WORLD BOXING REVIEW
v. 52 / e. 8
AUGUST 2006
(following are selected entries from the magazine's "Notes & Quotes" section)
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Tuesday 01/08/06
"I've been in this game long enough to know an extraordinary talent when I see one and I'm tellin' you, this kid is gonna be somethin' special. His power, confidence and aggression is remarkable, especially in someone so young and inexperienced. He simply swept everyone aside in Cartagena and I'm pretty sure the same thing'll happen in Buenos Aires."
Amateur boxing expert Gil Griffiths gives a glowing appraisal of 16 year-old Panama lightweight Roberto Duran. The teenager only started as an amateur in February but he shocked observers at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena, Colombia in late July by claiming a gold medal after a series of dominant displays. Griffiths believes Duran is entirely capable of a repeat performance during the South American Games, which will be staged in Argentina in November.
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Thursday 03/08/06
"I have to admit that I'm disappointed about it. I've been loyal to the WBC for a long time but I feel like they ain't returning it with their attitude on this. I've spoken to Mr. Velazquez and also Mr. Vielma from the WBA to try and sway them, 'cause this is a fight I really want to go ahead with. There's no greater challenge for me in the lightweight division than Joe Brown but they're saying I can't fight him. It's just some bull$hit politics, really, and that's frustrating. I've talked to Joe about it and he's just as frustrated as I am about the situation."
Lightweight champion Patricio Marquez speaks his mind on the WBA and WBC's refusal to allow him to fight IBF titleholder Joe Brown in an undisputed championship bout. Marquez has not fought since unifying the WBA and WBC titles in March when he defeated Francisco Ortiz.
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Monday 07/08/06
"Just looking at the man in court today, I wouldn't be surprised if he has a heart attack before the trial is over. I've never seen someone so stressed. I know we can't comment on aspects of the trial itself but Jacobs has been acting like a guilty man. It's plain for anyone to see. I can't believe his lawyers haven't spoken to him about it, or at least asked him to put on his best poker face."
HBO's Greg Jackson makes an observation on the trial of IBF president Michael Jacobs, which started in mid-July. New York-born Jacobs could spend up to four years in jail if convicted of charges relating to death threats made against Mexican boxer Gilberto Vasquez earlier this year. As Jackson noted, Jacobs has not presented a calm, collected countenance during his court appearances, something that would surely damage his chances of walking free. Even so, there are many who believe that his mafia connections might come into play at some stage and could lead to him being found innocent.
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Wednesday 09/08/06
"Well, that's how these things often work, isn't it? "To the victor go the spoils", as they say. Sanchez is bathing in the glory of his victory while Saldivar is the forgotten man now, and might be for some time. There's no doubt that the defeat will only increase his desire and commitment to making his way to the top. There are so many people here in Mexico who are already assuming that Sanchez is going to win the right to challenge for the title and then claim it in his first attempt, almost as if whoever wins that belt will just be keeping it warm for him."
Mexican boxing writer Javier Martinez sums up the atmosphere in his homeland in the aftermath of the blockbuster August 6 clash between bitter rivals Salvador Sanchez and Vicente Saldivar, which Sanchez won by an eight-round unanimous decision verdict.
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Friday 11/08/06
"He's hiding behind that "outsmarting me" nonsense, but the truth is he didn't man up. This ain't chess or ten pin bowling, you know? It's boxing. It's heavyweight boxing, and for him to fight that fight the way he did ... it ain't right. People'll say it's just sour grapes but I wouldn't be saying any of this if the guy had stood in front of me like a man and knocked me out. Regardless of the result, he'd have all my respect if he'd gone toe-to-toe but he didn't and for that I can only say he's a punk."
Indianapolis heavyweight Mike Hanson continues his post-fight criticism of Florida's Cheetah Brown in a radio interview two days after their much anticipated IBL clash. Most were expecting an explosive affair but Brown chose the wiser tactic of sniping away at the slower Hanson from the outside, which gave him the win but also delivered a contest that was less than thrilling.
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Monday 14/08/06
"It's great to have two guys like Ken and Jack who I can go to for advice, man. Far as I'm concerned they're at the highest level as far as heavyweights go in our sport and for them to not only be able to help me develop as a fighter, but also be counted as friends ... that's fantastic. They're real different guys as far as their personalities go but that don't matter. The cool thing about chillin' with Jack is that our girlfriends get along real well, also. It's nice that the four of us can go out together and have a great time, you know?"
Oxnard native Sam McVey speaks on his friendship with fellow heavyweight boxers Ken Norton and Jack Johnson.
