Tag Archives: briggs

Posted on 06/26/2018

By: Ken Hissner

On November 5th in 1994 at the MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada, “Big” George Foreman regained the IBF and WBA Heavyweight title knocking out Michael Moorer in the 10th round. He was behind on point from the judges with scores of 88-83 twice and 86-85. Shortly after the fight Foreman was stripped of the WBA title for refusing to fight Tony Tucker.

One of the fighters Foreman influenced most was now 44 year old Shannon “Cannon” Briggs, 29-1, who was the last opponent in Foreman’s 81 fight career. It was thought Foreman was lucky to get by Germany’s Axel Schulz, 21-1-1, in April of 1995 and most felt he deserved the decision over Briggs losing 117-113, 116-112 and 114-114.

Briggs last fought on November 4th 2016 improving his record to 60-6-1 (53). He has been 9-0 since turning 40. He chased Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko then champion for years. He won the WBO title on November 4th 2006 stopping Siarhei “White Wolf” Liakhovich. Liakkhovich in his last bout at 42 in October of 2017 stopped Ramon “Pantera” Olivas, 14-7, of Sonora, Mexico, in the 3rd round of a scheduled 6, in Sonora, Mexico.

Former WBC Heavyweight champion Oliver “The Atomic Bull” McCall, 57-14 (37), at 49 lost his last fight in April of 2014 to Marcin “Rex” Rekowski, 13-1, over 10 rounds in Poland, in a rematch that McCall won in February. He was 15-7 after the age of 40. He won the title in September of 1994.

Fres “The Big O” Oquendo, 37-8 (24), at 45 is scheduled to fight for the WBA World title on September 29th at Cologne, Germany, when he meets champion Manuel Charr, 31-4 (17), though Oquendo hasn’t fought in four years. He lost a disputed decision to Chris Byrd in September of 2003 for his IBF World title.

Like Oquendo 45 year-old southpaw Amir “Hardcore” Mansour, 23-2-1 (16), is still chasing a title opportunity. He has won 7 minor titles and has been in the world ratings. His last fight was in November 2017 ending in a NC3 over a clash of heads against Russia’s Sergey Kuzmin, 11-0, in Moscow.

Billy “Bronco” Wright, 52-4 (43), of Las Vegas, last fought in January of 2016 at the age of 51. He hadn’t lost since 1998 to Tony Tucker. He won his last 22 fights since then of which 9 of his last 11 fights were in Bolivia. He won the WBC FECARBOX, WBO Latino and interim PABA titles.

All of these heavyweights felt they could match what George Foreman did at age 45 winning the heavyweight title.

Posted on 09/01/2017

By: Greg Houghton

Is it just me, or is it starting to get really frustrating continuously hearing about yet another star in combat sports testing positive for performance enhancing drugs?

It seems that, sure as the wind blows, we repeatedly hear of yet another pro athlete in combat sports who has been banned for using performance enhancing drugs.

If you look across the top ranked athletes in combat sports (in fact- contact sports in general including American football and rugby), most of those who are dominating their sport in this day and age are genetic freaks of nature that tower over their competition. In boxing, out of our world champions in the heavyweight division we’ve currently got Joseph Parker as our smallest who stands at 6”4 and weighs in at around 245lbs.

Arguably at the top of the heavyweight tree we have Anthony Joshua, at just shy of 6”7 and who came into the Wladimir Klitschko fight north of 250lbs. Anyone who saw that fight will be fully aware that this was over 250lbs of pure muscle.

In turn, the power that AJ is able to generate through his freakish genetics is such that he was able to do what only three before him had done in stopping ‘Dr. Steel Hammer’, a man with a professional record spanning over twenty years.

Size seems to be a prevalent thing as todays combat sports divisions are filled with huge athletes, with the bigger guy seemingly almost always having the upper hand. This is not just in the heavyweight division, anyone who saw Saul ‘Canelo” Alvarez fight Amir Khan last year will have struggled to comprehend Canelo weighing less than 175 in that fight, despite meeting their 160lbs weight limit the day before. We all remember how catastrophically this fight ended for Khan, although I doubt very much that he does.

So, it seems that for the most part, size is an advantage when in competition in combat sports. As we’ve established, the majority of the dominant forces across almost all contact sports today are genetic monsters who have been conditioning their cardio skills throughout their entire lives with the bodies they were born with. One way in which athletes, who have not been blessed with such rare genetics, can at least try to compete at this level is with a little help, so to speak.

As the doping tests become more and more vigorous and difficult for athletes in combat sports (throwback to how irritated GGG was at the Kell Brook weigh in on September 9th 2016, after a reported 11 hour shift with VADA in his hotel room the day before), we are seeing more and more athletes getting caught out. The annoyances resound right the way across combat sports as in MMA we’ve recently seen Jon Jones getting banned for an astounding third time!

A third time?! How on earth has this been allowed to happen?

Is a ban of a few months really enough? Granted, I’m not a professor in sports science, but it’s difficult to see how an athlete who was able to push their body’s cardiovascular and hypertrophy capabilities beyond it’s genetic potential through taking drugs, would not have an advantage over another athlete who was natural, sometimes as soon as six months later. Is this morally right? Should athletes who were caught doping be allowed back into the sport at all? It certainly doesn’t seem to be the populist view, we only have to observe the reaction that Justin Gatlin received time on time when facing Usain Bolt in competition. This very competition was labeled a number of times as good vs. evil.

