RSSPeter Manfredo Jr
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Manfredo Fights Wednesday on ESPN
PROVIDENCE - When the “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo, Jr. enters the ring Wednesday night to headline the “Cha-Ching In The Ring” show, it’ll mark his third fight within a 74-day period, an unheard of schedule today for a top 15 contender.
Manfredo (27-4, 13 KOs), rated No. 14 by the IBF, lost by controversial stoppage in the third round to WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in Wales on April 7. Peter bounced back on May 11, registering a ninth-round TKO against veteran Ted Muller in Rhode Island. The Contender I television reality show star Manfredo headlines “Cha-Ching In The Ring” against upset specialist David Banks (14-1-1, 2 KOs), who is coming off impressive back-to-back wins against previously unbeaten Elvin Ayala.
“I’m back again,” Manfredo said. “These are the steps I have to take to become a world champion. When you don’t get a chance to fight, or lose, you have to start all over again to get back there. We’re fighters; this is what we do. I want to stay busy. The guy I’d love to fight is Jeff Lacy.”
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Friday, April 27, 2007
Manfredo Returns to Hometown on May 11
PROVIDENCE - World title contender “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo, Jr., bouncing right back from his April 7 loss by controversial stoppage to undefeated WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, returns to the ring May 11 headlining “The Pride Is Back” against veteran Ted Muller in the 10-round main event at the new Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island.
“The Pride Is Back,” promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. (CES), is the inaugural show in “The Budweiser Night at the Fights” series, promoted by CES at Twin River.
Manfredo (26-4, 12 KOs), star of The Contender Season One, holds wins against Scott Pemberton, Joey Spina, Grady Brewer, Alfonso Gomez, Anthony Bonsante, Frankie Randall and Sherwin Davis.
Muller (19-10-2, 9 KOs), fighting out of Moline, Illinois, fought a draw against top prospect Carlos De Leon, Jr. in 2005 and has become a gate keeper of the super middleweight division having fought Elvir Muriqi, Bronco McKart, Allan Green and Jerson Ravelo.
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Tuesday, March 27, 2007
After Manfredo Falls, Will We See Calzaghe-Kessler?
Mikkel Kessler is 28 years old. He sports a 39-0 record. He is the WBA and WBC super middleweight titleholder. All that is missing is world wide recognition. HBO was smart enough to air his recent defense in Denmark, a one sided drubbing of previously undefeated Librado Andrade. That was the first step toward Mikkel being known on this side of the Atlantic. Hopefully the next step will be a unification bout with unbeaten WBO champion Joe Calzaghe. That is if Joe overcomes the challenge of Peter Manfredo Jr. on April 7th in Cardiff, Wales. Calzaghe is a solid favorite to win that fight and rightfully so.
Calzaghe won over the American boxing public when he dominated the highly regarded Jeff Lacy. He has done little though to build on the prestige since he gained with that victory. Calzaghe needs Kessler but Kessler needs Calzaghe more. Will this highly anticipated fight ever be made?
Continue reading "After Manfredo Falls, Will We See Calzaghe-Kessler?"
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Sugar Ray Leonard to Train Manfredo
Sugar Ray Leonard announced earlier today that he would be training Peter Manfredo Jr. for his upcoming fight against Joe Calzaghe on April 7th.
Leonard is taking the place of Freddie Roach, Manfredo’s usual trainer who has opted to instead train Oscar De La Hoya for his showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5th.
Even though he has never been a trainer before for such a big-name fighter, Leonard was confident that he would do well…
“I’m not a trainer, but my skill is in tactics and strategy,” said Leonard, whose only previous cornering experience was for his brother.
Calzaghe was quick to make it known that having Leonard is his corner isn’t going to help Manfredo any when it comes time to lace up the gloves:
“I don’t care who he has in his corner, he isn’t going to beat me, it’s as simple as that,” said the undefeated 34-year-old.
It’s going to be interesting to see what happens here. This might be the beginning of a new career for Leonard. Who knows - What happens if De La Hoya beats Mayweather and Oscar decides to continue fighting? Would he dump Floyd Mayweather Sr. completely and ask Roach to stay on. That could lead to Manfredo sticking with Leonard.
