New Don King Presents: Prize Fighter Game

This is a letter from Don King in reference to a new video game for the XBox 360, Nintendo Wii, & Nintendo DS called Don King Presents: Prize Fighter.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my extreme pleasure to personally introduce to you today the next great step in sports entertainment, the latest evolution in digital drama, the pinnacle of sports superbitude and the only game with fame to bear my name: Don King Presents: Prize Fighter!

Language lacks the power to express the sheer magnitude of magnificence emanating from this unparalleled sports entertainment experience, and what words cannot describe, only visuals can provide.. To that end I am pleased to present you with a stellar collection of magnificent media designed especially to bring you into the awesome thrill and spectacle that is Don King Presents: Prizefighter. Prepare yourself for a graduate course in pugilistic perfection and epic gladiatorial combat as you immerse yourself in this seminal sports simulation.

Only Don King Presents: Prizefighter lets you experience the incredible highs and lows of a young fighter in poverty and shame rising up to the heights of fortune and fame, going from underdog to boss hog, from underrated to celebrated.

I am a promoter of the people, for the people, by the people, and I am ecstatic to bring you my greatest cultural contribution. I've always said that my magic lies in my people ties, and nothing is going to stand in the way of the people getting to experience the pinnacle of sports video game entertainment. We are now bringing pugilistic pride to the people far and wide. To help spread this message to people around the world, we're introducing HypeKingdom.com, the one-stop destination for entertainment salvation.

Visit our media site to feast your eyes on our collection of new screenshots and trailers, mighty images of famed fighters battling to the apex of athleticism.

Don King Presents: Prize Fighter will be available on June 10, 2008 for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and this fall for Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo and Nintendo DS™. For more information, please visit www.2ksports.com/prizefighter/.

- It's the best anything ever!

Only in America!

Don King

Prize Fighter Screen Shots

Release Dates For Don King Presents: Prize Fighter

• XBox 360 $59.99 June 9, 2008 Link
• Nintendo Wii $49.99 September 30, 2008 Link
  
• Nintendo DS $29.99 September 30, 2008 Link

Prize Fighter includes a career and on-line mode, 40 current and legendary boxing champions, unique fight mechanics, star commentators, and 22 fight gyms and arenas including Madison Square Garden.

This game looks like its going to be marketed pretty well, not to mention it looks really cool, which means that if you think you might be a fan of this game it might be a good idea to pre-order this game. Amazon's got Don King Presents: Prize Fighter available for pre-order for all 3 gaming systems with free shipping available. I never have a problem with Amazon sending me anything, and I always get the best deal with prompt delivery. So, if you were planning on getting this, I'd recommend using them....

Tye Fields VS Monte Barrett

On June 28th, up-and-coming heavyweight Tye Fields (41 (37 KO's), 1 (1 KO), 0) will face his sternest test when he faces veteran fighter Monte Barrett (33 (19 KO's), 6 (3 KO's), 0) in the ring. At 6'8" and 270 lbs (from his last fight), Fields definitely has the size to make it as a heavyweight. His only loss was to Jeff Ford whom he rematched and defeated. We'll see how he does come June 28th.....

David Haye "I'll knock Klitschko out"

David Haye talks about his new 4 fight deal with Setanta Sports & the state of the heavyweight division. He talks about his desire to fight Wladimir Klitschko and how he will fight 2 top ten heavyweights to force a fight with Wladimir Klitschko.

Haye Signs With Golden Boy Promotions

Oscar De La Hoya's company, Golden Boy Promotions, has signed former Cruiserweight star David "Hayemaker" Haye (21-1, 20 KOs) to a 5 year deal in the Heavyweight division. Golden Boy Promotions will be the exclusive promoter when he fights in the United States, while his newly formed promotional company Hayemaker Productions will run the show within the United Kingdom.

Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer on Haye's Heavyweight Impact

"If you look at the heavyweight landscape, it is waiting for someone like David Haye to come along. He even has a strong female following like Oscar. He's very exciting in the ring. He knocks guys out and he gets dropped. If he can succeed at heavyweight, boxing fans around the world will have a heavyweight who can define the division and the sport."

Why David Chose Golden Boy Promotions

"It was a simple choice. It was really a one-horse race on who to sign with. I talked to Oscar and [Golden Boy fighters] Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins, even Ricky Hatton. They all said to me they are earning two, three, even four times as much as they were earning with anyone else. I wanted to get on board with that."

David Haye has a promotional company of his own which he calls Hayemaker Productions, which has already signed a deal with U.K. subscription network Setanta Sports to exclusively televise his next four bouts throughout Great Britain. Haye said, "I want to take over in the heavyweight division and become the leading promoter in the U.K. I want to do what Oscar and Golden Boy are doing. That has always been an ambition of mine."

David On His Heavyweight Impact

"I see myself at the top of the pile in the heavyweight division. There's only one guy out there and that's Wladimir Klitschko. That's who I have my eyes set on. He's the premier heavyweight on the planet right now and I am coming for him. It's always been my strategy to go after the best. I went after Jean-Marc Mormeck because he held the real Cruiserweight title, the Ring magazine title, and he was the linear champion. I want to go after the best at heavyweight, too."

"I'm the only big fight for him. Who else is he going to fight? That big hairy freak from Russia [Nikolai Valuev]? The guy who has hepatitis [titleholder Ruslan Chagaev]? He already beat Samuel Peter. There's nothing else out there for Klitschko. Fighting me is a no-brainer."

"I always give value for money and I am so excited I want to start training tomorrow for the November fight. I live and breathe boxing. I want to put heavyweight boxing back on the map. Heavyweight boxing is a joke right now. Nobody respects it. I will change the face of heavyweight boxing. I will be fighting legitimate opponents, guys in the top 10. I will not only beat them, I will obliterate them. I will fight a top name in November that Americans will respect and I will deliver a violent knockout win."

