The Greatest Prize in Sports

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Can't wait for Sanchez/Saldivar that should be a war. Also, go Dokes! That story on him really has me rooting for him to take the IBL title.

I'm really happy they both won their fights to set up the clash. It'll be an eight-rounder but I'm wondering if it'll last that long.

I was inspired by the movie The Wrestler to write that Dokes post. I finished it about a month ago and it's just been sitting on my USB waiting to be unveiled. Not to brag, but I'm pretty happy with the quality of it. I often think of what becomes of the old boxers once their careers are over and they have to get on with their lives. That's an aspect I wanted to highlight.

Well, we are now at the point a few of you have been waiting for. The heavyweights! During the next two days I'll be posting the reviews of the Inter-Continental and Americas Championship tournament cards so be sure to stop in for a look.

k_c

[kenyan_cheena]

THE GUARDIAN
LAGOS - NIGERIA

Tuesday 27 June 2006

NIGERIAN NIGHTMARE:
OKOCHA AND PETER CRASH OUT
OF INTER-CONTINENTAL TOURNAMENT

Story by Sani Yobo

It was supposed to be an evening on which two up-and-coming Nigerian boxers would show their abilities in front of a parochial home audience, but instead it turned out to be nothing less than a disaster. Seeded #1 and #2 by the International Boxing League in the Inter-Continental Heavyweight Championship tournament Omovo Okocha and Samuel Peter were both eliminated, the good friends suffering their first career defeats. Fighting in the co-feature Peter lost by TKO in round four against the unheralded but powerful Samoan Semo Salanoa, a nasty cut on Peter's right eyebrow bringing about the stoppage a minute into the frame. It had been an even, competitive fight to that point, with both men showing enough to suggest they could have been victorious if it had gone the distance. Peter's dismay was contrasted by Salanoa's jubilation, the Samoan improving to 6-0(5) and Peter falling to 12-1(11).

While Peter's defeat had an element of misfortune to it there was no mistaking the quality of the Filipino Juan de la Cruz's two-round destruction of Okocha. Having only fought four professional bouts prior to signing with the IBL de la Cruz had already become something of a novelty as he was a Filipino competing in the heavyweight division. He'd looked mighty impressive in his first four contests, admittedly against some limited Australian and New Zealand-born opponents. Standing 5'10" and weighing in at 227 for last night's fight he was akin to a ball of charged, aggressive energy, which he unleashed against an unsuspecting Okocha.

It wasn't immediately obvious that the fight would end as shockingly as it did because Okocha gave as good as he received in an exciting opening stanza. But he found himself on the canvas just sixteen seconds into the 2nd after walking into a smashing right cross. He was up at three on unsteady legs and after staying out of trouble for the next minute was down for a second time courtesy of another crunching cross midway through the round. The Filipino shouted and scowled at the crowd after this knockdown, prowling to a neutral corner. Okocha beat the count again but regarded de la Cruz with a bemused gaze as he made it to his feet. Not long after his head was snapped back by a jolting uppercut, de la Cruz relentless in his quest to end it. He did exactly that moments later, a flurry of shots sending Okocha face-first to the mat. He started to move at eight but was still on his stomach as referee Mike Ortega's count reached ten, 2:28 into the round.

de la Cruz leapt into the air and pumped his fist, celebrating wildly with his corner crew to the point where his exuberance almost hurt one of them. The crowd could only watch in a silence that was even more stunned than that which had greeted Peter's defeat. Okocha was in a daze as he sat on his stool, a vacant look in his eyes. Like Peter he'd been victorious in his first twelve fights and, also like Peter, he's now 12-1. With the tournament's top two seeds dumped it would now seem that German 3rd seed Max Schmeling is the favourite to win the Championship. The Athens bronze medallist was impressive in taking a majority decision verdict against the Jamaican-born Englishman Trevor Berbick (60-54, 57-57, 58-56). Rounds two, three and five were close affairs, which would explain the variances in the scorecards.

Schmeling improved to 13-0(9). Now not having to contend with the threat that the Nigerian duo would have presented he would have also been happy to see fellow German heavyweight Scott Mundt bow out of the tournament. The American-born 8th seed lost a unanimous decision verdict to New Zealand's Neemia Sivivatu. The fact that Mundt lost the fight was not so surprising, but the nature of his defeat definitely was. Sivivatu sent him to the canvas four times during the bout, the first two coming within a minute of the opening bell to put Mundt in immediate trouble. The big maori clubbed Mundt off his feet, first with a left-right-left barrage and then a single flush overhand right.

Mundt worked his way back into the contest through the next three rounds, cutting Sivivatu under the right eye in round two and punishing him with some hard shots in the 4th. Just when it seemed he was in with a chance Sivivatu put the result beyond doubt with two more knockdowns in round five. The first came from a perfect left hook thirty seconds in and the next after an accumulation of shots one minute later. Mundt took the final round but it didn't matter, Sivivatu already so far ahead as a result of the four knockdowns. He was victorious with scorecards of 58-52(x2) and 56-55.

