GLEN TAPIA READY TO TAKE CHANCES AGAINST KIRKLAND
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 05 Dec 2013
While it may not be the smartest thing to do, undefeated Glen Tapia has said he is ready to take chances when he faces tough southpaw James Kirkland in Atlantic City on Sunday morning Manila Time.
Tapia, a former sparring partner of ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao told boxingscene.com that while Kirkland is regarded as one of the most dangerous punchers, he won?t back off in their ten round bout at a 156 pound catch-weight.
Tapia, after a recent sparring session said, ?Me, personally, I believe if you want to be on a certain level you?ve got to take chances. Even though you could box somebody, people don?t want to see that. People want to see entertainment, so I?m going in there to entertain. I?m going to take a chance and I?m going to entertain. I?m not going to box him the whole time. I?m going to go in there to handle my business for the crowd, too. I?ve got to give the people their money?s worth.?
Tapia who turns 24 on December 11 will face his toughest test behind an unbeaten record of 20-0 with 12 knockouts against the 29 year old Kirkland who boasts of a record of 31-1 with 27 knockouts.
Kirkland is remembered by many for his 6th round battering of Alfredo Angulo in a fight where both fighters were on the canvas in the opening round but Tapia isn?t fazed. He said ?It?s all up to me.?
The biggest win of Tapia?s c arrer was when he stopped previously unbeaten Abie Han (20-1, 13 KOs) after eight rounds last July 12 on ESPN 2.
Tapia told boxingscene ?He (Kirkland) fights the same. He?s going to come to me and he?s going to make it a brawl, and he doesn?t have another game plan. Me, I?ve got a lot of game plans. I can box him, I can brawl with him the whole time. But I?ll see in the first round what I have to do to win. Once we?re in the first round, I?ll see which way I?ve got to go. I?m not stupid. I?m not a dumb fighter, even though sometimes I do dumb things, when I go in there and brawl because of the crowd.?
In thee main event former two time Cuban Olympic gold medalist, southpaw Guillermo Rigondeaux (12-0, 8 KOs) will battle Ghana?s Joseph Agbeko (29-4, 22 KOs) in a 12-round fight for Rigondeaux?s WBA and WBO super bantamweight titles.
The WBA champion grabbed the WBO belt of 2012 ?Fighter of the Year? Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire in a stunning upset at the Radio City Music Hall in New York last April 13 in a card where Tapia won a unanimous eight round decision over Joseph De los Santos.
Photo: (L-R) Undefeated (20-0) Glen Tapia and James Kirkland pose during the final press conference for their upcoming feature fight, Saturday, December 7, at Boardwalk Hall's Adrian Phillips Ballroom in Atlantic City, NJ. The card will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark? beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Promoted by Top Rank?, in association with Caesars Atlantic City, Caribe Promotions, SMS Promotions, DiBella Entertainment and Tecate, tickets priced at $200, $100. $50 and $25, plus applicable service charges, can be purchased at Boardwalk Hall box office, all Ticketmaster locations and online at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call 800-736-1420. Photo: Ed Mulholland - Top Rank.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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