Boxing Council

Promoter Bob Arum, claiming "improprieties" in the selection of two of the three judges in Saturday night's Oscar De La Hoya-Shane Mosley 154-pound title fight, will file a protest with the Nevada State Athletic Commission within a week. Arum maintains that the two judges - Stanley Christodoulou of South Africa, representing the World Boxing Association, and Anek Hongthongkam of Thailand, representing the World Boxing Council - were picked by the Nevada commission without the approval of their respective sanctioning organizations.

In December, Russian-born Nicolay Valuev remained unbeaten in 43 bouts when he took John Ruiz's World Boxing Association title. In April, Serguei Lyakhovich, a 29-year-old Belarus native living in Scottsdale, Ariz., won the World Boxing Organization title by defeating Lamon Brewster. The two world champions from the former Soviet Union leave Chris Byrd (International Boxing Federation) and Hasim Rahman (World Boxing Council) as the lone American titlists. "For a long time, Americans dominated the heavyweight division, but everybody's getting better," said Byrd, 35. "We [Americans]

Sometime after 11 tonight, Baltimore heavyweight Hasim Rahman will step into the same Atlantic City boxing ring he was literally knocked out of in early November. Russia's Oleg Maskaev (19-2, 14 knockouts), the man whose right hand punched Rahman through the ropes and nearly into the laps of ringside HBO commentators, also will step into that same ring - but it won't be against Rahman. Rahman (32-2, 26) will take on South Africa's World Boxing Union champion, Corrie Sanders, (36-1, 26)

Hasim Rahman is out and Clifford Etienne is in as tonight's replacement for injured former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe against journeyman Kenny Craven in a 10-rounder at the Louisville Gardens in Louisville, Ky. Rahman (40-5-1, 33 knockouts) received an invitation from local promoter Chris Webb to replace Bowe, but while the Baltimore native and former heavyweight titlist was awaiting approval from his promoter, Don King, Webb "went with Etienne," said Rahman's manager, Steve Nelson.

Et ceteraMarylander Coley wants his shot at TrinidadDerrell "Too Sweet" Coley (34-1-2, 24 knockouts) of Capitol Heights, the World Boxing Council's No. 1-ranked welterweight contender, will hold a national teleconference today in an effort to force a mandatory opportunity against World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation champion Felix Trinidad (36-0, 30 KOs).Trinidad is coming off his unification victory in Las Vegas over Oscar De La Hoya (31-1, 25 KOs). Coley and his promoter, Dan Goossen, are trying to block any plans by Trinidad that may not include Coley.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- There were serious questions raised in recent years over whether Hector Camacho was still a championship-caliber fighter.But Camacho showed last night that he still has the right stuff, stopping overmatched Todd Foster at 1:45 of the fifth round at the Convention Center to claim the vacant International Boxing Council welterweight title.Decked out like a Roman gladiator, complete with steel helmet, the 32-year-old Camacho entered the ring to the jeers of the 10,000-plus fans.

NEW YORK -- Michael Grant, against whom Lennox Lewis will defend his International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council titles tomorrow night, finally found a pair of gloves that fit. Until yesterday, when he found a pair of 10-ounce Reyes gloves comfortable enough to wear, Grant had claimed the equipment fit his right hand, but not his left hand. On Tuesday, his managers had threatened to pull out of the fight because Lewis, as champion, had been awarded the decision to choose, and insisted on Reyes.

Hasim Rahman is out and Clifford Etienne is in as tonight's replacement for injured former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe against journeyman Kenny Craven in a 10-rounder at the Louisville Gardens in Louisville, Ky. Rahman (40-5-1, 33 knockouts) received an invitation from local promoter Chris Webb to replace Bowe, but while the Baltimore native and former heavyweight titlist was awaiting approval from his promoter, Don King, Webb "went with Etienne," said Rahman's manager, Steve Nelson.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Heavyweight Obed Sullivan always seems to be on the periphery, on the verge of a break-through toward earning a shot at a big-money fight or title shot.That was the case when the Phoenix native lost earlier fights to Hasirm Rahman, Michael Grant and, even against journeyman Jesse Ferguson.It was that way again last night at the Adrian Phillips Ballroom in the Boardwalk Convention Hall at Bally's Park Place, as Sullivan dispatched pudgy, 242-pound Matt Green (11-5, nine KOs)

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Hecter Camacho is either the best or worst dressed boxer in the boxing profession, depending on your personal fashion taste.There were more serious questions raised in recent years over whether he was still a championship-caliber fighter at 32.But Camacho showed he still has the right stuff last night at the Convention Center, stopping overmatched Todd Foster at 1:45 of the fifth round to claim the vacant International Boxing Council...

