Tag Archives: klitschko

Posted on 04/27/2017

Why Is America Missing Out On Joshua-Klitschko?
By: Sean Crose

A public workout was held Wednesday. In Wembley Stadium. In front of a significant, loud and very energetic crowd. With Michael Buffer introdrucing the fighters before they actually, you know, worked out. This, friends, was something special. And little wonder. For the first time since Mayweather-Pacuiao, the days are winding down to a legitimate superbout. For, in case you haven’t heard, rising British Star Anthony Joshua will be throwing down against former longtime champion Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday in a battle for heavyweight supremacy. They fact that the two men will be fighting in front of 90,000 people – that’s 90,000 people – gives some indication as to just how big this match is.

While the fight is indeed finding itself onto sports’ pages in the states, it leaves this Yank feeling a bit sad that Joshua-Klitschko isn’t getting the attention it deserves here. Not sad for the fighters. Not sad for boxing. Sad for my countrymen. No kidding, I feel a bit down about this. For one of the single biggest sporting events of 2017 – if not THE single biggest – is happening this very weekend and few Americans are even aware of it. Oh, the fight will be there for us Amerians to watch – live on Showtime and later Saturday night on HBO – but how many of us will even know it’s on? And why are so many of us missing out on a major international sporting event?

First off, it helps if we face facts here. Boxing isn’t that big in the states anymore. Not when the name of Floyd Mayweather isn’t somehow involved. Boxing has done much of this to itself, of course, thanks to ridiculous management and a plethora of poorly judged fights. The American media has much to do with it, as well, however. The truth is, those who are supposed to get “the scoop” aren’t interested in the scoop when it comes to professional boxing (unless, again, Mayweather is involved). It’s hard for people to know about a major fight if the general media isn’t really discussing it…or it isn’t informing people of the sheer scope of the event.

Yet it’s not just the media who is to blame here. Americans interested in boxing can be an oddly indifferent bunch. “They both suck,” an individual training a young man on the pads in a local gym told me today. He was speaking, of course, about Joshua and Klitschko. Without giving another second of his time, the giver of that flip comment went back to work. Perhaps he just didn’t want a pain in the ass reporter in the gym…but I know of others with their fingers on the pulse who aren’t exactly jumping up and down over this bout, either. Is it because an American fighter isn’t involved? Maybe, but Alabama native Deontay Wilder is waiting in the wings with what seems to be intense interest. Wouldn’t that make American fans at least somewhat intrigued? Apparently not all of them. Unfortunately, America’s jaded boxing fans may have become way too hard to impress…suffice to say, we can forget about word of mouth spreading any kind of interest in this weekend’s bout.

Then, of course, there’s the issue of this weekend’s American television broadcasts Showtime has been doing a wonderful job with it’s boxing programing lately (while HBO seems too disinterested in boxing to even let subscribers know how disinterested it is), but this fight would have been perfectly suited to air on network television Saturday afternoon. It would then have gotten stray eyeballs from general sports, fans who would undoubtedly be impressed by the sheer size of Saturday’s event (it’s hard to keep 90,000 people from being noticed) and hopefully from the action inside the ring itself (both fighters can hit, after all). Sadly, though, the world’s newest superbout will be aired on the channels that give us “Shameless” and “Game of Thrones.” People will tune in, of course, but not as many as could or should have.

If anything, Joshua-Klitschko shows that boxing is far from dead. Too bad the American public isn’t being given the chance to realize it.

Posted on 04/26/2017

Anthony Joshua is on the Precipice of a New Era for Heavyweight Championship
By: Matthew N. Becher

​Anthony Joshua has all the goods. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, undefeated professional with all of his wins (18) coming by way of the Knockout. He is handsome, well-spoken and generally liked by all that see him. This Saturday, as he takes on Wladamir Klitschko in front of a record crowd of 90,000 at the famed Wembley Stadium, Joshua will have the chance to not only unify the heavyweight division, by defending his IBF title and pick up the WBA belt that was vacated by Tyson Fury, but he will also be able to begin a new era in the Heavyweight division. An era that has long been stagnated by the nearly decade reign by Klitschko. A reign that has turned off many fans of the most prestige’s title in all of sports. Joshua is on the doorstep to changing all of that.

​In the last 10 years alone, we have had a total of 14 different Heavyweight champions. Here is the List of names; Shannon Briggs, Ruslan Chagaev, Sultan Ibragimov, Wladamir Klitschko, Samuel Peter, Nikolai Valuev, Vitali Klitschko, David Haye, Bername Stiverne, Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, Charles Martin, Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker.

​If you were to ask a casual fan, they would not be able to recognize more then 2-3 names on that list. Most diehard fans would like to forget the likes of Ibragimov, Peter, Valuev and Stiverne.

​The Heavyweights usually run the show in boxing. They generate the hype, the glitz, the glamour. They get the magazine covers, the late night talk show interviews, they are internationally recognized. Unfortunately that has not been the case for this era. From the times of Liston, Ali, Frazier and Foreman, to the days of Tyson, Holyfield, and Lennox Lewis the Heavyweights have taken a complete nose dive from the top of the sports world. This has to do with an abundance of sanctioned belts to the reign of both Wladamir and Vitali Klitschko, whose styles were less than fan friendly.

​With the mega fight between Joshua and Klitschko taking place this weekend, the young champion Joshua has a tremendous chance to start a new reign at the top of the Division. With the likes of Wilder of the United States, Tyson Fury of the UK and a possible handful of other young talents, the big men will have a chance to battle for all time legendary status.

With Joshua attempting to slay the old King that is the 41 yr. old Klitschko, this new era could become a reality this Saturday in London.

​Do not get me wrong here, Klitschko is very much still a possibility to win this fight and add another chapter to his hall of fame, legendary career, but what I am saying, is that this could just as well start a bigger dynamic if Anthony Joshua can prove that he is just as good as we may believe he is.

​Saturday night live on Showtime 5pm/ET and a replay on HBO 10pm/ET we will see just how good the young lion from England can be. History will be made either way, and a new era of the Heavyweight throne will be decided.

Posted on 04/25/2017

Klitschko’s Reputation On The Line This Saturday
By: Sean Crose

Let’s not kid ourselves – Wladimir Klitschko is not the world’s most popular fighter. Oh, Klitschko has his fans – particularly in continental Europe – but Tyson Fury knew he’d get nods when he essentially said he liberated the heavyweight title from the Ukrainian big man. In short, Klitshcko was one of the less exciting individuals to ever dominate the heavyweight division. Muhammad Ali he most distinctly was not. Holding – perhaps excessively – and throwing straight all night long doesn’t make for thrilling fights. Even Klitschko’s power, which has always been exceedingly impressive, has never won his detractors over. As a longtime fan once told me, there’s nothing explosive about the guy.

And now the forty plus year old finds himself in the match of his life against rising English superstar Anthony Joshua. Indeed, Joshua seems to have that indefinable star quality that people have long been looking for among the heavyweights. Statuesque, skilled and extremely powerful, many claim Joshua is the real deal – and the future of his division. Here’s the thing, though: He’s never fought anyone like Klitschko. That’s right, stiff, boring Klitschko has a real chance here.