It was with a very heavy heart that I read of Shannon Briggs’ testosterone levels measuring absurd times over the normal limit earlier this year. In fact, by being such a fan of the transformation that he’s made in his life (you’ve only got to hear his story on the Joe Rogan show to appreciate this), as well as his tongue-in-cheek promotional strategies which in turn made idiots of his competition, I and many others felt personally let down by hearing this news. Shannon ‘The Cannon’ Briggs joins Alexander Povetkin, Dillian Whyte and Lucas Browne as boxers from the heavyweight division alone, who have been banned for the use of PED’s in recent times.

Also as a huge fan of Jon Jones in the UFC, I… well, you know where this is going.

Evidence suggests that these days, the sports which we know and love, are seemingly dominated by the bigger guy. Therefore it stands to reason that this must affect the phycology of the fighter who faces them in the ring or the octagon. As these sports evolve, evidently so too does the genetic make up of those who reign within them. It’s easy to view performance-enhancing drugs as an attempted ‘leveling out’ of the genetic insufficiency, which many athletes today find themselves having. However, we must consider that if the shoe was on the other foot and todays naturally big athletes were the ones taking PED’s, the likes of Anthony Joshua would continue to develop their power beyond their genetic potential, lord knows to what effect.

And so, for the moment things will remain the same. Those who use performance enhancing drugs will continue to break the hearts of their loyal and adoring fans and be given as little as six months to go and think about what they’ve done, all the while training on the gains that PED’s could have initially given them. I’m not suggesting for a minute that these very athletes don’t work just as hard as those who are clean and don’t deserve to be where they are in their own sports. However, you have to feel for those who have grafted their whole lives without the use of performance enhancing drugs and have fallen slightly short because of this. If this is such a prevalent thing that combat sportsman must insist on defying their genetics, then perhaps it would be an idea to open a league of ‘natural’ boxers and MMA fighters, parallel to a league of those who insist on juicing.

The winners of the ‘not natural’ competitions could perhaps be part of a men’s support group, along with the ‘not natural’ bodybuilders of today and exchange ideas on how to inject safely. Either that or exchange ideas on safe Viagra consumption, in Jon Jones’ case…

Posted on 05/10/2017

Boxing Insider Notebook: McGregor, Mayweather, Briggs, Davis, Russell, and more…
By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of May 2nd to May 9th, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Dana White Giving Up on McGregor vs. Mayweather?

Dana White was recently on Colin Cowherd’s show “The Herd” and he appeared to be growing tired of the negotiations to make McGregor vs. Mayweather and may be ready to give up on making the fight.

When asked if he was growing “tired of Mayweather’s crap” he responded, “It’s not even Mayweather. It’s not even Mayweather, it’s definitely both sides.” He went on to state, “It’s not just Mayweather, it’s both sides of this thing are going to be hard to get done. And absolutely, there’s going to be a point where I’m done. This isn’t what I do, this isn’t my business, and I’m definitely going to walk away.”

Dana White also stated earlier that Golovkin vs. Canelo took the planned date for Mayweather vs. McGregor. Is the planned fight between boxing and MMA’s biggest stars done? It’s doesn’t look good.
Julio Cesar Chavez Criticizes Junior’s Effort

CBS Sports recently reported on Julio Cesar Chavez Senior’s thoughts on his son’s efforts against Canelo Alvarez. In short, he wasn’t impressed.

Chavez Sr. simply stated, “ I am very disappointed.”

When asked about the weight, Chavez indicated he did not believe it had an impact. He stated, “No, no, no, no. Definitively no. It’s true, there is a sacrifice and everything, but I think here Julio lacked that thing that his father had more than enough of.”

Chavez further stated, “Yes, that’s the truth. He was too much of a conformist. I was asking him to throw more punches. That if he lost…that if he got knocked out that he give me a F—— round! That he gift me a f—- round throwing punches! I couldn’t make him understand!”

Read more at: http://www.cbssports.com/boxing/news/julio-cesar-chavez-rips-sons-effort-unwillingness-to-throw-punches-vs-canelo/

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Tells TMZ He Owes All His Success to his Dad

Floyd Mayweather Junior recently told TMZ that he owes his entire boxing empire to his pops!
Mayweather Jr. and Mayweather Sr. have a long history of arguments and periods of estrangement, so much so that Mayweather Sr. even offered to train fighters to defeat his son. However they appear to have a strong and health relationship.

Junior stated he owes “all the thanks to my Dad” and that Senior gave him the single most important piece of advise he ever got about his career, and he never forgot it.

Read more at http://www.tmz.com/2017/05/10/floyd-mayweather-sr-floyd-mayweather/

Shannon Briggs vs. Fres Oquendo Press Conference Quotes

Heavyweight contenders Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs and Fres Oquendo faced off for the first time today (Tuesday, May 9) before they battle for the WBA Heavyweight Championship on Saturday, June 3 in the main event of Backyard Brawl: Briggs vs. Oquendo taking place at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

The two-time heavyweight champion Briggs and three-time title challenger Oquendo participated in a highly energetic press conference at Hard Rock Live as both men, along with representatives from their camps, proclaimed victory on June 3. Also in attendance were a trio of former Heavyweight champions who plan on attending fight night including Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe and Briggs’ trainer Chris Byrd, adding to the anticipation for the Heavyweight title bout.

Tickets are on sale now and are priced at $75, $100, $150, $250 and $500; ringside seats are sold for $1,000; ringside tables with six seats are $5,500 and 10 seats are $11,000 (plus a $5 Facility Maintenance fee applies). All seats are reserved and available at all Ticketmaster outlets online at www.myhrl.com, www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. *Additional fees may apply.

Here is what the participants had to say:

SHANNON BRIGGS

“This has been a long journey. Five years ago, I was depressed and out of the boxing game, but then my daughter was born. I took a stand. I said that I’m going to do this for her. Everyone doubted me. When I met with Kris Lawrence, he listened to me talk for hours on a Monday and then on Friday he called me and said ‘Let’s Go Champ!’ That was the beginning of the comeback.”

