Category Archives: Boxing

FCFL Announces Tyson As Newest Team Owner/Fan Captain

Today, the Fan-Controlled Football League (FCFL), the only professional football league where fans call the shots, including the plays themselves in real-time, announced legendary boxing champion Mike Tyson as the seventh Team Owner | Fan Captain to join the Owner’s Box. In addition to calling on fans to shape his team’s destiny – from name selection, serving as the final call on team uniforms, to drafting the players – Tyson brings his passion for sports and trash-talking skills to the league. Once the inaugural season kicks off, fans will find Tyson live commentating throughout games via Twitch, where they will have the unprecedented opportunity to engage with The Champ in a way never before seen in the history of professional sports.

“I’m fired up about joining the FCFL as its newest Team Owner and Fan Captain, and even more so to demolishing the competition,” states Tyson when asked about what he’s looking forward to accomplishing in the FCFL. “Leading into opening day, I’ll be engaging with fans from across the globe to stoke excitement and participation in the development of the Baddest League on the Planet.”

Tyson joins a talented group of global influencers spanning the world of sports and entertainment, all of whom share one common factor – a fervidness for professional football. To date the FCFL has announced six FCFL fan captains, all of whom are Tyson’s ‘competition’ (if you can call them that), including Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman, Prince Royce, Kinda Funny, Bobby Bones, and Chad ‘Ochocinco’’ Johnson.

Mike Tyson (credit: Ed Webster)

An undisputed heavyweight boxing champion and international entertainer known for his ‘take no prisoners’ approach, Tyson is also a serial entrepreneur; recent projects include a cannabis company called Tyson Ranch and a new podcast, HotBoxin, of which he produces and hosts.

“We are reinventing the sport of football for the digital age and a cultural phenomenon like Iron Mike could not be a better fit for this league. We are impossibly excited for him to bring his unparalleled energy, legendary smack talk, and unrivaled will to win to the FCFL,” shares Patrick Dees, FCFL co-founder and Chief Gaming Officer. “Tyson is a total badass and there is zero doubt in my mind that his team is going to be a force to be reckoned with and I for one, cannot wait to watch him stream his games on Twitch.”

The FCFL is the first professional sports league to combine the passion of live sports, the competitiveness of fantasy sports, the interactivity of video games, and the global reach of esports all into a live-streamed, real-life experience created for the digitally native fan.

Fans will create their team’s brand, hire (and fire, if necessary) a coaching staff, build roster through live fan-run draft, and call all their team’s plays in real-time. Games will be a seven-on-seven competition on a 50-yard field in a state-of-the-art production studio, creating a fast-paced, open style of play conducive to an action-packed sixty minutes of football. All games will be live streamed on Amazon’s Twitch, the world’s leading social video service and community for gamers and eSports. Using a brand new, unprecedented Twitch Extension, fans will get to use an interactive overlay that allows them to call the plays natively on top of the Twitch player.

To kick this announcement off the FCFL with WAX have partnered to give back to the fans who can enter to win one of three prizes anyone would be lucky to win: a pair of boxing gloves, a pair of boxing shoes, or a football – all of which are complete with Tyson’s autograph.

Crypto Boxers Debut New Logo, Website, TKO Game Plan

Crypto Boxers, the first and only boxing game operating on blockchain technology, continues to make strategic moves around the virtual ropes. Concept creator Andrew Gilliam, founder and CEO of Me N’ Mines Media, has come out swinging with a defiant new logo; a new website (http://cryptoboxers.io/), designed by independent game development studio, PlayStakes; and a TKO game plan to bring “real boxing to the blockchain.” Pushing the technology envelope beyond what is currently available in the crypto gaming space, Crypto Boxers has gamers in feverish anticipation as it will feature real life boxers as collectible tokens for the virtual fighting action on Ethereum.

Crypto Boxers’ new logo now promotes the player as the ultimate crypto contender, switching the emphasis off the professional boxers and over to the gamer. The dynamic new website provides a preview into Crypto Boxers’ fully immersive, user friendly world where gamers will experience a fantasy boxing arena and engage in an interactive “gloves on” ring experience with the boxer of their choice.

“They said it couldn’t be done but we are doing it,” reveals Gilliam. “After 459 rejections, I now have major commitments, partners and growing interest from professional boxers who are calling us now.  We are the first professional sports game on blockchain, and we plan to go every round!  The logo and website are just a teaser of what is yet to come.”

Round4RoundBoxing, LatinoAthlete, FightTyme, and RichPlaceMedia are the first official partners to be announced by Crypto Boxers.   Crypto Boxers will be releasing the names of confirmed professional boxers, boxing officials and judges that will be in the game soon. Some of the current talks with professional boxers include legendary champs like Evander Holyfield, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks and Antonio Tarver, along with currently active champs Terrance Crawford and female boxer Christina Hammer. 

