PACQUIAO vs. MARQUEZ 3 ** In-Depth Preview and Analysis **
Posted on | November 9, 2011 | 1 Comment
By Tony Penecale
Trilogies are a special thing in boxing. The combatants are often linked with each other. Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez have been linked with each other since 2004 when they first met at 126 lbs. Marquez had to rebound from three 1st round knockdowns and claw his way back over the next 11 rounds. All three judges disagreed on the outcome, resulting in a split decision draw. They next battled in 2008 at 130 lbs. Pacquiao’s big knockdown in the 3rd round was the difference in yet another split verdict, with Pacquiao winning by a single point. If you add the scores of their 24 previous rounds together, Pacquiao only leads by that single point. Since they last fought, Pacquiao has literally exploded. But Marquez’s smooth counter-punching style could be the Kryponite that renders Pacquiao powerless.
Trilogies are indeed a special thing in boxing. And in an ironic and sad note, this bout takes place only five days after the passing of Smokin’ Joe Frazier, who tangled with Muhammad Ali in one of history’s most famous trilogies, their 1975 “Thrilla in Manilla” rubber match taking place in the birth country of one warriors of this triology.
AGE, RECORD, AND STATS
Pacquiao:
Age: 32 years old
Record: 53-3-2 (38 Knockouts)
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 145 ** Weight for last bout (05-07-11)
Reach: 67”
Marquez:
Age: 38 years old
Record: 53-5-1 (39 Knockouts)
Height: 5’7”
Weight: 138 * * Weight for last bout (07-16-11)
Reach: 67”
RING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Pacquiao:
WBC Flyweight Champion (’98-‘99)
IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (’01-’03)
WBC Super Featherweight Champion (’08)
WBC Lightweight Champion (‘08)
IBO Junior Welterweight Champion (’09)
WBO Welterweight Champion (’09-Pres)
Ring Magazine Pound-4-Pound #1 Boxer (Current)
Marquez:
IBF Featherweight Champion (’03-’05)
WBA Featherweight Champion (’04-’06)
WBO Featherweight Champion (’06)
WBC Super Featherweight Champion (’07-’08)
WBA Lightweight Champion (’09-Pres)
WBO Lightweight Champion (’09-Pres)
Ring Magazine Pound-4-Pound #5 Boxer (Current)
STYLE
Pacquiao:
Pacquiao boxes from a southpaw stance, moving forward bobbing and feinting his way in. Once in close, he uses his right hand to find the range and then unleashes his powerful left, either straight or looping, and will often double and triple it to the body and head. Uses quick head shifts to slip punches while moving forward. Has soundly developed under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, developing a decent right hook, either as a lead punch or thrown behind the left. Uses quick head shifts to slip punches while moving forward.
Marquez:
A patient boxer who will take a few rounds to figure out his opponent’s style and then implement a strategy as the bout progresses. Boxes well from the outside and likes to counter punch but is also proficient of forcing the action and wearing down an opponent with an aggressive attack, mainly focusing on the body. Is most hittable when standing planted or moving backwards but also able to counter from this position. Not a traditional power-puncher but can wear opponents down in a war-of-attrition.
STRENGTHS
Pacquiao:
* Unorthodox Style – Pacquiao is very unorthodox, even for a southpaw. He moves straight in but is hard to time with his bobbing and head feints. Before most opponents can time his onrushes, he is throwing whirlwind punches from a variety of angles.
* Speed – Pacquiao is quick and agile and his hands are deceptively fast. He throws rapid one-two combinations or multiple left hands and will force opponents on the defensive.
* Stamina – Pacquiao fights just as hard in the last round as he does in the beginning. He applies a lot of pressure and is constantly punching, wearing opponents down in the process.
Marquez:
* Technical Expertise – Marquez is a natural counterpuncher, who excels best when an opponent is coming forward but years of experience have improved all assets of Marquez’s game including fighting as the aggressor and body punching.
* Durability – In 59 career bouts, Marquez has never suffered a stoppage defeat. Even in bouts where he has been hurt or floored, he has shown tremendous resiliency in recovering and continuing to fight.
* Increasing Power – For years, Marquez’s brother Rafael was seen as the superior puncher between the two brothers. But lately, Juan Manuel has been living up to his “Dinamita” nickname, sitting down on his punches with explosive results.
WEAKNESSES
Pacquiao:
* Trouble with Boxers – Pacquiao is at his best when in against opponents who stand in front of him and try to trade as he usually overwhelms them. But he has had difficulties against good boxers, especially in his previous bouts with Marquez, who was able to clearly outbox Pacquiao for extended periods in their two encounters.
* Tender Skin – Pacquiao has contended with cuts and scar tissue throughout his career. He was cut badly by headbutts in his fight with Agapito Sanchez and also in his first fight with Erik Morales. Even in some of his dominant wins, he has shown bruising around his eyes. His fragile skin is always a potential liability.
* Distractions – Pacquiao is being a cross-over star, not just in his native Philippines, but also in the United States. He is involved in his home country’s political agenda and is very close with his adoring fans. He will sometimes let these distractions interfere with his training camp. Also looming is the constant talk about superfight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Marquez:
* Cuts – It seems anymore that Marquez starts bleeding during the opening instructions. While it has yet to noticeably hamper him, Marquez has had problems with scar tissue around both eyes, resulting in cuts and swelling, which can turn into a significant handicap against such a sharp puncher.
* Legs – While he has never been stopped in his career, Marquez has shown aging in his legs. He is more willing to stand and trade and has suffered knockdowns in recent bouts with Mayweather and Michael Katsidis. He was also floored three times in his first bout with Pacquiao and once in their rematch.
* Size – Marquez’s highest fighting weight was 142 against Mayweather and he looked significantly outsized. His last few bouts were in the 135-138 range and will be hard-pressed to match the physical presence of Pacquiao, who has been fighting over 140 lbs for the last three years.
