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Top 50 middleweights ever - No 3, Marvelous Marvin Hagler

Marvelous Marvin Hagler dominated boxing in the early Eighties, as no middleweight had since Sugar Ray Robinson. He is remembered as the hard man from a glorious era of fights that made Caesars Palace the centre of the boxing universe. His classic win over Thomas Hearns, his brutal come-from-behind stoppage of John Mugabi and his controversial loss to Sugar Ray Leonard will remain talked about for years to come.

Carl Froch not about to take his new opponent lightly

After he beat Robin Reid last November, the last thing on Carl Froch's mind was a six-month absence from the ring. But things seldom work out completely as they are planned. While Froch's progress in 2007 was held up by injuries, this year has been hindered by injuries to his would-be opponents.
Yesterday, Froch got another new opponent, when it was announced that he will now face Albert Rybacki of Poland at the Trent FM Arena, Nottingham, tomorrow. It is his fourth opponent in about a fortnight and that brings its own dangers.

Junior Witter's belt giving challenger "trembles"

After years of being avoided, it was a rare treat for Junior Witter to come face to face today with someone who actually wanted something he had. Timothy Bradley challenges for Witter's WBC light-welterweight title at the Trent FM Arena, Nottingham, on Saturday, and the prospect of boxing for the famous green belt has the unbeaten Californian positively bubbling over.
"I've dreamed of winning this belt," Bradley said. "I look at the belt and it gives me trembles. I see his [Witter's] picture on that belt and I can imagine my picture on there.

Top 50 middleweights ever - No 4, Carlos Monzon

Carlos Monzon was an Argentine legend, a hard man, lived a violent life, died a violent death, which, as we go through this list, sadly, makes him fit in well with some of the middleweight greats around him.

In the ring he was uncompromising, he wasn't smooth, he broke opponents down, walking forward, hammering punches in without technique. He didn't outbox opponents, he battered them.

Top 50 middleweights ever - No 5, Bernard Hopkins

Legacy and legend are Bernard Hopkins's two favourite words. Old school is another (well it's two words really). Most of that legacy is built on the ten-year run that made him the longest reigning world middleweight champion in history. But does Hopkins really get the credit he deserves? He certainly doesn't think so.

Amir Khan will have to wait for world title shot

Amir Khan will not beat Naseem Hamed's record as Britain's youngest postwar world champion. Indeed, there is a very good chance that he may have to wait until he is 22 to get his shot at a world title.
He would have to win a world title in his next bout to break Hamed's record, but his next fight is going to be a defence of his Commonwealth lightweight title at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. The rumours are that it could be against Michael Gomez, which would be something of a disappointment. Gomez's best days are behind him, as he showed when he was stopped by Carl Johanneson. He also didn't make a list of potential challengers issued by the Commonwealth Boxing Council this week. And it wasn't a restricted list - there were 21 names on it.

Top 50 middleweights ever (6-7)

We are inching towards the top spot and it's getting tougher to decide between the remaining champions. The next two is a real stretch across the years, featuring one boxer who died 98 years ago and one that is still active.

Scott Harrison's arrest scuppers showdown with Alex Arthur

As if Scott Harrison did not have enough to worry about right now, he could mull over the thought that he has just blown a potential big-money fight with Alex Arthur.

Harrison, 30, was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after he was stopped by police in his car in Ferniegair, Lanarkshire, on April 22. Needless to say this will not help his attempts to get back his boxing licence. And a planned all-Scottish showdown with Arthur, which could have taken place next month, has also been ditched.

Witter gets his chance to shine

It is a sad fact of British boxing that most people do not know who Junior Witter is beyond being "that guy that Ricky Hatton hates". An even sadder indictment that most boxing fans take it upon themselves to dislike Witter merely as a sign of loyalty to Ricky.
However, while Hatton is using his IBO light-welterweight title (and its handy little rule that mean he can pick and choose whoever he wants to face) as a benefit gig with his upcoming bout against Juan Lazcano, Witter has a very live challenger to his much more prestigious WBC belt in Timothy Bradley, an unbeaten American, on May 10 at the Trent FM Arena, Nottingham. And with ITV1 showing the fight live, he has every chance to make a big statement.

