Tag Archives: Gennady Golovkin

Kell Brook says he’ll be Gennady Golovkin’s size when they fight Sept. 10

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FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2014, file photo, Kell Brook, right, hits Shawn Porter during their IBF welterweight title ...

Kell Brook lands a punch on Shawn Porter during their welterweight title fight in August 2014 at StubHub Center/AP file photo by Chris Carlson

 

Kell Brook holds one of the welterweight title belts, but he is a big welterweight and he believes there will be no weight advantage for Gennady Golovkin when the two square off Sept. 10 for Golovkin’s middleweight titles at O2 Arena in London (on HBO).

The interested parties gathered Monday at a news conference in London. Brook made sure everyone knew he won’t be the smaller man in the ring come fight time.

“This is the biggest fight in world boxing,” said Brook, of England. “I’m the best welterweight in the world and no-one wants me, he’s the best middleweight in the world and no one wants him. I’ll be his size on fight night and I’m bringing the speed to middleweight.”

According to one source who requested anonymity, Brook was walking around at 178 pounds at the July 14 news conference in New York City promoting this fight. And he was not fat. The welterweight limit is 147, middleweight is 160.

Golovkin spoke as if he knows he won’t have a cake walk.

“Kell Brook has my full respect and a great team behind him,” Golovkin said. “It’s not easy for us to get opponents. He’s ready for me and I’m ready for him. Kell Brook is the biggest test to me. He’s a great champion, he’s moving up in weight, but great fighters have done that and I know he’s a great boxer and he will test me the most.”

 

 

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Tom Loeffler scoffs at notion Golovkin-Brook comparable to Canelo-Khan

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Unbeaten welterweight champion Kell Brook will go up in weight to fight undefeated middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin on Sept. 10 in London. (Chris Carlson/The Associated Press)

Kell Brook of England will move up two weight classes to challenge Gennady Golovkin for his middleweight belts Sept. 10 in London/AP photo by Chris Carlson

 

Canelo Alvarez took a lot of heat when, as middleweight champion, he took on welterweight Amir Khan and knocked him out in the sixth round this past May. It’s only fair then that Gennady Golovkin absorb similar criticism, or so it would seem.

Tom Loeffler disagrees. Loeffler, who promotes Golovkin under the K2 Promotions banner, insists that Golovkin defending his title against welterweight champion Kell Brook on Sept. 10 in Brook’s native England (on HBO), is not the same.

“I think the fans realize it’s a completely different situation,” Loeffler told this newspaper this week. “That’s why tickets sold out as quickly as they did. I mean, literally, 11 minutes.”

Golovkin-Brook will be contested at O2 Arena in London. It seats 20,000.

Loeffler reminded a reporter that K2 Promotions tried to get a middleweight for Golovkin. Alvarez, rather than fight Golovkin this fall, gave up his middleweight belt and has moved back down to junior middleweight.

“Every middleweight that we tried to get in the ring with Gennady (turned down the fight), starting with Canelo and going to Billy Jo Saunders to try to unify the title, and then Eubank,” Loeffler said.

Loeffler thought he had a deal for Golovkin to defend against No. 2-ranked middleweight Chris Eubank Jr., but Eubank balked.

“Eubank was a long, drawn-out process,” Loeffler said. “So I think there’s a big difference there and the fans realize that. Look, if any one of those three we had been talking to had signed the contract, Gennady would be fighting a middleweight. But fighting an undefeated welterweight who is arguably the best in his division with a bigger heart than many of the middleweight champions, I think it’s a big statement.

“And the British fans realize how difficult it’s been for Kell Brook to get a big name as well. So it actually solves the problems of both fighters. It’s a good fight.”

Moreover, Khan was a small welterweight. Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) is a big welterweight. A source told this newspaper that when the muscle-bound Brook was on hand for a news conference July 14 in New York City, he was walking around at 178 pounds.

Golovkin (35-0, 32 KOs) never weighs that much between fights.

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‘Handsome’ Carlos Caudras discusses defense against ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez

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Carlos Cuadras/Photo courtesy of Teiken Promotions

 

Apparently, Carlos Cuadras of Mexico is quite a character.

Cuadras was on hand Monday at the Fabulous Forum for a news conference promoting his Sept. 10 super flyweight title defense there against Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez of Nicarauga, who is considered by some to be the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

When it was his turn to speak on the dais, Cuadras showed us his personality.

“I want to remind everybody that this fight will provide fireworks,” Cuadras said. “It’s going to be a war, and that title’s coming back to Mexico. I can assure you that.”

