The International Boxing League - Page 8

kenyan_cheena · 03-11-2007, 08:34 PM

CURTAIN COMES DOWN ON IBL SELECTION TRIALS

Saturday 29 June 2002

Almost eight weeks after they started, the International Boxing League's selection trials reached their conclusion today. The event in Miami, Florida brought down the curtain on what IBL Chief Director James Molk called an "amazing two months".

"It's hard to believe that it's over," said Molk. "It's a significant moment for our organisation. I guess you could call it the end of part one, really."

During the next couple of weeks, the league's team of scouts and selection officials will complete the ultimate task of dividing 600 fighters from five different weight divisions into regional groups for the upcoming World Championship qualifiers and Future Contender series.

"We've made some good progress already," said Molk. "But there's still a lot of work to do. A lot of discussions ahead of us and decisions to be made."

This week's Florida trials were highlighted by the appearance of the fleet-footed Welterweight James Ray, a cousin of Heavyweight Boxing Federation competitors Elmer Ray and Terone Haynes. There was considerable hype surrounding the 19 year-old as a result of the success his cousins have enjoyed in the federation and Molk confirmed that Ray has lived up to it.

"Oh, yeah," said the IBL Chief Director. "He's a special talent, no doubt about that. The kid has speed to burn, you know? Those fists are like lightning and the way he moves around the ring is something to see. Very humble character, which I guess is a bit of a contrast to his cousin Elmer. I'm not afraid to say that James Ray is going to be a star in the IBL."

With his cousins having been down in Japan (and soon to be in Australia) for the last couple of weeks, James has relied mainly on his uncle Jerome (father of Terone) for assistance during the trials. But he's also found some welcomed support from a surprising and unexpected source: a fellow Florida boxer named Romy Alvarez, who will be competing as a Heavyweight in the federation's Qualifying League.

"That's my boy, right there," said Ray. "Hadn't even met the cat before this week, but we buddies now, y'all. A lot of folks is out for theyselves here, man. Romy jus' come up to me on Tuesday, introduce hisself. We start talkin' and weren't long before he was helpin' me train: holdin' on to the heavy bag, spottin' my weights and even sparrin' with me. We talk about my cousins, 'bout how we have similar backgrounds: both poor, both tryin' to overcome that. He a selfless dude and when my cuz back home, we be invitin' him to come up to Hastings and train with us, no doubt."

Some news reports may have made it seem like James Ray was the only fighter trialing in Florida. Of course, that hasn't been the case. These Miami trials have been a great success and in addition to Ray, a trio of talented fighters have really stood out during the past week.

* Joe Knight (Light-Heavyweight): A tough 19 year-old from Cairo, Georgia, Knight possesses an impressive offensive arsenal. His left hook and right cross have stood out as particularly effective and he can take a punch just as well as give one.

* Luis Rodriguez (Welterweight): This Cuban speedster is going to be a handful for whoever steps in the ring against him. Blessed with fast hands, a granite chin and an excellent defense, the 20 year-old must be considered a great chance of bringing a World Championship to Cuba.

* Holman Williams (Middleweight): Hailing from Pensacola in Florida's north-west, Williams is another slick boxer. He has an excellent jab and knows how to stay out of trouble in the ring. He showed up to these trials in excellent shape, displaying a ripped, muscular torso which he has continued to work on through some tough training sessions.

"It's been an amazing two months," said Molk. "A period that I'm sure our staff will look back on fondly in days to come. I know I will. But we won't be letting up at all. We'll be back in Vegas tomorrow, where we'll be spending most of our time during the coming weeks. It will be nice to be back home, but we've got a lot of work ahead of us still."

Indeed, Molk and his team will have to log some long hours in order to have the alignment of their league finalised by the night of 22 July, when all will be revealed at the MGM Grand Casino, an event that will be the official birth of the International Boxing League...