EPIX® Sets Premiere Date for The Contender – hosted by Andre Ward

Mark Burnett’s 12-Episode Boxing Competition Series Reveals 16 Fighters Vying for the Champion Belt
by Tanner Simkins @TannerSimkins

Premium pay television network EPIX® has announced the 16 fighters who will be facing off with one another for the championship belt on the revival of boxing franchise series The Contender this fall. The highly anticipated 12-episode season, from MGM Television and Paramount Television, will premiere on EPIX on Aug. 24, 2018 at 10 PM ET/PT.

Hosted by undefeated boxing champion Andre “Son of God” Ward, the first-of-its-kind competitive documentary series for the network will feature 16 fighters pushing their limits in grueling elimination-style fights and testing their grit and determination to achieve their boxing dreams. The fighters will be overseen by legendary boxing coach Freddie Roach, and renowned Philadelphia trainer Naazim Richardson.

“The Contender takes unscripted TV to its grittiest. It has incredible professional fighters and real professional fights. The edge of your seat drama and true stories sets a tone that our audiences will be expecting and I love it,” said Mark Burnett, President of MGM Television.

“With this new iteration of The Contender, the focus is on the gritty, personal stories of the fighters battling for boxing glory,” said Michael Wright, President, EPIX. “It was important for us to find individuals who not only displayed the boxing chops and resilience in the ring, but who also showed a depth of heart and humor outside of it. Our 16 fighters are vivacious, tough, funny, sensitive, driven and inspiring, and we are excited for our fans to get to know their stories and root for them inside the ring and out.”

The 16 Contenders come from a wide variety of professional boxing backgrounds and stations in life, bringing their unique stories, personalities, strengths and motivations to the series.

Each fighter will be vying to be declared the new 160-pound middleweight champion of The Contender and take home the winner’s six-figure purse — a prize, which, for all the fighters, represents a better life for their families and loved ones who have been there with them through all the ups and downs of their journeys.

The 16 fighters on The Contender this season are:

Ievgen “The Ukranian Lion” Khytrov, Age: 29, Rank: 20, Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.- A Ukrainian immigrant, Olympian, Ievgen Khytrov recently relocated to America to pursue his dream of becoming a world champion and to create a better life for his family. A dedicated, quiet, religious man. He’s also the one to beat.

Eric “Babyface Assassin” Walker, Age: 34, Rank: 68, Hometown: Plaquemine, La. – Incarcerated at 15 years old and spent 14 years behind bars for robbery and attempted murder, Eric “Babyface Assassin” Walker learned to box while in prison. He is now fighting for a second chance at life, living proof that it’s never too late to live out your dreams.

John “Apollo Kid” Thompson, Age: 29, Rank: 70, Hometown: Newark, N.J. – After losing his mother to AIDS at six years old, this married performing artist, painter and fighter, John “Apollo Kid” Thompson is here to prove to the world that he can’t be boxed into a single category despite holding impressive titles including the 2015 WBA-NABA Super Welterweight, WBO Inter-Continental Super Welterweight and Boxcino Tournaments.

Malcolm “The Punisher” McAllister, Age: 27, Rank: 172, Hometown: Long Beach, Calif. – Always at the center of schoolyard fights growing up, Malcolm “The Punisher” McAllister now channels his energy into helping others rebuild outside of foreclosure and his young, growing family. In boxing has built an impressive KO record and the 2014 Golden Gloves title on his journey to take the title of The Contender.

Brandon “The Cannon” Adams, Age: 28, Rank: Inactive, Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif. – A bold fighter in the ring, Brandon “The Cannon” Adams knows firsthand what it means to push through adversity and step up to care for his family when there’s no one else around to. Coming from a poverty stricken neighborhood, this larger than life father of two marks his return to boxing after a three year hiatus, initiated by a loss to fellow competitor, John Thompson.

Quatavious “Cash” Cash, Age: 26, Rank: 161, Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev. – This Atlanta native is the current record-holder for fastest KO in Georgia, a four0time Golden Gloves state champ and Bronze medalist. Quatavious Cash is fighting for his late mother and for the chance to prove that a life of fighting street gangs can be channeled for good.

Shane “Sugarman” Mosley, Jr., Age: 27, Rank: 149, Hometown: Santa Monica, Calif. – The lone single contender, son of legendary Hall of Fame boxer “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Shane “Sugarman” Mosley Jr. is fighting to step out of his father’s shadow and carve out his own legacy.

