PREDICTION PAGE: Who Do Ya Like, Hopkins or Cloud?

Published

12 years ago

March 9, 2013

BERNARD “THE EXECUTIONER” HOPKINS, Six-Time And Two-Division World Champion & Oldest Fighter In History To Win A World Title

“Any athlete who goes in there and knows they are 100 percent ready physically has an advantage. Athletes deal with aches and pains, but I was able to rest for the whole summer of 2012 and I had a chance to heal my body 100 percent.

“Tavoris Cloud might actually be hungrier than me. How often do you hear a fighter say that his opponent is hungrier than he is? I don’t need hunger. I’m motivated by my desire to prove that I’m different and that I can still silence the critics.

“You will have reason to be surprised on March 9.

“You’re not going to see a new Bernard Hopkins. I’m too old for that crap. I think what you will see is something different that I know I am capable of doing.

“There’s always a chance you will see something new in a fight. Especially in boxing.

“I’m going to avoid Cloud’s strengths and expose his weaknesses.

“I have the philosophy that I’m different. I have the body, the well-being and the experience. Now the teacher gets to show the student that he’s worthy of the lesson. Let me show him through experience.

“I don’t know what being a 48-year-old feels like. There are a lot of 48 year olds that aren’t in good shape. The pharmacy is making a killing off of them.

“I’m 100 percent clean. I’m doing this off of nuts and bananas.

“The media here know that there’s the possibility that I can pull this off. I’m confident. Confidence comes with work. When you prepare yourself and you know you’re going into combat with all of your bullets, you have the confidence to go into battle.

“I want to be the poster child for taking care of yourself after 40. Obesity is an epidemic in this country and I’m a living, breathing example of what it means to stay healthy.

“I’m not going to give up. If you pay attention to my plan and the way I live and the way I eat, then you have a chance to extend your life a few more years.”

TAVORIS “THUNDER” CLOUD, Undefeated IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion

“Whatever comes with the fight, I’m ready. He [Bernard Hopkins] called me out. I’m just going in to win the fight.

“I’m going to give the people their money’s worth…true sports entertainment for their dollar. I’m the undefeated IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion making my fifth title defense. The crowd will be with me because everybody wants to be with a winner.

“I’d be a fool to get caught up in Bernard Hopkins’ mind games. That’s a fool’s game buying into those traps. When the bell rings on Saturday night, we’re both equals. I’ve got to go in there and hit him to show his tactics will not work against me.

“I switched to my new trainer Abel Sanchez to add versatility to my game. I’m coming to fight a serious fight. If I knock him [Hopkins] out, it will just put another feather in my cap. I’m predicting a win, but I never look for the knockout because that’s not my game plan. If my punches result in a knockout, so be it.

[On his high-altitude training camp known as “The Summit” in Big Bear Lake, Calif.] “The first day of training in Big Bear, it felt like somebody put a plastic bag over my head. After eight weeks up there, I feel very strong.

“In this fight I want to show people who are in poverty, downtrodden or denied that you can succeed. I want my performance to be an inspiration to people. You have to stay in the moment and keep moving ahead. I just want to show everyone that you can find answers to your problems and afflictions with hard work and perseverance.

“I came from nothing out in the woods near Tallahassee, Florida. My mom was a single mom raising five of us. It wasn’t easy but she found a way to raise us to adulthood. We made it somehow.”

“You have to go in there and hit him. Show him that his tactics don’t work. Bernard Hopkins is a fighter that you have to get straight to the point with. You can’t lollygag and bullsh*t because that’s his game. Being serious and doing my job throwing punches in the ring, that’s my game. I don’t come to put on a show for the people. I come to give the people a fight and give them their money’s worth; give them real entertainment.”

“He [Hopkins] is a good fighter. He’s earned his keep, but I just don’t think he can hit me. I think he trains hard and he lives his life right. He’s made sacrifices to increase his longevity, but you know it’s been too long.

“I was hungry and I was looking for a way to better my life. With boxing, I didn’t have to make a team. It wasn’t like baseball or football. I could just walk in the gym and start doing something that I liked.

“The word ‘snooze fest’ comes to mind [when talking about Hopkins’ fighting style], that’s what a lot of people say. He’s a boring fighter.

“Fighting a fighter like Bernard Hopkins, who’s supposed to be a legend, puts me in a different frame of mind. It puts me on my toes. I know this Saturday I’m going to be victorious because I’m going to put on a great show.

“I want to thank my amateur trainer. We started at the bottom together. Just because you were born at the bottom doesn’t mean you have to stay at the bottom. After Saturday night, we’re going to put that bologna away and go get a steak.