PREVIOUS BOUT
Pacquiao:
(05-07-11) Pacquiao turned the once dynamic “Sugar” Shane Mosley into a mere sugar substitute. Pacquiao’s short left hand floored Mosley in the 3rd round and essentially took the fight out of him. The nine following rounds looked more like a sparring session with Pacquiao controlling the action and winning a lopsided unanimous decision.
Marquez:
(07-16-11) Marquez stayed busy with an impressive 1st round destruction of Liker Ramos. Marquez split the guard of the southpaw Ramos and detonated an explosive right hand on his chin that put him on the canvas for several minutes.
3 BEST PERFORMANCES
Pacquiao:
* Oscar De la Hoya (12/06/08) – It’s hard to imagine now but the consensus at the time was that De la Hoya would destroy the smaller Pacquiao in a landslide. It was a landslide but it was Pacquiao dishing out the beating, ripping De la Hoya apart with both hands. After eight one-sided and brutal rounds, a swollen and bloodied De la Hoya was beaten into permanent retirement.
* Miguel Cotto (11/14/09) – Pacquiao impressively dismantled the larger and physically imposing Cotto. Pacquiao dropped the Puerto Rican superstar twice early and from the 6th round on, had him in a defensive shell, battering him until the referee stopped the bout in the 12th round.
* Ricky Hatton (05/02/09) – Pacquio ran through Hatton in fast and destructive fashion. Hatton, while still an underdog, was expected to provide a challenge with his strength and mauling tactics. Pacquiao unveiled an improved right hook and had Hatton down twice in the 1st round before crushing him with a devastating knockout in the 2nd.
Marquez:
* Juan Diaz (2/28/09) – Against the younger Diaz, Marquez had to weather the early storm before starting to break his larger opponent. With Diaz rapidly weakening from a sustained body attack, Marquez increased his attack, flooring Diaz twice, the final time with a fierce uppercut, registering an impressive knockout win.
* Joel Casamayor (9/13/08) – The Cuban southpaw Casamayor was a multiple time champion with a rough and often foul-filled style and never stopped in 40 bouts. The bout was fought on even terms for the first half when Marquez started to assert himself and handed Casamayor his first stoppage defeat in the 11th round.
* Manny Pacquiao (3/15/08) – In Marquez’s rematch with Pacquiao, he countered the Filipino’s aggressive style with boxing and counterpunching, fighting Pac-man on even terms and winning in the eyes of many spectators. Recovered from a hard knockdown in the 3rd round and survived a vicious follow-up assault. The razor-thin decision went to Pacquiao but also helped enhance Marquez’s legacy.
QUESTIONS
Pacquiao:
* Will he finally be able to solve Marquez’s style?
* Can he remain focused amid all the outside distractions?
* Will his recent successes leave him overconfident?
Marquez:
* Can he build upon his previous successes against Pacquiao?
* Can he survive in a slugfest against his younger and stronger opponent?
* Is he too small to effectively compete above 140 lbs?
PENECALE PREDICTION
The first two rounds will be close, a near carbon copy of the work these fighters have produced against each other in the past. Pacquiao will be the aggressor, churning forward and trying to set up his laser left hand. Marquez use will angles and counter punches to thwart Pacquiao’s onrushes.
Marquez will be more flat-footed and willing to stand in front of Pacquiao and try and time him. Pacquaio will land one of his big lefts in the 3rd round and it will buckle Marquez’s knees and raise a welt under his right eye.
Starting in the 4th round, the momentum will start to swing heavily in favor of the Pilipino superstar. Marquez will still find openings and land some counter right hands and uppercuts but Pacquiao’s superior workrate will start to overwhelm his long-time rival. A Pacquaio combination of right hook-straight left will dump Marquez on the seat of his trunks late in the round.
Marquez will continue to fight hard but Pacquiao’s speed and combination punching will allow him to dictate the tempo and as the rounds progress, the Mexican warrior will start to look more like a gargoyle.
Before the start of the 7th round, referee Tony Weeks will ask the doctor to examine the cuts and swelling around Marquez’s eyes. He will be allowed to continue but Pacquiao will continue to dominate the action with rapier-like combinations to the head and body.
Another Pacquiao combination in the 9th round will stagger Marquez and the cut over his left eye will keep flowing blood, some getting into Marquez’s eyes and hampering his vision. The doctor will make another visit before the 10th round and reluctantly allow Marquez to continue. Weeks will monitor the action closely and once Pacquiao lands another solid combination of punches in the 10th, Weeks will take the initiative and stop the fight at the 48 second mark of the 10th round.
Your winner by TKO is Manny Pacquiao!!!
Tags: action > Auto > birth country > body > career > draft > Expertise > fight > head > HOYA > ibf featherweight > Joe Frazier > Juan Manuel Marquez > kryponite > lightweight champion > Manny Pacquiao > Manuel > Muhammad Ali > nickname > pacquiao vs marquez > pound 4 pound > POWER > punch > puncher > round > sad note > scar > Smokin' Joe Frazier > split verdict > stamina > stoppage > super featherweight champion > Technical > time > trilogies > Unorthodox > wbc flyweight champion > wbc super featherweight > wbc super featherweight champion > wbo featherweight > welterweight champion
ALGIERI-JARGAL READY FOR WAR NOV. 19 ON AZTECA AMERICA
Posted on | November 9, 2011 | No Comments
Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing presents the third installment of their new series “Boxeo Azteca” televised live on the Azteca America network as undefeated Jr. Welterweight Chris Algieri (11-0 6KO Huntington, NY) takes a big step up in class when he takes on hard hitting Bayan Jargal (15-2-3 10KO Arlington, VA) in the 10 round main Jr. Welterweight main event November 19th, at The Paramount in Huntington, Long Island, NY.
Algieri, whose mother is from Argentina, will be fighting in his hometown of Huntington for only the second time in his career and first time as a main event fighter. In his last fight Algieri disposed of tough Philly fighter Julius Edmonds in 4 rounds on March 17th of this year. Chris has battled numerous hand injuries which has slowed his progress down but now feels his hands are one hundred percent and is raring to climb up the Jr. Welterweight ladder. He faces a tough task on November 19th when he steps into the ring with Jargal.
