Andrei Arlovski's Boxing Debut Set for June 27

by Anton Tabuena on Apr 23, 2009 4:07 PM EDT Comment 47 comments

Promoted to the front page from the FanPosts by Luke Thomas.

Freddie Roach talked to MMA Fanhouse about Andrei Arlovski's boxing debut:

Golden Boy Promotions has signed Arlovski for a six-round fight on its June 27 show. No opponent has been determined.

"Andrei is going to be aggressive, using his strength and his reach advantage and his height," Roach said. "He's going to be aggressive and looking for a knockout."

"He spars with the best guys I can get for him over here and he holds his own with them.. I'd like to see him after his first pro fight and I think we'll have a better outlook for him at that point."

"He likes to box so much more than MMA... He likes the stand-up game. If boxing takes off for him I think he'll stay, but obviously if he gets a world title fight in MMA he probably would not turn that down."

Andrei Arlovski's fight will be in the undercard of Golden Boy Promotion's June 27 card featuring Chris John vs. Rocky Juarez for the WBA featherweight title. The fight might not be able to make it to the televised portion of the card.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

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Is this ever going to happen?

First April.. then May… now June.

Creator of the FightMatrix rating system.

by JCS_FM on Apr 23, 2009 11:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

0_0

…

lol

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Apr 23, 2009 11:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I was just wondering about this about 10 minutes ago. Thanks.

by SamCupitt on Apr 23, 2009 12:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

6 rounds...

for a pro boxing debut is pretty impressive. I know he’s a pro fighter…but still.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

http://CurseOfRonKarkovice.blogspot.com/

by Brent Brookhouse on Apr 23, 2009 2:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Where do pros usually start off? 3-4 rounds?

by Chris Nelson on Apr 23, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

4

Creator of the FightMatrix rating system.

by JCS_FM on Apr 23, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

4 rounders vs tomato cans…

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Apr 24, 2009 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

is this a dick move?

i feel like it is, but i cant explain why. i am all for him doing what he likes and living his life, but it just feels werid to me.

i am not some huge arlovski fan but i just dont see it.

i feel like he is turning his back on such a great thing

also i dislike what freddie roach is doing to mma, the dude has no idea what he is doing yet it seems a ton of top guys go to him.

by bearcox13 on Apr 23, 2009 2:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He isn’t training them in BJJ..

by bigweeze on Apr 23, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Freddie isn’t doing anything to MMA. These guys are coming to him — not the other way around.

by steak_knife on Apr 23, 2009 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the dude has no idea what he is doing

Come again?

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Apr 23, 2009 2:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

in terms of mma

he doesnt know takedown defense or how to belnd boxing into mma. GRanted he is a boxing genius. but you know what that doesnt mean he can also be a great boxing for mma trainer. u see it with wreslters a lto they just can’t translate there skills to mma. and when Roach says thing s about not knowing anything about whats going on when the fight hits the ground that leads me to believe he is just collecting paychecks from rich high level mma stars. i only know three dudes he has been training, arlovski, tito and silve

so far we have seen arlivski get knocked naked by fedor, anderson silvs turn into the killer instincless onder, and tito married jenna jamison. not a great track record

by bearcox13 on Apr 23, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

His job isn't to be their entire coaching team..

every MMA guy has a striking coach. Some have a MT guy as well as a boxing guy, some just have a boxing guy, some have others…etc. If anyone is going to roach and roach only that is an issue.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

http://CurseOfRonKarkovice.blogspot.com/

by Brent Brookhouse on Apr 23, 2009 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

“u see it with wreslters a lto they just can’t translate there skills to mma.”
I assume you meant to say “you see it with wrestler too, they just can’t translate their skills to mma.” Which is bunk. Wrestling, particularly the Folkstyle wrestling so predominant in America, is extremely applicable to MMA even if it’s only part of the game. Taking someone down in wrestling is little different than taking someone down in MMA. Ditto defending against takedowns. Not to mention the ground and clinch grappling both offer transferable skills, even if wrestling is not the complete package. Boxing can be quite useful as a base, but boxing in a boxing a boxing match and boxing in MMA are quite different simply because the stances are so different.

by Chromium on Apr 23, 2009 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Free Agency is awesome!

