After getting his ass kicked in MMA, Kimbo Slice has now decided to get his ass kicked in boxing. Via SPORTSbyBROOKS.com:

When a celebrity’s 15 minutes of fame are finally up, for some reason they always turn their attention towards the boxing ring, where they stand in front of hundreds and pummel another “celebrity� all for some “charity�, which in most cases is their own bank account. Danny Bonaduce and Jose Canseco do so on a regular basis. John Wayne Bobbitt is heading into the ring this Saturday. So it makes sense that MMA star Kimbo Slice has apparently decided to revitalize his dying career by giving “the sweet science� a try.

In an interview with Dan Le Batard, Slice admitted that he’s thinking about strapping on some larger gloves, agreeing to keep his feet on the ground, and stepping into the boxing ring. After all, he needs something to do while that weird legal stuff with his MMA contract gets sorted out.

But as MMARATED.COM points this, this move into the boxing world isn’t necessary something Slice should be looking forward to.

MMARATED.COM:

But there is one little detail that might give Slice some pause: In boxing – though the gloves are a bit thicker, a bit cushier – you get punched in the face a lot. And if his recent 14-second TKO loss to Seth Petruzelli at EliteXC’s final show in early October is any indication, Slice does not like to get punched in the face.

If he does make his way into boxing, Slice better enjoy the attention while it lasts. This guy is heading into oblivion (or bolivion as Mike Tyson would say) fast.

As boxing continues to fall further behind the more exciting and popular world of MMA, at least the sport has kept its dignity. Wait, what dignity?

On December 20th, a decomposing Holyfield (42-9-2) will challenge seven-foot monster Nicolay Valuev (49-1) for his WBA heavyweight title, in a fight that will either take place in Germany or Switzerland either because Valuev is popular in Europe or because when Holyfield’s name is brought up at New York, New Jersey and Las Vegas commission hearings they think someone is making a funny. It will be the first fight for Holyfield since being dismantled by former WBO champion Sultan Ibragimov last October, a fight many thought would close the curtain on his career.
It probably should have.

But in their infinite wisdom Valuev’s promoter, Sauerland Event, and the WBA have decided Holyfield, who is ranked just a notch above Tyson these days, warrants a shot at the heavyweight crown. They have decided that a 45-year old man who hasn’t beaten a legitimate opponent in six years (and I’m generously referring to Hasim Rahman, who Holyfield knocked out in 2002, as legitimate) is worthy of competing for a piece of what was once the most coveted title in the world.

And just like that, boxing — and the heavyweight division in particular — has once again become a laughingstock.

If boxing truly wants to save itself, it needs young, up-and-coming athletes to emerge. It can’t keep going back to retreads like Holyfield because the sport will never attract the attention of younger generations. One of the reasons MMA is more popular right now is because they have a nice blend of fighters that people want to back. A 20-year old in college doesn’t want to back Holyfield right now. They need new blood and fresh talent. Then maybe, maybe, the sport can start to grow again.

Oscar De La Hoya will wrap up his boxing career on December 6 against Filipino star fighter Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

The conditions of the deal will not be announced until a conference call on Thursday. Both sides stalled negotiations throughout the summer, but the conversation was revived recently and a reasonable solution was found to split the estimated $100 million revenue from this fight. This is boxing’s most lucrative bout since De La Hoya’s split-decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year.

Both boxers will make sacrifices to make this fight a reality. They will have to make the 147-pound limit, which means De La Hoya will be dropping down to the welterweight class for the first time in eight years and Pacquiao will have to bulk up to the heaviest weight of his career.

- With all due respect to NBA officials, amateur boxing is the undisputed winner as being the world’s most corrupt sport. But it is still great to see an unknown boxer like Oscar De La Hoya or Floyd Mayweather Jr. receiving international exposure for the first time. The boxing finals will be televised on Saturday evening, 8/23, on NBC. Tune in to find out who will be the next great fighter.

- Will this year be a triumphant return to glory for USA Basketball? In 2004, the men’s team convinced many of us to root against them in Athens. This Olympics, we have brought our A-Team to Beijing, as Kobe, LeBron, and D. Wade command the court. Tune into NBC on Saturday, 8/23, to watch the gold medal finals.

- As summer winds down, the baseball pennant races are heating up. And another possible playoff preview will take place this weekend, as the Tampa Bay Rays visit Chicago to face the A.L. Central’s leading White Sox. Sunday’s contest will be televised nationally on TBS Sunday, 8/24, at 2 p.m. EST.

- The Little League World Series takes place in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. ABC will televise the championship game on Sunday afternoon, 8/24, beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST.

Boxing fans are going to riot if there isn’t a fight between Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao. Right now, money is (of course) the main holdup. Manny wants 40 percent and Oscar thinks he should only get 30 percent. Ultimately, there is no better way for Oscar to retire than to end his career with a bout against the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport. According to promoter Bob Arum, this HBO PPV fight will most likely generate over $100 million. If Manny ends up getting 30 percent, he will still make more money in this fight than he ever has before.

