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I got the red head..
man oh man, what a fight tonight!!!!
So did you see the Gattivs. Daambard?
What about Vargas getting beat by Mosley?
Pacquiao win?
I am loving it lately. I am getting Mayweather vs. Judah PPV this Saturday night and can't wait.
Also, I am thinking about taking my wife to the Winky/Taylor boxing match down in Memphis for the weekend.
We met Winky on the beach in Florida and I have a glove of his signed. Along with some other nice memorabilia, pictures and golf score cards.
I have some Tarver and Jones Jr. stuff too.
dropdeadfred is a big time Jermain Taylor fan. Hoping he will come to that fight.
Try to watch every boxing match that is available. I think LaHoya & Sugar Ray do the best job of match-making. I really enjoyed the humble attitude of both boxers last night and their courage. Looking into the audience, I cannot believe the # of cellphones being used while the fight is taking place. In EU they go to see the fight.
NICE.. I see you're a fan too. This board doesn't get much traffic.
Brewster fight was the best heavy weight fight I've seen in 50 yrs. Love Tszyu-Hutton kicked that ghettos boy's butt-Lacey lost to a far superior boxer-Winkey Wright does not impress me-his style stinks-LaHoya fun to watch for the first 6 rounds-Barrera is great-Tyson should be in prison-Toney is as cagey a boxer as there is but lost the last fight-can't stand any of the TV announcers-they ALL talk too much and Don King should be put in the electric chair.
where are all the real boxing fans at in here???
did anyone catch the fight with lamon brewster??
what about winky wrights domination???
anyone going to watch kostya tszyu this weekend???
If Oscar doesn't change something by Sept 18th, he's gonna take an asswhiping from Hopkins. His selection of trainers, Floyd Mayweather Sr. for the last fight was a large mistake IMO. He was more of a water boy and nuisance to Oscar in the Strum fight, which I think even Oscar knows he lost but got lucky with the decision. Bet he's(Floyd Mayweather Sr )not in Oscar's corner after that fight. At least I hope not!
I've always liked Oscar and the fights with Sugar Shane was some of the best boxing I've seen.
OH Well...the money is gonna be a head knocker by itself.
Just my thoughts...
L
Unfortuante that no comment was made on the recent Tyson fight and events leadingup to it.
What a crappy fight night. All bouts on the card sucked. If I was paying for that signal I would complain and ask for my money back, ah ha ha ha
I just watched the witherspoon fight. He looked great. Nice to see hiim coming back and getting some respect. I don't think he can match up with Lewis or either of the Klitschko brothers, but I think he could take Moorer and everone else below him on the rankings.
Boxing Report: Loss Forces Forrest Into King's Lair
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - February 2, 2003
Atlanta's premier fighters, Vernon Forrest and Evander Holyfield, face different career hurdles, but they find themselves in the same boat. It's called getting back in line.
Forrest, who lost his WBC welterweight title last week to Ricardo Mayorga in unflattering fashion --- a bruising third-round knockout --- has an obstacle in his resurgence: Don King.
Forrest clawed his way to top the hard way, remaining independent. Now, however, he cannot avoid King.
There's a rematch clause with Mayorga, a King fighter. But the Nicaraguan has called out IBF champ Michelle Piccirillo, who is also promoted by the "His Hairness."
Piccirillo fights No. 1-ranked Corey Spinks next month in Italy. Guess who is Spinks' promoter? None other than King.
Even if Forrest gets a rematch with Mayorga, by then he may no longer be champ. One thing is for certain: Forrest cannot get around having to deal with King. Again.
Forrest has long been wooed by King but said no. He may not be in position to do so again. Normally when King is holding all the cards, in order to get a title shot against one of his fighters, the challenger --- if he wins --- must give the promoter options to stage his next several bouts. Looking to return
Holyfield, who underwent surgery for the rotator cuff injured during his loss to Chris Byrd, expects to return this summer.
"Absolutely, if everything continues to go well," adviser Jim Thomas said. "We're trying to arrange a rematch with Byrd."
But Holyfield has fallen in the rankings: No. 5 WBA and No. 12 IBF. Thomas has protested to both bodies. Heavyweight watch
Atlanta's Cedric Boswell (21-0, 19 KOs) is set to fight on ESPN on Feb. 28 in Las Vegas. Finding a willing foe is a different matter.
"We thought we had a deal with Larry Donald, but he pulled out," Boswell said. "Ray Mercer said he needed a couple of tune-ups first. But I'm willing to go it the hard way --- fight my way to a mandatory. As long as I stay busy, I'm happy."
Copyright 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Brewer Wins Unanimous Decision Over Whitaker
Reported By: Boxing Insider - 01.31.2003 11:13 PM
BoxingTrivia.com - Think You REALLY Know Boxing?!?
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - Former IBF super middleweight champion Charles Brewer landed a slew of crosses, hooks and uppercuts to earn a unanimous 10-round decision Friday night over Etianne Whitaker.
Brewer, a 33-year-old fighter from Philadelphia, improved 39-9 with an impressive performance that showed he's still among the world's best in his weight class. Whitaker, 30, from Warren, Ohio, fell to 27-9-2.
Brewer dominated the action almost from the opening bell. Whitaker's white trunks were stained with blood from a cut in his mouth in the third round, and he sustained a cut above his right eye two rounds later.
In accordance with the prefight contract,Aboth boxers were permitted to come in over the super-middleweight limit of 168 pounds. Whitaker weighed 171 pounds to Brewer's 169 for the bout at the Tropicana Casino and Resort
In the co-feature, hard-punching Philadelphia junior welterweight Chucky Tschorniawsky (22-5-1, 12 KOs) upset West Milford's Scott DePompe (23-4) with a second-round knockout in their scheduled 10-round bout.
DePompe, 31, announced his retirement after the fight.
Boxing Report: Loss Forces Forrest Into King's Lair
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - February 2, 2003
Atlanta's premier fighters, Vernon Forrest and Evander Holyfield, face different career hurdles, but they find themselves in the same boat. It's called getting back in line.
Forrest, who lost his WBC welterweight title last week to Ricardo Mayorga in unflattering fashion --- a bruising third-round knockout --- has an obstacle in his resurgence: Don King.
Forrest clawed his way to top the hard way, remaining independent. Now, however, he cannot avoid King.
There's a rematch clause with Mayorga, a King fighter. But the Nicaraguan has called out IBF champ Michelle Piccirillo, who is also promoted by the "His Hairness."
Piccirillo fights No. 1-ranked Corey Spinks next month in Italy. Guess who is Spinks' promoter? None other than King.
Even if Forrest gets a rematch with Mayorga, by then he may no longer be champ. One thing is for certain: Forrest cannot get around having to deal with King. Again.
Forrest has long been wooed by King but said no. He may not be in position to do so again. Normally when King is holding all the cards, in order to get a title shot against one of his fighters, the challenger --- if he wins --- must give the promoter options to stage his next several bouts. Looking to return
Holyfield, who underwent surgery for the rotator cuff injured during his loss to Chris Byrd, expects to return this summer.
"Absolutely, if everything continues to go well," adviser Jim Thomas said. "We're trying to arrange a rematch with Byrd."
But Holyfield has fallen in the rankings: No. 5 WBA and No. 12 IBF. Thomas has protested to both bodies. Heavyweight watch
Atlanta's Cedric Boswell (21-0, 19 KOs) is set to fight on ESPN on Feb. 28 in Las Vegas. Finding a willing foe is a different matter.
"We thought we had a deal with Larry Donald, but he pulled out," Boswell said. "Ray Mercer said he needed a couple of tune-ups first. But I'm willing to go it the hard way --- fight my way to a mandatory. As long as I stay busy, I'm happy."
MIKE HAS NEW TRAIN-ER OF THOUGHT
NY Post - February 2, 2003
February 2, 2003 --
THE temptation came in the form of a telephone call just before Christmas. Shelly Finkel was on the other end asking Freddie Roach if he would be interested in becoming Mike Tyson's latest trainer.
A former boxer with a growing reputation as a cornerman, Roach was well aware Tyson has been through as many trainers as he has wives lately with the results equally volatile.
Roach had heard how Tyson would ignore his trainer's teachings; how he sometimes slacked off in the gym if he showed up at all; and how techniques taught during training camp were suddenly lost on fight night in a barrage of the bizarre.
Common sense should have told Roach to stay away. Instead, he yielded to compassion and the prospect of a lot of cash, joining Team Tyson for a Feb. 22 fight against Clifford Etienne in Memphis. He is Tyson's third trainer in as many fights, following Ronnie Shields and Tommy Brooks, two respected cornermen who failed to connect with the former champion.
"I told him I didn't want to waste my time," Roach said of his first conversation with Tyson. "But if he wanted me to help him I would. I guess I've always thought about working with Tyson and whether I could help him. The question was whether he was trainable."
There is much at stake for both men. If Tyson (49-4-2) can beat Etienne (24-1-1) and look impressive, it will lead to a lucrative rematch with champ Lennox Lewis this summer, a prospect that seemed unlikely last June when Lewis pounded Tyson before KOing him in the eighth round at The Pyramid.
