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BYRD FIGHTS LONG LAYOFF

by Tim Smith - New York Daily News Chris Byrd thought that once he became the IBF heavyweight champion, his plight of not being able to find opponents would be over. He was wrong. "Who doesn't want to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world?" Byrd said. "Every heavyweight in the world should be lining up for a shot at the world title." Since Byrd defeated Evander Holyfield for the vacant IBF title nine months ago, other heavyweights have been avoiding him. Byrd finally has something to look forward to inside the ring. He will defend his title against Fres Oquendo on Sept.20 on HBO in a deal that was finalized yesterday. No site has been determined. Byrd will not have the TV stage to himself. HBO will use Byrd-Oquendo as a live platform for the rebroadcast of the Oscar De La Hoya-Shane Mosley rematch that will first air on Pay-Per-View on Sept.13. Byrd doesn't care; he's just happy to defend his IBF title for the first time. "It's a great feeling," Byrd said by telephone yesterday. "Me and Fres are pretty good friends. But he knows there are no hard feelings. This is business. I love boxing and I just want to be active. I'd fight 10 times a year if I could." Byrd, 33, used to suffer post-fight depression because he loves to compete so much and he didn't know when he would get another bout. He said he has learned to take things more in stride now, and his wife, Tracy, has found ways to keep him from going stir crazy. One way is constant training, and the other is going on family outings. Byrd and his family were at Magic Mountain, an amusement park outside of Los Angeles, yesterday morning. "I'm a roller-coaster nut," Byrd said. "Any thrill ride, I'm on it." Byrd's critics say that there is nothing thrilling about his style - a southpaw stance coupled with shoulder turns, more angles than an octagon and a lot of ducking and dodging. The style has hindered his popularity, but it has helped him survive the transformation from middleweight to heavyweight. Byrd understands why other heavyweights avoid him, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating. "With me they have to use their minds more than their physical skills," Byrd said. "If a guy has to face a tough physical fight, they'd rather do that than to fight me." Byrd can't even allow himself to think about getting the big-event heavyweight matches or even a heavyweight title unification bout. "If it comes, it comes," he said. "But I don't expect it. I don't even bring up guys like Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson or Roy Jones. The only time I talk about those guys is if they disrespect me." Byrd ripped into Lewis in the post-fight press conference after Lewis had stopped Vitali Klitschko on cuts in June. Lewis and his trainer, Emanuel Steward, both nixed Byrd as a future opponent, saying his style was boring and that Lewis didn't need to look bad chasing Byrd around the ring. "If I'm not worthy to be in this sport, then fight me and get rid of me," Byrd said. The best match for Byrd, and a possible major boxing event, would involve WBA heavyweight champ Roy Jones Jr. Like Byrd, Jones started out as a middleweight, and both are superb boxers. Byrd is not calling Jones out because he said Jones has not disrespected him. "Me and Roy are friends," Byrd said. "If Roy wants the major, major fights for the money, I can understand that. Much respect to him. I'm not going to dog him in public." BACK IN ACTION: Hector Camacho Jr., who was the WBA's No. 1 junior lightweight contender longer than any man in history (at least two years) without ever fighting for the title, returns to the ring against John Brown at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C. on ESPN2's "Tuesday Night Fights" Tuesday at 8. Camacho (35-1, 20 KOs) hasn't fought since his first-round TKO over Fred Ladd last Nov. 22. His star lost some luster when he entered the ring out of shape and lost a 12-round decision to Omar Weiss on March 21, 2001. Originally published on August 1, 2003 ARCHIVES INDEX AUSSIEBOX NEWS   [TOP]

