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By Jason Pribila: In conjunction with the celebration of Cinco de Mayo, the first Saturday of May has been the day set aside for a big time boxing event. For years fighters like Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have performed on this date, and promoters avoided putting on shows anywhere near it.
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By Jason Pribila: On Sunday evening the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences handed out their Oscars for this year’s best in film. On Sunday afternoon I was reflecting on the weekend’s best in boxing, while I was putting away my groceries and wondering how I spent over $100 when all I needed was chicken and shaving crèam.
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By Jason Pribila: On June 11, 2005, Don King brought his traveling circus to the MCI Center in Washington DC, and 15,472 fans made P.T. Barnum’s quote about a sucker being born every minute prophetic. The marquee read that former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson would be in the ring, but those who witnessed the end of his career soon found out that he no longer able to fight.
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By Jason Pribila: This past weekend I had the humbling experience of moving into my new one bedroom apartment. Although the place and location is perfect, the toll it took on my right knee and back was enough to make me vow to ensure I have enough money in my savings account to pay someone to handle the heavy lifting whenever my next change of address may be.
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By Jason Pribila: 2012 was a year that saw superstars Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto combine to go 0-4, and Floyd Mayweather fight only once. Now more than ever it was apparent that boxing’s landscape is in need of change sooner rather than later.
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By Jason Pribila: There isn’t a sport that asks more of their fan base than boxing. Whether it be a “Cold War” between promotional giants that prevent coveted fights from happening, rising costs of pay per views, bad decisions, or ticket distribution practices that either leave fans in the cold or overpaying; the boxing fan remains loyal to a fault.
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By Jason Pribila: The sport’s two most powerful promoters simply refuse to get along. Their feud has cost boxing fans the opportunity to see many attractive match-ups, and the latest trend of counter-programming is forcing that same shallow pool of customers to take sides and choose what fights they will spend their time and money on. Adding to the mess is that HBO and Showtime seem to have chosen their sides and enable their promoters of choice to continue to run the sport as separate
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By Jason Pribila: Finally a major fight created buzz on sports television, talk radio, and even water coolers days after the fight. Unfortunately, as is often the case with boxing, the discussion was for all the wrong reasons. Corruption, travesty, and incompetence remained at the forefront of the all too familiar “boxing is a joke” discussion.
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By Jason Pribila: Main Events and Peltz Boxing are well known in the boxing industry for putting on well matched and entertaining fight cards. In an era where many promoters gravitate to the first venue willing to open their wallets, this pair continues to cultivate the sport by putting on shows featuring local fighters in front of their passionate fans.
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By Jason Pribilla: While the knockout(Garrett Wilson vs Andres Taylor) provided fans with a dramatic conclusion to their evening (in Atlantic City), and will no doubt raise Wilson’s profile, I question if it was necessary
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By Jason Pribila: I usually reserve my “Winners and Losers” articles for major pay per view fights. However, after a weekend that saw boxing shows airing on ESPN2, Showtime, HBO, and NBC Sports Net, I was hopeful for enough material to warrant a column. The Texas State Athletic Commission once again ensured that I’d have plenty of words to write under the list of losers.
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By Jason Pribila: The City of Philadelphia returned to the national spotlight on Saturday Night as Main Events and Peltz Boxing launched the first of their four scheduled “Fight Night Live” events on the new NBC Sports Network. Despite injuries, a new main event, and bad weather; the show delivered. For me, it was great to see Philadelphia’s Asylum Arena be re-introduced to fight fans.
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By Jason Pribila: “Believe it or Not” boxing fans have paid over $120.00 in the last 28 days to see two main events that have once again left them apologizing for the sport they are no doubt getting tired of defending. On Saturday night they paid out $50 for 46 year-old Bernard Hopkins’ defense of his light heavyweight championship against Chad Dawson.
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By Jason Pribila: On Saturday night Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez returns to the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, the building where he celebrated his three biggest nights as a professional boxer. First his stock rose as he came up a point short in a fight of the year candidate. Next he started fast and finished strong en route to winning the lineal middleweight championship. And finally he ended a fight with a single punch that earned him “Knockout” and “Fighter of the Year” honors in 2010.
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By Jason Pribila: On Saturday Night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Golden Boy Promotions presented “Star Power” Mayweather vs Ortiz. The dust settled, and once again the sport of boxing was left to defend itself as a relevant player on the sports landscape.
