Referee Jay Nady made the right decision but the wrong assumption

Truth be told whether you like the decision Jay Nady made in disqualifying Bernabe Concepcion for hitting Steven Luevano after the bell sounded the end of the seventh round or not, it was a decision that had to be made. What was bothersome however was Nady accusing Concepcion of blatantly and deliberately hitting Luevano after the bell and said to officials and Concepcion’s corner,

“He heard me and he heard the bell because I was right there.”

Concepcion’s corner man Freddie Roach justifiably shot back and questioned Nady,

“How do you know he heard you?!”

Nady then insisted,

“It was wrong! It was simply wrong!”

and when Roach tried to dispute Nady’s accusation that Concepcion maliciously hit Luevano after the bell, Nady yelled at Roach and said,

“Don’t argue with me! Don’t argue with me!!!”

After looking at the replays however, two things were clear. First, the punch was indeed after the bell had sounded. Second, Nady jumped to break both fighters way too late than he should’ve and that Concepcion indeed looked at Nady but not before he threw a punch at Luevano or when the bell sounded as Nady insinuated but only after Nady stepped in which was too late and the punch was already thrown.

Nady failed to do his job as a referee in a timely manner and washed his hands of any blame by saying Concepcion did something that in his words was “simply wrong”. The decision to disqualify Concepcion was fair because whether he intentionally hit Luevano after the bell or not, he still flattened his unsuspecting opponent who appeared and acted at the moment as if he was ran over by a speeding Sarao jeepney and could not continue. Whether Luevano deserves an Oscar or not for the acting job he did in selling that hit or whether he did any acting at all, is a whole different subject. What was not fair though was Nady concluding that Concepcion deliberately did a wrong act.

Perhaps as TV commentators Mario Lopez and Al Bernstein mentioned, Nady forgot he was still refereeing a fight. As the fourth round began Bernstein made the comment,

“It’s a good thing for Jay Nady he’s not paid per clinch because he hasn’t had to break them up I don’t think, maybe once in this fight.”

And Lopez added

“This is the least I’ve had to seen Jay to go in there and work, you’re right. You made a good point”.

After the fight and as translated by Quinito Henson of Philstar.com, Concepcion said,

“The crowd was noisy and it was in the heat of the battle, I didn’t see the referee breaking us up so I thought the fight would continue. I’ll try harder next time.”

This is not the first time Nady has failed to properly officiate a world title-fight. In 2007, ironically also at the end of the seventh round, Marco Antonio Barrera hit Juan Manuel Marquez after Marquez appeared to have been already down. Nady was late to break both fighters up as a result, Barrera tagged Marquez late and was awarded a point deduction by Nady which played a vital role in the outcome of that fight.

Nady was too far from both fighters and too slow on his feet to break them up. Fighters should definitely practice awareness in the ring but at the same time they are taught to not relent until their opponent is down. What if a fighter stops hitting an opponent assuming he was down but he wasn’t and gets tagged by a knockout counter?

It’s the referee’s job to call knockdowns and break fighters up. Granted referees are humans like all of us and are always first to be blamed whenever controversies in fights occur, but just to set the record straight, I simply can’t let Nady get off the hook like that especially knowing how much these fighters invest and sacrifice just to win these fights. Concepcion was starting to regain momentum and was certainly in the fight as the judges’ scorecards revealed after the bout when one out of the three judges had him winning. Hopefully Concepcion gets a rematch as Arum promised.

At the end of the day, Nady made the right decision in disqualifying Concepcion, but made a terrible accusation and the wrong assumption by saying Concepcion punched Luevano on purpose. Sorry Nady, you may not want people to argue with you but as the old adage says, “the tapes don’t lie.”

PINOY POWER 2 WEIGHIN PHOTOS

8/14/09, Las Vegas, Nevada --- "The Filipino Flash" Nonito Donaire Jr., of the Philippines weighs in at 115 lb Friday for his upcoming WBA interim world Super Flyweight against Rafael "El Torito" Concepcion of Panama on the Top Rank promoted "Pinoy Power 2” on Pay Per View, Saturday, August 15 at the New Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Concepcion came in over weight at 119.5 lb. -- Photo Credit : Chris Farina - Top Rank.


"The Filipino Flash" Nonito Donaire Jr., of the Philippines weighs in at 115 lb Friday for his upcoming WBA interim world Super Flyweight against Rafael "El Torito" Concepcion of Panama on the Top Rank promoted "Pinoy Power 2” on Pay Per View, Saturday, August 15 at the New Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Concepcion came in over weight at 119.5 lb. --- Photo Credit : Chris Farina - Top Rank.


(L-R) WBO Featherweight champion Steven Luevano, La Puente,Ca and #1 contender Bernabe Concepcion from the Philippines both weigh in at 125.5 lb Friday for their upcoming WBO World Featherweight championship on the Top Rank promoted "Pinoy Power 2” on Pay Per View, Saturday, August 15 at the New Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. --- Photo Credit : Chris Farina - Top Rank.


WBO Featherweight champion Steven Luevano, La Puente,Ca weighs in at 125.5 lb Friday for his upcoming WBO World Featherweight championship against #1 contender Bernabe Concepcion from the Philippines on the Top Rank promoted "Pinoy Power 2” on Pay Per View, Saturday, August 15 at the New Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. --- Photo Credit : Chris Farina - Top Rank. .....source

Jones and Lacy battle for the key to “Hook City”

“Hook City” may very well be one of the strangest names we’ve seen for a fight promotion in quite some time. Perhaps it is fitting, because it is attached to one of the stranger fights we’ve seen as well.

Roy Jones Jr. clearly needs no introduction. Many boxing fans swore off watching Jones fight ever again—about five fights ago. Much like his contemporary, Brett Favre, all seems to be forgotten when he shows up and says he wants to compete again.

Jeff Lacy, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. For all the talk of him being washed up, and an afterthought, it’s very hard to imagine that he only has two losses on his record. Find me another former Olympian that was considered washed up at the relatively young age of 32 after only two professional losses. You may find some, but it’s no easy task.

On Saturday, August 15, 2009, at the Gulf Coast Arena in Biloxi, MS, these two men will face each other in an attempt to add another act onto their careers. For Jones, most fans agreed that after his embarrassing loss to Joe Calzaghe, he should probably retire. You’ll have to excuse my skepticism, but his last fight, against Omar Sheika in March of this year, appeared to me to be a blatant farce designed to get Jones another fight. Sheika was clearly not hurt when the referee stopped the fight. However, I’d like to think Jones and his team have more integrity than to pull a stunt like that, and I hope I am right.

For Lacy, who is coming off a disputed decision over Otis Griffin, and a complete manhandling at the hands of Jermain Taylor before that, a win over even a 40-year old Jones would be the signature win he needs to prove that he even belongs on the stage at this point.

Ever since Jones was knocked out by Antonio Tarver, he’s been a shell of his former self. His subsequent fight, against Glen Johnson, was the first time we saw Roy display what I playfully began calling, “The Roy Jones Pose.” It seems that as soon as Jones is punched flush in a fight, he simply covers up and only throws punches reluctantly and sporadically. This makes him a sitting duck for any boxer, especially one with some pop.

When Lacy was being dismantled by Taylor, he never stopped coming forward and pressing the action. Even when he was being outboxed, he was up to the challenge. I see no reason to think that Jones will deliver any blows significant enough to deter Lacy from attacking.

I see two possible ways this fight can go, but I can not decide which one I think will happen. Either Jones will be able to use his hand speed, which is still superior to Lacy’s, to hold him off and mostly pot shot him for the entire fight or Lacy will get to him with a significant punch early in the fight and send Jones into retreat mode.

In his heyday, Jones’ athleticism was his defense, and he routinely pitched shut outs against opponents. He hasn’t been able to do that lately and I don’t see it happening here. Can we actually picture Roy Jones fighting “balls to the wall” in an all out brawl? I can’t say that I can.

I believe we will know the winner within the first three rounds. If at that point, Roy has stayed clean and showed the ability to thwart Lacy’s attack and land significant punches, I would see no reason why he wouldn’t be able to continue that for the duration of the fight.