Source

Vitali Klitschko's Fight For Kiev Mayor

This is a video showing Vitali's recent challenge to become Mayor of Kiev, Ukraine. It looks as though he's going to come up short(3rd from recent reports) in this one, but since this is a newer video I found, I felt that it would be worth sharing with the Klitschko fans out there. Enjoy, and good luck to Vitali on his WBC heavyweight challenge. I feel that if there's voting on that fight (judges) that there will be no doubt that Vitali will be the winner, but I feel that Peter might be a little drowsy come election time. :D

Vitali Klitschko Loses Mayoral Race

With exit poll results, Vitali Klitschko did not win the 2008 Kiev mayoral election. The exit polls show that he came in 3rd with about 19 percent of the vote. The winner was incumbent Leonid Chernovetsky with about 30 percent of the vote. Official results will not be expected before Monday.

It would have been nice for Vitali to win this election. It would have also been nice for a mayor of a major city to fight for the WBC title. But, with the election out of the way and not as many obligations outside of boxing, we should expect to see Vitali at his best come the end of the year for his fight for the WBC championship.

So, condolences to Vitali on his loss in the election, but good luck and an early congratulations to Vitali on his WBC championship fight!

Source

Estrada Defeats Witherspoon

Up-and-coming heavyweight and 2004 Olympian Jason "Big Six" Estrada (13-1, 3 KOs) easily defeated another promising heavyweight Moultrie Witherspoon (14-2, 8 KOs) by 7Th round stoppage of their scheduled 8 round fight on the night of Friday May 23.

Estrada dominated Witherspoon from the opening bell. Estrada was really good at landing his uppercuts on Witherspoon throughout the fight, which he used to hurt and bloody Witherspoon in round two. Uppercuts were a big factor throughout the fight even in the final round when Estrada landed a left hook and big right uppercut combination which caused Witherspoon's mouthpiece to fall out. There were a couple punches more and then the ref stopped the bout at 1:38 in round 7.

Estrada seems like he may be a factor in the heavyweight division. Before I was reluctant to give him as much credit due to his early loss and his lack of KO power. But, as shown in this fight, Estrada has enough power when he wants to use it to hurt any heavyweight in the division if he wants to. Well almost every heavyweight. You can guess who I think he wouldn't hurt. :D

Botha Solis On For June 27th

On Saturday June 27Th up-and-coming heavyweight and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Odlanier Solis (9(6 KO's), 0 , 0) will face former heavyweight champion Franz "White Buffalo" Botha (45(25 KO's),4(4 KO's), 2) in his 1st major clash at heavyweight. This is a move from the original fight date of May 30Th.

If Solis can pull out a win over a game heavyweight such as Francois Botha, you could expect to see the 6'1/2", 28 year old Solis get even higher level fights soon, and good rankings with the major boxing organizations. Franz Botha has fought several World Heavyweight Champions including Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, Axel Schulz, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko.

Solis also plans to fight another match earlier in the month in Germany against Harry Duiven Jr. (12 (10 ko's) - 2 (1 ko) - 1).

New Mike Tyson Film

The Cannes film festival in France recently showed a documentary of much acclaim labeled simply "Tyson". The film depicts Tyson's life in ways that much of the mainstream community hasn't been shown.

The film is directed by U.S film maker James Toback who has known Tyson for years. Because of Tyson knowing Toback for so long, Tyson opened up to a lot more of his turbulent life than he would have done to any other director. Before the showing of the film, the Cannes crowd gave him a five-minute standing ovation just for being there.

Tyson had this to say about the film:

"I had no idea this thing was ever going to make it to this grand scale here, I feel totally overwhelmed. I've lived a wild and strange life. I've used drugs, I've had physical altercations with dangerous people, people were angry. I've slept with guys' wives, they wanted to kill me. I'm just happy to be here. It's just a miracle. I feel good about being here with you. I've always analyzed my life"


Source

Vitali Klitschko Message From Jose Sulaiman

WBC President Jose Sulaiman recently sent a message to WBO emeritus champion Vitali Klitschko wishing him good luck on his Kiev Mayoral campaign that he's running for. The mayoral election takes place in Kiev, Ukraine, on May 25. This is how Mr. Sulaiman's message went:

“I hope that the voting citizens of Kiev will take into strong consideration the perseverance and efficiency that Vitali utilized to make his company successful in business, his strong feelings of patriotism and love for Ukraine, and the great qualities and abilities of a young sportsman with his clean mind and heart to lead the city of Kiev to reach its highest goals and ideals."

“If elected, Vitali Klitschko would be the first fighting mayor in the 300-year history of boxing, and would have a great opportunity to once again become the heavyweight champion of the world.

“The fighting mayor and world champion would be seen favorably by the whole world as an example for sportsmen to lead their citizens with their charisma, human virtues and values.

“If Vitali is elected, the WBC would appoint a committee of the top officers of the WBC to go, along with myself, to attend his inauguration.”

Good luck to Vitali Klitschko on his mayoral election come May 25th!

Source

Wladimir Klitschko Respects Tony Thompson

This is a video, which is in German, which shows Wladimir Klitschko giving praise to his next opponent for July 12th, Tony Thompson. If there are any fans who would like to translate the video it would be appreciated to Klitschko fans worldwide.

Shannon Briggs Commentator Interview

Last Friday(5/16/08) night, Shannon Briggs showcased himself as a commentator on ESPN. Many boxing forums gave high praises to his commentating that night, and this is an interview I found of Shannon Briggs by Scoop Malinowski from the Boxinginsider.com site that discusses his good work:

Q: You are getting very positive reviews for your fine job commentating last Friday night in Las Vegas. Were you satisfied with how it went?

Briggs: Very satisfied and very appreciative to the ESPN network. When Rob Beiner the producer called me the week before the show, I was half asleep so I had to call him back and ask him was he serious a few hours later. I thought I was dreaming

Q: Was that your first time as a live color commentator for a major network?

Briggs: Yes it was my first time on a major network. I've been fortunate to have done it for Cedric Kushner's Thunder Box series a few years back thanks to Greg Cohen and Jim Delorenzo as well as for my boy Scott Wagner over at Ballroom boxing in Baltimore Maryland.

