Tweet
All of this is from Dan Rafaels notebook
QUICK HITS
Diaz
• Former unified lightweight titlist Juan Diaz (34-2, 17 KOs), coming off a ninth-round knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in February, likely will return Aug. 22 on HBO's "Boxing After Dark." No opponent has been set but Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com that he has the Toyota Center in Diaz's hometown of Houston on hold for the card. That's the same arena where Marquez-Diaz drew a boisterous crowd of about 14,000. Diaz has another important event scheduled besides the fight. On May 17, Diaz, who has been attending college part time while pursuing his boxing career, graduates from the University of Houston Downtown.
Guerrero
• Junior lightweight Robert Guerrero is scheduled to headline June 12 on ESPN2 against Johnnie Edwards in Guerrero's hometown of San Jose. It will be Guerrero's first bout since the ex-featherweight titleholder quit against Daud Yordan because of a head butt in a second-round no contest on HBO in March. Should Guerrero win in June, he may be added to the Aug. 22 HBO card, Schaefer told ESPN.com. He'd like to match him with titleholder Roman Martinez and said he's talking to Martinez promoter Peter Rivera about the fight. However, there are other possibilities for the HBO undercard. One bout being discussed is Vicente Escobedo against Michael Katsidis, each of whom won impressively on Golden Boy's April 4 "Lightweight Lightning" card. Escobedo first has a May 21 bout against Kevin Kelley. Another possibility is an appearance by junior lightweight titlist Jorge Linares (26-0, 17 KOs). His first title defense against Josaphat Perez (12-1, 7 KOs) has been postponed twice. It was supposed to be March 14 in Mexico but moved to May 9 because Linares suffered a cut. Then it was bumped to May 23 because of the swine flu outbreak. If Linares takes care of Perez, he could return on the HBO card. According to Golden Boy, it's talking with Linares promoter Akihiko Honda about a deal.
Judah
• Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s return to face Juan Manuel Marquez in a 144-pound bout July 18 (HBO PPV) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will include former undisputed welterweight champ Zab Judah (37-6, 25 KOs) on the undercard, Mayweather announced. He said he signed Judah to his Mayweather Promotions, which is co-promoting the card with Golden Boy. Mayweather and Judah appear to be good buddies once again after a bitter period before Mayweather's decision win against him in April 2006. Judah's opponent has not been determined. However, Schaefer told ESPN.com that Joan Guzman was offered the bout, which would have taken place at 142 pounds, but rejected the offer.
Toney
• A heavyweight fight between James Toney (71-6-3, 43 KOs) and former titleholder Sergei Liakhovich (23-3, 14 KOs) is in the works for July 4 in Primm, Nev., Liakhovich manager Ivaylo Gotzev told ESPN.com. If it comes off, it would headline a heavyweight pay-per-view show, he said. The card could also include former titleholder Samuel Peter, whom Gotzev also manages, and former title challenger Michael Grant in separate bouts, Gotzev said. "We're working on the card. It would be a star-studded heavyweight show," Gotzev said. "Toney and Liakhovich have agreed to the fight, but it's not signed yet." Liakhovich has been inactive since a decision loss to Nikolai Valuev in a title eliminator in February 2008. Toney claimed a split decision win against Fres Oquendo in December but has since split with promoter Dan Goossen.
Chambers
• American heavyweight contender Eddie Chambers (34-1, 18 KOs), who outpointed former titleholder Samuel Peter for a career-best victory on March 27, could be headed to Germany to face German-based Ukrainian Alexander Dimitrenko (29-0, 19 KOs) on July 4 in a title elimination bout in Hamburg. The winner would be a mandatory challenger for Wladimir Klitschko. Chambers promoter Dan Goossen told ESPN.com he was having talks with Dimitrenko promoter Universum about the fight. Chambers has boxed once in Germany, losing a decision to Alexander Povetkin in a January 2008 title eliminator, but he's won four in a row since.
Diaconu
• Light heavyweight titlist Adrian Diaconu (26-0, 15 KO) will make his first title defense against fellow Montreal resident Jean Pascal (22-1, 15 KOs) on June 19 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, one of the city's biggest fights in years. It's the first time two Montreal fighters will face each other for a world title and the first time rival Montreal-based promoters InterBox (Diaconu) and Yvon Michel (Pascal) are collaborating on a fight. Pascal, who lost a decision to Carl Froch for a vacant super middleweight in December, is moving up in weight for the opportunity.
Barrett
• Heavyweight Monte Barrett suffered a cut on his eyelid in training and withdrew Wednesday from a May 15 ESPN2 fight against rising contender Kevin Johnson (21-0-1, 8 KOs). Taking Barrett's place in the Star Boxing-promoted main event is 2004 U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas (17-0, 7 KOs) in the main event in Atlantic City, N.J.
