The Army Boxing Thread

[binnie]

Cheers for getting back to me on that, sounds like I missed a good fight.

I'm sure that Maragarito will be back!

[binnie]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Report: Taylor to move up to super middleweight

July 10, 2007

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (TICKER) -- Jermain Taylor will reportedly move up from middleweight to super middleweight following his proposed fight with No. 1 contender Kelly Pavlik according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's web site.

Taylor, who is very close to signing a deal to fight Pavlik at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on September 29, said that the WBC and WBO title fight will be his last as a middleweight, which has a limit of 160 pounds.

Taylor, even if he makes his fifth consecutive successful title defense against Pavlik, will vacate his championship belts and begin a new title quest in the 168-pound super middleweight division, according to the report.

A change in class would force Taylor to vacate his titles.

This is interesting.

Is he going to take on the winner of Calzaghe-Kessler? I think either of those two would embarrass Taylor to be honest, I just can't see him living with those two.

Who has the IBF belt at 168lbs? Maybe Taylor could fight for that first, get used to the weight. Anthony Mundine would also be a good first fight for him at that weight....

[binnie]

Calzaghe is confident....(from The Independent online)

Boxing: Calzaghe wary of Kessler challenge
By Duncan Bech
Published: 18 July 2007
Joe Calzaghe is braced for the greatest challenge of his career when he meets Mikkel Kessler in a fight promoter Frank Warren has billed as the biggest in the world. Seventy thousand tickets have been made available for the showdown at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on 3 November with the gate receipts alone expected to generate £7m.

Calzaghe will put his WBO belt on the line while Kessler's WBC and WBA titles are at stake as the unbeaten super-middleweight rivals clash to determine who rules the division. High-profile Americans Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins had been mooted as possible opponents, but Calzaghe insists heavily-tattooed Dane Kessler is the most dangerous adversary.

And while bookmakers have made Calzaghe 1-2 favourite - the 35-year-old Welshman is fighting on home soil - he knows he will have to reproduce his brilliant display against Jeff Lacy if he is to triumph.

"On paper Mikkel is excellent. His record is 39-0 and he has two world titles. It's the biggest and only fight out there for me," he said. "Maybe it's the most difficult fight too. Jermain Taylor is a middleweight while Bernard Hopkins is 42 and just living on his name. But Kessler is at his peak. Just like Jeff Lacy he's young, hungry and wants to be the best in the world.

"I think he's a better fighter than Lacy - he's taller, bigger and stronger. I'm 35 and he'll be hoping I'm slipping - well we'll see about that on 3 November.

"There's no way I'm going to lose the fight because I'll be in the best shape of my life. When I'm at my best no one can beat me."

[binnie]

And so is Kessler (from the BBC)

Kessler calls Calzaghe a slapper

Calzaghe v Kessler could attract a world record crowd
Mikkel Kessler has built the heat ahead of his 3 November super middleweight unification bout with Joe Calzaghe by claiming that the Welshman "slaps".
"Calzaghe's an awkward fighter who throws a lot of punches but slaps a lot, too," he told BBC Sport Wales.

The accusation has been frequently thrown at Calzaghe and helped motivate him to two of his best performances, against Byron Mitchell and Jeff Lacy.

The bout could attract a record crowd, with over 17,000 tickets already sold.

606: DEBATE
The fight is 60-40 in favour of Calzaghe

AFCforever

The world record attendance for an indoor boxing show is 63,350, for Muhammad Ali's rematch with Leon Spinks at the New Orleans Superdome in 1978.

But promoter Frank Warren hopes to attract up to 70,000 to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, which will have its sliding roof closed.

Dane Kessler, 28, will be putting his WBA and WBC titles on the line, along with a perfect 39-0 (29 KOs) record.

But Calzaghe, 35, will be making his 21st defence of the WBO title that he has held for 10 years, making him the world's longest reigning world champion with a record of 43-0 (32 KOs).

"Kessler is the biggest and most difficult fight out there for me," said Calzaghe.

"He's at his peak. Just like Jeff Lacy he's young, hungry and wants to be the best in the world.

"I think he's a better fighter than Lacy - he's taller, bigger and stronger. But there's no way I'm going to lose the fight because I'll be in the best shape of my life and when I'm at my best no one can beat me.

"His style suits me. He's a very solid European-style fighter - quite upright and someone who comes in straight lines.

"At this stage of my career it's all about my legacy. I want to be recognised as maybe the greatest super middleweight there has been."

Despite his comments over Calzaghe's punching style, Kessler says he has respect for the Welshman and will relish the biggest test of his career.


"I've been waiting all my life for this, a big fight on US television against a great champion," Kessler told BBC Radio Wales' Back Page programme.

