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Peterson Fails Drug Test; Rematch with Khan Cancelled

2012-05-15T11:33:00Z

Lamont Peterson and Amir Khan were scheduled to meet on May 19 in a rematch of Peterson's controversial split decision win on December 10. Scratch that. In a random test administered in March, Peterson tested positive a banned substance - synthetic testosterone - so the bout is off.

So far there has been no discussion of setting a new date for the rematch. Instead, Khan's camp is trying to have Peterson's win changed to a no contest, in which case Khan would likely get his titles back.

Peterson Fails Drug Test; Rematch with Khan Cancelled originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 at 11:33:00.

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Mayweather Outpoints Cotto in Competitive Fight

2012-05-08T12:35:45Z

Undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. is so good his fights are judged not on whether he wins or loses (he always wins), but rather on whether his opponent is even competitive. Miguel Cotto was competitive ... very competitive. Mayweather raised his record to 43-0 and took the WBA super welterweight title from Cotto, but it was never easy. Cotto, who bloodied Floyd's nose in round six and had a big round eight, matched Mayweather's heart ... he just couldn't match his skill level. Mayweather staggered Cotto in the final round and was awarded a unanimous decision: 118-110 and 117-111 twice.

Mayweather set a record with a guarantee of $32 million (pay-per-view will make his total take even higher), while Cotto earned a minimum of $8 million -- the bigger payday of his career. Next for Mayweather is an 87-day jail sentence for domestic battery which begins on June 1. Cotto, despite the loss, remains a top draw and will have multiple attractive options for his next fight, such as Sergio Martinez, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Saul Alvarez.

Mayweather Outpoints Cotto in Competitive Fight originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 at 12:35:45.

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Alvarez Passes Test, Dominates Mosley

2012-05-08T11:58:25Z

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez retained his WBC super welterweight title with a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over 40-year-old former champ Shane Mosley. An accidental clash of heads opened a cut over the left eye of Alvarez in round three, but Mosley simply did not have enough left in the tank to test his younger opponent. Alvarez, 21, pounded Mosley but could never put him down. Scores were 118-110 and 119-109 twice.

Alvarez landed 348 of 673 punches (52%) -- the most punches landed on Mosley in 34 fights tracked by CompuBox. Mosley was only able to land 183 of 745 punches (25%).

Next up for Alvarez may be a Sept. 15 bout with James Kirkland. Next up for Mosley - winless in his last four (0-3-1) - should be retirement as he is no longer competitive at an elite level. His toughness and ability to take a punch - tremendous assets in a younger fighter - now put him in danger of taking excessive punishment if he elects to continue his ring career.

Alvarez Passes Test, Dominates Mosley originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 at 11:58:25.

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Best-Paid Athletes by Country

2012-05-04T09:57:29Z

ESPN The Magazine's Money Issue includes a list of the highest earning athletes in 200 countries. For purposes of this list, earnings include salary and/or prize money from 2011 (or most recent season) and excludes other source of compensation such as endorsements. In six countries, a boxer was the highest paid athlete: United States, England, Philippines, Indonesia, Romania and Ukraine. See if you can guess the six boxers before looking at the complete list:

Best-paid athletes from 200 countries - ESPN The Magazine

Best-Paid Athletes by Country originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Friday, May 4th, 2012 at 09:57:29.

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Poll: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Miguel Cotto. Who Will Win?

2012-04-30T23:31:53Z

Cotto has won three straight since being stopped by Manny Pacquiao, but the oddsmakers (-700/+500) - and most fight fans - expect Mayweather to easily add another win to his undefeated record. Who do you think will win the fight? Mayweather or Cotto? Vote in our poll.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Fight-by-Fight Career Record
Miguel Cotto: Fight-by-Fight Career Record

Poll: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Miguel Cotto. Who Will Win? originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Monday, April 30th, 2012 at 23:31:53.

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Poll: Saul Alvarez vs. Shane Mosley. Who Will Win?

2012-04-30T23:19:58Z

The oddsmakers favor the 21-year-old Alvarez (-900/+600) against Mosley, who turns 41 in September and is winless in his last three. Who do you think will win the fight? Alvarez or Mosley? Vote in our poll.

