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Canelo already looks good in training.
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2011 Official Boxing Thread: 12/30 Jermain Taylor + Andre Dirrell return on ShoBox.
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Canelo already looks good in training.
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Canelo already looks good in training.
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alvarez ain't playin.
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alvarez ain't playin.
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alvarez ain't playin.
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alvarez ain't playin.
[h1]
[/h1][h1]Haye ready to fight Klitschko in 'his backyard' [/h1]
ESPN staff
March 3, 2011
David Haye is ready to fight Wladimir Klitschko in 'his own backyard' [emoji]169[/emoji] Getty Images
Related Links
- News:
- Klitschko talks are on, no deal yet - Haye's manager
- News:
- Klitschko camp 'very positive' Haye fight will happen
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- Booth raises hopes of Haye-Klitschko showdown
- Profile:
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David Haye has confirmed he is prepared to fight IBF and WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko anywhere - even "in his backyard" - as an eagerly-anticipated heavyweight unification fight increasingly looms into view.
After months of jibe and counter jibe, in recent weeks it seems the two fighters' camps have reopened positive discussions about arranging a fight for a oft-mentioned July 2 date. And WBA champion Haye has now underlined his readiness to face the Ukrainian wherever he wants - likely to be in Germany, where the Klitschko brothers enjoy huge popularity and have lucrative contracts with TV stations - something that had previously been considered a major sticking point.
"It does not bother me, Munich, Gelsenkirchen, Berlin, in his backyard. It's all the same to me," Haye, who won his title from Nikolai Valuev in Nuremberg in 2009, told The Sun. "I'm prepared to go into his territory to get what he has been hanging on to for too long.
"It doesn't faze me - I've done it before."
Haye's trainer, Adam Booth, confirmed on Wednesday that the two camps are currently "swimming through the quagmire of boxing negotiations", and Haye suggested he will be willing to concede ground on many sticking points.
"They can have their name first on the billing, they can enter the ring before me, they can do anything they want," Haye said. "I don't care as long as we have a referee that can count to ten. All I want to do is fight Wladimir and, if possible, Vitali before I retire."
With both Ukrainians scheduled to contest fights of their own in the coming weeks, a July 2 date has regularly been mentioned for the proposed unification fight. And, with Haye's mandatory defence against Ruslan Chagaev increasingly unlikely to go ahead due to the Uzbeki's health issues, the Bermondsey fighter is adamant that will be the month of his next fight - whoever the opponent is.
"One way or another my next fight is going to be in July. I am hoping it is going to be against Wladimir Klitschko," he added to the BBC. "I believe we are pretty close to agreeing. That's what I believe. Whether we are or not is a whole different matter.
"It seems at this stage that we are ready to do it, so hopefully they are. We should know something more in the next few days."
The last time Mexican sensation Saul "Canelo" Alvarez fought in the United States was in September, when he scored a spectacular one-punch knockout of former welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir in the sixth round.
http:///sports.espn.go.com/espn/gallery/enlargePhoto?id=6177634&story=6177602">http://sports.espn.go.com...177634&...idth=640,height=550,scrollbars=no,noresize'); return false;" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=6177602#">[+] Enlarge
Carlos Delgado/Hoganphotos/Golden Boy PromotionsSaul "Canelo" Alvarez gets a 154-pound title shot versus Matthew Hatton.
Alvarez, 20, returned to Mexico, where he is one of the nation's most famous athletes, and easily outpointed former junior welterweight titlist Lovemore N'Dou in December to sew up honors as the 2010 ESPN.com prospect of the year.
Now Alvarez is back in America and set for his first starring role in a HBO main event. He will meet England's Matthew Hatton on Saturday night (10:30 ET/PT) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
The fight was made in January, but only last week was it sanctioned for the junior middleweight world title recently vacated by Manny Pacquiao because he had no plans to defend it.
If Alvarez wins, he will become the youngest fighter to ever win a 154-pound world title, breaking the record Fernando Vargas set in 1998, when he stopped Luis Ramon "Yory Boy" Campas just a few days past his 21st birthday.
Alvarez and Hatton took the match without knowing it would be for a belt. When they found out during a teleconference with reporters to discuss the fight, they were ecstatic.
"Wow, that's great news," Alvarez said through translator Eric Gomez, one of Golden Boy's matchmakers. "I wasn't expecting it. I'm very happy. I'm very motivated now. This is going to be my first world title. I want to take advantage of it. I'll be ready, but this is more motivation for me."
Said Hatton, "Obviously, every kid who first laces on the boxing gloves, their ambition is to become a world champion, so that news is absolutely fantastic to me. I was so motivated for this fight anyway, getting the chance to perform again in the United States against a highly touted fighter in Saul Alvarez. I think he's the level I'm at now. I'm definitely a world class fighter. I've been dominating at European level, so a world title is what I was looking at. So, that is absolutely fantastic news."
In the televised opener, 21-year-old junior lightweight prospect Adrien "The Problem" Broner (19-0, 16 KOs) of Cincinnati will take a major step up in competition when he faces Mexican knockout artist Daniel Ponce De Leon (41-2, 34 KOs), 30, a former junior featherweight titlist and featherweight contender who is moving up in weight for the scheduled 10-rounder.
[h4]Rafael's Boxing Blog[/h4]
Get the latest scoop and analysis on the world of boxing from ESPN.com's Dan Rafael in his blog.
