Tag Archives: tapia

Posted on 10/20/2017

By: Ken Hissner

In a main event at the Park Theater in Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, in Las Vegas, NV, Golden Boy Promotions over ESPN2 brought in a good main event with both boxers needing a win and Philly’s Gabe “King” Rosado came away with it over Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia.

Photo Credit: Derrick Hogan – Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions

In the main event Middleweight Gabe “King” Rosado, 24-11 (13), of Philadelphia, stopped Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia, 23-5 (15), of Passaic, NJ, at 1:15 of the sixth round. ​

In the first round Tapia landed a pair of 3-punch combinations. Rosado coming forward drove Tapia into a corner. Rosado landed a solid left hook to the top of the head of Tapia just prior to the bell hurting Tapia. In the second round Rosado landed a straight right to the chin.

Tapia came back with his own right rocking Rosado making him hold on. Tapia had a bloody nose from a Rosado right hand. In the third round Rosado countered well as Tapia was forcing the action. Tapia came back with a 3-punch combination to the body of Rosado.

In the fourth round Tapia came out throwing bombs. Rosado caught Tapia lunging with a left hook to the head.

Rosado missed with a left hook but followed with a right to the head of Tapia. Rosado chasing down Tapia scored with a right to the chin. Tapia had a lump on the left side of his forehead. In the fifth round Rosado flurried having Tapia on the ropes. Rosado kept throwing lead rights to the head of Tapia. Tapia countered with a left hook to the head of Rosado. In the sixth round a left hook followed by a right to the head hurt Tapia. Rosado then landed a left hook to the chin dropping Tapia. He beat the count but his legs seemed gone. Rosado jumped on Tapia landing unanswered punches until referee Robert Byrd wisely stopped it.

“I felt it was a good performance coming off a pair of controversial losses. I went back home to Philly to my original trainer Bill Briscoe and came back hungry,” said Rosado.

In his third fight in the US Welterweight Alejandro Barrera, 29-4 (18), of Monterrey, MEX, lost by majority decision in a bloody battle to Keandre “The Truth” Gibson, 18-1-1 (7), of St. Louis, MO, over 10 rounds.

In the first round it was a battle of jabs with the quicker Gibson gaining an edge. In the second round Gibson drew blood from the nose of Barrera. Barrera lands several combinations but Gibson boxing well. In the third round Barrera landed a pair of overhand rights to the head of Gibson. Barrera worked the body and head backing up Gibson. In the final minute of the round Barrera landed almost a dozen punches without return from Gibson.

In the fourth round a lead right from Gibson to the chin of Barrera stunned him. Gibson rocked Barrera with a left hook to the head as the nose of Barrera is flowing with blood. Gibson cut over the left eye. In the fifth round Gibson landed a hard lead right to the chin of Barrera. A counter right by Gibson caught Barrera on the way in on the chin. In the sixth round Barrera scored with several right uppercuts to chin of Gibson. Gibson came back and landed a pair of his own right uppercuts. Barrera received a cut over his left eye.

In the seventh round Barrera received another cut over his right eye. Barrera got caught with a hard counter right to the chin from Gibson. There was fierce punching in the round from both sides.

Barrera’s face was a mask of blood. In the eighth round Barrera landed a solid right to the head over a jab from Gibson. Gibson came back with a 3-punch combination. There was a good exchange from both boxers just prior to the bell.

In the ninth round Barrera worked the body of Gibson until he got caught with a counter left hook from Gibson. Barrera at the end of the round is a bloody mess but keep coming forward.

In the tenth and final round it was a war with both going for a knockout. Referee Jay Nady didn’t have much work to do in this round.

Judge Trowbridge scored it 95-95, Clemens 97-93 and Baylis 98-92. This writer had it 97-93.

Posted on 10/18/2017

By: William Holmes

On Thursday night Golden Boy Promotions will present a card live at the Park Theater at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas, Nevada on ESPN 2.

At least two bouts are currently scheduled to take place. The co-main event will feature KeAndre Gibson taking on Alejandro Barrera in the welterweight division. The main event will be a fight between Philadelphia’s Gabriel Rosado and New Jersey’s Glen Tapia in the middleweight division.

Photo From Glen Tapia’s Twitter Account

Both Rosado and Tapia have been in the ring with some high profile opponents, and a loss for either will likely signal the end of meaningful matchups for either boxer.

The following is a preview of the co-main event and main event of the evening.

Alejandro Barrera (29-3) vs. KeAndre Gibson (17-1); Welterweights

KeAndre Gibson was once considered a high level prospect due to his amateur background and success. He won the Junior Golden Gloves National Championship in 2006 and was a bronze medalist in the 2006 Junior Olympics.

However, he lost by TKO to the undefeated Antonio Orozco in April of this year and some of Gibson’s hype has begun to fade.

Gibson will be facing Alejandro Barrera, and opponent that is four years older than him but will have a five and a half inch reach advantage and stands at the same height.

Barrera does not have the amateur experience of Gibson, but he does appear to have a slight edge in power. He has stopped seventeen of his opponents while Gibson has only stopped seven. Both men have suffered on stoppage loss in their career.

Gibson has been fairly active the past two years. He already fought twice in 2017 and twice in 2016. Barrera only fought once in 2017 and zero times in 2016.

Barrera has defeated the likes of Eddie Gomez, Juan Mantiel, and Armando Robles. His losses were to Errol Spence Jr., Ramses Agaton, and Armando Robles.

Gibson has defeated the likes of Dennis Dauti, Mahonry Montes, and Jorge Romero.

