Local Boxer Stunned By Misfortune Dehydration Blamed For Russell’s Collapse  His Olympic dream over before it even began, boxer Gary Russell Jr. sat on mother Lawan’s lap Friday afternoon, shaking his head and staring at the floor. Across town roads were closing, helicopters hovered overhead and Opening Ceremonies, in which he should have walked, were about to begin. And yet as they sat there in the window of an apartment in the city’s Dongzhimen district, mother and son were both on the verge of tears… —Les Carpenter, www.washingtonpost.com

Pre-Fight predictions and preview with some of boxing’s top journalist and personalities including Bert Sugar (ESPN) and Tim Smith (NY Daily News).

Boxing’s Black Eye   The race-related talk for the last few years has been all about baseball. So many concerns, so little activity, so waiting on results. • The decline of the black ballplayer seems to be the new epidemic: The sport that changed racial relations and acceptance in America has an African-American population of around 8 percent, less than half of what it was in 1997 (17 percent). • But with all the concern about the lack of blacks in baseball, another plague has slipped under the race radar in sports. • If you think baseball has a black problem, start looking at boxing… Scoop Jackson, espn.com

Boxing Memorabilia & Collectibles           

Sports Illustrated • June 18, 1973 • $20.00

www.antekprizering.com

Vintage Mounted Print • James J. Jeffries • $95.00

www.antekprizering.com

Lewis vs. Garber Official Program • Signed by Lennox Lewis

$300.00 • www.josportsinc.com

Antonio ‘The Avenging Angel’ Margarito

By Distinio Lois, Jr.

“What is a mystery to me, at least, is the fact that Cotto, a known vicious body punisher failed even once (unless I missed it) to attack Margarito’s body as many of us expected. He went head hunting the entire fight, and his body attack went missing without a trace, just like Oscar’s jab when he fought Mayweather.” …go to blog

(Photos by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

‘I’ll Whip Judah’ – Clottey  Ghana’s Joshua Clottey has vowed to whip two-division champion Zap Judah when the two clash on Saturday in a world welterweight championship bout in Las Vegas. • According to the Ghanaian pugilist, now was the time to become a world champion to put smiles on the faces of his fans. • “This is my time to be a champion,” Clottey declared during a press conference held Saturday morning at The Lounge at The Palms in Las Vegas, adding that he was in peak condition to back his words with action… Source: Daily Guide, www.myjoyonline.com

A Boxing Upset  Over the weekend, the boxing world was treated to a surprising upset when underdog Antonio Margarito stopped favorite Miguel Cotto in 11 rounds for the welterweight title in what was a classic bout. • Cotto had been considered a step up for Margarito, but wilted under the attack of Margarito in the later rounds. It was a great fight, which is good for boxing, and it was a fight where the outcome surprised people, which normally is also good for boxing. • The problem: What now?… Thom Loverro, washingtontimes.com

U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Struggling; Coach Dan Campbell The Cause? When Luis Yanez, a U.S. Olympic boxer, went AWOL from the training facility in June, he started a strange trend. • One of his Olympic teammates also disappeared and went home around the same time, and only came back after being threatened with expulsion. Then another boxer went home and extended his stay to the point where he was threatened with a financial penalty. • Then yet another U.S. boxer was apparently told to pack his stuff and leave the Olympic barracks in Colorado Springs, and he spent the remaining weeks of his training at a nearby hotel. Two other Olympians said they were basically urged to quit… MITCH ABRAMSON, www.nydailynews.com

Margarito Ko’s Cotto In 11th LAS VEGAS— All frustration of the wasted years lost while more high profile fighters refused to face him spilled out in a torrent of fury Saturday night as Antonio Margarito settled many old scores, all at the expense of Miguel Cotto. • For 11 rounds at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Margarito stalked the WBA welterweight champion, taking all Cotto threw at him and matching it with a relentlessness that broke Cotto down in the way he had done to so many others on nights that belonged to the champion… Ron Borges, www.hbo.com

Antonio Margarito Knocks Crown Off Miguel Cotto’s Head LAS VEGAS— If Antonio Margarito thought he had trouble getting a fight before, he may never find anyone brave enough to take him on now. Not after the way he pounded heavily favored Miguel Cotto on Saturday in a World Boxing Assn. welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand. • In a dominating performance, Margarito had the previously unbeaten Cotto on his heels throughout the fight before knocking him to the canvas twice in a 30-second span late in the 11th round. Cotto’s corner then threw in the towel, stopping the fight with 55 seconds left in the round… Kevin Baxter, www.latimes.com

(Photos by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) 

[BASICS OF BETTING BOXING] Favorite: -170 (bet $170 to win $100) • Underdog: +150 (bet $100 to win $150) • Draw: +800 (bet $100 to win $800)

(7/26) Miguel Cotto -250 • Antonio Margarito +190

                  Margarito TKO 11 Cotto   

(8/2) Vic Darchinyan -200 • Dimitri Kirilov +160

Darchinyan KO 5 Kirilov   

(8/2) Joshua Clottey -240 • Zab Judah +190

                  Clottey TD 9 Judah   

(8/30) Nikolay Valuev -325 • John Ruiz +250

(8/30) Ivan Calderon -210 • Hugo Fidel +170

(9/6) Juan Diaz -295 • Michael Katsidis +235

(9/13) Joan Guzman -205 • Nate Campbell +165

(9/13) Vernon Forest -130 • Sergio Mora -110

(9/13) Juan Manuel Marquez -325 • Joel Casamayor +250

(10/11) Chad Dawson -260 • Antonio Tarver +200

(10/11) Shane Mosley -800 • Ricardo Mayorga +500

(10/18) Kelly Pavlik -350 • Bernard Hopkins +275

(11/22) Ricky Hatton -265 • Paul Malignaggi +205

*Source as of 7/27: www.bodoglife.com  

Pavlik-Hopkins Fight Slated For Oct. 18, Promoter Says  Unable to secure a meaningful opponent to wage a middleweight championship defense against in the fall, Kelly Pavlik will move up in weight and face former light heavyweight champion and middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com Thursday.  •  Arum said he and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer struck a deal Thursday for the nontitle fight, which will take place Oct. 18 on HBO PPV at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J…. —Dan Rafael, ESPN.com