By: William Holmes
The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of December 16th to December 23rd, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.
Quotes from Kovalev vs. Pascal Press Conference
Sergey Kovalev (26-0) and Jean Pascal (29-2-1) are set to face each other on March 14, 2015 at the Bell Center on HBO. They recently held a press conference to promote their upcoming bout and below is a few select quotes.
Even though he holds the unified WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion title belts, Kovalev praised Pascal highly at Monday’s press conference. “He’s the best possible opponent I could face in the weight division,” said Kovalev, who was named Sports Illustrated’s 2014 Fighter of the Year Monday.
“I respect Sergey Kovalev because he is the king of the light heavyweight division,” said Pascal, the former WBC, IBO and The Ring Light Heavyweight champion. “This will be the greatest challenge ever faced by a Quebec-based boxer, but with discipline and hard work, as well as the support of local boxing fans, nothing is impossible.”
Kovalev said he won’t be bothered by the fact that the fight will take place in Montreal, where Pascal is one of the most popular boxers on the local scene.
“The ring is the same everywhere”, he said. “I plan to show who I am to Canadian boxing fans, and I aim to do the things they like to see in a ring.” Pascal also promised this will be a fight not to be missed. “If you’re a boxing fan, this is the perfect Christmas gift to give to someone you love, because it will be one of the greatest fights ever – and the greatest ever held in Canada.”
“This is not my first time in Canada, but each time I come here I’m greatly impressed to see to what extent boxing is a major sport in the Quebec province,” said Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, Kovalev’s promoter.
“This will be a high-quality event, and I’m delighted to be working with a first-rate promoter in InterBox and a great network in HBO for this fight that will bring together two great boxers.”
“What a great way to end 2014 with this announcement of a such a great fight for the New Year,” said InterBox President Jean Bédard. “Sergey Kovalev is the holder of three world titles, but he is first and foremost the boxer that no one wants to face. But it is with great enthusiasm that Jean Pascal has accepted this challenge.”
“Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal are first-rate competitors who always look to fight against the best and, on March 14, that’s exactly what they will do against one another in a World Championship bout,” said Peter Nelson, Vice President of Programming at HBO Sports.
“Following a key win for his career against Bernard Hopkins, Kovalev will put his three unified titles on the line, which Jean Pascal will try to take away. And let’s not forget that the winner will be able to proclaim himself king of the light heavyweight division. This event is absolutely not to be missed!”
Thomas Dulorme Giving Back to his Community in Puerto Rico
Since coming home to Puerto Rico after his spirited HBO Boxing After Dark victory against Hank Lundy, world title contender Thomas Dulorme (22-1, 14 KO’s), has been very active in his community, participating in charity events with the World Boxing Organization (WBO). On this afternoon, the NABF Jr. Welterweight champion made his own charity event dedicated to the Community institution of “La Perla de Gran Precio”, a needy neighborhood in the barrio of Obrero, Santurce.
“Since I’m training in California, I’m always thinking on how to help my people from Puerto Rico,” said an excited Thomas Dulorme, who is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, and managed by Cameron Dunkin. “Today I provided food to those in need and it was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Soon I’ll be visiting more institutions. I don’t want this to be a part-time Christmas gesture as I want to continue helping those that are less fortunate.”
Since 1986 ‘La Perla de Gran Precio’ has been serving the needy and homeless men and women in San Juan, Puerto Rico, those with mental disorders, substance abuse, homeless pregnant women, and HIV-infected patients among others.
“Thomas Dulorme is a very giving young man who is always looking to help others,” said promoter Gary Shaw. “He’s educated with a college degree and a great role model to children of all ages. Every young man in boxing should aspire to be like Dulorme. He’s a gentleman in every aspect of his life, inside and outside the ring. I’m very proud to say he’s one of my fighters.”
Road to Rios vs. Alvarado II Premiers January 10th
HBO Boxing presents Road to Alvarado-Rios 3 a compelling special spotlighting the upcoming final chapter of a trilogy that appears primed to go into the history books as one of the most heated rivalries of the current era. Welterweights Mike Alvarado and Brandon Rios, widely known for their unrelenting desire to fight until the final bell, are set to kick off an all-new boxing season when their highly anticipated slugfest takes place Saturday, Jan. 24 at the 1ST BANK CENTER in Broomfield, CO and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark/I>.
The Road to Alvarado-Rios 3 special will premiere Saturday, January 10 at Midnight ET/PT on HBO. It will preview the fast-approaching contest between these two ring warriors who are meeting for the third time in the past four years. Their two earlier showdowns (2012 & 2013) were memorable, “Fight of the Year” candidates that had fight fans on the edge of their seats.
Antonio Tarver Calls Out David Haye
All five-time world champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (31-6, 22 KOs) wants for Christmas is a signed contract to fight former two-division world champion David Haye (26-2, 24 KOs), ideally, during the first-quarter of 2015.
Tarver had been sending direct tweets for the past six months to Haye, who hasn’t fought in more than two years, without receiving a response. Coming off last week’s impressive seventh-round knockout of veteran Johnathon Banks (29-3-1, 19 KOs), Tarver has taken off the proverbial gloves and he is now publically calling out Haye, who insists, once again, that he is coming out of retirement.
“In a perfect world I will be fighting Haye early next year,” Tarver said. “He keeps insisting that he’s the second-biggest name in the heavyweight division I need him to be my set-up guy to beat in order for me to get a world title shot against Wladimir Klitschko. Haye has one-punch knockout ability and he’s aggressive. Once I beat him, though, I want Klitschko. I will come to England and knockout Haye, knock him out cold. I’m 46 and I don’t want to go through 12 guys like (Chris) Arreola, (Eddie) Chambers or (Steve) Cunningham to get Klitschko. He’s waiting for me to lose so he doesn’t have to fight me. I’m calling out Haye to get Klitschko. He talks a lot, but the boxing world will see if Haye’s serious about fighting again. Tarver vs. Haye is a huge fight in London.
