The Neutral Corner

Roy Jones Jr. spoke to the media this week about his Nov. 8 fight against Joe Calzaghe at Madison Square Garden. Here are some highlights from the call:

How do you feel about being the underdog in this fight?

Roy Jones Jr: I love it. That is what I like to be.

What do you think about the Hopkins-Calzaghe fight?

Roy Jones Jr: Joe took Bernard lightly. He didn’t think he was going to have trouble with Bernard. Joe Calzaghe has said he is going to have to train harder for Roy Jones Jr than he trained for Bernard. He didn’t take Bernard as seriously as he is going to take me. So he is going to go to his A-game.

What is different in training between now and 10-years ago?

Roy Jones Jr: I just try to protect my body a little more. That’s all.

Why would you not want to fight Bernard Hopkins?

Roy Jones Jr: A – because he does not want to fight me even though he keeps saying he wants to fight me and that’s not going to get it done. I don’t have time to wait for Bernard Hopkins. I already beat Bernard Hopkins so why would I want to fight him again. If he wanted to fight me, that would be one thing, but he’s been saying he’s wanted to fight me for the last five years. Nothing has been done about it but that’s not my fault. That would be like me telling you that I dream of being heavyweight champion but I never do anything about it. So I’m going to sit here and talk about something that is never going to happen. So he can talk about whoever he is going to fight next and I couldn’t care less. I do what I do. I don’t work his career. I work my own. He does what he wants to do and I do what I want to do. And I am happy doing what I want to do. Besides, he has to ask his promoter what he can do. I can do what ever I feel like doing.

What is different now than when you dropped down when you fought Johnson

Roy Jones Jr: My body is back down to my normal weight now. As opposed to when I fought Johnson when I was not at my normal weight. I was coming down from over 200 pounds. Now I am down to where I am walking around at about 185 so I am good.

How will you match the punch output of Calzaghe?

Roy Jones Jr: I feel great and I would never be able to match the punch output that Joe will throw. What you have to think about is if Joe will be able to match me. In pro boxing, you always have to worry about one big punch. Against Bernard, he threw those punches for about half a minute at a time and that is why he only won by a split decision. This is pro boxing, so I don’t have to match his output.

How long will you fight?

Roy Jones Jr: I will fight till I can’t do it anymore and I have already set aside my achievements.

How often is 24/7 around camp?

Roy Jones Jr: All day every day.

Do you have any regrets?

Roy Jones Jr: Like I have always said, it is what you do for God, not what you do for people. For me coming back down to light heavyweight to get the belt was right, because that is what Bob Fitzsimmons did.

Prediction?

Roy Jones Jr: I will win the fight. That is no question. I am not certain yet how, but I am going to win it.

Larry Merchant said that he thinks Joe Calzaghe will win the fight?

Roy Jones Jr: Are you going to talk to a sober man or a drunk man (laughing)? You can tell me what he said, but I am sober right now so I probably won’t be able to digest it. Now if I was drunk, then you could tell me and I will understand what he is saying (laughing).

Do you feel a need or motivation to one-up Hopkins?

Roy Jones Jr: Hopkins did what he did and that was his goal. My job is to come out of there with a victory. I don’t care what he did or how he does it. He did a smart thing, which was to go in the ring a get a victory before I fought Calzaghe. He can do all he wants to try and tie himself to my career but I am not tied to his career.

Who has had a greater career?

Roy Jones Jr: I had the middleweight title and the heavyweight title. I am the only man living that had the middleweight title and the heavyweight title. So you tell me who is greater. They are going to watch Jones vs. Calzaghe on PPV but they wouldn’t put Hopkins vs. Calzaghe on PPV because the people wouldn’t pay to watch that on PPV. So you tell me who is greater. You tell me who the fans think is greater.

Some people think you didn’t fight the best?

Roy Jones Jr: I don’t know where it is derived from or where they got it from. But that’s not my job either. I was more than just a fighter and that was my point to prove. I had my reasons for doing what I was doing. I made it so delightful that you didn’t need to watch me fight another name fighter – I could fight anybody. You knew when Roy Jones went in the ring he was going to do something spectacular. When Pavlik stepped in the ring with Bernard Hopkins, the people knew they were just going to see a regular old fight. No Bernard looked great and shut him out but that was just boxing. Now to go out there and entertain, who can do that? Only Roy Jones Jr. That’s what makes Roy Jones Jr so much different than any other fighters. That’s why Roy Jones Jr against Joe Calzaghe will be on PPV when Bernard Hopkins against Joe Calzaghe couldn’t. Now when Roy comes, it’s going to be a show. Not only is he good and beat the hell out of who he is fighting, but he is going to look good doing it. And it will give people something to talk about the next day. The only other person they wanted to see outside of Roy Jones Jr that was more exciting was the mighty one himself, which was Mike Tyson because Mike would bite your ear off. When it came to doing something out of the norm it was Roy Jones Jr. Was I serious or not serious, or was I taking it a little more serious than they thought I was taking it.

How could this be made now and not before?

Roy Jones Jr: Joe Calzaghe was under contract with Fran Warren right? And he is no longer under contract with Frank Warren right? When he got out of the contract, what happened? The fight was suddenly made. So what does that tell you? That is was Roy Jones’ problem? No it does not! It would have happened in the past because there would have been no contract I would have had to get out of. I was more free in the past than I was this time but without Frank Warren, the fight got made. So who do you think was the problem? Roy Jones Jr? Noooo. Was it Joe Calzaghe’s problem? No. It was only one problem…and what is the common denominator that is gone right now? Frank Warren. If you have an undefeated fighter that is making tons of money for you in your country, you are going to keep him home so you can make more money. That’s just a smart thing to do business-wise. The same thing happened to Pavlik – they fed him to Bernard Hopkins and he got whipped. He should have fought some smaller fights and made a bigger name for himself and he would have demanded a bigger purse, but you see what happened to him now. Bob Arum won’t make big money for him any more or for some time. That is what Frank didn’t want to do. That is the business of the game. I told you I was smart. I was born at night - but it wasn’t last night."