“I lost 145 pounds and I went around the world, meeting people and trying to inspire them, but they were inspiring me too. It’s a huge motivation to me to see these people and get the response from people who say that I was able to inspire them.”

“We’re here now. We got the shot. I look forward to becoming a champion for a third time. I’m fighting a very good fighter in Fres Oquendo. He’s a seasoned guy, but he’s out of his league. This isn’t his time.”

“I’ve heard things that he’s said about me, that it might be an easy fight. But he has no idea how motivated and how focused I am right now. I just can’t wait for the bell to ring so that the people can look up and see me smash him.”

“I’m coming out in the first round and I’m gunning for you. As soon as the bell rings, I’m coming to take your head off. If I don’t get you in the first, I’ll get you in the second. All the way to the 12th. I got Liakhovich at 2:59 of the last round and you might have to go that way too.”

“I’m happy and excited. The time is now. I’m home in Florida where I’ve lived for the last 18 years. I’m training like never before. I might have taken two weeks off in the last four years. I’m looking forward to glory. I want to see the people around the world saying “LETS GO CHAMP!”

FRES OQUENDO

“It’s a pleasure to be here for this historic event. Shannon and I go way back. We’re gentlemen of the sport. We carry ourselves with dignity. We’re going to go after it.”

“We actually shared a twin bill on my HBO debut in 2001. That was a special night for me. I’m thankful to Shannon for stepping up and facing a fighter of my caliber. I’m going to go in there with everything that I have. It’s not going to be easy in there for him.”

“I’m dedicating this fight to my son’s friend Jaxon King, who passed away last year at five years old. I have a non-profit that helps a lot of at risk youth in Chicago because I was one of those kids. They all mean so much to me and I’m going to have Jaxon in my heart that day and give me the extra edge to do what I have to do.”

“I’ve been in there with the best in the sport. This is a very special fight for me. This is life and death for me. I’ve fought everywhere in the world, sometimes I didn’t get the decision, but I’m going to bring it every time.”

“I hope to see everyone out there on fight night. It’s going to be a great night of boxing. I can’t wait to make history on June 3.”

Yafai: Joshua Has Inspired me to Unify the Division

Kal Yafai says Anthony Joshua MBE has set a new benchmark for British fighters to follow as he prepares to make the first defence of his WBA World Super-Flyweight title against Suguru Muranaka at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham on Saturday LIVE on AWE- A Wealth of Entertainment at 3 PM ET / 12 Noon PT.

For boxing fans who don’t have access to AWE, the fight will be available on the AWE channel on www.klowdtv.com

Yafai and Joshua are close from their days as Team GB teammates, and Yafai won the crown he defends on home turf this weekend on the undercard of Joshua’s win over Eric Molina in Manchester in December.
Yafai was unable to attend Joshua’s epic win over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium last weekend, but the 27 year old was bursting with pride as Joshua KO’d the Ukrainian in the 11th round, and believes that Joshua has raised the bar higher than ever for British fighters.

“I was unbelievably proud and happy for Anthony Joshua,” said Yafai. “When he got put down I was very nervous, I was praying for him to get up and recover and that’s what he did. It showed what a World Champion needs to do when it gets tough in there.

“He has completely smashed it now, onto bigger and better things for him. The world is his oyster. It was such a hard and big fight. I’d like to see him fight Tyson Fury but it doesn’t sound like that’s possible to happen next. If he can get a defence for one of his Titles against a contender then move onto one of the other Heavyweights like Wilder would be great.

“I still see him regularly. We come on the Team GB squad together. He’s a good lad, one of the nicest people in boxing. He loves his boxing so much. He soaks everything up like a sponge. He just still wants to learn, he’ll get better and better as he goes on. I mean he’s still only young! Realistically a novice still. He’s a funny lad and good to be around. I’ve got a lot of time for him. He’s raised the bar now – beating Klitschko at Wembley is just massive, and it’s something that we’ve all got to aspire to.

“Winning the World Title on his undercard was great. It took me four and a half years going from amateur into the pro game and winning a World Title. Doing it on a massive show headlined by AJ was special. We are Eddie Hearn’s only two World Champions who he’s had from their debuts.

“I was very pleased with my performance that night. I had to do what I had to do. I stayed focused on my own game plan, even after he failed to make the weight. I got in there and done the business. I out boxed him for 12 rounds. I made it as easy as possible.”

Yafai’s World title defence is part of a huge night of action in Birmingham, where Sam Eggington challenges Cerefino Rodriguez for the European Welterweight title.

Yafai’s brother Gamal defends his WBC International Super-Bantamweight championship against fellow Birmingham man Sean Davis, Ryan Kelly and Adam Harper meet for the Midlands Area Middleweight Title.
Frankie Gavin is back in action in his first fight with trainer Jon Pegg, and there’s action for Lennox Clarke, unbeaten Olympian Josh Kelly, Kieron Conway, Aaron Lovell, Jordan Clayton, Charlie Williams and Cori Gibbs.

Gervonta Davis and Gary Russell Jr. Anchor Four-Fight, Split Site Boxing Event May 20th on Showtime

America’s youngest world champion, Gervonta Davis, will make his first world title defense in the opening bout and featherweight world champion Gary Russell Jr. will make his mandatory world title defense in the main event of a split-site, four-fight SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event on Saturday, May 20, live on SHOWTIME at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT*.

