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Peter Quillin: “Barclays Boxing Debut Is My Christmas”

Published

12 years ago

October 8, 2012

NEW YORK (Oct. 9, 2012) – Christmas will come early for Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, a New York kind of guy and No. 1-ranked contender who challenges fellow unbeaten WBO Middleweight World Champion Hassan N’Dam in one of four world championship fights on Saturday, October 20, in the first-ever boxing event at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Quillin recently answered six questions with SHOWTIME boxing analyst and historian Steve Farhood:

You're originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, not New York City, but you’ve lived in New York for the last 12 years. What about you suggests you’re a true New Yorker?

“I have no problem drinking coffee in the morning with a bagel. I’m a corner-bodega kind of guy; I don’t like to be the type of person who goes to Starbucks just because everybody else goes there.

“Also, I’m not really a morning person. On the subway in the morning, there’s dead quiet. Nobody says anything — me included.

“And if somebody asks me for directions, I tell them I don’t know — even if I do.

“I fit right in.”

The original Kid Chocolate was the first world champ from Cuba. Your dad is Cuban. There have been many great Cuban champions, but you're the first one I remember who’s publicly paid homage to Kid Chocolate. Why?

“Fighters here take the name Muhammad for Ali, or Sugar. I took the name Kid Chocolate not so much for Cuba, but for my father, who came here with nothing.

“It’s a tribute to his culture. I went to Cuba 2 1/2 years ago and met three half-brothers and sisters for the first time. My father is 75 and he still lives in Grand Rapids. I speak to him in Spanish more than I ever have. It’s very important for me to learn the language.”

“The original Kid Chocolate was not only a great fighter, but when he came here, he was very big in New York.”

The original Kid Chocolate fought many times in New York City, including several times in Brooklyn. What does it mean to have your biggest fight to date at the brand new Barclays Center in Brooklyn?

“I’ve lived in Brooklyn, and when I first heard about this show, I kept it to myself. You know when you’re growing up and your mom says she’ll get you something for Christmas? Well, you don’t say anything because you’re scared that if you do, it won’t happen.

“This is my Christmas.

“This is big for me. New York created me as a person and a fighter. The aggressiveness… the hard work for something you want. Believe it or not, growing up in Michigan, I used to talk with a fake Brooklyn accent.

(Upon learning that the last world title fight in Brooklyn came 81 years ago) “Man, how do you think that makes me feel?”

There's been a lot of complaining about the lack of top-level American heavyweights, but you’re the only American in the middleweight top 20. Does that create pressure?

“In 1982, there were eight American middleweights rated by ‘The Ring.’ Fast-forward, and now there’s only me, but I’m not letting the pressure get to me. I have to use that fact as motivation. It’s not about the money, it’s about my legacy.

“I never allow anybody to call me champ. I say, ‘We’re getting there.’ After October 20, they’ll call me champ and I’ll accept it gracefully. In fact, I’ll probably cry.”

If you’re successful against N’Dam, what fight might the win propel you toward?

“I have Al Haymon and Golden Boy; all the sweat and pain, and now I’m seeing the rewards. They look after me. Whatever fights come my way.

“Personally, whenever I called for (WBC champion) Sergio Martinez, people said I was being disrespectful, but I just wanted to fight the best.

“And I’m tired of hearing about (WBA champion) Gennady Golovkin. He had 400 amateur fights; he’s supposed to be doing what he’s doing.

“(IBF champion) Daniel Geale…there are too many names out there to call out just one. I’m gonna let my team handle it.”

You've had 27 pro bouts. The original Kid Chocolate had 151. You think you'll catch up?

“That greatness is what I’m working towards, but 151–that’s a scary number.”

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2015 Fight of the Year – Francisco Vargas vs Takashi Miura

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

The WBC World Super Featherweight title bout between Francisco Vargas and Takashi Miura came on one of the biggest boxing stages of 2015, as the bout served as the HBO pay-per-view’s co-main event on November 21st, in support of Miguel Cotto vs Saul Alvarez.

Miura entered the fight with a (29-2-2) record and he was making the fifth defense of his world title, while Vargas entered the fight with an undefeated mark of (22-0-1) in what was his first world title fight. Both men had a reputation for all-out fighting, with Miura especially earning high praise for his title defense in Mexico where he defeated Sergio Thompson in a fiercely contested battle.

The fight started out hotly contested, and the intensity never let up. Vargas seemed to win the first two rounds, but by the fourth round, Miura seemed to pull ahead, scoring a knock-down and fighting with a lot of confidence. After brawling the first four rounds, Miura appeared to settle into a more technical approach. Rounds 5 and 6 saw the pendulum swing back towards Vargas, as he withstood Miura’s rush to open the fifth round and the sixth round saw both men exchanging hard punches.

