Khan considering Senchenko, Ortiz and Lopez for April fight; will be choosing this week

09/14/201601/14/2013 ESB

khan4343 By Michael Collins: Former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan says he’ll be making an announcement about his next opponent for April this week. He’s meeting with Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer in the UK to pick from one of the following fighters: Victor Ortiz, Josesito Lopez and Vyachaeslav Senchenko.

Khan said to Sky Sports “There are several opponents we’re looking at. A lot of people are talking about Josesito Lopez, Victor Ortiz, Senchenko, the guy that beat Ricky Hatton. There are few names that we have been put there. I’m one of those fighters that will fight anyone. I never said no to an opponent and I never will. Whoever they find for me, we’ll find out in the next couple of days. I have to meet with Richard Schaefer and we’re going to talk about an opponent. So the next couple of days we’re going to announce who I’ll be fighting.”

I don’t care to see Khan fight Josesito Lopez. I’m not that interested in seeing Khan fight a guy that was just destroyed by WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. I don’t care that Lopez beat Victor Ortiz, I still don’t like the idea of Khan fighting someone that was beaten as badly as Lopez was. I’d prefer to see Lopez rebuild his career before fighting someone because it’s just off putting to see Khan get fed a guy coming off of a knockout loss.

continue

Josesito Lopez likely next opponent for Amir Khan

12/17/201212/16/2012 ESB

By Brad Cronick: Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer is talking about matching Amir Khan (27-3, 19 KO’s) against Josesito Lopez (30-5, 18 KO’s) in his next fight in April, according to Lance Pugmire of LA Times. Khan, however, fractured both of his hands in beating Carlos Molina (17-1, 7 KO’s) by a 10th round TKO last Saturday night and that could be a problem for Khan. It depends on how well his injured hands heal. But Lopez will still likely be the next opponent for Khan.

continue

Alvarez stops Lopez; Maidana TKOs Soto-Karass; De Leon defeats Gonzalez

09/14/201609/15/2012 ESB

Alvarez stops Lopez; Maidana TKOs Soto-Karass; De Leon defeats Gonzalez (Photos: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME) By Rob Smith: In a positively sick mismatch that should have never been made in the first place, WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KO’s) absolutely annihilated welterweight Josesito Lopez (30-5, 18 KO’s) by a 5th round TKO on Saturday night in one of Alvarez’s easier title defenses at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Alvarez knocked Lopez down three times, once in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds from body and head shots. Lopez, who looked soft in the midsection, had problems with Alvarez’s body shots. Alvarez obviously spotted the the coat of fat that Lopez had put on around his waist in moving up from welterweight in three months.

In the 5th, Alvarez finished off the hapless Lopez and referee Joe Cortez stepped in to halt the slaughter at 2:55 of the round.

continue

Josesito Lopez might be too heavy to beat Saul Alvarez tonight

09/14/201609/15/2012 ESB

Josesito Lopez might be too heavy to beat Saul Alvarez tonight (Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) By Marcus Richardson: Josesito Lopez (30-4, 18 KO’s) might very well have kissed goodbye his only chance of winning tonight agaisnt WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (40-0-1, 29 KO’s) by coming in a flabby looking 153 lbs during Friday’s weigh-in for tonight’s bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Before this fight, the heaviest that the 28-year-old Lopez had ever come in was 144 3/4 lbs for his fight against Victor Ortiz last June. Lopez appears to have power feeding in the past couple of months and has put on a lot of weight.

That weight, a lot of it ending up on his abdomen, will likely see him in the 160s tonight against Alvarez and that’s probably too much for Lopez to be carrying around. What Lopez should have done is stay as light as possible because his speed was his main asset against Alvarez. Lopez was never going to able to bulk up in three short months and compete with the stronger, younger and better skilled Alvarez in a toe-to-toe battle.

That’s just not going to happen. Lopez was never a big puncher, and just because he bulked up with a little muscle as well as fat it doesn’t mean that he’s going to be able to beat Alvarez at his own game. This weight that Lopez has put on is going to hurt him in a big way by preventing him from being able to box properly. He’s going to have problems when it comes to being able to move like he’s done in the past, and without his movement he’ll be a sitting duck against Alvarez.

continue

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez: Should the boxing world judge slowly?

09/14/201609/14/2012 ESB

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez: Should the boxing world judge slowly? (Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME) By Joseph Herron: Like many great fighters of yesteryear, the boxing world has witnessed many great champions cultivated with a careful guiding hand.

Most recently, the career of Canelo Alvarez’s famed promoter Oscar De La Hoya was nurtured cautiously by the vigilant eye of Hall of Fame matchmaker Bruce Trampler and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.

The Top Rank brass knew what they potentially had and elected to carefully navigate the Golden Boy’s career during the early stages of his rise to super stardom. Many ringside critics and boxing experts criticized the star-making machine, asserting that Oscar was a padded fighter who was purposely avoiding the stiffest competition available.

Although the five division champion currently possesses great disdain for his former handler, De La Hoya has learned very important lessons from the masters at Top Rank and is utilizing the same promotional tactics to develop his WBC Junior Middleweight Champion.

