Four days before lineal middleweight champion Miguel Cotto defends title versus Saul Canelo Alvarez, WBC stripped Cotto his middleweight title. According to the below WBC statement, "Miguel Cotto and his promotion did not agree to comply with the WBC Rules & Regulations". But surprisingly, Alvarez can win the WBC title because he "has agreed to do so". Hmmmm... Sounds bullshit to me - defending on the real WBC reason.

I'm speculating here, but it seemed to me that the reason could be the "sanction fee". I believed Cotto refused to pay sanction fees imposed by the WBC. Naaa... Maybe it's too much!

Anyway here's the full statement:

"The World Boxing Council worked tirelessly through a process that began over two years ago to secure the celebration of the highly anticipated fight between Miguel Cotto and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.  The WBC is proud of that accomplishment that is giving boxing fans around the world a very important fight to see.

After several weeks of communications, countless attempts and good faith time extensions trying to preserve the fight as a WBC World Championship, Miguel Cotto and his promotion did not agree to comply with the WBC Rules & Regulations, while Saúl Alvarez has agreed to do so.  Accordingly, the WBC must rule on the matter prior to the fight.

The WBC hereby announces that effective immediately has withdrawn recognition of Miguel Cotto as WBC World Middleweight Champion. If Saul “Canelo” Alvarez wins the fight against Cotto, he will be recognized as the WBC middleweight world champion.

The WBC’s decision is premised on the fact that Miguel Cotto and his camp are not willing to abide by the governing WBC Rules & Regulations, and the specific conditions the WBC established to sanction the fight.  Simply put: they are not willing to respect the very same rules and conditions which applied to Cotto becoming WBC champion. The WBC wishes Miguel Cotto the best of luck as we truly regret the course of action which led to them taking such decision.

The WBC is a non-profit governing organization founded 53 years ago.  The WBC has implemented all of the current rules in the sport, paving the way to much safer boxing.  The WBC creates, implements and enforces, its Rules & Regulations to bring safety, order, unity, justice and equality to a sport that was marred with abuse and unfairness.  Since the first day of existence of our organization, the WBC has taken countless actions for the protection of the boxer and it is a fact that most if not all boxers dream of conquering the green belt.

The WBC stands by its honorability and will not participate in the abuse of power and greediness, which has taken our boxing world to regrettable actions from different parties.  The WBC wishes the promotion great success and we are satisfied that this great fight for boxing will be enjoyed by millions of fans around the world."

On Saturday night in Melbourne Australia, Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (10-0, 7 KO’s) knocked out former bantamweight UFC champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey (12-1, 3 KO’s, 9 by submission). Rousey was a HUGE favorite going into the fight. Everyone thought this was going to be another submission or KO win for Rousey. Big plans were already in the works after the predicted win over Holm.

The next step for Rousey was to potentially dabbe in the boxing world, in an attempt to win another world title. In fact, she just graced the January 2016 cover of “The Ring magazine,” which hits stands on November 15. The well known and respected boxing magazine, sells itself as the “Bible of boxing.” Not only is she the second woman to be featured on the front page, she is the first MMA fighter to take the cover. Oscar De La Hoya was licking his chops, anticipating this win so he could make a whole lot of money off Rousey, the cash cow. Holm upset the plan and has officially conquered the MMA and boxing world. For those of you who don’t know Holm, here’s a snippet of what she has accomplished.

Holm was a professional boxing champion who won world titles from the 140 pound to 154 pound division. She held a record of 33-2-3 with 9 KO’s. Holm defended her world titles eighteen times. In addition to her boxing accomplishments, Holm was also a kickboxer who held a record of 2-1 1 KO. The question going into the fight was, could Holm be effective against Rousey’s dominant ground game. Rousey has dominated her past few opponents in the stand up game. So add Rousey's ground game to how she much has excelled fighting on her feet, everyone thought Holm was just going to be another sacrificial lamb. Holm ended up knocking out Rousey with a round-house kick which is being named, “The kick heard around the world.” A rematch was talked about immediately after Rousey got off the canvas. A definite win for Dana White. $CHA CHING$

This was not Holm’s first rodeo. She has been in with the best fighters in the world and has dominated. The trash talking is nothing new to her. She knows that all of the mind games and name calling does not matter. What matters is what happens in the ring or the cage. Holm’s experience was very apparent during interviews leading up to the fight. It was also apparent at the weigh-in incident when Rousey attempted to intimidate Holm by placing her fist in her face. Holm responded by pushing Rousey off with a her fist of her own. Rousey began to trash talk Holm saying she “sees right through her.” Holm just sat back very calm and collected and just looked at Rousey as she was running her mouth. Holm told Joe Rogan when asked what the exchange was about, “I don’t know, I was just having a drink, you know.” Holm has been in world title fights before. It’s nothing new. The only difference is the whole world was now watching it.

Many believe this was a huge blow to Rousey and the MMA world. Many believe she will not come back the same. I believe this loss was actually a win for everyone, including Rousey herself.

Rousey was built as being an invincible fighter that no one could come close to beating. There were even talks at one point of her getting in the cage with pound for pound great Floyd Mayweather Jr. A fighter who is built up that much could lead to very devastating consequences. One that stands out is hubris. The fighter feels untouchable. No one could tell him/her what to do. The law doesn’t apply to them. Opinions from people who look out for your best interests don’t apply. The fighter starts listening to groupies, hang-arounds, and moochers. The fighter starts to stay out a little later and skip training sessions a little more often. The fighter decides to leave the trainer and management that brought him/her up. An example is someone who I and many others, have compared Rousey to. That example is Iron Mike Tyson. I’m not saying Rousey was going in the direction of Tyson. It just appeared a little hubris was starting to creep in.

