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

European Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Maccarinelli 32-4(25) will look to make the first defence of his title against unbeaten Ukrainian Alexander Frenkel on the bumper 18 September show in Birmingham, England. Back in 2006 Maccarinelli was a young world champion with an entertaining style he would make 4 successful defence’s of the WBO strap before losing it in a bragging rights unification shootout with David Haye. It seemed to send his career into a tailspin when he lost two in a row in a bad 2009. While many fighters would opt to retire not Maccarinelli he decided against getting a day job, rededicated himself going back to basics. After two feel your way back wins both in the first round he was left with a decision to fight in Prizefighter for more money, against weaker opposition or fight for the vacant European crown which though more prestigious would be in Russia against Alexander Kotlobay. After deliberating it with promoter Frank Warren, Maccarinelli decided no guts no glory going for the jugular heading to Russia where he demolished Kotlobay in 135 seconds of the opening round. Maccarinelli hopes to get an impressive victory over Frenkel that would propel him into a muted Cruiserweight Super 6. Here’s what Big Macc had to say ahead of the fight.

Hello Enzo, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly you will be making your first defence of the European Cruiserweight title against Alexander Frenkel. What are your thoughts on Frankel? How good do you think he is?

Enzo Maccarinelli – Yeah obviously he’s good. He’s got a good record, good knock out record. I’ve seen the boys he’s been fighting they haven’t been up to much i’ll be honest but he’s taken care of them. He beat what’s in front of him but i’m in a totally different kettle of fish to what he’s faced.

Anson Wainwright – Your fight takes place on the massive 18 September Birmingham show. What are your thoughts on appearing on that card?

Enzo Maccarinelli – Yeah to be honest it doesn’t really bother me if i’m honest. I’m in this for myself, it’s not a team sport. But you’ve got to give some kudos to Frank Warren for putting on a show like this. It’s got to be the most stacked 50-50 fights for British Boxing for many years. I think it’ll be a fantastic night of boxing and i’m sure everyone will play a part in making it a great night.

Anson Wainwright – Over the past few years you’ve changed several things in your team having left the Calzaghe stable, who are you trained by now? Also who is your manager & promoter? What gym do you train at?

Enzo Maccarinelli – Yeah i train with Karl Ince he does pads with me. A conditioner Chris Ware for fitness and an old trainer from when i was younger Derek who’s just pushing me. I’ve gone back to basics. I’ve left all the weights alone, which i’ve done over the last couple of years. Plenty of running, plenty of Boxing, plenty of sparring. I’m in London, I’ve sparred with Derek Chisora this week. Everything is going well. My manager & promoter is Frank Warren. I train over my dad’s gym where it all started, like i say i’ve gone back to basics, i train at home. The place that i grew up and made me. It’s a little tin shed in Swansea, it’s boiling in the summer & freezing in the winter. But it’s what i call my second home. It’s relight the fire inside me.

Anson Wainwright -From your point of view what made your decide to leave the Calzaghe’s and how are things between you now?

Enzo Maccarinelli – It’s all amicable. I gave them my reason’s why i left. I speak to Joe all the time. I speak to Enzo all the time. There’s no animosity at all with me leaving at all. When Joe retired Enzo lost some of his love for the game, he wouldn’t admit it at the time but i think he would now. It was just something i had to do. I don’t hold grudges there’s no grudges to hold. I’m very close to Joe, i’m very close to Enzo.

Anson Wainwright -Obviously Frenkel is a very real test for you, but all being well I’m sure you want to get back on the World stage. What is your plan of attack?

Enzo Maccarinelli – I want that world title back again. I’m in this for no other reason. When i lost to Lebedev and Afolabi i lost to boys who a couple of years ago wouldn’t of touched me. But i lost. I’m not making excuses, i’m not saying it wasn’t me. I prepared wrong for both of them fights, they prepared right they won, preparation is key. But the thing was i knew what i did wrong. Especially after the Lebedev fight i was embarrassed not because i lost because of the way i performed. It was upto me to either sit in the house and think of a new career or carry on and do the sport i love. Obviously here i am. Everyone gave me no hope what so ever going to Russia. I smashed the boy up. I did exactly what i said i was going to do. It was no lucky shot. I said it was going to be over in two rounds and it was the first!

