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Lacy to clash with Mendoza
Golden Boy Promotions
A former world super middleweight champion, Jeff Lacy made his name in the boxing world behind his concussive power and trademark left hook. Equally powerful Epifanio Mendoza has never taken a backward step in his nine-year pro career. On July 23 at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, Calif., Lacy's irresistible force meets Mendoza's immovable object in a 10-round super middleweight bout.
Lacy-Mendoza will air live on ESPN2's Wednesday Night Fights beginning at 9 p.m. This bout marks the first ESPN2 Wednesday Night Fights card at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa.
Tickets, priced at $35, $75 and $125, go on sale July 1 at noon and can be purchased at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa Box Office at (951) 755-5391 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the first bell rings at 5:30 p.m.
"Jeff Lacy has waited a long time to get back in position to regain his title, and if he can beat a dangerous opponent like Epifanio Mendoza, he will be one step closer to his goal," said Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions. "This fight should be one of the best of 2008, but with the power of both guys, I don't expect it to go the distance."
A 2000 United States Olympian, "Left Hook" Lacy (23-1, 17 KOs) has been one of boxing's most consistently exciting performers since he turned pro in 2001. A world champion in just his 18th fight after stopping Syd Vanderpool for the IBF super middleweight crown in 2004, Lacy successfully defended his title four times before being outpointed in a 2006 title unification bout against Joe Calzaghe. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native returned to the ring nine months later and outpointed Vitali Tsypko, only to have it revealed that he had torn his rotator cuff early in the fight. After surgery and almost a year away, Lacy was back in championship form last December as he scored a 10-round unanimous decision win over "The Contender's" Peter Manfredo Jr.
"This is going to be my first fight this year and my first time fighting at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa," said Lacy. "I'm going to make it a good one, and I will definitely make the statement that I'm ready for another world title shot."
Colombia's Mendoza (28-5-1, 24 KOs) fought under the radar in his native country until his 16th fight on Oct. 13, 2002, when he scored a shocking 30-second stoppage of unbeaten and highly touted Tokunbo Olajide. Among the 32-year-old's victims are Rubin Williams (KO1) and Rito Ruvalcaba (KO8), and though he fell short in a light heavyweight title fight against Chad Dawson last September, Mendoza knows that at 168 pounds, he'll be hard to beat.
"Jeff Lacy is a former world champion and he's a good fighter, but I'm hungrier than he is," said Mendoza. "I need a win in this fight, and I won't stop throwing punches until they raise my hand in victory."
Undercard bouts will be announced soon. For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.morongocasinoresort.com.
Rivera, Thurman impress
Starfight Productions
In front of a sold-out crowd on June 27 at A La Carte Pavilion, Carlos Rivera (13-3) pounded out an eight-round decision over local veteran Carlos Diaz (9-13) in the main event of a Starfight Productions card.
Rivera dropped Diaz in the second round after an explosive exchange. Diaz was able to recover and hurt Rivera in the fourth. After eight brutal rounds that left the crowd on its feet, Rivera won a unanimous decision.
In the co-main event, welterweight prospect Keith Thurman (6-0) continued his ruthless onslaught through the division by adding his sixth straight first-round knockout, this time over Jayson Jordan (6-23-3). Thurman hit Jordan with a massive right that sent him to the canvas where he would be counted out.
Shea Bailey of Starfight Productions was quoted as saying, "There is no prospect in the welterweight division that can beat this kid. It is not a matter of if he will win a world title, but when."
On the undercard, lightweight prospect Tyrese Hendrix (13-0-1) of Gainesville, Ga., won a unanimous decision over James Helms (6-2-1) of Ohio. Judges scored it 59-55, 59-55, 58-56.
In other results:
Ahsandi Gibbs (8-0) knocked out Ben Aragon (7-11) in the fourth round.
Nick Iannuzzi (7-0) won a unanimous decision over Dione Craig (4-13).
Jenna Shiver (7-3) knocked out Renee Douglas (11-6) in the fourth round.
Earl Ladson (14-18) of Ohio upset local favorite Jason Barnett (10-8) by unanimous decision.