That’s something that becomes quite obvious when you consider the fact that Joshua has already been rocked by an opponent (hello, Dillian Whyte). What happens if he takes some of those classic Klitschko shots? He’d better be ready for them, because the former heavyweight king is clearly aiming on putting his gloved fists to good use on Saturday. What’s more, Klitschko is clearly aware of the fact that his reputation, his ENTIRE reputation, is on the line this weekend. Fan base aside, the man is widely seen as the monarch of a thoroughly lifeless reign that ran far too long. That could all change for the fighter come Saturday, though. Believe it.

For Joshua will be seen as Klitschko’s single greatest accomplishment should the former champ win in impressive fashion in England, where the bout with Joshua will be held. Everyone loves a comeback. There’s just something impressive about a person getting ground down, then rising back up again. Should Klitschko pull it off, he may just earn himself a lot of love, the kind of love he hasn’t seen before. Or, if he doesn’t get the love, he’ll at least get the respect. Regaining a lost title goes a long way to taking away the yawn factor. Klitschko’s a smart guy. He knows what a win this Saturday will bring. Team Joshua may want to be mindful of what exactly is at stake for the former champion.

Posted on 04/22/2017

Why The Shadow Of Tyson Fury Hovers Over The Joshua-Klitschko Superfight
By: Sean Crose

Fight fans the world over are eagerly awaiting the heavyweight title throwdown between Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua on the 29th of this month. Indeed, there’s a lot to be excited about. For starters, this here is a fight for heavyweight supremacy. Never mind who will or will not end up holding what belt when all is said and done. The winner of this battle is king of the heavyweight hill. All others are mere pretenders or would be usurpers. What’s more, the bout features an aging icon going head to head against a man who is supposed to be the next big thing. Such fights matter. That’s why Joshua-Klitschko is such a big deal.

There is, however, a cloud hovering over the event. A great, big, loud one.

Perhaps “cloud” isn’t the best word to use here. Maybe “shadow” would be more fitting. For the enormous Tyson Fury casts quite a shadow indeed, in both the figurative and literal sense of the word. It’s hard not to have the man in the back of one’s mind in the lead up to this superfight next week. It was Fury, after all, who bested Klitschko after the Ukrainian’s exceedingly long run atop the heavyweight heap. No one really expected it to happen, but the Englishman of Tinker stock surprised a whole lot of people at the end of 2015, when he stripped Klitschko of his heavyweight crown.

What’s more, Fury has still to lose a fight. At least in the ring, that is. He may not be champ anymore, but Fury lost his rightful claim to heavyweight supremacy when he was overcome by his personal demons – depression, substances and food clearly being at the top of that dark list – rather than by an opponent.

Klitschko, despite his best efforts, was never able to reverse that frustrating loss to Fury . And Fury has sense taken to needling both he and Joshua publicly in the leadup to April 29th.

Throw in the fact that Fury looks far from fighting shape and the question of what could have been may always be floating throughout the minds of fight followers. Yes, Joshua may best Klitschko, but what if he never faces a rejuvenated Fury? And what if Klitschko gets his heavyweight crown back? Might people always wonder if he could actually have bested the loudmouthed Fury in a rematch? The simple truth is that the world may well never know what might have been. Tyson Fury certainly doesn’t take away from Joshua-Klitschko, but his oversized presence is most certainly hovering over it.

Posted on 04/20/2017

Why Joshua-Klitshcko Looks To Be A Superfight Done Right
By: Sean Crose

One of the downsides of boxing is that you never know just how good a given match will turn out. Hagler-Hearns was magnificent. Pacquiao-Clottey, not so much. If there’s one thing that burns fans and non-fans alike, however it’s a superfight that falls flat. The highly lucrative, widely panned Mayweather-Pacquiao fiasco of 2015 is a prime example of a superfight done wrong. This month’s Joshua-Klitshcko heavyweight title matchup, the first true superfight since May-Pac, on the other hand, appears to be done right. Why? Because those involved look to have firmly grasped the four basic concepts that go into making a superfight effective.

ONE: THAT PROMOTERS RECOGNIZE WHAT BOXING IS WHEN IT’S AT ITS BEST

Boxing, at its best, answers a simple question of who would win in a fight. Could Leonard come back and best Hagler? Could Holyfield possibly best Mike Tyson? Could Ali beat the ferocious young George Foreman? These are the sorts of questions that draw in lots of eyeballs, lots of buzz and, yes, lots of money. A great many people, millions perhaps, want to know who would win in a fight between old lion Wladimir Klitschko and rising star Anthony Joshua. At this point, it seems close to one hundred thousand individuals will even be seeing Joshua-Klitshcko live and in person. Why? Because this contest is a tough one to call walking in.

TWO: THAT FANS FEEL THERE’S AN ACTUAL CHANCE THAT BOTH FIGHTERS CAN WIN

If a Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather boxing match ever goes down, it will be a massive event on a global scale. It will never, however, be a superfight. That’s because no one with an ounce of objectivity feels McGregor has much of a chance of winning. There’s no real question involved in the scenario. It’s all just spectacle. Look at it another way: Tyson-Douglas was a fight for the ages, but it was no superfight. Why? Because no one gave Douglas a chance of winning (well, I did, actually, but that’s for another time). It was simply to be another televised beatdown for Iron Mike. The suspense, then, came during the bout, rather than before it. There’s a reason that classic match wasn’t aired on PPV. Joshua-Klitshcko, on the other hand, could obviously go either way, hence, the suspense and excitement in the leadup to the opening bell.

THREE: THAT THE FIGHTERS INVOLVED ACTUALLY BELONG IN A SUPERFIGHT

Canelo Alvarez can fill Cowboys Stadium with as many fans as he wants – he won’t be engaged in a superfight so long as he’s throwing down with the likes of Liam Smith. Same goes for Manny Pacquiao fighting in Australia. His battle with Jeff Horn will be enormous in the land down under, but everywhere else? Not so much. Liam Smith may someday blast his way to superstardom. And who knows? Horn may stun Pacquiao. At the moment, however, neither opponent warrants a superfight, no matter who he battles. Needless to say, both on-the-rise Joshua, and Klitschko, the long time former heavyweight king, have backgrounds that warrant a match of superfight proportions.

FOUR: THAT THE EVENT IS PROMOTED PROPERLY

While no one can deny that the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout was a superfight, it certainly wasn’t an effective one. Why? Well, because it marinated…and marinated…and marinated….for just about half a decade. I love marinaded meat myself, but after a few hours, I begin to lose my appetite. Furthermore, the entire affair was an over-powered money vacum. I’ll never forget Bob Arum’s flippant dismissal of the boxing media in the lead up to the bout. He didn’t need run of the mill fight writers anymore, he needed journalists fresh from the top of Mount Olympus. Bye-bye ringside reporter, hello Merideth Vieria! And people wonder why non-boxing fans were so grossly disappointed with how Mayweather-Pacquiao turned out. They were listening to and reading the words of people who knew absolutely nothing about the sport. Joshua-Klitshcko, on the other hand, was made as quickly as possible, considering the seriousness of the nature and the popularity of the players involved. What’s more, one suspects the goal here is to please boxing fans and non-fans alike. Too bad it won’t air live on network television in the states. It would be nothing but good for the sport.