Anson Wainwright -What are your thoughts on the current state of the Cruiserweight division? Where do you feel you fit in to things?

Enzo Maccarinelli – I fit in there. I feel i can beat any Cruiserweight on the planet bar none. As long as i prepare right, as long as i turn up right on the night. I think it’ll be a hard man to beat me. It’s a good division with good fighters. I’d place Steve Cunningham at the top he’s been around a long time he shows no sign of slowing down. Me and Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, Marco Huck would be a cracking fights. I’ve heard rumours of Super 6’s in all division’s so that would be something i’d love to do. But i’m not taking nothing for granted Alexander Frenkel is a dangerous opponent. I’m training as hard as ever. My weight is fine, i’m under weight already, i’m fit as a fiddle. I could do 12 rounds tomorrow. It’s just a matter of not going over the top.

Anson Wainwright – You touched on the Cruiserweight Super 6 which has been mentioned, what are your thoughts on that?

Enzo Maccarinelli – It would be fantastic. It would definitely be something i’d like to do. If i can put on something spectacular against Frenkel then maybe i could earn my way in there, that would be ideal for me, I’d be more than happy. It would be a fantastic tournament at the end of the day after Seven or so fights you find out who the number one is.

Anson Wainwright -You went into the Lions den so to speak last time out when you won the European title, was that a case of you having to win as a loss would of put you in a very difficult place?

Enzo Maccarinelli – Yeah that’s the way i see every fight from now on. When i lost to Lebedev i changed a few things, i didn’t feel anything i did in training was right. But maybe I didn’t have the hunger, but i went along with it, i knew it wasn’t right. I lost i thought i’m going to give it one last crack, i know i can still do it. I’m going to do it my way so if it F&!$’s up it’s all on me. I had that offer to go to Russia and it was either that or Prizefighter. On paper Prizefighter was a lot easier, i’d get paid a lot more money to win Prizefighter. But the rewards were more (For the European Title). Some journalists said it was the best performance by a British fighter on foreign soil in many a year. Nothing hindered me, i spoke to Frank Warren he offered me Prizefighter or the European title. I said which one do you want me to take? He said he’d like me to fight for the European, that was enough for me. I told them all i’d knock him out and that’s exactly what i did.

Anson Wainwright -The biggest fight of your career to date was the David Haye unification. Looking back what are your thoughts on that fight? Was it a case of him just being to big for you?

Enzo Maccarinelli – No not at all. If you watch the fight i hit him in the first round, i didn’t take my chance. He did in the second round. It was a matter of who landed the cleanest (Punch) first. He landed a few times in the first round. But the second round he caught me and finished the job, all credit to him. But after that fight i tried to change things but i just came up against a better boy that night.

Anson Wainwright -After the Haye fight you seemed to be on the way down losing to Afolabi & Lebedev. What happened at that time and how have you turned the corner now?

Enzo Maccarinelli – It was basically when i lost to Ola Afolabi i was winning every round but i was absolutely exhausted from the second round. If you see the fights from before like the first Hobson fight i’ll fight to the finish. Against Afolabi was exausted, I was quite surprised i lasted 8 rounds i’ll be honest. He caught me in the 8th but lets be honest people say about my chin but that would of knock out a Heavyweight. Some people say it was a lucky punch, it was nothing to do with luck. I was absolutely shattered, I threw a lazy jab, he threw it with everything he had into the punch. I changed trainers i went to Bolton with Karl Ince who still works with me. But when i first went with Karl he tried too hard to do everything too correct. I brought in one of the best strength and conditioner trainers in the world to make me do this make me do that. It just didn’t feel right for me. It was to much emphasis on rest and recovery not enough on ridiculous hard work which is what i have always been used to. I went back to Swansea, i didn’t like being away from the kids. I know you need to make sacrifices. But i didn’t like being away from them for all that time, i don’t know if it effected me. But back home in Swansea everyday i see my kids it gave me strength. I’ve gone back to the old tin shed i grew up in. It’s relight the flames i’m in love with Boxing again after i fell out of love with it.

Anson Wainwright -If it wasn’t for Boxing what do you think you’d be doing for a living?

