Bradley gets taste of Hollywood -- Desert Sun

By Leighton Ginn, The Desert Sun

HOLLYWOOD — For one day at least, the mild-mannered Timothy Bradley went Hollywood, holding an open media training session at the Fortune Gym off of Sunset.

Now ranked among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Bradley's camp wanted to hold a media session in Los Angeles to maximize his exposure for the July 17 fight against Carlos Abregu at The Show inside the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. The fight will be televised on HBO.

Inside the Fortune Gym, Bradley was surrounded by approximately 30 media members asking questions or taking pictures or videos.

“It's sweet. This is sweet. This is the most media I've ever seen,” said Bradley, the Cathedral City resident. “A lot of the media is here in L.A. A lot of the media can't come down to where I live, so we come to them, and they come to me right here. It's been beautiful. Without the media, and I might eat my words later in life because something can happen, but the media is what makes you.”

It threw a bit of a curve ball into Bradley's training schedule, having to make the two-plus hour commute to Los Angeles.

Bradley's trainer, Joel Diaz, said Bradley had a light workout scheduled anyway. Plus, Diaz understands the value of coming out to Los Angeles.

“It's part of the business. It's not a bad thing, it's a good thing,” Diaz said. “There's a lot of boxing fans in the L.A. area that need to know Tim Bradley more, get closer to Tim Bradley and get people from this side to come down to Palm Springs and enjoy a good fight.”

Bradley is the WBO light welterweight champion, who has emerged as the deepest and one of the most talked about divisions. At 26-0, Bradley is considered the No. 1 fighter in the division, and the public is starting to clamor for the top fighters to fight each other.

The most talked about fight is Bradley taking on Devon Alexander, who holds the IBF and the WBC belt that Bradley vacated. Other names being thrown around are WBO champion Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana, two fighters Bradley was going to fight. Both Khan and Maidana backed out of the fights, according to Bradley's camp.

However, Bradley is moving up from the 140-pound division to the 147-pound welterweight division to fight Abregu. An impressive showing by Bradley, and he could be in line for a mega fight with superstars Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao, especially if the two can't come to an agreement to fight each other.
Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, has scoffed at Bradley, saying he doesn't have enough marquee value to help carry a pay-per-view event.

Bradley and his camp contend that Arum and Pacquiao are afraid to fight The Desert Storm and are making excuses.

But there is no denying that if Bradley can increase his fan base in Los Angeles even more, the Pacquiaos and Mayweathers will have no choice but to fight Bradley.

“It's very important for us. No. 1, this is a big fight for him, not just the opponent, but he's moving up (in weight) and he's on HBO. It's certainly very important in terms of what the future holds for him,” said Alex Camponovo, the general manager/matchmaker of Bradley's promoters, Thompson Boxing. “The best marketing he can have for any fight is how he's going to perform on July 17.”

Source: mydesert.com

Sergio Martinez Favors Paul Williams Rematch -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Sergio Martinez and Paul Williams are two of boxing's most feared fighters, so much so, that in the aftermath of their December, HBO-televised, non-title, middleweight (160 pounds) clash of southpaws -- during which both fighters were floored in the first round -- each has fought only once.

Otherwise, they have not been able to find willing opponents.

So now, it appears that HBO president of sport, Ross Greenburg, is pushing for a rematch of their battle, won by Williams (39-1, 27 knockouts) via disputed majority decision. According to a report by Boxingscene.com's Rick Reeno, the target date is Oct. 2.

"I have a lot of respect for Paul Williams. He is a great champion," Martinez's manager, Sampson Lewkowicz, told Boxingscene.com. "I believe he wants the rematch with Martinez."

In the months since their first meeting, the stock of Martinez has only grown.

The 35-year-old, Argentinian-born fighter dethroned WBC and WBO king, Kelly Pavlik, in April, his 12-round, unanimous decision raising his mark to 45-2-2, with 24 knockouts. Martinez has since been stripped of the WBO middleweight crown, as well as the WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) title.

Williams, meanwhile, is coming off of May's disappointing, four-round junior middleweight technical decision victory over former two-time world champion Kermit Cintron.

And one of the sticking points that delays a potential rematch with Martinez is the fact that Williams is pushing for a return to the welterweight (147 pounds) class, where he won two of the three world titles he has held.

