Sam Soliman WINS over Winky Wright Dec. 10

[TuPrincipe]

how many losses does this guy have? oh wait, isnt it 7 losses?

and whats this guys biggest win? over raymond joval? the same guy who couldnt even beat fernando vargas?

in 38 fights, this guy has how many knockouts? 12?

have you noticed there are more questions about this guy than quality opponents he beat?

Have you noticed that He has been fighting all over the world because no one will give him a shot, thus He can be prone to BAD hometown decisions.

Calderon, Spinks, Soliman have bad KO ratios. This doesn't make them bad fighters.

Look at the bigger picture. Quit looking through those rose coloured glasses. It doesn't get you ANYWHERE.

[Rapid_Speed]

It would be great for boxing in general. Soliman has a much more dynamic style, is a much more charismatic interviewee, he's just a better bet for boxing all around. I would looove to see "The King" win this Saturday.

Yea...I agree.

The guy is very charismatic and has an exciting style and recently been getting some knockouts.

I'm definitely rooting for Soliman.

[Grimgash]

As to summerize it for you Manny the long interview earlier. Soliman says he'll beat every middleweight out there....logic and common sense tell you other wise but who ever needed those anyway?

[Hitman932]

As to summerize it for you Manny the long interview earlier. Soliman says he'll beat every middleweight out there....logic and common sense tell you other wise but who ever needed those anyway?

quite contrary to sam solimans insight,
ronald wright will win the fight

[cold]

AUSTRALIA'S Sam Soliman says hunger will drive him to a shock victory over American great Ronald "Winky" Wright in the US this weekend.

Soliman has been written off by bookmakers and US boxing writers ahead of his International Boxing Federation middleweight title eliminator at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut on Sunday (AEDT), but that is not a surprise to the Melbourne fighter.

Wright, the Florida-based southpaw, is considered one of the top two boxers of any weight division and with recent wins over Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley is one of the biggest names in the sport.

"I'm not upset about it at all," Soliman said today.

"The only thing I'd get upset about is if I lose this fight.

"It would be nice to have some recognition, but I'm not thinking negative about anything."

US and British bookmakers do not give 32-year-old Soliman a chance, with Wright at the slim odds of 2-17.

Soliman has received little respect, with outsider odds of 15-2.

"I'm fighting one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world," Soliman, again refusing to be upset by the lack of respect, said.

"That's all I've ever wanted.
"Now I've got the chance, I'm going to make the most of it."

Soliman has a professional record of 31 wins (12 knockouts) and seven losses, but the significant statistic is he has won his last 19 fights.

The wins have made him one of the top-ranked middleweights, but despite being the IBF's number one contender for more than a year, the former king of the division Bernard Hopkins refused to fight him.

The years of frustration will lead Soliman to victory, he believes.

"I'm the hungriest boxer in the middleweight division," Soliman said.

Wright, 34, has a 49 win (25 KOs) three loss professional record.






Soliman's Wright of passage


MELBOURNE'S Sam Soliman faces boxing's Mt Everest at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Sunday when he faces Ronald "Winky" Wright in an elimination bout for the IBF middleweight title.

Southpaw Wright, of the US, is regarded as one of the most complete boxers in the world, the real deal in one of the glamour divisions.
At age 34 "Winky" boasts a 49-3 record, with two losses being by split decision in world title fights against Harry Simon and Fernando Vargas.

What appears to be the only time he was clearly beaten was a unanimous decision way back in 1994 against legendary Mexican Julio Cesar Vasquez, whose record at the time was 50-1. That fight was also for a world title.

Soliman has been the IBF No. 1 contender for 18 months, since beating IBO champ Raymond Joval in the US. He is long overdue for his shot at the title, after posting 19 straight wins since losing a disputed split decision to former WBA super-middleweight champion Anthony Mundine in 2001.

Soliman has done it the hard way, taking fights in Japan, Fiji, England, Scotland, Germany and the US.

Soliman will be a huge underdog against Wright with the American bookmakers.

Wright boxed rings around Felix Trinidad in his last fight and twice beat multiple world champ "Sugar" Shane Mosley before that.

Trinidad was so clearly beaten, he immediately retired after the fight. Wright showed why he is so highly regarded, counter-punching while exhibiting an almost-impenetrable defence.

How will Soliman attempt to upset the apple cart?

Speaking to him before he left for the US, Soliman said he could spring a huge upset with his own unique style.

Soliman now fights three minutes of every round in that he throws a lot of punches from many different angles while continually moving.

Wright is a great technician, but he has never fought anybody with a style resembling Sam's. How will it pan out? I don't think "Winky" is a dangerous enough puncher to worry Soliman, who will still be throwing punches non-stop in the dying seconds of the last round.

Will it be enough to upset the brilliant boxing skill that Wright possesses? Kostya Tszyu says Soliman has a great chance after many sparring sessions together.

I have no doubt Sam will be there at the finish, but it is going to be hard to get a decision in Winky's home country.

I see a tough, close fight, and whichever way it goes, I desperately hope Soliman ends up with his overdue shot at the title.

[cold]

Winky Wright was feeling under the weather at Thursday's final news conference at the Mohegan Sun Arena, trying to shake off a cold he caught earlier in the week as he prepares for Saturday's fight with Sam Soliman.

Wright sounded noticeably congested, but said the fight will go on.

"People wanted me to pull out," Wright (49-3 with 25 knockouts) said. "I'm already only fighting once every seven months, so if I pull out I won't get another fight for seven months?

"I'm fighting, trying to get it out of my system. I don't know what it is. It's just a cold. Got a stuffed up chest, stuffed nose, but hey, I'm here. It don't matter what it is, I'm here and I'm fighting."

Promoter Gary Shaw said Wright went to a doctor in St. Petersburg Monday for chest X-rays before leaving for Uncasville, which has had overnight temperatures in the teens all week. He said he has cleared all of Wright's medications with the boxing commission to avoid any potential problems with the postfight drug test.

[JMCbulls]

maussa to ko hatton
pemberton to ko lacy


what more needs to be said?

[machotime]

When Soliman said "I know that anything less than 150% against Winky won’t be enough." That to me means that he doesn't even believe that he can win.

[JUYJUY]

150%, there's no such thing man. When are people gonna start realising this ****?

[cold]

Boston detective Richard Flaherty will referee Sunday's world middleweight title eliminator between Australia's Sam Soliman and American Winky Wright in Connecticut.

And as well as an American ref, three American judges have been assigned to score the battle between Soliman, the No.1 ranked IBF middleweight and Wright, the No.1 WBC contender and former world junior-middleweight champ.

The judges are Melvina Latham, Duane Ford and Tom Kaczmarek.

Soliman says he has no qualms about all three officials being countrymen of the hometown star in one of the biggest fights in America this year.

"I know I have the fitness and the determination to outwork Winky," Soliman said yesterday. "He is a great boxer and one of the world's best fighters pound for pound, but I know he has never met anyone with the consistent workrate I bring into the ring for 12 rounds non-stop."


Soliman took the fight with Wright instead of a shot at the vacant IBF world title because he wants to face Jermain Taylor, who holds the WBC, WBA and WBO titles.