With a true architect of the sport like the great Don Chargin overseeing the 21 year old fighter’s career, Oscar has placed Alvarez in a position to succeed and possibly become the next big star of boxing.

continue

Canelo vs. Lopez: “A for Effort”

09/14/201609/12/2012 ESB

Canelo vs. Lopez: "A for Effort" (Photo credit: Ester Lin/Showtime) By Marc Livitz: Hardcore fans and the so-called purists alike may feel themselves a bit torn this upcoming Saturday evening. Contrary to popular American belief is the fact that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. There’s always been a reason why the weekend which most closely precedes or follows the sixteenth of September is a hot date for the sweet science and the old lady will be wearing her finest pearls this weekend.

Sadly and to the disappointment of many of her loyal and regular suitors, she’s in a bit of a huff over the idea that a few knuckleheads have intentionally thrown some mud upon her nicest dress. The cleaning bill once again has inexplicably been chucked in the direction of the fans.

One of the biggest sins of the sponsor and spawn is to put the paying customer in a corner. The old goat has been in a face-off with the younger brood for a long while, as we all know. Of course, there are and continue to be stumbling blocks to the fights which we all want to enjoy. The one placed before us was however arguably avoidable. It’s still in the nature of people, particularly men, to go ahead as planned without clear regard to the consequences of their actions.

continue

Josesito Lopez: I’m going to be strong at 154 lbs for Saul Alvarez fight

09/14/201609/07/2012 ESB

Josesito Lopez: I'm going to be strong at 154 lbs for Saul Alvarez fight By Dwight Chittenden: #4 WBC Josesito Lopez (30-4, 18 KO’s) says he feels stronger now that he’s moved up from 140 pounds to fight. In his last fight, the 28-year-old Lopez moved up to 147 lbs and defeated former WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz after breaking his jaw in two places last June in a back and forth fight. Lopez, 5’11”, now will be moving up to 154 lbs to take on WBC junior middleweight champion Saul Alvarez (40-0-1, 29 KO’s) at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lopez said to RingTV “Having to make 140 pounds is a struggle for a guy my height. There were ties when it was tought to make and I couldn’t give 100 percent in those fights. But I felt completely different in the Ortiz fight, especially in the middle and late rounds. I didn’t have to take any rounds off. I feel even stronger for this fight.”

It did look like Lopez took some rounds off in the Ortiz fight. I thought Lopez. He says he didn’t, but I thought Lopez fought hard in spurts and rested in some rounds.

Regardless of how strong Lopez says he’s feeling for the Alvarez fight it’s still going to be awfully difficult for him to compete in this fight. He looks kind of frail and doesn’t possess the same kind of thudding power that the 22-year-old Alvarez possesses.

continue

Alvarez-Lopez: What chance does Josesito have?

09/14/201608/30/2012 ESB

Alvarez-Lopez: What chance does Josesito have? By Robert Jackson: Longtime 140lb contender Josesito Lopez will be facing 154lb champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on September 15, 2012; so what are his chances of the fight ending in victory for him??

Coming off of a 9 round stoppage of Victor Ortiz in his first BIG fight at 147lbs it would seem as if the Riverside, California native has a good chance to dethrone Alvarez. But if you look a little deeper, Lopez’ record, it is littered journeyman fighters, and, other up-and-comers that unlike himself haven’t separated themselves – haven’t yet arrived. It can also be speculated that Ortiz dismissed and underestimated the very determined Lopez, after all Lopez said the same in the build up to their June 2012 fight.

What doesn’t need to be said is that Lopez DID defeat Ortiz in dramatic fashion when Ortiz failed to answer the bell for the 10th round after suffering a broken jaw in two places during the fight. A testament to Lopez punching power or poor boxing fundamentals by Ortiz who fought that night with his mouth open for many rounds of the fight?

continue

Josesito Lopez given high ranking by WBC at 154 for Alvarez fight

09/14/201608/28/2012 ESB

Josesito Lopez given high ranking by WBC at 154 for Alvarez fight By Rob Smith: The World Boxing Council recently pushed welterweight Josesito Lopez (30-4, 18 KO’s) to number #4 in the 154 pound rankings just as Lopez heads into his September 15th fight against WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (40-0-1, 29 KO’s) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Why the WBC decided to give Lopez a high ranking in the junior middleweight division is the big question. Lopez has never fought at 154 before and he only recently moved up to 147 lbs to fight Victor Ortiz in his last fight.

Going from light welterweight to welterweight for one fight and then being pushed to the #4 spot by the WBC at 154 is kind of baffling to me. What did Lopez do to get ranked so high other than signing to fight the WBC’s champion Alvarez? Stuff like this just makes me feel distrustful of the sanctioning bodies. When they take a fighter and push him to a high ranking in a division that they don’t fight in it seems wrong. I hate the idea of Alvarez a welterweight, if you want to call him that, in the first place. Why couldn’t Alvarez at least fight someone in his own division.

I know the WBC has now taken care of all this by giving Lopez an inflated ranking in the junior middleweight division, but it’s disappointing that Alvarez is being matched up against what is really a light welterweight for this fight. I thought it was really bad that Alvarez picked up the vacant WBC junior middleweight title last year by fighting a welterweight Matthew Hatton, who wasn’t even ranked in the junior middleweight division. But now Alvarez is making things look even worse by taking on a fighter from a division below him Lopez.

continue