Tag Archives: ring

USA Boxing Metro Guides “Ring Masters” On Its “Road to the Garden”

Posted on 02/11/2020

By: Sean Crose

Ring Masters Championships: Road to the Garden, New York’s premiere amateur boxing competition, has entered its third straight year. New York is famous for its output of legendary fighters, from Gene Tunney, to Mike Tyson, from Jake LaMotta to Riddick Bowe. Those who follow this year’s Ring Masters competition may indeed be looking at individuals who will someday enter that prestigious list of names. The tournament started last weekend in Jamaica, Queens, and will conclude this April at the famed Madison Square Garden. There are a total of 20 dates scheduled for this year’s tournament, which will cover a total of 19 locations.


It’s hard to write of Ring Masters without writing of Sonya Lamonakis, a professional fighter and Language Arts teacher from New York who dedicates yeoman’s time and effort to the competition. “We have around 500 entries for the tournament,” she says of this year’s Ring Masters. “Winners in the senior divisions get custom made championship rings. Junior Olympic, Masters, and Youth Champions get belts.” These are no small thing in the world of amateur boxing, when one considers just how big the New York fight scene is. “We have about 500 entrees for the tournament,” says Lamonakis.


Fighters move ahead bracket style in this year’s Ring Masters competition, as they did last year.  “Brackets are posted after every show,” Lamonakis says, “on 2020 Ring Masters Championships The Road to the Garden : City Limits.” Just how big a deal is it for a fighter to do well in the Ring Masters Tournament? According to Lamonakis, last year: We had 2 winners from Ring Masters win gold at the National Golden Gloves. Krystal Dixon, Champs Boxing and Orville Crooks from Mendez Boxing.” For those who take the sport seriously, succeeding in the tournament can be a significant achievement. As Ring Championships points out: “Our first two shows have been sell out crowds. We have a packed schedule, hungry boxers, and an organization running the best tournament in the Northeast.”


As for Lamonakis herself, the teacher/boxer/organizer is keeping busy as always. “I’m recovered from my rotator cuff tear,” she says. “I’m back in the gym and looking to have a couple more fights before I retire. The problem is there are not a lot of female heavyweights. I have 15 pro fights and I’m not looking to box the same people again and again. There are a couple in Canada I would like to box.” Lamonakis also takes part in “Corporate Fighter,” a charitable endeavor that introduces donors to the challenge of the boxing ring.


“Corporate Fighter is in the recruitment stages now and will begin March 2,” she says,” “with the charity fight night on May 8. I’m excited to be working with this organization. They let the boxers pick the charity they want to box for from a wide variety of choices. They have had about 50 successful shows in Australia, and I think will be a big success in NY. After they set up shop in NYC they will be branching out to all major cities in America. There are a few slots available if anyone is interested (http://www.corporatefighter.com ).”


In an uncertain world, one thing seems to be inarguable – no one will ever accuse Sonya Lamonakis of being lazy.


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Kell Brook Hopes To Regain Ring Glory

Posted on 02/04/2020

By: Sean Crose

It’s been a long time since Kell Brook was last seen in the ring. In fact, it will have been well over a year since the Englishman fought professionally when he returns this Saturday to face Mark DeLuca in Sheffield. Brook, who has essentially fallen off the radar of the boxing public since dropping two fights in a row to top notch competition, is making a comeback of sorts, one which he hopes will catapult him back to the top of the fight game. “This last chapter of my career, I’m giving it my all,” The BBC quotes Brook as saying. “If I get beaten I can walk away with my head high, knowing I have given everything.”


The now 33 year old former champion has had quite the ride for himself. In 2014, Brook came to America and took the IBF world welterweight title from then undefeated champion Shawn Porter. He then went on to win three in a row against competition that was argued in some quarters to be lacking. As if to prove the naysayers wrong, Brook subsequently moved up two divisions to middleweight to face the feared Gennady Golovkin for Golovkin’s WBC and IBF world titles.


