By Declan Taylor, courtesy of The Daily Star

BILLY JOE SAUNDERS used to get chased round Sheffield by the police during his days as a tearaway amateur.

Now he says he is living a prison lifestyle in the Steel City after relocating there on a permanent basis a decade later.

Saunders, who will make the second defence of his WBO world middleweight title against American Willie Monroe Jr at London’s Copper Box Arena in September, called Sheffield his home when he was part of Team GB.

His glittering time as an amateur saw him box at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

And now he is back up in Yorkshire training under Dominic Ingle at the famous Wincobank gym which has produced the likes of ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed and Kell Brook.

But he is no longer treading the thin blue line even though Ingle is keeping him under lock and key.

He said: “It’s weird because sometimes I have a walk round the places where I used to get police chases.

“I just think, ‘Wow’ because nothing has changed except there are less police chasing me and that’s because I’m a bit fat.

“But the set-up is good in Sheffield, I live in the attic of Kid Galahad’s house.

“I just needed to be away from home really, there was too much horse racing, dog coursing, women, cakes and food – it was like Christmas every day.

“I’m proud of where I come from but our way of living is not good for boxing, our way of living is not good for general life.

“Now I’m locked away where it all started for me as part of the GB Olympic team for Beijing.

“You have to live like a monk who has nothing and put the work in. For me, that time is now.”

www.boxingscene.com/billy-joe-saunders-living-like-monk-get-top-form–118652?print_friendly=1

By Frank Warren

Billy Joe Saunders is literally steeling himself up as he begins preparations for the second defence of his WBO world middleweight title on September 16.
 
To ensure he is in the optimum condition for the challenge ahead, Bill has taken up residence in the Steel City of Sheffield, where he will now be trained by Dominic Ingle at the fabled Wincobank gym.
 
I honestly believe this is a smart move by Bill, who has removed himself from any distractions on the home front and he will receive top coaching from one of the game’s top operators.

We are very close to the point of being able to reveal exactly who will be challenging Bill for his world title at the Copper Box. Everything is in place and it is essentially a done deal, but I don’t like to jump the gun until the last i has been dotted and the final t crossed.
 
To be quite honest, there are enough boxers who cannot seem to resist letting the cat out of the bag on social media these days before contracts are signed and sealed and I wish they would keep it buttoned until we are in a position to make a formal announcement.
 
Bill, thankfully, isn’t one to get ahead of himself and his defence against the highest ranked available contender by the WBO will be confirmed very soon.
 
It promises to be some night on September 16, with Bill set to be part of a thrilling double-header before attention switches Stateside to Las Vegas and the long-awaited blockbuster between Saul Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.
 
For fight fans it will be a night that is really going to take some topping.
 
For Bill, should he successfully negotiate his business in London, he will be straight onto the next one because he is going to have a busy time of it from now on.
 
Circumstances beyond our control have kept him out of the ring for lengthy spells over the last year or two so he has got to get active now and remind everyone of what he is all about.
 
We need to get him going again, keep him motivated and in condition, so he can do what he does best.
 
Bill is the sort of fighter, a bit like Tyson Fury in some ways, who needs to know exactly who he is up against and when in order to get him stimulated to continue training.
 
He will have that now along with every opportunity to prove that he is one of the best champions out there.

www.boxingscene.com/frank-warren-on-billy-joe-saunders-return-on-september-16–118042?print_friendly=1

image Billy Joe Saunders on his way to the WBO world middleweight title against Andy Lee

Billy Joe Saunders doesn’t believe he’ll be at his ‘career best’ when he makes his maiden WBO world middleweight title defence against Russian Artur Akavov but he is hoping to ‘blow the cobwebs off’ en route to a successful first victory as champion.

The Hatfield fighter steps back into the ring on Saturday, October 22, for the first time since snatching the belt from Irishman Andy Lee in Manchester almost 10 months ago.

Saunders has been added to the ‘Little Less Conversation’ show at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena.

The 27-year-old has been hampered by a combination of injuries and fruitless negotiations leading up to his first defence and he’s not taking the prospect of European WBO middleweight champion Akavov, who is on an 11-match winning streak, lightly.

Speaking at a pre-fight press conference in London on Monday, Saunders said: “There was the hand injury which stopped me fighting [Max] Bursak [in April] and from then onwards it’s been very frustrating for me.

