Froch Vs Taylor Set To Happen In April

Britain’s Carl Froch is set to defend his WBC super-middleweight title against Jermain Taylor in Connecticut in April. The 31-year-old from Nottingham willtake on the former Middleweight champion on 25 April at Mashantucket, Connecticut. The bout was announced by Taylor’s publicist, Norman Horton, on Saturday 28th Feb after lengthy negotiations between the two boxers camps.Froch won the title last December by beating Canada’s Jean Pascal in one of the British fights of the year. Since then, a fight against mandatory challenger Taylor had been on the cards. Although there has been rumors circlulating that Taylor’s paymaster were unsure of weather to take on Froch following his impressive display over Pascal.

Taylor lost his Middleweight title to Kelly Pavlik in February last year, and then lost a rematch at a catch weight. Since then he won a unanimous decision over a now faded version of Jeff Lacy in November.

Munroe Retains European Title On Points

Rendall Munroe retained his European super-bantamweight title for the fourth time with a impressive unanimous decision over Kiko Martinez at the Barnsley Metrodome. Spain’s Martinez was out for revenge, having lost his crown to the Leicester southpaw a year ago in Nottingham.He started strongly and inflicted a cut over his opponent’s left eye but Munroe gradually took control and was well ahead on all three judges’ scorecards. He finished with a flourish to seal 116-112, 116-113 and 118-110 margins. Munroe, 28, had won his crown by a majority decision over Martinez and had clearly learned much in his three subsequent fights.

Two big shots from the heavy punching Spaniard in the first round suggested he would be up against it but Munroe regrouped superbly. Munroe continued to step up the pace down the stretch, finishing with two big rounds as his opponent sagged in the ropes. Following this impressive win, Munroe could soon be in line for a crack at a version of the “World Title”. Though Frank Mahoney – Munroe’s manager has suggested he will only put him in for a world title when he knows he can win one. At dig at rival Brian Peter putting Bernard Dunne in for a WBA title tilt against Ricardo Cordoba. Dunne was stopped in 1 round back in 2007 my Martinez.

Miguel Cotto Stops Jennings In 5 To Take Vacant WBO Title

Miguel Cotto stopped Britain’s Michael Jennings in the fifth round at New York’s Madison Square Garden to claim the vacant WBO title. The Puerto Rican made a slow start but took control of the bout in the second round with a barrage of body shots. The guld in class was evident with Jennings only every having fought at British domestic level, while Cotto has mixed it with some of the best fighters of his era.Jennings was knocked down twice in the fourth round, first with a body shot and then with a sweeping left hook. The former British champion bravely fought on but the fight was stopped after he went down for a third time. It had been a one-sided bout in front of a partisan crowd in New York, with Jennings only ever throwing an occasional jab and Cotto was able to pick him of at will. Jennings never really had the power in his right hand to earn Cotto’s respect – a shot that Margarito was able to use with devasting effect in Cotto’s only previous lose.
Marks had begun to appear on Jennings’ face by the beging of the fourth round and he caught a straight left on the nose at the start of that round which was the beginning of the end. Jennings, 31, was still trying to trade blows in the fifth but he was sent on to the ropes with a crunching right to the head, followed by another big left.

A straight right to the head then left a bloodied Jennings down on one knee and he looked across to his trainer Brian Hughes, who calmly motioned for him to stand up. But referee Benji Estevez had seen enough and called the fight off. After the fight Cotto stated his desire to face the winner of the Pacqciao Hatton fight set for the 2nd of May.

Haye Offers To Fight Klitschko In Germany

David Haye has offered to fight WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in Germany after prospects of the bout taking place in a large London venue faded.

Haye’s camp seemed close to agreeing a deal for a June bout in London but the fight itself could now be in doubt unless an agreement is found quickly.

Haye wants the fight so much that he has stated he will travel to Klitschko’s backyard for it. “David will fight Wladimir anywhere they choose,” the 28-year-old’s trainer and manager Adam Booth said.

Klitschko, 32, who is based in Germany, boasts 52 wins in 55 bouts. His last success came on 13 December when the referee stopped American Hasim Rahman’s punishment in the seventh round. Since moving up from Crusierweight Haye has been determined for a showdown with one of the Klitschko brother, has he has stated he only wants to fight the best in the division.

Campbell Wins But Still Loses Titles

Lightweight Nate Campbell has to work hard in claiming a majority decision against South Africa’s Ali Funeka in Florida. The American had been due to defend his WBA, IBF and WBO titles against Funeka but was stripped of all three belts for failing to make the weight on Friday. Campbell floored Funeka twice but could not finish off his durable opponent. One judge scored the bout 113-113 while the remaining two favoured Campbell by scores of 115-111 and 114-112.

“This guy was tough,” said the 36-year-old Campbell. “He could punch, take a shot.” Campbell waited almost a year to defend the WBA, IBF and WBO titles he won with a stunning upset of the previously unbeaten Juan Diaz last March only to lose them all before the fight even took place. Funeka would have claimed them had he won, but they are now vacant. Campbell says he now plans to move up a division in weight, this now leaves 3 belts up for grabs and could see Bristish fighter Amir Khan get his world title shot even sooner. Don’t be surprised if his fight with Barrera is bumped up to world title status.

Clinton Woods Beats Muriqi In Comeback Fight

Clinton Woods took a big step towards reclaiming his light-heavyweight world title after beating Elvir Muriqi in their eliminator fight in Jersey. Woods, outclassed by Antonio Tarver last April, had insisted he would retire if he could not overcome Muriqi.But the 36-year-old dominated Kosovan Muriqi throughout, using his greater reach and power shots to great effect. Muriqi, 29, did well to go the distance but Woods’ impressive show saw him take the decision 117-111 119-110 117-111.