Posted on 04/19/2017

Joshua v. Klitshko: The Biggest Fight Nobody is Talking About
By: Matthew N. Becher

​Literally the biggest fight in the world is in less than two weeks, and nobody seems to be aware of it.

​Anthony Joshua (18-0 18KO) will be defending his IBF Heavyweight title against the former 2x Heavyweight champion of the world, Wladamir Klitschko. It will take place in London, at Wembley Stadium, in front of a record crowd of NINETY THOUSAND people. That is incredible. A fight with two of the biggest heavyweights on the planet, on the biggest stage, for Three Heavyweight titles (IBF; WBA; IBO). Yet, I have rarely seen a blip of advertising or promotion for the bout. What gives?

​Joshua is a relative new comer, sure, but he was a former Olympic Gold Medalist (same as Klitschko), he is young, handsome, built like a Greek god and has finished every single one of his fights in the manner that many casual to extreme boxing fans want…by the knockout.

​Klitschko is the 41 year old living legend. Former world champion twice over, married to a Hollywood actress (Hayden Panettiere), Olympic Gold, 64 wins. This is a dream matchup.

​Klitschko did have a boring style for a majority of his career, but did end a lot of his fights (53) by knockout. He is still an impressive 6’6”, with an 81” reach and a right hand that can be compared to many of the greatest fighters of the past. He, unfortunately has not fought since his loss to Tyson Fury in 2015. Maybe people think he will have too much ring rust to compete with the young lion, Joshua. I don’t think that can be true, Joshua is a slight favorite in Vegas at -230, Klitschko +175.

​As far as Joshua being the favorite, who has he really competed against to be so certain he can take on the legend of Klitschko. Joshua’s biggest win was against Kevin Johnson? Dillian Whyte? Dominic Breazeale? He has never gone the distance in a fight, never even been in the Championship rounds.

​It is a fantastic matchup of two of the top heavyweights in the world today. It is going to be a grand event. Showtime will air the fight live in the United States, while HBO will air the replay later that night. Only the third time the cable competitors have merged to telecast a boxing event.

​The winner will be a unified champion, and for right now, the king of the Heavyweight division.

Posted on 04/18/2017

Boxing Insider Notebook: Klitschko, Joshua, Mayweather, McGregor, Ward, Kovalev, Canelo, Chavez, and more…
Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of April 11th to April 18th, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

Klitschko vs. Joshua US Television Rights Settled for April 29th

Matchroom Sport, Klitschko Management Group (KMG) and K2 Promotions have reached agreement with U.S. premium television giants Showtime and HBO to televise the most significant heavyweight world championship match in more than a decade. On Saturday, April 29, IBF Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua will face former unified world champion Wladimir Klitschko from a sold-out Wembley Stadium in London.

Showtime is the exclusive U.S. television partner of Joshua, while HBO has an exclusive agreement with Klitschko in the States. Each premium network will produce its own separate telecast of the main event match for the U.S. audience. SHOWTIME will televise its SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING presentation live at 4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT, while HBO will televise its WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING production at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs) and Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs) will meet for Joshua’s IBF World Championship and the vacant IBO and WBA World Championships. The British sensation Joshua has knocked out all 18 of his professional opponents in a meteoric rise to stardom, while the long-reigning world champion from Ukraine, Klitschko, aims to win back titles he previously held in his 11-year rule as heavyweight world champion. Joshua vs. Klitschko is promoted by Matchroom Boxing, KMG and K2 Promotions and has officially sold out Wembley Stadium with a record-setting 90,000 tickets sold.

“I’m extremely happy and thankful that our respective U.S. TV partners Showtime and HBO reached an agreement,” said Bernd Boente, Managing Director of Klitschko Management Group. “This happened before in the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao and the Lewis vs. Tyson fights and shows you the magnitude of our event at Wembley Stadium on April 29.”

“I’m delighted to announce this historic deal that will see Britain’s biggest ever fight shown on both HBO and SHOWTIME in the U.S.,” said Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport. “It takes a special fight to break down barriers and boundaries but also networks and executives who believe in working with the best interest of fight fans in mind. With the obstacles in place it would have been any easy resolution to not air the fight in the States but I want to thank HBO and Showtime for their perseverance and allowing America to see one hell of a fight at our national stadium in front on 90,000 passionate fans. Joshua vs. Klitschko is a fight for the ages and we look forward to the show!”

“We are thrilled to be delivering Joshua vs. Klitschko to the U.S. audience live on SHOWTIME,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “On the afternoon of April 29, U.S. sports fans will be able to tune in to SHOWTIME to join a record-breaking crowd of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium and a worldwide television audience in witnessing an event that represents not only the contesting of the heavyweight world championship, but potentially the changing of the guard in the most influential division in boxing. We are proud to be Anthony Joshua’s exclusive U.S. television partner as he attempts to establish his legacy against the legendary Wladimir Klitschko, live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, as Showtime continues its unrivaled commitment to the sport.”

Said Peter Nelson, executive vice president, HBO Sports: “Both promoters and both networks have found a solution that enables boxing fans in the U.S. to watch the world heavyweight championship. This agreement ensures that our subscribers have access to same-day primetime coverage of the fight. It will mark Wladimir Klitschko’s 22nd appearance on HBO and the first for Anthony Joshua.”

The 27-year-old Joshua has been perfect since turning professional shortly after winning Gold at the 2012 Olympics for Great Britain. Joshua, of Watford, England, won the IBF Heavyweight World Championship with a second-round knockout of defending champion Charles Martin in April 2016, earning a heavyweight belt in the fewest number of fights in more than 20 years. He has since successfully defended the title twice—against Dominic Breazeale in June and Eric Molina in December.

Joshua is just the sixth Olympic Gold Medalist at super heavyweight to go on to win a professional heavyweight world title, joining Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Alexander Povetkin and his rival on April 29, Wladimir Klitschko.

HBO has been the long-time home of Klitschko’s professional boxing career in the States. The 41-year-old has been a kingpin in the heavyweight division since winning Gold at the 1996 Olympic Games. He turned pro shortly after the Atlanta games and ran an undefeated campaign for 24 fights before suffering his first defeat to experienced veteran Ross Puritty. Klitschko quickly rebounded by winning 10 in a row and captured his first world title (WBO) with a unanimous decision victory over Chris Byrd in 2000, a win which avenged a loss by his brother, Vitali, earlier that year.

