Heavyweight Division

[shamrock]

Those top guys big strong extremely talented. Wlad must be something to remain top of the hill. Povetkin Wilder Fury coming up Joshua interesting times ahead. Smaller heavies are being exposed. The reign of Goliath

[diehard]

Povetkin pulverizes Perez in 91 seconds

By Karl Freitag

In a WBC heavyweight eliminator, Alexander Povetkin (29-1, 21 KOs) spectacularly destroyed Mike Perez (21-2, 13 KOs) in the first round on Friday night at the Luzhniki Arena in Moscow, Russia. Povetkin, the 2004 super heavyweight Olympic gold medalist, staggered southpaw Perez with a huge right hand, then laid out Perez with another crushing right. Perez barely got up but he was gone. Povetkin quickly put him on the deck again and it was over. Time was 1:31. Povetkin is now the mandatory challenger for Deontay Wilder.

Here's the fight:  http://www.boxing247.com/

[diehard]

Charr outpoints Leapai over ten

By Karl Freitag

In a crossroads heavyweight clash between former world title challengers, Manuel Charr (28-3, 16 KOs) won a comfortable ten round unanimous decision over Alex Leapai (30-7-3, 24 KOs) on Friday night at the Luzhniki Arena in Moscow. Charr started to pull away midway as Leapai slowed down. The second half of the bout was one-sided. Scores were 98-94, 100-90, 97-92.

[shamrock]

(05-23-2015, 12:13 PM)diehard Wrote: Povetkin pulverizes Perez in 91 seconds

By Karl Freitag

In a WBC heavyweight eliminator, Alexander Povetkin (29-1, 21 KOs) spectacularly destroyed Mike Perez (21-2, 13 KOs) in the first round on Friday night at the Luzhniki Arena in Moscow, Russia. Povetkin, the 2004 super heavyweight Olympic gold medalist, staggered southpaw Perez with a huge right hand, then laid out Perez with another crushing right. Perez barely got up but he was gone. Povetkin quickly put him on the deck again and it was over. Time was 1:31. Povetkin is now the mandatory challenger for Deontay Wilder.

Here's the fight:  http://www.boxing247.com/

Thankyou Die

[diehard]

Alexander Povetkin Revives Career with a 1st Round TKO Over Mike Perez

By Ivan Ivanov | May 23, 2015 | 73 Comments

The main event of the action-packed card at the Luzhniki arena in Moscow last night was the shortest fight of the night. Alexander Povetkin (29-1) sandbagged highly regarded Mike Perez (21-2-1) for half a round and cemented his mandatory WBC spot by winning the WBC Silver heavyweight title. He was already number 1 in the rankings prior to the fight.

Both competitors had notable amateur background. Alexander Povetkin won Olympic gold in Athens and Perez was a successful amateur for the Cuban national team winning the World Junior Championship in 2004. He later grew up to cruiser weight but failed to secure a spot in the national team having mixed success against the top dogs. Irish boxing promoter Gary Hyde spotted him at a tournament and lured Perez into defecting from Cuba. He arranged the prospect’s escape from the Island of Freedom using the services of a Mexican cartel. Perez was required to swim offshore from Cuba and board a cartel vessel in neutral waters and he ended up being hostage for 9 days until Hyde was able to pay what the cartel demanded for Perez’s release.

The fight turned out just like one would expect from an Olympic champion and a Cuban alternative. Povetkin was in great shape and at proper fighting weight for his size (232 lbs) while the shorter Perez came in at 240 and appears to be following the example of his countryman Solis regarding fitness discipline. Being a competent southpaw, the Cuban started well and tried to use strength on Povetkin along with the boxing savvy. He backed up the Russian with a forceful one-two and went forward cautiously observing range and keeping central position with front toes pointing to the center mass. He did most things right but forgot two basic rules – you don’t box with a boxer and you don’t punch with a puncher, at least not both at the same time against a world class boxer-puncher. Povetkin landed a lead right cross with a minute gone – the southpaw’s nightmare – and Perez was staggered with his feet lagging behind, his quick feet suddenly grew weary. Povetkin did not rush forward brawler style, he played for a moment going in and out of range and when he spotted the Cuban’s marred footwork and coordination, he went in for the kill. The Russian rolled inside under a right hook and landed a counter right to the forehead, pivoted to his left and hammered in a short right hook to the jaw that left Perez cross-eyed on the floor. He got up but could barely stand and was allowed to fight on against better judgment so Povetkin formally finished him with a wide left hook that landed sloppily behind the ear. The time was 1:31 of round one.

After winning the eliminator and the WBC Silver title, Alexander Povetkin is in line to fight for Deontay Wilder’s WBC title. Even if the WBC opts for unification and allows a Wilder-Klitschko showdown, Povetkin will be waiting at a good spot he so richly deserves. His new coach and training regimen appear to be working well for him and Klitschko may still be too good and too big but everyone else should reckon with Povetkin.

Deontay Wilder used a social network to congratulate Alexander on the win and to say he is looking forward to his first mandatory defense.

[diehard]

Johnson: Joshua is media hype job

Heavyweight Kevin ‘Kingpin’ Johnson has branded unbeaten Anthony Joshua has a ‘hype job’ ahead of their clash on Saturday night at The O2 in London. Johnson wants to expose the Olympic gold medal hero who has blasted away all of his first 12 opponents inside three rounds. ‘Kingpin’ has never been stopped in his career.

“He is a media hype job and let me tell you this, once this dude is out the way I’m going to show you that the future of the heavyweight division is right here,” said Johnson, who has lost four of his last five. “I’ve said it before, I’ve got the antidote for this guy. It’s something all of these amateur Olympic guys have in them, you’ll see come Saturday – that’s all I’m going to say on that.

“I’ve been here for two months now and not remotely homesick – I’m hungry for something, and I know what I’m about to get. My training has been in a highly classified location, we been keeping everything under wraps and under the hat, so nobody knows about that. We don’t want to be scaring people off. I’ve been ready for two weeks. Let me tell you this – I’ve been a pro since 2003, this is the best shape and condition I’ve ever been in during my whole career

“For the last two years I didn’t even train and I didn’t even care. The days of hurting my career are over. I blew it by not training and just turning up – but not for this, not for this right here! I’m going to give the fans exactly what they deserve, something I’ve had deep down inside of me. It’s taken for someone over here in the UK to bring that out of me. I’m not going to complain. Let me tell you how real it is – this preparation tops Vitali Klitschko preparation – that guy was then the biggest in the world. That was supposed to be your biggest preparation right there. For Vitali I was 60 per cent, this I’m 100 per cent so I don’t know what else to say. I’m really afraid of myself to be at this point right here, I’m going to be explosive.”

[Dannyboy]

Kingpin is about to have a "first" in his long boxing career.... looking up to his opponent from the canvas!!

[mippy]

Possibly not, he might act like Sherman Williams and try to survive all night

[Dannyboy]

Yeah you're probably right Mippy, I think that's exactly what he'll do... but I really think this AJ is something special. In saying that we haven't seen him get hit "hard" yet??

[shamrock]

He's probably been tagged along the way Danny. Like you I'm keen to see how he fares in this fight then the step up after that. He could be the real deal..