Haye will be back at heavyweight though, Freddie. He will never campaign at cruiser again!

Cruisers have always suffered from being the heavyweight nearly division,as do the light heavies!

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Former boxing champion Alexis Arguello, considered one of the best lightweights to step in the ring, has been found dead.
Presidential spokeswoman Rosario Murillo confirmed Arguello's death early Wednesday.

The 57-year-old Arguello was elected mayor of Managua last year. He turned pro in 1968 and won his first title by knocking out Ruben Olivares for the featherweight crown. He later captured the super featherweight and lightweight belts, becoming the sixth boxer to win titles in three weight classes.

He retired in 1995 with a record of 82-8 with 65 knockouts, and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.

His Sandinista party's Radio Ya said coroners are conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/9753048/Three-time-boxing-champ-Arguello-found-dead

RIP Alexis Arguello. You were a great champion.





ALEXIS ARGUELLO: 'TALK SOFTLY BUT CARRY A BIG STICK'


By Jim Amato

One of the best pure punchers of my generation was Alexis Arguello. He was aptly nicknamed "The Explosive Thin Man." He was tall and rail thin but his punch could stop an opponent dead in his tracks.

It's hard to believe that Alexis was stopped in the very first round of his pro debut in his native Managua, Nicaragua. He would rally to win three straight then lose again. Hardly the makings of a legend.

Alexis would reel off twenty straight wins before his next loss. Then came thirteen more victories including knockouts over Octavio Gomez and Jose Legrá. This led to a shot at the WBA featherweight title in 1974. The champion was the talented Ernesto Marcel of Panama. Alexis lost a fifteen round decision.

Alexis would rebound to win four in a row including a stoppage win over rugged Art Hafey of Canada. He again challenged for the WBA featherweight title in 1974. His opponent this time would be legendary Ruben Olivares. In a see saw battle Alexis took Ruben out in round thirteen and also took his title.

In 1978 Alexis moved up to 130 pounds to take on WBC junior lightweight champion Alfredo Escalera. In a great, great fight Alexis finally halted Escalera in the thirteenth round to annex that title. Alexis may go down as the best 130 champion in history. He would beat Escalera in a classic rematch. He would then go on to beat Bobby Chacón, Rolando Navarette, Bazooka Limon and Boza Edwards. All would win a piece of the junior lightweight title after Alexis left the division.

Alexis would move up again and defeat Jim Watt to win the WBC lightweight title in 1981. He would defend that title four times. Among those defenses was his victory over future champion Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini. He also nearly decapitated the future trainer of Mike Tyson, Kevin Rooney, in a non-title fight.

Alexis seemed unbeatable and decided to move up in weight again to challenge WBA junior welterweight champion Aaron Pryor. Their November 12, 1982 bout in Miami was one of the most action packed bouts of all time. The fiery Pryor absorbed the bombs of Arguello and finally overwhelmed Alexis to score a brutal knockout in the fourteenth round. What a fight it was! They would meet again and this time Pryor took Alexis out in ten.

It seemed like the end for Arguello but he fought on. Over a year later he would cold cock former champion Billy Costello in the fourth round. Alexis would not fight again for eight years. He would win one and then lose one. Realizing it was no longer there, he retired for good. He ended his 90 bout career with an 82-8 record.

Alexis was a class act. He did not verbally assault his opponents. He was a true gentleman. He did what he had to do to win and he did it well. Very well...

In the words of former President Teddy Roosevelt he "Talked softly but carried a big stick." I think the stick was called his right hand.

12-27-2007

http://www.braggingrightscorner.com/amatoarguello122707.html

Former world boxing champion Arturo Gatti, who was raised in Montreal, has been found dead in northeastern Brazil.

On a second honeymoon with his wife and 10-month-old baby, Gatti's blood-stained body was found in an apartment in Porto de Galinhas, Brazilian police say.

A police investigation is underway, but few details are being released. Foul play is suspected in the death.

Gatti's body was found at around 6 a.m. Saturday morning. He was found in his underwear, with blood stains on his neck and the back of his head.

