Kelly Pavlik Could Fight In Cowboys Stadium, Arlington Later This Year - If He Can Get Past Martinez -- Eastside Boxing

By James Slater, Eastside Boxing

The hugely successful idea of holding a big fight inside The Dallas Cowboys incredible stadium in Arlington, Texas looks as though it will not prove to have been a one-off. Hot on the heels of "The Event," between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey, which attracted over 50,000 fans to the stadium that cost around $2 billion to build, comes news that promoter Bob Arum is looking at having middleweight king Kelly Pavlik fight there later on this year.

According to Joe Scalzo of Vindy.com, Arum has talked to Cowboys stadium owner Jerry Jones about the idea of Pavlik defending his world middleweight title at the venue this year..

"Jerry [Jones] was very impressed when he met Kelly [Pavlik], and he told me he's looking forward to Kelly fighting a main event in Cowboys Stadium," Arum said. "When I spoke to Kelly, his eyes opened wide."

This idea, though a hugely intriguing one, is reliant on Pavlik winning his next fight; against the dangerous southpaw Sergio Gabriel Martinez on April 17th. By no means is this a definite winning fight for the man known as "The Ghost," and knowledgeable fight fans are well aware of this. Pavlik, still only two wins removed from his terribly humbling experience at the hands of Bernard Hopkins, will be facing the man who came thisclose to beating the highly regarded Paul Williams last time out. Very much having the look of a 50-50 fight, Pavlik-Martinez could conceivably go either way.

Speaking of "The Punisher," his name is one of three that have been mentioned as possible opponents to face Pavlik at Cowboys Stadium if the idea comes to fruition. Knowing Pavlik would need a fighter who is also a big name to help fill the huge arena, Arum has reportedly looked at Williams, Lucian Bute and Winky Wright.

As fans know, the Pavlik-Williams fight was almost a go two times last year; until finally falling apart. If the match-up we all still want to see could get re-made this year, holding it in such a grand setting would make the wait worthwhile. Pavlik-Wright is not as exciting a prospect, but this prospective bout is also a pretty solid-looking one. However, the fight that probably has the best chance of happening out of the three is the one with Lucian Bute.

The reigning IBF 168-pound champion, who meets power-punching Colombian Edison Miranda the same night Pavlik meets Martinez, has had his name put next to Pavlik's before now. Pavlik could make the move up to super-middleweight in search of his second world title, and if both men win on April 17th, who knows; this explosive-looking battle might take place in what is one of the best sporting venues in the world.

Pavlik's clash with Martinez now looks to be even more a must-win fight for Youngstown's finest!

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Camacho wants Pacquiao or Mayweather -- 8CountNews

By Lorne Scoggins, 8CountNews.com

8CN talked to future hall of famer, Hector “Macho” Camacho. Camacho said he wants to make boxing history by fighting Pacquiao or Mayweather. At 47 years of age, Camacho still holds an impressive record of 79-5-3 with 38 KOs. None of his losses came by way of KO. Camacho is planning his next fight against Saul Duran at the Indian Culture Center in Tampa on May 14.

8CN: Hi Hector. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. How's it going?

HC: Ah, doing alright, training every day, you know, feeling good, staying sharp. I've been training for 7 months. I was going to fight Allan Vester in Denmark on March 26, but he got hurt training. Now I'm going to fight on May 14 here in Tampa against this guy by the name of Saul Duran.

8CN: You're still doing good at 47 years of age. What's your secret?

HC: I'm blessed. I been doing this all my life, you know?

8CN: Tell me about your upcoming fight with Saul Duran.

HC: Well, you know, after the (Luis Ramon) Compas fight...before that I used to train about 1 month or 2 months for a fight but I noticed that I just can't come out from not fighting and train for 1 or 2 months. It's just not enough for my body to get sharp. I'm not as young as I used to be anymore, you know? I don't recuperate quickly anymore. So what I did for this one was, after the Compas fight, I stayed in the gym and trained every day, ran everyday. So I'm back to being sharp. I can stick, I can move...I'm back to being myself. After my opponent got hurt I took my own money and I got a team together and promoted this fight with Duran. He's about right, you know? He's somebody that's going to come to fight me, or try at least, to do what he wants to do, but he's gonna notice that I'm just full of youth, I'm quick, I'm smart, and I'm seasoned. I've given myself enough time to really get sharp so I'll have a lot of fun.

8CN: Alright man. Your record is amazing. 79 wins, only 5 losses and 3 draws. That's outstanding.

HC: Well, thanks a lot, but you know, maybe if I would have been more dedicated like I am now, maybe I wouldn't have suffered 5 losses. But, you know, it happens. I lost to the best. I lost to De La Hoya. I lost to Trinidad. I lost to Chavez. The other 2 were just (BS) decisions. But I feel great.

8CN: I'm 42 and I wish I was in the kind of shape you're in.

HC: You are, you just don't show it.

