A rather unlikely pairing contests the WBA heavyweight championship of the world this weekend. Despite achieving world titles in three weights thus far, one would have to say that James Toney resembles a fighter somewhat out of his depth

amongst the heavyweights. In contrast, John Ruiz, a decidedly dubious two-time world champion is a natural heavyweight, but one of considerably less ability than most. By their adopted monikers alone, this fight is one between two men of drastically opposite dispositions. “Lights Out” is a rather suggestive nickname, indicating the eager nature of one to remove another from consciousness; a stereotype in which Toney happily revels. Ruiz’ own “Quiet Man” alias befits his demeanor, and perhaps also his overall impact on heavyweight boxing. Nonetheless, they shall fight for the title, one will win, the other will lose, and lives will change immeasurably in the never-ending carousel of fortunes that is the boxing world. In the meantime, here to offer you a nudge in the right direction as to who might win this heavyweight title fight, I give you the SaddoBoxing.com team. More...

Click for larger image © Sergio Martinez

Fight fans, it was a night to remember at the Laredo Entertainment Center in Laredo, Texas, as the "Night of the Olympians" was a huge success. Over three thousand hardcore, rowdy boxing fans were present to witness what is possibly the future of the sport in action, as "Lil" Abner Mares, Vicente "Chente" Escobedo,

and Daniel Ponce De Leon notched impressive wins for Golden Boy Promotions. It was a solid card all around which and televised on Telefutura’s "Solo Boxeo" series. Let’s recap. The first of the former Olympians to step into the squared circle was nineteen-year-old "Lil" Abner Mares (now 3-0-0 with 2 KOs). "Lil" Abner would be tested by Daniel "Hurricane" Vasquez, a strong, undefeated super bantamweight from Austin, Texas. What appeared to be a mismatch in the beginning, as Vasquez was floored two minutes into the first round by a crisp, fast, short, perfectly placed left hook to the chin, turned into a struggle as the tough and game Texan would come off the canvas to give Mares hell for six rounds. Abner had to settle for a hard-fought, well-earned unanimous decision. It is obvious that Mares is the most naturally talented fighter of a very young stable for Golden Boy Promotions, but, at nineteen, "Lil" Abner showed his young age as, though he could have comfortably out-boxed Vasquez by using his speed and much greater talent, Mares, too many times stood flat-footed while trading power shots. "Lil" Abner also seemed very impatient at times and would wade in, swinging for the fences with both hands. That tactic would cost him, as a clash of heads opened a small cut over Abner’s left eye. In the end though, Mares was just too fast and too talented for Vasquez. It was a solid win for the young super bantamweight, but it showed that he is still a raw work in progress.

Don't miss the rest of this exclusive ringside report from "The Night of the Olympians," only at SaddoBoxing.com More...

Tonight, April 29, 2005, live from the Laredo Entertainment Center in Laredo, Texas, and televised on Telefutura, Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotion presents “Night of the Olympians.” Three of De La Hoya’s charges: Daniel Ponce De Leon, Abner Mares, and Vicente Escobedo, all former Olympians, are to feature on the

card along with some local fighters. It is truly a pleasure to be able to see such great fighters so early in their career, as the three ex-Olympians are considered serious up and comers with one of them, Daniel Ponce De Leon, at the cusp of a world title. Here are some more details about the fighters featured tonight.

Daniel Ponce De Leon (#7 ranked IBF junior featherweight contender): Born in Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, this direct descendent from the Tarahumara India Tribe of northern Mexico, conducts himself like a modern day warrior, as his all-out fighting style, almost superhuman natural strength, and relentless attack has contributed to twenty-three knockouts in twenty-five fights. Unlike most prospects early in their careers, Daniel has been in with the likes of Trinidad Mendoza, Francisco Tejedor, Cesar Figueroa, Emmanuel Lucero, Julio Gamboa, and Celestino Caballero. Ponce De Leon was undefeated until his last fight, when then unknown Celestino Caballero, out-pointed the Mexican warrior over twelve exciting rounds in an IBF title eliminator bout, which was televised on HBO Latino Boxeo De Oro. Daniel was originally scheduled to fight Jose Luis Valbuena, who is a southpaw and stands approximately five foot seven inches tall. One week prior to the fight, Valbuena pulled out with an injury, and in stepped Caballero. After weeks of preparation for a left handed, shorter fighter, De Leon found out that he was now fighting a right handed, five-foot-eleven-inch tall boxer. He never complained, stepped into the ring, and just tried his best. Caballero used his range, and size to keep the much shorter left handed Mexican on the outside. Daniel, taking a horrible beating, showed the heart and soul of a true Mexican warrior as he just kept coming. In the twelfth round, with both his eyes swollen, and his face bloodied, De Leon would mount one last offensive that would seriously hurt Caballero, almost taking him out. The Colombian showed his own heart, as he managed to stay upright until the final bell rang. Tonight, Daniel begins his comeback and SaddoBoxing will be ringside to see how De Leon will respond to his first loss. More...

