boxingfan

I'll eventually jump back in the loop...

2006-09-29T19:38:00.000-04:00

The more I read other boxing sites and blogs just to keep up with what's going on, the more I realize that I am just totally out of the loop. The fact is, I've always maintained the position that you shouldn't write about a fight unless you've actually seen it. And these days, with no premium channels on my TV, I don't see much at all. There's occasionally a decent bout on Friday Night Fights on ESPN, but those fights are never close to the marquee fights you get on HBO, Showtime, and PPV.

That said, I think I'm just going to continue on this somewhat extended break, until I can get to a place where plunking down fifty bucks to watch a fight on PPV, or adding an extra $25 a month in premium channels to my budget is do-able. I'll also admit that I've become rather caught up in my obsessive love of the NY Mets (they are, after all, having a very good year). I guess we all have to have our priorities. Which isn't to say that I'm leaving boxingfan forever. It's just that my posting will be sporadic at best. Like it has been for most of the year.

As an aside, I think it's pitiful that for most of the year, I've been dreading the day when Wladimir Klitschko finally has a decent fight (or actually, any fight at all) and I can't watch it because I can't afford to. I can't believe I'm still waiting.

Maybe Evander Should Fight Rocky Balboa

2006-08-25T11:36:00.002-04:00

Yes I know, snarky. It's the best I can do these days. I know my posting here has been for s**t over the past several months. I'll try to do better. Tomorrow maybe.

Anyway: Funny article here about Mr. Holyfield and his "comeback" from my friends at Deadspin (yes Will, you are now my friend.) Also worth mentioning, JE Grant has a snippet re: the Holyfield fight here. I won't comment on the fight because I didn't watch it. I'm sure something else was on the tube that night or maybe I was sleeping or playing with my dog.

I'm planning on posting more re: the fact that I've been sucked into The Contender. I know, I've tried in vain to miss that show since its inception, but now I've become drawn in. I tell you, every week I feel like killing myself over some poor slob's crap luck! Has the show always been like this? Poor Vinroy! Poor Ebo! I can't take it! I just want to watch a complete five-round fight, you know? Isn't that enough human drama without all the added.... drama?!

Ok, that's all I've got for now. I shouldn't be doing this at work anyway.

Liakhovich Shakes Up Heavyweight Division

2006-04-02T11:39:00.000-04:00

What a fight! Sergei Liakovich decisively took away Lamon Brewster's WBO Heavyweight belt in one of the best heavyweight fights I've seen in a looooong time. In a fight that went the distance, at times it looked like Brewster would hit the canvas - sometimes in the same round and just a few seconds after it looked like it would be Liakhovich who'd end up flat on his back.

It seems a rematch will be forthcoming, and given the excitement they delivered last night, I'd expect a rematch to be strictly pay-per-view. I have to say, I'd pay for it. These guys showed tremendous heart, will, and boxing skill (though I think Liakovich displayed much more of the latter). It's refreshing to see a heavyweight with that kind of speed - he snapped Brewster's head back time and time again with that jab, and seemed to land that right to the body almost at will. Most impressive about Liakovich to me was his chin. Brewster gave him a hell of a beating at several points - and only once did he take a knee. I do think Liakovich needs to work on capitalizing on a hurt opponent. It was frustrating watching him punch himself out when he had Brewster against the ropes, throwing dozens of useless punches in short barrages instead of stepping back and choosing his shots. For his part though, Brewster is one tough SOB. He would simply not go down.

I expect Wladimir Klitschko to make short work of Chris Byrd. After that, I'd love to see him fight the winner of the Brewster/Liakhovich rematch (and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this may all yet happen in 2006). I know I said in my last post that the winner of Klitschko/Byrd should get a shot at the winner of Rahman/Toney, but after their completely unimpressive snoozer in AC a coupld of weeks ago, I'm changing my mind. Even though I think Rahman actually won the fight, I just don't care. In my opinion, both Rahman and Toney have become irrelevant.

