J’Leon Love looks for a fresh start on ShoBox: The New Generation

J’Leon Love looks for a fresh start on ShoBox: The New Generation
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
February 27, 2013

Though he has already recorded one win in the books since dealing with a suspension for using a banned diuretic prior to his May fight against Gabriel Rosado, super middleweight J’Leon Love looks at 2014 as an opportunity to start fresh.

Love (16-0, 1 NC, 9 knockouts) meets lightly regarded Vladine Biosse (15-2, 7 KOs) in tonight’s 10-round main event at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y. The bout tops a Mayweather Promotions tripleheader edition of Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation and Love sees the fight as a step towards securing a world title later in the year.

“I’m looking to graduate from a prospect to a contender in the super middleweight division,” Love told RingTV.com in a phone interview on Thursday.

Click here to read the rest...

Mayweather Jr. takes young Alvarez to school

Mayweather Jr. takes young Alvarez to school
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
September 17, 2013


LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. was so dominant against Saul Alvarez on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena that he may have cost himself some money down the line.

Though the official verdict will be recorded as a majority decision, there’s no question that Mayweather (45-0, 26 knockouts) was masterful in his victory over Alvarez.

Billed as the biggest fight in a long time, Mayweather overcame the youthful Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KOs) with much ease. That has erased a possible rematch from the immediate future, leaving a gaping question as to who will step up next when Mayweather elects to return, which could come as early as next May.

Click here to read the rest...

Vegas insanity: Fans flock to Mayweather-Alvarez weigh-in

Vegas insanity: Fans flock to Mayweather-Alvarez weigh-in
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 13, 2013


Saturday’s pay-per-view card headlined by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul Alvarez has been generating an unbelievable buzz in Las Vegas since early in fight week. The turnout for Friday’s weigh-in is something that had to be seen to be believed.

Passionate boxing fans camped out at the entrance to the MGM Grand Garden Arena as early as midnight and the line stretched well into where the food court sits, about half a football field away.

“We haven’t been asleep for 27 hours,” said a Mayweather fan named Tiffany, who was wearing shirt emblazoned with "The One." “It’s pure adrenaline that’s keeping us awake.”

Click here to read the rest...

More humble, maybe, but still the same Mayweather

More humble, maybe, but still the same Mayweather
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 4, 2013


It’s true that ever since he served his 87-day jail sentence, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has seemed much more humble.

For his fight this past May, Mayweather was more accommodating to the media than most veterans ever recall him being. That has carried over to his fight with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, which takes place next Saturday.

But whatever gains have been made in humility, there are still remnants of the old Mayweather. During his media day in August, he took his time getting a haircut before jumping into the ring for his workout. On Wednesday’s conference call, he held things up for about fifteen minutes, and then dropped off the call a number of times while answering a question. He also took off a few minutes early after Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe claimed his phone had died.

Click here to read the rest...

September West Coast Prospect of the Month: Luis Arias

September West Coast Prospect of the Month: Luis Arias
Mark E. Ortega
BehindTheGloves.com
September 1, 2013

Super middleweight prospect Luis Arias has a bit more weight on his shoulders than most fighters with less than ten professional fights.

Arias is a member of Mayweather Promotions, also know as "The Money Team". He's one of the youngest members of the stable and will be the first fighter they attempt to build from professional debut to world champion.

Basically, he's their trial and error. Building a champion isn't easy. To put into perspective, it took Golden Boy Promotions nine years for Abner Mares to become their first homegrown champion.

To his credit, Arias doesn't seem bothered by the task.

"Being part of Mayweather Promotions is its own pressure," Arias told Behind The Gloves last week.

Click here to read the rest...

Mayweather-Canelo media day notes

Mayweather-Canelo media day notes
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 29, 2013


RingTV.com contributor Mark E. Ortega attended both the Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Canelo Alvarez media days this week, compiling the following notes on their anticipated mega-fight, now just two weeks away. Alvarez opened his camp in Big Bear to the media on Tuesday while Mayweather's gym in Las Vegas was open the next day. Here are some notes from those two days.

Click here to read the rest...

A day at The Doghouse

A day at The Doghouse
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 28, 2013


LAS VEGAS – Two Mondays ago, I spent the afternoon at the Mayweather Boxing Club. I’ve made plenty of stops at the gym since moving here in November, but had yet to take in a Floyd Mayweather sparring session. That changed on this day, as Mayweather would go four rounds in preparation for his Sept. 14 pay-per-view fight against Saul Alvarez.

I showed up to the gym around 1:00 p.m., knowing Mayweather wouldn’t show up until around 4:00 or so. Nicknamed “The Doghouse,” the gym is usually hotter indoors than what the Las Vegas sun feels like outside, but on this day, it wasn’t as sizzling. This was perhaps due to the fact that Showtime Sports was there shooting some footage for their All Access documentary series, and in the past, they’ve made the conditions more bearable for those handling the heavy equipment.

Click here to read the rest...

Undercard report: Orozco, Breazeale win by KOs

Undercard report: Orozco, Breazeale win by KOs
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 24, 2013


CARSON, Calif. – San Diego-based junior welterweight Antonio Orozco (18-0, 14 KOs) had few issues getting rid of Colombia's Ivan Hernandez (29-4, 22 KOs), putting him down three times before stopping him in the third round. Orozco's ruthless body work helped get the job done. He is now being targeted for a future date on ShoBox, according to series producer Gordon Hall. Hernandez had previously campaigned at 130 pounds and has been largely inactive the past five years.

2012 Olympic heavyweight Dominic Breazeale (6-0, 6 KOs) scored a fourth-round knockout of the experienced Lenroy Thomas (16-3, 8 KOs). Breazeale took some shots in the process of grinding down his opponent. He then buckled Thomas in the fourth, and a follow-up barrage ending with a body shot put him down. The end came at 2:29 when Thomas was counted out.

Click here to read the rest...

Theophane signs with Mayweather Promotions

Theophane signs with Mayweather Promotions
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 7, 2013


Ashley Theophane has been coming to the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas for two years now. After going to train in New York last year, he thought he would swing by Las Vegas to see what it was like to work in the same gym as Mayweather, regarded as the sport's best fighter pound for pound.

Theophane detailed that experience in the May 2012 edition of renowned British boxing publication Boxing Monthly, as he shared details of being in awe of the dedication Mayweather possesses.

Tweets over the last few days seemed to indicate that Theophane became the newest addition to Mayweather's promotional stable, Mayweather Promotions. RingTV.com caught up with the British junior welterweight, who confirmed he has signed.

Click here to read the rest...

Molina, Goossen hope third time is the charm

Molina, Goossen hope third time is the charm
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
July 19, 2013


Friday night, John Molina's career is more or less on the line as he meets unbeaten Mickey Bey in their ShoBox-televised ten-round main event in Las Vegas.

Coming off a close decision loss to Andrey Klimov just north of a month ago, Molina has switched trainers, from Oxnard, Calif.'s Robert Garcia to 45-minutes east in Van Nuys with Joe Goossen.

This will mark the third time Molina and Goossen have linked up. The two have been more on-again, off-again than Ross and Rachel of '90s sitcom Friends fame.

"I didn't watch Friends, so I'm not familiar with that reference, but how about more than Liz [Taylor] and Dick [Burton]?" asked Goossen on Wednesday, when asked about the renewed vows.

"I've got an eight-month old at home and the back-and-forth to Oxnard was tough on me," shared Molina on why he switched from Robert Garcia back to Goossen.

Click here to read the rest...