VILLANUEVA FACES NERY IN A NON-TITLE BOUT AT TIJUANA ON NOVEMBER 4
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 19 Oct 2017
Villanueva.
King Arthur Villanueva will clash with WBC bantamweight world champion Mexican Luis "Panterita" Nery in a ten-round non-title bout on November 4 at the Gasmart Stadium in Tijuana, birthplace of Nery. The Mexican grabbed the world championship belt by coming over to Japan and knocking out local boxing hero Shinsuke Yamanaka in the fourth round in August. After his impressive win, Nery failed a post-fight drug test as traces of Zilpaterol were found in his blood.
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The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association indicated that the substance is very similar to Clembuterol which is used to increase the size of cattle. Nery's team reasoned out that it was likely due to the contaminated meat he ate. The WBC has not decided yet on Nery's case as world champion. In a press conference on Tuesday in Tijuana, Zanfer Promotions President Fernando Beltran announced that they will make Nery (24-0, 18 KO's) active, so the fight was scheduled.
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Beltran is grateful to WBC for Nery's world title and acknowledged Villanueva's toughness. "Personally, and on behalf of my company Zanfer, we thank Mauricio Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council, for the opportunity that was given to Nery to become world champion. We will wait and respect the resolution made by the WBC, but for now we announce that Nery will face a tough opponent, Filipino Arthur Villanueva, 10 rounds at bantamweight," said Beltran.
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Villanueva won the vacant WBO international super flyweight title after his destruction of Mexico's Edgar Martinez whom he dropped twice on the very first round. He claimed the IBF international junior bantamweight title by stopping Henry "El Crespo" Maldonado of Nicaragua via split decision. King Arthur also got the WBC international super flyweight belt after he won against Mexican Victor "Spock" Mendez via split decision. He also claimed the WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight and super flyweight titles.
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Paulie Malignaggi is offering Conor McGregor a second opportunity in boxing and disclosed that talks are ongoing for the former sparring partners to fight atop the boxing ring. Malignaggi, a two-weight world champion, retired earlier this year after he was beaten by Sam Eggington but he is ready to return if a bout with McGregor can be arranged. The two had a heated exchange of words before McGregor's fight versus Floyd Mayweather.
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After McGregor was stopped in the 10th round by Mayweather, Malignaggi began his plan to set up a meeting with him. He wants the fight to happen so do their promoters. "I know Al Haymon's talking to Dana White. I know they're speaking, so if they want the fight they'll make it," he told FightHype.com. "Once I spoke to Al and Team Haymon, and they told me they wanted to make this fight, I knew that the only way this fight doesn't happen is if McGregor has absolutely no balls."
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McGregor earlier bared his plan to return to the octagon rather than the ring, but Malignaggi says fighting him would be the better choice. "This fight will pay him more, this fight will get him more exposure," Malignaggi added. "There's no more Mayweather fight. This fight is the biggest fight there is. So once they told me that, I knew the only way this doesn't happen is if this guy has absolutely no balls. Which wouldn't surprise me because he has no balls."
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On December 9, Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs) will move up two weights to challenge WBO super featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko (9-1, 7 KOs) at The Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Lomachenko has the advantage in size and weight and is a huge favorite to win the title fight. But Rigondeaux does not appreciate the Ukrainian champion's quality of opponents or his physical attributes which give him the advantages.
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Rigondeaux said has no problem with moving up to 130 pounds, because many of his targetted foes at 122 and 126 have refused to face him. "He has fought with inferior boxers compared to who I've faced; As for his stature, almost all of my opponents have been taller than me, and if there is any concern that I'm going up by two weight divisions, it's because nobody wants to fight me at 122 and 126 pounds," Rigondeaux was quoted by Sports Center.
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Rigondeaux is training vigorously in his camp, not worrying amything about this weight as he has eight extra pounds to get heavier. The Cuban champion denies having any problems fighting Lomachenko. He thinks Lomachenko has faced numerous opponents who were severely overmatched or inadequately trained. "I will not have problems, he is the one who is going to have them, because I am not like those dead men with whom he has fought," said Rigondeaux.
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The NBA opening night was full of excitement and drama. Cleveland Cavaliers won 102-99 against the Boston Celtics at the Quicken Loans Arena. When attempting an alley-oop dunk, Celtics star Gordon Hayward landed badly on the floor and dislocated his ankle. At the Oracle Arena, Draymond Green damaged his left knee, Chris Paul was benched thanks to a knee injury and Andre Iguodala suffered a back strain but the Houston Rockets was able to escape with a 122-121 victory.
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Harry Greb nicknamed "The Pittsburgh Windmill", was the American light heavyweight champion from 1922 to 1923 and world middleweight champion from 1923 to 1926. He fought boxing matches a recorded 298 times in his 13 year-career, which started at 140 pounds. He fought against the best opponents available in the 1910s and 20s, frequently fighting against light heavyweights and even heavyweights. Greb was named the 7th greatest fighter of the past 80 years by the Ring Magazine.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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