Boxing Blog – TSS Tidbits

Tuaman returns to action Friday night at Roseland Ballroom

David Tua fights the 50th fight of his career in Gotham Boxing’s main event on Friday night, November 3, at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City against Abraham “The African Assassin� Okine.

Tua (45-3-1, 39 KOs) is trying to get back into the heavyweight mix and was slated to fight Ross Puritty (30-19-3, 27 KOs), but Puritty suffered a cut to his forehead during training and had to withdraw from the bout. Hence a late substitute was needed to fight the heavy-handed Samoan from Aukland, New Zealand.

Enter Abraham Okine (14-2, 8 KOs). A native of Accra, Ghana, which has produced such stellar talents as former champions Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey, Okine now fights out of Pittsburgh. Standing at 6-foot-2, The African Assassin had reeled off 14 straight wins without a defeat before two recent setbacks this year, one to Shannon Briggs, who fights Saturday for the WBO heavyweight title against the champ Sergei Liakhovich, and the other against Timo Hoffmann.

Tua was inactive for two years and has won three straight since returning to active duty. And while he has been written off by those who never like his plodding style in the first place, he does have wins against current WBC champion Oleg Maskaev, as well as former champs Michael Moorer, Hasim Rahman and John Ruiz.

At today’s press conference at the Palm Restaurant in midtown Manhattan, Tuaman said it was a “great, great honor to return to New York and fight here,� and thanked his promoter Cedric Kushner for “believing in me.� Still suffering the effects of ring rust, Tuaman said, “I need to get my timing back. It’s going to take some time.� He also said he was “readjusting his style last minute� to cope with Okine instead of Puritty, “because we didn’t know who I was fighting.�

Also on Friday’s fight card are several top prospects from New York City and Puerto Rico. From the Caribbean, Jose Nieves (15-0-2, 8 KOs) and Hector Sanchez (7-0, 2 KOs) will be fighting, and the crew from the Big Apple includes “Mean� Joe Green (14-0, 8 KOs), Peter “Kid Chocolate� Quillen (7-0, 6 KOs), who said “I’m loving this ride and expect to do big things,� Jorge Teron (12-0-1, 8 KOs), who is training with Mark Breland and admitted he “can’t wait till Friday,� Joe Castillo (1-0, 1 KO) and former Marine John Schneider (1-0, 1 KO) from Yonkers, Darrel Madison, who is making his pro debut and wanted to “Thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for making this possible,� and last but not least, Cindy Serrano (13-0-1, 7 KOs), who alerted those in the house with vision problems, “I’m not only beautiful, but I can fight.�

Tickets for Friday night’s fights at Roseland Ballroom are priced from $50 to $200 and are available by calling Gotham Boxing at 212.755.1944 or at Ticketmaster.

John Ruiz has a new trainer/new lease on life

Former heavyweight champion of the world John “The Quietman” Ruiz (41-6-1, 28 KOs), who is ranked #1 by the WBA, is training in Las Vegas with his new head trainer, Manny Siaca, Sr., for his November eliminator against #2 ranked Ruslan “White Tysonâ€? Chagaev (21-0-1, 17 KOs) in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The winner of Ruiz-Chagaev will be the next in line to give it their best shot against WBA heavyweight Nicolay Valuev.

Ruiz, who seems strangely reduced without Norman Stone cheerleading on his behalf, promises that everyone will see a new and improved Quietman whenhe goes up against the southpaw Chagaev.

“I’m learning new things from Manny,� said Ruiz of his training and trainer. “I’m gradually moving into a new mode. I had leveled off. It hasn’t been since my stepfather trained me that I learned new boxing techniques and skills. I feel really good knowing that when I step in the ring I am bringing a different set of skills and a better mindset.

