09 Boxing Thread:: 12/12 Diaz.vs.Malignaggi HBO/Bradley.vs.Peterson Showtime

[sir rob a lot]

Judah/Hatton

If they get Winky it has potential to be a good card that night....

 

[ValarMorghulis]

PBF better deliver... straight calling Sugar Shane out in that vid lol

 

[sir rob a lot]

Originally Posted by cleansneaksonly21

PBF better deliver... straight calling Sugar Shane out in that vid lol

Nah my dude....i took it as he was disrespected Shane. Like he ain't on my level.....

either way....PBF better win

 

[stringer bell 32]

That September card is looking nice

 

[caponecartels]

so whats the deal with hatton? is he even good? or a bum?

 

[sir rob a lot]

^^^He's a bum. Only decent win in US was he victory over faded Ben Tackie.

Zab got this.

 

[dako akong otin]

Gorres just signed with Top Rank

They trying to get him to fightundercard of "Pinoy Power 2"

 

[caponecartels]

Since my own little boxing thread is failing, I'll just post this question in here:

Did Leonard use the wrong strategy against Duran? or did Duran force him to fight the way he did? Many feel Leonard fought the wrong fight that night,
opting to stay and fight in front of Duran, rather than stick and move. But prior to this fight, Leonard really
never did fight like that, and was more in your face and throw combo's. Although Leonard had the tools
to fight like that, I think what happened was that Duran FORCED him to fight, not Leonard choosing not to.
Duran was truly on fire that night, feinting beautifully, throwing that right hand constantly, and really cutting off the ring.

A great performance from Leonard, but that was Duran's night.

What do you guy's think?

 

[dako akong otin]

lemme watch that fight again to refresh my memory

I just rememberRay tried to fight Duran's game and didn't do to well

 

[sir rob a lot]

I also need to rewatch the fight

But I will say this...... Duran was a mean SOB, literally. Thats why I hate it when people say PacMan is a modern day Duran. Yes, they are both fiery in thering. But the thing that sets them apart is that Manny seems like a nice guy out of the ring, while Duran maintained that SOB persona outside.

When Roberto Duran was on his game.....NO ONE could beat him.

 

[lesgodsonc0]

so whats the deal with hatton? is he even good? or a bum?
As someone in this thread once told me...he fights on untelevised cards for a reason...

I'm sorry but Zab needs a new promoter...Matthew Hatton is the best you could do? Who's he with now, anyway? Is it still Square Ring (RJJ'spromotion)

 

[caponecartels]

Originally Posted by Sir Rob A Lot

I also need to rewatch the fight

But I will say this...... Duran was a mean SOB, literally. Thats why I hate it when people say PacMan is a modern day Duran. Yes, they are both fiery in the ring. But the thing that sets them apart is that Manny seems like a nice guy out of the ring, while Duran maintained that SOB persona outside.

When Roberto Duran was on his game.....NO ONE could beat him.

Exactly.

Hell, he even flipped off Benitez after the fight. I gotta find that clip....

 

[proshares]

[h2]Bute-Andrade rematch set for Nov. 28[/h2]
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By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
Archive

In a rematch of a controversial fight last fall, super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute will face mandatory challenger Librado Andrade again.

The fight will take place Nov. 28 in either Bute's adopted hometown of Montreal or in Quebec City and be televised on HBO's "Boxing After Dark." It will be the network's first foray to Canada to televise a boxing match in its 36 years of covering the sport.

Although Andrade promoter Golden Boy won a purse bid for the bout last week by outbidding Bute promoter InterBox ($1.211 to $1.195 million) for the right to promote the fight, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer and InterBox chief Jean Bedard worked out an agreement to co-promote the bout in Canada, they announced Wednesday.

[+] Enlarge
Tom Casino/ShowtimeA deal has been set for a Nov. 28 rematch between Librado Andrade, left, and Lucian Bute, whose first bout ended in controversial fashion in Oct. 2008.

"I'm very happy about it. So is Andrade, Bute and HBO," Schaefer said. "The first fight was terrific and it's a perfect fight for 'Boxing After Dark.'"

The fight announcement comes just two days after Showtime formally unveiled plans for a super middleweight tournament that includes six of the top fighters in the 168-pound division, including titleholders Mikkel Kessler and Carl Froch, Jermain Taylor, Andre Ward, Andre Dirrell and Arthur Abraham, who vacated a middleweight title to move up in weight last week. Bute and Andrade, however, were not invited to participate despite strong resumes.

"Librado is one of the best and most dangerous 168 pounders in the world and I was dead serious when I said I would fight him anywhere in the world," Bute said. "We have unfinished business to settle in the ring. This being said, I am thrilled that the fight will take place in Quebec, in front of my fans. For me, this is a dream come true and I plan to take full advantage of this opportunity. I will beat Librado and then will fight anybody willing to enter the ring against me."

Said Andrade: "I really can't wait for the fight and am excited for it to take place in Canada where all of the fans saw our first fight. We have unfinished business and I'm happy that it will be settled where it matters most. I'm coming to win. No decision this time. I'm coming to finish what I started in our first fight."

Bute-Andrade I, which Showtime televised on Oct. 24 from the Bell Centre in Montreal, wasn't particularly competitive as Bute (24-0, 19 KOs) won via clear unanimous decision. However, the fight ended with fireworks and a storm of controversy because of what happened in the final few seconds of the 12th round.

Bute, who had been winning quite easily and led on all three scorecards, came out for the final round but was tiring. Andrade (28-2, 21 KOs) caught him with some hard punches and was battering him around the ring in the final 15 seconds of the bout before finally knocking him down with a flush right hand with three seconds left.

