Boxing Round 2 [R]

riverplate · Feb 2, 2012

Floyd Mayweather to Fight Miguel Cotto - ESPN

Welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. will rise in weight and challenge junior middleweight titleholder Miguel Cotto on May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after the Nevada State Athletic Commission voted 5-0 on Wednesday to grant Mayweather a one-fight license at the conclusion of a one-hour hearing...

Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) has had one previous fight in the 154-pound division, which was when he outpointed Oscar De La Hoya to win a belt in May 2007.

The selection of Cotto (37-2, 30 KOs) as the opponent for the fight, which will be on pay-per-view — although the network that will handle the event was not announced — does not come as a big surprise. He was one of the leading names to get the fight along with fellow titleholder Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. Besides Mayweather and Pacquiao, Cotto is the next biggest pay-per-view attraction in boxing.
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riverplate · Feb 5, 2012

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Retains Middleweight Belt - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. retained the WBC middleweight title Saturday night, earning a unanimous decision over fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Rubio. The judges scored the bout 118-110, 116-112, 115-113 for Chavez, which drew a mixed reaction from the 14,120 in attendance Saturday at the Alamodome...

The fighters spent most of the bout standing shoulder to shoulder, which resulted in a couple of head butts and two warnings to Rubio for low blows. Although Chavez won handily on the scorecard, many of the closely contested rounds could have been scored either way... The boxers exchanged a series of vicious blows in the 11th, with Rubio appearing to daze Chavez with a couple of overhand rights midway through the round. Chavez kept pressing forward despite the blows in the hardest fought round of the bout.

Nonito Donaire dominated the co-main event, winning a 12-round split decision over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. to win the WBO junior featherweight title... The "Filipino Flash" controlled the bout despite breaking his left hand somewhere between the second and fourth rounds.
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riverplate · Feb 11, 2012

Bradley Signs Deal to Fight Pacquiao in June - ESPN

Junior welterweight titleholder Timothy Bradley Jr. and Top Rank, his promoter, wrapped up their deal Friday as he signed a contract to challenge welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The match comes as no surprise. Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs) had been one of the leading names to face Pacquiao and although Pacquiao has not yet signed the paperwork, his adviser, Michael Koncz, told ESPN on Monday that he had committed to the pay-per-view fight.

Although Bradley will be moving up to the 147-pound division for the fight — there is no catch weight — he is about the same size as Pacquiao and has fought in the division before, including two fights ago when he outpointed Luis Carlos Abregu in a non-title bout in July 2010. At 28 and in his prime, Bradley, who is fast and skilled but lacks power, probably poses more danger to Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs), 33, than any of his recent opponents.
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riverplate · Feb 18, 2012

Vitali Klitschko Unanimously Outpoints Chisora - ESPN

MUNICH (AP) — Vitali Klitschko unanimously outpointed British challenger Dereck Chisora on Saturday to keep the WBC heavyweight title. Chisora found little support from the sellout crowd of 12,500 after his slap on Klitschko at the weigh-in Friday, and ensured the ill-feeling continued when he spat in the 40-year-old's face as the champion's record was being called out.

Klitschko's younger brother, Wladimir, who holds the IBF and "super" WBA titles as well as the minor WBO and IBO belts, acted as a buffer as Chisora goaded his opponent. Vitali was clearly incensed, but it took some time before he could assert control against the 28-year-old Briton's aggressive approach. His greater reach and experience made the difference.

The judges scored it 118-110, 118-110 and 119-111. Klitschko improved his record to 44-2 with the 10th successful defense of the title he won from Corrie Sanders in 2004. It was arguably the toughest bout he's had since losing on a technical knockout to Lennox Lewis in 2003.
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Lusitania14 · Feb 20, 2012

riverplate said: ↑

Vitali Klitschko Unanimously Outpoints Chisora - ESPN
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It was one of his toughest fight in a long time, but I didn't see him at any time during the fight with the possibility of losing.

He controlled the fight from begining to end, and while his opponent took some of his best shots, Vitali just brushed them away as if they were nothing.

riverplate · Feb 26, 2012

Unbeaten Povetkin Outpoints Huck, Retains WBA Heavy Title - ESPN

STUTTGART (AP) — Alexander Povetkin did just enough Saturday to earn a points decision over Marco Huck and retain his WBA heavyweight title. Huck, the WBO cruiserweight champion, had the undefeated 32-year-old Povetkin staggering back against the ropes in the fourth and seventh rounds, but the German was unable to deliver the knockout blow.

