Boxing FanHouse

It Looks Like Edwin Valero Will Be Next on Manny Pacquiao's Hit List

Josh Alper — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:35:00 EST

Before he put the finishing touches on David Diaz, boxing fans started wondering who Manny Pacquiao would fight next. Names like Nate Campbell and Ricky Hatton got tossed around but, as our own MDS mentioned, promoter Bob Arum kept talking about was Edwin Valero. Arum went even further in a telephone interview yesterday. Via Bad Left Hook,

In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports, Arum said that he was "pretty close to making a deal with (Akihiko) Honda", the well-known Japanese businessman-sportsman who handles Valero, adding "hopefully I will be able to finalize it tomorrow (Monday in the US)"

The fight makes a lot of sense for both men. Valero is having trouble making weight at 130 so moving up is a natural progression while Pacquiao would like to get one defense under his belt before trying to make a fight with seasoned lightweights like Joel Casamayor (if he beats two-time Pacman foe Juan Manuel Marquez) or Campbell.

The only snag could be Valero's failure to gain medical clearance from any state other than Texas. Arum said he'd like to make the fight in Vegas, probably in November, so that's a stumbling block but likely a minor one. Valero's won all 24 of his fights by knockout but has never faced anyone close to Pacquiao. Vanquishing a fighter with that pedigree will only burnish Pacquiao as he moves on to other big fights down the line.

It Looks Like Edwin Valero Will Be Next on Manny Pacquiao's Hit List originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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July's Boxing Schedule

Josh Alper — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

Here's a look at upcoming title and televised bouts for the month of July. It's a pretty light month until July 26 when undefeated Miguel Cotto defends his welterweight title against Antonio Margarito. It's a bout worthy of pay-per-view as both men come in full of confidence and fighting as well as they ever have. Margarito will keep coming no matter what kind of bombs Cotto throws his way and Cotto has rarely been tested by a fighter with Margarito's ability. The winner will unquestionably be the best welterweight in the world.

The other fight that will garner a lot of attention will be Wladimir Klitschko's heavyweight title defense against Tony Thompson. There's not as much question about who will be left standing at the end of this one, Klitschko's a heavy favorite, but lingering questions about the champ's chin should make this a must-see as well. Make no mistake, though, Cotto-Margarito is the one fight you can't miss this month.

Wednesday, July 2
Butler, PA (ESPN2)
Brian Minto (30-2) vs. John Poore (20-2) - Heavyweight
Tommy Karpency (11-0-1) vs. Rayco Saunders (15-10-2) - Light Heavyweight

Saturday, July 5
Oberhausen, Germany
Felix Sturm vs. Randy Griffin - WBA Middleweight Title

Las Vegas, NV (Showtime)
Ricardo Torres vs. Kendall Holt - WBO Jr. Welterweight Title
Lamont Peterson vs. Rogelio Castaneda - Jr. Welterweight

Wednesday, July 9
Houston, TX (ESPN2)
Chris Henry vs. TBD - Light Heavyweight
Hank Lundy vs. Darnell Jiles - Jr. Welterweight

Friday, July 11
Montreal, Canada
Joachim Alcine vs. Daniel Santos - WBA Jr. Middleweight Title

Chicago, IL (ESPN2)
Tomasz Adamek vs. Gary Gomez - Cruiserweight
Andrezj Fonfara vs. Derrick Findlay - Middleweight

Saturday, July 12
Hamburg, Germany (HBO)
Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tony Thompson - IBF, WBO Heavyweight Titles

Veracruz, Mexico (PPV)
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Matt Vanda - Jr. Middleweight
Ulises Solis vs. Glenn Donaire - IBF Jr. Flyweight Title

Wednesday, July 16
Temecula, CA (Fox Sports)
James Toney vs. Hasim Rahman - Heavyweight

San Antonio, TX (ESPN2)
Oscar Diaz vs. Delvin Rodriguez - Jr. Middleweight
Carson Jones vs. Luciano Perez - Jr. Middleweight

Friday, July 18
Primm, NV (ESPN2)
Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Jose Rogas - Super Featherweight
Richard Gutierrez vs. Don Futrell - Welterweight

