Harrison to step up Klitschko chase after vacating title -- ESPN

ESPN.co.uk

Audley Harrison is set to vacate his European heavyweight title in order to chase a dream fight with one of the Klitschko brothers, his promoter has confirmed.

Harrison left it late before producing a stunning left hook to knock out Michael Sprott in the 12th round at Alexandra Palace on Friday night.

But, having just secured the first title of his nine-year professional career, it looks as though the 38-year-old has been persuaded to give the belt up. Harrison's promoter Eddie Hearn spoke with representatives of Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko on Saturday and is adamant a bout is on the cards for later in the year.

"The Klitschkos told me that they are definitely interested in Audley. They recognise he is now a serious contender and know a fight with him could make them serious money, especially as we have a near guarantee from Sky that the fight will be shown on pay-per view. Our hope is for it to take place in December," Hearn told the Guardian.

There are a few potential obstacles blocking the way for Harrison. Alexander Dimitrenko is the mandatory challenger for the European belt, but former champion Albert Sosnowski's recent behaviour has given Hearn confidence that a fight with the Klitschkos can be arranged.

The Pole was scheduled to fight Harrison on Friday but, after pulling out, vacated the European title so he could fight Vitali for the WBC title on May 29.

"If Albert can get a shot at the Klitschkos on the back of winning the European title then there is no reason why Audley can't," added Hearn.

One man who may feel differently is Britain's WBA champion David Haye. The 'Hayemaker' is currently taking a break after recently dismantling John Ruiz in the first defence of his title at the Manchester MEN Arena. The Brit has voiced his ambition to get in the ring with the Klitschkos, although a rematch with Nikolai Valuev is not out of the question.

Source: espn.co.uk

Quitting While Ahead or Out Cold: Andre Dirrell’s Victory over Arthur Abraham -- Ringside Report

By Geoff “The Professor” Poundes, RingsideReport.com

If the Super-Six saw itself as a crucible within which to mix a volatile collection of fighters/promoters/ring physicians/fight-fans and hangers-on, then the Arthur Abraham-Andre Dirrell match-up in round two of the tournament will have lived up to everyone’s expectations.

Stranger things have happened in a boxing ring, but not often. Dirrell, now 19-1, 13 KO’s, won the fight flat on his back, his leg twitching spasmodically. When he was dragged to his feet he began weeping like a baby, shouting at once “I got dropped, man” and then “He hit me when I was down!”

He was right the second time. Arthur Abraham, the previously undefeated Armenian, had indeed clocked him while he was on one knee in the corner, courtesy of a pressure-induced slip, causing Dirrell to blink for a second, and then stretch out on the canvas rubbing his head and eyes and writhing as though he’s been harpooned.

The referee Laurence Cole, who had had a poor night up to that point, at least made the right decision – in fact, the only decision he could make – which was to summarily disqualify Abraham and award the fight to the prostrate American.

In the fracas of the aftermath in the ring, Abraham argued somewhat strangely that as he hadn’t intentionally landed a right hand on Dirrell, the fight should have continued after Andre had been allowed some recovery time – but he was surely clutching at straws given that Dirrell, legitimately or otherwise, was behaving as though his senses had been scrambled into the Detroit night.

So the controversy was not about Cole’s decision, but about the legitimacy of Dirrell’s “injuries”. Abraham and his cohorts were in doubt that Dirrell had acted out, in order to steal the win in a fight that he had dominated for nine rounds, but was clearly losing grip off as Abraham stepped things up. Dirrell was dropped heavily in the tenth (a knockdown missed by Cole, but plainly obvious to everyone else), and was under fire in the eleventh when the finish came, just as the cognoscenti were beginning to believe that Abraham’s customary late rally might just yield him yet another knockout.

Much has been made since of Dirrell’s acting abilities, if indeed that was what won him the fight. This scribe’s first impression on the night was that Abraham’s blow was nothing more than a glancing one, that Dirrell had taken several more hefty shots in the fight, and that he was milking it for all he was worth. Replays of the incident appeared to back up that conclusion, as there was a clear pause between impact and effect, which is not unusual in boxing, but Dirrell’s subsequent reactions did not appear those of a man concussed.