Bute was in bad shape when Canadian referee Marlon Wright stopped his count to admonish Andrade for coming too far out of the neutral corner. The delay of several seconds in the count appeared to give Bute valuable extra recovery time. He made it to his feet and the fight ended before Andrade could attempt another punch.

Despite the controversy, Andrade is willing to go back to Canada to fight Bute there again. Andrade has fought there three times and been so warmly received by fans that he bought a second home there.

"His heart is Mexican, but he feels half Canadian," Schaefer said. "He really loves Montreal.

"He feels very much at home in Canada and very much appreciates the friendliness of the Canadian people, so he is very happy to come to Canada, which he considers his second home. Should he win the world title, he made it clear to me that he would like to continue to fight in Canada."

Don't count on seeing Wright referee the rematch.

"I know there were some issues the first time around," Schaefer said. "We want to make sure there are no issues this time and we really don't anticipate any."

Said Bedard, "There are a lot of other referees. We've got to go forward. It would be better if it was another referee, but [Wright] is a good official."

After Golden Boy won the purse bid, Schaefer was making plans to stage the fight in Mexico in September until reaching out to Bedard, whom he had never worked with before, to see if they could do something in Canada. They clicked and worked out a deal.

"Both fighters wanted to fight each other the sooner the better," Schaefer said. "There were opportunities to do the fight in September on non-HBO or in Mexico, but if both fighters have the opportunity to be on HBO, it's like the seal of approval. For Librado and Bute, it meant they would have to wait to November and they gladly accepted that so they could be on HBO."

Bute, 29, who is from Romania but became a major star in his adopted hometown of Montreal, will be making his fourth title defense. He knocked out Fulgencio Zuniga in the fourth round in his most recent defense in March.

Andrade, 30, rebounded from the loss to Bute to win a lopsided decision against Vitali Tsypko in an April 4 title eliminator at the Bell Centre.

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.

 

[eagle 0n]

I believe Zab is with Mayweather Promotions right now

 

[sir rob a lot]

Lucian Bute will face mandatory challenger Librado Andrade again

.....so does that mean Allan Green is done for the year? I want my dude to wina world title.

 

[proshares]

Green is SOL. He's not a great fighter IMO. Too inconsistent for my liking.

[h1][/h1]

[h1]Mayweather, Marquez keeping mum on megafight details[/h1]

By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: July 17, 2009, 10:40 AM ET

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Ed Mulholland/FightWireImages.com

Proceed with caution: Reporters had better think twice about prodding an unusually reserved Floyd Mayweather.
[h3]Mysteries surround Mayweather-Marquez[/h3]
The promoters of the Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez fight have dubbed it "Number One/Numero Uno," their selling point being that it pits America's No. 1 fighter, Mayweather, against Mexico's top boxer, Marquez.

They're also hyping it as the battle for the No. 1 spot on the mythical pound-for-pound list, even though Manny Pacquiao and his supporters certainly would disagree.

Mayweather-Marquez, however, might as well be called the "Mayweather Mystery Tour."

There are two mysteries surrounding the fight, which was supposed to take place Saturday but was postponed until Sept. 19 (HBO PPV) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas because Mayweather said he suffered a rib injury.

Restarting the promotion this week, Mayweather and Marquez spoke to reporters on a teleconference. But rather than provide straight answers to the burning questions of the day, they were evasive, especially Mayweather, who ducked questions like he has ducked elite welterweights.

Asked repeatedly to detail his injury, Mayweather refused.

Denise Truscello/WireImage/Getty Images

Floyd Mayweather has refused to go into details on how he suffered a rib injury during training.

Asked yet again for a clarification on the contract weight, both fighters refused to answer, as did promoter Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions (lightweight champion Marquez is moving up in weight). All they would say is that it's a welterweight fight -- even though multiple sources with knowledge of the contract have told ESPN.com that the maximum weight is 144 pounds.

That makes it a welterweight fight -- anything above 140 pounds to 147 is technically a welterweight match -- but you have to wonder, why all the secrecy? They were more guarded with information than the Bush administration.

Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs), who is coming out of retirement and hasn't fought since knocking out Ricky Hatton in a welterweight title defense in December 2007, was cryptic with the discussion of his injury.

"The rib injury, you know, it happened in training," he said. "I don't have to say much, but believe me it wasn't a small guy that did it. It didn't even come from sparring. So nobody really knows what it came from. That's it right there, I know what it came from exactly. Freak accidents happen in training. We do a lot of different workouts in training and freak accidents happen. So it was just a freak accident."

Care to elaborate?

"Well, when it happened I tried to work through it," he said. "I was fine for a while. But then it happened again. And I was like, well, you know what? I can't try to be a superhero or be Superman. It's best to take your time, take a little time off, let it heal and come back, so when I do go out and perform I'll be able to perform to the best of my ability for my fans."

Asked again if it happened while sparring or running or some other exercise, Mayweather offered only, "I would never tell exactly what happened. I just had a rib injury. But by Sept. 19 you won't be able to tell because I'm going to perform. I'm going to be at my best."

Pressed again during the call, Mayweather sounded like he was getting annoyed.

Reporter: "Why is it a secret about your rib injury? Can't you just say, 'Hey, I took a shot [in the ribs]'?"

Mayweather: "Wait, slow down. Slow down. Who said it was a secret? I got hurt in training and I'll leave it at that."

Reporter: "And how is your injury?"

