Philadelphia, PA is well known for producing a long line of quality fighters in many weight classes. Even at age 43, Bernard Hopkins remains the flag bearer of the legendary Philadelphia fighter in the sport today but there is a younger cast of boxers beginning to surge forth that will shortly begin to replace the old guard.
Super middleweight Gee Cullmer is one of those hopefuls and since turning pro in December, 2000, the 32 year old has racked up a promising 14-1-1NC (3) record including 10 straight bouts without a loss since dropping a four rounder to Dorian Beaupierre in 2003.
SaddoBoxing was fortunate enough to catchup with with Gee soon after he posted a hard fought majority decision over Mustapha Johnson at Philadelphia’s famed Legendary Blue Horizon last month and you won’t want to miss what this talented and thoughtful fighter had to say about his career and bright future. More…
British super featherweight Steven Bell, 14-1 (5), has parlayed a heavily decorated stay as an amateur that saw him as Captain of Team England into a successful career as both a top level professional boxer and a burgeoning actor on some of his country’s most popular current television shows and a highly acclaimed feature film.
SaddoBoxing had the good fortune to catch up with Steven as he continues his campaign to rule the 130 pound division in the British Isles and you want want to miss what the 32 year old had to say about his fascinating careers!
SaddoBoxing: How do you feel about your performance recently in beating iron-chinned light welter journeyman Baz Carey over six rounds?
Steven Bell: “Yeah, I have had two good wins now since that defeat [to Femi Fehintola] in October. I won every round against Carey without any problems and boxed the way I planned, so was happy with the performance. More…
This Friday, April 18, 2008, South London’s charismatic Gary “Hot Stuff” Woolcombe, 25-1 (10), will be putting his British Light Middleweight title on the line for the first time since winning the vacant crown against Marcus Portman last December in Wigan, England.
The 25 year old has filled London’s York Hall for this hotly anticipated clash with big punching southpaw and former titlist Ryan Rhodes, 38-4 (26), on a Frank Maloney promotion and we had the good fortune to catch up with Gary as he was putting the final touches on his training camp.
SaddoBoxing: Who are you sparring against in the gym in order to prepare for Ryan Rhodes and can you say a bit about how that sparring is going?
Gary Woolcombe: “The sparring has been going really well. I don’t have a problem with southpaws. I have been sparring Sam Webb, he is an orthodox fighter, but he’s been turning southpaw for me. I reckon he’s a better southpaw than he is orthodox fighter, anyway.
“I sparred Tony Oakey a couple of times, we got let down by Craig Watson, and Tony jumped in at the last minute. I sparred Gokhan Kazaz quite a few times and had a good spar with him. I did actually spar Craig, but only once and also John Honney, he’s a lot better in the gym then he is on the night, but I had great sparring sessions with all of them.”
SB: What were the key components in your British title winning effort against southpaw Marcus Portman last December? What did you find that really worked for you and how were you able to nullify his effectiveness?
GW: ” I took the fight at a week’s notice, so I never had any southpaw sparring for it, I just took things as they came. I just adapted to his style, that’s what makes a good fighter. All my career, I have been due to fight, say, a come forward fighter, and the day before the fight, they change the opponent to a runner, so I had to learn to adapt to deal with the change of opponent.” More…
The only title fight to go all twelve rounds this past Saturday on Frank Maloney and Steve Wood’s promotion in Wigan, England was also the most bitterly contested scrap at the Robin Park Centre.
The battle featured two reigning English titlists, flyweight Chris Edwards and bantamweight Jamie McDonnel, each attempting to demonstrate their worthiness to assume the inaugural British Super Flyweight Championship.
While Edwards brought a dodgy record on paper to the fight, the compact dynamo from Stoke was in the middle of a definite reversal of fortune, having defeated ex-Commonwealth Flyweight titlist Dale Robinson before fighting him to a standstill for the British and Commonwealth Flyweight crowns this past April. More…
One of the four title fights on the Frank Maloney/Steve Wood shared promotion on Saturday at the Robin Park Centre in Wigan, England featured welterweight Ali Nuumbembe putting his Commonwealth crown on the line against hard punching Manchester southpaw Craig Watson.
Watson came out first and was greeted by a very vocal and large section of the audience, who had come to support their local hero. Glossop based Nuumbembe came out next with his smaller but devotedly hard-core following showering their favorite with applause to try and combat the vigorous “Who are ya? Who are ya?” chants of the Watson cheering section.
