Boxing News magazine 22.2.2002 Download pdf

Boxing News magazine 22.2.2002 Download pdf
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Tapia at crossroads
THERE is no confirmation yet which US cable
network - Showtime or HBO - will sign Johnny
Tapia.
Matchroom confirmed there was talk of Tapia
appearing on the March 23 Naseem Hamed-Manuel
Calvo card at London Arena, but the American, who
helped sell out York Hall, Bethnal Green on a recent
appearance for rival promoters Sports Network in
London, remains undecided.
On HBO Tapia could get a big-money fight with
Naz, whereas the prescribed path on Showtime is to
challenge Julio Pablo Chacon for the WBO crown
and, if victorious, defend against Scott Harrison.
Naz, said to be keen on fighting Tapia this summer,
cancelled a press conference in London last
Wednesday because of a cold.

Eastman eyes Holmes
HOWARD EASTMAN'S switch to promoter Don
King is throwing more opportunity his way but at
considerable risk.
Last November, Eastman lost a decision to
William Joppy on the Lennox Lewis-Hasim Rahman
card in Las Vegas. Now the Battersea puncher may
face another former 'world' champion in his next
assignment - southpaw Keith Holmes, the ex-WBC
king, in San Juan, Puerto Rico on May 11.
If so, Eastman will be a supporting act when Felix
Trinidad makes his return against France's Hacine
Cherifi following his 12th-round stoppage defeat by
Bernard Hopkins last September.
King's office said, however, there is a chance
Eastman will get a rematch with Joppy, so Howard's
immediate future is unconfirmed

Maxwell explains
MANCHESTER Patrick J. Maxwell called to
explain why he was weighing closer to the
super-middleweight limit against Leigh Wicks
at the MEN Arena earlier this month when he
is a light-middle.
"We knew Wicks was going to come in
heavy, so I had no choice," he said. "But my
natural weight is light-middle. I had sold about
250 tickets and wanted to fight."

Mosquera at Peacock
COLOMBIAN welterweight Guillermo
Mosquera has signed for Peacock
Promotions.
This would seem an unlikely pairing, but
given how the Peacock are trying hard to build
their business and Mosquera needs work (he
hasn't fought much in the past five years),
perhaps the partnership makes sense.
Last June Mosquera was stopped in six by
Jan Bergman for the WBU title in South Africa
and before that fought to a two-round
technical draw with recent Ricky Hatton
victim Justin Rowsell.
The South American, said to be a wild man in
the ring, has pedigree - has outpointed touted
Lovemore Ndou over 10.
Former British heavyweight champion Mike
Holden of Manchester has been training at the
Peacock and will also come under their
promotional banner soon.

IN April 1995 George Foreman retained his IBF and linear heavyweight championship with a hugely
controversial decision over German upstart Axel Schulz.
Although regarded as the rightful world champion after beating the man who beat the man, and so on,
Foreman was shorn of the IBF title after refusing to grant Schulz a rematch.
While King set about manipulating the alphabet rankings again, the heavyweight division's three best men
outside of Tyson registered good wins in the first part of '95 - Lennox Lewis returned from his shocking
defeat by Oliver McCall to stop dangerous Lionel Butler in five, Evander Holyfield bested Ray Mercer by 10-
round decision and Riddick Bowe hammered Cuban bully Jorge Luis Gonzalez.
The same night as Tyson obliterated McNeeley, Bruce Seldon retained his WBA crown with a 10th-round
stoppage of Joe Hipp and a month later Bruno defeated a sleep-walking McCall (pts 12) to seize the WBC belt.
In October '95, Lewis continued his rehabilitation with a thorough dismantling of Tommy Morrison, and a
month later Bowe survived a knockdown to stop a seemingly shot Holyfield in eight rounds.
A week before Tyson-Mathis, Francois Botha grabbed vacant IBF honours with a decision over Schulz. He
would later be dethroned after testing positive for anabolic steroids.
On 12 January 1996 veteran Tim Witherspoon re-emerged as a serious contender with an impressive 10-
round decision over former IBF cruiserweight king Alfred Cole.