Shiver draws desire from frustration
By Anthony Ivey
While Jenna Shiver is focused on her June 27 opponent, she has not let the events of her previous fight stray far from her mind.
"I feel awesome for this fight; I can't wait to get in there," says an enthusiastic Shiver.
But when the topic of her previous fight at the A La Carte Pavilion is brought up, Shiver's demeanor and expression quickly change from enthusiastic to serious.
"I feel frustration, with a strong desire for a rematch," explains Shiver (6-3-1, 2 KOs). "I gave Adawirky [Lopez] the first two rounds because she didn't have the ability to take them on her own."
Their May 9 encounter saw Lopez score effectively in the first half of their bout, with Shiver coming on strong during the last half. Shiver feels, however, that Lopez's fists were not the most damaging weapons that night.
"She's a dirty fighter. She scored with her head more than her hands," says Shiver.
And if it happens next time?
"I had never been exposed to a dirty fighter like that, so it mentally caught me off guard, but that won't happen again," says Shiver.
Gibbs like a machine
By Anthony Ivey
When I was ringside on May 9 during Ahsandi Gibbs' last fight, one of his cornermen, John Scandria, was sending running commentary my way during the action.
"He's like a machine," said Scandria. "He gets stronger as the fight goes on. If this was a six or eight rounder, you'd see a knockout."
As you watch Gibbs fight, you can see Scandria's comparison being accurate. The fighter steadily builds a pace that his opponent can't keep.
"I just stay busy. I turn it on, and I keep it on," explains Gibbs.
He certainly kept it on the day I stopped by the 4th Street Gym, as he sparred for seven solid rounds.
"I get warmed up, and I fatigue less and less," says Gibbs (7-0, 2 KOs). "In my last fight I was hitting him with solid punches, but he was tough and it wasn't stopping him."
Despite not being able to stop his opponent, it was still a decisive victory for Gibbs.
Gibbs is set for six rounds of middleweight action on June 27 at the A La Carte Pavilion, but he isn't concerned about whom is in the opposite corner.
"I think he's about 5-11, but otherwise I don't really know much about him. I really don't care who the opponent is," Gibbs says.
Thurman not looking for the KO
By Anthony Ivey
It would probably come as a surprise to most people that a fighter who has scored five first-round knockouts in as many starts is not looking to make it an early night.
"I never try for a knockout," explains Keith Thurman. "I just look for the opening, and throw a devastating punch to make stuff happen. I don't go in there and think I'm gonna knock this guy out."
Try telling that to Thurman's last opponent, Jesse Davis, who took a thorough pounding until the fight was stopped near the end of the first. It took hard-punching fellow welterweight prospect Omar Bell four rounds to seal the deal against Davis in his previous fight.
"Davis was one tough fighter; he took a lot of clean, hard shots before it was over. But I proved once again I have punching power, and that's something to be recognized," says Thurman.
Thurman's next opponent on June 27, Chris Gray, should prove equally tough. In his last two fights, Gray dropped a close decision to undefeated Raymond Biggs Jr., and then scored an upset victory over 9-0 Brian Mihtar on the undercard of the Tarver-Dawson championship doubleheader last April at the St. Pete Times Forum.
Still, none of this information alters Thurman's fight plan.
"Bottom line, I bring it from the first bell to the last bell," he says.
Rivera headlines on June 27
By Anthony Ivey
While featherweight Carlos Rivera won in convincing fashion his last time out at the A La Carte Pavilion, there was something that wasn't quite right.
"I was sick the week going into that fight, and I had to eat up to the weigh-in just to get to the contracted limit," says Rivera.
Despite the illness, Rivera hammered home enough power shots to secure a unanimous decision victory that evening.
"My trainer, Jim, pushed me those last few rounds. This time I'm really ready for this one. I am going to stay technical and fight my fight," says Rivera.
That fight will be against sturdy veteran Carlos Diaz on June 27 at the A La Carte in an eight-round main event. In his last four fights Diaz has faced competition with a combined record of 57-5-1, mainly dropping close decisions to these opponents.
"He's faced some tough guys," says Rivera (12-3-2 with 4 KOs). "But no one can match me in speed and power. I plan on throwing 100 punches a round like I did back on April 5."