It should be noted that three of the past four fights of Barrera were split draws and very close on the scorecards. Gibson’s amateur experience and technical edge should make him the favorite, but he will have to be wary of the power of Barrera.

Glen Tapia (23-4) vs. Gabriel Rosado (23-11); Middleweights

The main event is between two guys known for their heart and willingness to leave it all in the ring, but are also known for coming up short when placed in big time fights.

Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia, will be giving up a half inch in height and about an inch and a half in reach to Gabriel Rosado. However, Tapia is four years younger than Rosado and has a considerable edge in amateur experience. Tapia has a claimed amateur record of 130-4 while Rosado is alleged to only having eleven fights as an amateur on his record.

Both boxers have similar power numbers. Tapia has stopped fifteen of his opponents while Rosado has stopped thirteen. Both boxers have also been known to be stopped by their opponents. Tapia has three stoppage losses to his resume while Rosado has four.

Tapia fought once in 2017 and once in 2016. He is currently riding a three fight losing streak. He has lost to the likes of Jason Quigley, David Lemieux, Michel Soro, and James Kirkland. Notable victories include Daniel Dawson, Donatas Bondorovas, Abraham Han, and Ayi Bruce.

Roasdo has fought once in 2017 and twice in 2016. He has defeated the likes of Antonio Gutierrez, Joshua Clottey, Charles Whittaker, Sechew Powell, Jesus Soto Karass, and Ayi Bruce. His losses were to Martin Murray, Willie Monroe Jr., David Lemieux, Jermell Charlo, Peter Quillin, and Gennady Golovkin.

Rosado has only gone 2-5 in his past seven fights, but most of those fights were against high level opponents.

Both boxers have had their share of tough losses, but Tapia has suffered more devastating losses than Rosado and has not been as active. Additionally, Rosado’s losses were against some of the best in the business, including Gennady Golovkin and Jermell Charlo, while Tapia has lost to lesser known boxers such as Jason Quigley and Michel Soro.

This should be an entertaining action packed bout. But it won’t be a bout to showcase the technical aspects of boxing. Rosado has an edge in the intangibles, but this is a fight that could go either way.

Posted on 03/24/2017

Golden Boy on ESPN Results: Quigley and Caballero Emerge Victorious
By: William Holmes

Boxing made its return to ESPN last night as Golden Boy Promotions put on a card from the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California.

Many boxing aficionados’ are hoping the deal between Golden Boy and ESPN turns out to be successful for both parties as boxing has greatly missed the legendary Friday Night Fights series on ESPN.

The opening bout of the night was between Randy Caballero (24-0) and Jesus Ruiz (36-8-5) in the junior featherweight division.

Despite Caballero’s undefeated record and the eight losses of Ruiz this fight was much closer than expected. Caballero was clearly the better technical boxer, but Ruiz was willing to get in tight and rough up Caballero on the inside. Ruiz had success to the body, but Caballero was landing the cleaner combinations.

Caballero suffered a cut over his right eye in the ninth round from an accidental head butt but it didn’t cause him any serious problems for the remainder of the fight.

The quick and crisp combinations of Caballero were too much for Ruiz to overcome; though no knockdowns were scored in the fight.

Caballero won the decision with scores of 97-93, 96-94, and 96-94.

The main event of the night was between Glen Tapia (23-4) and the undefeated Jason Quigley (13-0) in the middleweight division.

Tapia is known for giving his fans action packed bouts and this one was no different. However, Tapia started off slow and it cost him this bout.

Quigley looked like he may end the fight early and his right hand was finding its target on Tapia’s chin in the opening round and had him wobbled as the round came to an end.

Quigley’s assault continued into the second and third round and he was very effective to the body. But Tapia was able to stay on his feet and fight back and slowly wear down Quigley.

Quigley was taking some hard shots of his own from Tapia and his face was showing the effects of Tapia’s punches. By the eighth round Quigley looked exhausted and Tapia had blood on his face, but Quigley was still out boxing Tapia who at times appeared to be flat footed.

Tapia needed a knockout in the final two rounds to win and he made an honest effort to get it, but it was too little too late as Quigley won the decision.

The final scores were 100-90, 99-91, and 98-92 for Quigley.

Posted on 03/22/2017

Boxing Insider Notebook: McGregor, Mayweather, Golovkin, Jacobs, Crolla, Linares, and more…
Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of March 14th to March 21st, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Photo Credit: Lawrence Lusting/Matchroom

TMZ Sports Reports that There’s Still Hope Conor Fights Floyd

Dana White Says Conor vs. Floyd is Still a Real Possibility—Telling TMZ Sports, “It doesn’t make a lot of sense for my business, but I would never keep Conor from making that kind of money.”

The UFC boss was out in Beverly Hills when he laid out Conor’s Opportunities…some real big fights. He also said Conor’s waiting for his kid to be born before his fights again.

Read more at http://www.tmz.com/2017/03/15/dana-white-conor-mcgregor-floyd-mayweather-nate-diaz/

HBO to Replay Golovkin vs. Jacobs

HBO Sports presents WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®: GENNADY GOLOVKIN VS. DANIEL JACOBS AND ROMAN “CHOCOLATITO GONZALEZ VS. SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI, the exclusive replay of their highly anticipated world championship title fights, SATURDAY, MARCH at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The HBO Sports team, which was ringside at New York’s Madison Square Garden on March 18, called all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: March 26 (10:30 a.m.) and 28 (11:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdate: March 26 (3:45 p.m.) and 27 (11:20 p.m.)

The two-fight combo will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO® and HBO On Demand®.

