Although there is still enough time for Manny Pacquiao to prepare for his next fight, Bob Arum showed concern about his April fight card. He mentioned in an interview that with or without Pacquaio Top Rank's scheduled fight card on 9th April will push through.

The frontrunners for Manny Pacquiao's next opponent are British star Amir Khan, American Timothy Bradley Jr., Terrence Crawford, and Adrien Broner.

Why until this point, was Pacquiao still unable to choose whom to fight?

Here's my take.

Well, Pacquiao, as we all know, is gunning for a higher political position in the Philippines. During one of his interviews, he mentioned that if he wins as a senator in May national elections -- the fight in April will be his last, and he will retire for good to focus on his duties as a senator.

With the elections happening in May 2016, a Pacquiao victory in April 2016 would drum up his political campaign. However, it should not be just a mere victory. He should win this fight in an impressive style. It should be, at the very least, a knockout victory.

Apart from that, Pacquiao should not just merely fight a beatable opponent. It should be an opponent that somehow enhances his legacy. So, the question is: Who could be this opponent be?

I believed until now Manny Pacquiao and his team were still not able to figure out the perfect opponent.

Who do you think Pacquiao will fight next?

On Saturday night, two exciting heavyweight contenders squared off in New York to put them in line for a heavyweight title showdown. Those contenders were Bryant Jennings (19-2) and Luis "King Kong" Ortiz (24-0). The fight was toe to toe action you rarely see between heavyweights. It was clearly the antithesis of Klitschko vs Fury back in November.

Jennings has a boxer’s style, usually fighting on the outside, circling left to right, with excellent lateral movement. But trainer John David Jackson decided to change things up and have Jennings fight on the inside of the much bigger Ortiz. Jennings banged Ortiz's head and body with vicious hooks and uppercuts. It was a risk Jennings was willing to take so he would not get caught at the end of a powerful blow from the Cuban puncher. It was a risk that did not pan out well for Jennings. Jennings was knocked down with a brutal uppercut and a straight left that made the referee step in and call the fight.

The fight shook the heavyweight division and showed “King Kong” is a force to be reckoned with. But my attention was drawn before the fight even started. I was touched by Ortiz’s inspiration. His inspiration is his four year old little girl who was born with a medical condition that included necrosis in one of her fingers. Ortiz said that he was willing to have one of his fingers amputated so when his daughter was old enough to see his father’s hand, he would tell her she was born just like her Daddy. I immediately thought of a couple of other boxers who were inspired to do great things in boxing because of the love and inspiration they received from their ailing daughters. Those boxers are two time Cruiserweight Champion Steve “USS” Cunningham and Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder.

It is truly amazing how “Daddy’s little girl” can be such an inspiration to the most lethal fighters to ever step in the ring. Cunningham’s daughter was born with a rare heart defect known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome. It is a condition in which the left side of the heart isn’t fully developed. Jesse Dougherty quoted Cunningham referencing his daughter’s battle, "If she can do that, I think I can do anything in boxing, in life, I always take that into the ring.”

Wilder’s daughter was born with the congenital disorder spina bifida. X-rays revealed a hole in the spine shortly after her birth as well as the condition which usually confines a person to a wheelchair for life. Wilder was quoted by Lem Satterfield saying, "“She inspires me and we inspire each other each and every day, man. She inspires me still now,” said Wilder, “because when she was a year old, I promised her that Daddy would become a world champion.” Wilder fulfilled that dream and continues to take on any challengers.

It was interesting seeing the behemoth Ortiz getting very emotional talking about bringing his children to the United States and giving them a better life. Ortiz said, “It inspires me even more to obtain my dream, obtain my dream which is to be World Champion.”

Only children can bring out that kind of emotion out of a Daddy. I know this feeling all too well. Seeing your beautiful daughter suffering, you feel helpless. The only thing you can do is pray. It drives you to be a better man. A better person. A better father. A person who would sacrifice himself any day of the week for his family. It is an experience that drives you closer to God. Putting yourself whole heartedly before someone else is something you would have never dreamed of doing before seeing that little girl receiving round the clock care from nurses and doctors. But turning that stressful and horrible experience into something positive, such as earning a world title, is something truly special. It is something that you wouldn’t expect a tiny little girl to motivate you to accomplish. But these little girls did just that for Cunningham and Wilder. Now let’s see if it could come to fruition for Ortiz.

This is for you Annalise. Daddy loves you...

Tyson Fury knows what the alphabet gangs do not: They don’t decide who the real champ is.

Showtime’s Brian Custer recently referred to Deontay Wilder as the “world heavyweight champion” and so contributed to the mass confusion in boxing. Would-be fans —precisely the demographic the sport needs to attract— scratched their heads and wondered what the hell happened two weeks ago when Tyson Fury defeated Wlad Klitschko and was declared the “heavyweight champion of the world.” An unknown number of them reached for the clicker.

The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a fifty-member, all-volunteer initiative representing eighteen countries invites them to put the clicker down and stay tuned. It recommends approaching the sport as they would a holiday with family. When Uncle Ralph staggers over to intrude on a pleasant exchange claiming something is that assuredly isn’t, wave him off. If he can’t take a hint and proves immune to courteous correction, escort him to the door and lock him out in the cold. He’ll sober up eventually. Boxing is overrun with Uncle Ralphs. We find them well-poised on television and meticulous in print, but most of their claims regarding the championships are gobbledygook. Do any of them really believe there are eighty-six champions in the seventeen weight divisions? Do they know the difference between Deontay Wilder’s belt and the divisional crown?

THE CROWN VS. BELTS

Tyson Fury, insists the Board above the nonsense and the din, is heavyweight king. He takes his place in a succession that includes the vanquished Wlad Klitschko, fellow Briton Lennox Lewis, Fury’s namesake Mike Tyson, and thirty-three others give or take. Each divisional succession is an ongoing march through history with expected breaks and disruptions and which began with the first championship bout fought under the Marquess of Queensberry rules. The heavyweights’ stretch back at least to Gentleman Jim Corbett, if not John L. Sullivan — both sons of Éire like Fury himself.

Anyone with more sense than a partridge in a pear tree knows that there are two paths into a divisional succession: (1) defeat the true champion or (2) if said champion retires or otherwise abdicates, earn a top-two ranking and defeat the top or next-best contender.

And what of “world heavyweight champion” Wilder? He did neither. In January 2015, he defeated Bermane Stiverne (then ranked third in the Transnational Rankings when he was ranked sixth) after both contenders surrendered a percentage of their purses to the WBC. That belt Wilder carries is quite literally bought and paid for. It’s a fabrication; a fabrication puffed up by boxing media as something more but that had nothing to do with Wlad Klitschko and therefore had nothing to do with the heavyweight crown.

Wilder was fervent anyway. “I want to fight four times a year,” he said afterward. “Whoever’s ready, I’m ready.” The response of ESPN’s Dan Rafael was proof positive that the language in the sport must change: “Fight fans who have been searching for a [sic] American heavyweight champion surely are also.”

Tyson Fury understands the problem better than most. “If I want a belt, I can go and buy one,” he said last year. “It’s pointless. There’s the status of saying you’re a ‘world champion’, but when there’s twenty-five different world sanctioning bodies, it doesn’t mean nothing.”