"Williams' his promoter [Dan Goossen] is chasing a fantasy fight with Manny Pacquiao, which will never happen. Williams is too tall. Pacquiao wouldn't fight Yuri Foreman because he said Foreman was too tall, and Williams makes Foreman look small. The same goes for Floyd Mayweather Jr. He doesn't have to fight someone like Paul Williams. He can fight anyone and make just as much money," Lewkowicz, told Boxingscene.com.

"The fight with Martinez was very close and could have went either way," said Lewkowicz. "I guarantee the rematch will be just as exciting and if not the fight of the year, the rematch will be the first runner-up for fight of the year at worst."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Timothy Bradley & Alfredo "Perro" Angulo In L.A. -- The Sweet Science

By David A. Avila, The Sweet Science

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA.-Reporters from as far as 130 miles away gathered in a boxing gym surrounded by the Hollywood Hills and all were there to see Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley and Alfredo “Perro” Angulo.

In a little more than eight days Bradley moves up to welterweight to fight Argentina’s wrecking machine Carlos Abregu (29-0, 23 KOs) and Angulo defends the interim WBO junior middleweight title against Canada’s Joachim Alcine (32-1, 19 KOs) at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage.

The co-main events will be televised on HBO live on Saturday July 17.

How good are Bradley and Angulo?

“He has sneaky speed,” said Bradley of Angulo.

Unknown to many, Mexicali’s Angulo comes from a lengthy amateur background that includes many international tournaments as a representative of Mexico’s team. He can box, he can move and he can counter with the best.

As a professional Angulo prefers a hunt, seek and destroy style of fighting and it’s one of the main reasons that card carrying boxing fans flock to see him fight.

“People love to see him fight,” said Tony Walker, an HBO executive with the pay-per-view branch.

One thing many fans don’t realize is Angulo and Bradley once collided in the ring as amateurs.

“Whoa it was a close fight. It was a hell of a fight,” said Timothy Bradley Sr. who remembers when his son and Angulo met as 152-pound amateurs. “He (Bradley) lost by one single point.”

Once again Angulo faces a fast mover who uses speed and slickness to gain an advantage.

“Whatever style he wants to fight is alright with me,” said Angulo (18-1, 15 KOs) whose last three opponents had a similar style including the talented Joel Julio. “I try to do something every day. If a fighter thinks he knows everything he’s going to lose.”

Angulo seldom smiles for the press and on this day it was no different. A smile for the Mexicali destroyer means in his mind that he’s soft. He’s anything but soft.

Contrary to the Mexican warrior, Bradley has a different approach.

While wrapping his own hands and preparing himself to train in Justin Fortune’s Boxing Gym the Indio based prizefighter who is the top ranked junior welterweight in the world and considered one of the top 10 prizefighters Pound for Pound, smiles generously and answers all questions crisply and brightly.

“Floyd Mayweather is the best fighter in the world,” says Bradley (25-0, 11 KOs) with no hesitation. “I think Amir Khan is the most protected fighter in the world.”

Bradley wants the big money fights where he can generate the mega millions that other elite fighters enjoy. Whether it’s Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao or Devon Alexander he wants them all. But it has to have the right price.

“People don’t understand it’s a business,” Bradley said. “Fans don’t understand. They just think I should fight this guy or that guy and not care about the money. That’s not the way it works.”

Bradley’s opponent Abregu is a concrete busting welterweight who has knocked senseless 23 of 29 opponents. He’s never lost.

Where does Bradley rank among top prizefighters today?

“He’s the complete package,” said Steve Kim, columnist for a Maxboxing.com web site based in California. “He’s one of the best fighters pound for pound.”

Many others agree.

Bradley seeks to prove that he belongs among the elite and maybe, just maybe, he’ll be able to fight one of those other elite boxers.

“Pacman and Floyd Mayweather, I want to fight all those guys,” Bradley said in front of more than 30 reporters. “My job is to continue to win.”

Other chatter

Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire leads a contingent of Filipino fighters on Saturday in Puerto Rico. Donaire (23-1, 15 KOs) defends the interim WBA junior bantamweight title against Mexico’s Hernan Marquez (27-1, 20 KOs). Also, Bernabe Concepcion fights Juan Manuel Lopez for his WBO featherweight title. Eden Sonsona (21-5, 17 KOs) faces Jonathan Oquendo (18-2, 11 KOs in a bantamweight clash. The Top Rank Promotion fights will be shown on pay-per-view.