Tyson's days as a contender seemed over since he looked so badly that night, absorbing Lewis' heavy punches until he finally collapsed from a thunderous right hand to the jaw.
"Halfway through the first round he gave up," said Roach, who was a ringside observer. "I don't think he made an effort to win the fight. He didn't look like the Mike Tyson I'd seen in the past. The only thing he proved after 30 seconds was he could take a good shot."
If boxing were fair, Vitali Klitschko deserves the next shot at Lewis, but the huge dollars generated from Lewis-Tyson I has Lewis greedy for an easy $20 million payday in Lewis-Tyson II. Roach, no dummy, knows he's in for a handsome check if he can get Mike past Etienne.
"This probably is a do-or-die situation for Mike," Roach said. "If he can't beat this caliber of fighter (Etienne), he might have to think about doing something else. He's going to have to look impressive and the way he's looking now, I think he will."
So far, Roach reports Tyson had been the model student: awake at his Las Vegas home at 5:30 a.m. ready for work., running 31/2 to 5 miles a day, sparring up to 10 rounds, and dropping his weight from 244 to 230.
"He's got to get back to the fundamentals," Roach said. "With his style, he needs good head movement. I've been pushing him pretty good, but he seems motivated. He says he wants to fight and so far his work shows me he really does."
Of course, we heard similar comments from Shields before Tyson was whipped by Lewis.
"I'm trying to make the next heavyweight champion of the world," Roach said. "If he responds the right way he might have a chance. But he still has to do it in the ring to make me happy."
It would make Lewis happy, too.
Wladimir Klitschko to fight Corrie Sanders
Reported By: Boxing Insider - 01.30.2003 12:18 PM
BoxingTrivia.com - Think You REALLY Know Boxing?!?
Hamburg - „Steelhammer“ Wladimir Klitschko will defend his WBO heavyweight world title on March 8 against Corrie Sanders, 38-2 (28 KOs), a powerful South African who knocked out 18 of his opponents in the opening round.
Promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl regards Sanders as highly dangerous: “Sanders has beaten a large number of strong opponents, many of them by knockout in the first round. And he has an impressive record.”
Kohl thinks Sanders is a better fighter than Kirk Johnson or Fres Oquendo, two other top ranked heavyweights who he took into consideration as possible challengers for Wladimir Klitschko, 40-1 (37 KOs).
The South African champion held the WBU world title from 1997 to 2000 and has the reputation as best white heavyweight of the past years beside the Klitschkos. In addition Sanders is a southpaw, a challenge not only for Wladimir Klitschko’s skills but also the tactical cleverness of his coach Fritz Sdunek.
Sanders’ only loss in the past nine years came against Hasim Rahman who two fights later knocked out reigning world champion Lennox Lewis.
The site of Wladimir Klitschko’s 6th world title defense is the huge Preussag Arena in Hannover. In his last defense the 26-year-old Klitschko retained his crown against American Jameel McCline on December 7 in Las Vegas. Wladimir Klitschko captured the WBO belt in October of 2000 with a 12-round shut out decision over Chris Byrd who meanwhile holds the IBF title.
This was back when they were shooting "Ocean's Eleven" in LV, so there were lots of stars hanging around. She was in her scraggly phase...but, it is obvious that she is really cute when she wants to be.
oh, and she gives good backrubs.
<GGG>
Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis to fight Tyson - then both Klitschkos
Canadian Press
Thursday, January 30, 2003
ADVERTISEMENT
BERLIN (CP) - Lennox Lewis will first fight Mike Tyson, followed by both Klitschko brothers and then retire, his trainer said Thursday.
Emanuel Steward said he'd spoken with the WBC heavyweight champion, who has pulled out of a proposed bout with Vitali Klitschko and now plans a second fight against Tyson instead. "Lennox promised me that he'll beat Tyson first, then Vitali and at the end Wladimir (Klitschko). That's the way the plan looks. After these three fights, its over," Steward told the German sports Web site Sport1.de.
Steward said Lewis wants to bow out of the sport in London.
"Every time I speak to him he says the same thing: 'I want to fight in England. I want to be among my people,"' Steward told the Daily Express in England.
Lewis was born in London but raised in Kitchener, Ont.
The promoter for the Ukrainian brothers has appealed to the WBC to take action over Lewis pulling out of what he says is a signed contract for a fight with Vitali in April.
Hans-Peter Kohl says he and Lewis manager Adrian Ogen signed the papers in December for the bout, but acknowledged Wednesday the fight apparently won't take place at the moment.
Steward scoffed at charges from the Klitschko camp that Lewis is afraid of their boxer, calling the Canadian-raised fighter the greatest heavyweight champion since Muhammed Ali.
But Steward called the Klitschko brothers "the future of the heavyweight division" and added Lewis wasn't always too happy to hear this from him.
"I'm a big fan of them," Steward said. "For me they're already the No. 2 and 3 behind Lennox."
Steward said he knew very early the two brothers would be big and added he doesn't see any Americans that can threaten them. But he added that Lewis would emerge the victor from both Klitschko fights because he was still stronger.
"He's the No. 1," Lewis said.
The towering Klitschko brothers, both 6-7 or bigger, are huge in Germany and Ukraine and other parts of Europe and recently have started fighting regularly in the U.S. in hopes of conquering the American market.
Wladimir, who at 26 is five years younger than his sibling, is regarded by both brothers as the most talented of the two and by some as boxing's next great heavyweight.
Wladimir, the former Olympic super heavyweight champion from Atlanta, stopped both Ray Mercer and Jameel McCline in recent stateside fights, performing well enough to keep his reputation intact as the division's coming boxer.
Still, the Klitschkos' public relations campaign hasn't yet given them the name recognition of Tyson. A bigger payday was the reason the Ukrainian camp believe Vitali was bumped for Lewis-Tyson II.
"That's what counts," Steward said of Tyson's name recognition.
Wladimir Klitschko will defend his WBO heavyweight title on March 8 against South African Corrie Sanders in Hannover, Germany.
Wladimir Klitschko to defend WBO title against Corrie Sanders
Canadian Press
Thursday, January 30, 2003
ADVERTISEMENT
HANNOVER, Germany (AP) - Wladimir Klitschko will defend his WBO heavyweight title on March 8 against South African Corrie Sanders.
The announcement was made Thursday, and the fight will take place in Hannover. Klitschko, 40-1 with 37 knockouts, retained his title when he stopped Jameel McCline after 10 rounds on Dec. 8.
His older brother, Vitali, is scheduled to face Lennox Lewis for the WBC heavyweight title in April. The Ukrainian-born brothers fight out of Germany.
Sanders has a record of 36-2 with 26 knockouts.
that's funny. I'd go a couple of rounds with her, ha ha ha.
I have a Meg Ryan/Boxing Story.
I was at the Mayweather/Corrales fight at the MGM a couple of years ago and I had a seat on the floor right next to the fighter's entry pathway. During the undercard, there was this disheveled looking chick that was standing in that pathway area, perfectly placed so that I couldn't see what was going on in half of the ring. I repeatedly asked her to move, only to be brushed off every time. Finally went to the usherdood and complained. She finally turned around...yup, Meg Ryan
I guess that betting upon Roy Jr and Tyson are both pretty safe wagers, too bad the points are not better.
Raul Marquez v Shane Mosley
10 Round Welterweight Fight from the Mandala Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Closing Date: Feb 08, 2003 23:00
Shane Mosley to win -667
Raul Marquez to win +375
Draw +2000
Johnny Ruiz v Roy Jones Jr.
12 Round WBA Heavyweight Title Fight from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Closing Date: Mar 01, 2003 23:00
Roy Jones Jr. to win -167
Johnny Ruiz to win +125
Draw +1500
Johnny Ruiz v Roy Jones Jr. - Distance Proposisiton
12 Round WBA Heavyweight Title Fight from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Closing Date: Mar 01, 2003 23:00
Fight will go 1m30 of round 11 -150
Fight wil not go 1m30 of round 11 +110
Clifford Etienne v Mike Tyson
10 Round Heavyweight Fight from the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee.
Closing Date: Feb 22, 2003 23:00
Mike Tyson to win -667
Clifford Etienne to win +375
Draw +2000
Mike Tyson Meets Meg Ryan in Locker Room
Associated Press - January 30, 2003
LAS VEGAS - Mike Tyson was talking boxing, while Meg Ryan was nearby shooting pictures.
Tyson may be coming off his worst beating at the hands of Lennox Lewis, but Hollywood still recognizes a star - even one as faded as Tyson.
"Why are you taking my picture?" Tyson asked the actress Tuesday while sitting in a dressing room getting his hands wrapped.
Ryan explained that she recently shot a movie about boxing and "I just got into it."
Besides, she said, "Sometimes I take good pictures."
Ryan, 41, stars in the upcoming "Against the Ropes," a fictional story inspired by female boxing promoter Jackie Kallen and her struggle to survive and succeed.
