Posts tagged Boxing
Lucas Matthysse Stops Lamont Peterson
Photo by Tom Casino for SHOWTIME
by Gautham Nagesh
Not every tale can have a Hollywood ending. Lamont Peterson found that out the hard way on Saturday night, losing by knockout in the third round to Lucas Matthysse in Atlantic City on Showtime.
Preview: Dusty Hernandez-Harrison vs Eddie Soto This Saturday At UDC
Photos by Gautham Nagesh for StiffJab.com
by Gautham Nagesh
If you read this blog at all, you know we’re extremely upbeat about the both the present and future of DMV boxing. The current kingpins of D.C. will be on display in Atlantic City this weekend, but the next generation of stars will be honing their craft this Saturday at a more local (and appropriate) venue: the University of the District of Columbia Sports Complex.
Stiff Jab 2012 Prospect of the Year Dusty Hernandez-Harrison will continue his journey at welterweight with a step up against Eddie Soto of Pawtucket, R.I. Soto started his career with 12 straight wins before losing his last six, four by stoppage. As an opponent, Soto fits with Team Dusty’s plan to keep the risk low while exposing Dusty to various styles and skill levels. Harrison is also fighting at home for the first time this year after two bouts in Delaware and one in Mississippi.
“I’m happy to be home. Everybody missed me, they keep asking me when I’m coming home, so I’m glad to finally be back,” Dusty said at Monday’s media workout. “It should be the biggest fight yet that I’ve had.”
Opening Bell: Manny Pacquiao vs Brandon Rios Set For Nov. 24
by Gautham Nagesh
That video above of an old man busting loose at a Wizards game is exactly how most boxing fans feel after finding out that Manny Pacquiao will return from his two-loss winning stream against all-action warrior Brandon Rios in Macau on November 24th.
HBO Pay Per View will broadcast the fight in the U.S., while promoter Top Rank is reportedly teaming up with Major League Baseball Advance Media to make the fight available via Internet stream to fans in China at a much lower cost. If it works, this is the kind of visionary move that has kept Top Rank boss Bob Arum on top of the fight game for the past 30 years. Asian fans can’t get enough of Pacquiao, and they could be the key to him staying lucrative far beyond his days on top.
Local Boxers Chase Their Dreams In Queens
by Sarah Deming
JAMAICA, N.Y.—Fight fans in the outer boroughs have a lot to be thankful for. The Barclays Center has brought pugilistic prestige to Brooklyn, 2012 U.S. Olympian Marcus Browne is putting Staten Island on the map, and Queens is now home to some of the best local cards around, thanks to the mighty triumvirate of New Legend, Old World, and W.O.N. Promotions.
Saturday’s main event at the Resorts World Casino here featured undefeated super bantamweight Juan Dominguez (13-0, 9 KOs) of Brooklyn, who scored a powerful third-round stoppage of Manuel Herrera of Columbia. Dominguez simply overwhelmed Herrera, punching to the body with bad intentions.
Floyd Mayweather Makes It Look Easy Against Robert Guerrero
Photo by Tom Casino for Showtime
by Gautham Nagesh
Welterweight Floyd “Money” Mayweather cemented his status as boxing’s pound-for-pound king by picking apart Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero on Showtime Pay Per View in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Floyd looked supremely comfortable against the overmatched Guerrero, who becomes the 44th notch on Mayweather’s unblemished record. Mayweather was landing his straight right hand from the outset, and made Guerrero look foolish at points. Guerrero’s heart and effort can’t be questioned, but he was simply not on the same level as the superlative Mayweather, who somehow impressed despite being the heavy favorite.
Opening Bell: Zab Judah Stands Tall In Defeat
by Gautham Nagesh
Apologies for the sparse posting this week, dear readers. Congress was kind enough to leave town the week before the first big Pay Per View boxing card of the year, and we were anticipating a full week of coverage. Unfortunately, the news cycle didn’t comply, so I’ve been forced to spend my week writing about Internet sales tax legislation, the new FCC chairman, and other similarly mundane matters.
However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t start this column by looking back to last week’s card in Brooklyn, which Sarah Deming covered on our behalf. As Sarah notes, I was less than kind to Zab my preview, and we’ve taken our share of shots at him since his dismal showing against Amir Khan almost two years ago. But the truth is I like Zab a lot, as a person and as a fighter. Like many fight fans, I have always thought he had the tools to become one of the greats. That he fell a little short of those goals is a disappointment, but shouldn’t erase what he has achieved in the ring.
Regardless of what else has happened, Zab is a champion. He proved it by standing up to Danny Garcia’s assault for the full 12 rounds, especially after he was badly hurt in the 6th round. As to what kept Judah standing, we can only agree with little Reuben and ascribe it to fighting in front of his people in Brooklyn.
