Tag Archives: Boxing rumors

Keith Thurman vs. Danny Garcia Slated For March 2017

Sports News & Picks, , , , ,

Danny Garcia is “gift”, no more.

After years of being mocked as ‘gift’ because of winning controversial decisions and fighting lesser known foes, Philly’s Danny “Swift” Garcia stepped up to the plate when he agreed to fight WBA welterweight champion Keith “One Time”” Thurman next year:

https://twitter.com/keithfthurmanjr/status/787000095283695618

Stepping Up to The Plate

WBC welterweight champion Danny Garcia has been labeled a cherry picker for fighting lesser known opponents. On Wednesday, that label may have been erased after PBC spokesman Tim Smith told media that Garcia has signed on a deal that would pit him against fellow unbeaten champion Keith Thurman in a title unification bout which could very well be the biggest match-up Al Haymon’s PBC will have ever put up.

Thurman is one of the division most feared punchers with his 27-0, 22 KOs record. One time is coming off a unanimous decision win over former IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter last June. Prior to his win over Porter, Thurman had five successful title defenses under his belt.

Gifted Not Gift

Danny Garcia burst into the boxing spotlight with back to back wins over Mexican boxing legend Erik Morales. Then the unified 140-pound champion, Garcia sent Morales to permanent retirement in their second bout, knocking out El Terrible in 4 rounds.

He followed up that victory with impressive wins over Zab Judah and Lucas Matthysse. However, controversial wins over Mauricio Herrera and Lamont Peterson plus a fight over the overmatched Rod Salka led to him being called ‘Gift”.

But Garcia is more than that. He’s one of the most gifted fighters in the business with his combination of speed, skill and power. Perhaps he was just looking for the right fight at the right time. A title unification bout with Thurman would be big. In fact, it would be the biggest welterweight match-up since Mayweather-Pacquiao.

Tune-Up Bout

Before these bg names collide though, Danny Garcia will be having a tune-up bout against Samuel Vargas on November 12th. According to PBC spokesman Smith, Garcia is taking the fight in order to keep himself in the best physical and mental state while waiting for the Thurman bout. On the other hand, Thurman isn’t expected to have a tune-up bout.

While IBF Kell Brook and up and rising star Errol Spence entering the picture, boxings welterweight division remains one of its best despite the retirement of Floyd Mayweather Jr. The winner of the Thurman-Garcia bout is likely going to be the Alpha Male of the division until he fights either Spence or Brook.

Boxing Rumors: Wladimir Klitschko vs. Anthony Joshua Arriving in December?

Sports News & Picks, , , , ,

The Wladimir Klitschko vs Anthony Joshua heavyweight title bout isn’t a done deal yet. But according to promoter Eddie Hearn, it could be finalized and announced next week:

A December Affair

Ever since the fallout of the Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tyson Fury rematch, the former heavyweight champion has set his eyes on current IBF heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua. The two have been negotiating for weeks and have even come up with a tentative December 10th date for their colossal showdown.

While both camps admit that no deal has been struck yet, the willingness of both sides to take the fight has given Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn a lot of optimism in the coming week. Said Hearn on Friday:

“We’re in a great position right now. Maybe my smile gives things away but, fingers crossed, next week you’ll have some news that will blow your mind.”

Hearn was supposed to announce Joshua’s next opponent this week but after the opportunity to fight Klitschko presented itself, they have since deferred the announcement in the hopes of landing the bigger fight.

Taking A Detour

Joshua was all but set to face Joseph Parker, his mandatory challenger in March of 2017 after a voluntary defense this November 26th. But with the recent development in the Tyson Fury saga, the 2012 Olympic Gold medalist has chosen to take the detour and examine the possibility of facing Klitschko ahead of his original plan.

Joshua’s been impressive so far in the pros with a perfect 17-0 record with 17 KOs. But although he’s won two title bouts already, he’s never faced an opponent in the caliber of Klitschko. Knocking out Charles Martin and Dominic Breazeale were exciting but the two are nowhere near the skill and experience of a Wladimir Klitschko.

Initially Joshua wanted to gain more experience before challenging Klitschko, but with Tyson Fury knocking himself out of the heavyweight title picture, the Klitschko-Joshua bout is the fight boxing fans are wanting to see happen soon.

What Are The Odds?

Should the fight happen, Joshua would be a -110 favorite against Klitschko’s +110 via oddschecker.com. AJ’s youth, size, speed and power may be too much for the much older Klitschko. Having said that though, Klitschko may have looked his age against Fury but he dominated the heavyweight division with the second longest reign in history and many still believe that he still has the goods to return to the top a third time.

