Bob Velin
249 articles · USA Today
-
Keith Thurman: ‘We’re going for the knockout’ of Shawn Porter on Saturday
By Bob Velin
It was the old black-and-white pictures of boxers taped to the walls of head custodian Ben Getty?s cramped office at Belleair (Fla.) Elementary School that first intrigued seven-year-old Keith Thurman. So when…
-
Francisco Vargas ready to prove he’s a clean champion in title fight vs. Orlando Salido
By Bob Velin
When last seen on boxing?s big stage, Francisco Vargas was the happiest man you will ever see sporting an eye that looked like it had gone through a meat grinder. The Mexican…
-
Bob Arum offers to promote heavyweight debate: Donald Trump vs. Bernie Sanders
By Bob Velin
Bob Arum?s Top Rank Promotions is ready to promote ?The heavyweight debate: Donald Trump vs. Bernie Sanders.? The idea of the debate was first proposed on Wednesday night when Trump appeared on…
-
Pacquiao brothers: The Philippines’ newest political family dynasty
By Bob Velin
Former eight-division boxing champion and future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao, poised to become one of 12 new senators in the Philippines, is not the only Pacquiao to win a political office…
-
Manny Pacquiao close to winning Senate seat in Philippines election
By Bob Velin
Recently retired eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao cast his ballot Monday in the Philippines and is close to winning his bid to become a senator, running a solid ninth with nearly 15…
-
Canelo Alvarez ready to fight Gennady Golovkin at ‘160 pounds, no problem’
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS ? It was a good hour and a half after his devastating one-punch knockout of Amir Khan on Saturday night at this city?s newest showcase, the T-Mobile Arena, when the…
-
Does Canelo Alvarez have what it takes to be the new face of boxing?
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS ? It is Cinco de Mayo time in the boxing capital of the world, and this year it belongs solely to Mexico?s Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez. Floyd Mayweather had the time…
-
Amir Khan’s ability to survive Canelo Alvarez’s big punches hangs in balance
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS ? Former junior welterweight champion Amir Khan knows he?s about a 5-1 underdog against the bigger Canelo Alvarez for Saturday?s middleweight title fight at the new T-Mobile Arena. The Brit…
-
Badou Jack, Lucian Bute fight to controversial draw; Jack to unify belts vs. James DeGale in fall
By Bob Velin
WASHINGTON ? Whenever the scoring of a championship boxing match is the main topic of conversation after a fight, it can?t be good for the sport. It?s happened too often in the…
-
Badou Jack, Lucian Bute fight to majority draw; Jack retains WBC 168-pound belt
By Bob Velin
WASHINGTON ? At 36, former champion Lucian Bute still has the skills, but has maybe lost a step or two. What he hasn?t lost is the heart. And he used that heart…
-
Manny Pacquiao ‘shocked’ by alleged kidnapping plot against him
By Bob Velin
Manny Pacquiao, the recently retired eight-division boxing champion, said Thursday he was shocked by the claim that Islamic militants planned to kidnap him, and told Agence France-Presse that the alleged plot should…
-
Gennady Golovkin KOs Dominic Wade in 2nd round to retain middleweight titles
By Bob Velin
INGLEWOOD, Calif. ? Gennady Golovkin wasted no time showing Dominic Wade that if the challenger was going to shock the world, it would not be against the undefeated middleweight champion. As the…
-
Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez scores unanimous decision victory against tough McWilliams Arroyo
By Bob Velin
INGLEWOOD, Calif. ? If there were any doubts about whether Roman ?Chocolatito? Gonzalez deserved boxing?s No. 1 pound-for-pound ranking, the Nicaraguan mighty mite erased them on Saturday night at the Forum. The…
-
McWilliams Arroyo ready, willing to go toe-to-toe with Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez
By Bob Velin
LOS ANGELES ? The Arroyo twins, McWilliams and McJoe, were headed with their dad to a youth basketball practice one day in Puerto Rico in 1997. But when they got there, they…
-
With Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao gone, boxing needs to find fresh faces of the sport
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS ? Manny Pacquiao waved goodbye to boxing Saturday night the way he said hello 15 years ago: Fists flying and with that trademark ear-to-ear smile. Pacquiao put the finishing touches…
-
Timothy Bradley hopes third time’s a charm: ‘I am ready’ for Manny Pacquiao
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS ? To understand how badly Timothy Bradley wants ? no, make that needs ? to beat Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night, you have to understand the unspeakable pain that fateful…
-
Freddie Roach vs. Teddy Atlas: The fight behind Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley III
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS ? With two of the most gentlemanly boxers in the sport turning Wednesday?s final press conference at the MGM Grand for Saturday?s HBO pay-per-view fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy…
-
Jessie Vargas unveils new team, power for welterweight title shot against Sadam Ali
By Bob Velin
WASHINGTON, D.C. ? Jessie Vargas came within 10 seconds of possibly winning the welterweight title in his first shot at it against champion Timothy Bradley last June. But for an honest, yet…
-
Manny Pacquiao respects Nike’s decision; happy ‘a lot of people were alarmed by the truth’
By Bob Velin
Former eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, under fire for his anti-gay marriage comments this week, spoke out Thursday during a break in his training for the April 9 fight in Las…
-
Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin could take place in Dallas’ AT&T Stadium on Sept. 17
By Bob Velin
If and when Gennady Golovkin gets by his mandatory defense of his middleweight titles on April 23rd against Dominic Wade at the L.A. Forum, he could be heading to Dallas for what…