Jargal, who represented his native Mongolia in the 2003 and 2005 World Championships as an amateur, has been called the Mongolian version of Manny Pacquiao for his relentless style. In his last fight Jargal took on world rated Breidis Prescott, a bout televised as part of ESPN2 “Friday Night Fight” series on April 22nd of this year. Jargal put forth a game effort as he hung with Prescott for the full 10 rounds, having strong moments in the latter part of the fight. Jargal is a hard puncher and is known for his fan friendly style. Bayan has promised to ruin Algieri’s homecoming party.
Five additional bouts are planned for the card. The card will be aired on Azteca America with the telecast set to begin at 10pm EST.
Tickets are priced at $100 Ringside, Stage Gold, and Loge seating, $50 Mezzanine, and $30 for Standing Room Only and are available by calling Star Boxing (718) 823-2000 or visiting www.starboxing.com, The Paramount box office (631) 673-7300, or TICKETMASTER at ticketmaster.com 1 (800) 745-3000.
Doors open at 7:00pm with first bout scheduled to begin at 7:30pm.
ABOUT STAR BOXING:
Star Boxing, Inc. has been in operation since1992. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit the official website at www.starboxing.com
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The Loss of a Legend: Joe Frazier Tribute
Posted on | November 9, 2011 | No Comments
By: Patrick McElligott
The death of former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier is a loss for more than the boxing community and the world of sports, for “Smokin’ Joe” represented a significant part of what was solid and dependable in American culture during an era of turmoil and social unrest. While far too many professional athletes are elevated to the status of “role model” merely because of their athletic gifts, Joe Frazier was exactly the type of person that every community needs for its youth to look up to.
In the past 24 hours, I’ve watched numerous television reports on the life of Joe Frazier; read both newspaper and internet articles; and have spoken to a number of family members and friends, about their memories of this great champion. The passage of time since Frazier’s ascent in the heavyweight division has, not surprisingly, created some gaps in the accuracy of some sports fan’s memories. For example, I read about Ernie Terrell winning the WBA tournament, and heard a televison journalist’s “memory” of Joe breaking Ali’s jaw in the fifteenth round of “The Fight of the Century.” Thus, I think it might be both interesting and worthwhile to take a look back at Joe’s historic career development.
My understanding of the intensity of this man might best be illustrated by a story about Joe Frazier in a locker room at the Utica College Sports Complex, in Utica, N.Y., on October 2, 1976. Joe had become the manager of heavyweight contender Duane Bobick, then 36-0, after the former Olympian’s 26th fight. My brother was scheduled to fight on the undercard of Bobick’s main event bout against tough Chuck Wepner. My brother-in-law, who was an amateur heavyweight, and who looked a lot like the young Joe Frazier, used to help me train my brother.
Now, this was less than four months after Joe’s second bout with George Foreman. He was retired, but not so much so that he was that good-natured guy that people knew outside of boxing. (He did have one last fight, five years later.) The second that he walked into our section of the dressing room, his eyes locked on my brother-in-law. For a long moment, Joe Frazier was as silent as he was motionless; through narrow eyes, taking a measure of the young heavyweight standing in front of him. This I can say, without any risk of error: Joe Frazier was as intense as any man ever associated with the great sport of boxing.
The only word that comes close to capturing the atmosphere for that moment is “intimidating.” Not that anyone worried that there would be any problem in that locker room. But the very essence of Joe Frazier, definitely one of the most powerful of men to lace up the gloves, was – in the context of fight-night – primal. After Bobick stopped Wepner in six rounds, that same intense man, who’s stare had raised the hairs on you neck, transformed into into the good-natured gentleman that was such a big part of the man.
Joe Frazier, born in South Carolina, is the very definition of a “Philadelphia fighter.” In 1962, ’63, and ’64, he would win the Mid-Atlantic Golden Gloves Heavyweight title. A giant heavyweight named Buster Mathis beat Joe in the Olympic trials in 1964, but pulled out as the result of breaking his hand while fighting Joe. Thus Frazier represented the United States at the Tokyo Olympics, winning the gold. It was only then that the public learned that Frazier had competed in those four bouts with a broken thumb.
Frazier’s professional career was sponsored by Cloverlay, a corporation created by Philadelpia businessmen who paid $250 per share. Joe was trained by Yank Durham, who was assisted by Willie Reddish. Durham, an amateur boxer before WW2, became one of the top trainers at North Philly’s legendary 23rd PAL gym. Reddish, who like Frazier was born in South Carolina before coming to Philadelphia and winning the Mid-Atlantic Golden Gloves, had been a heavyweight contender. He fought world champions Jersey Joe Walcott and John Henry Lewis, and also served as a sparring partner for the great Joe Louis. Reddish had previously trained heavyweight champion Charles “Sonny” Liston.
Boxing was, in many ways, a very different sport when Joe Frazier turned professional in 1965, than it is today. The heavyweight division, in particular, held the nation’s interest, and the heavyweight champion was the most influential athlete on the planet. As an Olympic champion, Joe Frazier’s career would be covered not only by the two top boxing magazines – The Ring and Boxing Illustrated – but by numerous other sports magazines, and virtually every good newspaper’s sports section. Thus, when Joe Frazier won each of his four fights in 1965 by early knockouts, sports fans were paying close attention.
In 1966, Joe fought nine bouts, winning eight by knockout. While many were in Philadephia, Joe would also compete in high-profile bouts in the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, and at Madison Square Garden in New York City. These included fights against some of the top-ten contenders of that period, including Dick Wipperman (TKO 5); Billy Daniels, who was decked in rounds 2, 3, 4, and 6, before failing to come out for the seventh round; tough Oscar Bonavena, who dropped Joe twice in the second round, in a fight Joe won by a 10-round majority decision; and veteran Eddie Machen, who Joe stopped in ten.
1967 would prove to be a turning-point in boxing history; events both inside and outside of the ring would be impacted by the political atmosphere in America. Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali would defend his title twice, before being stripped of his title by boxing commissions, because of his refusal to be drafted into the US Army.