“I’ve got a new date now and I’m not overlooking him [Akavov].

“He went to the World Championships with Russia so he has some pedigree, has only lost once and I’ve been out of the ring for nearly 10 months.

“I personally don’t think this will be my career best, I need to blow some of the cobwebs off but I know I’ve got to look good doing it and then we’ll look at a big fight in the new year.”

Should his first defence go to plan, Saunders is open to getting back into the ring in December but says he is aiming for a date in February or March next year – against either feared unified WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin or WBO light middleweight king Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

He continued: “I’m not overlooking anyone but the next big fight I want after this is one of Canelo or Golovkin. My goal is Golovkin in February or March.

“Am I good enough for Golovkin? There’s only one way to find out.

“I’m 27 now, in my prime. If I can’t beat Golovkin now I’ll never beat him.

“If I don’t rise to the occasion I’ll get sharply found out. I believe I can beat him.”

He added: “He’s not invincible. If he wants to fight in December I’m ready. A unification overrules a mandatory so he can do it if he wants to. I’ll go to America and fight him. Canelo? I’ll beat him seven days a week and twice on a Sunday.”

Promoter Frank Warren added: “We’re not looking past this fight against Akavov.

“Everyone just thinks he’ll turn up on the night and that’s it.

“Providing Bill comes through this fight and comes through it well, doesn’t sustain any hand injuries and nothing goes wrong then we’ll look at either Golovkin or Canelo.”

www.whtimes.co.uk/sport/boxing/billy_joe_saunders_focussed_on_wbo_title_defence_against_the_wolverine_1_4726181

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2015 has been a good year for the Middleweight division, as the rise of 2015 “Fighter of the Year” candidate Gennady Golovkin has given the weight class a ton of attention, going (3-0) in increasingly higher profile fights.

In November, Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez secured the WBC World Middleweight title with his win over Miguel Cotto.

And on December 5th of 2015, WBA World Middleweight Champion Daniel Jacobs entered his showdown with undefeated Peter Quillin a slight betting underdog, but his white wash of Quillin in less than 90 seconds established him as one of the top three talents in the weight class.

Before the end of 2015, two cards in England will present Middleweight fights that will add even more clarity to the WBO World Middleweight title picture.

On December 19th, veteran Andy Lee (34-2-1) faces the undefeated Billy Joe Saunders (22-0) in defense of his WBO Middleweight title at the Manchester Arena.

Lee won the belt back in December of 2014 when he defeated Matt Korobov to take the belt vacated by Peter Quillin.

Lee then fought Quillin in Brooklyn for his first title defense.

Quillin failed to make weight meaning the title was not on the line, but Lee fought Quillin to a respectable draw and retained his hold on the belt.

Saunders is from a traveler family and he represented Britain in the 2008 Olympic games, and the young southpaw has held a slew of regional titles while competing at a high level as a pro.

The books have Lee as slight (-130) favorite, with Saunders returning at (+110).

The December 12th event at the 02 Arena in London features a Middleweight fight that will also impact the WBO title seen as Chris Eubank Jr (20-1) takes on Gary OSullivan (22-1).

In this one, O’Sullivan is a wide (+650) underdog, with Eubank the favorite returning at (-1000).

The lone blemish on both men’s record is a loss to Billy Joe Saunders, and though it is not a perfect indicator, Saunders out-boxed O’Sullivan winning (120-109, 120-109 and 119-110) with the judges, while Eubank thoroughly tested Saunders in a match that saw a split set of judges 115-114 and 115-113 for Saunders while the third judge had it 116-113 for Eubank Jr.

Eubank has held an interim version of the WBA title he won after the loss to Saunders and he raised his stock further by destroying outclassed Tony Jeter in his US television debut on Showtime.

For O’Sullivan a win here would be a huge step up, but should Eubank Jr. win as expected he could be lined up to face the winner of Lee vs Saunders, with the re-match with Saunders with a world belt now in play perhaps the best financial option.

But it would be wrong to ignore Andy Lee in this fray, as he is the most seasoned of the group and is still in his prime at 31 years old.

With a win this Dec 19th and his experienced resume, Lee could be a candidate to face Daniel Jacobs in a truly international showdown at Middleweight.

