Louie Burke's New Mexico Boxing Updates

Abie Han and Tim Meek in big fights this week!

By Louie Burke

It’s official, El Paso’s Abie Han will be fighting in Dallas, Tx on May 6 against Jose Gonzalez. Gonzalez is a tough cookie that went toe to toe with Joaquin Zamora in a see-saw battle that saw Zamora, get up off the deck to win a tough decision over Gonzalez. Gonzalez also has two amateur wins over Abie, stopping Abie both times.

But I feel Abie is a much better fighter and has improved greatly over the last 3 years. This is a great test for Abie, who is in superb condition and ready to go the scheduled 8 rounds if need be. Abie has been getting some good ring work with Tim Meek, who’s representing NM and Colorado in the National Golden Gloves, Austin Trout and Charley "A-Bomb" Alverenga. Abie should be finishing up his sparring tomorrow, and winding down for his fight next Thursday.

Also, Tim Meek, has improved tremendously and looks ready to bring home a national Golden Glove Title back to New Mexico and El Paso. He’ll be facing some of the stiffest competition in the nation at 165. Luis Arias, who has been #1 in that weight division for at least a couple of years now is one of the potential boxers Tim could be going up against. At this point, we’re confident that Tim can handle what’s put in front of him. Good Luck in Arkansas!

We’re still waiting for Ishida to sign to fight Austin. We’ve waited 5 months and haven’t heard anything! In the mean time we’ve had to turn down some good ops, so Austin doesn’t lose his #1 mandatory spot. What BS! Austin did go to Youngstown, Ohio to prepare Kelly Pavlik for his last fight, in which he lost his title, at least this kept Austin active and sharp.

Thanks for all the your support!

Legendary Fights"Hagler vs Hearns"

Speaking of great fights (I'm hopeful) here's one from the 1980's. Two guys you might have heard of; Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns. This is what boxing is all about and it doesn't get any better than this. I know at least one of the fighters fighting this weekend has the potential to make a great fight happen maybe the other one will surprise us. I don't even have to name names. Tell me which fighters popped in to your head when you read this. Yeah, I know.

The "Fight" took place on April 15th, 1985 and it still sets the bar for exciting none stop action. Enjoy it and remember.

HBO Boxing: Mayweather vs. Mosley - Fight Preview

Sugar Shane Mosley vs Floyd "Money" Mayweather

Photo Courtesy of HBO Boxing

Mayweather vs Mosley Poster
Originally uploaded by randyman

By Randy De La O

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been pretty vocal and critical about Shane Mosley’s comment ”It’s not about the money”. I look at it this way, when Mosley and Mayweather are in the trenches late in the fight and have to reach down deep inside to find the right stuff to keep going, one fighter may say “The hell with it, I got my money” and the other fighter will just keep reaching. One man is fighting for money the other for his place in boxing history, his legacy. There is no such thing as a sure thing but all things being equal I would bank on the pure fighter with a big heart. In this case that would be Mosley.

I think Mayweather will be in for a shock on Saturday. He’s banking on Mosley’s age being a factor. In fact he’s counting on it or he wouldn‘t have taken the fight. Mosley, who could have been a champ in any era, still has a couple of great fights left in him. When it comes to speed, Mosley is right there with Mayweather. The same with boxing ability. When it comes to power Mosley has a big edge. However, the difference between the two is not what you can see on the outside, it’s what’s inside of them that will separate the two when they step into the ring at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this weekend.

To be fair, Mayweather has a lot of talent and has beaten some pretty good guys. He stopped the late Diego Corrales in ten after knocking him down five times. He beat Jose Luis Castillo twice, though most fans and expert alike thought Castillo should have been given the nod in the first fight. He beat him convincingly in the second fight. He stopped crafty Genaro Hernandez in eight rounds, and Arturo Gotti in six. He has wins over Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya and Juan Manuel Marquez. Hatton was stopped in the second round. Mayweather has yet to lose a fight. Still, unless your name is Rocky Marciano, there comes a time in every fighter’s career when he is ripe for a loss. I think this is the time. When Mayweather steps into the ring at the Grand he will be facing his Waterloo.

