The Heavyweight Boxing Federation

[kenyan_cheena]

EDIT:

I've cut and pasted the paragraphs that were in this post into post #1360 so that the Bowe article is all tidy in one post at the end of page 68...

[kenyan_cheena]

IRISH REDEMPTION:
DEVERE DEFEATS DAVIDSON,
QUALIFIES FOR STAGE TWO

Saturday 10 August 2002

Back on Wednesday night Alex Stewart broke thousands of Irish hearts when he eliminated Tom Sharkey from the HBF's World Championship tournament with a split decision victory. Tonight, Bob Devere was able to reverse that sorrow to a degree when he qualified for stage two of the 1st Defense tournament courtesy of a hard-fought unanimous decision triumph over the American Embrell Davidson.

The 17th seed was awarded identical verdicts of 58-56 by all three judges. This was a tremendously competitive fight through the first four rounds but Devere was able to finish strongly and sweep the final two stanzas. He was the much busier fighter during the contest, his workrate something that Davidson didn't come close to matching. The Michigan native was relying more on power than volume and in the end it was his downfall.

Having scored victories over Billy Walker and Herbie Hide in his last two bouts, the 9th-seeded Davidson was hoping to complete an admirable comeback from a disappointing 1-3 tournament start to surge into stage two. He almost did it, taking the first round convincingly before Devere controlled the tempo in the second and third. Davidson was able to regain the upperhand in the fourth but ran out of gas in the fifth and offered little resistance in the sixth.

Devere landed 192 of 508 punches (37.8%) and was carried around on his trainer's shoulders as if he'd just been crowned World Champion afterwards. There was a healthy presence of Irishmen in the crowd at London's Wembley Conference Centre and they applauded him enthusiastically from the opening bell, revelling in his success once the decision had been revealed. Davidson was able to connect with 139 of 271 shots (51.3%).

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation)

"I could see near the end of the fifth that he'd had enough," said an excited Devere afterwards. "That gave me even more confidence to come out and dominate the final round. Things didn't look too good for me back in June but that doesn't matter now. It feels great qualifying for the second stage and I'll be trying my best to make the most of the opportunity."

Devere will have to wait until the end of the month to see if his fellow Irishman Peter Maher joins him in stage two. It's possible that Devere will matchup against tournament top seed Rocky Marciano to start the stage, a daunting prospect to say the least. However, it's something he'll put to one side for now. In a nation that doesn't need a reason to have a beer or two his success will certainly be celebrated to the fullest in the days to come.

***

The evening's opening bout was also a 1st Defense tournament contest and although the result had no bearing on progression, there was plenty of pride at stake as the combatants were both Englishman and both fighting in their homeland for the first time. In addition, they'd both expressed a distinct dislike for each other during the last couple of weeks, something that had almost led to a full-blown brawl at yesterday's weigh-in.

8th seed Herbie Hide had already wrapped up a 1st place finish in Group Eight while Billy Walker was looking to end his stay in the tournament on a high. He'd won three of his frst four bouts before falling to consecutive defeats against Davidson and Devere, sending his campaign off the rails. When the two stepped in the ring to start the evening's festivities they crafted an absolute barnburner, a brief but action-packed contest that had the crowd on their feet.

They showed their intentions immediately, unleashing some smashing blows in the opening round. Walker had the early running but his Nigerian-born opponent evened the ledger with a strong middle section that was concluded with a crunching uppercut at the two minute mark. Walker then regained control in the later stages before dropping Hide with something of a lucky punch, a wild overhand right that caught the 8th seed flush on the jaw as the round was ending. Hide went down on one knee, making it the third consecutive fight where he'd tasted the canvas.

Round two featured more of the same brilliant back and forth action but at an accelerated rate. Once again Walker started well, connecting with a number of powerful shots before Hide was able to muscle his way into the round with some damaging blows from point blank range, including another stinging upercut. The round's final thirty seconds were probably the best of the fight, starting with Walker landing a flush right that appeared to hurt Hide. But he responded immediately with a hook to the body and a hook to the head, stopping Walker in his tracks. Hide put an exclamation point on the rally with a hard uppercut and a straight right late in the round, bringing a chorus of approving applause from the vocal Wembley Conference Centre crowd.

Continuing the trend set in rounds one and two, Walker was quick out of the gates in the third, landing two separate uppercuts during the first thirty seconds and also a damaging cross a minute in. But then Hide proved once again why he is considered one of the most dangerous punchers in the HBF and a real outside chance to emerge as the eventual victor of the 1st Defense tournament. As the round passed its midpoint he caught Walker with a crushing right hook that turned the West Ham native's legs to jelly. He stumbled backwards and Hide followed, a left hook and a pulverising straight right sending Walker to the canvas in a heap. The crowd errupted and Hide thumped his chest, as if already convinced that his man wouldn't be getting up. He was right, with referee Jose Medina-Solar counting Walker out 1:49 into round three.