With Triple G and “Canelo” waiting in the wings, we could be in for good times in the Middleweight division.

http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/21850-british-middleweights-take-center-stage-to-close-out-2015

 WBO middleweight belt at stake in Limerick on 19 September
 Fight will be first between Travellers for a legitimate world title

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Andy Lee, left, and Billy Joe Saunders will fight for the WBO middleweight title in Limerick on 19 September in front of an expected crowd of 33,000. Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images –

Andy “Irish” Lee is a travelling man in every sense, a proud member of his widespread roaming community and a fighter who has had to seek work in big and little towns all across the US and Europe, in near-empty halls and packed casinos, ballrooms and bars, in front of mugs and millionaires.

Now he is coming home, to Limerick, in front of an expected audience of 33,000 – an overwhelming majority of whom he will claim as allies – to defend his world middleweight title against fellow Traveller Billy Joe Saunders on 19 September.

“It’s a small community,” Lee says of the world that he and Saunders inhabit, “and everyone knows everyone. He’d know a lot of people I know and I’d know a lot of people he’d know. But the crowd will probably be 85 to 90% in favour of me.”

This is the first fight between two Travellers for a legitimate world title and, when they shared a podium in London on Wednesday, the mutual respect and bonhomie was in stark contrast to the bogus trash-talking that characterises many of these face-offs.

It is, they agreed, for a real world title, with the unbeaten Saunders from a site in Hatfield the mandated No1 challenger and Lee the acclaimed 31-year-old champion who has been given no favours in a career of several ups and a few significant downs.

“We’re both in love with the game,” Saunders said. “For me it’s about walking away with that belt. But it is a huge fight for the Travelling community. Andy’s the first Traveller to win a world title. I’m the first to win a British title outright. There’s a lot of talk about this fight in our community. But it’s for the rest of the fans as well. But, yeah, it’s for bragging rights. It adds spice to it.”

Lee said: “I’d agree with that. And I’d say our upbringing and our background is the reason we’ve both been so successful. The pride we will bring to this fight is the pride we bring to every fight. As long as we both shall live we will have to face up [to the outcome] of this fight. Whoever wins will be hailed as hero. We’re both good men and the loser won’t be shamed but the loser will be known as the loser. There’s a lot on the line for us both.”

Until a year ago, when Lee found a finisher when getting battered on the ropes to level the knockout artist John Jackson in front of a stunned crowd at Madison Square Garden, Saunders had the higher profile, notably for his win over Chris Eubank. But Lee is the man with the belt that matters.

His journey has taken in Mannheim and Cologne in Germany, Esbjerg in Denmark, Detroit, Memphis, Las Vegas, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Connecticut, Indiana, Oklahoma, New Jersey, his adopted city of Dublin, Belfast – and now the rugby headquarters of Munster, Thomond Park, where he will walk to the ring with the blessing of the Ireland rugby captain, Paul O’Connell, a Limerick man, and the club’s “Stand Up And Fight” as his anthem.

“I’ve paid the price,” he says. “I’ve been all over. I’ve fought in I don’t know how many different countries.”

Lee has spent much of his career picking up the crumbs of others. “I only got the [Julio César Chávez Jr] fight because Martin Murray wasn’t allowed to travel to America,” he said, referring to a bout that was cancelled because Murray had been convicted of various offences in his youth.

“And I only got the [Matt] Korobov fight [when he stopped the Russian in six rounds to win the vacant WBO belt] because Billy Joe had signed to fight Eubank. But there here have been a lot of fights I should have got that other guys got.

“I’ve got to thank Adam Booth [his trainer and business partner] because, when we got together, we started to work on the contracts that I already had in place, with Lou DiBella and the management company I was working with then in America.

“I’m now in a position where I’m champion of the world and a partner in this fight with Adam. So I’m promoting my own world title fight in a huge stadium in my home town. I’ve come a long way.”

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/22/andy-lee-billy-joe-saunders-world-title-bout-travellers

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Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders were full of respect for each other at the press conference for their WBO middleweight title clash at Thomond Park on September 19.

Saunders

Champion Lee (34-2-1-KO24), 31, defends the belt he won from Matt Korobov in December for the first time – but was in action in New York back in April as he fought back to draw with Peter Quillin, who had failed to make the championship weight.

The unbeaten Saunders is the reigning British, European and Commonwealth champion and was last seen in November in outpointing bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr, having snatched headlines with some fierce insults in the lead-up to the fight.