Sergio Mora is off the fight card on July 23 at Pechanga Resort and Casino but now Craig McEwan steps in to face San Diego’s Danny Perez, said Richard Schaefer, CEO for Golden Boy Promotions. Mora is fighting Sugar Shane Mosley on Sept. 18 and did not want to risk cancellation should Mora get hurt. For tickets and information at Pechanga (888) 732-4264.

Canada’s Jeannine Garside (10-3-1, 4 KOs) convincingly defeated Germany’s Ina Menzer (26-1, 10 KOs) by unanimous decision in Germany last Saturday to capture the WBC, WBO and WIBF featherweight titles. Garside already had the WIBA title.

Mexico’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (32-0-1, 24 KOs) has a dangerous fight against Argentina’s Luciano Cuello (26-1, 12 KOs) on Saturday in Guadalajara, Mexico. The popular Alvarez recently signed a promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions and is scheduled to fight on Sept. 18 in Los Angeles.

In a battle of former Mexican world champions Ulises Solis (31-2-2) won decision over Eric Ortiz (32-11-3) on Saturday in Reno, Nevada. Solis lost his title to Brian Viloria in the Philippines last year.

Mexico’s Ana Maria Torres (21-3-2, 13 KOs) knocked out Colombian southpaw Olga Julio (7-8-1) in the fourth round to keep her WBC junior bantamweight title on Saturday. The fight took place in Mexico City. Torres has not lost a fight in three years and that was a split decision lost to Korea’s Myung OK Ryu in North Korea.

Hugo Cazares (32-6-2, 23 KOs) knocked out Everardo Morales (34-15-2) in the seventh round to win his first defense of the WBA junior bantamweight world title on Saturday. Cazares is a former junior flyweight world champion. Both Cazares and Morales fight out of Mexico.

Mexico’s Zulina Munoz (23-1-1, 17 KOs) a hard-hitting bantamweight from Mexico City fights equally dangerous Mayerlin Rivas (6-1, 5 KOs) of Venezuela on Friday in Mexico City. Rivas, 22, only loss came to Sandy Tsagouris in Canada. Munoz, 22, only loss came to Alesia Graf in Germany.

Undefeated Susie Ramadan (14-0, 6 KOs) meets Jane Kuvulani (11-10-2) on Friday July 9, for the vacant WBF bantamweight world title. The fight takes place in Coburg, Australia. Ramadan, 30, fights out of Australia and Kuvulani, 34, out of Kenya.

WBC junior lightweight titleholder Olivia Gerula (12-10-2) defends her world title against America’s Brooke Dierdorff (6-4-1). Gerula is making her first title defense since beating Myriam Chomasz in France last December.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Tim Bradley Calls Out Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

WBO junior welterweight (140 pounds) king Tim Bradley has transformed from a soft-talking prospect to a trash-talking fighter considered by many to be among boxing's premier boxers, pound-for-pound.

"There were a lot of things that I wouldn't say in the past because I wanted to stay humble. I'm still humble, but I'm at the point where I know who I am, and that I'm not going to let anybody just disrespect me. I'm going to talk," said Bradley, who is 25-0 with 11 knockouts.

"I pick and choose my battles, but I know that I'm capable in the ring. I know that I'm a good fighter. I know that I'm an elite fighter. So when you hear me talking, I'm just being myself," said Bradley. "I'm a man, you know? And if you say something bad about me, I'll say something bad about you. I've set boundaries. I had a habit of just laying back, but now, I'm stepping up. I'm not letting people run all over me. I had to change that about me."

Most recently, Bradley took issue with an assertion from Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum that he would not be a good rival for seven-division champion Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts), holder of the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title.

"I know that Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, said that I'm not a household name, and that I wouldn't be a good fight for Manny. Not yet, at least. But I don't let that bother me at all," said Bradley, who has an HBO-televised, July 17 bout opposite welterweight Luis Carlos Abregu (29-0, 23 KOs) of Salta Salta, Argentina.

Bradley-Abregu is a non-title, over the limit bout that is slated for the Agua Caliente Casino, in Rancho Mirage, Calif., near Bradley's hometown of Palm Springs, Calif.

