So is a Tulip Worth More than a Berto?
By Steve Kim: As of right now, it’s not clear when we’ll see Andre Berto in the upcoming months. Berto, the current WBC welterweight champion, began 2010 with an appointment to face Shane Mosley but those plans were scuttled when he dropped out of that fight citing his need to go to Haiti, which had just suffered a catastrophic earthquake (which had an impact on his relatives). He eventually faced Carlos Quintana in April, stopping the Puerto Rican in eight.

R-O-N-N-Y Rios, Remember the Name (and the Spelling)
Steve Kim (Photo © HoganPhotos.com): A couple of years ago, I penned a story on junior welterweight prospect Luis Ramos, where I mentioned that he was a stablemate of a promising young featherweight who also worked out of the TKO Boxing Gym in Santa Ana, California. His name was “Ronnie Rios,” I wrote. But a few days after that article came out, I was gently reminded by someone at the gym that Rios spelled his first name, R-O-N-N-Y.

An Autumn in Russia for Atlas
After the season finale of ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” (which curiously will take place on Saturday night) in Montreal, Teddy Atlas won’t have much time to unwind and enjoy the upcoming football season- or anything else for that matter. In a matter of days, he will be on a plane heading to Russia to work with his heavyweight Alexander Povetkin.

The First Lady of Promoting, Kathy Duva
Steve Kim: In the immediate aftermath of Tomasz Adamek’s victory over Chris Arreola in late April in Ontario, California, Kathy Duva of Main Events was insistent on two things moving forward: first, they would not be coerced into an immediate rematch with Arreola (who’s with the ever-influential Haymon Boxing Organization) and, secondly, they would not be waiting around for an HBO date to trot out Adamek again...

My Friend, Jay Larkin
By Steve Kim: On August 6th on what was just another Friday afternoon for me, I received this email from publicist Fred Sternburg: "Steve – Our good friend Jay Larkin’s health has taken an unfortunate turn for the worse. I know he would like to hear from you, whether it be via email, card or phone call. I spoke to his wife Lisa earlier this week and as of then Jay’s doctors had not apprised him of the latest MRI results, which were disappointing to say the least. My recommendation is to

Shaw Says He Has a Lost “Perro”
Steve Kim (Photo © German Villasenor): It’s hasn’t gotten to the point where promoter Gary Shaw is going around the neighborhood putting up “Lost” signs on lampposts or anything but it seems he has a stray dog. Well, actually, it seems as though Alfredo “Perro” Angulo has lost his way. The hard-hitting Mexican just recently turned down $750,000 for a crack at middleweight champion Sergio Martinez- demanding a million bucks- and...

Don King's New BFF
By Steve Kim: I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Don King, promoter extraordinaire, has a new friend and in the last couple of weeks, they have been downright chummy. His name would be Floyd Mayweather Jr., erstwhile entrepreneur, who is taking some time off from the ring to focus on his philanthropic efforts for the rest of 2010.

Dawson Hits the Road
By Steve Kim (Photo © Howard Schatz): This Saturday night Chad Dawson faces Jean Pascal for the WBC light heavyweight championship. And to come away with the green trinket, he’ll face formidable odds as he’ll be performing in front of a highly partisan crowd at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada (which has become one of the most robust boxing markets in the world) that will be cheering for Pascal, a native of Haiti, who now resides in Quebec...

Glen Johnson, Boxing's Wise Old Warrior
By Steve Kim (Photo © Bob Barton): There was a time when Glen Johnson- who faces IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud this Saturday night in St. Louis (HBO 10 PM, ET/PT)- was an undefeated prospect who came into his first title opportunity in July of 1997, with a sparkling record of 32-0. He was summarily dismissed by Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins in 11 rounds and it was...

Lateef Kayode and the Cruiserweight Conundrum
By Steve Kim (Photo © Miguel Salazar): It was a couple of years ago, when I was coming down the steps of the Wild Card Boxing Club after an afternoon workout, that a relatively new fighter that had just recently come to the gym (who I had known as “the big, muscular African guy”) approached me as I was going to my car. “The big, muscular African guy” who I guess had found out that I was a boxing scribe, stepped up to me and asked in his...