Tyson, who fights Clifford Etienne in Memphis, Tenn., on Feb. 22 in his first fight since losing to Lewis, talked for the first time publicly about why he lost as he was getting ready for a sparring session.
"If he was that dominant he should have knocked me out in the second or third round," Tyson said of Lewis. "He was still scared. He took no risks."
Tyson had a solid first round in the June 8 heavyweight title fight, then fought the rest of the way before Lewis finally stopped him in the eighth round.
As usual with Tyson, the conversation drifted to things beyond boxing. It didn't help that Ryan was there with a camera shooting pictures.
"Hi Mike, I'm Meg," she said by way of introduction.
"I know who you are," he replied.
Mayorga gets a KO in 3!
In the main event of the evening at the Pechanga Resort and Casino the upset of the year occurred as the charismatic Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga became the WBA and WBC unified welterweight champion. Former WBC champion Vernon Forrest was boxing smoothly until the end of the first round when he became tangled up with Mayorga and was thrown to the canvas. The referee ruled a knockdown but Forrest was clearly unhurt. In the second round Mayorga was able to entice Forrest into a brawl. Forrest landed some crisp right uppercuts but Mayorga showed a tremendous chin by shaking them off as if they were nothing.
In the third round Mayorga came out of his corner and landed a series of right hands to the head of Forrest. Forrest’s legs appeared shaky and Mayorga immediately capitalized by forcing Forrest onto the ropes where he landed a huge right hand that ended the bout at the 2:06 mark. Forrest appeared to be hurt very badly but later claimed he could have continued, “We’re in championship unification fight. [As] A true champion you’re supposed to go out on your back, you’re not supposed to go out standing up.”
Many ringside observers wondered what had caused Forrest, who is primarily known for his excellent jab and his ability to smother fighters on the inside, to slug it out with the wild Nicaraguan champion. Forrest claimed that it was his choice to slug with Mayorga, “I’m a fighter, I have the ability to box and people always saw me box. But nobody ever really saw me fight. Some guys you box, some guys you fight.”
“When you’re fighting a guy like that you have to stand your ground sometimes, let a guy know that he’s not in there with a punching bag he’s in there with a true fighter,” explained a humbled Forrest, “I knew that I wasn’t gonna try to box this guy for twelve rounds. I knew that I sooner or later I was gonna have to sit down and fight with him, and I chose to sit down and fight with him early.”
Whether or not Forrest truly chose to forgo his normal game plan and slug his wilder foe, or he was merely forced into that type of fight due to the physical strength and constant attack of Mayorga is a question that may be answered in a rematch. Don King saw his opportunity to align himself with a more fragile-minded Forrest at the post fight press conference. King said that a rematch is definitely in the works after Mayorga fights to unify the IBF title versus the winner of the rematch between Corey Spinks and Michelle Piccirillo. Spinks was robbed last year in the first fight between the two in Italy and is a definite spoiler. It makes very little sense for King to put his new shining star in against a guy with such an awkward style.
The brash Mayorga clearly fears no one, but few fans would care to see him chasing Spinks around the ring for twelve rounds. Mayorga let his intentions regarding the future be known after the fight though, “I want to tell everyone that I’m gonna beat anyone at 147 and I just have to talk to my boss over here (Don King).”
As was the case after he defeated Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis for his title last year, Mayorga heaped praise upon Don King as his savior. It almost seemed as if he would praise King first and foremost, and then “also, by the way” give credit to God and his family. Mayorga refused to give Forrest any credit, despite taking what appeared to be some very hard, flush uppercuts during the fight.
“Before the fight I told everyone that Vernon Forrest doesn’t mean anything to me. The only punches that I’ve ever felt have been from my father when he punched me when I was a kid,” joked the confident champion when asked if Forrest hurt him at all in the fight.
One possible future opponent for Mayorga was on hand at the post fight press conference to state his case as a worthy foe. WBO Champion Antonio Margarito, who fights in two weeks against former champion and Mayorga victim “Six Heads” Lewis, issued a challenge to Mayorga and Don King. King was his usual hilarious self as he said to the WBO champ in his best Spanish accent, “Oh Antonio Margarito, the only problem with you is, you ain’t with me.” When King found out Margarito was facing Lewis, a fighter he formerly promoted who unceremoniously left him, he couldn’t help but urge him to win decisively.
“You just gave me a shot in the arm. You’re gonna be fighting Six Heads?” asked King, “You gotta take him out man!! Take him out Antonio, absolutamente, exacto!!!”
In the co-feature Joel Casamayor won a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Nate Campbell. Casamayor started slowly as Campbell swept the first three rounds with his aggression as he bounced around on the outside and peppered the Cuban former champion. Casamayor was unable to get into any sort of rhythm early on as he looked to slip Campbell’s right hands and counter with his own straight lefts. After round three Casamayor began to take the fight over as Campbell seemed to tire. Both fighters began to trade body shots in the trenches in round four. As the fight got progressively rougher it seemed to be to the advantage of the more experienced fighter, Casamayor.
Casamayor was as accurate as he normally is, however he again showed an iron chin by absorbing some right hands from the hard punching Campbell which caused cuts and swelling over his left eye. Age may be catching up to Casamayor, who doesn’t seem to have the foot speed he once did a few years ago. He still is a tough, experienced former champion who came through when the going got tough against his younger foe. When asked his thoughts after the fight Campbell felt that he won and said that the most difficult part of the fight for him was “beating the judges.”
At the post fight press conference a beat up looking Casamayor said he was pleased with his performance, “I’d like to thank HBO for this opportunity, I’m very happy to be here. Nate Campbell is a good opponent-he was undefeated. This is the second puncher I’ve made run. I made Freitas run and now I made this guy run. The guy was running on me, so the first three rounds I had a hard time figuring the kid out. But later I got into rhythm and started backing him up.”
On the non televised undercard Xavier Tolliver (11-2 8Kos) scored a technical knockout Jerry Sarabay (4-3) as the bout was stopped after round four due to a right ear injury to the southpaw Sarabay. Yuri Foreman improved to 8-0 as he knocked out midwesterner Will Evans with a big hook at the 1:38 mark of the first round. Cedric Boswell was unimpressive in stopping Jim Strohl in round five. Boswell looked winded and was throwing quite a few arm punches against the gritty foe. Robert Allen was put in against an inept opponent named Kevin Hall who showed little resistance before folding in one round. Derek Bryant stopped a survival minded Damon Reed in two rounds. Milan Roldzak was knocked out by a downward right hand from the taller Malcolm Tann (3-0)
GARY SHAW PRODUCTIONS & FIGHT NIGHT UNITE TO PROMOTE
MIKE TYSON vs CLIFFORD ETIENNE
FEB. 22 at THE PYRAMID on SHOWTIME and SHO HDTV
MEMPHIS, TN (January 29, 2003) -- GARY SHAW PRODUCTIONS, LLC and FIGHT NIGHT, INC. will co-promote the February 22 Mike Tyson - Clifford Etienne event at The Pyramid in Memphis, TN. SHOWTIME Championship Boxing and SHO HDTV, will televise the heavyweight rumble, beginning at 10 P.M. EST / 10 P.M. PST.
Gary Shaw and Bill Kozerski, the CEOs of Gary Shaw Productions and Fight Night, respectively, were co-promoters for Tyson's last fight, against world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis last June. Lewis-Tyson was the largest and most successful event in boxing history, with pay-per-view purchases exceeding 1.9 million.
Shaw and Kozerski, combined, have over 40 years of experience in boxing. Together, they will handle all promotional duties for the event, including directing all the logistics of the fight, media operations and coordinating with the Mayor's office and the various law enforcement agencies of Memphis and Tunica.
HEAVYWEIGHT HOPES: Tyson still focusing on Lewis
www.lvrj.com - January 29, 2003
It didn't take Mike Tyson long to realize he was in trouble when he fought heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis last year.
The June 8 fight, perhaps the most hyped bout in boxing history, was less than a minute old when Tyson knew he was in for a long night. Lewis won by an eighth-round technical knockout in a career-defining performance in which Tyson put up little resistance.
Tyson, training in Las Vegas for his Feb. 22 bout in Memphis, Tenn., against Clifford Etienne, said by the end of the first round his legs felt like cement and he could barely move.
"I wasn't into the fight," a relaxed and jovial Tyson said before a sparring session at the Golden Gloves Gym. "After the first round, I came back to the corner and I was dead tired. ... I didn't know what the hell had happened to me."
Tyson said he hoped his punching power would pull him through. Now, with a rematch looming, he said he hopes to make the improvements that will help him reverse the most one-sided loss of his career.
New trainer Freddie Roach has been forcing Tyson to work, and the results have showed around Tyson's waist, as he looks much trimmer than he has in a long time.
Tyson said he wasn't focused for Lewis, leisurely going through his training because he didn't think Lewis had the courage to stand in against him. Tyson expected Lewis to wilt as so many, notably Bruce Seldon and Frank Bruno, had done.
"I just knew I was going to win the fight," Tyson said. "(But) I don't know what I was thinking. I thought this guy was going to give his belt up, like some of these guys do, just put his belt in the ring and let me take it."