"Broner is a big, strong fighter with an exciting style," De Leon said. "But I'm ready for the challenge and I know he's never been in with a fighter as strong and experienced as I am."
Said Broner, "De Leon is a great fighter, a former world champion, and I respect him for stepping up for this fight. Unfortunately for him, I'm going to have to show him what it's like to be in the ring with a talent like myself."
Beyond the question of can Alvarez (35-0-1, 26 KOs) win a title at such a young age is the question of can he score another spectacular knockout against Hatton (41-4-2, 16 KOs), the European welterweight champion and the 29-year-old younger brother of former junior welterweight champ Ricky Hatton?
Alvarez is not in the habit of making predictions, however.
"I don't like to predict knockouts," he said. "I don't look for the knockouts. They come naturally. It's going to be a tough fight. I'm going to be ready to box 12 rounds."
For Hatton, the fight is not only a chance to win a title, but a chance to further escape the long shadow cast by his big brother, who was one of boxing's biggest global stars before going into an unofficial retirement after Pacquiao knocked him cold in the second round to take the junior welterweight championship in 2009.
"I've boxed in America quite a few times before. So, I'm very fortunate to have gathered that experience, but yes, to be top of the bill in me own right in such a big fight is something that I've always been looking forward to," said Hatton, who regularly boxed on Ricky's undercards but came into his own in 2010 when he won the European title and made two defenses. "I always had confidence in my ability where these opportunities would come my way, but yes, being top of the bill in me own right now, I'm looking forward to it. I'm very excited about it. I think it's going to be a great fight. It's a fight I'm going into full of confidence, can't wait for it, but yes, I am enjoying my moment in the spotlight, so to speak.
"I think it is overdue because I think it has taken me a while to produce my best form, but I really am in the best form in my career so far. I think this fight is coming at the right time for me, and being lucky enough to have boxed on these fantastic bills before stands me in good stead for this fight, I believe."
Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who promoted Ricky for the final four fights of his career, saw Matthew fight on those undercards and believes he is ready to come into his own.
"It's very impressive how Matthew has been able to progress in his career," De La Hoya said. "Every single fight, he's learning, he's growing. He's learning that the game of boxing is not all about brute strength. He's thinking. It's very impressive, especially to have an older brother like Ricky who has been in the limelight for so many years. For Matthew to break out of that shadow is also very impressive because it can be very difficult when you have an older brother who is in the limelight and who is the main event all the time.
"It shows you the character. It shows you the discipline and the patience that Matthew has had. He knows this is his moment, this is his time. I'm sure he's going to perform at his best."
Hatton is coming to Alvarez's territory. He will be the huge crowd favorite among a heavily Mexican crowd. Hatton said that means nothing to him.
"That's not something that I will lose any sleep over, to be honest," he said. "I'm an experienced fighter. To have good support is always nice. When I box home in England, they always give fantastic support. That's always nice, but at the end of the day, when that bell rings, when you're in the ring and everyone else gets out of the ring ... it's just the two fighters left in there. So, even though it's nice to have good support, those supporters can't get in the ring and help him on the night."
Alvarez is the clear favorite and if he wins big things are expected to follow. Some have suggested an eventual fight with Pacquiao, although that is unlikely given the feud between Golden Boy and Pacquiao's promoter, Top Rank. Still, it does show the kind of expectations some have for Alvarez.
"We can't get too ahead of ourselves," De La Hoya said. "He's got a tough fight coming up with Matthew. You can't plan too far ahead. He's a good fighter. He's a very, very good prospect. He's fighting for his first world title now. We're going to take it by steps. We'll see what happens and how he progresses, but we can't plan too far ahead because Matthew is going to be a very tough fighter. He's got a lot of experience. He's going to come to fight. He's just a hungry as Saul to win that world title."
Alvarez, however, feels he is prepared for possible challenges after Hatton.
"I'm ready," he said. "This is a tough fight. I do think I'm going to win this fight, but it's going to be a tough fight. I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but yes, I've always said that all along, that I'm ready for the big names."
[h1]
[/h1][h1]Haye ready to fight Klitschko in 'his backyard' [/h1]
ESPN staff
March 3, 2011
David Haye is ready to fight Wladimir Klitschko in 'his own backyard' [emoji]169[/emoji] Getty Images
Related Links
- News:
- Klitschko talks are on, no deal yet - Haye's manager
- News:
- Klitschko camp 'very positive' Haye fight will happen
- News:
- Booth raises hopes of Haye-Klitschko showdown
- Profile:
- David Haye
- |
- Wladimir Klitschko
David Haye has confirmed he is prepared to fight IBF and WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko anywhere - even "in his backyard" - as an eagerly-anticipated heavyweight unification fight increasingly looms into view.
After months of jibe and counter jibe, in recent weeks it seems the two fighters' camps have reopened positive discussions about arranging a fight for a oft-mentioned July 2 date. And WBA champion Haye has now underlined his readiness to face the Ukrainian wherever he wants - likely to be in Germany, where the Klitschko brothers enjoy huge popularity and have lucrative contracts with TV stations - something that had previously been considered a major sticking point.
"It does not bother me, Munich, Gelsenkirchen, Berlin, in his backyard. It's all the same to me," Haye, who won his title from Nikolai Valuev in Nuremberg in 2009, told The Sun. "I'm prepared to go into his territory to get what he has been hanging on to for too long.
"It doesn't faze me - I've done it before."