It was a grueling fight, one which Brook performed quite well in. Golovkin, however, ultimately proved to be too much and Brook’s corner stopped the bout in round five. In his next battle, Brook faced rising American star Errol Spence Jr back at welterweight. It was a terrific battle against top level competition. Again, however, Brook came up short, losing his IBF world welterweight title to the young Texan in the eleventh. There were two more fights after that – and then the layoff from which Brook now returns from. According to the BBC, Brook was distraught enough at the loss of his title to Spence to turn to counseling.


Now in a better place, the 38-2 Brook has been preparing to face Massachusetts southpaw DeLuca in a scheduled 12 round super welterweight affair before a hometown crowd at Sheffield Arena this weekend. Although it would be a considerable upset if DeLuca won, Brook is undoubtedly aware of the fact that he must be impressive if he wants to once again be looked upon as performing at the top of this game. His nickname, after all, is Special K, not Ordinary K. “My last fight wasn’t fantastic,” Brook is quoted by Sky Sports as saying. “I’ve got a lot to prove. All those who think I’m past it?  I’ll show them.”


One of the more interesting things about Brook is that he’s a fighter who, even when he was a world champion, challenged himself. Contemporary boxers are forever being criticized for not daring to be great. Brook dared to be great when he faced Golovkin, then went back down to his own weight realm and faced perhaps the hottest rising star in the sport. He may have lost both fights, but he performed very strongly in each one. It’s enough to make a fan hope Brook gets another shot at glory. 

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NY’s best Amateurs Continue Fighting in 2019 Ring Masters

Posted on 03/05/2019

New York’s amateurs fought on this week in the Ring Masters Championships, vying for a spot in the April 19 finals in Madison Square Garden and bragging rights as Metro’s best.

On Friday, March 1, the tournament returned to Main Street Boxing in Mount Vernon, where Mike Stellate mixes hardcore training with a family atmosphere. A packed house cheered the fourteen-fight card, enjoyed the DJ, and sipped sangria from Zhañay Winery.

“Coach Mike is amazing,” said Devon of sportswear sponsor Samuk. “All the kids he’s training are humble. He gets them in off the streets, and they don’t want to fight in the street anymore because now they have more confidence.”

A stylish showdown in the men’s 165-pound open quarterfinals won Dana Ford Fight of the Night. Heavy-handed Mike Passade of John’s Gym, a 28-year-old Marine veteran, took the split decision over classy Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro of NYC Cops and Kids, who divides his time between boxing and walking the runways of the world.

Passade had lost to Chop Chop before and was familiar with his style: “I knew if I sat there on the outside, I was going to get outboxed. I wanted to keep the pressure, not give him his space, turn it into more of a brawl.” He advances to the semifinals to face Freeport PAL’s Famous Wilson.

The King of Sting Power Punch went to light heavyweight Joel Telles of Sweatbox for his dominating first-round stoppage.

On Saturday, Metro woke up to a snowstorm but finished with a firestorm at Heavy Hitters Boxing in Ronkonkoma, a USA Boxing member gym offering training for all levels from pee wee to adult in a colorful space adorned with graffiti art.

“We always look forward to hosting Metro shows because they’re so much fun,” said Christine Morales, owner of Heavy Hitters with her husband Jason, a Suffolk County police officer.

The fireworks started in the opening bout, when Ashley Longchamp of Elmont BC sent his opponent tumbling with a hook, right combo that won the King of Sting Power Punch. Longchamp advances to the 152-pound semis to face Kalief Lindo of Church Street.

The 90-pound bantams closed the show with the Dana Ford Tough Fight of the Night, a unanimous decision for Anthony Pearson of Rockaway Ropes over Ruben Martinez of Champs.

“It was Ruben’s first fight, and he looked really sharp. He just needs to throw more punches,” said Coach Ryan O’Leary, who leads one of the largest squads in this tournament. Champs Gym sent 22 fighters to the Ring Masters, 17 of whom are still undefeated on the Road to the Garden.