Lewis, though winning no awards for bravery, didn't surrender and did what he had to do to win. Even though trainer Emanuel Steward was exhorting Lewis to attack Tyson as early as the fourth round, Lewis was cautious and stayed outside, working behind the jab.
Only when Lewis realized Tyson had nothing left did he open up and finish Tyson off. Steward said Tyson was slowed by a right hand at the end of the first round, but Tyson said it had more to do with his condition than with anything Lewis did.
"I don't remember any one (punch) in particular that really would have made me quit fighting," Tyson said. "He hit me with a lot of right hands. I don't even know what (Steward's) talking about. Listen, if Lennox was that dominant, he should have knocked me out in the second or third round. He was still scared. He didn't take no risks."
And that is why Tyson thinks the rematch will sell despite the fact that he said in the ring after the first fight that he could never beat Lewis. The first fight sold more than 1.9 million pay-per-view purchases, and the second is expected to be able to do at least half as well.
Lewis had talked about an April fight against Vitali Klitschko, but Lewis' attorney, Judd Burstein, said last week that fight was off and Lewis was looking ahead to a June fight with Tyson.
Tyson said he isn't surprised Lewis would consider fighting him again.
"Who else is he going to fight?" Tyson said. "Let's not get it twisted. I'm not going to try to be Mr. prima donna and stroke my own ego, but I'm the hottest thing coming down the pike. The only reason those guys when they beat me, they don't make history, they get a bank book. Then they go to oblivion afterward. It's too bad it has to be that way, but somebody has to be the guy."
Tyson Says Passion Is Back, Thanks to Beating from Lewis
Associated Press - January 28, 2003
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Mike Tyson says his passion for fighting is back.
For that, he can thank Lennox Lewis.
``It always comes back'' after taking a beating, Tyson said.
Seven months after Lewis did just that to him in Memphis, Tyson sat in a small dressing room Tuesday and talked about why he was beaten by Lewis, why he wants to fight again and why he thinks he has a chance in a planned June 21 rematch.
He offered no excuses, and he made no promises. But it was clear that underneath it all Tyson still believes he is the baddest heavyweight around.
``If he was that dominant he should have knocked me out in the second or third round,'' Tyson said of Lewis. ``He was still scared. He took no risks.''
Lewis, of course, didn't need to take many risks the night of June 8 when he gave Tyson a beating in the richest heavyweight title fight ever.
Tyson had a solid first round, then fought the rest of the way in a sleepwalk before Lewis finally stopped him with a right hand to the jaw at 2:25 of the eighth round.
Tyson insisted he trained hard for the fight, only to come in weighing more than he had at the press conference to announce it. He had problems with sparring partners in camp, though, and felt tired after all of his workouts.
Maybe, he thought, he was trying too hard to do something which before came quite natural.
Whatever the reason, Tyson said he knew after the first round that it was not going to be his night.
``I came back to the corner and I was dead. I was dead tired,'' he said. ``I didn't know what I'd do now.''
Tyson, who fights Clifford Etienne in Memphis on Feb. 22 in his first fight since losing to Lewis, talked for the first time publicly about why he lost as he sat getting his hands wrapped for a sparring session.
As usual with Tyson, the conversation drifted to things beyond boxing. It didn't help that actress Meg Ryan was there with a camera shooting pictures.
``Hi Mike, I'm Meg,'' she said.
``I know who you are,'' he replied.
Tyson was in a good mood, but there was clearly work to be done for new trainer Freddie Roach. With his shirt off he appeared in good shape and near his expected fighting weight.
Etienne is not likely to cause Tyson many problems, but he desperately needs a big knockout win not only to regain his confidence but to sell a proposed June 21 rematch with Lewis.
Lewis said Friday through his attorney, Judd Burstein, that he was skipping a planned April 12 fight with Vitali Klitschko and would likely face Tyson again in June if Tyson looks good against Etienne.
A Tyson-Lewis rematch won't do the business the first fight did, but still could be lucrative for both fighters. Tyson used the Lewis fight to pay off debts he owed the Showtime network, and he must pay $6.5 million of his future purses to his ex-wife, Monica, as part of their divorce settlement.
``Who else is he going to fight?'' Tyson asked of Lewis. ``I'm not going to try and be Mr. Primadonna and stroke my ego, but I'm still the hottest guy going down the pike.''
Roach, a former fighter who is the latest in a series of trainers for Tyson, said he believes Tyson still has some big fights left.
``It's a challenge,'' Roach said. ``Maybe I can get into his head and help him.''
Klitschko promoter in New York; threatens legal action against Lewis if he fights Tyson
Associated Press - January 28, 2003
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) - Vitali Klitschko's promoter threatened to sue WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis for breach of contract if he fights Mike Tyson next instead of his own fighter.
German Promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl was in New York Tuesday in efforts to salvage the fight against Lewis and plans to meet with Lewis' manager Adrian Ogen, and the fighter's lawyer, Judd Burnstein.
``Our position is clear, either Lewis honors the contract to fight Vitali Klitschko or there are only two possibilities - we will seek millions in court or he will be stripped of his WBC title,'' said Rainer Koppke, a spokesman for Klitschko's promotion company, Universum Boxing.
Kohl said on Monday he and Ogen, representing Lewis promoters Lion Promotion, had signed a contract in December, setting up an April fight between the WBC beltholder and Klitschko.
``I have to make this clear - I regard this as breach of contract,'' Kohl said. ``In the next few days, I will examine all my possibilities for legal action.''
Klitschko's camp was surprised by the statement from Burnstein on Friday that negotiations had collapsed between Lewis and the big 2.02 meter (6-ft-8) Ukrainian, the WBC's No. 1 challenger.
Burnstein said Lewis would prefer to fight Tyson in June and is watching how the former champion fares against Clifford Etienne on Feb. 22 in Memphis, Tennessee.
``Now that there will be no April fight, Lennox has a contractual obligation to consider Mike Tyson as his June opponent and looks forward to seeing how Tyson performs against Clifford Etienne,'' Burnstein said.
Lewis and Tyson have a rematch clause after their much-anticipated fight in June concluded with Lewis ending a one-sided bout in the eighth round.
Koppke said Klitschko's camp believes Lewis is afraid of the Ukrainian fighter, but the latest development is mainly prompted by money.
``Lewis thinks he can make more money fighting Tyson, against whom he can't lose, than Klitschko, against whom he could lose,'' Koppke said.
Tyson said he didn't think he could beat Lewis after their uneven fight in June.
Lewis was once undisputed heavyweight champion, but gave up two of the belts, the last one so that he did not have to fight No. 1 IBF contender Chris Byrd. Byrd later went on to beat Evander Holyfield in December to win the vacant IBF title.
Klitschko is the older brother of Wladimir Klitschko, the WBO champion.
Lewis Drops Klitschko Bout, Focuses on Tyson Rematch
USA TODAY - January 28, 2003
Heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis finally showed up for a meeting with HBO late last week after putting network brass off for several days. The news he delivered was no more surprising than the late arrival.
Lewis decided to forgo an April fight with Vitali Klitschko and instead will return June 21, probably in a rematch vs. Mike Tyson, whom he crushed June 8 in the biggest money fight in history.
Although both have a rematch clause that allowed an interim bout, Lewis won't seek one. Tyson is fighting one, and Lewis will wait to see how Tyson makes out in a 10-rounder vs. Clifford Etienne on Feb. 22 in the Memphis ring where Lewis knocked him out.
''Now that there will be no April fight, Lennox has a contractual obligation to consider Mike Tyson as his June opponent and looks forward to seeing how Tyson performs,'' said Judd Burstein, Lewis' attorney.
''We had a very productive meeting with Lennox,'' HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg said. ''HBO is excited that Lennox intends to defend his heavyweight crown in June, and we look forward to finalizing those plans based on Mike Tyson's performance.''
Tyson adviser Shelly Finkel said he's ready to work on the rematch as soon as the Feb. 22 fight is over.
''If Mike looks the way I hope he does, we'll put the fight together for June,'' Finkel said. ''I told Mike that Lennox is not fighting Vitali, and he said, 'Great.' He knows what he has to do with Etienne.''
Burstein said there were too many outstanding issues in the Klitschko negotiations to iron out in time for an April fight. Klitschko promoter Peter Kohl was unhappy with Lewis' decision and said he has a signed contract for the bout.
''I regard this as a breach of contract,'' Kohl said. ''I will check every possible legal step.''
Of a possible lawsuit, Burstein said, ''The paper trail is so to the contrary of the Klitschko camp's position that we're not remotely concerned.'' Lewis eventually could have to face Klitschko or risk being stripped of his WBC belt. Klitschko is the mandatory challenger. Lewis already has given up two other belts rather than fight mandatory opponents.
