The Neutral Corner

I never thought I would miss Floyd Mayweather Jr. But I am looking forward to his return to HBO's 24/7. Let's face it, he's often more entertaining on 24/7 than he is in the ring. Floyd's fights are usually one-sided (he usually wins easily) and dull (not a lot of give-and-take). Such is the price he pays for immense talent.

But wait, there's more ...

Continue reading "Random Thoughts: Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Angelo Que, Marcos Maidana and MMA" »

The following is from HBO:

With the intriguing showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez rescheduled for Sept. 19 in Las Vegas, HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured seven Sports Emmy® Awards, will premiere MAYWEATHER/MARQUEZ 24/7 on Saturday, August 29 (10:15-10:45 p.m. ET/PT).

The all-new, four-episode, all-access series spotlights a host of intriguing storylines, with Floyd Mayweather, the sport’s most irrepressible superstar, returning after a year-and-a-half absence to face Juan Manuel Marquez, one of boxing’s most accomplished performers, as they prepare for their September pay-per-view showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Ross Greenburg said: “Now that the fight has been rescheduled, we are excited to resume production. This latest edition of ‘24/7’ features all the ingredients that we look for in greenlighting the ‘24/7’ franchise: big-time boxing stars, engaging storylines and in Floyd’s case, a larger-than-life personality that is tailor-made for reality television.”

Continue reading "Mayweather / Marquez 24/7 series to debut Saturday August 29 on HBO" »

With Bob Arum negotiating a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto for November 14 and the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Juan Manuel Marquez fight back on for September 19, A Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is now a realistic option for early 2010.

Had Floyd fought JMM on July 18, as originally planned, the two best fighters in the world would have been on different schedules for quite some time. But now with both men fighting in the fall, it's much easier to make that fight in 2010. Should both men win, here are the questions: Does Floyd really want to take the chance and fight Pacquiao? And if he does, will Arum actually make the fight? Here's a funny video bit by Arum talking about Floyd after the Cotto-Clottey fight:

The following is a statement from Golden Boy Promotions:

Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez has been officially rescheduled for September 19, after Mayweather, who suffered a rib injury while training for the originally scheduled July 18 date, received clearance from his doctor to participate on the new date.

Mayweather vs. Marquez: "Number One/Numero Uno," which will still take place at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View, will now take place on what on what is historically considered boxing's biggest weekend, and falling on the time-honored tradition of Mexican Independence Day.

"I am relieved to be cleared to fight as I was already looking forward to getting back in the ring," said Mayweather. "Trust me, September 19 is a great weekend for boxing, and all of my fans, of which there are many Mexicans too, can certainly hold on to their hats and sombreros when I get back in to the ring and show them what they have been missing these past 18 months. I will destroy Marquez and reclaim my rightful place as boxing's pound-for-pound king all in one night. Don't miss it."

Marquez, who has also agreed to fight on the new date, is excited about appearing yet again on the time-honored tradition of El Grito de Independence.

"I am happy that Mayweather has been cleared to fight and we can get down to business on September 19," said Marquez. "This weekend is not just an important weekend for boxing, but even more so for all of the Mexican and Mexican-American people I will be fighting for who will have a great reason to celebrate my win over Mayweather, which will be for all of the people and for the entire country of Mexico that night. I am sure of victory and si se puede- yes we can and yes we will!"

Bradley (left) and Campbell posing

Timothy Bradley (24-0, 11 KOs) will attempt to defend his WBO belt against former lightweight champ Nate “The Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell (33-5-1, 25 KOs) on SHOWTIME's Championship Boxing on August 1.

In an intriguing twist, Junior Witter, who Bradley beat for the WBO title, will take on Devon Alexander in the co-main event for the WBC super lightweight title that Bradley relinquished.

“I didn’t have to take this. But I didn’t feel (Devon) Alexander had done enough to deserve a shot," said Bradley. "Now, he’s fighting a guy I beat to win my first title, Junior Witter, on the undercard."

