Drugs cheat Erkan Teper exposed.

Unbeaten Turkish heavyweight Erkan Teper is to be finally removed from the current IBF ratings, regarding his failed drugs test following his July 2015 knockout win over David Price in a European title fight in Germany..   The results took until December to come to light and Price, who is self managed is bewildered as to why the results were never disclosed publicly sooner and wonders if Sauerland promotions had never pursued the case as aggressively as they did, the tests might have just been swept under the carpet..  By December 2nd, the EBU still maintained the Teper knockout victory over Price would still stand, however the European title would be declared vacant, an outrageous decision, However.... This story gets more interesting..
It was revealed that Teper had tested positive for drostanolone after his win over Newfel Ouatah last June and to date this result has still not been overturned, the commission failed to comment..  These findings are exposing a massive incompetence in the German Boxing Commision..  Following the original dope test failing, the German broadcast network 'Beyerischer Rundfunk' claims that police found Clenbuterol, testosterone, growth hormone and methandrostenolone is a drugs raid on Tepers home in April..  Price himself did some investigating of his own and found out through a good source that the failed sample given by Teper in July contained an outrageously high trace, the highest trace of a banned stimulant the doping agency had ever encountered, which the Commision would have known about within weeks of the bout, yet by September Teper had thus far faced no repercussions and had in fact been pencilled in to face Robert Helenius six weeks later, before pulling out due to an injury..
So here we are a full year later, as of yesterday Teper was still ranked in the IBFs top 10 rankings, and the Price result had yet to be corrected...  However today Price and the EBU have both been assured that Teper's dirty past has finally caught up with him, both the result and ranking are soon to be rectified..  David Price hasn't boxed since the loss last year and is still a little angry about the blemishes on his otherwise impeccable record..   Two losses to American Tony Thompson who himself failed drugs tests following their second bout, yet again a tainted result that stains the Liverpool mans 19/3 record..  Let's hope that the future isn't so lenient on dope cheats in boxing, it's a tough enough sport as it stands..

Golovkin disposes of Wade in 2..

WBA , IBF and IBO world middleweight King Gennady Golovkin successfully defended his title for the 16th time with a second round annihilation of previously unbeaten 26 year old Dominick Wade 18/0, at the Inglewood forum in Los Angeles..  The Maryland fighter started at long range, trying to elude Golovkin's power early, Golovkin got Wades attention towards the end of the first round with a right hand before scoring a flash knockdown..  Round two saw Wade enjoy some success, landing combinations on the champion who was trying to close the distance down. Halfway through the round Golovkin dropped Wade with a left uppercut, right hand combination which saw the challenger rise reluctantly at 9, Referee Jack Reiss allowed The brave fighter the benefit of the doubt in continuing, but it was short lived as Golovkin ended the show with another huge overhand right..  Dominick Wade was a live opponent, but was never in any way a threat to the universally acknowledged worlds number one middleweight..  Wade verified afterwards that there was nothing much he could have done differently, and that Golovkin's power is very real..   Golovkin's next test should be the winner of Cinco de Mayo in Vegas, Canelo v Khan, but a fight of that magnitude doesn't happen overnight..  The disposal of Wade proves nothing that we didn't already know..

The undercard saw Roman Gonzales defend his WBC flyweight crown with a 12 round unanimous decision over tough McWilliams Arroyo..

Erroll Spence destroys Algeri in 5, makes a bold statement..

Erroll the truth Spence appears to be the new lightening rod in the welterweight division following a highly explosive demolition job on the usually durable Chris Algeri last weekend in Brooklyn.  Algeri is 21/2 with respectable losses to Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan, but Spence superseded both Khan and Pacquiao's performances by stopping the 32 year old New Yorker in a highly charged 5 rounds..  Spence took the high profile opportunity to showcase himself for a major fight in 2016, the former Olympian is currently 20/0 with 17 knockouts and improving each time out..  Top of the Spence hit list is current IBF champion Kell Brook, who since beating Shawn Porter little over a year ago hasn't defended against top drawer opposition..  Erroll hasn't boxed for a single professional title yet, but he's headed in that direction..   Spence showed maturity v Algeri, picking his punches and closing down the distance before luring Algeri onto his heavier ammunition..   Although highly touted so early in his career, a few negative onlookers have recently made a rather premature comparison between Spence and Jeff Lacy, calling Spence a potential hype job..  Regardless, I don't see welterweights queuing up to face him in a hurry..

Anthony Joshua snatches the IBF title from Charles Martin.