Generally, a twitching leg on a knocked out fighter means just that – he’s knocked cold. He’s not in a position to writhe around tearfully holding his head.

Once Dirrell was on his feet, he certainly appeared to be disoriented, and he was shouting a stream of conflicting statements in all directions. Later, his physician was interviewed in the dressing room saying that he was sure Dirrell had suffered a concussion – and yet, Dirrell could plainly be seen behind him on his feet and talking, and he’d just exited the ring under his own steam and walked unaided from ring to backstage. In this scribe’s experience a fighter having shipped the degree of punishment Dirrell’s actions suggested in the ring, would have been on his back, in an oxygen mask, and on his way to hospital.

Of course, Dirrell’s proponents would counter with the argument: why would a guy who had won at least 8 of the previous 10 rounds, including a 10-8 round in the fourth when he dropped Abraham for an 8-count, seek an early exit from the fight, when he only had to stay on his feet for four more minutes to pick up an easy decision. It’s an argument that would hold water, were it not for the fact that in the previous four minutes he had been knocked on the seat of his pants, and was looking tired in the face of his opponents increasing momentum. Abraham’s people were adamant that had the fight continued Arthur would have got to Dirrell, and of course they can point to plenty of occasions in his 32 fight career when he’d done just that.

The truth will never be known, but the question marks will remain over Andre Dirrell for some time to come. For the first nine rounds of this contest he was a revelation, repeating the feat of his fellow countryman, namesake and friend Andre Ward, who had made another super-six European Mikkel Kessler look ordinary in their fight last November. Abraham found himself in with a real technician, and couldn’t get a foothold in the fight as Dirrell put on a display of speed and accuracy.

It may well be that Carl Froch is the main beneficiary of the result, since he has taken a decision from Dirrell, albeit a controversial one. Possibly the two super-six favorites, Abraham and Kessler, have been severely compromised in the tournament and by the two young guns who most felt might have been out of their depth in the competition. Should Froch turn back Kessler later this month, and in light of Kessler’s dire showing against Ward he would be favored to do so, then Froch will become the new leader of the pack as the tourney moves into stage three.

As for Andre Dirrell his next opponent will be Andre Ward, and he’ll have some pressure in the fight to show that he’s deserving of the Abraham win. Ward will have almost certainly taken care of Allan Green by then (they fight in June), and will have his eyes firmly set on maximum super-six points.

Rest assured when all the dust is settled, Arthur Abraham will be looking to drag Andre Dirrell into a rematch to reverse a result that I’m sure he believes was the wrong one. There remains the possibility that such a fight could well be for the unified super-middle title, which is now very much up for grabs.

Over here in the UK we’re reading with increasing alarm about the extra-curricular antics of Joe Calzaghe, who is not taking retirement well, and getting himself involved in all sorts of unsavory incidents. Calzaghe won’t be the first ex-fighter to find life away from the rigorous discipline of boxing hard to stomach, and I shan’t be at all surprised if in a year to eighteen months he steps back into the ring to give the super-six champion a chance at true legitimacy.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Fulfilling its promise -- 15Rounds

By Bart Barry, 15Rounds.com

Recent criticisms of Showtime’s “Super Six World Boxing Classic” are beginning to make a pattern, faint but detectable. The tournament’s critics appear not to be actual Showtime subscribers. That is, to justify the 10 monthly dollars they save on cable bills, otherwise thoughtful observers now discount the network’s innovative concept by implying it hasn’t met expectations.

Whose expectations? How not?

Among writers, smart ones at least, there’s ever a pessimistic bent to resist. Failure, for being quantifiable, attracts intellect. Smart people like to sort and group things, and success is more elusive than failure. And the writer’s job, often, is to say anything at all even when he can’t say something nice. So it goes.

