The Heavyweight Boxing Federation

[Romdawg88]

I like Ray's chances of sweeping his group but winning the whole tournament is going to be tough as fights with guys like Tucker, Sharkey, or Lyle are all matches Elmer could easily lose. Of course, I'm still going to pick Elmer to take the whole thing I have to back my teammate. I think Tommy will win his group as well, though he'll have a tougher time then Elmer, but I doubt he gets anywhere near the finals so no Alliance/Alliance bouts for awhile more.

I'll take Sharkey in the European tournament and I won't even guess at the other two since there is so many new guys I don't know anything about.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

I like Ray's chances of sweeping his group but winning the whole tournament is going to be tough as fights with guys like Tucker, Sharkey, or Lyle are all matches Elmer could easily lose. Of course, I'm still going to pick Elmer to take the whole thing I have to back my teammate. I think Tommy will win his group as well, though he'll have a tougher time then Elmer, but I doubt he gets anywhere near the finals so no Alliance/Alliance bouts for awhile more.

I'll take Sharkey in the European tournament and I won't even guess at the other two since there is so many new guys I don't know anything about.

I have this weird feeling that Elmer's going to just miss out again. I'm certain he'll make stage two but he might have trouble making the semi-finals. There's some really good fighters in the tournament and it'll be interesting to see who ends up with the belt.

I'd love to see Sharkey win the European title. He's probably the best three-win fighter in the federation and I'm hoping he can get a winning streak going through the early series of the tournament.

I'm thinking that the other two tourneys will give me a chance to develop some new characters for the story, although I'll probably go the Future Contender route with how I write up the cards. Mostly I'm looking forward to seeing Mr. Peter in action.

[kenyan_cheena]

HAYNES PITCHES SHUTOUT,
WINS SOUTH-EAST ASIAN TITLE

Thursday 5 September 2002

Heavy-hitting Florida Alliance member Terone Haynes has joined Louisiana's Harry Wills as an entrant in the HBF's World Ranking tournament following a dominant eight-round unanimous decision victory over the New Zealander Tom Heeney this morning. Held at Tokyo's Ariake Coliseum, the contest was the tournament final of the South-East Asian Boxing League and was close to being as one-sided as a boxing bout can be. Haynes was awarded all eight rounds on all three judges cards, making for a trio of 80-72 scorecards.

As one will notice, those cards indicate that no knockdowns were scored. Heeney was either brave or foolish as he was able to stay on his feet for the duration of the contest. He was cut on two seperate occasions and battered throughout but never gave in, even when it was crystal clear that his quest was a hopeless one. The New Zealander never came close to winning a single round but if one had to pick out his best it would have been the 3rd, where he caught Haynes with an effective three-punch combination and held his own for most of it.

On the flipside, Haynes' most destructive three minutes came in round six, "The Hastings Hammer" landing (amongst a bunch of hard shots) two crushing uppercuts and three separate pulverising right hands. Referee Zach Clayton was terribly close to calling the fight over before the bell sounded but he allowed Heeney to continue and came in for some strong criticism afterwards. He would later say that even though Heeney took some fierce punishment, the New Zealander had kept on moving forward and throwing punches. The totals from the bout painted a different picture, as Heeney only threw 254 shots, an average of just under 32 per round. He managed to land 79 of them (31.1%). By comparison, the winner and South-East Asian Boxing League Champion connected with 262 of 452 punches (58.0%).

Haynes had made the walk to the ring flanked by five of his fellow Florida Alliance members - Elmer Ray, Tommy Gomez, Oliver McCall, Romy Alvarez and Ariel Reyes. In contrast to some of the group's previous contests they were all business today, showing little emotion and a lot of seriousness, a generic hip-hop instrumental banging out of the arena's speakers. While they're usually dressed in outfits of black, red and white, on this occasion the six of them were draped in solid black, as were Haynes' corner crew. It was only after the final bell when the verdict was announced that the group members allowed themselves to celebrate, Haynes lifting up his younger cousin Elmer in an amusing bearhug upon confirmation of his victory.

"We got it done, y'all," said an excited Haynes. "This is it, man. Part one's over and we be on to the next stage, the World Rankin' tourney. No disrespec', but it feels great knowin' I ain't gon' be in the QL. Would o' been hard to handle goin' through these seven fights and havin' nothin' to show fo' it, you know? But we got it done, y'all. We got it done."

Haynes spoke with admiration for the efforts of Heeney, saying he was the toughest opponent he faced through the whole tournament.

"I was tryin' hard to get out o' there," said Haynes, smiling. "Tryin' to finish it off, but the dude jus' kep' comin'. Wouldn't fall over, y'all. Tommy's got heart to spare, man, and I hope he has a bunch o' success in the QL."

Elmer Ray was ecstatic about his cousin's triumph.