Quick hits: Featherweight king Marco Antonio Barrera's April 12 HBO PPV opponent could be junior featherweight champ Oscar Larios, who is being considered along with ex-champ Kevin Kelley. . . . Showtime has added two fights to its schedule. March 15, junior lightweight champ Acelino Freitas meets long-faded Gabe Ruelas. March 22, featherweight titlist Scott Harrison of Scotland will be on home turf vs. Wayne McCullough of Northern Ireland in a highly anticipated British showdown. . . . Proving that yesterday's enemy can be today's meal ticket, Gary Shaw is co-promoting Tyson's Feb.22 bout along with Bill Kozerski. The last time Shaw promoted a Tyson fight, he was on Lewis' side. But Shaw split with Main Events after that fight and is working on Tyson's behalf.
Quotable: ''After my father's beatings as a child, nothing hurts.'' -- Welterweight champ Ricardo Mayorga, when asked after winning Saturday's fight whether any of Vernon Forrest's punches hurt.
Veteran Trainer Roach Helping Mold Tyson Into Shape
USA TODAY - January 21, 2003
Freddie Roach has heard all the stories about new pupil Mike Tyson.
He's heard how Tyson refuses to listen to trainers, how he slacks off in the gym and how sometimes he doesn't even bother to show up so he can slack off.
''I was warned not to take it by friends. I was told I'm crazy. But I wanted to give Mike a chance and see how he treats me,'' Roach says.
So after three weeks of working with the mercurial former heavyweight champ in Las Vegas, how's it going?
''It's been nothing but respect,'' Roach says. ''It's really going well. Everything I ask him to do he does. We get up in the morning to run and I go over to his house at 5:30 and he's waiting for me. We go to the gym and work the mitts. We're up to 10 rounds a day. (Today) we start sparring. I think he really wants to do this.''
''This'' is fight, something Tyson hasn't done too much of in recent years. Roach is Tyson's third trainer in as many fights, following two other highly regarded cornermen in Ronnie Shields and Tommy Brooks. Now it's up to Roach to prepare Tyson for a Feb. 22 fight vs. Clifford Etienne (Showtime), Tyson's first bout since Lennox Lewis left him lying on the canvas like a lump of dirty laundry last June. A Tyson win means a Lewis rematch later this year.
Tyson adviser Shelly Finkel is pleased the pairing is working. ''He told Freddie he'll listen to what he says,'' Finkel says. ''We know saying it and doing it are two different things. But Freddie is a no-nonsense guy, someone who will be firm. So far things are going well.''
Roach says Tyson has his ''good days and bad days'' in the gym but he's always there when he's supposed to be and he's in shape. His weight is down from 244 when they started to 229.
''His moods can change and he's had a couple of bad days where he doesn't want to be there, but when I've pushed him hard, he had no problem,'' Roach says. ''I'm not there to be his buddy and I think he respects that. About a week ago he started throwing up in the 10th round because I was working him so hard. When he was done puking, I told him to finish the round. He swore at me, but he finished the round.''
Tyson had better sacrifice for Roach, because Roach is sacrificing for him. He left his assistants to run his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles and take care of his 20 pros, including James Toney, Manny Pacquiao, Juan Lazcano and Brian Viloria, while he's working with Tyson.
''I've got five assistants who work for me, and they are doing a good job,'' he says. ''This is a big opportunity for me to train Mike. It pays the bills for a while.''
However, Roach makes it clear he didn't take the gig only for the payday.
''I'm not worried about getting fired. I don't need Mike. I got other guys,'' Roach says. ''If I was here and he wasn't showing up, I wouldn't be here. I have other good fighters who miss me when I am away. I talked to Shelly when we started and told him I don't want to waste my time, and so far I haven't. Mike's been working every day, and I'm having a little bit of fun with it. To bring this guy back, I think I can do it. He has to want to do it, but so far it's heading in that direction.''
De LA Hoya Has 2nd Great Debut
Los Angeles Daily News - January 18, 2003
As he made his way down to ringside, Oscar De La Hoya took a look around the Grand Olympic Auditorium, his eyes taking in the sight of the near-capacity crowd. De La Hoya's multimillion-dollar smile then beamed across his face.
He had reason to be happy. Just as he did as a fighter taking his first major step, he now was taking his first major step as a promoter, and it was turning into a huge success.
An announced crowd of 5,182 attended the fight card Thursday night at the Olympic, where De La Hoya's promotional firm, Golden Boy Promotions, put on the event.
According to Olympic Auditorium officials, it was the biggest crowd in the history of the venue since it reopened in 1994, outdrawing the 4,600 who came for a card headlined by De La Hoya that same year.
In the main event Thursday, WBC super bantamweight belt holder Oscar Larios (47-3-1, with 33 knockouts) pounded out a unanimous decision over Marcos Licona (19-3-1, eight KOs) in a 10-round nontitle bout. In the co-feature, 2000 U.S. Olmypian and Los Angeles native Jose Navarro (14-0, six KOs) scored a second-round knockout of Carlos Madrigal (20-4, 15 KOs) in a super flyweight bout.
"I'm continuing the history here," De La Hoya said of the Olympic, which in its nearly 80 years has hosted fights featuring boxing greats such as Joe Louis, Joe Frazier, Archie Moore and Julio Cesar Chavez. "My goal is to make sure the history never dies down."
Tszyu Retains Super Lightweight Titles
Associated Press - January 19, 2003
Kostya Tszyu retained his undisputed super lightweight title Sunday when "Jesse" James Leija was unable to start the seventh round because of an injured right ear drum.
Tszyu, the IBF, WBC and WBA champion, improved to 30-1-1.
The Russian-born Australian fought for the first time in Australia since stopping Calvin Grove in May 1998 in Newcastle. In Tszyu's previous fight, he successfully defended his titles by outpointing Ben Tackie in Las Vegas.
Leija, from San Antonio, dropped to 43-6-2.
He said he hurt his ear in the fourth or fifth round and that it hurt his balance.
"I am sure it is busted but to what extent I don't know, I'm not a doctor," Leija said. "He hit me one or two good shots but he never hurt me."
Tszyu said he outpunched the Texan.
"I believe I did hurt him a couple of times," Tszyu said "... off-balance is not from injury problem but from hitting."
Press Confrence Quotes: Tszyu-Leija
Reported By: Boxing Insider - 01.16.2003 02:01 AM
Showtime Press Coference Quotes: Tszyu-Leija
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES WBC/WBA/IBF 140-POUND WORLD CHAMPION KOSTYA TSZYU, WBC NO. 4 JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT CONTENDER "JESSE"JAMES LEIJA, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST, UNBEATEN MUHAMMAD ABDULLAEV, FORMER IBF WORLD CHAMPION PHILIP HOLIDAY AT TELESTRA DOME, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2003
One of only three undisputed world champions in boxing, Kostya Tszyu, will make the first start in his adopted homeland of Australia in nearly five years when he defends his World Boxing Council/World Boxing Association/International Boxing Federation (WBC/WBA/IBF) 140-pound titles against former WBC super featherweight titleholder and WBC No. 4 contender "Jesse" James Leija live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Saturday, Jan. 18, 2003, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. In a second 12-round fight at the Telestra Dome in Melbourne, Australia, undefeated contender and 2000 Uzbekistan Olympic Gold Medallist, Muhammad Abdullaev, faces former IBF lightweight titleholder Philip Holiday for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental 140-pound title.
KOSTYA TSZYU (29-1-1, 23 KOs):
"I would like to thank Showtime and everyone involved for making this happen. I am pleased to be fighting back where my career began 11 years ago. When I came to Australia, it was for a visit. I could not speak the language and needed an interpreter. Now, it is my home and I would never want to be any place else. Not many believed an event like this could happen again here. But it is going to happen, and it is very important to me. More than 30,000 fans will be here and the atmosphere will be great. The excitement in the stadium is going to be tremendous.
"I am proud of what I have done in my career. Leija is 36, but I am going to be 34 this year. I have fought the best, first in the amateurs and then as a pro. Like Jesse, I cannot wait to jump in the ring for this fight. I am not going to make a prediction. We are both humans and anything can happen. But one promise I can make is that this fight is going to be very entertaining and one that fans remember for a long time.
"In America, boxers like to talk trash at a press conference. But not here, not for this show. Jesse has always been a class act and a credit to the game. We will do our business in the ring. I still feel I am improving. I am always experimenting and trying to improve my power, stamina, technique and defense. When a boxer stops improving it is time to quit. I have been planning to retire the last 3-4 years. But after each fight, I want to come back for more."
JESSE JAMES LEIJA (43-5-2, 1 NC, 17 KOs):
"If I did not think I could win, I would not be here. I thank Showtime for sticking with me. In 1992, they gave me the opportunity to fight Azumah Nelson in San Antonio. Then, they televised the rematch when I won the world title. I thank everybody on my team who has been with me all these years. And, Kostya Tszyu, I also thank, for this opportunity. It is strange for a guy my age to get this kind of chance, but I have beat four world-ranked guys in a row. The last time I was on Showtime, I beat Juan Lazcano and lost the decision, but everybody knows who won.