Mayweather: "I don't have to go in depth about what happened to me. I got a rib injury in training and I'm healed, and now I'm ready to rock and roll."

Reporter: "You can't say whether it's from a punch or just hitting the bag, or what?"

Mayweather: "What did I just tell you?"

Although there has been healthy skepticism about the veracity of the injury, Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs), at least publicly, said he believed Mayweather.

"I'm sure that there's solid evidence," Marquez said through a translator. "There should be some paperwork from the doctors. And I'm sure that he presented the paperwork that was needed in order to prove that it was a legitimate injury. I was calm. I'm fine. I mean, things happen for a reason. This happened and I'm OK. I'm ready to go."

Then there is the debate about the weight. Even though some outlets reported it as a 143-pound fight and sources directly involved in the fight told ESPN.com it was 144, Mayweather isn't saying.

When asked if he would have a problem making 143 pounds, Mayweather, who estimated his weight at 149 or 150 during the call, said, "I'm not weighing 143. This is a welterweight fight. Whatever I come in weighing, that's what I come in weighing, but I don't have to weigh 143. I don't know where you heard those rumors from."

Schaefer added, "It will be the most covered weigh-in ever because everybody wants to know what the weight is. So make sure you don't miss it!"

Marquez, who has never been heavier than 135 pounds for a fight, toed the party line when asked about the weight.

"There is an agreement between us, and the fight's a welterweight fight," he said. "Anything over 140 pounds is considered welterweight. This is a welterweight fight and we'll see come weigh-in day."

Golden Boy boss Oscar De La Hoya followed Schaefer's lead, using the weight question as a way to hype a fight many view as a Mayweather rout.

"Everybody wants to know what the weight is," he said. "Well, I think the whole world is going to be tuning in and making an event itself on what the weight is, and you can watch Friday night [Sept. 18] on what both fighters are going to be weighing."
[h3]Mayweather-Marquez undercard[/h3]
The rematch between featherweight titlist Chris John (42-0-2, 22 KOs) and Rocky Juarez (28-4-1, 20 KOs) has been tentatively rescheduled for Sept. 19 on the Mayweather-Marquez undercard.

"Both camps have agreed on the compensation, but now I need to get it approved by Team Mayweather," Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com.

Al Bello/Getty Images

Chris John-Rocky Juarez II will likely land on the Mayweather-Marquez undercard on Sept. 19.

Mayweather Promotions has final say on many details concerning the card, including undercard bouts. John and Juarez fought to a draw in an all-action fight in February. Although most believed John won, it was an exciting fight and a rematch was scheduled for June 27, but it was postponed a week before the fight because John was ill. However, John adviser Sampson Lewkowicz told ESPN.com that John was cleared to begin training Tuesday and he expects the bout to be finalized.

"We've agreed on everything but we have no contract yet," he said. "I say, yes, it will happen, but at the same time we haven't signed the contract. With Mayweather being the boss, you never know."

The PPV could also include a lightweight match between all-action fighter Michael Katsidis of Australia and 2004 U.S. Olympian Vicente Escobedo. It's a fight Golden Boy attempted to make earlier in the year, but Katsidis turned it down.

"Now Katsidis is willing to do it," Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez told ESPN.com. "Escobedo has wanted it from the beginning."

Holding it up? "It's a money issue on both sides," Gomez said. "It's a little expensive."
[h3]Khan goes for title[/h3]
England's Amir Khan came out of the 2004 Olympics with a silver medal and massive hype to go with fast hands and heavy punches. In 2007, Khan was named ESPN.com's Prospect of the Year. However, Khan's star dimmed in September 2008 when he was stunningly knocked out in the first round by Breidis Prescott, who headlines this week's "Friday Night Fights" (ESPN2, 10 p.m. ET).

Khan hooked up with trainer Freddie Roach and rebounded with two victories, including a five-round technical decision against Marco Antonio Barrera in March.

Now, the 22-year-old Khan (20-1, 15 KOs) can grab back his mantle as boxing's next big thing by capturing a world title at junior welterweight against Ukraine's Andreas Kotelnik (31-2-1, 13 KOs) Saturday night in London.

Kotelnik, 31, who is making his third defense, is irritated by talk from Khan's camp that the fight is a steppingstone for Khan to bigger fights.

"All I hear from Khan's camp is that he's going to be fighting [Ricky] Hatton or [Juan Manuel] Marquez or even King Kong after he has beaten me," Kotelnik said. "Amir thinks that all he has to do is turn up and he'll be walking away with my title. He's very arrogant for a fighter who hasn't even had a world title fight yet, and I plan on punishing him badly. I'm the one who will be going on to bigger and better things later this year because I am the one who is going to win this fight."

Khan, who is moving up from lightweight, has taken exception to some of Kotelnik's comments in which he has said Khan is too young and inexperienced to compete with him.

"If he's going around saying that I am a kid, then I will let my fists do the talking," Khan said. "He's going to be in for a shock. If he thinks it is going to be an easy fight for him, then he has got something else coming. It will be exciting, but at the end of the day it will be me with the belt around my waist, and we will see who the child is then."

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.

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4 comments on "Mayweather, Marquez keeping mum on megafight details"

[h4]QUICK HITS[/h4]

Kessler

• Although Showtime formally announced the Super Six World Boxing Classic this week, two of the participants in the super middleweight round-robin tournament will fight before it begins. Even before the tournament was announced, the plan was for titleholder Mikkel Kessler of Denmark, who has been idle since October, to make an overdue mandatory defense against Gusmyl Perdomo. The fight goes to purse bid Monday. Assuming Sauerland Event, Kessler's new promoter, wins the bid, Showtime plans to televise the bout, likely Sept. 12, on tape-delay from Europe. It would be paired with live coverage of an Andre Ward fight from California, Ward promoter Dan Goossen told ESPN.com. Kessler and Ward are scheduled to meet in November in their first bouts of the tournament. It is unclear what will happen if either loses the tuneup fight.

