Boxing FanHouse http://boxing.fanhouse.com Boxing FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Boxing FanHouse http://boxing.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Manny Pacquiao FanHouse Chathttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/manny-pacquiao-fanhouse-live-chat-monday-2-pm-et/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/manny-pacquiao-fanhouse-live-chat-monday-2-pm-et/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/manny-pacquiao-fanhouse-live-chat-monday-2-pm-et/#commentsFiled under: ,

Manny PacquiaoManny Pacquiao will fight Miguel Cotto on Saturday night (HBO pay-per-view at 9 PM ET), but he'll be taking a few minutes out of his preparations to chat live with FanHouse readers on Monday. If you want to ask Pacquiao a question, you can ask it during our live chat, or submit it in advance to me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

The live chat begins below at 2PM ET on Monday.

Manny Pacquiao FanHouse Chat originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithMon, 09 Nov 2009 06:24:00 EST HBO's Ross Greenburg on 'Compelling' 24/7 Series Featuring Pacquiao, Cottohttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/hbos-ross-greenburg-on-compelling-24-7-series-featuring-pacqu/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/hbos-ross-greenburg-on-compelling-24-7-series-featuring-pacqu/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/hbos-ross-greenburg-on-compelling-24-7-series-featuring-pacqu/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ross GreenburgSaturday night's edition of HBO's 24/7 series on the upcoming Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao fight may be the most riveting because of the fighters' stories, and because it was the most dangerous and treacherous to film.

The cable network's camera crews had to brave the violent surges of a deadly typhoon which battered the Philippines, as did Pacquiao, who bravely trained under tumultuous, life-threatening conditions.

See what HBO's president of sports, Ross Greenburg, had to say about the network's latest undertaking below.



FanHouse: What sort of detail is shown concerning the tragic conditions of the Philippines?

Greenburg: I screened the installment this morning. It's very compelling. It's a sad state of affairs in the Philippines right now. The location where Manny's been training, Baguio, is about six hours from Manila by car.

It took pretty much a direct hit from the typhoon that originally struck the island. And now, there have been a series of pretty bad storms that have taken the rainfall, inch-wise, up to the 25 area or so. It really damaged the city, and we have some harrowing shots of what's happened there.

We were the only camera in the city for the last couple of weeks because there was no access to and from. It's been difficult, and it's been scary. We've had to evacuate our crew to Manila for a couple of days, and then they went back. Manny stayed for as long as he could, and then he left in the middle of the night.

There's been a little discord in the camp because of the tension. Freddy Roach has been fairly concerned from the beginning about being in Baguio. It has not been easy. The shots that we got were scary. It's a city that's under water and it's a very remote part of the Philippines as it is."

FH: Who are the members of the crew?

Greenburg: Scott Boggins was there, who heads up 24/7 as the producer. I do want to give a lot of credit to that dedicated crew who stuck it out and really battled the elements and put themselves in harm's way.

We had a lot of tough conference calls from Manila and from Baguio between myself, [Executive Producer, HBO Sports] Rick Bernstein and [24/7 Coordinating Producer] Dave Harmon and Scott Boggins in the Philippines trying to decide what to do minute to minute with our staff and our crew. Whether to stay, whether to evacuate to Manila, whether to go back at all. What was the safest path?

When you're Manny Pacquiao, and you have access to planes and you're treated like royalty and a head of state. That made it a little bit easier. At the end of the day, Scott Boggins ended up having to take an American military cargo plane from Baguio to Manila and then he came back home.

They were doing military relief efforts in Baguio just to give reinforcements of food and essentials to the city, and we were the only ones with a camrera and we shot that as well. We actually ended up giving a minute or two to some of our bretheren at CNN for them to have some footage of the disaster in the Philippines."

A lot of people lost their lives, so it was very difficult. You know how Manny loves his countrymen, so he's had a very difficult time with it. Although he's been very focused on training, and we have plenty of shots of him training in the middle of this mayhem as well. There's a shot of him in a pool training while basically surrounded by a massive storm.

FH: Can two, foreign fighters appeal to an American audience?

Greenburg: This has the makings for a good one. Neither guy speaks really good English, but I think it's going to be an interesting character study. You don't have a clear-cut American here, but you do have two fighters who have significant fan bases in their own countries and really interesting stories to tell.

For Pacquiao, there is the added drama of what's going on in the Philippines. Also, we're introducing Miguel Cotto to the series, and it's always nice in the 24/7 to introduce a new character.

You always have Freddie Roach, who has evolved into a wonderful character in 24/7, but Miguel will surprise some people as well. His group is fun, and interesting and focused.

FH: What do you hope that the viewer will come away thinking of Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao after the first show?

Greenburg: I believe that they'll be struck by Miguel Cotto's quiet confidence, and the close-knit family that he's developed again at home in Puerto Rico. I think that Miguel probably getting his ninth tatoo with family, and his rekindled relationship with his wife, who is sitting with him. That will be a visual that people may say, 'you don't see that every day.'

Miguel has made his way to Tampa, and Manny will do the same this week to start his training in the U.S. And I think that people will be struck by Manny having to deal with one of the great tragedies in Philippine history and being caught up in the storm and remaining focused in training in bizarre circumstances in this first segment.

I think that the visuals of the rain pelting down and Manny Pacquiao swimming for the first time because he couldn't run in the mountains as a way of doing his exercise, and the visuals of a city that is clearly drowning will be those that people take away from the Philippines.



FH: How big is Manny Pacquaio in popularity?

