By Simon Hirst: As usual, at the start of the year, expectations were high with many great fights touted. We’ve seen some great fights and quite a few upsets along the way, with a few fighters having to rethink their route to a world title. So with most recognised fighters having fought this year, what are the expectations of the second year? Here are a few fights I would like to see in the latter part of 2011.
Tavoris Cloud
Don King is back: Alexander-Matthysse, Bundrage-Powell and Cloud-Mack previews
By Peter Wells: Tomorrow night Don King at the age of 79 is still doing business and has set up another great show. Unfortunately IBF Cruiserweight champ Guillermo Jones won’t be fighting on the card but that doesn’t mean we’re not in for a treat.
Pascal vs. Cloud on HBO in the summer
By Eric Thomas: According to the latest boxing news, former WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16 Ko’s) will be facing IBF light heavyweight champ Tavoris Cloud (22-0, 18 KO’s) next, as long as the 29-year-old Cloud wins his next fight next month on June 25th against Yusaf Mack (29-3-2, 17 KO’s). Cloud will likely win that fight, setting up a bout against Pascal for the summer on HBO. Pascal was recently beaten by 46-year-old Bernard Hopkins last weekend.
Cleverly hoping to fight Hopkins, Pascal or Cloud next
By Sean McDaniel: After getting staggered by the weak punching Aleksy Kuziemski (21-3, 5 KO’s) en route to getting a win when the fight was halted abruptly in the 4th round by the referee last weekend, WBO light heavyweight champion champion Nathan Cleverly (22-0, 11 KO’s) is looking to go after the big names in the light heavyweight division and is eying hoped for fights against former WBC champion Jean Pascal, current WBC champ Bernard Hopkins or IBF title holder Tavoris Cloud next.
Alexander-Matthysse, Cloud-Mack, Stiverne-Austin & Bundrage-Powell on HBO on 6/25
By Jason Kim: HBO’s fight card on June 25th is going to be one of their better ones of the year with former WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Devon Alexander (21-1, 13 KO’s) facing knockout artist Lucas Matthysse (28-1, 26 KO’s), IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelus Bundrade (30-4, 18 KO’s) defending his title against challenger Sechew Powell (26-2, 15 KO’s), IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud (22-0, 12 KO’s) making his third defense of his title against Yusaf Mack (29-3-2, 17 KO’s) and 6’6″ heavyweight contender Ray Austin (28-5-4, 18 KO’s) taking on the hard hitting Bermane Stiverne (20-1, 19 KO’s) in a WBC title eliminator bout. The fights will be taking place at the Family Center Arena, in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Response to Simon Hirst on negatives in Boxing
By Robert Elmore: Simon Hirst wrote an excellent article about the negativity in boxing. He touched on some great points citing that most of the fans call themselves experts and that articles are not well thought out before writing. I would like to piggy back on that and add these points.
HBO interested in Cloud vs. Erdei bout – Boxing News
By Jason Kim: HBO is reportedly interested in a potential bout between IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud (22-0, 18 KO’s) vs. unbeaten former two time world champion Zsolt Erdei (32-0, 17 KOs), according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.
Who rules at 168-175lbs?
By Joe Met: Traditionally there has always been a close relationship between the super-middleweight and the light-heavyweight divisions. Many fighters over the years have chosen to take fights and challenge for titles in both divisions to improve their chances of success. Fighters such as Thomas Hearns, Roy Jones Jr and Joe Calzaghe even held world titles at both weights, and in the case of Hearns and Jones Jr, they held titles in several other weight categories too.
2011 for Tavoris Cloud
By Daniel Ciminera: Speaking to Tavoris Cloud today, he indicated he’d be fighting “real soon, possibly March/April”, though didn’t give much away with regards to who, naming Chad Dawson, Jean Pascal, Bernard Hopkns, Beibut Shumenov, and Jurgen Brahmer as possible candidates. Which is basically the top 5 ranked guys without him and Nathan Cleverly included. As generic an answer as is possible, almost.
Cloud vs. Hopkins, Pascal vs. Dawson doubleheader?
By Dan Ambrose: Bernard Hopkins (51-5-2, 32 KO’s) failed at beating WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (26-1-1, 16 KO’s) last Saturday night in a fight that Hopkins was knocked down twice in and had to rally just to turn it into a majority draw. Since the World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman has decided not to force Pascal to give Hopkins an immediate rematch, Hopkins now is going to have to cool his heels and just wait his turn and hope he can do better next time against Pascal.