Lucas Matthysse served notice on Saturday night that he is indeed the boogeyman of the junior welterweight division.  He's a true banger with power in both fists, and in stopping Lamont Peterson last weekend, he showed an acute ability to cut off the ring, while also displaying patience finding his range. Many, myself included, consider Matthysse to be undefeated despite the two losses that appear on his record.  He was the victim of what I felt were bad decisions versus Zab Judah and Devon Alexander.  He is, along with boxing's other "boogeyman" Gennady Golovkin, one of the hardest punchers in boxing.

Press Release: Heavyweight Michael Grant is ready for his next fight in the hometown of his opponent Carlos Takam. On Friday May 24th, the pair will clash at the Gymnase du Clos de l'Arche in Noisy-le-Grand, France, on a show promoted by Joseph Germain. Grant (48-4 with 36 KOs), has been on the sidelines since a stunning late knockout of Francois Botha in South Africa in November 2011. Takam (27-1 with 21 KOs) also defeated Botha by late stoppage. Takam beat Botha in March 2012. The Cameroon-born 2004 Olympian has won twice since then.

Yes sir, the 140-154 pound divisions are filled with great match-ups with guys dropping up and down to catch a beat down. Two points of interest are Floyd Mayweather foes and a Shane Mosley sighting. Mayweather is in the driver's seat in regards to fights, while Shane set himself up for another title shot [by beating Pablo Cesar Cano]. He can do ok if faced against the right opponent. I  just want to know your take on Mosley's toe-to-toe battle and his chances of  fighting two more times. -Aaron "Precise" Blount

Press Release: Acanthus Publishing has announced it will release Confusing the Enemy: The Cus D’Amato Story, written by co-authors Dr. Scott Weiss and Paige Stover. Available for purchase in July, this biographical novel explores the life of legendary boxing trainer/manager Cus D'Amato with all the accuracy possible, given the host of conflicting stories and contradictory accounts surrounding his enigmatic existence. The story features a mix of characters including Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, José Torres, Frankie Carbo, Howard Cosell, Roy Cohn, Sonny Liston, Drew “Bundini” Brown, Malcolm X, D’Amato himself, and more.

Referee Steve Smoger discusses his experience as the third man in the ring for the Lucas Matthysse-Lamont Peterson fight this weekend in Atlantic City,New Jersey, a fight Matthysse won via third-round technical knockout.  Smoger also reveals the hardest puncher he has ever been in the ring with, and surprisingly, it’s not Mike Tyson, Gennady Golovkin, or Lucas Matthysse.

Press Release: Mikkel Kessler (46-2, 35 KOs) has arrived in London prior to his blockbuster rematch with Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KOs). The Viking Warrior held a media training session at the Hayemaker gym today. “The hard work has been done, Jimmy Montoya has put me through some very exhausting sessions,” Kessler said. “I've had the best sparring of my career against top guys like Nathan Cleverly, George Groves and Erik Skoglund. I am in fantastic shape and I am ready to beat Froch again. Bring it on... Carl has put himself under a lot of pressure. That can make you do stupid things and mistakes. I am in great shape, I couldn´t be more ready, I feel very comfortable. Froch will definitely not get his revenge.”

Given the state of boxing from 140 through 154 pounds, it seems that world junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is Floyd Mayweather’s only option for a viable opponent later this year.  Although boxing's complicated system of sanctioning bodies, broadcast network and promotional rivalries often put the most intriguing fights unlikely to occur, the names on fans' wishlistsof potential Mayweather opponents include Manny Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley, Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia, Lucas Matthysse, Devon Alexander, Amir Khan, and of course Alvarez.  Let's take a quick look at each one's availability and viability:

Press Release: On Friday, June 14th, the Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain in West Orange, New Jersey will host the broadcast of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. In the ten-round main event, featherweight Arash Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs) of Montreal (via Afghanistan) will face once-beaten contender Art "Lionheart" Hovhannisyan (15-1-2, 8 KOs) of Glendale, California (via Armenia). And in the ten-round heavyweight co-feature, Luis "El Mercedez" Ortiz (19-0, 16 KOs) of Miami, Florida (via Cuba), will take on Travis "The Truth" Kaufmann (24-1, 18 KOs) of Reading, Pennsylvania. Tickets are available by calling 212.851.6425.

Press Release: bonon June 29th at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, HBO Boxing After Dark will broadcast a middleweight showdown between WBA/IBO champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (26-0, 23 KOs) and Ireland's Matthew "Mack The Knife" Macklin (29-4, 20 KOs). Announced today are the HBO-televised undercard bouts:  super middleweight Thomas "Tommy Gun" Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13 KOs) puts his IBO title on the line against Brandon "Flawless" Gonzales (17-0, 10 KOs) while junior middleweight Willie "The Great" Nelson (20-1-1, 12 KOs) squares off against Luciano Cuello (32-2, 16 KOs) in the televised opener. Both bouts are scheduled for ten rounds.

Press Release: On Saturday June 15th, Kings Boxing Promotions will present boxing at the Valley Forge Casino and Resort in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Headlining the show will be a rematch featuring local favorite Harry Joe Yorgey ans Julius Kennedy, scheduled for ten junior middleweight rounds. On March 15th, Yorgey and Kennedy battled to a six-round split decision that saw Yorgey’s hand raised in a disputed victory.  Yorgey (26-2-1 with 12 KOs) was undefeated in his first twenty three bouts. The 33 year-old Kennedy, from  Maryland has a record of 7-5-1 with 3 KOs. He has a win over Aaron Pryor Jr. as well as a draw with Jesse Nicklow, but in his last bout, Kennedy was stopped by DeCarlo Perez in five rounds. The eight round co-feature will be a Philadelphia turf war between lightweights Tevin Farmer (10-4-1) and Victor Vasquez (16-7-1).

Press Release: Houston featherweight Miguel "El Michoacano" Flores (11-0, 6 KOs) has signed with managers, Luis DeCubas Jr. and Bob Santos, and they in turn have signed the 20-year old to a promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions.  "Miguel is a great kid with a charismatic personality." DeCubas said. "Bob Santos and I feel Flores has all the tools to become a star in this sport.  We have a great relationship with Golden Boy Promotions and felt that was the right fit for Miguel.  Right now the plan is to get him in the ring and move him up the rankings."

Edgar Sosa W12 Giovani Segura... In Mexico over the weekend, Edgar Sosa (49-7) defeated Giovani Segura by unanimous decision in a WBC flyweight eliminator. Offical scores were 115-112, 114-113 and 116-112 for Sosa, who reigned as the WBC 108-pound champion from 2007-2009. The win earns Sosa a go at Japan's Akira Yaegashi, the reigning WBA champion. Segura, who twice beat Ivan Calderon in world championship fights at 108 pounds before vacating that division, drops to 29-3-1. source: wbc

Taras Shelestyuk TKO2 Mario Angeles ... In Ontario, California on Friday, 2012 Olympic bronze medal winner Taras Shelestyuk scored his third stoppage victory in as many fights when he took out Mario Angeles (1-4-1) of Mexico. The Ukrainian Shelestyuk sent Angeles down two times in the second round and finished him off with a barrage of punches that forced referee Raul Caiz to stop the bout at 2:04 of round two. source: banner promotions press release

Dusty Hernandez-Harrison TKO5 Eddie Soto... At the University of District of Columbia Sports Complex over the weekend, Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (15-0, 9 KO) scored a fifth-round stoppage of welterweight Eddie Soto. [Soto is 12-7 but has lost seven in a row]. source: all-in entertainment press release

Press Release: IBF super middleweight titlist Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KOs) held a public work-out today at the Old Market Square in Nottingham. On Saturday night, he will clash with WBA titlist Mikkel Kessler (46-2, 35 KOs) in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,000 fans at London´s O2 Arena. “I feel invincible,” Froch said. “It will be a vicious, brutal and barbaric fight which I am going to win. I have been waiting for three years to avenge the defeat, I have improved offensively, I have improved defensively and I am a much better fighter. It will be nice to set the record straight. This will be a legacy fight.” Froch became father for the second time earlier this month “If Kessler thinks the baby has softened me up and that it might give him an edge, he will be in for a shock,” he stated. “I have extra power and venom and I am at my peak. I will be firing from all cylinders on Saturday night.”

