Boxing
“Terence Crawford may be the most scientifically prepared boxer in the history of the sport”
Published
4 months agoon
LOS ANGELES – What is known and seen about Terence Crawford as a boxer is spectacular.
One of only two lively dual undisputed world champions. The ability to throw punches and powerful two-handed strikes. Forty fights, 40 wins, 31 knockouts. And a hell of a mean streak that fuels his desire to finish off wounded opponents.
Now in his 35s, the 36-year-old Crawford has made it his mission to keep his fitness levels up to par, working with fitness and supplementation expert Victor Conte for his last three fights to take his preparation to the next level.
As Crawford now moves up a weight class ahead of Saturday’s World Boxing Association junior middleweight title fight against modern champion Israil Madrimov of Uzbekistan at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles (DAZN, PPV.com), his physical condition and conditioning are key elements he will rely on as he attempts to extend his legacy.
From what Conte says, the results are excellent.
“Since I’ve been working with Terence – and this is the third fight – based on the data and the blood work we’ve collected, this is the best shape we’ve ever seen him in,” Conte said. “I would classify it as superhuman.”
Maintaining his connection with Conte, Crawford trains in the rarefied altitudes of Colorado Springs, Colo., at 6,700 feet above sea level. The impact of that training is evident in the excellent conditioning Crawford has long displayed, defeating champions including Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, Kell Brook and others.
Crawford set up camp in Colorado Springs on July 25, leaving for his hometown in Nebraska before arriving in Los Angeles earlier this week.
Returning to sea level changes an athlete’s body, Conte says, making some of their fitness readings “loud and misleading.” So this week, scientists worked to bring water levels back up to those seen in Colorado.
“You hit the rebound and your (numbers and efficiency) go back up to 8, 9, 10, 11… all the benefits of his training in Colorado Springs to get to the peak (of efficiency). Everything was planned perfectly,” Conte said. “He will get the maximum benefit.”
Conte said that during Crawford’s time in Los Angeles, Crawford was fitted with something called an “oxygen mask” that allows him to achieve what Conte calls super-oxygenation.
It would be best if Conte explained the scientific process.
“So you’re breathing 20.9 percent oxygen when you breathe at sea level. Terence is breathing, through an open mask, 68 percent oxygen,” Conte said. “What happens is that your red blood cells have hemoglobin, which is like the seats on a bus. You fill them up, and that transports nutrients and oxygen to your muscle tissue. Your blood is 55 percent plasma or liquid and 45 percent red blood cells. So when you fill all the seats with oxygen from the red blood cells, it spills over into some of the plasma and some of the liquid – that’s called super-oxygenation.”
“So if you ask, ‘Where are you going to take him to get him higher than sea level to recover?’ Well, you’re going to do that with equipment.”
Conte has worked challenging to resurrect his career after federal law enforcement raided his infamous Bay Area steroid-producing facility, BALCO, 21 years ago, where athletes including Olympic sprinters Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery, boxing champion Shane Mosley, baseball king Barry Bonds and others were among its clients.
After serving four months in a low-security federal prison, Conte began a modern chapter in his life by launching a modern line of legal fitness, sleep and recovery supplements under the banner of his modern, wildly successful company, SNAC, which has ties to several former, current and recent boxing champions, including Devin Haney, Demetrius Andrade and Claressa Shields.
With superoxygenation, Conte says Crawford “has the most powerful concentrated oxygen package possible in his (hotel) room.” The “oxygen mask” is equipped with a diffuser, Conte explains, that takes the richer oxygen and “injects it into his nostril and mouth. You take in 68 percent of the oxygen and you exhale waste products—lactic acid, ammonia, carbon dioxide. We flush those waste products out of his system.”
At Thursday’s press conference, Crawford spoke about his excellent physical condition.
“I feel like I’m going to be stronger. I’m going to be full of energy. I won’t have to lose another seven pounds, so there’s less stress on my body,” Crawford said. “I’m ready. I’m going to feel great. Right now, I feel good.”