Greenburg: It seems that every time we do Manny after one of his victories, his legend seems to grow in the Philippines, and it's fascinating to see how he continues to become this Muhammad Ali-type of figure in his homeland.

Even when he's here [in America,] the Filipino community in the United States seems to give him that respect. I can tell you that his legend also seems to be growing in the United States. I think he's now a cross-over superstar athlete in this country.

I think you witness it in Yankees Stadium when we announce this fight, which is also in the first show. We had about 4,000 people there, and they weren't all Filipino and Puerto Rican. There was a mix of a lot of boxing fans.

FH: Is Miguel Cotto's personal strife addressed?

Greenburg: Yes. And it's very dramatic, very compelling. We do, in fact, have the reconcilation between Miguel and his wife. And she is in the first episode with his four children in Puerto Rico. And we will be touching on the problem with Evangelista Cotto, his uncle, and the difficulty there, and the fact that now, Joe Santiago has taken over as his trainer.

There are a lot of little subplots to this 24/7 which should be very entertaining and interesting to see how they deal with these different human elements. Clearly, Miguel Cotto has resurrected his career off of the Joshua Clottey fight. He had the unfortunate loss to Antonio Margarito, which is also part of the drama of the first show. Now people are questioning whether the gloves were real or loaded on Margarito's part.

FH: How about the laceration over Miguel Cotto's eye against Joshua Clottey?

Greenburg: Oh yeah, the cut's clearly in there. We show the distress, and that Clottey was tough, but we also show the later rounds, where Cotto re-establishes himself and, in most people's minds, won the fight."

FH: Whom do you believe is the perceived underdog?

Greenburg: Well, Miguel Cotto is big and strong, so, here we go again, trying to figure out how Manny Pacquiao can put up with this kind of power. Manny stopped everyone in their tracks and shut their mouths when he fought Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton because I think we were all asking the same question of whether or not Manny Pacquiao was just too small.

But then you have Miguel Cotto and his new, lead trainer, Joe Santiago, meaning Cotto and Santiago are going against 2008 Fighter and 2008 Trainer of The Year. They're going up against the man many consider to be the pound-for-best fighter in the world, and a man whom many consider the pound-for-pound best trainer in the world.

We've seen it on previous 24/7's that Manny and Freddie have a bond that is unlike many other fighter-trainer relationships that I've seen in the sport. They've just connected, physically and mentally. To watch them work is almost like watching Picasso with a paint brush.

FH: What about the fighters' patriotism?

Greenburg: Clearly, they both feel that as fighters.

Miguel Cotto comes from a country that has given us some of the greatest boxing legends ever -- Wilfredo Benitez and Felix Trinidad, to name a couple of them from Puerto Rico. So, for Miguel, he has to carry that mantle and that's a heavy burden for a fighter. And he's clearly the island's No. 1 son at this moment.

And then, Manny carries the entire island on his back. There is no other sporting legend who has ever existed on that island like Manny Pacquiao.

HBO's Ross Greenburg on 'Compelling' 24/7 Series Featuring Pacquiao, Cotto originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Lem SatterfieldWed, 21 Oct 2009 13:27:00 EST Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson Shake Hands on Oprah Winfrey Showhttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/10/16/evander-holyfield-mike-tyson-shake-hands-on-oprah-winfrey-show/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/10/16/evander-holyfield-mike-tyson-shake-hands-on-oprah-winfrey-show/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/10/16/evander-holyfield-mike-tyson-shake-hands-on-oprah-winfrey-show/#commentsFiled under:



Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield shook hands on The Oprah Winfrey Show Friday, with Holyfield saying he has forgiven Tyson for biting him in their heavyweight title fight in 1997.

"The most important thing is to forgive, and I forgave him," Holyfield said. "It wasn't really as bad as they made it out to be. Things happen for a reason, but it's how you handle it."

Said Tyson to Holyfield, "I just want you to know it's been a pleasure passing through life, being acquainted with you."

Holyfield and Tyson reflected on having known each other as teenagers, and having had a rivalry when both were competing to make the 1984 Olympic boxing team. Holyfield said of the bizarre fight with Tyson, which ended in Holyfield winning by disqualification, "It's just a part of life. ... Everybody goes through something."

Asked by Winfrey whether the bite hurt, Holyfield said, "Just a little bit."
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Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson Shake Hands on Oprah Winfrey Show originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Evander HolyfieldMike TysonOprah WinfreyMichael David SmithFri, 16 Oct 2009 10:19:00 EST Is 24/7 Unfair to Floyd Mayweather Jr.?http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/is-24-7-unfair-to-floyd-mayweather-jr/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/is-24-7-unfair-to-floyd-mayweather-jr/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/is-24-7-unfair-to-floyd-mayweather-jr/#commentsFiled under: ,



HBO's 24/7 boxing show is a brilliant way to hype a pay-per-view fight. The four-part documentary takes viewers inside the lives of the fighters, and by the end of it, you can't help but want to see these two go at it.

But while watching the current 24/7 series, which is hyping Saturday night's fight between Juan Manuel Marquez and Floyd Mayweather Jr., you also can't help but want to see Marquez give Mayweather a beating. And that raises a question: Is the show unfair to Mayweather?

During our live chat with Mayweather on Monday, a FanHouse reader asked him exactly that: "Do you think the 24/7 show portrays you fairly?" a FanHouse reader named Jerome asked. "In my opinion Juan Manuel Marquez is made out to be a nice family man and you're made out to be the villain."

Mayweather sounded like he wasn't too happy with 24/7, but he didn't want to go there.

"I have a problem with some things that have been done on that," Mayweather said. "But that's all I'll say. Next question."