Romdawg88 · 03-11-2007, 09:00 PM

Molk may look back at the auditions fondly but something tells me that you KC are going to be quite happy that their done. I'm glad to make another appearance and have my storyline moved abit further along. Can't wait for the 22nd to get the ball rolling, will that be when the matchups are announced.

kenyan_cheena · 03-11-2007, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Molk may look back at the auditions fondly but something tells me that you KC are going to be quite happy that their done. I'm glad to make another appearance and have my storyline moved abit further along. Can't wait for the 22nd to get the ball rolling, will that be when the matchups are announced.

Thanks, Romy. You're right about that. A lot of relief in regards to getting the trials all done. It was only natural for your guy to appear in that last post, as his friendship with James Ray had already been revealed in the HBF thread.

Yep, on the 22nd it all gets revealed: the different groups for the regional qualifiers, the schedule for each weight division, even the makeup of the Future Contender series.

See post #98 for more details.

Romdawg88 · 03-12-2007, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Thanks, Romy. You're right about that. A lot of relief in regards to getting the trials all done. It was only natural for your guy to appear in that last post, as his friendship with James Ray had already been revealed in the HBF thread.

Yep, on the 22nd it all gets revealed: the different groups for the regional qualifiers, the schedule for each weight division, even the makeup of the Future Contender series.

See post #98 for more details.

Once I saw that James was in this post I expected for my guy to pop-up, so that makes him the second of the forum fighters to appear in both leagues after Conn Chris right.

I look forward to seeing how all the match-ups go down. With the way the match-ups are being made I have no doubt that will get at least a couple huge first round fights.

kenyan_cheena · 03-12-2007, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Once I saw that James was in this post I expected for my guy to pop-up, so that makes him the second of the forum fighters to appear in both leagues after Conn Chris right.

I look forward to seeing how all the match-ups go down. With the way the match-ups are being made I have no doubt that will get at least a couple huge first round fights.

Yep, you and Chris are the only ones to date.

As for the matchups, there is the real possibility of some World title type ones happening right away. I'm talking guys rated 12 going against each other in their debut, if you can believe it. As post #98 suggests, it will be all done by a lottery system which I'll be using a random number generator to represent. I'm not planning on doing the lottery until I'm actually ready to make the posts, so the time between when I know and when you all know will only be a few days, at most. I'm excited thinking of when that time comes around.

Romdawg88 · 03-12-2007, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Yep, you and Chris are the only ones to date.

As for the matchups, there is the real possibility of some World title type ones happening right away. I'm talking guys rated 12 going against each other in their debut, if you can believe it. As post #98 suggests, it will be all done by a lottery system which I'll be using a random number generator to represent. I'm not planning on doing the lottery until I'm actually ready to make the posts, so the time between when I know and when you all know will only be a few days, at most. I'm excited thinking of when that time comes around.

Yeah, I expect we'll get at least a couple fights that are World Title level and with all the talent in the LW division I'll be shocked if one of them isn't from there. It should be an interesting post I look forward to the unveiling.

Ric915 · 03-16-2007, 10:33 PM

Just Read the whole thread some very impressive writing and I can't wait to see these tourney's begin

kenyan_cheena · 03-17-2007, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric915

Just Read the whole thread some very impressive writing and I can't wait to see these tourney's begin

Thanks, Ric. I'm glad you're enjoying it. If you'd like to have a fictional fighter in either the HBF or IBL, just click on the link below to sign up.

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...d.php?t=116902

Ric915 · 03-18-2007, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Thanks, Ric. I'm glad you're enjoying it. If you'd like to have a fictional fighter in either the HBF or IBL, just click on the link below to sign up.

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...d.php?t=116902

awesome will do

kenyan_cheena · 03-18-2007, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric915

awesome will do

I'm happy to announce that there's two more board members who have signed up for a spot in the HBF/IBL universe.