Haye turning a few heads

David Haye has been turning a few heads in the past few days. I bumped into him in Las Vegas a week ago at the Calzaghe-Hopkins fight, where he did not remove his sunglasses and seemed to have a small group of women following hi around.
Then he bumped into Wladimir Klitschko back in London and he made an impression on the WBO and IBF heavyweight champion, even if it was not a particularly positive one.

Froch looking for a new opponent

Rumours circulating are that Carl Froch is searching for another opponent for his WBC super-middleweight eliminator on May 10 after Denis Inkin, the Germany-based Russian, pulled out of the bout for a second time.
Inkin pulled out of the original March 29 date in Nottingham with "an acute infection" and I understand that he has withdrawn again.

Top 50 middleweights ever (8-10)

How's this for a line-up of champions, taken at the American Boxing Writers Dinner in New York in 1964. Most people would recognise Muhammad Ali (actually then, he was still Cassius Clay) on the right and Jack Dempsey on the left. The guy Ali has his arm around is Willie Pastrano, who soon after would become world light-heavyweight champion. The little guy is Mickey Walker and some would claim he was as good as any of them. He is certainly good enough to make it to the next part of our middleweight list.

Graceless Hopkins damaging his own legacy

Everyone knew Bernard Hopkins had a big mouth, but few suspected his had so little class. Prior to his defeat to Joe Calzaghe, Hopkins felt the need to remind everyone at every opportunity that he was a legend. Maybe so, but he will never really be loved and proved to be a very poor loser in Las Vegas.

Hopkins claimed he beat Calzaghe, Hopkins claimed he made Calzaghe look amateurish. Hopkins never said well done, he showed no love or respect, the chip on his shoulder is so big he even refused to touch gloves (a rule of the sport) before the final round. So if Hopkins refuses to show any respect, why should anyone give him the respect he feels he deserves?

Calzaghe wins split decision

By Brian Doogan

Joe Calzaghe secured the most thrilling victory of his life after surviving a first round knockdown by Bernard Hopkins to outpoint the 43-year-old from  Philadelphia at the Thomas & Mack Centre. The judges’ split decision in his favour secured The Ring light heavyweight championship for the 36-year-old from Newbridge, Wales, and extended his unbeaten career run to 45 successive wins. It was the first time that Calzaghe has boxed in America.

Harrison back to winning ways

Audley Harrison got back to winning ways 14 months after he was knocked out by Michael Sprott at Wembley when he stopped Jason Barnett in the fifth round at the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas.

Harrison, 36, who got a mixed reception and was largely negative before a right hook just below the ribs took all the fight out of Barnett at one minute 48 seconds of round five. Barnett was up slowly at nine, but Russell Mora, the referee, waved the end.

Harrison outweighed Barnett, from Florida, by 30lb, but the former Olympic super-heavyweight champion was ponderous, although to be fair, Barnett was interested in nothing but surviving. In the third round, one fans shouted out "What are you guys, friends?" and an outbreak of booing brought a slight upping in the workrate.

Cleverly gets night off to good start for Team Calzaghe

Nathan Cleverly, the unbeaten super-middleweight and sparring partner of Joe Calzaghe, got the evening off to a good start as he recorded a one-sided victory over the game Antonio Baker at the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas.

As is his practice on his big nights in Wales, Calzaghe sat ringside to watch his young stablemate until the seventh round, even though his big fight against Bernard Hopkins was just two hours away.

Roach putting his money on Hopkins

Freddie Roach is one of those guys who doesn't talk much, but when he does, he is always worth listening to. The Hollywood trainer is used to working with the likes of Manny Pacquaio and Oscar De La Hoya, but will be in Bernard Hopkins's corner for the second time on Saturday night, after overseeing Hopkins's training for the bout against Joe Calzaghe in Pasadena.
And Roach thinks it's a close fight, unlike the Las Vegas oddsmakers who make Calzaghe a strong favourite. And he is willing to put his money on it.
"Odds-wise I’d make it even money if I was the odds maker," Roach said. "I’ve only bet on a couple of fighters in my career, but I’m going to bet on this fight."

