Vazquez Remains Undefeated, Stops Bedak In 10th

In a fierce battle of undefeated super bantamweights, 25-year-old Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (19-0-1, 16 KO's) gave a remarkable performance, stopping Hungarian Zsolt Bedak, 26, (15-1, 5 KO's) at 1:12 in the tenth round to retain his WBO championship. Bedak, who holds 232 amateur fights to his credit along with a victory over Abner Mares at the 2004 Olympics, could not handle the crisp, precise punches of the lightning-quick Vazquez.

Vazquez had a minimal edge in round one, as his punches were slightly sharper. However, Bedak landed sound body punches late in the round.

Vazquez surprised Bedak with a rock-solid overhand right in round two. Still, Bedak answered with a hard left hook.Vazquez was busier and seemed to find his range.

Bedak connected with a big left hook in round three, but Vazquez took the punch well. Bedak also landed a hard overhand right and sharp right uppercut in close range. Clearly, Bedak landed the cleaner punches in the round.

Both men traded overhand rights in round four. Then, Bedak connected with a sweeping left hook. As the round progressed, Vazquez landed many right hand blows. Bedak sustained minor swelling on the left side of his head.

In the fifth round, Vazquez seriously hurt Bedak with a series of overhand rights. After absorbing the shots, Bedak, unloaded a massive left hook. Bedak kept charging Vazquez, although he was being struck by numerous punches.

Bedak displayed immense swelling around both eyes in round six. Yet, he opened the round by landing a right - left hook combination. On the other hand, Vazquez showed minor swelling under his right eye. Vazquez utilized his jab and lateral movement, as he continued to score with his shots.

Round seven was another highly competitive round with both fighters landing flush shots, however, Vazquez was able to inflict more damage with his blows.

Vazquez repeatedly delivered punishing overhand rights to Bedak's head in the eighth round. Also, Vazquez got the better of Bedak yet again during the exchanges in round nine. Bedak landed some very accurate shots, but lacked the power to stun Vazquez. MMA Gloves

At long last, Vazquez really hurt Bedak in round ten when Bedak walked into a crushing overhand right. Then, Vazquez threw a barrage of punches, and connected with a critical left hook to Bedak's body. Next, Vazquez floored Bedak with a severe overhand right. Bedak got up, although his corner threw in the towel at 1:12.

Bedak proved he could take a solid punch, but he absorbed too many quality shots from Vazquez tonight.

UNDERCARD

24-year-old McJoe Arroyo (3-0, 1 KO) dished out a ferocious beating to Jairo Delgado (3-7, 3 KO's), 29, winning a four round unanimous decision in a bantamweight bout. All three official scorecards read 40-36 in favor of Arroyo.

In the first round, Arroyo snapped Delgado's head back with a straight left. After landing a stern right hook, Arroyo wobbled Delgado when he connected with another well-timed straight left. Throughout the entire fight, Arroyo placed his punches perfectly.
 
Delgado tied up Arroyo in round two after he was momentarily hurt by a right hook. In round three, Delgado sustained terrible swelling under his right eye. Arroyo continued to connect with a sequence of violent body punches, and repeatedly landed an onslaught of right hooks and straight lefts in the fourth round. Delgado barely finished the fight on his feet.


Hanna Gabriel (10-0-1, 6 KO's) captured the women's WBO light middleweight title by stopping Gardy Pena (9-2-2, 6 KO's) in the first round. After Gabriel landed a devastating right to the body, Pena was forced to quit. The official time of the stoppage was :22 seconds.


In a lightweight bout, Jose Gonzalez (10-0, 6 KO's) dropped Keivy Arce (3-1, 1 KO) three times in round two en route to a knockout victory. Following a slow-paced first round, Gonzalez floored Arce with consecutive lefts. When Arce got up, he was met with more swift left hands from Gonzalez, which put him on the canvas yet again. In conclusion, Gonzalez caught Arce with a sharp left uppercut, and followed it with a series of damaging right hands. Ultimately, a straight right hand by Gonzalez put Arce down for good at 2:26 of the second round.


McWilliams Arroyo (3-0, 3 KO's), twin brother of McJoe Arroyo, scored a second round knockout against Samuel Gutierrez (5-6-1, 0 KO's) in a super flyweight bout. After landing a string of extremely brutal punches in round one, Arroyo sent Gutierrez into the ropes and onto the canvas when he connected with an overhand right in round two. Time of the stoppage was 1:35.

McWilliams Arroyo won a Gold Medal at flyweight during the 2009 World Amateur Boxing Championships, and also in the 2007 PanAmerican games.


Roman Martinez (24-0-1, 15 KO's) retained his WBO super featherweight title, scoring a stellar fourth round knockout against Gonzalo Munguia (17-7-3, 13 KO's).

After finding his range easily in round one, Martinez peppered Munguia with an assortment of clean punches. Toward the end of round two, Munguia stepped up his punch output and engaged in several heated exchanges with Martinez.

Martinez got the better of Munguia in round three, landing the sharper, more precise punches. Munguia landed some heavy shots, but Martinez had a higher connect rate. Both men traded blows non-stop for the last minute and a half of the round.