---

Results

(9) Neemia Sivivatu UD6 (8) Scott Mundt
(10) Sione Tialata MD6 (7) Tom Heeney
(6) Herbie Hide UD6 (11) Kalolo Umaga
(5) Pierre Coetzer UD6 (12) Ingemar Johansson
(13) Francesco Damiani UD6 (4) Nelson Ndungane
(3) Max Schmeling MD6 (14) Trevor Berbick
(15) Semo Salanoa TKO4 (2) Samuel Peter
(16) Juan de la Cruz KO2 (1) Omovo Okocha

Quarter-finals

(9) Sivivatu vs (16) de la Cruz
(10) Tialata vs (15) Salanoa
(5) Coetzer vs (13) Damiani
(3) Schmeling vs (6) Hide

---

[kenyan_cheena]

re: Trevor Berbick

I only just realised TODAY, after I had already run the fight, that I had stuffed up by placing him in the Inter-Continental tournament.

Quick solution was to make him a Jamaican-born Englishman.

[kenyan_cheena]

NEW YORK SUN

Wednesday 28 June 2006

HEAVY(WEIGHT) ARTILLERY
ON DISPLAY AT THE MGM

Story by Peter Roman

In the mid-May days after the International Boxing League revealed the schedule and brackets for their various tournaments many observers pointed to the heavyweight division's Americas Championship tournament and declared that its field featured more promising young fighters than any other. IBL president James Molk must have been in agreement with that opinion because he decided to hold the tournament's stage one fight card at his own hotel and the organisation's headquarters, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. That card was held last night and to say that the sixteen men in action produced some fireworks would be an understatement.

Californian Mike Weaver started the night in dramatic style, the 8th seed rallying to score a 6th round knockout of Jamaica's Owen Beck. After a competitive first four rounds Beck appeared to have the upperhand when he floored Weaver at the end of an action-packed 5th. They traded some hard shots early in the 6th before Weaver found the mark with a perfect left hook that sent Beck to the canvas. As the count reached seven Beck was still on his backside trying to clear his head, referee Genaro Rodriguez waving the fight over at the 1:27 mark. The Jamaican held a two-point lead on two scorecards entering the final round. Having struggled to live up to the potential many once saw in him Weaver is looking to get his career back on track by claiming the Americas title. The win improved his record to 24-6-1(20), Beck suffering his first career defeat and falling to 7-1-1(5).

Next on the menu was the anticipated clash between Kansas native Feed Fulton and the hard-hitter from Indianapolis, Mike Hanson. Having boasted that his power would be too much for Fulton to handle the time had now come for Hanson to put up or shut up, and that's exactly what he did. After a pretty even first three rounds the bout was in the balance, both men having their moments but neither taking a stranglehold. Fulton was the aggressor but Hanson was finding much better success landing his shots, while also showing a surprising ability to evade Fulton's blows. It was something that had not been in evidence in his previous fights. Round four appeared destined to be a forgettable one until Hanson brought a howl from the crowd when he unleashed a jolting right cross some forty seconds from the bell. The punch caught Fulton clean on the jaw, snapping his chin around and taking his legs out from under him. He fell to the canvas in a heap and had barely started moving before being counted out 2:35 into the frame. Hanson was already celebrating before the count was over, pounding the turnbuckle and pointing to his supporters in the crowd.

The 24 year-old was in an excited mood afterwards, continually shaking his head and repeating the phrase "What did I tell ya?" in between exchanging high fives and handshakes with his corner crew and friends. It was quite a sight seeing this giant, extroverted slugger holding court in the ring, bragging and boasting about his efforts and proclaiming that it was "just the beginning". The 235-pounder is now 7-0, each of those wins coming by knockout inside of four rounds. Fulton was his toughest opponent to date and the ease in which he handled him will give Hanson and his team a lot of encouragement and confidence. Like Beck, Fulton fell to his first defeat and is now 8-1-1(6). Thought of as too raw and slow after his last fight in March, Hanson has clearly made great strides in the time since and after last night's victory should be regarded as a serious contender to win the Americas Championship.

The evening's third bout was considered to be potentially the best matchup of the evening, featuring two up-and-coming US heavyweights in Florida's David Kane and California's Sam McVey. Both young men are of a similar style: aggressive, powerful sluggers who come straight at their opponents. All the ingredients were there for an explosive contest and in the moments before the fighters made their walk to the ring the atmosphere was akin to a world title fight, despite the inexperience of the combatants. McVey was first out, his stunning supermodel girlfriend Claudette James leading the procession in a short black figure-hugging dress and high heels, strutting to the ring as if traversing the catwalk.

A die-hard Lakers fan, McVey wore a silk robe of purple and gold, 2Pac's ode to the golden state "California Love" booming from the arena's speakers. McVey was backed up by fellow heavyweights Ken Norton and Jack Johnson, both there to support him but between whom some noticeable tension was evident. No doubt it stemmed from the verbal sparing they had engaged in through various media outlets a couple of weeks ago in the aftermath of McVey and Johnson's late night partying at a Hollywood nightclub. Besides Norton, Johnson and his corner crew, about a dozen other young men accompanied the Oxnard native to the ring. It was totally bizarre to see a fighter with just seven professional wins to his name look so important.