So many interesting storylines going on right now involving a circle of fights…
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Wednesday, January 31, 2007
EEC - January 31, 2007
A lot of matchups forming this week. Could the heavyweights be starting up as I predicted?
News, Notes, and Rumors:
- Joe Calzaghe made sure it was a point to jump at the fact that his opponent on April 7th, Peter Manfredo Jr., will be without his primary trainer Freddie Roach who will be training Oscar De La Hoya for his fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5th.
“Sounds like Cap’n Freddie Roach was smart enough to jump ship before the U.S.S. Manfredo sinks in Wales on April 7,” remarked Calzaghe.
- Paul Spadafora will be returning to the ring on March 9th. An opponent has not yet been anmed for him…
- Now that Lou DiBella has Roy Jones Jr. locked up, he’s looking to make the possible super-fight between his client and Bernard Hopkins a reality:
“We will move forward to make the superfight against Hopkins on July 21 as long as the deal is fair to all parties and the fight is on an even playing field. I have never failed to make a fair deal with Golden Boy when we have negotiated for a fight that our fighters wanted.”
- Apparently Diddy looks up to Jack Johnson according to The Source magazine…
“I’m the return of Jack Johnson. His whole swagger, personality, the way he whupped yo ass, it’s the dress, the style, the cars and the money… “This man would rent whole trains, get six or seven women, take them away for six months and rent out the top floor of hotels… (at) a time when they were lynching niggas,” Combs said.
- What do Mike Tyson and Lindsay Lohan have in common? They are both in the same “rehab center”...
Some Good Reads:
ESPN: Lawrence got rocked, but ready to roll again
TSS: This Day in History (January 31, 1914)
Boxing Scene: The Big Time Has Called Kelly Pavlik
MaxBoxing: ‘The Ghost’ Arrives on the Scene; is Taylor Next?
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Saturday, January 27, 2007
EEC - January 27, 2007
Saturday! Saturday! Saaaturday! Saturday! Saturday! I’m such a loser…
News, Notes, and Rumors:
- Former WBC Heavyweight Champion Hasim Rahman is supposedly very close to completing a deal that will have him fighting Sinan Samil Sam in May in an odd location, Turkey…
“We’re in serious negotiations and expect to complete them by next week some time,” Rahman’s manager Steve Nelson said Friday. “We are pretty close to finalizing the deal.”
We reported that Rahman was going to fight Ray Mercer last week but Rahman pulled out of the fight, stating he still has some pre-existing injuries that need to heal up before he steps back into the ring.
“It had nothing to do with money. It had to do with the fact that [Rahman] had some problems and we’re not going to take the fight unless he’s 100 percent,” Nelson said.
- The Rahman-Mercer fight was scheduled to be televised on Versus and now the network is desperately searching for another main event fight to take it’s place. If anyone is interested please get in contact with them…
- One more note on the Rahman-Sam fight: Joe Mesi will be featured on the undercard, taking on George Linberger in a 10 round affair…
- According to the Times Online, Calvin Brock has dropped trainer Tommy Yankello and hired Pernell Whitaker to be his new one…
- Want tickets for Manfredo-Calzaghe? Better act fast…
Tickets for the April 7 Joe Calzaghe/Peter Manfredo Jr. super middleweight title fight (HBO) are going like hotcakes. Promoter Frank Warren announced today that with nine weeks still to go until the opening bell of this transcontinental clash, over 20,000 tickets have already been sold.
Some Good Reads:
Boxing Scene: Jorge “Travieso” Arce: Atop Boxing’s Evil Empire
SI: Heavy deadweight
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Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Calzaghe Hints at Retirement Plans
Joe Calzaghe has made it known for a few years now that he is eventually going to retire sooner rather than later because of his age and the beating that his hands have taken over the years.
In a recent interview with BBC, Calzaghe stated his plans for the near future and why his fight against Peter Manfredo Jr. in April may very well be his last fight in Cardiff…
“This could possibly be my last fight in Cardiff. If I have a few successful fights in 2007 I will sit down and see where I am because I’ve achieved nearly everything I want to achieve in boxing. Only four or five in history have got to 20 defences so that is a massive goal for me. I want to get to that magic number 20 in front of my home fans in the Millennium Stadium.”
