There are a lot of things you can say about Matt Remillard, current WBC Youth Featherweight Champion. Arrogance is not one of them as itʼs breath of fresh air to see how grounded the 21 year old Remillard is.

His progression in the sport has been steady, amassing a 13-0 record while stopping 7 men, over fifty percent of his increasingly more difficult competition, inside the distance.

He fights out of Manchester, Connecticut in the same gym that he walked into years ago, as a young, tough kid with a self admitted chip on his shoulder doing community service. Matt Remillardʼs path to boxing was a bumpy one, but it was one that led him to where he is today, a champion.

SaddoBoxing: So Matt, what got you into boxing?

Matt Remillard: "Iʼve always liked boxing. I remember watching fights with my father and grandfather. You know, the classic fights like Ali vs. Frazier. Iʼve always been a fan of the sport.

I had kind of a rough childhood. I got into a lot of fights. I used to get in fights at school and stuff. I had to do community service. I was sent to the Police Athletic League by a police officer by the name of Anthony DeJulis." More...

"Iʼm trying to change the minds of the fans one fight at a time."

These are the words that two time heavyweight champion, John Ruiz, kept saying in our interview yesterday. "I know I havenʼt been the type of guy to fill the arena, so to speak." Ruiz has no delusions on how he is perceived. It is in any forum or article after one of his fights. He is not an action fighter. He has a hit and hold style that will lull any fighter to sleep, along with the audience.

But Ruiz wants to change that perception. He has a new trainer, a new camp and a great attitude. "I want to do the exact opposite of what I used to do. Iʼm working on changing my style."

When we caught up with Ruiz he was at his home in Las Vegas with his wife Marybel.

Saddoboxing: Coming off your dominating win over Jameel McCline, where do you think this places you in the heavyweight landscape?

John Ruiz: "I feel very confident. There have been no new names at the top of the division for a while. I want to go after the guys I havenʼt fought. I feel very good and I am willing to fight anybody."

SB: You looked fresh in your last fight nearly pitching a shut out. What have you done differently to put on such a performance?

JR: "I feel rejuvenated. I have changed my camp. I have brought on Manny Siaca. I feel motivated for the first time in a while. I feel like a student again. Iʼm learning so much. With my old people I felt like I was teaching them. I just feel so good about the people I have around me." More...

Where, Oh Where, Has Our "Blood And Guts Warrior" Gone?

Our illustrious hero, our never say die champion, our hard hitting combatant has ridden off rightfully and honorably into the sunset. He went out just as we knew he would, on his shield. There would be no sadness or sorrow because we saw it coming; a warrior cannot bleed forever.

His last drop was shed by a seemingly lesser opponent in Alfonso Gomez, a man, that years ago, would have tasted the canvas within five rounds against our boxer/puncher, Arturo Gatti.

It was clear at that moment there would be no rally, no puncher's chance, and no superman-like comeback that would be heralded for years to come as had happened so many times. He was defeated. Gattiʼs career was over.

It really hit me when I received my issue of "The Ring" that month that it was finally over. I saw the picture that I had seared into my brain from that night on paper. It was of our warrior slumped near the ropes, bleeding from the ghastly wound on his mouth. I asked myself whether there would ever he another quite like Arturo Gatti.

He was the type of fighter, which if you are lucky, comes around once in a lifetime. He was a fighter that you knew, for a fact, would rip out his heart and throw it on the canvas, if need be, to win a fight. More...

In 2004, Peter Manfredo Jr. was one of the best up and coming prospects in the junior middleweight division. Hailing from the boxing rich city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, he had amassed a record of 21-0 (10), winning the EBA, IBU and WBO NABO titles along the way. It seemed the New England boxing scene had spawned its next star. The torch had finally passed from former five time world champion Vinny Pazienza to a new era.

Manfredoʼs style was nothing like that of "The Pazmanian Devil". Peter was a boxer while Vinny was more of a brawler, beating men with skill rather than all out aggression. He had decent speed, a little pop and what seemed like all the potential in the world. He was starting to make some noise in the division.

On Tuesday, July 18, 2004, The Contender reality show aired on NBC for the first time. Manfredo had gotten his break for mainstream exposure. He and 15 other fighters would face each other in an elimination style contest for fame and fortune. Manfredo was a clear favorite being seen as one of the most experienced and skilled fighters on the show.

Peter Manfredoʼs undefeated record fell on August 18, 2004 during a taping of the show to a virtually unknown fighter by the name of Alfonso Gomez, who at the time, sported a lack luster record of 10-2-1 (4). In a hard fought five round bout, Peter was defeated via unanimous decision, leaving the show dejected and without his 0.