8CN: (Laughing)

HC: You know me, I'm doing very well. I'm living good, I'm training every day. That's all I'm doing is just training because I know I'm 47 years old, and I know I'm just taking it to the extreme of what a fighter normally does. So, you know, I'm going for what you call real greatness at the age of 47 years old, and I'm still able to compete at a professional level.

8CN: What fighters inspired you?

HC: Bruce Lee, Muhammad Ali is one of my great idols. George Foreman is one of my great idols. I used to admire Sugar Ray (Leonard) a lot before he started talking nonsense and I got brave and I knocked him out. But other than that, do I admire other fighters out there? Yes I do. I like Oscar De La Hoya. I admire Felix Trinidad. I admire Floyd Mayweather. I like people who are different and look at difference as a commodity. I watch other guys coming up, and I watch them and I pick up different things, but I don't really look up to anybody to be like anybody else. I'm just myself, one of a kind.

8CN: Well you've always been one of a kind and always exciting to watch.

HC: Thank you, brother.

8CN: What do you think of the Mayweather-Mosely fight?

HC: I think it's a great match-up. I think you have one who's a fabulous counter puncher, which is Mayweather, and then you have one who really comes to fight, which is Mosley. Mosley fights more than Mayweather. Mayweather likes to paw and lay on the ropes and act cute, you know? Mosley, on the other hand; he throws a lot of punches. He comes to fight. He's not afraid of getting hit. He ain't going to just stay there and allow Mayweather to do whatever he wants. He's going to be first. And you know, Mosley's fought better fighters. Mayweather's fought some good, decent fighters, but not as consistently as Mosley. He can box, he can move. I'm going to give Mosley the edge, but I won't count out Floyd Mayweather. He's young, he's cocky, he's got the speed, he's got the smarts. That's a great match-up.

8CN: You have some sons that fight now. Tell us about them.

HC: Yeah, I got Hector Jr. that fights. Then I got Christian M C. He's 17 years old. He's competing for the US Olympics. He's a very cute, lovely boy. So I got two that are fighting. They want to be just like their father. I got a smaller son who's 13 years old. He's into drumming and skating and stuff, but he does a variety. He isn't boxing. Then I got another one that's 20. He's into music. He's a DJ. He likes to mix music, you know? But I got four lovely boys. They all love and admire me.

8CN: That's great. Will you still be fighting Vester in Denmark at some later date?

HC: Yeah, I promoted this fight with Duran to make some action. So after there's action, I can go on to Denmark and get that title, kick his butt, and come back and do some kind of miracle. But I'd take on any of these guys like Pacquiao, or Mayweather, you know? I don't care. I've fought the best. I've fought everybody. I ain't going to be ducking. Especially at this stage. I'm looking to make boxing history. That's why I am what you call a living legend in the making, and I'm going to do anything it takes to leave a great mark like George Foreman did.

8CN: You've already made history brother.

HC: Yeah, I know, but at this age and stage, they're always trying to knock you down, you know? They knocked me down when I first was coming up and they're all trying to do it now. I'm able to give myself, and I want to see myself really make a difference out there. I just want to do the impossible, and I am.

8CN: Alright Hector. Do you want to say anything to your fans?

HC: It's Macho time. Yes indeed.

8CN: Thank you so much for your time. It's a pleasure to talk to you, Hector.

HC: Thank you brother.

Contact Lorne: lscoggins@8countnews.com

Source: 8countnews.com

“Be Nice to everyone" - Manny Pacquiao -- 8CountNews

By Ryan Macalua, 8CountNews.com

The statement, “Belts don’t make me!” famously quoted by Floyd Mayweather Jr. starts to somehow all make sense in a boxing world in search of a hero. For decades, boxing has declared its champions by the different belts and weight classes. The Pacman has clearly shattered the expectations of many, yet more impressive than any performance, for Manny, there seems to be a deeper meaning to all of this. Although Floyd’s statement has its truth, the question itself leads to a bigger one - what is it that makes you?

It was 7:57pm at the Gaylord Texan hotel in Dallas, Texas, that a relaxed Manny Pacquiao addressed some close friends right after his weigh in with Joshua Clottey. As he sat on the couch it was clear that his thoughts ran heavy and there was a lot on his mind. Surprisingly though, it wasn’t about the fight. As he tried to say something, Manny hesitated and gave a long pause before saying in a mild, calm manner, “I don’t like when people get mistreated.” Although the whole story of the situation was not fully addressed, Manny’s statement is self-explanatory. He continued by mentioning, “Always put yourself in the place of others and ask yourself how would it feel to be in that person’s shoes.” The room remained quiet as Manny continued emphasizing his thoughts and finished with a statement thatshould be engrained in the minds of many after that evening, “Be nice to everyone.”

Many question Manny’s decision to runfor political office and there are many debates as to how effective he will be. Nevertheless the fact remains, he truly wants to help. In an ESPN interview, Pacquiao states,“I know what it is like to not eat for one day.”Even so, one day may hardly be the case as the poverty in the Philippines has increased significantly since the devastating flood last fall.