TYSON FURY IN MUHAMMAD ALI’S FOOTSTEPS

Earlier this month, the IBF stripped Fury of their belt because of his intention to give Klitschko a rematch. The heavyweight king responded while doing roadwork. “They should take all of them away from me if they want,” he told reporter Peter Lane. “But they’ll never take what I’ve done.”

He’s in good company. The WBA pulled the same stunt on Muhammad Ali in 1964 after he agreed to a rematch against Sonny Liston. It was a move laughed at by yesterday’s more discerning boxing writers. “The WBA is an imaginary organization,” wrote Red Smith. “When Liston and Clay fight again and the winner is recognized as champion by the public, the press, and the participants, the WBA’s pretensions to power must evaporate.” At the other end of Ali’s career, the WBC took their own swing at his legacy when they stripped Leon Spinks in 1978 for agreeing to fight him in a rematch. They “awarded” the belt to Ken Norton and it was begrudgingly acknowledged by increasingly less-discerning boxing writers.

Trainer Peter Fury was more correct than we supposed when he compared Fury’s upset win over Klitschko with Ali’s upset win over Liston. Fury’s recent dismissal of homosexuality and the value of women in society left him wide open for censure, but Ali said worse. Before becoming America’s secular saint, Ali was a divisive figure who routinely thumbed his nose at the majority culture. “A black man should be killed if he’s messing with a white woman,” he said during a Playboy interview in 1975. And what of a Black Muslim woman who wants to go out with a white man? “Then she dies. Kill her, too.”

In case you haven’t noticed, Ali is celebrated by the very demographic that now condemns Fury.

A HERALD OF CHANGE?

Fury, who shuffled his feet familiarly a few times during the Klitschko fight, can likewise redefine himself as something other than a provocateur of the political left; he can step forward as a herald of change in boxing. Reform is in the air. It’s in his ear. “Gonna speak with [promoter] Mick [Hennessy] and & Tyson to give all belts away. Win em & vacate the lot. Money racket,” tweeted his trainer on December 9. “We know who the real champ is.”

The IBF, WBA, WBC, et al. would rather we didn’t. Unaccountable to anything outside their counting houses, they will continue to thrive in the mass confusion and make decisions based solely on their interests.

The heavyweight king is expected to do what is in his interests, but is also signaling his willingness to do something more.

The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board’s only interest resides in that “something more.” It will continue to provide clarity for fans and fighters alike by publishing clean, globally-represented rankings at www.tbrb.org and identifying “the real champs” with virtual crowns that don’t cost a thing.

_________________

Springs Toledo is a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.  Special thanks to Jose Corpas and Tim Starks.

Bryant Jennings and Luis Ortiz stepped on the scales Friday for their anticipated heavyweight clash this Saturday at the Turning Stone Resort Casino.

Jennings (19-1, 10 KOs) came in at 229.5 pounds, 9.5  pounds lighter than Ortiz (23-0, 20 KO’s) who weighed in at 239 pounds. 

Bryant Jennings (19-1, 10 KOs) and undefeated Luis Ortiz (23-0, 20 KO's) will hit the scales this afternoon for the official weigh-in at the Convention Center, Seneca, Onondaga and Cayuga Rooms at Turning Stone Resort Casino at 1PM ET ahead of their 12-round heavyweight title bout.

During the final presser Ortiz told the media that: "I am a man of few words and will let my hands do the talking."

"I have worked very hard to be here, and I will not waste this opportunity. We will see on Saturday who is the best." says Ortiz.

Meanwhile, Jennings told that: "Preparation went as planned" and that "there will be no surprises on Saturday."

Let's take a look at the fighters once again during the weigh-in and see how the fight will look like as they flex their battle ready arms.

Jennings vs. Ortiz is a 12-round heavyweight bout fight for the heavyweight title on HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins live at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, New York on Saturday night.

On Saturday night, the great Roy Jones Jr. (62-9) was the recipient of one of the most brutal knockouts of his career against Cruiserweight contender Enzo Maccarinelli (33-7). It was very sad watching what was left of the legendary Jones in the ring that night. An overweight Jones was standing straight up, holding his hands low, while trading punches with the much bigger Maccarinelli. According to the commentators, Jones was doing the old “rope-a-dope” tactic, shooting straight rights and left hooks while being pinned against the ropes. In reality, Jones’ body is so broken down that he could no longer move laterally. His knees are shot from taking the abuse he withstood from his father.

As an amateur, Jones Sr. used to make his son run ten miles a day in the streets of Pensacola, Florida. If Jones was the last kid to come back from doing his road work, he paid a heavy price through physical abuse. Because of the condition of his knees, running is no longer an option to get in shape for fights at this stage of his career. Due to Jones’ deteriorating knees, his legs were so straight in his last fight that it appeared he was fighting on stilts. A boxer cannot punch effectively or get out-of-the-way of punches if his legs are not able to able to bend or function properly.

Jones was knocked out with a right uppercut to the head and a vicious right hook to the temple. The heavy blows dropped Jones like a ton of bricks, flat on his stomach. Eventually, he rolled over on his back, eyes closed, with slight movement to his legs. However, his legs looked as if he was having involuntary leg spasms. It was a sight seen way too often in the hall of fame career of the great Jones. The jerky movement was eerily familiar to when Jones was knocked out cold by Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson in 2004. Most fighters would have walked away from boxing after sustaining such traumatic knockouts. Jones has had 21 additional professional fights since.

Jones has fallen victim to staying in one of the most unforgiving sports on the planet far beyond what he should have. I have seen the rise and fall all too often in World Champions. World Champions such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De Lay Hoya, Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, and the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, it is very rare to see a fighter go out on top like Lennox Lewis or Joe Calzaghe. It is even more rare to see an old fighter such as George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins succeed in the twilight of their career.

Growing up I was in awe of the Jones. The speed, quickness, and power was unlike anyone I have seen put on a pair of boxing gloves. Jones dominated the 90s, and it seemed like there was no one worthy of challenging him. Boxing pundits used to say that Jones fought in the wrong era of boxing due to the lack of competition. It was unheard of for a man to go from winning the middleweight championship of the world, to winning the heavyweight championship of the world, along with every world title in between. Every title except, the Cruiserweight title.

In a very touching article written by Brin-Jonathan Butler, Jones was asked when enough was enough regarding his accomplishments in the ring. Jones said,”Cruiserweight title. Nobody in history has won all the titles I’ve won and the cruiserweight title. I’d be the only man in history. That’s when you die and go to heaven, and God can look at you and know you did everything with the gifts he gave you. If I died today, could I really say that? If I stopped fighting, could I live the rest of my life knowing I didn’t do everything I was put here to do?”

Jones should have went out on top in 2003 when he defeated Heavyweight Champion John Ruiz. I remember seeing how fast he worked the jab against Ruiz. The speed of his hands and feet was a work of art. Ruiz couldn’t touch the man. When Jones won that fight, he cemented his legacy in boxing. But like many boxers, he was lured back into the sport. He then felt his accomplishments were not enough.