Haye's trainer, Adam Booth, confirmed on Wednesday that the two camps are currently "swimming through the quagmire of boxing negotiations", and Haye suggested he will be willing to concede ground on many sticking points.
"They can have their name first on the billing, they can enter the ring before me, they can do anything they want," Haye said. "I don't care as long as we have a referee that can count to ten. All I want to do is fight Wladimir and, if possible, Vitali before I retire."
With both Ukrainians scheduled to contest fights of their own in the coming weeks, a July 2 date has regularly been mentioned for the proposed unification fight. And, with Haye's mandatory defence against Ruslan Chagaev increasingly unlikely to go ahead due to the Uzbeki's health issues, the Bermondsey fighter is adamant that will be the month of his next fight - whoever the opponent is.
"One way or another my next fight is going to be in July. I am hoping it is going to be against Wladimir Klitschko," he added to the BBC. "I believe we are pretty close to agreeing. That's what I believe. Whether we are or not is a whole different matter.
"It seems at this stage that we are ready to do it, so hopefully they are. We should know something more in the next few days."
The last time Mexican sensation Saul "Canelo" Alvarez fought in the United States was in September, when he scored a spectacular one-punch knockout of former welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir in the sixth round.
http:///sports.espn.go.com/espn/gallery/enlargePhoto?id=6177634&story=6177602">http://sports.espn.go.com...177634&...idth=640,height=550,scrollbars=no,noresize'); return false;" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=6177602#">[+] Enlarge
Carlos Delgado/Hoganphotos/Golden Boy PromotionsSaul "Canelo" Alvarez gets a 154-pound title shot versus Matthew Hatton.
Alvarez, 20, returned to Mexico, where he is one of the nation's most famous athletes, and easily outpointed former junior welterweight titlist Lovemore N'Dou in December to sew up honors as the 2010 ESPN.com prospect of the year.
Now Alvarez is back in America and set for his first starring role in a HBO main event. He will meet England's Matthew Hatton on Saturday night (10:30 ET/PT) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
The fight was made in January, but only last week was it sanctioned for the junior middleweight world title recently vacated by Manny Pacquiao because he had no plans to defend it.
If Alvarez wins, he will become the youngest fighter to ever win a 154-pound world title, breaking the record Fernando Vargas set in 1998, when he stopped Luis Ramon "Yory Boy" Campas just a few days past his 21st birthday.
Alvarez and Hatton took the match without knowing it would be for a belt. When they found out during a teleconference with reporters to discuss the fight, they were ecstatic.
"Wow, that's great news," Alvarez said through translator Eric Gomez, one of Golden Boy's matchmakers. "I wasn't expecting it. I'm very happy. I'm very motivated now. This is going to be my first world title. I want to take advantage of it. I'll be ready, but this is more motivation for me."
Said Hatton, "Obviously, every kid who first laces on the boxing gloves, their ambition is to become a world champion, so that news is absolutely fantastic to me. I was so motivated for this fight anyway, getting the chance to perform again in the United States against a highly touted fighter in Saul Alvarez. I think he's the level I'm at now. I'm definitely a world class fighter. I've been dominating at European level, so a world title is what I was looking at. So, that is absolutely fantastic news."
In the televised opener, 21-year-old junior lightweight prospect Adrien "The Problem" Broner (19-0, 16 KOs) of Cincinnati will take a major step up in competition when he faces Mexican knockout artist Daniel Ponce De Leon (41-2, 34 KOs), 30, a former junior featherweight titlist and featherweight contender who is moving up in weight for the scheduled 10-rounder.
[h4]Rafael's Boxing Blog[/h4]
Get the latest scoop and analysis on the world of boxing from ESPN.com's Dan Rafael in his blog.
"Broner is a big, strong fighter with an exciting style," De Leon said. "But I'm ready for the challenge and I know he's never been in with a fighter as strong and experienced as I am."
Said Broner, "De Leon is a great fighter, a former world champion, and I respect him for stepping up for this fight. Unfortunately for him, I'm going to have to show him what it's like to be in the ring with a talent like myself."
Beyond the question of can Alvarez (35-0-1, 26 KOs) win a title at such a young age is the question of can he score another spectacular knockout against Hatton (41-4-2, 16 KOs), the European welterweight champion and the 29-year-old younger brother of former junior welterweight champ Ricky Hatton?
Alvarez is not in the habit of making predictions, however.
"I don't like to predict knockouts," he said. "I don't look for the knockouts. They come naturally. It's going to be a tough fight. I'm going to be ready to box 12 rounds."
For Hatton, the fight is not only a chance to win a title, but a chance to further escape the long shadow cast by his big brother, who was one of boxing's biggest global stars before going into an unofficial retirement after Pacquiao knocked him cold in the second round to take the junior welterweight championship in 2009.
"I've boxed in America quite a few times before. So, I'm very fortunate to have gathered that experience, but yes, to be top of the bill in me own right in such a big fight is something that I've always been looking forward to," said Hatton, who regularly boxed on Ricky's undercards but came into his own in 2010 when he won the European title and made two defenses. "I always had confidence in my ability where these opportunities would come my way, but yes, being top of the bill in me own right now, I'm looking forward to it. I'm very excited about it. I think it's going to be a great fight. It's a fight I'm going into full of confidence, can't wait for it, but yes, I am enjoying my moment in the spotlight, so to speak.
