Boxing archive

New York City’s boxing coaches must attend one of two mandatory coaching clinics if they want to ring in the New Year.

On Jan. 12 and Jan. 19, USA Boxing Metro will conduct two required certification seminars in order for the coaches to receive their 2013 registration. The first will take place at Hempstead Kennedy Park in Hempstead, L.I., the second at Judah Brothers Boxing Club in Brooklyn. All current and prospective coaches must attend one of these seminars to be properly registered.

“It is quite serious,” said Joe Higgins, a level four coach from Freeport PAL. “We are absolutely going to enforce that rule. Nobody will work a concern without that red passbook.”

Both clinics will begin at 10 a.m. and run until 3 p.m. Coaches are urged to be prompt.

All cornermen are asked to double-check their passbooks or formal coaching cards for an expiration date. Coaches must be registered as USA Boxing nonathletes. Though anyone can register on site at the clinics, all are urged to do so prior to their arrival via usaboxingmetro-com.

For any further questions regarding these clinics, please contact Higgins at (516) 428-7180 or [email]gyrine111@optonline-net[/email].

Physicals for the 86th annual Daily News Golden Gloves will begin Sunday at Mendez Boxing Club in Manhattan. Boxers are reminded to check their mail and be sure to attend the correct physical on time.

Read more: Golden Gloves boxing coaches need certification - NY Daily News

For the first time since 1958, boxing seized to be among the sporting disciplines the Ugandan contingent to the Olympics was to participate in due of the wrangles in the Uganda Amateur Boxing Federation (Uabf) that led to the body’s failure to send the team for qualifiers.

It was the crowning moment to years of fighting. The failure to send the team not only narrowed the chances of bringing home a medal.
Boxing has ferried more medals from the quadrennial event than any other sport here.

That denied youngsters like fast-rising heavyweight pugilist Kenneth Odeke a chance to get exposed.

Prior to the games, international boxing body, International Boxing Association (AIBA) had advised Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) president Rogers Ddungu, a former Uabf president, to keep off the sport.

Ddungu resigned from Uabf in 2009 to take over at UOC but had been continually accused of fuelling wrangles in the boxing body. He has since been pushed out of UOC, too, by his former deputy William Blick.

The wrangles, in their fourth year now, have settled with former professional boxer, Godfrey Nyakana, the biggest thorn Ddungu ever faced, taking charge of the sport in the country.

International scene
Meanwhile, there was light at the end of the tunnel as for the first time in almost four years, the country was represented at an international event.

In December, the country sent three of the five pugilists that were paraded in front of the press for the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Yerevan- Armenia.

Blick said that the sponsors had pulled out at the last minute which led to the dropping of lightweight Bob Moses Asiya and David Ochan (welterweight).

Unfortunately however, neither Emmanuel Nsubuga, Fazil Juma nor Rogers Semitala could go past their first round opponents and they flew back home barely three days after the tournament kicked off.

Prize fighters
On the professional front, US based Ugandan lightweight boxer Sharif Bogere “The Lion” stopped Mexican Sergio Rivera after just three rounds at the Scottrade Center in USA late in February. That improved his record to a staggering 14 knockouts in his 22 undefeated professional bouts.

However, he missed out on a shot at the WBA Lightweight Boxing title fight against Cuban Richard Abril after he suffered partial tear of his left Achilles tendon barely a month to the fight. The match was called off and the new date shifted to March 2, 2013.

Earlier in the year, Bogere won his first international title when he defeated Raymundo Beltran to win the vacant WBO North American Boxing Organisation (Nabo) lightweight title in May 2011.
He defended it five months later against Francisco Contreras, who he knocked out in the third round.

If Bogere ever wins a world title he will be Uganda’s sixth world champion after John ‘The Beast’ Mugabi, Ayub Kalule, Cornelius ‘Boza’ Edwards, Kassim ‘The Dream’ Ouma and Jackson “Action” Asiku.

Back in Kampala, professional boxing was active again and was received warmly by the media with fights telecast live. However, like many things in Uganda that are always a time bomb, the Zebra Ssenyange – Haruna Banabana fight left ugly scenes as the fight ended with no winner and several spectators escaping with injuries.

2013 offers the sport a chance to regain more international recognition and certainly heal more wounds along the way.







When boxing froze out of the Olympics - Boxing - monitor.co.ug

IN a bid to revive professional boxing in the country, the Zimbabwe Boxing Committee will today hold an all-stakeholders meeting at David Livingstone Primary School in Harare. The committee represents different boxing stables in the country.

The meeting will deal with various issues affecting the sport and will see the selection of names for the new Zimbabwe Boxing Board of Control.

The previous board, led by Richard Hondo since 1980, was dissolved by the Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, David Coltart, last year in November.

The selection process will include how the board should be selected and suitable candidates as well as when they should be appointed.

The stakeholders will also have to agree if there is need for probationary period for the selected members.

Other issues include the control and development of the sport by the board.

The boxing committee's chairman, Bartholomew Dendere, said the names will be forwarded to the ministry.

"The meeting is for all the stakeholders in boxing. We want to make chart the way forward, so we are going to come up with names to be forwarded to the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture.

"We feel as stakeholders that we need to meet and discuss on the direction of boxing. We have been there for boxing and we need to set the conditions so that we reclaim our status when we used to be second from football in the 1980s in terms of popularity," said Dendere.

The stakeholders are set to deal the issue of amendment of the current Boxing and Wrestling Control Act. Some of the issues to be discussed in today's indaba include the need to adopt international standardisation, inclusion of both genders and the registration of boxers, coaches, managers and promoters for the welfare of each.

The stakeholders will also look on the pension scheme and medical scheme as well as Government funding for the sport.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Coltart, has distanced himself from today's meeting.

Coltart also said that he was in the final stages of selecting a new boxing board, which he will announce shortly.

"(It has) apparently (been) reported that I have convened an all stakeholders meeting for boxing tomorrow (today) . . . There is no such meeting. I am in the final stages of selecting a new boxing board which will be announced shortly, but that is all for now," Coltart wrote on his Facebook wall yesterday.


allAfrica-com: Zimbabwe: Boxing Committee to Meet Today

The sport of boxing had a great year in 2012, and 2013 has the potential to be just as big. But in a one-on-one sport like boxing, even in the greatest of years, there must be losers. Usually, for one fighter to rise, another must fall.

Between the start and end of last year, the pound-for-pound rankings and the rankings for numerous individual divisions underwent substantial overhauls. Expect to see similar shifts by the end of this year as well.

The rising and falling of the following individual fighters will have a substantial impact on what the sport looks like during the coming year.


Read More: Predicting Risers and Fallers in Boxing During 2013 | Bleacher Report

Two hours after Mike Tyson unified the three world heavyweight titles in August 1987 he was sitting on a red velvet throne, surrounded by six men wearing Beefeater uniforms and blowing trumpets.