"They've been talking about this fight in Denmark for years.

"I don't want to reveal my tactics, but I'll keep my distance as usual. I'm a more intelligent fighter than Calzaghe.

"Lacy was too slow to take him on, but I know that I'm number one in the division and I'm going to kick his ass."

[ALinChainz]

I really like Kessler in this one and agree with his "slapper" tag, but only in the sense of his power isn't what Kessler's is.

I would like to see Kessler reverse the roles and blitz him. If you back Calzaghe up, it neutralizes his speed. Kessler being younger, his liability will be experience. Calzaghe keeps talking about Lacy prior to this fight and this one I believe will be be much more difficult.

I wish I could predict a KO, but it won't happen I don't think. I think if Calzaghe gets a taste of power, he'll run and survive.

[binnie]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
I really like Kessler in this one and agree with his "slapper" tag, but only in the sense of his power isn't what Kessler's is.

I would like to see Kessler reverse the roles and blitz him. If you back Calzaghe up, it neutralizes his speed. Kessler being younger, his liability will be experience. Calzaghe keeps talking about Lacy prior to this fight and this one I believe will be be much more difficult.

I wish I could predict a KO, but it won't happen I don't think. I think if Calzaghe gets a taste of power, he'll run and survive.

In his early days Calzaghe had major power, I mean major. He was the only guy ever to floor Chris Eubank (former Super-Middleweight champ with 18 or so defences). But his hands are brittle, so he has changed his style to utilize his speed.

However, one thing about Calzaghe is that he likes to fight, to brawl, and that's been his weakness. In a lot of his fights he could have won easily be using his speed and foot-work, but he opted rather to stand and trade because he likes the hard man stuff. If Frank Warren's organization hadn't taken all the clips off youtube, I'd post the fights to show you.

I'm not too sure how this fight will go, and I don't think it's easy to pick a winner. I've never seen anyone back Calzaghe up, and if Kessler is going to try and do that he's going to get hit half a dozen times every time he comes in, but it is a tactic I would recommend as you say.

However, Kessler likes to fight at a distance. He is really a counter puncher, and picks people off as they come forward. In many respects he is like Hopkins, he loves to control the pace and opperate at range. His weakness is that he goes totally off balance when he is backed up. If you watch the Beyer fight and his last bout you will see moments where he is backed up and leans back, going off balance - those oppents didn't capitalize on it, but Calzaghe should be fst enough too.

But like I said I just can't predict this one. Kessler has youth on his side, and that's a major advantage.

I think we should be in for a classic, regardless of the outcome.

[ALinChainz]

Hand problems + age ... even with the speed, he better be able to discourage Kessler from walking in. Kessler waiting to counterpunch a fast handed fighter is a mistake I think.

Calzaghe talks now about this is the fight for him after all those months of dismissing a Kessler fight. He has to talk this way now to hype the thing.

Personally, I hope Kessler KOs him and he retires. I'm still pissed over that last fight with Manfredo. A love-tap stoppage. He would have won anyway, that was a homer call to save some face as a decision would have hurt more than helped.

[binnie]

Originally posted by ALinChainz


Personally, I hope Kessler KOs him and he retires. I'm still pissed over that last fight with Manfredo. A love-tap stoppage. He would have won anyway, that was a homer call to save some face as a decision would have hurt more than helped.

It actually hurt him in the long run, as he wanted to raise his profile in the States and it back-fired.

You can't blame him for the fight being stopped though, it was the ref's fault. Yeah it was stopped to early, but it stopped Manfredo becoming a shot fighter like Lacy is now - he'll never be the same.

Manfredo wasn't hurt, that's for sure. But his face was already swelled up. He was getting hit, and it would have only been a matter of time....

[binnie]

It's Hopkins-Wright this Saturday. I can't see it cos I'm out of town (damnit!)

I'd love to see Hopkins win, as I really admire him and hes never ducked anyone (not saying Winky has though). However, I think Wright has the edge, he's just so damn awkward and Hopkins just isn't the sort of pressure fighter to worry him. Winky is really hard to look good against.

It'll be chess match, but it might be interesting....

[ALinChainz]

Current Champs

[ALinChainz]

Naito wins decision over Pongsaklek for WBC title

July 18, 2007

TOKYO (TICKER) -- Japanese challenger Daisuke Naito won a unanimous decision over champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand on Wednesday to capture the WBC flyweight title.

The 32-year-old Naito, who previously lost to Pongsaklek in April 2002 and October 2005, made his third his try at the title count. "I was super-focused but I wasn't sure if I could win," Naito said. "In the ninth round, I ran out of steam but I just pushed myself with all of my heart. I was ready to retire if I lost. All my practice paid off in the end."