Mosley is not undefeated, he has lost to both the late Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright, twice by decision to each fighter in very hard fights but the fact that he fought a rematch with both says a lot about what Mosley has inside. He also lost to Miguel Cotto in a grueling fight in 2007. However he beat the man that beat Cotto, Antonio Margarito, in devastating fashion to win the WBA Super Welterweight title, as well as a spot in the pound for pound rankings. Because he has lost, he knows what it feels like and won’t let it happen again. Sometimes a man, a fighter, has something to prove. Not just to the world but to himself. It’s not about the money.

It’s no secret to anyone that knows me that Mosley is my kind of fighter. He’s a throwback fighter with a huge heart and would have fit in nicely in boxing’s last great era, the 1980’s, or any of boxing’s great eras where even contenders were great. Mosley is a West Coast fighter and will always get my support. My hope for Saturday night is that Mosley reaches back in time and stops Mayweather in the late rounds. Then it’s Mosley vs. Manny Pacquiao.

All that being said, let the best man win. That’s what boxing is all about.


Sugar Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather Jr. will fight Saturday night, May 1st, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The fight will be shown on HBO PPV.


Sugar Shane Mosley's career record.

Floyd "Money" Mayweather's career Record

Louie Burke: Updates From Baku, Azerbaijan. Friday, 23,

By Louie Burke

It’s been an exhausting night of boxing, 5 bouts, 5 rounds each, 5 minutes between bouts and I’m beat. Unfortunately for the team I helped coach, we only won one of the five bouts. Everton Lopes, from Brazil, beat Koba Pkhakadze from Georgia.

Siju fought a valiant fight, I had him winning the first round, as he kept his French foe at bay, but the bigger Ludovic Groguhe, closed the distance in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, which were close rounds. The fourth round I thought was Sijus best round, he kept Groguhe at a distance and when he did come in, Siju peppered him with crisp combinations, swelling his left eyelid. In round 5, Groguhe caught Siju with a right hand, putting siju down for a flash knockdown. Siju was immediately up, more embarrassed than hurt, but he let Groguhe take control of the fight. Siju lost the 5 round and the fight, but he put up a hell of a fight to a much bigger man. At weigh-ins Siju had to drink quit a bit of water just to make the weight, while his opponent sweated down to the 85kg limit.

Where going to have to figure out how to beef Siju up a bit, because I feel that was the difference. I’m guessing, Siju was giving up at least 15 lbs by fight time. As I mentioned in a prior blog, the weight limit for light- heavy in the amateurs in international competition is 80kg and Siju always came in light, making him a small light heavy. Now for the WSB, the light heavy limit is 85 kg, which is about an 11 lb difference. And with the guy sweating down and replenishing his fluids over a 30 hour period, I’d bet the farm that Siju gave away at least 15 lbs and maybe 20! That’s a hard handicap to overcome in first class competition.

Siju is disapointed as would be expected but he’s in good spirits and knows what he has to do to improve. The rest of the fights went as follows:

Vitaliy Volkov, (Ukr) dec Denis Makarov, (Germ)
Everton Lopez (brazil) dec Koba Pkhakadze (georgia)
Sergiy Derevyanchenko ( Ukr) dec Yamaguchi Florentino (brazil)
Jean Ludovic Groguhe ( France) dec Sijuola Shabazz (USA)
The only controversial decision of the night was Istvan Bernath ( hungry) over Javier Jose Torres, (USA).

Torres, a fast handed heavy punching heavy out of Los Angeles, went right for Bernath’s mid-section, causing the Hugarian to shell up, most of the first round. The second round, I thought was Torres’ again, as he raked Bernath’s body. In round 3 and 4 Bernath took control, keeping Torres on the outside. The fifth round saw Torres come back to life and viciously went after the Hungarian, catching him with some solid right hands. The ref had to step in and give the Hungarian a standing 8 count, which I thought sealed the fight for Torres, but I was wrong and Torres lost a spit decision.

