Essential The Official Boxing Random Thoughts Thread...All boxing heads ENTER.

[bigbadbossup2012]

They gave him a 93 rating on fight night champion

He's that great ,gave the great Crawford, the toughest fight of his career,despite the size difference.

 

[LauderdaleBoss]

Remember when Juan Manual Lopez vs Gamboa was THE fight?

Arum really dropped the ball on this fight trying to let it "marinate."

Both guys careers took a turn for the worst when that shyt didn't happen.

 

[((ReFleXioN)) EteRNaL]

That shot was right on the button though. Same shot that hurt Terry Norris below at :26-:30.

Both shots were unexpected & right on the point of the chin which is a terrible spot to get caught on:

if he had already been in with top competition and never hurt I would give him the benefit of the doubt. but this was his very first step up facing a top guy. so right now, I gotta put him down in the glass chin department. maybe he can prove it to be a fluke going forward. I'm actually hoping he does cause he's got a lot of talent and seems like a good dude.

 

[SuikodenII]

If Pacquiao-Broner gets made, what network would it be on?

 

[Newzz]

If Pacquiao-Broner gets made, what network would it be on?

HBO

Broner don't have enough pull for that to be a discussion

 

[Knicksman20]

Great breakdown

 

[LauderdaleBoss]

Great breakdown

Pretty much agree with what he saying. Troy always has good insight.

The only time Swift had me worried in that fight was in the 1st 3-4 rounds when Thurman was bombing on Danny, because Swift was countering back and actually catching him with some shots and coming closer to landing bigger ones. The thing is he didn't step up the pressure when Thurman tried to pull away. When Keith let up a bit, Swift needed to pick it up 3x. He only did in spurts and got a couple middle rounds. Swift needed to make it an even fight by the time the 11th round started and he failed in that aspect.

I'd favor Thurman over Pac just because he hits too hard, is too mobile and big. This prolly an even fight if this was the Pac from the Clottey and Margarito bouts, but as of now he'd be up against it.

 

[RoidJonesJr]

I always wonder why Brazil isn't a powerhouse in Boxing.

Compare Brazil to Mexico.
Mexico: 130 Million Population (5 medals at 2016 Olympics)
Brazil: 210 Million Population (19 medals at 2016 Olympics)

Soccer is the most popular sport in both countries so that sport takes a large chunk of the athlete talent pool but Brazil's talent pool should still be larger because of the population.

 

[FreedMind]

I always wonder why Brazil isn't a powerhouse in Boxing.

Compare Brazil to Mexico.
Mexico: 130 Million Population (5 medals at 2016 Olympics)
Brazil: 210 Million Population (19 medals at 2016 Olympics)

Soccer is the most popular sport in both countries so that sport takes a large chunk of the athlete talent pool but Brazil's talent pool should still be larger because of the population.

They're big in mixed martial arts, nah?

 

[reservoirdogs]

The lure of $50 million could attract elite talent to World Boxing Super Series

And though neither the weight classes nor the boxers were announced, the $50 million purse money that is at stake figures to attract interest from all boxers, with the possible exception of those in Floyd Mayweather’s tax bracket.

The brainchild of German promoter Kalle Sauerland, the event will feature eight boxers in each class, extending from September through May and could net the winning fighters in the range of $10 million apiece.

The Muhammad Ali Trophy, which was designed in cooperation with the late champion’s family, will be given to the winners.

There are many details still to be announced, but the money alone is enough to give it credibility. Richard Schaefer, the founder of Ringstar Sports, is also involved and said he thinks it has the potential to be a hit.

He was skeptical at first, but became a believer.

“I went into the [exploratory] meeting with an open mind,” Schaefer said on a conference call. “When I started to realize the quality of the material, the quality of the people, I immediately knew this is going to be something I not only wanted to be involved in, but [that] will succeed.”

Tournament quarterfinals will be held in September and October. The semifinals will be in January and February and the finals in May. That means the fighters who reach the finals will fight three times in nine months.

There will be reserve fighters, who will compete in undercard bouts, and the highest-ranked reserve fighter still alive can step in to replace an injured fighter.

It’s hard to get fans excited without fighter names, but Schaefer said they’re hoping to get at least two world champions in each bracket and that all fighters would be ranked in the top 15.

The $50 million seasonal prize money will be split between the two weight classes, though it may not be a 50-50 split. If, for instance, there are heavyweights on one side and flyweights on the the other, a greater percentage of the $50 million could be allotted to the heavyweights.

But assuming a $25 million split for each side, it will guarantee that every fighter would make at least $1 million on average.

In the quarterfinals, there will be seven fights. Under one hypothetical scenario Schaefer discussed, all eight fighters would be guaranteed $1 million for their opening round bouts, with the four winners each getting a $500,000 bonus. That would add another $2 million to the first round and would mean $10 million of the $25 million would be paid out in the quarterfinals.

