Roach to replace Lewis on HBO B.A.D commentary team -- SecondsOut

By Paul Upham, SecondsOut.com

Former undisputed heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis has been let go as a ringside boxing commentator by HBO Sports in the USA and will be replaced by world champion trainer Freddie Roach.

44 year-old Lewis was hired by HBO in 2006 as a commentator for their “Boxing After Dark” programs alongside blow-by-blow caller Bob Papa and analyst Max Kellerman.

Unfortunately, the three were not able to gel as a team. Papa and Kellerman could not find a way to weave Lewis into the commentary mix, failing to maximise the use of the world champion’s extensive boxing knowledge.

Sources close to the situation have told SecondsOut that a decision not to renew Lewis’ contract was made two months ago. His last assignment for HBO was the Tomasz Adamek-Cristobal Arreola heavyweight match on 24 April.

Born Frederick Roach on 5 March 1960, the trainer is a former lightweight professional boxer and runs the Wild Card Boxing Gym in Los Angeles. He was the Boxing Writers Association of America ‘Trainer of the Year” in 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2009

HBO executives have been impressed with Roach’s appearances during multiple 24/7 television documentary series and with his connection to current star Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao and work with multiple world champions over many years, he is a popular boxing industry insider.

With Roach training WBA junior lightweight world champion Amir Khan when he faces Paulie Malignaggi on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark” on 15 May, the new HBO recruit won’t appear at ringside behind the microphone during the fight.

However, with regular HBO commentator and trainer Emanuel Steward working the corner of Miguel Cotto when the Puerto Rican faces Yuri Foreman at Yankee Stadium in New York on 5 June on HBO’s “World Championship Boxing”, it is likely Roach will work that fight, with Steward joining Bob Papa and Max Kellerman at ringside for the Khan-Malignaggi HBO “Boxing After Dark” match.

Source: secondsout.com

Q&A Judd Burstein, Boxing Lawyer To The Stars -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Attorney Judd Burstein has had a seven-year working relationship with WBA welterweight (147 pounds) champion Shane Mosley, but the outspoken lawyer's been involved in associations with a number of other big names in the boxing game over the years.

The 56-year-old Burstein has taken on cases for Manny Pacquiao, Oscar de la Hoya, Lennox Lewis, Francois Botha and Terry Norris -- the last three against promoter Don King, whom Burstein later represented as well.

Burstein is also the lawyer for Golden Boy Promotions' CEO Richard Schaefer against Pacquiao in the latter's defamation of character suit, which names as defendants Schaefer, de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Sr., and Roger Mayweather, the latter of whom is the trainer for boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Burstein, who is representing Mosley in the boxer's libel and defamation of character suit against BALCO founder Victor Conte, addressed his varying roles and experiences in the sport with FanHouse in this Q&A -- the first of an occasional series.

FanHouse: List some big name boxers you've represented and against whom?

Judd Burstein: I started out representing Terry Norris against Don King in 1997. That was my first really big boxing case, and it had to do with getting Norris out of a fight against Felix Trinidad so that he could potentially fight Oscar de la Hoya.

But the problem ended up being that Terry lost the next fight after I represented him. I then represented Francois Botha and got him out of his contract with Don King, and that was maybe in 1998. The next major event was in 2001, where I received a call from Lennox Lewis' people about representing him.

What was the situation with Lennox Lewis?

Lennox had just lost to Hasim Rahman, and on top of it, he was in a dispute with his promoter at the time, Panos Eliadis. Lawyers sometimes have incredible streaks of luck. They can be talented, but they still have great runs. My run was that I tried the case against Rahman and King for Lewis to bar Rahman from refusing to give Lewis the rematch.

And we got the order that barred Rahman from fighting for 18 months unless he first fought Lennox, and, of course, Lennox beat him in the rematch. Then after that, in 2002, I won what was about an $8 million racketeering verdict for Lennox against Panos Eliadis.

There was also a $1 million verdict that I won against Lennox's former lawyer, Milton Chwasky.

You were involved with Lennox Lewis for quite a while, weren't you?

Well, for a while, Lennox had a very weak manager in terms of being a guy who wanted to do the work. So I learned the business because I played such a major role in the Lewis and Mike Tyson fight, the Lewis-Vitali Klitschko fight.

Can you talk more about the Lewis-Tyson fight, which unified HBO, which had Lewis, and Showtime, which had Tyson?

One of the things that people don't know is how Shelly Finkel and I helped to engineer the Lewis-Tyson fight. I went to HBO, and Shelly went to Showtime, and we said, 'We're both going to lose our clients to Don King, who is going to start up a rival network, unless you can bring these two together.'

Don King is the one who was promising things to the fighters, and that's how we got HBO and Showtime to agree to do the joint broadcast.

Can you tell me about the work you were involved in with Manny Pacquiao?

The Manny Pacquiao case was about getting him out from under his contract with Murad Muhammad, and that was in 2005.

Are there any more cases involving Don King?

Another case that was won against Don King was where I represented Julio Cesar Chavez, and basically foiled King's efforts to stop the second De la Hoya-Chavez fight.

And then the other major victory in there against King, which was, I think, in 2003, was the $7.5 million settlement that I got from King in the Terry Norris case. That was a case where King settled after the jury came out after about 20 minutes asking for a magnifying glass and a calculator.

Why did they ask for a magnifying glass and a calculator?

Well, the magnifying glass was because the print on King's contracts was so small, and the calculator was obviously to count up how much money they were going to award to Norris. In 28 years, I've never had that experience.

Ironically, however, you've been the attorney for Don King recently, correct?

I've represented Don King on a couple of things.

How did that arrangement come about?

I laugh about it now, but he's a brilliant guy. King managed to come up with a theory to sue me in England for libel. At the time, it was a landmark case in England. If it had happened today, I would have won.

But the issue was whether an American who exercises his right to an opinion under the First Ammendment, speaking to an American reporter on an American website, can be sued in England merely because someone downloads the article there.

The English courts said that I was subject to the jurisdiction of the English courts, and it was, even with insurance, starting to cost me an incredible amount of money -- I mean, hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

King used that to some degree as leverage to have me come and represent him.

What were the cases you represented him on?

I did some consulting for him, but I only represented him really on only one major case. I represented him in the case against Bernard Hopkins. It was an arbitration. Basically, it was fought to a draw.

King collected some money. But on the other hand, Hopkins' claims were essentially thrown out. So I considered it a draw.

Weren't you also involved in the Bernard Hopkins-Lou DiBella disputes?

Yes, I also tried the Lou DiBella against Bernard Hopkins defamation case, which I won for DiBella. I think that I represented Lou DiBella once in a dispute with Jermain Taylor, and I also represented Diego Corrales.

When did you start working with Shane Mosley?

After Lennox retired, I met Shane. I've stayed active in Shane's career in varying degrees since 2003.

Can you think of any other major fighters you've worked with that we haven't yet named?

I represented Antonio Tarver, and I think that's the only boxing case that I ever lost. I've also recently represented Beibut Shumenov. But since 2007, for the most part, and over the last two years, I had really gotten out of the business.

The only people I have been working for, with the exception of Beibut Shumenov, are Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar de la Hoya, and Shane. Really, I'm a trial lawyer, and the boxing business accounts for nor more than 10 percent of my practice.

What is the rest of your practice?

I'm a trial lawyer, I try every kind of case imaginable. Construction cases, insurance disputes, securities fraud, other kinds of fraud, racketeering, divorce, criminal cases -- you name it.

From my perspective, what a trial lawyer does is -- people may know more about a copyright, for example, but they can't do what I can do in terms of litigating a copyright dispute. People come and hire me for all sorts of things.

Why do you consider yourself a good attorney for an athlete or a boxer to have?

As a general rule, I am not interested in doing the general representation of athletes. For Shane Mosley, I'm happy to do it because I have a seven-year relationship with him. That's not to say that I wouldn't represent anybody if it was the right person coming along.

But it's just that I'm not prepared to do it as a general rule. I much prefer being a litigator. But one of the things that I love about what I do is that I can win a case without initially knowing anything about the subject.

Three years ago, I tried a very detailed construction case which involved poorly installed heating and air conditioning systems. I knew nothing about it. I had to learn it for the trial.

