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By Michael Amakor
FightKings.Com
Salutes
Vitali "Dr IronFist" Klitchko
On making the first defense of his WBC Heavyweight Crown against game and surprisingly aggressive
WBU International Heavyweight Champion
Danny Williams
who weighed in at a whopping 270 pounds, and was simply unable to get past and around the IronFist of the Doctor, every time he tried to launch an attack his face ran into a jab in a target practice so accurate that literally turned his face into a battering ram and slowly shut his right eye sending him crashing to the canvas in the first, third, seventh and eight rounds forcing referee Jeff Nady to call a halt to the contest awarding Vitali a technical Knockout victory.
As IronFist celebrates his victory he needs to remember however that this win does not truely certify his dominance of the division as Danny Williams (who only qualified for this fight by destroying Faded just back from retirement Iron Mike Tyson) was outmatched and should have worked his way slowly up against other championship contenders up the ladder before challenging for the throne.
The only way for Dr IronFist to assert his dominance of the division would be to step up against a top ten heavyweight contender or accept the challenge of WBA Champion
We Waiting to See
*************************************************************************************************
This is the second time FightKings.Com has had reason to congratulate
Miguel Cotto
because he just made the first defense of his WBO Light Welterweight Crown by crushing the challenge of the former crown holder
Randall Bailey
who thought he could reclaim his throne from the 24 year old usurper.
The feeling out process lasted for a few seconds before the began taking turns trading bombs, as the fight progressed Miguel asserted his dominance dropping Randall to the canvas in the second round and sending him crashing to the canvas for extra measure in round three. His punches all opened severe cuts around both of Bailey's eyes forcing the stakeholders at ringside to examine him and call a halt to the contest at 1.39 minute of the sixth round awarding Miguel a technical kayo well deserved victory
This is Cotto'ls fourth victory in the year 2004AD alone, in an unbeaten run of twenty two victories with eighteen knockouts in the wake of his fury lay the carcasses of Kelson Pinto, Demetrio Caballas and Ceasar Bazan to name a few.
All hail the King
**********************************************************************************************
Across the pond in far away England
Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton
made the fifteenth defense of his WBU Light Welterweight Title against
Ray Olivera
annexing his IBU Welterweight crown in the process.
The Hitman has been simply maginificent in the ring dominating all comers and amassing thirty eight victories without suffering a single defeat.
Traditionally most
boxing fans always look north of the Light Welterweight division when the
talk about boxing, but it is now time to turn the spotlight back to this
division which is simply overflowing with talented super star boxing
champions sporting unblemished records and universally ranked by boxing
experts and Ring Magazine as the best boxers in the world.
It is time for us to begin demanding for a clear the decks showdown between Ricky Hatoon against Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto,Arturo Gatti, Sharmba Mitchel or Kostya Tszyu in whatever order to finally determine the true Undisputed King of the Light Welterweight Division.
I would hazard a guess that Legendary promoter Don King has forseen this eventuality and will begin making hasty preparations to fulfill our great need.
Watch Out
**************************************************************************************
Prince Badi Ajamu
is the new
WBC
Continental Americas Light Heavyweight Champion
***************************************************************
Vitali Klitchko Versus Danny Williams Fight Analysis
By Michael Amakor
On November 11, Danny Williams challenges Vitali Dr “Iron Fist”Klitchko for his WBA Heavyweight Crown at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Former British Heavyweight and Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion Danny Williams was virtually unknown outside the United Kingdom, but when Iron Mike Tyson was making a comeback he was chosen from a motley lot of journey men as a tune in preparation for progressively tougher level competition, Danny Williams taught very differently about the whole subject of being used as cannon fodder and shocked the world by throwing over 20 unanswered punches, knocking down Living Legend Iron Mike Tyson to the canvas encouraging his resolve to be counted out of the fight in the fourth round
His past record made boxing experts write him off before this tune up against Mike Tyson and the fact that he had just beaten Augustine Ndou for the WBU International Heavyweight did little to sway their opinion about his ability. Inaddition he had a most unimpressive list of conquests over journey men like Julius Francis who Mike Tyson had earlier crushed in devastating fashion. The only recognizable fighter he faced before Mike Tyson was Sanil Samil Sam who technically immobilized him in the sixth round back in 2003. His victory over Iron Mike has dramatically elevated his profile so high that he is being given a chance against Dr Ironfist who is so pissed that Williams got to Tyson first that he has promised to vent it all out on Williams.