Tyson had just defeated the previously unbeaten Tony Tucker to add the IBF belt to his WBA and WBC baubles. He looked unbeatable, the only man that could clean up the chaos and confusion. He was, as the posters proclaimed, "The Baddest Man on the Planet".

At Tyson's side that splendid night in Las Vegas were Don King and the three heads of the sanctioning bodies that were desperate to recognise the boxer's achievements. The heavyweight division had been in turmoil for more than five years, a period that was beautifully dubbed "The Lost Generation" by Tim Witherspoon, who was one of boxing's great wasted talents. In attendance as suited and smiling courtiers were Bob Lee, of the IBF, Gilberto Mendoza from the WBA and the WBC's Jose Sulaiman, as King's elaborate coronation took place.

There was a red carpet and some of Tyson's victims were introduced and walked forward to parade in front of the new king. Step forward "Sir Pinky", aka Pinklon Thomas, and "Sir Bonecrusher", aka James "Bonecrusher" Smith, both of whom had held world titles and suffered at the fists of "King" Mike. I have no idea if they bowed as they walked in front of Tyson, but I'm guessing that for their attendance fee King would have insisted on a minor genuflection at best.

At first Tyson was loath to wear the robe that King produced, a little chinchilla number that came with a jewelled sceptre. However, when Muhammad Ali appeared on the stage carrying a mink-lined crown Tyson added the regal touches over his street clothes. Ali placed the crown on Tyson's head and the trumpeters heralded a new dawn in heavyweight boxing.

Tyson was asked to give a speech – and remember, this was a long time before his one-man show was an off-Broadway hit last year – and at first refused before taking the microphone: "Does this mean I'm going to get paid bigger purses?" All hail the new dawn!

Tyson would make six more defences of his world heavyweight title before a fight at dawn in Tokyo in February 1990 ruined his career and ended his reign. The veterans of the coronation were on hand that morning to do their best to keep their fallen "King" on his throne. Mendoza, Lee and Sulaiman, all major jesters at the 1987 ceremony in Las Vegas, wasted very little time after James "Buster" Douglas had knocked out Tyson to show their allegiance to the fallen idol. They "suspended the recognition of anybody as champion". Thankfully, it took just 24 hours for sense and sanity to take over and Douglas was finally declared the world heavyweight champion. King Mike was finished.

A couple of years ago I asked Tyson what happened to the crown, the robe and the sceptre and he just laughed: "I forgot about that night." He is entitled to a lapse in memory because that night took place before $300m vanished, a marriage or two, three years in prison for rape, dozens of bloody scraps, a suicide attempt and the loss of people that truly loved him.

A few years ago, when Vitali Klitschko ended his exile, his return to the ring was illuminated by a series of holograms. The world's greatest living heavyweights each appeared with a message for "King" Vitali as he walked to the ring. There was Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis and Tyson. It was good, trust me, but not as good as the night King put on the coronation of King Mike Tyson.



Steve Bunce on Boxing: When we were kings - the coronation of Iron Mike - Others - More Sports - The Independent

Stalker, 28, has signed a contract with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Sport and will make his debut next month.

Last month, Anthony Ogogo became the first British boxer from the London Games to join the paid ranks.

Light-welterweight Stalker's second fight will be at the Liverpool Echo Arena on 30 March, when fellow Liverpudlian Tony Bellew will headline.

Bellew is set to face Isaac Chilemba of Malawi in a final eliminator for the WBC light-heavyweight title.

"I feel I am going to be exciting to watch as a professional boxer," said light-welterweight Stalker. "I have done everything I could possibly do as an amateur, bar winning an Olympic medal.

"Even though I didn't medal myself, as a team I have captained the most successful amateur boxing team we have ever had and that was a big thing for me.

"Since the Olympics I haven't had a goal and I have been a bit depressed, especially seeing the other lads doing all sorts of stuff.

"But now I have that hunger back and to get in that ring and fight is going to be amazing.

"It is going to be amazing for me to be boxing in front of all my friends and family in Liverpool and that is when I will really feel like a professional."

Eddie Hearn said: "Tom is one of Britain's most successful ever amateurs and we are so excited about joining forces on this journey.

"Tom has a wealth of experience and we are looking to fast track him to a title shot within 12 months. He can expect a busy year ahead, kicking off in February before fighting in front of his home crowd at the Liverpool Echo Arena in March."

Rob McCracken, GB Boxing performance director, said: "It has been very good working with Tom over the last three years, when he has shown himself to be a fine boxer with the ability to win medals at major tournaments.

"It is disappointing for us that Tom has decided his future lies away from the GB Boxing squad but he departs with our best regards and we wish him every success in his future career."

Southpaw Stalker will be trained by Paul and Mick Stevenson at Everton Red Triangle boxing club, where British flyweight champion Kevin Satchell will be a gym-mate.

Stalker is a former two-time European silver medallist and won a bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships.

He was controversially beaten in the quarter-finals at the London Games but considered joining Britain's World Series of Boxing (WS😎 team and remaining amateur until Rio 2016.

Fellow Olympians Fred Evans, Andrew Selby and Josh Taylor are committed to the semi-professional WSB tournament, while Olympic champions Anthony Joshua and Luke Campbell are weighing up their options.


BBC Sport - Tom Stalker: GB Olympic boxing captain to turn professional

Floyd Mayweather is 35-years-old and, for all intents and purposes, a semi-retired fighter with a once-a-year fight schedule. Manny Pacquiao is 33 years of age, winless in 2012, and coming off a brutal knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in December.

While both of boxing's cash cows can still create a buzz and generate seven-digit pay-per-view buys, it's clear that Mayweather and Pacquiao are in the final stages of long, distinguished careers. The time will come, soon enough, when another fighter (or fighters) will have to step up and be the face of high-end, big ticket boxing.

Here's a look at four candidates for cash cow status and whether they honestly have a chance to be crossover superstars:

Adrien Broner

He looks like Mayweather, fights like Mayweather, and infuriates fans like Mayweather. If there's anyone likely to step into the boxing bad guy role, it's the 23-year-old Cincinnati native with the slick style and a flair for the dramatic. Broner recently became a two-division world titlist with a stellar performance against WBC lightweight champ, Antonio DeMarco and is already producing solid TV ratings.

Broner has it all and, when he eventually moves up to the jam-packed junior welterweight division, will have plenty of quality opposition upon which to build his name. A recently developed friendship with Mayweather will only help "The Problem" with his mainstream exposure, especially when that friendship could lead to undercard slots on Mayweather events. For Broner, it's going to come down to the consistency of his ring work and whether he can take a punch from a true junior welterweight. If he passes the ring test, expect big things.

Saul Alvarez

"El Canelo" has a potential fan base of about 200 million Mexicans and Mexican-Americans wanting to believe in him and, honestly, is already a superstar in his native Mexico. The 22-year-old WBC junior middleweight champ has all the tools to get to the top and to sell lots and lots of pay-per-views.