Alexander Comes Home as the Headliner
By Steve Kim: Like he has done before in the past, Devon Alexander will be fighting in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri when he faces Andreas Kotelnik at the Scottrade Center on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark” this upcoming Saturday night. But this will be the first time that the unified junior welterweight champion will be doing so as the headline performer. And Alexander isn’t even trying to play it cool.

A Night at the Fights, a Night at the Theater
By Steve Kim: If you want to catch the rematch between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz tonight and you don’t have the funds to purchase the pay-per-view, don’t have enough friends interested enough to pitch in to buy the HBO pay-per-view broadcast or you canceled your cable (Hey, times are tough), you still have an option. Like boxing fans did before the days of DirecTV, digital cable, even before ON-TV (Remember that?) and illegal internet streams (Shame on you guys!)...

Castillo Gets A Day Job
Steve Kim (Photo © German Villasenor): The days of Martin Castillo making six-figure paydays during his run as the WBA junior bantamweight champion and defending his crown on large pay-per-view platforms and overseas in Japan are long gone. Nowadays, as he prepares for this Saturday night’s make-or-break contest versus Jorge Arce in Nayarit, Mexico, he comes in as a fighter who moonlights at an ice cream factory...

The Guerreros Fight On
By Steve Kim: On Saturday night when Robert Guerrero faces Joel Casamayor from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, sitting ringside will be his wife, Casey. While her husband fights inside the ring to support their family, Casey herself has been waging a brave battle against leukemia. Since 2007, she has been afflicted with this disease and in late January, she underwent a bone marrow transplant after a match for her had been found in Europe. During this period, Guerrero...

Heavyweight Hurricane
By Steve Kim: NFL training camps are starting up this weekend, yet Quadtrine Hill, who started at the University of Miami from 2002-2005, spends his days at the Heavyweight Factory in Hollywood, Florida. Hill is now a former football player, after having spent time on the rosters of the Houston Texans, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots- mostly as a practice squad player...

The Collector: Part One
Steve Kim: If you’ve read my work in the past, you know that I’m a fairly big fan of the slick-boxing Anselmo Moreno, the current WBA bantamweight champion, who hails from Panama. In the past, I had the opportunity to watch a few of his fights against the likes of Wladimir Sidorenko, Mayhar Monshipour and Frederic Patrac. When I did, I mentioned his exploits in my “Final Flurries.” It turns out I wasn’t the only admirer of “Chemito.”

Unfinished Business
Steve Kim (Photo © German Villasenor): On Saturday night, Tim Bradley’s foray into the welterweight division was a successful one as he easily out-pointed the rugged Argentinean Luis Abregu over 12 rounds at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California. This bout (which headlined the latest edition of HBO’s “Boxing After Dark”) was, in some respects, an audition for “The Desert Storm,” who, like everybody else...

Body by Bradley
Steve Kim: Just recently, junior welterweight titleholder Tim Bradley- who faces Carlos Abregu on Saturday night as the headline performer on HBO from the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California- made the cover of The Ring magazine. It figures to be the first of many appearances where he appears on “The Bible of Boxing” but it seems like it won’t be too long before he is featured on Muscle and Fitness or Flex magazines

Judah and Main Events Reunite
By Steve Kim: This Friday night, Zab Judah makes his return to the ring when he faces veteran Jose Armando Santa Cruz at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, as the headliner on this week’s edition of “Friday Night Fights” on ESPN2. And he’s doing it under the Main Events promotional banner, the company in which he began his career back in 1996. Yes, like Peaches and Herb, they have reunited.

It’s a Tripleheader on “ShoBox”
Steve Kim: This Friday night at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southhaven, MS, the latest installment of “ShoBox” is a tripleheader that sees Shawn Porter taking on Ray Robinson, Lanard Lane facing Mike Dallas Jr. and, in the main event of the night, Fernando Guerrero squares off with veteran Ishe Smith. It’s a fight card that is eagerly anticipated by the hardcore followers of the sport.

Hudson Takes “Perro” for a Walk
Steve Kim: In May of 2009, junior middleweight Alfredo Angulo suffered his first professional loss against Kermit Cintron, who, despite being better known as a puncher, boxed and moved his way to a 12-round unanimous decision by scores of 116-112 across the board. Versus the lateral movement of Cintron, for much of the night, Angulo’s attempts to corral his foe were as futile as a dog chasing its own tail...