At least eighty-percent of boxing fans would love to see John Ruiz get schooled, again, only this time by James Toney not Roy Jones Jr. Because of his fighting style, Ruiz has to be one of the least liked heavyweight champions of all time. Actually he is probably one of the least liked boxers pound-for-pound of all time, coming in a close

second behind the now retired (thank God) Sven Ottke. But why so hated? Ottke and Ruiz have the same jab and hug style, but Ottke was given some very, very dubious decisions from hometown judges, and British boxing fans will never forget the referee’s “performance’ in Ottke’s title defence against Robin Reid. Ruiz is no cheat though, not in the same way as Ottke. Every John Ruiz fight I have seen, I thought he did enough to win. Sure, it took about three days to get through the fight because I kept falling asleep when watching, but I thought he always did enough to edge it, so it is not like he’s being given decisions in the same way as Ottke. I put it down to the fact that he is a non-entity in the sport. His nickname is “The Quiet Man” and Ruiz lives up to this by usually saying very little. That is until recently. But even when he has been more vocal at press conferences to promote his upcoming fight with James Toney, there has still been a lack of conviction in his words; but does any boxer really need a mouth when they have Norman “Stoney” Stone as a trainer? Ruiz’ fighting style does not help either. Ruiz is not a big puncher, he isn’t a classy counter-puncher or a flashy punch and mover, and most of his last fights have had audiences booing at the total lack of action in the ring. Ruiz is also not a box office draw.

Don't miss this exclusive preview of the weekend's biggest fight only at SaddoBoxing.com, bringing you quality consistently for FREE! More...

On a night where the stars shined, in attendance in and outside of the ring, Dash-DiBella Entertainment put on another spectacular event. This was the third installment of Broadway Boxing at the Hammerstein Ballroom. In attendance were notables such as Iran "The Blade" Barkley, Emile Griffith, Junior Jones

and Harold Letterman who were just some of the many celebrities of the boxing world, adding their fame to the ambiance of the evening, signing autographs, taking pictures, answering questions and merely being supportive to these young up-and-coming fighters that Dash-DiBella are promoting. Also in attendance: "The Mechanic" Chris Smith, Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson, and Monte "Two Gunz" Barrett, fighters who are also part of the DiBella line-up. On the evening's fight card, Curtis Stevens went the distance with Shannon Miller. Despite not causing a knockout, Stevens was in total control from the opening to the sixth round, throwing precise body shots using both hands and causing Miller to constantly retreat against the ropes. Stevens showed much more than the ability to knock out opponents at any given moment, also displaying poise, ring generalship and the complete package of defense, bodywork and excellent head movement, used to totally dominate his opponent. Curtis "Showtime" Stevens is definitely a young, dangerous force to be reckoned with and clearly not a one-dimensional fighter. More...

Ahh….You just never know what’s going to happen with those crazy heavyweights. Well fight fans, welcome to the second installment of “The Big Debate.” This one is not exactly a fight that fans are raving about, but it is an important one since Toney is

trying to become only the fourth former middleweight champion, in our sports long and illustrious history, to become a heavyweight champion. And what is in the way of “Lights Out” accomplishing this feat? None other than one of the most criticized and disliked fighters in the last twenty years (it just might be ever), WBA titlist John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz. Yours truly was awarded the daunting task of making a case of why the often “vilified” champion will win. Most of the boxing media, and fans alike, are hoping that “The Quiet Man” is vanquished by Toney so that we no longer have to endure his fighting, which resembles more of a “Greco Roman Wrestling” style, than a boxing one. Still, Ruiz is the champion, and is not without his credentials. So, before you think I’m crazy, and start to laugh at me for actually picking Ruiz to win, just hear me out with an open mind.

Read on for the rest of the big debate with Sergio Martinez arguing for Ruiz and Jim Cawkwell making a case for Toney. More...

DIEGO CORRALES.

"Castillo is a tough guy. I am a tough guy. If there is any potential for a fight to go 12 rounds and be a war where we beat each other to death, this is it. If it goes the way it should go, it is going to be a battle. But if anybody is going to go down early, it is him."