CROWE TRAINS WITH BUGNER FOR MOVIE

Rusty with his fists, so Crowe goes biff with Bugner By Alan Veitch August 10, 2003 Russell Crowe has asked former boxing champion Joe Bugner to teach him what it is like to fight for a world heavyweight title. Crowe will soon begin preparing for his starring role in the film Cinderella Man, in which he plays 1930s champion James J.Braddock. Renee Zellweger will co-star as Braddock's wife Mae. Bugner, the Gold Coast-based former WBF heavyweight world champion, fought for versions of the heavyweight title twice in his career. In the early 1970s he went the distance twice with Muhammad Ali and once with Joe Frazier. On the Gold Coast in 1998 he finally won the WBF title by defeating James "Bonecrusher" Smith. Bugner, 53, retired from boxing soon after and has since appeared in several supporting roles in movies. The man who once killed an opponent in the ring said: "I told Russell straight off that pro boxing is a very dangerous business. "And even in the sparring sessions that we'll be doing when we're all padded up he'll still have to concentrate hard on what's going on or he can get hurt. "But Russell assured me that he fully realises the seriousness of the fight game and that he has a lot of hard work ahead of him. "He also added that once he's committed to any role he becomes very determined and very motivated. "Both physically and mentally Russell made an excellent first impression on me as someone who could convincingly play a world heavyweight champion. "I understand he's about 1.8 metres, but he somehow seems taller than that and in the flesh he has an even more imposing physical presence than on the screen - and he sure looked as if he had plenty of muscle when I saw him in Gladiator." Bugner would not reveal the chosen location of his training sessions with Crowe, but he made a guarantee about the outcome: "I can assure you that after six weeks in the ring with me, Russell will come out of this knowing a lot more about how to handle himself in a fight." The Cinderella Man is set in the early 1930s, the grimmest years of the Depression. Cinderella Man was the nickname given by sportswriters to Braddock because of his fairytale rise from the extreme poverty of the New York slums to go on to win the world heavyweight title as the 10-1 underdog. "Braddock was a boxer, but that doesn't necessarily make it a boxing movie," said Crowe, 39, in a recent interview about his upcoming film. Braddock won the world title from Max Baer in 1935. He died in 1974. ARCHIVES INDEX AUSSIEBOX NEWS   [TOP]

FREITAS WINS A BLOODY BOUT

By TIM SMITH NY DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER MIAMI - Acelino Freitas survived two knockdowns and a tenacious Jorge Barrios to score an electrifying TKO at 50 seconds of the 12th round to retain his WBA and WBO 130-pound titles at Miami Arena last night. Freitas (34-0, 31 KOs) pummeled and bloodied Barrios (39-2-1, 29KOs) over 11 rounds, but got caught off-balance by a jab for a flash knockdown in the eighth and a more punishing right in the 11th before rallying to defeat Barrios in the last round. Freitas set things in motion by getting back the knockdown in the 11th, catching Barrios with a left on the button just as the bell sounded to end the round. The still-wobbly Barrios could not weather Freitas' onslaught in the 12th and after Freitas sent Barrios to the canvas with a barrage of shots, referee Jorge Alfonso stopped the bout as Barrios tried to scramble back to his feet. Freitas had expected a tough fight from Barrios, a brawler from Buenos Aires. He got that and more. Barrios wouldn't quit, even though he was bleeding from cuts all over his face by the time Freitas ended it. Barrios entered the ring wearing a pair of red and blue sunglasses and dancing to a cumbia beat. Freitas' entrance was more subdued, but the crowd seemed to favor him. The arena, the former home to the Miami Heat, had been scaled for 7,500, but there was a sparse crowd of 2,500 that was divided along national lines - Argentines for Barrios and Brazilians for Freitas. It was loud and had constant buzz, chants and songs of a soccer crowd. Barrios had talked a good game for the two months leading up to the bout, but he was silent when Freitas opened up on him late in the first round. Freitas rocked Barrios with a big right hand that sent him sailing back into his corner. Barrios was so disoriented for a few seconds that it seemed he didn't know where he was. Alfonso turned him around and pointed him back to the center of the ring. Freitas opened a cut on Barrios' left eyelid in the third round. Freitas clearly was the more skilled boxer, moving fluidly to deliver deft combinations that easily found their mark. Barrios fought squarely, making himself an inviting target. And Barrios had trouble finding his range, throwing lunging shots that often whiffed. When he did get into striking range, Freitas would punish him. At the end of the sixth round, the ring doctor, Stanley Simpson, discovered Barrios had a burst right eardrum. The ref asked Barrios if he wanted to continue and he said yes. By the eighth round Barrios was a mess, bleeding from cuts on his nose, over his left eye and from his lip. Then Barrios scored the flash knockdown. Barrios kept things close by being busy, throwing punches in bunches, whether they connected or not. In the 10th round, Freitas began sitting down on his punches, trying to get more power behind them. He clearly wanted to get rid of the pesky Barrios. But Barrios refused to go. As the blood continued to stream into his left eye, Barrios used the sleeve of the ref's shirt to wipe his face. The 11th was a barnburner as both fighters scored knockdowns - Barrios sending Freitas to his backside early and Freitas cracking Barrios with a blistering left that sent him face-first to the canvas just as the bell sounded. In the 12th round Freitas punished Barrios with a barrage of shots, forcing Alfonso to step in and stop it. In one of the co-features of the night, junior-welterweight Francisco Bojado (13-1, 11 KOs) took a big step forward with a 10-round unanimous decision over veteran Lemuel Nelson (25-7-1, 13 KOs). Bojado took some big shots early but weathered them and punished Nelson with stinging combinations to the body. Bojado is aiming at a November rematch with Juan Carlos Rubio to avenge a 2002 loss. "I could have done better," Bojado said. "On a scale of one to 10, I give myself a five." Welterweight contender Teddy Reid (22-5-1, 16 KOs) stopped Elio Ortiz (24-6, 18 KOs) on a TKO at 2:28 of the fourth round. Reid knocked Ortiz down twice in the first round, once in the second and twice in the fourth before referee Bill Connors stopped it. ARCHIVES INDEX AUSSIEBOX NEWS [TOP]

