Tyson Fury pulls out of fight with Alexander Ustinov

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Tyson Fury has withdrawn from Saturday night's heavyweight fight with Belarusian Alexander Ustinov.

Tyson Fury

The 25-year-old pulled out of the bout after his uncle and first trainer Hughie fell seriously ill and was taken to hospital.

Promoter Frank Warren, who had already seen Fury's initial opponent Dereck Chisora withdraw due to injury, said: "I'm very, very, disappointed."

Warren added that Fury would now fight Chisora at a later date.

The event in Manchester will go ahead with Hatfield's Billy Joe Saunders' clash with Italian Emanuele Blandamura for the vacant European Middleweight title now the main fight.

Fury had vowed never to fight Chisora after he pulled out with a fractured hand. But promoters told BBC Sport he was contractually obligated to do so and Warren added: "We will be announcing the rescheduled date for Chisora v Fury next week."

Hughie Fury was taken ill after the weigh in on Friday. Warren said: "After Dereck Chisora pulled out because of his hand injury, we worked very hard to secure a world ranked opponent in Ustinov.

"It's sad that Tyson's uncle Hughie is in a serious condition and our thoughts are with him. The show will still go ahead and as before it's a great card."

Ustinov was perceived to be a very different proposition from Chisora. He has lost just one of 29 fights and is seven inches taller and four stones heavier than Londoner Chisora.

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/28498960

Fight Night at Broadripple Place

Fort Wayne, IN. The Danger Zone organization presented it's second show at Broadripple Place on Sunday. A problem manifested itself when a large number of competitors, for the tournaments, did not make weight. Last minute adjustments had to be made to give the audience a good show and still let the fighters that showed up, fight. The planned three tournaments were cut down to two, 150 LB and below and the Heavyweight. Seven single matches were arranged. Along with the prearranged professional fight at total of 14 fights were on the card for the night.

Fight Night at Broadripple Place

The crowd was larger for this show having heard word of the November 2001 show. The Danger Zone organization has developed a reputation in Fort Wayne for putting on great amateur competitions. Some of the crowd had never seen a MMA competition and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. They weren't disappointed! Every match showed that the fighters were hungry for a win. The collision of fighters in the ring rocked the house and brought the cheers from the crowd to a fever pitch.

The shortest fight of the night was the four second knockout of Chad Hickey by Adam Rivera. Rivera stepped inside of Hickey's kick attempt and landed the knockout punch.

The longest fight was between, the boisterous, Jason Scouten and Dave Dillon. Dillon frustrated Scouten throughout the entire fight. Scouten's superior strength was negated by Dillon's ground skills. Scouten's aggressiveness and position domination gave him the decision.

The main event was a professional bout between Sam Wells, Lansing, MI, and Jerry Hackney, Charleston, WV. This was a very even match. There were strong exchanges of strikes by both fighters. It was a test to see which fighter would make the first mistake. It turned out to be Hackney. Wells was able to lock in a triangle choke in the second round for the win.

A full listing of the results in on our results page.

The Danger Zone's next show will be on April 7 at Broadripple Place. If you are in the area, check out the action, we will.

DZ Action! Action! Action!

 

AUBURN, IN-- Over the last couple of years, the Danger Zone people have consistently brought action-packed shows to Indiana, Danger Zone IX was no exception.Great amateur tournaments combined with a Lightweight Pro Championship made for an exciting night of mixed martial arts action.

DZ Action! Action! Action!

Amatuer champions, Roli Delgato, Tony Emanuel, Berry Wickware, Aaron Raferty, and Ben Rothwell, were presented plaques for their first place finishes. Each fighter posing with Dan Severn for pictures at the presentation.
* The DZ Lightweight Championship belt was on the line and these 135 lb fighters fought like gladiators!

Itchaku Murata started the night off with a quick guillotine choke to end the fight against Joe Cuff. Steve The Weasel Hallock took it to Jeremy Bolt. This was a nail biter that in the end Bolt came out the winner. Back and forth it went with many submission attempts, reversing positions, and striking to open up the submissions. This was one of the best fights of the night! This was a phenomenal battle between two great fighters. Bolt won a decision in OT.

DZ Action

Then came Matt Hamilton vs. Itchaku Murata. This was another tremendous battle of positioning, reversals, and standing toe to toe and throwing bombs! This could have been a final match in itself. The Pink Singlet (Hamilton) was determined and in great condition for this tournament. This fight went to OT with Matt Hamilton winning the decision.

After an intermission to give the pros a breather, the next match was Travis Phippen vs. Jeremy Bolt. Phippen a two time All American Wrestler was going to try and take advantage of the time Bolt had spent in the cage.The first 2 minutes Phippen had the advantage, but shortly after this Bolt caught Phippen in the corner of the cage, and worked to secure the ankle lock.

This was another top of the line fight. There has not been another tournament like this one in the sport! These guys are now fighting in their own weight class, instead of fighting 20 lb. above. What skills these guys have!

Everyone knows the finals are going to be a great one. Bolt has a huge heart considering all the time spent in the cage during his previous fights. Hamilton is looking to take it to Bolt being the hometown favorite.

This fight was an incredible display of reversals and changing of positions. Hamilton works for the choke while Bolt does a great job of denying it. Between punches and sub attempts, working to get out of subs, and trying to maintain the edge, Hamilton ends the fight with a choke. Hamilton had the offensive edge on this night.

An excellent organization produced a night of non-stop action. Flowing from one fight to another, the DZ personnel made sure that the audience got more than their money's worth. Danger Zone organization should be the blueprint for most mixed martial arts events. A smooth running event that never lets the crowd down.

THE LAST EYADA FILE

 

This has been a very emotional couple of weeks for me since eYada closed down on July 9. Sure, those who cherish the combat sports all like to act like tough guys 24/7, but we all know there is more to life than that. I must confess that I still am somewhat in a state of disbelief, as much as I was aware of eYada's problems and as much as its demise, like so many other Internet companies, was not a surprise to me.

THE LAST EYADA FILE

I learned of its closing, as many know, while commencing a working vacation. I still have not had the physical and mental rest I had hoped to get and so sorely needed on this vacation. It's almost like I'm merely on vacation, just a few days away from showing up Monday through Friday, 3 to 5 PM Eastern Time, to speak my piece, to set up interviews and then conduct them, to read e-mails, and to pull together a heap of news from mixed martial arts, boxing, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, and related subjects like the Olympics. But after about 400 shows and over 1000 interviews, and after transforming the show to include regular segments and coverage on boxing, that ain't gonna happen.

The "No Holds Barred" show on eYada is in the past. I am trying to work to reestablish some type of combat sports show somewhere, somehow, in some medium other than stand-alone Internet "radio," a venue that just doesn't make economic sense today, unless, of course, you can afford to do it for free. I can't, not now, anyway. I have received a blizzard of suggestions, and am investigating each and every one of them. That said, right now nothing has panned out, and I do not know where I will land.

It is thus with a mixture of humility, satisfaction, and sadness that I have decided to reproduce a selection of some of the e-mails I received when news of eYada's closure spread. I have already answered each and every one of the e-mails I received. I was contacted by many well-known names throughout many of the combat sports, and truly appreciated that. But what touched me most, and also again revealed the degree to which combat sports affect people in ways that other sports and endeavors do not and cannot, was the outpouring of support from the fans and listeners of the show from around the world. It is those e-mails, slightly edited as I did on the show to preserve privacy, that I am reproducing below. As you read them, you will see once again why I always said our listeners were the most intelligent group of fight fans on the Internet.

What is the point of this? I felt the overwhelming reaction I received was a story in itself, a tale I would have liked to read had the subject not been me. Notice when you read them how many people also extended support for Al Gattullo, my tireless producer. The show became a phenomenon unto itself, and its passing touched many people deeply. I guess talking about the combat sports, and striving simply to tell the truth each and every day, were so different from whatever else people were experiencing that the show's end left a void in people's lives, and not just a void in their sources of information.

Hosting this show and affecting so many people was thus an honor. I want to be back, and soon. Maybe these e-mails will light a fire somewhere. And maybe they can help spur a collective discussion of just how we can shore up and expand our media, so much of which seems to be hanging by the thinnest of threads, like the one that just broke at eYada.

