Relaxed David Haye stays on top of his tallest order

Kevin Mitchell, The Observer

For all the weirdness of fighting someone who was taller at 12 – 6ft 4in – than he is now at 29, David Haye is alarmingly relaxed about the prospect of sharing a ring with Nikolai Valuev in Germany on Saturday night. The south Londoner is either kidding himself or the Russian is in for an embarrassing night of swinging, missing, hurting and losing his World Boxing Association heavyweight title from the stark vantage point of 7ft above the ground.

I suspect, against the odds and perceptions, it will be the latter. Time spent in Haye's company the past week has seen him ease off on the mind games and stunts, which are intend as much to ramp up pay-per-view hits as unsettle the champion, while he settles down to the serious business of staying calm. At no point does he give the impression of being led to the gallows.

"I'm pretty good when it comes to the psychology of boxing," Haye says. "Some guys, a week or two weeks out, you can see a buzz in their faces. They're bouncing around, using up energy. I've been doing it so long, I've trained my mind and body to save the adrenaline for when it counts."

But the trash-talking directed at Valuev has had a strategic purpose too. Haye and his trainer/manager Adam Booth say Valuev does not like to put full purchase on his punches because his arms are so big he would risk wearing himself out. If he gets angry – which has not happened in any of his 51 fights – he might just play into Haye's hands.

"His body movement isn't that quick, but his hands move quickly and he doesn't load up on his punches. So he's got the endurance for 12 rounds. He's just got to push his arms out and they're big, heavy shots. I have respect for what he does as an athlete, someone his size who can hold his technique together, and he can throw 70 to 80 punches a round – for a heavyweight that's a good punch-up. But no matter what he does, I've got a way to beat it."

Booth is certain Haye will not freeze when he looks across the ring in a packed Arena Nürnberger Versicherung and sees not the cardboard cut-out he has been decapitating for the media but a real-life giant. "I don't think he'll be thinking anything," Booth says. "At that stage of the game, he's doing. He has a process that he goes through. It's all about repeating the process, rather than thinking. He enjoys fighting. A lot of fighters get paralysed by their nerves, thinking of the end result. Am I winning the fight? Am I going to win? Dreaming of it. And those emotions stay with in them in the fight. You have to think about what you're doing every second of every round. Because he loves fighting, he stays in the moment.

"I genuinely believe he's only been 70% of what he can be, because of the opponents that he's fought, the injuries that he's had. If he gets anywhere near 100% of what he can be, this fight will be totally one-sided. But that's a massive ask. That's down to David. He has all of the skills."

He has. He also has a suspect chin and, in the past, a tendency to fade in longer fights, notably against Carl Thompson, who stopped him in five rounds in 2004. "Without the Thompson defeat we wouldn't be here today," Booth says. "We owe a lot to Carl and the arse-kicking he gave David."

Haye gave up the clubbing and the girl-chasing. He got married. He is a dad. He has, Booth says, "become a man". "And, if you look at David over the last two or three years, he has got better. He's become a professional and he knows what it's like to operate at that level."

What he does not know is what it is like to fight Nikolai Valuev. But, then again, Valuev does not know what it is like to fight David Haye.

Haye can win, maybe even by a late stoppage. If he pulls that off, and in style, it will be a result to rank alongside some of the great British victories on foreign soil.

David Haye fights Nikolai Valuev on Saturday, live on Sky Box Office HD

Source: guardian.co.uk

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Perez captures IBF bantamweight title

AFP

Joseph Agbeko was dethroned with a unanimous 12-round decision

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Colombia's Yonnhy Perez seized the International Boxing Federation bantamweight title, dethroning Ghana's Joseph Agbeko with a unanimous 12-round decision.

Perez emerged from the action-packed bout still unbeaten, improving to 20-0 with 14 wins inside the distance.

He was credited with a knockdown late in the 10th round, sending Agbeko to the canvas when Agbeko had turned away to complain to referee Robert Byrd about a head-butt.

"I didn't see whether it was a head butt or a punch, therefore I had to rule it was from a punch," Byrd said.

