Crolla beats Rees by a controversial decision

06/30/201306/29/2013 Michael Collins

In a highly controversial decision, Anthony Crolla (26-4-1,9 KO’s) labored to a 12 round majority over Gavin (37-3-1, 18 KO’s) to grab the vacant WBO Inter-Continental lightweight title at the Bolton Arena, Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom. The judges scores were 115-113 and 116-113 for Crolla, and 115-115 even. This was a really strange fight, because I’ve never seen a fighter get out-landed and outworked as much as I saw Crolla, and yet still win the fight. Talk about your controversial decisions.

It was a very questionable decision in that Rees landed more shots in every round of the fight, was the much busier guy in every round, and landed the cleaner shots. I saw Rees winning almost the rounds. The only rounds I could give Crolla were the 3rd and 11th, and even in those rounds, Rees outlanded him.

Crolla had the crowd in his favor big time in this fight, and the outcome was not surprising. Crolla was getting cheered even when he missing shots; whereas the crowd was deathly silent each time Rees landed, which quite often.

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Hearn interested in matching Burns against Gavin Rees in September

05/13/2013 Michael Collins

rees7 rees7 Promoter Eddie Hearn is interested in matching his very lucky fighter WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (36-2, 11 KO’s) against former lightweight contender Gavin Rees (37-2-1, 18 KO’s) this coming September. Rees is coming off of a 5th round knockout loss to WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner last February in a fight where Rees looked terrible in before getting knocked out.

Burns got lucky last Saturday night in beating Jose Gonzalez (22-1, 17 KO’s) in a 9th round stoppage when Gonzalez quit on his stool after the 9th round. Gonzalez said after the fight he didn’t know that he had such a wide lead and that if he knew that he wouldn’t have quit.

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Gavin Rees could be back on HBO in the Summer

02/19/201302/18/2013 ESB

broner77 By Jeff Sorby: If you liked what you saw of Gavin Rees (37-2-1, 18 KO’s) in his fight with WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (26-0, 22 KO’s) last Saturday night on HBO, then you might be happy to learn that Rees could end up back on HBO in the Summer to fight in front of U.S audiences. Rees’ promoter Eddie Hearn says Rees could be back on U.S television in the Summer against a still to be determined opponent.

Hearn said to Sky Sports “Gavin’s performance won him many admirers in America…we have already been approached about further fights in the U.S in early summer…the plan is to pick up another world title shot before the end of 2013.”

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Adrien Broner bullies his way to 5th Rd TKO of Gavin Rees

02/17/2013 ESB

by Paul Strauss:: Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. Adrien “The Problem” Broner 26-0-0 (22 KOs) surprised no one by scoring a punishing win over the much smaller and out-gunned Gavin Rees 37-2-1 (18 KOs). Not many people gave Rees the proverbial “snowball’s chance in hell”. In fact, HBO’s Max Kellerman stated Rees was an 80 to 1 underdog. To Rees’ credit, though, he tried like hell to make a fight of it, but he just did not have the size, necessary skill or power to be a serious threat to Broner. Initially, Rees made a pest out of himself by shrinking his already short 5’4″ stature to about 3’6″, trying to get under Broner’s shots, so he could get close enough to land some of his own. He managed to get through with some pretty good left hooks to the body. He tried to follow those with clubbing rights to the side and top of Broner’s head, but the angle, due to Broner’s shoulder roll, proved to be a difficult one. Rees just couldn’t get any zip on those shots. Despite that, the referee warned him about the location of his punches?

The only redeeming factor in the bout was Rees’ display of heart and courage. Even though he was totally outsized and outclassed, he fought on hoping for a miracle. It was not to be. Broner did as expected. He started slowly, timing Rees, waiting for his countering opportunities. Early on Rees was able to block Broner’s check hooks, but before too long a couple got across. Those hard shots immediately made Rees less mobile. All of a sudden, his head became more stationary, and although he was bent over, his body was there to be hit as well.