On Saturday night at the O2 London, Anthony Joshua barely got into second gear for his first world title fight against reigning IBF champion, Prince Charles Martin..  Unbeaten himself, Martin came to the uk looking to make a bold statement by defending against the hottest young heavyweight around, but never anticipated the wrath we would be facing. Joshua took the first round to really have a look at his opponent, a dangerous southpaw on paper, but at the close of the round it was evident that the Americans pre fight bravado was no reflected by his tepid start, the second round saw both men try to exchange, Martin appearing apprehensive after feeling Joshua's power. The breakthrough came a minute into the round, Martin reached in with a overhand left, a shot that was countered efficiently by Joshua with a straight right which dropped the champion, a flash knockdown but enough to send alarm bells ringing, moments after rising he would once again walk onto a second Joshua right hand, this time sending Martin sprawling across the canvas, with a nervous grin on his face the American attempted to rise, but had no intention and was counted out as he stood..  Joshua never really had the chance to explode into action on his biggest night, but the message is now very clear, that Anthony Joshua has arrived, the new IBF heavyweight champion in just 34 professional rounds..   Joshua knows that he is the vulnerable of the current champions, but it is clear that he is the one improving the fastest..    Charles Martin looks now to have been one of the shortest reigning belt holders in the championships history, he won the vacant title only 11 weeks ago in Brooklyn after Czar Glazkov retired with a bizarre knee injury in the 3rd round, it was a gutsy decision to call out such a dangerous first defence, but it has cost him the chance to be a memorable champion..

The undercard featured an entertaining middleweight battle between Birminghams Matthew Macklin and Blackpools Brian Rose, both fighters gave everything in a fairly close affair which I had Rose winning after 12, Macklin was given a unanimous decision of 115/115 twice and 113/113 even..

Barrys Lee Selby retained his IBF world featherweight title with a convincing points verdict over tough Philadelphian Eric Hunter, Hunter had Selby on the floor for the first time in his career with a slick left hook, but had points deducted for continual low blows..  

The debuting Conor Benn, son of former legendary champion Nigel Benn had a successful introduction to the pro game with a first round knockout of Ivailo Boyanov

Alonzo Butler looking to jumpstart his career.

In 2007, Alonzo Butler had the world at his feet, 27/0 with 17 knockouts a world ranking and the backing of Art Pellulos Banner promotions, the Chattanooga heavyweight looked a dead cert to feature in the divisions future as a major player. In June of 2008, Butler signed to box on an ESPN card in Las Vegas against tough veteran Friday Ahunanya, Butler came in  at a career high 265lbs and was pushed to the wall by the stubborn Nigerian in a close affair which saw Butler receive his first loss..  The Ahunanya fight was a tough lesson but maybe a blessing, with a shut eye and badly damaged pride Butler could easily have quit following a knockdown in the fourth round but showed championship courage to continue to a split verdict..  Unfortunately since that eventful night, Alonzo's career had stalled, with only a single appearance between 2009 and 2013, a contested loss the Travis Walker in a fight where Walker had to get off the floor to survive and a 3 round decision loss to Brice Coe in the quarter finals of the Super 8 tourney in New Zealand saw Butler fight only 3 times in close to 6 years..  Alonzo was a product of world renowned trainer Ace Miller, a decorated trainer who was the sole mastermind behind former WBA champion Big John Tate, Ace recognised potential in Butler and stayed with his student until his passing in 2012. How fitting would it be to see Alonzo jumpstart his career in a wide open division four years on. With lack of opportunity and exposure in the US Butler has his sights on a move the the United Kingdom, it would be a shot into the unknown but it would certainly cause a stir amongst the current British heavyweight scene. Fighters are aware of Alonzo Butlers reputation, Deontay Wilders people got a taste of Butlers power in a heated sparring session and number 2 ranked Alex Ustinov also had second thoughts and wanted no part of Alonzo..   Butler is still only 36, relatively young and with only a handful of questionable losses in a 34 fight career, the transatlantic move could be a risk worth taking.

Olympic bombshell.

Groundbreaking news has broken today that AIBA will be changing their statues in order to allow fully fledged professional fighters to compete in the Olympic Games, from this Summer's Olympiad in Rio onwards.
AIBA president, Dr. Ching Kuo Wu has been quoted as saying,
"We want the best boxers to come to the Olympic Games. It is AIBA's 70th birthday and we want something to change - not after four years, but now.
It is an IOC policy to have the best athletes in the Games and of the international federations, AIBA is probably the only one without professional athletes in the Olympics..   I think it's a terrible shame that the pinnacle of the amateur aspect of our game has sold out..  Where are our ground roots boxers going to emerge from now, and for what will our sports youth have to strive for..   Terrible news..

