Boxing News

Fighter of the Year: Manny Pacquiao

While it was another entertaining year of boxing, there wasn’t one fighter that truly stood out after Carlos Baldomir took the loss against Floyd. But if I had to pick one, I am going with the PacMan who basically ended the career of legendary yet fading Erik Morales over two fights and in between put a severe beating on Oscar Larios in the Philippines.

The promotional free agent was thought to have signed with Golden Boy but at the zero hour changed his mind and went with Top Rank so that might put a damper on a rematch in 2007 against Marco Antonio Barrera. If that fight doesn’t shape up how about a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez or giving Joan Guzman a shot? What ever comes about, you can always count on Pacquaio to give a crowd pleasing performance.

Runner up: tie between Carlos Baldomir and Miguel Cotto

Carlos Baldomir had a run for the ages in 2006 by coming out of nowhere to beat two of the welterweight division best on their home turf. Wins over Zab Judah and Arturo Gatti earned his a shot at the number 1 pound for pound in the world Floyd Mayweather, and like many others before him found himself in the losers bracket. Boxing is a cold sport and one loss usually drops you from consideration for anything but I think Tata still can offer a lot and pull more upsets. If anything he can provide a solid test for any up and comer shooting through the ranks. What Baldomir did in 2006 should not go unnoticed and hopefully he stays around a while longer.

Miguel Cotto finished 2005 strong and built on that momentum in 2006 winning three times against fighters with a combined record of 80 – 1. His latest victory, an impressive 4th round TKO of previously undefeated Carlos Quintana, has catapulted his name into the upper echelon of the sport and puts him in prime position to gain a money fight against the best in the business. Cotto is another crowd pleaser who gives it his all every time out and before long I wouldn’t be surprised to see him recognized as the undisputed welterweight champ. More...

Kid Diamond makes the first defense of his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) lightweight title when he boxes hard-hitting Antonio Pitalua in the scheduled 12-round main event Thursday evening, Jan. 11, at the New Alhambra, Swanson & Ritner Streets, next to Forman Mills, in South Philadelphia. First of seven fights at 7.30 p.m.

The Versus network will televise the Diamond-Pitalua fight as well as the scheduled 10-round junior middleweight semifinal between Anthony Thompson and Robert Frazier.

Diamond, 29, of Las Vegas, NV, won the vacant NABF title Sept. 14 when he knocked out Jairo Ramirez, of San Diego, CA, in seven rounds at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. A pro since 2001, Diamond has a 23-1 record with 14 knockouts, including one over Philadelphia’s Koba Gogoladze. He boxed a draw with Joel Casamayor and lost to Nate Campbell. He has won his last three.

Pitalua, 36, is originally from Colombia but now lives in Mexico City. He is 41-3, 35 K0s, and he has knocked out his last nine opponents. More...

The ongoing soap opera stirred up by former two weight world champion Manny Pacquiao's habit of signing lots of contracts may have come to a conclusion this past Thursday when "Pacman" held a press conference in Manila. The super featherweight declared that Bob Arum's Top Rank was his promoter of record, ending the Filipino's brief fling with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

Arum announced at the same press conference that Pacquiao will next see action on April 28 in Las Vegas with a rematch against WBC 130 lb Champion Marco Antonio Barrera as the preferred scenario. Such a pairing may have trouble seeing the light of day on that date as Barrera (ironically promoted by Golden Boy) is slated to defend his belt against Juan Manuel Marquez on March 17.

Former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson was reportedly collared by authorities early yesterday morning after allegedly nearly driving into a police cruiser in Arizona. When pulled over and questioned, "Iron Mike" was found by police to be in possession of three bags of what he has, according to official documents, admitted was cocaine. The ex-fighter was also charged with driving under the influence. Stay tuned for more as this story develops.

World Boxing Association light middleweight champion "El Gallo" Jose Antonio Rivera broke his New England-based training camp today and headed south for final preparations leading up to his January 6 title defense against Travis Simms fighting on Showtime live from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Rivera (38-4-1, 24 KOs), a three-time world champion in two divisions, defends his WBA 154-pound title belt against the WBA "champion in recess" Simms (24-0, 18 KOs) in the 12-round co-feature on the Samuel Peter-James Toney II card. More...