There was no such bad blood this time, though, with Lee and Saunders – who are both from travelling backgrounds – dignified in their answers to journalists.

Lee said: “I would have driven past this stadium countless times and I always dreamed of fighting here. As soon as I won the title in December, my thoughts turned to defending here. It’ll be seen all over the world and I’m proud to put Limerick on that stage.

“It’s an honour really and it goes some way to repaying the support from the people of Limerick.

“I’m fighting one of the best middleweights in the world. He’s British champion, European champion and undefeated. He’ll come with a spirited challenge and I’ll be trying to keep hold of my belt. We’re going to put on a great show.

“The dream was to step off the plane at Shannon with the belt and people put on a great welcome for me. This is the natural progression.

“I’d like to thank Billy Joe because it takes a lot. I’ve been doing it all my career, going in to other people’s hometowns. I’ve said it all along. This is going to be a massive event and I’m delighted to be part of it.

“How can I not respect him? He’s undefeated and he was an Olympian. He’s going to take a lot of beating. His strength is his will and passion, how much he wants to win a fight. That’s going to take a lot of beating. This is a real fight.

“I know how much it hurts to lose and I never want to taste that again. I’ve been armoured by my defeats.”

Saunders (21-0-0-KO11) was equally excited by the prospect of fighting in front of 34,000 – even though the vast majority of those in attendance will be cheering on the home fighter.

The Hatfield fighter said: “As soon as I pulled up to the place, I looked at it and it was a dream come true. Everyone wants home advantage but he’s the champion and he deserves it.

“A lot of fights need building up and talking about with trash talk but this doesn’t need it. I’ve got a lot of respect for Andy. I just want his belt. You’ve got two proud travelling fighters going out there. There’ll be mixed fans coming from everywhere.

“I guarantee that both me and Andy will leave everything in there. All his support’s here but when you pull up to a place, as soon I walked in there I got a homely feeling straight away. I’ve boxed in Ireland seven times and have seven wins.

“In boxing, you have to do what’s financially right for you and your family. I stepped aside for the Korobov fight and Andy grabbed it with both hands. Fair play to him. I think he deserves to be champion and it’ll take a lot for the belt to change hands but I’m going to give it my all.”

http://www.sportinglife.com/boxing/news/article/543/9912903/andy-lee-and-billy-joe-saunders-respectful-ahead-of-wbo-middleweight-title-clash

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Andy Lee celebrates his win over Matt Korobov after their fight for the vacant WBO middleweight title

Photos:  Getty Images /

By:  Declan Taylor –

  • Andy Lee recovers from a slow start to stop Matt Korobov Irishman landed huge right hand in the sixth round to rock the Russian
  • Lee threw a barrage of unanswered punches and the referee stepped in
  • Lee is the new WBO middleweight world champion 

The old saying goes that nice guys finish last.

But Andy Lee made a mockery of that, and the bookmakers here in Las Vegas, to become the new middleweight champion of the world on an emotionally charged evening on the strip.

And, although he might not describe it as such, there was a sense that the popular 30-year-old fulfilled his destiny in front of the widow of his former trainer, the legendary Emanuel Steward at the Chelsea arena inside the Cosmopolitan Hotel. 

It was Steward who took Lee under his wing, immersed him in his famous Kronk philosophy in Detroit, even let him stay at his home after they met in 2002.

Steward guided Lee through his formative years as a professional and even up until his first challenge for a world title, the unsuccessful attempt to wrestle the WBC title from Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in 2012.

But Lee was forced to go it alone four months later when Steward passed away until he linked up with Adam Booth, who was in the corner here, and the brains behind Lee’s preparation for this shot at the WBO title.

Lee admitted in the week, in the suite 45 floors above the venue, that a defeat here would likely end his career, with no desire to fight his way back from another failed title challenge. He also said that he was completely confident of beating undefeated Matt Korobov.

And he showed exactly why in the sixth round of this contest, which was otherwise tentative, quiet and cagey. In fact, the only moment of note before the stoppage was when Lee momentarily stiffened the Russian with a left hand in the centre of the ring.

It was a sign of things to come.

In the sixth round, Lee shipped a left hand but, almost immediately, connected with a right hook that is swiftly becoming his trademark. Korobov tottered, stunned from the impact, and Lee did not waste a second, swarming the 31-year-old. Referee Kenny Bayliss waved it off quickly.

