golden boy

With HBO's decision to sever ties with Golden Boy Promotions may have come an opportunity for several overseas promoters to expose their fighters to a wide American audience. The U.S. cable network is "open to all ideas."

Unbeaten featherweight prospect Gary Russell Jr. claims he has been pursued by promoter Curtis Jackson, who is also known as the rapper 50 Cent. Russell is managed by Al Haymon and has a working relationship with Golden Boy Promotions.

Paul Malignaggi spoke to Bill Emes about an Adrien Broner showdown, which appears nearly made. "He's won fights on talent alone, because he's so gifted," Malignaggi said. "I want to see what happens when someone makes him think. He's not going to win this fight on talent."

IBF junior welterweight titleholder Lamont Peterson said "I think that VADA is a good thing for the sport," adding, "hopefully I'll use VADA after this fight." Peterson failed a VADA-administered drug test going into his scrapped rematch with Amir Khan.

Frank Espinoza, who manages two-division beltholder Abner Mares and WBC featherweight titleholder Daniel Ponce de Leon, says that a Mares-Ponce de Leon clash at 126 pounds could happen if Ponce de Leon defeats Jayson Velez on March 2.

Current IBF and former WBA junior welterweight titleholder Lamont Peterson has signed a contract with Golden Boy Promotions.

Nonito Donaire said he wants to "clean out" the 122-pound division by defeating Jorge Arce, Abner Mares and Guillermo Rigondeaux, in that order. 

Antonio DeMarco: "It will be the talent of Adrien Broner against the hunger and heart of DeMarco. Without a doubt, he's a very elusive and intelligent fighter. But we came prepared for that, and even more."

Rapper 50 Cent to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Twitter: "You should have know not to go against me PUNK."

If Abner Mares could have chosen an opponent other than Anselmo Moreno, he said, "I would have taken, hands down, the Nonito Donaire fight."

Welterweight contender Robert Guerrero will meet former two-time beltholder Andre Berto on HBO on Nov. 24 at The Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.

Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi: "It feels really good that things are turning around for me, and it feels really good that there's a lot of positive things going on for me inside of the ring and outside of the ring."

Golden Boy Promotions would like to add British 2012 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Anthony Joshua to a stable that already boasts unbeaten American fighters Seth Mitchell and Deontay Wilder.

The mothers of Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya and company partner Bernard Hopkins both died of breast cancer, and to bring attention to the fight against this disease during Breast Cancer Awareness Month the company is changing its logo to pink.

Bob Arum on a rematch between Tim Bradley and Lamont Peterson: "We've sent contracts out, but it's not a deal until it's a deal."

WBA junior featherweight beltholder Guillermo Rigondeaux is close to signing with Top Rank for an appearance on a Dec. 15 card featuring WBO welterweight titleholder Tim Bradley.

Undefeated 154-pound contender Austin Trout on his size advantage against Miguel Cotto: "We agreed that if we need to, we can definitely push this little dude around."

IBF junior middleweight titleholder Cornelius Bundrage on his separation from manager Manny Steward: "It's just time to move on. So I'm putting it out there that I need a new manager, a new promoter, and that I need to be with somebody that's going to help me to get the big fights."

WBC junior middleweight beltholder Saul Alvarez could eventually face the winner of an organization-mandated division eliminator between Erislandy Lara and Vanes Martirosyan.

WBO 122-pound titleholder Nonito Donaire says he wants to unify the junior featherweight division beginning with IBF beltholder Jeffrey Mathebula, who he faces on July 7 in Carson, Calif.

Gary Russell Jr. could soon face Luis Franco in an IBF eliminator between unbeaten featherweights for the right to face titleholder Billy Dib.

Victor Ortiz's manager, Rolando Arellano, says that despite the near-loss of another major fight, VADA is at the forefront of a positive step for boxing and that "everyone should be put on notice."

Referee Joe Cooper on December's controversial split-decision victory by Lamont Peterson over Amir Khan: "It came down to the judges...in actuality, I didn't have nothing to do with the fight at all."

Paulie Malignaggi wants to notch a key victory against WBA welterweight titleholder Vyacheslav Senchenko in April, with an eye on headlining at the Barclays Center in his native Brooklyn, N.Y.