Brinkley Batters Stevens, Wins 12 Round Unanimous Decision

Jesse Brinkley (35-5, 22 KO's) won a one-sided, 12 round unanimous decision over Curtis Stevens (21-3, 15 KO's). Official scores were 117-109, 118-108 and 119-107.
In the first round, it appeared that Stevens was heading toward an early knockout win over Brinkley. Stevens connected with some left hooks that almost floored him. Brinkley recovered, and used his jab more in round two. Stevens was pressing the action, but without the presence of an effective left jab. Brinkley got his punches off first, and as a result Stevens hit him much less in the round.

By round three, Brinkley found his range and repeatedly struck Stevens with hard, accurate punches.

Both men stepped up the pace in round five and battled courageously. Toward the end of the round, Brinkley hurt Stevens with a left hook to the head. Stevens fired back, but was met with a flurry of punches from Brinkley. They continued swinging well after the bell had sounded to end the round.

Brinkley continued to punish Stevens in round six, and put him down after landing a series of rock-solid right hands. Stevens was tough, but minimized his chances to win with little head movement and the lack of an effective jab.

Stevens landed a sharp left hook in the eighth round, although Brinkley absorbed the punch well. Stevens' punches only reached the target one at a time, while Brinkley was landing combinations. Brinkley also hit Stevens with some punishing hooks to the body.

In the twelfth round, referee Vic Drakulich gave Stevens a standing eight count after Brinkley landed a barrage of punches. Brinkley could have used the ring to his advantage in the remaining minutes, but he elected to go for the knockout. Both men continued to swing until the final bell. Brinkley got the better of the exchanges, although he did not put Stevens down again.

With the victory, Brinkley could face undefeated IBF Super-Middleweight Champion Lucian Bute next. Stevens fought with great heart, but came up short suffering his third professional defeat. During the course of any fight, Stevens possesses the power to hurt his opponents. On the other hand, he cannot afford to pressure them without fighting behind a solid jab. Again, Stevens had trouble moving his head to slip punches. For Stevens to bounce back from his latest defeat, he must learn how to slip punches better and work his way into range by jabbing.

Serrano Remains Unbeaten

In a welterweight showdown, Raymond Serrano (12-0, 6 KO's) defeated Ronnie Warrior Jr. (13-3-1, 4 KO's) by an eight-round unanimous decision. All three official judges scored the fight 79-73.

Serrano started fast, landing right hand leads and beat Warrior to the punch repeatedly. Warrior, a southpaw, seemed overwhelmed by Serrano's blazing hand speed. Serrano was consistently pounding Warrior with crisp combinations, while Warrior was unable to counter with meaningful punches. Warrior's hand speed was too inefficient to keep up with the 20-year-old prospect from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Serrano displayed great maturity, balance and composure for a young fighter. He never stood in front of Warrior too long, gave many angles and was very accurate placing his punches. Warrior never disrupted Serrano's rhythm. Serrano found his range and used lots of lateral movement to frustrate Warrior the entire bout.

Adamek vs. Estrada Heating Up

The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey is starting to establish itself as a major venue for boxing events. On February 6th, Tomasz Adamek battles Jason Estrada in a twelve round heavyweight clash, which will mark the fifth event hosted by the arena since 2008. It will be Adamek's fourth appearance at Prudential, where he has a strong Polish fan base. Prior to facing Andrew Golota in Poland, Adamek fought at "The Rock" three consecutive times.

Adamek's team consists of trainer Andrzej Gmitruk, assistant trainer Roger Bloodworth and strength and conditioning coach Ralph Mendez.

"Tomasz has everything and a hard punch. He is very quick, conditioned well and expects to win a hard fought fight. Roger and Ralph have him on an extremely good plan. He is not losing speed or coordination. Tomasz is a very dangerous opponent in the heavyweight division," said Gmitruk.

Adamek appeared very sharp when he was working on the mitts with Gmitruk.

"My cardio is very good. I'm fast, strong and my right hand is most powerful," Adamek stated.

Adamek is becoming immensely popular in New Jersey, where many fans come out to support him at the Prudential Center.

"I am becoming as popular in Jersey City as I am in Poland. I'm very happy fighting in front of thousands of people in Newark."

In preparation for Estrada, Adamek has been sparring with much heavier fighters. He has been training for this fight the last eight weeks. In the past, he had problems making weight at light heavyweight. Now, Adamek feels extremely healthy at heavyweight.

"222 lbs. is very natural for me. I eat more and I'm not hungry. I feel naturally stronger at this weight."

