Top Ten from the outer realm

Top Ten from the Outer Realm

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

June 20, 2011

I've always been one to criticize pound-for-pound lists, as they are as egregious as they are subjective. Lists of any sort are, matter of fact. But here I am putting together a Top Ten of my own, one that features a list of ten pugilists, mostly from outside the United States that have yet to appear on HBO or Showtime television in any format. These are ten fighters I feel that should be taken a close look at by both networks, if not just for tomorrow but for beyond.

"No Doubt" in Trout

"No Doubt" in Trout

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

June 9, 2011

If you asked even the most hardcore of boxing fan what important junior middleweight bout is happening in Mexico this weekend, the likely response would be “The Canelo fight is next weekend I thought?”

It's hard to blame any astute fight aficionado for getting it wrong; the WBA junior middleweight title tilt between the defending Austin “No Doubt” Trout [22-0, 13 KOs] of Albuquerque, New Mexico and hard-nosed David “The Destroyer” Lopez [40-12, 23 KOs] of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico has flown under the radar as it won't appear on American television until a week later, which coincides with the HBO broadcast of the WBC junior middleweight title fight between emerging Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Brit Ryan Rhodes in an expected packed house in Jalisco, Mexico.

Ward-Froch for RING title at 168

Ward-Froch for the Ring title!

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

June 8, 2011

Following his Super Six World Boxing Classic semi-final majority decision victory over a rugged Glen Johnson last Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey, WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch has seen himself elevated to the #2 position in the Ring Magazine rankings. This now means that Froch's tournament finale with WBA champion and #1 rated 168 pounder Andre Ward will not only be contested for both fighter's governing body trinkets as well as the Super Six trophy, but now will also be for the vacant RING title as well.

ShoBox tripleheader this Friday from Chumash!

ShoBox tripleheader this Friday from Chumash!

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

June 8, 2011

Friday night, Gary Shaw Productions and ShoBox: The New Generation returns to the Chumash Casino Resort for a televised bill that features three intriguing bouts headlined by Nigerian born cruiserweight prospect Lateef Kayode [15-0, 14 KOs] of Hollywood, California, in his toughest fight to date against former world title challenger Matt Godfrey [20-2, 10 KOs] of Providence, Rhode Island in a ten round bout for the NABA cruiserweight title.

Arrellano: "Opportunity of a lifetime"

Ortiz Manager Arrellano: “Opportunity of a lifetime”

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

June 7, 2011

With the official announcement that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will be stepping out of a 14 month bout of inactivity to take on reigning WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz on September 17^th, I caught up with Ortiz manager Rolando Arrellano this morning to discuss the fight.

“We agreed to any and all conditions,” stated an elated Arrellano over the phone. “This is Floyd's promotion, he is the man, he has earned his position. We didn't care too much about the gloves, the location, just tell us where and when to show up, it's an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Frampton comes alive!

Frampton comes alive!

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

May 31, 2011

When 24-year old Belfast super bantamweight prospect Carl Frampton operates within a boxing ring, it is with a subtle confidence that is unobjectionable considering the young fighter's smooth combination punching and heavy right hand.

Against Venezuelan Oscar Chacin, Frampton mixed his arsenal to the head and body in a way that would make you believe he has more experience than his 9-0 [6 KOs] record would indicate.

Fellow Northern Ireland natives Brian Magee and Paul McCloskey both recently made unsuccessful bids for world titles, but its no surprise that Frampton already has many in the area already thinking he could be the one to break the recent spell.

Arreola stops Releford in seven

Arreola stops Releford in seven

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

May 27, 2011

Friday night in Reno, Nevada, fighting just two weeks after stopping Nagy Aguilera in three rounds in Carson, California, Chris Arreola assumed a role with more spotlight as he stepped into the ESPN Friday Night Fights main event against Kendrick Releford that was vacated by an intriguing junior welterweight bout between Josesito Lopez and Steve Upsher when Lopez suffered an injury in training.

Arreola [32-2, 28 KOs], who fought off-television two Saturday's ago on fellow Goossen-Tutor stablemate Andre Ward's undercard, weighed in at a trim 236 pounds and worked hard to earn a seventh round stoppage against the durable journeyman Releford [22-15-2, 10 KOs], who had only previously been stopped twice in fourteen losses.

Arreola with weight on his shoulders, not in midsection

Arreola with weight on his shoulders, not in midsection

Mark E. Ortega

May 27, 2011

When Friday night's original main event from the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada between Josesito Lopez and Steve Upsher fell apart following a training injury sustained by Lopez a few weeks ago, heavyweight contender Chris Arreola was called upon to step in and headline the ESPN televised Friday Night Fights on short notice. Arreola [31-2, 27 KOs] will be stepping in against journeyman Kendrick Releford just two weeks after scoring a third round stoppage of the game Nagy Aguilera in Carson, California away from the cameras in an off-television appearance.