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Broner destroys Rees; Bika decisions Sjekloca

02/17/201302/16/2013 ESB

broner33 By Bill Phanco: WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (26-0, 22 KO’s) was just too strong for challenger Gavin Rees (37-2-1, 18 KO’s) tonight in beating Rees by a 5th round TKO victory at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Broner put Rees down twice, and stopped him shortly after dropping him with a left to the body in the 5th. Broner was hammering away on Rees after he got up, and this led to Rees’ trainer Gary Lockett throwing in the towel to stop the punishment.

The knockdown in the 5th came when the two fighters were in close, and Rees seemed to be confused, as if he thought the referee was going to break them because they had stopped punching. Broner used the opportunity to hit Rees with a crunching left to the body that put Rees down on the canvas.

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Broner moving up to light welterweight if Ricky Burns doesn’t face him

02/16/2013 ESB

broner4 broner4 By Jeff Sorby: WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KO’s) is ready to give up on the 135 lb. division if he can’t get a unification bout with WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (35-2, 10 KO’s) in the near future.

Broner, who has what amounts to be as a stay busy title defense tonight against the over-matched 5’4” Gavin Rees (37-1-1, 18 KO’s), wants to face Burns to prove to boxing fans that he’s the best fighter in the division. However, Burns hasn’t been helpful in making the fight, and has twice gone in the other direction when Broner has tried to get him in the ring.

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Kellerman: Broner is a heavy favorite over Rees because he’s so special

02/17/201302/16/2013 ESB

broner432 By Bill Phanco: Gavin Rees (37-1-1, 18 KO’s) is coming into his fight tonight against World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KO’s) as a huge underdog by as much as 80-1. Max Kellerman of HBO believes the reason why Rees is such a huge underdog is because how good Broner rather than how limited Rees is. Kellerman actually sees talent in the 5’4” Rees, but he still thinks he’s out of his class because of who he’s facing tonight.

Kellerman said in an interview with I Film London “He’s [Rees] a good fighter, and the odds, which are absurdly wide over here, as much as 80-1 at some point, is a reflection more of what they think of Broner than what they think of Gavin. People think Broner is a special kind of fighter, and I think the odds reflect that over here…The way Broner beat Antonio DeMarco, it was one of the most thorough beatings you’ll see a top fighter.

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Enzo Calzaghe not impressed with Broner, compares him to Jeff Lacy

02/16/2013 ESB

BronerReesNYPC_Hoganphotos(1) (Photo credit: Hogan photos) By Jeff Sorby: Enzo Calzaghe, the former trainer for Gavin Rees (37-1-1, 18 KO’s), is giving him a better than average chance to beat WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KO’s) tonight in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Calzaghe thinks Rees can win if he fights like he used to years ago when he was at the top of his form.

Interestingly enough, Calzaghe isn’t impressed with what he’s seen of Broner, and he compares him to Jeff Lacy, a fighter his son Joe Calzaghe defeated by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision seven years ago in 2006. Lacy came into the fight with Joe unbeaten and highly hyped, but Calzaghe easily beat him.

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Ward: Easy work for Broner tonight against Rees; don’t blink

02/16/2013 ESB

BronerReesNYPC_Hoganphotos(5) (Photo credit: Hogan photos) By Michael Collins: WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward doesn’t see WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KO’s) having any problems in his first defense of his WBC title tonight against former WBA light welterweight champion Gavin Rees (37-1-1, 18 KO’s) on HBO at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Ward sees this fight ending quickly with Broner stopping the 32-year-old Rees.

Ward said on his twitter “Don’t blink because that fight shouldn’t last long. Easy Work!! Easy!! Like Too Easy!! Not about underestimating…but I can’t help what I see on film.”

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Will Rees have a ‘Problem?’

02/11/2013 ESB

By J.D: February 16th at the Boardwalk Hall Atlantic City will see Gavin ‘The Rock’ Rees (37-1-1 18 ko’s) lock horns with WBC Lightweight Champion Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner (25-0-0 21 ko’s).
Rees has been given little chance by many of upsetting the odds, but as a former world champion at Light Welterweight and the current European and most recently crowned British Champion of the lightweight division has he perhaps been written off too soon as just another learning curve for the highly touted Broner?

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