the doctor and ref had seen enough. The fight was ended giving Cotto his redemption and a TKO win. Which gave the crowd what they had come to see. Madison Square Garden erupted into a Boricua fan fest. Roars and cheers, chants of Cotto, screams of venom one more time at Margarito were heard all around us. I have been lucky enough to be present in Philly when the Eagles beat the Falcons to go to the Super Bowl and was in South Philly when the Phils won the World Series in 2008. The crowd excitement for Cotto was just as wild as those two nights. It is the kind of thing as a sports fan you hope to be present to witness. We sat to enjoy Cotto’s post-fight comments with my favorite being when he told Max Kellerman I’m still standing in reference to be asked if Margarito’s punches hurt less this time. We marveled at the spectacle of Cotto simply standing several feet from Margarito after the fight was halted, staring down the man he felt had assaulted him illegally, to say quietly in his way say he had exacted justice on this night. Then it was time to head out and let the party start. It did not take long. We hit the concourse to find a group of Puerto Ricans with drums and instruments playing and singing. Fortunately I had Miguel with me and his fully fluent Spanish talents. The drums beat as the singer sang: Hay Bendito, a Margarito le comieron el culita. I was told this translated roughly to poor baby, Margarito they ate your butt (they kicked your ass).
This song was picked up by everyone around. It continued non-stop down the stairs out of the garden and rolled onto 7th avenue outside of the garden. Outside on the streets of New York the party continued into the night. Proud Puerto Ricans and boxing fans of every nationality enjoyed the celebration. Songs from Puerto Rico and various chants were heard everywhere. You could jump ten feet and join a different group of singers. One group continuing the poor baby taunt of Margarito and others chanting in Spanish, I’m Boricua, just so you know. As I said above it reminded me of the great football and baseball moments I have experienced in Philly and why not. For Puerto Ricans, (and Mexicans who suffered that feeling of loss but they stayed proud waiving their flags in pride in NY afterwards as well) this was the biggest accomplishment in their biggest sport. So they soaked it in and reveled in the moment. Finally at 1:30am we headed to a sports bar for one last beer to talk about the night. When we walked past the Garden after 2am to catch the Path back to the hotel in Jersey they were still outside singing songs. We smiled and laughed but kept moving as exhaustion had finally gotten us and we wanted nothing more than a bed to crash.
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Mike Jones on his way to the Garden and a Title Shot
Story and Photo by Gary Purfield (11/30/11) In the PPV opener to the much anticipated Cotto-Margarito rematch, welterweight contender Mike Jones from Philadelphia will get the opportunity to move one step closer to the goal of winning a major title belt. Jones 25-0 (19 KO) will open the PPV broadcast taking on the rough and rugged Sebastian Lujan 38-5-2 (24 KO) of Argentina. The winner gets the automatic shot at Randall Bailey for the vacant IBF belt that was recently vacated by Andre Berto. Jones has had a steady progression since turning pro in 2005 being guided by hall of fame promoter Russell Peltz. Jones was trained by the late Joe Frazier as an amateur and since turning pro has been with Vaughn Jackson. Jones started his career with a string of twelve straight knockouts. Eleven of the twelve KO’s were inside of three rounds including five first round stoppages developing him a reputation as a feared puncher. In his fifteenth fight Jones won the NABA belt stopping Juliano Ramos, 15-1 at the time in the sixth round. Jones continued gaining learning experience, picking up regional belts, and developing as a boxer defeating increasingly better competition. He notched wins over Lenin Arroyo, Henry Brussels, and Irving Garcia. The fifth round KO of was the featured bout on ShoBox that evening. Then Jones got his biggest opportunity on November 13, 2010 on the Pacquiao-Margarito undercard at Cowboys Stadium in Texas. Jones entered at 22-0 taking on the veteran tough guy Jesus Soto-Karass in the final bout before the main event. Early in round two Jones landed a huge right hand that staggered Soto Karass. Jones pounced on his opponent looking to score the highlight reel KO on the big stage, unloading a flurry of punches for nearly two minutes, but to his dismay the hard headed Soto-Karass was not going away easily. By the end of the round Jones was spent, Soto-Karass was still standing, and the fight was taking a drastic turn. Jones would manage to survive for several rounds and to his credit toughed out the second half of the fight winning the majority of the rounds down the stretch to walk out with a majority decision. Then in an immediate rematch Jones showed his growth as a fighter by dominating Soto-Karass to a bloody beat down, taking home a twelve round unanimous decision that opened HBO’s Boxing after Dark. Jones scored a second round KO of overmatched Raul Munoz in a stay busy/come home fight at the Arena in Philadelphia in June of this year. Now he has the biggest stage, the biggest fight, and the biggest opportunity of his boxing career in front of him taking on Lujan in Madison Square Garden on a PPV card. A win catapults him directly to a title shot and gains him more exposure on the national stage towards future big money bouts. I caught up with Jones and trainer Vaughn Jackson for their last day of training at Joe Hand Gym before leaving for New York that night. Jones is on the quiet side and kept it simple when asked about fighting in the Garden and the opportunity to earn a title shot. “I’m excited. A lot of great fighters fought there before. That’s a big fight venue and it’s going to be packed. It’s Cotto-Margarito two, very excited.” “I’m very optimistic about my future. I feel the sky’s the limit. I feel with the hard work and effort I put forth each and every day I just can’t wait to get in there and show the people I’m one of the best in the world.” His opponent is hardly a simple stepping stone to a title shot. Lujan is on a twelve fight win streak. During that time he has knockouts of Walter Matthysse and Mark Melligen along with a decision over Jose Luis Castillo. Lujan is known for being a tough come forward fighter. What he lacks in great boxing technique he makes up for in rugged toughness and strength. Lujan is also known for having a solid chin but has been stopped twice, once by Antonio Margarito and once by Marco Avendano. Both losses were in 2005 and both Margarito and Avendano stopped Lujan with body shots. The 6ft 1in Jones will have a significant height advantage over Lujan who stands 5ft 6 in and plans to use his long frame and boxing skills to walk away the winner. Lujan will likely look to rush in on Jones to make this a close quartered brawl where he can negate Jones’s reach and use his strength. Jones is well aware of what he has to do and what he is facing in the Argentine brawler. “I need to keep it a boxing match but I also need to establish respect in there and stand my ground at the same time. Keep him turning, stand my ground, and be agile with my feet.” “That’s his strength (rushing forward), that’s what he does best, come at people. Throw a bunch of punches. I expect him to do what he knows how to do best.” I asked Jones if he would be content using his height and boxing ability to win the fight or if he felt pressure to make things exciting on the big stage. Essentially with an opponent like Lujan would it be best to win today and look good tomorrow which would set up his title shot. “I’m just happy getting the W, I’m going to go out there and try and get the W no matter what. That’s the only thing on my mind, getting the W. I do want to look good and everything but you got to understand it’s hard to continue box a guy twelve rounds that don’t want to box, just wants to slug. So it’s going to be a fight for a little bit and it’s going to be a boxing match for a little bit. It’s going to go back and forth.” While Jones is conservative with his answers, trainer Vaughn Jackson admits he is the one that will provide the exciting quotes. Jackson is very confident he has the special fighter in the match who will walk away with the title shot on the table Saturday night. “Well, you know I think Lujan is an exciting fighter to watch. He’s a ring bully and Mike Jones, we from Philadelphia and we used to all kind of adversity and nothing Lujan can bring that we never saw before. I think Mike Jones is going to be victorious. Lujan will slow up you know in the later rounds because we gonna go to his body. “Throughout my whole career I been hearing this is the toughest guy, this is the toughest guy, you know but my thoughts of it all, Lujan is another tough foreigner. He’s in our way and Mike’s going to do what he have to do so he can get ready and fight Randall Bailey for a world title.” One thing Jones is grateful for is the experience he gained fighting Soto-Karass on the Pacquiao-Margarito card and the lesson he learned that night. He is confident he will benefit from his past experience and won’t make the same mistake twice. “Oh yeah, most definitely. Especially the first one, you know if I catch him with a good shot keep my composure and stick to the game plan.” Jones expects crowd support from his hometown that is two hours from the Garden or a short train ride. Philly fans have supported Jones in large numbers attending his fights in the local region and Jones expects it to be no different fighting in New York. “Always, there’s always Philly fans, Philly fans stick together. Philly fans love other Philadelphia fighters. There’s always a mutual respect between Philly fans and Philly fighters.” Jackson took it another notch talking about the excitement Mike will bring to NYC referencing Mike’s new look and a former Philly fighter who took home the win in the fight of the century at Madison Square Garden. “It’s gonna be an exciting fight. We gonna bring a lot of fireworks to New York City, to the Garden. New York City, that’s our city, that’s our town. That’s not Lujan town, that’s our town, that’s our house. We bringing Aaron Pryor back, he got the Aaron Pryor look with the fro going on so we bringing that Aaron Pryor look back and then we gonna crash the house just like Joe Frazier did.” Jones has been a highly touted prospect then contender for several years now. He has patiently developed as a fighter to prepare himself for this point in his career. Now he will have the opportunity to prove himself in front of a raucous audience in the Mecca of boxing, Madison Square Garden. If he comes out on top bigger things lie ahead with a title opportunity and even bigger opportunities on the horizon such as cracks at top welterweights like Pacquiao, Mayweather, Ortiz, and Berto. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Cotto-Margarito Rematch to Answer the Questions by Gary Purfield (11/28/11)
July 26, 2008, Antonio Margarito had just applied a pressure filled attack over eleven rounds weathering a boxing clinic, to force Miguel Cotto into submission to obtain the big stage victory he had sought for years.
Jim Lampley: Antonio Margarito has the victory he has been waiting for all his life.
Max Kellerman: That, was a modern boxing classic.
Jim Lampley: An epic fight, with an epic conclusion.
Max Kellerman: Jim, you said it. It went from an exhibition of skill to an exhibition of will.
It should have ended with that. A great fight between two hungry rising stars continuing the Puerto Rico-Mexico rivalry. A momentum swinging boxer’s brawl that had a dramatic ending. For six months after the fight it stayed that way. Then everything changed when Shane Mosley’s trainer, Nazim Richardson noticed a strange pad within Margarito’s hand wraps. Richardson ordered the wraps be redone and the pad was confiscated by the California boxing commission. The rest is well known history. Margarito went on to be destroyed by Mosley and his knuckle pads went to a lab, where it was found that they had substances that make plaster of paris. But while the events of the night in California are known, a cloud of suspicion hangs over the Cotto-Margarito fight. What should have gone down as a classic fight is heavily tainted, as everyone speculates if Margarito had the illegal knuckle pads against Cotto and how much those pads played a role in his taking down the Puerto Rican star. The first go round between these two was the fight that more than any other inspired me to start using my love of writing in the field of the sweet science. I had so much to say afterwards, I began writing a blog on my gym website and have not looked back. Except I often look back to that fight with so many questions. I once considered it a great comeback from Margarito, to overcome the more talented boxer and prevail with pure heart and determination along with an iron chin. I wrote at the time that I was amazed by Margarito’s ability to take so much punishment and still move forward with heavy hands. I described him as the bad terminator in the second installment of the classic movies as he walked forward being shot by Cotto but healing instantly and hitting back harder. Now I question if it was heavy hands or plaster. I remember after the fight seeing Cotto’s absurdly bruised and bloodied face and feeling bad for him, which is something a boxing fan should not admit amongst the machismo fight crowd. But the punishment was beyond belief, even in this sport. Now I ask, what was the real cause of Cotto’s re-arranged facial features. Why did the Boriqua bomber, who was known for backing up all his opponents forcing them into submission, have the tables turned. Did he finally meet his match or was he illegally destroyed by illegal knuckle pads. My colleague at the Boxing Tribune this week will make the argument that Margarito is capable of taking Cotto down with or without loaded wraps with his non-stop pressure and iron chin. He very well might be right. Ignored in the first fight after the scandal was how Margarito took everything Cotto had, was not hurt or phased, and just kept coming. The counter argument though is if Cotto’s body was being hit with legal gloves and not plaster he may have had the energy and stamina to dominate the second half of the fight the way he dominated the first half, never succumbing to Margarito’s pressure. So now they will do it again. They will enter the ring for a rematch, for revenge, and to settle what has become a bitter grudge on both sides. Cotto has made it clear leading up to the fight he is convinced Margarito cheated him in the worst way that can be done in the sport of boxing. Margarito steadfastly denies doing anything illegal and believes he will be vindicated by beating Cotto again. I am not naïve enough to think that the rematch will answer the questions of the first fight. Both men have deteriorated to the point that it is possible we are not seeing anything that will answer the questions from the first bout. They are older and have each taken a beating from Pacquiao, and both took something out of each other that night in 2008 that they will probably never again be the same fighters they were on that night. But maybe, just maybe, something will occur within this rematch that could provide some clarity. Whether it is Cotto weathering Margarito’s blows with greater ease or Margarito walking through Cotto and getting a stoppage again, possibly the fight this Saturday will answer some questions. Of course maybe Margarito has lost zip on his punches or Cotto simply has had his chin worn to nothing, meaning whatever the outcome Saturday it answers nothing from the first bout. Notes
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Cotto vs. Margarito Meant to Happen & Meant to be in MSG by Gary Purfield (11/27/11) Lost in all the drama leading up to this fight (which between hand wraps, eye surgery, and getting a boxing license to name a few it has had enough drama to fill a soap opera) is the fact that this rematch, grudge match, revenge match, will take place exactly where it belongs. The proud Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto 36-2 (29 KO) and tough Mexican Antonio Margarito 38-7 (27 KO) will square off in New York’s famed Madison Garden in front of their ethnically charged boxing crazy fan bases to provide an electric atmosphere for the evening. I will start by admitting I have a bias in the topic. I will be venturing to the Garden with my barber who is a native of Puerto Rico to enjoy the night. We have two lower level tickets and have been geared for this night for months now. The thought of requesting a press credential to this one never occurred to me (and not just because I am probably not at the level right now to get one to this event). No, I was feeling the need to be within the confines of the fans for this one. For all the great perks of press row’s front row ringside seating, for this highly charged rematch I felt the need to be right in the thick of the crowd with my Boriqua pal and probably at least a few cold brews. And why not. This fight, in this arena, with this crowd, will have everything that is right with boxing. When it is so easy to focus on what’s wrong with boxing because the sport does that to itself, December 3 at the Garden will encompass what is great about this sport and why we keep watching no matter how big UFC gets and how much the mainstream media wants to declare that boxing is dead. First there is the fight itself. I will not bore you with details on why this matchup is so compelling. You are well aware of the controversy surrounding the first matchup and debate on Margarito’s now famous and infamous hand wraps (if not check my column from earlier this week on the first fight). This fight has to happen to settle questions about the nature and outcome of the first bout. It will not answer definitively what was in Tony’s gloves that night in 2008 but a convincing win for either man goes a long way in pushing the ever important perception and public opinion a long way. Not to mention putting hand wraps aside it was a great fight. It is a natural to do it again. Next you have the best rivalry in boxing with Puerto Rico vs. Mexico. I tell non-boxing fans all the time that PR vs. Mexico is boxing’s version or Yankees-Red Sox, Cowboys-Redskins, or Lakers-Celtics. Both sides have some of the greatest fighters of all time and the matchups in the rivalry have produced legendary fights throughout the history of the sport. Once again the two nations will square off with pride and bragging rights on the table. Nothing adds fuel to the rivalry fire like a crowd that has a hometown rooting interest. This fight will be like Yankees vs. Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Cotto represents the Yankees as he will clearly have home field advantage with the majority of the crowd being of Puerto Rican descent. The Boriqua faithful will be waving flags and making enough noise to make your ears ring for several days afterwards. But while New York is heavily Puerto Rican, the melting pot city of America has its share of Mexican faithful as well. No doubt they have bought up some tickets and will also proudly waive the colors and attempt to counter every Cotto chant with one of Mexico-Mexico. They will be like the Red Sox fans who bravely or stupidly (however you see it) enter Yankee Stadium with their Sox gear and Boston accents to invade the lion’s den in baseball’s greatest rivalry. The Mexican fans will know they are outnumbered but will not be intimidated to sit quietly. But make no mistake it will be home field Cotto, which he deserves. Considering the evidence against Margarito from the Mosley fight and drawing power of the quiet warrior, if ever one fighter has earned home field it is the Boriqua bomber in his quest for redemption. Everyone in the crowd will have a rooting interest and a voice to be heard. This ain’t Las Vegas baby with a crowd of celebrities and comped high rollers. This will be multi-national/ethnic pride and excitement from paying customers who will come early and cheer often. Reports show the garden is nearly sold out and sure to be at full capacity come fight night. Nothing brings a more fever pitched atmosphere to a sporting event than national pride in a competitive matchup. It made Ricky Hatton fights great as the English sang and beat the drums from opening to closing bell. It makes the Olympics the great event it is and why for better or worse soccer games throughout the world have more intensity than any other sport. Because when people’s backgrounds, ethnicity, their country, etc. are being represented, they feel the pride that goes along with belonging to these categories. Adding to the crowd fun will be the fans of several undercard fighters. Mike Jones fighting a title eliminator will bring plenty of Philly faithful up the Jersey turnpike to support their biggest contender for a title. John Murray will bring the English who add to any crowd, (adding more through the night as they drink at a pace I marvel at every time I see them at fights) who surely despite his retirement will continue to sing to us how there is only one Ricky Hatton. The Mexican fans will roar for the always entertaining Brandon Rios Throw in the fantastic undercard rematch between Wolak and Rodriguez, both have close residences and ties to NYC, and this is sure to be partisan fan fueled mayhem. This night is everything that boxing and sports in general give to the fans. Athletes on both sides that will be fighting for so much more than a W as it has become clear recently the deep animosity between Cotto and Margarito which should produce violent fireworks. It is hard to imagine this fight will not be highly action packed and entertaining for however long it lasts. Any of the three televised undercard fights could be at the very least an HBO BAD main event and have the potential to steal the show. Throw in the raucous crowd and atmosphere and this time, boxing actually got it all right. To top it all off it will be held in the Mecca of boxing. New York’s Madison Square Garden has played host to so many legendary fights including the fight of the Century, Ali-Frazier 1. In recent years the Garden has been little used but the great arena in the great city of New York will once again be the host of a legendary night, and a legendary fight. Notes
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Fight Results from AC: Wilson wins in dramatic fashion over Mussachio; Cruz makes statement KO of Adjaho
by Gary Purfield (11/19/11) Garrett Wilson retained his USBA Cruiserweight belt but did it the hard way. Down on the cards in a fight he could have won more comfortably being more active Wilson had to produce high drama to pull out the win. Headlining the Peltz Boxing card from Bally’s casino in Atlantic City Wilson and challenger Chuck Mussachio put on a back and forth fight for the packed ballroom crowd. Overall fans got their money’s worth tonight. Plenty of boxing cards disappoint but tonight in AC each fight brought excitement and/or drama to make it full card of boxing action. Both men in the main event came in with their own backstory motivating them to perform. Wilson started his boxing career taking on anyone and everyone to earn a payday despite limited experience. Over the last year he has blossomed as a fighter becoming more disciplined making himself into a contender by gaining the USBA belt and entering the rankings. Mussachio was battling personal tragedies and recently losing his job as a teacher due to budget cuts. Each man had reasons to want and need to win this fight. Wilson controlled the first round landing some hard body shots that had Mussachio wondering why he had moved up to cruiserweight. He admitted after the fight that he went to his corner after round one stating Wilson’s punches were hurting him. Garrett continued to be the aggressor in a close second round but Chuck seemed to start to remember his long reach and boxing skills enough to get into the fight. In round three the see saw battle began as Mussachio began establishing himself. He had weathered Wilson’s early onslaught and settled in to his typical hit and move style. Mussachio began to get comfortable and more confident landing his one-two and side stepping Garrett’s pressure in round four. Tide turned again in round five to Wilson’s pressure but Chuck took it back again in rounds six and seven. One more swing in round eight with Garrett landing some hard shots that stole the round. Mussachio dominated rounds nine through eleven. He employed his stick and move style while Garrett chased him around the ring but never able to cut it off. Wilson looked lost when Mussachio boxed. He went into long stretches throughout a round without throwing a punch. Going into round twelve the majority of press row had Mussachio well ahead with Wilson needing a knockout to win. To make matters worse for Garrett, Mussachio had taken Wilson’s best and never been badly hurt. Wilson knew he was behind, as the man known as the Ultimate Warrior came out on the offensive in the final round. What was somewhat surprising, Mussachio was willing to engage him opposed to being defensive with the lead. Then early in the round when it seemed Mussachio would cruise to victory, Wilson landed a wide looping right hand directly on the chin. Mussachio went flat down onto his back and appeared to be out cold. He began to roll up but then rolled over and back down signaling the end of the bout. Wilson went into a frenzy of excitement knowing that he had pulled out the come from behind knockout to retain his belt. Wilson knew he has down and had to do something dramatic to walk away with the win. “Got to, being the ultimate warrior. Got to go to the end of the battle. I’m not going to quit, no one will ever see me quit, ever. Even if I’m down to the last few seconds, I’m going hard to the last second.” “I felt I was blowing it. I was like man he’s out jabbing me. I’m making dumb mistakes. He’s a skilled fighter. I’m going all out; if I get knocked down I’m losing anyway. Just go out there and go all out.” “I know I needed the knockout. I tried to get it the first round but didn’t happen that way. I still got things to learn, I’m learning as I go.” Both men spoke highly of each other afterwards and proud of the fight they gave the fans. Mussachio 17-2-2 (5 KO) who seemed to have the fight in the bank was gracious in defeat and stated he did not regret coming out to fight in the final round. “That’s how boxing goes, I wanted to beat him, you have to beat the champ. I wanted to go out that last round and didn’t want to skate because I have gotten a couple of draws from skating around the last round. Especially in a title fight you don’t want to do that. I felt like I had to go out and win that twelfth round and so did he but he got the better end of it. No excuses, he landed that punch fair and square. I was totally healthy and he beat me.” Like his opponent Wilson 11-5-1 (5 KO) was complimentary of Mussachio after the fight. “Hell of a fighter man, I didn’t expect him to be so tough. I knew he was a good boxer; don’t get me wrong, I didn’t expect him to be so tough, to be able to take the shots. He’s a tough guy.” At the time of the stoppage one judge had it for Wilson 104-103 and two for Mussachio by scores of 104-103 and 107-102. The Boxing Tribune had Mussachio up 106-103. But the scores never came into play as Garrett took the fight out of the judge’s hands. Wilson now retains his USBA strap and looks to move up in the rankings with future bouts. He knows that he got a learning experience tonight against a slick boxer and has room to grow in future fights. “Like everybody thought he was gonna out-jab me, which he did. I knew I had it in me to pull out the knockout but you know at the same time he was tough as nails.” Cruz Makes his Statement Welterweight prospect Ronald Cruz made his statement stopping veteran Anges Adjaho but he got his learning experience along the way. Cruz’s team has wanted this fight to test the young fighter, and to show he could hurt Adjaho in a way other prospects including Shawn Porter and Joel Julio could not.
Adjaho came on strong in round four. He consistently had Cruz moving backwards landing punches regularly through the round. Cruz, who normally is the pressure fighter pushing his opponent back, was often being moved around the ring and into the ropes. Adjaho was picking up steam and gaining confidence as momentum swung his way. Cruz clearly came out on a mission in round five to establish control of the fight and make his move. From the opening bell of the round Cruz pushed forward working his jab with three and four punch combinations following. He quickly became the aggressor and swung the momentum back into his favor. Gaining momentum quickly Cruz made his mark landing an overhand right that sent Adjaho to the canvas. Adjaho got up complaining to the referee that he had slipped but it was no use. A punch landed so the right call was made. Either way the moment seemed to rattle Adjaho who was more focused on the call than getting back into the fight. Cruz moved to a southpaw stance as he had done off and on throughout the bout and went after his opponent to finish the job. He landed a big straight left that sent his opponent down again. This time it was a clear knockdown that sent Adjaho stumbling backwards and onto the canvas with his back on the ropes. Again Adjaho got up and again Cruz pressured him looking to finish the job. Cruz had his man in the corner and was firing away when referee Earl Morton stepped in to stop the bout. The end came at 2:54 of round five. Adjaho 25-7 (14 KO) protested the stoppage and he had reason to be upset. While he had been down twice and Cruz was on him, Adjaho did not seem seriously hurt and likely could have continued. Either way Cruz had jumped well ahead on points with the knockdowns and seemed on his way to closing out the fight. Cruz 15-0 (12 KO) got a valuable lesson in only his fifteenth pro fight taking on quality opposition. In his last few fights he took on tough brawlers but tonight he faced by far the best boxer and most experienced opponent of his young career. At times he seemed to have difficulty with the experienced boxer but was able to overcome some tough rounds. He took some good shots well, learned to come back in a fight that could have slipped away, and was able to take back momentum from a fighter that was gaining confidence. “He was getting that confidence in the fourth round. That’s why in the fifth round I became more aggressive.” Cruz gets the KO against a fighter who had only been stopped once before (by Antonio Demarco) and succeeds where several others have failed to knock down and stop Adjaho. “Oh yeah, I wasn’t looking for it but I got it.” When asked if this was a learning experience Cruz responded; “The best learning experience, definitely.” Undercard Wrap In a phone booth welterweight slugfest, DeCarlo Perez won a controversial unanimous decision over Manuel Guzman. The veteran tough guy Guzman chased Perez around the ring eating anything Perez had and kept on coming. Perez was faster and flashier but Guzman landed the harder shots. The judges rewarded Perez 6-1-1(2 KO) giving him the unanimous decision by scores of 58-55 twice and 57-56. The Boxing Tribune had it 58-55 for Guzman. Most of press row also gave the fight to Guzman 7-14-2 (3 KO) and the crowd’s reaction to the decision showed they believed he deserved the decision as well. Heavyweight prospect Bryant Jennings remained undefeated with a convincing first round TKO of Kevin Franklin. Jennings, out of Philadelphia landed a big right hand halfway through the round that sent Franklin to the ropes and onto the canvas. Jennings 11-0 (5 KO) jumped all over Franklin 3-4 (1 KO) once he got up and fired countless unanswered shots. Franklin’s corner fired in the towel and referee Randy Neumann obliged halting the bout at 1:51 of round one. Jenkins continues to improve with each bout adding more of an all-around exciting offensive skill set. Dontre King 6-9-2 (2 KO) took a unanimous decision over Julio Dejesus 5-3-1 (3 KO) in an entertaining scrap winning by scores of 39-37 on all three cards. Dejesus was the aggressor throughout but King landed the cleaner punches. The four round bout was fought in the Jr. Welterweight division. Naim Nelson 3-0 of Philadelphia took a unanimous decision over Deroy Beaton 1-3 of Toms River, NJ in the opening bout. Nelson won by scores of 39-37 on all three cards in the Jr. Welterweight bout. Nelson started slow but got moving in round two to take control. In the walkout fight Antowyan Aikens 3-0 (1 KO) won a unanimous decision over Charles Kirby 1-5 by scores of 40-36 on all three cards in a super middleweight bout. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Garrett Wilson Wants All Cruisers
Story and Photos by Gary Purfield (11/18/11) This Saturday from Bally’s in Atlantic City Peltz Boxing features Garrett Wilson 10-5-1 (4 KO) vs. Chuck Mussachio 17-1-2 (5 KO) in a showdown for the USBA Cruiserweight belt. One look at the records and anyone would think that Wilson is being brought in to be an opponent for Mussachio. A closer inspection of who each man has fought shows a different story. Wilson’s five losses have come against three undefeated fighters, one with a single loss, and a loss to Omar Sheika who has challenged for world titles. Mussachio has not faced a lineup of easy prey but the level of competition has not been as intense as Wilson. Garrett Wilson has come up through the pro boxing ranks far different than most fighters who find themselves in a place to fight for a regional title such as the USBA belt he currently owns. Instead of starting off easy Wilson was eager to get in with better talent to test his skills and to collect a better paycheck. The result of his team’s fight choices produced a fighter who went into a fight with former title challenger Omar Sheika with a record of 7-3. Wilson started well against Sheika but his lack of experience came out when he punched himself out early. The experienced pro Sheika, took advantage and knocked Wilson out in the fourth round. Following another loss after the Sheika fight Wilson took on a new trainer in Rodney Rice and a new perspective. It was no longer about getting a paycheck but preparing himself for bigger goals in boxing. Wilson commented on his change in perspective. “In lines of my way of thinking. Before willing to go in there with anybody who’s got a pretty good name, make a couple dollars. My mind state has changed from making a couple of dollars to winning all four world titles. That’s the main thing that changed is my mindset about the fight game.” The result has been a far more prepared and experienced fighter. The work paid off as Wilson avenged his loss to Sheika dominating the fight at Bally’s last April and scoring the USBA belt around his waist. Wilson knows that his choice of opponents early on hurt his record but also believes it greatly improved his skills and made him a more experienced dangerous fighter. Now Wilson relishes the opportunity to get in with high level opponents and hopes they take him for granted based on his record. “I love getting in with guys with good records. It’s kind of an ego boost for me to beat a guy that is supposed to beat me. Before I used to jump ahead of myself but because of that there are not too many guys as advanced as I am. Most of the guys I see out there that’s undefeated or have an excellent record are fighting bums.” “Actually, to be honest with you, because of my record is the reason I got a lot of the guys recently taking fights. Not realizing the threat I actually am. Hopefully they will continue to not see me as a threat and continue to take fights with me.”
Wilson further sports one of the most confident attitudes you will find. In addition to the confidence he sports a polite and fun loving nature that he is thrilled to be a boxer. Wilson is often spotted at the local fight cards proudly walking around with his USBA belt around his waist as an accessory to a nice suit. Even inside of Shuler’s gym where they are known for having the best sparring and top fighters including Steve Cunningham, Hank Lundy, Yusaf Mack, and plenty others Wilson exuded confidence that he will handle business Saturday night and move on to bigger opportunities. But first he has to deal with the tall and rangy Mussachio who will have a sizeable height advantage which he uses behind a long jab and boxing skills. Wilson hardly seemed concerned about his opponent’s nice record or his size advantages. “Feeling great, feel excellent, always ready to go into another war. Chuck is 17-1, I love going in there with an excellent record. I like to prove myself.” “I hear a lot of talk about the fight because of how he fights, how I fight, and how I used to fight. He’s just another guy to me. Don’t get me wrong, he’s an excellent fighter, you can tell that by his record but he’s just another guy to me.” To compensate for his opponents height and skill Wilson will likely be the aggressor and push his way inside where his physical strength can control the fight. “Body punching, I am gonna try and live in his body. Like a tape worm. The way I see it going is I see me winning by decision or knockout. I don’t call the fights, just go out there and handle business.” Trainer Rodney Rice added what he was willing to share in reference to the game plan.
Keep his hands moving, got to keep our hands moving. We’re not gonna stand there and take shots. We’re not gonna let Chucky off the hook. Chucky makes a mistake, bye Chuck or Chucky gonna get hurt, one or the other.” Wilson should be extremely prepared for his headlining fight this weekend considering he has gotten the best sparring a fighter can get. While he trains at the Marion Anderson gym in Philly he hits Shuler’s for the top notch sparring. Shuler’s has a reputation for having sparring sessions more intense than actual fights. Garrett talked about his sparring mates and the intensity of the training. “Charles Hayward, Prince Badi, Yusaf Mack, Dhafir Smith, Derrick Webster, great big list of guys. Doing pretty good, these guys are upper echelon fighters so I’m getting all the good experience. Learning the technique I need to win the fight. From time to time it does, it gets intense with the caliber of fighter these guys are but I will have plenty left for the fight.” And if he does come out on top Wilson is not shy about what he wants in the near future. “To get all four of the world titles. That’s my goal. Depending on how tough this fight is I might to try to move right on to a world title shot or whoever is gonna get me closest to a world title shot. I want to try and get all four of them as soon as possible.” “Guillermo (Jones), Huck, Krzystof (Wlodarczyk), Steve (Cunningham) is a friend of mine so I don’t really want to go in the ring with him. Good friend of mine so I don’t really want to go in the ring with Steve. All the other guys are free game.” If Wilson can’t get a title shot immediately he has a particular fighter in mind he wants to target. “I would love, absolutely love to get in the ring with Lateef Kayode. He is still undefeated right; I believe he is 18-0 or something like that. I would love to get in the ring with Lateef Kayode. That by far would be an excellent fight for me to take. Like I said I like to fight guys that have the potential to see where I’m at.”
So this Saturday Wilson will get his chance to showcase his skills against yet another fighter with a far more glamorous record than his own. Again he will have to be at his best because his choice of opponents does not allow for an off night if he wants to get another tally in the win column. Again he will have to be at his best to show that he is capable of achieving the high expectations he holds for his boxing career. Fortunately for Wilson his trainer has all the confidence in his fighter that he can be at the top of the sport and understands what it will take to achieve a world title. “I don’t think there is anyone in the cruiserweight division that can beat Garrett, I really don’t. Only one that can beat Garrett in the cruiserweight division is Garrett. Garrett is multi-talented. The reason he is here is because people slept on him. They didn’t see him coming but now they do. He has to tighten up what he does, he has to sharpen his punches, he has to the hard work that comes with being a champion. Champions aren’t made in the gym learning how to fight. Champions are made outside the gym sleeping, eating, doing that extra mile, the things the average fighter doesn’t do. But Garrett at top, 100%, meeting all his abilities and potentials, I don’t think there is anybody in the division that can stop him.” Notes
“Joe Frazier by far is one the most underrated fighters in the world. Joe Frazier is incorporated into my fighting style. I love watching tapes of Joe Frazier.” Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Ronald Cruz: Impressive In and Out of the Ring Story and Photos by Gary Purfield (11/15/11) If you follow my work, you know that when I am not pumping out traffic garnering articles about the big fights, i.e. Pacquiao vs. Marquez, one of my favorite writing activities is covering the up and comers and getting into the boxing gym to get a look at the fighters of tomorrow. So with that in mind, and a little bit of free time in between pumping out trilogy articles last week, I hit up two gyms for visits and interviews (the second visit article to come later in week). Last Tuesday I hit up Fighter’s Quarters run by Esli Gonzalez in Allentown PA for what is becoming a tradition when Ronald Cruz fights. The young hard hitting Puerto Rican welterweight was in camp preparing for his co-headlining fight vs. Anges Adjaho this Saturday at Bally’s Casino in Atlantic City. The card is headlined by USBA Cruiserweight champ Garrett Wilson taking on Chuck Mussachio. Cruz takes on the rugged battle tested Adjaho in the eight round co-feature. Cruz goes about his rigorous training in a mechanical fashion with little talking and little emotion. Rounds with the mitts and bags often are not timed but just go for five to ten minutes with no stopping. The hard work has developed Cruz into an effective pressure fighter with incredible stamina. His style has built a good following of fans that show their support attending his fights in numbers. Cruz does not disappoint the fans in the ring as he looks to break his opponents down with heavy handed body shots in search of the knockout. And scoring knockouts has become a regular occurrence with his trademark body attack. The undefeated fighter has won all fourteen times he has stepped into the ring with eleven by way of knockout against increasingly better opposition. He has stopped his last seven opponents including skilled boxer Jeremy Bryan (who was favored to defeat Cruz) and rugged veterans Manuel Guzman, Doel Carrasquillo, and Christopher Fernandez. All three fighters just mentioned were broken down by a concentrated attack to the body that gets better with each fight.
Prior to last camp Esli Gonzalez was added to the team to further Cruz’s physical conditioning. The intense MMA, strength, and speed conditioning in combination with Cruz’s intense work ethic and stamina have made him that more dangerous inside the ropes. On Saturday, Cruz gets his biggest challenge by far as a pro. He takes on experienced pro Anges Adjaho 25-6 (14 KO) who has only been stopped once, by Demarco, and went the distance with Porter, Julio, Brad Solomon, and Miguel Acosta. Cruz and his team wanted Adjaho in the last fight but had to accept Fernandez as a late replacement when Adjaho injured his shoulder. The team believes they can make a statement and announce themselves to the welterweight division by doing what other prospects have failed to do, hurting and possibly stopping Adjaho. “Looking forward to making a statement with him. I know people must know him around the world already for fighting Joel Julio, Shawn Porter, and Antonio Demarco. He was doing pretty well with Demarco and Shawn Porter or Joel Julio weren’t able to stun him, hurt him at all. So I’m looking forward to making a point and letting it be known that I’m a strong fighter that is able to hurt Anges Adjaho.” “Whether I stop him or not I’m going out there to prove a point. I’m going out there to control the whole fight.” Cruz got top sparring in the previous few weeks going rounds with Philly’s most well-known welterweight prospect, Mike Jones 25-0 (19 KO), who takes on Sebastian Lujan on the Cotto-Margarito undercard on December 3. The pair were a good fit in that Cruz is similar to Lujan being rugged and shorter than Jones. Adjaho is taller and rangy like Jones although not nearly as tall or skilled as Jones. Each man provided a good test for the other to prepare for their upcoming fights. Reports indicated that Cruz did well and held his own against Jones who is considered one of the top contenders at 147 and will earn himself a shot at the vacated IBF belt against Randall Bailey if he defeats Lujan. Cruz himself was pleased with the sparring and lessons learned from competing against a top contender. “Great man, me and Mike we work really hard when we spar. We’re both hungry fighters trying to get the best out of the work. That ends up being world class work right there. Mike Jones is a tremendous athlete and myself, I’m trying get better, trying to get up there to the rankings. It ends up being one of the best sparring I’ve ever had.” While Cruz faces his toughest test in the ring this Saturday, he has faced his toughest battles in his personal life. I showed up late for my visit and Cruz was out doing roadwork, so I sat and talked with trainer Lemuel Rodriguez and assistant Anthony “Mostro” Colon. Rodriguez and Colon talked about how happy they are with Cruz’s development in the ring but had just as much pride talking about his life outside the ring.
His stepdaughter developed a benign tumor above her ear that required multiple surgeries to remove. His stepson’s illness had doctors suggesting that he would never be able to walk. Colon told me that Cruz looked at the doctor stating that the boy will run. Colon flashed a proud smile as he told this writer that now Cruz’s stepson went even further, as he can often be found shadowboxing imitating his father’s movements.
“Like any other guy, everybody has their struggles. They got to work, train hard, or do whatever they got to do survive. I’m a humble guy from a humble family and I love my family. I love providing for them and having the best for them.” “Seeing her (stepdaughter) go through those struggles like that, seeing her get multiple surgeries and still live life happily like it’s nothing. Makes me feel stronger mentally. A little innocent child can go through this training for me must be nothing.”
“I get hungrier every day. The closer I get to being more known out there and the closer I get to getting more shots at titles, the hungrier I get. The more intense I train and I try to get better every day. I feel like I’ve been progressing a lot in my style and my training.” “Get ready for a good exciting fight once again. I like to provide people with an emotional fight. I feel like boxing needs more warriors. I’m here to show that I’m a warrior that is willing to give it all in the ring.” Notes
Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Top Rank and Tim Bradley Thinking Big by Gary Purfield (11/08/11)
On Saturday before Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez resume their battle Tim Bradley will try to put a good ending on a difficult year. The past year has hardly been the highlight of Tim Bradley’s career. The young and talented Jr. Welterweight title holder has been more involved in business than boxing in a year that saw him make several big changes to his inner circle. Bradley began the year defeating Devon Alexander on January 29 by technical decision after a clash of heads in the tenth round. What was supposed to be a major fight between two young, talented, undefeated Americans turned into a dud of a fight with an unsatisfying ending. Alexander was given the majority of the blame for not engaging, but Bradley deservedly was criticized as well, especially for his head first style that caused multiple cuts on head butts. Following the Alexander fight, the saving grace of a disappointing fight was supposed to be that Bradley and fellow 140lb top dog Amir Khan would get it on for supremacy in the division. Bradley was even offered a 50/50 split of all revenue including the UK money Khan generates. But then rumblings began that Bradley would pass and was far more interested in a fight with his promoter Gary Shaw than Amir Khan. Bradley 27-0 (11 KO) felt that he was not being promoted properly and not being made into a star. So he passed on the fight with Khan drawing heavy criticism from writers and fans that he was ducking the British titleholder. Bradley expressed he was not fazed by the critique and knew, along with manager Cameron Dunkin, he was doing what was needed to move his career forward. “Cameron, myself, and my wife, we all sit down and talk a lot. We thought about what direction we want to take our career in. We saw that the other direction we were going in was not the right direction so we had to make some changes. Cameron has been in the game for twenty five years and last time we checked, criticism doesn’t pay the bills. So everyone can criticize and say whatever they want, it doesn’t pay the bills at all. Cameron believes that I’m a great champion, he believes I can compete with the best fighters in the world. I believe in him and that’s how we got through this, through all these hard times these last couple of months. I had to believe in Cameron, believe in my abilities, and believe in myself.” Dunkin had similar thoughts expressing that they did what was necessary to move Bradley’s career in the right direction. “I knew I was doing the right thing. I have been doing this for twenty some years now. I knew Top Rank is the best promoter in the world and knew what they could do for Tim and his family. I took a lot of bashing but knew in the end it would come out great and it certainly has.” Not that it was always easy to stay out of the ring and take the comments, especially pertaining to Khan, but Bradley felt the Khan fight was unnecessary at the time and believed he had to make the move to a new promotional company. “A part of me wanted to get in the ring and do what I wanted to do. But I had a plan. It really didn’t matter if I were to fight Amir Khan or not. If I were to fight Amir Khan and beat him I don’t think it would have done anything for my career. I didn’t feel like I was with the right promotional company. I didn’t feel like they pushed me to make me a big superstar and actually brought me out and showed the boxing world and not only the boxing world but the crossover masses. The housewife who loves boxing, I never got that kind of exposure. I think with Top Rank they bring that. If I was to fight Amir Khan with Top Rank I think it would be huge. You got the top promotional company advertising the fight. Doing what they are supposed to do, spending the money to advertise the fight, to make money, and make their fighters a superstar. We made the right choice.” So now Bradley has what he desired. He is with one of boxing promotional giant Top Rank headed by long time promoter Bob Arum. He has the backing of a company he believes can grow his fan base and put him on the big stage. He starts this Saturday as the top undercard spot against Joel Casamayor on the Pacquiao vs. Marquez PPV. “I’m just excited and actually honored to fight on a Manny Pacquiao card. I have never fought on a major attraction like this in my whole career. I’m ready to shine. I am hoping to show the world who Timothy Bradley is. I’ve been working hard for the last seven weeks. I’m ready to go. I could fight tomorrow. I’m excited, fully amped up for this, definitely going to put on a show on the twelfth.” Arum is also excited to have Bradley in his vast stable of fighters. He believes the California native has what it takes to be a huge star in the sport. “This starts what I am sure will be a memorable association between Top Rank, Tim, and Cameron (Dunkin). We look forward to November 12. It surely will be a mega audience. We’ve been sold out for about six weeks. Complete sellout. I have taken in close to 12 million dollars at the box office. The sales we are doing on close circuit in Las Vegas are sales that anybody would be happy about concerning attendance at a live event. We are looking forward to a tremendous week and a great weekend in Las Vegas. Tim Bradley fighting the semi-windup on the event against Joel Casamayor really enhances this card. I believe that people not only in the United States but the hundreds of millions all over the world that will be watching this event will have an opportunity perhaps for the first time to see Tim and how good he is which is one of the main reasons we put him on this card.” Bradley’s opponent Saturday, Joel Casamayor 38-5-1 (22 KO) is well past his prime but what matters for the Desert Storm is that he is in the chief supporting bout on this weekend’s PPV event. The fight is likely a serious mismatch where Bradley should dominate and look good doing it to get back into the minds of fans. “It’s very important for me to put on a great show. It’s an honor just to be on the show. I wasn’t happy with the performance with Devon Alexander. I couldn’t make that guy fight and sometimes that happens. It depends, basically on how Casamayor comes out, if he wants to fight then we definitely gonna fight. “That’s always a thought on my mind that I have to put on a performance because of this opportunity. I can’t let myself buy into the hype. I have to fight my fight, that’s what it boils down to; I have to fight my fight. I’m gonna look good in there, I’m gonna look great in there. But I’m not going to go out and try and look great. I’m gonna put on a show but I’m not gonna try. I don’t know if you understand what I’m saying but I can’t be something that I’m not and go for a knockout and end up getting myself caught and knocked out. I’m gonna fight my game plan, fight my fight, and I’m gonna look spectacular.” Casamayor at this stage of his career should be cannon fodder to get Bradley exposure and lead him into bigger bouts. The minute Bradley signed with Top Rank speculation began that he would be a future opponent for Manny Pacquiao. Top Rank’s Bob Arum stated no conversations have been had with Manny about an opponent past this weekend and stated no promises were made to Bradley about a Pacquiao fight. Still, Bradley covets getting a crack at the big stars in the sport. “I’m willing to fight the best fighters in the world. I really don’t have a whole list of opponents. Everybody already knows I want to fight the P4P best, either Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather. Those are the two cream of the crop, those are the two I want to be in the ring with. Will I get my chance, maybe, maybe not. I’m just looking to fight the best fighters in the world. I really don’t have any particular names or a list. I have a real true promotional team now that is going to take me to the next level.” Time will tell if Bradley made an intelligent decision by sitting out for months, passing on the Khan fight to get out of his contract with Gary Shaw, and sign with Top Rank. He strongly believes that his career will move upward in a hurry with new promotional guidance but will probably always be seen as ducking Khan by many in the media and fans. First he has to go out and handle business against Casamayor and look good doing it which can be difficult against the crafty Cuban who often makes opponents look less than spectacular. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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A Look Back: by Gary Purfield (11/07/11)
This Saturday Manny Pacquiao 53-3-2 (38 KO) and Juan Manuel Marquez 53-5-1 (39 KO) will square off for the third time to finish their bitter rivalry. The first two fights are highly entertaining and highly controversial. Their styles mesh to perfection. Pacquiao’s hard charging aggression vs. Marquez’s technical boxing and counter punching abilities. During each of the first two fights they traded incredible power shots being kept alive only by great chins and a desire to be victorious. The first ended in a draw and the second was awarded to Pacquiao by narrow split decision. Each fight has nearly four years in between. They first met at featherweight in 2004, again at junior lightweight in 2008, and now will meet at welterweight (catch weight of 144lbs) in late 2011. Both proud men want to settle the score once and for all and show who is the better man in this rivalry. Before the fight Saturday night we take a look back at the first two bouts. In the first installment we looked at the first bout and will now check out the second fight in 2008 at junior lightweight. I will be on the email all week checking for comments from readers where I am sure there will be plenty to argue about in my opinions below. Or feel free to light up the comments below or the Boxing Tribune’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/theboxing.tribune. Nothing like some barbershop arguing before a big fight. Now lets’ get into the rematch. While the crowd was at a fever pitch for the (mostly for Marquez chanting his last name and Mexico-Mexico) the fighters were more cautious in this second meeting. Round one was far more tactical than anything in the first bout with only one good power punch (a big right) landed from Marquez with Manny landing a few grazing shots. Feeling that any round should be earned in this difficult rematch I score round one even (I should note all three judges and Harold Lederman of HBO gave it to Pacquiao). Round two is very difficult to score in that Manny seemed to control the round but Marquez landed some very clean left hooks punctuated at the end of the round with a big left hook in the closing seconds that staggered Manny. I give it Marquez on landing the only shot that was eye catching to steal at the end. Round three signaled time to dispense with the pleasantries and fight. Marquez landed another big right early. At this point it was clear that Marquez is the more disciplined, tactical, controlled and balanced fighter. But just when it appeared Juan Manuel would use these abilities to control the fight, the power of Pacquiao came out. Following two head clashes where neither man would touch gloves even though referee Kenny Bayless instructed them to do so they began letting their hands go to firing away. Pacquiao attacked and Marquez countered. Then with less than thirty seconds to go Marquez made a rush inside and a perfectly timed Pacquiao straight left landed on Marquez’s chin sending him to the canvas. Pacquiao takes the round and as everyone knows this knockdown became the deciding factor on the judges’ cards when all was said and done. Marquez was clearly dazed as he walked towards the wrong corner at the end of the round. Round four Pacquiao controlled the ring and forced his fight. He moved forward and got the better of the action despite a few decent counter shots from Marquez. Round five was close. Marquez took the round in that he controlled the tempo making it his fight and landed several significant straight rights and left hooks. Round six Marquez established his boxing and counter punching. It seemed no matter how fast Manny fired, Juan Manuel avoided being hit and landed the appropriate counter shot. For two minutes round seven was slow. Then an accidental clash of heads produced a cut on Marquez. The blood fired up both fighters as they traded shots in the final minute producing exciting action. While that last minute was fought at Pac-man pace, Marquez takes the round. He landed the cleaner punches in that last minute and was in position to control the action as Pacquiao got over excited diving in leaving himself open for the boxers counters. Round eight was probably the best round Marquez had in the two fights. He moved forward fighting Manny’ fight and dominated the action. He landed every key punch he throws (jab, straight right, left hook, and uppercuts from both hands) to batter his opponent. In addition he opened a good cut under Manny’s right eye to seal the round. In an intense round nine both men landed hard shots (what else is new at this point) but Manny did more and takes the round. Just when Marquez seemed to be gaining momentum Pacquiao comes back. Fireworks coming in round ten. Manny lands a huge left early in the round that fully staggers Marquez returning things to a back and forth brawl. They traded away igniting the crowd for the first half of the round. At this point both men are bleeding from their right eyes and things are very heated. The second half of the round understandably slows and Manny walks away banking the round on his early success. So we enter the championship rounds. Both men have had ups and downs. Both have forced the fight into their styles. Momentum has swung several times. Pacquiao is cut and his right eye is closing. Marquez is bleeding heavily from several spots including a thick cut over the right eye. Yet both men show no signs of quit and are ready to battle it out in the closing rounds. To start round eleven Larry Merchant stated, “Blood is drama, we have blood, we have drama.” Well said. Round eleven was very tactical and tough to score. It was as if they both knew they needed the calm before the storm of the final round. I saw Marquez land several clean counter shots to take the round, but like many rounds in the two fights, it could go either way. Round twelve Marquez took. In back and forth exchanges the tactical Mexican got the better of the action landing several hard straight rights and right uppercuts. Manny kept coming forward to press the action and thrill the fans but Juan Manuel’s tactical brilliance took the round. Jim Lampley closed the show stating, “One more right hand from Marquez, one more combination from Pacquiao, they trade shots down the stretch.” At the bell both men raised their hands feeling victorious. I scored it 115-113 for Marquez. The judges awarded Pacquiao the narrow split decision victory by scores of 115-112 Marquez, 115-112 Pacquiao, and 114-113 Pacquiao. It could not have been any closer. It could not have been any better. I have Marquez winning both fights by the slimmest of margins. I fall into the camp that feels Juan Manuel deserved at least one victory in the two classics. As I look to the third fight on Saturday I find it hard not to be excited for another great bout. Maybe because I have sat and re-watched the first two fights for the umpteenth time I am prejudice, but to me these two were made for each other. Marquez’s brilliant tactical skills vs. Pacquiao’s amazing power and athleticism should make for a great fight every time. I can’t decide if I want to see a definitive winner by knockout or another controversial decision. The KO would give a satisfying ending to the trilogy, but another close decision would add to the boxing lore and barbershop argument that could go on for ages.