Cuadras paused and took a bottle of chocolate milk out of his coat pocket and began to drink it as “Chocolatito” watched and smiled.

“I want to remind everybody that I’m good, I’m fast … and I’m handsome, baby,” Cuadras said.

It was all good fun. But these two will be very serious come the fight. For Gonzalez, he is trying to become a world champion in yet another weight class. He has already won titles at minimumweight, light flyweight and flyweight and is again moving up in weight.

“My biggest motivation is getting my fourth title,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a blessing to receive that opportunity.”

Gonzalez, 29, is 45-0 with 38 knockouts. The way he goes about his business in the ring is a beautiful thing.

Cuadras, 27, is 35-0-1 with 27 knockouts.

Cuadras-Gonzalez will tangle the same night middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin will defend his three titles against Kell Brook in London. HBO will televise that fight live during the day, then show it on tape later that night as a prelude to Cuadras-Gonzalez.

The semi-main event to Cuadras-Gonzalez will be a rematch between junior middleweights Jesus Soto-Karass of Mexico and Yoshihiro Kamegai of Japan. They fought to a 10-round draw in April at Belasco Theater in Los Angeles.

Ticket prices for Cuadras-Gonzalez are $25, $50, $100, $200 and $300 and can be purchased at the Forum box office and through Ticketmaster.

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Gennady Golovkin on hand for funeral services for boxer/trainer Gabe Lira

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Gabriel L. Lira's Profile Photo

Gabe Lira, left, and his father Ben

 

Several hundred people turned out Thursday at Rose Hills Memorial Park for the funeral of former boxer/trainer Gabe Lira of Whittier. Lira succumbed July 13 after a 10-month battle with a fungal brain infection that eventually led to heart failure.

Speakers eulogizing Lira talked about his gregarious personality, how he joked with family and friends and was always smiling.

Lira went 7-3-1 with four knockouts in the 1980s. A parks and recreation worker, he helped his father train fighters out of the Teamsters Youth Boxing Club in South El Monte. Lira was 54.

On hand were middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and his trainer, Abel Sanchez. Lira’s father, Ben Lira, is Golovkin’s assistant trainer.

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Robert Guerrero back in ring against David Peralta in August – then what?

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Robert Guerrero

Robert Guerrero/Photo courtesy of Premier Boxing Champions

 

Former world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero has lost three of his past five bouts. But they were to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Keith “One Time” Thurman and most recently Danny Garcia. No shame there.

Guerrero, 33, will get back in the ring for the first time since what was a good – yet unsuccessful – showing against Garcia for a vacant welterweight world title in January at Staples Center. He’ll headline an Aug. 27 card at Honda Center when he takes on David Peralta of Argentina in the welterweight main event (on Spike).

American fans know little of Peralta (25-2-1, 14 KOs), who has fought exclusively in Argentina. Guerrero seems to know something about him, though.

“My opponent is a tough fighter from Argentina,” said Guerrero, of Gilroy. “Everybody knows that fighters from Argentina always come to fight, so I must be prepared and I’m expecting a war.”

From here on, it will be interesting to see what Guerrero does in his career. He would seem to be a way off from another title shot, as he is ranked in the top 15 of just one of the four organizations. And it’s a No. 13 ranking, so no one is going to owe him anything soon.

Considering his showing against Garcia, Guerrero – just 33 – certainly isn’t ready to hang ’em up. But it doesn’t seem he would have enough to beat any of the champions in the division, though he would appear to have the best shot against Jessie Vargas. The other three are Thurman, Garcia and Kell Brook, who is moving up to middleweight to challenge Gennady Golovkin for his title in September in England.

Here’s a thought: Guerrero could move down to junior welterweight. He never really did fight there, as he went from lightweight straight to welterweight; Guerrero had one fight technically in the junior welterweight division when he weighed 138 for Joel Casamayor, but he only weighed 133 and 134 his next two fights before moving to welterweight. (Lightweight is 135). Guerrero weighed in at 145 1/2 pounds just a year ago for a fight against Aron Martinez. He is not a big welterweight at all.

Of Guerrero’s seven fights at welterweight, he has weighed in at as high as the 147-pound limit just twice.

Not that the 140-pound junior welterweight division would be a cake walk to a title. Viktor Postol and Terence Crawford are two of the champions. Those two beasts will take on each other Saturday at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view).

 

 

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Gennady Golovkin figures to take heat for fighting welterweight Kell Brook

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Gennady Golovkin

Gennady Golovkin/Photo courtesy of K2 Promotions

 

Considering Saul “Canelo” Alvarez took so much heat for defending his middleweight title against a welterweight – Amir Khan – in May, it was surprising to hear Friday morning that middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin will now do the same.

Golovkin will defend his three belts against Kell Brook, who holds one of the welterweight titles, on Sept. 10 at O2 Arena in Brook’s native England (on HBO).

Golvokin is trained by West Covina native Abel Sanchez. He was asked via telephone why Golovkin will be fighting a welterweight.

“Well, if you recall, the first welterweight in our time that did that was Ray Leonard and he beat the middleweight (Marvin Hagler), so he (Brook) is willing to do what others are not,” Sanchez said. “He’s undefeated, he’s been doing great lately, he’s having a hard time getting fights, also; people don’t want to face him. So it will be the best welterweight in the world against the best middleweight in the world.”

Some consider Keith “One Time” Thurman the best welterweight champion among the four, but OK.

Anyway, it was believed that middleweight contender Chris Eubank Jr. would be Golovkin’s next opponent. Eubank had been doing a lot of talking about how he wanted Golovkin. But the deal did not come to fruition. According to Sanchez, Eubank did what many others have done in the past when it comes to a possible fight with the heavy-hitting Golovkin (35-0, 32 KOs).

“We go back to all these guys who say they want to fight Golovkin, but when it comes down to it, for some reason it’s not as important to them when it comes down to signing the contract,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez believes that at the end of the day, the Eubank team didn’t really want to tangle with Golovkin. Keep in mind Eubank and Brook are both promoted by Eddie Hearn.

“For Chris, I think that the father, or the Eubank team, just made it so impossible for Eddie that it was a way of saying, ‘We don’t want the fight,’ ” Sanchez said. “Maybe that fight will be in the future. But Kell was offered the same world-class deal that Eubank was being offered, identical, so now Kell Brook takes it and Eubank doesn’t. I dont get that. It was good enough for Kell, but not good enough for Chris.”

Eubank’s father is former middleweight/super middleweight champion Chris Eubank.

Golovkin, commenting in a statement, seems to like this fight.

“I’m very excited to be fighting in front of the great British boxing fans and promise another ‘Big Drama Show’ against undefeated Kell Brook,” he said. “I give him much respect for taking this fight.”

That’s the key here, is that Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) took the fight.

“We have a great deal of respect for Kell Brook for stepping up and facing Gennady when so many have been reluctant to do so,” said Tom Loeffler, of K2 Promotions, which promotes Golovkin. “We’ve tried to come to the UK before for fights with Carl Froch, Billy Jo Saunders and Chris Eubank Jr., but Kell Brook is the first to accept the challenge.”

Brook put a good spin on a fight that is likely to face scrutiny similar to that Alvarez experienced for taking on the smaller Khan, who was viciously knocked out in the sixth round.

“When this fight got offered to me, I accepted within minutes and I can’t wait,” Brook said. “Everyone knows I’m a huge welterweight and I know I will carry my speed and accuracy and even more power through the weights. … You have seen some huge names run from (Golovkin), but I’m running to him.”

 

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Abel Sanchez believes in handshake with Bob Arum over Oscar De La Hoya

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Gennady Golovkin

Gennady Golovkin/Photo courtesy of K2 Promotions

 

Remember when it was announced recently that Golden Boy Promotions and K2 Promotions agreed that Gennady Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will fight each other in September 2017? It was a handshake accord. Golovkin’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, does.

Sanchez also remembers a handshake deal being struck for Golovkin to fight super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez the first half of next year. That deal was made with K2 – which promotes Golovkin – and Bob Arum, who promotes Ramirez under his Top Rank Inc. banner,

Guess which one Sanchez believes will come to fruition? Based on Alvarez giving up his WBC middleweight belt rather than fight Golovkin this year, that’s an easy answer.

“Let me tell you this: Supposedly, there was a handshake agreement between Bob Arum and (K2’s) Tom (Loeffler) for a Ramirez fight, and a handshake agreement – supposedly, according to Oscar (De La Hoya of Golden Boy) – for the ‘Canelo’ fight for September of 2017,” Sanchez said by phone Tuesday. “I would venture to say that I’d be more likely to believe there’s a handshake agreement with Bob Arum than there is for the ‘Canelo’ fight.

“So I would venture to say ‘Zurdo’ is a possibility for next year.”

One can’t blame Sanchez for not being a believer in the handshake agreement for Golovkin-Alvarez. It was Alvarez who called out Golovkin after Alvarez knocked out Amir Khan in May at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Alvarez said he would fight Golovkin, who was there, right then and that he would do it at 160 pounds. Previously, Alvarez and Golden Boy – which promotes Alvarez – had said a fight with Golovkin would have to be at a catch-weight of 155 pounds.

Then Alvarez gave up his belt rather than adhere to a deadline set by the WBC for the ordered fight with Golovkin. Then came the news that there would be no Golovkin-Alvarez fight for well over another year.

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So-called verbal agreement for ‘Canelo’-Golovkin means very little at this time

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Gennady Golovkin

Gennady Golovkin/Photo courtesy of K2 Promotions

 

OK, so promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Tom Loeffler apparently met at De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions offices in Los Angeles on Wednesday to talk about a fight between middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and former middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, according to several publications.

It’s no secret that the boxing world was hopeful that fight would happen this September. But Alvarez recently vacated his WBC title rather than sign to fight Golovkin under the duress of a deadline set forth by the WBC.

Well, the only thing that apparently came out of Wednesday’s meeting was that the sides verbally agreed to make the fight – in September 2017. That means virtually nothing because there is no contract. And this is boxing, where so much can happen in 15 months.

Before everyone who so badly wants to see this fight goes off the deep end in celebration, chill out. Golovkin is likely still going to be a monster in 15 months, and we’re not sure De La Hoya will ever want Alvarez to tangle with him.

Golovkin, of course, would have happily fought Alvarez this September. It’s De La Hoya, Alvarez’s promoter, who seems reluctant to put his man into a fight with the beastly Golovkin at this point in time. We’re going to hear how De La Hoya wants this fight to marinate and how this extra time will allow Alvarez to mature into a full-fledged 160-pound middleweight, instead of one that toils at a catch-weight of 155.

If this fight happens at some point, terrific. But as a story on Yahoo.com points out, Loeffler – Golovkin’s promoter – said nothing has been signed. So there is really nothing to celebrate.

The feeling here is, we’ll believe it when we see it.

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Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez ordered to pay former promoter Zabala $8.5 million

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Saul “Canelo” Alvarez/Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

Former middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez of Mexico on Monday was ordered by a jury in Miami-Dade circuit court in Florida to pay former promoter Felix “Tutico” Zabala Jr. of All-Star Boxing $8.5 million.

According to a story on ESPN.com, while the jury did not find that Zabala had a contract with Alvarez, it did find that Alvarez unjustly enriched himself. In his lawsuit, Zabala charged Alvarez with breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

The same jury did not find Golden Boy Promotions – Alvarez’s current promoter – libel for tortuous interference.

Golden Boy will appeal the Alvarez verdict.

“… It is absurd to think that All-Star Boxing provided anywhere near that amount of value that the jury awarded under a separate claim,” it read. “We will appeal this part of the decision, and are confident we will win, just as we did on the contract dispute.

Alvarez recently vacated his middleweight championship when he was given a deadline to make a fight with fellow champion Gennady Golovkin.

 

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‘Canelo’ Alvarez may have balked, but Bob Arum would pit Gilberto Ramirez against Gennady Golovkin

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Gilberto Ramirez

Gilberto Ramirez/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Oscar De La Hoya may not be keen on his fighter – Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – fighting middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. But promoter Bob Arum said Tuesday he would love to pit his fighter – super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez – against Golovkin sometime next year. It would mean Golokvin moving up to the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds, something his team has always said he could do if the right fight came along.

“This is not just talk,” Arum said at the Conga Room in Los Angeles before he played host to a news conference announcing the undercard to the July 23 junior welterweight title-unification fight between Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view); Ramirez (34-0, 24 KOs) will make his first title defense against Dominik Britsch (32-2-1, 11 KOs) in that semi-main event.

Arum said he has had more than one meeting with Tom Loeffler, general manager of K2 Promotions, the banner under which Golovkin fights.

“If the fight happens, we’re pretty well agreed on terms and we feel that with ‘Zurdo’ fighting in July and Gennady probably fighting in September because ‘Canelo’ won’t be available, then we need to do one more fight for ‘Zurdo’ and then plan the fight for next year.

“And I think Loeffler’s pretty much on that page. That’s not to say that if he could get ‘Canelo’ this year (for Golovkin), he wouldn’t do it. But I don’t think he’s going to.”

A call to Loeffler was not immediately returned.

Ramirez, a 6-foot-2 1/2 southpaw, is from Mexico. He made history on April 9 by becoming the first Mexican to win a world title at super middleweight when he took the title from Arthur Abraham with a unanimous decision on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley III.

Ramirez is just 24.

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