Enzo Maccarinelli – I don’t know. My dad grew me to be a fighter. There’s pictures of me at 3 years old in the gym hitting the bag. Obviously i don’t know what i was doing but i’m hitting the bag. My dad just wanted me to be a fighter. I was good in school, very good but all my reports say the same Enzo wont be one of our brightest pupils he wont try hard because for some reason he thinks he’s going to be a World Champion boxer! Haha it was nice to go back to present awards as a World Champion boxer.

Anson Wainwright – Though your still young what do you think you’d like to do after your Boxing career?

Enzo Maccarinelli – Only one thing i want to do, train boys. I train boys 3 days a week at my dad’s amateur gym. The night i won the European title i had a call off my dad congratulating me. But we had a young boy 17, just gone to the World Youth Championship’s without much experience but won his first fight by 10 points against a top boy. I’m trying to explain to people i was just as happy for him as i was for myself but they don’t get that. How close i am with all these kids in the gym. I’m telling you i have 4/5 boys who are definitely going to go on and do something.

Anson Wainwright -Finally do you have a message for Alexander Frenkel ahead of your fight?

Enzo Maccarinelli – No i don’t have any message just be prepared. He’s shooting his mouth off saying he’s going to knock me out and go site seeing. He wont have to go far, I’ll meet him in the centre of that ring and i guarantee i’ll be the first person to hit him back and he’ll know what it’s like to be hit by Big Macc!

Thanks for your time Enzo, good luck on the 18 September

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

Devon Alexander and Andriy Kotelnik weigh-in for their IBF/WBC 140 lb championship fight in St. Louis

Video by Ed Keenan / EMC Events

Tavoris Cloud and Glen Johnson weigh-in for their IBF Light Heavyweight championship showdown in St. Louis

Video by Ed Keenan / EMC Events

Boxer’s as a rule have always been known as having rather ugly faces, for example the boxers nose, the cauliflower ear, scar tissue, the high cheek bones, are what are usually remarked about of the boxers face.

However contrary to popular belief, there comes along the pretty boy, or better known as the golden boy whose handsome countenance makes a mockery of the trade he plies and clearly dispel’s such stereotypical views of the boxer’s boat, {cockney slang for someone’s face} and talking of boat’s don’t worry guy’s we’ll be taking a trip to the seaside soon, in the literary sense of course!

Through the years, there have been plenty of good looking men who have traded leather but have dismissed the old adage about ‘he looks a bit banged up’ let’s start with Jack Dempsey, the first million dollar fighter, who also had a short career on the silver screen with actress wife Estelle Taylor, then came boxing’s first golden boy Art Aragon, then Sugar’s Robinson and Leonard, both pretty boy’s, Muhammad Ali, Bobby Czyz, Donnie “Golden Boy” Lalonde the former W.B.C 175lb king, who ring magazine stated as ‘diabolically good looking’ to Britain’s own Robin Reid, who in his spare time posed for girly mags in erotic poses, Calzaghe is another one, both former World super middleweight champions respectively.

However it’s with the super middle’s and Britain where we’ll stay, shall we?, see down in the South coast there’s a super middle coming up the rankings, and from Margate actually, look I’ll explain a little later!

However though only boxing six times and winning his last five in a row as a pro, he sure looks impressive inside the confines of a boxing ring, but talking of looks it’s on the outside his been causing waves, well he is from Margate ain’t he!

So without further a due, let me introduce boxing’s latest golden boy……Jack Morris.

See Jack does’nt look like your average boxer as I once stated in a previous article on the super middleweight prospect, with his boy next door good looks and much, much further away girls, in your wildest dreams!

Morris a native of Margate, the place of kiss me quick hats, though I’m sure ladies you’d opt to kiss Jack slowly!

Jack who stands six foot tall has been dubbed by many of the local lasses down there in Southwark as the Beckham of boxing, oh sorry guy’s I did’nt mention when Jack’s not at home weekend’s in Margate, he stay’s in London as this is where he trains down at the City Boxer gym, a personal trainer during the day, Jack also doe’s a bit of modeling naturally.

Having modeled in his teens, it was’nt long before bigger names came knocking at the afforementioned City Boxer gym, one time Jack modeled in Holborn in London and was paid for a measly two hours work the grand sum of 00!