But it’s time to check that pessimism and take another look at this tournament. And then another and another. A couple Saturdays from now, on April 24, the second fight in Group Stage 2 features Carl “The Cobra” Froch against Mikkel Kessler – to whose surname Hamlet fans might attach “The Dane.” The fight happens in Herning, Denmark. It will likely be the most consequential prizefight in that country’s history.

Last week the Nottinghamshire Cobra and Kessler the Dane joined a conference call without many American writers. They were counterprogrammed by a Kelly Pavlik call in what appeared to be part of HBO’s strategy for undermining Showtime’s tournament, regardless of long-term consequences. Those writers that went for the bigger domestic name missed a chance to learn more about Froch and Kessler. Kelly Pavlik, meanwhile, is strong and ready. Got it.

Asked for an opening comment, Carl Froch began in the third-person beloved by megalomaniacal dictators and prizefighters: “This is the WBC super middleweight champion.” Froch went on to say lots more in the hour that followed, but far as opening comments went, that was it.

Froch is a person of no extraordinary intelligence who speaks eloquently. The ideas he expresses are no larger than other prizefighters’. To his workaday ideas, though, he brings a surprising flamboyance and authority.

Goodness me, might that be an apt metaphor for his fighting style? Come to think of it, yes.

Here’s another thought about Froch’s eloquence. It is a high commentary on the English school system’s deservedly fine reputation. There is no tradition of unintelligent eloquence in America; instead, we revel in smart people expressing themselves badly and call it “egalitarianism” or something. But Froch is a boxing epitome of the peculiar English tradition whose standard bearer is Jane Austen, a writer of no particular intelligence who was still a genius. Solve that riddle, and you’re an Anglophile.

Asked about Mikkel Kessler’s allegations of roughhousing and otherwise dirty tactics by Andre Ward in his last fight – to hear Kessler tell it, Ward only stopped clinching long enough to head butt him – Froch was unwilling to lend Kessler’s excuses credence or Ward any bona fides as a roughhouser. About Kessler, Froch said, “From what I saw, he was quite conclusively outboxed.”

“Quite conclusively outboxed”; how rich is that? It’s precise, short and brooks no disagreement. It doesn’t say anything folks outside the Kessler camp didn’t already think in more expansive ways. But it says it just right. And it also implies there’s more to Froch, as a man and a fighter, than just a surplus of pride and awkwardness – which is about all American writers have credited him with having.

Froch should be exposed by Kessler in his next fight. But Froch should have been exposed by Andre Dirrell in his last fight. He should have been exposed by Jermain Taylor in his penultimate fight. He should have been exposed by Jean Pascal in the fight before that. Had you shown an American bookmaker a tape of any one of Froch’s first 23 fights and asked for Pascal-Taylor-Dirrell parlay pick, there’s no way you would have gotten: Froch 3-0. But that’s exactly where Froch stands.

Froch is proudest of three things: his championship belt, his unblemished record and his high knockout ratio. It’s the third that makes the least sense, though, when you watch Froch’s awkward, often-unbalanced and always unorthodox approach to punching. Asked for a mechanical explanation of the concussion that nevertheless affixes to the ends of his fists, Froch had little insight but plenty of well-chosen words.

“It’s a biological mystery,” he said before exploring, then dismissing, other possibilities such as lower-body strength: “But I have skinny chicken legs, so it’s not that.” So he settled on a combination of mystery and good genes.

Whatever it is mechanically, psychologically it’s about commitment. Carl Froch punches with power because Carl Froch believes he punches with power. There’s more to it than that, of course – accuracy helps, and so do his odd angles – but belief has to be the foundation. Froch hits opponents hard for the same reason Mickey Ward was a great body puncher: He believes.

Someone has to. Whoever was the favorite pick among experts when the Super Six tournament began – Kessler or Arthur Abraham, mostly – no one outside Nottingham had Froch to win. And yet, Froch began by decisioning Dirrell while Dirrell searched for a professional identity. He now faces Kessler in the throes of an identity crisis. And in Group Stage 3, he’ll face an Arthur Abraham who might be more tentative than usual. Get in the playoffs, as they say, and anything can happen.

