By Jim Dower: Light middleweight contender Zaurbek Baysangurov (17-0m 12 KOs) had a much harder than expected victory tonight over Romanian Gheorghe Danut (7-9-5), beating him by tough 10-round unanimous decision to win the vacant EBU (European) light middleweight title at the Sport Palace, in Kiev, Ukraine. The final judges’ scores were 114-113, 114-113 and 115-113, all for Baysangurov. However, I had the 22 year-old Baysangurov winning every round of the fight except for the first, as he landed the cleaner and harder blows throughout the fight, and none of the rounds were particularly close. Danut, however, made it tough by continuously coming at Baysangurov, countering him and landing shots to the body.

Baysangurov, ranked #8 in the WBC and #7 in the IBF, and #11 in the WBA, fought very relaxed in the first round, throwing jabs and hooks to the body. However, he appeared far too relaxed, and as a result he was outworked by Danut who landed a large number of lefts to the head. Danut’s punches, though, had little effect due to his lack of power and size. He seemed much smaller than Baysangurov, and his punches seemed more annoyances than anything else for Baysangurov. Read more…

By Jim Dower: Undefeated light heavyweight Vyacheslav Uzelkov (18-0, 11 KOs) made easy work of Julio Cesar Dominguez (18-4-1, 12 KOs), stopping him in the 3rd round tonight at the Sport Palace, in Kiev, Ukraine to defend his
WBA Inter-Continental light heavyweight title. After a slow start, the end came suddenly when Uzelkov, 28, dropped Dominguez with a left hand shot as he was attempting a punch in the 3rd. Upon getting up on wobbled legs, Dominguez was immediately attacked by Uzelkov, ranked #8 in the WBA light heavyweight division, who quickly knocked him down with a flurry of punches ending with a right hand. Seconds after the knockdown, Dominguez’s corner threw in the towel signaling the referee Mikael Hook to end the bout.

In the first round, it was Dominguez, 31, who looked to be the more impressive fighter as he landed well to the body with combinations. Uzelkov, for his part, looked very slow, focusing almost entirely of throwing jabs. His hand-speed was poor and he stood straight up most of the time, neither dipping to avoid shots or using any head movement. As a result, Dominguez easily won the round. Read more…

One of the best prospects in all of boxing, Unbeaten southpaw middleweight Joe Greene (17-0, 12 KOs) will be facing Francisco Antonio Mora (52-12, 35 KOs) on Saturday night on the undercard of Wladimir Klitschko vs. Sultan Ibragimov’s heavyweight unification bout at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Like prospect Peter Quillin, Greene, 22, a former 2004 National Golden Gloves Middleweight Champion from Queen’s New York, is another fighter that many boxing enthusiasts consider to be a better overall fighter than # 3 WBC ranked middleweight John Duddy, who is also fighting on the card and the one that will be getting much more press - and television time - than Greene or Quillin. Read more…

Undefeated middleweight prospect Peter Quillin (16-0, 13 KOs will be fighting tomorrow night against Thomas Brown (11-3-1, 7 KOs) on the undercard of Wladimir Klitschko vs. Sultan Ibragimov at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Quillin, 24, will be taking a second seat to middleweight challenger John Duddy, who will also be fighting on the card against what will likely be an overmatched Walid Smichet. Also making their appearance will be other middleweight prospect, Joe Green, who together with Quillin make up arguably the best middleweight pair in America. Read more…

By Eric Thomas: In the latest boxing news, undefeated WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (31-0, 25 KOs) has called out WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr (39-0, 25 KOs), saying to “stop making excuses” for not fighting him. As of now, Mayweather, 30, has a scheduled rematch with Oscar De La Hoya to take place on September 20th in Las Vegas. Depending on the outcome of the fight, it’s difficult to say when/if Mayweather will be interested in a bout with the unbeaten 27 year-old Cotto. Read more…

By David Lahr: World Boxing Council super bantamweight champion Israel Vazquez (42-4, 31 KOs) will defend his title in the rubber match between him and challenger Rafael Marquez (37-4, 33 KOs) on March 1st at the Home Depot Center, in Carson, California. This is a bout that reminiscent of the ancient gladiators as both fighters have laid their heart out in two previous fights, trading shot for shot and taking turns hurting each other with scorching shots to the head.

Both fighters have split victories in the first two fights, with Marquez winning the first bout when Vazquez quit after the 7th round due to a broken nose which prevented him from breaking properly, and then in the second fight, Vazquez returned the favor by stopping Marquez in the 6th round when the fight looked to be prematurely stopped by referee Guadalupe Garcia shortly after Marquez got up off the canvas after being flatted by a left hook from Vazquez. Read more…

International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (49-3, 44 KOs) equaled the lowest weight of his career when he weighed in at 238 lbs at today’s weigh-in at New York’s Madison Square Garden for his unification bout with WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov (22-0-1, 17 KOs. In Wladimir’s last bout, against Lamon Brewster in July 2007, he came in at 243. That’s been Klitschko’s average weight for the past seven years. For his part, Ibragimov weighed in at 219 lbs which is about average for him. Read more…

