Boxing Updates: Latest Boxing Event

Wladimir Klitschko (53-4, 47KOs) retained his IBF and WBO heavyweight titles with a ninth round technical knockout victory over previously unbeaten Ruslan Chagaev (25-1-1, 17KOs) on Saturday in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. The victory was criticized by many boxing writers and analysts as efficient but unimpressive. Many might argue that it was a magnificent performance by Klitschko, but heavyweight boxing should be about adrenalin, excitement and taking risks.

Wladimir was supposed to show a little more aggression to impress his critics and HBO (an American cable company), who decided that they did not want to waste their money showing the Wladimir vs. Chagaev bout. But what the audience saw from that fight was the usual Wladimir throwing jabs every round with only a few right hands. Klitschko just fought away with his usual safety first style of fighting with only very few spurts of aggression. Klitschko snuck a right hand late in the second round that had caught Chagaev, dropping him to the canvas.

Wladimir should have showed more aggression on the following rounds, instead he spent most of it throwing nothing but jabs. He should not have held back, because he already had established control over the fight. Klitschko never took a single risk, even when Chagaev retreated to the ropes. This could have been a fight where he could easily take the spotlight, instead he became very cautious as if Chagaev were the hardest puncher in the heavyweight division. He could have impressed everyone with a more solid performance.

Chagaev just couldn’t land his punches. When he would try to charge forward, Klitschko would just skip backwards or clinch to keep Chagaev from getting his shots off. After the ninth round Chagaev’s corner had seen enough and threw in the towel, surrendering before the start of Round ten.

Wladimir Klitschko was hit just once in nine complete rounds. There was not one messy moment, not one moment of drama and the only punch that landed on Klitschko’s whiskers was thrown after the bell sounded and was therefore considered as null and void.

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The potential match between Cotto and Manny is not far from happening. Manny’s promoter Bob Arum has informed the media on Wednesday that he had met with Cotto’s management representatives just recently, and is looking forward to get things ironed out. He is hoping to have the two fighters be paired on November 28 for a fight.

However, there would only be a few setbacks that might get in the way of arranging the fight. Freddie Roach and Manny Pacquiao wants the bout to take place at a catch weight. Cotto would also have to bring back his former self, because he does not seem to be the same fighter that he was, before his loss against Antonio Margarito. Besides that, Cotto is still nursing a bad cut over his left eye. Cotto’s cut would have to heal before the fight, and it would probably take a miracle for it to hold up in training camp for a bout against Manny Pacquiao in just five months.

Cotto will be in great trouble if his cut reopens in a fight against Pacquiao. He might as well surrender, because the blood might cover fifty percent of his vision. If Cotto will not give up, he might only take a beating from the quicker Filipino fighter. This will probably be Pacquiao’s greatest advantage against Cotto.

Right now, the weight could be the biggest issue. But the hero of the Philippines has not been intimidated by size lately, since he fought Oscar de la Hoya at 147 and Ricky Hatton at 140. He simply used his superior speed and punching ability to overcome any size advantages those two might have had. Roach believes that Pacquiao is unbeatable at 140 lb, and dragging the bigger boxers down should be to the advantage of the Filipino pound-for-pound champion.

Some critics are saying that Pacquiao’s sudden interest in Cotto is due to the fact that Manny can get a good payday fighting Cotto without the high risk of being beaten as he would against Mosley or Mayweather. They are saying that Pacquiao vs Cotto, because he is fresh from a fight and is still nursing some battle scars that he had acquired from Clottey and even from Margarito.

For sure this fight will still be a memorable one if it will come to reality. But for now, we will just have to wait for the decision of both camps.

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Lennox Lewis, a British World heavyweight champion was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. He was good enough to earn the induction alongside 13 other men into the Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday. Lewis is one of the youngest members of the Hall of Fame, at age 43.

One wouldn’t think a 14-year-old boy who did shadow boxing in front of the mirror imitating the Muhammad Ali shuffle would actually be on this stage,” said Lewis. “I am really humbled. This is a great honor.” Lennox Lewis tipped his hat to the “World’s Greatest”, Muhammad Ali, giving honor to one of his most admired prime fighters.

Lewis is 195cm (6 ft 5 in) in height and has an 84-in reach, much longer than average for his height. During his boxing prime, he weighed 113 kg (250lb). Lewis often referred to himself as “the pugilist specialist”.

Lennox was beaten by Klitschko who had fought so well against him. Because of this, boxing fans soon began calling for a rematch. The WBC agreed, and kept the Ukrainian as its number one contender. Lewis decided to pursue other interests, including sports management and music promotion. Lewis said he would not return to the ring. At his retirement, Lewis’ record was 41 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw, with 32 wins by knockout. Along with Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and Vitali Klitschko, Lewis is one of four boxers in history to have won the heavyweight championship three times.

Lewis moved to Miami Beach with his wife, Violet Chang, a former Miss Jamaica runner-up, upon retiring from boxing. The couple have a daughter named Ling, and a son, Landon.

He has plenty of time ahead to pursue other interests. Aside from finishing fourth on Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2008, Mr. Lewis twice competed in the World Series of Poker and appeared in a feature film, “Johnny Was.” Currently an analyst for HBO Boxing, Mr. Lewis has been able to stay close to the sport that in his induction speech he called both “a sweet science” and “a magical dance.”

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