Which is exactly the point of this tournament. It is unpredictable. It is dramatic. And it’s supported by a “Fight Camp 360” program blessedly focused on boxing and devoid of Mayweathers. The episodes move well and filter the noise some think prizefighting is about. Unlike HBO’s “24/7” programs, then, “Fight Camp 360” is made for people who care about boxing those other 50 weeks of the year.

The Super Six remains the best thing to happen to our sport since Vazquez-Marquez III.

Source: 15rounds.com

Xylocaine Not Prohibited By USADA -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

The painkiller, Xylocaine, sometimes used by fighters to numb their hands against the pain of constant punching, is not on the United States Anti Doping Agency's list of prohibited substances, according to a top official with that organization.

"It's a common local anesthesia, and it's not prohibited," said Travis Tygart, chief executive of the USADA. "It's perfectly allowable to take under the World Anti-Doping Agency's program."

Tygart's organization has been brought in to administer Olympic style, random drug testing for both blood and for urine for the May 1 clash betgween 38-year-old WBA welterweight (147 pounds) titlist Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 knockouts) and 33-year-old challenger Floyd Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) that is slated for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"If either one of these fighters tests positive in our tests prior to the fight, the fight will be off," said Tygart, "and that will be announced, and everybody will know."

Mayweather has reportedly used Xylocaine in the past for brittle knuckles, but apparently has not used it for years. That situation has been remedied by hand-wrapping guru, Rafael Garcia, who was known for his work with "The Hands Of Stone," Roberto Duran.

Garcia joined Mayweather's camp not long after 2002, when the figher often complained of weak tendons.

Also known as Lidocaine, Xylocaine is not listed as being illegal by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, but the NSAC ruled that it was not going to allow Mayweather to use it prior to his December, 2007, knockout of Ricky Hatton at the MGM.

Tygart said that Mayweather and Mosley have been tested by officials assigned to administer the procedures. Last week, Mosley told FanHouse that he already had been tested twice.

"Their reactions to the process has been outstanding, even though there are some mild inconviences to it," said Tygart. "But those mild inconveniences are well worth the upside of having confidence that you're going to go into a fight where it's going to be based on your athletic ability and nothing else and not what somebody is being able to do covertly from their chemist or their drug dealer."

Tygart said that Mayweather and Mosley were briefed, early on, concerning what over-the-counter medications can lead to "dirty" or positive results.

In addition, the fighters were asked about, and, advised concerning what current medications they may or may not be taking that could do the same.

"That's part of the education we had for them was to say, 'Look, tell us all of the medication that you're taking currently for ailments, and we'll make sure that those are fine. And we'll get you permission to use those," said Tygart.

"What's critically important is having clear rules and a system in place to enforce those rules. Any legitimate medication that someone can take, whether it's for asthma, like the enhalers, that are perscribed, those are perfect allowable if you have the right conditions to use them and you've been given advance notice of that," said Tygart.

Tygart said that the fighters "have internet access and a toll free number that is manned by a pharmacist basically 24-7, so there is no excuse."

"If you get sick, or you have a stomach cramp, or whatever it might be, here's the 800 number and just have have somebody call us or you call us and find out if it's something you can take or not. And here's the list of everything that's not allowed," said Tygart.

"At the end of the day, all athletes, including these two, have access to real-time information as to whether I can take this over the counter nasal spray or over the counter cold medicine," said Tygart, "and they have a responsibility of finding that out before they take it."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Carolla formally apologizes to Pacquiao and Filipino community -- Asian Journal

By Joseph Pimentel, Asian Journal

LOS ANGELES – Adam Carolla, the comedian who made disparaging remarks against pound-4-pound boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and his country the Philippines in a podcast, has formally apologized.

"I wanted to officially apologize to Manny Pacquiao and the Filipino community for the things I said on my podcast," he wrote on his website. "I think Manny’s a great fighter, and was humbled this morning when I saw that Manny had accepted my apology halfway around the world."

"As a Podcaster, I have the freedom to not be censored by a network, which can be a blessing and a curse," he added. "As a comedian, I rant as part of my act but my comments were hurtful, and for that I apologize."

