2013 Comeback Fighter of the Year - Kiko Martinez

2013 Comeback of the Year: Kiko Martinez

Mark E. Ortega

December 23, 2013

2013 saw a number of fighters being their careers back from the brink of irrelevance, making it more difficult than in other years to determine who had the biggest comeback.

Ironically, my choice for 2013's Comeback Fighter of the Year is a man who began the year in the losing column, and by knockout no less. Where he ended the year made it an intriguing and improbable run worthy of recognition.

November East Coast Prospect of the Month: Karl Dargan

November East Coast Prospect of the Month: Karl Dargan
Mark E. Ortega
BehindTheGloves.com
November 1, 2013

Philadelphia lightweight Karl Dargan turned pro in 2007. It's safe to say after talking with him that he wished he had more than 13 professional fights over the last seven years, but the inactivity is just about the only thing that's held him back from breaking through.

East Coast based promotional company Main Events saw that Dargan was being undervalued and under appreciated and snagged him earlier this year. Dargan will fight Nov. 16 against unheralded but unbeaten Michael Brooks in a fight that will air on NBC Sports.

I saw Dargan early in his pro career as he fought in San Jose, Calif., in his third bout. Trainer Nazim Richardson was with him and spoke to me about Dargan, promising that he had the potential to be a future champ. Richardson did disclose that he is in fact related to Dargan, being his cousin.

Dargan made it clear their relationship is a close one, calling Nazim more of an uncle than a cousin when talking to Behind The Gloves on the phone while getting ready for his fight

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Bits & Pieces: Tarver wants Hopkins rematch

Bits & Pieces: Tarver wants Hopkins rematch
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.cm
May 5, 2013


LAS VEGAS – On the eve of the Floyd Mayweather-Robert Guerrero pay-per-view event, a Fox Sports Net-televised ballroom boxing card took place at the Cosmopolitan, which featured Antonio Orozco, Anthony Dirrell, as well as 2012 U.S. Olympians Joseph Diaz Jr., Errol Spence, and Dominic Breazeale.

While RingTV.com editor Doug Fischer handled the deadline report, Mark E. Ortega gathered news and information from notable boxing folks who were in attendance.

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Bits & Pieces: May Day

Bits & Pieces: May Day
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
April 20, 2013


RingTV.com was in attendance at the recent Floyd Mayweather media day workout, which took place at his gym, the Mayweather Boxing Club, in North Las Vegas. Here is an assortment of comments and notes gathered during that event.

Floyd: “I was the pioneer” of drug testing 
RingTV.com was in attendance at the recent Floyd Mayweather media day workout, which took place at his gym, the Mayweather Boxing Club, in North Las Vegas. Here is an assortment of comments and notes gathered during that event.

Mayweather's time was scarce Wednesday as over 50 media members packed his gym in order to talk to him a few weeks out from his Showtime Pay Per View fight with Robert Guerrero.

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Commentary: Hopkins can enhance legacy with Povetkin fight

Commentary: Hopkins can enhance legacy with Povetkin fight
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 14, 2013


This past Saturday, Bernard Hopkins topped himself again by becoming the oldest recognized world champion at age 48 after handing undefeated light heavyweight beltholder Tavoris Cloud a clear decision defeat in Brooklyn in front of more than 12,000 fans at the Barclays Center.

 The victory is another accolade to add to a laundry list of them, leaving few worthwhile challenges to remain for the former longtime middleweight champion, who also holds the record for defenses in that weight class with 20.

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Cloud-Hopkins: Will Father Time finally KO B-Hop?

Cloud-Hopkins: Will Father Time finally KO B-Hop?
Mark E. Ortega
ThePhillyGodfather.com
March 8, 2013

Saturday night, Philadelphia future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins tries to outdo himself by becoming the oldest world champion at age 48, besting his previous record of 46 years old when he defeated Jean Pascal by unanimous decision in their May 2011 rematch.

 Hopkins is coming off an uninspiring performance in defeat last April where he lost a unanimous decision to Chad Dawson in a rematch of their December 2010 bout that saw Hopkins climb off the canvas to rally late in the fight in order to secure a draw.

 “You’re not going to see a new Bernard Hopkins,” said the former lineal middleweight champion at the final press conference.

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Green bashed Jones in one: a 1950's experience

Green bashes Roy in one! A 1950's experience

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

December 2, 2009

It was like turning back the clock to the 1950's. To think that I stayed up until three in the morning Pacific time to listen to a live stream of Danny Green's IBO cruiserweight title defense against a 40-year old Roy Jones, Jr. proves either I need to enter a boxing rehabilitation clinic; or that even at the end of his illustrious career, Jones was able to remain relevant to the sport even though his place among today's top fighters prove otherwise. Danny Green virtually ended Jones' last moments as a relevant fighter by stopping Jones in the very first round of their much-anticipated clash, much of the damage being done on the first power shot he landed about a minute and a half into the round.