By Pepe Rodriguez: The Coahuila puncher, Marco Antonio “El Veneno” Rubio, knows that Chavez Jr. is a dangerous fighter, but said: “I will face the best version of the legend’s son, in his last fights he has shown great advances against major rivals, but I have the punch to knock him out, so I don´t want to risk with the judges, I’ll go for the Knock out”.
Marco, who looks strong and in very good condition, said that he is in the final stage of the preparation of his next fight against Chavez, and is practicing sparring with Marco “Dorado” Reyes and other partners, with whom he puts into practice the tactics deployed to combat the fighter from Culiacan, Sinaloa Mexico (Chavez Jr.).
The bout to confront Chávez Carrasco next February 4th, will be at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas. After losing his first attempt to be crowned WBC Middleweight Champion against Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik in 2009, to date he has added nine wins by Ko to his record, which makes him an extremely dangerous challenger, with many possibilities to be crowned.
IABA UPDATE (IABA ANNUAL AWARDS)
IRISH AMATEUR BOXING ASSOCIATION
Katie Taylor scooped the Boxer of the Year award at the Irish Amateur Boxing Association Annual Awards at the Green Isle Hotel in Dublin last night.
The Bray woman, the current AIBA World lightweight champion, claimed her fifth European title in-a-row and her fourth European Union gold medal on-the-trot in 2011, the IABA’s Centenary year.
Taylor was also one of six boxers to receive Elite International Achievers Awards, along with Joe Ward, Ray Moylette, John Joe Nevin, Darren O’Neill and Michael Conlan.
Moylette and Ward, who secured gold at the 2008 and 2010 AIBA World Youth Championships in Mexico and Azerbaijan, won double gold for Ireland at the 2011 European Senior Championships.
Nevin, the youngest member of the five-man Irish 2008 Olympic team in Beijing at 18, O’Neill and Conlan qualified for the 2012 Olympics in London from the 2011 AIBA World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Nevin created history in Baku after becoming the first Irish male boxer to win two medals at World Championships level.
Katie Taylor’s dad and coach Peter Taylor said: “Katie is absolutely delighted with the award. The previous twelve months were a big year for Irish boxing and 2012 will be crucial with the Olympic qualifiers for men and women and the Olympic Games just around the corner.”
Irish Elite champion Ross Hickey, meanwhile, picked up the Elite Individual Award. Christy Joyce, Michael O’Reilly, Dylan Carr and Darren Pollock were also honoured in this category.
Katie Rowland, Michael Walsh and Austeja Acuieta were back on top of the podium after winning three bronze medals at the 1st AIBA World Women’s Youth and Junior Championships last year.
The legendary Jim O’Sullivan, who claimed 10 Irish Elite titles, was inducted into the AIBA Hall of Fame, while the Ryston BC in Newbridge, Co. Kildare picked up the Best Club and Coaches award.
The Irish European Youth, Junior and Schoolboy teams were also presented with awards last evening, while Ferdie Walsh received the Best Referee & Judge (R&J) award.
World number one R&J Michael Gallagher was presented with a Special Award just a few weeks after he picked up the AIBA 2011 R&J World award in London in December.
Dominic O’Rourke, Billy Walsh, Dominic Kiernan, Joe Hennigan and Gerry Callan also had their outstanding contributions to Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport acknowledged.
