The Greatest Prize in Sports

[Mad Bomber]

A terrible way to have to leave the tournament. Perhaps there will be a rematch in there future.

[vistaman44]

That Elwood guy is a heck of a slugger. Look out, Braithwaite!

(Why is a Guyanan in the Midwest division??? jk!)

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by vistaman44

That Elwood guy is a heck of a slugger. Look out, Braithwaite!

(Why is a Guyanan in the Midwest division??? jk!)

He was very impressive. It's actually the Americas Championship so all the fighters in it are from either North America, South America or the Carribean.

[Romdawg88]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

When I was simming the card and the result of that fight came up on the screen I had one of those instantaneous pissed off beyond belief moments. Took me about thirty seconds to calm down enough to sim the rest of the card.

The fight was closer than the punch totals indicated, with every round save the 3rd (which Elmer dominated) being pretty close. But Elmer just didn't have much luck with the judges, especially the one who only gave him two rounds.

One positive way to look at it is it'll allow him to get more experience before he challenges for one of the belts. I am hoping beyond hope that some day he gets high enough in the rankings to take on Sammy Langford and they produce an epic contest.

The IBL might need to double check it's judges. This is the second fight so far that has seen a guy be eliminated due to a draw even though he seemed to have won the fight.

Yeah, I don't think it matters how much experience Ray gets I don't see him giving Langford that much trouble course that is true for 99% of the fighters in the league. Sam's a bad dude.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

The IBL might need to double check it's judges. This is the second fight so far that has seen a guy be eliminated due to a draw even though he seemed to have won the fight.

Yeah, I don't think it matters how much experience Ray gets I don't see him giving Langford that much trouble course that is true for 99% of the fighters in the league. Sam's a bad dude.

I was thinking I might work the dubious judging performances into the storyline, maybe have a post about the IBL making a rocky start and the need for them to be much better than the status quo to really win the public over. Maybe something like that.

Yep, I think the outcome is a foregone conclusion but we could have a lot of fun with the build-up to the fight. And there is always that little chance with this game, that little chance of the upset. These two fighters were my personal faves in the HBF and I'm still very attached to them in this new uni. It would be a dream come true for them to eventually go head-to-head.

[kenyan_cheena]

JSYK,

I'm halfway through writing up the first world championship tournament card. It should be posted by this time tomorrow.

ken_chee:ang ry:

[kenyan_cheena]

EL UNIVERSAL

Saturday 10 June 2006

DIAZ DECIMATES
MENETREY AT MSG!

Story by Miguel Trelles

Enrique Diaz sent out a warning shot to every welterweight contender in the International Boxing League last night with a brutal 3rd round TKO of the Frenchman Roger Menetrey at New York's Madison Square Garden. Competing in the quarter-finals of the league's World Welterweight Championship tournament the fiery 27 year-old produced an explosive performance, obliterating the former WBA titleholder with a relentless assault in rounds two and three. Referee Jose Cobian jumped in to stop the carnage at the 2:27 mark with Menetrey out on his feet after absorbing a flush right cross, the shot coming at the end of a flurry of punishing blows. A native of Guadalajara, Diaz was the WBO Welterweight Champion from June 2004 until this past April when he relinquished the belt before signing with the IBL. He defended the WBO belt five times but was vocal and animated during last night's post-fight interview in regards to his ambitions to become not only the IBL's inaugural champion but Mexico's premier boxer. His record is now 29-1(22) while Menetrey fell to 29-4-1(20).

Like so many other boxers over the years Diaz grew up knowing nothing but poverty. The sport has enabled him and his family to escape the hopeless cycle they'd been trapped in for generation after generation. Already a millionaire following his run as the WBO king he earned $512,000 in defeating Menetrey and guaranteed himself to at least double that amount by progressing to the tournament semi-finals. Diaz is trained by his father Hector and was also joined in the ring after the fight by his mother, wife and two young daughters, the sextet the perfect portrait of a contented family as they celebrated his victory. Devoutly religious, Diaz slipped a rosary around his neck moments after the bout's end, his daughter Paulina playing with it as he held her in his arms while speaking to HBO's Mike Sherman.