But now, I know nothing about it again, because I'm like a bathtub -- I fill up with knowledge and then it's gone.

Is it the same for you with boxing?

Well, with boxing, if you've done the business work for Lennox Lewis and Shane Mosley, you can sort of do this stuff in your sleep for anybody else.

Can you recall some of the things you have said -- some would call them outrageous things -- in the newspapers about cases or clients?

Well I once said of Don King that, 'He's the cancer, and I'm the chemotherapy.' But the worst one, and, maybe the one that I regret was many years ago, maybe 11 years ago. I wrote a letter to somebody that my client was about to sue threatening to conduct a proctology exam on his finances.

That ended up with my being sanctioned $50,000 by the judge, having a reputation as being a 'Rambo lawyer,' and then, having that decision reversed on appeal.

But I can look back in retrospect and say, 'You know, that was a stupid thing to say,' and I think that I can understand why the judge was upset with me doing it. I don't think that I did anything that warranted a sanction, but it's not the kind of thing that should be in a letter.

Why do you say such outrageous things?

Many times, it's a function of strategic choices that I make. If I can get the other side -- and not the lawyers, because I usually have great relationship with them. But if I can get the other side -- looking so crazy at me, it makes them more prone to make mistakes.

So you're like the Floyd Mayweather or Muhammad Ali of lawyers?

Well, I wouldn't say that.

What is one of your signature or favorite things that you've said or done?

One of my favorite things was in the Terry Norris case against Don King. And the jury was out, but they were coming back in. And as this was going on, I walked by Don King, who was reading the Bible.

I just walked past Don and I leaned over and said, 'Too Late.'

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

David Haye gives hope to heavys -- Boston Herald

By Ron Borges, Boston Herald

MANCHESTER, England - David Haye gave boxing’s heavyweight division a blessing on Easter weekend. He gave it the blessing of hope.

The 29-year-old WBA champion may not prove to be the solution to the sorry state of that bankrupt division, but his dominating destruction of two-time champion John Ruiz on Saturday night at soldout MEN Arena at least provided the division something to look forward to.

Despite the rising tide for prize fighting around the world after a long period of decline and then dormancy, the heavyweight division has lagged in the doldrums since the retirement of Lennox Lewis, the sporting equivalent of endlessly sagging real-estate prices. While the smaller weight classes are again flourishing, the heavyweights have been lightweights for so long one had to wonder if a savior would ever arrive.

Haye may be that guy. If he is, then it will be not only because he possesses tremendous knockout power in his right hand and a willingness to throw it, but that he also has charisma, charm, bombast, unusual athleticism for a big man, a desire to be tested by the heavy metal of the division and an air of calamity that wafts around him.

The latter comes not only from the justifiable threat of what he can do to another man but also from his somewhat suspect chin. His ability to stay upright when assaulted by boxing’s biggest men remains a question, and with chin questions comes the edge of danger fans salivate over.

Saturday, he sent Ruiz crashing to the canvas twice in the first round with massive right hands, and it seemed unlikely the 38-year-old former champion would survive. Somehow he not only did, but to Haye’s utter amazement, pressured his way back into the fight.

Then - BOOM! - Ruiz was down in the fifth round from another right hand and then - BOOM! - he was down again in the sixth, delivered to the canvas in the same manner. Each time he got up slower than the previous time, his nose bent and bleeding, his face turning a blotchy purple even as he steadfastly continued to come forward trying to make a fight of it.

Haye’s confidence restored, Ruiz had no chance, a fact that began to be dawn on his corner after a bloody seventh round. Ruiz asked for one more chance and his resume said he deserved it. When he survived well enough, they gave him another round and this time Haye finished him off with a fusillade of blows that bent him over the ropes and ended his challenge at 2:01 of the ninth round.

With that concussive ending the heavyweight division was lifted up by a new personality. Former HBO Sports president Seth Abraham always used to say there were two sports of boxing. There was boxing and there was heavyweight boxing, an entity and a business unto itself.

That business has been in a recession bordering on depression since its last glorious days of Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe and Lewis. It has been more than a decade since they were in their heyday and the division has been ceded to a parade of Eastern European-born goliaths like the Klitschko brothers, Nikolai Valuev, Oleg Maskaev, Ruslan Chagaev and a group of American imposters.

The Klitschkos - Vitali and Wladimir - remain the best of what is a sorry lot, two brothers with technical skills and punching power, but little appeal in the U.S. market and an apparent aversion to facing anyone they think might be a danger to them.

Haye appears to be such a man. He is 24-1 with 22 knockouts, and was the former undisputed cruiserweight champ before moving up to heavyweight four fights ago.

Haye has repeatedly challenged the Klitschkos, but they argue he also backed out of agreements to fight them.

Haye admitted his next fight might have to be a Valuev rematch because he had to agree to that to get his title shot, but he quickly added, “Do I prefer that? No. I would like to fight who the people want me to fight.”

rborges@bostonherald.com

Source: news.bostonherald.com

Klitschko brothers too hot for David Haye, says British rival Michael Sprott -- Daily Mail

By Leo Spall, DailyMail.co.uk

David Haye and the rest of Britain’s heavyweight boxers have been warned to forget about dethroning triple world champion Wladimir Klitschko — because they are not good enough.

Michael Sprott, the former British and Commonwealth title holder, who recently spent three weeks sparring with the Ukrainian, said: ‘Wladimir is up there with the greats of boxing, like Lennox Lewis.

‘For a heavyweight, he is a very technical fighter. Haye has been the exciting one out there and might provide a challenge. But I can’t see anyone beating Wladimir or his elder brother, that’s why they have been champions for so long.’

The younger Klitschko holds title belts from the IBF, WBO and IBO — and has been targeted for toppling off that pinnacle by the rest of the division.

Audley Harrison has spoken hopefully of getting a shot at Wladimir or big brother Vitali, the WBC world champion but it is Haye who has riled them most — particularly with his personal attacks on the two men.

Haye was hoping his WBA title defence against John Ruiz last night would lay the foundations for a challenge and enable him finally to set up a contest with one of the brothers.

Terms have previously been a problem, while Haye pulled out of a fight with Wladimir last summer because of a back problem. A bout with Vitali was talked about, but it never got further than that.

There is no love lost between the rivals after several more rounds of trash-talking since Haye turned up at a Press conference wearing a T-shirt depicting him holding the decapitated heads of the brothers last year.

Haye’s most recent criticism of 34-year-old Wladimir is that he has no killer instinct. But Sprott was impressed: ‘He is not reckless and only throws a punch if he has to or thinks he is definitely going to catch you.

‘I know David said he is jab, jab, jab, and he has got a powerful, fast jab — but as soon as he lands that left, the right follows and it is all over quickly.’

Harrison, 38, who Sprott fights at Alexandra Palace on Friday for the vacant European title, is a less credible potential opponent.

Former Olympic champion Harrison needs to beat the man who knocked him out in three rounds in February 2007 before beginning to contemplate a world title shot and has promised to retire if he fails to do that. ‘Audley is definitely not the man to beat Wladimir,’ said Sprott, 35.

‘He will have to retire after I have beaten him and it is a long way back at his age.

‘It was a great experience training with Wladimir. It is good to see how a champion prepares from inside his camp — and he is a great champion.

I was with him for a few weeks, was sparring every day but I didn’t take too many hits as I have a good guard. You need that against him because he is a big puncher and is good on his feet.’

● Carl Froch has ended his feud with Amir Khan. The pair fell out last year after exchanging verbal blows as they prepared for separate fights. It split the exclusive club of British world title-holders and, with both men about to return to the ring, the possibility of more trash-talk loomed.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

If Haye Tries To Make A Statement, Ruiz Might Make Off With His Belt -- The Sweet Science

By Ron Borges, The Sweet Science

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – Haye Fever is in the air despite gloomy skies and rain-spattered streets in England’s second largest city this weekend. The reason is that the first British heavyweight champion to fight in the British Isles in nearly 10 years is coming to the MEN Arena Saturday night to do more than defend the WBA title he won four months ago. He’s here to make a statement about himself and about British boxing.

The trajectory of British heavyweights prior to Lennox Lewis was far more horizontal than vertical. Once they ventured from their island home the majority of them quickly found themselves outgunned and out cold. Lewis changed that during his time as one of the two dominant heavyweights of his era but he’s been retired for seven years and since then there has been a thirst here to find a British successor.

