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Alvarez and De La Hoya exchange insults during a tense pre-fight press conference

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Canelo Munguia press conference. Photo credit: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing champion

Oscar De La Hoya went overboard on his promise of verbal fireworks.

Tension was expected between the president of Golden Boy Promotions and his former major client, Ring, and undisputed 168-pound king Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. The two shared the stage for the first time since 2019, a year before their bitter promotional split for 2020. De La Hoya was on hand to support Tijuana’s Jaime Munguia, whom he co-promotes with Zanfer Boxing. Munguia will face Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 knockouts) this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

During Thursday’s pre-fight press conference, there was a near-fight, although not between the champion and the challenger. Instead, it was De La Hoya who verbally chose violence after reacting to Alvarez’s insults throughout the promotion of the event.

“My only goal with this promotion is to promote Jaime,” De La Hoya said while standing at the podium. “An undefeated and incredible talent who deserves this stage and attention at this stage of his career. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t respond to the man I was promoting. He doesn’t seem to remember who helped him become a real world star.

“To be clear, I have nothing but respect for Canelo Alvarez as a fighter. His achievements and skills speak for themselves. But for the last two months he has been insulting me rather than promoting this fight… Golden Boy was built by Canelo Alvarez, period. The company you fought for [a decade] he has always had one name and it is mine. So give it some fucking respect.

Alvarez from Guadalajara had a lot to say in return. De La Hoya didn’t flinch, remaining a fighter forever, even more than 15 years after his last professional fight. The two were immediately separated by TGB Promotions boss Tom Brown and event host Miguel Flores.

Moments later, Alvarez returned the favor, speaking entirely in Spanish before turning to his former promoter. The four-division champion and reigning 168-pound king even interrupted translator Martin Bater to explain his ongoing dislike for De La Hoya.

“He tried to steal money. He’s a fucking asshole. That’s what I said,” Alvarez emphasized in English. “He’s a fucking asshole. He tried to focus on himself and not on Munguia. He’s a fucking asshole. He steals (from) his warriors. That’s what he does. Fucking pussy, motherfucker.

The juicier stuff was left in his native language.

“For this asshole I have on my left,” Alvarez said, extending his hand beyond Munguia to point at De La Hoya. “Let’s not forget that I already came to the United States as ‘Canelo’. He only made money off my name. He never lost a penny. Did you finally pay (Gennady) Golovkin for what you tried to steal from him? If I hadn’t brought my lawyers, you would have robbed me too. All this man does in boxing is scam people.

“To all the boxers who are with him, I am asking for assist from lawyers because he is definitely robbing you.”

The complaint was countered.

– Do you know who your dad is? De La Hoya asked, interrupting Alvarez.

This only fanned the flames.

“The only reason he came here was to distract Munguia,” Alvarez insisted. “He didn’t come here to promote it. She robs him like she steals kitchen utensils. They don’t know whether to exploit them as kitchen utensils or vibrators anymore because he likes to put them inside him.”

Munguia (43-0, 34 KO) was smiling throughout the exchange. He and Alvarez have great respect for each other and have never said a bad word about each other. A pair of top-level Mexican fighters predicted a knockout, but saved their energy for the ring.

Their scheduled twelve-round fight is headlined by a PBC on Prime Pay-Per-View/PPV.com event (Saturday, $89.95 + tax).

These are some novel features combined with a bit of history. This is the first meeting of two Mexicans in the undisputed championship this century.

Alvarez has not fought his compatriot since defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in May 2017. This is his first title defense against the Mexican since September 2012, when he defeated Josesito Lopez in five rounds.

Munguia hasn’t fought in Las Vegas since September 2018. This came after Alvarez scored points over then-undefeated Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in a rematch at T-Mobile. Their second act was scheduled to take place earlier in May. The date was removed when Alvarez tested positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol. The incident resulted in a six-month suspension issued by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

There was a brief attempt to save the series when Golden Boy offered the then 21-year-old Munguia as a replacement to fight Golovkin. The idea was rejected by the Nevada commission, which deemed Munguia too green at the time. Golovkin was the undefeated unified middleweight champion and one of the best fighters in the discipline.

Munguia won and defended the WBO 154-pound title, becoming a top contender at 160 and 168 pounds.

Recalling this history ultimately led Alvarez to join De La Hoya.

“Jaime… always had the courage to be great,” De La Hoya noted. “It comes full circle for him. Remember when Jaime was 21 years ancient? He volunteered to step in against Triple G [when] Canelo failed two drug tests. In 2018, Jaime was not allowed to fulfill his dream.

“On Saturday night he will fulfill his dream and become world champion.”

Alvarez will attempt to defend The Ring Championship for the seventh time and win at least two Alphabet belts. He earned top honors in the division following a victory over Callum Smith in December 2020 in San Antonio, Texas. The fight was his first after he and Golden Boy cut ties following a months-long legal battle.