Jones ready to come to Cardiff

Provided things go to plan for Joe Calzaghe last on Saturday night in Las Vegas and he sticks to his plan of two more fights, Roy Jones Jr has said he wants to come to Cardiff to give him a farewell party to remember.
Jones, 39, the legendary former world middleweight, super-middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion, is in Vegas to watch the fight and said he expects Calzaghe to beat Bernard Hopkins.

Enzo Calzaghe: "Joe is no angel"

Bernard Hopkins is likely to stop at nothing to try to beat Joe Calzaghe on Saturday night. He is likely to have little fear of going outside the laws of the game to secure victory, as he showed when he beat Ronald "Winky" Wright last year. But Enzo Calzaghe, Joe's father and trainer, knows his son can be dirty in the ring too.

"If you look at the three dirtiest fighters Joe has faced - Omar Sheika, Sakio Bika and Kabary Salem - Joe showed he could be a dirty fighter," Enzo said. "Hopkins is not meeting and angel."

Calzaghe - the cream of Manchester

Knowledge of geography has never been a strong point when it comes to Americans. I remember being sent this link to a comedy sketch on youtube last year where someone stopped people in the street in the US and asked them to find countries on a map. Australia was mistken for France and North Korea.

This has never been more noticeable than during the career of Joe Calzaghe, when out colonial cousins really try to figure out where Wales is. I read with interest an explanatory paragraph on the usually excellent website boxingtalk.com that explained that Calzaghe should not be referred to as a Brit, because he was in fact from Wales - buy an encyclopedia please.

Calzaghe getting fed up with all the talk from Hopkins

As Ricky Hatton found with Floyd Mayweather Jr, listening non-stop to a motormouth American opponent can drive you up the wall. Joe Calzaghe has just about become fed up with the non-stop talk from Bernard Hopkins, particularly the talk of how Hopkins's time in prison will mean he will have an easy time on Saturday's big fight.

"Hopkins had to go to prison to make himself hard, that means he is weak," Calzaghe said. "Me? I was born hard. Hopkins has been to prison. Big deal. Wow, give him a medal. Me I was knocking out guys who had been to prison when I was a 14 year old kid.

"I'm beginning to think they must teach people to talk shite out here when they are at school. They talk so much of it. I am going to make a grown man cry."

Pacino adds some Hollywood glamour

Hollywood came to Planet Hollywood on the Las Vegas Strip yesterday when the movie 88 Minutes had its world premiere.

Planet Hollywood  is the host for Saturday’s big fight between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins – the bout actually takes place at the Thomas & Mack Centre at the university – and added another big occasion to get people in the door and helping to talk about the fight. Al Pacino (left) showed up to walk the red carpet and even had a chat with Calzaghe and his dad, Enzo.

Calzaghe feeling relaxed and dismissive of Hopkins

If anyone was thinking that Joe Calzaghe was going to be in awe of boxing in Las Vegas, think again. The Welshman looks happy and relaxed ahead of Saturday's bout against Bernard Hopkins.
It is only Calzaghe's fourth trip to Vegas. He was here as part of a media tour at the end of February and last December to watch Ricky Hatton against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
But many do not realise that he was here too in 2001. He had been due to make his US debut on the undercard of the Felix Trinidad versus Oscar De La Hoya bout, but withdrew through injury. He decided to go ahead with the trip anyway.

Hopkins finds Eastman forgettable

Both Bernard Hopkins and Joes Calzaghe did public workouts for fans at Planet Hollywood on Tuesday. Workout is actually generous for the effort either put in. Calzaghe shadow-boxed for about five minutes before finishing with a round of autograph signing, Hopkins also did some shadow boxing and then some skipping, having spent ten minutes getting his hands wrapped.

