There is nothing more appealing than a knockout if you are a fight fan. In fact, 99.9% of the time, that's what the average fan tuning in is hoping to see. I am a firm believer that only the dedicated fan appreciates a good tactician in the ring and can enjoy the finer parts of the "Sweet Science", such as head movement, footwork, defense and ring generalship.
In boxing, a man who posses one punch knockout power is a man destined for fame and a great deal of devotion from fans. That devotion and also fame usually arrives quickly, turning the one punch monster into a boxing demi-god, but just like the demi-gods, such the devotion and adulation is abandoned shortly after some disappointments.
In certain ways, punching power deters phenoms with it to ever improve themselves, because the short term admiration leaves them with no desire to improve.
That lack of improvement does not bring the moment of truth known as "Tommorow" and it not only cheats the fighter of eternal boxing glory, but the sport of another great fighter.
The power punching warrior past the top of his game is only remembered in quick passing conversations held with fellow enthusiasts that happen to bring up one moment of the past, leaving the ex-fighter a man of what had been 15 minutes of fame but now only 15 seconds of it.
This train of thought came to me about three weeks ago after watching the rematch between Arthur Abraham and Edison Miranda just before catching a replay of Marvin Hagler vs. John Mugabi on an episode of ESPN Sports Classic Boxing.
It also reminded me that I cannot remember the last time I heard John Mugabi's name spoken by a fan or commentator, yet when I watched the Hagler vs. Mugabi replay, they kept referring to Mugabi's brutal power, how he is feared by opponents and Hagler needs to be wary of the strength that Mugabi posseses. More...
Daniel Santos became a world champion for the third time by defeating previously undefeated WBA super welterweight champion Joachim Alcine in Montreal on Friday night at the beautiful outdoor Uniprix Stadium.
The energetic crowd of nearly 10,000 in Alcine’s adopted hometown could not prevent Santos, who was making his 12th world championship appearance, from exerting his considerable experience on Alcine, who was making his second title defense after winning the crown just one year ago. More...
Great eras in sports are defined by the athletes that compete in them. On the eve of the U.S. Open golf championship, we are reminded of golf's "Big Three"; Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, who ushered in the sport's television era contributing to its popularity explosion. More...
Seven bouts out of a scheduled eight went off as planned on Friday night, June 6, 2008, at the sovereign Performing Arts Center, in Reading, Pennsylvania promoted by Marshall Kauffman and Top Rank. Spanish channel Telefutura provided commentary in English and Spanish.
Attendance was spartan at the fight card as high school graduation was taking place in downtown Reading at the same time. Welterweight contender Kermit Cintron was in attendance at the fight card to witness the professional debut of his brother and sparring partner, Harold. Also in attendance was former three time New Jersey Golden Gloves champion Michael Torres, of Newark, currently 11-0 (6) as a professional junior welterweight and being trained by former 1960’s light heavyweight contender Johnny Persol (who beat Eddie Cotton, Harold Johnson and Bobo Olson).
A scheduled bout between Lancaster, Pennsylvania light middleweight Manuel Guzman 6-5-1 (2) and New Jersey’s Alex Perez 9-0 (6) was scratched, as Guzman instead took a different fight on Wednesday night at the Aviator Sports Arena in Brooklyn, New York, and upset previously undefeated hometown favorite, Tommy Rainone 11-1 (3) by a four round split decision.
Promoter Marshall Kauffmann explained in an interview that he is working on a fight card for September that will include a rematch between Guzman and Jorge Delgado, and will include his son Travis Kauffman, now 10-0 (7) as a heavyweight, on the card. Kauffman is billing his son as ‘The Great White Hope’ following the likes of Jim Jeffries, Rocky Marciano, Duane Bobick, Gerry Cooney, and Tommy ‘The Duke’ Morrison. Travis is now hard in training in California.
In the main event of the evening, middleweight contender Marco Antonio Rubio of Mexico moved a step closer to a title shot against World Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik with a fifth round stoppage of fading Alfredo Cuevas. Rubio, now 42-4-1 (37), fighting out of Georgetown, Texas, hardly had a workout with Cuevas, 26-10-1 (17), fighting out of Chicago. More...
Last night at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, Kelly Pavlik extended his domination over the middleweight division as the lanky Ohio man stopped the challenge of Wales' Gary Lockett in the third round to keep possession of his WBC and WBO titles.