Heavyweights, Joe Mesi, and Stuff

2006-03-12T20:26:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to give a shout out to JE Grant. He posted his top heavyweights as of March 2006 on his site, JE Boxing. I pretty much agree with him, so rather than reinvent the wheel here, I'll just give a link to his site. (Ok, not sure that I'd put Rahman at #1, but I guess we'll see after the Toney fight, right?) Also, as you might have guessed, I've been a bit out of the loop lately. I just can't write about boxing as often as I'd like to. Which leads me to something I would like to write about: Joe Mesi. It must be the lawyer in me that's just fascinated with this guy. It's not as if I think he's the second coming of Rocky Marciano. Far from it. I'm more interested in his legal and medical issues as they relate to boxing than anything else. Plus, I honestly would like to see the guy get a fair shot at a title. That said, no way he's going to beat Klitschko, or Brewster, or Toney or Rahman. Not anytime soon. Frankly, if he gets past Sam Peter, I'll be impressed.

Anyway, the real reason for my post here is to ask anyone who still might be coming by my site if they happen to know where I can get a copy of the judge's opinion in the Mesi case. I've heard snippets of it quoted, but I'd like to read it in its entirety. From what I understand of the case now, Joe's battles are far from over. Looks to me like the judge punted; he didn't actually address the real issue of whether or not Joe has a right to fight. I do think his reasoning re: once the license expires, the suspension expires, is interesting. The problem is, I think it's a no-brainer that the Nevada State Athletic Commission will argue that the suspension should automatically re-attach to the license one it's renewed. But I don't really know at this point - that's why I'd like to read the opinion. And, if anyone out there actually has a copy of any briefs that may have been submitted to the court on behalf of either party - that would be an extra bonus!

Finally, I just want to say that the heavyweight fight I am waiting for is a rematch of Klitschko and Brewster. In my opinion, the winner of that fight should get a shot at the winner of Rahman/Toney, and then you'd have your undisputed #1 guy. But that's just my opinion.

Oh Man, I Can't Wait...

2005-12-14T16:08:00.000-05:00

Hey Johnny, I know a lawyer who does wills real cheap!

Boxing and the Mainstream Sports Media

2005-11-10T21:16:00.000-05:00

The only reason I knew that Vitali Klischko announced his retirement from boxing and ceded his belt to Hasim Rahman was because my wife told me. She was home watching Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN, and saw it on a crawl at the bottom of the screen. She called me at work to tell me about it. They never talked about it on the show.

To me the news of Klitschko's retirement was unexpected. But then, I'm a little out of the boxing loop these days. I haven't been hanging out of Maxboxing or ESB for awhile. It's not as if I'd get boxing news by watching ESPN or any of the major networks. To me it was big news, but I guess that's because I'm a fan of the sport. The mainstream sports media, however, does not give a damn about boxing. But if you're reading my little column here, then you probably know that already.

I came home and watched Sportscenter. And PTI. And that stupid show with Stat Boy - what's it called? Around the Horn. Right. The one Max Kellerman used to host - the one guy at ESPN who had half a clue about boxing. Anyway, no one cared to report that the Heavyweight Champion of the World retired. The wife tells me Jim Rome didn't talk about it either. All those morons are still too busy gorging themselves on that dead horse named Terrell Owens. By the way, is there someone I can PAY to MAKE THEM STOP?

If boxing has become insignificant, it's because the mainstream sportsmedia has made it that way. Yes, I am talking to you, ESPN.

Quick Note On Wladimir Klitschko & Other Stuff

2005-09-26T21:02:00.000-04:00

I know I've been very much NOT around lately. New job, working my butt off. You know how it is. And I've sort of made it a policy of mine to not write about fights that I haven't seen. With money being tight and most PPV fights lately being barely worth laying out fifty bucks for, I've missed a lot of fights. But I didn't miss Cotto or Klitschko fight Saturday night, and I'm grateful I can still afford HBO and still manage to stay up past 9pm every once in awhile.