I hope Jones will not be remembered as the man who stayed in the ring way too long, lying unconscious on the canvas. Budd Schulberg wrote, “Old fighters don’t fade away. They slowly die in front of our eyes.” I’m tired of seeing Jones die in front of my eyes along with everyone else that is close to him. In 2006 Jones, made his rap debut with, “Ya’ll must have forgot,” reminding the public of all of his accomplishments in the ring. One thing is for sure. I do not think I will ever forget.

Joshua went beyond round two for the first time in his career and Whyte was able to expose some vulnerability of his game during their heavyweight clash at the O2 Arena in London, the United Kingdom on Sky Box Office.

Joshua stopped Whyte in Round 7 to continue his 15 consecutive victories, which is all by way of stoppage. Joshua landed a hard counter right hand that wobbled Whyte. He followed up with a hard uppercut that sent Whyte to the canvass causing referee Howard John Foster to stop the fight at 1:27 in Round 7.

In the first round, Joshua was in control of the fight and hurt Whyte few seconds left in the first round. I thought it would be another walk in the park for Joshua. But Whyte managed to hang on. Out of excitement to finish Whyte early, Joshua unintentionally threw few more punches after the bell. It did not go well on Whyte, and he retaliated by throwing a couple of punches while the referee tried to separate them. This made each camp's entourage come up in the ring. The extra commotion benefited Whyte as he got more time to recover from the flush shot that hurt him in the previous round.

In the second and third rounds, Whyte was able to hurt Joshua. His confidence grew a little bit as he tries now to step his offense a little bit up. But Joshua was obviously still in control of the pace of the fight as he landed a more telling blow that limited Whyte to mount or even build his attack rhythm.

In the seventh, Joshua landed a hard counter that hurt Whyte. After sensing Whyte's in trouble, Joshua followed up with few more punches and then caught the retreating rival with a vicious uppercut that sent Whyte to the canvass for good.

Although, still a knockout victory for Joshua, many have been quick to criticize his performance. A Twitter fan says that "David Haye whatever his condition will beat Joshua".

It could be true, but one thing for sure is that Joshua really learned something in this fight, and I expect few improvements from his game the next time he steps up into the ring.

THANK YOU to God for allowing me to bring back the belt to Philippines!

Thank you to my Angels for their protection.

Thank you to my TEAM who kept me in my game and training me mentally, physically, spiritually for this fight.

To my loving family for all their sacrifice and love...

To the BEST manager in the game Cameron Dunkin for looking out for me.

To Top Rank for the title opportunity...

To Motolite for continuing to believe in me.

To Mizuno for always styling us out.

To ABSCBN for always showing my fights.

To the island of Puerto Rico for welcoming as their own..

And finally to all my fans for always supporting me and never giving up on me.

My words cannot express my gratitude.

Mabuhay Pilipinas!

 

Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire (36-3, 23 KO's) displayed the skills, guts, and heart of a champion and claimed the title, once again, in the super bantamweight division, in what turned out a potential Fight of the Year candidate.

The FOTY possibility could not be achieved without the unflinching guts, grits tough as a concrete nails in Cesar Juarez. He showed what it is like to be a proud warrior. Juarez (17-4, 13 KO's) may not have sound boxing skills and experience to back it up, but his heart and relentless pressure to force Donaire to fight his game made the fight so thrilling and explosive till the end.

There's no questioning about the guts, and toughness of Juarez. He was absorbing all the best shots of Donaire. Ranging from Donaire's right straight and vaunted left hook. But oh man! Juarez is such a proud warrior willing to take it all in front of the Puerto Rican crowd in Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, the difference in class was very evident. Donaire's boxing skills are way above but Juarez's heart and toughness are no doubt at a much higher level.

The Fight

The first three rounds are all about Donaire. He was light on his feet, sharp-shooting the predictable Juarez.

Things got much in Donaire's favor in Round 4.

Donaire scored two knockdowns in Round 4 in what looked like a fight that would not last the distance. Looks like another short night in favor of Donaire. But Juarez brushed the cob-webs off and continued the pressure. The younger Juarez was quick to recover in less than 10 counts from the referee. Donaire, an excellent finisher, was unable to finish the work at hand.

In Round 6, some serious concern on Donaire's corner when he slipped and got up limping. It looked like something was not right on his ankle. The referee gave him time to feel his ankle. After few seconds, he continued to fight.

In Round 7, Juarez got the better out of Donaire who seemed a little bit tired. Donaire didn't get past three rounds in disposing of opponents in his last two fights. Juarez, 24, started walking Donaire, 33, towards the ropes and then pounded him there with hard shots to the head and body. But Donaire, was able to time and counter Juarez with power left hooks and right straights that wobbled Juarez several times.

In Round 9, Donaire started back to his foot and trying to box around again with his jabs. But Juarez was persistent in stalking Donaire. His only chance is when Donaire's back against the rope enabling him to land his shots.

In the championship rounds, Donaire is well ahead of the judges' scorecards. He can disengage and dance away from Juarez if he wanted to and still won on points. But obviously, his mind is willing but his feet were not, plus the unwavering pressure of Juarez. Both men ended the fight locked nose to nose and let their hands fly till the final bell.

In the end, the official scores were: 166-110, 116-110, and 117-109 all in favor of Donaire for the unanimous decision win.

Jesus Cuellar got all three judges to nod to win a unanimous decision against Jonathan Oquendo during their featherweight title match at the Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, Saturday night

The official scores were: 116-111, 116-111, and 120-107 all for Cuellar for the unanimous decision victory.

Oquendo was down in Round 4 on what seemed like he tangled his leg against Cuellar in that sequence and fell hard head-first to the canvas.

Cuellar improved to 28 wins, 1 defeat, 21 wins via knockout while Oquendo added another loss to his ledger, 26 wins, 5 defeats, 16 wins via knockout.

 On Thanksgiving day, the premiere of Creed debuted in theaters across the country. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the spin off to the Rocky series is the story of Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed. Creed was the Heavyweight Champion of the world, and Rocky’s nemesis, in the original Rocky. In the later sequels, Apollo became Rocky’s trainer and close friend.

Prior to fighting Ivan Drago in Rocky 4, Apollo had an affair with a woman who later gave birth to Johnson. Apollo was killed in the ring by Drago and never got to meet Johnson. Years later, while Johnson was in custody at juvenile hall, Mary Anne Creed (Apollo’s wife) reveals to Johnson that Apollo Creed is his father. It is unknown who Johnson’s real mother is. Mary Anne offers to have Johnson move in with her instead of going from group home to group home. Johnson agrees. Johnson eventually decides to become a professional boxer under the tutelage of the "Italian Stallion” Rocky Balboa.

Prior to watching this movie, I read article after article about how fantastic the movie is. I read that Johnson’s character, Michael B. Jordan, did an excellent job. I read the movie should be a franchise of its own and an Oscar may be a possibility. Being one of the biggest Rocky fans in the world, I did not know what to expect. Was it going to embarrass one of the greatest underdog stories of all time? Did the Rocky character have to be resurrected once again after the disappointing Rocky 5 and the entertaining but so so "Rocky Balboa" movie? Was Creed going to run the franchise into the ground? Let’s just say, I was very much pleasantly surprised.