Hide mounted the corner posts, once again thumping his chest and proclaiming himself the best fighter in England. Walker was still on the canvas, clearly out cold. Hide walked over to where he lay and gazed down with disdain before looking out to the crowd and shaking his head, intensity in his eyes. His record is now an impressive 5-1-1(4), making him one of just five fighters in the federation with at least four stoppage victories.

"I've moved through the tournament kind of unnoticed," he said. "That doesn't bother me, you know? I like that people are more concerned with other boxers because that will just mean they won't be expecting it when I shock the world."

Following Devere's victory over Davidson in the evening's main event (detailed earlier), the final standings in Group Eight of the 1st Defense tournament ended up like this:

1. 1(8) HERBIE HIDE (ENGLAND), 5-1-1(4)
2. 3(17) BOB DEVERE (IRELAND), 4-2-1(1)

3. 8(57) JOE ERSKINE (WALES), 3-2-2
4. 2(9) EMBRELL DAVIDSON (USA), 3-4-0
5. 4(25) BILLY WALKER (ENGLAND), 3-4-0(1)
6. 5(33) KALLIE KNOETZE (SOUTH AFRICA), 3-4-0
7. 6(41) LEE SAVOLD (USA), 1-2-4
8. 7(49) KEENE SIMMONS (USA), 1-4-2

In stage two, Hide will be placed into Group Two, therefore avoiding a clash with top seed Rocky Marciano until at least the semi-finals.

"That disappoints me a little bit, to be honest," he said, smiling. "I'd love to take on Rocky sooner rather than later. Just the challenge of stepping into the ring against him excites me. It's something I'm really looking forward to and something I hope I can achieve during the tournament."

(Still to come: The Wembley Conference Centre Undercard)

[kenyan_cheena]

THE WEMBLEY CONFERENCE CENTRE UNDERCARD

Preliminary 1

In the first World Championship tournament bout of the night, Washington's Boone Kirkman recorded his first pro victory, taking a unanimous decision verdict against Pennsylvania native Garvin Sawyer (58-56 on all three cards).

It's likely that this fight will be the last appearance in the HBF for both men and they really gave it their all, entertaining the crowd throughout with rounds four and five the most exciting of the bout. Kirkman finishes his time in the tournament with a 1-5-1 record, Sawyer at 1-4-2.

Preliminary 2

Spain's Jose Urtain was in the same situation as Kirkman and Sawyer in that he was probably stepping into a HBF boxing ring for the last time. He tipped the scales twelve pounds heavier than in his previous contest, giving the indication that he was looking to just meet the conditions of his federation contract. That wasn't the case, though, as the 128th and last seed in the World Championship tournament gave Philadelphia's Tyrell Biggs quite a tough time before falling to a unanimous decision defeat (59-55, 58-56, 59-55).

It was a very even fight through the first four rounds with Urtain doing his best work in the fourth, shaking Biggs with a jolting uppercut early in the piece. But the Philadelphian put the result beyond doubt with a strong fifth and an even better sixth, where he floored Urtain early with a left-right salvo.

Biggs is now undefeated in his last three fights, although each of those contests have been against opponents seeded lower than him. His record now stands at 3-2-2 and he might just be one to watch during the Continental Americas Championship tournament.

Support Bout

Five weeks ago, Ohio's Earnie Shavers was embarassed and infuriated by his unanimous decision loss to the World Championship tournament's #1 seed Gene Tunney. Having said beforehand that he was going to "shock the world", Shavers was dominated and made to look the one-dimensional fighter than everyone now knows he is. But he felt differently, claiming that Tunney "fought like a coward" and that he "spent the whole fight" running from the 32nd seed. He even went as far as demanding a rematch, saying that if Tunney "fights me like a man" he wouldn't last two rounds.

Of course, the federation dismissed Shavers' rematch demands without a second thought. In the weeks since Shavers has been bunkered down, out of the public spotlight. There were those who thought that when he came out for tonight's clash against Baltimore's Larry Middleton he'd be in a destructive mood. Some even feared for Middleton's safety, saying that Shavers would destroy him inside of a round. It didn't quite turn out that way.