If Lacy is able to get to Jones within those first three rounds with any significant punches, a ‘left hook’ perhaps, then I think Jones will retreat into his shell, leaving Lacy with plenty of room to swing for the fences in an attempt to get him out of there.

The most intriguing part of this fight might be the uncertainty of it. I can honestly say that no matter who wins and in what manner, I will likely still be surprised by what I saw.

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No one dares pick on Donaire anymore

LAS VEGAS – The contradictions in Nonito Donaire’s life are stark.

He’s one of the finest professional boxers in the world, yet he freely admits to nerves each time he’s about to fight. He moves so freely and effortlessly in the ring, but was so fearful the first time he was to climb between the ropes for a fight that he urinated on his leg in his dressing room.

He’s beloved by his country, where he’s a national icon in the boxing-mad Philippines, yet he’s shunned by a family he loves desperately because of a disagreement with his father, Nonito Sr., which he declines to discuss

He’s a charismatic, well-spoken young man who is a favorite interview subject of boxing journalists, but he was chastised mercilessly as a child for his big ears, big teeth and diminutive frame.

He’s now starting to realize significant purses and is able to help his family financially, though he grew up in abject poverty with tree branches serving as the roof of his home.

“Aside from me being picked in school and everything, I was a miserable kid,” Donaire said Thursday at a news conference to promote his fight against Rafael Concepcion for the interim World Boxing Association super flyweight title at the Hard Rock Hotel. “I never believed there was a tomorrow for me. I never believed I was going to be here. I never believed I was going to be something.

“Everyone made fun of me, and my feeling was just to go with the flow wherever life takes me. I didn’t believe in anything. I didn’t believe in the future. I didn’t believe in success or achieving anything.”

Donaire, though, has become the most successful member of his family – and far more successful than the vast majority of those who used to torment him when he was a child. The taunting continued even after his family left the Philippines and moved to Northern California. There, children taunted him for the same reasons, calling him “Dumbo” and “Bucktooth Beaver.”

He wanted to do something to shut them up but was terrified to even give them a dirty look. Fighting was simply not a part of his nature.

“I hated fighting,” he says. “I hated fighting. I was so afraid of everyone and everything. I never saw myself as a fighter. Never, ever, ever did I see myself as a fighter.”

His brother, Glenn, began to box and was getting plenty of attention from his family for his success. So Nonito Jr. decided he ought to give it a shot as well.

The need for parental and familial approval was strong – strong enough to overcome his many fears and doubts.

“I wanted my parents to be proud of me, so I started training,” Donaire said.

Less than two months later, his father – who would go on to become his trainer until their split – told him he felt he was ready for a fight.

Most fighters have nerves before a bout, but few were as nervous as Donaire recalled being. He was unable to contain his bladder as he was having his hand wraps and gloves put on.

“I was like, ‘I got to go to the bathroom’ and, boom, I just [urinated] in my pants,” Donaire said. “I was that scared.”

He was fearful until he got hit for the first time. When he was whacked in the face, he was a different person. He had nowhere to go. He either had to surrender – and get abused by his opponent until the fight was stopped – or fight back.

He opted to fight back. That was the start of a career that led him to the International Boxing Federation flyweight title and a place among professional boxing’s elite.

“When I got into the ring, it was home for me,” Donaire said. “After I got hit, that was it. I didn’t want to back down, because I couldn’t get out of the ring. The one thing I didn’t want to do was to discourage my father. I had no options, so I went on.”

He said he still isn’t at ease before fights, despite a 21-1 record with 14 knockouts and a 4-0 mark with four knockouts in world title fights. The stomach still churns. The palms still sweat.

He sees himself as more of a challenger than the champion.

He’s able to channel his nerves and has gotten so good that many consider him one of the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in the world. If he wins on Saturday, which he should, he’s in line for several big fights against the likes of Fernando Montiel or Jorge Arce.

But as good as life has become, he lives with the burden of a strained relationship with his father as well as his brother and two sisters. His siblings don’t speak to him, he says, because they take their father’s side in their dispute.

In addition, he said, his siblings think he should financially support them more than he does.

“There is a lot of misunderstanding going on about all this,” Donaire said. “But when I do try to talk to them, they don’t want to confront it. All they want to do is point fingers.

“That’s the difficulty I have going into this fight. The closest person to me all my life is not supporting me.”

He expects to win, and he expects to reconcile with his family. That, he says, would be more significant than any championship.

“I want to put it out there that I love my family and I want to be with them and I want them to be with me,” he says. “I know that one day, we’ll get back together and be the family we once were, but it’s hard. Emotionally, there’s a toll. “I have to separate myself from that, though,” Donaire added. “Until I can solve that problem, I can’t let it affect the business side of my life. Eventually, we’ll get this taken care of and we’ll be a family again. I don’t know when, but I do know we will.”

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Roy Jones Jr. vs. Jeff Lacy: Words before war!

Hear what Roy Jones Jr. and Jeff Lacy are thinking as they prepare for battle Saturday night in Biloxi, Mississippi!

Roy Jones Jr.

ROY JONES JR: I do really feel the fight will not go the distance. He’s a strong puncher and he only chance he has to win the fight is to knock me out. So when you come to knock a guy out, chances are you are going to get knocked out. I can’t see it going 12 rounds if he does what I think he will. I have prepared to go fifteen, so if he can survive 12 rounds OK, and he’s a better man than I thought he was. I don’t know how he’s going to take it for 12 rounds myself.

You both fought Calzaghe, can you take anything from that fight?

ROY JONES JR: No, Calzaghe kind of murdered him. He kind of got me with a cut and that was a different situation. I look at the fact that how bad Calzaghe beat him, I really can’t take anything from that fight. I came up better all-round, but Calzaghe was a better fighter than me that night but he got me with a good cut and was the better fighter that night. Overall, I am one of the best that ever did it and I feel like I’m getting back to my potential right now.

Over the years you have been able to cover a distance of about ten feet in a blink of an eye…

ROY JONES JR: I still can.

Has your style changed at all?

ROY JONES JR: Yes, when I had gone to heavyweight, I was a speed-combination puncher who has power and when I went to the heavyweight division I focused on getting more power and less combination and speed. Now I am focused more on my combination and speed. Now I am back to the fighter I was when you say me fight Julio Gonzalez. As a matter of fact, I might be better now than I was on that night. Now I am back to that Roy Jones and that Roy Jones was a technician.

Have you changed your defensive style?

ROY JONES JR: I did change it a little bit again, but when I changed it I realized that when I was keeping my hands up by my face like an ordinary fighter is not Roy Jones. Roy Jones is not an ordinary fighter and that was hard for me so I had to leave that alone. The old Roy is now me.

How do like fighting in Biloxi?

ROY JONES JR: It is great. All my fans get to drive to the fight. I was raised up boxing as a kid on the Gulf Coast…Louisiana, Gulf Port, MS, Biloxi, Mobile, AL, – I was raised up fighting kids from all those areas. So it’s great to be able to go to a place and perform where they can come. One guy over there by the name of Luis Callahan calls me every Thursday. There are so many guys over there that supported me back in the day that I love to come over there and give them the opportunity to come over there an perform again.

What type of training have you done to go back to being the old Roy Jones?

ROY JONES JR: What I really did to go back to being the old Roy Jones is the bull shit. Old Roy used to bull shit in the boxing ring. It was always about bull shittin and I had a great time bull shittin. What I did when I bull shit was to play around and when I bull shit I beat you. That’s what I had to do in my training, I had to put bull shit back into my regimen. I quit bull shittin and became a serious fighter and I’m not that kind of fighter. I am not an ordinary fighter, I’m a bull shitter. I do all the shit that is wrong, that’s what I did and now I’m back to that and that’s what I did in the gym. Look at the fight against Kelly that will e on ESPN Classic next week and you will see. I put my hands behind my back. I was bull shittin and I knocked him out. No one else can do that! That’s what I am blessed with and if I can’t do that I have to get out. I’m having fun again.

Do you look at that Calzaghe fight?