The main event features knockout artists Teddy Reid and Richard Gutierrez; Co-feature begins promptly at 7:30pm

Mohegan Sun, in association with DRL Promotions, which is partly owned by boxing legend Roberto Duran, will present an exciting night of boxing action on Friday, January 26th as Teddy "Two Guns" Reid (23-8-2, 17 KO's) from Adelphi, Maryland battles Richard Gutierrez (19-1, 12 KO's) from Fort Lauderdale, Florida in a 10-round Welterweight bout in the Mohegan Sun Arena. The boxing excitement will be televised on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights" beginning at 7:30pm. The public is urged to come early for the main event. More...

Ray Hatton has been busy managing the careers of his sons Ricky and Matthew Hatton as they prepare for their Las Vegas debuts on January 20. Ricky will challenge IBF Light Welter Champion Juan Urango while Matthew contends for the vacant IBF International Welterweight crown against tough spoiler Frank Houghtaling. In part one of this interview SaddoBoxing spoke to Ray about what's going on with Ricky.

"Ricky officially weighed in at ten stone eight and a half pounds (148.5 lb) last week," said father/manager Ray Hatton. "He's well in front of schedule from what he normally is a month away from a fight. Ricky is out to prove a point as a lot of people said that they didn't think he'd make the ten stone (140 lb) limit. He's actually busted his weight schedule wide open."

Another point the Hattons will have to prove is whether or not Ricky can compete in America, in light of a victorious but decidedly rocky showing against Luis Collazo in Boston last May. "We're not ashamed to admit that we cut a few corners during the Collazo fight," remarked Ray. "Ricky wasn't doing the little things that we feel make him a bit special, in terms of footwork and movement. More...

Travis Simms, along with WBA #1 Middleweight Contender Randy Griffin, have been in Columbia, South Carolina, since Thanksgiving training for their upcoming fights. Simms has strong ties to South Carolina having fought here several times over the years.

WBA Champion "In Recess" "Tremendous" Travis Simms takes on the current WBA Super Welterweight Champion Jose Antonio Rivera in a much anticipated fight on the undercard of the James Toney vs. Sam Peter heavyweight rematch. More...

Crowd-Pleasing, Undefeated Prospects Square Off In Co-Featured Bout On “ShoBox: The New Generation’’ Friday, Jan. 5, 2007, at 11 p.m. ET/PT

A pair of talented, unbeaten boxers with eerily similar pro careers will collide when Nick Casal (15-0-1, 1 NC, 12 KOs) faces Jose Antonio Izquierdo (15-0-1, 13 KOs) in an excellent co-featured attraction on Friday, Jan. 5, 2007, on “ShoBox: The New Generation.” More...

Okay folks, the big day is over Finally! Now it’s time for the New Year, the one day we get a chance to start from a clean slate and hopefully have a better year then the last. Well, at least in theory anyway.

It is also a time to reflect on the past. Each New Years Eve we tend look back and remember the hard times and how we got through them. We think about the people who were endeared to us that have moved on to a better place, wishing they were with us to celebrate. We toast the good times, then wish each other more of them once the clock hits midnight. Yes, New Years has some sentiment too.

Last year, I made a list of resolutions to help my year get started in a more positive way. Like every year, those resolutions lasted a week. Hey, it's the thought that counts, right? I also made a list of resolutions for some of our big name fighters, hoping that they might follow them and have a better year, career-wise.

Guess what? None of the guys on the list followed a single bit of my advice. All but one also had a bad year. So, this year, since my advice is not appreciated, I am going to share 10 of my most memorable moments of the sport, both good and bad, over the last 25 plus years. Hopefully, in the future we have more of the good and a little less of the bad. More...

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all the staff at Saddo Boxing.

Click for larger image © Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

No BCS controversy or photo finishes here. The two most talented fighters in the “ShoBox” super middleweight tournament will clash for the championship when Jean Paul Mendy faces Tony Hanshaw, Friday, Jan. 5, 2007, on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast) from the Desoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss. Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and Round One Entertainment will co-promote the event.. More...

Frank Maloney has added two solid supporting bouts to the hotly anticipated Commonwealth Bantamweight title rematch between reigning champion Tshifhiwa Munyai and British titlist Martin Power at Goresbrook LC in Dagenham, England on Friday 26 January. More...