Wednesday, July 23
Cabazon, CA (ESPN2)
Jeff Lacy vs. Epifanio Mendoza - Super Middleweight

Friday, July 25
Saratoga Springs, NY (ESPN2)
Raymond Joval vs. Buddy McGirt Jr. - Middleweight
Gary Wilcox vs. Nagy Aguilera - Heavyweight

Saturday, July 26
Las Vegas, NV (PPV)
Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito - WBA Welterweight Title
Fernando Montiel vs. TBD - WBO Jr. Bantamweight Title

July's Boxing Schedule originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ricky Hatton Won't Fight Oscar De La Hoya

Josh Alper — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

Nobody wants to get in the ring with Oscar De La Hoya. After his tentative rematch with Floyd Mayweather on September 20th was canceled because Mayweather announced his retirement, De La Hoya approached Ricky Hatton about filling the date. Hatton is taking a pass, however.

"It would be too soon, Richard only fought two weeks ago," Ray Hatton, the boxing champion's father and manager, told British Broadcasting Corp. Sport. "Oscar likes to fight in September because of Mexican Independence Day, but Richard is chilling out at the moment."

Hatton beat Juan Lazcano on May 24th and is slated to meet junior welterweight titleholder Paulie Malignaggi sometime in the fall. He was also angling for a rematch with Mayweather, who stopped him in the 10th round of their December bout.

De La Hoya dropped to 150 pounds for his May fight with Steve Forbes but that's still 10 pounds above Hatton's most comfortable weight. It would be a poor choice for Hatton who is better served by taking on Malignaggi and then trying to work out a fight with Manny Pacquiao after that. It wouldn't be quite as much money as a De La Hoya fight but it would be a dandy and one that he'd be more likely to win.

As for De La Hoya, there aren't a ton of options out there. Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito fight in July which means neither would be ready for September. He could try and make a fight with Verno Phillips, perhaps, or a third fight with Shane Mosley but both would lack the sizzle of a must-see. His camp has promised a forthcoming announcement about a fight for September but it doesn't look like one that will be a blockbuster.

Ricky Hatton Won't Fight Oscar De La Hoya originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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June's Boxing Schedule

Josh Alper — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

Here's a look at upcoming title fights and other televised bouts in the boxing world for the month of June. The highlight should be Manny Pacquiao's move up in weight to take on David Diaz for one of the lightweight titles. Pacquiao, currently Ring Magazine's #2 pound-for-pound fighter behind the "retired" Floyd Mayweather, beat Juan Manuel Marquez in a controversial decision in March. That rematch, possible fights with Joel Casamayor and/or Ricky Hatton could follow if Pacquiao wins.

That's not until the end of the month and it's on PPV, until then there's plenty of boxing on regular cable to keep you occupied. Arthur Abraham would be a great fight for Kelly Pavlik and he'll make his U.S. debut with a rematch against hard hitter Edison Miranda. There's a little something for everyone, though, so check out June's slate after the jump.

Wednesday, June 11
New York City (ESPN2)
Sechew Powell vs. Deandre Lattimore - Light Middleweight
Peter Quillin vs. Dionisio Miranda - Super Middleweight

Thursday, June 12
Tokyo, Japan
Hozumi Hasegawa vs. Christian Faccio - WBC Bantamweight Title
Edwin Valero vs. Takashiro Shimada - WBA Jr. Lightweight Title

Friday, June 13
Fort Worth, TX (Telefutura)
David Lopez vs. Michael Walker - Middleweight

Scranton, PA (ESPN2)
Francisco Palacios vs. Ola Afolabi - Cruiserweight
James De La Rosa vs. Jermaine White - Welterweight

Saturday, June 14
Mexico City
Edgar Sosa vs. Takashi Kunishige - WBC Jr. Flyweight Title

Wednesday, June 18
Sacramento, CA (ESPN2)
Roger Gonzalez vs. Cornelius Lock - Super Featherweight
Vicente Escobedo vs. Christian Favela - Lightweight

Friday, June 20
Cayman Islands (Showtime)
Andre Ward vs. Jerson Ravelo - Super Middleweight
Ronald Hearns vs. Jose Gonzalez - Light Middleweight