Gennady Golovkin, who holds the WBA middleweight title, is one of the most intriguing newcomers to the world boxing scene.  Yes, he has been on the radar of hardcore fans for years, thanks to his significant amateur credentials and promising professional start in Europe.  But his 2012 arrival on HBO has officially announced his presence to the American side of the boxing world.  The Kazakh nicknamed "GGG" brings a come-forward style to the ring with punching power in both hands.

Press Release: IBF middleweight champion Daniel Geale (29-1, 15 KOs) has signed on to defend his title against Darren Barker (25-1, 16 KOs) at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York on August 17, 2013. The event will be televised live on HBO. Geale is fresh off of his redemption win over Anthony Mundine in their January rematch, while Barker has won two in a row since his KO loss in a spirited effort against the [true world middleweight champion] Sergio Martinez. Geale acknowledges that Barker is a tough challenge, but reminds everyone that he has been matched tough for the past few fights in a row.  This will be the first time the Australian superstar has fought on American soil.

Press Release: Continuing to break his own records, IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins will become the oldest fighter in history to make his initial title defense when he faces German-based Iraqi Karo Murat (25-1-1) on Saturday, July 13th at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.  The bout will mark Hopkins' second time fighting in Brooklyn's following his stellar win over Tavoris Cloud in March. Tickets are now on sale at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Former IBF junior middleweight titleholder Cornelius “K-9” Bundrage (32-5, 19 KOs) discusses the February loss of his title to Ishe Smith, a fight that Bundrage lost via majority decision.  Bundrage also discusses his desire for an opportunity to fight Miguel Cotto or a grudge match with Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who disrespected Bundrage's wife.

Press Release: Greg Cohen Promotions announced the signing of Afghani-Canadian super featherweight Arash Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs) to a promotional contract. The 31-year-old Usmanee was a five-time Canadian champion as an amateur. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Usmanee and his family moved to Alberta, Canada, when he was three years old. He now resides in Montreal.  Usmanee's only career defeat was a controversial decision loss to Rances "Kid Blast" Barthelemy on January 4, 2013. Fighting in Barthelemy's adopted home of Miami, Florida, Usmanee appeared to take the fight over at the midway point and grew more dominant as the rounds wore on. However, the judges saw it another way. Paul Keefe will continue on as Usmanee's manager and ex-champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad as trainer.

Press Release: The term “old school” does not mean “outdated.” It means proven track record. Boxing may be deemed a sport, but it is truly an art form in and of itself. Modern technologies and training equipment have evolved today’s boxer into a whole new animal. Many debate if today’s boxing greats can handle Cus D’Amato’s “peek-a-boo” style or Mike Tyson’s quick fists. Perhaps some innovations in the boxing arena may have made the sport safer, but the “old school” methods are still tried and true.  Boxing didn’t get bad in the heavyweight division because fans stopped watching— fans stopped watching because, in my opinion, boxing became bad. Current fighters have practically abandoned the classic form and techniques, which were vital elements of the sport in its heyday. In order to revitalize the sport’s popularity and passion, it’s up to today’s boxers to add a modern approach to the “old school” methods. Below are a few “old school" tips:

Lucas Matthysse KO3 Lamont Peterson... IBF junior welterweight titlist Lamont Peterson stepped through the ropes against WBC interim titlist Lucas Matthysse in Atlantic City, New Jersey's Boardwalk Hall and the two waged a fight that lived up to the hype. Although Danny Garcia is the true world champion at 140 pounds, this was a 141-pound catchweight fight designed to allow the loser to retain his title belt. The pretext wound up aiding Peterson. Matthysse, the power hitter from Argentina, didn’t take long to connect with tremendous shots to Peterson’s head. In first round, only Peterson's footwook allowed him to elude the thrashing that Matthysse was trying to put on him. But in the second, Matthysse started to find the proper distance and began landing punches with ease. A left hook shook Peterson's equilibrium and caused hit to hit the canvas in a delayed reaction.  The crowd of 4,215 rose to their feet, the cheers and chants from the Argentinean fans filling the venue. It was the first of three knockdowns, all from Matthysse's left hook. By the third round, Matthyssse timed Peterson and landed a counter left that dropped him once again. This time, referee Steve Smoger had a look of concern in his face and Peterson got up but never recovered. Moments later, Matthysse landed another left that sent Peterson crashing to the matt for the final time. Smoger waved off the fight even though Peterson got to his feet before the ten count was over. Peterson lost only the second fight of his career, and fell to 31-2-1 with 16 KOs.  Matthysse improves to 34-2 with 32 KOs (both losses were debatable decisions in his opponents' backyard) and hopes to fight Garcia in his next bout.

Devon Alexander TKO7 Lee Purdy... IBF welterweight Champion Devon Alexander earned a convincing and satisfying victory over Lee Purdy in the Atlantic City co-feature. Alexander battered the Englishman over seven action-packed rounds with his jabs and hooks. Alexander even found an opening for his uppercut. Purdy tried his best to answer with his own left and right hooks but they were far and few between. Referee David Fields stopped the fight at the end of the seveth round on the advice Purdy's corner. Purdy was beaten and battered. Even though Purdy failed to make the welterweight limit of 147 pounds at the weigh-in (he weighed 147.8 pounds in his final attempt to make weight on Friday afternoon), the fight still went on as planned.  Purdy took the fight on four weeks notice and couldn’t find a way to stop Alexander from landing at will. Alexander returned a new weapon to his arsenal that he abandoned after the Juan Urango fight and that was the uppercut.  Now 25-1 with 14 KOs, Alexander said after the fight, “If Amir Khan wants it, he can have it. If Floyd Mayweather wants it, he can have it. I just want to fight the best fights." Khan, the former world champ at 140 pounds, would be an enormous fight internationally and a victory over him would make Alexander a viable option for Floyd Mayweather in 2014.

Shane Mosley W12 Pablo Cesar Cano... With his back to the wall, Sugar Shane Mosley showed a tremendous amount of heart in his return to the ring on Saturday night, scoring a unanimous decision over the durable Pablo Cesar Cano in Cancun, Mexico in what can only be called a battle. Both fighters landed big punches throughout the fight with Mosley’s best weapon, his overhand right, finding the side of Cano’s head virtually every time he threw it. However, it took a number of rounds for Mosley to find his groove.  Rounds two and three followed a familiar theme, Cano dictating a fast pace and landing the combinations to the body and head which seemed to frustrate Mosley rather than do any legitimate damage. By contrast, Mosley seemed to be finding the openings to counter, but wasn't able to land anything meaningful.  Round four saw Cano continue the body attack and Mosley not being able to land his better punches save the first of many overhand rights midway through the round that bothered Cano. Mosley continued to turn things around in the fifth, bloodying the nose of Cano with a series of jabs and continuing to find a home for the overhand right.  Round six was a back-and--forth battle as both fighters landed solid shots throughout the round and Mosley hurting Cano with a right hand towards the end of the round, forcing the man seventeen years his junior to hold and escape the round.  The seventh and eighth saw Cano get on his bike and outbox Mosley, landing combinations while going backwards, effectively thwarting any offence Mosley was attempting.  In round nine, Mosley almost went down from a solid combination by Cano, only to answer back with another big overhand right that kept Cano from pressing the advantage. In between rounds, trainer Jack Mosley implored his son to pick up the pace and pressure Cano, believing that they may be behind on the judges’ scorecards. The former pound-for-pound king answered the call and battered Cano around the ring throughout round ten, his most decisive round of the fight. It was the championship rounds where Mosley kept the pressure on Cano, outhustling the younger fighter down the stretch when it mattered the most.  All three judges scored the fight the same, 115-113 in favor of Mosley. With the win, Mosley improved his record to 47-8-1. Cano, for his part, fought a very tough fight and showed his own heart in taking some hellacious shots from the future hall of famer. His record falls to 26-3-2. While he is not the same fighter who tore through the lightweight and welterweight divisions, taking more clean, hard shots than we are accustomed to seeing. Mosley earned the right for his career to continue, proving that he still has the ring smarts to make adjustments in the middle of a fight and the heart to wage a battle down the stretch and pull out a victory. source: fox deportes

Shawn Porter W10 Phil Lo Greco... Shawn Porter put on a boxing clinic against Phil Lo Greco. Porter's punches landed at will with speed, power, and precision. Lo Greco taunted and waived Porter on in a bid get inside his head. Porter did allow Lo Greco to gain one inch of momentum and just kept using left and right hooks to the body and head. Later on in the fight, Porter started to noticeably hurt Lo Greco and finally dropped him in the closing round. Lo Greco got on his bicycle and stayed away from Porter for the rest of the round. The official scores were 100-89 and 100-88 (twice). Porter improves to 21-0-1 with 14 KOs while Lo Greco falls to 25-1 with 14 KOs.

