So continues our marathon coverage of one of the biggest fights of 2013, Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios on HBO pay-per-view on Nov. 23. Previously: a special edition of TQBR Radio; what’s at stake; the undercard, previewed; the camp fight, broken down; notes from Macau; keys to the fight. Next: a final preview and prediction. Brandon Rios knows how to have a […]

(That’s not a footprint on Freddie Roach’s chest, in case you were wondering) MACAU — So it turns out that Macau is actually a pretty strange place to hold a big boxing event. Having never been here before, I had it in my head that it was some kind of Bizarro-Asian-Vegas. But the comparison only […]

So continues our marathon coverage of one of the biggest fights of 2013, Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios on HBO pay-per-view on Nov. 23. Previously: a special edition of TQBR Radio; what's at stake; the undercard, previewed; the camp fight, broken down; notes from Macau. Next: a staff roundtable. Mind. Matter. How do Manny Pacquiao and Brandon Rios […]

So continues our marathon coverage of one of the biggest fights of 2013, Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios on HBO pay-per-view on Nov. 23. Previously: a special edition of TQBR Radio; what's at stake. Next: keys to the fight. As you read this, I’m on my way to China to cover Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios (and […]

So continues our marathon coverage of one of the biggest fights of 2013, Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios on HBO pay-per-view on Nov. 23. Previously: a special edition of TQBR Radio. Next: the undercard, previewed. A creeping sense that Manny Pacquiao's time as one of the world's best prizefighters was coming to an end slowly […]

(Manny Pacquiao, left, and Brandon Rios, probably mere moments from playing a game of Rochambeau to see who has to hold the antenna in order to listen to TQBR Radio in remote regions of China; photo credit: Chris Farina/Top Rank) From this weekend’s Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios bout forward — or at least to […]

“That’s where he needs to go! To the BODY!” Of Manny Steward’s many great moments in the corner and on the HBO announce team, that is the one that stands out the most to me. Throughout round 9, he implored Micky Ward to return the punch that had gotten him there, the punch that had […]

Hoping to make a noise Saturday night, and in doing so, gain ground on domestic front runners Carl Froch and George Groves, James DeGale, once the biggest din in England, boxed in a vacuum instead — despite the fight going out on national TV. While the American Andre Ward put further daylight between himself and […]

(Jack Reiss separates Andre Ward, right, and Edwin Rodriguez; photo credit: Brittni Moten, Goossen Tutor Promotions) Super middleweight champion Andre Ward is still better than anyone he's ever faced. He's still ruffling feathers in some quarters. Whatever variation there is in the opinion about his feather-ruffling qualities, his excellence is undeniable after a near-shutout win […]

(Vyacheslav Glazkov connects on Garrett Wilson; photo credit: Mike Gladysz, via Main Events) Heavyweights Vyacheslav Glazkov and Garrett Wilson started roughly on NBC but finished one step away from a Rocky film, with the wild, hard-chinned underdog from Philadelphia going down swinging to the stoic eastern European. It wasn’t a complete copy; Wilson’s not Italian […]

A risky tune-up fight for an overconfident superstar, or a mismatch? That’s the question. It sounds harsh on both men, but we’re likely to see one of those two scenarios play out when undefeated super middleweight king Andre Ward steps back into the ring for the first time in 14 months to take on Dominican […]

That's Jean Harlow with Primo Carnera, one of two Golden Age Hollywood starlets playing at boxing featured in this edition of Quick Jabs. I got that one from Reddit's r/boxing, and we've been mining them for this kind of gold in our posts of late. You definitely should be checking it out on your own, […]

(“Prince” Charles Williams, left, goes lateral courtesy of James Toney; via) By 1994, the world had already known a few different versions of James Toney: the young prospect under crack-dealing manager Johnny Ace; the thoughtful lamb who would buy newer manager Jackie Kallen sweaters and diamond rings; the ultra-competitive lusus who would arbitrarily kick spectators and […]

One year and one month ago, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board sprang into existence as an alternative to the belt-sanctioning organizations that have polluted the sport and made it more difficult to recognize the true champions of each weight class. Upon its creation, some fans and writers had some questions and criticisms, and I took […]