(to be continued) *

* Sorry, everyone. I was unexpectedly busy today and haven't had any time to get this write-up finished. I decided to post what I've done of it so far to tide you all over until Sunday evening US time, when I should be able to complete it.

[PWillisTheMan]

Noooooooooo

[comicfanman]

Uugh!!!

[Mad Bomber]

Thats what we call in the business as a teaser.

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation of post #224)

When Run-DMC's "Peter Piper" started playing it was the cue for the short-tempered Orlando native David Kane to make his entrance. The 21 year-old is a huge fan of the hip-hop legends and has been accompanied by one of their songs on each and every one of his walks to the ring. He was in a loud mood, rapping along with the song and almost jumping out of his skin. He wore solid black, save for the thick gold rope chain hanging around his neck, which was another nod to his musical heroes. Unlike McVey, Kane had a small entourage, just himself and his corner crew. After he climbed between the ropes he fixed McVey with an intense gaze, standing only a few paces from him and seemingly challenging his entire crew, sweat bubbling on his forehead and bald pate.

What followed was admittedly anti-climatic but still spectacular, McVey proving to be the more dangerous when he knocked Kane out less than two minutes into the opening round. The crowd was expecting a thunder storm and that's what they got, but it was all one-sided. Both men have been untested and destructive to this point of their careers so something was going to give. McVey was decisive and Kane hesitant, despite the intimidation factor on display beforehand. The Californian knew exactly what he had to do and ran his gameplan perfectly, a flush left hook only seconds into it giving a sign of what was to follow. Soon after McVey bullied his foe to the canvas, stepping on his foot and shouldering him onto his backside. When Kane made it back to his feet he was greeted by another hard left, coming after McVey had faked a body shot.

Kane was on his heels and throwing nothing but tentative jabs to keep the charging McVey at bay. The Oxnard native fooled him again, dropping his shoulder as if about to unleash a right before driving a left hook into Kane's midsection. The round had only just passed the midpoint and Kane was clearly shaken. When McVey stepped in and connected with a left-right salvo and then a crunching left hook as the finisher Kane was down for the first time in his career. He was on one knee at five but glared up at the referee almost as if to say "I don't want any more of this". Breathing heavily, he started pushing himslef up but stumbled backwards, at which point the count reached ten and the fight was over at the 1:57 mark. Just like that, the aura of invincibility the Florida slugger had built up since his debut twelve months ago had been shattered.

McVey's excitement was on full display. He flexed his biceps, mounted the corner post and thumped his chest with his right glove and then celebrated wildly when his corner crew and numerous supporters flooded the ring, giving his girlfriend a passionate kiss and high-fiving Norton and Johnson, whose differences were put on hold in order to share the moment with this fantastic young talent. McVey is now 8-0(6) while the vanquished Kane fell to 8-1(7). He'll have to put the disappointment of this crushing defeat behind him pretty quickly as, along with all the other fighters on the card, he'll be back in action again in six weeks.

The newest member of Roy Jones' talented Pensacola stable faced the biggest challenge of his brief professional career to date in the next bout. 12th-seeded Belle Glade native Romy Alvarez was up against the tough Uruguayan Alfredo Evangelista, who after losing two of his first three pro fights had gone undefeated in his next ten. Evangelista was a heavy favourite to progress to the tournament quarter-finals on the back of that streak, most believing Alvarez, despite his obvious ability, would find the South American too difficult a proposition and become the first of Jones' fighters to lose an IBL bout. Alvarez had fought each of his first five contests in his home state and so making the trip all the way to Las Vegas had been quite an experience for him. But he was backed up by Jones (who would be there working his corner) aswell as other members of the Florida Alliance: the Ray cousins James and Elmer, and Holman Williams.

Their entourage came into the arena with the high octane blast of Metallica's "Bleeding Me" assaulting the arena speakers, Alvarez in a robe of black with red and white trim. His trunks followed the same pattern, his boots black with red laces. Displayed on the right leg of his trunks were a trio of flag patches representing his heritage: the Stars and Stripes, the Florida state flag and the Cuban national flag. Alvarez motioned to them proudly as he was introduced, raising his right fist into the air. As in his previous bouts he wore his hair pulled back in a long ponytail that was held together by hair ties and covered by a cotton sleeve.

Anyone who expected Alvarez to be circumspect received a rude but welcomed surprise. Evangelista seemed to be the least prepared of anyone as Alvarez came out with the intention to destroy him. A smashing right cross some thirty seconds in buckled the South American's legs, the shot chased by a left hook that bounced off his forehead. Evangelista backpedalled, probing with a hesitant jab as Alvarez marched forward without fear. The crowd was on his side and that obviously encouraged him. He stepped in and caught Evangelista with a succession of blows that kept his man on the defensive, including a pair of hard uppercuts and a vicious left to the body. At one point Alvarez ended up behind Evangelista as he lunged forward with a right hand that missed, the perturbed 5th seed spinning out of harm's way.