Any ideas are more than welcome. So keep sending those e-mails, to eddieg@maxfighting.com.

THE E-MAILS

Eddie, godamit, I just started listening to your show last week, and then I signed up for the newsletter, and wouldn't you know it--my FIRST e-mail newsletter tells me that the show will no longer be on. Damn, and I LOVED the show already!!

Michael

Hi Eddie,

I have been a long time listener to your show since your first day at Eyada with the Guy Mezger interview. You have provided me with hours of entertainment and information that I used to battle ignorance against MMA. You have become a great friend through the internet and I am truly sadden by the news that Eyada is no more. Eddie, please get back on air soon with big Al. We love you and we'll keep fighting the good fight.

Thank you.
Sincerely,
Henry, Vancouver, Canada

Dear Eddy,
I was very saddened to hear of the closing of eyada.com. I was a frequent listener of your show and its departure is obviously a huge loss for MMA fans. Your vast knowledge of the sport made you the perfect host. Hopefully, there will be an another opportunity to host another show on another station.

Hang in there!
Steve

Thanks for all the great shows. I work at home, so I tuned in almost every day to hear your show. I will really miss it. I loved hearing my emails being read and discussed. I hope to see you on more MMA shows. Maybe Pride can hire you to lend some legitimacy to that organization. I know you'd love working with Bas. Thanks for the straight shooting. I asked some really tough questions that you didn't hesitate to read. You have my respect.
Take care Eddie, keep sporting that love for the combat sports.

Your favorite fan...Tom

Hi Eddie, I just heard the sad news about the closing of Eyada!!

Damn, you were the best and at the forefront of your field.. New Beginnings my friend and this just might be a blessing in disguise as MMA is legalizing everywhere and many more opportunities will arrive for a man of your qualifications..

What I am thinking is to enter TV as well as getting another gig with an internet radio show.. How about working with the FC fighter TV show or the new show that Zuffa is planning!! I hear that a new FC fighter show will be coming on this fall in Canada.. That's perfect for you.. also, please approach ESPN radio to see if any opportunities can arise for a MMA show on their Radio network.

Keep your head up and stay positive, thanks for all the great work and more to come in the near future !! Your friend, Ravi from Toronto!

** By the way, I still owe you a few beers to celebrate the UFC getting back on cable**

Damn I never thought I would be emailing you like this. Man I can honestly say that listening to your show was one of the points looked forward to in my day. I know I possibly overstated my opinion many many times, but that's how it is when you can finally express yourself. Not to mention be part of something that you love. Damn, what am I going to do now ? What I'm more concerned is,"What are you going to do now?" Your the best journalist of this sport. You can't just be UNEMPLOYED. Naw, it doesn't suit you at all. You and Al is the team. It's just not right for the show to end like this. I really just wanted to thank you for all you've given me. Your show really did make me feel like I was part of this. Correction : you made me feel like a part of this. You and Paula didn't have to but you gave a kid so much. A chance to be on the inside with nothing but his heart and mind to offer. You gave me a voice and honestly it has made a difference. A real difference all around. I won't forget the time you put me on the show. I appreciate that with all my heart. I know all the emails and opinions were annoying at times but I had fun.

I honestly do believe in God and Fate. I think that this couldn't have come at a better time. With getting back on In Demand and the end of the cable ban, and the rise into mainstream, I think it's an appropriate time for your internet talk show to end. Kinda think of it as forced evolution. A sign. With the mainstreaming coming, it's time we all thought mainstream. I don't think we can be underground anymore. I think we all have to be commercial. We have to think commercial. And you're the top journalist in this sport, and I think it's time you got on cable tv with this sport. I think you were on A.M sports radio. Better yet, I think it's time you had your own tv show that was had the sound broadcast live over the radio and over the internet. But who knows, I would start out with a A.M. sports radio format first. Their has to be a sports station that is interested in combat sports in NYC.

How are you going to get to the shows for now on? If you have to watch on PPV, I'll go watch them with you and Paula at Timeout, if they are still open. Ahh hell it won't be hard anymore I hope. Still don't know about cablevision though. Dude, seriously if you need anything do not hesitate to let me know. I owe ya one !!!

With much heart,

Gabriel

I am amazed that eYada has gone. I just have started to listen to it regularly as well as for my English lesson. It was a rare opportunity to listen to fighter's real voice. I hope to utilize your talking ability somewhere else soon. Was it also sudden to you?

NISHIJIMA Toru, Tokyo

Hi Eddie,

I am crushed to say the least. I'm kind of in the same boat with my own business. As I say to people who ask how it's going: "call me in January, and I answer the phone, it's going well".

I was wondering if you and Al had considered doing the same type of thing John Lewis is doing on a local New York station. Most of us who can access EYada can access inumerable radio stations through the internet. You could easily get the word out through Maxfighting, FCF, and ADCC. I'm sure there are alot of local stations with internet broadcasting that would like to pick-up your worldwide listeming audience to get the advertising revenue, and it could be taped for rebroadcast at odd hours so other parts of the world can listen, like they do with other sports radio. I don't know if there is money in it, but I am certain there are a number of loyal fans who will listen faithfully.

We'll be waiting.

Morgan

hey eddie, this is charles. We met for a lil bit at
ufc32. I'm one of your biggest supporters. Is there any way that
maxfighting could pick up the show? Do they have the funds? Maybe UFC
could sponser the show. You do more for MMA than anyone ever.

Now there is a major void in my life from 3-5 everyday. not to mention
the countless hours that I ponder what was said during the course of the
show :). Hopefully everything will work out for you.

Hope to hear from you soon.

-Superman

Eddie,

I just wanted to e-mail ya and tell you thanks for the 21 months. The show was great and I was surprised and saddened to hear that eyada had folded. With our sport we don't have the sportcenters and other shows for our news so your were our means and I once again just wanted to say thanks. People like you are the reason I know this sport will survive and thrive in the future.

Thanks again
Jon

Eddie,

From the start to the ending I listened to your NHB show on eyada constantly. The loss of eyada and the show will be great. Like most there are many things I both agreed and disgreed with on the show. But all and all it was a great show and something that made my lunch hour very enjoyable. Keep up the great work and hopefully another incarnation of your show comes to fruition.

Best
Joe from Torrance

Eddie.

I was a long timelistener of your 'No holds barred' show on eYada, and have learned of its apparent demise. I would just like to let you know that your show was truly one of brilliance and always gave the 'combat sports', as you dubbed them, an aura of intelligence that seems to be lacking in much of the mainstream coverage on them, especially in regards to the quote-unquote "human cockfighting" advertisements that the UFC has been marred with since the beginning. Anyways, I thought I would send you some email showing you some gratitude for the hard work you have put in during the last few years giving this industry a lot of credibility and always having incredible guests, including my favorites interviewees Tadashi Tanaka and Tito Ortiz, and offering intelligent and in-depth discussion of the combat sports and the issues therein. I would like to wish you the best of luck with future endeavors and to let you know I will continue reading your columns on the 'net and that I am looking forward to the next time you are able to have a radio show broadcast.

Best of luck and Thanks for the hard work.
Marshall, Iowa, USA

Eddie,

I'm sorry to hear about eYada. As you know, I was a big fan of the show. I'd bet (read: hope / pray) that the UFC is going to grow exponentially in the near future, maybe they could use your talents in their organization. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you best of luck in your future endeavors. Let me know what you are doing. All the best.

Adam

hi eddie

commiserations from all the mma fans in wales, uk. you are THE mma source for us. We have mailed president bush and told him to sort it out, give you a job doing what you do best. respects eddie. if you are ever in the uk let us know and we will roll up the barrel.

chin up

hope it happens soon for you fellah

mike swambo, big steve, waynno, rhianne, chiggy, sam, sy,llewellyn, rick no mind loont, stone monkey, chris, squab, hairy dave, knobby, tom and all the regulars at submission fighting wales in cardiff.

