Famed trainer, turned noted commentator and author, Teddy Atlas often asks when a boxing prospect is concerned, ‘How will he react to being tested mentally?’ He wants to know what will happen when they need to reach down deep that first time. The first time their back is against the wall, how will they perform then. One such prospect that has already been tested mentally in ways unimaginable to most is Bakersfield, California’s Brian “The Constrictor” Gordon.

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I never cease to be amazed at the level of entertainment generated by Top Rank’s “Latin Fury” PPV series, which seems to be on Volume 236 by now. At first glance you think it’s overpriced at $34.95, and it is, most of the fighters are mediocre or just unknown, and the picture is neither high definition nor digital. Actually, it’s about the equivalent of analog, if that.

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In a previous life in business, when management staff retired, resigned, terminated, or were transferred, the first question on the lips of his/her loyal staff was almost always, “Who are we getting?”

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The first thing that comes to my mind concerning the Joe Calzaghe-Bernard Hopkins fight, televised live tonight on HBO at 9:45 p.m. ET/ 6:45 p.m. PT, is those obscene ticket prices. Tickets for “Battle of the Planet,” to be held at the Thomas and Mack Center are going for an extremely optimistic $1500, $1200, $750, $450, $350, and $250, a tad stiff when folks are asking, “How deep is the recession?”

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Last Saturday night on HBO Championship Boxing, Miguel Cotto, 32-0 (26), defeated Alfonso Gomez, 18-4-2 (8), by TKO at the end of round five. That’s the part that goes into the record books; but if you were in Atlantic City to see it or watched it on your new plasma, it was just a slaughter, pure and simple.

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On the “TNT: Title Night in Tampa” card televised on Showtime last Saturday night, Chad Dawson and Antonio Tarver scored big victories to set up a possible light heavyweight unification fight in the fall. The judges saw Dawson, 26-0 (17), as winning a unanimous decision over Glen Johnson, 47-12-2 (32), in a thrilling, hard fought slugfest, 116-112 on all cards to retain his WBC crown. And, Antonio Tarver, 27-4 (19), scored a lopsided unanimous decision over Clinton Woods, 41-4-1 (25), 119-109, 117-111, and 116-112, to take the IBF title from the accommodating Mr. Woods.

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In a press release issued late this week it was announced that the International Boxing Federation has granted IBF/IBO/WBO title holder Wladimir Klitschko, 50-3 (44), an exception to fight Tony Thompson, 31-1 (19), the World Boxing Organization mandatory challenger. The fight is now expected to take place in Hamburg, Germany, and broadcast on HBO.

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Next Saturday, April 12, Showtime Championship Boxing will present the best light heavyweight card in memory, live in high definition at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West coast). The card will be held at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida, and features four of the best 175 pounders in the world.

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It all started in a Mexican bull ring in Cancun. Previously undefeated 24 year old Juan “The Baby Bull” Diaz, who had previously held the WBA, IBF, and WBO lightweight belts, was trounced by an inspired 36 year old Nate “The Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell. In a surprising upset, Diaz was beaten to a pulp, suffering a cut left eye that closed and caused vision problems down the stretch.

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