By. C.Artist
ConvictedArtist.com reporter and boxing commentator.
Article launched 3-11-08 2:00 P.M. MST
We arrived in Cancun Mexico with the great expectations of meeting the world’s best boxers and that's exactly what happened.
We met everyone from top boxing champs Jose Luis Castillo & Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather, to regal promoter Mr. Don King.
Famous El Paso champion David Nino Rodriguez was also there along with other prominent El Paso high rollers who attended the fight to support Rodriguez.
This definitely was an experience worth remembering.These are the flicks we took so enjoy as we take you to boxing paradise in Cancun Mexico courtesy of your friends of ConvictedArtist.com.
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Samuel Peter stops Oleg Maskaev in 6th to take WBC heavyweight title
The Associated PressPublished: March 9, 2008
CANCUN, Mexico: Nigeria's Samuel Peter stopped Oleg Maskaev in the final seconds of the sixth round Saturday, claiming the Russian's WBC heavyweight title with one last flurry of powerful punches.
Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) was more potent and more poised than the 39-year-old champion at Plaza de Toros, Cancun's bullfighting ring and the unlikely site of Mexico's first heavyweight title fight.
Maskaev and Peter rocked each other with forceful punches in the third round, but Peter eventually shredded Maskaev's defenses.
"I'm the best heavyweight in the world. I'm undisputed," Peter said. "I can beat anyone. All of them are going down."
The four major heavyweight titles have been dispersed among Eastern Europeans in recent years, and now an African has joined them - albeit an African who has campaigned exclusively in the United States.
Peter has been one of the heavyweight division's top prospects for years, with fans loving his power and sometimes reckless style. Though he still lacks technique, he finally has a world title and a shot at bigger fights - even a rematch with IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko, the only man to beat him.
"I'm going to get him," Peter said. "I'm going to beat his brother (Vitali). I'm going to tell him that I'm coming. I've got two belts. He doesn't need the IBF. He needs this one. He's going to come for this, and he'll get stopped."
Klitschko won a unananimous decision over Peter in an IBF heavyweight title eliminator in Sept. 2005.
Boxing's glamour division should get a boost from this engaging fight just two weeks after Klitschko's dull decision over Sultan Ibragimov in Madison Square Garden.
Maskaev (34-6), who entered the ring laughing and wearing a sombrero, labored through 13 years and five knockout losses before he won the WBC title in August 2006 by knocking out Hasim Rahman, the highlight of six straight years without defeat. He then developed several injuries that limited him to one title defense since winning the belt, and no fights in the past 15 months.
He was scheduled to fight Peter in Madison Square Garden in October, but pulled out two weeks beforehand with a back injury. Peter claimed Maskaev had been ducking him for more than a year.
"He didn't knock me out," said Maskaev, who acknowledged his long layoff affected his sharpness. "He shook me, and he knocked me back, and the ref did the right thing. I hurt him a few times, but I wasn't able to finish."
After two slow opening rounds, Peter staggered Maskaev with a prolonged burst of power punches, chasing him from one post to the next. Maskaev's knees buckled, but he stayed up - and then he knocked Peter silly with a left hand moments later.
In the sixth, Peter landed a devastating right hand. Maskaev came up woozy, and Peter pursued him relentlessly, landing more than a dozen shots before the referee stepped in to end the fight with 4 seconds left in the round.
Peter is now expected to take on at least one of the Klitschko brothers - and possibly both. Wladimir, who unified the IBF and WBO titles last month by beating Ibragimov, has said he wants to go after all the heavyweight belts.
But Peter probably will fight Vitali Klitschko first, thanks to the arcane rules of the WBC, which appointed Vitali its "emeritus champion" with the right to challenge the champ when he decides to return from his nearly 3-1/2-year layoff.
After Maskaev dropped out of the first fight with Peter, the decision to move the fight to this resort city was unusual given the absence of any big-name Mexican boxers on the card, but more than 6,000 fans crowded into Cancun's bullfighting ring.
Nate Campbell posted a major upset on the undercard, winning a split decision to claim Juan Diaz's IBF, WBA and WBO lightweight titles. Campbell, a journeyman 12 years older than the previously unbeaten Diaz, opened a cut over Diaz's left eye in the sixth round, then outworked Diaz to the end.
Rodriguez Wins By K.O.
By C-Artist
Article Launched: 03/09/2008 1:07:20 PM MDT
It was midnight when Nino stepped into the ring and once he did he made sure to finish the job fast.
The undefeated heavyweight champion knocked out Josh Gutcher in 62 seconds.
"It was terrible,"said Rodriguez of the long boxing night. . "I had to get there at 3:30 in the afternoon and they had something like 16 fights and they put me on last. Dead last. I was in the locker room all that time, no food ... just waiting. It was awful."
But the fight was bad ass and Cancuns Plaza de Toros where the fight took place was full of excited fans.
"I stopped him with a liver shot," Rodriguez said. "He was out for 10 minutes. Everybody told me mine was the best knockout of the night. I'm happy. I took care of business. I've never had that perfect liver shot before."
Rodriguez, improved to 28-0 with 26 knockouts, another point to his already victorious boxing career.
"That was my 22nd first round knockout," he said. "I was happy to get it. I haven't had a first-round knockout in three or four fights. I felt good and I'm just happy I stayed focused and took care of business."
The 244 pound Gutcher was a last minute replacement of 244 pound David Rodriguez's original opponent Edilberto Rodriguez.
"That was just all part of it," Rodriguez said of the replacement. "The whole thing was a mess. But I got the job done and now I will move on. I'm in the top 20 now in the WBC and ready to move forward with my career."