Even sadder than the fact I will no longer be able to enjoy your show ( I listened every day) is the fact that such hard times have fallen on one of the truly unappreciated pioneers of mixed martial arts. I can't believe that after work I will not be able to come home and listen to the archives of your show just hours after they were on. I wish you the very best in the future, and if there is any way that we the fans can help you out please let us know.Mr.Goldman, you are one of the reasons mma did not fade out of exsistence and why mma is headed for the mainstream. I look foward to future articles on maxfighting and Grappling magazine. I hope you will be able to compensate for the absence of eyada.com and find new fulfilling work. Who knows, maybe in a couple of months when mma is mainstream you will be back on the radio, or even t.v. Yeah, that's what I want to see,

Eddie Goldman on t.v. Anyway, good luck to you and I wish you the best.

a true fan of Eddie Goldman,
Dan

Dear Mr. Goldman,

Hello, my name is Ismael and I'm a huge fan of MMA. I always listened to your radio broadcasts especially when it had to do with the UFC and Pride. Not to long ago I e-mailed the show for the first time when Tito Ortiz was your guest on July 6th. I couldnt believe when you were reading e-mails I heard "Pumas96"

I was like "that's me!" When you read the part about Elvis Sinosic being the "King of Crock and Crumble" it even made Tito chuckle. I am very sorry to hear about Eyada going down. Your show help put MMA on the map and it really helped keep it there. Although the show will no longer be there it will be remembered through all the fans, and we will get the word out on MMA. Take care Eddie and I wish the best of luck to you in your future.

Ismael

Mr. Goldman/Eddie:

Sorry to hear Eyada and NHB with E.G. is done. I liked listening to NHB show when working at my desk. Their is nothing like hearing the fighters' own words on the issues as well as the insights the show brought to issues in the sport in a truly "No Words Barred" fashion .

It's too bad. I believe like many have said on your show that NHB contests are ready for primetime and someday will surpass boxing as the premier combat sport of interest. I think NHB with E.G. was just a bit ahead of its time because as the sport grows their will definitely be a growing market for the journalism to cover it. I would like to commend you on your fair and unbiased reporting of the sports. I think anyone that listened to the show had to be entertained at some of your bold statements about the people and events involved, such as Pride, and at the same time openly entertain any and all responses. The show's gone, I am glad I heard it.

What do you do now? Well, I guess what you need is people like me to write you email like this so you can show it to somebody and they can see people liked the show and listened to it so they want to put back on the air. The key is to be able to demonstrate a listener base = a market . I suggest you make a call for emails requesting such a show back on. The flood of requests you get should be able to convince someone to sponsor it. I think one of the dominent independent NHB sites is best. Obviously you couldn't report unbiased from a site like ufc.tv or kenshamrock.com. It looks like you're at the right new home at max as I think it will quickly become the premier site with Buffer and McCarthy behind it. I noticed it received alot of promotion on the UFC32 broadcast. I suggest you see about getting the old broadcasts from Eyada and posting them at max. From the hits you get on them you'll further be able to prove the interest in a new show.

When you get a show back on, because I know you will. I don't think it's important to do it live because until you can tap the internet wireless I would think the bulk of listeners listened from the archives like me.

I hope these comments helped or at least encouraged.

Keep Scrappin' Eddie
Fitch

Eddie,

I would have mailed you earlier except I have been hiding from the news and off the internet waiting for UFC 32 to arrive here in Australia. This is a sad day for MMA. Hopefully someone will get you going on audio interviews again.

Justin

Eddie,

Sorry to hear of the closer of eyada. As a wrestler and student of the mixed martial arts I am upset that the biggest voice of reason on the subject of combat sports has been shut down even if it is for what is hopefully a short time. I loved the show and will not know what to do with my afternoons while working at my desk. Had so much information to E-mail you about like the July 14th Pankration classes given by Ken Shamrock and others here in Denver, and the upcoming fight in California in which Nate Marquardt will hopefully become the next IFC World Champion. I don't know if you will be able to make the California fight, but if you do I would like to meet you, shake your hand and buy you a drink. Thanks for the great show and I look forward to reading your articles and wait for your return to the internet, radio or television.

Ken

please bring back eyada!!

Larry

Say it ain't so Eddie,

First, MMA is my passion and I truely thank you for all your efforts for the betterment of this beautiful sport. But I foresee this is only chapter one for you great MMA Guru. I know there are other passionate fans out there that will make a joint effort to put you back on the cyperspace waves.

Doesn't one MMA forum have over 38,000 users? Can you start up your own new Eddieyada or something. I would be happy to pay $5 to $20 a month to listen in. Take 1000 fans paying $10 a month to listen to your show, could you operate at 10,000 a month? Can you and Albuy eyada equipment? Do you need seed money to start? Let the fans know what would it take to put your ass at every MMA event so the rest can taste greatness while at our 9 to 5 death sentence?

He shall overcome, I would rather die tring than a life of wishing.

Good Luck,

Alan
MMA fan with every fiber of my being
well maybe thats too much?

Eddie,

Thanks, not only for this show but for the hundreds of articles that you have written. I have been following your work on different web sites and mailing lists. We will see you in some larger capacity in the future, maybe even with inDemand.

Thanks again 24 karat,
George

Eddie & Al,

Thank you so much for everything you’ve done over the years with No Holds Barred. You were always a bright spot in my day and it truly pains me to here that you’re going off the air. Please try to keep a contact list and contact all of us (I’m positive I’m not alone) when you can (please, please, please) resume broadcasting in some way, shape or form. I know that Eddie writes for Grappling magazine and Maxfighting.com. I will continue to read. Please keep us informed of any other irons in the fire.

Again thanks for sharing time in my life.

Very sincerely!

Ken

well eddie im sorry it had to end. you were a breath of fresh air. i loved your show an its format. being able to listen an talk to the premier fighters in the fighting sports was incredible. ive learned alot bout these fighters we couldnt have if it wasn't for you. take care an thanks for your contribution to the fighting sports . ill be keeping an eye out for you in some other medium . thanks again, wahoo

I just wanted to let you know how much i have enjoyed your talk show on eyada. Best luck and success in whatever you do. Please keep on writing.

Mark

to Eddie and Al.

Just to let you guys know that I think you've done an amazing job over the last couple of years. Your passion for the sport is evident in every show. Your show has linked up MMA fans around the world and given them a chance to learn more about all the participants and the politics behind the sport we love. Thank you very much, and good luck in the future guys.
Jason, Osaka, Japan

I'm really sorry to hear this. I also hope that there will be a rebirth of the Eddie Goldman Show somewhere, some how. Thanks for the shows of the past.

Bill

I am sorry to hear EYADA is no more.I was just recently introduced to it.It was probably the best info. on NHB around.I loved the show and the archives.You're the best Eddie.Good luck on finding somthing new.I will pray for somthing better to come along for you. P.S. Keep your head up high.

Charles

Dear Eddie,

Sorry to hear about Eyada shutting down. I loved your show and wish you the best of luck!

Mike

You are second to none. Keep your E-mailing lists so we can pick up where you left off. Looking forward to your new locale.

ESPN/Sporting News Radio

You should make a pitch to these guys for a week end show and all of the special commentary, editorials, and the whole package. Bert Sugar comes on with just boxing and they don't really do anything else. They have so much crap on. You could really give them an upgrade and a new audience.

I know you've thought of this. I just want to let you know I'm all for it. One vote in the Eddie column.

Pat, Norfolk, Va.

Yo, Ed whats up? Please,please,please tell me that what I've heard is untrue! Is the only place that supports MMA , and presents it to the masses outside of the hardcore fans being taken away? This cant be, not in this time when the sport leap from the shadows and into the spotlight!!!! Please NOOO !!!!

But if it is so then I'll just go back to the pics and text of mags and net. And if it is so thanks good the great show and I'll look forward to your printed work(or fight commentary,fingers crossed)

Thanks again Ed!!!!

dorian

I went to listen and Kaput Fini! Tell me it ain't so..

Bill

Hi Eddie I was a big fan of your show on eyada. It has been too long since I have been able to read great your work. You are by far my favorite journalist, I like your style, how you fight for what you believe in, and I trust you. I look on Maxfighting.com and sherdog.com everyday but I do not see anything from you or even about you. Am I looking in the wrong places?

