Florida Boxing Beatdown
Winky Wright will wait until 2009 for his ring return. The St. Petersburg fighter reportedly sustained a left hand injury while sparring, and his Dec. 4 bout against Michi Munoz in Snoqualmie, Wash., has been canceled. Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs) was to fight for the first time since July 2007 when he lost a unanimous decision to Bernard Hopkins. Quoted by FightNews.com, Wright apologized to his fans, the Snoqualmie Casino and Versus network. Read Florida Boxing Beatdown's question-and-answer session with Wright in the Florida Beat department.
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Golden Boy Promotions
The inaugural boxing event at Snoqualmie Casino in Seattle will feature future Hall of Famer and former undisputed junior middleweight champion Winky Wright in his return to the ring to face Michi Munoz. The 10-round super middleweight bout takes place Dec. 4 and will air live on Versus at 8 p.m. A televised co-feature will be announced at a later date.
"It's great to be back, and I can't wait to hear the bell ring," said Wright, whose last bout was against fellow future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins on July 21, 2007. "I had a nice break, but I've been training hard and now I feel better than ever."
Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs), of St. Petersburg, Fla., is an 18-year veteran of the sport and has fought and beaten the best in the world, including Shane Mosley (twice), Felix Trinidad, Ike Quartey and Bronco McKart. Wright is firmly established as one of the premier boxers in the sport today, but at 36 he still feels the best is yet to come. He has lost once in 14 fights since 1999.
Munoz (21-2, 14 KOs), 27, is a hard-nosed competitor who is well aware that a victory over Wright will propel him to bigger and better things in 2009. A native of Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico, Munoz plans on pushing the pace against Wright.
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By Anthony Ivey
I recently sat down with former undisputed light middleweight champion Ronald "Winky" Wright for a brief interview. He had just completed an intense sparring session and took a few minutes to discuss his long-awaited return to the ring against Michi Munoz on Dec. 4 at the Snoqualmie Casino in Seattle.
Q: So Winky, how are you doing?
A: I'm good, thanks.
Q: How does it feel to return to training after such a long layoff?
A: I ain't tired. My energy is there. It's tough, but I felt good sparring with these monsters.
Q: Is there any pressure to perform or make an impact after such a long layoff?
A: I'm just there to be me, to give people a show. I come to fight and they like that.
Q: What do you know about your opponent, Michi Munoz?
A: I guess he's a pressure fighter. But it doesn't matter; I'll be ready for anything.
Q: What about future opponents?
A: I want all of 'em, the best. De La Hoya, Arthur Abraham, Kelly Pavlik. Wherever and whenever, I'm ready.
Q: What weight class will you campaign at?
A: 154-160. Catch some of these welterweights moving up to 154, like Paul Williams.
Q: Would you go back up to 170 like you did against Hopkins?
A: No, not unless it's for a big fight, like against Calzaghe. I'm sparring right now actually with heavyweights - big, quick heavyweights.
Q: Is there anything you would like to say to your fans or the media?
A: Yeah, there is. Winky's not retired. I didn't quit. I wanna fight the best. There has been a lot of things being said on web sites about me; it's not true. I always wanted to fight, but nobody would fight me. The fans want to see the best fight the best, and that's what I want.
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By Anthony Ivey
Former 2000 Olympic teammates Jeff Lacy and Jermain Taylor took center stage on Nov. 15 from Nashville, Tenn., in a championship eliminator to determine who would challenge for the WBC super middleweight title.
After 12 hard-fought rounds, Taylor scored a unanimous decision over St. Pete's Lacy by scores of 118-110 and 119-109 (twice).
Taylor used his jab and cross effectively through the first four rounds, while Lacy stalked him trying to land a bomb that would turn the tide in his favor. That bomb landed in the fifth, a chopping right hand behind Taylor's left ear. However, referee Lawrence Cole forgot about that silly, little guideline that says a clean punch from fighter A, which takes fighter B off his feet, is counted as a knockdown. Or so I've read somewhere.
After Taylor rose from his "slip," Lacy pursued him around the ring looking to finish him off. Taylor wisely remained elusive and held whenever his opponent got in punching range. Lacy had a good sixth round, but once again Taylor forced clinches that prevented Lacy from following up on his previous round's success.