Ric will be a Lightweight in the IBL while Michelangelo has entered as a Heavyweight. He'll be placed in the Qualifying League.

See my sign-up thread in General Discussions for more details.

kenyan_cheena · 03-31-2007, 01:54 AM

SPINKS AND LEONARD APPEAR ON
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL

Friday 5 July 2002

They were two of the three American gold medallists who, back on April 4, helped Chief Director James Molk introduce the presence of the International Boxing League to the world. But since then Michael Spinks and Ray Leonard have been rarely heard and barely seen. That changed this evening with the two appearing on the HBO program Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

Spinks won Middleweight gold in Sydney but will be competing in what is expected to be a deep Light-Heavyweight division in the IBL while Leonard is one of the favourites to take out the league's inaugural Welterweight World Championship. Some of the topics that Gumbel explored during the interview were:

* A perceived rivalry between fighters in the HBF and the IBL?

"I don't see that at all," said Spinks, frowning. "Maybe amongst the guys from the same division, but there's no beefs between guys in the two organisations. Not yet, at least. You've seen what's happening out in Cali already, with McVey and Toney and those other guys in USC. And you only have to look back to the days after Molk announced it how a number of the HBF guys spoke up in support of us. Ain't no reason to have a beef with a guy that you won't be competing against."

* The excitement as the IBL's unveiling approaches...

"So many people have been talking to me about it," said Leonard. "It's just going to be a huge night. I'm really curious to see exactly who they've placed in each group because there were a number of guys that they weren't sure on, whether they'd be in the qualifiers or the Future Contender series. I'm looking forward to that."

* Their aspirations for the future?

"I ain't afraid to say that I've got a big vision," said Spinks. "Some people might laugh at my ambitions, but I've got a plan laid out in my mind that leads all the way to the HBF's World Championship. I'm not afraid to say that and I don't think anyone should get on my case for saying it, either."

"I'll just be happy if I can have some success in the qualifiers," said Leonard, smiling. "That's my primary focus right now. I'm only thinking short term and part of that will be revealed on July 22 when I find out who my first opponent is."

* The format for the IBL's tournaments...

"It's gonna be tough," Spinks said. "You know, the HBF have protected their guys to this stage of their tournaments but we won't get that luxury. We won't know who we're going up against next until after we fight. That will make things really interesting and could lead to some surprising results, I think."

***

With only seventeen days until the IBL's big bash at the MGM, it goes without saying that with competitors the likes of Spinks and Leonard in its ranks, the league has an exciting future to look forward to...

kenyan_cheena · 04-13-2007, 11:16 PM

BOXING FEVER ... MEXICAN STYLE

Tuesday 9 July 2002

A poll of Mexican fight fans has revealed that Middleweight slugger Javier "Yepe" Aguirre is the most liked and admired boxer in the nation. Taken on ESPN's Deportes website during the past week, over half a million votes were registered with Aguirre receiving 39.2% of them.

The news has apparently angered Olympic Featherweight gold medallist Salvador Sanchez who, like Aguirre, will be competing in the upcoming International Boxing League World Championship tournament. Sanchez was a national hero after his exploits in Sydney, returning home to a wave of adulation and fanfare. But his ego has gotten the better of him in recent times and a much-publicised brawl involving his entourage and that of his arch rival Vicente Saldivar back in April appears to have damaged his popularity.

Aguirre's Olympic adventure was not as fortunate as Sanchez's. Going into the tournament as one of the favourites, he was controversially eliminated in the quarter-finals against the Frenchman Marcel Cerdan. The final score was 21-19 but it appeared that at least half a dozen solid scoring shots from the Mexican went unrecorded.

