Boxing news around the Bay Area

Boxing news around the Bay Area - Mar. 25
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
March 25, 2014

Former Oakland boxer James Buggs shockingly passed away last Tuesday at the early age of 43 from an apparent heart attack.

Over the course of a 10-year professional career that ended in 2009, Buggs was a win some, lose some type of fighter. He compiled a record that consisted of eight wins, ten losses, and three draws, often taking fights on short notice and under unfavorable circumstances against a number of up and comers.

It is within the confines of Oakland’s famed King’s Gym that Buggs’ absence will be felt the most in the boxing community. It is there that Buggs worked with the city’s youth, teaching them the basics of the sweet science while also becoming a reliable figure in the gym for anyone to bounce their problems off.

Click here to read the rest...

Ward dominates Rodriguez in return

Ward dominates Rodriguez in return
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
November 19, 2013


ONTARIO, Calif. – Despite more than a year away from the ring, Oakland super middleweight champion Andre Ward returned to his dominant self, nearly shutting out the previously unbeaten Edwin Rodriguez over twelve lopsided rounds on Saturday night at the Citizens Business Bank Arena.

The bout was televised live by HBO and saw Ward (27-0, 14 knockouts) prove yet again why he is one of the two or three best fighters in the world.

When the first bell rang, Rodriguez (24-1, 16 KOs) charged hard at Ward in an attempt to catch him off guard. Rodriguez was aggressive throughout the contest, but Ward was always able to use that aggression against him as he landed clean counter punches on a regular basis.

Click here to read the rest...

Jackson turns back Hirsch by tough unanimous decision

Jackson turns back Hirsch by tough unanimous decision
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 17, 2013


Once-beaten junior middleweight prospect John Jackson endured a stiff test Saturday night in his homeland, earning a hard-fought eight-round unanimous decision over the well prepared Tony Hirsch in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The son of International Boxing Hall of Famer Julian Jackson, John was faced with his toughest challenge since losing to Willie Nelson last September in Las Vegas. The always game Hirsch, who has served as a primary sparring partner for RING super middleweight champion Andre Ward for much of his career, went tit-for-tat with Jackson for much of the fight.

Click here to read the rest...

Hirsch hopes to shed journeyman label on Saturday

Hirsch hopes to shed journeyman label on Saturday
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 14, 2013


As much as boxing needs to continue developing young fighters into stars, the sport needs just as much a solid foundation of gatekeepers and stepping-stones to provide tests on the way up the ladder.

What about those fighters who were relegated to those labels not because of lack of talent, but lack of opportunity? Oakland, Calif., junior middleweight Tony Hirsch, a longtime sparring partner of RING super middleweight champion Andre Ward, hopes to prove he can be a contender one day.

Saturday night, Hirsch (14-5-2, 6 KOs) gets his first real opportunity. He’ll travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands to fight John Jackson (18-1, 14 KOs) in an eight-round main event that can only be seen on a web stream on GoFightLive (gfl.tv) for $9.99.

Jackson suffered his only defeat last year in a competitive untelevised scrap against Willie Nelson. It was a good learning experience for the 24-year old.

Click here to read the rest...

Jackson brothers return to Virgin Islands on Aug. 17

Jackson brothers return to Virgin Islands on Aug. 17
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
July 21, 2013


Nathan Lewkowicz confirmed to RingTV.com a card that will take place in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Aug. 17, featuring the local fighting sons of former junior middleweight and middleweight titleholder Julian Jackson.

In the eight-round main event, once-beaten junior middleweight prospect John Jackson (16-1, 14 knockouts) meets rugged journeyman Tony Hirsch (14-5-2, 6 KOs), of Oakland, Calif.

Click here to read the rest...

Foreman returns July 24

Foreman returns July 24
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
June 26, 2013


Comebacking junior middleweight Yuri Foreman will return to action on July 24, taking on journeyman Tony Hirsch in an eight-round bout at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. Marlon Sullivan, Hirsch's manager, confirmed the information to RingTV on Wednesday afternoon.

This will mark Foreman's third fight since returning to the ring following a nearly two-year layoff. He announced his retirement after losing to Pawel Wolak in March of 2011. The loss was Foreman's second in a row, having lost his previous bout to Miguel Cotto in front of a raucous crowd at Yankee Stadium.

Foreman (30-2, 8 KOs) lost to Cotto after injuring his leg during the fight but showed tremendous heart in continuing on one leg until the fight was stopped in round nine. Cotto picked up Foreman's WBA 154-pound title with the win.

Click here to read the rest...

Bits & Pieces: Alvarado's future

Bits & Pieces: Alvarado's future
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
April 1, 2013


An immediate rematch between Mike Alvarado and Brandon Rios does not look to be in the cards, despite Rios’ very vocal demands about getting one just moments after Alvarado's hand was raised after their thrilling rematch, according to Top Rank CEO Bob Arum.

Though it was another action bout, one that will be a frontrunner for Fight-of-the-Year honors, Arum said he'd like to see the two of them take a minute apart and face some fresh faces.

According to multiple sources close to the situation, Top Rank would love to take Alvarado (34-1, 23 KOs) to his hometown of Denver and see if they have a ticket seller there following his recent run of consistently action-packed fights. The level of opponent they have indicated to RingTV.com they'd like to match with him is not of the level of his last few.

Click here to read the rest...