Matthew Aguilar
176 articles · El Paso Times
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Alvarez vs. Kovalev 2 will hinge on Russian boxer’s waning confidence
Confidence. It can be as important as a jab, a right hand or a left to the liver. And when it?s gone, sometimes it?s gone for good. Two years ago, Sergey Kovalev…
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Julian Jackson, Donald Curry, Tony DeMarco, Lee Samuels, Teddy Atlas gain boxing glory
This June, the International Boxing Hall of Fame?s Class of 2019 will walk across the stage in Canastota, N.Y., and into pugilistic immortality. It?s a hallowed weekend for the boxing community ?…
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Don’t expect Rocky Fielding to upset Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in Saturday boxing battle
Almost 30 years ago, Mike Tyson was a world champion and was considered the best fighter in boxing ? a worldwide superstar and the biggest attraction in the game. His challenger, James…
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Unbeaten Bivol hopes to make statement in finale of 45-year HBO boxing series
Dmitry Bivol, born almost 28 years ago in the former Soviet Union, took up boxing at the age of 6. It coincided with the heyday of HBO ? the American premium cable…
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Boxing fans and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez are big winners in $365 million DAZN deal
The press release said it was a groundbreaking deal. And that wasn?t just hyperbole. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, considered the biggest draw in the sport, signed a five-year, $365 million deal with the…
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‘GGG’ will prove Saturday he’s better than any version of Canelo: Matthew Aguilar
The rematch between Gennady ?GGG? Golovkin and Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez is rife with questions. Will the judges be kind to Canelo, as many believe they were in their Sept. 16, 2017, original?…
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This time, GGG is writing his narrative and becoming a fan favorite targeting Canelo
The actor Ed O?Neill is a big fight fan. That?s right, Al Bundy ? aka the guy married to Sofia Vergara on ?Modern Family" ? knows his pugilism. He was on Rich…
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WBO lightweight Ray Beltran, honed by Manny Pacquiao, will be too strong for Jose Pedraza
Julio C?sar Ch?vez is considered the greatest Mexican fighter in boxing history. But he didn't do it alone. Jose Luis Castillo ? the future WBC lightweight champ ? served as Ch?vez's chief…
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Pound-for-pound countdown: ‘GGG’ Gennady Golovkin is top boxer in world
Eleider ?Storm? Alvarez lived up to his nickname last week, showing some serious thunder in dispatching Sergey Kovalev to win the WBO light heavyweight title. It created a shake-up in the El…
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Caleb Truax looks to upset James DeGale again, prove he is a journeyman no more
Journeymen. They?re often talented enough to push the best fighters in the division, but unlucky enough to never achieve their dreams. Only, sometimes, they do, and they become world champs. Over the…
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A tainted Canelo Alvarez legacy, a victimized champ GGG and Nevada’s backbone
The words were upbeat and positive. But Tom Loeffler sounded exhausted, drained. And now we might know why. The dutiful manager of WBC/IBF/WBA middleweight king Gennady Golovkin could have already known what…
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After Canelo’s failed drug tests, GGG has right to be mad
For the first time, Gennady Golovkin is showing some anger at what he?s up against. When the final bell rang back in Las Vegas on Sept. 16, it appeared Golovkin had clearly…
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To Roach’s dismay, Gesta will be a showcase for Linares
Freddie Roach isn?t exactly the picture of impartiality this weekend, as his fighter, Mercito Gesta, prepares to challenge WBA lightweight champ Jorge Linares. But he is a Hall of Fame trainer, perhaps…
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More risks than rewards in Miguel Cotto’s finale
As heavyweight philosopher Randall "Tex" Cobb implied in his profound quote - "You screw up in tennis, it's 30-Love. You screw up in boxing, it's your ass" - pugilism isn't a game.…
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Kovalev looks to get back to winning ways vs. Shabranskyy
Sergey Kovalev said he?s a changed man. The former light heavyweight champ said a near-death experience this summer and a retreat to a monastery in Greece changed his outlook, and convinced him…
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GGG, Canelo top a stacked pound-for-pound list
With the retirement of Andre Ward, the demise of Roman ?Chocolatito? Gonzalez and the realization of a superfight between Gennady Golovkin and Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez, the boxing pound-for-pound list has taken on…
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Canelo, GGG trim and ready for biggest fight of year
LAS VEGAS - For Gennady Golovkin, a native of Kazakhstan who came to America for the first time five years ago and dazzled with a fifth-round demolition of Grzegorz Proksa, Saturday is…
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Sor Rungvisai will prove Chocolatito victory no fluke
Six months ago, Roman ?Chocolatito? Gonzalez was the consensus best fighter in boxing. A brilliant four-division champion who harkened back to the days of Mexico?s great Ricardo Lopez, Chocolatito had destroyed everything…
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First things first, but Lomachenko and Garcia could be on collision course
Mikey Garcia had his say last week. And now it?s Vasyl Lomachenko?s turn. The furious phenom from Ukraine is set to return Garcia?s serve after the Californian?s masterful decision over Adrien Broner…
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Broner will present problems, but Garcia will win
There are fighters who are expected to be good, and fighters who are destined to be great. Mikey Garcia is the latter. The undefeated wonder child comes from the family that produced…