Atlas gives Povetkin 'a good shot' to beat Klitschko

Atlas gives Povetkin 'a good shot' to beat Klitschko
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
July 15, 2013


From 2009 to 2011, ESPN2 Friday Night Fights analyst and former trainer Teddy Atlas took on heavyweight Alexander Povetkin as somewhat of a personal project.

The two enjoyed a bit of success together before splitting in 2011, leaving both sides a bit embittered. Two years later, Povetkin faces an uphill battle in challenging Wladimir Klitschko in Moscow on Oct. 5 as a long-odds underdog.

Atlas was in Las Vegas on Friday to call that night's action for FNF, the job which kept him from working with Povetkin for his bout last February against cruiserweight titlist Marco Huck.

Though Atlas has previously been critical of Povetkin's performances since the two moved on from each other, he likes his former charge's chances against the younger half of the two-headed Klitschko monster.

"I gave him a good fight plan for Klitschko [when we worked together]," Atlas told RingTV prior to ESPN2 going on the air on Friday.

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EPIX taking a break from boxing--at least for now

EPIX taking a break from boxing--at least for now

Mark E. Ortega

RingTV.com

July 5, 2013

Beginning with March 2011's heavyweight title fight between Vitali Klitschko and Odlanier Solis, little-known premium cable network Epix jumped headfirst into the boxing game, televising European cards that were getting passed on by HBO and Showtime.

However, since this past May's heavyweight title fight between Wladimir Klitschko and Francesco Pianeta, the network has been mum regarding any new fights on their schedule. In fact, the Epix Sports Twitter account has been silent since May 16, causing one to wonder if the network has decided to bow out of the fight game for good.

"There are no boxing events planned this summer, but we remain interested in great opportunities that are a good fit for Epix," said Epix chief of staff Nora Ryan on Friday afternoon after being reached by e-mail.

Ryan continued by saying they are expanding their Epix Sports documentary programming, with several documentaries currently in development. Ryan said a few of these involve boxing and that she would notify RingTV of an impending announcement.

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Jones overcomes odds, stops Lebedev

Jones overcomes odds, stops Lebedev
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
May 17, 2013


In a Fight of the Year candidate as well as a major upset, 41-year old Panamanian Guillermo Jones reclaimed his WBA cruiserweight title against Denis Lebedev in a hellacious slugfest that came to an end in the 11th round when referee Stanley Christodolou stopped it after Lebedev climbed off the canvas. 

From the opening bell, Jones slugged it out with Lebedev, often getting outlanded at a two-to-one clip. But for every two shots Lebedev landed, it came at a price. Jones battered Lebedev's right eye into mush, producing one of the most grotesque cases of swelling since Hasim Rahman's golfball-like bruise he suffered against Evander Holyfield.

The difference between the two is Rahman's injury came from a headbutt, while Lebedev's nasty swell job was courtesy of a high number of hard right hands. Though Lebedev was winning rounds, Jones was inflicting more punishment as the fight wore on.

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Overseas promoters hope to fill Golden Boy void on HBO

Overseas promoters hope to fill Golden Boy void on HBO
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 21, 2013


Earlier this week, HBO announced that it would no longer be doing business with Golden Boy Promotions.

With that announcement came the opportunity for other promoters and fighters to slide into the televised dates that may have otherwise belonged to Golden Boy.

In the past, HBO has televised shows from Europe, often airing them in the U.S. in the afternoon with a replay later that night, sometimes coupled with a live American broadcast. Occasionally, as was the case with the Joe Calzaghe-Mikkel Kessler super middleweight unification in November 2007, bouts have been held well past midnight in Europe so they could be televised live in America.

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Obscure Offerings: The Cotto-Mayweather Edition

Obscure Offerings: The Cotto-Mayweather Edition
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
May 4, 2012

This weekend, as with two or three weekends of the calendar year, boxing will be king. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is back in the ring, on the cover of ESPN the Magazine, and in against a fighter familiar with the big stage in Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto, who will be defending his alphabet title at junior middleweight against Floyd, catchweights checked at the door.

The only time the sport seems to be good enough for watercooler talk at the office in the States is when Floyd or Manny Pacquiao find themselves in the news or in the ring. With Floyd, his life outside the ropes has kept the sport afloat with the casual fan thanks to his impending jail sentence, as well as his sucker punch victory over Victor Ortiz last September and the follow-up post-fight interview low blow to the venerable Larry Merchant, who threatened Floyd that if Frank Sinatra were still crooning, he'd have his foot planted up the Las Vegas based star's ass.

You'll find this fight as well as the entire undercard covered elsewhere here at TQBR. The purpose of this piece is to clue you in on some of the action taking place on the more obscure side featuring some promising fighters who hope to make some sort of splash of their own. In today's saturated world of titleholders, there are a heavy number of trinkets at stake this weekend that will go largely disregarded. It doesn't mean that there aren't some quality fights taking place that may be worth a stream or a YouTube find following Saturday night's main festivities.

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