Williams

• Goossen is also working on an HBO doubleheader (target date: Oct. 3) that would feature Paul Williams in the main event with Cristobal Arreola in the televised opener. Williams, who holds an interim junior middleweight belt, might face titleholder Sergei Dzindziruk of Ukraine, whom HBO would approve. Arreola, who did not get the September fight with heavyweight titleholder Vitali Klitschko that many expected him to land, probably will face former titleholder Oleg Maskaev in an elimination bout in which the winner would become Klitschko's next mandatory challenger. The card likely would take place in Southern California, according to Goossen.

Jacobs

• Hot middleweight prospect Daniel Jacobs (17-0, 15 KOs) likely will make his HBO debut Aug. 22 in the opening bout of a tripleheader from Houston against first-season "Contender" participant Ishe Smith (21-3, 9 KOs), a slick boxer who has fought mostly at junior middleweight. "Both sides have agreed to everything and we are drafting contracts," Golden Boy's Eric Gomez told ESPN.com. Peter Manfredo Jr., also of "Contender" fame, was the original target for Jacobs but that deal fizzled. Golden Boy looked to sign Billy Lyell, who upset John Duddy in April, to fight Jacobs, but HBO wouldn't approve. Also on the card are the previously announced fights: Houston's Juan Diaz against Paulie Malignaggi in a junior welterweight crossroads fight, and junior lightweight titlist Malcolm Klassen of South Africa defending against Robert Guerrero.

Andrade

• Super middleweight contender Librado Andrade, whose rematch with titlist Lucian Bute is set for Nov. 28 on HBO in either Montreal or Quebec City, was a big Arturo Gatti fan. Given the recent death of Gatti, as well as Andrade's admiration for him and the fact that the fight will take place in the province where Gatti grew up, Andrade is dedicating the fight to the fallen former two-division titleholder. "Because he has always been an inspiration to me and I fight with the same never-give-up, warrior's spirit that Arturo Gatti fought with, and because he was from Montreal, I am dedicating this fight to his memory," Andrade said.

Urango

• The Aug. 28 season finale of ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights" could end up with a second title bout as the opening match. The main event at the Hard Rock in Hollywood, Fla., is already set -- junior welterweight titlist Juan Urango in a mandatory against ex-titlist Randall Bailey. However, Seminole Warriors Boxing promoter Leon Margules told ESPN.com he is in talks with Richie Boy Promotions about adding Tavoris Cloud against Clinton Woods to the show. They are slated to meet for the light heavyweight belt that Chad Dawson vacated to take a more lucrative rematch with ex-champ Glen Johnson. Richie Boy won the purse bid for the fight this week, bidding $191,000, easily beating the $105,000 offer from Woods promoter Dennis Hobson. However, Richie Boy has nowhere to put the fight and stands to lose a fortune doing it without TV or a casino venue such as the Hard Rock. Richie Boy had turned down a lucrative two-fight offer from HBO that would have seen Cloud step aside and fight on the Dawson-Johnson II undercard with a guaranteed title shot at Dawson if they both won. Cloud will still get a title opportunity, but for far less money on a lower-profile card.

Agbeko

• Bantamweight titlist Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko (27-1, 22 KOs), who won a grueling decision victory in a stiff challenge from junior bantamweight champ Vic Darchinyan last Saturday, hopes promoter Don King will keep him a bit busier than he has been. Agbeko won the title via a dominant seventh-round TKO of Luis Perez in September 2007 but has fought only twice since. Agbeko would also like to claim more hardware. "I have the desire to move up and fight the best guys in the bigger weight classes, but I want to get one or two more titles at bantamweight first before I move up. I know I can do it."

Gamboa

• So much for Yuriorkis Gamboa making a big summer splash in his first fight with new co-promoter Top Rank. Gamboa was scheduled to defend his interim featherweight belt July 25 in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, in the co-feature of the "Latin Fury 10" pay-per-view. Top Rank pulled Gamboa off the show this week because the Cuban defector has been unable to secure proper visas in time for the card. The fight likely will be rescheduled on Top Rank's Sept. 26 "Latin Fury 11" in New York. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. faces Jason LeHoullier in next week's main event. Added to the PPV to replace Gamboa's bout is a junior bantamweight fight between Alejandro Martinez and Juan Alberto Rosas. Also on the PPV: Giovanni Segura defends his junior flyweight title against Sonny Boy Jaro and Urbano Antillon boxes Miguel Acosta for a vacant interim lightweight belt.

Franco

• Featherweight Luis Franco, a 2004 Cuban Olympian who defected, will follow in the footsteps of several teammates, including Gamboa, Odlanier Solis and Guillermo Rigondeaux when he turns pro July 31 on the ESPN2 "Friday Night Fights" undercard. Franco, 27, who had more than 400 amateur bouts and won the 2000 world junior championships, signed a co-promotional deal with Seminole Warriors Boxing and Bad Dog Promotions. His wife and child remain in Cuba. Franco earned an Olympic berth on Cuba's 2008 Olympic team but was removed due to fears he would defect, which he eventually did. "Cuba has a rich boxing history, from Kid Chocolate to Kid Gavilan and Joel Casamayor," said Leon Margules of Seminole Warriors Boxing. "We believe Luis Franco has the talent and potential to do big things in the coming years." Added Richard Dobal of Bad Dog: "As a Cuban-American, I follow the Cuban Olympic boxing team very closely. What jumps out and separates Franco from the recent group that defected is his boxing style, which is more suited to the professional game. Because of that, Franco may be the best prospect to come out of Cuba in years."

