Boxing

NIGERIA'S Samuel Peter, who floored Wladimir Klitschko three times in a heavyweight title bout five years ago and still lost, says the bruising Ukrainian will not get up when they meet again in September.     
The "Nigerian Nightmare" has another title shot against Klitschko on September 11 in Frankfurt, Germany, and despite the bout being in the world heavyweight champion's former adopted country, Peter will be packing his own judge and referee.

THE Nigeria Boxing Federation says it will not make any move to organize a rematch for the controversial elimination bout that featured Olaide Fijabi and Ganiyu Muideen ahead of the forthcoming New Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games.
The outcome of the Light Welterweight elimination bout, which was recently held at the National Stadium in Lagos, was trailed by controversy of alleged cheating and favouritism. The fight officials, comprising referees and judges, declared Fijabi as winner, but the United State-based Muideen protested the result, claiming he was rubbed and called for a rematch.    As the allegation continues to make rounds, NBF President Rotimi George-Taylor has ruled out any possibility of a rematch as demanded by the foreign-based pugilist.

In another couple of weeks, former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Samuel Peter of Nigeria (34-3, 27 KOs) will square up to the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organisation champion Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine. The door to give heavyweight title another shot opened for Peter when the IBF number one contender Alexander Povetkin backed out of his fight against IBF/WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko. Peter and Klitschko first squared off back in September 2005.

IN its quest to ensure adequate preparations that will produce successful outing at New Delhi 2010 19th Commonwealth Games, the Nigeria Boxing Federation has concluded plans to send boxers to Cuba for a training tour.
National Daily Weekend leant that a maximum of seven boxers of six weight categories would be selected and sponsored to Cuba for rigorous training and exposure in preparation for the international championships slated for October 3 to 14.

The seven boxers will be screened from a 14-man list compiled by the technical department of the NBF after a series of national trials.
The NBF President, Rotimi George-Taylor, disclosed to our correspondent that a contingent of the boxers and some coaches would leave for the South American country as soon as the plan is approved by the National Sports Commission.

IT Seems former four time world heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield just won’t quit. By the time the American boxing legend steps into the ring against Sherman ‘The Tank’ on November 5 he will be 48 years old.
And if successful against Williams, Holyfield’s manager Ken Sanders has confirmed he will then target WBC heavyweight king Vitali Klitschko. Holyfield vs Williams has not yet been officially signed but when it is, is expected to take place at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. "We haven’t got all of the paperwork signed yet, but we’re going to work on the undercard next week," said Sanders.

• Nigerian Nightmare vows ahead Klitschko rematch
AS the boxing world continue to countdown to the heavyweight rematch between Samuel Peter of Nigeria and Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine, both gladiators have been talking tough and the former has vowed to use the bout to regain the confidence of his admirers.
Peter, a former Olympian and traffic warden with the Nigeria Police, first shot to world reckoning in March 2008 when he beat Oleg Maskaev of Russia to win the World Boxing Council heavyweight title. Peter relinquished the crown seven months later by bowing to Vitali Klitschko (Wladimir's brother) of Ukraine.

FORMER national light heavyweight champion, Jerry Okorodudu, says Samuel Peter does not stand a chance of claiming the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title when he goes into the ring against current holder Wladimir Klitschko on September 11 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Okorodudu, currently serving as one of Nigeria boxing coaches, believed that lack of experience and height would count against the Nigerian Nightmare when he faces the massive Ukrainean boxer, who also holds the IBO and WBO belts.    

SEVEN boxers will represent Nigeria at this year’s Commonwealth Games holding in New Delhi, India.
The Nigeria Boxing Federation, National Daily gathered, was making arrangements for only seven pugilists to fight for the country in six categories at the biennial games billed to hold from October 9 to 13 in the India capital.

BoxingScene.com spoke with Barrett about the state of the heavyweight division and which fighter was going to lead the way. He gave an unexpected answer.
"I think David Haye is the truth. I can't stand David Haye because of the way that he treated me [in England], but as an athlete, as a fighter - he is the truth. He's very smart, very cagey. He's a strategical guy, inside the ring and outside the ring. What he did to me in London was strategic, he just threw me off my game plan. I think David Haye is a force to be reckon with. I think he's the future of boxing," Barrett said.

SAMUEL Peter of Nigeria could be back in the ring to reclaim the heavyweight boxing title sooner than later should Wladimir Klitschko makes true his threat to cancel his next bout against mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.
Peter had in March 2008 beat Oleg Maskaev of Russia to win the World Boxing Council heavyweight crown but barely seven months later surrendered the title to Ukrainean Vitali Klitschko (Wladimir's brother).