In the evening's main event Virgin Islands-born New Yorker Emile Griffith turned back a spirited challenge from the talented Philadelphian Meldrick Taylor, the #1 seed winning by majority decision (96-94, 95-95, 97-93). It was a thrilling contest with Griffith outlanding Taylor 244-206, his accuracy overcoming Taylor's busier workrate. After being warned in the 2nd round Griffith was deducted a point for a low blow in the 4th but luckily for him it made no difference to the final result. Like Diaz, Griffith was a reigning champion before signing with the IBL, relinquishing the WBA belt he'd claimed by defeating Menetrey back in 2003. Through the first five rounds the 28 year-old appeared to have everything under control but Taylor finished the fight impressively, winning the bottom five rounds by two points on two scorecards and breaking even on the other. At just 22 years of age he still has a bright future ahead of him but was understandably downcast following the defeat. He's now 22-3(17), Griffith improving his mark to 28-1-1(22).

The night opened with IBL President James Molk in the ring, dressed sharply in a dark pinstriped suit. He thanked the near capacity crowd for their patronage, expressed his happiness with the opening week of league fight cards and declared that "this evening, we get really serious." He went on to say that each of the eight men competing are champions in their own right but the four who achieved success would be "just a single win away from a shot at the world championship, the pinnacle of our sport." Molk thanked the audience again and said he hoped they enjoy the evening before stepping out of the ring and taking his seat at ringside to a warm round of applause. Ten minutes later the combatants for the opening contest had made the walk to the ring and were ready to get it on.

Having lost a unanimous decision verdict in a challenge for Enrique Diaz's WBO belt back in March, Puerto Rico's Carmelo Barea was looking to get back on track as he squared off against Germany's Gustav Eder in a matchup of the tournament's 4th and 5th seeds. Through the first four rounds Barea looked to be in with a great chance, frustrating the former European Champion with his quickness and combinations and building a good lead. Eder needed to turn things around quickly and that's exactly what he did, wrestling the momentum away in the 5th. He kept it through the remainder of the fight, punishing his man and staggering a fading Barea late in the 8th round. Eder withstood a brave but ultimately futile rally in the 9th and then sealed the deal with a dominant final stanza where he cut Barea on the left eyelid. The final scorecards each favoured the German by a 96-94 verdict, the judges not only showing the same scores but also scoring each and every round identically. The win was Eder's 26th against just a single loss, Barea losing for the second time in four months and falling to 25-3-1(17).

Cleveland's Marvyn Rollins achieved a minor upset in the second fight of the night, scoring a split decision win over Ghana's Ike Quartey. It was a terribly difficult bout to score as while Rollins landed his shots with more accuracy and power Quartey outworked him and was the aggressor, Rollins prefering to snipe away at him from the outside and backpedal whenever the African tried to mix it up from in close. Two judges gave Rollins the win by scores of 98-94 while the other favoured Quartey 97-95. Rounds five through seven were the main point of difference and they ultimately swung the verdict Rollins' way. He landed 234 of 719 punches (32.5%), Quartey 173 of 1,053 (16.4%). Now 30-2-1(22) Rollins was jubilant in the moments after the verdict was announced. The Ohio native had lost the slimmest of split decisions to WBA junior-welterweight champion Eddie Perkins on April 15 and could have simply sat back and waited for their planned August rematch. Instead he chose to take a chance, signing with the IBL and stepping back in the ring just eight weeks after the Perkins bout. His gamble has earned him a semi-final clash with Diaz, a bout that will be eagerly anticipated.

***

(4) Gustav Eder UD10 (5) Carmelo Barea
(6) Marvyn Rollins SD10 (3) Ike Quartey
(2) Enrique Diaz TKO3 (7) Roger Menetrey
(1) Emile Griffith MD10 (8) Meldrick Taylor

Semi-Final matchups (to be held 2 September 2006)

(1) Griffith (28-1-1(22)) vs (4) Eder (26-1-0(17))
(2) Diaz (29-1-0(22)) vs (6) Rollins (30-2-1(22))

***

[PWillisTheMan]

Good to see you back at it.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by PWillisTheMan

Good to see you back at it.

Thanks. I hope everyone is enjoying it as much as I am.

[kenyan_cheena]

Halifax Sunday
Chronicle-Herald

SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2006

LANGFORD KNOCKED OUT OF
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

Story by Louis Haywood

Nova Scotia's two-time Olympic gold medallist Sam Langford suffered the first defeat of his professional boxing career last night, losing by split decision to the Italian Massimiliano Duran in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The bout was a quarter-final of the International Boxing League's World Junior-Heavyweight Championship tournament. Despite having considerably less experience than Duran most expected that the fantastically talented 24 year-old would have little trouble overcoming the Italian and upon final assessment of the contest Langford was painfully close to victory. Not only tasting the previously unfamiliar bitterness of a pro defeat, Langford was also sent to the canvas for the first time as a professional 2:22 into round nine. He had been winning the frame comfortably but a jolting left hook stunned Langford and a follow-up barrage dumped him on his backside. He was quickly back on his feet but the knockdown was effectively a three-point turnaround as each judge gave Duran the round, 10-8. The final scorecards read 96-93, 93-96, 95-94, meaning that Langford would have been the victor if not for the knockdown.