Sylvester

• With Arthur Abraham vacating his middleweight belt to enter the Showtime super middleweight tournament, Giovanni Lorenzo and Sebastian Sylvester (31-3, 15 KOs) will meet for the vacant belt Sept. 19 in Neubrandenburg, Germany, according to Lorenzo promoter Main Events. Lorenzo (27-1, 19 KO), a New York-based Dominican, knocked out Dionisio Miranda in the second round in February in a title eliminator. Sylvester failed in his only previous attempt at a world title, losing a decision to German countryman Felix Sturm in November 2008.

Harris

• The lone remaining unscheduled "Friday Night Fights" main event has been set. On the Aug. 14 card from Tucson, Ariz., former junior welterweight titlist Vivian Harris (29-3-1, 19 KOs) will face Mexico's Noe Bolanos (20-4-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-rounder, Golden Boy's Gomez said. Harris hasn't fought since struggling to a sixth-round TKO of Octavio Narvaez in October. Narvaez dropped Harris twice in the first round.

Witherspoon

• Heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon, in a purse dispute with promoter Lou DiBella, withdrew from a pick 'em fight with Carl Davis Drumond; the fight was scheduled to open the July 31 edition of "Friday Night Fights" (ESPN2) at the Hard Rock resort in Hollywood, Fla. Derric Rossy (21-2, 12 KOs) replaces Witherspoon on the Seminole Warriors Boxing card. Drumond (26-1, 20 KOs) suffered his only loss in February in a competitive six-round technical decision against Ruslan Chagaev. The fight was sent to the scorecards when Chagaev suffered a cut from an accidental head butt and couldn't continue. Former lightweight titlist Julio Diaz faces Victor Manuel Cayo in the main event.

[h4]QUOTABLE[/h4]

Froch

"I have the punching power, I have superior boxing skills, and I will stamp my authority on the tournament from the first bell on." -- Super middleweight titleholder Carl Froch, on his plans for Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic, in which he will face Andre Dirrell on the first day of the tournament in October

[h4]QUOTABLE[/h4]

Dirrell

"I begged for that fight. Froch is tailor-made for me. He hasn't showed me anything. I think this will be my easiest fight. If he can beat me, then he's a true champion. [But] I will be victorious. -- Dirrell, on his plans for the super middleweight tournament

[h4]QUOTABLE[/h4]

Kotelnik

"All I hear from Khan's camp is that he's going to be fighting [Ricky] Hatton or [Juan Manuel] Marquez or even King Kong after he has beaten me. Amir thinks that all he has to do is turn up on July 18 and he'll be walking away with my title. He's very arrogant for a fighter who hasn't even had a world title fight yet, and I plan on punishing him badly." -- junior welterweight titlist Andreas Kotelnik, on his upcoming defense against Amir Khan.

Hyped for this weekend. Don't miss Prescott fighting tonight either.

 

[mextra45]

The best Bantamweight in the world probably

 

[gunna get it]

Yea mannnn, that Japanese Dude is a Problem. Vic would get DEMOLISHED by him and Agbeko would Lose Badly to him too

 

[dako akong otin]

Originally Posted by mextra45

The best Bantamweight in the world probably

lol..�� thats my boy Malcolm Tunacao thats hugging Hasegawa...� What the hell is he doing there? Hasegawa's towel boy?

 

[boxer]

hasegawa has been slick.

watching that video reminded me how much i hate having to spar southpaws.

 

[gunna get it]

---

lol..�� thats my boy Malcolm Tunacao thats hugging Hasegawa...� What the hell is he doing there? Hasegawa's towel boy?

---

Boxer... How much Gym work u get in per week?

 

[scott frost]

Originally Posted by boxer


watching that video reminded me how much i hate having to spar southpaws.

....I get a decent amount of work in because I am a southpaw. Circleright, keep my right foot outside and wait to drop the left.

 

[proshares]

Originally Posted by GUNNA GET IT

Yea mannnn, that Japanese Dude is a Problem. Vic would get DEMOLISHED by him and Agbeko would Lose Badly to him too

I don't know about badly but I think he'd beat Agbeko in a close fight. He's never fought outside of Japan, I mean take that for what it'sworth but I've always been weary of those kind of fighters. Put it on neutral soil I'll guarantee it'd be a very close fight. Both pack a punchbut Hasegawa is a better boxer. I think his only fights I've seen were against Sahaprom.

 

[proshares]

[h1][/h1]

[h1]Mayweather, Marquez keeping mum on megafight details[/h1]

By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: July 17, 2009, 12:09 PM ET

• Comment
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• Print

Ed Mulholland/FightWireImages.com

Proceed with caution: Reporters had better think twice about prodding an unusually reserved Floyd Mayweather.
[h3]Mysteries surround Mayweather-Marquez[/h3]
The promoters of the Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez fight have dubbed it "Number One/Numero Uno," their selling point being that it pits America's No. 1 fighter, Mayweather, against Mexico's top boxer, Marquez.

They're also hyping it as the battle for the No. 1 spot on the mythical pound-for-pound list, even though Manny Pacquiao and his supporters certainly would disagree.

Mayweather-Marquez, however, might as well be called the "Mayweather Mystery Tour."