Gary’s Card
Notes
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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A Look Back: by Gary Purfield (11/07/11)
This Saturday Manny Pacquiao 53-3-2 (38 KO) and Juan Manuel Marquez 53-5-1 (39 KO) will square off for the third time to finish their bitter rivalry. The first two fights are highly entertaining and highly controversial. Their styles mesh to perfection. Pacquiao’s hard charging aggression vs. Marquez’s technical boxing and counter punching abilities. During each of the first two fights they traded incredible power shots being kept alive only by great chins and a desire to be victorious. The first ended in a draw and the second was awarded to Pacquiao by narrow split decision. Each fight has nearly four years in between. They first met at featherweight in 2004, again at junior lightweight in 2008, and now will meet at welterweight (catch weight of 144lbs) in late 2011. Both proud men want to settle the score once and for all and show who is the better man in this rivalry. Before the fight Saturday night we take a look back at the first two bouts. In this first installment I will score and review the first fight and then analyze the second go round in the next article. Both fights are currently available on HBO on Demand. I will be on the email all week checking for comments from readers where I am sure there will be plenty to argue about in my opinions below. Or feel free to light up the comments or the Boxing Tribune’s FaceBook page http://www.facebook.com/theboxing.tribune. Nothing like some barbershop arguing before a big fight. Now lets’ get into the first fight. Round one is still a thing of legend for what happened to Marquez and what he did afterwards. Marquez came into the fight thinking he would cruise through Manny with superior boxing skills, having no real idea of the tremendous speed and power he was about to encounter. Marquez landed some good rights but Manny, using a back and forth body movement and exploding forward at unpredictable moments, blasted Marquez midway through the round with a straight left sending him to his ass. Pacquiao would drop Juan Manuel two more times, land a host of straight left bombs, and break the Mexican warriors nose. Some thought the fight could have been stopped and it looked like the end would come sooner rather than later for Juan Manuel. But Marquez would build a legend on this night in terms of heart, as he not only survived but quickly got right into the fight. Larry Merchant of HBO said it best stating in round two, “Marquez is making the stand of his life because this is the fight of his life.” Marquez lost round two on my card but was certainly already back in the fight and setting the groundwork for the damage he would do in the upcoming rounds. In rounds three and four the action slowed considerably to Marquez’s advantage. He began being able to time the Filipino’s onslaught, dodge the straight left, and counter with his straight right and left uppercut. Marquez had announced he not going away and he was still in it to win. He would rock Pacquiao several times but Manny to his credit stayed on his feet and would often fire right back. Round five started slow but with a little over a minute left exploded into action. Marquez landed a huge right that snapped Manny’s head back. Pacquiao then fought back to land another big left of his own. They fired away the rest of the round with Marquez getting the better of the action. He showed he could trade with Manny and be successful. In addition Marquez opened a cut over Manny’s right eye. Now both fighters were bleeding and had their moments of control. In round six Marquez landed his biggest punch of the fight in the form of a looping right hand that threw Manny backwards and seemed to temporarily stun him. Marquez continued to get the better of the action the rest of the round. Marquez’s timing of the right hand and left hook to the body gave him the advantage in the round according to this writer. At the halfway point not only was Marquez still standing, but on this writers scorecard had almost caught up in points despite the disastrous first round (I had it 56-55 Pacquiao at this point but round two is a very debatable round that I have to Manny). Round seven was very close and could be scored either way if not even. They even traded stunners in the closing seconds as if to say to anyone scoring try and figure who to give this one to. I gave it to Marquez feeling he did just a little more and controlled the ring. I found round eight to be just as close (again could go either way or even) and went with Marquez again for the same reasons as the previous round. Again they started slow in round nine but Pacquiao stole the round in the final thirty seconds with a flurry of left hands down the stretch. Round ten saw Pacquiao re-invigorated. He won the round charging forward with left hands (although it was far closer than the HBO commentator made it appear). Manny for the first time since round one seemed to be taking back the momentum. He charged forward with jab-jab-left as instructed by trainer Freddie Roach. For the first time since early in the fight Pacquiao had Marquez moving backward in a defensive mode. Entering the championship rounds it was anyone’s fight on any card. This writer had Manny up 94-93 after his 10th round charge. Both men were bleeding in several areas and surviving on heart with the energy tank emptied from ten bruising rounds. Round eleven each man was tired and settled for landing one punch at a time for the most part. Pacquiao landed his left but Marquez’s ability to use the right in addition to left hook or left uppercut, allowed him to be a just a little more effective and win the round. Just when Pacquiao had taken back control in the 10th, Marquez again established his tempo in the 11th. Now according to this observer it was even entering the final stanza 103-103. Round twelve they dug deep to fight through fatigue. Each man tried to take the round with blistering straight shots one more time (as Jim Lampley stated during the fight “one more right from Marquez, one more left from Pacquiao, they trade shots down the stretch”). One more time they traded momentum as often as they traded straight power shots. In a very tough round to score I went Marquez feeling he controlled the first minute, fought on even terms the second minute, and then barely squeezed out the final minute but another round that could be seen various ways. In the end I had it 113-112 for Marquez. Harold Lederman of HBO greatly differed giving it to Pacquiao 115-110. The judges had it a draw by scores of 115-110 Pacquiao, 115-110 Marquez, and 113-113 even. So many rounds could have gone either way which is what makes this fight so controversial and the wide scoring differential really not surprising at all. It would be four years before they got back in the ring to settle the debate. Coming tomorrow we analyze the rematch before seeing the third installment live this Saturday.
Gary’s Card
Notes
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Redemption Dinamita: Making the Case for Marquez by Gary Purfield (11/07/11) As the PPV fight draws closer many in the boxing media and fans have written off Juan Manuel Marquez in his third attempt to conquer Manny Pacquiao. It is widely believed that Pacquiao has been able to move up in weight without losing a step while Marquez does not have this ability. It is also believed that Pacquiao has become a more complete fighter since the first two meetings that puts him a step above Marquez in class. But before we crown Manny, let’s consider the opposition. Juan Manuel Marquez is still widely considered one of the elite fighters in the sport at age 38 and ranked #4 on the Boxing Tribune’s P4P list. Marquez went toe to toe with Pacquiao in two very close bouts where many thought he deserved the decision. To just simply dismiss the Mexican warrior is absurd. Several factors point to this being very competitive again and Marquez having as good a chance to win the third fight as he had in the previous two.
Intelligence/experience: He has now had twenty four rounds to dissect Manny Pacquiao. Marquez is the last fighter you want to have that kind of a book on you. With all due respect to Manny and great trainer Freddie Roach the more they see each other the more it benefits a brilliant tactician like Marquez. He simply has more tools. Increased
Power: Following the first Pacquiao fight Marquez was 6-1 (2 KO). Since the second fight where he has gone up in weight chasing Pacquiao, Marquez is 5-1 (4 KO). The only loss was to Mayweather where he was out of his element against a bigger, faster opponent (more on this factor later). The knockouts are coming against bigger opponents and they are emphatic. He blasted Joel Casamayor, brutally knocked Juan Diaz unconscious, and beat the tough Michael Katsidis to the point that it had to be stopped. Marquez has learned to include serious power into his tactical skills and this could be a big factor. In the first two fights Manny was willing and able to eat Marquez’s shots to deliver his own. This strategy could have a vastly different result in the third go round. Improved
ability to increase weight: Marquez has worked with Angel Hernandez (or Heredia) throughout this camp to eat and train to bulk up in more intelligent fashion. Yes, Hernandez is a former known steroids dealer. But this does not change that he also has an extensive background in modern exercise science and nutrition. Marquez should be able to gain the weight and maintain his skills far better than in the Mayweather bout. He also has more time to put on the weight. Against Mayweather, Marquez had only seven months between the Diaz fight to move to welterweight. Marquez fought Katsidis at lightweight one year ago. Since then he has chased Pacquiao and begun increasing weight. He has only fought a tune-up against Likar Ramos since then to get his feet wet above 140lbs. The extra time will make a big difference. Remember Pacquiao fought De La Hoya at welterweight but did not weigh 147. He then fought Hatton at 140 before returning to welterweight in a catch weight of 145 against Cotto. Manny did not instantly become a welterweight. It was done over time which Marquez has now had. Don’t assume he cannot move up in weight just like his rival. Manny’s
improved skill, really?:
Intangibles/Marquez’s hunger: Marquez has chased Pacquiao up in weight to get his chance at redemption. For four years one of the most intelligent fighters ever has thought about what he will do when he gets his third chance. For four years one of the biggest hearts in boxing has stewed and prepared for going life and death to gain that win that has eluded him. Marquez will spill every drop of blood to get this win. Don’t underestimate what he has put into training and what he will do in the ring to get this win. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Glen Johnson talks Bute, fighting at 42, by Gary Purfield (11/03/11) Glen “The Road Warrior” Johnson 51-15-2 (35 KO) has had anything but a typical boxing career. What makes Johnson unique is his desire to truly fight anyone, at anytime, anywhere. He earned his nickname Road Warrior by fighting anyone available in their home base. Johnson has made a career out of going into someone else’s territory where he takes on a partisan fan base, rival promoters, and everything else that goes along with being the visitor in the sport of boxing. He has fought in Germany, Italy, and nearly every boxing city in America during his career. He won his first thirty two fights setting himself up for his first title shot against Bernard Hopkins in 1997 but lost via eleventh round TKO. Johnson lost his next two fights and then had his ups and downs over the next few years losing each time he challenged for a major title. Johnson would achieve his dream of being a world champion when he defeated Clinton Woods in 2004 to win the IBF Light Heavyweight title. He followed that up with his most well-known victory knocking out Roy Jones Jr. in the ninth round and then defeated Antonio Tarver. His three wins in 2004 earned him boxing’s fighter of the year award but Johnson his belts in the rematch with Tarver. Since then Johnson has been in some of the best fights each year and been on the wrong end of several questionable decisions in another fighters hometown. In recent years he lost a close controversial decision to Chad Dawson and another close loss to Tavoris Cloud. Johnson then was a surprise entry into the Super Six super middleweight tournament dropping back down to 168lbs. Johnson knocked out Allen Green but then dropped a decision to Carl Froch. Through it all Johnson has fought hard every time and is never in a bad fight. The native of Jamaica who came to the United States at fifteen years of age comes to win and comes to put on an action packed fight for the fans. Now at forty years of age, fueled by a new strength and conditioning program along with an elite nutritionist, Johnson will get another crack at a title when he takes on Lucian Bute for the IBF Super Middleweight belt this Saturday. Once again Johnson will have to not only fight his opponent but will be the visitor in Quebec where Bute is a mega-star. I had the opportunity to speak with Glen this week about his career, the fight with Bute, and why at forty years of age he feels he is at the top of his game ready to accomplish the goals that he feels he has not quite yet reached. Marratto Boxing: What keeps you motivated at forty two years of age to keep boxing and to continue going into other fighters territory? Glen Johnson: I believe that I am still the best I can be. I feel this is a challenge that I can come out on top so this is why I keep training. This is why I take these fights because my goals are not yet met. I still have a lot of things I have not accomplished before I retire so I am going after them. MB: What do you want to accomplish before you retire? GJ: World champion again. I would love to become undisputed champion. Those are things I wanted to do and never got to do all of them so I am still trying to get them done. MB: What does it take for you to get down to 168lbs? GJ: It’s good, I am 168 already. I have done it for three fights now and it felt easier each time. I am now settled into the weight and a natural 168 pounder. MB: Do you feel you are better at 168 than at 175? GJ: I think so, it is a more natural weight for me than 175. At 175 I’m fighting bigger stronger guys. At this weight I’m fighting more guys that are more natural and more normal to my body structure. MB: When Pavlik drops out of the Bute fight what were you thinking at that moment? GJ: I was not thinking anything. Bute is the reason I went to 168. They offered me a fight a long time ago but I turned it down because I didn’t think I could make 168. After I turned that fight down I speak with a nutritionist to see if I could make 168. My manager wanted me to go to 168 a couple of years ago. So I said let me go check out a nutritionist and see what my chances are. I was told my chances were good depending on how much work I wanted to put in so I said let’s do it. The Super Six opportunity came about and that just opened the door wide open. I’m never afraid to take on new challenges and I continue to prove it over and over. MB: Do you look back and wish you worked with a nutritionist ten years ago considering the success you have had making 168? GJ: No, I did but I’m not going to dwell on that. It is in the past and you cannot go back and do anything about it. I am not a person who beats myself up about stuff too much. I move on and focus what is in front of me and right now it’s Bute. I am ready for that fight and it’s going to be an exciting fight. MB: Being on the road is your trademark but do you have concerns going to his city, his fans, his territory? GJ: Not at all you know. I’m not going to concern myself with any of those things. I’m looking to come in here and dominate this show and do what I do, to win and come out of here with the victory. That’s the only thing I am concerning myself about. I’m not going to concern myself about anything I can’t do anything about. I’m only going to focus on what I can do something about which is my skills and come in the ring and what I can do Saturday night. MB: How do you think you match up with Bute and what gives you confidence going into the fight? GJ: I have confidence against anybody. I never think anyone can beat me so that’s the reason I can take these challenges in people’s hometown because I believe I can be victorious anyplace. It’s nothing particular about Bute. Bute is a good fighter. He fought quite a few decent fights and he is well loved here in Quebec. MB: One aspect of this fight is that you are known for a great chin but Bute is known for his body punching. Does that figure into your game plan? GJ: When you’re getting ready for a fighter you have to know his strengths and weaknesses. It has to go into your preparation so you know we have a good game plan put together that will be successful against him that we are going in there to execute. At the end of the night we will see how it works out. MB: You and Bute have sparred with each other in the past preparing for fights. How is that an advantage and a disadvantage? GJ: We sparred a hundred and something rounds. We had good sparring. He was getting ready for Andrade and I was getting ready for Chad Dawson. We were preparing for two different fighters, two different styles. I was not asking him to imitate Dawson and he was not asking me to imitate Andrade. MB: Do you have any regrets being the road warrior wishing your career took a different turn and you had the chance to build a home base with a fan base? GJ: It is always nice to have people rooting for you. Calling your name, screaming when you do something good, and jumping up and cheering. Who’s not going to like that? But that’s not my career, that’s not the things I got to enjoy. For me I got to take the challenges, take the risks. If I don’t do these things I’m never going to get my name anywhere. I’m never going to get a chance to accomplish my goals. I got to take the necessary risk to give myself an opportunity to accomplish my goals. MB: Have you had road fights where your aggressive style and fighting hard every minute has won the crowd over? GJ: Oh yeah, I have couple of times. A few times I even got where they gave the decision to the hometown guy and the crowd boo the hometown guy for the decision. MB: Any fight in particular come to mind? GJ: When I fought in Italy against Silvio Branco they booed him when they gave him the decision. When I fought in Connecticut I fought against Daniel Judah and they called it a draw. He was from right up the street in New York and it was his crowd. When I walked in the ring everybody booed me and cheered him. When the fight was done they booed him and cheered me. It happened quite a few times. MB: Anything else you want to add. GJ: Not much, this is going to be a great fight Saturday night on Showtime. Please don’t miss it. It’s an opportunity to show the boxing world what I’m working with and I don’t want anybody to miss it. That’s basically it. Love and appreciation to all my fans that keep supporting me. Hard core boxing fans always know Glen Johnson and I’m always appreciative of that. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Bombs Away:
Angulo vs. Kirkland Preview and Breakdown by Gary Purfield (11/02/11)
Fighters:
Stakes:
Where:
When:
TV:
Undercard:
Last fight: Kirkland TKO 2 win over Alexis Hloros July 23, 2011
Saturday night junior middleweight punchers Alfredo Angulo and James Kirkland will square off in Cancun Mexico. At stake on the surface is a possible shot at WBC champ Saul Alvarez. Also both fighters have reputations they are looking to rebuild. Angulo suffered a long layoff after visa issues that did not allow him to enter the states. Kirkland spent time in prison following a probation violation and then a shocking KO loss to Nobuhiro Ishida. Now several categories below will be considered useless to speak of because the plain fact is that with Angulo and Kirkland nobody is coming into the ring to get cute. These two are stepping through the ropes to go to war with very little thought to the finer aspects of the sweet science. So if you watch boxing due to a morbid urge to see men senselessly beat each other you have found the right fight if you tune your TV to HBO this Saturday. So without further rambling let’s get to the specifics of breaking down Angulo vs. Kirkland. Boxing ability: Physical: Power: Speed: Defense: Chin: Experience: Wear and Tear: Intangibles:
Keys to Victory Angulo matches up well with Kirkland. He can pretty much use his normal game plan of trading punches and come out victorious. Here are the basic keys for the dog. · Defensively he needs to be cautious of not forgetting his guard. Kirkland is a dangerous puncher and Angulo is very susceptible to hooks. He has a tendency to drop his guard but even when his guard is up his opponent to can swing the hook to either side of his head. · Offensively he wants to force a brawl (which should not exactly be difficult in this fight). Angulo can withstand Kirkland’s punches and should feel free to go shot for shot Saturday night with full confidence that he will get the better of the action thanks to his iron chin.
James Kirkland: The problem here is that Kirkland does not have what is necessary to beat Angulo. This is just simply a bad matchup for him. Angulo can be frustrated and defeated by a fast moving boxer. You need a commitment to using the jab for three minutes of every round to slow Angulo’s pressure. You need to be a crafty boxer who works in and out, attacks on angles, and has the ability to land combinations and get out of harm’s way immediately after you are done punching. Kirkland is not that type of fighter. That being said I will play trainer and state what Kirkland can try and do within his style to win Saturday night. · Keep your hands up. Never let them drop. He cannot eat Angulo’s right hand and expect to survive. He has the athletic ability to employ head movement but never has in the past. He will need to do so to have a shot at winning Saturday so that when he does get hit it is more glancing blows than flush shots. · Jab, jab, jab all night. For all of the hype around Kirkland before his loss as this dominating pressure fighter, his best moments against Julio and other fighters started with the jab. It allows him to push straight in (because we know he is not going to learn angles) without eating shots giving him the chance to land his punishing blows. If at any time he stops jabbing it will be a feeding frenzy for Perro when Kirkland marches in.
Prediction: This fight is simple and it is not. It is simple in that it is assumed that Angulo is a big puncher against Kirkland who has a soft chin. It is not simple in that Kirkland is far better than he is given credit for in his KO loss to Ishida. In the end this is simple though. For all the possibilities, this will come down to two guys who will sooner or later stand and trade to land vicious shots. One guy has a great chin while one guy has been knocked out once and dropped several times. When that moment occurs both will land but Angulo will be standing when Kirkland hits the ground. Watch the second half of round three of Kirkland vs. Joel Julio. Kirkland abandons the jab and trades shot for shot with Julio. In that fight he got the better of it but when (not if) he does this with Angulo it will be a mistake. Julio landed while backpedaling and gave up his power. Angulo will not go backwards for anyone. He will plant his feet and fire with full weight behind his shots causing serious damage while shrugging off Kirkland’s shots. When Kirkland rushes in he goes straight forward with no angles and does not move his head. Without those key techniques he cannot avoid Angulo’s straight crisp punches which will sound the end of this highly entertaining fight. Alfredo Angulo wins a thrilling aggressive fight by knockout in round four.
For Angulo his fight with Cintron, while he lost, showed how tough and resilient he is no matter what. It does lay a blueprint for how to beat the dog, but the ability to stick and move while avoiding relentless pressure is far easier said than done. The Yorgey fight shows his raw punching power that results in a devastating KO (side note, how was this fight allowed to continue as long as it did when Yorgey was darn near out cold on his feet getting destroyed I will never know). Unfortunately one of his other performances I wanted to include against Joel Julio was not available on YouTube. For Kirkland the Ishida fight is a given that it shows his flaws. The fight vs. Julio shows Kirkland at his best but also shows that even at his best he has serious defensive flaws that will cost him against Angulo. The odd thing in watching the fights was the Angulo loss against Cintron and the Kirkland win over Julio fully convinced me that Angulo will win the upcoming bout. Angulo has everything to do what Julio cannot and Kirkland does not have the movement and skill Cintron used to defeat Angulo.
Alfredo Angulo vs. Harry Joe Yorgey
James Kirkland vs. Joel Julio
James Kirkland vs. Nobuhiro Ishida
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Franklin Lawrence Wins Big and Talks Bigger
Ringside
coverage and pictures Joey Eye Boxing and David Feldman put on their fifth card at the new Harrah’s casino in Chester PA, located minutes outside of Philadelphia. Joey Eye is looking to become a staple of Philly boxing by showcasing young talented fighters in competitive matches. The previous four shows have featured local fighters from Philly, Delaware, and New Jersey in the main events. Tonight, due to several bout cancellations, the promoters had to call an audible on the fly and come up with a new main event. In stepped WBC ranked heavyweight Franklin Lawrence of Indianapolis Indiana to fill the top spot taking on Raymond Ocheing of Nairobi Kenya. Lawrence is ranked 14th by the WBC after recent KO wins against Jason Estrada and Lance Whitaker. The confident Lawrence, who hooted and yelled like a hunting animal entering the ring, wasted little time dispatching his overmatched foe. Early in the first round the wild big man dropped his Kenyan opponent to the canvas with a thudding right to the body. When Ocheing got up Lawrence ran right back in, bounced another right off the body and watched Ocheing drop to the ground for a second time. Ocheing got up again, but needed to run around the ring just to survive the round. The end was clearly coming fast which made my fellow boxing writer to my right happy because he wanted to get home for game seven of the World Series. Lawrence pounced in round two to oblige those who wanted to catch the baseball season finale. The bruising puncher landed a smashing right to the ribs that could be heard around the ballroom. The punch caused Ocheing to jump and then begin running away from Lawrence in circles around the ring. Despite Ocheing’s efforts at running track, Lawrence easily chased him down and hit him with a bomb of a right hook to the temple that sent Ocheing to the canvas for a third time. Referee Gary Rosato had seen enough waiving it off without a count at 31 seconds of round two. Lawrence goes to 17-2-2 (12 KO) with Ocheing falling to 23-15-3 (18 KO). Lawrence spoke with this writer after the fight and assessed his performance. “It was an A plus. It was scheduled for eight and knocked him out by the second round. He should have been gone in the first with the two knockdowns but that third one, he couldn’t take no more. I could have knocked the man down a hundred times.” Lawrence further expressed his displeasure that he is not getting the chance to fight the top heavyweights. “Jonathon Banks is running from me, Klitschko’s are running from me, I mean, what can I do. I should just go up there and knock them out in the locker room or knock on the f***ing front door. Take you with me (yes, me is your truly standing all of 5’ 7” and 142 lbs. Franklin is ready to take the Klitschko’s with only this guy on his side) and we get in on the news, fly over to Germany and say let’s do it. I’m about ready to send a message to them. I think they don’t want to get in there with a guy that is not as known as them and f*** around getting destroyed by a known unknown but it don’t f***ing matter. I’m the baddest and they know I’m the baddest. If they want some real fucking competition, step up. I’m not going to be like Mayweather dodging f***ing Pacquiao. I’m a fight anybody, especially when it’s time to bring the belts home and it’s time. So what does Lawrence have to do to get the top guys in the ring? “Keep knocking these bums out.”
The southpaw Webster started out strong controlling the first two rounds behind a stiff jab and sneaky left uppercut. Goyco came on in the third round using aggression and pressure to get him into the fight. But in the fourth the favorite Webster returned to his jab and took back control and momentum of the fight. But Goyco was not done yet. Knowing he was behind on the cards he showed heart going after the knockout with full force in round five. Goyco fired his right hand at Webster, whose desire to drop his lead hand while simultaneously hanging his chin in the air provided a fine target. Goyco went after the bulls eye but never could fully zero in. The Philly fighter had his best moments in round five with that right hand but Webster again took back the fight in round six. Despite Goyco’s efforts Webster’s jab, reach advantage, and boxing skills were too much. The final scores gave the night to Webster 59-55 twice and 60-54 (BT had it 58-56 giving the third and fifth to Goyco). Webster stays undefeated at 11-0 (6 KO) while Goyco falls to 4-3 (2 KO). Recent Temple University grad and Philly fighter Alex Barbosa took home his first win in his pro-debut. Barbosa controlled the first round against Brian Gonzalez who traveled all the way from Puerto Rico to Chester PA for the four round bantamweight bout. Then in round two Gonzalez regretted his trip to the states. Barbosa hit Gonzalez with several body shots with some landing in the rabbit area. The backside shots were as much a product of Gonzalez turning his back as Barbosa hitting cheap. Gonzalez complained to referee Gary Rosato who had no sympathy and ordered him to fight on. Barbosa landed several more body shots with Gonzalez still giving his back to his opponent. Gonzalez 0-2 finally dropped to a knee and indicated he had no desire to continue. Barbosa 1-0 (1 KO) gets the TKO win at 2:30 of round two. Anthony Young of Atlantic City, NJ had an impressive debut scoring two knockdowns and taking a unanimous decision over Kywame Hill of Philadelphia in four rounds of welterweight action. Young floored his man in the first round with a big left hook and again in the second with a straight right. Young 1-0 dominated the rest of the bout against the overmatched opponent and won by scores of 40-34 twice and 40-33 (BT had it 40-34). Hill, who was listed on the promoter’s bout sheet as veteran of nine fights, falls to 1-9 (1 KO). Joey Tiberi 6-1 (5 KO) opened the night putting a short and fast beating on Mike Maley 4-9 (3 KO) of Whiting IN. The Newark Delaware native who sported a rabid section of fans cheering him on floored his opponent with a right hand seconds into the bout. Maley got to his feet but was a helpless soul as Tiberi pounced like a rabid dog to finish the job. Referee Sean Clark called a halt to the carnage along the ropes at only 40 seconds of the first round. The lightweight bout was scheduled for four but never had a chance to get close to the scorecards.
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Cuban Missile Coming: Gamboa Brings in Steward by Gary Purfield (10/28/11) Cuban dynamo and rising star Yuriorkis Gamboa has brought in a new weapon. Well-known and respected trainer Emmanuel Steward will now work the speedy featherweight’s corner. Gamboa, who climbed the ranks quickly with highlight reel wins and knockouts, had a paper title by his fifteenth fight and is currently ranked number one by the Boxing Tribune at featherweight and basically every other ratings organization. The majority of Gamboa’s wins have included sensational offensive performances mixed with a dangerous lack of care for his own defense. In other words, a style that is sure to produce fireworks. His fourth round demolition of Jorge Solis in
Atlantic City earlier this year was his high point. Gamboa battered
the respected veteran with dazzling footwork and serious punching
power. But then Gamboa followed up the Solis fight with a less than
sensational performance against Ponce DeLeon.
Steward has the reputation for pushing his fighters to step on the
gas and go after an opponent. He encourages smart boxing with an
eye on defense, but strongly believes his fighters should not only
win, but should look exciting doing it. He has often stated in his
role as HBO commentator that the sport needs more exciting and
dramatic knockouts, not boring decisions. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Harrah’s Chester Marches On
by Gary Purfield (10/27/11) Joey Eye Boxing and David Feldman have had a successful year putting on shows at the new Harrah’s Casino in Chester. So far they have done four successful cards featuring local fighters matched tough in competitive fights that have pleased the fans that have attended. However the attempt to have card number five has been difficult to say the least. The card was supposed to go last month on September 24 as part of an outdoor show with boxing and MMA on the same card. Unfortunately the show could not afford a tent and the rain storm forecasted for the same night forced promoters to reschedule to this Friday October 28. The headlining bout was to be Tony Ferrante and Tommy Karpency for the PA state light heavyweight title. Then just this Monday it was announced that Karpency had pulled out. In addition popular tough guy brawler Victor Vazquez who has headlined three of the four shows was scheduled to be on the card in a six rounder. Vazquez’s willingness to fight and reputation for never being in a bad fight brings fans to the shows. But due to not getting an opponent he is off the card as well. Now Joey Eye moves on with two heavyweight bouts headlining the card. Franklin Lawrence 16-2-2 (11 KO) who is ranked #14 by the WBC will take on veteran trial horse Raymond Ocheing 23-14-3 (18 KO). Lawrence has knockout wins over Jason Estrada and Lance Whitaker while dropping fights to Oliver McCall by decision and Bermane Stiverne by 1st round KO in his fifth pro fight. The co-feature will be heavyweight Gerald Nobles 26-1 (21 KO) making his return to the ring against Joseph Rabotte 11-18-1 (3 KO). Nobles who is now forty years old has not fought since January of 2007. Nobles most notable win is a ninth round TKO over Bruce Seldon in 2004. Later in 2004 Nobles suffered his only defeat by fourth round DQ against former heavy weight title holder Nicolay Valuev. Also featured on the card is undefeated New Jersey super middleweight prospect Derrick Webster 10-0 (6 KO) and popular Delaware lightweight Joey Tiberi 5-1 (4 KO) in separate bouts. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Past vs. Present: by Gary Purfield (10/24/11)
What I look to do here is a little more than just getting a current fighter vs. past fighter from relatively close weight classes and saying who would win. I want to match two guys that would present an interesting style comparison and maybe find two fighters that would have a rivalry whether it be due to nationality, personality, or something else. To kick this off I am going with present superstar Manny Pacquiao 52-3-2 (38 KO) vs. JC Superstar Julio Cesar Chavez 107-6-2 (86 KO). This is a match up that would have boxing fans salivating at the mouth. Two P4P kings whose skill is eclipsed only by their willingness to engage in a war that provides fireworks where anyone watching is thrilled. In addition it would further light the fuse between a growing national boxing rivalry between Mexico and the Philippines (a rivalry which Pacquiao has greatly increased with his domination of Mexican fighters). Chavez and Pacquiao have several similarities. Both have marched through multiple weight classes to obtain titles from larger foes. Pacquiao’s rise from the smaller weight classes to his current stance in the welterweight division is well documented. Chavez won titles at 130, 135, and 140. Both men receive unconditional love and adulation from their respective countries while also gaining fans all over the world due to tremendous heart they show in the ring. In addition Chavez and Pacquiao were very active fighters by the standard of the eras they fought in, keeping fans interested, and skills sharp. Finally, both men always arrive to the ring in great shape ready to compete hard for twelve rounds. They have their differences though. Pacquiao is lightning fast while Chavez for all his greatness would never be considered a speedy fighter. Manny’s speed would likely bring him early success. But Chavez may be the greatest body puncher of all time which inevitably will slow down a fast fighter. Manny is more likely to take your head from shoulders but Chavez will break your ribs along with your will to fight. So what happens if Dr. Emmett Brown loaned his Delorean time machine to the boxing gods. As I stated above, Pacquiao’s speed gives him the early rounds. Much like Meldrick Taylor did in the early rounds against Chavez the fast hands combined with in and out footwork would give the slower plodding Chavez fits. Pacquiao would deliver head snapping shots to the iron chinned Mexican warrior that got the judges attention. But Chavez had a head made of iron and would have been able to absorb Manny’s onslaught while slowly creeping into the fight as well as the Filipino superstars ribcage. Chavez would start to push Manny back in the middle rounds to land thudding body shots that would slow down his opponent. Also, Manny’s willingness to show his machismo (how many times has Pacquiao given Freddie Roach a heart attack when he lays his back on the ropes thumping his chest with his gloves saying bring it on) would play into Chavez’s hands. This willingness to relinquish his greatest advantage of foot speed would give Chavez an opening to turn the fight in his favor. Going into the championship rounds Manny would have a slight edge on the cards but Chavez would have the momentum. So who wins? Well, I know I am playing both sides of the fence here but this is really how I see it. It would be a tale of two weight classes and eras. The 130 pound Chavez was a well-seasoned fighter that destroyed anything at that weight class. The 130 pound Pacquiao was a very good fighter but not quite a great fighter yet. In addition he was still likely fighting below his best and healthiest weight. These intangibles allow Chavez to break down Pacquiao at this weight class/points of their career to a late round stoppage. I would see Pacquiao giving a warriors effort but the pounding to his body would cause Freddie Roach to save his adopted son from career destroying punishment giving Chavez the TKO. Now the current Pacquiao at 140-147 vs. the same weight Chavez a little later in JC’s career is a different story. The first eight or so rounds play out the same as described above. Manny gets the early lead while Chavez makes his move in the middle rounds. But this Pacquiao has too much speed, too much stamina, and too high level of conditioning. He would not be worn down at this higher weight where he is better conditioned and not starved/dehydrated. Pacquiao is able to garner a second wind around the ninth frame and begins another lighting fast combination assault of Chavez’s face. The iron chinned Chavez will lay down for no one and has never heard the word quit but the blood streaming down his face from Pacquiao’s assault forces the ring doctor and referee to call a halt to the bout in the championship rounds (you didn’t think this fight could go to decision no matter who wins did you?). Chavez would be disappointed that it was stopped knowing he would fight through anything, but Pacquiao’s speed, skill, and stamina would give him that edge in the higher weight class. No matter how long it lasted, or who won, this would be a true dream bout. National pride on the line with two boxing crazy countries pitting their greatest superstars against each other. Two fighters who care more about the show they give the fans than what happens to their health inside the ring. Can’t miss classic assuming Emmet Brown would serve up the Delorean. If you are wondering who Emmet Brown is or what a Delorean is than shut up, enjoy your youth, and go Netflix Back to the Future.
Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Cunningham gets his Rematch and a shot at vindication by Gary Purfield (10/20/11)
In the first meeting Cunningham was dropped in the first round but got to his feet. He survived the knockdown and then, to most observers, took control of the fight shortly afterwards. In the third and sixth rounds the challenger Hernandez suffered cuts from accidental head butts. After the sixth round the ringside doctor stopped the fight based on the cuts despite the fact that no blood was coming out of the cuts at that time. The explanation stated the cuts could cause blood to go into Hernandez’s eye. I had the opportunity to talk with Cunningham about the bizarre ending of his last fight. We also discussed the rematch, having to fight in Europe where the cruiser weight division is big, being with a European promoter, his desire to fight at home, and plenty of other topics. Warning, this is long, but it is well worth the time. Cunningham has poignant things to say. He talks these topics and talks with intelligence and blunt honesty. So print it out if you need to and take to your favorite reading place to enjoy. Boxing Tribune: Congratulations on getting the rematch with Hernandez. What are your thoughts? Steve Cunningham: Just get in there and pick up where we left off at in the sixth round. Just go in there and do work. It’s personal, I take this very personal, they stole something from me. I feel I got robbed. I feel somebody came into my house and stuck me up and took some of my belongings. I know who did it so I gotta go get it. BT: Looking back on that fight, what is your opinion of the stoppage and the cuts? SC: It was a bunch of garbage. They were waiting to see how the fight was gonna go. They see I got knocked down in the first round so they figure he could beat me and they were wrong. So they wanted to wait and see if he could beat me so as the rounds went by they see I was picking up steam and I was winning rounds and winning rounds. They figure we got two cuts. The first cut occurred in the third round they would have had the doctor stop it then it would have been a no contest and I would have retained my title. Then the second cut in the sixth round they figure this is our chance because I was really beating him up and he was about to go. They see the opportunity there and stop the fight on cuts. Now the cuts were not going into his eye and weren’t bleeding at all. It was a sham. That was the same doctor who allowed Arthur Abraham to fight with a broken jaw for four, five rounds, and he wouldn’t let this guy with a cut that wasn’t bleeding continue. BT: I was not aware that was the same doctor who allowed Abraham to fight with a broken jaw. SC: That was amazing. It really surprised me when I found out it was the same doctor. That is the same doctor Sauerland uses all the time for the promotion so he is like an in house doctor. They gave Arthur Abraham a chance to show he is a warrior and actually because of that fight that got him a lot of fans because of the way he fought. BT: If the fight kept going do you think you had the momentum and what would have been the specific outcome if it was not stopped? SC: I feel we had the momentum from the third round. I thought I won the second round but I was still not one hundred percent The knockdown did take its toll but I was in there, don’t get me wrong. Third round, fourth round, was a little close but fifth and sixth round we were breaking him down. When you are in there fighting a guy you can tell he is losing steam, he’s lost steam. I was walking him down from the third round on. He was really panting a lot and the body shots really were affecting him. I felt that within two more rounds either this guy was gonna quit, or they were gonna throw the towel, or he was not going to be able to get up after we got him out of there. BT: When it was stopped before they read the scores were you confident you had the decision? SC: To tell you the truth I was leery. When we first got up after the fight got stopped we jumped up and went and talked to the ref. Me and my assistant trainer asked the ref what’s the call? The ref kind of whispers technical draw. So I’m like okay, that’s cool, I’ll accept that. So there was some commotion going on over by the judges table where they tally up the scores. My lawyer, my manager my wife Livvy, they go over there and start arguing with the guy. There was some fishy stuff going on. Next thing I know my wife looks up to me and says they stole our belt. So when they read the scores I already knew they had stolen our belt. Then when they read the score 57-56 (for Cunningham) I felt that was what the score should have been but I know once they read you first they read the other two for this guy. You could see the disgust on my face. BT: Hernandez is from Cuba but makes his home in Germany; do you feel that affected the decisions and scores? SC: Truthfully, ya, his trainer is Ulli Wegner who is the man as a trainer in Germany. He’s got a lot of pull, he’s got a lot of backing, and he’s got a lot of pride. Because I beat Marco Huck in 2007 they were always talking about revenge. We kind of knew they would try to do something, that Ulli Wegner would try to do something. I just didn’t know to what extent. We believe in God, we know that God blessed me with skills and talent. We went over there with faith knowing that we can beat any man but like I said in the other interview I was fighting way more than just Hernandez. I was fighting those two judges that had the scores really crazy and I was fighting against the doctor. It was basically me vs. Ulli Wegner. BT: Has the site been set for the rematch? Will it be in Germany or would you like it in the states? SC: Oh yeah it is gonna be in Germany again. We both have the same promoter that is a German based promoter and that’s how we get our money. That’s why I signed with them originally because they have the television. When I fight oversees my fights get televised throughout Europe, England, South Africa, Australia so I have to go where the fan base is. In America it is not like that at all for the cruiserweights. They are talking about January 14, 2012 possibly. BT: As much as you love Philly and it is your home do you ever consider making your home in Germany to get a better shake? SC: We were thinking about trying to be more of a presence over in Germany. We were asking the promoter to help us be more of a presence and it seemed like nobody was really helping. I know they were saying I would have to learn some German which is really no problem. We were already in the process of trying to learn. But then we just need extra help with some of the contacts. We were thinking of staying over there this summer. I was originally scheduled to fight in late June and we were gonna stay there for two months to make connections but that didn’t happen. But right now I can care less about all that. All I want to do is go fight, beat this dude, get my title back, and then we’ll see what happens from there with Germany. BT: Now that the rematch has been ordered, does that ease your feelings on the situation from the first fight? SC: Oh yeah, listen, going into the first fight Hernandez was a tough guy. As everybody can see that’s all I have been fighting for the past six years. But getting in there and breaking him down the way we did even after getting knocked down like that, that makes me even more confident than I was in the first fight. Not that I am going to be cocky and stupid but I know I can get this guy outta there. I know we can beat him and it is just about going there and doing it. BT: Do you think you need a knockout or can you win on the cards? SC: I don’t think we need a knockout but I think we’re gonna get one. BT: What has this whole situation done for you as a fighter? Has it changed your outlook? SC: This has happened to me before. As you guys know my history, I went to Poland and they robbed me of my undefeated, of my 0. We got the immediate rematch and went back over there and got the title. The thing that has changed is the simple fact that we are just more aware of who we with. First you know it is different when you are dealing with a wolf in sheep’s clothing. And now we know we dealing with wolves. My mindset is the same. Like I told them in Poland they created a monster. This is gonna make me go and work even harder and I’ve got so much energy, rage, and anger and fight in me so I’m gonna channel that to my training and the fight. BT: In the rematch is there anything you need to do differently to avoid something like the knockdown in the first round or is it the same game plan? SC: It’s really go out and there and do what I do. What happened in the first round with the knockdown, it was really just a punch I didn’t see. I mean my right hand was down and he caught me with a good shot. I slipped the one punch and just didn’t expect him to throw such a punch backing out. As you can see after that I adjusted to that and everything went accordingly. He would never catch me with that shot again or anything like it. Truthfully, I don’t think he can change but if he does change we’ll be ready but I don’t think he’s a fighter that can change. I can change and adapt to the situation but he can’t because he was breaking down after he got such a big knockdown in the first round. He should have been able to finish the job but he can’t so I believe I don’t think we’re gonna have any troubles with this guy but I know we’ll be prepared knowing Brother Nazim (Richardson, Cunningham’s trainer). BT: Did this make you regret signing with Sauerland or was that the right move for you? SC: It’s the right move for me. When we became a free agent from Don King we knew our goal was to sign with a European promoter. The sport is different over there. I know in America HBO and Showtime is not shelling out any money for a cruiserweight. Actually we had contracts from American promoters and it didn’t look right. I’m coming in with a world title fight and the numbers are just bananas. We got a contract from the European promoters and they were totally different. Sauerland was the one we wanted to go with because, Marco Huck, that’s a rematch that could possible happen. Marco Huck’s a champion and has been doing great after I beat him and that’s an easy fight to me. We really liked the fact that they kept Marco Huck busy. This dude fought seven times to my two. The activity, these guys got television, they’ve got dates which equals money. That’s what we went to and I don’t regret it. The only thing I regret about that last fight is just getting knocked down to tell you the truth. BT: Is it disappointing or difficult seeing so many American fighters such as from your hometown of Philly, like Mike Jones or Danny Garcia, who was on HBO PPV this weekend, get to make money and fight at home but because you are a 200lber you have to go oversees? SC: It was very disappointing like three, four years ago. I was a top cruiser weight, a world champion but the only fights I could make some money at, my promoter Don King kept sending me oversees. I’m like wow finding out that HBO and Showtime weren’t interested. I took it personal. Now a days to see guys like Mike Jones and Danny Garcia, even Eddie Chambers, all these other guys that are getting signed I’m happy for them. I’m very happy for them. That’s what God has for them. This European tour, that’s what we call it, this is what God has for me. That’s the way we look at it. I’m a Christian, I read my bible, I try my best to live by what it says. He won’t put nothing on me I can handle. We go overseas and we always hear people, you’re gonna get robbed and you gotta knock them out and I say listen, this is what God has for me. I’m going to do what I do. I train very hard anyway. I’m gonna do what I do and if the knockout comes but if not we’re gonna box and box to win. Everybody has got their spot and I guess I found mine, I’m in mine. BT: Assuming you get past Hernandez what then (yes, this writer remembered as he asked this question that the IBF ordered the winner to fight Troy Ross immediately). SC: Once we get past Hernandez, Troy Ross. There is another situation that is pretty funny. This guy (Ross) gets to fight for a world title twice without fighting one eliminator. I fought for the title two times and had to fight an eliminator both times against former world champions Kelvin Davis and Wayne Braithwaite. This guy been just sitting around for a year getting pity. But like said before, what God has for me no man can take, so that is why Hernandez is going to lose and Troy Ross is got to lose too. I am looking for any fight to continue to seal my legacy in the history of boxing no matter what division I’m in. BT: Switching gears before I let you go, what is it like being trained by Nazim Richardson? SC: Oh man, it’s educational. You learn about yourself, you learn about what you can do. The way Nazim looks at everything is just different than any other trainer I’ve been with. I had a trainer before and he could only take me but so far, which was great, but Nazim has taken me even further. He has been making me realize my potential even beyond the potential I thought I had. We go into a fight very well oiled, in shape, and confident. Its educational, it’s like you’re in school and you love to go to school. You just learning and learning. This guy so much info your just amazed. BT: Last question, any chance as your career moves forward, maybe even a few years from now, that boxing fans get to see you in the states and maybe even in Philadelphia? SC: I would to love to fight in Philly. I am praying we are able to put on a fight in Philly before I retire. As long as I keep winning and get in position I will be able to have more power and more say. I fought here in 2003 on the Bernard Hopkins undercard but I would love to fight in Philly as a champion. It would be a dream come true. BT: Any last thoughts you want to put out before we go? SC: Just putting out there continue to pray for me, those who have been praying for me and my family. We got some things in the works. I’m working on a comic book. Hopefully by the end of the year turning me into a superhero. I draw most of it and getting people to help me and make it look sharp. This fight coming up here for Hernandez we already coined it “It’s time for War”. It’s like the scripture says, there is a time for love, there’s a time for peace, and there’s a time for war. This is time for war. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Donaire Comes East to the Garden by Gary Purfield (10/17/11)
This Saturday rising pound for pound star Nonito Donaire will make his first appearance at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Donaire 26-1 (18 KO) will defend his 118lb bantam weight title against Omar Narvaez 35-0-2 (19 KO) in the Garden’s theater. It marks the first time the California raised Filipino showcases his skills in the big apple. This past week Top Rank hosted a phone conference to promote the fight with Donaire, Bob Arum of Top Rank, and trainer Robert Garcia. Donaire will be traveling the other coast from where he lives but Top Ranks expects the gate to do well. Arum stated that tickets are close to sold out and they expect a full sellout of a little over four thousand people come fight night. Arum discussed why he would bring Donaire to New York away from his Filipino base in San Francisco. “There are more than two million Filipino’s that live in California area. I tell them that Filipino’s live all over the United States. There are an estimated 400,000 Filipino’s living in the New York Metropolitan area and besides there are a lot of great, great fight fans in New York and this gives them an opportunity to see this phenomenal fighter Nonito Donaire up close and personal. It’s great for Nonito, for his future that he is being exposed in the New York area. Donaire has already built himself a base in San Francisco and other areas of California. In addition he has fought in Nevada, Puerto Rico, and Foxwoods in Connecticut. But fighting in New York at the Garden will always be a historical mark for any fighter. New York may not be the center of boxing as it was in the sixties and seventies as it gave way to Las Vegas and California but it still remains a great place for a fighter to gain exposure and build a larger fan base. Donaire is aware of the magnitude of fighting for the first time in New York at the famed Madison Square Garden. He expressed his excitement and desire to put on a great performance. “It’s an honor for me to be fighting in Madison Square Garden. It is going to be very exciting. I want to go out there and prove much like I did the last fight and give out the energy. Go out there like the old fighters did, like Jack Dempsey did and that’s what we want to do. They gave their heart and that’s what I’m going to do.” Building a larger fan base and providing exposure can only help the budding star. Anyone who has seen Donaire perform is well aware of his incredible skill and even greater potential. He brings everything to the table. He has speed, defense, a good chin, great footwork, and the power to score knockout at any point. In addition he has made conditioning a priority, he has added muscle mass, and as he gets stronger he becomes even more powerful. His crushing knockout of Fernando Montiel in his last fight is the kind of highlight reel KO that attracts fans and makes him must see TV. While many in the boxing public were shocked at the ease that Donaire disposed of the highly regarded Montiel, the man with the win was hardly surprised stating he predicted it that way. “I train really hard and I am really a student of the game so a lot of the punches I can see. A lot of it I see coming and that is one of the things that gives me great defense. Usually I set up my opponent four steps ahead. With Montiel I didn’t expect him to throw a looping right. I was expecting him to throw a hook at that time. I sat on it and when he threw the looping straight that was the biggest mistake he made because I was set up for the hook. It gave me an extra second to be set with that hook. It was something I set up.” “I called that. Before going to that ring I explained to everyone how this fight was going to end.” Trainer Robert Garcia went ahead confirming Nonito’s prediction and expanded on his ability to anticipate his opponent. “He sees the punches, he studies his opponents. He knows what’s coming and knows what he is going to come back with and that is exactly what happened. Nonito was timing that moment and it came. Not a lot of fighters have that talent.” While his popularity rises Donaire knows he must continue to improve his abilities in the ring. With each fight Donaire has set a standard of not only winning but winning in impressive dominating fashion. “I always seek to be better as a fighter, be faster, be stronger, and I always want to learn because there is always something to learn. Every time you go in that ring or you’re in the gym I always want to learn. I think that as much as your trainer, I have a great trainer in Robert Garcia and I have my utmost respect and faith in him, in my corner. For me if I learn it myself I see the guys. It’s always good to learn for yourself as much as your trainer is learning a lot from your opponent. It’s always good to know to have the mentality of knowing your opponent.” Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Briscoe Awards Honor Philly’s Best of 2010
by Gary Purfield (10/12/11) On Monday night Philly Boxing History hosted the fourth annual Briscoe awards for 2010. The event is held at the Veteran Boxing Association (VBA) honoring the Philly fighter of the year, fight of the year, amateur of the year, and other special honors. The show was well attended by fans, fighters, promoters, and boxing writers. Everyone enjoyed the night of talking boxing along with eating and drinking the wide spread of Philly food and drink.