The fight was a huge win for women’s boxing. Several female boxers throughout the world have not received the recognition they deserve for being a willing participate in one of the most unforgiving and brutal sports in the world. Women get to the highest level of their craft and are not recognized whatsoever for their accomplishments, hard work, and dedication. Holm brought women’s boxing to the forefront. For just a little bit, women’s boxing has received some recognition due to Holm being a three time world champion boxer. Hats off to you ladies!

This fight was not only a win for women’s boxing, the fight was a positive for boxing. Period. No where near this magnitude has boxing gotten the attention it deserves in defeating a mixed martial artist. Yes, Holm knocked out Rousey with a roundhouse kick to the head. Because of this, it is natural for the layman to believe that her kickboxing skills got her the victory. But what people do not see is the subtle intricacies that the sweet science allowed for that devastating kick. Holm’s footwork and straight left hand set the table. Holm moved left to right, staying on her toes, using lateral movement to stay away from Rousey’s take downs and wild punches. The movement also frustrated Rousey and got her off balance as she was trying to pressure Holm. Holm also used her southpaw straight left several times throughout the fight, blooding Rousey’s nose. When Rousey was on the attack, she lost her balance, and BAM! Lights out.

Did boxing win on Saturday night? Maybe a little bit. But who truly won was Holm. Her preparation won her that fight. If she went into that cage simply wanting to kickbox or box Rousey, it would have been a very short night. She would have gotten trapped in an arm bar, like many of Rousey’s past opponents, and submitted. She defended against the takedowns and against the submissions. Holm was on her bicycle, running circles around Rousey, tagging her at every opportunity. Holm was the victor. But I have to admit, I’m glad boxing helped her big time winning that UFC championship.

Rousey will bounce back. She always has. She’s been down before in the judo matt and ended up being the first American in women’s judo to win an Olympic medal. All the credit in the world goes to Rousey for putting women’s combat sports on the map. The attention would be nowhere near the magnitude it has become without the great Rousey. I just hope the attention lasts for a while...

Read Oscar De La Hoya's open letter to Floyd Mayweather Jr. that appeared on Playboy's December issue.

"Dear Floyd:

You did it. You made it to the 49–0 mark, a milestone that you like to say only the great Rocky -Marciano reached but that was actually achieved by others, including my idol Julio César Chávez—but who’s counting? And now you’re retiring. Again. (The first time was after our fight in 2007.) This time you say it’s for real. You’re serious about hanging up the gloves. On to bigger and better things. So I’m writing to you today to wish you a fond farewell. Truth be told, I’m not unhappy to see you retire. Neither are a lot of boxing fans. Scratch that. MOST boxing fans. Why? Because the fight game will be a better one without you in it.

Let’s face it: You were boring. Just take a look at your most recent performance, your last hurrah in the ring, a 12-round decision against Andre Berto. How to describe it? A bust? A disaster? A snooze fest? An affair so one-sided that on one judge’s card Berto didn’t win a single round? Everyone in boxing knew Berto didn’t have a chance. I think more people watched Family Guy reruns that night than tuned in to that pay-per-view bout. But I didn’t mind shelling out $75 for the HD broadcast. In fact it’s been a great investment. When my kids have trouble falling asleep, I don’t have to read to them anymore. I just play them your Berto fight. They don’t make it past round three.

Another reason boxing is better off without you: You were afraid. Afraid of taking chances. Afraid of risk. A perfect example is your greatest “triumph,” the long-awaited record-breaking fight between you and Manny Pacquiao. Nearly 4.5 million buys! More than $400 million in revenue! Headlines worldwide! How can that be bad for boxing? Because you lied. You promised action and entertainment and a battle for the ages, and you delivered none of the above. The problem is, that’s precisely how you want it. You should have fought Pacquiao five years ago, not five months ago. That, however, would have been too dangerous. Too risky. You’ve made a career out of being cautious. You won’t get in the ring unless you have an edge. Sure, you fought some big names. But they were past their prime. Hell, even when we fought in 2007—and I barely lost a split decision—I was at the tail end of my career. Then later you took on Mexican megastar Saúl “Canelo” -Álvarez, but he was too young and had to drop too much weight.

Me? I got into this business to take chances. I took on all comers in their prime. The evidence? I lost. Six times. After 31 wins, my first loss was to Félix Trinidad, and I learned a valuable lesson that is true both in the ring and in life: Don’t run. I didn’t stop taking on the best of the best. After beating Derrell Coley, I took on “Sugar” Shane Mosley at the height of his powers—undefeated and considered by many to be the pound-for-pound best in the world. Again, I lost. After four wins against more top-ranked fighters I took on Mosley again. We can debate who actually won the rematch, but the judges had me losing that one as well.

Did I go easy after that? No. I moved up to middleweight to win a belt and faced one of the greatest middleweights of all time, Bernard Hopkins. After a body shot that I’m still feeling took me out of the fight, I took on two more guys at the height of their power who, many years later, would finally face each other at the ages of 36 and 38—Manny Pacquiao and you. When fighters do that—when they risk losing—that’s when everyone wins. The mantra of my firm Golden Boy Promotions is simple: the best taking on the best. It’s too bad you didn’t do the same.

You took the easy way out. When you weren’t dancing around fading stars (show idea for you: Dancing Around the Fading Stars), you were beating up on outclassed opponents. A lot of your opponents were above-average fighters, but they weren’t your caliber. You’re a very talented fighter, the best defensive fighter of our generation. But what good is talent if you don’t test it? Muhammad Ali did. Sugar Ray Leonard did. You? Not a chance. You spent 2000 to 2010 facing forgettable opening acts like Victoriano Sosa, Phillip N’dou, DeMarcus Corley, Henry Bruseles and Sharmba Mitchell. There were guys out there—tough scary opponents like Antonio Margarito and Paul Williams—but you ran from them. Were you ever on the track team in high school? You would have been a star.