There are two mysteries surrounding the fight, which was supposed to take place Saturday but was postponed until Sept. 19 (HBO PPV) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas because Mayweather said he suffered a rib injury.

Restarting the promotion this week, Mayweather and Marquez spoke to reporters on a teleconference. But rather than provide straight answers to the burning questions of the day, they were evasive, especially Mayweather, who ducked questions like he has ducked elite welterweights.

Asked repeatedly to detail his injury, Mayweather refused.

Denise Truscello/WireImage/Getty Images

Floyd Mayweather has refused to go into details on how he suffered a rib injury during training.

Asked yet again for a clarification on the contract weight, both fighters refused to answer, as did promoter Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions. All they would say is that it's a welterweight fight -- even though multiple sources with knowledge of the contract have told ESPN.com that the maximum weight is 144 pounds.

That makes it a welterweight fight -- anything above 140 pounds to 147 is technically a welterweight match -- but you have to wonder, why all the secrecy? They were more guarded with information than the Bush administration.

Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs), who is coming out of retirement and hasn't fought since knocking out Ricky Hatton in a welterweight title defense in December 2007, was cryptic with the discussion of his injury.

"The rib injury, you know, it happened in training," he said. "I don't have to say much, but believe me it wasn't a small guy that did it. It didn't even come from sparring. So nobody really knows what it came from. That's it right there, I know what it came from exactly. Freak accidents happen in training. We do a lot of different workouts in training and freak accidents happen. So it was just a freak accident."

Care to elaborate?

"Well, when it happened I tried to work through it," he said. "I was fine for a while. But then it happened again. And I was like, well, you know what? I can't try to be a superhero or be Superman. It's best to take your time, take a little time off, let it heal and come back, so when I do go out and perform I'll be able to perform to the best of my ability for my fans."

Asked again if it happened while sparring or running or some other exercise, Mayweather offered only, "I would never tell exactly what happened. I just had a rib injury. But by Sept. 19 you won't be able to tell because I'm going to perform. I'm going to be at my best."

Pressed again during the call, Mayweather sounded like he was getting annoyed.

Reporter: "Why is it a secret about your rib injury? Can't you just say, 'Hey, I took a shot [in the ribs]'?"

Mayweather: "Wait, slow down. Slow down. Who said it was a secret? I got hurt in training and I'll leave it at that."

Reporter: "And how is your injury?"

Mayweather: "I don't have to go in depth about what happened to me. I got a rib injury in training and I'm healed, and now I'm ready to rock and roll."

Reporter: "You can't say whether it's from a punch or just hitting the bag, or what?"

Mayweather: "What did I just tell you?"

Although there has been healthy skepticism about the veracity of the injury, Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs), at least publicly, said he believed Mayweather.

"I'm sure that there's solid evidence," Marquez said through a translator. "There should be some paperwork from the doctors. And I'm sure that he presented the paperwork that was needed in order to prove that it was a legitimate injury. I was calm. I'm fine. I mean, things happen for a reason. This happened and I'm OK. I'm ready to go."

Then there is the debate about the weight. Even though some outlets reported it as a 143-pound fight and sources directly involved in the fight told ESPN.com it was 144, Mayweather isn't saying.

When asked if he would have a problem making 143 pounds, Mayweather, who estimated his weight at 149 or 150 during the call, said, "I'm not weighing 143. This is a welterweight fight. Whatever I come in weighing, that's what I come in weighing, but I don't have to weigh 143. I don't know where you heard those rumors from."

Schaefer, who won't publicly discuss the weight so as not to damage the fragile business relationship he has forged with Mayweather, added, "It will be the most covered weigh-in ever because everybody wants to know what the weight is. So make sure you don't miss it!"

Marquez, who has never been heavier than 135 pounds for a fight, toed the party line when asked about the weight.

"There is an agreement between us, and the fight's a welterweight fight," he said. "Anything over 140 pounds is considered welterweight. This is a welterweight fight and we'll see come weigh-in day."

Golden Boy boss Oscar De La Hoya followed Schaefer's lead, using the weight question as a way to hype a fight many view as a Mayweather rout.

"Everybody wants to know what the weight is," he said. "Well, I think the whole world is going to be tuning in and making an event itself on what the weight is, and you can watch Friday night [Sept. 18] on what both fighters are going to be weighing."
[h3]Mayweather-Marquez undercard[/h3]
The rematch between featherweight titlist Chris John (42-0-2, 22 KOs) and Rocky Juarez (28-4-1, 20 KOs) has been tentatively rescheduled for Sept. 19 on the Mayweather-Marquez undercard.

"Both camps have agreed on the compensation, but now I need to get it approved by Team Mayweather," Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com.

Al Bello/Getty Images

Chris John-Rocky Juarez II will likely land on the Mayweather-Marquez undercard on Sept. 19.

Mayweather Promotions has final say on many details concerning the card, including undercard bouts. John and Juarez fought to a draw in an all-action fight in February. Although most believed John won, it was an exciting fight and a rematch was scheduled for June 27, but it was postponed a week before the fight because John was ill. However, John adviser Sampson Lewkowicz told ESPN.com that John was cleared to begin training Tuesday and he expects the bout to be finalized.

"We've agreed on everything but we have no contract yet," he said. "I say, yes, it will happen, but at the same time we haven't signed the contract. With Mayweather being the boss, you never know."

The PPV could also include a lightweight match between all-action fighter Michael Katsidis of Australia and 2004 U.S. Olympian Vicente Escobedo. It's a fight Golden Boy attempted to make earlier in the year, but Katsidis turned it down.