With a win, Adamek will be facing Chris Arreola next on April 24th. Jason Estrada feels that Adamek, and his promotional company Main Events are looking past him. Estrada has won nine of his last ten bouts and has never been knocked out. Previously, Estrada stated his opinion on possibly being overlooked.

"Looking past me toward Arreola doesn't really bother me," Estrada said. "I think it's silly, and they'll hear about it after the fight. I never talk too much, but I'm going to talk like never before after this fight. I hope they keep thinking about fighting somebody else. I'm keeping track of everything, and got names of people to talk about after I beat Adamek. I'm going to shutdown his plans.

"I'm in the gym with sparring partners that are similar to him - tough, stand-up with decent hand speed. They made a big mistake offering me this fight, and an even bigger mistake thinking he has faster hands than me. I've heard that they've brought in guys to work with, who are big, but don't have fast hands. That makes me laugh. How, all of a sudden is he going to have faster hands than me? I am bigger, stronger, faster, quicker and younger than him. I'm just a better all around fighter."

Adamek responded, "He's a good boxer, but my dream is to be heavyweight champion. I'm ready to win. It's everyone's dream to be heavyweight champion. I will win because I am very fast, powerful and healthy."

When asked about Estrada's fast hands, Adamek replied, "I have fast hands. My left hand is very strong. My right is stronger."

Estrada is 16-2, with only 4 knockouts. Will Adamek attack him in the early rounds and try to end the fight in a quick knockout?

"I have prepared to go twelve rounds with Roger and Andrew. Wait till February 6th!"

At 33 years old and a record of 39-1, 27 KO's, Adamek's goal is very clear - to become heavyweight champion.

"I need one more belt....heavyweight."

Main Events has put together another terrific card. In the co-main event, undefeated middleweight contender Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin (20-0, 15 KO's) takes on Fernando Zuniga (28-9, 20 KO's) in a ten round bout. At super middleweight, Dennis Hasson (9-0, 3 KO's) squares off against Anthony Pietrantonio (6-3, 5 KO's) in a six round bout. In a light middleweight bout, Denis Douglin (6-0, 3 KO's) faces Roberto Burgess (4-2, 2 KO's) in a six rounder. At cruiserweight, Patrick Farrell (4-0, 3 KO's) takes on Jon Schneider (7-4-1, 5 KO's) in a four rounder. Finally, Sadam Ali (4-0, 2 KO's) battles Jason Thompson (5-4-1, 4 KO's) in a four round, welterweight showdown.

Tickets for the event are available through Ticketmaster or at a Prudential Center Box Office. Group discounts are available. Tickets priced at $53, $78, $103, and $253 (ringside) are still available, and can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or visiting Prucenter.com

Tomasz Adamek's Media Workout Day

On February 6th, Tomasz Adamek squares off against Jason Estrada at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Today, Adamek worked out for the media in Jersey City, NJ.

Abner Mares: Boxing's Brightest Rising Star

24 year-old Abner Mares is on the fast track to becoming one of the sport’s most elite fighters. He is undefeated as a professional (19-0, 12 KO’s), and possesses swift hand speed and precise volume punching that has enabled him to conquer opponents quite easily. Defensively, Mares fights like a veteran. When standing in front of his opponents, he exerts little energy by using crafty upper body movements.

Mares is one of eleven brothers, and was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, but raised in Hawaiian Gardens, California. While Mares’mother worked many long hours to support the family, he started boxing at the age of 7 when his brother took him to the gym. Abner’s father also boxed professionally.

While growing up, Mares focused on perfecting his craft, which left little time for friends and activities. He never attended his high school prom.

“At 12 years old, my dad instilled strict discipline. From that point, I took boxing very seriously.”

Abner has triumphed over several challengers by implementing a devastating body attack into his arsenal. His body punches remind many of Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez.

“Chavez was a big idol for me. We used to get together and have barbecues when he would fight.”

Mares holds a remarkable amateur record of 112-8, 84 KO’s.  In 2002, he captured Gold medals at the World Cadet Championships and the Central American and Caribbean Games. He also won a pair of Silver medals at the 2003 Pan-American Games and the 2004 World Junior Championships. Three of those 112 victories came against Juan Manuel Lopez, who is undefeated as a professional and now fights at 126 lbs.

“The first time I beat Lopez was in his native Puerto Rico. It was by a few points. Then, I defeated him in El Salvador at the 2002 Central American Games.”

At the 2003 Pan-American Games, Mares would beat Lopez again, this time in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

“My corner just kept telling me to pressure and stay on top of him.”