Carolla’s statement comes at a time when more than 3,900 people signed an on-line petition demanding the comedian to apologize for the comments he made against Pacquiao and the Philippines.

In a podcast last week, when asked about his thoughts on a potential Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. bout, Carolla first attacked Pacquiao for not undergoing an Olympic-style drug testing procedure before lashing out on the entire country of the Philippines.

Carolla called the Pound-4-pound champ "an [expletive] idiot" for not undergoing the blood tests (that subsequently led to the mega bout falling apart), bashed the Philippines for allowing Pacquiao "an illiterate", who prays "to chicken bones" to run for congress and that the only good thing the Philippines has is Pacquiao and "sex tours."

The seven-minute rant became big news to the Fil-Am community in the US and made its way to the Philippines where Pacquiao is campaigning for a congressional seat in his district. It even reached as far as Malacañang Palace where Philippine Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar weighed in on the topic.

Olivar called Carolla "an ignorant fool" and Pacquiao in a TV interview called it a non-issue and accepted Carolla’s apology on the comedian’s official Twitter.

But to some people in the US, Carolla’s generic apology wasn’t enough.

Dr. Kevin Nadal, who spearheaded the on-line petition and was part of the campaign against the Desperate Housewives fiasco, said he planned to send the petition to CBS radio and NBC, where the comedian recently shot a pilot for a sitcom.

Nadal said it’s important for Filipinos to stand up for racial injustice.

"We need to come together as a community and speak up," Nadal told the Asian Journal. "We can’t allow ourselves to be stepped on and be treated as inferiors."

Source: asianjournal.com

Danny Green's cagey preparations for title fight -- Daily Telegraph

By Nick Walshaw, The Daily Telegraph

THEY were the secret weapon behind Parramatta's 2009 Grand Final charge, now cage fighting brothers Tama and James Te Huna are helping prepare Danny Green for his IBO world title defence.

Sport Confidential can reveal Green employed 130kg brawler Willie Felipe from the Te Hunas' gym as part of preparations for Wednesday night's bout with Puerto Rican Manny Siaca.

The emerging heavyweight is one of six sparring partners used by Team Green, who were keen for their man to take on some heavy artillery in training.

Blacktown fighter Dominic Vea can also consider himself unlucky after receiving a heap of press for having his nose broken by Green in one of their final sessions. Why?

He'd already done the same thing to another two sparring partners at previous sessions.

Source: dailytelegraph.com.au

Berto overpowers Quintana, proves he deserves shot at Pacquiao -- Sports Illustrated

By Chris Mannix, SI.com

SUNRISE, Fla. -- If there is a criticism to be levied against boxing's elite, it's that they are chronologically undesirable. Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez make up the top of most pound-for-pound rankings, but each is on the other side of 30 with Mosley, 38, the resident greybeard of the group. Critics wonder who the sport will turn to when Pacquiao makes politics a full-time gig and Mayweather finally walks away for good.

On Saturday night, they may have gotten their answer. A decorated amateur with two national Golden Gloves titles and an Olympics appearance on his resume, Andre Berto is hardly a newcomer to the sport. Berto first popped on the national radar in 2008, when he picked up the vacant WBC welterweight title with a knockout win over Miguel Angel Rodriguez. Since then the competition hasn't exactly been stiff -- Stevie Forbes, Luis Collazo and Juan Urango won't be banging on the Hall's door in Canastota -- but the wins have kept coming. And on Saturday Berto picked up his best W to date, an utterly crushing eighth-round TKO victory over Carlos Quintana.

At times, it wasn't pretty. Part of it was because of Quintana, a crafty veteran and former world title-holder who once upon a time dismantled Paul Williams. In front of surprisingly sparse crowd, Quintana clutched, grabbed, elbowed and held Berto throughout the early rounds, yanking on his head during clinches and rabbit punching him on the breaks.