There is no doubt that Manny gave a stunning performance by dominating and making Clottey fight outside of his normal style—a performanceby Manny that looked so easy due to his overwhelming assault. But truly, there is an admirable quality about him that far exceeds any gift or talent he possesses: The art of remaining humble.

In a sport that relies heavily on dedicated training regimens, proper execution, and the obtaining of belts in different weight classes, every boxer strives to attain such heights. Although you can work hard for these accomplishments, there seems to be a talent that comes naturally and within the truest of warriors. It is the talent to care for others and put your success last when there seems to be a world and reality outside of the competitive sport. When you have the heart of a champion, who needs belts?

Source: 8countnews.com

Mayweather-Mosley: WADA preys on the public ignorance

Boxing News World

It’s really puzzling to me why WADA/USADA can still fool the public about random blood testing despite the numerous articles that have been written about this matter since the demise of the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao super bout earlier this year.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports truly hit the nail on the head when he said “WADA preys on the public’s ignorance” in his article entitled ‘Enough with WADA’s phony warnings to MLB’.

Such public ignorance Jeff Passan mentioned was clearly exemplified in a piece penned by a boxing scribe just recently. In this article, the scribe assumed that it is possible for WADA to impose a two-year suspension on Floyd Mayweather or /and Shane Mosley if one (or both) is found positive for illegal drugs use.

This scribe is totally misinformed. Presently, WADA has no authority to suspend professional boxers even if it finds them positive for banned substance. Only boxing commissions have the power to suspend the license of boxers.

In Mayweather-Mosley case since the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has yet to agree or sign up to WADA code and hence will conduct its own drug testing, WADA can only advise the commission on anything relevant to the results of its random drug testing. Only NSAC has the authority to make decisions, based on their own tests and investigation, on matters such as suspension of boxers and penalties regardless of what the contractual agreement for the mega-fight states.

Now, considering that WADA’s testing is more stringent than NSAC’s (as Human Growth Hormones, HGH, can only be determined via blood testing at the moment), it is a possibility that NSAC and WADA test results will yield different conclusion. Should this happen, NSAC’s decision and regulations will govern.

Nonetheless, it is still highly doubtful that WADA would be able to find Mayweather and/or Mosley positive for HGH use bearing in mind that its blood test has been used since 2004 Summer Olympics Games in Athens, Greece but it has never produced a positive result. The first and only case involving a finding of for HGH in an athlete only happened of late when UK Anti-Doping found Wakefield Trinity Wildcats player Terry Newton positive for the banned substance.

- Marshall N. B., marx7204@lycos.com

HAYE JIBES WON'T HURT RUIZ -- Daily Star

By Kevin Francis, dailystar.co.uk

JOHN Ruiz will not be forced on to the ropes by any of the cheap shots David Haye aims his way.

Ruiz challenges Haye for his WBA world heavyweight title at Manchester’s MEN Arena a week on Saturday.

And he insists that none of the mouthy remarks the ­British star may make will have any impact on him at all.

Haye famously got under the skin of Russian giant Nikolai Valuev in December ahead of the fight in which he won the world title.

However, Ruiz, known as ‘The Quiet Man’, said: “Whatever he says won’t bother me in the least. Words can’t knock you out.

“I know all about the kind of things that Haye says, but, in all honesty, he just can’t ruffle me and I will do my talking in the ring.”

Haye has already been angered by Ruiz’s failure to turn up and promote the fight when it was ­announced in January.

Hayemaker Productions paid £15,000 for first-class airline tickets and hotels for Ruiz and his team.

But Ruiz explained: “I didn’t want to break ­training in Las Vegas.

“I think the fans would rather I was ready for the fight than just turn up for interviews.”

The ­American hopes to produce the kind of ­performance that will put the heavyweight scene right back on the map.

The 38-year-old said: “There was a time when the heavyweight division WAS boxing, but that is no longer the case these days. We need to get it back to those days.”

THE Haye-Ruiz fight will be screened live in HD on Sky Box Office.

AUDLEY HARRISON says he will retire if he fails to beat Michael Sprott for the European heavyweight title at Alexandra Palace, London, on April 9.

The former ­Olympic gold medallist, who lost to Sprott in 2007, said: “I’m calling this ­revenge or retirement.

“If I can’t get revenge over Sprott, then my career can’t go forward.”

Source: dailystar.co.uk

Marco Huck to Defend WBO Crown Against Brian Minto -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Serbian-born, WBO cruiserweight (200 pounds) champion, Marco "Captain" Huck (pictured above), of Bielefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, will defend his title on May 1 against American, Brian Minto, a 35-year-old, resident of Butler, Pa., who has spent his career fighting as a heavyweight.

The 25-year-old Huck (28-1, 21 knockouts) will be after his 10th consecutive victory, and his eighth knockout during that stretch, having suffered his lone defeat by 12th-round knockout against former IBF cruiserweight champion, Steve Cunningham (22-2, 11 KOs), of Philadelphia, in December of 2007.

Huck is coming off of a March 13, third-round knockout of Adam Richards (23-3, 25 KOs), who was in his third straight cruiserweight bout after having spent his career as a heavyweight.