Q: How is Brian Kenny to work with? He is very well-liked in boxing and seems like one of the best in the business and works well with anyone TV talent, whether at ringside or in the studio.

Briggs: I'm well convinced that Brian Kenny is the best in the business by far. No one speaks with more clarity than Brian and no one does there homework like him. What really amazes me how he's such an improviser and can at a moments notice come up with great boxing analogies. I'd also say his number one contender is the Colonel Bob Sheridan. He's my number two guy in the bid-ness [smiles].

Q: Some people said that they really liked how your natural honest personality came out, rather than sometimes your agendas as a competitive heavyweight boxer which sometimes clouds your objectivity. And annoys some boxing fans. Your comment?

Briggs: Naturally as I should I do believe I'm better than most if not all of today's heavyweights. That was not always the case Scoop. It took years for me to develop the confidence that I have now, years of training and learning how to train. What worked for me as a fighter, not just go to the gym hit the bag, spar, jump rope, eat right go home. I was born with asthma and never made a football, baseball, basketball team or had a childhood that permitted me to run and play like the other children. I've been sick my entire life, going to school and finishing was something that never happened because year after year I was sick. Look dude, six million kids in America have asthma. 54 million adults and 300 million people worldwide, it's not a joke, so me becoming a heavyweight champion and the first with asthma in the history of the sport is a major accomplishment not just to me but to those who like myself are handicapped, like Sam Peter recently called me [laughs]. In answering your question I love boxing and I'll always try to talk positive about every fighter. We need to embrace our fighters like other sports embrace their athletes. Whether a guy is great or he sucks major we need to respect him because any man or woman that goes through those ropes are true warriors. It takes courage.

Q: What the heck do you think happened to Chris Byrd? He was such a great fighter not long ago, on Friday he was like a ghost of himself.

Briggs: I think the weight loss took a lot of starch out of him. That much weight is going to hurt any fighter. He looked great but you could see that the pop wasn't there. Chris is guy who had many fights amateur and pro, I believe had he stayed at heavyweight Chris would have beat a lot of top fifteen guys but again he probably has seen his best days come and go. I could only dream that I had his success inside the ring. He beat the best available to him at the time. Hall of fame or bust.

Q: Is Shaun George the real deal as a light heavyweight? Is he as impressive and sharp as he looked on TV - or was Byrd just totally empty?

Briggs: Shaun George is the truth, the truth and nothing but the truth. Sheeesh. All light heavyweights beware.

Q: Are you aware of the very positive comments and reviews of your commentating performance? What does it mean to you? As you have had a sort of love/hate relationship with boxing fans now you are getting a lot of love.

Briggs: Nah, Scoop my love for boxing goes well and beyond the negative fans. If you're a person that doesn't like Shannon Briggs as a fighter hey that's cool I respect your opinion. I don't per say care for message boards and writers that are hate filled and unqualified but that's the world of the internet. It's like the Dave Chappelle show when they said what if the internet was a place you could really go... you could imagine the crap that you would see. I love boxing I want to see everyone in the sport prosper and make the money other sports are making. Papered up baby!

Q: How did the folks at espn2 feel about your debut assignment? Can we expect to see you back at ringside in the near future?

Briggs: Overall it was a good response from the staff, family, friends and fans. Constructive criticism is the best thing you can get from someone looking from the outside in. I love when I'm critiqued because then I have to work on my bad points to become better. I myself know I could have done better so now if given the opportunity again I'm going to have my sword sharpened. When they need a fill-in if I'm available, I'm there. I have the bad habit of when I see a good shot yelling out WOW!!!, WHOA!!!!...DAAAAAAMN!!! And I almost yelled out COT-DAMN!! once on a big shot, but other than that I'll be okay.

I thought he did a good job myself, and I think ESPN should look to hire him again for commentating in the future.

Source

Vitali Klitschko Mayoral Election Interview

I found an interview by Bridget Johnson, on About.com World News. It discusses Vitali's thought on his mayoral election campaign. It's a pretty short interview, but I thought it worth sharing.


How is your race for the mayor’s office going?

"I have a very good chance to win."

What are the similarities between boxing and politics?

"You fight for ideas, fight for your dream in boxing. Actually, boxing is not as complicated as politics. Politics is much more difficult, totally different roles. The will to win, the will to go through help me in politics as well. (These) help not just in boxing, but help in life and politics."

Do you have political ambitions beyond Kiev mayor?

"I have ambition to make my city much better and comfortable for everyone coming here. ... Infrastructure, traffic problems. We have so many social problems, but the main problem is corruption. People in business are afraid to invest money in Kiev, afraid to work to invest money in infrastructure for the people. We can do that. Everyone explains the vision how they want to see our city. ... We need to breathe fresh air into our city."

How have your life experiences shaped your attitude toward the West and democracy?

"I remember my first visit from the Soviet Union in 1989 to the U.S. It opened democracy world for me. … I see the life standards in U.S. and what we have to bring here to Ukraine. People want to be part of the modern world; it’s one point to speak, another point to be."

Are you alarmed at how some former Soviet states are slipping back to restricted freedoms, such as in Putin’s Russia?

"Ukraine just two years ago made very important decision with the Orange Revolution. People go to the streets to demonstrate against totalitarianism -- fighting for freedom, fighting for democracy -- and democracy won. … In a couple years Ukraine will be part of European Union. Geographically it is European country; we have to feel European inside Ukraine."

Source

Sam Peter's Optional Defense July 12th

On the same day that Wladimir Klitschko faces WBO mandatory challenger Tony "The Tiger" Thompson, Sam Peter will face an optional defense against either Matt Skelton Or Audley Harrison.

A fight between Sam Peter and Vitali Klitschko has already been approved for October, so the optional defense is supposed to keep Sam Peter in shape and should be against someone who shouldn't pose any problems. But, Peter shouldn't take either one of these guys lightly. They can punch, and due to Peters sub par defense, anyone who can punch could pose some problems as long as they don't get KO'd 1st. Matt Skelton is the kind of fighter with a good beard and who can bang. So, if this ends up being the fight, I wouldn't be surprised to see an upset.