Boxing will also be a better place without the Mouth. Your mouth, to be precise, the one that created “Money” Mayweather. I know you needed that Money Mayweather persona. Before he—and Golden Boy -Promotions—came along, nobody watched your fights. You couldn’t even sell out your hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Mouth made you money. More money than you could spend in a lifetime. (Wait, I’ve seen those episodes of 24/7. You probably will spend it all.) But the Mouth doesn’t have a place in boxing; save it for the WWE. Unless you’re someone like Ali, whose fights were as scintillating as his banter, the all-talk, no-entertainment model cheapens our sport. Boxers should speak with their fists and with their hearts. They don’t have to say anything to prove themselves. You’re going to have a legacy. You’ll be remembered as the guy who made the most money. As for your fights? We’ve already forgotten them.

Now that you’re stepping aside, attention can be turned to the sport’s real stars: the brawlers, the brave, the boxers who want nothing more than to face the best and therefore be the best. There’s Canelo, Kazakh KO sensation Gennady Golovkin, ferocious flyweight Román González, slugger Sergey Kovalev and a host of up-and-comers including Terence Crawford, Vasyl Lomachenko and Keith Thurman. Want to see what a monster fight looks like? Canelo takes on Miguel Cotto on November 21. It won’t do 4.4 million in PPV buys, but everyone who watches it will be thrilled. And that’s no empty promise.

You’re moving on to a new phase of life now, a second act. I’m sure it will be nice not to have to train year-round. To get out of the gym and spend time with your family. But I’m wondering what you’re going to do. You have a lot of time and, at the moment, a lot of money. Maybe you’ll put your true skills to work and open a used-car dealership or run a circus. Or maybe you’ll wind up back on Dancing With the Stars. It’s a job that’s safe, pays well and lets you run around on stage. Something you’ve been doing for most of your career."

On Saturday night, WBO welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs) out-boxed, out-hustled, and outclassed a shot and out of shape former world titlist Brandon Rios (33-3-1, 24 KOs) in the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Bradley put on a boxing clinic against the straightforward brawler and ended up knocking him out with a multitude of body shots in the ninth round. Bradley displayed immense defensive skill I have never seen in his previous fights. Amazing what seven weeks with one of the greatest boxing trainers on earth could do. That trainer is Theodore “Teddy” Atlas.

Teddy agreed to train Bradley after swearing he would never return to work with fighters after a brief stint with former heavyweight Titlist Alexander Povetkin a few years ago. Teddy is most widely known these days for being an exceptional boxing commentator. In fact, he's one of the best in the business. Although prior to putting on the headset and preaching the gospel of the sweet science, Teddy trained several fighters most notably heavyweight champions Michael Moorer and Mike Tyson.

Teddy is a true boxing savant who teaches the true essence of "hit and not gets hit.” Teddy has a huge emphasis on defense. Teddy is an outspoken trainer who is not shy about harping on his boxers to maintain discipline and focus throughout the fight. A classic Teddy moment is when he told Michael Moorer to stand up from his stool in between rounds during a championship fight against the great Evander Holyfield. Teddy decided to sit on the stool and tear Moorer a new one in an attempt to motivate him. Teddy is still the same emotional and passionate Teddy, as he was on full display in the corner of Bradley.

Although I saw something very unique about the demeanor of Bradley when Teddy was feeding him information in the corner. Bradley was wide-eyed and soaking it all in. Teddy had Bradley’s full attention and he hung on every word Teddy said.

A trainer/fighter relationship in combat sports is crucial. Like any important relationship, in life, the pair has to work well with one another. There have to be open lines of communication, transparency, and most of all trust. A fighter depends on the trainer to guide him through the unforgiving sport, not only in the corner but throughout training camp. If the fighter can not depend on his trainer, the consequence could be deadly..literally. The trainer is a teacher, friend, motivator, and even a therapist. The trainer has to be there day in and day out, is just as committed as the fighter.

There have been many examples of phenomenal fighter/trainer pairings. Examples such as Dundee/Ali, D’amato/Tyson, Stewart/Hearns, Stewart/Klitschko, Roach/Pacquiao, and Mcgirt/Gatti. Of course, you can't forget about the father and son duos such as the Trinidads, the Calzaghe's, the Mosleyses, and last but not the least, the Mayweathers.

The boxing world is now comparing the chemistry that Teddy and Bradley have to the great chemistry Roach and Cotto have after only one fight. Teddy is now even calling out Mayweather. Although I do agree Bradley looked excellent against Rios, Teddy should give his fighter a fight or two to get accustomed to him before stepping in with the "retired" pound-for-pound best fighter in the world.

So in due time, we can only hope this is another phenomenal fighter/trainer pairing that will be remembered for a long time.

They didn't have knives, but both men suffered cut. 

Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22KOs) retained his title after a dominating performance over Mariusz Wach (31-2, 17KOs) on Wednesday night at the Basket-Hall Arena, Kazan, Russia.

In the early round, Wach's long jab did the damage to Povetkin's left eye that made Povetkin's corner busy working with the cut the entire fight.

But in the middle rounds, Povetkin stepped up his offense, cracking Wach with a hard right and left hooks to the head. And in the late rounds, Povetkin opened a cut on Wach's left eye that forced the ringside doctor to stop the fight after Round 11.

With the win, Povetkin could be facing undefeated American Deontay Wilder -- holder of another heavyweight title.

What if he loses?

Manny Pacquiao's retirement in the sport of boxing in 2016 has the word "if" associated.

According to Top Rank's boss Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, that Pacquiao told him "Bob, hopefully, by the middle of May I will have been elected senator in the Philippines and at that point, I cannot engage in boxing because I need to focus on the senate and I have to be in attendance."

So, if Pacquaio loses this April he may not retire? The answer remains to be seen after May 2016 Philippine national election. But it looks likely that he might continue if he indeed loses the senatorial race.

The supposed Pacquiao final fight is scheduled for April 19, 2016. The election is scheduled for May 9, 2016. Pacquiao will have less than one month to campaign after the April fight.