The surprising effects of Crawford’s preparation were observed in blood tests and lively marker sensors on Crawford, which measured his heart rate, blood flow rate, respiratory rate, hydration, and blood oxygen saturation.
Crawford’s heart rate is one-third slower than the average person, and his resting respiratory rate is extremely impressive.
“I like how tranquil he is, I’ve never seen him so relaxed,” Conte said. “When he comes back between rounds, his heart rate drops very quickly. Every time he comes out, he’s fresh. He’s a very scientifically prepared boxer.
“The key is training and recovery, and you have to make sure you have the right amount of time to recover. It all comes from those metrics… we’re putting science into it. It’s not old-school boxing.”
Conte assured that Crawford’s weight cut ahead of Friday morning’s weigh-ins will be uncomplicated.
“It’s like a perfect landing of a 747 … the easiest cut it’s ever made. That’s what science does … we’ll land perfectly on that scale,” Conte said.
“Terence is probably the most scientifically prepared boxer in the history of the sport.”
His experience will be imperative if Crawford finishes his preparations with an impressive win over Madrimov, which would augment the likelihood of a later clash with undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
Conte claims Crawford can reach 168 pounds in three months.
“They would need three months to promote the fight, so there’s plenty of time for that,” Conte said. “He’s got a team of very bright people around him, increasing the calories and all that…
“… You can develop fast-twitch type 2B muscle fibers. That’s where explosive power and speed come from, not from running tempo. That’s interval training and weightlifting.”
First up is Madrimov.
“That’s his (Canelo) plan, but now that’s the whole push,” Conte said. “You don’t talk about Step B until you beat Step A.
“Trust me, Terence is the boss. He gives me the freedom to do things. He’s a very bright guy who understands how things work and is fully committed. It was great to work with him because he listens, he understands, he’s clever.”
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Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
2 hours 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.
Boxing
Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory
Published
19 hours agoon
November 21, 2024Lauren Price MBE will defend her world title for the first time on Saturday, December 14 at the Exhibition Center in Liverpool, while the Welsh champion plans to stage an all-British unification clash with welterweight rival Natasha Jonas, which will headline the Collision Course that night.
Price defends her WBA welterweight title against undefeated Colombian challenger Bexcy Mateus on the same night as Jonas attempts to unify the IBF and WBC titles with Ivana Habazin as part of BOXXER’s ‘Collision Course’ fight night, which can be seen live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK UK and Ireland and Peacock in the US.
Price MBE (7-0, 1 KO) made history with an excellent performance, defeating former undisputed welterweight world ruler Jessica McCaskill in front of her fans in Cardiff in May.
Price, the first Welsh boxer to win Olympic gold, once again entered the record books by becoming the country’s first world champion in just her seventh professional fight. The 30-year-old from Ystrad Mynach, who has yet to lose a round as a professional, will now defend her world titles for the first time as she focuses on dominating the welterweight division.
Mateus (7-0, 6 KO), ranked No. 5 in the WBA rankings, is undefeated in the professional ranks and has won all but one of her seven fights by knockout. The 29-year-old from Bogota, fighting outside her native Colombia for the first time, will now have her first chance at global fame, with her goal to dethrone Price and take the top spot in the welterweight division.
Lauren Price said: “I’m excited to defend my belts and complete what has been an crucial year for me. I have full respect for Mateusz. I will prove that I am the best in the division and I will not let anything or anyone stand in my way of being undisputed.”
BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “It’s a massive night for the women’s welterweight division with three world champions competing. Natasha Jonas returns to her hometown for a mandatory unification fight against Ivana Habazin, and Lauren Price defends her world titles against undefeated challenger Bexcy Mateus. The fight for the undisputed continues. If Natasha and Lauren win on December 14, it will set the stage for a massive “Battle Of Britain” world title unification fight next year.
There’s reason to celebrate as BOXXER delivers a Christmas cracker to end the year. In addition to the world championship fights between Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price, fight fans can expect a gala full of drama and entertainment.