The young contender Smokin’ Joe Frazier would start the year with impressive knockouts over Doug Jones and Jefferson Davis. Joe then decisioned tough veteran George “Scrape Iron” Johnson, one of Liston’s top sparring partners (who later fought Liston, George Foreman, and Ron Lyle). This set the stage for Joe to fight George Chuvalo, who had won his last twelve fights by knockout.
It may be difficult for younger readers to appreciate what this fight represented. Chuvalo is the greatest fighter to come out of Canada. More, this guy set the bar very high for the Canadian tradition of “tough” fighters. Although George had been defeated by fighters including Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali, he had never been off his feet in the ring, much less knocked out. (A doctor who conducted a thorough examination of Chuvalo reported that his skull was literally 3/4ths an inch thicker than normal, which accounted for his legendary ability to take a punch. More important, George was a highly intelligent man, who knew how to use his skills to his full advantage – including breaking any rule he found inconvenient!)
The Frazier vs Chuvalo bout, held at Madison Square Garden, was televised live on network TV. For the first three rounds, this pair of powerful contenders stood toe-to-toe. But Joe would open cuts over George’s eye, and began to inflict a severe beating on him before referee Johnny Colan stopped the bout late in the 4th round. The boxing community knew then that Joe Frazier was a uniquely talented fighter …. a heavyweight version of the great Henry Armstrong.
The WBA tournament – to find a new champion — was about to begin. Frazier was offered a spot in it. However, Durham and Reddish had other plans for Joe. Although Frazier was definitely among the top in the division, they wanted him to get a few more fights in, before meeting two of the other top contenders who might be in the tournament. Durham had concerns about big Ernie Terrell, the 6′ 6” contender with an 82” reach. Terrell, who had been awarded the WBA “title” for decisioning Eddie Machen in 1965, had defended that paper title twice, before being decisioned by Ali in February of 1967. And Reddish wanted Joe to have more experience before possibly meeting former champion Sonny Liston, who had won four knockouts on his comeback.
The Ali camp had considered a defense against Joe, until Muhammad lost his license. The Madison Square Garden match-makers had twice attempted to put Joe in against his former amateur rival, undefeated prospect Buster Mathis; the first offer was for $4,000, the second for $20,000, which was not enough for either fighter. Instead, Joe would knock out contender Tony Doyle in October, and journeyman Marion Connor in December.
At the time, many boxing fans were more interested in the WBA tournament, which featured eight top contenders. But Durham and Reddish knew exactly what they were doing. Doyle, for example, was 6′ 4” tall, and that fight helped prepare Joe for a potential bout against Terrell. Connor was actually a light heavyweight, and although it appeared he posed no risk to Frazier, he was a fast, slick fighter. The WBA tournament was eventually won by Jimmy Ellis, the fast, slick former Ali sparring partner, who had moved up from the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
By early 1968, the promoters at the new Madison Square Garden were looking to promote a “super card,” featuring the “rubber match” between middleweight champion Emile Griffith and Nino Benvenuti, and headlined by a heavyweight “title” fight. After former champion Floyd Patterson turned down offers to fight either Frazier or Mathis, they secured a fight between the two undefeated contenders.
Buster Mathis has been reduced to a footnote in boxing history. That’s a shame, because the 6′ 3”, 243-pound fighter was actually a gifted fighter. Buster had both speed of hand and foot, and actually had power – he decked and stopped Chuck Wepner in his sixth pro fight, for example. But Mathis was not always disciplined in training, and thus frustrated both Cus D’Amato and Joe Louis, when they each attempted to harness his full talents.
Mathis would outbox Frazier in the early rounds of their March 4, 1968 bout. But Frazier’s pressure began to take a toll in the middle rounds. Joe eventually flattend Buster in the 11th round, winning the heavyweight title of five states (IL, MA, ME, NY, & PA).
In June, Joe defended this title against the explosive-punching Mexican contender Manuel Ramos. Although Joe was stunned by a Ramos bomb in the first round, he would inflict a savage beating on his opponent and stop him in the second. Six months later, Frazier decisioned Oscar Bonavena in a 15-round fight.
1969 would mark the beginning of Frazier fighting twice a year. In April, he defended against Dave Zyglewicz. Dave was a relatively small heavyweight, at 5′ 10” and about 190 pounds. He was a physically strong man, who worked in the construction industry between boxing matches. Although he had a 28-1 record going into this fight, most of his victories were over C-grade Texas opposition. Not only had Dave not faced a current top-ten opponent in building his record, but he had lost to Sam Wyatt (6-7-1) a year earlier. Since that loss, Dave had four victories over opponents with a combined record of 53-58-7. Frazier devastated the game but severely overmatched Zyglewitcz in one round.
(Years later, Dave served as the referee for one of my amateur bouts in Cooperstown, N.Y. During the pre-fight instructions, he said, “Okay, boys. You might have heard of me. I lost a home-town decision to Joe Frazier years ago!” A few years later, on another professional card, my brother-in-law and I worked my brother’s corner when he upset Dave and Bob Miller’s undefeated prospect. Dave was always a wonderful character outside of the ring. Miller, of course, is one of the top cut-men in the business. He still promotes fights near Albany, including those of his son Shannon. Bob is often seen on Showtimes fights held in Canada, working the corners of some of the best fighters in the world.)
Two months later, Joe met tough Jerry Quarry in what would be The Ring’s “Fight of the Year.” After upsetting Floyd Patterson and Thad Spencer in the first two rounds of the WBA tournament, Jerry had lost a disappointing decision to Jimmy Ellis. Quarry then beat three unranked fighters who combined for a 7-22-3 record; stopped young contender Aaron Eastling in 5; then scored an impressive win over Buster Mathis.
By every measure, Jerry Quarry was at his prime when he entered the ring at Madison Square Garden that June night. And at many other times, that Jerry Quarry would have beaten the previous era’s champions, and left the ring with the title. But he had the “hard luck” of running into the Smokin’ Joe Frazier that was just beginning to peak. Steve Springer & Blake Chavez’s book “Hard Luck: The Triumph and Tragedy of ‘Irish’ Jerry Quarry” (Lyons Press; 2011) provides the very best description of this classic battle. Although referee Arthur Mercante would be forced to stop the fight after the seventh round, due to cuts, Jerry had made a fight of it.
