U.S. Marine determined to keep team spirit up

His London Olympics may have only lasted nine minutes but Jamel Herring will not be getting down about it. A veteran Marine of two tours of duty in Iraq, the U.S. team boxing captain knows he has his men to think about. The 26-year-old sergeant, who served as a field electrician during the Iraq war, is just part of the military backbone of an American team led by officer Basheer Abdullah, head coach of the army's boxing programme for 15 years. Herring saw many friends die during his service but also lost his daughter to cot death shortly after his return, something that was at the forefront of his mind when went down on bended knee upon entering the ring on Tuesday. "Everybody back at home knows what I've been through, I've been through a lot of ups and downs," the circumspect light-welterweight told reporters after his 19-9 loss to Kazakhstan's Daniyar Yeleussinov. "From the first time I stepped in the ring to the last, I was thinking about her (his daughter Ariyanah), my team, my country, the Marine corps. A lot was going through my head."

A native of Long Island, just east of Manhattan, Herring was in high school when New York's World Trade Centre was destroyed on September 11, 2001. School friends lost relatives in the attacks, prompting the then 15-year-old to decide to enlist. He does not know yet whether he will re-enlist when his service ends in a few months, although a harder question to answer is whether it means more to be an Olympian or to have served for his country. "I was a proud Marine and proud to defend my country," he said. Being a New Yorker and so close to the 9/11 incident in high school, I wanted just to do something good in life. Make something out of myself. "I appreciated the both of them," he added, referring to the Olympics. "I wish I could have done better but not everyone gets to the Olympics so when you do, it's a big accomplishment on your resume. I'll always be an Olympian." With seven American male boxers and three females still chasing medals, their captain knows he still has plenty of work to do in London. "It hurts, no one likes to get beat but I've got to keep my head up, I'm team captain. If I'm down basically my team is down," he said. "I don't want nobody to feel down, I fought hard. I don't want them to feel bad for one man, one man's gone down, but we've still got out whole team."

Olympics:Boxing judges favor Brits, claims Conceicao

Brazilian lightweight Robson Conceicao claimed he was the victim of biased judging after he lost in the first round to Britain's Josh Taylor on Sunday. Conceicao, who pushed world amateur champion Vasyl Lomachenko all the way in last year's championships, lost 13-9 but was convinced he won every round. "They (the judges) were very malicious. It's not fair because I think the judges favoured him because of the crowd and that shouldn't happen in a competition like this," Conceicao told reporters. "It hurts a lot, I was fighting really well, making the points and the referees didn't give it. I'm sad." In front of a packed and giddily excited arena, Taylor became the third British boxer in a row to advance to the second round of this year's Games, handing rising boxing power Brazil its first defeat in the process. "It will be very difficult," Conceicao said when asked if it would be hard to beat a British boxer in London. Taylor, who sparred with the Brazilian in what he described a tough session in the run up to the Games, said it was amazing having the crowd behind every punch he threw, describing the experience as the best in his life.

Queen Elizabeth says that her Olympics was 'a laugh'

Britain's Queen Elizabeth thinks her Olympic Games Opening Ceremony cameo was a "bit of a laugh".  The 86-year-old royal took part in a pre-recorded segment with James Bond actor Daniel Craig before appearing to parachute into the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London, during Friday's (27.07.12) spectacle, and while she didn't watch her part, she admits the ceremony seemed to go "very well".  During a tour of the Olympic Park yesterday (28.07.12), she told London Mayor Boris Johnson: "It all seemed to go very well last night. But I didn't see my bit."  Boris said: "You were brilliant Ma'am."

And the monarch replied: "It was a bit of a laugh."  The queen is said to have immediately accepted the invitation to film the cameo for the ceremony, and she shot the piece in just one take.  An official is quoted by the Sunday Mirror newspaper as saying: "It was not a case of having to persuade the queen to take part.  "Her Majesty said 'yes' to it straight away. She thought it was such brilliant fun. And when the idea for the format was explained to her she was happy with that, too. When we came to filming it the queen was a natural. Did it take long? No. Let's just say we only had to film it once."  The segment saw Bond arrive at Buckingham Palace in an iconic black London taxi and he then walked down the hallway flanked by the monarch's corgis - played by her own pooches Monty, Willow and Holly - before being taken to the queen.  She greeted him with the words: "Good evening, Mr. Bond." He replied: "Good evening, Your Majesty."  The pair then retired to a waiting Union Jack-decorated helicopter where they travelled from the palace to the Olympic Stadium and then appeared to parachute out much to the surprise of fans inside the stadium and the one billion people watching on TV sets worldwide.  But the joke was revealed when she arrived with her husband Prince Philip walking down the steps into their seats.  The queen's cameo was the idea of the Opening Ceremony curator Danny Boyle, who admitted the monarch is a "good actor" and revealed she got on "very well" with Daniel during filming.

Team GB Boxer Anthony Ogogo keeps Olympic dream alive

The brave quest for Olympic glory of Anthony Ogogo, whose mother recently suffered a brain haemorrhage, continues. The Lowestoft middleweight overcame Junior Castillo of the Dominican Republic on a 13-6 count in the preliminary round after the sudden illness of his mum, Teresa, caused him to consider withdrawing from the Games.  Competing in an Olympics is Ogogo's "dream", he said after this easy win, so this pushed him on. That, and his four sisters "ordering" him to fulfil his ambition. On a memorable day for the middleweight one of those sisters, Leanne, went into labour and is just "down the corridor" in the James Paget hospital, near Great Yarmouth, from Teresa, who is in a stable condition.  Ogogo said: "About six weeks ago my mum had a brain haemorrhage so she's been in hospital – in the critical care unit for a good month and she's been looked after. She's doing so well. Hopefully I've given her a boost and it will help in her recovery. For what she's doing and what's she's going through and how good she's done I'm so proud of her. Winning a medal at the Olympics is nothing in comparison.

"My eldest sister Leanne went into labour so I'll phone her and hope I have a little nephew or niece. She's just down the corridor from my Mum. It has been a really good day for the family. I've kept my focus. It makes me want it even more. My world has been incentivised by what's gone on, I'm working hard, and hopefully I will get what I feel like I deserve."  How had he negotiated these past six weeks? "Just with the help of my family, and friends and girlfriend – they've kind of got me through," Ogogo said. "There was a stage where I didn't think I was going to be boxing at the Olympic Games because it just didn't seem important with all that was going on at home with the family and stuff. But my sisters kind of ordered me back to Sheffield [where Team GB are based] to train with the squad. The team have been really good with me to: they've given me time off to go and see members of my family.  "I've just worked hard and focused on the goal because it was my dream. But you kind of put into perspective what's important or not – it just testament to my family and friends who kind of got me here and hopefully I'll do them even more proud and make my mum proud by wining a medal."  Cheered on by the sold-out arena at the ExCel and "Team Ogogo" – who consisted of three sisters, his girlfriend and friends all wearing T-shirts sporting the logo – the 23-year-old admitted to nerves during the opening round.