Two of the ringside judges scored the bout 117-110 for Perez, while a third saw it 116-111.

Buoyed by the knockdown, Perez poured on the pressure in the last two rounds.

"I knew I was winning the rounds, and I deserved to get the victory," Perez said. "I trained to throw a lot of punches. I know Agbeko likes to throw a lot of punches, so I knew I had to be better conditioned. All the hard work and preparation paid off."

Agbeko, who was making his third defence of a title he won two years ago, fell to 27-2 with 22 knockouts. He said the 10th round was the key to a contest that featured furious action from both fighters from the opening round.

"He head-butted me in round 10 and I didn't think that was fair," Agbeko said. "I thought I was fighting well toward that point. Perez seemed energized and I stayed the same."

Perez called the victory "a dream come true."

"I don?t think he was in good shape. I think he went down to catch his breath," he said of the controversial knockdown. "I felt I was more consistent, more active and I pressed the fight throughout."

On the same card, Mexico's Antonio DeMarco dominated Nicaragua's Jose Alfaro en route to a 10th-round technical knockout in a fight for the World Boxing Council interim lightweight title.

Referee Joe Cortez stopped the fight at the 2:07 mark of the round after DeMarco knocked down Alfaro twice.

Alfaro beat the count both times, but as DeMarco continued to press Alfaro took a knee and Cortez called a halt.

"It's impossible to describe the feeling I have inside me right now," DeMarco said. "This is the second happiest day of my life. Only the birth of my daughter comes first."

The victory put DeMarco in line to challenge unbeaten WBC lightweight champion Edwin Valero of Venezuela.

Source: Google

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Ricky Hatton reveals: I could just return to the ring alongside my brother Matthew

By Alex Montgomery, Mail Online

Ricky Hatton is refusing to rule out the possibility of making what would be a remarkable return to the ring.

Hatton is currently promoting his younger brother Matthew’s IBO world welterweight title fight against Lovemore Ndou, the South African champion, in Stoke on November 13.

And he made it clear he will ignore the experts who have advised him to retire, provided he recovers his hunger in the next few months.
Hatton, 31, who quit after losing to Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas six months ago, said: ‘Maybe I will make a comeback. If I get the bit between my teeth, if I find the hunger, then it is possible. Wouldn’t it be something if Matthew and myself were involved at the highest level in the future?

At the moment I am enjoying being a promoter and hopefully producing champions. Matthew taking the title would be a proud moment for us Hattons.’

Source: dailymail.co.uk

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Before Manny Pacquiao - Part II

By Kenny Perrault, BraggingRightsCorner.com

In the first segment of "Before Manny Pacquaio" we looked at the careers of Pancho Villa and Luisito Espinosa. We will once again look back at some of the great Filipino fighters that paved the way for Manny Pacquiao.

Gabriel "Flash" Elorde could easily be considered the most popular Filipino fighter of all time until Manny Pacquiao came around. Elorde, a southpaw, began his career in 1951 with a victory over Kid Gonzaga. In just his 18th professional bout Elorde fought and defeated Tanny Campo for the Philippines Games & Amusement Board (GAB) Bantamweight title.

Two fights later he captured the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title (OPBF) with a split decision victory over Hiroshi Horiguchi. Between 1953 and 1954 Elorde failed to capture the Japanese Featherweight title and twice fought for the OPBF Featherweight belt losing all three fights by decision. He did, however, claim the GAB Super Featherweight title defeating Tommy Romulo. On July 20th, 1955 Flash held a record of 28-8-2 as he stepped in the ring against his toughest opponent to date, Sandy Saddler, (114-14-2) who had fought only 12 days prior to his bout with Elorde, winning by 6th round TKO. With only 12 days between fights Saddler dropped a ten round decision to Flash thus elevating the young Filipino into the featherweight spotlight. The two men would meet again in early 1956 for the world featherweight title. Unlike their previous meeting Saddler would come out on top, with a 13th round TKO victory, after the fight was stopped due to a bad cut suffered by Elorde.