The biggest advantage Alvarez may have is that he's likely to actually get in the ring with Floyd Mayweather by year's end. A win over Mayweather, or even a competitive loss, will push his star to the next level. He also has a May 4 date to worry about and the growing complaints of fans who feel that the young champion is being coddled and protected by his promoter, Golden Boy. Still, chances are fairly solid that Alvarez becomes a true superstar by mid-2014.

Nonito Donaire

Donaire had a stellar year in 2012 and took a good number of Fighter of the Year honors. The talented and charismatic 30-year-old "Filipino Flash" has plenty of career ahead of him and several big fight possibilities in the 122-126 lb. range. As a three-division world champ with several HBO TV dates already under his belt, Donaire also has a head start over the other fighters on this list.

It's hardly a secret that Top Rank has been trying to groom Donaire as an heir to the massive Pacquiao Empire. The only thing lacking, however, is a handful of legacy-defining fights to send him to that next level of stardom. As of right now, though, neither Donaire nor his team have any plans to actually sign those fights. Super-stardom is within his reach, but the only path to that end goes through fighters such as Abner Mares and Guillermo Rigondeaux.

Gennady Golovkin

Kazakhstan's middleweight battler is already regarded as one of the best offensive fighters in the game and is also in possession of a paper middleweight belt. Few doubt his ability to step up, but as of now he has yet to face an elite-level 160 lb. fighter.

The hardest part for Golovkin will be in luring an elite middleweight into a bout. Right now, there's too much risk and too little reward in facing him and that means that the fights he needs will be out of his reach for quite awhile. Golovkin may be able to beat Sergio Martinez, Daniel Geale, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and Peter Quillin en route to superstar status. Whether he can get a bout with any of them, though, is another thing altogether.



Who Will Be Boxing's Next Cash Cow Superstar? - Yahoo! Sports

He’s a national record breaker yet he cannot claim exclusively to be the best boxer in his gym.

Then there’s another rival eclipsing him from the same city.

But regardless of what Oliver Simpson and Qais Ashfaq are up to, there is no denying that Swarcliffe’s Jack Daniel is definitely the toast of the town.

Daniel, 18, ended 2012 by being crowned National Schoolboy champion for an unprecedented fourth consecutive time as London favourite Gerry McDonagh was defeated in his own back yard.

It should mean automatic elevation to the international stage yet Daniel, a student at Notre Damn Sixth Form College, is having to play a waiting game with competition rife, not just in Britain but also in Leeds.

Among those currently keeping him out of the Team GB fray is Leeds’ Ashfaq – who like Daniel boxes at the 57kg category and who also has his eyes on the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2016 Rio Olympics.

And even in Daniel’s own Kelly’s ABC gym there lies another star in recently-crowned World Youth champion Simpson, who, thankfully, boxes at 52kg weight.

Leeds United fan Daniel now expects Simpson to earn a national call with his club-mate hoping for likewise, but he faces tough competition including fellow city star Ashfaq.

But regardless of developments in the future, the four-times National Schoolboy champion is thrilled with his city’s boxing success story – and proud to be playing a record-breaking part.

“There’s some great fighters from Leeds,” Daniel told LS1.

“There’s people like Jack Bateson and Qais and Oliver – and me!

“Burmantofts obviously do quite well and then there is our club, Kelly’s, which is quite a small club. but to say we have a world champion and a national champion is some achievement for such a small gym.

“Now I’d love to get on the actual GB team but there’s other people on it, including Qais. He and I are the best in the country and we’re both from Leeds.

“the Olympics are over now so they might have a clear-out and, you never know, I might have a chance.”

After breaking a national record by winning four consecutive national schoolboy titles, you would certainly hope so.

And it doesn’t end there with the former Corpus Christi High School pupil having also scooped a junior ABA title in May 2011 which led to him representing England in the GB Youth Championships in Scotland.

Naturally, Daniel did not disappoint and walked away with gold though his amazing exploits should not surprise given his family tradition.

Uncle Michael Daniel and grandad John were both former national champions while dad and Kelly’s coach Paul also boxed for his country.

“I basically started when I was 11 because my dad used to box as did my whole family,” said Daniel, who has an older sister, Lauren, and a younger brother, George.

“My grandad boxed as did my uncle as well as my dad so I just got into it through them – it’s in the family.

“Both my uncle and my grandad were national champions but I’m not sure what the titles were called then – I think my uncle won the schoolboys and my grandad won in the army.

“My dad never won a national title but he boxed for England once in 1980, I think.

“My family are really supportive, they go to every fight and I am making them proud, I guess. That makes me want to do it even more.”

That motivation is working a treat with Daniel admitting that winning his fourth consecutive National Schoolboys title was the highlight of his career so far.

“Nobody has ever done that before so I was really chuffed,” said Daniel, who won’t be 19 until June.

But now comes the challenge to follow in the footsteps of three Leeds boxers with Daniel preparing for the step up to the adult ranks in the forthcoming senior ABAs.

Both Ashfaq and Bateson won senior ABA crowns in 2012 – one year on from fellow Leeds ace Damo Jones becoming the city’s first senior ABA champion since Levi Pattison in 1998.

Daniel is quietly optimistic about his prospects and whatever happens, given his Tennessee whiskey namesake, the Leeds teenager will always be a headline writer’s dream.

“I’ve had that all my life!” laughed Daniel, who hopes to study accountancy at university.

“It’s usually in college and stuff when they read your name out on the register and people say ‘that’s the best name I’ve ever heard’!

“I always just say my mum and dad must have been drunk when I was born. But they don’t even really drink the stuff, they just liked the name.”

IN concluding last week’s piece in this column titled ‘Esther, Catherine need each other’, I said “Crossing over into the new year is always a blessing and I hope for Esther (Phiri) and Catherine (Phiri), 2013 brings with it new beginnings.”

How prophetic the first line in today’s piece has turned out! Not for Catherine or Esther, but for the Zambia Amateur Boxing Federation (ZABF), which, in what appeared to be an exclusive to this newspaper, has reportedly embarked on an ambitious programme to recruit former boxers to help revamp the sport at amateur level.

A report by Shamaoma Musonda titled “ZABF seeks retired boxers’services” must truly be the kind of news any retiree should cherish given that in real life, rarely is this group of people seen as useful for anything after its best-before-date expires, including boxing activities. At least in Zambia.

And yet, former boxers on the international scene find life outside the square ring and make life-long contributions by identifying, tapping into and nurturing the latent talent found in young boxers who should be the bedrock for the future of the sport.

Oscar De La Hoya, a superstar in his prime, runs Golden Boy Promotions, along with the former “Executioner” Benard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Miguel Cotto, though not yet retired, are into boxing promotions and own state-of-art gyms for budding boxers. It’s obvious that when they retire, they will continue with their missions.