Are there any plans for you to get a live show on the internet again? I thought maxfighting would have offered you a daily show on their website. I remember the first time i listened to your show. Tito Ortiz was on and talking about fighting Yuki Kondo. I always liked Tito so I e-mailed him a question, and to my surprise you read it to him. I could not believe it I was just a fan who wanted to ask my favorite fighter a question or two and you gave me that opportunity. After that first show i NEVER missed your show. I do not know if you ever really did understand how great your show was. Two hours everyday of mostly NHB news you cant get anything like that now, and much of the news was from the fighters themselves.

I hope you get your own show again soon.

Applejack

p.s. "Keep on supporting ALL the combat sports."

Freestyle Combat Challenge

Racine, WI The new year got off to a bang, in the Midwest, with Dave Stasser's "Freestyle Combat Challenge." Even with last minute drop outs, Dave was able to put ten hard-hitting explosive fights on the card. Fighters from Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Canada were in the wings to see if they had what it took to win.
Freestyle Combat Challenge

All basic rules were in place. Each fight was scheduled for three five-minute rounds. Paramedics were at ringside, just in case.

Fight #1: Jason Flack, Hackney's Reality Combat vs. Dan Hart, Roscoe, IL
The first round started with an armbar attempt by Flack that was broken up by Hart slamming Flack to the mat. Strikes and reversals were the order for this round. Both fights landing and receiving strikes. The second round was all Hart. After a missed roundhouse kick by Flack, Hart shot in on Flack and took him to the ground. Hart established side control and was able to land strikes and knees to the head. At 2:38 into the second round, Flack made the decision to tap out.

Fight #2: Josh Robinson, Hackney's Reality Combat vs. Dan Houston, Bentendorf, IA
It took thirty seven seconds for Dan Houston to get Josh Robinson's back and locked in a rear choke for the win.

Fight #3: Tony Day vs. Travis Fulton
The experienced Fulton has absolutely no problem with Tony Day. Dominating the entire fight, Fulton seemed to play with Day for the one minute and 24 seconds this fight lasted. Fulton finally put Day out of his misery by knocking him out.

Fight #4: Rob Wynne, Kingston Ontario Canada vs. Pat O'Malley, Madison, WI
An attempt by O'Malley to trade strikes with Wynne failed when Wynne shot in to take the fight to the ground. A rolling reversal brought O'Malley to the mount but he was only able to land a few strikes before Wynne reversed in the corner. Both fights were then jockeying for position when Wynne spun and attempted an armbar so fast that O'Malley was not able to counter. O'Malley tried to fight off the armbar with his strength but Wynne's position was too strong and he locked in the armbar for the win at 1:42 in the first round.

Fight #5: Terry Scott, Waterloo, IA vs. Scott "Mad Dog" Malicoat, Roscoe, IL
Malicoat manhandled Scott getting his back almost immediately. Malicoat locked in a rear triangle but Scott refused to tap, trying to punch to Malicoat's head. The triangle did its job and Scott passed out at thirty five seconds into the first round.

Fight #6: Moto Asai, Green Bay Jiu-Jitsu vs. Gideon Ray, Hackney's Reality Combat
This was the most evenly matched fight of the night. Both fighters showing high levels of technique. While there were strikes and kicks landed, the infighting for position was the highlight of this match. Both fighters were constantly moving always striving for the that one position that would give them the advantage. That position came when Ray was able to apply an ankle lock at 2:18 into the second round.

Fight #7: Josh Stamp, Bellplaine, IA vs. Aaron Arnsmeier, DeKalb, IL
Two different fighting styles were involved in this match. Stamp went with grappling approach while Arnmeier favored striking. In this case, striking won out by wearing down Stamp until Arnmeier was able to lock in a choke for the win. Time 3:05 first round.

Fight #8: Rory Prazak, Mannly, IA vs. Nick Agallar, Kenosha, WI
Agallar exploded out of his corner to knock Prazak to the ground and rain strikes down for the win in just 16 seconds into the first round. This was the shortest fight of the night.

Fight #9: Bryan Robinson, Waterloo, IA vs. Ron Faircloth, Staughton, WI
Faircloth was a steamroller with Robinson the pavement. Faircloth drove Robinson to the ground in his own corner and pummeled him with strikes for the tap. Time 0:36 first round.

Fight #10: Michael Marshalleck, Kingston Ontario Canada vs. Ben Rothwell, Kenosha, WI
Rothwell is well known for his punching ability. He gave the crowd a demonstration in his match against Marshalleck. Scoring a TKO in thirty-eight seconds, Marshalleck never knew what hit him.

For an event held so close after the holidays, this show had a surprisingly large and enthusiastic crowd. It just shows that Dave Strasser has developed a reputation for exciting events. He did not disappoint the crowd on this night either. Most of the spectators we talked to thought it was a great show. Wisconsin has good fighters and with shows like Freestyle Combat Challenge, your get to see some of the best. We don't know when the next will be but you can be assured that we will be at ringside when the bell rings.

Standing Room Only at Freestyle Combat Challenge 9

Racine, WI. The new year in mixed martial arts was, for the second year, brought in with a standing room only crowd of screaming fans. The Racine Memorial Hall was bulging at the seams for Dave Strasser's Freestyle Combat Challenge.

Standing Room Only at   Freestyle Combat Challenge 9

Dave Strasser has done a great job of bringing mixed martial arts to the public. They have responded, in kind, by turning each of his events into a sell outs. It does help that Dave goes to great lengths to make sure he presents good and exciting matches.

Out of the ten fights slated for FCC 9, only one went to decision and four were decided by knockout, four were by tap out and one by injury stoppage. The crowd responded with cheers and applause to this well rounded night of mixed martial arts.

Two of the Freestyle Academy's fighters, Ty Chaco and Nick Nickolson, had mixed results in the first two fights of the night. Ty Chaco was force to tap when Jorge (Santana) Barraza locked in a triangle choke that Ty could not escape from. Nick Nickolson won his match by submission, to strikes from the mount, over Doug Murray.

In the only decision of the night, Darrell Smith won the very evenly matched fight with Bart Palazuski. This decision could have gone either way. Gideon Ray continued his winning way in his defeat of Matt Shaw by submission to strikes. Justin Wieman has showed continued improvement over the last year and came away with a sound defeat of Richie Montgomery.

One of the surprises of the night was a seven second knockout of veteran, Brian Geraghty, by newcomer Tom Kirk from Integrated Fighting. Kirk is a fighter to keep your eye on. He is strong, well balanced and very hungry.

The unlikely TKO of Jason Rigsby came about when Rafael Pszczek stunned Rigsby long enough that the referee stopped the match for non-defense. Those that know Rigsby were stunned because of reputation of being able to take a punch.

Solomon Hutcherson made short work of John Nashef when he force him to tap from knees to the head in under two minutes.

Crowd favorite Ron Faircloth may have come back too soon from his arm injury, suffered in September. It took less than a minute for Kyle Olson to lock in a triangle choke and force him to tap.

In the last fight of the night, Jonathan Ivy took on Adonis Nunn. This was a super heavyweight match. Ivy weighing in at 250+ and Nunn weighing in at 325+ had people shaking there heads. From the beginning Nunn used his superior weight to dominate position but could not do anything with it. Ivy could not over come the weight factor and was virtually pinned underneath Nunn for most of the first round. In an ill advised move at the start of the second round, Ivy ended up landing on the back of his neck and sustained enough of and injury for the referee to stop the fight. Nunn was declared the winner.

Freestyle Combat Challenge was a model of organization and the crowd was a promoter's dream. Well mannered the crowd was enthusiastic but controlled. The well matched card kept everyone's attention throughout the entire night.

Dave's next show will be on March 22nd. If you are anywhere near Racine, get over to see the best mixed martial arts event in Wisconsin. See you there!

Golovkin/Geale, Jennings/Perez New York City Media Workout Quotes

Read:
***Golovkin/Geale, Jennings/Perez New York City Media Workout Quotes***4
Your opinion?????

In front of a packed house of New York City sports media on Tuesday afternoon at the Mendez Boxing Gym, all four TV fighters, GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN, DANIEL “The Real Deal” GEALE, BRYANT By By” JENNINGS and MIKE “The Rebel” PEREZ went through one of their final workouts prior to the “G4” event this Saturday night, July 26 at Madison Square Garden.