Join the party this Saturday 3/19 at a special early matinee show hosted by the Freeport Recreation Center, featuring the 114, 141, and 152-pound men’s novice divisions and the women’s 152-pound open class. Show starts at 1 pm. This show is a benefit for kids living with cancer. Come join us for a day of music, boxing, fun and games!

UPDATED BRACKETS CAN BE FOUND ON: www.citylimits.org/boxing19

Tickets are going fast for the finals in MSG on Friday, April 19! Get yours here:

https://www1.ticketmaster.com/msg-boxing-presents-ring-masters-championships-new-york-new-york-04-19- 2019/event/3B005650C3541940?camefrom=CFC_MSG

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Sonya Lamonakis Talks Ring Masters Championships: Road To The Garden

Posted on 02/04/2019

By: Sean Crose

“I started boxing in 2002,” says Sonya Lamonakis “after a tragedy when I was jumped and robbed.” Lamonakis’ searing situation ended up having a silver lining, however, as the New York (by way of Massachusetts) native took up the sweet science and found a new road to travel. “I won the Golden Gloves with Danny Jacobs and Marcus Browne,” she says. The fighter then landed a top manager and a professional sports career. “In 2010,” Lamonakis says, “Lou DiBella offered me a pro contract.”

That was nine years ago. Fifteen fights and almost a full decade later, Lamonakis is still going strong.

For, with a record of 10-2-3, the heavyweight has no interest in slowing down. “Heavyweight Women is not a big division,” claims the fighter, adding that it can be difficult to land professional bouts. Not that Lamonakis is sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. Besides being a Language Arts Teacher in the New York Public School system Lamonakis can also be found guiding potential fight stars of the future via “Ring Masters Champinships: Road to the Garden,” a highly touted amateur competition that boasted of “600 applicants in 2018” and where participants “received a belt if they won their division.” No small thing in amateur boxing, especially for a competition its size.

“We are extremely busy,” Lamonakis says. This year’s winners, who will emerge via a brackets system (such as the kind employed the NCAA basketball tournament), “will move on as a team to the National Golden Gloves,” which is the crème de la crème of the amateur scene. “We’re going to have 20 shows,” states Lamonakis. And, as Ring Masters Championships makes clear, the “senior finals will be held at Madison Square Garden April 19, 2019,” where the top competitors will face off in boxing’s (and perhaps the world’s) most famous arena.

Although her schedule is undoubtedly busy, Lamonakis makes sure to find the time to do what she clearly loves. “The good thing about being a school teacher,” she says, “means I’m out about 3:30,” each afternoon. “I never expected what I found,” she says, speaking of her entrance into the boxing world all those years ago, “the smell of the sweat, the ring of the bells.” Enticing stuff…the sort of stuff Lamonakis hopes will continue to entice young competitors as Ring Masters Champions continues making its mark on the amateur boxing scene.

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Khabib vs. McGregor in Boxing?

Posted on 11/20/2018

By: Michael Kane

Conor McGregor fought UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in October, and was convincingly defeated. McGregor would like a rematch and so it seems would Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father.

Only next time in a boxing ring.

After the Dagestani’s win, he called out Floyd Mayweather, Mayweather said the fight may happen and that he could make more money fighting Khabib than he did when he beat McGregor in the 10th round last year.

The rumours on this potential match up have gone quiet and now it seems Khabib and his team still fancy a boxing bout against his old foe, McGregor.

Whether this would hold much appeal to boxing aficionados around the world is debatable however, could it launch the much talked about entrance to the boxing world of Zuffa Boxing?

Speaking to Russian newspaper, Izvestia, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov said, “As for the fight against Conor under boxing rules, this is a fight we are interested in. Khabib showed that he is able to beat the best strikers of mixed martial arts.

“He said this before, but few believed it. However, after strong victories over Michael Johnson, Edson Barboza and Conor, people begin to believe.”

Nurmagomedov knocked McGregor to the canvas in the second round of their bout at UFC 229 and may have taken some confidence that He could out strike the Irishman.

“Nurmagomedov is able to do it in the boxing ring. Khabib has all the skills to win by the rules of boxing. One of the key skills can be called endurance.

