The Friday Five: March 30th, 2018
1. Anthony Joshua Claims Parker Is 2nd Toughest Opponent
Anthony Joshua has made a habit of collecting world heavyweight championship belts. Charles Martin’s IBF title came first two years ago, then the vacant WBA (Super) and IBO titles in his huge fight with Wladimir Klitschko a year ago. Now, it’s springtime again, and on Saturday, Joseph Parker, and his WBO title are on the plate at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Joshua is now a big enough attraction in his native United Kingdom that this is his third consecutive stadium fight and he may not even need to bother with pursuing American stardom, but he hasn’t let it go to his head and he certainly isn’t looking past Parker towards a much clamored-for fight with WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
Joshua sees Parker as being his second toughest fight to date after Wladimir Klitschko, he told FIGHT SPORTS:
“I think that Parker will take more risks,” he said. “And you know what they say: No risk, no reward. I think he’ll be game and hungry. I think *I’ll* take some more risks in the fight with Parker, because I’m more confident.”
2. Canelo Alvarez Has Official Complaint Filed By Nevada Athletic Commission
The controversy surrounding the Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin rematch continues. Hours after the MGM Grand is beginning to offer refunds for the May 5th fight, the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) has filed an official complaint against Alvarez.
Alvarez, who was suspended by the NAC earlier this month due to testing positive twice for clenbuterol, will now have an official complaint filed by the commission’s executive director Bob Bennett.
In a statement written by Bennett released this week, a hearing planned for tomorrow regarding Alvarez’ suspension has been cancelled, and now will be replaced with a disciplinary hearing on April 18th in Las Vegas.
The commission, per Bennett, has been investigating the situation since March 5th, when Golden Boy released a statement that Alvarez had tested positive for trace amounts of the drug, commonly used for cutting weight.
“After completing my investigation, I made the determination to file a complaint against Mr. Alvarez and set the matter for a disciplinary hearing during the Commission’s regularly scheduled meeting on April 18th,” Bennett’s statement read. “Therefore, I am cancelling the hearing that was scheduled for Friday, March 30th.”
Kevin VanNostrand said he attributes his success to surrounding himself with the right people. One of those people, he says, is his long-time promoter Amer Abdallah, who runs Lace Up Promotions where he began his fight career. VanNostrand, who won a WKA amateur title and two other WKA titles while fighting in Lace Up, said he received some key life advice from Abdullah early on in his career, which has now finally sunk in.
Ameer told me, ‘If you surround yourself with five drug dealers you are going to become the sixth drug dealer. If you surround yourself with five successful people you are going to become the sixth successful person,’” VanNostrand explained. “So, pretty much I surround myself with as many head strong, focused people [as I can]. People that I know that are confident and I can trust and are on the right path. That’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been staying focused and pushing forward.”
In addition to the 50-55 hours a week he says he puts into training, VanNostrand works full time for a beer distribution company called TJ Sheehan Distributing. He has a Class-A license and three days a week he drives a truck and delivers kegs and cases of beer in and around the Southern tier of New York to stops in Elmira, Binghamton, Cortland and Ithaca.
“They are pretty good to me,” said VanNostrand, who has worked for the company for the last four years. “They give me the time I need to travel for the fights. They’ve been very supportive of me.”
He’s put the work in, and he’s certainly confident he will triumph over van Roosmalen in LA on Saturday. But how exactly will he get it done? What does he think his advantages are over the Dutch champ, who has been one of the best in the sport for a very long time.
“I think height, reach,” he began. “I don’t know what his reach is, but I know I’m taller than him. People might think he hits harder, but I don’t really care too much for him.”
“Why is that?” he was asked.
“Because he’s in my way,” vanNostrand answered. “I’m looking past him already.”
“You’re looking past the featherweight champion?”
“Yeah, I just want to prove to the world that I’m the greatest,” he said. “That’s it.”
4. Wilder Claims Security Was Hired To Keep Him Out Of The Ring Following Joshua-Parker
WBC world heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder was set to be a part of the Sky Sports broadcast team, but Wilder stepped aside because Anthony Joshua wanted nothing to do with an in-ring standoff with Wilder.
“Sky Sports hired me to come over and I said I’d come on one condition: If AJ wins then I would get in front of the ring, size him up and tell him I wanted to knock him out,” said the WBC champion to NFL Network’s Good Morning Football.
“They said it wouldn’t be problem… days later I get a phone call from my manager saying it’s not going to be possible. And I said I couldn’t come if it wasn’t possible.”
5. Mayweather Says Let Canelo Fight
Floyd Mayweather discussing PEDs is not a new thing. The twice-retired boxer made it his mission while negotiating with Manny Pacquiao, for strict and random drug testing. Mayweather was so adamant over Pacquiao being tested, it was the reason the fight was delayed till 2015.
Now, Mayweather is advocating for Canelo Alvarez to be allowed to fight Gennady Golovkin on May 5th, even though Alvarez tested positive for the fat burning supplement clenbuterol.
In a phone interview with FIGHT HYPE, Mayweather was shocked, but not looking to lay blame on anyone.
“I guess s*** happens…it’s crazy…I’m not really here to say nothing bad about Triple G or bad about Canelo,” claimed Mayweather, who beat Alvarez in 2013.