In round four, Martinez seriously injured Munguia with rights to his body and head. Then, Martinez dropped Munguia with a potent right uppercut. Munguia was unable to beat the ten count, as the official time of the knockout was 1:48.

Klitschko Retains WBC Title, KO's Sosnowski In 10th Round

Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO's) retained his WBC heavyweight title, knocking out a tough Albert Sosnowski (45-3-1, 27 KO's) at 2:20 in the tenth round of a highly competitive fight. The victory was Klitschko's eighth in a row.

In round one, Klitschko utilized his left jab, while Sosnowski aggressively looked for openings. Klitschko attacked Sosnowski more in the second round. Still, Sosnowski used lots of lateral movement and feints, as he tried to stay away from Klitschko's power. 

Sosnowski landed a counter left hook in round three that briefly drew cheers from the crowd. Sosnowski showed great self-belief, moving assertively toward Klitschko the entire round. 

In the first minute of round four, Klitschko caught Sosnowski with a short right. After that, Sosnowski dictated the pace of the round, keeping extremely busy by getting his punches off before Klitschko. 

However, Klitschko answered with a strong fifth round, striking Sosnowski with multiple left hooks and right hand shots. MMA GEAR

Klitschko landed the cleaner punches in round six, hitting Sosnowski early with right hands and left hooks. Nevertheless, Sosnowski was very forceful with his jab in the second half of the round. 

Again, Klitschko was more fluid with his punches in round seven, connecting more often than Sosnowski. Yet, Sosnowski relentlessly kept putting on pressure.

Sosnowski landed the best punch in round eight, sending Klitschko back after connecting with a stinging overhand right. Shortly thereafter, Klitschko answered with a clean left hook. 

Klitschko opened the ninth round by landing an overhand right. Then, Klitschko used his left jab steadily and found his range, which enabled him to hammer Sosnowski all through the round with right hand blows.

In round ten, Klitschko's right hand was finding the target easily. With 32 seconds to go in the round, Klitschko floored Sosnowski with a powerful overhand right that sent him into the corner. Referee Jay Nady immediately stopped the bout.

 BANKS, GAVERN BATTLE TO MAJORITY DRAW

In other heavyweight action, Johnathon Banks (24-1-1, 17 KO's) and Jason Gavern (19-7-4, 8 KO's) battled to a twelve round majority draw in a fight filled with excessive holding. Official scores were 115-111 for Banks and 113-113 twice.

In round four, Banks used his left jab repeatedly, but put little behind it. Then, he connected with a short left hook to Gavern's head. Gavern was tying Banks up at every possible moment. Finally, Gavern was deducted one point for his wrestling tactics in the sixth round. 

Both men exchanged solid left hooks in round seven. However, Banks lost one point for unnecessary holding. In round eight, Banks connected with a quick left hook that seemed to floor Gavern. Yet, referee Juergen Langos ruled Gavern had slipped. After that, Banks landed a series of damaging overhand rights. 

Banks momentarily stunned Gavern with a right - left combination in round nine after connecting with a counter left hook.

In an uneventful twelfth round, Gavern pressed the action and scored with his right hand when he got Banks against the ropes. Banks did not utilize his jab enough in the final round.

Andrade Forces Lucas To Quit

31-year-old Librado Andrade (29-3, 22 KO's) bounced back from a knockout loss against Lucian Bute, as veteran Eric Lucas (39-8-3, 15 KO's) could not persevere after eight completed rounds due to a severe cut sustained above his left eye.

Lucas, 39, landed some sharp counter punches in round one, but Andrade scored early with an aggressive body attack. After getting struck with a right uppercut in round two, Lucas hammered Andrade with a flush right. However, Andrade shook off the effects of the punch quickly, and opened up an arsenal of vicious body and head shots. Then, Andrade opened a gash above Lucas' right eye when he landed a piercing left hook. Toward the end of round three, Andrade landed a series of left hooks to Lucas' body.

Andrade continued his assault in round four, hurting Lucas when he unleashed multiple shots. Next, Andrade threw and landed a large volume of punches in round five subsequent to Lucas catching him with a harsh left hook.

In the seventh round, Andrade connected with consecutive left hook - right hand combinations. Afterward, Lucas countered swiftly with a decisive left hook, but Andrade ripped off a string of devastating uppercuts in close range. Consequently, Andrade sent Lucas into the ropes in round eight when he landed a concrete right hand. At this point, Lucas was awfully bloodied and bruised, although he was giving a valiant effort. It seemed a right hand shot from Andrade opened a massive cut above Lucas' left eye. A ringside physician briefly examined it during the round, and let the fight pick up again. After that, Lucas came on strong instantly, however, he was met with an onslaught of grueling punches from Andrade. When the ringside physician examined the cut for a second time following round eight, he ruled that Lucas should not keep going.

