Felix Diaz believes Terence Crawford has fought no one like him

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Robert Morales

FAIRFAX, VA - OCTOBER 17: Lamont Peterson punches Felix Diaz Jr. during their welterweight bout on the campus of George Mason University on October 17, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. Peterson won on judges decision. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Felix Diaz, right, covers up as Lamont Peterson swings on him during their fight in October 2015/Getty Images

Terence Crawford is undefeated and holder of two of the major junior welterweight belts. But none of that cuts any ice with Felix Diaz, who Saturday will challenge Crawford for his titles at Madison Square Garden in New York City (on HBO).

“With his style, I know I can beat Terence Crawford,” Diaz said this week during a conference call. “Crawford has fought no one like me. Stylistically, I can beat him.”

Diaz (19-1, 9 KOs) won the gold medal for the Dominican Republic in the 2008 Beijing Games. His only loss as a pro came to former junior welterweight and current welterweight champion Lamont Peterson via majority decision in October 2015.

Crawford, of Omaha, Neb., is 30-0 with 21 knockouts.

Eric Gomez confirms Dodgers offer to host Golovkin-Alvarez on Sept. 16

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Robert Morales

Canelo Alvarez, left, and Gennady Golovkin pose after their fight was announced for Sept. 16 at a site still to be determined/Photo by Gene Blevins

Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy Promotions, on Saturday confirmed a report that Magic Johnson and the Dodgers have made an offer to host the Sept. 16 middleweight title fight between champion Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan and Canelo Alvarez of Mexico at Dodger Stadium.
De La Hoya told the L.A. Times that he had a conversation with Johnson on Friday. Gomez said that talk came after he had three with Dodgers executive vice-president and chief marketing officer Lon Rosen.
“I had the initial talks with Lon and we set up a call with Magic and Oscar and Magic spoke with Oscar yesterday,” Gomez said Saturday afternoon. “They’re very interested.”

Gomez said he could not get into specifics about the proposal, “But it’s a very interesting offer. It’s something we’re going to explore. They’re very serious.”

Other strong contenders to host what figures to be a blockbuster event are AT&T Stadium near Dallas and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Abel Sanchez: Canelo will have GGG in front of him, not Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Robert Morales

No one likes him: Gennady Golovkin slams 'boring' Canelo Alvarez after Chavez Jr win

HBO broadcaster Max Kellerman (center) speaks to Gennady Golovkin (left) and Canelo Alvarez after the Sept. 16 fight between Golovkin and Alvarez was announced following Alvarez’s victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. this past Saturday. Golovkin’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, stands between Kellerman and Golovkin/Photo by Getty Images

Trainer Abel Sanchez had just watched Canelo Alvarez of Mexico out-box and out-punch countryman Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Sanchez then sat on a makeshift dais inside the ring to discuss the Sept. 16 bout between his fighter – middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin – and Alvarez, which was announced immediately after Alvarez defeated Chavez by three scores of 120-108.

Sanchez was impressed with Alvarez’s work, but he reminded a reporter that Alvarez will be in with a different kind of beast when he challenges Golovkin at a site still to be determined.

“I think Canelo displayed great boxing skills,” Sanchez said. “But he’s not going to have Chavez in front of him (in September), it’s going to be Gennady Golovkin.”

Golovkin, 35, is 37-0 with 33 knockouts. He was on a string of 22 consecutive knockouts that was snapped in March when Daniel Jacobs went all 12 rounds with Golovkin in a hotly contested bout won by Golovkin by scores of 114-113, 115-112 and 115-112.

Alvarez, a former junior middleweight and middleweight champion, is 49-1-1 with 34 knockouts. At 26, he is nine years Golovkin’s junior.

‘Tino’ Avila confident he can hang with South El Monte’s Joseph Diaz Jr.