The movie had its definite share of nostalgia of the original Rocky movie. Johnson is seen running through the Italian market where Rocky ran in the first two Rocky movies. Johnson is also seen working out in the vintage Mighty Mick’s boxing gym where Rocky spent countless hours being trained by Mickey Goldmill. Mighty Mick’s is also the location of where Apollo and Rocky had a secret trilogy match up. Rocky finally reveals who won that third fight in Creed. And last but not least, Johnson is seen visiting the Philadelphia Museum of Art where Rocky ran up “the steps.” The museum is also where the famous Rocky statue sits. But the freshness Creed brought was unexpected and a breath of fresh air.

The hip hop and R&B influence was very apparent. The street slang, the music, and style of dress showed a different side of the Rocky franchise. Creed also showed a different kind of love story never before seen in previous Rocky movies. The dialogue between Johnson and his love interest, Bianca, played by Tessa Thompson, was genuine and original. Both characters had dreams and goals and later supported one another in their endeavors. Their story simply did not focus on what Johnson wanted to achieve in boxing and in life. It was new and refreshing to see.

I was happy to once again see the great Sylvester Stallone play Rocky’s character on the big screen. To see the innocence, inspiring, and heart of gold of the man who has been a part of American culture since 1976 was an absolute joy. But there was something different this time around about the indestructible fighter who took blow after blow and kept coming that we have grown accustomed to seeing over the years.There is no more fight at the end with Rocky being the triumphant champ with the crowd cheering “Rocky! Rocky!” This is not Rocky’s story. It is Johnson’s story. Rocky has officially passed the torch. Rocky’s time has officially passed, as he shows his age and fragility. Rocky is now Mickey, the trainer helping his fighter defeat his opponent in the ring. It was something that was inevitable. Although I have to admit, it was a little sad to see unfold before my eyes. But like life itself, the show must go on…

Creed portrayed one of the very best boxing sequences I have ever seen in Hollywood. The boxing choreography was excellent. It was not pure give and take, brawling, and blood and guts. Was there blood? Was there give and take, tit for tat, and exaggerated punching sequences? Absolutely! But the defense, counter shots, shoulder roll, and combination punching to the head and body was unlike any other I have seen on the big screen. Kudos to you Ryan Coogler!

The training camp in the film was also very impressive. The bag work, the shadow boxing, the sparring, and the mitt work appeared very real. It did not show some hodge podge actor holding punching mitts like he just got off the couch and walked into a boxing gym. Mitt holding is a skill in itself. The training camp showed the assistant boxing trainer as someone who has been around the sport for a long time. It was also very apparent Michael B. Jordan put in an immense amount of work in the gym to do the character justice.

I’m ecstatic that Creed made the Rocky franchise proud. I’m excited the birth of a new underdog trying to prove his worth has arrived and that boxing continues to be an avenue to tell inspiring stories. I am excited that the Rocky Balboa spirit continues to live on for generations to come. Ladies and gentlemen there’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Adonis “Hollywood” Johnson.

Tyson Fury is the new heavyweight champion of the world! He won on points against Wladimir Klitschko in their heavyweight clash in Germany on Saturday night.

The official score: 115-112, 115-112 and 166-111 all for Fury.

It was really a dull performance of the former champion. Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs) just landed a total of 52 punches in 12 rounds to Tyson's 86. He just landed four body shots versus Fury's 20.

Klitschko the obvious power puncher simply didn't let his hands go landing only 18 power shots to Fury's 48.

The classic Klitschko really showed tonight but it's just that Tyson Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) had a different approach tonight compared to Klitschko's previous challengers. Fury just did a little more than what Klitschko is doing to win points in every round.

Klitschko really got the dose of his own medicine tonight. Fury was able to capitalize his reach and height advantage, which was Klitschko's advantage against former smaller challengers.

Wladimir Klitschko and Tyson Fury's combined weight was 493 pounds during the weigh-in.

On fight night, they could weigh more than 500 pounds for their heavyweight championship clash at the Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, Saturday night.

The stats

There were times Klitschko's fight had been with challengers heavier than him. But most of the time, the 6’6” reigning heavyweight champ from Ukraine, had the height and reach advantage on those challengers. Then Klitschko (64-3, 53 KOs) would capitalize on those advantages and win.

Klitschko uses his 81" reach as a jab that earned him the “Dr. Steel Hammer” moniker to keep an opponent at bay and also busting the opponent's nose at the same time. He also uses his height to lean on shorter opponents during clinched -- if an opponent manages to close the gap.

Against Tyson Fury, Klitschko doesn’t have the above advantages.  Fury (24-0, 18 KOs) has the three inches height advantages at 6’9” over Klitschko at 6’6”. But the champion has the obvious ring experience having 67 total bouts to Fury’s 24. On the flip side, Fury is the younger fighter at 27 years old, while Klitschko is 12 years senior at 39.

The fight

In the early rounds, I think Klitschko will start slow as usual. Although if Fury forces the action early, the tempo might be changed, I expect Klitschko to clinch a little bit more if the younger Fury engages early and choose to fight from inside.

The battle of jabs

In the third, Fury will use his legs effectively and throw more jabs to counter Klitschko’s heavy jabs.

But the champion adjusts in the fourth round, blasting Fury with his signature one-two combo as Fury launches his attacks.

In the middle rounds, Fury continues to land some jabs from outside. He will use angles with his footwork, but also take harder shots from the champion, who steps up the gas and shifts to a higher gear.

In the seventh, it is obvious that Klitschko's ring experience and power took over. He’s landing the harder shots that showed its damaging effect on the challenger.

In the ninth, Klitchsko’s power finally ends the challenger's bid for the world heavyweight championship. The champion lands a textbook one-two combo spot on the button that sends Fury hard to the canvass. Klitschko TKO9.

Saul Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) is the new lineal middleweight champion of the world.

It was a highly technical battle. It is a fight wherein every exchange might break into an all-out brawl. But either Canelo or Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) reach the breaking point. They both stick to their tactical plan. The result was a mixture of boxing science in execution and entertaining display of action -- more than enough to wake you up --  if you fall asleep during the Rigondeux-Francisco snooze-fist.

Canelo won wide from all the three judges' scorecards at ringside against Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto. The official scores were: 117-111, 119-110, and 118-110.

More detailed post-fight recap soon.

Miguel Cotto and Saul Canelo Alvarez tipped the scale on Friday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, North Convention Center – Islander Ballroom ahead of their middleweight battle on Saturday night on pay-per-view.

Lineal middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) surprisingly weighed in even below the junior middleweight limit. He only weighed 153.5 lbs., which is .5 lbs. under the junior middleweight limit during their official weigh-in at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, North Convention Center - Islander Ballroom on Friday afternoon.

Mexican star Saul Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) tipped the scales spot on the contracted catchweight limit at 155 lbs.

Canelo has a clear advantage in size for this match-up. The catchweight at 155, I think will play to his advantage in my opinion, because Canelo seemed to struggle to make 154 lately. He tends to tire in the late rounds of his previous fights at 154. An indication he might outgrow his division. One pound could really make the difference here. At 155, it made him not that much drained during the training but not too heavy to make him sluggish and slow. But he should not over re-hydrate.

Miguel Cotto and Saul Canelo Alvarez will tip the scale on Friday 1 PM PT at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, North Convention Center - Islander Ballroom for their middleweight clash on Saturday night. You can watch the weigh-in live on the above HBO Boxing video stream.