 UPSHAW DEFEATS ST. JUSTE

In a middleweight bout, Marcus Upshaw (13-4-1, 6 KO's) won a ten round, split decision versus Renan St. Juste (21-2-1, 14 KO's). Official scores were 96-93 and 95-94 for Upshaw, while St. Juste received a 95-94 scorecard. MMA Training Gloves

Upshaw, 29, seriously hurt St. Juste in round four when he connected with a lunging left hook. After absorbing the blow, St. Juste turned away and moved toward the ropes. Referee Jean-Guy Brousseau appropriately scored a knockdown in favor of Upshaw. St. Juste, 38, continually got beat to the punch by Upshaw from the sixth round until the end of the fight. Upshaw comfortably landed his punches in spots, scoring with crisp left hooks and straight rights repeatedly. As the fight moved into the later rounds, St. Juste could not match the pace of the younger, faster Upshaw.

Adamek - Grant Fight Confirmed for August 21st at Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.

On Saturday August 21st, Tomasz Adamek returns to action at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. against Michael Grant, who is on an eight bout winning streak dating back to 2003. The bout will be part of the much-admired "Brick City Boxing Series".

Adamek, who is trained by Roger Bloodworth and Ronnie Shields, has made it clear that he intends to move up when he is ready to face reigning World Heavyweight Champions David Haye and Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko.  As the Klitschko brothers both stand over 6’7”, Adamek and his trainers are particularly interested in taking on an opponent of Grant’s stature.

Adamek explained, “This fight makes so much sense for me.  Michael Grant is a very big heavyweight. This fight will prepare me to fight Haye or Klitschko. First though, I have to beat Grant and I do not take him lightly. I was pleased with the results of my training camp for the Arreola fight, so for Grant we will follow the same hard regimen, but also work on skills that will keep him guessing.”

"I would like to thank Main Events and their staff for their professionalism and the opportunity to face one of the best heavyweights in the division, as Tomasz has proven he is a true heavyweight and a force in the division. I realize this is a great opportunity for me and my team, and I will be coming to win this fight on August 21st." stated Grant.

“Every time Tomasz Adamek comes to fight at Prudential Arena it feels like a big party,” promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events said.  “The atmosphere is electric and the crowd gets bigger and bigger every time. We expect a capacity audience to turn out again, for the fun.  Michael Grant provides a new challenge to Tomasz, who must adjust to much taller and harder punching opponents than he faced in the Light Heavyweight and Cruiserweight divisions,” she added.  “It should be interesting and exciting to see how Adamek handles a much bigger man.”

Tickets priced at $253, $103, $78 and $53 will go on sale in mid-June. For more information, contact www.prucenter.com

It's Official: Zab Judah Returns July 16th At "The Rock"

On July 16th at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Brooklyn's Zab "Super" Judah (38-6, 26 KO's) squares off against Mexico's Jose Armando Santa Cruz (28-4, 17 KO's) in a junior welterweight showdown. The bout will be televised LIVE on ESPN2. Ticket and on sale information will be available shortly.

Zab Judah Returns

In mid-July, former undisputed welterweight champion and former IBF/WBO junior welterweight champion Zab 'Super' Judah (38-6, 26 KO's) will make his debut at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.


Judah, 32, decided to move down from welterweight to junior welterweight, as he attempts to regain a title in boxing's hottest division.

"I like to finish how I started, so we teamed up with Main Events," Judah declared. "We crossed the river to team up with Prudential Center and I'm back!!!"

“We at Main Events are thrilled to welcome Zab back home," said Kathy Duva, Main Events' CEO. "We were fortunate to have been involved with Zab throughout much of his early boxing career, so we know first hand what a compelling personality and exciting fighter Zab is. Zab brings with him the kind of fan base necessary to fill a big arena, and we look forward to packing Prudential Center when he makes his debut there in July."

"Zab ‘Super’ Judah is entering 2010 with more focus, heart and dedication than ever before," stated Bill Halkias, VP Super Judah Promotions. "He will once again dominate the junior welterweight division.”

Zab's opponent and on sale information for his upcoming fight will be named shortly. 

Marquez Annihilates Vazquez; Mares Gets Robbed

Rafael Marquez (39-5, 35 KO's) defeated a resilient Israel Vazquez convincingly (44-5, 33 KO's), capturing a 3rd round technical knockout to even the series between them at two fights apiece.

Vazquez, 32, opened the bout landing a swift overhand right, although Marquez, 35, landed the sharper punches in round one, striking Vazquez with counter left hooks and overhand rights. Then, Vazquez responded with a left hook to Marquez's head. However, Marquez started using lateral movement and utilized an effective left jab.

In round two, Marquez opened up a severe laceration above Vazquez's left eye when he connected with a precise overhand right. After that, Marquez found his range and continually beat Vazquez to the punch, scoring with left uppercuts in close range. Still, Vazquez kept pressuring and fighting through a bloody face.

Both men exchanged right hands to start the third round. Marquez landed a quick left uppercut, but clashed heads with Vazquez. As a result, Vazquez sustained another cut above his right eye. Next, Marquez floored a bloodied Vazquez with an overhand right to the head. Vazquez got up, however, he was met with a barrage of lefts and rights from Marquez, prompting referee Raul Caiz Jr. to stop the contest at 1:33 in round three.

Marquez wanted to make a bold statement coming into the fight.

"I was really hurt," stated Marquez. "Today, I made things clear."

Marquez also believes another fight with Vazquez could happen in the near future.

Marquez declared, "A fifth one could be a possibility, if the fans want it."