Modelling anything from Suits to Boxing wear, Jack is at the moment in talks with GQ magazine and Men’s Health involving more work, only last year Jack was offered a week’s work in Milan, the fashion capital of the World for 000, as one of the top people from the late Alexander McQueen’s company felt Jack had the right look and build, however due to there not being enough model’s with the right look, the shoot was canceled.

However despite that initial setback of sorts, the offers weren’t far away from big name modeling agency’s, has Jack was picked up by Dominic Barratt Evans who himself is good friends with Jason Joyce {take a look at www.jasonjoyce.com to see for yourself} who shoots some of the most famous people in the World, U2, Oasis, Cheryl Cole, amongst some of the World’s top models amongst others….so Jack is certainly mixing with the big boys in the photogenic sense, say no more!
Has I mentioned earlier Jack who stand’s an imposing six feet tall, his twelve stone is distributed nicely over his manly frame, wide sloping shoulders with a good six pack chucked in for good measure, and with bulging biceps and unlike most muscle men he doesn’t suffer from what I term ‘lolly pop legs’ as his pin’s are more shapely and well muscled, more like that of a footballer.

It amazes me that a guy that get’s punched in the face for a living is in my totally unbiased opinion a lot better looking than most footballers and for that matter film stars, so I told you quite a bit about Jack, so what’s his face like?, well….. if you could imagine a guy that looks across between Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore, you might know where I’m coming from, this guy is so handsome, and please let me go on record as one writer once did in Ring magazine back in 1993 when doing an article on Billy Conn, who was former light heavy champ, “he was the most handsome man I ever saw in my life” and where Jack’s concerned I echo that very sentence, drop dead gorgeous he sure is, nice friendly blue eyes, shine from his pale complexion, with a nicely shaped nose, also his lovely smile that’s harbored by wait for it girls…..his squarish manly jaw and more importantly Jack when he speaks, it’s with a nice quiet baritone, see there’s nothing flash or cocky with this guy, he is one of the quietest people I have had the pleasure of meeting in my life.

Born on 15th August 1982, I remember the actual day very well as I was a twelve year old at Leigh on sea in Essex, I remember seeing a pretty girl of a similar age, both looking at each other, I felt like I was falling in love at such a young age, it reminded me of that scene from Blake Edward’s film ’10’ where Dudley Moore is imagining his running along the beach meeting up with Bo Derek {a regular at the big fights in the 80’s}, but sadly for me reality struck later that day as she left and I never saw her again, I could have cried but one thing’s for sure someone did that very day, some miles away in Greenwich, it was a newborn baby….it was Jack Morris!

Never mind ’10’, the number ’13’ is a number that Jack seems comfortable with as this is for some reason his nickname, see no one other than the man himself know’s why this is, and in true Bond fashion, it’s top secret simple as, see Jack won’t unleash the reason why he calls himself this until after one of his fights, possibly after he becomes a champion, so you could say ’13’ will one day be number 1!

And in true Patrick Mcgoohan fashion from the hit TV series, The Prisoner, he is not just a number, he is the man!

Jack Morris however is from my knowledge the only boxer ever to call himself ’13’, but by eerie coincidence in the sport of baseball, there was also another Jack Morris who had made history with the number 13, as he scored a record Major League thirteen consecutive straight opening day starts from 1980 through to 1992, but hey it’s the boxing version whose knocking em for six, man and woman alike,See every man want’s to be him, every woman with him!

Jack however is now also a proud father himself, real name Andrew Morris, due to the British boxing board of control deciding that there couldn’t be two Andrew Morris’ as there’s a Andy Morris a super feather from Manchester, so Andrew named himself after his son whose name’s Jack obviously.
The name cunjer’s up that of a old time prizefighter, someone who plied there trade back in the 20’s during the time’s of another Jack, Dempsey that is, however not only that but Morris fights like one also, my first time of watching him was last year at the Troxy, when he defeated the durable Kenroy Lambert who rarely gets stopped, sitting there I felt excited just like when I was a sixteen year old watching for the first time the black and white fights of Dempsey, Marciano and Tunney, it felt as though I was watching a throwback the very way Morris moved and let go with his shots, even managing to score a most impressive stoppage victory over Lambert which is a rarity itself! or has Steve Holdsworth pointed out to me when I was around his house, “that’s a good result, no one hardly stops Kenroy!” enough said!