Daniel “El Chapulin” Valdivia, Age: 25, Rank: 116, Hometown: Tulare, Calif. – A natural salesman and real estate agent by day, nicknamed “El Chapulin” (“Grasshopper”) for his boundless energy, Mexican immigrant Daniel Valdivia was born to step into the ring. With several titles including the NABF Super Welterweight Champion as an underdog, he’s chasing fame to prove giving up college for boxing was the right move.

Michael “The Silverback” Moore, Age: 31, Rank: 252, Hometown:Cleveland, Oh. – Reformed from a hard life on the streets, fraught with drugs, death and family suicide, Michael Moore is a natural hustler and leader. Married with two kids, Moore is constantly moving from state to state with his family in tow in pursuit of the boxing dream.

Gerald “G5” Sherrell, Age: 24, Rank: 216, Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa. – A fan of the original Contender series growing up, Gerald “G5” Sherrell is an undefeated and explosive fighter with a level of unrivaled and self-proclaimed swagger. Hailing from the projects, this multiple time Golden Gloves, Silver Gloves and Junior Olympic competitor, this local zoo security guard by day, and young father by night, is looking to bring boxing glory back to his hometown of Pittsburgh.

Morgan “Big Chief” Fitch, Age: 34, Rank: 154, Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa. – Injury-plagued throughout his career, the Native American hailing from Southern Louisiana is a married father of three. Knowing that he’s old for the sport, Morgan “Big Chief” Fitch has one last shot at making his boxing dreams come true.

Marcos “Mad Man” Hernandez, Age: 24, Rank: 104, Hometown: Fresno, Calif. – Having been bullied from a young age after an accident left him with burns on 30 percent of his body, Marcos “Mad Man” Hernandez is fighting for his young autistic son, in hopes that he won’t be bullied the same way he was. With Junior Olympics, 2012 Blue and Gold titles and “Mexican-go-forward” style fighting he may be overlooked and underestimated.

Tyrone “Young Gun” Brunson, Age: 33, Rank: 39, Hometown: Philadelphia, PA – At a time when he needed to sell drugs to support himself at the age of 13, a stepfather’s ultimatum: be grounded or go to the boxing gym was his saving grace. Now a humble father of two, and sitting with one of the best rankings in the competition, his 24 KO’s send a signal that he will not fight silently but his cocky attitude has beat him more than just once.

Lamar “Omega” Russ, Age: 31, Rank: 115, Hometown: Wilmington, N.C. – One of four kids raised by a single mom and the first person in his family to graduate college, Lamar “Omega” Russ takes pride in being the underdog, and beneath the loud exterior is a boxer that needs to prove he can put his money where his mouth is. HBO, ESPN and a first round KO on Showtime do all the talking.

John “The Rock” Jackson, Age: 29, Rank: 63, Hometown: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – A divorced father of two, this slick and agile boxer, Virgin Islander John “The Rock” Jackson started fighting at 12 years old, following in his world champion father Julian Jackson’s footsteps at the Pan American Games and 2008 Olympics. He comes from wealth but cares for the underprivileged and dreams of making his island proud bringing visibility to those struck by recent natural disasters.

Devaun “Unique” Lee, Age: 30, Rank: 82, Hometown: Jamaica Queens, N.Y.

When one of his friends was shot and killed at 16, Devaun “Unique” Lee knew he needed a way out from the mean streets of Queens. Boxing keeps him straight. So do long hours fueling airplanes and caring for his five year old daughter. The real love of his life. Fatherhood and the sport are the motivation to take his NY State Middleweight championship to the next level.

The original Contender series ran for four seasons (2005-2009) and launched multiple fighters into contention for world titles, including title winners Sergio Mora, Cornelius Bundrage, Sakio Bika, and Sam Soliman.

Eric Van Wagenen serves as executive producer and showrunner of the revived franchise alongside Mark Burnett. The format is owned by MGM Television and Paramount Television.

EPIX is available nationwide through cable, satellite, telco and streaming TV providers including Charter Spectrum, Cox, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse, Dish Network, Sling, PlayStation Vue and, as of June 13, Comcast.