"I have had a long career, but it is not over yet. I have put in a lot of hard work for this fight. I have trained 18 weeks. Kostya Tszyu has a great right hand and is a great boxer. He is a true champion in and out of the ring. This is going to be a tough test for me, but I am not going to leave here without a fight.''
MUHAMMAD ABDULLAEV (10-0, 8 KOs)
"I am very excited and confident. Holiday is a physical guy that likes to get inside, but in a way that is perfect for me. He is a former world champion with a lot of experience, but I had a lot of experience too, but in the amateurs. As a pro I am gaining experience quickly. I feel I am progressing every time out. I do not expect an easy fight. Holiday has fought the best and has never been stopped except for out cuts. And I know he will be coming to win.
"I feel I am continuing to get the respect of the fans and media. This is another step up for me, but one I am looking forward to. I am willing to fight anybody out there. I beat Ricardo Williams (twice) and Miguel Cotto in the amateurs, but they have already said they do not want to fight me. In a way, I cannot blame them either. I thank Showtime for giving me another opportunity to fight on their network again. I am anxious to show what I can do and putting on a good show.''
PHILIP HOLIDAY (38-5-1, 22 KOs):
"It is great to be on a fight card like this with an opportunity to back in the ranking for a shot at the world title, which is what I want to do. Abdullaev is a strong guy and I am not going to say he is making a mistake fighting me because this is obviously what his camp feels he has to do. I just know that I have been working very hard and understand that this is a great chance for me to reestablish myself.''
Camacho Returns to Ring, Stops Villareal
Associated Press - January 19, 2003
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) - Hector ``Macho'' Camacho returned from an 18-month absence to stop Ecuador's Otilio Villareal after the eighth round of a super middleweight bout Saturday night.
Camacho, a 40-year-old former three-time world champion from Puerto Rico, outpunched and wore down Villareal, who did not come out for the ninth round of the scheduled 10-round fight.
Camacho improved to 76-4-2 with his 37th knockout. The former junior lightweight and junior welterweight champion had not fought since outpointing Roberto Duran in July 2001.
Camacho set the pace in the first round, scoring with a lead right and follow-up left to Villareal's head. In the second, Camacho used his left as the lead shot and repeatedly landed punches to his opponent's head.
A plodding Villareal (15-16-1) tried to frustrate Camacho with a lead right, but Camacho outpointed him with his combinations. Camacho pinned Villareal on the ropes in the third and connected with combinations to the body.
Villareal continued to absorb shots in the middle rounds as Camacho led with straight lefts or right jabs to the head. Camacho's punches had Villareal bleeding from the nose.
Villareal was on the retreat for most of the seventh round and seemed unwilling to counter Camacho's shots. Villareal was busier in the eighth and scored a short combination early in the round. But Camacho pressed the action for most of the eighth by landing repeated lefts to the head.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Which Klitschko brother is going to knock Lewis's block off?
Promoters Turn To Scaled-Down Pay-per-view to Get Fighters in Ring
USA TODAY - January 15, 2003
Despite these hard economic times, boxing promoters still want to keep revenue flowing and their fighters fighting, so they're making quality matchups. But if you want to see them all, you'll have to pay.
With TV dates at such a premium, an explosion of pay-per-view offerings is imminent with promoters Bob Arum, Don King and Lou DiBella each set to launch a series of PPV events to make up for the date shortfall. There will be three, maybe four, in March alone, an unprecedented number.
HBO's budget is flat, and most of its dates are owed to the star fighters it has under contract. Showtime slashed its budget, meaning fewer slots. ESPN2 used to pay $60,000 a card. Now it's $52,500.
King already has March 1 for the $49.95 John Ruiz-Roy Jones heavyweight title bout, the sort of blockbuster event pay-per-view thrives on. But there are intriguing smaller fights to be made, too, so on March 15 he'll roll out the first of three $19.95-type cards this year.
''There ain't no TV dates, so you got to do your own thing,'' King said Tuesday. ''If Showtime and HBO don't want to do them, I'll do them on my own. We need new stars. You got to cultivate them, and you got to keep your guys busy. You do a pay-per-view to appeal to the fans, and if you get a hit, it's a good investment.''
Said Arum, ''If there were dates on Showtime and HBO and we could find a place for these fights, I would much prefer to do that. But I have no choice because there aren't. I can't just cry in the night about the lack of dates. I need to try to do something about it.''
King's first show features a super middleweight unification bout between Byron Mitchell and Sven Ottke, the division's biggest fight in years. It takes place in Germany, but King will air it on tape with live fights that could include the third junior flyweight title match between champ Rosendo Alvarez and Beibis Mendoza and another 108-pound title fight between Nene Sanchez and Victor Burgos.
Arum is close to completing a deal in which Showtime's PPV arm, SET, will produce, distribute and share profits from three $34.95 ''Latin Fury'' shows aimed at passionate Latino fans. Arum's deal also calls for three Showtime ''Latin Fury'' cards, which will probably commence in May with a flyweight unification bout between Eric Morel and Irene Pacheco.
Arum's first PPV show under the Showtime deal is a March 22 card at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas featuring three pick 'em fights: Jesus Chavez vs. junior lightweight titlist Sirimongkol Singmanassuk, ex-lightweight champ Jose Luis Castillo vs. Julio Diaz and strawweight champ Miguel Barrera vs. Roberto Leyva in their third match.
DiBella intends to do at least three Monday night $19.95 cards that HBO PPV will distribute. The first show, tentatively slated for March 17, will feature either junior featherweight titlist Oscar Larios or junior bantamweight champ Fernando Montiel along with lightweight Angel Manfredy and 2000 Olympian Jermain Taylor.
HBO PPV is talking to DiBella and King about linking their shows and selling them as a package.
''It's free enterprise,'' Arum said of the crush of PPV events. ''We know the drawing power of the people on our cards.''
Said King, Arum's chief rival for 30 years, ''We'll let the people decide what they want to see. We all got to do what we got to do.''
Arrest Warrant Issued for Trevor Berbick
Associated Press - January 16, 2003
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - An arrest warrant was issued for former heavyweight boxing champion Trevor Berbick on burglary and theft charges in Jamaica.
Police in eastern Port Antonio issued the warrant Tuesday after a search of Berbick's home allegedly turned up several stolen items, including an electric drill, a pickax and some clothes, officer Glenford Miller said.
Berbick was deported from the United States to his native Jamaica in December after U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service determined he illegally re-entered the country after being deported to Canada in 1997.
Berbick telephoned police Wednesday to ask if a warrant for his arrest had been issued, but didn't indicate that he would turn himself in, Miller said.
Police searched Berbick's home Sunday after a neighbor reported a break-in and missing property. The officers left after Berbick demanded to see a search warrant.
Berbick, who beat Muhammad Ali in 1981, was ordered deported in 1997 after serving 15 months of a four-year sentence for convictions of rape, theft and misdemeanor assault in Florida. He was deported after breaking the conditions of his 1994 parole.
Former heavyweight champ Bowe gets 18 months in prison
Associated Press - January 16, 2003
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (AP) - Former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in federal prison for the 1998 abduction of his estranged wife and children.
Bowe was in court for the three-minute hearing, at which U.S. District Judge Graham Mullen followed through on an appeals court's October sentencing order.
Mullen twice previously had given Bowe lighter sentences that were rejected by the appeals court.
After Bowe is released from prison, he must serve two years' supervised release.
Bowe's lawyer, Robert Altchiler, indicated the fighter could return to the ring after he serves his time.
``He's a young and vibrant 35,'' Altchiler said. ``My thinking is that he will fight again. ... He's a fighter. He's a good fighter. He's still physically able to do it, he's still mentally able to do it. It's the only way he's made money in the past.''
Bowe - never known for good training habits even in the prime of his career - was noncommital about boxing again.
``I'm going to take my time with this thing,'' he said. ``In terms of my boxing career, I don't even think of that.''
In 1998, Bowe went to Judy Bowe's Charlotte home, forced her and the children into a car and set out for his Fort Washington, Maryland, home. At a restaurant in Virginia, Judy Bowe called her sister, who guided police to the restaurant.
In his prime, Bowe was a heavyweight fighter who won his first 31 fights, 29 by knockout, to earn a title shot against Evander Holyfield.
He beat Holyfield in November 1992, becoming heavyweight champion. But Bowe, who won a silver medal in the 1988 Olympics and earned more than $75 million in the ring, fought only 10 more times, including a loss in a rematch with Holyfield.
'Iron' Mike Still Golden for Marketing Sport
The Commercial Appeal Memphis, TN - January 17, 2003
Mike Tyson, spewing hate and anger, saying he would smear Lennox Lewis's "pompous brains" all over the canvas.
Mike Tyson, bloodied and repentant, calling a triumphant Lewis "magnificent" and kissing the champ's mum.
Mike Tyson, giddily promoting his Feb. 22 comeback bout against Clifford Etienne at The Pyramid, explaining thus, "I'm just very happy! I'm tired of being stupid!"
Sick and twisted or warm and fuzzy? Unhinged or calculating? Heavily medicated or a truly changed man?