Their relationship soured before Alvarez’s November 2019 knockout victory over Sergei Kovalev to capture the WBO airy heavyweight title. Golden Boy and DAZN entered into an agreement in 2018 that began with Alvarez’s third-round knockout of Rocky Fielding in December 2018.

Alvarez learned – or at least claimed – that there were discrepancies in the record-breaking contract he signed with DAZN. The two sides finally reached an agreement in November 2020, shortly before Alvarez’s victory over Smith.

Saturday will be his first fight with boxer Golden Boy since their acrimonious split. He plans to exploit Munguia to vent his frustrations in the ring. It must be admitted that he had been waiting for this moment to direct his anger at the designated target.

“He insulted me,” Alvarez told reporters after the news conference. “If he came closer to me, I would fuck him [up]. He’s a fucking asshole, he tried to steal money from the players. I don’t know about other fighters, but I know he tried to steal money from me and Golovkin. He’s an asshole.

“I will be very elated on (Saturday) night. You will see.

Follow @JakeNDaBox

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“Mike Tyson knocking out Jake Paul is an ‘all-time backfire’

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Mike Tyson scuffles with Jake Paul

Mike Tyson may not win at all even if he knocks out Jake Paul on Friday.

Tyson is approaching a comeback fight that many believe will not end with anyone winning.

Tyson was told that winning at the age of 58 in boxing was an empty joke. Tyson can’t really win either way if he crushes Paul or gets knocked out himself.

The former UFC star turned analyst weighed in on the Tyson debate as Daniel Cormier offered his views on the controversial fight.

Tyson will wear his professional gloves on November 15, nineteen years and more since his last appearance. Despite “Iron” Mike losing his previous two contests by knockout, YouTuber Paul sees Tyson as a cash opportunity to gain some recognition.

However, Cormier joins many voices who believe that both men have no chance of winning this fight. The only advantage of the entire Netflix event is money, which is no reason to create such an antagonist, since both men are already millionaires.

On his “Funky and the Champ” show, Cormier discussed Tyson’s smokescreen training videos, saying, “I understand that [he looks good at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels great].

“I agree when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro. It looks like there’s still something left there. But then I see Jake Paul fighting 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 operate the backup tank to stay and compete with this juvenile kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.

“What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over,” Cormier added. “Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like this has ever happened in the history of sports.”

Paul has eight two-minute rounds to get the job done, while the consensus is that Tyson only has 30 seconds before he’s blowing tough and having difficulty keeping up.

The only comparison fight fans have made to the Paul vs. Tyson fight is when Evander Holyfield returned to action at the same age as Tyson in 2021. Facing Vitor Belfort, who was twenty years older than Paul at the time, Holyfield lasted only 109 seconds.

Mike is in deep crisis and must get out of the fight or destroy his opponent to gain any recognition. Senior Tyson would have beaten that opponent in a matter of seconds. Therefore, he must prove that money is not the only thing that counts.

In a recent workout, Tyson’s muscle mass remains off the charts for a man his age. The only problems will be its resistance to attacks and movement. If Mike can’t move around the ring, he’ll be chosen at his discretion by a guy three decades younger, with a much more significant engine.

Paul clearly doesn’t have skills comparable to Tyson. However, Mike has shown on numerous occasions, even in his thirties, that he is prone to impoverished performances and falling out of the game.

An audience of millions will watch to decide his ultimate legacy.

If Paul knocks Tyson out, it will be a disaster.

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Ardreal Holmes Jr. is the leader of Large Time Boxing on December 12 in Flint, Michigan

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Ardeal Holmes Dec 12

Salita Promotions returns to Flint, Michigan on Thursday, December 12 with another edition of BIG TIME BOXING USA, the leading talent development series in the sport, featuring a fight card packed with some of boxing’s top prospects, including Michigan Jr.’s Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes. , Joey Spencer, Da’Velle “Hitman 2.0” Smith and Leon Lawson III.

This will be the sixth BIG TIME BOXING USA card since the series premiered in February, and it is without a doubt the series’ strongest lineup yet, from top to bottom. All the action takes place at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, and the top four fights are broadcast live on DAZN, the undisputed home of boxing worldwide. Tickets for the event go on sale Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST and can be purchased online HERE or in person at the Dort Financial Center box office.

After successfully defending his USBA junior middleweight title in September, Flint native Holmes (16-0, 6 KO) returns to his hometown to once again put his title on the line in the main event against an experienced challenger, French veteran Ahmed El Mousaoui ( 35-6-1, 9 KOs).

Fan favorite Spencer (18-1, 11 KO), from nearby Fenton, Michigan, will fight in a 10-round 160-pound fight. Spencer has bounced back with two wins since his lone loss to undefeated, highly-rated Jesus Ramos in March 2023.

