By: William Holmes
The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of October 7th to October 14th, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.
Leon Spinks Hospitalized
The Associated Press has reported that former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks is in a Las Vegas Hospital after a second operation for abdominal problems.
Spinks is most famous for defeating Muhammad Ali when Ali was on the downside of his career. This was his second surgery for his abdominal issues after complications from his first emergency surgery.
Spinks finished with a career record of 26-17-3.
Oscar De La Hoya to Receive Community Icon Award
Hoy Los Angeles held their 2014 Latinos de Hoy Awards on Saturday, October 11th at the Los Angeles Times’ Chandler Auditorium. Honorees included boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya, singer Sheila E., music icon Angelica Maria, filmmaker Eugenio Derbez, music groupd La Santa Cecilia, and others.
The star studded event marks the culmination of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Oscar De La Hoya was presented with the Community Icon Award in recognition of supporting critical causes and community initiatives in Los
Angeles.
Golovkin vs. Rubio and Donaire vs. Walters Fight Week Schedule
This weekend Gennady Golovkin (30-0) will defend his WBA and IBO Middleweight World Titles against WBC Interim World Champion Marco Antonio Rubio (59-6-1) and Nonito Donaire (33-2) will face Nicholas Walters (24-0) for the WBA Featherweight World Championship.
The following is a fight week schedule for these two title bouts.
On Wednesday, October 15th at the 220 Boxing Academy in Santa Monica, California fighters will be holding media workouts outdoors. The work outs will start at 12:00 p.m. and end at 1:30 p.m.
On Friday, October 17th a public weigh-in will be held at the StubHub Center Concourse. The undercard will weigh in at 12:30 p.m. and the HBO fighters will weight in at 1:00 p.m.
The fights start at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, October 18th at the StubHub Center and the HBO Broadcast will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Marcus Upshaw Ready for October 23rd Fight Against Aaron Pryor Jr.
Marcus Upshaw Makes Ring Return
Marcus “Arillius” Upshaw (17-3-2) will make his return to the ring on October 23rd against Aaron Pryor Jr. (19-7) in a ten round main event at a private Alarm Charity Boxing Fundraiser at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.
“I’ve fought everybody,” Upshaw said from training camp.
“It seems like I’ve fought forever as a super middleweight but I’m a middleweight and this fight is going to help me get a fight against a top middleweight. My mind is right for this fight and I know what I need to do. I’m not going to leave fights in the hands of judges anymore.”
Both Pryor and Upshaw badly need a victory if they want to be considered more than just gatekeepers.
Jimmy Lange Boxing to Showcase Chop Chop, White Lightning, Hearns vs. Reid on November 15th
Jimmy Lange Boxing will put on a show at the Patriot Center on November 15th, 2014. The main event will be a rematch between Jimmy Lange and
Tony “Mo Better” Jeter and a title bout featuring Tori Nelson of Ashburn, VA.
The undercard will feature all-time great DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (44-22-1) a former WBO Light welterweight champion. Corley is coming off of a victory over Daniel Attah last month.
Todd “White Lightning” Wilson (16-0) will look to remain undefeated against an opponent to be named, and Ronald Hearns (26-5) will take on veteran
Jonathon “Reid Dawg” Reid (36-15). Hearns is the son of former world champion Thomas Hearns and Reid was a former contestant on “The Contender”.
Tickets will be available online at www.ticketmaster.com
Banner Promotions Gearing up for a Busy Fall
Banner Promotions will be closing 2014 with a string of domestic and international fights that are on tap for some of the biggest stars in boxing.
On Saturday, November 22nd in Macao, China WBO Jr. Welterweight World Champion Chris Algieri will take on the legendary Manny Pacquiao in a bout for Pacquiao’s WBO Welterweight world title on HBO Pay-Per-View.
On Friday, November 28th in Moscow, Russia Ruslan Provodnikov will have a fight in his home country for the first time against an opponent to be announced shortly.
On Saturday, December 13th, WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion Demetrius Andrade is set to face a top contender to be named in the future.
On Friday, January 16th, The Boxcino 2014 Champions Willie Monroe Jr. and Petr Petrov are in discussions for the next bout that will take place at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino.
Akaba Replaced Belmontes for Bout Against Edner Cherry
Osumanu Akaba, of Ghana, will step in against Edner Cherry in a 10 round junior lightweight contest on Saturday, October 18th at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. Jerry Belmontes injured his wright during training and had to pull out.
The Cherry-Akaba bout and the Steve Cunningham-Natu Visinia heavyweight ten-rounder will be televised live on the popular NBC Sports Network’s Fight Night series beginning at 9 pm (ET). Akaba has a record of 24-6 with nineteen knockouts and has won three minor championships.
Jorga Lara Wins Promotions Debut for Sampson Boxing, Bundrage Defeats Molina
Super Bantamweight prospect Jorge Lara fought on the undercard of Saturday’s Molina vs. Bundrage fight at the Oasis Hotel Complex in Cancun, Mexico. Lara (26-0-1) dominated Jovanny Soto and knocked him down four times before the fight was stopped in the fourth round.
“Lara looked like a star tonight,” said a happy Lewkowicz. “I am proud to have him in my stable He is another future champion I have in my stable at 122 lbs that also includes Oscar Escandon, Tyson Cave, Hugo Ruiz, Luis Emmanuel Cusolito, Jhonatan Arenas, and Jonathan Guzman.”
In the main event of that same card, Cornelius “K9” Bundrage won a twelve round decision over Carlons Molina (22-6-2) to regain a junior middleweight title. Molina was knocked down in the first and tenth rounds and won the decision on Molina’s home turf with scores of 117-106, 116-109, and 115-110.
Bennett and Williams Win at R&R Promotions Friday Night Fights
In the main event of R&R Promotions’ Friday Night Fights: Put Down the Guns, Pick up the Gloves” Brandon “Untouchable” Bennett defeated Tyrone Harris by unanimous decision. Bennett picked Harris apart for eight rounds and swept the judges scorecards with scores of 80-72 (x3). Bennett is now 18-1.
Former Olympic Silver Medalist Ricardo Williams excited the crowd with an overhand left that knocked out Guillermo Sanchez in the fourth round of their light welterweight bout. Williams is now 22-3 with eleven knockouts.
Middleweight Contender Spada Banks on Upsetting the Odds Against Martin Murray in Monte Carlo
Domenico Spada will be facing highly rated Martin Murray in Monte Carlo next weekend, and he believes a victory over Murray will be a short cut to a world title shot.
Spada is ranked #7 by the WBC and has a record of 39-5. Murray is currently 28-1-1. Spada has been traning at his Volcano Gym in Rome under the watchful eye of Valerio Monti. Spada claims a recent defeat to Marco Antonio Rubio, who fights Golovkin this weekend for the WBA title, has had little impact on his confidence.
“It will be a good opportunity for me and my supporters to earn money,” stated Spada. He rated Murray as a very good fighter and asking only that he has a good and clean fight.