The "Witton Lane" Boxing Chat Thread

[Gabby15]

Damn, I knew something wasn't right when Vitali beat him so easily.

Well Vitali is a proven steroid cheat anyway so this should come as no surprise....I'd be absolutely stunned if his brother wasn't juicing too - same goes for Haye come to think of it.

Maybe they can give some to Arreola Et Al and stop them jiggling about in the ring.

I'd guess Haye was the person whom Frank Warren was talking about in his column a few months back (the steroid rumour)

[TheWalletInspector]

THERE were contrasting fortunes for British boxers two weekends back - and lessons to be learned.

Kevin Mitchell was halted in three rounds by Michael Katsidis at Upton Park.

But Amir Khan stopped Paulie Malignaggi in the States.

After Mitchell lost, it emerged he'd cut corners in training because of domestic problems. I even heard on the day of the fight, he was shopping at Lakeside. All this was news to me.

I put a lot of effort and money into the West Ham show, creating a fantastic opportunity for Mitchell to become the Ricky Hatton of the south.

I've a lot of time for Kevin - but you can't play at boxing if you want to be a world champion.

At 25, and with his first defeat, he's at a crossroads. Either he knuckles down and makes the most of his talent, or he looks back in a few years' time and wonders what might have been.

He should look to other fighters who boxed at the weekend - Katsidis shut himself away from his wife and young child in Thailand.

And Khan had disruptions in his training camp, too, being forced to spend a couple of weeks in Vancouver because of visa issues.

But the WBA light-welterweight champion is always in terrific shape and he was against Malignaggi.

Khan has looked good since he lost to Breidis Prescott, and Mitchell can take heart from the way he has bounced back.

Khan wants to fight again in July and the 31st was suggested.

Trainer Freddie Roach said: "If I was getting him ready for a major, major world title fight, July would be too soon but we can do it."

That tells you a lot if the date goes ahead.

Saturday's shows had excellent viewing figures - Sky pulled in a very big audience, while nearly 600,000 people stayed up to watch Khan on ITV at 4.30am.

Next morning, 1.5million watched a replay of the fight while the FA Cup final highlights attracted 300,000.

There's talk of Khan fighting Victor Ortiz, who beat Nate Campbell.

Khan stopped Ortiz as an amateur, and will fancy doing the same again.

Cash is King

A JUDGE told Don King he had to post a $1million bond for a court injunction against Ricardo Mayorga.

Even though the banks were closed he was given just two hours - and he returned with $1m in cash in two duffle bags.

The Kingster said he "felt like Clint Eastwood speeding down the highway with a Fistful of Dollars!"

Enough With The Stalling

DAVID HAYE'S manager Adam Booth let the deadline for negotiations with Wladimir Klitschko pass last week.

He said talks to agree a deal will take months - and that Klitschko should next fight his mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.

If both parties really want something you can do it in two hours. Just ask Don King.

Solo makes Stace sweat

THE most nervous person at Upton Park on Saturday night?

X Factor finalist Stacey Solomon, who sang the National Anthem.

The very likeable singer said "I'm s******* myself," to me before she sang.

[Gabby15]

Less than two weeks ago at New York's Madison Square Garden, WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan dominated Paulie Malignaggi for eleven rounds before referee Steve Smoger stepped in to stop the fight.

It was believed, at least by the media, that Malignaggi would walk away from the sport. In Malignaggi's last few fights, his movement was slowing down and he was more stationary than he had ever been in the past. BoxingScene.com spoke with Malignaggi's co-manager, Josh Dubin, who made it clear from the start of our conversation - "mark my words, you have not seen the last of Paulie Malignaggi. He is not going out on that note."

Apparently, Malignaggi has been struggling to make weight for his last couple of fights. Dubin tells BoxingScene that Malignaggi has been forced to cut at least 20 to 25-pounds, which includes muscle mass, before his last couple of fights. Because of those struggles, Malignaggi is going to move up to the welterweight division.

