Few fighters carve out the type of niche string-bean former Lightweight and Super-Featherweight champion Diego Corrales did in a little over a decade in the ring. Perhaps Arturo Gatti or Johnny Tapia command comparable affection from the fans who revelled in, and embraced the gutsy puncher’s career. Corrales was a competition hungry professional, game to the last and willing to fight the opponents ticket buying fans wanted to see. He was real. Not a throwback to some romanticised bygone age, but a genuine fighter and the type of elixir the sport needed in these troubled times.
Archive for May, 2007|Monthly archive page
Boxing Laments the Loss of Corrales
In Boxing, British Boxing, Sports on May 8, 2007 at 1:54 pmBest of Big Fight Live: Michael Watson, the forgotten gem
In Boxing, British Boxing, Sports on May 5, 2007 at 8:35 am
A rare treat on ITV4 last night, Jim Rosenthal and Barry McGuigan hosted a wander down memory lane. Using footage from ITV’s impressive archives, action from Hagler v Hearns, Mark Kaylor, Benn, Eubank, Tyson and Hamed were inter-spersed with ‘talking head’ contributions from Colin Hart, John Rawling, Duke McKenzie, a very nervous Ron Lewis from the Times and most treasured of all, Reg Gutteridge. I miss Reg’s wisdom on the mic. However, for me, the biggest thrill was being reminded of Michael Watson’s excellence. Read the rest of this entry »
Bojado Returns with a Victory
In Boxing, Fight Reports, Sports on May 5, 2007 at 8:16 am
Young Mexican puncher Francisco ‘Panchito’ Bojado returned from a three year career hiatus to score a solid ten round victory over veteran trial horse Dairo Esalas. Bojado, still only 24, weighed in at an eager 143 pounds a weight that suggests he will return to elite action at Light-Welterweight. Read the rest of this entry »
The Great American Hope? Chambers Beats Guinn
In Boxing, Fight Reports, Mike Tyson, Sports on May 5, 2007 at 7:50 am
During the title reign of Jack Johnson a hundred or so years ago, the search for a white heavyweight to overcome the ‘negro’ champion became a holy grail for the western world, the theme continued for decades, although less conspicuously, throughout the reigns of Joe Louis, Ali and even Larry Holmes.
Oscar and Floyd Weigh In: Pics
In Boxing, Sports on May 5, 2007 at 7:28 am
Looking in tremendous shape, Oscar De La Hoya has weighed in at 154 pounds on the ‘nose’ with weight jumping rival Floyd Mayweather opting to maintain speed at a more natural 150 pounds. Both men looked cut and well prepared for the richest fight in boxing history. Whether Oscar will now rehydrate and fight at more like 160+ remains to be seen. Mayweather will not weigh more than a good dinner heavier than 150 having elected not to bulk up unneccessarily. Read the rest of this entry »
‘Panchito’ Bojado Returns This Weekend
In Boxing, Sports on May 4, 2007 at 8:24 am
No weekend long-shot this week as the schedule failed to throw up a contest of interest. However, I’ll take the space to suggest a fighter to keep an eye out for this weekend. British fans will have to check a result and little more as all eyes turn to the mega fight between Oscar and Floyd on TV but the American audience could get to see the re-emergence of a potential star of the prize ring.
The Definitive DLH v Mayweather Preview
In Boxing, Fight Reports, Sports on May 4, 2007 at 8:05 am
You’ll be pleased to hear it isn’t penned by me. Don Steinberg, who writes for ESPN.com, took on the mammoth task of re-watching every round of both fighters’ careers. 27 hours of footage, taking in opponents like Chavez, Whittaker, Trinidad, Mosley, Castillo, Gatti, Hopkins, Corrales and Judah – a stellar roster of opponents. Don breaks down the fight into minute detail and the article is accompanied by footage lifted from EA Sports Fight Night 3, which adds a little colour and interest to the micro detail of the preview. Read the rest of this entry »
Corrales Will Have to Continue
In Boxing, Sports on May 4, 2007 at 7:19 am
Those fight fans who believed the crushing defeat to Joshua Clottey on his Welterweight debut would signal the end of Diego Corrales’ career are likely to be disappointed. Kevin Iole reports on Yahoo.com, for whom he recently became lead boxing writer, such is the dire nature of Corrales’ finances that he is even unable to repay a six figure sum given to him as a signing bonus last October by Golden Boy Promotions. Gary Shaw successfully proved he still had rights on Corrales’ career and the contract to which the bonus was intended to precede was torn up – Corrales had already spent the money on tax debts. Read the rest of this entry »
Did I Miss Something? Hatton thinks he’s next?
