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Written by Lee Wylie
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Thursday, 04 April 2013 00:00
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 He may have been overshadowed by the likes of Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker, but throughout the late eighties and early nineties, former bantamweight kingpin Orlando Canizales was one of the world’s best fighters and, in this writer’s opinion, is one of the most underappreciated technicians of all time. At his best, Canizales’ level of skill and technique were truly breathtaking. Here, I’d like to take a brief look at some of his technical intricacies that led to him becoming one of my favorite fighters to study and enjoy watching on film. It should be noted that although I will be dividing this analysis into specific categories (counterpunching, combination punching, angles, etc.) some of the examples I’ll be using here are actually broad enough to fall under another category. Counterpunching Quite... Read more...
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Written by Michael Woods
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Wednesday, 03 April 2013 22:18
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 Showtime cameras followed Floyd Mayweather between May 5 and August 5 last year, and caught the fighter battling himself, his out-of-the-ring demons, as he looked at a three months jail stint for having a fight with his ex. Mayweather was sentenced in December 2011 for a September 2010 incident involving the mother of three of his four kids and fight fans got to see him dealing with the looming incarceration up close and intimate, in an hour-long documentary called "30 Days in May." In the opening scene, we see Floyd enroute to jail, on June 1. He complains to a pal that people stab people and get similar time, and that there were no marks on his ex. "Sometimes shit happens," he says, getting out of the 'woe is me'... Read more...
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Written by Kelsey McCarson
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Wednesday, 03 April 2013 08:28
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 Through ongoing discussions with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, TSS has learned the state of Texas does not have a boxing commission or a boxing commissioner. “Any commissioners we have in the state are appointed by the governor,” Susan Stanford, Public Information Officer for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), told TSS over the phone last week. “We do not have a boxing commission or a boxing commissioner here in Texas. There seems to be a lot of confusion around that point. I know lots of other states do, but Texas does not.” While Dickie Cole has frequently been referenced in media reports as the state’s boxing commissioner, Cole is actually the Program Manager for the Texas Combative Sports Program, a statute managed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. So is Texas off the... Read more...
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Written by David A. Avila
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Tuesday, 02 April 2013 16:48
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 Wow. Seems like everyone is headed toward Asia. Mixed martial arts and professional boxing all have their eyes fixed on the area known as the “Ring of Fire” this week. Better get used to it. ONE Fighting Championship, an MMA organization actually based in Singapore, starts the motion in the ocean with its show this week. ONE FC’s lightweight champion Kotetsu “No Face” Boku (20-7-2; pictured above) makes his first title defense against Shinya “Tobukan Judan” Aoki (32-6) on Friday, April 5 from Singapore. Called “Kings and Champions” the impressive fight card will be televised on web stream at WWW.ONEFC.LIVESPORT.TV. The following day Top Rank brings boxing to that area. More on that later. MMA in particular has long looked at Asia as an enriched... Read more...
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Written by Bernard Fernandez
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Monday, 01 April 2013 10:07
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 After his final bid for a berth on the American boxing team that would compete in the 2012 London Olympics had ended with an upset, double-tiebreaker computer loss to Terrell Gausha in the U.S. National Championships, Jesse Hart angrily suggested he just might quit the sport altogether. Asked if his talented son might actually walk away from the ring forever because of the bitter disappointment he had just experienced, Hart’s father, former middleweight contender Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, shrugged and said, “We ain’t going to stay stuck on stupid.” And Jesse Hart, who definitely is not stupid, did the right thing after he took some time to calm down and think things through. He turned pro, signed with Top Rank and is now 5-0, with four knockout victories, as a promising super middleweight. When it comes... Read more...