Vladine Biosse  At the Twin River Casino in Rhode Island, “Mr. Providence” Vladine Biosse (15-2-1) returned from a loss with a strong win over Philadelphia super middleweight Latif Mundy (10-6). Working with new trainer Paul Andrade for the first time, Biosse picked up the pace in the second and third rounds, continuously backing Mundy against the ropes. Biosse scored most of his points by landing his left hook mixed with a series of uppercuts. The work with Andrade, including a brief trip to Oakland to train at world champion Andre Ward’s gym, paid off as Biosse rebounded from his loss to Marcus Upshaw in January with an effective, methodical win over the tough Mundy.

Shelito Vincent W8 Angel Gladney...Providence’s Shelito Vincent (9-0) put on perhaps the best performance of her career to date, dominating Angel Gladney (8-8-1) in an 80-71, 79-72 (twice) unanimous-decision victory in a female super bantamweight fight.

 

Guillermo Jones TKO11 Denis Lebedev... Guillermo Jones, a former junior middleweight, absorbed hundreds of heavy punches to regain the WBA cruiserweight championship. Fighting in Moscow against the small but murderous punching Denis Lebedev, Jones seemed to be behind on the cards when he floored an exhausted Lebedev in round eleven of a very cometitive and fast-paced fight. Lebedev went down on one knee, which lead referee Stanley Christodoulou to immediately stop the bout. Factoring heavily into the stoppage was the grotesque, elephantine swelling that closed Lebedev's right eye midway through the battle. Lebedev had no endswell or even a legitimate cutman in his corner (it looked like Alexander Povetkin was holding a bag of ice to his closed eye). Lebedev fought well for many rounds as a one-eyed fighter, but Jones, who had a fair amount of fat on him, simply outlasted Lebedev, who exhausted himself with hard punches. Jones hit Lebedev when he was down on one knee, not unlike Arthur Abraham against Andre Dirrell, but it did not change the outcome. Jones formerly held the WBA cruiserweight title, but his ridiculous inactivity under promoter Don King (three fights in the last 4.5 years) caused him to be demoted to champion in recess. Now back in possession of the title and still promoted by King, the Panamanian Jones can be proud of his tremendous effort today.

Alexander Povetkin TKO3 Andrzej Wawrzyk... In Moscow, Alexander Povetkin had an easy time with Andrzej Wawrzyk, knocking his Polish challenger down three times in three rounds for a technical knockout victory. Warczyk, a smallish heavyweight who had never been beaten before, was bleeding from the nose at the time of the stoppage. With the win, Povetkin (26-0) retains his WBA regular heavyweight title and is now firmly in line for a huge fight vs Wladimir Klitschko who, among other titles, holds the WBA super championship. Now 27-1, Wawrzyk's best previous wins were over Denis Bakhtov and ex-U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas. video of fight: right here.

Press Release: As the return of Sugar Shane Mosley approaches, Fox Deportes will celebrate the return of one of the future Hall of Famer on Saturday, May 18th, with back-to-back performances that will lead into Mosley's comeback fight against Mexico's Pablo Cesar Cano from The Grand Oasis in Cancun, Mexico. At 7:00 pm ET, it's a trip back to September of 2010, when Mosley squared off against Sergio Mora in a twelve-round "battle".  Then at 8:00 pm ET, it's the Classics premiere of Mosley's February 2006 win over "Ferocious" Fernando Vargas (Mosley-Vargas I). All of this action leads up to the live Fox Sports Networks (9:30 p.m. ET) and Fox Deportes (9:00 p.m. ET) telecasts from Cancun headlined by the welterweight battle between Mosley and Cano.

Press Release: Saturday's card featuring the return of Sugar Shane Mosley against Mexico's Pablo Cesar "El Demoledor" Cano in Cancun, Mexico features Sergio "Yeyo" Thompson against Gustavo Sandoval, as well as undercard bouts starring Adan "Speedy" Mares, along  with Roberto "Massa" Manzanarez, Miguel Angel Gonzalez and Ivan "Macanón" Cano. Mosley vs. Cano and Thompson vs. Sandoval will be telecast live on Fox Sports Networks and Fox Deportes in the United States and on Televisa in Mexico on a delayed basis. Three fights originally scheduled for Saturday have been moved to Friday afternoon creating a special free admission event at The Grand Oasis featuring Francisco "El Bandido" Vargas, Jorge "Pantera" Silva and Enrique Ornelas.

Press Release: On Saturday, July 27th at The Venetian Macao’s CotaiArena, WBO/WBA flyweight champion Juan Estrada will face Milan Melindo and IBF featherweight champion Evgeny Gradovich defends his newly won title against Mauricio Muñoz. However, the local attention will focus on chapter two of the Zou Shiming era as the two-time Olympic gold medallist and three-time Amateur World Champion returns to the ring. Promoted by Top Rank, it will be the second boxing show at what is expected to become a site of many big fights in the near future.

Press Release: Tonight at The Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California, junior middleweight Taras Shelestyuk will look to make it three for three when he takes on Mario Angeles in a scheduled four-round bout. [Angeles is 1-3 and hasn't fought since 2009].The show is promoted by Thompson Boxing. Shelestyuk is 2-0 with both wins by knockout. The Ukrainian who captured a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympic Games. “We have liked what we have seen so far in Taras”, said Shelestyuk's promoter, Arthur Pelullo of Banner Promotions. “We are keeping him active and we know he will continue to improve.  We see a big future in Taras.  Shelestyuk is coming off a fourth round stoppage over Brandon Adams on May 2nd in Corona, California.

Press Release: Rejuvenated by back-to-back victories over favored fighters, light heavyweight Lionell "Lonnie B" Thompson is back on the right track, and still following his dream. A decorated amateur out of Buffalo, Thompson (14-2, 9 KOs) is now living in Miami and planning to use the invaluable experience he's gained as a sparring partner for Chad Dawson, Carl Froch, Lucian Bute, Troy Ross, Issac Chilemba and David Lemieux.

What’s up with Paul Malignaggi and the drug testing for his fight vs. Adrien Broner? I read recently that Malignaggi asked for VADA [to supervise testing] but somehow they [Golden Boy] told him to use USADA or there is no fight. I don’t understand why when VADA caught Andre Berto and Lamont Peterson. Maybe VADA is too good at what they do.

Press Release: When NBC Sports Network Fight Night returns to the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA on Friday, June 14th, it will feature a triple-header with all three headliners in "must win" fights that are critical for their career advancement. Russian knockout artist Sergey Kovalev (20-0-1 with 18 KOs), has built momentum in the last year with showy knockouts over Gabriel Campillo, Lionell Thompson and Darnell Boone. A slip-up in June 14th's IBF elimination bout against Cornelius "Da Beast" White (21-1 with 16 KOs) of Houston, TX would derail his momentum and force his career backwards.