Belgian judge Philippe Verbeke called it a draw, 114-114, but England's John Coyle and South Africa's Stanley Christodoulou awarded it 116-113 and 116-112 respectively to the defending champion. The decision was greeted by a chorus of boos at Porsche Arena, with Huck claiming victory over his 20-pound heavier opponent. Povetkin (24-0, 16 KOs) was standing after making his second defense of the title, but appeared exhausted after an engaging bout.

The Russian started well, but the bout came to life in the fourth when he seemed in serious trouble as the Yugoslav-born Huck (34-2, 25 KOs) launched combination blows. Povetkin, the 2004 Olympic heavyweight champion, ducked to avoid further punishment and Huck was warned about punching down on the back of his head. Huck's best chance of finishing the bout early came in the seventh, when Povetkin was saved only by the bell. He managed to compose himself for the remaining rounds.
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riverplate · Mar 3, 2012

Wladimir Klitschko Retains Belts - ESPN

DUESSELDORF (AP) — Wladimir Klitschko stopped French challenger Jean-Marc Mormeck in the fourth round of a one-sided fight to retain the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles Saturday night. The Ukrainian put down Mormeck with a left-right combination, followed by a short left. Mormeck beat the count but looked wobbly and referee Luis Pabon stopped the fight. Klitschko was credited with the 50th KO of his career, but Mormeck said he could have fought on.

Klitschko floored Mormeck in the second and completely dominated the much smaller challenger. Mormeck never connected with a clean punch, although Klitschko said he had been hit with one jab. Klitschko improved to 57-3, while Mormeck dropped to 36-5. Klitschko also held on to the minor IBO and WBO belts.

Mormeck kept trying to come in, lunging forward with his head low and gloves high, often clinging to Klitschko. A former cruiserweight, Mormeck gave up 6½ inches in height and 7 inches in reach to the champion. Klitschko sent Mormeck down with a big right midway into the second round and it was soon clear he was looking to end the fight early. Both fighters went sprawling down in the third as they pushed and shoved. Klitschko picked up the pace in the fourth and connected with his left jab before flooring the Frenchman again.
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thebigman · Mar 4, 2012

mormeck, another natural cruiser like haye

the heavyweight division is such a joke

riverplate · Mar 18, 2012

Martinez Stops Macklin After 11 Rounds - ESPN

NEW YORK (AP) — After slicing up Mack The Knife, Sergio Martinez wants his piece of a middleweight belt. In a fight dubbed "Get Your Irish Up" on St. Patrick's night, Martinez dominated Matthew Macklin in an action-packed bout and stopped him after 11 rounds Saturday. Macklin, an Englishman whose parents are Irish, was the clear favorite of the crowd at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, but Martinez was clearly the better fighter.

Although no major belts were at stake because of sanctioning issues, Martinez, 37, kept his reputation as the top middleweight in the world with a late surge. He is the WBC's obscure "Diamond" champion and holds the Ring middleweight belt. He decked the game but outmatched Macklin, 29, twice near the end of the 11th round, then Macklin's corner asked referee Eddie Cotton to stop it before the 12th round began...

Martinez now is 49-2-2 with 28 knockouts. He struggled early and even had his glove touch the canvas for a knockdown in the seventh round after Macklin connected with an overhand right. But that was Macklin's final big punch as he fell to 28-4 and ended the fight on his stool, the blood from cuts on his face having stained his green trunks...

Martinez's left-handed stance didn't bother Macklin early, but when Martinez began connecting with lefty leads, it gave Macklin trouble. And after the quick but undamaging knockdown in the seventh, Martinez rallied with three straight sharp lefts to Macklin's face. By the 10th round, Macklin lost all pretense of attacking. He was holding on, trying to be defensive, and Martinez pounced. In the 11th, Martinez carved up his opponent with a succession of lefts, and both knockdowns came on mammoth lefts.
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riverplate · Mar 26, 2012

Garcia Takes Belt After Morales Fails Weigh-In - ESPN

HOUSTON — Danny Garcia is 24, in prime condition and has not been through ring wars time and again. Erik Morales is 35, wasn't in top condition and has been through more brutal fights than most fighters around today. In the end, it added up to Garcia, with his young legs, stiff punches and resolve, securing a unanimous decision victory in a very tough fight to win the vacant WBC junior welterweight title on Saturday night at Reliant Arena.