New faces.. Jesse Hard Work Hart.

In Philadelphia boxing circles the surname Hart should evoke fond images of Philadelphia legend Eugene Cyclone Hart a folk hero of a bygone era, but today there is a new Hart in town, Eugene's son Jesse 'Hard Work' Hart an unbeaten super middleweight raised up on the same mean streets as his father..   Jesse was the 2011 US Olympic trials gold medalist at 165, the national Championship gold medalist at 165 and the National Golden Gloves champion at 165..  Currently after three years as a pro Jesse is 19 / 0 with 16 Kos a 26 year old with a point to prove..  Father Eugene is Harts coach and since day one has never tried to wrap the youngster in cotton wool, Jesse trains at two gyms in Philly to vary his sparring, always top notch guys, in Philly no one cares about your reputation..  Eugene makes sure the competition in the gym is designed to push Jesse to his limits..  Cyclone knows how tough it is at the very top, he has carefully instilled a solid work ethic into his fighter, knowing full well Jesse will thank him in the long run, it's kill or be killed.. 

Jesse has been averaging five fights a year consistently, and in 2014 he beat Samuel Clarkson to win the vacant junior NABF super middleweight title in Las Vegas. Four fights later he would add the vacant WBO NABO and USBA titles by beating Mike Jimenez via 6 round tko on the Mayweather v Pacquiao card in Las Vegas..   His best performance to date had to be his 9th round tko in September over another son of a legendary fighter Aaron Pryor jr at the cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, a victory which has prompted many to tip Jesse for big things in the coming months..   "Everyone knows I am the hardest working guy in the gym, I live and breath boxing, I have a clear vision of where I need to be.."    With the wealth of knowledge his father brings plus the unequalled work ethic, it would be hard not to favour Jesse Hard Work Hart in the current super middleweight mix at the minute..   The WBA and IBF currently have Hart ranked at 8, with the WBO ranking him at 3..

Glenwood Brown, a throwback..

Glenwood Brown...  This New Jersey native became a resident fighter at New Yorks felt forum in the mid 80s, staging 18 of his first 26 fights there.. Brown started his pro career with an 18 fight winning streak before losing a split decision to Saoul Mamby in 1988, Brown would avenge the sole loss a year later to win the USA New York State welterweight title..  Glenwood would go a further 16 fights unbeaten going into 1991, securing a shot at Maurice Blockers IBF title, losing a split points verdict..  A year later the unlucky challenger would get a second crack, this time at Meldrick Taylor's WBA belt, this time losing a unanimous decision..Miguel Santana, Edwin Curet and Anthony Andrews would set Brown back, but undeterred he would  go unbeaten for 3 years with 9 consecutive victories ..  In June of 1996 Glenwood Brown would box out of his skin against former two weight world champion Simon Brown, again falling short Unanimous points..   Losses to Dana Rosenblatt, Vinnie Pazienza and Bronco Mckart, along with his only 2 stoppage defeats at the hands of Bernice Barber and Scott Pemberton saw Brown end his career unlucky not to win world honours,  an awesome record of 48 / 1, Glenwood the real Beast was a top drawer fighter..

Forgotten warriors.. Philadelphia's Vaughn Hooks.

Who remembers Philadelphia light heavyweight Vaughn Hooks, a crafty boxer puncher who went 20 fights unbeaten with a NC against tough Frankie Swindell for the USBA title, a fight where Hooks was announced the winner only to fail a drugs test..  He would lose his unbeaten streak on points to Adolpho Washington in 1993 before losing his final bout that same year to Fabian Garcia on a retirement at the end of the 9th round..   Hooks was ranked as high as 11 by the IBF but never got close to a title shot..

Opening nights.. Legendary Las Vegas debuts..