Hudson Takes “Perro” for a Walk
Steve Kim: In May of 2009, junior middleweight Alfredo Angulo suffered his first professional loss against Kermit Cintron, who, despite being better known as a puncher, boxed and moved his way to a 12-round unanimous decision by scores of 116-112 across the board. Versus the lateral movement of Cintron, for much of the night, Angulo’s attempts to corral his foe were as futile as a dog chasing its own tail...

Sugar Ray Leonard Presents: “Big Fighters, Big Cause”
By Steve Kim: Tonight at the Santa Monica Pier, the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation and B. Riley and Company present a fight card they are billing as “Big Fighters, Big Cause.” This event which will be held for specially invited guests, hopes to bring awareness to a nationwide epidemic. "I’m so, so excited [about] the fact that we’ll be launching my first event that will benefit juvenile diabetes and childhood obesity," the great Ray Leonard told Maxboxing...

Vazquez Shouldn't Plead for the Fifth
Steve Kim: As most of you know, I wasn’t able to attend this past Saturday night’s bout at the Staples Center between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, which was the fourth chapter of their historic rivalry. Since I was calling Peter Manfredo Jr.’s bout against Angel Hernandez at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT, I had to watch this fight as I got home after my long journey back home on Sunday afternoon.

Manfredo Keeps Going to Work
By Steve Kim (Photo © Howard Schatz): On January 30th, the day after Peter Manfredo Jr. out-pointed Matt Vanda at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT, “The Pride of Providence” wasn’t resting on his laurels or celebrating his victory. He didn’t even have the luxury of sleeping in. That’s because he began training to be an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) as he prepares for the next stage of his life. Manfredo has been a professional boxer since 2000, but he’s already

Will Familiarity Breed Success for Mares?
By Steve Kim: Before Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez engage in the fourth chapter of their epic rivalry, kicking off the Showtime broadcast on Saturday night from the Staples Center in Los Angeles (9 PM, ET/PT) is the fight between IBF bantamweight titlist, Yonnhy Perez and challenger Abner Mares. This is a rivalry of its own.

This Ain't for the Faint of Heart
By Steve Kim (Photo © German Villasenor): On Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles (Showtime 9 PM, ET/PT), Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez go at it again, and continue what has been the best modern-day rivalry in boxing. I know some folks are a bit squeamish about the thought of these two hooking up once again. Well, if you are, I suggest you go watch footage of Floyd Mayweather hitting the mitts or get ready for the World Cup

Malignaggi at Home versus Khan
By Steve Kim: December 19th, 1997 will forever be etched in the mind of Paulie Malignaggi. On that night at the famed Madison Square Garden, a highly-touted fighter from Great Britain took on the local favorite from New York. That fight was the memorable shootout between “Prince” Naseem Hamed and Kevin Kelley, which Hamed won in four pulsating rounds.

Some Random Thoughts on Mother’s Day
By Steve Kim (Photo © German Villasenor): Hope everyone out there had a good Mother’s Day in what was a busy and eventful weekend for the sport of boxing. As usual, a lot was happening inside the ring- for Kermit Cintron, outside of it- and I had a few things go through my head...

Margarito Returns; is He a Pugilistic Pariah?
By Steve Kim (Photo © German Villasenor): This Saturday night marks the return of “The Tijuana Tornado,” Antonio Margarito, who faces the rugged Roberto Garcia in Aguascalientes, Mexico, as the headliner on Top Rank’s “Latin Fury 14.” It’s his first outing since he was dismantled in nine rounds by Shane Mosley on January 24th, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. But the loss wasn’t even the worst part of that night.