In life, people face trials and tribulations that not only help them grow but also help them turn negative circumstances into positive things for the future. Boxing is a sport of heart, determination, and grit, something that IBF 140-pound title holder Lamont Peterson possesses not only inside the ring but outside as well. The constant battle for survival that he fought when he was young and homeless stands for something more. Peterson learned to survive at a very young age, often sleeping in abandoned cars in his native Washington D.C.  He didn’t always know where he was going to go, what he was going to eat, or where he was going to sleep, something that many other people in life would fear. But Peterson's rise from a life filled with the unknown prepared him well for this weekend's non-title fight against Lucas Matthysse in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and he doesn't seem the least bit rattled.

Boxingtalk’s Doveed Linder is preparing to publish a book entitled “Boxing: The Modern Era, Vol. 1”.  The book consists of seventeen in-depth interviews Linder completed with various boxers, trainers, promoters, and officials of recent times.  These interviews offer an inside perspective of the sport from those who have experienced some of the game’s most dramatic moments.  Click this link below to see an interview Linder gave to STL TV about the book: Linder television interview. --Scott Shaffer

Andy Lee TKO1 Daryl Cunningham... On Wednesday at BB King Blues Club in New York City, middleweight contender "Irish" Andy Lee (30-2, 20 KOs) stopped Daryl Cunningham (28-5, 11 KOs) in the first round. Lee, who lost to Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. last summer, came out stalking Cunningham around the ring, measuring him with his southpaw jab.  Midway through the round, a Lee left hand stunned Cunningham. Lee jumped all over his opponent, trapping him against the ropes and letting both of his hands go.  With Cunningham taking heavy punishment, the referee jumped in and halted the contest after just 1:27 of action. After the bout Lee commented, "onward and upward from here. I feel like I am at the top of my game right now and obviously the number one guy in the middleweight division is Sergio Martinez and that is the fight I want." source: dibella entertainment press release

Press Release: The Northeast boxing community is supporting Saturday night's fifth annual Battle of the Badges (BOB5), featuring amateur matches between the Massachusetts Correctional Officers (MCO) and Suffolk County Correctional Officers Association (SCCOA) boxing teams at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Defending champion NY leads in this amateur boxing series, 3-1. The list of attending boxing dignitaries is led by world champions such as welterweight (1955) Tony DeMarco, light welterweight (1988) and welterweight (1991-93) James "Buddy" McGirt, and middleweight (1979-80) Vito Antuofermo.  Other notables scheduled to attend include heavyweights Gerry Cooney and Kevin McBride, light heavys Joey DeGrandis, and John Scully and welterweight Tony Petronelli. 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada, an active heavyweight will be working the corner of his brother, Providence police officer Roland. Proceeds from the May 18th charitable event will benefit Work Vessels For Veterans and NPSAL. Reserved tickets are  available to purchase online at www.foxwoods.com or any Ticketmaster outlet.

It has been  more than two years since Devon Alexander's first loss to Timothy Bradley. Since then, he got a controversial win over Lucas Matthysse, a dominant decision over Marcos Maidana, and redemption in the form of the IBF welterweight title in his second performance at that weight. However, Alexander's October 2012 unanimous decision win to gain the IBF welterweight belt against hard-punching Randall Bailey was not a crowd-pleasing fight. On Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, Alexander will make the first defense of his 147-pound title against Lee Purdy from the United Kingdom. There have been multiple postponements in recent months. Originally Alexander was supposed to fight Kell Brook but Brook was injured two different times, and Alexander once, which put the fight to be put on hold three different times.

Press Release: San Antonio, Texas will once again host a major boxing event when Showtime Championship Boxing returns on Saturday, July 27th at the AT&T Center. In the twelve-round main event, ex-welterweight titlist Andre Berto is back in the ring to take on tough Mexican Jesus Soto Karass.  Plus,  unbeaten Keith Thurman and Diego Gabriel Chaves battle for Chaves' WBA interim welterweight belt and Texas' undefeated Omar Figueroa Jr. squares off against Tokyo's Nihito Arakawa for the vacant WBC interim lightweight belt.

Press Release: There is only one stepping-stone left between Alexander Povetkin (25-0, 17 KOs) and Wladimir Klitschko (59-3, 50 KOs). The current WBA regular heavwyeight champion takes on Poland's Andrzej Wawrzyk (27-0, 13 KOs) this Friday, a must-win situation for Povetkin if he wants to fight Klitschko.  On the same card, WBA cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev (25-1, 19 KOs) takes on WBA “champion in recess” Guillermo Jones (38-3-2, 30 KOs). Povetkin met up with his challenger for the very first time during today's press conference. This is what the heavyweights had to say:

Press Release: San Diego boxing promoter, Bobby D Presents, will stage its biggest event to date on Friday, May 24th at the Bing Crosby Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.  Featured in the main event will be Aaron “Gavilan“ Garcia (10-3-2) as he returns to his hometown in a featherweight six rounder. Garcia's amateur career included more than 150 fights, multiple Golden Gloves titles and a silver medal at the Pan-Am Games. Garcia is coming off a split decision loss to Manny Pacquiao-backed Bernabe Concepcion. The co-feature matches southpaw lightweight Leon “Third Generation” Spinks III (4-0-1), originally of St. Louis, will be pitted against the tough as nails Alejandro Ochoa (1-3-1).

Press Release: The May 18th match-up between unbeaten Shawn Porter and Phil Lo Greco at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey will air on Showtime Extreme's telecast live at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).  Porter and Lo Greco will square off in a ten-round 150-pound catch-weight bout. 2012 British Olympic Bronze Medalist Anthony Ogogo will also participate one of the featured undercard bouts.

Press Release: Italian Lorenzo Di Giacomo will be the next obstacle for Erik Skoglund. The 34-year-old (41-7-1, 19 KOs) has gone the distance with Sebastian Sylvester, Eduard Gutknecht and Amin Asikainen. He will try to hand Skoglund (16-0, 9 KOs) the first loss of his career when they collide at Aarhus’ NRGi Arena on June 15th. “Di Giacomo is a good fighter, he has been in the game for a long time and he knows all the tricks,” Skoglund said. “He has a lot of experience and not lost many fights but I know I will beat him.” In the main event, middleweight Patrick Nielsen (18-0) faces Argentinian Crispulo Andino (16-5-1).

Press Release: This Friday night, Wealth TV and www.wealthtv.com will air undefeated Ghislain Maduma against Saul Carreon in a lightweight bout scheduled for ten rounds.  In the cofeature, 2008 Olympic Gold Medal, James “Chunky” DeGale will make his North American debut when he takes on former world title challenger Sebastien Demers in an eight-round super middleweight bout. Those two bouts will highlight a full nine bout card that will begin at 7pm EST/ 4pm PST.

Press Release: Early today, Robert Guerrero appeared in New York State Supreme Court in Queens County where all firearm possession charges were dismissed in connection with his March 28th arrest for bringing a gun into John  F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.  Guerrero pled guilty to disorderly conduct, a violation and not a crime, was fined $250 and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service which he will be allowed to perform in his home state  of California. Guerrero was arrested on March 28th when checking in his luggage at JFK while returning to training camp in Las Vegas following a press tour in connection with his May 4 loss to Floyd Mayweather.  As he was checking in, he advised authorities that he had an unloaded firearm in a locked box within his luggage, which was to be checked.  "I'm pleased that the District Attorney's Office considered my case carefully and resolved it fairly," said Guerrero. "I never intended to violate New York law, but I know that ignorance of the law is not an excuse.  Lesson learned.  I'm happy this incident is behind me."