"It was amazing," he said. "Just the people in the crowd supporting me – it's quite emotional really. I walked to the ring and thought: 'lip don't quiver, don't quiver.' I was a bit tense in the opening round, to perform in front of that crowd, it was a bit nerve-racking. But I settled down, got into my rhythm."  Ogogo closed the opening three minutes just 3-2 ahead but he was about to pull away. His cleaner punches and greater work kept Castillo at range and after a fast flurry from the Dominican following the opening bell of round two, Ogogo's better work took his advantage to 8-3.  By ducking inside whenever Castillo advanced during the final round Ogogo stayed away from danger, preventing his opponent from adding to his tally. Now, he faces Levgen Khytrov, the Ukrainian world champion and No1 seed, who will provide a big step up in class.  Ogogo said: "It's going to be really hard, the draw was unkind was to me. My girlfriend said to me: 'If the wind won't get in your sails, use your oars.' So I'll have to row against the tide. He's world champion but with that crowd and my coaches, the team I've got, I feel I can rise to the occasion: the better my opponent, the better I usually perform.  "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I can beat him. It's going to be a much harder fight but I can't wait. It's the Olympic Games, you don't become Olympic champion without beating the best. It's about bringing the best of the best together. I'm going to rest up, get the tactics sorted out and crack on."

Wlad: Door still open to Haye

Wladimir Klitschko has told Sky Sports that he hopes talks will remain open with David Haye regarding a fight with he or his brother.  "I think that David became a better person and I hope that he is more reliable than he used to be. "  Wladimir Klitschko Quotes of the week Haye 'retired' after receiving a 12-round bashing at the hands of Wladimir last summer, but unsurprisingly came back less than a year later to beat Dereck Chisora at Upton Park earlier this month.  That impressive stoppage victory once again sparked speculation that the 'Hayemaker' could be in a position to get it on with WBC champion Vitali Klitschko, or even face Wladimir in a rematch.  The Klitschkos' manager Bernd Boente told Ringside that the door did indeed remain open to Haye despite previous talks ending in stalemate.

Boente had offered Haye a date with Vitali on September 8, only for the Briton to agree to a fight with Chisora in the meantime.  And while Team Haye were apparently happy to accept the September clash as well, Klitschko was not in agreement and signed to defend his title against the unknown Manuel Charr.  But with any Haye vs Klitschko fight certain to generate interest around the globe, Wladimir confirmed that talks will remain ongoing.  "It's very difficult to follow what David Haye wants - retirement, not retirement - fighting or not fighting Vitali or me, fighting someone else," the IBF, WBO and WBA champion said.  "Eventually he was fighting me which was great following all the talk, and I think the chances are there (for another Klitschko fight).  "And as I said, I think that David became a better person and I hope that he is more reliable than he used to be.  "We'll see the next step. The next step is for Vitali to fight. It's very important for him to win the fight and then we'll continue to talk."

Does Alexander Povetkin have a chance against Wladimir Klitschko?

n terms of world championship belts, only two fighters have any logical claim on challenging heavyweight top dog Wladimir Klitschko: his big brother Vitali, the WBC champ; and Alexander Povetkin, the WBA "regular" (read "fake") beltholder. Since Vitali and Wladimir have long and loudly proclaimed they will never fight each other, that makes Povetkin the sole, rightful challenger to Wladimir's place as boxing's biggest, baddest man. Yet is the Russian Vityaz ready to duke it out with Dr. Steelhammer?

Boxers to look out for at the London 2012 Olympic Games

London, Great Britain, 24 July 2012 – With just a few days to go until the biggest show on Earth gets underway in the British capital, we look at the men and women in each of the weight categories who can have a real impact at the London 2012 Olympic Games. In the second of this four part series, we examine the Light (60kg), Light Welter (64kg) and Welterweight (69kg) men.

Men Lightweight (60kg) 2008 Olympic Title holder: Alexey Tishchenko (RUS) 2011 AIBA World Champion: Vasyl Lomachenko (UKR)  It is hard to look beyond arguably the world’s best Olympic pound for pound boxer, Ukrainian superstar Vasyl Lomachenko (photo), for this one. After taking the Featherweight (57kg) gold in 2008, the last four years have geared up towards the London 2012 Olympic Games for the powerful 24-year-old. He was the leading light in Beijing where he took the Val Barker Trophy, awarded to the outstanding fighter in the whole tournament. Last year, he was crowned AIBA World Champion for a second time so many expect him to once again take centre stage. Cuba’s Yasnier Toledo Lopez will be the main challenger, along with Italy’s 2009 AIBA World Champion Domenico Valentino and Brazilian Robson Conceicao, who pushed Lomachenko all the way in the Round of 16 in Baku. Road to London II participant Evaldas Petrauskas from Lithuania created the sensation in 2011 when he took bronze in the Azeri capital and could have a major say in what happens in this weight category. Belarus’s elegant southpaw Vazgen Safaryants is a clever operator and can surprise a fair few. So if Lomachenko wants to take gold, he will not have it easy, guaranteed.

Women's boxer Taylor named as Ireland's flag bearer

The four-times world lightweight champion has played a major role in women's boxing, winning a place at the Olympics for the first time in London where she is Ireland's best hope of a gold medal. One of the country's most popular athletes, the 26-year-old's appointment to the role was well-deserved, according to Irish Amateur Boxing Association chief Tommy Murphy. "It's a great honour for Irish amateur boxing and we are absolutely delighted that Katie has been chosen to be the flag bearer for Ireland for the opening ceremony for the London Olympics," he said in a statement after the Olympic Council of Ireland confirmed the decision.

Muhammad Ali to lead host stars in Olympic opening ceremony

Boxing hero Muhammad Ali has been asked to lead a parade of sporting greats that will include David Beckham and distance running legend Haile Gebrselassie in the Olympics ceremony. “The idea is to get a parade of stars for the opening ceremony and Ali would undoubtedly be the greatest star of all,” “There is a question mark over him purely because of his health. He is frail, but would love to be involved. He has great affection for Britain,”. The 70-year-old, who has Parkinson’s disease, but is still full of incredible spirit, is poised to take centre stage at Friday’s opening ceremony at the stadium in East London. Top Hollywood actors such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Posh and Becks are all due to attend Olympic charity events this week. America’s First Lady Michelle Obama will be at the opening night and is to meet 1,000 kids at a London event. She said the visit was a “dream come true”. Ali, who won gold at the Rome Games in 1960, will also be guest of honour at a party held at Victoria and Albert museum today.

Boxers fighting fit for London Olympics

Boxing has traditionally been Ireland's strongest sport at the Olympics and hopes are high that the London Games will see another healthy medal count.  Paddy Barnes, 25, hopes to become the first Irish boxer to pick up a medal in two Olympic Games.  The Belfast light-flyweight won a bronze medal in Beijing four years ago but stressed he has not been "feeling any pressure" as the games beckon.  "I've my own expectations, I've my own dreams," said the 2010 European Champion.  "I'd love to be the first Irish boxer to come home from the Olympic games with two medals. It would just be a dream come true and a lifetime ambition for me."  And he said he thrived on the pressure of expectation now heaped upon him ahead of the London games.