Las Vegas (ESPN2)
Alonzo Butler vs. Friday Ahunanya - Heavyweight

Chicago (Telefutura)
Miguel Huerta vs. Fernando Trejo - Lightweight
Montell Griffin vs. Corey Cummings - Light Heavyweight

Saturday, June 21
Hollywood, FL (Showtime)
Arthur Abraham vs. Edison Miranda - Middleweight
Giovanni Lorenzo vs. Raul Marquez - Middleweight

Memphis (HBO)
Chris Arreola vs. Chazz Witherspoon - Heavyweight
Andre Berto vs. Miguel Rodriguez - Welterweight

Wednesday, June 25
Playboy Mansion (ESPN2)
Julio Diaz vs. David Torres - Lightweight
Henry Buchanan vs. Brian Norman - Super Middleweight

Thursday, June 26
Las Vegas (Versus)
Anthony Peterson vs. TBA - Lightweight
Vanes Martirosyan vs. Angel Hernandez - Middleweight

Saturday, June 28
Las Vegas (PPV)
David Diaz vs. Manny Pacquiao - WBC Lightweight Title
Steven Luevano vs. Mario Santiago - WBO Featherweight Title
Tye Fields vs. Monte Barrett - Heavyweight
Humberto Soto vs. Francisco Lorenzo - Lightweight

June's Boxing Schedule originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday Night at the Fights: Preview of Four Title Fights for Your Viewing Pleasure

Josh Alper — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

There are four title fights on cable TV Saturday night, a bonanza for fight fans who won't have to pony up for pay-per-view to catch some good boxing. Since it's boxing in 2008, there's gotta be a drawback and in this case it is that two fights are on HBO and the other two are on Showtime. Still, some judicious flipping and/or the use of a DVR should make it a full night of pugilistic enjoyment.

We'll start by looking at the two HBO fights, live from Atlantic City at 10PM Eastern.

Kelly Pavlik (33-0) vs. Gary Lockett (30-1) for the WBC, WBO and Ring Magazine Middleweight Titles
We start with Pavlik because he's the biggest name, not because this is going to be the best fight of the night. Lockett is a mandatory challenger for Pavlik and he's going to have to come up with a pretty magical effort to hang with Pavlik. He's never fought in the United States before, never fought anyone close to Pavlik's ability and doesn't have the skills of Jermain Taylor or Edison Miranda, each of whom couldn't solve Pavlik's mix of punching power and boxing skills. Unless Pavlik is looking past Lockett, he should end this one fairly early.

Daniel Ponce de Leon (34-1) vs. Juan Manuel Lopez (21-0) for the WBO Super Bantamweight Title
You may not know either of these fighters but try not to miss this fight. It should be fireworks from the opening bell until a knockout or stoppage ends the proceedings. Since losing to the excellent Panamanian Celestino Caballero in 2005, Ponce de Leon has won 10 straight fights with four fights not making it past the second round. He looks a bit awkward but throws bombs. Lopez, on the other hand, has 19 KOs to his record and fights a more traditional southpaw style. I think Ponce de Leon's style will prove too much for the younger man to handle in a late-round stoppage. For a preview of the reigning champ, check out a great video from Bad Left Hook.

Throwing it over to Showtime, from the Mohegan Sun at 9 Eastern

Vernon Forrest (40-2) vs. Sergio Mora (20-0-1) for the WBC Jr. Middleweight Title
The worst fight of the night matches the over-the-hill Forrest against reality TV star Mora. Forrest was once great but he's slowing down and Mora, from The Contender, offered a chance at a fight with some name appeal but little chance of losing. No fighters from the show have fared well against guys who came up the traditional way, which is telling, and Mora isn't going to change that. If you have to skip one of the four matches, this is the one to skip. Forrest by a decision.

Carlos Quintana (25-1) vs. Paul Williams (33-1) for the WBO Welterweight Title
We saved the best for last. When these two men met in February, Williams, who'd beaten Antonio Margarito in his previous bout, was being talked about as an opponent for Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather and just needed to beat the unheralded Quintana to get those fights. It didn't happen as Quintana dominated the proceedings and took the decision. The question for the rematch is if it was an off night for Williams or if Quintana's style is one he can't beat. I'm betting on the former by decision but won't be surprised by another Quintana win.