Woods loses title

Clinton Woods's reign as a world champion ended with a whimper in Tampa last night as he was completely outboxed by Antonio Tarver, who took his IBF light-heavyweight title with a unanimous points decision.

At 39, the American looked there for the taking, but Woods barely took him outside his comfort zone. Instead Woods mostly stood in front of him, allowing Tarver to work away with cluster of punches, few of which carried much weight, but many of which landed.

Williams a winner

Danny Williams easily won his bout against Marcus McGee on the Clinton Woods-Antonio Tarver undercard in Tampa, Florida. Williams scored two knockdowns and won a unanimous decision (60-52 on all three scorecards) but was unhappy with his performance.

Johnson still after a fourth fight with Woods

If Clinton Woods has concerns that he wouldn't see any familiar faces when he boxed in Florida, he need not have worried. Sitting just along from him at Thursday's press conference was Glen Johnson, who hae has boxed 36 rounds with.

The Florida-based Jamaican, who faced Bernard Hopkins for the IBF middleweight title back in 1997, challenges Chad Dawson for the WBC light-heavyweight title tonight on the same bill that sees Woods defend his IBF light-heavyweight title against Antonio Tarver. Johnson and Tarver are both 39, four years older than Woods. Dawson, who is making the third defence of his title, is the youngest by far at 25.

Johnson knows a bit about both Woods and Tarver, he faced Woods three times, first a draw, then a Johnson win and finally a Woods win in Bolton in 2006. He has also a win and a loss against Tarver. And he finds it hard to pick a winner between the pair.

Woods and Tarver make weight

Clinton Woods and Antonio Tarver both made weight at the first attempt for tomorrow's IBF light-heavyeweight title bout here in Tampa, Florida. At the weigh-in, at the ballroom of the Westin Harbour Island Hotel, at 5pm local time, Woods, the champion, scaled on the 12st 7lb limit, while Tarver weighed 12st 5 3/4lb.

Khan not ready for Golden Boy's lightweight tournament

Amir Khan's win over Martin Kristjansen, in a WBO eliminator in Bolton last weekend, put him in line for a shot at the world lightweight title. But not everyone thinks the 2004 Olympic silver-medal winner is ready to make that final step.

The WBO interim champion is Joel Casamayor, who is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, and Richard Schaefer, their chief executive, does not think a bout between Casamayor and Khan should happen yet. Instead Schaefer is planning a four-man lightweight tournament the winner of which could face Khan.

Williams back in America looking for a world title

Perhaps the most surprising development in Tampa this week was the sudden appearance of the bout sheet of Danny Williams, yes that Danny Williams! The heavyweight from Brixton will box a six-round contest against Marcus McGee on the undercard of the Clinton Woods-Antonio Tarver IBF light-heavyweight title bout at the St Pete Times Forum on Saturday and the British champion is confident he can still get to the top.

Williams has not boxed in the United States since 2004, when he knocked out Mike Tyson in Louisville in July and was battered by Vitali Klitschko in a WBC title challenge in Las Vegas in December. But he remains ambitious and James Toney recently turned down a big offer to face Williams in London.

Tarver is not ready to retire

Thursday's press conference was always going to be an occasion for Antonio Tarver to unveil the showman that is never far from the surface and so it proved. Two days to go before he challenges Clinton Woods for the IBF light-heavyweight title and Tarver was there to sell tickets and get the Tampa Bay area out to support him in the first of what he hopes will be a run of three titles in three bouts.

"I'm not ready to retire, I'm not here to play no games, I'm not ready to go nowhere," Tarver, 39, said. "So all those writers who are writing me off, talking about 'I've seen my best day', they don't have a clue.

"If you think I've come this far to let Clinton Woods get anything on Saturday, you've got to be kidding. I'm back, I'm as stong as ever, we trained our ass off and we are going to set Tampa alight. Clinton Woods and his team are excited and they are going to have a lot of hopes and dreams that are going to be dashed. It's going to be a spectacular night."

