James Kirkland, like many up-and-coming fighters, has something to prove. It's easy for even a young and talented fighter to be missed when there are countless others to choose from. But a record of 18-0 with a boastful 16 KOs, the light middleweight has established himself as a power hitter which will surely catch even the casual fan's eye. And he has the work rate of fighters from yesteryear, fighting six times in 2006 and once already this year.
SaddoBoxing spoke to James regarding his latest obstacle, former Commonwealth Light Middle and Welter Champion Ossie Duran of Ghana, whom Kirkland fights on June 1 at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez , California on ShoBox, but first we spoke to his trainer, Ann Wolfe.
SaddoBoxing: What does James do well right now that is going to be a problem for the elites?
Anne Wolfe: "He puts constant pressure on you. I think a lot of people are goning say they think he's wild, but he is a very intelligent fighter and he knows how to move. Better than people can imagine. He's got some punching power, out this world." More...
Saturday was a great night for Michigan in sports. The Red Wings won, the Tigers won, the Pistons won and Floyd won. But with that being said, boxing was the only sport of the four that was out of the casual sports fan's mind come Monday morning.
The city of Detroit was once known as a mecca for boxing. With champions like Tommy Hearns, James Toney and Joe Louis, the city spent many years being synonymous with the sport. But if you were to ask many visitors or even residents what the iron fist on Jefferson signified, (dedicated by Sports Illustrated in tribute to Joe Louis) they would be hard-pressed to answer.
HBO's 24/7 and other advertising tactics were supposed to change that sort of awareness. As a hardcore boxing fan, I knew about the Mayweather-De La Hoya match-up soon after the ink of the W on Pretty Boy Floyd's record had dried after the Baldomir fight.
But a few days ago I asked my wife, who despises boxing, if she had any awareness of the impending superfight. She skirted answering by reminding me of some household chore I hadn't finished but Saturday night, no less, she referred to the fight as "De La Hoya-Mayfield".
Maybe Rob Parker of the Detroit News had it right: the inaccessibility of boxing to the casual fan by premium channels and even more so by ever-increasing pay-per-view prices is boxing's way of killing the gloved goose laying the golden egg. More...
A few Fridays ago, an evening of great fights played out in the Wayne Hall of Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan. There were celebrity appearances from ex-Lions players Herman Moore and Charlie Sanders along with former multi-weight boxing champion and modern day great, Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker.
Before the events began, SaddoBoxing had the opportunity to speak to the legendary former middleweight king Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins , who was on hand as a commentator with ESPN.
With his July 21 bout with Winky Wright being not far down the road, we asked the champ what his thoughts were and he seemed extremely calm, if not business-like in his demeanor.
SaddoBoxing: How do you feel about your fight coming up with Winky Wright?
Bernard Hopkins: "It's going be a good one. Other than the Oscar and Floyd fight, one of the top fights this year. And I think the great thing is that Golden Boy is putting on these big fights in 2007 and it puts a lot of pressure on other promoters to do big fights for the fans. More...
As Diego Corrales headed into his dressing room Saturday night, the coming out party had just begun for Joshua Clottey. The hand that had agued him in his title bout with Antonio Margarito worked like a charm as he connected with Corrales' chin with uppercuts, seemingly at will.
And what of Corrales' chin? Watching him reclining on the
couch with dejected eyes, as medics buzzed around him in his dressing room, wondering if his jaw was broken, wondering if 147 was a mistake, wondering if Clottey was a mistake, and wondering, no doubt, if it's time to hang up the gloves. Corrales' chin has answered old questions and brought up a plague of new ones.
Chico's chin is more sustainable at 147. But now that it's been possibly broken, is this a new weakness to hinder him in an even heavier and more talented weight class? More...
Having endured more than his share of ups and downs over the past two years, former two weight world champion Diego Corrales, 40-4 (33), is ready to make a bold return to the ring April 7 on Showtime.