Among the sport’s top pound-for-pound performers, Golovkin put his undefeated mark, extraordinary ring record and collection of 160-pound world title belts on the line against hometown hero Daniel Jacobs of Brooklyn in a fight originally carried live on HBO Pay-Per-View®. The co-feature marked a super flyweight title bout between reigning champ and pound-for-pound ace Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and challenger Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand.

Mikey Garcia to be Guest Analyst for Linares vs. Crolla

WBC Lightweight World Champion Mikey Garcia will join the SHOWTIME announce team as a guest analyst for the rematch between WBA Lightweight World Champion Jorge Linares and Anthony Crolla on Saturday, March 25 live on SHOWTIME at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

Three-division world champion Garcia, (36-0, 30 KOs), will join host Brian Custer and analysts Al Bernstein and Paulie Malignaggi in New York for the SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® presentation of Crolla vs. Linares II, which will air live from Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

“I’m excited to participate as guest analyst for this rematch,” said Garcia. “These are two of the most competitive boxers in my division. Jorge Linares won the first fight, but Crolla can create a different outcome.

“Linares has good hand speed, timing, reflexes and has power in both hands. Crolla has a good right hand and has shown some solid body work in his recent fights. While Crolla is getting better with each fight, Linares is likely still the better boxer, and should edge him out in a close fight.”

Linares (41-3, 27 KOs) dethroned Crolla (31-5-3, 13 KOs) in a thrilling battle last fall in Manchester to capture the WBA crown. The Sept. 24 match was the first time the three-division titlist Linares, who also holds the WBC Diamond and Ring Magazine lightweight belts, was pushed the 12-round distance in his career.

The WBC has mandated that the winner of Linares-Crolla II must face the hard-hitting Garcia, who knocked out defending champion Dejan Zlaticanin on Jan. 28 on SHOWTIME in just his second fight back following a 30-month layoff.

Linares-Crolla II is the second lightweight world title bout on SHOWTIME in 2017 and an important fight toward potentially unifying the resurgent 135-pound division.

Jorge Linares vs. Anthony Crolla Media Workout Quotes

WBA Lightweight Champion Jorge Linares and former Champion Anthony Crolla partipicated in a public workout at National Football Museum in Manchester, England in preparation for their rematch on Saturday live on Showtime.

Linares defeated Crolla last September to capture the WBA crown. Below are some fight week quotes from Crolla and Linares.

JORGE LINARES:

“Crolla could come better prepared than last time. Maybe he will throw more punches, maybe he will box more, I don’t really know. The most important thing is I hope he has worked really hard and comes in great condition so there are no excuses and no doubts after the fight.

“I can fight even better this time. Before the first fight I had a broken right hand and I hadn’t fought for a while. That’s always a factor, you know? Inactivity. I haven’t had any issues physically or mentally, so the preparation has been great. We did 129 rounds of sparring and everything has gone well up to this point.

“I know he has been quiet in the build-up, I don’t mind if he hasn’t spoken much lately. Let’s just hope it’s a clean fight like the first one.”

“The plans are in the future to get the biggest fights. Obviously the priority right now is to stay focused on Saturday but then I’ll look towards the big fights like against Mikey Garcia.

“I really think coming to train with Ismael Salas made the difference. It’s what helped me really establish myself as a professional fighter and to gain more experience. We learn ‘old school’ as Salas always says. It really has worked well for me in the two years I’ve been with him.”

“I feel really good because this time we had a lot more time to prepare. We did some of the training camp in Japan and then eight weeks in Las Vegas.

“I’m happy to be back here in England again and have another opportunity. I get treated very well, I feel comfortable fighting here. The fans here have a lot of boxing knowledge and they know me well. It’s nice, I feel at home.”

ANTHONY CROLLA:

“It will be another good fight, that’s for sure. Our styles gel really well and I don’t see how it can’t be another good fight, but this time I see a different winner. The key will be adapting. I might need to adapt a number of times in the fight but it is something I have trained for.

“I learned a lot from that fight. Linares has very good speed, very good ring craft and he used his big fight experience for when to take a rest, when to turn it on for the judges.

“This time I know I need to deal with the flashy combinations better, cut the ring off better and capitalize when he is open for shots.

“He has said he will come with another game plan but so will we. Last time I gave it everything, left it all in the ring, but I came up short. The right man won on the night and now I have a second chance at winning back the belt and beating a great fighter.

“I was disappointed I lost – you should never be happy with losing – but I was satisfied I gave everything on the night. When I watched it again there were things in the fight where I thought, ‘why didn’t I do this, why didn’t I do that’, but that is what I did do in the heat of the battle.

“You see people online saying Linares is a level above and that he outclassed me – he obviously didn’t outclass me because two of the judges only had a point in it. The right man won and now I need to show my improvements and make sure the result is different.

“Last time out in Manchester I lost a close fight but with the improvements I have been making in the gym I believe this time it will be a different result.

“The rematch was always top of my list. Linares is top of the pile in the lightweight division and if there was a chance of having a rematch that was always more important to me than any other fight. I want to fight the best and be involved in the big fights and that’s what this is.

“I want the chance to stake my claim as the best lightweight in the world by going out there and beating him.

“I wasn’t going to turn down a rematch to try and ease myself back into title contention. I want these big fights; these big nights in Manchester are what I thrive on.

“I feel better than I have ever felt. Camp has gone really well and there will certainly be no excuses. I have had no distractions outside of camp and everything is good. It is a matter now of showing in the ring tonight the improvements I have been showing in the gym.