Even though Rivera is not looking past his current opponent, he knows that bigger opportunities are just down the road.
"We are going to start negotiating a title fight," he says. "We just are waiting for the right opportunity. After this fight, good things will happen."
Laleye headed to Iowa
By Anthony Ivey
Undefeated St. Pete middleweight Inka Laleye has come quite a distance already, haling originally from Nigeria. Now it looks like he'll be traveling even farther as his next fight, scheduled June 27 under the banner of TKO Boxing Promotions, will be at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Iowa City, Iowa.
The last time Laleye stepped into the ring was on April 5 at the Bayfront Hilton in St. Petersburg. Despite being called on less than two weeks' notice, he battled fellow middleweight Craig Hodges to an entertaining four-round draw.
"From that fight I learned I need to use my reach and initiate action, be more aggressive," states Laleye (3-0-1, with 1 K0).
Laleye sounds like he's already applying what he's learned for his upcoming four-rounder.
"Training has been excellent," says Laleye. "I'm working with different styles, mixing it up."
Another thing that will be different will be the weight class, as Laleye is getting himself down to the 154-pound limit for this fight.
"I can get down to 154 - it just takes a little work," explains Laleye.
The card's venue is also unique, as Iowa is not normally known for its boxing. The last major fight in Iowa took place in 1991, between James Toney and Michael Nunn for the IBF middleweight championship.
Barnett returns home
By Anthony Ivey
On April 19, Jason Barnett had an experience he will treasure for the rest of his life. On that night, he stepped into the ring with 2000 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist Audley Harrison in the co-main event to the much-anticipated Hopkins-Calzaghe megafight in Las Vegas.
"It was a great opportunity. I had everything to gain, and you couldn't beat the exposure," explains an enthusiastic Barnett (10-7, 4 KOs). "It was a real confidence booster. Audley is one of the top 40 heavyweights in the world, according to boxrec.com. Everyone was expecting me to get blown out early, but after the fight I definitely learned I can compete at that level."
And compete he did, as he fought well going into the fifth round before the referee ended the contest in what appeared to be premature fashion, causing Barnett to lose via TKO.
But now he is back home in Florida, ready for a return to the A La Carte Pavilion on June 27. His opponent that evening will be Earl Ladson, a heavyweight who recently dropped close decisions to solid opponents such as David Bostice, as well as undefeated Devin Vargas.
"I am not taking this guy lightly," says Barnett. "His record is deceptive. He has a solid chin, and has gone the distance with some good guys."
Thurman, Rivera, Gibbs take center stage
Starfight Productions
Fight night returns to the A La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa on June 27.
Headlining the show will be featherweight prospect Carlos Rivera (12-3-0, 8 KOs), currently residing in St. Petersburg, in an eight-round main event. Rivera is coming off three consecutive victories including his most impressive career victory, a third-round stoppage of former world title challenger Jose Laureano in April of this year. Rivera is known for his explosive power and granite chin and will certainly be a force in the featherweight division. He looks to continue his winning ways on June 27.
Also featured on the card is Keith Thurman (5-0, 5 KOs), the 2008 Olympic trials silver medallist in the 152-pound division. Thurman has looked impressive thus far in his professional career and is yet to hear the bell sound for the second round, with all of his victories coming by way of first-round knockout. The welterweight prospect from Clearwater looks to keep his knockout streak alive.
Filling out the undercard is some of the best professional boxing talent in the Tampa Bay area. Female boxing sensation Jenna Shiver (5-3-1) takes on Midwest tough girl Renee Richardt-Douglas from St. Louis. Undefeated middleweight prospect Ahsandi Gibbs (7-0) takes on a fighter to be announced. Local favorite Jason Barnett (8-5-1) takes on Lawson Baker of California (5-2-0) in a four-round special attraction. Undefeated heavyweight and crowd favorite Nicholas Iannuzzi (6-0) is in a six-round bout. Also fighting will be lightweight sensation Tyrese Hendrix (12-0-1) of Gainesville, Ga.
