Manny Pacquiao in hospital with mild ulcer, BOX

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

MANILA, Philippines (AP) World welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines has been admitted to hospital to treat a mild stomach ulcer and allow him to rest after campaigning for the May 10 congressional elections. Pacquiao’s chief of staff, Jayke Joson, said Monday that doctors discovered the 31-year-old boxer had an ulcer during a routine checkup Sunday and his family convinced him to stay on in a suburban Manila hospital for a few days.

Pacquiao’s mother, Dionisia, told The AP her son was well and may be discharged from the hospital later Monday or Tuesday. Pacquiao won a seat in the Philippine’s powerful House of Representatives, which he will assume on June 30.

His promoters are also eyeing a possible bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. or another fighter as early as November.

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Brit Muslim boxer involved in brawl ahead of title fight

May 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 15 (ANI): WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan was dragged away by his throat in a shocking mass brawl at the weigh-in for tonight’s title fight with Paulie Malignaggi.

Kahn was caught in a huge bust-up at the 1,000 pounds-a-night at Essex House Hotel in New York, The Sun reports.

Malignaggi’s promoter Lou DiBella raged: “Did you see this s**t, my guy got roughed up. If there’s one more incident of this kind, he won’t be fighting on Saturday. That’s a promise. The weigh-in was closed to the public yet Khan had so many people there shouting and screaming.”

Around 50 noisy Khan fans packed into the Petit Salon at the Essex House Hotel and pumped up the volume as Khan and Malignaggi deliberately touched foreheads and aimed verbal abuse at each other, The Sun reports.

Suddenly the violence exploded and it descended into a mass brawl with Khan fans trying to wade in.

Malignaggi tumbled into the hoardings and Khan was surrounded by people from his promoters, Golden Boy, and then led him away, The Sun reports.

Anthony Cantanzaro, Malignaggi’s manager, shouted: “Khan’s people came in and started fighting on the stage.”

Malignaggi said: “If Golden Boy had done this like they were supposed to do, there would have been none of this. There was shoving and then suddenly all hell broke loose.” (ANI)

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Sly kills Rambo 5 plans

May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 04 (ANI): Action hero Sylvester Stallone has killed plans of starring in the fifth Rambo movie, insisting it would be seen as “mercenary”.

Stallone, 63, who first starred as troubled Vietnam veteran John Rambo in 1982, had previously hinted that the next Rambo adventure would see the hero take on a “slightly different genre,” reports the Daily Express.

He told: “Yeah, we are doing another Rambo but the conflict is whether to do it in America or a foreign country.”

But now, it appears that Stallone has abandoned the previously announced project even after the fourth Rambo effort in 2008 made 74 million pounds worldwide.

He says that despite the critical and commercial success of the iconic character of boxer Rocky Balboa in 2006, he’s gone off the idea of playing Rambo again.

He says: “I think Rambo’s pretty well done, I don’t think there’ll be any more. I’m about 99 per cent sure. I was going to do it. I said I’d never talk about this but I feel that with Rocky Balboa, that ­character came complete circle. He went home.

“But for Rambo to go on another adventure might be, I think, misinterpreted as a mercenary gesture and not necessary. I don’t want that to happen.”

“I’m very happy with the last episode because I didn’t pull any punches on it. So where do you go from there?” he added. (ANI)

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Brit Muslim boxer to take on Mayweather, Pacquiao in a year’s time

May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 4 (ANI): WBA World light welterweight champion Amir Khan has said that he will be ready to take on American legend Floyd Mayweather Junior and Philippine Manny Pacquiao in a year’s time.

Khan, who defends his title against Paulie Malignaggi in New York on May 15, said it is only a matter of fine tuning his skills before he can take on the world’s top two fighters.

The British boxer is willing to move up a division to fight undefeated Mayweather, who cruised to a unanimous points verdict over Sugar Shane Mosley in Las Vegas on Saturday night, The Sun reports.

“In 12 months from now, I will be ready for Manny and Floyd Mayweather Junior,” Khan said.