Sadly, the boxing audience has dwindled since its heyday. The average sports fan doesn’t even know who the current heavyweight champion is. Boxing has simply lost its star power and with it, its relevance. A fight between Manny and Oscar would have a real chance to bring the sport back to the forefront with both boxing fans and non-boxing fans. It will be a real shame if the fight of the century doesn’t take place because the two fighters can’t agree on how to split the purse.

Who needs another Muhammad Ali documentary? Creators of the new PBS documentary Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami succeeded by taking on a fresh approach – how did he become Muhammad Ali? And why is he and forever “the greatest?� We had a chance to chat with the producers, Gasper Gonzalez and Alan Tomlinson.

Scores Report: Hello.

Gasper Gonzalez: Yep, it’s Gasper.

SR: Really enjoyed the documentary by the way.

GG: Thank you very much.

SR: So, is it okay if I just start the questions?

GG: Anytime you like.

SR: What is one thing that you guys learned about Ali that stood out when making the film?

GG: We had researched the film and subject matter extensively before we ever started. I think the thing that surprised us, not that we didn’t know about it, but how kind of compelling the material turned out to be with his relationship with Malcolm X – and how that relationship kind of evolved and devolved. We came across that snippet of film where he is being interviewed obviously after the assassination and he says something to the effect of “anybody who speaks out against Elijah Muhammad will die� which is a very stark thing to hear. I think that aspect of the story turned out to be more compelling than we thought initially.

Read the rest of the interview after the jump.

Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami documents how and why most of the world knows Ali as the greatest boxer of all time. Going back to a time of severe racial tension, filmmakers Gaspar Gonzalez and Alan Tomlinson explore the beginning and rise of Ali – and the town where only a man like Ali could be believed in.

The film incorporates interviews from some of the most fascinating people that knew Ali personally. Unique characters themselves, anecdotes from ringside doctor Pacheco, trainer Angelo Dundee, and others provide vivid recollections of Ali’s lifestyle and fights. In addition, narrations from biographers provide context and a sense of the African-American experience during the 1960’s, a time when even young Ali returning home with the gold medal from the 1960 Olympics is refused from “whites only� restaurants.

In the words of Pacheco, Miami’s Fifth Street Gym was the island of democracy. With this gym Ali found his identity. Fifth Street gym becomes the backdrop where Ali’s trainer, Dundee encouraged his unorthodox boxing style, which has influenced not just boxers, but all kinds of athletes to this day. Throughout the film, original footage of Ali’s dramatic stage presence shows how he captivated both sports writers and audiences, forcing them to either love him or hate him.

This film also includes Ali’s relationship with Malcom X, membership to the Nation of Islam, and refusal to join the United States Army to fight in the Vietnam War. Also, his first championship fight against Sonny Liston is revisited, and it still carries its sense of suspense. Watching the fight again, it is evident why Ali proved his self-proclaimed title of “the greatest.� For the time, his inventive style was unorthodox and appeared clumsy; however, his motions blended beautifully with fierce counter jabs that knocked unsuspecting fighters to the floor.

Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami shows how Ali is truly more than a boxer. He has done what few athletes have been able to do; he transcended the sport and became a symbol for inspiration. Seamlessly, this film extends its exploration of Ali with the culture and perspective of the time period in which he lived. Audiences can now understand the forces that shaped the great American icon.

Also, be sure to check out our interview with the creators of the documentary.

For nearly a quarter-century, amateur boxing has been an Olympic sore spot or the embarrassing relative you prefer not showing up at your summer party. Corruption, financial woes, and strange outcomes have all contribute to the negativity toward the sport.

For fans, the memories of Oscar De La Hoya’s run through Barcelona or the amazing 1976 U.S. team dominating the competition in Montreal are distant ones. Instead, they remember Jong-il Byun 67-minute sit-in ring protest of corrupt judging that caused a ringside riot in Seoul. Or they remember the jaw-dropping “by decision� losses that kept the gold away from Roy Jones Jr. and Floyd Mayweather Jr. . U.S. fighters now assume that the international system has an unspoken bias against them.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) became frustrated with boxing after the Athens Games, and decided to freeze its share until the hierarchy cleaned up amateur boxing. And changes did come, as Taiwan’s Ching-Kuo Wu took over as the International Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) leader from Anwar Chowdhry, who ran the sport for 20 years.

Wu’s intention was to turn amateur boxing into a dynamic, respectable competition. In the last 18 months, he has hired an independent auditor to revamp the computer scoring system and establish a process to assign referees and judges to bouts.

The United States leads all nations in Olympic boxing medals, but has only won one gold medal in the last two Summer Games. Changes had to be made at the top of USA Boxing, and Jim Millman was named CEO of the organization last summer. A longtime sports marketing executive, Millman fixed USA Boxing’s financial woes and restructured its approach to Olympic competition.