Aguirre has more or less put that disappointment behind him and his reserved, humble attitude has really enamoured him to his countrymen in the time since. Amongst the ranks of Mexican fighters in the IBL, the amiable 21 year-old is the one that they are really hoping to see win a World Championship. That may be quite a difficult task though in what will be an absolutely stacked Middleweight division. It's been rumoured that Aguirre will be placed in what may be called the "North American West" group for the regional qualifiers meaning that he'll be up against a number of fighters who impressed in the selection trials, such as the Californians Terry Norris, James Toney, Bert Lytell and Freddie Apostoli. But the native of Acuna played down any concerns when speaking on the matter recently.

"Why should that worry me?" he said. "If I want to become World Champion, I'll have to beat the best in my division so it won't matter when I fight them. There is much more to the Middleweight division than the west coast of America, so if I get worried about fighting those guys I might aswell quit before the tournament even starts."

It's now less than two weeks until the IBL unveils the makeup of its tournament groups and to say that boxing fever has gripped Mexico would be an understatement. It would not be a stretch to say that this country's passion for the sport is stronger than anywhere else in the world and the men who represent it in the boxing ring during the coming months and years will be carrying the nation's hopes on their shoulders. No doubt, it will be at times quite a burden to bear.

While Aguirre was named the nation's most liked fighter, Sanchez was not that far behind, as he received 33.6% of the votes in the poll. The 18 year-old does have quite a hardcore following, especially in his hometown of Tianguistenco where he is revered and where something of a "Sanchez cult" has formed since his Olympic triumph. It's likely that his followers will be just as upset by the poll result as he is and it wouldn't surprise if this leads to some disturbances in the coming days.

It's already been confirmed by International Boxing League Chief Director James Molk that the Featherweight division will have a Mexican regional group. It will feature both Sanchez and Saldivar, aswell as a pair of other talented teenagers in Ruben Olivares and Ricardo Moreno. It goes without saying that this particular group will be one of the more interesting ones to follow as the league's tournaments progress...

Romdawg88 · 04-13-2007, 11:55 PM

Aguirre/Apostoli as soon as possible please. That should be a war between those two. It looks like Javier is in a pretty tough group but I think he can win. I think Apostoli and Toney are going to be his toughest tests as Norris and Bert have some pretty big weaknesses for Javier to take advantage of.

Also, that Mexican FW group looks quite nice.

kenyan_cheena · 04-14-2007, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Aguirre/Apostoli as soon as possible please. That should be a war between those two. It looks like Javier is in a pretty tough group but I think he can win. I think Apostoli and Toney are going to be his toughest tests as Norris and Bert have some pretty big weaknesses for Javier to take advantage of.

Also, that Mexican FW group looks quite nice.

I thought it would be nice to give you all a little teaser for the regional groups, besides simply wanting to make a post relating to the excitement in Mexico. The passion for the sport there is something that I want to make one of the major parts of the IBL storyline.

javier_83 · 04-18-2007, 10:29 PM

we want all the ttiles!!

kenyan_cheena · 04-22-2007, 10:42 PM

TENSIONS AT BOILING POINT

Thursday 11 July 2002

In Puerto Rico, a boxing rivalry that already looked like having scene-stealing potential has simply gathered more heat during these past couple of days. Lightweights Hector Camacho and Edwin Rosario clashed on more than one occasion during last month's International Boxing League San Juan selection trials with the outgoing, flashy Camacho really getting under Rosario's skin. Back on Monday, Camacho once again lit a fuse as he boasted of being not only the best Lightweight in the Caribbean but also in the entire world.

"You'll see when this tournament starts," said the 19 year-old. "People will be in awe of the way I run through the regionals and then dominate everyone they put me in against in the World Championship tournament. That Olympic Champion Whitaker, they say he's fast but when I step in the ring they'll have to redefine the meaning of it."

The interviewer suggested that Camacho was getting a bit ahead of himself, running off the names of a number of fighters in the Lightweight division that impressed the IBL during the trials, including Rosario. It was then that Camacho made the statement that has had his fellow Puerto Rican vowing to "make him bleed".