The show went well and it was a pleasure coaching and coaching against so many top athletes from across the world !

Louie Burke: Baku, Azerbaijan, World Series of Boxing (WSB) test event:

By Louie Burke

Weigh-ins were at 11:00 am. All went well and was the fastest, most efficient weigh in I’ve ever attended. The fighters were called in individually with there coach to a room where the medicals and weigh-ins took place. First the Dr. gave the boxers a thorough go over, then the fighter stepped on the scale for the weigh-in, That’s it, that simple! A process U.S. commissions could take a couple of notes from. The 45 minute process started with the lighter weights and ended with the heavier ones, which went as follows.

Red corner: Blue Corner:
Denis Madarov 53.6 kg (Germany) -Bantamweight- Vitaly Volkov 53.8 kg (Ukrain)
54 kg
Everton Dos Sanotos Lopez 60.8 kg (Brazil) -Lightweight- Koba Pkhakadze 60.8 kg ( Georgia)
61 kg

Yamaguchi Falcao Florentino 72.8 kg (Brazl) -Middle-Sergiy Derevyanchenko 72.5kg (Ukrain)
73 kg
Sijuola Shabazz 82.9 kg ( USA) -Lightheavy- Jean Ludovic Groguhe 84.2kg (France)
85 kg
Javier Jose Torres 92.2 kg(USA) -Heavyweight- Istavan Bernath100.6 kg(Hungry)
91+

U.S. boxers, Siju Shabazz and Los Angeles heavyweight, Javier Torres, were weighing light, but both felt strong and are ready to "get it on" tomorrow night. The fights are scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm, Azerbaijan time, which is 11 hours before Mountain Standard Time, ( New Mexico time). In other words we’re going to be fighting at 7:00 at night and you’ll be on your way to work at 8:00 am.

Everyone is in good spirits and we have been treated simple but good, and we’ve made many new friends. But the boys are ready to take care of business and get our rears back on the plane for home, sweet home.

Thank you for your support and prayers, and think about Siju and Javier when your going to work tomorrow.

Louie Burke: Updates From Baku

By Louie Burke

For me it’s been a long time away from home and now we may get stranded a few more days due to the volcano ash that’s floating around Europe and shutting down all the airports. Due to the shut down of the airports, the event has been pushed back a day to allow the officials to come in from Europe. While this has upset some of the boxers it hasn’t fazed Siju one bit, he went out for an "adventure walk" today and met a few of the locals. On the way to the gym today we picked him up on the side of the road, where he was hitchhiking; only Siju.

Siju’s opponent Luduvic Groguhe, boxes for France and is a very big and strong boxer, but Siju is in the right frame of mind and is very anxious to get in the ring and take care of business. Siju will have a big weight disadvantage going into the fight. Siju, who fights at light-heavy, which the limit is 178, (70 kilograms), usually comes in light at that weight. The WSB, has only 5 weight classes, and doesn’t have a 70 kg weight class, but a 75kg weight class, which is about 12 or 13 lbs heavier,( you do the math cause I can’t), and Groguhe, is having to use a rubber suit to make weight, which means he’ll probably gain 10 lbs by fight time. So we might be looking at a 20 lb weight difference by fight time.

Siju looks at this as just another challenge that he’s ready to take on, despite weight or anything else Groguhe has to offer. Siju is a very strong light-heavy and his vast experience should be the difference in this fight. Siju, who came from a povershed childhood overcame greater odds and harder challenges then weight differences. He shows this in his will to be the best. He started boxing at 17 years old, almost 18, many thought he was too old to be successful is boxing. Now 6 years later, no one can argue about his success in the amateurs. Now he’s ready to carry that will and work ethic on to a pro career!

Thanks for your support!!!