Now when Dr Ironfist talks you better listen because he is a 6 foot 7 ½ inches tall former European, WBO and WBA Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion who has crushed a horde of opponents enroute to nearly beating now retired champion Lennox Lewis, that fight was stopped due to a horrendous cut suffered as a result of an accidental butt of heads.
There is no comparison between both fighters, Klitchko also decisively kayoed their common opponent Julius francis in the second round a couple of years ago while Williams went 16 rounds with him. For Dr Ironfist he has few options if he wants to solidify his legacy, he absolutely has to win this fight or else he will be cast so far down the heavyweight labyrinth he may spend an eternity trying to claw his way out. The door to salvation may also be blocked by his critics who have been denigrating him for years now since he was forced to quit against Chris Byrd due to a torn rotator cuff while ahead on all judges score cards. The were given additional ammunition when his younger brother Former WBO champion Wladimir Klitchko was suddenly dethroned by unheralded Corrie Saunders and later by Lamont Brewster in a shocking display that exposed his lack of stamina and championship heart in dealing with adversity.
Vitali Klitchko has been fighting for years to get that shadow off his back and a poor performance will encourage a cacophony of challenges from slighted Champions of the division like WBC Champion John Ruiz who has already issued a public statement challenging the giant from Ukraine.
Dr Ironfist may now be saddened as he listens to reports of the political upheaval coming from his beloved Ukraine as he trains, and when he reads the challenge from Ruiz he may become so angry and will delightfully begin planning how to crush him and deal with the rising mutiny in the ranks long enough to look past determined Danny Williams who may fire the next power shot to be heard around the world signaling his arrival as the New King of the Division
We shall see and may the best Man Win
*****************************************************************************
VASILLY JIROV VERSUS MICHAEL MOORER FIGHT ANALYSIS
By Michael Amakor
On December 9, 2004, Vasilly "The Tiger" Jirov faces "Double M" Michael Moorer for the Vacant WBC Continental Americas and North American Heavyweight Titles at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
The tiger from Kazakhstan is the former WBC Continental Americas Cruiserweight Champion and he first shot into prominence back in June 1999 when he scored a technical knockout over veteran Arthur William. This was just the beginning of his dominance of the Cruiserweight Division as he defended his title ten times decisively crushing challenges from tested veterans like Saul Montana, Adolpho Washington and Dale Brown.
It is generally known that he undergoes a brutal training regimen probably designed by disgruntled elements from the former Soviet era sports regime characterized by tyrannical obsession with hard work and perfection, it has been reported that his trainers left him in the middle of a frozen river and let him swim back to shore.
This conditioning served him well in his war with James Toney, in a bout most boxing experts hailed as the fight of the year, Jirov fought the fight of his life against slick trash talking veteran the legendary James Toney pounding away and absorbing tremendous punishment before succumbing to a knockdown in the last few minutes of the twelfth and final round in a wild exchange so brutal the commentators at ringside were whopping in horror exclaiming ‘Oh my God”. Jirov lost that fight by a unanimous decision but he forever won the hearts of boxing fans with that performance.
After that he made a career move up into the land of the heavyweights against highly touted Joe "Baby" Mesi who was a hot prospect. In another match that exemplified his punching power and conditioning Jirov overcame Mesi’s onslaught and seemingly superior ring generalship to score knockdown in the ninth and twice in the tenth round.
But in an outrageous decision the judges scored the bout for Mesi. For Mesi it was however a phrric victory as he was diagnosed after the fight with suffering brain damage as a direct result of the blows he received from The Tiger, his boxing license has since been withdrawn and he has not fought since.
Jirov
is seemingly
undeterred by these setbacks and is now stepping into the ring with two time Heavyweight
Champion Michael Moorer, who once terrorized the Light Heavyweight division
in the late nineteen eighties knocking out all opponents and winning the
WBO Light Heavyweight crown back in 1988, he went on to make ten defenses
of that title knocking out all comers before getting bored with the
division and stepping up to the heavyweight division, he experienced his
first real baptism of fire against Bert Cooper for the WBO Heavyweight
Title suffering two knockdowns before scoring two knockdowns of his own
before finally knocking out Bert in the fifth round.
He went on the beat the legendary Evander Holyfield for the WBA and WBC titles before losing his titles to 40 year old man Big George Foreman in a fight he was winning on all judges scorecards before he got caught with well setup combinations from Big George, he rebounded and again won the IBF heavyweight against Axel Schultz and defended it in tough and bloody affairs against Francois Botha and Vaughn Bean before losing to The real deal in a rematch that had to be stopped as he got up from five hard knockdowns but was simply unable to beat Evader’s timing and delivery.