Ward needs a Froch win to legitimize Super Six

Ward need a Froch win to legitimize Super Six

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

May 17, 2011

When the Super Six World Boxing Classic was first conceived at Showtime, the idea behind it was to crown more than just one star, and ultimately build the tournament champion into a crossover star that the network could champion in the coming years.

With last Saturday's lopsided victory over former middleweight kingpin Arthur Abraham in the books, and the second portion of the tournament final on the verge of being determined on June 4^th between WBC champion Carl Froch and 2005 “Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year” Glen Johnson, its an immaculate time to take a look at how things have progressed and where it could lead.

Ward rolls through Abraham into Super Six finale

Ward rolls through Abraham, into Super Six finale

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

May 14, 2011

With a Los Angeles Galaxy soccer game taking place just mere minutes away on the same turf, Saturday night's Super Six World Boxing Classic semi-final bout between WBA champion Andre Ward and former middleweight king Arthur Abraham felt much aligned with the usual pomp and circumstance that accompanies a game of futbol.

At the end of the day, 2004 United States Olympic Gold medalist and WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward marched to victory after early difficulties, conquering his Armenian born German foe on the hostile field of the Home Depot Center in Carson, California where Abraham enjoyed an awkward home field advantage in front of over 5,000 fans, many of them waving the red, blue, and gold flag of Armenia.

Holt vanquishes Diaz in three

Holt vanquishes Diaz in three!

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

May 13, 2011

In an effort to re-establish legitimacy amongst the top tier in the junior welterweight division, Kendall “Rated R” Holt [27-4, 15 KOs] scored a one shot third round stoppage of former fellow world champion Julio “The Kidd” Diaz [38-7, 27 KOs] in the ESPN Friday Night Fights headlining bout from the Chumash Casino & Resort in Santa Ynez, California.

Diaz-Holt: A potential crossroads classic?

Diaz-Holt: A potential crossroads classic?

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

May 12, 2011

If you looked up the definition of “crossroads fight” in a boxing dictionary, you'd probably find a fight poster of this week's ESPN Friday Night Fights headliner from the Chumash Casino & Resort in Santa Ynez, California, a ten round junior welterweight clash between former world titleholders Kendall Holt and Julio Diaz.

Both fighters showcased have been to the mountaintop more than once and are looking to reclaim the shine that was once theirs. Not only that, they attempt to do it in the weight class where some of the biggest dollars are they to be made. One that features Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Juan Manuel Marquez [potentially], Manny Pacquiao [catchweightedly], Erik Morales, Marcos Maidana, Timothy Bradley, and Devon Alexander as well as a slew of other credentialed contenders just a step below.

Fana-Mendez off! Fana to be stripped?

Fana-Mendez off! Fana to be stripped?

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

May 11, 2011

Wednesday saw news break that the IBF super featherweight clash between South African based defending champion Mzonke Fana [30-4, 12 KOs] and #1 contender Argenis Mendez [18-1, 9 KOs] of Brooklyn, New York has been scrapped from its original date of June 11^th in South Africa's Carnival City due to Fana claiming he does not have a trainer or proper training facilities to be ready for his mandated defense.

Brinkley on the ropes

Brinkley on the ropes

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 27, 2011

Friday night, Jesse Brinkley will be an underdog for the third straight bout as he takes on Golden Boy Promotions prospect Peter Quillin in the main event of Telefutura's Solo Boxeo. For the second time in as many years, Brinkley will be enjoying a home-field advantage against his favored opponent as he fights Quillin at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada on a card co-promoted by Golden Boy and Brinkley's Reno-based promoters Terry and Tommy Lane of Let's Get It On Promotions.

From marinated to overcooked: Lopez-Gamboa, Kirkland-Angulo, & Ortiz-Berto

From marinated to overcooked? Lopez-Gamboa, Kirkland-Angulo, & Ortiz-Berto

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 18, 2011

In this midweek piece, Leave-it-in-the-ring's Mark Ortega discusses the overcooked bout between Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa that fell to shambles following Lopez' shock loss to Orlando Salido this weekend, and why promoters should put their fighters in tough more often as was the case with Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz the same night, where the loser gained just as much in defeat as he had in winning his first 27 pro fights. As was the case with Tua-Ibeabuchi in '97, no career will be derailed from the great welterweight bout between Berto-Ortiz.

The month of April has already seen its fair share of upsets in big time bouts as well as the vanquishing of quite a few future paydays for many fighters on the losing end of them.