That only makes this card better. I have to beat a highly regarded, determined, tough guy like Nate. I need his name on my resume to help get me where I want to go and am going to be.’’

Photo courtesy: SHOWTIME

A reported 2,000 spectators were on hand to watch IFB, WBO, IBO champion Wladimir Klitschko and WBA champion in recess Ruslan Chagaev weigh-in at Karstadt Sports, a sporting goods score in Dortmund.

The fight will take place Saturday night local time and at 4 p.m. eastern time in the United States.

Klitschko weighed in at 240 pounds and Chagaev tipped the scales at 225 pounds.

Photo courtesy: John Cirillo

Unbeaten Timothy “Desert Storm’’ Bradley (24-0, 11 KOs) will try and defend his WBO Jr. Welterweight world title against former champion Nate "the Galaxy Warrior" Campbell (33-5-1, 25 KOs) on Saturday, August 1at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino • Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, California.

The scheduled 12-round bout will be broadcast on SHOWTIME, beginning at 9 p.m.

Bradley, fresh off a win against Kendall Holt, grew up less than 10 minutes from the venue.

Bradley said in a press release: “It's an unbelievable feeling to be able to fight out here, a dream come true. There will not be added pressure. I will not get out of character when I fight Nate. I learned a lot from the Holt fight and I will stick to my game plan. I have to thank my promoters Thompson Boxing and Gary Shaw for making this homecoming possible.’’

Bradley was the WBC junior Welterweight champ, but relinquished it so he could take on Campbell, instead of the mandatory WBC No.1 contender.

As for Campbell, he wasn't exactly crazy about fighting Bradley so close to his hometown.

"We would prefer to not fight Bradley in his own back yard but at the end of the day neither the fans nor the officials will be able to get into the ring with him," said Campbell. "Timothy Bradley will be alone with me when he steps into the ring and he's going to have to deal with that reality."

- MARCUS HENRY

This just in from One More Round Boxing:

Former Junior Welterweight champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris has announced that he is now officially a free agent. Harris has been granted a release from his contract with Gary Shaw Productions and is now looking to rejuvenate his career and put himself in line for another title shot. The 30-year-old Harris understands that time is precious and that he cannot afford suffer anymore long stretches of inactivity.

“I am putting the past behind me. My main goal is to stay as active as possible,” says Harris, who has only fought once in the last year and a half. “I know that the junior welterweight division is loaded with talent, and I believe that I am up there with the best of them. I just want to fight. I’m ready.”

Harris is trained by famed veteran trainer Tommy Brooks and managed by Humberto Romero. Harris is hungry to get back inside the ring as soon as possible and is open to fighting anyone in the junior welterweight division.

It's the fight Bob Arum wanted, and now it looks like he'll get it. Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao are reportedly going to fight on Nov. 14. Arum said in an interview with Mike Marley that was, in part, published in the Philippine Star. Arum said that Pac Man gave the bout the greenlight. Here is part of the article that appeared on the Philippine Star's web site.

"MANILA, Philippines -- Impressed by the tremendous amount of fan support Miguel Cotto generated in his welterweight fight yesterday, Manny Pacquiao has given promoter Bob Arum the go signal to arrange a fight between the two stars.

Speaking to Michael Marley of The Examiner, Arum -- who promotes both Pacquiao and Cotto -- said he already has penciled November 14 as the targeted date for the Pacquiao-Cotto showdown.

Pacquiao sat ringside with Arum as Cotto carved out a hard-fought split decision win over the tough Joshua Clottey ..."Manny told me what to do. Manny told me 'Go ahead, make that fight.' So it will go Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand here in (Las) Vegas," Arum told Marley. "He (Pacquiao) was impressed by Cotto's fan support and told me it reminded him of how the British fans stand with Ricky Hatton.

Arum, meanwhile, assured that Cotto is enthusiastic with the prospect of a Pacquiao bout.