"This fight will start as a smart fight and then it will turn into a shootout. It will be a war of attrition. At some point it will turn into an inside fight." More...

How do I presume to fashion a definitive heavyweight order from such a ragged bunch I hear you ask. Well, with great difficulty is my reflex response. Needless to say, we have a less than stellar crop from which to pluck and place in some manner of hierarchy. Furthermore, in the highly likely event of your disagreement with my final choices, I bid you not to despair that I have taken leave of my good senses, but please do send me your thoughts on your particular preferences in this matter, or just remind me to take the medication. Prepare to be amazed, bemused, disgruntled or a peculiar arrangement of all three as I whisk you off to the land of the giants to, in the vernacular of our somewhat more streetwise peers, “see what’s crackin.’” Indeed…..ahem!

1. Vitali Klitschko: Surprise, surprise you say? Well, I find it highly distressing that you could possibly quarrel with the notion that the mighty Ukrainian champion whom sent Lennox Lewis fleeing in madness towards premature retirement and valiantly ended the challenge of a Corrie Sanders in peak physical condition does not deserve the crowning placement atop this list. Sarcasm is such a wonderful gift isn’t it? Of course, Lewis saw the tide turning and got out, and Sanders was all but out…of his mind accepting a fight with Klitschko while contemplating the senior PGA tour. Granted, you could yell fore at Klitschko before throwing a punch and he still may not dodge it. Our current WBC heavyweight champion is no defensive wizard, no fleet-footed dancing master, nor a revelation of tactical pugilism; he’s just a big fella with a good chin and right hand to match, but considering the state of the rest of the pack, we’ll take that for now. More...

A John Ruiz fight may be boring, uneventful, slow and a straight out way to help you fall asleep on the couch while watching. You can change the channel, laugh at his “Quiet Man” stance and take his self-assured statements of destroying his opponent lightly. It's John Ruiz’ way and it's a successful formula towards earning a win. Ruiz is not the only fighter to add boredom and a slow pace to a boxing match. Bernard Hopkins is famous for it, but Hopkins is also famous for being the king of the middleweights. As for John Ruiz, well, it’s just for the boredom. Displaying a record of 41-5-1 (28 KOs), Ruiz is not some fly-by-night, gain a lot of weight, close my eyes, lace up some gloves and call me a heavyweight. To his credit, he did partake in three fights with a little over his prime Evander Holyfield; even winning one. He also fought and won against Kirk Johnson, which was comical, but, still a win. Ruiz was a part of boxing history, while taking a loss from fighting Roy Jones Jr. What if he would have landed the punch that Antonio Tarver landed; would Ruiz’ whole acceptance from the boxing community be overwhelming? Just a thought to ponder. More...

Golden Boy Enterprises, led by Oscar De La Hoya, and Highridge Partners, an international real estate developer and investor headed by John Long, today announced the formation of a new company, Golden Boy Partners, to revitalize and redevelop urban Latino communities.

Golden Boy Partners combines the complementary talents and expertise of the two Los Angeles-based companies to address the escalating demand in urban Latino neighborhoods for safe quality housing, retail and entertainment options, and business and job creation. The company plans to invest $100 million over the next three years, primarily in California cities with large Latino populations located in underserved, blighted areas. More...

It is fight week in the Big Apple, kicked off by DiBella Entertainment when Broadway Boxing Presented by Mohegan Sun is on the big stage this Thursday night, April 28.

And talk about a local flavor - from Union, NJ to Bridgeport, CT, to Fort Apache in the Bronx, here come the fighters on a spectacular eight-bout show! Pugilists from the entire tri-state Metropolitan area, including four of the five boroughs of New York, will appear on the card at the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center (34th Street and Eighth Avenue). Fort Apache's Jeffrey Resto represents The Bronx in the main event, a return engagement of a 2004 Fight of the Year candidate against Michael Warrick. Knockout artists Jaidon Codrington (originally from Bridgeport) and Dash-DiBella Promotions' Curtis Stevens, a.k.a. "The Chin Checkers" represent Queens and Brooklyn respectively, while Manhattan's Edgar Santana completes the lineup from New York. More...