“I’m ready. I feel like I can’t be beat. You have to feel like that being a fighter. I just feel like this is a bigger type of energy. I feel like I’ve beaten so many odds. I feel kind of invincible. It’s going to be a good fight.

“Saturday we’ll see it all come to fruition. God brought me out of nowhere. I know he isn’t going to turn his back on me now.”

NAAZIM RICHARDSON, Hopkins’ Trainer

“You hear people talk about how Bernard Hopkins is tricky and crafty. They make it sound like the man can’t fight.

“The truth is, he hasn’t gotten in anyone’s head. It’s not mental games or smoke and mirrors. This man can fight. I’m tired of people judging him a different way. When people say there’s no action in one of his fights, that it’s his fault.

“People call him a dirty fighter. They need to understand what they are watching. It’s a throw back style of boxing. If you want fighting, there’s another sport out there that does that. Boxing is an art. In boxing you have to swim without getting wet.

“I hate to tell you all, but Bernard Hopkins has already left the building, but don’t worry, The Executioner is still here. The Executioner will be here Saturday.

“I think Tavoris Cloud is underrated. You are going to see the best Cloud you’ve ever seen against The Executioner.

“Saturday you will see the return of The Executioner.”

ABEL SANCHEZ, Cloud’s Trainer

“We had a great eight week training camp. Bernard Hopkins is a difficult challenge that we are going to conquer.

“Twenty-two-years ago I brought a young man here to fight named Terry Norris. If you remember the fight, it was a terrible beating for Ray Leonard. Saturday night, the legend is going to retire and the new star is going to be born.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions

“I know that Bernard Hopkins is going to make history again.

“I’m going to ask Brett Yormark [CEO of Barclays Center] to hang a banner of Bernard Hopkins [in the rafters of Barclays Center].

“History doesn’t usually come cheap, but ticket prices are starting at 25 dollars.

“There is great young local talent on the undercard as well.

“Everyone should go back and listen to what Jean Pascal said [about beating Hopkins] and then think back when Hopkins got down on the canvas and started doing push-ups [between rounds during their fight].

“Make sure you are here Saturday night. This is a once in a life lifetime opportunity to see this world champion [Hopkins] once again.”

DON KING, Renowned Promoter & President of Don King Productions

“I’m here to help Richard Schaefer because he is doing a tremendous job.

“Bernard Hopkins’ accomplishments and achievements are far beyond that of the norm.

“I am so happy to be at Barclays Center. When I saw Brett Yormark [CEO of Barclays Center], I thought to myself that he and his brother Michael are doing an amazing job.

“I think it’s wonderful that we have all of these people here to bear witness to greatness in the making. Richard said that Bernard will be making an attempt to break his own record [as the oldest fighter to win a world title]. The mere fact that he can make this attempt, everyone here should bow their heads and be grateful that they can bear witness to this history-making event.

“I think it would be a crowning achievement for Tavoris to beat him [Hopkins] and make his record 25-0.

“Abel Sanchez is the new trainer we have for Tavoris. Tavrois left Florida [his home] and North Carolina [his previous training camp] and went to the mountains of Big Bear.

“We want the poor, the privileged, the men, the women, the children, the young, the old, the black, the white – we do not discriminate – to come to Barclays Center to pay homage to this great building which is an edifice in Brooklyn. I want everyone to be there to see Richard Schaefer get teary when Bernard Hopkins loses.

“You can see the clouds rolling in and thunder is imminent.

“Cloud is hungry. He needs the money. He wants the fame and acclaim. This is his opportunity in the land of opportunity.

“You have a genius sitting beside me here [Hopkins]. He doesn’t just work with his fists, he works with his brain.

“I once promoted a fighter from Brownsville, not too far from here. His name is Michael Tyson, one of the greatest knockout artists of all time. We’re going to have a young Tyson here.

“When you meet this young man [Cloud], you’ll fall in love with him. He’ll fight for the people. He doesn’t want to be a champion for himself. He wants to be a champion for the people.”

BRETT YORMARK, CEO of Barclays Center

“We’re thrilled to host our second night of world championship boxing at Barclays Center in Brooklyn this Saturday night.

“The sports’ elder statesman will be fighting at the world’s newest venue.

“I had the opportunity to run the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday with Brooklyn-born fighter Frank Galarza. Brooklyn has great talent and we are happy to be hosting some of that talent on Saturday night.

“Thank you to Golden Boy Promotions for their vision of making Barclays Center a venue for boxing in the United States.”

KEITH THURMAN, Undefeated Welterweight Rising Star

“I feel good. I’m mentally ready. I’m mentally prepared.