"I think it is overdue because I think it has taken me a while to produce my best form, but I really am in the best form in my career so far. I think this fight is coming at the right time for me, and being lucky enough to have boxed on these fantastic bills before stands me in good stead for this fight, I believe."
Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who promoted Ricky for the final four fights of his career, saw Matthew fight on those undercards and believes he is ready to come into his own.
"It's very impressive how Matthew has been able to progress in his career," De La Hoya said. "Every single fight, he's learning, he's growing. He's learning that the game of boxing is not all about brute strength. He's thinking. It's very impressive, especially to have an older brother like Ricky who has been in the limelight for so many years. For Matthew to break out of that shadow is also very impressive because it can be very difficult when you have an older brother who is in the limelight and who is the main event all the time.
"It shows you the character. It shows you the discipline and the patience that Matthew has had. He knows this is his moment, this is his time. I'm sure he's going to perform at his best."
Hatton is coming to Alvarez's territory. He will be the huge crowd favorite among a heavily Mexican crowd. Hatton said that means nothing to him.
"That's not something that I will lose any sleep over, to be honest," he said. "I'm an experienced fighter. To have good support is always nice. When I box home in England, they always give fantastic support. That's always nice, but at the end of the day, when that bell rings, when you're in the ring and everyone else gets out of the ring ... it's just the two fighters left in there. So, even though it's nice to have good support, those supporters can't get in the ring and help him on the night."
Alvarez is the clear favorite and if he wins big things are expected to follow. Some have suggested an eventual fight with Pacquiao, although that is unlikely given the feud between Golden Boy and Pacquiao's promoter, Top Rank. Still, it does show the kind of expectations some have for Alvarez.
"We can't get too ahead of ourselves," De La Hoya said. "He's got a tough fight coming up with Matthew. You can't plan too far ahead. He's a good fighter. He's a very, very good prospect. He's fighting for his first world title now. We're going to take it by steps. We'll see what happens and how he progresses, but we can't plan too far ahead because Matthew is going to be a very tough fighter. He's got a lot of experience. He's going to come to fight. He's just a hungry as Saul to win that world title."
Alvarez, however, feels he is prepared for possible challenges after Hatton.
"I'm ready," he said. "This is a tough fight. I do think I'm going to win this fight, but it's going to be a tough fight. I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but yes, I've always said that all along, that I'm ready for the big names."
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tommyzbikowski Tom Zbikowski
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Yes, the rumors are true, March 12th at the MGM Grand on the Cota/Mayorga undercard on Showtime pay-per-view.
tommyzbikowski Tom Zbikowski
by Semi_Jay
Yes, the rumors are true, March 12th at the MGM Grand on the Cota/Mayorga undercard on Showtime pay-per-view.
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Retweeted by our very own Jay Gunna:
tommyzbikowski Tom Zbikowski
by Semi_Jay
Yes, the rumors are true, March 12th at the MGM Grand on the Cota/Mayorga undercard on Showtime pay-per-view.
tommyzbikowski Tom Zbikowski
by Semi_Jay
Yes, the rumors are true, March 12th at the MGM Grand on the Cota/Mayorga undercard on Showtime pay-per-view.
night marcher01
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Originally Posted by goofy08
alvarez ain't playin.
Out of nowhere he brings up Manny. This dudes love for him is almost adorable! But hey, he's a promoter, he gotta sell his fighters some how.
BTW I seen Hatton's training... his style is booty! Alvarez with the KO in 7th or 8th round.
night marcher01
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Originally Posted by goofy08
alvarez ain't playin.
Out of nowhere he brings up Manny. This dudes love for him is almost adorable! But hey, he's a promoter, he gotta sell his fighters some how.
BTW I seen Hatton's training... his style is booty! Alvarez with the KO in 7th or 8th round.
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Does anyone know what Chad Dawson is going to do? I was interested to see him with Emanuel but where does he go from here? Hopefully he'll stop ducking Cloud.
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Does anyone know what Chad Dawson is going to do? I was interested to see him with Emanuel but where does he go from here? Hopefully he'll stop ducking Cloud.
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Believe he may fight the winner of Pascal v. Hopkins II
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Believe he may fight the winner of Pascal v. Hopkins II
A proposed fight between former junior welterweight titlist Devon Alexander and power punching Lucas Matthysse of Argentina is gaining steam.
Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer, Matthysse's promoter, said Thursday that he is negotiating the fight with Alexander promoter Don King. If the deal is made, the fight would take place in June or July and air on HBO, Schaefer said.
"I have to get to back to King with a number, but Matthysse wants to take the fight. He's OK with going to St. Louis [Alexander's hometown] as long as there are neutral officials," Schaefer said. "King said no problem. We just have to work out the numbers, but I have a pretty good feeling about it."
[h4]Rafael's Boxing Blog[/h4]
Get the latest scoop and analysis on the world of boxing from ESPN.com's Dan Rafael in his blog.
Schaefer said he and King are also discussing a fight between junior middleweight titlist Cornelius "K9" Bundrage and rising contender Erislandy Lara as the televised co-feature.
"I've discussed it with King and with HBO and there is interest from all sides," Schaefer said.
Alexander (21-1, 13 KOs) is coming off a disappointing performance in his 10th-round technical decision loss to Timothy Bradley in their Jan. 29 unification fight. HBO is contractually obligated to a seven-figure comeback fight for Alexander.
Matthysse (28-1, 26 KOs) lost a tight split decision to Zab Judah in a title eliminator on HBO in November, but rebounded to knock out former titlist DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley in the eighth round Jan. 21.