At the Miguel Cotto-Joshua Clottey postfight news conference on Saturday, Bob Arum expressed his interest in making a Cotto-Manny Pacquiao fight and ridiculed Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The following is a statement from Golden Boy Promotions:

The highly anticipated July 18 fight between Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez has been postponed due to a rib injury sustained by Mayweather while training. The mega-fight was scheduled to take place at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

"I am extremely disappointed that this fight has to be postponed," said Mayweather. "I was training very hard and looking forward to getting back in the ring on July 18th."

"I was very disappointed to hear the news about the fight being postponed," said Marquez from his training camp in Mexico. "I will remain focused, in shape and ready to fight whenever the fight is rescheduled for."

Information about rescheduling the fight will be made available as soon as possible.

- MARCUS HENRY

Manny Pacquiao was ringside Saturday night at Madison Square Garden as fellow Filippino Rodel Mayol challenged Ivan Calderon for the WBO mini flyweight title. Mayol carried the fight to the champion in the first three rounds and into the fourth when Calderon suffered an accidental head butt after a clash of heads.

The fight continued, and Calderon was indeed stepping up the action, when it was stopped after ringside physicians deemed the cut too dangerous for Calderon to continue. Thus he retained the title via Technical Draw after six rounds. The scorecards were as follows: 58-56 Calderon, 58-56 Mayol and 57-57.

"I'm very disappointed. I thought I won the fight," said Mayol, who is promoted by Pacquiao. Many ringsiders agreed with Mayol.-- CASSIDY

Miguel cotto beat a good welterweight tonight at Madison Square Garden. It wasn't easy and it was indeed closer than Cotto and his legion of noisy fans expected, but the champion overcame a nasty cut over his left eye to eke out a split decision over Joshua Clottey.

The officials scores were 116-111 and 115-112 for Cotto and 114-113 for Clottey. This corner saw Cotto a 7-5 winner by rounds. Cotto retained his WBO welterweight title before 17,734 fans, many of whom will march with Cotto Sunday in the Puerto Rican Day parade.

I'm going to steal from A.J. Liebling here - if you are going to steal, why not from the best? - Joshua Clottey is as good a fighter as you can be without being a damn good fighter. Twice Clottey has challenged for the welterweight title and twice he has come up just short.

Continue reading "Miguel Cotto beats Joshua Clottey at Madison Square Garden" »

Both fighters made weight for tonight's welterweight title fight at Madison Square Garden. Miguel Cotto weighed in at 146 pounds and Clottey tipped the scale at the welterweight limit of 147.

This fight is not a gimme for Cotto. Clottey fought Antonio Margarito a very good fight back in Atlantic City during a Cotto and Margarito doublheader. Neither of these guys are in dull fights, so expect plenty of action over the 12 rounds. This corner likes Cotto in 12.

When was the last time a sitting U.S. President attended a world title fight? Who knows, maybe it's never happened. But President Obama -- who seems like a huge sports fan -- just might take this invite.

From Golden Boy: LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez hope to unite the stately leaders the United States of America and Mexico by inviting their respective Presidents Barack Obama and Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa to their Saturday, July 18 mega-fight at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. The bout will be broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

"It would be amazing to have President Obama ringside for my fight," said Mayweather. "With all of these patriotic holidays coming up, and the fact that I met him when he was campaigning to become President, I wanted to extend an invitation to the fight as my congratulations for his knock-out victory."

"President Calderon is a true statesman for our country and it would be an honor for me to have him come to the fight," said Marquez. "Mayweather is the biggest challenge of my career and having my president there to witness my victory that night would be bigger than the victory itself."

The proposed fight between Paulie Malignaggi and Juan Diaz on August 22 in Houston, Texas is confirmed, DiBella Entertainment announced.

Malignaggi, a former IBF junior welterweight champion, and Diaz will meet at a catch weight of 138.5 lbs.

“I told Paulie to lay off his Grandma’s pasta and eat one less cannoli,” Lou DiBella said in a statement about Malignaggi dropping an extra pound or two. “Paulie is confident of his speed and boxing ability and is prepared to win in the lion’s den of Houston.”