After that he went into retirement and returned back to the ring slowly rebuilding his career before suffering a major setback when he suffered a knockout in the very first round and almost first punch delivered by now missing David Tua.
Both guys are southpaws so it will be interesting to see how the land their shots against each other, expect a war and each has suffered recent setbacks in their careers and maybe looking to make a statement. A win for Moorer will preserve his career a little longer and make him more visible if he can follow it up with another convincing win. A loss for Jirov will derail his already faltering career; a win will place in a vantage position at getting a title shot against one of the alphabet champions immediately.
But he has to contend with Moorer who has a weak chin but is strong and powerful but atimes seems unwilling to unleash the punches that once made him a terror in the Light Heavyweights. Jirov also is very strong but is not very good at defending himself and does not cover up while moving forward, his conditioning is always great but heavyweight punches could break him down just ask Toney or Joe Mesi and this time maybe Moorer may let his hands go especially since Jirov is comparatively smaller.
Enough Said May the best Man Win
*********************************************************************************************
Jeff "Left Hook"Lacy
Looks happy and he should be because he made the first defense of his
IBF SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE
at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas by winning a unanimous decision over five time Championship Challenger the most unlucky and now maybe journey man
Omar Sheika
The referee was Tony Weeks and Judges Byrd, Epstein and Giampa all scored it in Left Hook's favor.
Jeff Lacy has fulfilled his mandatory tune up and it is time for a clear the deck showdown against
WBO Champ Joe Calzaghe
to unify the belts. Talks were on the way as we reported before this fight, perhaps now the cacaphony of requests may grow too loud to ignore.
We are Waiting
**************************************************************
"The Nigerian Nightmare"
Samuel Peters
is the new
NABF Heavyweight Champion
He seized the throne by absolutely crushing the challenge from former WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Champion
Jeremy "Half Man Half Amazing" Williams
stopping him in the 2nd round in a manner so brutal displaying furocious punching power that stretched out Half Man Half Amazing Jeremy William on the canvas thinking about where it all went wrong.
This win Foretells the rising Nightmare planning to storm the Heavyweight Division.
Watch Out
*************************************************************************
Two time
European Heavyweight Champion
Luan "Lion"Krasniqi
Made the second defense of his title against the former WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion
Timo Hoffmann
Krasniqi is ranked number twenty nine in the world and his resume is beginning to look a little more interesting with past wins over Sinan Samil Sam and Julius Francis.
Perhaps it is time for the Lion to cross the pond and take on the division stateside. But as is typical with German Boxers he may want the kings to come to him.
***************************************************************************
José Luis Castillo
Made the 1st defence of his
WBC Lightweight Crown
by winning a hard fought decision over former WBA and WBO Super Featherweight Champion
Joel "El Cepillo"Casamayor
**********************************************************************************************
WILLIAM JOPPY VERSUS JERMAIN TAYLOR FIGHT ANALYSIS
By Michael Amakor
On Dec 4 Former WBA Middleweight Champion William “Torelle” Joppy challenges Jermain “Bad Intention”Taylor for his WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Crown Title at the Barton Coliseum in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Bad Intentions is a 2000 Olympic Bronze medallist with an unbeaten streak of tweny one victories including four defenses of the Crown he first won in August 2003 against Alfredo Cuevas.
Since seizing that Crown he has remained very active crushing all opposition from Ex Light Middleweight champion Raul Marquez to former WBC Continental Americas Light Middleweight champion Alex Bunema devastating him with an angry barrage of punches that ended the bout in the seventh round.
All boxing experts agree that he is the future of the middleweight division and believe that with proper handling he will one day challenge undisputed Middleweight champion Bernard “The Executioner Hopkins” for all the titles.
The general consensus for now is too match Bad Intentions against progressively higher calibre fighters to achieve the objective of getting him ready to take on the King of Division, and the think they may have picked the perfect opponent in fading but slick William Joppy.
Torelle is a former NABF Middleweight Title and three time WBA middleweight champion whose boxing ability is unquestioned despite losing to Felix Trinidad in the Middleweight championship series in 2001 and suffering an incredibly Brutal pounding from Bernard Hopkins in a grudge match that left him a grotesque mess with retirement on his mind, but a rethink about his past victories against Howard Eastman Hassine Cherifi and Julio Cesar Green in title winning bouts has given him the confidence to believe in himself and he seems determined and has vowed and predicted that he will kayo the bad intended Jermain Taylor and suppress his insurrection for good.