Steve Cunningham took home fighter of the year for 2010 in honor of his becoming a two time cruiserweight champ. Cunningham defeated Troy Ross by fifth round TKO in 2010 to win the IBF title giving him the Briscoe over other candidates Danny Garcia, Mike Jones, and Derek Ennis. Cunningham became the first fighter to win the Briscoe award twice. Cunningham spoke about how this has been a difficult week. Two weekends back Cunningham lost that IBF belt by controversial decision against Yoan Pablo Hernandez in Germany. After being dropped in the first round Cunningham rallied and appeared to have gained a lead on the scorecards when the fight was stopped on cuts to Hernandez from accidental head-butts. The cuts did not seem bad enough to stop the fight. The Briscoe winner stated that after what has been a tough week it felt great to be honored with the award. He went on to state he is hungry and ready for a rematch which he hopes the IBF will order this week. Cunningham stated that this decision in the Hernandez fight has made him that much more dedicated to gain back what he believes is his title. Steve “USS” Cunningham also talked about how it felt to be honored at home. He discussed the reality that he has to fight in Germany where they have a market for the cruiser division but he loves to be recognized in his hometown.
The fight continued a long tradition of Philly fighters who are friends from the gym, then wage war in the ring, but then are able to continue being close friends afterwards. Many of these Philly fighters become close helping each other train for upcoming fights in the legendary Philly gym wars. They are then asked to put aside friendship and go for real at times. While it can be tough for friends to rumble they do their job and then go back to life when the fight is done. A special Briscoe was given to
Dhafir Smith for Philly upset of the year. Smith went into Jeff
Lacy’s home territory in Florida to take on the
Dhafir is a fan favorite in Philly and was thrilled to be honored for his big win in 2010. He proudly talked about the upset and stated he has plenty more upsets in him for the future. Smith is a classic tough guy, will travel fighter willing to take on anyone, anytime, anywhere.
The event was well attended by former and current Philly boxing stars. Among the many in attendance former bantamweight champ "Joltin" Jeff Chandler, former light middleweight champ Rob "Bam Bam" Hines, current USBA cruiser champ Garrett Wilson, Yusaf Mack, Greg Hackett, Simon Carr, Mitch Allen, Billy Abel, Gee Culmer, PA HOF boxers Sidney "Sweet Pea" Adams, Henry "Toothpick" Brown, and Carmen Bartolomeo (thanks to Ken Hissner for compiling the list of Philly greats that attended).
A great deal of credit goes to John DiSanto of phillyboxinghistory.com. John spends endless hours making this event happen. He creates the posters, has the statues built, arranges the setting with the VBA, gathers sponsors, and so many other duties that it would take a separate article just to explain it all. To top it off he does it all with sponsors and out of his own pocket so that the event is free to anyone who wants to attend (which includes a large spread of Philly food and free beer which the fans certainly enjoy). Thanks for giving the proud fighting city of Philly and the fans a great chance to honor its past and current stars. For a full array of photos from the nights festivities visit the following site: https://picasaweb.google.com/111668600900883893517/BriscoeAwards2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCOPRquSa6taO3AE# Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Hopkins Ready for Dawson, Winky, and a Technical Fight by Gary Purfield (10/11/11)
The ageless wonder Bernard Hopkins 52-5-2 (35 KO) will continue his hall of fame career on Saturday when he defends his light heavyweight titles (WBC and Ring Magazine) against Chad Dawson 30-1 (17 KO) from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Hopkins became the oldest man to win a major title when he won a decision over Jean Pascal earlier this year. Now he defends that title against a much different style of opponent. Hopkins two biggest victories in recent memory came against young hard charging aggressors Kelly Pavlik and Jean Pascal. This time around he faces a cerebral long armed boxer. Dawson will present challenges for Hopkins. He has a good jab to keep a shorter opponent at bay. Dawson in the past has been willing to simply outbox an opponent with his length and skills even if the fight provides little excitement or fireworks. Hopkins has feasted on the young by taking advantage of their forward charging aggression but this may not be available against Dawson. Making matters more interesting, Dawson has brought former middleweight champ Winky Wright into his team. Wright is known for being a defensive careful boxer like Dawson. Winky also fought Hopkins and was beaten by decision against “the Executioner”. Hopkins showed little concern over Wright being added to the mix addressing Winky as a trainer at a recent press conference. “He hires Winky Wright, Winky Wright. He hires stinky Winky, a guy I sent into retirement. I mean that is like getting a guy to teach me to take my driver’s test and he doesn’t even have a license because he couldn’t pass the test.” One rational is that Winky was brought in to help Dawson deal with Hopkins as a “dirty fighter”. Dawson has praised Hopkins skills and career but has referred to him as having dirty tactics. Hopkins of course has something to say about the accusation. “I’ve been called worse names than that. I feel that I’m a fighter who built a legacy off of winning and showing my craft. You get your credentials for the hall of fame by doing things that are very unique. To me, calling me a dirty fighter, it sounds like he is already complaining and we have not even thrown a punch yet. Again that is the difference between being a veteran. He is trying to put it out there that I am a dirty fighter.” Another obstacle for Hopkins will be selling this fight. Unlike the fights against Pascal and Pavlik on regular HBO this bout is on PPV meaning it needs to be sold to the public as something they want to buy. Hopkins has a reputation for not being in the most exciting fights although his recent bouts have provided more entertainment. Hopkins is someone who, given an exciting dance partner, can be involved in an exciting fight. Dawson is hardly considered a dance partner. Hopkins was direct that this could be a more technical fight. “It could be a technical fight, it all depends on the person. If the person is coming to fight it will help me a whole lot. It all depends, the fight happens and the fight changes as it goes and you never know. I know what I’m coming to do, I’m coming to make the fight and it takes two to dance, it takes two to fight.” One thing is clear, that Hopkins is clear on his future and believes despite the age he will again take down a much younger challenger. “My goal is to fight and continue to put a page in this history book that I have already established. As long as I have the desire and I continue to win and not embarrass myself and embarrass the sport.” “Watch the performance, watch the ageless warrior systematically break a young strong tall light heavyweight.” Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Boricua Bummer Did Miguel Cotto make a major mistake replacing trainer Emmanuel Steward?
by Gary Purfield (10/04/11) Upon hearing Miguel Cotto would not be trained by Emmanuel Steward for his December 3 rematch with Antonio Margarito I could not help but think this was a huge mistake for the Puerto Rican superstar. Cotto has replaced Steward with Pedro Luis Diaz who worked with the great Cuban National teams. Anytime I have ever written about Cotto I start with the disclaimer I am a fan of the tough fighter. But my appreciation of Cotto as a fighter aside this wreaks of a very bad decision. I am not going to even try to guess the reason for the change as I have not spoken with Cotto, Steward, or Top Rank executives so I will not be speculating on the reason for the split between fighter and trainer. What I will speculate on is how this will affect Cotto as a fighter and his chances against Margarito. When Cotto was rising through the ranks and first becoming a champion he was a mechanical destroyer. While being known as brutal body puncher that power was set up with a dedication to boxing technique. Cotto’s ability to measure and stalk his opponents with solid footwork and controlled increasing aggression gave him the opportunities to land his heavy body shots that broke down his opponents. He employed an underrated thudding jab that forced his opponents to backpedal playing right into the Boricua Bomber’s hands. Watch Cotto’s early bouts against Carlos Quintana and Zab Judah and you can clearly see the technical skills. He was always balanced and in control of his movements. Then he showed a further mastery of his skills when he out boxed, outslugged, and outlasted Shane Mosley in what was probably the high point of Cotto’s career (all fights mentioned available on YouTube). Then somewhere along the way he fell in love with his own power and started to forget the finer points of boxing. Against Margarito he spent six rounds head hunting, dancing on his toes, and firing rapid combinations that did not rely on the jab. It looked flashy and he won the rounds but then he ran out of gas and the iron chinned Margarito kept coming. The lack of dedication to body punching and fundamentals allowed Margarito to stay in the fight (I realize I am not mentioning how illegal hand wraps may have played into the loss but I am focusing on the change of tactics employed by Cotto at this time). The lack of fundamentals continued in future bouts. He was able to beat lesser opposition but struggled against Clottey and was run over by Pacquiao. By the fight with Pacquiao Cotto had basically lost his footwork. He was often off balance against Manny looking to land bombs leaving him wide open for counters. Cotto was never a one punch KO artist. He had a high KO ratio by beating his opponents into submission. Enter Emmanuel Steward for the fight with Yuri Foreman. Cotto was back to being balanced, technical, and focused on grinding down his opponents body. Not to mention it was clear the fighter had a trainer (which is another way of saying the employee had a boss telling him what he was supposed to do). When Cotto had his strength coach Joe Santiago training him it was clear Miguel was in charge. This rarely works for a fighter as most boxers need that trainer leading the way. Steward is taking a backseat to no one and put his mark on Cotto’s style. Cotto looked like the Miguel of old against Foreman and in his KO of Mayorga. So with the return to old and improved form I find myself baffled with the sudden change for what will be a giant mental and physical obstacle in overcoming Margarito. Even with no funny hand wraps Margarito presents a terrible style match for Cotto. The Puerto Rican fights better stalking and moving forward but Margarito does not go backward. Cotto grinds his opponents down but Margarito does not wear down. Cotto will need every advantage he can get to win this fight. He will also need a leader to overcome the mental aspect of getting back in the ring with a man who fair or not, grinded him down into a bloody mess that could not continue. It is hard for me to speak ill of Cotto but I just don’t see the logic. If it was money, pay Steward what he wants. If it was something else just make it work. I hope I am wrong that this is not a terrible decision. Cotto deserves his chance at redemption. But considering the career trajectory of up, down, and back up with Steward it just feels like Cotto had found his Zen master in Steward and this decision could be one his team regrets. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Ray Robinson Wins Easy on Bam Boxing Premier by Gary Purfield (09/30/11) BAM Boxing Promotions run by new twenty two year female promoter Brittany Anne Michelle Rogers debuted with a full card at the National Guard Armory in Northeast Philadelphia Friday night. Rogers, who currently interns with Hall of Fame Promoter Russell Peltz became the youngest female in the USA to promote a boxing card.
What looked like a fairly competitive match on paper turned out to be a complete mismatch. Robinson from Philadelphia was far bigger than Reading PA’s Guzman who was out of shape (he came in at 151lbs for the weigh in Thursday and had to sweat down to 149, and then pay a penalty for the two extra pounds). Robinson simply looked far bigger than Guzman whose best fighting weight is probably lightweight. Guzman who is as tough as they come simply was out of his league in size and skill. The southpaw Robinson started in the first round keeping distance with his jab and easily landing his left uppercut and straight left. By the end of the first round Guzman’s eyes were swelling and his face was red marked. This pattern continued and only got worse as the rounds went along. Robinson landed at will while Guzman took his punishment. If you could say one thing for Guzman it would be he won’t go quietly. He would take big shots flush and scream at Robinson to keep coming. By the end of round five the ringside doctor took a look and the corner convinced everyone to let him have one more round. Again after round six Guzman was given one more round even though he was taking tons of punishment in a fight he had no prayer to win. Then Robinson went after him with a series of unanswered punches in round seven and finally Steve Smoger put a halt to the beating. The official ending was at 20 seconds of round seven. Robinson 12-2 (5 KO) clearly had won every second of every round over the smaller and overmatched Guzman 7-13-2 (3 KO). Robinson can hopefully now move past the two losses and layoff from the ring to get back to challenging opposition. Guzman has taken a great deal of punishment in his career but likely will keep fighting on. Guzman actually at one point when they debated stopping the fight in between rounds told his corner he would die in the ring. Some fighters may have too much toughness and heart for their own good but he certainly cannot be accused of being anything other than a warrior.
Williams repeatedly hit his man with heavy shots, especially the right uppercut, but Medina 5-7-1 (1 KO) just took the punches and fired back with shots of his own. Finally at the end of the fifth round Williams drilled Medina with a straight right that actually stunned and staggered Medina but the bell rang stopping Williams from following up. Medina came out fine in the sixth and the two finished their back and forth action. When the final bell rang they received a standing ovation for their efforts. Williams looks like one to watch. He is long, tall, and fast for a 154 pounder with a good amateur background and a lot of skill. In a close fight George Armenta took a split decision victory over Charles Hayward. Armenta 14-7 (11 KO) was the visitor from Silver Springs MD but he would not be deterred by the hometown Philly fighter Hayward 7-3 (3 KO) and came out ahead by scores of 56-58, and 58-56 twice in his favor. The bout was six rounds in the light heavyweight division. DeCarlo Perez of Atlantic City NJ and Grayson Blake of State College PA put their undefeated records on the line against each other in a six round junior welterweight fight. Both men had their moments in a back and forth affair that was technical but entertaining. When the judges’ cards were read Grayson Blake 4-0 (1 KO) was awarded the unanimous decision by scores of 60-54, 59-55, and 60-54 that hardly reflected how close this fight was. Perez 4-1-1 (2 KO) fought well and deserved a better shake from the ringside judges as the Boxing Tribune had the fight a draw at 57-57. Chase Corbin 6-0 (5 KO) took only 28 seconds to dispose of Alexander Blanco who came from Casas Grandes Mexico for a short night. Corbin, of Philadelphia landed a big left hook followed by a hard right uppercut flooring his opponent in the corner. Blanco 1-1 tried to rise but fell over wobbling and could not get close to standing. The bout was scheduled for four rounds at welterweight. David Navarro of Philadelphia took on Chris Plebani of Bristol PA in four rounds of rough and bloody action in the welterweight division. This was a rematch in a fight Plebani won earlier this year. They split the first two rounds feeling each other out and then starting pounding away in round three. Navarro opened up Plebani’s nose with a hard left hook that had Plebani bleeding profusely the rest of the fight. Navarro had his man stunned in round four and ready to go but could not close the show. Navarro 1-4 did take the decision and his first pro win by scores of 39-37 on all three cards. Plebani drops to 1-2. Korey Pritchett of Camden NJ took a unanimous decision win in his pro-debut over Korey Sloane of Philadelphia in four rounds of Jr. Welterweight action. Sloane 1-2 was more active but could not land anything to slow Pritchett’s pursuit. Meanwhile Pritchett 1-0 consistently landed heavy overhand rights that stunned his opponent and got the judge’s attention. Pritchett won by scores of 39-37 twice and 40-36. In the opening bout of the evening Todd Unthankmay 1-0 from Philadelphia and Ronnie Lawrence 0-1 of Pottstown PA made their pro-debuts in a four round light heavyweight bout. Each landed hard punches but Unthankmay got the better of the action including a knockdown from a straight right in round three. Lawrence won by scores of 39-36 on all three cards. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Steven Cunningham: From Philly-Fighting in Germany by Gary Purfield (09/28/11) This Saturday IBF Cruiserweight Champion Steve “USS” Cunningham 24-2 (12 KO) takes on Yoan Pablo Hernandez in Neurbrandenburg, Germany. Cunningham is making his second defense of the title in his second reign as IBF champ. Cunningham has been in six championship fights (he is 4-2 in those fights). Five of the six fights have been in Europe with only one in the United States. Despite being a former member of the US Navy and being raised in the blue collar boxing junkie city of Philadelphia, Cunningham is now primarily a fighter who works his craft in Europe. Cunningham went into the Navy at seventeen years of age (hence the nickname “USS”) where he began his amateur boxing career. He would go on to have a successful amateur career including winning the 1998 National Golden Gloves Championship. He started fast as a pro winning his first nineteen fights. Cunningham then suffered his first loss in his twentieth fight which was also his first title opportunity. Cunningham got an immediate rematch with the man who beat him, Krzysztof Wlodarczyk and this time “USS” took the decision victory and the IBF cruiser weight belt. Cunningham made one successful defense against Marco Huck. Then Cunningham defended against tough and gritty Tomasz Adamek at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey only ninety minutes from his home in Philadelphia. Unfortunately for Cunningham it hardly felt like home as the building was filled with Adamek’s Polish faithful and the rugged challenger took away Cunningham’s boxing advantages with power and an iron chin. Cunningham hit the canvas three times and left Newark without his belt after dropping the decision to Adamek in a fight of the year candidate. Since then Cunningham rebounded with a victory over Wayne Braithwaite and then regained his IBF title with a fifth round TKO over former Contender show champion Troy Ross. Cunningham wanted a rematch with Adamek but Adamek pursued bigger fish and far bigger purses in the heavy weight division. Steve Cunningham was born and raised in Philadelphia where he still resides and trains at the tough hardnosed Schuler’s Gym in West Philly. One would think he is clearly a draw and popular figure in his hometown. While he is certainly a popular figure that receives a loud cheer when he walks through the crowd at local fights he has never been showcased in the city. Unlike other Philadelphia names like Mike Jones, Cunningham has never been turned into an attraction in his hometown. Jones who draws well in the city and nearby Atlantic City can bring out the Philly fight fans but that opportunity was never given to Cunningham. Cunningham has fought only once in the city, a win over Demetrius Jenkins on an undercard at the Spectrum in 2003. Cunningham fought Tomasz Adamek up the Jersey turnpike but as stated above that was hardly a home fight. Adamek owns North Jersey. Other than some Philly faithful that made the journey this was another road fight where Cunningham faced a building filled with Adamek fans decked in Polish flags and scarves. So why hasn’t a talented fighter and largely considered “good guy” not been showcased in his home city that is known for boxing. Part of the reason is the division he fights in. Cruiserweight is simply not an attractive division these days in the USA despite the fact that most cruisers are the size of past heavyweight greats before the era of the giants like current champions the Klitschko brothers. So Cunningham has been forced to fight recently in Europe where the cruiserweight division is appreciated, drawing large crowds and a wide TV audience. Cunningham even recently currently signed with European promoters Sauerland Promotions. Another problem has been the lack of outings Cunningham has fought in Philadelphia or nearby areas. Cunningham debuted in Savannah Georgia and then fought his next ten bouts in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. He then embarked on several fights in various locations around the country before heading to Poland for his first fight with Wlodarczyk and has primarily fought in Europe since then. Not that he is without recognition as he was awarded the Briscoe award for Philly fighter of the year in 2010 for the second time, becoming the first fighter to win the award twice. But the question that comes to mind is why Cunningham is not a star in a city that loves boxing. Sure as stated above cruiser is not a glamour division but that did not stop Main Events from turning Adamek into a draw in Jersey well before he went to the glamour division of giants. Yes, he had no choice but to go to Europe for his title shot because they have the cruiser belts in Europe, but before and after that couldn’t an attempt have been made to cultivate a fan base. On one hand it seems to be a missed opportunity. At the very least after Cunningham lost to Adamek he could have had his comeback fight at home. Instead he fought Braithwaite in Florida of all places (don’t get me wrong, I love a vacation in the sunshine state but it is not exactly a boxing Mecca). Cunningham has stated that he would love to be fighting at home but it is just not available right now. Did someone along the way drop the ball never featuring this guy in his hometown. On the other even if he had been featured everywhere possible in and around Philadelphia it is still unlikely he would pack a crowd or payday that compares to what he gets in Germany. What the future holds for Cunningham going forward remains to be seen. Considering his promoters are based in Germany the likelihood of a homecoming is probably not high. Maybe he will at least get the opportunity at some point to perform for his hometown faithful in a showcase fight. For the time being the Philly native will have to continue in the land of bratwurst instead of the home of the cheesesteak. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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The Passing of a Legend: George Benton by Gary Purfield (09/22/11) This past Monday, at the age of seventy eight, former middleweight contender and Hall of Fame trainer George Benton passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Philadelphia. Benton was known as one of the best fighters ever to never get a title shot. He was also known as one of the greatest trainers the sport ever saw. The titles and praise that were kept from him as a fighter were earned later on as a trainer. As a fighter, Benton was known as a defensive master. Not that he was a runner or boring fighter that goes along with the term defensive. The best way to sum up Benton as a fighter is to use his own words. “I never ran. I was right in front of those guys. I made them miss and I made them pay.” Jesse Smith who lost a decision to Benton in the early 60’s said “he just sets there and waits for you to do something, and when you do, you’re sorry you did.” Benton 62-13-1 (36 KO) never got a chance to fight for a title but it was not for lack of talent or effort. It was a well-known fact that Benton was an avoided fighter. Famous Philadelphia and Hall of Fame Promoter Russell Peltz explained that George’s loyalty to promoter Herman Diamond, who refused to do business with mob people that had power over the sport in the 1960’s kept him away from a title shot. Peltz stated “the middleweight title changed hands twenty two times during Benton’s twenty one year career and he never got a shot.” Benton’s fighting career was cut short in 1970 when he was shot with a bullet meant for someone else. After two years Benton returned to the ring, this time training fighters instead of wearing the gloves. As a trainer he found the titles and achievements that eluded him as a fighter. He was known as the Professor, the Mayor of North Philadelphia, and many other names. One of his first assignments was assisting Eddie Futch with Joe Frazier. He then took on Benny Briscoe who had beaten Benton earlier in their careers. Benton helped Briscoe find late career success including another title shot. Benton would go on to work with Main Event Promotions run by Lou Duva. Ironically, Duva was one of the same people that years before was responsible for keeping George away from a title shot. Duva even told this to Benton while George was training Main Events fighters. In his time as a trainer Benton taught some of the best boxers of the generation. He passed on his craft to many including champions Meldrick Taylor, Leon Spinks, Evander Holyfield, and Pernell Whitaker. Watch old tapes of Benton fighting and then watch Pernell Whitaker’s defensive brilliance. Watching Whitaker is like watching Benton with a modern flare. Benton was rewarded for his efforts as a trainer winning the BWAA Award for trainer of the year in 1989 and 1990. In 2001 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame as a trainer. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to meet George Benton which is something I will surely regret as a boxing fan/writer in Philadelphia. I have worked with many who have including trainers, fighters, promoters, and other writers. When they speak of Benton, it is always with the highest praise for his boxing skills, knowledge, and his character as a person. I had the opportunity to speak with a Benton disciple; trainer Roger Bloodworth at Tomasz Adamek’s training camp last year. I asked Bloodworth about his time he spent learning the fine arts of training fighters under Benton. Bloodworth lit up and began telling me tales of George and imitating his voice. It was clear that Bloodworth took a great deal of knowledge from Benton on boxing but his relationship with “Georgie” as he called him was about much more than just boxing. Another Benton disciple, Philadelphia trainer Freddy Marratto learned the art of training fighters for years under George Benton. He developed a strong bond with George while receiving lessons in boxing and life. His account below gives a small window into that relationship between trainer and student so I will leave with Freddy’s comments that can do more justice for George than this writers rambling. “My experience with Georgie Benton was a true gift. A gift packaged with tutoring, wisdom, and guidance. One moment we would be going over ways of countering a left hook, in the next frame the importance of maintaining balance whether in the ring or walking down the street, then you'd get advice on how to 'stay sharp' which meant dressing acceptably and matching clothes to keeping your hair cut, every two weeks if it grew that fast and also don't forget to wear that hat and coat (it was hard for a guy from California to wear a hat come winter time)...finally Georgie got his way. It was just so much more than boxing with Georgie, we ate meals together, laughed and watched TV, strolled around the neighborhood, we were close and had a special bond. It was all encompassing with George and everything included a lesson, so from the ring to the pavement or anywhere in between, I believe Georgie was making sure we had our bases covered. Thanks for the memories Georgie, may you rest in peace, I'm going to miss you dearly.” Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Boxing and MMA Try to Get Along in Chester PA
by Gary Purfield (09/21/11) This Friday Joey Eye Boxing and David Feldman have their fifth card at the new Harrah’s Casino in Chester PA outside of Philly. The card which will be held outside for the first time on the racetrack looks to blend boxing and MMA on one night. The action will start with seven boxing fights followed by the MMA fights. Headlining the card is local favorite light heavyweight Tony “Boom Boom” Ferrante 12-2 (7 KO) taking on Tommy Karpency 21-2-1 (14 KO) for the PA State Light Heavyweight Title in a ten round bout. Ferrante who is from Philadelphia will have the crowd support considering he draws well to the local cards but Karpency has the experience edge. In the co-feature Ahmad Samir 10-0 (3 KO) takes on Pedro Martinez 6-4 (3 KO) in a six round cruiserweight bout. Samir was born in Egypt where he had a successful amateur career. He then relocated to New York in 2007 to turn pro. Samir is considered a talented prospect but is largely untested yet as a professional. Also featured is Philadelphia Super Middleweight Prospect Derrick Webster 10-0 (6 KO). Webster who is coming off a tough win over Romaro Johnson 11-4-1 (6 KO). All action fighter Victor Vazquez was scheduled to be on the card as well but was removed due to not having an opponent. One interesting note on the card is that at this the weather is calling for rain Saturday night. From what I am hearing is they do not have a tent so not sure exactly how this is going to work. Never heard of a rainout in boxing but that may be what we have Saturday. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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GEORGE BENTON by John DiSanto /
PhillyBoxingHistory.com
Benton was one of the most skilled boxers in Philadelphia's storied boxing history. He fought and beat many of the best of the ring. He was a scientist between the ropes who could outthink them all - at least those willing to step in there with him. But he was avoided by many. When he was a fighter, he could avoid just about every punch that came his way. He never ran; he just stood there, twisting and turning the fraction of an inch needed to stay untouched. He did his best to stay out of harm's way. I'm not sure if it was mathematics, geometry or something else, but his method worked. His theory on getting hit was simple - don't let it happen. But he couldn't dodge every bullet. His long career ended in 1970 after a shot from a gun - intended for someone else - entered his back and forced his retirement after 21 frustrating years in the boxing ring. He left the fight game as a great boxer who never really got his due. But that was just the beginning for George Benton. After two years in and out of the hospital and a long recuperation from the gunshot, Benton returned to the boxing world. He was back in the gyms, and back in the corners, but not as a fighter. Instead George Benton became a boxing trainer. His lifetime of boxing knowledge would not go to waste. The rest was history. It couldn't have been a better fit. No one knew more about boxing than Georgie Benton. Everyone agreed with that. But what they didn't understand was that Benton could also become a teacher. A great one. He had the ability to impart to others all the hard lessons he had learned during his career, as well as old-school basics and scientific touches of boxing. He knew and preached the things it seemed fighters no longer did - the angles, the movement, and not getting hit. To Benton these were instinct and they were gospel. They called him the Professor, the Master, the Mayor. He had a lot of nicknames. But they all meant the same thing - Benton was the boss, the expert, the one who knew it all. For years and years, Benton worked the corners of countless young - and not so young - fighters. His first assignment as a trainer was with old foe and fellow North Philly icon Bennie Briscoe. Imagine them together and on the same team. Bad Bennie was an old dog who had already been in the boxing ring for a lifetime. So Benton merely fine-tuned the rugged puncher and helped to extend his career several more years. Eventually Benton would become the trainer for a legendary list of boxers. Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor, Evander Holyfield, Johnny Bumphus, Leon Spinks, Rocky Lockridge, Joe Frazier, Tyrell Biggs, Tex Cobb, Curtis Parker, Earl Hargrove, and many others all called him their trainer. As a fighter, Benton became the top middleweight contender but was never given a chance to win a world title. However as a trainer, he won title after title, and won defense after defense. He was widely regarded as the best trainer of his day. "This is how I won the championship", he once told me. Having George in your corner didn't guarantee you a title, but it didn't hurt. Benton was named the "Trainer of the Year" in 1989 & 1990 by the Boxing Writers Association. He was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001, the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame in 1986, and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007. As a boy, his life in boxing began by hanging out at the Johnny Madison Gym in North Philly. He and a few friends would peer into the gym, fascinated by the fighters and all the action inside. Johnny Madison would shoo them away every day, but Benton kept coming back. He couldn't be shooed. Eventually "he gave me a broom", Benton once said of gym-owner Madison. Benton swept the gym and did whatever was asked of him. After a while, Madison gave him a pair of trunks, and young George was training and learning the finer points of the sport. As an amateur boxer, Benton won the Philadelphia Golden Gloves in 1947 as a 126-pounder, and placed second the following year as a welterweight. In 1949, Benton won the welterweight Mid-Atlantic AAU / Diamond Belt. Benton turned professional on July 18, 1949 with a first round KO of Chico Wade at Toppi Stadium in South Philly, and went on to post an overall pro record of 61-13-1 with 36 KOs, through 1970. He beat Joey Giardello, Jimmy Ellis, Freddie Little, Jesse Smith, Johnny Morris, Slim Jim Robinson, Bobby Jones, Chuck Goldsby, Holly Mims (at right), Jetson Arnold, and others. He was trained by Joe Rose and managed by Herman Diamond throughout most of his career. In 1961, Benton's third round knockout of Chico Corsey opened the Blue Horizon, that legendary North Philly fight club that died last year. His accomplishments and contributions to the sport of boxing can never be tallied. He was without question one of the true legends of the sport - inside Philadelphia and out. Within the last year, old-school trainers Jimmy Arthur and Bouie Fisher also passed away. It seems that all the great corner kings are gone now. Time produces a slow epidemic of loss. With the passing of George Benton, it is fair to say that Philadelphia has lost its greatest boxing trainer ever. That fraternity is an elite group, filled with the greatest boxing minds who ever lived. As great as the others were, Benton was the Professor and the Master of them all. He is survived by his wife Mildred and a large family of children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, many friends and millions of boxing fans. Many say that boxing is dead. Although I will never believe that, after the death of George Benton today - just nine months after the passing of Bennie Briscoe, that claim feels like it holds some truth. But it won't last. In time the memories of Benton, Briscoe and all the other greats of the past always rise up to keep boxing afloat in the minds and hearts of those of us who love the sport. We love boxing because of men like George Benton. We owe these men everything. Thank you Georgie. Rest in Peace.
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Gonzalez Kicks off the Party in Style by Gary Purfield (09/14/11) Jhonny Gonzalez put on an impressive performance, defending his WBC Featherweight title against Rogers Mtagwa in the main event of an ESPN Deportes televised card. The event served as an opener to the big fight weekend and prelude to Mexican Independence Day celebration over the weekend. Gonzalez spent the first minute of the fight feeling out his opponent before going to work. Mtagwa pressured, as is his style, while Gonzalez moved away firing some counter punches. Then halfway through the round Gonzalez began countering Mtagwa as he charged in and quickly found success landing heavy shots. Gonzalez, who lives in Mexico City, Mexico wasted no time in round two, going right after the Philadelphia fighter who was originally from Tanzania. Gonzalez landed several hard left hooks and straight right hands pushing Mtagwa into a defensive posture. Gonzalez, who is trained by Hall of Famer Nacho Beristain, landed the double lead left hook combination that is a trademark of Beristain fighters. He connected first with the left hook to the head that staggered Mtagwa followed by the left hook to the body that had his opponent stunned and motionless with both hands hanging down. The double left hook was finished off with a right hand that sent Mtagwa spinning. Mtagwa, being the tough guy that he is remained on his feet but had nothing left. Gonzalez pursued him into the corner firing a left uppercut and right hook. By this point referee Guadalupe Garcia had seen enough and stepped in to end the bout. The official result was a TKO win for Gonzalez at 2:15 of the second round. Gonzalez 50-7 (44 KO), who was making the second defense of his title he took from Hozumi Hasegawa earlier this year in Japan, was expected to win but the way he won was certainly impressive. By stopping the rugged Mtagwa, who made a name for himself when he took Juan Manuel Lopez to the brink in a losing effort, Gonzalez puts himself into the thick of things in the featherweight division. Gonzalez would likely be an underdog to the top man in the division Yuriokis Gamboa but he should be considered a worthy challenger to the talented Cuban. Gonzalez’s power and solid technical skills would make for an interesting challenge to Gamboa’s speed and athleticism. Mtagwa 27-15-2 (19 KO) has a had a good career where he has gotten the most out of his talent through an aggressive style mixed with tons of heart and toughness. But he has been stopped early in two of his last three fights including tonight against Gonzalez and previously against Gamboa. The hardnosed Philly fighter has nothing to be ashamed of and could certainly be proud of his career if he decides to hang up the gloves following tonight’s fight. On the undercard Antonio Escalante 24-4 (16 KO) scored a TKO at 2:08 of round one over Pipino Cuevas 13-8 (11 KO). Escalante landed a left hook to the body and left hook to the head as the fight was called to a halt with Cuevas staggering. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Mayweather vs. Ortiz: Analysis and Breakdown by Gary Purfield (09/14/11)
Fighters: “Vicious” Victor Ortiz 29-2-2 (22 KO) of Garden City, KA currently living in Oxnard, CA (southpaw)
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Last fight:
Ortiz UD win over Andre Berto April 16, 2011
This Saturday boxing fans get what is sure to be one of the biggest events of the year. Whether the fight will live up to the expectations remains to be seen but the matchup certainly has fans intrigued. Is Victor Ortiz the young, strong, hungry fighter that finally presents at least a true challenge to Floyd Mayweather? Or will be simply be another notch on the belt of a fighter, who love him or hate him, has beaten everyone in front of him with relative ease for nearly two decades. Let’s take a look inside at the specifics for this Saturday’s big fight. Boxing
ability: Physical:
Power:
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Experience: Wear and
Tear:
Intangibles: Keys to Victory Floyd Mayweather: · Let Ortiz come to him and make him eat the straight right all night. Use his perfected shoulder roll to slip shots and counter with the right down the middle which is an orthodox fighter’s best weapon against the southpaw. Mix in his leaping left hook and his underused jab as well to keep Ortiz guessing and he has a simple but effective recipe for the strong pressure fighter. · Not much else can be said. The beauty to what Floyd does is he has mastered the art of boxing. For all his outbursts outside of the ring he never makes mistakes physically or mentally inside the ring. As long as he does what he has done in past fights he is more than likely coming out the winner. Victor Ortiz:
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This section could go on for several pages to list all
the things Victor will have to do right to pull the upset (for a
more in depth look · Technically, Ortiz must win the battle of the lead foot discussed above . Floyd can afford to lose that battle and get away with it by shoulder rolling punches. Victor will have no such luck. If Ortiz loses the footwork battle he will eat right hands in what will be a long painful night. He also needs to circle to his right away from Floyd’s right hand (Ortiz normally circles the “wrong” way to his left).
Prediction:
Past
fights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRxFuivqM68&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLFB6B93C6CEC57240 Victor Ortiz vs. Lamont Peterson: I chose the draw with Peterson over the Berto fight because while Peterson is no Mayweather he fits Floyd’s style much closer than the brawling Berto. Peterson is fast and slick. When Victor was good early in the fight he showed a small piece of what he will need to beat Floyd. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ph2XDR-EbY If you are looking for Mayweather vs. Mosley or Ortiz vs. Berto they are on HBO On Demand all week. So get your fill of pre-fight excitement on HBO along with the YouTube videos above and make your own judgment and analysis of Saturday’s battle. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Real Little Rocky Story: by Gary Purfield (09/13/11)
Such is the case with Rogers Mtagwa of Tanzania who resides and trains in Philadelphia. Despite not being a Philly native “the Tiger” Mtagwa fits right into the tough, blue collar, Philly boxing tradition. He relocated from Tanzania to Philadelphia in 2000. Mtagwa stated that he was told he was a good fighter in Tanzania and offered the chance to come to America. Since that time, he has taken on a host of names losing tough bouts to Orlando Salido, Antonio Diaz, Billy Dib, Juan Manuel Lopez, and Yuriokis Gamboa. His most notable win was a tenth round KO of Tomas Villa in 2008, but his most memorable performance was his come from behind rally against then unbeaten and WBO Super bantamweight champ Juan Manuel Lopez (Mtagwa talked of both fights as his best moments in his career). Trailing on the scorecards after absorbing shots from a true power puncher, Mtagwa made a late rally, hurting and nearly stopping the young Puerto Rican star. Mtagwa had Lopez basically out on his feet in the twelfth round coming ever so close to that career defining win and championship belt. Despite losing, it was an incredibly fan-friendly gusty performance, produced a fight of the year candidate, and won him the Briscoe award for the Philadelphia Fighter of the Year. The performance lead to another high profile bout with his biggest career payday, taking on Lopez’s young rival Yuriokis Gamboa. Unfortunately for Mtagwa, this time he did not have the same luck being blasted out in in two rounds where he absorbed a great deal of punishment. In all of his fights, win or lose, he gives it his all and fights with the heart of the fictional Philadelphia fighter Rocky Balboa. After a nineteen month layoff following the Gamboa fight, he returned to score a TKO over Pedro Navarrete in August of this year.
To accomplish his goal, he will have to pull out even more than the Lopez performance. The Nacho Beristain trained technician, Gonzalez, is skilled and dangerous. His seven losses are deceptive considering Gonzalez turned pro in 1999 at eighteen years of age and lost his first two pro bouts. Gonzalez has won eight in a row all by knockout including when he took the WBC title from Hozumi Hasegawa with a fourth round stoppage. Rogers in his quiet way, explained that he has been watching tapes of Gonzalez and believes he can beat him. Mtagwa also explained he was surprised and very excited to get another title shot at this point in his career. Manager Joe Parella was more straight forward, stating if Rogers listens to his corner he will be the winner and that Rogers has the power to stop Gonzalez. Parella explained he has been walking around stating “and the new” all week referring to what he believes will happen on Thursday when the ring announcer calls out, “and the new, WBC featherweight champion, Rogers “the Tiger” Mtagwa.” Notes
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Rosado and Cruz Dominate: Soleo Boxeo Report Ringside
Coverage and Photos “King” Gabriel Rosado thoroughly dominated Keenan Collins over ten rounds to pick up the PA state Jr. Middleweight title to go along with his NABA strap. Rosado pitched a complete shutout, winning by scores of 100-90 on all three cards in the Telefutura Soleo Boxeo card Friday night from the Arena in Philadelphia. Rosado 18-5 (10 KO) used speed, movement, and combination punching to take control early, and never let go of his building momentum. Collins 13-7-2 (9 KO) big weapon is a heavy straight right but Rosado was well prepared, as he easily would slip the big shot and counter with three and four punch combinations that forced Collins to cover up. As the fight went on, Rosado continued excellent head and upper body movement while firing his combinations. Meanwhile Collins threw less and less retreating into a defensive shell. The more Rosado punched the more Collins went into hiding making the fight a more and more one sided affair with each passing round. By round three Gabe began some showboating with dancing feet. As the fight progressed Rosado’s confidence kept increasing and his showboating became more pronounced. Afterwards Rosado was chided by reporters and his promoter for the excessive showboating but Rosado felt comfortable with his actions.
Rosado trained for the bout under a cloud due to pending charges from an incident following his last bout in Atlantic City, when he knocked out Ayi Bruce. Rosado admitted that this was on his mind, but as a professional he had to deal with the matter and stay focused. “I’m not gonna lie, my last fight I was kind of more into the groove. I’m a professional so I had to fight through all the trials and tribulations I have been going through outside of the ring. I’m not going to lie and say it was easy. It wasn’t. There were times where it was tough going to the gym, to spar, and putting roadwork in but I pulled through.” If the pending case was on his mind he did not let it show in the ring. Rosado put on possibly his best performance so far as a pro. While his offense failed to produce a stoppage which seemed in reach several times, it was more than enough to stifle and dominate his opponent. His work with and study of fellow Philly fighter Bernard Hopkins was evident in his much improved defense, especially in taking away his opponents best weapon, the right hand. “Every now and then it would land but it wouldn’t land flush. It would graze. Bernard’s the master at that. Throw the right hand, you just lean off, it will hit you, but it will just graze off. It never landed flush and I never got hurt.” Rosado feels he is ready for the bigger stage. After the fight he discussed where he wants to go from here. “I want the big fights because I felt like I’ve been through a lot of good fights, a lot of tough fights in my career that have gotten me ready for a big fight. I think I could match up against Alvarez. I think it would be a different outcome if I fought Angulo in a rematch. I think I would box him.” In the televised co-feature, undefeated welterweight prospect Ronald Cruz ran his knockout streak to seven consecutive fights by stopping veteran trial horse Christopher Fernandez. Cruz, who hails from Bethlehem PA, was making his first appearance on network TV and came through with a convincing performance.
“I didn’t know much about him. I just wanted to study him the first couple of rounds and my game plan is always to work the body.” The assault continued with a methodical precision from the orthodox and southpaw stance. Cruz and his team had been working on the southpaw stance for several camps now and chose tonight to unveil it in the ring. “I throw pretty strong punches when I turn southpaw. I’m ready to go, watch me turn southpaw.”
