RSSGeneral
Friday, November 16, 2007
Larry Hazzard Fired
Larry Hazzard, the long-time head of the New Jersey Athletic Control Board, was fired yesterday after close to 21 years on the job by state attorney general Anne Milgram.
The Philadelphia Daily News said that Hazzard declined to comment and that the only reason that Milgram gave for Hazzard’s release was that “It was time for a change.”
Former undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins was quite angered to hear that Hazzard was fired without proper reason:
“Nobody can tell me why Larry got fired,” Hopkins said. “Everybody told me that the attorney general said there was no comment. Just like that, there was a change. It’s just like changing quarterbacks. If you want to change [Donovan] McNabb, you have to have a reason. You just can’t change him.
Zack Arnold of Fight Opinion has a fantastic round-up of coverage on the event which reveals that Hazzard actually wrote a letter to New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine concerning the possibility that some of the NJACB employees were jeopardizing the health of some fighters by being negligent during pre-fight testing.
Apparently state officials were irked by the letter and ended up deciding to let Hazzard go.
The New Jersey Star-Ledger has a quote from Hazzard’s lawyer that might make this whole thing an even bigger deal.
Touch of gloves to Zack for this one:
Among the concerns, Binns wrote, were the employee’s decisions to sanction mismatches in mixed martial arts contests, to okay a fighter who failed to test negative for HIV and to allow promoters to “shop” for medical approvals for their fighters.
Bad news for the state of New Jersey if the allegations are true.
Cross-posted on our sister site, MMA on Tap.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Countdown To Cotto-Mosley Debuts November 3
HBO Sports is presenting a thirty-minute special analyzing the upcoming HBO Pay-Per-View showdown between welterweight champ Miguel Cotto and world class challenger Shane Mosley. Their eagerly anticipated title bout is set for Saturday, Nov. 10 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
The special “Countdown To Cotto-Mosley, ” which will feature fighter profiles, expert analysis and forecasts for the 147-pound showdown, will premiere on Saturday, Nov. 3 immediately after the HBO World Championship Boxing (Joe Calzaghe vs. Mikkel Kessler) telecast from Cardiff, Wales, which airs live at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.
Cotto (30-0, 25 KOs), a native of Puerto Rico, is a powerhouse in the welterweight division who is seeking to move into the superstar category as he faces his most formidable challenge. The Garden has become one of his favorite sites and he looks for strong home court support on fight night. Mosley (44-4, 37 KOs) is one of boxing’s most accomplished performers over the past decade winning titles in three weight divisions and has reinvigorated his career with a string of impressive triumphs in the past two years. His remarkable career includes two wins over both Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas.
The countdown special will also be available to HBO On Demand subscribers 24 hours a day from Monday, November 5 thru Monday, November 19.
Permalink
Friday, September 21, 2007
The Perception
It is not fun growing old. I am a product of my past. A victim of my era so to speak. I constantly bump heads with the young fans of today. They glorify Hopkins, Tito, De La Hoya, Roy Jones Jr. and Mosley. Even from a decade or so before it’s all about Holyfield, Whitaker and a guy named Mike Tyson.
They are all great fighters in their own right. Then you can go back a little farther. Now we’re talking Holmes, Hagler,Leonard, Hearns, Pryor, Michael Spinks and Benitez. How about Julio Cesar Chavez, Edwin Rosario and the great Salvador Sanchez? Some great names and outstanding fighters.
Continue reading "The Perception"
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Berto Pays Tribute To Jackie Leonard
Many sports fans say the younger athletes of today don’t remember or think about the legends that came before them This is not the case with DiBella Entertainment power puncher Andre Berto who was saddened to hear about the passing of legendary Promoter/Trainer Jackie Leonard today at the age of 89. “Jack was a great man. He really cared about his fighters and the sport of boxing,” said the 2004 Olympian.
Jackie Leonard promoted many world title fights including those involving Sugar Ray Robinson and Archie Moore. Later in life, Leonard opened up a boxing gym in Winter Haven, Florida. This is where Jackie met a young Berto. “Jack is the man who taught me how to form my foundation of boxing. He taught me how to throw my first correct punch,” said the undefeated welterweight.