Vazquez expressed his interest in a fifth fight.

"I'm willing to do it again in 5 or 6 months," said Vazquez. "Maybe surgery is needed so the cuts don't open again."

Prior to tonight's fight, Marquez won the first encounter (RTD 7), while Vazquez prevailed in the second (TKO 6) and third (SD 12) fights.

PEREZ & MARES BATTLE TO A DRAW

In the co-feature, bantamweights Yonnhy Perez and Abner Mares fought to a 12 round majority draw. Gwen Adair and Eugenia Williams scored the fight 114-114, while Marty Denkin saw it 115-113 in favor of Mares. As a result, Perez retains his IBF bantamweight title.

In round one, both men traded a series of left hooks. As the round progressed, Mares started to land his overhand right. MMA Equipment

Perez was the aggressor in the second round, although Mares was dictating the pace. Mares placed his punches efficiently, landing left hooks and getting his punches off before Perez.

Mares came on strong toward the end of round three, however, it was Perez who landed the cleaner, more effective punches. In round four, Perez struck Mares with numerous rights and left hooks. Mares was not slipping Perez's punches well, and his punch output instantly dropped.

As Perez continued to press the action in round five, Mares found himself repeatedly on the defensive. Yet, Mares found his range again in round six, and kept Perez off-balance by moving after connecting with several counter left hooks and swift right hand blows.

In the seventh round, Mares started well, but Perez came on strong mid-round. Then, Perez momentarily stunned Mares with a right to the head. After that, Mares started using lateral movement and scoring with right hand shots.


Mares landed countless overhand rights and left hooks, while Perez's punch output slightly dropped in round eight.

Mares took control of the fight from rounds nine through twelve, hammering Perez with fierce left hooks in close quarters. Perez's punches lost steam in the final rounds, which enabled Mares to land solid rights to the body, followed by a barrage of overhand rights and left hooks. Mares found his range, and Perez simply could not get his punches off fast enough.

In the twelfth round, Perez landed a left hook, but Mares quickly countered, landing a left hook before connecting with a stinging left uppercut. Then, Mares staggered Perez with a left-right combination. After that, Perez successfully landed another left hook. Nevertheless, Mares hurt Perez shortly thereafter with his left hook. Toward the end of the round, Mares impaired Perez after connecting with a right-left combination.

Although Perez landed a number of damaging punches during the bout, it was quite clear Mares pulled away with the fight in the later rounds.

Ruslan Provodnikov, Ji-Hoon Kim Win Impressively

In a fast-paced junior welterweight match-up, 26-year-old Ruslan Provodnikov (16-0, 11 KO's) scored a devastating technical knockout versus Emmanuel Augustus (38-32-6, 20 KO's), 35, at 1:50 of the ninth round. Augustus, who took the fight on 4 days notice and appeared on ESPN's "Friday Night Fights" series numerous times over the years, was no match for the younger, aggressive Provodnikov.

Provodnikov applied unrelenting pressure throughout the fight, scoring a knockdown in the fifth round when he floored Augustus with a rock-solid overhand right. After that, Provodnikov continued his assault of Augustus, putting the tough veteran fighter on the canvas two more times in round nine. Once Provodnikov hurt Augustus with his potent right hand shots, Augustus crumbled instantly.

In the main event, lightweight Ji-Hoon Kim, 23, (21-5, 18 KO's) stopped Ameth Diaz, 26, (27-10, 19 KO's) at 2:59 of round one. Diaz was controlling the action by landing hard, accurate right hand shots until Kim landed a crisp overhand right late in the round. Then, Kim threw a left hook-right hand combination. Diaz immediately crashed to the canvas when Kim connected with the right hand blow. Diaz rose to his feet, however, referee Robert Gonzalez felt he could not continue. MMA GLOVES

Khan Too Strong For Malignaggi

Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KO's) retained his WBA junior welterweight title, scoring an 11th round TKO against Paulie Malignaggi (27-4, 5 KO's) in front of a raucous crowd at the theatre inside Madison Square Garden.

Khan, 23, controlled the pace the entire fight working behind a devastating and accurate left jab. Khan consistently got his punches off before Malignaggi, which kept the Brooklyn native off-balanced. After becoming exceedingly frustrated, Malignaggi, 29, tried to sit back and counter Khan, although he had a rough time because he lacked the power needed to hurt him.

“He’s on an upswing right now, but it’s about to end,” Roach told the media on the conference call prior to the bout. “We have an advantage in every aspect of the game – speed, power and boxing ability. Everything he does well, we do it better."

Freddie Roach's words could not have been anymore true on Saturday night. Khan was able to impose his will, and struck Malignaggi repeatedly with hard, flush shots. Occasionally, Malignaggi connected with his swift jab, but he was quickly countered with crisp left hooks and solid overhand rights from Khan. The slick boxer sustained a battered and bruised face, while Khan only suffered minor swelling above his right eye.