Here at home, Anthony “The Preacherman” Mwamba has been highly successful after hanging up his gloves to train and manage icon and multi-division titlist Esther.

So, the news that some 40 retired boxers some of whom may be bedfellows with the streets will be recruited to help out with the technical aspects of the sport, especially coaching where boxing has a dearth of skilled coaches to tutor amateurs, is not only progressive news, but it’s very inspiring news, coming as it has, at the beginning of a brand new year.

But thanks must go to the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) which is beginning to resist the usual by evolving an amateur boxing strategy whose ultimate goal is to multiply the numbers of amateurs who are going to stay longer in this category and possibly start earning a living!

I don’t know what the amateurs will be called when they start earning, (pro-am, I suppose) because currently, only professional boxers are in the paid ranks.

The idea of paying amateurs is, of course, a brilliant one as a motivation factor to the aspiring professionals.

I do not have the full details of the mechanics of how this whole payment system will be handled, but a plus under the system will certainly be the longer stay of boxers in the unpaid ranks.

There’s always been an argument about some professional boxers not having much amateur experience, a factor that explains their inability to win major titles when they join the paid ranks.

Some of the greatest world champions today fought 100 or more fights, losing some and then turned pro. Amateur boxing sort of ‘hardens or toughens’ boxers and prepares them for harder battles in the upper ranks.

The late Lottie Mwale, Mike Chilambe, Chisanda “Kent Green” Mutti, Charm “Shuffle”Chiteule, John Sichula, among others, had credible amateur experience before turning pro.

ZABF president Thomas Chileshe was quoted as saying AIBA had directed his executive to scan the crop of yester-year’s pugilists and pick 40 of them in readiness for training to be conducted by an international expert who would be sent to Zambia.

I trust that Dan Chiteule who has been assigned the task of recruiting the former boxers to be turned into coaches will be objective, and not do a hash job, but take his time, without wasting it, so that he does not leave out any candidates worthy of this exciting development in Zambian boxing.

Surely, the likes of Chilambe, Evans Chisenga, Morgan Mphande and Thomson ‘Townboy’ Miti, to name a few, have that vast reservoir of experience upon which our upcoming fighters can draw.

This could bring them prosperity in this brand new year.

Gennady Golovkin made a successful first impression in his U.S. ring debut four months ago. The native of Kazakhstan already had built a eyebrow-raising reputation with dominant performances primarily in Europe but had not made a formal introduction to American fight audiences.

When Golovkin stopped highly respected Grzegorz Proska in five rounds on Sept. 1 in Verona, N.Y., he served notice that his win was just not another successful defense of his middleweight belt. Golovkin, who lives in Germany and fights primarily there, crossed the Atlantic to search for the high-profile fights.

Although his immediate fight docket does not feature middleweight kingpin Sergio Martinez, Golovkin, 30, looks to further enhance his name to U.S. fight fans, and at a bigger platform Saturday night.

Golovkin (24-0, 21 knockouts) will make the fifth defense of his World Boxing Association middleweight title against Gabriel Rosado at Madison Square Garden in New York. The bout will be part of HBO’s first telecast of the year.

For Golovkin, another overwhelming win, especially with the HBO and Madison Square Garden backdrop, could intensify talk of a match with Martinez perhaps later in the year. Martinez, the World Boxing Council titleholder after his win against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in September, will fight Martin Murray on April 27 in Martinez’s native Argentina.

Given the dramatic finish to Martinez’s fight against Chavez, in which Chavez trailed Martinez badly for 11 rounds but nearly knocked him out in the 12th, a rematch could happen before Golovkin could envision a coveted bout with Martinez.

As a result, Golovkin needs to keep his calendar busy, and Rosado (21-5, 13 KOs) might provide a tough task. Rosado, of Philadelphia, recovered from a second-round knockout loss against Alfredo Angulo four years ago with an impressive 2012. In his three fights last year, Rosado defeated Jesus Soto Karass, Sechew Powell and Fort Lauderdale resident Charles Whittaker.

Hall induction

The next Florida Boxing Hall of Fame induction class again will have several South Florida residents. The Hall of Fame announced its 2013 class Saturday night in Deerfield Beach.

The new class features James Warring, the second native Miamian to win a professional world title. When he retired as a fighter, Warring became a professional and amateur referee.

Other local members of the boxing community that are part of the new Hall of Fame class include trainers Dave Clark and Roberto Quesada and promoter Henry Rivalta.

“I am very honored with this recognition,” Quesada said in a statement. “This is the reward of many years of hard work. ... It only motivates us to continue the hard work.”

The induction ceremony will be June 21-23 in Tampa.

• Former middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins turns 48 on Tuesday, but don’t expect him to retire just yet. In fact, Hopkins will pursue another light-heavyweight belt when he challenges International Boxing Federation title holder Tavoris Cloud on March 9 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Hopkins (52-6-2, 32 KOs) has not fought since losing his WBC belt against Chad Dawson last April. A Tallahassee resident, Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs) also has had a lengthy ring absence; he is inactive since winning a controversial decision against Gabriel Campillo in February 2012.

Coming up:

Saturday (9 p.m., NBC Sports Network): Sergey Kovalev vs. Gabriel Campillo, 10, light-heavyweights.

Read more here: Gennady Golovkin gets high profile - Boxing - MiamiHerald-com

WORLD number one Katie Taylor looks set to compete in the World Series of Boxing (WS😎 if the door is opened for female boxers for the 2013/14 WSB season.

Taylor’s coach and dad Pete Taylor says he backs the WSB concept as it gave the world’s top amateur boxers a viable alternative to turning professional.

“We would have a serious look at the World Series if it was introduced for women and Katie would be interested depending on the rules and regulations, he said.

“I like the concept of the World Series because it gives amateur boxers the opportunity to remain part of the Olympic family and to earn a wage without having to turn professional.”

WSB boxers don’t wear protective headgear and are paid a salary and bonus for wins and fight to the 10-point Must System favoured in pro boxing.

Crucially, however, WSB fighters retain their Olympic status. Under the current IBA rules, pro boxers are banned from the Olympics.

Eight Irish boxers – Joe Ward, John Joe Nevin, Sean Turner, Michael Conlan, Willie McLaughlin, David Oliver Joyce, Eric Donovan and Conrad Cummings – are competing in the WSB this season.

No professional athlete, let alone a boxer, can last for 24 years at the pinnacle of the business without great genes, good fortune and a competitive streak that runs deeper than any normal person could possibly understand.

Former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins turned 48 on Tuesday, the same day he announced he would fight Tavoris Cloud on March 9 in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a 175-pound title.

The bout with Cloud will come nearly two full years after Hopkins set perhaps the most unbreakable record in sports when he became, at 46 years, four months and six days, the oldest world champion in boxing history. But if, as expected, Hopkins beats Cloud, he will regain a world title at 48 years, one month and 23 days.