Saturday Night at the Fights: Preview of Four Title Fights for Your Viewing Pleasure originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Evander Holyfield: I'm Not Broke

Josh Alper — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

Yesterday we posted about Evander Holyfield's refusal/inability to pay $6,000 in child support for one of his 11 kids. In the previous post, we had the number pegged to nine kids but today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution ups the total by a pair. Consider the number flexible until further notice.

Anyway, the former heavyweight champ spoke to the paper and explained that, despite that evidence to the contrary, everything is just hunky-dory with his finances.

"I'm not broke. I'm just not liquid. I do feel kind of sad because things have always been positive and now everybody wants to jump on me like I'm the worst person in the world and I went out and blew all my money."

Gee, champ, I wonder what it is about people that makes them think you should care for the children you bring into the world. For the record, Holyfield denies that he has been behind on child support. If the allegations about not paying child support are true, though, Holyfield's priorities are seriously out of whack.

Holyfield's massive estate is no longer listed as being up for auction, although there are two new mortgages on the property totaling $5 million. Holyfield's former accountant said that any talk of selling the house to gain solvency is a no-win proposition. He's got a $20 million asset he refuses to part with, even though he needs cash to settle other obligations, that alone should give medical commissions all the reason they need to bar him from fighting again.

Evander Holyfield: I'm Not Broke originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Evander Holyfield Doesn't Pay Child Support or Any of His Other Bills

Josh Alper — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

Evander Holyfield has earned hundreds of millions of dollars during his boxing career but news out of Georgia indicates he hasn't done a very good job of managing it. The mother of one of his nine children, says that Holyfield hasn't paid her child support for their 10-year old son.

The amount of the support for May and June, $6,000, seems a piddling sum but the boxer's attorneys told Toi Irvin that she shouldn't ever expect to see it come her way.

"It wasn't so much that he didn't pay," said Irvin's attorney, Randy Kessler. "She was told they didn't know if she would be paid at all."

That's not the only inkling that Holyfield is in some serious financial trouble. His mansion in Fayette County is under foreclosure and is set to be auctioned off by the bank on July 1. He's also being sued by a Utah company for failure to repay a loan of $550,000 which was supposedly going to be used for landscaping at the aforementioned estate. Neither Holyfield nor his attorneys had a comment.

Holyfield's last fight was a loss to Sultan Ibragimov in October 2007 but he has said he'd like to keep fighting in his quest to recapture the heavyweight title. It would seem, however, that his bigger need is paying off his creditors although it's hard to see too many big money fights in his future.

Evander Holyfield Doesn't Pay Child Support or Any of His Other Bills originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Should Kimbo Slice Have Gone Into Boxing Instead of MMA?

Josh Alper — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA, MMA/Boxing

Anyone who has watched Kimbo Slice's YouTube oeuvre or any of his limited MMA action can agree that the man throws a devastating punch. The rest of his MMA skills are sorely lacking, to put it kindly, which is why he was in a position to lose on Saturday night to James Thompson in Newark.

George Willis of the New York Post was at the Elite XC show and came away with the feeling that Slice picked the wrong career path when he signed up for work inside the cage instead of the ring.

At age 34, Slice is being asked to learn all the disciplines of MMA, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, submission holds and striking without getting kicked in the face. It would have been easier if he stuck with boxing, where he could be portrayed as the next Mike Tyson. It would be an easier sell and more believable.

I'm not sure that Slice, at this advanced age, would have any better luck against the cream of the heavyweight boxing crop but Willis is right on the money about where he'd be a more believable sell. We all remember Wladimir Klitschko being knocked out by subpar boxers, it would be interesting to see if Slice could land such a blow if given the opportunity.

What Willis doesn't mention is the subtext to the question. Five years ago there's no question Slice would have gone into boxing but now MMA is the best place for him to become a star.

Should Kimbo Slice Have Gone Into Boxing Instead of MMA? originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Book Explores the Life of Openly Gay Boxing Champ Emile Griffith

Michael David Smith — Thu, 29 May 2008 09:38:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

Emile Griffith is one of the all-time great boxers, a former welterweight and middleweight champion and 1964 Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year.