IABA ANNUAL AWARDS GREEN ISLE HOTEL DUBLIN JANUARY 14TH
Best boxer
Katie Taylor (Bray)
Elite International Achievers:
Joe Ward (Moate)
Ray Moylette (St Anne’s)
John Joe Nevin (Cavan)
Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
Mihael Conlan (St John Bosco)
Katie Taylor (Bray)
Individual Awards
Elite: Ross Hickey (Grangecon)
Intermediate: Christy Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)
Youth: Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
Junior: Dylan Carr (Ryston)
Schoolboy: Darren Pollock (St Agnes)
Best Club
Ryston BC
Coaches Award
The coaching staff at Ryston
Hall of Fame Boxer
Jim O’Sullivan
Best Referee & Judge:
Ferdie Walsh (Loughrea)
Special Award:
Michael Gallagher (Tyrone)
Special Award for Services to Boxing
Dominic Kiernan (Wexford CBS)
Speical Award for Outstanding Services to Boxing
Dominic O’Rourke
High Performance Award
Billy Walsh
Friendship Award
Gerry Callan (Irish Daily Star)
Administration Award
Joe Hennigan
Youth Team Awards
Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
Joe Fitzpatrick (Immaculata)
Stephen Broadhurst (Dealgan)
Jack Morrissey (Sacre Coeur)
Women’s Youth & Junior World Championships Team Award
Katie Rowland (Geesala)
Michaela Walsh (Holy Family)
Austeja Acuieta (Finn Valley)
Laois Traynor (Bray)
Lauragh O’Neill (Paulstown).
European Junior Championshipos Team Award
Luke Thomas (Watergrasshill)
John Nevin (Cavan)
Martin Conroy (Ballyhaunis)
European Schoolboy Championships Team Awards
John Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)
James Cleary (Olympic)
Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart)
Craig Bonney (Trinity Boys)
Lewis Crocker (Cairn Lodge)
Sean Conroy (Ballyhaunis)
Keelan Sexton (West Clare)
Matthew Burke (Ballinrobe)
Milan and Moscow show killer instinct while new-look Istanbul punish Paris and more
Lausanne, Switzerland, 15 January 2012 – The return World Series Boxing action confirms Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder and Baku Fires status as the teams to beat after both record emphatic wins against Venky’s Mumbai Fighters and Beijing Dragons respectively. Mexico City Guerreros dismantle Leipzig Leopards in Group B while the vastly improved Istanbul Bosphorus delight their fans with a classic against Paris United. Powerful Astana Arlans are just too good for the visiting Los Angeles Matadors as Dynamo Moscow show their ruthless streak with a win of their own against the Bangkok Elephants.
Full results and rankings
Schedule
Relive all the matches on www.worldseriesboxingtv.com
Match of the week
New year new Istanbul Bosphorus as the Turkish outfit show their metal against Paris United. Having been billed as the one to watch, the action in this Group B clash was absolute top-drawer as the home team stylishly dominated their rivals at the Bagcilar Olipik Spor Kompleksi. An evening of quality boxing saw veteran Huseyin Dundar make an impressive debut in WSB with a smart display against Aleksandr Riscan as Jaba Khositashvili and Turkish winning machine Bahram Muzzafer also record victories. The long-awaited Heavyweight contest showcased the best of the division as Belarusian southpaw Viktar Zuyev puts in a masterclass against the giant Filip Hrgovic to delight the raucous crowds. The Istanbul Bosphorus camp will have been delighted not only to take the win here but with the impressive 4:1 scoreline, it looks like this new-look side has turned a corner and they will now approach their next match with renewed purpose.
Watch the match again on WSB TV
Thrashing of the week
This should have been a close contest in Group B with both teams very evenly matched on paper, however no one could have predicted how good the Mexico City Guerreros were going to be on the night as they completely overwhelmed their opponents. They were sensational against the visiting Leipzig Leopards as they recorded a sumptuous 5:0 win at fortress Foro Polanco. Bantamweight Braulio Avila Juarez was fast and furious in all his five rounds, continuously peppering his opponent with a flurry of combination punches. It was more of the same as Angel Gutierrez used a similar tactic to great effect in the Lightweight bout. Mladen Manev was made to work hard in his match against Dutch newcomer Danyo Stephen, but having sent his opponent to the canvas in the fourth round, in the end he survived a late charge to take the points victory. In keeping with the mood in the Guerreros camp, Kennedy Katende boxed perfectly against Enrico Kölling, never allowing him time to breathe or a moment’s peace as his unrelenting assaults had the man from Germany in all sorts of trouble throughout.