RICHEL HERSISIA INTERVIEW

RICHEL HERSISIA DEFEATED SAMI ELOVAARA WBF 'World' Heavyweight Championship - Aug. 9, Salzburg, Austria AUSSIEBOX PROFILE : RICHEL HERSISIA Tale of the tape at Seconds Out "I'M NOT WORRIED - WHO HAS HE FOUGHT?" On August 9, undefeated WBF heavyweight champion Richel Hersisia will make his first defence - only 12 weeks after winning the vacant crown - on unlikely soil in Salzburg, Austria against Finnish challenger Sami 'The Bull' Elovaara. Having fought eight of his 19 pro fights in Denmark, the Dutchman of Curacao origin is a well-known commodity in Scandinavia and thusly a highly logical opponent for the stocky Helsinki banger. As the promotional drums are starting to make noise, Danish writer Henrik Risum decided he better talks to the fighters directly to get an inside view of what is in store. Read here what the colourful champion has to say about himself, the fight and his challenger! Interview by Henrik Risum (hrisum@hotmail.com) Henrik Risum: Hello Richel! Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. How is your training coming along and at what stage are you right now in your preparations for the fight against Sami Elovaara? Richel Hersisia: It's going fine, thank you. I'm not chopping trees, but that's not a problem, because there are no trees in the boxing ring. Only me and Sami... Elovaara once called out all Scandinavian heavyweights, considering you as a Scandinavian because of your Danish connection. Did you notice that challenge when he put it out, and did it have anything to do with the fact that you are now fighting him? I don't spend much time reading these things. My thing is to train so I can win the fights that (my manager) Olaf (Schroeder) makes and I don't bother (what others say). But from what I heard from Olaf, he likes the fact that Sami made some noise, so maybe it has something to do with us now fighting. But I hope, when he put out this challenge, he was aware of the consequences, because his problem now is that he's got to fight me. I know that Sami will most likely read this interview at one point, so do you have anything that you want to say to him directly? There's nothing to say. What I have to say I will say with my fists. As an amateur, you only had 25 fights, and won them all, 23 by knockout. How did you experience your amateur career? Well, it was just a start, and I don't consider my amateur years as anything special. I couldn't fight as regular as I wanted because so many guys didn't want to get in the ring with me. You won your first title as a professional, the WBA Central American belt, on your birth island of Curacao. What was that like? Phenomenal! That was one of the greatest experience I've had so far. It's really nice to get the opportunity to win your first title in country were you come from, really nice...plus I got to meet relatives that I haven't seen since I left Curacao as a teenager with my mom. You are now also the Dutch champion and the WBF 'world' champion. How much do these titles mean to you, and how did it feel to win the WBF crown in your hometown Den Haag? It felt great, Henrik, I'm telling you. These titles gave me more recognition, other boxers now know about me and hopefully take note. And they better take me serious. I know what some say about the value of the WBF belt, but, hey, I got it and the others don't. Where are you most popular do you think? Curacao, Holland or Denmark? Tell me what the difference is in fighting those places! Of course, Curacao, being such a small island, is where I'm real popular, but also at home in Holland and Denmark, fans know me, treat me good, and it feels good to have three places you can call home. How do you think the Danish boxing fans have welcomed you to Denmark? I mean, they have seen you from your second pro fight, and have therefore been able to follow your progress all the way. It feels great