He's also, at age 70, a gay man who is ready to tell the whole story of his life, in and out of the ring. That's what he's done in the new book, Nine ... Ten ... And Out! The Two Worlds of Emile Griffith, which author Ron Ross wrote with Griffith's cooperation.

In the book, Griffith describes his feelings about his 1962 fight with Benny Paret, who taunted him with a homophobic slur at their weigh-in. Griffith viciously pummeled Paret in the ring at Madison Square Garden, and Paret went into a coma after the fight and died 10 days later. Griffith says:

"I keep thinking how strange it is ... I kill a man and most people understand and forgive me. However, I love a man, and to so many people this is an unforgivable sin; this makes me an evil person. So, even though I never went to jail, I have been in prison almost all my life."

Ross says of Griffith, "Emile is happy, he's content. So that makes me very happy. He understands that his story has been told and that's important."

Athletes and Homophobia

Former NFL player Michael Westbrook claims there is a false "connotation" that he's homosexual because of rumors that he beat up teammate Stephen Davis in 1997 because he called him gay. It's not the first time a sports figure has been reported to use the sexual orientation as a slur.

Evan Agostini, Getty Images

NFL quarterback Brady Quinn has denied allegations that he shouted gay insults and was involved in an altercation outside of a restaurant on New Year's Day.

Jeff Gross, Getty Images

In February 2007, former NBA star Tim Hardaway made a series of homophobic remarks during a radio interview. Hardaway stated "Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known," when questioned about the coming out of retired player John Amaechi.

Jesse D. Garrabrant, NBA via Getty Images

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen got into trouble in June 2006 when he referred to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti as "a (expletive) fag." Guillen was fined an undisclosed amount by the league and ordered to attend sensitivity training.

Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

Former Atlanta Braves closer John Rocker frequently came under fire for his racist and homophobic views, which included statements in a January 2000 issue of Sports Illustrated where he insulted gays.

Matt Campbell, AFP / Getty Images

NFL star Terrell Owens raised eyebrows when he appeared in an interview for Playboy magazine in 2004 and insinuated that his former teammate, Jeff Garcia, was homosexual. "'If it looks like a rat and smells like a rat, by golly, it is a rat.'" Owens said.

Ronald Martinez, Getty Images

Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey caused a stir on the Howard Stern radio show in 2002 when he said "If I knew there was a gay guy on my college football team, I probably wouldn't, you know, stand for it."

Jim Rogash, Getty Images

In February 2001, NBA guard Jason Williams, while playing for the Sacramento Kings, shouted racist and anti-gay slurs to an Asian-American fan and to others seated beside him. The league eventually levied a $15,000 fine on Williams for cursing at fans.

Rocky Widner, NBA via Getty Images

In December 2006, NFL linebacker Joey Porter, while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was fined $10,000 by the league for a gay slur he made towards Browns' tight end Kellen Winslow after a game.

Al Bello, Getty Images

New Book Explores the Life of Openly Gay Boxing Champ Emile Griffith originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Thu, 29 May 2008 09:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Wladimir Klitschko Met Borat

Josh Alper — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

Most people who are familiar with heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko know that he's Ukranian. What's less widely known is that Klitschko was actually born in Kazakhstan, heretofore best known as the birthplace of Borat Sagdiyev, chronicler of all things American.

Sagdiyev is, of course, fictional and the creation of the British comedian Sasha Baron Cohen. His depiction of Kazakhstan as a cultural backwater was a big generator of laughs, although presumably not in Almaty. Deadspin reports (via KZ Blog), Klitschko pretended to be one of the peeved when he ran into Cohen recently.

According to The Daily Star, Klitschko said: "As he walked past me I turned to face him and said, 'Hey, I think you are an a--hole for what you said about Kazakhstan'. Unbelievably, he started to defend himself - but before he could continue I stood up and was towering over him. I said, 'I have broken people's necks for less than what you have done.'"

"He looked frightened - like he had picked a fight with the wrong man. And then I owned up and told him I really think his Borat character is amazing. He looked pretty relieved!"