Correction:
Sorry I made a mistake on the weights. It is not 70 kg that Siju Shabazz fought at in the amateurs, it’s 80kg and the new World Series of Boxing Weight for Light-heavy is 85 kg not 75.
Sorry of any inconvenience.

Louie

Sergio Martinez vs Kelly Pavlik (with Williams vs Martinez Video)

Full Fight

Anyone interested in the Kelly Pavlik vs Sergio Martinez fight tomorrow night on HBO? Might turn out to be interesting. I thought Martinez did a good job against Paul Williams back in December of last year. I though the fight was his. He proved himself to be a tough customer. Great endurance too. Pavlik's only loss was to Bernard Hopkins but he sort of got exposed a bit in that fight.

Matinez' only loss other than Williams was to Antonio Margarito back in 2000. I think he might just surprise Pavlik. Regardless I hope it turns out to be a good fight. The above video is the complete Paul Williams vs Sergio Martinez fight. It's worth a watch. Below is a video of Pavlik's greatest hits.

Kelly Pavlik's Greatest Hits

From Louie Burke: World Series of Boxing

An update from Louie on the World Series of Boxing. More information can be found here.

Sijuola Shabazz  

By Louie Burke


Siju and I arrived safely without incident. Upon arrival at the hotel, we met up with the head coach of team B, Gerd Wolf from Germany and then with L.A. heavyweight Javier Torres. We went to get something to eat then went to bed. The next day, Saturday, we met up with the two Brazilians, Florentino Yamaguchi and Everton Lopes. We took them to go run, then later to work out. The training facility is a beautiful gymnasium with a ring in the middle. The bag and equipment set up was a little awkward and looked more like a universal weight lifting set up than a heavy bag stand. After the workout we went back to eat. We’re staying at the same hotel as team A, our Rivals.

The next day, Sunday the Brazilian coach, Leandro Braga Arantes Arrived on Monday the last team member to arrive, German bantamweight Denis Makarov and now A team was complete. Both teams consists of 5 members at weights 54, 64, 73, 85, 91+, all will be weighed in kilograms. 

The card as scheduled:
Team A, Team B
54 k, Vitali Voldov ( Ukr) Denis Makarov ( Ger)
64 k, Koba Phhakamze ( Georgia) Everton Lopes (Braz)
73 k Sergiy Derevyanchenko (Ukr) Florentino Yamaguchi (Braz)
85 k Luduvic Groguhe (France) Sijuola Shabazz ( USA)
91+ k Istvan Bernhardt (Hungry) Javier Torres ( USA)
Coaches: Coaches:
Sergiy Korchynskyy ( UKR) Gerd Wolf ( Germ)
Rene Cordier ( France) Louie Burke ( good ole USA)
Zaal Yavakhadze ( Georgia) Leandro Arantes ( Brazil)

Yesterday we gave the guys a day off and took a bus to the ancient walled city of Baku. It turns out the place we’re staying at is technically not Baku, but a town about 30 miles from it. 

There was a lot of construction and traffic, but things seemed a lot more modern and cleaner. There is this ancient wall that surrounds the original Baku, it’s in the middle of the city, with tall buildings and skyscrapers surrounding the Walled City. The Architecture was medieval, something out of "Aladins Lamp". Siju and I went into a tower called the "Maidens Tower", which was quite a work-out getting to the top. Once we got back to the hotel we didn’t stay up long before we went to bed.

Siju and I have gone on some long walks, something about Siju has attracted attention from the people we encounter, he’s warmed them over with his smile and a greeting of salom, (hello). The kids love him and we’ve taken pictures with several of them. We’re finding out that even in this harsh country, were life is hard and the weather’s cold and somewhat dreary, a simple show of kindness, like a smile and a greeting, can still warm a heart or two. 

Siju and I want to thank you for your support, prayers and well wishes!!!!
P.S. We want to send a huge congrats to Jeniffer Han and Tim Meek for their big wins this past weekend!