ROY JONES JR: I have been asked if there was one thing that I wish I had that would have helped me win that fight. The problem with that fight was that I didn’t have enough “rooted” knowledge in my corner to help me win the fight that night. Not saying that Coach Merk wasn’t enough, but Coach Merk doesn’t really understand the way I was taught. I was taught totally different than everybody else. He was doing all he could but I need somebody else that knew how I could beat Calzaghe and that person would have been with me from day 1. My dad was with me from day 1 and a guy that knew what I needed to do to beat Calzaghe. I didn’t have the knowledge of my skills in my corner that I needed to get through that fight. Then I got the cut and I didn’t know I was going to have to go through something like that. I needed him to get me through that.

What is your next step after this fight?

ROY JONES JR: I can’t go on to the next step because I have to take the first step. You never know what the next step might be. I may feel so good that I may go back to heavyweight. I want to win the heavyweight championship again. Right now, Danny “Green Machine” Green wants me to go to Australia and fight him and that would be a wonderful thing and that would be the biggest fight to ever come to Australia. I look forward to that but you never know what the best situation would be for me. Somebody called me the other day and said that “Bad Chad” wants a shot at me so who knows?

---

Jeff Lacy:

JEFF LACY: Well, with Roy Jones you have an eight-time world champion and one that really understands the professional side of what we call boxing. He’s a professional at what he does and that means I have to bring my AA game and that’s what we’ve been working on at the gym, to bring our AAA game. And Roy Jones always shows up and if he brings his AAA game it’s going to be a great fight.

How do you feel going into this fight?

JEFF LACY: Mentally I am feeling very, very confident. I am very confident and like I said, it is very hard to get up for a fighter that doesn’t want to fight and doesn’t pose a challenge. Roy Jones poses the challenge. He’s got me up every morning knowing that this is going to be a real fight. He’s going down as a legend and I want to be the one that beat the legend.

JEFF LACY: Certainly. Otis Griffin, I had no idea who this guy was. I knew that he was on the Contender but I didn’t know that he won the Contender series. I didn’t overlook him but I didn’t bring my AAA game. You don’t prepare the same way as you do for a Roy Jones. This Griffin, he didn’t pose a real challenge. I knew that I could go in there, by just watching him, the little tape that I did see of him, that I could beat him. He didn’t pose a real challenge that Roy Jones is posing to me.

What do you think about Roy’s nickname?

JEFF LACY: He is now, as you said, he is now “Captain Hook” Roy Jones has been in this game a lot longer than I have and all the sudden he is now “Captain Hook.” I started of f and I had one nickname the rest of my career. Everybody knows me as “Left Hook” from what I do in the ring. That poses a challenge and if he feels that he has a better left hook…hey, we are going to find out on Saturday night and I’m not here t argue about it.

JEFF LACY: Compared to other fights that I have had after the Calzaghe fight, it was hard to get the fans behind me like I had when I was getting ready to fight Joe Calzaghe. Being that Roy Jones is a name and a threat to a lot of fighters and he’s still a dangerous fighter. Still now. It means a lot and it means so much more than me going out and taking tune-up fights. This is not a tune-up fight. This is a fight that will take me to another level. That’s why I am so focused for this fight because Roy Jones is not a pushover. I respect Roy Jones but we have to take care of business on Saturday night.

How will you feel fighting at 175?

JEFF LACY: At the beginning of this promotion, Roy Jones said he could also make the fight at 168. There is no question that I can’t make 168. But this is a fight for the NABO, Roy Jones’ title and what best way to do it than to fight at light heavyweight. Being that I have no problem making 175 and Roy Jones can make 175 then let’s do it. I always have to come down in weight anyway because I walk around at about 190. But don’t get me wrong and don’t let Roy Jones think that because I’m only going down to 175 that I’m not working hard. I love to work out. Number one, I love for my body to look ripped. I’m going to look like I weight 190 but in a smaller frame. Ripped up. Lean.

Do you worry about fighting Roy in his home area?

JEFF LACY: No, because when you ring the bell, you fight. Roy Jones has to deal with the pressure of his fans. I’m going to pose a new thing to him on Saturday night. I’m aggressive. He came to see me in Tampa and saw that I’m an aggressive fighter and I punch hard. That’s one thing that he cannot get by. Even if I am taking a step back, I am still aggressive and punch hard. So that’s the thing he’s got to deal with all his fans in his backyard.

What do you think about the Jones-Calzaghe fight?

JEFF LACY: The thing about boxers, greatness comes and goes. You are not going to be great every time out. Being that you can still his=t those key points and Roy Jones can still hit those key points. He is great in spots. You are not going to always go out there and look fantastic each and every fight out. There are going to be times that you look great in those 10 or twelve rounds that you are going. You’re not going to go out there and look perfect. He still fought a competitive fight against Joe Calzaghe and Calzaghe is still considered one of the best pound-for-pound.

Can Jones be aggressive and punch hard against you?

JEFF LACY: Of Course. That’s what is going this make this an exciting fight for the fans. Roy is going to come and basically…Roy knows he is going to have to come. He is going to have to do something to get me to back up. My aggressiveness is coming and he knows that. In his preparation for me, he knows he is going to have to stand his ground and punch with me and not try to run and run and run because the fans and being in his back yard, they are going to boo him.

---

Hall of Fame-bound Jones is known for possessing one of boxing’s all-time greatest hooks, while Lacy’s nickname is, aptly put, “Left Hook.” Which one is the better hooker? That will be determined in Aug. 15 when Jones defends his NABO light heavyweight crown in the 12-round main event. The loser will be busted in “Hook City.”

The “Hook City” pay-per-view show, presented by Square Ring Promotions in association with Left Hook Promotions and Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, is being distributed by Square Ring Promotions, Inc. at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in the United States on cable and satellite via iNDemand, TVN, DirecTV and Dish Network for a suggested retail price of $34.95, as well as on Super Channel in Canada.

Tickets, priced at $150.00, $125.00, $100.00, $75.00, $50.00 & $25.00 are on sale and available at all Ticketmaster locations by calling 800.745.3000, on line at Ticketmaster.com and at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office.

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Bernabe Concepcion ready to be a world champion

"Success is a ladder... you can't climb with your hands in your pocket."

That is the case for Bernabe Concepcion's quest to be one of Boxing's best. Concepcion is taking on the biggest challenge of his life this weekend against WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano as a co-headliner for "Pinoy Power 2" at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. It's definitely a big opportunity as well as a big risk for the young rising Filipino star.

Luevano told FightHype.com's Percy Crawford last week,

"Just because it's a Filipino show doesn't mean all Filipinos are going to win."

Truth be told, in my opinion, this match-up will be the hardest to pull-out for the Filipino contingent on Saturday night. Not that I think Concepcion isn't capable of doing it, it's more of a tribute to Luevano's skill than anything.

Concepcion is aware of the task at hand and is pulling all stops to ensure he is as ready as he can be for his first world title shot.

"The way he fights, his style, I try to study every day. That’s what I always I try to study so I figure out his style of fighting."

Admitted Bernabe when I spoke to him recently regarding his preparations against Luevano and added,

"Luevano runs a lot. He is a hit-and-run fighter. That’s what I try to figure out; how I’m going to attack him. Whether I’m coming in from the left or the right or what hand I’m going to use that will make the most damage, that’s why I just keep trying to study his style.

Luevano will have the experience advantage and at 28, he is in the prime of his career. His physical frame is more developed rgiht now which might negate Concepcion's strength. Luevano is a seasoned and grizzled vet at this stage of his career and is already making the fifth defense of his world title and has a record of 36-1. Luevano will come in and aim to give Concepcion fits and lure him to his counter-punching style. Luevano is also a very skilled southpaw and as Freddie Roach told MaxBoxing's Steve Kim

"Southpaws are always a little more difficult. Bernabe has a little bit of an advantage because of living in the Philippines and 90-percent of the Philippines is southpaw. So he's used to boxing southpaws. The thing is, Luevano's a good boxer and my guys a good fast puncher with knockout power. Sometimes I worry about Bernabe because he relies on that a little too much. But I expect we might be a little behind in the early rounds in this fight but we'll get to him."