The celebrations were passionate as Lee, truly one of boxing’s good guys, embraced his new trainer Booth. His wife was also hoisted into the ring to join the new WBO champion.

He is the first Irish middleweight to clinch a world title since Steve Collins who, 20 years ago, won this very belt. He is also the first man from the travelling community to win a world title in the history of professional boxing.

Speaking of the traveling community, this victory also sets up a mouth-watering contest between Lee and Billy Joe Saunders, who is the mandatory challenger for the new WBO king.

That is one to look forward to next year, but for now, Lee and his team should savour this moment and their achievement against the odds in this famous gambling district.

When asked how to sum up the feeling of becoming champion, he said: ‘It’s tough to describe. When I thought about this moment, I had a speech in mind.

‘I would like to say than you to my manger who has done so much for me over the last couple of years.’

But then Lee paid a poignant tribute to Steward, whose widow Marie was in attendance for the bout, along with a clutch of other Detroit natives who cheered Lee on from the crowd.

He went on: ‘But it’s also for the man who made me, Emanuel Steward.

‘We spent seven or eight years together and he said I would win a world title.

‘His wife Marie came here today, flew all the way from Detroit so from everybody from Detroit and Kronk, thank you very much.

‘Matt Korobov was giving me nightmares but i could hear all the cheers from all that came to see me from New York and Detroit.

‘We were trading and a lot of the times he was having the better of it but my right hook is a killer punch I thought he wasn’t going down but i wasn’t taking any chances.’

And what of that showdown with Saunders?

‘I am a champion now and I want to defend my belt in Ireland,’ he said.

But, for now, it’s back to Ireland to celebrate a Christmas as world champion.

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-2873160/Andy-Lee-stops-Matt-Korobov-win-WBO-middleweight-world-title-Las-Vegas.html

Peter-Quillin-vs-Konecny-rob-carr-gettyPeter Quillin (L) throws an uppercut at Lukas Konecny on the April 19 undercard of Bernard Hopkins vs. Beibut Shumenov in Washington, D.C. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images.

WASHINGTON — WBO middleweight titleholder Peter Quillin had made a point that he would be after what would be his 13th knockdown over his last five fights, if not a stoppage over challenger Lukas Konecny.

Although Quillin (31-0, 22 knockouts) got neither against Konecny (50-5, 23 KOs), who never has been stopped, he unanimously decisioned his man — 119-109, 119-109 and 120-108 — on Saturday night at the D.C. Armory on Showtime.

Quillin had Konecny bleeding from the nose in the eighth, and from over the right eye in the 10th, but his fight drew little in the way of reaction from fans until they began to boo him in the 10th.

“He was a tough customer and came to fight, and that’s what the fans want to see. I’m here to inspire kids. That’s my mission and goal. We can always throw more jabs. There are tons of things that I can do. I will go back home and watch the tape and see what else I need to do.”

“I was looking for a knockout, but it didn’t happen. If Danny Jacobs is next, let’s do it. I’m also interested in fighting the winner of Sergio Martinez and Miguel Cotto, or Julio Cesar Chavez and Gennady Golovkin.”

Quillin-Konecny was the opening bout of a tripleheader whose main event matches IBF light heavyweight beltholder Bernard Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 knockouts) against WBA counterpart Beibut Shumenov (14-1, 9 KOs). Between Quillin-Konecny and Hopkins-Shumenov is a welterweight bout between IBF titleholder Shawn Porter (23-0-1, 14 KOs) and Paulie Malignaggi (33-5, 7 KOs).

A 35-year old making his debut on American soil, having fought mostly in his home country, the Czech Republic, Konecny was after his third straight win since falling by unanimous decision to Zaurbek Baysangurov by unanimous decision in 2012.

In succession, Quillin had floored Winky Wright once during a unanimous decision in June 2012, dropped Hassan N’Dam six times during a unanimous decision for the belt in October of that year, scored four knockdowns in a seventh-round knockout of Fernando Guerrero last April, and one more in during a 10th-round stoppage of Gabriel Rosado in October.

Quillin was workmanlike, but not dazzling against Konecny, whom he out-landed, 403-to-197.

“There was nothing that I didn’t expect. I would have expected a harder fight. Quillin is a good champion and a good fighter, but not a great one,” said Konecny. “He definitely beat. I hope to continue to fight in America.”