Easy win for Ruiz
In main event, Maskaev loses
Associated Press / March 9, 2008
CANCUN, Mexico - Former heavyweight champ John Ruiz won a unanimous decision over Jameel McCline last night before Oleg Maskaev's World Boxing Council heavyweight title belt was stripped by Samuel Peter at Plaza de Toros in the main event.
The undercard bout featured much of the clutching and grabbing expected from Ruiz (43-7-1) and McCline (38-9-3), but the aging veterans also provided many moments of good action as they tried to keep their title dreams alive. McCline lost to Peter in his last bout despite flooring the Nigerian star three times in the first three rounds, while Ruiz was winless in three straight bouts before an easy victory last October.
Ruiz, a former Chelsea, Mass., resident and former World Boxing Association heavyweight champ known for his unattractive style, was more active and accurate in nearly every round, though every round also featured multiple shoving matches and clinches.
Ruiz landed many of his best punches in the 11th round to punctuate his easy win by judges' scores of 119-109, 118-110, and 117-111. He became the WBC's No. 3 challenger with the win.
Peter let out a joyous cry as he left the Mexican bullfighting ring with the WBC heavyweight title belt draped over his hulking shoulders.
The Nigerian Nightmare had finally achieved his sweetest dream, winning his first championship after years as a promising prospect. He did it with no matador theatrics - just the blistering punches that make him the heavyweight division's most exciting coming attraction.
Peter stopped Maskaev in the final seconds of the sixth round, claiming Maskaev's belt with one last punishing flurry.
Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) is widely considered the next big heavyweight in a division that desperately needs a dynamo, but his progression was slowed by politics, a few tame performances, and Maskaev's injuries that forced this bout to be postponed from October. After all that waiting, nothing could stop Peter, 27, when he finally got in the ring with the 39-year-old champion.
"I knew he can't stand my power," Peter said. "I'm the best heavyweight in the world. I'm undisputed. I can beat anyone. All of them are going down."
Peter's coronation was viewed by a lively sellout crowd at Plaza de Toros, the unlikely site of boxing-mad Mexico's first heavyweight title fight. The fans got heavyweight-quality entertainment: Maskaev (34-6) and Peter both rocked each other with tremendous punches in the third round, but Peter eventually shredded Maskaev's defenses with a sixth-round flurry.
The four major heavyweight titles have been dispersed among several relatively unknown Eastern Europeans in recent years, but now an African has joined them - albeit an African who lives and trains in Las Vegas. Though he still lacks some technique, he finally has a belt and a shot at bigger fights - even an eventual rematch with International Boxing Federation champion Wladimir Klitschko, the only man to beat him.
Boxing's erstwhile glamour division also should get a boost from a competitive, engaging fight just two weeks after Klitschko's dull decision over Sultan Ibragimov in Madison Square Garden.
"I'm going to get him," Peter said. "I'm going to beat his brother [Vitali]. I'm going to tell him that I'm coming."
After two slow opening rounds, Peter stunned and staggered Maskaev with a prolonged burst of power punches, chasing him from one post to the next. Maskaev's knees buckled, but he stayed up - and then he knocked Peter silly with a brutal left hand moments later.
In the sixth, Peter landed a devastating right hand. Maskaev came up woozy, and Peter pursued him relentlessly, landing more than a dozen shots before the referee stepped in.
Campbell Upsets Unbeaten Diaz
Posted by The Associated Press on Saturday Mar 8
“I told everybody this was going to happen. I came out from the start of the fight, and I was throwing as fast as I could for as long as I could.”
Nate Campbell won a stunning split decision over Juan Diaz on Saturday night, battering the previously unbeaten lightweight champion and claiming his three title belts.
Former heavyweight champ John Ruiz also won a unanimous decision over Jameel McCline on the undercard of Oleg Maskaev's WBC heavyweight title bout with Samuel Peter at Plaza de Toros.
Campbell (32-5-1, 25 KOs), a late-bloomer nicknamed 'The Galaxxy Warrior,' turned 36 on Friday but has just eight years of pro experience. He grabbed the 24-year-old Diaz's WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight titles by throwing more punches in every round against a champion known for his furious production. Read more
Weigh in: (ConvictedArtists Cool Smooth Cat, HBO Commentator Max Kellerman, El Paso Boxer David Nino Rodriguez) (ConvictedArtists Shotgun with Boxing promoter Don King) ( Samuel Peter and Oleg Maskaev weigh in) (David Nino Rodriguez weigh in)
Nigeria's Samuel Peter, Promoter Don King and Oleg Maskaev
If looks could kill these two heavy weight brawlers would be dead. John Ruiz and Jameel McCline mad dog eachother.
Cool Smooth Cat with HBO Commentator Jim Lampley, Shotgun with HBO's Emanuel Steward , Boxing champs Jose Luis Castillo and David Nino Rodriguez, Official WBC Championship Belt, Peckerwood and David Nino Rodriguez, Mexican Charro and Folklorico dancer.
Nate Campbell won a stunning split decision over Juan Diaz on Saturday night, battering the previously unbeaten lightweight champion and claiming his three title belts.
Nigeria's Samuel Peter stopped Oleg Maskaev in the final seconds of the sixth round Saturday, claiming the Russian's WBC heavyweight title with one last flurry of powerful punches.
Former heavyweight champ John Ruiz won a unanimous decision over Jameel McCline last night before Oleg Maskaev's World Boxing Council heavyweight title belt was stripped by Samuel Peter at Plaza de Toros in the main event.
It was midnight when Nino stepped into the ring and once he did he made sure to finish the job fast. The undefeated heavyweight champion knocked out Josh Gutcher in 62 seconds.