Holyfield On Hand as Boxer Disqualified for Biting Foe

A light heavyweight boxer from Tajikistan was disqualified for biting his opponent on the shoulder during their Olympic quarterfinal bout Tuesday.

Boxing Champ Dies at 59

Ramos died Sunday at his home in San Pedro, according to his wife, Sylvia. She said her husband, a diabetic, went into respiratory arrest and paramedics were unable to revive him.

Ramos turned pro in 1965, three days after his 17th birthday. He retired a decade later with a record of 37-11-1 with 23 knockouts.

"I never really trained, not for a single fight," he once told the Los Angeles Times. "Oh, I went to the gym every day. But I drank every night. Fighters never beat me. But drugs and alcohol (did)."

Ramos stopped Carlos Teo Cruz in the 11th round in 1969 to win the lightweight title, then lost it in 1970 to Ismael Laguna. He regained the title in 1972 with a split decision over Pedro Carrasco, then lost it later in the year when Chango Carmona stopped him in the eighth round.

"By 1974, I was sleeping in cars," Ramos told the Times.

He checked into a rehab clinic in the early 1980s and remained sober the rest of his life. When he got out of rehab, he started Boxing Against Alcohol and Drugs, a program aimed at youngsters.

Ramos, born in Long Beach, was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame on June 21.

"He was the complete fighter," said former champion Carlos Palomino, Ramos' presenter. "He could box, he could brawl, he could do it all."

In addition to his wife, Ramos' survivors include a son, brother and four grandchildren.

Diaz Has Brain Surgery After Collapsing in Ring

Welterweight Oscar Diaz spent the night in surgery after collapsing between rounds of a bout in his hometown.

The 25-year-old boxer was taking a beating from Delvin Rodriguez on Wednesday at San Antonio's Municipal Auditorium when he collapsed on his stool at the beginning of the 11th round.

The referee stopped the fight and doctors jumped into the ring to attend to Diaz. He was placed on a stretcher and taken to University Hospital. Dr. Wayne Lee, a ringside physician, said Diaz was unconscious and unresponsive but was breathing on his own and had a blood pressure.

Promoter Donna Brooks told the San Antonio Express-News that Diaz was to have surgery overnight for suspected bleeding in his brain.

The referee had just checked Diaz in his corner when the fighter started wobbling. He immediately stopped the fight and awarded the bout to Rodriguez.

Rodriguez won the vacant United States Boxing Association welterweight crown, but that was no consolation.

"This was the biggest night of my life, but also the saddest. I hope I never experience anything like this again," Rodriguez told the paper.

"I'm praying for him right now and I'll be praying for him all night."

Hospital spokeswoman Leni Kirkman had no new information on the 5-foot-10, 147-pound fighter Thursday morning.

Pavlik Moving Up in Weight Class to Fight Hopkins

Unable to secure a meaningful opponent to wage a middleweight championship defense against in the fall, Kelly Pavlik will move up in weight and face former light heavyweight champion and middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com Thursday.

Arum said he and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer struck a deal Thursday for the nontitle fight, which will take place Oct. 18 on HBO PPV at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.

Pavlik, 26, will move up 10 pounds and face Hopkins at 170 pounds, five under the light heavyweight limit, Arum said.

"There's a deal, but there are a few details to be tied up," Arum said. "But the fight is happening."

Since Pavlik (34-0, 30 KOs), who was in Hawaii preparing for his wedding on Friday to the mother of his daughter, blew out Gary Lockett in three lopsided rounds in his first title defense at Boardwalk Hall on June 7, Arum has run through numerous potential opponents.

There were talks for a fight with Joe Calzaghe (which would have taken place at super middleweight), Marco Antonio Rubio, Randy Griffin, Sergio Mora, Paul Williams and Winky Wright. For various reasons, none panned out, leaving Arum to turn to the 43-year-old Hopkins (48-5-1, 32 KOs), who lost the light heavyweight title to Calzaghe on a split decision on April 19.

Arum and Schaefer had briefly discussed the fight a few weeks ago, but they couldn't come to terms. When the fight was revisited, they agreed to split the revenue 50-50, Arum said.

"This fight was not our first choice, but it was the only alternative we had to make a buck," Arum said. "We didn't have any place to go except a pay-per-view card. At least it will do halfway decent numbers. We turned it down once. It came back around and we accepted it."

Schaefer was traveling and unavailable for comment.

"Kelly isn't thrilled with the fight, but one of the incentives he has is that if he's going to fight Calzaghe after Calzaghe fights Roy Jones, it will be 168 pounds anyway. So it gets him ready for that fight."

Jack Loew, who has trained Pavlik since he began boxing as a kid, said he likes the matchup.

"Bernard is really a middleweight, he's not a light heavyweight," Loew said. "I think 170 pounds is fine for us. Bernard will be strong, but I know what we have to work on. I'm fine with Bernard Hopkins. I think it will be good fight. We're fighting a legend. He's experienced and he's an old veteran. He knows all the tricks and Bernard is a survivor. I think he's a great fighter and it will be an honor for us to fight him."