Fedor vs Aoki

Sylvia vs Mercer

Andrei vs some shmo…

From this you can pretty much see how much of a mess Affliction is in. Will they even have the 3rd show? :)

by mmalogic on Apr 23, 2009 3:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I cannot imagine why the UFC doesn’t let its fighters fuck around like this.

by subo on Apr 23, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

What do you think this is - a business?

Why shouldn’t they let their investments run around doing whatever they want?

by asa on Apr 23, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I want to see him throw a flying knee.

Keep firing Assholes!
Akiyama is the Japanese word for Sexify.

by Ubernoober on Apr 23, 2009 3:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Personally

I’m excited about this because I am still a huge boxing fan. It doesn’t get any better than working with Roach either so I’m very very intrigued………… to put it mildly.

by MauiPimpin on Apr 23, 2009 3:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

“Andrei is going to be aggressive, using his strength and his reach advantage and his height,” Roach said.

Um… dumb question: if no opponent has been determined yet, how can Roach be so sure of Andrei’s strength and reach advantage?

I love me some Sexyama!

by pud333 on Apr 23, 2009 4:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

TBD does not mean they dont know who it is yet

but rather that it has not been announced/made official.

by ryanwk628 on Apr 23, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No matter the opponent (barring they throw in an absolute can) I see arlovski getting out-pointed and “shown the ropes” if you will. Hopefully he will stick with it and take a few fights regardless of the result in his debut.

by MMA_Nole on Apr 24, 2009 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Total Career domination in

10, 9, 8, 7, 6 Rounds!

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Apr 23, 2009 4:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dammit – destruction – total career destruction….

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Apr 23, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He likes to box so much more than MMA… He likes the stand-up game.

Why haven’t we heard this before if it’s true? Why would he even compete in MMA for so long?

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by themachiavellian on Apr 23, 2009 5:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

why hasn’t he tried K-1 as well? more money in boxing i guess. a.a. is one of my all time faves so i will be paying attention to this fight, but i do wish he would stick strictly with mma. he still seems capable of beating or hanging with any of the top hw’s in mma today. i know in the past andrei has said he will go back anf forth, but roach recently said that if he sucedes in boxing, that is what he will primarily do.

by bdw on Apr 23, 2009 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There isn’t more money in boxing for him unless he gets to a world champion level very quickly(he’s already 30 years old and he is just getting started in boxing). I guess it’s in his favor that the boxing heavyweight division isn’t so hot right now but he better become real good real quick if he is wanting to get any where close to what he was making in MMA.

by who me on Apr 24, 2009 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Noone wants to see a Fedor/AA rematch? And what is it about boxing that makes veteran mma fighters not want to fight in mma anymore? Are they too hoping one day they can get a 10 million dollar check oscar de la hoya style?

by pandaboy99 on Apr 23, 2009 6:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes it more check and less Dana White. I think that why some of these guys want to venture outside MMA.

by bignerd on Apr 23, 2009 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What does Dana White have to do with Arlovski boxing? Who else is leaving MMA for boxing? Tim Sylvia is doing it once because they can’t find him a decent MMA fight, Anderson SIlva doesn’t want to leave the sport for boxing he just want’s to box an aging Roy Jones Jr.

by who me on Apr 24, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The creme of the crop of boxing will always get the lion share of gate and purse. You know maybe there is a perception that MMA fighters can excel in boxing. I mean… it is a valid reason in the higher weight classes.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Apr 24, 2009 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

When he doesn’t make shit for money and his power leaves with the 5oz gloves he will be crawling back.