Taylor regrouped for the second half of the bout, utilizing lateral movement and mixing in a hard right uppercut, which stopped Lacy in his tracks on more than one occasion. While Lacy came forward till the final bell, he was outlanded by the stiff combination punching of the challenger.
With the victory and title shot looming, Taylor raises his mark to 28-2-1. Lacy's record now reads 24-2.
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By Anthony Ivey
Derrick "Super" Samuels took his first step toward a world title as he captured the vacant NABA-U.S. junior welterweight championship on Nov. 7 at A La Carte Pavilion with a dominant performance over Jason Davis.
Samuels and Keith "One Time" Thurman highlighted Starfight Productions' final fight card of the year.
Samuels was in control of the main event from the opening bell, using his quickness and craft to offset Davis from effectively mounting any sustained offense. Samuels scored throughout the bout with his straight left and appeared to have Davis ready to go in the seventh. Davis survived the round but dropped a wide unanimous decision to the new champ.
"I feel great. I am so excited right now," said Samuels, posing with his new belt alongside members of his family as cameras flashed. "I wanted to finish strong. A stoppage would have been nice, but he was a tough kid. The title should have been mine back in August, but things happen for a reason."
With the victory, Samuels raises his mark to 16-4-1 with four KOs, while the game Davis drops to 11-2-1.
Thurman made it one round again with a first-round TKO victory. The opponent this time was Marcus "Bad" Luck, who ironically lived up to his own nickname by being floored three times in the opening frame to end the bout. The majority of the damage was done by hard body shots from welterweight Thurman that made Luck fold to the canvas.
"I wasn't bothered one bit out there," said Thurman, now 8-0 with eight KOs. "I had a great camp. I got great sparring from Matvey Korobov." (Korobov is the former 2005 and 2007 world amateur middleweight champion now turned pro.)
In a battle of undefeated heavyweights, local favorite Nick "The Assassin" Iannuzzi left the ring unbeaten after turning back Virginia's Terry Roy. Iannuzzi was buzzed by a straight left in the first, but bounced back to batter his opponent with right hands for the remainder of the bout. The referee then stopped the contest in the fifth after a series of powershots from Iannuzzi had Roy unable to continue.
"He was a tough opponent, very fast. I was just too strong for him," explained Iannuzzi, who stays unbeaten at 9-0 with six KOs.
After a year away from the ring, heavyweight Lenroy "TNT" Thomas scored a unanimous six-round decision over veteran Andrew Greeley. Thomas controlled the fight with his right jab in center ring and with shoeshine combos off the ropes. Greeley was crafty and did land some effective counters, but they were too far and few between. Scores read 60-54 all around for Thomas.
"Thank God I'm back," stated an elated Thomas, who upped his mark to 10-1 with seven KOs. "The year off made me a better person. I'm now focused more than ever."
Normally when a robbery occurs with witnesses present, justice is done. In boxing that's not always the case. The victim this time was local featherweight crowd pleaser "Cowgirl" Jenna Shiver.
After two fairly even tactical rounds against veteran opponent Rolanda Andrews, which saw a good battle of Shiver's right cross against the straight left of her opponent, Shiver controlled the final two stanzas with her aggression and power shots. After the bell rang to end the final round, happy expressions in Shiver's corner quickly turned to disbelief once the scores were read aloud.
An "Are-you-f******kidding-me?" score of 40-36 for Andrews was read first, followed by the appropriate score, 39-37 for Shiver. But just to make sure shouts of b******* were heard throughout the arena, the final judge sealed it with a 39-37 tally for Andrews, dropping Shiver's ledger to 7-4-1.
In the evening's opener, St. Pete middleweight Inka Laleye battled to a hard-fought draw against Mark Sanders. Laleye was stunned by a right in round one but came back to floor his opponent in the second with a right of his own. The last two rounds were hotly contested, as both fighters knew they had to increase their intensity. It appeared Laleye's knockdown might have given him the edge in scoring, but the judges rendered an even verdict (38-36 Sanders, 38-36 Laleye and 37-37).