Shavers did come out like a wild bull, catching Middleton with some sledgehammer-like blows in round one but when the bell sounded he was still on his feet and had not left them. Shavers continued his powerful assault in round two but if anything it was Middleton who had the better of the round. Shavers was missing with most of his punches, a frustrated man going for the big knockout. He had more success in round three and came close to dropping Middleton on his backside with a smashing straight right. But the Marylander was showing tremendous resolve and as the fight entered the fourth Shavers was clearly tiring. Middleton started landing some big punches of his own and by the end of the fifth the Ohio native looked exhausted.

Going into the final round Middleton led by three points on one card and one point on the other two, but Shavers was able to dig deep and produce a convincing final stanza, avoiding what would have been, frankly, another embarrassing defeat for him. The final scorecards read 57-57, 58-56 (Middleton), 57-57, a draw.

Shavers was in no mood to talk afterwards, departing the ring within moments of the verdict. Many in the crowd booed, unimpressed by his efforts. Shavers landed 125 of 343 punches (36.4%), Middleton 158 of 275 (57.5%).

Shavers would have been looking for a big win after the way Tunney handled him but tonight's result will have only reinforced the opinion of those who look at him as nothing but a big right hand. He'll be competing in a talent-stacked Group Four in stage two and will surely have to improve on his last couple of performances if he wants to have any chance of earning that rematch that he so desperately wants with Gene Tunney.

Co-Feature

Speaking of the #1 seed, his display in taking apart the German Karl Mildenberger was one in sharp contrast to Shavers' unconvincing showing. As he has done through most of the tournament, Tunney pitched a near shutout, taking a 59-55, 60-54, 59-55 unanimous decision victory to improve to 7-0(2).

After a slow start, Tunney exploded late in round one, landing a series of pinpoint, punishing combinations that had Mildenberger reeling back to his corner at the bell. To the German's credit he fought with a lot of courage and resiliency, staying on his feet for the entire bout and going toe-to-toe with Tunney in a fantastic exchange during round four.

The New Yorker was far too good for him though and only took his foot off the gas in the final round, which led to two judges awarding the stanza to Mildenberger. When it was all over Tunney had connected with 204 of 406 punches (50.2%) while Mildenberger landed 116 of 195 (59.5%).

Back in December before the World Championship tournament started Tunney had revealed his feelings in regards to the federation making him the #1 seed.

"It's a tremendous honor to be thought of with such regard," he had said. "I'm humbled when I think that out of all the men who auditioned, I was considered to be worthy of the number one seed. All I can do is prepare for the tournament to the best of my ability, so that I can give a good account of myself and repay the faith that the HBF has shown in me."

Flash forward eight months to the present day and it's clear that Tunney has done that and then some. Of course, he isn't and he won't be the only competitor to go through stage one with a perfect record, but the fashion in which he's achieved that feat has been something to behold. He sits in second place behind Chicago's Ernie Terrell (191.8) in the statistic of average punches landed per fight at 189.4 and has averaged 33.2 punches landed per round compared to his opponent's mark of just 10.9.

Despite what the oddsmakers have said about competitors like Larry Holmes and Sam Langford, there's no doubt that Gene Tunney is and has always been the man to beat in the World Championship tournament. The federation made him the #1 seed for that very reason and no one should be swayed from believing that it's still true or doubt that it will remain to be so in the future...

[kenyan_cheena]

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
SATURDAY 10 AUGUST 2002
WEMBLEY CONFERENCE CENTRE, LONDON, ENGLAND


OPENING BOUT

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Eight
1(8) Herbie Hide KO3 4(25) Billy Walker

PRELIMINARY 1

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group One
6(96) Boone Kirkman UD6 7(112) Garvin Sawyer

PRELIMINARY 2

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group One
5(80) Tyrell Biggs UD6 8(128) Jose Urtain

SUPPORT BOUT

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group One
2(32) Earnie Shavers D6 3(48) Larry Middleton

CO-FEATURE

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group One
1(1) Gene Tunney UD6 4(64) Karl Mildenberger

MAIN EVENT

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Eight
3(17) Bob Devere UD6 2(9) Embrell Davidson

[kenyan_cheena]

Sunday 11 August 2002

HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION
FIGHT CARD SCHEDULE
MONDAY 12/08/2002 - SATURDAY 17/08/2002 INCLUSIVE

MONDAY 12/08/2002 - ARIAKE COLISEUM, TOKYO, JAPAN

1D/G5: 6(44) BILL TATE vs 7(52) JOHNNY RIGGINS
1D/G5: 5(36) TOXIE HALL vs 8(60) DON WARNER
WC/G5: 5(76) GERRY COONEY vs 8(124) TOM COWLER
WC/G5: 6(92) ALEX MITEFF vs 7(108) SANTE AMONTI
WC/G5: 2(28) JOE BUGNER vs 3(44) OTTO VON PORAT
WC/G5: 1(5) RIDDICK BOWE vs 4(60) HEIN TEN-HOFF