Langford's exploits winning gold as a welterweight in Sydney and then at light-heavyweight in Athens secured his place as one of Canada's Olympic greats and he is perhaps the most popular sporting personality in our nation today. As a professional he has continued to set an outstanding example for Canada's youth with his humility, modesty and selfless attitude. After being firstly reported months ago as speculation it's now been confirmed as a fact that Langford's open and honest expressions of his Christian beliefs has led to a jump in the number of Canadians attending church each week, quite an extraordinary example of the influence the man has. Many boxing experts were predicting that he was good enough to go through the IBL tournament undefeated and claim his division's inaugural championship. They failed to acknowledge the fact that Langford had never fought anyone with the same big-fight experience as Duran, who was the IBF cruiserweight champion for two years before losing the title to Carlos DeLeon in early 2004. True, if Langford stays on his feet he wins the fight but Duran tested him to a greater extent than any of his previous opponents had.

After a competitive opening round Langford had the better of the next three before Duran came back into the fight with some effective work in the 5th. At the mid-point of the contest Langford was leading on two scorecards and still held the upperhand at the conclusion of round eight. He had hurt Duran with some punishing shots in that stanza and the Italian was wearing some nasty swelling under his right eye. An accidental headbutt early in the 9th resulted in a cut outside Duran's right eyebrow and the sight of blood made Langford more aggressive. He pounded Duran with a series of stinging body shots and just as it looked like the Italian's resistance was fading he produced that huge left hook that turned the fight on its ear. After rising from the knockdown Langford appeared shaken, perhaps more from the experience of being on the canvas than any physical damage. His finish to the fight was outstanding as he clubbed Duran with at least half-a-dozen flush, single power punches through the final round, the best of them a vicious cross that turned his man's legs to jelly ten seconds from the bell.

Considering the way the fight ended it seemed certain that Langford would take the decision but it was not to be. He had connected with 252 of 1,010 punches (25.0%), Duran 200 of 517 (38.7%), totals that illustrated what everyone in the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot already knew, that Langford had been by far the more aggressive, active fighter. A chorus of boos rained down upon the ring when the verdict was announced but Duran was oblivious to them, briefly consoling Langford before celebrating jubilantly with his corner crew. Showing once again that he is a man of integrity and class Langford did not question the verdict and when pressed on it simply acknowledged that Duran was the smarter combatant and deserved the win, pointing to the knockdown as a real turning point and lamenting his carelessness at that moment. He said that the defeat would only make him hungrier to succeed, would only make him push himself harder in training.

"I see this as another test the Lord has placed in front of me," Langford said, smiling. "I never took this fight for granted despite what everyone in the press were saying and maybe this is His way of reinforcing that belief ... that belief that nothing is ever handed to you without hard work, diligence. I got careless there in the 9th round and it cost me the fight."

With the win Duran improved his record to 31-4-1(22) while Langford's sheet is now blemished at 14-1(11).

The night featured a second unexpected result when former WBA light-heavyweight champion and tournament 2nd seed Maurice Holmes was stopped on cuts in round five by Ohio native Jeff Lampkin. Holmes retired from the sport in 2004 but IBL president James Molk called the Brooklyn-born slugger personally to invite him to take part in the tournament. Molk was hoping Holmes would add some much-needed star power to the junior-heavyweight division so there's no doubt that he'll be as disappointed in the result as Holmes himself was. The 34 year-old seemed to intimate afterwards that it might be his last bout, with the idea of fighting his way to the top of the rankings during the next twelve months and beyond clearly not an appealing one. Holmes looked in great shape as he prowled the ring before the opening bell and after he dominated round one it seemed like Lampkin was going to be in for a tough night. He gave a much better account of himself in the 2nd, finishing it with a fantastic last thirty seconds. A hard uppercut backed Holmes up before a series of bodyshots had him dropping his guard, leaving him open up top for Lampkin to land a flush right hand that opened a cut above the New Yorker's left eyebrow.

