Two Dice Boxing

Scotland will celebrate vigorously tonight as Ricky Burns became the new WBO Super Featherweight champion of the world with a unanimous decision victory over Roman Martinez with scores of 115-113 from two judges, Zoltan Enyedi and Don Trella. Paul Thomas scored it 115-112

Yesterday, former WBO Welterweight champion, Antonio Margarito was refused a licence to fight in the State of California by a vote of 5 to 1.
The hearing went on for as long as 5 hours before the commission made the decision, most likely now making it difficult for commissions in other States to licence him.

Promoter, Bob Arum announced plans for 7 weight champion, Manny Pacquiao to face Margarito in November but he may face an uphill struggle to get the fight in Texas if Wednesday's hearing is anything to go by.

Miguel 'Angel' Cotto made a successful debut at 154lb tonight as he stopped Yuri Foreman in the 9th round to capture the WBA Light-Middleweight title.

Miguel looked pensive during the pre-fight introductions while champion, Foreman looked relaxed and focused.

Cotto's new found jab was evident from the very beginning as he continually caught Foreman with it, followed by well timed right hands in the first two rounds and Foreman was seemingly reluctant to throw punches in fear of being tagged.

Miguel Cotto and Yuri Foreman weighed in this evening (Friday, June 4th, 8pm GMT timezone) at the Yankee Stadium in New York City, USA.

Cotto weighed in half a pound inside the 154lb limit while Foreman weighed in right on the button at 154lb!

Both fighters had their staredown but Cotto was quickly pulled away by trainer, Emanuel Steward, who didn't seem to want no fuss and the proceedings quickly came to an end in what was, all in all, a rather mundane affair.

The four inch height difference was very apparent right away when the two stood next to one another even though both fighters looked in very good shape.

Both fighters will want to prove something in what should be a very interesting bout and any result, barring a draw or no contest, will say something for either guy.

Be sure to tune into HBO at 10 pm EST on Saturday!

Miguel Cotto returns to the ring for the first time since his loss to Manny Pacquiao on Saturday at Yankee Stadium, New York, against WBA Light-Middleweight Champion, Yuri Foreman.

After what I thought was a sound defeat to Pacquiao many fans thought that the end was near for Cotto but Saturday gives him a chance to get back to the top and become a force in the sport once again.

Looking at some of the huge names in the Welterweight division right now, it's no wonder Cotto has decided to jump up in weight.  I never heard any inkling that Miguel was struggling to make the Welterweight limit, in fact, he fought rather well against Pacquiao despite the catchweight.  But a jump up to fight the light punching Israelian will once again give him a strap and a bargaining chip to face the other big names in the division, potentially Kermit Cintron or Paul Williams.

Possibly the most charismatic boxer in the sport of boxing today, Floyd Mayweather Junior loves to play the image of bad guy for the public.

Starting his professional career at Super Featherweight, Mayweather has risen through and captured titles at 5 different weight classes, beating some good names along the way including Oscar De La Hoya, Diego Corrales and Carlos Hernandez.

Throw Angel Manfredy in there as well.

But for every good name he has beat, there have also been some names on there that look good on paper but are not genuinely great wins as they appear.  One such name would have to be Ricky Hatton, who had to go up to Welterweight to fight Floyd, yet Hatton had much trouble competing at that weight before against Luis Collazo. Floyd had the physical advantages

My favourite fighter today, Manny Pacquiao, is a Welterweight boxer from the Phillipines with phenomenal talent!

He started his career at 106 pounds, the Flyweight division.  Having been knocked out twice early in his career, he regrouped and joined up with world boxing trainer, Freddie Roach, and first came on the world scene with an upset knockout victory over Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003 at the Featherweight division.  He fought Mexican, Juan Manuel Marquez to a draw in his next fight in which a rematch followed 4 years later from this in 2008.

Two fights later he lost a points decision to another Mexican, the great Erik Morales, who seemed to school Manny.