Only four people believed Holly Holm will win against former undefeated UFC female superstar Ronda Rousey when the two met in Australia this past weekend. Those were the people in her corner.

When Drian Francisco (28-3-1, 22 KOs) enters the ring this Saturday night against the undefeated and the best pure boxer in the sport today, Guillermo Rigondeux (15-0, 10 KOs), most likely, fewer people think he will win. I can’t even blame if the men that will man his corner doubted he will win. After all, when the bell sounded to signal the beginning of Round 1 it’s between Francisco and Rigondeux.

But the Filipino known for his unorthodox style was unfazed of the situation. He was very motivated to win. He’s hungry to win. This is a rare opportunity, and the opportunity came in at the right time.

Here’s why:

Drian is currently preparing for a fight when he was offered to fight Regondeaux on the undercard of the most anticipated Mexico- Puerto Rico boxing rivalry Miguel Cotto vs Saul Canelo Alvarez. Francisco pulled out of a scheduled ten-round bout against Danilo Pena scheduled on Friday. Meaning, Drian is in fighting shape when this opportunity surface – although the offer came out in the short notice.

Unlike any sacrificial lamb destined to be defeated in the savage squared circle against a much superior opponent in short notice, Drian is a well-prepared lamb.

If he’s physically prepared, let’s check how’s mentally prepared for this fight.

"I know that Rigondeaux is one of the best fighters. He's one of the top four or five best fighters in the world. But I'm here to fight and I am here to win". Drian said during the final media workout.

"I'm mentally prepared for this fight. I hope the fans will support me. I will do my best in the ring." said Francisco.

On the other hand, Rigo is coming off from an 11-month hiatus. Ring-rust may not play a major factor as Rigo always train. But inactivity is inactivity. It doesn't do good to any fighter other than resting a battle-weary body and soul.

With the above said, what do you think are the chances of Drian Francisco pulling an upset?

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 18, 2015) - The Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) and former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) made their grand arrivals yesterday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas ahead of their Nov. 21 world championship showdown, which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View

Cotto vs. Canelo is shaping up to be the biggest fight in boxing this year and the biggest fight in the history of the famed Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry. Below is what the fighters and their trainers had to say at today's grand arrivals:

MIGUEL COTTO, The Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion:

"Freddie is the biggest compliment I have in my career. He has made me a better boxer. After this next fight, you are going to really understand what he has done for my career.

"I am not disappointed by the WBC's decision [to strip Cotto of his title]. It was all about money. The fee for this fight was absurd to me and I prefer to keep the money in my account. I don't need to pay attention to Oscar De La Hoya's opinion. He should take care of his own business. And I will take care of mine. I don't stick my nose in Oscar's business.

"The organizations wants four champions in every division just to earn a percentage from
everybody. Then we have to pay for their mistakes. This is not fair to me. The WBC told me my offer was not reasonable to them. They told me I was not going to be the champion anymore. I don't need their belt. I have enough belts in my house and with the money I saved, I can buy any belt I want. I can be the champion of whatever I want in my house.

"This fight sells itself. Everybody should know what to expect from Canelo and what kind of fight they can expect from me. I know I have everything I need to beat Canelo.

"I don't want to be in the sport for that much longer. I see two or three more fights andthat will be all.

"No matter what I have to do on Nov. 21 to beat Canelo, I am going to do because I prepared myself for war. I prepared myself for a good fight and, I am going to do my best. This fight cannot be decided by one punch. I am going to use my whole arsenal to beat Canelo.

"Training is all about discipline. Everyone knows that Freddie has Parkinson's Disease. You never hear any complaints coming from Freddie. This man, Freddie Roach, gave me the tools I needed in my career and he made me work as hard as I can. Freddie made me look the way I looked during our last few fights."

CANELO ÁLVAREZ, Former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion:

"I understand the magnitude of this fight and what it means for the history of Puerto Rico vs. Mexico. I know this fight will go down as one of the most exciting and explosive nights in the famed rivalry and in the sport of boxing.

"I am very prepared for this fight. I have full confidence in my trainers and their approach to this fight. People can expect a great fight that will be talked about for years to come.

"I am doing this for my fans, for my country and for history."

FREDDIE ROACH, International Boxing Hall of Famer & Seven-Time BWAA Trainer of the Year Award Winner, Miguel Cotto Trainer:

"Miguel trains with all he has. We're in the gym every morning at 5:00 a.m. for conditioning work and that lasts for three hours. Then at 1:00 p.m. we have our boxing workout. We work really hard every day.

"Before I go to sleep every night, I run through my thoughts, and make sure I have everything covered. There's not one aspect of the fight that I don't think about. We cover all our bases. And we're 100 percent ready for this opponent. Canelo makes a lot of mistakes. And we're really going to take advantage of those mistakes. He has youth on his side. But that's not going to be enough to beat us.

"Miguel is bigger than the belt."

CHEPO REYNOSO, Manager and Trainer for Canelo Álvarez:

"I have had the privilege to see Canelo grow into the man that he is and I know that he is ready for this fight. He has been preparing for this night his whole life.

"Canelo is a strong, intelligent fighter, with a lot of heart and that will show on fight night. I know he will raise up his hands in victory for Mexico."

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer for Canelo Álvarez:

"We are very well prepared for this fight. Canelo is a strong fighter who is getting better every day. On fight night there will be fireworks in the ring.

"We are very confident in Canelo's abilities. He is someone with no limitations and will go down in history as legend after his victory on Nov. 21."

Cotto vs. Canelo, a 12-round fight for the Lineal Middleweight World Championship, takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra; Mexico, Live it to Believe it!; O'Reilly Auto Parts; Tequila Cazadores and Corporate Travel Made Simple (ctms). Also on the pay-per-view telecast will be Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas in a 12-round co-featured fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship presented in association with Teiken Promotions; Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Drian Francisco in a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented in association with Caribe Promotions; and Jayson Velez vs. Ronny Rios is a 10-round featherweight bout which will open the Pay-Per-View telecast. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Randy Caballero vs. Lee Haskins, a 12-round fight for the IBF Bantamweight World Championship, is presented in association with Bristol Boxing Ltd. and will be featured as part of the preliminary undercards available on digital platforms starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature a special live performance by 2015 Latin Grammy nominee Yandel. The performance will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View after the second fight of the pay-per-view telecast.

Four days before lineal middleweight champion Miguel Cotto defends title versus Saul Canelo Alvarez, WBC stripped Cotto his middleweight title. According to the below WBC statement, "Miguel Cotto and his promotion did not agree to comply with the WBC Rules & Regulations". But surprisingly, Alvarez can win the WBC title because he "has agreed to do so". Hmmmm... Sounds bullshit to me - defending on the real WBC reason.

I'm speculating here, but it seemed to me that the reason could be the "sanction fee". I believed Cotto refused to pay sanction fees imposed by the WBC. Naaa... Maybe it's too much!

Anyway here's the full statement:

"The World Boxing Council worked tirelessly through a process that began over two years ago to secure the celebration of the highly anticipated fight between Miguel Cotto and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.  The WBC is proud of that accomplishment that is giving boxing fans around the world a very important fight to see.

After several weeks of communications, countless attempts and good faith time extensions trying to preserve the fight as a WBC World Championship, Miguel Cotto and his promotion did not agree to comply with the WBC Rules & Regulations, while Saúl Alvarez has agreed to do so.  Accordingly, the WBC must rule on the matter prior to the fight.