“I have had no social life for the past few months and I will walk to the ring knowing that, knowing I have prepared in the best way I possibly can. There will be no ‘what if I had done this’, ‘what if I had done that’ – I have prepared the best I possibly can.”

Josesito Lopez to Battle Saul Corral in Main Event of PBC on FS1

Former world title challenger Josesito “Riverside Rocky” Lopez (34-7, 19 KOs) will face Mexico’s Saul “Navajo” Corral (22-8, 13 KOs) in the 10-round main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes Sunday, April 9 from The Novo at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles.

Televised coverage begins at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT and features unbeaten lightweight contender Alejandro “El Charro” Luna (21-0, 15 KOs) battling former title challenger Andrey Klimov (19-3, 9 KOs) in a 10-round bout plus the pro debut of 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas in a six-round super featherweight fight.

“I’m excited to get back in the ring as the main event and put on a show for the fans in Los Angeles,” said Lopez. “I’m looking for a world title shot and I believe I have the skills to beat any welterweight out there. This is going to be a great night of fights from start to finish. I’ve been training like never before and I can’t wait to show everybody.”

“I can’t wait to get in the ring and make the most of this opportunity to make a name for myself,” said Corral. “I’ve been training hard to be ready for anything Josesito brings. It’s going to be an exciting fight but I’m prepared to leave everything in the ring and get the victory.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports, are priced at $30 general admission, $60 balcony reserved, $100 VIP balcony reserved and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through AXS.com.

“I’m thrilled to be able to promote a great night of California-based PBC action here in Los Angeles headlined by the return of a local fan favorite, Josesito Lopez,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman and CEO of RIngstar Sports. “Also we have Alejandro Luna, who is in a tough fight with his sights set on a world title and I can’t wait for U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas to make his pro debut in what will be the start to a great career. This is a night at The Novo that you don’t want to miss.”

Always in action-packed fights and known for his exciting style and ability to triumph against the odds, Lopez is coming off of a dominant decision victory over Todd Manuel in December 2016. Proudly representing Riverside, California, Lopez has fought at the highest level of competition for years including challenges of Andre Berto, Canelo Alvarez and Marcos Maidana plus triumphs over Victor Ortiz, Mike Arnaoutis and Mike Dallas.

Representing Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, Corral is the winner of 10 of his last twelve bouts entering April 9. The 30-year-old has fought professionally since 2006 and most recently went the distance in a 10-round decision loss to U.S. Olympian Sadam Ali. He won a Mexican title in July 2016 with a fifth-round stoppage of Francisco Medel and also challenged former champion Mike Alvarado amongst his 30 career bouts.

At just 25-years old, Luna has already put together an impressive 21 professional wins since turning pro in 2010. Fighting out of Bellflower, California he began his 2016 campaign by stopping veteran Alan Herrera before dominating previously once-beaten Naim Nelson on his way to a 10-round decision in August. He had previously defeated former world champion Cristobal Cruz and veteran Sergio Lopez on the way to amassing his perfect record.

Originally from Russia but now living and training in Beverly Hills, Klimov was unbeaten in his first 16 pro fights as he climbed up the world rankings. After dropping a decision to Terrence Crawford in 2013, he won three straight fights to earn his world title opportunity against Jose Pedraza. Klimov owns victories over John Molina Jr., Gabino Cota and Guillermo Avila.

Fighting out of Santa Maria, California, the 20-year-old Balderas is the son of Mexican parents who immigrated to the United States to give their children a better life. Balderas had an impressive amateur career that included a 2014 Youth National Championship, four National PAL championships and an impressive run in the World Series of Boxing. His amateur career culminated in a trip to the 2016 Olympic Games where he represented the U.S. and defeated fighters from Kazakhstan and Japan before a decision loss in the quarterfinals.

If Tapia Wants a War I’ll Give Him a War, States Jason Quigley

The long awaited debut of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN is nearly here. On Thursday, March 23, Irish middleweight contender Jason “El Animal” Quigley (12-0, 10 KOs) will showcase his skills against the hard-punching Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia (23-3, 15 KOs) in a 10-round main event battle for the vacant NABF middleweight title. In the co-main event, Coachella’s Randy “El Matador” Caballero (23-0, 14 KOs) will campaign to become a two-division world champion as he combats for the NABF super bantamweight title against Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz (35-7-5, 24 KOs) in a 10-round affair; and making her pro-debut on the national TV broadcast, 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist and highly decorated amateur Marlen Esparza will participate in a four-round flyweight fight against Rachel Sazoff (0-2).

The fighters shared their final thoughts ahead the fights, which will air live from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
Below is what the fighters had to say:

Jason “El Animal” Quigley, Middleweight Contender:

“I’m delighted to be headlining on ESPN on Thursday; it’s a great honor and opportunity. My camp has been amazing – all the hard work has been put in, and I’m ready. I plan on putting on a great show for my American audience and my friends, family and fans back home in Donegal, Ireland.

“If Tapia wants a war, I’ll give him a war…I’m prepared for anything. Winning this fight brings me one step closer to my dream, winning the NABF title will be fantastic, I still have a long way to go, and am dedicated to making my dream of being a world champion come true.”

Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia, Former WBO NABO Super Welterweight Champion:

“I’m honestly really excited for this fight. Not only because it’s a televised ESPN fight for the NABF title but because it’s been a tough couple of years for my career. People are looking at this like this a make or break fight for me, and even though most people would hate to be in this position, I look at it as an opportunity to bounce back and show the world who Glen Tapia really is!