GENNADY GOLOVKIN

9 hours ago
Gennady Golovkin Workout Highlights For Geale Fight

Gennady Golovkin Workout Highlights For Geale Fight. Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (29-0 26KO) held an open workout before his upcoming July 26th Fight vs Daniel Geale (30-2 16KO). "GGG" visited Mendez Boxing Gym in NYC to exhibit his preparedness for his IBO & WBA World Middleweight Championships defense at Madison Square Garden.The fight will be broadcast on HBO along with Heavyweight Eliminator Bout Bryant Jennings vs Mike Perez.

“This is a very important fight for me to fight in the big arena at Madison Square Garden. I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Daniel Geale is a great fighter, he throws a lot of punches and has a different style being from Australia.”

“I saw the Barker fight and know what a very good body puncher he is.”

“I love Madison Square Garden and love coming to New York City.”

“Right now my focus is on 160 and unifying the titles.”

DANIEL GEALE

“I’m very confident going into this fight, Golovkin is one of the best fighters in the world but I can beat him.”

“We have a game plan and I know what I need to do on Saturday night to be victorious.”

“I’ve fought all over the world so I have no problem fighting in Madison Square Garden against Golovkin.”

“I want the titles and he’s got two of them.”

“I always wanted to fight him and I’m ready to win on Saturday night.”

BRYANT JENNINGS

“It was tough to have the fight postponed but I’m ready to fight Perez right now.”

“I can’t speak about why Perez looked different against Takam, maybe he had a bad day.”

“I don’t worry about Perez, I’m focused on being the best I can be.”

“I’m not preparing any differently, I’m going to fight my fight and win on Saturday night.”

“Not sure how but I’m going to win.”

MIKE PEREZ

“Yes, it’s a big deal fighting as a heavyweight at Madison Square Garden. I want to add my name to the champions who have fought there.”

“He needs to be ready for me, because I’m ready for him.”

“He’s a little taller than me but that won’t matter during the fight.”

“My prediction is that I’m going to win.”

More is here:
http://www.eastsideboxing.com

AND Your opinion now?????

Fleeing Mantis Erislandy Lara on Pay-Per-View? Someone Call Bunco Squad

New insider

By Ivan G. Goldman

***Fleeing Mantis Erislandy Lara on Pay-Per-View? Someone Call Bunco Squad***

The controversy over the Canelo Alvarez-Erislandy Lara contest was always focused on the wrong topic. The decision in favor of Canelo looked quite correct, although people I respect had it the other way. The real question is how anyone could stick a guy who fights like Lara in a pay-per-view match.

Charging $59.95 to see this fleeing mantis in high-def is like selling time-shares for nonexistent condominiums. Someone should call a cop. The fact that Lara can run backwards for twelve rounds is an impressive athletic ability, but that’s not footwork. It’s a half-marathon.

Now that Showtime has showed the fight again, this time to all the network’s subscribers, many more fans have had the chance to make their own judgments about the contest. I would guess an overwhelming majority of those who waited a week were profoundly happy they didn’t get sucked into buying a live showing.

What Lara showed us once again was that when an opponent who packs a punch comes at him, he jumps back again and again. Rarely does he stand his ground against attack. Nor does he step to the side. What Lara does do is use his extraordinary reach to land his excellent jab and occasionally stop running to throw some punches – often very good punches. Then he skedaddles all over again.

Fighters like him certainly have a right to fight their fight. After all, it’s a free country (though not as free as it was before the government began secretly monitoring all our electronic communications). But asking fans at home to pay extra to see Lara-type fighters is downright nuts – and duplicitous – because invariably the promoters and networks will advertise the fight as something fans will enjoy seeing. Which is precisely what Golden Boy and Showtime did.

It’s almost hard to imagine the kind of nerve it takes to produce and present a series of “All Access” shows that promote a Lara contest as something special. If I were putting him on my network I’d try to draw as little attention to it as possible. Because the more viewers that see it, the more viewers you’re going to disappoint. And the more who won’t be back for the next one.

The card was another example of something I call the Mexican tax. That’s when greedy promoters and networks force Mexican and Mexican-American fans to pay extra for their loyalty. Beloved Canelo could sell tickets if he were fighting a billy goat so the fraudsters who make these decisions figure it’s okay to stick them with a snooze-mongering opponent and still demand extra payment.

By the way, Canelo, 44-1-1 (31 KOs) wasn’t exactly perfect. He came forward trying to make a fight of it, but on too many occasions when he got into range he just stopped and looked at Lara. Perhaps it was in amazement. Do my eyes deceive me? Why, the guy’s not going backwards! Oops, there he goes again.

Anyway, Canelo just turned 24 and he’s still learning. Lara belittled him every chance he got, but his feet told the real story, and they showed the tough Mexican plenty of Cuban respect.
Showtime can console itself with the knowledge that it didn’t just hurt itself with this fight. It hurt archrival HBO as well. Because fans care little about which network presents a particular PPV card. They just want to see good fights, and when they’re left with a bad taste in their mouths they will be less willing to buy the next one, regardless of who’s presenting it.

Also unsatisfactory was the network analysts’ constant labeling of Canelo-Lara as a contest between the two best junior middleweights in the world. Didn’t they see Floyd Mayweather decisively defeat Canelo in a junior middleweight contest last September on their own network? Do they have any doubts that they’d get the same outcome if there were a rematch? Yet these on-camera guys (with the exception of MMA and wrestling mouthpiece Mauro Ranallo) are genuine boxing experts. Unfortunately, when forced to choose between facts and sleazy network propaganda, once again they dive into sleaze.

My hat is off to Brian Kenney, who called it the way it was.

New York Times best-selling author Ivan G. Goldman’s Sick Justice: Inside the American Gulag was released in 2013 by Potomac Books. Watch for The Debtor Class: A Novel from Permanent Press in spring, 2015.
You can check !!

Fleeing Mantis Erislandy Lara on Pay-Per-View? Someone Call Bunco Squad

1 week ago :
Erislandy Lara: "Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo know I was robbed"
Erislandy Lara and his trainer Ronnie Shields stated their case to the boxing media for why the split-decision loss against Canelo Alvarez should have gone their way at the post-fight press conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Tyson Fury to fight Alexander Ustinov after Chisora withdrawal

BBC says seriously ;):

***Tyson Fury to fight Alexander Ustinov after Chisora withdrawal***

Tyson Fury will fight Belarusian Alexander Ustinov in hometown Manchester on Saturday, following the late cancellation of his world title eliminator with Dereck Chisora.

Chisora withdrew from the bout after fracturing his left hand in training.

The 22st Ustinov was Chisora's sparring partner when the injury occurred.

Fury, 25, has promised to "take his frustrations out" on the stand-in, having suffered his third pre-fight cancellation in the last 18 months.

He had two fights with David Haye cancelled after the former world champion pulled out.

Ustinov, 37, has won 29 of his 30 fights, with 21 of his victories coming by knock-out.

The much-hyped Fury-Chisora fight had been billed as an eliminator for the right to meet IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Belarusian Ustinov has a record of 29 wins from 30 fights

But Chisora, 30, pulled out on Monday, saying: "I can't tell you how disappointed I am, but it is on the advice of my specialist I do this."

Discussions are under way to reschedule the fight with Chisora later this year, probably in September.

Following Chisora's withdrawal, Fury said: "I have been training for months to get ready for the Chisora fight and I'm in the best condition of my life, so for this to happen again is a big blow.

"Whoever I face on Saturday will be in big trouble. I will take out my frustrations on them."

Meanwhile, Fury faces a British Boxing Board of Control misconduct hearing on 13 August for a foul-mouthed tirade against Chisora at a promotional news conference.

AND :
**WARNING EXPLICIT LANGUAGE** DERECK CHISORA v TYSON FURY II - FINAL LONDON PRESS CONFERENCE

Ranking Boxing’s Best Knockouts of 2014 so Far

*****Ranking Boxing's Best Knockouts of 2014 so Far*****

I told us:

Knockouts can transform good boxers into stars and stars into pay-per-view kings. Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao are great examples of how the art of the knockout can lift boxers into rock star status.

Not only do the fans like to see knockouts, it's beneficial for the boxers as well. Unfortunately in boxing we spend as much time talking about bad scorecards as we do great performances. Boxers who are able to knockout their opponent and take the decision away from the judges will always be more successful.