Klitschko’s most recent reign at heavyweight began in 2006 when he captured the IBF and IBO belts via knockout in a rematch against Chris Byrd. He went on to make 17 consecutive defenses of the IBF and IBO crowns, 13 consecutive defenses of the WBO belt, and eight consecutive defenses of the WBA title. Along the way, he amassed victories over Sultan Ibragimov, Hasim Rahman, Ruslan Chagaev, David Haye, Samuel Peter, Alexander Povetkin, Kubrat Pulev and more. In total he has fought in 28 total world title fights – a unique record in the history of the heavyweight division – compared to just 18 total professional fights for Anthony Joshua. He was the longest reigning world champion (2006-2015) after Joe Louis.

This will be Klitschko’s first outing since losing the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO titles to Tyson Fury in 2015, his first defeat in 11 years.

Closed Circuit Venues Announced for Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr.

The hottest ticket in town is for the sold-out Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. mega fight that is set for Saturday, May 6 at T-Mobile Arena. Due to the demand of closed circuit telecast tickets, additional locations have been added for the Cinco de Mayo weekend showdown between two-division world champion Canelo Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) and former WBC World Middleweight Champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs).

In addition to the previously announced MGM Grand Ballroom viewing location, Liberty Loft at New York-New York Hotel & Casino and The Still at The Mirage Hotel & Casino will now show Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. live on Saturday, May 6, giving fans the opportunity to experience an exciting night of boxing live in Las Vegas in an electrifying setting side-by-side with other fight fans.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast of Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. are priced at $75, not including applicable fees. All seats are general admission and additional tickets go on sale Wednesday, March 12 at 10 a.m. PST at any MGM Resorts International box office or concierge desk. Tickets also can be purchased by phone with a major credit card at 800-745-3000.

Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Adriana’s Insurance and Interjet. Lemieux vs. Reyes is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management, Matthysse vs. Taylor is a 10-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Boxing and Star Boxing. Diaz, Jr. vs. Avila is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event will take place on Saturday, May 6 at T-Mobile Arena and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Kovalev vs. Ward II Tickets on Sale

Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” go on sale to the public today at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. Tickets priced at $1,255, $755, $505, $355, $255 and $105 not including applicable service charges will be available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office.

Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, and is sponsored by Monster Products and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Follow the conversation using #WardKovalev.

TMZ Sports Reports Mayweather vs. McGregor is Still Not Close

Dana White recently told TMZ Sports that the rumored Mayweather vs. McGregor fight isn’t even close to happening. TMZ also reports to not expect much movement on the fight being made until after Conor’s baby is born, as Dana White has said they plan to meet up after McGregor’s girlfriend gives birth.
Dana also told TMZ that Ronda Rousey hasn’t officially retired yet.

Read more at: http://www.tmz.com/2017/04/17/dana-white-mayweather-mcgregor/

Helenius Hits Back at Chisora: “You Are Going to Get Knocked Out!”

Robert Helenius (24-1, 15 KOs) has hit back at claims made by Dereck Chisora’s (26-7, 18 KOs) coach Don Charles ahead of their rematch for the WBC Silver World Heavyweight title on May 27 at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.

‘The Nordic Nightmare’ holds a controversial split decision win over Chisora from their all-action showdown December 2011, which many, including Charles, believed the British boxer did enough to win.
“Every fighter needs an incentive, and the incentive here is to correct the original decision,’’ said Chisora’s trainer. ‘’Dereck has to be the referee, judge and the jury. We are not leaving anything to chance.

“I hate giving fighters instructions to go out looking for the KO, but for this fight, Dereck is under strict instruction to go out there and knock this guy out.

“Robert is a good fighter, but without a doubt he has not been the same man since he first fought Dereck. Dereck knocked every last inch of confidence out of him. I am very confident that Dereck will knock him out!”

On hearing these comments, Helenius has issued a video message to his long-time rival, in which the Finnish heavyweight states: ‘’You can be the judge, you can be the referee, I don’t care, you are going to get knocked out anyway, On 27th May, I’m going to be coming to the ring with both my hands so you better be ready!’’

Caleb Plant Makes Impact Speech to At Risk Youths at Spring Mountain in Las Vegas

This past Saturday, undefeated super-middleweight contender, Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant (15-0, 10 KOs), made an impact while doing a speaking engagement to at-risk teens at the Spring Mountain Youth Camp (SMYC) in Las Vegas. Caleb spoke to the youth about a variety of subjects but mostly about staying focused on their goals.

“I really wanted to come talk with these kids instead of at them,” said Caleb Plant. “The kids were very well mannered and they asked a lot of questions. I was honest with them and I believe I made a positive impact on the entire group. They have a boxing program up there and I was able to give a few pointers to some of the kids. It was a very uplifting experience for me and I’m grateful to the Spring Mountain youth leaders for inviting me.”

About Spring Mountain Youth Camp: (SMYC) is a staff-secure correctional facility, housing male youth between the ages of 12 and 18. This division provides for the therapeutic, educational, social, medical and recreational needs of approximately 240 young men each year. SMYC is located at Angels Peak in the Mt. Charleston National Forest Area. It sits at an elevation of 8,470 feet and has a capacity of 100 youth.

Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui to Battle for Interim World Title on May 20th

An exciting night of action will feature super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui in a matchup for the Interim IBF Super Middleweight World Championship plus two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy in a WBA 140-pound world title eliminator against Kiryl Relikh on Saturday, May 20 from the recently opened MGM National Harbor in Maryland and live on SHOWTIME.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast is headlined by WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. making the second defense of his title when he faces top challenger Oscar Escandon.

Top 168-pound contenders Dirrell (25-2, 16 KOs) and Uzcategui (26-1, 22 KOs) are set to meet in a 12-round matchup with the winner in line to face IBF champion James DeGale, who is currently recovering from injuries sustained in his draw against Badou Jack in January on SHOWTIME.

“This fight is a massive step towards my journey to success in 2017,” said Dirrell. “To me, this is my championship fight leading up to the rematch with the current champion, James DeGale. Jose has all of the tools of a champion, so he’s fierce competition for me. But I will show the world that I’m up for the task. This is my year!”

“I’m very excited to be facing a fighter the quality of Andre Dirrell,” said Uzcategui. “These are the types of fights that I’ve wanted and I look forward to coming out victorious. This fight will be another step on the way to my dream of becoming a world champion.”

A world champion at 130 and 135-pounds, Barthelemy (25-0, 13 KOs) and the former world title challenger Relikh (21-1, 19 KOs) will battle in 12 rounds of action for the right to be the mandatory challenger for current WBA Super Lightweight Championship held by unified champion Julius Indongo.

“I’m very excited to be back in the ring, especially on SHOWTIME against a top-ranked contender in Kiryl Relikh,” said Barthelemy. “This victory will get me one step closer to fulfilling my dream of becoming the first Cuban to win world titles in three different weight classes. I’m very motivated and I will not be denied on May 20.”

“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity in a world title eliminator,” said Relikh. “Rances Barthelemy is a good fighter, but my experience at this weight will help me get the victory. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to get this win and eventually wear that world title belt around my waist.”