“I have a lot of fans that believe in me and have been waiting for my return, but I also have a lot of critics that question if I can do this, and that’s a challenge that I’m more than ready to take. My job is not to listen to the critics; my job is to handle my business in that ring and show them why I belong here.At the end of the day, I can sit here and talk about what I’m going to do to Quigley, but the truth is you guys don’t want to hear that. Actions speak louder than words so I’ll just show you guys on March 23rd.”

Ringside Network to Begin 24/7 Television Network Dedicated to the Sport of Boxing

Ortiz Media Group, Inc. has signed an agreement with RingSide Network to Provide on-air operations, cable representation and distribute its signal through Cable, Satellite, OTT, Set Top Boxes, Smart devices, and other platforms throughout the United States and the world.

RingSide Network is an American specialty sports channel headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA) with programming devoted exclusively to the sport of boxing. Ortiz Media Group will operate the channel 24 hours per day and 7 days a week with programming featuring up-to-date boxing news, one-on-one interviews, highlights, talk shows featuring sport celebrities, expert boxing analysis, documentaries, pre-fights and post-fight press conferences, live weigh-ins, round table panel discussions, skills instructions, and classic professional fights from 1920’s to the present.

RingSide Network programming will include local, regional, national and international content from today’s and tomorrow’s contenders and champions.

“We are excited to bring RingSide Network from Philadelphia, PA, known as the boxing capital of the world. We will play a pivotal role in bringing world-wide boxing to our cable and satellite homes as well as all platforms available directly to our consumers,” said Mr. Alex Hamer, CEO of Ring Side Network.

RingSide Network plans to cover amateur events include Olympic boxing, Olympic boxing trials, National Golden Globes, National Police Athletic League Championships and U.S. Collegiate Boxing Championships, as well as boxing related movies.

Boxing is gaining popularity in the United States. Statista.com reported that in 2015 the number of people in the United States who watched pro boxing amounted to 20.29 million within a period of 12 months.

“Ortiz Media Group is a leader in operations and cable/satellite distributions and we are very excited to be expanding our relationship with RingSide Network with operations, distribution, branding, and revenue generation,” said Mr. Clark Ortiz, President and CEO of Ortiz Media Group.

The sport of boxing makes a great impact in the U.S. economy. Over 54 million Americans paid gym/fitness membership fees in 2014, and for the second year in a row actual visits to the gyms exceeded 5 billion. In 2014, the annual review of $24,2 billion was also a sharp 7.5% increase of $22.4 billion in 2013.

According to the Bureau of Labors Statistics, fitness and recreation sports centers employed 533,200 in 2014, and jobs are expected to grow 8% by 2024.

In 2010, wholesale sales of boxing equipment amounted to about $106 million in the United States. The Title Boxing Clubs grew from 10 locations to more that 100 between 2011 and 2013 and is part of the fitness industry that has approximately 60 million customers in the United States. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association there were over 5.1 million boxing for fitness participants in the US in 2014 and according to Statista that number grew to 6.39 million in 2015. In 2016, 5.9% of respondents who came from a household where the annual income was $200,000 or more stated that they are a fan of boxing.

Ring Side Network’s website is www.ringsidenetwork.tv

Posted on 12/07/2016

Three Warriors get the Call to Boxing Hall of Fame
By: Matthew N. Becher

​Yesterday afternoon it was announced that 3 fighters would be inducted into next year’s class of the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. It was a very fitting class, since the three boxers were all known for being true warriors to the sport. Evander Holyfield, Marco Antonio Barrera and Johnny Tapia would be fitting to lead any class alone, but together, they make up one of the most “Tough as Nails” groups that you could put together.

​Marco Antonio Barrera (67-7 44KO): The “Baby Faced Assassin” is and forever will be one of the greatest fighters to come out of the country of Mexico. Barrera was a three division world champion winning his first title against Daniel Jimenez in 1995. He would rule the super bantamweight division for most of the next decade, which included his most famous fight, against Erik Morales in 2000 to unify the division. Barrera loss the first of three to Morales, which became one of the greatest trilogies in boxing history and would solidify him as one of boxing’s toughest. He was also the man to snatch away the “0” from Prince Naseem Hamed, a fight that stunned the world, but not the fans that follow the sport closely. The flashy Hamed fought once more after he took the beating from Barrera then retired. Barrera went on to beat fellow Hall of Famer Johnny Tapia in 2002 and was knocked out for the only time of his career against the great Manny Pacquiao. Barrera has come a long way from the 15 year old who turned pro in 1989 to one of the greatest Mexican fighters ever.

​Johnny Tapia (59-5-2 30KO): Nothing written can do justice to the life that “Mi Vida Loca”, Johnny Tapia’s story tells. Born into extreme Poverty in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1967. The most poignant of ways to describe Johnny’s life can be taken from a passage in his Autobiography, Mi Vida Loca: The Crazy Life of Johnny Tapia, Tapia wrote: “My name is Johnny Lee Tapia. I was born on Friday the 13th. A Friday in February of 1967. To this day I don’t know if that makes me lucky or unlucky. When I was eight I saw my mother murdered. I never knew my father. He was murdered before I was born. I was raised as a pit bull.

Raised to fight to the death. Four times I was declared dead. Four times they wanted to pull life support. And many more times I came close to dying. But I have lived and had it all. I have been wealthy and lost it all. I have been famous and infamous. Five times I was world champion. You tell me. Am I lucky or unlucky?”

​Tapia came from a struggle that no person should ever have to, and he used his fists as a way of expressing his anger and hate. He was never the most beautiful of fighter, but he was tougher than anyone you would ever want to face.