“I’m a star and I want to get paid. None of these cats know how to really promote a fight like Antonio Tarver. I’d prefer to fight Haye in Las Vegas but I’ll come to England to KO his ass! I have the most powerful adviser in boxing, Al Haymon, and I’ve told him I want Haye next. If Haye announces he’s coming out of retirement to fight somebody else, I’ll be at that press conference to embarrass him, the same way I had to get my (Roy) Jones (Jr.) fight. I’m a throw-back fighter who can make a pay-per-view bonanza fighting Klitschko and the way to get that fight is by knocking out Haye. I doubt he’ll fight me because he knows he can’t beat me. I want David Haye in the UK!
Tickets for Action Packed Card Featuring Tyson Fury on Sale
Tickets for heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury’s next fight on Saturday 28th February 2015 at The O2 arena, London, will go on sale on Monday (22nd December) at 10am.
Undefeated Fury headlines an action packed Frank Warren show when he makes the first defense of his European Heavyweight Championship that he won with a career best performance against Dereck Chisora last month.
Fury has a showdown with WBO World Champion Wladimir Klitschko lined up for the summer, but first he has a risky and crucial must-win fight against a top 15 ranked contender (to be announced) to deal with and he can leave no room for error.
Chief support on the show features the quick return of Brighton super-middleweight talent Chris Eubank Jnr. who makes his comeback following his first career loss to Billy Joe Saunders last month. Eubank Jnr. aims to get straight back into championship action and prove that he is the real deal.
More big title action comes in the form of red-hot Cromer super-featherweight Liam Walsh who puts his British and Commonwealth titles on the line after dismantling Gary Sykes last month to capture the Lonsdale belt with a devastating display.
Hugely popular South-Londoner Bradley Skeete will go for the Vacant WBO European Welterweight Championship in his first fight since his close points loss to rival Frankie Gavin last month.
Big-hitting Enfield super-middleweight star Frank Buglioni, the fighter with the good looks and knockout hooks, defends his WBO European title as he shows that he’s back on the road towards a British title in 2015.
Further title fights sees exciting East Dulwich welterweight Ahmet Patterson, who has transferred his flash street-dancing skills to the ring and added a knockout punch to amass an unbeaten record, defend his English title against undefeated Sunderland rival Glenn Foot.
All-action super-bantamweight Lewis Pettitt, from Erith, defends his WBA International title as he continues to develop into a contender for world title honours.
Finally, Essex cult boxer, Boy Jones Jnr, makes his long awaited professional debut and is set to thrill with his boy-band looks and fearsome punch power as he opens his pro career in a four-round super-featherweight contest.
HBO’s Boxing’s Best of 2014
Over four nights in late December HBO will televise eight of the year’s standout and best fights. These fights feature some of the best that boxing has to offer. The lineup includes:
Saturday, December 27 at 11:30 p.m.
Gennady Golovkin vs. Daniel Geale
Gennady Golovkin vs. Marco Antonio Rubio
Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley Jr. 2
Sunday, December 28 at 12:00 a.m.
Bernard Hopkins vs. Sergey Kovalev
Monday, December 29 at 11:30 p.m.
Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez
Terence Crawford vs. Yuriorkis Gamboa
Tuesday, December 30 at 11:30 p.m.
Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Mike Alvarado
Wladimir Klitschko vs. Kubrat Pulev
Fists of Power II Attracts 6.2 Million Viewers in Mainland China
Top Rank, SECA, and Sands China Ltd., have been building the growth of boxing in the People’s Republic of China by producing and promoting seven world championship events in Macao over the past 20 months. The second installment of their latest join venture, “Fists of Power”, attracted over 6.2 million viewers to its December 16 telecast. It featured fighters from the People’s Republic of China facing off against international competition.
Two title fights were featured, including one between Yang Lianhui (18-0) who captured the IBF Pan Pacific Junior Welterweight title over Fahsai Sakkreerin (41-6-1) of Thailand and May Yi Ming (12-5) capture the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Junior Flyweight Title by decision over Tommy Seran (24-4) of Indonesia.
Little Creek Brawl VI Results
On Saturday, December 20th Showtime extreme presented a quadruple header at the Little Creek Brawl VI in Shelton Washington.
Jesus “El Jinete” Cuellar (26-1) retained his interim WBA Featherweight title with a fifth round stoppage over Ruben Tamayo (23-5-4) at 1:48. Cuellar dropped Tamayo twice in the fourth round and once in the fifth round.
Gary Russell Jr. (25-1) bounced back from his fist defeat by scoring a ten round decision victory over Christopher Martin (28-5-3). The final scores were 100-90, 100-90, and 99-91.
Junior middleweight prospect Julian Williams (18-0-1) stopped Jamar Freeman (13-4-2) in the eighth round and scored three knockdowns in the process.
Julius Jackson (19-0) stopped Jonathan Nelson (19-2) in the ninth round to remain undefeated.
Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin Defeats Jargal
On December 20th at the Paramount in Huntington, NY Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing presented the 16th installment of the Rockin Fights series. Undefeated prospect Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin (15-0) captured the vacant WBC International Jr. Welterweight title with a 9th round TKO over Bayan Jargal (16-6-1) in the main event of the night.
Seldin scored a knockdown in the first round from a straight right hand and scored another knockdown in the seventh round with a seven punch combination. He scored the stoppage victory at 2:46 of the ninth round after a series of hard punches to the head of Jargal.