“This is a fight between two guys looking to prove something. We are both coming of losses in big fights and we are both coming in hungry. Expect fireworks,” said Malignaggi.

- MARCUS HENRY

Giants running back Brandon Jacobs was a very conspicuous observer at the Miguel Cotto-Joshua Clottey press conference at Madison Square Garden.

But he's not some johnny-come-lately celebrity boxing fan. The 6-4, 260-pound bruiser says he is a big time fight fan for a long time. In fact, the Super Bowl champion is hoping to become a fulltime manager when his football days are over.

"It's early for me, so I'm just trying to get my feet wet," said Jacobs, who recently took over the managing duties of long time friend Kendall Holt. "We're just trying to get things set in stone and just trying to get my next career going right now."

Jacobs won't be going at it alone. Jacobs is in the process of securing a deal to work with long time manager Pat Lynch, who helped shape the career of Arturo Gatti.

Lynch was eager to get started working with Jacobs. "We're looking to sign some young fighters," Lynch said. "Brandon's a very knowledgable guy in the boxing business."

As for the Cotto and Clottey bout, Jacobs wouldn't offer any predictions, but did say "it would be a tough fight".

- MARCUS HENRY

HBO just sent out a press release stating, "The previously announced HBO Sports presentation World Championship Boxing: Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye, scheduled for Saturday, June 20, has been cancelled. No boxing will air on HBO that day."

Haye pulled out of the fight due to injury. It has been announced that WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev is replacing Haye. We inquired with HBO if the change of opponent caused the network's change in plans. Here was the response from an HBO Sports spokesman:

"HBO bought Klitschko vs. Haye for June 20. Unfortunately, that fight is no longer available to us. So, Ross Greenburg and his staff elected to pass on a replacement fight and be poised to do another heavyweight fight, hopefully, with Wladimir Klitschko, in the fall." -- CASSIDY

This video comes courtesy of Ed Keenan:

Junior middleweight Pawel "Raging Bull" Wolak (24-1, 16 KOs) scored a unanimous decision victory over Jamaica's Vinroy Barrett (100-89, 100-88, 99-89) in the first installment of Broadway Boxing Long Island at the Capital One Theater on Friday night.

It was the first in what promoters Joe Winters and Lou DiBella hope will be many cards at the theater.

Wolak's bout was one of nine entertaining fights at the venue. Other winners include Queens junior middleweight Will Rosinsky (8-0, 6 KOs), Greenlawn's Chris Algieri (7-0, 4 KOs) in the welterweight division, Astoria junior middleweight Lambros Karaolides (3-0, 2 KOs) and Irish lightweight Steve Ormond (4-0, 1 KO).

Continue reading "Broadway Boxing Long Island gets off to fast start" »

Before anyone gets crazy about Ruslan Chagaev pulling out of a fight against Nikolai Valuev and then signing to fight Wladamir Klitschko, let's get a couple of things straight.

First: Klitschko is the IBF, WBO and IBO World Heavyweight champ. Chagaev is the WBA champ. All we are missing is the WBC belt. I can't imagine boxing fans wouldn't want to see a unification fight.

Second: Who exactly is David Haye? A career cruiserweight who has fought exactly one heavyweight, Monte Barrett. Can someone please explain to the Neutral Corner why Haye deserves a shot at the title?

For anyone out there who wants to see boxing get it right, Chagaev vs. Klitschko is the way to go. Bobby Cassidy was dead on in the previous post when he questioned how Chagaev can pull out of a fight with Valuev because of an injury on May 30 and then sign to fight Klitschko a short time later. That definitely raised a lot of questions.

That said, this was purely a case of the ends justifying the means. Chagaev pulling out of the Valuev fight and then hooking up with Klitschko was wrong. But a heavyweight unification bout is better for the sport than letting some young loud mouth who hasn't earned a shot in through the back door.