Tickets are priced as follows: VIP table seating at $80, $75, $70; VIP reserved at $45 and $35; and general admission at $20. Tickets are available through the Starfight Productions office and all Ticketmaster outlets. For more information, visit www.starfightproductions.com or contact the Starfight Productions' office at 813-876-9269.
Miranda offers Abraham career advice
411mania.com
Calling in from his training camp in Puerto Rico, super middleweight contender Edison "Pantera" Miranda chuckled when he was read the latest statements from his June 21 opponent, Arthur Abraham, who stated that in their controversial first bout in 2006, if he failed to beat a man who had his jaw broken, he would have taken a job as a night watchman.
"I agree with you Arthur, if it was a one-on-one fight," said Miranda of the first bout, one marred by questionable officiating. "Unfortunately for me, I was fighting you and the referee, and most people who saw the fight still believe I won.
"This time, I'm not trusting anything but my fists, and I will knock you out," continued Miranda. "So, as a fellow competitor, I suggest that maybe you should start shopping for your patent leather shoes and uniform, because you'll be doing that night watchman job by the end of the summer. I think you'll be perfect for it, because when something happens, you don't have to do anything yourself - you can just call for help. Our first fight showed that you're good at that."
Abraham-Miranda II, a 12-round super middleweight attraction, headlines a night of professional boxing presented by Seminole Warriors Boxing and Sauerland Event. Showtime World Championship Boxing will televise this highly anticipated rematch from Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla., beginning at 9 p.m.
'Cherry bomb' explodes in national spotlight
By Jason Freed
The Semper Fi went crazy.
Edner Cherry--the fan favorite fighting in front of a packed house of Marines at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C.--landed his signature right hand midway through the 10th and final round to stop veteran Stevie Johnston Wednesday night on ESPN2.
Cherry was in control of the fight from the opening bell, continuously using a quick left jab to set up his strong right, or what he calls the "cherry bomb."
Cherry won all but one round on the judges' scorecards and knocked Johnston down twice before delivering the final blow 2:34 into the 10th round. Johnston's head hit the canvas like a rock and paramedics were immediately called into the ring to assess his situation. Johnston never saw the punch coming.
Cherry, of Wauchula, improves to 24-5-2, and earned his 12th KO.
The loss almost definitely signifies the end for Johnston, a former WBC lightweight champ from 1997 to 2000.
Cherry planned on using the ESPN Wednesday Night Fight to regain national respect after a disappointing televised loss to Paul Malignaggi in 2006. Since then, Cherry has defeated Wes Ferguson twice, first at A La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa, and again at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Ricky Hatton undercard.
On Wednesday, Cherry came out of the gates swinging. Halfway through the fight he had thrown 100 more punches than Johnston and had connected on 40 more. His youth was showing.
In the sixth round, Cherry smartly decided to sit back, use his legs and wait for Johnston to make moves. He was then able to set up strong counters.
A barrage of punches in the ninth while Johnston was on the ropes earned Cherry his second knockdown of the fight. Johnston never recovered.
Johnston, 35 years old fighting his 49th professional fight, came in to Wednesday saying he was back in the best shape of his life.
His first taste of the top came when he defeated Jean-Baptiste Mendy for the WBC lightweight title. The championship run was only briefly interrupted by a decision loss to Cesar Bazan, whom he later defeated in a rematch to win back the belt. Johnston defended the title seven times before permanently losing the belt to Jose Luis Castillo in 2000 via majority decision. The loss was declared the "2000 upset of the year" by Ring Magazine, as Castillo was relatively unknown at the time.
On Wednesday's undercard, Johnny Edwards knocked out former two-time WBA featherweight champion Freddie Norwood in the seventh round.
Later, 43-year-old "King" Arthur Williams turned back the clock to his glory days and was able to knock down Clarence Moore in the second round, holding on to win a 60-52 unanimous decision.
Samuels, Thurman show power
By Anthony Ivey
Starfight Productions hosted a night of boxing May 9 at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa.
In the main event featuring junior welterweights, St. Pete's Derrick Samuels scored an impressive first-round knockout over Donnel Logan. A lightning quick right hook drove Logan face first to the canvas. Although Logan rose at nine, he was unsteady on his feet and the referee ended the contest.