The outcome of the fight is also a big factor if Pacquiao will go on fighting. What if he loses badly in his fight against an opponent yet to be determined?

It seemed Pacquiao wanted to pick the best opponent available.

The options being considered were Amir Khan, Kell Brook, Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Terence Crawford. Those were solid opponents.

With Terrence Crawford's knockout victory just this weekend, he could the front runner in the shortlisted potential opponents to face the 36-year-old Pacquiao.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19

FROM TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO, VERONA, NEW YORK TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO AFTER DARK®

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 23, 2015) - Two heavyweight titans will close out the 2015 boxing year with a bang on December 19, as former world title contender Bryant "By-By" Jennings (19-1, 10 KOs) takes on recently crowned WBA Interim Heavyweight belt holder Luis "The Real King Kong" Ortiz (23-0, 20 KOs) in a 12-round championship fight. The event will take place at Turning Stone Resort Casino, in Verona, New York and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

"To headline an HBO event and fighting a former world title contender like Jennings is what I have been preparing my whole career for," said Luis Ortiz. "I know that after this fight people will know that I deserve a shot at becoming the 'Heavyweight Champion of the World.' I think Jennings doesn't even know what he's stepping in to on the 19, I'm coming to make a statement. This fight is going to be an exciting stepping stone to achieve my dream."

"With a mix of speed, power and amateur pedigree that is second-to-none, Luis Ortiz has quickly established himself as a force in the heavyweight division," said Oscar De La Hoya, President and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. "Luis is so hungry to continue his rise in the division that he has agreed to fight an enormously talented opponent in Bryant Jennings just two months after Luis' destruction of Matias Vidondo to win the WBA Interim title. Boxing fans looking for a premiere heavyweight fight should make sure to tune in to HBO's Boxing After Dark on December 19th."

"It's my pleasure to bring another great heavyweight showdown to the boxing fans with Bryant Jennings taking on an undefeated fighter like Luis Ortiz. The fans know that I have always, and will continue, to put on real competitive fights," said Gary Shaw.

Shaw continued, "Jennings is a true professional who remains in phenomenal shape throughout the year. He showed in his last fight versus Klitschko that he belongs with the elite heavyweights and understands the challenges that lie ahead. Ortiz, who brings a high knockout ratio to the ring, will have his hands full, and Jennings is nothing like the fighter he just fought, whom he knocked out in the third round. Ortiz has never faced a challenge of a Philadelphia fighter like Bryant Jennings and he's going to find out real quick that this is another level. Jennings is ready to continue his quest to become heavyweight champion with VADA testing agreed to by both promotional companies for this fight."

"I'm excited to be getting back in the ring against Luis Ortiz, another big heavyweight," said Bryant Jennings. "He's coming off an impressive win and he thinks he's at the top of his game. These are the typical type of opponents I like to showcase my skills against. I've come a long way since my last fight against Klitschko, and I have continued to train with a fierce intensity. When you suffer defeat for the first time you learn things about yourself you never knew. I've improved a great deal on all aspects of my game both mentally and physically. The world will see a great fight when I square off against Ortiz, that I can guarantee you. I'll be driving the WBA belt back home to Philly."

"This fight is between two evenly matched heavyweights, and that always has a purity to its mystique," said Peter Nelson, vice president of programming for HBO Sports. "Jennings has proven to have heart in equal scale to what Ortiz has shown in power. On December 19, we will see a battle of wills."

"We're looking forward to hosting another exciting night of boxing at Turning Stone with HBO, Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions," said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO. "In three years, we've hosted 16 nationally-televised fights, distinguishing our resort as premier destination for world-class boxing."

Luis "The Real King Kong" Ortiz had amassed nearly 350 wins before making his way to the United States to chase championship gold as a professional. Unbeaten in 25 bouts, the 36-year-old southpaw holds a knockout win over Monte Barrett and in June needed less than a round to dispatch Byron Polley. Ortiz was last seen on the undercard of Golovkin vs. Lemieux as part of the pay-per-view live telecast defeating Matias Ariel Vivdondo by third round knockout and gaining the WBA Interim Heavyweight World Title.

Hailed as one of the best heavyweight boxers in the sport, Bryant Jennings has faced some of the most feared fighters in the sport. In 2014 alone, Jennings defeated Mike Perez via split decision in July and Artur Szpilka via technical knockout in January. In 2013, Jennings passed his first career tested when he defeated Andrey Fedosov via sixth-round knockout in June. Most recently, Jennings was seen in the ring against the heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in April, suffering his first defeat since his professional debut in 2010. Now, the titan is looking for redemption and another shot at world title stardom when he faces Ortiz for the WBA Interim Heavyweight Title.

Jennings vs. Ortiz is a 12-round heavyweight bout fight for the WBA Interim Heavyweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins live at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

Host of the event, the Oneida Nation's Turning Stone Resort Casino continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for blockbuster boxing matches. The December 19 fight will mark Turning Stone Resort Casino's 16th nationally-televised boxing event in less than two years, cementing the resort as a mecca for knockout televised fights. Located in Upstate New York, the four-season destination resort offers world-class entertainment and gaming, award-winning accommodations, a diverse mix of restaurants, luxury spas and several nightlife options.

Oct 16, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Roman Gonzalez after his KO victory over Brian Viloria during their flyweight world championship. Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland/K2 Promotions[/caption]

When you are an amateur boxer, you have to throw punches in bunches. Because you only have three or four rounds to win a fight, you have to make a big impression on all three judges. The judges have to decide who is the more active boxer landing the most punches in such a small window of time.

When you become a professional fighter, clean effective punching is what's sought after. Throwing a bunch of ineffective "slapping" punches that land isn't going to win you the round if your opponent cracks you with a clean right hand, hurting you in the process. The power is typically not going to be felt when a fighter throws a bunch of whirlwind "amateur" style punches. Apparently, Roman "El Chocolatito" Gonzalez (44-0 38 KOs) didn't get the memo...