He says that it’s his last fight in Cardiff - could it be his last fight overseas and is he hinting at a serious trip to the United States for one of his 2007 fights? Calzaghe has been calling out some pretty big names as of late and he would definitely have to come to the USA for a shot at them.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Calzaghe-Manfredo Jr. Postponed Until April
Joe Calzaghe’s 20th title defense against Peter Manfredo Jr. has been postponed until April 7th because of various problems including scheduling of personnel and the delivery of products.
THe fight was originally supposed to take place on March 3rd. HBO will still broadcast the fight at Millennium Stadium in England live…
Monday, October 16, 2006
HBO Backs Out of Jones-Manfredo; Showtime, ESPN Interested
ESPN is reporting that HBO has backed out and will not offer to televise the possible bout between Roy Jones Jr. and Peter Manfredo Jr.
After discussions with Manfredo’s promotional group - the same group that operates The Contender reality TV show - HBO decided that they were no longer interested in televising the event. I think it’s a good chance that HBO didn’t want to have to deal with all of The Contender references that would come along with having Manfredo as one of their fighters.
Two possibilties remain: Showtime and ESPN
Jones’ advisor Jim Thomas had a statement on why HBO decided not to pursue the bout…
They weren’t sure if they could afford Roy on the show,” Thomas told ESPN.com. “We were still dickering over Roy’s participation in the upside, but the guarantee was set. The money was what Roy had sent me out to get and we were happy with the deal, but then this HBO thing happened. So we’re talking to Showtime to see if it is something we can still do.”
It makes sense, but I’m sure that The Contender also had something to do with the decision.
Just in case the Manfredo fight never develops, Jones Jr. has a backup plan that we have already reported...
Jones’ advisor, Jim Thomas has stated that if victorious against Manfredo or whoever his opponent is this winter, he would then challenge Clinton Woods for his light-heavyweight strap.
It’s very smart to become involved in other discussions because a fight always has the possibility of falling through, even at the last minute when it becomes unthinkable. Manfredo’s camp hasn’t even made a statement on Jones’ challenge to my knowledge yet either. What if Manfredo says that he’s not ready for Roy?
“Ideally, Roy could fight Manfredo in January and then do the Clinton Woods fight on Showtime a few months later,” Jim Thomas has said.
If everything works out, the above would be exactly what would happen, providing that Jones is victorious against Manfredo. I don’t believe that Woods-Jones Jr. can happen on the original date in March, especially if the Manfredo fight happens on January 20th.
Woods-Jones Jr. II would happen at the ideal time to have a rematch between the two - Jones would be coming off his second straight victory; Woods would have a shot at avenging his 2002 loss to Jones Jr and defend his title…
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Sunday, October 15, 2006
Manfredo Destroys Spina; Is Sought by Jones Jr.
Peter Manfredo Jr. simply beat up Joey Spina on Saturday night in what may have been the most impressive performance of his career to date. The fight was stopped in the third round after Spina’s corner was forced to throw in the towel and save their fighter.
The fight was actually close leading up to the third round. The judges gave Spina the first round based on a late flurry that surprised Manfredo and the second to Manfredo who bruised and battered Spina throughout the round. It was during the third round however that Manfredo was able to pull ahead in a big way.
Manfredo was landing nothing but absolute bombs to start the third round - every single shot stunning Spina. Manfredo knocked Spina to the canvas with a straight right - Spina got back up to his feet, but Manfredo landed another bomb that forced Spina’s corner to end the fight by throwing in the white, fluffy object.
“I told you that we are on a different level,” Manfredo said. “I never wanted to take this fight. I never wanted to hurt anybody from Rhode Island, but he kept shooting off his mouth. I guess he made his money but he took the beating of his life.”
Spina was examined by ringside officials after the fight for an extended period of time - It was determined that he had a concussion and a broken hand.
After Manfredo’s impressive victory, Roy Jones Jr. “decided” that his next fight would be against him - Jones’ wording, not mine…
The two were already in discussions about setting up a fight at some point next year and now it looks like it may happen as early as January…
The Pensacola New Journal is reporting that the card would also feature a middleweight bout between Fernando Vargas and Sergio Mora.
Jones’ advisor, Jim Thomas has stated that if victorious against Manfredo or whoever his opponent is this winter, he would then challenge Clinton Woods for his light-heavyweight strap.