I don't think there's any doubt that Marquez has come across like the more likable of the two boxers on this current installment of 24/7, but I think the truth is, Mayweather has made a conscious attempt to set himself up as the bad guy. He knows that by coming across as an arrogant jerk, he's making people want to buy his fight to see him get beaten. Marquez will be the fan favorite on Saturday night, but Mayweather will be the real draw, and that's because people love to watch a villain.

Is 24/7 Unfair to Floyd Mayweather Jr.? originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Floyd MayweatherFloyd Mayweather JrFloydMayweatherFloydMayweatherJrJuan Manuel MarquezJuanManuelMarquezMichael David SmithTue, 15 Sep 2009 18:40:00 EST Undercards Key to Boxing's Futurehttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/09/10/undercards-key-to-boxings-future/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/09/10/undercards-key-to-boxings-future/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/09/10/undercards-key-to-boxings-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

By ramping up their promotional efforts for the Sept. 19 Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez pay-per-view fight, some might say that HBO and Golden Boy Promotions are going old school. The fight will be shown at 170 movie theaters across the country and available in over 350,000 hotel rooms. Couple that with what seems like an aggressive usage of the Internet, mobile phones and social networking tools to promote the fight, and it's safe to say that they are doing everything in their power to make this event available to as many people as possible.

That's good news for boxing fans. Even better news is that they are finally using a mega-fight to spotlight some fresh, new talent to the masses. So while all those promotional efforts might be effective for one particular fight, the decision to stack this event with a solid undercard may prove to be the smartest decision HBO and Golden Boy ends up making.

At a sports business forum in New York City on Wednesday, Mark Taffet, the senior vice president of HBO pay-per-view, told FanHouse that it was a conscious decision by all parties involved to announce the undercard early, while making it a very attractive one.

"When Floyd Mayweather came back, he said he wanted to provide the biggest, best night possible for consumers. And Floyd really implored us to work together with Golden Boy to prove the top to bottom, soup to nuts telecast that would be exciting and rewarding for boxing fans," Taffet said. "So Golden Boy went to work, and with Chris John vs. Rocky Juarez and Michael Katsidis vs. Vincente Escobedo, they really put together an undercard that's as good as any and better than most in the history of pay-per-view."

According to HBO, since their PPV outlet, HBO PPV, launched in April 1991 with the George Foreman vs. Evander Holyfield fight, they have produced and distributed over 150 pay-per-view events, generating 44 million PPV buys and $2.1 billion in revenue. Amazingly, despite talk that boxing is experiencing a dry spell, 2006-2008 were three of the four biggest years in HBO PPV history with 12.5 million PPV buys and $634 million in revenue generated in that period.

However, some might say that HBO and Golden Boy squandered multiple opportunities to build new stars when millions of people tuned in to watch the likes of Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquaio, and Ricky Hatton do battle over the last three years because all of those events featured weak undercards.

The UFC, boxing's biggest competitor in the pay-per-view market, has been able to create a great amount of new, young stars by featuring at least five or six fights on all their major pay-per-views.

Fans will always pay to watch a great main event, but while they're there, might as well give them a preview of the champions of tomorrow, right?

Taffet didn't mention the UFC's model specifically, but it's clear that big brother boxing has noticed their success when devoting time and effort into building a solid undercard.

"We think particularly for the young fans and the next generation of boxing fans that we need to cultivate, it's important to provide a full night of entertainment, and we are very pleased that the promoters are taking it seriously and are accepting it, and are committed to providing for the fans the best night of boxing, not just the best main event possible."

So wherever you plan on watching the Mayweather vs. Marquez fight, be sure to get there early because you won't want to miss Juarez vs. John II or the exciting Katsidis and Escobedo do battle for the interim WBO lightweight title. And while you're doing that, sit back and think how great it would be if you could see three exciting fights featuring big stars every time you purchase an HBO pay-per-view.

Undercards Key to Boxing's Future originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>chris johnChrisJohnfloyd mayweatherFloydMayweatherjuan manuel marquezJuanManuelMarquezmark taffetMarkTaffetmichael katsidisMichaelKatsidisrocky juarezRockyJuarezAriel HelwaniThu, 10 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST Mayweather/Marquez 24/7: Episode 1http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/09/02/mayweather-marquez-24-7-episode-1/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/09/02/mayweather-marquez-24-7-episode-1/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/09/02/mayweather-marquez-24-7-episode-1/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When it comes to hyping pay-per-view fights, the gold standard has been set by HBO with its 24/7 series, which chronicles the lives of the boxers, both in and out of the gym, in the weeks leading up to their big fights.

As HBO prepares for its September 19 pay-per-view fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Juan Manuel Marquez, the 24/7 series is back, and this time the first episode is being made available, in full, online.

Video of Mayweather/Marquez 24/7: Episode 1 is below (NSFW, some offensive language is used.)



The show, as always, takes fans inside the fighters' gyms and homes, but this episode is particularly noteworthy because it also deals candidly with the controversies surrounding Mayweather's camp: Police are investigating whether someone driving Mayweather's Rolls Royce was involved in a shooting (Mayweather himself is not a suspect) and a female boxer has pressed assault charges against Mayweather's uncle and trainer, Roger Mayweather.

Roger Mayweather's statements about the alleged assault are sure to raise eyebrows.

"I never hit her," Roger Mayweather says. "I told you what I did. When she hit me aside the head with a lamp, I grabbed her by the throat and I told her, 'If you ever pick something and hit me aside the head, I'll beat you up.' That's all I said. I never hit her. She's a woman. I could hit her, but I didn't."