The WBC hereby announces that effective immediately has withdrawn recognition of Miguel Cotto as WBC World Middleweight Champion. If Saul “Canelo” Alvarez wins the fight against Cotto, he will be recognized as the WBC middleweight world champion.

The WBC’s decision is premised on the fact that Miguel Cotto and his camp are not willing to abide by the governing WBC Rules & Regulations, and the specific conditions the WBC established to sanction the fight.  Simply put: they are not willing to respect the very same rules and conditions which applied to Cotto becoming WBC champion. The WBC wishes Miguel Cotto the best of luck as we truly regret the course of action which led to them taking such decision.

The WBC is a non-profit governing organization founded 53 years ago.  The WBC has implemented all of the current rules in the sport, paving the way to much safer boxing.  The WBC creates, implements and enforces, its Rules & Regulations to bring safety, order, unity, justice and equality to a sport that was marred with abuse and unfairness.  Since the first day of existence of our organization, the WBC has taken countless actions for the protection of the boxer and it is a fact that most if not all boxers dream of conquering the green belt.

The WBC stands by its honorability and will not participate in the abuse of power and greediness, which has taken our boxing world to regrettable actions from different parties.  The WBC wishes the promotion great success and we are satisfied that this great fight for boxing will be enjoyed by millions of fans around the world."

On Saturday night in Melbourne Australia, Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (10-0, 7 KO’s) knocked out former bantamweight UFC champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey (12-1, 3 KO’s, 9 by submission). Rousey was a HUGE favorite going into the fight. Everyone thought this was going to be another submission or KO win for Rousey. Big plans were already in the works after the predicted win over Holm.

The next step for Rousey was to potentially dabbe in the boxing world, in an attempt to win another world title. In fact, she just graced the January 2016 cover of “The Ring magazine,” which hits stands on November 15. The well known and respected boxing magazine, sells itself as the “Bible of boxing.” Not only is she the second woman to be featured on the front page, she is the first MMA fighter to take the cover. Oscar De La Hoya was licking his chops, anticipating this win so he could make a whole lot of money off Rousey, the cash cow. Holm upset the plan and has officially conquered the MMA and boxing world. For those of you who don’t know Holm, here’s a snippet of what she has accomplished.

Holm was a professional boxing champion who won world titles from the 140 pound to 154 pound division. She held a record of 33-2-3 with 9 KO’s. Holm defended her world titles eighteen times. In addition to her boxing accomplishments, Holm was also a kickboxer who held a record of 2-1 1 KO. The question going into the fight was, could Holm be effective against Rousey’s dominant ground game. Rousey has dominated her past few opponents in the stand up game. So add Rousey's ground game to how she much has excelled fighting on her feet, everyone thought Holm was just going to be another sacrificial lamb. Holm ended up knocking out Rousey with a round-house kick which is being named, “The kick heard around the world.” A rematch was talked about immediately after Rousey got off the canvas. A definite win for Dana White. $CHA CHING$

This was not Holm’s first rodeo. She has been in with the best fighters in the world and has dominated. The trash talking is nothing new to her. She knows that all of the mind games and name calling does not matter. What matters is what happens in the ring or the cage. Holm’s experience was very apparent during interviews leading up to the fight. It was also apparent at the weigh-in incident when Rousey attempted to intimidate Holm by placing her fist in her face. Holm responded by pushing Rousey off with a her fist of her own. Rousey began to trash talk Holm saying she “sees right through her.” Holm just sat back very calm and collected and just looked at Rousey as she was running her mouth. Holm told Joe Rogan when asked what the exchange was about, “I don’t know, I was just having a drink, you know.” Holm has been in world title fights before. It’s nothing new. The only difference is the whole world was now watching it.

Many believe this was a huge blow to Rousey and the MMA world. Many believe she will not come back the same. I believe this loss was actually a win for everyone, including Rousey herself.

Rousey was built as being an invincible fighter that no one could come close to beating. There were even talks at one point of her getting in the cage with pound for pound great Floyd Mayweather Jr. A fighter who is built up that much could lead to very devastating consequences. One that stands out is hubris. The fighter feels untouchable. No one could tell him/her what to do. The law doesn’t apply to them. Opinions from people who look out for your best interests don’t apply. The fighter starts listening to groupies, hang-arounds, and moochers. The fighter starts to stay out a little later and skip training sessions a little more often. The fighter decides to leave the trainer and management that brought him/her up. An example is someone who I and many others, have compared Rousey to. That example is Iron Mike Tyson. I’m not saying Rousey was going in the direction of Tyson. It just appeared a little hubris was starting to creep in.

The fight was a huge win for women’s boxing. Several female boxers throughout the world have not received the recognition they deserve for being a willing participate in one of the most unforgiving and brutal sports in the world. Women get to the highest level of their craft and are not recognized whatsoever for their accomplishments, hard work, and dedication. Holm brought women’s boxing to the forefront. For just a little bit, women’s boxing has received some recognition due to Holm being a three time world champion boxer. Hats off to you ladies!

This fight was not only a win for women’s boxing, the fight was a positive for boxing. Period. No where near this magnitude has boxing gotten the attention it deserves in defeating a mixed martial artist. Yes, Holm knocked out Rousey with a roundhouse kick to the head. Because of this, it is natural for the layman to believe that her kickboxing skills got her the victory. But what people do not see is the subtle intricacies that the sweet science allowed for that devastating kick. Holm’s footwork and straight left hand set the table. Holm moved left to right, staying on her toes, using lateral movement to stay away from Rousey’s take downs and wild punches. The movement also frustrated Rousey and got her off balance as she was trying to pressure Holm. Holm also used her southpaw straight left several times throughout the fight, blooding Rousey’s nose. When Rousey was on the attack, she lost her balance, and BAM! Lights out.

Did boxing win on Saturday night? Maybe a little bit. But who truly won was Holm. Her preparation won her that fight. If she went into that cage simply wanting to kickbox or box Rousey, it would have been a very short night. She would have gotten trapped in an arm bar, like many of Rousey’s past opponents, and submitted. She defended against the takedowns and against the submissions. Holm was on her bicycle, running circles around Rousey, tagging her at every opportunity. Holm was the victor. But I have to admit, I’m glad boxing helped her big time winning that UFC championship.

Rousey will bounce back. She always has. She’s been down before in the judo matt and ended up being the first American in women’s judo to win an Olympic medal. All the credit in the world goes to Rousey for putting women’s combat sports on the map. The attention would be nowhere near the magnitude it has become without the great Rousey. I just hope the attention lasts for a while...

Read Oscar De La Hoya's open letter to Floyd Mayweather Jr. that appeared on Playboy's December issue.

"Dear Floyd:

You did it. You made it to the 49–0 mark, a milestone that you like to say only the great Rocky -Marciano reached but that was actually achieved by others, including my idol Julio César Chávez—but who’s counting? And now you’re retiring. Again. (The first time was after our fight in 2007.) This time you say it’s for real. You’re serious about hanging up the gloves. On to bigger and better things. So I’m writing to you today to wish you a fond farewell. Truth be told, I’m not unhappy to see you retire. Neither are a lot of boxing fans. Scratch that. MOST boxing fans. Why? Because the fight game will be a better one without you in it.

