Boxing
Lamont Roach Sr. is proud of his son for winning the championship after setbacks and family losses
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaLamont Roach Sr. admits the only loss of his son’s career made Lamont Roach Jr. a better warrior.
In 2019 in Fresno, Roach Jr. he lost a close decision to Jamel Herring. The Roach family disputes the loss and – one of the victims – felt many had written them off for the first loss of Roach Jr.’s career.
“It’s tough. If you’re not prepared for it, it can be frosty outside,” Roach Sr. said.
“When you accept failure, it’s a lesson. People are writing you off, just a day before this fight Lamont was considered one of the best. Even after that fight, we were still ranked among the top 25 players under 25 by ESPN. We were 14 years elderly, but I still think people tried to write us off, so I’m glad we proved them wrong and gave hope to others in our situation – that it can be done. It is not the end. We just kept pushing. We kept going and believing. We believed we were one of the best in the world, we had a defeat, we were youthful and we still thought we should have won that fight, but it made him a better fighter.
The father and son duo feel that fate is against them in their fight against the herring, although Jr. he has won five since then.
“You come into the game having been side A your entire career, then you’re on side B, the deck is against you, another promoter’s card… It was around Veterans Day [Herring was a former marine]. There was a lot going on that evening…”
Regardless, Roach is the WBA super featherweight champion and made his first defense of his title on Friday (June 27) against undefeated Up-to-date York Irishman Feargal McCrory at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, DC.
Roach Sr. hopes this will be a modern beginning for boxing in Washington, where his son is already popular and has always wanted to gain fans.
“I hope so,” said the senior, who promotes the show with ProBox TV, which will broadcast the fight on Friday night. “He always wanted to give back to his fans, his fan base here where he started. He loved fighting here since he was a kid and loved the support during his debut here in DC. It was electric here. Definitely wants huge fights here at home but most promoters don’t want to come here for their own reasons but hopefully we can do a series of shows and get other champions locally, get more champions from our area and apply some really critical cards in the future .
Roach is currently 24-1-1 (9 KOs) and it has been an emotional journey. He was trained by his cousin Bernard Roach, but Bernard died while they were in training camp for the 2017 fight. Roach Sr., already a busy member of the camp, took the reins through what was a challenging period.
“I worked with him in the gym every day, I traveled with him, both professionally and amateurly,” the senior said. “This [the training set-up] he changed because he meant so much to the program, to my son, because we are family first and that impact he had on himself as a man was just a huge loss. It was definitely a change, but it was a polished transition.
“My son is definitely thinking about him. He dedicates every fight to my cousin, he believes that he is still with us in spirit, but it is definitely motivation. He has his name tattooed on the back of his neck. Over the years, we have always turned to him for advice and guidance. We still take him with us and that’s what drives him. That’s still his motivation.”
And despite the tragic defeat, Jr. he took the fight and won a 10-round decision over Rey Perez.
“We were scheduled to fight. It was hard,” the senior said. “But it speaks to the mental state that Lamont had, dealing with it, being able to perform because it was such a loss. It hurt him really bad, but he knew Coach Roach would want him to keep fighting because that’s what we trained for, and he knew Coach Roach would want him to fight. He dedicated this fight to him.”
And then, in November 2023, Jr. he fulfilled his dreams by defeating Garcia for the title. There was, of course, an added significance to losing his first world title fight, from losing his family and teammate to being at the top of the sport.
“It meant the world. The world championship meant the world to us,” said the senior. “We proved it to ourselves because we knew. We had no doubt that we would win this fight. Many people questioned us, but we knew we would win. We made a bet that we would get ahead of the team, go in as a free agent and not sign anyone at that time, and that’s what happened. It was a great feeling. I can’t describe this feeling. I still get chills to this day. I’m so proud of him.”
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
17 hours agoon
November 23, 2024In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
1 day agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
3 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
‘MIKE TYSON WON’T FIGHT EVER AGAIN!’ – Gareth A Davies
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