As we would be! There are scarier prospects than having the heavyweight champion of the world angrily towering over you, I suppose. Like a former heavyweight champion you tower over threatening to eat your children but this will do in a pinch.

When Wladimir Klitschko Met Borat originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 27 May 2008 15:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Haye Signs With Oscar De La Hoya, Moves Up to Heavyweight

Josh Alper — Tue, 27 May 2008 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

The last time anyone cared about the heavyweight division of boxing it was because of a charismatic British champion. Could history repeat itself with David Haye?

Haye is a former undisputed cruiserweight champion making the move to heavyweight starting with his next fight. He's not very well known in the U.S., he only fought here once in 2003, but that figures to change now that he's signed with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. Thanks to that deal, it seems likely that his first match as a heavy will be on either HBO or Showtime this November.

Haye is a very exciting fighter who lives by trading punches. All but one of his victories as a cruiser came via knockout but so did his one loss. His ability to bring both punching power and a better chin to the higher weight class will determine whether he's the man who can generate excitement in the moribund division or if he's just the latest flash in the pan. He's already challenged Wladimir Klitschko but will need a few fights under his belt before he's worthy of that fight.

Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe have proven that British fighters bring a lot of energy with them to fights inside the United States. The crowd sings and chants from the moment they enter the arena and imbue the bouts with a special feeling that is often absent when the current champions of the heavyweight division do battle.

David Haye Signs With Oscar De La Hoya, Moves Up to Heavyweight originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 27 May 2008 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nevada's David Schacter Wins Fourth National Collegiate Boxing Championship

Michael David Smith — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:41:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, College Sports, MMA/Boxing

Here's an event that doesn't get enough attention: The National Collegiate Boxing Championship. Most sports fans probably don't know this exists (boxing is not an NCAA sport), but a senior at Nevada named David Schacter deserves special attention because he won the 132-pound weight class as a freshman, a sophomore, a junior and a senior. Here he is defeating Addy Pizarro of Lock Haven in his final match:

Schacter is one of just five boxers ever to win four titles in the National Collegiate Boxing Championships.

The names of the other national champions are after the jump.

112 pounds: Dean Chuba, Air Force Academy.

119 pounds: Matt Longo, Army

125 pounds: Danilo Garcia, Army

132 pounds: David Schacter, Nevada

139 pounds: Antone Aku, Navy

147 pounds: Thomas Gennaro, Nevada

156 pounds: Ryan Kotey, Nevada

165 pounds: Ryle Stous, Army

175 pounds: Mike Steadman, Navy

185 pounds: Steve Solajo, Army

195 pounds: Aaron Lynch, Lock Haven

Heavyweight: Jeff Laupola, Navy

Nevada's David Schacter Wins Fourth National Collegiate Boxing Championship originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Wed, 21 May 2008 18:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Floyd Mayweather Sues Owners of FloydMayweather.net

Michael David Smith — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:13:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

The web site FloydMayweather.net looks professional and flashy and very much like the kind of product that Floyd Mayweather, the best boxer in the world, would use as his official web site.

But it is not Mayweather's official web site. And Mayweather isn't pleased that the site includes this message:

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. would like you to be a part of his official Fan Club to benefit his charitable foundation. As a member you will receive special offers that will only be available at this site. More importantly, your proceeds will benefit the Floyd Mayweather, Jr. which strives to help youth and benefits other charitable causes.

For your one-time donation of $50, you will receive a Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Fan Club Membership Kit

Mayweather has filed a lawsuit against the operators of the site. Let's hope he manages to shut these scam artists down. And let's hope there aren't too many people who would actually pay $50 for a Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Fan Club Membership Kit.

Floyd Mayweather Sues Owners of FloydMayweather.net originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Wed, 21 May 2008 11:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yuriorkis Gamboa Beats Darling Jimenez

Michael David Smith — Sat, 17 May 2008 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

Yuriorkis Gamboa, the boxer who won a 2004 Olympic gold medal for Cuba and is now a professional fighting out of Miami, headlined a major card for the first time tonight and put on a good show.

Gamboa defeated Darling Jimenez by unanimous decision to run his record to 10-0, and he did so in exciting fashion, displaying sensational hand speed and excellent conditioning.