Mares went on to represent his native Mexico at the 2004 Olympic games. However, he suffered a controversial defeat in his first bout against Hungary’s Zsolt Bedak, losing on points 36-27. It seemed Mares was not receiving credit from the judges for his body punching. Bedak now campaigns professionally at 122 lbs. and is undefeated (15-0 5 KO’s). Julio Cesar Chavez and Hector Lopez were calling the action ringside for Mexico, and felt the decision was also unjust.

“I definitely want Zsolt to come to the United States. I would love to fight him again.”

In November 2004, Oscar De La Hoya signed Mares to his promotional company, Golden Boy Promotions.

“My dad received a call from Oscar saying he wanted to meet me. The next thing we knew, my father and I were on a plane to Florida to get together with Oscar De La Hoya. What some people do not know is Oscar’s wife, Millie, watched the fight and saw what happened against Bedak. She told Oscar that he should sign me. Oscar told her, ‘You are right.’”

In 2007, one of the most glorifying moments of his early professional career came when Mares won the WBO & NABO Bantamweight titles against Isidro Garcia. Although, that was not the toughest fight Abner had as a professional. His greatest challenge came in a fight he won by a second round knockout against Diosdado Gabi. Entering the bout, Gabi was 30-3-1, 21 KO’s and the first southpaw Mares faced as a professional.

“In the first round, I got into trouble and I wasn’t feeling my rhythm, but I was able to come back and end it in two.”

The bantamweight division is stacked with many talented fighters such as WBC champion Hozumi Hasegawa, IBF champion Yonnhy Perez, WBA champion Anselmo Moreno, Fernando Montiel, Nehomar Cermeno, Joseph Agbeko, Wladimir Sidorenko and Kohei Oba, all of whom have 2 losses or less.

Mares is willing to fight anyone. At some point, he wants to unify the titles, something that has not been done in the bantamweight division since Enrique Pinder in 1972. No fighter has ever held the WBC, WBA and IBF Bantamweight titles simultaneously. The IBF did not start crowning champions in the bantamweight division until 1984. Pinder won two of the three titles (WBC & WBA) when he defeated Rafael Herrera by a 15 round unanimous decision on July 29, 1972 in Panama.

“I want to unify the titles, and then move up in weight. I started my professional career at 122 lbs., so it won’t be a problem. My goal is not just to be world champ, but to be the greatest, an idol. I want to be the pound-for-pound champ....like Pacquiao.”

Mares could end up facing Yonnhy Perez on May 22^nd for the IBF Bantamweight title, as the co-main event to Israel Vazquez vs. Rafael Marquez IV on Showtime. Mares defeated Perez two out of three times in the amateurs. At the moment, a deal has not been finalized.

If he faces Perez, Mares expects a hard fight.

“His right hands are no joke. He never gives up and his conditioning is excellent. I will box him and trade when I am close to him. We will make a good fight.

“Of all the fighters I faced in the amateurs, Yonnhy hit the hardest. I don’t want to take an easy road. Boxing needs good fights, good prospects and new faces. Win or lose, this is a great fight for the sport.”

Mares has not fought since August 27, 2009 when he scored a 6^th round knockout over Carlos Fulgencio. He has been training in the gym for the last twelve weeks, and is eager to fight again.

“I would like to fight possibly in March, but if an opponent cannot be found, I have no problem going straight to May 22^nd.”

Perez is a tall fighter, who can utilize his height and reach advantage with an effective left jab. Then again, Mares has a plan.

“Sometimes, Perez brings his left jab back low and is susceptible to right hands. I’m going to work his body. We’re working in the gym on attacking the body with left hooks just like Chavez.”

Indeed, boxing has a new rising superstar.

Lopez & Gamboa Win Impressively

Lopez Schools Luevano

Juan Manuel Lopez (28-0, 25 KO's) remained unbeaten after scoring a seventh round stoppage over Steven Luevano (37-2-1, 15 KO's). With the victory, Lopez captured the WBO Featherweight title.

In the first round, Luevano showed a solid right jab, but it was quite clear that Lopez possessed an overall edge in skill and power. Lopez pushed Luevano back when he landed some hard overhand lefts. Then, Luevano caught Lopez with a short, counter right hook. After the first round, Lopez controlled the pace of the entire fight.

Lopez got his punches off first and simply outworked Luevano. More importantly, Lopez landed the cleaner shots. Lopez placed his punches with great accuracy and showed that he was a much more seasoned fighter. He slipped many of Luevano's powers shots.

