Robert Guerrero vs Selcuk Aydin

Guerrero vs. Aydin: News Update - SHOWTIME Championship Boxing

Robert Guerrero and Selcuk Aydin Pre-Fight Scuffle

Classic Photos: Mel Epstein & Mike Nixon

Mike Nixon & Mel Epstein

I got te above photo of my old trainer, Mel Epstein,  from my friend Frank Baltazar.  The photo looks to be in the early to mid 1970's before I began training with Mel. He was the closest thing I had to a grandfather. Mel passed away in 1980. Still miss the old guy.

The photo/newspaper clipping of Mel & Mike was given to by Mel back in 1975.

Al Bernstein on Khan and Garcia

Video Courtesy of CRHarmony on Youtube.com

Khan vs Garcia Fight Video

This video of the Khan vs Garcia fight starts at the end of the third round and the first knockdown.

 

Danny Garcia Stops Amir Khan

Photo by Chris Cozzone

By Randy De La O

Amir Khan lost last night in his fight with the formerly unheralded Danny Garcia. He didn't just lose but was knocked for a loop by a left hook near the end of the third round and never fully recovered. He was knocked down two more times in the forth, overwhelmed by a charging and determined Danny Garcia. Referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight at 2:28 of the fourth round, after asking Khan if he was alright. Khan responded positively and wanted to continue but the ref could see what we couldn't and called and end to the fight. Khan wanted to continue but it was a good stoppage. Sometimes a fighter needs to be saved from himself.

Garcia was the epitome of confidence coming into the fight but he was definitely the underdog. His anger and indignation at been thought of as an “sure win” for Khan paid off. I don't think anyone will underrate him again.

A word about Khan: Sometimes, or maybe all the time, the way a fighter loses says more about a man than all his victories combined.  Khan showed a big heart in his fight with Garcia. When he was hurt he never looked for the easy way out. He took his licking like a man, at one point waving to Garcia to come and get him, still believing he could find a way to win. He was going to go down swinging. What more can we ask of any fighter? Fighters get caught and fighter sometimes lose, it's part of the sport. No shame in losing if you give your best. After the fight, in his post fight interview with Max Kellerman, he offered no half-hearted excuses. Khan showed some real class last night.

The fight was reminiscent of the Victor Garcia vs Josesito Lopez fight a couple of weeks ago, when Lopez was in the same underdog/underrated opponent position and went on to stop Ortiz by breaking his jaw in the ninth round. Josesito, a natural 140 pounder moved up in weight to fight Ortiz. Now he is being asked to move up one more weight class to fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. To my way of thinking, a more meaningful fight would be for Lopez to stay at 140 lbs and fight Danny Garcia. This would be a fight fans fight and a much more competitive fight. I don't expect that to happen but it would be the right fight to make.

Does Amir khan deserve a rematch? Despite the big loss I think he does, if only because Khan gave  Garcia his big shot. I don't think he'll get it but it would be the right thing to do.

(Note to Canelo: Don't take the underdog for granted!)

Amir Khan loses title shot to Danny Garcia and Shot at Mayweather.

By Scott G

Sitting down to watch this fight with my sons I told them to pay attention to this fight because it might be explosive. Within 30 seconds of the first round Khans superior speed was really evident. But, I noticed a flaw that he hasn't fixed and told my sons to watch how Khan dropped his right hand during his jab even when he wasn't loading up for a shot with it. I told them that Garcia has a quality left hook and that this fight could end suddenly and badly for khan. I scored the first round a solid 10-9 for Khan but I scored the second round even because Garcia had landed some good counter shots,  lead right hands and, a lot of Khans shots were on the gloves and arms nullifying the speed advantage. If forced to pick a winner in round 2 i would give it to Khan though. I did notice that Khans flaw was alive and well and Garcia was timing his jab now. The 3rd round started out with heated exchanges by both fighters, then with less than a minute in the round Khan threw that jab and trying to land a right but Garcia threw a perfectly timed left hook that landed on khans jaw and neck sending him down hard. After that the only surprise left in this fight was how much heart Khan showed. He survived the third but was obviously not recovered from the shot starting the fourth round. Garcia pounced on Khan with a barrage of lefts and rights playing ample attention to Khans mid section. Khan to his credit actually landed some big shots in the fourth but Garcia has a good chin and was bent on finishing off Khan for good. Inevitably   Garcia overwhelmed the damaged Khan and the referee stopped the fight after the second knock down in the round. I hope Khan decides to keep fighting but Freddy roach needs to watch that film and fix that flaw.

Sage Stallone, Son of Sylvester Stallone Has Died.

Our condolences to the entire Stallone family. Sage Stallone, the son of Sylvester Stallone was found dead yesterday. He was 36. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. R.I.P. Sage Stallone.

Sage Stallone

Father and Son: Sylvester Stallone and Sage Stallone

Sage Stallone, Sylvester Stallone and Jimmy Gambina during the filming of Rocky V. The scene is mock up of the  Main Street Gym used during the filming of Rocky in 1976.

Happy Birthday to the Legendary Julio Cesar Chavez

El Gran Campeon: Julio Cesar Chavez

By Randy De La O

Today is Julio Cesar Chavez' 50th birthday. I hope he had a great day. Legendary fighters deserve to rest on their laurels. Chavez is one guy that really deserves to be called a legend.

Man, when Chavez was fighting and winning during the mid to late 80's and early 90's, he was really something. My entire family were fans of Chavez. It didn't matter who he was fighting, when Chavez was on, the food was plenty and the beer was flowing and the house was packed. Those were great days.

My favorite Chavez fight and the fight that really made a believer out of me was Chavez vs Edwin Rosario. Rosario was somewhat of a monster himself but the constant round by round pressure was just to much for him. Chavez had a granite chin and that had to take the heart away from an opponent, any opponent. The fight was stopped in the 11th round.

You can argue from now to “Kingdom Come” on whether referee Richard Steel did the right thing, in Chavez vs Meldrick Taylor 1,  when he stopped the fight with seconds to go, that will always be one of those (legitimate) arguments that will never satisfy everyone. (for the record, I'm satisfied) but the one thing that is not up for debate is Chavez' greatness while in his prime. Despite Taylor's hand speed, and falling behind on the scorecards, Chavez, fighting back frustration, and unwilling to concede defeat, stuck to his game plan. No stone was left unturned in his arsenal. Chavez was losing on points but if you were paying attention it was plain to see he was winning the fight. In the last round, Taylor had nothing left and Chavez knocked him down and ….... well you know the rest.

When it was announced that Chavez was going to fight Pernell Whittaker, I really thought it was going to be an easy fight for Chavez. It wasn't. Whitaker came prepared and Chavez didn't look quite as prepared. Whitaker gave Chavez fits that night. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was only recently that I was able to admit that (choking) Chavez lost the fight. Officially it was a draw but truth be told, it was Whitaker's fight.

Chavez would lose to an up and coming Oscar De La Hoya in 1996 and again a few years later. In 2000 he was stopped by Kostya Tszyu but by that time Chavez was a shell of himself.

Chavez, like a lot of great fighters are never quite convinced that they are no longer the fighters they once were. We've seen it before with guys like Roberto Duran and Muhammad Ali, and we're seeing it now with Evander Holyfield. It's hard for them, and us, to accept them growing old.

When I judge a fighter's true greatness, I look the peak years, the real fighting years. At his peak, Chavez was as good as it gets. He deserves to be ranked with the all time greats.

Happy Birthday Champ!