I didn't keep score. I noticed between every round I more or less agreed with Harold Lederman, except where the issue of Wladimir's holding was concerned. I think Harold whined about that too much. Wlad did what he had to do to win. He used holding the right way - to keep a wrecking ball of a puncher away from him, you jab, and if he gets inside, you hold. He didn't do the cheap grappling brawler kind of holding you see from the likes of John Ruiz.

The fact is, Sam Peter packs a punch, and that's about it. The guy has very little boxing skill, and Wlad took him to school. Wlad boxed, he moved, he jabbed, and miraculously, he took no less than three Super Peter Power Punches (including one cheap shot to the back of the head), went down three times, and got up -- and STILL WON.

I know there are a lot of Klitschko detractors out there. I never considered myself one of them, nor have I been a crazy fan. And I'll admit, after Lamon Brewster knocked him out, I thought Wlad was done. I thought Peter would knock him into next week. But I think we all, including Wlad, learned something Saturday night. First, you cannot underestimate the value of a smart, future hall-of-fame trainer. Take a bow, Mr. Steward. Second, the boy has a hell of a lot more heart, and quite a bit more chin than anyone gave him credit for. In my eyes, Peter's stock plummeted, and Klitschko's soared. The hell with Klitschko/Peter II. I'd rather see Klitschko/Brewster II.

As for Cotto, he certainly proved himself Saturday night as well. I honestly thought he was about five seconds from a stoppage in the early rounds. No doubt Ricardo Torres put himself on the map of the boxing world this weekend. He is a force to be reckoned with, and even with Tszyu's recent departure, the 140 lb. division has never looked so exciting. Speaking of which, Ricky, where are you? When's the next fight, man?

In other news, Dominick Guinn is fighting James Toney and I could care less. Toney is going to drag his big fat butt into that ring and mop the floor with Guinn, and everyone knows it. Still, if there's nothing else on TV that night, and I'm still awake, I may tune in. Tarver/Jones III - I just don't care enough to pay that kind of cash. Klitschko/Rahman, also on PPV? No thanks. You know what fight will be worth the money? Castillo/Corrales II. I'll find the money for that one, and I'll be back here writing about it when it's over.

140 lb. Shakeup

2005-06-26T10:27:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Maxboxing.com's round by round summary, I was able to keep tabs on the fight last night. Even though I'll be able to watch it next weekend, I'm not even sure I want to. From all accounts, Arturo Gatti took a hell of a beating, and was outclassed in every way possible by Floyd Mayweather.

In the last couple of weeks, the Jr. Welterweight division has seen its champ, Kostya Tszyu, dethroned by a young Ricky Hatton, followed by its number one contender, Arturo Gatti, beaten senseless by the talented Floyd Mayweather. That pretty much leaves Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, and Floyd Mayweather all vying for the top spot (at least as far as Ring Magazine rankings go). And we're not even talking about any of these guys jumping up to Welterweight to take on Mosely, Margarito, or Judah - which I think any of them could.

Yeah, for my money, the Jr. Welterweight division is turning out to be the most exciting division in boxing this year. Who needs heavyweights?

Gatti/Mayweather - Random Pre-Fight Stuff

2005-06-25T17:31:00.000-04:00

It's so rare when the mainstream media covers boxing, especially a fight that isn't in the heavyweight division, that when I see the coverage, I've got to point it out. Of course, most fans of boxing have been aware of Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward's friendship for years, but the article has a lot of nice things to say about the two guys.

As for Gatti/Mayweather tonight, there are a couple of good articles, one from the Pasadena Star News, and one from ESPN about the jawing - mostly trash talk from Mayweather - that's been going on between the two fighters.

Of course, Maxboxing.com has excellent coverage of the fight as well, though I am surprised that 12 of 14 Maxboxing staffers have picked Mayweather to win. I have to say that I'm inclined to go with Allan Scotto on this one - Floyd may be taking this fight way too lightly. His intense dislike for Gatti might just take him off his game, too. It seems these two guys truly do NOT like each other, but I'm thinking that kind of dislike is going to work more to Gatti's advantage than Mayweather's.