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Wednesday 16/08/06
"You think I should go easy on him, do you? That I should jus' say the guy fought hard and leave it at that? That's what you think? Sorry, but I can't do that, 'cause I saw the disrespect he showed Golota in the week leading up to the fight. It was jus' like old habits for him, really. The guy jus' couldn't help himself. I don't understand why you fellas are letting him off so easy, 'cause you all heard what he said. "There ain't no way I'm gonna lose to some washed-up white dude." Those were his exact words. So you tell me, when someone makes a statement like that and then gets his ass handed to him by the very person he's talking about, how do you put a positive spin on it? You can't and you shouldn't try. Bowe should've jus' been man enough to say he underestimated Golota and paid the price, but I haven't heard anything like that from him. You know, people accuse me of being arrogant, of bein' egotisitical. I'd never deny havin' self-confidence but you'll never hear me disrespecting an opponent, even if I feel that I should beat him. You make a claim, you gotta back it up. Simple as that. Riddickulous just ain't figured that out yet."
Heavyweight Jack Johnson gives his rival Riddick Bowe a serve after the Brooklyn native was eliminated from the IBL Challenger's tournament by Poland's Andrew Golota on the 13th. As Johnson mentioned, Bowe had insulted Golota before their fight but was defeated by 4th round TKO.
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Sunday 20/08/06
"People change, man. Everyone knows that. Situations change, too. Back in January when the IBL first came knockin' I had no reason to turn away from what I had. It wasn't anything to do with doubting them or dismissing them as beginners. I was impressed by what they had to say but my promoter was in the middle of negotiating the biggest fight of my career. Six months down the track, things have changed. I've already told my side of the story in regards to my former promoter and I'm not gonna say anything else on the matter. All that's important now is that I'm contracted to the IBL and I'm looking forward to being a lot more active than in recent years. The challenge of climbing up the middleweight rankings excites me. It feels like I'm starting over and that freshness and green quality of being back at the beginning has given me new enthusiasm. I can't wait to step back in the ring."
Former IBF middleweight champion Freddie Steele voices his excitement over becoming part of the International Boxing League. As has been previously publicised, Steele had a falling out with his promoter Jay Levin in the aftermath of his July 22 loss to Bert Lytell. With help from the IBL, Steele has ended that business relationship and will step back in the ring on the 27th of October in an IBL middleweight world ranking bout.
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Tuesday 22/08/06
"I be lookin' out for all my boys, y'all. Ain't no one I favour over the others, see? But any of y'all can see that right now Terone be the priority. He be one win from a shot at the world championship so I gots t' make sure he be ready to go when he step in that ring in Moscow. Holman and the others, they know the deal, y'all. They know that T the only one of 'em who can win the world title this year. They be helpin' each other with their trainin'. They big boys now and if they be gettin' out of line, my cuz right there to get 'em back in. They be knowin' he don't take no nonsense, y'all."
Pensacola trainer Roy Jones speaks on the current situation in regards to his stable of fighters. With Miami-born heavyweight Terone Haynes preparing for his huge September 22 clash against Russia's Sergey Anyukov Jones is devoting all of his attention to the giant power puncher, leaving the others to train amongst themselves under the watchful eye of Jones' cousin.
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Wednesday 23/08/06
"A lot of boxing people would look at what he said and just say "You think?", 'cause it's not something that needs to be questioned. But the one thing that amazes me about the situation is that it's the IBF that comes out looking so much better than the other two. They're the only organisation that wants the fight to go ahead. It's almost identical to the Marquez-Brown situation. It doesn't surprise me that the WBA and WBC have managed to screw themselves on this, 'cause that's just what they do. It's what all of them do."
Showbox's Hugh Ballard discusses Venezuelan boxer Fulgencio Obelmejias' criticism of the WBA and WBC. Following his August 19 victory over Ray Landis the IBF super-middleweight champion had said that the two organisations were "sabotaging boxing". Obelmejias had appraoched the WBA in regards to fighting for their vacant title but was told he would have to relinquish his IBF belt to do so.
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Saturday 26/08/06
"I think what he showed tonight is that he's the most dangerous puncher in the sport today, see? I don't give a damn about his inexperience, this young man can flat out bang with the best of 'em. Seven fights and no one's lasted past the second round with him. That tells you something, don't it? Don't you be talkin' 'bout no Terone Haynes or Kenny Norton. Brutus Brody is the real deal and we'll be takin' the brother all the way to the top. Tyrone Hillier don't tell no lies."
Chicago promoter Tyrone Hillier talks up his newly-signed heavyweight Brutus Brody during an interview following Brody's destruction of Leonard Morrow.
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