He was a fan favourite and multiple world champion. Unfortunately Tapia faced many out of the ring problems with drugs and criminal charges. Unfortunate to all, this Induction will be done posthumously as Johnny Tapia died in May of 2012 of Heart Failure, he was 45.

​Evander Holyfield (44-10-2 29KO): Many thought this day would never come, since Holyfield just wouldn’t stop fighting. Eventually he hung up the gloves in 2011 after Knocking out Brian Nielsen in Denmark. “The Real Deal” is one of the biggest names of his era. Holyfield was a member of the famed 1984 US Boxing team, where he won the Bronze medal (though he was unjustly disqualified in a controversial call). Holyfield then turned pro that same year and became the WBA World Cruiserweight champ in only his 12th fight, against Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

Holyfield would go on to become the Unified WBC/WBA/IBF Cruiserweight champ by 1988 before announcing he would move up to the Heavyweight division. Many thought that Holyfield, as good as he was, stood no shot against the bigger men, but he ran through the gauntlet of fighters and in two years became the Lineal, Undisputed Heavyweight champion in 1990 by knocking out James “Buster” Douglas. He would defend his titles against George Foreman, Bert Cooper, & Larry Holmes until engaging in one of his three thrilling fights against his rival Riddick Bowe. Bowe would win the first and third fights, but Holyfield took the second, leaving the only blemish on Bowes near perfect record. Holyfield was not finished there, as he then would go on to win the Heavyweight title against Mike Tyson in 1996 and defeat Tyson again in 1997, in a fight in which Tyson would bite part of Holyfield’s ear clean off.

Holyfield was a Heavyweight champion on four different occasions, Fighter of the year 3 times, ranked as the greatest Cruiserweight of all time and one of the top ten heavyweights ever. The man is a living legend and a true warrior of the sport.

Posted on 05/12/2016

Breaking the Cycle: Fighter Safety
By: Brandon Bernica

As Glen Tapia glared the referee in the eyes, trying to bargain for the chance to repent for the knockdown he just experienced, Freddie Roach cut him off. Standing on the apron of the ring, Tapia’s trainers had seen enough. Four vicious rounds Saturday night with cement-fisted David Lemieux – rounds where Tapia’s face was repetitively imprinted with power shots – were enough to pull the plug on the night for the New Jersey product.

A question popped into my mind in the aftermath following this blowout, and it wasn’t whether the fight should have been stopped. While Tapia looked physically alert and game after the left hook that floored him, a look into his recent history might startle anyone who vouched for him to continue on. Take the fact that towards the end of 2013, he endured a scathing six rounds with rugged machine James Kirkland. Tapia’s corner was criticized that night for sending a shopworn fighter out two rounds too long until he was finished by a brutal assault that referee Steve Smoger couldn’t save him from, resulting in an ending that probably took a few years off of his life. Add that Tapia, during a brief guest appearance commenting on a night of local fights, noticeably slurred his words – though that could be chalked up to on-camera butterflies. Throw in that Tapia was knocked out in the bout before the Lemieux opportunity and it almost makes you wonder how Tapia was commissioned for Saturday in the first place.

No, Tapia clearly expressed signs of slippage before his most recent defeat. My question was (and still is) how the sport as a whole – from fans to promoters to media – can align to save a man’s life before he realizes he’s lost it.

Photo Credit: Will Hart

Retirement is a sensitive subject with fighters. These are men predicated on pride in themselves and in every reason that wakes them up to train each morning. Boxing isn’t a cash-grab. To thrive, you have to be of a different breed, you have to translate the pain into pleasure. Many fighters self-inflate their egos as a coping mechanism against the immense dangers the sport presents. In this world of predators, even the slightest show of fear is devoured by those hungry for shine in boxing’s irreverent landscape. Simply put, you don’t mess around in this sport. Which makes it that much more crucial for fighters to know when to hang the gloves up and preserve their futures. The issue is exposing a fighter to his biggest opponent: himself.

Confidence drives irrational risk-taking, and irrational risk-taking requires confidence. So how do we break this lethal cycle that damages long-term health and has even claimed lives? Let’s start from the top down. Boxing has long yearned for a national governing body to establish authority over the sport’s fractured practice. Imposition of strong health standards takes the decision out of the fighter’s hands. Instead of allowing fighters to find loopholes in medical decisions – such as fighting in Mexico where most commission suspensions are not recognized – a firm hand backed by scientific credibility is needed to prevent fighter pride, fan desire, and promoter financial interest from jeopardizing a man’s health.

Yet if you’ve been around this sport long enough, you know that bringing together the sport’s key players is like organizing a family reunion where every relative despises each other. That brings us to promoters, managers, trainers, family members, and anyone else within a fighter’s camp. These people live with every move a fighter makes. They should know him best. That’s what makes their role so pivotal. For some, such as wives, parents, and siblings, prioritizing health over money is not an issue. These parties must be consistent in vocalizing the dangers of continuing a shattered career to said fighter, who may mentally block off these precautions to maintain the persona that keeps him in the ring. For promoters, managers, and trainers, monetary ties to a fighter can make it difficult to accept that a man’s time has come and gone. It is vital that dialogue begins early in that man’s career to set up a career after boxing. Many fighters enter the sport as their last resort for earning a living; this, however, is not an excuse for ignoring the reality that a revenue stream can end with just one punch. Additionally, ensuring that your line of work is not tied down to one boxer is crucial. Building young talent and ushering in a new generation ensures that the older generation doesn’t stick around longer than it needs to.