I love Floyd Mayweather's skill set. I think he should be best ever but he's had too many misses. I think he should've fought Manny Pacquiao, Paul Williams, Antonio Margarito, Kosta Tszyu, Joel Casamayor, Acelino Frietas, Winky Wright, and Vernon Forrest. I think his next 5 fights should be Saul Alvarez, Pacquiao if he's right, Timothy Bradley, Sergio Martinez, and Danny Garcia (I think Mayweather and Adrien Broner are too close for that fight to happen). If Mayweather had all those fights and still undefeated then he would have to be GOAT!!! What do you think? Keep up the great work!! --Citty from NC

Boxingtalk joins the boxing community in mourning the death of Johnny Bos, a matchmaker and advisor whose boxing knowledge was matched only by his eccentricities (the man never ate vegetables and believed everything was part of a conspiracy). Despite his odd habits, Bos' ability to pick the right opponents for developing a prospect and his skill at making exciting undercard matches caused him to be sought out the world over. Here are a few brief memories of Johnny Bos:
Stephen "Bread" Edwards, trainer and Boxingtalk columnist: Bos called me on the phone and if you weren't paying attention you would say he was rambling. But if you listened closely you would realize he was still very sharp despite the raspy voice and wear and tear.

Vic Darchinyan TKO4 Javier Gallo... The outdoor show in Laredo, Texas over the weekend just barely beat a rain storm, but Top Rank beat the downpour to stage the first-ever boxing show at Uni-Trade Stadium Saturday night in Laredo, TX.  The main event saw Armenian-Australian Vic Darchinyan (39-5-1) defeating tough Mexican Javier Gallo (18-7-1) in a featherweight bout.  Darchinyan used his southpaw stance, and three-inch height advantage to frustrate his smaller opponent.  The second round was a rough one for the Mexican.  It started out by Gallo tasting the canvas early on and then seconds later going down again after a straight left. A desparate Gallo had a few moments of landing solid shots but he knew he was in big trouble.  Another left to the head from Darchinyan, a former 115-pound world champion, sent Gallo down with less than ten seconds in the round. In the fourth round it was another straight left from Darchinyan to Gallo's jaw that sent him on his backside, this time referee Mark Ca-Loy called mercy to the contest. Darchinyan was declared winner via TKO at :26 of the fourth round.

Press Release: InterBox and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) have reserved the dates of Saturday, December 7th and Saturday, January 25, 2014 at the Montreal Bell Centre for the postponed Lucian Bute vs. Jean Pascal mega-fight. The fight was slated for this month, but Bute suffered an injury necessitating postponement. The promoters reserved two dates in order to afford HBO options and they plan to discuss the two options with HBO executives in a few weeks before announcing the exact rescheduled date.   All tickets purchased will be accepted. All fight fans who already purchased tickets can hold on to them for the Dec. 7th or Jan. 25, 2014 rescheduled date.

I think Floyd Mayweather needs to fight Saul "Canelo" Alvarez next because Showtime is going to force a marketable opponent due to the pay-per-view sales being so low. The longer he waits to fight Canelo, the worse the outcome will be for him because Canelo will get more experienced and Mayweather will obviously be declining. Unless like you said Paulie Maliganggi beats Adrien Broner- that will be the perfect get out clause and should do over a million buys. He could also do big numbers fighting Amir Khan in the UK. All the best from the UK, James

Vinny Maddalone KO3 Richard Carmack... In Huntington, New York on Saturday, heavyweight  Vinny Maddalone had the Long Island faithful on their feet as he scored a third-round knockout of previously undefeated Richard Carmack of Kansas City. With hooks to the body and power shots to the head throughout the first two rounds, Maddalone (37-8-0 with 27 KOs, earned the stoppage, drilling the beefy Carmack (12-1 with 10 KOs), to the canvas in the third round as referee Tony Chiaranto called a halt to the proceedings at the 2:57 mark. 
   
Lionell Thompson W8 Yathomas Riley ...In an eight round light heavyweight contest, Buffalo, New York's Lionell Thompson upset the returning Yathomas Riley of Augusta, Georgia. After a  contested battle over the course of the bout, Thompson was declared the winner by scores of 77-75 (twice) and 79-73. He now improves to 14-2. Returning to the ring from a three-year absence following a wrongful incarceration on a murder charge, Riley, 8-1, suffered his first defeat as he couldn't shake the ring rust.

Jamie McDonnell W12 Julio Ceja... Fighting in his hometown of Doncater, England, bantamweight Jamie McDonnell became the first ever Doncastriam to claim a world title. McDonell claimed the vacant IBF 118-pound title via majority decision over Mexico's Julio Ceja. The belt became vacant when Leo Santa Cruz moved up to 122 pounds. McDonnell, a former European champion, now sports a career mark of 21-2-1, while Ceja suffers his first pro loss and is 24-1. Press reports said it was exciting bout, but the 119-110 card in McDonnell's favor by British judge Dave Parris is sure to raise claims of favortism.  source: the star

Vernon Paris W10 Manuel Perez... In the Motor City (Detroit), hometown welterweight Vernon Paris escaped with a debatable ten-round unanimous decision over Manuel Perez. Over the first two rounds, Paris displayed crafty technique, slipping most of Perez’s punches while countering well with straight rights and the occasional left hook. But in round three, Perez began to pressure Paris and timed him perfectly, landing his right hand at will straight down the pipe. Paris began to fight back but held his lead left hand low and had no answer for the right as he continued to get hit over the next few rounds. By the sixth round, Perez’s left eye started to close and Paris began to land his straighter punches over Perez’s looping shots. Perez faded over the next few rounds but picked up the pace in the ninth and went back to the formula that worked earlier.  In the closing round, Perez landed some nice shots but Paris used his defense to slip and roll many of Perez’s shots and countered well in the closing minute.  The official scores were 97-93, 96-94, and 98-92 for Paris but Boxingtalk scored the fight 96-95 for Perez. Paris is now 28-1, with the only loss coming against Zab Judah. Perez falls to 19-9-1.

Cornelius Lock W10 Lonnie Smith... In a featherweight fight, Cornelius Lock (21-6-1) won a unanimous decision over Lonnie Smith (14-5-3). Both fighters entered the ring having lost two of their last three bouts.  Lock suffered two flash knockdowns (rounds four and five) that were questionable calls by the referee.  Lock was the busier fighter of the two, and landed more crisper shots throughout the fight.  In the tenth round, Smith was penalized one point for repeated mouth guard violations.  Despite the knockdowns, Lock came out with a points victory. Official scores were 97-91, 96-92, and 95-92. Boxingtalk agreed, scoring the fight 95-92 for Lock. source for both results: espn2

Dierry Jean TKO4 Cleotis Pendarvis... Dierry Jean (25-0, 17 KOs), of Quebec overcame a bad cut on the side of his right eye to register two knockdowns en route to a fourth-round TKO of southpaw Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis (17-4-1, 6 KOs), of Long Beach, Calif. The junior welterweight bout, which served as the ShoBox main event from Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla., was an IBF eliminator in the 140-pound division. Jean is now the mandatory contender for Lamont Peterson.

John Thompson W10 Geovanni Rodriguez... In a battle of unbeaten middleweights in the co-feature,  John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson (12-0, 4 KOs) of Newark, N.J., dropped left-hander Geovanni “Tarantula” Rodriguez (8-1, 5 KOs), of  Puerto Rico four times en route a unanimous eight-round decision. Thompson, making his second start being trained by former champion James “Buddy” McGirt, triumphed by the scores of 78-70 (twice) and 78-71. source for both results: showtime press release

Press Release: The final press conference was held on Thursday at Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albuquerque, NM for tonight's women's light welterweight championship fight with Holly Holm (32-2-3, 9 KOs) defending against Mary McGee (20-1, 11 KOs) in the ten-round main event. Holm says this will be her last boxing match before moving full time to mixed martial arts. Holm said, "I have lots of emotion surrounding this fight. Even though there's been lots of negativity around, I know I want to try a new path. I'm very proud and honored to share this with you (Mary McGee)." McGee added,  "I am very happy to have this opportunity and I want to thank everyone here in New Mexico. People have always been very welcoming to me." Official weights: Holly Holm 139.2 pounds, Mary McGee 137 pounds.