Morales, one of boxing's legends, fought valiantly but didn't have enough in his worn-out body, losing 118-111, 117-110 and 116-112 on the scorecards. ESPN had it for Garcia, 116-111...

Morales (52-8, 36 KOs), was supposed to be making his first defense against Philadelphia's Garcia (23-0, 14 KOs), but he was stripped of the WBC title at Friday's weigh-in when he came in at 142 pounds (two over the limit) and refused to try to lose the weight. So the title was vacant, with only Garcia able to win it, and he did just that by weathering a few tough moments and his face being bloodied from a cut over his left eye...

After the ninth round, Morales' trainer, his father Jose Morales, told his son that he needed a knockout to win because Garcia was ahead. Morales had opened a cut over Garcia's eye and bloodied his nose, but Garcia was undeterred. He landed a clean left hook in the 11th round that sent Morales sprawling to the canvas. Morales survived but was in major trouble. Garcia landed several flush right hands after the knockdown as Morales was leaning against the ropes, obviously tired. But he is an ultimate warrior, and Garcia could not put him away.
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riverplate · Mar 27, 2012

Wladimir Klitschko Sets 12th Defense - ESPN

Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko will make his 12th title defense in a rematch against mandatory challenger Tony Thompson on July 7 after the sides made a deal Monday, Klitschko adviser Shelly Finkel told ESPN. A venue for the clash has yet to be decided but a soccer stadium in Berne, Switzerland, is the most likely destination.

Klitschko (57-3, 50 KOs), who turned 36 on Sunday, will be meeting Thompson (36-2, 24 KOs), 40, of Washington, D.C., in a rematch. He first faced Thompson on July 12, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany and dominated. Klitschko led 99-91, 98-92 and 98-92 on the judges' scorecards before scoring a crushing 11th-round knockout.

Since then, Thompson has won five consecutive bouts, each by knockout, to again become Klitschko's mandatory challenger. Klitschko, the IBF, WBA and WBO champion, meanwhile, secured his 50th career knockout against Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck at the beginning of March, and has not tasted defeat since April 2004. Dan Goossen, Thompson's promoter, had hoped to make a deal to the bring the fight to Washington, but Klitschko was not interested because the money would be greater in Europe...

If Wladimir Klitschko defeats Thompson, he does plan to return to the United States for a tentative Nov. 10 title defense against American Cristobal Arreola at Madison Square Garden in New York in a fight that HBO is interested in broadcasting.
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riverplate · Apr 3, 2012

Chavez to Put Middleweight Title On Line vs. Lee - ESPN

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will defend his middleweight title against Andy Lee on June 16 on HBO's World Championship Boxing at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, both camps said Tuesday after agreeing to terms.

Contracts are not signed yet, but both sides said they are confident the deal will be finalized. Adding intrigue to the fight is that Chavez promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank and Lou DiBella, Lee's promoter, are also working on a deal under which the winner of Chavez-Lee would challenge lineal middleweight champion Sergio Martinez in September.
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riverplate · Apr 12, 2012

riverplate said: ↑

Wladimir Klitschko Sets 12th Defense - ESPN
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Update:

Camps Finalize Heavyweight Rematch - ESPN

The deal between heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and mandatory challenger Tony Thompson was agreed to a few weeks ago when the purse bid was called off, but now the deal is done and Klitschko's K2 Promotions made the formal announcement Thursday that they will meet July 7 at Stade De Suisse in Berne, Switzerland...

The fight will be carried live in the United States by premium cable network Epix and streamed live on EpixHD.com.
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riverplate · Apr 29, 2012

Dawson Beats Hopkins for WBC Title - ESPN

ATLANTIC CITY (AP) — Chad Dawson overcame the baiting of Bernard Hopkins, two nasty cuts and boxing's latest bogus scorecard to win a majority decision and a 175-pound title. Dawson defeated Hopkins by a 12-round majority decision Saturday night and won the WBC light heavyweight title, taking the rematch at Boardwalk Hall without the controversy and ugliness of their first bout six months ago.

The 29-year-old Dawson (31-1, 17 KOs) never let a deep cut near his left eye affect his methodical approach at taking out Hopkins. At 47, Hopkins (52-6-2) may have fought his last fight, though it seems impossible to count him out for one more bout as he pushes 50...