With the "retirement" of Floyd Mayweather Jr., "El Chocolatito" may now be considered the pound for pound best fighter in the world. The flyweight champion does not have the twinkle toes, shoulder rolling, "Philly" boxing style Mayweather has.

The 28 years old Nicaraguan ball of fire is an inside fighter who throws ten punch combinations over and over again. He will pressure you, stand in the middle of the ring, and throw everything at you including the kitchen sink. But he is not your typical brawler that resembles the likes of Antonio Margarito, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., or a rock 'em sock 'em robot toy. Gonzalez has tight defense, subtle head movement, and graceful footwork. He has the volume punching of an amateur with the power of a true professional. Now that's a special fighter.

On Saturday night, "El Chocolatito" made his pay per view debut on the Golovkin vs Lemieux undercard. He faced off against two division champion Brian Viloria (36-4 22 KOs). Both men did not have to look far to find one another. It was barn burner where both fighters landed vicious shots to the head and body. But Gonzalez clearly edged the "Hawaiian Punch" on power and long winded combination punching. Neither fighter was willing to quit on their own. Although the referee had to save Viloria from himself in the 9th round after sustaining too much punishment.

So next time you see this fighter with an "amateur" style swag headline an event, stay tuned. You will see what kind of professional he truly is. A professional in every sense of the word, in and out of the ring.

 Oct 16, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Roman Gonzalez (blue trunks) and Brian Viloria (white trunks) during their 12 round WBC flyweight championship bout at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/K2 Promotions[/caption]

Roman Gonzalez made a spectacular and tremendous showing worth of a pound-for-pound king.

Still undefeated, Gonzalez stopped former world champion Brian Viloria to defend his flyweight title moments ago at the Madison Square Garden.

In the first round, Viloria was red-hot throwing punches to the Nicaraguan champion. It seemed that the game plan was to get in their first as Gonzalez's notably a slow starter. Viloria clearly won the first round. I think that was the only round he won throughout the course of the fight. Every punch Viloria landed made Gonzalez's engine warming up.

In the second round, Gonzalez's pistons start pumping up. Although it was still a competitive fight, Chocolatito's precise shots got him the second round.

In the third, Gonzalez landed a crisp right hook to the left chin of Viloria that forced the Filipino-American to touch his right glove to the canvas -- that was a knockdown!

The succeeding rounds were all Gonzalez. His precise combination of punching composed of uppercuts, left and right hooks landed to the head of Viloria caused the damage. Viloria will end up mostly on the defensive end hence limiting his own offense.

In Round 9, Viloria hurt Gonzalez with a body shot. The body shot momentarily stopped Gonzalez from throwing punches.

But Viloria was not able to capitalize the moment, who was also trying to recuperate from the series of blows he received from Gonzalez.

The reigning champion came back with series of unanswered shots that sent Viloria to the ropes.

Gonzalez unleashed other combinations to the head that forced referee Benjy Esteves Jr. to halt the fight.

The Official time of the stoppage was 2:53 in Round 9.

Donnie Nietes successfully defended his light flyweight crown at the StubHub Center in California.

We might be seeing a possible sizzling Gonzalez-Nietes showdown!

Jason Pagara made quick work on Nicaraguan Santos Benavides for their 10 round non-title fight at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. Pagara scored three knockdowns in round two before referee Referee Raul Caiz Sr. waived to stopped the contest.

Pagara landed combos to the head that sent Benavides to the floor for the first time. Another crushing right to the body dropped Benavides again. Pagara's left-right combination to the chin put the icing on the cake. Benavides visited the canvas again for good. The official time of the stoppage 2:52 seconds mark of round 2.

I think it's time to seriously step up the level of opponents for Jason Pagara as he continues to dominate mediocre opponents.

Andrzej Fonfara wins a bruising toe-to-toe action-packed 12-round unanimous decision against Nathan Cleverly on Friday night at the UIC Pavilion, Chicago on PBC on Spike TV.

From the opening round, Fonfara and Cleverly engaged in a phone booth battle that lasted till the final bell of their light heavyweight clash. Fonfara (28-3, 16 KOs) got the better of it as he's the one who fought a little bit more technical than the simply come forward style of the Wales fighter. He was able to finish the fight stronger and Cleverly (29-3, 15 KOs) looked weary in the championship round.

I think, that was the result of a broken nose. The ringside doctor checked Clev's nose before the championship round to make sure he was okay. 

Cleverly was enjoying the fight especially in the middle rounds. He would ask for more even if the bell already sounded. The referee would guide him back to his corner for the one-minute break. But that Cleverly act didn't continue in the next three rounds as Fonfara was able to land more and more shots to the head. Cleverly would be walked straight to his corner this time. It seemed he had enough. Fonfara on the other hand was still fresh going into the championship. He finished strong especially in the last 10 seconds wherein he unleashed a flurry of punches that have no answer, and sent Clev to the corner.

It was a fan-friendly fight that you can't watch every Saturday night on free TV. Awesome matchmaking this time from PBC

The official scores were: 115-113, 116-112, and 116-112 all for Fonfara for the unanimous.

Donnie Nietes is the longest-reigning Filipino boxing champion spanning 8 years. But that span of time being a champion he never had a fight in the US. A fight in the US is an ultimate dream of a non-US-resident professional boxer. In the US most big-time boxing card happens.

Not only Nietes will fight first time in the US. Pagara brothers Jason and Albert, and Mark Magsayo will also debut on US soil. They will fight separate opponents.

Nietes (36-1-4, 21Kos) will headline Pinoy Pride 33 versus Mexican Juan Alejo. Although Mexico shares a border with the US, it's also Alejo’s (21-3, 13KOs) first fight in the US. What a coincidence!

