If Las Vegas fight fans left Texas Station disappointed last evening, it wasn’t due to lack of action, but because the hometown girl did not measure up.
There might’ve been a lack of crowd, at Sampson Boxing’s first show, but the three girl fights on the six-bout show provided more than enough proof that women’s boxing is not dead and buried. In two ten-round title bouts and a prelim, six females showed the guys how to fight with a pair of cohones, figuratively speaking, of course . . . |more|
Photo: Manny Pacquiao pulls away from the LAX airport following his arrival from the Philippines, Saturday night in Los Angeles. The assignment from Top Rank seemed easy enough: fly in from Vegas, wait a couple hours for Paquiao’s 16-hour flight from Manila to arrive, shoot the champ as he arrives, fly back to Vegas. The last two arrivals, Pacquiao slipped out the back door leaving photographers empty-handed. This time, we were ready and, while hundreds of fans awaited their Filipino idol at Arrivals, Pacquiao was met at the back door. The shot above was taken behind the black glass of Manny’s SUV limo as he pulled away – thank God for RAW, is all I have to say. Photos by Chris Cozzone for Top Rank.
With only two of four fighters willing to oblige the media, at today’s (so-called) media workouts held at Bones Adams’ Gym in Las Vegas, Sharif “The Lion” Bogere, Francisco Contreras, Francisco Santana and Jermell Charlo minimized their efforts while a handful of desperate photogs snapped off a few shots. Bogere and Santana added a few rounds of mitt work to shadow-boxing while Contreras and Charlo were out the door of the converted garage, barely having broken a sweat. The results in images . . . . |more|
Initial shots from last night’s Top Rank / Teiken / Zanfer card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas headlining Rafael Marquez vs. Toshiaki Nishioka. For full gallery . . . |more|
Bantamweight king Nonito Donaire had more in mind than just shake the rust off his Canon gear when he joined the ringside photographers to shoot the Toshiaki Nishioka vs. Rafael Marquez fight last night at the MGM in Las Vegas. After Donaire defends his two bantam belts against Omar Narvaez, Oct. 22 in New York City, he is more than likely moving up to super bantam to face last night’s winner. During the fight, Donaire barely contained himself to just shooting the fight. “I can’t wait to get in there and fight,” he exclaimed more than a few times during the action-packed 12 rounds
Photo above by Chris Cozzone, 2002: Can Rafael Marquez do it again tonight in Vegas? In 2002, Marquez made his mark upon the bantamweight division by defeating Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson. Nearly ten years later, a flawless reign as bantam king and his four historic wars with Israel Vazquez, Marquez will take on Toshiaki Nishioka for the WBC World Superbantam title.
Roman Gonzalez, pictured above with former champ, fellow countryman Ricardo Mayorga was one of the fighters who made weight at today’s event in Las Vegas. Gonzalez will be defending his WBA 108-pound belt against Omar Soto . . . that is, if Soto can find away to shed four pounds without sawing off his leg. Main eventers Toshiaki Noshiaki and Rafael Marquez also made weight, 122 and 121, respectively, though three of the undercard fighters came in porky. For more photos, check out the slideshow . . . |more|
With little ill will and drama between main eventers Rafael Marquez and Toshiaki Nishioka, today’s presser at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas might’ve been called the Johnny Tapia and Ricardo Mayorga show. Quote of the day? While sitting down with “Mi Vida Loca,” Tapia looked over at Mayorga, laughed, and said, “He’s a loon.” At the podium, Top Rank host Todd DuBoef solidified Tapia’s show-stealer by recounting a story in which Tapia pulled out of a press conference in Albuquerque on short notice, but offered to pay DuBoef $100. For more shots of today’s presser . . . |more|
Shots from today’s Top Rank media workout in Las Vegas: Rafael Marquez, Toshiaki Nishioka, Omar Soto, Roman Gonzalez, Jesse Magdaleno and Anthony Lenk. For full slideshow . . . |more|
Late sub Nick Rossborough gushed a puddle of blood in the final moments of his three-rounder with unbeaten welter Lorenz Larkin at last night’s Strikeforce Challengers card at the Palms. For more photos . . . . |more|
Shots from last night’s disappointing fight between Floyd “Money” Mayweather and “Vicious” Victor Ortiz. For full gallery . . . .|more|
Shots from last night’s massacre at Texas Station with Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell and human punching bag Hector Ferreyro . . . |more|
Photo: UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior Dos Santos (right) hosted a small luncheon yesterday at the Four Seasons’ Verandah Restaurant in Vegas. On Nov. 12, the two will headline UFC’s first Fox-televised card in Anaheim, Calif.
Real drama or staged? That was the discussion in the media room following this afternoon’s weigh-in with Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz. For a full photo gallery . . . |more|
Shots from today’s Grand Arrivals at the MGM with Victor Ortiz, Floyd Mayweather, Jessie Vargas and Erik Morales . . . . |more|
A few samples from a recent studio shoot at the Mayweather Gym in Las Vegas with undefeated Jessie Vargas. Vargas opens up the Sept. 17 Pay-Per-View telecast for the Mayweather vs. Ortiz card.
Shots from today’s media workout at the Mayweather Gym. For more photos of Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Jessie Vargas . . . . |more|
Flashback photos to January 2001: Floyd Mayweather Jr. prepares for Diego Corrales at the Madison Gym in Phoenix, Ariz.