By Benn Lettman

The walls inside the TKO Gym are adorned with the faces of fighters, past and present, who have walked through its doors to grunt, sweat and bleed in pursuit of their dream. Those faces include former heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster, current WBU lightweight champion Graham Earl and Ireland's most famous pugilistic export, Barry Mcguigan.

English welterweight champion Ross Minter, who is preparing for his upcoming British title eliminator against Colin McNeil, was hard at work as I entered the famed gym. "He's from Scotland, I'm obviously from down here," he said, referring to his opponent. "It will be a clash of North versus South. It should be a good fight. I gave up the English title recently because obviously I've got other things I want to concentrate on to move up the ladder."

Minter, who boasts an impressive 16-1 (7) record, is keen to take his career to the next level: "Now I want to move on to better things. It's a shame because I've only had one fight this year. One fight in a year could make you go a bit rusty. It would be nice to get a warm up fight in February but I've had good sparring and good training. You've got to take the opportunity when it comes." More...

The rematch between James 'Lights Out' Toney and Samuel 'The Nigerian Nightmare' Peter takes place on January 6 and Toney, controversially defeated in the initial bout, has blanked it from his mind.

And 'Blank' with a capital 'B' is now a significant part of Toney's daily routine since Billy Blanks, the renowned fitness guru, began employment as the 38 year old's conditioning trainer.

Los Angeles resident Blanks, himself a Golden Gloves and seven time world Karate champion is renowned as both the creator of Tae Bo, the phenomenally successful exercise regime that combines martial arts and music; and for being a hard task master.

We do not do Tae Bo, we do war," said Toney of his new trainer on a recent conference call. "He trains me everyday and before I was not training too hard because when I got home I would not be sleepy. But believe me now I am! Now I just try to get home and get to that bed."

Blanks, who has previously worked with a string of top sportsman and celebrities such as basketball stars Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neill, was brought in after Toney (69-5-3, 43 KO's) dropped a wafer-thin decision to the 27-1 (22 KO's) Peter in their WBC final eliminator, which took place on September 2. More...

The WBC is made up of 162 countries bound together by their passion for the sport of boxing. We reflect the world as we hope it will be someday... a place where all conflicts are settled in the ring. Perhaps we alone can't change the world but we can teach our children by our actions.

In that light, WBC Chief Jose Sulaiman and the Female Championship Committee wish all people a warm and loving New Year.

And remember; don't take it on the chin!

Promoter Has Not Spoken to the Filipino Prizefighter or His Trainer

Promoter Don King denies media reports this week claiming he has been pursuing representation of Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao.

“I have not called nor have I spoken with Manny Pacquiao, his trainer or anyone in his camp,” King said. “I have no idea where these reports have emanated from, but I can assure everyone the media accounts are absolutely false in their entirety and have no merit whatsoever.”

Stories ran earlier this week, and have been repeated in publications and Internet Web sites around the world, making several preposterous claims directly attributed to Pacquiao’s trainer—all of which King denies. The false allegations include King phoning relentlessly and offering large amounts of money attempting to become Pacquiao’s promoter.

Top Rank/Peltz Promotions will hold the next VERSUS televised card on Thursday, January 11 at the New Alhambra Arena in South Philadelphia. At stake in the main event will be the NABF Lightweight title as Las Vegas based Kid Diamond, 23-1-1 (14), squares off against Mexico City veteran Antonio Pitalula, 41-3 (35).

Alos on the card, hometown Philly hero Anthony Thompson, 22-1 (16), takes on Robert "Push-up" Frazier, 31-7-4 (15), at light middleweight.

Check local listings for broadcast times.

Hennessy Sports promoted Junior Witter will take a break from his rigorous Christmas training schedule to appear on the pitch at Valley Parade on Boxing Day with his WBC World light welterweight title.

The Ingle-trained 32-year-old made history in September when he became the first ever Brit to win the governing body’s prestigious belt at 140lb with an under-rated dominant points win over former world champion DeMarcus Corley. More...

The number one contender for the heavyweight championship made 100 kids feel like champions for the Christmas holiday.

Samuel Peter is known as the “Nigerian Nightmare,” but he was truly a dream come true for dozens of youngsters yesterday at the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County in Deerfield Beach. More...