It's impossible to say with Tyson, impossible to know him or what his demeanor - his guise - will be when next we meet.
And yet Tyson is boxing's rock.
He's that solid. He's that bankable. In a sport that seldom connects with the sporting public in any significant way, Tyson's mere presence says, "Look!" And we look.
"I think there are two fighters in boxing - one being Mike Tyson, the other being Oscar De La Hoya - that draw people and draw the press, no matter what," said Gary Shaw, co-promoter of the Tyson- Etienne fight along with Bill Kozerski of Fight Night Inc.
In Tyson's case, it's no matter that last June 8 in Memphis he didn't just lose a fight, but seemed to have his very career handed to him in a crumpled heap.
Some of us watched and wondered: Who would pay to see Tyson fight after that beating?
The answer won't come until Feb. 22, but Shaw, who was in town Wednesday for an organizational meeting on the fight, said his guess is 12,000 to 14,000.
All these years removed from Ali, Smokin' Joe, Sugar Ray and Howard Cosell, what fighters can draw such crowds?
"Oscar and Tyson," said Shaw.
Brian Young, the site promoter for this bout, the local guy who also brought us Lewis-Tyson, is saying the crowd could rival the 15,327 who watched on June 8. He's also touting this as a would-be classic between two brawlers.
"Styles make fights," Young said. "I think it'll be 2003's fight of the year."
He may be expecting too much of the crowd, and the fight it will see, but the fact remains: Tyson is fighting and so people will watch.
"A lot of people think Mike wasn't Mike that night (against Lewis)," said Shaw, who at the time worked for Main Events, which promoted Lewis.
Maybe that's true. It was a spectacular show - the buzz, the buildup, the bell ringing on Memphis sports history - but it wasn't even a little bit of a fight.
But maybe it's not about those brutally fierce skills Tyson once had. How does he recapture them, any way, at 36?
No, more likely, it's enough that he's still Tyson. He's still the most compelling figure in the sport. Also the most notorious, the most unpredictable. He can be the crudest man alive, too. He can charm us, make us laugh.
That sort of thing sells tickets, especially when they're priced in a range that many Memphians can afford - $25 (already sold out), $60, $100 and up.
They'll come to watch Tyson, to see him try to summon something like brute greatness. Or bleed trying.
"Mike has to win this fight, obviously," Shaw said. "It's important for him to go on and fight Lennox Lewis again."
Yes, there could be a rematch. Maybe it would be in Memphis. No matter that last time Lewis didn't much break a sweat, much less have his brains smeared on the canvas, in beating Tyson.
No matter, because Tyson is still Tyson, the rock of boxing.
Re-Postered without permission of course :)
Tszyu, Leija make weight for triple-title bout
Associated Press - January 17, 2003
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Undisputed world super lightweight champion Kostya Tszyu expects to have too much punching power against American challenger ``Jesse'' James Leija in his title defense on Sunday.
Tszyu's trainer Johnny Lewis said the Russian-born Australian had respect for the San Antonio, Texas, boxer, a former WBC super featherweight champion.
``Leija's got ring savvy and he's been around a long time,'' Lewis said Saturday. ``He always comes back. When you think you've got him, he'll show you haven't. If you lose your concentration you'll pay for it.''
Leija has been baited in the Australian media this week by a former world champion Jeff Fenech, who said the American would struggle to last a round against Tszyu.
``I don't think he's a one-round guy,'' said Lewis. ``He's a championship fighter and that means 12 rounds.''
But Lewis said he expected Tzsyu, the IBF, WBC and WBA champion, to overpower Leija.
``I'm a great fan of Leija's. I just don't know how he'll go with a 140 pounder who punches like a 160 pounder,'' Lewis said.
Leija, 36, spent most of his career in lower weight divisions, and knows what he's up against.
``Kostya will be a Hall of Famer no matter what I do when we fight,'' said Leija. ``I can understand why I'm the underdog - he's the undisputed world champion.''
Both fighters made the official weight Saturday, but in different circumstances.
Tszyu made it first go, but Leija was seven ounces (200 grams) over the 140-pound (63.5-kilogram) limit.
He went back to his hotel, did some shadow boxing and returned 70 minutes later.
He stripped off all his clothes behind a screen, which also hid the scales from the public.
The official in charge of the weigh in started to announce Leija above the weight again but was shouted down by the fighter's manager Lester Bedford. After Leija stepped off the scales and then back on again, the official announcement was 139 pounds (63 kg).
Tszyu (29-1-1) hasn't fought in Australia, his adopted home, since stopping Calvin Grove in May 1998 in Newcastle. In Tszyu's last fight, he successfully defended the WBC, WBA and IBF titles by outpointing Ben Tackie in Las Vegas.
The Russian was making a voluntary defense against Leija. He faces the winner of the Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward fight as a mandatory defense in May.
Leija went undefeated in his first 30 fights before gaining a unanimous decision over Azumah Nelson for the WBC super featherweight championship in Las Vegas in 1994.
He lost the title in the next fight and has also suffered defeats against top-ranked fighters Shane Mosley and Oscar de la Hoya.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Tough Customer: The roughest fighter you probably have never seen remains Columbian IBF flyweight champion Irene Pacheco. At the very end of November at the El Paso Convention Center, Pacheco won a brutal 12 round unanimous decision over the number-four ranked Alejandro Montiel. The southpaw Pacheco rocked the Mexican challenger in the opening round with a savage left uppercut and then discreetly head butted Montiel at every opportunity. The result was a nasty gash over Montiel's right eye. During the course of the fight the bout was halted no less than six times as the ringside doctor kept looking at Montiel's bloody right eye. The challenger was forced to fight and he continued to pin the champion's back to the ropes as both men relentlessly fired away at each other often times below the belt. Several times they fought after the bell and Pacheco was penalized for holding and hitting. In the end it was the lefthander Pacheco's ability to land savage straight left hands to Montiel's crimson face that preserved his crown. Amazingly at the conclusion of the fight both men embraced and when the verdict was announced Montiel applauded the decision. The reason I point out this encounter is because of the less than stellar effort of two heavyweights Lawrence Clay-Bey and Charles Shufford that recently fought on ESPN2 Friday night fights. I guess both men gave their best effort but there was no sense of urgency that was in abundance when Pacheco squared off with Montiel. With so much to gain, especially in the lucrative heavyweight division you would think both men would throw caution to the wind and hammer away with everything he had. However, that was far from the case and both men fought sporadically and with caution. I am not opposed to tactical fights between boxers with skill and merit but when you get the feeling that guys are just going through the motions it kills the sport.
--Kostya Tszyu vs. Jesse James Leija --
By John Gregg
Los Angeles, California--
Australia's world champion Kostya Tszyu is set to defend his titles in his adopted homeland when he takes on San Antonio's Jesse James Leija, January 18, from Melbourne's Telstra Dome. The fight will be broadcast in the U.S. on Showtime, and also features former Olympic gold medallist Mohamed Abdullaev squaring off against ex-IBF lightweight champion Phillips Holiday, on the undercard.
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Champion: IBF, WBC, WBA junior welterweight world champion Kostya Tszyu (29-1-1, 23 KO's), trained by Johnny Lewis and managed by Vlad Wharton.
Style: Tszyu, 33, is a throwback to the 1930's when fighters held their hands low but as soon as their opponent starting throwing leather they answered in volleys. Tszyu has heavy hands to go along with superior conditioning and ring smarts. This guy is a master craftsman who can jolt you with a whistling right hand and then finish you off with a flurry of nasty shots. He is coming off two outstanding performances; a second round destruction over heavily favored Zab Judah late in 2001, and a commanding 12-round decision over number one-rated Ben Tackie last May. With one-second remaining the 2nd, Tszyu drilled Judah with a clean right hand to the chin. The IBF champ Judah hit the deck flat on his back but popped back on his feet only to stagger sideways and then collapse to the canvas for the second time. Veteran referee Jay Nady waved off the world title bout at count of four despite Judah's theatrical protest. Tszyu continued his domination in the 140-pound division by manhandling the durable Tackie. Tszyu controlled the action from the outset and nailed the challenger repeatedly with a variety of searing left hands and whistling right crosses that kept Tackie off balance for almost the entire title fight. There were no knockdowns but Tszyu jolted Tackie numerous times and left little doubt who was the best 140-pounder in the world.
Strength: Tszyu has a strong right hand and he can turn out the lights. His second round knockout of Judah elevated him to among the elite of the boxing world. Despite being a heavy underdog, Tszyu never bought into Judah's rhetoric and after giving away the first round he went to work. He's a tough customer who knows how to box and also bang. Tszyu defended his three titles in 2001; scoring a 12-round win over Germany's Oktay Urkal, a seventh-round TKO over Sharmba Mitchell, and 2nd round stoppage of the long-winded Mr. Judah. Tszyu only fought once last year but he easily controlled the top-rated Tackie and once again demonstrated his talents. He has a wealth of experience and the man he defeated for his world amateur title before turning pro was no less than Vernon Forrest.