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Robert Morales

Manuel Avila_02.jpeg

Manuel ‘Tino’ Avila is seen here during a recent workout in preparation for Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz Jr./Photo by Julio C. Sanchez/Team Tino

Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. of South El Monte is ranked No. 2 in the world at featherweight by one major governing body. He is therefore on the cusp o f a world-title shot. In order to get it soon, he’s going to have to defeat Manuel “Tino” Avila on Saturday on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. super middleweight main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view).

Diaz is 23-0 with 13 knockouts. Avila, of Fairfield, is 22-0 with eight knockouts. Avila is ranked No. 10, which means Diaz could be facing his toughest opponent to date. Avila sure believes that.

“My team and I have been working extremely hard,” a confident Avila said during a recent workout. “I’ve got all the right people in my corner helping me get to the top.

“I’m sparring with some really good fighters, I’ve taken my conditioning to new levels. I’m amped for this fight.”

Avila had a message for Diaz.

“JoJo Diaz, you better be ready for me on May 6,” Avila said.

Diaz is 24, Avila is 25.

Report: Gennady Golovkin won’t fight Saunders, will wait for Canelo Alvarez

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Robert Morales

Undefeated, Unified World Middleweight Champion Gennady, “GGG” Golovkin works outs for the media on April 20, 2016 at the Wild Card West gym in Santa Monica. GGG will defend his titles (WBA, IBF, IBO and WBC against Undefeated Mandatory Challenger Dominic Wade on Saturday, April 23 at the Fabulous Forum. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Southern California News Group)

Gennady Golovkin/Photo by Gene Blevins

Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin will not fight in June after all and will instead wait to see if he can get Canelo Alvarez in the ring in September, according to a report out of London by ESPN.com.

According to the report, Golovkin had been considering a fight with fellow champion Billy Joe Saunders for June 10 in Golovkin’s native Kazakhstan. But the combination of Golovkin getting banged up in his recent title defense against Daniel Jacobs and Saunders’ promoter Frank Warren wanting to move the fight up a week, Golovkin and his team – which includes K2 Promotions – has decided to pass up that fight and wait for Alvarez.

There is no guarantee Alvarez and his promoter – Oscar De La Hoya – will make the fight with Golovkin. Alvarez and De La Hoya both say they want to make it, but De La Hoya told reporters at a recent news conference that if Alvarez’s fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on May 6 at T-Mobile Arena ends up being terrific, he’d consider doing a rematch of that bout.

That would mean that if Alvarez were to win next month, and in a possible rematch with Chavez, Alvarez would not be getting into the ring with Golovkin until 2018.

The report suggested Golovkin would be interested in fighting Chavez should he beat Alvarez.

Canelo Alvarez will want to rip off Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.’s head more than others when they tangle in May

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Robert Morales

Floyd Mayweather Jr. throws a jab at Canelo

Canelo Alvarez, right, reacts to a punch thrown by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their September 2013 junior middleweight title fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas won by Mayweather/Associated Press photo

Sometimes a rather harsh question can result in a terrific response. Such was the case recently when Canelo Alvarez was asked during a conference call if, after 50 previous opponents, this is the first time he’d like to rip off his opponent’s head.

The question was, of course, in reference to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs), who will take on Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) on May 6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view). It’s crystal clear that there is no love lost between these fellow Mexicans.

“No, he’s one more of the 50 of all my opponents that I’ve faced,” Alvarez said. “I’ve wanted to rip their head off; I wanted to beat them; I wanted to them knock them out. This is a little extra. There’s a little bit more motivation, of course, because of the rivalry.”

The two will tangle at a catch-weight of 164 1/2 pounds

Top Rank makes it official: Manny Pacquiao will defend against Jeff Horn

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Robert Morales

Manny Pacquiao, right, goes 12 round with Jessie Vargas Saturday. Manny Pacquiao took the win by unanimous decision for the WBO world title on November 5, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Southern California News Group)

Manny Pacquiao, right, lands a left cross to the chest of Jessie Vargas during their welterweight title fight in November/Photo by Gene Blevins

Top Rank Inc. on Monday formally announced the welterweight title fight between champion Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn. They will tangle July 1 at Suncorp Stadium in Horn’s native Australia. (It will be July 2 in Australia, which is 17 hours ahead of California).