It's been said that Alvarez has possibly the quickest hands in the heavyweight division and he gave even more reason to accept that belief last night. As the round entered its final minute Evangelista was staggered by a lightning-fast combination, five successive punches that all found the target. Alvarez did not sit back satisfied, pressing Evangelista and wobbling him again with a quartet of blows. The Uruguayan wore a stunned expression and when Alvarez dropped a flush left hook on him he stumbled backwards into the ropes, a jolting left-right salvo as he was slumped helplessly there leading to referee Steve Smoger jumping in and pulling Alvarez aside, declaring him the winner at the 2:55 mark. His trainer Roy Jones was quickly into the ring to congratulate him, as were Williams and the Rays. It was an extraordinary, unexpected performance, one that will make boxing observers really sit up and take notice of the Florida slugger.

"Yeah, y'all, that was the plan, no doubt," said Jones afterwards. "No chance Evangelista would o' been lookin' for Romy to bumrush him, so we went with that. It was jus' gonna be for the opener but Romy do such a great job o' blitzin' the dude it ain't matter. He carried out the gameplan perfect, y'all."

Alvarez was hesitant to speak, perhaps just as surprised by his own performance as the crowd was. He's now 6-0(4), the decimated Evangelista falling to 10-3-1(8). Alvarez will take on the 4th-seeded Puerto Rican Fres Oquendo in the quarter-finals after Oquendo struggled to a majority decision win against Minnesota's Darius King (58-56, 57-57, 58-57). After the opening three rounds Oquendo appeared to be cruising to an easy win but he clocked off early, allowing King to get back into the fight and almost steal a victory. If he'd done so it would have been an embarrassing loss for Oquendo. King had been KO'd by the junior-heavyweight Mark Elwood in his last outing before joining the IBL but the organisation had seen something in him. Some of it was certainly on display in those final three rounds but he's now an unflattering 11-4-1(7) after his second loss in a row. Oquendo upped his mark to 12-1(8) but based on last night's efforts will need to improve greatly if he wants to avoid becoming another victim of "The Iceman", as Alvarez is known.

3rd-seeded Chicago native Frank Childs was far too classy and aggressive for Tennessee's Dre Kingston, the majority decision verdict not giving a true indication of Childs' domination of the contest. He outlanded Kingston 210-101 and after seeing off some determined resistance in rounds one and two took complete control. The final scorecards were 59-55, 57-57 and 58-56, Childs improving to 14-3-1(9). Kingston is another fighter who brought a loss into his IBL debut, having been stopped by none other than Romy Alvarez back in March. He's now 7-3-1(5) and unless he puts some wins together during the coming months might be on his way back to the alphabet soup gang once his contract expires. Childs is going to be in for a much tougher night in the quarter-finals as his opponent will be Sam McVey.

The co-feature produced probably the most eye-catching moment of the evening as the power punching Florida native Cheetah Brown sent the #2 seed Eddie Machen crashing out of the tournament with a single, crushing uppercut midway through the opening round. Born and raised in Pinellas Park, the 20 year-old maintained his perfect stoppage record, stretching it to seven fights. He was low-key and relaxed in the moments before the opening bell, allowing the overconfident Machen to take the spotlight. Strangely the Californian appeared to be goading Brown both during the pre-fight introductions and instructions and continued talking to him once the bout started. Brown closed his mouth in the most comprehensive fashion, a counter-right uppercut sending Machen to the canvas in sections. He collapsed to his knees and then slumped sideways as if felled by a sniper's bullet. Brown glared down at him for a moment before being motioned to a neutral corner by the referee, Machen not moving for the duration of the count. The bout was all over at the 1:44 mark, the crowd's wild applause filling Brown's ears as he slowly walked around the ring with his right fist raised.

The type of knockout power Brown possesses is a rare trait and it's something that should take him a long way in the pro ranks. It's also something that he'll need in his next fight, which will be against a man who can also claim to be blessed with brutal punching power, Indiana's Mike Hanson. It promises to be an explosive affair when these two heavy hitters clash come August. Brown gave respect to Hanson during the post-fight interview, stating that although he's not especially mobile "he can take a shot and give it back with interest". Brown said it'll be a difficult proposition to stop Hanson and that he might have to resort to more watchful tactics to overcome him.

There was almost another upset in the main event. Chile's #1 seed Arturo Godoy appeared to be heading for an early exit from the tournament before he saved his skin with a last minute knockout of the inexperienced but hugely promising Tennessee native Adam Brooks. Going into the final round Brooks had clearly been the superior combatant and held leads of one, two and three points on the scorecards. But with fifty seconds left in the fight Godoy wobbled him with a left-right salvo and then put him on his back with a follow-up left hook. Brooks looked finished and started moving at seven, to no avail. He was counted out, the bout ending at the 2:21 mark.

Considered something of a comedian Brooks couldn't see anything funny about his defeat. He appeared inconsolable as he sat on his stool some ten minutes after the bout had ended, realising he'd let a great opportunity slip through his fingers. In what was admittedly a less than electrifying affair he had outlanded Godoy 114-72 at the time of the stoppage and had rarely been troubled. In particular, he dominated round four after putting on an impressive rally late in the 2nd. Godoy would certainly be considering himself lucky to still be in the tournament. Despite the defeat Brooks should be looking forward with optimism. He came within one minute of upsetting an opponent with a good deal more experience and that's at least one positive he can take out of the fight.

