Fernando Vargas has, by his own admission, accomplished everything he ever wanted to in boxing. That’s why he should take the postponement of his fight against Ricardo Mayorga that was scheduled for Sept. 8 in Los Angeles as a sign that now would be the best time to ride off into the sunset.
POINT AND COUNTERPOINT
August 29, 2007 By 1 Comment
Earlier this week we profiled Kendall Holt, who is fighting for the WBO jr. welterweight title against the current title holder Ricardo Torres on Saturday. Briefly we touched on his conflicted promotional arrangement with Dino Duva and Duva Boxing. Holt and his representatives say that his Duva contract expired in July. Duva feels just as strongly that he still has a valid contract.
TO HELL AND BACK
August 27, 2007 By Leave a Comment
The next time that you feel dispirited because you lost a coat button or your 2-liter cola went flat overnight or the dry cleaner lost your favorite pair of slacks or any such trivia, think of the ghastly circumstances of 26 year old Kendall Holt’s early life.
Vegas in October
August 26, 2007 By Leave a Comment
I don’t particularly like Las Vegas. Its charms defy me. I work while I’m in the city. Friday brings a weigh-in, Saturday brings a fight card and Sunday morning brings a column. Which leaves Sunday afternoon. There’s not a sadder place on a Sunday afternoon. And yet, come the first week of October, I’ll be back in Las Vegas.
When Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera fight their rematch in Mandalay Bay on October 6, I’ll be ringside. This was not an easy decision for me. When the announcement came, I wished Pacquiao were fighting Juan Manuel Marquez and Barrera was retired. But a number of thoughts and anecdotes have since brought me around.
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SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS
August 22, 2007 By 1 Comment
In the main event of last week’s edition of Friday Night Fights on ESPN 2 in San Diego, Jason “The American Boy” Litzau pulverized Emmanuel Lucero as quickly as expected, scoring a stoppage in round two. This allowed plenty of time to televise a six round jr. lightweight fight between Agnaldo Nunes and Baudel Cardenas.
Thompson Boxing: Clubbing towards the big-time
August 22, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Alex Camponovo stood inside the ring outdoors at Soboba Casino in San Jacinto,Calif., late last Saturday night. Staring up into a crowd of about 2,200 that was slowly dispersing, Camponovo had a smile on his face. He must have known that it was another job well done by he and Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing Promotions.
THE BIG FIGHT CALENDAR
August 20, 2007 By 47 Comments
Recently I had a conversation with Sean Sullivan, the “boy genius” editor of Boxing Digest. We were discussing the number of high profile, competitive fights scheduled in the second half of the year, and the need to log it all on a calendar to keep track in a sort of pugilistic preparedness program. Boxing’s resurgence is not merely an illusion. The networks, powerbrokers and the fighters are stepping up to the plate to put together some intriguing matchups, and 2007 may prove to be the best year for boxing in a decade before the year is out.
Diaz mio: Lightweight unification continues
August 19, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Last week we learned there is now a venue for the WBA/WBO/IBF lightweight title unification fight between Juan Diaz and Julio Diaz. We also learned there is not yet a venue for the fight between Felix Trinidad and Roy Jones. What do these have in common? Don King. And until Mr. King has contracted a fight venue, the chance his fighters’ contracts will be honored tends to, well, contract.
THE SENIOR CIRCUIT AND CHAD DAWSON
August 15, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Now we have Roy Jones Jr. and Felix Trinidad to add to the list of matches made that are built simply around the reputations of aging fighters. Jones, 38, and Trinidad, 34, are scheduled to duke it out in early 2008, possibly January, at a catch weight of 170. Trinidad has been out of the ring for 27 months now and it will be 32 or 33 by the time he faces Jones, and at the highest weight of his career no less. There are no titles at stake, and further, little purpose except to enrich those involved as I see it.
Inside Camp Pacquiao
August 14, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Amid all the hoopla created by the sudden departure of Manny Pacquiao from Los Angeles back to his native Philippines, none other than his trainer, Freddie Roach, said it is much to do about nothing.
DRAMATIC ENDINGS HIGHLIGHT GOLDEN BOY’S WORLD CUP ON BAD
August 13, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Last Saturday HBO’s Boxing After Dark telecast two entertaining title fights as part of the Golden Boy promoted Mexico vs. Philippines World Cup card. Held at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California, this World Cup is a novel concept of putting together good fights with a nationalistic flavor through enlightened matchmaking. Six bouts were on the card featuring fighters from both countries. The team with the most wins gets the “World Cup.”
The fight game in 2017
August 12, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Three Mondays ago, I was nearing the end of an appearance on WCCO radio when an unexpected question came my way. I had been invited to go on the “Dark Star” program to talk about the previous weekend’s Hopkins-Wright match. Things were going better than planned.
IBRAGIMOV FIGHT IS REAL DEAL
August 8, 2007 By 42 Comments
When the announcement was made that WBA heavyweight titlist Ruslan Chagaev had to withdraw from his October 13 unification bout in Moscow with WBO belt holder Sultan Ibragimov, more than a few cynical eyebrows were raised. And the fact that the reason was announced as “undisclosed medical reasons” and Evander Holyfield was inserted at the blink of an eye aroused the suspicions of boxing people, as well as the bloggers and discussion groups.
Steroids in The Sweet Science
August 8, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Sitting in on Monday’s meeting of the California State Athletic Commission was an eye-opener of sorts. Two boxers and four MMA fighters were scheduled to appeal their respective penalties for having tested positive for steroids after recent bouts.
SHOWTIME DEFEATS “YANKEES”, 2-1
August 6, 2007 By 1 Comment
In fairness, it should be said that Showtime World Championship Boxing had every advantage over Top Rank PPV in the battle for viewing supremacy this past weekend. First and foremost, Showtime’s main event of Rafael Marquez- Israel Vazquez II for the WBC super bantamweight title was a continuation of a Fight of the Year candidate and there was every expectation, which ultimately came to pass, that this rematch of Marquez’ victory in March might equal or exceed the excitement and drama of their first encounter. Also the Showtime card was free to subscribers and broadcast in high definition TV.
Vazquez and Marquez: Boxing’s new gold standard
August 5, 2007 By Leave a Comment
We’re now past the halfway mark for 2007. We’ve had excellent fights thus far, and fall will bring more. Though boxing tradition says a single match must win Fight of the Year honors, consider this: The 12.5 rounds Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez just completed, despite coming in two fights and not one, can’t be beat.
Last March, Marquez rose from the blue mat to stop Vazquez with jabs and uppercuts that forced Vazquez to surrender his WBC super bantamweight title after seven rounds. Last Saturday, Vazquez overcame reconstructive nose surgery and lacerations over both eyes to defeat Marquez by technical knockout at 1:16 of round 6.
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TONY THOMPSON CALLS OUT THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLISTS
August 1, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Fast rising heavyweight contender Tony Thompson wants a shot at a title, he wants it in a fair and timely manner, and he doesn’t care who he has to fight to get it. Thompson is well aware of the politics of boxing but he feels that he’s come too far to stand on the sidelines at this stage of his career.