Joe Frazier proved himself to be far superior to anyone in the heavyweight division that night. This was the fight that, years later, George Foreman would speak of, when he told how after the bell rang to end a particularly tough round, Joe turned and with a huge grin, would pound his gloves against his own head. This was a warrior who loved the opportunity to match his strength and skills against those of the toughest opponent he could find.
Frazier would fight twice in 1970. In February, he met WBA champion Jimmy Ellis. Ali had announced his retirement before these two fought, making the fight fully recognized as being for the heavyweight championship of the world. Ellis had won twelve straight bouts, since leaving the middleweight division in 1964. More, he had devoped surprising punching power at the higher weight; five of those victories were first-round knockouts. He had even decked Oscar Bonavena twice.
On paper, this appeared to be an even fight. However, in the ring at Madison Square Garden, Smokin’ Joe Frazier had reached his prime. Ellis was able to box well in the first two rounds, but Joe’s bobbing-and-weaving kept Jimmy from landing any meaningful punches. Also, Frazier’s intense body-punching was taking a toll on Ellis. The defending WBA champion could not escape the vicious left hook, which would put him down hard twice, before Angelo Dundee mercifully stopped the fight.
In November, Joe would defend his title against Bob Foster, the great light heavyweight champion. Foster had won the title from Dick Tiger in May of 1968, and had won eleven in a row after that. Although his only defeats had come in previous attempts to move up in weight, Foster had cleaned out the light heavyweight division. Frazier had likewise eliminated all the contenders in the heavyweight division – with the exception of Muhammad Ali, who had made his return to the ring the previous month.
This was a time when light heavyweight champions still challenged for the big title. Both Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano, for example, had defended the title in such bouts. Bob Foster, however, was no match for a prime Joe Frazier, and was knocked out in two brutal rounds.
That led directly to the March 8, 1971 “Fight of the Century,” between an undefeated Joe Frazier, and an undefeated Muhammad Ali. And, as everyone knows, Joe Frazier won that fight by decision. He hurt Ali seriously in the 11th round, and knocked him down in the 15th round with his left hook.
So much has been said and written about the three Frazier vs Ali fights, and the sometimes acrimonious relationship between these two great champions, that I’ve tried to focus more on other parts of Joe’s career. Yet, it is a topic that cannot and should not be ignored. Each of these men were exactly one-half of the greatest trilogy in boxing’s history. More, “Frazier versus Ali” was perhaps the single greatest rivalry in all of sports (including the Yankees versus the Red Sox).
I sat at ringside at the Madison Square Garden for their second fight. It was an experience that I’ll never forget. And their “Thrilla in Manila” was perhaps the most brutal, hardest-fought title fight in heavyweight history. But there was only one “Fight of the Century,” with two undefeated, all-time great heavyweight champions squaring off. And after 15 rounds, it was Joe Frazier’s hand that was raised in victory.
Last year, my son and daughter and I had the opportunity to have breakfast with Marvis Frazier, near Oneonta, N.Y. We conducted an interview with Marvis for Unlimited Fight News. I showed Marvis a copy of an old photograph that I had of him, at the age of seven, arm-wrestling with his father. Although Marvis is an absolute gentleman these days, it was easy to see that same “Frazier intensity,” which made him an amateur champion and a top contender in the professional ranks. More than that, though, we saw a Good Man who both loved and respected his Dad. Marvis had known Joe as the great heavyweight champion he was – definitely among that small, elite group of the best ever.
More importantly, Marvis knew his father as the outstanding man he was. And, by no coincidence, that is such a big part of what my family and friends who grew up in my generation have been talking about in the past day. Not just the Smokin’ Joe Frazier, who dominated a talented heavyweight division, and who won the Fight of the Century. But that Joe Frazier who carried himself and conducted his life in such a dignified way that he served as a role model for millions of people. The loss we feel with the news of his death is a measure of just how much that man meant to us.
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LYNES TAKES PURDY’S TITLE IN YORK HALL THRILLER
Posted on | November 9, 2011 | No Comments
Hornchurch man becomes oldest British Welterweight champ
Colin Lynes produced a fantastic display against Lee Purdy to take the British Welterweight title with a majority decision in a York Hall classic.
The 33 year-old is the oldest British champion at the weight and belied the nine-year age gap between him and the title holder by bursting out of the blocks to dominate the early rounds before flooring Purdy in the tenth.
The 24 year-old defending champ climbed to his feet from that setback and having enjoyed more of the action in the middle rounds, he threw everything at Lynes in the closing stages but Lynes was trading heavy blows with his Essex rival to disprove those who thought he would tire as the fight went on.
The fight followed an impeccably observed salute to Smokin’ Joe Frazier, and the legendary Heavyweight World champion would have loved the full-blooded finale to the action as the pair continued the relentless pace until the final bell, where Lynes was favoured on two judges’ scorecards 119-110 and 117-112, with Ian-John Lewis scoring it a 114-114 draw.
“I’m right back on track now, that’s what it was all about for me tonight,” said Lynes – who was British Light-Welterweight champion in 2007. “I want to win that Lonsdale belt outright as that’s what all British boxers dream of but ultimately, I want to fight for World honours. Kell Brook is the man to beat and we had a bit of banter afterwards and I told that I am on his tail – that’s my belief.
“In the later rounds I just felt this aura come over me and all the hard work that I’ve done in the gym with Jimmy and Mark (Tibbs, Lynes’ trainers) paid off at the end.
“There was maybe a lack of experience on his behalf but I told him after that he will come back against like I did and he’ll stronger from this and he took it very well. He had some successes in the fight – of course he would, he was the defending champion and he hits very hard. But I had that extra class and ring craft, and the know-how did it for me.
“We both gave a great account of ourselves and it was a great fight to be involved in, I’m sure everyone who watched it enjoyed it and the atmosphere in here was electric too.