"Rosario has power but he is as slow as hell," said Camacho. "I'm going to make the poor guy look foolish, I have no doubt about that. He won't be able to see my punches, won't be able to avoid them and he won't be able to lay a hand on me, either. How will he win if he can't do that?"

"I don't need to be aggressive to embarass him," Camacho continued when his apparent lack of killer instinct was mentioned. "The judges will be dazzled by my hand speed and the quality of my offense. Just the sight of Rosario's head getting jolted back and forth will convince them who the superior fighter is."

(to be continued)

Jeff1787 · 04-22-2007, 11:11 PM

So when do our fighters fight???????????

kenyan_cheena · 04-22-2007, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff1787

So when do our fighters fight???????????

All will be revealed on July 22 (universe date)...

kenyan_cheena · 04-23-2007, 09:59 PM

(continuation of post #156)

"The guy is really talking out of his ass," said an irritated Rosario after he saw the interview. "I don't know, maybe he has to do these things to pump himself up, to make himself feel more confident. From the first moment I crossed paths with him, he's been doing his best to get a rise out of me. You won't hear any of that nonsense from me, but I can guarantee that the moment he eats my right hook that smug smile is going to be wiped off his face. It'll be personal. I'm going to make him bleed, no doubt."

While Rosario and Camacho look set to rip into each other, Welterweights Felix Trinidad and Wilfred Benitez have been doing everything to ensure they have the best possible chance of success. The good friends have been training together in preparation for the regional tournament, despite the fact that they are destined to clash during it.

"We have been friends for many years," said Trinidad. "I'm hoping that we can both make it to the top together, that we can push each other beyond what we could even dream of being capable of."

The Olympic silver medallist has spent a lot of time promoting the IBL in his homeland, something that has helped to elevate further what was already excited anticipation for the organisation's tournaments.

"It's going to be an incredible time," said Trinidad. "Boxing is just going to be one of the most dominant sports around the world, a truly international sport. I can't wait for the competitions to start."

Jeff1787 · 04-24-2007, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

All will be revealed on July 22 (universe date)...

Cool.....

03-11-2007, 09:00 PM	#142
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Belle Glade, FL Posts: 4,182	Molk may look back at the auditions fondly but something tells me that you KC are going to be quite happy that their done. I'm glad to make another appearance and have my storyline moved abit further along. Can't wait for the 22nd to get the ball rolling, will that be when the matchups are announced. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). IBL: 13 - 4 (7) Henry Armstrong > You.

03-31-2007, 01:54 AM	#151
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	SPINKS AND LEONARD APPEAR ON REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL Friday 5 July 2002 They were two of the three American gold medallists who, back on April 4, helped Chief Director James Molk introduce the presence of the International Boxing League to the world. But since then Michael Spinks and Ray Leonard have been rarely heard and barely seen. That changed this evening with the two appearing on the HBO program Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. Spinks won Middleweight gold in Sydney but will be competing in what is expected to be a deep Light-Heavyweight division in the IBL while Leonard is one of the favourites to take out the league's inaugural Welterweight World Championship. Some of the topics that Gumbel explored during the interview were: * A perceived rivalry between fighters in the HBF and the IBL? "I don't see that at all," said Spinks, frowning. "Maybe amongst the guys from the same division, but there's no beefs between guys in the two organisations. Not yet, at least. You've seen what's happening out in Cali already, with McVey and Toney and those other guys in USC. And you only have to look back to the days after Molk announced it how a number of the HBF guys spoke up in support of us. Ain't no reason to have a beef with a guy that you won't be competing against." * The excitement as the IBL's unveiling approaches... "So many people have been talking to me about it," said Leonard. "It's just going to be a huge night. I'm really curious to see exactly who they've placed in each group because there were a number of guys that they weren't sure on, whether they'd be in the qualifiers or the Future Contender series. I'm looking forward to that." * Their aspirations for the future? "I ain't afraid to say that I've got a big vision," said Spinks. "Some people might laugh at my ambitions, but I've got a plan laid out in my mind that leads all the way to the HBF's World Championship. I'm not afraid to say that and I don't think anyone should get on my case for saying it, either." "I'll just be happy if I can have some success in the qualifiers," said Leonard, smiling. "That's my primary focus right now. I'm only thinking short term and part of that will be revealed on July 22 when I find out who my first opponent is." * The format for the IBL's tournaments... "It's gonna be tough," Spinks said. "You know, the HBF have protected their guys to this stage of their tournaments but we won't get that luxury. We won't know who we're going up against next until after we fight. That will make things really interesting and could lead to some surprising results, I think." *** With only seventeen days until the IBL's big bash at the MGM, it goes without saying that with competitors the likes of Spinks and Leonard in its ranks, the league has an exciting future to look forward to... Last edited by kenyan_cheena; 06-24-2007 at 10:18 PM.