As luck would have it, Jeff Fraza, another contestant on the Contender Series, fell ill with chickenpox and could no longer continue. This left the series short one fighter to complete the tournament, so it was left up to the fighters on which fallen comrade would they vote back on the show; their choice was Manfredo.

Peterʼs return to the show was a successful one, wining all his bouts enroute to the finale. His wins included decisions over Miguel Espino, Joey Gilbert and a rematch with Alfonso Gomez. More...

It was an exciting night of boxing last Friday before St Pattyʼs day, March 14, on another great CES card. The atmosphere was electric at Twin Rivers Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island as the fan favorite and New England star Peter "The Pride of Providence" Manfredo Jr. got back on the horse against tough York, South Carolina native Shane "The Irish Hit man" Benfield in the super middleweight main event of the evening.

A great co-feature pitted the IWBF Lightweight Champion Jamie "The Hurricane" Clampitt against the always tough, ten time title challenger Belinda Laracuente. Clampitt was coming off both a win over Jane Couch in a rematch of The Ring Magazineʼs 2004 Womenʼs Fight of the Year and a win over former champion Mia St John.

The night also saw a slew of terrific supporting bouts with knockouts galore.

The Manfredo Benfield bout promised fireworks, as is the case every time that Rhode Islandʼs favorite son comes home. The hard hitting Benfield would be sure to check the chin of the never down Manfredo.

Benfield came into the bout scoring nine knockouts in seventeen victories and bearing only one defeat. With thirty four fights to his credit, Manfredo was clearly the more experienced fighter, although Benfield was five years his senior.

Benfield entered the ring taunting the crowd and pounding his chest, seeming relaxed and confident. Fittingly, Peter Manfredo marched into the ring to the tune "Iʼm Back In The Saddle Again". More...

When Thomas Mashaba walked into the ring at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, CT for the sixth defense of his IBO featherweight title this past Friday night as the main event on ESPN2ʼs

Friday Night Fights, he believed that this would lead to bigger and better things. This would be the first time that he would fight in the USA and what a fight it turned out to be. The night was full of exciting bouts from beginning to end and none of them were tactical sleepers. Each and every one of them saw bomb after bomb being dropped as we watched two title fights and three great undercards.

The styles of Mashaba and challenger Cristobal Cruz were perfect for an exciting fight. Mashaba is an accurate puncher who can land from range who also fights well on the inside and he was clearly the better boxer, but Cruzʼs dizzying work rate is enough to make any man back up as he throws from all angles and never stops.

Cruz comes out of his corner in the first round and immediately begins working Mashabaʼs body with hard hooks. Mashaba lands a hard left, right hook combination that staggers Cruz, who does not look so much hurt as surprised. They drop bombs on each other in a vicious exchange.

At this rate, the fight does not look like it has any hope of going the distance. Mashaba begins to land at range and puts Cruz on his back foot. Cruz rushes inside to continue his onslaught to the body. Mashaba ends the round by landing a few good combinations of hooks and uppercuts.

Cruz immediately goes back to it in the second. It is beginning to become evident that he is outlanding Mashaba. Cruz begins to back Mashaba up and the Mexican's best work is being done inside. He buries his head into the chest of Mashaba and blasts away but Mashaba makes Cruz pay as he steps back and damages the challenger with a big hook. In the last twenty seconds ,they trade violently with neither man giving any ground to the other. More...

Andre Berto, 21-0 (18), is a strong, fast, up and coming welterweight who in the past few years has made his way into the spotlight, showing more of the immense depth that this division has to offer. The 24 year old from Winter Haven, FL holds impressive wins thus far, giving a glimpse on what his future may have in store.

The prospect turned contender has enjoyed a few key wins during his rise. In July of 2007, Berto had his first real test when he faced seasoned Mexican Cosme Rivera in Saratoga Springs, NY.

For the first time in his career, Berto had to haul himself off the canvas in the sixth round to mount a comeback that ended in a 10 round unanimous decision win over the experienced veteran.

In August of last year, Berto squared off with a very game David Estrada in a WBC and IBF title eliminator in Atlantic City and Estrada started quickly against Berto, only to have it end in an 11th round TKO stoppage. The veteran seemed to surprise the younger Berto early on, but the 24 year old would eventually end it after many brutal exchanges and pick up the NABF Welterweight title for his efforts.

Most recently, Germanyʼs Michael Trabant was the latest test for Berto whom battered the tentative veteran all night last month in Temecula, CA. The fight ended after former European Champion Trabant decided not to answer the bell after the sixth round. More...