In Boxing, British Boxing, Sports on May 4, 2007 at 7:04 am
I cannot claim to have devoured every second of the pre-fight promotion for the Mayweather v Oscar fight, 24/7, nor could I claim to have consumed every line of copy that has been generated to further build the fight but of the coverage I have digested I don’t recall the words Ricky or Hatton being mentioned, and certainly not as a potential next opponent for either of the protagonists. Perhaps Hatton’s millions fund access to Satellite stations simply unavailable to mortals like myself because he believes he has the pick of the two next? Read the rest of this entry »
Mayweather Has Much At Stake
In Boxing, Sports on May 3, 2007 at 11:35 am
I’m a fan of Maxboxing.com, it maintains a high standard of editorial control and has worked hard to establish its credibility amongst the raft of boxing sites that have emerged over the past five years. To this reader at least, the site has made the step up and is comparable with some of its esteemed printed contemporaries. With this respect underlined, I found Dougie Fischer’s article on Floyd Mayweather’s need to beat Oscar for his own legacy but also to provide a bridge of sorts to the mainstream fan to whom he remains a unknown quantity, an interesting piece. Read the rest of this entry »
UKBoxingpress Hits the Buffers
In Boxing, British Boxing, Sports on May 3, 2007 at 7:40 am
It was sad to note today that one of my regular watering holes, UKBoxingpress.co.uk appears to have succumbed to the bad feeling caused by a public spat with Frank Maloney’s Promotions company. Or at least that is the assumption. The forum there provided host to most of the regular visitors to message boards on British boxing and one can only hope it is a temporary hiatus.
Explaining the Unexplainable
In Boxing, Fight Reports, Sports on May 3, 2007 at 7:26 am
I think it is fair to say boxing fans are sometimes asked to explain the impossible, the subtle idiosyncracies and nuances of the sport they love to the uneducated and unwashed masses. Whether it be contextualising a bout’s significance – given the plethora of sanctioning bodies etc – or arguing that modern day fighters ARE just as good as their 1970′s or 80′s ancestors but occasionally boxing throws up a ‘curve ball’ that even the most die-hard boxing fan couldn’t read. The scoring in last nights Yory Boy Campas bout is a case in point. Read the rest of this entry »
Terrible Tim. No seriously, its terrible Tim!
In Boxing, Sports on May 3, 2007 at 6:53 am
Approaching 34, I’d begun to feel my time as an Amateur footballer was drawing to a close; family and working life making the commitment to stay fit and available hard to muster. I’ve never been particularly gifted, but hard work, a loud monotone Yorkshire accent and a fearless approach to the tackle has carved me a small niche in local league football in Cambridgeshire for the past decade. However, I’ve recently realised I’m a mere pup and to retire now would be tantamount to quitting at my peak. What changed? Well if Tim Witherspoon is to fight again at 49 I reckon I could tackle another right winger or two. Read the rest of this entry »
Mayweather v Oscar: When indecisiveness is OK
In Boxing, Sports on May 2, 2007 at 10:20 am
Picking a winner from these two is a tough task for any observer, regardless of access to the fighters, or depth of wisdom. From my detached existence I’ve flipped from one outcome to the other. A sign the fight is that rarest of commodities; a genuine one. The BBC’s on-site correspondent, Mike Costello, has me flipping once more.
PR: Froch Has Knee Surgery
In Boxing, British Boxing, Sports on May 2, 2007 at 9:51 am
PRESS RELEASE: 02/05/07
The enclosed Press Release from Hennessy Sports focuses on Froch’s knee surgery but of more interest to British fight fans presents a clear indication he intends to defend his British and Commonwealth titles one more time before departing for international fixtures. It seems Robin Reid’s suggestion he would demolish Froch has made him the opponent of choice following the veteran clash between Reid and Glenn Catley in a final eliminator. Read the rest of this entry »
Lest We Forget: Leavander Johnson
In Boxing, Sports on May 2, 2007 at 8:41 am
It appears fashionable to criticise boxing. Commentators regularly, and gleefully, posting obituaries for the once great sport and though it is irrefutable true that the sport is perilously close to expulsion from the consciousness of mainstream or casual fans, at boxing’s core the heart of the fighter still beats strong. Read the rest of this entry »
Juuko Returns from the Scrap-Heap
In Boxing, British Boxing, Fight Reports, Sports on May 2, 2007 at 8:19 am
The last time we saw Ugandan Justin Juuko in a British ring the veteran fighter looked unable to stand in a stiff breeze let alone coordinate his feet enough to fend off Mancunian Michael Gomez. It left those in attendance with little choice but to write off the former World-Title challenger and frequent visitor to these shores as a spent force. Another stoppage defeat the following year put another exclamation mark to the assumption Juuko should retire. However, like so many fighters the story didn’t end there.
Archive: British Boxing’s Road to Redemption
In Boxing, British Boxing, Mike Tyson, Sports, TSS.com Archive on May 1, 2007 at 7:52 am
An article plucked from back in the summer of 2004, in the days preceding Danny Williams’ challenge to Mike Tyson. With a perspective on the significance of the bout for British boxing as a whole and specifically its hope of sustaining significance and resonance with the next generation of sports fans. Read the rest of this entry »