Despite two back to back losses, he has chosen to take on a very game opponent in Joshua Clottey, who lost a unanimous decision to WBO Welterweight Champion Antonio Margarito last year after easily dominating the early rounds.
Clottey’s hand speed and stamina were very problematic for Margarito as they will likely be for Corrales. SaddoBoxing spoke to Corrales, now campaigning as a welterweight, regarding his future in boxing in this exclusive interview. More...
This Friday, Ring Magazine's 2005 female fighter of the year, Mary Jo Sanders, will make her second appearance at Cobo Hall in downtown Detroit when she meets Valerie “The Wolfe” Mahfood.
The 33 year old Sanders, 23-0 (7), is the current IBA Middleweight Champion and has previously held world titles at light middle, welter and light welter. Mahfood, 19-12-3 (9), has held world titles at light heavyweight and super middle.
Regarded by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter in women’s boxing, the daughter of former Lions tight end Charlie Sanders is poised to take on the biggest names in the sport.
But in her interview with SaddoBoxing, she’s careful not to overlook a very dangerous opponent in Mahfood, who has stepped in the ring against Laila Ali and holds a knockout win over Ann Wolfe. More...
This Saturday, March 3, Allan "Sweetness" Green faces off against dangerous puncher Edison Miranda over a scheduled 10 rounds on the undercard of the Miguel Cotto - Oktay Urkal fight on HBO. SaddoBoxing caught up with Green before he departs for Puerto Rico and discovered that the man is hot to prove his naysayers wrong beneath a cool exterior.
Allan Green began his amateur career as a light heavyweight and finished with a record of 55-6 (40), holding the distinction of having the quickest amateur knockout, terminating Detroit’s Tommy Crupe in a mere six seconds.
Green stayed in the same weight class as a pro until 2005 when he dropped down to super middleweight and since then has KO’d all but two opponents, including the one opponent who sent him to the canvas for the only time in his career.
No wonder he’s miffed that critics have already written him off as cannon fodder for Miranda. More...
Detroit marked the fifth stop of the promotional tour of “The World Awaits”, the much anticipated showdown between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr., scheduled for May 5 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The press conference started almost an hour late, but it was well worth it.
Bob Halloran, President of MGM Mirage, came to the podium first and spoke about the record breaking financial numbers that this fight had already generated and odds showing "Pretty Boy" as the current favorite.
HBO PPV specialist Mark Taffet then spoke of the comprehensive marketing plan that every man, woman and child will be hard pressed to miss as publicity materials will be plastered across every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse. More...
Luis Collazo is a fast and slick fighter. His performance against Ricky Hatton last year, despite the loss, showed skill that would be a complication for any fighter. But Shane Mosley is no turtle. He’s returning to welterweight, where he’d had a lot of success, and in spite of his 35 years, Mosley feels that he hasn’t reached his prime.
On February 10, Shane Mosley will attempt to win a WBC Welterweight title eliminator against opponent Luis Collazo in a 12 round fight at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, broadcast on HBO.
SaddoBoxing was invited to a phone conference with both fighters and the following reveals much of what Mosley and Collazo are each thinking going into an important crossroads fight. More...
On Saturday, February 17, undefeated welterweight prospect Andre Berto will box in a ten round bout against ex-Contender member Norberto Bravo at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York as part of an HBO Boxing After Dark broadcast. After an amateur career that saw him box for Haiti in the 2004 Olympics, the 23 year old from Florida has compiled a spotless 16-0 (14) professional record and is being groomed for bigger and better things. In this exclusive interview, Berto talks about facing the tough veteran Bravo, the fight with originally scheduled opponent Ben Tackie falling through and what the future may hold, only on SaddoBoxing!
SaddoBoxing: Is it disappointing that you won't get to fight Ben Tackie on the 17th?
Andre Berto: "Yeah, I was looking forward to fighting Ben Tackie for the name. But at this point in my career, it doesn't really matter. When we got the news we continued the hard work. We continued the intensity in training. Fighting Bravo now and I adjusted to him".
