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Broner: “I’ve Been Eating A Lot of Ice Cream”

Published

11 years ago

December 12, 2013

The Sweet Science

“DANGER ZONE: ADRIEN BRONER VS. MARCOS MAIDANA” AND UNDERCARD FIGHTERS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

Adrien Broner, Undefeated WBA Welterweight and Three-Division World Champion:

[On how he prepares for a fighter that is so aggressive]: “He [Maidana] has never fought me. He’s never seen anybody in the ring like me, so he doesn’t know what he’s going to encounter.”

[On doing anything different in training to maintain his punching power at 147 pounds] “I’m okay. I’ve been eating a lot of ice cream.”

[On Marcos Maidana being a knockout victim] “I don’t have to explain what is already understood. He makes a lot of mistakes.

[On flying 65 family members to Colorado for Thanksgiving] “I just wanted to have a good time for Thanksgiving and see my family, but it was right back to work after that.

“I have to stay focused. I am not going to allow distraction. I’m not going to lie. This is the biggest fight of my career to date. He is going to try to hurt me, so I am ready and focused.”

Marcos Maidana, Former WBA Junior Welterweight Champion:

“The plan is that when I fight Broner, I am going to hit him everywhere and be busier. I’m prepared to throw many punches in the fight and pressure him. I’ve also trained to cut off the ring.

“It’s very important to attack the body, the arms and later the head.

“I am not sure that he [Broner] is the best I’ve faced, but he is definitely different.”

Keith Thurman, WBA Interim Welterweight World Champion:

“I am truly blessed to be where I am in the world of boxing. This is a dream come true. I have been boxing since the age of seven and in the amateur ranks all I ever wanted to be was a world champion.

“I am happy to be here. I am happy to receive the fan base and the recognition that I deserve and being on the networks. I fight hard. I am hungry all of the time and even though I have a belt, I’m still hungry. There are plenty other belts out there and you better believe that my fight against Soto Karass is going to be one heck of a fight. I am also looking forward to 2014.”

[On calling out Paulie Malignaggi in the past] “Paulie was on my mind due to that title, but when Adrien Broner took it, then that makes me look forward to stepping into that ring with ‘AB’ in 2014. A lot of fans want that fight and I want what the fans want.”

[On Soto Karass] “I think he is a highly estimated fighter. He is 120 percent hard work and dedication. He says he has a new passion for the sport and I believe him. He has been training hard in camp and I am not underestimating him. I am looking forward to a tremendous fight on Saturday night.

“All you have to do is watch Soto Karass’ fights. He gets hit. He tends to have a little bit of boxing skills and we will see if his team was working a little bit more on that with this fight. No matter what I plan on being the sharper fighter, the stronger fighter and the smarter fighter.”

Jesus Soto Karass, Welterweight Contender:

“Keith Thurman doesn’t have a weakness. He’s a young fighter and he’s strong. He is going to give it his best, but he is going to see that I am hands on. I have put more effort and concentration into my career than he has. I admit that I am the more daring fighter and Thurman has never fought someone with my mentality.

“God willing I will fight the winner of Broner vs. Maidana.

“I have prepared well and I have no fear of Thurman because I have fought tougher fights. We’re going to give it our all in the ring.”

Leo Santa Cruz, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion:

“I’m going to do what I have to do in the ring. Since I was younger I had a dream of becoming a champion and make a better life for my family. I have been able to accomplish that dream, but I know that if I lose then everything would be taken away.

“Sometimes I can’t believe that I am at this level of fighting and everything I have accomplished. I am excited and very happy because this is what I have worked so hard for, and I don’t want anyone take that title away.

[On how much longer he will be at this weight] “Right now everything is good. I would like to fight one or two more defenses then move up in weight.”

Cesar Seda, Super Bantamweight Title Challenger:

“I have trained really hard for this fight against Santa Cruz. I’m focused and ready for Saturday night.”

Beibut Shumenov, WBA Super & IBA Light Heavyweight Champion:

“I’m very happy to be here and I just want to show everybody that I am the best Light Heavyweight Champion in the world.”

Tamas Kovacs, Former WBO European & WBF Light Heavyweight Champion:

“My training camp has been going well. Shumenov is a good boxer, but I am a more intelligent fighter.”

Jamell Herring, Former 2012 Olympian Prospect and Lightweight:

[On Lance Williams saying he was going to knock him out] “If you look at his record and the opponents he has fought, they weren’t tough. I was in the Marine Corps and I have been through worse. I have had more experience in both my amateur and professional careers. I am definitely not threatened by him.”

Lance Williams, Lightweight Prospect:

[On his opponent Jamel Herring] “He is a high volume puncher but I am going to go out there and be the aggressor. I am going to come straight forward and cut the ring off.”

Ricardo Alvarez, Junior Welterweight Prospect:

“I am really happy to be here in San Antonio. I’m really happy that I am going to be able to box in front of the Mexican fans.

“I have been here with my brother in the past, so I know the type of fight fans to expect. I’m going to put on a good show. I’m confident that I am going to win this fight and would like to fight Omar Figueroa next.”

Robert Easter, Jr., Top Lightweight Rising Star:

“I trained hard and hopefully I will get my opponent out of there early. It’s about the knockout. I’ve only been to the third round in my career so far. At this point I’m not getting paid enough to do a display of boxing for all of those rounds. I make it a point to get my opponent out of there earlier. I’m going to go out there and give it my all. I give him two or three rounds. I’m feeling strong right now, stronger than I have ever felt.”

Jermain Taylor, Former Undisputed Middleweight Champion:

“Training has been great and I have been really focused in camp. I am 35-years-old so I have a small window of opportunity. I have been boxing since I was 12 and I am an Olympian. People would say that I would never make it to the Olympics and I did that and they also said that I would never be a champion and I did that too.”

[On whether his legacy of fighting top-notch champions is recognized] “I have fought many talented champion in my career and I don’t care about the legacy. I’m happy. My family is being fed. Damn the legacy.”

Rau’shee Warren, Three-Time U.S. Olympian (2004, 2008 & 2012):

“I don’t know anything about my opponent, but that doesn’t matter. It will take me about a minute to figure him out. Because I have been around the world and I’m a three-time Olympian. I have fought in different countries. I have had to fight different styled fighters and have had to learn to adapt.

” I’m ready for a win on Saturday. I’ve been training in Colorado with my team and I am motivated. My team always motivates me to be in the best shape I can be.”

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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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