The come forward aggression of Pavik proved too much for his challenger from across the Atlantic to defend against as Lockett had to take a knee twice in the second round in an attempt to stave off the inevitable.
But Lockett's run ended in the third when he was canvassed and trainer Enzo Calzaghe called a halt to the one way traffic.
Pavlik improves to 34-0 (30) while Lockett loses for the first time in 14 bouts to fall to 30-2 (21).
In a battle of big punchers, WBO Super Bantamweight Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon, 34-2 (30), of Mexico was shockingly stopped in the first round by challenger Juan Manuel Lopez, 22-0 (20).
British and Commonwealth Super Featherweight Champion Kevin Mitchell, 27-0 (20), was on the bill and the Londoner stopped veteran Colombian southpaw Walter Estrada, 34-6 (23), in five rounds.
Battalions of Kelly Pavlik fans will be invading the beaches of Atlantic City to witness the public weigh-in for Pavlik's first defense of his world middleweight title.
Thousands and thousands of fans from the Pavlik Nation, traveling Coast-to-Ghost, by car, boat, buses, and planes, will be lending their moral and vocal support to Youngstown's favorite son as he steps on the scale at the Circus Maximus Theatre at Caesars Atlantic City. More...
Trainer of the Year Enzo Calzaghe has once again rapped the knuckles of Jack Loew, the trainer of undefeated world middleweight champion Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik.
Calzaghe is incensed that Loew is dismissing Gary "The Rocket" Lockett, Pavlik's No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger, by looking ahead at a showdown against his son Joe, the undefeated division world champion. More...
Hot undefeated junior welterweight prospect, Danny Garcia, 6-0 (5), who hails from the tough streets of Philadelphia, is eager to get back in the ring and let loose his power. The heavy-handed rising star takes the stage June 7, 2008 against an opponent TBA on the Pavlik vs Lockett card, at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. More...
Furious Enzo Calzaghe, the reigning "Trainer of the Year," has launched a stinging attack on world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik's trainer Jack Loew after Loew bad mouthed his son Joe - and top-rated middleweight title contender Gary Lockett.
Loew has been quoted in the press as saying: "Maybe Enzo can teach Lockett to slap like a girl - just like Joe." More...
As part of a six-month, 48-state tour, the world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik will help the Fight Back Express bus kick off in Cleveland, OH this sunday carrying the message, “If one person can battle cancer, a nation can rise up and defeat it.”
The tour, sponsored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), is highlighting the crucial role elected officials play in making cancer a national priority. More...
Jack Loew, trainer of world middleweight champion Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik, read with great interest the remarks made earlier this week by Gary "The Rocket" Lockett, the No. 1 contender who will be challenging Pavlik for the title in June.
"I see where Lockett has become inspired by Joe Calzaghe's victory over Bernard Hopkins in his US debut and is predicting the same result against Kelly. Maybe Enzo Calzaghe can teach Lockett to slap like a girl, just like Joe," said Loew. More...
No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger Gary "The Rocket" Lockett, 30-1 (21), from Cwmbran, Wales, has vowed to follow in the footsteps of two-division world champion and fellow stablemate Joe Calzaghe by winning his debut fight in America.
The Rocket Man challenges middleweight kingpin Kelly Pavlik, 33-0 (29), from Youngstown, OH, in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, June 7, for Pavlik's WBO and WBC world titles. More...
Yesterday at BB King’s Blues Club Restaurant in New York City, Top Rank held a press conference to announce the first title defense for WBC and WBO Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, 33-0 (29), who will face the #1 rated WBO Middleweight contender Gary Lockett, 30-1 (21).
Also on the card will be another title fight featuring WBO Super Bantamweight champion, Daniel Ponce De Leon, 34-1 (30), against Juan Manual Lopez, 21-0 (19). Both championships will take place on Saturday, June 7, 2008 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ .
Before introducing Lockett, Top Rank’s Bob Arum reminisced with the media about some of the great middleweights that have come out of England such as Alan Minter and Tony Sibson, “One thing about the English middleweights is when they’re good, they’re real good and they come to fight; they are brave warriors.” More...
Undefeated world middleweight champion Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik returns to his old haunt, Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, where he first captured the world title, Saturday, June 7, in his first world title defense.
Pavlik faces a mandatory sentence when he rumbles with No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger, Welshman Gary “The Rocket” Lockett, who will be making his U.S. debut. More...