fighting in Denmark and I sure hope to come back soon. I couldn't believe it when after my first two outings I was stopped on the street - people recognized me and asked for my autograph! I really appreciate how the Danish fans treat me, they are really knowledgeable about boxing. Okay, back to Elovaara. What do you know about him? I'm not sure whether I saw him fighting on Eurosport before...could be. I know he's smaller than me and that's pretty much it. Video tapes are for managers and trainers and I know Mourad (Louati, his trainer) has got some. I'll just do the fighting in the ring. Let him worry about me...but looking at his record, he simply hasn't fought the calibre of opponents that I have, I mean some of them can almost be described as bums. He's not worrying me, I will go out and kick his ass. What is his best weapon, and do you think that he will be your biggest challenge so far? I honestly don't think he'll be my biggest challenge. Sure every fight is different and I respect Sami, but that's it. As for his best weapon, like I said, let him worry about me. What is your best weapon then? What do you feel is your biggest asset in the ring? My heart and my will to win. That's something you just cannot train, you either have it or not. The fight will take place in Salzburg, Austria. Don't you feel it is a bit of a shame that it won't be fought in Scandinavia or Holland? Sure it would have been nice to have this fight in Holland or Denmark, but I consider myself a European fighter, having fought in half a dozen different countries already, whereas Sami will surely know why he never left the cozy environment of his native Finland. So it's okay for me to fight him anywhere and at least nobody can cry hometown robbery when we get it on in Austria. The ring is the same everywhere, so I'm just making sure I'll take my title back home again. In your last fight, when you won the WBF title, your opponent Sandro Vasquez knocked you down. If I understand correctly, that was the first time in your career, amateur or pro, that you have been floored genuinely. What went through your head at that moment? My first thought was "Oh, this is new". Sounds funny, doesn't it? Then I got up and won the rest of the round. Simple as that, I just didn't see that shot coming. Happens to everyone once in a while... Okay, finally Richel, how will the fight against "The Bull" play out? Take me through how you think the fight will unfold! Henrik, you saw most of my fights and you know what my game is. I always want to see 'em bit the dust, early, late or in the middle of the fight doesn't make a difference to me as long as I can deliver the knockout. That's what I'll do in Austria. Simple, isn't it QUOTES ON RICHEL HERSISIA "(Richel Hersisia is) on his way to establishing himself as one of Europe's prime prospects in the heavyweight division." - Boxingtalk.net "(Hersisia) is one of a very few European heavyweights of real high-class calibre that has yet to be crowned European champion!" - Teddy Stenmark, boxinginsider.net "Oh, this is new!" - Richel Hersisia, on his first thought when knocked down in the 2nd round of his WBF title bid against Sandro 'Tyson' Vazquez "Richel is undoubtedly a very effective inside boxer with loads of power and he is probably the best bet that Holland has for a European champion in the years to come!" - Teddy Stenmark, danish-boxing.dk "While no Sonny Liston, he has stamina and guts..." - Per-Ake Persson, Boxing News "Hersisia's style sometimes resembles that of David Tua: Fast combinations of hard punches." - M. Kurt Saygin, boxingpress.de "Richel Hersisia delivers what the spectators want: Knockouts!" - danish-boxing.dk "I'm still expecting big things out of this fighter." - Wes Moore "Richel Hersisia is the Dutch boxing hope." - Ingo Barrabas, german-boxing.de ARCHIVES INDEX AUSSIEBOX NEWS   [TOP]

HOPKINS JONES A CHANCE?