Actually, Roach need not have gone as far as the Philippines to find a perfect sparring partner for Concepcion. Fellow Filipino Nonito Donaire who is fighting another Concepcion, Rafael (no relation to Bernabe) on the same night would've been a perfect fit to give his ward the looks Luevano will throw at him this weekend. Donaire and Luevano have similar built, movement and fighting style although Donaire switches his style up during fight depending on what the situation needs.

Concepcion is no greenhorn either though, he boasts a record of 29-1-1 with 16 wins coming by way of KO and is hungrier and more determined than Fat Albert waiting in line at a Las Vegas buffet. The Pacquiao prodigy has knockout power in his fists and enjoys the benefits of learning from the sport's best pound-for-pound fighter together with the best trainer in boxing. He has a huge frame and is strong for his division, and at a young age of 21, Concepcion is already no stranger to big time boxing having been fought in the US seven times that started in 2006 as an undercard for Pacquiao-Morales 3 at the Thomas & Mack center in Las Vegas.

Concepcion is focused. A soft-spoken and religious person, Concepcion is free from distractions other fighters suffer from. When he trains at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood or anywhere else in the US to prepare for a fight, he has nothing on his mind than to take the next step and come back home to the Philippines with a victory.

When asked whether there was any pressure on him living-up to being touted by some as the next Manny Pacquiao, Concepcion told me,

"Manny has really helped a whole lot as he has with almost all Filipino boxers fighting here in America. He opened the doors for Filipino boxers to get recognition here and he also made Filipino boxers significant because of his ring exploits. He’s my business manager and he lets me stay in his apartment when I’m here training. Manny has really helped me so much throughout my boxing career and brought honor to the Philippines. Now it's my time to do my part.

It's going to be a battle of two nice guys. A victory over Luevano this Saturday will definitely elevate Concepcion's career to the next level. Some worry though if it's a tad pre-mature. I think he can pull it off. Regardless, Concepcion is ready as he should be. To put it succinctly, he will be in for the biggest test of his boxing career.

Pavlik vs. Williams set for October 3 on HBO!

Several sources, including ESPN’s Dan Rafael, are reporting that Top Rank and Goossen Tutor have finally come to terms for an October 3 fight between Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams. The venue is likely to be Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, with HBO set to televise.

The deal was finalized Tuesday night after weeks of tough negotiations. It is being reported that Williams will make somewhere in the neighborhood of $2 million, and Pavlik will receive around $1.75 million plus the live gate, which could amount to a couple of million dollars. Williams team has also agreed to a rematch clause, should Pavlik lose.

This is great news for boxing fans, and it is sure to become one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year as Paul Williams continues to seek out the biggest challenges as he moves up scales, this time against the undisputed middleweight kingpin, Kelly Pavlik.

Stay tuned for more information on this megafight as it becomes available.

Weather Cotto Likes it Or Not, His WBO title Will be On the Line Against Pacquiao

Well, it looks as if WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto will be forced to have his World Boxing Organization title on the line regardless of whether he wants to or not against Manny Pacquiao. It figures. The WBO is forcing Cotto’s hand by making saying that Cotto has to put the title on the line if the fight is go take place between the weights of 141-147. Since Cotto agreed to fight Pacquiao at a 145 pound catch weight, Cotto will be prevented in coming in at the full 147 pounds for the weight. This gives the advantage to Pacquiao, because he’ll have a weaker Cotto to deal with on November 14th, while at the same time still have the chance to fight for Cotto’s WBO belt, even though it neutralized welterweight clash. In effect, it’s like a welterweight match with training wheels for Pacquiao. He’ll still get credit if he wins, and only the boxing fans that dig deeper will realize that Cotto was prevented from coming in at the full 147 pounds for the weight class.

If Cotto fails to agree to put his WBO title on the line, he’ll be stripped by the WBO, and the title will be on the line anyway because the WBO recently made Pacquiao the number #1 mandatory for Cotto’s title a couple of weeks ago.

That was a real swift move by the WBO. They saw that Cotto was unwilling to put the title on the line because this was at a catch watch and they then decide to make Pacquiao the number #1 challenger so that Cotto would have no other choice but to put the title on the line.

If he doesn’t, and vacates or is stripped, Pacquiao will get to fight for the vacant title against Cotto or whoever steps in and take the fight. That’s really big of WBO to do this. They must really like Pacquiao a lot to push him above the other contenders in the WBO to force Cotto’s hand. That puts Cotto in a situation where he has little choice but to put the title on the line.

It’s either that, or he decides not to take the fight. Cotto’s not about to shoot himself in the foot, so he’ll probably take the fight so that he can get a huge payday, but this really ridiculous what the WBO is going to him. All this just so that Pacquiao can get a chance to win a 7th world title in seven different weight classes.

Never mind that many of the wins have come against fighters that probably shouldn’t have held titles in the first place or that Pacquiao was given one of the hugest gift decisions I’ve ever seen in my life with his 12 round decision win over Juan Manuel Marquez last year in March 2008.

The important thing is Pacquiao will be given the chance at a 7th world title, along with a nice handicap to ensure that he wins. Goodness knows, Pacquiao probably needs every handicap he can get. What a joke. Pacquiao loses twice to Marquez, then hunts out some mediocre fighters like David Diaz and then some shots fighters like Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, and all of a sudden Pacquiao is the king of the hill and given all kinds of advantages. You got to feel sorry Cotto. He’s really getting the business in this one. All this so that Pacquiao can get his chance to win a 7th title. I think I’m going to be ill.

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The Top 25 Flyweights of All-Time – 11 to 25

The Eight, Pt. 1

For any new boxing fan, the time is not long before a fellow fan points out a magic number which grows more mythologized with time: eight. As in boxing’s original eight weight classes. The number represents in the mind of many a time when the sport was compressed into fields which couldn’t help but be talented, couldn’t help but draw crowds, because there were so few places on the scale to go. They were divisions marked by single champions ever challenged by a depth of contenders today’s seventeen weight classes rarely know.

Reflection and research reveals this was not always the case, but it was true often enough to bestow a mystique on boxing’s ‘original eight weight classes’ which carries through to the modern day. As good as they can be, as great as some of their competitors have been and still are, weight classes prefixed by a “Jr.” designation will always be seen some as bastard spawn which took something away from the game no matter what they added.

Even with classes taking up space in between the old markers, the eight continue to provide memories and spilled blood today. Over the course of this series, homage is paid to boxing’s original eight by identifying the best of their lot through the years.

Flyweight

Flyweight is technically the youngest of boxing’s ‘original eight’ with early incarnations at the end of the nineteenth century. Its first professional champion in terms of the class which exists today was crowned in the U.K. in 1911 when Sid Smith defeated Louis Ruddick on points under the British Boxing Board of Control. The division had other early incarnations. It existed in Olympic competition as early as 1904 and a previous sub-Bantamweight class, Paperweight, lived a brief life fluctuating between 95 and 105 lbs., the latter of which is the line for the modern Strawweight class. Ultimately, Flyweight became and remained marked at 112 lbs.

While today Flyweight is marked by a mass of title belts and geographic boundaries and markets which preclude fights between most of the division’s best, the following list provides a look at many years and eras where greatness could be earned at 112 the old fashioned way: tough fights with the toughest foes.

In determining the top twenty five, a few ground rules applied as did some tough choices. While men like Jimmy Barry, Johnny Buff and Johnny Coulon could all be rated here, the arcs of their careers and the titles they contested made them easier to characterize at Bantamweight. No one who fought almost exclusively below Flyweight, once the Jr. Flyweight and Strawweight classes were established, is considered here so men like Ricardo Lopez or Yoko Gushiken will not be found.

Finally, no fighter currently active in the division was considered so the record setting reign of Pongsaklek Wonjongkam excludes him from what might have been a lower top 25 spot. Better to let today’s fighters complete their Flyweight legacies to figure out exactly where they belong.

Without further ado, here are the men who fill in the slots from 25 to 11.