"Every championship I go to now after the Olympic (Beijing) games I've always been under a bit of pressure because of the bronze I won, and it shows I can get on top of the pressure after winning the Europeans and the Commonwealth Games," he said.  "So I don't really fall to pressure, I take it as it comes."  He said he never doubted he would qualify for the Olympics - but this time he knows exactly what to expect.  "Last time I was in Beijing you were walking past 10,000 athletes, big stars and you are a bit star struck. This time now you just know we are all here to do the same job," he said.  "In Beijing you could say I was only just a kid. I had very little international experience. This time around I have four years international experience. You can't buy that experience."  Barnes is one of two Belfast fighters on the Ireland boxing team.  Michael Conlon, 20, a flyweight from the Falls Road in Belfast is preparing for his first Olympic Games.  "It's been unreal. Two years ago I could not imagine it. I did say I was going to do it," he said.  "It's just been great to be living a dream. I'm not putting pressure on myself at all, so I'm going out there just to do my best."

Danny Green defeats Danny Santiago

Three time world champion Danny Green scored a fifth round TKO against opponent Danny Santiago

Santiago came out firing in the early rounds, but simply could not withstand the power of Green's punches, falling for the fourth and final time of the bout 2min 47sec into the fifth before the referee waived it off.  The win takes Green's record to 32 wins (28 by knockout), five losses (2KO) and no draws.  Santiago now has an unenviable record of having been stopped in all six of his defeats, with his record moving to 31 wins (19KO), six losses for six and one draw.  Green Machine boxing trumpeted the fight as Green's last at Challenge Stadium and post-win, the WA fighter would not be drawn on whether it was the last of his career.  "I'm just going to relax and enjoy it," Green said.  "I think I can say I've proudly represented my state and my country as well as I possibly could ... I almost died here a few times.  "This one's for you guys, as always.  "I've worked my ass off, I've had broken bones in almost every part of my body, but I've done it for you guys and I hope so much you know that."  Santiago praised Green and urged his opponent to continue at the lighter weight, with Green dropping from cruiserweight to a catchweight of 84.9kg.  "I came and I gave it all I had, he's very strong fighter," Santiago said.  "I know he says it's his last fight here, but I hope it's not his last fight ... he hits like a mule." Green has now been encouraged to chase a world title figtht with WBA light heavyweight champion Beibut Shumanov.  Speaking earlier this week, Green confirmed he had already held discussions with Shumenov and WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly.

Chad Dawson vs Andre Ward

According to the latest boxing news, WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (31-1, 17 KO’s) will be moving down in weight to 168 to face WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (25-0, 13 KO’s) on September 8th in a venue still to be decided later.

This is a big, big fight between two of the best fighters in their weight classes. Although Ward still hasn’t proven that he’s the best fighter in the super middleweight division as of yet, he’s still considered as the main guy as of now until the outcome of this Saturday’s fight between IBF champ Lucian Bute and Carl Froch. Ward already beat Froch, so if Bute loses to Froch, then it gives you a clear picture of who the top guy is. Dawson, 29, is looking to make a name for himself as well, as he recently defeated 47-year-old Bernard Hopkins by a 12 round majority decision on April 28th in a fight that should have been a 12 round unanimous decision for Dawson. The fight wasn’t so close that Hopkins should have been given a draw on one of the judges’ scorecards. It was too one-sided for me to give Hopkins more than four rounds under the best of circumstances.  Ward, 28, recently was crowned as the Super Six tournament finals winner after sweeping his four opponents Mikkel Kessler, Allan Green, Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch to capture the Super Six tournament trophy.

Strangely enough it wasn’t any of those fighters who gave Ward his toughest fight of late, it was Sakio Bika, who Ward opted to fight outside of the tournament that gave him fits. Ward likes to fight on the inside and that’s Bika’s strong point. Instead of it being an easy fight, Ward made it a lot tougher than it should have been by fighting Bika in close where he’s at his best.  Dawson has problems against fast fighters with explosive combinations. He was beaten by Jean Pascal by a 11th round technical decision in August 2010. Ward doesn’t have Pascal’s power, speed or the same explosive style of throwing his shots. If Dawson can see Ward’s punches coming, he’ll make it tough on him by avoiding his shots and jabbing him from the outside with his longer reach. Ward’s only chance of winning may be if he can take it to the inside and try to fight Dawson in close. Dawson won’t let Ward fight this strategy, so Ward will have to adapt if he wants to win.

Boxers do get paid!!

I guess Mayweather isn't called 'money' for no reason He fought twice during the past 12 months, knocking out Victor Ortiz in September and winning a unanimous decision in May against Miguel Cotto. He spent less than one hour in the ring to dispatch his two foes.  His combined payday for the bouts: $85 million.

That helped make Mayweather the world’s highest-paid athlete over the past year, unseating Tiger Woods, who has been the top-earner since 2001. Woods ranks third this year with earnings of $59.4 million.  Mayweather maximizes his earnings by also acting as his own fight promoter through his company Mayweather Promotions. He collects all of the revenue from tickets, pay-per-view and sponsorships and covers the costs, including the purse for his opponent. His take home per fight is typically at least 50% higher than what his rival Manny Pacquiao earns.  Being a wildly polarizing figure doesn’t seem to have hurt his earnings. He charmed old ladies as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2007 and provoked outrage with his racially charged, hate-filled rant against Pacquiao in 2010. His antics create buzz, and the result is both boxing fans and people who are normally indifferent to the sport pay up for his bouts. He has been a part of the four biggest non-heavyweight PPV events in boxing’s history. The Cotto fight generated $94 million in PPV receipts.

Pacquiao ranks second with earnings of $62 million. Over the past 12 months he fought Juan Manuel Marquez and Tim Bradley. The bouts netted him $56 million, including money he gets from their broadcast in the Philippines. He also made an estimated $6 million over the past year outside the ring through endorsements with Nike, Hewlett-Packard, Monster Energy and Hennessy.

50 Cent could sign Yuriorkis Gamboa and Andre Dirrell to a new promotional company

Floyd Mayweather's best friend and multi-platinum selling hip-hop recording artist 50 Cent has started his own boxing promotional banner named TMT (The Money Team) Promotions.  Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reports that TMT Promotions has been licensed by the state of New York and is working on getting its Nevada license as well.  Two fighters rumored to sign with 50 Cent are former featherweight world champ Yuriorkis Gamboa (21-0, 16 KO) and super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell (20-1, 14 KO).  It was originally speculated that Gamboa would sign with Mayweather Promotions after he left his previous promoter Top Rank.  Dirrell left his former promoter Gary Shaw and manager Al Haymon and was spotted at the Mayweather boxing gym along with Gamboa.  If this latest news comes to fruition, perhaps Mayweather will join forces with his friend 50 Cent rather than continue to run his own promotional outfit.