This rematch was no classic, but it was an improvement on their first bout in October in Los Angeles. Dawson had his TKO victory over Hopkins overturned and the decision was ruled a no-contest and the belt returned to the Philadelphia fighter. Dawson lifted Hopkins and tossed him to the canvas in that one.

This time, Dawson was the victim of at least one accidental head-butt that busted open a cut near his left eye. He kept his composure and cranked up the pressure in the later rounds. No fighter has ever knocked out Hopkins and Dawson never came close. He didn't have to lay him out to win this one. Dawson held the belt high over his head and slung it over his shoulder in celebration...

Hopkins looked like he wanted to keep going after the 12th round. While Dawson's face was battered and bloodied, Hopkins' mug wasn't much more than swollen. He stood on the ring apron after the bout and barked at the crowd, "Look at my face!" Dawson could have told him to look at the scorecards. Two judges scored it 117-111 and a third scored it 114-114.
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riverplate · May 6, 2012

Mayweather Tops Cotto by Decision - ESPN

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Floyd Mayweather Jr. finally found himself in a real fight, complete with a bloody nose and an opponent in Miguel Cotto who never was going to quit. As usual, he found a way to win.

Mayweather used his speed and accuracy Saturday night to take a unanimous decision over a game Cotto in a bruising bout to win a piece of the 154-pound title. But it wasn't easy, as Cotto landed some hard punches and kept attacking all the way to the final bell. Mayweather dominated late, rocking Cotto in the 12th round to pull out a win and remain unbeaten in 43 fights. Unlike most of his fights, though, Mayweather got his nose bloodied and engaged in some bruising exchanges he usually likes to avoid.

Cotto was never down, though he seemed hurt several times during the fight, particularly in the 12th round. In the last round, Mayweather landed his best punch of the night, a left uppercut that seemed to hurt Cotto. He followed that with several flurries to the head to wrap up a decision that until the later rounds had been in doubt.

Two judges scored the fight 117-111 and the third had it 118-110. ESPN had it 116-112 for Mayweather. The Associated Press had Mayweather winning 116-112. The decision was roundly booed by the crowd at the MGM Grand arena, which cheered wildly every time Cotto landed a punch.
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riverplate · May 6, 2012

Canelo Drubs Mosley in Decision on Undercard - ESPN

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Canelo Alvarez retained his WBC super-welterweight title with a unanimous points victory over Shane Mosley in Las Vegas. The 21-year-old Mexican was given the verdict over the American veteran 119-109 on two of the judges' scorecards and the third had it 118-110. ESPN had it for Alvarez, 118-110.

Alvarez shook off a cut over his left eye from a head butt in the 3rd round and dominated the fight, landing big punches to the body and occasional uppercuts to the head. Mosley fought to the end and kept his record of having never been knocked out intact, but at the age of 40 he did not have the reflexes or strength to be competitive against his younger opponent. His will was clearly there, but he could not make his body fire at will as he once did.

Alvarez, fighting on the Mexican Cinco de Mayo holiday and with the crowd behind him, suffered a small cut over his left eye in the 3rd round from an accidental head-butt, but it was a dominant round for him, including rocking Mosley with a clean right hand. The cut never became a serious factor, even though there was a trickle of blood running down Alvarez's face in the late rounds.

Alvarez (40-0-1, 29 KOs), who was making the 4th successful defense of his title, repeatedly rocked Mosley (46-8-1, 39 KOs) with shots, landing 348 of 673 punches (52%). Mosley couldn't get away from even looping right hands. It was the most blows landed on Mosley in the 34 of his fights that CompuBox has tracked.
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riverplate · May 28, 2012

Ex-Champ Johnny Tapia Found Dead in New Mexico - BBC Sport

Three-weight world champion Johnny Tapia has died at the age of 45. Tapia, whose career was marked by cocaine addiction, alcohol, depression and run-ins with the law, was found dead on Sunday in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He won the WBO super-flyweight title in 1994, adding the IBF super-flyweight title in 1997, two belts (WBA in 1998 and WBO in 2000) at bantamweight and the IBF featherweight belt in 2002. Police spokesman Robert Gibbs said the death "did not appear to be suspicious".

Having been banned from boxing for three-and-a-half-years in the early 1990s because of his cocaine addiction, he beat Henry Martinez to become a world champion for the first time. Tapia went 11 years unbeaten as a professional before Paulie Ayala defeated him in 1999 in The Ring magazine's Fight of the Year, taking his WBA bantamweight title. Tapia lost a rematch with Ayala in 2000.