Tickets for the live event, promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $200, $150, $100 and $50, and are now on sale. To purchase tickets go to http://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

Representing his hometown of Flint, Michigan, Dirrell looks to take one step closer to a rematch with DeGale after dropping a narrow decision to the current IBF champion in May 2015. The 33-year-old bounced back from the defeat in his last outing by earning a wide unanimous decision over Blake Caparello last April. After a decorated amateur career that saw him win two U.S. Amateur World Championships in addition to an Olympic bronze medal, Dirrell was unbeaten in his first 18 pro fights before losing a split decision to Carl Frosh in 2009.

Born in Venezuela, Uzcategui now fights out of Baja California, Mexico, where he won two fights last year by knockout. The 26-year-old shot up the rankings in 2015 when he stopped previously unbeaten Julius Jackson in the second round after knocking his opponent down four times. Uzcategui was undefeated in his first 22 pro fights and enters this bout on a four-fight win streak.

A Cuban amateur national champion, 30-year-old Barthelemy has yet to taste defeat since turning pro in 2009. Born in Cuba but now fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. he won a super featherweight world title in July 2014 by defeating Argenis Mendez in impressive fashion, and followed that up with a second round TKO victory over Angino Perez. After dominating former champion Antonio DeMarco in June, he won a world title in a second division when he impressively defeated Denis Shafikov in December. Most recently, Barthelemy made the lone defense of his lightweight belt with a decision over former champion Mickey Bey last June.

Fighting out of Minsk, Belarus, Relikh returns to the ring after challenging the former champion Burns for the WBA title in October 2016. The 27-year-old was undefeated after turning pro in 2011 leading up to his world title shot. Relikh owns wins over veteran contenders Christian Ariel Lope, Joaquim Carneiro and Lazaro Santos de Jesus.

Posted on 01/30/2017

Joshua v. Klitschko set to pack 90K into Wembley Stadium
By: Matthew N. Becher

​Carl Froch is going to have to come up with a better saying than “I knocked out George Groves in front of 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium”, because a new record is soon to be set on April 23rd in London.
​After already selling 80,000 tickets to the general public in a quick amount of time, the highly anticipated Heavyweight title fight between the legendary, former, unified champion Wladamir Klitschko and the current IBF titleholder Anthony Joshua has gotten an OK from the mayor of London to sell ten thousand more tickets.

​Mayor Sadiq Khan has granted an extension of seat capacity for the event, due to a demand for tickets.

​“I can’t wait to see the fight of the year here in London and it’s fantastic that a post-war record crowd will get to watch it at a world-class venue like Wembley,” Khan said.

​The 90 thousand attendance will be a new record for a boxing match in England (Post-War) and will match the previous record between Len Harvey and Jock McAvoy, which took place in 1939.

​The fight between Joshua and Klitschko will display a possible changing of the guard scenario with the 41yr old former champion either continuing on with his decade long reign of the division or falling to the young lion in Joshua.
Joshua who will be defending his belt for only a 3rd time, in only his 19th fight will be looking to solidify his name at the top of the division, and add to his unblemished record of 18 wins all coming by way of the knockout.

The record for largest attendance EVER at a boxing match is still held by the famous Stadium Azteca in Mexico City, when in 1993, the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez fought Greg Haugen in front of 136,274 fans.

Posted on 01/18/2017

The Most Anticipated Boxing Matchup of 2017
By: Kevin Kennedy

2017 is going to be a special year for boxing, with the plenty of questions surrounding the top stars of the sport. Is this the year when Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor finally stop talking and meet in the squared circle? Is Gennady Golovkin ready to become a major force and the top PPV attraction in boxing? Is the pending return of Wladimir Klitschko the right remedy to revive the heavyweight division?

Here are the most anticipated boxing matchups for 2017:

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor

The talk of a proposed boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor dominated the headlines for much of 2016, but the self-proclaim “Fight of the Century” just took a major step towards becoming reality. Mayweather Jr. made a counter offer to McGregor’s demands of receiving a $100 million purse for the fight. His proposal was $15 million guaranteed and a portion of the pay-per-view sales. UFC president Dana White countered back with each participant receiving a $25 million purse and split of the PPV sales.

Mayweather Jr., the best boxer of his generation, retired undefeated at 49-0, and has reiterated that he won’t consider returning to the ring unless his payday is nine figures. However, this fight is different because Mayweather Jr. is tired of McGregor running his mouth off, and feels it’s time for a boxer to shut him up. McGregor added further suspense by obtaining a state of California boxing license late last year.

Gennady Golovkin vs. Daniel Jacobs (March 18th)

The undefeated middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin is pound-for-pound boxing’s best fighter. This spring, Golovkin will face his toughest opponent in Danny Jacobs, who is currently number two in the middleweight division. Jacobs earned this title bout with a first round knockout of Peter Quillin last December. He is a true technical fighter that will provide an excellent challenge for the champ.

Golovkin’s last victory was over welterweight champion, Kell Brooks, who gave him a pretty good fight. The first four rounds of the bout were very even, but the fight prematurely ended after Brooks sustained a broken eye socket in the fifth round. The key to defeating Golovkin is sustaining a constant attack of body punches because if not, it becomes a difficult task to slow him down.

Wladimir Klitschko vs. Anthony Joshua (April 29th)

The boxing world still hasn’t recovered from the shocking upset victory by Tyson Fury over Wladimir Klitschko for the heavyweight crown. Klitschko has been one of the most dominant boxers for over a decade, but he’s coming into a bout with Anthony Joshua after a long layoff at the age of 40-years old. This should be a very athletic boxing match as both fighters have excellent punching power. However, it’s unknown how Klitschko’s body will respond to a much younger challenger.

Joshua has quietly moved up the heavyweight division ranks by dominating each opponent that stood in his way. What’s impressive is his record as Joshua is 18-0 with 18 knockouts. This matchup has the potential to make the heavyweight division great once again, especially if Joshua can defeat Klitschko. He’s the future of the sport, but Joshua needs a signature win over a former champion like Klitschko to make boxing relevant once again.

Posted on 01/05/2017

Can This Year’s Boxing Get Any More Exciting?
By: Iftisaam Khan

Looking ahead to an enthralling schedule this year sees the busy boxing calendar kick off with James Degale taking on Badou Jack in an exciting encounter on January 14th at the Barclay’s Centre. Having suffered one loss in his career to bitter rival, George Groves, his career looks now to be on track after impressive victories against Lucien Bute, Andre Dirrell and Rogelio Medina.

With a chance to unify the division with victory over the 33-year-old American, Degale certainly can’t afford to underestimate his foe who’s been making a big statement in the boxing world recently having overcame George Groves and Andre Dirrell to attain a world title. A close fight can be expected between the pair, don’t be surprised to see a controversial decision in this one.

Moving onto a couple weeks later sees the Rematch between Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz in Las Vegas on January 28th. Santa Cruz will be hoping to turn the deficit around this time as the previous outing was something not up to the usual standard of the 28-year-old Mexican.

Going into the fight you can expect the two-weight world champion, Frampton to be full of confidence but don’t write off Santa Cruz totally he wasn’t the former three weight world champion for nothing.

