Andre Ward Set for Potential Cotto/Canelo Undercard Appearance?

08/27/201508/26/2015 Olly Campbell

It will certainly make a change from fighting in his Oakland backyard, but WBA (sup) 168 lb champion Andre Ward, last seen bloodying Britain’s Paul Smith in June, could be set to make an appearance on the Cotto/Canelo undercard in Las Vegas according to his promoters Roc Nation Sports.

The firm, which also handles WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, is keen on placing Ward, who is seemingly inching up to the 175lb division, in a showcase bout on the November 21st HBO PPV bill, and are hoping to have a decision finalised within a fortnight.

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Whoever Loses Will Want a Rematch says Leo Santa Cruz / It Could End Up a Trilogy With Mares

08/27/201508/26/2015 Olly Campbell

This Saturday sees California-based Mexican rivals Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares go to war at the Staples Center on a PBC on ESPN broadcast that represents a battle of Los Angeles, securing not only local bragging rights for the winner, but a surefire move on to bigger and better things.

WBC 122lb champ Santa Cruz is fighting up at 126 for the first time against former 3 weight world champ Mares, although physically he will be the bigger – and ostensibly stronger man on the night – he realises that both guys, especially Mares, badly need the win to progress, and especially if it’s a close one, a rematch will almost certainly be called for.

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Martin Murray v Jose Miguel Torres on September 5th in Leeds

08/26/201508/26/2015 Olly Campbell

Britain’s Martin Murray will face veteran 36 year old 2nd tier Colombian Jose Miguel Torres (31-6, 27ko) on September 5th in Leeds UK as part of what’s shaping up to be a pretty underwhelming card all in all.

In all fairness to new Matchroom signing Murray, and even promoter Eddie Hearn, the St.Helen’s man is stepping in to fill a gap on the bill left by Gavin McDonnell, who is helping twin Jamie prepare for his world title rematch with Tomoki Kameda in Texas, and it can’t have been easy to get a decent test in time, even though it is being billed that way.

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Mosley/Mayorga 2 Is Still On / Ricky Hatton Baffled by “Sugar’s” Return

08/26/201508/25/2015 Olly Campbell

Saturday’s Mosley/Mayorga 2 clash of veterans, an irrelevant but curiously intriguing fight, especially for those fans in the UK and elsewhere who DON’T have to buy a PPV, is back on today after Don King failed in his attempt to stop it when a judge in Miami ruled against the veteran promoter, despite King having claimed to have Mayorga still under contract.

As it’s highly unlikely Mayorga is to fight again, as well as the fact he has also boxed twice last year following his last “serious” fight against Miguel Cotto in 2011, the judge ruled in favour of “Sugar” Shane – who is also promoting the event – yet the comeback, which has sold a paltry 2000 tickets thus far, has baffled fellow former world champion Ricky Hatton, who can’t seem to get his head around it.

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Roy Jones Jr: Not Giving Up on Cruiserweight Title Dreams / Wants Glowacki Fight

08/25/201508/25/2015 Olly Campbell

It appears that long faded 46 year old legend Roy Jones Jr (62-8, 45ko) has still not given up on his dream of capturing an elusive cruiserweight world title, and has bizarrely now turned his attentions to new WBO champion Krzysztof Glowacki in a bid to achieve this seemingly impossible feat.

Jones had been publicly chasing a bout with long-time former champ Marco Huck, who Glowacki stunned 11 days ago to be crowned champion, and seems to be under the impression that capturing honours in the 200lb division is a realistic proposition should the Polish fighter agree to the bout.

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Good News for Liam Smith: Michel Soro Out / Now Fights American John Thompson for WBO 154lb Strap

08/25/201508/25/2015 Olly Campbell

Britain’s unbeaten Liam Smith (20-0-1, 10ko) has a new opponent for his October 10th challenge for the vacant WBO light-middleweight title after dangerous Frenchman Michel Soro has been ruled out following an unspecified “internal disagreement” with his promoters, Bob Arum’s Top Rank.

It’s fair to say that replacement American contender John Thompson (17-1, 6ko) presents a far more winnable proposition for the talented young Scouser, who is looking to be the first of his family of fighting brothers to lift a world title.

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Miguel Will Fight Smart Against Canelo says Freddie Roach

08/25/201508/25/2015 Olly Campbell

After losing out with his man Manny Pacquiao in the 1st super-fight of the year, Miguel Cotto’s trainer Freddie Roach is determined not to be on the wrong end of the 2nd; November 21st’s hotly anticipated WBC middleweight clash with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, that will come from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and pits the two men together in a classic Mexico/Puerto Rico rivals encounter.

Speaking at the first official presser to launch the fight, Roach has promised that the advancing years of the champion will not be a factor provided the right adjustments are made, and the 7x trainer of the year has made it crystal clear that they have no plans to stand and slug it out with the bigger, younger Alvarez on the night.

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David Price Can Come Again If He Chooses says Anthony Joshua

08/25/201508/24/2015 Olly Campbell

It doesn’t seem so long ago that David Price was being touted as the next big thing in British heavyweight boxing, tipped for the top ahead of domestic rival Tyson Fury, who now finds himself challenging Wladimir Klitschko for 3/4 of the world heavyweight crown in October, just a few short months after Price himself was iced by Erkan Teper in 2 rounds in Germany, the 3rd brutal KO loss of his career – How times change.

The man who now finds himself carrying the next generation of heavyweight hopes is Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua, currently unblemished with 13 straight knockouts from as many fights, and is well accustomed to the pressure that Price felt on his shoulders before running into wily old American veteran Tony Thompson. “AJ” doesn’t think this latest loss has to spell the end.

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No Brook vs Bradley for 2015 / Diego Chaves Still the Front Runner

08/25/201508/24/2015 Olly Campbell

Much to the chagrin of many hardcore British fight fans keen to see their IBF 147 lb champion Kell Brook in a big fight with a marquee name, the wait will go on as a unification fight with WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley is officially off the cards for 2015.

After also seeing a mooted bout with Stateside brawler Brandon Rios fall by the wayside recently, it is now looking increasingly likely that Argentina’s Diego Chaves will indeed be making the trip across the Atlantic towards the end of the year to fight Brook, as earlier reports indicated.

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Badou Jack: Promising Knockout Performance Against George Groves

08/25/201508/24/2015 Olly Campbell

For many boxing fans left underwhelmed by September 12th’s Mayweather/Berto fight in Las Vegas, the silver lining comes in the form of the WBC 168lb title fight between the “Money Team’s” champion Badou Jack, and dangerous British challenger George Groves that will appear on the undercard in chief support of the main event.

With the potential to eclipse that headline fight extremely high, Sweden’s Jack, who has made Vegas his adopted hometown, has promised a knockout performance against the big-hitting British challenger, who in the eyes of many – this writer included – will enter the fight a considerable favourite.

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