Quillin out-landed Konecny, 32-6, in the first round, where the challenger approached behind a high-guard — elbows tucked in close and his fists high around each of his ears — but rarely punched.

Konecny drove home a couple of nice uppercuts in the second round, where he was, nevertheless, outworked yet again.Konecny had more success in the third, where he occasionally trapped Quillin on the ropes and landed uppercuts and overhand rights against the countering Quillin.

In the fourth, Quillin kept the fight more in the center of the ring, pumping his jab with success and driving home the occasional body blow. Quillin spun off the ropes nicely during one exchange, and at round’s end walked to a neutral corner and shouted something to fellow middleweight Danny Williams, who was working as a ringside commentator.

The fifth and sixth rounds were more of the same, with Quillin going more to the body. By the seventh, it was clear that Konecny was feeling the body shots and uppercuts as he wobbled, noticeably, back to his corner at round’s end. The eighth was mostly one-sided for Quillin, who bloodied Konecny’s nose with a hard right hand in the middle of it. The ninth was more of the same.

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/334247-peter-quillin-unanimously-decisions-lukas-konecny-calls-out-others

Date:  Saturday, April 19, 2014

WBO Middleweight Championship Title Bout

Location:  DC Armory, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Promoter:  Golden Boy Promotions

Supervisor:  John Duggan, Esq.

Referee:  Kenny Chevalier

Judges:  Bill Lerch (119-109); Michael Pernick (119-109); Steve Rados (120-109)

Result:   Peter Quillin retains WBO Middleweight Title with a Unanimous Decision over Lukas Konecny.

 

007_Peter_Quillin_Workout

By Lem Satterfield –

A Showtime-televised 175-pound unification bout between Bernard  Hopkins and Beibut Shumenov will be supported by Peter Quillin’s third defense of his WBO middleweight title against Lukas Konecny on April 19. The card will take place at the DC Armory in Washington.

“The fans in D.C. have been enthusiastic and supportive of the sport whenever we’ve brought an event there, and I know they will love this championship doubleheader,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, in a release.

“Bernard Hopkins continues to amaze everyone with his performances in the ring, but when he faces Shumenov, he’ll have to pull out all his veteran tricks to keep his amazing streak going. This may be the toughest test he’s faced at light heavyweight.”

In his last fight, Hopkins, 49, unanimously decisioned Karo Murat in defense of the IBF belt he won by unanimous decision over Tavoris Cloud to extend his own record as the oldest man to win a significant crown.

Hopkins first set the record at the age of 46 by outpointing Jean Pascal for the WBC’s title in May of 2011 before losing the belt to Chad Dawson by majority decsion a year later.

During an interview with RingTV.com last month, Hopkins said he was “itching” for a knockout, “because I haven’t had a knockout since 2004, when I knocked out Oscar De La Hoya,” referring to a ninth-round stoppage in September of that year.

Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 knockouts) has history in the D.C. area, having made his first attempt at winning a title there, falling by unanimous decision to Roy Jones Jr. at RFK Stadium in 1993.

But Hopkins later won the IBF middleweight title in nearby Landover, by seventh-round knockout over Segundo Mercado in 1995.

Hopkins went on to defend the crown a record 20 times before losing to Jermain Taylor in 2005. He made his last appearance in D.C. with a seventh-round technical knockout of Robert Allen in 1999.

“It’s no secret that my one of my biggest goals has been to unify the titles, and getting to do that in a city where I have a lot of history is the best-case scenario,” said Hopkins.

“I’m coming back to break another record by unifying the title, and I’m looking to get my first knockout since I fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2004. I know Shumenov is tough, but I’m tougher and I’m not going to let him make a name for himself by being the one to stop me.”

Hopkins was ringside in December when Shumenov (14-1, 9 KOs) ended an 18-month absence by scoring a third-round stoppage of Tomas Kovacs for the fifth defense of his WBA belt.

A 30-year-old native of Kazakhstan now living in Las Vegas, Shumenov avenged his only loss by beating Gabriel Campillo for the title in 2009.

In doing so, Shumenov established a record for the light heavyweight division by defeating Campillo in just his 10th professional bout. He made his first defense six months later with a unanimous decision over Vyacheslav Uzelkov, who had knocked out Campillo in 2007.

Shumenov will be making his first trip to D.C.