***

Summary of results

(#8) Mike Weaver KO6 (#9) Owen Beck
(#10) Mike Hanson KO4 (#7) Fred Fulton
(#11) Sam McVey KO1 (#6) David Kane
(#12) Romy Alvarez TKO1 (#5) Alfredo Evangelista
(#4) Fres Oquendo MD6 (#13) Darius King
(#3) Frank Childs MD6 (#14) Dre Kingston
(#15) Cheetah Brown KO1 (#2) Eddie Machen
(#1) Arturo Godoy KO6 (#16) Adam Brooks

Quarter-finals

(#10) Hanson (7-0(7)) vs (#15) Brown (7-0(7))
(#4) Oquendo (12-1(8)) vs (#12) Alvarez (6-0(4))
(#3) Childs (14-3-1(9)) vs (#11) McVey (8-0(6))
(#1) Godoy (16-1(13)) vs (#8) Weaver (24-6-1(20))

***

[Romdawg88]

Now is the proper way to make a debut. Can't get any better then a first round stoppage for your first match. With Brooks going out that greatly increases my chances of making it to the finals. I'm looking forward to that Brown/Hansen slugfest hopefully it turns out to be the war that Kane/McVey wasn't.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Now is the proper way to make a debut. Can't get any better then a first round stoppage for your first match. With Brooks going out that greatly increases my chances of making it to the finals. I'm looking forward to that Brown/Hansen slugfest hopefully it turns out to be the war that Kane/McVey wasn't.

Congrats, Romy. I literally pumped my fist when I saw your result come up on the screen. I really think you have a good shot at getting all the way to the final. That card was even more brief than I thought it would be.

I was surprised by Kane/McVey, to say the least. Sam obliterated him with ease so DK is going to have to reel off some wins between now and the end of '06 to get back his credibility. I am hoping he bounces back and becomes a contender down the road.

[kenyan_cheena]

The Okinawa Times

THURSDAY 29 JUNE 2006

EBIHARA SURVIVES GUSHIKEN,
PROGRESSES TO QUARTER-FINALS

Story by Yoriko Konno

In a genuinely surprising result Olympic bronze medallist Yoko Gushiken was eliminated from the International Boxing League's Inter-Continental Flyweight Championship tournament last night when his bout against compatriot Hiroyuki Ebihara in Switzerland ended as a draw (57-57, 58-57 (Gushiken), 57-57). It was one of three drawn bouts on the card, all of which happened to feature Japanese fighters. Having stormed to an 8-0(6) record since turning professional twelve months ago Gushiken was expected to give the tournament an almighty shake. After controlling the opening two rounds it appeared that the 12th seed was going to have an easy night but Ebihara rallied strongly and went blow-for-blow with him in an incredible 5th round, during which the two combatants landed a combined total of 99 punches.

Gushiken actually trailed on two scorecards entering the final round and would have tasted defeat for the first time if he hadn't won the frame. The drawn verdict alone will have shocked his many supporters here in Japan, despite Ebihara's superior experience. Over the course of the action-packed fight Gushiken outlanded his opponent by a slim margin, 158-148. He'll have to get back on track while fighting a trio of "world ranking" bouts between now and the end of the year, with any thoughts of championship glory to be put on hold. It was the first drawn bout either man has been involved in, Ebihara now 15-3-1(11) and Gushiken 8-0-1(6).

None of the six Japanese fighters involved in the tournament suffered defeat on the night, though only two of them scored victories. However, those two wins were big ones with 13th seed Yukito Tamakuma upsetting the Englishman Mickey McGuire and 11th seed Koji Kobayashi knocking out Korea's Tae-Shik Kim at the end of the final round. 7th seed Hitoshi Misako was lucky to gain a place in the quarter-finals after his bout against Chan-Hee Park ended in a draw. He'll face the Filipino Piolo Fuentes, who sprung a major upset by defeating the 2nd seed Nam-Hoon Cha. Hideki Suzuki's clash with the South African Zolani Tete was also a draw, Tete progressing to the quarter-finals due to his higher seeding.

[kenyan_cheena]

Following the Americas Heavyweight card posted earlier this week, all of the forum-created fighters that featured in the IBL tournaments have made their league debuts. Below is a summary of how you all went:

(blue = win, red = loss, black = draw)

