By Stevie Ocallaghan: It’s quite ironic that with the Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Saul “Canelo” Alvarez fight coming up on September 14th, I just happened to remember a story about a terrific fighter who fought by the name of Rocky Lockridge.
Stevie Ocallaghan
Broner v Malignaggi tonight on Showtime from the Barclays Center
(Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) By Stevie Ocallaghan: Tonight in Brooklyn, New York, Adrien Broner challenges Brooklyn’s own Pauli Malignaggi for his WBA welterweight belt. Probably the quietest thing about this matchup will be the actual fight itself. In saying that we have two technically gifted boxers facing each other.
I think this fight depends on Malignaggi. Can he keep up the pace and land quick combos while keeping his distance for the duration or have the legs two many miles on them and it’s just a matter of time before Broner catches up with him.
Burns v Beltran on September 7th
By Stevie Ocallaghan: According to Scottish Television (STV) WBO Lightweight champ Ricky Burns is to defend his belt against Mexican Raymundo Beltran on September 7th at the SECC in Glasgow.
Beltran 28-6 with 17 KOs has been fighting at a decent level having lost a tight decision against the tough Ugandan Sharif Bogere, then winning a close matchup against Hank Lundy.
Beltran also out pointed the tough Ji-Hoon Kim who himself fought against Miguel Vasquez for the vacant IBF belt back in 2010. Beltran is the long term sparring partner of Manny Paquiao at Freddie Roach’s gym.
Terrence Crawford WBO No 5
By Stevie Ocallaghan: After a comprehensive victory last weekend in stopping big punching Mexican Alejandro Sanabria, Terrence Crawford has firmly put his name at the higher end of the WBO rankings, but how good is he?
I haven’t seen or heard a great deal of Crawford 21-0 16kos but his win over Sanabria was of a good standard but looking through his fight history, it’s not one at this stage in my opinion that merits a world title. He has really only beaten one named fighter in Breidis Prescott and he made his name in a first round KO victory over Amir Khan.
Prescott himself came back over to British shores and twice was sent packing after a bad loss to Kevin Mitchell the a slightly controversial defeat against Paul McCloskey.
Abril v Burns a possibility
By Stevie Ocallaghan: After some dialogue between two current lightweight belt holders , there is a possibility that WBA champ Richard Abril and WBO champ Ricky Burns could get a unification bout set up later in the year. This would be a great fight.
Crolla v Rees winner could get Burns
By Stevie Ocallaghan: According to the Manchester Evening Times, the winner from Anthony Crolla v Gavin Rees fight at the end of this month could be in line for a world title shot.
Both fighters have landed lucky here as it being a WBO International bout is mainly for guys ranked outside the top ten.
We know after Burns-Gonzalez fight, promoter Eddie Hearn was looking for a mandatory to see him through to the last fight on his three fight deal with Burns, but the winner of Crolla v Rees isn’t a match-up that would make a great fight.
Froch v Cleverly: Nathan doesn’t deserve a fight with Carl
By Stevie Ocallaghan: In the halcyon days of undefeated two weight champion Joe Calzaghe, there was a young pretender calling him out by the name of Carl Froch. Froch was the up and coming puncher, undefeated and fancied his chances against the nearly retired champ.
Sounds familiar. But the main difference for me is that Froch deserved a shot against Calzaghe, whereas WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly is in my mind European level.
Joe Calzaghe was a great fighter, very quick hands and had a granite chin, but for me he never defended against the best. Okay, he beat Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jnr, but these guys were ten years past there best. Okay, Bernard Hopkins is champ again but really how many of you would now pay to watch a Hopkins fight.
Froch clear winner over Kessler
By Stevie Ocallaghan: After a tremendous fight last Saturday night between two great fighters, IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (31-2, 22 KO’s) got some redemption in defeating a tough as hell Mikkel Kessler (46-3, 35 KO’s) by a 12 round unanimous decision at the O2 Arena in London, England. A fairly close fight, but Carl for me won by two clear rounds.
After the first fight three years ago there was never any danger of this being a boring Andre Ward style of fight, both of these guys came to fight. Don’t believe what you read from some of the writers around, this was a great fight, and yes somebody from Britain can actually fight, but according to some, you wonder why a Brit even enters the ring.
Andre Ward after the fight said Froch needs to fight in America, because that’s where it matters. My question to Ward is why? Does America have more world champions than the rest of the world. No. Ward stated that he had to fly to his fight in Atlantic City, but it was still his country.
Baby Floyd [Broner] is not great yet
By Stevie Ocallaghan: Adrien “The Problem” Broner. After any fight regarding somebody in his weight class his name gets dragged up about he would smash whoever the other fighter might be.
Last weekend In Glasgow Ricky Burns fought and defended his title against the tough and skilled Puerto Rican Jose Gonzalez. It is said that Burns has mucked Broner 3 times now but all the time it was convenient for Broner And not necessarily for Burns.
WBO Champ Ricky Burns superb in beating Gonzalez
By Stevie Ocallaghan: The thing I would like to start with is that I do not judge a fighter on nationality, color or race, I judge a fighter on his ability in the ring.
Last Saturday night at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow we witnessed a war between WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns and Jose Gonzalez. What should be judged is that Ricky Burns retained his title when Gonzalez quit on his stool. No hollow victory, Gonzalez quit.
Great fighters in the past have quit, Roberto Duran, Vitali Klitschko, Don Curry and many more have quit through exhaustion or injury. It happens, but when a guy quits for whatever the reason, don’t belittle the winner as being lucky or fortunate.