"If you think for one second I can't punch, you're gonna be in for it," stated Samuels, who raises his mark to 15-3-1 with 4 KOs.
"Derrick has sparred with Edner Cherry, and Edner has said Derrick is a great boxer, as well as a really good puncher," added Starfight's Pete Fernandez.
The first-round knockout streak continued for Clearwater welterweight prospect Keith Thurman as he brutalized Jessie Davis with vicious straight rights to the head and hard hooks to the body from the opening bell until Davis crumpled to the canvas from the assault. The fight was quickly waved off moments after.
"I came prepared and felt confident. He was a tough opponent, but in the end my power was too much for him," explained Thurman, who improves to 5-0 with 5 KOs.
The evening began with St. Pete's Willie Chisolm battling Tampa's Nick Iannuzzi in a four-round cruiserweight bout. Chisolm nailed Iannuzzi with an overhand right in the fight's opening moments, but Iannuzzi dominated the rest of the round with a series of hard, straight shots to the head. Iannuzzi controlled the second, even hurting Chisolm in the last half of the round with combinations. A huge right hand floored Chisolm in the final 20 seconds of the third, and Iannuzzi closed the show in the fourth as Chisolm's corner surrendered as its fighter was being hammered along the ropes.
"He was the best opponent I fought so far, but he couldn't handle my jab and he kept lunging in, so he was open for the uppercut," stated Iannuzzi (6-0, 4 KOs).
"No excuses - he was the better man tonight. I'll be back," said Chisolm (6-4).
Super featherweight Jenna Shiver took on Adwicke Lopez in a four-round affair. Lopez came out fast, winging hard shots at Shiver in the first stanza, as Shiver did her best to stand her ground and fire back with combinations. St. Pete's Shiver had a more effective second round with straight punches, but Lopez found the mark with hard hooks and overhand rights. Shiver had her moments in the third, but again Lopez connected with more power shots. While Shiver had a good final round, Tampa's Lopez was awarded a unanimous decision via triple scores of 39-37 for a successful victory in her pro debut. With the loss, Shiver falls to 6-3-1.
Jason Rorie started his pro debut off on the right foot with a knockdown in the opening round of his four-round featherweight bout against Jesus Mendez. Round two was fairly even with both guys landing effectively. The awkward Mendez scored repeatedly in the third, until a Rorie body shot had him wincing in pain in the round's closing moments. Rorie closed the fight strong in the fourth to seal a split decision victory with scores reading 38-37 (twice), with one judge dissenting, 37-38.
Featherweights took center stage again in the following bout as New Port Richey's Carlos Rivera faced Carlos Vinan. Both guys fought hard on the inside in round one, but in round two Rivera went on the outside and picked Vinan off with straight shots until Vinan closed the gap by round's end. Rivera had his way in the third, landing at will with straight lefts that snapped Vinan's head back repeatedly. Rivera hurt Vinan in the fourth with body shots, and the fifth saw a bloody Vinan staggering around the ring courtesy of Rivera's vicious assault. Round six was academic as Rivera again landed at will to take home a unanimous decision by scores of 59-55 all around.
"I could have done a little more, but I was sick a few days before the fight," explained Rivera. "But every fight I believe I can get better."
Rivera's mark now stands at 12-3-2.
Undefeated St. Pete middleweight Ahsandi Gibbs squared off against Timothy Hall in a four rounder in the next bout of the evening. After a feeling out opening round, Gibbs connected with hooks to the head and body in the second. Gibbs applied steady pressure and tagged Hall with a strong right hand to the head to close out the third. Gibbs came out blazing in the fourth, hammering Hall with both hands till the bell sounded to end the fight. Scores tallied a shutout on all cards, 40-36.
"I felt about 85 percent in there, and he could definitely take a punch. But in the end, he was just overwhelmed," said Gibbs, who improves to 7-0 with 2 KOs.
Cherry returns to ESPN
By Anthony Ivey
Edner Cherry will make his return to ESPN2 on May 21 in Jacksonville, N.C. His opponent will be former world champion Stevie Johnston (42-5-1, 18 KOs). Cherry is a well-known commodity on ESPN, as he was named its fighter of the year in 2006.