Watch the match again on WSB TV
Fight of the week
When unknown quantity Xiaohu Liu of the Beijing Dragons took to the ring against Baku Fires’ Semen Grivachev, many predicted the Azeri fighter would extend his winning sequence for the season, however the 24-year-old Liu had other ideas. Taking the fight to his opponent, Liu demonstrated an astute game plan to outbox the experienced Grivachev throughout this intriguing contest. It was a display of dominance that will have surprised many and Liu will now not be taken for granted the next time he takes to the ring.
Rest of the action
The rivalry continues as Astana Arlans defeatLos Angeles Matadors to cement second spot in Group A. A real tight contest with Daniyar Tokbayev and Merey Akshalov both recording split decision wins in the first two fights of the evening before Kanat Slam is back to his old tricks with a TKO against Zaal Kvachatadze, his fourth TKO in his last five fights. With the overall victory for the team from the Kazak capital confirmed, Siarhei Karneyev got the consolation for the visiting Matadors before Ruslan Myrsatayev wrapped up proceedings with a clever performance against 2008 Olympic Games quarter-finalist Mohammed Arjaoui to give the Arlans a 4:1 win.
The irrepressible Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder demonstrated why we are running out of superlatives to describe their performances so far this season as they clinical dispatched the Venky’s Mumbai Fighters 5:0 at the Mediolanum Forum in Italy. None of the boxers from Mumbai had any answers to the well-drilled fighters of Milan as Vitaliy Volkov, Miklos Vargas and William McLaughlin quickly gave the home team an unassailable 3-0 lead. It was then the turn of the evenings star attraction Ludovic Groguhe to make his mark, the Frenchman has been in fine form this season and showed once again why the fans love him so much as his explosive style completely overpowered Marko Calic in all departments. Pride of Poland Michal Olas outclassed tough Moldovan Mihail Muntean in the Heavyweight contest to enhance his reputation as a rising star in this division.
Watch the match again on WSB TV
Keeping pace with the standards set by Milano, Baku Fires continue to set the tone in Group B after yet another terrific away result. Making it six wins out of six, the Azeri outfit continues its pursuit of silverware in style. Well-equipped and battle-hardened, the Baku Fires have spoken of their desire to be recognised as the world No.1 boxing team and they are well on the path to achieving this status after cruising to a comprehensive 4:1 victory on the Beijing Dragons’ turf. Talented Gairbek Germankhanov immediately set the well oiled Baku Fires winning machine in motion as the 27-year-old orthodox top ranked Bantamweight outboxed Qingxian Mai. Ramazan Magomedau defeat of Jianzheng Wang in the penultimate contest of the night saw him move up to the second in the Light Heavyweight Individual Ranking, just behind team mate and compatriot Azamat Murtuzaliyev. The Fires are just an awesome proposition these days.
After having had an unfavourable schedule in the first part of the season, Dynamo Moscow are now able to show the competition what they are capable of. Following a sensational performance against the Bangkok Elephants, their 5:0 win saw them move up to third place in Group A. This victory was so comprehensive that their next opponents will surely be quacking in the boots. Southpaw Vazgen Safaryants, one of the stars of this team, extended his unbeaten record with a confident display against debutant Suphamongkhon Phongphira with Danil Shved also impressive in the Light Heavyweight fight. The fans in Moscow were then treated to a sensational TKO in the final Heavyweight battle as Vitaly Kudukhov threw a barrage of punches in the first round that had Anatolii Antoniuk in all sorts of trouble before a thunderous overhead right was quickly followed by a devastating left hook that saw Kudukhov triumph to the acclaim of his delighted corner. Watch the match again on WSB TV
Boxer of the week
Look no further than Mexico City Guerreros’ Ecuadorian orthodox fighter Jorge Quinonez. Facing the taller and heavier Philipp Gruner, it took him less than a minute to emphatically win his Heavyweight contest. Rocking his opponent with a quality straight right to the temple, Quinonez sensed blood and immediately pounced as he followed up this shot with a devastating left right combination that sent Gruner sprawling to the canvas. What a way to introduce yourself to WSB.