"Hey, it was a fight. What can I say?" Laleye explained. "I thought I won, but you can't cry over spilled milk." With the draw, Laleye is now 3-1-2.
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By Brian Richesson
If this truly is the end, Joe Calzaghe exited with an exciting, memorable show on the grandest of sports stages, beating another great American fighter below the big-city lights.
Calzaghe is the complete package of boxer and entertainer, gift-wrapping two of his biggest performances for two of the most appropriate cities - Las Vegas and New York. Earlier this year he silenced Bernard Hopkins at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, and on Nov. 8 he brought his swagger to Madison Square Garden to face Roy Jones Jr.
Dancing and showboating throughout their light heavyweight matchup, Calzaghe battered Jones for 12 rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory. The Welshman overcame a first-round knockdown, which he ironically suffered against Hopkins, to defeat Jones 118-109 on all three scorecards.
Hopkins watched at ringside as Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KOs), with an accumulation of punches, badly bloodied Jones' left eye in the seventh round. Calzaghe continued to dominate thereafter against a fading Jones, who finished the fight despite a sizeable gash above his eye. Even with a bleeding Jones (52-5, 38 KOs) looking confused and outclassed for much of the fight, Calzaghe never slowed his attack. He threw nearly 1,000 total punches to Jones' 475 and landed 120 jabs to Jones' 12.
Hopkins, coming off a career-enhancing performance against Kelly Pavlik last month, had sought a Jones victory and a rematch of American stars, but Calzaghe ruined that possibility - or at least lessened its luster.
Contemplating retirement, Calzaghe said he would return home and sort out his future in boxing. With his recent string of impressive victories - against Jones, Hopkins, Mikkel Kessler and Jeff Lacy - Calzaghe has put to rest questions that lingered for much of his career.
If this truly is the end, Calzaghe has proven himself as one of the sport's best ever, using the American landscape and American boxing to make his final statement.
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By Anthony Ivey
It's been a year since heavyweight Lenroy Thomas has seen action in the ring. The time away, however, has not had any effect on his attitude.
"It feels like my pro debut," stated an elated Thomas. "Something special is going to happen on the 7th. I have had a lot of growth in the past year."
Thomas' growth has not only been relegated to personal issues, but physical issues as well.
"I'm weighing around 250 pounds right now and benching close to 500 pounds," stated Thomas (9-1, 7 KOs).
But it's not all about the added muscle or strength either.
"Dan [Birmingham] and Winky [Wright] have been helping me with my technique. I have got the whole package now; I just have to deliver it."
Thomas certainly delivered it in his last fight, scoring a crushing first-round knockout of tested journeyman Wallace McDaniel. He hopes to deliver again on Nov. 7 at the A La Carte Pavilion in a scheduled four-rounder.
"I feel like a kid in a candy store. I just feel so good about this fight," Thomas said.
Thomas knows he has to win this fight, but he also sees what's in store for him down the road.
"[Chris] Arreola and [Chazz] Witherspoon are ahead of me right now, but in my eyes I'm comin'. God will lead me in the right direction."
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By Anthony Ivey
Last August, Derrick Samuels headed to Las Vegas to try and claim the vacant NABA U.S. light welterweight title. At the end of 10 hard-fought rounds, Samuels found himself on the losing end of a controversial decision to undefeated Marvin Cordova.
"The crowd booed when the decision was announced," explained Samuels, 15-4-1 with 4 KOs. "I felt I dominated the fight."
Samuels was not in the minority in his opinion.
"Roger Mayweather told us that was the worst hosing he'd ever seen," stated trainer Jim McLoughlin. "Everyone saw it; it wasn't even close."
The controversy began even before the opening bell sounded.
"He came in at 143, three pounds over the limit. He went to go take off the weight and came back even heavier," said a befuddled Samuels. "But I look at that fight as a lesson learned, and now I'm ready to take it up another level."
That next level will happen on Nov. 7 at the A La Carte Pavilion, as Samuels will have another opportunity at the title, this time against Jason Davis. Samuels is glad to be home, but the location is ultimately irrelevant for him.