In round six both fighters slowed a bit but the damage had been done. Between rounds six and seven enough was enough. Fernandez 19-14-1 (12 KO) did not answer the bell for the next round giving Cruz the six round TKO victory. Overall it was an impressive performance. Cruz 14-0 (11 KO) had won every round on this writer’s scorecard leading up to the stoppage. As for what’s next Cruz lets his actions in the ring do his talking. The fast moving prospect has no interest in getting into saying who he fights next. “I let my trainer, my manager, and my promoter take care of that.” Whoever comes next will need to be well prepared for a sustained body assault and a fighter that is looking to make his presence known in the welterweight scene. Undercard Wrap-up Heavyweight Bryant Jennings remained undefeated with a unanimous decision win over Alex Meijas 11-8 (5 KO) in a six round bout. Jennings 10-0 (4 KO) won by scores of 59-54, 59-54, and 58-55. After a rough first round Jennings began landing heavy shots taking over the bout. Decarlo Perez scored an impressive first round knockout over Tolan Tascoe cutting short the four round welterweight bout. Perez 5-0-1 (2 KO) landed a left hook and right hand dropping Tascoe 1-6-1 (0 KO) who could not beat the count. The end came at 1:35 of round one. Fred Jenkins 4-0 (2 KO) scored a second round KO over Pete Yates 1-3 (1 KO) in a four round middleweight bout. Jenkins landed a left hook to the body dropping his opponent who failed to beat the count. The official end was at 3:01 of round two. William Miranda of Allentown, PA squared off with Lonnie Kornegay of Baltimore, MD in heavyweight action. Kornegay scored his first win as a professional with a split decision win by scores of 39-36, 37-38, and 38-37. Kornegay 1-4-2 (0 KO) scored a knockdown in round two off a left hook that proved to be the difference. Miranda drops to 3-4-1 (0 KO). In the opening bout of the evening featherweight Tevin Farmer took a unanimous decision over Joshua Arocho with all three judges scoring the four round bout 39-37. Farmer goes to 2-1 (0 KO) while Arocho of Vineland, NJ falls 1-5-1 (1 KO). For a full photo wrap of the televised fights visit: https://picasaweb.google.com/111668600900883893517/RosadoCruzArena9911?authkey=Gv1sRgCNLproOTiIGaJQ# Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.Gary Purfield is also featured at the Boxing Tribune www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Prospect and “Mama’s Boy” Denis Douglin Coming Back by Gary Purfield (09/05/11)
Douglin 13-1 (8 KO) was on a roll after twelve wins and getting a lot of publicity. Then he stepped into the ring on February 18, 2011 with tough guy Doel Carrasquillo. After a solid first round where he dropped Carrasquillo with a body shot, everything unraveled. Instead of sticking to the game plan of boxing his opponent, he went winging for a knockout and got caught leading to a third round knockout loss. When I last spoke with Douglin, we discussed how quickly the fickle boxing crowd can turn on a dime when a prospect suffers a loss. Douglin took everything in a positive frame of mind. Getting back to winning will bring the fans back. Douglin was also well aware that the early loss can be a valuable learning experience that will benefit him in his boxing career. On July 9, 2011, Douglin returned to the ring to win a six round unanimous decision over Philip McCants in Atlantic City on the Paul Williams-Erislandy Lara undercard. Douglin and his team chose to take on a hardnosed fighter in Philly’s McCants in their return instead of a soft touch. The win showed that Douglin seemed to have moved past the loss and is back on track. This Saturday, Douglin will step back into the ring at the Aviator Sport Complex in Brooklyn, NY, although at this time he does not have an opponent. I talked with the prospect (and future teacher) about his intro to the sport from his mother, his return fight against McCants, and his outlook going forward. Douglin was incredibly straight forward and revealing especially when discussing his feelings heading into the ring for the first time since the loss and his feelings about problems within boxing. Boxing Tribune: How did you come to have your mother for a trainer? Denis Douglin: Well, my mother was always into boxing. Since the time I was a baby she was boxing for herself, but there was no real future in female boxing. She was always in the gym. When I was eight years old, I got into a street fight. Things did not go to well so she decided to bring me to the gym. I originally started training with my uncle, because I didn’t want mom helping me out in the gym. I was training with my uncle Delen Parsley in Brooklyn. When I would get home my mother would show me stuff and we would work out at home. As I got older I just felt more comfortable working with her and as I got the confidence, I just asked her to be my trainer. Around thirteen she took over as my trainer. BT: Is it tough for your mom in the corner when you get punched. Is it tough for her to separate being your mom and being your trainer at that moment? DD: I would imagine that it is. I could sit here and tell you that it’s not but at the end of the day when she tries to separate mom from coach, which she does a really good job of that in the gym and sparring, but I can imagine when I get hit in a fight it’s probably harder for her than a typical trainer because that mom is gonna come out. BT: In the gym as a kid did you get made fun of or ripped on for being trained by mom? DD: Of course, all the time. As a matter of fact that’s how I got the name “Mama’s Boy”. It actually started off as a joke. People used to call me mama’s boy in the gym because she was training me. It was not like we decided to call me mama’s boy when she started training me. People call me mama’s boy in the gym because I was always training with my mom so as a joke we put mama’s boy on my shorts just to make everybody laugh. Wearing them, people loved it, I got a lot of attention, people wanted to see me fight so it grew from there. BT: Last time we talked about coming back from a loss and more specifically how the cruel fact in boxing is one minute you are a loved undefeated prospect, the next you are written off, exposed, etc. Was this playing in your mind at all before your first comeback fight against McCants in AC? DD: Definitely, the loss, it did a lot. It changed my whole train of thought. You see the people that really think you can excel in this sport, you just see the people that are riding your coattails because you were undefeated. It cleared up a lot for me. I’m actually now grateful for the loss. Although it pushed my career back a few months and I have a lot of doubters now. It let me see who was really in my corner and it got me a lot more focused. BT: Did the loss get rid of the negative people and hanger ons allowing you to surround yourself with the people that really matter? DD: Exactly, that’s exactly what it did. I seen the true colors of a lot of people since the loss. It just made the people that I’m close to closer. It helped me take my dedication and focus to the next level so it was a blessing in disguise for me. BT: What were you thinking entering the ring vs. McCants? Was the Carrasquillo fight on your mind? DD: To be honest with you, before the fight, the night before the fight, or wrapping my hands and stuff like that, I’m thinking I can’t lose. This is my last chance, if I lose this fight then my career is over. That entered my mind all night and I couldn’t sleep. Once I started warming up and walking out to the ring, the loss was not even on my mind. I was focusing on what was in front of me and having a good time. I feel comfortable in the ring so once I got in the ring I was just happy to be in there. BT: How would you rate your performance in that last fight? DD: I would give myself a B. I showed great heart. He kept coming forward. He is a tough, tough opponent. I’m glad we got such a tough opponent coming back from a loss so I could show everybody I’m not missing a beat, I’m here, and ready for anybody. So I am glad we got a tough opponent like that, not someone who I blow on and they fall down. I think that I showed great skill but there were a lot of times where I didn’t press the action when I thought I could have gotten him out of there. I didn’t know how my stamina was going to feel or if I should stay on him, pull back. I doubted myself a little too much in the fight so looking back on it I think there were a couple of times I could have ended the fight earlier. I played it safe for the decision. BT: Do you think that’s natural coming off a loss to be a little hesitant or to hold back? DD: I think so, that’s what it was. I was trying so hard not to get caught with shots so every time I have someone on the ropes and he’s clearly hurt but I back up off him because I don’t want to get careless or get tired because I feel that is what happened in the fight I lost. I was doing so great but I got tired and that lead me to be open. It’s a learning process, as I keep fighting I’ll get it down. BT: Over time will you find a blend of the right amount of hesitancy you learned from the loss while also learning when to let go and go forward? DD: To be honest with you I think I learned it now. That’s why I’m ready to get back in the ring and just try it out again. I have been training real hard and stepped up my strength and conditioning. I think I have taken my body to the next level. I am ready to let it all hang out and see how I feel. BT: Was it a relief to have that one under your belt after the loss? DD: It was relief but it was not a surprise. I knew I was going to win. I step into the ring every time thinking I am going to win, knowing I’m going to win. It was not like “woo”. It was more of an excitement to be back. For everyone else to see he’s back and the loss is not phasing him. BT: Compare this current training camp for the upcoming fight vs. the last camp following the loss. Is their less tension being back in the win column? DD: I would not say less tension. I have a new mentality going into all my fights. I think that I trained extremely hard for that last fight and trained even harder for this fight. I am going to keep going and keep getting better. We’ve incorporated a new strength and conditioning coach. I got a lot more sparring. Just working on the techniques and just trying to get better. Establish the jab more and just work on everything that needs work on. I would not say it may have been less tense mentally but physically it was harder. You mentioned the strength and conditioning coach. What has that added to your arsenal? DD: Just a lot more explosiveness, a lot more stamina, a lot more strength. He’s helping me; I’ve been hurting guys sparring. It’s always competitive, I’ve always done well, but I feel like now I’m really hurting people with body shots. I fell a lot stronger and lasting a lot longer doing round after round. It was something I was missing. We always did strength and conditioning but to have someone who just specializes in that, who studied in that, it pushed me to the next level. BT: Have you been sparring anyone of note? DD: I have been working with undefeated prospect Glen Tapia. BT: Tapia is a good young prospect. Do things get intense between the two of you? DD: We definitely push it. We grew up together in the amateurs and knew each other for a while. We were always good friends and went to nationals together (in separate weight classes) but never fought. Now we are in the same weight class. We always want to see who would win so that is how we step into the ring each time. It’s always great sparring. BT: Now you have the first win back, what is your outlook going forward? DD: Just to stay this hungry. I let myself get into a lackadaisical state of mind because I just got signed by Al Haymon and I was undefeated. I just felt like the world was mine and I took everything for granted. Now I’m back hungry, I’m still with Al Haymon but of course I’m not at the top of his list anymore which I understand 100%. I feel like even though I won my last fight I still have a lot to prove. BT: Were you worried after the loss you would lose the support from Haymon or get dropped? DD: Definitely, Al wasn’t actually at the fight but his kids were there. I was definitely thinking like I just got signed with him and I lost so I was a little nervous he was going to drop me. I was happy that Sam was still impressed with the two rounds before I got caught so I appreciated they still had the confidence in me. It’s confidence, but it’s still a business, so obviously I’m happy they kept me but I have to work my way back up. BT: Have you talked to Haymon since the loss and has he offered any words of encouragement or anything for you? DD: He came to the McCants fight with Williams, Arreola, Rico Ramos, and we spoke for a while after the fight. He is a great advisor and everyone around him, Silvio Brown, Sam, real helpful. It keeps me focused, keeps me motivated and I just want to be impressive because the people he has under his belt are all impressive in my opinion. BT: What do you hope to accomplish in the next year? DD: I’m ready to step up. I mean I’m really tired of the fights with the people with the five hundred records or the out of ten fights they won six, but actually ready to step up and fight other prospects. I was actually just talking to him about that after this fight, I’m ready to step up and fight an undefeated fighter or a fighter with just one loss that went through the same thing I’m going through and is trying to get his way back. I don’t have an undefeated record to protect anymore so I’m ready to take chances because I feel like my skills are there. In the amateurs you fight everybody, you fight future world champions. I’m just ready to show what I’m capable of so that’s what the next step should be. BT: It sounds like you prefer challenging yourself opposed to fighting someone you know you can beat. DD: I think that’s what’s actually killing boxing and I don’t want to be another person to bring that into boxing. I want to be exciting and have exciting fights. I don’t want to have fights where you see me fighting on HBO and it is Denis Douglin vs. who is this guy. I want every fight that I fight once I am televised to be a headlining fight like wow, he would put his record on the line, because that is what the sport is about. That’s what MMA is about and that’s why it’s growing a lot faster than boxing is because boxing is all about protecting records. BT: Before we finish up, are you still pursuing a degree in teaching? DD: I’m actually starting back up at school next week. I took last semester off and just trying to get my head together. I just wanted to focus on my boxing. I am thirteen credits away from getting my bachelor’s degree and going back to school next week and stay focused on everything. BT: Where are you going to school and what draws you to teaching. DD: I take Rutgers classes. I want to teach because I want to give back. Growing up I always enjoyed social studies and math. In social studies you have to have a good teacher to like that type of subject. It’s boring if you have someone just standing there with lectures. If you think about history, it is one big story. History is like a soap opera actually so if you have a good teacher it is a great subject. I want to be that great teacher that teaches kids. I had a great teacher and he made me fall in love with social studies and math and I want to be that kind of person to someone else. BT: Anything you want put out to the boxing public? DD: We covered everything. Fighting September 10th and not even sure who my opponent is yet because we are going back and forth with opponents and between the commission shooting them down and them saying no I don’t know who my opponent is. Hopefully I will know who my opponent is by the end of the day. I’m just working and I want the boxing community to look out for me. I am trying to fight the best, I’m trying to be the best so any junior middleweight prospect out there. Lets go, let’s do it. BT: Is it frustrating less than a week away your opponent is still TBA? DD: Ya, it is definitely frustrating. It is definitely one of the most frustrating things to deal with because you’re dieting, you’re training hard, you’re cutting weight, and you are not even 100% sure your fighting. Then on top of that you have to worry about once you get the fight is he orthodox? Is he a southpaw? Is he tall, short? It’s really annoying but it’s a fact of things you have to deal with coming up. I know I am still in the building process so I have to take what I get, but it is very annoying. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Please include tag line at end Gary Purfield is also featured on the Boxing Tribune at www.theboxingtribune.com.
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by Gary Purfield (09/05/11)
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Adamek UD win over Kevin McBride April 9, 2011 This Saturday afternoon, Tomasz Adamek will look to topple the giant Vitali Klitschko in front of 40,000 plus Polish supporters. The former cruiserweight champ has steadily fought bigger and bigger heavyweights en route to this showdown. Adamek firmly believes he has the stuff to topple a Klitschko. He believes his speed and skill set will allow him to be David taking down Goliath. Meanwhile, since returning to the sport in 2008 following an injury produced retirement, Vitali Klitschko has simply destroyed everyone in front of him. He has knocked out five of his seven opponents in that time and arguably has not lost a round in any of these fights. So does Adamek truly have a chance to take Vitali’s WBC belt or is he just simply another inferior challenger to a superior champion. Let’s take a look into the specifics to break down Klitschko vs. Adamek. Boxing ability: Both heavy’s have vastly underrated boxing skills. Klitschko is more known for his size and heavy hands while Adamek is known for his grit and toughness. Klitschko uses that size with serious skill by being an awkward boxer that controls range with the long jab and heavy right hand for power. It may not look pretty but Klitschko is incredibly effective at fighting on his terms no matter what his opponent brings to the ring. Adamek has transformed from a cruiserweight brawler to a heavyweight boxer. The small heavyweight uses his speed advantage and good movement to get inside of bigger opponents without taking punishment getting in and out. Physical: Both men take conditioning and training very serious. Both apply themselves year round to their craft. Both will come to the ring in perfect fighting condition ready with stamina to fight hard for twelve rounds. Adamek gets a slight advantage being younger. Power: Adamek was powerful south of 200lbs. Since going to the land of giants Adamek can do damage, but is certainly not a knockout puncher. Vitali sports one of the best KO percentages of all time at 88%. The clear advantage in power goes to the champ. He is the one who has a legitimate shot of walking away in less than 12 rounds with the victory. Vitali’s jab has the power of many fighters cross and he fires it accurately for 12 rounds to soften his opponent. His straight right is devastating and stopped many an opponent. To top it off Klitschko is a true finisher. Once his opponent is in trouble he is one of the best at finishing his man. Speed: This is Adamek’s one true advantage against the giant. Adamek had decent speed at cruiser, but compared to heavyweights he is a fast handed quick moving fighter. His speed and movement is subtle and often surprises his heavyweight opponents. Michael Grant and Kevin McBride stated after fighting Adamek they thought they could lean on him to use size but simply could not get to the smaller, faster man. Under the teaching of trainer Roger Bloodworth Adamek has maximized his speed with better footwork, balance, and head movement. Defense: Vitali’s long awkward style is his first defense and make no mistake, it is effective. Many an opponent has entered the ring thinking they could outbox the older Klitschko or simply bull rush the less athletic brother. It simply does not work. Other than when Vitali fought Lennox Lewis who was nearly equal in size he has taken very few punches. Chris Arreola tried for ten rounds to walk down Klitschko but could never get around his long punches and surprisingly solid footwork. Adamek used his concrete dome as his defense south of 200lbs but that won’t work against the big men. Since going up to heavyweight Adamek has added some slick movement to his game and his speed serves as his defense as well. Chin: Both combatants are known for having iron chins and the huge heart that is expected from boxers. Adamek has never been stopped. Klitschko has two stoppage losses but one was from a hurt shoulder and the second was due to his face being an extreme bloody mess against Lennox Lewis (despite that mess Klitschko was outraged when he was not allowed to continue). Adamek has a great chin and is as tough as they come, but there is no way of knowing if your beard will hold up to a Klitschko until you absorb that hammer a few times. Vitali on the other hand has absorbed shots from much harder hitting punchers than the Polish hero without blinking. Again Klitschko has the decided advantage. Experience: This is a toss-up as both have plenty of experience. Both men have dominated opponents and both have been through some wars to gain experience fighting in deep waters. Klitschko has more experience at the heavyweight level but Adamek has fought the best at light heavy and cruiser to gain plenty of experience. Wear and Tear: Both fighters have miles on them. Vitali is forty years old and while he has been dominant eventually age will catch you. Against Solis while it only went one odd round Solis touched Vitali far easier than anyone has since his return in 2008. Adamek has been in some serious wars but has maintained his athletic skills. The slight advantage goes to Adamek considering this could be the day father time catches Vitali. Intangibles: This fight has one obvious X factor and that is size. Vitali will have six inches on Tomasz and probably around thirty to thirty five pounds. Klitschko is a master at using that size to his advantage. To pull the giant upset Adamek will have to do what no one else has been able to do, find a way to counter that size. Keys to Victory Vitali Klitschko: · Simple, do what he always does. Use his huge reach advantage to control the fight. Pump that jab to keep Adamek at bay while unloading the big right hand when Adamek slips the jab. · Don’t get caught in Adamek’s attempt to turn this into a footrace. Adamek will likely use his speed and quickness advantage to constantly move in both directions attempting to tire the older, bigger man. Vitali should let the fight come to him instead of chasing Adamek. Tomasz Adamek: · He has to turn this into a hit and run boxing match. He better be in the greatest shape of his life to be able to constantly move, while exploding in and out for twelve rounds if he is going to pull the upset. He will need to pull off one of the greatest performances of getting inside, scoring with some punches, and getting out of dodge before getting hit by Dr. Iron Fist. He cannot forget, at all times, to use the jab to work inside, land short hooks and uppercuts when close, and then slip out. Further, he cannot allow Vitali to tie him up inside where he can work. Adamek must keep punching and working on the inside and then get out on his terms. · Stick to the game plan of his great trainer Roger Bloodworth. If there is a way for Adamek to beat Klitschko, Bloodworth has found it. He must not get caught up in the excitement of a heavyweight title fight in front of 40,000 rabid Polish supporters. If Adamek for a second gets excited and strays into his cruiserweight mentality of brawling he will be flat on the canvas seeing stars against the Ukrainian giant.
Prediction: But in the end I am going to have to go common sense and pick the champ. I see Adamek doing well in the early rounds and maybe even being ahead at the halfway point. But eventually even a well-conditioned athlete will start to wear slightly from constantly playing the running game that will be necessary to avoid Klitschko. This will allow Vitali to take control of the late rounds. I do not see a knockout because Adamek will be conditioned enough to avoid serious punishment and his chin/heart will never allow him to give in to punishment. Klitschko wins by unanimous decision that is far closer than anyone expected. Past
fights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVVKrrRUd_M Tomasz Adamek vs. Michael Grant: I chose this as the preview fight for Adamek because this was his best test so far in the heavyweight division against a Klitschko size opponent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9ihws_WAzo Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com. Please include tag line at end Gary Purfield is also featured on the Boxing Tribune at www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Gym Notes: Ronald Cruz Prepares for TV by Gary Purfield (08/31/11) Next Friday, at the Asylum Arena in Philadelphia, welterweight prospect Ronald Cruz will continue his fast rise when he takes on Christopher “Kid Kayo” Fernandez 19-13-1 (6 KO) of Salt Lake City. Fernandez may not have the most impressive record, but he presents a stiff test considering he has faced other talents including Gabriel Bracero, Sharif Bogere, Danny Garcia, Paulie Malignaggi, and Devon Alexander. Cruz 13-0 (10 KO) was scheduled to face a higher level of opposition in sturdy former contender Anges Adjaho, but a hand injury forced Adjaho to pull out eleven days before the fight. Fernandez had been scheduled to fight in Atlantic City on August 27, but the card was cancelled due to the recent hurricane so he was ready and available to step in for Cruz on September 9. The Bethlehem PA native quietly turned pro in 2009 but his hard hitting and crowd pleasing style quickly grabbed the attention of Hall of Fame promoter Russell Peltz. With the help of manager Jim Deoria, Cruz began attracting good crowds to his bouts in Philadelphia and Atlantic City where followers proudly waved the Puerto Rican flag in support of the local fighter. In his tenth bout Cruz pulled the upset against slick boxer Jeremy Bryan with a sixth round knockout. The win established Cruz as a budding prospect. When I last caught up with Cruz he was preparing for his toughest test to date against veteran tough guy Doel Carrasquillo. Fighting for the first time in his hometown of Bethlehem, Cruz continued to impress as he stopped the normally iron chinned Carrasquillo in the sixth round in front of a raucous home crowd.
As a boxer increases the level of opposition, his skills must improve to be successful. Cruz has done this under the teachings of trainer Lemuel “Indio” Rodriguez by adding more finesse, head movement, and defense to his naturally powerful head and body assault. This time around his team has taken it a step further adding strength and conditioning coach Esli Gonzalez to the mix. I caught up with Cruz, trainer Rodriguez, assistant Anthony “Mostro” Colon, and Gonzalez at Fighters Quarters Gym in Allentown PA where Cruz holds training camp. The gym is owned by Gonzalez who has brought his extensive background in multiple forms of martial arts and fitness to the team.
Gonzalez commented that he rarely works with individuals one on one but Ronald’s ability to fight through fatigue and pain impressed him. Gonzalez has taken to increasing the functional strength and stamina of a fighter already well known for his high endurance in training as well as his never ending motor inside the ring. Following the extensive boxing and training session, I had the opportunity to talk with Cruz about the upcoming bout, change of opponent, his new training additions, and his future in boxing. Gary Purfield: Your opponent dropped out yesterday and you have a new opponent, does that affect you mentally? Ronald Cruz: Not really, I’m not going to lose focus or anything. I have to change game plans but it’s not going to affect me in my training. GP: Adjaho was a big step up in competition. Doel was your toughest opponent but Adjaho was going to be the most skilled. Were you looking forward to that challenge? RC: Definitely yeah; I have to admit it would have been a step up in competition but I was definitely ready to give it my all and ready to get him out of there. GP: Do you worry about a letdown with the change of opponent and not being as excited? RC: No, it is my first time being on national TV. No difference, I am hyped up and ready to go. GP: Did fighting at home give you experience with the adrenaline rush that will be present fighting on TV? RC: It’s different how everyone handles the pressure. I try to always focus before I get in there. I am pretty much ready mentally for this. GP: In Bethlehem last time out you stayed focused, followed the game plan, and stopped your opponent by banging the body. Are you looking to do the same thing this time? RC: With Adjaho we were planning on getting through his good defense, look for openings, stay busy, and put a lot of pressure on. Fernandez is completely different style. You have to be smart and box at times. At the same time you have to break him down also. We’ll stick to the game plan and everything will work out. GP: Have you seen any tape of Fernandez and found his strengths? RC: I’ve seen a few videos. He likes to come forward and put pressure himself. I have to be smart and look for the easiest way possible to break him down. GP: This is your first go round with strength and conditioning coach Esli Gonzalez. How has that worked for you? RC: All the new things he has brought to the table I feel has been bringing me to a different level in a way of conditioning. I feel stronger, faster, my condition is out of the roof. I feel like I can go in there and fight for a world title the way I been training. I definitely feel the difference in sparring, feel a difference in my power when I hit my sparring mates. It has brought a lot of help to the table. GP: You’re headed to work after training. Where are you currently working and walk me through a typical day? RC: I work at Planet Fitness. I come in here every day at 9:30 in the morning. Once I go out there and run or I go with Esli to do hills, parachute, sprints. After running, come back in, rehydrate up, and start with the boxing. Right after boxing, hydrate back up and on to his conditioning routines with whatever he has set up for me. Then off to work. Basically I have to fit all this training into this little time and I have to do it right. I work from 5pm-10pm Sunday-Thursday. GP: Does the life of a boxer that has to also work, considering so few boxers can survive on just boxing, ever get tiresome, weary, draining, or feel like every waking hour is taken? RC: I have to make sure I do it right, make sure I don’t overdo it, and listen to my body. Feed myself right, diet is on point, watch that I don’t overdo it, that I don’t over train myself. With the help of the guys we all come together and do it right. GP: Come fight night is it all worth it? RC: It’s all worth it. GP: Anything you want to say or you want others to know about you. RC: Just to be ready. I love to excite the fans, I like to give the fans a good fight, a good entertaining fight. Be ready for a war once again. We’re gonna go in there and give the fans what they want which is two guys really going out there and going to war and not out there to play. If you would like to check out my attempt at amateur photography visit the link below for Cruz’s training session. Notes
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured on the Boxing Tribune
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Confident prospect Mike Brooks talks honest about fighting tough, working hard, and his future in Boxing by Gary Purfield (08/25/11)
“It comes from experiences. I’ve had so many trial and tribulations and breaking points. I’ve had points where I said if I lose this next fight I’m just going to give it up. I’ve overcame those thoughts and I’ve won those next fights and I’ve beat great fighters (referring to amateur experience). I’ve been in the trenches; I’ve been on cloud nine. If I didn’t think I could do this I would be just as happy working a nine to five. Bottom line is I might sound a certain way but I’m not trying to be cocky but that’s who I am, this is my game, this is what I was built to do.” Brooks knows he has the gift of gab and hopes to use his ability to talk in the future when fighting is done. “I was built for this (talking in interviews). If I was not boxing I would be doing something in the media. When I’m over the hill I want to be a commentator (for live boxing).” Brooks came into boxing at age sixteen and currently trains in the Westbury Boxing Club in Long Island, NY with trainer Scott Lopeck. Brooks acknowledges that he went through obstacles coming into boxing at sixteen where most fighters started far younger but he says, “The hard road is the best road.” Brooks currently holds several jobs including being a teacher at an alternative school. He showed a passion when he discussed working with kids in need of help including handicapped children and those with behavioral challenges. Inside the ring Brooks and his handlers feel he has big potential despite a short amateur background. Brooks feels he was made more for the pro game because he is willing to get inside and mix things up. “Amateurs is a sport and the pros is a fight. Rounds are longer, it’s dangerous, you don’t get a standing eight count, you get hit in the temple, you don’t have a cushion, you’re in a fight. You have to be more rough to step in the ring to fight someone for eight to ten rounds, but that’s what makes it such a great sport. As a pro you’re putting it on the line, and you have to cater to the fans by putting everything that you got out there.” When asked about style Brooks was open to adjusting to each fight. He wants to have the whole package that involves aggression to entertain the fans while having good defense that wins fights. “I can’t even tell you what my style is, because every time I step in the ring something else comes out. I try to adapt, have good footwork, good boxer/puncher, but lately I’ve been standing in front banging out with guys. I have very good cagey defense, good head movement, and don’t take many good shots. My style is aggressively flawless. I try to be aggressive like a Gatti and defensively flawless like a Mayweather.” His fifth pro-fight and first six rounder was his first test of who he can be as a fighter. Jamell Tyson 2-3-1 gave Brooks a handful and a lesson in persevering through a tough bout which he won by close unanimous decision. The bout was the main event in front of a capacity crowd in Brooklyn and televised on Telefutura. “Very good fighter but to be completely honest I made the fight a lot harder than it should have been. I could have been in a little better condition which is shame on me but if I would have relaxed a little more and popped the jab a little more the fight would not have looked like that, not to take anything away from Jamell Tyson. I rate myself a 6.5 out of 10 on that fight. I did what I had to do to win the fight.” I asked Brooks if tough fights like this will better prepare him for tougher opponents as his competition gets better with each fight. Brooks was well aware that to be a champion you have to be tested early and often. “This is a sport and you have to fight and not be afraid to lose. God forbid I lose you come back and fight harder. Look at back in the day guys had 15-20 losses and were world champions. You have to go in there and fight and this sport has softened up a lot. I want to fight tough guys because they bring the best out in me.” I asked Brooks that while he is an aggressive fighter why his KO ratio (one KO in five fights) is not what would be expected. Brooks delivered a straightforward answer taking responsibility for his actions. “That’s on me, my second and third fight I was going through a lot of issues with my training camp and trainer and my head was not in the boxing game. I should have at least three or four knockouts. For some of these fights I have not been in the greatest shape. I’ve got the heart, I’ve got the mentality, but I have to stop playing around. For the fight with Tyson I trained really hard for that and if I did a few things different we could have had a different result. Look out for the stoppages for the future because I’m coming for it.” This writer commented that along with proper physical and mental conditioning a fighter that employs a body attack much like a Miguel Cotto may see more stoppages in longer fights of eight to ten rounds opposed to four round fights. “A lot of people say that (being similar to Cotto). Cotto is one of the fighters that I look up at. People compare me to a lefty Cotto but I’m not on that level yet.” At this time Brooks is going without a promoter and relies on manager/publicist Matt Yanofsky. Brooks credits his trainer Lopeck and Yanofsky for being a major help in his boxing career. The interview was finished with Brooks talking about his future and his goals in boxing. “Make sure I stay humble. I have aspirations for going all the way with boxing. I want to hold a world title and unify it one day. God gave me the gift of having the drive and being healthy. People don’t realize what they got and I want to make the best out of it. I want to get in there and make the Pacquiao-Mayweather money. I want get in there, win the title, and be the 135-140 pound Marciano.” “Bottom line I stay humble and try my hardest. I’m just rolling with the punches, having fun with this, I’m in a good place right now and hard work pays off. You got to work hard in life to get what you want. Go hard or go home.” Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com. Gary Purfield is also featured on the Boxing Tribune at www.theboxingtribune.com.
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Lopez Dances to the Upset over Kennedy Article & Photos by Gary Purfield (08/13/11)
Kennedy won the first round which was mostly a feeling out session and round two could have gone either way. Then in round three Lopez began establishing the techniques that would lead to the win. The Mexican Lopez used constant movement to keep the Philly native off balance while repeatedly tagging him with his jab and cross. In the fourth Lopez’s confidence was growing as he added some showboating with his hands down and fancy footwork to his hit and run style that Kennedy could not solve. Lopez starting adding his left hook to the mix further damaging Kennedy’s face. Kennedy started to mount a comeback in the mid rounds by attempting to force the action in tight and turn the boxing match into a brawl Kennedy had some success in rounds seven through ten getting the better of the action at times but even in his best rounds he never seemed to gain control of the fight. When Kennedy had his best moments it seemed he was simply winning a battle but it was always clear Lopez had control of the war. Not leaving things to chance Lopez picked up his action again in the eleventh and really turned up the heat in round twelve to close the show. Lopez did not have a mark on him but Kennedy’s eyes which had begun to swell in the middle rounds were both near shut by the twelfth. Lopez punctuated his dominance in the final round tagging Teon with hooks in close. One particular vicious left hook over the top in the twelfth busted open a cut under Teon’s right eye.
For Kennedy this is back to the drawing board to re-evaluate. Rumors were swirling of a title shot but that is now on hold after suffering his first defeat. If approached with the right discipline this can be a valuable learning experience for the still young talented fighter. Kennedy is certainly capable of bouncing back and coming back stronger after this tough lesson. Lopez takes a big step forward
in a career that was dangerously close to opponent land. A fighter
whose only two losses were close decisions to talented prospects
suddenly finds himself in the mix with the better fighters after a
very impressive performance. Under-Card Report In the co-headliner Karl Dargan took a home a sixth round TKO and remained unbeaten. The Nazim Richardson trained fighter has a great deal of talent but has been held back by being inactive for extended periods of time.
Dargan continued the assault each round. Knowing he was getting badly beaten Suazo tried to make it a brawl coming forward with his head leading but Dargan would not allow any issues on this night. Dargan did well keeping his distance and landing at will from the orthodox and southpaw stances. He was able to pepper his opponent with various punches and easily moved out of harm’s way after landing. At 1:20 of round six the white towel came flying from Suazo’s corner and referee Benji Esteves obliged stopping the fight. No one shot caused the stoppage but the sustained beating was getting excessive and Suazo 8-5-3 (5 KO) despite his effort had no chance to win the fight. Dargan 10-0 (5 KO) picks up the UBO Intercontinental Championship with the win. Suazo who goes by the name El Bazooka AKA Taco Man gave a spirited effort but was greatly overmatched in this one. Derrick Webster kept his unbeaten record but he had to work to do it as Romaro Johnson gave him a handful. The two super middleweights traded often and each had their moments landing heavy shots. In the end the more accurate punching of Webster 10-0 (6 KO) was favored by the judges over the relentless pressure from Johnson 11-4-1 (6 KO). The scores were all in favor of Webster 59-55, 59-55, and 60-54. While the scores were wide the fight was close and competitive. Camilo Perez kept his perfect record with a one punch left hook knockout of James Owens. Perez 5-0 (4 KO) controlled the first round and wobbled Owens several times. Then in round two of a scheduled four in the featherweight division Perez landed the bomb putting Owens flat on his back. Owens 4-6 (2 KO) got up but was done and referee Benji Esteves waived it off for a TKO at 1:43 of round two. Cuban welterweight prospect Yordenis Ugas beat Fernando Rodriguez silly for six rounds to remain undefeated. Ugas is a talented powerful fighter currently living in Miami FL after leaving Cuba. Ugas literally beat Rodriguez of Dallas, TX who looked like his was at least fifteen pounds north of his true weight class from pillar to post and then some. Ugas pounded his opponent to the head and body. Rodriguez 6-5 (3 KO) had all the heart and fight in him of a true Mexican warrior (not to mention an iron chin) but that was nowhere near enough to overcome the fact that Ugas was bigger, stronger, faster, more skilled, talented., and every other adjective you can put in this sentence. Ugas 9-0 (4 KO) won the unanimous decision by scores of 59-55, 59-55, 58-56 (this writer had it a shutout 60-54 and has a hard time understanding how any round could have been given to Rodriguez). Pedro Martinez of Philadelphia and Elvin Sanchez of Patterson NJ opened the evening with an entertaining brawl over four rounds in the cruiserweight division. Martinez won the first two rounds landing heavy head shots. Martinez scored a knockdown in round one with an overhand right his opponent never saw. Then in round two Martinez landed a big left hook that sent Sanchez to the ground. He rose on wobbly legs and was put back down seconds later for the third time in the bout. He rose again and was saved by the bell. Martinez came out looking for the kill in round three but quickly gassed. Sanchez had his opening knowing he needed a knockout to win the short fight. He went for it and began dominating the final two rounds with hooks to the body and crosses to the head. Martinez stayed on his feet though and built a nice lead early that Sanchez could not overcome. Martinez 6-4 (3 KO) took the unanimous decision with all three judges scoring it 38-35. Sanchez drops to 4-2 (3 KO). Notes
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Big Brawl in Chester: Story & Photos by Gary Purfield (08/12/11) In an absolutely thrilling main event that lived up to everything a fight should be Victor Vazquez and Angel Rios went to war for eight grueling rounds in the lightweight division. The crowd was packed with Victor supporters as is always the case when the barber Vazquez fights. The fans were treated to a special fight in return for their support. This was the fourth card put on by Joey Eye Boxing and David Feldman at the new Harrah’s Casino in Chester right outside of Philadelphia. The fight had a bigger feel to it than the typical club show with the fever pitch crowd in addition to extra lighting and cameras on hand thanks to boxing network giant HBO being on hand. HBO was testing out a new show they are considering similar to their 24/7 series but this would be about younger up and coming boxers in smaller shows. Vazquez started fast and strong dominating the first two rounds. Victor was active with his trademark head and body attack. With trainer Billy Briscoe and second in charge Greg Hackett (a fellow Philly fighter) yelling for the “Cotto” which could only mean left hook to the body Victor responded with a thudding body assault. Vazquez continued to get the better of things but Rios began getting into the fight in round three as he became more active. Round four was similar as Vazquez got the better of some close hard hitting action. In round five the fight really heated up. Vazquez continued to land with bad intentions but as his lands lowered on defense Rios was able to start tagging the Philly brawler with head shots. Round six had Rios getting his first round in the books on this writer’s card. Rios was able to pin Victor in the corner several times and went to work. Round seven was an absolute brawl fought in violent phone booth close action style. Several times the two combatants engaged in thrilling exchanges that had the crowd on their feet. The partisan crowd urged on their man with the entire ballroom chanting Vic, Vic, Vic over and over. Scoring of the round could have gone either way but what mattered to those in attendance was the pure excitement that was being delivered inside the ring.
The crowd erupted one more time when Vazquez was announced as the winner by Majority Decision. One judge scored it a draw 76-76 while the other two scorekeepers had Victor taking the bout both by a score of 77-75 (this writer also had 77-75 for Vazquez giving the first five to the winner and the last three to Rios). With his exciting style, new contract with promoters Joey Eye Boxing, and success at the gate Vazquez 14-5-1 (7 KO) will certainly continue to headline exciting cards. Angel Rios 9-6 (6 KO) who had been mostly inactive since 2003 and had welts under his eyes by round five certainly gave a great effort as he absorbed punishing body blows but never stopped coming to give a great fight. Undercard Report Angel Ocasio looked spectacular in disposing of Rasool Shakoor in a six round lightweight bout. It was the first six rounder for Ocasio and he handled the distance well. Angel came out firing with fast hands and a sharp jab. Ocasio showed a great ability to land his punches and slip shots at the same time with smooth precision.
He had his biggest moments in round five when he landed several heavy right hands and left hooks that staggered his opponent. At a few points it looked like Ocasio would end it but Shakoor 3-9-1 (1 KO) showed survival skills to stick around. Still Ocasio continued punishing his opponent throughout the last round before it was sent to the cards. The result was hardly in doubt as Ocasio 6-0 (1 KO) was awarded the unanimous decision by scores of 59-55, 59-55, and 60-54 (this writer had it a shutout 60-54). Ocasio was able to look good despite being thrown a curveball when his opponent turned southpaw throughout the fight. “The amateurs help me out a lot with the southpaw stuff so I am glad I had a lot of background in the amateurs.” I talked with Ocasio after the fight about his performance and his improved conditioning. “Definitely did more conditioning for this, trained harder, six round fight and stepping up. Getting ready for everyone in my weight class.” “Definitely felt like I took a step forward. Ran into a little adversity with him turning south paw, was not expecting it but I think I did well with him turning southpaw and when he turned orthodox I think I started dominating him.” If you are trying to find a fault you would say that if Ocasio sits down on his punches and punches through the target instead of pulling back he will begin to score knockouts to compliment his slick skills. He is a young fighter and has plenty of time to grow but is clearly already improving and on his way up. In the opening bout Anthony or Tony “Boom Boom” Ferrante took on William Prieto in light heavyweight action. The bout was scheduled for six rounds but then was dropped to four but that had no effect on the outcome.
Ferrante came out fast pushing his opponent all over the ring with his jab and heavy right hand. Prieto was overmatched against the stronger Ferrante from the start. As Ferrante was dominating he dropped Prieto mid-way through the round with a sneaky left hook to the head. Prieto got up but had no desire to fight as he simply tried to survive the round and not take a beating. Before the bell rang for round two Prieto 5-6-1 (2 KO) decided to hang it up for the night and hit the showers giving Ferrante a TKO victory. Ferrante 12-2 (7 KO), clearly dejected and annoyed at not getting the opportunity to keep going turned away and stared out at the crowd with a look of disappointment. Notes Joey Tiberi and Joey Dawejko were scheduled to fight as well but an opponent for Tiberi was not found and Dawejko’s opponent failed the medical test. Three exhibition fights opened the card (each fight went three rounds).
For a full photo recap of the
night visit: Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Fight Weekend around Philly Part 2: by Gary Purfield (08/10/11) On Saturday night from Bally’s Casino in Atlantic City Philadelphia’s talented undefeated Jr. Featherweight prospect, Teon Kennedy continues his ascent up the boxing ladder. The man once considered the “Technician” now turned furious fighting brawler with skills will take on yet another dangerous test, as he prepares for an inevitable date with boxing’s best of the smaller weight classes. Kennedy 17-0-1 (7 KO) has been brought along with great precision by hall of fame promoter Russell Peltz. He has been matched against increasingly better opposition where he has had to use his wide skill set to maintain his unbeaten mark. Kennedy has taken on several veterans including Alex Becerra to make him a more seasoned fighter. In his most recent outing on March 26 of this year Kennedy got his biggest test yet against fellow unbeaten Jorge Diaz in Atlantic City on the Yuriokis Gamboa card. What Diaz lacked in skill compared to Kennedy he made up for in pure unrelenting aggression. That aggression gave Diaz the edge early in the bout. But as rounds went by Kennedy’s superior skill along with his willingness to match Diaz’s tough attitude allowed the Philly native to take control. Kennedy scored a knockdown on the way to a clear unanimous decision that stole the show, sparked a fire in the crowd, and would easily be a fight of the year candidate had HBO been smart enough to televise the match. Now Kennedy continues his learning process Saturday against talented Alejandro Lopez 21-2 (7 KO). Lopez lacks power demonstrated by his only having seven knockouts in twenty one wins making it a somewhat safe fight but many prospects have been derailed by lesser fighters than Saturday’s opponent. Lopez comes in with his only two losses being close decisions. Headlining the card that will be televised on Fox Sports Net gives Kennedy the opportunity to showcase his skills and crowd pleasing style. His willingness to throw caution to the wind and fight with a fury that boxing fans love can make him a popular figure in the sport if he continues winning in impressive fashion. Rumors have swirled around Kennedy for some time that a title shot is not far away. Saturday he has another opportunity to keep the rumor mill flowing if he can score an impressive win for the live audience and viewers at home. The card also features undefeated prospects Karl Dargan 9-0 (4 KO), Derrick Webster 9-0 (6 KO), and talented Cuban Yordenis Ugas 8-0 (4 KO). Opening the untelevised portion of the card will be local kid Fred Jenkins Jr. 3-0 (1 KO) and Camilo Perez 4-0 (3 KO). Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or through Peltz boxing by calling 215-765-0922 for $75 and $50. The card goes live on Fox Sports net at 9pm eastern time. (The show will be replayed by Comcast Sports Net on Sunday, 8/14, at 7:00 PM.) Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Fight Weekend around Philly Part 1: by Gary Purfield (08/09/11) This weekend two major fight cards are featured in the Philadelphia region. The once proud fighting city of Philadelphia rarely sees action inside the city anymore but new and old hot spots Chester and Atlantic City keep the tradition alive to provide a place for local talent to showcase their skills. Kicking things off this Friday Joey Eye Boxing and David Feldman have their fourth card at the new Harrah’s Casino in Chester PA right outside of Philly. The card has five fights that should provide an exciting night of action. Part two will preview the Telefutura televised card featuring Teon Kennedy vs. Alejandro Lopez at Bally’s Casino in Atlantic City on Saturday. Again at the top of the card for the third time is Philly’s own Victor Vasquez who headlined the last Chester Card in June when he stopped Gustavo Dailey in the fourth round. It was an action packed fight with plenty of hard hitting bodywork capped off by a headshot knockout from Vasquez that left his opponent dazed and confused. Vasquez 13-5-1 (7 KO) is known for being in exciting fights and bringing a crowd. His tough attitude and crowd pleasing style lead to his recently signing an exclusive deal with Joey Eye Boxing meaning he should be a regular at the Chester shows. Vasquez is taking on one time prospect Angel Rios 9-5 (6) who is coming off a loss in July of this year and has not been very active prior to that time. Rios began his career 9-2 in 2001 but then lost his next three fights (one of those losses in 2001, one in 2003, and then July of 2011). Regardless of inactivity or a losing streak Rios does bring speed and skill to the ring to provide a good match for the Brawling Barber Vasquez. Victor will be in another fight with trainer Billy Briscoe in his corner and continues to employ Briscoe’s unorthodox training methods which include training in a gas mask to improve endurance and MMA training for physical conditioning. Co-headlining the card is popular local light heavyweight Tony “Boom Boom” Ferrante 11-2 (6 KO) coming off his KO victory of Andre Hemphill. Also local talented lightweight prospect Angel Ocasio 5-0 (KO) is featured in a six rounder and popular Delaware fighter Joey Tiberi 5-1 (4) will help pack the seats as he did at the last round at Harrah’s. Rounding out the card is a heavyweight bout scheduled for four rounds featuring unbeaten Joey Dawejko 4-0 (1 KO) who had a promising amateur career. With several fighters who believe entertaining the fans is just as important as getting the win it should be a good night of fights. Vasquez is can’t miss action, he is clearly as one of my favorites Doug Fisher of Ring Magazine would say, a “card carrying badass.” The crowd figures to be lively outside of the ring as Vasquez, Ferrante, Ocasio, and Tiberi all bring a raucous fan base. If it is padded undefeated records you are looking for then don’t waste your time but if a tough night of fights is what you crave check out the action for some fun boxing. Tickets are now on sale for $100 (VIP); $60 (Ringside) and $45 (General Admission) and can be purchased at the Harrah’s Chester Gift Shop; By calling Joey Eye (267-304-9399); David Feldman (610-291-0806); 800-480-8020 or on www.webtix.net. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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KEA Boxing Card Report Article and Photos by Gary Purfield (07/29/11) KEA Promotions card, scheduled for the Arena in South Philly Friday night, suffered two major setbacks during fight week. Derek “Pooh” Ennis was originally scheduled for the main event but an injury this week took him off the card. No problem, in stepped rising Philly featherweight Coy Evans to fill the main event. But then for various reasons Evans dropped out the day of the fight leaving KEA with no headliner. But the show must go on. Fortunately for the several hundred fans in attendance, what was the undercard came through with some rousing fights to give the fans their money’s worth. While the fighters may not be well known to the casual fan they turned on hard fought efforts throughout the card and showed the best of what club fighting can be.
Hackett entered with his trademark mask painted Art of War and his rather unusual trunks of warrior garb that must be seen to be believed. Hackett gestured and talked before and during the fight but it was Rodriguez who accomplished more in the ring.
Both fighters came out looking for action and their styles meshed
for an entertaining bout to end the evening. The first three rounds
had fine action where Rodriguez usually got the better
While the action was good the outcome was clear. Rodriguez 7-0 (3 KO) remained unbeaten with a unanimous decision by scores of 60-54, 59-55, and 58-56. Hackett 2-9 gave his best but was overmatched by a more skilled opponent. With so few fights actually in the city of Brotherly Love this year this fight could be an option for fight of the year considering the lack of action inside the city in 2011.
Philadelphia Heavyweight Georgiy Guralnik wasted no time attacking Damian Richardson of Washington DC in their scheduled four round contest. Guralnik attacked flinging both hands at his opponent. Both men were firing but Guralnik got the better of it by far. Near the end of round one Guralnik 2-0 landed a big right that staggered Richardson 0-2 who was saved by the bell. However he was unable to continue and the fight was halted between rounds.
The big man did not disappoint his fans going after the substitute opponent to land heavy blows in rounds one and two. Pauley had his moments as well, especially with a counter left hook that found Lennox’s head quite often. Lennox 6-0 (3 KO) backed his foe into the ropes in round two to pound away and send Pauley 5-5 (1 KO) to the canvas. The brave sub would rise but had no legs and referee Hurley McCall waived it off at 2:10 of round two. More heavyweight action followed in the one bout that was not filled with action. Jose Luis Roque of Miami, FL came looking for a fight but was not going to get one from Taffo Asongwed of Montreal Canada. Roque pursued his opponent to get the action brewing but Taffo was content to dance the ring for the most part and avoid being hit. At points Roque’s frustration showed as he dropped his hands and taunted his opponent to fight. Things almost came to a boil when the bout ended. Asongwed 2-8-7 went to congratulate his opponent but Roque was not having it. His frustration was high over not getting a fight and both fighters had to be separated. Roque 4-0 (3 KO) took the clear unanimous decision by scores of 40-36 on all three cards.
Wilson rose to his feet and survived the round. Butler continued his control through five and half rounds primarily landing his jab and straight right with ease. Then midway through round six Wilson turned it on for the come from behind knockout. He pressured the tiring Butler pounding to the body and head. It was too little too late for Wilson 8-8 (4 KO) but his rally added some late tension to an already entertaining bout. Butler 7-4 (3 KO) took the unanimous decision by scores of 58-55 twice and 59-54.