Weakness: Tszyu's chin will always be questionable. In May 1997, he was hammered out and suffered his only loss to Vince "Cool" Phillips via a 10th round TKO. Tszyu miscalculated Phillips' power and repeatedly was drilled by accurate right hands. He took a beating but on the upside he renewed his commitment to the sport and has always been a demon in training camp since that lone defeat. He is one of those rare boxers who became a better fighter after a loss.
Question Marks: Just how long will Tszyu carry Leija before he decides to unload on the veteran and former world champion?
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Challenger: Jesse James Leija (43-5-2, 1 NC, 17 KO's), managed by Lester Bedford and trained by his father, James Leija, Sr.
Style: The 36-year-old Leija is a solid fighter and a veteran campaigner. Leija can still box and he can still slug, however, he lacks the pop to put the hurt on Tszyu. He moves in and out and looks to counter off of your mistakes. He will whack you with the left hook, dip inside, go to the body, and occasionally nail you with a sharp right hand up top. Unfortunately, what he has learned along the way he has also lost in reflexes. Many insiders consider this fight nothing more than a very nice payday and that's he's lucky to still able to earn big money at this point of his career. A former WBO super featherweight titleholder, Leija fought a classic four-fight series with the legendary Azumah Nelson, winning twice, losing once, and also fighting to a draw. Last January, Leija scored a five-round technical split decision over Mickey Ward in front of his hometown fans, in an abbreviated super lightweight bout. Following what referee Laurence Cole believed to an accidental clash of heads in the first round, the former two-time world champion Leija suffered a sever cut in his right eyebrow. As the contest wore on so did the three-inch gash that Leija attempted to fight with for the remainder of the evening. With blood pouring from the wound that traversed through Leija's right eyebrow, ringside Dr. Ruben Cordonado told Cole to stop the contest. Because Cole believed the cut was the result of a clash of heads in the first, the judges were compelled to go to the their scorecards. Judge Duane Ford had Ward winning, 48-47. However Gale Van Hoy had it 49-46, while Ray Hawkins scored it, 48-47, in favor of Leija.
Strength: Leija is a tough and determined fighter who is always in excellent condition. His best punch is the left hook and he can tag you with it moving inside or while retreating. Leija was never considered a knockout puncher but he does understand the nuisances of the sport and he can surprise you by timing your shots and landing counters. Early in his career he threw solid combinations and periodically would sneak in the right hand behind the hook.
Weakness: At this point in his career, Leija is subject to cuts and is a bleeder. He lacks the power to keep people off of him and no longer posses the lateral movement and hand speed needed at the world championship level. Despite a number of his victories in the later stages of his impressive career, Leija has never been the same fighter after he was chewed up and TKO'd in two rounds by Oscar De La Hoya, in December 1995. He was TKO'd in nine by Shane Mosley, back in November 1998.
Question Marks: How long will his skin hold up under Tszyu's thudding blows? At 36, just how much tread is left on the tires? If he boxes, and moves with the champion, can he go the distance?
Prediction-- This one isn't going to be pretty and I look for Tszyu to eventually overpower Leija with brutal shots to the head and body. If Leija is lucky he gets cut early and doesn't absorb too much punishment. However, Leija is a warrior and he should stick around for a while. I look for Leija to go out on his shield with Tszyu the victor via a bloody seventh round TKO..
"Tavares also concluded that there was no medical reason Tapia can't fight again."
Maybe Tapia should spend some time getting his priorities right. I really enjoy watching him fight, but he seems to be having a tough time breaking out of the "mi vida loca" mode.
Tapia released from Las Vegas hospital
January 13, 2003 Print it
LAS VEGAS -- Boxer Johnny Tapia was sent home from the hospital Monday, two days after collapsing unconscious at home with what had been described as a head injury.
Tapia, 35, had been admitted to University Medical Center in critical condition early Saturday, and spent the weekend on life support.
In a statement released Monday, Dr. Joaquim Tavares said tests found no damage to Tapia's brain or heart.
Tavares also concluded that there was no medical reason Tapia can't fight again.
Tapia was met at the hospital by his wife, Teresa, and friends. A hospital spokesman said Tapia declined media interviews.
Authorities said Tapia collapsed hours after he and his cousin were involved in a police standoff Friday at a house near Bullhead City, Ariz.
Two men were arrested and Tapia was given a summons in that case charging him with possessing drug paraphernalia, police said.
Tapia was hospitalized two years ago after a drug overdose that was described as an attempted suicide.
He last fought Nov. 3, losing a 12-round decision to bantamweight Marco Antonio Barrera.
Tyson, second wife divorce
January 13, 2003 Print it
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Mike Tyson and his second wife were granted a divorce Monday, and the former heavyweight champion agreed to pay her $6.5 million from future earnings.
The deal ends a yearlong dispute between Tyson and Monica Turner, who accused the boxer of adultery when she filed for divorce in January 2002.
Tyson was not at the court hearing that completed the divorce, although Turner did attend. She is a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington.
Tyson must pay Turner a percentage of his future purses on top of an undisclosed sum he already has given her, according to Turner's attorney, Sanford Ain. That figure rises to $9 million if Tyson fails to pay on time.
Turner was awarded the couple's $4.75 million mansion in Farmington, Conn. and the $4 million Potomac house where she lives. Turner also gets custody of their children, Rayna, 6 and Amir, 5. Tyson keeps his home in Las Vegas.
"She is pleased with the settlement, and she's ready to get on with her life," Ain said.
Tyson's attorney, Patrick Dragga, did not immediately return a phone call.
The couple drafted an earlier settlement that called for Tyson to pay Turner $10 million from his June fight with Lennox Lewis and two later matches.
Tyson, however, did not pay $4 million of the first $5 million that was owed by July 31. After Turner tried to enforce the payment schedule in September, Tyson's challenged the agreement, according to the court filings.
Tyson contended the deal was invalid because it was crafted in part by Turner's brother, Maryland Lt. Gov.-elect Michael Steele. Steele is a lawyer but does not have a license to practice law in Maryland.
Steele said his only role was to review the document and make grammatical changes.
Tyson met his second wife while he was serving a rape sentence in an Indiana prison. They were married in April 1997 in Bethesda.
The boxer previously was married for a year to actress Robin Givens. That marriage ended in divorce in 1989.
Boxing judge, referee Larry Rozadilla dies at 72
January 15, 2003 Print it
Associated Press
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. -- Larry Rozadilla, a boxing referee and judge who worked 131 championship bouts and was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999, has died at age 72.
Rozadilla died of cancer at his home in Manhattan Beach on Saturday, his widow, Lillian, said Wednesday.
Rozadilla had been ill for about two years, and no longer worked inside the ring. He continued to judge matches and evaluate referees as late as November.
Among the fights Rozadilla worked during his 35-year career, was Mike Tyson's loss to Buster Douglas in Tokyo in 1990.
One of the last fights Rozadilla refereed was at Staples Center in July 2001, when Roy Jones Jr. beat Julio Gonzalez to retain his undisputed light heavyweight title.
He also worked the bouts of such popular boxers as Thomas Hearns, Vinnie Pazienza and Danny "Little Red" Lopez.
Rozadilla started boxing while in the military, serving as an Army paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division during the Korean War. He had a brief professional career as a boxer, but his trainer persuaded him to go to college.
Rozadilla graduated from the University of Southern California and earned his masters in education at Mount St. Mary's College.
He later spent 32 years working in education, retiring as dean of East Los Angeles College.
In addition to his wife of 32 years, Rozadilla is survived by daughters two daughters and two grandchildren.
Flyweights (112, 108 and 105)
1. Eric Morel (32-0). Heavy discussion about 112-pound unification bout with Irene Pacheco on Showtime this year. Next: TBA.
2. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (46-2). 112-pound titlist went to Japan and beat hometown favorite Hidenobu Honda. Next: TBA.
3. Rosendo Alvarez (31-2-1). Hand injury (or rumored weight problems, depending on who you believe) forced 108-pound champ out of last week's rubber match vs. Beibis Mendoza. Next: TBA vs. Mendoza.
4. Irene Pacheco (27-0). Rumored match vs. Morel is just what both guys need - a meaningful fight. Next: TBA.
5. Jorge Arce (31-3-1). 108-pound champ KO'd Agustin Luna in three rounds of first defense. Next: Feb. 22 vs. TBA.
6. Beibis Mendoza (28-1). Could fight for an interim title while awaiting Alvarez's injury to heal. Next: TBA.
7. Nelson Dieppa (19-2-2). Can't move on with career until mandatory rematch with John A. Molina is taken care of. Next: TBA vs. Molina.
8. Miguel Barrera (19-0-2). Can third fight vs. Roberto Leyva match the supreme action of the second fight? Let's hope so. Next: March 29 vs. Leyva.
9. Mzukisi Sikali ( 27-4-2). South African still relishing big win over countryman Hawk Makepula. Next: TBA.
10. Hawk Makepula (2 0-2). Only real loss was to Sikali because he was robbed against Pacheco. Next: TBA.
Others: Jose Antonio Aguirre, Omar Narvaez.
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