When questioned in the post-fight interview by Larry Merchant about hitting Ortiz who was apologizing and had turned away, Mayweather answered, and properly so, that in the ring a fighter “has to protect yourself at all times.” But when Merchant continued his line of questioning and intimating that it was an unfair punch that ended the fight, Mayweather went into a blistering tirade which wound up with him shouting at the HBO ringside analyst “You don’t know sh@# about boxing!” and Merchant shouting back that he wished that “I was 50 years younger! I’d kick your ass!” It did not enhance either’s reputation but Merchant still comes away with the decision, if not a knockout. For Mayweather, just another classless act!
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Trout says he'd be happy to accommodate Wolak and company's desire to fight for a title. "I'll put my belt up against him. He's not winning it, but I'll put it on the line so he can say he fought for a title."
Trout, who successfully defended his title against Sonora, Mexico's David "The Destroyer" Lopez (40-13, 23 KOs) on June 11 at the Auditorio Miguel Barragan in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, says a victory over Wolak in the US would up his visibility. On July 15, Wolak fought a Fight of the Year candidate with fellow contender Delvin Rodriguez at the Roseland Ballroom in New York.
"If they want a title shot, look no further," said Trout's promoter, Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions. "Wolak just had a tremendous battle on national TV and his stock is way up, so for Austin to fight him at this point in time would be terrific. Because of the path he had to take to the title, in Mexico, most potential opponents are afraid to fight Austin. This fight will help him start building a reputation in the States."
Cohen says that Wolak's promoters, Top Rank, shouldn't hesitate to pick up the phone and make their fighters' dreams almost come true.
Rigondeaux targets Ramos
CORK, Ireland (July 11, 2011) – No sooner had new World Boxing Association (“WBA”) Super Bantamweight Champion Rico “Suavecito” Ramos had his arm raised victoriously after his seventh-round knockout of defending champion Akishumni Shimoda last Saturday night in Atlantic City, WBA Interim titlist Guillermo “The Jackal” Rigondeaux issued an instant challenge to the 24-year-old Ramos for a supreme 122-pound showdown.
The Shimoda-Ramos fight was on the verge of being called off when Rigondeaux’ Irish manager, Gary Hyde, through renown boxing lawyer Patrick English, lodged an objection to the WBA. The action resulted in the promoters for both Shimoda and Ramos being instructed to make a deal with Team Rigondeaux or their fight wouldn’t be sanctioned.
As
WBA world Interim champion, Rigo should have been the next
challenger for Shimoda's title, but the Japanese champion by-passed
Rigondeaux in favor of an easier title defense against Ramos.
Top Rank-promoted Rigo will now fight Ramos (20-0, 7 KOs) and the Cuban sensation has vowed to take the title belt from Ramos. “I stepped aside and let the fight go ahead,” Rigondeaux explained, “even though they ignored the fact that I was next in line. Ramos will soon regret that he won the title when we get it on.
“Ramos is a tough, aggressive fighter but those types of fighters
suit me. I promise he will not have enough time to enjoy this
victory because I will be taking that belt from him when we meet in
the ring. My goal is to be the undisputed 122-pound world champion
and I want to achieve this goal by the end 2012.”
Rigondeaux, arguably the greatest amateur boxer of all-time,
defected from Cuba and made his pro debut May 22, 2009, won the NABA
super bantamweight title in his third action as a pro and last
November in only his seventh fight, he won a 12-round decision
against Ricardo Cordoba (37-2-2) to become the WBA Interim 122-pound
divisional champion. His last fight was an opening-round destruction
of former European champion Willie Casey (11-1) last March in
Dublin.
A crafty southpaw and deadly body puncher, Rigondeaux (8-0, 6 KOs) now fights out of Miami, and trains in Houston with Ronnie Shields. Rigo is a 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist, as well as a 7-time national champion who captured a pair of World Championship titles during his amazing 243-4 amateur career.
Hyde also manages promising prospects such as British welterweight Mark Heffron (5-0, 4 KOs) and Georgian junior welterweight Levan Ghvarmichava (4-0, 3 KOs), as well as the newly-signed former European Super bantamweight champion Willie “Big Bang” Casey (11-1, 7 KOs), of Ireland.
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Tickets are limited to ten (10) per person and $150 tickets are limited to two (2) per person with a total ticket limit of ten (10) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Box Office and online at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
"STAR POWER" in History: Did you know?
- The Space Shuttle Discovery made its final launch into space on February 24, 2011, the same day that Floyd Mayweather celebrated his 34th birthday.