5 female Boxers to watch in London

TORONTO - On August 5 Olympic history will be made as the first ever women's boxing competition gets underway in London.Boxing was originally seen in the ancient Olympic games in the late 7th century BC and did not resurface in modern day Olympics until 1904.Three women's boxing events will be introduced into the 2012 London Olympic games, knocking the men's competition down from 11 events to 10.Global News took a look at 5 female boxers who will compete in the London Olympics.1. Mary Spencer, Women's Middle - CanadaMary Spencer from Windsor, Ontario, began boxing at the age of 17. A three-time world champion and an eight-time Canadian national champion, Spencer was named Canadian Boxer of the Year in 2007. She was given a wildcard spot in the 75-kilogram weight class for the Olympic games after an extended round of deliberations from an international panel.Twitter: @Canadianboxer2. Queen Underwood, Women's Light - USAQueen Underwood, from Washington, D.C., was introduced to the sport at the age of 19. Her qualification came with many hardships; after losing her third match at the worlds, Underwood only qualified after being selected by the Tripartite Commission who named her the most deserving of the nomination.Twitter: @QueenUnderwood3. Natasha Jonas, Women's Light - Great BritainNatasha Jonas, from Liverpool, started to box in efforts to lose weight. Her Olympic dreams were made a reality after she qualified by finishing as one of the top three lightweight fighters in her division. The buzz surrounding this hometown hero is growing, as she is considered a medal contender.Twitter: @TashaJonas4. Nicola Adams, Women's Fly - Great BritainNicola Adams, from Leeds, began boxing at the young age of 12. After winning silver at the 2007 European Championships, she would go on to become the first British woman to win a major boxing title in the flyweight category at the 2011 European Championships.Twitter: @NicolaAdams20125. Katie Taylor, Women's Light - IrelandKatie Taylor made a name for herself in boxing at an early age; at just 15 she fought in Ireland's first officially sanctioned women's fight. In 2008 she was named Female Boxer of the Year by the International Boxing Association.Twitter: @KatieTaylor_Read it on Global News: Global Montreal | 5 female boxers to watch in London

Yeh dil maange more, says boxer vijender

India's top boxer Vijender Singh, bronze medallist at 2008 Beijing Games, said never ever did he think he would participate in three Olympics but he yearns for more at the 2012 London Games.   "Not in my wildest dreams I thought of playing in three Olympics. But still 'yeh dil maange more'," said Vijender, the only Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal, during at interaction here Tuesday at the Games Village.  Vijender said the Indian boxing has changed since his historic medal at Beijing four years ago. He feels Indian boxers are now more aggressive and they want to win only the gold medal.  "Earlier, the aim of our senior boxers was to get selected for the Olympics. Now the young boxers want to win. The youngsters have virtually transformed this sport in India with their efforts."    "I remember that earlier senior boxers used to scare us by saying that our rival is a World Champion or so and it is very difficult to beat him. But that scenario has changed.  Winning and losing is part of the sport but how you fight makes a difference," he said.

Asked about his medal chances, Vijender said: "There are 28 boxers in his 75-kg category. One needs to win five bouts for gold and three for bronze."  Vijender also hit back at his critics who feel that he has been concentrating more on endorsements than boxing since winning the medal in Beijing.  "I was in three advertisements in 2007 but nobody said anything then. But after I won a medal in Beijing, people started noticing me and taking a dig at me. But I am not bothered," he said.  "I have led a very disciplined and simple life. God has been kind to me," he said.Vijender said tennis player Leander Paes, also a bronze medallist in 1996 Atlanta Games, and Dhanraj Pillay were his inspiration.  "I was always fascinated by them, wanted to be well known in my country like them and play in Olympics. Around 1999 or 2000 there used to be advertisements in which Paes was endorsing a sports shoes. The cost of that shoe, I still remember was Rs.650. I wanted to be like him. I wanted to be brand ambassador of products but that was pure fantasy. I some times used to laugh at myself for thinking like that. But god has been great. My fantasy has turn into reality," Vijender said.  "Pillay was another big star those days. I used to read a lot about him and slowly Paes and Pillay became my heroes. I wanted to travel abroad but not as tourist but like my heroes," he said.  Vijender said his career has been a roller-coaster ride but a dream journey.  "It has been a roller-coaster ride since

Scottish boxer Dick McTaggart to be honored following British Olympic Snub

He told Telegraph Sport last month that he had been “hurt” to receive a letter from the organisers of the London Games, which merely offered him the chance to enter a prize draw for tickets Even if his application had been successful, he would still have been asked to pay £500 for two tickets, with no guarantee that he would be able to see any boxing. Now the 76 year-old will be flown down to the capital, where he will be introduced to the crowd before the lightweight final. He will also meet the British boxing team during his visit after Scot Ray Caulfield, the treasurer of the London Ex-Boxers Association, intervened to spare the BOA's blushes. McTaggart won the gold medal in the lightweight division at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne and was also awarded the Val Barker Trophy presented to the most stylish boxer in the tournament.

He also won bronze at the 1960 Games in Rome. Caulfield was determined that McTaggart should enjoy the Olympic experience first hand, 56 years after his greatest achievement. “The organisers had been in touch with LEBA so that we could provide them with memorabilia,” he said. “As a result, I've made sure that Dick will have tickets for the lightweight final. “He'll be picked up at the airport by an Olympic limousine, the Amateur Boxing Association will pay his air fares and he'll be staying with me while he's here.” McTaggart, who resisted the temptation to enter the paid ranks in spite of losing only 24 of his 634 amateur contests, is thrilled to be part of the world's biggest sporting event once again. “It was disappointing to be asked to pay for my tickets and air fare in the first place, especially since I'm a pensioner and simply couldn't afford it,” he said. “However, I'm really looking forward to going to London now and, in particular, I'm looking forward to meeting Josh Taylor from Lochend. “Josh is the first Scottish lightweight since me to box in the Olympics so it'll be a case of the southpaw meeting the grandpaw!”

Olympic journey ends for female Afghan Boxer

Nobody expected Sadaf Rahimi, the female boxer originally selected to represent Afghanistan at the Olympic Games this week, to do well in the ring. The mere fact that she would be representing her country was triumph enough. To get to the selection stage, she had to fend off social opprobrium, religious condemnation and even the disapproval of some of her own coaches who believed that women’s boxing shouldn’t go any further than the hobby stage. Rahimi won every one of those battles. Her path to London was but the latest leg of an extraordinary journey for Afghanistan’s women, who, little more than a decade ago, were forced to stay at home, denied the right to obtain an education, to work — and to play sports. She might have won over her countrymen, but in the end, she couldn’t make it past the International Boxing Association (AIBA), who decided on July 18 that she could not compete, citing concerns that boxing against opponents of much higher standards might threaten her safety in the ring. Not only is this a disappointment for Rahimi, her family and the aspirations of female Afghan athletes, it strikes a blow to the International Olympic Committee’s goal to have female athletes represent every country, just a week after Saudi Arabia, the last holdout, reluctantly agreed to send two female athletes.

Rahimi had been preparing for the Olympics since February, when she was first notified that she would receive what is known as a wild-card invitation — a special berth granted to nations that would not otherwise be able to qualify an appropriately skilled athlete. Later that month she traveled to the U.K. to train in a special AIBA boxing camp, where she had her first taste of Olympic-caliber boxing. At first, she told TIME, she was getting knocked down “two to three times a day.” But by the end of the two-week program, she was starting to hold her own in the ring. Still, she was sanguine about her chances in London. “I am sure I will be punched like a bag. Like I am a pillow being pummeled,” she told TIME in April. “Whether I win a medal or not, I will be a symbol of courage as soon as I step into the ring.”