You can't trust the judges to always pick the correct winner; Pacquiao knows that truth as well.

In determining which knockouts would make the list and how to rank them, I considered three factors: What was at stake, if the knockout secured a comeback after the boxer trailed and the overall "wow factor" of the punches or combination of punches that put his opponent on the mat.

For the purposes of this article I'll consider boxers who also won by TKO or by the referee stopping the bout since the fight was still stopped early and the winning boxer would have likely won by knockout if it had continued.

Ranking Boxing's Best Knockouts of 2014 so Far

Thank you for your attention 🙂

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2136380-ranking-boxings-best-knockouts-of-2014-so-far

Tyson Fury dismisses misconduct charge ahead of Chisora heavyweight fight

Tyson Fury dismisses misconduct charge ahead of Chisora heavyweight fight

LISTEN :
Tyson Fury insists preparations ahead of Saturday's showdown against British heavyweight rival Dereck Chisora will not be derailed by a misconduct charge.

Fury launched a string of expletives at Chisora and one of the journalists in attendance at a London press conference last week to promote the clash at Manchester's Phones 4u Arena.
Tyson Fury

The 25-year-old has been summoned to appear before the British Boxing Board of Control on August 13 as a result of his antics but claimed he was "not interested" in the charge and does not regret the behaviour that prompted it.

On Thursday the BBBofC released a statement saying that after considering what happened, it had decided to call the Manchester-born fighter to a meeting "under Regulation 25 (misconduct)", adding that "failure to attend this hearing will result in Mr Fury's boxer's licence being suspended."

Fury said: "I'm not interested. They can charge me with whatever they want, it doesn't mean anything to me.

"What do we suppose they are going to be doing - fining me or suspending me? I'm not interested.

"I pay the board their wages. Keep being mean to me, and I will look elsewhere to pay someone else some wages."

Prior to the BBBofC statement being issued, Fury had apologised for the way he had acted, posting on social media: "I apologise for my ungodly actions @ the press Recently with @dellboychisora there was no bad feelings or Intentions. Just a show,#forgiveme.

"Boxing has been good to me it has brought me Security,Health,&kept me out of trouble, I thank every1 who has been Involved in my career. Xxx"

But he was in a less repentant mood on Monday as he conducted interviews at a media session in Bolton in the final build-up to the contest, which takes place on Saturday at Manchester's Phones 4u Arena.

"It is what it is," Fury said. "I say what I say and I do what I do. I don't regret it - I mean everything I say and that is it.

"I'm not the kind of man to say something and not back it up. I said what I said, I do what I do and I'm proud of it.

"No-one is going to stop me from doing anything I want to do. That is the way I roll.

"I don't do anything criminal, so I'm not going to get taken away in a set of handcuffs.

"This is boxing - showbusiness, entertainment. I do what I do and say what I say to build big fights and if I was 'Mr Quiet', nobody would be interested."

Fury (22-0, 16 KOs) and 30-year-old Chisora (20-4, 13 KOs) will contest a final eliminator for the WBO title which is currently held by Wladimir Klitschko, also the WBA and IBF champion.

Chisora's European belt and the vacant British title will also be up for grabs on Saturday. The pair met first time around in 2011, with Fury triumphing on points.
What doyou think ?

Tyson Fury Interview| Intense, Islam, Chisora| Be Real TV|Muslim?

Matthew Macklin targets Miguel Cotto after securing eliminator against Jorge Sebastien Heiland

It's good:
MATTHEW MACKLIN will face WBC International champion Jorge Sebastien Heiland in an official eliminator for the WBC middleweight title held by Miguel Cotto at the National Stadium in Dublin on August 30, live on Sky Sports – with tickets on sale from 9am on Tuesday July 22.
Matthew Macklin

Macklin is back in action for the first time since December and can take a huge step towards facing the Puerto Rican legend if he can see off Heiland, the 27-year-old Heiland who is ranked at number four with the WBC and won the WBC International title in November with a fifth-round knockout of Billi Godoy in his native Argentina.

Macklin is ranked at nine in the division and is chomping at the bit to get back into the ring and has set his sights on a showdown with Cotto.

“For the last few years now all my fights have been in the US and while it’s been great having big fights in New York and Las Vegas I’ve definitely missed fighting at home,” said Macklin. “There’s a huge appetite among boxing fans to see big time boxing back in Dublin and there’s no atmosphere in the world like an Irish fight night. I know that Eddie can deliver the big fights for me in Dublin so it’s a very exciting time for me.

“It’s great to have an eliminator to put me straight back in the frame for another world title fight. Heiland is rated number four with the WBC so I’m sure he will be coming to Ireland with his own World title ambitions. It’s a must win fight for me and it doesn’t matter what he brings to the ring on August 30, he won’t be beating me.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn brings a star-studded cast of fighters to Dublin for Matchroom Boxing’s first show it the city, with Olympic gold medal hero Anthony Joshua MBE facing another step up in opponent as he faces Yaroslav Zavorotnyi, the Ukrainian who took David Price ten rounds in June.

Commonwealth super-flyweight champion Kal Yafai defends his title against Belfast’s Luke Wilton, and there’s a spicy grudge match between bitter rivals Spike O’Sullivan and Anthony Fitzgerald meeting in the ring in what promises to be a fiery encounter.

Dublin’s Luke Keeler and Declan Garrity also appear on the bill with Hearn set to announce more names for the show soon, as he launches a new era for Matchroom Boxing in the great city of Dublin.

“I can’t wait for our first show in Dublin, the fans are in for a real treat,” said Hearn. “It’s a stacked card with Matthew in a hugely important fight that puts him in a great position to challenge for another World title.

“We’ve seen Matthew denied of what I believe was a victory in Germany against Sturm and a great performance against Sergio Martinez – the Cotto fight would be a great event. He is straight back in at the deep end against Heiland but let’s be honest, he wouldn’t want it any other way!

“Fans can expect plenty of fireworks on the undercard. Heavyweight sensation Anthony Joshua makes a big step up against Zavorotnyi who just lost a 10-round points decision against David Price. Super-flyweight star Kal Yafai makes the first defence of his Commonwealth crown and Gary O’Sullivan and Anthony Fitzgerald take part in an all-Ireland grudge match.”

From - http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/matthew-macklin-targets-miguel-cotto-after-securing-eliminator-against-jorge-sebastien-heiland/

And:
MATTHEW MACKLIN TALKS SIGNING WITH EDDIE HEARN, POTENTIAL ANDY LEE FIGHT & GOLOVKIN v GEALE

Thomas Dulorme Eyes Mauricio Herrera Showdown

Thomas Dulorme Eyes Mauricio Herrera Showdown

Thomas Dulorme

This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to BoxingScene.com or provide a link to the original article.

By Ryan Burton writes this:

BoxingScene.com caught up with junior welterweight contender Thomas Dulorme (21-1, 14KOs) shortly after Mauricio Herrera (21-4, 7KOs) captured the WBA junior welterweight interim title in Las Vegas on the Canelo Alvarez-Erislandy Lara pay-per-view undercard.

While most of the world was focused on the main event, Dulorme revealed that he was most interested in Herrera's title winning performance against Johan Perez.

"I came to Las Vegas to see that fight more than the Canelo and Lara fight. I wanted to see about a possible future fight with Herrera. I think that it would be a great fight, Mexico versus Puerto Rico," said the Carolina, Puerto Rico resident.

Dulorme is currently in California training at Robert Garcia's RGBA gym. He said that the current plan is for him to take a stay busy fight in August and then he hopes to land a bigger fight.

"I am in Oxnard and I have already started training. I might be back fighting on August 30th in Puerto Rico. That isn't set in stone but it's the plan for now," Dulorme told BoxingScene.com.
Article Link here - http://www.boxingscene.com/thomas-dulorme-eyes-mauricio-herrera-showdown--80161?#ixzz3880Aoz4c
Thank you!!

Toughest jobs in sports: Sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao

Jeff Eisenberg writes for us:

VENTURA, Calif. — Moments after going five rounds with a sparring partner who outweighed him by nearly 25 pounds last month, David Rodela climbed out of the ring, walked directly to the closest mirror and assessed the damage.
"You got me good," he told Abraham Lopez, pointing to a welt near his Adam's apple. "I don't know if that was a jab or a hook, but I'm going to feel that one later."
Manny Pacquiao

Bruises like that hardly faze Rodela anymore because he has endured far worse pursuing a line of work in which he gets beaten up for a living. The 31-year-old boxer is a professional sparring partner, one of the least glamorous and most punishing jobs in sports.

