For Immediate Release & Publish
REAL COMBAT MEDIA WEEKLY BOXING REPORT (12/20/16)
By Jason Gonzalez,Real Combat Media Arizona Boxing Correspondent
Welcome back to another edition of the Real Combat Media Boxing Weekly Report “Boxing Blaze Edition” where we cover all the top news stories in boxing each week!
Tuesday (December 13, 2016)
Miguel Cotto vs James Kirkland is set for February 25, 2017 and the location is not yet determined. The fight weight will be at 153 lbs but Cotto’s team originally had asked for 152 lbs during negotiations. By the time Cotto steps into the ring it will be over year since he last fought. Kirkland on the other hand will have been absent from the ring for over a year and nine months by the time he steps into the ring. Kirkland will be returning to his former trainer Ann Wolfe who is known for extremely harsh training. The fight between Cotto and Kirkland will most likely be on HBO pay-per-view but it is not official.
Wednesday (December 14, 2016)
It looks like almost no one stands a chance against Terence Crawford at 140 lbs at this moment. The only competition that looks to endanger Crawford is at 147 lbs but it looks like there might be another option. Bob Arum is open to the idea of a fight between Crawford and Adrien Broner. Due to a feud between Arum and Broner’s advisor Al Haymon this fight wasn’t possible in the past. Now the two sides are looking to negotiate and bring the two sides together. Do you think Broner can dethrone Crawford?
Thursday (December 15, 2016)
According to report by Boxing Scene, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Saúl “Canelo” Alvarez are currently negotiating a fight for May 5, 2017. Chavez Jr’s attorney Guadalupe Valencia told boxing scene that the two are in good negotiations for a fight at 165 lbs. “There are good faith discussions taking place. The whole Chavez team – which includes Julio, Chavez Sr, Rodolfo Chavez, Al Haymon, and myself – we really want this fight and we hope to make it happen,” Valencia told BoxingScene.com.
But why would Canelo be negotiating a fight at 165 lbs when just a few months ago Canelo’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya said that 160 lbs was too big for Canelo. Why would Canelo go from 154 lbs all the way up to 165 lbs to fight Chavez Jr but wouldn’t go up to 160 lbs to fight Gennady Golovkin? This fight is a major threat to the possible match up between Golovkin and Canelo. Even though Canelo is known to be the better fighter between him and Chavez Jr, the weight difference can change everything. Chavez Jr is a heavy puncher and is used to fighting bigger fighters than Canelo. I would understand Canelo taking this fight in two years from now but currently he is too small to fight Chavez Jr. It is very possible that Canelo loses this fight and the fans will never be able to see Canelo fight Golovkin.
Friday (December 16, 2016)
Alexander Povetkin Tests Positive
Alexander Povetkin has tested positive once again for a PED called Ostarine. Povetkin was being tested under the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) and he was caught with the drug in his system 20 hours before the fight. Now the WBC has pulled their sanctioning from the fight meaning the winner of this fight will not be eligible to become the WBC mandatory at Heavyweight. As of now it is not clear whether the fight will be canceled or if the fight will continue.
UPDATE-
Povetkin was able to find an opponent last minute. The opponent was Johann Duhaupas who happens to be a former Deontay Wilder opponent. Povetkin won the fight against Duhaupas by knockout in the 6th round of a 10 round fight. It looks like Povetkin will now have trouble finding opposition against top ranked fighters due to his multiple drug test failures.
Saturday (December 17, 2016)
Bernard Hopkins vs Joe Smith Jr
Bernard Hopkins was knocked out of the ring by Joe Smith Jr. in the 8th round in what is believed to be Hopkins last fight. During the fight Hopkins looked like he was falling victim to his age. Hopkins may have not looked terrible in the ring but it was obvious that he wasn’t the same. Smith on the other hand wasn’t looking too great himself taking into consideration that he was missing several shots when going up against a 51-year-old man. Nonetheless, Smith was able to wobble Hopkins several times throughout the fight. Then in the 8th round Hopkins was caught with several clean shots while he was leaning on the ropes. Those punches ended up literally knocking out Hopkins from the ring. Hopkins said that he fell on his head and that he hurt his ankle. After the fight Hopkins claimed that he was pushed out the ring, not punched out of the ring. The replay showed that a punch was in fact what made Hopkins fall out of the ring. According to Hopkins this will be his last fight. Do you think Hopkins should fight one last time or should he hang up the gloves for good?
Gennady Golovkin announced today on his twitter that he will be fighting Daniel Jacobs at the Madison Square Garden in New York on March 18. The fight was being negotiated for early December 2016 but Jacobs team said that he need more time to get ready for Golovkin. Both fighter are known to be big punchers. This may be a threat to Golovkin’s perfect record. In Golovkin’s last fight, against Kell Brook, there was several times where Golovkin looked hurt by the Brook who was the smaller fighter. Jacobs on the other hand is a big puncher who is in the same weight class as Golovkin making him a big threat. Golovkins promoter, Tom Loeffler, said that this will be Golovkin’s most dangerous fight to date. “This would clearly be the most dangerous fight of Golovkin’s career, and I think one that gives him the credibility everyone is looking for,” Loeffler said. “At the same time, it gives Danny Jacobs the opportunity to win all the world titles that we worked so hard to accumulate.”
Sunday (December 18, 2016)
Many boxers say they’re done but done really mean; Bernard Hopkins says he means it. Hopkins has fought some of the best in his era and it might be hard to see him go with a loss. Some fans think he should leave the sport with a win but Hopkins says he’s done for good.
“Listen, I’m gonna say it one last time,” Hopkins said in an interview with Boxing Scene. “I’m really serious about this because my team – not only my personal team, my team at Golden Boy, I could also say my family with HBO, all the HBO people that’s backing me, behind me and support me – win, lose … I mean, I know you don’t believe most fighters, and nine out of 10, you shouldn’t.
“But trust me, if it would’ve been the other way around, with no, if you were to call this a misfortune – that’s why I call it, or a controversy, whatever. … Win, lose or draw, or controversy. I said that, y’all. And that’s it. I mean, y’all can keep asking me and I’ll tell y’all the same thing. Trust me, I’ll tell you the same thing. But I think time is gonna really say it all, because I’ll be 52 in a couple of weeks, [on] January 15th. And I’ll be 53, God willing. And if any one of y’all are still around when I’m 60, y’all gonna ask me if I’m gonna do one more. The answer will [be] no. Because I still will look like I probably can. But I’m not.”
Please stay tuned every week for news and updates. If you have any questions that you want answered in the weekly report please email me at [email protected] or follow me on Twitter @boxingblaze or on Facebook at Jason Gonzalez.
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