According
to TEON KENNEDY's attorney, Dan Stevenson, the
once-beaten junior featherweight is in the clear regarding
that serious legal battle he has been up against since
Memorial Day. Stevenson said that all charges have been
dropped against Teon. "The judge decided that the lack of
legal evidence warranted an end to Teon's involvement in the
case", said Stevenson by telephone. So except for the slim
possibility that the case will be appealed to a higher
court, Kennedy's worries seem to be over. This good news
paves the way for Teon (17-1-1 / 17 KOs) to resume the rest
of his still-promising career. Recently a potential
high-profile opportunity on HBO against up-and-coming
Gary Russell, Jr. (18-0 / 10 KOs) fell through when the
Russell camp insisted that the bout be fought at 127 pounds
- just a bit too high for Kennedy, who was willing to move
up to 126. No catch-weight compromise could be made, so now
Russell will take on Dat Nguyen (17-2 / 6 KOs)
instead. After this less-competitive match was made, HBO
decided to remove the fight from their live 11/26 broadcast
and only air recorded highlights. So Team Kennedy must find
a new "next move" for Teon, who is coming off his first
career setback. But compared to the criminal charges that
could have halted his career - and life - in its tracks,
that should be a piece of cake.
Speaking
of big opportunities, North Philly junior middleweight
GABRIEL ROSADO recently landed his first shot to perform
on the Showtime cable network. Rosado (18-5 / 10 KOs) takes
on undefeated riser Jonathan Gonzalez (14-0 / 13 KOs)
on November 11 in a nationally televised match-up (11PM on
ShoBox). The bout is the main supporter for the WBA Jr.
Middleweight title contest between champ Austin Trout
(23-0 / 13 KOs) and Frank LoPorto (15-4-2 / 7 KOs) in
El Paso, Texas. Early this week, Rosado and guru BILLY
BRISCOE took off for training camp in New Mexico to
prepare for the fight they hope will put them in position
for an even bigger move. Hopefully Rosado will look good
enough in the fight to give the Showtime execs the bright
idea of matching him with the winner of the main event.
We'll talk to Rosado and Briscoe next week from training
camp and have a pre-fight report here.
UPDATE: On October 28th, Jonathan
Gonzalez pulled out of his fight with Gabriel Rosado. Rosado
informed Philly Boxing History from his Albuquerque
training camp that his new opponent would be Euri Gonzalez
(20-1-1 / 14 KO) of the Dominican Republic. However when the
new match could not be finalized by promoter Gary Shaw and
Showtime, the Rosado fight was pulled off the card
completely on October 31st.
Big
chances for Philly fighters in 2011 don't end with Rosado.
Philly's on-the-brink welterweight, MIKE JONES, puts
it all on the line December 3rd in his Madison Square Garden
debut against Sebastian Lujan. The usual nerves of
fighting in boxing's most hallowed of halls (MSG) for the
first time, will be nothing more than a blip on Jones' radar
compared to the career crossroads pressure he'll be feeling
against Lujan. In addition to risking his perfect 25-0 (19
KO) record, his gaggle of regional titles (NABA, NABO &
WBC-CA), and his #1 ranking in the WBO (aka the Manny
Pacquiao lottery), Jones fights for the #1 spot in the
IBF against Lujan (38-5-2 / 24 KOs). Lately MJ's name has
started to drop as a possible 2012 opponent for WBO champ
Manny - the best P4P fighter in the world. Fighting Manny is
a fine opportunity to collect some serious cash, but
becoming the mandatory contender for IBF champ Andre
Berto opens a very viable door for Jones' title dreams.
The fight with Lujan is one he has to win - and look
good while doing it. It is time for Jones to make his
statement to all of boxing (with a big PPV audience tuned
in). He struggled in his last chance when everyone was
watching (vs. Soto-Karass I last November), but
December 3 is an even better opportunity for him to make an
impression. Lujan is experienced but is more available than
Karass when it comes to taking hard shots. My only worry
about Lujan is that he's from Santa Fe, Argentina where they
breed all-time greats like Monzon and Galindez.
But chances are this will be a good night for Mike Jones.