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By Jason Pribila: At the final press conference for the July 1 Fight Night at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, USA, Hall of Fame Promoter, J. Russell Peltz called his fighter, Ronald Cruz, a “late bloomer”.
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By Jason Pribila: While I do not expect my first boxing article in over a month to cause as many waves as “Money” Mayweather’s “tweet” that officially ended the future Hall of Famer’s retirement, I am confident that at least 20 of my 30+ followers on Twitter are curious about my take on the upcoming fight schedule. Either curious or happy I’m not subjecting them to another link to an obscure 80’s music video.
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By Jason Pribila: Hollywood’s biggest and brightest stars are again ready to walk the Red Carpet at the Academy Awards on Sunday February 27. Once again the sport of boxing was well represented when the nominees were announced. Christian Bale is the favorite to walk away with an Oscar for his brilliant performance playing Micky Ward’s brother/trainer Dicky Eklund in “The Fighter”.
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By Jason Pribila: It has been over a week since news broke that Manny Pacquiao would be facing Shane Mosley on May 7, 2011 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, USA. This news did not come as a surprise, nor was it well received by the boxing public. Boxing scribes, who were busy looking back and rewarding the Best of 2010, found the time in between buying, opening, and returning gifts to take shots at Pacquiao’s choice for his next opponent.
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By Derek Bonnett: Boxing fans can put another year of professional prizefighting in the record books. 2010 was a good, not great year of boxing, but it rose to the occasion and put in a strong comeback during the championship rounds of the year. Most would prognosticate a stronger year in 2011 considering a slew of meaningful fights on the horizon.
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By Jason Pribila: On Saturday November 20, the Boxing Writers Association of America held their Annual East Coast meeting at Bally’s Atlantic City. Boxing scribes and fans alike were in town for the biggest fight to land on the Jersey Shore in 2010. Sergio Martinez was set to defend his middleweight crown against Paul Williams in a rematch of their 2009 “Fight of the Year” candidate later that evening inside of Boardwalk Hall.
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By Jason Pribila, ringside in Atlantic City: Spartan Fight Promotions kicked off the biggest weekend of boxing in Atlantic City with a seven bout card on Friday night at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, NJ.
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By Jason Pribila: While it is still hard to believe that 2010 will come and go without seeing the one fight that would have captured the attention of the mainstream sports fan, we cannot hold that against a fighter who chooses to put the good of the sport ahead of self preservation. Whenever Manny Pacquiao laces up his gloves it is an event. No one who has ever purchased a Pacquiao fight has woken up with buyer’s remorse.
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By Jason Pribila: The Boxing World’s eyes were on the heart of Texas as Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito were set to square off at the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Top Rank used the opportunity to introduce their latest addition to their vast welterweight stable, Philadelphia’s Mike Jones.
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By Jason Pribila: When Philadelphia welterweight Mike Jones was selected as the 2009 Secondsout.com “Prospect of the Year”, many of my friends across the pond may have asked themselves, “Who is Mike Jones?”
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By Jason Pribila: "Ring out the bells again. Like we did when spring began. Wake me up when September ends." – Green Day. Rock Band Green Day struck gold with their single, “Wake Me Up When September Ends”. In the article that follows, I hope to show you why boxing fans could have hit “snooze” on Green Day’s ambition, and instead woke up refreshed on November 1.
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By Jason Pribila: On Saturday Night, “Sugar” Shane Mosley looked to rebound from his one-sided loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. when he returned to the ring in the building where his career peaked twice, The Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Sergio Mora entered the ring as a live underdog possessing a style that has always given Mosley fits.
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By Jason Pribila: According to Wikipedia a season is a division of year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight. On Monday Americans celebrate Labor Day. For many this represents a day off from work and an excuse to barbeque, while bidding a farewell to the summer season. Those who choose to remain indoors will most likely be glued to their television sets welcoming back the return of the high school and college football seasons.
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By Jason Pribila: Devon Alexander won his first world title last August. He looked sensational making his HBO debut when he stopped Juan Urango in March.
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By Jason Pribila: Writer/Director Christopher Nolan’s latest visual masterpiece, “Inception” dominated the box office, leaving audiences with the task of trying to grasp what they just witnessed. On the same weekend, Top Rank president Bob Arum held a 3am conference call to announce that Floyd Mayweather Jr. missed the deadline for exclusive rights to negotiate to fight Manny Pacquiao on November 13.