WW ASHLEY JACKSON (djday45) W KO3 Miguel Velasquez
WW MAX RASMUTH (Rasmuth) L KO5 James Page
WW ERIC BENGTSON (franklin_1) D D6 Pedro Cabrera
JHW MARK ELWOOD (vistaman44) W KO4 Julian Letterlough
LW RICHIE PLUNKETT (Ric915) W KO5 Larry Stanton
LW NICOLAS FILLION (duff88) W SD6 Ray Miller
LHW PETITE FOURIE (bear) W SD6 Willi Hoepner
LHW MARK SOMOGYI (Gunsmoke) W UD6 Jason Wanganeen
LHW STEVE FINLEY (Claybor) L MD6 George Nichols
LHW SCOT LONG (SAL) W UD6 Yvon Durelle
MW IAN LORD (Ian Lord) W UD6 Ahmet Dottuev
MW GREG GORECKY (Mad Bomber) W UD6 Hugo Corro
FW CHARLIE BENISTON (Beno999) W MD6 Welcome Ncita
MW JAKE MORRISON (Jeff1787) L TKO2 Nigel Benn
HW JUAN DE LA CRUZ (umk) W KO2 Omovo Okocha
HW SCOTT MUNDT (CONN CHRIS) L UD6 Neemia Sivivatu
HW ADAM BROOKS (Brooks TVB) L KO6 Arturo Godoy
HW ROMY ALVAREZ (Romdawg88) W TKO1 Alfredo Evangelista
HW MIKE HANSON (mh2365) W KO4 Fred Fulton
HW CHEETAH BROWN (comicfanman) W KO1 Eddie Machen

Combined record: 14-5-1(7)

I hope everyone who is still alive in the tourneys can keep on progressing. To those who have been eliminated, do not fear. You still have a great chance to succeed in this uni, just not in the immediate future. If your fighter can string some wins together during the "world ranking" bouts he should be in a pretty good position to contend once the tournaments are over.

Next up will be some month end WORLD BOXING REVIEW and BOXING MONTHLY articles for June. They'll give a summary of some other things that have been happening while we've been paying attention to the IBL tournaments.

Following those it's back into the action from week four, with the heavyweight and flyweight world championship and challenger's tournament reviews!

Hope everyone is still enjoying my uni.

k_c

[Beno999]

Enjoying it Immensely, keep the updates coming. How long until the next draw do you think?

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Beno999

Enjoying it Immensely, keep the updates coming. How long until the next draw do you think?

All the quarter-finals of the regional tournaments and challenger's tournaments take place six weeks after the first stage. Your guy fought on 21 June so that means his next bout will be 2 August.

[Brooks TVB]

That is a tough loss to swallow. Good luck to everyone else.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Brooks TVB

That is a tough loss to swallow. Good luck to everyone else.

Don't feel too bad about it, Brooksie. Like I said, if your fighter strings together some wins between now and when the tournaments are over he could end up with a pretty good starting world ranking. Then as competition continues a couple more wins can lead to the ranking improving. You could also get in a position to challenge for the regional championship.

[kenyan_cheena]

BOXING
MONTHLY

VOLUME 28, ISSUE 6 - JUNE 2006

MISSOURI MIDDLEWEIGHT
STEALS SHOW AT NATIONALS

Story by Frank Gould

The annual Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions was held earlier this month in Chicago and while a number of established amateurs performed to expectations there was one in particular who came almost out of nowhere to claim the middleweight title. That young man was St. Louis native Michael Spinks, a 17 year-old who has been competing in the sport for just eighteen months. Unsurprisingly Spinks was not present at last year's nationals but he booked his place in '06 by winning the regional championship in his hometown. He overcame a pair of more fancied, experienced opponents in defending champion Tony Zale and Pennsylvania's Charley Burley on the way to his unexpected Chicago triumph. Spinks' run through the tournament was one of the most exciting moments I've seen in American amateur boxing for some time and it goes without saying that the talented Missouri teenager is one to keep an eye on. He's a confident, self-assured individual who spoke with certainty of his long-term ambitions to not only win gold in Beijing but also become a multi-division world champion in the professional ranks.

All the winners from the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions:

* SUPER-HEAVYWEIGHT: Jason Betters (defeated Michael Gates)

This 225-pound Los Angeles native won his first national title after bowing out of the tournament early during the last two years. Betters is regarded as one of the heaviest hitters in world amateur boxing and Gates was on the receiving end of some absolute sledgehammer blows before their fight was stopped late in round two. He's only eighteen and has said his number one goal is to win gold in 2008.

* HEAVYWEIGHT: Earnie Shavers (defeated Greg Washington)

Another fighter who possesses some real hurting bombs, Shavers has assumed the title of America's best heavyweight since Jack Johnson and Joe Jeannette turned professional in late 2004. He successfully retained his national championship by pounding Washington into submission, the bout ending midway through round three. Already 21 years old, Shavers said recently that he's considering making the jump to the professional ranks in 2007.

* LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT: Tony Tucker (defeated Dwayne Jackson)

Michigan-born Tucker finally won the light-heavyweight title, appearing in his third straight national final after Elmer Ray had outfought him in both '04 and '05. Jackson posed a difficult challenge but Tucker would not be denied, winning the final by a 25-21 scoreline. The 19 year-old looks to have a promising future and, like Shavers, has hinted at making the switch to the pros before Beijing.

* MIDDLEWEIGHT: Michael Spinks (defeated Charley Burley)

(See above).

* WELTERWEIGHT: Billy Graham (defeated John Hayes)

Athens Olympian Graham stayed on track in his quest to make the team for Beijing with a confident showing throughout the tournament. The 18 year-old New Yorker is the 5th ranked welterweight in the world and outclassed Hayes in the title match, winning it 33-21. If he continues on his current rate of improvement Graham will be a favourite for the gold medal in 2008.