For the past decade, Rodela has enthusiastically strapped on headgear, pulled on gloves and exchanged punches with some of the best boxers in the world, a list that includes Manny Pacquiao, Antonio Margarito, Victor Ortiz, Zab Judah, Ricky Hatton and many others. Pacquiao in particular has utilized Rodela as a sparring partner in preparation for most of his major fights for the past decade because of the California native's stamina, durability and ability to mimic the style and tactics of an upcoming opponent.

Though a flurry of recent losses have dimmed Rodela's hopes of hoisting a title belt of his own someday, carving out a niche as one of boxing's most coveted sparring partners has eased some of his disappointment. Rodela may never achieve the individual success many projected when he turned pro in 2004 after a decorated amateur career, but he still feels he has enhanced his legacy in the sport by contributing to Pacquiao's emergence as an eight-time world champion and one of the best fighters of his era.

"I take a lot of pride in what I've accomplished," Rodela said. "I didn't win a world championship, but I think I've made an impact in the sport of boxing. Everyone knows who Muhammad Ali is. Who wouldn't want to say he helped Muhammad Ali become a champion? I've done that except it isn't Muhammad Ali. It's Manny Pacquiao, the Muhammad Ali of my era. Other people might be like, 'Dude, that's what you want?' Well, in my book, I'm happy with that."

If it seems odd for Rodela to share in the glory when one of the boxers he spars with scores a big win, consider the sacrifices he has made to help make those victories possible.

He withstood eight weeks of sparring with a fractured jaw in 2009, thanks to a vicious left hand from Pacquiao on the first day of camp. He endured some one-sided beatings earlier that same year trying to learn to fight left-handed after Ortiz asked him to imitate a southpaw welterweight. A few times, Rodela has even accepted invitations to spar with 200-plus-pound heavyweights even though he typically fights in the 135-pound lightweight division.

Although Rodela receives as much as $1,200 per week while in camp with Pacquiao or other fighters, those paychecks have come at a steep price. Spending so much time studying film of other fighters and imitating them in the ring has caused Rodela to slowly lose his own identity as a boxer, contributing to his slide out of the lightweight and super featherweight title pictures during the past four years.

"His ability to imitate a lot of styles is kind of a blessing and a curse in some ways," said Joseph "Hoss" Janik, Rodela's trainer at Knuckleheadz boxing gym in Ventura, Calif. "He's not really sure who he is as a fighter anymore. Talent-wise, he's probably one of the top two or three talents I've worked with in my career, but it has helped him more with his sparring than it has translated into his fighting career. Deep inside, he probably wishes he'd focused a little more on himself."

The path Rodela has taken is a rarity in a sport in which sparring partners typically are up-and-coming boxers seeking to learn from a more experienced fighter or to prove themselves in the ring. Most boxers on the outskirts of the title chase retire by age 30 because the meager paydays for low-profile fights aren't worth the pounding their bodies take.

There are two reasons Rodela has continued to pursue boxing when others might have already quit: The thrill of having his hand raised after victories is still the ultimate adrenaline rush for him and he hasn't left himself many fall-back options to make a living outside the sport.

Unable to read or write as well as his peers as a result of suffering from dyslexia, Rodela fell behind in school and eventually dropped out without earning his high school diploma. The first-generation Mexican-American quickly came to view boxing as the only way out of his hardscrabble neighborhood in working-class Oxnard, Calif., an outlook reinforced by a visit to a temporary job agency at the same time as he was trying to get his professional boxing career off the ground.

One section of the application was too complex for Rodela, so he asked his wife to read him the question and write the answers that he dictated. An agency staffer spotted Rodela's wife filling out the application for him and quickly made it clear that wasn't allowed.

"The lady said, 'Hey, hey, around here we're all big boys and we all write our own papers,'" Rodela recalled. "She didn't know better, but I just got so angry inside. It drove me crazy. I crumpled up the paper and threw it back at her."

Fortunately for Rodela, he had enough natural ability as a fighter that professional boxing wasn't as unrealistic a goal as many of his skeptical teachers and career counselors thought.

Having transitioned from kickboxing to traditional boxing at age 11, Rodela quickly began demolishing other top young fighters and ascending the U.S. rankings in his division. The long, lanky Rodela eased his nerves before big fights by approaching them like a game of tag, making it his goal to catch his opponents with a hard left or right hand and then move too nimbly to let them touch him.

Success came so easily to Rodela as a youth that his work ethic suffered as a result.

Since his parents didn't have enough money to go on family trips, Rodela viewed out-of-state amateur tournaments as the closest he'd come to taking a vacation. Instead of spending his time dieting and conditioning to make weight, he'd go sightseeing, eat greasy foods and then take his chances against bigger boxers at a higher weight class.

"These kids would be running around the parking lot trying to make weight and I'd be eating pizza or McDonald's or whatever I want," Rodela said. "Then I'd show up the next day and win the whole thing. People were like, 'You lucky bastard,' but I wasn't going to stress. I was enjoying myself."

The wakeup call never came for Rodela during an amateur career that culminated with a U.S. national lightweight championship and a berth in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. Only after a near-tragic accident later that year did Rodela's mentality finally change.

As Rodela drove home from a friend's house in Santa Barbara in the wee hours of the morning on April 4, 2004, he dozed off at the wheel, lost control of the car and woke up just in time to brace himself as the vehicle careened into a pole and a wall. The collision shattered Rodela's right femur so badly that doctors initially broached the idea of amputating and later told the boxer he'd probably never walk again even after they managed to save his leg.

Holed up in bed for months following the accident, Rodela relied on his younger brother to bring him food and help him bathe and use the bathroom. He never lost hope of resuming his boxing career, however, eventually making his professional debut a mere nine months after the accident and earning a draw despite fighting with his right leg dragging behind him.

"One silver lining from the accident was it gave David an appreciation for being able to do simple stuff like running and jumping rope," Janik said. "He always says, 'I can't imagine what I'd have been like as an amateur if I'd have trained hard.' He was always so talented that when his coach told him to run, he'd go sit on the curb, splash some water on his face and come back. After his accident, as soon as he could walk, he was walking. As soon as he could jog, he was jogging. So it humbled him a lot."

Rodela's professional career was still in its infancy when a combination of naivete and bravado resulted in his first sparring session with Pacquiao.

When a couple of men showed an interest in sponsoring Rodela soon after his return from the shattered femur, he tried to make himself sound like a big shot by telling them he planned to go spar at the prestigious Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles. That quickly backfired when the men called his bluff and asked to go with him, forcing Rodela to look up the gym's address on a search engine, show up unannounced, introduce himself to acclaimed trainer Freddie Roach and beg him for a chance to spar.

Roach asked Rodela for his height and weight before stunning him with an offer he never expected. He told Rodela to come back in a couple hours if he wanted to spar with Pacquiao.

"I go, 'Am I good enough?' Rodela said with a chuckle. "He says, 'I don't know. We'll see.' Part of me was happy because the sponsorship guys got excited, but inside I was scared [out of my wits]."

Rodela performed well enough in that initial sparring session with Pacquiao that Roach invited him back a second time to go two rounds. That time Pacquiao dropped Rodela with a ferocious left hand in the first round, but the 22-year-old impressed his famous counterpart by insisting they keep going.

"I told him, 'I need another round to get even,'" Rodela said. "He just smirked like this dude's crazy, but after the second round, he told me, 'I like you. You've got a lot of heart. I want you to be part of my team.'"

That invitation sparked a decade-long partnership between Pacquiao and Rodela that has proven fruitful for both men. Rodela has sometimes put aside his own aspirations to help Pacquiao prepare for upcoming fights. And Pacquiao has made sure Rodela knows his sacrifices aren't taken for granted.

Pacquiao has flown Rodela to and from his fights on his charter jet, invited him to his pre-fight meals and paid for floor seats for him and his friends. Pacquiao has also gone out of his way to visit or call Rodela or Janik after a fight to thank them for their assistance. In 2011, Pacquiao went so far as to give Rodela the ultimate wedding gift by writing him a check for the down payment on a new house.