The
date for LAJUAN SIMON's crack at the middleweight
title against Gennady Golovkin (21-0 / 18 KOs) has
been moved twice now. However instead of having to fight in
the wilds of Kazakhstan, this third date for the fight
(December 10) has landed Simon in the more boxing-civilized
world of Dusseldorf, Germany. Even better, the fight will be
the main preliminary for heavyweight champion
Wladimir Klitschko's defense against Jean Marc
Mormeck at the ESPRIT Arena. Simon (23-3-2 / 18 KOs)
could have never escaped Kazakhstan with the belt, and
although Germany is the current homefield for Kazakhstani
Golovkin, Simon should get a better shake in Deutschland.
Although Steve Cunningham may disagree.
Speaking
of STEVE CUNNINGHAM, the IBF did the right thing and
ordered an immediate rematch between Cunningham and Yoan
Pablo Hernandez, given the outrageous nature of the
result of their first meeting on October 1. The rematch is
scheduled to occur by February, with the winner required to
face the patiently-waiting Troy Ross by May.
Cunningham is psyched and more determined than ever to get
back in there and get his title back. My question is - "Is
it possible for Cunningham to get in better shape than
usual?" I think he's already maxed out that meter, so I
doubt it. But just imagine USS Steve with a chip on his
shoulder and the desire to seek revenge. Look out Hernandez.
Look out Sauerland. Look out Germany.
BERNARD
HOPKINS was given back his recognition as middleweight
king by the usually-corrupt WBC, despite the
California commission's as-yet final ruling of his "should
be No Contest" bout against Chad Dawson. The WBC did
the right thing - sort of - when they ruled the fight a
Technical Draw and kept Bernard as their champion. However,
to me, it looks like a dangerous precedent is being set by
the WBC. By jumping out and making their own ruling before
the commission weighs in, it certainly opens the door for
the WBC to start getting into the "results" business. With
this populist call making most of us happy, the evil WBC has
set the stage for an brand new way of meddling in boxing's
big picture. In the future, watch for the WBC to start
overthrowing close decisions that go against their chosen
ones. This gives them a way to manipulate their title
without having to create new variations of their
already-compromised belt (Silver Belt, Champion Emeritus,
etc). I like the fact that they won't have to go to a
"Bronze" or "Platinum" version of their strap to accommodate
Jose Suliman's whims, but I think this is a disaster
waiting to happen - even in WBC terms - not so much with the
recent stinking Hopkins result, but for certain with the
many close calls coming down the pike. It's too bad that
their reputation is so awful that I get suspicious even when
the WBC tries to do the right thing.
Congratulations
to ROBERT "BAM BAM" HINES who enters the NJ Boxing
Hall of Fame on November 10th. Hines, a former IBF junior
middleweight champion in the 1980s, will be honored at the
NJHOF's annual banquet at the Venetian in Garfield, NJ.
Hines, now a trainer at West Philly's Shuler Gym, is quite
deserving of the honor. He was inducted into the PA Hall in
2010. Last-minute tickets for the NJ banquet can be
purchased until November 3rd. Call NJ Hall president Henry
Hascup ASAP (973-471-2458) for details.
Finally,
JOEY EYE and DAVID FELDMAN stage their fifth
boxing show at Harrah's Chester tonight (Friday,
October 28). The once-promising card featuring a PA State
light heavyweight title bout between Tony Ferrante
and Tom Karpency as well as crowd-pleaser-king
Victor Vasquez, will go on as a mere shadow of its
former self. With Karpency and then eventually Ferrante
bowing out, plus with Vasquez off the card, main event
duties have been hung on a pair of heavyweight bouts (oh
GOD!). Come-backing GERALD NOBLES (26-1 / 21 KOs),
inactive since 2007, will return in a 6-rounder against
Joseph Rabotte (11-18-1 / 3 KOs), while FRANKLIN
LAWRENCE (16-2-2 / 11 KOs) and Raymond Ochieng
(23-14-3 / 18 KOs) will (hopefully) clash in an 8-round
heavyweight bout. The best match on the card is a 6-round
super middleweight fight between 10-0 DERRICK WEBSTER
and TANEAL GOYCO, 4-2. It doesn't look too good on
paper, but chances are it will be the best thing going
tonight in Chester. A full report on the Chester card will
be posted this weekend.