By Manuel Perez: In the run up to IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s (49-3, 44 KOs) unification bout with WBO heavyweight title holder Sultan Ibragimov (22-0-1, 17 KOs) this Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, I’ve noticed that has been almost zero fans interest in the fight for some reason. It seems especially bizarre in that futures like Joe Calzaghe vs. Bernard Hopkins, which is still two months away, is getting more press and interest from the fans and media than Klitschko’s bout with Ibragimov. Read more…

By Eric Thomas: Recently I’ve been wondering about why and how undefeated Irish middleweight John Duddy (23-0, 17 KOs) could be ranked so highly despite his lack of top level opposition. As of now, Duddy, 28, is ranked #3 in the WBC, #4 in the WBA, #11 in the IBF and #3 in the WBO. Those are extraordinarily good rankings for a fighter that has yet to really prove himself against top level opposition. Read more…

By “Big” Nate Anderson: Comparing himself to former two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman, who recaptured the heavyweight title late in his career at the ripe old age of 45, light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins (48-4, 32 KOs) had this to say in yesterday’s press conference to promote his April 19th bout against undefeated super middleweight Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs): Read more…

By Jim Dower: In a recent interview by trainer Emanuel Steward, he stated that he felt that IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (49-3, 44 KOs) could fight until into his 40s due to the lack of quality competition in the heavyweight division. In an article in yahoo sports section, Steward said this about Klitschko:

“Now I don’t see anything in the next three, four or five years, even in the amateur program. That’s a sad situation - and it means Wladimir can fight until he’s 40 as far I’m concerned.”

Indeed, Steward may have a point in that there are few quality heavyweights in the division aside from young Eastern European heavyweights Alexander Povetkin and Alexander Dimitrenko. In the case of Povetkin, he’s looked very beatable in his last two bouts against Chris Byrd and Eddie Chambers, and because of that, he doesn’t figure to be a threat to Wladimir in the near future or perhaps ever. Dimitrenko, a 6′7″ 250 lb fighter from Ukraine, has the size and skill to give Klitschko problems. Read more…

Alexa Ray Joel To Perform National Anthem: If there’s one surname synonymous with New York and music, it’s “Joel”. So it’s fitting that on the biggest night in boxing in the sport’s Mecca, Madison Square Garden, rising star Alexa Ray Joel will sing the National Anthem before the world heavyweight title unification bout between WBO Champion Sultan Ibragimov and IBF Champion Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday, February 23rd..

“Having Alexa Ray is a great addition to this historic event at the Garden,” said Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions. Read more…

By Jim Slattengren: With this past week’s news that Oscar De La Hoya (38-5, 30 KOs) is reportedly set to fight his tune-up bout against former star from “The Contender” reality TV series light welterweight Steve Forbes (33-5, 9 KOs) on May 3rd at the Home Depot Center, in Carson, California, I kind of wonder why De La Hoya, 35, didn’t opt to fight at better opponent than him. At least pick a fighter that is a legitimate welterweight and not a fighter that has fought virtually his entire career at 140 lbs. Of course, De La Hoya had to pick someone, and most people assumed it would be a fighter with little boxing skills or ability with which to make it tough on the aging De La Hoya. Read more…

By Dan Ambrose: For WBO/WBC middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (33-0, 29 KOs), he is suddenly the man that every fighter wants to mix it up with, and after all these years of toling away for next to nothing in monetary gain, Pavlik is looking at big money fights with a variety of fighters, most of which don’t come close to being nearly as good as him. The latest trio - Felix Trinidad, John Duddy and Andy Lee - are whom Pavlik is trying to decide on which will be his next opponent, or should I say ‘victim’ for his fight in June. As of now, the unbeaten John Duddy (23-0, 17 KOs) is the most likely of the three to be the one that Pavlik decides to fight, if only because he’s the more popular fighter on the East Coast. Read more…

By Eric Schmidt: The war of words continued today between light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs) and undefeated WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs) in the first portion of their three city press tour to promote their April 19th bout at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada. As customary, it was the 43 year-old Hopkins who got in the better line when he said “I said I’m going to punish Calzaghe slowly, and I’ll repeat that today. I’ll ask that his father is merciful to him and pulls him out when he is getting hurt.” Read more…

By David Lahr: In the latest boxing news, former WBO/WBC middleweight champion Jermain Taylor (27-2-1, 17 KOs) is reportedly considering fighting light heavyweight Roy Jones Jr. (52-4, 38 KOs) for June of this year. Based on reports, Taylor, 29, who recently lost again to Kelly Pavlik on February 16th, would be willing to take a lesser portion of the purse, letting the 39 year-old Jones taker the bigger portion. If the fight does indeed materialize, it would be a good move for both Jones & Taylor, for each of them are in need of wins over quality opponents, especially Taylor who is coming off of back to back losses to Pavlik. Read more…

