WebProNews » Boxing http://www.webpronews.com Breaking News in Tech, Search, Social, & Business Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:36:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Is HBO Bringing Live Streaming Sports to HBO GO? http://www.webpronews.com/is-hbo-bringing-live-streaming-sports-to-hbo-go-2013-03 http://www.webpronews.com/is-hbo-bringing-live-streaming-sports-to-hbo-go-2013-03#comments Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:45:10 +0000 Josh Wolford http://www.webpronews.com/?p=222972 Is live streaming sports (read: boxing) coming to HBO GO?

According to HBO Sports head Ken Hershman, yes. But HBO leadership aren’t all in the same boat, and another exec isn’t ready to spill the beans on any such project.

Speaking at Harvard Law School’s Sports Law Symposium, Hershman said that live sports, and specifically boxing, are coming to HBO GO “by the end of the year.

But HBO SVP of corporate affairs Jeff Cusson told The Verge that there are currently no plans for any such streaming offerings.

“We’re always exploring ways to enhance HBO Go, but we have no immediate plans to offer live boxing on the platform,” he said.

HBO’s sports division airs documentaries like the 24/7 series and weekly news programs like Real Sports, but when you think of HBO Sports it’s likely that you think of boxing.

So when the head of HBO Sports says that the company will bring sports content to their HBO GO subscription streaming service by the end of the year, you would think that he means boxing, right?

This isn’t the only hint that we’ve heard recently about HBO expanding their HBO GO service. Last week, HBO CEO Richard Plepler mentioned that it’s possible that the service could become available without a cable subscription, as a package deal with ISPs. And by “it’s possible,” we mean he said that maybe, just maybe, HBO GO could “evolve,” but right now they totally have the right model for the service.

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/is-hbo-bringing-live-streaming-sports-to-hbo-go-2013-03/feed 0 MMA Fighter Stops Crime At Grocery Store http://www.webpronews.com/mma-fighter-stops-crime-at-grocery-store-2012-12 http://www.webpronews.com/mma-fighter-stops-crime-at-grocery-store-2012-12#comments Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:41:54 +0000 Zach Walton http://www.webpronews.com/?p=209050 MMA fighters are pretty tough dudes. I wouldn’t want to go up against one, but the shoplifter that Jesse Finney took down on Dec. 21 probably didn’t know who he was dealing with.

Patch reports that Finney was on his way to the local Schnucks grocery store when he saw a man running away from a female employee. The man had reportedly stolen multiple bottles of vodka and was making his escape. Finney didn’t know the man was shoplifting, but suspected something was up. He grabbed the man by the coat and slammed him to the ground.

The shoplifter really didn’t have a chance as Finney is not just an amateur. He’s a professionally trained boxer and MMA fighter. He holds an impressive 23-0 kickboxing record, an 8-2 boxing record, a 4-0 amateur MMA record, and a 6-1 professional MMA record. He has also coached for Chuck Norris’ World Combat League.

Finney says that his training helped to subdue the shoplifter without hurting him. Only one bottle stashed in the coat was broken. A less disciplined man may have broken more bottles and caused serious injury to himself and the shoplifter.

As for the experience, he says that the experience was “pretty amazing.” He was grateful that “nobody got hurt,” but said that he’s “not going to let a man push a woman.”

The store acknowledged that Finney took down the shoplifter, but stressed that they don’t condone acts of vigilantism.

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/mma-fighter-stops-crime-at-grocery-store-2012-12/feed 3 Carmen Basilio Dies: Sugar Ray’s Opponent Was 85 http://www.webpronews.com/carmen-basilio-dies-sugar-rays-opponent-was-85-2012-11 http://www.webpronews.com/carmen-basilio-dies-sugar-rays-opponent-was-85-2012-11#comments Wed, 07 Nov 2012 20:37:06 +0000 Amanda Crum http://www.webpronews.com/?p=201550 In another hit to the sports world this year, middleweight boxer Carmen Basilio has died after being admitted to Rochester General Hospital in New York. He was 85.

Basilio, whose most famous bouts occurred against Sugar Ray Robinson, earned the title of middleweight champ and the respect of millions when he took on Sugar Ray–then considered to be the best boxer in the world–and won. Although he came out on the other end looking like he’d gone through a meat grinder, he became famous for his determination and will.

“I don’t enjoy getting hurt, waking up with a puffed eye and pain, stiff all over,” he said. “But you have to take the bitter with the sweet. The sweet is when guys recognize you on the street, say, ‘Hello, champ,’ know who you are. It will always be sweet for me.”

The legend began when Robinson snubbed Basilio on the street, and from then on he became determined to fight the champ and win. He challenged Robinson before a huge crowd at Yankee Stadium in 1957, and history was made.