Mayweather Paints a Picasso
By Steve Kim (Photo © German Villasenor): For a brief spell, Shane Mosley had the crowd on its feet and buzzing; he had just hit Floyd Mayweather with a blistering right hand in the second round that had shook the native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday night. It was stunning to see Mayweather hurt to any degree, much less hit with a clean, hard punch. An emboldened Mosley followed up with a barrage of punches before Mayweather rallied back with

Adamek Puts Main Events in Pole Position
By Steve Kim (Photo © German Villasenor): In the Whitney Reception Room at the Hilton Ontario Airport, Main Events CEO Kathy Duva sat down on late Saturday night and had perhaps the most satisfying meal she had enjoyed in years: a mini-burger, with a dab of ketchup. Filet mignon wouldn’t have been any better. Why? Because just a couple of hours earlier, less than a mile down the road at the Citizens Business Bank Arena, her fighter, Tomasz Adamek had pulled the upset in out-pointing Chris

“Friday Night Fights” is Live on Saturday Night
By Steve Kim: If you were hoping to catch “Friday Night Fights” last night on ESPN2, you weren’t going to do so. Instead, this week’s edition from the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, which has a main event of Orlando Lora-David Estrada, takes place tonight (8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT). Yes, on a Saturday...

What Happened in Vegas Shouldn't Have Happened at All
By Steve Kim (Photo © German Villasenor): In a fight that lived down to every expectation, Bernard Hopkins, after 17 years, exacted revenge on Roy Jones Jr., out-pointing him inside a Mandalay Bay Events Center that was more papered than a piñata. In what was a boring and awkward foul-fest, Hopkins won by the tallies of 117-110 (twice) and 118-109. Neither was able to make it to the post-fight press conference, which is just as well, because after what was put on display, Saturday night, I&

Is Silence Golden for Frankie Gomez?
By Steve Kim (Photo © Tom Hogan - Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotion): As far as interviews go, Frankie Gomez isn’t exactly Antonio Tarver or Paulie Malignaggi. In fact, as I interviewed him for the first time this past Monday at the Montebello PAL Gym (dubbed “The Snake Pit” as it is the home of “The Latin Snake” Sergio Mora) during the media day to promote this weekend’s undercard for Bernard Hopkins-Roy Jones II at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, I got the sense that the guys guarding B

Friday Night Fights at the Rio
By Steve Kim: Golden Boy Promotions, which is staging a “ShoBox” card at the Hard Rock Hotel and then the pay-per-view show featuring Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay, isn’t the only game in town in Las Vegas. For the second straight week, upstart TKO Boxing Promotions is going head to head with them, as they are putting on their own card, in association with Guilty Boxing Incorporated, from the Rio Hotel and Casino on Friday night.

The Latin Snake Returns
By Steve Kim (Photo © Photo © Gene Blevins - Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions): Before Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones engage in their long-ago-once-eagerly-anticipated rematch this Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Sergio Mora takes on Calvin Green. No, “The Latin Snake” did not retire; it only seemed that way. This will be his first outing since losing in his second go-around against the late Vernon Forrest in September of 2008.

Friday Night Darkness
By Steve Kim: While there was plenty of boxing taking place this weekend with shows being broadcast on Showtime and HBO and all across the globe, ESPN2, which was to have highlighted the bout between Steve Cunningham and Matt Godfrey for the vacant IBF cruiserweight title, instead went dark. There would be no “Friday Night Fights” on the network as planned. Simply put, as Cool Hand Luke might say, what we had here was a failure to communicate.

So Do We Have a Fight or Not?
By Steve Kim: The news that Joan Guzman weighed over nine pounds above the lightweight limit, prior to his bout against Ali Funeka for the vacant IBF lightweight title, spread quickly throughout the boxing community. Guzman, who must be utilizing the Kirstie Alley diet, had done it again. This once-respected boxer has become the kid whose dog keeps eating his homework. None of this pleases promoter Gary Shaw, who represents Funeka.

The Show Must Go On
By Steve Kim (Photo © TKO Boxing): At the Club Nokia at L.A. Live, Golden Boy Promotions is staging its latest installment of the “Fight Night Club” featuring bantamweight contender Abner Mares. At the Commerce Casino, TKO Boxing Promotions is putting on “Fight Night at the Commerce 2” featuring Demetrius Hopkins and a host of their young prospects. According to Mapquest.com, the two venues are less than 10 miles apart. But that doesn’t concern the brass at TKO Boxing. "Isn’t Los A

Risky Business for Mares
By Steve Kim: Last Thursday afternoon, young bantamweight contender Abner Mares attended a press conference officially announcing his fight against IBF champion, Yonnhy Perez on May 22nd. But there is that little formality taking place this upcoming Thursday at the Club Nokia at L.A. Live, on the latest edition of “Fight Night Club”- which is Mares upcoming fight against Felipe Almanza.

