Floyd Mayweather’s Jr.’s 90-day sentence on reduced charges was the battered game’s last significant headline in 2011 and sadly an appropriate wrap –a plain, brown paper bag, please — for a year best forgotten.

Speculation in twitter time already is making the rounds about whether a Mayweather fight with Manny Pacquiao is in jeopardy or possible in late 2012. Who knows? In frustration, I’m tempted to say: Who cares? But that would be dishonest. It’s still a fight I’d like to see.

But it all hinges on what nobody has ever been able to predict and that’s Mayweather, himself. Barring a successful appeal, there’s just no way to know what jail time will do to him.

In reading Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa’s sentence in a plea deal that allowed Mayweather to avoid a felony trial for his role in a 2010 case of domestic abuse, there was a warning that jumps out of the legalese. Mayweather has to avoid trouble for one year. I hope he can, but I have my doubts.

Behind bars, he’s a target for taunts and worse from wannabes of every stripe. From rent-a-cops to Larry Merchant, Mayweather reacts badly to anything he interprets as a lack of proper respect. He won’t be getting any of that from jailhouse guards.

Once out, there will be more of the same on the street. There have been times when Mayweather has shown composure. It was there when the corners indulged in a ring riot during his 2006 victory over Zab Judah. A cool Mayweather stayed out of it. He’s going to have to stay out of a lot more during the next year.

QUOTES, ANECDOTES AND COUNTERS
· You know what they say about karma. Can’t help but guess that Victor Ortiz thinks it was at play in Mayweather’s sentencing. Ortiz was knocked out by a combination in September when his hands were down and his eyes on referee Joe Cortez instead of Mayweather. The combo was called a “legal cheap shot.” In striking a plea agreement and reserving Las Vegas’ MGM Grand for a May 5 fight, Mayweather behaved as though he believed he would never go to jail. Mayweather must feel as if he has been hit by another kind of “legal cheap shot.”

· Questions about a vanishing scorecard and an altered card in Amir Khan’s controversial loss to Lamont Peterson should be enough to get Washington D.C.’s attention about the need for a federal commission. After all, it happened there. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said Tuesday in a conference call that the International Boxing Federation’s master sheet vanished. About 10 days later, according to Schaefer, it suddenly re-appeared like a suspicious ballot cast in south Florida during the 2000 presidential campaign. There must be some hanging chads on the original.

· Controversy about Mayweather, Khan-Peterson, referees and judges take away from the good in 2011. There’s Andre Ward, this corner’s pick for Fighter of the Year after a brilliant decision over Carl Froch. There’s Ward’s cornerman, Virgil Hunter, choice for Trainer of the Year. There are also Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez. Neither figure to be included in year-end awards. Yet, both were the working definition of class — poise under pressure. On Dec. 3, Cotto displayed it throughout his disciplined attack in avenging a 2008 loss to Antonio Margarito. On Nov. 12, a composed and reasonable Marquez disputed the decision that went against him in another loss to Pacquiao. Marquez did so without rancor after proving all over again that Pacquiao is beatable. It’s hard to believe Marquez has never been voted Fighter of the Year, either by The Ring or the Boxing Writers Association of America. Someday, that will be seen as a terrible oversight.

AZ NOTES

· Top Rank plans a busy 2012 for junior-welterweight prospect Jose Benavidez, Jr., an unbeaten 19-year-old who begins the year on Feb. 3 at Wild Horse Pass & Casino in Chandler, a suburb of his hometown, Phoenix. “Eight, maybe nine fights,’’ Benavidez’ dad and trainer, Jose Sr., said.

· And what would have been a nasty trial in civil court has been averted. Phoenix Hall of Fame junior-flyweight Michael Carbajal and his estranged brother Danny reached an out-of-court settlement. Michael was suing Danny for 12 parcels of real estate that Michael said Danny, his former manager and trainer, bought with ring earnings stolen from him in a fraudulent scheme. Danny was released from prison last summer. Under terms of the agreement, Michael gains ownership of the property surrounding his boyhood home in downtown Phoenix. The trial had been scheduled to begin in early January.

WBC Super Lightweight champion Erik Morales had emergency Gallbladder surgery in Mexico and that put in doubt his first defense against Danny Garcia that is scheduled for January 28th in Houston on HBO according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I spoke to (Morales). He asked us to please wait (until) Friday,” said Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Eric Gomez about the time frame for him to make a decision. Gomez said Morales would talk to his doctor before deciding what to do.

15rounds.com Claudia Bocanegra was on hand at Parlour in New York City where World Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez discussed his plans for 2012 which could include bouts with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Matthew Macklin

According to the Associated Press, Officials say boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. will plead guilty in Las Vegas to reduced charges in a plea deal settling felony allegations that he battered his ex-girlfriend and a misdemeanor charge that he poked a security guard.

An aide to Clark County District Attorney David Roger confirmed the 34-year-old boxer will enter his pleas Wednesday in Las Vegas Justice Court.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (http://bit.ly/ufxXTw ) Mayweather faces $3,000 in fines and from two days to 18 months in jail.

Mayweather was accused of hitting and threatening his ex-girlfriend, stealing her cellphone and threatening two of their children at her home in September 2010. He could have faced 34 years in prison.

Mayweather was accused of poking the security guard’s face during a November 2010 argument about parking tickets.

On a perfect evening in the ring, a night when American Andre Ward and Englishman Carl Froch both were able to make their very best fight, Ward would win. The only circumstance under which Froch could prevail, then, is an off-night for Ward. Froch realized this Saturday, and it razed his spirit. It meant no matter his willfulness or tenacity, he was not the world’s best super middleweight.

Such broken-spiritedness tempered by stubborn professionalism is what Froch showed the waning moments of his match with Ward at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, Saturday, in the championship of the Super Six World Boxing Classic. Ward prevailed, of course, by unanimous scores of 118-110, 115-113 and 115-113.

My card concurred with the judges’: 117-113. I scored rounds 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 12 for Ward. I scored rounds 5, 9 and 11 for Froch. And I had rounds 7 and 10 even.

Ward won the fight. Nothing said this more eloquently than Froch’s face when the final bell sounded. Froch was a beaten, disappointed, proud man who had been given the opportunity he’d awaited his entire career and learned he was not great as he’d hoped. That two judges had the fight decided by a single round was just, insofar as the round went Ward’s way. Three scores of 115-113 for Ward would have been no problem; a draw or decision for Froch would have been unfortunate.

“I was actually surprised by how slow Froch was,” Ward said after the fight.

There are lots of old sayings in boxing, clichés we call “sayings” to spare their speakers, and one is that you cannot teach speed. But you can teach a fighter to offset another’s speed – as Juan Manuel Marquez thrice proved against Manny Pacquiao – with practice, timing and introspection. Yes, introspection. You cannot teach a fighter to offset another’s speed till he admits the other man is faster.

Such an admission Froch’s camp never drew from their man in training camp. Froch, who calls himself “The Cobra,” did not believe Ward, with his shorter frame, could get his left fist to Froch’s face quickly as Froch could do the same to Ward. It was a miscalculation born of Froch’s hubris, hubris that has taken him much farther in prizefighting than any but his familiars predicted.

That Ward realized he was faster than Froch for every instant of the match’s opening nine minutes cannot be disputed. What Ward chose to do with that advantage, though, is what makes him unique among undefeated American fighters. Ward went inside. Leading 3-0 after the first quarter, Ward went for Froch’s heart. He put himself on Froch’s chest and tried to break the larger man’s body the way he’d already cracked his spirit. It didn’t work – Froch was still there with three rounds to go, and gaining speed too – but it was a hell of a noble idea on Ward’s part.

Did Ward tire late because he lacked conditioning? No. Ward tired in the closing rounds because Steve Smoger did a job that should be shown at referee clinics round the world. Referee Smoger watched Ward and Froch tangle their limbs in the match’s opening seconds and didn’t break them. He stood well back and said resolve your differences like men and prizefighters.

There was something splendid about Smoger’s inactivity. His silence told Ward and Froch that if they were to lunge at one another gracelessly and tie themselves in a knot, he would not be the one to work their ways out of it. The choice then became: Expend energy pulling your arms from between the opponent’s elbow and ribcage, or catch his head and shoulder and free fist in your face.

In the fight’s opening half, Froch was discomfited by Smoger’s inactivity, drooping his arms behind Ward’s back, looking frantically over and round Ward’s bobbing head. In the later rounds, it was Ward, unable to retreat or set traps behind a late-arriving southpaw stance, who wanted Smoger’s help. But Smoger did not intervene, and Ward had to earn his victory by winning the final round. As it should be.

“He was too close,” Froch said about Ward’s attack. “Or he was too far out of range.”

If Froch’s countenance in the moment of the final bell was the fight’s most eloquent commentary, that line above is a close runner-up. It is the very definition of championship prizefighting. Ward made Froch uncomfortable by doing nothing how Froch wanted him to, for 36 minutes, on the largest stage of his career.

Perhaps Ward is not inspiring to an impoverished nation the way Pacquiao is. Certainly Ward is not provocative as Floyd Mayweather. But if the path to greatness is a long and anfractuous one, Ward has yet to step off it. In a moment of quiet contemplation, that is, can you think of a fighter who is likely to have a greater body of work in the next decade than Andre Ward?

Ah, but Boardwalk Hall was damn quiet while your future legend practiced on Froch! Yes, how unfortunate. It allowed cynics to look at Ward-Froch, a consequential fight between highly regarded tacticians in an empty American arena, and see an ironical bookend to a year that began in Pontiac Silverdome. If Ward-Froch deserves a pass, it is because the match was a made-by-television event.

But the Super Six is over, and Showtime, as the super middleweight division’s de facto sanctioning body, needs to set a new course. A venue for Andre Ward versus Canada’s Lucian Bute, a fight the network is now obliged to make, should be chosen thusly: Whoever bids the lowest licensing-fee-to-live-gate ratio. Tie promoters’ compensation to their ability to make live crowds, and see what happens.

Prizefighting is not the Super Bowl. The idea of neutral venues has proved asinine. Ward-Bute must happen in Oakland or Montreal, not Atlantic City or Las Vegas.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ–Andre Ward made his claim to be the best Super Middleweight in world as he pounded out a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over Carl Froch to retain the WBA and capture the WBC, Ring Magazine and Super Six world Boxing Classic Championships.

Ward was masterful in every way and he looked like a seasoned baseball pitcher dealing for nine innings but in this case it was for twelve rounds. Froch was kept off balance by the diversity of punches coming from the hands of Ward as when it looked like Froch expected a jab, a lead left hook would either land in his face or the body of the British fighter.

The two would engage in some serious exchanges but it was always Ward landing first and last which drew ooohs and ahhs from the crowd at Boardwalk Hall. Ward continued his variety as he even started bullying Froch on the inside and landing hard shots to the body. Froch was a step slow during most of the exchanges and Ward built up an insurmountable lead.