04-13-2007, 11:55 PM	#153
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Belle Glade, FL Posts: 4,182	Aguirre/Apostoli as soon as possible please. That should be a war between those two. It looks like Javier is in a pretty tough group but I think he can win. I think Apostoli and Toney are going to be his toughest tests as Norris and Bert have some pretty big weaknesses for Javier to take advantage of. Also, that Mexican FW group looks quite nice. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). IBL: 13 - 4 (7) Henry Armstrong > You.

04-18-2007, 10:29 PM	#155
javier_83 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 3,091	we want all the ttiles!! __________________ Unification World of Boxing Universal World of Boxing First Tbcb Forum Tournament

04-22-2007, 11:11 PM	#157
Jeff1787 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: The Doghouse Posts: 3,535	So when do our fighters fight??????????? __________________ 1903: The hatchet is finally buried

03-11-2007, 08:34 PM	#141
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	CURTAIN COMES DOWN ON IBL SELECTION TRIALS Saturday 29 June 2002 Almost eight weeks after they started, the International Boxing League's selection trials reached their conclusion today. The event in Miami, Florida brought down the curtain on what IBL Chief Director James Molk called an "amazing two months". "It's hard to believe that it's over," said Molk. "It's a significant moment for our organisation. I guess you could call it the end of part one, really." During the next couple of weeks, the league's team of scouts and selection officials will complete the ultimate task of dividing 600 fighters from five different weight divisions into regional groups for the upcoming World Championship qualifiers and Future Contender series. "We've made some good progress already," said Molk. "But there's still a lot of work to do. A lot of discussions ahead of us and decisions to be made." This week's Florida trials were highlighted by the appearance of the fleet-footed Welterweight James Ray, a cousin of Heavyweight Boxing Federation competitors Elmer Ray and Terone Haynes. There was considerable hype surrounding the 19 year-old as a result of the success his cousins have enjoyed in the federation and Molk confirmed that Ray has lived up to it. "Oh, yeah," said the IBL Chief Director. "He's a special talent, no doubt about that. The kid has speed to burn, you know? Those fists are like lightning and the way he moves around the ring is something to see. Very humble character, which I guess is a bit of a contrast to his cousin Elmer. I'm not afraid to say that James Ray is going to be a star in the IBL." With his cousins having been down in Japan (and soon to be in Australia) for the last couple of weeks, James has relied mainly on his uncle Jerome (father of Terone) for assistance during the trials. But he's also found some welcomed support from a surprising and unexpected source: a fellow Florida boxer named Romy Alvarez, who will be competing as a Heavyweight in the federation's Qualifying League. "That's my boy, right there," said Ray. "Hadn't even met the cat before this week, but we buddies now, y'all. A lot of folks is out for theyselves here, man. Romy jus' come up to me on Tuesday, introduce hisself. We start talkin' and weren't long before he was helpin' me train: holdin' on to the heavy bag, spottin' my weights and even sparrin' with me. We talk about my cousins, 'bout how we have similar backgrounds: both poor, both tryin' to overcome that. He a selfless dude and when my cuz back home, we be invitin' him to come up to Hastings and train with us, no doubt." Some news reports may have made it seem like James Ray was the only fighter trialing in Florida. Of course, that hasn't been the case. These Miami trials have been a great success and in addition to Ray, a trio of talented fighters have really stood out during the past week. * Joe Knight (Light-Heavyweight): A tough 19 year-old from Cairo, Georgia, Knight possesses an impressive offensive arsenal. His left hook and right cross have stood out as particularly effective and he can take a punch just as well as give one. * Luis Rodriguez (Welterweight): This Cuban speedster is going to be a handful for whoever steps in the ring against him. Blessed with fast hands, a granite chin and an excellent defense, the 20 year-old must be considered a great chance of bringing a World Championship to Cuba. * Holman Williams (Middleweight): Hailing from Pensacola in Florida's north-west, Williams is another slick boxer. He has an excellent jab and knows how to stay out of trouble in the ring. He showed up to these trials in excellent shape, displaying a ripped, muscular torso which he has continued to work on through some tough training sessions. "It's been an amazing two months," said Molk. "A period that I'm sure our staff will look back on fondly in days to come. I know I will. But we won't be letting up at all. We'll be back in Vegas tomorrow, where we'll be spending most of our time during the coming weeks. It will be nice to be back home, but we've got a lot of work ahead of us still." Indeed, Molk and his team will have to log some long hours in order to have the alignment of their league finalised by the night of 22 July, when all will be revealed at the MGM Grand Casino, an event that will be the official birth of the International Boxing League...

