“The Fight Game” Recap: Manny Testing, Love For Steward, More

Published

8 years ago

October 26, 2013

A half-hour flurry of fact, opinion and insight unfolded on the Oct. 25, 2013 edition of Jim Lampley’s “The Fight Game,” on HBO.

Lampley led off with a look at Ruslan Provodnikov, the Siberian gangsta who broke down Mike Alvarado last Saturday night, on HBO, in California. Lampley correctly noted that Provo was the B side to Alvie, but by round eight, the worm totally turned, and the hometowner was sent twice to the mat in that frame. He called Alvarado’s decision not to continue to round 11 “intelligent,” for the record.

We saw Provo and sub trainer Marvin Somodio, in a photo, doing Face Time with Freddie Roach after the win. Maybe next for Provo is a sequel with Tim Bradley, Lampley said, but Bradley “defied doubts” to get the better of Juan Manuel Marquez. Lamps threw an uppercut at Marquez and trainer Nacho Beristain, for whining after close losses, as they did after the Bradley loss. Be like Manny, Lamps extolled, and to Marquez, he suggested he take a loss like a man.

Lamps surged into the issue of PED usage, and the testing scene, in the fight game. Andre Ward didn’t do VADA testing, Lampley said, because Nov. 16 foe Edwin Rodriguez sought VADA testing for “publicity” purposes. We didn’t hear how Ward came to that determination. Lampley then welcomed VADA founder and head Dr. Margaret Goodman to the show. She said she wasn’t sure if VADA would be able to stay afloat during the entities’ two year existence, especially when Lamont Peterson and Andre Berto tested positive while VADA screened them. She was asked about Victor Conte’s relationship with VADA; she said Conte has only sent athletes to do screening via VADA, and sponsored their testing protocol. She said she thinks Conte, the notorious BALCO boss, is now on the side of good. VADA has no ties, and acts on their own authority, she noted. Lampley brought up the Nevada Commission’s decision to not go with VADA for testing. She expressed disappointment that the commission, for whom she worked for many years, didn’t go outside their own sphere to handle an anti-doping program. She likes her protocol more than any other for its stringency.

Manny Pacquaio and Brandon Rios are using VADA for their Nov. 23 fight, and Goodman thinks Manny’s testing for this fight will be the strictest he’s ever experienced, she said, in closing.

Lampley next touched on Vasyl Lomachenko, the Ukrainian with a 395-1 amateur record, who debuted two weeks ago for Top Rank. We saw Loma’s skill against Jose Luis Ramirez, and his KO shot in round four. Next? A title crack against Orlando Salido, the host said.

Lampley touched on HBO’s upcoming fare, a jam-packed schedule to delight fight fans in November.

Max Kellerman joined Lampley via a remote shot. He said Lomachenko was immensely impressive in his debut, and he’s not sure Salido can go into the late rounds with Loma. “Can Salido stick around? Lomachenko is devastating,” Max enthused.

Lampley said that Gary Russell is the No. 1 contender for that Salido belt, the WBO feather version, but he referred to the talented Russell’s resume as “comical.” That would be a fine fight, but he’d love to see Loma-Rigo more.

The return of Miguel Cotto was touched upon. Is he all the way back? Delvin Rodriguez wasn’t of the caliber to prove that..but Cotto hasn’t looked this good in eons, Max said. How about Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez, or a rematch with Floyd, he said. If Cotto loses to Sergio, no sweat, go back to 154 and beat a Delvin type, and then get a megafight at 154. “He’s must see TV again,” Max said.

Cotto-Martinez, who’s the favorite? Sergio, Max said. He’s mobile and a sneaky puncher and Cotto’s not a real middleweight. Wladimir Klitschko’s clinching and resting was no fun to watch, Lampley said. Max said warnings should have been rendered, and then points should have been taken, and if it continued, he should have been DQ’d. He looked like John Ruiz, he said.

Is there a beef between Brandon Rios and Max, Lampley asked. Max said he texted Rios after he saw a video of Rios cursing out Max, for not believing in him. Brandon said he wasn’t singling out Max and they hugged it out via text, Kellerman stated.

Lampley dropped Wlad from his pound for pound top five, for his “ugly tactics” versus Povetkin and Vitali is out too, because he’s headed to politics full-time. Floyd is No. 1, Lampley said, and he will likely meet Amir Khan next, as a beyond prohibitive favorite. Andre Ward is No. 2, and Lampley expects no layoff dropoff. Sergio Martinez is No. 3, and Gennady Golovkin is No. 4. Tim Bradley came next on the Lamps list.

The death of Mexican Franky Leal, age 26, was discussed. That reminds us, Lampley said, that most boxers campaign off big stages, and take huge risks. He sent heartfelt condolences to his family.

Provo topped “The Gatti List.” Leo Santa Cruz came next. Sergey Kovalev followed. Adonis Stevenson came behind Kovalev. Manny Pacquiao returned to the list.