The question of whether Roger is a distraction to Floyd is sure to be explored in Part 2 of the four-part series, which will air Saturday on HBO.

Mayweather/Marquez 24/7: Episode 1 originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Floyd Mayweather JrFloydMayweatherJrJuan Manuel MarquezJuanManuelMarquezMichael David SmithWed, 02 Sep 2009 11:59:00 EST Floyd Mayweather Talks Trash on Twitterhttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/08/06/floyd-mayweather-takes-his-trash-talk-to-twitter/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/08/06/floyd-mayweather-takes-his-trash-talk-to-twitter/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/08/06/floyd-mayweather-takes-his-trash-talk-to-twitter/#commentsFiled under: ,

Floyd MayweatherOver the course of his boxing career, Floyd Mayweather has probably spent as much time working on his trash talk as he has hitting the speed bag. But as Mayweather prepares to step into the ring with Juan Manuel Marquez -- his first fight in almost two years -- he has a new forum for talking trash: Twitter.

Yes, Mayweather is the latest in a long, long line of athletes to get on Twitter, and he'll be using it to hype his September 19 pay-per-view fight.

Here's his first 140-character salvo:
Marquez says hes goin after my ribs but theres no weakness in MONEY MAY. Only ribs he'll b diggin n2 will b at Outback after I take him down
Not a bad first effort as far as trash talk goes, but I hope he'll also use Twitter to provide us with some real insight, such as what he's working on with his sparring partners and what he thinks about his uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather getting into trouble with the law. That's the kind of thing that builds up a Twitter following.

If you follow boxing and you're on Twitter, follow my boxing Twitter updates.

Floyd Mayweather Talks Trash on Twitter originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Floyd MayweatherFloydMayweatherMichael David SmithThu, 06 Aug 2009 08:55:00 EST Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti's Death: 'I Was Absolutely Stunned'http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/07/18/micky-ward-on-arturo-gattis-death-i-was-absolutely-stunned/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/07/18/micky-ward-on-arturo-gattis-death-i-was-absolutely-stunned/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/07/18/micky-ward-on-arturo-gattis-death-i-was-absolutely-stunned/#commentsFiled under: ,

Arturo Gatti, the boxing great who was killed last weekend in Brazil, will always be remembered for his three epic fights with Micky Ward -- a trilogy as good as any in boxing history. Ward said this week that he was shocked by the death of Gatti, whose wife is currently in custody and charged with his murder.

"I was absolutely stunned -- I couldn't believe it, it's still kind of hard to believe," Ward told ESPN's Brian Kenny. "It's really hard to take."

Ward also said that for as furiously as he and Gatti attacked each other in the ring, they cared for each other on a personal level.

"When we went in there and we fought, we tried to take each other's head off, but outside the ring we had respect for each other," Ward said. "After the three fights we had it built into a better friendship, a long-lasting relationship."

HBO will show all three Ward-Gatti fights Saturday morning beginning at 10:15 AM ET. No boxing fan should miss these fights.

Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti's Death: 'I Was Absolutely Stunned' originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 08:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Arturo GattiArturoGattiMicky WardMickyWardMichael David SmithSat, 18 Jul 2009 08:38:00 EST Floyd Mayweather: Manny Pacquiao Will Beat Miguel Cottohttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/07/16/floyd-mayweather-manny-pacquiao-will-beat-miguel-cotto/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/07/16/floyd-mayweather-manny-pacquiao-will-beat-miguel-cotto/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/07/16/floyd-mayweather-manny-pacquiao-will-beat-miguel-cotto/#commentsFiled under:

The fight that every boxing fan wants to see is Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao in the battle of the two best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. But before we get to see that, we're going to have to hope Mayweather beats Juan Manuel Marquez on September 19, and Pacquiao wins his tentatively scheduled fight with Miguel Cotto on November 14.

Well, there's good news for boxing fans: Mayweather thinks that's going to happen. Mayweather is, of course, always confident in his own abilities, so it's no surprise that he picks himself to beat Marquez. But he also offered a prediction about how Pacquiao vs. Cotto will go, saying that Cotto no longer appears to be an elite boxer after the beating he took at the hands of Antonio Margarito last summer.

"I think after the Margarito fight, mentally, Cotto is not the same," Mayweather told ESPN's Brian Kenny. "You can never say what can happen in the sport of boxing, but I think Pacquiao is a quick starter, and if I had to lean toward a fighter, I would say Pacquiao."

But Mayweather, being Mayweather, made it clear in making that prediction that he doesn't view either Pacquiao or Cotto as being in his own league.

"I thought Cotto lost his last fight," Mayweather said of Cotto's split decision win over Joshua Clottey last month. "It was close, but I thought he lost."

And Mayweather said he thinks the real reason the Pacquiao-Cotto fight is likely to take place this fall is that

"Bob Arum is making that fight because he wants to keep all the money in house," Mayweather said of Pacquiao's and Cotto's promoter.

Of course, Mayweather wants to keep as much money as he can in house, too. Let's just hope that in 2010, both Mayweather and Pacquiao can come to terms on a deal that gives them both enough money to be happy fighting each other.

Floyd Mayweather: Manny Pacquiao Will Beat Miguel Cotto originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Antonio MargaritoFloyd MayweatherJuan Manuel MarquezManny PacquiaoMiguel CottoMichael David SmithThu, 16 Jul 2009 20:45:00 EST Excitement Promised in Showtime Super Middleweight Boxing Tournamenthttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/07/13/excitement-promised-in-showtime-super-middleweight-boxing-tourna/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/07/13/excitement-promised-in-showtime-super-middleweight-boxing-tourna/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/07/13/excitement-promised-in-showtime-super-middleweight-boxing-tourna/#commentsFiled under: ,

Mikkel KesslerShowtime has announced the creation of a six-boxer super middleweight tournament that has fans both excited and puzzled.