"He lost the fight….it happens. It wasn’t his night that night. It was amazing to me that the first thing everybody did was write him off; that he should retire. It’s utterly ridiculous. He had an off-night and I don’t think he can make that weight anymore. To take 20-25-pounds off, that amounts to muscle, isn't healthy," Dubin told BoxingScene.com.

"He obviously didn’t have his legs that night His legs are his weapons. His legs are his offense. His legs are his defense. This is not to take anything away from Amir Khan. The kid is a sensational fighter. He was the better man that night and he deserves all of the credit in the world. Beyond that he is surrounded by good people and we wish him all the best."

“Paulie is 29-years-old. If I thought there was any remote risk where he would exposing himself to injury by continuing to fight, I would personally make it my business to make sure he would never step in a ring again. As a precaution, he is going to check on his neck, which has been an ongoing problem. We are going to see a specialist this week. Let’s not lose sight of the fact, Paulie did not get knocked down in the fight and he did not lose consciousness.”

When you sit there and think about Malignaggi's decision to move up, the most logical thought jumps up - the lack of power in Malignaggi's punches. Dubin believes Malignaggi will become a better puncher at welterweight. He says the public underestimates Malignaggi' s power because they focus on his record, which has tally of five knockouts in thirty-two professional fights.

“I think a step up to welterweight is certainly in order. People say 'he got no power at 140, so how is he going to fight at welterweight?' His power will step up accordingly. Paulie is not as light a puncher as people make him out to be. Amir Khan did not walk out of that fight without welts on his face. I think that seven pounds is going to make huge difference. When he was getting down to the 150s, he was already losing his legs. This way he can make weight and won't have every ounce of energy sapped from him," Dubin said.

One fight Malignaggi and his team plan to explore in the immediate future is an overseas scrap with Matthew Hatton, the younger brother of Ricky Hatton. If there is one fight that Malignaggi wants to avenge before he pulls the curtains on his boxing career, it would be the 2008 TKO loss to Ricky Hatton. That fight is probably never going to happen because Ricky is semi-retired and has no immediate plans to fight again. Ricky's brother would be a satisfying alternative.

"This is something we've discussed amongst our team and with Lou [DiBella]. It’s something we certainly want to see where that goes. The next best thing to getting revenge on Ricky Hatton is getting revenge on his brother. Its something Paulie wants to do. He wants clear his name of the Hatton stigma. Paulie is big star over in the UK. He loves it over there and he loves the fans over there. I think it would be a great, great fight," Dubin said.

Plans are currently being discussed for Malignaggi to make his welterweight debut in Italy. A local promoter has reached out to Malignaggi's promoter, Lou DiBella, to make the event possible.

"I think he would take one interim-fight to get comfortable at 147. And we’re thinking about possibly doing that in Italy. Paulie has always wanted to fight in his hometown of Italy and there has been quite a bit of interest from the local promoter there who wants to work with Lou to make it happen. Lou has expressed interest in making it happen and we're working in that direction. It’s going to be sooner than later," Dubin said.

After reading his Facebook yesterday, I'm not at all surprised to hear it. Didn't sound like a man who was ready to retire. I had mentioned that I'd heard a rumour about the weight issues a few weeks before the Khan fight (although as it says in the article, it's not an excuse for the loss as Khan fought very well)

[TheWalletInspector]

Top Rank CEO Bob Arum advised BoxingScene.com that he wants to match WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez against Rafael Marquez by the end of the year. Last Saturday night in California, Lopez sat ringside at Staples Center to watch Marquez dispose of Israel Vazquez in three brutal rounds. Lopez returns on July 10 in Puerto Rico with a title defense against Bernabe Concepcion.

"Marquez is still a good fighter. If Lopez is successful in July, I would certainly like to make that fight before the end of the year," Arum told BoxingScene.com.

Marquez's promoter Gary Shaw plans to explore a possible fight with IBO bantamweight champion Vic Darchinyan. Shaw and Team Darchinyan will discuss the fight in the coming days.