It is unclear why the AIBA waited until just over a week before the Olympics to revoke Rahimi’s invitation. In May, when Rahimi attended the women’s world boxing championships in China, her fight was stopped short, after a minute and 20 seconds, because she was doing so poorly. Her coach, as well as the Afghan National Olympic Committee, felt that her performance in China was an aberration, saying she had performed well in other international competitions. Rahimi, say close friends in Kabul, is disappointed. But she is looking forward to competing in other international events and still holds out hope that with a few more years to train, her chances in Rio 2016 will be even better. And back at home, in the ramshackle studio Rahimi shares with Afghanistan’s other boxers, she has already started winning some converts to her side. As the women’s club trickled out of the gym to make way for the men’s boxing team a few months ago, I stopped to ask one of the men’s coaches what he thought about the idea of women boxing. “At the beginning it was strange,” admitted Sayed Haroon. “Everything new is strange at first, but you can get used to anything if you see it enough times.” Rahimi may not be boxing in London this year, but she will continue the fight back home in Afghanistan.

Khan backs team GB Boxers

Amir Khan is still only 25 – a number seemingly forgotten by those urging him to retire because he lost his world title to Danny Garcia.  But still young though he is, Khan will be looking on with something akin to paternal pride as potentially the most successful boxing team in Britain’s history go for medals in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

But his silver medal-winning exploits laid down the foundation upon which this month’s ten-strong team of seven men and three women has been built.  Khan’s success triggered increased funding for amateur boxing in this country. The first return on that raised level of investment came with James DeGale’s gold in Beijing.  Now Team GB are predicted to land a haul of at least seven medals. While the recent defeat to Garcia in Las Vegas hurt Khan, he switched his thoughts to the excitement coming to London’s East End.  He says: ‘It was important that I did well in Athens, not just for me but to help shore up the funding. Maybe what I achieved has helped this squad come together and put in their long period of training together.

C K Wu: Get ready for a watershed moment in Boxing in London

From July 28 to August 13, 286 boxers from all four corners of the globe will be competing in the world's most historic and prestigious sporting competition – the Olympic Games.  This edition, the XXX Olympiad, will be a watershed moment in the history of the sport of boxing with 36 women boxers being able, for the very first time, to showcase their talent and skills as they battle it out for medals in London.  Boxing has been the last Olympic sport not to have both men and women represented and I am delighted that this will not be the case anymore. The London 2012 Olympic Games will be the culmination of an exciting year of qualifications.  Quota places were up for grabs at eight different tournaments worldwide, with the AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011, five Continental Olympic qualifying events, the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships Qinhuangdao 2012, without forgetting the gifted boxers who made their mark in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) inaugural season's Individual Championships.  In May 2011, five WSB boxers became the very first athletes to qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games, a ground-breaking step in the development of AIBA's professional boxing initiatives.  And this is only the beginning.  In 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, AIBA Professional Boxing (APB) boxers will join AIBA Olympic Boxing (AOB) and WSB boxers in competing at the Olympic Games.

World Boxing Convention 2013 event in Cardiff is scrapped

A boxing convention which was set to bring world champions and a possible world title bout to Cardiff next year has been cancelled.  The week-long WBC World Boxing Convention was expected to bring 1,000 delegates – including stars of the sport like Mike Tyson and Oscar De La Hoya – to Cardiff in 2013.  But Cardiff’s status as host was revealed to have been dramatically revoked with the ex-deputy leader of the council claiming the new administration had “shown no interest” in putting the event on.  The council itself said the WBC had “pulled out” with cabinet member for sport, leisure and culture Huw Thomas adding they would not use public cash to “rub shoulders with the rich and not so famous.”  Cardiff had secured the event in December after a bidding process in which it beat the likes of Dubai and Croatia.  As part of the process, then-deputy leader and Plaid councillor Neil McEvoy has led a delegation to Las Vegas with Cardiff and Co’s Richard Thomas and former boxing great John H Stracey to secure the event.  But in a letter sent to the Convention Committee in Cardiff by WBC president Jose Sulaiman, seen by the Echo,  the organisation said they had to “respectfully decline the approval to hold there the WBC Convention of 2013”.  The event was expected to have brought £4m to Cardiff – with a possible money-spinning world-title fight at the Millennium Stadium or Cardiff City Stadium to coincide with the annual convention.  Yesterday, a disappointed Coun McEvoy – who also travelled to Cancun, Mexico, as part of his efforts to woo the WBC – lambasted the Labour-led council, elected 10 weeks ago, for not backing the event.

Boxing legend Jim Watts insists that Bradley Wiggins' Tour de France win cannot be listed as Britain's Great sporting events

JIM WATT didn’t expect to live long enough to watch a Brit wearing a yellow jersey cross the finishing line on the Champs-Elysees.But the Scottish boxing legend doesn’t buy into Sir Chris Hoy’s belief that Bradley Wiggins’ Tour de France triumph can be ranked as the greatest achievement by any British sportsperson.Watt defeated Colombian Alfredo Pitalua in Glasgow in 1979 to become the world lightweight champion before successfully defending his title four times to secure his own sporting legacy.But despite hailing an astonishing cycling triumph from Wiggins, Watt pulled no punches as he refused to put the Englishman’s historic success on a pedestal.And he claimed Allan Wells’ gold run at the 1980 Olympics is the moment that springs to his mind whenever the subject of Britain’s greatest sporting moment is brought up.Watt said: “People say boxing is the toughest sport there is and if you accept that then you would have to say the Tour de France is second on that list.“Maybe it’s even tougher but it’s all a matter of opinion. I fully respect how tough the Tour de France is and it was a terrific achievement.“Having someone from Britain win that race was something I didn’t expect to see in my lifetime.“It is a phenomenal feat and full credit to Bradley.“His success didn’t come out of the blue as it looked from early on in the race as though he was going to win it.“Sometimes in sport you like the drama and that wasn’t the case with Wiggins as it was never in doubt.“But the fact he won so comfortably just underlines what a great athlete he is.“It’s a matter of opinion what the best sporting achievement is but all sports require commitment, courage and a degree of skill.“It’s impossible to compare marathon running to boxing or cycling. The only certainty is that you don’t get much better than what Wiggins achieved.”Watt believes anyone looking for a sporting performance to match Wiggins’ need only rewind to Wells bursting out of the blocks in Moscow.

Price prepares for title defense

David Price will defend his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles against Audley Harrison at Liverpool's Echo Arena on 13 October.  Price, a bronze medal winner at the Beijing Olympics four years ago, will meet the 40-year-old who won gold in Sydney in 2000. "Audley was an inspiration to me when I was younger," Price said, "but he's still getting flattened."