In the first frame, Nuumbembe tried to study Watson but the challenger eschewed that time honored tradition in favor of immediately attacking the Commonwealth king, scoring with several thudding overhand shots. But Nuumbembe soon regrouped and began to unload scathing counters upon the head of his tormentor. More…
Bantamweights Jason Booth and Matthew Edmonds appeared on Saturday’s Maloney/Wood promotion at Wigan, England’s Robin Park Centre to argue the Commonwealth Bantamweight title that the undefeated South African Tshifhiwa Munyai recently vacated.
Booth came into the bout the far more experienced campaigner, a pro since 1996 and a former British and Commonwealth Flyweight Champ as well as a previous IBO Super Fly titlist. Moreover, the 30 year old Nottingham man had only recently lost a close decision to the much improved British Bantamweight ruler, Ian Napa. More…
Frank Maloney and Steve Wood put on a big show at Robin Park Centre in Wigan, England last night, with two British and two Commonwealth title fights on tap along with a host of undercard bouts.
There was a lot of action on the card with three vacant titles being sorted out, one title changing hands and five bouts finishing early.
In the main event, Welling’s determined Gary “Hot Stuff” Woolcome overcame tough southpaw Marcus Portman to win the vacant British Light Middleweight title when it was determined that the West Bromwich man couldn’t continue after the ninth frame due to a bad cut above the right eye. More…
Yesterday at the Woolcombe vs. Portman British Light Middleweight title weigh-in, there were wildly different opinions on just who would win tonight’s greatly anticipated Ricky Hatton vs. Floyd Mayweather WBC Welterweight title showdown.
Glenn McCrory, former world champion boxer and current Sky Sport Commentator: “I’m pretty much convinced that Hatton is going to pull it off in a sensational win. I think that he totally believes in himself and that he can do it.”
Adam Smith: Sky Sports Commentator: “I think that this is a head vs. heart fight. When the fight was first announced, I was convinced that Mayweather would win on points. He’s too big, probably too classy and Ricky cuts. Ricky isn’t a welterweight, he’s away from home…
“There’s just so much against Ricky but over the last 12 weeks, I think that he has won the psychological war. I think he looks in terrific condition and if anyone can do it, it’s Ricky. I think that he’s got a bigger chance now than when the fight was first announced but I’ll still go with Mayweather on points.”
Frank Maloney, Boxing Promoter: “Mayweather all night long. I think that he’ll give Hatton a boxing lesson and probably stop him in the later rounds. Most of the Brits are being ruled by their hearts, the same as it is with the football and we always come up losers in that.” More…
Yesterday afternoon, Frank Maloney Promotions held the weigh-in for their big show taking place tonight Saturday, December 8 at Robin Park Centre in Wigan, England.
The event drew a selection of local fight figures as well as the camps of the eight combatants who will participate in the four title fights on the bill. More…
Yesterday in Wigan, England, promoters Frank Maloney and Steve Wood held a press conference for their “Home Guard” show this Saturday at the Wigan Arena, facing off the eight fighters that will clash in four title fights.
The British Light Middleweight title will be up for grabs when Gary Woolcombe meets southpaw Marcus Portman for Jamie Moore’s old title. Woolcombe is continuing a comeback from the Andrew Facey loss while Portman comes into the bout as the reigning WBF titlist.
Commonwealth Welter Champ Ali Nuumbembe will look to retain his belt for the first time when he meets hot prospect Craig Watson from Manchester. The native Namibian stunned British Champion Kevin Anderson in February to win the Commonwealth but may have his hands full with the young southpaw Watson. More…
IBF Super Bantamweight Champion Steve Molitor puts his belt at risk for second time when he meets experienced Thai fighter Fashan 3K Battery at Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario, Canada on an Allan Tremblay/Orion Sports promotion.
Southpaw Molitor, 24-0 (10), burst onto the world scene with a big win over previously unbeaten European Champion Michael Hunter, knocking out the pressure fighter in the fifth in Hunter’s hometown of Hartlepool, England to annex the vacant IBF title in November of last year.
“The Canadian Kid” further cemented his standing as an elite level fighter by stopping South Africa’s tough IBO Champion, Takalani Ndlov this past July in an impressive performance.