In round two, Lopez drove Luevano back with his right jab. From there, Lopez was able to hit Luevano easier with his overhand left. Lopez also landed counter right hooks to the body and head in the round.

After the third round, Luevano's nose was bleeding. Luevano absorbed a sharp left uppercut from Lopez that may have caused it. In round four, Luevano successfully landed a left uppercut - right hook combination. Lopez fired back, catching Luevano with a right hook to the body and followed it with an overhand left to the head. Toward the end of the round, Lopez got Luevano on the ropes and fired right hooks.

Luevano fought better in round five, but suffered swelling under his left eye. Lopez continued to force the action. Luevano was looking to counter punch much of the fight, although he could not match the superior hand speed of Lopez.

Lopez hurt Luevano badly when he connected with a punishing right uppercut in round seven. Lopez moved toward Luevano, and fired a left and right hook to the body. Then, Lopez delivered a left hand to Luevano's head that put him down in the corner. Luevano stood up, but referee Benjy Esteves Jr. stopped the fight. Time of the stoppage was :44 seconds of round seven.

Gamboa Outclasses Mtagwa

Yuriorkis Gamboa (17-0, 15 KO's) dominated Rogers Mtagwa (26-14-2, 18 KO's), stopping the veteran in just two rounds to retain the WBA Featherweight title. Gamboa stunned Mtagwa with several power shots early in the first round. Mtagwa was struck with countless right hands and lefts hooks, and was unable to counter Gamboa effectively. Gamboa got his punches off first and was simply too quick. Late in the first round, Gamboa dropped Mtagwa when he connected with a left hook that landed on the top of Mtagwa's head.

In round two, Mtagwa tied Gamboa up after he got nailed with a series of left hooks and right hands. Then, Gamboa snapped Mtagwa's head back with an overhand right. After that, Gamboa floored Mtagwa with a solid right to the body followed by a vicious left hook to the head. Mtagwa got back to his feet, but was sent down again when Gamboa landed a left hook - right hand combination. Referee Steve Smoger stopped the action at 2:35.

With Lopez and Gamboa winning their respective fights, it sets up a possible featherweight showdown later in 2010. Lopez started boxing when he was 10 years-old, compiled an impressive amateur record of 126-24 and competed at the 2004 Olympics. On the other hand, Gamboa has over 250 amateur bouts and won a Gold Medal at the 2004 Olympics in the flyweight division.

Lopez is an elusive southpaw that moves in and out of range delivering crisp combinations. He can work the body and uses the ring to his advantage. For the first time in his professional career, Gamboa showed patience placing his shots against Mtagwa. Can Gamboa continue to be patient releasing his punches against future opponents? Gamboa displays exceptional hand speed and explosive power. When Gamboa hurts opponents, he finishes them. Would Lopez be able to neutralize Gamboa's power and speed with his ring generalship? Or would Gamboa's aggression and rapid punching overwhelm Lopez? Hopefully, fight fans will be treated to this match up in 2010!

Roger Mayweather On Boxing Truth Radio

Roger Mayweather, uncle and trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr., will be LIVE on the Boxing Truth Radio Show Sunday.

You can listen below on my blog at 9PM EST/6PM PST.

Currently, Roger is facing felony charges alleging he beat and choked Melissa St. Vil, a 26-year-old woman boxer.

Arraignment is set for January 26th in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mayweather's attorney Jack Buchanan said Mayweather will plead not guilty and challenge the charges against him.

Berto vs. Mosley CANCELED, Mayweather vs. Mosley On May 1st???

As a result of the tragic earthquake that struck Haiti, Andre Berto has pulled out of his fight with "Sugar" Shane Mosley on January 30th. He released the following the statement Monday:

"I have seen the pain in my parents' eyes as they attempt to understand what has happened to our homeland, and recognize a place they once called home. As a result of this disaster, I am mentally and physically exhausted and therefore, I have no choice but to withdraw from my bout on January 30th.

"Throughout the past six days, I have received an incredible outpouring of support, and I sincerely appreciate everyone’s prayers for the people of Haiti. I hope that everyone will continue to keep the Haitian people in their thoughts and prayers, as we work to rebuild this proud nation.

"The rebuilding of Haiti is not something that will happen overnight, but I am fully dedicated to helping the Haitian people recover from this catastrophic event."

It is very possible that Floyd Mayweather Jr. could battle "Sugar" Shane Mosley on May 1st at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Leonard Ellerbe, who is Floyd Mayweather's advisor, stated the following: "Floyd wants to fight the biggest fight possible, no matter who it may be. He'll line all these guys up and beat them one by one."