Hopkins, Jones hope to fight again for the first time in a decade By DOUG LESMERISES and JAMAR HUDSON Staff reporters 07/28/2003 http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/sports/2003/07/28hopkins,jonesho.html GLASGOW -- The Roy Jones Jr. vs. Bernard Hopkins Celebrity Basketball Game had just ended Sunday at Glasgow High, and Hopkins was talking into Jones' ear. It was hard to make out what exactly Hopkins was saying. But the message was probably something along the lines of, "Let's get ready to rumble." Hopkins, the undisputed world middleweight champion, and Jones, the light heavyweight champion who moved up in weight to take the WBA heavyweight crown from John Ruiz in March, have been dancing around each other for years. Sunday, they met for the first time in any venue (other than in "verbal warfare," Hopkins said) since Jones won a unanimous decision over Hopkins in 1993. They came a little closer to getting back in the ring together. "They hate that this is going on," Hopkins said, speaking of the omnipresent lords of boxing. "They hate that Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins are in the same place without throwing blows, talking about business. My contract is up with Don King on Jan. 24 and (Jones) is self-promoting, and then HBO will be our promoter because they've got the money." Jones, who lives in Pensacola, Fla., flew up for the event because of his tight relationship with Brandon Lewis, who thought of the game as a way to celebrate his 25th birthday. Hopkins, formerly promoted by Lewis' father Butch, said Brandon was his first fan. So Hopkins, a Philadelphia native with a home in Hockessin, flew back from Miami after finalizing a deal Saturday to defend his middleweight title vs. William Joppy on Sept. 20 in Atlantic City, N.J. Jones, a hoops junkie who has played minor league basketball, played most of the game. Hopkins only coached his squad because he didn't want to endanger his Joppy payday. "I can't risk jamming my finger or hurting myself and sacrificing close to $3 million," Hopkins said. "I think if I was asking you for advice you'd tell me to sit down on the bench." He'll save his energy for the ring. After Joppy, Hopkins would like to fight Oscar De La Hoya. Jones is willing to remain a heavyweight for a big-money fight with Mike Tyson or Lennox Lewis. "If not, I'll wait until January and then fight Bernard and retire," he said. They would have to meet at an intermediate weight, probably 175 pounds. But weight isn't the issue. When the fight was discussed last year, Hopkins said $30 million was on the table. He reportedly turned down between $6 million and $9 million over an issue with his promoter's cut. That's why he is so anxious to be rid of King. "That's not my issue," Jones said. "Once he gets free in January, I'll do what I can to make it happen. When it comes to fighting, what is there that I don't want to do? Nothing." And Hopkins seems ready to do whatever it takes to get in the ring with Jones. That includes all the inflammatory posturing over the years that both say is done in the name of business. "They want us at each other's jugulars all the time," Hopkins said, again condemning boxing's powerbrokers. "While they got us slaying each other, they take the fortunes. The thing is divide and conquer." Sunday, on the Glasgow High basketball court, Hopkins and Jones were all about getting together. ARCHIVES INDEX AUSSIEBOX NEWS   [TOP]