But he also displayed very little defense, and he almost always kept his hands down near his waist, rather than in position to protect his head. As a result, Jimenez landed a right hand that knocked Gamboa down in the fourth round. And Gamboa didn't display quite as much punching power as expected, so fans who thought Gamboa would score a quick knockout were disappointed. Jimenez showed a lot of heart in making it through 10 rounds without getting knocked down.

Gamboa is a rising star. He said before tonight's fight, "It's an honor to be able to fight on HBO with only nine fights," and assuming there were no injuries tonight, he's expected to fight on ESPN2 in just six weeks. It shouldn't be long before he's on pay-per-view, fighting for a title.

It was a great night of boxing on HBO, with two other young fighters staying undefeated: James Kirkland knocked out Eromosele Albert in the first round, and Alfredo Angulo stopped Richar Gutierrez in the fifth round of an action-packed brawl. In Gamboa, Kirkland and Angulo, the sport has three undefeated young fighters who could be champions some day. It was a pleasure to see them all in one night.

Yuriorkis Gamboa Beats Darling Jimenez originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sat, 17 May 2008 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Byrd Will Retire After Loss, Wife Says: 'I'm Not Letting Him Fight Anymore'

Michael David Smith — Sat, 17 May 2008 12:41:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

During his 15-year career as a professional boxer, Chris Byrd won two heavyweight title belts. But he wasn't big enough to fight the biggest heavyweights, so he decided to lose about 30 pounds and fight at light heavyweight.

His first light heavyweight fight was last night, and it went so badly that it will also be his last. Fighting a mediocre boxer named Shaun George, Byrd was pummeled mercilessly, and after the fight, his wife made clear that his career is over. From Tim Smith of ESPN.com:

"I'm not letting him fight anymore," said Tracey Byrd, choking back tears in a telephone conversation from Valley Hospital in Las Vegas late Friday night. "It's almost a relief to know that he's not going to do it anymore. It probably isn't a relief to him because he's so competitive. But for those around him, it's a relief."

And what if Byrd refuses to give it up? "He would have to try to do it without my support," she said. "And I don't think he wants to do that."

The TV cameras caught Byrd apologizing to his family in the ring after the fight, but he has nothing to be sorry for. He's just a 37-year-old with nothing left. Every athlete gets there eventually.

Chris Byrd Will Retire After Loss, Wife Says: 'I'm Not Letting Him Fight Anymore' originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sat, 17 May 2008 12:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Haye Wants to Be Heavyweight Champ: In Boxing and in UFC

Michael David Smith — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, Fighting, MMA, MMA/Boxing

The British boxer David Haye is the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world, but people just don't pay any attention to cruiserweights. So Haye is giving up his cruiserweight title and will fight at heavyweight, where he thinks he can unify the belts, even though he'll be fighting guys significantly bigger than him.

But Haye's ambitions don't end with being heavyweight champion of the world in boxing. Haye says he also wants to try his hand at mixed martial arts. From The Sun:

"It's just another challenge. I like to set myself goals and tasks and fighting for the UFC heavyweight championship would be a real big thing for me.
"I'd do whatever was required to get that win.

"I'm a fighter, through and through - any kind of competition.

"I'd be a big underdog and I'd actually like that. I like people writing me off."

The fact that Haye knows he'd be the underdog is a good sign -- a sign that he realizes how difficult it would be to make the transition from boxing to MMA. If he's serious about it, I think Haye does have the kind of body type, punching power and athleticism to take up the sport even at the late age of 30 or so (he's now 27) and succeed.

But would he want to? Right now he'd be taking a pay cut if he signed on with UFC, but maybe in a few years that wouldn't be the case.

David Haye Wants to Be Heavyweight Champ: In Boxing and in UFC originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Wed, 14 May 2008 19:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Tyson Returning to Video Games

Michael David Smith — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:32:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

Video games are so much better now than they were 20 years ago that this sounds ridiculous to say, but I can't believe there's ever been a better boxing video game than Mike Tyson Punch-Out:

There was just something perfect about that game, the ease of beating Glass Joe to get started, the tricks of learning how to beat King Hippo and Great Tiger and Bald Bull, and the excitement of facing Mike Tyson, who at the time was almost a mythical character.