Millman renewed ties with De La Hoya by inviting the Golden Boy to assist with establishing the training philosophy for the team. De La Hoya will also use his connections to get USA Boxing more attention in upcoming years.

Millman then brought back head coach Dan Campbell, who revived the residency program after a 24-year absence. The program consists of living year-round at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado without any family members present. This caused friction with several boxers on the squad. But Campbell contends the residency program fosters teamwork and improves their adaptation to international competition, which has been a struggle for U.S. boxers.

Recently, USA Boxing reinstated Luis Yanez (light flyweight) to the squad after being thrown off for missing workouts. He was absent for most of the team’s training sessions in June, and later Yanez admitted his mistakes to Campbell, who urged USA Boxing to reinstate him. The 19 year old won a gold medal at the Pan-Am Games last year, but Yanez succumbed to the pressure of the residency training program.

The U.S. team is expecting to rebound with success in Beijing, as two-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren and Demetrius Andrade both won titles at last year’s World Championships. Right now, Russia is the juggernaut of amateur boxing with Thailand, United States, and Cuba fighting for second place.

Stung by recent defections, Cuba is heading to Beijing with their least experienced squad in decades. At the last Olympics, five Cubans were gold medal winners, but none of them will fight in this tournament. Three boxers (Yan Barthelemy, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Odlanier Solis) defected in December of 2006 and two (Guillermo Rigondeaux and Erislandy Lara) were caught trying to defect last year in Brazil. Both were subsequently thrown off the squad as punishment. They may be inexperienced but they are still Cuba, so expect a formidable roster.

They were not on the radar in Sydney or Athens, but experts are projecting U.S. Boxing to shine in the 2012 Olympics in London. And depending how things break, they could be successful in China as well.

One of the most anticipated fights in the boxing world is the rumored match between the unassuming Manny Pacquiao and the “King of Boxing� Oscar de la Hoya that may take place in the month of December at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Without a doubt, this fight will bring enthusiasts and non-boxing enthusiasts together to witness one of the most historic boxing matches of all time. Physically, Oscar is the bigger man – “It will be like an adult bullying a young boy,� said a source from de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. However, with Oscar being at the cusp of retirement, Pacquiao might just kick out the walker beneath Oscar and take his crown. In many ways, Pacquiao has already won. Hailing from the impoverished country of the Philippines, he has transcended the limitations of his home country to become one of the best fighters in boxing.

Emmanuel Dapigran Pacquiao was born December 17, 1978, in Bukidnon, Mindinao, Philippines. While still in grade school, the young Pacquiao sold bread locally to help support his family. He started fighting in the streets for small purses and, eventually, his superb boxing skills were recognized. At age 15, Pacquiao was sent to Manila to be molded into a professional boxer. One year later, in 1995, he began fighting professionally as a sleek 106-pound teenage brawler against the Philippines’ best boxers. After defeating Edmund Ignacio in four rounds, he became a household name. Pacquiao won his next ten fights before his first loss to Rustico Torrecampo on February 9, 1996. However, according to sportcaster Joaquin “Quinto� Henson, Paquiao was at disadvantage because he had to use heavier gloves since he didn’t make weight. Paquiao’s first professional loss did not slow him down at all; momentum built as he put together a series of victories over the next two years against experienced Filipino fighters.

But the fight that defined his career was his bout against Mexican boxer and three-time world champion, Marco Antonio Barrera, in 2003. By this time Pacquiao had won and retained three belts in different weight divisions. Pacquiao had to move up in weight for his first fight in the featherweight division. The extra weight didn’t slow Pacquiao down; his superb speed and power helped to defeat Barrera via a TKO in the eleventh round at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. By the end of 2006, Ring Magazine and HBO declared Pacquiao the fighter of the year.

Up to March of 2008, Pacquiao fought Mexico’s finest fighters earning the title of “The Mexicutioner� and world super featherweight champion. During his latest fight in Las Vegas against David Diaz, audiences witnessed how dynamic Pacquiao can be, as he once again increased his weight to 135 pounds to fight for the WBC lightweight title. His trainer, Freddie Roach, said it was the best he’s ever seen Pacquiao box. Speed has always been on Pacquiao’s side. At 135 pounds, he has said that he feels “much stronger and more powerful� and believes that he has found his ideal weight. After the win over Diaz, Pacquiao had won four title belts in four weight divisions and became the first Asian boxer to conquer the boxing world.

If the rumors of a Manny/Oscar fight are true, Pacquiao will once again have to increase weight for a welterweight brawl. Can he beef up and maintain his speed to defy the odds against the Golden Boy? Regardless, it will be the fight of the century (so far).

Michael Jordan and Jack Tatum were Bad Ass Mofos, guys with big mouths who backed it up. Guys you hated when they were playing your team, but you would’ve killed to have on your team. Bullz-Eye.com is running their list of sports history’s Top 10 Bad Ass Mofos. Who’s #1? Where does Lawrence Taylor fall on the list? What about Mike Tyson?

Check out the feature and then post your thoughts, gripes and suggestions here.