Through 1956-1959 Flash would again capture the GAB Super Featherweight title along with the OPBF and GAB Lightweight titles. Flash would capture his first world title in 1960 when he knocked out Harold Gomes in the 7th round. In 1963 Elorde became the WBC and WBA Super Featherweight champion by winning a decision over Johnny Bizzarro. Flash would go on to defend his Super Featherweight crown many times. He would twice bid for the lightweight world title coming up short on both tries. His last world title fight came in 1967 against Yoshiaki Numata. The fight went the distance of 15 rounds and the judges scored it a majority victory in favor of Numata.

Flash Elorde fought until 1971 and retired with a record of 88-27-2 (33 KOs). Elorde, who was a heavy smoker succumbed to lung cancer in 1985 at the age of 49. In 1993, he became the first Asian inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. His grandson, Juan Martin Elorde, has followed in his footsteps, and he now sports a 9-0 (2 KOs) record.

Diosdado Penalosa better know as "Dodie Boy" began his professional boxing career in 1982, and in that same year he fought for his first title winning the Philippines Boxing Federation (PBF) light flyweight title by scoring a 12th round TKO over Romy Austria.

Two fights later he would capture his second title, this time winning the OPBF light flyweight title with an 11th round TKO over Sung Nam Kim. In only his 12th pro fight Penalosa fought for his first world title facing Satoshi Shingaki for the IBF light flyweight belt. Dodie Boy scored a 12th round TKO in route to becoming a world champion. He defended the title three times before vacating the belt to move up in weight to the flyweight division. His first attempt at a flyweight crown was unsuccessful as he lost a 115 round decision to Hilario Zapata. He would finally capture his first flyweight title in 1987 when he defeated Hi-Sup Shin by fifth round knockout. Unfortunately he would lose the title in his next fight via 11th round knockout at the hands of Chang-Ho Choi. Penalosa would fight once more for a world title and again came up short losing a 12 round decision in 1989. His career would come to an end in 1995 with the record of 31-7-2 (13 KOs). Penalosas's younger brother is the popular Gerry Penalosa.

Ceferino Garcia's professional boxing career began in 1923 with a draw; as a matter of fact, his first three bouts were all scored draws. Garcia began his career in the Philippines but most of his fights were fought on American soil. In 1933 he captured the California Welterweight title, a title he would defend many times. In 1937 he landed his first chance at a world championship fighting for the Welterweight title against Barney Ross. The fight would go the distance of 15, with Ross winning the decision.

The following year Garcia would get a second chance at the Welterweight crown, this time against all time great Henry Armstrong. Much like his first championship fight, Garcia again would lose on the scorecards. Finally, in 1939, Garcia became a world champion, winning the Middleweight title by defeating Fred Apostoli by seventh round knockout. Garcia would go on to defend the title twice, including a draw against Henry Armstrong before losing the title in 1940 to Ken Overlin. Ceferino Garcia would never fight for a title again and ended his career in 1945 with a record of 102-25-12 (67 KOs). He is the only Filipino fighter to ever become the world middleweight champion.

Source: Bragging Rights Corner

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Prophetic trainer says Pacquiao will KO Cotto

George Willis, New York Post

It normally would be chalked up to typical pre-fight hype — a trainer talking big about his boxer and the damage he’s going to inflict against an upcoming opponent. But Freddie Roach has a knack for having his predictions come true.

Earlier this year, Roach said Manny Pacquiao would stop Ricky Hatton in three rounds. The Englishman was knocked cold in the second. Now Roach is saying Pacquiao will knock out Miguel Cotto when the two face each other Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I feel that Manny — with the way he’s punching right now, with the power he has at this weight — he’s going to knock Cotto out I feel,” Roach said this week. “I’m very confident, and I look forward to the win.”

It’s a different forecast than Roach predicted when the pay-per-view bout was announced this summer at Yankee Stadium. He said then he was preparing for the fight to go the distance, because Cotto is a dangerous power puncher. Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) is perceived as the bigger fighter, a

natural welterweight, who has agreed to a 145-pound catch-weight to face Pacquiao, who has to eat five meals a day just to stay above 140.