Poxon has no worries about Woods

Richard Poxon has only know good times as the trainer of Clinton Woods. So it is no surprise that he has few doubts that Woods will make a fifth successful defence of his IBF light-heavyweight title against Antonio Tarver, in Tampa, on Saturday.

Tarver, 39, is favourite and boxing in his home town, but Poxon is confident. "You cannot ignore Tarver's pedigree, he was world No 1 as an amateur, but if Tarver wasn't a southpaw, I wouldn't lose any sleep on this," Poxon said. "The question with Tarver is heart and desire and that's just what Clinton is."

Tarver planning to box his way

Many boxers spend hours studying every aspect of their opponent, before working out a detailed battle plan. Antonio Tarver is not one of those boxers. In fact, ahead of Saturday night's IBF light-heavyweight title bout against Clinton Woods in Tampa, Florida, which will be shown live in the UK on Setanta Sports on Saturday, Tarver revealed he has not watched any tapes of Woods at all.

"My coaches watch the tapes," Tarver, the IBO champion, said. "They then draw up the gameplan for me.

The dream of a full GB team at Beijing Olympics dies

The dream of Great Britain sending a full team of 11 to the Beijing Olympics died at the scene of the last Games on Monday when both heavyweight representatives were beaten in the first round of the final Olympic qualifying tournament.
Stephen Simmons, who was boxing for Scotland, and Danny Price, who was representing England, were beaten on points by Petrisor Gananau, of Romania, and Darmos Jozsef, of Hungary, respectively,thus ending a journey that began at the world championships in Chicago last October.

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Audley's back in business

Some may have thought they had seen the last of him, but Great Britain's last Olympic champion, Audley Harrison, is set to return to the ring in less than a fortnight. Harrison, the 2000 super-heavyweight gold medal-winner is to box an eight-rounder on the undercard of Joe Calzaghe's bout with Bernard Hopkins at the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas on April 19.

It is 14 months since he was last in action, when he was knocked cold by Michael Sprott at Wembley Arena. Ahead of that bout, it appeared he had finally got his career on track, stopping Danny Williams two months before. But, after starting well and having Sprott on the floor, a big left hook flattened him and seemed to put an end to his career.

Forget the bitterness, Khan really is the real deal

Amir Khan's bout against Martin Kristjansen this weekend seems to have almost slipped under the radar with all the superfights involving Brits going on. As usual, Khan will start an overwhelming favourite, but that does not mean the Dane is no good, nor does it give credit to the fact that Khan is on the verge of really big things.

Khan has been on the end of a vicious whispering campaign, from people who would like you to believe that Khan is all hype, can't punch, is chinny and over-protected. Read the letters page of Boxing News, many of the internet forums or one or two websites and these matters are commonly brought up by armchair "experts" who think they are being terribly clever.

Top 50 middleweights ever (11-15)

Approaching the top ten and the decisions are not getting any easier. Jake LaMotta (pictured), who would be in many top-tens, features at the top of this section. As always, comments, or top-fives or tens, are welcomed.

Calzaghe confident he can deal with Hopkins's tricks

It is not often someone could accuse Joe Calzaghe of a lack of experience. But some have raised the questions of whether Bernard Hopkins is awkward enough to fool him out of their April 19 bout in Las Vegas. Hopkins, 43, is likely to try everything legal and otherwise to get an edge on the Welshman, but Calzaghe could not be more confident.
"I can box and fight, so I adapt to whatever means I need to do in the fight," Calzaghe said. "Maybe he'll run from me, maybe when he’s losing and stops trying to fight, who knows.

Tide of opinion could turn against Hatton over Witter bout

It seems Ricky Hatton has set his mind on never facing Junior Witter, a decision which, if he sticks to it, he could turn out to regret. It is clear that Hatton seriously dislikes Witter, but tht is not a good enough reason to deny the best all-British fight of the present generation - did Benn and Eubank like each other? Certainly opinion within boxing seems to be turning against Hatton on this issue.

Now I like Ricky, a lot, but I am one of a number of people who are growing increasingly uncomfortable with the Hattons' attitude towards Witter.