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By Jason Pribila: In December, I had the opportunity to pen a piece announcing Mike Jones as the 2009 Secondsout.com Prospect of the Year. In the months that passed I developed a sour taste in my mouth as I’ve witnessed two of my favorite fighters (Shane Mosley and Allan Green) show little resistance as they got overwhelmed in high profile fights. As I looked at the boxing landscape for a fighter that could renew my enthusiasm in the Sweet Science, I secured my place ringside for Mike Jones –
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By Jason Pribila: Boxing returned to the main room at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ on Saturday night for the first time since October 2008. On that evening 43 year-old Bernard Hopkins turned back to clock and dominated Kelly Pavlik over 12 one-sided rounds.
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By Jason Pribila at ringside: There is a new middleweight champion of the world, and he is from Buenos Aires, Argentina! Sergio Martinez got off to a fast start and dominated down the stretch to win a unanimous decision over Kelly Pavlik during the main event in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.
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By Jason Pribila at ringside: Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall is hosting the first fight in its main room since October 2008. Top Rank in association with DiBella entertainment put together an 8 bout card featuring prospects, a son of a legend, a Russian Olympian and Philadelphia’s best kept secret.
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By Jason Pribila: Secondsout.com’s 2009 “Prospect of the Year”, Mike “MJ” Jones provides the main support to Kelly Pavlik’s world middleweight title defence against Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City on Saturday night.
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By Jason Pribila: Boxing got off to a slow start in 2010 due in part to injuries, cancellations, and the fear of counter-programming against the Winter Olympics. March was supposed to signal the unofficial start of the season. The month was highlighted by two of the game’s most dominant figures facing off against stiff competition.
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By Jason Pribila: If the World’s #1 heavyweight falls in Dusseldorf, and American fight fans don’t see it, will they care? That is the question that top American heavyweight, “Fast” Eddie Chambers hopes to ask following his encounter with lineal heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday.
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By Jason Pribila: Have the contracts been signed? Check. Has there been an official press conference to announce the fight to the public? Check. Have tickets gone on sale? Check. Does the Promotion have a name? Umm, next question.
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By Jason Pribila: Two weeks before stepping into the ring to defend the WBO welterweight title for the first time, Team Pacquiao hosted a media conference call on Friday. As they tried to focus on the road to Dallas that will lead them to the challenge of Joshua Clottey, they did their best to leave Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the rearview mirror… for now.
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By Jason Pribila: When we last saw welterweight contender Joshua Clottey, he was on the short end of a split decision loss to Miguel Cotto in his bid to win the WBO welterweight title. It was a fight that could have gone either way, but while many felt Clottey deserved the decision, most agreed that his lack of aggression down the stretch cost him the bout and title.
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By Jason Pribila at ringside: Beibut Shumenov challenged Gabriel Campillo in only his ninth professional fight on August 15, 2009. On that night Campillo retained his title on the strength of a controversial majority decision.
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By Jason Pribila: This is the story of a Hall of Fame Promoter who continues to build fighters the old fashioned way; locally, without the benefit of television exposure. While others build their stables by following casino money and making back room deals with television executives, he remains loyal to his vocation and the fighters that believe in him.
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By Jason Pribila: On the eve of Kelly Pavlik’s middleweight title defense against Miguel Espino, ShoBox featured a pair of American fighters that may one day be challenging for that throne.
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By Jason Pribila: WBO junior welterweight boxing world champion Timothy Bradley jumped out to an early lead and then coasted to an easier than expected unanimous decision victory against his old friend Lamont Peterson on Saturday Night at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California. Peterson-Bradley served as the main event of a show presented by Gary Shaw Promotions and was televised on Showtime.
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By Jason Pribila at ringside: Atlantic City fight fans were treated to a four fight undercard prior to HBO going on the air. Goossen Tutor Promotions retained the HBO date after Kelly Pavlik pulled out of a middleweight title defense against Paul Williams. When Williams decided to keep the date, promotional duties belonged to the California based company.
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By Jason Pribila: The story of Manny Pacquiao – Miguel Cotto did not end when the bout was waved off 55 seconds into the final round. The aftermath has created a buzz that has spread well beyond the sport of boxing and has captured the imagination of even casual sports fans.
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