South Tyneside boxers taste success on both sides of Atlantic


FIGHTERS from Boldon Boxing Club have in use both sides of the Atlantic by storm. John Sanderson represent a North East select team who flew out to Chicago for a six-day visit, previous this month, while Paul Gidney was in action in Liverpool last week, to take on a much-fancied local fighter.



Both boxers were winning in their bouts, and Boldon boxing coach Tim Codling was quick to praise his fighters.

He said: "Both lads are thanks to the club, themselves and they did South Tyneside proud."

Sanderson take on Mexican Carlos Sanchez, from the Mexicana Boxing Club, in front of a 2,000-strong crowd.

Having previously won the Fire Fighter Championships, the North East Novice Championships and reaching the National Novice quarter-finals – where he lost a very doubtful bout 21-20 to the eventual absolute winner – he has had a busy season so far.

Sanderson storm to an early lead using his speed to build up the points against the strong bull-like Sanchez.

The second round saw both men standing toe-to-toe, trade punches to body and head.
A big left-hook wedged Sanchez to force a standing count, giving the crowd prosperity to shout about.

The last round saw Sanderson back to his clever boxing to keep his very game adversary on the back foot.

This saw him win a very good contest, and also helped the North East select to claim an 8-5 victory, to cap off a pleasant trip to the USA.

Sanderson’s presentation in the States more than impressed his coach. Codling said: “John has had the opportunity of a lifetime to box in America on such a big stage, in front of so many people, and to perform as he did was outstanding.”

Gidney’s fight saw him travel to Ellesmere Port to take on local favourite Alex Foulkes, of the Wirral Boxing Club.

The fight was an enjoyable bout that both men used as preparation for the senior ABAs, which start in March.

A fast-paced first round saw Gidney’s movement cause problems for Foulkes – as the Boldon man constantly scored with clever combinations then moved out of range, before his opponent could counter-attack.

The second saw Foulkes trying to cut off Gidney’s movement, but to no avail, as quick jabs and uppercuts rained in on the Liverpool man – allowing Gidney to take a comfortable lead into the last round.

The relentless Boldon boxer’s ring craft in the last further frustrated Foulkes, and saw him win by a unanimous point’s decision.

Gidney’s victory on Merseyside further supports his coach’s belief in him. Codling said: "Paul took an intimidating trip to Liverpool as a step towards the ABAs, and put on a great display of boxing."

If he continues in this way, he has nothing to fear, and could go one better than his semi-final appearance in 2009. "Paul always gives it 100 per cent every time he steps into the ring."

Read More

Manny Pacquiao says his fight June 8 could be the last of his career.


Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao is being paid ready to begin training for his June 9 WBO welterweight title fight against unbeatable Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas. Will it be the final fight of his brilliant career?

Pacquiao isn't sure.

"Maybe, but I'm not saying (Bradley) is the last fight," the 33-year-old Filipino fighter and congressman said by phone Monday. "Maybe I can fight one more. I don't know."

One thing seems to be sure, though. Pacquiao, who has always had strong spiritual convictions, is moving away from the sport and closer to the Catholic Church, which recently named him as an ambassador.

Asked about it, Pacquiao said, "That's what they say … and I'm happy for that. I will give motivation and give confidence people to read the Bible."

The Bible has become a much bigger part of Pacquiao's life recently, and he and his wife, Jinkee, are making it a daily habit. "We need to read the Bible because it's a manual for your life," Pacquiao said. "It's how we enter the Kingdom of God."

Pacquiao has even divest himself of his vices, including his vast cock-fighting operation — which at one time consisted of more than 1,000 birds — shut down his restaurant and bar and his ownership in a Manila casino, and pledged to the Catholic Church to give up drinking and womanizing.

"I have a casino and sold it and all my roosters, stopped drinking alcohol and everything that's not good for following the commandments of God," he said.

Pacquiao said in an interview in the Philippines lately that he realized he was weak before, "and if I had died I consider my soul would have ended in hell."

Pacquiao believes boxing does not fit in with his spiritual lifestyle. "Boxing, for me, hitting each other is not good," he said Monday. "So I was thinking I'm not going to stay long in boxing."

Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said Monday he's heard stories about Pacquiao's lifestyle changes and it concerns him.

"I haven't seen Manny yet, but I know he's got a very strong faith in God," said Roach, who has trained Pacquiao for more than a decade. "But I haven't seen him so I haven't seen any changes or anything like that.
"We'll get ready for the fight. If it's not there, it's not there, and I'll probably tell him to retire."

Roach says he believe some of the changes may be a blessing.