If you want to see bitter rivalry in sport look no further. Come March 4th sees David Haye and Tony Bellew lock horns in a real grudge match at the O2 Arena. The war of words doesn’t seem to be coming to an end any time soon with outbursts coming from both camps on social media adding fuel to an already exciting night of boxing. Haye will be the firm favourite going into the bout, but if Bellew manages to pull this one off its one for the history books that’s for sure.

Heading onto one of the main events of the year sees Heavyweight sensation, Anthony Joshua clash with veteran Wladmir Klitschko in one of the biggest heavyweight fights of recent years on April 29th at Wembley stadium. With 90,000 expected AJ will be looking to demonstrate to the whole world why he’s been touted for special things in the future as he looks to carry on his blistering form (18-0-18 KO). Although many are already writing off Klitschko’s chances the former IBF, WBO and WBA champion will be no easy opponent. Having had plenty of time to recuperate, his mind will be fully focused on reclaiming his titles which sets it all up for an amazing spectacle.

Given it was one of last year’s best fights, fight fans could be in on another treat sooner or later. In a classic ‘dogfight’ both fighter’s- Chisora and Whyte left heart and soul in the ring as they slugged it out for 12 rounds non-stop providing entertainment throughout. Ending with controversial split decision fight fans are desperate to see the pair trade gloves again- only time will tell.

Brook and Khan is a fight on many people’ lips. Will it happen? It’s the closest the fight has ever been to coming to an agreement but still no confirmation just yet. Its Potentially one of the biggest fights in the UK of recent years with both fighters looking to establish themselves as the best Welterweight in the country. Having mixed it in the ring with GGG taking him to 5th round, ‘Special K’ will be full of confidence after his heroic display despite falling short. Also, coming off a loss is Amir Khan who got brutally knocked out by Canelo but he will look to put that all behind him as he next steps in the ring later this year.

With all these super fights this year there won’t be a moment you can afford to miss- I certainly won’t be.

Posted on 12/31/2016

How Mixed-up Are the Heavyweight Champions?
By: Ken Hissner

Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko, 64-4 (53), of the UKR, lost for the first time in eleven years, to Tyson Fury, 25-0 (18), in November of 2015 losing his three titles. Fury retired in 2016 making all the titles vacant. Klitschko for some reason is only ranked by the WBA and WBO. The 40 year-old former champion is scheduled to fight IBF champion Anthony Joshua, 18-0 (18), of the UK, on April 29th in London. Not only is Joshua’s IBF title on the line but so is WBA Super World title. Klitschko is not ranked by the IBF but is No. 2 in the WBA and No. 3 by the WBO.

Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder, 37-0 (36), of ALA, holds the WBC title. After winning the title two years ago he has made four title defenses and not one with one of the top four contenders. At this time he awaits the winner of the former WBA World champion Alexander “Russian Vityaz” Povetkin, 31-1 (23), of Russia, and the former WBC champion and No. 2 contender Bermane Stivern, 25-2-1 (21), a Haitian out of Las Vegas, who lost to Wilder being the new champions only decision win in 37 fights. Povetkin has failed two of three drug tests but that didn’t stop the WBC from approving Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola who failed a drug test, to challenge Wilder in the champion’s last fight in July. The elimination match is on hold at this time. Povetkin has been the No. 1 contender for some time and it seems has been avoided by Wilder. Wilder’s next opponent is No. 12 Andrew Wawrzyk, 31-1 (19), of Poland whose only loss is to Povetkin. The site is in Birmingham, AL, where Wilder is from on February 25th.
The vacant WBO title was won by Joe Parker, 21-0 (18), of New Zealand, winning a majority decision over Andy Ruiz, Jr., in December. The former champion Ruslan “White Tyson” Chagaev, 34-3-1 (21), of UZB, now out of GER, lost this title to Australian Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne, 24-0 (21), in March of 2016. Browne failed his drug test and the title was declared vacant. No decision for the bout to be reversed or Chagaev retaining his title at this time. Both Browne and Chagaev have been dropped from the ratings. Former WBA champion David “Haymaker” Haye, 28-2 (26), of the UK, is the No. 1 contender and has a match scheduled in March against newly crowned WBC Cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew, 28-2-1 (18), who is on a eight fight winning streak since moving up to cruiserweight.

The WBA title is vacant and this writer is awaiting an answer from the WBA to who will be fighting for that title. Rumors are No. 4 former WBO champion Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs, 60-6-1 (53), of Brooklyn, who came back in 2014 after a three and a half lay-off, and has won nine straight over non-contenders. The opponent mentioned is former WBC champion Oliver “The Atomic Bull” McCall, 57-14 (37), of VA, who is ranked No. 5. This writer questioned why McCall who hasn’t fought in two years can even still be in the ratings. Both Briggs and McCall are 45.

How the WBA would overlook No. 1 contender and former interim WBA champion Louis “King Kong” Ortiz, 27-0 (23), a Cuban out of Miami, and the No. 3 contender Alexander “The Great” Ustinov, 33-1 (24), a Russian out of Belarus, makes no sense. Though Ustinov didn’t fight in 2016 he has been able to hold that high ranking. Since No. 2 contender Klitschko chose to fight for the IBF title he is not being considered.

There are once again too many champions among the four organizations. Boxing does not need four boxers being called “the world heavyweight champion!”

Posted on 12/22/2016

Will Wladimir Klitschko Reclaim Heavyweight Dominance?
By: Sean Crose

I remember talking to a co-worker of mine a long time ago about a dream heavyweight superfight between the current division powerhouse, Lennox Lewis, and a European up and comer named Wladimir Klitschko. The Ukrainian, was, like Lewis, a super-sized heavyweight. What’s more, Klitschko LOOKED like a super-sized heavyweight. It seemed as if the guy was chiseled from stone. What’s more, Klitschko could hit – as in down a wall hit. Needless to say, I was quite excited for the next big heavyweight superfight/extravanganza. Sadly, the bout never came to fruition. Lewis called it quits after a close call with Klitschko’s brother, Vitali.

Fair enough, but the future still looked bright for younger brother Wladimir, right? Well, no – at least not at first. For in the same year Lewis had his last fight, Klitschko lost to the rugged Corrie Saunders. To make matters worse, Klitschko lost again three fights later to Lamont Brewster in front a live HBO audience. It was quite the beating he took that night. It looked like he was finishing his man off, then – boom – Klitschko ended up getting dusted. It seemed like the “next big” thing had gone off the rails – and indeed, he had.

Yet it wasn’t the end of the story. Nope, Klitchko made it a point to play it safe from there on out. And play it safe, he did. Never in the history of the heavyweight division has a fighter had so much success by largely firing off one-twos and holding. Indeed, Klitschko became a world class holder. So much so that many fans, particularly American fans, found it supremely aggravating. Still, there was no denying that Klitschko had achieved a huge level of success as the years went by.