Indian Boxers have a new found aggression

Vijender Singh on Tuesday defended the new found aggression of the young Indian boxers, saying it just speaks of the confidence of the players, who do not get intimidated by the reputation of the rivals.  "No.. no this is a sign of confidence," Vijender shot back when asked if he thinks Indian boxers have started bragging too much.  "Earlier the aim of our senior boxers was to get selected for the Olympics. Now the young boxers want to win. The youngsters have virtually transformed this sport in India with their deeds.  "I remember that earlier senior players used to scare us by saying that our rival is a world champion or so and it is very difficult to beat him but that scenario has changed," he said during an interaction at the Games Village.  The Haryana boxer said tennis ace Leander Paes and hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay were his inspiration during the start of his career.  "I was always fascinated by them, wanted to be well known in my country like them and play in Olympics," the boxer said in an interaction in the Games village.  "It has been a roller coaster ride since I started boxing at the higher level. It is s dream journey which is still continuing. Sometimes I do get haunted by few bad dreams but still it is enjoyable," he said.  Recalling his earlier days, Vijender said, "Around 1999 or 2000 there used to be advertisements in papers and TV showing Paes endorsing a sports shoes. The cost of that shoe, I still remember was Rs 650, I wanted to be like him, I wanted to be brand ambassador of products but that was pure fantasy I some time use to laugh at myself for thinking like that, But God has been great. My fantasy has turn into reality."

Frank Maloney decides to not retire

In a typically honest and fierce revelation, Frank Maloney has revealed he has undertaken a dramatic change of heart in his decision to retire from boxing after rediscovering his hunger following the painful loss of his Sky Sports television deal.  Subsequent to the traumas of the emotional fallout from the inquest into 2008 Olympian Darren Sutherland's suicide, an episode Maloney labelled a "witch hunt", the boxing promoter decided he had had enough of the sport and would retire in 2015. Since then, however, and after Sky Sports' unexpected decision to opt against renewing his contract, Maloney has typically chosen to fight on and strive for further success.  "I'd been with Sky for 23 years, so it was a real kick in the teeth and I actually took my rejection from them very personally," Maloney said. "I can't believe it happened - I've always been loyal, I've always delivered for Sky. I've had a few bad nights - everyone has - but when I've had to deliver the fights, I've delivered. I know Sky have changed their format and view on boxing and, I believe, cut their sports' budget, and I was one of the ones that got caught up in the politics.  "I went with Sky when they first went to air against everyone's advice when everyone told me I was wrong. I could have done a deal with Barry Hearn to put Lennox Lewis on ITV, but I wanted to be independent and do it my way. It's ironic that Sky now tell me to do a deal with his son, Eddie Hearn. What he knows about boxing I could put on a postage stamp and still sign my name under it."

Was it a Mismatch?

Last night’s fight between Adrien “The Problem” Broner and Vicente Escobedo served the purpose of showing what the opposing sides of the class spectrum look like, and little else. The bout–which came perilously close to being canceled on account of “The Problem” failing to make weight for both the official weigh-in on Friday and for a morning-after weight cap–cannot be labelled a farce based on the events that transpired throughout Saturday afternoon, but under any other set of circumstances, that is exactly what it would have been called.  Broner scaled 133.5 at the official weigh-in, losing his WBO super featherweight trinket by failing to show up at the division limit of 130. Team Escobedo, conscious of the danger an oversized Broner would represent, but also trying to save the fight from being cancelled, agreed for Escobedo to meet Broner inside the ring as long as the champion didn’t rehydrate to over 140 pounds on Saturday morning. But come Saturday morning, Broner would once again miss the mark, this time by 3 pounds.  That Broner didn’t even come close to staying within the limits on both occasions illustrates the fact that he never intended to put his body through the stress of trying to make weight. By the time the second weigh-in was done, Adrien’s actions had betrayed not only lack of professionalism, but also an impudent shamelessness rooted in a sense of entitlement we usually associate with Wall Street bankers. But it was at this point that Broner decided to take things to the next level.

Robert Guerrero throws first pitch

Robert Guerrero threw out the first pitch on Sunday at the Oakland Athletics vs New York Yankees game in Oakland, trying to help promote his July 28 fight in San Jose with Selcuk Aydin, which will air live on Showtime.  Guerrero (29-1-1, 18 KO) and Aydin (23-0, 17 KO) will be vying for the interim WBC welterweight title, which for once at least kind of makes sense with Floyd Mayweather incarcerated and all. We'll have much more on that fight in the coming week, as well as the co-feature bout between Shawn Porter (19-0, 14 KO) and Alfonso Gomez (23-5-2, 12 KO).  As for the ballgame, the A's completed a four-game sweep of the Yankees with a 5-4 win, coming on a walk-off single in the bottom of the 12th by Coco Crisp (pictured with Guerrero after the jump), finishing the comeback after Oakland had trailed 4-0 heading into the fifth inning. The attendance for the game was announced at 30,470, and while I don't know how much it helped get anyone into the HP Pavilion this Saturday, it certainly couldn't have hurt.

Danny Green vs Danny Santiago (the battle of the danny's LoL)

Main Event PPV (Australia, $49.95), 5:30 a.m. EDT, Danny Green vs Danny Santiago. This is pretty typical "home fighter faces American 'star'" fare. Green (31-5, 27 KO) is trying to move back to light heavyweight with this one, facing American club fighter Santiago (31-5-1, 19 KO), an old, short, non-threat who is being solid entirely on being American. I'm pretty sure I think far less of the idea of "American fighters" as something inherently special or notable than most people around the world do. The last three decent fighters Santiago faced have been, dating back to 2007, Zsolt Erdei, Antonio Tarver, and Beibut Shumenov. They stopped him in eight, four, and nine, in that order. He's been stopped in all of his losses.

Nobuo Nashiro to challenge Tepparith

Nobuo Nashiro is getting yet another chance at a world title as he has been tabbed to challenge Tepparith Kotietgym on September 1 in Osaka. The former two-time champ, 18-4-1 (12KO), will try to win back the WBA 115lb belt he lost to Hugo Cazares in 2010. The Kansai native, who has not had a significant fight since losing to Suriyan Sor Rungvisai last November, told the media that he plans to retire if he loses the bout.

Since turning over his title to Cazares, Nashiro has made only two meaningful appearances, losing both by points. In February 2011, he was outclassed by tomas rojas in an attempt at the WBC version of the super flyweight crown; then would drop another decision to the Mexican’s successor in Sor Rungvisai . While he has kept busy by notching three consecutive stoppage wins, all have come against novice opponents with a total record of 1-2. Though his handlers state that they plan on featuring different tactics in their attack, Nashiro is pretty much a face first brawler, and one has to wonder if his 30-year old engine can still run effectively.

For the Thai champion, it will be his third consecutive trip to the land of the rising sun. Tepparith outpointed Daiki Kameda last December, then outgunned Tomonobu Shimizu over nine frames in April. Currently 20-2 (13KO), he sits on top of Bad Left Hook’s super flyweight rankings and has not loss in 17 fights.

London 2012 Olympics:Team Great Britain Boxing

Between 1968 and 2000 Great Britain had no Olympic gold medal winners to speak of. Then came Audley Harrison.

 Say what you will (and most don't have much good to say) about Audley, but he was the start of a successful era of British amateurs, with David Haye (2001 World Championships silver), Carl Froch (2001 World Championships bronze), Amir Khan (2004 Olympic silver), Frankie Gavin (first ever Brit to win World Championships gold - 2007), James DeGale (2008 Olympic gold) and David Price (2008 Olympic bronze) all achieving notable measures of success at the highest level, with most going on to have successful professional careers.