With four fighters in the semifinals, then each fighter could be guaranteed $1.5 million, with a $1 million bonus to each winner. That would mean the winners would make $2.5 million each and that the total spent in the semifinals would be $8 million.

And then in the finals, each fighter could be guaranteed $2.5 million and a win bonus of $2 million.

Adding that up, the winner under that scenario would make $1.5 million in the first round, $2.5 million in the second round and $4.5 million in the finals. That would mean $8.5 million over three fights for the winner.


Those payouts for the WBSS are theoretical, but will be in that realm, which means that for many of the lighter weight classes, it will be vastly more than they’ve ever made.

Worldwide TV rights have already been sold except for the U.S. and Scandinavia. Showtime is negotiating with the World Boxing Super Series for the U.S. rights.

Half of the tournament, Schaefer said, will be held in the U.S. and half in the rest of the world, with the focus on Europe. The weight classes and the fighters will be announced in June. The four top seeds will be allowed to choose who they want to fight in the opening round, and then they’ll be placed into brackets.

It’s an intriguing concept, but will only work for a U.S. audience if there are recognizable names and elite fighters in the field.

It’s a stretch to pull off, but it could be a home run if all goes according to plan.

Didn't see this written down partially so far.
that mean a minimum 3 M for the ones who make it to the semi finals
that alone should lure anyone in except the likes of Canelo, Pac, Cotto who make that much anyways

 

[reservoirdogs]

WBC ranking in MW has Charlo #2 idk how and why but I'm not too mad cause there could be some good machups there. 1st on their list is Heiland, 3rd was Stevens and 4th Lemieux but I guess Curtis slid down after the L and Lemieux is the 3rd now and Derevyanchenko, Sulecki and Aleem following them. Some interesting fights there.

 

[reservoirdogs]

I'd favor Thurman over Pac just because he hits too hard, is too mobile and big. This prolly an even fight if this was the Pac from the Clottey and Margarito bouts, but as of now he'd be up against it.

I'd probably pick that Pac against Keith but now I'd lean toward Thurman.

Do you think Thurman entered his prime and he will only decrease from here or he still has upside?

 

[reservoirdogs]

I always wonder why Brazil isn't a powerhouse in Boxing.

Compare Brazil to Mexico.
Mexico: 130 Million Population (5 medals at 2016 Olympics)
Brazil: 210 Million Population (19 medals at 2016 Olympics)

Soccer is the most popular sport in both countries so that sport takes a large chunk of the athlete talent pool but Brazil's talent pool should still be larger because of the population.

Different sport cultures around the world.
Based on that we can ask why China and India are almost nowhere in boxing... it's just not a popular sport there historically...
In Brazil's case they like combat sports but rather kick boxing and MMA.

 

[patscorpio]

yes lemieux scored a unbelievably brutal KO and he deserves props but this article is too damn much ..i mean mikey garcia didnt get an article like this unless im mistaken and he wiped out a prime unbeaten champion in a similar fashion

It's Time To Appreciate David Lemieux

By Corey Erdman

There is more than a bit of irony in the joy fans took when David Lemieux was stopped by Marco Antonio Rubio in 2011.

In boxing, there is nothing fans seem to love more than seeing a fighter “exposed.” It validates their desire to feel smarter than the matchmakers, gives them the sense that they saw something trainers didn't see.

Pugilism is the only sport in which one can hear cries that a competitor should retire if they aren't the very best in the world. Sometimes, it's rooted in concern for fighters' safety, that no one should take unnecessary punishment for a promoter's gain in unwinnable fights. But more often than not, it's an elitist sentiment that he who isn't in the pound for pound discussion is overrated, or yes, “exposed.”

On Saturday night, Lemieux proved that he is indeed exposed. Perhaps more so than any other fighter in the premium cable shuffle.

Larry Merchant once famously wrote of Joe Frazier following his victory over Muhammad Ali, “you can't con Joe Frazier for 15 rounds. Joe Frazier comes at you too honestly, too openly.”

Lemieux can't be compared to an all-time great like Frazier in terms of ability, but he demands the same level of transparency of his opponents, and offers the same level of transparency in himself to the viewers.

The 28-year old from Laval, Quebec, Canada turned in another highlight reel knockout in a career full of them, brutally stopping Curtis Stevens in the main event of HBO's Boxing After Dark from the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. After his short left hook beat Stevens' right hand, his opponent ragdolled through the bottom rope and laid motionless for a substantial amount of time before leaving the ring on a stretcher.

“I wish no harm to no one. I hope Stevens gets better and gets back to his family. I respect everybody that gets in the ring with me or any other fighter,” said a sombre Lemieux, seemingly in awe along with everyone watching with the results of his power.