“I am very excited that the fight is going to happen against one of the greatest fighters ever,” said Shumenov. “I am going to do everything possible and impossible to get the victory.”

In his last three fights, including two defenses of the title he won fighting Hassan N’Dam in 2012, Quillin (30-0, 22 KOs) has scored a combined 11 knockdowns.

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring and defend my title once again,” said Quillin, 30.  “I’m excited to be fighting in front of the great fans in D.C. and I will give them a show on April 19. Konecny is an experienced challenger, and you can’t overlook anyone with 50 wins, but I’m going home with the title, and I’ll be looking for another knockout.”

A 35-year-old former title challenger who never has been stopped, Konecny (50-4, 23 KOs) will be after his third straight win since falling by unanimous decision to Zaurbek Baysangurov by unanimous decision in 2012.

“I have a lot more experience than Quillin, and the fans will see that on April 19,” said Konecy, who has fought mostly in his home country, the Czech Republic.

“This is my first fight in the U.S. and I don’t plan on going home without that belt. Every fighter dreams of fighting for and winning a world championship, and I am thankful for the chance to do that against Peter Quillin.”

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/323493-bernard-hopkins-beibut-shumenov-peter-quillin-lukas-konecny-double-header

 

 

Date:  Saturday, April 27, 2013

WBO Middleweight Title

Location:  Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Promoter:  Richard Schaefer / Golden Boy Promotions

Referee:   Harvey Dock

Judges:  Julie Lederman, Nelson Vazquez, John McKaie

Supervisor:  Alberto Rodriguez

Results:  Peter Quillin retains his WBO Middleweight Title by TKO’  in the 7th. round.  Time 1.38

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By Scott Christ –

Fernando Guerrero was game, but Peter Quillin was just too strong, flooring his challenger four times en route to a seventh round stoppage in Brooklyn.

Peter Quillin successfully defended his WBO middleweight title tonight in Brooklyn, overcoming a good effort from Fernando Guerrero to largely dominate the fight, scoring four knockdowns on his way to a seventh round stoppage at the Barclays Center.

Guerrero (25-2-1, 19 KO) was down two times in the second round, barely surviving the frame (a third knockdown could have been called), and he lost arguably the first five rounds, maybe winning only the fourth.

In the sixth, though, Guerrero started landing some shots, and his commitment to trying to find a big shot to bring himself back into the fight led to his fighting with reckless abandon, and when a guy is clearly outgunned, that’s the most you can ask of them, and usually, it’s more than you should ask of them. This is, after all, The Hurt Game, where things Hurt.

But to Guerrero’s credit, as soon as he knew Quillin’s power could hurt him, as soon as he figured out how hard it was to get offense in, and how well Quillin could counter, he didn’t turtle up, or run, he threw caution to the wind and fought.

After a good sixth, though, it came crashing down, as Quillin (29-0, 21 KO) decked him two more times, with the referee stopping the bout on the second knockdown.

Our live coverage from the Barclays Center continues here, with Garcia vs Judah up next. Strap in.

http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/4/27/4277082/quillin-vs-guerrero-results-peter-quillin-scores-four-knockdowns-wins

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By:  Bryan Mazique –

Boxing fans will get another look at “Kid Chocolate,” Peter Quillin, (28-0, 20 KO) on Saturday night when he defends his WBO middleweight title for the first time against Dominican-American southpaw Fernando Guerrero (25-1, 19 KO).

The jury is still out whether Quillin is a legitimate threat to the lineal title at 160 pounds.

Not many experts would consider him on the same level as Sergio Martinez or Gennady Golovkin, but nevertheless, he holds one of the prominent championships in the weight class.

To his credit, he generally puts on an exciting show.

As part of the undercard on the Zab Judah-Danny Garcia lightweight championship bout, Quillin will attempt to entertain the Brooklyn crowd at the Barclays Center before the featured attraction.

This fight was supposed to happen in February, but it was postponed because the bout is married to the Garcia-Judah clash and Garcia was injured. Therefore, a postponement of the main event also delayed Quillin-Guerrero.

All are healthy and finally ready to get it on. Here’s how you can watch the night of fights.

When: Saturday, April 27, 9 p.m. ET

Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y

TV: Showtime

Stream: Replay on Showtime Anytime

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1617401-peter-quillin-vs-fernando-guerrero-time-date-live-stream-replay-and-tv-info