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Written by Lee Wylie
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Monday, 01 April 2013 00:00
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 Mike Alvarado made some shrewd strategic and tactical adjustments that attributed to him defeating Brandon Rios by unanimous decision in their rematch on Saturday night. Although things were reasonably close heading into the final stages of the fight, Alvarado finished the stronger of the two and received the nod on all three of the judge’s scorecards. Today, I’d like to highlight some of the key changes that Mike Alvarado made from the first fight that allowed him to reverse the outcome this time. Last October, Rios stopped Alvarado in the seventh round after breaking him down in a war of attrition. Although Alvarado (pictured above, right, with Rios, in Chris Farina-Top Rank photo) initially came out looking to angle off his jab and keep Rios at bay, it wasn’t too long before an inside... Read more...
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Written by Michael Woods
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Saturday, 30 March 2013 23:00
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 Mike Alvarado started slowly versus Brandon Rios, got buzzed in round two, but collected his senses, and he did what all said he couldn't, and boxed smartly and steadily for the duration in the main event at the Mandalay Bay on Saturday night, in Las Vegas. Alvarado mixed movement and flat footed combination punching, and got the love from the judges, by scores of 115-113, 115-113, 114-113. It was another superb prizefight, without the jaw-dropping violence of the Bradley-Provodnikov fight, but top grade nevertheless. I had it 7-3-2, for Alvarado, but am just happy the judges got it right. It was another majestic display of will and guts, and yes, skill, as Alvarado's ring generalship carried the night. Alvie (seen above in Chris Farina-Top Rank photo) went 261-860 to 241-823 for the loser,... Read more...
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Written by David A. Avila
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Saturday, 30 March 2013 09:18
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 So what can you expect from Brandon Rios vs. Mike Alvarado II? It could be a bloody slugfest with Rios battering his way through his superior strength. Or, it could be Alvarado prevailing through use of his superior boxing ability. Take your pick. Oxnard’s “Bam Bam” Rios (31-0-1, 23 Kos) heads to Las Vegas once again to face Denver’s “Mile High” Alvarado (33-1, 23 Kos) in a junior welterweight clash. The rematch takes place tonight at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. HBO will televise. “I am pretty sure it will go the same way. I’m sure he feels the same way too,” said Rios, 26. “I am gunning for a knockout. That’s the way I feel right now.” Punches were flying Rock-em, Sock-em Robot style when they first clashed at the Home Depot Center in Carson. Many predicted... Read more...
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Written by Kelsey McCarson
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Friday, 29 March 2013 14:19
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 No matter what Punxsutawney Phil says every year, the groundhog that crawls out of his dwelling in Pennsylvania to ask his shadow when the weather will change, spring officially begins in the United States (and the rest of the northern hemisphere) when the sun crosses the celestial equator. This year, it happened last Wednesday, March 20. After a pretty abysmal winter, boxing fans have good reason to be excited about the start of a new season, and it has nothing to do with the discarding of sweaters and jackets. Cold season mismatches, postponements and cancellations are gone, my friends. Spring is in the air. Here are the five best fights of the bunch, the scrumdiddlyumptious Cadbury Eggs of your heavier-than-usual Easter basket this year. 1. Canelo Alvarez vs. Austin Trout, April 20in San Antonio (Showtime) – Boxing hardly ever gives us fights... Read more...
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Written by David A. Avila
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Thursday, 28 March 2013 22:02
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 Up in the hillside boxing gym Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola was locked in combat with an old foe now turned stable-mate Damian “Bolo” Wills. Once the bell rings they rip through each other mercilessly. After numerous rounds the sparring war ends with both pretty much physically spent. Both are trained by Henry Ramirez. Both are premier heavyweights. Arreola (35-2, 30 Kos) loves the sparring with Wills, it’s great preparation for his upcoming fight against Bermane Stiverne (22-1-1, 20 Kos) on Saturday April 27. The heavyweight title elimination bout will take place at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. HBO will televise. The Mexican-American heavyweight from Riverside looks physically fit and lean. He’s sporting one of those $200 looking haircuts and doesn’t waste time once he gets... Read more...
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