03-16-2007, 10:33 PM	#147
Ric915 All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Lake Havasu City Arizona Posts: 1,262	Just Read the whole thread some very impressive writing and I can't wait to see these tourney's begin

04-13-2007, 11:16 PM	#152
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	BOXING FEVER ... MEXICAN STYLE Tuesday 9 July 2002 A poll of Mexican fight fans has revealed that Middleweight slugger Javier "Yepe" Aguirre is the most liked and admired boxer in the nation. Taken on ESPN's Deportes website during the past week, over half a million votes were registered with Aguirre receiving 39.2% of them. The news has apparently angered Olympic Featherweight gold medallist Salvador Sanchez who, like Aguirre, will be competing in the upcoming International Boxing League World Championship tournament. Sanchez was a national hero after his exploits in Sydney, returning home to a wave of adulation and fanfare. But his ego has gotten the better of him in recent times and a much-publicised brawl involving his entourage and that of his arch rival Vicente Saldivar back in April appears to have damaged his popularity. Aguirre's Olympic adventure was not as fortunate as Sanchez's. Going into the tournament as one of the favourites, he was controversially eliminated in the quarter-finals against the Frenchman Marcel Cerdan. The final score was 21-19 but it appeared that at least half a dozen solid scoring shots from the Mexican went unrecorded. Aguirre has more or less put that disappointment behind him and his reserved, humble attitude has really enamoured him to his countrymen in the time since. Amongst the ranks of Mexican fighters in the IBL, the amiable 21 year-old is the one that they are really hoping to see win a World Championship. That may be quite a difficult task though in what will be an absolutely stacked Middleweight division. It's been rumoured that Aguirre will be placed in what may be called the "North American West" group for the regional qualifiers meaning that he'll be up against a number of fighters who impressed in the selection trials, such as the Californians Terry Norris, James Toney, Bert Lytell and Freddie Apostoli. But the native of Acuna played down any concerns when speaking on the matter recently. "Why should that worry me?" he said. "If I want to become World Champion, I'll have to beat the best in my division so it won't matter when I fight them. There is much more to the Middleweight division than the west coast of America, so if I get worried about fighting those guys I might aswell quit before the tournament even starts." It's now less than two weeks until the IBL unveils the makeup of its tournament groups and to say that boxing fever has gripped Mexico would be an understatement. It would not be a stretch to say that this country's passion for the sport is stronger than anywhere else in the world and the men who represent it in the boxing ring during the coming months and years will be carrying the nation's hopes on their shoulders. No doubt, it will be at times quite a burden to bear. While Aguirre was named the nation's most liked fighter, Sanchez was not that far behind, as he received 33.6% of the votes in the poll. The 18 year-old does have quite a hardcore following, especially in his hometown of Tianguistenco where he is revered and where something of a "Sanchez cult" has formed since his Olympic triumph. It's likely that his followers will be just as upset by the poll result as he is and it wouldn't surprise if this leads to some disturbances in the coming days. It's already been confirmed by International Boxing League Chief Director James Molk that the Featherweight division will have a Mexican regional group. It will feature both Sanchez and Saldivar, aswell as a pair of other talented teenagers in Ruben Olivares and Ricardo Moreno. It goes without saying that this particular group will be one of the more interesting ones to follow as the league's tournaments progress...