This is what promoter Frank Warren had to say:

"I've agreed terms with Don King for WBC heavyweight champion Sam Peter to fight at London's O2 Arena on July 12th. In the opposite corner will be either Matt Skelton or Audley Harrison. I'm holding talks with all parties over the weekend and will make an announcement on Monday.."

Source

After Fight Tracy Byrd Statement

After Chris Byrd's surprising defeat in his debut at light heavyweight against Shaun George, Tracy Byrd had a few things to say about what happened during and immediately after the fight:


"Chris is ok. His spirits are HIGH. He is closer to the Lord then ever in his life and trusts that he will take care of everything. Chris is disappointed in last night..

"He said he was feeling off in the dressing room. Felt like his legs weren't there from the beginning of the fight. When he got dropped in the first round he hurt his shoulder. We believe it tore a rotator cuff and ultimately dislocated his shoulder during the course of the fight. We will have it examined on Monday. The injury really kept him from throwing his left.

"When Chris returned to the dressing room the doctors had to sedate him to pop his shoulder back in. The medicines were a bit overwhelming for his body and they couldn't wake him. The result of that was they had to rush him by ambulance to the hospital and use other meds to counteract the ones given to him in the dressing room. It was very scary for his friends and family. But he came through. His shoulder is very sore but he is feeling better.

"Chris congratulates Shaun George on his victory and hopes he takes advantage of the opportunity of his victory to the fullest and continues to work hard. Shaun and his wife have a baby on the way and wishes them the best."

Source

Shaun George Beats Chris Byrd

To many boxing fan's surprise, former heavyweight champion Chris Byrd lost his light heavyweight debut to Shaun George via 9Th round stoppage. He looked very drained in this fight and was getting hit flush with right hands most of the night. It's sad to see such a great fighter go out like this, but at 37 he did do a better job than most would have done after dropping that much weight in 7 months to fight at light heavyweight. Here's some footage of the fight....



and here's and interview of Shaun George after the fight...




Good luck to Chris Byrd on all of his future endeavors.

Chris Byrd At Light Heavyweight Video

Here's an ESPN video about former heavyweight champion Chris Byrd and his debut at light heavyweight. Includes interesting moments where Roy Jones Jr. was shocked to see his new appearance and much more...

Chris Byrd At Light Heavyweight Interview

This is a new video from Fighthype.com where former Heavyweight Champion talks about his up and coming fights at the light heavyweight division (he weight 174 lbs here).

"At heavyweight, I really didn't get a chance to show off all my talents...it's time to make great matches and put boxing back in the proper place with the fans," stated Chris Byrd as he talked about his decision to move down to the light heavyweight division. He also talked about his May 16th clash with Shaun George and his dream matchup with Roy Jones Jr. that would feature two former heavyweight champions fighting each other at light heavyweight. Here's what else he had to say....



Good luck to Chris Byrd tonight on ESPN Friday Night Fights against Shaun George!

WBO Heavyweight Rankings May 2008

Current Heavyweight Boxing Champions

IBF : Wladimir Klitschko Ukraine
WBO : Wladimir Klitschko Ukraine
WBA : Ruslan Chagaev Uzbekistan
WBC : Sam Peter Nigeria

CHAMPION: Wladimir Klitschko Ukraine

1 Tony Thompson USA
2 Alexander Dimitrenko (Int-Cont) UKR
3 Vladimir Virchis UKR
4 Alexander Povetkin RUS
5 Sultan Ibragimov RUS
6 Oleg Maskaev RUS
7 J.D. Chapman USA
8 Travis Walker USA
9 Kali Meehan (NABO) AUST
10 Chris Arreola USA
11 Denis Boytsov RUS
12 John Ruiz USA
13 Hasim Rahman USA
14 Friday Ahunanya (Asia-Pacific) NIG
15 Shane Cameron (Asia-Pacific) (Oriental) NZ

*will be updated monthly

Wladimir Klitschko Training Regimen Interview

BoxingInsider.com did a recent brief interview with Wladimir Klitschko which discussed his training preparations for his fights. This is how it went:

BoxingInsider.com: Do you do long runs or sprints? If long runs or hills, how far and if you vary your roadwork why?

Wladimir Klitschko: I did it. In the last three years I have changed my work out schedule and don’t run anymore as much as I was.

BI: How much sparring do you like to do before a 12-round fight?

WK: Over 100 rounds in four weeks.

BI: Do you lift weights and if so, what do you do?

WK: Yes I do lift weights in the first three weeks of my eight weeks preparation program.

BI: Do you split your body parts up for example, chest and triceps, back and biceps, shoulders and legs etc.

WK: I train all my body parts equal.

BI: Do you get added motivation training with a partner?

WK: I have no additional motivation with a training partner. Boxing is like a golf, it’s all about your own performance only.

BI: Do you skip workouts? Why or why not?

WK: No, I can’t. More opposite, I have to stop my self to not over train.

BI: Do you have any unusual training methods?

WK: I love to swim, which I never did.

BI: What type of punch bags do you like to use - double end, heavy bag, speedbag?

WK: Speedball.

BI: How important is padwork in your preparation?

WK: Very important, it makes you create better strategy.

This was a fairly quick interview but interesting, especially the part where he says he does "less" roadwork than he used to. I was under the impression since training with Emanuel Steward that he had been increasing his roadwork. He doesn't look as thick as he used to but he says he still trains with weights for the 1st 3 weeks of his training. I wonder if he trains with weights when he's not training for a fight and whether he used to. Anyway, if I find out any more information on his training regimen, I'll be sure to post it here on the Klitschko Blog.

Rudolph Giuliani Coaches Vitali Klitschko Video

In this video Rudolph Giuliani praises Vitali Klitschko's success and his similarities with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Vitali also speaks on why he decided to choose Giuliani for his support.

