recent news for boxing fans

[JMT]

(the good)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Roy Jones Jr. won't have to wait long for a chance to become champion again.

Less than three months after losing his title to Antonio Tarver, Jones agreed Tuesday to meet IBF light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson on Sept. 25 in the first sporting event to be held at the FedExForum.

Jones (49-2, 38 KOs) has been a world champion for the better part of a decade and earned titles in four weight classes. Nearly unanimously regarded as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world prior to his fight with Tarver on May 15, Jones was knocked out in the second round and lost his WBC title.

Jones and Johnson (40-9-2, 27 KOs) both are 35 and reside in Florida but the similarities end there. Johnson needed 51 fights to win a title and will be making his first championship defense.

The fight will be televised by HBO.

------------------------------------------

(the bad)

SHAWNEE, Okla. -- Riddick Bowe wants to return to boxing.
He doesn't plan to end up like Mike Tyson.

Bowe announced Thursday that he planned to begin a 15-fight comeback tour with his sights set on contending for the heavyweight crown within 18 months. But Bowe says he isn't doing it for the money; he's doing it out of desire.


Riddick Bowe's career highlight came in 1992, when he beat Evander Holyfield for the heavyweight crown.

Bowe says he's financially sound. He simply sees a weak heavyweight division, following the retirement of Lennox Lewis, as an opportunity ripe for the taking.

"I'm just sitting and being bored, and I could be champion again," Bowe said at the news conference announcing the fight.

Bowe's first fight in seven years will be Sept. 25 against low-ranked heavyweight veteran Jeff Lally (23-23-1, 10 KOs) at Fire Lake Casino, about 40 miles east of Oklahoma City.

Bowe (40-1, 32 KOs), who turned 37 on Aug. 10, has not fought since December 1996, when he beat Andrew Golota by disqualification for the second time.

"I truly believe that I'm the best fighter out there, especially when I get in good shape," Bowe said. "The division is wide open, so why not?"

Bowe said he thinks he can contend with the top heavyweight boxers -- including the Klitschko brothers and Chris Byrd -- but wants to take time to regain his timing and range.

"He's had 7½ years off from being in the ring. It's all about getting his swagger back, getting his timing back and just getting the dust off."

Even in his prime, Bowe struggled with his weight, but he hopes to change that. While spending 17 months in federal prison for kidnapping his estranged wife and their five children, Bowe ran 3 miles every day and shed 70 pounds to get down to 255 pounds.

"My weakness is food, but we're going to put the food on the shelf for a little while," Bowe said.

Bowe plans to keep the weight off in part by staying active. He plans to fight 15 times in the next 18 months as he attempts to move up the heavyweight rankings. He said that when he began boxing, he would frequently fight every month or multiple times a month.

Bowe's ascent to the heavyweight title was untarnished. He won his first 31 fights, 29 by knockout, to earn a fight Nov. 13, 1992, against Evander Holyfield for the title. Bowe won by decision.

He lost the WBC title outside the ring when he didn't fight Lewis -- the same man who beat him to win the gold medal in the 1988 Olympics -- then lost the WBA and IBF titles by majority decision to Holyfield on Nov. 6, 1993. It was his only career loss.

Bowe fought 10 more times, but only flashed dominance in a sixth-round knockout of Jorge Luis Gonzalez in June 1995. Later that year, he was knocked down before stopping Holyfield in the eighth round of a non-title fight.

In 1996, Bowe was losing both bouts against Golota before disqualifications gave him victories. Golota was called for low blows in both fights.

Bowe announced his retirement in April 1997 and his outside-the-ring troubles soon began.

[swirlundergrounder]

Boxing has become iffy these days. Unlike back in the 80's and 90's were you had excitement from multiple weight divisions. The Tyson fights, Pernel Whitiker, Terry Norris, Julio Ceasar Chavez...all those guys...

[Cosmigonon]

...don't forget Roberto "Mano de Piedra" Duran. ;D

[durrtylexx]

Has anyone checked out Oylmpic boxing, it fucking sucks..WTF is up w/that bulllshiet!!! :

[swirlundergrounder]

Originally Posted by CoSMiGoNoN

...don't forget Roberto "Mano de Piedra" Duran. ;D

I no I didn't forget about Roberto Duran!!

[Bling]

Originally Posted by Phunky

Has anyone checked out Oylmpic boxing, it fucking sucks..WTF is up w/that bulllshiet!!! :

thats why its on espn 8 or something like that. :

[JMT]

Originally Posted by CoSMiGoNoN

...don't forget Roberto "Mano de Piedra" Duran. ;D

NO MAS, NO MAS

[Cosmigonon]

Originally Posted by JMT

[quote author=CoSMiGoNoN link=board=6;threadid=6190;start=0#msg70793 date=1093319637]
...don't forget Roberto "Mano de Piedra" Duran. ;D

NO MAS, NO MAS
[/quote]

:P

[LeVeL]

Originally Posted by swirlundergrounder

Boxing has become iffy these days. Unlike back in the 80's and 90's were you had excitement from multiple weight divisions. The Tyson fights, Pernel Whitiker, Terry Norris, Julio Ceasar Chavez...all those guys...

Well Swirl dont lose hope on boxing yet....in October the fight of the year is going to go down. Ricardo Mayorga and Feliz "Tito" Trinidad are going to fight for a non title fight. Also Osacr de La Hoya is suppose to fight Bernard Hopkins soon too. So there is still some fights to be happy about. And about Olympic Boxing its all about the scoring and most of the points come off jabs.

For my money if I want to fight a fight on TV, I would watch Ultimate Fighting Championships or Pride Fighting Championships thats where all the action is at.

[swirlundergrounder]

Originally Posted by levelistic

[quote author=swirlundergrounder link=board=6;threadid=6190;start=0#msg70713 date=1093305289]
Boxing has become iffy these days. Unlike back in the 80's and 90's were you had excitement from multiple weight divisions. The Tyson fights, Pernel Whitiker, Terry Norris, Julio Ceasar Chavez...all those guys...

Well Swirl dont lose hope on boxing yet....in October the fight of the year is going to go down. Ricardo Mayorga and Feliz "Tito" Trinidad are going to fight for a non title fight. Also Osacr de La Hoya is suppose to fight Bernard Hopkins soon too. So there is still some fights to be happy about. And about Olympic Boxing its all about the scoring and most of the points come off jabs.

For my money if I want to fight a fight on TV, I would watch Ultimate Fighting Championships or Pride Fighting Championships thats where all the action is at.
[/quote]Ah you are right about that! I saw Oscar De LaHoya fight Fernando Vargas in Vegas a couple of years ago..That was a great fight!!!