For a look at all of the Neutral Corner's coverage of the Jones-Calzaghe fight, click here.

-- CASSIDY

Golden Boy promotions sent out this release today:

As the architect for some of the greatest fighters of all-time, including Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman, Angelo Dundee's name is synonymous with excellence. Now, the legendary trainer will look to impart his wisdom on boxing's reigning superstar - Oscar de la Hoya - as a special consultant for the "Golden Boy" for his December 6th super-fight with Manny Pacquiao.

Dundee joins world-renowned trainer Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain on Team De La Hoya for the showdown, which will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tickets for the bout are sold-out, but the event will air live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9pm ET / 6pm PT and closed circuit tickets are available at MGM-Mirage properties in Las Vegas.

"I am honored to have Angelo Dundee on my team for the biggest fight of my career," said De La Hoya. "His knowledge of the fight game is second to none, and along with Nacho Beristain, I feel like I have an unbeatable team in my corner for this fight against Pacquiao."

Dundee will review fight tapes, consult with Team De La Hoya regarding technique and strategy, visit training camp in Big Bear, California and attend fight week events. While he will consult with De La Hoya and Beristain regarding fight strategy, he will not be working the corner during the fight, leaving Beristain as the lead strategist and sole voice in the corner on fight night.

"After working with Ali and Leonard, I think it's only fitting that I now get the chance to work with the most important fighter of this era," said Dundee. "This fight against Pacquiao is the biggest fight boxing has seen in years and I'm excited to be a part of it and to help lead Oscar to victory."

That's the end of the release. Wow. Oscar is pulling out all of the stops for this fight. Interesting though, that he won't work the corner on fight night. That's probably the right move. Unlike most sports, "assistant coaches" usually don't work well in boxing. With only 60 seconds between rounds, it has to be one, clear, strong voice in the corner.

-- CASSIDY

The Neutral Corner caught up with Ernie Terrell at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. This is another video version of toe-to-toe. In this video Terrell talks about his era of heavyweights --- largely considered the best heavyweight era in history. He also talks about fighting George Chuvalo and his controversial fight against Muhammad Ali in the Astrodome. Ali was sharply criticized for taunting and humiliating Terrell during the fight. He was upset that Terrell called him Cassius Clay and not Muhammad Ali.

-- CASSIDY

Mike Indri, one of boxing's good guys, has a show tonight at The Medieval Times Castle in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. His Dignity Promotions puts on its inaugural fight card and features former WBA light welterweight champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris (28-3-1, 18KOs). The former champion from Brooklyn, New York by way of Georgetown, Guyana, will meet Nicaraguan Octavio “El Aquila” Narvaez (7-4-1, 4KOs) in the main bout.

The co-feature pits USBA welterweight champion LaJuan Simon against Emmanuel Gonzalez.

National amateur champion, Mike Perez, will also make his pro debut.

Tickets are still available and are priced at $50.00 (Ringside), $40.00 (Reserved), and $30.00 (General Admission). They can be purchased at www.dignityboxing.com or by calling 201-741-4994. First bout is 7:30.

Boxing’s legends “Tthe Bayonne Bleeder” Chuck Wepner, Alex “The Bronx Bomber” Ramos, Renaldo “Mr.” Snipes, Bobby Czyz, and “Irish” Micky Ward will be on hand.

-- CASSIDY

Now the other shoe drops.

On Sunday we wrote that a defeat to Manny Pacquiao could jeopardize Oscar De La Hoya's hall of fame status. Here is the post.

Today, we ask if a loss to De La Hoya drops Pacquiao from the top of boxing's pound-for-pound ratings. Again, it's a legitimate question. This one is a little easier to answer, because P4P ratings are all about the present. Really, any loss would knock you from the top spot. So the answer is yes, a loss to Oscar would drop Manny from the top spot.

But does Manny deserve to be there to begin with?

Just remember that his biggest wins have come against faded superstars Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera. In the opinion of this corner, Manny is there by default, a fighter to fill the void when Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired.

A quick glimpse at The Ring magazine's pound-for-pound ratings has Manny first, Juan Manuel Marquez second, Joe Calzaghe third and Bernard Hopkins fourth. Fair enough. But the question remains, is Manny there for lack of a better idea?

Here's a note regarding the Oscar De La Hoya hall-of-fame post. Don in Yuma left an interesting, spirited response to the question, Can Manny knock Oscar out of the hall of fame. Don compared Oscar losing to Manny like Sugar Ray Robinson and Jou Louis losing late in their career. To Don's point, Oscar losing to Manny is like Joe Louis losing to a middleweight or Sugar Ray Robinson losing to a lightweight.

And no, even if Louis had lost to a middleweight in his final fight and Robinson lost to a lightweight in his final fight, it would not preclude them from the hall of fame. But Don, can you really compare the career of Oscar to that of Louis or Robinson. Name the hall-of-famers that Oscar has defeated? A faded Pernell Whitaker? A shot Julio Cesar Chavez?

Don -- and all those who post comments -- thanks for reading and keep the comments coming.

-- CASSIDY

The 24/7 series on HBO has been fantastic. However, this is the first time the network will launch the series without Floyd Mayweather Jr. (cast as the obnoxious villain) and his dysfunctional family to keep us entertained.

Forget the boxing. Can Calzaghe-Jones measure up in the arena of entertainment?

Best Roy Jones Jr. quote: "If I lose on the 8th, who cares, but if he loses, his streak has ended. So who is the pressure on?"

Best Joe Calzaghe quote: "Hey, come on, give me my food, woman. I'm hungry."