Over at The Sweet Science, of the 19 staffers weighing in with predictions, 14 chose Mayweather. JE Grant, I hope you are right my friend! While I steadfastly refuse to make any predictions... this is a blog, and it's mine, and hey, it's not like I'm an actual journalist getting paid for my opinions. So, GO GATTI GO!

Boxing In Ohio (Where?)

2005-06-24T20:19:00.000-04:00

If I could afford to, the first thing I would do this Saturday night is PPV the Gatti/Mayweather fight. And even if I didn't have the fifty bucks (give or take a buck or two) to do that, but had slightly less money to spend on entertainment (which I don't) I'd attend Powers Championship Boxing at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. Who where, you say? Columbus, which is in Ohio. Which is sort of where I live. But at twenty-five bucks a ticket, that's not exactly a cheapo night out either, so I'll probably just stay home.

I have a confession to make. As much as I absolutely LOVE the sport of boxing, I've never been to a real, live fight. No, I've just been watching it on TV for years. This is largely due to the fact that I live in Central Ohio. We don't get much in the way of boxing around here. There's Powers, and that's about it. I know, it seems almost criminal. It would be like trying to write about baseball without ever having been to a game. There's an entire dimension you miss by not knowing what it's like to actually be there. I suspect it's a similar thing with boxing.

Anyway, I tried to talk the guys at Powers into giving me access to their fighters. I wanted write about them while learning more about what it takes to be a boxer. Seemed to me that it'd be a good deal for them - they get free PR and carte blanche with whatever I write. Hell, it's not like the local rags around here are going to cover boxing. They're already forked up about Buckeye Football (yeah, I know it's only June - welcome to Columbus!) I mean, can anyone outside of Columbus even name a single Powers fighter? I don't even know where these guys train. But they just ignored me, never answered any of my emails. Way to build a fan base, guys. Oh, and go schedule your big fights the same night as Gatti/Mayweather - that's a great idea too.

Well, at least there's FNF tonight on ESPN, and that's free....

Some Notes on Recent Fights

2005-06-23T10:24:00.000-04:00

Well, I really enjoyed the Tarver/Johnson rematch this past weekend. It really showed just how smart a fighter Antonio Tarver is. He adjusted brilliantly after Johnson bested him in their first fight. Tarver's jab kept Johnson from getting inside, and even when Johnson managed to get by the jab, Tarver slipped away before Johnson could do any real damage. As Johnson remarked after the fight, Tarver was just "craftier." Indeed.

Both fighters really gutted it out in the end, seemingly dead on their feet but still throwing punches and trying to score points. The true test of each man, however, will be in the third fight, which both sides are already talking about. I can't wait.

Ike Quartey managed to eke by gatekeeper Verno Phillips in their Jr. Middleweight fight. The fight really should have been a draw; Ref. Randy Philips really screwed up by calling a clear knockdown of Quartey in round nine a slip. So what should have been a 10-7 round was scored instead a 10-8, giving Quartey that extra point he needed to win the fight. Phillips also inexplicably stopped throwing punches in the last fifteen-twenty seconds of the final round, gifting it to Quartey and further assuring him the close call win.

I'd never seen Quartey fight before tonight, and apparently he was really up there in the division until losses to Vargas and De La Hoya sent him into an extended retirement. They were both apparently close calls, and Quartey (who once held a Welterweight alphabelt) quit more in disgust than in defeat. Unfortunately for Quartey, this fight didn't exactly position him for a huge fight. De La Hoya has too many other money fights to consider, as does Vargas. And I'm afraid, even if either of those men took on Quartey, he'd head right back into retirement after getting his head handed to him. Same goes for Ouma, Wright, or Castillejo.

As for the upcoming Mayweather/Gatti fight this weekend, I am sticking to my guns and steadfastly refusing to make a prediction. I also can't do the PPV thing, so my analysis of the fight is going to be at least a week late.