The Top Twenty-Five

25) Guty Espadas (1971-84): Mexico’s Espadas was overshadowed by the parallel title reign of countryman Miguel Canto but his fights provided the sort of action Canto’s rarely could…career mark of 39-6-5, 28 KO…WBA titlist 1976-78, 4 defenses, all by knockout…Working his own way up the ranks, a vastly more experienced Espadas would ruin the pro debut of future champion Freddy Castillo in the fourth round…Espadas began his title reign with a 13th round knockout of undefeated Alfonso Lopez in a savage brawl and turned the trick again in the same round in 1977…He traveled to Venezuela to face native son Betulio Gonzalez and dropped a competitive majority decision to end what had been a short but fiery prime…Espadas would pick up all of his three knockout losses in his final nine fights against championship level foes Chan-Hee Park and Eleoncio Mercedes and in a final challenge for a 115 lb. belt versus Payao Poontarat.

24) Yoshio Shirai (1943-55): Call him the Godfather of the vibrant, modern Japanese fight market, Shirai was the first world champion from the land of the rising sun…career mark of 46-8-2, 18 KO…World champion 1952-54, 4 Defenses…Shirai learned his craft in the ring, losing 3 of his first 13 bouts before beginning his rise through the ranks, not losing again from 1947-51…dropped two straight from March to May of the latter year and avenged both…critically, he avenged a non-title split decision loss to champion Dado Marino via knockout, earning a shot at the crown…Shirai would defeat Marino twice by decision, the first time for the title…Also posted a successful defense over former champion Terry Allen…retired in the corner in a shocking non-title upset versus a 7-4 Leo Espinosa and narrowly found revenge in a split decision title fight…traveled to Argentina and left with a draw against the undefeated Pascual Perez in a non-title affair but fell to Perez twice for the World championship in his native Japan, first by decision and by knockout in his final fight.

23) Jackie Paterson (1938-51): One of many in a long tradition of fantastic flyweights from the British Isle, Paterson was a fighter through and through…career mark of 64-25-3, 41 KO…World Champion 1943-48, 1 Defense…That’s no misprint as Paterson spent most of the time in his reign fighting well above the limit…Paterson’s career was bookended in many ways by a rivalry with Rinty Monaghan…Paterson practically turned pro against the man, handing the then-veteran of over 30 fights his second, and only knockout, loss in 1938…In 1943, he blasted a fading and weight drained Peter Kane to win the title…a non-title knockout loss to Monaghan in 1946 helped to pave the way for a 1948 rubber match where Paterson was stopped again for the crown…Paterson would go 3-9 after the second Monaghan loss, including losses to Bantamweight notables Manuel Ortiz and Vic Toweel.

22) Rinty Monaghan (1934-49): The Northern Ireland product wasn’t a big banger but he came to fight and saw a long battle to become champion cut short by chronic bronchitis…career mark of 51-9-6, 20 KO…World champion 1947-49, 3 successful defenses…Monaghan could occasionally lose some head scratchers but also posted wins against some of the best of his day…as noted earlier in this list, he avenged a stoppage loss to Jackie Paterson twice over by seventh round knockout…a disqualification loss in non-title action versus champion Dado Marino in July 1947 led directly to a rematch three months later for the vacant World title, Monaghan victorious over fifteen rounds…he dropped an eight round non-title decision to Terry Allen between his first two defenses and would escape Allen with a draw in what would turn out to be his farewell fight.

21) Sot Chitalada (1983-92): The Thai battler spent over half of his career bouts competing for major titles…career mark of 26-4-1, 16 KO…two-time lineal World champion and WBC titlist from 1984-88 and 89-91 with ten total defenses…Chitalada’s first loss came in his fifth pro fight, competing for the great Jung-Koo Chang’s WBC belt at 108 lbs in March, 1984…he’d bounce back to defeat Gabriel Bernal in October of the same for the title at 112…Chitalada would trade the crown with Korea’s Yong-Kang Kim and avenge the early career loss to Chang in his second reign…in total defeated five Flyweight champions (Bernal, Charlie Magri, Freddy Castillo, Kim, Carlos Salazar) before running into the man he couldn’t solve…Muangchai Kittikasem took his crown in 1991 and held off Chitalada’s bid for a third title in a 1992 rematch, handing Chitalada the only knockout losses of his career…Chitalada retired still only 29 years of age.

20) Mark Johnson (1990-2006): Washington, DC’s Johnson may well have been the most talented American Flyweight since the 1920s and 30s and was the first African American titlist in the division…the one-time U.S. Amateur champion had a pro career mark of 44-5, 28 KO…IBF titlist 1996-99, 7 defenses…the southpaw was one of the most criminally avoided fighters of the 1990s and suffers historically for it with a lack of elite competition in the division to point to …despite ducks, Johnson carved a niche at the old Forum shows as a sort of Mexican Assassin, including wins over former 108 lb. titlists Josue Camacho and then-future WBO Flyweight titlist Alberto Jimenez…Lost only once in the decade, a four round points defeat in his second pro bout…defeated former IBF titlist Francisco Tejedor for the vacant belt in 1996, destroying him in one round…Johnson would later add two titles at 115 lbs., the second a late career affirmation against a young Fernando Montiel.

19) Yuri Arbachakov (1990-97): Arbachakov was Russia’s first post-Soviet professional world champion after a stellar amateur career capped by a World championship in 1989…career mark of 23-1, 16 KO…lineal World champion and WBC titlist 1992-97, 9 defenses…Arbachakov announced his presence by stopping former IBF titlist Rolando Bohol in two rounds in his first paid year…In his 13th pro bout, stopped two-division titlist Muangchai Kittikasem to begin his title reign and turned the trick again in his second defense…was the first man to stop then-future WBA titlist Hugo Soto in 1994…Easily decisioned Chatchai Sasakul in 1995 but hand problems and years in the ring caught up in 1997 as Sasakul lifted the crown over twelve in what would be Arbachakov’s final fight…The lack of a fight in the 1990s between Johnson and Arbachakov is a historical tragedy and Arbachakov gets the nod here for having faced slightly better overall opposition in the division.

18) Chartchai Chionoi (1959-75): Thailand’s Chionoi was the sort of give and take, knock out or be knocked out, warrior who make boxing what it can be at its best…career mark of 61-18-3, 36 KO…lineal World Champion and WBC titlist 1966-69 and 1970 with four successful defenses in his first reign…later held the WBA belt from 1973-74 with two more defenses…Chionoi faced a deep pool of opposition, contesting with eight men who had or would hold a share of the 112 lb. crown (Hiroyuki Ebihara, Salvatore Burruni, Walter McGowan, Efren Torres, Bernabe Villacampo, Erbito Salavarria, Masao Ohba, Susumu Hanagata) with wins over Burruni, McGowan, Torres, Villacampo, and Hanagata….Chionoi’s first of three fights with Torres was selected as the 20th greatest title fight of all time by Ring Magazine in 1996 and as the greatest Flyweight fight of the Magazine’s first 80 publishing years in 2002…Chionoi won his three titles against McGowan, Torres, and Fritz Chervet.

17) Peter Kane (1934-51): The U.K.’s Kane battled often with a scale that wanted him at Bantamweight and the long shadow of Scotland’s great Benny Lynch…career mark of 89-8-2, 54 KO…Kane won his first 42 professional bouts to secure a 1937 shot at an aging Lynch just past the 100 fight mark for his own career…after a classic October battle in front of over 40,000, Kane succumbed in the thirteenth frame…an intended title rematch ended up a non-title affair when Kane came in just shy of eight pounds over the limit in March 1938; Kane earned a fifteen-round draw…when Lynch vacated the crown, Kane was matched with Jackie Jurich for the title and left with a points win…focusing on the Bantamweights, where he would net a decision win over former 118 lb, champ Baltazar Sangchili, Kane would briefly return to Flyweight in 1943 to be stoned out of his crown by the heavy handed Paterson…in the latter days of his career, he would earn a points win over future Fly king Dado Marino and completed his career halting a three fight losing streak with a knockout win in 1951.

16) Newsboy Brown (1922-33): Born David Montrose in Russia, Brown was a steady presence among some of the best of one of the division’s golden eras and is remarkable for success without a knockout punch…Career mark of 66-14-8, 11 KO…one of multiple title claimants following the retirement of champion Fidel LaBarba in 1927, briefly capturing recognition as World champion in California with a win over rugged Johnny McCoy…couldn’t defeat LaBarba in two tries, settling for a pair of draws, but managed two wins over Hall of Fame great Frankie Genaro…would have success well past his prime at Flyweight against championship level foes, defeating Bantamweight great Panama Al Brown and Featherweight great Chalky Wright among others and Hall of Famer Baby Arizmendi.