Davis will travel to Britain to defend his IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship against undefeated No. 1-ranked contender and local favorite Liam Walsh from Copper Box Arena in London. Russell will make a long-awaited homecoming—his first professional fight in the region—and his second WBC Featherweight World Championship defense against mandatory challenger Oscar Escandon live from MGM National Harbor just outside of Washington, D.C.

*Editors’ Note: In order to present all four bouts on one program, the Davis vs. Walsh bout may air on a delay basis of up to 30 minutes.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING host Brian Custer will anchor the four-fight telecast from Maryland with coverage of Davis vs. Walsh provided by BT Sport. Veteran sportscaster Mauro Ranallo will handle play-by-play at MGM National Harbor with Hall of Famer Al Bernstein and former two-division champion Paulie Malignaggi serving as analysts. Emmy award winning sports reporter Jim Gray and 2017 Hall of Fame inductee Steve Farhood will also serve from ringside. Secondary Audio Programming will be offered in Spanish by Alejandro Luna and former world champ Raúl Marquez.

From London, John Rawling will handle play-by-play for Davis vs. Walsh with former world champion Richie Woodhall providing the color commentary at Copper Box Arena.

“May 20 will be a big night of boxing and it kicks off a run of four consecutive weeks of world class fights on SHOWTIME,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®. “We have consistently delivered the biggest and most important boxing events from around the globe to SHOWTIME subscribers. This unique presentation—four fights, two world championships and two title eliminators, from different continents, all on one show—is yet another example of our unrivaled commitment to the sport.”

The 22-year-old Davis (17-0, 16 KOs) is the youngest reigning world champion from the United States and the second youngest in the world. The Baltimore native and Floyd Mayweather protégé will travel to hostile territory in his first title defense against Walsh (21-0, 14 KOs) in a matchup of undefeated southpaws.

Russell Jr. (27-1, 16 KOs) will look to make a statement in the loaded featherweight division against mandatory challenger Ecandon (25-2, 17 KOs), who owns a stunning knockout of former world champion Jesus Cuellar. Russell vs. Escandon is the sixth featherweight title bout on SHOWTIME since February 2016.
Two world title eliminators will round out the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING quadrupleheader. Top super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell (25-2, 16 KOs) and José Uzcátegui (26-1, 22 KOs) will face off in an IBF Super Middleweight Eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger for champion James DeGale.
Undefeated Rances Barthelemy (25-0, 13 KOs) will meet Kiryl Relikh (21-1, 19 KOs) in a WBA Super Lightweight Eliminator for unified champ Julius Indongo. Barthelemy, who won titles at 130 and 135, will earn an opportunity to become Cuba’s first three-division champion with a win over the hard-hitting Relikh.

Beltran-Maicelo Title Eliminator Added to Crawford vs. Diaz

Two-time world title challenger RAY “Sugar” BELTRAN and heavy-fisted JONATHAN “The Last Inca” MAICELO will go mano a mano in a high-stakes battle of world-rated lightweight contenders. Sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) as a world lightweight title elimination bout, the winner of the 12-round rumble will also lay claim to the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) International and the NABF and NABO lightweight titles, currently held by Beltran. Beltran vs. Maicelo will be the co-main event to the TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD – FÉLIX DÍAZ World Junior Welterweight Championship, Saturday, May 20, at the Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden. Both fights will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT. The world championship event will also feature the Pride of Newark and 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist SHAKUR STEVENSON on the non-televised undercard.
Beltran and Maicelo, who hail from Mexico and Peru, respectively, have a combined record of 57-9-1 (32 KOs), — a winning percentage of 85% with over half their victories coming by way of knockout. Both boast unbeaten streaks dating back to 2015..

“We are ready for this fight. It is a very important fight for the whole team, because it will be the fight that will take us to the opportunity of battling for a world title,” said Beltran. “We are focused on winning. We are coming to fight and give a great show to all the fans. I don’t just want to win. I want to look good and win convincingly. Little by little I am making my dreams come true. I have battled a lot in my career. We have fulfilled many of our goals, like now that we are going to fight at Madison Square Garden. Being able to fight in a historical place, where all the greats have fought, is a dream come true.”

“This is a very important fight for my career. This fight means everything to me because I will be able to display my skills in front of a big audience and on a big stage like Madison Square Garden,” said Maicelo. “Right now I’m at my best and on May 20 everyone will see the best of me. I’m working very hard in the gym because everyone knows that Beltran is a tough fighter, but I’m focused on winning because this is a world title elimination bout that will take me straight to the opportunity of fighting for a world title.”

Beltran (32-7-1, 20 KOs), a native of Ahome, Mexico who resides in Phoenix, AZ., enters this fight having won his last three fights by knockout. A two-time lightweight world title challenger and a former sparring partner of eight-division world champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Beltran still trains at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif. In his last fight, in the co-main event to the Crawford John Molina Jr. world title fight on December 10, Crawford scored a sensational one-punch seventh-round knockout of once-beaten Mason Menard in an NABF-NABO lightweight title fight. Beltran is currently world-rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), No. 3 by the IBF and No. 4 by the World Boxing Council (WBC).

Maicelo (25-2, 12 KOs), a native of Callao, Peru who fights out of North Bergen, New Jersey, is riding a two-year four-bout winning streak. His most impressive victory was his in his last fight, against Jose Felix, Jr. on February 17. Felix, who entered the fight with a 35-1-1 record and world-rated No. 3 by the WBO, was knocked down five times by Maicelo. Maicelo’s upset unanimous decision victory over Felix has propelled him to No. 7 in the IBF.