Spencer will fight as a professional for the second time in his home state of Michigan. “Fighting in front of fans and friends from all over the state was the best experience,” Spencer said. “I grew up fighting alongside Ardreal Holmes and Leon Lawson – training and traveling to tournaments together and even sparring with each other as we grew into the same weight class.

“Large Time Boxing is a very cold series and Dmitriy Salita does a lot for boxing in Michigan. I can’t wait for December 12th and I’ll be ready to put on a show.

“My team and I are proud to announce the strongest BIG TIME BOXING USA fight card to date,” Salita said. “Since the series launched in February, we have been building and evolving it to become the premier talent development platform for newborn fighters, and this fight card is the best yet. Thank you to DAZN for providing a global platform for these fighters to shine and earn a shot at a world title. We would also like to thank Flint fans for supporting their hometown heroes and the entire sport of boxing. We had a great performance at the Dort Financial Center in September and this fight card is even more packed with incredible talent.”

Smith, touted as Detroit’s best undefeated middleweight prospect since Tommy Hearns, scored an impressive victory over Gilberto Pereira dos Santos last month in Puerto Rico. Smith has a record of 10-0 and 8 knockouts, and his momentum will be even greater when he returns to the ring against William Townsel (8-1, 6 KO) from Virginia Beach. This matchup represents the first major test for Smith, who is considered the second coming of the legendary Hearns due to his combination of speed, power and physique. Townsel previously upset Nadim Salloum, who had a 12-1 record heading into the fight, during the March edition of BIG TIME BOXING USA.

Flint native Lawson (16-1, 9 KO), cousin of Anthony and Andre Dirrell, returns after an impressive performance in September when he dominated Argentine Luis Alberto Veron and scored his second straight TKO. Lawson’s super welterweight opponent will not be announced. Additionally, former world title contender Byron Rojas (28-4-3, 11 KO) will fight on the fight card.

Rising star Samantha Worthington (9-0, 7 KO) of Lexington, Kentucky, will compete for the third time in 2024, defending her undefeated record in women’s super lightweight fighting. Worthington is ranked No. 2 by the IBF, No. 4 by the WBO and No. 6 by the WBC and WBA at 140 pounds. Worthington is promoted by “GWOAT,” unified women’s world champion and Flint native Claressa Shields and T-Rex Promotions. Shields and Worthington were members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team.

Shields added that Worthington is a player that Flint fans won’t want to miss. “Samantha will showcase the relentless work ethic and tremendous skill that first caught my eye and has seen her rise through the ranks,” Shields said. “Samantha is well on her way to challenging the top competitors in the sport, with future world title fights against the likes of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano well within her reach. Michigan fans, get ready to watch a rising women’s boxing star in your own backyard.

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Deontay Wilder returns, inspired by the work of Sylvester Stallone

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Deontay Wilder quote Sylvester Stallone

Deontay Wilder revealed his intentions to fight again in an address to his supporters, inspired by a quote from Rocky star Sylvester Stallone.

The “Brown Bomber” tries to leave behind two devastating defeats and the decline of personal relationships, starting a comeback with a novel attitude. Wilder has sought professional support for his mentality and intends to return to the ring to give himself one last chance.

In a video post on Instagram, Wilder said: “Listen, everyone is going to have an opinion about you, but those opinions don’t matter. Life will hit you and knock you down. It’s a mindset to keep moving forward.

“I experienced failures long before boxing. I faced challenges long before I stepped into the ring. I was punched and knocked down long before I even put on boxing gloves. I’m still here because my attitude is to get up and keep going…

“So over the last few months I have been building the protocol with mentality [strength]. I always say that we all have greatness within us, but greatness is only defined in service, so I wake up every day trying to serve. To teach other men how to move forward and support other men improve their mindset because mental health is my primary mission.

“The next critical mission is to get in the ring and do what I was supposed to do,” Wilder added.

Responding to those who believe his career is over, Wilder stated: “If any of you have negative opinions, look at your mindset and step back from that negative bull****. How about this?

“To all my fans and supporters and those who have never left me, I love you all very much and thank you very much. Because no matter how many losses and how many challenges, no matter how many times life hits you and knocks you down, you better get up and keep going. That is the power of thinking.”

Wilder was inspired by Rocky’s original quote from the movie “Rocky Balboa.”

Stallone’s quote reads: “Let me tell you something you already know. The world is not all sunshine and rainbows. This is a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are. It will bring you to your knees and keep you there forever if you let it.

“You, me or no one will hit as tough as life. But it’s not about how tough you hit. It’s about how tough you can get hit and keep going.

“As much as you can take and keep going. That’s how you win!”

Whether Deontay Wilder can win again will depend on his choice of opponent.

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