About MGM Television

MGM Television is a leading producer and global distributor of premium content for television and digital platforms, with distribution rights to original productions and a robust catalog of television episodes and feature film titles including such premiere entertainment franchises as James Bond, Rocky, Stargate and The Hobbit trilogy. Current scripted and unscripted projects include Fargo (FX); Vikings (HISTORY); The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu); Get Shorty (EPIX); The Voice (NBC); Survivor (CBS); Shark Tank (ABC); Teen Wolf (MTV); Steve Harvey’s FUNDERDOME (ABC); Beat Shazam (FOX); Signed (VH1); Lucha Underground (The El Rey Network); and through its distribution entity, Orion TV Productions, the syndicated daytime courtroom series Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court and Couples Court with The Cutlers. In addition, MGM owns Evolution Media, the innovative unscripted television producers of The Real Housewives of Orange County, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Vanderpump Rules, Vanderpump Rules: Jax and Brittany Take Kentucky, and Sweet Home Oklahoma (Bravo); Botched (E!); Bug Juice (Disney Channel) and Growing Up Supermodel (Lifetime). MGM’s television programming regularly airs in more than 100 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

About EPIX

EPIX, an MGM company, is a premium pay television network, delivering the latest movie releases and biggest classic film franchises, plus original programming including series, documentaries, and comedy specials – all available on TV, on demand, online and across devices. Launched in October 2009, EPIX became profitable in its first year of existence and is now available nationwide to 70 million homes through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms. A pioneer in the development and proliferation of “TV Everywhere,” EPIX was the first premium network to provide multi-platform access to its content online at EPIX.com and to launch on Xbox, PlayStation®, Android phones and tablets, and Roku® players. EPIX is also available across hundreds of consumer devices including Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, Amazon Fire TV, TiVo, Chromecast, and Android TV, delivering more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming. For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

About Paramount Television

Paramount Television is a leading studio, developing and financing a wide range of cutting-edge and entertaining television content across all media platforms for distribution worldwide. The studio’s robust slate includes Tom Clancy’s “Jack Ryan” (Amazon), “13 Reasons Why” (Netflix), “Maniac” (Netflix), “Shooter” (USA), “Berlin Station” (EPIX), “The Alienist” (TNT), “The Haunting of Hill House” (Netflix), “Catch-22” (Hulu), “First Wives Club” (Paramount Network), “Looking for Alaska” (Hulu), “Briarpatch” (USA), “Boomerang” (BET), “Shantaram” (Apple), “Dream Team” (BET), “The Contender” (EPIX) and “Snow Crash” (Amazon), among others. Paramount Television is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a subsidiary of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a global content company with premier television, film and digital entertainment brands.

Undefeated World Boxing Champion Andre Ward hosts Upcoming Season Of ‘The Contender’ on EPIX

By Tanner Simkins @TannerSimkins

Premium pay television network EPIX®, will announce the participants in the new version of the seminal “The Contender” boxing franchise this coming Wednesday. The all-new 12-episode season of the boxing competition series, the first of its kind to air on EPIX, is produced by Mark Burnett and his longtime executive producer Eric Van Wagenen. MGM Television has joined forces with Paramount Television to produce. The new season premieres August 24.

Our full breakdown of exclusive interview with Andre “Son of God” Ward, undefeated boxing champion and host of the upcoming season of “The Contender” on EPIX; and Eric Van Wagenen, executive producer, showrunner, “Mark Burnett’s The Contender” will be coming in future post

12-Episode Boxing Competition Series Will Premiere Later This Year on EPIX®

by: Tanner Simkins @TannerSimkins

Undefeated boxing champion Andre Ward will be host of new Mark Burnett production, “The Contender”; Freddie Roach and Naazim Richardson take sides as trainers. Premium pay television network EPIX®, an MGM company, has announced that undefeated boxing champion Andre “Son of God” Ward will host the new version of the seminal The Contender boxing franchise. Legendary boxing trainers Freddie Roach and Naazim Richardson join as trainers in the iconic series that has launched multiple boxers into contention for world titles.

The all-new 12-episode season of the boxing competition series, the first of its kind to air on EPIX is produced by Mark Burnett and his longtime executive producer Eric Van Wagenen. MGM Television has joined forces with Paramount Television to produce, and filming will begin this Spring 2018 in Los Angeles.

As host, Ward brings his undefeated record and undisputed boxing expertise to The Contender. Throughout his incredible 13-year undefeated career, he’s held multiple world titles in two weight classes including, unified WBA (Super), WBC, Ring magazine, and lineal super middleweight titles between 2009 and 2015 as well as the unified WBA (Undisputed), IBF, WBO, and Ring’s light heavyweight titles between 2016 and 2017. Ward also won the gold medal in the light heavyweight division in the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Said Ward, “I have faced the unique challenges of professional boxing firsthand and know the focus required to succeed at the highest level. Hosting a show that has enabled so many talented fighters reach their dreams is an honor and I look forward to giving the fans unique insight into the life of a fighter and leading the audience through the thrills of this competition.”

“It is so important for The Contender to have the best and most trusted boxing experts which is why we reached out to Andre, Freddy and Naazim,” said Burnett. “They are the very best and can help create an experience almost never seen before. Eric and I are really excited to exceed the fans’ expectations. We love The Contender and we love boxing.”

