SecondsOut Boxing Bytes: Arum in Margarito-Cotto Sandwich, No Boobs in Boxing, Douglas-Tyson, McCullough, Mancini & More

By Paul Upham: Promoter Bob Arum has found himself in a difficult position whilst trying to support his boxer Antonio Margarito, whose boxing licence was revoked after an inquiry into his hand wraps prior to his match with Shane Mosley in January. The Top Rank supremo’s stance has placed him offside with one of his other boxers Miguel Cotto, who he promotes against Michael Jennings this weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Cotto, who has unconfirmed suspicious as to what Margarito had in his gloves the night they met in July 2008, believes the Mexican must sit out the full year before attempting to have his licence restored.

“I think if it’s up to me, we should all abide by the rule that was made,” said Cotto. “He was suspended for one year, he should be suspended everywhere. He has to abide by the rules and I think if he can’t fight in the United States, he shouldn’t be able to fight at all.”

Arum, who was furious with the California State Athletic Commission after Margarito’s licence was pulled, has threatened to take the former WBA welterweight champion to Mexico to continue his career.

“Miguel is certainly entitled to his opinion,” Arum diplomatically told the media.

Which should all make for interesting relations and negotiations as Arum attempts to promote Cotto back to the top after his knockout loss at the hands of Margarito.

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Attractive blonde model and amateur boxer Sarah Blewden has been banned from competing in the ring in the UK because of her breast implants. The 25 year-old, who had her boob operation in 2003, going from a 32B to a 32C, was banned because officials declared that blows to her chest containing the implants could damage breast tissue. SecondsOut is reluctant to consider what this ruling may mean if it is applied to the current flabby heavyweight division ranks and some male boxers who are more, how do we say, gifted in the chest region? No one has accused Butterbean or James Toney of anything!

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It seems unlikely that the Frank Warren-Joe Calzaghe feud is going to soften now that the Welshman has retired.

“The Calzaghe thing was the biggest disappointment I’ve ever had,” Warren told the UK Independent newspaper. “Total disloyalty.”

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February 11, 2009 marked the 19th anniversary of James “Buster” Douglas’ upset of the century 10th round knockout win over Mike Tyson at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. The undisputed world champion at the time, Tyson was an unbackable favourite with a record of 37-0 (33) going into the fight.

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After his meek points loss to Antonio Tarver in April 2008, UK light heavyweight Clinton Woods knew his February 14 match with Elvir Muriqi was going to make or break his future career.

“I was very cautious, I was very rusty and I’ve never been so frightened as I was before the fight,” Woods told the media of his unanimous twelve round points win. “I knew if I lost, I was retiring. If I lost I would have had to get my trowel out again. It crossed my mind that I was finished. I was so bad against Tarver that I thought I might have just got old overnight.”

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Check out all the latest boxing video action on-line at SecondsOut.TV. CLICK HERE! for more details.

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28 year-old Ola Afolabi 13-1-3 (5) challenges Enzo Maccarinelli for the WBO interim cruiserweight world title on March 14 and is not lacking any confidence.

“He’s not as good as people make him out to be and he’s in trouble,” Afolabi said. “Look out for the best-kept secret in boxing.”

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At the age of 33, former WBA super middleweight world champion Anthony Mundine successfully moved down to middleweight on February 11 with a twelve round points win over Shannan Taylor. It must be a new trend. Another former WBA super middleweight world champion Manny Siaca, who beat Mundine for the WBA belt in May 2004, is also moving down to middleweight in Puerto Rico on March 28.

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With all the talk about Antonio Margarito and his hand wraps, Miguel Cotto fans will be hoping that he has his mind solely focused on Michael Jennings this weekend. But Jennings doesn’t.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been sharper, and unless Cotto is taking me 100 per cent seriously then he’s in for a nasty surprise,” promised Jennings.

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Former WBC bantamweight world champion Wayne McCullough continues his career at the age of 38 on March 16 against TBA.

“I would like to be promoted the right way,” said McCullough, “get a few fights and then maybe by the end of this year get a big championship fight.”

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The Worcester City Council in Massachusetts, USA is seeking a waiver to a state law that prohibits people older than 32 from being appointed to the Police and Fire departments so a former WBA welterweight & junior middleweight world champion Jose Antonio Rivera can be eligible to take an upcoming Civil Service police test. 36 year-old Rivera 39-6-1 (24) is currently working as a court officer.

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Former WBA lightweight world champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini has two film production companies based in Hollywood: Mancini Pictures International and Boom Boom Productions.

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Heavyweight great Evander Holyfield has taken a stake in the new Smith-Ganassi Racing Team in the NASCAR Nationwide motor racing series.

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SecondsOut.com’s lead feature writer Thomas Hauser, the author of 35 books including ‘Muhammad Ali: His Life And Times’, wrote a ground breaking Internet three part series in 2008 on the life and times of John L. Sullivan.

Read Part 1 of his “John L. Sullivan Revisited” series now at SecondsOut.com HERE!

Read Part 2 of his “John L. Sullivan Revisited” series now at SecondsOut.com HERE!

Read Part 3 of his “John L. Sullivan Revisited” series now at SecondsOut.com HERE!

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The current world financial crisis is also affecting some of the sports elite boxers. Logo space on the trunks of ‘Bad’ Chad Dawson is up for auction on eBay for his next fight. Dawson’s agent/manager Jay "Belly" Henderson, is auctioning off the logo space for the rematch with Antonio Tarver with bidding starting at US$20,000.

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More than 1,000 people attended the funeral of former heavyweight world champion Ingemar Johanssen last Friday in his hometown of Goteborg. Six members of Johansson’s amateur boxing club carried his casket from a memorial. A sign on a garland of flowers reading, “Once a Champ, always a Champ.” He died at a nursing home at the age of 76 after having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia more than ten years ago. Johansson had stunned the boxing world when he knocked out Floyd Patterson to win the heavyweight title at Yankee Stadium on June 26, 1959.

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Purchase on-line the new book on former undisputed world champion Kostya Tszyu, “Something Worth Fighting For”, written by SecondsOut.com’s Content Editor Paul Upham HERE!

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Record of the Week: active middleweight Joselito Del Rosario from the Dominican Republic has 2 wins, 23 losses and 0 knockout wins, since debuting in April 1998. Interestingly, Del Rosario fought current super middleweight name Edison Miranda twice. In June 2002, Miranda knocked him out in one round. It must have been a close fight, because they met again in March 2003 and Miranda knocked him out in one round again.