Undefeated Albert Pagara (24-0-0, 17 KOs) faces KO artist William Gonzalez (27-5, 23 KOs) of Nicaragua. They will battle for Pagara’s intercontinental junior featherweight title. While his brother Jason will face Santos Benavides for 10 rounds or less in a non-title fight.

ALA Promotions in association with ABS-CBN Sports promotes Pinoy Pride 33. It's also ALA promotions' and ABS-CBN Sports' first time to stage a fight card in the US.

Michael  Aldequer's successful Pinoy Pride series originates in Cebu, Philippines. He found tremendous success in the Philippines and in the middle east. Particularly Dubai.

With so much of first time and outcome might be uncertain. But what is certain is that: Pinoy boxers will have the opportunity to showcase their talent in the US boxing ring.

I expect Pinoy boxers to give their very best. This fight will be their ticket to better opportunities and bigger paydays.

Nietes talked about betting pound-for-pound new kingpin Roman Gonzalez if given a chance. So, Nietes need not only win but should look impressive. And get past Alejo for a possible fight with Roman. Gonzalez will also fight on the same night at a different venue. He will face Filipino-American Brian Viloria.

But well, who knows if Viloria bets Roman, it might set up a fight with Nietes (could be unlikely even if Viloria wins as this two sparred in preparation for their separate opponents). Just exploring possibilities here...

For Albert and Jason Pagara, and Mark Magsayo, it is their time to impress the American fans. If they will come out victorious in a spectacular manner; big fights await.

Stakes are really high for this card! Don't miss it!

Canadian David Lemieux (34-2, 31KO's) was full of confidence during the final press conference for his middleweight title unification bout against Gennady Golovkin held Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden.

Lemieux told sports media present at the press conference that he will not leave empty-handed on Saturday night, 17 October.

"I have made a lot of changes in my life. All of I what I have done has lead me here and I am extremely excited and proud to be here. I am here to make history and I promise that I have done everything it takes to make sure that I don't leave empty handed I will leave with the belts." says Lemieux.

Lemieux had already faced defeat in his career before and he took this experience as an advantage against his undefeated opponent. "I have faced victories, defeats, but nothing is more exciting and more gratifying than victory such as I am planning on Saturday", says Lemieux.

So here we go fight fans! This is a fight that doesn't happen every Saturday night. It's a fight between two fighters that come forward. Two fighters that don't know how to step back. This is war!

Leading into the fight of his life, Brian Viloria felt he had "no pressure" fighting against the new pound-for-pound kingpin, Roman Gonzalez at the historic Madison Square Garden in New York.

"I have no pressure. I believe all the pressure is on him to maintain and stay number one. This is a motivation for me to train harder, to run longer, faster. The hard part is done. The easy part is performing and that is the fun part, said Viloria during the final media workout.

Following Floyd Mayweather's retirement after the so-called swan song fight against Andre Berto in September, Roman Gonzalez replaced Floyd as the new pound-pound supremo according to the Transnational Boxing Ranking Board.

Viloria (36-4, 22 KOs) was looking very ripped during the final media workout, and he's ready to rumble on 17 October.

"I have fought at swap meets and parking lots, and to be at a place like Madison Square Garden on HBO Pay-Per-View this is a dream come true for me. I want to do the best I can do to make this fight entertaining for all the fans."

I'm excited about this fight because the undefeated Nicaraguan, Gonzalez (43-0, 37 KOs) is a volume puncher, while Viloria, as you know has a single-punch knockout power.

So, in a few day's time, that will be this Saturday, we will know if Roman can overwhelm Viloria with his rapid punching? Or can Viloria back Roman upon his track as he counters him with firepower?

Fight fans! Who are you picking?

Sunday, October 11 marked the third anniversary of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. Traditionally speaking, it’s the leather anniversary. We’d prefer to ignore the modern gift idea devised by librarians at the Chicago Public Library, namely glass. We neither live in such a house nor have such a jaw. The leather anniversary. That’s more like it. Leather doesn’t shatter and, when put to good use, it can dent a septum now and then. We have striven to do just that, with affection, on behalf of thinking boxing fans around the world. Our mission is threefold: provide weekly rankings that are trustworthy and authoritative, identify the true champions, and convince boxing that common sense is making a comeback.

The board began in 2012 with twenty-five independent boxing writers and historians representing twelve countries around the world. We’ve grown since then. The number of members now matches Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s number of wins at forty-nine. We’re on five continents representing sixteen countries and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

On October 11, 2012 we published the first edition of our rankings. On Tuesday we’ll publish the one hundred forty-ninth edition.

The rankings are the product of a weekly process that begins every Sunday when record-keepers Mauricio Salvador of Mexico and Ken Pollitt of the United States email results of the previous week’s fights to the three chairs. (Filipino Retech Son, our third record-keeper, monitors inactive fighters approaching the one-year mark of removal.) After considering the week’s bouts and exits, the chairs come up with proposals for rankings changes which are then posted on the board’s forum. Over the next three days, members weigh in to accept, debate, and/or advance their own proposals during a process that is both efficient and democratic. The product is published every Tuesday without fail.

The product has not been without critics. Ranking boxing’s best fighters and presenting them to the world is an invitation for opposing viewpoints, so it’s to be expected. It’s also welcomed; before the rankings are published they must be banged-out by strong and disagreeable minds coming to virtual blows over placements. If the feedback received at www.tbrb.org is any indication, these battles royal on the board’s forum may be best practice for high-quality rankings. In fact, we have been pleasantly surprised at how readily thinking fans have embraced this initiative from day one:

“I just want to say thank you and good luck,” a fan posted only hours after our inaugural rankings were published. “[T]his is exactly what boxing needs to start to repair the damage it has done to itself and to start the long journey of rebuilding the greatest sport.”

“Love the new rankings!” said another. “Just when I thought that there would never be an entity whose rankings I could subscribe to with any confidence this board is established.”

“This is a great service to the boxing community, well done!”