In the past, Mayweather and Mosley tried on numerous occasions to make a fight between them happen, but the two sides could never reach an agreement, which led to both men fighting other opponents. After Mayweather defeated Juan Manuel Marquez in September, Mosley got into the ring and challenged Mayweather during his post-fight interview with HBO's Max Kellerman. 

Today, Shane Mosley said, "I'm disappointed that the fight has been called off, but I understand that Andre is going through a very difficult time. My heart goes out to him, his family and the people of Haiti during the aftermath of this terrible tragedy. I'm sorry for the losses that Andre Berto and all of the Haitian people are suffering. I have everyone in my prayers."

Martirosyan Wins Controversial Decision Over Ouma

Vanes Martirosyan (27-0, 17 KO's) won a controversial ten round unanimous decision over Kassim Ouma (26-7-1,16 KO's). Official scores were 97-92 and 97-93 twice. The 31 year old Ouma has now lost five of his last six bouts, while Martirosyan remains unbeaten.

Ouma relentlessly pressured Martirosyan from the opening bell and forced him to fight at his pace. In the first round, Ouma successfully landed right hooks and straight lefts as Martirosyan attempted to connect with his straight right. Ouma continued to land straight lefts and right hooks in round two, but Martirosyan had a better round. Martirosyan split Ouma's defense with a vicious right uppercut and attacked his body with a series of right hand shots. Also, Martirosyan connected with more straight rights to Ouma's head.

Ouma came back strong in the third round, and pushed Martirosyan back with right hooks and straight lefts. Martirosyan was countering Ouma's right hooks with straight rights. Ouma repeatedly got his punches off first, although Martirosyan finished the round strong.

In the fourth round, Martirosyan kept Ouma turning by using a lot of lateral movement. Martirosyan hit Ouma with many rights to the head and body. After Martirosyan landed a right and left to the body, an accidental clash of heads left him with a cut on his left eye brow.

Ouma stepped up the pace again, while utilizing his right jab in round five. Ouma hammered Martirosyan with a crisp right uppercut in close range. In round six, Ouma struck Martirosyan with numerous right hooks and straight lefts to the head. Again, Martirosyan countered with straight rights to the body and head. In round seven, Martirosyan went back to moving around the ring and caught Ouma with lots of right hands.

Ouma appeared to throw less punches in round eight and when he did throw, it looked as if his punches lost some steam. On the other hand, Martirosyan stepped up his work rate and made Ouma feel uncomfortable the entire round. However, Ouma floored Martirosyan with a short right hook in the ninth round. After that, Ouma battered Martirosyan with consecutive straight lefts, but Martirosyan got his balance back and started to fire right hands.

Both men fought at a furious pace in round ten. Martirosyan's left eye was very swollen. Yet, he closed the final round strong as he wobbled Ouma with a hard left hook to the head. Then, Martirosyan landed a left hook and straight right as the bell sounded to end the fight.

I had Ouma winning the fight 95-94. Personally, I felt the scoring in favor of Martirosyan was too widespread. Both men battled diligently throughout the course of the fight in several close rounds. Ouma even scored a knockdown, although Martirosyan fought fiercely during the remaining minutes of round nine. Without a doubt, Ouma presented Martirosyan with his toughest challenge to date in the spirited junior middleweight division. Ouma showed that he still has a lot of fight left in him after losing two straight bouts. In contrast, Martirosyan acquired tremendous experience by being pushed to the brink of defeat, and should look much improved in his upcoming fights.

Juan Carlos Burgos Remains Unbeaten

Juan Carlos Burgos scored a spectacular 12th round stoppage over a resilient Juan Carlos Martinez. Burgos was effective early, using his height and range to perplex Martinez. He came forward and kept popping Martinez with a stiff left jab. Martinez was wide with his punches, but managed to connect with a clean overhand right in the first round. Martinez landed more of his punches in round two, although Burgos hit Martinez with a vicious left uppercut toward the end of the round.

In the third round, Martinez tagged Burgos with an overhand right. However, Burgos was quick to counter with a overhand right - left hook combination to the head. Martinez was getting hit frequently with overhand rights, as Burgos did an excellent job of setting up his punches behind a blinding and accurate left jab. Martinez nailed Burgos with an overhand right in round four. Yet, Burgos came back aggressively, landing a barrage of punches to Martinez's body and head. During a clinch against the ropes, Martinez shoved Burgos down to the canvas.

