Here are my Olympic Boxing Semi-Final predictions for the light flyweights, bantamweights, and lightweights. These bouts will take place on Friday the 22nd at 7:00 a.m. EST (light fly), 7:30 a.m. (bantam) and 8:00 a.m. (light). We’ll analyze how I did on Saturday.

Light Flyweight Semifinals
Paddy Barnes (IRL) vs. Zou Shiming (CHN)
Paddy Barnes has yet to face especially formidable competition. That changes against two-time world champion and home crowd favorite Zou Shiming. Zou’s awkward punch-and-grab style might be harsh on the eyes and he may have rightly lost his second round bout against Nordine Oubaali but there is zero chance he …read more

Quick thoughts on the Lightweight Olympic boxing draw.
Official Link to the Lightweight Draw

Lightweight (60kg / 132 lbs)
The big story in the lightweight draw is the failure of 2007 World Champion Frankie Gavin to make weight. Flashy young American fighter Sadam Ali has a great chance to quarters where he could be matched up against the one of the draw’s two remaining favorites, Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas and Italy’s Domenico Valentino, who would meet in the Round of 16 if they win their opening matches.
The boxer to emerge from the other side of the bracket could come from a 2007 …read more

Saturday July 5, 2008 Boxing Results
Here are last night’s boxing results which involved Top Ten Ring Magazine fighters in the respective weight classes
Felix Sturm vs. Randy Griffin
#3 RM middleweight Felix Sturm (30-2-1) def. #6 RM middleweight Randy Griffin (24-2-3) by unanimous decision (116-112, 116-113, 118-110) in Halle, Germany to retain WBA middleweight title.
Round Three of Sturm vs. Griffin II:

**
Kendall Holt vs. Ricardo Torres
Unranked light welterweight Kendall Holt (24-2) def. #6 RM light welterweight Ricardo Torres (32-2) by First Round KO in Las Vegas, Nevada to win the WBO light welterweight title.
Three knockdowns in the first minute of this one! Below …read more

The news that 21-year-old English lightweight phenom Amir Khan might be relocating to the States ranks as a wonderful unexpected charm. The lanky Lancashire lightweight is 17-0 and has been widely hyped in Britain as the next big thing, the diamond in the island nation’s boxing resurgence.
Khan has the hype and the talent of Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton but his stated aim to train across the pond and fight under the tutelage of a Mayweather or Buddy McGirt shows that he does not share their isolationist ambitions. His dismissal of Oliver Harrison, his trainer for all 17 of his …read more

Image details: Paul Spadafora served by picapp.com
Last week here at jabandgrapple.com we remembered the “Pittsburgh Kid” Paul Spadafora and wished him luck on his second comeback to the ring. His Friday bout in Erie versus punching bag Shad Howard went well.
Spadafora, now sporting longer hair, many more tattoos and, according to the Meadville Tribune, a torn knee ligament destroyed his overmatched opponent outscoring Howard 80-72 on all three judges scorecards in the eight round bout. Click here for a snazzy audio slideshow of the fight.
Sadly Spaddy didn’t have much time to enjoy his victory. Four days later he was …read more

Image details: Paul Spadafora served by picapp.com
Paul Spadafora begins his second return to boxing Friday night at Erie, Pennsylvania’s Avalon Hotel against journeyman Shad Howard. Since relinquishing his IBF lightweight title in 2003 Spadafora has been in and out of prison, emerging in 2006 to begin a comeback but swiftly violating parole and sinking further into despair and anonymity.
Just five years ago, at 28, the awkward southpaw was on top of the world. He had held a world title from the time he was 23. He had fought two fights on HBO. He was a likely big money opponent for …read more