Olympic gold medalist Audley Harrison was not that man. Neither was Danny Williams, who faded into oblivion not long after he conquered a faded Mike Tyson. Whether David Haye is remains to be seen, but he won the WBA version of the title four months ago by taking a decidedly careful approach to seven-foot champion Nikolai Valuev and now will make his first defense against two-time WBA title holder John Ruiz.

Many would argue it is Haye’s first real exposure to a true heavyweight, Valuev being more of a circus act than a boxer and Haye’s previous two heavyweight opponents since abandoning the undisputed cruiserweight title (Monte Barrett and Tomasz Bonin) were one step below journeyman status.

Ruiz, on the other hand, has fought 322 rounds as a heavyweight, including 162 championship rounds. He’s twice won the WBA title and this will be his 11th title fight (5-4-1, 1 no contest). To say he is Joe Louis would be wrong. To say he knows his way around heavyweight boxing would be correct. Whether Haye does remains a mystery unsolved.

Haye is nine years younger than the 38-year-old former champion. He is faster of hand and foot and a more powerful puncher, having knocked out 21 of his 23 victims. But whether or not he’s truly a heavyweight remains a point open to discussion because his chin is suspect and his stamina debatable.

Haye (23-1, 21 KO) was dropped by Barrett but got up and stopped him. He was dropped by Jean-Marc Mormeck and Carl Thompson and wobbled by Giacobbe Fragomeni during his time as a cruiserweight as well. He rose to knock out Mormeck and Giacobbe but was stopped by Thompson and so, when taken in totality, those fights raise a question about his fitness to survive for long among the redwoods of boxing. That is why Haye is looking at the Ruiz fight as more than a way to get at the Klitschko brothers on an even promotional plain.

“I’m looking to make a statement in this fight,’’ Haye said this week. “I’m looking to do something dramatic. Ruiz looks good. He looks as good as I’ve ever seen him but I am prepared for that.

“I’m expecting a hard fight. He was stopped 14 years ago (by David Tua) when he got caught cold early but since then he’s never shown any signs of a weak punch defense so if I stop him it will be a great indication of how hard I can punch.’’

The British press have called Haye “the flag-bearer of British boxing’’ and claimed he needs to do more than simply win, insisting this needs to be a spectacular declaration of divisional domination. Although he has tried to downplay all that, which is not his normal way of handling such matters, in the end he conceded wining is not enough if he is to make the kind of statement about himself he believes needs to be made.

“Nothing matters unless I win this fight,’’ Haye said. “I feel like the challenger, not the champion. I feel like I have to take something from Ruiz.

“He’ll be rendered unconscious at some point. Maybe late. I don’t believe he can take my power for 12 rounds. I know he’ll try to smother my punches but the longer the fight goes the better the chance I’ve got (of stopping Ruiz).

“By the end of the fight he will have taken a lot of punishment. He’ll have to take a hell of a shellacking to get there (the 12th round).’’

Haye is a 7-1 betting favorite for a reason. He has superior quickness, athleticism and hand speed. Even Ruiz conceded, “My talent is just so-so. I make up for what I don’t have in determination,’’ which is far from a ringing endorsement of himself.

Yet nothing could be worse for a young champion with a sometimes disloyal chin than to seek a spectacular victory. Haye’s obligation is not to produce drama, for if he pursues that he could produce disaster instead, a moment he experienced six years ago in a similar situation with Thompson.

At that time Haye was considered the future of the cruiserweight division while the 40-year-old Thompson was yesterday’s news. The issue was not whether Haye would defeat him but rather how fashionably he would do it. Five rounds into his night’s work, Haye was a beaten young man, knocked into submission by a fighter who understood his craft and, more importantly, understood that the boxing ring is a place where a script can be re-written with one fist.

Haye’s problem in this regard is that he already took the conservative approach when he won the title by staying away from the hulking Valuev and pot-shotting his way to a championship. It worked beautifully but it seemed to raise the hackles of British fight fans, who this time are demanding much more of him.

Perhaps Haye will be wise enough to screen out their demands and focus on his job by using his quickness to create the right punching distance, winning the territorial battle first with judicious use of pressure, wearing Ruiz down with a relentless pounding before trying anything bolder. That would be the wise course but young fighters are often unwise.

“I have half his experience,’’ Haye said. “He is a seasoned, successful heavyweight. I have to respect him. But I have the skill set to deal with him. I believe I’m the hardest puncher, pound-for-pound, in the world. I look to make a statement, to do something dramatic with him.

“Others didn’t study and they underestimated him. I won’t fall into that trap. I don’t underestimate John Ruiz. A few people think he’ll come over here and upset me. I can’t allow that.’’

To avoid it, David Haye will have to avoid being sucked into the kind of mauling wrestling match Ruiz sometimes looks to create. He does it to use his 230 pounds as a battering ram that wears you down, breaking your spirit and unsettling your plans. Once done, he then forces you to submit, which is what he did particularly to Hasim Rahman, Kirk Johnson and Andrew Golota.

To avoid their fate, David Haye has to avoid the trap of trying to make a statement instead of trying to win a fight.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko: Can David Tua Stop the Champion Brothers? -- Ringside Report

By Geno McGahee, Ringside Report

On March 15th, 1996, HBO featured a triple header with six heavyweight hopefuls colliding. The opening bout was a match between John Ruiz, a Massachusetts heavyweight that had won 25 of his 27 outings, and the slugger, short and compact, winner of all 22 of his bouts, David Tua. A left hook sent Ruiz reeling early, and a barrage of punches would end it just 19 seconds into the round. It sent a message to the division. There was a champion coming out of this fight, but amazingly, it wouldn’t be Tua. Ruiz would go on to hold the title on two occasions.

The career of David Tua is a curious one. He is a fighter that has demolished men that would go on to be champion, but never came close to winning a title himself. Tua, 51-3-1, 43 KO’s, has beaten former WBC Champ Oleg Maskaev (KO -11), former 2-Time Champion Hasim Rahman (KO-10), former Undisputed Champion, Michael Moorer (KO-1), and Ruiz (KO-1).

Part of the reason has been his weight, and it may have been the biggest factor. He started his career at 201 pounds. He beat Ruiz at what many see his best weight, 225 pounds. When he finally landed his title shot in 2000 against Lennox Lewis, he came in at 245 pounds and didn’t have the speed or mobility to have a chance to win. Lewis boxed and stayed away, winning a wide decision. Tua’s career after that fight had been up and down.

He lost to Chris Byrd in 2001, had a stretch of inactivity, including a recent one from 2007 to 2009, but he is back. In late 2009, he took on fringe contender Shane Cameron, starching him inside of two rounds. In his last fight, he went twelve rounds, taking the decision easily over Friday Ahunanya, and occupies the #3 ranking in the WBO. So, what can a 37 year old David Tua do against the WBO Heavyweight Champion, Wladimir Klitschko? A lot.

Tua seems to have his focus back. He has a huge punch and takes a great punch, which is a formula that Wlad doesn’t always deal well with. Sam Peter, a much more raw version of Tua, gave Wlad hell over twelve rounds. An inspired Lamon Brewster stopped him. Tua, if motivated, could finally realize what many contended was his destiny…to win the heavyweight title.

A Tua – Wlad match up would generate a lot of public interest…maybe HBO would even broadcast it! David Tua is a notable heavyweight from a much more memorable time than we have going now. His punching power and the perceived weaknesses in the chin and heart of the champion would get the boxing fans excited, especially if a 230 pound Tua showed up to fight.

The Klitschko brothers have eliminated most of the contenders that were of any threat. Calvin Brock, Ruslan Chagaev, Sultan Ibragimov, Eddie Chambers, Kirk Johnson, Tony Thompson, Lamon Brewster, Ray Austin, Sam Peter, Juan Carlos Gomez, Chris Byrd, and Chris Arreola have all been defeated. There isn’t much left. Tua could shake up the division.

Unfortunately for boxing and unfortunately for the Klitschko brothers, the current heavyweight division is in a lull. The talent pool is very small, leaving the brothers atop of the mountain and the rest much farther down and without much chance to survive the fight, let alone win it. The size, Lennox Lewis style of fighting, and lack of true competition cements them in as long reigning champions. This is why boxing has died on the heavyweight level.