Esteemed coaches Roach and Richardson will each oversee a team of eight fighters, pushing their fighting skills, strength and endurance to the limit in preparation for elimination competitions. The coaches will also act as the fighters’ mentor, helping them to navigate their everyday life as the competitors live and train together and fight each other in the ring. Each fighter will be vying to become the ultimate Contender and take the winner’s six-figure purse.

Roach is widely regarded as one of the most successful boxing trainers of all time. His roster includes the eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, five-time and four-division World Champion Miguel Cotto, former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr., defensive master and three-time world champion James Toney, former UFC Middleweight and three-time Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre, as well as top prospects Jose Benavidez, Peter Quillin, and Vanes Martirosyan, among many others.

One of the most respected trainers from the boxing hotbed of Philadelphia, Naazim Richardson has helped shape the careers of some of the biggest names in the sport over the past 30 years. From Bernard Hopkins to “Sugar” Shane Mosley, as well as others like Travis Kauffman, and prospect Khalib ‘Bigfoot’ Whitmore, Richardson’s work and his spirit continue to be part of boxing lore. The father and trainer of boxing twin brothers Rock Allen and Tiger Allen Richardson, Naazim is also known for discovering plaster hidden in Antonio Margarito’s wraps before the January 24, 2009 fight between Margarito and Mosley.

Eric Van Wagenen serves as executive producer and showrunner alongside Burnett. The format is owned by MGM Television and Paramount Television.

EPIX is available nationwide through cable, satellite, telco and streaming TV providers including Charter Spectrum, Cox, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse, Dish Network, Sling, PlayStation Vue and, later this year, Comcast.

Pro Boxers Get the Green Light to Compete For Gold at Rio Olympics

Professional boxers will be able to compete against their amateur brethren at the Rio Olympics after a rule change submitted by the Amateur International Boxing Association was approved at a meeting in Lausanne.

Professional boxers will have the opportunity to compete for an Olympic gold medal after 95% of people during a meeting of Olympic minds voted for the Amateur International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) requested merger of the two divisions.

It’s a decision that hasn’t gone down too well in the professional boxing community. Former world champion Mike Tyson-branded the decision as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘foolish.’ Oscar De La Hoya, who won the top Olympic prize in 1992 calling it his ‘greatest prize’ of his career, said he would never have done so had pros competed in the event. Former world champion Carl Frampton told BBC Sport that the two divisions were different sports stating it would be like ‘badminton versus tennis’.

Not every pro thought it was a bad idea. Former Olympic silver medallist, Amir Khan, told the press from an event in Karachi that he would love to represent Pakistan in a bid to turn his silver medal into gold. And former world champion and partypoker Ambassador Carl Froch believes the playing field will be a level one: ‘I’ve trained and sparred with many top amateurs: honestly they hold their own, all of them.’ Said Froch.

Pro Boxers Get the Green Light to Compete For Gold at Rio Olympics

Professional boxers will be able to compete against their amateur brethren at the Rio Olympics after a rule change submitted by the Amateur International Boxing Association was approved at a meeting in Lausanne.

Professional boxers will have the opportunity to compete for an Olympic gold medal after 95% of people during a meeting of Olympic minds voted for the Amateur International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) requested merger of the two divisions.

It’s a decision that hasn’t gone down too well in the professional boxing community. Former world champion Mike Tyson-branded the decision as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘foolish.’ Oscar De La Hoya, who won the top Olympic prize in 1992 calling it his ‘greatest prize’ of his career, said he would never have done so had pros competed in the event. Former world champion Carl Frampton told BBC Sport that the two divisions were different sports stating it would be like ‘badminton versus tennis’.

Not every pro thought it was a bad idea. Former Olympic silver medallist, Amir Khan, told the press from an event in Karachi that he would love to represent Pakistan in a bid to turn his silver medal into gold. And former world champion and partypoker Ambassador Carl Froch believes the playing field will be a level one: ‘I’ve trained and sparred with many top amateurs: honestly they hold their own, all of them.’ Said Froch.

Sorel Mizzi and Brian Rast Agree to REG Charity Boxing Match

Sorel Mizzi and Brian Rast have decided to fight each other in the boxing ring with all proceeds going towards effective charities backed by Raising for Effective Giving.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Sorel Mizzi and Brian Rast have agreed to punch ten bells out of each other to raise money for charities supported by Raising for Effective Giving (REG).

The pair will square off on December 30 at the Syndicate MMA Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tickets are available here. The cheap seats will cost you $20, whereas VIP ringside seats rise to $80. Mizzi and Rast will box for four two-minute rounds. The action starts at 6 pm (PST).