Catching Up

2005-06-15T21:31:00.000-04:00

Well, I've been an absentee blogger lately, and for the few people who actually read boxingfan regularly, I apologize. Sometimes life just gets in the way of our more passionate pursuits, especially when those pursuits happen to be the kind we don't get paid for.

That said, I did watch several very good fights in recent weeks, and have a few comments about them. First, I actually enjoyed the little I got to see of Scott Harrison. Since the fight ended by TKO in the fourth round, there wasn't too much time to really see him work. Still, Harrison has a lot of heart; he can take a punch, and he can hit hard. Michael Brodie was weakened by a flurry of body punches at the end of round three; he then crumpled like a sack of potatos 46 seconds into round four after yet another brutal shot to the gut from Harrison. Harrison looks to be ready for a serious fight in the USA, maybe Marquez or Barrera. We'll see.

The Casamayor/Raiymkulov fight was ok. I wasn't particularly impressed by either guy, really. Casamayor isn't anywhere near the fighter he was. He had Raiymkulov in trouble in the first round, but never really went in for the kill. "Kid Diamond" needs some serious polish to be a real contender, including an actual defensive strategy. I'm not overly disappointed that the fight was called a draw, even though I had Raiymkulov winning the fight, 114-113.

The Cotta/Abdullaev fight was much more entertaining. Miguel Cotto, besides being just damned pretty, is indeed the new up and coming Jr. Welterweight. With Kostya Tszyu gone, the fight for this division's champ is going to be fun to watch. I had Cotto way ahead on my card when the fight was stopped in the eighth; Abdullaev had a nasty hematoma on his forehead, and his right eye was completely swollen shut. Cotto's technique is impressive for a 24 year old kid. I'd love to see him fight Ricky Hatton, or the winner of Gatti/Mayweather.

Speaking of Gatti/Mayweather, I'm bummed I'm not going to be able to PPV that one, but at least I'll see the replay the following week. I'll probably have to do the same with Hopkins/Taylor. Again, I'm glad they're on HBO, and that HBO will replay fights the following week. Other PPV events don't do that. Like Tyson/McBride - but to be honest, even if I did have the money for that one, I would have skipped it. Which brings me to one more topic I'd like to address before signing off for the evening.

WHY did every major newspaper and television network (the ones that even bother to cover boxing, that is) send their sportswriters to the Tyson fight, and not to the Cotto fight? That, my friends, is what's wrong with the mainstream media's entire attitude towards boxing. Tyson is washed up, and has been for years. McBride is a nobody. In the grand scheme of things in the boxing world, that fight was meaningless. It wasn't about boxing, it was a damned three ring circus. All it did was cater to some people's perverse fascination with a mentally disturbed man who has a habit of periodically self-destructing on a national stage and in a big way. For their money, they got no dirty fighting, no blood, no body parts bitten off. Just a tired man who didn't feel like going back into the ring after six rounds.

The Cotto/Abdullaev fight was for the WBO Jr. Welterweight Championship belt. Say what you will about the WBO, the fact is, even without the belt at stake, for anyone who knows or cares about boxing, THAT fight was the fight that meant something to the sport of boxing.

After this weekend, Tyson will go home and try to think of some other way to pay off his creditors. Maybe he'll go into Pride fighting or WWF wrestling. McBride will go back to wherever it is they found him. Abdullaev will have to fight his way back up the Jr. Welterweight ranks again for another title shot. Miguel Cotto will remain a legit contender for the Ring Magazine Jr. Welterweight belt, along with half a dozen other incredibly talented fighters in an incredibly talent-packed division. And maybe, just maybe, the mainstream sports media will sniff out a clue and write about that, because that's what really matters. But I wouldn't bet on it.

A Humorous Article At Maxboxing

2005-06-08T17:47:00.000-04:00

Ok, when I read the title of Michael J. Woods' latest article on Maxboxing.com, I knew it was going to be a good one. I Bet a Blind, Drunk Monkey Could Pick Fight Winners Better than Me is priceless. Mike, I feel your pain; I stink too. As a matter of fact, I'm beginning to think I ought to stop picking winners of fights, because all I do is end up jinxing them. Golota, Tszyu, Castillo. In my own defense, I did pick Wright, and I am going to pick Taylor.... I mean, wait. I'm not picking him. Not picking anyone. Forget I wrote that....