On May 29th, Vitali, who has hinted at retirement…again, will take on the challenge of Polish heavyweight, Albert Sosnowski in a WBC Title bout that most consider to be a mismatch of epic proportions. You pile that on top of Eddie Chambers’ non effort against Wlad, and Kevin Johnson’s equally horrible performance against Vitali, then there is no reason for people to get excited about the heavyweight title anymore.

In the 1990s, we had it good with guys like Ray Mercer, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, Razor Ruddock, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Michael Moorer, Tommy Morrison, and many more good contenders to keep it fresh and create great fights. We had warriors that would go to battle and now we are seeing beatings or bouts of survival.

The Klitschko brothers want to go down in history as memorable champions, but you are only as good as your competition. Fighters like Odlanier Solis, Alexander Povetkin, Tomasz Adamek, and David Haye have the potential to shake up the control of the division, but they don’t have the following that a David Tua does. Tua is in a great position right now to lay down a challenge to either Klitschko brothers.

What the “Tuaman” may need to make the public demand the fight is a showdown with one of the top guns in the division today. If he were to take on the winner of Adamek-Arreola and come out victorious, especially if it were by stoppage, he would be right in there for a title shot. If he were to take on Nikolay Valuev, the gigantic former champion and give him his first KO defeat, it would generate more support for the big fight.

David Tua needs to fight one of the Klitschko brothers and Wlad is the much more winnable fight. It would be tough for the smaller Tua to get into punching range without being smothered or tied up, but his short arms and vicious hooks should provide us with some entertainment and Wlad some scares.

At one time, David Tua was nearly a sure thing to wear the heavyweight title, but it didn’t happen. Many lesser fighters went on to hold the crown, but at 37 years of age with nine straight wins, he may finally have his focus back and finally realize his dream to be the heavyweight champion.

Source: ringsidereport.com

No keeping down the Quiet Man -- Boston Herald

By Ron Borges, Boston Herald

MANCHESTER, England - John Ruiz calls himself “The Quiet Man,” and that’s what David Haye and most of the powers in boxing want him to remain Saturday night - quiet, man.

Don’t bet on it.

The two-time WBA heavyweight champion from Chelsea is trying not only to reclaim that title which young Haye now holds, but also to put his name in boxing’s history books next to three of the best heavyweights who ever lived - Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.

Unbelievable as it may seem to his critics, if Ruiz upsets Haye at the M.E.N. Arena, he will join them as the only men to win the heavyweight title three times.

No one, including Ruiz, ever expected one day his name might be in the same sentence with such fistic luminaries. But such are the vagaries of the sport today, and such is the determination of Ruiz who, by his own admittance, has “so-so talent, but I make up for things I lack with heart.”

That is what has sustained him through a nearly 18-year professional career and brought him to this moment at an age when far more gifted fighters have long faded away into civilian life.

That spirit comes from a well-spring given him by his mother, Gladys Martinez Morales, who worked three jobs to feed him and his siblings and instilled in each of them a fundamental understanding that life will knock you down. That is a given, no matter your station in life. All that matters is what happens next.

Considering the job he chose, it was good advice.

“No matter what pushed her down, she got up and kept moving forward,” Ruiz said after a light workout at the Northside Boxing Gym in a less-than-fully-refined section of Manchester. “She used to say don’t look back. That’s when you lose focus. That’s the character I saw in my mother.”

It is the way Ruiz has had to be throughout his career, which includes 11 world title fights (5-4-1, 1 no contest), a series of promoters not inclined to believe in him, and a constant battle to overcome critics who hated his brawling style because it made for less than scintillating television.

“They always used me to test other fighters,” Ruiz (44-8-1, 30 KO) recalled. “Whether it was Pannix Promotions (who promoted Lewis for a time) or Don King, they only wanted to test their fighters against me to see what the next step was for the other person. Every time, I was supposed to get knocked out and stepped over.”

Seldom have his wins been an art form, and seldom have his defeats been undisputed, except for a quick KO loss early in his career against David Tua, and a one-sided points loss to Roy Jones, Jr. that still haunts him today.

“I quit on myself that night,” Ruiz admitted. “I’m not proud of that, but it’s the truth. I was going through a divorce and everyone wanted Jones to win. That was the vibe I felt that night, and the sad part is that was the vibe I accepted. I just said to myself, ‘If they want to give it to him, let him have it.’ ”

That is the only time Ruiz’ spirit has been broken, and he’s since come back to reclaim the WBA title once and fight for it two other times. If he doesn’t win, this will be the last time - and he understands that, just as he knows why he’s a 6-1 underdog. Haye is 29, a former cruiserweight champion, native Brit, handsome, chiseled, glib and portrayed as the future of the division. Ruiz is The Quiet Man. Seldom in boxing is the quiet man the favored one.

“We both got something to prove,” Ruiz said. “I have to prove I still belong at this level, and he has to prove he ever belonged at this level.”

This is only Haye’s fourth heavyweight fight, having won the title from 7-foot Nikolai Valuev barely four months ago, who twice beat Ruiz in close and hotly disputed decisions. He has said he intends to storm Ruiz from the outset, overwhelming him with superior speed and his feared right hand.

Ruiz shrugs at the thought of that and smiles.

“If he wants to make it a fight, that’s my jungle,” he said. “It’s not what I’d do if I was him.”

At 38, Ruiz is who he’s always been. He’s The Quiet Man, the Underdog, the B-side.

Saturday night, none of those things will matter once he’s alone with David Haye. The only thing that will matter then is that he’s still Gladys Martinez Morales’ son, a fellow not easily dissuaded or defeated.

Source: news.bostonherald.com

David’s dodge to see Lennox -- The Sun

By PAT SHEEHAN, The Sun

TEN years after gatecrashing the London Arena to see Lennox Lewis retain the world heavyweight title, David Haye is the main attraction.

Haye, now 29, will be tracked by spotlights as he walks to the ring to defend his WBA title against Johnny Ruiz in front of a sell-out crowd at Manchester's MEN Arena on Saturday.

But things were different when he and some mates got into the now-defunct London venue to watch Lewis destroy Frans Botha in two rounds.

Haye said: "One of my pals paid for a ticket. He went in and opened a fire exit so we could all bundle in although a security guard was trying hard to stop us.

"We all ran round him and disappeared into the crowd before meeting up by ringside where I did a bit more blagging. I sat there just feet from the apron, a £500 ticket for nothing.

"We got there as Lennox was coming to the ring. He was a massive idol of mine. To watch him despatch Frans Botha like that was brilliant.

"Back then I would never have thought in a million years I would be the next Briton defending the heavyweight title over here. I feel proud about it.

"Botha was known as a tough guy and a durable opponent, similar to Ruiz, who always gave people a really hard night's work.

"I'd love to put on the same sort of performance as Lennox did that night and blast him out of there in a couple of rounds.

"I'm not sure Ruiz is as easy to blast out as all that. Adam Booth my trainer has made sure I can go 12 hard rounds if need be.

"But the way I'm punching, Ruiz will have had to have improved his punch resistance 10-fold to go the distance."

Bookies have Haye as favourite but he is taking no notice of the odds.

He said: "In the heavyweight division, one punch can settle it all. You can come unstuck if you don't prepare right.

"Lennox overlooked Hasim Rahman and Oliver McCall and look what happened."

Lewis retired in 2003 after stopping Vitali Klitschko. The giant Ukrainian is now WBC champion and in Haye's sights as he dreams of unifying the world heavyweight title.

Source: thesun.co.uk

The Return of Mike Tyson: What Will it Mean for Boxing? -- Ringside Report

By Joe Wilson, RingsideReport.com

For the last several years, the heavyweight division has taken a back seat in the sport of boxing. In my lifetime, I don’t ever remember the division being in the shape it’s in today. It has clearly gone on vacation. Many fight fans are puzzled about what’s happening to the heavyweights.

There has not been a good heavyweight fight since World Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis stopped Vitali Klitschko in round six, after a bad cut to Klitschko’s left eye. That fight was very exciting. All three judges had Klitschko ahead before the stoppage. Those two fighters battled it out in the center of the ring.