Froch started to get in some offense midway through round eleven and the beginning of round twelve as Ward seemed to slow just a little bit which gave Froch just a little glimmer of hope but Ward was never in any danger and cruised home to the victory.

Ward, 168 lbs of Oakland, CA remains perfect and is now 25-0 with the 115-113; 115-113 and 118-110 victory victory. Froch, 167 1/2 lbs of Nottingham, ENG is now 28-2.

“It’s supernatural. These are all great fighters. That’s why you don’t hear me talking badly about them before the fight. I know what I’m getting into. I just want to be a little bit better on the night of the fight.”

“He’s very good defensively,” Froch said of Ward. “I couldn’t get my shots off. I never found myself in the range. Ward was either too close and smothering me or too far away.”

“Right away, I was actually surprised how slow Froch was,” said Ward. “We were just able to beat him to the punch and that’s what won us the fight.”

Froch was gracious in defeat and offered no excuses. “I lost tonight, fair and square. I had a bad night.”

He elaborated, “I couldn’t get anything going. He’s very slippery. It was very frustrating for me. It was a bad night.”

In a bloody eight round Light Heavyweight bout, Cornelius White scored a unanimous decision over Yordanis Despaigne.

Both guys were cut with Despaigne cut from a punch in the opening frame. The blood was evident as both were wearing white trunks and by the end of the fight both were turned crimson. It was White who pushed the action and landed the more volume shots.

White, 173 lbs of Houston, TX won by score of 60-53; 59-55 and 59-55 and is now 18-1. Despaigne, 174 1/2 lbs of Coral Gables, FL is now 9-2.

Former world title challenger Edison Miranda scored a fifth round stoppage over Kariz Kairuki in a scheduled eight round Light Heavyweight bout.

Miranda rocked Kairuki in round one with a big right hand and controlled the action until the fifth when he landed a big right that sent Kairuki and his mouthpiece to the canvas. After Miranda charged Kairuki and knocked him down before he had a chance to replace the mouthpiece but no knockdown was ruled. Miranda then battered Kairuki with hard right and left and referee Alan Huggins stopped the bout at 2:15 of round five.

Miranda, 175 lbs of Carolina, PR is now 35-6 with thirty knockouts. kairuki, 174 1/2 lbs of Tampa, FL is now 24-10-2

Bowie Tupou hung on and scored a ten round unanimous decision over Donnell Holmes in a Heavyweight bout that featured fighters with only one defeat.

The action was mostly slow paced with Tupou scoring with little combinations while Holmes was following Tupou around the ring. Tupou dropped Holmes in round seven from a hard over hand right. Holmes shook it off and finished the round. Holmes made a late stand in the final frame as he landed two hard left hooks that got the attention of Tupou but he was never in any serious danger.

Tupou, 242 lbs of Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 95-94; 96-93 and 95-94 and is now 26-1. Holmes, 226 lbs of Ivanhoe, NC is now 33-2.

Heavyweight John Lennox battered Jeremiah Witherspoon and scored a third round stoppage in a scheduled four round bout.

Lennox landed a hard combination that sent Witherspoon into the ropes and he quickly followed up by landing a hige barrage that rocked the head of Witherspoon back and forth several times before the bout was stopped fifty seconds into the round.

Reasons for the many controversies of 2011 are plentiful. Pick one. Pick a handful. In part, however, it appears to be symptomatic of a passing generation. Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have only each other to fight and nobody seems to know today anything more than they did two years ago about whether that will ever happen. The bad blood of the last few years is getting old and tired. Maybe, it’s time to just move on to another name, a fresh face for the sagging game.

Andre Ward has the look of somebody who could fill that frame, although his chances of doing so hinge in large part on his Super Six finale Saturday night against dangerous Carl Froch in the climax of Showtime’s super-middleweight tournament.

Ward has been hanging around the fringes of the pound-for-pound debate for at least a year. Depending on the ranking, Ward is in the second five, poised to make a real claim on a spot that Pacquiao and Mayweather have exchanged, argued over, yet never fought for. Maybe, they will fight in 2012. Yeah, maybe Donald Trump and Barack Obama will be running mates.

No matter what does or doesn’t transpire, Ward figures to do what he has always done: Stay busy in the proud, workmanlike fashion of a personality that often sounds aloof, yet remains thoroughly intriguing for a consistency defined by 14 years without a loss, amateur and pro.

Luck? Maybe But everybody gets blindsided once, twice or thrice over the course of nearly a decade-and-a-half. There are cheap shots, head butts, unseen punches and judges who see what they want to see. Ward has managed to beat them all. If you’re seeking luck, buy a lotto ticket. Ward seeks victory with an unerring eye for detail.

There have been questions about whether he will be able to deal with Froch’s strength, especially on the inside where the Brit is lethal. But Ward trainer Virgil Hunter counters that the 2004 Olympic gold medalist knows how to fighht in the physical, head-banging style he might encounter Saturday in Atlantic City.
“Before Andre was a boxer he was a fighter,” said Hunter, who predicts Ward will win by knockout. “He would fight his way to victory. If you’re going to win a gold medal in the Olympics, you’re going to have to adapt to the amateur and point system and learn to win that way. He’s had to adapt through training and repetition. But the fighting never left him. And I think that is one thing that surprises people about his fighting ability.

“Carl has said Andre hasn’t fought in any exciting fights. Well, it takes two to make an exciting fight. When one guy is dominating, it’s not going to be exciting. When you’ve got two guys busting each other up beside the head, yes, from the fans’ perspective and the media’s perspective, that’s exciting. His fighting ability has always been there. The power of that fighting ability is that he knows when to use that strength against you and he knows when to use his opponents’ strength against him. That’s what makes up Andre.’’

Translation: There’s a lot more to Ward than anybody, even Froch, knows. At the Athens Olympics, few saw him on the Games’ final day when he won America’s only gold. Media and fans already were gathered at the Stadium for closing ceremonies when he stood on the victory stand’s top pedestal. Britain’s Amir Khan, the Game’s designated star, had already won silver. The international media had moved on or gone home. Even promoters didn’t seem to care much. Ward signed for a reported $100,000. Twelve years earlier, gold medalist Oscar De La Hoya signed for seven figures.

Ward’s patient emergence since then might help restore value to Olympic gold. Ward has never said so, but the absence of big offers in 2004 was valuable for the motivation. Repeatedly, Ward talks about how he fights to prove people wrong. He personalizes it without demonizing his critics.

“You don’t just win these types of fights; you’ve got to take them,’’ Ward says in a tone that includes a lesson about respect.

Mayweather cries about getting enough of it; Ward commands it.

But Ward’s search for it starts with the fighter he sees every day, staring back at him from the mirror, while he shadow-boxes. Respect is just a meaningless golden oldie if not preceded by self.

“I’ve set out from day one to do things that I’ve been raised to do,’’ Ward said. “I’m not going to change for anybody. I’m going to be myself. You’d be surprised how many people outside of boxing have come up to me and said, ‘Hey, I appreciate the way you carry yourself. I’m going to have my son or daughter look to you as an example.’ That kind of stuff right there means a lot more to mean than gaining a few more fans or writers saying, ‘Hey, this guy is crazy and we love him.’

“If you look at a guy like Ricardo Mayorga, for example, he was a shooting star. He came in and made some noise. Then, he was gone. People take shots at him and say he’s ignorant. Then when you have a fighter who comes in and tries to carry himself the right way — not as a front or an act but just has a clean lifestyle, then that’s not accepted either.’’

Years from now, Ward says he wants his family to remember a fighter who makes them proud.

“When it’s all said and done, my children are going to look back on my career and I want to be able to point to my career and say, ‘Follow your dad. Do it the way he did it,’ ‘’ Ward said. “Once this is all done and I hang them up, the legacy that is there will be there forever. So that more important to me than a few pats on the back or for people to say you’re exciting outside of the ring.

“When you tell people you’re a fighter, they expect you to be ignorant and to act a certain way.’’

But not Ward, who has his own expectations and perhaps his own way at a pound-for-pound shuffle.

AZ Notes
The last fighter to beat Ward was Phoenix super-middleweight Jesus Gonzales. They were both 14-years-old then. Gonzales, who was known then as Ernie, was considered a better prospect than Ward, who once said he’s like to avenge the loss. The once-beaten Gonzales, who struggles to find fights, would love to give him that chance.

Phoenix junior-welterweight prospect Jose Benavidez Jr. continues to feel some pain in his right wrist, which was strained on Nov. 12 in a victory on the undercard of Pacquiao’s controversial victory over Juan Manuel Marquez. But the lingering pain is not expected to keep from the main event on Feb. 3 at Wild Horse Pass Resort & Casino in Chandler. The card was formally announced Wednesday at a news conference in downtown Phoenix.

And Showdown Promotions and Top Rank are planning a ShoBox card on March 9 for Casino del Sol in Tucson. The card promises to be one of several in an Arizona market that is on the rebound since the immigration controversy over proposed state legislation, SB1070, subsides.

LOS ANGELES (December 13) – The holidays came early today for Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins when the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) overturned the decision that dealt the oldest champion in boxing history a controversial technical knockout loss to “Bad” Chad Dawson on October 15 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. The outcome of the hearing, which took place at the CSAC’s regularly scheduled meeting, changed the TKO loss to a no decision on Hopkins’ record, leaving no doubt that he is still the light heavyweight world champion.

“Justice was served today,” Hopkins said. “I am thrilled that the California State Athletic Commission did the right thing and removed that loss from my record. Mistakes happen, but what you do to fix those mistakes is what counts.”

“I’m very pleased that the California State Athletic Commission did the right thing and ruled that the result of Hopkins-Dawson was a no decision rather than a TKO loss for Hopkins,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. “As the old saying goes, ‘there’s a reason that pencils have erasers’ and I commend the Commission for having the courage to correct an error which wrongfully put a blemish on Bernard Hopkins’ record. We now look forward to making Bernard’s next history-making fight.”

“The footage of the fight that was reviewed over and over again, proved to be the key testimony,” said Hopkins. “I think it came down to the tape. Both of our sides were making good points, but it was a dinner without a turkey. The tape was the turkey. I am happy this ordeal is over. Now I can focus on continuing to rehab my shoulder and get ready to fight again, hopefully early next year. I will start my usual boxing routine in a couple of weeks and get ready to defend my titles again.”

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that an HBO Boxing After Dark doubleheader has been inked for February 25th in St. Louis that will feature former Jr. Welterweight champions Devon Alexander battling Marcos Maidana while the co-feature will pit WBO Jr. Lightweight champion Adrien Broner taking on mandatory challenger Eloy Perez.

“Devon’s like a big brother to me,” Broner said Monday night. “I grew up with him through the amateurs. Feb. 25, you can’t ask for nothin’ better than this card.”

“I have emails from both sides confirming the fights. Everything is agreed on and I have a deal with HBO,” said Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer.