The win sets up a title shot for Woods against current IBO and IBF champion Chad Dawson, and it was an excellent showing from a man who was embarrassed by Tarver last time out. After his defeat to Tarver in which Woods didi not look himeself, he decided to split from former trainer Richard Poxon, who is based at the Fight Academy gym in Sheffield, and moved to Hillsborough to link up with Rhodes.

And at the Hotel de France, Woods appeared a man back to his best as he picked his punches behind a fantastic jab, forcing Muriqi onto the ropes on numerous occasions in the early rounds. The ‘Kosovo Kid’ tried to keep in touch as the two felt each other out, but as the rounds progressed, Woods’s dominance became ever clearer.

A huge uppercut in the seventh underlined the Sheffield boxer’s growing superiority, and others in the eighth and 10th would surely have led to knockouts had Woods’s stamina allowed a more explosive finish.

As it was the Briton was happy to out-box Muriqi, whose nose was bleeding and left eye closing rapidly in the final rounds, until the final bell brought the inevitable result – a unanimous decision in Woods’s favour.

Boxer Antonio Margarito Banned For A Year

Former WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito has had his licence revoked for one year by the California State Athletic Commission. Margarito and trainer Javier Capetillo have been banned for putting a plaster-like substance under Margarito’s hand wraps for his fight with Shane Mosley – which Margarito lost after being stopped . The pads, confiscated last week, are still being tested by the commission. Mexican Margarito lost his WBA welterweight title to Mosley in January via a ninth-round technical knock-out. The California State Athletic Commission voted 7-0 to revoke both Margarito and Capetillo’s boxing licences. This is a sudenly fall from grace for the all action fighter from Mexico following his epic battle ands knock out of then unbeaten Cotto last year.

Khan – Barrera Fight To Go Ahead Despite Cut

Amir Khan’s bout with Marco Antonio Barrera will go ahead as planned on 14 March, says promoter Frank Warren. There had been concerns that the fight was in jeopardy after the Mexican suffered a cut in a warm-up contest against Freudis Rojas on Saturday night. But former three-weight world champion Barrera, 35, has undergone a thorough medical examination and been given the all clear to take on Bolton’s Amir Khan on the co main event on the Manchester card. The Manchester fight could be make or break for Khan, follow his set back in losing to unknown Prescott in 1 round last year.

Barrera Cut Put Khan Fight In Doubt

Amir Khan’s planned fight with Marco Antonio Barrera is in doubt after the Mexican great suffered a cut in a warm-up bout on Saturday.You have to question the idea of having a warm up bout when the fight with Khan is only siz weeks away.The Former three-weight world champion was butted by late substitute Freudis Rojas in his home town of Jalisco, before Rojas was disqualified. So far more than 15,000 tickets have been sold for the show which is headlined by Khan and Barrera in Manchester on 14 March.

Barrera will see a doctor on Monday before deciding if he can box. “I spoke to Don King [Barrera's promoter] and he told me that hopefully it will be OK,” Khan’s promoter Frank Warren told The Times. “At the moment, we just don’t know. I am told it was a vertical gash, but we will find out more on Monday. “I did not want this fight in Mexico to happen, but I think there was pressure on him to go ahead with it. If the worst comes to the worst, we will have to push it back a couple of weeks, but we don’t want to do that.”

No Ordinary Joe – Joe Calzaghe Autobiography

It was past three o’clock in the morning when Joe Calzaghe experienced the sweetest validation of his professional life. Victory over Jeff Lacy, a 28-year-old American who was considered to be a smaller version of Mike Tyson because of his power and “take-no-prisoners attitude”, left no one in doubt about the world super middleweight champion’s talent. Hugh McIlvanney, the doyen of British sportswriters and a veteran chronicler of fights, described what he had witnessed as “one of the greatest displays of superb technique, confidence and fighting intelligence a British boxer has delivered in a major contest.”

For years, Calzaghe’s virtuosity remained a legend of the Welsh valleys. His defeat in 1997 of former champ Chris Eubank brought him to prominence, winning for him the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super middleweight title. But despite a record number of defences of the belt, his career lacked a defining contest.A long line of challengers and ex-titleholders were disposed of but the biggest names in American boxing avoided the ultimate showdown he craved. Hand injuries further obscured the true level of his aptitude for an art he began to learn from his father, Enzo, at the age of eight when – inspired by Sugar Ray Leonard – a rolled-up carpet in the family home in Newbridge became a makeshift heavy bag.

This is the story of Calzaghe’s extraordinary life, from his humble beginnings in his hometown of Newbridge, to his ascent to personal greatness, becoming the first super middleweight boxer to win the prized belt awarded by The Ring, the bible of boxing, in the division’s near 20-year history. As reticent outside the ring as he is remarkable once he steps inside, for the first time Calzaghe reveals his fears and motivations and the real extent of the hand injuries that have dogged his career. One of Britain’s foremost sporting champions, a warrior and working-class hero, this is the story of the triumphs and trials that made Calzaghe a legend.

Calzaghe has since gone on to unify the Super Middle weight divison with his defeat of the then unbeaten Mikkel Kessler. Moved up to Light Heavyweight to beat American ring legends Bearnard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr.

Buy No Ordinary Joe – Joe Calzaghe Autobiography

Amazon £4.99

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