But after watching tape of the Puerto Rican star, Roach is growing more confident Cotto will not be able to hold up against the Filipino’s speed and power.

“He’s punching so much harder than he ever has,” Roach said of Pacquiao, who is looking to win Cotto’s WBO welterweight title. “He’s really getting used to the weight. He’s punching faster and harder. I just think Miguel Cotto’s defense isn’t good enough. He’s hittable, and people that Manny can hit, he knocks out.”

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) began training in Los Angeles this week after spending more than a month in the Philippines, where two typhoons ravaged the country. The first typhoon forced Pacquiao to train strictly indoors, replacing his roadwork with indoor swimming exercises.

A humanitarian with political aspirations, Pacquiao spent an off-day during his training camp in Baguio City to distribute aid to his countrymen. He also made a substantial financial donation to relief efforts.

*

The 13th annual Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation Dinner will be held Nov. 19 at the Hilton Garden Inn on Staten Island. A long list of celebrities from the athletic and entertainment industries are expected to attend.

Tickets are priced at $200 with tables available from $5,000 to $2,800. Call (201) 293-2606 or visit www.dratlasfoundation.com for more information. Proceeds from the “Teddy Dinner” go to the foundation, which offers financial and emotional support to individuals and organizations in need.

*

Showtime will televise a boxing doubleheader at 9 tonight from Las Vegas with IBF bantamweight champ Joseph Agbeko defending against Yonnhy Perez and Antonio DeMarco fighting Jose Alfaro for the WBC interim lightweight championship.

george.willis@nypost.com

Source: nypost.com

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Video: HBO Boxing - Pacquiao vs Cotto - Fight Preview and Fighter's Strategies

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Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto: The Next Super-Fight

By Bryan Brennan, East Side Boxing

On November 14th two of the biggest stars in boxing will face-off for a PPV super-fight. These fights are something special for boxing; they are the types of fights that get the general public to pay attention to our wonderful sport of boxing. I go through a few different phases for a super-fight, here's a look at what life is like for The Bryguy:

PHASE 1: Going into a big fight like this I always envision an epic battle between two gladiators, blood and guts warriors, grit, sweat, anger, and other adjectives that sound tough and manly! I blog about what an amazing ballsy, kick-butt fight it will be. I talk to whoever will listen to my expectations, scientific analysis, and true gut feelings. This is a great phase to be in..

PHASE 2: Honey roasted Peanuts are set out, Bud Lights are cold, my scorecards are ready, and my girlfriend is patiently waiting until fight night is over(because she's been listening to me for a month, she knows THIS one is important). I then proceed to suffer through two or three horrid under-card fights, that if I'm lucky are complete mismatches and will at the very least end quickly. If I'm not lucky it's a Zab Judah mismatch that should have ended early, but he once again doesn't live up to expectation and drags me through the miserable fight for ten or twelve rounds. This is phase filled with anxiousness and a little aggravation.

PHASE 2.1: The under-cards were terrible, but that's OK, the main event will be so amazing it will make up for everything! I refill my peanut jar, double check the fridge to make sure I have enough BL’s (because the main event will have me on the edge of my seat for at least ten rounds). I answer a few text messages driving home my prediction, letting everyone on the planet know what an amazing boxing mind I have. THE FIGHT: The main event ends as soon as it starts or is a patty cake match for twelve rounds, where on top of everything the decision is a debacle!(obviously there is the diamond in the rough, but so many do end in disappointment).

PHASE 3: Then comes the moping, tears, sadness, and complaining about forking over $50 bucks, "FOR THAT!” After that I swear off the sport forever because it's corrupt, doesn't treat its loyal fans with respect, and bleeds me dry every time I am forced to spend my hard earned cash! My girlfriend cues up Dancing with the Stars on DVR, and just yeses me to death until I finally stop my babbling and go to sleep in a Bud Light induced coma (She's very patient with me).

PHASE 4: The following day I read on Eastsideboxing.com how the winner will square off against another huge name in the sport for what will inevitably be the fight of the year! Now THAT fight is going to be the best fight ever! I can't wait to blog about it, talk about, and pay money for it! I guess that means it's back to phase one.