Posted on 01/17/2017

Boxing Insider Notebook: Conlan, Canelo, Chavez, Briggs, LaManna, and more…
Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of January 10th to January 17th comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Ireland’s Conlan to Announce 3/17 Pro Debut

Ireland’s Michael Conlan, recently signed by Top Rank Promotions, will hold a press conference to announce that he will be making his pro debut on St. Patrick’s Day at the “O’Mecca of Boxing” at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Conlan represented Ireland in the 2016 Summer Olympics and the press conference will be held on Wednesday, January 18th at the Madison Square Garden Chase Square. It will be streamed live on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUMA2SdFlzA.

Cinco De Mayo Weekend Showdown Announced Between Canelo and Chavez Jr.

In a historic showdown that will rival the biggest fights in the history of Mexico’s proud boxing lineage, two-division world champion and Pay-Per-View star Canelo Álvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) will take on former WBC World Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs) on Cinco de Mayo weekend, Saturday, May 6 in a 12-round battle to be contested at a maximum 164.5 pounds. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

Details regarding venue and an international press tour will be announced soon.

“I’m excited to announce my fight against Julio César Chávez, Jr. and confirm that I will be prepared, like I’ve been throughout my career, to give a great fight,” said two-division World Champion Canelo Álvarez. “I want to remind you that when two Mexican fighters face-off, a spectacular show is guaranteed, and I can assure you that May 6 will be no exception especially during the Cinco de Mayo festivities.”

“Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day in September are important dates for us Mexicans, and I’m expecting a great night for boxing and the whole world,” Canelo continued. “Don’t miss this special event live on HBO Pay-Per-View®. We’ll soon be announcing where the fight will be held.”
“I dedicate this fight to Mexico,” said Julio César Chávez, Jr. “I’m going to win, but my country will too because this is the fight that boxing needs.”

Álvarez was last seen in the ring Sept. 17, 2016, knocking out the previously undefeated WBO junior middleweight champion Liam Smith in front of more than 51,000 fans in Dallas, Texas. Chávez was last in action Dec. 10, 2016, when he secured a unanimous decision victory over highly regarded German fighter Dominik Britsch in Monterrey, Mexico.

“Boxing has been searching for a fight to draw the casual fan back to our sport, and Canelo versus Chávez, Jr. is just that fight,” said Oscar De La Hoya, CEO and Chairman of Golden Boy Promotions. “Canelo, the biggest star boxing, will take on not only a former world champion in Julio César Chávez, Jr., but the son of the biggest star in the history of boxing in Mexico. Add in 98 victories and 66 knockouts between these two superstars along with a Cinco de Mayo fight date, and you have a can’t-miss battle.”

“Canelo vs. Julio César Chávez, Jr. is one of the premier and most compelling matchups in boxing today,” said Tony Walker, Vice President of HBO Sports. “May 6 has all the makings of an extraordinary event as these two Mexican warriors will lay it all on the line to show who is the best on Cinco de Mayo weekend. It will be an evening that every fight fan will want to experience live on HBO Pay-Per-View®.”

Canelo vs. Chávez, Jr. is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD. The event takes place on Saturday, May 6 and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

D and D Management Signs Amateur Star Dylan Price

D and D Management Team LLC is proud to announce the signing of prized amateur Dylan “The Real Dyl” Price to a management contract.

Price, 18 years old of Philadelphia will compete in the super flyweight division.
Price had an outstanding amateur career record of 112-12, and finished as the number-1 ranked fighter in the United States and number-3 in the world.

“I Would like to thank Doc Nowicki and my dad Dave Price for believing in me, and for providing for me even as an amateur. They were always there with the financial support needed so that I was always able to concentrate on the task at hand. I am still a senior in high school, and I am still balancing my school workload with my boxing load, but I always enjoy challenges so it works out,” stated Dylan Price.
“I am very happy to sign Dylan (also known as Lil Dave). I have been following him through his amateur career, and I was very proud when he won the bronze medal at the world amateur championship in Russia.

We look forward to him beginning his professional career in February and anticipate him having 5-6 fights in 2017,” said Doc Nowicki, manager of Dylan Price.

Price will make his professional debut on February 4th in Wilson, North Carolina, and he will make his hometown debut on March 31st at the 2300 Arena.

King’s Promotions Signs 5 Fight Deal for Boxing Events at 2300 Arena in 2017 in Philadelphia

Marshall Kauffman’s King’s Promotions is excited to announce the promotional company has inked a 5-fight deal to stage high quality boxing events at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

Those dates, which will be in April, May, June, September and December, and will help make KIng’s Promotions the busiest promoter on the east coast for the 3rd straight year.

Those five dates are added to at least four dates at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center.

King’s Promotions 1st date of 2017 will come on Saturday, February 11th at the Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland.

King’s Promotions, which has been one of the most active promoters in the United States, staged events in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. in 2016, and is eager to continue putting on entertaining cards that will not only feature the best fighter’s from the Delaware and Lehigh Valley, but the top fighters from all over the world in nationally televised events.

“We are happy to get this deal done and we are excited to showcase our events in the great fight town of Philadelphia,” said Marshall Kauffman of King’s Promotions.

“The 2300 Arena is a 1st class facility and its a pleasure to work with Roger Artigiani and his staff.”

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna to Battle Eduardo Flores
Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will battle veteran Eduardo Flores eight-round junior middleweight bout on Saturday night, January 28th at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.

The bout will headline a card promoted by Rising Promotions.

CEO of Rising Promotions Debra LaManna stated, “We are starting 2017 with a tremendous card and we plan on only doing bigger and better things for boxing this year.”

LaManna of Millville, New Jersey has a record of 21-2 with nine knockouts.

The 25 year-old is coming off a defeat to undefeated Dusty Hernandez Harrison in a thrilling bout that took place on September 15th in Philadelphia.

In that bout, LaManna fought a good fight and had solid moments throughout the hotly contested bout that was for the USBA Welterweight title.