Lampley paid homage to Emanuel Steward, one year after his death. His legacy lives, Lampley said, as his students racked up and continue to notch wins after he left this plane. He said Manny lives on in Detroit, and “where-ever there is boxing, Emanuel Steward lives.” Superbly summarised kicker, sir.

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Michael Woods

Tyson Fury Roared and Deontay Wilder Remained Silent at their L.A. Presser

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2021

The Sweet Science

Tyson-Fury-Roared-and-Deontay-Wilder-Remained-Silent-at-their-LA-Presser

TSS special correspondent LAUREN RODRIGUEZ was on the scene for the Top Rank Promotions press conference in downtown Los Angeles on June 15 at which the third meeting between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder was formally announced. Here is her report.

The third fight between Tyson “Gypsy King” Fury (30-1, 21 KOs.) and Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) will go down July 24th in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena. This continued mash-up between the two comes 16 months since their last bout. The first fight, in December 2018, ended in a draw and their second in February 2020, ended in a victory for Fury in the 7th round.

Fury carried the press conference while Wilder remained largely muted.

The WBC champion Fury remains undefeated, a status he is adamant in maintaining. The heavyweight boasted a white suit patterned with images of himself in a crown and wearing the belt he won off Wilder.

“This is a reminder of what happened to him last time, this is a remembrance suit of Deontay Wilder’s ass-kicking.”

The “Gypsy King,” an entertainer, left little words unsaid as he berated his silent opponent.

“It shows how weak a mental person is, it shows the emotional effect the last fight had on his life… I was worried about him after the defeat I gave him,” said Fury.

An Alabama native, Wilder has a 93% knockout rate, the highest rate for any heavyweight.

Wilder wanted no part in other questions from Q/A moderator Christina Poncher, or the media, as he remained silent with headphones and sunglasses to shield him from questions.

Wilder’s trainer, longtime friend and former heavyweight contender Malik Scott answered very few questions for the fighter as tensions rose.

“He’s very stubborn, like most legends and gifted people they have their things with them. As long as he gives me what I want in the gym, I don’t care about the stubbornness cause we’re going to get this done,” said Scott.

If it’s one thing Fury and team all agree on, it’s that history will repeat itself in this third fight come July.

When it comes to what we can expect this time, Fury’s trainer SugarHill Steward stated, “All I have to say is, over time, he [Fury] now has power to knock a man out with one punch. His boxing IQ is one-punch knockout power.”

In Gypsy King fashion, we will have an entertaining show come next month. Fury intends on moving his weight all the way to 300, so he can give Wilder a bigger knockout in the ring and fans a bigger show.

“This time I’m hoping to take him out early, one, two, three rounds max.”

Check out more boxing news on video at the Boxing Channel

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Tokyo-Bound Aussie Heavyweight Justis Huni Stops Rugged Paul Gallen in the 10th

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2021

Arne K. Lang

Tokyo-Bound-Aussie-Heavyweight-Justis-Huni-Stops-Rugged-Paul-Gallen-in-the-10th

Had Justis Huni fought Paul Gallen two months ago, the match would have been trashed as little more than exhibition. During his record-tying 19 years in rugby, Gallen evolved into one of Australia’s most well-known sporting personalities. When Gallen took up boxing in 2014, it was thought that he did it as a lark; as a way of cashing in on his name recognition. And his first 11 opponents were a motley bunch of former rugby players, MMA fighters, 40-somethings, and boxing novices.

Then came the night of April 21, 2021. In a shocker, Gallen demolished former WBA heavyweight titlist Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne in less than two minutes. “Gallen transformed from a rugby league player to a bona fide prize fighter before our very eyes,” said prominent Australian sports journalist Andrew McMurtry.

That knocked Lucas Browne out of a lucrative match with Justis Huni and vaulted Paul Gallen, who turns 40 in August, to the head of the queue. They met Wednesday night (Australia time) at a convention center in Sydney and Huni, five-and-a-half inches taller, 15 pounds heavier, and the younger man by nearly 18 years, saddled Gallen (11-1-1) with his first defeat.

Heading into the fight, Gallen conceded that the heavily favored Huni was faster. However, he thought that he could wear the bigger man down. “If I get through those first four to five rounds, I’ll be in his face the whole time and I think I can knock him out late,” he said.

It proved to be the other way around. Huni dominated the fight and when he knocked Gallen down in the 10^thwith a big right hook, the referee stepped in and stopped it. But Gallen, who had a bum shoulder from his rugby days and thought that he fought most of the fight with a broken rib, showed tremendous heart.

It was the fifth professional fight for Huni (5-0, 4 KOs) who won the Australian heavyweight title in his pro debut. Of Dutch, Swedish, Samoan, and Tongan heritage, he quit school at age 15 to give boxing his full attention and will represent Australia in the Tokyo Olympics which start next month.

