By Sean McDaniel: WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KO’s) is continuing to say that he wants either WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (28-1, 27 KO’s) or WBO lightweight interim champion Michael Katsidis (27-2, 22 KO’s) next. On his Twitter page, Khan said that he has told his promoters to get him Katsidis or Maidana next. The 38-year-old former WBC lightweight champion Joel Casamayor (37-4-1, 22 KO’s) is also being considered as a potential opponent by Khan’s Golden Boy Promotions team.
Joel Casamayor
Marquez Stops Casamayor
By Jason Kim: Six months after being on the receiving end of a very controversial loss to Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez got back on the winning track against veteran Joel Casamayor (36-4-1, 22 KOs), defeating him by a 11th round TKO on Saturday night at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Marquez, 35, who was moving up from the super featherweight division to take on Casamayor, dropped him twice in the 11th round. After the second knockdown, referee Tony Weeks stepped in and stopped the fight at 2:55 as Casamayor laid bleeding from his both his right eye and nose on the canvas. The fight was very close at the time of the stoppage, however, and I had the fight Casamayor slightly ahead at the time the fight was stopped. Marquez fought well in the first half of the fight, doing particularly well in rounds two, five, six, and ten, but the rest of the rounds appeared to have won by the taller, slicker counter punching Casamayor.
Indeed, at the time of the stoppage Casamayor had been fighting well and appeared to be possibly heading to a victory. After appearing to lose rounds seven through nine, Marquez rallied in the 10th round, landing several big right hands that clearly bothered Casamayor. Although the Cuban fighter shook his head as if to indicate the punches didn’t bother him, it looked to have done just that. Casamayor was bothered by a large cut over his right eye and a bloody nose, both of which appeared to occur at the same time in round five.
De la Hoya Interested In Mayweather Rematch, Comments on Pacquiao, Casamayor-Marquez Bouts
By Eric Thomas: In an interview yesterday with Brian Kenny from the Sportscenter, Oscar de la Hoya commented on various things, from a second fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr., how he’ll choose to fight Manny Pacquiao in their December 6th fight and his thoughts on the Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Joel Casamayor bout on Saturday night. When asked about a second bout with Mayweather, De La Hoya said, “If I could have that rematch, how different that fight would be. When I fought Floyd, it was easier when I was throwing the jab, but for some reason I stopped throwing it. If we did it again in the near future, it would be a whole different story, that’s for sure…I hear he needs money.”
In commenting on Pacquiao, De La Hoya had this to say, “I have to be smart, be rangy, and just have to make sure I have my hands up when he [Pacquiao] comes inside.”
Is Casamayor being overlooked?
By Alex McMillan: Rightly regarded as one of the very top pound for pound fighters in the world today, Juan Manuel Marquez is an absolutely class act; a terrific asset to world class boxing. He seeks out the biggest fights, he takes risks and gives it his all, and he’s prepared to travel to make the fights. His recent career stats read like a who’s who of the super featherweight division, and his step up to lightweight, a step rumored to be taken in order to follow Manny Pacquiao for what would be a blockbusting third installment to their already legendary brace of duels, provides further testament to his insistence on fighting only the very best at this stage of his career.
A fact which brings us to his next contest, versus Ring magazine’s lightweight world number one Joel Casamayor, current king of boxing’s undisputed hottest division. For his part, Casamayor perhaps needed this fight, needed indeed Pacquiao to seek the greater payday (and some would possibly argue, much more favorable proposition) of a super fight with Oscar de la Hoya, thus leaving Marquez at something of a loose-end on his lightweight debut.
Casamayor vs. Marquez on Saturday – Boxing News
By Jason Kim: If you’re looking for excitement this Saturday night, then look no further than the lightweight match-up between former super featherweight champions Juan Manuel Marquez (48-4, 35 KOs) and Joel Casamayor (36-3, 22 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round bout at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada. Both fighters are getting up there in age, but Marquez, 35, appears to have much more left in the tank as evidenced by his 12-round split decision loss to Manny Pacquiao in March 2008. By most accounts, Marquez appeared to win the fight but found himself on the losing end of a questionable split decision to the more popular Pacquiao.
Unable to get attain a rematch with Pacquiao, who instead has opted to face Oscar De La Hoya, Marquez then chose to move up from the super featherweight division to the lightweights to find greener pastures. He was quickly able to land a fight with former Cuban amateur star Casamayor, which he hopes will be the beginning of finding other big fights in the division, such as a bout with Nate Campbell or possibly a rematch with Pacquiao, who already moved up to the lightweight division and is a current World Boxing Council lightweight champion after a win over David Diaz.
Casamayor Stops Katsidis
By Eric Thomas: WBO Lightweight champ, Michael Katsidis (23-1, 20 KO’s) came up short against ring veteran Joel Casamayor (36-3-1, 22 KO’s), who stopped him in the 10th round on Saturday night Morongo Casino in Cabazon California. Katisidis, 27, was knocked down three times in the bout, two of them coming in the first round alone. However, after losing the first three rounds, Katsidis seemed to settle down and used his power to control the fight in rounds four through nine, even knocking Casamayor down through the ring ropes in the 6th round.
Katsidis vs. Casamayor On Saturday
By Dan Ambrose: Undefeated hard-hitting lightweight Michael Katsidis (23-0, 20 KOs) will be going up against a formidable opponent this Saturday night when he takes on 36 year-old Joel Casamayor (35-3-1, 21 KOs) at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, Cabazon, California. Katsidis, the WBO interim champion, is coming off an especially tough bout over Czar Amonsot, whom he defeated by a 12-round unanimous decision in July 2007.
The bout was costly for the Australian Katsidis as his face was badly lacerated around both eyes, making it necessary for him to take an extended amount of time off to recover from the injuries to his face. His opponent, Amonsot, experienced even worse injuries, a subdural hematoma to his brain, caused by the thunderous punches from Katsidis. For his part, Katsidis has had two tough bouts in a row in 2007, beating first Graham Earl, who traded knockdowns with Katsidis and had him badly hurt before succumbing in the 5th round, and then finally Amonsot, who turned Katsidis’ face into a Halloween mask of blood.
Katsidis vs. Casamayor On March 22nd – Is Michael Overrated?
On March 22nd, undefeated knockout artist Michael Katsidis (23-0, 20 KOs), the World Boxing Organization lightweight champion, will be going up against WBC lightweight champion 36 year-old Joel Casamayor (35-3-1, 21 KOs) at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, in Cabazon, California. It’s a make a break fight for Casamayor, who is coming off of a very controversial 12-round split decision victory over Jose Armando Santa Cruz on November 10th.