“I remember his five round fight with (Al) Iaquinta, in which Khabib showed his willingness to fight in absolutely any area, using everything from a left jab to control on the ground. I want to note that the fight against Iaquinta was of great importance to us, there was a belt at stake and it was important to keep the bout calm and take the win. Which we did!”

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Canelo Alvarez Awarded Ring Magazine’s Middleweight & P4P Belts

Posted on 10/19/2018

By: Jeandra Lebeauf

At a special ceremony in Los Angeles on Thursday, unified middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez received the Middleweight World Title and the Pound-For-Pound Championship Belts.

In an eventful week, capped off by the announcement of a massive $365 million dollar signing with the sports streaming site DAZN, and the announcement of a December 15th fight date to challenge Rocky Fielding for the super middleweight title, Canelo thanked God, his team and Ring Magazine.


Photo Credit: Hogan Photos

“I want to thank God, my team and my family. I want to thank Golden Boy as well. Having a belt like this is a responsibility, and this is a responsibility that I plan to undertake.

I never imagined that my success would reach this magnitude. This just shows that with discipline, hard work and love for the sport, one can achieve anything. A lot has changed in one year. It’s a big change. I’m going to defend this title with honor. See you all on December 15.”

Following Canelo’s acceptance of the middleweight and pound-4-pound belts, Ring also recognized Canelo’s trainer, Eddie Reynoso, with a special trainer’s version of the belt named in honor of Efren Torres, a former Ring title holder and descendant of Reynoso’s wife.

Thank you very much to Ring Magazine and the family of my wife. One time, in a photo, we saw that he won the Ring title and it’s not [the belt] with the family of my wife. So I asked Ramiro to ask the people at Ring Magazine if he won the title and it was true, against [Chartchai] Chionoi one of the greatest fights.

So they gave it to me in the name of me and my wife’s family so I am really grateful.

The event concluded with the unveiling of Ring Magazine’s soon to be released latest issue featuring Canelo wearing the Ring Magazine title.

Canelo, who currently holds the WBC, WBA and lineal middleweight world titles will move up to 168 pounds to challenge Rocky Fielding for the WBA super middleweight title in a 12-round main event on Saturday, December 15 at Madison Square Garden and streamed Live on DAZN.

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Angel Alejandro: Boxing’s Versace

Posted on 05/14/2018

By: Sean Crose

It’s late at night in New York City, around two am. A product of the mean streets of the Big Apple, one who has risen above and beyond the pitfalls of youth, is hard at work. A long married father of two, the professional toils away at his craft, knowing full well that timeliness is imperative. Indeed, he pushes along until the sun comes up. Then he races to send his work off, post haste. The man’s name is Angel Alejandro, and he has just designed and delivered a pair of custom made boxing trunks that will appear in the highly successful and acclaimed movie, Creed.

Now fifty, Alejandro is the most unique of boxing’s success stories. A troubled youth, he found salvation in the gym. He might not have reached Olympian heights in the ring, but his love of the sweet science, combined with a unique fashion sense, have proven to have paid off handsomely. “I was in and out of trouble as a kid,” says Alejandro. Boxing, though, proved his salvation. The sport, however, isn’t generally the most lucrative endeavor. Moving on from a fighter to the owner of a local gym was no easy task.

“Gyms don’t pay the bills,” he says frankly. Yet the New Yorker also adds that he’s “always been business minded.” On top of that, Alejandro says he was “always into designing.” Hence, an idea occurred. “Six years ago, seven years ago maybe,” Alejandro started making outfits for fighters. “All of the sudden,” Alejandro explains, “it became a business.” Needless to say, business is booming right now. “I can’t take any more orders until the end of June,” he tells me during our conversation in early May.

A quick note about Alejandro – he’s an exceedingly interesting guy to talk to. A classic New Yorker, the man can tell enough interesting true life anecdotes to fill a book, much less an article, making it difficult for a fight writer to know which stories to employ. There’s his recent experience, for instance, of making a custom made suit for Native American Kali Reis, in which he enlisted the services of the premiere Native American designer in the country. He ended up using authentic fabric from Reis’ tribe. “We got online and stared calling Native American dressmakers,” he says.