In 2002 he beat Manuel Medina to secure the IBF featherweight crown and was good enough to take Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera the distance later that same year. Tapia last fought in June, outpointing Mauricio Pastrana in Albuquerque. He finished with a 59-5-2 record. He had 30 KO's and got knocked out once.
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unclesox · May 28, 2012

Sad to hear about Johnny Tapia though not unexpected. More surprising that he was able to reach his mid-forties. I was a big fan during the mid-late 90s. I enjoyed his victory over crosstown Albuquerque rival Danny Romero the most as it appeared to exorcize a lot of ghosts for him at the time. R.I.P.

Also heard that light-welterweight Paul Williams was involved in a motorcycle accident that has left him paralyzed from the waist down. Tragic.

Hachiko · Jun 10, 2012

Jerry Roth, C.J. Ross and Duane Ford elected to make a decision that would not be embraced by the sporting community. You don't have to own the fight to own the fight. Case in point: Timothy Bradley.

riverplate · Jun 10, 2012

Bradley Beats Pacman in Split Ruling - ESPN

LAS VEGAS -- Timothy Bradley promised to shock, though the biggest shock in his fight with Manny Pacquiao came from the judges' scorecards. In a fight Pacquiao seemed to have in hand, two judges decided otherwise, giving Bradley a split decision Saturday night and ending the Filipino fighter's remarkable 7-year unbeaten run.

Promoter Bob Arum fumed, the crowd at the MGM Grand arena booed, and Pacquiao seemed stunned when the decision was announced. Arum said there would be a November rematch, though he blasted the way the decision went down. "I've never been as ashamed of the sport of boxing as I am tonight," said Arum, who handles both fighters.

Bradley came on strong in the later rounds, winning 5 of the last 6 on two scorecards and 4 on the third. He won 115-113 on the scorecards of judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross, while losing on Jerry Roth's scorecard by the same margin. The Associated Press had Pacquiao winning 117-111.

Pacquiao tried to turn the fight into a brawl, using his power to hurt Bradley in the early rounds. But Bradley changed tactics in the middle rounds and used his boxing skills to win enough rounds to take the narrow decision for the welterweight title. Bradley seemed hurt in the 4th and 5th rounds, but Pacquiao had trouble landing big punches after that. Still, he seemed in control of the fight everywhere but on the judge's scorecards.

Ringside punching statistics showed Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) landing 253 punches to 159 for Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs), who vowed before the fight to take the 147-pound title from Pacquiao. The Compubox statistics showed Pacquiao landing more punches in 10 of the 12 rounds.
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Pelefan · Jun 10, 2012

Biggest fix in the history of boxing. Manny should have his final bouts in a venue outside the state of Nevada just to teach those scumbags a lesson.

esc0 · Jun 10, 2012

down right despicable decision. I will never watch another fight from Top Rank/Bob Arum again especially a rematch between Pac & Bradley. I won't even watch the highlights unless Pac gets a KO of the Year then I'll check for the clip.

Pelefan · Jun 11, 2012

Well Manny did vow that he wasn't going to leave it up to the judges next time if there is a rematch. In his last few matches, he has been too nice to his opponents and has been letting up in the last few rounds carrying them at times. I think after this, he will go for the KO again in every match. It should be worth it to watch his fights from now on since he is such an entertaining fighter when he is committed to the KO.
Also despite the disappointing result, the Bradley fight was action packed with Bradley willing to trade punches early on so I wouldn't mind paying to watch them fight again.

esc0 · Jun 11, 2012

Pelefan said: ↑

Well Manny did vow that he wasn't going to leave it up to the judges next time if there is a rematch. In his last few matches, he has been too nice to his opponents and has been letting up in the last few rounds carrying them at times. I think after this, he will go for the KO again in every match. It should be worth it to watch his fights from now on since he is such an entertaining fighter when he is committed to the KO.
Also despite the disappointing result, the Bradley fight was action packed with Bradley willing to trade punches early on so I wouldn't mind paying to watch them fight again.
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I agree Bradley made a commendable effort but Pacquiao had Bradley wobbly about 4 times early in the fight and backed off each time from getting the KO/TKO. No way does the rematch deserve anyone's money.

Pelefan · Jun 11, 2012

Well better a rematch or any Pacquaio fight for that matter than watching a typical Mayweather fight although Floyd's last fight had a little more action than usual.