“I really hope that your organization takes hold and helps reform boxing. I’ve been a boxing fan for about 30 years.”

“TBRB is revolutionary and despite the cynical view many have of boxing’s future, TBRB is a beacon of light towards reforming the sport we all love.”

“This is just a fantastic effort … I wish HBO, ESPN, and others would adopt your rankings.”

“[I]t pains me when I see the state of what [boxing] has become… Something like this has been needed for a long time.”

“I really like what the TBRB is doing and direct my fellow boxing fans to find your rankings…”

The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board’s mission is one of service to the sport. In an era where the concept of “champion” has been devalued, where boxing historians sift through byzantine lineages of titlists and only confuse themselves, we have systematically identified the reigning true champions —the divisional kings™. Click on the “Successions” tab at www.tbrb.org to see who they are and how they got there. Click on the “Charter” tab and be assured that they earn their status by combat, not by appointment or political machinations; that they must either defeat the previous champion or, if the throne is open, they must defeat the next-best contender in the top two.

We have repudiated the idea that modern boxing politics precludes such a strict #1 vs. #2 criterion when it comes to open thrones. Whereas three years ago we recognized a total of four true champions, we crowned four more by the time of our first anniversary and topped the total off at nine last May when the first-ranked Mayweather defeated second-ranked Manny Pacquiao. Since then, Danny Garcia abdicated the jr. welterweight throne and Mayweather officially retired and left the welterweight and jr. middleweight thrones open. Click on the “Rankings” tab to see which top-two contenders are poised at the brink of royalty. Feel encouraged; only eleven matches need to happen for boxing to have a full roster of divisional kings. There were eleven matches at Manchester Arena Saturday night.

Judging by our well-documented tendency to point to boxing’s golden past, it may be assumed that we’re a fraternity of old fogies. But don’t be fooled; the average age of our membership is thirty-nine and the range is college-age to retirement-age, which means we have both the agility of youth and the experience of years on our side. How else could we reach back into history, take hold of an informal term like “robbery” and formalize it to address the problem of bad judging? The robbery clause in the charter strikes a balance between due discretion and innovation and we didn’t stop there. Other pressing issues in the sport have since been addressed with new clauses in the charter:

* No Decision/No Contest (February 2014). After a legitimate official authority declares a bout a “No Decision” or “No Contest,” the fighters will return to the rankings they held going into the bout. Under certain circumstances, the Board may adjust the rankings, though not the order of said fighters, to reflect performances before the bout was ended.

* Inactive champions (August 2015). If a champion is inactive in his division, attempts will be made to contact the champion/designee for an official announcement or clarification of his intentions. If none is forthcoming and the champion has not defended his throne after 18 months, and the first- and second-ranked contenders meet, then the official winner may become the rightful successor.

* Performance-enhancing drugs (September 2015). If a contender fails a drug test conducted by a legitimate regulator or a contracted independent testing body (i.e. is found to have used a performance-enhancing drug or masking agent) or is otherwise found to be in gross violation of the rules and is suspended as a result, the board will summarily remove the contender from the rankings. The contender will have to earn reentry at the end of the determined length of suspension. Successful appeals will be honored and mitigating circumstances considered by the chairs.

Common sense is poised to make a comeback in boxing. We need your support. Spread the word about an organization that asks nothing in return and rankings that Teddy Atlas said are the only ones to trust.

Visit our new, mobile-friendly website at www.tbrb.org often and share the page.

Join us on Twitter @TBRBoard.

Convince your friends and your friends’ friends to do the same. Consider lacing up a pair of gloves and denting a septum or two if reasoning fails. We can’t bail you out or pay your fine (we’re volunteers after all) but we’d appreciate such an apt observance of our third anniversary.

Oct. 6, 2015, Santa Monica, Ca. --- WBA / IBO / WBC Interim Middleweight champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (33-0,30 kos) works out during media day at Wild Card West Boxing Club in Santa Monica,Ca for his upcoming fight against Montreal power-puncher IBF Middleweight title holder David Lemieux (34-2,31 kos),Saturday , October 17 at the Mecca of Boxing, Madision Square Garden, televised live by HBO Pay-Per-View. Golovkin vs Lemieux is presented by K2 Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with GGG Promotions and Eye of the Tiger Management.
--- Photo Credit : Chris Farina - K2 Promotions / Golden Boy Promotions[/caption]

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 7, 2015) Boxing Superstar and WBA, IBO and WBC
"Interim" Middleweight Champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin, (33-0, 30KOs),
Four-Time World Champion in two weight divisions, Brian "The Hawaiian Punch"
Viloria, (36-4 (22KOs) and top junior welterweight prospect Ruslan Madiyev, 5-1-0 (3KOs) held media workouts for a huge gathering of local press on Tuesday afternoon at the Wild Card West Boxing Gym in Santa Monica, California.

Golovkin, (33-0, 30KOs), will battle IBF Middleweight World Champion David Lemieux, (34-2, 31KOs) in a Middleweight World Championship Title Unification bout on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the "Mecca of Boxing" Madison Square Garden and LIVE on HBO Pay-Per-View. Golovkin has knocked out an astounding 20 opponents in a row and will be making his 15th world championship defense. His 91% knockout percentage is the highest in the history of the middleweight division.

In the highly anticipated televised co-feature, Viloria, (36-4, 22KOs), will challenge
Consensus #1 Pound-For-Pound Fighter and WBC Flyweight World Champion, Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez, (43-0, 37KOs). A duel citizen of the United States and the
Philippines, Viloria also represented the United States in the 2000 Olympics. He has previously held world titles in the junior flyweight and flyweight divisions.

Top junior welterweight prospect, Ruslan Madiyev, (5-1-0, 3KO's) will also be fighting in a scheduled four round bout against an opponent to be announced. The 21-year-old Madiyev is trained by the renowned Abel Sanchez alongside Golovkin in Big Bear Lake, California.