Well folks, I am here to tell you that I am knee deep in Phase one right now! Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto are two guys who haven't ducked anyone, fight with true heart, and put on fights for the fans. There is no way this one can let us down. I am so deep into phase one that one blog won't cover this showdown. If I am going to do it justice I must break it into three parts:

PART 1: Why I Love Miguel Cotto

Miguel Cotto has been one of the most consistent fighters in the world of boxing over the past few years. There hasn't been another guy in boxing who has constantly stepped up competition, fought entertaining fights, and tested his own abilities quite like Miguel Cotto, except maybe Manny Pacquiao.

The reason Miguel Cotto is so fun to watch is that he IS beatable. I suppose that shouldn't be a reason why you love a fighter so much, but I think that was why Arturo Gatti was so popular. That's why every Diego Corrales fight was a must see, and it's probably why Floyd Mayweather Jr. hasn't been able to find the fan-base he thinks he deserves. It's not that you root against a fighter; it's that you never really know how he will pull off the victory.

There is a crazy nervous feeling I get when Cotto steps into the ring with his opponent, because a lot of the times I've thought the other guy has the tools to beat him. Somehow Cotto has figured out a way to overcome that adversity, and that is what fans want in their fighters. That ability to dig deep and muster some energy, or skill that maybe even the fighter didn't know he had, it is what makes elite athletes so special.

Miguel Cotto for the most part looks like a machine when he enters the ring, chin down, gloves high, and his eyes glaring between his fists like a sniper peering through his scope. He is also very militaristic in the way he can systematically break an opponent down, as he did with Carlos Quintana, Paulie Malignaggi, Randall Bailey, Kelson Pinto, Lovemore N'dou, and many others. He'll chop you down whatever way he can, not shying away from bodywork, or with Branco, just banging away at the arms!

There have been many fights though where he wins using other tools in his arsenal, in 2005 Cotto faced off against Ricardo Torres and won that fight with his heart. The two traded bombs in the center off the ring for several rounds; until Cotto was the last man standing (The picture of Cotto at the end of that fight will always be a lasting memory for me).

In 2007 Miguel proved to the world that he was an upper echelon fighter when he disposed of two fast capable fighters in Zab Judah, and Shane Mosley. Against Judah he was taking on a fast, heavy handed fighter, who when his mind is in the game can beat just about anyone (of course his mind is never really in the game). Cotto overcame a vicious uppercut early in the fight, and fought through a severely damaged lip to impose his will, stopping Zab in the eleventh. Fighting Mosley later that year Cotto was beating the faster guy to punch and showed off some magnificent boxing skill that many didn't believe he possessed. He out boxed Mosley in an extremely entertaining fight, in which I think Miguel showed the ability to not only break opponents down, but also game plan and execute against another elite fighter.

In the lead up to the showdown against Manny Pacquiao all the talk has been about what the Pac-man is going to bring to the table, and rightfully so, he has had a run unlike anything I have seen in a long time. I feel however it's because of Cotto's only loss (Antonio Margarito) and his last fight (Joshua Clottey) that people are forgetting what a solid fighter Miguel Cotto is. In 2008 he took on the self-proclaimed "most avoided man in boxing" Antonio Margarito. The first half of the fight Cotto fought like he did against Shane Mosley, dancing around the ring, and putting on splendid display of his boxing skills (I still wish he had focused on the body instead of the head though). Then as the sixth round came and went, Cotto began to slow down and Margarito's punches started to take their toll, forcing Cotto to take a knee in the eleventh. Margarito was found with loaded hand-wraps in his next fight against Cotto victim Shane Mosley, begging the question of whether he had loaded wraps against Cotto as well.

In his last fight Cotto took on the very tough, and I feel much underrated Joshua Clottey. Cotto suffered a cut in the third round, and Clottey put on heavy pressure making it a close fight. Cotto had to dig deep in the championship rounds to pull off the split decision. The fight could have gone either way, but it seemed like Clottey just stopped fighting in those last rounds, and Cotto was able to walk away with the razor thin decision.