Let’s face it: You were boring. Just take a look at your most recent performance, your last hurrah in the ring, a 12-round decision against Andre Berto. How to describe it? A bust? A disaster? A snooze fest? An affair so one-sided that on one judge’s card Berto didn’t win a single round? Everyone in boxing knew Berto didn’t have a chance. I think more people watched Family Guy reruns that night than tuned in to that pay-per-view bout. But I didn’t mind shelling out $75 for the HD broadcast. In fact it’s been a great investment. When my kids have trouble falling asleep, I don’t have to read to them anymore. I just play them your Berto fight. They don’t make it past round three.

Another reason boxing is better off without you: You were afraid. Afraid of taking chances. Afraid of risk. A perfect example is your greatest “triumph,” the long-awaited record-breaking fight between you and Manny Pacquiao. Nearly 4.5 million buys! More than $400 million in revenue! Headlines worldwide! How can that be bad for boxing? Because you lied. You promised action and entertainment and a battle for the ages, and you delivered none of the above. The problem is, that’s precisely how you want it. You should have fought Pacquiao five years ago, not five months ago. That, however, would have been too dangerous. Too risky. You’ve made a career out of being cautious. You won’t get in the ring unless you have an edge. Sure, you fought some big names. But they were past their prime. Hell, even when we fought in 2007—and I barely lost a split decision—I was at the tail end of my career. Then later you took on Mexican megastar Saúl “Canelo” -Álvarez, but he was too young and had to drop too much weight.

Me? I got into this business to take chances. I took on all comers in their prime. The evidence? I lost. Six times. After 31 wins, my first loss was to Félix Trinidad, and I learned a valuable lesson that is true both in the ring and in life: Don’t run. I didn’t stop taking on the best of the best. After beating Derrell Coley, I took on “Sugar” Shane Mosley at the height of his powers—undefeated and considered by many to be the pound-for-pound best in the world. Again, I lost. After four wins against more top-ranked fighters I took on Mosley again. We can debate who actually won the rematch, but the judges had me losing that one as well.

Did I go easy after that? No. I moved up to middleweight to win a belt and faced one of the greatest middleweights of all time, Bernard Hopkins. After a body shot that I’m still feeling took me out of the fight, I took on two more guys at the height of their power who, many years later, would finally face each other at the ages of 36 and 38—Manny Pacquiao and you. When fighters do that—when they risk losing—that’s when everyone wins. The mantra of my firm Golden Boy Promotions is simple: the best taking on the best. It’s too bad you didn’t do the same.

You took the easy way out. When you weren’t dancing around fading stars (show idea for you: Dancing Around the Fading Stars), you were beating up on outclassed opponents. A lot of your opponents were above-average fighters, but they weren’t your caliber. You’re a very talented fighter, the best defensive fighter of our generation. But what good is talent if you don’t test it? Muhammad Ali did. Sugar Ray Leonard did. You? Not a chance. You spent 2000 to 2010 facing forgettable opening acts like Victoriano Sosa, Phillip N’dou, DeMarcus Corley, Henry Bruseles and Sharmba Mitchell. There were guys out there—tough scary opponents like Antonio Margarito and Paul Williams—but you ran from them. Were you ever on the track team in high school? You would have been a star.

Boxing will also be a better place without the Mouth. Your mouth, to be precise, the one that created “Money” Mayweather. I know you needed that Money Mayweather persona. Before he—and Golden Boy -Promotions—came along, nobody watched your fights. You couldn’t even sell out your hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Mouth made you money. More money than you could spend in a lifetime. (Wait, I’ve seen those episodes of 24/7. You probably will spend it all.) But the Mouth doesn’t have a place in boxing; save it for the WWE. Unless you’re someone like Ali, whose fights were as scintillating as his banter, the all-talk, no-entertainment model cheapens our sport. Boxers should speak with their fists and with their hearts. They don’t have to say anything to prove themselves. You’re going to have a legacy. You’ll be remembered as the guy who made the most money. As for your fights? We’ve already forgotten them.

Now that you’re stepping aside, attention can be turned to the sport’s real stars: the brawlers, the brave, the boxers who want nothing more than to face the best and therefore be the best. There’s Canelo, Kazakh KO sensation Gennady Golovkin, ferocious flyweight Román González, slugger Sergey Kovalev and a host of up-and-comers including Terence Crawford, Vasyl Lomachenko and Keith Thurman. Want to see what a monster fight looks like? Canelo takes on Miguel Cotto on November 21. It won’t do 4.4 million in PPV buys, but everyone who watches it will be thrilled. And that’s no empty promise.

You’re moving on to a new phase of life now, a second act. I’m sure it will be nice not to have to train year-round. To get out of the gym and spend time with your family. But I’m wondering what you’re going to do. You have a lot of time and, at the moment, a lot of money. Maybe you’ll put your true skills to work and open a used-car dealership or run a circus. Or maybe you’ll wind up back on Dancing With the Stars. It’s a job that’s safe, pays well and lets you run around on stage. Something you’ve been doing for most of your career."

On Saturday night, WBO welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs) out-boxed, out-hustled, and outclassed a shot and out of shape former world titlist Brandon Rios (33-3-1, 24 KOs) in the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Bradley put on a boxing clinic against the straightforward brawler and ended up knocking him out with a multitude of body shots in the ninth round. Bradley displayed immense defensive skill I have never seen in his previous fights. Amazing what seven weeks with one of the greatest boxing trainers on earth could do. That trainer is Theodore “Teddy” Atlas.

Teddy agreed to train Bradley after swearing he would never return to work with fighters after a brief stint with former heavyweight Titlist Alexander Povetkin a few years ago. Teddy is most widely known these days for being an exceptional boxing commentator. In fact, he's one of the best in the business. Although prior to putting on the headset and preaching the gospel of the sweet science, Teddy trained several fighters most notably heavyweight champions Michael Moorer and Mike Tyson.

Teddy is a true boxing savant who teaches the true essence of "hit and not gets hit.” Teddy has a huge emphasis on defense. Teddy is an outspoken trainer who is not shy about harping on his boxers to maintain discipline and focus throughout the fight. A classic Teddy moment is when he told Michael Moorer to stand up from his stool in between rounds during a championship fight against the great Evander Holyfield. Teddy decided to sit on the stool and tear Moorer a new one in an attempt to motivate him. Teddy is still the same emotional and passionate Teddy, as he was on full display in the corner of Bradley.

Although I saw something very unique about the demeanor of Bradley when Teddy was feeding him information in the corner. Bradley was wide-eyed and soaking it all in. Teddy had Bradley’s full attention and he hung on every word Teddy said.

A trainer/fighter relationship in combat sports is crucial. Like any important relationship, in life, the pair has to work well with one another. There have to be open lines of communication, transparency, and most of all trust. A fighter depends on the trainer to guide him through the unforgiving sport, not only in the corner but throughout training camp. If the fighter can not depend on his trainer, the consequence could be deadly..literally. The trainer is a teacher, friend, motivator, and even a therapist. The trainer has to be there day in and day out, is just as committed as the fighter.