The 29-year-old Richards had decisioned two cruiserweight opponents before losing to Huck.

"After taking care of business against Richards, I am now looking to put aside Minto. He is a strong guy, but there is no way that he will defeat me," said Huck, who will face Minto before his partisan fans at EWE-Arena, Oldenburg, Niedersachsen, Germany.

"Minto is tough, so I will be prepared for 12 hard rounds," said Huck. "But everybody knows that I love to please my fans and give them a knock-out win. It is my goal to beat him clearly."

Nicknamed, "The Beast," Minto (34-3, 21 KOs) is coming off of December's fourth-round, knockout loss to Chris Arreola (28-1, 25 KOs), or Riverside, Calif., who out-weighed Minto by a career-high, 263-to-218 pounds.

Before the loss to Arreola, the stocky, 5-foot-11 Minto had won seven straight, including five by knockout.

Minto is aiming at the 200-pound category for the first time as a professional, having weighed a career-low, 205 for a February, 2004, six-round, unanimous decision over Willis Lockett, and been a career-high 223 pounds for his first-round knockout of Byron Polley in December of 2007.

Entering the Arreola bout, Minto was coming off of August's fourth-round, technical decision victory over previously unbeaten Donnell Holmes, who was 31-0-2 with 27 KOs coming in.

In his biggest career victory in November of 2006, Minto traveled to Germany for a sixth-round knockout victory over former heavyweight contender, Axel Schulz, that followed the latter's stoppage loss to Wladimir Klitschko.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

WBC News: Boxing, Pacquiao, Erik, and politics -- Eastside Boxing

By Jose Sulaiman, Eastside Boxing

It was a marathon-like trip from Thailand to Dallas to attend Manny Pacquiao’s fight, and from there to Chetumal to attend the report of the Governor of Quintana Roo, Felix Gonzalez Canto. The sportsman and politician honor me with their friendships. A long journey, but it became something truly unforgettable..

In the Far East, I lived moments that left a deep mark on me: my undeserved Honorary Doctorate which was presented to me by the Crown Prince of Thailand; the audience with the Prime Minister and his acceptance to requests in favor of people who are taking drug-rehab treatments and attention to children who are orphans, as well as the institution of Medical National Board for the protection of boxers and, finally, my visit to his Majesty the King who is at the hospital, a friend I admire so much because of his closeness to the people of that country I love. All that takes me to a deep recognition of the national leaders who act in favor of those who need it the most. Thailand has already become one of the greatest countries in professional boxing in the world.

Also, I have to mention that the very respectable and patriotic leadership of Governor Gonzalez Canto, who presented a report full of facts and not words, as the leader of the State. In videos, he showed countless deeds in all fields, even though Quintana Roo was the state most affected by adversity in the last five years. The most sadly recalled events are: Hurricanes Wilma, Katrina and Dean; the influenza that emptied its beaches and, to end, the national and world crisis, which turned the finances of the State into crumbles. It was the Governor, from my personal point of view, who supported the WBC to hold two important events: The Night of Champions, which was attended by 96 world champions from all over the world, and the fight for the WBC Heavyweight world title between Oleg Maskaev and Samuel Peter. All this happened in Cancun, and it was a splendid way to tell the world that Quintana Roo was already on its feet.

By the way - talking about tourism - I wish to express our gratitude to Humberto Elizondo for the extraordinary support given to boxing during his continuance as Tourism Secretary. He used our sport as an extraordinary means to promote the VIVE MEXICO program. We will always remember him with affection and we hope that his success continues in the future.

To conclude, on the night of March 13, Dallas’ Cowboys Stadium became the cathedral of world boxing. Over 50 thousand fans filled the seats to witness the event, which featured Manny Pacquiao (Philippines) vs. Joshua Clottey (Africa) as the main fight. Cowboys Stadium is impressive - to my taste, currently the best of the world with an extraordinary sound system, lighting like I had never seen before, TV screens for replays as long as Insurgentes avenue and the famous Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders singing the national anthem of the U.S.A, for a total success of its famous owner, Jerry Jones, with the indisputable boxing support of great promoter Bob Arum.

Manny Pacquiao confirmed his greatness. Without a doubt, he is the most respected fighter nowadays, and he dedicated his fight to those fans who clapped for him all night long, and he amused them. He faced a rival like Clottey, who was very far from his performances against Antonio Margarito and Miguel Angel Cotto, two great fighters. He spent the night with his elbows next to his body and covering his face with the gloves ... as if he knew he would not win. Fear of Pacquiao? In other words: he stepped in the ring only aiming to finish the 12th round standing up. And from there, to get paid. On the other hand, Pacquiao gave great importance to the bout. He won every single one of the 12 rounds and never stopped punching, thus responding to the commitment to fans that filled the stadium to see him fight. That is what I call being a great champion: the champion who feels the responsibility of performing well before his fans and does everything that should be done, and more, to satisfy those fans. So he did, and in what a way, up to the point of nobody caring about that rival who stepped in the ring just to play the role of punching bag, when he saw a Pacquiao that threw and landed more punches than the ones he threw and landed in his whole last week at the gym, for the jubilation of his fans.