“I’m confident that I can steal rounds by getting inside and throwing punches.

“He wants to be champion again, but I want to be a champion too. He is bringing experience, but I am bringing my talent and ability.

“Zaveck has gone 12 rounds many times in his career. This is one of the only times I have been required to go 12 rounds, but I know I am prepared. I am going to outclass him.

“This is the first time I’ve ever been to Brooklyn. Everyone knows that New York City is one of the greatest cities in the United States and in the world.

“I look up to Bernard Hopkins as a fighter. I’m honored to be his co-main event and to be able to give a great performance.

“Zaveck is a tough guy. He has never been knocked down and I love putting people to sleep. Knowing that he has never been knocked down is a true test for me

“You’ve got a legend over here trying to make history once again by going up against a young puncher. You come to Brooklyn. You tune in. You knock on your neighbor’s door. You do what you have to do to watch this fight.

“I’m in love with boxing. It fell into my lap and I have been in love with it ever since.”

JAN ZAVECK, Former World Champion

“There have been many times that I’ve been stuck in the ring with bigger, stronger guys and in the end I came out victorious. I believe Saturday night is going to be the same way.

“I’m prepared for 12 rounds. I’ll be very happy with anything else, but I’m prepared for 12 or 15 rounds.

“It’s my pleasure and honor to be here fighting on HBO and in the United States.

“I put in the work to hand Keith Thurman his first loss.

“Experience means everything and I know I am prepared.”

MARCUS BROWNE, 2012 U.S. Olympian

“It is an honor to fight on a Bernard Hopkins undercard. I’m happy to fight in New York City. I wouldn’t want to fight anywhere else but Barclays Center. I am here to get things started and lay the platform for the main events.”

# # #

Hopkins vs. Cloud, a 12-round fight for Cloud’s IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship will take place Saturday, March 9 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Don King Productions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T, Ford and Rocawear. The HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. The co-main event will be a 12-round fight between top rated undefeated contender Keith Thurman and former World Champion Jan Zaveck for Zaveck’s WBO Inter-Continental Welterweight Championship.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $85, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.

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Lucas Bahdi Forged the TSS 2024 Knockout of the Year

Published

13 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Arne K. Lang

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A Knockout of the Year doesn’t have to be a one-punch knockout, but it must arrive with the suddenness of a thunderclap on a clear day and the punch or punches must be so harsh as to obviate the need for a “10-count.” And, if rendered by an underdog, that makes the KO resonate more loudly.

Within these parameters, Lucas Bahdi’s knockout of Ashton “H2O” Sylva still jumped off the page. The thunderclap happened on July 20 in Tampa, Florida, on a show promoted by Jake Paul with Paul and the great Amanda Serrano sharing the bill against soft opponents in the featured bouts.

The 30-year-old Bahdi (16-0, 14 KOs) and the 20-year-old Sylva (11-0, 9 KOs) were both undefeated, but Bahdi was accorded scant chance of defeating Jake Paul’s house fighter.

Sylva was 18 years old and had seven pro fights under his belt, winning all inside the distance, when he signed with Paul’s company, Most Valuable Promotions, in 2022. “We believe that Ashton has that talent, that flashiness, that style, that knockout power, that charisma to really be a massive, massive, superstar…” said the “Problem Child” when announcing that Sylva had signed with his company.

Jake Paul was so confident that his protege would accomplish big things that he matched Sylva with Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield. Currently 18-0 and ranked #2 by the WBA, Schofield was further along than Sylva in the pantheon of hot lightweight prospects. But Schofield backed out, alleging an injury, opening the door to a substitute.

Enter Lucas Bahdi who despite his eye-catching record was a virtual unknown. This would be his first outing on U.S. soil. All of his previous bouts were staged in Mexico or in Canada, mostly in his native Ontario province. “My opponent may have changed,” said Sylva who hails from Long Beach, California, “but the result will be the same, I will get the W and continue my path to greatness.”

The first five rounds were all Sylva. The Canadian had no antidote for Sylva’s speed and quickness. He was outclassed.

Then, in round six, it all came unglued for the precocious California. Out of the blue, Bahdi stiffened him with a hard right hand. Another right quickly followed, knocking Sylva unconscious. A third punch, a sweeping left, was superfluous. Jake Paul’s phenom was already out cold.

Sylva landed face-first on the canvas. He lay still as his handlers and medics rushed to his aid. It was scarifying. “May God restore him,” said ring announcer Joe Martinez as he was being stretchered out of the ring.