"Jus' a great start to T's career," said Ray. "7-0 and a great chance for a World Rankin'. He like my brother, y'all, and I'm jus' so happy he achieve this."

As Ray said, Haynes made his way through the tournament with a perfect 7-0 record. As a result, it's likely that he'll take one of the two top seedings in the World Ranking tournament, something that will only improve his already great chances in the event...

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
THURSDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2002
ARIAKE COLISEUM, TOKYO, JAPAN

THE SOUTH-EAST ASIAN BOXING LEAGUE
TOURNAMENT FINAL


MAIN EVENT - TOURNAMENT FINAL

(1) Terone Haynes UD8 (2) Tom Heeney

[kenyan_cheena]

Schedule of posts for the rest of Thursday 5 September...

1) HBF announcement of entrants in World Ranking tournament

2) IBL Light-Heavyweight European regional qualifier, Cannes, France

3) IBL Light-Heavyweight Future Contender series fight card, Pittsburgh, PA

[kenyan_cheena]

HBF ANNOUNCES ENTRANTS FOR
WORLD RANKING TOURNAMENT

Thursday 5 September 2002

The Heavyweight Boxing Federation today revealed the names of the sixteen fighters who will join the eight winners of their feeder leagues in the upcoming World Ranking tournament. These sixteen should consider themselves quite lucky as, with the exception of Germany's Max Schmeling, they were numbered amongst the worst performers from the first stage of the World Championship and 1st Defense tournaments. The top four seeds in each group of the WR tournament will be determined once the feeder league tournament finals have come to a conclusion in three weeks.

GROUP ONE

(1) To be determined
(2) TBD
(3) TBD
(4) TBD
(5) MAX SCHMELING (GERMANY), 5-2-0(3)
(6) WIM SNOEK (NETHERLANDS), 2-4-1(1)
(7) JOSE ROMAN (PUERTO RICO), 1-3-3
(8) FLOYD CUMMINGS (USA), 2-5-0(1)
(9) BRIAN LONDON (ENGLAND), 2-5-0(1)
(10) AL KAUFMANN (USA), 2-5-0(1)
(11) JOE BECKETT (ENGLAND), 2-5-0(1)
(12) CHUCK WEPNER (USA), 1-4-2(1)

GROUP TWO

(1) TBD
(2) TBD
(3) TBD
(4) TBD
(5) KARL MILDENBERGER (GERMANY), 2-3-2(1)
(6) STEFFEN TANGSTAD (NORWAY), 2-4-1(1)
(7) JURGEN BLIN (GERMANY), 2-4-1(1)
(8) OLLE TANDBERG (SWEDEN), 1-3-3
(9) HEINZ NEUHAUS (GERMANY), 2-5-0
(10) MIKE DEJOHN (USA), 2-5-0
(11) LUIS FIRPO (ARGENTINA), 2-5-0
(12) JOE BAKSI (USA), 1-4-2

All of the competitors in each group will fight each other once for a total of eleven bouts. At the conclusion of these eleven bouts the top six fighters in each group will be rewarded with a HBF World Ranking. Considering the talent level of some of those taking part in the tournament, it presents a great opportunity for the ones who can make the most of it.

The fighters listed below all took part in stage one of the WC or 1D tournaments and have not been offered further contracts with the HBF at this time. They have effectively "missed the cut":

GARVIN SAWYER (USA), 1-4-2
JOSE URTAIN (SPAIN), 1-5-1
BOONE KIRKMAN (USA), 1-5-1
PHIL SCOTT (USA), 0-7-0
PEDRO LOVELL (ARGENTINA), 1-5-1(1)
JAMES BROAD (USA), 1-4-2(1)
LORENZO ZANON (ITALY), 1-5-1
AL MCCOY (USA), 0-7-0
ALEX MITEFF (ARGENTINA), 1-6-0(1)
TOM COWLER (ENGLAND), 1-6-0
JAMES TILLIS (USA), 1-4-2(1)
BOB BAKER (USA), 0-7-0
WILLI BESMANOFF (GERMANY), 0-4-3
DAN FLYNN (USA), 0-6-1
ARTURO GODOY (CHILE), 1-4-2
TOM KENNEDY (USA), 1-4-2
KEENE SIMMONS (USA), 1-4-2
JEFF MERRITT (USA), 1-4-2
GEORGE JOHNSON (USA), 1-5-1
THAD SPENCER (USA), 1-5-1
REUBEN VARGAS (USA), 1-5-1
KING LEVINSKY (USA), 1-5-1
CHARLEY MITCHELL (ENGLAND), 1-5-1
MANNY BURGO (ENGLAND), 1-5-1
RANDALL COBB (USA), 1-6-0
JESSE FERGUSON (USA), 1-6-0
LEROY JONES (USA), 1-6-0
MARTY MONROE (USA), 1-6-0
NATHAN MANN (USA), 1-6-0(1)
OSCAR PHARO (USA), 1-6-0(1)
KING SOLOMON (USA), 0-4-3
JIM SAVAGE (USA), 0-5-2
BILL LANG (AUSTRALIA), 0-5-2
DON WARNER (USA), 0-5-2
JOHNNY BOUDREAUX (USA), 0-6-1
ROCKY JONES (USA), 0-6-1
ALONZO JOHNSON (USA), 0-7-0
MIKE SCHRECK (USA), 0-7-0
MEL TURNBOW (USA), 0-7-0