Khan also exhibited a great deal of patience, placing his shots with extreme precision. He never got careless when he unleashed his punches, even though Malignaggi did not hold the power to harm him. On the other hand, Malignaggi stood in front of Khan too long, which is not his forte. Malignaggi could have displayed more lateral movement. Instead, he chose to stand and fight. While Malignaggi absorbed a beating tonight, he showed a tremendous amount of heart and courage. All of Malignaggi's fans and the boxing public should be pleased with his effort. MMA Gear

"I'm 29, but I didn't feel old," said Malignaggi. "I had a great camp. Amir just came and fought a very good fight."

Malignaggi also feels Khan fights like he did when he was younger.

"He kept changing distance," added Malignaggi. "That was the plan for me, but Amir was quicker. When I turned pro, I had a similar style to Amir. As I got older, I hurt my hands. I started slowing down and picking my shots more. I ran into a clone of myself when I was younger. He was stronger, bigger and faster. I couldn't keep up with him; I couldn't get the distance right."


After the bout, Amir Khan told his future plans to HBO's Max Kellerman.

"We know I can beat Maidana; I know I can beat Maidana," declared Khan. "If he wants to fight me, tell him to get in the ring. I would love to fight him next.

"I am not going to leave 140 lbs. until I unify the title. Till I'm number one, I am not leaving the division."

Katsidis TKO's Mitchell

Michael Katsidis (27-2, 22 KO's) stopped previously unbeaten Kevin Mitchell (31-1, 23 KO's) at 1:57 of the 3rd round to retain his interim WBO lightweight title.

Katsidis, 29, applied heavy pressure from the opening bell, scoring with consecutive left hooks in round one. Still, Mitchell controlled the pace of the round, circling and unleashing a sharp left jab.

In round two, Mitchell, 25, struck Katsidis early with a left hook followed by consecutive right - left combinations. However, Katsidis closed the gap, landing a series of left hooks and overhand rights, as Mitchell's back was pressed against the ropes. Toward the end of the round, Mitchell caught Katsidis with a crisp, counter left hook to the head.

Katsidis hammered and dazed Mitchell with a powerful left hook to the head in round three. Then, Katsidis landed a barrage of punches, as Mitchell was on shaky legs. Next, Mitchell threw and landed a left uppercut - left hook combination. After that, Katsidis stunned Mitchell again, connecting with a massive left hook. Katsidis went on to throw multiple shots. As Mitchell momentarily turned away, Katsidis landed a crushing overhand right, which prompted referee Dave Parris to stop the bout.

"I feel I am the best I ever been," Katsidis declared. "I'm enjoying my time here. 20,000 people are screaming to support the sport I love, regardless of who they are cheering for."

Mitchell feels he will be able to overcome his first professional defeat.

"I made a mistake and I paid for it," stated Mitchell. "He landed a big shot, but I'll be back in the summer."

How Neighborhood Gyms Inspire Youths to Stay off the Streets

By: Alexia Krause

Teens growing up in troubled neighborhoods often find themselves drawn into seedy situations against their will. Whether it is peer pressure, or a feeling of despair for the future, many of today's youth fall prey to the allures of gangs, violence, and drugs. One of the most effective ways to circumvent this calamity is by making sure these kids stay active in after-school programs.

One of the best activities for children and teens to participate in are the fitness programs held in their schools or local gyms. There are neighborhood fitness centers like these all across the nation. Their success stories never cease to inspire. Whether it is boxing, basketball, or badminton, studies have shown that after-school activities dramatically lower incidence rates of violence and crime amongst teens.

Programs like ones organized by Horace Bryant at the Fourth Street Youth Boxing Gym in Minnesota are perfect examples of the preventative power of these clubs. Bryant saw the trouble that teens in his neighborhood were getting in to, and wanted to make a difference. That's why he coordinated his youth outreach program with the owners of his local gym.

Take a look at the case of a young man named Chris Watson. Chris was involved in trouble with the law ever since he was 14 years old. He had been arrested multiple times, dropped out of school in 2007, and was even charged with a felony. Watson stated that he would have likely continued down the bleak path he was on if it weren't for his local boxing program.

"I just had nothing to do back in the day; I wasn't working," Watson said. "I had so many friends I didn't know what to do with and they were always doing something illegal or something fun. Ever since I met Horace, going to the gym is what I look forward to everyday. I can't wait to get off work and go boxing." Bryant not only helped Watson with his training, but also helped him get a job. Chris is now studying to complete his GED, and hopes to someday inspire kids the way that Bryant inspired him and saved him from the streets.

Gyms and stories like this exist all over the nation. It is incredibly important to support programs like these. These organizations improve the lives of the children enrolled in it, while at the same time decreasing rates of crime and violence in their surrounding neighborhoods. Unfortunately, due to the recent recession, much of the funding to these programs via state and federal grants has been slashed. Often times these gyms depend on donations to purchase MMA Training Equipment to help them prepare for matches. That is why it is so vital to recognize how crucial these programs are to our communities around the nation, and the world.

Alexia has a true enthusiasm for writing articles related to mixed martial arts and fitness. As a result, she joined up with MMA Industries- retailers of highly popular MMA clothing and MMA T-shirts. Alexia has been blogging about the latest trends in MMA equipment for the past few years, and continues to provide you with the latest news in the MMA universe.