Mexico obtained a new Lightweight world champion: Humberto “Zorrita” Soto. He is a great fighter, but he did not go out to give his best, perhaps due to his friendship with his rival David Diaz, who he hugged more times than the times you hug on New Year’s Eve. Soto can be a very good champion and gain popularity, because he has everything. However, he needs to stop going backwards and assume a full attack. That is the only way to gain the idolatry people give, like J.C. Chavez, “Puas” Olivares, “Chiquita” Gonzalez, Pipino Cuevas, Pacqiuao himself, and, among many others, Erik Morales did. Talking about Morales, with the strength he has worked hard to build, will be a great champion again. His debacle was, without a doubt, a consequence of that exaggeration of having him lose weight, and caused that, in his last fights, he stepped in the ring just like a ghost. Erik, the only Mexican who has beaten Manny, is someone who can make it happen once again, if returns as strong as an oak, within the limit of his natural weight.

Thank you very much and see you next Sunday.

(José Sulaimán is the president/godfather of the World Boxing Council.)

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Pacquiao-Clottey did 700,000 pay-per-view buys -- Los Angeles Times

By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times

HBO reports that the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight in Texas on March 13 generated 700,000 pay-per-view buys, with $35.3 million in revenue.

The numbers fell far short of Pacquiao's 12th-round TKO of Miguel Cotto in November, but that bout (which had 1.25 million PPV buys) against the popular Puerto Rican world welterweight champ had more of a so-called "B name" upside.

The Clottey figure instead showed how Pacquiao's popularity has soared in the last two years, given that his March 2008 bout versus the respected Juan Manuel Marquez had just 400,000-plus buys.

"We are extremely pleased with the ... performance of Pacquiao-Clottey. It significantly exceeded our expectations," HBO PPV President Mark Taffet said. "It is a testament to the popularity of Pacquiao and the vitality of the sport, and it gives us great encouragement as we look toward the May 1 [Floyd] Mayweather-[Shane] Mosley pay-per-view fight."

Pacquiao, who clobbered Clottey in a unanimous decision, winning all 12 rounds on one judge's scorecard, has has now produced 6.25 million PPV buys, worth $320 million in revenue in 12 PPV bouts, HBO reports.

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Johnriel Casimero hoping to take light-flyweight title from Ivan Calderon -- Daily Post

By Martin Williams, dailypost.co.uk

I’M eagerly anticipating the WBO light flyweight match-up between the brilliant Ivan Calderon and Johnriel Casimero on May 29.

Many readers will know a little about Calderon, but Casimero has not yet made an impact on UK fans.

Having watched him knock out the hard-hitting Cesar Canchila in 11 rounds in December, I predict he will be in the pound-for-pound top 10 by Christmas if he defeats Puerto Rican Iron Boy, who is unbeaten in 34 fights.

Quick and powerful like fellow Filipino Manny Pacquiao, 20-year-old Casimero’s record stands at 14-0 (KO 8).

Aged 12 when he took up boxing, Casimero used to get into a lot of street fights.

He said: “One time I was fighting three guys at once. A boxing trainer saw me and asked if I was interested in becoming a boxer.”

Casimero is a former national amateur boxing champion. If he did not fight professionally, he would have wanted to become a policeman.

When asked who his dream opponent would be, he replied: “Ivan Calderon. I don’t think his defensive style will bother me.”

Christopher Pingping “The Sting” Tepura, a former pro boxer, trained Johnriel when he was already an eight-rounder. He praised Casimero’s work ethic and is confident of victory.

To be honest, when watching Casimero I was startled by his ability and can’t wait to see him box again. If anyone has a spare ticket for the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez show then let me know!

Source: dailypost.co.uk

Pacquiao-Clottey earns big PPV bucks -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

Manny Pacquiao's lopsided unanimous decision against Joshua Clottey generated 700,000 pay-per-view buys and $35.3 million in domestic television revenue, HBO PPV's Mark Taffet said Tuesday.

The pound-for-pound king routed Clottey to retain his welterweight title on March 13 in the first boxing event staged at Jerry Jones' $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Clottey, a native of Ghana living in New York, brought no significant fan base to the fight and was virtually unknown to the masses, so the figures are a credit to Pacquiao's popularity.

"We are extremely pleased with the pay-per-view performance of Pacquiao-Clottey. Fights like this traditionally do not exceed 400,000 buys," Taffet said. "It is a testament to the popularity of Pacquiao and the vitality of the sport, and it gives us great encouragement as we look toward the May 1 Mayweather-Mosley pay-per-view fight."

The breakdown for Pacquiao-Clottey was 350,000 buys from cable homes, 310,000 from satellite homes and 40,000 from telco homes.

Based on his pay-per-view history, Pacquiao, of the Philippines, has become a crossover star in the United States.