SB: So, you’re ready for Bravo?
AB: "Yeah definitely. He’s a tough rugged guy. He’s a tough Mexican fighter. I’m just gonna get in the best fight shape possible and perform to the best of my ability and come out with the victory". More...
This Saturday, Interim IBF Lightweight titlist Julio "The Kidd" Diaz takes on full IBF Champion Jesus "El Matador" Chavez at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida on a Don King promotion. The fight will be broadcast on Showtime on the undercard of the Tomasz Adamek - Chad Dawson WBC Light Heavyweight title bout at 9PM ET. SaddoBoxing spoke to "The Kidd" after a press conference in Florida and you won't want to miss what Diaz had to say in this exclusive interview.
SaddoBoxing: You’re fighting Jesus Chavez this Saturday on Showtime. How are you feeling?
Julio Diaz: "Good, very excited. This is going to be a great fight; we’re going to display a great performance".
SB: How has your last loss against Castillo made you a better fighter?
JD: "I got the experience I needed. Sometimes you learn more from the defeats than the victories. There’s no way Chavez will bring the same size and power as [Jose Luis] Castillo. Castillo was an oversized lightweight. I was never hurt. The fight was stopped because I had cuts on my eyes". More...
Big Al’s Promotions are putting on an evening of amateur fights tonight at 59 West in Highland, MI. "Big" Al Low is the Chairman of the Michigan Boxing Commission since it succeeded the Athletic Board of Control in 2004. SaddoBoxing spoke to Mr. Low and found out what he has planned for the big night.
SaddoBoxing: Good afternoon, Mr. Low. Is this an amateur show?
Al Lowe: "Yes; sanctioned by USA Amateur Boxing. They're a national sanctioning body".
SB: How many fights will there be?
AL: "We have 18 scheduled fights. There will probably be between 12 to 14 at the end of the day". More...
On February 10 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, Luis Collazo takes on Shane Mosley in a 12 round fight for the Interim WBC Welterweight title. Collazo is coming off a TKO win over Artur Atadzhanov in November and most notably of late, lost to Ricky Hatton in a controversial decision that cost him the WBA Welterweight title.
SaddoBoxing: How are you feeling about this fight against Shane Mosley?
Luis Collazo: "I'm real excited. I love the opportunity in my hands. I'm going to make the most of it."
SB: I, like a lot of fans, thought that you beat Ricky Hatton. Is it difficult to rebound from a fight you know in your heart that you won?
LC: "Well, you know, thanks to the fans, they motivated me to move on. It was a big fight that made me stronger." More...
Last Friday at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Fight Night presented a night of fights, including Mary Jo Sanders, Rubin “Mr. Hollywood” Williams and middleweight Ronald “The Motor City Cobra” Hearns, 12-0 (10). Saddoboxing spoke to Ron Hearns, who stopped Daniel Neal in the first round, as he seems on the eve of breaking out of his father’s shadow and carving a name for himself in the boxing world.
SaddoBoxing: Good afternoon. How are you?
Ronald Hearns: "Great."
SB: Who has been the biggest challenge for you so far?
I was a proponent of Sam Peter prior to his fighting James Toney. He was usually good for a KO from time-to-time with one huge punch against his opponent. But that kind of display was bound to fail when classed against a boxing PhD in James Toney and in my opinion, it did during their first fight. But with last night's one-sided win over Toney in the rematch, Peter has shown a tremendous amount of growth and moves to the head of the class in the heavyweight division.
I was ready to write an article about how James Toney couldn't lose this fight. I was halfway done and I'm glad I didn't finish it; eating crow isn't a favored pastime of mine. A Sam Peter who comes in condition and throws a lot of punches could very well sweep the heavyweight division. Peter stated that Toney made him a better fighter after their first bout and if that is true, what is he after two fights with James Toney?