Hopkins' training discipline is legendary. When he was released from a Pennsylvania prison in 1988 after serving a bit more than five years on a strong-arm robbery conviction, he vowed he would never go back and would turn his life around.

He has done each, and actually has been on the good side longer than he was on the bad side.

It is his disdain for losing, though, that drives him to greatness at even such an advanced age. He dropped a majority decision to Chad Dawson last April in a highly competitive fight.

It was an extraordinary performance by a 47-year-old against one of the sport's young elites, but Hopkins took no joy in coming close.

"That was so tough for me to take that I didn't have sex with my wife for six months," Hopkins said. "I didn't want to do anything. It's just a thing where, I hate to lose. I hate to lose at anything. I'm a guy who is very competitive. To lose, to me, is devastating. It was especially so knowing I could have done things I had worked on and trained for." He's one of the great fighters of this, or any era, and has accomplished more than he had any reason to believe when he lost his pro debut a month before George H.W. Bush was elected president.

He concedes he's no longer the athlete he once was and has to make concessions to his age.

As he plowed through his 30s and rolled past his 40th birthday, he growled at anyone who would suggest he may be limited by his age. He openly admits that he isn't the same physically, which makes his success in the ring all the more remarkable.

"You lose something every year," Hopkins said. "Every year, some fighters lose two points, some lose three points and some lose five points. Every year as the page turns and it's a new year and you're a year older, you do lose a percentage of yourself. That's just the way and the nature of life. Some deteriorate quicker than others, though."

Hopkins held off his deterioration because he thought about it long ago. He treats his body as a shrine, and has for years. There is no offseason when it comes to dieting and eating right. He doesn't drink, smoke, do drugs or even indulge in high-fat food.

His defensively oriented style hasn't always won him raves as the most exciting boxer, but he's managed to avoid taking serious punishment. He's fought some of the greats, including Roy Jones Jr., Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad and Antonio Tarver, among others, and he's never been beaten up.

Beaten, yes. But beaten up? Not even close.

He could have been, had he wanted to or, more importantly, needed to, another Arturo Gatti, a legendary brawler who was willing to take five to give one in order to win a fight.

Hopkins (52-6-2, 32 KOs) didn't fight that way because he trained maniacally, studied the sport intently and lived boxing. He did nothing that would negatively impact his body and his potential as a boxer.

That's allowed him to be competitive as he hits the stretch run for his 50th birthday. It was inconceivable just a few years ago that any boxer could compete at a high level at 50. As his reflexes, speed and quickness diminish just a bit, it makes it harder to compete against slick fighters such as Dawson. But an aggressive, attacking opponent such as Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs) remains perfectly suited for him.

"I'm prepared for war like I was when I was 25," he said. "I'll be prepared just like I was when I was 35. I know my body will take that, if I need to do it. I know that mentally and physically, I'm preserved enough that I'll be able to withstand anything that a storm will bring in that ring.

"You'll see a technician in the ring. Styles make fights and this is the perfect style for me at this point. This ain't Chad Dawson. It ain't a guy 6-2, 6-3, tall, rangy, where you have to set up shots. It became a fight that wasn't exciting. This one? It will be. This is perfect for me. I'm 48. You know he ain't going to be running from no 48-year-old man. He's coming to fight and I can't wait."

The fight with Cloud, though, is just the beginning. As competitive as Hopkins is, and as close as he is to 50, there is little doubt that in 2015, the 50-year-old Bernard Hopkins will be fighting for some sort of title.

It's nothing other than amazing.



Aging bull: Boxing wonder Bernard Hopkins to challenge for world title at 48 - Yahoo! Sports

Boxing is back in business and this weekend represents the first in a long time with a somewhat full schedule of action. With three world titles on the line and a couple of key divisional battles on tap, there should be plenty of solid contests available for boxing-starved fight fans.

Here's a look at four questions that should be answered after this weekend's action:

Orlando Salido vs. Mikey Garcia: Can The Veteran Warhorse Stop The Charge Of The Prime Thoroughbred?

Nothing has come easy for the defending WBO featherweight champion, Orlando "Siri" Salido (39-11-2, 27 KOs). Born and raised in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico, Salido came up the hard way, learning his craft in hardcore boxing gyms and on the road as an opponent on the brutal Mexican club circuit. Eventually, though, Salido developed a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense old school boxer who could grind his opponents down if they weren't mentally tough enough. A win over Cristobal Cruz and a respectable showing against Yuriorkis Gamboa made him a name, but two tough, Fight of the Year candidate stoppages of Juan Manuel Lopez made him the consensus top dog in the featherweight division.

25-year-old Miguel Angel "Mikey" Garcia (30-0, 26 KOs) appears to be the heir apparent to the featherweight throne and has shown the skills and raw talent needed to become an elite-level fighter. Wins over Bernabe Concepcion, Jonathan Victor Barros, and Matt Remillard confirmed his status as a top boxing prospect and his working relationship with brother, Robert Garcia, should provide him with the seasoning he needs to get to the top.

But what happens when the star prospect finally meets the veteran champ? Will the calm, cool, collected Garcia have enough fire to put away the tough-as-nails Salido? Can the 32-year-old Salido keep pace with a fresh, prime Garcia?

Sergey Kovalev vs. Gabriel Campillo: Another Screw-Job for Campillo?

Spain's Campillo (21-4-1, 8 KOs) is a former WBA light heavyweight world titlist, but is best known for being on the pointy end of some very nasty screw jobs over the last couple of years. Title bout losses to Beibut Shumenov and Tavoris Cloud were flat-out robberies. Campillo now finds himself back in the United States and hoping for a fair shot this time.

Campillo will be facing hard-charging Russian, Sergey Kovalev (19-0, 17 KOs), a usually busy fighter that could very well steal rounds from the slicker, more stylistic Spaniard.

Will Campillo once again win the fight, but lose the decision in an American showcase bout?

How "Real" is Gennady Golovkin?

Golovkin (24-0, 21 KOs) is the WBA middleweight titlist and already regarded by most as one of the best offensive fighters in the sport. What's lacking, though, is a real win over an elite middleweight.

Junior middleweight contender, Rosado (21-5, 13 KOs), is not an elite middleweight and may not even be an elite junior middleweight, but he is a much-improved and supremely tough fighter who will push Golovkin until the very end.

Rosado, 27, may be hopelessly overmatched, but he will lay leather on Golovkin and fight back like no other opponent in the 30-year-old's career. Fans should learn a bit about Golovkin's character this Saturday.

Will The Winner of Martinez-Burgos Be Ready To Move To The "Next" Level?

The temptation would be to hype this super featherweight bout as a low-rent Puerto Rico vs. Mexico clash. However, it would be more appropriate to classify it as a battle between two Top 10 130-pound fighters with aspirations to be the super featherweight king.