Undefeated Irishman Stephen McKenna (15-0, 14 KO) will face English champion Lee Cutler (14-1, 7 KO) in an invigorating super welterweight fight for the silver WBC International title.
McKenna impressed fans in his three-round fight against Joe Laws last August at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley. The two struck out in the first round, then McKenna began to apply the pressure, losing Laws three more times and maintaining his undefeated record after a third-round stoppage.
English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley (11-0, 6 KO) returns to action from a rib injury that has kept him out of the ring since a career-best victory over Mikael Lawal in March. Riley will be looking to shake off the ring rust as he takes on high-profile opponents in the recent year.
Undefeated Chorley super middleweight Mark Jeffers (18-0, 5 KO) scored an explosive fifth-round knockout victory over Darren Johnston in May and will be looking to bring more drama to Liverpool’s Exhibition Center as he goes in search of his 19th professional win.
Mason Cartwright (20-4-1, 8 KO) from Cheshire, a former two-time British title challenger from Ellesmere Port, will be counting on local support as he returns to the title track.
After signing a promotional contract with BOXXER, local star Frankie Stringer (8-0, 1 KO) can achieve his third victory in 2024, when he returns in front of his fans in Liverpool. The 23-year-old lightweight fighter is a player of the notable city team Rotunda ABC, and his manager is former world champion Liam Smith.
Boxing
Heavyweight who knocked out Lewis to break Tyson’s record days after the feat
Published
2 days agoon
November 19, 2024Mike Tyson will miss his final record-breaking days after becoming the oldest former heavyweight champion to walk through the ring.
“The Baddest Man on the Planet” reached an all-time high in Texas on Friday night, returning from a two-decade absence. However, Tyson gave the achievement five days later to former Lennox Lewis conqueror Oliver McCall.
On Tuesday night at The Troubadour in Nashville, Tennessee, the former WBC heavyweight champion returns to action and will face veteran Stacy Frazier in a fight scheduled for four rounds. At age 59, McCall will set the record for a sanctioned fight, beating Tyson by fourteen months.
McCall was born in April 1965, and Tyson’s mother gave birth to him in June 1966. “The Atomic Bull” hopes to score his 60th career victory tonight. He enters the fight with a record of 59-14, including 38 knockouts.
The Chicago native believes his continued activity over the last 19 years will be what separates his performance on Tuesday night from what Tyson looked like on Friday.
“I’m ready. I’ve been training here in Nashville for a few weeks now, but I’m always in shape,” McCall said. “It will be a completely different match than what the fans saw on Friday.
“I think being lively has a lot to do with it. I haven’t fought in five years because of the pandemic and a few things that didn’t work out.
“If you look at my record, since 2005 I have fought 25 times, of which I have won 19-6 times against quality fighters and won various regional titles.
McCall fights without financial motivation. He sees his fighting days approaching and is already planning his post-retirement plans.
“I want to do this for another year. This means I will be 40 years into my career as a professional boxer. Then I want to train and become a manager. I want to return the favor and assist the next generation of players try to become world champions.
“I came here to Nashville and contacted the manager who took me to the title [Country Box] promoter Jimmy Adams. I’m learning a lot about this aspect of the sport. I love the players here and everything that happens with Country Box.”
The Country Box 25 gala will also feature eight-round fights between super bantamweight Elon DeJesus (8-1-2, 7 KO) and Dominique Griffin (5-7-2, 2 KO), as well as super middleweight fighters. Sean Hemphill (16-2, 10 KO) fights Bryant McClain (6-5-2, 1 KO).
Airy heavyweight Isaac Carbonell (8-0, 5 KO) will face Antonio Louis Hernandez (7-19-4, 4 KO) in six-round fights; Joel Mutombo (6-0, 4 KO) vs. Kevin Torian (3-2, 3 KO) in a cruiserweight fight.
In a four-round fight, Ryan Zempoaltecatl (2-0, 1 KO) will face Raymond Chacon (10-64-1, 2 KO).
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