Vasyl Lomachenko To Face Nicholas Walters on November 26th

Sports News & Picks, , , ,

The second time was the charm for Vasyl Lomachenko and Nicholas Walters.

Second Time Was The Charm

After failing to come to terms to a June 2016 bout earlier this year, the camps of Vasyl Lomachenko and Nicholas Walters have come to terms on a November 26 bout:

According to Top Rank VP Carl Moretti, Nicholas Walters finally signed on the dotted line last Tuesday. This after Walters rejected the first offer to fight Lomachenko last June, with the Axe Man rejecting a $550K purse and demanding a sky high $1M to face the greatest amateur fighter of all-time. Lomachenko even went to the point of offering Walters $300K of his purse should the Jamaican beat him. Still Walters decided to sit it out and wait for the right deal.

Conquering Another Weight Class

While Walters decided to wait for a better offer, Lomachenko paraded his greatness last June 11 when he defeated Roman “Rocky” Martinez to win the Junior Lightweight title and capture his second title in as many weight classes. Despite having just seven professional bouts, Lomachenko ( 6-1, 4 KOs)  is now a two division champion after knocking out the durable Martinez in a dominating five round performance.

Walters ( 26-0-1, 21 KOs) meanwhile is coming off a controversial draw against Jason Sosa in his 130 pound debut. Prior to that, Walters lost the WBA featherweight title on the scales against Miguel Marriaga in June 2015. Walters won that title with a sensational knockout of 2012 BWAA  Fighter of the Year Nonito Donaire Jr. in 2014.

Explosive Bout

Lomachenko and Walters will fight for the Ukrainian’s WBO Junior Lightweight title. The bout will be held at the Cosmopolitan Hotel of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is expected to be one of the biggest bouts to close out 2016 and given the explosive nature of both fighters, it’s hard to think it’s going to disappoint.

Walters has an impressive record and a standout career but it’s hard to dispute Lomachenko’s pedigree. Lomachenko finished his legendary amateur career with a record of 396-1 with his only loss to Albert Selimov avenged twice. He fought for a world title in his second professional bout but was derailed by Orlando Salido in a controversial decision. One fight later, he won the WBO Featherweight title by beating Gary Russell Jr. and then went on to defend the belt thrice before moving up in weight to challenge Martinez last June. In beating Martinez, Lomachenko became the fastest fighter in history to win two weight classes.

Boxing News: Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tyson Fury Odds and Latest Updates

Sports News & Picks, , , , , , ,

The most awaited boxing rematch is off, again.

The October 29th, 2016 Heavyweight title bout between reigning boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and former champion Wladimir Klitschko has been called off once again:

Medically Unfit To Fight

Sources say that Fury’s team notified Klitschko’s camp on Friday and even presented to the latter a letter from Fury’s doctor saying that the champ would be “unavailable for the forseeable future” because of mental health issues.

The fighters were supposed to rematch last July 9th but Fury also pulled out of that schedule after suffering an ankle injury during training. The second postponement is different as it may not be physical in nature and it has cast serious doubts on Fury’s future while raising serious questions on whether he should be stripped of his titles.

Severe Medical Condition

Fury’s management team, Hennessey Sports, confirmed the postponement late Friday and issued an official statement saying “medical specialists have advised that the condition is too severe to allow him (Fury) to participate in the rematch.” It also said that Fury will immediately undergo treatment in order to make a full recovery. No other details were given but Hennessey said they will give a full statement in due course.

Fury shocked the world when he beat Klitschko on points last November 2015, ending the latter’s long reign as heavyweight champion, But shortly after winning the titles, he was stripped of the IBF belt after refusing to fight his mandatory challenger. Last month, Fury was charged with a doping violation by the UKAD and a hearing has been set for November. Just a week ago, Fury failed to show up for a press conference related to the rematch. Fury alleged that he missed his appointment because his car broke. It remains to be seen what the sanctioning bodies will do to the belts he’s hostaged for nearly a year.

Fury opened as a -105 to Klitschko’s -125. But the odds evened to -115 when the venue was announced last April 8th. The current odds are a far cry from the -500 favorite Klitschko was during their first meeting. Fury’s age, mobility and size were among the key factors in their first bout. Although beaten like an old man during their first encounter, Klitschko exercised his rematch clause to get a shot at redemption and one more run at the heavyweight title.