Puerto Rico's Roman "Rocky" Martinez (26-1-1, 16 KOs) is a two-time world titlist and current WBO champ while Mexico's Burgos (30-1, 20 KOs) is a former world super featherweight title challenger. Both are at just about the same level in terms of talent and skill.

The winner of Martinez-Burgos could very well go straight to the top of a fairly weak super featherweight class and, perhaps, be in line for a big-money bout with division newcomer, Yuriorkis Gamboa. Saturday's bout should clearly show whether either fighter is ready for such a big step up.




Four Boxing Questions to Be Answered This Weekend - Yahoo! Sports

Olympic bronze medallist Michael Conlan was beaten as he made his return to the ring at the World Series of Boxing event in London.

Conlan, fighting for the USA Knockouts franchise, lost a unanimous decision to Welshman Andrew Selby at bantamweight.

One judge ruled that Selby won all five rounds with the other two adjudicators giving the Welshman four of the five rounds in Bethnal Green.

Olympic silver medallist John Joe Nevin and Joe Ward both earned victories.

The victories of the two Irishman helped the Great Britiain Lionhearts team maintain their unbeaten home record as they recorded a 5-0 win over the American franchise.

Nevin earned a unanimous win over France's Daouda Sow with one judge giving the Mullingar man all five rounds and the other scoring officials giving the Frenchman one round.

A dominant Ward was adjudged to have won every round in his light-heavyweight bout against Croatian Marko Calic.

Conlan, moving up to bantamweight from his normal flyweight division, fought out a thrilling contest with Selby but the Welshman earned a deserved verdict.

European champion Selby had beaten Conlan by one point at the 2011 World Championship quarter-finals.

The pair narrowly missed the chance of a return match in the semi-finals of the London Olympics, with Selby beaten in the quarter-final by Cuba's Robeisy Ramirez Carrazana.

London heavyweight Joe Joyce beat American Avery Gibson while Estonia's Kaupo Arro earned a second-round technical decision for the Lionhearts over another US fighter Jeffrey Camp because of a cut.




BBC Sport - Olympic boxing medallist Michael Conlan beaten on return to ring

Mikey Garcia is 25 years old and has never lost a professional fight. If he defeats Orlando Salido on Saturday in Madison Square Garden, he will be the World Boxing Organization's featherweight champion of the world. And he already has a retirement plan—in law enforcement. Unlike most of his peers, Garcia can score a job outside of boxing as soon as he hangs up his gloves. He graduated in 2010 from California's Ventura County Police and Sheriff's Reserve Officer Academy. Not long afterward, he withdrew his application to the local sheriff's department to focus on boxing. But a gig as a reserve police officer is almost certainly waiting for Garcia when he wants it, and many reserve cops then undergo further training to be full-time officers, said Don Elliott, the academy's director. "I would have no problem recommending him for employment somewhere," Elliott said.

For most boxers, fighting is a full-time job. The biggest exception these days is Manny Pacquiao, who has had more success in the Philippines's Congress lately than in the ring. Still, law enforcement doesn't seem natural for those who punch others for a living. But cops do know their way around fights, and there's a history of pugilistic policemen.

Richard Frazier, then a New York City cop, even took vacation days to fight Roy Jones Jr. in 1999 for the light heavyweight championship. His day job, Frazier said, made him feel at home in front of a hostile crowd.

"I enjoyed people booing me," Frazier said Friday. "Let's be for real: No one likes the cops. The cops come when you're having a good time."

Garcia, who is 30-0 with 26 knockouts and ranked as the No. 3 featherweight by The Ring magazine, has never been an active police officer. He enrolled in the reserve academy, he said, to have a fall-back option when he retires. "He's a nice boy," said Top Rank Chief Executive Bob Arum, who is promoting Garcia's fight. "He wanted a potential career."

The reserve academy was a significant time investment for someone who didn't have much time to spare. Classes last from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. three days a week, plus all day Saturday, totaling 478 hours over 4 ½ months. Elliott said the academy usually starts with 60 cadets each year and ends with "anywhere between 35 and 45." Graduating cadets often find work as reserve police officers, who are unpaid, and Ventura County's program alone counts alumni in 26 states, Elliott said. He called the reserves the "minor-league system" of law enforcement.

What makes Garcia's situation all the more atypical is that he made it through his law-enforcement training while in camp for two fights. As a cadet, Garcia beat Carlos Rivera in August 2009 in Texas and Yogli Herrera in December 2009 in Ohio. In that time, he also took community-college classes in the morning, hit the gym in the afternoon and went to the academy three nights a week, all after waking up at 6 a.m to run. "Everyone would complain at the gym because they didn't have anything to do," Garcia said. "But I had to go to school."

The academy's curriculum includes everything from investigative-report writing to uniform inspection. For four hours, the cadets are schooled in traffic enforcement. The most time-intensive topic, which requires 66 hours, is training in firearms and chemical agents. "It's more exciting than sitting through a lecture about policing the community," Elliott said.

One morning this week, inside a crowded boxing gym near Madison Square Park, Garcia was talking about the academy lesson in which he was pepper-sprayed. First, he said, the substance was dabbed on a Q-tip and rubbed around his eyes. Then he walked through a "big old cloud" of the stuff to breathe it in. Then, with his eyes burning, he used his baton to treat a heavy bag like a pinata. Then he had to remove the handcuffs from another cadet and wait for his partner to do the same for him. Another time, the reserve officers were subjected to Mace. "It does sting," Elliott said.

Before graduating, each cadet must pass a physical-agility test of five parts: completing a 99-yard obstacle course, dragging a 165-pound body 32 feet, scaling a 6-foot wall, climbing a 6-foot chain-link fence, and running for 500 yards on a flat surface. "That's easy stuff," Garcia said. In fact, most of the academy's physical training didn't compare to his boxing regimen, Garcia said. "I was probably one of the most fit guys," he said, "but I also never performed to my 100%."

What does come in handy is the mental preparation. Garcia compared the way officers keep their gun hand free, for example, to the way boxers keep their eyes open at all times. Frazier said it was a policeman's attention to detail that really helped him in the ring. "If you're a cop, you have to look at slight movements," he said, "because you can get killed out there."

Even the one thing about boxing that carries over to police work—hand-to-hand combat—wasn't all that satisfying for Garcia when he was in uniform. "I'd rather just box somebody than go for the tactical moves," he said.

When former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson exits the Octagon on Jan. 26 in Chicago -- win or lose against hard-hitting Glover Teixeira -- he will not fight again with the promotion. Jackson, one of the most popular and successful mixed martial artists ever, made it clear during a media call Tuesday to promote his upcoming bout that he has already severed ties with UFC.

The bout with Teixeira will be the final fight on his current UFC contract, and according to Jackson, each side is eager to move on.