In 12 pay-per-view fights, he has generated 6.25 million buys and $320 million in revenue. The bulk of the total has come from his last four fights: Clottey, Miguel Cotto (1.2 million buys), Ricky Hatton (800,000 buys) and Oscar De La Hoya (1.25 million buys).

Source: sports.espn.go.com

No denying Wladimir is the main man -- Bangkok Post

By Julian Turner, Bangkok Post

There is no denying that the heavyweight division is in a mess yet some of the criticism being heaped on Wladimir Klitschko seems to be more of a nationalistic issue than a boxing one.

The giant Ukrainian - who is based in Germany - easily outboxed and then spectacularly knocked out America's best hope in Dusseldorf at the weekend to successfully defend his collection of belts.

Eddie Chambers had only been beaten once before in 36 fights (on points by Alexander Povetkin) yet ended Saturday night's fight face down sprawled over the bottom rope.

Wladimir again proved himself to be the best big man on the planet and increased his impressive ledger to 54-3 with 48 of those wins coming by knockout.

He isn't the most exciting boxer in the world but Saturday's fight drew 51,000 paying fans through the doors of the ESPRIT arena, which is the same number that watched Manny Pacquiao outclass an unwilling Joshua Clottey in Dallas the previous week.

Clearly there are plenty of people in Germany who appreciate his talents, yet American television networks didn't even show the fight despite Chambers' pedigree.

Apparently, television bosses in the USA have lost interest in Wladimir after a series of lacklustre displays.

It was good of TrueVisions to pick up this fight for viewers in Thailand, even though it meant staying up through the night to watch it as it happened.

I opted to watch it live, instead of waiting for the repeat the next day at 6pm in case the card went on too long and overlapped with Man United's clash with Liverpool on Sunday evening.

Admittedly, it wasn't the most thrilling contest (neither was Pacquiao v Clottey) but Klitschko dominated so easily that he has to be admired for the way he defused and controlled Chambers.

It was the sort of sterile and calculated display that German crowds adore but often switches off those in the USA.

The giant Ukrainian does everything by the textbook. He has a stiff and accurate jab, punches hard and uses the ring well.

My major gripe with Wladimir is that he has the capacity to end fights much earlier but often chooses to drag the action out instead of going for a grandstand finish.

Even Klitschko's trainer Emanuel Steward screamed: "We don't need another bullshit decision" just before the last round which finally stirred the Ukrainian into action and prompted that devastating finish.

Wladimir reminds me of intelligent pupils at school who are content to coast and get a C grade while they are capable of scoring an A with a bit more effort.

His size, reach and power advantages over most opponents also make him look languid when he isn't in top gear.

It's no fun watching a big man beat up a little man, and most impartial fans are probably willing the little man to win every time Wladimir fights.

Chambers was a spent force after the halfway point but Klitschko still stood off and played it safe.

Lennox Lewis used to do the same, and his landslide points win over David Tua 10 years ago was similar to Saturday's fight without the big finale (Steward was in Lewis' corner that night in Las Vegas).

With Chambers taken care of, the focus switches to England's David Haye who tackles John Ruiz in Manchester on April 3.

Haye is expected to beat Ruiz fairly easily and the match with Wladimir needs to be made to keep some kind of general interest in the division.

Yet for all the talk about Haye becoming the next big force in the heavyweights, I can't see it at the moment.

He boxed terribly against Nicolay Valuev last year to win the WBA crown and will need to do much better to have any chance against Wladimir.

A good showing against Ruiz will not necessarily mean he will be able to do the same to Klitschko.

Haye has been shouting his mouth off saying he will make the heavyweights exciting again. He could end up doing just that by being spectacularly knocked out by Wladimir.

Julian Turner is the Bangkok Post's Deputy Sports Editor.

Email: juliant@bangkokpost.co.th

Source: bangkokpost.com

Klitschko brothers could flip coin for title shot at Haye -- Reuters UK

Reuters UK

KIEV (Reuters) - British WBA champion David Haye is the prize at stake for world heavyweight title holders Vitali and Vladimir Klitschko after the Ukrainian brothers said they might toss a coin for the right to fight him.

WBC heavyweight champion Vitali and his brother Vladimir, who holds the WBO, IBO and IBF heavyweight titles, have both set their sights on Haye's WBA crown if he successfully defends it against challenger John Ruiz on Apr. 3.

"The main obstacle for this match for me is (my brother) Vladimir... we can't make up our minds as to who will be boxing with Haye," Vitali told reporters Tuesday ahead of his fight with European champion Albert Sosnowski on May 29.

"We'll probably have to toss a coin."

Haye, who shocked Russian giant Nikolai Valuev with a points victory in November to clinch the WBA belt, will face a tough test in American Ruiz before he can think of the Klitschkos.

Twice a former champion, Ruiz's speed and similar size to Haye is likely to test the 29-year-old Briton's capabilities.

"For this match to take place, Haye has first to prove his world champion title against Ruiz," 38-year-old Vitali added.

"Haye is world champion for the WBA version, but he is not an absolute world champion."