Below are what the fighters and their teams had to say:

GENNADY "GGG" GOLOVKIN, WBA, IBO and WBC Interim Middleweight Champion:

"Training camp is a little bit new, a little bit different, not like any of the others. New ideas and new strategies and it's very interesting. We have different sparring partners because of his style."

"Lemieux is a champion and he feels like a champion and this is a unification fight. I think he is ready for a unification fight and he understands the situation. He is smarter now
because of his experience in his recent fights."

"Right now he feels better because he has a stronger team. He gets to talk with Oscar and Bernard. Bernard tells him, I remember my fight at Madison Square Garden against Tito. Right now he is acting like a star - I see the videos - and of course he is a star."

"Madison Square Garden is a beautiful place with a beautiful team and I have a lot of respect for that place. HBO Pay-per-view is the last step - it is the top."

"This is going to be like a street fight. He has a good style - almost like amateur style. I will beat any style - amateur style or brawl style. He will be a good test for me."

You have a strong chin?

"Yes, and I thank my parents for my strong chin. Lemieux will be a test for my chin. But it's not just my chin. It is distance and discipline, timing and style."

"I am a regular guy. I am a regular man. (The power) also comes from my parents. This is boxing. It's not just because I have power. Power comes from every step, timing, it's the style where every second is important and I give credit to Abel Sanchez and my team."

"Every fight is different and every fight is difficult. This is a big step, but first it is a big test and everyone understands that this step is much bigger."

(Cotto or Canelo next?)

"It doesn't matter and I don't think about it. For me? Whoever is number one. I want all of the belts in the middleweight division and I will fight whoever is number one and it doesn't matter who it is. I don't like business. I like old school - who is number one?"

"I think this fight is more technical for me, and maybe for him too."

"It is very interesting for me because right now he is a star. With power alone, he could go maybe three or four rounds with me. If he boxes he could go twelve rounds. Every second is very important - every round - every step."

(Does his knockout strength mean anything to you?)

"I don't know. Maybe."

"He has his style. I like my style and my work."

"I love my life. I am happy. My wife is happy. My son goes to school and he is happy. I have a car. Three or four Rolls Royce or Bentley? For what?"

BRIAN "HAWAIIAN PUNCH" VILORIA, Former Four-Time World Champion in Two Weight Divisions:

"I want it more. I have preparing myself for this type of event, I have been wanting this for this so long. I have so much more fire now."

"The styles make the fights, a lot of people know that it is going to be an action packed fight and a lot of people gravitate towards that."

"Finally, we have been wanting this fight for the past two years and to finally have it here, it is exciting."

"I have never seen a guy to take it to him and I feel like I will be that fighter that will step up to him."

"Can't wait. I am prepared and I want time to move faster. I am mentally, physically ready for this fight and ready to show the world what can happen."

"This is going to be the best Viloria that people have ever seen."

ABEL SANCHEZ, Head Trainer to Gennady Golovkin:

"This preparation has been different. Finally, he has gotten someone who he considers as a threat. Someone that he feels will give him a fight for as long as it lasts."

"All the great fighters have been hurt and if that happens how is he going to react? But I am confident that it won't go twelve, he is going to go down as one of the best punchers and best middleweights ever."

TOM LOEFFLER, Managing Director of K2 Promotions:

"It has been a great camp. Sparring has been going along well. This is the biggest fight and biggest puncher of his career and it's two champions fighting each other, that is why people and the media are gravitating towards this fight."

"He has been training hard with Abel and focused on sparring making sure he is ready for a power puncher like Lemieux. "

RUSLAN MADIYEV, Welterweight Prospect:

"Training has been going well, I have been training with Gennady for the past year as part of my training camp."

"There is a lot of intensity a whole different workout. I have grown a lot technically but also feel a lot stronger."

"It is a dream come true to fight at Madison Square Garden and I am going to show all the fans an exciting fight."

I’m dog tired and busy last week! The last update I made on this blog was last September 27. That was during the holidays here in Kuwait. That was the time when I was with friends. We were having fun in the skating rink when I read about the Klitschko-Fury fight. I made a quick update on that report in this blog. After that, comes nothing.

As you know, I have the habit of having at least two to three updates on this blog. But last week was really a different story. My day job required a lot of focus and energy so that I will meet my targets. But because of my love of boxing and writing, I can’t go on without writing something on this blog.

They said that doing something you don’t want to do, but you need to do in any way because you don’t have a choice is—stress. But if you are doing something you love to do even if you only gain less or worse nothing is—passion.

Because writing about boxing is what I love to do, even my eyes were so weary typing this post, I still keep going... because writing anything boxing is my passion. Not only that, boxing is also my way to release stress from my day job.

Our building's parking area becomes my boxing gym when I'm stressed. Try punching your stress out to the heavy bag, it is really a good way to release stress and tension.

Well, although I have no time to write something the past week but it doesn’t mean that I don’t have the time to read boxing results. I still manage also to watch the highlights of Viktor Postol vs. Lucas Matthysse fight. I know that as a boxing fan I shouldn’t miss that fight because it was a damn good fight. Imaging the iceman meet the machine. I thought the iceman will be crushed by the machine, but whew! Cold stop the machine from working! The defeat was really a setback for Matthysse, but it did not really hurt his stock as a fighter. Fans will always love to see him fight again.

I heard also that Adrien Broner won against Khabib Allakhverdiev. He became a world champion again! Naaa! That’s according to the WBA. Does he really belong to the sense of the word champion? I doubt. Broner still ranked number eight at the junior welterweight division according to TBRB, but he’s sliding down with his lackluster performances. Anyway, he won by knockout though. What we are looking for as boxing fans from Broner is a stellar performance that he was not able to deliver.

I’m looking forward to watching some boxing matches on TV this weekend. And I’ll post some results here. Thanks for being here with me.