“He pulled up with his entourage with his big Cadillac,” Basilio said in an interview. “I was walking past, so I decided to go over and introduce myself. I said: ‘Hi, Ray, I just fought Billy Graham the week before, the No. 1 welterweight. I’m Carmen Basilio.’ He gave me the brushoff, and I felt about an inch high.”

Basilio was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in 1990. At the news of his death, the Hall’s executive director Edward Brophy made a statement.

“Carmen put Canastota on the worldwide boxing map and gave the village’s residents a sense of pride that couldn’t be matched anywhere in the world,” he said. “During the 1950s and 1960s Carmen was everyone’s hero. They talked about him in the coffee shops, grocery stores, gas stations and barbershops all the time. And they still talk about him today. He was loved, respected and idolized. His career and memories will last forever in the Village of Canastota.”

ESPN reports that Basilio died of complications from pneumonia. He is survived by his wife, four children, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Image: EastSideBoxing.com

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/carmen-basilio-dies-sugar-rays-opponent-was-85-2012-11/feed 0 Women’s Boxing: Vogue Features Marlen Esparza in Recent Issue http://www.webpronews.com/womens-boxing-vogue-features-marlen-esparza-in-recent-issue-2012-07 http://www.webpronews.com/womens-boxing-vogue-features-marlen-esparza-in-recent-issue-2012-07#comments Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:57:25 +0000 WebProNews Staff http://www.webpronews.com/?p=183974 Women’s boxing will finally make it’s Olympic debut at this year’s summer games in London. Since the bone-jarring sport is one of my favorite aspects of the event, adding even more matches featuring a bevy of talented scrappers isn’t going to bother me in the least. In fact, I’m surprised it’s take this long for women’s boxing to make an appearance at the Olympics. Although I’m sure you’re assuming my interest in the sport is entirely impure, I’m honestly just excited to see more people fighters into the ring. I don’t care if you believe me or not.

To celebrate the debut of women’s boxing, Vogue, a magazine one generally doesn’t associated with sports, decided to do a story on professional bralwer Marlen Esparza. The 23-year-old from Pasadena, Texas started smacking people around the ring when she was just eleven. Her experience, combined with her raw talent, could put her in a position to take home the gold for the United States. Just how talented is she, you ask? Her current record stands at 69 wins, 2 losses. It would seem she knows precisely how to knock someone out.

In fact, so accomplished is her career that sponsors such as Nike, Coca-Cola, and Cover Girl extended sponsorship deals to the boxer. As a result, Esparza was able to quit her job as a dental assistant to pursue her love of boxing without the restraints of a day job. As silly as it may sound, I kind of like the idea of professional scrapper who moonlights as a dental assistant. She’s knocking your teeth out one second, and helping you get them back into shape the next.

However, Esparza doesn’t look like your typical fighter, and she’s willing to admit her looks are deceiving. “A track-and-field athlete, perhaps, or a runner, but at five feet three and 112 pounds she is neither brawny nor particularly fierce-looking.”

To see Esparza and a host of other Olympic hopefuls square off against one another in the ring, be sure to tune into Olympic coverage during the dates listed on the official schedule. And congratulations to all the female fighters who are getting an opportunity to compete for the first time this year. I can’t imagine the excitement they must feel.

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/womens-boxing-vogue-features-marlen-esparza-in-recent-issue-2012-07/feed 0 Jimmy Bivins, Heavyweight Boxer, Dies at 92 http://www.webpronews.com/jimmy-bivins-heavyweight-boxer-dies-at-92-2012-07 http://www.webpronews.com/jimmy-bivins-heavyweight-boxer-dies-at-92-2012-07#comments Fri, 06 Jul 2012 20:17:18 +0000 Chad Sweely http://www.webpronews.com/?p=180358 ]]> It is always sad to see such well-known talent go, especially the boxing talent that Jimmy Bivins had. Jimmy Bivins was a Heavyweight Boxer from Dry Branch, Georgia; however, Bivins was involved with fighting and defending from the town of Cleveland, OH. While active from the years 1940-1955, Bivins beat eight future world champions, but never received the title himself. Although, Bivins was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999.

During his career, Bivins got to fight against other various well-known boxers, such as: Anton Christoforidis, Teddy Yarosz, Curtis Sheppard, Melio Bettina, Billy Soose, Gus Lesnevich, and Jersey Joe Walcott.

Jimmy Bivins’ boxing statistics have been provided below.

  • Total Fights: 112
  • Total Wins: 86
  • Total Wins (by KO): 31
  • Total Losses: 25
  • Total Draws: 1

To see some of Jimmy Bivins’ fighting techniques, please view the YouTube video below.