“Now I’m working with Manny to get away from being the old me. I’m not going to be lying back, waiting for the other guy, and just swinging away. We’re working on a new training method where I am now throwing punches and moving, not holding and waiting. But what’s really important, is that instead of talking about being the new me, I’m going to show everybody on November 18.�

Siaca has trained 23 world champions during his long and illustrious career, including his son Manny Siaca, Jr., Edwin Rosario, Sammy Serrano, Leo Gamez and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

“John’s always had a good jab,� Siaca said, “but now he’s throwing – bam, bam – four jabs and moving instead of throwing a jab and grabbing. He’s throwing punches in combinations. He’s fighting a southpaw, so things will be a little different. In the fight, John needs to move and throw. We’ll be ready for him. I really enjoy working with John. He’s a very decent and honorable guy who works hard. Johnny Ruiz will become the world heavyweight champion again. I’d bet my life on it.�

Sergei Liakhovich calls Shannon Briggs “Pineapple-Head�

Shannon Briggs, ranked #3 by the WBO, had an open workout today at the Central Boxing Club in preparation for his challenge to WBO heavyweight champ Sergei Liakhovich at Chase Field in Phoenix Saturday night.

When Briggs and his camp entered the gym wearing t-shirts with the words “The Great Black Hope� emblazoned on the back and “Shannon Briggs, Made in Brooklyn, USA � on the front, his six-guns were blazing

“People are talking about all of these Russian heavyweights. I am the Great Black Hope,� said Briggs for those unaccustomed to reading tees. “Rahman was the last line of defense. Now I am the first line of offense.

“I have sparred 108 rounds to prepare for this. I fight three guys every day and on Saturday night there will only be one – so it will be easy. I have scored 29 first-round knockouts and I plan to have 30 after I get done with Liakhovich on Saturday.

“If he is still there after the first round, I will be surprised,� Briggs said unsurprisingly. “I’m going to kick his ass on Saturday night.�

(Briggs then quipped: “Was I supposed to say kick his butt?�)

WBO heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich entered the gym shortly after Briggs and his team’s departure.

“Briggs says he is going to make short work of me?� asked Liakhovich. “No, the truth is, that if his strategy is going to be to come at me and throw a lot of punches, it is going to be a short night for him. Briggs better be ready and tell him to bring it all. That will make for an exciting fight.�

“This fight is very important for me. I fought many different types of fighters in my amateur career, so I am ready for anything. Brewster was better than any of the other heavyweight champions and I beat him. I love boxing – it is a great sport. Boxing is my job, and I love my job.�

Regarding the venue, a major league ballpark in Phoenix, The White Wolf, who makes his home in Arizona, said, “I’ve watched baseball at Chase Field many times. It will be very exciting to fight there. The ring will be set up on the pitcher’s mound. I will be the pitcher and he will be the catcher.�

Prior to leaving the gym this afternoon, Liakhovich parting words were, “I call Briggs ‘Pineapple-Head.’ Hey, that’s what he looks like.�

Liakhovich/Briggs WBO title fight Saturday night in Arizona

Shannon Briggs gets another chance of a lifetime on Saturday, Nov. 4, when he takes on WBO heavyweight champion Sergei “White Wolf� Liakhovich in Scottsdale, Arizona (Showtime).

Best-known for his bleached dreadlocks, it sometimes feels as though Briggs has been around forever, but, since he believes time is still on his side, he also talks one helluva game.

“It’s funny, because when everyone thinks of me, they think I am old because I fought George Foreman and Lennox Lewis,� said Briggs. “But those fights were when I was very young.�

The six-foot-four-inch Briggs is just 34 years old in an age when heavyweight champs over the age of 30 are not the exception, they’re the rule. And while Briggs has won 11 consecutive fights by KO, those wins were against questionable, not marquee, opposition.