Part of it was Berto. Eleven months removed from live action -- a direct result of January's earthquake in Haiti that cost him eight relatives -- the rust was slow to shake off Berto's 147-pound frame. He struggled to keep Quintana at a distance and his jab, perhaps affected by the bicep injury he suffered in the early rounds, seemed to be holstered to his hip. Much of that, though, was expected. Consider the wretched horror we feel when an aging grandparent passes away. Now, multiply that feeling by four and throw in an uncle and a handful of cousins and see where the mind wanders off to.

Even dragging that baggage, Berto was often overwhelming. He staggered Quintana with a straight right hand in the fifth and buried him under an avalanche of combinations in the eighth before referee Tommy Kimmons mercifully stepped in.

"I was hurting, so I wanted to finish the fight as soon as possible," said Berto. "I was a little rusty. I felt rusty. My legs were kind of locking up and I was letting him hold me a little too much. But the job got done."

There's a lot to like about Berto. Run through the checklist of boxing's franchise faces and he matches most of them. He has power with both hands and blinding speed to back it up. His mindset coming into a fight isn't just to win, but to win convincingly. His chin remains relatively untested but he took several power shots from Quintana -- a legit welterweight with 21 knockouts on his resume -- and kept on coming. He's young (26), articulate and eager to step into the spotlight.

The question is, is he ready? The holes in his game -- an occasionally low offensive output and an inability to adjust in the ring -- are obvious to the untrained eye. The quake in Haiti shuttered a showdown with Mosley, an old lion/young lion matchup that was supposed to put Berto's skills to the test. With Mosley and Mayweather now locked into a fight next month, Pacquiao suddenly becomes the most appealing alternative.

On paper it makes a lot of sense. It would unify two titles -- Pacquiao is the WBO title-holder -- and pitting Pacquiao against another power puncher would remove the stench attached to him and his promoter, Bob Arum, after last month's overpriced sparring session with Joshua Clottey.

No doubt Arum and Co. will wait until after Mosley-Mayweather to discuss any potential deal. But if Mosley wins -- which would trigger a rematch clause with Mayweather -- or if negotiations with Mayweather crumble, Berto has earned a spot at the top of the list.

"That knockout was pretty vicious," said Berto. "And I'm only going to get better from here."

Source: sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Lou DiBella: "Pacquiao is absolutely on the radar" -- Examiner

By Vivek Wallace, Examiner.com

Last Saturday night, fight fans around the globe watched as one of the sports most promising stars, Haitian Andre Berto, took on a man well known for playing the classic role of a spoiler, Puerto Rico's Carlos Quintana.

Prior to the bout, many critics found reason to punch holes in any theory that included the young Berto being amongst the sports elite, partly due to what was viewed as stamina related issues and a talent that somewhat appeared to lack evolution.

Initially scheduled to face Shane Mosley, a critical earthquake struck his homeland of Haiti, preventing the fight and putting Berto in the midst of one his longest career layoffs to date.

When Mosley chose to move on and face the always dangerous and purely talented Floyd Mayweather jr., the Quintana bout fell into play and many questioned whether or not Berto would be able to handle a crafty southpaw veteran like Quintana after catching hell with two others who were not nearly as accomplished.

READY FOR THE 'BIG ONE'?

By the end of the night, that question would be answered, and a new one in particular would be raised.

That new question......who next? The relative answer.......well, it may surprise some.....but the first name mentioned by promoter Lou DiBella was none other than the man who co-owns the sports P4P mantle, Filipino Manny Pacquiao, whom DiBella said is "absolutely on the radar if he decides to take the fight".

When asked directly what he thought a showdown with Pacquiao would look like, Berto stated "it would be a great showdown because he (Pacquiao) has never had to deal with my type of speed and power combined. Some of his opponents had one or the other, but you could make an argument that I'd be the first with that kind of mix".

Right on cue, to support his claim was a fellow media scribe who chimed in - "yeah, Mayweather has defense and speed, but even he doesn't have that decapitating power behind his speed like you, champ", referring to Berto.

ANY GIVEN NIGHT.....

The thing that makes boxing so intriguing is that just like the evolution of Berto seemed to change ten-fold in one night's performance, so can any man be beaten in one night's performance.