04-22-2007, 10:42 PM	#156
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	TENSIONS AT BOILING POINT Thursday 11 July 2002 In Puerto Rico, a boxing rivalry that already looked like having scene-stealing potential has simply gathered more heat during these past couple of days. Lightweights Hector Camacho and Edwin Rosario clashed on more than one occasion during last month's International Boxing League San Juan selection trials with the outgoing, flashy Camacho really getting under Rosario's skin. Back on Monday, Camacho once again lit a fuse as he boasted of being not only the best Lightweight in the Caribbean but also in the entire world. "You'll see when this tournament starts," said the 19 year-old. "People will be in awe of the way I run through the regionals and then dominate everyone they put me in against in the World Championship tournament. That Olympic Champion Whitaker, they say he's fast but when I step in the ring they'll have to redefine the meaning of it." The interviewer suggested that Camacho was getting a bit ahead of himself, running off the names of a number of fighters in the Lightweight division that impressed the IBL during the trials, including Rosario. It was then that Camacho made the statement that has had his fellow Puerto Rican vowing to "make him bleed". "Rosario has power but he is as slow as hell," said Camacho. "I'm going to make the poor guy look foolish, I have no doubt about that. He won't be able to see my punches, won't be able to avoid them and he won't be able to lay a hand on me, either. How will he win if he can't do that?" "I don't need to be aggressive to embarass him," Camacho continued when his apparent lack of killer instinct was mentioned. "The judges will be dazzled by my hand speed and the quality of my offense. Just the sight of Rosario's head getting jolted back and forth will convince them who the superior fighter is." (to be continued)

04-23-2007, 09:59 PM	#159
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	(continuation of post #156) "The guy is really talking out of his ass," said an irritated Rosario after he saw the interview. "I don't know, maybe he has to do these things to pump himself up, to make himself feel more confident. From the first moment I crossed paths with him, he's been doing his best to get a rise out of me. You won't hear any of that nonsense from me, but I can guarantee that the moment he eats my right hook that smug smile is going to be wiped off his face. It'll be personal. I'm going to make him bleed, no doubt." While Rosario and Camacho look set to rip into each other, Welterweights Felix Trinidad and Wilfred Benitez have been doing everything to ensure they have the best possible chance of success. The good friends have been training together in preparation for the regional tournament, despite the fact that they are destined to clash during it. "We have been friends for many years," said Trinidad. "I'm hoping that we can both make it to the top together, that we can push each other beyond what we could even dream of being capable of." The Olympic silver medallist has spent a lot of time promoting the IBL in his homeland, something that has helped to elevate further what was already excited anticipation for the organisation's tournaments. "It's going to be an incredible time," said Trinidad. "Boxing is just going to be one of the most dominant sports around the world, a truly international sport. I can't wait for the competitions to start." Last edited by kenyan_cheena; 11-10-2007 at 12:53 AM.