After watching Floyd Mayweather's fights, it seems all his opponents repeat the same line: “he was a lot harder than I thought.” This puzzles me. Is it possible for a fighter to concede that his opponent (Floyd) is an all around superior fighter, but still have the confidence that he has a chance to win? I know it’s a crazy question but how can you defeat a monster if you can’t first admit that it’s a monster.--Russ

Press Release: On June 8th in Carson, California's Home Depot Center, Marcos Maidana faces Josesito Lopez in a twelve-round welterweight fight to be televised live on Showtime Championship Boxing. In 2012, Lopez came into a fight with Victor Ortiz as an underdog but stopped Ortiz in nine. That earned him an ambitious crack at Saul Alvarez's WBC 154-pound title last September, which Lopez lost in five rounds. He has not fought since then. Also featured on the broadcast will be a twelve-round junior middleweight showdown between Alfredo "El Perro" Angulo and  Erislandy Lara. Preliminary fights will air on Showtime Extreme at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Press Release: The four boxers who will compete on ShoBox: The New Generation tonight, Friday, May 10th, (Showtime, 11 p.m. ET/PT) all made weight yesterday at Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla. In the main event, Dierry “Dougy Style” Jean (24-0, 16 KOs), of Quebec will meet southpaw Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis (17-3-1, 6 KOs), of Los Angeles in a junior welterweight bout. Jean weighed 139.6 pounds while Pendarvis tipped the scale at 139.8 pounds. The co-feature will pit unbeaten middleweights John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson (11-0, 4 KOs) of Newark, NJ, and left-hander Geovanni “Tarantula” Rodriguez (8-0, 5 KOs), of Puerto Rico, in an eight-round scrap. Thompson weighed 153.8 pounds; Rodriguez 155.8.

Press Release: The next opponent for Denmark's Patrick Nielsen (18-0, 8 KOs) will be Crispulo Javier Andino (16-5-1, 7 KOs) from Argentina. The 24-year-old southpaw has been confirmed to fight Nielsen at middleweight at NRGi Arena in Aarhus on June 15th. The fight is Aarhus will be Nielsen's first since he added American trainer Joey Gamache to his coaching staff.

Fighting world junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia last month, Zab Judah arguably did more for his legacy in defeat than he did in any of his previous victories.  Judah is a boxer many writers have designated an enigma and a baffling paradox.  An athletic fighter with supreme God-given talent accompanied a lack of discipline and focus that frustratingly didn’t seem to match his limitless ability.  He has so much natural talent that he can effortlessly do things in the ring that devout students of the game will never master.

Press Release: On Friday, June 21, 2013, from the Minneapolis Convention Center, ESPN2 will broadcast an IBF 130-pound elimination bout between Florida-based Cuban Rances "Kid Blast" Barthelemy (18-0, 11 KOs) and Thailand's Fahsai "Mountain Boy" Sakkreerin (39-3-1, 21 KOs) in a twelve-round IBF title eliminator. The winner gets the right to face IBF champion Argenis Mendez. In the co-feature, local middleweight "Golden" Caleb Truax (21-1-1, 12 KO) faces Chicago's Don "Da Bomb" George (24-3-2, 21 KO) over ten rounds. Tickets can be purchased through www.sofights.com.

Press Release: Lightweight Bahodir “Baha” Mamadjonov (13-1 with 9 KOs) traveled to Don King’s office in South Florida today to sign a long-term promotional agreement with the promoter.  A heralded amateur with over 200 fights, Mamadjonov won several championships fighting out of his native Uzbekistan before moving to Houston two years ago to turn professional under the guidance of trainer Ken Richardson.

Press Release: A minor shoulder injury suffered during training camp has forced Irish featherweight Patrick "The Punisher" Hyland to withdraw from his scheduled main event fight May 18 at Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.  Final Round Promotions announced today that the entire card has been cancelled. Hyland (27-1, 12 KOs) has a muscle pull in his right shoulder.  "Patrick is under doctor's orders to stop training for two weeks and undergo treatment," promoter Mike Pascale (Final Round Promotions) explained.  "We're all disappointed but injuries, unfortunately, are part of boxing.  We've already started looking at a few possible dates for a rescheduled show featuring Patrick, but we need to wait for his medical report in two weeks to know his physical status, before we can book a date.  This is just a minor bump in the road for Patrick." Tickets for the cancelled May 18th will be refunded at point of purchase.

By easily defeating Robert Guerrero last Saturday, Floyd Mayweather left no question why he is considered one of the best fighters of this era. He boxed beautifully, landed crisp right hands all night, matched jab for jab with Guerrero, and displayed defensive mastery. With his exceptional defense, he showed that boxing is about hitting and not getting hit.  He did what many boxing pundits expected him to do against Guerrero, one of the world's best welterweights, who was nonetheless an overmatched and outclassed opponent. The only chance Guerrero ever had was to land a lucky punch, hope Mayweather made a bad mistake or had a terrible night. Basically, Guerrero's chances of victory were the same every underdog has when he steps into a boxing ring.

Press Release: Team Sauerland is looking for the next Danish boxing sensation. To find the new Mikkel Kessler, Europe's biggest boxing promoter will stage a public work-out at the new Team Sauerland Gym at Butcher's Garage in Copenhagen. Anyone  older than 18 can try out in front of an expert jury. “There are a lot of ways to break into boxing,” promoter Nisse Sauerland said. “Clearly a successful amateur background is the most common way, but a lot of champions have actually been discovered elsewhere. Take, for example, Arthur Abraham or Marco Huck. They just showed up at the gym one day and impressed the trainers so much that they were given a chance. That is exactly the spirit we are looking for. If you think you got what it takes to become a professional boxer, bring your sports gear and come to our new gym on June 9th.” The auditions will start at 11 am with the first of several elimination rounds. The jury will be looking for qualities such as technique, style, power, speed, heart, fitness, agility and star potential. Suitable candidates can win a place on a future boxing show and more regular training with the Team Sauerland coaching staff.

Press Release: Washington, D.C. teen welterweight Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (14-0, 8 KOs) will face his toughest competition to date when he faces Eddie Soto (12-6, 4 KOs) of Pawtucket, RI on Saturday, May 18th.  The eight-round bout will be the main event at the University of the District of Columbia’s Sports Complex (4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.).  The event will be streamed live online by Go Fight Live (www.gfl.tv) and broadcast on Comcast at a future date.

Press Release: Yesterday, DiBella Entertainment announced its Broadway Boxing show on May 15th at BB King Blues Club in New York City would be headlined by Andy Lee (29-2, 20 KOs) vs. Darryl Cunningham (28-4, 11 KOs). Today, the remainder of the card was announced. Middleweight Lamar Russ (13-0, 7 KOs) takes on Russell "Spiderman" Jordan (15-9, 10 KOs) and Delen "The Sniper" Parsley (10-0, 3 KOs) squares off against Louis Rose (6-1, 2 KOs). Both bouts are scheduled for eight rounds. Looking to get back into the win column will be heavyweight Tor Hamer (19-2, 12 KOs) who faces Houston's Maurenzo Smith (11-5-2, 8 KOs) in a six rounder. Tickets are available for purchase by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577.

According to the Tuscaloosa News in Alabama, undefeated heavyweight Deontay Wilder was arrested in Las Vegas after the Mayweather-Guerrero fight and charged with domestic battery by strangulation. Few details were available, but the distraction of a criminal case comes at a time when Wilder was busy with a fight every couple of months. Wilder, 28-0 with 28 KOs as a pro, hails from Alabama and after a few years of easy fights, is beginning to progress up the heavyweight ladder. Two weeks ago, he stopped out Audley Harrison in the first round. -Scott Shaffer

Press Release: Undefeated junior welterweight Cletus "The Hebrew Hammer" Seldin is recovering well from surgery on his right shoulder to repair his rotator cuff and labrum according to his promoter, Joe DeGuardia.  "Our team at Star Boxing wishes Cletus a successful and speedy recovery" said DeGuardia. "Fans on Long Island have been very supportive of him and we're proud that he's developed [by fighting on our shows] at The Paramount which rocks Huntington, New York. We expect Cletus to play a key role in the further resurgence on Long Island." Seldin has fought six of his last seven bouts at The Paramount, each fight resulting in knockouts.  The orthoscopic operation on the labrum and rotator cuff was performed by Dr. Answorth Allen on the right shoulder on April 22nd. Seldin is in physical therapy, and is scheduled to be back at the Paramount this September.