Haye Drops WBC Cruiserweight Belt

To further his effort to get in with the big boys at heavyweight, David Haye has recently relinquished his WBC cruiserweight belt, and has requested to the WBC to be ranked at heavyweight division. The WBC vacant cruiserweight title will be contested between Rudolf Kraj and Giacobbe Fragomeni.

One might wonder why he didn't petition or drop his other belts he holds at cruiseweight 1st considering he has called out Wladimir Klitscho the IBF/WBO/IBO heavyweight champion several times in the last few months. That move might have made it easier for him to score a chance at Wladimir as opposed to petitioning the WBC. Maybe he has come to his senses and realized fighting Wladimir as a 1st fight wouldn't be such a sane move. But, can't say for sure what his intentions are....

Source

Povetkin Staying Busy July 19th

Since defeating "Fast" Eddie Chambers(30-1-0) back on January 26th to win the IBF heavyweight boxing tournament and securing a shot at WBO/IBF/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin(15-0-0) to many seems like the next big thing in the heavyweight division. But, is he ready for Wladimir Klitschko?

The good news to those who don't think he is, is that he has to wait for Wladimir to face WBO mandatory Tony "The Tiger" Thompson this July 12th while his bout with Wladimir is put on hold until later this year. There is even rumors that there may be a Klitschko double header with Wladimir and his brother Vitali fighting on the same name night with Wladimir fighting Alexander Povetkin and Vitali fighting Sam Peter. This means that Povetkin has some time before he faces Wladimir and is now scheduled to fight another bout on July 19th against an opponent to be named. Whoever he might face, expect the opposition to be light in order for him to be ready to face Wladimir a few months later. I'll update you when I find out more information on this topic, but I think this is a good thing for Alexander and will make his bout with Wladimir Klitschko more interesting since he will have just that much more confidence, ability, etc with that extra fight over facing Wladimir immediately. I look forward to Wladimir's match with an improving Povetkin as I see Wladimir having no problems with Tony Thompson this July.

Source

New Tommy Morrison Interview

Eastsideboxing had an interview of Tommy "The Duke" Morrison done by Shawn Murphy. Tommy talks about how he will step up his fight schedule this year and about his past. This is how it went:

(Shawn Murphy) Tommy lets go back to the beginning. How did you first get started in boxing, at what age?

(Tommy Morrison) After arriving in Arkansas in October 1976, my family was invited to attend some stock car races that my Uncle Freddie was participating in. On the trip over it started to rain, and it continued through the night. To make a long story short, the races got cancelled and Freddie remembered that some amateur matches were taking place at the Armory. That night I walked through the door of the building into a completely different world and never looked back.

(SM) You rolled through your first 28 opponents in the early years of your career, most by KO. What was life like in and out of the ring during this period?

(TM) Socially I was in the “Larva” stage, so I didn’t venture out much. But several months later things started to turn around in a large way!

(SM) In 1990 Sylvester Stallone cast you in Rocky V. How did that all come about and did it affect your boxing career in anyway?

(TM) Actually, Sly’s brother Frank is the one that discovered me. Calls were made, an audition was done and that was basically it, it was done. There was a lot more to it but you can read about it in my book.

(SM) In 1991 you ran into Ray Mercer, your first title shot, and lost by TKO. With all the highs in your life up to that point, how did you cope with your first loss?

(TM) I’ve has 53 pro fights, only losing three. The fights I’ve learned the most were always the fights I lost. I was young at the time and already knew that I needed more experience. Remember, I came form the “Tough Man” circuit. The Mercer’s, the Lewis’s, the Bowe’s, they all came from international experience, not T-MO!

(SM) Take me back to 1993 and George Foreman. Was that the proudest moment of your career, winning the WBO title?

(TM) Well, beating a legend is a very good feeling, but internally I was processing the realization that I could compete with anyone.

(SM) A few months later you were upset by Michael Bentt, what happened?

(TM) I just walked into a good punch…shit happens!

(SM) In 1996 before a scheduled fight you were told you tested positive for HIV. What did you try and do to disprove that test?

(TM) At that time there wasn’t anything I could do, this was a relatively new subject to the boxing world.

(SM) After this you fell on some hard times. What were those eleven years away from boxing like?

(TM) It was a very dark, soul searching time for me. It took a long while but I’mbeginning to piece it all back together again. It’s a good feeling.

(SM) In December 2006 you resurfaced, planning a comeback after testing negative for HIV by the Arizona State Boxing Commission. At this point did you think you were back in boxing for good?

(TM) The first thing you learn in boxing is that there are NO guarantees.

(SM) Along came a figure named Randy Lang, a former agent, who insists you were still HIV positive and had Hepatitis C as well. Who is Lang and why would he have it out for you?

(TM) He was planning his own future around me and my comeback. He was a shark. After he was made and the gig was up, he went crazy in the media. Bottom line, he’s just one of many mentally deranged and unstable individuals in this world. What’d ya gonna do?

(SM) Lang insists that a previous blood test submitted to labs in Phoenix and California were not your own samples. Any comments?

(TM) Like I said, he’s mentally deranged.

(SM) So where is Tommy Morrison now in terms of a comeback?

(TM) This is going to be an exciting year for me, I’ll just leave it at that.

(SM) What if you wouldn’t have lost those eleven years in the ring? What would life be like today?

(TM) A slow train wreck.

(SM) Do you keep in touch with any fighters today and how do they support you in your comeback?

(TM) Fighters are fighters. We got each others backs in terms of support. But regarding making friends with other fighters, Johnny Tapia and many others.

(SM) Tommy is there anything else you want to tell the readers out there?

(TM) Just to catch me at www.tommymorrison.net or
Myspace.com/tommythedukemorrison.

Tua To Face Witherspoon Arreola Winner

David Tua (49-3-1(42)) has agreed to face the winner of the June 21st heavyweight bout between "Gentleman" Chazz Witherspoon (23-0-0(15)) and Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola (23-0-0(21)). David Tua will still fight a yet-to-be-named fighter on July 21st in Odessa, Ukraine before he faces the winner, but in the next few weeks will we will know the name of the fighter he will face.