The excitement comes from the fact that the six boxers -- Mikkel Kessler (right), Carl Froch, Arthur Abraham, Jermain Taylor, Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell -- are some of the world's best super middleweights and are virtually guaranteed to provide several exciting fights leading up to the finale in 2011.

The puzzlement comes from the fact that a tournament like this -- including a round-robin group stage that awards points for wins (and a bonus point for a knockout) in '09 and '10, followed by a single-elimination four-boxer playoff in '11 -- has never been done before. There are also questions about the selection of the boxers, and whether all six boxers will stick around to the tournament's conclusion.

So I asked Showtime boxing boss Ken Hershman on Monday to explain how he can pull this whole thing off. The full interview is below.

Michael David Smith: What's your brief sales pitch to boxing fans for why they should be excited about this tournament?
Ken Hershman: It's the best fighting the best. It's really, to me, what boxing is all about and it's also what sports is all about. I don't think in boxing history we've ever seen all these top-ranked boxers agree to fight each other, win lose or draw, through the end of the tournament.

Has there ever been anything quite like this in boxing?
No, I'm pretty sure there hasn't. There have been a few other tournaments that were single elimination tournaments over shorter timespans, but I don't think there's ever been anything of this kind. I hope this will be the model for lots of future tournaments.

When the tournament is over, do you think boxing fans and the media will recognize the winner as the undisputed super middleweight champion?
I don't see how you couldn't. Whoever emerges as the champion of this tournament will have fought three or four of the other top-rated fighters. There's no easy draw in this tournament, so I don't see how you can say the winner of this isn't the world champion.

Lucian Bute will have a rematch with Librado Andrade in the fall. Isn't this tournament missing something without those two in it?
I don't think so. In a perfect world you'd like to have everybody, but eight fighters would make it too unwieldy, it would take too long, and we all know that in boxing it's tough enough to put something together like what we've put together that will last 18 months or two years. Adding another whole round for two more fighters would have been time prohibitive and cost prohibitive.

It is difficult in boxing to get this many boxers to sign on for something like this. How certain can you be that all six boxers will go through with this tournament to its conclusion?
Well, that's what everybody signed on for and everybody is excited to do. The way it works is you continue in the tournament at least through the group stage, win lose or draw. I don't think there's ever been anything like that, and I think it solves a big problem with other tournaments.

You've mentioned that there's never been anything like this in boxing. How did you come up with the idea? Are you emulating other sports? Is anything in this an attempt to emulate mixed martial arts?
Not mixed martial arts. We've looked at the tournaments in other sports, such as World Cup soccer, which works very well. We were trying to solve a problem here, which is that in single-elimination tournaments, there's a lot on the line. People are more apt to bail, one fight they're out and then there's a better offer somewhere down the road. We thought using the group stage assured us of the best fighting the best and gave us the best opportunity to make this tournament work in the long run. It's going to be exciting for the fans.

Is the format completely set, and are the dates of the fights set?
The format is completely set. The dates of the fights will evolve. We have to be practical with that, as far as what's on the sports calendar, what's on the boxing calendar and how far these things can be spaced apart. If somebody gets a cut or gets knocked out and is put on suspension, we have to be flexible enough to accommodate something like that. The goal is to have this whole thing wrapped up by mid-2011.

In the group stage, a boxer gets three points for winning a fight by knockout or two points for winning a fight by decision. Why reward knockouts?
First, to provide some more compelling drama to the tournament. Someone who may have lost a previous fight can make up ground with a knockout, and that could make for a more exciting fight. We think that's an interesting twist.

You said you hope this will be a model for other tournaments. Are you already looking at doing this in another weight class beyond super middleweights? Do you expect this to catch on and become a standard method of crowning a champion?
We're trying just to get through the launch here. That's our primary focus. The super middleweight division is unique because there's an amazing depth of talent, and the fact that we've been having conversations with other fighters who could be in the tournament is a testament to how deep that talent is. I don't know that there's another weight division out there that has that yet, but we'll look at doing this for other weight classes. Super middleweight is the best division to start with.

Will every fight be on Showtime for the duration of the tournament, or might some of them be on other networks or on pay-per-view?
Our plan is that everything is going to be on Showtime. That, to me, is another exciting aspect of this tournament, that fans of boxing who have Showtime you get this as part of your subscription.

When will the tournament start?
It will probably be either mid-October or the first Saturday of November. We'll nail that down in the next day or two.

How will you promote the tournament, both to let fans know about it and to help fans wrap their heads around the format of something that has never been done before in boxing?
Today we have a press conference here in New York, where we outline the details, the structure and how it will work, then we're going off to the European cities to have a couple of more of these. Then we'll roll out a dedicated web site so people can follow the tournament and understand how the tournament is structured.

I know you're a boxing fan. On a personal level, how excited are you about this?
I've been involved in a lot of the most historic boxing events. That's been a privilege in my career: Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, the ear biting rematch, Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson, watching Diego Corrales and José Luis Castillo put on what I think was the best fight of all time. So I've seen my fair share of amazing boxing events. The only thing I'd say here is that I think this is one of the proudest if not the proudest moment of my career. I'm looking forward to this as much as anything I've done in boxing. I think it's going to be spectacular for the sport, spectacular for the fans, spectacular for the fighters. I can't wait for this to start.