15) Pone Kingpetch (1954-66): One of Thailand’s greatest, and it’s first world champion, Kingpetch got by with precision and smarts where power was lacking…career mark of 28-7, 9 KO…three-time World Champion reigned off and on from 1960-65, making all three of his successful defenses in the first reign…Snared his first crown with a split decision in Thailand over the great Pascual Perez and bettered the feat in becoming the first man ever to stop Perez in his first defense…was stopped in eleven by Fighting Harada in Japan in 1962 but regained the crown with another home turf split decision in 1963…the cycle began anew later in the same year…Kingpetch would be shocked in a single round by Japan’s Hiroyuki Ebihara in Japan only to return home in 1964 to again become king via split decision…His final title was lost on enemy turf in Italy via decision to Salvatore Burruni and no rematch would come with only two more fights, a loss and win, remaining in his tenure.

14) Hiroyuki Ebihara (1959-69): The Japanese southpaw could bang or box with the best of his day…career mark of 62-5-1, 33 KO…reigned as lineal World Champion and WBC titlist for only a few months from 1963-64 without any successful defenses and later added a WBA crown in 1969 but his career was more than just a title…Ebihara faced six men who held the lineal or other major title at 112 (Fighting Harada, Chartchai Chionoi, Kingpetch, Efren Torres, Horacio Accavallo, Bernabe Villacampo)…defeated Chionoi by decision and bested Torres twice…Accavallo held him off in two WBA title attempts in his native Argentina in 1966 and 67, the second of which many felt Ebihara deserved…decisioned Jose Severino for the WBA strap but lost it in his first defense, and final fight, to Villacampo…Ebihara was never stopped in 68 career starts.

13) Betulio Gonzalez (1968-88): Over two decades, Venezuela’s Gonzalez faced 13 men who held the lineal crown or some other major belt at Flyweight, more than any other man in the division’s history…career mark of 77-12-4, 52 KO…Gonzalez held the WBC title on two occasions and the WBA title once…it took three tries to snap the first belt on…after defeating former titlist Villacampo in 1970, he fell short in a WBA opportunity against Masao Ohba in 1971…another shot would come later in the year for the lineal and WBC honors against Erbito Salavarria resulting in a draw…the WBC stripped Salavarria for testing positive for drugs and Gonzalez would capture the vacant belt in 1972 only to lose it in his very next fight by stoppage versus Venice Borkhorsor the same year…when the belt became vacant again in 1973, Gonzalez would regain it with a majority decision over Miguel Canto to kick off a serious rivalry…Gonzalez would manage two defenses before dropping a decision to Shoji Oguma in 1974…losses in 1975 and 76 to then-champion Canto would keep him out of the title picture until defeating Guty Espadas for WBA honors in 1978 to kick off his best title reign…three defenses included a draw and knockout of Oguma before a decision loss to Luis Ibarra in 1979…he would fall short in two more WBA title tries against Juan Herrera in 1981 (TKO by 7) and Santos Laciar in 1982 (SD 15)…after stepping away in 1984, he would try a brief three fight comeback in 1988, going 1-1-1 and losing his final fight via knockout to future titlist Rodolfo Blanco.

12) Santos Laciar (1976-90): Laciar is one of the unsung greats from the land of Carlos Monzon, Argentina, and one of the more dominant titlists of the 1980s…career mark of 79-10-11, 30 KO…Laciar held the WBA belt twice in 1981 and from 1982-85 with all of his nine successful defenses coming in the second reign…Laciar would win his first belt from Peter Mathebula by knockout only to lose it in his first defense versus Luis Ibarra…He bounced back less than a year later to stop Ibarra’ conqueror, Juan Herrera, in thirteen and would hold the title until a move up to Jr. Bantamweight…in total, Laciar faced nine men who had or would hold a share of the Flyweight title (also including Charlie Magri, Betulio Gonzalez, Hi-Sup Shin, Prudencio Cardona, and Hilario Zapata, and Hugo Soto)…Magri and Soto were the first and last of those he’d face, both handing him decision losses, Soto in Laciar’s final fight…Laciar would also briefly hold the lineal World and WBC titles at 115 in 1987.

11) Fighting Harada (1960-70): A serious case can be made for Japan’s Harada as the greatest Asian fighter of all time…career mark of 55-7, 22 KO…the World Flyweight champion from 1962-63, Harada lost the belt in a debated split decision to the man he’d taken it from one fight prior, Pone Kingpetch…prior to Kingpetch, Harada also posted an early career six-round decision over future champion Ebihara…Harada was a whirlwind of activity in the ring whose speed and pressure made him a force in three weight divisions…He would later add the Bantamweight crown in 1966, lodging both of the only losses the great Eder Jofre ever had in the class…Harada should have beaten today’s Manny Pacquiao to the feat of being the first to win both the Flyweight and Featherweight crowns but suffered from a criminal robbery on champion Johnny Famechon’s Australian home turf in 1969…his career ended in a stoppage defeat to Famechon two fights later…Harada was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in 1995.

To Be Continued Tomorrow with the Top Ten

Semantics

The results here are compiled in two parts which tweaks the format used for the review of the nine Jr. Divisions conducted earlier this year.

First, a points-based comparison assigns points in part based on:

1. Number of fellow champions faced (total) then divided into a competition score to flatten the field due to the fluctuation in titles recognized.
a. Lineal World Titles
b. Sanctioning Body Titles
2. Title Defenses
a. 2 Points per KO; -2 per KOBY; 1 per UD against fellow titlists
b. Quality Wins (Points Assigned based on opponent accomplishments; i.e. lineal champions can count for 1, a single sanctioning body champion based on their sanctioning body total, discretionary points for established champions from other weight classes)
3. Quality Losses (Losses to champion opponents -1 point; selective non-title losses)
Draws (.5 points)

From this, a baseline is established and the top fifty fighters are identified. Further analysis focuses on the context of wins and losses, the relative dominance displayed in a fighters prime, and the strength of one’s era versus the competition faced, to get to a final top twenty-five.

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Lacy: Written off but determined

The story is legendary. Jeff Lacy was so scary that the opponent for his pro debut took one look at him shirtless at the weigh-in and bolted from the building, never to be seen again. That’s how intimidating he once was.

And the former Olympian lived up to the image for five years, starting his career 21-0 (with 17 knockouts). It seemed a star was blossoming.

Then, amid considerable excitement, he stepped into the ring with Joe Calzaghe in 2006 and perception was turned upside down.

The talented Welshman battered his young rival for 12 solid rounds to win an almost-shutout decision and render Lacy helpless fodder for critics in the media and public. Overrated, no talent, just another fighter, a joke ... they didn’t hold back.

The beating Lacy took hurt plenty. The reaction afterward hurt worse.

“It was difficult,” said Lacy, who fights fellow Floridian Roy Jones Jr. on Saturday in Biloxi, Miss., on pay-per-view television. “… Nobody said, ‘Well, he had a bad night.’ They said things like, ‘He’s not what we thought he was.’ That hurt like hell. You go out there and put everything on the line for something you love, and you do it for the public instead of yourself.

“When they turn on you, it hurts. I was angry. Now, I look at it as a life lesson. I’m OK with it. Now, I do it for myself.”

Lacy (25-2, 17 KOs) was careful not to make excuses for the enormous setback against Calzaghe, giving the future Hall of Famer his due while also pointing to other elite fighters – Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Jones – who also lost to Calzaghe.

In retrospect, however, he said he wasn’t ready for the fight. He had bought into his own hype, feeling invincible. Now, he looks back and sees that he didn’t have the experience to give Calzaghe a good fight in his home country.

Lacy has more explaining to do, though. He lost a one-sided decision to 2000 Olympic teammate Jermain Taylor and hasn’t won convincingly since Calzaghe, including fights against opponents we’ve never heard of.