Burgos continued with a forceful attack following the jab in the fifth round. Still, Martinez managed to land hard rights to Burgos' body. Burgos fired back and connected with another overhand right. In round six, Burgos connected with some rock-solid, overhand rights. Next, Martinez hammered Burgos with blistering lefts hooks, but the punches did not come in succession. As each round passed, Burgos was putting his combinations together much better.

During round seven, Martinez struck Burgos with a right cross and followed it with a big left hook. For not throwing many combinations, Martinez was timing Burgos efficiently when he stopped throwing his jab. Conversely, Burgos belted Martinez with a counter right hand. Then, Burgos hit Martinez with another clean right later in the round.

In round eight, Burgos appeared to have new energy. Martinez was holding his own, although Burgos landed a hard left hook and stinging overhand right. As the round was about to end, Burgos scored with a jab - right - left hook combination. Subsequently, Burgos stepped up the pace again in round nine and Martinez walked into a sharp, counter left hook. After that, in the tenth round, Burgos landed a flush right and pounded Martinez with consecutive left hooks. Martinez showed the ability to take a quality shot, but Burgos kept coming at him and placed his punches with great accuracy.

The eleventh round opened with Martinez landing a counter left hook. Then, Burgos momentarily stunned Martinez with an overhand right. Burgos kept jabbing him as Martinez punched again. Finally, a left hook to the head, followed by a jab - right - left hook combination, pushed Martinez back into the ropes in round twelve. Next, Burgos landed another left and right to the head flooring Martinez. As Martinez beat the count, Burgos charged forward and unleashed a massive left hook - right - left hook - right combination that led to referee Jon Schorle instantaneously grabbing Martinez and stopping the fight. The time of the stoppage was 1:07.

In 2004, Juan Carlos Burgos turned professional at 16 years old. Today, at 22 years old, he is undefeated (24-0, 17 KO's) and one of the fastest rising featherweight contenders in the world. Burgos is the nephew of Victor Burgos, who was a former IBF Light Flyweight Champion from 2003 - 2005.


Yaundale Evans stayed undefeated in his early career (5-0, 3 KO's) by winning a 6 round unanimous decision against Gino Escamilla (5-7-1, 2 KO's) in a 130 lb. bout. With the loss, Escamilla has now dropped six straight.

Evans, who is a southpaw, rocked Escamilla with a right hook in the first round, scoring a knockdown as Escamilla's glove touched the canvas. In round two, Escamilla came forward throwing wide punches and Evans made him pay for it. Escamilla got hit with a huge counter straight left and immediately dropped to the canvas. Somehow, Escamilla was able to get back to his feet. During one of the exchanges, Evans suffered a cut on the side of his right eye.

As the fight moved into the third round, Evans could not finish him. Escamilla was open for counters, but Evans did not put his punches together. Evans got sloppy, although he utilized his jab more in round four. Still, Escamilla was able to get close and clinch repeatedly. Evans, a native of Cleveland Ohio, held on to win by scores of 60-52 twice and 59-53.  


In a junior middleweight mismatch, 21 year old Demetrius Andrade (9-0, 7 KO's) remained undefeated after scoring a crushing first round knockout over 36 year old Bernardo Guereca (15-10-1, 3 KO's). Heading into the fight, Guereca had lost four of his last five bouts.

Andrade nailed Guereca on his temple with a devastating, counter right hook. Guereca was unable to beat the referee's ten count. The official time of the stoppage was 1:18.

A native of Providence, Rhode Island, Demetrius Andrade started boxing at the age of six, and is trained by his father, Paul Andrade and David Keefe. Andrade was a 2007 World Amateur Champion at 152 lbs. and represented the United States in the 2008 Olympics. He is an extremely talented fighter and has over 200 amateur bouts to his credit. Andrade is moving up quickly in the 154 lb. division, but with his background, should be facing fighters that can pose more of a threat to him.

Jermain Taylor Pulls Out Of "Super Six"

Jermain Taylor (28-4-1, 17 KO’s) has given the public memorable fights and showed that he is a warrior on many occasions. In 2005, he defeated the legendary Bernard Hopkins twice (SD 12, UD 12) and was regarded as one of the best fighters in the world. After capturing the Middleweight title from Hopkins, Taylor successfully defended the title three times. He received a draw against Ronald “Winky” Wright, but defeated Kassim Ouma (UD 12) and Cory Spinks (SD 12).