Referee Mike Ortega halted proceedings and led Holmes to a neutral corner where the ringside doctor observed the injury and allowed the fight to continue. Holmes' corner crew went to work on the cut with what appeared to be a sense of panic during the intermission. Sensing the danger of the situation Holmes swung for the fences in the 3rd, winning the round easily but failing to put his man away. The action slowed in the 4th and it appeared that Holmes' cut might not be so bad. He came out strong in the 5th, rattling Lampkin with two seperate uppercuts and a left hook through its opening minute. But the two men were soon tangled up in a corner. They banged heads and when Ortega seperated them it was clear to see that Holmes' cut had been reopened and looked much worse than before. Once again the doctor was summoned and this time he ruled than Holmes could not continue, the #2 seed falling to his knees in despair while Lampkin hollered and pounded his chest, wild excitement showing in his eyes. In a career that has featured some big wins but even bigger disappointments this might just be Lampkin's most important triumph. His record now stands at 34-7-1(28), Holmes falling to 38-4-1(33) and an uncertain future.

In the evening's opening bout Italy's Angelo Rottoli rallied from a slow start to finish with a wet sail against Germany's Alexander Petkovick, the drawn result (95-94, 95-95, 94-95) seeing 4th-seeded Rottoli progress to the semi-finals. It was a thrilling action-packed fight with the turning point coming when Petkovick was floored early in round six. From that moment on Rottoli was in control and he shouted triumphantly at the realisation that he was still in the tournament. He'll face #1 seed Carlos DeLeon next, the hometown favourite looking pretty ordinary in scraping to a split decision win over Jamaica's Uriah Grant (96-95, 94-97, 98-94). DeLeon may have still been feeling the effects of his 12-rounder with Ronnie Hayes on April 1. Whatever the reason, he looked unconvincing and will no doubt be ecstatic that the two men tipped to be his biggest challengers for the title (Langford and Holmes) have both been eliminated from the tournament. DeLeon is now 31-1(21), Grant losing for the third time in seven fights to fall to 26-6-1(18).

[Romdawg88]

Wow, I never expect to see Langford go out in the first round of the tourney. It might not be on a Johnson/Beckett level but that is a pretty big upset in my eyes.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Wow, I never expect to see Langford go out in the first round of the tourney. It might not be on a Johnson/Beckett level but that is a pretty big upset in my eyes.

Yep, I had to keep that under my hat while we were discussing him the last couple of days. Not as big as Johnson/Beckett as they were both at beginner but Langford and Duran were at different career stages. I think the best word to describe this first week would be dramatic. Ha, the JHW semis are pretty much a ratings disaster which is exactly what Molk was trying to avoid by having Sammy and Holmes there.

Can't believe my two faves couldn't manage a win between them.

[kenyan_cheena]

ST. JOHNS
COUNTY CHRONICLE

Monday 12 June 2006

One down, four to go:
Jimmy Ray scores 1st round KO
in IBL opener

Story by Bob Valdez

"Damn right, it's a diss, man! Y'all gonna tell me makin' the best welterweight in America the 13th seed ain't anythang else? Come on, brother. I ain't knowin' who rubber stamp it and it don't matter, see? But it be a diss, don't play on that. They just stokin' the fire, y'all, wakin' the beast. Y'all wanna see somethin' incredible? Just keep yo' eyes on Jimmy Ray these next six months. Y'all gonna be amazed. Believe that."

Those were the words of Hastings-born boxer James Ray last month after it was announced that he was given the 13th seed in the International Boxing League's Welterweight Challenger's tournament. Regarded as the best young American fighter in his division and boasting a perfect 12-0(9) record it was assumed that Ray would be seeded considerably higher. The IBL pointed to a "lack of quality opponents" on Ray's resume as the reasoning behind their decision, a claim supported by some observers but dismissed by the fighter's camp. Ray has said on several occasions since that he'll just have to make the league "eat some humble pie" by starting his time with the organisation with a 5-0 run and not only winning the tournament but also going on and claiming the World Championship, regardless of who he has to defeat to do it.

Last night Ray took the first step on that journey and what a fantastic first step it was. Fighting in the fifth bout of the evening at the Surelere Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria, Ray knocked out Japan's Jiro Suzuki two minutes and eighteen seconds into the 1st round. The 21 year-old dismissed Suzuki's challenge with something akin to arrogant disdain, sending him to the canvas midway through the round with a flush uppercut that brought a howl of approval from the crowd, the shot snapping Suzuki's head back and dropping him on his backside. Ray had come out on the winning side of a brief toe-to-toe exchange moments before and he strolled nonchalantly to a neutral corner after the knockdown. Up at four Suzuki looked perturbed and backpedalled into the ropes where Ray resumed his assault, firing away with a left-right salvo and then unleashing a wicked left hook to the body that had the Japanese fighter doubled over. Suzuki lay on the canvas, agony showing on his face as he clutched at his ribs. Before the count was even a couple seconds old Ray had mounted a corner post on the other side of the ring and simply nodded to the crowd, right fist up in the air.