- MARCUS HENRY

Riddle me this, how does Ruslan Chagaev fail a medical requirement to fight Nikolai Valuev on May 30, then step into the ring against Wladimir Klitschko? Answer -- anything is possible in boxing, particularly when there are big bucks involved.

So far, none of the reports are answering the intriguing medical question as to what makes Chagaev unhealthy May 30 but healty today.

Here is a press release from Johnnycigar on the Klitschko-Chagaez fight:

Continue reading "Ruslan Chagaev new opponent for Wladimir Klitschko" »

It will be a battle of Brooklyn when Daniel Jacobs meets George Walton on ESPN, June 26.

Here's the release from Golden Boy:

LOS ANGELES, June 5 - On Friday, June 26th, fight fans at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona will get a first-hand look at the brightest young stars in the boxing universe, when undefeated middleweight Daniel "The Golden Child" Jacobs, rising junior middleweight star Erislandy Lara (a former world amateur champion from Cuba) and 2008 United States Olympic Bronze Medalist Deontay Wilder step into the ring in separate featured bouts on ESPN's "Friday Night Fights".

In the main event, Jacobs takes on fellow Brooklynite Walton in a middleweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds. Walton was profiled in the Academy Award nominated documentary, "On the Ropes."

It was once known as The Mecca of Boxing. To fight at Madison Square Garden was the equivalent of performing on Broadway or playing centerfield in Yankee Stadium. Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali -- all the legends swapped punches inside the Garden's ring.

This summer, the MSG Network will give you a chance to see some of those legends in action. The Garden shows off its rich boxing history with a weekly program, "MSG's Fight Night Classics." The hour-long show airs every Thursday at 9:00 p.m. (and is repeated often). Some of the rare, classics you'll get to see are Max Baer-Primo Carnera, Joe Louis-Rocky Marciano and Roberto Duran-Ken Buchanan.

But there's plenty more. Producers Steve de Groot, Marc Mondry, John Gallagher and Ali Hashemi dug deep to bring you fights like Hurricane Carter-George Benton and Emile Griffith-Nino Benvenuti. Those are four of the best middleweights of the 1960s and, let's face it, where else are you going to see fights like that?

Another cool element to the shows are the little fight facts that fade into the lower-third of your screen during the action. Like, did you know that Max Baer owned 250 neckties and 250 hats?

Click here for the summer's broadcast schedule of Fight Night Classics. Other fighters included in the series are Joe Frazier, Jimmy Ellis, George Foreman, Mike Tyson and Hector Camacho. -- CASSIDY

[Disclosure: Cablevision owns Newsday and Madison Square Garden. And this corner was interviewed for the series. Which, if you have ever heard my voice, may be the only drawback to an otherwise sterling production. But even if I owned Newsday, Madison Square Garden and Cablevision and directed every episode, I'd still tell you to watch because it's good TV and the vintage fights are really worth seeing.]

If Joe Winters gets his way, boxing will be a permanent fixture on Long Island again.

The son of late boxing promoter James Winters, Joe, along with fellow Long Islander Lou DiBella will debut “Broadway Boxing Long Island” at the Capital One Theater on Friday in Westbury.

For Winters, it’s a return to his roots. “My dad was a premier promoter for a long time…He worked with Gerry Cooney and Bobby Cassidy,” Winters said. “I used to carry buckets for the fighters, I was glove kid...You name it I did it."

The fight card features several local fighters, including junior middleweight Mike Ruiz from Bellmore, Greenlawn welterweight Chris Algieri and undefeated light heavyweight Will Rosinsky.

Super middleweight Pawel “Raging Bull” Wolak will fight Jamaica’s Vinroy Barrett in the main event.

Winters, who sold his waste management business 18 months ago, said he is in this for the long haul. “We’re going to start with this show and see how we do,” Winters said. “We hope to have one again in September and possibly up to six times a year.”

- MARCUS HENRY

This from Golden Boy:

LOS ANGELES (June 4, 2009) - Despite yesterday's announcement that the June 20th World Heavyweight Championship bout between Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye has been called off due to a back injury Haye suffered during training camp, a disappointed Haye is seeking a postponement rather than a cancellation.