For a full photo recap of the card including the ring garb of Greg Hackett visit: Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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King at 140: Khan Dominates Judah By Gary Purfield (07/23/11) Amir Khan passed his biggest test to date and announced himself to the top of the boxing world by thoroughly dominating Zab Judah Saturday night in Las Vegas. Khan dominated the first five rounds and then ended the night with a knockout at 2:47 of round five. In addition Khan walks away as a the unified WBA and IBF Jr. Welterweight champion. Amir Khan came in as a four to one favorite that seemed surprising to many considering the experience, speed, and power of the Brooklyn native Zab “Super” Judah. It turned out the odds makers had it right as the Bolton England native King Khan controlled every second of the fight from beginning to end. At the opening bell Khan came out jabbing and his significant height and reach advantage was evident. Khan who stands three inches taller than Judah with longer arms pumped his jab as he marched forward into his opponent. Quickly Khan increased his punch output and began firing multi-punch combinations to further his attack. Judah who has been in with the best in a long and successful career never found a rhythm or an answer for his talented young opponent. Judah who has considerable hand speed displayed some slick defensive moves to avoid Khan’s biggest punches early but never was able to land his trademark counter shots. The inability of Judah to land counter punches was a direct result of the size, movement, and skill of Amir Khan. He would circle Judah, move in, fire several punches starting with the jab, and then be out of reach before the shorter opponent could find an opening. If the technical and physical advantages were not enough Khan got a break right away when an accidental clash of heads left Judah having trouble with his right eye but no damage was done to Khan. Another accidental head butt in round five produced more blood on Judah's face. This time from the left eye. Again, no damage to Khan. Khan controlled the first two rounds. He then really took over in round three when his left hook and big right hand started consistently finding the target. Judah was bleeding out of his nose and mouth early and as already stated he never found any rhythm or momentum in the fight. Round four was much the same and at this point it was obvious to anyone Khan had completely swept the rounds thus far. In between rounds Judah’s trainer the legendary fighter Pernell Whitaker employed his fighter to use the jab and sneak the left uppercut in. Whitaker became more animated each round but other than one left uppercut to the body and a few right hooks Judah never landed anything game changing. Early in round five Khan landed a left hook that hurt Judah. Then late in the round he landed a straight right to the head and Judah ducked down. With the two fighters in close Khan pulled his right back and fired a huge uppercut to Judah’s mid-section. Judah dropped to the ground claiming a low blow but referee Vic Drakulich felt it was a legal shot and began the ten count. Judah never came close to rising and the fight came to an end. Replays showed the blow seemed to land slightly below the belt line but it made no difference in what was a one-sided fight. Make no mistake this was an impressive eye catching performance from the young Brit. The numbers clearly show his dominance. Khan landed 61 of 284 total punches to only 20 of 115 for Judah. Khan landed 33 of 124 power punches to only 12 of 32 for Judah. Even more than the numbers he outclassed an incredibly talented and slick fighter who was considered a very live underdog by many entering the fight. Zab Judah 48-7 (28 KO) to his credit handled the loss with class and maturity that escaped him in his younger days despite feeling he was stopped on an illegal blow. He would state that he thought the referee was giving him an eight count to recover from a low blow and did not know it was ruled a knockdown until he counted to ten. Judah was shown the replay in his interview and stated “self-explanatory” referring to his opinion the punch was low. Judah did go on to say to the affect that in his younger days he would have handled this poorly but will not do so and gave credit to Khan. Khan addressed those who speak of his chin afterwards stating that he has faced and beat the best and biggest punchers at 140lbs. He stated “he caught me a few times but I felt okay. He caught me with one big one (right hook) at the end of the round but I was okay.” Khan credited trainer Freddie Roach for a great gameplan and strength trainer Alex Ariza for having him in great shape. He also stated he grew up being a big fan of Zab Judah and was even uncomfortable during some of the jawing at press conferences due to being a fan of Judah. Khan also addressed Tim Bradley who turned down a 50/50 split of everything and his biggest career payday to face Khan. “He’s scared; if he was the champion he says he is he would have faced me a long time ago. He pulled out and did not want to fight me. Zab Judah is better fight than Tim Bradley.” For Khan 26-1 (18 KO) the future is very bright. He is now eight fights removed from his knockout loss to Breidis Prescott which seems a distant memory. He has taken punches from knockout artists Marcos Maidana and Zab Judah but moved forward to win every fight in convincing fashion. In addition he is a big ticket seller and TV attraction in England and now in the United States. He can continue cleaning out 140 or make his move to bigger names at 147. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Replacement KO:
by Gary Purfield (07/15/11) Saturday night at Bally’s Atlantic City was supposed to be the showdown between local Jr. Middleweight contenders Gabriel Rosado and Harry Joe Yorgey. The two Philly tough guys had been on a path to meet for a sometime and finally it was set to happen in what would have been a guaranteed action fight. Then Yorgey had to drop out with an injury. In stepped tough guy Allan Conyers only to have to back out mid fight week with a hand injury.
For Rosado he could have backed out instead of taking the risk of a dangerous fighter on short notice. However Rosado’s mentality has always included a willingness to take on anyone at any time so he simply waited for his promoter to line one up so he could knock him down. King Gabe entered the ring looking as confident as ever. Prior to the first bell he paced the ring like a caged animal ready to strike complete with his black and gold Trojan style shorts. Rosado controlled the fight with ease from the opening bell. Gabe largely employed a stick and move tactic circling the ring to land his punches. For the first three rounds it was mainly landing one punch at a time. Gabe would move in jab, move out, and move back in with a straight right or left uppercut. Rosado easily took the first three rounds and seemed to be heating up as he got a feel for his unknown opponent who was noticeably smaller and out of his natural weight class. Then in round four of a scheduled eight (originally scheduled for ten but dropped to eight with new opponent) well ahead Rosado landed a quick overhand right that sent Bruce straight into the canvas. The tough Ghanaian who never seemed to get any momentum in the fight would rise and survive the round despite an assault from Rosado to close the show.
Afterwards Rosado 17-5 (10 KO)
would state that he started careful in the first round because they
did not have an opportunity to see tape on Bruce 20-4 (12 KO) this
week, so he wanted to feel out his opponent. While he did not get
the fight that he and the fans wanted against Yorgey it was still
another workmanlike performance for King Gabe and another win on the
resume. Rosado seems to continue improving his abilities getting
better each fight. Following the win he would state he wants to
fight the best in the division and believes he is ready and prepared
for anyone. Undercard Wrap-Up
This continued on for six rounds with the crowd growing increasingly angry but the referee doing very little about the problem. Finally in round seven with Ferrante openly displayed how agitated he was with his opponent’s questionable tactics and lack of desire to actually, well, fight, the referee took a point from Hemphill for holding. Round seven finally delivered some action and a well needed ending to a fight that could not come to a close fast enough. Ferrante backed Hemphill into a corner landing an overhand right that started the needed damage. Tony “Boom Boom” went after the hurt foe. After taking a flurry of punches in the corner Hemphill dropped to the canvas to avoid further punishment. Hemphill managed to rise so Ferrante charged in to finish the dreadful fight. As Ferrante was reining unanswered blows the referee mercifully for the sake of Hemphill and the crowd halted the bout. The official time was 2:44 of round seven and it was a relief to everyone in attendance that this one had come to an end. Ferrante gave it his effort to make things interesting for the crowd but that can be hard when your opponent is so blatant about avoiding a fight to spend eight rounds hugging. Junior Middleweight Jamaal Davis of Philadelphia made his return to the ring following his stoppage loss to Gabe Rosado earlier this year. Davis squared off with main event winner Rosado in the same Bally’s venue last February. After a close fight Rosado wore Davis down and stopped him in the 12th round. Davis made his return against Eberto Medina but did not look good in fighting to a majority draw. Davis and Medina fought on even terms for all six rounds. Each round had a back and forth flow where neither fighter could take control of the fight. Davis had the advantage in skill and speed but never seemed able to impose himself enough to take control of the fight. Anytime Davis landed some shots Medina pushed back with punches of his own and put Davis back on the defensive. Judges saw the bout 59-55 for Medina, 58-56 for Davis, and 57-57 even. The concern for Davis 12-8-7 (6 KO) is not the final scores but his overall performance which seemed to be less than what he is capable of. If the same fighter that fought even with Rosado for much of their bout was in the ring tonight he likely would have overwhelmed Medina 5-6-1 (1 KO). Davis may have been rusty or tentative following being stopped so his next bout should really gage if this was an off night or signs of a decline. DeCarlo Perez 4-0-1 remained unbeaten defeating Keane Davis 1-3 in a four round welterweight bout. Perez controlled the action and landed the harder punches. Perez had his biggest moments in round three when he scored a knockdown midway through the round. Davis got up and managed to survive the round despite wobbly legs and Perez attacking with reckless aggression. Perez won by scores of 39-36, 40-35, and 38-37. Bryne Green 7-4-1 (3 KO) handed Tyrone Luckey 4-1 (4 KO) his first loss with a unanimous decision win in a four round junior lightweight bout. Both men had their moments landing big shots in an entertaining back and forth fight. All three cards had Green 38-37. The difference was in the first round. Luckey appeared to trip and go down but Green landed a body shot as the slip occurred and it was ruled a knockdown giving him the extra points in a close four round fight. In the opening bout of the evening Naim Nelson won a unanimous decision over Korey Sloane by scores of 39-37, 40-36, 39-37 in a four round Jr. Welterweight bout. Sloane 1-1 was more active but Nelson 2-0 landed the harder more damaging punches including hurting Sloane to the body several times. Nelson and Sloane both reside in Philadelphia and provided an entertaining opening to the evening. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Williams Gets Close Decision Over Lara, Story & Photos by Gary Purfield (07/09/11)
Ironically the Jr. Middleweight
fight was won and lost on the inside and outside but not the way one
would expect. From the outside the shorter Lara who was giving up
several inches in height dominated the action. Lara punished the
Punisher all night
The reaction to the decision was
mixed throughout the building. Fans, media, and other boxers I
spoke Williams 40-2 (27 KO) says he only wants two or three more fights and would like a rubber match with Martinez. Careful what you wish for. If he fights Martinez again likely it will end the exact same as their last fight. Between Sergio’s power and Williams’s love affair with eating overhand lefts that may be something Williams promoters should avoid. The Cuban Erislandy Lara 15-1-1 (10 KO) has nothing to be ashamed of as he fought very well and put a former P4P fighter through hell in only his seventeenth pro-fight. The Cuban has a bright future with his slick style and impressive skills. Lara felt he won the fight and called for a rematch in his post-fight interview.
Then out of nowhere Los Angeles fighter Ramos unleashed a short left hook landing on the temple that sent Shimoda sprawling onto his back. Shimoda somehow rose but had no legs as he stumbled all over to be caught by referee Benji Esteves, who stopped the fight at 2:46 of round seven. Shimoda 23-3-1 (10 KO) who lost his WBA strap, was down on the ground being attended to for several minutes, but did leave on his own. Ramos 20-0 (11 KO) gets a belt in his twentieth fight.
If I am being optimistic I would say this was his fourth fight of the year, third in the last two months, so possibly the training and fighting is producing some fatigue. If going the other way I would say despite the lower weight he could be back to a lack of conditioning and was not prepared to maintain stamina. Either way Arreola was not the non-stop punching machine that he can be when at his best. Instead it was more of a pressure effort with the jab and occasional flurries. That being said in a sad heavyweight division Arreola’s exiting style and fun personality should soon land him another title shot.
Gonzalez, who is trained by recent hall of fame inductee Nacho Beristain, kept the shorter Villa at bay with a stiff jab that set up his power shots that dealt out damage to Villa’s head and body. Gonzalez has the typical style of any Nacho fighter with good defense, solid technique, and punishing body shots.
White had the action early as Smith came on late but probably waited too long to make his push. White moves to 17-2 (15 KO) with the win and gains a valuable learning experience against the rugged Smith. For Dhafir he drops to 24-21-7 (4 KO) but showed why he is well liked in the tough city of Philadelphia. Despite early struggles he never stopped giving his effort and made it interesting with heavy combination punching in the late rounds. Notes · It was a loaded card with nine fights (three 12 rounders and one ten rounder) including two title bouts. Honestly, it was too long. It was just too long a night and too many rounds to sit through. · The ballroom of Boardwalk Hall which holds around 4,000 was not close to filled. For all of the power Williams’s camp has to continue putting him on HBO he still is not a draw at the gate.
For an extensive photo roundup of the night visit: http://s1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa348/gpurf3/Williams-Lara AC 7-9-11/ Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Denis “Mama’s Boy” Douglin Returns by Gary Purfield (07/07/11)
Many things about modern day boxing anger the current boxing fan. Between fighters not fighting on a regular basis, too many title belts, suspicious judging in certain fights, and a myriad of other topics, one notion seems too often overlooked. Why is it such a big deal when a rising fighter or current star loses their unbeaten record.
Even on a lesser scale in terms of talent but not excitement, what if no one continued to follow the careers of Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward once they had lost fights. We would have been deprived of their amazing trilogy and so many other fights. Yet today would the same hype be there for fighters such as Gatti and Ward who were guaranteed to deliver action but had respectively five and eleven losses when they entered their first meeting. Yet that is the trend today. Some have been able to resurrect themselves such as Amir Khan and Victor Ortiz, but even they still have this cloud over their head that will not leave no matter how many impressive victories they tally. And for every Ortiz and Khan, how many fighters are no longer promoted or viewed as true contenders once they experience one defeat. This Saturday on the undercard of the Paul Williams vs. Erislandy Lara fight in Atlantic City, one of those heralded prospects that suddenly found a 1 in the second column will try to make his rallying return from defeat. Denis Douglin, better known as the “Mama’s Boy” because he is trained by his mother, returns after his KO loss to tough veteran Doel Carrasquillo. Douglin looks to get his focus and his image back on track after the setback that took his precious unbeaten record. I spoke with Douglin about the loss to Carrasquillo back on February 11 of this year, his perspective before the fight, changes after the loss, and how that loss has changed the perception of him amongst boxing media and fans. Douglin discussed how his mindset was going into the last fight and what has changed since. “I pretty much felt I was unbeatable. I felt I couldn’t be touched. I actually didn’t even want to fight him, I thought I was too good to be fighting him. It makes no sense to fight this guy, I just watched him get beat up a month ago. I didn’t take him serious as an opponent, I didn’t train as hard as I normally usually train, just calm and relaxed.” Perspectives change and lessons are learned after a tough loss. “Anytime you step in the ring with someone who is trying to knock you out you got to take that person serious. You never know what they went through before the fight, if they decided they want to give it their all for this final fight, you never know what is going on in someone’ mind. You have to train for every fight like it is a world title fight”. “At first, originally my anger was toward the ref, I felt the referee stopped the fight prematurely. I did get caught with a shot, I was hurt, but this is a sport where that is the object of the sport. You’re going to get hit and I feel the referee didn’t give me any opportunity to show I could come back from being hurt.” “But as I calmed down I can’t blame anybody but myself. I got caught with a shot I would not have got caught with if I was in shape and if I was prepared and didn’t think lightly of my opponent so it is my fault.” “Now I am back 100% in my skills and my ability. I never lost any confidence in what I can do in the ring but I also now have a new respect for work ethic and I think that I’m very talented but that doesn’t mean anything if you’re not prepared.” Now Douglin has a new focus and perspective on the sport. He has been in the gym since the Monday after his loss training hard and focused to fight in top condition no matter who is across the ring. But the question will continue to linger amongst the boxing public due to his KO loss of whether he has what it takes to be a champion. Douglin said the following about how perception of him has changed since his first loss: “Fans, media, and people outside the sport, even people inside the sport, they are very fickle and they base their opinion on record and stuff like that. I guess now a lot of people would say I’m not as good as they thought I was because I lost early.” “I don’t get the tension I used to get but that stuff doesn’t bother me. As easy as they are to turn off they are that easy to turn on. So now I’m coming off a loss so I expect to be treated funny so when I start winning again they will be back.” In the past a loss was something that a fighter learned from. It taught them what they need to work on and made them tougher, hungrier, and more of an all-around fighter the next time they got in the ring. I asked Douglin if anyone in his gym has commented to him that a loss can be a good thing and make you a better fighter. Denis discussed that several trainers and former world champs in his gym have informed him that this will help him. He was told that they noticed him getting a little overconfident and it is good that he got this humbling experience early in his career. “Unfortunately this is what it took for me to learn but I learned so much from this loss so I’m actually kind of glad that it happened now.” On Saturday Douglin will be facing Philly fighter Philip McCants 9-2-1 (3 KO) in a six-round middleweight bout. In McCants, Douglin is not taking the easy road back with someone who will crumble at the first taste of leather. McCants is a hardnosed tough boxer with a difficult style. McCants is coming off a win on 6/25/11 on the Mike Jones undercard where he defeated fellow Philly fighter Kaseem Wilson. McCants has a decent record and both his losses came from decisions. He has never been stopped. “We wanted a tough opponent, I wanted to get right back into the sport. I wanted everybody to know what happened with Doel was a fluke, it was my fault, and I’m still here, I’m one of the best. We wanted to get a tough opponent and to show everybody I’m not afraid of anybody. I’m not afraid of the sport and I’m not a fighter that wants to be babied.” “We were happy with the opponent that we got, Phil McCants. He is tough guy and he keeps coming. He is from Philadelphia and all the guys out of there for some reason seem to be extra tough.” Yes, Amir Khan may not have the best chin. So Freddie Roach began the process of teaching Khan to protect that chin. Now his long jab and speed keep foes at bay where they have little opportunity to test his perceived weakness. Ortiz had his heart questioned which simply motivated him to show his mettle which he unquestionably did against Andre Berto. On Saturday, Denis Douglin will begin taking his steps down the road to redemption and try to avoid being another contender who was forgotten after his first loss. Fortunately for Douglin, he has two points working for him that give him a better shot than most to get back to his status before the loss (in addition to his high level of talent and solid amateur background). He is managed by Al Haymon who is well known for having strong connections and the ability to get fighters on TV. Also, Douglin has an attractive story that is marketable considering he is trained by his mother and aptly nicknamed “Mama’s Boy”. In addition Douglin is very well spoken and has a TV friendly style in the ring. These factors all add up to him being able to be successful despite the loss. “That’s boxing, you get caught with shots, it happens. The main thing is how you come back from it. It made me a much smarter fighter, a much better fighter so I actually think it’s going to help me. I learned a valuable lesson so I will just take it in stride.” Notes: · Another topic that came up in the discussion with Douglin was opponent selection in the pros. He discussed that in the amateurs you are constantly having back to back fights with the top talent. Then you turn pro and are consistently put in with guys who fall over after several punches. We discussed how this is not a benefit to the fighter’s growth but is done because the undefeated record is so vital to promoting and must be protected. · This discussion lead to a conversation on the negative side of the protected undefeated fighter, which is how will he react when finally faced with adversity. A fighter who has been in tough win or lose is better prepared for the late rounds when they are tired and have to dig truly deep to find a way to win. Some fighter just have that in them but for some it must be gained from experience that they will not get being matched soft. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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HayeStinker: Klitschko wins UD, Haye Runs, and Fans Lose by Gary Purfield (07/02/11) It was called the biggest heavyweight fight since Lewis vs. Tyson. It was considered the first true test for champion Wladimir Klitschko in a long time and possibly his career defining fight. It was also considered Wlad’s most dangerous bout since the knockouts earlier in his career. Instead it turned into a same old modern heavyweight title fight. A slow, boring, dull affair that will not evoke any memories of the day when the heavyweight title was the most prestigious title in sports. No one will confuse this with Ali-Frazier or even Holyfield-Bowe for that matter. As many Klitschko fights go the pre-fight affair and ring entrances were the most exciting part of the night. Once again a Klitschko fight for all the buildup, all the pre-fight excitement, and big ring entrances, the actual fight failed to deliver or remotely live up to expectations. This time it was more the opponents fault as Haye just would not engage, Klitschko could have been more aggressive but more of the blame falls on the loud Brit who did nothing more than occasionally leap in with an overhand right or leaping left hook. Before the fight the psychological warfare that has gone on between these two for several years continued before the bell rang. Haye did not enter the ring at the appointed time choosing to wait. Then Wlad paid him back making Haye wait in the ring. Then once in the ring Haye took his time getting to the center of the ring for final instructions while Wlad stood waiting. Once the bell rang, the excitement died. Klitschko chased Haye around the ring throwing his feared jab and some right hands. Haye showed his exceptional speed and athleticism by slipping Wlad’s shots better than any opponent has. The issue was Haye, who danced around the ring with his hands down, did nothing offensively. Haye would claim after the fight he had a broken toe that made it impossible to push off on his right foot and land his Hayemaker. Haye even took his shoe off to show the toe. The pattern continued for twelve long rounds. Wlad jabbed, sometimes threw a right. Haye danced, occasionally leaped in with an overhand right and even once in a while landed it. This writer will not bore or insult the reader by trying to attempt to dissect this fight from a style perspective any more than those few sentences. A fight almost broke out in the twelfth round when Haye landed a right that momentarily stunned Wlad who held on. Following the clinch Klitschko came after Haye with the most aggression he displayed all night and landed some shots of his own. The slight excitement in round twelve was far too little too late for the many boxing fans that were so excited for a big heavyweight clash, but ultimately will be so disappointed by what they got. In the end Klitschko walks away with his IBF, WBO, and Ring Magazine belts while taking Haye’s WBA strap as well. The final scores were 117-109, 118-108, and 116-110 all for Klitschko. Between the Klitschko brothers Wladimir and Vitali who has the WBC belt they now have a every major heavyweight title available. To Wlad’s credit he expressed that he was disappointed in the fight and felt this was bad for boxing. Klitschko 56-3 (49 KO) is the winner of the fight but hardly did anything to silence the many critics that he is a boring fighter. Haye 25-2 (23 KO) is the loser of the fight but hey, he suffered no physical punishment and walks away with a huge payday despite a dreadful performance. The fans are the real losers in this one. Notes: Best moments of the broadcast was Larry Merchant’s comments who was on fire making fun of Haye and other topics. My two favorites below with two more notes.
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Just Cruzin' in Bethlehem: Story &
Photos by
Gary Purfield (07/01/11) Welterweight prospect Ronald Cruz stopped tough veteran Doel Carrasquillo in the sixth round of a scheduled ten at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem. Cruz was in his first bout as a headliner and fighting for the first time in his hometown of Bethlehem. The card was televised via internet on gofightlive.tv. Cruz entered the ring to a raucous 1,300 plus hometown supporters and energized atmosphere, with many proudly waving Puerto Rican flags. Cruz himself entered waving two Puerto Rican flags and acknowledged the crowd from each side once he entered the ring. Carrasquillo played his part as the villain well by taunting and jeering Cruz along with his supporters throughout the pre-fight pageantry.
“I was so focused to go in there and do my job. I pretty much understand I can’t let the emotion of the crowd, I can’t get emotional, I have to go in there and do my job.” The hometown fighter was busier than his opponent as he landed heavy blows while maintaining an even pace. Carrasquillo seemed to be waiting for Cruz to tire but that point never came.
Cruz 13-0 (10 KO) passed two tests as a rising prospect Friday night. First, he took out a tough veteran fighter who is known for playing spoiler to undefeated talent. Carrasquillo’s 15-18-1 (13 KO) record may not be impressive but he has halted the progress of several young fighters, including in his last fight when he knocked out highly touted prospect Dennis Doughlin. In addition, while Carrasquillo loses more than he wins he has only been stopped three previous times, each time against very talented fighters including Mike Jones. By dominating and stopping Carrasquillo Cruz showed he is a force to keep an eye on as his career progresses.
The bout was held in a temporary outdoor tent that was tightly packed and loud cheering for Cruz. At several points the crowd broke out into chants of Ronald-Ronald. “The energy of the crowd, every time he hits me and I hit him back the crowds yells. Everybody gets a little bit of emotion but I try and stay professional.”
“Definitely the game plan for every fight I pretty much start working the body. We wanted to use speed, use angles, and use movement, but once I stuck on the inside and I felt his inside game I pretty much knew I’m a better inside fighter, so I fought his fight and beat him at his fight which is actually my fight also.”
“I could tell he was weakening from the body shots. I thought he would go down swinging, I thought maybe by the seventh, eighth round he would go down but he decided to keep fighting so made it a shorter night for me.” Trainer Lemuel Rodriguez added on stating the plan was to go to the body then the head. What’s next for the young man from Bethlehem is up in the air, but certainly better things are on the horizon. Cruz is surrounded by a good team, lead by trainer Lemuel Rodriguez, manager Jimmy Deoria, and hall of fame promoter Russell Peltz. Inside the ring Cruz fights hard and has a crowd pleasing style. He is a picture of cool, clam, and determined confidence. He stalks his opponents and methodically breaks them down much like his fellow countryman and Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto (writers point, not looking to say he is the next Cotto or drop that pressure on a young prospect, simply saying the common heritage and body punching style is worth drawing a comparison). Along with that he is polite, well-spoken, and full of smiles outside of the ring. Whether his next fight is back home, a return to Atlantic City, or another town he is guaranteed to bring exciting action and plenty of crowd support.
Undercard Wrap-Up Eluid Torres 5-2-3 (2 KO) of Allentown PA and Bryne Green 6-4-1 (3) of Vineland NJ fought to a draw in lightweight action prior to the main event. After six rounds scores were 58-56 for Torres, 58-57 for Green, and 57-57. Super Middleweight prospect Rashad Brown of Philadelphia remained undefeated with a shutout unanimous decision over Omar Simms 5-4-3 (3 KO) of Baltimore Md. Brown scored a knockdown in round two off a right uppercut but was unable to finish his opponent. Brown 5-0 (2 KO) dominated from start to finish and won on all three cards 60-53. Zeferino Albino 4-13-3 (2 KO) of Philadelphia took on crowd favorite William Miranda from nearby Allentown PA in a heavyweight brawl. After four grueling entertaining rounds Miranda 3-3-1 walks out the winner by unanimous decision to the delight of the Bethlehem audience by scores of 40-36 and twice 39-37. Both fighters were willing to stand and trade leather. Both were rewarded for their efforts with a standing ovation from the crowd at the conclusion of the bout. Grayson Blake 3-0 (1 KO) of York PA took a unanimous decision over Anthony Abrams 1-7 of Philadelphia in the Junior Middleweight division. Two judges had the four round fight 40-36 while the third scored it 39-37, all for Blake. In the opening bout of the evening Cesar Gonzales 0-0-2 of Reading PA took on Joshua Arocho 1-4-1 (1 KO) of Vineland NJ in featherweight action. After four tight rounds all three judges saw the action even by scores of 38-38, a draw. In the walk out bout Chris Plebani of Bristol PA1-2 won a unanimous decision over David Navarro 0-4 of Philadelphia in a four round welterweight bout. The judges’ cards read 39-37, 39-38, and 40-36 all for Plebani. The Eric Newell vs. John Mercurio heavyweight bout was scratched from the card. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Ronald Cruz Returns Home to Bethlehem
Cruz 12-0 (9 KO) draws very well in Philly and Atlantic City so it is expected that he will do even better at the gate in his hometown. This will be the first boxing event at the new Sands Casino in Bethlehem. The fights will be held in a large outdoor tent configured for 1,500 spectators. Cruz’s manager Jimmy Deoria, a Police Officer and trainer at a Police Athletic League Gym in Phoenixville PA, explained how everything came together. “I met the casino president Robert DeSalvio about 2 years ago. We discussed the possibility of someday putting Ronald Cruz in a Main Event at the Sands Casino when he was ready for that. DeSalvio told me that he used to work with Russell Peltz (Ronald's promoter) back in the 80's running shows at the Casino's in Atlantic City NJ. Each time Ronald fights, I send DeSalvio an article about the fight letting him know that Ronald is proving that he is ready for this type of event in his hometown. The casino does not have a ballroom set up yet for indoor boxing, but DeSalvio suggested we try the first boxing event on the grounds of the casino with the outdoor arrangement.” I caught up with Ronald and trainer Lemuel “Indio” Rodriguez at Shuler’s Gym in West Philadelphia this past Friday. Cruz trains at his home gym the Bethlehem Boxing Club and Allentown Boxing Club. He then heads to Philadelphia and New Jersey gyms for more competitive sparring including, Shuler’s, which is well known for having top notch sparring in a city known for having tough gym wars. Today would be the last day of sparring before winding down camp for the fight a week away. Instead of taking it easy, Cruz would go ten rounds with two of the best in Shuler’s gym. Next Friday Cruz will be at home, but on this day he was the visitor to one of the toughest gyms in Philly. First up, five rounds with highly touted prospect Julian Williams 6-0-1 (4 KO) who was signed shortly out of the amateurs by Gary Shaw. The welterweight Cruz would be battling a height and size disadvantage against Williams who is a Jr. Middleweight, but that did not stop him from giving as good as he got with the young talent. Next up, there was a complete 180 with sparring partner Hank Lundy. Williams is a traditional boxer with solid fundamentals. Lundy is extremely talented and often unorthodox. Cruz had the size advantage on the lightweight Lundy, but “Hammering” Hank is an ultra-speedy fighter who comes from every angle and fights in both stances with ease. During the sparring session, Cruz displayed a wide skills set. Some aspects I was aware of and some surprised me. Ronald displayed the strength and heavy hands he is known for. He is at his best with an opponent trapped in the corner, but he is certainly capable of fighting in the middle of the ring as well. He usually keeps a good defense with slight head movement and a high guard but as he has done in previous bouts, he will sometimes drop his guard possibly to invite his opponent into a counter shot. Cruz displayed his sturdy chin during the sparring session. As stated above when you spar with the best you take some shots but the punches from Williams and Lundy did not faze the young fighter. Two things became evident during the sparring session that this writer had not previously noticed. First, Cruz has good agility and can be light on his feet when needed. He displayed an ability to almost square up to his opponent but then bounce back and forth while turning away from punches.
Cruz came up tough after a short amateur background where he went 25-3. He was signed early in his pro career by hall of fame promoter Russell Peltz who noticed his abilities after several pro fights. Cruz scored his best win as a pro when he stopped Jeremy Bryan in the sixth round. Bryan was unbeaten at the time and favored, but Cruz withstood the early onslaught to wear Bryan down for the stoppage. In addition to the work he gets at Shuler’s Cruz has also sparred and worked out with Philly’s brightest young star Mike Jones. Now for the first time Cruz will headline as a professional in only his thirteenth pro bout. He is steadily making his way up the rankings and growing as a fighter. And maybe more than anything he is getting his chance to do all this in his hometown in front of his friends, family, and growing fan base. I asked Cruz about being excited to fight at home. His face lit up as he stated that he can’t wait. Later I turned to Lemuel Rodriguez and asked if he was concerned about the typical distractions of fighting at home and he stated that he has no concerns for Ronald. Both Cruz and Rodriguez were also confident that he would stay composed to stick to the game plan and not fall into the traps including getting caught up in the adrenaline of fighting at home or coming out to aggressive. Rodriguez was very confident in his student that he was well prepared and ready to fight. The student will now look to please trainer and fans come Friday night. The Ronald Cruz-Doel Carrasquillo bout along with the eight fight undercard can be ordered on www.gofightlive.tv with the first bout at 7:30pm for $9.99. http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Ronald_Cruz_vs_Doel_Carrasquillo_/1086
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Mike Jones with easy win in stay busy fight: Ringside Coverage by Gary Purfield (06/25/11) Mike Jones made it a short night in his homecoming stay busy fight Saturday night at the Arena in South Philadelphia. Jones used the first round to measure his opponent Raul Munoz landing jabs and a few rights to set the tone. In round two he landed a jab followed by a straight right hand over the top that dropped Munoz to the canvas. Munoz 21-14-1 (16 KO) managed to get to his feet but was in no condition to continue as the bout was stopped. Jones 25-0 (19 KO) won himself a TKO victory at a time of two minutes and twenty nine seconds to remain undefeated.
The rising welterweight contender was coming off his two wins over Jesus Soto-Karass and looking to stay busy in between bigger fights while providing a show to his hometown fans. Jones did what he was supposed to do stopping an opponent who clearly has seen better days and was out of his league against the Philly fighter. Jones was able to remain active, keep applying his work in the gym to live action (including Jones kept his body slanted opposed to squaring up which this writer feels will be key for him when facing top notch competition), and not fall victim to being one of the many current fingers who go in-active/rusty waiting for HBO dates.
Now he will look for bigger and better fights. When asked in his post-fight interview about who he wanted to fight he simply stated “Pac-Man” referring to current welterweight titleholder and pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao. Jones would be well advised to take several more fights against serious top notch competition before entering into a battle with the current P4P king. The fight was televised live on Fox Sports Net as part of the Top Rank Live series. If he can win several higher profile fights raising his skills and his notoriety it is not out of the question to land the mega fight with the Pilipino superstar. Jones is co-promoted by Philadelphia’s hall of fame promoter Russell Peltz and Bob Arum’s Top Rank who promotes Pacquiao. Arum has recently kept Pacquiao in with other Top Rank fighters giving Jones an inside track over others in surrounding weight classes.
Yordenis Ugas of Cuba and New Yorker Kenny Abril put on a hard hitting fight in the TV opener. Ugas had control through the first four rounds of the welterweight bout. Ugas pounded power shots to the body that slowed Abril while keeping a tight guard that provided his defense.
Abril continued his attack in rounds five and six to take the rounds on this writers card but it was too little too late. Ugas 8-0 (4 KO) piled up the early rounds to stay undefeated while Abril’s 11-4-1 (6 KO) late rally was too little too late.
Flores 9-4-1 (6 KO) did eventually rise but had an oxygen mask was on him and he was lead out of the ring. Charles 9-2 (1KO) gets his knockout he predicted and was ecstatic after the fight jumping up and down into every ring corner.
In an all Philly welterweight matchup Phil McCants 9-2-1 (3 KO) won a majority decision over Kaseem Wilson 12-3-1 (4 KO). At times they flurried and at times the action slowed for extended periods. One judge scored it 57-57 with the other two judges giving it to McCants by scores of 58-56. In the opening bout of the evening Mike Oliver 25-2 (8 KO) took a unanimous decision win over Felipe Almanza 18-25-4 (9 KO). All three judges had it 58-56. With the win Oliver gets himself a date with featherweight titlist Orlando Salido in Mexico later this year. Salido won the belt earlier this year with his upset KO of Juan Manuel Lopez. In the walkout bout Angel Cruz 5-1-1 (4 KO) and Jose Rivera 3-2-2 fought to a draw with scores of 57-57 on all three cards. Cruz landed the cleaner punches but Rivera must have gotten the judges attention by being the aggressor throughout the fight. Philadelphia great and current Light Heavyweight Champ Bernard Hopkins was in attendance seated ringside. Bernard was given a rousing ovation when announced and took time throughout the night to pose for pictures with fans. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Mike Jones Has His Philly Homecoming and Staying Busy
Part Two of Fight Week Coverage
by Gary Purfield (06/21/11)
Jones 24-0 (18 KO) put his many skills on display Monday afternoon at the Joe Hand Gym in Philadelphia for reporters. It is no secret why the young welterweight is becoming one of the top contenders in the sport. Jones is big for a welterweight standing over six feet tall with a heavily muscled long frame. He has above average speed and power to go along with his long range. Jones also has a reputation for being an intelligent fighter that is constantly thinking in the ring. Trainer Vaughn Jackson talked about Mike’s skill set. “He brings a lot of speed and a lot of power. Mike is a fighter, very tough in the ring, he is getting better, getting smarter. He is learning how to control the ring. How to stay behind his reach and keep his energy.” Jackson also discussed the time table for Mike that after a couple more fights he will be ready. Jackson did say that if the call comes for a title shot after Saturday’s bout they are ready now and he believes Mike will one day be the undisputed welterweight champ. Jones started the day off with the basics of jumping rope and shadowboxing. He then moved into the mitt work with trainer Vaughn Jackson. Jones displayed his powerful left jab that he showed he could pump out two-three-or four times in rapid succession. Jones moves with a fluid motion around and the ring and looks very comfortable between the ropes.
One aspect that was apparent watching him over an extended period of time was his endurance. Jones would do a round of mitts, a round of drills, a round of body punching with no rest in between and several times did the three rounds of in ring work multiple times through with no rest at all (basically at times he boxed for twelve to fifteen minutes straight with no more rest than a swig of water). Following the ring action and a rapid fire speed bag session Jones joined two Philly fighters Kaseem Wilson and Anthony Flores who will be on Saturdays undercard in separate fights for a conditioning session run by Danny Davis. Davis walked around with a smile as he put the three fighters through grueling modern style training circuits with while mixing in old school boxing conditioning including rope drills and hitting a tire with a sledgehammer. Analysis: Jones showed why he has the potential to be a title holder and more as he himself stated his goal is to be the unified champ of the welterweight division. As stated above he has fast hands, a strong jab, and moves around the ring even switching stances with grace not often seen from a tall fighter. What is impressive is his ability to punch with speed and power at the same time. Some fighters punch in rapid fire but they shots are pitter pat. Others fire knockout blows but the punch is delivered without much speed. Jones is one of those fighters who can fire quickly without sacrificing speed and vice versa. He also displayed a booming hook from either hand as he stepped in that could be a knockout shot.
Jones has two areas that could be improved or tweaked before he goes for his inevitable title shot. Vaughn Jackson is looking for him to make further improvements to his defense. “Defense is the key, defense wins games, defense wins championships. We can improve on our defense and once we get that everything will fall into place. His defense is good now, don’t get me wrong but I don’t want to see Mike take too many shots.” One more area this writer would note is the tendency to square up when unloading power shots and combinations. Jones did this when he knocked out Irving Garcia in the fifth round last year trapping him in the corner to punch Garcia into the ground. He could get away with this against a lesser foe. Against Soto-Karass in the first fight he squared up and teed off looking for the KO. Again he got away with it (at least in respect to style, not from an endurance factor) but this could be dangerous against a top welterweight. The best guys even when they are backed into a corner hurt and being attacked have the uncanny ability to fire a bomb out of nowhere. If you are going to avoid being caught in that moment you better remain conscious of defense including not squaring up as a big target giving your opponent that chance to land a grand slam at the worst time. Jones did show in the Soto-Karass rematch that he can stay at an angle while methodically battering his opponent over the course of the fight. More of this and less square attack will be key as he advances into fighting the best in the division. I asked Vaughn Jackson if this was something they had worked on. “Oh yeah, we have been working on that, a lot of angles, staying away, definitely been working on his defense and I see an improvement.” On Saturday against Raul Munoz 21-13-1 (16 KO) Jones is not likely to get a tough test but it will keep him busy, active, and give further opportunity to learn to perfect his craft. But whether it is sooner or later he should get that chance to get a belt and possibly even realize his goals of being a unified champ. The event is this Saturday June 25 starting at 8pm. Tickets are available at the door for $75 and $50. Come out for what may be a last chance to catch Mike Jones in his hometown. To see several more videos from the media workout go to http://www.youtube.com/user/gpurf3. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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from Open Workout at Joe Hand Gym by Gary Purfield (06/20/11)
Jones is looking forward to bringing his skills back home. “It’s about time for me to come back. I want to put on a spectacular show. Anytime I’m at home fighting I’m gonna put my best effort for all the Philadelphia fans.” The homecoming is getting its fair share of attention. At the open workout Monday it was not just the regular boxing media. Local TV stations including Comcast Sports Net, Fox 29, and others sent their reporters and camera crews to cover the hometown star. Recently only Bernard Hopkins could garner TV coverage from the networks for a boxing event.
Jones had Soto-Karass hurt in the second round of the first fight but blew his energy going for the knockout. He had to hang on and survive for several rounds before coming on late to get the win. In the rematch Jones made no such mistakes and his superior talent and skill allowed him to steadily punish Soto-Karass in an eye opening performance. Jones made the needed adjustments physically and mentally between the two fights. He knows he gained valuable experience about listening to his corner, following a game plan and staying patient. He also learned about going the distance against quality opposition. Early on in the Philly days Jones was blasting every one in front of him with thrilling knockouts in the early rounds. As the opponents get better he will see more guys like Soto-Karass who don’t go down easily. “Those are the type of guys you need to fight to move up in the rankings and be a better pro.”
Now Jones is left with the dilemma so many young fighters that have been on the big stage have these days in the era of premium cable boxing. Do you sit and wait for the next big fight to come your way with a big paycheck or fight a smaller fight in between. Many others have taken the first route. Sit and wait for HBO even if that means only fighting once or twice a year and not promoting yourself to the general public and boxing fans. Fighters including Tim Bradley, Paul Williams, and Andre Berto amongst others have gone the way of only fighting when getting a big paycheck from a premium cable outlet even though this has hurt their marketability to sell tickets and leaves them without the much needed ring experience that grows a young fighter. Jones is taking the second course. With nothing currently open on HBO for him he will return home to the Arena to take on Raul Munoz in front of local fans that have supported him since early in his career. Sure Jones will be fighting for a smaller check than his last two outings and he runs the always dangerous risk of losing the dangerous tune-up or stay busy fight but he can gain so much with the risk. He will continue developing a local fan base that will see their man live and appreciate the opportunity to see a rising star. He also gets the opportunity to continue honing his skills in the gym and in live action that sparring cannot emulate. Sure other fighters that don’t fight as often stay in the gym but fighters also will tell you that training for a scheduled fight is far different that training without a date marked on the calendar.
“At first it was a bummer but I had to sit back and look at it you know I’m a professional, this is my job, and anytime I go out, wherever I go out and fight I’ll put my best effort forth and prepare myself just like it’s a world championship fight.” Jones is working hard and not overlooking his opponent this weekend. But it is hard not to look ahead with possible title fights on the horizon. “I want a good fight, I want fight under the bright lights and be back on HBO. I want to show the world that I’m someone to be reckoned with. I want to be a great fighter and I work hard, hard as the rest of them out there, I want the world to see my talent.” For now Jones will stay busy, keep training, keep learning, and keep getting better as a fighter and a boxer. He will take the opportunity to put on a show in his hometown where he can sell tickets unlike so many of today’s boxers. But he will have an eye on the future where he could be Las Vegas or Atlantic City with an HBO audience, an HBO paycheck, and a title belt opportunity. When that day comes he will be better prepared due to the training and experience he is getting along the way. Part Two will focus on the gym workout Jones put on Monday including notes on style, technique, adjustments, and areas to keep improving. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Cinnamon Sweet: Saul Alvarez Dominates by Gary Purfield (06/19/11) The fair skinned red haired young Mexican star Saul Alvarez took another big step forward tonight absolutely dominating every round against tough veteran contender Ryan Rhodes. Most boxing experts and fans expected this to be Alvarez’s toughest test and many including this writer considered Rhodes a live underdog. That was not the case as Alvarez won every round on the way to a 12th round TKO. Alvarez went into his toughest fight defending his WBC Junior Middleweight belt he won in his last fight against Matthew Hatton who was smaller and coming up from welterweight. In Rhodes Alvarez was facing his biggest opponent thus far considering Rhodes has fought at Jr. Middle and Middleweight. Alvarez did have the crowd considering nearly 12,000 fans turned out in Guadalajara Mexico for young fan favorite. The fans would roar whenever Alvarez exploded with a combination and often chanted his nickname Ca-nel-O, Ca-nel-O meaning cinnamon for the Mexican’s fair features. From start to finish Saul Alvarez 37-0-1 (27 KO) dominated the fight in every way. He controlled the tempo of the fight, the distance, the pace, where in the ring they fought, and landed the harder cleaner punches in nearly every exchange. Every time HBO would post the power punch stats near the end of the round Alvarez would have over twenty shots landed to often less than five for Rhodes. Every round mirrored each other as Alvarez stalked and landed three to six punch combinations. He out landed and outfought Rhodes 45-5 (31 KO) at every turn. The talented, slick, and somewhat awkward Rhodes could never get into a groove. He might land a decent shot here and there but was never able to mount any sustained attack. This was largely due to Canelo’s sturdy stiff combination punching that pushed Rhodes back along with Alvarez’s power that Rhodes felt early and admitted afterwards deterred his ability to execute. Overall Alvarez dominated the stats as well. He landed 219 punches to 90 for Rhodes and landed 52% of his power shots for a margin of 192 to 40. Alvarez displays as a very good combination puncher using a mix of punches including a good jab, straight right, hooks, and uppercuts from both hands. Another key in the convincing win was Alvarez’s body punching. He mixed body punches into his combos and flurries right from the start and it took its toll on the challenger from Sheffield England as he slowed more and more each round. The Mexican youngster also seems to have improved his defense. He is not going to be mistaken for Floyd Mayweather Jr. but he did show more head movement, an ability to step back from punches, and kept his guard high. He was caught with some shots at times and will need to continue to work on protecting himself but there was an improvement from his past fights. Heading into the final round the outcome was
already decided. Rhodes was out of gas and Alvarez had won every
round. The only question was if Rhodes could survive the 12th
or if Canelo would turn up the heat and end matters before the final
bell. Before the start of the twelfth Rhodes’s corner told him to
just go for it and get knocked out because he had lost every round.
He never had a chance to go for it but got the second part. Alvarez
stormed the Englishman as the twelfth round started and never let
up. Alvarez was landing big shots to the head with no return fire.
The white towel flew from Rhodes’s corner and wisely referee Hector
Afu stepped in halting the fight at 48 seconds of the twelfth and
final round. Alvarez walks out with the TKO win, his WBC strap, and
most importantly an exciting performance against his biggest test
that will certainly continue his rise as a popular young star in the
sport. Even Rhodes acknowledged Canelo afterwards saying he had
lost to a superstar in the sport. Notes: · Is the kid already a top fighter with the Pacquiaos, Mayweathers, and Martinezes of the sport, of course not. He is still has a lot of growing to do and a lot to improve. I certainly will not be including him on a P4P list anytime soon. But the talk that he will be “exposed” and “overrated” is really unnecessary. The guy is a young exciting fighter. Let his career take a natural course. · No he is not the Junior Middleweight Champ, he holds a belt. I would love to see him take on Cotto who is widely regarded as the #1 man at 154lbs right now. Puerto Rico vs. Mexico always brings the fireworks. Let the young man go to enemy territory of the vet who has earned home field and do the fight in the Garden in New York where they would certainly sell out for that fight. Of course with Cotto under Top Rank and Alvarez under Golden Boy right now this is little more than a fight fans can fight in chat rooms. · Last point, he is not a P4P or a champion but he is very popular and very good for boxing. The sport needs young exciting fighters who put butts in the seats. Someone like Alvarez who may not be an “elite” talent is far more crucial to the sport with the attention he brings than an “elite” talent that bores fans and can’t sell tickets. In the opening bout Adrian Broner scored a first round TKO of the “American Boy” Jason Litzau. Broner who was heavily criticized after his last bout in his HBO debut when he cautiously defeated Ponce DeLeon in a slow fight that lacked any excitement was looking to change the perception that he is a boring fighter. Broner was determined to show the last fight was an aberration and he did that in the final eighteen seconds of the first round. The first two minutes and forty seconds of the round were cautious as both fighters have a reputation for starting slow. As it looked like the first round would close quietly Broner landed a right in the corner stunning Litzau. Broner closed in throwing a flurry of punches not allowing Litzau to escape. In the flurry Broner landed a huge right leaving Litzau out on his feet. Broner continued firing landing a left hook and right uppercut finishing his opponent who slumped to the canvas as the referee jumped in to halt the action at two minutes and fifty eight seconds of round one. Litzau 28-3 (21 KO) from St. Paul Minnesota had been on hot streak beating Rocky Juarez and getting a big upset win over Cellestino Caballero to land another date on HBO. He will now have to regroup after a devastating loss. Broner 21-0 (17 KO) nicknamed “The Problem” from Cincinnati Ohio remains undefeated with bigger things to come for the powerful, speed, young contender. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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REST IN PEACE GENARO HERNANDEZ
Genaro Hernández, a former super featherweight champion, died today after a lengthy battle with cancer. The Mexican-American, who turned 45 on May 10, debuted in 1984, and retired in 1998, after losing to Floyd Mayweather. His record stood at 38-2-1, with 17 KOs. He beat Daniel Londas to capture the vacant WBA super featherweight crown in 1991. He held that title until 1994, when he vacated it to move up in weight. A title shot against Oscar De La Hoya came up short in 1995, but Hernandez triumphed over Azumah Nelson in 1997, and "Chicanito" took his WBC super featherweight crown. The Los Angeles-based fighter battled the invader in his body hard. He had tumors on his shoulders, on his thigh, on his neck and three on his back. Hernandez will be remembered as a classy pugilist, one who used both hands to good effect, moved smartly, used his height wisely...all told, he was a well rounded boxer who had superior command of all the basics, and then some. Some recall that he could have taken the easy way out against Nelson in 1997. Nelson dropped Hernandez after the seventh round ended, and Genaro could have opted out of continuing, as Nelson would have been disqualified. Hernandez said heck with that, I want to continue. He valued honor, and doing the right thing. He showed his toughness going in to the fight with De La Hoya. Shane Mosley broke his nose in sparring a week before the opportunity of a lifetime. Hernandez didn't pull out of the fight, however, and Oscar targeted it, and broke it into 22 pieces. Hernandez was hit hard in the 2001 stock market crash, largely because he invested in Enron, which went belly up because of fraud. He needed a hand up battling the cancer, and got it. Promoter Bob Arum helped financed many of his treatments, so part of the boxer's legacy will be showing, or reminding people, that the fight game fraternity isn't only populated by cads. Condolences out to his wife Liliana, and children Amanda, and Steven. Written by Michael Woods (Tuesday, 07 June 2011)
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Live Report Action Packed Card for Round Three Ringside Coverage by Gary Purfield (06/03/11) Joey Eye Promotions and David Feldman hosted their third card at Harrah’s Casino in Chester PA outside of Philadelphia Friday night. They put on an action packed card with seven fights for the eight hundred boxing fans in attendance. Featuring five four round fights followed by two six round headlining bouts it was a night of crowd pleasing fun. With no Blue Horizon the Chester cards can hopefully fill the void as best as can be and continue the great tradition of Philly Boxing. Promoters billed the main event between lightweights Victor Vasquez and Gustavo Dailey as a can’t miss action fight due to both fighters reputations for being crowd pleasing warriors. The promoters here got it right as these two delivered on the promises. After going to war for four rounds of a scheduled six Vasquez stopped Dailey in the fourth round. The fight was a rematch between the two Philly fighters where Vasquez scored a fifth round knockout in the first bout. After a feeling out opening round Vasquez went to work in round two. He stepped on the gas pedal with a two fisted berserker style attack and never let up until he had stopped his opponent. Vasquez was stalking Dailey with fast and furious fighting through rounds two and three. He was clearly up three rounds to none entering the fourth round by being busy with non-stop punching. The assault was largely to Gustavo’s body that hurt and slowed the challenger looking to avenge his KO loss in the first fight. Dailey looked for openings but could find no way to stop Vasquez’s unrelenting aggression. In round four Dailey started well leading with his straight left from the southpaw stance. He was connecting to Vasquez’s head and while he was not slowing Victor’s forward charge he was showing signs of life. Then late in the round Vasquez put a stop to any hope Dailey had and ended the night. While Vasquez had worked the body in the first three rounds he went head hunting and found his mark with a right hand that landed flush. Dailey had a delayed reaction and some knee shaking before crumbling to the canvas. He managed to rise and make the effort to continue but it was not in the cards for Gustavo tonight. He was clearly punch drunk as he wandered and stumbled around the ring. Wisely the referee stopped the fight instead of allowing Dailey to continue giving Vasquez the TKO win at 2:02 of the fourth round.