Following on from those names come Anthony Joshua, Luke Campbell and Andrew Selby, who each took home a silver medal from last years World Championships in Azerbaijhan.

Rau'shee Warren talks about training with Mayweather

Raushee Warren talks about training wit Floyd Mayweather and says that the champ didn't show him much support,hmmm.

Mike tyson says that Chaves Jr. will beat Martinez

Most fans wanted to see Jr. do well because of who his father is but at the same time wanted him do it legitimately. After all the perceived favor he had received, he was seen as soft and nowhere near the fighter his father was. His victory over Sebastian Zbik on HBO in June of 2011 seemed to be the final nail in Jr.’s coffin as many fans and boxing media alike swore Zbik won the fight as he outscored Chavez in 10 out of the 12 rounds. (Chavez Jr. was stronger in the later rounds and landed the heavier punches throughout the fight.)Rumors swirled that Top Rank had wielded its power to ensure that Jr. won. By all accounts, Chavez Jr. is undoubtedly a cash cow and that’s all that matters to promoters at the end of the day. Unless Zbik actually killed Chavez Jr. in the ring that night it wasn’t likely he was going to win. The message seemed loud and clear: boxing is not a sport, it’s a business and this Chavez kid is a rainmaker.The backlash was intense as Chavez Jr. was taking shots from all angles. Then suddenly something changed. He seemed to grow a pair overnight. After seeing a cartoon of himself hiding behind an apron worn by Bob Arum, Chavez Jr. apparently had enough and decided to speak up. He angrily stated he was not a boy, he was a man and feared no one—especially Sergio Martinez. He started facing tougher opponents and completed three impressive victories over Peter Manfredo Jr., Marco Antonio Rubio and Andy Lee.Afterwards, the truth of how Chavez Jr. got his title shot against Zbik emerged, helping his image even more. Martinez had gotten permission from the WBC to ditch his mandatory opponent at the behest of HBO. Seems HBO didn’t find Zbik a big enough name, so, following the money, Martinez shed his WBC belt but was still “Champion-in-Recess.” This left the WBC middleweight belt suddenly up for grabs with Chavez Jr. the first in line with a title shot.

Roman Morales remains undefeated

In the co-feature at Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif., talented, unbeaten super bantamweight Roman Morales (11-0, 6 KOs), of San Ardo, Calif., registered an impressive eight-round unanimous decision over Alexis Santiago (11-3-1 5 KOs), of Las Vegas, Nev.  Hovhannisyan, making his first start in 11 months, was victorious in a hard-hitting, fast-paced scrap by the scores of 95-93 twice and 92-96. Each slugger went down one time, Acosta late in the opening round, Hovhannisyan in the fifth.  "Both (blow-by-blow announcer) Barry (Tompkins) and I said that this was the kind of fight that you could make a case for for either guy,'' ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood said afterward. "It was a great, interesting fight.. It could have ended early (after Hovhannisyan dropped Acosta with a sweeping overhand right hand with approximately 10 seconds to go in the first round). If the knockdown had come earlier in the round it might have since Acosta seemed like he was saved by the bell.  "But, ultimately, he wasn't saved by the judges.''  Hovhannisyan, 30, was a tad surprised at the scoring. "I knew it was a little close, but I definitely thought I won,'' he said. "After I dropped him, I kept trying for the spectacular knockout. My corner was telling me between rounds to calm down, but I thought I had him for sure. He was lucky the bell rang when it did.

"I'm very happy to get the win. Acosta can still fight. I think my conditioning played a great role in my performance, but at this level you need to be good in all facets. This fight was definitely a great learning experience for me.''  The more experienced Acosta, 34, who moved well throughout and decked Hovhannisyan with an overhand right hand, thought he'd done enough to get his hand raised. "I was very sure I won,'' he said. "Although he caught me in the first round I landed more punches throughout the fight. I knew my conditioning was good and it would carry me though the fight. I felt I was robbed.''  Among those rooting on Hovhannisyan was popular women's Mixed Martial Arts superstar, Ronda Rousey, who trains at the same Glendale gym as the boxer and has the same trainer, Edmond Tarverdyan.  "Fighting is a lot less nerve wracking that just sitting and watching,'' said Rousey, who was interviewed between fights and will be the subject of the latest "ALL ACCESS" on SHOWTIME before her next fight. "I'd much rather be the one in there. But I'm really happy for Art.''  "ALL ACCESS: Ronda Rousey'' premieres on Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. Rousey defends her STRIKEFORCE bantamweight championship against Sarah Kaufman on Saturday, Aug. 18, on SHOWTIME.  Morales, 23, scored a knockdown in the third en route to winning by the scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72. Going eight rounds for the first time in a career that began in February 2011, the switch-hitting Morales showed excellent poise and composure in his ShoBox debut, and appears to be a prospect to watch.

"I thought this was a good performance,'' he said. "I'm glad I could go eight hard rounds because that is what I expected. I got a little tired but I knew I had to keep working. I'll be back in the gym soon and I'll be ready to fight whoever my team wants me to.''  The Roger Mayweather-trained Santiago, 21, offered no excuses. "I thought it was a close fight, a tough fight. I got dropped but it was just a flash knockdown. I was never hurt. I felt good the whole time."  Undercard Results:  (6-round middleweight bout) Tureano Johnson (10-0, 7 KOs) vs. Arturo Rodriguez (12-12, 8 KOs) - Outworking Rodriguez with pressure and hard shots to the body and head, Tureano Johnson dropped Arturo with a nice uppercut ending the bout at the 1:49 mark of round one. Johnson remains undefeated.  (8-round lightweight bout) Jonathan Maicelo (17-0, 10 KOs) vs. Daniel Attah (26-12-1, 9 KOs) - From the opening bell, Maicelo pressed the fight landing power shots to Attah in the first and second rounds. After taking more punishment in the third, Maicelo dropped Attah in the early part of the round with a straight right to head. Attah got up only to take more of a beating as Maicelo ended the bout with a right hook, left hook combo earning a TKO victory. The fight was stopped at the 2:45 mark, and Maicelo is still unbeaten.   (4-round middleweight bout) Edgar Alvarado (0-1-1) vs. Erick Prado (0-2-1) - In an all out war of winless fighters, Prado and Alvardo left everything in the ring. From the opening round it was non-stop action. Prada landed the cleaner shots in the early rounds, but Alvarado ended strong landing nice power shots of his own. Alvarado needed to win the last round and he closed impressively. After the final round, the score cards read 40-36 for Alvardo, 39-37 for Prado, and 38-38 making it draw. Both fighters remain winless.

Adrien Broner Defeats Vincente Escobedo!!!

Adrien Broner (24-0) defeated Vincente Escobedo (26-4) with a TKO victory in the 5th of a scheduled 12 r round bout. Prior to the bout there was a lot of drama due to Broner’s inability to make the 130 pound weight limit. The bout was televised on HBO and was held in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The drama stemmed from Broner’s blatant disregard for the required weigh in and due to the fact that he weighed 143.5 pounds on the morning of the fight. As a result, Escobedo’s team was contemplating on to whether to cancel the fight as they strongly felt an injustice was incurring.