Father knows best? Both fighters were introduced to boxing by their fathers. Roy Jones Jr. parted ways professionally with his dad about 15 years ago. Enzo Calzaghe remains in his son's corner. Enzo was a jazz musician and had no prior boxing experience. Roy Jones Sr. was a pro middleweight who once fought Marvin Hagler.

Best training scene: The medicine ball pounding into Calzaghe's midsection.

Camp contrasts: At the Jones camp they shoot rifles or cross bows during leisure time. At the Calzaghe camp they drink tea and play video games.

Best supporting cast: Alfie Smith (whose job it is to slap box with Jones) and Calzaghe's girlfriend Jo Emma Lavin (for the obvious reason, and she cooks!)

Channeling Floyd Mayweather Jr.: When Roy Jones Jr. said he had, "skills impeccable to none." Huh?

Narrator: In the history of the spoken word, has there ever been anyone better at narration than HBO's Liev Schreiber? Maybe John Facenda of NFL Films fame. Maybe.

The scenic view: The establishing shots in Wales and California, PA, were outstanding. Beautiful work by HBO's camera crew.

The second episode airs next Sunday at 8:30 p.m. Check back here for another 24/7 report.

-- CASSIDY

It's a legitimate question.

This week I ran into my friend, "Richie from Levittown," who is a really knowledgeable boxing guy when he's not obsessing over soccer. I asked him, "Does Manny have a chance against Oscar?"

He said, "He shouldn't, but he does."

It was a brilliant answer because it's so true. Usually, a good big man beats a good little man. There have been some exceptions, but that rule has generally held true for more than 100 years of boxing. It basically means that with all things equal -- talent, desire, conditioning -- the larger fighter will beat the smaller fighter. Pacquiao has far too much weight to make up in this fight. On paper, he should lose.

But here's the catch. Will all things be equal? Will Manny have the edge when it comes to conditioning and desire? In the opinion of this corner, De La Hoya's major flaw is his inability to close the show.

There was a time when Oscar was among the best at finishing off an opponent. He still is. But there is a major difference between finishing off a wounded fighter and maintaining your skill and energy level long enough to win a close decision.

Oscar was ahead against Felix Trinidad, Bernard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Sugar Shane Mosley. He lost each of those fights. Now, it can be argued that he was the victim of shoddy judging against Trinidad and Mosley, but the reality is, Oscar has not won a meanigful fight since Fernarndo Vargas (2002) and before that, Ike Quartey (1999).

De La Hoya deserves credit for carrying the sport of boxing through one of its darkest periods. He also deserves credit fight fighting the biggest names of his generation. But if he wakes up a loser on Dec. 7, we will have to start wondering if he is worthy of hall-of-fame consideration.

-- CASSIDY

It seems the Fightin' Wordsmiths who cover MMA here are tossing around accusations with the recklessness of an Anaconda Choke Hold.

I must say, though, it was quite entertaining.

In their most recent post to us on Fightin' Words, we are being labeled "closet MMA fans."

Interesting.

This corner has had many an office debate with Hammerin' Hank and Joey Jiu-jitsu and have defended the Sweet Science. (Which, admittedly, can be difficult at times.) Throughout the course of our conversations and watching some YouTube links sent my way, I have a greater appreciation for the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the athletes who compete. In fact, during our interview, one of the messages Pete Sell wanted out there was that people should look at us like, "athletes, we're regular, hard-working guys." I can buy into that.

Here's what I don't buy into. I wrote this once before during Newsday's great Boxing-MMA debate. But it's worth repeating here:

"... I'm sure [MMA fighters] are brilliant within their own disciplines [wrestling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu.] ... But there is a reason that those sports have not made it to network television on their own. While the athletes are skilled, the action is simply not very compelling. That's why the only wrestling we see on television is of the fake variety.

"The reason MMA has been so successful is that it has taken legitimate sports -- wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, etc. -- and added a rogue element. You are allowed to elbow your opponent, knee your opponent, hit him while he's down and do other things that one would basically find offensive in a bar fight. Without those "rules" MMA would lose its appeal. MMA is a sport for the MTV generation. It's a sport of instant gratification. Observers want to see someone bludgeoned and bludgeoned quickly. They want to see someone's arm snapped and they don't want to wait 10 rounds for that to happen. I am sure there are fans of MMA, like Joe, who are
connoisseurs of the sport. He appreciates the nuances of an MMA fight. But that person is as common as a triple heel lock. The millions who are tuning in to watch UFC are tuning in for legalized mayhem. So, yes, congratulations MMA, you have succeeded in providing the blood thirsty fan with a quick fix."

But a closet fan? Sorry. I'm not sneaking a peak at UFC 937 down in my basement.

And sorry, we are not pirating page views by writing about MMA. The Neutral Corner's Toe-to-Toe segment has featured basketball, tennis and hockey players.

Oh yeah, and as for us "clinging to the wreckage" of our once great sport, let me just point something out. There has not been a single MMA event that has come remotely close to drawing the PPV buys and total gross numbers of the De La Hoya-Mayweather fight. (2.15 million pay-per-view buys for $120 million, on top of a live gate of $19.3 million.) And that record will be eclipsed by the De La Hoya-Pacquiano fight.

Try wrapping your armbar around that.

-- CASSIDY

PETE SELL IN TRAINING

The Neutral Corner caught up with Long Island native Pete Sell, who was training for UFC 90 at Matt Serra's gym in Huntington. After recovering from a shoulder injury, Sell returns to the Octagon on October 25.

Neutral Corner: Who wins between Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, both men in their prime?

Pete Sell: I gotta go with Muhammad Ali. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. That guy's moving on you, I don't think Tyson would be able to touch him.