"Now Katsidis is willing to do it," Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez told ESPN.com. "Escobedo has wanted it from the beginning."

Holding it up? "It's a money issue on both sides," Gomez said. "It's a little expensive."
[h3]Khan goes for title[/h3]
England's Amir Khan came out of the 2004 Olympics with a silver medal and massive hype to go with fast hands and heavy punches. In 2007, Khan was named ESPN.com's Prospect of the Year. However, Khan's star dimmed in September 2008 when he was stunningly knocked out in the first round by Breidis Prescott, who headlines this week's "Friday Night Fights" (ESPN2, 10 p.m. ET).

Khan hooked up with trainer Freddie Roach and rebounded with two victories, including a five-round technical decision against Marco Antonio Barrera in March.

Now, the 22-year-old Khan (20-1, 15 KOs) can grab back his mantle as boxing's next big thing by capturing a world title at junior welterweight against Ukraine's Andreas Kotelnik (31-2-1, 13 KOs) Saturday night in London.

Kotelnik, 31, who is making his third defense, is irritated by talk from Khan's camp that the fight is a steppingstone for Khan to bigger fights.

"All I hear from Khan's camp is that he's going to be fighting [Ricky] Hatton or [Juan Manuel] Marquez or even King Kong after he has beaten me," Kotelnik said. "Amir thinks that all he has to do is turn up and he'll be walking away with my title. He's very arrogant for a fighter who hasn't even had a world title fight yet, and I plan on punishing him badly. I'm the one who will be going on to bigger and better things later this year because I am the one who is going to win this fight."

Khan, who is moving up from lightweight, has taken exception to some of Kotelnik's comments in which he has said Khan is too young and inexperienced to compete with him.

"If he's going around saying that I am a kid, then I will let my fists do the talking," Khan said. "He's going to be in for a shock. If he thinks it is going to be an easy fight for him, then he has got something else coming. It will be exciting, but at the end of the day it will be me with the belt around my waist, and we will see who the child is then."

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.

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21 comments on "Mayweather, Marquez keeping mum on megafight details"

[h4]QUICK HITS[/h4]

Kessler

• Although Showtime formally announced the Super Six World Boxing Classic this week, two of the participants in the super middleweight round-robin tournament will fight before it begins. Even before the tournament was announced, the plan was for titleholder Mikkel Kessler of Denmark, who has been idle since October, to make an overdue mandatory defense against Gusmyl Perdomo. The fight goes to purse bid Monday. Assuming Sauerland Event, Kessler's new promoter, wins the bid, Showtime plans to televise the bout, likely Sept. 12, on tape-delay from Europe. It would be paired with live coverage of an Andre Ward fight from California, Ward promoter Dan Goossen told ESPN.com. Kessler and Ward are scheduled to meet in November in their first bouts of the tournament. It is unclear what will happen if either loses the tuneup fight.

Williams

• Goossen is also working on an HBO doubleheader (target date: Oct. 3) that would feature Paul Williams in the main event with Cristobal Arreola in the televised opener. Williams, who holds an interim junior middleweight belt, might face titleholder Sergei Dzindziruk of Ukraine, whom HBO would approve. Arreola, who did not get the September fight with heavyweight titleholder Vitali Klitschko that many expected him to land, probably will face former titleholder Oleg Maskaev in an elimination bout in which the winner would become Klitschko's next mandatory challenger. The card likely would take place in Southern California, according to Goossen.

Jacobs

• Hot middleweight prospect Daniel Jacobs (17-0, 15 KOs) likely will make his HBO debut Aug. 22 in the opening bout of a tripleheader from Houston against first-season "Contender" participant Ishe Smith (21-3, 9 KOs), a slick boxer who has fought mostly at junior middleweight. "Both sides have agreed to everything and we are drafting contracts," Golden Boy's Eric Gomez told ESPN.com. Peter Manfredo Jr., also of "Contender" fame, was the original target for Jacobs but that deal fizzled. Golden Boy looked to sign Billy Lyell, who upset John Duddy in April, to fight Jacobs, but HBO wouldn't approve. Also on the card are the previously announced fights: Houston's Juan Diaz against Paulie Malignaggi in a junior welterweight crossroads fight, and junior lightweight titlist Malcolm Klassen of South Africa defending against Robert Guerrero.

Andrade

• Super middleweight contender Librado Andrade, whose rematch with titlist Lucian Bute is set for Nov. 28 on HBO in either Montreal or Quebec City, was a big Arturo Gatti fan. Given the recent death of Gatti, as well as Andrade's admiration for him and the fact that the fight will take place in the province where Gatti grew up, Andrade is dedicating the fight to the fallen former two-division titleholder. "Because he has always been an inspiration to me and I fight with the same never-give-up, warrior's spirit that Arturo Gatti fought with, and because he was from Montreal, I am dedicating this fight to his memory," Andrade said.

Woods

• The Aug. 28 season finale of ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights" could end up with a second title bout as the opening match. The main event at the Hard Rock in Hollywood, Fla., is already set -- junior welterweight titlist Juan Urango in a mandatory against ex-titlist Randall Bailey. However, Seminole Warriors Boxing promoter Leon Margules told ESPN.com he is in talks with Richie Boy Promotions about adding Tavoris Cloud against Clinton Woods to the show. They are slated to meet for the light heavyweight belt that Chad Dawson vacated to take a more lucrative rematch with ex-champ Glen Johnson. Richie Boy won the purse bid for the fight this week, bidding $191,000, easily beating the $105,000 offer from Woods promoter Dennis Hobson. However, Richie Boy has nowhere to put the fight and stands to lose a fortune doing it without TV or a casino venue such as the Hard Rock. Richie Boy had turned down a lucrative two-fight offer from HBO that would have seen Cloud step aside and fight on the Dawson-Johnson II undercard with a guaranteed title shot at Dawson if they both won. Cloud will still get a title opportunity, but for far less money on a lower-profile card.