"I'm over it," Jackson said. "I've given [UFC] time to keep me happy. Honestly, I think the UFC is happy with me leaving. It's a mutual thing."

While Jackson proved to be a big draw, and delivered many exciting fights, his absence from UFC's roster isn't expected to hinder the promotion's progress. UFC will continue putting on exciting MMA cards.

Jackson's future, however, isn't set in stone.

Competing in smaller MMA promotions is possible, but Jackson has a grander scheme -- taking his knockout skills to the boxing ring.

Jackson has complained for the past few years that part of his frustration with MMA stems from too many fighters' reluctance to stand with him. He longs for the days when most of his opponents stood toe-to-toe.

Today's mixed martial artist is more advanced technically, with wrestling becoming more prevalent in the cage, leading many to take the fight to the ground.

Despite his high school wrestling background, Jackson isn't among the more skilled ground fighters in MMA. If Jackson were to sign with a smaller MMA promotion, there is no guarantee that opponents would refrain from attempting to take him down.

No one knows this better than Jackson. It's why boxing looks more and more appealing to him.

He won't have to worry about anyone taking him to the ground in a boxing match, and Jackson gets to throw as many punches as he wants.

"I've put my time in. I did my thing," Jackson said. "I just want to entertain people. I want to be very exciting. Maybe I want to try some boxing or do some kickboxing. I’ve done jiu-jitsu tournaments, wrestling tournaments, kickboxing fights -- but never boxing. I think that would be my biggest challenge -- to see if I can be a pro boxer.

Jackson noted that former street fighter-turned-mixed martial artist Kimbo Slice has also made the switch to boxing.

Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, is 6-0 with five knockouts as a boxer. Although he has faced mediocre competition and has competed in four-round bouts only, Slice has shown improvement with each outing.

It's a path Jackson, who has no amateur or professional boxing experience, can expect to follow in boxing. Despite his lack of experience, Jackson can expect some high-profile boxing promoters to give him a close look.

One promoter has already expressed interest.

"Absolutely, I'd be interested in taking a look at him," Top Rank vice president of boxing operations Carl Moretti told ESPN-com. "I'm sure he's a well-conditioned athlete, but boxing's a different game. I'd like to see him in the gym sparring, just to see how he does against professionals before going ahead and just throwing him in a fight.

"If he's willing to do that, then everybody would be interested in him."

Moretti knows that Jackson is a heavy puncher -- 14 of his 32 wins have come by knockout -- but there's more to boxing than throwing haymakers. Jackson will need to show that he knows how to sit down on his punches and demonstrate decent footwork. Moretti would also like to see a decent jab and defensive skills.

Jackson would also have to show these skills against seasoned boxers during his sparring sessions. It won't be easy, but if any mixed martial artist can make the transition to boxing, Jackson is the man.

Getting over the initial hurdle won’t make life easier for Jackson. He is 34 years old, which gives him little room for error, and his name recognition brings high expectations.

“He’s one of the bigger names out of UFC. Everybody has heard of him, so that gives him an advantage,” Moretti said. “He’s not coming in as an unknown.

“But maybe it works against him because he’s going to have more eyeballs on him. And it may place some additional pressure on him to perform in boxing.”

While adjusting to a new sport will be difficult, Jackson is up for the challenge. Besides, he's no novice when it comes to fighting.

Fighting in UFC and Pride has prepared Jackson to compete in any professional combat-sports arena. He will not be intimidated inside the boxing ring.

"Sure, it helps him from a conditioning point of view, at least being inside the ring and knowing what can happen," Moretti said. "There's no question that [having MMA experience] helps him. But when you want to hold, punch while you're holding and grab a leg -- that's not boxing.

"We have to see how he handles the finer points of boxing as compared to MMA and make some kind of assessment from that."




Rampage considers move to boxing - Mixed Martial Arts Blog - ESPN

As far as coming-out parties are concerned, unbeaten light heavyweight contender Sergey Kovalev's was something to behold on Saturday night.

In his first headlining role on American television, which doubled as his first significant step up in competition, the Russian-born Kovalev demolished the usually slick and elusive Gabriel Campillo via third-round stoppage at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

With a seek-and-destroy style and tremendous potential to become a TV-friendly fighter in the United States, Kovalev (22-0-1, 18 KOs), 29, had drawn subtle acclaim as a rising knockout artist with frightening power in both hands. But what we saw out of him on Saturday, in his third fight with trainer John David Jackson, was a complete dismantling of a game opponent.

Kovalev didn't just stalk Campillo from the opening bell with heavy combinations, he balanced his attack by mixing in the jab and going hard to the body -- a strategy that led directly to the second of three knockdowns in the third round. "This kid dismantled Campillo by going to the body, just like we worked on," Jackson said. "Campillo was doubled over from them. In the past, Sergey was more of a headhunter. Now he understands that, as a professional, you have to go to the body. And with his punching power, his body shots are going to open up a lot of doors for him."

Jackson, a former junior middleweight and middleweight titlist who has previously trained the likes of Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley, was quick to point out that he never tried to change Kovalev's style since joining his camp, but has worked hard on refining his fighter's talents to complement his tremendous punching power.

"Sergey is a very intelligent and smart fighter," Jackson said. "He's learning that he can slow down more and sit down on his punches."

Kovalev was all smiles after the fight, happy to have made such a splash in a starring role. He'll no doubt gain a legion of new fans from the performance and should contribute right away to providing a shot in the arm for the light heavyweight division.

But while his power has thus far proved to be unavoidable in the ring, it could have the opposite effect outside the ropes, prompting potential opponents to sidestep him.

"It's going to be hard for Sergey to get the fights that he wants unless they are title shots or if they are mandated that he fight someone next for the No. 1 position," Jackson said. "No one wants to fight him, and the way that he destroyed Campillo tonight gave me further belief that they will not fight him unless they have to."

That's a bridge Kovalev will cross in time as he continues his climb toward a title shot. Meanwhile, he'll need to prove he's strong enough to continue toppling those in his path and slick enough to outbox the ones who won't go down.

"I don't know who will be next, but I'm ready for everyone," Kovalev said. "If you want to be the best, you need to box with the best opponents. If you want to be a champion, you must fight only champions. I think my next step will be a more important fight because I am here in America. This is, for me, an important win."






Kovalev turns on power, lights up division - Boxing Blog - ESPN

CORNERMEN who use strong language, bang the ring or direct remarks to referees or any other licensees of Boxing SA (BSA), will face the governing body’s wrath.

Director of operations Loyiso Mtya on Monday warned all trainers and seconds that BSA will keep a keen eye on corner management and all ring activities before, during and after bouts.

"Cornermen and seconds in all tournaments form a big and important part of the broader face of boxing.

"They therefore have a duty to keep their corners clean and disciplined," he said.

"Others will be coming through. When they see the star trainers and cornermen, they automatically think what the old-time trainers are doing is right.