It was a chilling scene, to be sure, but the exact type that boxing fans claim to want to pay for. The kind that gets a non-title middleweight bout on the nighttime highlights of Sportscenter.

In October of 2015, Lemieux faced Gennady Golovkin, and despite a brave effort, came nowhere close to troubling “GGG.” This offered the most fickle of fans, and the “mainstream” ones who parachute in only for pay-per-views an opportunity to disregard Lemieux once again.

Golovkin is in all likelihood one of the four best fighters on Planet Earth. That he happens to reside in the middleweight division isn't Lemieux's fault, nor is it a reason to hang up the gloves forever. Fighters can move up or down in weight—either Golovkin or Lemieux could move up to super middleweight—and even if they don't, there is a world outside of the titles GGG owns.

First, there is the cash cow of North American boxing presently, Canelo Alvarez, who owns the lineal title in the division. Then, there is WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders, whose series of injuries and bold financial demands have mostly kept him out of meaningful fights since capturing the title. There is also his former challenger, Andy Lee, another concussive puncher with a penchant for miraculous comebacks. A step below in terms of talent, but a step up in terms of raw excitement, there are pure brawlers such as Avtandil Khurtsidze, Immanuwel Aleem and Ievgen Khytrov.

“I have a lot of things to prove, and I believe that I belong on top. I am always up for challenges. I am getting stronger and stronger, reaching new peaks in training. I want to face the best guys out there and I am willing to fight anybody, including GGG and Canelo,” said Lemieux.

It's not a secret that Lemieux has had some difficulty making the 160-pound middleweight limit as of late, so a quick run at super middleweight may not be a bad move either. There, he could tangle with the likes of James DeGale, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. or Chris Eubank Jr., all of which would promise to be barnburners.

When boxing fans yearn out loud for “the good ol' days,” they forget that the truly great eras of televised boxing relied upon the recycling of reliable action fighters, rather than throwing them into the trash heap and rolling out unproven commodities.

The golden era of televised boxing in the 1950s and early 1960s featured names like Gaspar Ortega, Ralph Tiger Jones and Florentino Fernandez. All of them came up short at various times in their careers against the best in the world, but would continue to fight on television against other reputable fighters—sometimes losing, sometimes even by knockout, but always in exciting fashion. Matchmakers knew they were worth fans' money, and worth the precious weekly airtime.

In today's suppressed televised boxing economy, in which HBO is rolling out fewer and fewer non-PPV events, who else would you rather see when a card actually does air? For the time being, many of the sport's major stars have priced themselves out of a regular HBO show budget. Lemieux on the contrary, is willing to fight anybody, and do so for a reasonable sum.

Lemieux provides value, and this past weekend, he provided a violent, memorable moment, as can be expected of him nearly every time he steps through the ropes.

“I wanted to make a statement. I wanted to make an example, and I did. Now we are moving along for much bigger things. I am ready. Are they ready? That's the question,” said Lemieux.

Perhaps the bigger question is whether everyone is ready to appreciate David Lemieux.

 

[Newzz]

Roach Confident: Thurman, Garcia Are EASY Fights For Pacquiao!

By Steve Kim

It's been a little over a week since Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia met at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York.

After twelve rounds it was Thurman who was awarded a twelve round split decision to become the unified welterweight champion. Thurman is now the WBA and WBC belt-holder.

Thurman (28-0, 22 KOs) is now hoping to get his hands on the other welterweight champions in the division.

Freddie Roach, who trains WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (59-5-2, 38 KOs), was an interested observer in the recent unification.

"Not the greatest fight I ever saw but I mean it was a little bit competitive," Roach told BoxingScene.com this past Saturday from the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

"I thought Thurman won the early rounds and then gave some of the late rounds to Garcia and it made it a pretty close fight. But overall I thought Thurman did win the fight. And you know it looks like maybe two future opponents for Manny Pacquiao.

So how would 'One Time' fare versus 'the Pac Man', who last fought on November 5th in Las Vegas by defeating Jessie Vargas for the WBO title.

Roach answered - ''Well, Thurman's a bigger boxer. At first he started out as a puncher and he went to more of his boxing technique and Manny's much faster and much better boxer than he is. I think it's an easy fight."

As for Garcia, who suffered his pro defeat, Roach stated it would be an even easier match-up.

"I always said that from day one, ever since he beat Amir Khan - 'please fight Manny Pacquiao.' Manny will out-box him. He will pitch a shutout," Roach said.

As for Pacquiao's next fight, everything is still up in the air. A planned fight in the Middle East with Amir Khan was recently squashed when the investors were unable to come up with the promised funds to stage that contest in the UAE.

- See more at: Roach Confident: Thurman, Garcia Are EASY Fights For Pacquiao! - Boxing News