Sorel Mizzi and Brian Rast Agree to REG Charity Boxing Match

Sorel Mizzi and Brian Rast have decided to fight each other in the boxing ring with all proceeds going towards effective charities backed by Raising for Effective Giving.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Sorel Mizzi and Brian Rast have agreed to punch ten bells out of each other to raise money for charities supported by Raising for Effective Giving (REG).

The pair will square off on December 30 at the Syndicate MMA Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tickets are available here. The cheap seats will cost you $20, whereas VIP ringside seats rise to $80. Mizzi and Rast will box for four two-minute rounds. The action starts at 6 pm (PST).

Nigel Benn v Chris Eubank 3: Let’s Hope They Don’t Get it on

As Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank contemplate a third fight that will net the pair £10 million each, Lee Davy gives his view on why he believes the pair should stick to appearances in the jungle.

It was the warmth that made me realise my uncouth little buddy was pissing down the back of my leg. I turned to face him. He was holding his dick in one hand and a plastic pint full of piss in the other. He had this beguiling look on his face. I was more worried that some of the piss would splatter onto Jason Dozzell. The Spurs midfielder was standing next to me. Those were the days before selfies. He had just signed the back of my ticket, and now my mate was dangerously close to turning his white chinos a nasty shade of yellow.

We were three rows back from the ring. There were over 40,000 lunatics crammed into Old Trafford to watch Nigel Benn v Chris Eubank 2. They billed the fight as ‘Judgement Day’. 12-pints of Boddington’s later and for me it was slowly turning into “Won’t Remember Anything of it Day.”

Benn and Eubank hated each other. You don’t get that kind of venom in boxing today. There’s a lot of bravado, a lot of bollocks. It was the real thing. Eubank is currently appearing I’m a Celebrity, Benn appeared in 2002. A few days ago Eubank said of Benn, “I am not really competitive. I can easily always walk away, and then I come to Nigel Benn, the bad blood between us is fierce. So I am not competitive, only with him.”

Nigel Benn v Chris Eubank 3: Let’s Hope They Don’t Get it on

As Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank contemplate a third fight that will net the pair £10 million each, Lee Davy gives his view on why he believes the pair should stick to appearances in the jungle.

It was the warmth that made me realise my uncouth little buddy was pissing down the back of my leg. I turned to face him. He was holding his dick in one hand and a plastic pint full of piss in the other. He had this beguiling look on his face. I was more worried that some of the piss would splatter onto Jason Dozzell. The Spurs midfielder was standing next to me. Those were the days before selfies. He had just signed the back of my ticket, and now my mate was dangerously close to turning his white chinos a nasty shade of yellow.

We were three rows back from the ring. There were over 40,000 lunatics crammed into Old Trafford to watch Nigel Benn v Chris Eubank 2. They billed the fight as ‘Judgement Day’. 12-pints of Boddington’s later and for me it was slowly turning into “Won’t Remember Anything of it Day.”

Benn and Eubank hated each other. You don’t get that kind of venom in boxing today. There’s a lot of bravado, a lot of bollocks. It was the real thing. Eubank is currently appearing I’m a Celebrity, Benn appeared in 2002. A few days ago Eubank said of Benn, “I am not really competitive. I can easily always walk away, and then I come to Nigel Benn, the bad blood between us is fierce. So I am not competitive, only with him.”

Carl Froch Joins PartyPoker as New Ambassador to Spearhead New Power Series

Four-time world boxing champion, Carl Froch, is the latest sports star to join the world of poker after signing on the dotted line to become the new ambassador of partypoker.

Partypoker plan to produce more punch after signing the four-time world boxing champion Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch as their new ambassador.

The online poker room has put Froch’s marketability to good use with immediate effect as the spearhead for their new Power Series poker tournaments. The new tournament series operates in line with the online poker rooms ‘Poker for the People‘ campaign, with buy-in levels set for bankrolls of all shapes and sizes.

The former WBC, WBA and IBF super-middleweight world champion has already played a starring role in a few partypoker related events at their live card room Dusk till Dawn in Nottingham. In June, he won a £1,250 buy-in Beat the Boss promotional Sit & Go, and a few weeks ago finished 148/1015 in the £60+£10 buy-in partypoker Grand Prix.

Pacquiao could face perjury charges over injury report; Cambodia PM welches

Boxing’s ‘fight of the century’ may have ended with a Floyd Mayweather Jr. victory but controversy continues to grow over Manny Pacquiao’s post-fight claims of a shoulder injury.

Following the fight, Pacquiao’s camp revealed that their champ had suffered a serious injury to his right shoulder weeks before the fight. But the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) denied the fighter’s prefight request for an injection of an approved anti-inflammatory drug, a refusal that Pacquiao’s camp claimed had left Manny with one good arm.