“A lot of guys in my division are in their prime at 34. They think I am an ancient warrior,� Briggs said, “But I feel I am just hitting my prime. I have plenty of fight left in me. I feel invigorated.�

“The people want to see blood,� he continued. They want action. I hate to sound barbaric because I am not that way outside of the ring, but this is a job. The customers are getting what they want.�

“I have never been touted as having great stamina,� Briggs said. “I am training hard, but I am training for a knockout. This is going to be a great fight.�

A kayo artist who seldom goes beyond five rounds, Briggs is not concerned if the fight goes deep.

“I do not worry about it,� he said. “I do not see it as a problem. But it is something I am working on. It is going to take some work on my part to improve my endurance and stamina. I am looking for a tough fight. At the same time, I will be going for a knockout from round one to 12.

“Liakhovich has improved since his knockout loss to Maurice Harris. He took some time off and fought his way back. Now, he is a better fighter. I think that this fight will be the fight of the year. I am confident I can make Liakhovich quit.�

“My career has had ups and downs. I had a nice climb to the top. This is not my last run,� Briggs said, implying that another run at the title might be necessary if Liakhovich doesn’t fall.

“My career has been a great ride. I would not change anything. I am where I am today because of it. I have what I have today because of what I have gone through. If I would have knocked out Lewis in that first or second round, I might not be here now. I might have been blown away in ashes.”

Don King and Company’s heavyweight title tilt in ballpark

Sergei “White Wolf� Liakhovich (23-1, 14 KOs), hailing from Belarus but now living and fighting out of Scottsdale, Arizona, will defend his WBO title against Brooklyn’s own Shannon “The Cannon� Briggs (47-4-1, 41 KOs), the No. 3-ranked WBO contender, this Saturday on Showtime Championship Boxing.

The bout’s promoter, the indefatigable Don King, says he wanted the fans to be as close to the action as possible, so he only put 20,012 of the 49,800 available seats on sale, with the ring placed over the pitcher’s mound.

“It was important to me that the people of Phoenix have the best seats possible to witness the first world heavyweight championship decided on Arizona soil,� said King with his usual ballyhoo and brio. “I have also put together a wonderful card with three world championships and many other great fights so it will be action-packed from the afternoon on into the evening.�

Bobby Goodman, King’s longtime Vice President of Boxing Operations and Public Relations, visited Chase Field in Scottsdale on Thursday and said it brought back a lot of memories.

“We were out at the pitcher’s mound where the ring will be set up on Saturday and I got goose bumps,� Goodman said. “I was there for the last world heavyweight championship staged at a Major League Baseball park back in 1976 when Muhammad Ali met Ken Norton for the third and final time at New York’s Yankee Stadium. The only difference is the site lines and weather will be better here in Phoenix.�

The doors to Chase Field will open at 2:30 PM, when the first of nine scheduled matches will begin. The co-featured main events will start at 9 PM ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and feature undefeated WBA lightweight champion Juan “Baby Bull� Diaz (30-0, 15 KOs), from Houston, taking on Fernando “La Fiera� Angulo (18-3, 11 KOs), from Caracas, Venezuela, immediately followed by Liakhovich vs. Briggs.

WBC-mandated 30-day weigh-in between Pacman and Morales

The WBC-mandated 30-day weigh-in prior to the November 18 rubber match between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales occurred over the weekend. In front of a large crowd in Mexico City, Morales tipped the scales at 142 lbs. Pacquiao, who weighed in at his trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Calif., came in at 138¾ lbs.

Roach was present at both weigh-ins, and true to form he had something to say.

“My goodness. I have never seen so many people surround one man to make sure he eats so little,” was Freddie’s comment, comparing his old school techniques to the new school techniques of the team of experts from Velocity Sports Performance Center surrounding El Terrible.

“That was no weigh-in,â€? said Roach. “It was a Weight Watchers meeting. I don’t know what Velocity has on his menu, but I guarantee you on November 18, Manny will be serving Erik a steady diet of Reyes leather all night long until he can eat no more.”

Pacquiao-Morales III will be promoted by Top Rank, in association with Wynn Las Vegas, and will be on Saturday, November 18, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV, and broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View.