Witnesses Link Mike Tyson to Contract Killing

Mike Tyson's taking a beating. This time, it's not in the ring or the tabloids.

Instead, witnesses in an obscure racketeering case have linked the once-feared boxer to talk of two murder schemes in his old neighborhood. They claim he bankrolled one. In the other, Tyson himself was considered a potential target, but was spared for religious reasons.

Tyson has denied knowing anything about the mayhem surrounding a ruthless drug gang at the center of the case. But his name was dropped several times during recent testimony at the trial of an alleged getaway driver in two slayings.

At closing arguments Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Haran reminded jurors the "evidence was that Mike Tyson put up $50,000 to kill'' two men. Defense attorney Richard Levitt cautioned that the witness who described the Tyson murder-for-hire plot is "unquestionably a liar.''

Tyson issued a statement calling the accounts "totally untrue.'' He said he was "tired of people throwing my name around.''

Deliberations at the federal trial in Brooklyn were expected to begin Tuesday.

Tyson's name emerged during an investigation of the Cash Money Brothers, a gang led by brothers Damion "World'' Hardy and Myron "Wise'' Hardy. The gang, which lifted its name from the film "New Jack City,'' had turned a Bedford-Stuyvesant housing project into a violent drug market, prosecutors said.

Federal authorities in 2004 charged several men in a racketeering indictment with multiple counts of murder, kidnapping, drug dealing and gun possession. Some later pleaded guilty and agreed to testify for the government against Abubakr Raheem, the reputed wheelman, and World, who faces the death penalty at separate trial later this year.

Raheem has denied the charges. He admits he knew the killers, but as a Muslim, didn't approve of them.

"Was he at peace with them? Absolutely not,'' his attorney said Monday.

Prosecutors scoffed at Raheem's claims that he sought to steer the men toward Islam.

"He's sort of the spiritual adviser to perhaps the most dangerous group of gangsters in the city,'' Haran said.

Authorities have alleged that Wise's killing in 1999 sparked a bloodbath in Bed-Stuy. Among those killed: Tyson's friend and bodyguard, Darryl "Homicide'' Baum.

At trial, a turncoat gangster testified after learning Baum was gunned down in 2000 that Tyson put out a $50,000 contract on World. Asked why, the cooperator said the boxer was "close friends with Homicide.''

A crew associate also took the stand and described how, after word of the boxer's bounty spread, he overheard the gangsters saying Tyson needed to be rubbed out.

"I said, that's outrageous,'' the witness recalled.

Later, the same witness said, he and Raheem were with a group that spotted a Range Rover they believed was carrying Tyson. One of the men wanted to kill the boxer but the idea was "squashed right there'' because "Mike Tyson was a Muslim,'' the witness said.

In 1986, a 20-year-old Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion. He lost his title four years later, knocked out by Buster Douglas. Tyson was imprisoned for three years after a 1992 rape conviction in Indiana. In 1997, he bit Evander Holyfield's ear during a bout. He since has been beset by legal and financial problems.

Tyson interrupted his training in a 2000 comeback bout in Scotland to attend Baum's funeral in Brooklyn. He won his fight against Lou Savarese in 38 seconds and dedicated the victory to the bodyguard.

Former 2 time heavyweight titleholder Chris Byrd is moving down to light heavyweight and signed a deal with promoter, Artie Pelullo and Banner Promotions.

After signing a new contract with Art Pelullo’s Banner Promotions, former WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Chris Bryd will make his light heavyweight debut against Shaun George next month at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, NV. Byrd dominated David Tua at the same arena back in a 2001 elimination fight, earning him a heavyweight title shot.

Byrd made his professional debut in 1993 at 160 lbs. He hasn't fought at less than 177 pounds since then. He recently lost an IBF eliminator to Alexander Povetkin in Germany. George has own 3 straight since losing on points to Alex Gurov in a bid for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific cruiserweight title.

If Byrd wins a title at light heavyweight, he becomes the 2nd former heavyweight titleholder to drop down to 175 pounds and also claim a belt. The others were Bob Fitzsimmons in 1902 and Roy Jones Jr. in 2003. Pelullo says that he's known Byrd for a long time and is looking forward to working with him. It may surprise some people that a former 2 time heavyweight champion is fighting at a lower weight class. Although, Pelullo thinks that Byrd will have some great fights in the division and most likely win the world championship.

"I'm excited to work with Artie Pelullo and Banner Promotions and look forward to becoming the light heavyweight champion of the world as soon as possible," Byrd said. "I know Roy Jones Jr. and Robert Fitzsimmons won titles at heavyweight and then light heavyweight, but I'll be the first two-time heavyweight champion to move down to light heavy to win the title."

It's been eight years since Byrd won his first heavyweight title against Vitali Klitschko and He had a great run as heavyweight champion after beating Evander Holyfield. In his last fight, Byrd was stopped in the 11th round of a heavyweight eliminator by Alexander Povetkin. After that fight, he originally planned on going down to the 200 lbs. cruiserweight division but the weight just kept coming off.