Mayweather and Pacquiao were due to fight this year before rows over drug testing got in the way.

But Khan has no doubt the money-spinning bout will go ahead. “I know them both well and they both want to fight,” he said.

“It’s the promoters trying to sort out all the details that are holding it up. Who would win? That’s a tough one but I’d say Manny. He’s more aggressive and I think he’d take Mayweather into an uncomfortable zone where he hasn”t been for a very long time,” Khan said.

“Floyd likes to control a fight but so does Manny and he has a higher work rate. If things go well, I could end up fighting the winner. This game’s all about timing. You have to know the best time to have these big fights. I want to catch these guys when they have come off their peak,” he added. (ANI)

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Vinnie Jones beaten up by ex-boxer in ”wild-west” style brawl

April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, April 26 (ANI): Footballer-turned-actor Vinnie Jones is said to have been beaten up by a former boxer in what has been described as a “wild west” style brawl.

Jones, 45, had been drinking with friends in Los Angeles” plush Chateau Marmont Hotel when the fight erupted between him and former fighter-turned-actor Tamer Hassan, 42.

According to onlookers, the two had been cracking jokes before Jones began making sarcastic remarks, and the exchange became heated when Hassan, suggested they discuss the matter outside.

“Neither Vinnie or Tamer were backing down,” the Mirror quoted a source as saying.

“Minutes earlier they were joking but it appears Vinnie took things too far. When Tamer suggested it may be best to discuss their problem outside all hell broke loose.

“It was like something out of a wild west film. Fists were flying and at one point the two of them were grappling on the floor.

“If they hadn”t been pulled apart God knows when it would have stopped. There was a lot of shouting and swearing. It was bizarre.

“Vinnie took a good hiding,” the source revealed.

As the pair, due to be filming their latest film, ”Magic Boys”, writhed on the ground ”Tropic Thunder” star Justin Theroux stepped in to pull them apart.

Insiders said the fight had been brewing since the pair had a run-in over New Year. They claimed Jones refused to let the matter drop and approached Hassan to discuss it.

At one point they seemed set to make up, but Jones allegedly slapped Hassan”s outstretched hand away.

“My client informs me that he was subjected to an unprovoked attack. He regrets being put in the position of having to defend himself, but defend himself he did,” Hassan”s lawyer Eddie Parladorio said.

A spokesman for Jones said: “Vinnie was having a business dinner when he got involved in an altercation. Following the incident he returned to his table.

“Yesterday he was playing football with his Hollywood team as he always does on a Sunday,” he added. (ANI)

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Green primed to take down Siaca

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

World cruiserweight champion Danny Green has set his sights on breaking his fourth nose of the year when he puts his belt on the line in Wednesday night’s fight against Manny Siaca in Perth.

Green has been in devastating touch during recent sparring sessions, regularly leaving opponents bloodied and bruised in a confidence-boosting build-up to his clash with Siaca.

“The tally was up to three,” Green boasted about the number of noses he has broken recently.

“But mine’s been broken that many times it was time for a bit of payback.

“But I’m still behind, mine’s been broken more times than the amount of noses I’ve broken.”

Green demolished legendary boxer Roy Jones Jr in just 122 seconds last December.

But the 37-year-old Western Australian says he will be far from complacent against Siaca, who has not fought since his knock-out victory over American George Klinesmith a year ago.

“This won’t be an easy fight whatsoever,” Green said.

“He is a cagey guy, he’s been around a long time.

“He’s the kind of fighter you simply can’t take for granted.

“All those reports out there that he hasn’t been fighting, that’s true, but one thing you can’t take for granted is his experience, caginess and his background.

“His whole life has been boxing.

“We know that, we’re aware of that and mentally that’s why I’ve focused hard on this fight.

“It’s a world title defence, it’s going to be a massive fight.

“We’ve done the hard work… now it’s just time to relax, weigh in tomorrow and when the bell goes on Wednesday night I’ll be ready to rumble.”