Then, of course, there’s the story behind Alejandro’s Roberto Clemente jacket, which was made exclusively for Cindy Serrano (“You open up the sleeves and the gloves come out”) Then there’s the work he’s done for Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller. And Heather “The Heat” Hardy. And Hank Lundy. Perhaps the most interesting of the stories Alejandro has to recall, however, is the one involving “King” Gabe Rosado.

“King Gabe Rosado got us into the Creed movie,” he says. ” I’m fighting Lemiuex,’” Alejandro recalls Rosado telling him. “’I want to do Apollo Creed because they’re thinking of doing the movie Creed.” Alejandro obliged, offering his own take on the red, white, and blue trunks made famous in the Rocky films. Rosado ended up acting in Creed…and he did at least some of it wearing trunks made by Alejandro’s company, Double A Boxing. Alejandro was floored. “Rocky made me want to get into boxing,” he recalls.

There was one strange condition for Alejandro before he fully went Hollywood, though – Rosado’s suit in the film couldn’t outshine the star’s. “I thought it was nice,” Alejandro recalls of his finished product that appeared onscreen, “but it’s not what we do.” Not that the man isn’t grateful for being a part of the Rocky universe. “That was unbelievable,” he says fondly.

Beneath Alejandro’s colorful conversationalist is a serious artist. One doesn’t achieve what the guy has without knowing one’s business. And Alejandro knows fashion as well as the next high end designer. He speaks expertly of things like varieties of fabric and leather and rhinestones and sequin the way a master painter speaks of things like oil, canvas, lighting, and watercolors. In short, the man is a master craftsman who wants his imagination to match his artistic ambition. “You’re always trying to outdo yourself,” he tells me. It’s the sort of thing a musician or a literary novelist might say.

Yet Alejandro is also a businessman, and as such knows how important it is to please the customer. Alejandro claims that timeliness is of extreme importance with fighters, that the clothing must be delivered before the week of the fight. Understanding that fighters tend to be good people, Alejandro notes that “a good fighter has to turn something on in himself to make him mean.”

That transition tends to come just before a match. The last thing a fighter needs at that time is to wonder where his or her trunks are. “They’ll get a box in the door the week before the fight,” he says. Overall, Alejandro wants to make the entire process as pleasurable as possible for his clients. “It’s like getting a custom suit somewhere,” he states. “We try to make it an experience,” he says, speaking of the fitting process. Such dedication to craft has earned Alejandro and his employees the title of “The boxing Vercases.”

Alejandro isn’t interested in leaving the past behind, however. He still operates his gym, not because it earns him a ton of money, but because he remembers what boxing did for him. “I remember what the gym did for me growing up,” he states. “I don’t know where I’d be,” without it. As for Double A Boxing, it’s had to move to a more accommodating location for clients, Harlem’s famous 125th Street.

“It’s shocking,” the designer says of his success. “When you love what you do, you do it well.”

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Anthony Crolla vs. Jorge Linares Lightweight Title Fight Preview

Posted on 09/22/2016

Anthony Crolla vs. Jorge Linares Lightweight Title Fight Preview
By: William Holmes

On Saturday night, Anthony “Million Dollar” Crolla will face Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares at the Manchester Arena live at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. This bout will be televised live on AWE, A Wealth of Entertainment, and will also be shown live on the internet at www.klowedtv.com.

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Photo Credit: Lawrence Lustig/Matchroom Boxing

This bout will be a unification bout in the lightweight division and will be for the WBA, WBC Diamond, and the vacant Ring Magazine Lightweight Championship.

The light heavyweight commonwealth title will be on the line on the undercard and will be between Callum Johnson and Willbeforce Shihepo. Additionally, Isaac Lowe will defend his commonwealth featherweight title against Tshifhiwa Munyai.

The following is a preview of the main event of the night.