The big swinging continued, and though Vargas likely edged Miura in rounds 5 and 6, Vargas’ face was cut in at least two spots and Miura started to assert himself again in rounds 7 and 8. Miura was beginning to grow in confidence while it appeared that Vargas was beginning to slow down, and Miura appeared to hurt Vargas at the end of the 8th round.

Vargas turned the tide again at the start of the ninth round, scoring a knock down with an uppercut and a straight right hand that took Miura’s legs and sent him to the canvas. Purely on instinct, Miura got back up and continued to fight, but Vargas was landing frequently and with force. Referee Tony Weeks stepped in to stop the fight at the halfway point of round 9 as Miura was sustaining a barrage of punches.

Miura still had a minute and a half to survive if he was going to get out of the round, and it was clear that he was not going to stop fighting.

A back and forth battle of wills between two world championship level fighters, Takashi Miura versus “El Bandido” Vargas wins the 2015 Fight of the Year.

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Jan 9 in Germany – Feigenbutz and De Carolis To Settle Score

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

This coming Saturday, January 9th, the stage is set at the Baden Arena in Offenburg, Germany for a re-match between Vincent Feigenbutz and Giovanni De Carolis. The highly anticipated re-match is set to air on SAT.1 in Germany, and Feigenbutz will once again be defending his GBU and interim WBA World titles at Super Middleweight.

The first meeting between the two was less than three months ago, on October 17th and that meeting saw Feigenbutz controversially edge De Carolis on the judge’s cards by scores of (115-113, 114-113 and 115-113). De Carolis scored a flash knock down in the opening round, and he appeared to outbox Feigenbutz in the early going, but the 20 year old German champion came on in the later rounds.

The first bout is described as one of the most crowd-pleasing bouts of the year in Germany, and De Carolis and many observers felt that the Italian had done enough to win.

De Carolis told German language website RAN.DE that he was more prepared for the re-match, and that due to the arrogance Feigenbutz displayed in the aftermath of the first fight, he was confident that he had won over some of the audience. Though De Carolis fell short of predicting victory, he promised a re-vamped strategy tailored to what he has learned about Feigenbutz, whom he termed immature and inexperienced.

The stage is set for Feigenbutz vs De Carolis 2, this Saturday January 9th in Offenburg, Germany. If you can get to the live event do it, if not you have SAT.1 in Germany airing the fights, and The Boxing Channel right back here for full results.

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2015 Knock Out of the Year – Saul Alvarez KO’s James Kirkland

Published

9 years ago

December 29, 2015

The Sweet Science

On May 9th of 2015, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez delivered a resonant knock-out of James Kirkland on HBO that wins the 2015 KO of the Year.

The knock-out itself came in the third round, after slightly more than two minutes of action. The end came when Alvarez delivered a single, big right hand that caught Kirkland on the jaw and left him flat on his back after spinning to the canvas.Alvarez was clearly the big star heading into the fight. The fight was telecast by HBO for free just one week after the controversial and disappointing Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight, and Alvarez was under pressure to deliver the type of finish that people were going to talk about. Kirkland was happy to oblige Alvarez, taking it right to Alvarez from the start. Kirkland’s aggression saw him appear to land blows that troubled the young Mexican in the early going. Alvarez played good defense, and he floored Kirkland in the first round, displaying his power and his technique in knocking down an aggressive opponent.

However, Kirkland kept coming at Alvarez and the fight entered the third round with both men working hard and the feeling that the fight would not go the distance. Kirkland continued to move forward, keeping “Canelo” against the ropes and scoring points with a barrage of punches while looking for an opening.

At around the two minute mark, Alvarez landed an uppercut that sent Kirkland to the canvas again. Kirkland got up, but it was clear that he did not have his legs under him. Kirkland was going to try to survive the round, but Alvarez had an opportunity to close out the fight. The question was would he take it?

Alvarez closed in on Kirkland, putting his opponent’s back to the ropes. Kirkland was hurt, but he was still dangerous, pawing with punches and loading up for one big shot.

But it was the big shot “Canelo” threw that ended the night. Kirkland never saw it coming, as he was loading up with a huge right hand of his own. The right Alvarez threw cracked Kirkland in the jaw, and his eyes went blank. His big right hand whizzed harmlessly over the head of a ducking Alvarez, providing the momentum for the spin that left Kirkland prone on the canvas.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez went on to defeat Miguel Cotto in his second fight of 2015 and he is clearly one of boxing’s biggest stars heading into 2016. On May 9th Alvarez added another reel to his highlight film when he knocked out James Kirkland with the 2015 “Knock Out of the Year”.

Photo by naoki fukuda

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