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By: William Holmes
The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of November 10th to November 17th, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.
De La Hoya Says Goodbye to Mayweather in Playboy
Oscar De La Hoya recently penned an essay to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Playboy’s December issue. In A Farewell to Floyd Mayweather, De La Hoya says good-bye and good riddance to the highest earning fighter in history.
“You’ll be remembered as the guy who made the most money,” he writes. “As for your fights? We’ve already forgotten them.”
Playboy’s December issued hit newsstands on Friday, November 13th and De La Hoya’s letter can be read online at http://www.playboy.com/mayweather.
Jay Z and Oscar De La Hoya Bet Big on Cotto vs. Alvarez
Roc Nation Sports’ founder Jay Z and Golden Boy Promotions’ chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya have entered into a friendly wager with one another staking claim that their respective boxer will capture the win when Miguel Cotto faces Canelo Alvarez in a middleweight world championship mega-fight on Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas presented live on HBO Pay-Per-View. The bet started taking shape when both co-promotors visited their boxers’ camps prior to fight week, boasting confidently about their fighters’ ability to come out victorious on Nov. 21. The terms were inevitably set – JAY Z and Oscar decided to place a $100,000 bet with the winner’s earnings going towards their philanthropic endeavors. If Cotto and JAY Z come out on top, Oscar will donate $100,000 to the Shawn Carter Foundation. In similar fashion, if Canelo beats Cotto, JAY Z will donate $100,000 to Oscar’s efforts at the White Memorial Medical Center’s cancer unit. Now all sights are set on Nov. 21, when the showdown between Cotto and Canelo will determine who will be the middleweight champion of the world and the outcome of JAY Z’s and Oscar’s bet.
Felix Verdejo and Nonito Doniare Headline December 11th truTV Event
Felix Verdejo and Nonito Donaire will headline the year-end finale of MetroPCS Friday Night Knockout on truTV on Friday, December 11th live from the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They will headline in separate title bouts.
Verdejo will defend his WBO Latino Lightweight Title against Josenilson Dos Santos and Donaire will challenge WBO International Junior Featherweight Champion and No. 1 world-rated contender Cesar Juarez.
“Fighting as a headliner at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum and in front of my people is a dream that I have always had since I was a little kid,” said Verdejo. “And now, thanks to all the love and support Puerto Rico has given my career, on December 11, I’m going to be able to fulfill that dream. I hope to give all that love back with a big win that unifies my people in a sentiment of happiness and brotherhood.”
“My goal is to get back on top. I am refocused for what I must do in the ring,” said Donaire. That’s why this fight in Puerto Rico is so important for me and my boxing career. I am reading a book called The Power of Habits. It is about getting rid of bad habits and instead using good habits each and every day. It all restarts for me on December 11.”
Andre Ward Vacates WBA Super Middleweight Title
In advance of his upcoming move up to the light heavyweight division, WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KO’s) is vacating his title. Ward originally claimed the belt in November 2009 with a victory over long-time champion Mikkel Kessler in his opening fight of the Super Six tournament.
“I won the WBA belt for my first world title in 2009 and have defended it six times and it’s been a wonderful ride with the WBA,” Ward said. “Gilberto Mendoza and his team have shown me nothing but respect and I’m looking forward to moving up and hopefully winning the WBA light heavyweight belt.”
“Andre Ward has been one of the finest champions in the WBA super middleweight division’s history,” said WBA President Gilberto Mendoza Jr. “We have always been honored to be represented by such a great athlete, gentleman and incredible role model. We wish him the best success in the future and hope we can facilitate the path to him becoming a two-division world champion at light heavyweight.”
Ward’s six successful WBA title defenses came in victories over Allan Green, Sakio Bika, Arthur Abraham, Carl Froch, Chad Dawson and Edwin Rodriguez.
Arthur Abraham vs. Martin Murray to be Shown on AWE
The AWE network, a Wealth of Entertainment, will be showing the WBO Super Middleweight title bout between Arthur Abraham and Martin Murray from Hanover, Germany. This will be in addition to the already announced broadcast featuring the rematch between WBA Lightweight Champion Darleys Perez and Anthony Crolla from Manchester, England.
Abraham has been a champion in the middleweight and super middleweight divisions for the better part of ten years and has a record of 43-4. Murray previously held the WBA Interim Middleweight title, won the Prizefighter tournament in 2008, and has a record of 32-2-1. Murray is also currently riding a three fight win streak.
The start time will be 3:00 PM ET.
Bryant Jennings vs. Luis Ortiz Tickets on Sale
Tickets for the WBA Interim Heavyweight World Championship showdown between Bryant “By-By” Jennings (19-1) and Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (23-0) went on sale on Friday, November 13th.
This bout will take place on December 19th at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY. The other televised bout on the card will be between Nicholas “Axe Man” Walters (26-0) taking on Jason Sosa (18-1-3) in a ten round junior lightweight fight. These bouts will air live on HBO Boxing After Dark.
The exciting night will also feature an HBO Latino® Boxing event, presented in association by Star Boxing and headlined by Cuban light heavyweight contender Yunieski Gonzalez (16-1, 12 KOs) fighting out of Miami, Florida taking on the undefeated power-puncher, Vyacheslav “Lion Heart – Chigonskyy” Shabranskyy (14-0, 12 KOs) of Los Angeles in a 10-round light heavyweight main event. Plus, former world title contender, “King” Gabriel Rosado (21-9, 13 KOs) of Philadelphia makes his highly anticipated return to the ring against former IBF Welterweight World Champion Joshua “Grand Master” Clottey (39-4, 22 KOs) of Accra, Ghana, in a 10-round junior middleweight co-main event. The HBO Latino Boxing event will start at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT (tape delay) or immediately following the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast.
Chris Farina’s Boxing Photography to be Displayed in Tacoma, Washington
Veteran boxing photographer Chris Farina will be the featured photography artist at the opening of a boxing-themed exhibit called: RINGSIDE “A Boxing Exhibition”, starting Saturday, November 14th at the B2 Fine Art Gallery/Studios in Tacoma, Washington in Tacoma’s historic theater district.
Chris Farina’s limited edition artwork pieces will be on display from Saturday, November 14th thru Saturday, January 9th, 2016.