TUESDAY 13/08/2002 - ALADDIN RESORT & CASINO, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA
THE U.S. PACIFIC COAST BOXING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINALS
& THE HBF QUALIFYING LEAGUE

QL/G1: 7(84) MIKE HANSON vs 8(96) SYLVAIN RIBERY
QL/G12: 7(73) HUGH PHILLIPS vs 8(85) LEE Q. MURRAY
QL/G1: 5(60) ROMY ALVAREZ vs 6(72) ANTONIO SERIOUX
QL/G12: 5(49) KALOLO UMAGA vs 6(61) SCOTT MUNDT
QL/G1: 3(36) SHAKES QOBOZA vs 4(48) DELBERT CRAW
QL/G12: 3(25) REX LAYNE vs 4(37) LARRY GAINS

THE U.S. PACIFIC COAST BOXING LEAGUE
TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINALS

(2) LEOTIS MARTIN VS (4) GRAHAM JEFFERSON
(1) ROSCO TOLES VS (7) JIM FLYNN

WEDNESDAY 14/08/2002 - CAESARS ATLANTIC CITY, ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY, USA

WC/G12: 6(85) RUEBEN VARGAS vs 7(101) AL ETTORE
WC/G12: 5(69) TOMMY JACKSON vs 8(117) BRIAN LONDON
WC/G12: 2(21) RAY MERCER vs 3(37) AL JONES
1D/G5: 2(12) CARL MORRIS vs 3(20) CESAR BRION
1D/G5: 1(5) NINO VALDES vs 4(28) GUS RUHLIN
WC/G12: 1(12) GEORGE CHUVALO vs 4(53) TOMMY GOMEZ

THURSDAY 15/08/2002 - PALAIS DES SPORTS, CANNES, FRANCE
THE SOUTHERN EUROPE BOXING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINALS
& THE HBF QUALIFYING LEAGUE

QL/G4: 7(81) CARL WILLIAMS vs 8(93) MICHAEL RICHARDSON
QL/G9: 7(76) ALEKSANDR BYSTROV vs 8(88) TORSTEN HILDEBRAND
QL/G4: 5(57) JEAN-PIERRE COOPMAN vs 6(69) JERRY QUARRY
QL/G9: 5(52) CHARLES BRADLEY vs 6(64) MAX CAYTON
QL/G4: 3(33) LOU BAILEY vs 4(45) JIM CHANG KAI
QL/G9: 3(28) TERRY DANIELS vs 4(40) HOWARD KING

THE SOUTHERN EUROPE BOXING LEAGUE
TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINALS

(2) MARKUS STOBER VS (5) ALEXANDER DAFOUSKA
(1) GENADI YANTCHEV (7) LOVRO ALANOVIC

FRIDAY 16/08/2002 - ROD LAVER ARENA, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

1D/G4: 6(45) STEFFEN TANGSTAD vs 7(53) JEFF MERRITT
WC/G13: 6(84) COLEY WALLACE vs 7(100) JESSE FERGUSON
WC/G13: 5(68) LEROY JONES vs 8(116) TOM MCNEELEY
1D/G4: 5(37) ALFREDO EVANGELISTA vs 8(61) MEL TURNBOW
WC/G13: 2(20) DONOVAN RUDDOCK vs 3(36) BUSTER MATHIS
WC/G13: 1(13) KEN NORTON vs 4(52) GERALD GRIFFITH

SATURDAY 17/08/2002 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA

WC/G4: 6(93) AL MCCOY vs 7(109) LORENZO ZANON
WC/G4: 5(77) HENRY CLARK vs 8(125) JAMES BROAD
1D/G4: 2(13) JIM MALONEY vs 3(21) WAYNE BETHEA
WC/G4: 2(29) BILL BRENNAN vs 3(45) HARRY THOMAS
1D/G4: 1(4) TREVOR BERBICK vs 4(29) BERNIE REYNOLDS
WC/G4: 1(4) LARRY HOLMES vs 4(61) JOHNNY RISKO

[CONN CHRIS]

It feels like we will never get to Herr Mundt's debut.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

It feels like we will never get to Herr Mundt's debut.

?

Check out the card on Tuesday the 13th...

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

?

Check out the card on Tuesday the 13th...

Oh I know. It just hasn't happened yet - long time coming.