Anthony Crolla (31-4-3) vs. Jorge Linares (40-3); WBA Lightweight Title

This is a matchup between the two top rated boxers in the lightweight division, a division that is quite frankly lacking in big time names.

Linares was once considered a future pound for pound star, but three losses by stoppage have since hurt his value. However, he’s still considered to be the best boxer by many in the lightweight division and is a three division champion.

Linares is thirty one years old and is two years older than Crolla. Linares will be giving up a half inch in height to Crolla, but has a two inch reach advantage. Linares has traveled the world to fight and has fought in locations such as Japan, Venezuela, Mexico, the United States, and England. Crolla has only fought once in the United States and has spent most of his career fighting in England.

Crolla will be fighting in front of a friendly crowd in Manchester, and this is a fact that does not escape Linares.

“I love fighting in my opponent’s back yard with all the noise that comes with it from their fans,” said Linares. “The supporters cannot get in the ring with their fighter, it’s just me and him.”

Linares won several tournaments as an amateur on the national level in Venezuela, but did not win any medals in any major international tournaments such as the world amateur championships or the Olympics. Crolla doesn’t have the amateur success of Linares, and he seems to recognize the technical prowess of Linares.

Crolla stated, “I rate Linares very highly, he’s technically brilliant. Everyone in the gym loves to watch him fight, and he’s the kind of fighter young kids should watch.” He went on further to state, “He likes to fight at his pace and I can’t allow that. I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ve got to take advantage of some weaknesses that I think I’ve seen there. I’m confident I can do that.”

Linares’ one glaring weakness is his chin. He has three losses and they have all come by KO or TKO. His losses were to Sergio Thompson, Antonio DeMarco, and an upset of the year loss to Juan Carlos Salgado. He has notable victories over the likes of Kevin Mitchell, Nihito Arakawa, Francisco Contreras, and Rocky Juarez. However, Linares has won six fights in a row and four of his past five victories have come by way of stoppage.

Crolla has four losses on his record but only one knockout loss. His losses were to Gary Sykes (twice), Derry Matthews, and Youssef Al Hamidi. He holds victories over Ismael Barroso, Darleys Perez, John Murray, and Gavin Rees.

Crolla doesn’t have the stoppage power that Linares has. Linares has stopped twenty seven of his opponents while Crolla has only stopped thirteen. Both boxers have been very active recently. Crolla fought three times in 2014, twice in 2015, and once in 2016. Linares fought twice in 2015 and three times in 2014.

If Crolla was known for his power he’d have a good chance at pulling off the upset victory. However, he is not known for stopping his opponents and he will be in the ring with a very skilled, technical boxer. If Linares’ chin can hold up, he should win a wide decision victory. But he may want to go for the stoppage since he’s fighting in Crolla’s backyard.

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Potential Thurman-Garcia Bout Raises Interesting Questions

Posted on 08/01/2016

Potential Thurman-Garcia Bout Raises Interesting Questions
By: Sean Crose

Word is out – via RingTV.com – that Showtime honcho Stephen Espinoza is hoping that Danny Garcia will face Keith Thurman in a high end matchup early next year. Think of it as a welterweight unification of sorts…one that will eventually make its way around…. maybe. The truth is that there’s something frustrating about having to wait roughly six months for a fight that could realistically go down in around twelve weeks or so (though – in fairness – Thurman is said to have received damage from cuts recently – presumably from his bout with Shawn Porter). Fans can be accused of being over-eager, immature, or simply clueless as to the reality of things, but there’s no denying most anyone who follows boxing would like to see a Garcia-Thurman bout sooner rather than later.

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After all, these are two undefeated pros who may well be entering their primes, fighters who bring quality resumes and real excitement to their bouts. To be made to wait, only to find out the fight may never happen at all, is truly frustrating. It’s also indicative of why boxing isn’t as popular as it could be – never mind used to be. People simply like things in a timely manner. It’s not impatience. To the contrary, it’s the expectation of professionalism on behalf of promoters, managers, networks and fighters. The fact that the UFC now delivers major card after major card only serves to make boxing look less than functional in contrast.