While he is still young enough to compete, Shannon Briggs isn't going to remain champion, especially against Sultan Ibragimov unless he can properly address his stamina issue. Nikolai Valuev is the kid at the back of the classroom that everyone else notices solely because he looks so much older than everyone else by his size, and not because he has done anything significant. More...
SaddoBoxing had the chance to catch up to Emmanuel Steward over the weekend at Starlight Inc's "Beauties And The Beats" fightcard in Detroit, Michigan and spoke to the legendary trainer/manager about the closing of the Kronk Gym.
Mr. Steward had worked out a deal with the city to keep Kronk open, but it seemed that the straw that broke the camel’s back came when thieves broke into the building and stole copper piping this past September.
"We're trying to buy the building," Mr. Steward said on Saturday night.
The building, named after former Detroit City Councilman John F. Kronk, was first used by Steward in 1969 to train his brother, James, guiding him to an eventual Detroit Golden Gloves championship. Steward would later take a part-time coaching position with the boxing program there. More...
On January 20, WBA Heavyweight Champion Nickolai Valuev steps in the ring with Jameel McCline in Basel, Switzerland. There is no way anyone can be taking Valuev seriously when he is still fighting sub-standard opponents. This fight will do nothing to lend legitimacy to Valuev in particular, as one of the four belt holders, and the heavyweight division in general. There are a half dozen fighters that Valuev skipped over to take on "Big Deal" McCline.
Ray Austin is just as big as McCline and just as old at 36 years of age, why not him? Austin is ranked #3 by the WBA, while McCline barely makes the top 15. It wasn't Austin that was picked to face Valuev because Ray knocks people out. And since drawing against up-and-comer Sultan Ibragimov, who’s challenging WBO titlist Shannon Briggs by the way, this past July, Austin is even more of a threat. More...
Tonight, undefeated prospect Johnathon Banks, 12-0 (9), defends his WBO NABO Cruiserweight crown for the first time as part of promoter Star Light Inc's "Beauties And The Beats’" at Bert’s Warehouse Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. The 24 year old Detroit native is scheduled to meet journeyman Sebastian Hill in a rematch. In his most recent outing, Banks won the WBO NABO title after climbing off the canvas twice in the first round to knock out Eliseo Castillo in the fourth round. Banks is a product of the world famous Kronk Gym, which closed recently, and SaddoBoxing spoke with him regarding his plans and what his take is on the future of boxing in Michigan.
SaddoBoxing: Johnathon Banks, good morning. Is this a title fight?
Johnathon Banks: "I believe it’s a title defense."
SB: Have you been enjoying that championship these past few months?
JB: "It’s been wonderful. I have no complaints about it." More...
This Saturday night, Star Light Inc. puts on a night of fights at Bert’s Warehouse Theatre in the Eastern Market area of Detroit, Michigan as Lanardo “The Pain Server’ Tyner takes on Kelly Wright, Aaron Pryor Jr. fights Anthony Gannon, and Jonathan Banks defends his WBO NABO Cruiserweight crown for the first time since knocking out Eliseo Castillo.
Doors open at 5:30 and the event starts at 7:00. VIP tables are $80 per seat, $50 for ringside, $35 for reserved seating and general admission $15. Star Light is at the forefront in entertainment in metro Detroit, providing limo services to all local sporting events as well as several other services. For further info go to www.starlightinc.com or call 1-888-952-LIMO.
After fighting each other in a controversial contest at the Staples Center in Los Angeles this past September, Samuel Peter and James Toney are set to do it again, this time at the American Airlines Arena in Miami on January 6, 2007.
This is a difficult fight to predict because I thought Toney won the first bout. I can't go by anything other than what I saw the first time around; Toney standing in the middle of the ring, taking the fight to Peter, hitting and not getting hit. I'm hoping that Toney is even more motivated and he comes into the rematch in even better condition.
He doesn't have the power to KO Peter, so it would behoove him to chip away at that body. If Peter loses steam, maybe then Toney can do something significant to the head. More...
