Vitali Klitschko Ukrainian Presidential Candidate Is Entering a Rough Arena
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BEST I’VE FACED: GEORGE FOREMAN REVEALS HIS TOUGHEST OPPONENTS THE BIBLE OF BOXING ADONIS STEVENSON SERGEY KOVALEV THE RING MAKES ITS PREDICTIONS FOR 2014 MANNY VS. MONEY? DEONTAY WILDER PACQUIAO’S VICTORY OVER RIOS RESURRECTS BOXING’S BIGGEST QUESTION VITALI KLITSCHKO UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IS ENTERING A ROUGH ARENA BERMANE STIVERNE FEBRUARY 2014 FEBRUARY CANADIAN HEAVYWEIGHT CONTENDER $8.95 MUST WAIT TO LEARN HIS FATE FEBRUARY 2014 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 4 RINGSIDE 44 5 OPENING SHOTS 10 COME OUT WRITING 13 13 ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES Jabs and Straight Writes by Thomas Hauser 18 BEST I’VE FACED: GEORGE FOREMAN By Anson Wainwright 21 RING CARD GIRL 25 READY TO GRUMBLE By David Greisman 28 OUTSIDE THE ROPES COVER STORY By Brian Harty 38 A BIG YEAR 64 WAITING GAME 30 RING RATINGS PACKAGE THE SPORT THRIVED IN 2013 BERMANE STIVERNE IS DUE A SHOT AT 90 LETTERS FROM EUROPE IN PART BECAUSE OF YOUNG STARS VITALI KLITSCHKO BUT REMAINS IDLE By Gareth A Davies By Gareth A Davies By Ron Borges 95 SWEET SCIENCE By Scott LaFee 44 YOU READ IT HERE 70 CONFIDENT FIGHTER 98 NEW FACES: KHALID YAFAI 10 THINGS TO EXPECT IN THE SLUGGER KEITH THURMAN DRAWS By Mike Coppinger SPORT – AND 10 NOT TO – IN 2014 STRENGTH FROM HIS LATE TRAINER 100 WOMEN’S BOXING By David Greisman By Keith Idec By Thomas Gerbasi 103 RINGSIDE REPORTS 50 WISH LIST SPECIAL PACKAGE: By Norm Frauenheim RING WRITERS REVEAL THE FIGHTS DOUBLE TRAGEDY 108 WORLDWIDE RESULTS THEY DO AND DON’T WANT TO SEE 76 FRANCISCO LEAL: 110 COMING UP 1986-2013 112 FROM THE ARCHIVE 52 STILL HOPE? SHOULD LEAL HAVE BEEN 114 AT THE FIGHTS MANY OBSTACLES STAND IN THE WAY ALLOWED TO FIGHT AFTER A OF PACQUIAO VS. MAYWEATHER PREVIOUS BRAIN INJURY? AT RINGTV.COM By Bernard Fernandez By Bart Barry Q&A: GEORGE GROVES THE BRITISH FIGHTER SAYS CARL FROCH HAS TWO 56 PRESIDENT KLITSCHKO? 81 MAGOMED ABDUSALAMOV CHOICES, FIGHT HIM AGAIN VITALI KLITSCHKO FACES A TOUGH RUSSIAN HEAVYWEIGHT SHOULD’VE OR RETIRE. GO TO: http://bit.ly/196TKs8 FIGHT IN UKRAINIAN POLITICS BEEN SAVED FROM TAKING A BEATING or scan the QR Code. By Robert G. Rodriguez, Ph.D. By Gordon Marino ‘UNDISPUTED TRUTH’ MIKE TYSON’S NEW 62 U.S. PRESIDENTS 84 A DIFFERENT PATH AUTOBIOGRAPHY IS A AND BOXING RYOTA MURATA OF JAPAN MUST FIGHT GRAPHIC LOOK AT THE A NUMBER OF CHIEF EXECS HAVE BEEN ABROAD BECAUSE OF HIS SIZE FIGHTER’S LIFE. GO TO: http://bit.ly/1cgmNhx TOUCHED BY THE SWEET SCIENCE By Norm Frauenheim or scan the QR Code. BRONER: JEFF BOTTARI/GOLDEN BOY/GOLDEN BOY VIA GETTY IMAGES; NO MAS: THE RING MAGAZINE VIA GETTY IMAGES; NO MAS: BOY BOY/GOLDEN JEFF BOTTARI/GOLDEN BRONER: By Robert G. Rodriguez, Ph.D. DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW US ON: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/RINGTV @RINGMAGAZINE THERINGDIGITAL COVER PHOTO BY WILDER: ANDREW YATES AFP GETTY; KOVALEV: SCOTT HEAVEY-GETTY; STEVENSON- RICHARD WOLOWICZ GETTY 2.14 / RINGTV.COM 3 RINGSIDE By Michael Rosenthal PREMATURELY DISMISSED VOLUME 93, NO. 2 | FEBRUARY 2014 ometimes we’re very Mexican changed everything in FOUNDER Squick to write off a the sixth round. Nathaniel Fleischer fghter as faded or even Once-Great Manny Pacquiao (1888-1972) shot, including ones who only instantly became the Once-great recently ruled the sport. Manny Pacquiao, as he tumbled EDITOR Michael Rosenthal Manny Pacquiao is an example. down everyone’s pound-for- The Filipino icon was perceived pound lists. ASSOCIATE EDITOR as one of the two or three best That brings us to Pacquiao’s Douglass Fischer fghters in the world as recently fght against Brandon Rios as 2012, when he was still in the on Nov. 23 in Macau, China. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Brian Harty midst of a career-defning winning Pacquiao was never destined streak that began in 2005. to reclaim his pound-for-pound Then, after consecutive losses to supremacy with a victory over ART DIRECTOR Timothy Bradley and rival Juan Rios, a tough, but predictable Lamar Clark Manuel Marquez, he became a brawler. RING CARD GIRLS COORDINATOR virtual has-been. The hand and At the same time, many Heather Shanholtz foot speed had diminished, the believed the fght would provide critics said. He could no longer a reasonable gauge as to how CONTROLLER throw as many punches as he much Pacquiao had slipped. The Deborah L. Harrison once could. He was easier to hit. conclusion? The Pacquiao we CIRCULATION DIRECTOR And, of course, there was saw on Nov. 23 looked a lot like Kenneth J. Gudaitis reason to feel that way. Great the Pacquiao who won titles in fighters don’t lose fights. And a record eight divisions – quick, Pacquiao lost two in a row. active, passionate, dominating. ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Let’s look at those fights, Again, Rios doesn’t have the Robert Gasparri 213-233-2952 though. Pacquiao might not athletic ability to compete with [email protected] have been at his best against Pacquiao, but he’s extremely Bradley – something was durable and relentless, the type SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES missing – but almost everyone of fghter who would give almost SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT believes he won convincingly anyone some degree of trouble. PUBLICATIONS P.O. BOX 433122 in spite of the judges, who gave Which is the point here: Palm Coast, FL 32164-3122 Bradley a split-decision victory. Pacquiao, even at 34 and with 1-800-846-6438 That’s saying something given many miles on his odometer, isn’t [email protected] Bradley’s perfect record and anyone. He might be a tad slower unquestioned ability. than he once was and perhaps BACK ISSUES 215-643-3087 OR ONLINE AT In his fourth fight against a bit less dynamic, but he is still RINGTV.COM Marquez, Pacquiao fought better than almost anyone else. with a purpose and ferocity he As one knowledgeable observer DIGITAL EDITION INQUIRIES hadn’t demonstrated in recent aptly put it: “Hey, (Floyd) [email protected] fights. He took his licks but Mayweather couldn’t have SEND EDITORIAL COMMENTS TO: appeared to have Marquez in beaten Rios any more thoroughly [email protected] trouble when one shot from the than Pacquiao did.” or P.O. BOX 251753, Los Angeles CA, 90025 THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410), Vol. 93, NO. 2 (FEBRUARY 2014), is published monthly by Sports and Entertainment Publications, LLC, PO Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11209 and additional post offces. Postmasters: 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 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 or photographs, which will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed envelope bearing the proper amount of postage. The entire contents of this magazine are copyright ©2013 Sports and Entertainment Publications, LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the content of advertisements appearing in this magazine, nor the delivery or quality of merchandise or 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 ADVERTISING INQUIRES AND RATES: (213) 233-2952. U.S. and Canadian distribution by Kable Distribution Services Inc., 14 Wall Street, Suite 4C, New York, NY 10022. International distribution by Worldwide Media Service Inc., 115 East 23rd St., New York, NY 10010, UK distribution by Comag Tavistock Rd., West Drayton, Middlesex UB77QE, England. Printed in U.S.A. OPENING SHOTS Manny Pacquiao’s one-sided decision over Brandon Rios was his frst victory since 2011 and gave his countrymen, reeling from a typhoon, something to CHRIS FARINA PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS FARINA cheer about. 2.14 / RINGTV.COM 5 NAOKI FUKUDA 6 RINGTV.COM / 2.14 Gennady Golovkin (right) seems to collect knockouts and fans every time he fghts. The middleweight titleholder put Curtis Stevens away in eight rounds. 8 RINGTV.COM / 2.14 Andre Ward (right) picked up where he left off before his shoulder surgery, easily outpointing Edwin Rodriguez to retain his RING super middleweight title. Naoki Fukuda COME OUT WRITING PACQUIAO PACQUIAO SHOT? GOLOVKIN vs. vs. RIOS I honestly think Pacman is a shot WARD? A TRUE HERO fghter. He looked good, though much I think that it’s premature to start I have just returned from the festivities more cautious than usual against drumming for Gennady Golovkin vs. in Macau, where I was lucky enough Rios. But when he steps inside the Andre Ward. The fghts everyone should to witness Pacman’s return to form. ring with fghters who are just as be clamoring for are Golovkin vs. Sergio The atmosphere in the stadium was fast and experienced as him – the Martinez at middleweight and Ward vs. unreal! I’ve attended a few world ones who will give him angles and Adonis Stevenson at light heavyweight. class sporting events, including the counters like Juan Manuel Marquez – After all, Ward has thoroughly cleaned Olympics in Sydney. However, I he’s in trouble. out the super middleweight division. haven’t experienced anything that Jerry Nicolas I think it’s time he move up to light compares to the atmosphere in Cotai heavyweight rather than stick around to Stadium once Manny made his DISGUSTED wait for guys to move up and fght him.