The good news is that Ashton “H2O” Silva will be able to resume his career. He is expected back in the ring as early as February. As for Lucas Bahdi, architect of the Knockout of the Year, he has added one more win to his ledger, winning a 10-round decision on the undercard of the Paul vs Tyson spectacle, and we will presumably be hearing a lot more about him.

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Usyk Outpoints Fury and Itauma has the “Wow Factor” in Riyadh

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Arne K. Lang

Usyk Outpoints Fury and Itauma has the “Wow Factor” in Riyadh

Oleksandr Usyk left no doubt that he is the best heavyweight of his generation and one of the greatest boxers of all time with a unanimous decision over Tyson Fury tonight at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. But although the Ukrainian won eight rounds on all three scorecards, this was no runaway. To pirate a line from one of the DAZN talking heads, Fury had his moments in every round but Usyk had more moments.

The early rounds were fought at a faster pace than the first meeting back in May. At the mid-point, the fight was even. The next three rounds – the next five to some observers – were all Usyk who threw more punches and landed the cleaner shots.

Fury won the final round in the eyes of this reporter scoring at home, but by then he needed a knockout to pull the match out of the fire.

The last round was an outstanding climax to an entertaining chess match during which both fighters took turns being the pursuer and the pursued.

An Olympic gold medalist and a unified world champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight, the amazing Usyk improved his ledger to 23-0 (14). His next fight, more than likely, will come against the winner of the Feb. 22 match in Ridayh between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker which will share the bill with the rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

Fury (34-2-1) may fight Anthony Joshua next. Regardless, no one wants a piece of Moses Itauma right now although the kid is only 19 years old.

Moses Itauma

Raised in London by a Nigerian father and a Slovakian mother, Itauma turned heads once again with another “wow” performance. None of his last seven opponents lasted beyond the second round.

His opponent tonight, 34-year-old Australian Demsey McKean, lasted less than two minutes. Itauma, a southpaw with blazing fast hands, had the Aussie on the deck twice during the 117-second skirmish. The first knockdown was the result of a cuffing punch that landed high on the head; the second knockdown was produced by an overhand left. McKean went down hard as his chief cornerman bounded on to the ring apron to halt the massacre.

Photo (c): Mark Robinson

Itauma (12-0, 10 KOs after going 20-0 as an amateur) is the real deal. It was the second straight loss for McKean (22-2) who lasted into the 10^th round against Filip Hrgovic in his last start.

Bohachuk-Davis

In a fight billed as the co-main although it preceded Itauma-McKean, Serhii Bohachuk, an LA-based Ukrainian, stopped Ishmael Davis whose corner pulled him out after six frames.

Both fighters were coming off a loss in fights that were close on the scorecards, Bohachuk falling to Vergil Ortiz Jr in a Las Vegas barnburner and Davis losing to Josh Kelly.

Davis, who took the fight on short notice, subbing for Ismail Madrimov, declined to 13-2. He landed a few good shots but was on the canvas in the second round, compliments of a short left hook, and the relentless Bohachuk (25-2, 24 KOs) eventually wore him down.

Fisher-Allen

In a messy, 10-round bar brawl masquerading as a boxing match, Johnny Fisher, the Romford Bull, won a split decision over British countryman David Allen. Two judges favored Fisher by 95-94 tallies with the dissenter favoring Allen 96-93. When the scores were announced, there was a chorus of boos and those watching at home were outraged.

Allen was a step up in class for Fisher. The Doncaster man had a decent record (23-5-2 heading in) and had been routinely matched tough (his former opponents included Dillian Whyte, Luis “King Kong” Ortiz and three former Olympians). But Allen was fairly considered no more than a journeyman and Fisher (12-0 with 11 KOs, eight in the opening round) was a huge favorite.

In round five, Allen had Fisher on the canvas twice although only one was ruled a true knockdown. From that point, he landed the harder shots and, at the final bell, he fell to canvas shedding tears of joy, convinced that he had won.

He did not win, but he exposed Johnny Fisher as a fighter too slow to compete with elite heavyweights, a British version of the ponderous Russian-Canadian campaigner Arslanbek Makhmudov.

Other Bouts of Note

In a spirited 10-round featherweight match, Scotland’s Lee McGregor, a former European bantamweight champion and stablemate of former unified 140-pound title-holder Josh Taylor, advanced to 15-1-1 (11) with a unanimous decision over Isaac Lowe (25-3-3). The judges had it 96-92 and 97-91 twice.

A cousin and regular houseguest of Tyson Fury, Lowe fought most of the fight with cuts around both eyes and was twice deducted a point for losing his gumshield.