Green says he has watched footage of Siaca’s split decision victory over Anthony Mundine in a WBA super-middleweight bout in 2004.

“Yes we have seen it. We’ve studied many of Manny’s fights,” Green said.

“We’ve seen what he’s got and what he can do but I think he’s going to be a different fighter.

“So I’m just going to go out there when the bell goes and see what he’s got.”

Siaca plans to defeat Green by knock-out.

But Green is having none of it from the 34-year-old Puerto Rican.

“I’m not going to get stopped buddy, I’m telling you that right now,” Green said.

Siaca describes Green’s win over Jones Jr as “awesome” and says he did not mind being the underdog.

“I’m always the underdog because I always fight overseas in my opponent’s house, I’m used to it,” Siaca said.

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Geale lining up for title fight

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Tasmanian boxer Daniel Geale is in line to fight the world middleweight champion, American Kelly Pavlik.

Geale says negotiations with Pavlik’s management have been positive and he could be travelling to the United States for a bout as soon as August.

The 29-year-old Geale says he is ready to face the powerful Ohioan.

“He is definitely the big name in the division, he’s the one they all call the number one, the big number one fighter so he is the one I want to fight and for them to be looking at us, I am pretty happy with that,” he said.

“I just want to get over there and do my business.

Geale plans to prepare for the fight with a bout against Kenyan born Kariz Kariuki in June.

Pavlik defends his world title against Argentinian Sergio Martinez in just over a week.

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Boxer Calzaghe apologises for taking cocaine

March 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, Mar 29 (ANI): Boxing legend and Strictly Come Dancing star, Joe Calzaghe, has apologised for taking cocaine.

The 38-year-old former boxer admitted his “occasional use” of the drug and spoke of the long days since he quit fighting.

“Since Joe gave up boxing he”s had so much time on his hands he has been bored out of his mind. All the time he used to spend in the gym, dedicating his life to boxing, he now has free. It’s a lot of hours to fill,” The Sun quoted his friend, as saying.

“When he has been back home in South Wales he has found himself twiddling his thumbs. In the week it can feel like a prison – nothing is happening. He has been spending more and more time in London, where there”s a massive temptation to go out a lot.

“He went 15 years without really enjoying a drink so he’s been having a beer a lot more often. He’s a sociable guy and enjoys a night out. He feels he has earned it after all the years in the ring,” Calzaghe’s friend said.”

A family friend in Newbridge said: “Joe is a hero to the family and to all his friends and fans. Everyone is surprised he’s got caught up in this but it must be because of the celebrity lifestyle he is living.

“When he was fighting he was kept away from temptation – now he is mixing with people who use drugs as part of their lifestyle.”

Calzaghe, who won MBE and CBE, retired in 2008 after winning all his 46 professional fights, confessed to taking cocaine to an undercover reporter from the News of the World.

Calzaghe, who was the 2007 BBC Sports Personality of the Year, has been living a champagne lifestyle in the two years since he quit the ring. (ANI)

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Hayden Panettiere protests against whaling in Japan

March 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, March 27 (ANI): ‘Heroes’ star Hayden Panettiere was recently turned down for a meeting with a local mayor in Japan when she along with a group of environmental activists demanded to abolish the nation’s yearly dolphin hunt.

Panettiere visited the historical town of Taiji with her boxer boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko, where dolphins are annually slaughtered on a large scale. She wished to meet the Mayor and the people from the local fisheries union, reports The Daily Express.

However, the actress was left disappointed when she was prevented from entering the town hall of Taiji.

Panettiere is a spokeswoman for the Save the Whales Again! Campaign.

“We are trying to peacefully come up with better ideas as to how to generate income and utilize the nature here,” she said.

She added: “We”ve been to Taiji before and it”s a beautiful place with beautiful wildlife. We just wanted to have a very peaceful and relaxed conversation (with officials).”