Berto (19-9, 16 KO’s) is currently preparing for a clash with David Estrada in the co-feature bout on the September 29th Jermain Taylor-Kelly Pavlik card at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Berto wants to dedicate the bout to Jackie Leonard and will pay tribute to him by wearing a “JL” patch on the trunks he will wear in the ring that night.
There are those who question whether or not Jackie Leonard should be in Boxing’s Hall of Fame. Berto feels “a person like Jack definitely is a Hall of Fame figure in the sport and should have a spot in Canastota. Jack was a great person and a true friend. He gave me a chance and for that I will always love him.”
Monday, August 27, 2007
Report: Mayweather Jr on Dancing With The Stars
Celebrity news site TMZ is reporting that WEC Welterweight Champion Floyd Mayweather Jr will participate on the upcoming season of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars.
So who will Mayweather be going up against?
TMZ is also reporting that Aaron Carter, Mark Cuban, Tori Spelling, Jennie Garth, Lou Ferrigno, Nia Peeples, Richard Quest, Giselle Bundchen, Helio Castroneves, and Sabrina Bryan will be on the show.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Mayweather Picks Mosley Over Cotto
During a recent Q&A session with Yahoo! Sports fans, Floyd Mayweather Jr was asked who he thought would win November’s clash between Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley:
Question: Keep doing what you’re doing PBF and keep it flamboyant and flashy. My question for you is, after your fight with Hatton, should you win, would you consider the winner of Mosley/Cotto as your next viable opponent?
I think whoever wins out of those two, if done in impressive fashion, would make a great superfight with you.
Mayweather: When I beat Hatton, I would consider fighting Mosley, along with a few other options to include Oscar De La Hoya. I think Mosley knocks Cotto out cold in a very exciting fight. Everyone knows that Shane has had a couple of opportunities already to fight me but chose not to. My fight with Hatton will be a very exciting fight for the fans.
Permalink
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Bute to Challenge Berrio for IBF Super Middleweight Belt in Montreal
Lucian Bute will challenge IBF Super Middleweight Champion Alejandro Berrio for the title on October 11th at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.
Bute became the mandatory challenger for the title with a unanimous decision win over Sakio Bika on June 15th. Berrio won the vacant IBF Super Middleweight belt with a TKO victory over Robert Stieglitz back in March.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Montreal Gets Ready for Friday Night Fights Again
Summer’s the perfect time to hit hockey-crazed Montreal with back-to-back Friday Night Fights.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
For the Puerto Rican Lightweight Championship
How do they keep turning out such great fighters? Jose Torres, Felix Trinidad and now Miguel Cotto and Kermit Cintron. Puerto Rico has put their stamp on the fistic map! In the forty years I’ve followed the great sport of boxing I’ve seen two lightweights that were not only Puerto Rican standouts but in my opinion among the greatest lightweights of all time.
I am speaking of former champions Carlos Ortiz and the late Esteban DeJesus. Who would have won if these two fine fighting machines had met in their primes? Carlos Ortiz dominated the lightweight division in the mid and late 60’s. He was extremely strong and powerful for his weight. He was also more clever then ever given credit for. He was a solid puncher with a sturdy chin. Only the vastly talented Ismael Laguna was able to give Carlos problems at his peak. Then you have Esteban DeJesus. If there was ever a fighter who fought at the wrong time it was Esteban. If only Roberto Duran had not been around… DeJesus beat Duran in their first bout, a non-title affair. Roberto then came back to twice halt Esteban in championship encounters. In between all that Esteban a the W.B.C. version of the title by whipping Guts Suzuki. This is not a feat that should taken lightly. Suzuki had held his own with Laguna and Duran. He twice kayoed the respected Rodolfo Gonzalez. He won against tough Tury “The Fury” Pineda and defeated future Hall Of Famer Ken Buchanan.
Continue reading "For the Puerto Rican Lightweight Championship"
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Marvin Hagler: “No Skill in the UFC”
Former undisputed boxing middleweight champion Marvin Hagler recently sat down for an interview with the Ottawa Sun. He was asked about his thoughts on MMA, primarily the UFC, and went on to bash the sport:
“I don’t see any skill in (the UFC) or art ... anybody can do that kind of fighting off the street,” he said.
Hagler also stated that MMA wouldn’t be the sport to put boxing down for good either.
“Boxing will never die. It will come back some day, some year. We’ll find another superstar.”