[Romdawg88]

Wow, I have to say it's kind of sad that there is more talent in my QL group then in the entire World Ranking tournament right now. Granted that will change once the Feeder finals are finished. I'm hoping that Big T ends up in the second group as he should waltz through all the fighters there right now.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Wow, I have to say it's kind of sad that there is more talent in my QL group then in the entire World Ranking tournament right now. Granted that will change once the Feeder finals are finished. I'm hoping that Big T ends up in the second group as he should waltz through all the fighters there right now.

There is a method to my madness, which is that once all these tournaments are over there'll be some variety in talent amongst the rankings. We won't have a situation where all the highest rated fighters are in the top twenty and all the worst are at the bottom.

The top 42 in the American tourney aswell as the top six in each of the the Euro, African and Asia/Oceania tourneys will also earn themselves a World Ranking. When those of you who finish on top of the QL start working your way through the bottom half of the world rankings, you'll have a variety of opponents that you come up against. Some good, some not so good. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rankings change over time, seeing "the cream rise to the top", as they say. The thought of a bunch of 10 and 11 rated fighters climbing the rankings is a nice one, IMO.

[kenyan_cheena]

Just to add, it also shows what a big deal it is to win the feeder league tournament final and end up in the WR tourney compared to losing it and ending up in the more competitive QL.

[Romdawg88]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

There is a method to my madness, which is that once all these tournaments are over there'll be some variety in talent amongst the rankings. We won't have a situation where all the highest rated fighters are in the top twenty and all the worst are at the bottom.

The top 42 in the American tourney aswell as the top six in each of the the Euro, African and Asia/Oceania tourneys will also earn themselves a World Ranking. When those of you who finish on top of the QL start working your way through the bottom half of the world rankings, you'll have a variety of opponents that you come up against. Some good, some not so good. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rankings change over time, seeing "the cream rise to the top", as they say. The thought of a bunch of 10 and 11 rated fighters climbing the rankings is a nice one, IMO.

Thats cool plus I'm all for anything that makes Terone path easier. I'm just hoping I can avoid those 10s and 11s on my way up until I hit Pre-Prime at least.

[kenyan_cheena]

ALVAREZ CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY IN TOKYO

Friday 6 September 2002

Following Terone Haynes' South-East Asian Boxing League triumph, the members of the Florida Alliance had another reason to celebrate as one of their members, Romy Alvarez, turned 23 today. With the entourage still in Tokyo, Alvarez revealed that it was the first time that he'd celebrated his birthday away from his hometown of Belle Glade, Florida.

"Guess that's a sign that things are changin' for me," he said, smiling. "It's been great times, these last three or four months with Elmer and the other guys. If you'd told me a year ago that I'd be goin' to places like Japan I would o' said you was crazy. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure it's really happenin'."

Alvarez will be back in action on the 17th, when he takes on the Frenchman Sylvain Ribery in the Qualifying League. Ribery was able to go the distance with the hard-hitting Indiana native Mike Hanson on debut and while a limited fighter, Alvarez will be giving him the utmost respect.

"Some of those shots that Hanson landed on him were huge," Alvarez recalled. "The guy went down a couple times at the end of the fight but he made it to the end. He's a tough customer, no doubt, and I'll be on my guard 'gainst him."

Before Alvarez's second bout the most important date on the Alliance's calendar is September 12. That's when James Ray clashes with Olympic gold medallist Ray Leonard in the opening series of the IBL's Welterweight regional qualifiers in Connecticut. It is the biggest fight that any member of the Alliance has ever been involved in and for it to be Ray's debut makes it all the more daunting.

"Jimmy been trainin' his ass off," said Elmer Ray. "Y'all, he ain't be with us on this trip and we lookin' forward t' gettin' back home and supportin' him. We be talkin' to him almos' every day, see? He jus' can't wait to fight Leonard, y'all."

The Alliance members are due to fly back to Florida tomorrow and Ray spoke of how the day represented the start of a new chapter for them.

"Was jus' talkin' to Romdawg 'bout it, man," he said. "See, the four o' us who started this thang, we all movin' on t' somethin' new now. Me and Tamps be in the American tourney, O-Mac be in stage two and T gon' be in the World Rankin' tournament. A new start, y'all. Somethin' t' be real pos'tive about."