Now Molitor must once again display his skills against an experienced opponent in the form of Thailand’s Narongrit Pirang, better know as Fashan 3K Battery, 58-8-1 (35), who comes to Canada with every intention of taking Molitor’s IBF crown. More…
After a long and highly decorated amateur career, former Captain of the England team Steven Bell turned pro as a super featherweight in May of 2003, but ran headlong into a roadblock on his maiden voyage by drawing with rough and tumble journeyman Jus Wallie at the Kingsway Lesiure Centre in Widnes, England.
Undaunted, the lanky Manchester area lad got back in the saddle a few months later and within a year had racked up four consecutive victories, with the jewel in the crown being Bell’s magnificent performance to hand the much celebrated Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Haider Ali his first loss.
Bell then went on to win seven more bouts against experience building competition but raised eyebrows during that run by also drawing with iron chinned spoiler Buster Dennis, leading many to question if “Belly” had what it took to succeed at a higher level.
But all doubts were erased with the seventh round stoppage of former British Super Featherweight titlist Jamie McKeever in March of this year and now Steven Bell, 12-0-2 (5), will get the chance to prove his meddle when he competes for the vacant English 130 lb title against smooth boxing Femi Fehintola, 17-1 (1), of Bradford this Saturday on a Sports Network card at the Nottingham Arena. More…
There was a great deal of action this past Friday, with a few former world champions back in the ring as well as many domestic and regional title fights taking place.
We start off at the Isleta Casino Resort in Albuquerque, New Mexico where ex-WBA Super Flyweight Champion Martin Castillo ran his record to 37-2 (17) with a dominating 12 round unanimous decision win over durable former WBO Latino Bantamweight titlist Oscar Andrade, 36-28 (18). A rematch with former victim and current WBA titleholder Alexander Munoz could be in the works for Castillo should Munoz retain his crown against Kuniyuki Aizawa in Tokyo this September.
At City Center in Saratoga Springs, NY, hot welter prospect Andre Berto, 19-0 (16), was given a tough exam by rangy Mexican veteran Cosme Rivera, 30-11-2 (21). Rivera floored Berto in the sixth with a perfect uppercut but couldn’t finish the former Olympian off and had to then fight through a bad cut enroute to losing a unanimous decision to the high quality up and comer from Florida. Heavyweight hopeful Chazz Witherspoon, 19-0 (13), was also on the bill, impressively stopping journeyman Talmadge Griffis, 24-7 (16), in the ninth. More…
There’s a lot of action to go over for tonight’s line up of fights across the world and there’s no better place to start than at the Knox Netball Centre in the Melbourne suburb of Ferntree Gully in Victoria, Australia where local based Nigerian slugger Fatai Onikeke defends his IBA Pan Pacific and WBF Intercontinental Light Welter belts against Thailand’s Jakkirt Sunwunnalirt.
Heading north to the TVRI Studios in Jakarta, Indonesia, local man Roy Mukhlis puts his PABA Super Feather crown up for grabs against highly seasoned Filipino Jaime Barcelona.
Crossing the Indian Ocean, the Indoor Centre in Mdantsane, South Africa sees Ludumo Galada risks his domestic featherweight belt against Thando Vukuza. Also on the bill, former South African Super Fly titlist Simon Ramoni faces Lubabalo Msuthu at bantamweight.
Jumping to yet another continent, we next visit The Casino in Vilamoura, Portugal where Jesus Garcia Escalona of Madrid meets local man Antonio Joao Bento for the vacant European Union Super Feather trophy.
Heading east we arrive at the Stadio Comunale in San Paolo Civitate, Italy where Dejan Ribac of Belgrade takes on local hero Antonio Di Feto for the vacant WBC Mediterranean belt. Also scheduled for action, former two time European title challenger Lorenzo Di Giacomo faces Zoran Plavsic over six rounds at middleweight. More…
Hailing from Perth, Australia, Justin Manolikos manages world rated light heavyweight contender Danny Green and is also a partner with the fighter in Green Machine Promotions. The pair are putting on a show this Wednesday night at Challenge Stadium in Perth that sees Danny, 23-3 (21), defend his IBF Pan Pacific and PABA Light Heavyweight titles, as well as engage in an IBO Eliminator, against American Otis Griffin, 18-1-2 (7).
As a super middleweight, Green stopped former world champion Eric Lucas in 2003 and lost two highly controversial WBC title fights to Markus Beyer in Germany during 2003 and 2005. A little over a year ago, Green and current WBA titlist Anthony Mundine engaged in a non title bout in Sydney that was billed as the biggest fight in Australian history, with Green losing a 12 round points decision in front of over 30,000 people.