Of course, the media’s impact on fighter safety is important as well. Publicizing bouts gives promotions more viewers. Tapia’s bout drew buzz as the co-main event of the night, yet many outlets pointed to how the match-up bolstered the card instead of how dangerous it was. Giving undue affirmation to a shot fighter to press on sadly solidifies the decision to remain in the sport. Even stories doubting one’s ability can inspire a fighter to break odds that were too high to overcome in the first place. So instead of simply publicizing a bout from the surface, dig deeper into backgrounds and resumes. Be bold and state if there’s a mismatch on the horizon. Even if it costs you a credential, shedding light on the snares of a particular match-up can encourage matchmakers to be considerate in putting together events.

Fans have a role in this circus as well. There’s a saying as it applies to dating that there are plenty of fish in the sea. That same principle can be applied to our infatuation with fighters. Yes, cheering on your favorite warrior Saturday nights is great, but when the desire to see someone perform is put above that person’s best interest, we need to reevaluate whether we are contributing to boxing’s inherent problem. There will always be others who deserve the spotlight with much more to give the sport; champion these men. And be vocal; with social media, reaching athletes has never been easier. If a fighter hears from his own fans that he should retire, it may cause him to reevaluate his own condition. If that doesn’t work, remove the financial reward for endangering oneself. Don’t just be a cold-hearted consumer; speak with your dollars and support only fights with little risk to the combatants’ long term condition.

All of this boils down to one word: transparency. Boxing could use transparency in nearly every facet of its operation, but no area desires honesty more than telling a fighter when it’s time to quit. Clouded by vested interests, boxing has made this decision much harder than it should be. Yet look at Muhammad Ali ail through the toughest stages of Parkinson’s disease. Read about Frankie Leal, a young fighter who lost his life in the ring because commissions were hamstrung and couldn’t enforce their suspensions on him in Mexico. These examples make it clear: we must watch this sport with a conscience and build an infrastructure that stops the damage before it’s dealt. Most fighters never want a fight to go to the scorecards, knowing the significant possibility of being robbed by corrupt judging. In similar fashion, we can’t allow a referee to be the one to make the call on a fighter’s career. We need to throw in the towel before the bell even rings.

Posted on 05/07/2016

HBO PPV Undercard Results: Gomez Dominates Herrera, Lemieux and Stevens Win by Stoppage
By: William Holmes

The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada held its first ever boxing event as Golden Boy Promotions put on a WBC Middleweight Title bout between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Amir Khan.

Three bouts were on the televised portion of the undercard, and the first fight of the night was between Patrick Teixeira (26-0) and Curtis Stevens (27-5) in the middleweight division.

Teixeira bumped up to the middleweight division from the junior middleweight division for this bout. He intends on going back down to the junior middleweight division.

Teixeira’s height and reach advantage was evident immediately, but Stevens was able to work around that by showing a lot of head movement and being the more active puncher. He was able to hurt Teixeira with a quick jab, and was able to land his left hook several times. Teixeira had to hold on several times and was outworked by the older Stevens.

Teixeira was moved back by a straight right hand from Stevens in the opening seconds of the second round, and Stevens followed it up with a hard left hook. Stevens was able to block most of the punches of Teixeira, and then landed a right hook that sent Teixeira down. Teixeira got back to his feet but was still wobbly, and the referee waived off the bout.

Curtis Stevens wins by TKO at 1:04 of the second round.

After the fight Stevens stated, “The name of the game is to knock people out and that’s what I did tonight. I feel great to get back into the game after my one and a half year break. I really want Lemieux, but I will take whatever I can get. My head is right, and I’m ready to take on whoever.”

The next bout of the night was between Mauricio Herrera (22-5) and Frankie Gomez (20-0) in the welterweight division.

Gomez was the more aggressive boxer in the first round and found a home for his lead left hook several times. Herrera looked a little rusty in the opening round and tied up with Gomez whenever he got in close.

Gomez controlled the action in the second round and was able to land and connect with his punches before Herrera could fire off his. Herrera had a cut under his left eye by the end of the round and Gomez was able to punctuate a strong round with a quick combination.

Herrera looked visibly frustrated at the start of the third round, and he came out more aggressive than the previous rounds and was able to land a few body punches. But, Gomez was sharper with his counter punches and still remained in control.

Gomez’s power punches were landing with regularity in the fourth round, and he had Herrera backing into a corner and taking some hard power shots. Gomez’s aggression continued in the fifth round and he had caused a small mouse to swell up under the right eye of Herrera.

Gomez dominated the sixth and seventh rounds while Herrera was able to offer little offense in return. By the eighth round Herrera looked exhausted and looked defeated in the ring.
Herrera clearly needed a knockout in the final two rounds to win the bout, but that knockout never came.

Frankie Gomez wins a clear decision with scores of 100-90 on all three scorecards.

Afterwards Gomez stated, “It feels good to get this victory. I trained really hard and it paid off. I’m ready to take on my next challenge and take on the best at 140. I want to thank my fans, and I’m glad I was able to put on a good show for them.”

The final bout on the undercard was in the middleweight division between David Lemieux (34-3) and Glen Tapia (23-2).

Glen Tapia bumped up in weight to take on the toughest opponent of his career, and he may have regretted it immediately. Lemieux was banging hard shots to the body and head of Tapia in the opening round and was ripping hard punches into the body of Tapia.

Lemieux had a very strong second round and had Tapia hurt several times. Tapia’s punching power paled in comparison to Lemieux, and Lemieux looked like he was close to scoring a knockdown.

Tapia was able to land a few straight right hands in the third round, but Lemieux still landed the harder shots and his left hook was giving Tapia problems.