Floyd Mayweather vs Robert Guerrero Bout Sheet
Provided by Golden Boy and Mayweather Promotions
Preview: Floyd Mayweather vs Robert Guerrero
Photos by Tom Casino for Showtime
by Gautham Nagesh
Genius rarely takes an appealing form. But make no mistake, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a boxing genius, on par with any fighter that has laced up a pair of gloves.
History is littered with countless examples of great men whose personal failings were whitewashed in light of their achievements. Boxing is no different; Sonny Liston was a violent criminal before becoming heavyweight champion, Don King a convicted murderer long before his first promotion. Boxing has been run by crooks and criminals, thieves and low-rent thugs. Many of them are still around. It’s hardly a place for the pious or self-righteous.
Robert Guerrero is both of those things; central casting couldn’t have produced a better champion for the throngs of Floyd-haters than “The Ghost.” His arrest for gun possession not withstanding, Guerrero is the perfect fighter to play the hero to Floyd’s heel. Guerrero’s main backstory is his devotion to his wife, a cancer survivor. He spends every interview praising God and playing the humble Mexican-American fighter, while Floyd shamelessly preens and flaunts his wealth.
But the beauty of boxing is that once the bell sounds, nothing matters but what happens inside the ropes. And no one in the world is more comfortable in the boxing ring than Floyd Mayweather. He remains a superb stylist, a fluid and elegant counterpuncher of the first order with a preternatural talent for avoiding punches. Guerrero, on the other hand, is a dirty fighter, and one that has never scored a knockout above lightweight. His only hope is to hurt Mayweather with something other than a fist and hope the referee doesn’t notice.
Brooklyn Boxing: Danny Garcia & Peter Quillin Win, Zab Judah Stands Tall In Defeat
Fight photos by Tom Casino for Showtime
by Sarah Deming
BROOKLYN, N.Y.—On my way into the Barclays Center on Saturday night, I ran into Stiff Jab favorite Lamont Roach Jr., enjoying a strawberry frappuccino with a beautiful woman who turned out to be his mother. The amateur champ was picking top-ranked junior welterweight Danny Garcia by decision in the main event over Zab Judah, but Mom disagreed.
Lamont Roach Jr. and mother, other photos by Sarah Deming for Stiff Jab
“I think Zab came to fight,” she said. “I’m old school.”
So am I. D.C. has the Gary Russells, but here in Brooklyn we have the nine fighting Judah brothers and their magisterial parents. Even in Zab’s most thuggish incarnation, he’s always had a good word for those coming up.
Weekend Preview: Danny Garcia vs Zab Judah, Sergio Martinez vs Martin Murray
Photo by Stephanie Trapp for Showtime
by Gautham Nagesh
Boxing has enjoyed an excellent run of late, and it should continue this weekend. Unfortunately the powers that be chose to counter-program each other as per usual, so we have two premium cable shows on Saturday but nothing on TV on Friday. Saturday night is also the regional championships of the Washington-area Golden Gloves tournament, which I’m hoping to cover live, and UFC 159 headlined by Jon Jones-Chael Sonnen from Newark.
Top billing for our fans goes to the Golden Boy show at Barclays in Brooklyn headlined by Danny Garcia vs Zab Judah at junior welterweight. The stacked card will air on Showtime and include Peter Quillen vs. Fernando Guerrero and a tape-delayed broadcast from Sheffield, England of Amir Khan vs. Julio Diaz. Sarah Deming will be in the crowd at Barclays to bring you her take on the action, which should set the stage for some mega-fights later this year.
Garcia is the top-ranked fighter at 140 lbs., yet many believe Judah is still dangerous enough to put a scare in the Puerto Rican American from Philly. I’m not one of them. Garcia may be a tad slow, but he has handled everyone placed in front of them. Judah has all the speed and power in the world, but no heart. When the going gets tough, our bet is that Zab checks out, probably around the 8th after a taste of Garcia’s vaunted left hook.
Tyson Fury Exposed Before Stopping Steve Cunningham
Photo by Rich Graessle for Main Events
by Sarah Deming
NEW YORK, N.Y.—Beware of British imports. Whether it’s an undefeated heavyweight or a jar of Marmite, if it comes across the Atlantic, it usually stinks. The latest suspect offering is Tyson Fury, a 6’9”, 254-pound heavyweight with the oily demeanor of a used car salesman.
Fury’s first American test came Saturday afternoon against Steve “USS” Cunningham here at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. On paper this seemed like a safe bet for the Brit, who went in with a six-inch and 45-pound advantage over Cunningham, a slick Philadelphian that saw his prime at cruiserweight. I prayed Cunningham would prove me wrong, as I had developed a powerful loathing for Fury at the pre-fight press conference.
Why does Fury behave so obnoxiously? Naazim Richardson, Cunningham’s legendary trainer, said Fury trash talks less for his opponent’s benefit than to convince himself of his own legitimacy.
“Sometimes you whistle through the cemetery,” said the boxing sage.