Taylor held the middleweight championship until 2007 when Kelly Pavlik TKO’D him in seven rounds. Later in the year, Taylor fought valiantly in the rematch against Pavlik, although he came up short, losing a 12 round unanimous decision. Since 2007, Taylor has only been victorious once, winning a 12 round unanimous decision against Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy in 2008. Most recently, Taylor was brutally knocked out twice in the 12^th round in back-to-back fights against England’s Carl Froch and Germany’s Arthur Abraham. The devastating loss versus Abraham came in Showtime’s “Super Six” Tournament.

Today, Jermain Taylor withdrew from the "Super Six" Tournament and will not face Andre Ward on April 17th. 

"I'm going to take some time off from the sport of boxing and take myself out of [the] Showtime Sports World Boxing Classic tournament," Taylor said in a statement. "It's important that I give my body and mind some much-needed rest, because I have been boxing for nearly 20 years. I plan on keeping myself in shape and making a return to the sport sometime in the future."

After being knocked out in 3 of his last 5 bouts and going 1-4 over that span, many boxing insiders and fight fans thought Taylor would have made a colossal oversight by taking a fight with Ward.

"This was not an easy decision for me, having discussed it with my family, trainer [Ozell Nelson], friends and my adviser, Al Haymon, because I'm a very competitive person. But I know this is the smart road for me to take," Taylor said. "I want to thank Showtime Sports for everything and I wish the best for my five counterparts who will continue on in the Super Six tournament. Most of all, I want to thank the many fans for their continued support."

If Taylor does elect to fight again, should he even be allowed to continue boxing by the various commissions that govern the sport? 45 Fantastic Fights Of The Century

Karmazin KO's Miranda; ESPN's Friday Night Fights 1/8/09

Roman Karmazin (40-3-1, 26 KO's) scored a sensational 10th round knockout over Dionisio Miranda (20-5-2 18 KO's) to open the season on ESPN's "Friday Night Fights". The victory was Karmazin's 4th in a row. With the win, the 37 year old should be able to acquire a big name opponent for his next bout.

The fight opened with a slow pace in rounds one and two, but the action heated up in round three when Miranda stunned Karmazin with an overhand right behind his jab. Miranda tried to finish him, although Karmazin showed great heart and made it out of the round. In round four, Miranda suffered a cut above his left eye resulting from an accidental clash of heads.

Beginning in the sixth round, Miranda was much more fluid with his punches as Karmazin was trying to time him and connect with one big shot. Toward the end of the round, Karmazin staggered Miranda after landing some hard rights.

In round seven, Miranda was working well behind his jab. As blood trickled down the left side of Miranda's cheek, Karmazin landed a stinging right-left hook combination to his head. In the eighth round, after Miranda missed with a right, Karmazin connected with a short, counter left hook. Then, Miranda hammered Karmazin in round nine with a flush right that sent the Russian into the ropes and down to the canvas. Yet, Karmazin was able to survive another round after getting nailed with a rock-solid punch.

Finally, with the cut still bleeding down Miranda's left cheek, Karmazin threw and landed a grazing left hook-right combination to the head flooring Miranda. Subsequently, Karmazin attacked Miranda with a flurry of punches, landing two clean powerful rights in succession that sent Miranda down again. Time of the stoppage was 2:34 of the tenth round.

After his impressive victory, will Roman Karmazin acquire a fight with Felix Sturm or Kelly Pavlik later in the year? Or maybe he can attain a fight with a rising middleweight contender such as Danny Jacobs or Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin? Previously, Karmazin had captured the IBF Junior Middleweight title from Kassim Ouma, but lost it in his first defense against Cory Spinks. Hopefully, Karmazin can get a significant fight and showcase his skills on HBO or Showtime in the near future.

Fight Preview: "Sugar" Shane Mosley vs. Andre Berto

On Saturday January 30th, WBA Welterweight Champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KO's) will face WBC Welterweight Champion Andre Berto (25-0, 19 KO's) at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout will be televised LIVE on HBO at 10pm EST/7pm PST.

Aside from losing a close 12 round unanimous decision to Miguel Cotto in 2007, Shane Mosley has not lost a fight since 2004. On the other hand, Mosley's record in his last 10 bouts is (7-3, 4 KO's). Joe Walcott, Archie Moore, Bernard Hopkins and Lennox Lewis all had a great deal of success late in their careers. At 38 years old, can Mosley sustain his impact on the welterweight division? Or will he finally show his age against Berto?