Maidana-Alexander has been in the works for about a month.

“They both feel that they are going to have an even bigger impact on the sport in the higher weight class,” Schaefer said. “Devon, based on what I am hearing, he feels significantly better at 147 than he did at 140.

“For Maidana, I think you can put him in any weight class and he’s exciting as hell. Give or take a few pounds, it doesn’t matter. He is a warrior and he will fight anyone and make it exciting.”

“I think it’s going to be a great fight and fan friendly,” Kevin Cunningham, Alexander’s manager and trainer said. “Devon at 147 will have the speed, snap and energy that allows him to perform at 100 percent. St. Louis is a fight town and has always supported the St. Louis fighters. Devon has a special bond with his community and on Feb. 25 they are going to come out in full force to support him.”

“Eloy is an exciting guy, Broner is an exciting guy, so it’s a fight I am looking forward to seeing. I think it’s a toe-to-toe fight. I think Broner has the talent and charisma we need in boxing. What fighter asks his father to comb his hair during his interview with (HBO’s) Max Kellerman? He is an entertainer and a terrific young fighter.”

Said Broner, “I know a lot that want to see me lose and a lot that want to see me win. Perez will come prepared but I am going to come in the ring fresh, fly and flashy, and I’m going to have my brush with me. He’s good, 23-0 with seven knockouts, but from his record, he can’t punch his way out of a wet paper bag. But he’s obviously good and has always come out on top in his fights.

“Against me, he’s gonna be just like the other 22 I have faced. This is going to be his first ‘L.’ I’m not going looking for the KO, but I just don’t feel he will last 12 rounds with me

There is a conditional clause still in place on the Boxing Writers Association of America’s 2011 ballot for Fighter of the Year. It reads: “Winner Ward-Froch.” That box already has my checkmark. If Andre Ward beats Carl Froch Saturday, he will be the 2011 Fighter of the Year. If Froch prevails, he will win the honor. If there’s a draw, I’ll vote for both of them.

The BWAA does not have a Fighter of the Last Two Years category, but if it did, the winner of Froch-Ward would deserve that honor too.

Whichever man wins Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City – to claim Showtime’s inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic championship – will have done something unprecedented among modern prizefighters at the championship level. He will have spent two years in the same weight class with five equals and outlasted each of them. The winner of Ward-Froch will have accomplished more in the years 2009-2011 than Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather combined.

That is something to consider when the eulogistic throat-clearing grows this week. As every treatment of Saturday’s final begins with “After two years of cancellations and postponements and withdrawals, when the ill-conceived Super Six finally, finally, finally crowns a winner . . .” you’ll be well advised to ignore it. Anyone who watches Saturday already knows the Super Six’s history and is familiar with the misfortunes that visited the tournament. He also knows the two men fighting for its title are original members who’ve outlasted all comers.

It demeans what Froch and Ward have done to dwell on those who made questionable withdrawals from the Super Six. Those three men – the Americans Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell, and the Dane Mikkel Kessler – are all either back in the prizefighting ring or planning a return. Their withdrawals, then, should be treated as simple eliminations.

Since neither of the replacement fighters brought in on short notice made his way to the finals, we needn’t dwell either on Jamaican Glen Johnson or American Allan Green.

That leaves Armenian Arthur Abraham, whose legacy as an indestructible force suffered mightily in his matches with Froch and Ward. For having made it to every match he was assigned, though, Abraham retains the respect of aficionados who appreciate what durability he showed.

Durability, after all, proved to be the tournament’s most important quality. At the beginning of the Super Six, who thought England’s Carl “The Cobra” Froch would be a finalist? And whatever handful of Brits that was got halved after Froch’s odd victory over Dirrell. Yet, here he is – unbowed if still unheralded.

While the more heralded Brit Amir Khan, to choose a timely example, was beating up light-hitting Paulie Malignaggi and running from Marcos Maidana, Froch chased the reluctant Dirrell and made one of the best fights of 2010 with Kessler – a scrap brutal enough to eliminate Kessler from the Super Six. While Khan was blowing through someone named Paul McCloskey and a spent Zab Judah, Froch outboxed Abraham and outworked Johnson. And while Khan was making his tangle-footed retreat from an 8-1 underdog named Lamont Peterson on Saturday, Froch was readying to go chest-to-chest with a fighter every bit special as he is.

For American Andre “S.O.G. (Son of God)” Ward is now a proven-to-be-special entity. Or as Ward recently put it, “I won an Olympic gold medal and am undefeated in 23 fights as a professional, so we must be doing something right.”

Compare that dignity to the brashness young Floyd Mayweather, an Olympic bronze medalist, exhibited in 2000, when he was 23-0. Within that delta, actually, lies part of the charm of Saturday’s fight: It does not play to stereotypes.

Froch, the light-skinned European, is the flamboyant one in Saturday’s match. He is the man likely to drop his hands and show-up an opponent. Froch is the one who does not hesitate to discuss his hypothetical greatness.

Ward, meanwhile, the black American from Oakland, is the soft-spoken, serious man in Saturday’s finals. He cares little how he looks while winning. Ward is the one who employs measured language, comporting himself as a picture of accountability.

This was clearest in Showtime’s recent “Staredown” program. Though unoriginal in a copyright-infringement kind of way, “Staredown” nevertheless proved much better than the recent HBO spectacle of a Puerto Rican speaking English to a Mexican. For being in their native language at least, Froch and Ward offered revelatory tidbits and were much better than cliché-tossing avatars.

Ward surprised Froch by candidly saying he was hurt in his seventh professional fight by Darnell Boone, a man whose name Froch could not recall but Ward quickly did. Froch then surprised Ward by agreeing that having one’s chin compared to granite – as Froch’s now is – is often the result of poor choices.

Then Froch inadvertently predicted the likely outcome of Saturday’s match.

“I’m telling you now, categorically, you cannot render me unconscious,” Froch said. “I can knock you out with either hand.”

Both men believe that. Ward is quite certain Froch can knock him out. He also knows a knockout of Froch is improbable. And that is why Ward will probably win the Super Six championship.

Ward will not relent. He will not come off Froch’s chest. He will not rely on a punch to change the fight’s path but hundreds of punches. He will not be prone to mental lapses – like what Froch suffered after staggering Kessler – and he will not wonder if his attire befits the world’s best super middleweight, the way such considerations seem occasionally to wrap gauze round Froch’s otherwise clear thinking.

There’s no telling how this match will end. Everything everyone has predicted about this tournament has been wrong often enough for every prognosticator to be humbled.

That written, I’ll take Ward, SD-12, and be certain Saturday’s winner is Fighter of the Last Two Years.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

WASHINGTON, D.C – British sensation Amir Khan (26-2, 18KOs) made his debut at the Nation’s Capital of United States in hopes to successfully defend his unified WBA/IBF jr. welterweight championship against D.C’s own Lamont Peterson (30-1-1, 15KOs). The pro-Peterson crowd backed their fighter feverishly, as their man fought the fight of his life to dethrone King Khan, who was touted to be too fast, too powerful, and simply just too good for the D.C. native.

From the opening seconds, Khan was quickly on the offensive, throwing a fast one-two and connecting with a right cross. Peterson did his best remain composed, but ate a left hook that sent him to the canvas for a quick eight count towards the end of the round. Peterson focused to the body and stalked his moving target in round two, but Khan’s versatility and quick hands were a bit superior. Peterson assaulted Khan with hard body shots in round three that had the Brit in serious trouble. Khan was hurt after taking a hard right and combinations against the ropes, but held on to finish the round. Body attack resumed in the fourth, but Khan returned with combinations of his own. Again, Peterson got the better of the exchanges and his tight defense allowed him to slip most of Khan’s punches.

Khan showed resurgence in the fifth. Creating distance to avoid Peterson’s body shots, Khan circled and landed flurries downstairs and also found success with looping uppercuts and well timed lead right hands. From this point on, Khan’s strategy was to box and clinch at close quarters to prevent his opponent from focusing to the midsection. In the seventh, Khan appeared to be in control before Peterson poured on with clubbing right hands. Khan also threw an elbow that cost him a point deduction. Feeling the fatigue from all the circling around, Khan was helpless in the eighth as Peterson punished him around the ring with a variety of shots to the head and body.

The crowd cheered and roared in support of Peterson, but Khan, again, used all the tricks and guile to thwart the finish. Ninth round was a war. Peterson pursued Khan and stunned him again by the ropes, but Khan returned the favor with a left hook and a body shot that briefly had Peterson on wobbly legs. Peterson regrouped in the last thirty seconds and successfully threw right hands, splashing the sweat off Khan’s noggin.

Khan fought with discipline in the tenth, picking his shots and staying elusive for the most part. Peterson kept charging in the eleventh but often got clinched or hit with flurries before getting shoved off. Khan fought well against the ropes and got away with swift one-twos, followed by either a left hook to the body or an uppercut to the chin. Khan was deducted another point in the twelfth for using his elbow, but appear to land more to evade a 10-8 round.

In the end, there was a winner of this seesaw battle as Michael Buffer announced the official scorecards that read (113-112 2x, 111-114) in favor of the new champion, Lamont Peterson. ‘All the hard work paid off. Tough fight. It couldn’t have been a better night. I would definitely give him a rematch’ said the newly crowned jr. welterweight champion. Khan was a bit bitter in defeat, citing the ref’s bias against him in deducting points that cost him his title, ‘It was like I was against two people in there.’ In the post fight interview, Khan also expressed his interest in a rematch.

The co-feature of the evening saw unbeaten heavyweight contender Seth Mitchell (24-0-1, 18KOs) of Brandywine, MD impressively down former contender Timur Ibragimov (30-4-1, 16KOs) of Uzbekistan. Mitchell, a local DC favorite, measured his more experience foe with peppering jabs from the outside and following up with right hands. Ibragimov closed the gap in the second, nailing Mitchell with a hard right, but ran into a hard left hook that wobbled his legs. Mitchell immediately jumped at the opportunity and unleashed a barrage of right hands that sent Ibragimov reeling across the ring. Another right hand connected against the corner and the referee stepped in to stop the bout at the 2:48 mark.

Southeast, Washington, DC’s Anthony Peterson pleased his hometown crowd with a dominant unanimous decision win over the heavily faded former world title challenger Daniel Attah (26-9-1, 9KOs) after eight rounds.

Peterson, holding advantages in multiple facets, controlled the action from round one with attack to the body and backing his smaller foe against the ropes. Attah, a former Olympian, was mostly in retreat mode, unable to put together any offensive output against the naturally bigger Peterson. Peterson rocked Attah in round four, but Attah regrouped and finished the round. Attah, being the wily veteran, tried his best to counter from his southpaw stance and tie up, but to very little effect as Peterson landed the stronger and more telling shots to win rounds. The sixth saw another punishing round by Peterson, sustaining body attack and finding his mark with combinations up top, but Attah landed some of his best shots in retaliation. Peterson unleashed a series of uppercuts and doubled up on his left hooks in round seven. The eighth and final round told a similar story with Peterson easily taking the ‘10’.