(Writing by Neil Maidment in London; Editing by Justin Palmer)

Source: uk.reuters.com

Klitschko brothers both intend to fight WBA heavyweight champ David Haye -- The Canadian Press

By Anna Melnichuk, The Canadian Press

KYIV, Ukraine — Both Klitschko brothers want to fight WBA heavyweight champion David Haye.

"The biggest rival - or obstacle - in this fight is my brother," Vitali Klitschko said of Wladimir. "We cannot decide who will fight Haye.

"I think we will have to flip a coin."

Vitali said the brothers are "very angry" with Haye after the British fighter showed up at a news conference last year wearing a T-shirt depicting himself standing in a ring over the Ukrainian brothers' bodies, holding their dismembered heads in the air.

"Haye is a man who does not choose his words," Vitali said. "He has always used bizarre ways to express his thoughts, whatever fight he performs in ... creating 'good' publicity."

Haye, also a former world cruiserweight champion, will make the first defence of the WBA title against John Ruiz in Manchester, England, on April 3. He won the heavyweight crown from Russia's Nikolai Valuev in November in Germany.

Haye says his goal is to unify the titles by beating the Klitschko brothers, who hold the WBC, IBF and WBO belts between them.

Klitschko will defend his WBC heavyweight title against Polish-born fighter Albert Sosnowski on May 29 in Germany.

Wladimir retained his WBO and IBF heavyweight belt by knocking out against Eddie Chambers last Saturday.

Vitali said his brother's next opponent is expected to be former Olympic champion Alexander Povetkin of Russia.

Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source: google.com

Black Friday for Tua -- Stuff

By MARC HINTON, Stuff.co.nz

Friday "the 13th" Ahunanya is clearly no trash-talker, but then again the man who stands between David Tua and his second shot at a world heavyweight title fight doesn't need to be when he has a manager like Luis Tapia.

As Ahunanya opened his training session at an inner-city Auckland gym yesterday to the media, the 38-year-old Las Vegas-based Nigerian cut an impressive figure as he went through a thorough workout.

Clearly he's arrived in Auckland for next Wednesday's fight against Tua at the Trusts Stadium in game shape, having undergone a thorough preparation for a bout that Tapia says will open the doors to a mid-year title challenge against one of the Klitschko brothers.

But first they will have to deal with the immense power of Tua, which depending on who you talk to is either something they deeply respect, or not a problem.

"It is a big opportunity, and a big challenge," Ahunanya told Stuff.co.nz, still dripping sweat after his vigorous workout.

"This is his home town, and of course he's going to have his home crowd. He's a man on a mission and I'm a man on a mission. I came here for one purpose and that's to come out victorious. I hope he's going to prepare just like me.

"This is a make or break fight for me."

Tapia, who also trains the Nigerian, was a little more emphatic in his predictions.

"If David Tua thinks this is an easy fight for him, he's wrong. Friday is a much better fighter ... I've been hired by this man to train him to win the fight and he's ready right now.

"Nothing against David Tua but if he thinks he's going to just step into the ring and do what he did to Shane Cameron he's dreaming. That's never going to happen. It might happen the other way round, but he's never going to knock out Friday just like that, one-two. Forget about it."

It's interesting Cameron's name came up, for he's a common opponent. Tua demolished his Kiwi rival early in the second round of their heavily hyped Mystery Creek showdown late last year. Ahunanya took 12 rounds to eventually do the same to the outmatched New Zealander back in 2007.

Semantics, says Tapia who claims they picked the final round to knock the Kiwi off his feet.

The intriguing thing is this matchup features two fighters who have never been knocked out in their careers. Most are picking that to change for one next Wednesday night.

Of course, Tapia knows it won't be his man getting up close and personal with the canvas.

"Friday's never been down in a fight, David Tua has. He went down in his fight with Hasim Rahman in the last round and got saved by the bell ... let's see what happens when Friday hits him with the left hook. Let's see whether David Tua can get up again. I doubt it.

"If Friday hits him, Friday is going to knock him out. I know that."

The word is Ahunanya has the durability to seriously test Tua. Maybe even take him the distance.

He's certainly well tested, having come off some significant recent sparring against men of the quality of Rahman and Samuel Peter.

"This is the best shape I've been in for a long, long time," said the boxer whose record stands at 24 wins, five defeats and three draws.

Ad Feedback He was less transparent on fight-night strategy, even if he has previously said he plans to "wear him down later in the fight".

"Tua is a tremendous fighter, he's got the power and the ability to go the distance," said Ahunanya.

"So, of course I have a strategy. I know it's going to be a long night, and that's why I'm doing my running, doing my gym work. I'm willing to go the distance if it's necessary."

Source: stuff.co.nz

Booth in the bubble -- Sky Sports

By Tim Hobbs, Sky Sports

Adam Booth is the tactical and technical mastermind behind David Haye's rise to world heavyweight champion.

He is by no means your traditional up-and-at-'em trainer and both he and his fighter are known for doing things differently.

