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The September 20 light heavyweight title match between Joe Calzaghe (45-0, 32 KOs) and Roy Jones, Jr. (52-4, 38 KOs) has officially been postponed because of a Calzaghe right wrist injury.

ESPN’s Dan Rafael quotes the fight’s promoter as saying “(Calzaghe) told me it’s an injured right wrist,” the promoter said. “I was told that he hurt it on Sunday punching a heavy bag.”

The initial word is that the match could be rescheduled for November. No word on whether the fight’s proposed venue, New York’s Madison Square Garden, would be available during that month. The NY Knicks have yet to release their schedule. The Rangers have a home date with the Boston Bruins on November 15 so that date is presumably out.

The Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi is currently on for November 22 so that date is also probably out. November 29 would sandwich the bout between Hatton and the proposed December 6 Oscar De La Hoya fight. That date wouldn’t make sense.

That leaves the 1st and the 8th. Our guess is the November 8. Make plans accordingly.

Post from: EveryJoe

Joe Calzaghe-Roy Jones, Jr. off for Sept. 20; Rescheduled for Nov. 8?

Image details: Joe Calzaghe Media Interview served by picapp.com

ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael has just reported the worst kept Breaking News in boxing: 2008’s Top 5 pound-for-pound boxer Joe Calzaghe’s next fight will be against 2002 Top 5 pound-for-pound boxer Roy Jones, Jr.. They will fight for Calzaghe’s 175-pound light heavyweight title.

The 36-year-old Calzaghe (45-0, 32 KO) will fight the 39-year-old Jones (52-4, 38 KO) on September 20, 2008 in Madison Square Garden on HBO pay-per-view. Oh, if only this fight had taken place a few years ago. Maybe then I’d be inspired to spend my hard-earned $50-60. But this fight choice just serves as evidence to Calzaghe’s painful lack of ambition as well as his disdain for boxing history.

Maybe once Calzaghe disposes of the once feared Jones he’ll saunter down to the historically relevant middleweight division (or, alas, a catch weight), take on fellow pound-for-pounder Kelly Pavlik and finally rise to a pugilistic challenge.

Post from: EveryJoe

Joe Calzaghe to fight Roy Jones, Jr. on Sept. 20

Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Darling Jimenez
Before the fight has even started Max Kellerman calls Yuriorkis Gamboa a “Mike Tyson or Jack Dempsey in miniature.” With all the hullabaloo surrounding this guy we half expect him to levitate to the ring, turn water to wine, and transform Primm into Las Vegas. Can the hype be real?

Well, he’s awfully flashy. His hand speed and closing speed is astounding. He’s an unbridled ball of super-powered electricity. He’s freakishly athletic and talented. The problem is: he knows all of these things. He looks supremely bored by Jimenez. He fights with his hands down and goes wherever he wants. He has no respect for Jimenez and believes he can dodge and sidestep any punch he throws.

Gamboa is probably right. The skill chasm between these two makes the fight difficult to watch as does Gamboa’s foolish arrogance and complete lack of discipline.

Then Jimenez knocks him down! Oh my heavens! Vamos Darling! At this point Jimenez has forgotten the Mike Tyson, Roy Jones, and Jack Dempsey comparisons. Gamboa’s more like a Cuban Zab Judah. The bout is now watchable.

Amazingly, Yuriorkis still refuses to fight with his hands up. He still doesn’t believe he’s in any danger. He’s not going to get away with this cocksure attitude against a better class of fighter. Maybe he’ll even learn his lesson tonight, a lesson he’ll only understand if he loses.

Jimenez is digging in with a steady, professional, disciplined style landing where he can and trying to block Gamboa’s amazingly quick flurries. Hopefully he can sneak in another big blow.

In the seventh Gamboa throws Jimenez to the canvas twice with rudeness and classlessness. What will he do next to make me dislike him more? Is there anything he can do to make me like him?

His tenth round comes close as he begins with almost a minute and fifteen seconds worth of non-stop punching! Yuriorkis closes out the fight with the same energy and control with which he began. So it’s no surprise when he wins by a wide unanimous decision.

Nevertheless after this spotty debut in which Gamboa was simultaneously extremely hard working and very lazy it’s clear that the he’s-the-greatest-there-ever-will-be luster is gone. Gamboa was the pre-fight headliner but post-fight the broadcast’s highlights were the other two fighters: the bulldogs, Kirkland and Angulo.

Part One – HBO’s Night of the Bulldog: Ferocious Kirkland

Part Two- HBO’s Night of the Bulldog: Gutsy Angulo

Photo Source: Newscom.com

Post from: EveryJoe

HBO’s Night of the Bulldog: Flashy Gamboa

It’s 8:00 p.m. EST on Saturday night. Your probably know already whether you’re going out or not. We here at www.jabandgrapple.com are indeed leaving the humble abode and headed to this party. Just because it’s an art show doesn’t mean we’re not tough. Heck, we’re watching Steven Seagal and DMX’s Exit Wounds right now.

Nevertheless if you are staying in you really need to watch tonight’s Boxing After Dark on HBO. We can’t explain why any better than Tim at Ring Report:

Yuriorkis Gamboa = Mike Tyson + Roy Jones + Floyd Mayweather. Gamboa, a 130-pounder, may not end up being as good as any of the three boxers mentioned in the headline there. But stylistically, he resembles an amalgamation of them — Tyson’s fearless charges, Jones’ dangling left hand and sneaky power, Mayweather’s quickness and defensive reflexes.

For more on the fight you should be watching tonight — we’ll watch it tomorrow morn on the DVR (perhaps even at 3 a.m. if we can’t wait) — check out these glowing testimonials:

Tim at Ring Report: Yuriorkis Gamboa Clips… See For Yourself
Tim from Ring Report (Again): If You Don’t Watch Yuriorkis Gamboa Saturday, Your Children Will Be Born With Hooves
Maxboxing: Gamboa: Next In Line
SC from Bad Left Hook: Saturday Fight Night
Sean from Ring Report: By The Way, Gamboa Is Not The Only One On the HBO Card Saturday
Fightwriter.com: Gamboa is hurtling along the fast track towards a championship and so far everyone has been swept away.

Picture Source: Newscom.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Watch HBO Tonight, Tell Everyone How Great Gamboa is Tomorrow