Panettiere had earlier visited Japan in 2007 to campaign against the same cause when a warrant was issued for her arrest. (ANI)

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London bout confirmed for Katsidis

March 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Australian WBO interim lightweight champion Michael Katsidis will defend his title against London boxer Kevin Mitchell at West Ham United’s Upton Park stadium, promoter Frank Warren has confirmed.

Warren described the May 15 bout – expected to draw a crowd of 25,000 – as “historic”.

“The response from all over London has been fantastic,” Warren said.

“We’ve waited a long time for a London fighter who can fill stadiums, and Kevin can be that man.

“If he beats Katsidis then you are going to see more big fights at West Ham. I can promise you that May 15 is going to be an atmospheric and historic occasion.”

Mitchell, from Dagenham in east London, has won all 31 of his professional fights.

The 25-year-old has been a Hammers fan since childhood and said fighting at his team’s home ground would fulfill a life-long ambition.

“I grew up watching West Ham play and if I hadn’t been a boxer I would have been a footballer,” he said.

“The fans in the East End are very special people, and to get the opportunity to fight in front of them is a dream come true.”

Toowoomba boy Katsidis, whose record is 26-2, 21 KOs, has held the belt intermittently since 2007 after he beat Englishman Graham Earl, also in London.

-AAP

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Boxer Vijender Singh returns home

September 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 14 (ANI): Boxer Vijender Singh, who has won a bronze medal for the first time in the World Boxing Championship, returned to New Delhi on Sunday night.

Vijender made India proud at the World Boxing Championships in Milan on Wednesday by winning a bronze medal. He is the first Indian to win a bronze in the World Championships.

He had defeated Derevyanchenko Sergiy of Ukraine by 12-4 in quarterfinal round but lost to Attoev Abbos by 3-7 in the semi-final round of the 75-kilogram category.

Atoev had earlier lost to Vijender in the Asian Boxing Championship.

Vijender was given a warm welcome in the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Hordes of people gathered outside the airport to take a glimpse of the boxer.

The boxer was euphoric to see such a huge amount of crowd waiting to welcome him.

“It was a wonderful experience and I am quite elated to see such a grand welcome for me. It shows India has many people who love boxing. It feels nice to see that and win the medal,” said Vijender Singh.

Meanwhile, coach G S Sandhu proudly walked with his boxing champs claiming that boxing has started creating history from last year.

“Boxing is creating a history from last year starting from Olympics to Asian Boxing Championship and now in World Boxing Championship,” said G.S Sandhu. (ANI)

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$1m reward offered for recovery of stolen Warhol paintings from LA home

September 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, September 12 (ANI): An anonymous donor has offered a reward of 1 million dollars for information leading to a valuable collection of Andy Warhol paintings that were stolen from a house in Los Angeles.

The stolen artwork includes 10 famous pieces of renowned athletes, including those of boxer Muhammad Ali, footballer Pele, American football star OJ Simpson and tennis champion Chris Evert.

Detective Mark Sommer revealed the collection, commissioned by businessman and art collector Richard Weisman, had been hanging on the dining room walls in the house, reports Sky News.

A housekeeper informed the police after noticing the missing portraits, each measuring 40 inches square, on September 3.

Detective Sommer said: “This was a very clean crime. (The home) wasn’t ransacked.”

The robbers were said to be interested in the particular collection since several other Warhol paintings were left behind and nothing else was taken.

The cop added: “For some reason they had an interest in this collection.” (ANI)

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Boxer Vijender Singh signs multi million dollar deal with Percept Sports

September 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 11 (ANI): After becoming the first Indian to storm into the semi finals of the World Boxing Championship, Vijender Singh has signed a multi million-dollar sponsorship deal with the Percept Sports Management Company.

The Beijing Olympics bronze medal winner has become the first Indian boxer to ink such a deal.

The deal is estimated to be between Rupees five to six crores.

It is expected that deal will send positive signals in the sporting world.

Percept hopes to become the face of sports and entertainment in India.