Is modesty a virtue? If you are a young boxer grappling for big fights and public recognition, then the answer to that question is a definite no; boxing is a fickle sport with fans even more fickle. Boxing is a sport revolutionized by the arrival of someone called Muhammad Ali (anyone ever heard of him?), whose impact

was immeasurable as he essentially transformed the “sweet science” from a sport into an entertainment industry, and as such, marketability is now the name of the game. To be marketable, and therefore in a position to earn the big bucks, a fighter must sell himself or be sold to his audience comparative to a product. Ali said it best: “it’s about putting butts in seats, love you, hate you, it doesn’t matter as long as people pay to watch you!” He was the first to spot that boxing and professional wrestling were not too dissimilar in the sense that they are both personality driven; skill on its own will not make you a superstar in either profession. High ability does not always equate to a high profile, not in the world of boxing. Don’t believe me? Just ask Floyd Mayweather Jr. More...

“Don better step up to the plate after this fight because we want nothing but big fights. Johnny will beat both Klitchskos on the same night. No doubt about that. We better start getting treated the way we deserve from him because we’ve earned it.”-Norman “Stoney” Stone.

“Just no excuses, Toney! Be ready!” was the message Norman “Stoney” Stone had for James “Lights Out” Toney, who fights his charge, John Ruiz, on May 30, 2005, for the WBA heavyweight strap televised on HBO. The fiery trainer/manager was gracious enough to speak to this writer about Ruiz’s upcoming fight, life, boxing, promoters, and his future plans. “I took a kid

that no one liked. I took a guy that no one wanted and made him into a world champion. Tell me who else out there has been with a fighter since his first amateur fight until the heavyweight championship. Everybody doubted us and we proved them wrong. That’s my legacy and I’m proud of it.” Ruiz is a fighter whose style is not appealing to the eye, but is effective as he has beat top heavyweight contenders like Andrew Golota, Kirk Johnson, Fres Oquendo and Hasim Rahman. But that style has lead to a lot of backlash from the boxing public. When asked about what his feelings are towards the media, who often negatively criticize Ruiz and his style, an angered “Stoney” responded: “Johnny is like a son to me, we’ve been together since he was sixteen, and it really pisses me off that people dog him and talk shit about him. This guy has beaten every fighter out there and he is still not given respect. Like in the Golota fight, Johnny came off the floor to dominate the last nine rounds. Had Toney or Holyfield done that, they would be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but since it was Johnny, no one reported shit! You know how it is in boxing. They’ve been saying we’re no good for years and now, since we’ve beat all the top guys, they have to say we can’t fight because they know if they give us credit, they’ll look stupid. It’s really unprofessional for media guys out there saying that they hope Johnny gets beat so that he won’t have to be seen anymore. What kind of shit is that to say about someone? We never get a fair shake from anyone and we are never given a chance. The difference between Vitali and Johnny is that Klitschko got to fight Lennox and we never did. We were part of one of Lewis’ training camp so he knew. Johnny beat his ass every time in sparring and if Lennox says any different, he’s a liar! We also always get insulted by Merchant (Larry Merchant from HBO), but I’d love for Johnny to give him a left hook to the chin to see what he (Merchant) thinks of him after that! Toney is going to be the guy that is going to get punished for every wrong we’ve been done.” More...

James "Lights Out" Toney is a name of which most boxing fans are fond. With a record of 68-4 (43 KOs), Toney knows his way around the ring as well as the business of boxing. Beginning his professional boxing career as a middleweight, where he earned the IBF middleweight title, Toney’s dominance of the middleweight division and weight issues pushed him into the light heavyweight division, where he suffered his first loss by decision to Roy Jones Jr. The factors of maintaining his weight and regaining his focus from the loss to Jones became evident with Toney’s second decision loss to Montell Griffin. Some people in boxing had the idea that Toney was just a fat, out of shape and focus light heavyweight. Indeed, it was shocking to see a talented middleweight climb to light heavyweight and barely fight with the same intensity, eagerness and ring generalship as he once did. Toney’s light heavyweight days were not impressive; he did win some fights there, but they were against lackluster opponents. More...

Hello fight fans and thank you so much for joining us today here at SaddoBoxing.com where we aim to bring you the best quality boxing coverage all the time and always FREE! As you all know, the WBA heavyweight title fight between champion John Ruiz and challenger James Toney happens at Madison Square Garden this Saturday, and you can count on SaddoBoxing for the ultimate preview performance of this event. We begin today with an editorial on James Toney from our very own Shaun Rico LaWhorn coming up next, followed by an exclusive interview with the always candid and quotable fight manager Norman "Stoney" Stone brought to you by Sergio Martinez. Our next interview comes from none other than the WBA heavyweight champion himself John Ruiz so be sure to check in to see what the champion has to say before his latest title defense and don't miss the rest of our coverage including more previews and of course, the SaddoBoxing writer's predictions.