Lennox Lewis retired shortly after that fight; that was June 21, 2003. Since then, there has been other heavyweight fights, but none of them really worth talking about. Maybe, the 2004 WBO heavyweight title fight, when Lamon Brewster knocked out Wladimir Klitschko in round six, after coming off the canvas himself in round two from a knockdown. Klitschko later won a rematch against Brewster.

Here recently there have been rumors of a Mike Tyson comeback. RSR’s very own, Managing Editor, Geno McGahee, launched a story on Tyson’s return that was picked up by several major Sports News Medias; USA Today, Detroit Free Press, Fox News and ESPN 2 to name a few.

RSR thanked other publications for their professionalism. However, it was shame on Brian Kenny and Dan Rafael for the way they handled the report on ESPN 2 Friday Nights Fights a couple weeks ago. They misrepresented the story published on RSR, claiming to have investigated the story when in fact based their entire report on speculations and one interview were the subject said very little, according to McGahee.

Back on October 31, 2009, Don King let the “cat out of the bag” when he made it known to everyone that his relationship with “Iron Man” Mike Tyson has been renewed. King had a scheduled boxing event at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Before the start of the event King put on a “marketing extravaganza” with Mike Tyson.

King traveled all through the casino with Tyson at his side; shouting, “He’s back, Mike Tyson everybody, he’s back,” over and over again. They both stopped in the main lobby of the hotel & casino. There was an entourage with people following all around them flashing cameras and getting autographs.

That was the evening Don King started to promote Mike Tyson all over again. I had never seen King look so excited. He acted, as if Tyson was 20 years old, all over again. I must admit at that moment, it looked really nice. After all these years and setbacks of Mike Tyson, he and King could still attract attention. People were watching!

That night King had Tyson as a surprise commentator for his Showtime telecast. Not long ago Tyson released a documentary of his life. He had very harsh words to say about Don King, but that night it was much love between the two. Both Tyson and King acted as if there has never been a falling out between them.

It’s on record of Tyson saying “all things pass and he felt it was time to just mend fences with Don.” As of late, he has taken on a much kinder and gentler approach when dealing with others. He says “he has gratitude in his life now, and that he’s taken so much from others, and now it’s time to start giving back.” Tyson says “he never thought he would live to see 43 yrs. old, and he just wants to give back.”

King said, “He never said anything bad about Mike Tyson after all those years, because he knew one day, they would be back together again.” “Reunited and it feels so good” sings King… It had been four years since Don King put on a boxing event in Las Vegas. Having Tyson at his side is what made the evening so great!

“I think Mike is one of the greatest fighters that ever lived,” said King. He also feels that Tyson can still be a fighter if he wants to be one. Any time Don King start saying things like, “Mike needs vitamins; he needs tender loving care, dedication and discipline.” There are definitely plans for Mike Tyson’s return to the ring.

I agree with Managing Editor, Geno McGahee in regards to the five years Tyson has had away from boxing. Being away from the sport has allowed him to put a lot of things back in proper order. He seems to be focused.

Lately, Tyson seems to be very comfortable with himself. Anyone who has watched Mike fight during the prime of his career knows he can beat anybody who stands in front of him when he’s focused. He seems to have his head “screwed on pretty tight these days.” All he needs to do is get in top shape and spend time at the gym. Then, leave all the rest up to his promoter Don King.

The return of “Iron Man” Mike Tyson would be just the cylinder the heavyweight division needs. I don’t believe age would be a big factor, if he decides to come back. Tyson knows the dedication it will take to become champion again. George Foreman has definitely laid out the blueprint on how it can be done, even when you are past your prime.

There is a flip side to this coin and that is; Mike Tyson has to comeback, because Mike Tyson has that desire to fight again, not me or Don King or anyone else can place that in him. It totally has to be Mike. If he chooses to do so, the sport would gladly have him back!

Source: ringsidereport.com

David Haye vs the Klitschkos

Boxing News World

UK’s pride David “Hayemaker” Haye had a big, but not so impressive, win over seven-foot giant Nikolai Valuev four months ago to grab the WBA world heavyweight belt.

Vitali “Dr. Ironfist” Klitschko has dismantled all his ring rivals who tried to take away his WBC world heavyweight belt he won over South African Corrie Sanders in April of 2004.

WBO and IBF world heavyweight champion Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitscho, Vitali’s younger brother, extended his winning streak to 12 by knocking out American “Fast Eddie” Chambers in the final round of their championship fight at the ESPRIT arena, Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, just hours ago.

David Haye wants to unify the heavyweight division.

Does he have a chance of beating the Klitschkos?

British boxing promoter Frank Maloney, famous for managing heavyweight great Lennox Lewis, believes that Haye “has the talent and charisma to eclipse the giant Ukrainians”.

But do boxing experts agree?

Adam Pollack, Cyber Boxing Zone
The Klitschkos will win. There isn't anyone out there right now who has a chance with the Klitschkos. I would like to see Povetkin in there, and maybe Solis, but you'd have to make the Klitschkos the favorites in any potential bout. The only thing that will beat them is age/loss of interest/injury or if some fantastic raw talent comes along.

Geoff Poundes, Ringside Report
I think they’re 50/50 fights. I’d choose Haye over Wlad, purely because I think Wlad closes up when he’s got a competitive fight on his hands, and he’ll avoid the confrontation with a fast, mobile Haye, who also carries a punch. Vitali is a different proposition, and has enough about him to land heavily on David, who, as we all know, has a brittle chin.

Mark Whicker, Orange County Register
I haven't seen Haye enough to know, but I doubt he can beat either.

Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times
David Haye? Are you kidding? If Godzilla fights the Klitschkos, the Klitschkos will be favored.

Frank Lotierzo, The Sweet Science
Wladimir and Vitaly will beat Haye - because he's not durable enough to beat them. And they're both really good and he's not.

Tony Nobbs, Eastside Boxing
My heart certainly says David Haye wins so I will go with that. He should be too fast for them. He will have to fight smart though. Probably on points but he might stop Wlad.

Chris Ackerman, Doghouse Boxing
David Haye doesn't have a prayer against either.

Michael Rosenthal, Ring Magazine
Haye's too small for the Klitschkos. He loses to both.

TP Walker, Eastside Boxing
A lot of people don't realize how truly marginal boxing is. It's not linear but it is marginal. Over the years fight fans have deemed titles as insignificant, still, believe it or not, those belts do carry weight. Haye was being asked to take a much lesser purse to fight the Klits who represent the largest test of his career. If he lost to either of them his star would dim considerably. If you're gonna take a career ending chance at least be certain that it is going to benefit you financially. He chose a different route. Now that he has the belt and if he dominates Ruiz he is in a huge bargaining place. Also, don't be surprised if the winner of Haye/Ruiz matches with the winner of Jones/Hopkins if the Klits don't bend a bit.

Ramon Aranda, 411mania
Haye gets KO'd by both Klitschkos. No one in the heavyweight division beats them right now outside of each other.

Brandon Estrict, Doghouse Boxing
Haye's got a puncher's chance with both, especially Vitali, but I think they both stop him.

Tony Penecale Jr, Fight News Unlimited
I think David Haye has a better chance against Wladimir as opposed to Vitali. Haye would be giving up size and strength against both brothers but Wlad is the more vulnerable of the two. He has shown weaknesses in his chin and stamina which has affected his confidence and sees him fighting in a cautious boring manner. If Haye can break through early, he might force Wlad in a shell. Vitali has more of a fighter's mentality, a better chin, and a killer instinct. I would pick both Klitschko brothers against David Haye but I would be more confident in the Vitali pick.

Jim Amato, DM Boxing
Haye loses to either Klitschko. In fact the only heavyweight fight that interests me is Vitali -vs- Wlad. It will never happen and it should never happen. The heavyweight division today, IMO...SUCKS !

Springs Toledo, The Sweet Science
David Haye has some technical skill, but he tosses it aside like unclaimed baggage when the heat turns up in the ring. He would need to be a defensively-tight pressure-fighter in order to compete with the Klitschkos. He must land an overhand or some other unanticipated shot on Wlad or Vitali early in order to take away not only their control, but their perception of their own control. Make them fear imminent unconsciousness if he cannot KO them, or else he will be controlled like the rest of their victims. Haye has a big problem though, and the fight against Valuev was an eye-opener. He doesn't trust his chin. This may ruin his ability to fight the Klitschkos effectively.