Nicknamed "Thunder," Gatti was one of the most successful Canadian boxers in history. Beginning his professional career in 1991 at age 19, he scored a third-round knockout in his first bout.

Three years later he captured the United States Boxing Association junior lightweight title and successfully defended it twice. He earned the International Boxing Federation's world junior lightweight title the following year.

Born in Italy but raised in Montreal, the 37-year-old Gatti retired two years ago.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/07/11/gatt-dead.html

http://www.arturogatti.com/

Boxing record
Total fights 49
Wins 40
Wins by KO 31
Losses 9
Draws 0
No contests 0

He fought both Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr.






The death count rises. RIP Arturo Gatti. You were a warrior

Vic Darchinyan loses to Joseph King Kong Agbeko


The gods must be smiling on Ghana these days. First, they have Barack Obama visiting the country. That in itself is very significant for reasons obvious to everyone. After all the US President does not go around visiting other countries everyday.

Then tonight, their boxing idol, bantamweight Joseph King Kong Agbeko (yes that is his given name and not just a nickname) scored a giant win against Vic Darchinyan. Darchinyan was picked by many pundits to simply roll over the gentleman from Ghana.

And what a giant blow out!

Oh no, I do not mean the manner by which Agbeko destroyed the Armenian loudmouth at the Bank Atlantic Center at Sunrise, Florida.

Most people indicated that Darchinyan will no doubt beat Agbeko and grab his IBF title making him a three division champion. Not so tonight. Agbeko wins by unanimous decision to the disgust of Darchinyan.

On a somber note, promoters Don King and Gary shaw rang the bell for a 10 count in memory of Alexis Argullo,Arturo Gatti and Michael Jackson. Preceded by a moment of silence. King promoted one of Michael Jackson's concert tours before.

Arturo Gatti's wife has been arrested for his murder. She supposedly strangled him with the strap of her purse.

Something doesn't add up there. He's a boxer, yet she was able to subdue him and strangle him?

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2009-07-11-gatti-death_N.htm?csp=34

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07122009/news/worldnews/police_detain_wife_of_arturo_gatti_178902.htm

Could she have drugged him first?

I feel terrible about Gatti. He was, by far, one of the most exciting fighters that I ever had the pleasure to watch. I was at his first fight with Tracy Harris Patterson at Madison Square Garden in 1995. It was on the undercard of DeLaHoya/Leija, but it stole the show.

Damn, it looks like another sports great has been done in by his woman.

Still shocked by the news about Gatti. He was one of my boxing heroes,a real and proper fighter. His trilogy with Irish Micky Ward was gut-bustingly awesome.

RIP Artruro

Suicide cannot be ruled out in Gatti's death. They said this about David Carradine too, so who knows.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07182009/new...ted__180006.htm

Suicide or being killed by your wife with her handbag strap?

Either way it is not the path to Valhalla a warrior would choose i reckon

First David Haye pulls out of a fight with Wladimir Klitschko, and now does the same with Vitali? Is he really that big of a wimp?

The 2 Klitschko were offering him crap money so has signed to fight the giant Russian Valuev in November for the WBA belt. When he wins this he will be able to use it as a bargaining chip to get either or both of the Klit brothers in the ring.

He is no wimp,he could beat the pair of them on the same night if he wanted to

P.S. I hear Vernon Forrest has been murdered?
Murdered in a carjacking attempt

If every division had a pair of fighters like Gatti and Ward, boxing would be the greatest sport in history.

I have their trilogy of fights on DVD Turnbull and often watch them. Awesome fights between great fighters!

This reeks of a cover-up.

Brazil police rule Gatti’s death suicide

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)—Boxer Arturo Gatti’s death was ruled a suicide by police Thursday and a a judge ordered the release of his wife, who was once suspected of killing the former champion.

Lead investigator Paulo Alberes told The Associated Press that authorities decided Gatti killed himself on July 11 while at a seaside resort in northeastern Brazil.