Victor Vasquez 13-5-1 (7 KO) lived up to his billing of not being
able to be in a bad fight and then some. He entertained the crowd
with his forward charging style often backing his opponent into the
ropes where he pounded away with both hands drawing rowdy cheers
from the boxing faithful in attendance. It was a well-earned KO
victory and Vasquez certainly earns future headlining honors on
similar cards. Gustavo Dailey 4-12 (1 KO) takes the loss and while
his record does not impress he deserves no criticism after a hard
fought effort. Undercard Report
In the co-main event Tony Ferrante bounced back from a loss with a fourth round TKO win over Joe Park. Ferrante dominated what was an often grinding affair at times and exciting at others. Ferrante did his part to make it a fight but Park was often content to grab and hold.
In round three Ferrante landed at will with everything and scored a knockdown on a straight right to the side of the head. Later in the round he a landed right hook smack flush across chin. By this point Park was barely throwing at all and holding on to survive every time they got close. Round four was more of the same punctuated by a straight right from Ferrante that staggered his opponent. With Ferrante bombing away and landing in the corner the bout was stopped at 2:46 of round four. Ferrante 10-2 (4 KO) gets back in the win column and Park drops to 8-6 (6 KO).
Ocasio then began finding his timing in round two and slowly took control of the fight. Ocasio landed the cleaner harder punches backing up his opponent in the final three rounds. Ocasio was awarded a knockdown in round three when Scott’s knee touched the canvas but it appeared to be a slip. Ocasio walks away with the unanimous decision win by scores of 40-36, 39-36, and 39-36. Rashad Brown blew away Philip Burnette in the first round of middleweight action. Brown dominated the action dropping his opponent three times when the referee stopped the fight after the final knockdown. Brown 4-0 (1 KO) stays unbeaten and gets the stoppage at 2:59 of round one. Burnette falls to 2-3 (1 KO).
Afterwards I spoke with Jenkins who commented on his opponent’s toughness stating he hit him with everything and he kept coming. Jenkins was all smiles knowing he had earned a hard fought victory and valuable learning experience.
In the opening bout Naim Nelson won his pro-debut by shutout unanimous decision with sores of 40-36 on all three cards. Nelson controlled his opponent Kywame Hill in the welterweight bout in all four rounds to take the convincing win. Nelson 1-0 was able to land his jab and left hook to the body while pushing Hill 1-8 (1 KO) back into the ropes for most of the fight. Questions, comments, agree, disagree, or anything all send it to gboxing3@gmail.com.
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Round Three at Harrah’s in Chester: by Gary Purfield (05/30/11) This coming Friday Joey Eye Boxing along with David Feldman will put on their third card from the new casino in Chester PA outside of Philadelphia. With the legendary Blue Horizon closed Harrah’s in Chester may serve as the venue for local Philly talent to keep alive the cities proud tradition of putting on exciting fights. The headliner features a rematch between Victor Vasquez 12-5-2 (6 KO) and Gustavo Dailey 4-11 (1). Vasquez won the first fight by fifth round knockout and the rematch should provide another exciting showdown. Vasquez has a loyal following of fans due to his track record of making for exciting crowd pleasing fights every time he steps into the ring. Dailey’s record does not impress but he has fought some good fighters and comes to fight and put on entertaining bouts. The undercard features six bouts that will showcase popular and up and coming talent from the fighting city of Philadelphia. Tony Ferrante 9-2 (4 KO) of North Philly is at the top of the undercard as he looks to get back in the win column against Joe Park 8-5 (6 KO) of South Carolina. Also featured are undefeated up and comers Angel Ocasio 4-0 (1 KO), Rashad Brown 3-0 (1 KO), and Fred Jenkins Jr. 1-0 (1 KO). Boxing fans should expect to be treated to an action packed night of exciting fights. The promotional parties will be holding a press conference Wednesday and weigh in Thursday with both being open to the public at Lou Turks 500 Powhattan Road Essington PA. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Arreola Staying Busy and Staying Slim: by Gary Purfield (05/27/11) Chris Arreola fought for the second time in thirteen days and gets his second win in the same amount of time. He has won four straight but more importantly seems to have committed himself to his craft and his physique. Thirteen days ago he stopped Nagy Aguilera in the third round and gladly took the opportunity to headline ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. The quick return to the ring kept Arreola who is known for falling out of shape between fights active and in the gym to keep healthy. Arreola 32-2 (28 KO) dominated from start to finish over Kendrick Releford 22-15-2 (10 KO). He opened by banging to the body and sneaking in right uppercuts through his opponents guard. By round five Releford was looking worn down. In round six Releford was getting bombed from every direction and stepped back to take a knee. He rose and managed to survive the round but by this point the outcome was clear. Arreola continued his punishing attack in round seven and snapped Releford’s head back several times with uppercuts from both hands. Finally mid-way through the round with Arreola teeing off and Releford all but out on his feet the referee jumped in to stop the fight delivering Arreola a seventh round TKO win. Arreola looked impressive in his new slimmed down body that weighed 236lbs down 30 pounds from where he was three fights back. He has better endurance, his punches come faster, and at a higher work rate. Sure Releford is not a beast but he is a decent journeyman pro and Arreola had no problem dominating every minute of every round. The question is will this new found commitment to honing his skills and his body last. Arreola was once considered the top American hope for a heavyweight champ. He had a perfect record, a loyal fan base, and regular spots on HBO. Then along the way he began ballooning in weight out of the 230’s where he was when he scored his impressive win over Chazz Witherspoon and into the 250’s where he was when he was dominated and stopped by Vitali Klitschko in his title opportunity. With another chance on HBO against Tomasz Adamek the Nightmare Arreola made no attempt to properly train and was outworked by the smaller but better conditioned Adamek. Arreola has since admitted that he lost that fight before the bell rang due to not preparing properly. As his commitment went down so did the support from fans who did not pack the seats anymore and HBO no longer televised his fights. Now it appears he has turned that corner where maturity gets the better of an adult and they start to realize what matters. Arreola is saying all the right things about his commitment and dedication. If he follows through he has the talent and personality to be a big figure (relatively big at least in size hopefully) in the boxing picture. Between his exciting action fighting style and very colorful personality complete with total lack of filter during interviews he is made for TV. Boxing needs quality fighters with colorful personalities to draw viewers and the Mexican American heavyweight fits that bill in every way. Time will tell how his career will go. Keeping him busy and in the gym seems to be the plan which should be effective for a fighter with Arreola’s love of food.. Ultimately though whatever plan that is laid out by trainer Henry Ramirez, promoter Dan Goosen, manager Al Haymon, it is only Arreola that can choose to be dedicated and continue this new positive path to the top. In the first fight of the evening heavyweight Tony Thompson scored a 3rd round TKO over Maurice Harris. Thompson 36-2 (24 KO) who previously lost in a title shot by knockout to Wladimir Klitschko landed a right hook to the head of Harris 24-15-2 (10 KO) that dropped his opponent and ended the night. With the win Thompson earns a fight against Eddie Chamber for the mandatory IBF shot at Wladimir Klitschko. Thompson has won five straight since the loss to Klitschko. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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No Bradley, No Problem: by Gary Purfield (05/27/11) Multiple reports are now stating that Tim Bradley has turned down 1.4 million dollars guaranteed and the chance to claim the top dog spot at 140lbs. This leaves Amir Khan without a dance partner for July 23 and several options are being reported as possibilities. While Marcos Maidana and Robert Guerrero are good options one option stands out that can not only be a good fight but a great event. Khan vs. current IBF Jr. Welterweight Champ Zab Judah and make the fight at Madison Square Garden in New York. Enough of this Las Vegas garbage where they can’t draw 4,000 people and most of the people attending are gamblers getting comped tickets. Not exactly a great fight atmosphere. This sport needs more events and less forced fights. A date in NYC for Khan and Judah can provide that. I attended the Khan vs. Malignaggi fight at the ballroom at MSG and they packed the place. Khan had a large contingent from England attending who proudly sang their soccer fight songs and continued singing there is only one Ricky Hatton. In addition many New Yorkers of Pakistani descent and Muslim faith came out to support Khan and these groups were very vocal and excited in a good way to support their man with chants and songs. Paulie had the New York and Italian faithful there to counter every English song. I have been to some great fights but this was the best atmosphere and event I have been a part of. That is one half. The other half is easy. Zab is from Brooklyn. He would have plenty of crazed hometown fans rooting him on just as Malignaggi had against Khan. So many great storylines. The British and King Khan invade New York and Super Judah will defend his home territory. Young gun vs. aging veteran wily veteran who still has serious power, speed, and skills. Master strategists and trainers Freddie Roach vs. Pernell Whitaker. Seriously, are you not yet realizing how much fun this would be. And by the way, this would likely be a good fight (in my opinion more exciting than Bradley vs. Khan because you don’t have the head butt issue amongst other things). Both guys are lightning fast and have very good power. Both guys whether this is fair or not are often questioned as having a suspect chin. What is more fun than when you have not one but two guys in the ring who have serious power and can be dropped at any moment. Khan can wear you down with real pop in both hands. Zab straight up has one punch knockout power and if you need evidence see Kaizer Mabuza dangling between the ropes. A large crowd in New York with screaming, singing, chanting fans on both sides makes the environment. Two elite fighters with power and vulnerability makes for a great tension filled fight. Don’t waste this opportunity. Make this fight and make it where it belongs. Questions, comments, agree, disagree, or anything at all send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Hopkins beats Father Time, by Gary Purfield (05/21/11) On Saturday night in enemy territory at the Bell Centre in Montreal Bernard Hopkins won a unanimous decision over Jean Pascal in front of 17,560 fans. In doing so he became the Ring Magazine and WBC Light Heavyweight Champion. Hopkins further cements his legacy and hall of fame career with the win as he breaks George Foreman’s record at forty six years of age becoming the oldest man to win a major title. The fight played out somewhat similar to the first encounter back in December that ended in a controversial majority draw. Pascal 26-2-1 (16 KO) appeared to win the early rounds again but without the two knockdowns he had in the first fight and even the early rounds he won were far less convincing this time around. Then the ageless one made adjustments as he always does and took over the fight. Hopkins began landing his straight right with ease and then mixed in his other shots to keep Pascal guessing. Hopkins 52-5-2 (32 KO) showed his playful side multiple times. As he gained more control and confidence he would drop his hands and even stick his tongue out at this opponent. Prior to round seven Hopkins began doing pushups in the corner before the start in a show of his fitness and defiance of age. Hopkins clearly had the better game plan which is expected of the older and wiser experienced fighter. He also had the better stamina and conditioning to fight hard for twelve rounds which is not expected of any older fighter much less one that is forty six years old. While Pascal fought in spurts which became less and less as the rounds ticked away Hopkins moved forward and attacked for the majority of every round after the slow first. From the sixth on Hopkins basically dominated every round mentally and physically. He was more active, more accurate, and appeared to be having fun while the opponent eighteen years younger looked faded and discouraged. Pascal had a moment in the twelfth where he landed one of his home run attempts that momentarily stunned Hopkins but he could not follow up and it was too little too late. Hopkins stated that he wanted to give the fans an exciting fight and save his best for last. “I know the fans pay to see fight I have been accused of being boring, I plan to box, win fights.” “Before I leave this game you are going to see the best fights of Hopkins career, every fight the rest of my career will be breathtaking. You save the best for last like any great entertainer, I want to go out on a positive note, and that is as a winner, not punch drunk, beat, and broke.” Bernard Hopkins is a walking, fighting example that getting old does not mean giving up what you love you to do. Sure he may have better genetics than 99% of us but 99% of us are not going to be stepping into a professional boxing ring to take on an athlete power puncher like Jean Pascal. What Hopkins does is set an example that with the right care, discipline, and practice one can continue doing great things as the birthdays keep rolling by. Most of us dread each passing year of getting older and all the things that come with it including slowing down, wrinkling, losing hair, and all the other fun sides of aging. Hopkins stares those problems down and beats them back a well-timed right cross. Instead of using age as an excuse he uses it as a motivator to accomplish greater goals. Just another in the long line of naysayers that Hopkins admits is what motivates him. This is a lesson any of us can take away from watching Saturday’s fights. Age can be a deterrence or a motivator. Many of us would be better off following Hopkins lead in this area. In the co-featured bout Chad Dawson got back in the win column with a unanimous decision over Adrian Diaconu 27-3 (15 KO). Dawson 30-1 (17 KO) was coming off a loss to Jean Pascal. Dawson has a guarantee to fight the winner (Hopkins) of the main event. This was Dawson’s first fight with trainer Emanuel Steward. Notes:
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Giardello Statue Unveiling
Part 3 of 3: Dedication Ceremony from South Philadelphia by Gary Purfield (05/21/11) This Saturday May 21, 2011 at 1:00pm a statue of great Philadelphia Middleweight Joey Giardello was unveiled at S 13th St and Mifflin St and E Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia. The statue honors the former middleweight champ as well as many other past Philly fighters. As a relatively young boxing writer (32) I knew little more than what I had heard from others about Giardello. So as someone with an interest in the history of this sport and learning about the statue I began researching everything I could including speaking with family and friends from South Philly that were around during Giardello’s time. The first piece provided a history of Giardello and background as a Philly middleweight. The second piece had an in-depth look at the much debated fight with Ruben “Hurricane” Carter. This third installment covers the dedication ceremony and unveiling of the Joey Giardello statue. It rained all week in Philadelphia but on Saturday we got a break in the miserable weather to let the sun come out and provide a beautiful day. It was fitting to have a bright and beautiful day as many in South Philadelphia gathered to be part of the Joey Giardello statue dedication ceremony. A full block of Passyunk avenue was closed down and packed with young and old to commemorate the hall of famer and former middleweight champion.
The city provided a stage and podium where friends and family who knew Joey the best and those worked over two years to make this statue happen could speak about Giardello’s life as a boxer, family man, and member of the South Philly community. Each person took their turn telling memories and stories about the honored fighter that passed away in 2008 Very few were able to get through their speech without becoming emotional in the moment. Fred Druding Jr. a former Philadelphia Golden Gloves champion and professional boxer who now serves on the Veteran Boxers Association-Ring One (VBA) hosted the ceremony. Joey Vento best known as the owner of famous Geno’s Steaks received a loud applause when he was introduced as one of the many who made contributions to make the statue happen. Vento generously donated $25,000 to the project. Carmen Bartolomeo who was a professional boxer at the same time as Giardello and was friends with the former middleweight champ provided the comedic stories of Giardello. After amusing the crowd Bartolomeo choked up as he spoke about Joey’s charity work and Giardello’s son. “Now let’s not forget about his charity work. Anybody with a special son, or kid, he put him to the special Olympics. The time, donated money from bouts and anybody who comes to the see the statue you bob and weave under that right and you look at his heart.” John DiSanto of PhillyBoxingHistory.com who counts Philly boxing as one of his great passions and was described as the anchor of the project took his turn. DiSanto expressed that his dream would be for Joey to be here for the unveiling but this was not possible. DiSanto went on to thank those involved and the generous contributions. “To do something like this it takes a lot of help. Because everyone loved Joey so much it was a lot easier than it could have been. As soon as we announced this project people started to line up and ask how can we help. You heard about the big guys that really came through and made this happen.. It was all the people of South Philly as well. You know everybody was involved in this and this is your statue. I think this was a big tribute to Joey that we got the help we needed to get this done.”
“Middleweight champion of the world was Joey Giardello’s title and we have come to honor that remarkable achievement today but equally important we have come to honor the man. Last was Giardello’s wife Rosalie Tilelli who started by thanking all the donors and artist LeVotch who gave her and the family something to look forward to. Mrs. Tilelli then talked about how many have asked what would Joey think about the statue if he was here. “He would have been in awe and humbled and I am sure, I know, he would have cried and cried because in reality that what he was, a very humble, humble man. Then came the moment everyone waited for but first the full rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” was played in honor of Giardello who loved the song. The statue itself is a masterful work of art showing Giardello coming across with his right hand and left tucked low. The Ring Championship belt is on his right side as well. Every inch of the statue is finely tuned and detailed showing extensive accuracy to Giardello’s likeness. In addition the statue has the names of the biggest contributors, top fifty South Philly boxers of Italian ancestry, twenty more Philly boxing legends, landmark South Philly boxing venues, and landmark South Philly gyms. Congratulations are deserved for everyone involved. The family, artist Carl LeVotch, VBA, PhillyBoxingHistory.com and everyone else deserve a great deal of credit and respect for their hard work that has brought a great monument to a city with such a proud and rich boxing history. Philadelphia has great gyms, venues, fighters, and now has its first statue of a real life great champion. This statue will be a proud mark for the fighting city of Philadelphia. With any luck it sparks efforts for future statues of more of the many great Philly fighters. To see the statue simply stop by S 13th and Mifflin St by Passyunk Avenue. Whether you are from Philadelphia or are just a boxing fan it is worth the visit.
To see videos of the statue unveiling visit http://www.youtube.com/user/gpurf3. For further information and details on the Giardello statue visit http://www.joeygiardello.net. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Part 2 of 3 by Gary Purfield (05/18/11) This coming Saturday May 21, 2011 at 1:00pm a statue of great Philadelphia Middleweight Joey Giardello will be unveiled at S 13th St and Mifflin St and E Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia. The statue honors the former middleweight champ as well as many other past Philly fighters. As a relatively young boxing writer (32) I knew little more than what I had heard from others about Giardello. So as someone with an interest in the history of this sport and learning about the statue I began researching everything I could including speaking with family and friends from South Philly that were around during Giardello’s time. The first piece provided a
brief history of Giardello and background as a Philly
middleweight. This second piece will take an in-depth look at the
much debated fight with Ruben “Hurricane” Carter where despite what
the movie depicted Giardello won a hard fought decision over the
aggressive young challenger. The third will provide details for the
statue project. Part 2: The truth of Giardello vs. Hurricane Carter On December 14, 1964 middleweight champion Joey Giardello of Philadelphia put his titles on the line against Ruben “Hurricane” Carter of Patterson, NJ at Convention Hall in Philadelphia. It was a classic matchup of the older experienced fighter in Giardello taking on the young, strong, hungry lion in Carter. It turned out to be an excellent matchup where the KO artist Carter used his strength and power to control the early rounds but the veteran guile and grit of Giardello took over late in the fight to edge out the challenger and retain his title. Unfortunately this fight would be marred years later in the film “The Hurricane” that was released in 1999. In the movie about Hurricane Carter’s life an early scene depicts the fight in an inaccurate fashion where Carter dominates Giardello beating him into a bloody mess but then is robbed of the decision in a racially motivated effort to assist Giardello. The following breaks down the fifteen round battle between these two fighters to more accurately analyze a sensational fight and honor former champ Giardello in the lead up to his statue dedication this Saturday May 21 (see below for full details on Saturday’s events). Understand in no way am I looking to do a dishonor to Ruben Carter. I have all the respect and sympathy for a man that was a phenomenal boxer and had to endure a terrible tragedy being sent to prison for a murder he did not commit. This article is simply to discuss Giardello as a fighter in a well-known bout. Other than that scene I enjoyed the movie the Hurricane and I feel it is a shame the writers, producers, etc. saw fit to have such an inaccurate scene to dramatize the movie. The fact is the story and tragedy of Carter needed no fictional drama considering the man spent over twenty years in prison for a crime he did not commit and only through his and others efforts was the record set straight years later. That story needs no additional fluff. Now on to the middleweight title fight on December 14, 1964 from Philadelphia. The stage was set for a crossroads middleweight fight during a time when the middleweight title was a marquee sports achievement in America. Joey Giardello had spent fifteen years as a pro trying to earn his title shot the hard way. He had his share of ups and downs but finally got his opportunity after defeating all-time great Sugar Ray Robinson to become the number one contender. He then defeated champion Dick Tiger in December of 1963 to become the middleweight champ. By this point in his career Giardello was a veteran of one hundred and twenty seven fights giving him ring smarts and experience that was difficult to match. Giardello could counter punch with the best of them to make up for what had been lost physically to age and the wear of ring wars. In the other corner stood Ruben Carter who had become known as the most powerful puncher in the middleweight division. The young Carter lacked Giardello’s experience coming into the bout with only twenty four fights under his belt. What he lacked in experience he made up for in power, speed, and aggression demonstrated by his recent first round knockouts of Clarence James and Emile Griffith. Round one Carter came out stalking and looking to impose his strength while Giardello counter punched the forward moving challenger. Round two Giardello was on his game moving and connecting with counters as Carter looked for the bomb. Round three Carter continued his attack and landed a good swinging right that backed Giardello into the corner.
Round five again saw Carter controlling the action including a solid left hook to Giardello’s chin. Round six Carter was another big round for the young challenger. Giardello started the round well but then Carter landed a big left-right combination sending the champ into the ropes. Several more times Carter would land his booming left hook and straight right in the round to force Giardello back. The good news for Giardello was that the cut from round four was not a problem and never really bled much the rest of the fight. In addition the shots Giardello was landing were often to the body which would pay dividends later. Round seven was when things started to change which was “missed” by the movie. Giardello had a good round where he started landing combinations to the head and body. In addition Carter started showing his first signs of fatigue slightly slowing down his work rate and the power of his punches. Round eight was similar to the previous round. Rounds nine and ten Carter did well but was never able to regain the control he had in rounds three through six. Then the fight changed even more entering the double digit rounds. Giardello’s experience and conditioning began to shine through. The bout was fought at his pace. Rounds ten through twelve were all close but likely went to Giardello as he landed counter punches on the advancing but slowing challenger. Round thirteen may have been Giardello’s best as he continued his comeback now with authority. The south Philly product was in control as he moved around the ring, landed combinations that affected Carter and then moved away as Carter swung wild punches that missed the defensively talented champ badly. Round fourteen Giardello hammered away landing lefts to the head and body. Entering the fifteenth and final round both men touched gloves before finishing an exciting competitive championship fight. Both also had to know that the fight was close and the last round could be crucial. Carter found a second wind and controlled the first minute of the round. Then Giardello took over again landing his punches while making Carter continue to miss every time he threw his wide sweeping bombs. When the fight was concluded in a show of sportsmanship both embraced and awaited the decision. The judges would award the fight to the champion Giardello by scores of 69-64, 70-67, and 72-66. As you can see below I had it tighter but gave the nod to Giardello by one round with the fight being decided on my card in the final stanza (I scored on a current 10 point must system but am not sure the exact method that was used at the time). Gary’s scorecard
Both men should be remembered for a great fight that evening. Frankly I believe the scoring could have gone either way and such is the nature of boxing. I would like to think it will be seen in this fashion and not the portrayal depicted in the movie. The fight also demonstrates the excellent boxing skills of Giardello including an elusive defense, good movement, commitment to body punching, and excellent combination punching. He had those classic Philly skills of using the jab and hitting without getting hit better known in Philly gyms as using the stick and swimming without getting wet. Finally the Carter fight displayed a toughness and grit that allowed him to overcome the adversity of being attacked by a powerful puncher early on to take over the fight in the later rounds. The Joey Giardello statue and dedication ceremony will be held this coming Saturday May 21 at 1:00pm (full information below). If you are a boxing fan and live in the Philadelphia area come out and join us for what should be a great experience reliving the history of the fighting city of Philadelphia. Giardello vs. Carter (entire fight is in six parts): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtoEPCLBVKw For further information, history, and details visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Giardello http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=10923&cat=boxer http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Joey_Giardello Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Statue to be Dedicated to Philly Middleweight by Gary Purfield (05/14/11) This coming Saturday May 21, 2011 at 1:00pm a statue of great Philadelphia Middleweight Joey Giardello will be unveiled at S 13th St and Mifflin St and E Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia. The statue honors the former middleweight champ as well as many other past Philly fighters. As a relatively young boxing writer (32) I knew little more than what I had heard from others about Giardello. So as someone with an interest in the history of this sport and learning about the statue I began researching everything I could including speaking with family and friends from South Philly that were around during Giardello’s time. This is the first in a three part series on Giardello leading up to the statue dedication. The first piece below provides a history of Giardello and background as a Philly middleweight. It is hardly a complete biography of someone with a long story worth learning but a brief overview. Included below are several sources that will give an interested reader much more information. The second piece will take an in-depth look at the much debated fight with Ruben “Hurricane” Carter and the third will provide details for the statue project. Part 1: South Philly’s own Joey Giardello Athletes come and go. Sports stars pass through cities that draft them these days like vacationing tourists. Some are welcomed into the new city and even a select few adopt their new hometown, where they settle in to become a revered figure in that cities culture. Then you have boxing where a fighter represents his hometown. But these days that means little and means less to where you end up fighting your bouts. But in a time before I was alive and boxing was the biggest thing in the country's sports scene along with baseball and horse racing where a fighter was from meant something. And for some it meant everything. Hence you have Joey Giardello from South Philadelphia during the time when Philadelphia was truly the fighting city of Philadelphia especially known for its never ending supply of middleweight title contenders. A figure that not only was from Philadelphia but represented its proud Italian culture and blue collar fighting spirit. So it is fitting that through a great deal of work from family and supporters a new boxing statue will be unveiled on Saturday May 21 in South Philadelphia. Joey Giardello will be become the first real life boxer to be honored with a statue and dedication commemorating his great career. Everyone in America knows of the statue that portrays the fictional boxer Rocky played by Sylvester Stallone but now the great Philly Middleweight Champion will be honored in the same manner. Giardello was born in New York but then from South Philadelphia where he would spend the majority of his life. Like many youth in Philadelphia during that time he got involved in boxing and turned pro in 1948 at the age of eighteen. Giardello had a long road to the top. He would have several streaks of wins and losses along the way before getting his first title opportunity in 1960 where he fought to a draw against Gene Fullmer. Giardello would bounce back and then in 1963 scored an upset win over arguably the greatest fighter to ever live Sugar Ray Robinson. This lead to a title shot in 1964 against Dick Tiger where Giardello won the middleweight title. He would hold the title for almost two years winning four defenses over that time before losing it in a rematch with Dick Tiger. He finished his career with a record of 101-25-7 (33 KO), reigned as middleweight champion from December 7, 1963-October 21, 1965, and was voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993. Giardello was 5-3-1 against other hall of fame boxers including his win over the great Sugar Ray Robinson. Giardello lived out his retirement with his wife and son in Cherry Hill New Jersey where he passed away in 2008. Possibly his most famous or now infamous bout was with Rubin “Hurricane” Carter in 1964. Giardello won a decision on points. Later this fight would be depicted in the movie the Hurricane starring Denzel Washington about how Carter was wrongly placed in jail for a murder he did not commit. The movie portrays that Carter destroyed Giardello over fifteen rounds but is robbed in a racially unjust decision. This fight will be covered in detail in the next piece but this was hardly a one sided fight where the movie took some very slanted liberties. Giardello would later sue the movie company for the portrayal of him in the movie and the suit would be settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. When speaking with South Philly natives about Giardello one thing stood out. Of course everyone spoke of how good he was but no one spoke about Giardello as an icon or idol. I was even dismissed when I referred to him as a South Philly icon. No, just a guy from the neighborhood was the response. He was liked and respected by Philly fight fans who attended his many fights in the city. I was even told my grandmother could have told me a great deal about Giardello if she was still alive. My grandmother was the farthest thing from a fight fan but was a fan of Giardello as he represented her home of South Philadelphia. Not being viewed as an icon was not a negative but a positive. Here was someone that achieved many great accomplishments in boxing yet was not out of touch with those around him like so many great athletes. While I cannot know for sure I would guess this along with his greatness had a lot to do with why he was chosen to be the one Philly fighter that received a statue in his honor when so many could be chosen such as Benny Briscoe and Joe Frazier. The statue and dedication ceremony will be held this coming Saturday May 21 at 1:00pm (full information below). If you are a boxing fan and live in the Philadelphia area come out and join us for what should be a great experience reliving the history of the fighting city of Philadelphia. For further information, history, and details visit the following sources. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Giardello http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=10923&cat=boxer http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Joey_Giardello Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Andre Ward on the Rise: by Gary Purfield (May 14, 2011) Andre Ward advanced to the Super Six tournament finals with a dominant victory over Arthur Abraham and further improved his growing profile as a star in the making. Ward took a unanimous decision by scores of 120-108, 118-110, and 118-110 to retain his WBA Super Middleweight title. In the bigger long term picture Ward may be the next big American boxing star as he continues to grow as a fighter with every performance. Ward 24-0 (13 KO) was heavily favored coming in after being so dominant in his last three fights against Mikkel Kessler, Alan Green, and Sakio Bika while Abraham 32-3 (26 KO) looked terrible in back to back losses to Andre Dirrell and Carl Froch. Abraham came out from the opening bell with a re-invigorated attitude by pressuring Ward and boxing with early aggression. What was expected to be a rout suddenly early on looked like it could be an upset with Abraham starting very well. The normally slow starting King Arthur was using a stiff jab and well-timed straight rights to put Ward on notice that this would not be an easy win. Ward had an effective second round to get going. Then in the third Abraham had probably his best round since his knockout victory over Jermain Taylor. Abraham was surprisingly much more active in round three than the champion and was setting a tone to have a big night as he did when he reigned as a middleweight champion. At this point two questions were prevalent. First could Abraham keep this pace and second how would Ward respond to probably the toughest adversity he has faced as a pro. In round four Ward started to answer both questions emphatically. Ward began moving forward using his speed advantage to consistently back his opponent up with sharp non-stop combination punching that left Abraham again without an answer. Once Ward took control he never let up and wore down Abraham throughout the fight. Ward continued his dominance throughout the entire second half of the fight. Round after round his jab and combination punching pounded Abraham who became less and less active as the body punching took its toll. Abraham only through nine punches in round seven and often went back to his corner between rounds breathing heavy and leaning on the ropes. Abraham kept trying even making a last minute rally in the twelfth to land back to back left hooks in the last round that got Ward’s attention but it was far too little too late. Ward cruised out the twelfth to take a no doubt victory. Ward showed that he is superb boxer, a tough fighter, and capable of staring down adversity to rise to the challenge against a tough determined fighter. Meanwhile Abraham had no answer to Ward’s speed and superior skills. Abraham also began tiring more and more as the rounds ticked by. He started working behind a strong jab and educated boxing but after round five was left with nothing but his turtle shell defense and occasional wild flurries of wide swinging punches that were not going to be effective against a fighter as skilled as Andre Ward. Make no mistake that Arthur Abraham would have intimidated and beaten most super middleweights on the planet with his aggressive start and power punching. Except tonight he faced a superior fighter who had the will to overcome his opponent’s aggression and wear that opponent down to a shell of himself by the middle rounds. Afterwards Ward stated that coming in he knew Abraham was a “very strong fighter, he’s a champion, but we are going home with those belts tonight”. Ward seemed to know before the fight that he would get a tough fight from his opponent despite the recent losses and that he would have to dig deep to win which he certainly did. Abraham knew he had lost and stated “I fought hard. I gave my all went for the knockout and could not get it. I’m sad, I’m not happy about this. Thank you to the American people and American fans.” The future is tough for Abraham who has said he will not go back down to middleweight but seems not cut out to handle the top super middleweights. For Ward he will move on to the Super Six finals against the winner of the other semi-final matchup between Carl Froch and Glen Johnson. The last American to win a gold medal in boxing at the Olympics is on the verge of becoming America’s next big boxing star. He continues to get better and better with each fight. Each time out he shows new wrinkles to his skills, his style, and his overall performance. Those looking for an American boxer to rally behind should look to Andre Ward as he continues his impressive rise to the top. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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 Too Easy: Pac-Man Rolls Mosley by Gary Purfield (May 07, 2011) Once again Manny Pacquiao proved to be far too fast, too powerful, too talented, and simply too good for his opponent to handle. This time it was an aging Shane Mosley who simply could not handle the ferocious attack of the Pilipino tsunami. Most experts, writers, and fans thought this would be a mismatch where Manny would be far too much for the past his prime Mosley and the fight went according to the script with the younger Pacquiao dominating Mosley. Pacquiao rolled to a unanimous decision victory by scores of 119-108, 120-108, and 120-107 (this writer scored it 119-108 for Pacquiao). The first round each fighter tried to measure the other and find the range to connect their punches. Mosley had a decent round that some may have given him on the scorecards as he tried to employ a stiff jab to keep the shorter Pacquiao away. Manny looked to use his foot speed to move in quickly to land his straight left and right hook. In round two Pacquiao heated up the action by attacking more aggressively coming in landing combinations that Shane was not able to counter. Then in round three Manny took over the fight with his speed and power. Pacquiao moved in throwing a series of punches pushing Mosley back and finished with a straight left that put Mosley down on the canvas. Shane was able to rise but looked like he could be finished. Pacquiao pursued to end it early but Mosley using his veteran knowledge was able to escape the round. From that knockdown on Mosley never had his legs and more importantly was reluctant to engage Pacquiao in exchanges. What was already a lopsided fight became a complete one sided affair with Pacquiao being the aggressor landing combinations and Mosley in survival mode the majority of the rounds. At times Shane would land a good jab but never pumped that left with any consistency which he would have had to do to have any chance of keeping Pacquiao honest. Even when Mosley landed his feared straight right to the head or body on occasion it never seemed to faze Pacquiao at all. The middle rounds actually had a slight lull compared to typical Pacquiao fights and at times caused the crowd to boo and jeer the lack of action (relatively speaking lack of action for a Manny fight). Afterwards Manny stated that his legs were tight and prevented him from doing more. Then in the tenth Mosley was awarded a knockdown from what clearly appeared to be Mosley pushing Manny to the canvas. This seemed to anger the pound for pound king who went after his opponent with rapid fire combinations chasing the winded Mosley all around the ring. Pacquiao turned up the heat in rounds eleven and twelve and despite landing a host of powerful punches Mosley made it to the final bell. For Mosley making it the distance can hardly be seen as a moral victory considering the normally aggressive warrior from Pomona California was anything but in the outing where surviving the distance seemed to be his only goal from the moment he was floored in the third round. Mosley said as much in his post-fight interview stating he had not felt power like that in years and acknowledged he did not take the necessary chances needed to win the fight because he realized his opponent’s power could deliver a knockout. Mosley falls to 46-7-1 (39 KO). It may not have been Manny’s best performance ever but still was a clear dominating decision where he controlled the fight from start to finish and never allowed his overmatched opponent any opportunity to get into the fight. Pacquiao improves to 53-3-2 (38 KO) and further cements his place as the best boxer in the world. Now we all wait again to see if the fight that everyone wants between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather finally happens. No one other than the man who likes to call himself Money has the skills and ability to give Pacquiao a challenge. Victor Ortiz, Tim Bradley, and others at or around the welterweight limit are good young fighters but do not possess the experience or skill at this time to give the Pilipino hero a true challenge. Only Mayweather can present this test (some would argue Sergio Martinez but in this writers opinion the middleweight champ is simply too big and skilled for Pacquiao and it would be asking too much of Manny to take this challenge). Notes · Can we finally stop the talk of Manny being the “little” fighter taking on such “bigger” men. Give Pacquiao credit that he has developed his body into that of a full fledged welterweight. Simply being shorter than your opponent does not make you the smaller fighter. Take one look at Manny’s legs and specifically his calves and you will see they were far larger than Mosley’s or any of Manny’s recent opponents. Punching power and movement come from the legs which is where Pacquiao has his weight. · It is his decision but I strongly hope Sugar Shane hangs up his gloves. He had far too great a career where he did not win every big fight but had the guts to always take on the best. He has nothing more to prove and it would be sad to see a once top notch champ continue on with so little of his past skills left. · On the undercard Jorge Arce 57-6-2 (44 KO) scored a 12th round knockout over previously unbeaten Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. 20-1-1 (17 KO) in a close competitive brawl. Arce was the underdog but his toughness and veteran experience carried him over the younger favorite. · Kelly Pavlik made his return to the ring after his loss to Sergio Martinez in April of last year and following inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse. Pavlik 37-2 (32 KO) won a majority decision by scores of 95-95, 98-92, and 99-91 (this writer scored it 97-93 for Pavlik) over Alfonso Lopez 21-1. Pavlik looked rusty early and was taking a lot of shots from Lopez but settled into more of a groove in the middle rounds. Pavlik showed signs of the old Kelly in the tenth and final round when he staggered Lopez and had him badly hurt but was not able to get the knockout. Pavlik will likely need a few more fights to work off the rust before returning to championship level fights. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Ringside coverage by Gary Purfield (April 23, 2011) Hall of fame promoter Russell Peltz put on an action packed card from Caesars Atlantic City Saturday night headlined by a USBA Cruiserweight Championship bout matching New Jersey vs. Philadelphia. Omar Sheika of Paterson, NJ took on Philadelphia’s ultimate warrior Garrett Wilson in a rematch of an action packed fight that took place in March of 2010. The card was streamed on Go Fights Live www.gfl.tv for $9.99. In the first bout Wilson started fast but ran out of gas and Sheika pounded away to walk away with a knockout victory in the fourth round. The rematch would be a different story. Wilson showed development as a fighter since last year’s stoppage loss by demonstrating a patient yet persistent approach that eluded him in the first fight. Both fighters had their moments in an action packed momentum swinging war but Wilson more often got the better of each round and walked out with a unanimous decision victory by scores of 118-109, 118-109, and 119-108 (this writer scored it for Wilson 117-110). Wilson earns his first regional title in the form of the USBA Cruiserweight belt for his disciplined hard fought effort.
The back and forth continued in round five. Sheika was making a concerted effort to attack the body including straying well below the belt once which earned him a warning from referee Brian O’Neila. The grueling pace continued in rounds six and seven with both men trading shots. Each showed heart and determination as they absorbed each other’s shots only to return fire with vicious punches of their own. In round seven Sheika again went too far south and was penalized a point for the low blow.
But Wilson would have none of it and came out in round eight with his second wind. The bouncing circling movement returned as did his ability to move in to land and get out before Sheika could return fire. This approach controlled the eighth and ninth rounds decisively for Wilson. In round ten Philly’s warrior turned up the heat early in the round with jabs and hooks from his left hand then late in the round landing power shots from the right hand and ultimately a left hook that stunned Sheika towards the end of round ten. At the end of the round Wilson sensing his control walked back to his corner arms raised playing to the crowd. In round eleven Sheika was sensing he had fallen well behind on the cards went for broke to score the come from behind KO. The Jersey fighter had probably his best round in the eleventh pinning Wilson to the ropes where he landed shots to the head and body but was unable to get really hurt his opponent. The crowd was into the fight the whole way but really came alive in the eleventh as Sheika’s supporters loudly cheered their man on Sheika-Sheika-Sheika. The Philly contingent responded with chants of Garrett-Garrett-Garrett. Round twelve was back and forth with both fighters tired but being pushed on by continuing chants in the crowd. Wilson highlighted the round with a big right in the last minute again stunning Sheika. Wilson earned his victory tonight with speed and skills but even more important a patient disciplined approach. Several times when he landed thudding shots his instincts seem to kick in to fire away. Instead he had the intelligence to lay off the gas and employ a tactical approach that allowed him to maintain his stamina over the full twelve rounds. Afterwards Wilson credited being in good shape and stated “I worked with Steven Cunningham, Dhafir Smith, Yusaf Mack, and been working with all these champions so I was sure I would be in pretty good shape.” “I knew I was going to go the full twelve if he didn’t fall early. In the training I’ve learned not to just go after him and gas out and keep it under control.” Wilson acknowledged that being patient was part of the game plan which aided in his exciting win. Sheika deserves credit as well for taking numerous power punches to his head but he never stopped moving forward and looking for the knockout. Sheika’s face was red by the third round and by the end of the fight his face a swollen mess but this never stopped his tenacious style. But the night belonged to Philly’s Garrett Wilson as he avenged his KO loss and walks away with a his first belt.
Cruz Remains Undefeated Gaining Valuable Experience In the evenings co-feature the popular Ronald Cruz out of Bethlehem PA made a strong statement becoming the first person to stop Manuel Guzman and remain undefeated at 12-0 (9 KO). Guzman 7-11-2 (3 KO) who had gone the distance with several good names including Sadam Ali, Aaron Torres, Jamaal Davis, and Bayran Jargal could not continue after the third round due to an arm injury.
Cruz found his rhythm in round three in a very good workman round. The Bethlehem Puerto Rican puncher was able to push Guzman to the corner and land heavy blows on the inside and outside from all angles. Guzman showed the chin he is known for but was taking some serious punishment. In the corner before round four the fight was stopped due to Guzman’s injury. Not exactly a KO stoppage but Cruz’s performance was impressive with his ability to change the momentum and take over the fight. This was to be a good test for Cruz with the welterweight fight scheduled for eight rounds. Cruz has been on a knockout streak stopping his last five opponents. Guzman has a losing record but his durable chin was a test for Cruz to provide him rounds with an experienced trial horse. Instead Cruz who leaped into the air in excitement when the fight was called off gets another short night. He does pick up valuable experience with this outing. While he was frustrated early he continued his game plan and found his rhythm working through adversity. Beginning in round two and culminating in round three Cruz stayed patient and it paid off as he took control of the fight.
Undercard Results In a brotherly love clash of two heavyweights from the Fighting city of Philadelphia Bryant Jennings put a beating on David Williams for two rounds before the fight was stopped between rounds two and three. Jennings 7-0 (4 KO) came out attacking and landed power shots throughout the first. Jennings floored Williams in the first on a right uppercut and then a second time on a straight right.
In a sometimes sloppy but eventful junior welterweight fight Korey Sloane won a unanimous decision over Edgardo Torres. Torres who comes from Vineland, NJ controlled the first round with better technique and going after the body. He was in control in the second when Sloane out of Philadelphia landed a short right out of nowhere dropping Torres and changing the momentum. Torres got up and survived the round. The two traded power shots in the third with Torres going after the body and Sloane hunting the head. In the fourth they continued to trade but both were punched out and had no steam left on the shots. Sloane 1-0 took the bout in his pro-debut by scores of 39-36, 38-37, and 38-37. Torres fought hard but falls to 1-1 (1 KO). Dontre King of Cambridge, MD scored a TKO victory over Keane Davis of Philadelphia when the fight was stopped at one minute and twenty nine seconds of the third round in a scheduled four round welterweight bout. Davis controlled the first round and landed several good left hooks but then punched himself out early in the second. King began teeing off midway through the second on Davis who looked like he would fall if anything landed clean. In the third Davis still had no legs and was getting hit all over the ring. Davis was leaning into the ropes almost falling down as King went for the finish. Referee Earl Brown stepped in calling a halt to the action. King improves to 4-9-2 (2 KO) and Davis falls to 1-2. In the opening bout of the evening Antowyan Aikens scored a crushing knockout of Willie Mack in the fourth and final round of welterweight action. Both fighters were making their pro-debuts and it showed early with a sloppy opening round. Aikens fighting in his hometown of Atlantic City chased the Trenton, NJ native Mack around the ring while Mack would constantly bend down and fall to the canvas. Things tightened for Aikens in the third as he started to find his range with Mack still falling around. Aikens landed a right in the third as Mack was falling resulting in a knockdown. Aikens closed with a bang in the fourth landing a huge straight right as Mack leaned down. The shot landed right on Mack’s chin putting him face down on the canvas. He started to rise but the dazed look in his eye made it clear fight was over. The official time of the knockout was two minutes and fifty two seconds of the fourth round. Aikens goes to 1-0 (1 KO) with Mack to 0-1.