FENECH THREAT AT MUNDINE FIGHT

Sydney Sunday Telegraph 03aug03 TRIPLE world champion and Hall of Fame boxer Jeff Fenech has declared he will be ringside for Anthony Mundine's bout against Antwun Echols at the Entertainment Centre on Wednesday despite threats to bar him from attending. "What have I done?" said Fenech, confirming he has purchased ringside tickets for the fight. "Is Tony Mundine trying to do this because I'm one of his son's critics . . . look, there are going to be 10,000 of them there. Is he going to bar the lot? "Let me guarantee you one thing, with the people who are taking me, I'm sure there won't be any dramas. If there are any Mundine henchmen, they'll be hung." Last week Tony Mundine threatened Fenech physically. "If Jeff Fenech attempts to come to my boy's fight, I will ensure that some of my henchmen march him straight out the door," he said. "Jeff, you are not welcome, nor is anyone associated with you, and if my heavies don't take care of you, I certainly will." Fenech has ignored the threats and will arrive at the fight with a contingent of up to 50 people from his star boxer Danny Green's home town of Perth. The group will all be wearing "Green Machine" T-shirts, with spokesman Craig Christian vowing to protect Fenech from any attempt to remove him from the venue. "We're coming over from Perth to support Jeff and right was said about him in the paper about him being banned," Christian said. "He has more right to be there than anybody because he is a three-time world champion." Asked if the group would refrain from violence on the night should trouble strike Fenech, Christian gave a chilling warning. "If anyone tries to put a hand on Jeff, there'll be violence," Christian said. "Nobody will be touching him, nobody at all. "They won't be stopping him from going into the fight, there's not a chance in hell that's going to happen." Fenech has a fighter on the undercard, and says he will be there to support his boxer. "Anthony Mundine might be able to go into the ring on his own being the 'supreme athlete', but my guy needs some help," Fenech said. "Look, I've got nothing against Tony Mundine and I've never said a bad word about him. "But it's my prerogative to say what I want about his son . . . obviously it hurts him to hear people talk about his son. "But don't you think it hurts every other person. Has Tony ever thought that some of the things his son says hurt? Has he ever thought of the damage his son has caused people? "I'm entitled to my opinion and just like Anthony, if I want to voice it, I will." Fenech even went as far as to suggest the fight was not a proper world title. With Mundine conqueror Sven Ottke unifying the WBA and IBF belts as the Super Champion, the bout on Wednesday is for the second-string version of the WBA belt. "Sven Ottke is the world champion. This is just a way for the WBA to get a little bit of money," Fenech said. "There is no title, it's a sanctioned WBA fight and another way for that organisation to rort the public." That aside, Fenech is expecting Echols to defeat Mundine in about six rounds, but admits he is worried about the American banger's preparation that has involved being shot and getting caught with a gun and ammunition in his car. "If Echols fights the right fight, I don't think he'll have a problem at all," Fenech said. "He only has to pressure Mundine. Look, all the Echols camp has to do is watch a tape of the Sean Sullivan fight. If they do that, Antwun will walk through and win hands down. "In that fight, Mundine fought a little guy who couldn't hit and he gave him all the trouble in the world. If Sullivan could punch, Mundine would have been knocked out. Echols can punch." Fenech said he was totally supportive of Mundine from early on, but things have turned sour since with Mundine claiming Fenech only beat "Thai cab drivers" to win his world title. "Early on, I would have loved to have seen Anthony become a world champion," Fenech said. "But I look at it this way. Now he isn't world champion, he demeans and degrades everybody. What would it be like if he was the champion? "I'd love to see any Australian win but it's a scary thought what he would go on to say if he won." ARCHIVES INDEX AUSSIEBOX NEWS   [TOP]

FENECH WEIGHS IN WITH PRE-FIGHT SWING

By Jessica Halloran August 2 2003 - Sydney Morning Herald Jeff Fenech and Anthony Mundine don't like each other, and don't mind saying so. Yesterday it was Fenech's turn, the former world champion saying he would love to see Mundine grow up, that he is selfish and cares little for anyone but himself. "If he honestly cared about the Aboriginal people, if he thought about the Aboriginal people, he'd do something," Fenech said. "He don't care about nobody but himself." Mundine's inflammatory comments after September 11, 2001, and calling Fenech's boxer Danny Green "a bum" were signs of his lack of maturity, and those comments had caused people to stop supporting him. Fenech said Wednesday night would ultimately be a sad occasion for Mundine. "People are just waiting for him to fall," he said. "There'll be 10,000 people there, a couple of hundred he's given tickets - I know people he's given tickets to and they despise him. No one really wants him to win. "What a sad predicament, what a sad thing." Mundine was far too egotistical, said Fenech, and in need of some humility. In Fenech's Marrickville gym, big egos are not encouraged. "He puts all the attention on himself . . . if I was his dad I'd kick him up the arse. His dad was a great competitor. "This man is a spoilt brat. "He runs his own ship. I'm not sure you can captain your own ship if you've never sailed before. Which is sad, because he's not a bad person." Fenech also wished Mundine good luck. ARCHIVES INDEX AUSSIEBOX NEWS   [TOP]

