Boxing news, insights, and opinions
Emanuel pictured with, from L to R, (Ricky Womack, Roderick Moore, and Frank Tate. 📸 via The Detroit Free Press Archive
Emanuel Steward shares his thoughts on heavyweight boxing history in this 2010 interview with Geoffery Ciani of “Rummy’s Corner”.
Legions Training Complex fighters Allen Melson, Noe Lopez, and Omar Rosales competed in Albertsville, Alabama this weekend on a fight card promoted by One One Six Boxing Promotions.
In heavyweight action, Allen Melson won by second round TKO over Byron Harkley after stunning Harkley with a heavy left hand, then pinning him in the corner and unloading on him with both hands until the referee stopped the fight. With his win Melson upped his record to 3-3 with 2 KO’s.
Omar Rosales won a unanimous, four round decision over Tim Mason in a middleweight contest, upping his record to 2-0. Rosales dominated the scoring and the fight, winning the bout on all three judges scorecards.
Noe Lopez lost a disputed, six round decision to Joseph Francisco in a super-lightweight contest. Lopez appeared to control the action and the ring with his jab while blocking the majority of Francisco’s lunging hooks, but apparently Francisco’s bus load full of supporters influenced the judges scores by cheering for every punch Francisco threw, regardless of whether it landed or not.
N.A.B.F. Light Heavyweight Champion Alfonso “El Tigre” Lopez (32-3-0, 25 KO’s) ranked #10 in the W.B.O. world rankings will step into the ring against Gilberto “El Zurdo” Ramirez (40-0-0, 26 KO’s) ranked #9 in the W.B.O. world rankings on December 19, 2021 in Texas. A final location hasn’t been announced but possible locations are Houston, Conroe, and Galveston, Texas.
Ramirez, 29 years old, is a former W.B.O. world super-middleweight champion looking to establish himself in the light-heavyweight division, after conquering the super-middleweight division.
Lopez, 38 years old, is the current N.A.B.F. Light-Heavyweight Champion who is anxious to prove he can still compete with and defeat the world’s best at 175 pounds, while defending his N.A.B.F. championship.
Ramirez has been quiet up to this point in reference to the matchup but Lopez was interviewed by BOXEOTV today and had some interesting things to say.
In reference to fighting Gilberto “El Zurdo” Ramirez:
“We’re not here to lose, losing is never an option. It’s an opportunity to fight one of the best guys in the world, Zurdo Ramirez is one of the best fighters in the world, and those are the guys we wanna fight.”
In reference to casual fans and online “keyboard warriors” that have expressed negativity in reference to the announcement of Lopez as an opponent for Ramirez, instead of a rumored Canelo Alvarez vs Zurdo Ramirez bout:
“I don’t know about style, I don’t have a fucking style, I have a winning, competitive nature. We’re just here to fucking fight and win. I don’t give a shit what people see on the internet or what they read about me. If you’re not in the gotdamn gym or you don’t understand boxing, just shut the fuck up and watch the fight.”