"I think it would be a great fight, just the type of fight that Devon wants," said Kevin Cunningham, Alexander's trainer and manager. "He's disappointed with his lack of execution in the Bradley fight and he wants to go right back in the ring with one of the top guys. We feel Matthysse is better than [Marcos] Maidana, but Maidana chose to go and fight Erik Morales instead of Devon. So Matthysse is there and he is one of the top guys. Most guys feel like he won the fight with Zab. He's a very tough opponent. That's what Devon is looking for.
"I've spoken to Don about the fight and told him it's a fight we would like to make. It's up to Don to make a deal."
Bundrage-Lara could face obstacles because Bundrage (30-4, 18 KOs) has an overdue mandatory defense due against Sechew Powell. Also, Lara (15-0, 10 KOs), the former Cuban amateur star who won a 2005 world amateur championship before defecting before the 2008 Olympics, is first scheduled to headline on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights" March 25 against Carlos Molina (17-4-1, 5 KOs).
In 2005, Molina, who is riding a nine-fight winning streak, hung the long blemish on the record of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., getting a six-round draw many felt he won. Chavez edged him via majority six-round decision in the 2006 rematch.
The March 25 ESPN2 card also will feature Cuban amateur standouts Yudel Johnson (9-0, 6 KOs), who faces Richard Gutierrez (26-5-1, 16 KOs) in the junior middleweight co-feature, and cruiserweight Yunier Dorticos (10-0, 10 KOs) against an opponent to be determined.
It will be the first boxing event at The Cosmopolitan, a new casino in Las Vegas, which intends to be active in the boxing market.
A proposed fight between former junior welterweight titlist Devon Alexander and power punching Lucas Matthysse of Argentina is gaining steam.
Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer, Matthysse's promoter, said Thursday that he is negotiating the fight with Alexander promoter Don King. If the deal is made, the fight would take place in June or July and air on HBO, Schaefer said.
"I have to get to back to King with a number, but Matthysse wants to take the fight. He's OK with going to St. Louis [Alexander's hometown] as long as there are neutral officials," Schaefer said. "King said no problem. We just have to work out the numbers, but I have a pretty good feeling about it."
[h4]Rafael's Boxing Blog[/h4]
Get the latest scoop and analysis on the world of boxing from ESPN.com's Dan Rafael in his blog.
Schaefer said he and King are also discussing a fight between junior middleweight titlist Cornelius "K9" Bundrage and rising contender Erislandy Lara as the televised co-feature.
"I've discussed it with King and with HBO and there is interest from all sides," Schaefer said.
Alexander (21-1, 13 KOs) is coming off a disappointing performance in his 10th-round technical decision loss to Timothy Bradley in their Jan. 29 unification fight. HBO is contractually obligated to a seven-figure comeback fight for Alexander.
Matthysse (28-1, 26 KOs) lost a tight split decision to Zab Judah in a title eliminator on HBO in November, but rebounded to knock out former titlist DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley in the eighth round Jan. 21.
"I think it would be a great fight, just the type of fight that Devon wants," said Kevin Cunningham, Alexander's trainer and manager. "He's disappointed with his lack of execution in the Bradley fight and he wants to go right back in the ring with one of the top guys. We feel Matthysse is better than [Marcos] Maidana, but Maidana chose to go and fight Erik Morales instead of Devon. So Matthysse is there and he is one of the top guys. Most guys feel like he won the fight with Zab. He's a very tough opponent. That's what Devon is looking for.
"I've spoken to Don about the fight and told him it's a fight we would like to make. It's up to Don to make a deal."
Bundrage-Lara could face obstacles because Bundrage (30-4, 18 KOs) has an overdue mandatory defense due against Sechew Powell. Also, Lara (15-0, 10 KOs), the former Cuban amateur star who won a 2005 world amateur championship before defecting before the 2008 Olympics, is first scheduled to headline on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights" March 25 against Carlos Molina (17-4-1, 5 KOs).
In 2005, Molina, who is riding a nine-fight winning streak, hung the long blemish on the record of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., getting a six-round draw many felt he won. Chavez edged him via majority six-round decision in the 2006 rematch.
The March 25 ESPN2 card also will feature Cuban amateur standouts Yudel Johnson (9-0, 6 KOs), who faces Richard Gutierrez (26-5-1, 16 KOs) in the junior middleweight co-feature, and cruiserweight Yunier Dorticos (10-0, 10 KOs) against an opponent to be determined.
It will be the first boxing event at The Cosmopolitan, a new casino in Las Vegas, which intends to be active in the boxing market.
The last time Zab Judah fought, he survived a 10th-round knockdown and intense pressure from Argentina's Lucas Matthysse in the late rounds to pull out a split decision in November.
Now Judah is returning to action against another foreign fighter headed for Newark, N.J., looking to trip him up in his quest for another title.
This time Judah -- the former undisputed welterweight champ and a two-time junior welterweight titleholder -- is looking to win a piece of the 140-pound title for the third time when he meets South Africa's Kaizer Mabuza for a vacant belt at the Prudential Center's AmeriHealth Pavilion on Saturday night (9 ET, Integrated Sports PPV, $29.95).