Nonito Donaire vs. Jessie Magdaleno Added to Pacman-Vargas Card

Sports News & Picks, , ,

Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire will defend his WBO Super Bantamweight title against the unbeaten Jessie Magdaleno in the co-main event of Pacquiao-Vargas on November 5th.

Return Of The Flash

Once one of the best pound for pound fighters in the sport and the 2012 BWAA Fighter of The Year, Donaire’s career spiraled after getting dominated by Cuban master boxer Guilleromo Rigondeaux in 2013. Prior to that defeat, Donair had won 30 fights in a row, beating the likes of Vic Darchinyan, Fernando Montiel, Jeffrey Mathebula, Toshiaki Nishioka, Wilfredo Vasquez Jr and Jorge Arce. Along the way, Donaire annexed a total of six major world titles in four different weight classes.

Known as the Filipino Flash for fast hands and exceptional punching power, Donaire returned to the title picture by beating Cesar Juarez of Mexico in December of 2015. Donaire’s current reign as Super Bantamweight champion is his second as he won the same belt against Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. in 2012. Donaire moved up to featherweight and won the WBA (Super) Featherweight title but was knocked out by Nicholas Walters in 2014. Following the defeat, Donaire moved down in weight class and since won four in a row, three by stoppage.

First Title Shot

Las Vegas’ own Magdaleno is unbeaten in 23 fights with 17 knockouts. The 24-year old southpaw will be making his first title fight appearance against the veteran Donaire and will be making a huge step up in level of opposition. Despite his impressive record, Magdaleno has never faced a fighter in Donaire’s caliber. However, given that Donaire may no longer be the precise surgeon who was named the 2012 Fighter of the Year, this could be Magdaleno’s coming out party.

Jessie Magdaleno is the WBO’s mandatory challenger for Donaire. The #1 ranked WBO Super Featherweight contender been calling out the Flash for quite some time now. A victory over Donaire will be an early birthday present for Magdaleno who will be turning 25 on November 8th.

The Donaire vs. Magdaleno bout is expected to be officially announced by Top Rank on September 8th via a press conference from Los Angeles. Pacquiao-Vargas will be held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will mark Vargas’ first defense of the WBO Welterweight title he won by knocking out Sadam Ali last March.

Marcos Maidana Officially Retires From Boxing

Sports News & Picks, , , , , ,

After a long absence and much speculation, one of boxing’s most beloved action fighters has called it quits.

Marcos “El Chino” Maidana officially announced his retirement from the sport of boxing. The 33-year old Argentine brawler announced the news last Tuesday.

A Lean Mean Punching Machine

Known for his all-action fighting style, Maidana won the boxing world with his bruising wars with some of the sport’s best fighters. A former two division world champion, Marcos Maidana ends his career with a 35-5 record with 31 knockouts. El Chino is the only man to have fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. twice.

Maidana lost both bouts but after Mayweather escaped with a narrow majority decision during their first bout in May of 2014, the duo fought an unprecedented rematch four months later. A punching machine, Maidana earned his crack at Mayweather with a career defining win over Adrien Broner in 2013. Maidana dropped Broner twice en route to dealing Mayweather’s protege his first ever professional boxing loss.

Making Money By Fighting Money

Maidana reportedly earned a hefty bounty for his two bouts with Mayweather and after losing his second bout with Money, El Chino quietly disappeared from the limelight. While Maidana was scare from media, he told reporters that he was taking his time away from the sport to rest and of course enjoy the spoils of a productive 2014 where he fought Mayweather twice.

The following year, he was seen in a video dancing with Broner. Maidana, looking thicker and bigger, did not look like he was in a hurry to return to boxing. That fueled speculations that he was retiring. Several photos emerged months later showing Maidana looking more like of a cruiserweight than a welterweight. Later that year though, there were reports that Maidana was seriously considering a comeback.

This was confirmed by his trainer Robert Garcia. Maidana resurfaced last month to attend the fight of his brother Fabian in San Antonio. El Chino appeared to be in a far better shape than he was in a year. But just as the speculations grew further, Maidana ended it with Tuesday’s announcement:

Letter To Boxing Friends

In a letter addressed to “boxing friends”, Maidana thanked all his family and supporters. He said that he no longer had the fire to compete in the sport that has given him everything he has now in his life. He also said he contemplated about making a comeback but with the motivation gone, the right thing to do was call it a career.

Looking back, Maidana had notable bouts against Victor Ortiz, DeMarcus Corley, Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Devon Alexander, Broner and then Mayweather. He began fighting in 2004 and retired a decade later. Maidana was a former WBA Super Lightweight and WBA Welterweight champion.