Jermain Taylor rescheduled to return on December 10

‘Bad Intentions’ back down to middleweight

Former world middleweight king Jermain Taylor (28-4-1, 17 KO’s) returns to his old weight after a disastrous spell at 168lbs on December 10th in his home town of Little Rock, Arkansas.

The 33 year-old had originally planned to make his comeback following a two-year semi-retirement in August but after concerns about his weight, the former Super-Six participant was forced to postpone and convince the boxing board otherwise.

‘Bad Intentions’ is now pencilled in to fight at the Verizon Arena against an as yet un-named opponent at 160lbs and hopes to rebuild his reputation after a series of bad performances led to concerns about his health.

Taylor has had brain problems in the past but was given the green light to resume his career after extensive tests and with all four of his losses coming in his last five contests, the former champion has a lot to prove to his doubters.

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Roach: Pacquiao vs Khan? Never say never, we’re running out of opponents

Trainer thinks bout unlikely but won’t rule it out fully

Top trainer Freddie Roach is insistent that he would never totally rule out a possible fight between gym-mates and world champions Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan but does concede that a bout could be hard to make.

Roach, 51, is currently working with Pacquiao for his upcoming trilogy fight with Juan Manuel Marquez and as speculation continues to mount about a mega-fight between his two protégé’s, the coach refused to dismiss a fight entirely.

“My two fighters are really friendly with each other” stated Roach to the Philippine Star.

“I don’t think they’ll ever fight but the thing is we’re running out of opponents and you can never say never in this game.”

Khan, 24, is back in the ring in December in his final bout at 140lbs and will then move up to 32 year-old Pacquiao’s current division at welterweight, where the Filipino legend holds the WBO title.

The Bolton fighter will then fight in his native UK, possibly against Matthew Hatton in March before the WBA and IBF light-welterweight title-holder can then attempt to lure Floyd Mayweather into the ring in the latter part of 2012.

Pacquiao is also constantly linked to a bout with Mayweather although it is thought that Khan is the more likely of the two to meet ‘Money’ in a 2012 money-spinning title clash.

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Rugby Star Jonah Lomu forced to quit boxing dream

Illness forces the ‘Big Man’ to cancel fight plans

Rugby Union superstar Jonah Lomu has been forced to cancel an upcoming charity boxing match after his kidney condition worsened in the run up to his December bout at the ‘Fight for Life’ event.

The 36 year-old, who was diagnosed with a kidney disorder in 1995 and forced to undergo a life-saving operation in 2004, had always dreamed of being a boxer but has now had to give up a fight career on doctors’ advice.

The New Zealander’s punishing training regime is thought to have contributed to a two-week stay in hospital for the former All Black in September and Lomu has now decided against continuing with the contest.

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Freddie Roach dismisses Tim Bradley bout for Manny Pacquiao

Trainer says 140lb champion hasn’t earned the right

Timothy Bradley’s hopes of gaining a money-spinning match-up with welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao have been scoffed at by the Filipino fighter’s trainer Freddie Roach, who believes that the American isn’t well known enough to warrant a potential bout.

Roach is deep in preparations with the WBO 147lb belt holder for his upcoming third fight with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez and says Bradley needs to get his own house in order before looking at a bout with the eight-time champion.

“I think he’s involved in a lawsuit with two promoters,” Roach told the Philippine Star.

“Besides, he’s got to earn the fight with Manny. Bradley’s not well known. It’s premature to even consider him fighting Manny.”

Bradley, 28, is pencilled in to fight Cuban Joel Casamayor on the undercard of Pacquiao v Marquez III at the MGM Grand next month and is expected to move up to 147lbs in 2012 along with Pacquiao stablemate and fellow light-welterweight champion Amir Khan.

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Results: October 21/22

Saturday 22nd October

Nonito Donaire bt Omar Narvaez (UD) (120-108, 120-108, 120-108)

(WBC and WBO bantamweight titles)

Mikey Garcia bt JC Martinez (TKO) (4th round)

(featherweight)

Marco Huck bt Rogelio Rossi (TKO) (6th round)

(WBO cruiserweight title)

Alberto Mosquera (D) Brunet Zamora (MD) (117-111, 114-114, 114-114)

(interim WBA light-welterweight title)

Richard Abril bt Miguel Acosta (UD) (117-108, 115-111, 113-112)

(interim WBA lightweight title)

Nehomar Cermeno (D) Chris Avalos (SD) (77-75, 75-77, 76-76

(super-bantamweight)

Scott Quigg bt Jason Booth (RET) (7th round)

(British super-bantamweight title)

Karl Place bt Ivan Godor (PTS)

(light-welterweight)

Friday 21st October

Pongsaklek Wonjongkam bt Edgar Sosa (UD) (117-110, 117-110, 116-111)

(WBC flyweight title)

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Donaire takes every round from Narvaez in final fight at 118lbs

Filipino fails to ‘Flash’ at the MSG Theater

WBC and WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire inflicted the first defeat on two-weight world champion Omar Narvaez last night in what turned out to be one of the Filipino’s less dazzling performances as he found it tough to penetrate the Argentinian’s tight defence.

The 28 year-old, who moves up to 122lbs for his next bout, looked for angles constantly in a vain attempt to stop the rugged super-flyweight champion but eventually took a landslide points win on all three cards.

The action heated up in the tenth as Donaire reacted to the boos from the lack of action but the contest reverted straight back in the eleventh to the almost 5,000 capacity crowd’s dismay.

The ‘Filipino Flash’ had hoped to wow the crowd in his last fight at the weight after eight months out of the ring but had to settle for a 120-108 score on all the cards as Narvaez seemed intent with taking Donaire the distance.

“I don’t know what’s going on in his head,” stated Donaire. “He didn’t want to fight.

“As great as he is in Argentina, he decided to shut down.”

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Mikey Garcia impressive as he stops JC Martinez in four

Featherweight now 27-0 with 23rd stoppage

California’s Mikey Garcia proved his credentials once again with a fourth round stoppage victory over Juan Carlos Martinez at the MSG-WaMu Theater in New York.

The 23 year-old, who has an 85% knockout rate, looked in control for the whole of the fight and apart from a swelling under the left eye, was never in any discomfort against the Mexican.

Garcia spent the first two rounds softening ‘El Pez’ up before dropping him with two sweet left hooks right at the end of the round and sense a finish before the bell saved Martinez.

In the fourth, with his eye worsening, Garcia stepped up his attacks and put Martinez down twice before the referee stepped in to save the 29 year-old from further punishment.

Garcia now has 27 wins under his belt and is looking at a world title in 2012, with talks of a potential challenge against IBF champion Billy Dib in the next few months.

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