"Kaiser Mabuza is a very tough fighter. He brings a great style to the ring of boxing, and he brings exciting fights," Judah said. "He's known as a home wrecker and he's coming across the world, so I know he's coming in 100 percent prepared for us. I know he's gonna try to come in there and win his first world title, but Zab Judah is in there and I'm looking to become the five-time champion of the world. I'm not gonna stop."
Judah (40-6, 27 KOs), 33, who is from Brooklyn, N.Y., and will be the heavy crowd favorite, is right about Mabuza, 31, being something of a home wrecker.
In Mabuza's past two fights, he has traveled to the home turf of his opponents -- like he will be doing against Judah -- and won.
In September 2009, Mabuza (23-6-3, 14 KOs) journeyed to Ukraine and won a majority decision against Serhiy Fedchenko.
Thirteen months ago, he went to Atlantic City and stopped New Jersey's Kendall Holt in the sixth round for a major upset in the title elimination fight that set him up for a shot at the belt.
"You know I'm not joking; there's nothing amusing here," Judah said. "Kaiser Mabuza is a fighter who made his way to the No. 1 spot. There's nothing I can take away from that, there's nothing you can take away from that. So you have to give him his respect, because he made his way there."
Like with Matthysse, Judah is in the position of facing a difficult opponent who is not widely known to American fight fans.
"My last fight was Lucas Matthysse, another fighter people didn't know anything about, but now you guys know about him," Judah said. "With Matthysse, everybody was saying to me, 'He's nobody, nobody knows him'. But now people see he's a very rugged, tough, strong puncher, and like I said, the guy has exceptional punching power. Same thing with Kaiser Mabuza. He's an action-packed fighter, he's coming in here. This is a major opportunity for him. He sat around and waited for the opportunity for a long time, and I know come [Saturday], Kaiser Mabuza is not coming all the way from South Africa to lose.
"These guys, Matthysse and Mabuza, people side-stepped them because they're not familiar with them, because they're from different countries and they were doing things over there. People say, 'I'm not fighting them, they're nobody.' But evidently they are somebody, because they made their way up to the position they are at right now."
Said Main Events CEO Kathy Duva, Judah's promoter: "Some of you may have seen Kaizer Mabuza when he first came to New Jersey and scored an upset against Kendall Holt. We know what he can do. We know what Zab can do. There are so many fights that people talk about lately and the results are a foregone conclusion. This is not the case here. We have a very explosive combination of styles that is going to make for an amazing event. We are not just going through the motions here. This is about do or die for both of them."
To prepare for Mabuza, Judah brought in Hall of Famer Pernell Whitaker as an assistant trainer to his father, Yoel Judah, to shore up his corner. Judah and Whitaker have known each other for years, since Judah was a young pro who sparred with Whitaker near the end of his career.
While Judah's corner is stable and now also boasts Whitaker, Mabuza's corner has seen a disruption that could be a problem.
His trainer, Manuel Fernandes, was unable to come to the United States for the bout because of a visa issue.
"I don't know how it will affect Mabuza," said his trainer, Branco Milenkovic. "This is so much of an issue that I was thinking to pull Mabuza out of the fight last Saturday. But out of respect for IBF and Main Events, I didn't do so."
Publicly at least, Mabuza has not let his training situation be an issue.
"I'm glad to be back in America," he said. "It's an honor to me to fight a person like Zab Judah. I think he had his time. He's a former world champion. I think this is my time, because I'm still hungry for success. And I promise him, when I take the ring, I change; I become a new man. I'm hungry for success, so you have to expect that it will be like fireworks."
[h3]Pavlik's comeback fight[/h3]
Former middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik, who is ticketed to return to action May 7 on the Showtime PPV undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley main event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, likely will face Texas light heavyweight Alfonso Lopez (21-0, 16 KOs), co-manager Cameron Dunkin told ESPN.com.
Dunkin said the bout likely would be at a maximum weight of 170 pounds. Lopez, 28, has fought primarily at light heavyweight, but has fought several fights at super middleweight.
"He's not done yet, but I watched the tape of him and I'm going to send it over to the Pavliks, but I said I am OK with him as the opponent," Dunkin said. "They've never overruled me in all these years and we have a verbal agreement [with Lopez]."
Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs), 28, of Youngstown, Ohio, has not fought since April 2010, when he lost a unanimous decision and the middleweight championship to Sergio Martinez. He recently spent two months in an alcohol rehabilitation facility before coming out in early January.
"He's excited about fighting and training really hard and almost ready to go," Dunkin said of Pavlik.
Despite Lopez's impressive record, Pavlik would represent, by far, his most notable opponent.
"He's a good fighter, not an embarrassment in any stretch of the imagination, but he is not any pound-for-pound list either," Top Rank's Carl Moretti said. "He's the right kind of opponent for Kelly coming back."
[h3]Chavez eyes title bout[/h3]
Middleweight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (42-0-1, 30 KOs) will forgo a planned fight against David Medina (22-2, 10 KOs) on March 19 in Mexico, according to Top Rank.
There are two reasons. First, Chavez has a mandatory shot against titlist Sebastian Zbik (30-0, 10 KOs) in the works for June 4 and nobody wants to jeopardize it. Also -- and more important, according to Top Rank's Carl Moretti -- is the fact that Chavez's trainer, Freddie Roach, and strength coach, Alex Ariza, will be unable to prepare Chavez for the fight because they will be in the Philippines getting Manny Pacquiao ready for his May 7 fight with Shane Mosley.
"That was the biggest thing, that Freddie and Alex will be in the Philippines," Moretti said. "That and that the Zbik fight would be right behind it if he fought in March."