"He's had too many distractions, so the things he's getting rid of could be a positive," Roach said. "Hopefully he'll pick some better friends there, too."

If Pacquiao fights again after June 9, he'd like it to be against Floyd Mayweather, the fight the world wants to see, but said it'll be Mayweather's decision.

"It's up to him. I'm ready to fight any time," Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao said he told Mayweather he would be OK with a 50-50 split and any blood tests Mayweather wanted.

"But he wants to give me a certain amount and that's it," said Pacquiao. "No pay-per-view sharing for me. How can you fight if you don't share the pay-per-view?"

Pacquiao said he even offered a 45-45 split, with the other 10% going to the winner, which May weather turned down. The pay-per-view income for that fight could approach $160 million.

Roach said he's 100% convinced Mayweather does not want to fight Pacquiao. "When a guy calls you out and makes a brave statement like that on TV, then says he wants a 70-30 split, he's full of (it)," Roach said.

Read More

Importance of protective gear in sports especially boxing

It is very important to protect your body engaging in sports like boxing and kick-boxing. Sporting goods especially protective gear matter a lot in every sport. Using the right protective equipment matters a lot in these sports. Even while training it is necessary to use protective gears. An injury is the worst nightmare of any sports person. Injury is the cause of halting careers of many sports persons who could have made a big difference in the sport. 

In the sport of boxing or kick-boxing protecting your head is very important. The head plays an important role in protecting the entire physical body. Compromising your fitness just for a few bucks here or there isn't helpful at all. If not immediately this attitude will surely cause a halt to your precious career in the long-run.

Boxing gears

The protective gear should be properly fitting. Sports equipment should not be held on to tightly just for the sake of protection. Playing comfortable and in the true spirit of the game is how a game must be looked at. Our movements should be restricted by the protective gear. Protective gears are used for our support and not escaping from the sport.

A little knowledge is always dangerous. A little knowledge about protection can spell danger. It is important to take the advice from an expert about the kinds of Boxing equipment to use on the d-day. Do not feel embarrassed about the few details and never compromise and settle for something lesser especially in the case of protective gear.

Males need to take care for protecting the groin area. They need to use the right protective equipment. In an event of kick-boxing kicks can end up in a wrong location and be a cause for an injury. It is advised to take the necessary precautions to prevent anything like that to happen.

Shin guards are available to block kicks in the delicate area. In a sport anything is possible. A blow in delicate areas like that can cause serious health damages. Your career may even be jolted and there is a possibility of suffering serious long-term percussion. Kick-boxing is a sport involving loads of kicks. A proper use of a shin guard can avoid loads of pain in that area. Your movements are free without worrying about that sensitive area. Protective gear also boosts your confidence and reflects it in the game. Protective gears play a useful role in improving the self confidence of a person during a match. The players feel more protected and secure. Players feel free to move without worrying that they will leave their exposed. Purchasing online sporting goods is convenient way of getting the best equipment in a affordable price.

In boxing aerobics it is necessary to motivate the amateur players constantly. These players are budding hence they have a constant fear of choosing between the gym and the training ring. Protective gears will encourage and motivate them to start! Hand wraps are a good idea for them especially. It should be considered by professional players too. The risk of breaking your hands and fingers while practicing is minimized using a hand wrap. Though the professional players use boxing gloves the hand wraps offer a tight grip and more importantly a sense of security.

Read More

Making weight key to female boxers' Olympic dreams

After slugging away for years in the unglamorous ranks of amateur women's boxing, Marlen Esparza was thrilled when her sport finally became an Olympic one.


But the invitation to London came with a catch: The petite, 106-pound national champion from Houston would have to gain six pounds to compete against bigger, stronger women if she wanted to qualify.

"It was another mountain to climb," said Esparza, who fights Tuesday night to try to win a spot on the three-member U.S. team. "I already thought it was going to be tough to make it to the Olympics, and now I'm going to have to cross this other obstacle."


The International Olympic Committee's 2009 decision to cram female boxers from 10 traditional weight classes into just three divisions — at 112, 132 and 165 pounds — raised safety concerns and altered the entire structure of a sport that's still chasing worldwide acceptance. Many fighters spent the past two years struggling to put on or take off a few pounds to fit the IOC's guidelines, while others didn't even try.


"For some of them, that's what ended their Olympic dream," said Christy Halbert, a veteran coach and the Chair of USA Boxing's Women's Task Force.

