|
Written by Bernard Fernandez
|
|
Monday, 25 February 2013 14:18
|
 Try as he might, Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins is finding it difficult to generate much animosity toward IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud, whom he challenges in the HBO-televised main event March 9 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Despite their 17-year age gap and decidedly different points of origin, Hopkins, 48, feels a certain kinship toward Cloud. It’s hard to work yourself into a frothing rage in preparation of a fight with someone you sort of relate to. “I heard this guy talking about his mom’s refrigerator being repossessed, about how they had to put their food in a washtub and fill it up with ice to keep it from spoiling,” Hopkins (photo above by Hogan Photos), a child of poverty who grew up on the mean streets of North Philadelphia, said of Cloud, who hails from Tallahassee, Fla. “I’ve been watching that tape for... Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Michael Woods
|
|
Saturday, 23 February 2013 23:09
|
 The first three quarters of the main event on Showtime Saturday night between IBF 154 pound champ K9 Bundrage and Ishe Smith were pretty putrid. K9 employed a bizarre strategy, moving without throwing, while Smith was lacking in aggression. The last portion of the fight heated up, with Smith landing clean right hands most every round, and that went a ways from having watchers remember this as an all-time stinkeroo. The judges had the last word, seeing a split decision, 116-111 for Smith (Herb Santos card), 114-113 for K9 (David Hess card) and 116-111, for the winner, Smith Gerard White card). Al Bernstein, Steve Farhood and Joe Cortez also saw Smith as the winner. Smith cried after, to Jim Gray, he was so emotional. He said that five years ago, he contemplated suicide, and didn't do it, because he has kids and grew up without... Read more...
|
|
|
Written by David A. Avila
|
|
Friday, 22 February 2013 09:41
|
 Women make their Ultimate Fighting Championship debut Saturday when bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey defends against Liz Carmouche in UFC 157. It’s too bad that boxing slept on women’s prizefighting. Not UFC, they saw that Rousey can fight and immediately noticed that she attracted tons of fans. You got to hand it to UFC’s Dana White. He’s sharp. Despite a lack of parity in women’s MMA, Rousey’s (6-0) popularity is sure to inspire young women when she fights Carmouche (7-2) at the Honda Center in Anaheim. It will be televised on pay-per-view television. Several boxing champions appreciate that Rousey is going to headline the UFC event, including Mia St. John and Gennady Golovkin, who both announced they are attending the debut of Rousey on UFC. Gennady, the WBA middleweight world champion, met Rousey in Big Bear Lake where she trained in their facility. He... Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Michael Woods
|
|
Thursday, 21 February 2013 17:29
|
 One day, quite likely, somebody will taint Floyd Mayweathers' record. He could retire undefeated, or he could not make it through his new six fight, 30 month deal with Showtime unscathed. Robert Guerrero truly seems to believe in his heart that he will be the one to hand Floyd his first loss, on May 4 in Las Vegas. Not sure that one or two of the guys who fought "Money" recently truly felt in their heart that they'd beat the technical wizard... I asked Guerrero on Wednesday night about getting the gig. Has to feel good, right? "I'm feeling extremely confident that I will come out victorious," he said. "He's never been in the ring with a fighter like me. He's in trouble!" I told the 31-1 boxer, who is 29 years old, that I was happy for him from a financial standpoint. In America, we pay more for medical care and coverage than I think anywhere in the... Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Michael Woods
|
|
Thursday, 21 February 2013 16:01
|
 Donaire was a hot fighter in 2012, going 4-0. Can he continue the momentum with a win over Cuban ace Rigondeaux April 13? (Chris Farina-Top Rank) They are the best two junior featherweights in the world quite likely, and on April 13, we will see if Nonito Donaire is No. 1, and Guillermo Rigondeaux is No. 2, as most seem to say. Or not... The April 13 Radio City Music Hall clash between the 2012 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year and maybe the best amateur the world has ever seen has been on again off again twenty times in the last couple weeks. The issue of drug testing--will it happen? who will administer it?--has been the sticking point, and that issue hung over the press conference at BB King's in NYC Thursday which almost didn't happen, because Donaire was irked that Team Rigo was dragging their feet in agreeing to do random testing as... Read more...