There had been internal discussion about Chavez facing Medina with a substitute trainer for the March fight, but that idea was scrapped.
The Zbik-Chavez fight has not been signed, but the sides are talking, Moretti said. Showtime and HBO have both expressed interest in the fight, too, he said.
With Chavez-Medina off, junior flyweight titlist Roman Gonzalez's defense against Manuel Vargas is expected to headline the card. Welterweight Alfonso Gomez had been ticketed for the undercard, but Moretti said he would not be ready following shoulder surgery late last year, a procedure that forced him to withdraw from a December fight with Chavez.
[h3]Collazo to return[/h3]
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Nick Laham/Getty ImagesMany believed Luis Collazo, right, got the best of Ricky Hatton in their 2006 welterweight title fight -- except two of the three judges.
Former welterweight titlist Luis Collazo (30-4, 15 KOs), 29, who suffered razor-close points defeats to Ricky Hatton and Andre Berto in title bouts, is getting back in the ring. Collazo will fight an opponent to be determined in a junior middleweight fight on the undercard of pal Dmitriy Salita's bout April 13 in Brooklyn.
Collazo lost a close decision to Berto in January 2009 in one of that year's most exciting fights. He returned in June 2009 to score a sixth-round knockout of soft touch David Gogichaishvili on a club card in South Carolina, but has not fought since, while waiting for his promotional contract with Don King to expire.
Nirmal Lorick, Collazo's trainer and adviser, told ESPN.com that the promotional contract expired Feb. 10 and that Collazo was anxious to fight again.
"We'll go to 154 pounds and see how he feels, but Luis wants to stay busy," Lorick said. "We're done with our contract and we're doing our own thing right now. Luis is really happy. He is free of the contract. He was getting the right opportunities before, but we're glad to be back."
Salita, who will fight in the main event in a welterweight bout against an opponent to be named, is dedicating his fight to his late trainer, Jimmy O'Pharrow, the founder of Brooklyn's Starrett City Boxing Club, where Salita trains.
O'Pharrow, a stalwart in New York boxing circles who also worked with Collazo, among others, died last week at 85.
• James Kirkland, who has not fought since March 2009 because of a prison sentence for gun possession by a felon, makes his return on Saturday's Saul Alvarez-Matthew Hatton undercard at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Kirkland was on his way to a junior middleweight title shot before his legal problems that cost him an 18-month prison stint and time at a halfway house. Now living in Las Vegas and training with Kenny Adams, Kirkland (25-0, 22 KOs), who turns 27 on March 19, meets Ahsanid Gibbs (10-2, 4 KOs), who has lost two fights in a row, in an eight-rounder at 163 pounds. If Kirkland wins, he is scheduled to fight on the HBO PPV undercard of the April 9 Erik Morales-Marcos Maidana fight. Co-manager Cameron Dunkin will be watching Kirkland closely. "I just want him to be in good shape and I want to see his reflexes good. I just want to see a good performance. He's fighting a solid guy, and then we'll move on to April 9 and, hopefully, that will be a good fight and then, hopefully, he can find a spot on HBO somewhere and work toward a title fight," Dunkin said. Promoter Oscar De La Hoya will also be watching to see how Kirkland looks after the long layoff. "I'm expecting him to be rusty, maybe his timing with punches won't be there, but that is expected," he said. "I will expect him to come out like a bull, like a lion who hasn't been fed for two weeks and has been in a cage for a month. I expect him to fight hard, but have some rust. I know he's motivated. We've got to keep him in the gym and he will become a champion."
• Although Top Rank hopes to match unified bantamweight titlist Nonito Donaire with fellow titleholder Anselmo Moreno (30-1-1, 10 KOs) on May 28 in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the Philippines' Donaire grew up, the opponent and place could change. Top Rank's Carl Moretti told ESPN.com that there is interest in bringing the fight to Atlantic City, N.J., to take place in the upstairs arena at Boardwalk Hall. And if Top Rank can't close a deal with Moreno, he said it is possible that Donaire (26-1, 18 KOs) could defend his belts -- which he won Feb. 19 with a crushing second-round knockout of Fernando Montiel -- against junior bantamweight titlist Hugo Cazares (34-6-2, 24 KOs) of Mexico.
[h4]Rafael's Boxing Blog[/h4]
Get the latest scoop and analysis on the world of boxing from ESPN.com's Dan Rafael in his blog.
• Oscar De La Hoya, along with a trio of prospects Golden Boy promotes -- Adrien Broner, Danny Jacobs and Seth Mitchell -- are headed to the Middle East for a week as part of a USO tour to visit American troops. They will go in the coming weeks, although the specific dates and exact location have not been released due to security concerns. "On a mission to boost troop morale, the group will participate in boxing clinics, share techniques and extend their thanks to America's troops serving in the Middle East," according to the formal announcement.
• Although former pound-for-pound king Roy Jones Jr. has been in talks for a spring fight in Russia with cruiserweight contender Denis Lebedev (21-1, 16 KOs) of Russia, the fight appears unlikely. "They made us an offer and we countered. There is a huge gap, and I don't see it happening based on what I know now," John Wirt, CEO of Jones' Square Ring Promotions, told ESPN.com. Lebedev is coming off a split-decision loss to titleholder Marco Huck on Dec. 18. Jones (54-7, 40 KOs), 42, was a four-division titleholder, but is way past his prime. He has lost two fights in a row in lopsided fashion: a first-round knockout to Danny Green in Australia in December 2009 and a near-shutout decision to Bernard Hopkins in their April 2010 rematch.