[Romdawg88]

Ha, nice. Man, I can't wait for that Ray/Leonard fight that should be insane. Of course, I'm pumped for my next fight as well who knows maybe I can do what Mike didn't and stop Ribery.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Ha, nice. Man, I can't wait for that Ray/Leonard fight that should be insane. Of course, I'm pumped for my next fight as well who knows maybe I can do what Mike didn't and stop Ribery.

Glad you enjoyed it, Romy. It would have been nice though if the Jags had given you an even better birthday present. Still, they gave it a good shake.

EDIT

The next few posts will all be IBL, covering the two Friday fight cards.

[Romdawg88]

Yeah, it would have been great if the Jags could of pulled it off but it's hard to win when you let the other team's QB go 26/28. Still, I'm happy with the season and I know we'll be back next year.

[kenyan_cheena]

LESSONS LEARNT?

Saturday 7 September 2002

Story by David Gomez for espn.com

Fans of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation will remember that Atlantic City night back in July when Ohio's Earnie Shavers was comprehensively outboxed and flat out dominated by the World Championship tournament's #1 seed Gene Tunney. The bout had been the culmination of some heated animosity between the two, a situation that Shavers had ignited with some derogatory comments about Tunney's wife. Both men came into the fight with 5-0 records and a pile of expectation and hype to live up to. Tunney kept his part of the bargain but Shavers definitely didn't, Tunney exposing him as the one-dimensional fighter many had been calling him through the opening months of the tournament. While amusing, Shavers' protestations in the moments after the bout were the ramblings of a dellusional man. He claimed that Tunney had fought like a coward and even went so far as to say that he'd love to step in the ring against him again, "maybe during the break between stage one and stage two".

Well, after all the post-fight dramas died down Shavers stepped back in the ring five weeks later and produced an uninspired effort in barely eeking out a draw against Baltimore's Larry Middleton in London. It showed that he was still fixated on Tunney, or at least on fighting him again. It also led to him being seeded at #6 in Group Four of the tournament's second stage, putting him into a series one matchup against one of the favourites to win the World Championship, Larry Holmes. There are many people who will tell you that Holmes is the most gifted, pure boxer in the HBF. They'll say that he's more talented than the #1 seed Tunney, so taking that into account alongside what Tunney did to Shavers, how on earth is Earnie Shavers expecting to defeat Larry Holmes?

Based on what I saw when I visited him at his Warren, Ohio training compound earlier this week, there's a one word answer to that question.

"Power," Shavers said. "This right hand is gonna shock the world when I step in the ring on the 25th of October. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It didn't work out that way 'gainst Tunney. But this ain't gonna be no six rounder. Gonna be a ten rounder and that just gives me four more rounds in which to put Larry Holmes to sleep. I've been workin' on the both of 'em, endurance and power. Ain't gonna be no problem for me to go ten with Holmes."

I have to admit that Shavers looked a deal fitter than he had for last month's clash against Middleton. He confirmed that he'd shed five pounds in the time since and said he was looking to lose another five before the bout against Holmes. When he ripped into the heavy bag it was a sight to behold, those smashing, sledgehammer right hands connecting with devastating impact and power.

"Yeah, I may have said it before the Tunney fight," said Shavers. "And I was wrong that time. But this time'll be different. Larry Holmes' gonna get the shock of his life come October 25."

Yes, Shavers has said these things before. But he was bigger, then. Heavier. If he's able to slim down and add some speed to his already devastating power, who knows? We might just get the shock of our lives come October 25...

[Romdawg88]

So whats Earnie's excuse going to be when Holmes smokes him? I'm going with a TKO 9 with Holmes winning every round before that.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

So whats Earnie's excuse going to be when Holmes smokes him? I'm going with a TKO 9 with Holmes winning every round before that.

He might just have to take a vow of silence if he can't back it up this time. Personally, I'm really hoping the game co-operates with me on this one...

[Romdawg88]

Well, on unless your hoping for Earnie to get tooled and take that vow of silence I would guess that your going to be disappointed.

[mh2365]

The whole Florida Alliance sounds kind of like the chin checkers from a few years ago ... we all know what happened to them.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by mh2365

The whole Florida Alliance sounds kind of like the chin checkers from a few years ago ... we all know what happened to them.

Ha, I can't wait to see how Romy responds to that one.

[Romdawg88]

Originally Posted by mh2365

The whole Florida Alliance sounds kind of like the chin checkers from a few years ago ... we all know what happened to them.

Might I suggest before trying to call out others as being overrated you tried to live up to your own hype. I was not impressed by your performance in your last fight. I look forward to showing you what exactly the Florida Alliance is all about in due time.