Official scores were 80-72, 80-72, and 80-72. This was Peterson’s first fight since his disqualification loss to Brandon Rios in 2010. With the win, Peterson improves to 31-1, 20KOs.

Former highly touted middleweight contender Fernando Guerrero (22-1, 16KOs) of Salisbury, MD made his return to the ring for the first time since his upset loss to spoiler Gary Brewer, defeating St. Paul, MN’s Robert Kliewer (11-14-2, 5KOs) over five one sided rounds. Guerrero dictated the pace throughout, forcing the action with aggressive shots to the body and consecutive one-two combinations. Kliewer retaliated in spurts, but provided very little. Kliewer was dropped near the end of the fourth, but managed to survive. Guerrero resumed attack in the fifth and scored three knockdowns en route to a TKO victory. Kilewer was rendered unconscious after the third knockdown and was carried out on a stretcher. Official time of the stoppage was 0:45 of the fifth round. — Joon Lee

Hollywood, CA’s Jamie Kavanagh (8-0-1, 3KOs) and Puerto Rico’s Ramesis Gil (6-3-5, 5KOs) fought to a draw in a tactical battle over six rounds of lightweight contest. Kavanagh was cut over the right eye from what appeared to be a headbutt in round two. Both guys fought patiently, carefully measuring shots to the head. Ramesis was more of the aggressor, stalking his more mobile opponent and seemingly held the edge in power shots. After three competitive rounds, Kavanagh got his groove going in the fourth and fifth, utilizing his superior footwork to land effective jabs and right hands to scores points. The sixth round was close. Scores were 58-56 (for Kavanagh), 57-57, and 57-57.

Seventeen year old Dusty Harrison took out winless Terrell Davis in round one of a scheduled four round Welterweight bout.

Harrison dropped Davis twice with hard rights to the head and ended the mismatch with crushing right to the body and the bout was stopped at 2:46 of round one.

Harrison, 144 lbs of Washington, DC is now 3-0 with one knockout. Davis of Washington, DC is now 0-5.

In lightweight action, Terron Grant of White Plains, MD improved his mark to 2-0, 1KO with an easy first round stoppage win over Dashawn Autry (0-2) of Garland, NC. It was simply a mismatch in terms of skills and talent as Grant overwhelmed the awkwardly balanced Autry with an onslaught of unanswered array of body shots and hard right hands to the head. Time of the stoppage was 1:10 of the first round. —Joon Lee

In the opening bout of the evening, Joshua Davis scored a four round unanimous decision over Chris Russell in a Lightweight bout.

Davis landed some heavy shots in the fourth round while blood dripped form the nose of Russell.

Davis, 134 lbs of White Plains, MD won by scores of 40-36; 39-37 and 39-37 and is now 2-0. Russell, 134 lbs of Shattuck, OK falls to 2-8-1.

Amir Khan is in a city where it is very hard to get any kind of a decision. Some would say it’s impossible. Washington D.C. is only a fight town if you’re a Republican, or a Democrat, or Barack Obama.

That said, I’m thinking Khan will get what no American politician can, even those who were anointed to sit on some budget committee that was called super. Or was that stupor? It’s a risk, of course. Allowing the junior-welterweight fight to go to the scorecards Saturday night for a decision in Lamont Peterson’s hometown is the kind of gamble that could go terribly wrong.

But there’s much to admire in Khan’s bold willingness to take on risk and then manage its dangerous dynamics. His desperate stand in the 10th round of a vicious assault from Marcos Maidana a year ago in Las Vegas is a sure sign that he knows how to prevail. It’s instinctive. It had to be then, because instinct was all he had after Maidana’s punches nearly separated him from consciousness.

Bernard Hopkins, in his role as a Golden Boy Promotions vice president, has warned Khan he has to pursue a stoppage. Khan will, of course. That almost goes without saying. But Peterson is nothing if not a survivor. He learned the survival arts on D.C. streets where he grew up with his brother, homeless without a dad and seemingly without a chance. Peterson has survived before at home. It’s hard to believe he won’t survive 12 rounds this time.

But Peterson’s inexhaustible resiliency and hometown support don’t figure to score enough points against the emerging collection of speed, skill and smarts possessed by Khan, who at 25 appears to be nearing his prime.

“I can’t afford to lose and get beat,’’ Khan has said in conference calls and at news conferences. “It’s going to take me from being a good fighter to be being a superstar. Hopefully, Lamont Peterson will make me one of the best fighters in the world.’’

Khan might still be a Tim Bradley and another weight class, welter, from super-stardom. But the stakes are as high as the risk in what could be his most dangerous fight since Maidana.

In an unexpected twist, Khan trainer Freddie Roach got an object lesson, up close and personal, in the danger posed by Peterson. Roach, an advisor to America’s 2012 Olympic team, was with Peterson, who sparred as designated training partners for the Olympic boxers.

For two rounds, Roach held mitts that Peterson pounded with punches that revealed their power. If there’s a weakness in Khan, it is a fragile chin. Despite his desperate stand in the victory over Maidana, it’s been there ever since Breidis Prescott stopped him in the first round of a stunner.

Since then, Khan has learned to employ his evident quickness and long jab to stay away from the inside brawling that opponents are sure to employ in an attempt to test that chin.

Intrigue rests in how Khan uses and mixes the elements in his versatile array of skill. The guess here is that he will have to do exactly that and perhaps more in a story on scorecards that will say a lot about him.

QUOTES, ANECDOTES
Congratulations to the 2012 Hall of Fame class of Thomas Hearns, Mark Johnson, Freddie Roach, Al Bernstein and especially retired boxing writer Michael Katz, whose words from ringside always said it better than anyone.

Life imitates art: Max Kellerman and Larry Merchant will do in fact for the HBO telecast of Khan-Peterson what they did in film a few years ago as a fictional broadcast team in the Rocky Balboa movie.

Lieutenant Colonel Manny Pacquiao has rank enough to command a Filipino battalion, yet still has no command of what Juan Manuel Marquez does to him.

AZ NOTES
Hall of Fame junior-flyweight Michael Carbajal of Phoenix applauds Johnson for getting into the Hall.

“I’m happy for him,’’ Carbajal said.

Johnson, of Washington D.C., and Carbajal were once mentioned as potential opponents.

“I would have fought him, but I lost to Jake Matlala,’’ said Carbajal, who lost a ninth-round stoppage to the South African in 1997. “If I’d beaten Matlala, that was the plan. We were talking about Mark Johnson. But I got beat.

“Johnson was a great boxer, really quick. But I would have put the pressure on and kept that pressure on him.’’

Brian Viloria grabbed the eyes of boxing fans in September 10, 2005 as he shocked the world by knocking out Eric Ortiz in the first round to win the WBC world light flyweight title. That very same night Viloria left the fans an impression of being a speedy light flyweight with monstrous power.

His first defence of the newly owned title will feature Viloria beating an experienced Jose Antonio Aguirre of Mexico. From there on, the expectations on Brian’s future were high.

His second title defence told a different story as Viloria didn’t look like his former self when he fought against Omar Nino Romero. The fight went the full twelve rounds with Romero being awarded a unanimous decision as he dominated the fight and on the scorecards.

Viloria had a rematch against Romero on his very next fight, a highly controversial bout where Viloria displayed the power he had in the Ortiz fight dropping his opponent twice but wasn’t able to finish. The night ended in a majority draw but since Romero has failed the post fight tests, he was yet again to box for the vacant world title next.

On April 14, 2007 Viloria fought Edgar Sosa losing the fight by Majority Decision. The fans were disappointed given all the hype and expectations, Viloria didn’t look very impressive in his last three fights. Viloria would then move on with his career abandoned by some of his fans.

Brian Viloria was not given a title shot until two years later when he fought Ulises Solis for the IBF light flyweight world title in the co-main event of Donaire-Martinez card at the Araneta Coliseum Philippines. Solis came in as favourite, being able to successfully defend his world title for a total of eight times, beating three Filipino fighters (Rodel Mayol, Bert Batawang, Glenn Donaire) along the way earning him the Filipino Executioner moniker.

To the surprise of many, Viloria was in perfect shape for the fight. Viloria looked sharp as he boxed, moved and countered landing clean effective punches. Viloria stopped Solis with a perfectly timed right hand in the 11th round knocking out the IBF champion on a Sunday morning. The win was named by some experts as the comeback of the year. Finally, the Brian Viloria of old has returned.

He would first defend his IBF world title against Jesus Iribe in Hawaii. Iribe came in the fight with a record of 15(10KO)-5L-5D, an opponent he was expected not to struggle with. Viloria boxed beautifully in the early rounds as he unleashed combinations and showed good defence. Looking at it early in the fight, it would only make sense to say that Viloria is in for an easy night.

But Brian gassed yet again in the fight. He got dominated in the later rounds in a fight he was not supposed to be troubled with. By the end, he was awarded a unanimous decision win, a verdict a few fans didn’t seem to agree.

Next, Viloria took home his IBF light flyweight belt in the Philippines to defend it against Carlos Tamara of Colombia on January 23, 2010. Viloria started strong easily outboxing and outworking the challenger. As the fight progressed, Brian was easily ahead on the scorecards but eventually gassed out yet again in the championship rounds, to the point where it looked like he can barely walk at all. The referee called a halt to the fight in 12th round for Viloria was getting hit at will. A decision he didn’t protest during or after the fight.

He would later comeback to win a close fight with Omar Soto and a stoppage against Liempetch Sor Veerapol in the 7th round.

July 16, 2011, just like the Solis fight, seemed to be another now or never day for Viloria as he challenged Julio Cesar Miranda for the WBO flyweight title. Viloria did well in the early rounds boxing beautifully and knocking down Miranda in the first round. As the fight progressed he would then again look tired, something I did not expect since he moved up in weight. Brian will survive the fight to win by unanimous decision.

So what is the deal with Brian Viloria? While there can be a lack of stamina even as he moves up in weight, I also believe he displayed in the past to have the speed, power, combinations, chin, footwork, head movement and unappreciated defence. Tools that make a good fighter. If there is one word that describes him best it’s “inconsistent”.

Viloria has shown too many good and bad days in his career to the point where fans don’t know what Brian Viloria will show up in a fight. One thing is for sure, he can’t afford to have a bad day this coming December 11, 2011 as he will face the biggest challenge in his boxing career in Giovanni Segura.

The hard hitting southpaw from Mexico hits like a featherweight and goes to the body, something Viloria should be wary of being known to tire in fights. I see Segura stopping Brian in 8-10rounds, but given all Viloria’s tendencies, I only hope he surprises us again.

for comments, suggestions and feedbacks you can email jm1boxing@ymail.com

Junior Middleweight contender, Pawel Wolak has decided to call it quits after thirty two professional fights. On his facebook page, Wolak stated, “I am at peace with my decision to retire from boxing. I left it all in the ring and I have absolutely no regrets. I got to do what most people will never be able to and I couldn’t be more proud to have been part of the best sport in the world.”

