Haye Promises Historic Knockout » David Haye has vowed to produce “one of the most jaw-dropping knockouts of all-time” when he attempts to win Nikolai Valuev’s WBA heavyweight title on Saturday. • Londoner Haye is aiming to secure a portion of the so-called “richest prize in sport”, but to do that he must beat a man who stands nearly a foot taller than him at 7ft 2ins and who has never been down on the canvas in his 16-year professional career… Source: The Press Association, www.google.com
Don King And Mike Tyson Make Nice At Las Vegas Boxing Event: Boxing Insider » No one promotes a fight like Don King. • His Hairness returned to Las Vegas on Saturday — Halloween — for the first time in four years to put on the inaugural boxing card at Treasure Island. While the nationally televised show had its share of action in the ring, the real news was King making nice with Mike Tyson, a surprise commentator for the Showtime telecast… Source: www.cleveland.com
Manny Pacquiao Vs. Miguel Cotto: The Next Super-Fight » On Nov. 14th, two of the biggest stars in boxing will face-off for a PPV super-fight. Super-fights are something special in boxing; they are the types of fights that get the general public to pay attention to the sport of boxing. • I go through a few different phases for super-fights: • PHASE 1: Going into a big fight like this I always envision an epic battle between two gladiators, blood and guts warriors, grit, sweat, anger, and any other adjectives that sound tough and manly! I blog about what an amazing ballsy, kick-butt fight it will be. I talk to whoever will listen about my expectations, scientific analysis, and true gut feelings. This is a great phase to be in… Bryan Brennan, www.nesn.com
Cloud: “My Goal Is To Destroy My Opponent By Any Means Necessary” » Tavoris Cloud understands Chad Dawson’s logic. • Though his shot at the man widely perceived as the world’s best 175-pounder has been two times delayed while Dawson sought pricier quarry, the unbeaten Florida-born slugger bears the incumbent IBO champion no ill will… LYLE FITZSIMMONS, www.miamiherald.com
Roach: Pacman Will Expose Cotto » Renowned trainer Freddie Roach believes Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto will be exposed when he tangles with Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao on November 14 in Las Vegas… Salven Lagumbay, globalnation.inquirer.net
Hector Camacho Jr.: No Fortunate Son » The 48-3-1 (27 KOs) boxer looks to step out of his dad’s footsteps; says “I am proud to be a fighter…” Ryan Bates, www.411mania.com
Cotto Ready For Long Grind » MANILA, Philippines – Fitness expert Phil Landman, tasked to make sure that Miguel Cotto will be in the best shape possible for his Nov. 14 clash with Manny Pacquiao, is now with the WBO welterweight champion in his training quarters in Puerto Rico… Abac Cordero, www.philstar.com
Haye Gets Valuev Green Light » David Haye’s WBA heavyweight title challenge against Nikolay Valuev will go ahead on November 7 after former champion John Ruiz agreed to end his campaign to scupper the fight… Source: The Press Association.
Top Amateur Boxer Geffrard Has Sights On 2012 Olympics » Five years ago, a friend took Steve Geffrard to the Boca Raton PAL gym to lift weights for football. • His Haitian grandmother had signed him up for the Boca Jets youth program thinking he may have a future in football and chance at a college scholarship. • “I think she wanted to keep me off the streets and out of trouble,” Geffrard said. “I was just about to start playing football when I saw the boxing ring and everyone working out. • “I picked up a jump rope and that was it…” Sharon Robb, www.sun-sentinel.com
Poster by Brian Brobbey-Griffiths; David Haye photo by Dan Wilton.
Many of you saw the great photo by Howard Schatz in Sports Illustrated after the Cotto/Clottey bout at Madison Square Garden last month. Howard is pleased to share with you more photos from that classic fight. See gallery here »
Welcome to “Gloves Off”, where you will read only the truth about boxing here. At least the truth the way I see it and more importantly, the way I hear it from the boxers, the sport’s shotcallers, boxing insiders who go on record and the occasional paying fan who in his own way supports the financial purses at both the big PPV events and the local club scene. Any press release passing as an interview will be duly noted. Any boxing writer, website, or fans’ outpost will be called out for praise or as is sadly often the case, stretching the truth in lieu of THE TRUTH. I spent two years working with Joe Pistone, the real life “Donnie Brasco”, portrayed by Johnny Depp in the film. There I learned the truth has three sides: yours, mine, and the ABSOLUTE TRUTH (and the truth about “Donnie Brasco” was that Al Pacino’s character, Benjamin “Lefty Guns” Ruggerio may have been “whacked” in the film, but was healthy enough in real life to attend the film’s premiere in February, 1997.) Read more »
WBO Champ Miguel Cotto Won’t Cry Uncle Vs. IBF Champ Joshua Clottey » WBO welterweight champ Miguel Cotto will meet IBF champ Joshua Clottey in a title unification match at Madison Square Garden on June 13. It will be the fourth time in five years that Cotto has fought at the Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade… TIM SMITH, www.nydailynews.com
Is Clottey Catching Cotto At Just The Right Time? » Miguel Cotto’s rumble with his uncle Evangelista sounded a heckuva lot more interesting than just about any heavyweight title fight we’ve seen in the last few years, didn’t it? Such passion, such fury…why couldn’t most of Wladimir Klitschko’s recent foes have summoned half that energy and zest for combat?… Michael Woods, www.thesweetscience.com
Report: Cotto, Uncle/Trainer Get Into Nasty Brawl » The simmering feud between WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and his trainer and uncle, Evangelista, boiled over Wednesday when the two got into a fistfight at a Caguas, Puerto Rico, gym where Cotto trains, according to a newspaper report. • Primera Hora, a Spanish language newspaper, reported that Miguel and Evangelista got into a verbal dispute not long after Miguel arrived at the gym around 3:15 p.m. local time. Miguel Cotto fired his uncle and Evangelista responded with a punch to his nephew’s face… Kevin Iole, yahoo.com
Willams And Wright Like Kobe Beef Surrounded By Twinkies » Paul Williams and Ronald “Winky” Wright made their Las Vegas arrival this afternoon for a Saturday middleweight clash. The match-up is a fight fan’s fight, but I doubt they will be hanging from the rafters for two premiere, but largely unheralded boxers. •Fight photographer Tom Hogan released the above photo to medial outlets, but I wonder who these individuals surrounding Wright might be?… Ricardo Lois, www.examiner.com
Is McCline Too Much For Arreola? » Heavyweight contender Chris Arreola is slated to take a big step up in class when he squares off against perennial contender Jameel ‘Big Time’ McCline. The bout is slated to take place Saturday night in Vegas on the undercard of the highly anticipated middleweight showdown between Winky Wright and Paul Williams. For Arreola, the fight with McCline is supposed to represent the next step towards an inevitable battle with one of the Klitschko brothers. If all goes according to plan, Arreola will get a title shot sometime this year. Unfortunately for Arreola, McCline might have something to say about that… Geoffrey Ciani, www.eastsideboxing.com
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