Six pounds might not seem like much, even on Esparza's compact frame, but it's a problem in such a finely calibrated sport. From Floyd Mayweather Jr. to the newest club fighter, boxers of all sizes obsess over the strength and mobility contained in every pound lost or gained.

Read More

Claressa Shields vs. Andrecia Wasson in all-Michigan match at boxing Olympic trials tonight

A day after scoring a stunning upset of top-ranked Franchon Crews, middleweight Claressa Shields of Flint knows she'll be in for a battle in the semifinals of the U.S. Olympic women's boxing trials tonight.


Shields' opponent? Look no further than 2010 women's world welterweight champion Andrecia Wasson of Center Line, whom Shields defeated last fall in Toledo to win the National PAL Championships.

The PAL event was Shields' first open division tournament since becoming age-eligible. At 16, she's the youngest boxer in the Olympic trials this week at the Northern Quest Resort in Airway Heights, Wash.

The event isn't being televised, but bouts can be watched on the Web via live stream on Universal Sports, starting at 10 p.m. Detroit time.

"I know she'll be gunning for me," Shields said by phone this afternoon from Washington. "All I have to do is listen to my coach, and I got her."

Shields and Wasson were big winners in their opening quarterfinal bouts Monday night. Shields defeated Crews, 31-19, while Wasson handed Dara Shen a 34-9 defeat.

Latonya (King) Wingate of Harrison Township lost her first flyweight match to Tyrieshia Douglas (34-11) and dropped into the challengers bracket. Wingate must beat Virgina Fuchs tonight to keep her Olympic hopes alive in the double-elimination tournament.

Mikaela Mayer of Los Angeles -- a former fighter at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan until last summer, when the boxing program was suspended -- defeated Lisa Porter in her quarterfinal bout in the lightweight division. She'll face Seattle native and top-rated Queen Underwood in tonight's semifinals.

Mayer is coached by former longtime USOEC boxing coach Al Mitchell. He said today that he has been training Mayer in Marquette and in China, where he also has been coaching the Chinese men's and women's boxing teams.

"I told her not to think about Queen being No. 1," Mitchell said. "She has to think of her as just another boxer, like a sparring partner."

Jason Crutchfield, who coaches Shields at the Bertson gym in Flint, said his boxer beat Crews -- a four-time U.S. champion -- in their opening bout in part because Shields was the aggressor. "We caught her by surprise," Crutchfield said.

Sergio Garcia, who trains Wasson at the Warriors Boxing Club in Detroit, said he and his fighter have a plan for how to beat Shields. He also has a prediction.
"The winner of this fight tonight is going to be the champion," he said. "They are the top two fighters in the whole tournament."

The U.S. Olympic women's boxing trials are the sole domestic qualifier for the London Games, which will feature the Olympic debut of boxing for women in three weight classes: flyweight (112 pounds), lightweight (132) and middleweight (165).

But the road to London won't get any easier. The trials champions in each of the three weight divisions will move on to the world championships this spring in China, where they will need to place in the top eight to earn berths in the 2012 Olympics.

Read More

London 2012: Olympic sport this week


MAJOR EVENTS THIS WEEK

ATHLETICS - Aviva Indoor UK Trials and Championships, EIS Sheffield (11-12 Feb); as well as national titles, assortment for next month's IAAF World Indoor Championships is at stake in Sheffield. Local favorite Jessica Ennis - who will be defensive her pentathlon title at those World Indoor Championships - is taking part in the shot put, high jump, long jump and 60m hurdles this weekend.

BOXING - Bocskai Memorial Tournament, Debrecen, Hungary (7-12 Feb); Team GB boxers Tom Stalker (60kg), Fred Evans (69kg) and Anthony Joshua (91+kg) compete in this elite international competition.

CYCLING - Tour of Qatar (5-10 Feb); Mark Cavendish makes his first exterior of 2012 in this six-stage event in Doha. The world champion, a winner of two stages at the event in 2009, is making his debut for Team Sky.
Read More

Veteran boxing official Wayne Kelly dies of heart attack.

Wayne Kelly, a boxing referee who officiate several distinguished bouts, has died. He was 63.


The International Boxing confederation said Kelly died Wednesday from a heart attack.

Kelly's career spanned more than two decades. He was remembered best for officiate the first fight between Riddick Bowe and Andrew Golota. He also officiate several IBF/USBA title fights including Wladimir Klitschko vs. Sultan Ibrigamov and Arturo Gatti vs. Wilson Rodriguez.

Kelly was a Vietnam War Veteran. In lieu of flowers, the Kelly family is suggesting a contribution be made in his memory to the Vietnam Veterans of America.

Read More
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)