It will be intriguing to watch how a slick and ring savvy former champion now relegated to the status of a gatekeeper will stop the fury of proud prince seeking to carve his niche and crush his dreams of reclaiming his throne.
Most analysts may be inclined to have bad intentions but may change their minds when the run into a time tested and experienced adversary overqualified to instill the necessary discipline to make for an Epiphany.
May the Best Man Win
*****************************************************************************************
SAMUEL PETERS VERSUS JEREMY WILLIAMS
FIGHT ANALYSIS
By Michael Amakor
On Dec 4 “The Nigerian Nightmare”Samuel Peters challenges Jeremy “Half Man Half Amazing" William for the vacant NABF Heavyweight Title at the Mandalay Bay Arena in Las Vegas on a Showtime Boxing fight card featuring other sensational fights
The 24 year old Samuel Peters was a quarter finalist at the 2000 Olympic games and currently sports an unbeaten record of 20 victories with no losses and is being hailed in certain quarters as one of the next great Heavyweight. His demeanor and rising contention in the heavyweight division may remind you of another great potentially great Nigerian Heavyweight “The President” Ike Ibabuchi who crushed Chris Byrd and David Tua on his nightmarish run for the title which was suddenly derailed leading him to jail cell over a rape conviction.
A close look at his resume shows that he knocked out Dale Crowe in brutal fashion for the Vacant WBC Youth Heavyweight Title in the 4th round, however his inability to kayo Charles Shufford and Jovo Tukov in successive bouts in addition to the journey men on his resume has made some boxing experts understandably skeptical about his punching power which is a necessity to be an intimidating force in the heavyweight division.
The only way to temper the rising cries of the critics is to prove it in the ring against Half man Jeremy Williams who was one of the greatest amateurs in US history winning the National Golden Gloves championship in 1990-91, the U.S. National champion in 1989-90, and the U.S. National Under-19 amateur champion, he was also the U.S. National Junior Olympic champion in In 1988. He launched his professional career with much fanfare back in 1992 enroute to capturing the WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Title then lost it to Larry Donald in 1994 regained it again in 1995 against Quinn Navarre but lost his chance at the highly respected WBO Heavyweight Crown when he was knocked out in the 3rd round by Henry Akinwande.
Since then his career has been less than Amazing and he has been fighting in the shadows of the division losing to Maurice Harris, Brian Nielsen and even going to a draw against Al Cole exposing his lack of durability and further distancing himself from Title shots.
Jeremy although not an underated fighter may be poorly managed but this fight represents a chance to showcase his skills and the Nigerian Nightmare may have taken on more than he chew, but his trainer thinks differently which may be just as well if he is that good. It is better to throw him in there right now than baby him into a defeat much later down the road.
It will be interesting how the young somewhat inexperienced Nigerian Nightmare will fare against the ever confident Amazing “I will beat them all up” Jeremy Williams.
May the best man win
*****************************************************************************
By Michael Amakor
Congratulations to The
"Baby Faced Assassin"
Marco Antonio Barrera
For dethroning and Seizing the
WBC and IBF Super Featherweight Title
From
"El Terrible" Erik Morales
This fight completes the epic trilogy between these two great Mexican fighters, In their 1st match up deemed "Fight of the Year in 2000" by Ring magazine, Morales won a hotly contested decision in a classic so memorable for its brutality it became Legendary.
The fight underscored an intense dislike between them further fuelled by a simmering class war which had to be settled. In the rematch aptly titled the "Ultimate feud", Barrera waged a tactical that convinced the judges to make amends for the 1st fight scoring the fight against Morales.
In the trilogy Judge Jerry Roth scored it 113-115, Judge Paul Smith scored it 114-114 and Judge Larry O'Connell scored it 114-115 for the Baby Faced Assassin by Majority Decision.
This recent victory puts Barrera over the top against Morales , perhaps El terrible may seek to even the score.
*********************************************************************************************
By Michael Amakor
OSCAR "CHOLOLO" LARIOS
For Defending His
WBC Super Bantamweight Title
for the 7th time in an unbeaten run of 15 wins
Against the Former IBF Pan Pacific Super
Featherweight Title, WBU Super Bantamweight Title
Nedal "Skinny"Hussein
trained by legendary Jeff Fenech of the Azumah Nelson Fame.
Judge Carol Castellano scored it 110-118, Judge Dalby Shirley scored it 109-119 and Judge Chuck Hassett scored it 108-120 for the Chololo by Unanimous Decision.
FIGHTKINGS Inc.
Email: webmaster@fightkings.com
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