Saul Alvarez: Fight-by-Fight Career Record
Shane Mosley: Fight-by-Fight Career Record

Poll: Saul Alvarez vs. Shane Mosley. Who Will Win? originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Monday, April 30th, 2012 at 23:19:58.

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Ouch! Incredible Photo Captures Brutal Knockout Punch

2012-04-30T23:07:01Z

Tony Pietrantonio is a light heavyweight from Youngstown, Ohio with a career record of 7-9. On Saturday night, Pietrantoni was knocked out in the third round by Lavarn Harvell on the undercard of the Chad Dawson-Bernard Hopkins title fight. The fight itself would have been quickly forgotten ... except that photographer Tim Shaffer captured the knockout punch in a photo that has to be seen to be believed:

Lavarn Harvell Knockout Punch Smashes Tony Pietrantonio's Face - from International Business Times

It will come as no surprise that Pietrantonio was unconscious before he hit the canvas. The good news is that he seemed to be fine a few minutes later and left the ring under his own power.

Ouch! Incredible Photo Captures Brutal Knockout Punch originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Monday, April 30th, 2012 at 23:07:01.

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Dawson Outpoints Hopkins in Dull Rematch

2012-04-29T23:59:29Z

Former champ Chad Dawson took a twelve round majority decision from 47-year-old WBC light heavyweight champ Bernard Hopkins in a rematch of their controversial meeting last October. Their first bout was ruled a second-round TKO for Dawson - later changed to a no contest - after Hopkins was tossed to the canvas and hurt his shoulder. The pairing of Dawson and Hopkins promised a dull fight with lots of wrestling and clinching and head-butting from Hopkins ... and that's exactly what it produced. A Hopkins headbutt opened a cut on the side of Dawson's eye in round four. There's really not much more to say about the fight. Dawson did enough to win but was not terribly impressive ... though no one ever looks good against Hopkins. And Hopkins, at this point in his career, throws one punch at a time and then lunges in head first to tie up his opponent. Ugly. Two judges got it right at 117-111 for Dawson while the third judge - Luis Rivera - somehow scored the bout even at 114-114.

Punch stats underscore just how little action there was with Dawson landing 151 of 431 punches (35%) to only 106 of 400 (26%) for Hopkins.

After the bout, Dawson, 29, called out super middleweight champion Andre Ward. Hopkins, who - as always - believed he won the fight, left the ring before being interviewed. Hopkins is a future Hall of Famer and remains an amazing physical specimen ... for a 47-year-old. He has nothing left to prove in the ring and should retire ... but he probably won't.

On the undercard, undefeated American heavyweight Seth Mitchell survived a rocky first round before storming back to stop Chazz Witherspoon in round three.

Dawson Outpoints Hopkins in Dull Rematch originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Sunday, April 29th, 2012 at 23:59:29.

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Margarito to Return on May 26

2012-04-24T10:25:03Z

Former welterweight champ Antonio Margarito will return to the ring on May 26 in Tucson, Arizona against an undetermined - but most likely hand-picked - opponent. Margarito, 34, has lost three of four fights since being exposed as a hand-wrapping cheater. The fight will be televised on Spanish-language network Azteca America.

A win may put Margarito in line for another big payday later this year against middleweight beltholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr..

Margarito to Return on May 26 originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Tuesday, April 24th, 2012 at 10:25:03.

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Reviews of Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth

2012-04-18T13:59:05Z

The reviews are in - as well as some choice anecdotes - from Mike Tyson's one-man Las Vegas show. One theme is consistent -- the former champ is brutally honest. Here you go:

Tyson triumphant in one-man show - Mike Weatherford, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Mike Tyson reveals tormented life of sex, drugs in 'Truth' - Tim Dahlberg, AP/Chicago Sun-Times
When Mike Tyson Takes the Stage: The Boxer's Vegas Show - Gary Andrew Poole, TIME
Mike Tyson in Vegas: I Just Liked Morphine - Rick Reilly, ESPN

Reviews of Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth originally appeared on About.com Boxing on Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 at 13:59:05.

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