Green
• Following Allan Green's devastating second-round knockout of Carlos De Leon on the Froch-Jermain Taylor undercard, talks began for Green to go to Canada for a summer bout with titlist Lucian Bute, either in Montreal or Quebec City. However, Green priced himself out of the bout and Bute may instead end up facing Joe Spina. Green also has his eye on Froch and said he's willing to go to England for the shot. "He just made his big splash in America and I'm more than ready to make my mark in England," Green said.
Latimore
• After dropping a split decision to Cory Spinks in a fight two weeks ago for a vacant junior middleweight belt, Deandre Latimore (19-2, 16 KOs) has reviewed the video of the fight, in which he knocked Spinks down in the first round, and is convinced he deserved the decision. "Of course I won the fight," he said. "I wanted to see the tape and judge it for myself. I think Cory won five rounds. I'll give him those, but I knocked him down in the first and won the other six rounds," Latimore said. The judges had it 115-112 and 114-113 for Spinks and 115-112 for Latimore. Latimore, 23, who needed 12 stitches to close a cut over his left eye, said the silver lining in the defeat is that he proved he can compete at the top level. "Cory's a [three-time] world champion and I know that I'm on his level, so that gives me added confidence," he said. "The Showtime folks told me they'll have me back when I'm ready and the folks in St. Louis got a chance to see a great fight."
Sturm
• Middleweight titlist Felix Sturm (32-2-1, 14 KOs), who retained his belt April 25 via seventh-round pounding of Koji Sato, returns July 11 in Germany to face Universum stablemate Khoren Gevor (30-3, 16 KOs), the reigning European champion, Universum announced. It will be Sturm's seventh defense. Gevor has won three in a row since suffering a massive 11th-round knockout loss to Germany's other middleweight titleholder, Arthur Abraham.
Mijares
• Nehomar Cermeno and Cristian Mijares will meet in a rematch on a date and venue to be announced this summer, promoter KO Entertainment announced. The bout is signed, however, the promoter said. Venezuela's Cermeno (17-0, 10 KOs) claimed a vacant interim bantamweight with a split decision win against Mexico's Mijares (36-5-2, 15 KOs) in Mexico on March 14 in an upset. It was Miajres' second straight loss after he was also upset by Vic Darchinyan via ninth-round knockout in their junior bantamweight unification fight in November.
QUICK HITS
Diaz
• Former unified lightweight titlist Juan Diaz (34-2, 17 KOs), coming off a ninth-round knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in February, likely will return Aug. 22 on HBO's "Boxing After Dark." No opponent has been set but Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com that he has the Toyota Center in Diaz's hometown of Houston on hold for the card. That's the same arena where Marquez-Diaz drew a boisterous crowd of about 14,000. Diaz has another important event scheduled besides the fight. On May 17, Diaz, who has been attending college part time while pursuing his boxing career, graduates from the University of Houston Downtown.
Guerrero
• Junior lightweight Robert Guerrero is scheduled to headline June 12 on ESPN2 against Johnnie Edwards in Guerrero's hometown of San Jose. It will be Guerrero's first bout since the ex-featherweight titleholder quit against Daud Yordan because of a head butt in a second-round no contest on HBO in March. Should Guerrero win in June, he may be added to the Aug. 22 HBO card, Schaefer told ESPN.com. He'd like to match him with titleholder Roman Martinez and said he's talking to Martinez promoter Peter Rivera about the fight. However, there are other possibilities for the HBO undercard. One bout being discussed is Vicente Escobedo against Michael Katsidis, each of whom won impressively on Golden Boy's April 4 "Lightweight Lightning" card. Escobedo first has a May 21 bout against Kevin Kelley. Another possibility is an appearance by junior lightweight titlist Jorge Linares (26-0, 17 KOs). His first title defense against Josaphat Perez (12-1, 7 KOs) has been postponed twice. It was supposed to be March 14 in Mexico but moved to May 9 because Linares suffered a cut. Then it was bumped to May 23 because of the swine flu outbreak. If Linares takes care of Perez, he could return on the HBO card. According to Golden Boy, it's talking with Linares promoter Akihiko Honda about a deal.
Judah
• Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s return to face Juan Manuel Marquez in a 144-pound bout July 18 (HBO PPV) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will include former undisputed welterweight champ Zab Judah (37-6, 25 KOs) on the undercard, Mayweather announced. He said he signed Judah to his Mayweather Promotions, which is co-promoting the card with Golden Boy. Mayweather and Judah appear to be good buddies once again after a bitter period before Mayweather's decision win against him in April 2006. Judah's opponent has not been determined. However, Schaefer told ESPN.com that Joan Guzman was offered the bout, which would have taken place at 142 pounds, but rejected the offer.