NC: Who wins, Randy Couture or Mike Tyson

PS: In their primes? Randy Couture and Mike Tyson? I gotta go with Randy Couture. If Tyson doesn't hit him with that knockout blow right from the jump and Couture got him down, and it's probably a very good chance of Couture getting him down, that's it, show's over, he's not getting up. That's it, he's not getting up from that. Once he's on the ground, he's finished.

NC: What's your quick opinion on Kimbo Slice?

PS: He got a lot of respect for not doing much in the sport. I can't hate on the guy. Good for him, ya know, he got paid and everything. He's a superstar. But what do you do with the guy? They amped him up as a street guy on the internet, he made his name, and now you see what happened in his last fight. Maybe the pressure would be off him. They were trying to hype him up so much and he's probably like, I'm still learning. So if the guy keeps putting his time in, keeps doing his thing, good for him.

NC: One of the knocks against boxing is that there are too many sanctioning bodies, too many fighters claiming to be world champions, do you fear that happening in MMA?

PS: Eventually I guess that could happen, with there being too many leagues and too many champions and it becomes the type of thing that they have to unify the belts. As of right now, I believe the UFC is still the biggest show in town. These other shows have a long way to come. I don't think anything is happening like that in my time.

NC: What boxer do you like to watch?

PS: In boxing, I'm a big fan of Bernard Hopkins.I like Bernard Hopkins a lot, I like his rugged style.

NC: Did you watch his last fight?
PS: Yeah, yeah good stuff.

NC: OK. Last question, Pete Sell and Bernard Hopkins in the Octagon, who is coming out the winner?

PS: I gotta be honest with you, if you are asking me or Bernard Hopkins, I'm not going to try and trade with that guy. I'm taking his --- down. I'm shooting right for that double leg and I'm putting him on his butt. It's going to be me just because of my ground game. He doesn't know anything about a ground game. He would be a fish out of water on the floor. If I sit there and trade with him, of course he's going to beat the crap out of me. But I'll put him in a world where he doesn't know.

-- CASSIDY

According to Donald Tremblay of Main Events, the last world championship boxing match in Newark was in 1948 when Tony Zale and Rocky Graziano met in the rubber match of their epic three-fight trilogy.

That changes in December when IBF cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham (21-1, 11 KOs) defends his title against Polish-born former world champion Tomasz Adamek (35-1, 24 KOs) at the Prudential Center on Thursday, Dec 11.

This is a Don King-Main Events promotion. Tickets, priced at $303, $153, $78, $53, $38, are on sale now and can be purchased by calling TicketMaster at 201-507-8900.

Maybe you've heard that Newsday has an MMA blog -- Fighting Words.

We reported the other day that Donald Trump and Affliction will launch an MMA reality series. Well, that got someone's TapOut shorts twisted into a knot. I guess they were offended we posted the release first. It ended up on the boxing blog primarily because Oscar De La Hoya's promotional company has aligned itself with Affliction. (read: Golden Boy will financially bail out Affliction's sagging cards.)

But the MMA crew responded with this post and the not-so subtle jab that the only way we get page views over here is to report MMA news. I would recommend the Fighting Wordsmiths check out the latest stats. We're doing fine, thank you (actually, thank you Manny Pacquiao fans.)

The comparison between the two blogs lately reminds me of the first Frazier-Foreman fight (yeah, not so competitive) and that classic call by Howard Cosell, "Down goes Fray-sha, Down goes Fray-Sha, Down goes Fray-Sha!!!"

-- CASSIDY

Kelly Swanson sent out this press release from Joe Calzaghe. It really speaks for itself, so here you go:

Joe Calzaghe took a quick break from training to share his thoughts on Saturday night's tremendous victory for Bernard Hopkins over Kelly Pavlik. Here is what he had to say:

"I said all along Kelly Pavlik was overrated, overhyped and hadn't done anything in his career to a warrant a fight with me. This was evident Saturday night when Hopkins destroyed and exposed him for what he is. That is why I wasn't going to waste my time fighting him and went straight to a bout with Roy Jones who has proved himself time and time again that he is one of the greatest fighters in our era. I have been a champion for 11 years and I am only interested in fighting legends.

"They told me that the place was packed with Pavlik fans who either sat stunned or actually started cheering for Hopkins. My fans will have a great night at Madison Square Garden in New York as I will give them no reason to cheer for Roy Jones. I am sure it was a long trip back for all those people from Ohio. I tell my fans, don't worry, we will be partying on the plane ride home.

"Look at the landscape-I have beat everyman I have ever faced including younger fighters, stronger fighters and of course Bernard Hopkins. After fighting Hopkins, my biggest wish was to fight Roy Jones Jr. who also has a win over Hopkins. Hopkins showed Saturday night he is an amazing fighter but Roy and I both beat him. That says more than enough and come November 8, Roy and I have a chance to settle the score with the winner taking all the glory.

"My boxing career and record speaks for itself. November 8 will be the biggest fight of my career as I am fighting one of the best, at the best place to fight, Madison Square Garden. Believe me, it can't get here fast enough."

Calzaghe will face Jones on Saturday, November 8 at Madison Square Garden. The fight will be broadcast by HBO Pay-Per-View. On Sunday, Oct. 26, the debut of "Calzaghe/Jones 24/7" will air on HBO at 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. ET/PT.

OK. All the particulars are out of the way. Now to the point. Not sure what Pavlik did to Calzaghe -- maybe he roots for a rival football (soccer) team -- but Calzaghe is a bit off base. Pavlik's wins over Edison Miranda and Jermain Taylor were more impressive than any win Calzaghe has posted with the exception of his dismantling of Jeff Lacy.

Yes, Pavlik was schooled by a future hall-of-famer and given the way Super Joe beat Bernard, I am not going to argue that Pavlik is as good as Calzaghe. At this point, you can't say that. But he certainly fought better fighters.

Calzaghe says he's only interested in fighting legends. (Not that anyone will confuse Mikkel Kessler or Tocker Podwill with legends).