Lemieux finally scored a knockdown in the fourth round from a hard left hook followed by a right hand to the top of the head. He was able to beat the count, but Tapia’s corner stopped the fight and did not allow the fight to continue.

Lemieux protested the stoppage, but he was taking a lot of hard shots.

David Lemieux wins by TKO at 0:56 of the fourth round.

Afterwards Lemieux stated, “This victory means the world to me. It proves all the doubters that Lemieux is back. When I first got offered the fight, I knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. We made sure to have the best training camp possible and within the first round I knew I was dominating. I knew after the first round that I would knock him out. I’m ready to be among the best in the middleweight division and become a world champion again.”

Posted on 05/05/2016

HBO PPV Preview: Herrera vs. Gomez, Tapia vs. Lemieux, Khan vs. Canelo
By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Golden Boy Promotions will partner up with HBO to broadcast at least three fights on pay per view.

The brand new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada will be the host site for this card in which Canelo Alvarez will defend his WBC Middleweight title against Amir Khan. Two other fights are on tap for the card as David Lemieux looks to bounce back from his loss to Gennady Golovkin when he takes on “Jersey Boy” Glen Tapia in the middleweight division. The opening bout on the card should be between Mauricio Herrera and Frankie Gomez in the welterweight division.

The following is a preview of all three televised bouts on the pay per view.

Mauricio Herrera (22-5) vs. Frankie Gomez (20-0); Welterweights

The opening bout of the night should be a coming out party for Frankie Gomez.

Freddie Roach once called Frankie Gomez his most prized prospect in the Wild Card Gym, and he has the amateur pedigree to back up that claim. Gomez won the 2009 US National Championships as an amateur in 2009 and has yet to taste defeat.

Mauricio Herrera will be a major step up in competition for Gomez and he is a crafty and tough veteran. Herrera however, is thirty five years old and will be eleven years older than Gomez. Gomez will be about a half an inch taller but will be giving up about an inch and a half in reach. Herrera has spent most of his career fighting in the lightweight division and fought in the junior welterweight division in his last fight.

Gomez’s biggest concern should be his recent lack of activity. He only fought once in 2016 and in 2015, and twice in 2014. His only big victories have come against Vernon Paris and Jorge Silva.

Herrera has beaten the likes of Hank Lundy, Johan Perez, Ji Hoon Kim, and Mike Dallas Jr. His losses have come to Jose Benavidez, Danny Garcia, Karim Mayfield and Mike Alvarado.

Herrera is the perfect test for Gomez at this stage of his career and it’s a test that Gomez should pass. Gomez’s past three wins have come by decision and Saturday should be no different.

David Lemieux (34-3) vs. Glen Tapia (23-2); Middleweights

This is a crossroads fight for both Lemieux and Tapia and both are coming off of tough stoppage losses. However, both boxers are under the age of thirty and have plenty of time to make another title run.

Lemieux is known for his incredible power and has stopped thirty one of his opponents. Tapia only has fifteen stoppage victories. Tapie will have an edge in height and reach, as he is an inch and a half taller and will have a three inch reach.

Lemieux won several Canadian Amateur Championships but did not compete in the Olympics. Tapia placed in several golden gloves tournaments as an amateur, but did not enjoy success on the international level.

Lemieux has the better resume as a professional. He has defeated the likes of Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam, Gabriel Rosado, Fernando Guerrero, Hector Camacho Jr., and Elvin Ayala. His losses were to Gennady Golovkin, Joachim Alcine, and Marco Antonio Rubio.

Tapie has defeated the likes of Daniel Dawsom, Abraham Han, and Ayi Bruce. He has lost to Michel Soro in a mild upset and James Kirkland.

Tapia’s chin has been exposed as suspect in recent fights and he will have a difficult time avoiding the power of Lemieux. A victory for Lemieux in combination with his drawing power in Montreal will likely lead to another future title shot for him.

Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1) vs. Amir Khan (31-3); WBC Middleweight Title

Amir Khan has been chasing a mega fight with either Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao and has come up short. He surprised everyone by signing on the dotted line to fight the current WBC Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez.

Amir Khan will be jumping up two weight classes to take on the bigger Canelo. Khan is four years older than Canelo and has the faster hands. He will be giving up about a half an inch in height but will have about a half an inch reach advantage.

Canelo does have a clear advantage in power and has the stronger chin. Canelo’s lone loss was by decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and two of the three losses for Amir Khan were by knockout. Canelo has stopped thirty two of his opponents while Khan has only stopped nineteen.

Canelo has also been the more active boxer. He fought twice in 2015 and in 2014. Khan only fought once in 2015 and 2013, but did fight twice in 2014.

Khan does have the edge in amateur experience. Khan won the silver medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics and Canelo won the gold medal at the 2005 Junior Mexican National Championships and then turned pro at the age of fifteen.

Khan’s losses were to Danny Garcia, Breidis Prescott, and a disputed decision loss to Lamont Peterson. He has beaten Chris Algieri, Devon Alexander, Louis Collazo, Julio Diaz, Carlos Molina, Zab Judah, Marcos Maidana, and Paul Malignaggi.

Canelo has defeated the likes of Miguel Cotto, James Kirkland, Erisandy Lara, Alfredo Angulo, Austin Trout, Shane Mosley, and Miguel Vazquez.

Khan’s speed could give Canelo problems, but it will be essential for him to stay out of the range of Canelo’s punches. Canelo looked very good in his last bout against Miguel Cotto and he has more power in his hands than Garcia and Prescott, both boxers that were able to stop Khan.

The most likely scenario is that Canelo will use his size to his advantage and trap Khan by the ropes and stop him before the championship rounds.