Sav’s View – The Welterweight Division state of affairs

08/26/201408/26/2014 Jamie Savin

Following Kell Brook capturing the IBF Title from Shawn Porter, the landscape in the Welterweight division has changed slightly. The Welterweight division is one of the original weight divisions in boxing and has always had a sense of prestige matched only by the Heavyweight division. Perhaps this is because the greatest boxers of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson was at his best at Welterweight, but no matter fights in this division carry an amount of glamour. The current Welterweight division has had the spotlight thrust upon it more so in recent years as the two biggest stars of this generation have campaigned almost exclusively at the weight in Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, as well as some exciting talent coming through alongside the top talents from the deep Light-Welterweight division moving up or indicating they would be moving up soon.

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Roach: Pacquiao has a way of getting past Algieri’s jab

08/25/2014 Rob Smith

Trainer Freddie Roach recognizes that the bigger and taller Chris Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) has an excellent jab that will give WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) problems when they face each other on November 22nd in Macao, China. However, Roach feels confident that Pacquiao will be able to get past Algieri’s jab in order for him to land his blistering fast combinations.

“Algieri has a good reach advantage and we’re going to have to get past that and his jab. That will be our biggest problem. We have ways to do that,” Roach said.

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Klitschko injured during sparring

08/27/201408/25/2014 Bill Phanco

Earlier today, it was announced that IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (62-3, 52 KOs) suffered an injury to his left bicep injury while training for his previously scheduled September 6th title defense against Kubrat Pulev (20-0, 11 KOs).

In the press statement sent out by Klitschko’s management, it was only mentioned that Wladimir had injured his left biceps while training without going into details about how the injury occurred. According to BILD, Wladimir was injured during a sparring session with one of his 15 sparring partners that had traveled to Going, Austria to help the 38-year-old Wladimir get ready for the fight.

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Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Mayweather/50 Cent Beef, Kell Brook, & More!!!!

08/25/2014 Vivek Wallace

Kalvin N. (Washington, DC): I’ve watched this whole Mayweather/50 beef and as an African American man who has sacrificed a great deal, I think it’s absolutely sad to witness. I’d like to know, what are your thoughts, culturally, and personally, on this topic?

Vivek W. (ESB): I think the term “sad” is a major, understatement. It’s a very troubling sight to watch unfold, and although some don’t want to hear this, I’m gonna be very pointed in my assessment that it’s not only distasteful, but it’s a kryptonite that’s only present in one cultural demographic, and it speaks for why that demographic continues to fall apart. This may not be a popular position to some, but I’d rather be hated for being honest than loved for lying. These words need to spoken, and today, I’ve volunteered to be the messenger.

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Pacquiao: Algieri may be the smartest and the fittest athlete I have ever faced

08/25/201408/25/2014 Top Rank

LAS VEGAS, NV (August 25, 2014) — Boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Fighter of the Decade Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against New York’s undefeated WBO junior welterweight champion CHRIS ALGIERI, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Management, a Masters Degree in Clinical Nutrition and a Ph.D. in Upsets Inside The Ring. Promoted by Top Rank® and Sands China Ltd., in association with MP Promotions, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, Banner Promotions and Tecate, the Pacquiao vs. Algieri world welterweight championship event will take place Saturday, November 22, at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Arena. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at
9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

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Will Cotto vacate his WBC title rather than fight Golovkin?

08/24/2014 Jeff Sorby

WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KOs) could find himself in the position where he’ll be expected to face the winner of the October 18th fight between WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golokvin and Marco Antonio Rubio next year at some point if he wants to hold onto the WBC title.

Cotto will be taking a stay busy fight on December 13th against possibly Andy Lee. After that fight, Cotto and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will likely be meeting each other in May of 2015. Cotto reportedly intends on defending his WBC middleweight title against Canelo.

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Klitschko vs. Pulev: Kubrat’s lack of power puts him at a huge disadvantage

08/25/201408/24/2014 Vladimir S

#1 IBF Kubrat Pulev (20-0, 11 KOs) has done a good job of staying unbeaten enough to get a title shot against IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (62-2, 52 KOs) on September 6th at the O2 World Arena, Altona, in Hamburg, Germany.

Without any punching power to speak of, Pulev is ready at a huge disadvantage against the 6’6” Wladimir in this fight. Up until now, Pulev has been little more than a tall jabbing machine. He gets by with his superb jab and his sound defensive skills.

With his jab, long reach, and his retreating style of fighting, he’s been able to beat everyone that his promoters at Sauerland Events have put in front of him thus far during his career. Sauerland has done a good job of being strategic with their match-making.

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Adrien Broner needs to dedicate himself to the sport, says Rosado

08/24/2014 Jeff Sorby

If former three division world champion Adrien Broner (28-1, 22 KOs) wants to have a successful career then he’s going to need to dedicate himself fully to the sport of boxing, says former middleweight world title challenger Gabriel Rosado.

Rosado believes that Broner is spending too much partying and touring and not enough time in the gym training at his craft. Rosado likes the heart that Broner showed against Marcos Maidana last December in taking a beating and getting up from two knockdowns, but he still thinks that Broner isn’t putting everything he has in his career.

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Pacquiao-Algieri to begin press tour on Monday in Macao, China

08/24/2014 Rob Smith

WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) and Chris Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) will start their press tour on Monday in the first stop of their 6-city tour in Macao, China. The press tour was put together by Top Rank to help create interest in the Pacquiao vs. Algieri fight on HBO pay-per-view on November 22nd in Macao, China.

There’s a lot of pressure on both fighters to try sell this fight because it’s not as a particularly interesting one in the minds of many boxing fans. The two fighters will need to go over the top with this one if they want it to sell.

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Shannon Briggs destroys Cory Phelps in 1st round TKO

08/25/201408/24/2014 Kevin Chittenden

42-year-old former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (56-6-1, 49 KOs) obliterated a badly over-matched Cory Phelps (16-7-1, 8 KOs) by a 1st round knockout last Saturday night in Winston-Salem North Carolina. Briggs, 6’4”, knocked Phelps down three times in the round.

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