By Tim Williams: In recent weeks, knockout artist Edison Miranda (30-2, 26 KOs) has been quite vocal in his comments about IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham and former WBC/WBO middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, calling out the latter, while seemingly questioning the courage of the former by suggesting that he lacks courage because of his tendency to fight lower quality opponents, always in Germany. Specifically, Miranda, 27, is referring to the latest opponent of Abraham, Elvin Ayala (18-2-1, 8 KO’s), a fighter that has done little to distinguish himself in comparison to other top middleweights in the IBF, like Winky Wright and Jermain Taylor. Miranda had this to say in the past week in regards to Abraham’s low quality opponents: Read more…

By Dan Ambrose: Former World Boxing Council junior flyweight champion Brian Viloria (21-2, 12 KOs) won an unimpressive 8-round unanimous decision over Cesar Lopez (20-6, 4 KOs on Saturday night at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Viloria, 27, ranked # 3 in the WBC junior flyweight division, knocked Lopez down in the fifth round of the fight, but overall he looked far from his previous form from two years earlier. The final judges’ scores were 78-73, 78-73 and 77-74. However, Viloria, once an incredibly fast puncher, appears to have slowed down in the past year, as he no longer has the blazing fast hands that he did earlier in his career. Read more…

By Jim Slattengren: This Saturday night, IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (49-3, 44 KOs) will be attempting to unify the title when he goes up against WBO heavyweight champion Sultain Ibragimov (22-0-1, 17 KOs) in a 12-round bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. Not too many people are giving Ibragimov much of a shot in this one due to a variety of problems that are going against him such as his lack of size and power. Below, I’ve measured the two fighters out and gave my opinion of how they size up against each other. Read more…

By Adan Cortez: World Boxing Council super flyweight champion Cristian Mijares (34-3-2, 14 KOs) successfully defended his super flyweight title on Saturday night with a 12-round slit decision over challenger Jose Navarro (26-4, 12 KOs) at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ranked # 10 in the WBC super flyweight division, Navarro, 26, came into the fight having lost his last bout to Dimitri Kirilov, so it seemed odd that he would be the champion Mijares’ opponent for this bout. Read more…

By Manuel Perez: WBO super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel (36-2-1, 27 KOs) overwhelmed former WBA super flyweight champion Martin Castillo (33-3, 17 KOs), stopping him in the fourth round on Saturday night at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Castillo, 31, looked listless and out of it as early as the first round, as was quickly knocked down by a left hook by Montiel. Castillo was staggered at the end of the 3rd round after getting hit with a big left hook from Montiel. Castillo was hurt again in the fourth round by a right hand, and then retreated to the ropes where Montiel hit with with combination and then left hook the body, dropping Castillo for the 10 count. Referee Joe Cortez stopped the fight at 1:56 of the 4th round. Read more…

By Jim Dower: Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Ronald Hearns (18-0, 14 KOs) stopped Juan Astorga (12-2-1, 7 KOs) in the 8th round of a scheduled 10-round bout on Saturday night on the undercard of Kelly Pavlik vs. Jermain Taylor at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hearns, 29, the son of famous boxing champion Tommy Hearns, knocked Astorga, 29, down twice in the fight, the 2nd time coming in the 8th round, leading to referee Jay Nady to stop the fight at 1:10 of the round. Read more…

By Dan Ambrose: Australian heavyweight prospect Kali Meehan (34-3, 28 KOs) was too much for journeyman Jeremy Bates (22-16-1, 18 KOs), stopping him in the 3rd round on Saturday night on the undercard of Nikolay Valuev vs. Serguei Lyakhovich at the Nuernberg Arena, in Nuremberg, Bayern, Germany. Bates, 34, was hurt and taking punishment on the ropes in the 3rd round, causing referee Ingo Barrabas to step in and halt the fight at 1:16 of the round. Bates, who had lost six of his last seven fights going into the fight, looked remarkably good early in the 1st round, as he tagged Meehan with a number of powerful right hands. Read more…

By Jim Carran: For the second time in the past five months, undefeated World Boxing Organization/World Boxing Council middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (33-0, 29 KOs) has defeated Jermain Taylor (27-2-1, 17 KOs), this time by a unanimous 12-round decision at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday night. Though the fight was ultimately scored closely, with Pavlik winning by the judges’ scores 116-112, 117-111 and 115-113, in reality it wasn’t a close fight in the least. Many of the rounds were close, but there was little doubt who was winning the rounds, as Pavlik 25, was the much busier fighter and the one that initiated almost every exchange. Read more…

By Chris Thomas: In an uneven performance, undefeated light welterweight prospect Mike Alvarado (20-0, 13 KOs) defeated Jesus Rodriguez (17-3, 5 KOs) by a 10-round unanimous decision on Friday night at the Cicero Stadium, in Cicero, Illinois. Alvarado, 27, considered to be one of the better up and coming prospects in the light welterweight division, struggled early on against Rodriguez, but then took control of the fight in the fourth round to dominate the rest of the fight. Both fighters, however, appeared badly fatigued by the 6th round, causing the fans to boo almost continuously for the remaining four rounds. The final judges’ scores were 100-90, 98-92 and 97-93, for Alvarado. Read more…