PHILADELPHIA - Less than two months ago, Philadelphia staged Bernard Hopkins Day. Saturday in Las Vegas, it could be Bernard Hopkins' night. Philadelphia was celebrating Hopkins' boxing achievements, for having given the city a middleweight champion. The honor came as Hopkins prepared for the biggest fight of his career. On Saturday, Hopkins puts his three world titles - International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council - on the line against Oscar De La Hoya.

Nearly three years to the day after his knockout of Lennox Lewis, former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman will step into the ring with another Lewis. Rahman (36-5-1) will go after his 30th knockout April 16 against Terrence Lewis (31-14-1, 21 knockouts), a hard-punching, 31-year-old journeyman from Philadelphia who is 2-6-1 in his past nine fights. The bout will take place at Dover Downs Slots in Delaware and will be televised via tape delay. It will be Rahman's second fight on a Ballroom Boxing card, following his unanimous, 10-round decision over Al Cole on Thursday.

Promoter Bob Arum, claiming "improprieties" in the selection of two of the three judges in Saturday night's Oscar De La Hoya-Shane Mosley 154-pound title fight, will file a protest with the Nevada State Athletic Commission within a week. Arum maintains that the two judges - Stanley Christodoulou of South Africa, representing the World Boxing Association, and Anek Hongthongkam of Thailand, representing the World Boxing Council - were picked by the Nevada commission without the approval of their respective sanctioning organizations.

When he defeated Oscar De La Hoya in June 2000 for the World Boxing Council welterweight crown, Shane Mosley was poised to replace De La Hoya as boxing's brightest star. Mosley was 35-0. He had shown speed, power, poise and showmanship similar to Ray Leonard and Ray Robinson - Hall of Famers with whom he shares the nickname "Sugar." But as swiftly as Mosley had risen in the boxing world, two losses to Vernon Forrest over six months in 2002 sent him plummeting to near has-been status. Now, a fiery, resentful Mosley (38-2, 35 knockouts)

The stakes continue to rise for Baltimore's free-agent heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, who is considering three multi-million-dollar deals, two of which were improved in the past two days. The latest offer, from promoter Don King, is worth a reported $25 million. The offers are from Showtime to fight Mike Tyson; from King for a possible unification bout against the winner of an Aug. 4 World Boxing Association title fight between John Ruiz and Evander Holyfield; and from HBO for a rematch with Lennox Lewis.

Heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman may not be able to say yet whom or when he's fighting next, but he can say this: He hasn't been dealing with Don King. Rahman denied a report in yesterday's Washington Times that promoter King met with the fighter Sunday in Baltimore to offer a $15 million deal for a bout with World Boxing Association champion John Ruiz. "That's not true," Rahman said yesterday. "I haven't seen Don King. "I don't understand why there's a story written like that, but I guess I've got to get used to it. I have no plans to do anything with Don King.

LANDOVER -- On a night when promoter Don King aimed to resurrect boxing's reputation at USAir Arena, several former champions and contenders set out to jump-start their faltering careers on the undercard of the International Boxing Federation title fight between Vincent Pettway and Simon Brown.The 12-fight card, which included two world and one USBA title fight, also featured the return of former undisputed heavyweight champ Mike Tyson to ringside as color commentator for the Showtime cable telecast.

Baltimore middleweight contender Percy Harris looks in th full-length mirror in his hotel room and sees the reflection of Buster Douglas.No, not the bloated, under-trained Douglas whom Evander Holyfield left stretched out on the canvas in Las Vegas to win the heavyweight crown two years ago, but the 40-1 long shot who stunned the boxing world by upsetting previously unbeaten Mike Tyson in Tokyo the previous winter to claim the heavyweight crown."

Sometime after 11 tonight, Baltimore heavyweight Hasim Rahman will step into the same Atlantic City boxing ring he was literally knocked out of in early November. Russia's Oleg Maskaev (19-2, 14 knockouts), the man whose right hand punched Rahman through the ropes and nearly into the laps of ringside HBO commentators, also will step into that same ring - but it won't be against Rahman. Rahman (32-2, 26) will take on South Africa's World Boxing Union champion, Corrie Sanders, (36-1, 26)

NEW YORK -- Michael Grant, against whom Lennox Lewis will defend his International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council titles tomorrow night, finally found a pair of gloves that fit. Until yesterday, when he found a pair of 10-ounce Reyes gloves comfortable enough to wear, Grant had claimed the equipment fit his right hand, but not his left hand. On Tuesday, his managers had threatened to pull out of the fight because Lewis, as champion, had been awarded the decision to choose, and insisted on Reyes.