Boxing News

Due to a cut suffered by Cesar Canchila during training, former IBF minimumweight world champion Daniel “El Olympico” Reyes (38-4-1, 30 KOs) of Colombia has stepped up to face NABF Champion Giovanni “The Aztec Warrior” Segura (17-0-1, 13 KOs) of Mexico in a 12-round WBA light flyweight world championship eliminator on Friday, June 8th from Gary, IN. In his last bout, Reyes, a two-time champion, defeated former WBO champion Nelson Dieppa of Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico. More...

SaddoBoxing was fortunate enough to interview Bobby Rimmer, formerly assistant trainer of Ricky "Hitman" Hatton and now turned owner of Bobby Rimmer's Boxing Academy/Stalybridge ABC in Manchester, England and full time trainer to some hot young talent.

Click for larger image © Mike Cleary

SaddoBoxing: First off, it's been almost a year since you opened your gym, how are things coming along with that, anything new? How have you and your guys settled into it?

Bobby Rimmer: "The gym is doing great, in fact, it took off too quickly! My partner Scott Gledhill and I were really snowed under from the get go. I was getting to the gym at 8:30am and not getting home until 11:30pm. I was doing personal lessons until the pros came in at 12: 30pm until 3:00pm then more classes until the amateur club came in at 6:00pm until 9:00pm.

"So Scott and I decided to split the gym into two parts; the weights and fitness side went to Scott and I got the boxing gym. We both share the showers and the cafe so its worked out really good. Scott does the nutrition for the boxers and Bri Rose still works on the reception. " More...

By Simon Jackson

Joe Calzaghe has expressed his desire to hang up his gloves after three "super fights" which will enable the unbeaten Welshman to step away from the ring while still at the peak of his profession.

Calzaghe extended his unbeaten record to 43 when he stopped Peter Manfredo Jnr six weeks ago at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and the WBO and IBF super middleweight champion has strong thoughts on his future.

"I would like three more fights, all of them against big names," Calzaghe said to skysports.com. "Two years ago I said I would have three more fights and now, three fights later, I want three more. Whatever happens, I want to go out at the top, that is for sure." More...

Click for larger image © Natasha Chornesky / Saddo Boxing

On Friday night at the Orleans in Las Vegas, "Amazing" Layla McCarter banged out a hard fought six round decision over tough Texan Angelica Martinez at welterweight.

McCarter, 24-13-5 (5), was coming off a loss just a month ago in a rematch against Melissa Hernandez that saw the 28 year Las Vegan lose for the first time in seven bouts. More...

In a riveting return to form last night at the Jako Arena in Bamberg, Germany, IBF Middleweight Champion Arthur Abraham showed no ill effects from a badly broken jaw suffered in his previous bout with Edison Miranda and went right through Canadian visitor Sebastian Demers in three rounds.

Previously unbeaten prospect Demers survived the first two rounds as Abraham showed the ring rust of eight months away from the ring, missing with most of the punches he threw.

But Abraham dialed in the range perfectly by the third with a savage assault to both the head and body of the Canadian. Demers attempted to use the ring to avoid further punishment but Abraham caught up with the prospect and shelled the Montreal man with a furious salvo that was capped off with an overhand right that floored Demers. More...

It was another close fight when IBF Cruiserweight Champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk rematched American opponent Steve Cunningham last night at the Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland but this time it was Cunningham who came out the winner courtesy a majority decision.

The two combatants originally came to grips last November for the vacant IBF title in Warsaw and Cunningham came out the loser by split decision in what had been termed by many at ringside to be a highly controversial loss, so much so that the IBF ordered an immediate rematch.

As he was fighting in the champion's home country, Cunningham knew that he had to overachieve if he was to get the win and the Philadelphia native was by far the busier fighter in this second bout with Wlodarczyk. More...

The final press conference between WBO Heavyweight Champion Shannon "The Cannon" Briggs and challenger Sultan Ibragimov is due to take place this coming Wednesday in New York. Given the bad feeling that has been brewing between the two, the media in attendance could be in for some early fireworks as the countdown for their world title clash on June 2 at Boradwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

35 year old veteran Briggs, 48-4 (42), will be making the first defense of the WBO title that he won by knocking out Serguei Lyakhovich in literally the final seconds of their bout this past November. More...

Chris Sanigar brings a night of championship boxing to Guild Hall in Plymouth, England on Sunday, June 17 when Jon Harrison and Gatis Skuja clash for the vacant International Masters Light Middleweight title.

The scheduled ten round main event pitts Plymouth's own Harrison, winner of six of his last eight bouts, against steel chinned pressure artist Skuja, a Latvian fighting out of London. More...

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...

Arthur Abraham puts his IBF Middleweight title at risk by facing Sebastien Demers tonight in at the Jako Arena in Bamberg, Germany.

This will be Abraham's first time back in the ring following his tremendous firefight with Edison Miranda last September, in which the IBF Champion was victorious but suffered two fractures to the jaw in the process.

Demers, 20-0 (9), comes from Montreal and is a former Quebec and Canadian Light Middleweight titlist. The 27 year old coming off two consecutive wins over Ian MacKillop, the first of which earned "Double Trouble" the IBF International Middleweight belt in November of last year.

Abraham, 22-0 (17), is a former hot prospect knockout artist that went from contender to champion with a stoppage of the highly regarded Kingsley Ikeke in December of 2005. More...

Due to the withdrawal of Martin Power from his proposed clash with Jason Booth at Crystal Palace on June 15; British fight fans have been rewarded with a thriller as Ajose Olusegun 19-0 (10) steps up to fight the talented Gary Reid 13-16-1 (8) for the vacant Commonwealth light welterweight title.

Olusegun, 27, has been waiting for 18 months for a title shot and the British based Nigerian must be commended for his patience during this trying period that saw so many fighters agree to get into the ring with him, only to withdraw closer to the fight.

Stoke on Trent based Reid, 34, is considered by many to be boxing’s Cinderella man having caused more upsets than any other Brit. More...

IBA & NBA super middleweight champion Rubin "Hollywood" Williams goes right into NABO 168-pound title-holder Jean Pascal's backyard on June 8 to fight for Pascal's NABO belt, as well as the vacant NABA & NABF championships, at the Uniprix Stadium in Montreal.

Williams (29-1-1, 16 KOs), rated No. 27 by the WBC, is coming off a thrilling 12-round draw with Antwun Echols on January 12. 2004 Canadian Olympian Pascal (16-0, 12 KOs), rated No. 8 by the WBO and No. 9 by the WBC, is a native of Haiti who moved years ago with his family to Quebec. More...

The Big Bang Theory goes off the drawing board and into the ring with "X-PLOSIVE!" -- the world welterweight championship featuring undefeated World Boxing Association champion MIGUEL COTTO, the pride of Puerto Rico, defending his title against two-division world champion ZAB "SUPER" JUDAH. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Prize Fight Boxing, "X-PLOSIVE!" will take place Saturday, June 9 at Madison Square Garden and broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

This marks the third consecutive year Cotto (29-0, 24 KOs), of Caguas, Puerto Rico, has headlined at the 'Mecca of Boxing' on the eve of New York's annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade. Last year, he defeated top-10 contender Paulie Malignaggi to retain his WBO jr. welterweight title in front of a near-capacity crowd. More...

LEE SAMUELS, TOP RANK: This is a very, very exciting time for Top Rank, the two-division World Champion is with us, Zab Judah. He’s on his, from Memphis Tennessee, where he is training at the Prize Fight Gym getting set for June 9th, Madison Square Garden live on HBO Pay-Per View. Zab will be taking on the undefeated World Welterweight Champion, Miguel Cotto. Ticket sales are on fire; we’re extremely excited. I saw Zab this past Saturday in Memphis. He looked tremendous, he had a lot to say to the fight press at his own little press conference in Memphis, and we’re very, very excited about Zab and about this event.

At this time, the President of Top Rank, Todd DuBoef, will take it from here and he’ll introduce Zab. Todd. More...

In the annals of world history, July 14 is known as Bastille Day. On that fateful date in 1789 the people of France stormed and seized the dreaded Bastille, a prison beset by inhumane conditions in Paris as the first step in the French Revolution, which eventually overthrew the 17-year monarchy of King Louis XVI.