Ronan Keenan, The Sweet Science
I give Haye a good chance of hurting Wladimir, but I can't see him being effective against Vitali's awkward style.

Don Stewart, Reading Eagle
I think either Klitschko would knock Haye out. Someone is going to beat those two someday, but it won't be Haye.

Paul H. Burbridge, Eastside Boxing
David Haye is an exciting young heavyweight who has garnered some interest because of his flamboyant style and his bravado. That always sells in boxing. He’s a decent fighter with decent skills but he also has many flaws all of which spell doom against the best fighters in the division, the Klitschko brothers. Perhaps he has a chance against Wladimir if he gets lucky, but I don’t see any chance of him competing with Vitali. The reach of both men is far too great for Haye to penetrate and his poor stamina is a recipe for disaster. I also have very strong concerns about his chin. He's been visibly shaken by fighters who do not posses anywhere near the kind of fire power that each brother possesses. Plus he’s already proven to me that he is somewhat intimidated by the Klitschko brothers because he left BOTH standing at the altar. Right now, David Haye hasn’t proven to me that he’s anything more than a marketing genius so I think he would be better served by defending his WBA title against Chris Arreola before he even thinks about fighting either one of the brothers.

Don’t listen to the bravado because the reality is that he’s already had his chance to step up and all he did was step aside!

Right now, He loses to either brother!

David Greisman, BoxingScene
Don't know about Haye vs. Klitschkos. Want to see him in more heavyweight fights first.

Igor Frank, Burbank Times
Either Klitschko would destroy David Haye. That is why he pulled out of both fights. Both brothers have underrated boxing skills and speed and they are too big and too strong for Haye. Haye would not hear the final bell with either brother.

Charles White, Eastside Boxing
Against Vitali, Haye will have a very tough fight because Vitali has a great chin and is tough as nails. Vitali seems to have been slowing down a bit in recent fights, but is still a great fighter. I tend to lean towards Vitali by KO in the mid to late rounds though. Against Wladimir, Haye is also in for a long night because Wladimir is not only a great boxer, but he has one hell of a punch as well. His defense has improved remarkably in the past few years since he started working with Emanuel Steward. I want to say that Wladimir would win by late round KO, but if Haye can connect solidly on Wladimir's chin, then there is always the chance of a knockout.

- Big thanks to the above boxing experts for sharing their thoughts, Marshall N. B., marx7204@lycos.com

Lennox Lewis: Only Pacquiao or Mosley can trouble Mayweather -- Examiner.com

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

CHICAGO--Former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis told me late Saturday night that he thinks that Manny Pacquiao can beat undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Lewis, working as a fight analyst for HBO on the Juan Diaz-Paulie Malignaggi main event at the University of Illinois, Chicago, made it sound as though he expects Money May to remain undefeated when the two little titans tangle, hopefully on March 13.

"I'd say that Manny is one of two guys who have a chance to beat Floyd," the dreadlocked Lewis said. "It's him and Shane Mosley, I can't think of anybody else who could even possibly beat Mayweather."

Lewis then said that Mayweather's strengths are the obvious ones, amazing hand and foot speed and an overall defense which seems impenetrable.

"It is amazing how fast Mayweather is, it really is," Lewis said.

"It should be a great thing for boxing when he and Pacquiao fight."

Hall Of Famer Lewis was born in England, grew up in Ontario, Canada, and campaigned as a professional fighter out of London after winning an Olympic gold medal for Canada in 1988.

Lewis ran up a 41-2-1 record with 32 KOs.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Pacquiao to test credentials for crossover stardom

by Norm Frauenheim, 29 October 2009, 15rounds.com

Muhammad Ali had it. Ken Norton did not. Sugar Ray Leonard had it. Thomas Hearns did not. Mike Tyson had it. Lennox Lewis did not. Oscar De La Hoya had it. Pernell Whitaker did not. Manny Pacquiao?

The question spikes Pacquiao’s date with Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand with a potent shot of intrigue that turns an already-interesting fight into a potential game-changer for the boxing business.

Can Pacquiao cross over and capture the public imagination in a way that makes the casual fan stop, talk and pay to watch?

Crossover stardom is hard to measure. Like former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart when asked about another business in the red-light district, however, I know it when I see it. I’ve seen it in Pacquiao for years, or at least since he climbed through the ropes in 2005 smiling like a kid on a playground swing and then talked referee Joe Cortez out of a mid-round stoppage for a nasty cut in a fight he lost by decision to Erik Morales.

Pacquiao is genuine, vulnerable and dangerous all at once. The mix is as compelling as it is unlikely. The way in which it is expressed can also be as different as Tyson, the looming train wreck, and De La Hoya, the well-appointed luxury suite.

What I’m not sure of, however, is whether Americans care. A wise friend bet me that Home Box Office won’t generate as much pay-per-view income for Pacquiao-Cotto, Filipino-versus-Puerto Rican, as it did on Sept. 19 for Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Juan Manuel Marquez, American-versus-Mexican. It was a lousy fight, but the pay-per-view milestone, one million customers, is a big victory for Mayweather, much bigger than his one-sided win over Marquez. My friend’s contention is that Americans want to see American fighters.

Maybe.

Maybe, Mayweather’s pay-per-view triumph says exactly that. If so, then Pacquiao will be more like Pele than a De La Hoya. There is plenty of international kick in that. But Pele, a Brazilian, is as popular in America as soccer is or never has been.

In an internet-connected world turning into a global village, however, I’m betting that Americans have begun to notice Pacquiao. His promoter, Bob Arum, introduced a conference call Wednesday by saying that Pacquiao-Cotto is generating interest he hasn’t detected since Leonard, Hearns, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran put some buzz in to the 1980s. The reason, Arum says, is the emergence of Pacquiao’s crossover appeal to people who measure everything they know of boxing by what they remember about Ali.

“I’m just noticing it now,’’ Arum said a few weeks ago during a visit to Cotto’s training camp in Tampa.

Arum said he was in a fashionable Manhattan restaurant, the Monkey Bar, when a couple of celebrity diners, broadcast journalist Charlie Rose and editor Norman Pearlstine, talked about Pacquiao as though he were an emerging market.

During the conference call, there was talk that Pacquiao is poised to become one of history’s five best. Argue over three or four, but Ali would have to be one of them, in large part because of his larger-than-life role in the culture wars of the 1960s and ‘70s.

“Ali was a proponent of a political position and also became a spokesman for the civil rights movement at the time when it was really emerging,’’ said Arum, a former promoter for the iconic ex-heavyweight champ who Friday at his home in Phoenix celebrates the 35th anniversary Friday of his 1974 victory over George Foreman in Zaire. “Ali had a tremendous political impact, particularly his stance on the Viet Nam War. When he came back to fight, people just idolized him.

“Manny does not have that major political statement because he is not controversial. But he is engaged in politics in the Philippines. Everything that he does is pro-humanity, so he is rather loved in the Philippines, the United States and all over the world. …I have never seen anything like the adulation that he is treated by Filipinos all over the world. That is something that even Ali never even really had.’’

For Arum’s generation and my own, Ali’s politics echo down through the decades. In the ring and out of it, Ali’s timing was perfect, although I will forever blame him for Floyd Mayweather Sr.’s poetry. A bygone era wanted a rebel and it got one in Ali.

In a current era plagued by uncertainty heightened by a troubled economy, Pacquiao, surrounded by worshipping fans when he arrived in Los Angeles from Manila a few days ago, is also a man for his times. He is a lousy interview. He doesn’t say much. But these are noisy days. Everybody seems to have a web site or talk show. It would be easy, if not redundant, to just be another noise maker. While the rest of us talk and write about what we should do, shouldn’t do, won’t do and might do, Pacquiao reassures with action. He looks like somebody who knows what to do. Imagine that.

In the final accounting, however, I’m not sure it will matter. I’ve watched Ali interact with the public at various times and places in Phoenix. Parkinson’s has silenced him. The rhyme, the original rap, is gone. But it doesn’t matter. He never fails to attract a crowd, including kids who think Viet Nam is a neighborhood restaurant that specializes in Asian fusion. They don’t care or don’t know if Ali stood against a controversial war.

They just see somebody who, at 67, is as genuine as he was when he was 27. He can’t hide that.