Press Release: Lucian Bute is injured and cannot fight Jean Pascal on May 25th in Montreal. GYM President Yvon Michel, who was co-promoting the event with InterBox, says this is only a postponement of the greatest fight in Canadian history. "Obviously, when we first heard the news a few hours ago, we were all in shock," Michel said. "This is part of boxing and we are aware that we have to live and deal with these contingencies. Our perception is that this only a postponement. We ask Quebec to show understanding and patience. We wish a speedy recovery to Lucian." Pascal was also surprised to learn the bad news. "I was so excited when I met with the media last week," Pascal commented from his Las Vegas training camp. "I thought that I was in the best shape of my life and very optimistic about my fight with Bute. We now need to start over but I am a professional. I know that these things happen and I think that sooner or later, we will both be in the ring to settle our differences.  And I would like to add that I would still fight on May 25th; I am ready to face anyone." GYM and InterBox are currently in a research and analysis solution mode. Full details will be announced as soon as there are new developments.

Press Release: As a painter and artist in his spare time, Newark, New Jersey, boxer John "Apollo Kidd" Thompson IV (11-0, 4 KOs) has created many satisfying works of art. But Thompson will be looking to put his finest work yet on canvas this Friday, May 10th, when he takes on Puerto Rico's Giovany Rodriguez (8-0, 5 KOs).  
The two middleweights will clash over eight rounds on ShoBox: The New Generation (on Showtime at 11 PM ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma.  In the main event, Montreal's Dierry "Dougy Style" Jean (24-0, 16 KOs) will take on Los Angeles southpaw Cleotis "Mookie" Pendarvis (17-3-2, 6 KOs) in a twelve-round IBF eliminator at 140 pounds. Tickets are available at www.buffalorun.com or by calling The Buffalo Run Box Office (918) 542-7140.

Press Release: This past Saturday, undefeated world welterweight champion  Floyd “Money” Mayweather produced a defensively dominant twelve-round unanimous decision over Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, aired on pay-per-view before nearly 16,000 fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. On Saturday, May 11th, Showtime will air the fight, along with unbeaten Abner Mares’ ninth-round technical knockout victory over defending WBC featherweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Press Release: Her opponent has changed, but the goal remains the same for Shelito Vincent as she prepares for the biggest fight of her career Friday, May 17th, 2013 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island.  Vincent (8-0), a female bantamweight from Connecticut who now lives and trains in Providence, R.I., will face South Carolina's Angel Gladney (8-7-1, 6 KOs) in the eight-round main event next Friday. Vincent was originally supposed to face Christina Ruiz of Texas, but Ruiz pulled out of the fight, citing a hand injury, and now the hard-hitting Gladney will step the plate less than two months after beating Kelan Robey in Virginia. Tickets can be purchased online at www.shop.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location.

Press Release: Next Wednesday, May 15th, BB King Blues Club in New York City hosts the latest edition of Broadway Boxing.  Moving into the main event slot will middleweight contender "Irish" Andy Lee (29-2, 20 KOs) taking on Daryl Cunningham (28-4, 11 KOs) in a ten-round middleweight contest. Already announced for the card are middleweight Lamar Russ (12-0, 7KO's), middleweight Delen Parsley (10-0, 3 KOs) and heavyweight or Hamer (19-2, 12KO's) in separate eight-round bouts. Tickets are available for purchase by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577.

Press Release: WBA 168-pound regular champion Mikkel Kessler will get the most competitive sparring of his career prior to his May 25th showdown with his IBF counterpart Carl Froch. The Viking Warrior will train with no less than three unbeaten boxers in his Copenhagen gym this week: WBO light heavyweight title holder Nathan Cleverly (26-0, 12 KOs), contender George Groves (18-0, 14 KOs) and Erik Skoglund (16-0, 9 KOs). Together, the sparring partners have amassed a perfect record of 60 wins, zero losses and 35 KOs. Kessler's career KO total also stands at 35, along with 46 wins and just two defeats.

Press Release: WBO featherweight title holder Mikey Garcia (31-0, 26 KOs) of Oxnard, Calif. and Juan Manuel Lopez (33-2, 30 KOs), of Caguas, Puerto Rico will join two-time heavyweight champion Goerge Foreman and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum to announce a Garcia-Lopez featherweight title fight which will take place on Saturday, June 15th and will be televised live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas on HBO Boxing After Dark. Lopez os a former title holder at 122 and 126 pound. This will mark the first time HBO has ever broadcast a fight from the American Airlines Center.

Press Release: While challenger Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 KOs) said he would hug and shake hands with his WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25 KOs) after their third in-ring meeting on June 8th at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany, those attending Monday's press conference were not really convinced. Before Afolabi's attempt to calm things down, he and Huck got into a heated exchange of words, started by Huck, a 28-year-old German. “Afolabi is starting to get on my nerves. I beat him in December 2009. After I fought Alexander Povetkin for the WBA heavyweight crown, it was difficult for me to find the right motivation for my rematch with Afolabi in May last year [which resulted in a majority draw]. However, I believe that I actually won that bout. [This time], I will win in my own backyard. We won’t be playing cat and mouse anymore. This will be a war – I won’t be holding back.”

Press Release: Long Island fan favorite Vinny Maddalone (36-8) is in final preparations for his scheduled ten-round heavyweight clash on Saturday, May 11th against Richard Carmack (12-0) in the main event at The Paramount in Huntington, New York. Carmack, from Kansas City, is coming off a one-round stoppage of Carl Davis (16-5). The show also features an eight-round light heavyweight bout between Yathomas Riley (8-0) and Buffalo-based Lionell Thompson (13-2). Presented by Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing, tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster, (www.Ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000), through The Paramount Box Office, (631) 673-7300 or on the Star Boxing website, www.StarBoxing.com.

In Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather retained the world 147-pound championship with a unanimous decision victory over Robert Guerrero. Mayweather is now 44-0 as a pro after carrying all three official scorecards by 117-111... In Germany, Wladimir Klitschko retained his shares of the world heavyweight championship by stopping little-known Francesco Pianeta in the sixth round. Pianeta, a cancer survivor, was knocked down in the fourth and knocked out two rounds later. It was the sixtieth win of Klitschko's pro career and the first loss of Pianeta's.... On the Mayweather undercard, Abner Mares stopped Daniel Ponce De Leon in the ninth round to take De Leon's WBC featherweight championship. De Leon suffered knockdowns in the second and ninth rounds The undefeated Mares has now won world titles at 118, 122 and 126 pounds... Leo Santa Cruz was successful in his 122-pound debut, stopping former 115-poundchampion Alexander Munoz in the fifth round. Santa Cruz, who vacated the IBF 118-pound title punished Munoz and dropped him twice, leading to the referee's stoppage in the fifth...In a middleweight bout that opened the Mayweather pay-per-view broadcast, J'Leon Love won an unpopular decision over Gabriel Rosado. Love was knocked down in the sixth and hurt badly in the ninth, but received a split decision verdict. ESPN scored the fight 95-94 in favor of Rosado.  --Scott Shaffer

Abner Mares sat down with the media on Thursday to discuss tonight's challenge of Daniel Ponce De Leon for the WBC featherweight title. Mares, a former titlist at 118 and 122 pounds, will be making his debut in the 126-pound division. Here is what he had to say:

Press Release: Two regional showdowns have been added to CES' May 17th boxing event at Rhode Island's Twin River Casino, starting with Pawtucket, RI middleweight Thomas Falowo (9-1, 7 KOs) stepping up to face Tylon Burris (5-0, 3 KOs) of Hartford, Conn. in a six-round bout. Also, super middleweight Rich Gingras (12-3, 8 KOs) of Attleboro, Mass., will battle Joey Gardner (11-5-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, R.I., in a six-round bout.

