Toney outworks Lubwama

By JE Grant

BROCKTON, Mass. (Campanelli Stadium) – Rodney Toney, 28-4-4 (17 KOs), 176¾, Boston, easily decisioned James Lubwama, 16-3-2 (9 KOs), 176, Uganda, over 10 rounds on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. Toney, 37, patiently stalked the very awkward southpaw Lubwama throughout. While he landed only sporadically, Toney clearly outworked Lubwama whose style is geared toward survival. Lubwama was unable to sustain any attack with most engagements ending with Toney landing the harder, cleaner punches. Although Toney faded in the last two rounds, he continued to maintain overall control of the bout and was the clear winner…Read the entire article at Toney outworks Lubwama at the Sweet Science.com

Fifteen Rounds Reexamined

By JE Grant

The blogs were clogged following the Bernard Hopkins-Jermain Taylor fight July 16th. The debates raged as to the scoring of round 12, the inactivity of Hopkins in the first half (and more) of the fight, or how Taylor faded down the stretch. But one question raised in the debates was particularly intriguing: What would have happened had the bout been for 15 rounds instead of 12? Many used the argument that Hopkins was getting stronger, while Taylor was losing steam as the bell rang for the close of the 12th and final round…Read the entire story at Fifteen Rounds Reexamined at the Sweet Science.com

Taylor Beats Hopkins – New Era Begins

By JE Grant

Jermain Taylor, 24-0, Little Rock, 160, captured a split-decision and with it the undisputed middleweight world championship over defending champion Bernard Hopkins, 46-3-1, Philadelphia, 160 in Las Vegas Saturday night. He did it by outworking the champion, who seemed intent on waiting to the latter half of the fight to show up. Coming into the bout, a considerable number of boxing writers picked the young stallion Taylor despite the fact that Hopkins sits close to the top of everyone’s top pound-for-pound list…Read the entire article at Taylor Beats Hopkins - New Era Begins at the Sweet Science.com

Court Denies Klitschko IBF Title Shot

By JE Grant

Wladimir Klitschko lost his court fight to be installed as the next contender for the IBF heavyweight title yesterday. The IBF had argued that Williamson, although he had been beaten by Klitschko (L Tech Dec 5, Oct. 2, 2004), nevertheless deserved to leapfrog over Klitschko in the latest rankings…Read the entire article at Court Denies Klitschko IBF Title Shot at The Sweet Science.Com

Augustus Cruises Past Oliviera

By JE Grant

Occasionally a fighter comes along who loses way too much to be considered a top fighter, but is, at the same time, a fighter that fans want to see engage in pitched battles with the big names. Emanuel Augustus, 31-24-6 (15 KOs), 144½ , Brownsville, TX, pitched a high punch volume shutout eight-round stoppage over longtime tough guy Ray Oliviera, 47-11-2 (22 KOs), 150, Bedford, Mass. In recent years we’ve seen guys like Freddie Pendleton who emerged from near .500 status to winning an alphabet title. Now Augustus fills that void... Read the entire article at Augustus Cruises Past Oliviera at The Sweet Science.com

Top 25 Heavyweights (As of July 1, 2005)

See the Grant Top 25 Heavyweights at The Sweet Science.com

Samuel Peter Butchers Taurus Sykes

By JE Grant

NABF and USBA heavyweight titlist Nigerian Samuel Peter, 24-0 (21 KOs), now living in Las Vegas, NV, added the NABA belt to his trinket collection with a resounding second round knockout of Brooklyn’s Taurus “The Bull” Sykes, 23-2-1 (6 KOs), Saturday night in Reno. Coming into the bout, Peter’s most notable opponents were Jeremy Williams (KO 2, Dec. 4, 2004) and Charles Shufford (W 10, May 17, 2004). His crunching victory over a capable Williams in a televised fight for the NABF belt solidified the 24-year-old’s claim to being the top prospect in the game today…Read the entire article at Samuel Peter butchers Taurus Sykes at the Sweet Science.com

George Khalid Jones wins USBA light-heavy belt with controversial nod over Freddy Moore

By JE Grant

George Khalid Jones, 22-2-1 (13 KOs), 173 3/4, Paterson, NJ, captured the USBA light-heavyweight championship winning a controversial nine round technical decision over Freddy Moore, 30-3 (27 KOs) 173, Miami, Fla. in a headline bout aired on ESPN2 from Plymouth, Mass. The bout was stopped due to a cut above Jones’ right eye that was the result of an accidental headbutt that occurred in round nine. The cut worsened in round nine and the referee sent the fight to the scorecards…Read the entire article at George Khalid Jones wins USBA light-heavy belt at The Sweet Science.com