Both Arreola and Witherspoon are undefeated fighters who are rising the heavyweight rankings. With a win over either of these fighters, one would expect Tua to be ranked fairly high in at least one of the heavyweight boxing organizations. With that ranking Tua may once again get a crack at the heavyweight crown, and with the power Tua holds in his fists he has a good chance at winning a fight with just his sheer punching ability.

Co-Promotion Deal Made For Klitschko Peter

Today, Duva Boxing, headed by Dino Duva, and K2 Promotions, which is the Klitschko's promotional company with Shelly Finkel the adviser and Tom Loeffler the promoter, reached an agreement for the fight between WBC Emeritus champion Vitali Klitschko, and current WBC Heavyweight Champion Samuel Peter to take place sometime in October, most likely the 4th or 11th, and at a venue not yet determined. It was hinted that Germany may be the place the fight will be held, and there are also rumors that there may be a Klitschko double header with Vitali's brother Wladimir defending his titles against Alexander Povetkin on the same night. This assume Wladimir defeats Tony Thompson July 12th which I see no reason he won't.

The agreement finally materialized at the last minute when another promoter, Ahmet Öner, the CEO of German promotional company Arena, desired to enter the bidding. This caused Diva Boxing, who partners with Don King, to reach an agreement with K2 Promotions.

As part of the agreement taking place Dino Duva , Ahmet Oner, the CEO of Arena Box Promotions, Don King, Tom Loeffler, and Shelly Finkel had a few things to say:

Dino Duva

"The deal was made at the 11th hour, and we are delighted. Instead of going to the WBC offices for a purse bid and uncertain future, we instead were able to reach the agreement and announce it in front of the wonderful Mexican media and fans. We're ecstatic. It's the best possible deal for all concerned – the fighters, promoters, and most importantly the fans. "It was a long and complicated negotiation. I want to sincerely thank all of the key parties – my partner Don King, Sam's manager Ivaylo Gotzev, Vitali Klitschko, his advisor Shelly Finkel and promoter Tom Loeffler. Last but not least, I must thank WBC President Jose Sulaiman, who, along with his son Mauricio, was determined to get all parties to the table and make a deal for this great fight. Without their support and understanding, this never would have happened."
“It’s not going to be one promoter trying to cut the other one’s throat. We’ve agreed to work together, which is the best way to maximize the promotion. I expect Samuel Peter to win, but it’ll be a great fight, while it lasts. I believe Samuel will knock Vitali out!”
“It could be the US, could be Germany, could somewhere else in Europe, could be in China, could be in Nigeria. Whoever is prepared to give us the best deal, then that’s where it’s going to go.”

Shelly Finkel

“I believe it’s going to happen, and I believe it’ll happen early October. Vitali will be in the best shape he can be and I believe and hope that’s enough. He is determined and working very, very hard to do that.”

Ahmet Oner, the CEO of Arena Box Promotions

"I think Samuel Peter can be happy that I was here, because before this, there was the possibility to have the fight cheaper. I started with 10.6 million dollars in my head, and then went up to 11.7, 12.8 and 13…something."

Don King

“Ahmet deserves more than five-hundred-dollars. He is a good man and he’s the future. When you see a guy like that, working hard, it demonstrates that boxing is on the move, when everyone else thinks that boxing is in the doldrums. It is sort of a state without heroes, so we’re trying to create heroes."
"There was an irresistible force against an immovable object, and something had to give. Give it did, and we’ve made the deal."
“When Tom assured me that Vitali would be there, he WOULD be there."
“Vitali always been a good fighter and a courageous guy. But he’s been injury prone. You can’t eradicate that. So we faced it head on, and Tom said some things to me in confidence that assured me that Vitali will be there and I believe in and respect Tom Loeffler.”

Tom Loeffler

“This deal has really been worked out over the last few months, and it took these last couple of hours to work out the final details, before a purse bid would have been scheduled.”
“I think it’ll be a very competitive fight. Vitali has a style which is going to be very difficult for Sam Peter."
“Wladimir has beaten Sam Peter already and now Peter wants to get his revenge against his brother Vitali, who wants to prove that he still is deserving to be the WBC Champion of the World.”
“It really could wind up anywhere. The deal we made between our side and Peter’s side, is to maximize the revenues, so that both fighters benefit as much as possible.”




As part of the agreement, Samuel Peter is free to fight in an interim bout by the end of July. It's not known whether the interim fight will materialize but there is some buzz about a possible match-up with Andrew Golota as the interim match.

Source 1
Source 2

The Quietman Isn't Quiet About Fighting Valuev

With the recent pull out by WBA Heavyweight Champion Ruslan Chagaev for his mandatory title defense with Nicolai Valuev, John "The Quietman" Ruiz isn't being quiet about his desire to step in and fight Nicolai Valuev. Chagaev is officially over the WBA deadline and now were seeing further delays. Here is what Ruiz had to say:

“We have to respect mandatory defenses and if Chagaev isn’t willing or able to fulfill his obligation as champion he should step aside so the WBA can move forward instead of standing still. There’s so much speculation about Chagaev. First there was Hepatitis B and now another viral infection – it must have moved from his intestines to his throat – and nobody really knows when or if he’ll be able to fight again. We will be filing a letter of petition with the WBA to strip Chagaev and order a fight between me and Valuev for the WBA title.”

“The heavyweight division drives boxing. Fans are waiting for things to explode, but it seems like the heavyweight champions are holding the title belts hostage. They’re all tied up and don’t want to fight the best heavyweights. No wonder fans criticize heavyweights. I’m ready to clean-up the division and willing to fight any of the world champs or top contenders. How long do I have to wait for my title shot?”

I think at the very least if the WBA feels that Chagaev may have health issues that may prevent the rescheduled July 5th from materializing, they should at the very least let John Ruiz, who's ranked #2 behind Valuev, fight for an interim title if Chagaev once again pulls out of that fight date. This would be a "nice" solution. Otherwise, they should just have Ruiz fight Valuev on July 5th for the title.