When asked if police had determined the case was a suicide, Alberes said “yes.” He offered no other details.

A day after the 37-year-old Gatti was found dead, police said that his Brazilian wife, Amanda Rodrigues, had strangled him with her purse strap as he drunkenly slept.

But police began to back off the accusation about a week later after a coroner’s report said Gatti may have killed himself as he was found “suspended and hanged.” The autopsy report didn’t exclude the possibility he was slain, but said he also could have died in an unexplained accident, besides killing himself.

“The police investigation concluded that Arturo killed himself,” said Celio Avelino, Rodrigues’ attorney. “I’ve said before it would have been impossible for her to suspend and hang a man of that size.”

Judge Ildete Verissimo de Lima ordered the immediate release of the 23-year-old Rodrigues after receiving the police report.

The judge wrote in the ruling that police informed the court “the detention of the suspect was no longer needed” as the investigation “excludes the possibility of murder.”

“The victim … committed suicide by hanging,” Lima’s ruling read, referring to the police investigation findings.

Rodrigues will walk out of jail Thursday afternoon, said her lawyer, Avelino.

Gatti was found dead in the apartment he was renting with Rodrigues in the resort town of Porto de Galinhas. The pair arrived there a few days before Gatti’s death for a second honeymoon. The couple brought their 10-month-old son, who was unhurt and is in the care of Rodrigues’ family in Brazil.

From the accounts of Gatti’s family and friends, the marriage with Rodrigues was tumultuous.

“She was yelling all the time, they were always fighting and she’d say ‘I’m going to kill you!’ when they fought,” Gatti’s mother, Ida, said in a telephone interview from Montreal shortly after her son’s death.

According to records at the Court of Quebec’s criminal and penal division, Gatti was charged on April 16 for violating a restraining order that had been filed against him. The records didn’t indicate who filed the restraining order, but Gatti’s mother confirmed that it was Rodrigues who had taken one out against him. She offered no other details.

In a July 15 letter she gave the AP from jail, Rodrigues insisted she is innocent.

“The people most important to my life, who know us, know the size of our love,” she wrote. “What hurts me is knowing the suffering of my family and friends. What hurts me is to know that my husband will not be in my house waiting for my return.”

Gatti, who captured two world titles in his 16-year pro career, retired in 2007 with a record of 40-9.

Gatti’s family and friends in his adopted hometown of Montreal denied the boxer could have killed himself.

“I’m a little bit shocked, I can’t believe it. I don’t even know what to say,” said Radka Baranaiova, the fiancee of Gatti’s brother, Fabrizio.

At his July 20 funeral in Canada, others said there was no chance the Gatti — known for his brutal fighting style and ability to take relentless punishment yet still pull out a victory—would have killed himself.

“Nobody believes whatsoever that there’s even a 1 percent chance of a suicide. He lived life to the fullest,” Ivano Scarpa, a close Gatti family friend, said at the time.

But Rodrigues, in her letter from prison, said: “I’m innocent and I know that this will be proven in a few days.”

Associated Press Writers Tales Azzoni in Sao Paulo and Amy Luft in Montreal contributed to this report.

Hmmmmm!

That stinks

I don't believe he would have killed himself. He had too much to live for. I guarantee his family will go nuts over this ruling.

I agree PB.
Most definitely!

My friend just got engaged and he wants to plan the wedding around a possible Pacquiao - Mayweather fight. We're figuring that it happens next summer in Vegas, so that weekend will be his bachelor party. If all goes as planned, that could be the best weekend of my life.

Now that would be a great weekend Freddie

Flatbush, NY - Holy-War Between Orthodox Boxer vs Muslim

Flatbush, NY - Brawl that is holyJabbin' Jew eyes title bout vs. Muslim

He's a religious Jew from Brooklyn and the only thing unorthodox about him is a mean left jab.

Now boxer Dmitriy "Star of David" Salita, 27, hopes to punch his way to the world junior-welterweight title against reigning champ Amir Khan -- a Muslim.