On Saturday, July 14, 2007, in the outdoor tennis stadium at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., undefeated and No. 1-ranked World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight contender Paul “The Punisher” Williams (32-0, 24 KOs) looks to commemorate the holiday of Bastille Day by ending another reign of terror – that of WBO welterweight champion Antonio “The Tijuana Tornado” Margarito (34-4, 1 NC, 24 KOs). More...

Dedication the key for Risum

Promoter Henrik Risum has revealed the defining factor when scouting for boxers for his stable, dedication.

"If you don't have the dedication, the will to learn, the desire to train, and some times do so for small money in the beginning, then you are not going to go anywhere in professional boxing," he said.

Risum freed up time in his busy schedule to answer questions regarding his company, their upcoming shows and who we should look out for from Risum Boxing is the near future, exclusively for SaddoBoxing.

On May 5, one of Risum's boxers was involved in a farcical incident where Kenyan super middleweight champion Mohammed Orungi pulled out of his scheduled fight the next day against Samson Onyango. This is a decision which angered Risum as it doesn't just mess with his own schedule, but also that of his boxers.

"It's very disappointing as a promoter, but mostly for the boxers," said Risum of the incident. " I feel so sorry for the boxers who trained but time and time again didn't get to fight because some local promoters don't know their left hand from their right hand. It's very disappointing, but also very motivating for me. I want my guys to succeed." More...

Click for larger image © Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Main Events hosted a press conference in New York City to announce their upcoming doubleheader from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City , NJ on July 14, 2007. “Welter Skelter” will feature the human highlight reel Arturo Gatti, 40-8 (31), as he faces Contender Season One star Alfonso Gomez, 16-3-2 (7), and IBF Welterweight Champion Kermit Cintron, 27-1 (25), will defend his title against Walter Matthysse, 26-1 (25).

This event will be part of three welterweight fights to be broadcast on HBO from two coasts. The doubleheader in Atlantic City will be televised first and then the third bout will take place from California featuring WBO Welterweight Champion Antonio Margarito, 34-4 (24), against hard punching Paul Williams, 32-0 (24).

Emmanuel Steward, Cintron’s trainer and manager said “I am excited about this fight, much more excited than I was about the fight last week,” where his fighter Jermain Taylor was forced to chase Cory Spinks for much of the 12-round bout.

“This will be an action fight; I saw a tape of Walter (Matthysse), every punch he throws is a knockout punch he lets it all hang out and Kermit, with his knockout power, should be a very exciting fight.” More...

James Toney looked every inch a shot 38 year old fighter last night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA as the former multi-weight world champion posted a boring split decision victory over journeyman Danny Batchelder at heavyweight.

Coming in at 229 lb, the lightest for Toney since 2004, "Lights Out" looked sluggish the entire bout and it seems that the Michigan native may have finally reached the end of the road after 79 professional bouts.

Credit must be given to 30 year old Batchelder, 25-5-1 (12), who wisely made the shorter Toney, 70-6 3 (43), lead and refused to play to his opponent's strength in counterpunching. More...

In a legitimate Fight of the Year candidate, WBO welterweight champion Antonio “The Tijuana Tornado” Margarito (34-4, 1 NC, 24 KOs) will make his seventh defense when he faces unbeaten, No. 1-ranked contender Paul “The Punisher” Williams (32-0, 24 KOs) in the main event of a stellar fight card Saturday, July 14, 2007, in the outdoor tennis stadium at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Billed as “Pride N’ Punishment,” the long-awaited, highly anticipated 12-round confrontation between arguably the hardest-punching, most exciting rivals in the 147-pound division is presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions and will be televised on HBO “World Championship Boxing.” The HBO broadcast starts at 8 p.m. ET/11 PM PT. More...

For Stoke boxers major titles are like buses; you don’t get one for ages and then three come along all at once. On 15th June Gary Reid will follow stable-mates Scott Lawton and Chris Edwards, both of whom have already challenged for British and Commonwealth titles this year, when he contests the vacant Commonwealth light-welterweight title. Reid will become the third Impact boxer to attempt to emulate the achievements of the Potteries last major champion, Tommy Harrison, who won British, Commonwealth and European honours during the 1920’s. More...