Neither can Pacquiao.

NOTES, QUOTES

· Kudos to light-heavyweight Chad Dawson for dedicating his Nov. 7 rematch against Glen Johnson in Hartford, Conn., to slain UConn football player Jasper Howard. “One of the things that Chad is behind, as well as all of my fighters, is keeping violence inside the ropes,’’ promoter Gary Saw said Thursday. “We have T-shirts that say that. It’s on the web site. If they want fight or feel violent or whatever, then let them to lace up the gloves. Real men wear gloves.’’

· More Dawson: The 27-year-old might be a star in waiting. Eventually, the plan is for him to be a heavyweight. “He will absolutely be the heavyweight champion,’’ predicted Shaw, who first might have him drop back down to super-middleweight for a shot at the Super Six tournament title if – as expected – retires Taylor withdraws. Dawson’s eligibility for Taylor’s spot hinges on negotiations with HBO, Shaw said.

· And Pacquiao’s regimen includes getting hit with a stick while doing sit-ups. The idea and the stick comes from Thailand, where trainers use it to toughen up their fighters. “It deadens the nerves so you can absorb a punch better,’’ Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said. Although Pacquiao has employed and apparently enjoyed the training method for years, Roach concedes he is not altogether comfortable with the tactic. “If somebody is going to hit me with a stick, they better bring a big one,’’ Roach said.

(Source: 15rounds.com)

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David Haye: 'I'm not looking forward to all that matted body hair and sweat'

The Independent, Friday, 30 October 2009

David Haye has wanted to become world heavyweight boxing champion since he was seven years old, living in an 18th-floor council flat in Bermondsey, south-east London. A week tomorrow in Nuremberg, south-east Germany, he finally gets a shot at a version of the title. Standing squarely between the 29-year-old and the realisation of his long-cherished ambition, however, will be the WBA champion, Russian giant Nikolai Valuev, 7ft 2in and 23st of solid, hairy and, according to Haye, not particularly sweet-smelling flesh.

I last interviewed Haye six months ago, when he was due to fight the 6ft 7in Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko, the IBF, WBO and IBO champion. He had just caused a stir by wearing a T-shirt depicting him triumphantly holding up the severed heads of Wladimir and Wladimir's brother Vitali, the WBC champ. The fight didn't happen because "The Hayemaker" strained his back, so this time, looking anew for headline fodder, he has loudly raised the issue of Valuev's body odour. "All that matted hair and sweat," he says, disdainfully. "People who've fought him before have noticed it, so I'm not looking forward to that too much." He is making rather a habit of offending big blokes from the former Soviet Union.

Haye, a comparatively petit fellow of 6ft 3in and 16st, who was undisputed world cruiserweight champion until he stepped up to heavyweight, has also described Valuev as a "monster" and a "freak show" of a human being. But of course there is method in his manners. "I do and say whatever I can to get under their skin," he says. "The more angry they are on the night, the less they think about their technique." It was a tactic similarly adopted by one of his heroes, Muhammad Ali. Joe Frazier and George Foreman were properly riled by Ali's often boorish taunts and insults which, in the Thriller in Manila and the Rumble in the Jungle, he duly backed up with his fists. Boorishness is all very well, but you have to win. What if Haye fails to win?

"It's not an option," he says. "I know that if I bob when I should weave, duck when I should dive, he'll take me out, so it needs to be a punch-perfect performance. But I know what it's like to lose, and I've vowed never to lose again. I can't allow anything I do to result in a loss. If necessary I'll fight like a dog to beat this guy."

Haye leans forward in his chair, in the Riverside Plaza, a smart London hotel close to his Vauxhall gym, and drops his voice slightly, as if to emphasise the significance of what he is saying.

"There are different ways to victory," he adds, "and if one strategy doesn't work then it will be a case of, 'What's the next strategy?' He's very effective at what he does. He's lost one in 52, he's beat some respected fighters, and they all said he was better than they expected. There are certain people you can't knock out with one shot and he's one of them, but everybody's got a weak point. I know it's not his head, but I'll find it. I will hit him more often than he's ever been hit before. I will work his body, his arms, his neck, anything available. And I will make him look stupid by missing a lot. I will dishearten him. Don't forget he's got no amateur pedigree to feed off. I learnt my craft as an international amateur, and that will help me beat him."

It is a stirring statement of intent, and to be sure, there's much more to heavyweight boxing than size and strength, but all the same, Valuev will enjoy a massive 10-inch superiority in reach. The fight is cutely billed as David v Goliath, but Haye's biblical namesake had a slingshot. And if Valuev does land one of his thunderous right hands, will the Haye chin stand up to it? That is the big question mark the Londoner carries into the ring. He has lost only once in 23 fights, and all but one of those 22 wins have been knockouts. Nobody doubts his own punching power. But can he take a punch?

"I think I can. I was knocked down a few times in the cruiserweight division, but always by someone smaller. You see it in boxing time and again. Manny Pacquiao got knocked out at flyweight, but Ricky Hatton couldn't hurt him [at light welterweight]. The shots that hurt you are the shots you don't see, and the lighter the other guy the faster his shots are. When you see it coming you brace it, block it, ride it, parry it, and those options are increased against heavyweights."

Capitalising on an opponent's weight is a strategy recommended by his father Deron, a panel beater by trade but also a martial arts instructor. And Deron's guidance extended to other, more important aspects of life. "He was the best kind of male role model," says Haye. "He was clean-living, always came straight home after work, very athletic. A lot of kids follow what their old man does, and with him it was all about health and fitness. There were people in my class at school who ended up banged up, shot, killed even. My parents led me away from that side of things, and so did boxing. I wasn't smoking weed or drinking, because it would have hurt my boxing."

He was only two or three, he adds, when his father recognised a precocious ability to throw a punch. "My dad used to say to his pals, 'Let my son punch your hand', and they couldn't believe my power. I've always had a freakish gift of being able to whack things." And people, of course, which came in handy when he was 11 and in his first year at secondary school. "The hardest kid in the school was this lad called Danny Robinson, a few years older than me. He tried to give me some grief and I bashed him up. Then he came over to me in the football cage later that same day, with a couple of his mates, and I did him again." A chuckle. "I saw him again a few years ago and we had a laugh about it."

Still, decking Danny Robinson in the football cage is one thing, decking Nikolai Valuev in the Nuremberg Arena quite another. How carefully has he studied footage of Valuev's 52 fights? "I've looked at some of them, of course. But it's a mistake, and one I've made in the past, to try to figure a fighter out by watching someone else fight him. It's like watching a football team. They do different things when they play your team. I've learnt a lot from watching tapes of Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather, and especially Roy Jones Jnr in his prime. He's the biggest inspiration to me, him and Lennox Lewis. Everyone has his own style, but nobody ever fights the same fight twice and Roy Jones was a master at those subtle adjustments, the pivoting of the feet, the head movement..."

As he says, though, that was Jones in his prime. At 40 the once great Floridian is still scrapping on, a shadow of his former self, and Haye abhors the spectacle of a boxer undermining his own legacy. "He could have retired as one of the all-time greats. He would have been in my top three of all time, no question. He went up to heavyweight and beat John Ruiz convincingly, but then he dropped back down to light heavyweight, got knocked out, Calzaghe beat him, and I just don't understand the motivation for carrying on. You've secured your legacy, you've got enough dough, why carry on?"

It is the perplexing, perennial boxing question, and Haye is determined that nobody will ever ask it of him. He says it was his intention even as a boy not to fight beyond the age of 30, and before he turns 31 in October 2011, he will honour his pledge to himself by quitting, as undefeated world heavyweight champion with two or three successful defences to his name, to be followed by a glittering career as a promoter if all goes perfectly to plan. On the other hand, no sport makes a mockery of plans quite like boxing does, and Haye is bright enough to know it, even if he won't admit it.

Can he honestly not envisage, eight or nine months from now, fancying one more pay day? "No," he says flatly. "I'm not a big spender, and anyway, how much money can one person spend? I've got a few cars. There's nothing I want to buy that I haven't got already."