LaManna is moving back up to the 154 pound division where LaManna is undefeated (7-0 between 148-154 pounds) in the division for which he turned professional in 2011.

LaManna won his first 16 bouts, where enjoyed wins over Ashanti Gibbs and Jamaal Davis.

After suffering his first professional defeat to undefeated middleweight prospect Antoine Douglas, LaManna ripped off five consecutive victories that was highlighted by by a 4th round stoppage over Kendal Mena (20-3).

“I’m looking forward to displaying my boxing skills against this rugged veteran,” said LaManna He’s been in the ring with a lot of good fighters and former world champions, but never been in there with me. I feel my height, youth and size will play a big role in this fight but it’s all about making adjustments and fighting the smartest fight possible to get the win.”

“My last fight, I took a L but that stands for “Lesson” and since that lesson, I’ve been training extremely hard and I’m very focus at this task at hand.”

Flores of Quito, Ecuador is a 52-fight veteran and sports a record of 25-24-3 with 15 knockouts.
The 30 year-old Flores is a 10 year professional, who has taken on the best fighters in the 135-154 pound divisions such as former world champions Carlos Baldomir, Diego Chaves & Kermit Cintron as well as 19 other undefeated opponents, for which Flores had three wins and a draw.

Flores is coming off a six-round unanimous decision defeat to undefeated Sammy Valentin (9-0) on November 18th in Kissimmee, Florida.

In the six-round co-feature, light heavyweight Chuck Mussachio (19-3-2, 5 KO’s) of Wildwood, New Jersey will fight Michael Mitchell (3-7-2, 1 KO) of Paterson, New Jersey.

Mitchell has faced terrific competition and has only been stopped once, and has fought four undefeated fighters.

LeRoy Davila and Keenan Smith Headline List of Prospects to be Featured on January 20th

GH3 Promotions undefeated up-and-comers LeRoy Davila and Keenan Smith will head an impressive list of prospects that will be featured in non-televised action on Friday night, Jan. 20 at Ballys Atlantic City Hotel & Casino that will precede a tremendous quadrupleheader that will be televised live on ShoBox: The New Generation card on SHOWTIME®.

In the 12-round main event, undefeated WBA No. 3-ranked super bantamweight Adam Lopez (16-0-1, 8 KOs) will face the WBA’s No. 4-ranked Danny Roman (20-2-1, 7 KOs) in a title elimination bout.

In the co-feature, undefeated super middleweight Ronald Ellis (13-0-1, 1 NC, 10 KOs) will face off with Christopher Brooker (11-2, 5 KOs) in an eight-round 168-pound matchup of ShoBox veterans.

In another eight-round featured bout, former national amateur champion Kenneth Sims Jr. (10-0, 3 KOs) and Emmanuel Robles (15-1-1, 5 KOs) will clash in a matchup of promising, unbeaten super lightweights making their ShoBox debuts in their toughest assignments to date.

In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated bantamweight Stephon Young (15-0-3, 6 KOs) takes on Elton Dharry (21-5-1, 14 KO’s) in an eight-round bout.

Davila (4-0, 2 KO’s) of New Brunswick, New Jersey will take on fellow undefeated Anthony Taylor (4-0, 1 KO) of Warren, Ohio in a six-round bantamweight bout.

Davila, a 2016 United States Olympic Alternate is beginning his second year as a professional and is coming off a 4-round unanimous decision over Damon Simon on Nov. 11 in Philadelphia.

Taylor, 25, has been a professional for two years, and is coming off a third-round stoppage over Jajuan Gills last July 23 in Youngstown, Ohio.

Smith, of Philadelphia, has a record of 9-0 with 3 knockouts, and will take on Marquis Hawthorne (4-5, 1 KO) of Waco, Texas in a welterweight bout scheduled for six-rounds.

The 26 year-old Smith is a seven-year professional. In recent bouts, he has stepped up the competition. He holds a second-round knockout over previously undefeated Lavell Hadley (2-0). In his last bout, Smith won an eight-round unanimous decision over Benjamin Whitaker (10-1-1) on Nov. 6, 2015 in Las Vegas, on ShoBox.

Hawthorne, 25, is a two-year pro and holds a win over previously undefeated Francisco Cruz (5-0). He will be looking to break a three-fight losing streak, with the latest being a four-round unanimous decision to undefeated Jeremy Nichols (6-0) on Sept. 30 in Las Vegas.

Also seeing action in a 6-round bout is local favorite Anthony “Juice” Young (14-2, 6 KO’s) of Atlantic City who will take on James Robinson (4-5-4, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, N.Y., in a welterweight scrap.
Former amateur standout, Darmani Rock (6-0, 4 KO’s) of Philadelphia will battle Solomon Maye (3-7-2, 3 KO’s) of New Haven, Connecticut in a six-round heavyweight bout.

In four-round bouts, Hafiz Montgomery (3-1, 2 KO’s) of Toms River, N.J. takes on Tracey Johnson (4-5-4) of Boston in a cruiserweight battle; Jeff Lentz (5-1, 1 KO) of Lanoka Harbor, N.J. will fight Jeff Souffrant (3-1, 1 KO) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in a welterweight bout.

Tickets for the show, which is promoted by GH3 Promotions, Kings Promotions in association with Thompson Boxing (the main event) and Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino, are $125, $100 $75 & $50 and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or calling 1-800-745-3000.

Shannon Briggs Has New App Game

Shannon Briggs has released a new app game called Clash of Champs. It was released last week and is now available to download.