Agbeko

• Bantamweight titlist Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko (27-1, 22 KOs), who won a grueling decision victory in a stiff challenge from junior bantamweight champ Vic Darchinyan last Saturday, hopes promoter Don King will keep him a bit busier than he has been. Agbeko won the title via a dominant seventh-round TKO of Luis Perez in September 2007 but has fought only twice since. Agbeko would also like to claim more hardware. "I have the desire to move up and fight the best guys in the bigger weight classes, but I want to get one or two more titles at bantamweight first before I move up. I know I can do it."

Gamboa

• So much for Yuriorkis Gamboa making a big summer splash in his first fight with new co-promoter Top Rank. Gamboa was scheduled to defend his interim featherweight belt July 25 in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, in the co-feature of the "Latin Fury 10" pay-per-view. Top Rank pulled Gamboa off the show this week because the Cuban defector has been unable to secure proper visas in time for the card. The fight likely will be rescheduled on Top Rank's Sept. 26 "Latin Fury 11" in New York. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. faces Jason LeHoullier in next week's main event. Added to the PPV to replace Gamboa's bout is a junior bantamweight fight between Alejandro Martinez and Juan Alberto Rosas. Also on the PPV: Giovanni Segura defends his junior flyweight title against Sonny Boy Jaro and Urbano Antillon boxes Miguel Acosta for a vacant interim lightweight belt.

Franco

• Featherweight Luis Franco, a 2004 Cuban Olympian who defected, will follow in the footsteps of several teammates, including Gamboa, Odlanier Solis and Guillermo Rigondeaux when he turns pro July 31 on the ESPN2 "Friday Night Fights" undercard. Franco, 27, who had more than 400 amateur bouts and won the 2000 world junior championships, signed a co-promotional deal with Seminole Warriors Boxing and Bad Dog Promotions. His wife and child remain in Cuba. Franco earned an Olympic berth on Cuba's 2008 Olympic team but was removed due to fears he would defect, which he eventually did. "Cuba has a rich boxing history, from Kid Chocolate to Kid Gavilan and Joel Casamayor," said Leon Margules of Seminole Warriors Boxing. "We believe Luis Franco has the talent and potential to do big things in the coming years." Added Richard Dobal of Bad Dog: "As a Cuban-American, I follow the Cuban Olympic boxing team very closely. What jumps out and separates Franco from the recent group that defected is his boxing style, which is more suited to the professional game. Because of that, Franco may be the best prospect to come out of Cuba in years."

Sylvester

• With Arthur Abraham vacating his middleweight belt to enter the Showtime super middleweight tournament, Giovanni Lorenzo and Sebastian Sylvester (31-3, 15 KOs) will meet for the vacant belt Sept. 19 in Neubrandenburg, Germany, according to Lorenzo promoter Main Events. Lorenzo (27-1, 19 KO), a New York-based Dominican, knocked out Dionisio Miranda in the second round in February in a title eliminator. Sylvester failed in his only previous attempt at a world title, losing a decision to German countryman Felix Sturm in November 2008.

Harris

• The lone remaining unscheduled "Friday Night Fights" main event has been set. On the Aug. 14 card from Tucson, Ariz., former junior welterweight titlist Vivian Harris (29-3-1, 19 KOs) will face Mexico's Noe Bolanos (20-4-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-rounder, Golden Boy's Gomez said. Harris hasn't fought since struggling to a sixth-round TKO of Octavio Narvaez in October. Narvaez dropped Harris twice in the first round.

Witherspoon

• Heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon, in a purse dispute with promoter Lou DiBella, withdrew from a pick 'em fight with Carl Davis Drumond; the fight was scheduled to open the July 31 edition of "Friday Night Fights" (ESPN2) at the Hard Rock resort in Hollywood, Fla. Derric Rossy (21-2, 12 KOs) replaces Witherspoon on the Seminole Warriors Boxing card. Drumond (26-1, 20 KOs) suffered his only loss in February in a competitive six-round technical decision against Ruslan Chagaev. The fight was sent to the scorecards when Chagaev suffered a cut from an accidental head butt and couldn't continue. Former lightweight titlist Julio Diaz faces Victor Manuel Cayo in the main event.

[h4]QUOTABLE[/h4]

Froch

"I have the punching power, I have superior boxing skills, and I will stamp my authority on the tournament from the first bell on." -- Super middleweight titleholder Carl Froch, on his plans for Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic, in which he will face Andre Dirrell on the first day of the tournament in October

[h4]QUOTABLE[/h4]

Dirrell

"I begged for that fight. Froch is tailor-made for me. He hasn't showed me anything. I think this will be my easiest fight. If he can beat me, then he's a true champion. [But] I will be victorious. -- Dirrell, on his plans for the super middleweight tournament

 

[boxer]

Originally Posted by Scott Frost

Originally Posted by boxer


watching that video reminded me how much i hate having to spar southpaws.

....I get a decent amount of work in because I am a southpaw. Circle right, keep my right foot outside and wait to drop the left.

i circle left and throw the left hook all day when i do have to spar southpaws.



nobody cares about prescott fighting today? pretty ironic that khan has a big fight this weekend.