Craziness In California: Williams Wins, Cintron Critically Hurt

In a bizarre ending to a bout that was heating up, Paul Williams (39-1, 27 KO's) was awarded a four-round, technical decision over Kermit Cintron (32-3-1, 28 KO's). Cintron, 30, got tangled up with Williams, 28, in round four, and both men tumbled. However, Cintron fell through the ropes onto the ringside table. Then, Cintron rolled to the floor of the Home Depot Center, where he lay motionless for several minutes until paramedics stabilized him on a stretcher. Apparently, he injured his back and/or neck. According to referee Dr. Lou Moret, Cintron wanted to continue, but the California ringside doctor stopped the fight. The official scores read 40-36 and 39-37 for Williams, while Cintron received a 40-36 tally.

In round one, Cintron looked to land his right as Williams tried to score with his straight left. Cintron caught Williams with some short left hooks. Toward the end of the round, Williams connected with a sharp right uppercut.

Cintron controlled range and the pace in round two, landing counter rights when Williams charged forward. Clearly, Williams needed to step up his level of aggression.

In round three, both men jabbed, however, there was little exchanging. Williams was much more active this round, stepping up his punch output and landing a straight left in the final seconds.

Williams stunned Cintron after landing three straight lefts in succession. Yet, Cintron countered quickly, staggering Williams with a thunderous right to the head and following up with a left hook. Subsequently, both fighters twisted when Williams tried to clinch and the disastrous incident occurred.

Under California rules, a fight can go to the scorecards after an accidental foul takes place, if three rounds have been completed.

Paulie Malignaggi vs. Amir Khan Conference Call

On Saturday May 15, WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s) defends his title against Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (27-3, 5 KO’s) at the Theater in Madison Square Garden. The bout will be shown LIVE on HBO’s Boxing After Dark at 9:45pm eastern standard time.

Khan, 23, has won four in a row after being knocked out in the first round by Breidis Prescott in 2008. Since his loss to Prescott, Khan obtained victories over Oisin Fagan (TKO 2), Marco Antonio Barrera (TD 5), Andriy Kotelnik (UD 12) and Dmitriy Salita (KO 1). Khan also had a stellar amateur career, winning a Silver Medal at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Nevertheless, Malignaggi’s career is blossoming now too. At 29-years-old, Malignaggi acquired new life with outstanding back-to-back performances against Juan Diaz. Although the judges scored the bout in favor of Diaz in the first fight, Malignaggi put on an exceptional boxing exhibition. Now, Malignaggi looks to become a two-time world champion. Previously, Malignaggi captured the IBF junior welterweight title when he conquered Lovemore N’Dou (W12) in 2007. However, it is not the chance at winning Khan’s WBA title that motivates the Brooklyn native right now.

“I’ve been a world champion,” Malignaggi explained on today’s conference call. “It’s just a matter of getting redemption, because everyone thought I was finished as a fighter. I have a tremendous desire to put a beating on Amir Khan. He talks a lot and is really getting ahead of himself.”

Malignaggi also feels his abilities are being underrated by Khan and his team.

Malignaggi declared, “I’m excited about next Saturday. I had a really good camp. You hear Amir Khan this and Amir Khan that; He has a lot to prove. Amir Khan is going to be back in England sooner than you think.

“I’m probably the most known of the junior welterweights. You don’t come to the United States and get on HBO without facing somebody that puts you at risk.”

Malignaggi’s promoter, Lou Dibella, is in agreement with his fighter. 

“He’s got a lot of talent, but the red carpet that’s been put out for him, and the pot of gold he’s getting based upon potential has a lot of other fighters motivated,” Dibella added. “Right now, he has his hands full if he’s looking past a guy that’s one of the most skilled boxers in the world. Maybe, Amir Khan feels good because he doesn’t think Paulie Malignaggi can knock him out? I think that if you get hit enough times or just right when you don’t have much of a chin, it’s not a forgone conclusion that Amir can’t be hurt himself.”

On the other hand, Khan’s trainer, Freddie Roach, expressed great confidence about his fighter.

“He’s on an upswing right now, but it’s about to end,” Roach claimed when asked about Malignaggi’s standing. “We have an advantage in every aspect of the game – speed, power and boxing ability. Everything he does well, we do it better.

“Our goal is to unify the titles. That’s why we are here in America. We are going to make a statement with Paulie, Devon Alexander and right down the list to Timothy Bradley. It’s the best division in the world & we want to conquer that.”

Khan concurs with his trainer.

“Training camp is going really well,” stated Khan. “I am happy with the way things are going. Last time I fought was in December, so I had a great rest. This is a fight I always wanted. Paulie Malignaggi is a funny character. I don’t think he’s ever faced anyone as quick or strong as me.”

This fight will mark Amir Khan’s professional debut in the United States. Like “Prince” Naseem Hamed, who fought Kevin Kelly in 1997 at Madison Square Garden, Khan is hoping to make a similar statement in his arrival.

“A lot of fighters leave the U.K. to fight fighters in the U.S. later in their careers,” said Khan. “Golden Boy Promotions made me hungrier to fight over here. I think Madison Square Garden is the Mecca of boxing. There have been huge fights there; Ali fought over there, Tyson and big, big names. Hopefully, you could put my name down there.