Shaw Gets Back to the Grind
By Steve Kim: In what was his first public function since the death of his father, Gary Shaw was in Los Angeles this past Thursday afternoon, to officially announce the latest installment of the epic rivalry that is Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez. This press conference was held outdoors just outside the Staples Center, where this fight will take place on May 22nd. A couple of weeks ago, he had just touched down in Rancho Mirage, California, to promote Vic Darchinyan’s fight against Rodrigo

Will Latimore “Bull”-rush Powell Once Again?
By Steve Kim (Photo © Bob Barton): Back in June of 2008 in Times Square, New York, Deandre Latimore was brought in as an opponent against the highly-ranked Sechew Powell. Latimore, who hails from St. Louis, proceeded to stop Powell in seven action-packed rounds. On this week’s edition of ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” from the Choctaw Gaming Center in Durant, Oklahoma, they meet again.

My Days in Dallas: Part Two
By Steve Kim: Well, the big day finally arrived. It was time for “The Event” at Dallas Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas. But before that, there was plenty going on that day and night. 11:13 AM: I wake up feeling pretty good and, like the day before, I hop on my laptop and do a blog entry and do some tweeting. Anyone that wants to know our whereabouts for the tailgate outside the stadium would have to go to my Twitter page to find out because we didn’t even know where we would be later...

My Days in Dallas: Part One
By Steve Kim (Photo © Will Hart/HBO-PPV): Some of you have asked when I would be doing another one of my diary-type entries where I detail my exploits covering fights on the road. Well, ask and you shall receive. And I decided that my foray into the “Lone Star” state and Dallas/Arlington/Grapevine to cover “The Event” between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey would be the perfect journey to chronicle. I actually got in on Wednesday night, but I will detail what took place on Friday and Saturday.

Alfonso Gomez’ Real “Contender” Try-Out
By Steve Kim: Before Manny Pacquiao steps into the ring against Joshua Clottey, in defense of his WBO welterweight title at Cowboys Stadium near Dallas, Texas, Alfonso Gomez takes on the faded Jose Luis Castillo as part as the evening’s undercard, featured on HBO PPV. Gomez is favored to win this fight, which is part of the story in itself. Unlike the past, since aligning himself with Top Rank, he’s actually being developed with a long-term plan and a focus on the big picture.

Arum Hits the Big D
Steve Kim: For promoter Bob Arum, who is staging “The Event” at Dallas Cowboys Stadium this weekend between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey, there has to be a sense of déjà vu. Back on November 14th, 1966, he promoted the heavyweight clash between Muhammad Ali and Cleveland Williams at the Houston Astrodome, which had just opened its doors in April of 1965.

Darchinyan Faces Guerrero but Really Wants Donaire
By Steve Kim (Photo © Tom Casino/SHOWTIME): Despite the postponement of the “Super Six” contest between Arthur Abraham and Andre Dirrell, the show will go on at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California (Showtime, 9 PM, ET/PT). The night’s main event now features junior bantamweight champion, Vic Darchinyan (who was to have been the opening act before Dirrell’s back problems) facing Rodrigo Guerrero. Darchinyan is heavily favored to turn away the challenge of the relatively

Cunningham's New Spirit of St. Louis
By Steve Kim (Photo © David Martin Warr/ Don King Productions): This Saturday night from the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT; WBC junior welterweight titlist Devon Alexander attempts to unify his belt versus IBF titleholder Juan Urango, as the headliner on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark.” Alexander, like Cory Spinks before him, hails from St. Louis. And they once shared the same trainer, Kevin Cunningham.

Is it Now Fools Gold?
By Steve Kim (Photo © Chris Farina/ Top Rank): It used to be that for young amateurs in America to secure hefty signing bonuses and lucrative contracts from the brand-name promoters, they had to make the Olympic team and secure at least a medal in the Games. But a few months ago, Jose Benavides, signed a six-figure deal with Top Rank and just recently, Frankie Gomez, scored an even bigger deal with Golden Boy Promotions.