Ultimately, Byrd would like to land a fight with one of the big names in the division, such as Antonio Tarver, Jones, Clinton Woods, Glen Johnson, Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, etc. He expects to be in that mix after a few good fights.

Pacquiao Knocks Out Diaz and Wins Lightweight Title

Although Manny Pacquiao is the new 135-pound champion, he's no mere lightweight.

At any weight, in any ring, the Filipino phenomenon looks like the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Packing five new pounds of power in his usual stunning hand speed, Pacquiao captured a title belt in his fourth weight class Saturday night, stopping David Diaz in the ninth round to claim the WBC lightweight championship at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

After starting his career 13 years ago at 106 pounds, Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) has evolved into a dominant fighter in five divisions. His lightweight debut was every bit as action-packed as his long history of brawls at lower weights - and like most of his opponents, Diaz (34-2-1) couldn't match Pac-Man's ferocious pace.

"I feel much, much stronger and more powerful at 135," said Pacquiao, the first Asian boxer to win titles at four weights. "This is where I plan to stay. I did real well. I was really surprised it wasn't stopped sooner."

Three months ago, Juan Manuel Marquez stretched Pacquiao to the limit before losing a split decision in the same ring in perhaps the year's best bout so far. Pacquiao took much less punishment this time, but Diaz was remarkably tenacious in the face of nonstop attacks - until Pacquiao sneaked home a left hand that dropped Diaz's bloody face to the canvas.

Diaz, the likable but unlikely champion from Chicago, knew he faced long odds - 4-to-1 at fight time - in his second title defense. The former U.S. Olympian hung in despite severe cuts and weary legs that wobbled with each of Pacquiao's big punches.

Pacquiao was relentless with his right hook, apparently capitalizing on something seen by trainer Freddie Roach in Diaz's defense.

"His punches are just too fast," Diaz told his corner after the sixth round.

Diaz's face was dripping blood by then, and both fighters' white trunks were shaded pink by the eighth, when Pacquiao battered Diaz relentlessly. Referee Vic Drakulich stopped the bout before even counting to 10, and Pacquiao tugged on Diaz's arm in support before leaping onto the ropes in celebration.

"It was his speed," Diaz said. "It was all his speed. I could see the punches perfectly, but he was just too fast. He boxed me more than I thought he was going to box. I said to Freddie (Roach), 'It's the best I've ever seen him box.' Freddie said, 'Me too. That was our game plan."'

Pacquiao threw 788 punches to Diaz's 463, also landing 10 percent more of his blows. Pacquiao also jabbed well with remarkable discipline for an instinctual brawler, but Diaz was hurt most by Pacquiao's 180 power shots that connected.

Pacquiao started fighting as a scrawny 16-year-old in the Philippines, but he grew into a dynamic competitor who won world titles at 112, 122 and 130 pounds. He also knocked out linear champion Marco Antonio Barrera at 126 pounds in November 2003, giving Pacquiao major victories at every weight class he has entered.

His move to 135 pounds, while seemingly inevitable after Pacquiao largely cleared out the junior lightweight division, led some to worry whether the extra bulk would compromise Pacquiao's famed speed. Even Roach acknowledged his fighter might not be quite as fast.

Nobody is worried any more - least of all Roach.

"That was beautiful," Roach said. "The game plan was not to stand and trade, because Diaz is too dangerous. The plan was to go in and out, outbox him, do what Manny does best. He did everything that we asked him to do."

Some thought Pacquiao's next move could be to bulk up even further, perhaps for a wildly lucrative fight with England's most popular plugger, Ricky Hatton. Pacquiao seems more likely to stick around to fight other lightweights, including a possible bout against Humberto Soto, who lost a curious disqualification Saturday in an undercard bout.

"I can fight in November," Pacquiao said. "Who I fight is the job of my promoter (Bob Arum)."

Pacquiao has made his career on a series of exciting brawls with the best Mexican fighters of the post-Julio Cesar Chavez era, going 5-1-1 against Barrera, Erik Morales and Marquez, who lost a supermodel-thin split decision to Pacquiao last March.

Meanwhile, Diaz has made a career out of defying meager expectations, starting with two surprising victories over Zab Judah for a spot on the 1996 U.S. Olympic team. After quitting the sport for nearly two years early in this decade, Diaz earned his title nearly two years ago in a stunning 10th-round knockout of Jose Armando Santa Cruz.

The unlikely victory was the height of success for Diaz, the youngest of nine children born in Chicago to Mexican immigrants. He became a mid-major sports celebrity in Chicago, throwing out a first pitch for his beloved Chicago Cubs and earning the admiration of Blackhawks coach Denis Savard, who was scheduled to accompany Diaz into the ring Saturday night.

Mandalay Bay was filled largely with Filipino fans, including an overly optimistic man whose sign read, "Pac-Man, Marry Me!"