"I'm comfortable in any ring, any place and anytime. All that matters is his face and my two fists," Samuels said.
With the light welterweight division stocked with competitors such as Paul Malignaggi and Ricky Hatton, Samuels sees himself in that mix in the near future.
"This title will open doors for me. In two years or less, I'll be a world champion," he said.
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Starfight Productions
Starfight Productions will present this year's final installment of "Fight Night at the Pavilion" on Nov. 7 in Tampa. The main event features "Super" Derrick Samuels (15-4-1, 4 KOs) making his return to the ring where he will battle Jason Davis (11-1-1, 3 KOs) for the NABA U.S. junior welterweight title. Samuels will be looking for redemption after a controversial loss to Marvin Cordova in Las Vegas two months ago. Samuels is eager to win his first title as a professional in front of his hometown crowd at the Pavilion. Davis, undefeated in his last nine bouts, has plans to spoil Samuels' title aspirations.
The co-featured bout will be Keith "One Time" Thurman (7-0, 7 KOs), returning to the ring for his eighth professional fight, against ring veteran Marcus Luck (9-15-1, 3 KOs). Thurman, the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials silver medalist, will attempt to stay perfect and continue his knockout streak. He's coming off a vicious first-round knockout of previously unbeaten Omar Bell.
Some of the best professional boxing talent in the Tampa Bay area fills out the undercard. In a battle of undefeated fighters, Tampa native Nicholas Iannuzzi takes on Terry Roy of Virginia. Female boxing sensation Jenna Shiver battles Rolanda Andrews of Atlanta. Also featured in separate bouts will be junior middleweight Jean Baptiste, middleweight Inka Laleye and heavyweight Lenroy Thomas.
Tickets for the event, which can be purchased through Ticketmaster, are priced at $80, $75, $70, $55, $45, $35 and $20. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the fight card begins at 8. For more information, visit www.starfightproductions.com.
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By Anthony Ivey
While many know of the in-ring prowess of featherweight contender Jenna Shiver, you may not be aware of her outside interests.
"I wasn't able to attend the last Starfight Productions card because of my stunt training in Seattle. It was an incredible life experience that I feel blessed I did not miss out on," describes Shiver. "I enjoyed it to the fullest and would do it all over again."
Shiver also had her modeling photos recently done by Traci Aldrich Photography, which made the rounds the last time the "Cowgirl" graced the ring at the A La Carte Pavilion.
"Modeling is just really fun to do. It's a challenge to portray an emotion or attitude in a single photo," explains Shiver.
Another passion of Shiver's is personal training.
"I don't have my certification yet, but I am taking clients. It's great. My clients will get as much out of it as they are willing to put in," states Shiver.
In addition to all of the aforementioned activities, she is scheduled to make her in-ring return on Nov. 7 at the A La Carte in Tampa. Her opponent that evening will be the tough Rolanda Andrews, who put the first blemish on the record of multi-title holder Mia St John, via second-round knockout.
"In my last fight I allowed myself to get smothered a little. I couldn't quite get the distance for my punches," states Shiver. "I've been working on making those adjustments for this fight, as well as getting my combinations to be crisp."
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Starfight Productions
The Nov. 7 presentation of Fight Night at the Pavilion features two of the Bay area's most popular and talented fighters.
Light welterweight prospect Derrick Samuels (15-4-1) will fight Jason Davis (11-1-1) for the vacant NABA U.S. title. Samuels will look to impress as he comes off a split-decision loss to Marvin Cordova.
Also featured on the card is the 2008 Olympic Trials silver medallist in the 152-pound division, Keith Thurman (7-0, 7 KOs). In his last fight, Thurman knocked out undefeated prospect Omar Bell of Atlanta. Bell is the brother of former cruiserweight world champion O'Neil Bell.
Thurman has looked impressive thus far in his professional career and is yet to hear the bell for the second round, with all of his victories coming by 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. Undefeated crowd favorite Nicholas Iannuzzi will be in action. Jean Baptiste takes on Fred Tukes. Jenna Shiver makes her comeback to the ring, along with many others.
The fight card begins at 8 p.m., and tickets start at $20.
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