But I guess this is really AA hoping to fight Timmeh for the WBO title on New Years.

by Riney on Apr 23, 2009 7:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

^ with boxing and it’s politics, this could happen^. :)

by bdw on Apr 23, 2009 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't want to go through the argument again..

but no. It can’t happen for SEVERAL fights.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

http://CurseOfRonKarkovice.blogspot.com/

by Brent Brookhouse on Apr 23, 2009 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that was a joke son. lighten up.

by bdw on Apr 24, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

When Arlovski has lost, except for the Ricco fight, it has always been the result of what happened in the stand up. Arlovski is not even close to being the stand up version of Vinnie Magalhaes. Everybody thinks that the Sylvia-Mercer fight is a joke, but Sylvia beat Arlovski twice standing.

Oh well, it’s not like Jordan leaving the NBA to play basketball (Thanks Fedor!)

by Jahbulon on Apr 23, 2009 11:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

There is a world of a difference between being a great striker in MMA and being a good boxer.

I want to see him with the 10 ounce gloves instead of the tiny 4 ounce ones that MMA fighters use.

I doubt he can beat anyone skilled in boxing, the end result would be something like this…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI8KSBsSY-Y

I do respect him forray into boxing. I really want to see him because he actually has the physical skills that can translate him into a very good boxer. It is just the techincal skill aspect that he will be very far behind vs everyone he faces.

I want to see if Ross Greenburg will show highlights of his fight. It would be very impressive of GBP they have enough pull to get some clips of him on air.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Apr 24, 2009 12:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We also don’t know how much he is getting for this very safe fight. It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets 50K vs someone who has a glass chin.

Cali isn’t going to let him face a vet for his first fight. It will be vs someone with less than 5 fights I believe.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Apr 24, 2009 12:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

he can be great at stand-up

but as far as i know, you still can’t train a glass chin.

by bobthewriter on Apr 24, 2009 8:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

???

i don’t know why people always say andrei has a glass chin. it’s when he get’s overly aggressive and is moving forward into power punches from hard hitting dudes that he gets knocked out. he doesn’t have a granite chin, but he has far from a glass chin.

by FiatJustitiaRuatCaelum on Apr 24, 2009 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

when Timmeh can KO you with a weak uppercut (after nearly being KO’d himself, and Fedor puts you down like you were some Belarus version of Old Yeller … yeah. glass chin.

though i wouldn’t say he has a paper chin, like some have said. so there’s that.

by bobthewriter on Apr 24, 2009 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

tim sylvia is whack but he’s still 6’8" and 260 lbs with 16 of his 24 wins coming by way of t(ko). once again, andrei was overly aggressive because he smelled blood from almost knocking timmeh out. and who wouldn’t get knocked out by a overhand right from fedor while you’re airborne? act like that’s an easy punch to take.

by FiatJustitiaRuatCaelum on Apr 24, 2009 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In an alternate universe, I would love to see a supremely athletic guy like AA train boxing from his youth. But we live in this universe where he chose MMA. As much as I’d like to see his boxing debut, it will probably disappoint me the way boxing in general has for the last few years. Much like Kim Couture, people would only want to see Arlovski box b/c of his relationship w/MMA. I hope he turns out to be a stud. But he won’t. Maybe he should set up a big boxing match against Kimbo & they could both show how raw they really are.

by frickshun on Apr 24, 2009 9:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Just throw him in there against a Klitschko and see what happens…

by Gunslinger20 on Apr 24, 2009 11:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes...

the debuting boxer would lose to one of the best two heavyweight boxers in the world

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

http://CurseOfRonKarkovice.blogspot.com/

by Brent Brookhouse on Apr 24, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yup

Would still be entertaining to watch though.

by Gunslinger20 on Apr 24, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Arlovski is no Bo Jackson

This is the same thing is the two-sport athlete. It never works out in the long term, they always end up committing to one discipline or the other. Bo knows, Deion quit baseball eventually, Brian Jordan went with football, and so forth. Arlovski will either excel at boxing and lose his MMA skills, subsequently choosing boxing; or he’ll get a wake-up call in the ring (probably only after he’s disposed of 2 or 3 tomato cans first) and go back to MMA.

by Fooshnickens on Apr 24, 2009 3:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs