Official Boxing Thread

Watched the Wilder fight from last night. Couple thoughts:

-This isn't making an excuse for Wilder, but more of a statement of fact in that we sometimes still forget how young Wilder is. We saw it last night, as Molina was able to confuse him early by switching looks and tactics. That doesn't effect an older fighter, but it got in Wilder's head because he's never seen much like that before. Interested to see how he handles stuff like that going forward.

-Molina definitely had Wilder hurt, but couldn't take advantage. We know Wilder doesn't have a glass jaw or anything, as he help up well against Stiverne, but still concerning that Molina was able to get to him like that.

-Good on Wilder for battling through and finishing Molina. Fight didn't go the way he wanted, despite his comments, but he got the job done eventually.

-Props to Wilder and everyone else that put the card in Birmingham. Atmosphere looked electric, soldout in a non-traditional boxing area and created new fight fans. Instead of having cards at random casinos in Connecticut or down in Biloxi, more promoters need to make hometown fights. As we've seen with Wilder in Bham and Terrance Crawford in Omaha, it's not hard to draw local crowds.

-So, Wilder/Povetkin is the mandatory, but I don't imagine that will happen just yet. After the fight, I saw names like Tony Thompson and Chris Arreola mentioned. I'd be good with Wilder/Arreola out in LA somewhere, would be a fun fight.

-Whenever Povetkin does happen, that'll be a big test for Wilder. I think he's really good, but last night showed some flaws and how he fixes them will dictate how he does as he chases bigger names.

 

Saturday.

 

Thanks for some great fights, Maravilla.

Sergio Martinez announces retirement at age 40

By Mike Coppinger June 13, 2015 11:02 pm

Sergio Martinez is calling it a career.

The longtime lineal middleweight champion hasn’t fought since a lopsided defeat to Miguel Cotto last June, and amid nagging knee issues, announced his retirement Saturday during the International Boxing Hall of Fame Banquet of Champions.

“It’s time to step aside and continue on to new horizons,” Martinez said during part of a speech obtained by USA TODAY Sports. “I’m now retired. Thank you very much, hasta la victoria siempre (and to victory always).”

It’s only fitting that the 40-year-old Argentine announced his retirement during Hall of Fame weekend, the hallowed ground he is likely to join when he is eligible in 2019. Martinez was a dominant middleweight champion and made six defenses of the middleweight championship he won from Kelly Pavlik in 2010.

Those victories included the 2010 Knockout of the Year against Paul Williams and an HBO pay-per-view bout vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. that Martinez dominated until he suffered a knockdown in Round 12.

“Like millions of boxing fans around the world who have enjoyed watching his spectacular career, everybody at HBO Sports will miss Sergio’s professionalism and elite fighting skills,” HBO Sports president Ken Hershman said in a statement. “What we will do is celebrate a career that is full of accomplishments by one of the most determined athletes of this generation. Watching Sergio win the lineal world middleweight championship on HBO was a landmark moment in the sport’s history.

“More importantly, our respect and admiration for Sergio as an individual is unmeasurable. His decision to be an activist and campaign against bullying is just one example of how he has taken his celebrity and used it as a positive force to make the world a better place. We will be forever grateful to Sergio and his team for allowing HBO to chronicle his remarkable journey to the top of the sport.”

“Maravilla” was always a sportsman, happy to give time to the media and one of the most affable personalities in the sport. He didn’t begin amateur boxing until the advanced age of 20, and made his pro debut two years later following just 41 unpaid bouts. He got a later start in the sport after pursuing a career as a cyclist, and it took him until the age of 33 to make his HBO debut, a TKO of Alex Bunema.

He was long avoided during his reign atop the sport, and by the time he fought Miguel Cotto in the most high-profile bout of his career, he was a shell of his former self. He was dropped three times in Round 1 and was never was in a fight he ended up losing via TKO 10.

He had broken his left hand and suffered a right knee injury in both wins over Chavez and Martin Murray, two of his final three bouts.

Martinez retires with a record of 51-3-2 with 28 knockouts.

 

Think it's a really good fight. Don't do this much, but kudos to Al Haymon for matching up two of his top dogs here.

I lean toward Porter, who is a grinder and is going to throw hard and keep coming, over Broner, but should be a very competitive fight. I'll be rooting quite hard for Shawn.

 

They have, but Broner realized his power didn't carry to 147, so I think he's going to operate between 140-144 going forward.

You're right though, extra three pounds could affect Porter, who has always been a bigger guy.

 

Paulie's turned into a pretty decent gatekeeper type at 147, surprisingly. Garcia definitely is above that level, though.

 

Here's what we've got tonight. Busy night, to say the least:
Shawn Porter vs. Adrien Broner, Phil Lo Greco vs. Errol Spence Jr.: 8:30pm ET NBC
After a couple of weeks of lackluster “Premier Boxing Champions” cards, Al Haymon delivers with a really intriguing main event between welterweights Broner (30-1, 22 KO) and Porter (25-1-1, 16 KO). The fight is taking place at 144 pounds, which could prove tough for Porter, a big welterweight at the best of times. If he’s not drained, however, he could really trouble Broner with his power punching, come-forward style. AB’s defense is nowhere near as good as he thinks it is, and Marcos Maidana showed he can be bullied. On the undercard, 2012 Olympian Errol Spence, Jr. (16-0, 13 KO) takes on a late replacement in Phil Lo Greco.


Andre Ward vs. Paul Smith, Antonio Nieves vs. Stephon Young: 10pm ET BET
This is just such a weird fight in every way. Ward (27-0, 14 KO) is returning from a huge layoff against Liverpool’s Smith (35-5, 20 KO), a guy who’s not on the same planet as him, talent-wise. It’s a bad mismatch, but the weirdness arises from the catchweight (can’t get away from those things these days) of 172 pounds, and the fact that it’ll be the first boxing match on BET, or Black Entertainment Television. Nothing so strange as Ward losing will happen, though.

David Lemieux vs. Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam, Jerry Belmontes vs. Dierry Jean: 10pm ET Fox Sports 2
This even-money match-up of middleweight contenders figures to be quite enjoyable. Lemieux (33-2, 31 KO) is the puncher in any match-up, but seems to have learned his lesson after a series of dumb losses way back in 2011. France’s N’Jikam (31-1, 18 KO) figures to be his toughest challenge to date, and brings speed of hand and foot to the table (as well as a handy six inch reach advantage). However, he’s also proved he’s got chin issues, which isn’t ideal against a knockout artist like Lemieux. Can he stay away all night? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to see him try.