View the trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=gtm5m1FK6YE

Find more information here at : http://www.champplay.net/ clash-of-champs

Posted on 12/20/2016

What’s Next for Shannon Briggs?
By: Iftisaam Khan

Having suffered a number of setbacks in his career of late, Shannon ‘The Cannon’ Briggs will be certainly looking to put that all behind him as he aims to return to the ring next year. Reflecting on a year of bad luck, the American will be rather disappointed at his inactivity in the ring as he was overlooked on numerous occasions due to a number of reasons.

Looking for an opponent initially saw the 45-year-old focus his efforts on securing a bout with Heavyweight rival, David Haye which eventually came to no avail. Chasing the fight saw ‘The Cannon’ go around the country gate-crashing press conferences and media events to call out the Londoner but his efforts eventually turned futile. At times the prospect of thefight being made actually looked promising with Briggs featuring on the undercard of Haye’s fight, but it turned out that was the closest the American was going to get to Haye as he overlooked the American and weeks later announced his next fight against Tony Bellew in 2017.

If his luck couldn’t get any worse, his hopes of attaining a heavyweight title this year weredashed after his opposed fight with Australian, Lucas Browne was cancelled after his opponent was found to have had taken banned substance, Ostarine leaving the former world champion looking at the coming year for a change of luck.With the Heavyweight scene currently thriving there won’t be a shortage of options.

Dilian Whyte

One potential opponent in the new year could be the ‘Body Snatcher’ who will be looking to take as much time off from the ring as possible given his superb performance against Derick Chisora in a fight being touted as fight of the year. The possibilities of seeing Briggs and Whyte share the ring next year are unlikely with Eddie Hearn hoping for a rematch instead between Whyte and Chisorainstead.

Luis Ortiz

A more realistic possibility could see the ‘Cannon’ take on fellow compatriot and friend, Luis Ortiz who recently overcame a brave Dave Allen in Manchester; stopping him in the 7th round. A fight between the pair would make sense for both parties but time will tell.

Dave Allen

A fighter who’s known for his willingness to share the ring with anybody, the ‘White Rhino’would be a great option as a step up of opposition for Briggs who will be looking to ease his way back in the heavyweight scene.

David Price

Looking to resurrect his career is Liverpudlian, David Price. The fighter will be looking to make everyone forget about his 3 defeats to Tony Thompson and ErkanTepen which came as a big shock to the boxing world as at the time Price was touted for special things in the division. Time is on his side to establish his career again but another slip up cannot be afforded.

A logical fight for both parties, Briggs would provide a stern test for the scouser who is aiming for a shot at World Champion, Anthony Joshuain the near future.

Posted on 04/12/2016

Boxing Insider Notebook: Frampton, Briggs, Haye, Pacquiao, Bradley, Ali, Charlo, and more…
By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of April 5th to April 12th, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

HBO to Replay Pacquiao vs. Bradley III

HBO Sports serves up the exclusive replay of the highly anticipated third fight in the heated Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley Jr. rivalry when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING:® MANNY PACQUIAO VS. TIMOTHY BRADLEY JR. is seen SATURDAY, APRIL 16 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The HBO Sports team, which was ringside at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, called the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: April 17 (10:30 a.m.) and 19 (11:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: April 18 (11:00 p.m.)

HBO Signature: April 17 (4:15 p.m.)

The two highly decorated welterweights who are among the sport’s top pound-for-pound performers came into the matchup with determination to score a convincing victory. Pacquiao and Bradley split the first two meetings with each winning by decision.

New Book About Muhammad Ali from Major Publisher

Running with the Champ: My Forty-Year Friendship with Muhammad Ali (Simon & Shuster; Hardcover; May 10, 2016) is a personal tribute to the remarkable friendship between author Tim Shanahan and legendary Muhammad Ali.

In 1976, Shanahan was a living in Chicago and was associated with a charity that arranged for athletes to speak to underprivileged kids. Ali was also living in Chicago—having just reclaimed his title as heavyweight champion of the world after defeating George Foreman and Joe Frazier—and was at the peak of his fame and athletic skill. Shanahan contacted Ali to ask whether he would participate in the program. Not only did Ali agree, he invited Shanahan to his home where the two then spent several hours talking.

It was the beginning of a forty-year friendship that continues today.

Shanahan and Ali’s relationship has always been personal: Shanahan never worked for Ali, preferring to remain a friend and get his paycheck elsewhere, but he was always there to play witness to the extraordinary life of the Champ. RUNNING WITH THE CHAMP gives readers an inside look at this extraordinary life, as Shanahan shares story after story of Ali’s interactions with various celebrities whom he met over the years, including Michael Jackson (who showed Ali and Shanahan his doll collection); Elvis Presley; John Travolta; Andy Warhol; and many others. Beyond the ring, Shanahan remembers numerous unpublicized incidents of Ali’s generosity to people in need.

Lara, Martirosyan, and Charlo Twins to Take Center Stage on Showtime

The 154-pound division will take center stage on Saturday, May 21 in a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader featuring three world title fights in the same division. In a rare showcase of the division’s elite, five of the top-six super welterweights* will square off live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Venue and ticket information are forthcoming.

In the main event, Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara—the consensus No. 1 fighter at 154 pounds—will defend his WBA Super Welterweight World Championship against U.S. Olympian and top contender Vanes “The Nightmare” Martirosyan in a rematch of their 2012 bout that ended in a technical draw.

Brothers Jermall and Jermell Charlo will look to make history in co-featured bouts as the first twins to hold world titles in the same division. Unbeaten IBF Super Welterweight World Champion Jermall faces his toughest test when he makes the second defense of his belt against former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout. Jermell will take on exciting contender John Jackson in a bout for the vacant WBC Super Welterweight World Championship.

The event is being promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions.