"As long as I keep on winning, then everything will continue to take care of itself," said the 26-year-old Bradley. "And if Manny Pacquiao's still going to still be in the game, then, it's going to be inevitable that he will have to fight me. Trust me. The fight fans, the media, everyone will be calling for the fight."

Nicknamed "The Desert Storm," Bradley has had to literally build his own reputation from the ground up.

Among Bradley's earliest signs of showing grit and determination were during an April 2009 unanimous decision win over Kendall Holt, where he twice rose from the canvas before emerging victorious.

Bradley also has earned a May 2008 split-decision over England's Junior Witter, handing Witter only his second setback in 40 bouts with the other being a decision loss to two-time former world champion Zab Judah.

Bradley is coming off of December's 12-round, unanimous decision victory over Lamont Peterson (28-1, 14 KOs), of Washington, D.C., whom Bradley dropped for the first time in his career.

It is the Peterson fight which officially put Bradley on the map and which changed him as a fighter, if not a person.

"They saw a different fighter in that ring against Lamont Peterson. Lamont Peterson came to fight and everything, but he just brought out the best in me that night. The best fighters in the world, that's what they do for me. They bring the best out of me. I love to rise to the occasion, and that's what I did in that fight," said Bradley.

"Overnight, things changed for me with the Lamont Peterson fight. Now I'm fighting for HBO, and the fighters are respecting me, and the fight game is finally giving me respect," said Bradley. "Like I've been checking out all of the websites, and the boxing writers are finally putting me into their rankings. They're putting me in their top 10, pound-for-pound, and I can't believe it. But it's true. I am the truth, and people are finding that out about me now."

In signing with the HBO network, Bradley joined contracted fighters such as WBC and IBF king Devon Alexander (20-0, 13 KOs), WBA titlist Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KOs), and, WBA interim champion, Marcos Rene Maidana (28-1, 27 KOs), among others.

"There is a little added pressure to back it up, you know? Because you don't want people to be saying, 'You know, we thought that this kid was the real deal, but we were wrong.' But my job is to just go out there and win, and to try not to get caught up in all of that. It used to be where I didn't want to let anyone down, didn't want to make any mistakes, but now, I've matured," said Bradley.

"It used to take me a while to open up when all of this was new to me. But I feel like after the Lamont Peterson fight, I've finally come into my own.

I'm finally realizing who I am and what I can do," said Bradley. "That's why I want you to see me in the ring with fighters like Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao. I know that if that happens, then you will see the best out of Timothy Bradley that night."

Bradley is hoping for an HBO-televised Jan 29 bout opposite Alexander, which would take place the day before the NFL's 2011 Super Bowl. But Bradley-Alexander is contingent on each of the youngsters winning big fights over the course of the summer.

First, Bradley must defeat Abregu. And then Alexander, a 23-year-old southpaw, has an HBO-televised Aug. 7, second defense of his WBC title -- and the first of his IBF crown -- against former WBA titlist Andriy Kotelnik (31-3-1, 13 KOs) before his hometown fans in St. Louis, Mo.

"I think that everybody will be calling for this fight between myself and Devon Alexader by that time, just like they're calling for the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight right now. I think that it's at the point where everybody just wants to see us fight. I believe that it's going to happen," said Bradley.

"Just know that I'm on a mission to get into the ring with all of the best guys. I'm going to continue to win, and I'm going to continue to dominate," said Bradley. "If these guys don't want to let me in, then I'll start my own legacy. I'm going to continue on my path and start my own legacy. I'm just going to fight everybody and beat everybody."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Nonito Donaire on Pacquiao-Mayweather: 'Pride is an issue. Money will talk.' -- Examiner

By Chris Robinson, Examiner.com

In a few days Nonito Donaire will set foot inside of the ring in an attempt to defend his interim WBA super flyweight belt. While confident Mexican Hernan ‘Tyson’ Marquez is enough of a threat to get Donaire’s attention their fight seems almost somewhat of a subplot with all of the constant turns, or lack thereof, in Donaire’s career.

In a recent interview with Examiner.com, Donaire revealed that despite his frustrations at not finding a big name opponent and his struggles with weight he is still keeping an optimistic outlook on his future. Donaire spoke with a sense of stillness in his voice when discussing such topics as his battle this weekend, the support from his team, and other challenges near his weight class.