I say, it's about time.

-- CASSIDY

Amazing. Bernard Hopkins, at 43 years old, scored a lopsided decision over Kelly Pavlik in a non-title light heavyweight bout in Atlantic City.

“I’m tired of having to prove himself," Hopkins said. “What do I have to do? Kill someone? I believe I am the most underrated fighter when it comes to defense, when it comes to offense, when it comes to my heart. In my heart, I fought like I had to prove something.”

The scores were 119-106, 118-108, 117-109.

Here is a link to the AP story on the fight.

Here is a link to TheSweetScience.com's report on the fight.

Click here to look at photos from the fight.

Who says that styles make fights? Pavlik, a 4-1 betting favorite against Hopkins, had twice beaten Jermain Taylor. Taylor was the man who defeated Hopkins, twice, to end his run as middleweight champion. Go figure.

Because the fight was at light heavyweight, Pavlik, 26, retains his WBC-WBO middleweight titles. The loss was the first of his pro career -- 34-1. Hopkins improves to 49-5-1.

There is now speculation that, should Roy Jones Jr. beat Joe Calzaghe next month at Madison Square Garden, that Jones and Hopkins will fight. Jones defeated Hopkins in 1993.

Ironically, Calzaghe easily defeated Hopkins in April.

-- CASSIDY

Joe Cali is 22 years old and has been paralyzed from the chest down since a car accident in 2007. But there is no quit in this kid. He made a promise to both himself and Teddy Atlas during a testimonial at last year's Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation Dinner.

After receiving assistance from the Atlas Foundation and inspiration from the world class fight trainer and ESPN Friday Night Fights commentator, the young man said: “Teddy, next year if you’re up for it, we’ll sky dive, so if you are game, come with me.”

I hope Teddy's not afraid of heights. Tomorrow, at 11:00 AM sharp, the kid and the trainer will sky dive at Sky Dive Sussex at Sussex Airport 55, in New Jersey.

“Just talking to Teddy after the accident changed my outlook on my situation,” says Cali, “Teddy told me that anytime you are faced with an obstacle, just push through it, and things will work out for the best. I was able to handle myself better than I thought. Coming out of the hospital, I thought I was done.”

Atlas, who was a regular visitor of Cali's during his hospital stay, said: “I always tell kids that we are trying help that if they reach for the sky that anything is possible I never dreamed Joe Cali would take me literally.”

This year’s 12th annual Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation Dinner is set for Thursday night, November 20, at the Hilton Garden Inn on Staten Island, featuring Giants Super Bowl heroes Brandon Jacobs and Justin Tuck, and Jets coach Eric Mangini. For tickets and Information Call (888) 505-7070.

-- CASSIDY

So why is this on a boxing blog? Well, we reported in September that Oscar De La Hoya and Affliction had formed a strategic alliance and will promote MMA and boxing events. So, you can bet that Oscar -- the most recognizeable combat athlete on the planet -- and or Golden Boy will have a presence in the reality series.

Trump, who back in the day hosted many of Mike Tyson's fights in Atlantic City, plans to begin filming a new, ground-breaking MMA reality series called "Fighting Fedor." The show's theme is to find the next Fedor Emelianenko, by creating an elimination tournament between undiscovered MMA talent, with the winner fighting Fedor himself. Fedor is the star of Affliction Entertainment's new Mixed Martial Arts league.

Here's what the main players had to say in a press release:

"We are excited about the new show and feel it will be a channel to discover more talent for our MMA product," said Tom Atencio, Vice President of Affliction Entertainment Group. "Our feeling is that the key to success is to surround ourselves with good partners, and with our new partnership it will allow us to reach an even greater fan base."

"I don't know who is going to make it through, but whoever it is will be incredible," said Donald Trump, Chairman and CEO of the Trump Organization. "The show will be spectacular, unique, and is going to be a special event. It will be taped in St. Petersburg, Russia. I'm going to be there, but I don't want to compete on the show."

Sixteen fighters screened by both companies and Fedor himself, not only for their athletic ability but their character and marketability, will compete in a tournament culminating in a face-off against the pound-for-pound champion of the world.

"What Fedor means to Affliction is what Michael Jordan was to the Chicago Bulls and the NBA, what Mike Tyson was to boxing, and what Tiger Woods is to golf," said Michael Cohen, executive vice president and special counsel to Donald J. Trump, and COO of Affliction Entertainment Group. "Through his abilities, Affliction Entertainment intends to attract more fighters to the sport that represents the highest standards of athleticism."

"Fighting Fedor" will be filmed in St. Petersburg, Russia to further capture the international audience and to discover the future star of Mixed Martial Arts through rigorous competition. The fifteen episode series will commence shooting in April, with the earliest possible premier date targeted for June 2009.

-- CASSIDY

A pair of former middleweight champions -- Iran Barkley and Vito Antuofermo -- weighed in this week on some upcoming fights.

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao

Barkley: That is a fight that is going to favor De La Hoya. Pacquaio is coming up to be a big man but I have to go with De La Hoya, I think Oscar will win. But it could be an interesting fight. Manny is nothing to sleep on."

Antuorermo: "Why would anyone want to see this fight? It is a shame that a great fighter in Pacquiao is fighting this fight. Pacquiao may have a shot to win but in the end I don't think he'll have much of a chance."

Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins

Barkley: "Hopkins-Pavlik is going to be an interesting fight. I am going with Bernard Hopkins. Kelly Pavlik is like the new guy on the block. He just popped up out of nowhere. He still has a long way to go experience-wise, so I am going to go with the experienced guy. Only if Bernard does not do what he is supposed to do will the inexperienced guy come and snatch that away. Bernard has to forget that he has been world champion, he has to just forget everything and say I am going to take what's mine, I am going to stand for what's mine. If I want this legacy to be where it is that's what I have to do."