The NAC has countered these claims by producing a prefight medical questionnaire in which Manny’s camp answered ‘no’ to a question asking if the fighter had “any injury to your shoulders, elbows or hands that needed evaluation or examination?” The form indicates that false answers could lead to perjury charges. Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz has since taken credit for the “inadvertent” paperwork booboo.

Pacquiao’s promoter Top Rank issued a statement claiming they’d notified the US Anti-Doping Agency and received approval “at least five days before the fight” to use accepted anti-inflammatories, including the numbing agent lidocaine. But the NAC says it was never made aware of this approval and therefore rejected a last-minute appeal by Pacquiao’s camp.

Pacquiao Injury Fallout Growing

@TheDailyPayoff

The fallout is growing across the globe from the recent disclosure that Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao was injured going into the ” Fight of the Century” against Floyd Mayweather.

The prime minister of Cambodia is refusing to pay up on a $5,000 bet he made on the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight because of he says the fight was not judged fairly, according to a report by CNBC.com.

Last Saturday, millions placed their bets – and lost – on the “Fight of the Century” when Floyd Mayweather Jr. beat Manny Pacquiao, including, Hun Sen, the Prime Minister of Cambodia.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102649001

Pacquiao allegedly failed to disclose shoulder injury prior to the fight is causing reverberations throughout the boxing and betting worlds.

Pacquioa’s promotor , Rob Arum, revealed right after the fight that the boxer had a torn rotator cuff sustained during training about a month prior to the fight, according to various reports, including Al Jazeera http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/05/pacquiao-faces-sanctions-shoulder-injury-150505081507006.html

Apparently, his camp failed to notify the Nevada Athletic Commission until before the fight when Pacquiao requested an anti-inflammatory shot.

The Telegraph is also reporting that Pacquioa could be prosecuted for the infraction, citing the New York Daily News as saying the Nevada Athletic Commission is investigating. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/pacquiao-failure-disclose-injury-perjury-article-1.2210373

Mayweather-Pacquiao Betting Record Setting

It’s the fight of the century. It’s good versus evil. It’s sublime speed vs. an impenetrable defense. It’s the two best fighters of this generation going toe-to-toe. It doesn’t matter how you describe it or how much hyperbole is attached to the pre-fight build up, when Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao step in to the ring this Saturday May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Nevada it will be special, not only for boxing fans but all of the sportsbooks booking action on the fight.

The current fight odds at Bodog have Floyd Mayweather as the -220 favorite, bettors would need to risk $220 for every $100 they want to win and a bet on Manny Pacquiao would profit bettors $175 for every $100 they risk on the Filipino congressman.

Online sportsbooks rarely give out total handle on individual sporting events but we’ve been told by a couple of online sportsbooks that this fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is by far the biggest booked fight in the history of online betting. One Las Vegas bookmaker told me that the total action is already rivaling Super Bowl and could become the biggest single betting event this year. More prefight hyperbole perhaps?

We were able to glean a bit of extra information from our friends at Bodog.  Currently the money line is split down the middle. Since the line opened at -350/+250, they’ve seen a steady stream of money coming in on Pacquiao to drive the odds down.

Sportsbooks rejoice as Mayweather v. Pacquiao is on for May 2

Christmas is coming early for sports fans and the sports betting industry now that boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have finally agreed to square off in the ring on May 2.

Five years in the making, the fight will go down at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The pay per view (PPV) broadcast will be jointly handled by Showtime (which has a deal with Mayweather) and HBO (with whom Pacquiao is associated) and is expected to shatter previous records for both viewers and revenue. No price has been set for the PPV, but $100 seems a reasonably round figure.

The boxers have agreed to split the purse 60/40, with Mayweather taking the lion’s share. Estimates have the purse ranging as high as $200m depending on how many casual fans opt for the PPV. Mayweather’s World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council belts will be up for grabs, as will Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization title. There is no rematch clause in the contract.

Sportsbooks everywhere are expecting handle of epic proportions for the fight as both recreational bettors and whales look to get in on the action. Mayweather is the prohibitive favorite, with bettors having to put down close to $300 to earn $100 on a Mayweather victory, while a $100 bet on Pacquiao could earn you around $225. Sadly, prolific bettor Mayweather is unlikely to post any betting slips to his Twitter feed indicating his belief in his own abilities.

While the news is a relief for boxing fans, there’s no arguing that this fight would have been infinitely more interesting had it happened five years ago, when both fighters were at their respective peaks. Neither fighter is anything close to a has-been, but they have each lost some spring in their steps and a little snap to their punches. Mayweather will be 38 years old on Tuesday (24) and Pacquiao is 36.