Nevertheless, after some stiff negotiations to get Escobedo further compensation, Escobedo decided to continue with the fight. However, it was clear in the bout that Escobedo had no answer for Broner’s speed and power.

Admittedly, Escobedo stated after the fight that he felt he was not given a fair opportunity in this bout. He stated that he was very upset due to the fact that he sacrificed time with his family in preparation for the fight, but was not treated fairly.

Though, Escobedo will get the opportunity to fight for the vacant lightweight title once again as he will be considered the top contender by the WBO.

Overall, the bout was another stage for Broner to display his skills to public. Either way, Broner knew he was going to vacate his junior lightweight title and did not care about being stripped of the title. It should be interesting to see who Broner decides to take on in the lightweight division.

Interestingly, Broner called out Brandon Rios, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Antonio DeMarco, which would all make good fights at 135 pounds. Though, a bout with Rios would not be likely as Broner is promoted by Golden Boy while Rios is with Top Rank.

In the end, Broner showed the boxing world that he has the skills to capture further greatness within the sport of boxing. Yet, it must be noted that he has been successful against smaller opponents as he really is welterweight fighting in the lightweight division. It should be interesting to see how Broner fairs against people closer to his natural weight.

Broner believes that he will successfully defend his title

Adrien Broner, the current WBO super featherweight champion, believes he does not need to know anything about Escobedo, adding that he is in the hurt business and he will successfully defend his title.

Broner will defend his WBO title for the second time in a row against the third best super featherweight in the world Vicente, in a 12-round bout which will be held on July 21, 2012.

The duo will meet at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, headlining the pay-per-view organised and promoted by Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions.

It seems that the bout will definitely be an explosive one as the duo is extremely confident on their abilities and above all have vowed to nail the other one. The confidence of Adrien’s camp over their man is evident from the one-liner uttered by Andrew Williams, promoter Broner.

Andrew stated, “He has the offense of a Sugar Ray Leonard, he has the defence of Pernell Whitaker, he has the Knockout power of Mike Tyson, the skill level of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the charisma of Roy Jones Jr.”

Broner now needs to defend the above mentioned statement at all costs but Vicente is planning on something else, to dethrone the 22-year-old from his reign before he leaves the division.

Vicente while sharing his thoughts during the final pre-bout press conference stated, “All the work is done and I’m ready to fight. Come Saturday I’m not here to just put on a good fight but here to win the title and I’m going to take it home with me.”

Adrien, on the other hand commented that it would be just another day for him in the ring, adding that he will enjoy the bout and will defend his title in his home town. Also known as ‘The Problem’, Broner was of the view that he is in the hurt business, vowing that he will easily handle the Californian proud.

Broner’s confidence is genuine and cannot be questioned by any as he boasts an undefeated streak in a total of 23 bouts. The problem is that technically Adrien has some significant drawbacks.

Vicente has more experience as he has collected 26 wins in a total of 29 bouts. Furthermore, he has the height advantage as well which will aid him in throwing his powerful jabs from a safe distance.

Despite much confidence, Adrien needs to be careful and must cope with the aforementioned deficiencies otherwise his dream of leaving the division as a champion will easily get thrashed.

Josesito Lopez says that his tough chin will help him against Saul Alvares

Josesito Lopez, WBC Silver welterweight champion believes his ability to absorb powerful punches will aid him in taking on Saul Alvarez, adding that his tough chin even sustained the powerful shots thrown by Victor Ortiz.

Lopez will take on most probably the second toughest and high-profile opponent of his career Saul Alvarez, the current WBC light middleweight champion, in an attempt to prove that he is the best and can gift the undefeated Mexican his career’s first loss.

The duo is scheduled to collide on September 15, 2012 in a 12-round bout with Saul’s title on the line for the fifth consecutive time. Both young belligerents recently met at a press conference and while officially announcing the bout shared their thoughts as well.

Lopez was of the view that he spars with powerful men pin pointing the fact that he even trains against men who hail from the light heavyweight and even heavyweight divisions.

The American proud further added that he was able to sustain tough shots thrown by Victor Ortiz, adding that this capability will aid him in going toe-to-toe against Alvarez.

Lopez stated, “I always spar with much bigger guys. I’m used to getting hit by middleweights, light heavyweights, even heavyweights. So I don’t think about whether I can take Canelo’s punch. The ability to take a punch has a lot to do with conditioning. If you’re not in great shape you’ll feel the punch more.”

When asked as to how he feels about the opportunity of colliding with the world number one after just nailing a pretty intimidating name like Victor Ortiz, the 28-year-old commented, “It’s a huge opportunity I had a big opportunity a few weeks ago against Ortiz and an even bigger one against Canelo. He is a good fighter and a world champion for a reason. I think I am a much better fighter than most people think.”

At the moment, Lopez is being dubbed as an underdog and is going through a scenario that is similar to the one recently faced by Danny Garcia in his bout against Amir Khan. It is this reason why Lopez thumbed down the weight related absurd reservation of critics.

The Californian Lopez commented that his lesser weight might create a difference but not a big one, adding that he believes in the fact that intelligence and a perfect game plan in the ring are the only aspects that can create a difference.

Lopez and Alvarez will meet at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States and the show will be televised live on Showtime’s weekly Saturday night boxing show.

Groves plans to hurt Anderson

The rematch of their 2010 showdown, when Groves climbed off the canvas to stop Anderson in the sixth round, looks set to be staged at Wembley Arena on September 14.

If the fight falls through Groves, who faces Mexican Francisco Sierra in California on Saturday week, will still top the bill at the Frank Warren show.

The 24-year-old has been at loggerheads with Anderson since pulling out of their rematch in March because of a back injury and is eager to settle their grudge match.

"I'd like to punch Kenny Anderson on the throat because he's been bad-mouthing me. He can't help himself," the British and Commonwealth champion said.

"People ask me day in day out how do I feel about James Degale, but I couldn't care less about him.

"But someone I would like to punch on the throat is Kenny Anderson, so congratulations to him - he's done well.

"There will be a bit of spite about my training, though I will be calm and composed on fight night.

Back and nose injuries have restricted Groves to just one fight since outpointing DeGale last May, but the inactivity will soon give way to a busy schedule with Warren promising him "the full treatment" promotionally.

Groves, who hopes to be world champion within the year, revealed that neither DeGale nor IBF champion Carl Froch are on the immediate radar.

"I'm not sure what James' plans are. He's been inactive and I'd like to see more of him in the ring," he said.

"I'm not interested in him right now. There's no interest in him in the UK apart from when he fights me

"I don't need to start bad-mouthing Carl yet. Carl's got a world title and has other things on his radar right now.

"But it is a great fight for the British public, probably a stadium fight.

"Hopefully he won't hide behind his team, all I ever hear from them is that they're crying out for the fight.

"His claim to fame is that he won one round against me. He put me down in the third but I got up and stopped him.

"Since then he hasn't beaten anyone of note. It will be a very easy fight and you'll see how much I've improved since then."

"I'm not interested in what will propel me to fame as quickly as possible, I'm looking for experience."