According
to TEON KENNEDY's attorney, Dan Stevenson, the
once-beaten junior featherweight is in the clear regarding
that serious legal battle he has been up against since
Memorial Day. Stevenson said that all charges have been
dropped against Teon. "The judge decided that the lack of
legal evidence warranted an end to Teon's involvement in the
case", said Stevenson by telephone. So except for the slim
possibility that the case will be appealed to a higher
court, Kennedy's worries seem to be over. This good news
paves the way for Teon (17-1-1 / 17 KOs) to resume the rest
of his still-promising career. Recently a potential
high-profile opportunity on HBO against up-and-coming
Gary Russell, Jr. (18-0 / 10 KOs) fell through when the
Russell camp insisted that the bout be fought at 127 pounds
- just a bit too high for Kennedy, who was willing to move
up to 126. No catch-weight compromise could be made, so now
Russell will take on Dat Nguyen (17-2 / 6 KOs)
instead. After this less-competitive match was made, HBO
decided to remove the fight from their live 11/26 broadcast
and only air recorded highlights. So Team Kennedy must find
a new "next move" for Teon, who is coming off his first
career setback. But compared to the criminal charges that
could have halted his career - and life - in its tracks,
that should be a piece of cake. 
Speaking
of big opportunities, North Philly junior middleweight
GABRIEL ROSADO recently landed his first shot to perform
on the Showtime cable network. Rosado (18-5 / 10 KOs) takes
on undefeated riser Jonathan Gonzalez (14-0 / 13 KOs)
on November 11 in a nationally televised match-up (11PM on
ShoBox). The bout is the main supporter for the WBA Jr.
Middleweight title contest between champ Austin Trout
(23-0 / 13 KOs) and Frank LoPorto (15-4-2 / 7 KOs) in
El Paso, Texas. Early this week, Rosado and guru BILLY
BRISCOE took off for training camp in New Mexico to
prepare for the fight they hope will put them in position
for an even bigger move. Hopefully Rosado will look good
enough in the fight to give the Showtime execs the bright
idea of matching him with the winner of the main event.
We'll talk to Rosado and Briscoe next week from training
camp and have a pre-fight report here.
UPDATE: On October 28th, Jonathan
Gonzalez pulled out of his fight with Gabriel Rosado. Rosado
informed Philly Boxing History from his Albuquerque
training camp that his new opponent would be Euri Gonzalez
(20-1-1 / 14 KO) of the Dominican Republic. However when the
new match could not be finalized by promoter Gary Shaw and
Showtime, the Rosado fight was pulled off the card
completely on October 31st. 
Big
chances for Philly fighters in 2011 don't end with Rosado.
Philly's on-the-brink welterweight, MIKE JONES, puts
it all on the line December 3rd in his Madison Square Garden
debut against Sebastian Lujan. The usual nerves of
fighting in boxing's most hallowed of halls (MSG) for the
first time, will be nothing more than a blip on Jones' radar
compared to the career crossroads pressure he'll be feeling
against Lujan. In addition to risking his perfect 25-0 (19
KO) record, his gaggle of regional titles (NABA, NABO &
WBC-CA), and his #1 ranking in the WBO (aka the Manny
Pacquiao lottery), Jones fights for the #1 spot in the
IBF against Lujan (38-5-2 / 24 KOs). Lately MJ's name has
started to drop as a possible 2012 opponent for WBO champ
Manny - the best P4P fighter in the world. Fighting Manny is
a fine opportunity to collect some serious cash, but
becoming the mandatory contender for IBF champ Andre
Berto opens a very viable door for Jones' title dreams.
The fight with Lujan is one he has to win - and look
good while doing it. It is time for Jones to make his
statement to all of boxing (with a big PPV audience tuned
in). He struggled in his last chance when everyone was
watching (vs. Soto-Karass I last November), but
December 3 is an even better opportunity for him to make an
impression. Lujan is experienced but is more available than
Karass when it comes to taking hard shots. My only worry
about Lujan is that he's from Santa Fe, Argentina where they
breed all-time greats like Monzon and Galindez.
But chances are this will be a good night for Mike Jones. 