The NFL adage speaks of "any given Sunday". In the world of boxing, "any given night" a legend can fall and the 'pen of life' can write an opening chapter for a new legend in waiting who manages to finally cross that pantheon of greatness.

Quintana once stood toe to toe and took the spirit of a man that Pacquiao has seemed to avoid - despite him calling Pacquiao out recently and actually deserving a shot (Paul Williams). To see Berto render this same Carlos Quintana helpless in only 8 rounds was the bold statement that Berto supporters have awaited for quite some time.

In the aftermath of that victory, now that those questions are answered, a new one awaits. And with testing controversies and promotional agendas in the way, maybe, just maybe.......we now have a vision of a fight that CAN BE MADE!

HIGH RISK, LOW REWARD, NO FIGHT

With Berto now awaiting challenges and putting one man who has none in the immediate future on task, it should be intriguing to see what happens next.

I could be wrong, but just like with Paul Williams, one could logically predict that Top Rank's Bob Arum will view the level of risk to be far too much danger in a fight that may not do much at this point to put a stamp on Pacquiao's legacy. The good ole "high risk/low reward" theory.

Logical business sense, but the reality is that if those fights can't be made and the testing accommodation's can't be reached with Mayweather, how is fighting a currently suspended Margarito, or a young and barely known Valero a better option? Or even Clottey, to begin with, for that matter.

Those critical of Arum say it's all a plan to milk his 'cash cow' before tossing him into deep waters with the sharks. I don't know if I totally buy that theory, but I am fully aware that 'cows' can't swim....so perhaps those critics are on to something!

Stay tuned!


(Vivek Wallace can be reached at www.vivekwallace.com, vivexemail@yahoo.com, Youtube (VIVEK1251), Twitter (VIVEK747), Facebook and Myspace).


Source: examiner.com

Blood Testing! Mayweather and 24/7 put it in the news again! -- Eastside Boxing

By Paul Strauss, Eastside Boxing

About the only thing interesting to note during the first installment of the Mayweather vs Mosley 24/7 was Mayweather's failure to provide a urine sample in a timely fashion. Probably just urinal anxiety? Unfortunately for the USADA testing officials, as a result of his failure, they then had to hang around little mister low on pee for what must have seemed like an eternity. On the other hand, there was no problem and no delay with Shane Mosley, and the officials seemed grateful for the cooperation and the no problem type of behavior..

It's revealing about Mayweather in that he thinks his ability to trash talk is some kind of talent or virtue to be admired? He is proud of the fact that both his parents talk trash, but quickly points out that he is the best at it of anyone around. How nice! "Of those who say nothing, few are silent" (Thomas Neiel)

There is an old saying advising that a person should never get into an argument with a fool, because you can't win. That fact seems to be proven over and over again with the Mayweathers (exception - Jeff). They should continually be advised to not speak unless they can improve on silence! (Old Spanish Proverb)

If you're interested, check out an article written by Patrick C. English, for SecondsOut.Com. The article is titled: Drug Testing For HGH: Scientlifically Valid or Just Politically Correct? In the artilce, English interviews Dr. Don H. Caitlin, head of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Lab. English describes the doctor as one of the most knowledgeable, if not the most knowledgeable experts in the field. The article touches on whether all of the hoopla over blood testing is just posturing, or whether it is an authentic effort to help clean up any possible abuse in boxing concerning performance enhancing drugs such as HGH.

The article speaks for itself, so I won't attempt to postulate. Check it out.

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Unrepentant Silva makes mockery of sport -- Yahoo! Sports

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – As the fourth round ended in the middleweight championship fight on Saturday at UFC 112 at Ferrari World, Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White picked up Anderson Silva’s title belt and tossed it in the direction of Silva’s manager, Ed Soares.

White was nearly becoming physically ill watching Silva clown in the cage and avoid fighting. He wanted nothing to do with presenting the champion with his belt after the fight with Demian Maia ended.