Jimmy Bivins died on Wednesday, July 4th in a nursing home in Cleveland, OH. Bivins was 92 when he passed away. The Twitterverse has been active paying their respects to this great boxing legend:





]]> http://www.webpronews.com/jimmy-bivins-heavyweight-boxer-dies-at-92-2012-07/feed 1 Mike Tyson’s Famous Ear Bite Is Helping Evander Holyfield Sell BBQ Sauce http://www.webpronews.com/mike-tysons-famous-ear-bite-is-helping-evander-holyfield-sell-bbq-sauce-2012-06 http://www.webpronews.com/mike-tysons-famous-ear-bite-is-helping-evander-holyfield-sell-bbq-sauce-2012-06#comments Fri, 29 Jun 2012 20:35:14 +0000 Josh Wolford http://www.webpronews.com/?p=178089 Apparently, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield are getting along just fine. At least their relationship is good enough that they can joke about one of the most famous moment in sports history to sell BBQ sauce.

If you don’t know what Evander Holyfield’s been doing, other than continuing to box, you may not be alone. He’s actually been throwing his weight behind various business ventures. George Foreman has his grill (and it’s not doing too bad), and Evander Holyfield has his sauce. His “Real Deal BBQ Sauce” is the best in the world, according to him. He’s managed to get Real Deal BBQ sauce into about a dozen California stores and his special blend is the official BBQ sauce of the San Diego convention center. Plus, Real Deal is moving into a few new markets across the country.

But, through the power of Twitter, Holyfield has garnered possibly the best endorsement for the BBQ sauce yet – from that guy who bit his ear off fifteen years ago.

Holyfield tweeted this earlier today:

And just a few hours ago, Iron Mike tweeted this out to his 2.2 million followers:

He even knew to use the “.” before the @ mention so that everyone would have the tweet pop up in his feed – good going, Mike.

If you’re unclear on why they are talking about eating ears, this should help:

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/mike-tysons-famous-ear-bite-is-helping-evander-holyfield-sell-bbq-sauce-2012-06/feed 1 Chris Brown, Drake Offered $1 Mil To Fight In The Ring http://www.webpronews.com/chris-brown-drake-offered-1-mil-to-fight-in-the-ring-2012-06 http://www.webpronews.com/chris-brown-drake-offered-1-mil-to-fight-in-the-ring-2012-06#comments Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:20:44 +0000 Amanda Crum http://www.webpronews.com/?p=176441 Chris Brown and Drake, who had a famous knock-down-drag-out at a club earlier this month, have now been offered a cool million bucks each to get in the ring.

The purse has been offered up by billionaire Alki David, who says he’ll also toss in a million to charity if the two artists agree to put on some gloves and duke it out in front of a crowd, preferably in Vegas. Celeb boxing promoter Damon Feldman has gotten involved, as well.

“Obviously they have a grudge,” he said. “It’s just three 1-minute rounds. No one will get seriously hurt.”

Brown and Drake were reportedly fighting over singer Rihanna, who was the victim of physical abuse at Brown’s hands in 2009. In what is either a shocking display of insensitivity or lack of self-awareness, Feldman says he’d like Rihanna to be the ring-girl at the fight.

Both Brown and Drake say they weren’t aware of the offer until now, so no word yet on whether they’re considering it. NBA star Tony Parker may have something to say about it, since he suffered an eye injury during the melee when a bottle was thrown and is suing the club because of it.

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/chris-brown-drake-offered-1-mil-to-fight-in-the-ring-2012-06/feed 4 Teofilo Stevenson, Cuban Boxing Legend, Dead at 60 http://www.webpronews.com/teofilo-stevenson-olympic-heavyweight-champion-dead-at-60-2012-06 http://www.webpronews.com/teofilo-stevenson-olympic-heavyweight-champion-dead-at-60-2012-06#comments Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:03:01 +0000 WebProNews Staff http://www.webpronews.com/?p=168663 Teofilo Stevenson, the heavyweight boxer responsible for bringing three Olympic gold medals home to Cuba, passed away on Monday at the age of 60. Although no official cause of death has been released, an anonymous sports official stated that Stevenson likely died from a heart attack.

Stevenson, who was born in Cuba on March 29th, 1952, began sparring at his father’s open air gym when he was just nine years-old. He soon found a friend and mentor in John Herrera, a former light heavyweight boxing champion who took the young boy under his wing. He began his career by fighting boxers that were clearly more experienced, though Herrera believed that Stevenson “had what it took” to make a name for himself in the sport. And while he was considered a growing threat in Cuban boxing, it wasn’t until he defeated East Germany’s Bernd Andern in Berlin that he left his mark in the amateur boxing world.

