#1 #10 #53 #14 #9 THE BIBLE OF BOXING + OUR EXCLUSIVE + RANKINGS P.40 + + ® #3 #13 #12 #26 #11 #8 #29 SO LONG CANELO BEST I TO A GEM s HBO FACED DAN GOOSSEN WHAT ALVAREZ’S HALL OF FAMER MADE THE BUSINESS ROBERTO DURAN JANUARY 2015 JANUARY MOVE MEANS FOR MORE FUN P.66 THE FUTURE P.70 REVEALS HIS TOP $8.95 OPPONENTS P.20 JANUARY 2015 70 What will be the impact of Canelo Alvarez’s decision to jump from FEATURES Showtime to HBO? 40 RING 100 76 TO THE POINT #1 #10 #53 #14 #9 THE BIBLE OF BOXING + OUR OUR ANNUAL RANKING OF THE REFS MUST BE JUDICIOUS WHEN EXCLUSIVE + RANKINGS P.40 WORLD’S BEST BOXERS PENALIZING BOXERS + + ® By David Greisman By Norm Frauenheim #3 #13 66 DAN GOOSSEN: 1949-2014 82 TRAGIC TURN THE LATE PROMOTER THE DEMISE OF HEAVYWEIGHT #12 #26 #11 #8 #29 SO LONG CANELO BEST I TO A GEM s HBO FACED DAN GOOSSEN WHAT ALVAREZ’S HALL OF FAMER MADE THE BUSINESS ROBERTO DURAN DREAMED BIG AND HAD FUN ALEJANDRO LAVORANTE 2015 JANUARY MOVE MEANS FOR MORE FUN P.66 THE FUTURE P.70 REVEALS HIS TOP $8.95 OPPONENTS P.20 By Steve Springer By Randy Roberts COVER PHOTOS: MAYWEATHER: ETHAN MILLER/ GETTY IMAGES; GOLOVKIN: ALEXIS CUAREZMA/GETTY 70 CANELO’S BIG MOVE IMAGES; KHAN/FROCH: SCOTT HEAVEY; ALVAREZ: CHRIS TROTMAN; PACQUIAO: JOHN GURZINSKI; HOW HIS JUMP TO HBO COTTO: RICK SCHULTZ: HOPKINS: ELSA/GOLDEN BOY; WILL IMPACT THE SPORT MAIDANA: RONALD MARTINEZ; DANNY GARCIA: AL BELLO; KLITSCHKO: DANIEL ROLAND/AFP/GETTY By Ron Borges IMAGES; BRONER: JEFF BOTTARI DENIS POROY/GETTY IMAGES DENIS POROY/GETTY 1.15 / RINGTV.COM 3 DEPARTMENTS 6 RINGSIDE 7 OPENING SHOTS 12 COME OUT WRITING 15 ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES Jabs and Straight Writes by Thomas Hauser 20 BEST I FACED: ROBERTO DURAN By Tom Gray 22 READY TO GRUMBLE By David Greisman 25 OUTSIDE THE ROPES By Brian Harty 27 PERFECT EXECUTION By Bernard Hopkins 32 RING RATINGS PACKAGE 86 LETTERS FROM EUROPE By Gareth A Davies 90 DOUGIEÕS MAILBAG By Doug Fischer 92 NEW FACES: JOSEPH DIAZ JR. By Keith Idec 94 SWEET SCIENCE By Scott LaFee 96 AMATEUR BOXING By Joe Santoliquito 98 WOMENÕS BOXING By Thomas Gerbasi 102 RINGSIDE REPORTS By Norm Frauenheim 108 WORLDWIDE RESULTS 110 COMING UP 112 FROM THE ARCHIVE 114 AT THE FIGHTS AT RINGTV.COM VIDEO: ED DERIAN GOLOVKIN-RUBIO DIES AT 77 HANDLERS LAY OUT A TRIBUTE TO GGG’S FUTURE THE VOICE OF PHILADELPHIA GO TO: http://bit.ly/ GO TO: http://bit.ly/ ggg-video ed-derian DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW US ON: 20 WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/RINGTV @RINGMAGAZINE Hall of Famer Roberto THERINGDIGITAL Duran revealed his top opponents in this HTTP://INSTAGRAM.COM/RINGTV# month’s Best I Faced. THE RING MAGAZINE 4 RINGTV.COM / 1.15 RINGSIDE By Michael Rosenthal BALANCING ACT VOLUME 94, NO. 1 | JANUARY 2015 The top end of our annual (think Mayweather and RING 100 (see Page 40) Pacquiao) and what we see won’t look like it does now with our eyes in recent f ghts FOUNDER for much longer. (Walters and Crawford). Nathaniel Fleischer Four of the Top 10 are at One could argue that (1888-1972) least 37 years old: Floyd Golovkin should be higher on EDITOR Mayweather Jr. (37), Juan the list given his dominance Michael Rosenthal Manuel Marquez (41), and 18 consecutive knockouts, ASSOCIATE EDITOR Wladimir Klitschko (38) and as those who voted in our Douglass Fischer Carl Froch (37). And two more poll seemed to do. One could CONTRIBUTING EDITOR are in their mid-30s, Manny also argue that he must beat a Brian Harty Pacquiao (35) and Guillermo higher-caliber opponent or two Rigondeaux (34). before he is rises to the top. ART DIRECTOR Lamar Clark These f ghters remain No. 10 seemed to be the ideal formidable or they wouldn’t be spot for Golovkin – for now. CONTROLLER in the Top 10 but their days in And, yes, we were dazzled Deborah L. Harrison that position are numbered. by the recent performances CIRCULATION DIRECTOR A new generation of of Walters and Crawford but Kenneth J. Gudaitis talented – and exciting – their spectacular victories ADVERTISING INQUIRIES younger stars is poised to – over Nonito Donaire and Robert Gasparri supplant their elders in the Yuriorkis Gamboa, respectively 213-233-2952 [email protected] next year or two, fighters – were more a glimpse into the like Canelo Alvarez (24), Kell near future than proof of their SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES Brook (28), Mikey Garcia ability, although the evidence BACK ISSUES INQUIRIES DIGITAL ORDERS INQUIRIES (26), Nicholas Walters (28) is building. They’re just getting Sports and Entertainment and Terence Crawford (27). started. Publications P.O. BOX 433122 Some might suggest