• Featherweight contenders Juan Carlos Burgos (26-1, 19 KOs) of Mexico and Panama's Celestino Caballero (34-3, 23 KOs), a former unified junior featherweight titleholder, could meet in May on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights," Caballero promoter Lou DiBella told ESPN.com. Burgos lost a very competitive decision to Hozumi Hasegawa for a vacant featherweight belt in November and rebounded to crush Frankie Archuleta in two rounds on "FNF" on Feb. 25. An out-of-shape Caballero is coming off a shocking upset loss to junior lightweight Jason Litzau in a November HBO bout. "Caballero had the worst night of his career and didn't do near what you would expect a guy of his caliber to do in the Litzau fight, but with Burgos, he will be in with another top featherweight and he can prove he deserves a shot at a title," DiBella said. "He's not coming back against a stooge. He's coming back against one of the best featherweights in the world. Burgos is a very good fighter and he will elevate himself to where he will deserve another title shot if he can beat Caballero. It's a great ESPN fight."
• DiBella, who promotes middleweight Peter Manfredo (37-6, 20 KOs), told ESPN.com that he is in talks with representatives of titleholder Felix Sturm about making that match for Sturm's next title defense, which would be in Germany. "That's a fight we love. They're interested and we're interested in the fight. It would be early summer," DiBella said. On Feb. 19, Sturm (35-2-1, 15 KOs) knocked out another DiBella fighter, Ronald Hearns, in the seventh round.
• Top Rank, which has not done ESPN2 cards since its exclusive deal with the network ended in 1998, will put on a "Friday Night Fights" card at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on May 6, the night before it promotes the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley Showtime PPV card at sister property MGM Grand. The headline fighter is slated to be Las Vegas junior lightweight Diego Magdaleno (18-0, 6 KOs) against an opponent to be named, Top Rank's Carl Moretti told ESPN.com. Also ticketed for the card is former featherweight title challenger Bernabe Concepcion (28-4-1, 15 KOs), a Pacquiao protégé, and light heavyweight prospect Mike Lee (4-0, 3 KOs). Moretti said the show will take place in one of Mandalay Bay's ballrooms and be configured for about 1,500. He said Top Rank is looking forward to a return to ESPN. "We're going to put on a good show and we would welcome the opportunity to do as many shows as possible," he said. "It gives us another platform to expose younger fighters coming up as well as put on good fights, so why not take advantage of it?"
• Lightweight contender John Murray (30-0, 18 KOs) will defend the European title in London on April 2 against Karim El Ouazghari (11-1-2, 4 KOs) of Spain, a fight made when promoter Frank Warren could not finalize a deal with Kevin Mitchell, Murray's British rival. The fight will now headline the card that night as the original main event, light heavyweight titlist Jürgen Brähmer (36-2, 29 KOs) defending against interim titlist Nathan Cleverly (21-0, 10 KOs), has been moved to May 21, also in London.
• Promoter Lou DiBella has an April 8 "ShoBox" (Showtime) tripleheader in the works to take place in Laredo, Texas. The prospect-laden card features super middleweight Marcus Johnson (20-0, 15 KOs) in the main event against Dyah Ali Davis (18-2-1, 9 KOs). Junior welterweight Danny O'Connor (14-0, 3 KOs) meets Gabriel Bracero (14-0, 1 KO) in the co-feature with welterweight Willie Nelson (16-0-1, 10 KOs) opening the show in an eight-rounder against an opponent to be determined.
• Paul Williams, who was knocked out in the second round of his November rematch with middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, was slated to return on HBO on April 30. However, the fight will instead be pushed back until at least June, according to promoter Dan Goossen. When Williams does return, against an opponent to be determined, he intends to drop down to welterweight.
• Former junior flyweight champ Ivan "Iron Boy" Calderon (34-1-1, 6 KOs), training for his rematch with champion Giovani Segura (26-1-1, 22 KOs) on April 2 (Integrated Sports PPV), was well inside the maximum allowable weight at his official 30-day prefight weight check. Calderon was 116½ pounds for the fight, which will be contested at 108 pounds. Calderon, who will travel to Segura's native Mexico for the fight, could have weighed as much as 124.2 pounds. Segura knocked Calderon out in the eighth round in August in a fight of the year candidate on Calderon's turf in Puerto Rico. "I'm always near from my weight for the fights, but I'm training too hard for Segura and working in some new and old things," Calderon said. "I'm working now for more strength for Segura."
[h3]Quotables[/h3]
"Doctors say it should be no problem. It should be as strong as before. Yesterday, it was raining, for example, I felt it. I feel the weather. Good thing the fight is [Las] Vegas. The chance of rain is slim." -- former junior middleweight titlist Yuri Foreman, who fights Pawel Wolak on March 12 on the Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Mayorga Showtime PPV card, on fighting for the first time since tearing his ACL and undergoing knee surgery after his loss to Cotto in June.
"It was a very happy day for me. I got up at four in the morning, as normal, and finished training at 10 at night. It was no different except that I received phone calls of congratulations from all over the world and that was happy for me. But I worked normal like every day." -- middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, who is training for his fight against Sergei Dzinziruk on March 12 (HBO), on how he celebrated his 36th birthday on Feb. 21.