Toney
• A heavyweight fight between James Toney (71-6-3, 43 KOs) and former titleholder Sergei Liakhovich (23-3, 14 KOs) is in the works for July 4 in Primm, Nev., Liakhovich manager Ivaylo Gotzev told ESPN.com. If it comes off, it would headline a heavyweight pay-per-view show, he said. The card could also include former titleholder Samuel Peter, whom Gotzev also manages, and former title challenger Michael Grant in separate bouts, Gotzev said. "We're working on the card. It would be a star-studded heavyweight show," Gotzev said. "Toney and Liakhovich have agreed to the fight, but it's not signed yet." Liakhovich has been inactive since a decision loss to Nikolai Valuev in a title eliminator in February 2008. Toney claimed a split decision win against Fres Oquendo in December but has since split with promoter Dan Goossen.
Chambers
• American heavyweight contender Eddie Chambers (34-1, 18 KOs), who outpointed former titleholder Samuel Peter for a career-best victory on March 27, could be headed to Germany to face German-based Ukrainian Alexander Dimitrenko (29-0, 19 KOs) on July 4 in a title elimination bout in Hamburg. The winner would be a mandatory challenger for Wladimir Klitschko. Chambers promoter Dan Goossen told ESPN.com he was having talks with Dimitrenko promoter Universum about the fight. Chambers has boxed once in Germany, losing a decision to Alexander Povetkin in a January 2008 title eliminator, but he's won four in a row since.
Diaconu
• Light heavyweight titlist Adrian Diaconu (26-0, 15 KO) will make his first title defense against fellow Montreal resident Jean Pascal (22-1, 15 KOs) on June 19 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, one of the city's biggest fights in years. It's the first time two Montreal fighters will face each other for a world title and the first time rival Montreal-based promoters InterBox (Diaconu) and Yvon Michel (Pascal) are collaborating on a fight. Pascal, who lost a decision to Carl Froch for a vacant super middleweight in December, is moving up in weight for the opportunity.
Barrett
• Heavyweight Monte Barrett suffered a cut on his eyelid in training and withdrew Wednesday from a May 15 ESPN2 fight against rising contender Kevin Johnson (21-0-1, 8 KOs). Taking Barrett's place in the Star Boxing-promoted main event is 2004 U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas (17-0, 7 KOs) in the main event in Atlantic City, N.J.
Green
• Following Allan Green's devastating second-round knockout of Carlos De Leon on the Froch-Jermain Taylor undercard, talks began for Green to go to Canada for a summer bout with titlist Lucian Bute, either in Montreal or Quebec City. However, Green priced himself out of the bout and Bute may instead end up facing Joe Spina. Green also has his eye on Froch and said he's willing to go to England for the shot. "He just made his big splash in America and I'm more than ready to make my mark in England," Green said.
Latimore
• After dropping a split decision to Cory Spinks in a fight two weeks ago for a vacant junior middleweight belt, Deandre Latimore (19-2, 16 KOs) has reviewed the video of the fight, in which he knocked Spinks down in the first round, and is convinced he deserved the decision. "Of course I won the fight," he said. "I wanted to see the tape and judge it for myself. I think Cory won five rounds. I'll give him those, but I knocked him down in the first and won the other six rounds," Latimore said. The judges had it 115-112 and 114-113 for Spinks and 115-112 for Latimore. Latimore, 23, who needed 12 stitches to close a cut over his left eye, said the silver lining in the defeat is that he proved he can compete at the top level. "Cory's a [three-time] world champion and I know that I'm on his level, so that gives me added confidence," he said. "The Showtime folks told me they'll have me back when I'm ready and the folks in St. Louis got a chance to see a great fight."
Sturm
• Middleweight titlist Felix Sturm (32-2-1, 14 KOs), who retained his belt April 25 via seventh-round pounding of Koji Sato, returns July 11 in Germany to face Universum stablemate Khoren Gevor (30-3, 16 KOs), the reigning European champion, Universum announced. It will be Sturm's seventh defense. Gevor has won three in a row since suffering a massive 11th-round knockout loss to Germany's other middleweight titleholder, Arthur Abraham.
Mijares
• Nehomar Cermeno and Cristian Mijares will meet in a rematch on a date and venue to be announced this summer, promoter KO Entertainment announced. The bout is signed, however, the promoter said. Venezuela's Cermeno (17-0, 10 KOs) claimed a vacant interim bantamweight with a split decision win against Mexico's Mijares (36-5-2, 15 KOs) in Mexico on March 14 in an upset. It was Miajres' second straight loss after he was also upset by Vic Darchinyan via ninth-round knockout in their junior bantamweight unification fight in November.
Comment