[Syd Thrift]

Man, you guys are creating some INSANELY deep boxing universes! This is awesome. KUTGW.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Man, you guys are creating some INSANELY deep boxing universes! This is awesome. KUTGW.

Thanks! Glad you like it.

[mh2365]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Man, you guys are creating some INSANELY deep boxing universes! This is awesome. KUTGW.

Yeah Kenyan has my vote for best writer in the Ropes section.

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by mh2365

Yeah Kenyan has my vote for best writer in the Ropes section.

Ditto

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by mh2365

Yeah Kenyan has my vote for best writer in the Ropes section.

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

Ditto

Oh, shucks. You're makin' me blush. Compliments never get old and it's always nice to know that my efforts are appreciated.

Thanks for the kind words.

[btown32]

Originally Posted by mh2365

Yeah Kenyan has my vote for best writer in the Ropes section.

I agree too. The write-ups are creative and in-depth. This universe is more like one of the reality shows on television that follow the happenings of each individual character. Although it is always good reading, cant say that about the tv shows.

[kenyan_cheena]

"THEY'RE ALL OVERRATED, ANYWAY"

Sunday 11 August 2002

There's a definite pattern developing here.

A couple of weeks ago, Indianapolis native and Heavyweight Boxing Federation Qualifying League competitor Mike Hanson made the bold proclamation that Florida Alliance member Romy Alvarez was, as he put it, "first on my list". Today Hanson fired another salvo at the HBF's first clique during an interview to publicise Tuesday night's Aladdin Resort & Casino event.

"They're all overrated, anyway," Hanson said, concluding a long-winded reply to a question about Elmer Ray's loss to Floyd Patterson on Friday night. "They think that by "joining forces" it made them stronger, but it didn't. When it comes down to it they're just a bunch of very average fighters, every one of them. 'Specially Elmer Ray. The media latched onto them because it was a good story, one of those "feel good" stories, you know? But look what's happened? Ray didn't even make stage two and it's not a surprise to me because the federation didn't think he could make it either, based on how they seeded him. Ray Mercer was right when he said that Elmer was just a kid playing adult games."

The big Hoosier went on to say he'd love to take out each Alliance member one at a time.

"That would be something," he said, smiling and laughing. "It'd be like Predator or Alien, you know? Picking them off one after another until they've all fallen. That would be cool but it ain't my main focus. Like I said before, Alvarez will be my first real target. All these fights before then are just gravy. They're just opportunities for me to show the world what I'm capable of and to show "The Iceman" what's in store for him."

Ever since he was first sighted at the federation's QL auditions back in June, Hanson has been regarded as a loud, extroverted and outspoken individual. His words of today will do little to change that opinion and that's exactly how he likes it.

"You ain't gonna shut me up," he said, smiling and running a hand over his shaven head. "And when I step between those ropes everyone'll see that I also talk in the ring. I'm gonna back up every word, just wait and see."

Scheduled to take on the Frenchman Sylvain Ribery on Tuesday night, Hanson's will be one of the more anticipated debuts of the Qualifying League and if he's true to his word, it figures to be a night that Ribery will want to forget...

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by btown32

I agree too. The write-ups are creative and in-depth. This universe is more like one of the reality shows on television that follow the happenings of each individual character. Although it is always good reading, cant say that about the tv shows.

Thanks, btown. I never thought of it like that before, but I guess it is.

[mh2365]

All that talk and watch me lose to the frenchman LOL

[kenyan_cheena]

HUGE WEEK AHEAD FOR THE
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION

Sunday 11 August 2002

The coming seven days will be the busiest for the Heavyweight Boxing Federation since competition started in their tournaments back in January, with a grand total of forty bouts to be held. This is in stark contrast to just two weeks ago, when only four bouts took place.

After an exciting first week of series seven the promise of more action-packed encounters in the World Championship and 1st Defense tournaments is coupled with the start of the federation's Qualfiying League and the continuation of the semi-finals of the feeder league tournaments.

Tokyo hosts the first fight card of the week with World Championship tournament 4th seed Riddick Bowe featuring in the main event. But the biggest point of interest will be whether 108th-seeded Italian Sante Amonti can complete his incredible dream run into stage two of the tournament. A victory against the Argentinian Alex Miteff will see what should have been an impossible dream come to fruition and if he pulls it off it will surely be one of the great stories of the federation's first year of life.

On Tuesday the federation visits the Aladdin Resort & Casino in Las Vegas where for the first time a HBF fight card will feature eight bouts. Headlined by the semi-finals of the U.S. Pacific Coast Boxing League, the card will also feature