Brisbane-born Huni is already being talked-about as the best-ever Australian-born heavyweight. The rap against him is a lack of one-punch knockout power which won’t be a detriment in Tokyo.

—

In undercard bouts of note, Brisbane middleweight Isaac Hardman (11-0, 9 KOs) scored a 4^th-round stoppage of Emmanuel Carlos (12-2) and middleweight Andrei Mikhailovich, a Russian residing in Auckland, New Zealand, advanced to 16-0 (9) with a second-round stoppage of previously undefeated Alex Hanan (13-1).

Check out more boxing news on video at the Boxing Channel

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Three Pros are Joining the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, Ruffling Some Feathers

Published

3 days ago

June 14, 2021

Arne K. Lang

Three-Pros-Are-Joining-the-U.S.-Olympic-Boxing-Team-Ruffling-Some-Feathers

USA Boxing, the agency that controls amateur boxing in the United States, has a rule that prohibits professional boxers from competing in their tournaments. That rule remains in effect, but yet three pro boxers – middleweight Troy Isley, lightweight Keyshawn Davis, and featherweight Duke Ragan – will suit up for the United States in the forthcoming Tokyo Games. The announcement, which fell largely under the radar, came on June 7.

USA Boxing is subservient to AIBA, the sport’s international governing body, and to the International Olympic Committee. The Boxing Task Force of the IOC changed the rules to allow Isley, Davis and Ragan to compete and the honchos at USA Boxing are none too happy about it.

Blame the Covid-19 pandemic which forced the postponement and ultimately the cancellation of several qualifying tournaments including the “Americas” tournament in Buenos Aires at which boxers from 42 national federations – including the United States — would be competing for the Olympic slots allocated to this region. A total of 286 boxers from around the world will compete in Tokyo in the eight men’s and five women’s weight divisions with the coveted slots dispersed among four Continental Regional Divisions.

With no tournament, the Task Force redesigned the quota allocation process using world rankings to determine the national squads. The rankings were formulated using a point system from events held between January 2017 and October 2019.

The re-jiggering opened the door for Isley, Davis, and Ragan to rejoin the team. Isley and Davis had their first pro fight in February of this year. Ragan turned pro in August of 2020.

Team USA protested that the BTF allocation was unfair to the boxers that finished first in the final domestic qualifying tournament (December 2019 in Lake Charles, Louisiana), but their claim was denied. Isley and Ragan were knocked out of that tournament before reaching the finals; Davis finished first when his opponent in the finals took ill and had to pull out, but he was subsequently booted off the team, reputedly for missing too many practices which he attributed to a family health emergency. That unfrocking has been rescinded.

Before he left the team, Keyshawn Davis was considered the U.S. boxer with the best chance of winning a gold medal in Tokyo. A southpaw, he earned his spurs at the Alexandria Boxing Club in North Alexandria, Virginia, which was also the home gym of Troy Isley who lived right down the street.

The common thread between all three of the returnees is Kay Koroma who coached Davis and Isley at the Alexandria club where he was the top lieutenant to the club’s patriarch Dennis Porter and at the Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs where he served as an assistant to Billy Walsh. Duke Ragan, who hails from Cincinnati, is Koroma’s nephew.

Koroma came to the fore in 2016 when he earned raves for his work with Olympians Claressa Shields. Shakur Stevenson, Charles Conwell and others. But Koroma, one of the hottest young trainers in the sport, won’t be available to work with the 2020/21 team before it heads off to Tokyo. “My plate is too full,” he told The Sweet Science.

Koroma, like many of his former pupils, turned pro himself. He continues to work with Shakur Stevenson, whom he has known since Shakur was 13 years old, he assists veteran coach Al Mitchell with Mikaela Mayer and he recently replaced Ronnie Shields as the head trainer of rising heavyweight contender Efe Ajagba.

Isley, Davis, and Ragan comprise three-fifths of the men’s Olympic team. Super heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr and welterweight Delante “Tiger” Johnson flesh out the quintet.

USA Boxing released a letter to its membership expressing frustration over the decision of the IOC Task Force which killed the dreams of seven boxers who hoped to snare an Olympic berth at the Buenos Aires tournament or, barring that, the Last Chance tournament in Paris which was also a casualty of the pandemic. The letter can be read at the USA Boxing web site.

The seven boxers who were fenced out are:

Darius Fulgham (heavyweight, Houston, TX)

Rahim Gonzalez (light heavyweight, Las Vegas, NV)

Joseph Hicks (middleweight, Lansing, MI)

Charlie Sheehy (lightweight, Brisbane, CA)

Bruce Carrington (featherweight, Brooklyn, NY)

Anthony Herrera (flyweight, East Los Angeles, CA)

and

women’s flyweight Andrea Medina (San Diego, CA).

USA Boxing insists there are no plans to allow professionals to compete for the United States in the 2024 Olympiad and beyond. This is a one-shot exception forced by a unique circumstance. But, needless to say, when it comes to amateur boxing, nothing is etched in stone.

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