Antuofermo: " I like Pavlik. He is younger and bigger. If it was Hopkins 5 years or ten years ago I would give it to Hopkins. Pavlik is bigger and has a long reach. Hopkins never fought guys like Pavlik and he (Hopkins) will be in trouble. You have to go with the younger guy."

Paulie Malignaggi vs. Ricky Hatton

Barkley: "That is another interesting fight. My heart is with Paulie Malignaggi because Paulie is such a good guy but he has hand problems so that he will have to tough it out ....he will have to handle it. I think he is ready to do what he has to do."

IRAN 'THE BLADE' BARKLEY Photos courtesy Gary D. Morgan

These predictions were compiled by Gary D. Morgan

-- CASSIDY

PAVLIK vs. HOPKINS Photos courtesy Gary D. Morgan

Kelly Pavlik and Bernard Hopkins stopped in New York City one more time before Saturday's fight in Atlantic City. The met the media at B.B. King's on 42nd Street. Gary Morgan, a friend of this corner, was in attendance. Here's his report:

The voice heard the most at this press conference was Bernard Hopkins -- no surprise there -- and it was certainly an interesting voice. Although it did take about 20 minutes to answer one particular question. The main topic of the dissertation had to do with age. Hopkins talked about the differences between fighters in the old days and today and explained that he had the benefit of modern technology and suggested he is not as worn as fighters like Archie Moore and Sugar Ray Robinson, who fought several times in a month.

A nice moment during the press conference occurred when Bob Arum introduced George Kimball the great journalist who presented a copy of his book “Four Kings: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing” to both fighters. The book is available in most booksellers and online. As the last of those present filed out of B.B. King's, I could not help notice a theater marquee down the block displaying a picture of Frank Langella starring in A Man For All Seasons. Bernard Hopkins has been a man for all seasons and as the end of his four seasons as a boxer closes we will see whether father time has a few more ticks left in his clock.

-- CASSIDY

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy, has already likened the Oscar De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao fight to the Super Bowl. He believes this fight will transcend the realm of sport and become a global event.

And it's Pacquiao's Filipino fan-base that will make the difference.

"Manny Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines," said Schaefer. "He will be carrying the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. The whole country of the Philippines will be behind him, supporting him."

When the Pacquiao-De La Hoya press tour stopped at the Statue of Liberty in New York City, a throng of Filipinos attended the press conference. Schaefer, who sites statistics stating the Filipinos are now among the fastest growing immigrant group in the U.S., expects many Filipinos to be in Las Vegas on Dec. 6 for the fight. He said that 33,000 additional tickets will be available to see the fight on Closed Circuit television.

There was one more twist that Schaefer added to the equation: "Pac Man has already beaten all the great Mexican fighters of this generation, Barrera, Morales and Marquez."

So is Oscar now fighting for the hopes of two nations -- America and Mexico?

"Oscar will do his best to represent his heritage," said Schaefer. "Anyone who has seen Oscar's fights and anyone who has seen Pac Man's fights won't be disappointed."

-- CASSIDY

Vitali Klitschko had not fought in nearly four years, but the mayoral candidate from Kiev pounded Samuel Peter to reclaim the WBC heavyweight title when Peter did not answer the bell for the ninth round.

It has long been Vitali's dream to hold a heavyweight title at the same time as his brother, Wladimir, who currently has the IBF and WBO belts.

Peter chose not to come back out after eight rounds of heavy pressure from Klitschko. The bout took place in Berlin in front of more than 12,000 people at the new O2 World Arena. It was televised on Showtime.

"If Samuel Peter didn't stop the fight, I have the feeling in the next two rounds, I would have knocked him out," Klitschko said to the AP. "He got more and more punches, and his chin (was) not so strong as the first rounds."

Wladimir Klitschko dealt Peter his only previous loss, in September 2005 in a 12-round unanimous decision in Atlantic City. The Klitschkos have long said they would never fight each other.

Vitali Klitschko also held the WBC belt in 2004.

In an undercard fight, Cuban heavyweight Odlanier Solis improved to 12-0 and captured the WBC international heavyweight belt by beating American Chauncy Welliver. Solis, a former gold medalist, defected from Cuba with teammates Yuriorkis Gamboa and Yan Barthelemy.

In another bout televised by Showtime last night -- but from Las Vegas -- Chad Dawson beat veteran Antonio Tarver.

-- CASSIDY

Lots of news, so pay attention:

Brooklyn's Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi (25-1, 5 KOs) briefly returns home this weekend from his Las Vegas training camp, where he is preparing for his November 22 showdown against Ricky Hatton to determine the world's No. 1 junior welterweight boxer, to be honored in Monday's annual Columbus Day Parade on 5th Avenue in New York City.

Past Italian or Italian-American sports celebrities honored in previous Columbus Day parades include racecar driver Mario Andretti, boxing champion Nino Benvenuti, and baseball managers/players Joe Torre and Bobby Valentine.

"I am very, very proud of my Italian heritage," Malignaggi said. "I am honored to be a special guest in this great parade that I've watched for so many years."

There will be a book signing by Emile Griffith and author Ron Ross on October 14 at Portobello’s Pizzeria & Sicilian Kitchen 83 Murray Street (between West Broadway and Greenwich St.) at 4 p.m.

Ross has penned Emile's story in the book, “NINE… TEN… AND OUT! The Two Worlds of Emile Griffith.” On hand at the event will be Ross, Griffith, Vito Antuofermo, the former middleweight champion and promoter Lou DiBella, whose company DiBella Entertainment published the book.

Cedric Kushner's Gotham Boxing has reached an agreement with Bob Duffy's Ring Promotions and Irish Ropes to promote "The Grande Event" – featuring "Ireland's" John Duddy, Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin, Pawel "Raging Bull" Wolak and Jorge Luis "The Truth" Teron – Friday night, November 21 at the famed Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan.