Andre Berto may be undefeated, but he does not possess more ring experience than Shane Mosley. Mosley will be Berto's toughest test to date. Berto shows superior power, tremendous agility and is 12 years younger at age 26. Will Andre Berto be able to use these advantages to overcome his inexperience and pull off an upset?

Both, Mosley and Berto share two common opponents. Mosley defeated David Estrada by a 10 round unanimous decision and Luis Collazo by a 12 round unanimous decision. Berto defeated Estrada by TKO in 11 rounds, but also beat Luis Collazo by a 12 round unanimous decision. Although, many people felt the Berto-Collazo fight was a lot closer than one of the judge's scorecards of 116-111. The other two official scores were 114-113 twice. Harold Lederman, HBO's unofficial ringside judge, had Collazo winning the fight 115-112.

Shane Mosley has never been hesitant to mix it up with any fighter. When he gets hit, he fires right back at his opponents. Mosley throws fast, blistering punches, but tends to stand in front of opponents too long. He favors the use of his jab, more as a range finder to set up power shots. Throughout his career, Mosley has been tremendously effective when he attacks his opponent's body. It is well known that he can take a solid punch from bigger guys and is capable of outfighting younger guys in close range. His most notable victories have come against Philip Holiday (UD 12), James Leija (TKO 9), Oscar De La Hoya (SD 12, UD 12), David Estrada (UD 10), Fernando Vargas (TKO 10, TKO 6), Luis Collazo (UD 12), Ricardo Mayorga (KO 12) and Antonio Margarito (TKO 9). His most notable losses have come against Vernon Forrest (UD 12 twice), Ronald "Winky" Wright (UD 12, MD 12) and Miguel Cotto (UD 12).

Andre Berto took up boxing after his father, Dieuseul, brought him to the boxing gym at a very young age. For his training, Berto would run, and his father would drive a car behind him to make sure he would not slow down. Afterward, Andre was forced to do as many as 500 push ups. His regimented training started to show positive results. Berto won the 2001 National Golden Gloves in the Light Middleweight division. In 2003, he won the National Golden Gloves again, this time in the Welterweight division. After failing to qualify for the United States team, Berto went on to represent Haiti at the 2004 Olympics. However, Berto lost in the 1st round (36-34) to France's Xavier Noel in a close bout.

Berto is a powerful puncher and fights with a wide stance. Like Mosley, he stands in front of his opponents after delivering his punches. He likes to time his opponents, so he can hit them with his devastating right hand. At times, Berto can be a bit of a brawler and is not as technically sound as Mosley. He throws few combinations off his jab, but when he lands his punches, they are enormously effective. Also, Berto has proficient hand speed and is naturally bigger than Mosley, although he lacks the professional experience. Berto's most notable wins have come against Luis Collazo (UD 12) and most recently, Juan Urango (UD 12).

During heated exchanges, Berto has a tendency to release wide punches in close range. As a result, Luis Collazo was able to time and hit Berto repeatedly with short punches. Look for Mosley to attempt to do the same. However, Mosley may be making a huge mistake, if he thinks he can trade punch-for-punch with Berto. Berto is an outstanding puncher, and must connect with his punches in succession to be victorious over Mosley. In contrast, Mosley is a better defensive fighter than Berto and probably will employ many feints in this fight.

Berto needs to put his combinations together better than he has shown in his previous bouts. He must utilize his jab to control the pace of the fight. When in close quarters, Berto should keep his punches short and not square up. In the past, Berto has not changed from offense to defense well. Against Mosley, Berto should punch and move, so he will not be a stationary target. Alternatively, if Berto wants to get the best use of his edge in power, he ought to force Mosley to fight toe-to-toe.

For Mosley, he needs to land short shots in a nearby range. He will not have to worry about Berto's power, if he can land clean punches and move laterally around the ring. Every so often, Mosley may elect to trade with Berto. Mosley must find his range, so he will not be countered. This is where Mosley's ring experience can be a key factor.

Prediction: I'm picking Andre Berto to upset "Sugar" Shane Mosley. I usually select the more seasoned fighter, but in this case, Berto's 12 years age advantage will be the difference. Although, Mosley has defeated several younger fighters as he has grown older, he is now 38 years old, and has been inactive for one year after demolishing Antonio Margarito. Boxers cannot afford to suffer long layoffs to their careers, especially as they grow older. With long periods of inactivity, fighters lose timing, speed, agility, power and can witness an overall decrease in their skills. Mosley has not shown his age yet, but eventually all fighters do. A fighter can get old in one fight and I think this is Berto's time to shine. I am going with Berto to win a clear and decisive 12 round unanimous decision.