Forthcoming Slugfests

While Zab "Super" Judah squandered an opportunity for mega-millions with loss last wekk, WBC heavyweight champion, Hasim "The Rock" Rahman puts his newly obtained title on the line against, James "Lights Out" Toney on March 18th, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Toney was named the official challenger by the WBC in Rahman’s first title defense since he secured the forfeited WBC heavyweight belt from the former champion, Vitali Klitschko in November of last year, 2005. The bout will be presented by, Top Rank and broadcast live on HBO.

With the loss of the Floyd “Pretty Boy” Mayweather vs. Zab “Super” Judah bout long gone after last Saturday, behold boxing fans there is a heavyweight clash happening and here on the east coast. First off though, Arturo Gatti will be throwing down this month and on his favorite turf, Atlantic City, New Jersey. More on Mr. “Thunder” later. Hello and Happy Birthday to James “Buddy” McGirt, Gatti’s super trainer. McGirt along with the legendary, Muhammad Ali, truly the, “Greatest,’ both celebrate another birthday on January 17th. One day after, Roy Jones Jr., celebrates another birthday himself. It has been announced that Jones will face, Bernard Hopkins in March. It will be their second meeting. 

 Okay, WBC heavyweight champion, Hasim “The Rock” Rahman puts his newly obtained title on the line against, James “Lights Out” Toney on March 18th, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Toney was named the official challenger by the WBC in Rahman’s first title defense since he secured the forfeited WBC heavyweight belt from the former champion, Vitali Klitschko in November of last year, 2005. The bout will be presented by, Top Rank and broadcast live on HBO.

 Toney for a brief time, very much so at that held the WBA heavyweight belt when he defeated, John “Quiet Man” Ruiz at the “temple of Boxing, Madison Square Garden. But drug testing found Toney positive for steroid use. The title was given back to Ruiz. The Toney camp has denied any use of drugs by Toney and still say the test was in error.

  DiBella Entertainment gets Broadway Boxing back on track with their February 16th card at the Grand Ballroom at Manhattan center. The show is presented by Turning Stone Resort and Casino. Headlining this first card of the new year will be heavyweight contender, Fres Oquendo and Curtis Stevens. Stevens is one of the young and gifted knockout artists in the game today. And he hails from legendary Brownsville, in Brooklyn.

  I have to first off apologize to the new WBC welterweight, Carlos Baldomir on two counts. First for spelling his name in error, sorry Mr. Baldomir. Then for some reason I had the great lightweight champion, Carlos Ortiz on my mind when I meant to pen that it was Carlos Monzon, the late great Argentinian middleweight champion, whom had passed on the date last week that Baldomir captured his title. Monzon was killed in a car crash. He fought only once in Madison Square Garden on the under card of and Muhammad Ali closed circuit bout. Ray Leonard too only fought once at the, “temple of boxing.” Tommie Hearns never did fight at MSG.

  Baldomir, who I know is being pursued no doubt by a host of fighters and promoters now, can add Joshua Clottey to that list. Clottey was having his way with the champ some six years ago( November 29, 1999)in a bout he got disqualified for a low blow in round eleven. The blow to Clottey and his camp that night was he was never given a previous warning. He wants a rematch still claiming a sour taste still stays in his month. He made need to change his mouth wash, I don’t think he’ll ever catch up with the champ ever again. Baldomir had stated prior to the Judah bout he was going to fight only one more time after Judah. I hear he is heading toward meeting Mr. Mayweather. He’ll make enough to pay his fee without worry this time if that fight his made. Think so?

 Clottey fought and won on the under card of the December 3rd, Jermaine Taylor vs. Bernard Hopkins card. He won the WBC Continental Americas Light Middleweight Title that night, defeating Marcos Primera for the vacant title. Baldomir, who only captured the WBC belt because he didn’t have the money to pay the sanctioning fees for the other two belts. His reasoning was simple. He was only making a $100,000 for the fight. If he pad the three fees,$30,000 would be gone right off the bat. Then with the $70,000 left he still would have pay his trainer, 10% and his manager another 33%. Well you get the picture. Judah it seems now just simply made a nice donation to the WBC,IBF and WBA.

RING ROSIN:BERNARD HOPKINS ALSO CELEBRATES ANOTHER BIRTHDAY THIS MONTH, SORRY CHAMP, I DON’T KNOW THE EXACT DATE. BUT HERE IS HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES TO YOU ALSO.WE ALSO CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DR.MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., THIS MONTH. DID YOU KNOW MR. KING WAS FIRST NAMED MICHAEL? THAT HE STARTED COLLEGE AT 15? HERE ARE TWO OF HIS  MOST FAMOUS QUOTES, “FORGIVENESS IS NOT AN Occasional ACT, BUT A PERMANENT STATE OF MIND.”  AND, ‘LIFE’S MOST Persistent AND URGENT QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR OTHERS?”  HEY BOYKSTER, A TRUE CHAMPION INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE RING.
TRUST*IN*GOD*

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