Booth's job is the science, Haye's the appliance.

But while the WBA champion gets the headlines and makes the appearances on mainstream TV, his long-time friend, manager and promoter quietly goes about his business.

In only his second full interview since that win over Nikolia Valuev, skysports.com's Tim Hobbs caught up with the Booth to talk all things, in and out of the ring...

Last time we spoke you were just about to head off to Germany to tackle the biggest heavyweight champion in history. You must have been delighted with the outcome.
BOOTH: The thing is, a lot of work went into that for years, for 24 fights, so we enjoyed it. I was as happy as I could be.

You talked before about the need for David to stay disciplined. It looked like the perfect gameplan and the perfect execution...
BOOTH: The target was not to fight the judges, it was to fight the fighter in front of us and that was a risk in itself because to try and win a fight by throwing as few punches as possible when you're away in Germany, was a big risk. But we were convinced that was the way to do it and we were proved right.

We all remember David having Valuev in trouble in the 12th. Did you think then that perhaps he might become the first man to knock him out?
BOOTH: As soon as he nailed him and I saw Valuev wobble, the first thing I shouted at him was 'Step!' - step away from him - because I know what David's like and at any point you can run into a headbutt or a wild shot. There was no need to get silly because I believed the fight had been won clearly by that point; I was just happy with the win, we didn't need the knockout.

That was over in Nuremberg of course, this is back home in Britain. How special is that going to be?
BOOTH: We went to France and beat (Jean-Marc) Mormeck, we went to Germany and beat Valuev; we do whatever we've got to do, go wherever we have to go. The fact that it's in England is great because we can share it with David's fans and that makes it a great experience - life is short and you've got to have these experiences. But I don't look at all the anecdotal stuff, I look at the fight; forget the fact it's a world heavyweight title fight, forget the fact there's going to be 20,000 people there, forget all that. It's one man against another man.

That other man is John Ruiz. Is it fair to say that he might pose more of a threat than many are giving him credit for?
BOOTH: We know that John Ruiz will be motivated because he's got the chance of an Indian summer to his career and to earn a lot of money. He knows if he can beat David, he can get a Klitschko. If he beats David he gets millions, so we know how prepared he will be.

He has a reputation for being a brawler, a messy fighter, but there were signs last time out that with a new trainer, he might not be the same John Ruiz we all know. What are you expecting?
BOOTH: I remember a few months ago seeing him skip and I noticed he had a new pair of Asics trainers and I know that he had a good new trainer - and a change is as good as a rest sometimes. So he's going to get more out of himself, he's going to be healthier by the time he gets in the ring, we know that. I expect the best out of John Ruiz. I don't expect his best days to be past him at all. In fact I think his worse days are behind him.

Ruiz was fighting for world heavyweight titles before David had even turned pro. How much will that experience count for when the bell sounds on April 3?
BOOTH: You have to be prepared to do what you've got to do for 36 minutes. John Ruiz knows what it's like to get hit hard and hurt in a title fight and be able to come back. He's been there, he's done it many times, so that's the challenge we've got.

The challenge against Valuev seemed to be based on speed and agility. David looks a lot bigger this time. Does that mean this fight is going to be about his power?
BOOTH: He's maturing as a man still and he's got to have that solid structure because you can't run from John Ruiz, he'll keep chasing you down. And when he's motivated, he'll keep chasing you down and then David's punches will lose their power. So we know that the first four rounds of this fight are going to be mayhem. We know he's going to have to bang hard, he's got to go out there like Tommy Hearns and try and take his head off, to let him know that David's got some serious power in his punches.

This is the first heavyweight world-title fight Britain has seen in 10 years. How special is that and how much does it mean to be part of it?
BOOTH: We're in a bubble really, so we don't really experience all that. It's a shame because I would love to experience it as a fan. But I wouldn't change my positon for the world and to be honest it's a bit surreal because although I am promoting it - we've already sold 17,000 tickets and it is the heavyweight championship of the world - for me it's just another fight. That's the really strange thing because I'm promoting and I'm training him, so it's just a question of 'right, what have we got to do today?'.

How much has David's profile gone up since becoming world champion. Things must be different these days?
BOOTH: They are. Massively. The tickets have sold themselves. I call myself the promoter, but I'm a bit of a snidey one because I haven't really had to do anything!

David is appearing on our TV's in quiz shows, at awards dinners now, so things must have changed most for him. Is it hard to keep his feet on the ground with all this going on?
BOOTH: No. I just show him a picture of John Ruiz (there is a silhouette on the gym wall). That cut-out's there for a reason.

And what about Adam Booth? We don't know much about you. How does the trainer of the world heavyweight champion fill his time away from the sport?
BOOTH: Well, I think I'm going to start dying my all my grey hairs for a start! I've got three daughters; two teenagers and a little 18-month-old girl and I've got another one on the way. Now I just love sitting down watching her run around. Now I've got a little older, I've slowed down myself, I just enjoy watching her experience her day. For me it's like watching a TV show all day... one that David's not on!

Source: skysports.com