Hatton Bests Tszyu

2005-06-06T13:58:00.000-04:00

I know at this point Kostya Tszyu's loss to Ricky Hatton this past Saturday night is old news. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to write about it until now, and frankly...I still don't really want to. The thing is, I'm a fan, not a journalist. I try to focus on being a fan of the sport, and not necessarily any individual fighters. But there are certain guys I cant help rooting for, and Kostya Tszyu is one of them.

I dismissed it as "just my imagination" when I thought something didn't look quite right with Kostya Tszyu as he walked into the ring Saturday night. Either I was wrong, or just wrong about thinking I was wrong, in which case... I was right.

I'm not about to take an ounce of credit away from Ricky Hatton. He is now the reigning IBF Junior Welterweight Champ. Even Tszyu himself admitted that even though he's a "proud proud man," Ricky Hatton was the better man that night, and he was. And as hard as it is to say this.... I'm not sure Ricky is ever NOT going to be the better man against this 35 year old Tszyu. I don't want to see a rematch. As a fan of Kostya's for many years, I honestly hope he bows out gracefully, and enjoys the rest of his life in good health, with his wife and children. He's been a fighter's fighter. Fierce, compelling, a 140 pound tornado in the ring for over ten years. He's proven everything he needs to prove.

While Arturo Gatti may have a few fights left in him, it's time for the young guns of the Junior Welterweight division to duke it out. I'll be looking forward to seeing what young Ricky Hatton can do against Cotto or Mayweather. Frankly, I think the kid is more of a natural Welterweight anyway; he ought to consider eventually moving up to that division and taking on the top guys there. I think in a few short years, he could give Judah or Margarito quite a run.

Some fight notes:

I had Ricky ahead on the scorecards going into round twelve, 105-104. I can even understand the judges and media ringside who had it 106-103 (Asaro, the French judge did, as well as John Dillon, a journalist from the UK.) It was a closer fight on the cards than it was inside the ring, if that makes any sense. Hatton was relentless, effectively getting inside, landing stinging uppercuts and left hooks, brawling, and dismantling any offense or defense Tszyu tried to put together.

Hatton's strategy and execution were brilliant. Had he chosen to fight Tszyu on the outside, this would have been a completely different fight, with quite possibly a different outcome. Other than a glimmer of the old Kostya Tszyu that showed up in round three, and again at the end of round six and into seven, he was just flat, and the punches he did manage to land never really hurt Ricky Hatton much at all.

It's hard not to like either of these men, and I wish Kostya Tszyu a happy life should he decide to take off the gloves for good. I'll also be looking forward to seeing Ricky Hatton come to America for more exposure and big name fights. He seems like a good kid, and a legitimate champ.

Quick Note on Tszyu vs. Hatton

2005-06-03T20:37:00.000-04:00

If I were a betting person, my money would be on Kostya Tszyu to win this fight... but then again, I don't think my theoretical money has ever NOT been on Tszyu. Ricky Hatton is an exciting young fighter, but he's not going to beat this seasoned veteran, even in his own backyard. Now, I do think Hatton will give Tszyu a hell of a fight, and prove he's a junior welterweight to be reckoned with - especially after the old man retires. I'm picking Tszyu in a late round stoppage.

Bernard Doesn't Want Winky

2005-06-03T19:45:00.000-04:00

Wow. I just read over at CNNSI.com that Bernard Hopkins wants three more fights before he's done - and none of them will be against Winky Wright. Wow. Said Hopkins, "It's the only fight out there that makes sense... I think it makes more sense than me and Winky Wright."