In regards to his plans now that he has retired, Wolak wrote, “I will stay active, busy and in boxing shape as I have done since 17 years old but I hope to help other fighters in the NY area in their careers.”

Pawel Wolak ends his boxing career with a record of twenty nine wins, with nineteen knockouts, with only two losses and one draw. 2011 was a very good year for the Junior Middleweight who carried a large Polish following. He stopped the popular Yuri Foreman in March, and then fought to a draw against Delvin Rodriguez in what many consider to be the best fight of the year. After much demand for a rematch, they met again at Madison Square Garden this past weekend, with Wolak losing a decision.

In closing, Wolak wrote, “The list of people to thank is too long but you all know you are. Thank you to my core team, my family, my friends and the fans who have made me a better husband, man, father, son and fighter. I am forever grateful. Thank you to Top Rank for always having my back and to the boxing media who have always been fair and treated me with respect. I am not going to do any interviews at this time. While I am retiring I am staying under contract for the duration of my contract terms with both Top Rank and my manager Cameron Dunkin. Please direct all questions to Cameron.”

Thomas “Hitman” Hearns and five time trainer of the year Freddie Roach head the class of the 2012 Boxing Hall of Fame class to be inducted this June in Canastota, New York

Also inducted were former Flyweight champion Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson.

ring announcer Michael Buffer, famous for his “Let’s get ready to rumble” call; and late promoters Hugh D. McIntosh and Rip Valenti.

Elected in the observer category were Showtime broadcaster and former longtime ESPN analyst Al Bernstein and journalist Michael Katz, who covered boxing for decades for The New York Times and New York Daily News, and was an Internet boxing pioneer.
Posthumous honorees include former flyweight contender Newsboy Brown; Leo Houck, who competed from flyweight to heavyweight; heavyweight contender Jake Kilrain in the old-timer category; and James Wharton in the pioneer category.

Ring Magazine Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klirschko will defends his titles against former World Cruiserweight champion Jean Marc Mormeck on December 10th in Dusseldorf, Germany according to espn.com’s Dan Rafael.

“I know that I am the favorite in all my fights but I also know that each opponent is motivated to be in the best shape ever when he fights me,” said Klitschko, who is 17-2 in world title bouts and will be participating in his 20th title fight. “Mormeck is one of the most experienced fighters I have ever faced. He has had many world title fights, has a very good technique, can take a lot of punches and is very intelligent inside the ring. To underestimate him would be a fatal mistake.”

In 2007, Haye, also a former cruiserweight champion, went to Mormeck’s native France, survived a fourth-round knockdown and rallied to knock him out in the seventh round to win the cruiserweight title.

After the loss, Mormeck (36-4, 22 KOs) took nearly two years off before returning as a heavyweight. He has won each of his three heavyweight bouts against second-tier opposition: Vinny Maddalone, Fres Oquendo and Timur Ibragimov.

“I had Haye on the canvas and shortly before a knockout, which Klitschko could not do,” Mormeck said. “What I missed out against Haye I will now do with him. Wladimir has a glass chin which I will break. He cannot stand punches. Against his brother (fellow heavyweight champion) Vitali I would have thought longer about fighting him, but against Wladimir I believe I have very good chances. On Dec. 11, I will travel back to Paris with a suitcase full of championship belts. I enjoy being the underdog in this fight and I will shock the boxing world.”

Follow all the action as Victor Ortiz defends the WBC Welterweight championship and gets future Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather. The “Star Power” Undercard will begin at 7pm eastern and will have two more world title fights as living legend Erik Morales takes on Pablo Cesar Cano for the WBC Super Lightweight title and young sensation Saul Alvarez takes on Alfonso Gomez for the WBC Super Welterweight title.

12 ROUNDS–WBC WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP–VICTOR ORTIZ (29-2-2, 22 KO’S) VS FLOYD MAYWEATHER (41-0, 25 KO’S)

Round 1 Mayweather lands a body shot…Straight right…Ortiz lands a body shot…Ortiz gets in a left…10-9 Mayweather

Round 2 Ortiz lands a left…right hook.,.right to the body…Good right from Mayweather..Mayweather lands 2 rights…Ortiz trying to muscle mayweather on the ropes..19-19

Round 3 Mayweather landing good right hands…Ortiz lands a good left…29-28 Mayweather

Round 4 Mayweather coming out winging hard shots…Big hook…Ortiz lands a good flurry on the ropes…Huge flurry…Ortiz jumos in a and headbutts Mayweather and is docked a point…...ORTIZ IS TOUCHING GLOVES…AND MAYWEATHER DRILLS HIM WITH A LEFT AND RIGHT AND DROPS ORTIZ AND HE CANT GET UP AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

12 ROUNDS–WBC SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP–SAUL ALVAREZ (37-0-1, 27 KO’S) VS ALFONSO GOMEZ (23-4-2, 12 KO’S)
Round 1 RIGHT TO THE TOP OF THE HEAD AND DOWN GOES GOMEZ 10-8 Alvarez

Round 2Alvarez coming forward…20-17 Alvarez

Round 3 Alvarez being aggressive…Gomez landing lefts…right..Right 29-27 Alvarez

Round 4 Alvarez right…Good uppercut…39-36 Alvarez

Round 5 Alvarez starting to land power shots...49-45 Alvarez

Round 6 ALVAREZ LANDS A HUGE BODY PUNCH THAT WAS FOLLOWED UP BY A BARRAGE AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

WINNER and still champion SAUL ALVAREZ

12 ROUNDS WBC SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP–ERIK MORALES (51-7, 35 KO’S) VS PABLO CESAR CANO (22-0-1, 17 KO’S)
Round 1 Cano landing and moving…10-9 Cano

Round 2 Cano landing hard rights…20-18 Cano

Round 3 Good right cross from Morales…29-28 Cano

Round 4 Cano lands a good right…Blood from Cano’s left eye…good right from Morales…38-38

Round 5 Straight right from Cano..Right over top …Hammering him on the ropes…Morales lands a right…48-47 Cano

Round 6 Hard right from Morales…Multi punch combination from Cano…Left hooks from Morales…Good left hook..57-57

Round 7 Morales bleeding from left eye…67-66 Cano

Round 8 Morales coming forward despite the blood…76-76

Round 9 Right from Morales…Good left from cano…Morales answers..86-85 Morales

Round 10 Morales lands a big shot…Cano hurt and very bloody…Doctor checking on Cano…Hard right from Morales...96-94 Morales

Round 11 CANO’S CORNER STOPS THE FIGHT—WINNER BY TKO END OF 10–ERIK MORALES

10 ROUNDS WELTERWEIGHTS–JESSE VARGAS (16-0, 9 KO’S) VS JOSESITO LOPEZ (29-3, 17 KO’S)
Round 1 Vargas lands a left…10-9 Vargas

Round 2 Vargas lands a good jab…20-18 Vargas

Round 3 Lopez backing up Vargas up with hooks and body shots…Vargas lands a jab…Lopez lands a solid uppercut…29-28 Vargas
Jab
Round 4 Lopez coming forward…38-38

Round 5 Vargas combination…48-47 Vargas

Round 6 Lopez lands 2 lefts to the body..Vargas looking tires…Lopez cut around the right eye…57-57

Round 7 Lopez lands a solid left hook and right hand…67-66 Lopez

Round8:…Vargas lands a hard low blow…Vargas deducted a point…Lopez lands a hard right…Lopez lands a big right…Good left hook…77-74 Lopez

Round 9: 87-84 Lopez

Round 10 Vargas being very active…Hard left hook stuns Vargas…96-94 Lopez

95-94 Lopez; 96-93 Vargas; 95-94 Vargas

10 ROUNDS WELTERWEIGHTS–SAID OUALI (28-3, 20 KO’S) VS CARSON JONES (31-8-2, 21 KO’S)
Round 1 Ouali lands a body shot…Jones lands a left hook to the body..Body shot…Short right hook from Ouali..left..Body…Ouali lands an uppercut…10-9 Jones

Round 2 Jones lands a hard uppercut..Ouali lands a big combination that hurts Jones…19-19

Round 3 good round for Ouali 29-28 Ouali

Round 4: Hard combination hurts Ouali…Ouali coming back with bidy shots…SHORT LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES OUALI…Big uppercut..uppercuts…38-37 Jones

Round 5 Jones landing some hard body shots…48-46 Jones

Round 6 Hard right from Jones…Nice combination…Uppercut…2 good rights…Ouali bleeding from the right eye..58-55 Jones

Round 7 Jones landing some hard shots…Ouali’s eye getting worse…68-64 Jones

Round 8 FIGHT STOPPED BEFORE THE ROUND BEGINS…WINNER…CARSON JONES

6 ROUNDS SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS–ADONIS STEVENSON (14-1, 11 KO’S) DION SAVAGE (11-1, 6 KO’S)
Round 1: Stevenson lands a big SHOT AND THE FIGHT IS OVER ….TIME 1:57

15rounds.com Claudia Bocanegra attended a unique press event where Middleweight contender Andy went to several bars in New York City to promote his October 1st rematch with Brian Vera as part of the Sergio Martinez – Darren Barker Middleweight title card

Manny Pacquiao sings the Hit song “Sometimes When We Touch” at the NYC Press conference with Dan Hill

He’s either a surfer who happens to fight or a fighter who happens to be a surfer, snowboarder, golfer and tri-athlete. I have no idea. I’m not always sure Victor Ortiz does either. But Ortiz doesn’t waste time agonizing over perceptions about who he is or should be. He’ll leave the self-analysis to the media or perhaps Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“I have fun with this thing called life,’’ Ortiz said. “Apparently, that’s a sin in boxing. But I don’t care.’’

It was a comment, one of many, made by Ortiz Wednesday in a fascinating conference call that included a glimpse at layers to a personality that lacks only insecurity. The pieces don’t always seem to fit. To wit: The newly-minted welterweight champion calls himself “Vicious,” yet recalls he was repelled at the initial sight of fighters beating up on each other when he walked into a gym as a kid in Garden City, Kan., for the first time.

Contradictions make the man. They also make him interesting in a many-sided, yet distinct style that is defiant, humble, world-weary, child-like, cocky, funny, angry and always genuine. It’s the genuine part, I think, that fans have seen and seized upon since the dramatic resurrection of his career in a victory in April over Andre Berto and the ongoing build-up to Mayweather on Sept. 17 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

The public likes him. So, too, does most of the media, at least for now. His relationship with the media ranks as one of the prime contradictions. His frustration with damning criticism started with his loss to Marcos Maidana and multiplied like a contagion in a regrettable case of piling on until he beat Berto.