Last year, Naazim received a call from the Fury camp about training their fighter, but refused. He said, apropos of the skill disparity between the two: “Anyone can move like a boxer. But if you have to stop to throw a punch, you’re not a boxer.”
Canelo vs Austin Trout Marred By Open Scoring
Photos by Tom Casino for SHOWTIME
by Gautham Nagesh
On Saturday night, unbeaten junior middleweights Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Austin Trout fought for 12 close, thrilling rounds in San Antonio. Two young lions in their prime came together to unify their belts and determine the division’s top contender to challenge Floyd Mayweather. The fight started slowly, but steadily built toward what should have been a nail-biting conclusion in the championship rounds.
Instead, the open scoring format rendered the final third of the fight meaningless. It also showed that Hall of Fame referee Stanley Christodoulous has no business judging prize fights. Christodoulou scored the first eight rounds for Canelo, a mystifying scorecard that proves he had no interest in accurately scoring what happened inside the ring. The South African referee and WBA official is blind, senile, or corrupt, any of which should disqualify him from judging another professional fight.
Sadly, the inexcusable scorecard aside, this fight should have birthed a new superstar at a moment when boxing desperately needs on. Canelo and Trout both showed tremendous class, fighting with the skill and strategy that befits a truly world-class bout. The unanimous decision for Canelo was probably the appropriate result, especially after he floored Trout with a one-two combination in the 7th round. But Trout deserved far more respect than he got from both Christodoulou and Oren Shellenberger, who scored it 116-111 for Canelo. Rey Danseco was closer to reality with his card of 115-112.
Dusty Hernandez-Harrison Returns To D.C. May 18th
Photo by Juan Marshall of ProAmFightTalk
by Gautham Nagesh
Big news today from Stiff Jab’s 2012 Prospect of the Year: Dusty Hernandez-Harrison will headline a May 18th card at UDC Sports Complex.
The card will be promoted by All-In Entertainment, which was formed by Dusty’s advisor and local sports attorney Jeff Fried along with poker star Phil Ivey and NBA star Monta Ellis of the Milwaukee Bucks. The main event and portions of the card will be aired by Epix, making it the channel’s first boxing production based in the U.S. Update: The event will be sponsored by Epix and Jordan Brand, but not broadcast on Epix as we were originally informed.
“Dusty Hernandez-Harrison truly exemplifies the heart, spirit and future of boxing here in Washington, and throughout the industry,” Fried said. “While we are still in the process of finalizing the card, rest assured that his opponent will pose a true test as Dusty continues to develop and learn in many ways what it takes to be a world champion, both in and out of the ring.”
A host of other promising young prospects are expected to fight on the card, including Stiff Jab 2011 Amateur Boxer of the Year Mike Reed, 2012 National Golden Gloves champion Gervonta Davis, Frederick, Md.-based Iraqi middleweight Devar Ferhadi, and Lime Lite Boxing light heavyweight prospect Greg Newby. The only bout that has been finalized is a heavyweight special attraction between Natu Visinia (8-0, 7 KOs) and Phil Brown (6-1, 3 KOs) of Upper Marlboro, Md.
Photos by Jessica Chen for StiffJab.com
Late To The Party: The 2013 BWAA Awards Dinner
NEW YORK, N.Y.—There are only a handful of professional journalists left in the U.S. that cover boxing.
Most self-described boxing writers are really glorified fans, folks devoted to the Sweet Science and willing to trade favorable coverage for a seat on press row at the occasional TV show. Any talk of the sport’s fade from the mainstream must start with the depressing state of the fight press, which frequently regurgitates rumors and spin with little regard for truth or objectivity.
The Boxing Writers Association of America is supposed to serve as a bulwark against the degradation of fight writing, an art once practiced by giants such as Ernest Hemingway, A.J. Liebling, Joyce Carol Oates, Pierce Egan, and Red Smith. The BWAA has had its problems over the years, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit attending Thursday night’s 88th annual awards dinner was a humbling reminder of just how storied the scribes that cover the Sweet Science used to be.
Baha Mamadjonov KOs Angelo Santana, Amir Imam Goes Boom
Photos by Tom Casino for Showtime
by Gautham Nagesh
Uzbek lightweight Baha Mamadjonov (below) stopped unbeaten Cuban import Angelo Santana in the ninth round on a stellar edition of ShoBox from Treasure Island Casino in Las Vegas on Friday night.
When we last saw Santana on ShoBox, he was tearing the head off Stiff Jab favorite Johnny Garcia. Santana’s destruction of Garcia was so complete, I didn’t even have the heart to write it up. Many expected a similar result this time against once-beaten Uzbek Baha Mamadjonov.
Mamadjonov’s lone loss came via a tight split decision on ShoBox last year against talented Colombian Darley Perez. We scored that fight for Perez, mostly because of a late knockdown, but Mamadjonov impressed with his technique and awkwardness. He found himself on the mat again early against Santana, but this time the knockdown helped compel Mamadjonov to victory.
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