Indeed, the man went on to attain the WBO, IBF and WBA world heavyweight titles. To make matters even more notable, he went on a 22-fight winning streak. Klitschko may not have had a ton of success with American audiences, but he was huge in Europe – stadium audience huge. Plus, he made himself a fortune. On top of all that – and this was a major selling point on the guy’s resume – he sat supreme atop the heavyweight division for year after year after year.

And then came Fury.

To be sure, few felt bellicose Englishman Tyson Fury would stand much of a chance against the long established Klitschko. Yet Fury got in Klitchko’s head before the bout with bullying tactics, then confused the champion with a quirky yet effective style throughout. It was a less than thrilling performance, true, but it was enough to dominate and dethrone the longstanding multi-titlist. And now, over a year after his defeat at the hands/gloves of Fury, Klitschko is coming back. Only he won’t be rematching Fury.

No, Fury’s demons got the better of him after the Klitschko win, so he had to give up his titles. Yet a new Englishman has emerged, a truly impressive one. Make no mistake about it – Anthony Joshua has more than a few things in common with his next opponent, Klitschko. Giant fame? Check. Great physique? Check. A pleasant personality? Check. Thunderous knockout power? Check. Yet there are things both Klitschko and Joshua most distinctly do NOT have in common that are worth noting, as well.

For one thing, Klitschko is far older than Joshua. To be sure, the forty year old Klitschko has a – wait for it – thirteen year age (dis)advantage walking into the ring when he meets Joshua for heavyweight supremacy this spring in London. That means Klitschko will possibly be well past his prime. Things will be even worse for the man if the Fury loss had any long term effects. Yet Klitschko has an advantage over Joshua, as well. And that advantage is his vast experience.

As powerful and impressive he is, Joshua doesn’t have nearly the ring history Klitschko has. He’s never fought a Tyson Fury. Or a Chris Byrd. Or a Kubat Puvlev. Or a David Haye. Or any of the other types of menacing names Klitschko has. What’s more, Joshua now has to face a legitimate longtime legend. Few heavyweight titlists have entire eras named for them, yet Klitschko has. Getting one’s head around something like that can’t be easy. Still, it can be done. Will Joshua be the man to do it, however? Or will Klitschko reclaim dominance after close to a year and a half away from the top of Olympus?

Posted on 12/13/2016

Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko Set To Meet In Heavyweight Superbout
By: Sean Crose

This April, for the first time in what seems to be a long time, a truly big heavyweight title fight will be going down. For that’s when, on the 29th of that month, IBF champ Anthony Joshua will face off against the division’s former longtime kingpin, Wladimir Klitschko. Make no mistake about it, Klitschko was nothing if not a dominant force at heavyweight for years on end. Now, though, he’s in his forties. What’s more, he lost his last bout, as well as his heavyweight crown, to the bombastic yet under-rated Tyson Fury over a year ago. Is the Ukrainian still the fighter he was? That may well be the biggest question heading into this throwdown.

For Josuha is undefeated. And, as if that weren’t enough, the man’s won each of his eighteen fights by knockout. In short, the Englishman is seen as the future of the division. Not only does he appear to have an impressive skill set, he has a statuesque physique and carries himself like a gentleman. In other words, he presents himself as the nice guy who can lay the bad boy out cold. There’s a lot of green to be found at the end of that kind of rainbow.

Yet there’s questions regarding Joshua, as well…as is can he stand the pressure of a major bout, can he deal with Klitschko’s power, and can he overcome Klitschko’s vast ring experience? To be sure, it’s the questions involved with this bout that make it so intriguing. It might be easy to write Klitschko off at this point, but that might be a mistake. Sure, Fury made him look second rate, but Fury’s bullying also got in Kltischko’s head. Joshua, on the other hand, let’s his fists do the talking for him, so mind games shouldn’t be an issue.

Promoter Eddie Hearn knows what a big deal this fight is going to be. That’s why word is already out that the match is going to sell out Wembley Stadium in London. To be sure, it’s hard to imagine a crowd showing up in April of less than 80 thousand souls. On top of all that, Dan Rafael of ESPN has tweeted that HBO and Showtime might be in a bidding war for the American television rights to the bout. When’s the last time you heard of anything like that happening?

Although Joshua-Klitschko is a thoroughly European affair between two European fighters in one of the continent’s great cities, this is a fight that should resonate here in America. For here are two of the best men in boxing’s big division, battling for dominance. Sure, there may be other heavyweight champions now, but everyone knows that the winner of this one will reign supreme over the division. Speaking of which, the former premiere weight class of the sport is looking very exciting lately, thanks very much.

This weekend alone showed terrific bouts between the likes of Dillian White and Dereck Chisora, as well as the likes of Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz. It’s also good to keep in mind that American Deontay Wilder is swimming close to shore like a shark and that his countryman Shannon Briggs may be far from the joke some may wish he was. And then there’s Mr. Fury. Who knows what the former champ may bring to the table in the future, should he successfully slay his demons?

Things have gotten interesting.

Posted on 11/04/2016

Controlling Distance and Minimalism: Analyzing Wladimir Klitschko and Guillermo Rigondeaux
By: Sean Kim

Both Wladimir Klitschko and Guillermo Rigondeaux possess an incredible calm in the ring which manifest in the form of a patient chess match with each fight. The two give the impression to viewers that rather than conform to impulsive and instinctive contests of strengths, these two understand that objective calculation is what distinguishes good boxers from the greatest. The two calm warriors employ a similar style in the ring, not just in the form of their tactical nature, but also in the form of their stances and minimalist punch output.

Such a fighting style is what has permitted them to dominate their matches with great ease and simplicity, all the while greatly reducing any damage to themselves.

In the matchup between Wladimir Klitschko v.s. David Haye, what we were presented with was a boxing clinic by arguably one of the most patient Heavyweight Champions in boxing history. Klitschko’s neutralization of David Haye’s ferocity was not merely due to his great weight advantage (though no doubt, this was a huge factor in Klitschko’s dominance.) Klitschko’s ability to master his own emotional status throughout the incredibly long duration of 12 consecutive rounds showcased Klitschko to be an individual of great self-restraint, objectivity and cool-headed calculation.

Klitschko was able to control distance with his far reach by leaving his lead hand out to gauge distance, while simultaneously allowing his lead hand to serve as a defense against Haye’s attacks from his left as Klitschko simply moved back. Such a simple backwards maneuver yet perhaps such subtle movement is perceived as nothing special, yet one might say that the most subtle and minimal of techniques utilized by boxers are perhaps the most impressive feats accomplished in the ring.

After all, it’s easy to get caught up in overthinking one’s own strategy in the heat of the moment. This is especially since the impending danger of getting smashed in the face could disrupt one’s own thinking process! When a fighter loses his focus, he can throw wild swings despite his habitual discipline in restraining such punches, or begin to throw lazy jabs as he loses his spirits and self-awareness. However, because Klitschko was able to maintain absolute dominance and mastery of the distance between himself and Haye- all with a high level of serenity and objective analysis- Klitschko knew exactly what to do in answer to many of Haye’s offensive attempts:

Step back and keep the lead hand where it is.