So it's nice to learn that Tyson will be part of EA Sports Fight Night 4. We have a very, very different view of Tyson now than we had in 1987, when Punch-Out came out, but he's one of the legendary figures in video game history, and it's good to see that he's back.

Mike Tyson Returning to Video Games originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 09 May 2008 08:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ruslan Chagaev Pulls Out of Title Fight; Unification Dreams Remain Far-Fetched

Josh Alper — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, MMA/Boxing

I'm beginning to wonder what is more likely to happen during my lifetime - the discovery of life on Mars or a unified heavyweight title. I'd love to say the latter because I think it would be good for a sport I enjoy but year after year goes by without any movement toward that end. A big part of the problem has been Ruslan Chagaev's immune system.

The current WBA titleist was scheduled to fight Nikolai Valuev on May 31. He beat Valuev by majority decision in April 2007 to win the belt but the rematch has been put on hold because Chagaev is suffering from a viral infection. It was hoped, in these quarters at least, that the winner would then meet Wladimir Klitschko or Samuel Peter to make the title picture clearer.

It's the second time Chagaev's health has forestalled such clarity. He was supposed to fight Sultan Ibragimov last year to unite two links in the alphabet soup but Chagaev contracted hepatitis B. Ibragimov fought Evander Holyfield instead before losing his belt to Klitschko. Ideally Klitschko would face Peter but he's scheduled a match with also-ran Tony Thompson instead so that his brother Vitali can pursue a fight with Peter.

A Vitali win would make unification nigh on impossible since the Klitschkos refuse to fight one another. Between that, Chagaev's health and the general inanity of boxing's governing bodies I'm brushing up on my Martian.

Ruslan Chagaev Pulls Out of Title Fight; Unification Dreams Remain Far-Fetched originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 06 May 2008 18:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oscar De La Hoya Beats Steve Forbes

Michael David Smith — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:28:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Boxing, The Word, MMA/Boxing

Oscar De La Hoya defeated Steve Forbes tonight by unanimous decision, beginning his farewell tour with a solid showing in front of an overwhelmingly pro-De La Hoya Cinco de Mayo weekend crowd in Carson, California.

De La Hoya said before the fight that he would use his jab effectively, and that's exactly what he did. He was cautious early before turning more to power punches in the middle of the fight, and he opened a gash near Forbes' eye in the sixth round and controlled throughout.

Still, some will find it a bit disappointing that De La Hoya wasn't even more dominant. Forbes entered the ring having never been knocked down, but most people thought De La Hoya would drop him before the ninth round. That didn't happen; that the fight went 12 was a minor victory for Forbes.

De La Hoya improved his record to 39-5; Forbes dropped to 33-6. Up next for De La Hoya is a likely September rematch with Floyd Mayweather.

Oscar De La Hoya Beats Steve Forbes originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sat, 03 May 2008 22:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sean Sherk, B.J. Penn Pass Tests, but 'There's More Drug Usage in MMA Than Boxing'

Michael David Smith — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:47:00 EST

Filed under: Boxing, Fighting, PEDs, MMA, MMA/Boxing

David A Avila of MSNBC has a report on drug testing in mixed martial arts that provides some good news and some bad for the sport.

First, the good: The two headliners for the main event in the upcoming UFC 84 show, Sean Sherk and B.J. Penn, were both administered unannounced drug tests last month, and both passed. Sherk was suspended and stripped of his lightweight title after he tested positive for steroids last year, and it would have been a huge black eye for UFC if he had failed another drug test.

But here's the bad news: California State Athletic Commission executive officer Armando Garcia says the drug problems in mixed martial arts are real, and more significant than in boxing:

"We have 120 shows in boxing and 60 in MMA and the numbers coming out are super high," said Garcia. "It's a no-brainer. There's more drug usage in MMA than boxing."

As MMA gets more mainstream, drug use within the sport will get more scrutiny. The sport needs to be prepared for that scrutiny.

Sean Sherk, B.J. Penn Pass Tests, but 'There's More Drug Usage in MMA Than Boxing' originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Thu, 01 May 2008 12:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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