"I'm really excited about having put together this show," promoter Cedric Kushner said, "which features four main events on the same show. I've had a lot of co-operation from the managers and promoters involved with the principals on this show. In addition to the four principal bouts, I plan to put some of the most talented young boxers on this show as well. It's truly going to be a Grande Event."

The four principal fighters, or the Big Apple's "Fab Four," have a combined pro record of 89-1-1 with 62 knockouts. All four principal fighters are scheduled to be in 10-round bouts against opponents to be determined.

On Wednesday October 29th Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing will present an exciting night of boxing broadcast live on GoFightLive.tv from the beautiful Roseland Ballroom in New York City. In the main event of the evening the WBO #8, IBF #10 and WBA #11 rated Jr. welterweight in the world, "Mighty" Mike Arnaoutis (20-2-2, 10KO) returns to New York fresh of his third-round one-punch knockout over Nasser Athumani back on September 5th.

Arnaoutis who rides a three fight win streak looks to stay busy when he takes on Ben Ankrah (11-7, 3KO) as a title shot looms on the horizon for early 2009.

DiBella also has Broadway Boxing card scheduled for October 22. The show includes Edgar Santana vs. Luis Rodriguez as well as Randall Bailey, Gary Stark Jr., Tor Hamer, Will Rosinsky, Philip Jackson Benson and Hajro Sujak in action at B.B. King Blues Club.

-- CASSIDY

Photo courtesy of Top Rank Boxing

By Marcus Henry

Rising star Kelly Pavlik knows what a convincing win over Bernard Hopkins would do to his career. The two are set to meet on October 18th at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City in a 170-pound, 12-round bout.

Hopkins (48-5, 32 KOs) has never been knocked out and has only been put on the canvas twice in his career. Both knockdowns came in the same fight against Segundo Mercado in 1994.

"That would be a huge statement," Pavlik (34-0, 30 KOs) said of knocking out Hopkins during a conference call on Wednesday. "One of the biggest in the last 40 years of boxing."

It won't be the easiest thing to do. Hopkins has rarely been hurt or even staggered in his career. But Pavlik, who said Hopkins has never faced a power puncher, is convinced he has the power and size to handle Hopkins. "The question is what happens when [Hopkins] get hit flush," said the Youngstown, Ohio native.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum would love to see Pavlik knock out Hopkins, but it's not something he thinks has to happen. "If the home run comes, if the knockout comes, great," Arum said. "If it doesn't, I won't be disappointed."

Hanging in the ring for 12 rounds with Hopkins won't be easy either. Hopkins, at times viewed as a brawler, is as tough as they come and has the reputation of trying to bully fighters. Pavlik said he is prepared to handle the rough stuff.

"He's never really fought a guy my size and strength on the inside," Pavlik said. "It's going to be harder for him to try and rough house."

Photo credit: Top Rank Boxing

These photographs come to you courtesy of Gary D. Morgan.

Click on the photo to see larger images. Enjoy:

By Marcus Henry

Oscar De La Hoya retiring? De La Hoya didn't sound like a man who was ready to hang it up just yet. With rumors of Floyd Mayweather's return to the fight game running rampant, the idea of De La Hoya checking out anytime soon is fiction.

“I’m not thinking about retirement now…I’m still an active fighter," De La Hoya said during his press conference at the Statue of Liberty on Wednesday. "I can still compete at the highest level.”

[But] right now it’s just fight mode. Right now it’s just training. Right now it’s just boxing,” he said.

A win over Manny Pacquiao on December 6 would go a long way in setting up De La Hoya-Mayweather part II. De La Hoya stopped short of setting a date or an opponent for his next fight, but mentioned a couple of names.

“There are fighters everywhere that are challenging me. We know that Mayweather is coming back, that’s for sure," De La Hoya said. "There’s the Margarito’s of this world...Whoever’s the best out there. You have Paul Williams who’s in the picture also. He’s the conqueror of Margarito."

The bottom line here is the money. De La Hoya-Pacquiao sold out in just over an hour, according to Golden Boy Promotions. With a $17-million gate already set and a million-plus Pay-Per-View buys expected, De La Hoya wil fight as long as he can bring in the dough.

Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao announce fight at the Statue of Liberty. Photo courtesy Gary D. Morgan

BY MARCUS HENRY

You can say this for Oscar De La Hoya; he doesn't do anything half way.

Whether it's letting people into his life through HBO's 24/7 series or taking on boxing's biggest names such as Floyd Mayweather and Bernard Hopkins, everything De La Hoya does is done in a big way.

Wednesday afternoon was no different as De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao, set to square off at 147 pounds on Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, began their nation-wide media tour in front of a throng of reporters and hundreds of fans at the Statue of Liberty.

It's just the type of setting De La Hoya covets. "I want to be involved in the biggest event ever for the sake of boxing," De La Hoya said of having the first press conference at the Statue of Liberty. "Once again, boxing is on the map because of this event."

The tour doesn't stop in New York. De La Hoya and Pacquiao will be at the Sears Tower in Chicago, the NASA Space Center, the Alamo and the Golden Gate Bridge to promote the fight.

But can "The Golden Boy" and Pacquiao, considered the world's best pound-for-pound fighter, live up to the hype? When De La Hoya took on Mayweather in 2007, HBO Pay-Per-View racked up 2.4 million buys.

It might be a reach to think De La Hoya-Pacquiao can reach that number, but industry insiders say the fight should easily top a million buys. With HBO's 24/7 series set to launch Nov. 16 and the press tour making stops at some of the world's most famous landmarks, who knows?

"I'm open to anything," De La Hoya said. "As long as we can create a big event for the sake of boxing, because I only have two or three fights left in me."

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum likened it to a match between David and Goliath, referring to De La Hoya's superior size.