Singh will face former light heavy weight world champion Abbos Atoev, for a place in the world boxing championship finals. (ANI)

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Vijender to exchange punches with Atoev in World Boxing semi finals today

September 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Milan (Italy), Sep 11 (ANI): Beijing Olympics bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh will exchange punches with Abbos Atoev, in the semi-finals of the middle weight category of the World Boxing Championship, here on Friday night.

Singh is the first Indian to appear in the semi finals of the World Boxing Championships.

Currently ranked number two Singh punched out Sergiy Derevyanchenko of Ukraine, 12-4 on Thursday to ensure a medal for the country in the prestigious event.

Atoev is currently the light heavy weight world champion, but returned to the middle weight category this year.

National boxing coach Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu said, Vijender hardly loses his cool and seems in control. (ANI)

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MJ was God-like, says La Toya

September 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, September 11 (ANI): Michael Jackson’s sister La Toya has said that the King of Pop was godlike.

The singer mentioned that her late brother was “special,” and added: “he wasn’t God, but he was certainly God-like. He was the closest thing to a god that I knew,” the Daily Express reports.

She told Barbara Walters in an interview on ABC television’s 20/20 that the pop legend looked “absolutely fabulous” during the funeral.

Toya revealed that Jackson was dressed in white pearl beads and a big gold belt, “like a belt that you win being a boxer.”

She added: “His hair was done beautifully, his makeup was done beautifully.”

Toya believes that “any and everybody” including doctors who gave his brother drugs, which led to his demise, should be held responsible.

She said: “They’re doctors. This is going against their license.” (ANI)

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Vijender enters semifinal of World Boxing Championship

September 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Milan (Italy), Sep10 (ANI): Indian boxing star Vijender Singh achieved yet another historic feat by entering in to the semifinal of middleweight category of the World Boxing Championship, here on Thursday.

With this Singh became the first Indian to enter into the last four of the world boxing championship and also has ensured another medal to the country in the prestigious event.

Singh currently ranked number two in the world boxing rating punched out Sergiy Derevyanchenko of the Ukraine, 12-4.

Singh is now playing against former light heavy weight world champion Abbos Atoev, who returned to middle weight this year.

Speaking after the victory, Singh said he measured his opponent in the opening round which ended 1-1 before going for all-out attack in the next two rounds.

Singh, also had the advantage of height against his much shorter rival. The Indian boxer began to take control of the proceedings with his trademark left straights and uppercuts to end the second round 5-3.

He went on the offensive in the final round and didn’t let his opponent breach his defence even once to round off the last three minutes 6-0.

National boxing coach Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu lavished praise on Vijender saying that the composure with which he competes is remarkable. He hardly loses his cool and even in moments that can make one nervous, he seems in control the coach added.(ANI)

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Indian boxer Vijender enters World Championship quarter-finals

September 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Milan (Italy), Sep.9 (ANI): Top seed Indian boxer Vijender Singh has beaten Canadian Steve Rolls to become the second Indian to make the quarter-finals of the World Boxing Championships in Milan, Italy.

The Olympic bronze medal-winning middle weight pugilist joined Dinesh Kumar (81kg) in the last-eight stage with a 4-2 win over Rolls late last night.

The 23-year-old world number two was trailing 0-1 in the opening round but drew from his experience and long reach to get the better of his rival.

Vijender will now take on Sergiy Derevyanchenko of Ukraine in the quarter-finals tonight.

Derevyanchenko defeated Adem Killici of Turkey in the other pre-quarterfinal bout.

This is the first time that two Indians have made the quarter-finals of boxing’s blue-ribbon event. (ANI)

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President Patil presents National Sports awards to 25 sportspersons

August 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug.29 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Saturday presented the National Sports awards to 25 sportspersons at an impressive ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan here.

In a unique departure from established tradition, the coveted Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award was presented to three sportspersons – two boxers and a wrestler – for the first time.

The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award was presented to woman boxer M C Marykom and Beijing bronze medalist boxer Vijender Singh, and to wrestler Sushil Kumar.

The country’s best boxer and four-time World Champion, MC Mary Kom, got the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna after applying for it for the past three years.