There have been many examples of phenomenal fighter/trainer pairings. Examples such as Dundee/Ali, D’amato/Tyson, Stewart/Hearns, Stewart/Klitschko, Roach/Pacquiao, and Mcgirt/Gatti. Of course, you can't forget about the father and son duos such as the Trinidads, the Calzaghe's, the Mosleyses, and last but not the least, the Mayweathers.

The boxing world is now comparing the chemistry that Teddy and Bradley have to the great chemistry Roach and Cotto have after only one fight. Teddy is now even calling out Mayweather. Although I do agree Bradley looked excellent against Rios, Teddy should give his fighter a fight or two to get accustomed to him before stepping in with the "retired" pound-for-pound best fighter in the world.

So in due time, we can only hope this is another phenomenal fighter/trainer pairing that will be remembered for a long time.

They didn't have knives, but both men suffered cut. 

Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22KOs) retained his title after a dominating performance over Mariusz Wach (31-2, 17KOs) on Wednesday night at the Basket-Hall Arena, Kazan, Russia.

In the early round, Wach's long jab did the damage to Povetkin's left eye that made Povetkin's corner busy working with the cut the entire fight.

But in the middle rounds, Povetkin stepped up his offense, cracking Wach with a hard right and left hooks to the head. And in the late rounds, Povetkin opened a cut on Wach's left eye that forced the ringside doctor to stop the fight after Round 11.

With the win, Povetkin could be facing undefeated American Deontay Wilder -- holder of another heavyweight title.

What if he loses?

Manny Pacquiao's retirement in the sport of boxing in 2016 has the word "if" associated.

According to Top Rank's boss Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, that Pacquiao told him "Bob, hopefully, by the middle of May I will have been elected senator in the Philippines and at that point, I cannot engage in boxing because I need to focus on the senate and I have to be in attendance."

So, if Pacquaio loses this April he may not retire? The answer remains to be seen after May 2016 Philippine national election. But it looks likely that he might continue if he indeed loses the senatorial race.

The supposed Pacquiao final fight is scheduled for April 19, 2016. The election is scheduled for May 9, 2016. Pacquiao will have less than one month to campaign after the April fight.

The outcome of the fight is also a big factor if Pacquiao will go on fighting. What if he loses badly in his fight against an opponent yet to be determined?

It seemed Pacquiao wanted to pick the best opponent available.

The options being considered were Amir Khan, Kell Brook, Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Terence Crawford. Those were solid opponents.

With Terrence Crawford's knockout victory just this weekend, he could the front runner in the shortlisted potential opponents to face the 36-year-old Pacquiao.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19

FROM TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO, VERONA, NEW YORK TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO AFTER DARK®

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 23, 2015) - Two heavyweight titans will close out the 2015 boxing year with a bang on December 19, as former world title contender Bryant "By-By" Jennings (19-1, 10 KOs) takes on recently crowned WBA Interim Heavyweight belt holder Luis "The Real King Kong" Ortiz (23-0, 20 KOs) in a 12-round championship fight. The event will take place at Turning Stone Resort Casino, in Verona, New York and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

"To headline an HBO event and fighting a former world title contender like Jennings is what I have been preparing my whole career for," said Luis Ortiz. "I know that after this fight people will know that I deserve a shot at becoming the 'Heavyweight Champion of the World.' I think Jennings doesn't even know what he's stepping in to on the 19, I'm coming to make a statement. This fight is going to be an exciting stepping stone to achieve my dream."

"With a mix of speed, power and amateur pedigree that is second-to-none, Luis Ortiz has quickly established himself as a force in the heavyweight division," said Oscar De La Hoya, President and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. "Luis is so hungry to continue his rise in the division that he has agreed to fight an enormously talented opponent in Bryant Jennings just two months after Luis' destruction of Matias Vidondo to win the WBA Interim title. Boxing fans looking for a premiere heavyweight fight should make sure to tune in to HBO's Boxing After Dark on December 19th."

"It's my pleasure to bring another great heavyweight showdown to the boxing fans with Bryant Jennings taking on an undefeated fighter like Luis Ortiz. The fans know that I have always, and will continue, to put on real competitive fights," said Gary Shaw.

Shaw continued, "Jennings is a true professional who remains in phenomenal shape throughout the year. He showed in his last fight versus Klitschko that he belongs with the elite heavyweights and understands the challenges that lie ahead. Ortiz, who brings a high knockout ratio to the ring, will have his hands full, and Jennings is nothing like the fighter he just fought, whom he knocked out in the third round. Ortiz has never faced a challenge of a Philadelphia fighter like Bryant Jennings and he's going to find out real quick that this is another level. Jennings is ready to continue his quest to become heavyweight champion with VADA testing agreed to by both promotional companies for this fight."

"I'm excited to be getting back in the ring against Luis Ortiz, another big heavyweight," said Bryant Jennings. "He's coming off an impressive win and he thinks he's at the top of his game. These are the typical type of opponents I like to showcase my skills against. I've come a long way since my last fight against Klitschko, and I have continued to train with a fierce intensity. When you suffer defeat for the first time you learn things about yourself you never knew. I've improved a great deal on all aspects of my game both mentally and physically. The world will see a great fight when I square off against Ortiz, that I can guarantee you. I'll be driving the WBA belt back home to Philly."

"This fight is between two evenly matched heavyweights, and that always has a purity to its mystique," said Peter Nelson, vice president of programming for HBO Sports. "Jennings has proven to have heart in equal scale to what Ortiz has shown in power. On December 19, we will see a battle of wills."

"We're looking forward to hosting another exciting night of boxing at Turning Stone with HBO, Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions," said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO. "In three years, we've hosted 16 nationally-televised fights, distinguishing our resort as premier destination for world-class boxing."

Luis "The Real King Kong" Ortiz had amassed nearly 350 wins before making his way to the United States to chase championship gold as a professional. Unbeaten in 25 bouts, the 36-year-old southpaw holds a knockout win over Monte Barrett and in June needed less than a round to dispatch Byron Polley. Ortiz was last seen on the undercard of Golovkin vs. Lemieux as part of the pay-per-view live telecast defeating Matias Ariel Vivdondo by third round knockout and gaining the WBA Interim Heavyweight World Title.

Hailed as one of the best heavyweight boxers in the sport, Bryant Jennings has faced some of the most feared fighters in the sport. In 2014 alone, Jennings defeated Mike Perez via split decision in July and Artur Szpilka via technical knockout in January. In 2013, Jennings passed his first career tested when he defeated Andrey Fedosov via sixth-round knockout in June. Most recently, Jennings was seen in the ring against the heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in April, suffering his first defeat since his professional debut in 2010. Now, the titan is looking for redemption and another shot at world title stardom when he faces Ortiz for the WBA Interim Heavyweight Title.

Jennings vs. Ortiz is a 12-round heavyweight bout fight for the WBA Interim Heavyweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins live at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

Host of the event, the Oneida Nation's Turning Stone Resort Casino continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for blockbuster boxing matches. The December 19 fight will mark Turning Stone Resort Casino's 16th nationally-televised boxing event in less than two years, cementing the resort as a mecca for knockout televised fights. Located in Upstate New York, the four-season destination resort offers world-class entertainment and gaming, award-winning accommodations, a diverse mix of restaurants, luxury spas and several nightlife options.