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Vicious Victor Returns with Heart and a Chin Too:
by Gary Purfield In a no doubt fight of the year candidate Victor Ortiz took the WBC welterweight title from Andre Berto with pure intensity, determination, heart, and skill. Along the way he proved the Maidana fight where he was so heavily criticized was the exception, not the rule to his career. Ortiz came in the underdog to the champ Berto that was believed to have more speed, more skills, more power, and most importantly more heart for a tough fight. It turned out Victor proved everyone wrong in that he had the power and the heart for a war. He also showed he has chin and an instinct to fight that no one knew he possessed. From the opening bell both men were ready to get it on. They came out firing violent power punches that would send many fighters into a deep sleep. Yet each man absorbed the others blows by retaliating with their own aggressive punches. Then Ortiz set the tone two minutes into the first round backing Berto into the corner landing numerous power punches including a powerful uppercut that put Berto to the ground. Berto got to his wobbly feet but a minute remained and Ortiz went for the early finish. Berto withstood the pressure and made it through the round. In round two Victor continued his attack and Berto appeared still dazed. But then Berto showed he was not going to go quietly when he fired back with a big right. Ortiz stumbled back and his glove touched giving Berto the knockdown and evening the scorecards. The two proud fighters fought at a full speed pace over the next three rounds but Ortiz was clearly getting the better of the exchanges landing one bomb after another. Berto took it well and showed he has heart and fire that was also a question mark on his resume. Ortiz would take Berto’s big right hands and keep moving forward. Just when it looked like Victor would cruise to a stoppage Berto dramatically shifted things in round six. With Ortiz firing away Berto landed a massive right hook to Victor’s chin dropping him to the canvas. Ortiz got up but was far from steady and anyone watching likely began having images of Ortiz being overwhelmed by Maidana. Berto pursued with pure aggression to end it right there and landed over and over to Ortiz’s chin. When it looked like Victor should hold to survive he continued fighting and with seconds remaining in the round he smashed the pursuing champ with a straight left that put Berto on the canvas to even the knockdowns in the round. Halfway through both men had been dropped twice and anything was possible over the second half of the fight. The next six rounds did not produce the fireworks of the first six but was still highly competitive and exciting. Ortiz would continue to get the better of most rounds and when the final bell sounded it was clear a new champion had emerged. The cards were read and Ortiz was awarded a hard fought well deserved unanimous decision by scores of 114-112, 114-111 and 115-110. Ortiz improves to 29-2-2 (22 KO) while Berto loses his undefeated record falling to 27-1 (21 KO). Berto has nothing to be ashamed of and probably gained more fans and respect in defeat than in any of his previous wins. Several times it appeared he would be stopped but he would never go away and never stopped fighting with everything he had to turn the tables. He was simply beaten back by a man who would be not be denied his chance to shine. The fact that Berto made it to the final bell is impressive considering Ortiz did everything other than smash him with a 2x4 yet Andre not only stayed alive but continued to go for the win. He may have lost his belt but showed the heart of a champion. For Ortiz this was a career changing night in so many ways. Prior to this fight Ortiz was so heavily chastised by the hardcore fan for his giving up against Maidana and the legendary comments afterwards. It was said the in his fights since that time that he was timid and not the same “vicious” fighter. Over twelve rounds he became a fighter that will be admired and loved by the hardcore fan. Ortiz did it all against a tough and skilled champ. He fought with intensity and excitement from the opening bell to the last second of round twelve. He absorbed power shots to his chin including stunning knockdowns but even in his toughest moments continued to fight back with the passion of a warrior. It is hard to believe this was the same man that was in the ring with Maidana almost two years ago. This was an incredible performance from a young hungry challenger that would not be denied becoming champion. This was a fight with no loser in the long run. Ortiz will move forward a welterweight belt holder with new excited fans looking forward to his next test. Berto may have lost his zero but anyone who saw his performance will look forward to seeing him between the ropes again. I doubt anyone would complain if the next time they step into the ring it is for a rematch of what was truly a great fight. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Tune Ups Done: Adamek takes down McBride
by Live Coverage from Newark Gary Purfield
The opening round saw McBride pulling Adamek in to make it a tight brawling fight where his size would give him an advantage. By the last minute of the round Adamek began fighting on his terms by moving in and out to land shots to the body and head of his slower opponent. Each round followed a similar pattern with Adamek moving and punching while McBride chased. McBride used every trick in the book to get a hold of Tomasz and use any tactic possible to inflict damage. McBride would grab hold of Adamek, lean his 280lb body into the smaller man holding him with one arm and punching with the other. McBride also resorted to punching behind the head and various other questionable tactics. The punches behind the head cost McBride a point in the seventh but this was not going to factor into the outcome. McBride had to knock Adamek out to have any shot of taking home a win. The big man appeared winded by the fourth round but never stopped making an effort to shock the boxing world as he did against Mike Tyson five years ago.
For Adamek he was able to dominate on the cards but at 215lbs just did not have the power to land a knockout punch on such a large man. Adamek hurt McBride a few times especially in the seventh round where he turned up the heat but never had his opponent truly in trouble. McBride said afterwards that Adamek’s speed results in power and felt that Tomasz has what is needed to beat a Klitschko. The crowd that was heavily in support of Adamek thundered in applause and screams every time Adamek landed. In round seven when Tomasz seemed to be making a run for the knockout the building was full of energy. In between rounds the crowd would cheer and chant in unison to root on the Polish icon. In round twelve McBride made his last push but Adamek easily moved and landed at will to thrill the fans in the final stanza.
Afterwards Adamek stated he was never hurt and felt this was a good tune up for his date with Vitali Klitschko. Tomasz stated he feels good at this weight and will not look to add weight because it would cost him speed. He further stated that it is his dream to be heavyweight champion. Adamek will have his work cut out against Vitali. He will again be facing a significant size disadvantage but will also be facing a big man who is very skilled in the ring. But if Vitali has lost a step as it appeared in his one round against Odlanier Solis Adamek just might be able to pull the shocking upset realizing his dream and sending Polish fans in Poland and America into a frenzy.
Ali seemed to get some practice in during the second round then went hunting again in the third. After landing power punches at will Ali decked Perez with a crushing left hook that left him flat on his back. The fight was halted without counting. Ali gets the knockout at two minutes and forty seconds of round three. He improves his record to 12-0 (7KO) while Perez drops to 8-5 (5 KO). The former Olympian Ali has a wealth of talent. He is fast and heavy handed to along with being well spoken and having a solid amateur background. At twelve fights into his pro career he is certainly ready to take a step up in competition.
Fonfara controlled the first three rounds and then landed a huge right hand in the fourth that sent Smith sprawling into the ropes. Fonfara followed up and dropped Smith scoring the knockout. The mostly Polish crowd was in full support of their countryman and went wild in the entertaining fourth round. Fonfara moves to 17-2 (8 KO) while Smith falls to 9-6 (3 KO). Josellito Collado won a close split decision over Rafael Lora in a six round featherweight bout. The fight was close throughout with both men having their moments. Collado landed the heavier shots but had his struggles. He was cut in the third from an accidental head butt and this seemed to bother him as he was penalized a point in the following round for repeated low blows. Collado finished strong including a sharp straight right that stunned his opponent in the sixth. Two judges saw it for Collado 12-0 (3 KO by scores of 59-54 and 57-56 while the third judge gave the fight to Lora 57-56 who drops to 11-4 (5 KO). Jose Peralta dominated Eber Luis Perez in route to a third round TKO victory. Peralta pounded Perez to the body and head while Perez did very little in return. Peralta scored a knockdown in the second and then another in the third when the bout was stopped at two minutes and forty nine seconds into the round by referees Earl Morton. Peralta improves to 6-1 (4 KO) while Perez drops to 10-17-1 (8 KO)
Both fighters took the first round to feel each other out and then went to work in the second. O’Brien landed plenty of power shots but also ate some leather in return. The pace slowed slightly in round three and accelerated again in round four. O’Brien took control quickly in the fourth landing straight rights to the body and left hooks to Dunn’s head. Trainer Lou Esa stated this was the game plan and was happy with his fighter’s execution. Towards the end of the final round as Dunn 0-1, who was making his pro debut was taking more and more punishment. Referee Alan Huggins responded to Dunn’s corner who jumped to the ring apron to halt the fight. O’Brien 2-0 (2 KO) who had a nice crowd on hand makes for entertaining fights but to be successful as he steps up in competition a bigger commitment to defense will be needed. Afterwards O’Brien discussed being a fighter that goes for the kill and has the instinct to finish an opponent. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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The Big Tune-Up: Adamek vs. McBride
by Gary Purfield
Fighters:
Where:
When:
TV:
Last fight:
Undercard:
This Saturday night Tomasz Adamek will again fight in front of a large and raucous crowd of loyal fans at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The test this time is being billed as the last big hurdle as he takes on Irish giant and former Tyson conqueror Kevin McBride. The title last big hurdle clearly implies Adamek’s final bout with a tall heavyweight before he takes on one of the Klitschko brothers later this year if he gets past McBride. Since entering the heavyweight division the former undisputed cruiserweight champ has beaten multiple bigger men including Andrew Golota, Jason Estrada, Chris Arreola, and Michael Grant. Whether it is height, weight, or punching power each of his heavyweight opponents have provided him a small window and test for what he will encounter when he faces a Klitschko. Now with maybe his largest test in reference to size this Saturday night against McBride Adamek has one more chance to hone his skills against a giant before looking to do what no heavyweight has been able to do recently, dethrone the Klitschkos’s from their perch atop boxing’s glamour division. Time to break down all aspects of Adamek vs. McBride. Boxing
ability: Physical:
Power:
Speed:
Defense:
Chin:
Experience: Wear and
Tear: Common
Opponent (Andrew Golota):
Keys to Victory
Tomasz Adamek: · Simple, use your superior skill. Use the faster hand speed, foot speed, boxing skills, and defensive skills to pepper the bigger foe with shots that will wear him down. If done effectively Adamek could stop his giant opponent late from an accumulation of punishment or on cuts as the Irish big man does have a history of being opened up. · Don’t be on the ropes and don’t get into a slugging contest (at least not early while McBride still has energy). The only way Adamek can lose is from getting caught by a big shot so minimize McBride’s chances of landing the homerun punch. · Head movement will be a key to get past the long jab of the six foot seven McBride so Adamek can get inside, work, and get out.
Kevin McBride: · Land a big punch. No secret that McBride does not have the skills and talent of his opponent. What he has is size. He will need to land a big shot and then follow up to finish to have a chance to win. · Make the fight ugly and bully Adamek to the ropes. By fighting in close with rough tactics especially against the ropes he will somewhat limit the many advantages of his opponent including speed, movement, and skill.
Prediction:
To study up on past fights or simply enjoy some action leading up to Saturday check out past fights from each fighter linked below. Adamek: Unanimous Decision over Michael Grant 8/21/10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9ihws_WAzo Majority Decision win over Chris Arreola 4/24/10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH6hLMoZ69I 5th Round TKO win over Vinny Maddalone 12/9/10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYeNPMWtYqA
McBride: 6th Round TKO loss to Andrew Golota 10/6/07: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqcnngGE-C8 6th Round KO win over Mike Tyson 6/11/05: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqcpSq9N5Ho
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Sergei Liakhovich Interview:
by Gary Purfield Sergei Liakhovich reached the top of boxing’s glamour division in 2006 when he defeated Lamon Brewster to win the WBO heavyweight title. Following the career high point Liakhovich was unable to retain his title and stay on top. In his next fight Sergei would lose the title in the last second of the twelfth round to Shannon Briggs by TKO in a fight that he lead on all three scorecards. He would not fight for another fourteen months at which point he would lose a by decision to Nicolay Valuev. Liakhovich would then have to deal with more inactivity fighting only twice in the next two years. Now with new promoters Main Events, a newborn son, and added trainer Tommy Brooks Sergei Liakhovich has taken his lessons from the past and is more focused than ever to reach the top again. I had the opportunity to speak with Sergei on several topics as he took a break from his current training camp in Los Angeles. He is preparing to fight Jonnie White as the co-feature to the Tomasz Adamek vs. Kevin McBride fight at the Prudential Center in Newark on April 9. Liakhovich was pleased with his camp and preparation to this point. “Everything is going pretty well and training like usual.” “I am in great shape, I am ready to go, I can’t wait to get in the ring.” Liakhovich has been trained for many years by well-known and respected Kenny Wheldon. Recently another well respected top trainer was added to the mix in Tommy Brooks. Brooks is well known for training many top boxers including heavyweights Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, and Michael Grant. Brooks has been brought in to be an added dimension and learning mentor to a heavyweight who already has a strong set of tools and experience. Sergei has been able to continue to learn from his regular trainer Wheldon while picking up new tools and motivation from the straight forward Brooks. “Right now I have two great trainers who work with me. In the boxing world he (Brooks) is one the best fundamental guys, we are working right now on little bitty things. I learn from Kenny a lot and Tommy is a great trainer too, he motivates me and push me to the limit so I work with both these guys”. When asked if one trainer had the lead Liakhovich made it clear that both are involved stating “both are equal.” Another change is camp is in Los Angeles opposed to Arizona or Houston, Texas. The change does not seem to have an effect on the focused former champ. “Training camp is training camp. Training usual routine” Liakhovich will be taking on Jonnie White 22-4 (18 KO). Sergei did not have much to say about his opponent but is focused on what he will do in the ring. “He is tough guy; we will see what he can do. I can use everything that I have and everybody will see what I capable to do in the ring” I asked Liakhovich about using his footwork, reach, jab, and defensive skills that he is known for in the upcoming fight. He is well aware that lack of attention to footwork cost him in previous fights. “Yes absolutely, everybody knows me with my footwork and this is what I didn’t use in my last fight but everything came back to me, my muscle memory, so I can do so many things with my feet” “Last couple of fights my footwork wasn’t as good that is why I brought Kenny Wheldon here and we improve every training session.” Along with a new dedication to fundamentals Liakhovich has a new promoter that is known for keeping fighters like Tomasz Adamek and Zab Judah active and getting them into position for a title shot. Adamek fights four times a year in front of large passionate crowds and has worked his way into a heavyweight title shot later this year against one of Klitschko brothers. Judah has fought three times already since returning to Main Events last year. This includes his most recent fight regaining a junior welterweight belt with a knockout of Kaizer Mabuza in front of a packed Amerihelth Pavilion. “Tony Cardinale my attorney and advisor right now we decide to do this because I saw what she (Main Events CEO Kathy Duva) did with her fighters and they are on top right now and this is why we decided to sign with Main Events.” Sergei stated he enjoys working with Main Events and when asked about where he envisions them taking his career he got straight to the point. “Fight for the title again.” His next fight on the road back to a title opportunity is less than two weeks away. As the fight nears training slows down in certain areas to be fully rested and prepared for fight night. “Right now I take off my strength workout, working on speed and running, usually running in morning and afternoon boxing workout or sparring. Right now just boxing and roadwork, especially two weeks before the fight I take back all strength workouts” Liakhovich began his journey to the sport at an early age and has learned many lessons along the way. “I train my all my life, I start when I was twelve but before that I did three years in wrestling, one year Greco Roman two years freestyle. My father brought me to boxing, we watch Olympic Games in 1988 together and so I got interested in boxing.” Like any veteran fighter who has seen the top and then had tougher times Liakhovich has learned many lessons. He points to one in particular that he has gained from experience. “Helped me to really realize what not to do.” Along with the years and lessons that have passed Sergei has one more new motivating factor on the form of a newborn son several months old now. The serious and focused fighter became much brighter and energetic when asked about being a father. “The best thing that happened in my life. I am a happy father.” When asked about a message to fans Sergei was again straight to the point. He is confident in what he will produce come fight night. “Just come to see my fight on April 9 at Prudential Center” In speaking with him and hearing the confidence he has in his abilities, his trainers, and his experience I don’t doubt that he will deliver. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Kennedy takes the Battle of the Bridge
Live Coverage by Gary Purfield In a local showdown of unbeaten prospects Teon Kennedy of Philadelphia and Jorge Diaz of New Brunswick New Jersey met in a junior feather weight showdown that could catapult the winner into a possible title fight. While the fight was not included in the HBO broadcast both fighters had strong crowd support and the excitement the bout generated may have stolen the show. Diaz opened fast bringing pressure but Kennedy who is known as the technician for his boxing skills also has no problem standing in the pocket to fight. Diaz was the aggressor in the first two rounds but Kennedy landed the sharper more accurate punches.
From that round on Kennedy had control. In the early rounds it was Diaz moving forward and backing Teon into the ropes but now with no legs left Diaz was being pushed backward. Kennedy walked his opponent down and landed crisp punches that largely went unanswered for the remainder of the fight. Kennedy took the unanimous decision by scores of 113-11, 118-109, and 117-109 (I had it 117-110). While two of the three scorecards ended in a wide margin this was a highly competitive bout and exciting to the capacity crowd that came to support their hometown fighters. When either fighter flurried his portion of the audience would erupt and competing battle chants of Jorge-Jorge went against the Philly crowd countering with Teon-Teon. The excitement of local fighters with a passionate crowd is unmatched and often underutilized in boxing. Give Top Rank credit for being smart enough to put this fight onto its card with more well-known national fighters to draw interest and excitement to the arena. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Gamboa Lights Up Solis and Atlantic City
Live Coverage by Gary Purfield Yuriorkis Gamboa had the capacity crowd at Boardwalk Hall on their feet for the majority of his short four round outing with his speed, power, and electric style. Gamboa took on veteran Jorge Solis in the main event of HBO’s Boxing After Dark.
Gamboa dominated round three. He moved back and forth in and out effortlessly with speed that can only be matched by the likes of Pacquiao, Mayweather, and Sergio Martinez. Late in round two Gamboa bounced right, bounced left, unleashed a jab, straight right, and then a massive left hook that landed flush on his opponent’s chin sending Solis to the canvas. Solis managed to rise as the bell rang saving him for a short period of time.
Gamboa’s style lends to being exciting and crowd pleasing. Twenty fights into his professional career he seems destined to become a ticket selling attraction despite being in a smaller weight class. He brings an action packed aggressive style and his blend of elite speed and power leaves the viewer marveling at what they saw. Gamboa is also improving as a fighter. Early in his pro career he was as Max Kellerman stated in the ring interviews reckless in going for the exciting knockout but was vulnerable on defense. Then Gamboa in his last two fights seemed to fight more conservative with more attention to defense. Good for his health but not good for TV ratings. Then tonight he seemed to put it all together. Gamboa was electric in the ring. He showed an ability employ good defense (mainly with his fast moving feet in and out of the pocket) without losing his exciting style. Gamboa’s Top Rank rival and fellow rising star Juan Manuel Lopez was on hand and entered the ring during post fight interviews. Much has been made of the two young talents building to an eventual showdown. The Cuban machine known as El Ciclone (the cyclone) Gamboa and the Puerto Rican star Lopez or Juanma both seemed willing to get it on sooner rather than later. That fight is one fans are craving and should certainly deliver intense action for however long it lasts. Undercard Report
The fight was stopped after the tenth round which prevented Remillard from taking further unnecessary abuse. Garcia 25-0 (21 KO) continues to see his stock rise and is quickly becoming a player in the loaded featherweight division. Remillard loses his unbeaten record and falls to 23-1 (13 KO).
In a local showdown of unbeaten prospects Teon Kennedy of Philadelphia and Jorge Diaz of New Brunswick New Jersey met in a junior feather weight showdown that could catapult the winner into a possible title fight. While the fight was not included in the HBO broadcast both fighters had strong crowd support and the excitement the bout generated may have stolen the show. Kennedy took a unanimous decision victory 113-111, 118-109, and 117-109 in an action packed brawl. See separate article for full recap and details.
NFL vs. MMA in a heavyweight battle between former Notre Dame captain and current Baltimore Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski taking on former cage fighter Caleb Grummet in a four round bout. Zbikowski came out on fire dominating the first two rounds and punishing Grummet with solid uppercuts and straight rights.
Then in round three Zbikowski ran out of gas and Grummet took complete control of rounds three and four. Zbikowski tried to get a second wind but each time he fired a few punches he backed away exhausted. The deciding point of the fight came in round three when Grummet was penalized a point for a low blow in a very questionable call. Zbikowski now 3-0 (2 KO) took the unanimous decision by scores of 39-36, 39-36, and 38-37. I had it 38-37 and find a hard time seeing how the first two judges gave three rounds to the NFL standout. This fight was clearly first two rounds Zbikowski and next two rounds Grummet with the point deduction being the difference. New Jersey prospect Glen Tapia improved to 9-0 (5 KO) with a wide unanimous decision over Eberto Medina 5-6 (1 KO) by scores of 59-54, 60-53, and 60-52. Tapia displayed power and speed but also showed a dangerous habit hanging his hands very low that could get him in trouble against better competition. Philadelphia native Miguel Cartegena had an impressive pro debut scoring a shutout on all three cards 40-36 in a four round junior featherweight bout. Cartegena 1-0 displayed speed and good movement to handle his overmatched opponent Omar Gonzalez 2-6. The local prospect had a nice support of fans on hand to root him on in his debut.
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com. |
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 Adamek Open Workout
by Gary Purfield Main Events Promotions held an open workout for media Thursday for Tomasz Adamek as he prepares for his date with Kevin McBride on April 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark NJ. The event was held at the Fernwood Resort in Bushkill PA the spot of his current training camp. The Poconos in Pennsylvania provides a quiet spot that many fighters have used for training camps in the past.
Adamek displayed his boxing ability complete with crisp footwork that has become part of his heavyweight style. Bloodworth commented that when he first came on as Adamek’s trainer two years ago Tomasz wanted to fight anytime someone hit him but in the heavyweight division it can end with one punch at any time so Tomasz had to learn not to be right in front of someone and work on his defense. “When I first met him he just wanted to fight he didn’t care too much about tactics. In the heavyweight division you can’t be at the wrong place at the wrong time”.
Bloodworth noted later that previously Tomasz had more of a European stand up style and moving well to his right but not to the left. Bloodworth has been happy with Adamek’s ability to learn a more American style of applying head movement and moving in either direction. Adamek has maintained a sharp jab that is classic of European fighters and he returns his hands quickly to prepare for counter shots. Adamek certainly feels more comfortable as a heavyweight. He stated he is at his natural weight around 215lb. “I have been training hard, two times a day, last week 215, I feel very good at this weight and fast”
“Similar height but Klitschko’s are faster, they are champions. But this is good test for me, we had good camp, every day with Roger I feel better. I think my career going up”
“This is boxing, one punch can change the situation. I am better fighter and I am going to be champion, that’s my way. This is my test for Klitschko”.
“He has a good sense of humor. He is the kind of guy if you could pick your son it would be him. He’s honest, very strong in his church, and he loves to compete”. “What makes him special is his work ethic and his belief in himself. He is very intelligent, he takes what you tell and him and he finds a way to do it”.
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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 Liakhovich looks to get back on top with Main Events
by Gary Purfield In 2006 Belarus native Sergei Liakhovich defeated Lamon Brewster to win the WBO heavyweight title. Liakhovich was a heavily touted contender following an outstanding amateur career that included representing his home country in the 1996 Olympics and winning a bronze medal in the 1997 World Championships. Liakhovich survived a knockdown against Brewster to outlast the tough champion in route to winning a unanimous decision and the WBO title in his twenty fourth fight. But as fast as a top contender can reach the top the fall can be just as fast. Liakhovich would lose the title in his first defense to Shannon Briggs by twelfth round TKO. Following the loss to Briggs in 2006 Liakhovich would be placed on the shelf not fighting at all in 2007. He fought once in 2008 losing a decision to Nicolay Valuev and once in 2009 defeating Jeremy Bates by first round TKO. Liakhovich has fought once in 2010 with a ninth round KO of Evans Quinn. “It was very frustrating,” Sergei said. “I tried everything but my promoter didn’t get me fights. My new advisor, Tony Cardinale, did an awesome job getting me out of that contract. I then signed a promotional contract with Main Events because I saw what they’ve done with Adamek and other fighters.” Now partnered with Main Events as well as being trained by Tommy Brooks and Kenny Weldon the man known as the White Wolf looks to get active and get back to a title shot. His return begins on the undercard of Main Events top attraction Tomasz Adamek’s fight April 9 against Kevin McBride. Liakhovich will be taking on Jonnie White 22-4 (18 KO) in a ten round bout. “I took my next fight against White because everybody knows I don’t want easy fights. He has good power. He’s a tough guy who is capable of taking you out in a second. This is the opponent I want in the ring to prove to myself and everybody else that Sergei is here and will win the world title again. That’s what this is all about – fighting again for the world title.” The heavyweight division offers a double edge sword to a fighter with Liakhovich’s talent. Getting to the title shot in today’s heavyweight division may be a faster path than in any time in the history of the sport due to the lack of top notch talent amongst the big men. The other side of that blade is that actually acquiring a title goes through one of the giant Ukrainian Klitschko brothers who have had a python’s stranglehold on the division for several years and show no signs of letting go their titles. Adamek will look to accomplish that feat later this year assuming he gets by McBride. Liakhovich has signed on with Main Events with the idea that they will keep him active like they did Adamek for several years and maneuver him into a title opportunity. Tony Cardinale commented “We need to keep Sergei active. He’ll fight April 9th and again in July and September, after which we hope to get him in a world title shot. Sergei is 6-4, 240 pounds and he can box and bang, too. He has great boxing skills he learned from his Russian background when they started teaching fundamentals to kids. He’s tall, smart and has fast hands. His fight against Brewster was incredible. He had to get up off the mat to win and he was doing that to Briggs when he got caught at the end. Sergei Liakhovich has everything it takes to challenge and beat the Klitschkos.” Liakhovich will get his wish staying active and getting the chance to move his way up the ladder towards a title shot. The question will be can he overcome the monstrous obstacle of the K brothers or will he fall victim like so many challengers have to the heavyweight champion duo of Wladimir and Vitali. Liakhovich training camp video http://www.youtube.com/embed/2LLwvCwVKfI Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Heavy Attention on Adamek
This past Saturday another challenger to the Klitshko throne fell short when Odlanier Solis could not continue at the end of the first round against the older brother Vitali. So now the attention will turn to former light heavyweight and former cruiserweight champion turned heavyweight contender Tomasz Adamek. Adamek has a signed contract to fight one of the Klitschko’s later this year. Like anyone else he will enter as a big underdog against either of the K brothers but Adamek has as good a shot as any heavyweight challenger out there today. While he will have a significant size disadvantage of several inches in height and probably will be giving up around thirty pounds Adamek will have some advantages. So far he has shown his solid chin is holding up at the heavyweight level. Since moving to heavyweight Adamek is actually considered a speedy fighter for a heavyweight and he will likely have faster punches and footwork against either brother. Adamek has also been smart about the transition to heavyweight with his style. At cruiserweight he was often willing to stand and brawl but since fighting the big boys over 200lbs he has been a much smarter boxer using movement to avoid taking big punches. Which brother Adamek gets is based on several factors including which brother fights David Haye in June or July (likely it will be Wladimir if his injury heals and if it does not Vitali can step in). If the brother that fights Haye were to lose to the Brit Haye then the other brother faces Klitschko. If the Klitschko wins then the brothers have the choice as to which brother gets Adamek. The fact that Adamek was willing to enter a contract where he does not even know which brother he gets shows a confidence and willingness to challenge himself that is typical of Adamek’s career. Consider David Haye who signed and backed out of contracts to fight a Klitschko multiple times and it adds more credit to Adamek’s professionalism and fighting spirit. Adamek is a throwback fighter in many ways. He fights in his adopted town and Main Events base of Newark NJ where he has built a large following of Polish American fans and fight fans in general that swarm to the Prudential Center in large crowds for his fights. In an age when top fighters sit and wait for premium cable dates fighting once or twice a year Adamek fights four times a year with or without TV support. His popularity and ability to put butts in seats allows him to stay active without the support of major cable networks that he probably deserves. Before Adamek meets a brother K he will have one more step up not in competition but in size when he takes on Kevin McBride on April 9 at the Prudential Center. For this reason the fight has been titled the last big hurdle signaling that after this last giant with lesser talent it will be time for Tomasz to go after the real prize. If Adamek were to pull the upset he would not only be the heavyweight champion but factor in his accomplishments at light heavy and cruiserweight he would probably rocket up the mythical pound for pound lists. In McBride who is best known for his victory over Mike Tyson at the end of iron Mike’s career Adamek will get another trial run at a tall heavyweight. Then the training wheels come off later in the year for the real heavyweight hurdle.
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Sweet and Super
by Gary Purfield The merger between Zab “Super” Judah and former champion now trainer “Sweet Pea” Pernell Whitaker is off to a world title start. Judah punched and moved with all his usual speed and flare but added on was a defensive slickness. For the most part his weaving, circling and head movement kept him from being hit. It also lead to great counter punching opportunities including the final blow. Judah put an emphatic end on the night in round seven. Backed into the corner with Mabuza pressuring as he had done all night he used what he described later as his double jab and devastating left hand. As Mabuza came in throwing Judah slipped the punch and landed a monster of a straight left that sent Mabuza head first dangling between the ropes.
Judah 41-6 (28 KO) regains the IBF junior welterweight title he held earlier in his career. He also places himself right in the thick of one of the hottest divisions in boxing with Amir Khan, Marcos Maidana, and Tim Bradley.
In round six Mabuza landed a straight right that stunned Judah who went into survival mode the reminder of the round. Thinking he had Judah hurt Mabuza pursued with even more pressure in round seven. This turned out to be a mistake as it allowed Judah to land the shot that sent Mabuza sprawling and the crowd into a frenzy. Mabuza later credited Judah for his experience and his movement.
It was an impressive performance of speed, defense, and power. Mabuza applied pressure and threw hard punches trying to wear Zab down and damage his opponent when he had him cornered. Maybe more impressive than the physical skills was the fact Judah remained calm and stuck to his game plan. When he was cornered he looked for counter opportunities or bobbed and weaved back to the center of the ring. Going into this fight I looked at this as a great test for Judah physically and mentally. Could he use his skills against a strong pressure fighter and maintain his composure in the rough moments. Zab faced down the rough spots and used them to his advantage. He never strayed from the game plan. Trainer Pernell Whitaker stated at the last press conference defense leads to offense and this philosophy delivered the knockout. The arena which is the practice facility for the New Jersey Devils NHL hockey squad was configured for a little fewer than 3,000 people and was close to capacity. This was the first card held at the Amerihealth Pavilion which is attached to the Prudential Center where Main Events has hosted large crowds for Tomasz Adamek fights.
Undercard Report In the co-headliner Tarvis Simms took on John Mackey in an eight round middleweight fight. Simms controlled the action throughout and walked away with a wide unanimous decision 78-74, 79-73, and 80-72.
Simms again took over late in round five when what was a close round changed with Simms landing several big hooks staggering Mackey at the end of the round. From that point on Simms dominated a bout that got much more crowd friendly in the final four rounds as both fighters looked to land power shots. Simms (27-1-1 (11 KO) was far more successful as he rained punches on Mackey (13-6-2) (6 KO) from every angle. Give Mackey credit for a good chin and despite being beaten and bloody he never stopped coming and kept fighting. Simms whose only loss is to Alan Green at Super Middleweight will look to keep fighting in the middleweight division to make one last run at a title. Jose Peralta originally from the Dominican Republic now living in Jersey City scored a first round knockout over Clifford McPherson of Cleveland Ohio. Peralta landed a body shot near the end of the round that left his opponent writhing on the ground in pain. The official end came at two minutes and forty four seconds of the first round. Peralta moves to 5-1 (3 KO) and McPherson drops to 2-4-1 (1 KO). Shemuel Pagan moved to 2-0 (1 KO) by making quick work of over matched Marcos Garcia of Camden NJ. Pagan spent a minute feeling out his opponent and then went to work. The Brooklyn product and former amateur stand out Pagan maneuvered his opponent into the corner where he blasted Garcia out who eventually took a knee from the pounding. Garcia got up but was in no condition to continue and the fight was halted at one minute and thirty three seconds of round one.
Navarro had upset on the mind early in the first when he landed the jab at will in O’Brien’s face to teach him the Philly stick. O’Brien 1-0 (1 KO) began taking control late in the first round and never let off the gas. He increased his activity in the second and poured it on in the third with a fierce beating that left Navarro’s face swollen and battered. The doctor made the right call after Navarro was taking a serious beating in that last round. A good debut for O’Brien who showed an aggressive nature and was exciting but he will need to work on his defense as he progresses. In the opening bout of the evening Zab Judah’s brother Chris Crosby won a split decision over Greg Hackett from Chester PA by scores of 40-36, 39-37, and 37-39. Crosby was able to push Hackett around the ring. Hackett landed some body shots but was also tagged with some strong right hooks from the Brooklyn southpaw Crosby. Crosby moves to 6-1 (1 KO) and Hackett falls to 2-6. Former US Olympian and rising contender Sadam Ali was scheduled to take a step up in competition but the bout was cancelled due to his opponent Juliano Ramos not passing his physical.
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Judah-Mabuza Ready to Rumble:
by Gary Purfield Main Events Promotions hosted the final press conference at Brick City Bar and Grill in Newark, NJ on Wednesday in preparation for the IBF Jr. Welterweight title fight between former champ Zab Judah and Kaizer Mabuza this Saturday. The veteran Judah will be looking to again be a
champion and Mabuza will look to grab his first title belt after he
earned his mandatory position when he stopped Kendall Holt last
year. The card will be the first to take place at the Prudential
Centers Amerihealth building to begin a series of
Main Events CEO Kathy Duva opened discussing Judah’s return to Main Events, return to a 140lb title fight, and the style contrast in the main event. “He has come back to Main Events, he has done everything we have asked him, he has gone above and beyond anything we would have ever expected. The result is he will be taking his shot to regain that world title.” “This is one of those fights where I don’t know how anyone can resist it. There are so many fights where people talk about and the results are foregone conclusions. Well that is not what we have here. We have an explosive combination of the styles that will make for an amazing event.”
Former legend in the ring Pernell Whitaker who
was promoted by Main Events his entire career spoke about training
Judah for the first time. Whitaker well known as “sweet pea” was asked how you break old habits after so many years. “Easy, just tell him stop.” "The name of the sport is called boxing. You don't call it knockout. You can go get that on video. He's got all the finesse, and finesse and speed brings power.” “All the old habits that Zab once had are no longer there. My famous word is boy, listen.”
“Come Saturday night we’re gonna have some fun. I respect Kaizer Mabuza for what he’s done., he’s a young man and will have this chance again. Come Saturday night you will see a five time champion of the world.” I asked Zab during the questioning what kind of influence trainer Pernell Whitaker has had and about the experience working with the former champ. “Pernell had a great influence. I think we are going to go to the def comedy jam afterwards. Not only has he brought great skills to myself he’s tweaked my whole world. He’s also brought humor, entertainment, he kept the camp happy brought a lot of excitement, joy, and fun. We had a great training camp in Las Vegas, trained very hard. I skipped Christmas, New Years, and kept my mind focused on Kaizer Mabuza. I stay focused and trained for a long time. I’m ready. “For this fight I went to the master. He was known for going twelve rounds, he is known for being the best fighter out there. He was known for his defensive skills, his defensive skills are phenomenal, his offensive skills are phenomenal, I took from what I got and put what he’s got and it’s gonna be magic.”
Former golden gloves champ Vinny O’Brien makes his pro debut on the card. “I’m ready to go, I have been talking about it since January and the fight is finally here so I am ready to go. I want to be very busy next year, I want to get anywhere from nine to twelve fights, I want to be busy, busy, busy, keep winning and get my record up.” Jose Peralta, Joe Judah, and Shemuel Pagan round out the featured fighters on the card. Tickets are available for the fight which is also available in North American on Integrated Sports Media at 9 PM/ET 6 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay per view via ON Demand, DIRECTV, Avail-TVN and DISH Network in the United States, as well as Viewer's Choice and Bell TV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95. Available as an Ustream online PPV exclusive, the live video broadcast of the fight will be offered for $29.95 in U.S. / Canada at http://www.ustream.tv/brickcityboxingUSA and $4.95 Worldwide at http://www.ustream.tv/brickcityboxinginternational. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Zab Judah vs. Kaizer Mabuza IBF Jr. Welterweight Title Fight Preview and Breakdown
by Gary Purfield
Where:
When: TV: Last
fight:
Zab Judah returns to a junior welterweight title fight more than eleven years after he won his first major 140lb title, ironically the IBF strap which he will again fight for this Saturday. The once golden prospect with so much potential lived up to his abilities in some ways and in the eyes of some fell short of his vast potential. After several years at welterweight Judah is now back at 140 where he is better suited and back with his original promoter Main Events. He faces the rugged tough fighter Kaizer Mabuza from South Africa. Let’s break down the key aspects of Saturday’s title fight and keys to victory. Boxing
ability: Physical:
Power:
Speed:
Defense:
Chin:
Experience: Wear and
Tear:
Keys to Victory: Zab Judah: · Box, move in circles, move your head, counter, punch in combinations and get away. In simple terms, box the you know what out of your opponent so you look good and he looks bad. · Do not be on the ropes where Mabuza can deliver punches from a set stance. In the same vein do not stand toe to toe in the center of the ring. Mabuza needs to set his feet to load up and deliver punches so constant movement, circling and head movement should keep Judah from absorbing punishment (again Whitaker’s comment, no proving you can fight gorilla style). · When the rough moments occur stay composed and listen to the advice of the expert you have in your corner
Kaizer Mabuza: · Pressure, pressure, pressure. Mabuza will need to keep coming with no sign of slowing down and attempt to break his opponents resolve. · Push Judah to the ropes where he can set his feet and deliver power punches. Do not allow Judah to circle the ring making it difficult to set his feet.
Prediction:
Judah vs. Matthysse Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucmJ_BHR3oI Judah vs. Cory Spinks 2 (Judah get the 9th round TKO to win the welterweight title): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_iwnxIByYQ Mabuza vs. Holt (starts in round 3): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zan9qdK0740 Mabuza vs. Serhiy Fedchenko: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18UsDcWTcN8
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Ringside Report: King of the Philly Shore Gabe Rosado
by Gary Purfield
Hall of Fame promoter Russell Peltz provided Philly fight fans with an old fashioned clash between two born and raised Philadelphia fighters as the main event to a seven fight card from Bally's Atlantic City. The card was well received with several action packed fights in front of the packed house in Bally's Grand Ballroom.
Frankly I am too young to have been around when Philadelphia was one of the fight capitols of the country. I only get to hear of the legendary days of fights in the spectrum and great Philly middleweights. So a night like this covering an all Philly clash from ringside was a chance for me to experience a small piece of what Philadelphia was once so well known for. Fortunately the participants tonight did not disappoint. Rosado and Davis provided a great fight for those who made their way to the shore for Peltz Boxing’s night of fights. The opening rounds were
tactical as Davis used his speed advantage to take round one by
moving in and out and controlling the ring. Rosado began using size
and pressure in round two when he would begin piling up the next
several rounds. In round three Rosado began to time his speedy
opponent and landed several straight right hands as Davis advanced.
As the rounds went by Davis was circling the ring more and punching
less. Rosado continued his push forward but could not quite cut off
the ring to do
Davis seemed to come alive some in rounds six and seven likely sensing he was falling behind on the cards he landed flurries of punches while moving in and out. Even in his best rounds Davis did little real damage to Rosado who was clearly the bigger man. When the two were in close it appeared a junior middleweight in Rosado was pushing around a welterweight. In round nine the action went
up a notch. Early on Rosado landed a low blow dropping Davis to the
mat. Once he got it together the fight was on. The two Philly
warriors traded in every part of the ring.
The final round started with both fighters coming after each other to end things in style. While the speedy Davis was getting his shots through the bigger man Rosado was landing the heavier blows. Then Rosado closed the show making sure the judges would have no say in the outcome by landing several punches that sent Davis reeling into the corner stunned. Sensing his opponent was on weak knees and ready to go Rosado poured it on the referee stepped in to stop the fight. The TKO victory for Rosado 16-5 (9 KO) came at one minute and one second into the twelfth and final round. Davis 12-8 (6 KO) gave a great effort but in the end was simply beaten back by a bigger and stronger fighter. With the victory Rosado gains the NABA interim junior middleweight title. Afterwards Rosado discussed several points including his desire to put on fights that fans enjoy when they pay their hard earned money and how this fight was helpful on moving past the loss to Ennis where he felt he won or at least deserved a draw. Win or lose Rosado has become a piece of the past for the fighting city of Philadelphia. __________________________________________________________________
Cruz Stays Undefeated with 3rd Round KO Ronald Cruz remained undefeated improving to 11-0 (8 KO) with a dominant third round TKO of Dillet Frederick. Cruz was supported by an enthusiastic contingency of fans looking to see the Bethlehem Pennsylvania native. Cruz started strong feeling out his opponent in the first round while also letting his hands go to land heavy combinations. In the third round Cruz landed a series of shots including a left hook to the head and body sending Frederick stumbling to the canvas. Frederick, now 7-4-3 (4 KO) tried to get up but wobbled and went back down. As he tried to get up again with no legs the bout was called off at two minutes of round three. Cruz again showed he has heavy hands and comes to provide an action packed fight. He sits down on his punches and throws with power. Cruz also shows an ability to throw from multiple angles mixing in various shots including a sharp right uppercut and hard left hook. His aggressive style should mean he will continue to grow his local fan base as he continues his rise through the junior welterweight division.
Julio DeJesus and Hector Collado provided the action packed brawl of the night. Both fighters hail from New Jersey and fought as if the other one had stolen his lunch money way back when. They had no trouble finding each other standing toe to toe in the middle of the ring throughout the four round junior welterweight war. They traded punches with bad intentions and had little use for defense of any kind unless you call strong will and heart defensive strategies. In the end Dejesus came out on top with a unanimous decision by scores of 39-35, 39-34, 39-34. The fight was closer than the scores appeared but multiple knockdowns provided the wide scoring. In round one they traded thudding blows evenly until DeJesus dropped his opponent with a flush straight right at the end of the round. In round two Collado stunned DeJesus who looked like he was ready to go and very unaware of his surroundings. As Collado fired away to take advantage he made the classic mistake of abandoning all defensive maneuvers. With the barrage continuing DeJesus decided turn his luck when he landed a straight right dropping Collado and turning the round. Round three again was close but then Dejesus scored a knockdown at the end of the round which was as much from Collado being off balance as anything else. Round four provided another exciting stanza with the two beating each other in what could have been an after school parking lot brawl that happened to end up in a boxing ring. The crowd loved the action and cheered away the entire final round. Philadelphia’s Bryant Jennings outworked Theron Johnson in six round heavyweight bout to win a unanimous decision by scores of 59-55, 60-54, and 60-54. Jennings who improves to 6-0 (3 KO) controlled from start to finish steadily applying more pressure to Johnson who drops to 5-4 (1 KO). Tyrone Luckey improved to 3-0 (3 KO) by stopping Gustavo Dailey 4-11 (1KO) in the final round of a four round junior welterweight bout. Luckey controlled the fight stalking Dailey around the ring. Luckey used his jab and straight shots to control the ring and avoid Dailey’s wide looping shots. Both fighters came out to close the show in the fourth firing big shots. The Middleton New Jersey product Luckey landed sending Dailey staggering into the ropes. He likely would have went down but found himself sitting on the ropes. Luckey moved in to finish and the bout was stopped at one minute and twenty seconds of round four. The Philadelphia product Dailey was unhappy with the stoppage feeling he could have continued. In the opening bout Tommy Garcia scored a third round TKO over Paul Fernandez in a scheduled four round featherweight clash. Round one was relatively even and Garcia got the better of some exchanges in round two. Then in round three, Garcia, coming from Hartford Ct landed several shots on the Philly native sending Fernandez reeling into the ropes. Garcia followed up while Fernandez tried to hold on. After braking Garcia continued the pressure forcing the referee to call a halt at 49 seconds of the third round. Garcia improves to 3-3 (2 KO) while Fernandez drops to 5-4-2 (3 KO) In the walk out bout DeCarlo Perez 3-0-1 (1 KO) took away a unanimous decision victory over Dontre King 3-9-2 (1 KO).