The long-term relationship between Pacquiao and Rodela caught the attention of other elite fighters seeking a dependable sparring partner. Even now that he's in his early 30s, Rodela is still in such demand that he can charge more than $1,000 a week for his services, double or even triple what many sparring partners receive for similar gigs.

"David is good at imitating styles, his chin is probably the best I've ever come across and he won't try to take your head off," said Francisco "Chia" Santana, who sparred with Rodela in preparation for a June fight. "A lot of sparring partners try to knock you out and make a name for themselves, but David doesn't do that. He's very loyal to the camp and very respectful. He'll bring it but he knows when to pull back too."

There was a point in Rodela's career when it seemed like he could have it all — a partnership with Pacquiao, a reputation as a gifted sparring partner and the chance to contend for a world title of his own. Rodela toppled former featherweight champ Kevin Kelley in August 2008 and won his next three fights, setting up a key matchup with unbeaten Eloy Perez in January 2010 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Perez won a unanimous decision that night, vaulting himself briefly into title contention and sending Rodela's career into a tailspin. Rodela struggled to regain his confidence and identity as a boxer, only winning two of his next 10 fights after that defeat until a victory earlier this month.

The losses caused Rodela to ponder retirement and focus exclusively on his other job as a youth boxing coach for the city of Oxnard, but so far his passion for the sport has always pulled him back. The allure of reeling off a few wins and ending his career on a better note is one draw, as is the fact that his phone still rings every week with offers from fighters seeking an experienced sparring partner.

As Rodela enters the sunset of his boxing career, one of his other priorities is working with his two sons to make sure they have an easier path in life. One of the biggest lessons he imparts is to work hard in school so they have more options than he did. Another he frequently emphasizes is to be tough enough not to quit when something is difficult.

Rodela's eldest son had just begun dabbling in boxing a few months ago when he attended one of his dad's clinics in Oxnard and challenged the biggest kid in the class to spar for two rounds. When the younger Rodela predictably got knocked down in the first round, he looked at his father with tears welling in his eyes and said, "That's it, Dad. I'm done."

The older Rodela would have none of it.

"How many rounds did you ask for?" Rodela asked his son. "You asked for two and you always finish what you start."

Rodela's own career as a sparring partner epitomizes that lesson. From black eyes to bloody noses to broken bones, nothing has convinced him to give it up.

It's from here:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/boxing/toughest-jobs-in-sports--sparring-partner-for-manny-pacquiao-122128508.html

And look this:
Manny Pacquiao vs Amir Khan sparring partner of both on who is faster EsNews

Hawaii’s Rumble On The Rock: The Tournament That Carlos Condit Could Have Fought Anderson Silva

The time was late-January of 2006 and a Hawaiian promotion was about to start a tournament that included one of the best in terms of talent in MMA history. Amidst the promotion’s 29-events, Rumble on the Rock 8 9 definitely stand out as monumental and historically significant moments and one of New Mexico’s very own was part of the epic storyline. The Penn family (of the B.J. Penn kin) had their hands tied into the Hawaii-based fight promotion and they had already had notables such as Ricco Rodriguez, Kendall Grove and “Tank” Abbott.

The 175-pound, 8-man tournament to be held over the course of two events would begin in Honolulu on January 20th, 2014. The quarterfinals would feature eight fighters all billed as champions in past promotions. Amongst the crowd, Albuquerque’s Carlos Condit entered into the tournament with a record of 13-2 and arguably the most unknown fighter in comparison to the other seven competitors.

Cage Rage Champion Anderson Silva (16-3), fresh from fighting the young Georges St. Pierre, Frank Trigg (12-4) and former Shooto Champion Jake Shields (12-4-1) were the tournament favorites heading in to the Rumble on the Rock 8 event. Silva was considered one of the best foreign talents, Trigg had just fought several times for the rising in popularity promotion, the UFC, and Shields was already a seven-year veteran of several premier promotions.

The other competitors were Renato Verissimo (5-2), a three-fight UFC veteran; Dave Menne (42-12), who was the former UFC Middleweight Champion; Yushin Okami (13-2), a K-1 and Pancrase veteran; and Ronald Jhun (22-15), a former King of the Cage Champion.

For fight fans that don’t recall the landscape of New Mexico MMA from over 8-years ago, Condit trained with FIT NHB and his Head Coaches, Tom and Arlene Vaughn. Condit entered the tournament winning his last five of six and would arguably be the underdog to Verissimo. The hometown-Hawaiian fighter Verissimo was a knockout specialist who had dropped two of three in the UFC and held a notable win over Carlos Newtown. Condit needed only 17-seconds to brutally dispatch Verissimo; Condit caught his foe with a counter knee to the chin as Verissimo came swinging, finishing the fight with knees and punches to the turtled Hawaiian.

In Condit’s portion of the bracket, Frank Trigg had just won a unanimous decision over Ronald Jhun which would match Condit with the second straight UFC caliber opponent and a chance to get to the Rumble on the Rock Tournament finals.

Fast forward four months to April of 2006 and tournament would continue at Rumble on the Rock 9. The event would host the semifinals and the finals of the 175-pound tournament. Condit would now have the task of taking on Frank Trigg who had just bounced back from two consecutive losses against Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes. Trigg was considered one of the UFC’s top Welterweights and a perennial title contender.

Condit would need more than 17-seconds in the semi-finals but not by much; 82-seconds into the opening round, Condit locked in a fight ending triangle-armbar submission that forced Trigg to tap-out. Trigg charged Condit as soon as the bell sounded and blasted through a takedown, Condit would stay busy and eventually find the opening to set-up the triangle. While the choke was tight, Condit really torqued on the trapped arm of Trigg to secure the win. The fight signifies the last time Condit has ever finished a submission off of his back as he would go on to make a habit of finishing opponents standing.

In just a span of 99-seconds, Condit had won two fights and punched his ticket to the tournament finals. The favorite to emerge from the opposite bracket was Anderson Silva. Silva was only a few months from his eventual UFC debut and the PRIDE veteran was already considered one of the most dangerous fighters in the world. As fate would have it, Silva would lose in the opening round by Disqualification when he upkicked opponent Yushin Okami while Okami’s was grounded. The fight has long been controversial as Silva has gone on record stating that the rules weren’t clear to his team. Nevertheless, Okami would go on with the DQ win and Jake Shields would defeat Dave Menne via unanimous decision.

In the other semi-final fight at Rumble on the Rock 9, Yushin Okami and Jake Shields would put each other through the grinder in a methodical fight that lead to a majority decision in favor of Jake Shields. Shields was an established MMA veteran at the time with over seven years of experience and Condit as aforementioned, was a relative unknown outside of New Mexico.

While Condit would land some vicious strikes on the feet, the fight would take place on the ground where the wrestling of Shields would stifle the striking talents of Condit and then his Jiu Jitsu skills would shutdown any type of offense Condit would unleash off of his back. Shields would win a unanimous decision victory becoming tournament champion and in defeat, Condit would announce himself to the MMA world as an emerging talent to watch out for. The 22-year old Condit went 2-1 against elite caliber talent in a four-month span and would propel himself down the path of success we all know now that he would take.

All of the fighters in the tournament went down different paths; Silva most notably would go on to become the pound-for-pound greatest MMA fighter of all-time and UFC Middleweight Champion. Okami would go on to have a successful MMA career where he would challenge for the title and end his UFC tenure with a legendary resume. Shields would go on to fight for the premier MMA promotions in the world where he would rack up a record win streak defeating such names as Dan Henderson, UFC 171 title challenger Robbie Lawler and the well-known Demian Maia.

Condit’s future would also be bright, he would go on to win eight of nine fights which included capturing and defending the WEC Welterweight title. Of course Condit would also move gyms, joining the famed Jackson-Winkeljohn gym and is still currently enjoying a successful UFC tenure that includes an Interim UFC Title and winning several top contender bouts. Condit fights tomorrow night at UFC 171 where a win over opponent Tyron Woodley will once again propel him into a UFC Title shot against either Johny Hendricks or Robbie Lawler.

http://swfight.com