Boxing owes Bernard Hopkins much. But among all that Hopkins himself would name, here’s something he might neglect: Two fantastic pay-per-view shows in the last year, and a third on the way. No, not Hopkins-Tarver last June or Hopkins-Wright this July. Rather, boxing owes Bernard Hopkins for causing promoter Top Rank to sharpen its craft.
PETER PRINCIPLE ENDANGERS HBO BOXING
June 27, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Ross Greenburg, the president of HBO Sports, is unquestionably a genius at what he does best. And he is unquestionably at his best as an executive producer. When it comes to programming, there is none better in the business, not now, possibly not ever. And he can support that argument with his collection of hardware collected throughout his career at HBO – several dozen awards, including sports Emmys, CableACEs, Peabodys, Golden Eagle Awards, and others.
Hopkins getting ready for Wright on the left coast
June 26, 2007 By Leave a Comment
To say Bernard Hopkins has the gift of gab would be like saying the Yankees have baseball’s richest tradition. Both go without saying. Hopkins was at his entertaining best last Thursday at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, where Roach is training Hopkins for his 170-pound fight against Winky Wright on July 21 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. HBO pay-per-view will televise for $49.95.
THE HATTON BRASS BAND ROLLS ON, AND ON, AND ON..
June 25, 2007 By Leave a Comment
The hard news: Ricky Hatton KO’s Jose Luis Castillo with a liver shot in round four to retain his IBO jr. welterweight title.
Cheers to the “Manchester Mexican”
June 24, 2007 By Leave a Comment
In the last few years Americans have had so many of our own prizefighters call themselves “businessmen” and lecture us about the economics of the craft that we initially failed to recognize a true ticket seller. We were late to the Ricky Hatton tea party. But we’re here now, we’re sorry about our tardiness and we’d like cheering lessons.
HATTON-CASTILLO PREVIEW
June 20, 2007 By 41 Comments
Last January, I was in total awe of the 3,000 Englishmen, most of them from Ricky Hatton’s home of Manchester, who made the pilgrimage from the UK to Las Vegas to see their hero fight Juan Urango. Mexican superstar Jose Luis Castillo was in the co-feature against Herman Ngoudjo, setting up a showcase for the two future opponents, although the overlooked Urango was technically there to defend his IBF jr. welterweight title.
Oscar will continue to fight while Hopkins & Wright are “Coming to Fight”
June 20, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Oscar De La Hoya is in Los Angeles this week. But don’t expect him to let us in on his next move just yet, even though he will come face-to-face with several reporters Thursday when he takes part in Bernard Hopkins’ media workout at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
LAST WORDS ON THE MERCHANT MATTER
June 18, 2007 By 1 Comment
Along with several other scribes, we’ve been writing on and off for several weeks about the folly of HBO to even consider replacing Larry Merchant. I was convinced at one point that the negotiations behind the scenes were merely a sham and that the network, HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg, and possibly others were determined to get the 76 year old broadcaster to resign to make their lives easier and avoid charges of age discrimination.
Hatton by attrition or Castillo by violence
June 17, 2007 By 43 Comments
If an Aztec warrior found prestige in overwhelming and capturing a string of noble prisoners . . . the British system accentuated formation, drill, and order. – Victor Davis Hanson, “Carnage and Culture”
BOBBY CZYZ RETURNS FROM THE DEAD…TWICE
June 13, 2007 By 1 Comment
Regular readers may recall our three part series on the life and career of Bobby Czyz that ran in this column a couple of months ago. As we concluded our sessions of interviews, Bobby told me that he was going to be traveling to South Carolina that week for a ring announcing gig that week.
Castillo looks for redemption
June 12, 2007 By Leave a Comment
It’s a year ago this month that Jose Luis Castillo failed to make weight for the second consecutive time for a scheduled lightweight title fight in Las Vegas against the late Diego Corrales. Unlike the first time, when Castillo and Corrales fought anyway and Castillo knocked out Corrales in the fourth round of what became a non-title fight, the second failed weigh-in resulted in the cancellation of the fight.
MY APOLOGIES TO COTTO AND TARVER’S NEAR MELTDOWN
June 11, 2007 By Leave a Comment
I’m ready now to admit that Miguel Cotto is a great fighter. As Cotto worked his way to stardom, I was one of those critics who felt that if Cotto could get rocked by lesser fighters, he would naturally crumple in a heap when he faced a higher level of competition. Now after a perfect record in 30 fights, including 25 KO’s, I’m ready to admit that I was wrong.
HIV tests, media credentials and a cage: Tommy Morrison’s comeback
June 10, 2007 By Leave a Comment
By now novelty seekers know the result of Tommy “The Duke” Morrison’s cage fighting debut. Morrison: TKO 1. They also know this was the second fight in Morrison’s comeback and that his claims of being HIV-negative suffered a knockdown last week. Still, there’s plenty they don’t know. So, novelty seekers, this is for you.
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SHOWCASE ON SHOWTIME
June 6, 2007 By Leave a Comment
On the “other” fight card this Saturday, former undisputed light heavyweight champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver, 24-4 (18), faces lightly regarded Elvir Muriqi, 34-3 (21), for the IBO light heavyweight title in the main event at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. In the co-feature, “Awesome” Chad Dawson of nearby New Haven, Connecticut, 23-0 (15), will be facing another soft touch, Jesus “Chuy” Ruiz, 19-4 (17). The light heavyweight doubleheader will be shown on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Margarito-Williams shaping up to be a Summer Sizzler
June 6, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Paul Williams is one of those fighters you’re still not sure about. He has a beautiful record of 32-0 with 24 knockouts, he’s a southpaw and at 6-foot-1 he’s tall for a welterweight. But he hasn’t fought anybody, and often times those tall, lanky guys fall apart when they get in with a killer for the first time.
THE BANKER IN THE BULLPEN
June 4, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Last Saturday night in Atlantic City Sultan Ibragimov won the WBO heavyweight title with a thoroughly convincing unanimous decision over Shannon Briggs, 119-109, 117-111, and 115-113 before a disappointing but raucous crowd of 5,132. Ibragimov, 21-0-1 (17), a feisty southpaw, followed a masterful game plan set up by his trainer, Jeff Mayweather, and boxed brilliantly even if by his own admission he didn’t care for that fighting style.