The
date for LAJUAN SIMON's crack at the middleweight
title against Gennady Golovkin (21-0 / 18 KOs) has
been moved twice now. However instead of having to fight in
the wilds of Kazakhstan, this third date for the fight
(December 10) has landed Simon in the more boxing-civilized
world of Dusseldorf, Germany. Even better, the fight will be
the main preliminary for heavyweight champion
Wladimir Klitschko's defense against Jean Marc
Mormeck at the ESPRIT Arena. Simon (23-3-2 / 18 KOs)
could have never escaped Kazakhstan with the belt, and
although Germany is the current homefield for Kazakhstani
Golovkin, Simon should get a better shake in Deutschland.
Although Steve Cunningham may disagree. 
Speaking
of STEVE CUNNINGHAM, the IBF did the right thing and
ordered an immediate rematch between Cunningham and Yoan
Pablo Hernandez, given the outrageous nature of the
result of their first meeting on October 1. The rematch is
scheduled to occur by February, with the winner required to
face the patiently-waiting Troy Ross by May.
Cunningham is psyched and more determined than ever to get
back in there and get his title back. My question is - "Is
it possible for Cunningham to get in better shape than
usual?" I think he's already maxed out that meter, so I
doubt it. But just imagine USS Steve with a chip on his
shoulder and the desire to seek revenge. Look out Hernandez.
Look out Sauerland. Look out Germany. 
BERNARD
HOPKINS was given back his recognition as middleweight
king by the usually-corrupt WBC, despite the
California commission's as-yet final ruling of his "should
be No Contest" bout against Chad Dawson. The WBC did
the right thing - sort of - when they ruled the fight a
Technical Draw and kept Bernard as their champion. However,
to me, it looks like a dangerous precedent is being set by
the WBC. By jumping out and making their own ruling before
the commission weighs in, it certainly opens the door for
the WBC to start getting into the "results" business. With
this populist call making most of us happy, the evil WBC has
set the stage for an brand new way of meddling in boxing's
big picture. In the future, watch for the WBC to start
overthrowing close decisions that go against their chosen
ones. This gives them a way to manipulate their title
without having to create new variations of their
already-compromised belt (Silver Belt, Champion Emeritus,
etc). I like the fact that they won't have to go to a
"Bronze" or "Platinum" version of their strap to accommodate
Jose Suliman's whims, but I think this is a disaster
waiting to happen - even in WBC terms - not so much with the
recent stinking Hopkins result, but for certain with the
many close calls coming down the pike. It's too bad that
their reputation is so awful that I get suspicious even when
the WBC tries to do the right thing. 
Congratulations
to ROBERT "BAM BAM" HINES who enters the NJ Boxing
Hall of Fame on November 10th. Hines, a former IBF junior
middleweight champion in the 1980s, will be honored at the
NJHOF's annual banquet at the Venetian in Garfield, NJ.
Hines, now a trainer at West Philly's Shuler Gym, is quite
deserving of the honor. He was inducted into the PA Hall in
2010. Last-minute tickets for the NJ banquet can be
purchased until November 3rd. Call NJ Hall president Henry
Hascup ASAP (973-471-2458) for details. 
Finally,
JOEY EYE and DAVID FELDMAN stage their fifth
boxing show at Harrah's Chester tonight (Friday,
October 28). The once-promising card featuring a PA State
light heavyweight title bout between Tony Ferrante
and Tom Karpency as well as crowd-pleaser-king
Victor Vasquez, will go on as a mere shadow of its
former self. With Karpency and then eventually Ferrante
bowing out, plus with Vasquez off the card, main event
duties have been hung on a pair of heavyweight bouts (oh
GOD!). Come-backing GERALD NOBLES (26-1 / 21 KOs),
inactive since 2007, will return in a 6-rounder against
Joseph Rabotte (11-18-1 / 3 KOs), while FRANKLIN
LAWRENCE (16-2-2 / 11 KOs) and Raymond Ochieng
(23-14-3 / 18 KOs) will (hopefully) clash in an 8-round
heavyweight bout. The best match on the card is a 6-round
super middleweight fight between 10-0 DERRICK WEBSTER
and TANEAL GOYCO, 4-2. It doesn't look too good on
paper, but chances are it will be the best thing going
tonight in Chester. A full report on the Chester card will
be posted this weekend.