Excitement Promised in Showtime Super Middleweight Boxing Tournament originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Andre DirrellAndre WardArthur AbrahamCarl FrochJermain TaylorKen HershmanMikkel KesslerMichael David SmithMon, 13 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST ESPN Classic Will Air Ruslan Chagaev vs. Wladimir Klitschkohttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/06/12/espn-classic-will-air-ruslan-chagaev-vs-wladimir-klitschko/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/06/12/espn-classic-will-air-ruslan-chagaev-vs-wladimir-klitschko/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/06/12/espn-classic-will-air-ruslan-chagaev-vs-wladimir-klitschko/#commentsFiled under:


The upcoming heavyweight title fight between Wladimir Klitschko and Ruslan Chagaev will have an American television home, as ESPN Classic has decided to show the fight live from Germany on Saturday afternoon, June 20.

Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reports that after HBO passed, ESPN Classic decided to pick up the fight. So it will, in fact, be availble to American boxing fans who want to watch it live. That's the good news.

The bad news is that the heavyweight division in boxing has fallen to the point where Klitschko vs. Chagaev is a title fight that very, very few fans care about. Even though the fight is an ESPN property, I'd be shocked if it gets any more than passing reference on SportsCenter. The heavyweight division is in desperate need of a shot in the arm, and Klitschko vs. Chagaev is not the fight to do it.

ESPN Classic Will Air Ruslan Chagaev vs. Wladimir Klitschko originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Ruslan ChagaevRuslanChagaevWladimir KlitschkoWladimirKlitschkoMichael David SmithFri, 12 Jun 2009 19:53:00 EST Wladimir Klitschko vs. Ruslan Chagaev: How Will We Watch?http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/06/08/wladimir-klitschko-vs-ruslan-chagaev-how-will-we-watch/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/06/08/wladimir-klitschko-vs-ruslan-chagaev-how-will-we-watch/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/06/08/wladimir-klitschko-vs-ruslan-chagaev-how-will-we-watch/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Wladimir Klitschko and Ruslan Chagaev have agreed to fight on June 20 in Germany, and I suppose that's the best possible outcome after David Haye dropped out of the fight. But HBO has decided to pass on televising Klitschko vs. Chagaev, and that means that with just 12 days to go, we have no idea which American TV channel -- if any -- will be showing the fight.

Most people I've heard from seem confident that some TV network -- maybe Showtime, maybe ESPN, maybe Versus -- will pick up the fight. And if not, the promoters could put it on pay-per-view. But 12 days is not a lot of time, and Klitschko vs. Chagaev is not the kind of fight that would bring in a lot of eyeballs. Is there a chance that this fight just won't be on American TV?

I sure hope not. Klitschko is the IBF and WBO heavyweight champion, and Chagaev is the WBA champ. I'd like to think that boxing is still relevant enough that a fight to unify three of the four heavyweight belts would have to make it onto American television sets in some way or another. But until I see an American TV station make an announcement that it's showing the fight, I'm going to have some doubts about whether I'll be able to watch.

Wladimir Klitschko vs. Ruslan Chagaev: How Will We Watch? originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Ruslan ChagaevRuslanChagaevWladimir KlitschkoWladimirKlitschkoMichael David SmithMon, 08 Jun 2009 19:07:00 EST Lou DiBella: MMA Does Not Hurt Boxing, Boxing Was Already Fadinghttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/06/01/lou-dibella-mma-does-not-hurt-boxing-boxing-was-already-fading/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/06/01/lou-dibella-mma-does-not-hurt-boxing-boxing-was-already-fading/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/06/01/lou-dibella-mma-does-not-hurt-boxing-boxing-was-already-fading/#commentsFiled under: ,



Longtime boxing promoter Lou DiBella took part in the "boxing vs. MMA" debate with Joe Rogan on ESPN a couple of years ago that you see above, but he said in a recent interview that he doesn't think the growth of the UFC's popularity has had anything to do with the decline of boxing's popularity.

From DiBella's interview with John James of The Sweet Science:
LD: MMA does not hurt boxing. MMA does not destroy boxing. Boxing fans aren't running to MMA. That's just all b.s. The reality was that long before MMA and the Fertittas [brothers] spent a gazillion dollars with the UFC, boxing was already fading. Boxing's biggest problem is that it can't attract young people. We have virtually no fans under 30, and that's a problem. ...

JJ: Is boxing losing popularity to MMA ?

LD: No, it's not losing to them. They are gaining popularity on their own and we are not gaining popularity.
I agree with DiBella that boxing fans aren't running to MMA, but boxing definitely needs to learn some lessons from the way the UFC has marketed its fights. I question whether anyone involved in boxing will learn those lessons.

Lou DiBella: MMA Does Not Hurt Boxing, Boxing Was Already Fading originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Joe RoganJoeRoganLou DiBellaLouDibellaMichael David SmithMon, 01 Jun 2009 07:26:00 EST Floyd Mayweather: If Manny Pacquiao Is No. 1 Pound-for-Pound, Finehttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/23/floyd-mayweather-if-manny-pacquiao-is-no-1-pound-for-pound-fi/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/23/floyd-mayweather-if-manny-pacquiao-is-no-1-pound-for-pound-fi/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/23/floyd-mayweather-if-manny-pacquiao-is-no-1-pound-for-pound-fi/#commentsFiled under: ,



Floyd Mayweather got feisty this week when Brian Kenny suggested to him that Manny Pacquiao had taken the title of No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world away from him. But In an interview on British television, Mayweather said he's fine with it.