Is Cotto still haunted by the loss, and beating to Margarito? Maybe, I know I would not be able to overcome something like that. Did that affect him in the Clottey fight? I don't think so; I think Clottey is an underrated fighter, who will only be beat by the best fighters in the world. Let's not forget that Clottey’s only other loss is to Antonio Margarito, in which Clottey was making Margarito look very human for the first half of the fight, before he stopped boxing in the second half. Which brings up a few questions; were Clottey’s hands hurt as he claims? If so, he is quite a tough rugged fighter, were Margarito's hands loaded then as well? Where Clottey's hands fine, and he just has a habit of slowing down and not fighting towards the end of fights, as he did with Cotto? Either way Clottey is no pushover and can beat any fighter on any given night.

I love Cotto for many reasons, but one above all the others, he comes to fight (I also like some of his new tattoos, but mostly because he come to fight). Whether he's the wrecking ball that ran through Quintana, Branco, and Malignaggi, the Rocky Balboa who survived Ricardo Torres, or the finesse boxer who outpointed Shane Mosley; Cotto shows up and entertains on fight night. I have yet to watch Miguel Cotto step in the ring and not be entertained, and I don't see him letting me down on November 14th.

Stay tuned for PART 2: Why I Love Manny Pacquiao

Bryan blogs regularly at www.bryguyboxing.blogspot.com
Feel free to e-mail him at thebryguy21@gmail.com

Source: East Side Boxing

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Boxing Points to Ponder

Marshall N. B., BoxingNewsWorld.blogspot.com

1. Joseph Agbeko – he received it from Perez but will he give it to Perez?

2. Larry Merchant – he hasn’t got it, Pacman, go blame the newspaper man.

3. David Haye – new craze in London – wear boxing high heels or own stinky English Mastiffs.

4. Floyd Mayweather Jr – the interview was hot, but not as hot as Chilli.

5. RA The Rugged Man – obviously good in boxing history, but how about Brian Kenny?

6. Manny Pacquiao – tested positive for performance enhancing sleep.

7. Ricky Hatton – one humiliation is enough, a rematch with Floyd or Manny will make people laugh.

8. Nikolai Valuev – y or i, makes me confuse; must stay close to maim Haye’s nose.

9. Freddie Roach – Watch out Miguel Cotto, Pacman and ‘Batman’ are coming at you!

10. Don King – loving upright standing Bush’es.

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Agbeko seeks to halt Perez's boxing win streak

Brisbane Times

Ghana's Joseph Agbeko will make the third defence of his International Boxing Federation bantamweight title when he faces Colombian challenger Yonnhy Perez Saturday.

Agbeko (27-1, 22 KOs) captured the title two years ago when he stopped Luis Alberto Perez in the seventh round.

The 29-year-old's first defence came in a thrilling win over William Gonzalez and he followed that up with another impressive upset victory over three-time world champion Vic Darchinyan in July.

"I don't care how many more fights it will take, but my goal is to be the number one fighter pound-for-pound in the world," the Ghana southpaw Agbeko said. "There are a lot of great fighters but I feel I'm the best. I am not looking past Perez, but I am willing to fight anybody to prove I am the best."

The No. 1 ranked Perez is putting his undefeated record on the line having won 19 straight, including 14 by knockout.

"There is no pressure but the opportunity is so enormous that it will feel great once we get into the ring and the fight starts," Perez said.

"The time for talking is over. I have never been as focused or determined for a fight in my life. I have never worked harder, and I train all the time."

© 2009 AFP
This story is sourced direct from an overseas news agency as an additional service to readers. Spelling follows North American usage, along with foreign currency and measurement units.

Source: Brisbane Times

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IBF bantamweight champion Joseph Agbeko (2nd L) of Ghana and Yonnhy Perez of Colombia pose with boxing promoters Don King (L) and Gary Shaw (R) during an official weigh-in at the Treasure Island hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Nevada October 30, 2009. Agbeko will defend his title against Perez at the casino October 31. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus (UNITED STATES SPORT BOXING)

Audio: Floyd Mayweather Jr's intense interview on Shade 45

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