Adam Booth, Haye's trainer and manager described the news as "the most disappointing and devastating that David has ever had to deliver"... He continued, "Unfortunately David has sustained a back injury which means he is unable to continue training for a short period. We're heading back to the UK for some aggressive physiotherapy."

David Haye commented, "I'm sorry to disappoint all my fans across the world and I hope that once I have had the sufficient treatment, I will be able to start training again and we can get the fight on as soon as possible. I know this is the fight the fans want and I will do everything to make sure it happens."

Well, Wladimir Klitschko already has one volunteer to fill his dance card since David Haye is out. Cuban heavyweight Odlanier Solis has thrown out a challenge.

This from Arena Box: “I am ready to go”, states Solis. “If Wladimir Klitschko dares to accept me as opponent I promise to expose him and strip his championship belts from him.”

The three-time world amateur champion and 2004 Olympic gold medallist has had an outstanding amateur career winning 227 of his 241 amateur fights. Since turning pro for German based promoter Ahmet Öner in April 2007. In his last outing in January 9th reigning WBC international champion Solis gave his US debut on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights outclassing and stopping “Big Man” Kevin Burnett.

“I am the new generation, the best boxer in the world today and I am ready to prove it”, says Solis. “I stopped David Haye in only 3 rounds (at the world amateur championships 2001 in Belfast) and I will do the same to Wladimir Klitschko. There is no worthy opponent in the world today for the Klitschkos but me. Now that I am reunited with my old trainer Pedro Diaz nobody can stop me on my way to the top. If Wladimir thinks I’m joking he should just accept the challenge and meet his successor on June 20th. I will be the next undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.”

David Haye -- the mouth that roared -- is kind of quiet at the moment. It's being reported all over that he has pulled out of his IBF and WBO heavyweight title fight against Wladimir Klitschko because of an injury.

This from the AP -- The British fighter had been scheduled to challenge Klitschko before a sellout crowd of more than 60,000 at Schalke's football stadium in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 20. Haye's camp said Wednesday he sustained an injury in training and had to pull out. The nature of the injury was not immediately known.

This info came in a release from Golden Boy:

Justice Louis York of the New York State Supreme Court denied Victor Conte's motion to have Sugar Shane Mosley's defamation suit dismissed without merit. Mosley has sued Conte for defamation because Conte has implicated Mosley as a user of performance enhancing drugs.

According to Golden Boy, "the Judge denied the motion orally without even feeling the need to write an opinion. As a general rule, only the most frivolous claims are dealt with in this manner."

Judd Burstein, Mosley's attorney, stated, "This is one step along the road of securing justice for Shane. Conte can run, but he cannot hide from me."

The following is a statement released by team Ruiz in regards to WBA "Champion in Recess" Ruslan Chagaev withdrawing from his fight with Nikolai Valuev.

Team Ruiz has filed an official petition with the World Boxing Association asking that heavyweight Ruslan Chagaev be stripped of his “Champion In Recess” status and demanding an immediate purse bid for Valuev-Ruiz III to be held by August 30 for the World Boxing Association heavyweight title.

Two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz (43-8-1, 29 KOs) is the WBA mandated Official Challenger for WBA heavyweight champion Valuev.

Team Ruiz’ petition stated, “As you are aware Ruslan Chagaev has been medically disqualified from participation in the fight against Valuev. According to the express ruling of the WBA on this issue he must accordingly be stripped of any title and Valuev must be ordered to fight John Ruiz, the Official Challenger before August 30, 2009.

“For the record John Ruiz is ready, willing and able to fulfill his obligations as the Official Challenger within the time dictated by Championship regulations, and he demands that no decision regarding this issue be made unless he has an opportunity to be heard by the Championship Committee, unless it is to order a purse bid for the bout between he and Valuev no later than August 30, 2009."

Continue reading "John "Quietman" Ruiz still looking for his chance" »