However at that particular venue on a big screen before the contest, Jack was shown being interviewed by his trainer Mark ” the Burf” Burford, the big screen treatment fitting as Jack is hoping that an acting career will hopefully come to fruition on a much bigger screen after his finished trading punches for punch lines!

Also it is hoped a much bigger stage boxing wise, with the good looks of a James Bond type, and like the nickname of his trainer, the “Burf” it could be the birth indeed of a champion boxer and film star, or like the recent film starring Jim Carey ‘I love Philip Morris’ all I can say is Jack ain’t too bad himself! and while on the subject of celluloid, in true Bond idiom on getting back to that particular March evening last year, it was Lambert who was shaken, myself stirred!

However thus far as a pro Jack has showed progress more so in his last two fights, beating oft beat journeymen in Jamie Ambler and Adam Wilcox, it’s not just beating them, it’s the way he has, more conclusively than that of the other so called prospects, harmed not only with hooks that weaken opponents knee’s, but looks that weaken the ladies knee’s Jack is a winner on both sides of the ropes it seems.

Surely a member of the bored housewife’s club and many a teenage girls fantasy, let me put it into some kind of perspective shall I, after buying the trade paper Boxing news, showing my mate at work Dave Crossley the photo of Jack he remarked ‘good looking boy’ on showing my mum some film I had taken of my subject for this article ‘his not a bad looking bloke is he’, see everyone loves Jack from the young to the old, and it’s with the young that Jack works closely with, as he helps raise money for a children’s charity that helps children with various illnesses, conclusive proof that the saying ‘beauty’s only skin deep’ need not apply to the man from Margate has he is on both counts, last year at Jack’s effort versus Jamie Ambler, the brigade of charity workers holding buckets for Jack around the ringside, to help raise cash for Jack’s designated charity or has I noted in my report, “if only footballers followed by Jack’s fine example, Jack the Beckham of boxing? definitely! his better looking than David’s Beckham and fellow pin up boxer Haye, and with bigger balls and better look’s than Beckham, his more golden than golden balls himself!

So call him what you like, the Bond or the Beckham of boxing, but one things for sure girls, Jack bends it like Beckham if not better and that certainly would be a case of ‘for your eyes only!’

New Undisputed Middleweight champion, Sergio Martinez talks about his recent win over Kelly Pavlik

Watch Sergio Martinez in Sports  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, The historic heavyweight bout between former undisputed Heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and Francois Botha slated for Uganda has been postponed and may be revived in the United States.

Holyfield’s Feb. 20 fight against Francois Botha in Kampala, Uganda, is off and plans are in the works to reschedule it, the former heavyweight champion told ESPN.com on Wednesday.

Holyfield was scheduled to face South Africa’s Botha in a 12-round bout at Nelson Mandela Stadium, where organizers predicted a crowd of 80,000. However, Holyfield said the promoter failed to make a scheduled payment, forcing him to scrap the idea of going to Africa.

“I’m not going over,” Holyfield said. “We’re moving the fight to the States, but they haven’t got a site yet. But I’m still supposed to fight Botha.”

Ken Sanders, Holyfield’s manager, told ESPN.com that Miami was a possible location for the fight. He also said that besides trying to reschedule the Botha bout, Holyfield would also fight April 24 in Las Vegas.

“But the guy never did come up with the money,” Holyfield said. “They were supposed to pay us before we went over there, put the money in an escrow account. And they missed the payment. Three months we been waiting and we never did get it. So we made the decision.”

“We sat down and had a good conversation and I asked Evander if he wanted to do this and he said he did,” Sanders said. “I asked his trainer, Tommy Brooks, the same thing and he said he’ll have no problem, that Evander just needed two or three weeks after the first fight and he’ll be ready to go for the second one. He’s already in great shape.”

Between Holyfield’s age — 47 — and the number of rounds he’s boxed professionally, it could be difficult for him to get a license in Nevada, where the commission has rigorous standards. However, Sanders said he was not worried about it.

“He’ll pass all the tests,” Sanders said. “I’m not concerned.”

Holyfield said he was looking forward to fighting in Uganda.

“I was kind of excited about it when they talked about 80,000 people,” he said. “The point is to be able to go to different parts of the world. The U.S. is a great place to fight, but it’s not the world.”

“There are so many places that want to have the fight,” he said. “We’re trying to find out the best place.”