Say what? Are you kidding me, Bernard? A fight against Winky Wright is the ONLY one that makes sense. Instead, you'd rather move up to Light Heavyweight to fight the winner of Johnson/Tarver, then finish off with Roy Jones? Ok, the Jones fight would be entertaining, but it makes no sense for Roy to do it. That man has nothing left to prove. He already beat you once, and he's retired now. His legacy is already somewhat mildly tarnished by being KO'd in his last two fights (against Johnson and Tarver). Why risk making it worse? I'm just not sure the payday would be incentive enough for him. And I'm not sure I'd shell out $50 to watch it on PPV, either.

It's also worth reminding you that this "Bernard Hopkins Farewell Tour" hinges on you beating Jermaine Taylor on July 16. You might just be getting a little ahead of yourself, and that can be dangerous for a boxer. If I were Winky Wright, I'd start calling you out right now.

[Check out the new poll - over on the right]

Lamon Was Relentless

2005-05-21T23:42:00.000-04:00

Surprisingly, for a fight that lasted only fifty-three seconds, I actually have a lot to say about it. First, who was that guy that came out swinging like a wrecking ball at Andrew Golota? Lamon Brewster? Really? That was not a Lamon Brewster I've ever seen before. But I can say without a doubt, that is a Lamon Brewster I absolutely want to see again! That's the Brewster I'd love to see knock the hell out of John Ruiz, or take on Vitali Klitschko. Those left hooks were simply stunning.

On the other hand, I'm a bit disappointed for Andrew Golota. Win or lose, I wanted to see Golota overcome his doubts and fears, and let go of all that psychological baggage he's been lugging around for the better part of his career. In a way he did - you have to give him credit for getting up and getting back in there twice. Especially after the second knockdown, which just about knocked him clear out of the ring. He even looked ready to get up a third time before referee Geno Rodriguez called a halt to the bout. But fifty three seconds is hardly time enough for the kind of test that Golota, his fans, and boxing writers were hoping for.

Before that fight I felt like I was ready to write a book about Andrew Golota. But now I feel like Lamon Brewster just snatched the pen out of my hand and ate it. In fifty-three seconds, Brewster's Heavyweight division stock soared, while Golota's final shot at redemption in the shape of an arguably worthless WBO title belt hit the canvas harder than his 248 pound frame. A part of me desperately wants to see him try again, but he is 37 years old after all. Old for any athlete; ancient for a boxer. Either way, I will not be surprised if he retires, or if he needs to stick around for one more fight. That tends to happen with boxers who have something left to prove. There's always one more fight.

A Travesty in Hollywood, Florida

2005-05-20T22:21:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you have a fight where the guys are so closely matched, that it's almost impossible to score. Kind of like Castillo and Corrales, at least until the tenth round. Other times, you have a fight where the fighters might be closely matched, but if you are really educated about the science of boxing, and you're really paying attention to the fight and not blind or intoxicated, you can see where one guy really is outboxing the other. Landing more clean punches. Controlling the action (ie: ring generalship). That was the case tonight, yet unfortunately for Dale Brown, the sport of boxing, and its fans, none of the judges seemed to be educated, sober, or actually watching the same fight as the rest of us.

The fact is, Dale Brown won that fight. On my scorecard, it wasn't even close. I had it 117-112 Brown. Kevin Kelly and Shane Mosely had it 116-112 Brown. Joe Tessitore had it 9 rounds to 3, Brown. Brian Kenny also had Brown as the winner, but didn't tell us what he had on his scorecard. When interviewed after the fight, Bell even said, and I quote, "He outboxed me." Yes, O'Neil, he did. In almost every round. Which means you didn't win. (Bell seemed genuinely puzzled when both Tessitore and Kelly told him pretty much everyone at ESPN thought he lost).

Brown was gracious, as was Bell, considering the outcome. Bell is game for a rematch, but is really looking to take on Jean-Marc Mormec. If there is a Bell/Brown rematch, which I sincerely hope there is, perhaps a different set of judges will return the IBF Cruiserweight Champion belt to the man who deserves it. And if that fight goes anything like this one did, that man will be Dale Brown.