PROMOTER Frank Maloney has criticised his former charge David Haye for his inactivity after becoming the WBA heavyweight champion. Haye, who won the title in November, has defended it only once in a one-sided victory over John Ruiz.
Maloney believes Haye should continue to build his profile while out of action but that he has failed to do this so far.
"If I was still representing David, being a young fighter I would have cashed in a bit quicker and made him busier," said Maloney, who represented the fighter for two years before their split in 2008.

FORMER boxing champ Mike Tyson has dedicated the rest of his life to caring for others - because he considers himself a "pig" who has "wasted" so many years of his life.
Tyson shot to fame in 1986 when he became the youngest boxer to ever win the World Boxing Council (WBC) world heavyweight title at the age of 20.

PRESIDENT of Nigeria Boxing Federation, Rotimi George-Taylor, has applauded the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA)’s decision to grant a wild card to Nigeria to participate in the boxing event of the first Youth Olympic Games billed to hold in Singapore in August.
AIBA recently awarded a wild card to a Nigerian boxer, Muyideen Akanji, who was one of the six boxers that represented Nigeria at the Youth Olympics qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan. The NBF boss, who expressed his delight at the wild card, said the decision of the world amateur boxing governing body was a right step in right direction, adding that the development proved AIBA’s recognition of Nigeria’s impressive outings at the world championship.

FOR heavyweight challenger Andrew Golota of Poland predicts that should a megabuck showdown between pound-for-pound king and “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao and undefeated Floyd Mayweather push through, Pacquiao will be too much for Mayweather.
Scoop Malinowski of Boxing Insider.com quotes Golota as predicting that Pacquiao’s speed, activity level and power will be too much for Mayweather at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds pointing out that Pacquiao has carried the weight better than Mayweather since moving up through seven weight divisions.

FORMER World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion, Henry Akinwande, has slammed the Nigeria Boxing Federation for its routine camping of boxers ahead of international sporting championships, saying the idea was no longer effective in modern boxing.   
 The three-time world champion, who currently serves as Chairman of Lagos State Amatuer Boxing Association, tied his criticism to the ongoing camping organised by the NBF for 24 boxers, who are camped in Benin City, Edo State, ahead of this year's Commonwealth Games billed to hold in October in New Delhi, India.

FLOYD Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao is without question the biggest fight in boxing. Because there is so much money to be made, investors from all over the world are trying to get involved.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum confirmed to BoxingScene.com that he was approached by parties in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, who are interested in staging the Mayweather-Pacquiao event. "I got a call from Qatar, where they offered a number that was so crazy..... not to do the fight over there, [but] to do the fight here in the United States," Arum said.

IF a fight with Manny Pacquiao is back on the table, Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants more money than previously offered at the start of the year. Earlier this year Mayweather agreed to a 50-50 split on the money. This second time around the former five division champion wants a bigger slice of the pie. If Mayweather wants more than 50-50, Pacquiao's lawyer and business manager have said the fight "will never happen."

“We just got word that it seems to be that way,” said Pacquiao’s lawyer, Franklin Gacal to The Philippine Star. “But we will never agree to that."
Mayweather has based his new demands on the pay-per-view numbers.

Apparently undaunted following the failure of six Nigerian boxers to qualify for the first Summer Youth Olympic Games, national boxing coach, Jerry Okorududu, is optimistic that the the boxers can still secure a berth at the global competition billed to hold in Singapore in August.
The nation’s hope of competing in boxing at the Games suffered a setback with the defeat of the youth pugilists at the qualifiers held in Baku, Azerbaujan, between April 22 and April 30. The boxers were led by coach Ajani Aremu of Ogun State and United States-based Nsofor Idika, who served as the technical adviser. 

According to reports in the Russian press, the unification between heavyweight champions Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye is probably going to take place in Germany rather than England.
Klitschko's trainer Emanuel Steward has been talking about a September fight date. Golzka reports the fight is being discussed for the month of November. Last weekend in Las Vegas, Klitschko's adviser Shelly Finkel and Haye's co-promoter Golden Boy Promotions had positive discussions with American cable network HBO. The proposed fight date will have to work for HBO, German network RTL and the cable network carrying the event in England.

NATIONAL boxing coach, Obisia Nwankpa, has accused the Nigeria Boxing Federation President, Mr. Rotimi George-Taylor of unsporting behavior, saying the NBF President had taken several actions capable of jeopardizing boxing progress in the country.
Obisia’s criticism of George-Taylor, it was learnt, came on the heels of his alleged unjustifiable removal from the nation’s boxing contingent that went to Baku, Azerbaijan, for qualifiers ahead of the forthcoming Youth Olympic Games holding in Singapore in August. “George-Taylor’s actions have turned Nigerian boxing upside down. What he has been doing are the detrimental wonders going on under his leadership. He is leading as if the NBF does not have foundation; the NBF had a strong foundation before he was born and so he can’t come in now and scandalize everything.