Then again, perhaps it isn’t boxing that’s making the big mistake here. Take the UFCs two biggest stars of the past year. Ronda Rousey was said to be the toughest fighter on the planet. What’s more, there was the feeling that if one didn’t agree with that ridiculous assertion then one was somehow a chauvinist (talk about brilliant marketing!). Yet Rousey ended up getting beat in her 13th fight – not just badly, savagely – roughly three months after her previous bout.

Then, of course, there was Conor McGregor, the mouthy Irishman who bullied his way to an impressive record and much fame. Fellow UFC fighter Nate Diaz claimed McGregor was given special treatment by the organization, but no one wanted to listen – until, of course Diaz gave McGregor a real beatdown last March – roughly three months after McGregor’s previous bout. The point to all this? That perhaps the UFC does a better job with its own brand than it does with the brands of its individual fighters, which is something to think about.

Say what you will about guru Al Haymon, there’s little doubt he makes sure his top fighters are well paid. Just how much, one may wonder, did McGregor and Rousey really earn from fighting so frequently in the past twelve months? Probably nowhere near what boxing’s top fighter, Floyd Mayweather, made in the twelve months previous to those. Boxing fans are mad that they’re made to wait. Yet will either Rousey or McGregor ultimately have as successful career as Mayweather? Or Pacquiao? Or Thurman? Or Garcia?

It’s hard to tell, really. And that’s rather telling in and of itself.

Even though it’s frustrating not seeing fights like Thurman-Porter and GGG-Canelo arrive in a timely manner, none of those four guys risk ultimately becoming flashes in a very large pan. Still, couldn’t things speed up a little so long as a fighter’s individual health isn’t on the line? Boxing is largely a consumer based business, after all…and, generally speaking, the customer has some legitimate complaints right now.

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Canelo Giving Up WBC Belt

Posted on 05/18/2016

Canelo Giving Up WBC Belt
By: Sean Crose

That which many had feared has come true. Canelo Alvarez is giving up his WBC belt rather, presumably, than make a deal within the next few days to face Gennady Golovkin in a championship fight this fall. Although there were probably countless analysts out there predicting as much, there had been a glimmer of hope lately that a Canelo-GGG superbout would indeed soon be made for September. Negotiations between team Canelo and team GGG had begun, after all. Not only that, but there was a seriousness to the maneuvering that could be found in the lack of information sent out to the media. The hope, however, appears to have been short lived.

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Dan Rafael of ESPN reported that Alvarez “announced today that he has vacated the WBC middleweight title but still wants to fight GGG.” Needless to say, Rafael also reported that “GGG will become the WBC’s titleholder with his interim tag being removed.” Sure enough, both parties had until next week to come up with an agreement or the potential fight would have gone to purse bid, something Canelo’s team clearly didn’t want to have happen. Canelo is the most lucrative fighter in the world at the moment, and a purse bid would have possibly turned out less lucrative for he and his team.

Let’s face it, this is major news indeed. It’s rare that a fighter gives up a belt in the face of a potential fight. To be sure, Canelo wishes to save face. “I will fight ‘GGG,’ and I will beat ‘GGG,’” Canelo claimed in a statement, “but I will not be forced into the ring by artificial deadlines.” Whether or not this will help the Mexican slugger, who recently demolished Amir Khan, save face remains to be seen. Again, it’s not often that a fighter gives up a title under such circumstances. Riddick Bowe comes to mind – and that’s about it.

As for Golovkin, he is now the WBC world middleweight champion, as opposed to its interim champion. His team also is making it clear that they still want to fight Canelo. Indeed, there appears to be no bashing of Alvarez on the part of GGG’s promoter Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions. Clearly, team Golovkin still wants this fight to happen. And why not? It remains the biggest throwdown in the sport. As for Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo’s promoter, he’s clearly sticking by his man, stating Canelo “is eager to get in the ring with ‘GGG’ to show the world that he is also the best pound for pound fighter in the sport, but we won’t negotiate under a false deadline.”

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