"Training has been going good," states Cherry (23-5-2, 11 KOs). "But I always come in to be a champion, and to beat the best."
Cherry certainly looked like a champion in his last fight. On the undercard of the Mayweather-Hatton super fight, Cherry scored a highlight-reel knockout over Wes Ferguson courtesy of a brutal left hook in the sixth round. It was a knockout so eye catching that it was featured in The Ring magazine's year-end pictures-in-review section.
"Being on PPV and in Ring magazine was great exposure. The whole world saw who I was. The first fight we had went the distance; this time I was able to score the knockout," states Cherry.
While Wauchula's Cherry is not looking past his opponent on May 21, he is well aware of who's holding the gold in the lightweight division.
"I would love to fight either [Joel] Casamayor or [Nate] Campbell for a championship," says Cherry.
What about the appeal of an all-Bay battle with Campbell right here in Tampa?
"That would definitely be a great fight for the fans here, and I'd be up for it," states Cherry.
'Cowgirl' up for different challenges
By Anthony Ivey
Moments before I approached top-ranked super featherweight contender Jenna Shiver for an interview following her knockout victory on March 14 in Tampa, I stopped to observe her interactions with the fans. I watched her as she smiled broadly for everyone, thanked people for their support and gave them handshakes or even hugs as a show of appreciation.
About 30 minutes earlier, she wasn't quite as quick with a smile. At that moment, she was too busy bloodying, staggering and eventually dropping her opponent, Melinda Woody, en route to an impressive third-round TKO victory. The smile returned when I congratulated her on scoring back-to-back knockout victories.
"Yes, I know," she says. "And I'm totally stoked about it."
As a matter of fact, Shiver has a lot to be stoked about. While her hooks are devastating in the ring, her looks are just as eye-catching outside of it, as evidenced by her Maxim-style professional modeling photos, which will be out in the near future.
"Modeling is fun, but it challenges me in a different way than boxing. To hold a sexy pose for an extended length of time is definitely difficult," states Shiver, 6-2-1 with 2 KOs.
Her return on May 9 should prove less difficult, as she is fighting in a scheduled four-rounder at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa.
"Training has been going great, and I feel strong for this fight," says Shiver.
Thurman senses fear
By Anthony Ivey
Whenever I've interviewed Keith Thurman post fight, there is a recurring theme to his answers. "I sensed his fear before the bell rang," he states repeatedly of his opponents.
Why does he keep sensing this? "Ever since I was little, my coach trained me to read fighters. It's hard to explain, just something that I know," explains Thurman.
What if he doesn't sense fear? "Hey, even if I sense confidence, that doesn't mean I'm backing down," he says.
Backing down is something Thurman hasn't done yet as a pro, winning all four of his fights by first-round knockout. His next opponent, Jessie Davis (9-9, 6 KOs) of Savannah, Tenn., is his most seasoned yet, with 18 fights under his belt. Thurman, however, views himself as the more experienced of the two.
"The amateur background is what it's about. I have over 100 fights as an amateur. I learned to get hit and not get hit. But really, it's not even about the amount of fights; it's how good of a fighter you are," states Thurman.
Thurman again wants to show how good of a fighter he is on May 9 in a scheduled four-round welterweight bout at the A La Carte Pavilion.
"I'm in condition to go four rounds, but I am already training for six," says Thurman. "My sparring has been great, especially working with a slick guy like Derrick Samuels."
'Mr. Brixx' is back
By Anthony Ivey
Undefeated middleweight Ahsandi Gibbs is set for his May 9 return at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa.
His return to the ring was intended to be a few weeks earlier, on April 12, on the undercard of the Tarver-Dawson doubleheader. But his opponent pulled out at the last minute.
"It was a big disappointment for me, but it's part of the game," states Gibbs. "But it did give me more time to prepare for this upcoming fight."
Gibbs has been boxing professionally for more than a year now, but his interest in the sport dates back much earlier.
"When my younger brother came home with a black eye, my stepfather wanted us to learn how to defend ourselves," states St. Pete's Gibbs.