HARRISON HAPPY WITH PREPARATIONS

By Tony Kelshaw, PA Sport Audley Harrison reports himself in good shape ahead of his 12th professional bout against former Australian heavyweight champion Colin Wilson in Sydney on August 6. The British fighter will return to the scene of his Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal win against a durable opponent who has a record of 24 wins and 16 defeats. The 31-year-old Londoner told his official website, www.audleyharrison.com: "Colin Wilson should provide me with a decent test, I know his style and he is definitely a durable, gutsy guy, who in front of his home supporters will try even harder. "He has been a pro for over 10 years and has had over 40 fights so he knows what he's doing in there. "In Vegas I had some great sparring sessions with (former cruiserweight world champion) Vassiliy Jirov and that work helped me tremendously. "He's quick, tough and experienced and as he's a southpaw like Wilson it was perfect work. I am in good shape and ready to put on a good performance." Harrison's.fight will be over eight rounds and is the chief support bout to the WBA super-middleweight title clash between Australia's Anthony Mundine and American Antwan Echols. ARCHIVES INDEX AUSSIEBOX NEWS   [TOP]

GREEN A BETTER TITLE CHANCE, SAYS KOSTYA

By Adrian Warren July 20 2003 The Sun-Herald Kostya Tszyu believes Danny Green has a better chance than Anthony Mundine of winning a world title next month. With the undisputed super-lightweight world champion Tszyu recuperating from Achilles tendon surgery, Australian fight fans are focusing on the super-middleweight division, in which Mundine and Green are both fighting for titles. Mundine meets American Antwun Echols for the vacant WBC title at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on August 6 and Green challenges WBA champion, German Markus Beyer, in Nuremberg in the early hours of August 17 Australian time. "I think Danny has got a bigger chance," Tszyu said. "Danny can take a punch, but he has never been tested over 12 rounds. Anthony has already passed this point - he's done 10 and 12 rounds." "Anthony's is not going to be an easy fight, because of the guy's style. He [Echols] is a crazy guy he's fighting and it's going to be a big test for him. When you're fighting against a big hitter, sometimes speed is not enough to avoid getting hit, you have to give power as well. "Anthony has got both, but can he bring it all together? "I haven't seen Markus Beyer before, I don't know what he's like. But Green is a pressure fighter. He has got a great style, a strong heart and big ability and he is very strong and determined." Australia has not had simultaneous world champions since 1987 when Jeff Fenech and Barry Michael held super-bantamweight and junior-lightweight titles respectively. "I'm hoping somebody is going to win a world title," Tszyu said. "It doesn't matter from my point of view [who], I will be happy. I've been the one world champion in Australia for a long long time and I feel alone." Tszyu said his rehabilitation was going well and he had dispensed with crutches after five weeks and was already punching the bag for up to 20 minutes a day. "Now I'm exercising every day, upper body and legs as well. I will probably keep the plaster on for one more week." While Tszyu said he would be ready to resume fighting by December, he confirmed his next bout wasn't likely to occur before February, because that would be the first available time for his American television paymaster, Showtime. He still hoped the proposed bout with Sharmba Mitchell would land in Moscow. Although whispers persisted that the WBC was threatening to strip Tszyu of his title for not making a recent mandatory defence, two factors would suggest that is unlikely to occur before his return to action. Tszyu noted that WBC No.1 contender Gianluca Branco was unlikely to be in a position to press for an imminent title shot because he had withdrawn from a fight scheduled for this week. Second, the WBC has invited Russian-born Tszyu to its annual convention in Moscow in October, something it would be unlikely to do if it planned to strip him of a title. Tszyu, who would still like to fight for a welterweight title, has just watched several potential opponents. Fellow super-lightweights Zab Judah and Vivian Harris won world title bouts on a Las Vegas promotion and his former amateur victim Vernon Forrest lost a welterweight title challenge to Ricardo Mayorga. "Judah is the WBO champion now," Tszyu said. "I wasn't really impressed with his performance. Harris fought very well, but again I wasn't so impressed. "Mayorga-Forrest was a great fight to watch, something good to look at because Mayorga is a crazy guy in terms of his fighting style and it would be an interesting fight for me." [TOP]

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