The Athens silver medallist had made the walk to the ring accompanied by his trainer Roy Jones and corner crew, the boombastic assault of Eric B. & Rakim's "Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em" pounding from the stadium's speaker system. Dressed in the colours of the Florida Alliance stable, his knee-length trunks were white with a black waistband, FLORIDA stencilled there in red and tassels of black, red and white running up each side. Jones had been in Oklahoma City on Thursday night for Ray's cousin Elmer's IBL debut and boarded a flight for Nigeria on Friday. He'd had quite a bit to say about the controversy surrounding Elmer's drawn result but was confident the same fate would not befall James. He could not have been more correct with that assessment, James staying uncharacteristically silent during the post-fight interview and letting Jones do the talking.

"Everybody gots to know, the IBL ain't done none o' these welterweights any favours," Jones said confidently. "They jus' make my boy madder, y'all. You think we take a slight like this and turn the other cheek? Y'all gotta be smokin' some ill (expletive) thinkin' that. Maybe they be plannin' this all along, you know? Put J-Ray in at thirteen, watch the brother sweep 'em. Make a good story? You bet yo' ass it does."

Ray improved to 13-0(10) with the victory while Suzuki fell to just his second defeat in twenty fights and is now 18-2(14). The fact that he brought a ten-fight winning streak into the night makes Ray's destruction of him all the more impressive. Earlier in the evening another promising young welterweight was not so fantastic. Puerto Rico's Olympic bronze medallist Wilfred Benitez wasted a brilliant opening round against Los Angeles native Aaron Lister Brown, struggling for consistency through the rest of the fight, which ended as a draw. Benitez cut and almost stopped Brown in the 1st but from then on the momentum swung back and forth and all three judges scored the bout 57-57, allowing Brown to progress to the quarter-finals. It was the second draw of Benitez's career but he remains undefeated at 12-0-2(10). The top two seeds in the tournament both hail from Nigeria and they scored convincing unanimous decision wins in the final two contests on the card, Ifeani Adamu accounting for Charley Scott and Ademola Udeze defeating Charlie Shipes.

[PWillisTheMan]

These draws are a real pain in the back side.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by PWillisTheMan

These draws are a real pain in the back side.

They really make it necessary for the lower seeds to go all out for the win. There shouldn't be as many of them as the tourneys progress because the fights will be longer.

That last card was the final one I'll be writing up for the first week. I haven't run any of the week two fights yet. I'll be trying to get them done on Saturday.

Just a note: if anyone is unsure where the schedule is for the tourneys, it's the first post on page five of the thread.

[Romdawg88]

Now that is how you start off your tournament run. I feel sorry for the poor bastards that are going to have to face off with James. Also, yeah I have to agree with Willis the draws suck but I think they'll stop happening as often once we get into longer fights

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Now that is how you start off your tournament run. I feel sorry for the poor bastards that are going to have to face off with James. Also, yeah I have to agree with Willis the draws suck but I think they'll stop happening as often once we get into longer fights

I think as far as the Ray family goes, James is a much better horse to be putting your money on. I'm really, really hoping he goes all the way coz I'm aiming for him to be one of the major players in the story. He's cocky, egotistical and brash so if he can back up his attitude with results in the ring that will be fantastic.

[PWillisTheMan]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

They really make it necessary for the lower seeds to go all out for the win. There shouldn't be as many of them as the tourneys progress because the fights will be longer.

That last card was the final one I'll be writing up for the first week. I haven't run any of the week two fights yet. I'll be trying to get them done on Saturday.

Just a note: if anyone is unsure where the schedule is for the tourneys, it's the first post on page five of the thread.

I get the principle, it's rough in six rounders. I should also say I love me some Benitez and a fight with him and Ray would have been awesome.

[kenyan_cheena]

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...-universe.html

Would you like to have a fighter in this PWillis?

Just click on the link above if you do.

[PWillisTheMan]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...-universe.html

Would you like to have a fighter in this PWillis?

Just click on the link above if you do.

aight