I can’t blame him for not forgiving and forgetting the clichéd rips that always questioned his heart, yet ignored the story about how he had raised a brother after he was abandoned by his parents. Ortiz’ story is about heart, always on his sleeve and maybe too much of it.

On Wednesday, he talked about a visit seven months ago with his mom, Manuela, who left him when he was 7.

“I don’t really know her,’’ said Ortiz, whose dad, Victor, left him six years later. “But it seems like she’s a sweetheart. I forgave her for everything.’’

The media missed that heart, instead defining it by what it didn’t see saw in his 2009 loss to Maidana and his draw with Lamont Peterson in December.

Lingering bitterness flared Wednesday when Ortiz was asked about his move up to welterweight from junior-welter. He said he never had trouble making 140 pounds, despite what had been reported. Then, it became evident his only trouble was with the media.

“Of course, the media is very negative,’’ he said. “They sit around all day, feeling sorry for themselves.’’

The contradiction – an irony — is that Ortiz’ found the media to be his greatest ally before Berto. It gave him a cause, deepened a hunger to prove everybody wrong. It’s a trick older than even Bernard Hopkins, who has never let a slight, real or imagined, go unused in stoking the motivational fires.

The sudden surge in Ortiz’ popularity looms as problematic against Mayweather, who at last report was a 6-1 betting favorite. The bad guy has become a lifetime role for Mayweather. It was clear he was rehearsing for it once again in an ugly rant at his dad, Floyd Sr., in the first segment of HBO’s 24/7. By opening bell, Ortiz will play the good guy, an overwhelming fan favorite but not a favorite to win. He will have to guard against the public’s evident affection for him. If he allows himself to be seduced by it, motivation to score a stunning upset might be diminished.

Ortiz talks as if he knows that. Rather than popularity, he nurtures his lifetime role as underdog.

“For guys like me, this is not supposed to happen, not in a million years,’’ he said. “But I don’t believe in statistics. I’m trying to make my own statistic.’’

Just one would set some history on Sept. 17 if he could beat Mayweather. In 41 fights, nobody has. Ortiz is sure that he can.

“Cause Floyd is overdue,’’ Ortiz said. “He should not be a 147-pounder. I’m going to show him that. I never have thought he was that great, not even when I was a kid. …He’s in trouble.’’

Growing up, he said, favorites included his promoter, Oscar De la Hoya, Shane Mosley and Zab Judah.

But Mayweather?

“Not impressed,’’ Ortiz said.

Not even his 41-0 record?

“Forty-one fighters, none of them were me,’’ said Ortiz, who in a couple of weeks will step into a ring and a moment that will say a lot more about him than the media or even he can.

AZ Notes
· Phoenix prospect Jose Benavidez Jr., a junior-welterweight who continues to generate headlines in sparring with Mercito Gesta and Mosley at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, has a scheduled opponent, 31-year-old Angel Rios, for a six-rounder on Sept. 17 at BlueWater Resort & Casino in Parker, Ariz. But Rios, of New York, also is scheduled for a bout on Sept.10 card featuring Yuriorkis Gamboa and Daniel Ponce de Leon in Atlantic City. If Rios (9-6, 6 KOs) is the foe, the 19-year-old Benavidez (12-0, 11 KOs) will encounter another fighter with experience against world-class opposition. Rios’ losses include one in 2001 to former lightweight champion Nate Campbell and another in 2003 to former super-featherweight champ Mike Anchondo.

· Alma Carrasco Canez enters the busy promotional market in Phoenix with a card Friday night featuring hometown super-bantamweight Alexis Santiago (9-1-1, 3 KOs) against Steven Johnson (7-3, 4 KOs) of Saint Joseph, MO. The card, at El Zaribah Shriners Auditorium, is scheduled for eight bouts. First bell is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).

This past Friday night at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx, Golden Boy Productions and Star Boxing put on a great night of boxing and 15rounds.com Claudia Bocanegra was ringside to capture the vivid moments

World Light Heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins works out as he begins camp for his October 15 showdown with Chad Dawson

At the turn of the year Thomas Dulorme was just another nameless prospect in the talent laden Welterweight division, however after 2 impressive KO’s on big shows in Connecticut he created his own buzz and moved away from the pack. It’s still early days for the 21 year old; he’s only had 12 fights all wins with 10 inside the distance. His power makes for Interesting viewing, his team matched him with tricky southpaw veteran former world champion DeMarcus Corley last time out, it was a test that Dulorme promptly passed. He’ll stay busy and fight next on 19 August back in Puerto Rico. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him then get a slot on the undercard of Sergio Martinez next fight on 1 October. From here on the challenges get tougher but if Dulorme can keep doing what he’s doing Puerto Rico may just have another star in it’s midst.

Hello Thomas, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly congratulations on your recent win over former world champion DeMarcus Corley. You won comfortably enough on points. Can you tell us about the fight from your point of view and were you happy with your performance?

Thomas Dulorme – It was a great fight and a great learning experience for me as a boxer. Corley is a trickster and you’ve got to be ready against him.

Anson Wainwright – Word is you will next fight on 19 August in Puerto Rico. Can you tell us about this? Any news on who you will fight?

Thomas Dulorme – Yeah. I’m very happy about that. To fight in Puerto Rico is a great opportunity for me, I love my Island. The rival hasn’t been announced.

Anson Wainwright – Prior to the Corley fight you had two very impressive KO victories over Guillermo Valdes on the Martinez-Dzindziruk card & Harrison Cuello on the Berto-Ortiz card. Both were respected journeymen. Can you tell us what it was like for you to appear on big shows in Connecticut like those?

Thomas Dulorme – It was a great experience for me, because fighting the both of them gave me other great opportunities in boxing. They were great foes.

Anson Wainwright – In your last two fights you have weighed in 3 pounds under the Welterweight limit, do you consider yourself a Light Welterweight or Welterweight?

Thomas Dulorme – Well I started as a Light welterweight and what happened was that one day I had problems making the limit of 140 and I started fighting on 142, and then 143 and 144. As of right now I can make the limit of 140, but not easily, so my trainer and me decided we should stay at the low side of Welterweight till I become a full fledged Welterweight which I’m not right now. I’m only 21 so maybe by next year I can become a full Welterweight.

Anson Wainwright – You’re known as a big puncher, could you tell us about your power and also the other skills you believe you possess?

Thomas Dulorme – I believe that my power comes from my fighting stances and speed. I move a lot and have a lot of angles and that helps me a lot to have different positions that allow me to power punch. I really like my speed and lateral movement it helps me a lot to move in and out of trouble.

Anson Wainwright – Who are the members of your team; your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you train at? Have you trained or sparred with any contenders or champions? If so how did it go?

Thomas Dulorme – My manager and trainer is Jose Bonilla and my promoters are Javier Bustillo, Lou Di Bella and Gary Shaw. I train a lot and spar with ex world champion Carlos “El Indio” Quintana. It did go well, I help him since I was little for his fights.

Anson Wainwright – I believe you were born in The Dominican Republic and moved to Puerto Rico. Could you tell us about your early years growing up?

Thomas Dulorme – I grew up in the French side of the Island of St. Martin and then moved to the Dominican Republic and then to PR. I moved to PR when I was nine and it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me I love living here.

Anson Wainwright – Could you tell us how you first became Interested in Boxing and when you took it up? Were you a natural or was it something you had to work at? Did you have much of an amateur career? If so what tournaments and titles did you win? Also what was your final record?

Thomas Dulorme – I became interested when I was little because I walked in to a gym and I thought it was interesting and I started. I was fast but technique wise I had to work a lot to perfect it. I won the Puerto Rico Golden Gloves, St. Martin Golden Gloves and Dominican Republic Golden Gloves. I did 142 amateur fights and lost only 2 of them.

Anson Wainwright – You are a member of Team Puerto Rico, could you tell us a bit about this?

Thomas Dulorme – Well it’s an honour because only the best Puerto Rican fighters are chosen to be part of Team Puerto Rico and it’s an honour to be part of it.

Anson Wainwright – What fighters did you grow up admiring & who you enjoy watching today?

Thomas Dulorme – My favourite fighter of all time was Sugar Ray Leonard, he had everything, speed, movement and power. If I can be half of what he was I will be fine in boxing.

Anson Wainwright – What are you goals in Boxing?

Thomas Dulorme – I want to become a world champion for my Island of Puerto Rico.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for the Boxing world?

Thomas Dulorme – I want to thank all of them for taking some of their time to see my fights, hopefully I can repay them with excellent fights from now on.

Thanks for your time Thomas, we look forward to seeing you progress in your career.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that September 17th Welterweight bout between Floyd Mayweather and WBC champ Victor Ortiz will be televised by HBO PPV and will have some of HBO’s sister networks such as as TBS and TNT involved with promoting the telecast.

“We have finalized our deal with HBO. We obviously had very intense negotiations,” Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “What we wanted to do is ensure that all the different Time Warner (HBO’s parent company) assets will be in play one way or the other, including the Turner Broadcasting assets and the Time Inc. assets, which is their magazines.”

t is a significant development for HBO, which was rocked earlier this year by the loss of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao when Top Rank promoter Bob Arum took Pacquiao’s May 7 fight against Shane Mosley to rival Showtime, which handled the pay-per-view production and distribution.

Did that help Schaefer make a favorable deal?

“I’m sure it didn’t hurt,” he said. “Do I think HBO was especially motivated to get the biggest and widest exposure? Sure. HBO is very motivated, and Time Warner is very motivated to show the boxing world and public what they can do. I was negotiating with very willing partners.”

“We wanted to make sure all other assets that HBO has available will be fully utilized to support this fight and give it the widest possible exposure,” Schaefer said. “I am very happy that HBO Sports and HBO senior management were very open and that we had productive conversations, which fell on open ears. HBO seems very motivated and excited to show the world what they can do utilizing their vast array of assets.”

One concrete example of how the fight will gain wider exposure than just on HBO: The reality series “24/7,” which follows the buildup of major HBO PPV fights, will be replayed on one of the Turner networks, Schaefer said. The most likely would be TNT, TBS or truTV.

Schaefer said he did engage Showtime, which was interested in Mayweather-Ortiz.

“We had conversations with them,” Schaefer said. “We explored alternatives with Showtime, but we did not go that far.”

Schaefer also revealed the title of the fight: “Star Power.”

“Mayweather is the biggest star, and Victor Ortiz is one of the most powerful guys in the sport. He knocks everybody down,” Schaefer said. “You have a star fighting a guy with great power. You have a guy in Mayweather who attracts star power. You go to a Mayweather fight and it’s a who’s who showing up. It’s ‘Star Power.’”

“Floyd was very much involved as it relates to the marketing strategy. He came with very specific ideas and requests as it relates to what he wanted to see,” Schaefer said.