Jumping up to light heavy after the Mundine bout, the 34 year old Green has stopped two hardened domestic opponents and acquired regional championship belts as he nears ever closer to securing a world title fight at 175 lb.
SaddoBoxing was fortunate enough to speak with Manolikos and you won’t want to miss what Justin has to say about the past, present and future of Danny Green’s career. More…
Felled during the prime of life at just 29 years of age, the passing of former two weight world champion Diego Corrales has unified the normally fracticious boxing fraternity in a shared state of mourning.
Just after 7pm on Monday night, Corrales was driving a motorcycle on Ft. Apache Rd in Las Vegas, NV and allegedly failed to slow down to avoid colliding into the back of a Honda Accord and was then thrown into the path of another vehicle.
Corrales, who was wearing a full face helmet, was tragically pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
The tall, soft spoken warrior, originally from Sacramento, CA but last residing in Las Vegas, was coming off a hard fought loss to opponent Joshua Clottey at welterweight just one month ago. More…
Last night in front of 20,000 people at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark, WBC/WBA Super Middleweight Champion Mikkel Kessler won every round enroute to posting a wide points decision victory over hard nosed Librado Andrade.
From the start it was clear that Andrade didn’t come to Copenhagen to deliver anything less than full effort but sheer will and toughness couldn’t overcome the sizable edge in skill enjoyed by Kessler.
Despite only being an inch taller than the champion at 6 foot 2, the California based Mexican was substantially bigger than the Dane and Andrade’s size and reach advantage gave Kessler some difficulty throughout the night but it was the challenger’s chin that kept him in the fight.
Kessler relied on quick footwork and superb balance to prevent Andrade from mounting any sustained or coordinated offensive effort while patiently picking moments to rip the visitor with well placed combinations that lashed Andrade’s head at times as if it was on a swivel. More…
It was a good weekend of boxing in República Argentina with the biggest fightcard taking place on Friday night in the northwestern city of Salta, where Javier Alberto Mamani KO’d Marcus Hector Vergara in the tenth and final round to claim the vacant WBA Fedebol Light Middleweight title at Estadio Delmi in front of 9,000 fans.
Local hero Mamani looked to dissuade his Cordovan opponent from the start but Vergara was riding a ten fight win streak and knew he’d have to step it up to win on his rival’s home ground.
While Vergara had his moments, lack of previous high level experience and never having gone past the sixth round doomed his bid to unseat Mamani, who worked behind the jab all night before knocking out Vergara via a searing combination with just 4 seconds to go in the contest. More…
One of the most anticipated contests to take place so far this year in England is scheduled for Leeds Town Hall tonight as reigning British Super Featherweight Champion Carl Johanneson puts his belt at risk against a man who should provide “Ingemar” with his stiffest test to date, Ricky Burns, on a Frank Maloney Promotion.
Johanneson, 25-2 (18), matriculated in the tough East Coast gyms of America and fought in the US for the first four years of his professional career. A high pressure style took Johanneson to a spotless record for his first twelve bouts until the Leeds native ran into tough Philadelphia based southpaw Koba Gogoladze in 2003. The towering Georgian floored Johanneson spectacularly early on in the eight round bout but the Englishman clawed his way back to lose a close split decision.
Shortly afterward Johanneson returned to his native Britain and immediately caged the vacant WBF title with a third round stoppage over the far more experienced Carl Greaves. Johanneson defended that belt two times before suffering a disastrous first round stoppage loss at the hands of Russian spoiler Leva Kirakosyan in 2004. More…
Ricky Hatton grew up in a large, grim council estate on the edge of Manchester known as Hattersley. The development was built in the 1960’s, intended as a large overspill estate by the Manchester City council.
As a small boy, he trained in the basement of the pub he and his family lived in and to this day, returns there on a regular basis to spend time with the people who reside on the estate. Despite the sometimes threadbare conditions they find themselves in, the people of Hattersley are warm, generous, funny, straight forwardly honest and most of all, hardworking.
Even after years of success, Ricky Hatton is still a Hattersley kid, carrying around all the attributes. It’s this attitude that has shocked the American press as they are coming to know “The Hitman” this weekend in Las Vegas as Hatton prepares to challenge Juan Urango for his old IBF 140 lb title.
SaddoBoxing caught up with Ricky in this exclusive interview that shows just how much his roots mean to him and why he will always mention his gratitude to his fan base and the responsibility he feels towards any fans that take the time and effort to watch him fight. More…