“We’ve been working on the left-hook in the gym and when you look at the classy fighters out there like Ricky Burns, Kevin Mitchell, Billy Joe Saunders and so on, they all double up on the left hook and it hard to deal with when you do it right.”
“I seem to bring the best out in people and he boxed superbly tonight,” said Purdy – who went 12 rounds for just the second time in his 20 fight career. “I don’t know what happened to me tonight – maybe I took my eye off the ball and was looking ahead of this fight. I felt that training went really well and my weight was great but he fought out of his skin tonight.
“The team thought that after six rounds or so his jab wouldn’t come out but he kept popping it and he had all the answers, he’s a well deserved champion tonight.
“I’d like to think it’s a bump I can get over quickly and learn from. Craig Watson got the return with me when I took the belt from him and I’d love to have another go at Colin in the New Year and I think people would definitely watch it.”
John Ryder was the star of the undercard with an impressive second round stoppage win over Luke Osman to march on to 7-0 after a year in the pros. Vinny Woolford notched the only other win inside the distance on the night against Tyler Goodjohn, with Mike Perez, Erick Ochieng, Ryan ‘Crash Bang’ Taylor and Chris Evangelou securing points wins while Albert Sosnowski drew with Hastings Rasani.
Tags: action > age > age gap > Auto > banter > behalf > belief > british champion > british welterweight > Champ > champ colin > champion > Colin Lynes > course > defending champ > defending champion > draft > DREAM > everything > fight > final bell > GYM > heavyweight > heavyweight world > hornchurch > Joe Frazier > john lewis > KELL > LIGHT > Lonsdale > LYNES > majority decision > pace > purdy > relentless pace > setback > Smokin' Joe Frazier > TENTH > tibbs > welterweight title > work > World Champion
“CAPITAL SHOWDOWN” FIGHTERS TAKE TIME OUT OF TRAINING FOR CHARITY AT ANNUAL FIGHT NIGHT FUNDRAISER
Posted on | November 9, 2011 | No Comments
WASHINGTON (Nov. 9) – “Capital Showdown” fighters and DC metro-area natives Lamont “Havoc” Peterson, his brother Anthony Peterson, along with undefeated heavyweight contender Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell, will break from their rigorous training schedules to attend the 22nd annual Fight Night “Fight For Children” event at the Washington Hilton and Towers this Thursday evening. Instead of lacing up, the fighters will dress up to help raise money to benefit the mission of the Fight for Children organization. The fighters will make a special appearance in the ring as part of their donation of ringside seats for their Dec. 10 fights to the charity. They will also attend the Chairman’s VIP Reception along with the current and former World Champions attending Fight Night.
On Saturday, Dec. 10, all three boxers will fight on the “Capital Showdown” event at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington, DC. Lamont Peterson will face off against Amir “King” Khan for Khan’s Unified Super Lightweight World Title in the headlining fight, the undefeated Mitchell is set to battle Uzbekistan’s Timur Ibragimov, who has won nine of his last 10 bouts, in the evening’s co-featured bout which also marks Mitchell’s HBO’s debut, while Anthony Peterson will see action in a ten round fight on the undercard against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. The evening will mark the return of HBO televised boxing to the Washington, DC metropolitan area after an 18-year absence.
“It is such a great night in Washington DC and we are so happy to be able to attend and help raise money for such a good cause,” said Lamont Peterson on behalf of himself and his brother.
“I am really looking forward to attending Fight Night and supporting the great work the Fight For Children organization does throughout the community,” said Mitchell. “I have been training extremely hard for what is going to be one of the toughest fights of my career to date in December, so taking a night off to relax, enjoy myself and help a good cause is what I need before I finish up training strong for December 10.”
# # #
“Capital Showdown: Khan vs. Peterson,” a 12-round Unified Super Lightweight World Title Fight for Khan’s WBA World Super Championship and IBF World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. Also featured will be a 10-round heavyweight battle between Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell and Timur Ibragimov. The HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 9:45 p.m. ET/6:45 p.m. PT.
Tickets, priced at $300, $150, $75, $50 and $25, are on sale now through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or by purchasing them online atwww.ticketmaster.com. Tickets for fans traveling from the United Kingdom are available for purchase online at www.Sportscorporation.com o
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.
Tags: Annual > appearance > Auto > bouts > Boxing > brother anthony > capital showdown > cause > Chairman > Champions > championship > charity > com > contender > dc metro area > draft > event > face off > facebook > fight night > fighters > Havoc > HBO > heavyweight contender > Khan > king khan > Lamont Peterson > lightweight > natives > night fight > night fundraiser > ringside seats > round > Thursday > timur ibragimov > training schedules > Twitter > Unified > vip reception > washington hilton and towers > world champions
Cage Fighting Xtreme November 19th Full Card
Posted on | November 9, 2011 | No Comments
Cage Fighting Xtreme’s fight card for November 19, 2011. Fights are NOT in order for the night. Fight card subject to change!