* LIGHT-WELTERWEIGHT: David Munoz (defeated Howie Craven)

Of Mexican heritage, Munoz is a Los Angeles-born fighter with aggression to burn and lightning-fast fists. He stopped Craven within ninety seconds of the opening bell in their title match, the referee waving the contest over after a succession of power punches sent Craven slumping down the ropes and to the canvas. Munoz has big ambitions and isn't afraid to talk about them. Olympic glory is simply the start and if his confident words are to be believed this young man will be one of the real stars of the sport in the years to come.

* LIGHTWEIGHT: Ronin James (defeated Tameer Granger)

18 year-old New Orleans native Ronin James gained some redemption and revenge against Oakland's Tameer Granger in winning the lightweight championship, the bout a rematch of last year's final. The outgoing, extroverted speedster was far too quick and classy for Granger to handle, showing how far he's come in these last twelve months.

* FEATHERWEIGHT: Louis Reed (defeated Johnny Kilbane)

Sacramento-born Louis Reed has really made a name for himself in the past year. This was the 21 year-old's second consecutive national championship, one he said was sweeter than the last as it came after a fantastic domination of Athens Olympian and '04 champion Johnny Kilbane in the final. Both men have their sights firmly set on Beijing and judging by this month's encounter Reed is presently a clear-cut favourite.

* BANTAMWEIGHT: Tyrone King (defeated Johnathan Webb)

At 17 years of age Detroit's Tyrone King has already shown himself to be a boxer with tremendous promise. He mesmerized Webb for the duration of their contest, taking the win by a 31-12 scoreline. King bowed out in the semi-finals last year but there never seemed to be any doubt that he'd take the championship in '06. He's certainly a young fighter to keep an eye on.

* FLYWEIGHT: Frankie Genaro (defeated Antonio Lotts)

One of the most determined amateur fighters in the USA showed once again why he's unanimously admired for his fighting spirit and heart. Going into the final round of his clash with Antonio Lotts, Genaro trailed by five points but rallied to knock his opponent out thirty seconds from the bell. Genaro has now won the national flyweight title three times in the last four years ('03, '04 and '06) and with the current state of the division the 19 year-old Athens bronze medallist could very easily claim a couple more championships before Beijing.

__________

(following are selected entries from the magazine's
"Fight Review" section)

3 June: Milan, Italy
Bruno Arcari (26-2-1(19)) UD12 Jimmy Fulton (22-0-1(18))
(junior-welterweight division, IBF title fight)

In the first defense of the title he won in January the Italian Arcari was far too clever and classy for the talented but in-over-his-head Englishman Jimmy Fulton. The final scorecards were 118-110, 117-111 and 118-111, verdicts that accurately reflected the extent of Arcari's domination. The junior-welterweight division is currently the only one that has four different alphabet champions and by the end of the month Arcari had called out each of the other three to take him on in a unification bout. A clash with WBA champion Eddie Perkins would be the most attractive. However, Perkins held onto his belt by the skin of his teeth in a split decision win over Marvyn Rollins in April and might not be that eager to immediately put it on the line against an even tougher opponent.

6 June: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Mark Lyons (3-0(3)) KO3 Albert Franklin (4-2(2))
(heavyweight division)

Judging by what he's shown in his brief career to date, Lyons looks to be the latest name we can add to the growing list of up-and-coming American heavyweights. Standing 6'1" and weighing in at 230 pounds this 23 year-old possesses some serious knockout power but doesn't take himself too seriously, as evidenced by an amusing post-fight interview. It's been rumoured that he took up boxing to escape a life of drug dealing on the tough streets of Baltimore. If true, that might just be the wisest decision he'll ever make, especially when his obvious talent is taken into account. The International Boxing League were quick to take note of his abilities, signing him to a contract a couple of weeks after his defeat of Franklin.

10 June: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Felix Trinidad (3-0(3)) KO2 Luis Rivera (5-1(3))
(junior-welterweight division)

Trinidad's camp is aiming to keep him busy through the early months of his pro career, this win over Rivera coming just three weeks after he knocked out Noah Villegas. Rivera was thought to be a tougher challenge but Trinidad disposed of him with breathtaking ease. There were rumours that his father had been in serious contract discussions with the International Boxing League at the beginning of the month, rumours Felix Sr squashed during the post-fight interview. With Trinidad fighting at junior-welterweight there is no chance that he'll join the IBL in the near future as it would require him to compete at either lightweight or welterweight, something that he is not prepared to consider.

14 June: Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Jimmy Krug (3-0(2)) UD4 Angelo Vitali (5-2(3))
(bantamweight division)

Perhaps it's too early to be certain, but Jimmy Krug just might be the answer to America's terrible lack of depth in the bantamweight division. The 19 year-old Newark native has made an impressive and promising start to his professional career, showing fantastic boxing skills. In particular, his jab is a potent weapon, one he's used to subdue each of his first four opponents. It had been Krug's dream to represent the USA in Athens but he was defeated in controversial circumstances during the selection trials, the judging in his quarter-final bout being highly questionable. At the time he implied that it had been deliberate in order to assist eventual representative Paulie Ayala's chances. He took a break from the sport following the trials, not returning to the ring until making his pro debut this past February.