I'm not a huge fan of Ruiz, but he does have some wins over notable heavyweights in his past, and he has recently defeated Jameel McCline on the undercard of the WBC title fight between Sam Peter and Oleg Maskaev. More importantly he lost his title to Nicolai Valuev in a close fight, and this fight between John Ruiz and Nicolai Valuev is better than no fight or further postponements in my opinion.

Giuliani To Support Vitali Klitschko's Kiev Campaign

The Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's firm, Giuliani Partners, announced Wednesday(5/7/08) that it is advising the campaign of Vitali Klitschko in the May 25 election after Klitschko's campaign approached his company for advice on policies to combat corruption in Kiev. Rudy Giuliani will take part himself in giving Vitali his expertise.

Vitali is running against the incumbent mayor of Kiev, Oleksandr Omelchenk. In March 2006, Klitschko also ran and came in 2ND to Leonid Chernovetsky winning about 25 percent of the vote.

“They need a leader like you who can deal with corruption, who can deal with reform of government, which is so necessary. “Nasdaq is part of what I was talking about with you earlier: the rejuvenation of Times Square,” Mr. Giuliani told Vitali Klitschko.

Giuliani also said this about the Kiev election:

“Reform is possible if you have the right candidate and the right set of ideas,” he said. “Kiev can accomplish this. It needs a leader who is determined to do it and a leader who has shown success in so many other areas.”

Good luck to Vitali on his run for mayor of Kiev. He has a good chance at winning this election since recent polls show that he is gaining increased momentum, and with Giuliani and company support, this could be an even greater possibility.

Klitschko Thompson Kiev Press Conference Video

This is a video of a sports news report that shows the New York Giants meeting President Bush and the Wladimir Klitschko and Tony Thompson press conference in Kiev. The Klitscho/Thompson press conference starts at the 1:34 mark in this video.

Commentary From Video

Thanks Anna,

The New York Giants met with President Bush at the White House on
Wednesday and were honored in a ceremony attended by
family, friends and fans. The Giants beat the Patriots 17-14
in Super Bowl XLII, despite being heavy underdogs against the then-undefeated
New England Patriots squad.
"In looking back it hard to find the experts who predicted a
Giants victory. Most people called it a cakewalk, 'be prepared to turn off
your television sets early because this isn't much of a game you are about to
watch'. When in fact, it turned out to be one of the great legendary football
games in our country's history." Said Bush
Giants Quarterback Eli Manning, under enormous pressure by New York
fans to play as well as his brother Peyton, an NFL Superstar, emerged as the
Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player.
"This is a great team that worked together and won the Vince
Lombardy trophy and won the deep gratitude of the 1972 Miami Dolphins,"
Bush added referring to the only team to go through a full season undefeated, a
feat that would have been equaled by the Patriots if they won the Super Bowl.

The Giants presented President Bush with a souvenir football and jersey. Bush also
thanked the Giants for their off-the-field volunteer work. The team visited
wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center earlier in the day.

Heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko held a news conference on
Wednesday (April 30) with his challenger Tony "The Tiger" Thompson
in Kiev.
The two boxers will fight in Hamburg, Germany on July 12 for the IBF,
IBO and WBO titles. Thompson is ranked as number one contender by the WBO.
Klitschko described his future rival as a strong and experienced
sportsman at the press conference.
"I can see that Thomson is such an experienced sportsman. In the
past eight years he has not lost a single fight. Tony Thompson has achieved,
not with words, but by his actions in the ring the top position in the
WBO," Klitschko said.
Klitschko promised real action on the ring.

"On July 12 in the ring, it is our actions that will be doing the
talking. Of course, the one who does his homework better will win." said Klitschko.

That's it for Sports. Back to you Anna.

Chagaev Valuev Fight Postponed

The May 31st rematch title clash between unbeaten WBA heavyweight world champion Ruslan Chagaev and Nicolai Valuev has been rescheduled for July 5Th, 2008. It's been reported that Chageav had come down with a viral infection and was forced to quit preparations for their May 31st encounter.

Chagaev's doctor Dr. Michael Ehnert had this to say:

"Ruslan Chagaev suffers from a protracted virus infection."

"In medical terms it's a viral laryngitis and pharyngitis. For non-doctors, it's a highly feverish viral infection of the upper respiratory tract with heavy symptoms. The medical treatment makes it absolutely necessary that he stop training."

Good luck to Chagaev on a healthy return on July 5Th, and let the best man win.

New Mike Tyson Quotes

Since his rehab in 2007 Tyson has been sober since and has recently had a few things to say about himself and his future....

Tyson On Life After Rehab

“It’s a struggle. I want to take drugs everyday. I want to drink everyday. But I don’t because I made the commitment not to. I take things day by day now and I am adjusting to it. I don’t hang out with the people that I normally acquainted myself with in the past because I’m not that type of person anymore.”

Tyson On Lifestyle

“I don’t want to get involved with my old lifestyle. I just want a different life now. I saw what that life got me, so I’m trying to build a new life that’s functional now. I wake up. Make my bed. Watch television. Then, I call my accountant to hear him say “no,” he’s not going to give me any money. Controlling my spending habits is a part of the change I guess.”

Tyson On Past Issues

“Maybe I was addicted to chaos. And that was the only way I knew how to function at that time. When I look back at the things I’ve done in my life, I realize that I brought them upon myself and now I have to deal with the responsibility - and I don’t like that. That’s what I have a problem dealing with.”

Tyson On Michael Spinks Win

“I really couldn’t enjoy that victory because I had so much chaos going on in my life at that time. I had my wife fighting with my managers and I had three girlfriends in the audience. It was just a mess. I wish things didn’t turn out like they did, with my career and everything. But I gave it a hell of a fight. I didn’t lay down and I didn’t give up. I kept in there and gave it a good fight... and I’m still fighting.”