With five of the top-six ranked fighters on the telecast, the May 21 matchups join an already stellar slate of recently announced boxing events on SHOWTIME. The super welterweights join the top fighters at featherweight, welterweight, super middleweight and heavyweight in a series of fights that features accomplished champions and young stars facing each other in the most significant divisional matches that can be made.

“This is yet another example of SHOWTIME Sports’ commitment to delivering the best lineup in boxing,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “We’re featuring three important championship fights in one of boxing’s most intriguing young divisions – a tripleheader that will bring our 2016 tally of world title bouts to 14 – all free to SHOWTIME subscribers. We’re excited to offer this rare opportunity to see the top fighters in a division all on the same telecast.”
“Mayweather Promotions is thrilled to bring this fantastic tripleheader of super welterweight world champions to fight fans,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “The best of the 154-pound division will be on display on May 21 and we expect an action-packed night of drama.”

Star Boxing’s Joe Smith Jr. Set to Headline at the Paramount

Star Boxing’s Joe Smith, Jr. (20-1, 16 KOs) looks to continue his climb up the light heavyweight ladder when he faces tough and dangerous Brazilian Fabiano Pena (16-4-1, 12 KOs) in the main event in the 23rd installment of Star Boxing’s Rockin’ Fights series on Saturday night, April 23, at the Paramount in Huntington, New York.

Dubbed the “Irish Bomber” because of his knockout power, Smith is highly-regarded among the light heavyweight prospects during a young career guided by promoter Joe DeGuardia. The local hero fighting, out of Mastic, will be making his fourth appearance on his home turf at The Paramount.

Smith, Jr. has reeled off 14 straight triumphs, including nine by way of KO. In his latest win, the Irish Bomber scored a thrilling, unanimous 10-round decision over Will Rosinsky, while showcasing his talents in the Barclays Center ring on December 5.

The native of Mastic is a Union 66 laborer (concrete) in between fights. Trained by Gerard Capobianco, a former light heavyweight contender himself, Smith fights out of the Heavyhitters Boxing Gym on Long Island.

“Joe has all of the tools to be a top light heavyweight,” says DeGuardia. “His power and strength, combined with boxing skills and stamina have him earmarked for a big fight.”

The co-featured attraction is a “Long Island Showdown” when two popular Paramount regulars – Alan Gotay (8-2, 4 KOs) and Anthony Karperis (11-2, 4 KOs) – clash for the New York State Junior Welterweight Championship. Gotay hails from Huntington, while Kaperis is a product of Hicksville, so it will be a true “Battle for Backyard Bragging Rights.”

Chad Dawson, Ryan Kielczweski, Antontio Russell to Highlight Undercard for Gary Russell Jr. vs. Patrick Hyland

A stacked undercard of action featuring former world champion “Bad” Chad Dawson (33-4, 18 KOs), featherweight contender Ryan Kielczweski (24-1, 7 KOs) and undefeated prospects Antonio Russell (5-0, 4 KOs) and Carlos Gongora (4-0, 3 KOs) comes to Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT., on Saturday, April 16.

The event is headlined by a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader of world title fights: WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. battles Ireland’s Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland and IBF Junior Lightweight World Champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza takes on top contender Stephen “Swifty” Smith from the UK, with televised coverage beginning live on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

Dawson will face the veteran Cornelius White (23-4, 17 KOs) in a 10-round light heavyweight bout, Kielczweski enters the ring for eight rounds of featherweight action, Gongora competes in a super middleweight attraction while Russell takes on Leonardo Reyes (3-9, 1 KO) in a bantamweight fight.
Also entering the ring is popular super bantamweight contender Shelley Vincent (16-0, 1 KO) out of Providence, RI., who will have plenty of support behind her when she takes on New Mexico’s Elizabeth Anderson (4-7, 1 KO) in a six-round bout.

Rounding out the action are a pair of prospects making their pro debuts as Providence’s Anthony Marsella Jr. fights in a four-round junior welterweight match and Connecticut’s Mykquan Williams in a four-round welterweight contest. Williams is a highly touted local prospect who fought to a 45-13 amateur record including three gold medal performances at the Ringside World Tournament.

Briggs vs. Haye a Possibility

Forty four year old Shannon Briggs is more known for crashing press conferences than for actually fighting inside the ring, but it appears his mouth and antics have landed him a possible big money fight in the near future.

David Haye is set to fight at the O2 Arena on May 21st, and has recently stated that if Briggs is victorious on his undercard that he will fight him next. Briggs previously chased Wladimir Klitschko around the globe and showed up at several press conferences, and has done the same to David Haye.

David Haye (27-2) is scheduled to face Arnold Gjergjaj (29-0) on May 21st and Shannon Briggs (59-6-1) does not have a scheduled opponent yet.

Carl Frampton Stripped of WBA Junior Featherweight Title

Carl Frampton unified the WBA and IBF Junior Featherweight Titles when he defeated Scott Quigg on February 27th. However, it appears that he will not be fighting at the junior featherweight division anymore and has not agreed to fight the mandatory challenger for the WBA Junior Featherweight Championship. The WBA has since stripped Carl Frampton of his WBA Junior Featherweight title.

Broner v. Theophane Delivered Knockout Ratings for Premier Boxing Champions on Spike

Adrien Broner vs. Ashley Theophane delivered excellent ratings for Spike TV.

The main event drew 1,141,000 viewers (10:36pm-11:21pm) peaking with an impressive 1.3 million viewers at 11:11pm (with +3 DVR playback). This is the most watched PBC fight ever on Spike.

The entire card delivered 955,000 viewers, also a record for the PBC on Spike.

Also of note, 48 minutes of the broadcast were seen by 1 million or more viewers.