Lacy dismisses the Taylor loss because the two are friends; he said he wasn’t nearly as aggressive as he normally is, adding that he still thinks he should’ve been awarded the decision. And he attributes his less-than-convincing victories since Calzaghe to difficulty getting up for no-name opponents.

Yes, he knows his many doubters will interpret such comments as excuses and his most-recent performances as further evidence of his mediocrity. He's used to it, though.

“It’s the same stuff they were saying after the Calzaghe fight,” Lacy said. “I’m the one who has to go into the ring next Saturday night and prove people wrong or right. It’s easy for someone to sit behind a computer or a TV and judge you, as if they know what you’re going through day in and day out.

“Everyone has their ups and downs, no matter what you do. As fighters, we're judged because we’re in the public. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.”

Lacy insists he’s motivated for Jones, the one-time wizard who is 40 and has a lot less magic than he used to. He knows this is a chance to surprise those who have written him off as an over-hyped, under-skilled physical specimen.

Physically, he says he feels as good at 32 as he ever did. He claims he’s confident, having had a very good training camp, and is in a very good frame of mind. And he still has the dreams he has always had, which includes recognition as one of the best fighters in the world.

“To sum it all up, I want to get back to the top of the mountain and look down on it all,” he said. “Y’all wrote me off. That’s the only thing I want to say.”

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Jones-Lacy 'Hook City' Card Stacked

“Hook City,” headlined by 8-time world champion Roy “Captain Hook” Jones, Jr. and former 2-time super middleweight world title-holder Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy, will feature four, exciting title fights.

In addition to being a well matched, entertainment valued promotion, “Hook City” has a slew of interesting storylines in each of its four PPV title fights on August 15th, which includes famous boxing “hookers,” wide-eyed dreamers, legitimate contenders and promising prospects.

"We’re proud to bring boxing fans such a great show from top to bottom," Square Ring Promotions CEO John Wirt said. "We have four title fights featuring three former world champions. ’Hook City’ has a power-packed line-up of highly competitive fights and entertaining fighters."

Hall of Fame-bound Jones (53-5, 39 KOs) is known for possessing one of boxing’s all-time greatest hooks, while Lacy’s (25-2, 17 KOs) nickname is, aptly put, “Left Hook.” Which one is the better hooker? That will be determined in Aug. 15 when Jones defends his NABO light heavyweight crown in the 12-round main event. The loser will be busted in “Hook City.”

Two-time world champion Danny “Green Machine” Green (26-3, 23 KOs), the power-puncher from Down Under, dreams of fighting Jones later this year in Australia. His opponent in the 12-round IBO cruiserweight title fight is South American light heavyweight title-holder Julio Cesar “La Furia” Dominguez (20-4-1, 14 KOs), who has fought in relative obscurity in his native Argentina. All he’s been dreaming about is knocking out Green. Which one’s dream will come true? That, too, will be decided in “Hook City.”

NABO cruiserweight champion B.J. “El Peligroso” Flores (23-0-1, 14 KOs) has a display case filled with regional title belts. He’s rated as high as No. 3 by the WBO and No. 6 by the WBA and positioned for a major world title fight. Standing in his way in “Hook City” is former world title challenger Epifanio “Diamente” Mendoza (29-7-1, 25 KOs), the Colombian hit man who specializes in putting opponents to sleep, as well as knocking-off unbeaten contenders.

Two highly-regarded lightweight prospects - Verquan “The Show”
Kimbrough (21-1-2, 7 KOs) and challenger Jason “American Boy” Litzau (24-2, 20 KOs) -- go toe-to-toe in “Hook City” in a 10-round Special Attraction for the vacant NABF belt. Both have rich amateur pedigrees and Kimbrough is trying to get where Litzau has been and plans to return -- a world title shot. All bouts are subject to change.

The “Hook City” pay-per-view show, presented by Square Ring Promotions in association with Left Hook Promotions and Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, is being distributed by Square Ring Promotions, Inc. at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in the United States on cable and satellite via iNDemand, TVN, DirecTV and Dish Network for a suggested retail price of $34.95, as well as on Super Channel in Canada.

Tickets, priced at $150.00, $125.00, $100.00, $75.00, $50.00 & $25.00 are on sale and available at all Ticketmaster locations by calling 800.745.3000, on line at Ticketmaster.com and at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office.

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De La Hoya not worried about Sept. 19 conflict with UFC

Two fights will take place on Sept. 19 -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez and boxing vs. MMA.

Mayweather’s comeback fight and UFC 103 are both scheduled to take place that night and both are on pay-per-view television, which means they’ll be competing for pay-per-view buys in a struggling economy.

So is Oscar De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions is staging the Mayweather-Marquez card, worried? Doesn’t sound like it.

“I’m not concerned whatsoever,” he said. “I feel strongly that UFC has its audience and we have ours. We have a strong, solid foundation of fans who have supported boxing for many years. If you give them a good fight, they’ll watch.

“It doesn’t bother me. I’m confident we’ll do well – extremely well.”

There are underlying stories behind the scheduling conflict, starting with Mayweather.

The loquacious former pound-for-pound boxing king, who hasn’t fought in almost two years, has publicly criticized Mixed Martial Arts and its fighters. Dana White, UFC’s president, has fired back with criticism of Mayweather.

And De La Hoya has ties to Affliction MMA, UFC’s former rival. Thus, the competing entities don’t necessarily have warm feelings for one another.

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy, is openly disgusted. He believes White intentionally scheduled his UFC show on the same night as Mayweather-Marquez to sabotage the promotion, saying Sept. 19 –- three days after Mexican Independence Day -– has always been a big night for boxing and White knows it.

He also said White’s actions will come back to bite him one day.

“In business, that kind of arrogance, that kind of short-sightedness eventually comes back to you,” Schaefer said.

De La Hoya spoke mostly with an olive branch in hand.

The former multiple-weight champion questioned the pay-per-view numbers UFC reports, including the 1.5 million-plus for UFC 100. And even if that number for UFC’s biggest night ever is accurate, he said, he’s not overwhelmed. Boxing shows have exceeded that number at least three times.

That was the extent of anything that could be construed as negative.

He explained why he believes the Mayweather-Marquez card will generate interest with or without the UFC card. He said Mayweather has become a crossover star with a substantial following; Marquez has a solid Mexican and Mexican-American fan base; HBO’s 24/7 helps generate numbers; and he will soon unveil a novel marketing campaign he believes will reach unprecedented numbers of potential customers.

And he wishes UFC well.

“UFC is its own sport and so is boxing,” he said. “We can live happily ever after side by side. There doesn’t have to be this back-and-forth bashing each other. They’re doing a wonderful job. We do a good job.

“Let’s leave it at that.”

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Pacquiao-Cotto vs Mayweather-Marquez: Top Rank over Golden Boy in the Early Rounds (Plus ask Freddie Roach!)

Two mega bouts just months apart and Top Rank has won the promotional fight by fueling the media with doubts. Of course I’m referring to the Manny Pacquiao / Miguel Cotto fight. Bob Arum may be a genius or is it raw luck? Since he announced that the Ninja and Cotto had agreed to throw down in November the following events have captured the boxing fans attention:

- Arum goes on vacation leaving both camps to negotiate a deal.
- Both teams can’t agree on money or the weight limit.
- Pacquiao’s camp says they might fight Mosley instead of Cotto.
- Arum gets back from vacation and settles all disputes, maybe.
- The Ninja wants belt number seven but Cotto and the WBO say he gets it at 147lbs. not 145 lbs.

Now let’s take a look at the other mega fight set for next month. That would be Floyd Mayweather Jr. / Juan Manuel Marquez. What’s happening in this camp? No news is not good news in the world of boxing promotion. Why is Mayweather Jr. not talking to the media? Where are the controversial statements? Why the trouble selling out this event? Could it be no publicity coming from Golden Boy Promotions? Oscar where are you when we need you? Are you counting on 24/7 to draw the PPV viewers? Haven’t we already seen Marquez up in the mountains pounding tires with a hammer? How about Mayweather Jr. bragging how he is the greatest boxer in history? Been there done that!