that Thus, Walters and Crawford Palm Coast, Fl 32164-3122 their time is now. After all, landed at Nos. 20 and 21, 800-846-6438 one certainly could argue that respectively, positioning that [email protected] f ghters like Gennday Golovkin acknowledges their recent SEND EDITORIAL (No. 10 on the list and 32 years success but doesn’t push them COMMENTS TO: old), Walters and Crawford are too high too soon. [email protected] or P.O. BOX 251753, better at this moment than, say, This is the balancing act in Los Angeles CA, 90025 Marquez and Froch. which boxing gurus David Golovkin was the Greisman, Martin Mulcahey THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410), Vol. 94, NO. 1 (JANUARY 2015), is published monthly by Sports and Entertainment Publications, overwhelming winner of a and Anson Wainwright – with LLC, PO Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11209 and additional post off ces. Postmasters: recent poll on RingTV.com, in some input from THE RING Send change of address notices to: THE RING, P.O. Box 433122, Palm Coast, FL 32164-3122. Single copy price $8.95 in U.S. and which we asked simply: Who staffers – have been engaged Canada (£4.95 in the UK). Subscription price $58.70 in the U.S., $127.10 in Canada and Mexico, $143.70 in remaining countries. Not responsible for the loss or non-return of unsolicited articles is the best f ghter in the world, over the past month or so, or photographs, which will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed envelope bearing the proper amount of pound for pound? during which time I believe postage. The entire contents of this magazine are copyright ©2014 Sports and Entertainment Publications, LLC. No part of That conclusion depends they compiled a strong list. this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Publisher is not responsible on what criteria you use to That was the process last year. for the accuracy of the content of advertisements appearing in this magazine, nor the delivery or quality of merchandise or compile a list like the RING And it will be the process in the services offered. No endorsement of any such advertisement is intended or implied. Advertisers and agencies assume liability for claims arising from the content of their advertisements. FOR 100, though. Our philosophy is years to come. ADVERTISING INQUIRES AND RATES: (213) 233-2952. U.S. and Canadian distribution by Kable Distribution Services Inc., 14 Wall that we must strike a balance Only the names on the list Street, Suite 4C, New York, NY 10022. International distribution by Worldwide Media Service Inc., 115 East 23rd St., New York, between accomplishments change. NY 10010, UK distribution by Comag Tavistock Rd., West Drayton, Middlesex UB77QE, England. Printed in U.S.A. NAOKI FUKUDA 6 RINGTV.COM / 1.15 THE LIGHTER SIDE OF A SERIOUS SPORT Lightweight contender Takahiro Ao keeps his eye on the target, Juan Carlos Salgado, who he outpointed on Oct. 22 in Tokyo. Marco Antonio Rubio was supposed to give Gennady Golovkin some resistance but ended up where most of Golovkin’s opponents do. Jonathan Moore/Getty Images 1.15 / RINGTV.COM 9 Nicholas Walters (right) took a giant leap in his career by destroying Nonito Donaire on Oct. 18 in Carson, Calif. NAOKI FUKUDA 1.15 / RINGTV.COM 11 COME OUT WRITING GREAT MAN as well as the awkward and ungainly (8½ years as of our deadline). Right Thank you for publishing the Wladimir Klitschko if you watch behind Joe Louis (13-plus years). article on Emanuel Steward’s work tapes of him. Your readers were That is wrong. Muhammad Ali to free an innocent man who was cheated when you excluded a quarter still holds that distinction. He was wrongfully locked up for 26 years century of great modern-day f ghters. recognized as the champ by your (November 2014). I am a longtime Terry Matzner magazine from 1964-71 (and then subscriber to THE RING and I Cincinnati, Ohio again in 1974-78 and 1978-80). He can honestly say this was the best didn’t make defenses from 1968-70 article I have ever read between Editor’s note: The IBHOF but he was still the heavyweight your pages. I always knew Manny announced in October that it has champion of the world. was considered a patron saint of changed its induction criteria. Allen Morris boxing but this shed new light on his “Modern” f ghters are now those Belle River, Canada character. What spoke volumes to whose last f ght occurred no earlier me was his willingness to continue than 1989. “Old Timer” is now Editor’s note: Ali was stripped of his to support this man even after divided into “Early” (last bout f rst title by the sanctioning bodies being robbed by him.