I noticed one of his cars, a sporty Mercedes with a personalised number plate, when I arrived at the Riverside Plaza. In truth, it was hard not to notice, for it was parked somewhat ostentatiously across the entrance. And therein, perhaps, lies the contradictory essence of David Haye. He likes the expensive trappings of sporting success, and likes to show them off, but he doesn't crave any more of them and lives fairly modestly, in Brixton. He wants nothing more than to be heavyweight champion of the world, but he's happy for his reign to be brief. He is a smart, engaging, witty charmer, who can also descend to the level of the playground, as with his "you're ugly, you stink" insults. And he is keenly aware of his own eloquence, yet content in his own company.

This time next week, he tells me, solitude will be key to his preparation. "I try not to talk to many people before a fight because everyone wants to give you an opinion," he says. "I'll send and receive a few texts, but you get silly advice, like 'use your jab'. Oh yeah, I wasn't going to do that, thanks for telling me. Then I'll wake up on the day a bit earlier than usual, because of the adrenalin, and I'll think immediately, 'I'm going to have a tear-up tonight'. It's a strange feeling, because all those niggles and aches you've had, they all seem to disappear on the day. And then I'll just stay as relaxed as possible. I'll listen to Al Green, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, that sort of thing, and use as little mental and physical energy as possible. I'll save all the fast-twitch stuff for the last hour or two."

And what does he expect to dream about the night before the fight? What, indeed, did he dream about last night? "I dreamt about this big, massive, hairy body on the floor, and me standing over it." Funny, I had a feeling he might say that.

David Haye fights Nikolai Valuev for the WBA heavyweight title on 7 November, live on Sky Box Office (08442 410888)

(This article is originally posted at independent.co.uk)

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V8: Pacquiao/Cotto, Roach, Bradley/Peterson, and More!

Vivek Wallace, 28th October, 8CountNews.com

HBO's Pacquiao/Cotto 24/7 series: (Far From) Reality TV!!!

HBO's recent 24/7 series on the pending Pacquiao/Cotto showdown gave the world a glimpse of a few things that some wish they probably hadn't seen. SHOWTIME's '360 Fight Camp' showed fight fans a pretty neutral image of the fighters involved, but HBO's 24/7 continues to lean towards the whole good guy versus bad guy plot. The oddity so far in the latest series is that it focused on LITERALLY EVERYTHING going wrong in the camp of Filipino Manny Pacquiao. While I do believe that the info reported was all accurate and non-scripted, HBO failed miserably to strike a balance between the two men, ultimately making the normally humble Manny Pacquiao look like a villain in the company of a man well known for his fair share of deliberate low-blows and elbows. Considering the radicals that follow Pacquiao, it'll be hard to turn their love and admiration in another direction, but with Mayweather home watching like the rest of us, I guess the writers of the show had to cast someone on the dark side, and apparently, Pacquiao's the man! Trouble is, that totally blows the concept of REALITY television, because anyone who knows him knows better. What television rating would I give the HBO series? VIEWERS DISCRETION ADVISED.

Pacquiao/Cotto: No 'Beef' In This 32oz 'Stake'

The closer November 14th draws near, the more and more Filipino Manny Pacquiao and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto become accutely aware of how high the stakes are for a fight of this magnitude. Recently, trainer Freddie Roach informed a member of the media that Team Pacquiao is OK with the stakes being high, as long as the 'steak' (count) for Miguel Cotto is low. Translation.....Team Pacquiao is more than fine with earning an extra $1M for ever pound Cotto goes over the proposed weight of 145lbs, but under no circumstances will they go forward if the Puerto Rican crosses the line. In Roach's exact words, at 147lbs, "we'll let that fight happen"; but anything above, "I would call that fight off". So, if there are any questions, let them officially be laid to rest. This game of high stakes will all come down to Cotto's consumption (or should I say over-consumption) of his beloved steak. That being said, my message to Junito, keep the wifey in your life.....lose the steak and Pincho's!

Freddie Roach to Manny Pacquiao: The Truth Hurts....

Have you ever sat and actually listened to the things that Freddie Roach has to say? Some listen, some opt out, but if you don't, try it, and later on revisit those thoughts to see precisely how accurate they are at times. All along, Roach has disagreed with certain elements of the Pacquiao camp. We've seen a certain level of chaos following the non-adherence to each one of those request. Of all the things Roach mentioned, there's one that could reverberate quite loudly the morning after the big showdown. That statement was when he spoke to his charge about what he viewed as a lazy approach to his training on his last sparring session before leaving the Philippines en route to Los Angeles last Saturday. His words to Pacquiao was that if he does that laying on the ropes stuff against Cotto, "he'll lose". To create a change a pace and develop more chemistry, the team added new sparring partners in place of Porter and Castillo. Not quite sure if that will work, but what I do know is that if Pacquiao isn't conditioned or decides to lay on the ropes for any length of time at all, the breather he'll try to get will definitely be replaced with a set of sore ribs and perhaps even a loss. Not listening in this case for Pacquiao could yet again prove the truth hurts.....in more ways than one!

Marquez/Pacquiao: 3rd Time The Charm?

Juan Manuel Marquez has long desired a third and decisive shot at Filipino Manny Pacquiao. Like anything in life, the rugged Mexican warrior is learning that prayer changes things, and according to Freddie Roach, his wish could very well come true. Roach recently spoke about pairing the two fighters together again in March of 2010 at the jr.welterweight limit of 140lbs. Many felt that Marquez won the initial two fights, although he never got credit, with one being a draw, and the other being awarded to Pacquiao. It'll be nice to see these men settle the score, but if Marquez wins, we'd have to see a fourth fight because both men will have won one, with the third fight being a draw. Looks like these two will have their horns locked for quite some time. Although that could all change if the 'Money' is right. And you know exactly who I'm referring to.....Stay tuned.

Bradley/Peterson: One "O" Must Go

Timothy Bradley (24-0, 11KO's) is clearly a perennial force in the jr. welterweight division, but depending on who you listen to, his reign could be a very short one. His next opponent, Lamont Peterson (27-0, 13KO's) is pretty dangerous, and has made it very clear that he isn't coming to lay down. Initially, it was believed that Bradley wanted nothing to do with the fight after a bizarre negotiating period, but the talented champ, known as 'Desert Storm', would later clarify that it only appeared that way because he didn't want the fight based on there not being any "big money involved" (clearing my throat). Whatever the case may be, these two talented jr. welterweights are set to hop in the ring December 12th, and when the headlines are printed on the morning of Sunday, December 13th, only one man will have an "O", while the others will be forced to go. Should be a great fight. Stay tuned...

Andrew Golota: Next Time, Just Listen To The Lady...

The old adage has it that 'Mothers know best', but if we can add a quick addendum, perhaps that statement should include wifes as well. After asking her husband repeatedly to put the gloves on the shelf for good, the hard-headed Golota apparently wasn't hard-headed enough, as a few flush blows to the dome sent the Polish fighter (and his career) down the drain, perhaps for good. Mariola, Golota's wife, told a local radio station that she was basically dead set against him taking the fight with Adamek, and in the end, her logic appeared to be spot on. With no more convincing left to do, it appears we've seen the last of Andrew, and despite all of the "I told you so's" he's probably hearing at home, to rub it in one more time for good measure, he'll have her to thank!

Lennox Lewis On David Haye: Small Chance Against Big Man....

Former Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has continued to express concerns regarding David Haye's ability to defeat the giant (literally) Nikolai Valuev. Among the reasons Lewis cited was that the size differential of "nearly a foot and 100lbs" will be a "massive amount" to overcome. And just to think, Haye stands at roughly 6'3", so where would that leave some of the heavyweights of the past? Once again, I revert to my old argument that the sport desperately needs a Super-heavyweight division. Who in their right mind will think that the average man has the same chance as Chagaev, and almost Holyfield, too, (had it not been for an unpopular decision) against a giant this size?

Winky Wright Returns...

Perhaps one of the best defensive wizards of this era will return to the ring on the evening of Friday, December 11th, in Puerto Rico. After a turbulent career that has seen many lows and several highs, Wright will attempt once again to find his place among a new era of stars. His last few outings haven't exactly been what the doctor ordered, but with the proper motivation and economics in place, it would be foolish to rule out something grand for the talented southpaw. His opponent, Alex Sanchez, isn't the biggest challenge in the world, but by the end of the night, we'll all be able to gauge the worth of Wright much better than we can now. Stay tuned.

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

(Reposted with permission from the author)

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