Silva pranced around the ring, making odd motions and strange faces, banging the mat, running in circles and generally behaving as if he had no understanding that people paid significant money to watch him fight.

He looked like a fool and he disrespected his opponent, the sport, his employers and, most significantly, a live crowd which paid a gate of $3.5 million as well as the hundreds of thousands of people who purchased the pay-per-view to watch him.

White seethed at the postfight news conference and tossed verbal hand grenades in Silva’s direction. After meeting with reporters following the news conference, White headed to Silva’s trailer for a showdown.

He said he didn’t know how he would punish Silva, who won by scores of 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46, but said he would find a way to make it up to the fans for having to sit through such a poor, confounding main event.

Perhaps the best way White can get even with Silva, who was defiant at the postfight news conference, is to have Silva fight on the card he is planning to benefit the military in Afghanistan.

White looked extraordinarily angry when he walked into the room and didn’t pull any punches when he began to speak.

“I’ll answer the questions about what a disgrace the main event was and what an embarrassment it is,” White said almost immediately upon taking the lectern postfight. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more embarrassed in 10 years of being in this business. It’s the first time I’ve ever walked out of a main event.”

By the time the fifth round was winding to a close, the sellout crowd of 11,008 was chanting Maia’s name.

Silva meekly apologized in the cage in an interview with television analyst Joe Rogan, but he struck a more defiant chord at the postfight news conference.

“Unfortunately, not every fight turns out the way everyone would like,” Silva said through Soares, who was interpreting for him. “I came here well-trained, but Demian disrespected me, not as a person, but he disrespected me as a fighter. I take that very seriously. I came here to do my job, which was to beat him up and punish him. That’s exactly what I did.”

Silva dodged the question several times, but finally said vaguely that he felt Maia disrespected him in prefight interviews when Maia, a jiu-jitsu black belt, talked about breaking his arm.

What didn’t make sense about Silva’s answer was that if he felt disrespected was that he spent much of the last three rounds running and clowning and not punching or kicking. He had the opportunity to make Maia pay for his words, if Maia actually said anything incendiary, but he chose instead to circle, wiggle his back side, make faces and essentially make a fool out of anyone who either purchased a ticket or bought the pay-per-view.

“The way I feel, my mission was completed,” Silva said. “I came in and dominated the fight and did what I had to do. That’s how I feel.”

Silva was clearly a far better fighter than Maia, whose only hope of winning was to somehow get the fight to the ground and catch Silva in a submission hold. Silva was faster and could nearly land his punches at will.

He had a far more varied attack and broke Maia’s nose with a flying knee in the second.

The highlights for Silva, though, lessened as the fight wore on and he spent more time mocking Maia and making a jackass of himself.

His actions will have deep repercussions. For one, the fight was aired live in the U.S. at 1 p.m. ET, but was still going to be replayed in its normal pay-per-view time slot beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

Fans who may have purchased the fight in its normal slot likely didn’t buy it after catching word of Silva’s antics.

Even more, Silva did the same thing at UFC 90 and then had a lackluster performance at UFC 97.

White glared at Silva as Silva answered questions from the media. Clearly, Silva’s words did not soothe his boss’ feelings.

“I’m more unhappy than I was when I walked in the door,” White said after hearing Silva’s lame answers at the news conference. “That’s why I ended the news conference. I couldn’t stand to listen to that [expletive] any more.”

Silva cost himself a big chunk of his reputation as well as a lot of money. He lost the respect of the ownership of the UFC, who were embarrassed in front of their new partners, the investment group from Abu Dhabi who bought a reported 10 percent of the company.

He may have lost his status as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

He lost his opportunity to drop to welterweight as he said he wanted to do before the fight and challenge 170-pound champion Georges St. Pierre.

“He doesn’t deserve to fight GSP,” White fairly spat.

Early in the news conference, White said Silva might become the first champion to fight on the preliminary card.

Wherever he fights, Silva had better pray that White stacks the card with a lot of fights people want to see.

Because if Anderson Silva is the main attraction, don’t be shocked if the fans stay away in droves.

Source: sports.yahoo.com