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Don’t Ignore the Philly War Live at the Shore
by Gary Purfield This weekend at Bally’s Casino in Atlantic an all Philly showdown highlights an entertaining night of fights. Gabe Rosado will be taking on Jamaal Davis in a junior middleweight action in the main event with a co-headliner of rising Ronald Cruz taking on Dillett Frederick. Five more bouts are scheduled for the night featuring fighters from the Philly and New Jersey area. The main event figures to be an exciting battle. Gabe Rosado 15-5 (8 KO) has not taken the easy road at any point in his career. Instead of fighting soft touches Rosado has faced whatever challenge came his way leading to a win over Kassim Ouma. Rosado also took on heavy handed Angulo losing by knockout and lost a competitive decision to rising star Fernando Guerrero. Davis 12-7 (6 KO) is coming off a loss to once top contender Joel Julio and will be looking to get back in the win column. Junior Welterweight Ronald Cruz 10-0 (7 KO) will look to stay unbeaten against the dangerous Dillet Frederick 7-3 (4 KO). Both are coming off big wins. Cruz recently knocked out previously unbeaten Jeremy Bryan. After being out boxed for three rounds Cruz took over to score a sixth round KO. Frederick beat then undefeated Raymond Charles via third round TKO in his last bout and will be looking to knock off another unbeaten fighter against Cruz this weekend. The entire card should feature completive matches and exciting fights. While the odds of any fighters on this card being a major champion or P4P guy one day is unlikely that is by no means reason to ignore this card. If you are a fan of boxing and “competitive” fights this should provide an action packed evening. For this writer it will provide a first in my new found days of writing about and covering boxing. This will be my first foray into ringside coverage of a card with media credentials and in all honesty I have to admit I could not be more excited. As much as I love covering from the couch or buying a ticket in the cheap seats this should be a great experience working from ringside to cover the action. So if you are in the Philadelphia-New Jersey area and call yourself a boxing fan get down to Bally’s Saturday night for a great night of fights and come by to say hello (you can’t miss me, short guy with a red fitted Saint Joe’s hat). If you are not in the area no excuses, the fight is on go fight live for only $9.99 (see link below). To finish up I simply want to thank a few people. First thanks to trainer Freddy Marratto who gave me the chance to start writing about boxing and giving me the idea at all (and thanks for teaching a martial arts guy how to box). John DiSanto of www.phillyboxinghistory.com for giving me the chance to put an opinion piece on his great site and to cover a fight as well. One more thanks to CJ at www.nowboxing.com for giving me the opportunity to reach a wide and passionate boxing audience. This has been a lot of fun and can’t wait to keep writing about the fights. Oh yeah, thanks Urch for being the loyal first reader when I am pretty sure you were the only one reading what I wrote (not counting my mother who would read an article I wrote if I spent ten pages talking about a tree falling in the woods). Sorry to get all mushy on everyone but sometimes it has to be done. Have a great weekend everyone. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com. http://www.gofightlive.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/All_Philly_War_at_the_Shore_Rosado_vs_Davis/931
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Nonito Donaire is that Good: Nonito Donaire has been on pound for pound lists for several years now but other than the knockout of Vic Darchinyan he did not have defining victories to go along with his obvious talent. Donaire now has another definitive victory over another top fighter. Donaire stepped into the ring against WBC and WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel looking to make a statement. Montiel is a top notch fighter and a veteran with titles in three weight classes. Montiel also has one punch KO power most recently demonstrated when he knocked out Hozumi Hasegawa in Japan with a devastating left hook. Donaire made his statement early and with a resonating thunder that will be heard all over the boxing world. Donaire seemed intent on getting aggressive with power from the start. He exuded confidence in his ring entrance. From the opening bell he fired power shots with speed and bad intentions. In round two as Montiel stepped in landing a straight right Donaire countered with a thunderous left hook off the temple that Montiel never saw. The Mexican champ hit the canvas and his legs were convulsively shaking. Somehow Montiel got up before the count of ten and maybe more surprising the referee Russell Mora allowed the fight to continue. Donaire charged in, landed two punches, Montiel still whirling from the knockdown this time Mora jumped in and stopped the fight. The official end came by TKO at two minutes and twenty five seconds of the second round. With the referee stopping in to save Montiel, Donaire began an exuberant celebration running around the ring and leaping atop the ropes. Donaire said afterwards that he had previously predicted a second round knockout. Going in nobody truly knew how this fight would play out because so many possibilities existed. Both fighters have good chins and stamina to fight hard for twelve rounds. But, both also have thudding knockout power which made a knockout at any point a possibility. I am not sure anyone saw it ending that fast with that much authority. If someone did predict that more power to them. Donaire, who improves to 26-1 (18 KO) now has multiple options open to him. The winner of Showtime’s bantamweight tournament final between Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares would provide a showdown for undisputed champ of the bantamweight division. Of course if Abner Mares wins that means Golden Boy who has Mares and Top Rank who has Donaire would have to play nice to make the fight. Donaire also could look to move up two weight classes to 126lbs where a deep talent pool awaits including Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriokis Gamboa. Donaire appears to have the body to carry the weight comfortably and a showdown with either Lopez or Gamboa would be a huge fight and pay day for Donaire. Donaire who is now WBO and WBC bantamweight champion commented after that he would like to be undisputed in the weight class. He also stated if that is not available he trusts his manger Cameron Dunkin when referring to moving up in weight. Montiel who drops to 43-3-2 (33 KO) was taken to the dressing room to be examined and hopefully is okay after taking such a big punch he never saw coming. In winning in such impressive fashion Donaire not only cements his place on the P4P lists but becomes must see TV every time he fights. It is not often a young talent comes along with such skill, speed, power, and ring intelligence. Donaire looks as if he will make a fast climb in popularity because he provides everything a boxing fan wants to see in top level fights. The Philipino Flash looks more and more like his beloved countryman Manny Pacquiao who sits atop the P4P list and is on top of boxing world in drawing power as well. Donaire has a long road to reaching what Pac Man has accomplished but he took a big step tonight. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Leave No Doubt: Jones Rolls Around Soto Karass This time the outcome was clear with no controversy. Mike Jones dominated the game but overmatched Jesus Soto Karass to a unanimous decision by scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 117-111 (I had it even wider feeling Jones won every round except one and twelve for a score of 118-110). Last November on the Pacquiao vs. Margarito undercard Jones and Soto Karass fought a thrilling fight with Jones getting the controversial decision victory. With a close disputed decision to an exciting fight an immediate rematch was a natural decision and the two game fighters were on board. Mikes Jones was looking to have a clear and decisive victory. Soto Karass was looking to pressure Jones and come out on top this time. Jones was the man who got his way. Soto Karass took the first round by applying pressure and being more active. From that point the majority of the fight was simply dominated by the faster more talented fighter from Philadelphia. Jones was constantly circling the ring not allowing Soto Karass to back him into the ropes. While moving Jones used a stiff jab to keep his distance. Working off that jab Jones landed power shots with both hands to the head and body. The commitment to the body paid dividends and was the key to the fight for Jones. He pounded Soto Karass to the body taking his stamina and pressure. Soto Karass who is as tough and game as any fighter never stopped pushing forward and giving his all but the body shots had the intended effect slowing his ability to throw constant punches. In round three cuts were opened over both of Soto Karass’s eyes that seemed to come from head butts but at least one was ruled from a punch. The cuts poured blood throughout the fight and Jones was happy to oblige the bleeding by pounding the cuts with punches. At the end of the fight Soto Karass was covered in blood and most of his body was red from being absorbing body shots. The final punch stats were overwhelming for Jones who landed 408 to 229 for Soto Karass. Despite the one sided outcome and more controlled effort from Jones it was a highly entertaining fight. Jones was impressive and exciting while staying smart, disciplined, and fighting his fight which meant keeping it a boxing match instead of a brawl. Several times in the fight Soto Karass tried to bait Jones by taunting him, dropping his hands, and various tactics to draw Jones into a brawl. Jones never took the bait and continued executing his plan. He landed jabs and power shots throughout the fight that would have stopped any fighter who does not have the iron chin of his proud Mexican opponent. Again to the credit of Soto Karass he gave his all and makes for exciting fights which mean despite the loss he could certainly get more TV fights because of his style. With the win Jones did what he wanted to do last November. He had his first impressive win on the big stage and sets himself up for bigger fights in his future. Jones will likely either get a title shot in his next fight or in the near future. While Jones looked very good he would probably still benefit from a continued step up in competition over two or three more fights before jumping into the ring with the elite of the sport. He has all the talent and physical attributes to be a champ. Continued seasoning and experience in the late rounds will make all the difference if and when he gets his shots against the best in the sport. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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This Time Jones Will Handle Business and Leave No
Doubt
Fighters:
Where: When: TV: Last Fight:
Last November on the undercard of the PPV Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito card rising welterweight Mike Jones out of Philadelphia got his first opportunity to show his abilities on the big stage. Jones took on veteran Jesus Soto-Karass. In Soto Karass Jones was getting a tough but limited fighter. It would be a step up in competition with the opportunity for an impressive win in front of a large audience at Cowboys Stadium and on TV. Early on it appeared Jones would get the showing needed to raise his stock. A little past the halfway point of round two Jones startled Soto Karass with a right uppercut and then sent him staggering back from an overhand right. Sensing the opportunity for highlight KO win Jones advanced to finish his opponent. What followed turned out to be the biggest mistake of the young Philly fighter’s career and one that nearly cost him dearly. Likely caught up in the moment of being the co-headliner of a major PPV under Manny Pacquiao, Jones began punching non-stop for the next minute. With his shoulders squared he threw more than forty straight power shots but was unable to finish the tough Mexican fighter. By the end of the round Jones had emptied the tank and was running on fumes. Soto-Karass who had been near finished a minute earlier was in control of the tired Jones at the end of the round. Round 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9IfJmtZ6ds) Jones spent the next three rounds on life support as Soto-Karass teed off on the spent contender. Jones began to gain back some momentum in the seventh and by the eighth round he had gotten his legs back. Jones regained control by the eighth and was able to get back to his game plan boxing his opponent for the last three rounds. He managed to do enough in the judge’s eyes to win a majority decision 95-94, 97-93, and 94-94. I had it a draw 95-95 with each guy getting five rounds. Jones took rounds 1, 2, 8,9,10 and Soto Karass taking 3-7. Many felt Soto-Karass had done enough to win and at the very least Top Rank CEO Bob Arum who promotes Soto-Karass and co-promotes Jones with Peltz Boxing felt an immediate rematch was appropriate. That brings us to part two this coming Saturday. Let’s take a look at the specifics. Boxing
ability: Physical:
Power: Speed:
Defense:
Chin:
Experience: Wear and
Tear: Keys to Victory: Mike Jones: · Fight your fight which means box. Jones is the better boxer, he is faster, taller, stronger, and has basically every other advantage. He needs to simply use his abilities to slowly break down a less talented opponent · Do not jump the gun again trying to knock out someone who does not get knocked out. Work the body and the head to wear down your opponent, open cuts on Soto-Karass who cuts easily, and build a wide margin on the scorecards without looking for the knockout.
Jesus Soto Karass: · Turn the fight into a brawl. Attempt to force Jones into a war that involves little defense or strategy. Keep the fight on the inside taking away the significant reach advantage Jones has. · Constantly pressure and stalk Jones. Soto Karass needs to push Jones past his stamina again and make him have nightmares about the last fight. This can only be done if he is moving forward pushing Jones backward making it more likely he will tire.
Prediction: This time will not even be close. Jones made his rookie mistake going for broke against a fighter who is limited but has a granite chin punching himself out. Understandable mistake considering for the first time he was fighting in front of a live audience of more than 40,000 and more than a million on PPV. He will not make the same mistake this time. Look for MJ to use his stiff jab to push Soto-Karass back. Everything will work from there as Jones will easily land his long straight right from the outside and drill his opponent with the left hook and right uppercut when he attempts to fight in close. Soto Karass will try and be the man moving forward but Jones will stop him in his tracks with the jab leaving his opponent exposed and open to eating leather all night.
This time if Soto-Karass is hurt Jones will continue to methodically work his opponent especially to the body instead of going for broke. Better conditioning with his new strength trainer will allow Jones to continue punishing his opponent without losing steam. By the sixth or seventh round Soto-Karass will be worn down and possibly cut in several areas. Look for a very wide unanimous decision win for Mike Jones or possibly a late stoppage due to cuts. The Mexican warrior Soto Karass will not give in at any point or submit but the large gap in skill and athletic ability will make this a one sided affair.
Check out past fights from each: Jones vs. Soto Karass 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS-G-LCkMbc. Jones vs. Hector Munoz (Jones dominated lesser foe to stoppage): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgExLRLRfUw. Jones vs. Henry Brussels (Jones had to box his veteran opponent): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iz9mYKAY8A. Soto Karass vs. Alfonso Gomez (Partial): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKw_9Co9ywM. Soto Karass vs. Carson Jones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIt9OBUWn2I. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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Main Events Returns to its Roots on Ice Main Events Promotions hosted a press conference Thursday to announce their plan to begin hosting the Brick City Boxing Series at the Prudential Center’s Amerihealth Pavilion in Newark, NJ. The Pavilion is attached to the main building of the Prudential Center where Main Events has hosted multiple cards including the popular Tomasz Adamek. Beginning in May of 1978 Main Events made its name in boxing by hosting more than fifty cards at an Ice Rink in New Jersey called Ice World. The show eventually was featured on ESPN and the final card in 1986 was on ABC. During that time well known fighters and future champions including Buddy McGirt, Mark Breland, John John Molina, Vinny Pazienza, Chuck Wepner, Bobby Czyz, and many others appeared on the Ice World cards as they made their names as fighters. Duva stated “we sold three thousand tickets to each fight. It turned into for a few years a true phenomenon on the national boxing scene” in speaking about the Ice World shows. Now Main Events will return to this format and to the ice hosting four to six cards a year at the smaller more intimate Amerihealth building within the Prudential Center where the National Hockey League’s New Jersey Devils practice. This will provide talented but young fighters the opportunity to begin their careers against quality opposition, stay busy, build a local fan base, and eventually graduate to the main building of the Prudential Center and possible title fights. Kathy Duva was proud of the original Ice World Series and looking forward to the new version. "If young fighters have to wait for big shows with 10 - 20,000 fans in attendance, they're not going to get to fight very often. This (AmeriHealth Pavilion) is going to be our incubator: our lab where we're going to build up talent; and give guys the kind of fights they need to develop; and become great pros; and not get rushed into fights they're not ready for; not get put in with stiffs who are going to fall down when they breathe on them. It's simply going to be a place where we can put guys in the kind of fights that they need to learn and grow, and develop as pros so that they can become champions, the way the list of champions from Ice World did. This venue gives us the opportunity to do that."
The Series will begin Saturday March 5 with the main event between Zab Judah and Kaizer Mabuza for the IBF junior welterweight championship topping the card. In addition to the title fight main event several talented young prospects will be featured on the undercard. With Zab Judah busy in Las Vegas training with new trainer, former world champ Pernell Whitaker, the press conference today focused on these young fighters giving them an opportunity to speak about their upcoming bouts on March 5. In the co-main event 2008 USA Olympian and rising prospect Sadam Ali 11-0 (6 KO) takes a step up in competition taking on Juliano Ramos 16-4 (13 KO). I had the opportunity to speak with Ali about his style, his changes from the amateur to pro-level, and what he still needs to do going forward to become a champion. “It’s hard to explain my style I know I am exciting, could be a boxer, could be a banger. I got power, I got speed. I got to adapt to the fighters and I see myself being a world champion. On changes from the amateur ranks to know “I am starting to sit down on my punches more. I am more aware in the ring because in the professionals the gloves are small and you have no head gear so it is a good thing I can take a punch; but the thing is you don’t want to take a punch so I want to make people miss and make them pay” On what needs to happen going forward to reach his goal of a world title. “More experience of course, learning everything, and going the rounds”. Ali states in three scheduled eight rounder’s he has only gone the distance once but is confident going the to the championship rounds in the future. “I work hard in the gym and I got my own gym now. Even though everyone loves seeing knockouts and I love giving those knockouts of course I would go for it but it’s not bad having those rounds in.” The 2010 New Jersey Golden Gloves champion Vinny O’Brien will make his pro-debut against David Navarro of Philadelphia. O’Brien is trained by Lou Esa who fought as a heavyweight in the original Ice World cards. Speaking with O’Brien he discussed his style and what he has done in training to be prepared for the world of small gloves and no head gear. “ I’m a stalker, I like to stalk and push the fight, push the aggression.” “My style has completely changed where I am a lot smoother, a lot slicker. I can move, I can fight, I can brawl, I can do whatever I need to get that win”. On moving to the pro-ranks O’Brien stated “you got to slow things down in the ring, you can’t be so fast paced, and pick your shots”.
Middleweight Tarvis Simms 26-1-1 (11 KO) who will be fighting John Mackey 13-5-2 (6 KO) was scheduled to attend but unable to show due to transportation issues. Simms whose only loss is to Alan Green has his eyes on a future title opportunity. Five time Golden Gloves winner Shemuel Pagan 1-0 will have his second pro-fight against a to be determined due to the scheduled opponent pulling out. Pagan stated “every fight I will perform better.”
Dong-Chul Yun 9-4-1 (7 KO) is making his first appearance in the USA after fighting his previous fights in his home country of South Korea. Through a translator Yun stated “he wants to show you not only a winning fight, but more of an exciting, full fight." Zab Judah’s brother Joseph Judah 5-1 (1 KO) who is taking on Greg Hacket of Chester, PA 2-5 added some bravado and humor to the event stating “get your tickets and get there early, because I’m going on early and he’s going out early."
In addition to seats two standing room sections at either end of the rink will be set up where fans can watch the fights and mingle amongst each other. Kathy Duva felt “this will be a nice social place to be. Once they come once that is where they will want to be”. Tickets are currently on sale for what should shape up to be a good card. Judah and Mabuza should be a good title fight and fans will have the opportunity to see former Olympian and prospect Sadam Ali as well as several other talented prospects from the New York/New Jersey area. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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“Butt” That’s It: Bradley-Alexander Recap
In what was billed as a top fight between two young, talented, and undefeated Americans for the top spot in the junior welterweight division saw a tactical fight with a disappointing ending. After several accidental head butts during the fight a final head butt ended the affair early in the tenth round. As Bradley leaned in firing a punch Alexander returned fire and Bradley’s head collided with the left side of Alexander’s head and eye. Alexander moved away and stated he could not see causing referee Frank Garza to stop the fight sending it to the judges for a technical stoppage (where the very short tenth round was also scored as part of the decision). Bradley was awarded a unanimous decision by scores of 97-93, 96-95, and 98-93 as he improves to 27-0 (11 KO) with Alexander losing his unbeaten record falling to 21-1 (13 KO). It would appear the judges favored Bradley’s pressure and activity over Alexander’s movement and ring generalship. Bradley had several points where he backed Alexander to the ropes where he would throw flurries of punches. Few of Bradley’s punches landed or had an affect but probably had enough show to allow him to pull out the close rounds. The fight was not a barn burner or fight of the year candidate but a solid boxing match with each man looking to assert their style and game plan. Each round was close and tough to score with very few rounds being clear for one side. This writer saw it different than the judges awarding several of the close rounds to Alexander for ring generalship with a final score of 95-95. Regardless of the outcome two fighters who were looking to make a statement as not just the best in the division but to become a marquee name worthy of being awarded box office fights against the top names such as Mayweather or Pacquiao did not reach that level. The chess match that can be appreciated by the hardcore boxing fan likely did little to excite the casual fan. It certainly did not force the Mayweather or Pacquiao’s camps to consider Bradley or Alexander as a drawing power worth fighting. Bradley mainly looked to pressure Alexander into corners and force him into even exchanges. At times he was successful and landed a few flush right hands that backed his opponent up. Alexander attempted to use his movement, boxing technique, and hand speed to keep Bradley in the center of the ring while landing clean effective punches. Alexander also had his moments of success with the game plan but never succeeded in landing meaningful blows that grabbed anyone’s attention, especially not Bradley who despite being caught cleanly several times was never fazed or deterred from continuing his attack. The biggest story of the fight was the head butts. Going in this was a concern due to having a southpaw (Alexander) fighting an orthodox fighter (Bradley) who is known for having accidental head butts occur due to his face first style. Alexander was cut from head butts in rounds three and eight. Then in round ten another head butt that did not cause a cut but Alexander stated he could not see in the left eye from the contact put an end to the night. “I could not see and my eye was burning, he’s got a big head. He didn’t stop me from using my skills, I was winning the fight.” Bradley stated “he’s coming in I’m coming in with big shot. I have no idea why it was stopped, you got to ask him.” Bradley went on to say “I tip my hat off to him, Devon Alexander is a great fighter. When asked about fighting Amir Khan “Khan is on my list.” I want the fight fans to pick who they want me to fight and that’s who I will fight next.” While HBO has the ability to push a rematch more likely will be Bradley and Khan will get together while Alexander looks to rebound. The upside is while this may not have lived up to the billing both are still young and very talented. Each should be able to learn from this experience and use it towards better fights in the future. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com.
Gary’s card
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Tim Bradley vs. Devon Alexander Preview and
Breakdown
Fighters: Where: When: TV: Last fight:
Bradley is certainly the favorite amongst most experts and fans to win but don’t make the mistake of assuming anything. This is a 50/50 fight between two talented fighters who are evenly matched. Let’s take a look at the styles and key elements that could be the difference. Quick note first, several of these categories it was very difficult to say one guy has the edge and certainly many may disagree with each piece of analysis (which is what makes this fight fun). Boxing
ability: Power:
Speed:
Defense:
Stamina:
Chin:
Experience:
Wear and
Tear:
Bradley
Alexander
Prediction:
Bradley vs. Peteron http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt9Kw4Xoz3Q. Alexander vs. Urango (highlights) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxHsJF137Eo. Alexander vs. Witter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_irHtxM-d4w. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to: gpurf3@hotmail.com.
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 A Look Back-Ricardo “El Finito” Lopez by Gary Purfield (01/11/11) In this column I will be taking a look back at a retired fighter to examine his career or reviewing a great fight (or series of fights) in an effort to further mine and hopefully the reader’s knowledge of a sport that is so rich in history. Like baseball boxing is defined as much if not more by what came in the past than what is current or in the future. The idea for this column came from trainer Freddy Marratto (I steal a lot of my ideas from him) when he told me to examine past fights from Ricardo Lopez for style tips and knowing I would like Lopez because I have a great respect for Juan Manuel Marquez and Nacho Beristain. I had heard a great deal about El Finito but had seen very little of his work. Thanks to the miracle of YouTube that has changed. I focus more on style and boxing ability than a history of his career but I would highly recommend checking out the Wikipedia page listed below in the sources section if you are not familiar with Lopez’s hall of fame career. Final Record: 51-0-1 (38
KO) Stance: Orthodox Nationality: Mexican Professional Career Span: 1985-2002 (inducted into IBHOF 2007) Worth Mentioning: One of only five world champions in the gloves era of boxing (depending on what list or titles you use) to retire undefeated (Rocky Marciano, Sven Ottke, Harry Simon, and Joe Calzaghe) and tied for record of most consecutive title bouts without a loss (26).
Before legendary trainer (and soon to be inducted into the IBHOF) Nacho Beristain had Juan Manuel Marquez there was Ricardo Lopez. A puncher of such seemingly effortless precision it was easy to miss the knockout shot that quickly ended fights. Lopez was a classic master boxer. Like any “boxer” the jab was a primary weapon as a range finder, setup for bigger shots, and a damaging weapon on its own. Always with his body in the sharp slanted stance, left shoulder pointed at the opponent and chin tucked he left virtually no openings in his defense. Lopez was also perfect in his technique below the waist with a balanced stance and light on his toes. He would circle to either side or move in and out with precision to do the obvious but not easily accomplished goal of hitting without getting hit. While he had power in both hands the high knockout percentage (75%) was more a product of pin point accuracy with his punches. What was also amazing was when he landed the knockout shot he left opponents out cold or wobbled to a point of having no chance to continue. There was nothing subtle about when Lopez finished the fight. In the clip below at 29 minutes and 12 seconds (again in slow motion at 30:05) Lopez lands a lead left uppercut that does not appear overly powerful but his ability to generate power with short punches that were accurate leads to his opponent hanging dazed in the air for a split second before collapsing to the canvas with no hope of getting up (don’t blink or you will miss the shot landing). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppXov9Dqwmk With so many skills and tools it is hard to say what would be Lopez’s best asset but I would have to go with his combination punching. At times he would use the jab as a stick or throw a single uppercut but often Lopez was a combination puncher. He has the skill that so few fighters seem to have of throwing combinations with the same hand such as left jab-left uppercut-left hook (then again this technique is often used by JMM so the common denominator being trainer Nacho has some influence). Lopez threw varying three and four punch combinations from various angles while never sacrificing defense by using body movement and transitioning the non-punching hand into his guard. Notice in the clip below the knockout comes with a precise jab, cross, and perfectly placed left uppercut (Lopez was so well trained that this was actually a four punch combination he finishes, as you will notice he follows the left uppercut with a left hook but his opponent is already floored as the hook sails into air). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWSEeLpVxCY Lopez’s defense was near flawless due to his practiced technique. El Finito was not someone who had supernatural speed or athleticism such as a Roy Jones so he relied on classic boxing skills to avoid getting hit. Lopez used his feet to move in and out in addition to a high guard for the head, elbows tucked in to protect the body, and chin tuck. None of he assets ever got lazy to allow for easy openings. Lopez had the natural instinct to see a punch coming, slip or weave, and then make his opponent pay for the miss with his counter punching skills. Watch in the knockout highlight reel below how many of the KO’s occur while Lopez seems to simultaneously slip a punch while landing his counter shot that knocks his opponent into sleepy time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc0A_e8-DKI&feature=related If you were not familiar with Ricardo Lopez I hope I this provided you an introduction into one of the great fighters of the lower weight classes or any division. I would encourage you to get on YouTube and watch the many highlights and several full fights that are available (they are almost exclusively not broadcast in English but it won’t matter as you can watch El Finito’s brilliance without someone telling you what is happening). I highly recommend the fight vs. Ala Edito Villamor (first clip above) because it shows all of his abilities over an eight round fight where he wears his opponent down and finishes with a spectacular knockout. If you were already well versed in the history of this Mexican legend than maybe this was a nice summary of what you already know. Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gpurf3@hotmail.com. Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_L%C3%B3pez_(boxer)
http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=521&cat=boxer http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225357
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Luis quickly became a
successful amateur fighter and had aspirations of making the Olympic
team. Unfortunately for him his experience competing for the
Olympics gave him an early lesson in the hardships and politics of
boxing. 
Khan continued his control in
round two and it seemed he might get a quick stoppage. Then
Peterson turned the tide in round three by turning the boxing match
into a tight quarters brawl. Peterson managed to push his opponent
into the ropes where he was able to gain an advantage with his
strength muscling Khan into a defensive posture. Once he had Khan
against the ropes he went to work slamming both fists into the body
and head. The excitement brought the crowd to its feet and turned
the convention center into a wild atmosphere. With every thudding
blow Lamont landed the crowd rose to its feet and roared to egg on
their hometown hero to keep attacking. 
In the HBO co-feature
Brandywine MD native and former Michigan State linebacker now
heavyweight contender Seth Mitchell, was impressive stopping veteran
contender Timur Ibragimov. After a competitive first round it was
all Mitchell in round two. Mitchell who had rabid crowd support
landed big left hooks and straight rights throughout the round that
had Ibragimov reeling. Late in the round Mitchell landed a left
hook that sent his opponent into the corner. He followed up with a
straight right to Ibragimov’s head and referee Malik Waleed had seen
enough and jumped in to stop the bout giving Mitchell a TKO victory
at 2:48 of round two. 
Cruz
came out boxing in a far more controlled fashion than normal. He
fought from a distance rather than push inside looking to work
behind his jab. Cruz took the first round but Adjaho came on in the
second. The taller and rangy Adjaho began putting his jab to use
followed by a long right hand and a commitment to body punching.
Rounds two and three were close with each man having his moments of
landing flurries. 
I
caught up with Garrett along with Philly boxing writer John DiSanto
at Shuler’s Gym in West Philadelphia last week as he trained and
sparred for the upcoming bout. Wilson is short for the 
“We
want to be disciplined with the body. We want to stay in that body.
We want to let things happen. We don’t want to take 
After
chatting with us Garrett got to work for ten rounds of sparring
including five with Philly spoiler Dhafir Smith who upset Jeff Lacy
last year. Garrett worked on multiple techniques and 
His
improvement is the result of continued teaching from trainer Lemuel
“Indio” Rodriguez. Rodriguez has set out with each camp to make
improvements to the physically talented Cruz who had a short amateur
career. His footwork which was plodding has become faster and more
fluid. He no longer marches forward stalking his opponents straight
up but comes after his foes with slick head movement and a heavy
jab. In this camp they have worked on speed and his combinations
are firing with more precision as well. 
Cruz
is polite and humble, but quiet, so I had not yet learned much about
his family life. While 
With
tough times comes inspiration. When Cruz returned, he shared his
feelings on his family and the motivation they provide. 
In
the co-feature undefeated prospect Derrick Webster of Glassboro NJ
took on Teneal Goyco of Philadelphia in a six round super
middleweight fight. The bout was for the BAM title standing for
Boxing Association of Machismo (otherwise known as the Bad Ass
Motherfucker title). 
Along
with the awards a special exhibit room was created to honor the
award winners. The VBA 
The
inner city war on July 30, 2010 between Derek Ennis and Gabe Rosado
was honored as the Philly fight of the year. This was a no brainer
as the two Philly junior middleweight cruisers put on an action
packed fight in front of a capacity crowd for the NABA title. Ennis
came away the winner by close decision but both fighters were
honored with the Briscoe award for their efforts. 
former
Olympian. Smith was a heavy underdog but he dominated Lacy to win a
wide unanimous decision to the surprise of everyone except Dhafir
who had no doubt he could pull the upset. 
Also
honored was Damon Allen with the Everett Brothers award for amateur
of the year. On 
In
the main event of the evening Ray Robinson had an easy time taking
out veteran journeyman Manuel Guzman in a welterweight bout
scheduled for eight. Robinson was coming off a fourteen month
layoff after he lost two consecutive decisions to top prospects Brad
Solomon and Shawn Porter. Robinson had no such difficulty tonight
easily disposing of Guzman by seventh round TKO. 
Young
prospect Julian Williams engaged in what was by far the best action
fight of the night winning a six round junior middle weight decision
over Eberto Medina. Williams 8-0-1 (4 KO) won by scores of 59-55
twice and 60-54. While Williams clearly took the rounds Medina was
game the whole way. 
Typically
the coverage and articles focus on the prospect. Rarely does the
opponent (also pleasantly called tomato can, cannon fodder, and
other less adoring terms) get the focus. Now and then one comes
along that deserves some of that precious ink. A fighter with a
career made of often being the opponent but bringing heart and a
winning attitude every time to the ring. 
Now
Mtagwa 27-14-2 (19 KO), at thirty two years old, with a wife and
three kids is getting one 
“If
I can’t do a little something like this, I can’t do a little Roy
Jones, I ain’t having fun.” 
In
round five the consistent bodywork began paying dividends as
Fernandez was clearly breaking down. Cruz landed two thudding left
hooks to the body that dropped his opponent to a knee. Fernandez
was a game opponent and he showed his toughness by rising and
surviving the round despite Cruz’s assault to finish it right there.
On
one hand Denis Douglin is your typical prospect. He had a
successful amateur career. The junior middleweight has good skills,
speed, and power. But, Douglin has one aspect of his career that is
quite different from your typical boxer. In what has become a
popular topic in boxing, Douglin, known as the “Mama’s Boy”, is
trained by his mother Saphya Douglin. 
Cruz
and his team believed they could make a statement by stopping Adjaho
who has only been knocked out once while going the distance with
Miguel Acosta, Shawn Porter, and Joel Julio. Fortunately for Cruz,
if he lost any motivation with the disappointment in his opponent,
it can be regained with the knowledge that this will be his first
nationally televised fight. His eight round fight is the
co-headliner on Golden Boy’s Telefutura Boxing series (Gabriel
Rosado takes on Kennan Collins in the 10 round main event).
Beginning
with his boxing work on the mitts and body protector, Cruz showed
his power and improved boxing skills. It was then time to go to
work on conditioning as he was put through an intensive training
regimen. Amongst many exercises Gonzalez included high tech toys
the burn machine (best described as a weight that is spun in the
punching motion of a speed bag) and a breathing mask to improve
oxygen delivery to compliment classic boxing training of jumping
rope and hitting a truck tire with a sledgehammer. 
Lightweight
prospect Mike Brooks 5-0 (1 KO) is the type of fighter with a
personality that will draw attention. Brooks has the fan friendly
combo of fighting hard in the ring and bravado outside the ring. On
first glance he may not be the quiet fighter some fans like but he
brings a sense of reality with his confidence. 
Alejandro
Lopez pulled a surprising upset of Teon Kennedy in Atlantic City
with a unanimous decision victory Saturday night at Bally’s Casino.
Lopez 22-2 (7 KO) controlled the action the majority of the bout and
won by scores of 117-111, 117-111, and 115-113. Lopez takes the
NABA Super Bantamweight title from Kennedy 17-1-1 (7 KO) with the
win. 
The
local crowd on hand did everything they could to spark the hometown
favorite Teon Kennedy but he never found a solid rhythm to truly get
into the fight. The constant movement and unpredictable flurries
from Lopez seemed to always get the better of things. Teon tried to
stalk his opponent and cut off the ring but the Mexican was not
going to be cornered on this night. Kennedy who is not a knockout
puncher but usually can hurt his opponents never landed anything
during the twelve rounds that was substantial. 
Dargan
started fast landing his jab and cross in round one. Then late in
the first while back pedaling Dargan landed a sneaky left hook that
put Suazo on his backside. In round two Dargan landed a missile of
a right cross that opened a cut under his opponent’s left eye. 
Both
fighters came out for round eight tired from a rough high paced war
but would not let the fatigue slow the action. They traded back and
forth with a fury until the final bell and continued punching after
the bell rang until being separated. Immediately upon the action
being halted both put aside the violence and embraced for
sportsmanship and knowing they had brought out the best in each
other. 
It
was more of the same in round two as Ocasio stepped it up landing
several right hands that stunned his opponent. Ocasio had a plan to
stick and move to fight the fight on his terms and he stuck to his
plan throughout. Ocasio in only his sixth pro bout was in great
shape and looked cool, calm, and determined. 
Juan
Rodriguez Jr. of Union City NJ and Greg Hackett of Philadelphia
found their six round 
In
the opening bout of the evening junior featherweight Josh Bowles
controlled every round over Cyprian Khumalo for a unanimous decision
by scores of 40-36 on all three cards. While the fight was lopsided
the action was good as both fighters were willing to trade shots.
Khumalo 0-2 in a show of sportsmanship carried Bowles 2-0 around the
ring after the bout. Khumalo was anything but a loser on this night
as it was announced his wife had just gone into labor.
New
Jersey heavyweight John Lennox continued the heavyweight brawling in
the next bout. Taking on game challenger and last minute fill in
(yes the promoters had their hands full rounding out this card)
Jason Pauley of West Virginia. Lennox brings a crowd with him that
is very vocal with many sporting shirts stating “the Breed John
Lennox”. 
In
the final undercard bout Ardrick “The Hitman” Butler of Philly took
on William Wilson who had journeyed to Philly from North Carolina.
The two boxers continued the theme of going to battle putting on a
good six round welterweight fight. Butler was in control most of
the bout. He had his best round in the second frame when he
staggered Wilson early and then dropped him to the canvas with a
straight right. 
But
the show must go on so Hall of Fame Promoter Russell Peltz was able
to bring a second replacement, this time on last minute notice,
getting Ayi Bruce from Ghana. Bruce is best known for being a tough
fighter and beating Shamone Alvarez in late 2010. Bruce had just
fought a ten round bout two weeks ago (a win over Hector Munoz) and
would have to move up from welterweight to take the bout but despite
the pitfalls he took the opportunity. He would likely end up
regretting the choice. 
The
obligatory odd moment of the night came between rounds four and
five which puzzled everyone in attendance. It appeared that Bruce’s
corner was tossing in the towel prompting Rosado’s corner to begin
the celebration. Then suddenly the fight was back on and round five
began. 
From
the beginning of the bout Hemphill constantly threw one punch,
grabbed Ferrante, and would not let go. The worst part was that
while this was terrible for the crowd it was actually benefitting
Hemphill strategically. Ferrante seemed to want to fight with some
room and had no answers for Hemphill’s holding which completely
stifled Ferrante’ offense. 
Williams
pushed the action throughout and Lara circled landing counters when
Williams moved in. Lara’s game plan was clearly a product of
watching Sergio Martinez’s KO of Paul Williams last year and he
executed it well, but simply does not have the knockout power of the
middleweight champ Martinez. 
Rico
Ramos took the WBA Jr. Featherweight title from Japan’s Akifumi
Shimoda with one quick punch in the seventh round. Through six
rounds Shimoda’s quick hands, pressure, and slick style seemed to
have 
The
up and down heavyweight Chris Arreola continued his winning ways and
lower weight by taking a unanimous decision win over veteran Friday
Ahunanya 24-8-3 (13) on the untelevised undercard. Arreola 33-2 (28
KO) dominated the majority of the fight pushing Ahunanya backwards
to land his heavy blows to the body and head. At the same time
Arreola was fairly easy to hit and absorbed his share of punches
evident by his bloodied nose by the late rounds. 
The
scores 100-90, 991-91, and 99-91 show an easy victory but Arreola
was not overly impressive. While he easily won he seemed winded by
the fourth round despite keeping his weight down at 236 opposed to
above 255 where he was last year. The crowd who was looking for a
big knockout from Arreola seemed disappointed at what they perceived
as a lack of action.
Gonzalez
retains Title with Body Shot KO
Philly
super middleweight Thomas Lamanna 4-0 (3 KO) remained unbeaten with
a second round knockout of Reggie Jenkins 0-1 in a scheduled four
rounder. Lamanna was punishing Jenkins all across the ring and sent
him to the canvas on a straight right in round two. Jenkins got to
his feet, but only delayed the inevitable. Lamanna went after him
immediately and while landing unanswered shots referee Randy Newman
stepped in to stop the bout at 2:14 of round two.
In
the walk-out bout popular Philadelphia super middleweight Dhafir
Smith dropped a split decision to Cornelius White by scores of
In
today’s boxing the minute the “0” goes, a fighter is labeled
everything from exposed to fraud and easily cast off from contender
to gate keeper status. Yet, in previous days of boxing this was not
the case. Find a great fighter from the past who did not lose. Ali
lost to Frazier, but to my reckoning, he had a pretty good career
after that. The great Sugar Ray Robinson lost several times, but no
one moved him from champion to gate keeper following his loss to
Jake Lamotta. 
Once
the bell rang Cruz showed no signs of being too caught up in the
emotions of being at home. He methodically went about breaking down
his opponent to the body and the head. 
In
the sixth round Cruz gave the fans what they came for. Pressuring
Carrasquillo with increasing intensity Cruz pounded him with body
shots in the corner forcing the normally durable Doel to take a
knee. He would rise but only to absorb an increasing assault to the
body and head when he would once again take a knee after a thudding
punch to the ribs. That was the end giving Cruz a TKO victory at
1:09 in round six. Afterwards Carrasquillo stated he believes the
rib was broken in rounds five or six. He also stated he heard his
rib crack on the shot that forced him to go down for the second and
final time. 
Second,
Cruz passed the test of overcoming the pressures and expectations of
fighting at home. Before and after the bout his emotions were
running high from the energy of the fans, but in the ring he was all
business executing trainer Lemuel Rodriguez’s game plan to
perfection. 
“He
was slowly weakening. I thought by the seventh or eighth round he
was going to have nothing left and I was in shape to go twenty
rounds”. 
It’s
fight week in Bethlehem PA. Yes, you read that correctly, not
Philadelphia or Atlantic City but Bethlehem. This Friday, July 1,
rising welterweight Ronald Cruz will look to remain undefeated when
he goes for win number thirteen against Doel Carrasquillo 15-17-1
(13 KO). This will be the first time he will be fighting in his
hometown of Bethlehem PA. Cruz has fought primarily in Philadelphia
and Atlantic City, but with the new Sands Casino in Bethlehem, he
has the opportunity to ply his trade in his own backyard. 
The
second aspect I learned was his ability to stay calm under
pressure. Both Williams and Lundy brought a lot of pressure (Lundy
brought the pressure with plenty of verbal jabs as he is known for),
but at no point did Cruz allow this to take him out of his style of
fighting. This writer would guess that while the fighter inside of
Cruz wanted to engage in a full fight, he had the sense to stay calm
and stay within his game plan. Being one week out from a fight, you
don’t need to be engaging in full gym wars. Many intelligent boxing
insiders will tell you to save that for the ring. You don’t get
paid in the gym. 
It
was a treat for the local fans that packed in the Arena to see the
hometown talent who right now is Philadelphia’s best hope of gaining
another title along with current title holders Bernard Hopkins and
Steve Cunningham. After the fight Jones showed his gratitude for
local supporters tossing towels out to the crowd and posing for
pictures. 
Glen
Tapia took a unanimous shutout decision over Taronze Washington
14-16 (7 KO) in Jr. Middleweight action. Tapia controlled the
entire fight winning on all three cards 60-54 to remain undefeated.
Tapia 10-0 (5 KO) was hardly tested as he threw flurries and
Washington largely covered up despite openings to return fire.
Tapia is young with talent but will need to tighten up his defense
once he faces a higher level of opposition. When he flurries he is
open down the middle and his tendency to keep the left hand low
leaves him open to right hands over the top.
In
round four Abril took a knee in the corner to stop a body attack
onslaught that was taking its toll. Then when it appeared Ugas
would get the stoppage Abril showed his heart and began unloading
combinations at the end of the round. 
Charles
came out fast looking to do damage. He hurt Flores with a left hook
that stunned him early in the round. From that point Charles chased
Flores and eventually put him in the corner where he landed a right
hook to the top of the head that spun and flattened Flores. The
bout was immediately stopped giving Charles a TKO win at one minute
and forty nine seconds of round one. 
Cartagena
has a ton of skill to go along with speed and athletic ability. At
this point he is a young prospect with talent but will need to keep
working on the fine points of the sweet science to grow into a
contender. If he improves his defense and works his craft he is one
to keep an eye on in the future. 
This Saturday at the Arena in South Philadelphia rising welterweight
contender Mike Jones will be having a homecoming when he fights Raul
Munoz to stay busy in between bigger HBO fights. Part one covered
Jones past and present including wins over Jesus Soto-Karass on the
big stage, his up and coming days in Philly, and where he heads next
to possible world title challenges in the next year. Part two
focuses more on the workout itself including style points,
adjustments Jones has made, and what he will look to improve going
forward. 
It
was on to more intense work at this point. In stepped another
Philly Fighter Anthony Flores to work on drills. Jones and Flores
moved around the ring taking turns pressing the action in a
controlled setup. Then in stepped strength and conditioning coach
Danny Davis with mitts and body armor to take a pounding. It was
here that Jones put away the grace and showed his vicious side. He
stepped into the unfortunate coach firing body shots with full steam
on his punches. When that round was up it was right back to the
mitts and drills before returning to assaulting Davis who munched
tastycakes in between his being used as a punching bag to get
energy. 
Jones
is coming off a dominant win over Jesus Soto-Karass in Las Vegas on
the Donaire-Montiel undercard. The one sided decision victory in
the rematch with Soto-Karass gave Jones 
“I
want to show everybody I can box, I can punch, I can do it all. On
any given night I can bring out the boxer or I can bring out the
slugger. I’m just working on my game to be the best at both of
them.” 
Jones
admits he was hoping for another big fight but explained his current
perspective on fighting Raul Munoz this Saturday. 
A slow first round ended with Ferrante landing a right hand that
sent Park staggering to the corner. In round two Ferrante landed
several well time straight rights and right uppercuts. Ferrante had
his man hurt in the corner until Park decided to pull the odd moment
of the night. Clearly just trying to survive Park grabbed Ferrante
around the waist then began driving him like a tackling pad across
the entire ring eventually shoving Tony into the ropes and nearly
sending him out of the ring. This would cost Park a point but he
survived the round.
Undefeated Angel Ocasio 5-0 (1 KO) kept his
perfect record intact in a four round lightweight 
Todd
Eriksson gave young Fred Jenkins Jr. (at right) a battle in a close
four rounder in the Super Middleweight Division. Jenkins is the son
of Philly trainer Fred Jenkins and Eriksson was a late replacement
added yesterday. In a tactical fight Eriksson was much busier but
Jenkins landed the cleaner blows. Jenkins 2-0 (1 KO) was awarded
the unanimous decision all three scores of 39-37. Eriksson falls to
3-6-2 (1 KO). 
In
an action packed close brawl “Jolting” Joey Tiberi (left) took a
decision win over Jonathan Ocassio. Tiberi came out in round one
throwing homerun shots intended to do serious damage. Tiberi
continued his assault in round two but seemed to tire halfway
through the round allowing Ocassio 0-8 into the fight. Rounds three
and four were back and forth with entertaining action. The crowd
support was heavy for Tiberi as they chanted Joey, Joey and erupted
every time he landed a hard shot. At the end of the four round
Lightweight bout Tiberi 4-1 (3 KO) was awarded the unanimous
decision by scores of 40-36 and two cards 39-37. 
VS
The
statue was the project and passion of many over several years.
Boxing enthusiasts, fans, local organizations, businesses, and
others throughout the city generously donated time and money to
fund the statue. The lead six who worked together for two years to
bring the statue to reality were artist Carl LeVotch, John
Gallagher, Carmen Bartolomeo, Charles Sgrillo, Fred Druding Jr. and
John DiSanto of Phillyboxinghistory.com.
Artist
Carl LeVotch spoke about being given the opportunity to craft the
statue and get to know all those involved with Giardello through the
years. LeVotch did a great job of summing up why everyone was
present. 
In
round four Carter starting finding his mark and taking control of
the fight. Giardello was cut over his left eye early in the round.
Carter landed stiff left jabs on the champ throughout the round and
then landed a thudding left hook late in the round that had an
effect on Giardello who was forced to hold and buy time. Carter
moved in sensing his advantage to land some more shots but Giardello
using his experience in tough moments survived the round with
holding, movement, and timely punching. 
Going
into the eighth several of the rounds were close but most on press
row felt Wilson was banking the points to build a good lead on the
cards. At the same time he seemed to be tiring and the possibility
existed of a repeat of the first fight where Sheika could wear him
down to a stoppage. 
Guzman
came out sharp in the first round getting to Cruz with good
movement. Guzman was able to get in and out to l
Jennings
continued punishing his opponent in the second and the fight could
have been stopped at any time. Williams 6-4-1 (2 KO) just had no
power to keep Jennings honest and was getting hit all over the
ring. Jennings scored a third knockdown in the second on a left
jab. Between rounds the fight was properly ended as the result was
clear and no need for Williams to get severely hurt.
Derrick
Webster of Glassboro, NJ made short work of Philly’s Jose Medina
with a first round KO. The southpaw Webster came out firing and
quickly scored a knockdown from straight left. He then put Medina
down again with a right jab sending his opponent butt first into the
ropes. Medina got up only to take more of a beating. Webster
finished it with a thudding left hook that sprawled Medina on his
back where he had no shot of getting up. The official end came at
two minutes and twenty nine seconds of the first round. Webster
goes to 7-0 (5 KO). Medina who drops to 15-21 (11 KO) has lost his
last six all by knockout and thirteen of his last fourteen with
eleven of the losses coming by knockout.
Fighting
in front of a large predominantly Polish crowd Adamek’s superior
speed and skill controlled the fight from start to finish. McBride
gave it a tough effort but was never able to match Adamek’s ability
and never landed the big punch he needed to turn the momentum in his
favor. 
It
was relatively easy for Adamek to avoid the slow punches from
McBride. Tomasz would regularly bob under the big man’s lumbering
punches and several times McBride went flying into the ropes after
swinging at air because Adamek had weaved underneath the shot and
out of harm’s way. Afterwards McBride credited Tomasz’s speed as
being the difference. McBride stated he tried to catch Adamek to
land a big punch but he was too fast. 
Sadam
Ali cruised to victory against Javier Perez in the co-main event.
Ali landed at will in the first round and punctuated the round with
a knockdown from a left hook. 
With
the crowd filled with proud Polish fans ready to see their man
Adamek later in the night they got a warm up when Andrzej Fonfara of
Poland. Fonfara scored a big knockout of Ray Smith in a light
heavyweight six rounds at one minute and four seconds of round
four. 
In
the opening bout of the evening Vinny O’Brien halted Shakir Dunn at
two minutes and fifty one seconds of the fourth and final round.
The Jersey native O’Brien fighting in his second pro bout provided
another entertaining brawl for his local fans and supporters. 
In
round three Kennedy got himself a knockdown when Diaz seemed to
half-slip and then be helped down from a punch. Rounds four and
five continued to be close and competitive. Entering the sixth
round this was still anyone’s fight. Then in the sixth Kennedy
turned the fight in his favor and never let go.
Gamboa
took the first round to assess his opponent and then went to work in
round two. The Cuban came out firing and scored a knockdown early
in round two and another knockdown moments later (although the
second knockdown seemed to be more of a push then from a punch).
Gamboa
came out in round four ready to close the show. He dropped Solis
again with a leaping straight right that again sent Solis to the mat
in a haze. Solis managed to rise but had no legs and could only
stand on the ropes in a shell. Gamboa unleashed a flurry of punches
with speed and power Solis could not defend and he crumbled to the
ground for the fifth time and wisely the fight was waived off.
Gamboa 20-0 (16 KO) gets the TKO at one minute and thirty one
seconds of round four. With the win he retains his WBA
featherweight belt and picks up the IBF belt as well. Solis was
game but simply overmatched by the young athletic phenom and falls
to 40-3-2 (29 KO). 
Adamek
spent over an hour displaying his skills and joking with everyone in
the room
Mabuza
23-7-33 (14 KO) continued but he was out on his feet. Judah charged
in raining punches and the fight was stopped at fifty nine seconds
of round seven. 
Judah
started fast in the first but Mabuza came on in the second. In
round four Judah had control including a big left uppercut counter
punch in the corner similar to the way he ended the fight. But late
in the round a slip aided by a punch from Mabuza caused Judah to
touch his glove to the ground and it was ruled a knockdown. Judah
became animated over the ruling. The round could easily have been
scored only 10-9 for Mabuza as Judah controlled the rest of the
round. 
Afterwards
Judah grabbed a microphone and climbed the ropes to address the
crowd. He thanked the fans for supporting him over the years. He
further stated that he is a different man than the one he was
before. 
Simms
who started in a southpaw stance but switched to orthodox for the
majority of the fight easily controlled the first two rounds with
solid fundamentals and a variety of punches. Mackey came on in
rounds three and four to land some clean shots but never was able to
hurt Simms. 
New
Jersey native Vinny O’Brien made his professional debut in an action
packed brawl with Philly native David Navarro. O’Brien won by TKO
after the fight was stopped prior to round four on the advice of the
doctor. 
cards
promoted by Main Events to feature up and coming fighters. The
series is a return to Main Events roots of promoting local fighters
on the rise in competitive bouts. The arena is being billed as an
intimate setting that will provide exciting boxing with great seats
and a standing room area for those that want to watch and mingle
with other fans.
Mabuza
and his assistant trainer had little to say. “Mabuza stated "I'm
glad to be back in America. It's an honor to me to fight a person
like Zab Judah. I think he had his time; he's a former world
champion. I think this is my time, because I'm still hungry for
success. And I promise him, when I take the ring I change, I become
a new man. I'm hungry for success so you have to expect that it will
be like fireworks."
Judah
took the floor last and spoke about his opponent and his idea on
what will happen.
The
co-headliner features veteran Tarvis Simms 26-1-1 (11 KO) dropping
down from super middleweight to middleweight against John Mackey
13-5-2 (6 KO). Simms who lost a close decision to Alan Green last
year will be looking to take a run towards a middleweight title. 
The
main event was an inner city war between “King” Gabe Rosado of North
Philadelphia and Jamaal “Da Truth” Davis of West Philly. The two
local products would be looking for a victory but also to provide
fans with a small window into the past to time when Philly fighters
provided regular thrillers.
serious
damage although he was winning the rounds. 