Do you really believe that Cotto would turn down a fight against the Ninja which would fill his bank account with millions and millions of dollars? Do you think that a two pound difference would cause the fight to come to a screeching halt? Mosley belongs to Golden Boy and Cotto belongs to Top Rank. Let’s do the math together, if the Ninja fights Cotto then Arum gets all the promoters share of the fight. If the Ninja fights Mosley then Arum splits the money with Oscar De La Hoya. No way Mosley takes Cotto’s spot against the Ninja.

In a nutshell….Pacquiao / Cotto was a done deal the night of the Cotto / Clottey fight when the Ninja told Bob Arum he wanted to fight Cotto. The rest is all hype benefiting the promotion of the event.

Super trainer Freddie Roach says “he is tired of the back and forth nonsense, I just want my fighter in camp preparing for the fight.”

Lee Samuels of Top Rank believes that Pacquiao/ Cotto is capturing the public’s attention because “both fighters are so evenly matched no clear winner, it’s up for grabs.” Hmmm…not so sure about that Lee. The last time I saw the Ninja he was throwing power punches so fast they left vapor trails.

Early on it looks like the Mayweather Jr. / Marquez fight will have trouble selling PPV buys. The flip side of the coin is everyone can’t wait for the Ninja to do his thing against Cotto. Fireworks for sure!!!

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De La Hoya fights the good fight

Amateur boxing was once such a significant sporting event in the U.S. that major international competitions were common fare on network television. The country’s finest sports writers chronicled the events.

These days, network television pays next to no attention to boxing of any kind and the country’s finest sports writers have plenty of better things to do than write about a fight.

It doesn’t say much for the future of the sport.

America’s best athletes rarely choose boxing. They’re going to football or baseball or basketball, chasing a dream of a college scholarship and a rich professional career. If you’re a teenager, you have a better chance to win the lottery than you do to make it into the NBA or NFL, but that doesn’t stop any of them from trying.

Parents hire private coaches and personal trainers for their children at frighteningly young ages with the hope that their child may be the chosen one.

Few parents choose to enroll their children in a boxing club, though, and the number who do is dwindling each year.

With Little League baseball and Pop Warner football and summer league basketball so firmly established – not to mention youth soccer – there’s scant hope that boxing can ever regularly attract quality American talent again.

That is told in the declining medal numbers won by U.S. Olympic boxers. In the past six Olympiads, Americans have won 23 medals, including five gold medals. However, 16 of those 23 medals and four of the five golds came in 1988, 1992 and 1996. In this decade, the U.S. has just seven medals, including only one gold, at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Worse, the only medal at all off the 2008 team was the bronze won by Deontay Wilder.

Unless that changes, that means that the quality of professional boxing is going to decline precipitously in the next 10 years. Already, the lack of quality trainers is evident and that is only going to get worse, as budgets are cut for youth boxing programs and fewer volunteer their time to teach the sport.

Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya, who won a gold medal in 1992 and used his Olympic success to become one of the most popular fighters in the history of the game, said in a recent column with RingTV.com that his company was going to invest in the amateur program.

But unless there is a dramatic turnaround of some sort, it’s only going to be pouring dollars down the drain. The American amateur boxing program is riddled with corruption and incompetence and it would take a miracle to turn it around.

However, give De La Hoya and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer credit for trying to find alternate ways to improve the caliber of those who have chosen to box.

Golden Boy has partnered with AEG to host a “Fight Night Club” at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The cards are filled with young fighters who are put into competitive fights.

In the last two decades, promoters have been very reluctant to put even their finest young prospects into difficult bouts, because the significance of a loss has increased substantially.

They won’t admit it, but unbeaten records and high knockout percentages are very important as marketing tools for television executives. The reality is that those records often mean little because the fighters are so undermatched it’s frightening.

Yet, it makes a fight look a lot more attractive on the marquee when it’s between a guy who is 16-0 with 14 knockouts and another who is 17-1 with 15 knockouts.

Golden Boy has decided not to try to protect any of its fighters who are involved in the Fight Night series and allow them to develop. Schaefer also said he wants to expand the series outside of Los Angeles and have fighters compete in their home regions in an effort to help them develop a strong fan following.

If they stick to that and don’t get lured into protecting fighters they think could develop into stars, it will have a long-term positive influence upon the sport. Golden Boy has most favored nation status with HBO and their fighters regularly show up on the network.

If Golden Boy truly puts these young fighters into difficult matches on a regular basis, by the time they’re ready to graduate to HBO-level fights, they’ll actually be able to fight.

Better, by having fought regularly in front of a hometown crowd, the better ones will presumably have picked up a following. That will only make them more attractive for television and ultimately create better and more exciting fights.

The bottom line is that, in more cases than not, professional fighters are learning how to box after they begin fighting for a paycheck. That wasn’t the case 20 years ago, when amateurs graduated to the professional ranks having already been schooled for years over hundreds of fights in what it takes to be a professional.

The Fight Night Club is a sort of on-the-job training for the fighters.

Done regularly, and run honestly, this concept figures to be one of the best things to hit pro boxing since De La Hoya himself turned professional.

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Video Feature: Super Six World Boxing Classic - Interviews

The worlds top super middleweights - Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham, Jermain Taylor, Carl Froch, Andre Dirrell, and Andre Ward declare their excitement for the upcoming tournament which will be broadcasted live on Showtime!

Ivan Calderon vs. Rodel Mayol rematch set for Sept. 12!

After their exciting fight earlier this year ended prematurely due to a cut, Ivan Calderon and Rodel Mayol will rematch Sept. 12 in Puerto Rico. Román ‘Rocky’ Martínez will appear on the undercard!

World Champions Iván ‘Iron Boy’ Calderón and Román ‘Rocky’ Martínez will defend their titles next September 12 in Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in a presentation of PR Best Boxing Promotions. “There will be a great card in September 12 with Calderon and Martinez will defend their titles in their country with the fans of Puerto Rico, it’s great for them”, said promoter Ivan Rivera, presidente of PR Best Boxing Promotions.

WBO junior flyweight champion, Calderon (36-0-1, 6ko’s) will face philipine Rodel Mayol (25-3-1, 19ko’s) in a rematch of the June 13th fight, that ended in a technical draw because of a accidental headbutt that caused a hurto n Calderon’s head.

While, Martinez (22-0-1, 13 ko’s) will defend his WBO junior lightweight title against mexica Michael Lozada (35-5-1, 24 ko’s). Martinez won his title on March 13 when he knocked out britain Nicky Cook.

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Klitschko Vs Arreola Set For Sept 26.

By Clive Bernath: According to the Los Angeles Daily News WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko is set to defend his title against unbeaten American Chris Arreola at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on September 26. The fight will be broadcast by HBO.

A press conference is said to be scheduled for next week to officially announce the fight and will come as a huge relief to Klitschko, who will finally get to defend his title following the farcical on off negotiations with British heavyweight David Haye.

Vitali had all but signed to fight the former cruiserweight world champion in Germany but Haye pulled out of negotiations at the last minute and signed to face WBA champion Nikolay Valuev instead.

Mandatory challenger Arreola, from Riverside via Los Angeles, will not only be motivated by the huge support he can expect from his local fans but also by the fact he could become the first heavyweight champion of Mexican ancestry.

Nothing comes easy, though, in boxing, especially in the heavyweight division. Klitschko stands 6ft 7,owns an impressive record of 36 knockouts from 37 starts with just two defeats, and will provide Arreola with by far the sternest test of his unbeaten career. That said the 28 year-old, who calls himself ‘The Nightnmare’, is a pretty heavy hitter himself, having stopped 24 of his 27 victims. The quality of his opponents may not quite match up to that of the more experienced Klitschko but Arreola comes to fight, is a solid 250lbs and will be a far tougher opponent than David Haye.

It is fair to say that the heavyweight division is not exactly bursting at the seams with talent at present. Neither Vitali or his brother Wladimir Klitschko, who holds the IBF title, have been overly stretched whilst defending their respective titles. But as said earlier, Chris Arreola comes to fight. He may not be the most technical of fighters but he likes to come forward throwing punches, before slowly walking his opponents down. Vitali too is not shy when it comes to exchanging bombs so hopefully, we may just see something that is all too rare in heavyweight boxing nowadays-a highly entertaining and explosive encounter.

August 5, 2009

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