“I am fighting a guy who is really experienced and well-known in New York, and fighting him in his own backyard. Hopefully, I will be the guy to beat him there as well.”

Before Khan can fight in the United States, however, he needs to obtain a work visa. Khan originally opened camp at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California. Currently, Khan is training in Vancouver, Canada. David Itskowitch, Chief Operating Officer of Golden Boy Promotions, addressed the issue this afternoon.

“The visa status that he came on is the Visa Waiver Program, which is something that is available to citizens in about 30 countries, mostly European countries,” clarified Itskowitch. “It allows someone that is on a plane to fill out a form and hand it in when they get to immigration. From there, they’re given a tourist visa that is good for x amount of days.

“His status in this country was as a tourist. In order to change your status from that status to someone who can work, you have to leave the country, get a visa and come back in. Vancouver is the closest consulate where an appointment to do this could be gotten.

"We expected he’d be there for a day. We’re confident this is going to get done. I want him to be in New York on Monday.”

Lou Dibella believes the issue will be resolved.

“If that happened right now, there would be major problems,” said Dibella referring to a possible cancellation of the fight. “I have a good relationship working with Golden Boy. I’ve been led to believe everything will be fine here. I’m trusting he will be in New York on Monday, and we will have a fight Saturday night.”

Paulie Malignaggi's Workout Photos & Quotes

ALL PHOTOS BY TEDDY BLACKBURN/DBE

“You’re going to see more improvements on May 15. [Head trainer] Sherif Younan and I have a lot of creativity in the gym. Every fight since I’ve started training with Sherif, I’ve been getting better and better.

“I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself. I am a perfectionist when it comes to boxing. Come fight night, everything will fall into place like the pieces of a puzzle.

“I believe I’m the faster fighter. If I get hit on chin, I’m not going to wobble. If Amir Khan starts wobbling, I hope they have a pillow for him in the corner, because he’s going to sleep.

“I’m going to enjoy sinking my punches into Khan. Some fights are just business, but not this one. I’m going to enjoy every punch I land.”

Malignaggi’s Trainer, Sherif Younan:

“Since day one, Paulie and I just clicked. We understand each other’s styles. My work revolves around speed, and Paulie is all about speed, so it goes hand-in-hand.

“Everything in camp has been wonderful. We’ve actually enjoyed this training camp a lot. As Paulie and I spend more and more time together, we learn more and we are able to employ more tactics. We can’t wait to get into the ring on May 15.”

Sweeter Than 'Sugar', Mayweather Triumphs Over Mosley

Floyd Mayweather Jr. remains undefeated, winning by wide scores of 118-110 and 119-109 twice against "Sugar" Shane Mosley in their epic welterweight showdown.

Mayweather opened the fight as the aggressor, walking toward Mosley and daring him to throw punches. Then, Mosley responded by connecting with a few solid left jabs that penetrated through Mayweather's guard in round one.

In round two, Mosley seriously hurt Mayweather when he connected with a rock-solid overhand right. However, Mayweather weathered the storm and landed a left hook to Mosley's body followed by an overhand right late in the round. 

"Only the strong survive," Mayweather stated as soon as the bout ended. "You must suck it up hard and keep fighting like a warrior."

From that point, Mayweather took full control of the bout in round three, landing left hooks and lead right hands in succession. 

In round four, Mayweather struck Mosley with a sharp, counter left hook. After that, Mayweather damaged Mosley frequently with lead right hands.

Mayweather constantly got his punches off before Mosley, which enabled him to dictate the pace of the fight. As he started to find his rhythm, Mayweather put his punches together and in round five, he stunned Mosley with numerous left jabs, lead rights and left hook - right hand combinations.

Mayweather whacked Mosley with a flush right in round six. Next, Mayweather missed a left hook, but tagged Mosley again with a right hand to the head. Then, Mosley struck Mayweather with a right to the body, although Mayweather responded quickly, connecting with a right to Mosley's head. Mayweather was too comfortable, and Mosley could not disrupt his level of relaxation.

When they were in close range, Mayweather missed with a left hook, but hurt Mosley when he landed a right uppercut in round seven. Mayweather's punches continued to find the target precisely, as Mosley showed no answer for Mayweather's lead right hands.

In round nine, Mosley neglected to move after delivering an overhand right and Mayweather made him pay, landing a punishing right that momentarily snapped Mosley's head back.

After absorbing a right hand by Mosley, Mayweather quickly countered with consecutive right hands in round ten. Later, Mayweather battered Mosley with a right to the body followed by a straight right - left hook combination to Mosley's head.

Mayweather's lead right hands were breaking Mosley down. In the eleventh round, Mosley got into close quarters with Mayweather, who was forced to fight him off using a swift jab. Then, Mosley hit Mayweather in the body with a left hook. Mayweather answered yet again, connecting with lead rights and left hooks. Next, Mayweather dazed Mosley with a clean left jab.

Mayweather jabbed and kept beating Mosley to the punch in round twelve. First, Mosley hit Mayweather with shots to the body. Then, Mayweather fired and landed an overhand right. Finally, Mayweather stayed strong in the pocket and used lateral movement to close the show. 