This is extremely simple and because it is so, this revealed Klitschko’s highly disciplined tactical nature.

This also permited Klitschko’s lead hand to serve multiple purposes simultaneousy: fluster Haye’s concentration, establish domination of distance, gauge distance and- while keeping the lead hand where it is- serve as defense as he steps back.

This is such a simple feat to physically accomplish just by leaving the lead hand out, yet the tactical benefits are tremendous.

Unfortunately for David Haye, his greatest accomplishments within the ring were in throwing a series of jabs to the stomach and to the head of Wladimir Klitschko, all the while finding a majority of his offense being blocked or countered as he is unable to attack comfortably at an uncomfortable distance. Instead of attacking with timing and calmness, Haye lunged in with an overexertion of excitement!

Haye was clearly over anxious throughout the entirety of the fight, and one might say that Klitschko just had the huge weight advantage, yet Klitschko clearly was able to force a chess match onto the arena, while Haye was forced to simply come forward.

A come-forward style just simply does not work against the likes of Klitschko who has absolutely mastered the art of minimalism and simplicity.

Such a style permits a long-lasting bout of consistent cerebral command, while simultaneously reducing significant damage to the body and chin of the stylist in question.

Such minimalism and objective calculation pitted against a come forward style was also evident in the matchup between Guillermo Rigondaeux and Nonito Donaire.

Interestingly enough, both Klitschko and Rigondeaux keep their lead hand in front of the opponent’s face for gauging distance, mastering distance throughout the fight, controlling the rhythm and pace of the match, comfortably throwing in a rare combination here and there experimentally, and to perhaps even subconsciously distract the opponent’s strategic thinking as he concentrates on the lead hand until…

WAM!

A POWERFUL CROSS IS THROWN IN HIS FACE!

Donaire in that fight was also forced into a come forward style against Guillermo Rigondeaux.

Rigondeaux himself was phenomenal in his calm demeanor, constantly moving laterally.

Straight left crosses by Rigondeaux to Donaire’s stomach were very common as were right hooks to the head. Fascinating how Donaire- despite his boxing IQ- could not adjust to Rigondeaux’s minimal yet repetitious array of punching angles.

It goes to show that even though Donaire may have the boxing acumen to theoretically adjust to certain attacks, Rigondeaux’s power and timing must have been the deciding factor in keeping Donaire at bay. After all, Rigondeaux is known for his subtle yet profound punching power. He even TKOd Jazza Dickens with a single straight left to the chin!

This is to show that such a minimalist style as employed by Rigondeaux can be enjoyed by those who have such great power, patience and acumen simultaneously. Timing has so much to add to his power, otherwise if Rigondeaux were to use his punches in high quantity flurries, like Amir Khan or Sugar Ray Leonard, his power would not be as effective.

Therefore, from both a mental and physical angle simultaneously, each singular punch is that much more of an exclamation point in Donaire’s experience, both physically and perhaps more importantly, strategically. This must have thrown off Donaire’s sense of self-confidence and trust in his own acumen, reflexes, predictions and counters as he tried to figure out just what the hell to do with this pure boxing grandmaster standing right in front of him.

How else did Rigondeaux throw the same types of punches to Donaire with such high confidence, dominating with a minimal array of punching angles?

Whenever Donaire lost his cool and threw a flurry of punches from time to time, the boxing match’s patient momentum and pattern is still maintained when Rigondeaux can just slip and slide such flurries effortlessly. So even if Donaire was able to act with aggressive alternatives to break up the monotony, Rigondeaux was prepared always.

Rigondeaux is able to control the geometrical spatial nature of the match with both his perfectly timed power as well as his footwork’s angles. His footwork is extremely fluid and he is able to flow at will with the impulse of the moment, whereas on the other hand, all Donaire was able to do in his frustration- despite his boxing IQ- was to come forward. After all, with Rigondeaux, how could you possibly try to outbox the grandmaster of pure boxing? Therefore, Donaire by default, coming into the matchup, by way of a style matchup, could only come forward really.

But then Donaire is set off out of his comfortability at that point. He himself is a versatile boxer who can box as well as swarm. However, such a style would cause for a thinking match either way, and in a thinking match, Rigondeaux would come out on top. So for Donaire to be- by default- compelled to simply come forward, would also make for an absolute win-in-advance in favor of Rigondeaux, who has- even before the match had begun- neutralized Donaire’s best asset: his thinking process.

Such a result occurs when two fighters of completely different plateaus of skill step into the ring.

Wladimir Klitschko and Guillermo Rigondeaux both give off a presence in the ring where calm and calculation take centerfold into the arena, as opposed to a brutal contest of who is the stronger man. For two individuals to dominate their weight divisions the way they have in such calm fashion attests to the cerebral grandeur which these two possess. They are simply two of the greatest active boxers in contemporary times as well two of the most intelligent ones.

Posted on 10/24/2016

Klitschko-Joshua Fight Put Off – For Now
By: Sean Crose

Well, chalk up another fight that won’t be happening…at least not anytime soon. According to ESPNs Dan Rafael, former heavyweight kingpin Wladimir Klitschko, who hasn’t fought since losing his heavyweight crown via upset to Tyson Fury in Germany last year, won’t be battling against British heavy hitter Anthony Joshua on December 10th as many had hoped. December 10th is pretty much right down the road, after all – which means there isn’t much time to prep for a fight of that magnitude anymore. On top of all that, Klitschko has hurt himself a bit in training. That means, in essence, that yet another bout lots of people want to see won’t be happening for the time being.

The good news, of course, is that the two camps are still apparently interested in facing off in the spring. That’s actually something for fans to get excited about, as both the Klitschko and Fury camps are run by people who seem to want to make the big fights happen (believe it or not, they appear to think it’s actually good for business). Still, there’s no denying that the past eleven months or so have been rough for Klitschko, the Ukrainian powerhouse who dominated the heavyweight division for ages.

First, Klitschko stunned a lot of people by looking horrible against Fury when they met last year. Then, a supposed rematch with Fury was postponed due to various injuries. What’s more, Klitschko’s team then threatened to take team Fury to court. Then, as if that weren’t all enough, with an October rematch finally on the horizon, Fury got caught with cocaine in his system, admitted to seriously emotional issues, and gave up the numerous heavyweight titles he had won from Klitschko last year. So much for that fall comeback.

It’s worth keeping in mind, of course, that Klitschko is no kid. This isn’t a twenty seven year old star with a long career still ahead of him. This is a forty year old man who is looking to be able to leave the sport which made him rich and famous at the top of his game. There were those who felt that Klitschko looked old in the Fury fight. The truth is that the man is indeed old, at least he is for a professional fighter – even a heavyweight. Simply put, time is no longer on Klitschko’s side.

Still, this remains a very experienced, very powerful fighter…one who’s also hungry to regain past glory. Add that to the fact that Kltischko seems to keep himself in shape when he’s not fighting and it’s no guarantee that a bout with Joshua would prove to be a walk in the park for the Englishman, who himself will still be fighting on the 10th of December. Indeed, many might still have Klitschko favored to win.