As his skills as a fighter grew, so did his accolades. In addition to winning three World Amateur Championships and two gold medals from the Pan American Games, Stevenson snagged three gold medals during the 1972, 1976, and 1980 Olympic games. At one stage in his career, fans had hoped that he would square off against boxing legend Muhammad Ali, in what many considered to be the “fight of the century”. However, fearing that Stevenson would lose his amateur rank, Cuba decided not to schedule the fight.

During his career, Teofilo stayed true to his homeland, passing up millions of dollars in the process. “I prefer the affection of 8 million Cubans,” he once said about his decision.

Stevenson retired from the sport in 1988, with an impressive record of 302 wins and 22 loses. Twitter users are well-versed in the man’s legacy, and have taken to the site this morning to express their condolences. Have a look at some of the posts below.

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/teofilo-stevenson-olympic-heavyweight-champion-dead-at-60-2012-06/feed 2 Justin Bieber: “Boyfriend”, Boxing, and Blood http://www.webpronews.com/justin-bieber-beaten-and-bloodied-2012-03 http://www.webpronews.com/justin-bieber-beaten-and-bloodied-2012-03#comments Sun, 25 Mar 2012 21:22:38 +0000 Amanda Crum http://www.webpronews.com/?p=126825 Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber is changing up his image a bit, but it comes at a price.

The 18-year old has certainly done some growing up in the past year or so, and a new photo shoot for Complex Magazine shows off a side of him that his young fans have never seen: the reckless, butt-kicking side.

bieberfight

The shoot was done for the magazine’s 10th anniversary cover, and it looks to be an interesting one. The theme involves Bieber holding his own against two huge boxers while wearing a tux, at first just taking punches–and getting bloody–and then giving them. A sexy ring-girl in a gold bikini alternately gives him water and cheers him on, giving him a second wind to get up and throw some fists.

Bieber, who was discovered in 2008 at the ripe old age of fourteen, has seen mega success since his first full-length studio album was released in 2010.

@bieberfans10m
Justin BieberfansJustin Bieber “Bloody” photo shoot for Complex: The Biebs is all grown-up and he is not going to let us forget i… http://t.co/xWI6Ao4K 5 days ago via twitterfeed ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

@dougspice
Doug SpiceTaking Tips From Lady Gaga? Justin Bieber Gets Covered In Blood And Meat For Shocking Photo Shoot | Radar Online http://t.co/L8hwbD78 5 days ago via Tweet Button ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/justin-bieber-beaten-and-bloodied-2012-03/feed 0 Pawel Wolak Retires Via Twitter, Facebook http://www.webpronews.com/pawel-wolak-retires-via-twitter-facebook-2011-12 http://www.webpronews.com/pawel-wolak-retires-via-twitter-facebook-2011-12#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:04:06 +0000 Josh Wolford http://www.webpronews.com/?p=83263 Just a few days after losing to Delvin Rodriguez in a unanimous decision, middleweight Pawel Wolak announced his retirement exclusively via social media.

The 5’9″ “Raging Bull” out of Poland retires at the age of 30 with a record of 29 wins, 2 losses and a draw. Nineteen of those wins came by KO.

On Facebook, Wolak said that he is at peace with his decision to retire, and that he “left it all in the ring.”

Wolak also used Twitter to break the news to his fans:

@PawelWolak
Pawel Wolakwith heavy heart I announce my retirement . u need heart, passion, desire 2 compete, but the mind needs 2 know when it is time. FB has more 15 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

@PawelWolak
Pawel WolakI am truly humbled by the outpouring of kind words and well wishes. Thank u so much. It was my honor to entertain u. 13 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

Wolak’s social media retirement shows just how instantaneous and real-time services like Twitter and Facebook can be. According to ESPN’s NYFightBlog, Wolak’s manager Cameron Dunkin (who Wolak’s Facebook post mentions as the desired recipient of all inquiries) had no idea about the decision. Apparently, he learned about it the same way everyone else did – Twitter and Facebook. Same goes for Wolak’s sponsor, Top Rank.

We all know that social media can be full of landmines for athletes that have a tendency to fly off the handle – but as more professional athletes embrace Twitter and Facebook, will this become a trend? Will big announcements taking place on Twitter instead of via press conference become the norm?

Earlier this year, NBA great Shaquille O’Neal announced his retirement from the NBA via Twitter.

Here’s a pretty popular YouTube video of Pawel Wolak vs. Delvin Rodriguez, match one. You can see the heart in Wolak as he refused to throw in the towel, although you can clearly see he has every reason to.

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/pawel-wolak-retires-via-twitter-facebook-2011-12/feed 1