"I couldn't adjust," Mosley explained to HBO's Larry Merchant after the fight. "He adjusted and that's why he won the fight."

The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to go an entire season without losing a game. Former running back Mercury Morris, who played for the Dolphins from 1969 – 1975, claimed, “it’s not the amount of games you win, it’s the amount of games you don’t lose….it’s about the ‘0’.”

In Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s case, it’s not about the amount of times he wins anymore; it’s all about the ‘0’ in his loss column. The ‘0’ on Mayweather’s record is sacred to him. He takes tremendous pride in being undefeated, as he boasts on a regular basis that he is the best ever, saying he is even better than “Sugar” Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali.

Before his magnificent victory over Mosley, Mayweather’s critics asserted he has not fought the best fighters out there, and questioned whether he truly wants to square-off against whirlwind puncher, Manny Pacquiao. Like Pacquiao, Mayweather has indeed fought the best of his era, and has notable victories against Genaro Hernandez (RTD 8), Angel Manfredy (TKO 2), Diego Corrales (TKO 10), Jose Luis Castillo (W 12 twice), Arturo Gatti (RTD 6), Zab Judah (W 12), Oscar De La Hoya (SD 12), Ricky Hatton (TKO 10) and Juan Manuel Marquez (W 12)

"If Manny Pacquiao takes the blood and urine test, we'll have a fight," Mayweather declared. "If he doesn't, we don't have a fight."

For boxing to resonate among all sports fans, Mayweather and Pacquiao must battle each other. After Mayweather’s brilliant performance tonight, maybe the question now should be – Does Manny Pacquiao actually desire a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.?

UNDERCARD

OUALI TKO'S SALDIVIA

In a welterweight bout, Said Ouali (27-3, 19 KO's) scored a 1st round technical knockout against Hector Saldivia (33-2, 26 KO's). The official time of stoppage was 1:47.

Ouali, 30, got hurt by a hard, straight right from Saldivia, 26, and fell to the canvas. Next, Saldivia hammered Ouali in the corner with a series of right hands. Then, Ouali, a southpaw, floored Saldivia with a sharp counter left. Saldivia was surprised, and Ouali hit him again with a right hook - straight left combination. Finally, a crisp right hook from Ouali put Saldivia down a second time and referee Russell Mora stopped the bout.

PONCE DE LEON DECISIONS LOCK

Daniel Ponce De Leon (39-2, 32 KO's) won a ten round unanimous decision over Cornelius Lock (19-5-1, 12 KO's) in a featherweight bout. The judges' official scores were 97-93 and 96-94 twice. 

De Leon, 29, assaulted Lock's body repeatedly with vicious left hand shots throughout the fight. In the 1st round, De Leon used a stiff right jab to back Lock up and landed clean straight lefts. Then, De Leon wobbled Lock, 31, in the 2nd round when he connected with a counter right hook. Lock circled and snapped his right jab, but De Leon continually got his punches off first.

Lock connected with counter right hooks in the 3rd round, although De Leon was extremely accurate with his blows. In the 4th round, De Leon continued to press the action. Later, Lock landed a sweeping right hook that landed on De Leon's head. During the round, De Leon suffered a minor cut above his left eye, which resulted from a punch. 

Lock wobbled Ponce De Leon in the fifth round with a counter right hook. As a result, De Leon sustained some swelling under his left eye. In round six, De Leon frequently hammered Lock with brutal lefts to the body and head. 

Lock successfully scored with a counter right hook in round nine, but had little steam on his punch. Consequently, De Leon moved aggressively toward Lock and scored with the harder, flush shots.

Lock nailed De Leon with consecutive straight lefts late in round ten. However, De Leon landed the cleaner, more damaging blows the entire fight and dictated the pace. 

ALVAREZ TKO'S COTTO IN 9TH

After suffering a scare in round one, 19-year-old welterweight prospect Saul Alvarez (32-0-1, 24 KO's) soundly defeated Jose Miguel Cotto (31-2-1, 23 KO's), stopping him in the ninth round. 

Cotto staggered Alvarez in the first round, sending the young Mexican fighter into the ropes after connecting with a massive left hook. Then, Cotto landed a series of rights and lefts. However, Alvarez pulled it together and hit Cotto with a vicious right uppercut in round two, forcing Cotto's glove to touch the canvas, which resulted in a knockdown being scored.

From there, the fight was very competitive. As Cotto moved forward with his head down, Alvarez landed a stinging right uppercut to Cotto's chin in round three. Later, Cotto and Alvarez exchanged hard left hooks and sharp right hands.

In round four, Alvarez again connected with a short uppercut and landed right hands in succession. Cotto was aggressive in rounds five and six, but Alvarez showed a great deal of patience and displayed competent instincts, placing his punches with remarkable success. 

In round seven, both men fought fiercely in close range. However, Alvarez got the best of Cotto in round nine, landing powerful right hands over and over again. Cotto slipped some shots, but Alvarez kept firing. Then, Cotto unleashed a left hook with little behind it. Lastly, Cotto stopped throwing and Alvarez continued smashing him with right hands, which prompted referee Tony Weeks to stop the bout at 2:51.