Vijender Kumar got the highest national sports award a year after he won the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, while wrester Sushil Kumar also got the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award a year after winning India a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics.

Sushil said the recognition would be a huge fillip for wrestling in India and the country can look forward to more medals in future.

Badminton ace Saina Nehwal received the Arjuna award for her excellent show in the last one year, as also cricketer Gautam Gambhir.

Badminton coach Pullela Gopichand achieved the rare feat of being the only sportsperson in the nation to have won the Khel Ratna, the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shree and now the ronacharya award due to Saina Nehwal’s superb performance. (ANI)

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Oz man claims his pet moggy can swear, speak in English!

August 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Aug 29 (ANI): An Aussie man claims that he owns a pet cat that can speak a total of seven different English words, including the F-word.

Mischief the ‘talking’ cat belongs to Robert ‘RJ’ Duncan, 34, an ex-boxer of Palmerston, in the Northern Territory, and his wife Sandra, 32, and he also claims that his budgie Picininny can speak.

According to the Northern Territory News, Mischief had at the first declined to utter a single word, but during a second visit he was much friendlier, and everyone around heard him calling Sandra, “mum”.

Duncan said the two-year-old cat, which he and his wife adopted from his feral mother in Katherine, was most vocal at night.

“He starts mouthing off when he wants his food _ when we start cooking,” the Daily Telegraph quoted him as saying.

“He can say seven words all up: mum, no, now, what, f**k, prick and why.

“He can’t say ‘dad’ yet, which is a bit of a prick. That’s how he got the word ‘prick’ I reckon, because I say it a lot,” he said.

Duncan said that Mischief’s first word was ‘mum’, which he started saying about the age of six months, and that he was not mimicking the words either, as he knew what he was saying.

“He calls out to (Sandra) and everything _ he’ll sit at the back window, while she’s in the garden, calling out ‘mum’,” he explained.

“In the evening time, if you don’t drop whatever you’re doing and pay attention to him, he calls you ‘f**k prick’.

“If he really cracks the s**ts, he’ll piss in his drinking water just to let you know he’s really s**ty,” he added.

Duncan will now be trying to film Mischief to prove the moggy can really talk.

“He’s a character … he’s one of these cats that’s a bit too brainy for his own good,” he added. (ANI)

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Woman boxer Laishram Sarita Devi crowned with Arjuna Award

August 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Thoubal (Manipur), Aug 29 (NAI): Laishram Sarita Devi, a seven times gold medallist in various international women’s boxing tourneys has been bestowed with the Arjuna Award, India’s prime honour for sportspersons. arita Devi (24) hails from Thoubal in Manipur.

Inspired by the feats of Muhmmad Ali, she took up this manly sport in 2000 and literally eclipsed the swiftness of the boys and even pugilists elder to her.

This is evident from the fact that in the very subsequent year, she was called to represent India in the fist Asian Women’s Boxing Championship staged in Bangkok.

“I am very happy with my achievement. I had been nominated for the award three years ago but I did not get it. I feel it’s a little late now but I am happy to receive this award. It comes as an encouragement for me to perform better in future,” she said.

She was encouraged by her family members, which could be a key factor to her success in the ring.When we heard that she is getting Arjuna Award, I was filled with unusual emotion to learn finally the fruit of her labour has paid off. I am really proud of her,”said Thoiba Singh, husband of Sarita Devi.

She has numerous achievements to her credit. After winning a silver medal in her maiden appearance in the international arena (Asian Women’s Boxing Championship), Sarita has participated in fifteen more tournaments, winning seven gold, three silver and three bronze medals.

She works out for five to six hours a day such as sparring, punching bags and skipping to stay trim and be ever ready for a bout in the ring.

She has a desire to participate in the Olympic Games and hopes her dreams will come true.

This recent achievement of Sarita Devi is bound to lend a boost to the sporting talents in Manipur, which are abundant in several indoor and outdoor games such as boxing, judo, weightlifting, soccer, hockey and polo among others. (ANI)

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