17 June: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Sergio Palma (29-2(24)) KO10 Hector Martinez (25-1-1(19))
(junior-featherweight division, WBA title fight)

The talented Argentinian Palma retained his belt for the fifth time since claiming it eighteen months ago, controlling the fight almost from the opening bell before flooring Martinez twice in the 10th round. Of those not under the banner of the IBL Palma is the top dog in his division. With the talent level there seriously diluted he might be eyeing a move to featherweight and a clash with WBA/WBC champion Jim Driscoll. Palma has already ruled out joining the IBL, voicing an opinion similar to that of lightweight king Patricio Marquez while pledging his allegiance to the alphabet soup gang.

17 June: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Pernell Whitaker (12-0(8)) UD8 Javier Lopez (22-3-1(16))
(lightweight division)

Lopez was a considerable step up compared to the quality of opposition Whitaker has faced to date but it didn't matter. The Athens gold medallist pitched a near shutout against the rugged but slow Mexican, taking the verdict by scores of 80-73, 79-73 and 80-72. It has been suggested that Whitaker could be in line for a shot at IBF Champion Joe Brown before the end of the year but the Virginian's camp has dismissed such a possibility, saying their plan is to bring the 22 year-old along slowly with the aim being a title fight in early 2008.

20 June: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Brutus Brody (4-0(4)) TKO1 Larry Banks (11-5-1(7))
(heavyweight division)

There appears to be no end in sight to the flood of talented American heavyweight boxers emerging in 2006. Detroit's Brutus Brody looks to be the very definition of the word "intimidation". The 27 year-old came seemingly out of nowhere to debut in March and has scored five stoppage victories in less than four months, all inside of two rounds. He's raw, bad-tempered, powerful and a man of few words, something that has added to the intrigue and sense of mystery surrounding him. What is known is that he grew up homeless on the streets of Detroit from his early teens, having lost both parents at a young age through drug-related incidents. He served five years in the Southern Michigan Correctional Facility from '99 through '04 on charges of weapons and drug possession, but it's unclear how he came to be involved in boxing. Brody is definitely a fighter to keep an eye on.

22 June: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Ron E. Vincent (3-0(2)) UD4 Brian Hall (3-3(1))
(heavyweight division)

The story behind this talented young Suffolk native is quite an interesting one. Vincent is an ordained minster who pastors a small church in his hometown and has taken up boxing to help fund various community projects. He's said that he struggled with his "calling" for some time and was on the verge of quitting his religious duties to dedicate more time to training. Known as "REV" due to his initials and the other, more obvious reason, the 21 year-old has since decided to juggle both devotions and is apparently doing an admirable job of it. In the ring he's calm, cool and collected, blessed with surprising hand speed. He's also a superbly fit, tough individual who, with time and development, looks capable of becoming a top contender in the division.

24 June: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Francisco Ortiz (35-2(29)) TKO3 Gregorio Heureaux (22-6-1(15))
(lightweight division)

Back in action just three months after his classic confrontation with Patricio Marquez, former WBA Champion Ortiz fought in his homeland for the first time since 2003 in what was essentially a "keep busy" outing. It had been assumed that a rematch with Marquez would be arranged but the Mexican WBC/WBA champ has instead become interested in the possibility of an even more lucrative undisputed championship showdown against IBF king Joe Brown. Where that leaves Ortiz is unclear, although a shot at the currently vacant but lightly regarded WBO strap has been discussed.

[Jersey-Jim]

It's good to see Jimmy Krug making his debut in America's forgotten division. His grandfather would be proud!

[Marciano6]

An Interview with Brody........

Detroit Free Press......

June 21st, 2006

Conducted by: Jim Powers

Sitting on the curb at the intersection of 7 mile and Joy Rd. I felt a little intimidated it was not by the fact that it was 9 P.M and the sun was going down, rather because I was next to Brutus Brody.

He is a quiet man, at first glance you notice his frame he is very buff and quite tall. His face is unshaven one side of his hair is braided the other is an afro. Brody is wearing a bandana around his neck, he is sporting a Detroit Tigers jersey and jeans.

JP: How did you first get into boxing?

BB: I always known how to use these thangs (lifts up his hands to show mutiple scars on his knuckles and a huge scar from his baby finger down to his elbow)

JP: What was it like growing up in Detroit?

BB: (Lifts up his shirt to show a scar on his stomach where he had been shot)

JP: Are you from this area?

BB: Born and raised blood.....We still on 7 mile ridin' dirty you know?

JP: How long were you in jail for exactly? some say 5 years some say longer

(some people from the neighbourhood come over and congradulate Brutus on his recent success)

JP: Brutus can you tell us how long you were in jail for? and why?

BB: You gotta do what you gotta do to survive man....that's all I really have to say about that.

JP: Brutus where do you see yourself in 5 years?

BB: Fighting.....if not dead.....

JP: Is there anything you would like to say before I go?

BB: Walk in my shoes, hurt your feet, then you gone know why I do dirt in these streets

[kenyan_cheena]

Ha, that was great, Marciano. Thanks so much. I appreciate the enthusiasm you're showing for my uni.