Boxing has been taking place in Nevada since the late 1800s, Las Vegas in particular has held thousands of historic fights..  Many of the older venues are no longer here, but were opened with huge events, each one attempting to outdo the last..
1959 saw the Showboats first step into the boxing arena with a modest middleweight affair, 72 fight veteran Willie Vaughn outpointing Eddie Andrews in what would be the first of 110 shows..  1960 saw the Las Vegas convention centre hold its first boxing event, heavyweights Howard King and Charlie Powell, the centre would later stage historic matches like the Patterson v Liston rematch 3 years later..
1976 would see both Caesars palace and the Aladdin stage their debut events, with the George Foreman v Ron Lyle barnstormer at Caesars and Duane Bobick v Fred Houpe over the street at the Aladdin.  The Aladdin would add a theatre a year later with Leon Spinks v Scott Ledoux opening the show, whole 1978 saw Caesars build the huge pavilion, a landmark which was opened by another heavyweight firecracker, Larry Holmes v Kenny Norton..
1979 saw the beautiful Dunes Hotel dip it's toe into boxing with Sugar Ray Leonard outpointing tough Adolfo Viruet in future superstar Leonard's 21st pro fight..
In the 1980s the Las Vegas Hilton hosted a whole array of events..  1985 saw the Hilton centre open with the Donald Curry v Milton McCrory superfight, whilst two years later the outdoor arena would open for the WBA / WBC heavyweight unification bout between Mike Tyson and James Bonecrusher smith..  The eventual series would finish in this very arena with Tyson outpointing Tony Tucker to become the first unified champion in over a decade..  The more prominent resorts in the 1990s are still thriving today..  The MGM grand which is still considered the home of championship boxing opened with a double header in 1994, with Hector Camacho v Felix Trinidad and Julio Cesar Chavez suffering his first defeat at the hands of Frankie Randall..
5 years later the gorgeous golden towers of Mandalay bay staged its first event , again a mouthwatering double header, featuring future all time greats Floyd Mayweather boxing Justin Juuko and Oscar Dela Hoya fighting Oba Carr..  Hard acts to follow, Las Vegas always seems to upstage itself..  This coming May the latest arena the brand new T-mobile arena at the rear of New York, New York opens with an epic cinco de Mayo event..  Las Vegas never disappoints..

DC's Kenny Baysmore.. The nearly man..

Washington Dc's Kenny Baysmore looked like he had the potential to go all the way as a pro, he had amateur pedigree and had won the 1979 national golden gloves at bantamweight. Two years later Kenny would turn professional.
For three years Baysmore would stay unbeaten and by 1983 he would be voted Ring Magazines prospect of the year, an accolade reserved for prospective future standouts. In 1984 for his 18th fight he would beat Freddy Chumpitaz for the USBA  super featherweight title, a year later in 1985 he would win a 12 round split decision over tough Myron Taylor in defense of his title.  Kenny was now 20 / 0 with 18 knockouts, and matched into the toughest fight of his career, a USBA title defense against the former WBA super featherweight champion Roger Mayweather.  Roger had only lost 2 of his 22 fights, and it was an acid test for the promising Baysmore..  Mayweather was too much for the USBA champion, and served Baysmore his first loss, by third round knockout in Texas..  Roger would go on to fight the great Julio Cesar Chavez for the WBC title in a highly publicized affair, while Kenny had to reassess the direction of his career. The first loss, especially by knockout hurt Baysmore's confidence and it was important for him to get back on the horse as soon as he could..  A full year later he would regain his USBA title by outpointing Anthony English in Atlantic city..  After two more successful defenses of his title it was again time to step up..  This time against tough Harold Knight in his opponents back yard of Atlantic city..  Knight was unbeaten in 14 fights, but had took a couple of years out between 1985 and 87..   Kenny got off to a good start against Knight, using good lateral movement, but in round six he stood too long in front of the New Jersey man and got stunned, by round 7 Baysmore had not recovered and suffered his second defeat, again by knockout.  A year later Knight would unsuccessfully challenge Rocky Lockridge for his IBF title, in what would be his last fight. Kenny Baysmore would return three months later, but would find it tough gain momentum with his career, by 1990 after his next six fights Baysmore would win 2, lose 2 and draw 2, all to inferior opposition.  Kenny needed a break from boxing and would take a 2 year hiatus from the game. 1992 saw a refreshed Baysmore beat Floyd Favors and Cliff Hicks both by second round stoppage..  Baysmore then took on promising US based Russian Sergey Artimiev, Artimiev was 16 / 1 and held an amateur victory over Shane Mosley. The fight was a last ditch fight to propel his Baysmore's career. The Artimiev fight was ill fated, Baysmore would suffer three knockdowns en route to a 5th round TKO..   Artimiev looked destined for huge honors until he almost died following his 1993, 10th round knockout loss to Carl Griffiths..  Baysmore's final night in the spotlight was an appearance on the Bowe v Ferguson undercard in DC against Sharmba Mitchell. Mitchell 29 / 0 and a huge puncher knocked Baysmore out in one round..   Kenny would box 7 more times until 2001, losing each time by knockout..  Kenny Baysmore was better than his 28 / 13 / 2  (24 KOs) record but was never able to step up to world level as a major player..
A two time USBA champion and a national golden gloves champion, Baysmore was a highly popular DC fighter who should have achieved so much more..