"We know how that turned out," Arum said.

Observers are split on which fighter has the advantage. Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) has never fought above lightweight, while De La Hoya (39-5, 30 KOs) has fought at every weight level from 130 to 160.

Making 147 won't be a problem, according to De La Hoya. "Just the other day I hit 150," he said. "And that was without sparring. Once I start sparring the pounds will come off easy."

I'm a natural 47, there's no doubt about it," De La Hoya added. "If I weigh in right now I'll way 152, 153. The weight's not a problem ... My body can handle 147."

Pacquiao said he isn't concerned with the size difference and is convinced he will have the upper hand. "I have an advantage over Oscar because I'm faster and my trainer Freddie Roach trained Oscar for a few fights," Pacquiao said.

Roach trained De La Hoya for his Mayweather fight.

"It's not my job to negotiate for fighters," Pacquiao said. "I'm just a fighter who trains hard and fights in the ring ... I have no problem [with De La Hoya's size]."

Really, he is.

Former world champion Vivian Harris will headline “Knockout Knights” when boxing returns to the beautiful Medieval Times Castle in Lyndhurst, N.J. on Wednesday, October 29th. The hard-hitting Harris, a Guyanese native who resides in Brooklyn, New York, has long been on the list of boxing’s most avoided fighters.

A pro since 1997, Harris finally made a splash in 2002 when he fought and knocked out Diosbelys Hurtado to win the WBA junior welterweight championship. Harris (28-3-1, 18 KOs), who has always been at the top of the junior welterweight rankings, will look to bounce back after a disappointing loss to Junior Witter in a title bout.

“I am forgetting about the past," he said. "I am rededicated to making it back to the top. My first step will be to make a big statement on October 29.”

The co-main event will feature hometown hero Wayne “Lights Out” Johnsen (17-3, 9 KOs). Johnsen is also on the comeback trail after falling short in his last two bouts, both of which came during last season’s “The Contender” boxing reality television series. The extremely popular Johnsen will now be fighting in his own backyard for the first time.

“It’s great to have my comeback fight right here," he said "I have fought in other parts of New Jersey before, but it will be extra special and especially motivating to perform for my fans right here in Lyndhurst.”

Also featured will be unbeaten prospects Alex Perez (9-0, 6 KOs) and Patrick Majewski (8-0, 5 KOs). Alex “The Brick City Bullet” Perez, fighting out of Newark, is a former highly rated amateur star and has served as a sparring partner for Joel Julio as well as Miguel Cotto.
The Polish-born Majewski is a hard-hitting up-and-coming prospect out of Atlantic City.

“I am proud to deliver such a quality card for our great fans," said Mike Indri. "Our premier event will feature big names and exciting young prospects. Dignity Promotions is committed to bringing a competitive, action-filled night of boxing on October 29th. Our goal is to put the “DIGNITY” back into boxing…by respecting the fighters and, most importantly, respecting the fans.”

Indi is perhaps best known in boxing circles for his tireless work with the Retired Boxers Foundation. He plans to have plenty top fighters from yesteryear in attendance, including, Chuck Wepner, Alex Ramos, Renaldo Snipes, Lou Savarese and Micky Ward.

The Medieval Times Castle, which last hosted boxing 11 years ago, is located at 149 Polito Avenue in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. Tickets are priced at $50.00 (Ringside), $40.00 (Reserved), and $30.00 (General Admission). To purchase tickets, call (201) 741-4994, go to www.dignityboxing.com, or call the Medieval Times Box Office at (201) 933-2220. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., first bout begins at 7:30 p.m.

-- CASSIDY

This was a bout that people talked about when they were teammates on the 2000 U.S. Olympic team. Jermain Taylor vs. Jeff Lacy. They both enjoyed early success in their pro careers and now, after a few setbacks, they will finally meet.

The bout will take place at 168 pounds as Taylor and Lacy will collide in a WBC super middleweight eliminator on Saturday night, November 15, at Vanderbilt University Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee. The fight will be televised by HBO and is being promoted by Lou DiBella, Golden Boy and Prize Fight Promotions.

Taylor (27-2-1, 17 KO's) became the undisputed and undefeated middleweight champion of the world on July 16, 2005 when he beat Bernard Hopkins at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Taylor defended his championship four times, including a Hopkins rematch (December 3, 2005), and was undefeated in his first 27 professional fights before back-to-back losses to present champ Kelly Pavlik

After going undefeated through his first twenty one fights, Lacy had his Super Middleweight Championship taken from him by current Undefeated World Light Heavyweight Champion Joe Calzaghe on March 4, 2006 in Calzaghe's back-yard in the United Kingdom. Since then St. Petersburg, Florida's Lacy (24-1, 17 KO's) has reeled off three straight decision victories.

-- CASSIDY

WBC Champion Samuel Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) set up training camp in Freiburg, Germany for his Oct. 11 showdown against former champion Vitali Klitschko. The bout will be televised by Showtime from Berlin.

The heavyweight title fight is part of an interesting doubleheader, during which Showtime will broadcast two fights from two locations. The other bout pits Antonio Tarver against Chad Dawson in a light heavyweight title match from Las Vegas.

Peter, known as the "Nigerian Nightmare," has enjoyed a month-long camp and is in tremendous shape as he winds down and readies to depart for Berlin. He enjoyed the experience of training in the middle of the Black Forest.

"I love it here in Germany. The people and the scenery have been beautiful," said Peter in a press release. "I intend on beating Vitali in his own backyard and to show that I am the true champion I decided to train in his backyard. No matter where this fight is I will not be defeated. I hope his brother Wladimir is in attendance to watch him get knocked out."

"I've been chopping down trees in the Black Forest in preparation for Vitali Klitschko," added Peter. "On October 11th, I am going to chop down a Ukrainian tree named Vitali."

-- CASSIDY