Schaefer also revealed that Saul Alvarez and Erik Morales could be part of a mega Pay Per View undercard lineup

“If we can get Canelo and Morales both on the pay-per-view, I think the sky’s the limit of what we can do in pay-per-view,” Schaefer said. “That would make it an even bigger event for the fans.”

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that WBA Cruiserweight champion has pulled out of Saturday’s clash with Ryan Coyne due to a back injury when he tripped getting out of the ring after a training session.

I’m absolutely dejected, I am still,” Coyne told ESPN.com from his training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday night. “I was in shock when I heard. I couldn’t believe it. I trained hard, I left my family behind, and I’ve been living under a rock and giving it my heart and soul for eight weeks, and it’s not going to come to fruition.”

The fight was due to take place at the Family Arena in the St. Louis suburb of St. Charles, Mo., Coyne’s hometown, on the untelevised undercard of an HBO tripleheader

This is the second time in the state of Missouri that Jones has pulled out of a title shot just days before a bout.

In 2006, Jones pulled out of a Showtime televised bout with Steve Cunningham just four days before they were supposed to fight for the vacant IBF belt in St. Louis

With Jones out, Coyne (16-0, 6 KOs), known as “The Irish Outlaw,” will face late substitute David McNemar (13-0, 10 KOs), 38, of Parkersburg, W.Va.

“I’ll get a title shot. I just have to stay positive,” Coyne said. “I’ll still be in business on Saturday night and I’ll get a win and keep pressing forward.”

“The doctor looked at him and said, ‘You need to rest, you can’t train. You’re hurt,’ ” said Don King Productions PR maven Alan Hopper. “At first they thought it might be cracked ribs, but it was a back injury that radiated to his side. Naturally, the hope is (Coyne) can get by (McNemar) and Guillermo can get healthy and they can fight when he’s ready. But for now, Guillermo has been ordered to bed rest.”

McNemar is not even close to the level of Jones (37-3-2, 29 KOs), 39, of Panama, a longtime top contender who finally won a title in 2008 and was due to make his second defense against Coyne, who would have been taking a significant step up in competition. McNemar has fought only once previously outside of West Virginia and has not had a fight since November 2007.

“He’s a tough guy and he’ll come to win and fight with heart, but he’s not in our class,” Coyne said. “He’s going to get the wrath. I was prepared to take on a world champion, and I’m ready to rock ‘n’ roll. I’ll look for the positive in the situation. I’m not happy. I spent eight weeks running mountains, but sometimes you get thrown an off-speed pitch and you just have to go with it and hit it to the opposite field, and then come up the next inning and hit the home run.”

Prizefighting now draws near to completing its most innovative concept in ages. Showtime’s Super Six World Boxing Classic is days from matching its finalists. It is a tournament that has fully altered the professional paths of its every participant, including the network that hatched it. Whatever pundits opine of its anfractuous path, the Super Six has satisfied the praise it initially garnered.

Last week Englishman Carl Froch, whose career might well be the one most dramatically altered, by tournament’s end, captured what has made the Super Six different and essential:

“People are seeing fights that would not have been made.”

Has any sport been undone more completely by the events it didn’t make than boxing?

Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, Froch will make a fight with Jamaican Glen Johnson to determine who faces Andre Ward in the Super Six final. Johnson, a late sub who earned his place by stretching Allan Green, an unfortunate sub, in November, will face one of the tournament’s original super middleweights. Froch is in the semi-final by virtue of his shutout of Arthur Abraham in November and his aesthetically displeasing points victory over Andre Dirrell in 2009.

The latter was a victory over an opponent Froch dismissed on a Thursday conference call thusly: “I’ve done more damage training myself than Andre Dirrell did.”

Dirrell is the fighter whose career will have suffered the most from this tournament. A fighter who was put in the tournament because of talent, not accomplishments, Dirrell is now in a small cadre of fighters for whom knowledgeable fans feel actual contempt.

Of the tournament’s initial participants, Jermain Taylor was retired by the tournament, Kessler was knocked out of the tournament by Ward and Froch, and Abraham was exposed as a one-dimensional strongman. But Dirrell is the only person to whom a tincture of fraud adheres.

Nothing fraudulent adheres to either of Saturday’s men. They both make honest fights. Despite the integrity of his attack, though, Johnson is somehow less knowable than Froch. Johnson is mysterious more than complicated. Froch is no mystery at all and only complicated as a question to him is dumb.

“Glen Johnson is not the sort of guy you knock out,” Froch explained Thursday, when asked if he’d be looking for a knockout. “At the top level, to go in there looking for the knockout is a little naïve or stupid.”

To ask a top-level fighter such a question, Froch implied, is a little naïve or stupid.

There is an authority in Froch’s words that comes with his British accent. Americans, whether we realize it or not, and perhaps especially when we don’t, infer great authority from British diction and word choice. Froch makes proclamations to us more than he answers our inquiries.

He is not prepared for a match; he is “ready to do the business Saturday week.” He does not underestimate his opponent, but rather says “without being cheeky at all towards Glen Johnson, he can’t beat me.”

Johnson’s English, a searching choice of words seasoned by Patois, is hesitant. Courtesy wins its highest premium. Johnson calls himself “Gentleman”; Froch calls himself “Cobra”; both men’s alter egos come through in their speech.

What also comes through, what is most important to Saturday’s fight, is a collection of qualities Froch and Johnson share: Ruggedness and politeness.

Both men understand that boxing is the one combat sport that requires an opponent’s assault. There is no championship fighter with defense so complete he will not be beaten upon by his every challenger. Thirty-six minutes across from a professional puncher is a brutal test. Froch and Johnson appreciate this and take greater umbrage with an opponent who will not punch than one who tries to separate them from consciousness.

Johnson has fought all round the world, often as a b-side, and been jobbed in numerous decisions on foreign soil. Still, he insults no opponent. Froch derides only Dirrell – the one man who didn’t hit him.

Neither man considers deriding the other. That is how you know their fight will be a fine one.

The ability to see what inverse proportionality ever exists between prefight venom and sanctioned violence is what separates aficionado from casual fan. The champions who are politest to their opponents are those that impart the greatest cruelty. They are the men who understand this question: Why get angry when you’re going to fight anyway?

The aficionado is attracted by the orderly attack to which championship prizefighters subject one another. The casual fan, meanwhile, gets giddy over buffoonery and trash-talk. The aficionado comes to boxing from his own time in gyms or other contact sports. The casual fan came on boxing the day he couldn’t find professional wrestling to watch. One demands character; the other demands characters.

Froch and Johnson promise character. There is no chance either will feign injury or shrink from conflict. Johnson will come forward and hope to find a spot on Froch’s chest to rest his forehead while he does the man bodily harm. And Froch will target Johnson’s low, charging head and try to dissuade the Jamaican forcefully as possible. Neither man expects the other to break. Each man, though, would be euphoric at leaving the other broken.

“I am fresh, fit, strong, powerful,” said Froch, Thursday. “I’ll be honest, I wish this one was 15 rounds.”

No man asks for 15 rounds with Glen Johnson. Froch might well get what he desires and not know what to do with it. Something tells you, though, that Froch wants exactly what he requests.

Those who appreciate symmetry can’t help but cheer for Froch to advance to the finals against Ward; the last two men standing of the original six, as it were. But no aficionado ever cheered against Johnson.

I’ll take Froch, UD-12, then, while cheering for both men.

Bart Barry can be reached at bbarry@15rounds.com

He may be in the Twilight of his career and zeroing in on his 40th birthday but “Sugar” Shane Mosley is still a tough night’s work for anyone. For a few years now Mosley has wanted to fight Manny Pacquiao, he has got what he wished for and takes on the Filipino Icon on 7 May in Las Vegas at The MGM Grand in front of millions on Showtime PPV. It’s a fight Mosley believes he can win; he has blind faith in his ability and left his position as a partner of Golden Boy Promotions to take up this challenge. Mosley 46-6-1(39) has fought many of the best fighters in the world from 135-154 winning 5 world titles in 3 weight classes. He’s been one of the standard bearers of the past 2 decades fighting 15 past or present world champions including Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto & Floyd Mayweather.

Hello Shane, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – You are fighting Manny Pacquiao on 7 May in Las Vegas. What are your thoughts on the fight & how good do you think Pacquiao is?

Shane Mosley – I think he’s a great fighter, he does a lot of good things. It’s going to be a terrific fight.

Anson Wainwright – Of course it has been much discussed you have left Golden Boy & will be fighting Pacquiao who’s a Top Rank fighter. How are things?

Shane Mosley – No, it’s moving pretty smoothly along with Top Rank. Everything I have asked for has been ok and I’m just happy.

Anson Wainwright – People will say that you haven’t won in your last two fights and not looked the best in your fights with Mayweather & Mora. What do you say to them?

Shane Mosley – I believe I will do a lot better than I did in those two fights. My mentality right now is I’m ready to go and fight and give my 100% all.

Anson Wainwright – It would of been easy for you to stay with Golden Boy where your were a partner and claim your reported 5% but you’re obviously still highly motivated despite being months shy of 40. What are your thoughts on this?

Shane Mosley – I’m very motivated and happy to be able to box at this age. I’ve been boxing for about 31 years and I’ve fought at this level a lot. I’m willing to go in there and prove that I’m still one of the best fighters and fighting Pacquaio will prove that and be a great accomplishment for me.

Anson Wainwright – The Mayweather fight wasn’t your finest hour in the ring. Could you talk us through the fight from your point of view along with the second round?

Shane Mosley – A lot of times I don’t look back on them or think about them (The fights). But it was a pretty good punch, I just couldn’t at that point do what I needed to do to win the fight to KO him but I’ve been working very hard to make sure I close the deal next time I get a person hurt.

Anson Wainwright – If I can take you back to the Margarito fight, going into that fight you had a lot going on outside the ring. The on fight night there was the gauzing that went into Margarito glove. How much of what was going on were you aware of or were you just focused on the fight?

Shane Mosley – Yeah I was just focusing on my game plan, because if he had concrete gloves on I didn’t care I was going to win that fight. I trained hard, I was determined to prove the critic’s and everybody wrong that I was to old and that his rhythm was to much for me and he was going to knock me out and retire me. And I did I stopped him and proved the critics wrong. I’m going to do that in this fight as well.

Anson Wainwright – Do you see this fight with Pacquiao similar to the Margarito one where you were also the underdog and have something to prove?

Shane Mosley – Yeah, I aim to do it again. I aim to shock the world and beat Pacquiao. Once again prove the critics wrong.

Anson Wainwright – How much longer do you think you can keep performing at the top of Boxing? Do you have any plans for what you’d like to do when your finish Boxing?

Shane Mosley – Well yeah I have my promotional company “Sugar” Shane Mosley Promotions and I’m looking to start signing fighters and get more active in the promotional field and help these young fighters become world champions and superstars. That would be another great challenge for me. After this fight I have another 3 or 4 fights in me, then I can start my promotional company.