"If Manny Pacquiao is now No. 1 pound-for-pound in the media, and the people's eyes, more power to him," Mayweather said in an interview to promote his July 18 fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

That's quite a departure from his angry insistence earlier that he's the best in the sport. But Mayweather was quick to add that he's been the best for a long time.

"You're talking about a guy who's No. 1 pound-for-pound for a decade," Mayweather said. "So I'm not sweating it."

My own opinion is that Mayweather's absence from boxing over the last year and a half, combined with Pacquiao's destruction of Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, earned Pacquiao the title of No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. But there's only one way to settle it: In the ring.

Floyd Mayweather: If Manny Pacquiao Is No. 1 Pound-for-Pound, Fine originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sat, 23 May 2009 07:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Floyd MayweatherFloydMayweatherJuan Manuel MarquezJuanManuelMarquezManny PacquiaoMannyPacquiaoMichael David SmithSat, 23 May 2009 07:40:00 EST Brian Kenny Beats Floyd Mayweather in Manny Pacquiao Debatehttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/21/brian-kenny-beats-floyd-mayweather-in-manny-pacquiao-debate/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/21/brian-kenny-beats-floyd-mayweather-in-manny-pacquiao-debate/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/21/brian-kenny-beats-floyd-mayweather-in-manny-pacquiao-debate/#commentsFiled under: ,



No one has yet beaten Floyd Mayweather in the boxing ring, but ESPN's Brian Kenny gave Mayweather a beating in a hotly contested interview Wednesday. Kenny dodged Mayweather's verbal insults for 13 minutes and peppered Mayweather with strong arguments, making his case that Manny Pacquiao has taken the title of best pound-for-pound boxer in the world away from Mayweather, and that if Mayweather wants it back, he has to take it in the ring.

Kenny opened the interview by referring to Mayweather as the "former," best pound-for-pound boxer, and Mayweather demanded to know why he's not still the best. When Kenny informed him, "Because you retired," Mayweather went off.

"I forgot, I'm talking to Brian Kenny, a guy who's never laced up gloves a day in his life, who don't know nothing about boxing," Mayweather said.

But Kenny held his ground, and later in the interview made the key point that Pacquiao has absolutely destroyed both Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, while Mayweather went the distance in beating both of them. Mayweather replied to that with more insults and with arguments that De La Hoya and Hatton were better fighters when he fought them than they were when Pacquiao fought them. But Mayweather was unconvincing in trying to state the case that he still deserves to be ranked higher than Pacquiao.

And after Kenny answered some questions from Mayweather, he reclaimed control of the interview by questioning why Mayweather has chosen to fight lightweight Juan Manuel Marquez in his first fight after coming out of retirement.

"You are going after a guy who is two weight classes lighter than you," Kenny said. "Why don't you answer one question from me. You're picking on the lightweight champ. You're the welterweight champ. That's two weight classes lighter. Why not go after a guy like Shane Mosley? Shane Mosley is the champ in your weight class."

Mayweather didn't have a good answer for that, and ultimately, Kenny's point can't really be refuted: If Mayweather wants to be considered the best in the world, he's going to have to prove it in the ring against Pacquiao. I sure hope we all get to find out.

Brian Kenny Beats Floyd Mayweather in Manny Pacquiao Debate originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Thu, 21 May 2009 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brian KennyBrianKennyFloyd MayweatherFloydMayweatherManny PacquiaoMannyPacquiaoOscar De La HoyaOscarDeLaHoyaRicky HattonRickyHattonMichael David SmithThu, 21 May 2009 12:45:00 EST Don King Productions Sues American Legion Post Over Pay-Per-Viewhttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/15/don-king-productions-sues-american-legion-post-over-pay-per-view/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/15/don-king-productions-sues-american-legion-post-over-pay-per-view/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/15/don-king-productions-sues-american-legion-post-over-pay-per-view/#commentsFiled under:

The American Legion post in Chino, California, has agreed to pay two $20,000 settlements in lawsuits brought by Don King's KingVision Pay-Per-View over showing boxing matches at their hall.

According to Steve Lopez of the Los Angeles Times, the lawsuits, brought by both KingVision and J&J Sports Productions, alleged that the American Legion hall was breaking the broadcast rules by purchasing only a residential pay-per-view license, rather than a commercial license. The American Legion post says they just bought the pay-per-view that their satellite company told them to buy, and they say they don't see why they'd need a commercial license, because they never charged anybody to watch boxing.

But the folks at the American Legion told Lopez that they decided to settle the lawsuits because they couldn't afford a court battle with pay-per-view providers who have deep pockets. That has King himself facing some criticism as the rich guy who's going after the American Legion.

Rick Ungar of True/Slant writes:
I'm a pretty big fight fan who rarely misses a good match on pay-per-view. So, it is with some pain that I make the following pledge: I swear before God that I will never watch a boxing match promoted by Don King until he (a) releases American Legion Post 299 from any obligation in this matter to him and his equally shameful partners, J&J Sports Productions, and (b) grants a free and continuous license to each and every American Legion Post in America for every single fight he ever promotes. And by that I mean that any American Legion Post would not even have to pay even the amount charged for watching a fight in one's living room.
King frequently extolls the virtues of patriotism. Perhaps he can do something nice for the American Legion and let this one slide.