Naito (31-2-2, 20 KOs) took control from the early rounds at Korakuen Hall, landing big left-right combinations to Pongsaklek's face and taking an advantage with his unorthodox punching style. A cut, which the Thai boxer said was from a headbutt, opened up above Pongsaklek's left eye in the third round.

The Hokkaido native became the second-oldest Japanese boxer at 32 years, 10 months to claim a world title. Takashi Koshimoto captured the WBC featherweight title at 35 years old.

Pongsaklek (65-3, 34 KOs), failed in his 18th title defense and relinquished the title he won in March 2001.

"Today Naito was the better fighter and I admit it," Pongsaklek said. "But the cut I got in the third round was from a headbutt. It's unfortunate I had to give up the belt."

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txnaitofight&prov=st&type=lgns

[ALinChainz]

Walshman Rees captures WBA light-heavyweight title

July 21, 2007

By Riath Al-Samarrai Special to PA SportsTicker

CARDIFF, Wales (Ticker) - Gavin Rees became Wales' 10th world champion after claiming a unanimous points victory over WBA light-welterweight champion Souleymane M'Baye on Saturday.

The 27-year-old, whose career looked to be over in 2004 after he was given a year-long ban for knocking out a funeral mourner, completed his rehabilitation with a stunning display.

From the first bell he took the initiative and, irrespective of the sleek skills facing him, dropped few rounds against a man Ricky Hatton refused to fight, taking the verdict, 110-118, 112-117, 113-117.

Indeed, the early signs were positive for Welsh fans, with Rees initiating the action and working a series of quick combinations to the Frenchman's body, but the champion rarely sniffed danger in either of the first two rounds.

Irrespective, Rees continued to pour in the punches and, despite missing with plenty of them, remained on the front foot while evading M'Baye's huge range of shots.

It was a pattern that continued for three rounds but M'Baye's approach was not understated for long.

By the fourth he was landing the telling blows and in the fifth he smiled at Rees' best flurry while picking him off repeatedly with his left jab.

The sixth and seventh rounds saw the contender crunch M'Baye's ribs with a relentless surge of body shots but his best delivery, a left hook, clattered into the 32-year-old's jaw in the eighth.

The next four rounds passed in a similar fashion, the Welshman clearly the superior even in the absence of a big shot, and when the verdict came few were surprised.

Rees told ITV Sport: "From the first bell I outpunched him every round. I started to tire towards the end but I had won the first eight rounds.

"I knew I had already won the fight so I knew to keep calm. No one expected me to beat him, no one at all. There were massive odds in the bookies everywhere but I told everyone from the start I was going to win."

Asked if he planned to defend the title for a while, he replied: "For a long time, and maybe gain another one or two.

"There are a lot of good fights now at light welterweight and a lot of good fights in Britain. I am the world champion."

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txreeswbatitle&prov=st&type=lgns

[ALinChainz]

Maccarinelli retains WBO cruiserweight belt

July 21, 2007

CARDIFF, Wales (Ticker) - Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli endured arguably the toughest test of his career before defending his WBO world cruiserweight title with a unanimous points decision against Wayne Braithwaite on Saturday.

The 26-year-old, making the third defense of the belt he inherited in the wake of Johnny Nelson's retirement last year, faced, for the first time in 28 fights, punching power that matched his own.

Twice the Guyana fighter, nicknamed "Big Truck" in honor of his punching power, had the Maccarinelli struggling with big left hooks, while his jab caused significant bruising around Maccarinelli's eyes.

But, despite absorbing some enormous blows, the champion looked superb, even flooring the challenger in the fifth, and deserved the verdict of 118-109, 120-107 and 119-108.

Maccarinelli told ITV Sport: "It was a tough match against a WBC world champion, he is one of the top fighters in the world and I won on a points decision.

"He took some great shots, I dominated with the jab. I neglected the right hand a bit, I hurt it early on but the jab kept me in it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txmaccarinellititle&prov=st&type=lgns

[diamondD]

On a side note, I threw football with Jermaine Taylor yesterday at the lake I hang out at. Hell of a nice guy and having the time of his life. He's got a new Mastercraft and he and his buddies have been out there a lot this summer.

They did haul ass to go watch the fight at about 6.

[binnie]

I watched Rees-M'Baye and Maccrinelli-Braithwaite.

Both really good fights.

Maccrinelli has the power to to do something spectacualr at Crusierwieght, and his skills are getting better with every fight. I can see him beating the likes of O'Neil Bell and David Haye. Jean Marc Mckormack I'm not so sure about, but it'd be a great fight.

From what I've heard, Hopkins dominated Winky. Is that the case?