When asked if he keeps his eye on all parties involved in the sport Donaire was quick to confirm as much. A self admitted follower of the sweet science, Donaire loves a good fight wherever he can find one but says that for the moment there is only one contest that truly has his imagination captured.

“I’m a big fan of boxing,” Donaire said. “Something that I really do want to see is the fight that everybody is waiting for. Pacquiao and Mayweather. That’s the fight that everybody wants to see. I am a big, big fan of boxing and there are other fighters out there who are great fighters but it’s what everybody wants.”

Right now there seems to be a serious cloud of uncertainty as to whether the fight will come off. With reports varying on a daily basis as to the negotiations between each man’s team as well as the future of each respect pugilist, it is obvious that nothing is for certain at this point. Donaire seems to feel that at the end of the day both men will find a way to make things work.

“I think money will talk,” Donaire said with confidence. “I think money has a lot of power and I say that one way or another they are going to try and make it happen. I think maybe I am just hopeful about this fight. I think that money will talk at the end of it all. I guess maybe I am just really hopeful with the fight. I think it is going to happen once the terms and money are put on the table.”

There are some suggesting that Las Vegas-based Mayweather, who has flirted with the idea of another absence from the sport, is afraid of losing his undefeated record to the General Santos City fighter. In closing Donaire feels that both men have accomplished too much and come too far for either to be afraid of the other and that other factors are coming into play.

“That’s it. It’s the pride. One guy doesn’t want to bend over to another guy, and the other guy doesn’t want to bend over to him. I don’t want to bow to you, you don’t want to bow to me. That’s pretty much the game between the two. They are both stars boxers in the boxing world. That’s what it all comes down to. Mayweather isn’t helping by doing all of this stuff and there is a lot of pride going on and I think they can put that aside. Right now it is beyond that now, but when it is all about the sport everyone is really willing to fight and make things happen. But I guess it’s all about the money now. Pride is an issue I think for both of these guys.”

Source: examiner.com

Haye all bark, no bite -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

Your weekly random thoughts …

• Ducker David Haye is a joke at this point. I mean, how can you possibly take him seriously? He vigorously called out Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko for about the past two years with some of the most childish antics I've ever seen. The brothers have always been willing to fight him and have legitimately offered to fight him at least three times. (You know, it might even be more. I may have lost count.) Each time, Haye ran way, including just a couple of weeks before a fight with Wladimir that had already been scheduled. Even after Wladimir went on his own recent media campaign and returned fire at him, essentially daring and begging Haye to fight him, Haye punked again.

The most recent offer was for a fall fight against Wladimir. It was served to Haye on a silver platter with the deal he had asked for -- a 50-50 revenue split with Klitschko's K2 Promotions holding no future options. Haye tried to backtrack on the deal, saying he should keep the British television money for himself, Klitschko getting the German television money and the rest of the pot being divided evenly. But that's not 50-50. Putting all the money into the pot and then splitting it is 50-50. Apparently, Haye and his manager, Adam Booth, are worse at math than they are at making a deal.

So the brothers continue to clean out the division in dominant fashion. You can probably count on one hand the number of rounds they have lost in their last several fights combined, all of which have come against legitimate opponents, excluding Vitali's recent domination of Albert Sosnowski (who, unlike Haye, at least had the courage to get into the ring and fight his butt off as best as he could).

Wladimir will now move on to face Alexander Povetkin, his worthy mandatory challenger, and Vitali continues to pursue a fight with former titlist Nikolai Valuev. Haye has no fight lined up, although there is talk of a match with fellow Brit Audley Harrison, which will be a big deal in England. Everywhere else in the world, it would be about as interesting as a television test pattern.

Emanuel Steward, who trains Wladimir, described Haye perfectly to me recently when we talked about how he was outright ducking the brothers. Steward used the analogy of a little dog barking like crazy at a big dog. While the big dog might ignore the little dog for awhile, eventually the big dog will have had enough and turn its attention toward the little dog, which will cower or run for cover. Haye is the little doggie. All bark. No bite. Filled with hollow words, he's a laughingstock, at least on this side of the pond.