"All that tarnishes the image of the ring itself and also of the officials, a referee to be precise, who is in charge of a bout.

"Officials have sometimes come under verbal attacks from certain trainers. Those officials will enjoy BSA’s protection at all times," Mtya said.

Successful manager Mzimase Mnguni once occupied the ring in protest against a decision that went against his boxer.

Ngconde Balfour, who was then sports minister, was watching the bout on television.

Balfour, who is now BSA chairman, called a ringside official and asked him to hand the phone over to Mnguni — who he advised to leave the ring. Mnguni first dilly-dallied but later obliged.

He was fined R10,000.

Meanwhile, Mtya added that amateur boxers who will turn professional this year must prepare themselves for sparring sessions throughout next month.

Australia's London Olympics boxing captain Luke Jackson has adopted the attitude of 'never say never' after his unexpected decision to turn professional.

Jackson, who campaigned as a lightweight in London, will start his professional career at super featherweight, with his first paid fight scheduled for April or May.

He also captained Australia at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and won a bronze medal in the same competition four years earlier.

'I think this decision will surprise a lot of people because I said I would never ever turn professional but, obviously, you can never say never,' Jackson said.

His amateur victims included current WBA world featherweight champion Nicholas Walters, No.3-ranked WBA lightweight Sharif Bogere and Australians Joel Brunker and Paul Fleming, who both are unbeaten in the professional ranks.

The 28-year-old Tasmanian will head to Sydney in a couple of weeks to link with respected trainer Billy Hussein.

'I'm very excited to learn from Billy Hussein and be the best I can,' Jackson said.

'I've trained myself for the last eight years and wrote all my programs so it will be good to have someone else in charge besides myself.

'I need a new challenge. I've done everything possible in the amateurs except win a medal at the Olympics.

'I've been unbeaten in Australia since 2005 and now it's time to test myself in the professionals.'

He will be managed by Mike Altamura and Cameron Dunkin and promoted by Melbourne's Adam Wilcock.

'We've structured a good team around him and I think he has the tools to contend for a world championship within a few years,' said Altamura.

On the wall, half a dozen posters featured Chris Arreola and the man he's going fight at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa on March 9. All the posters looked the same, yet none looked like what Arreola, at age 31, looks like.

He has hair now. He's in better shape. He means business, and he wore it underneath that suit he arrived in for his press conference on Wednesday.

The Arreola who came to promote his World Boxing Council heavyweight title elimination bout on HBO against Bermane Stiverne wasn't the Arreola on the posters.

Arreola, who is 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, even had to do a double take when he saw one of the posters. Missing were the tattoos he has on his chest and arms, and most importantly, a well-maintained body.

"They have so many new pictures of me and they put this guy in there [from like eight years ago]," said Arreola, who noticed a couple of important people in his life were cropped out of the photo, which appeared on the posters. "Dude, my wife's not in there. She should be somewhere over here, and then my friends over here."

Stiverne took their place on the posters, right next to Arreola.

While Arreola's wife, Lucy, and friends showed up to the press conference, Stiverne was a no-show. Arreola's promoter, Dan Goossen, said he was a little disappointed to get a call from Don King the night before about Stiverne not being able to make it.

Arreola didn't view it as a sign of disrespect.

"All I know that March 9 we're going to meet in the ring," said Arreola, who headlines a five-bout card. "I'm here … to make sure people know that I'm fighting again."

Arreola (35-2 with 30 knockouts) will fight for the first time in a little more than a year. He's excited about his return and how it can further his career.

His goal is to become the first Mexican heavyweight champion. A win by Arreola against Stiverne (22-1-1, 20 knockouts) and he might get a rematch with WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, who handed Arreola his first loss on Sept. 26, 2009 at Staples Center.

It was a devastating setback, because he didn't get to finish the fight in his hometown. His corner stopped the fight after the 10th round, that's how bad of a beating Arreola suffered that night.

Nevertheless, that fight wasn't what woke Arreola up, and it wasn't his second loss, coming against Tomasz Adamek, seven months after losing to Klitschko.

What woke Arreola up was a 12-round fight against Manuel Quezada on Aug. 13, 2010.

"He should've lasted four rounds with me. No disrespect to him, because he's a tough guy," said Arreola, who won via unanimous decision. "He didn't belong in that ring with me. He shouldn't have gone 12 rounds [with me]. I shouldn't have broken my hands. I shouldn't have had two black eyes for fighting a guy like him.

"[I'm] sitting in my house [four months after the Quezada fight], and I'm looking at the wall. I'm like, 'What the [heck] happened to me this year?'"

What happened to Arreola is that he says he thought he was the next best thing since slice bread. He believed his own hype. It messed him up, making him believe he could win without taking care of himself and preparing for fights.

Now, Arreola says he's eating healthier, even cooking with his wife and not dining out as much, and he's working out six days a week.

Another thing he says he's working on is his mouth. He swears a lot, mixing in bad words in Spanish and English almost as much as he does punches in the ring.

He has always been brash, having grown up in East L.A. He's brutally honest. He rarely pulls punches. As for where his next bout is taking place, inside the Hangar at the OC Fair and Event Center, he's not enthusiastic about it.

"I'm disappointed," said Arreola, adding that he has been to the OC Fair and seen fights in the Hangar. "I believe I belong in bigger venues than that. That's almost like having it in a parking lot. No offense to the venue. But c'mon, now. I belong in like, if not at Staples [Center], Nokia [Theater], or [in an] arena. I don't belong in a parking lot."

There had been talks of having the fight on a bigger stage, in December in Caracas, Venezuela, and then this month at USC's Galen Center, to accommodate more fans, but they fell through. Goossen said HBO loved the 2,000-seat Hangar after surveying it last week.

Roy Englebrecht, a Newport Beach-based promoter, hired by Goossen Tutor Promotions to sell the fight locally, said this will be the first HBO show out of Costa Mesa. Goossen said tickets will go on sale on Friday, starting at $250, $150 and $75 each.

The small site reminds Arreola of his early days, when he fought inside hotels.

"It is a place that you get your start [at]," Arreola said of the Hangar. "Look where I'm at now. I'm fighting [in an] eliminator. You might as well take me back to … Ontario at the DoubleTree."

He smiled when a reporter brought up the DoubleTree again.

The reporter then asked Arreola if Stiverne reminded him of any fighters he has fought.

The answer was no, but he went on to compare Stiverne to the reporter.

"He's a little shorter, compact, kind of like you," said Arreola, who pointed at the reporter, who on his best days is 5-10, four inches shorter than Stiverne. "I've never faced someone like him, with his hand speed and his power. He does have one punch to change the fight.

"He wants to make history for himself also. Him being Haitian, he wants to be the first Haitian heavyweight champion."

Arreola will turn 32 four days before the fight. He says he plans to celebrate his birthday after he knocks out Stiverne. A picture of that might make for a good poster.