- Victor Ortiz was born on January 31, 1987, the 29th anniversary of the first successful American satellite, Explorer I, launch into space.
- The first of the outer solar system asteroids known as Centaurs (minor planets that behave with characteristics of both asteroids and comets) were discovered in 1977 - the same year Mayweather was born.
- The first supernova (the explosion of a star) in more than three centuries was seen by the naked eye in 1987 - the same year Ortiz was born.
Posted By Michael Gerard Seiler to BOXING LEDGER | LATEST BOXING BLOGS | BOXING ARTICLES | BOXING BLOG FIGHT at 7/06/2011 11:07:00 AM
"I'm going to take that belt," exclaimed Ortiz. "I assure you I am taking that belt."
"I go to bed and I sleep fine," responded Ortiz. "I have nothing to worry about. I came back the next fight to knockout Antonio Diaz."
Ortiz did not express any negative feelings about his opponent, only displaying a high-level of confidence heading into his showdown with Berto.
"It's been a long, long run for Berto," stated Ortiz. "'Is he great? Not in my eyes.' They say he's the best thing since slice bread. I agree to disagree. He has a very pretty record, but I'll take care of that on April 16th."
Ortiz' training camp has been going exactly as he visioned it.
"Training camp has been fun and tough at the same time," commented Ortiz. "It's been a tough stage of that next level, but I am handling it quite well."
If he beats Berto, would he ever rematch Maidana?
Ortiz replied, "I tried. I'm definitely the wrong guy to ask. Maidana had me as a mandatory. It made me angry. 'You can't give me a rematch, a guy who you supposedly exposed and knocked out?' Give me a shot, and 9 out of 10 times I will beat you!"
Andre Berto is very happy Ortiz accepted this fight, and fully understands that Ortiz' knockout power could present a problem to him, if he lets it.
"He stepped up to the plate," said Berto. "If you make a mistake, he will KO you."
Berto does not believe that Ortiz is psychologically over his TKO loss to Maidana, and feels those memories will come back to haunt him in the ring on April 16th.
Berto remarked, "He's trying to convince himself, so he appears to be a lot more confident. He dreams about Maidana. I'm strong and I have speed. And, I'm intelligent with it."
As a result of Ortiz' bout with Maidana, Berto thinks he can simply outfight him.
"I'm stronger and faster," claimed Berto. "We've both had our backs against the wall. You've seen how he's reacted, and how I reacted. We'll test him out and see what's up."
Pugilist specialist joins show to teach contestants that their lives are worth a fight
Los Angeles– January 18, 2011 – Cara Castronuova, a New York native and female fighter joins “The Biggest Loser” as a new trainer revealed during the third week of NBC’s #1 rated show. “The Biggest Loser” centers on obese and overweight contestants attempting to lose weight to fight for a cash prize. Castronuova will be their trainer. Castronuova is a certified personal trainer and former two-time New York Golden Gloves champion, having won the titles in 2005 and 2006. She was formerly ranked #2 in the nation by USA Boxing and has been a competitive boxer and member of the boxing community for years. She is also licensed as a boxing trainer with the New York State Athletic Commission and has been previously certified as a boxing coach with USA Boxing. She feels her own trials and tribulations in the gym and in life will help contestants reach their goals.
Cara was working in various
boxing gyms in New York and boxing competitively when she was
selected to train contestants on the show. Trainers from around the
world sent in tapes and auditioned for the opportunity to join top
fitness experts Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper on the show.
“It was a whirlwind process. My experience as a fighter is what has played the most important role in landing this job and in ultimately getting the weight off the contestants,” says Cara. “As a female boxer I had to work twice as hard to get respect and I’m comfortable that I’ll have to work hard to gain America’s respect. I’m here again to prove myself.”
Cara is using her boxing experience to highlight the sport this season on the show not just as a brutal sport but as a fantastic full-body workout to lose weight. She is incorporating boxing into much of the exercise to help contestants condition, tone and strengthen their physiques. She is regularly creating sparring and boxing workouts to train the contestants.
“It is the heart of a fighter that I am here to teach the contestants. They have been getting knocked down their whole lives and I am here to help them realize that their lives are worth fighting for,” says Cara. “It’s time to get back up off “the canvas” and start fighting again.”
Cara can be seen on “The Biggest Loser,” which airs every Tuesday on NBC, 8/7 central. For more information on The Biggest Loser visit www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser and for more information or an interview with Cara Castronuova please contact Seth Greenkey at greenkeym@aol.com.
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