• My understanding is that although Showtime is interested in televising same-day taped coverage of Klitschko-Povetkin from Germany on Sept. 18 to pair with the possible Juan Manuel Lopez-Rafael Marquez featherweight title bout from Las Vegas, there is a problem. I'm told that Klitschko-Povetkin will likely be on Sept. 11 because the stadium K2 Promotions intends to put the fight on in won't be available on Sept. 18. K2 had been waiting on the release of the German soccer league schedules before it could finalize the date for the fight. If it lands on Sept. 11, Showtime, from what my sources tell me, can't accommodate the bout, which would probably push it to pay-per-view in the United States. HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg has already said he won't buy the fight.

• Here's my ideal road map to finding a universally recognized champion in the deep featherweight division, partly based on fights that are already made or are in the works.

The winner of Saturday's Lopez-Bernabe Concepcion fight meets Marquez on Sept. 18 in Las Vegas. The Lopez-Concepcion-Marquez winner then fights Chris John at the end of this year or in early 2011. The winner of the Sept. 11 Yuriorkis Gamboa-Elio Rojas fight faces Celestino Caballero at the end of the year or in early 2011. And the winner of the Lopez-Concepcion-Marquez-John "bracket" meets the winner of the Gamboa-Rojas-Caballero bracket next spring in a giant fight.

The winner will be the man at 126. One can dream, can't one?

• Now that Manny Pacquiao has been sworn into office as a congressman in the Philippines, I think his act should be to make a law that a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. must happen in November.

• So the LeBron James saga will finally end Thursday night when he selects an NBA team to sign with. Now all we have to do is get the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico plugged and a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight signed and I will consider it a successful summer.

• Congratulations to Carl Froch on the birth of his first child, son Rocco, on July 1. With a newborn in the house, Froch will get a run for his money on who cries more -- the baby because he's hungry or Froch because he's still throwing tantrums about the close decision he lost in his Super Six fight with Mikkel Kessler and about how he doesn't want to fight his Group Stage 3 bout against Arthur Abraham in Germany.

• Promoter Lou DiBella mentioned an interesting fight to me that he wants to make with Top Rank. He'd like to match his fighter, Ronald Hearns, the son of Thomas Hearns, with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the son of you know who. Chavez-Hearns? Has a pretty cool ring to it, don't ya think? And it would probably be an entertaining fight.

• Manager Cameron Dunkin is one of the best in the business when it comes to signing amateurs and bringing them pro success. He has done it with numerous fighters over the years, including the late Diego "Chico" Corrales, Kelly Pavlik and Steven Luevano to name a few. So when he called the other day excited about a young fighter he had just signed, I paid attention. He was bragging about Fairfield, Calif., featherweight Manuel "Tino" Avila, who turned 18 on July 4. Dunkin said although Avila, who he said ranked No. 6 in the world among juniors (amateurs under 19), did not have a ton of amateur fights (48-6 record), he loves his pro potential.

"Absolutely as talented as can be," Dunkin said. "I am just so excited. He can box, he can punch, he has a tremendous left hook. He's smart and slick and crack you."

Dunkin has not signed him with a promoter yet, but when he does, it will be interesting to follow him and see if Dunkin has found another top prospect.

• Happy belated birthday to Mike Tyson. The Iron One turned 44 on June 30.

• DVD pick of the week: Can you believe that, on July 11, it will have been one year since the violent death of Arturo Gatti? What better way to honor my all-time favorite fighter than by delving into the archive and watching the last great action fight in a career littered with them? I went back to June 6, 2003, when Gatti faced rival (and good pal) Micky Ward in the third fight of their legendary trilogy. To think that the fight could possibly live up to the incredible action of their first epic battle was probably pushing it. The second fight, which was very good, didn't come close. But the third fight, which Gatti won on a unanimous decision to win the trilogy 2-1, lived up to it. It was named fight of the year. Gatti injured his surgically repaired right hand in the fourth round and survived a knockdown in the sixth to win the slugfest at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, which might as well be renamed "The House that Gatti Built." Ward said before the fight he would retire afterward, win or lose, and he did. Gatti fought seven more times, including winning a junior welterweight title in his next bout, but went just 4-3 before his retirement. Almost two years to the day after Gatti's final bout came his untimely death at age 37. He may be gone, but memories of fights such as this one will live forever.

Source: espn.go.com