New Vitali Klitschko Highlight Video

This is a new highlight video of Vitali Klitschko showing some of his more lethal moments. Enjoy, and good luck to Vitali on his return to the ring this fall!

Alexander Dimitrenko Defeats Derric Rossy

It only took 5 rounds Saturday night(5/3/08) and the 25 year old Alexander Dimitrenko remains undefeated while Derric Rossy now has 2 losses on his record. Rossy did give him some issues as of early but eventually Dimitrenko found his range and used his size advantage to score the TKO. For only 25 he is on his was to becoming a big attraction, however he will need to step up the competition a little in order to make best of his prime years. None-the-less a good win for Alex Saturday night over a decent opponent.

Alexander Dimitrenko To Face Derric Rossy

On the under-card of the Firat Arslan-Darnell Wilson WBA cruiserweight title fight in Stuttgart, Germany his Saturday, May 3rd, up and coming heavyweight Alexander Dimitrenko will face challenger Derric Rossy for the WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight Title. Since Wladimir has the WBO Heavyweight belt, which he is defending against mandatory challenger Tony Thompson this July 12th, this could mean the winner of this fight could be a future mandatory for Wladimir.
The 6'7" Dimitrenko has an impressive record of 27-0 (17), was a former junior heavyweight amateur champion, and since turning pro back in 2001, has beaten reputable names at heavyweight including Chris Koval, Julius Francis,Vaughn Bean and, most recently, Timo Hoffman.

The 6'3" Rossy has a record of 18-1(10) and is a former football player who turned to professional boxing. In his last fight agasint "Fast" Eddie Chambers, he seemed a little flat footed and lost by TKO in round 7.

Should be a good fight but I would think if a fairly light fisted fighter such as Eddie Chambers could get a TKO against Derric Rossy that Alexander Dimitrenko should get a TKO/KO if he starts connecting. Alexander also got a TKO against Timo Hoffman which if anything Timo is known for his ability to take a punch. Even Vitali Klitschko went the distance with Timo Hoffman. The only thing questionable with Dimitrenko is his chin and if anything Rossy may have the tools to test Dimitrenko. We'll have to see, but at age 25, 6'7", and with good punching power, Alex could be a future force in the heavyweight division.

Klitschko On Haye After Confrontation

This is a video of sports journalist Gareth A Davies interviewing Wladimir Klitschko after David Haye stormed a charity press confernce in London hosted by Wladimir. Wladimir gives his opinion about Dave's desire to get a crack at his crown.

Klitschko Thompson Hamburg Press Conference

On April 29th, 2008 Wladimir Klitschko and Tony Thompson held a press conference in Hamburg, Germany for their showdown on July 12th, 2008. Here's a short video I found of part of that press conference.

Wladimir Klitschko Arrives In Hamburg

On April 29th, 2008 Wladimir Klitschko arrived in Hamburg, Germany for a press conference for his fight with WBO mandatory challenger Tony Thompson on July 12th, 2008. Here's a short video of his arrival.

Here are some pics of Wladimir and Tony Thompson's meeting:

Wladimir Klitschko Looking Forward To Hamburg Return

This is a Google translation of an RTL article about Wladimir Klitschko looking forward to his return to Hamburg Germany when he fights Amercian Tony Thompson in July:

Wladimir Klitschko is looking forward to the return to the Elbe. In 1996 in Hamburg-Wandsbek I had my first professional fight. Now I come back ', said the boxing world heavyweight champion in the associations IBF, WBO and IBO at a press event in the Hanseatic city.

On 12 July defended the Ukrainians in the Color Line Arena his title against American Tony Thompson and stirred eleven weeks before the duel the love. The merging RTL television is the fight under the motto: 'The hero comes home' (The hero returns home).

In the case of permanent rain were both boxers by motorboat into a restaurant at the Hamburg Elbufer chauffiert. 'The weather was better. But the best thing about the people that he had the good weather in itself ', said Klitschko. The 32-year-old world champion, by 53 professional fights has won 50, goes from a clear victory over Thompson. 'I want to win early, so by K.o.' For the doctorate sports scientists is clear: 'Thompson boxes against the best man heavyweight. "

While preparing for the Wladimir Klitschko will fight his brother, Vitali, once again for the post of mayor in his home town of Kiev candidate. In September or October will Vitali Klitschko after a long break his comeback and the WBC title against Samuel Peter of Nigeria each other.

Thompson zollte respect while his rival, but said: "After the fight, I will be world champion." The 36-year-old American, of his 31 professional fights has lost only one, is the box audience in Germany. In July last year he had in a World Cup Ausscheid Luan Krasniqi in Hamburg from Rottweil through technical co in the fifth round defeats. 'The fight against Klitschko is the biggest challenge of my life', said Thompson.

TV channel RTL meanwhile informed of an extension of cooperation with the Klitschkos. About the duration of the contract, after the press conference was signed, both sides wanted no information. 'We want flexibility. The partner must be prepared at different times live transmission 'said Klitschko, who continue to struggle in the United States.

Wladimir Klitschko Training Pics Full

These are pictures of heavyweight boxer and WBO, IBF, & IBO champion of the world, Wladimir "Steelhammer" Klitschko training for various fights. Will be updated over time....

Steve Bunce On Klitschko & Haye

In this video UK's Steve Bunce discusses what he thinks about the potential match up of Wladimir Kiltschko and David Haye and Haye's future at heavyweight.

Donnell Holmes Fights This Saturday

On the under card of the Oscar De La Hoya fight night this Saturday (5/3/08), 230 lb Donnell "The Real Touch of Sleep" Holmes will face an opponent yet to be named. The same reason there is no name given of a fighter this Saturday is possibly the reason Holmes has no big name fights yet. He believes that a lot of fighters have chosen to avoid him. Most likely his unbeaten record of 28-0(24) will remain intact this weekend, but at age 35 Holmes needs to figure out a way to step it up before it's too late. This Saturday will be Holmes' first outing since October of last year. Possibly with a big name like De La Hoya and having a surname of a great heavyweight champion already this will give Holmes the exposure he needs.