Don King Productions Sues American Legion Post Over Pay-Per-View originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 15 May 2009 07:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Don KingDonKingMichael David SmithFri, 15 May 2009 07:08:00 EST Max Kellerman: Manny Pacquiao Does What Floyd Mayweather Should Dohttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/13/max-kellerman-manny-pacquiao-does-what-floyd-mayweather-should/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/13/max-kellerman-manny-pacquiao-does-what-floyd-mayweather-should/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/13/max-kellerman-manny-pacquiao-does-what-floyd-mayweather-should/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When Floyd Mayweather retired last year, he did so as the undisputed best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. But now that Mayweather is returning, he's no longer the best. That distinction now goes to Manny Pacquiao, and HBO's Max Kellerman did a great job of explaining exactly why that is: Pacquiao challenges himself against bigger opponents, and goes after them like a warrior.

"On the same day Floyd was announcing his comeback against a naturally smaller man, Pacquiao was destroying a naturally bigger man," Kellerman said. "Don't forget, Manny Pacquiao won his first world championship as a flyweight. And he continues to do what boxing fans have always wanted Floyd to do: Make fights against the biggest, most threatening opponents and, once the bell rings, go to war. Manny Pacquiao is one of the very greatest aggressive fighters in the history of boxing. Floyd Mayweather is one of the best pure boxers who ever lived. They're the two best of their era, and in my opinion, if they meet, it will be the most historically significant fight since Pernell Whitaker and Julio Caesar Chavez over 15 years ago."

I couldn't agree more. The reason I would now pick Pacquiao and not Mayweather as the best in the world is that Pacquiao has pushed himself in a way that Mayweather hasn't.

Max Kellerman: Manny Pacquiao Does What Floyd Mayweather Should Do originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Wed, 13 May 2009 09:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Floyd MayweatherFloydMayweatherManny PacquiaoMannyPacquiaoMax KellermanMaxKellermanMichael David SmithWed, 13 May 2009 09:32:00 EST Zsolt Erdei: Least Respected, Most Ignored Unbeaten Champ in Historyhttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/10/zsolt-erdei-least-respected-most-ignored-unbeaten-champ-in-box/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/10/zsolt-erdei-least-respected-most-ignored-unbeaten-champ-in-box/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/05/10/zsolt-erdei-least-respected-most-ignored-unbeaten-champ-in-box/#commentsFiled under: , ,

HBO boxing announcer Jim Lampley has a real gift for brevity: He can tell you everything you need to know about a boxer in just a couple of sentences. And I think a comment he made before Saturday night's Chad Dawson-Antonio Tarver fight demonstrates that beautifully.

"Zsolt Erdei has held a title belt for quite some time," Lampley said. "At 30-0, he is probably the least respected, most ignored unbeaten longtime title holder in the history of the sport."

That's quite a distinction, isn't it? And I think Lampley is absolutely right: Erdei, the WBO light heavyweight champion, is unknown even to serious boxing fans in the United States. Erdei has been on Ring Magazine's list of the Top 10 light heavyweights in boxing for more than five years, but I would bet that if he attended Saturday night's Dawson-Tarver fight, he could have strolled through the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas without anyone asking him for an autograph.

It's a bad thing for boxing that a guy like Erdei can make it this far in his career without taking on the likes of a Dawson or a Tarver, or Joe Calzaghe or Bernard Hopkins or Glen Johnson, but that's the way boxing works. The best win on Erdei's record is his 2005 split decision over Hugo Garay. Erdei's record is thin, and because of that Lampley is right: Erdei is an undefeated champion who is easy to ignore.

Zsolt Erdei: Least Respected, Most Ignored Unbeaten Champ in History originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sun, 10 May 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Antonio TarverAntonioTarverChad DawsonChadDawsonJim LampleyJimLampleyZsolt ErdeiZsoltErdeiMichael David SmithSun, 10 May 2009 11:30:00 EST HBO Brings 'Thrilla in Manila' Back to Lifehttp://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/04/10/hbo-brings-the-thrilla-in-manila-back-to-life/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/04/10/hbo-brings-the-thrilla-in-manila-back-to-life/http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/04/10/hbo-brings-the-thrilla-in-manila-back-to-life/#commentsFiled under:




The simple brilliance of Thrilla in Manila, a documentary premiering on HBO Saturday, lies in its point of view: The story of the third fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier has been told countless times, but almost always with the assumption that Ali is the story's hero. Thrilla tells the tale from the perspective of Frazier, and that alone makes it a unique and impressive film.

More than three decades after their third and final meeting in the ring, Frazier still feels anger and bitterness toward Ali, who derided him as an "Uncle Tom" and a "gorilla." Frazier even suggests that Ali's struggle with Parkinson's Syndrome is some kind of karmic payback for the way Ali treated him in the 1970s.

But while that lingering resentment might make Frazier sound like an old kook, Thrilla is more nuanced than that, and it also shows Frazier as a dignified man who deserves to be considered a boxing hero. Frazier will never be the international icon that Ali is, but he was every bit the boxer that Ali was, and Thrilla succeeds in portraying him as such.

And in a demonstration of just how good documentary filmmaking can be, Thrilla also succeeds in building suspense as it reaches its climax even though, of course, we know how it ends. Through old footage of the fight and new interviews with the people involved, Thrilla recreates the intensity of the Frazier-Ali war.

When the fight was over, we're told, Ali approached Frazier's son and told him not to take anything he said personally, that his hurtful words were just an attempt to hype the fight. Frazier didn't accept that apology then and he doesn't now. Thrilla helps us see, for the first time, why Frazier never got over the fight.

For more boxing news, including coverage of the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight, follow me on Twitter.

HBO Brings 'Thrilla in Manila' Back to Life originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 08:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Joe FrazierJoeFrazierMuhammad AliMuhammadAliMichael David SmithFri, 10 Apr 2009 08:24:00 EST