[Gabby15]

Top Rank CEO Bob Arum advised BoxingScene.com that he wants to match WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez against Rafael Marquez by the end of the year. Last Saturday night in California, Lopez sat ringside at Staples Center to watch Marquez dispose of Israel Vazquez in three brutal rounds. Lopez returns on July 10 in Puerto Rico with a title defense against Bernabe Concepcion.

"Marquez is still a good fighter. If Lopez is successful in July, I would certainly like to make that fight before the end of the year," Arum told BoxingScene.com.

Marquez's promoter Gary Shaw plans to explore a possible fight with IBO bantamweight champion Vic Darchinyan. Shaw and Team Darchinyan will discuss the fight in the coming days.

No fight with Caballero? Shocker....

[TheWalletInspector]

Lanky bugger.

[rjw63]

Quitali

Hahahahahaaa :-)

[TheWalletInspector]

Sometimes I get the feeling Witton isn't a huge fan of the Klitchko's.

[Gabby15]

Sometimes I get the feeling Witton isn't a huge fan of the Klitchko's.

He's quite clearly David Haye in disguise

[TheWalletInspector]

So him saying Haye is juicing was just a genius cover up... the plot thickens.

[Gabby15]

So him saying Haye is juicing was just a genius cover up... the plot thickens.

First we solve a murder, now this :!: 8)

[TheWalletInspector]

We all excited for Vitali vs Sosnowski then?

[Gabby15]

We all excited for Vitali vs Sosnowski then?

**** Yeah!

:|

[Witton_Lane]

We all excited for Vitali vs Sosnowski then?

PMSL. Another no-hoper bum lined up for the king of the bum killers :x

Quitali - great KO percentage, great percentage of rounds won to rounds lost....all against shit competition, just like his little sister.

God I wish Lewis were 10 years younger, or Holyfield or Bowe. Not to mention Tyson :shock:

[TheWalletInspector]

Another George Foreman comeback is needed.

[Gabby15]

The heavyweight champion of the world, Wladimir Klitschko, is not interested in Alexander Povetkin's request for both fighters to take part in random drug tests under the company WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). Povetkin is Klitschko's official challenger under the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

Negotiations are taking place for the two of them to fight due to Wladimir not being able to retain an agreement with WBA heavyweight champion David Haye. Unlike the situation between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., Klitschko has the full authority on the drug testing decision. The fight with Povetkin is ordered by the IBF and if he decides not to take the Klitschko fight, then Wladimir will move on to the next ranked contender in the IBF's top ten.

Older brother Vitali Klitschko believes this is a tactic by Povetkin's team to avoid the fight. He says Wladimir will not accept these drug testing terms.

"Wladimir has to fight Povetkin because of the IBF and he will take any tests under the rules of the World Boxing Federation. The tests are sent to an international sports laboratory in Cologne, which is one of the most modern in the world. If someone has any doubts, let them go send letters to [the lab] to investigate," Vitali was quoted telling Alexander Pavlov by Golzka.

Tut tut. Poor form, Wlad

[Gabby15]

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer informed BoxingScene.com that he is working on Amir Khan's next fight, which he is hopeful will take place on July 31 in England. Two of the possible opponents for Khan's next defense of the WBA junior welterweight title - are former champions Joel Casamayor and Michael Katsidis.

If Khan's fight comes together for that date, Schaefer said he would package that fight with the rematch between Juan Diaz and Juan Manuel Marquez that night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Both would be televised as part of an HBO pay-per-view feed.

"And the winners [of both bouts] might fight each other," Schaefer said to BoxingScene.com.

Casa = Finished

[Gabby15]

Klitschko

Adamek

Harrison

Rahman

Briggs

Are all being talked to by Haye. Heavyweight Saviour? Do me a favour

[rjw63]

I was sceptical about Haye due to his size, but I think he'll beat anyone who's out there

[TheWalletInspector]

I'm sure you'll be able to add Sosnowski after he does a number on Vitali this weekend.