Anson Wainwright – You’re son Shane Junior is also an up and coming boxer. How are things developing with him and his career?

Shane Mosley – He’s doing pretty good; he’s up here training with me now. Basically I’m just showing him the ropes right now what you have to go through to be world champion and that’s important mentally so he can see what it takes, realise if it’s for him or not. He’s doing good, his punches are pretty hard, and he’s getting faster and better as the days go by. I think he’s going to be alright.

Anson Wainwright – A chip off the old block hey?

Shane Mosley – Ha-ha I think so, he has the determination and he’s getting better and better as we go along.

Anson Wainwright – Has he had any amateur fights yet?

Shane Mosley – He’s had a few, I think I’ll start fighting him more so he can have the experience of fighting in the ring more. He’s been in the ring sparring a lot but not really fighting. There’s a difference between fighting and sparring, that’s what I aim to do a little more.

Anson Wainwright – You’ve fought many of the best fighters of the last 15 years. Who is the best fighter you’ve ever fought?

Shane Mosley – Styles make fights but the most difficult I’d say Winky (Wright) earlier in my career but later on Floyd (Mayweather) was a pretty good defensive fighter as well.

Anson Wainwright – To date what do you consider to be your proudest moment in Boxing?

Shane Mosley – I think the proudest moment was winning my first world title at Lightweight against Philip Holiday.

Anson Wainwright – What are your thoughts on the current Welterweight division?

Shane Mosley – I think there’s a lot of great challenge’s with Khan coming up. Me & Manny Pacquiao fighting, there’s others. The division’s good an exciting. There’s a lot of great talent out there.

Anson Wainwright – You’re known as one of boxing good guys but we don’t know to much about you away from Boxing. Can you tell us about other activities you are involved with? Also what are your hobbies & Interests?

Shane Mosley – Well I mean, I’m a family man, I have 4 kids. I like to play Basketball, snowboard, bowl. I’m a very active person, I’m an outdoors person. I like to get out and do things. Boxings in my heart so I don’t stray too far from that. I’m involved in a boxing programme and sponsor the kids in the community.

Anson Wainwright – Last year you teamed up with PETA to help stop dog fighting & the slaughter on Seal trade in Canada, it’s obviously something that’s close to your heart?

Shane Mosley – Well yeah, I have a few pets. Dog’s don’t have a choice to fight or not but we do. So I kind of got behind it and just spoke out about it.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans ahead of the Pacquiao fight?

Shane Mosley – This is going to be the fight you don’t want to miss. I’m definitely giving everything I’ve got. You wont be disappointed so come and check it out or watch it on PPV Showtime. It’s definitely going to be a knock out. Also follow me on Sugar Shane on Twitter.

Thank you for your time Shane, it’s been a pleasure.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Midweek Thoughts – Yuriorkis Gamboa looked sensational blowing away Jorge Solis on Saturday. Solis was no mug he was a very solid guy, he just couldn’t deal with the Cuban’s power and speed. Hopefully Juanma Lopez looks just as impressive in a few weeks and Top Rank can get these two together in what would surely be a barnburner…Mikey Garcia kept his unbeaten record but took Matt Remillard’s when Remillard’s corner mercifully stopped the fight at the end of the tenth. Garcia is only 23 but has the look of a man far more experience. He systematically broke down Remillard. Outside of Gamboa & Lopez, Garcia is right in the fight with anyone at Featherweight right now…I haven’t had chance to see it yet but the Kennedy-Diaz fight appeared to be a cracker…Disappointing to see Erislandy Lara on Friday night not really perform, all credit to Carlos Molina…On Saturday Leo Santa Cruz scored a very impressive KO over Stephane Jamoye, it’s the biggest win of Santa Cruz career & proved he can go place, I’m looking for him to have a big year now…I’ve been told Ricardo Mayorga dislocated his thumb in the Cotto fight. He’s also on the short list to fight Saul Alvarez in September provided “Canelo” wins in a June fight possibly against Ryan Rhodes. I’ll say this much if Mayorga does decide to give it another go and not retire a fight with “Canelo” would be a fun promotion. Alvarez wont ever of seen anything or anyone quite like Mayorga.

On Friday night it was the final of the WABA (Welsh Amateur Boxing Association)

Female

54kg Lynsey Holdaway beat Catherine Gillen after the referee stopped the action with Holdaway 20-1 up in the fourth and final round.

60kg Rebecca Price beat defending champion Ashley Brace 14-10.

Male

49kg Ben Baker beat Annes Rashid in the second round Rashid took two standing 8 counts before being stopped

52kg Two time European Bronze medallist Andrew Selby returned from his duty on the British squad to show the gulf in class as he stopped Andrew Perry in the second after Perry had two standing 8 counts in the first.

56kg Daniel Chapman run out 14-1 winner against last years Flyweight champion Jay Harris

60kg Zack Davies outpointed Craig Woodruff 16-4

64kg Chris Jenkins the Welsh representative in last years Commonwealth games beat Ashley Appleby when the referee stopped the action in the second. Jenkins was 9-0 up at the time of the stoppage

69kg Fred Evans who also went to the Commonwealth games won 18-8 against Jamie Evans.

75kg Liam Williams outpointed warren Sinden 19-4

81kg Charlie Moseley narrowly outpointed Tom Lloyd 13-9

91kg Lloyd Davies impressively overwhelmed Robert Penn and after 3 standing 8 counts the fight was called off in the second round.

91+kg Dorian Darch beat Andrew Wyn Davies 16-9 stopping Davies winning the title for the 5th consecutive year.

If you would like to hear from any particular fighters please e-mail me on elraincoat@live.co.uk

15rounds.com is giving away two tickets to this Saturday’s World Middleweight title bout at Foxwoods and Connecticut. Fans should email mabrams@15rounds.com and write a brief summary of what fight you are most looking forward to in 2011 (besides Pacquiao – Mayweather)

Please list name and town you live in and in Subject line type the word Diamond Contest

Note–The contest is only for tickets. Not for Travel or Accommodation

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

Symbols have been attached to the Timothy Bradley-Devon Alexander fight, so many in fact that they might outnumber the tickets sold for the junior-welterweight bout at the Silverdome, a blimp-like arena in Pontiac, Mich., that for years has been full of only empty seats and hot air.

Conflicting and perhaps premature projections promise only more empties and air. Even with a good walk-up before opening bell on Jan. 29, there will still be a lot of both.

Ten-to-fifteen thousand seats are for sale in an arena once big enough for two crowds of more than 93,000 each for Pope John Paul II and Wrestlemania in 1987. Promoters Don King and Gary Shaw said the plan always has been to set up the arena for a fraction of its current capacity, now said to be 70,000. That’s a lot of curtains.

The dismal projections are unfortunate, mostly because they have become a story that takes away from a bout, as significant as it is intriguing, between two unbeaten fighters, both African-Americans.

When the site was first announced, Shaw told reporters that he wanted to stage the fight in a city with a big African-American population. Atlanta or Detroit, he said.

Detroit, Motown, sounded good then. It might have been, if the town was Detroit instead of Pontiac, a dateline and troublesome symbol in itself. A new Pontiac is harder to find than a good American heavyweight these days. There are none. General Motors quit making the car in 2009.

For symbolism, Alexander-Bradley belongs about 30 miles away, in Detroit, at Joe Louis Arena, which was named for an iconic and African-American heavyweight who made his historic impact before Jackie Robinson broke major-league baseball’s color line and Muhammad Ali opened his mouth.

These days, The Joe is a hockey arena, home for the Detroit Red Wings. On the night of Alexander-Bradley, the Red Wings won’t be there, but college hockey will be with Michigan-versus-Michigan State.

I’m not sure whether there was an alternate date at The Joe or on HBO’s schedule. I’m also not sure whether any arena anywhere was willing to pay the $500,000 site fee that Shaw and King reportedly got from the Silverdome. That dollar sign might have been the biggest symbol at play.

Even if Alexander-Bradley had wound up at The Joe on a different date, it might not have mattered. Last March, Arthur Abraham’s disqualification in the Super Six bout against Andre Dirrell, a native of Flint, Mich., at The Joe drew a disappointing crowd, reportedly about 5,000.

Predictably, Shaw expressed frustration at criticism of the site during a conference call Tuesday.

“First, let’s wait until January 29 and find out how many people are in there,’’ said Shaw, Bradley’s promoter. “No. 2, I put on the greatest fight of the decade, (Diego) Corrales vs. (Jose Luis) Castillo and we didn’t sell even 2,000 tickets. I never heard anyone say that it wasn’t a fight that was extraordinary.

“We have two great undefeated American fighters and we went to a place we thought was befitting. We never set if for 70,000 – the set-up was always going to be between 10,000 and 15,000. Those that came to the press conference saw how it would be mapped out. The Silverdome was well-prepared and did a great job.

“There should be compliments to the new owner of the stadium who wants to do more boxing and is willing to take the risk to bring big-time boxing back to the Detroit area. I think it’s a terrific place to do the fight. I’m not sorry and Don’s not sorry. We are doing something for that economy. We are bringing HBO, which is going to shine a big spotlight on that economy.

“Everybody claimed a couple years ago the U.S. automobile industry was dead. If you’d all bought stock in those companies, you would be rich today.’’

Please, promoters aren’t in the business of propping up any economy other than their own.

Yet, Bradley-Alexander is a worthy fight, mostly because it has a chance to stimulate interest in boxing’s battered model of an American game.

In terms of philosophy, this one has a chance to be a game-changer. American fighters have become increasingly protective of their unbeaten records – the so-called 0, which both Alexander (21-0, 13 KOs) and Bradley possess (26-0, 11 KOs).

Greatness in boxing is often measured in large part by how a fighter comes back from defeat. Rocky Marciano is known for retiring unbeaten, but is his name at the top of any all-time, pound-for-pound lists?

King said a lot of things during Tuesday’s conference call.

“Ticket sales will not determine the greatness of this fight,’’ King said.

Yeah, and I’ll be the next chairman of GM.

But he did say something that could help boxing recapture some of the fan interest that has eroded precipitously since last year’s second round of abortive talks for Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The winner, King said, will be a superstar.

“But the loser will be a star, too,’’ said King, who echoed a comment from Bradley 10 days ago when the multi-skilled junior-welterweight said big fights were more important to him than the play-it-safe desire to protect the 0 and only the 0.

If Bradley-Alexander can help alter thinking behind a zero-sum game, it will be remembered as a winner, regardless of the zip code.

“We can spotlight this hard-hit economy,’’ said King, who talked about Motown as if it were boxing.

On the economic GPS, they’re in the same place.

The Attendance was 12, 688 which produced a gate of over $2,174,000

The Submission of The night was awaded to Clay Guida

The Knockout of the night was awarded to Jeremy Stephens

The fight of the night was Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard and each will receive their win bonus

It was announced at the press conference that Edgar will next defend his title against the exciting Anthony Pettis