|
|
|
Written by David A. Avila
|
|
Wednesday, 20 February 2013 00:21
|
 Floyd “Money” Mayweather has decided to take his date with Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero to the Showtime network when they fight on May 4, in Las Vegas. Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer said Tuesday that the undefeated Mayweather (43-0, 26 Kos) agreed to meet Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 Kos) at the MGM Grand on Cinco de Mayo weekend. It’s usually the date of the biggest fight of the year. It will be televised on Showtime pay-per-view. “I’m very excited for Robert Guerrero,” said Schaefer. “Right now the public demands the fight with Robert Guerrero. It’s the biggest challenge out there. No question about.” During the last two weeks Mayweather had hinted toward a fight with Devon Alexander instead. “Mayweather is his own boss. Devon is a fighter promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. But he is contracted to fight Kell Brook,” said Schaefer by telephone.... Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Michael Woods
|
|
Tuesday, 19 February 2013 15:39
|
 Ellerbe (left) says that Floyd will fight more often, because he has a renewed sense of motivation for the sport. (Hogan Photos) Floyd Mayweather's righthand man Leonard Ellerbe sounded jubilant on the phone with TSS, talking about the up-to-six fight, 30 month deal "Money" signed with Showtime. "It's just an exciting day, and Floyd is really excited, and looking forward to going out and performing," he said. "An active Floyd Mayweather! He's been whipping these guys and he's been off, an active Floyd these guys are really going to have hell on their hands. An active Floyd is going to put a can of ass whipping on these guys." Ellerbe didn't want to look much beyond the day and the bombshell news. I asked him if there's an escape clause, or if Floyd is locked into the Showtime deal for the entire 30 months the release referred to. "I'm not ready to get into... Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Michael Woods
|
|
Tuesday, 19 February 2013 15:08
|
 Stephen Espinoza has been talking with Floyd Mayweather's advisor Al Haymon for months, trying to get "Money" to jump ship from his longtime home, HBO, to Showtime. The head of Showtime Sports told TSS that in the last 24 hours, he got the news, via a phone call from Haymon, that he got what he wanted: the sport's main man in the fold. "I'm on cloud nine, we're thrilled with the opportunity," Espinoza told me. "Now we have to roll up our sleeves and get to work." Espinoza said that Haymon met with Floyd, told him the details of the package, which calls for the soon to be 36 year old to fight up to six times within a span of 30 months for Showtime, and Floyd gave the thumbs up. Espinoza said that the upside, besides Floyd getting fatther checks, would be for fight fans. He said he expects the boxer, who typically fights once or twice a year, to fight more often. "He has... Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Michael Woods
|
|
Tuesday, 19 February 2013 12:31
|
 Floyd Mayweather has been an HBO fighter since...seems like forever. That changed, today, when it was announced that "Money" will be getting his money from Showtime, and its parent company, CBS. The deal, according to a release, will "enable" the 43-0 Mayweather to fight up to six times over 30 months. The first fight in the deal will be a May 4 clash in Las Vegas, against Robert Guerrero. The release boasted that if Mayweather fights those six times, and continues to maintain his PPV numbers, the deal "will be the richest individual athlete deal in all of sports." I reached out to HBO, for a response. A spokesman offered this take. "We made an aggressive and responsible pay-per-view offer. Now we move on. We are focused on the best boxing franchise in the television business. We are proud of the roster of superstar fighters and emerging stars who are scheduled to appear... Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Kelsey McCarson
|
|
Tuesday, 19 February 2013 12:04
|
 According to Susan Sanford, Public Information Officer for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Texas’ state boxing commission does not regularly test professional boxers for the use of most performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), including anabolic steroids. Texas implemented an updated drug testing protocol in the fall of 2011. It has widely been assumed that the process, which includes a random selection of four to six fighters from any given fight card, incorporated testing for performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. However, information provided to TSS confirms the current random testing protocol is almost exclusively geared towards illicit and recreational drug screening. According to Sanford, the nine-panel urinalysis test only includes the following: 1. Amphetamine Screen 2. Barbiturate 3. Benzodiazepines 4. Cannabinoid 5. Cocaine... Read more...
|
|
|