Press Release: Tonight at 10pm ET / 7pm PT on GFL.tv, ex-junior middleweight champion Ricardo Mayorga makes his MMA debut in his home country of Nicaragua. Mayorga will face Canada's Wesley Tiffer (5-1).  Tiffer, who heads Team Wesley Fight team, hasn't fought since 2009 and made the transition from fighting to coaching but could not pass up the challenge [Editor's note: by "challenge" they mean "$$"] of Mayorga. A 2011 loss to Miguel Cotto was the last time "El Matador" competed in the ring. The entire event from start to finish can be viewed live on GFL.tv for $9.99.

Boxingtalk caught up with Floyd Mayweather Sr. after Wednesday's press conference. The elder Mayweather has reconciled with his son and has been Floyd Jr.'s lead trainer for tomorrow's welterweight bout against Robert Guerrero.

In Mannheim, Germany today, multi-organization heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko weighed 249 pounds and his challenger Francesco Pianeta came in at 240.  Epix will broadcast the fight in the United States tomorrow beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT. It will also be streamed live on EpixHD.com. With a record of 59-3 with 51 KOs, Klitschko (pictured) is bidding for his landmark 60th professional victory. Pianeta is 28-0-1 with 15 KOs. source: epix

Fans today have trouble finding an NBA player without a tattoo, an NFL player who doesn’t have a dance or signal for every touchdown, or even a reserved politician who stays “in the closet” because it’s nobody’s business what happens in their home.  After the legendary referee Mills Lane coined “Let Get It On”, it’s become hard to find a boxing referee without a catch phrase during his intsructions.  For this weekend’s main event between Robert Guerrero versus Floyd Mayweather, it’s hard to find a resourceful vessel that is not hypnotized by Floyd’s ether. I believe it’s an evenly matched contest. With Mayweather having missed eleven threatening, viable  opponents (the most in boxing history according to my count) since 1999, the media and Showtime continue to underestimate Robert’s chances.

Boxingtalk caught up with Manny Pacquiao's right hand man and advisor Michael Koncz for a brief chat at 50 Cent's gym  in Las Vegas. Check out what he had to say about Pacquiao's future fight plans.

Middleweights J'Leon Love and Gabriel Rosado very nearly came to blows during their ceremonial arrivals at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas on Tuesday afternoon. As Love was brought on stage, he made a beeline for Rosado and got in his face. "I'm not a trash talker over social media but Rosado disrespected me on Twitter," said Love later in the week. "He said that he was going to punish me in this fight. Nobody has ever punished me other than my parents and that's not going to change on May 4th." Love's actions were out of character for his usually laid-back demeanor.

Press Release: "Merciless" Mary McGee (20-1, 11 KOs) is going to Albuquerque, New Mexico with respect for her opponent, three-division champion Holly "The Preacher's Daughter" Holm (32-2-3, 9 KOs).  But she's also heading there to spoil the soon-to-be-retired Holm's final appearance in a boxing ring, on Saturday, May 11th at the Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albuquerque. Holm recently announced that she will retire from boxing after this fight to pursue her mixed martial arts career.  McGee will challenge Holm in a ten rounder.

Press Release: Jose Aguiniga withdrww from tonight's fight against Francisco Vargas at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas after he was rushed to the hospital Thursday afternoon. Aguiniga, an undefeated junior lightweight, reportedly collapsed in the gym due to severe dehydration.  The previously scheduled eight-round welterweight clash between Antonio Orozco and Jose Reynoso has been increased to a ten-round fight and moved up to the main event slot of tomorrow's card which will be televised by Fox Sports Networks and Fox Deportes. Elevated to the co-feature will be Flint, Michigan's Anthony Dirrell (24-0, 21 KOs)  battling Houston's Don Mouton (11-6-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round light heavyweight bout.

Press Release: The third fight between WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25 KOs) and Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 KOs) is going to be staged on June 8th in Berlin at the Max Schmeling Hall. “I’m glad that we have finally arrived at this point. I will be fighting in my backyard,” said an excited Huck. Originally, Don King won the purse bid to Huck-Afolabi III, but the right to host the fight was handed to Sauerland Event when King failed to finalize the fight within a set period. Sauerland as the second-highest bidder in February's purse bid will now put on the show instead.

Boxingtalk.com caught up with Leo Santa Cruz after his open workout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Santa Cruz vacated the IBF 118-pound title and this Saturday, on the Floyd Mayweather-Robert Guerrero pay-per-view show, he will make his debut in the 122-pound category against Alexander Munoz, a former 115-pound champion.

Floyd Mayweather and Robert Guerrero were cordial, soft spoken and of few words during the final press conference leading up to their pay-per-view fight on Saturday night at Las Vegas' MGM Grand. However, Guerrero's father/trainer, Ruben Guerrero made a it a point to insult Mayweather, much to the dismay of a packed Hollywood Theater. "You're a wife beater!" shouted Guerrero. "You beat your wife in front of your children, you're a wife beater." The fight's promoter, a shocked Oscar De La Hoya, literally pulled Ruben from the podium as the outspoken trainer continued to shout obscenities. Neither boxer said anything substantial until they sat down for smaller roundtable discussions following the press conference. Here are the highlights:

Press Release: Reda Zam Zam (27-2, 13 KOs) has retired from retirement. The Danish light middleweight will return to the ring in his hometown of Aarhus on June 15th. Zam Zam had called it a career right after his loss to Guido Nicolas Pitto last December. “I took a very quick decision, it happened in the heat of the moment because I was so disappointed,” Zam Zam said. “When I had some more time to think about it, I quickly changed my mind. I couldn´t sleep well, I´ve been in the game too long to stop like this. It would leave a very bad taste in my mouth. I want to retire at the very top, not by losing a fight which I could have won, and that´s why I am coming back.”

Press Release: Toowoomba, Australia’s Kris George will take on Newcastle’s Dean Cambridge on a June 7th card headlined by Les “Lock N Load” Sherrington. George (3-0) is coming off a unanimous decision win over Townsville’s Jay Thompson, which saw him go the distance for the first time as a professional. However, Cambridge (4-3) has more experience in the boxing ring then all of George’s previous opponents combined, and he previously dispersed of another hard hitting Toowoomba boxer, Brad Drennan, in a six-round war. Promoter Brendon Smith is very excited about the way this card is shaping up. “This will be one of the biggest cards in Toowoomba in the last decade,” said Smith.

I think we may now see Floyd Mayweather and Sergio Martinez fight after last Saturday – I knew Martin Murray would give Martinez a tough fight but I thought Martinez would have produced more class. Now he has to have a long layoff [due to a broken hand] and I think Floyd will take that to his advantage and call shots of getting Martinez down to 154 – or maybe assuming Martinez is coming down the other side of the hill he might take that step and go for a title at 160 and cement greatness? What are your thoughts? All the best from the UK-- James
Linder’s Response: As I just mentioned, I never felt that Mayweather and Martinez were on a major collision course.  But Martinez did look like he slipped in his last fight.  If Floyd does happen to take on Martinez in his next fight, we’ll know he was waiting for the right time.  Until then, I won’t be critical.

Press Release: Floyd  “Money” Mayweather and Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero made their arrivals on Tuesday at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, formally kicking off fight  week for their pay-per-view weltewrweight fight taking place this Saturday, May  4th in the MGM Grand  Garden Arena.  Below are quotes from Mayweather and Guerrero upon their respective arrivals:

In the wake of Bermane Stiverne's upset of Chris Arreola in a WBC heavyweight elimination bout, Vitali Klitschko has confirmed his willingness to defend the WBC heavyweight championship against Stiverne. Klitschko, the 41 year old brother of Wladimir Klitschko has held the WBC title from 2004-2005 and 2008 through the present. He did not lose the title in the ring, but was retired from 2005-2008. Until this announcement, it was not clear if Vitali would continue boxing or pursue a career in Ukrainian politics. source: wbc