In a fight between super featherweights that could have gone either way, Liverpool southpaw Peter McGrail improved to 11-1 (6) with a 10-round unanimous decision over late sub Rhys Edwards. The judges had it 96-95 and 96-94 twice.

McGrail, a Tokyo Olympian and 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, fought from the third round on with a cut above his right eye, the result of an accidental clash of heads. It was the first loss for Edwards (16-1), a 24-year-old Welshman who has another fight booked in three weeks.

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Fury-Usyk Reignited: Can the Gypsy King Avenge his Lone Defeat?

Published

4 days ago

December 20, 2024

Arne K. Lang

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Fury-Usyk Reignited: Can the Gypsy King Avenge his Lone Defeat?

In professional boxing, the heavyweight division, going back to the days of John L. Sullivan, is the straw that stirs the drink. By this measure, the fight on May 18 of this year at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was the biggest prizefight in decades. The winner would emerge as the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999 when Lennox Lewis out-pointed Evander Holyfield in their second meeting.

The match did not disappoint. It had several twists and turns.

Usyk did well in the early rounds, but the Gypsy King rattled Usyk with a harsh right hand in the fifth stanza and won rounds five through seven on all three cards. In the ninth, the match turned sharply in favor of the Ukrainian. Fury was saved by the bell after taking a barrage of unanswered punches, the last of which dictated a standing 8-count from referee Mark Nelson. But Fury weathered the storm and with his amazing powers of recuperation had a shade the best of it in the final stanza.

The decision was split: 115-112 and 114-113 for Usyk who became a unified champion in a second weight class; 114-113 for Fury.

That brings us to tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 21) where Usyk and Fury will renew acquaintances in the same ring where they had their May 18 showdown.

The first fight was a near “pick-‘em” affair with Fury closing a very short favorite at most of the major bookmaking establishments. The Gypsy King would have been a somewhat higher favorite if not for the fact that he was coming off a poor showing against MMA star Francis Ngannou and had a worrisome propensity for getting cut. (A cut above Fury’s right eye in sparring pushed back the fight from its original Feb. 11 date.)

Tomorrow’s sequel, bearing the tagline “Reignited,” finds Usyk a consensus 7/5 favorite although those odds could shorten by post time. (There was no discernible activity after today’s weigh-in where Fury, fully clothed, topped the scales at 281, an increase of 19 pounds over their first meeting.)

Given the politics of boxing, anything “undisputed” is fragile. In June, Usyk abandoned his IBF belt and the organization anointed Daniel Dubois their heavyweight champion based upon Dubois’s eighth-round stoppage of Filip Hrgovic in a bout billed for the IBF interim title. The malodorous WBA, a festering boil on the backside of boxing, now recognizes 43-year-old Kubrat Pulev as its “regular” heavyweight champion.

Another difference between tomorrow’s fight card and the first installment is that the May 18 affair had a much stronger undercard. Two strong pairings were the rematch between cruiserweights Jai Opetaia and Maris Briedis (Opetaia UD 12) and the heavyweight contest between unbeatens Agit Kabayal and Frank Sanchez (Kabayel KO 7).

Tomorrow’s semi-wind-up between Serhii Bohachuk and Ismail Madrimov lost luster when Madrimov came down with bronchitis and had to withdraw. The featherweight contest between Peter McGrail and Dennis McCann fell out when McCann’s VADA test returned an adverse finding. Bohachuk and McGrail remain on the card but against late-sub opponents in matches that are less intriguing.

The focal points of tomorrow’s undercard are the bouts involving undefeated British heavyweights Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) and Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs). Both are heavy favorites over their respective opponents but bear watching because they represent the next generation of heavyweight standouts. Fury and Usyk are getting long in the tooth. The Gypsy King is 36; Usyk turns 38 next month.

Bob Arum once said that nobody purchases a pay-per-view for the undercard and, years from now, no one will remember which sanctioning bodies had their fingers in the pie. So, Fury-Usyk II remains a very big deal, although a wee bit less compelling than their first go-around.

Will Tyson Fury avenge his lone defeat? Turki Alalshikh, the Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and the unofficial czar of “major league” boxing, certainly hopes so. His Excellency has made known that he stands poised to manufacture a rubber match if Tyson prevails.

We could have already figured this out, but Alalshikh violated one of the protocols of boxing when he came flat out and said so. He effectively made Tyson Fury the “A-side,” no small potatoes considering that the most relevant variable on the checklist when handicapping a fight is, “Who does the promoter need?”

The Uzyk-Fury II fight card will air on DAZN with a suggested list price of $39.99 for U.S. fight fans. The main event is expected to start about 5:45 pm ET / 2:45 pm PT.

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