Maxx | Christian Barrett |
VS |
Bryan Pires | Team Clinch | 155 | AM |
Silver Back | Grace Nowak |
VS |
Jen Lopez | Iron Horse MMA | 115 | AM |
Wai Kru | Pat Walsh |
VS |
James Chaplin | Pin2Win | HWT | AM |
The Pound | Jake Perry |
VS |
Mike McDonald | ABD MMA | 170 | AM |
SSSF | Anthony Delesandro |
VS |
John Rhodes | Pin2Win | 185 | AM |
Independent | Dave Brown |
VS |
Jordan Smith | Team Clinch | 130 | AM |
Team Clinch | Brian Allard |
VS |
Cody Esanoilia | Pin2Win | 155 | AM |
Wai Kru | Renan Borgess |
VS |
Doug Miller | Pin2Win | 145 | AM |
Kenny Kwon | Jeff Hsu |
VS |
Greg Morse | Team Irish B | 170 | AM |
Mendes MMA | Jeff Watts |
VS |
Rusty Ryan | The Pound | 145 | AM |
Independent | Mike Arruda |
VS |
Justin Smith | Eclectic MMA | 195 | AM |
ABD MMA | David Worman |
VS |
Paul Nischo | Tri Force MMA | 170 | AM |
Pro Elite | Brian Sparrow |
VS |
Steve Erland | Team Irish B | 170 | AM |
Guardian MMA | Mike Tobar |
VS |
Lewis Caballer | Tri Force MMA | 140 | AM |
SSSF | Joe Lamaroux |
VS |
Carlos Rivera | DogPound | 185 | PRO |
Fight Factory | Robby Roberts |
VS |
Jay Dublin | Dublin‘s MMA | 185 | PRO |
SSSF | Bill Mahoney |
VS |
Hector Sanchez | Elite MMA | 185 | PRO |
SSSF | Lee Metcalf |
VS |
Fernando Perez | CCFA | 145 | PRO |
Mendes MMA | Chris Paolini |
VS |
Pierry Pierre | CCFA | 170 | PRO |
Independent | Wade Therrien |
VS |
Artie Mullen | MMA Of SM | Hwt | PRO |
Wai Kru | Lee Beane |
VS |
Bobby Favors | Independent | SHW | PRO |
Tickets for “Rumble in the Jungle” can be purchased by calling CageFX at 781.510.6000 or online at www.cagefx.com.
Doors open 6:30 PM EST with the first bout scheduled for 7 PM sharp.
Tags: bill mahoney > Borgess > Bout > cage fighting > CCFA > chris paolini > christian barrett > com > dogpound > Doors > Eclectic > Factory > Favors > fight > fight card > fighting > fights > Hector Sanchez > HWT > Irish > jeff hsu > jeff watts > jen lopez > john rhodes > jordan smith > lee metcalf > Maxx > Mendes > mike arruda > mike mcdonald > mike tobar > NOT > Pin > pin2win > Pound > pro elite > Renan > rumble in the jungle > Wai
Wrestling Links (11-9-11)
Posted on | November 9, 2011 | No Comments
TNA Wrestling announces partnership with Ohio Valley Wrestling Examiner.com TNA Wrestling has announced a partnership with Ohio Valley Wrestling that will make OVW the official training and developmental organization for TNA’s foreseeable future. TNA Wrestling sent out a press release on November 7 announcing the new … See all stories on this topic »
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Pro wrestler fined $1500 for reckless driving count Northern Virginia Daily By Joe Beck — jbeck@nvdaily.com FRONT ROYAL — Professional wrestling champion Kurt Angle must pay a $1500 fine as a result of a conviction for reckless driving, Warren County General District Judge W. Dale Houff ruled Tuesday. … See all stories on this topic »
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Mayweather pays price for lying to judge San Francisco Chronicle Mayweather, along with his production company and World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., is being sued by Anthony Dash, who accused the boxer of stealing a beat he created in 2005 for a song Mayweather used as he entered the ring at wrestling events in … See all stories on this topic »
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Five WWE Stars Who Deserve a Bigger Push Yahoo! Sports Author Shawn S. Lealos has been a professional wrestling fan since the rock and roll days of the 80s. Shawn watched all the promotions, but held an affinity for the more rugged ones in the Mid South and Dallas focused World Class regions. … See all stories on this topic »
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NCAA Wrestling: No. 24 Iowa State Cyclones Fall to Army Black Knights Yahoo! Sports Contributor Network Nov 8, 10:00 am EST Andrew Sorenson and Cole Shafer provided pins for the Iowa State Cyclones during the team’s first wrestling dual meet of the season, but the pins weren’t enough to hold off the Army Black Knights. The No. … See all stories on this topic »
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NJCAA WRESTLING: Klemm retires as coach Lincoln Courier By Staff reports Klemm has been the leader of the Lynx grapplers for the last twenty years and has been coaching wrestling for the last thirty years. He will continue to serve as athletic director and oversee the seventeen sports offered by Lincoln … See all stories on this topic »
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Wrestling show to raise money for Abington Cub Scouts The Patriot Ledger By Anonymous New England Championship Wrestling comes to Abington for a benefit event called “Bouts for the Scouts,” Saturday night at Abington High School, 201 Gliniewicz Way, with a 7 pm start time. The event is being presented by the Friends of … See all stories on this topic »
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WRESTLING PRACTICE Friday, Nov. 11, will be the Press News East Canton’s volleyball banquet is set for Thursday, Nov. 17, 6 pm, at the Foltz Community Center. The football banquet will be held Nov. 22, 6:30 pm, also at the Foltz Community Center. The Canton South basketball team will host a pancake breakfast … See all stories on this topic »
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Brockport wrestling gives strong showing at Eastern Michigan Open, University … The Stylus By Cassie Negley Sports Editor The Brockport wrestling team started its season with showings at the Eastern Michigan Open Saturday, Nov. 5 in Ypsilanti, Mich. and at the University of Buffalo Open Sunday, Nov. 6. Senior Tom Rispoli captured a … See all stories on this topic »
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One wild ride, A Redmond steer wrestler prepares to take his skills to the … Bend Bulletin Steer wrestler Michael Reger competes at the Pendleton Round-Up in Pendleton in September. Reger, 41, picked up the sport when he was a young man after watching rodeo on television. By Amanda Miles / The Bulletin As it turns out, Michael Reger’s … See all stories on this topic » |
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MatChat Podcast: Wrestle For A Cure … – TheMat.com – USA Wrestling With the college wrestling season upon us, one of the big early season events is the Wrestle For A Cure Duals in Harrisburg, Pa. TheMat.com News |
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SF State wrestling team hopes to continue with its success | Golden … By Jamie R Wells The NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association ranked the team 19th in the nation in its preseason poll, announced online Oct. 26. “It feels good, considering we graduated a lot of people last year,” said junior Zach Jimenez. “We have a … Golden Gate Xpress |