Gibbs trains out of the 4th Street Gym in St. Petersburg, an experience he describes as a valuable one.
"I follow my stablemates," says Gibbs. "I learn a little bit from everybody in the gym."
While the nickname "Mr. Brixx" evokes images of a heavy-handed slugger, Gibbs describes himself as more of a thinking man's fighter.
"I have an adaptable style. I see what the weaknesses are, and I go from there," explains Gibbs.
Gibbs has exposed many weaknesses, as evidence by his 6-0 mark (2 KOs). One thing is for sure, when the night of May 9 arrives, Gibbs will be ready.
"I get so focused, I forget my family is even there," he says.
'Superman' returns
By Anthony Ivey
Derrick Samuels may fight under the nickname "Superman," but in his last start he was the one who packed kryptonite in his fists.
In front of a packed house Jan. 18 at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa, Samuels scored an exciting third-round knockout over Cory Peterson.
"I learned how to deal with adversity in that fight," states Samuels. "In the second round he really pressed me, but it showed, if need be, I can weather the storm and bang with these guys."
Samuels hopes to take what he's learned and use it when he returns on May 9 to the Al La Carte Pavilion. And just as he was in the Peterson fight, he'll be in the main event. Samuels, a junior welterweight out of Orlando, will be in what should be his last scheduled eight-round bout.
"I will be fighting in 10 rounders soon, and I'll probably have three to four more fights before the end of the year," says Samuels, 14-3-1 with 3 KOs.
When the rounds increase, so does the level of competition. Samuels, however, is ready to step up.
"There is no dominant guy in the division, just a lot of good prospects. I'm hoping to test my skills against them in the near future," states Samuels.
In the end, he may be Superman, but even superheroes need support sometimes.
"I'd like to thank Starfight Productions, Jean Baptiste, Gino McClellan, Keith Thurman, Ahsandi Gibbs and Jim McLoughlin. Without the people I just mentioned, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Tarver: I'm the true champion
Staff reports
After Joe Calzaghe's big win over Bernard Hopkins on April 19, a handful of names were thrown out as Calzaghe's next foe. That list didn't include Antonio Tarver, and "The Magic Man" has taken exception by calling out the super middleweight and light heavyweight champion.
"Everyone was mentioned as Calzaghe's potential next opponent but me - the true light heavyweight champion," Tarver said in a statement released to the media. "I am the real legend killer! I beat Roy Jones Jr. not once, but twice. I have also beaten Glenn Johnson, Clinton Woods and many more top fighters in the light heavyweight division. I am the only light heavyweight champion who currently holds two belts and on my way to unifying the belts this year. I will fight Calzaghe in the U.S., in the U.K. or wherever he wants to fight. Three fights, three titles, undisputed!"
Tarver continued, "Just like I predicted years ago that I could beat Roy Jones Jr., I am putting the world on notice that I am the boxer who can stop Calzaghe. Having just beaten his fellow countryman, Clinton Woods, Calzaghe should step up and fight and defend the honor of his country."
Barnett set for Hopkins-Calzaghe card
By Anthony Ivey
Four days ago, Jason Barnett's camp received the call to fight in an eight-round bout on the Hopkins-Calzaghe light heavyweight championship card April 19 in Las Vegas. Even though it's on short notice, it's something too good for the Barnett camp to pass up.
"It's a tough fight," says trainer Jim McLoughlin. "But the opportunity and the money are tremendous."
Barnett's opponent is 2000 Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison, whose pro ledger reads 21-3 with 16 KOs. This is Harrison's first fight in more than a year, while Barnett's last outing was just two weeks ago, a decision victory at the Bayfront Hilton that upped his record to 10-6 with 4 KOs.
Barnett's camp finds a positive in him having fought a short time ago, as he's been able to maintain his conditioning.
"Since his last fight was so recent, he's in shape," says McLoughlin of his heavyweight.
Another positive for Barnett is Harrison's current slump; he's dropped three of his last five bouts. Still, a victory over an Olympic gold medallist on one of the biggest cards of the year can only propel Barnett to bigger and better opportunities.
