Austin Trout has had a taste of the big fights, and he wants it again, which is what makes his fight with interim junior middleweight titlist Erislandy Lara on Saturday so imperative.

"I'm absolutely excited to get in the fight," Trout said. "I really wanted to fight as soon as I could. I wasn't injured, I wasn't necessarily beat up, but I had to wait for December. So, all that in value then builds up, and I'm ready to take it out on Lara.

"Somebody has got to get rid of this guy, and I'm happy to be the one to do it. I feel like I'm the only one that can do it, so it's really honorable to be able to get in there and get my belt back at the same time."

Last December, Miguel Cotto selected Trout as an opponent because Cotto wanted a shot at his junior middleweight title. Trout was all too happy to give him the opportunity, went to Cotto's house at Madison Square Garden in New York and outpointed the Puerto Rican star with relative ease. It was the victory that put Trout on the map, even though he had held a world title since early 2011.

Rear more at ESPN.com

ATLANTIC CITY — Bernard Hopkins, already the oldest fighter to win a major world title, retained his International Boxing Federation light heavyweight belt with a unanimous decision over Karo Murat on Saturday.

Murat, a German of Armenian descent, was the more active fighter early on, but the 48-year-old Hopkins showed he was willing and able to go toe-to-toe with his 30-year-old foe.

Two ringside judges scored the 12-round bout at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall 119-108 for Hopkins, while a third saw it 117-110 for the US champion who improved to 54-6-2 with 32 knockouts.

Murat fell to 25-2-1, with 15 wins inside the distance. He said he wasn’t troubled by Hopkins’s trademark gamesmanship — which included a tongue-wagging taunt in the third round and a quick kiss on the challenger’s neck in a clinch in the fifth.

But Murat, fighting in the United States for the first time, said he was distracted by a cut over his left eye, and that hindered him even as he engaged the champion in a string of entertaining exchanges.

“The crowd wants to see skills, but they also want to see a little bit of blood,” Hopkins said. “So I’ve got a little bit of blood to give them. Sometimes, if you try to knock a guy out you’ve got to take risks.

Read more at Sports.inquirer.net

Marquez vs Bradley is an extremely intriguing match up with no clear favorite as both are premier fighters with superb skills.
Marquez is the more experienced, more technical counter-puncher with one-punch knockout power.
And Bradley, on the otherhand, is the younger, more agile, volume-puncher with elusive speed and quickness.

This is a match-up where proper and strict strategy application will be essential to both fighters.
Marquez is one of the most intelligent fighters in the sport today and outsmarting the veteran wizard surely won't be easy.

No one can question JMM's knowledge of the game and his ability to make adjustments in the ring without missing a beat. The biggest question most are asking is: How will Marquez's 40 year old reflexes will hold-up against the elusive 30 year old speedster?

But Marquez fully understands the disadvantage he holds and has been sparring with Bradley-esque fighters who can, to some degree, mimic Bradley's speed and movement.

Read more at Fightsaga.com

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao is bringing in a good old hand in a bid to change his fortune inside the ring.

The Filipino boxing icon, according to his adviser, Mike Koncz, has decided to once again tap the services of Australian strength guru Justin Fortune.

Pacquiao is stepping up his training for a decisive match with Brandon Rios on Nov. 24 at the Cotai Arena of The Venetian in Macau.

Pacquiao lost his two fights against Tim Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez last year, raising doubts if he’ll ever be the same again.

Alex Ariza, the strength coach from Colombia, is no longer around after a falling-out with trainer Freddie Roach, and to take his place is Fortune.

Ariza is now on the other side of the fence working for Rios but has maintained that he’s still hoping for the best for Pacquiao.

Read more at Philstar.com

David Haye will face Tyson Fury in the New Year after the postponed match was rescheduled for February 8 in Manchester, the former heavyweight world champion’s company Hayemaker Promotions has confirmed.
The pair were due to collide this Saturday at the Phones4U Arena until Haye suffered a gash above his left eyebrow which required six stitches and forced him to withdraw from the bout.

Questions immediately rose as to whether both parties would want to rearrange the fight, although it is said that both camps have worked swiftly to name the new date.

 "News of the date in February is music to my ears," said Haye. "I was absolutely devastated this weekend, and felt as though I'd let a lot of people down. But now, with this new date, I couldn't be happier.

Read more at Independent.co.uk

Local hero Timothy Bradley faces off with Juan Manuel Marquez Saturday, Oct. 12 in a 12 round bout for Bradley’s WBO Welterweight title. The fight takes place in Las Vegas at the Thomas and Mack Center and will be available on pay per view. However, if you can’t make it down the 15 or don’t want to spend a ridiculous amount on pay per view, Inland casinos will be screening the fight inside their lounges and bars.

Agua Caliente will show the matchup inside The Show for $25. Tickets are available at the box office, www.hotwatercasino.com and through Star Tickets.

Fantasy Springs will have the fight on casino wide in LIT, Springs Bar and 12th Floor Wine Bar.

San Manuel has viewing available in Sportswatch Grill and Tukut Lounge.

Pechanga screens its sporting events casino wide and usually offers a dining special for viewing inside Kelsey’s.

Spotlight 29 regularly screens big sporting events inside Hot Spot Lounge.

Most telecasts start at 6 p.m. with undercard bouts.

Read more at Blog.pe.com

Las Vegas-based boxing promoter Sterling McPherson, who has promoted many events featuring boxing champion Mike Tyson, is promising a night of world class professional boxing in Parker, AZ September 11th.

Headlining the action at BlueWater Resort & Casino will be a ten-round super middleweight clash between Puerto Rico’s Hector Camacho Jr. and Mexican veteran Hector Munoz of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Sporting a record of 57-5-1 with 31 knockouts over his illustrious career, Camacho Jr. is riding a three bout winning streak, most recently winning a unanimous decision over Lee Murtagh on August 8th in Rochester, New York. The battle with Munoz will be the fourth start of his 2013 campaign.

Over the course of his 11 years as a professional, Munoz has compiled a record of 21-11-1 with 14 knockouts. Most recently he travelled to the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut where he battled hometown favorite Danny O’Connor, losing a very close eight round decision.

Read more in Parkerliveonline.com

Tickets priced $100, $60 and $40 are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (714) 935-0900. For more information please visit www.thompsonboxing.com.

Doors open at 6:30 pm, and the first bell rings at 7:45 pm. The Omega Products Outdoor Arena is located at 1681 California Ave., Corona, CA 92881.

Read more in Eastsideboxing.com

Two of Malta’s most prominent professional boxers, Daniel Micallef and Clayton Vella will be back in action on June 7 at the 'Bugibba Hotel' in Qawra in what promises to be an action filled fight card.

Daniel Micallef is taking on Alexander Menges, a rising star of German boxing who has won all his professional fights by KO and last November beat Marcen Gierke by a unanimous decision to take the German International Welterweight Title.


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THE bookmakers' odds of 2/5 on Liam Walsh retaining his World Boxing Organisation European lightweight title at Wembley Arena this evening reflect the magnitude of Scott Harrison's quest to complete one of the most remarkable comebacks in the history of boxing.

However, the 35-year-old from Cambuslang has not been dismissed entirely by two former world champions, lightweight Jim Watt and super-featherweight Alex Arthur.

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