The symbolism will not be lost on fight fans when Salita steps into the ring to face Khan, 22, a Brit of Pakistani descent, in a bout likely to take place in December in London, according to World Boxing Association sources who say the combatants are in advanced negotiations.

It's the first time a Jew and a Muslim have fought for a title, said Brooklyn boxing-gym owner Tommy Gallagher.

"Hollywood couldn't have scripted this better," television personality Rabbi Shmuley Boteach said with a chuckle. "But I hope not too much hype is made of it. It's really cool that two people true to their faith rise to the top of their profession."

Salita, who lives in Flatbush, immigrated here from Ukraine when he was 9. He has since become a member of the Orthodox Jewish sect Chabad -- but that hasn't stopped him from going pro in 2001 and notching a 30-0 record.

Local members of the Chabad community show up en masse at his matches.

"You would think you were in a yeshiva," Boteach said. "All these men in Coke-bottle glasses who are the most gentle people in the world are screaming 'Hit him!' as loud as they can."

Although Salita's family was not observant, he found religion when he met a Chabad member in the hospital where his mother was dying of breast cancer.

Salita doesn't wear a yarmulke when he steps into the ring, but he does sport one in public. He refuses to fight on the Jewish Sabbath, which means no Friday night fights.

He travels with a spiritual guide who cooks kosher food for him in their hotel room. On the Sabbath, he puts tape over the room-door latch to keep it from locking so he doesn't have to use the electronic key card to get in.

He sees no contradiction between his religion and his profession.

"Judaism teaches you to use your talent for the positive," he said. "A lot of people told me I'd never make it to the top because I don't fight on Friday nights. But I did it, on my terms," Salita said.

Salita boasted that he'll be the first Jewish pugilist going for the junior-welterweight title since the 1930s, when Barney Ross wore the crown.

Khan was a teenage boxing sensation who took a silver medal for Great Britain at the 2004 Athens Olympics and became a world champ in July when he took the WBA belt from Andreas Kotelnik.

He is a devout Muslim who studies the Koran, attends a mosque on Fridays when possible and prays in his corner before the bell. He wears Union Jack trunks when he enters the ring but dedicates his fights to Brits and Muslims.

But Salita shrugged off the holy-war hype. "I have tremendous respect for Khan," he said. "The only reason I am going to kick his butt is because he has my belt."

There was a report in our papers yesterday that this fight may be switched to Newcastle,my home town,for some reason. It would be a 10,000 sell out up here for sure.

Khan is exciting but nowhere near the finished article. Having Freddy Roach as coach will help him though!

Floyd Mayweather looked like a machine last night.

Mark this down in your books: Mayweather will dismantle Manny Pacquiao next year (assuming Pacquiao gets by Cotto first).

You heard it here first.

PB

I agree PB. Much as i like Manny i think Mayweather is the main man still. I do think Manny will beat Cotto though. Cotto has had one to many hard fights i think,as exciting as he has been.

Alas, Chris Arreola's lack of experience did him in against Vitaly Klitschko last night. I had a lot of hope for Chris, but Vitaly--at 38, looking in terrific shape after a four-year layoff--simply outboxed him round after round. Chris's corner threw in the towel after the 11th round.

HBO also showed a tape of the 9/19 bout between Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez. You won't find many fighters tougher than Marquez, but Floyd was at his best, boxed and danced him silly. Unanimous.

Arreola can come again and be a player in the heavy division. He has heart and grit. I like him.

I was right, the Khan - Salita fight is in my home town of Newcastle on December 5th and i am hoping to go. The Arena is only 3 miles from my house

Should be a cracking fight!

David Haye easily outpointed the Russian giant Valuev and will move onto a mandatory against the sturdy but aged John Ruiz and then the big ones against either/or Klitschkos!!

I have said it here before and will say it again. Haye is special and is the saving grace of a totally turgid heavyweight division!

Pacman again!!!!

This guy is incredible!

Anyone know where I can watch the whole fight for free online? I found parts of it on YouTube in Filipino, but not the whole fight or in English.