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Two more recruits pick Hawks, join elite class | Hawk Central By Andy Hamilton Iowa brought in more than enough recruits on one weekend last month to fill out an entire wrestling lineup. … “It’s been my goal (to wrestle at Iowa) since I’ve know what college wrestling is. It’s been a part of my life, it’s how I’ve been trained.” … Hawk Central |
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Various News: ECW Zombie Vs. Boogeyman, Roberts, Massaro … Various News: ECW Zombie Vs. Boogeyman, Roberts, Massaro. WrestlingInc.com Pro Wrestling News |
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Rusty Brooks Pro-Wrestling Academy in West Park has been … Under a dimmed spotlight, the two behemoths pretend to rip each other’s heads off. The man in the headlock grunts as the man with the upper hand sneers in … articles.sun-sentinel.com/…/ |
Tags: Army > Auto > banquet > black knights > com > conviction > count > developmental organization > draft > driving > event > Examiner > future > Golden > grapplers > iowa state cyclones > joe beck > klemm > Kurt Angle > Mayweather > mid south > NCAA > news > northern virginia daily > nvdaily > Open > OVW > Pendleton > pro wrestler > professional > professional wrestling > san francisco chronicle > Scouts > sports > staff reports > TNA Wrestling > University > world wrestling entertainment > world wrestling entertainment inc > wrestler > wrestling links > Yahoo Sports
Boxing Links (11-9-11)
Posted on | November 9, 2011 | No Comments
Boxing world in mourning Boston.com He and Ali will be linked forever, both heavyweight champions and bitter enemies in the boxing ring who squared off in three epic fights from 1971-75. Frazier won the first one at Madison Square Garden in the “Fight of the Century. … See all stories on this topic »
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HBO Boxing: Pacquiao-Marquez III: Undercard YouTube Timothy Bradley is one of the brightest young stars in boxing today, but now he faces one of his toughest challenges to date when he squares off against Cuban legend Joel Casamayor. Pacquiao-Marquez III happens Sat., Nov. 12 live on pay-per-view. … See all stories on this topic »
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Boxer injured in NYC traffic accident awakes from coma, doesn’t know sister … Washington Post NEW YORK — A young boxer who nearly made the 2012 Olympic team has awakened from a coma after he was critically injured in an accident on a Bronx highway. The Daily News reports that 19-year-old Pedro Luis Sosa has begun opening his eyes and trying to … See all stories on this topic »
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Tim Bradley: I’m the Next Superstar in Boxing YouTube Tim Bradley looking to make an impact in boxing as he debuts for Top Rank on the Pacquiao vs Marquez undercard on November 12th. See all stories on this topic »
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Frazier’s death draws emotional response Fox News The boxing world was quick to react upon hearing news of the death of former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, who succumbed Monday night after a brief bout with liver cancer. “Joe Frazier was the embodiment of what a great heavyweight champion and … See all stories on this topic »
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From Bullied to Boxer: Taunted and Beaten by Kids at School, Paul Rubios Was … Patch.com Seeing potential in Paul, the radio station set him up with Coach Joe at USA Boxing and Karate in Hayward for training. He trained for three weeks before attending a sold-out Battle of the Big Boys. His boxing career was launched after knocking out his … See all stories on this topic »
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Boxing Rankings for Nov. 8, 2011: Ricky Burns and James Kirkland Make Their Moves Bad Left Hook by Scott Christ on Nov 8, 2011 11:30 AM EST in Boxing Rankings James Kirkland is back in the rankings, coming in at No. 8 after his decimation of Alfredo Angulo on November 5 in Cancun. Angulo, who was ranked No. 5 last week, is out of the rankings for … See all stories on this topic »
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Bidding war brews for Montreal boxer Toronto Sun Boxing promoter Interbox says its undefeated IBF champion, Montreal’s Lucian Bute, is at the centre of a budding bidding war. Interbox president Jean Bedard told QMI Agency that Bute’s win Saturday over American Glen Johnson has jump-started … See all stories on this topic »
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TV4U Names Boxing Hall of Famer Sterling McPherson to Italian American Club … PR.com (press release) Sterling McPherson, an undefeated fighter at the renowned Silver Slipper Casino in the 1980’s, transitions to the reincarnation of the Las Vegas club boxing scene at the Italian American Club thirty years later as the TV4U color commentator. … See all stories on this topic »
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Boxing Schedule Richmond Times Dispatch At Cohen Stadium, El Paso, Texas (SHO), Austin Trout vs. Frank LoPorto, 12, for Trout’s WBA World junior middleweight title; Miguel Oliviera vs. Rudy Cisneros, 10, junior middleweights. At MGM Grand, Las Vegas (PPV), Manny Pacquiao vs. … See all stories on this topic » |
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Boxing legend Joe Frazier dead at 67 Boxing champ Joe Frazier died Monday night after an intense battle with liver cancer. What’s New |
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Manny Pacquiao on Death of Joe Frazier: Boxing ‘Lost a Great … By Terra Sports Joe Frazier lost his battle with cancer on Monday night at the age of 67. For once, the advent of a 24/7 news cycle and immediate sharing of information brought about a beautiful result: some of the most important boxers of the past and present … NESN.com – Sports News – Red… |
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Boxing great Joe Frazier dies at 67 of cancer (AP) | Stock Market … By Editor – Sports News PHILADELPHIA – Joe Frazier had to throw his greatest punch to knock down The Greatest. A vicious left hook from Frazier put Muhammad Ali on. Rocket News |
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PIERS MORGAN STEPS INTO THE RING WITH WORLDWIDE … By GFL Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Márquez Boxing, Tecate and MGM Grand, The Pacquiao-Márquez III world championship telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live … GoFightLive |
Tags: American > big boys > bitter enemies > Boxing > boxing career > boxing pacquiao > Boxing Ring > champion > com > death > former heavyweight champion > fox news > HBO Boxing > heavyweight champions > hook > Impact > Interbox > Joe Frazier > Joel Casamayor > liver cancer > luis sosa > Madison Square Garden > Marquez > Monday > nbsp > NEW > news > pacquiao marquez > pacquiao vs marquez > Rank > ring > team > Tim Bradley > top > topic > traffic > undercard > USA Boxing > washington post > Youtube