According to a news release, promoters are expecting a crowd of 55,000. Details on how it will distributed on television are forthcoming.

Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs) most recently fought Nov. 5, when he took Jessie Vargas’ title via unanimous decision at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Horn (16-0-1, 11 KOs) is the No. 2 contender to Pacquiao’s title, but he has not fought anyone of note. He did stop former champion Randall Bailey after seven rounds a year ago this month, but Bailey was 41 at the time. At 29, Horn is nine years Pacquiao’s junior. His 17 bouts have been in either Australia or New Zealand.

Suffice to say, Horn will be getting most of the fan support, being the bout will be in his backyard.

“Manny knows who will be the crowd favorite on July 1, but he can’t wait to give Australia and the world a great performance,” Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, said. “It’s going to be unbelievable event.”

Sergey Kovalev, Andre Ward will do it a second time June 17 at Mandalay Bay

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Robert Morales

Sergey Kovalev, right, of Russia, throws a left at Andre Ward during their light heavyweight boxing match, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Andre Ward, left, and Sergey Kovalev exchange punches during their light heavyweight title fight in November in Las Vegas/Associated Press photo

Seven months after their first go-round, Andre Ward of Oakland and Sergey Kovalev of Russia will do it again June 17 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view).

The two squared off this past Nov. 19 for Kovalev’s three light heavyweight world titles at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Ward won a narrow decision by three scores of 114-113. Afterward, Kovalev’s promoter Kathy Duva bemoaned all the clinching Ward was allowed to do. Kovalev thought he won, and wasn’t happy that all three judges were Americans.

Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) on Tuesday seemed to answer to all that in a brief statement.

“I’m going to make it short and sweet,” he said. “You got what you asked for. Now you have to see me on June 17. This time, leave the excuses at home.”

Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) is stoked at the chance to get his titles back.

“I’m glad to know that rematch will happen,” he said. “I really hope that Andre Ward will get into the ring for this rematch.”

Middleweight contender Jason Quigley broke hand in win over Glen Tapia

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Robert Morales

Jason Quigley/Photo courtesy of BoxRec.com

Top 10-ranked middleweight Jason Quigley’s trek to a world-title shot has taken a detour.

Quigley (13-0, 10 KOs), of Ireland, this past Thursday won a 10-round unanimous decision over Glen Tapia at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio in the main event of a Golden Boy Promotions card. Golden Boy president Eric Gomez on Wednesday announced Quigley sustained a broken right hand and detached tendon early in the bout.

“Though the doctor was surprised that Jason could lift his hand, let alone win a 10-round prize-fight after breaking his hand and ‘shredding’ his tendon, this kind of heart, will and skill is what we have come to expect from Jason,” Gomez said in a statement. “He will have surgery this Friday to repair the hand and is expected to make a full recovery.”

No timeline for Quigley’s return was given.

Jason Quigley defeats Glen Tapia to win regional belt, figures many more on way

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Robert Morales

Jason Quigley/Photo courtesy of BoxRec.com

Jason Quigley of Ireland won a regional middleweight title on Thursday when he took a unanimous decision over Glen Tapia in the main event at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio. Quigley, ranked No. 10 by one governing body, believes it’s just the beginning of bigger things to come.

“I’m taking this little bambino (title belt) home with me, to my people in Donegal, Ireland and celebrate with my loved ones,” Quigley said. “Then when I come back, I’m going to celebrate with my team. Everyone here has been on my team since my performance on the Canelo-Lara undercard, and this is a steppingstone to many more belts that are coming my way.”

Quigley (13-0, 10 KOs) opened his pro career with a TKO of Howard Reece on July 12, 2014 on the undercard of the junior middleweight bout between Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara won by Alvarez via split-decision at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

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