The past five years have been dominated by the boxers trading verbal barbs when they could have been throwing actual jabs and uppercuts. A fight five years ago would also have left open the possibility of at least one rematch. Still, better late than never.

Mayweather–Pacquiao not set yet; PacMan getting heavy action

You know how everyone seems to be waiting with baited breath for the Floyd Mayweather Jr. – Manny Pacquiao fight to finally happen? Well, it appears that we’re likely to run out of breath before that happens. That or this has been the longest slow-play in the history of sports.

Either way, the fight isn’t inked in stone yet. That’s what Mayweather said during the NBA All-Star Game, debunking an earlier report from the Guardian that the two sides had finally agreed to fight on May 2.

At this point, it’s become really confusing on who to believe anymore. One side says the fight’s close; the other side says there are still a lot of negotiations left. Whichever side you believe, one inexplicable truth has come out of this whole sage: it’s pretty exhausting waiting for the fight to happen.

Logic—or is it skepticism?—dictates that we shouldn’t get our hopes up. Not after seeing the same song and dance over and over again, only for talks to go up in flames. We’re like that child who keeps waiting on his separated parents to reconcile, only we’ve become disenchanted with them taking so long to smooth out their differences that we don’t even know if we want to see them together anymore.

That’s where I am right now, although I have to admit that there’s still a significant population that still cling to that silver thread of hope that the fight will somehow be made.

There are also those who haven’t paid enough attention to the negotiations that they’re already placing bets on the fight. Yup. Only the possibility of a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight will bettors actually line up to place bets on the fight even though said fight hasn’t been agreed to yet.

But turns out, a lot of bettors don’t care about that particularly important detail. Oddsmakers are on that same boat, having already released odds on the fight with Mayweather opening as the 1/4 favorite compared to Paquiao being the 5/2 underdog.

Manny Pacquiao Bluffed by Poker Star

According to an Instagram post, Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao was on the receiving end of a $100,000 river bluff by the young cash game specialist Justin ‘Boosted J’ Smith.

There aren’t many people who manage to get one over on the Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao (5 in 64 fights to be precise), but that’s exactly what happened when poker met boxing in an undisclosed cash game venue.

According to the Instagram account of Justin ‘Boosted J’ Smith, the young cash game expert ran one ‘of the most aggressive bluffs’ ever in his career when squaring off against the Pac-Man for the very first time.

“I bet over $100k on the river, he thought for almost five minutes, and finally showed that he had folded top pair of aces.” Wrote Smith, who had posted a photo of the pair on his Instagram account, “He started to beg me to show him my hand. I had one of the most nothing possible hands I’ve ever ended up having, but I had a read on him and decided to go with it.”

So did Smith have the balls to show the eight-division world champion the bluff?

“Naturally, I don’t usually like to show my hands, and didn’t want to rub it in his face that I had outplayed or “fooled” him. So I asked him three times “are you sure you want to see my hand?” and he nodded his head energetically and saying yes. I showed him an absolute stone cold bluff and when his eyes compared my cards to the board to find the correlation that didn’t exist, his eyes darted back up to meet my eyes and his fists clenched up.”

Fortunately, for Boosted J, Pacquiao saw the funny side and gave the young starlet a big bear hug.

On Deck: Federer’s 1000th match win; Tiger’s Return; Floyd-Manny close?

The sign of true greatness is repeated success at the highest level of somebody’s chosen field or profession. Quite frankly, I have yet to win 1,000 times at anything in my life but Roger Federer certainly has.

You’ve probably read or heard about it over the weekend. Federer won his 1,000th tennis match when he outlasted Milos Raonic to win the Brisbane International, the warm-up tournament to the 2015 Australian Open.

Winning the Brisbane International isn’t exactly a big deal, but Federer made sure to make it matter by becoming only the third player in men’s tennis to break the 1,000-win barrier. He’s still got a long ways to go to eclipse Jimmy Connors’ record of 1,253 match wins, but if he keeps up this form, he could jump past Ivan Lendl’s 1,071-win mark before the year ends.

The accomplishment is a testament to Federer’s status as arguably the greatest tennis player of this generation. Doing it at the Brisbane International also relieves the pressure of breaking the mark, something that would otherwise be blown up at the Australian Open. That’s unwanted pressure from a man who is looking to win his first Grand Slam title since Wimbledon in 2012.

At the very least, this sets him up nicely heading into the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. Right now, Federer, the number 2 ranked player in the world, is priced to win the Australian Open at 6/1 odds, behind only world number 1 Novak Djokovic, who is the favorite to win at 11/10.

It’s the perfect way to wrap up a warm-up tournament heading into the Australian Open. Doing so while notching his 1,000th win is the cherry on top of the proverbial sundae.