Brewster vs Golota

2005-05-20T11:14:00.000-04:00

Lamon Brewster defends his WBO heavyweight belt against Andrew Golota this Saturday night in Chicago. Brewster is 31-2-0, with 27 KO's; Golota is 38-5-1 with 31 KO's. It's worth mentioning that two of Golota's five losses were due to disqualifications for low blows, both times against Riddick Bowe. There was also that loss against Michael Grant in 1999, where Golota just up and quit in the tenth round. Unfortunately for Golota, these losses seem to continue to haunt him and color his reputation in a very bad way. In the world of boxing, he's still seen as a wild card, a potential head case who is more likely to sabotage himself rather than allow someone else to bring him down. Still, I'm going to put my money (theoretically, not actual money money) on the proposition that he's put these self-destructive tendencies behind him, and will emerge victorious Saturday night.

Despite Brewster's impressive record, at least by the numbers, his most noteworthy win was against Wladimir Klitschko. Klitschko's rep has declined like a lead balloon over the last few years, so I'm not putting much stock in that win. On the other hand, Golota's ring experience against talented heavyweights far exceeds Brewster's. Most recently, Golota lost a somewhat controversial decision against John Ruiz. Before that, he fought Chris Byrd to a draw. He's beaten Corey Sanders, and faced Lennox Lewis, and Riddick Bowe (twice). Although he lost to Lewis and Bowe, those are still examples of the quality of opponent Golota is used to facing. You just can't say the same for Lamon Brewster, whose losses were to Cliff Etienne and Charles Shufford.

I don't see this fight going the distance. This is Andrew Golota's last chance for a belt, and I think he'll make the most of it by knocking Brewster out at some point during the middle rounds.

Nandrolone Strikes Again

2005-05-18T14:51:00.000-04:00

Greg Skidmore over at Sports Law Blog has an interesting article about a competitive swimmer who won a lawsuit against supplement maker Ultimate Nutrition. Apparently, the swimmer took a multi-vitamin produced by this company, and later failed a drug test. It was subsequently discovered that the vitamin was contaminated with 19-norandrosterone (basically, the metabolized product of Nandrolone). Read the article here:

http://sports-law.blogspot.com/2005/05/swimmer-wins-lawsuit-against-vitamin.html

Is California Boxing in Jeopardy?

2005-05-16T14:51:00.000-04:00

It certainly looks that way, if Senate Bill 247 gets through the California legislature. ESB has a very good article discussing the ramifications of this proposed bill. If you live in California and are a boxing fan, you really should read up on this, and take action while you still have a chance. Read the article on ESB's site by clicking this link: http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=3492&more=1

New Poll - Vote Now!

2005-05-15T15:35:00.000-04:00

Just posted a new poll over on the right. Who should Winky fight next? Leave a comment here or email me if there's anyone you think I should add to the list.

Winky Dominates

2005-05-15T13:56:00.000-04:00

I have to include myself among boxing fans who were afraid to make a prediction about the Wright/Trinidad fight. I figured, if it went 12 rounds, Winky had a good chance of winning, but if it went less, it would probably be a result of Tito knocking Winky out. I never would have guessed that Winky would utterly and completely dominate every round of that fight, but that's exactly what he did.

I had it scored 120-107, giving every single round to Winky. Two of the three judges gave round 12 to Tito. I don't know if that was a courtesy round to Tito, but in the end it really doesn't matter.

When I heard that the only fear Winky had was that he'd beat Tito so badly a rematch would be out of the question, I laughed at his seemingly boundless confidence. But as it turns out, Winky's worst fears may have come to pass. When he mentioned a rematch after the fight, HBO commentators almost laughed at him. I have to admit, I did too. No way anyone is going to pay to see that fight again. I know I'm not alone in wondering what Tito will do next. Was he really that bad, or was Winky really that good?

I think I believe the latter, and the very plausible idea that Winky might have knocked Tito back into retirement. What are Tito's options otherwise? If he decides to go back down to Welterweight, he's got another crafty southpaw in Zab Judah who has a good chance of making him look almost as bad as Winky did. A shot at the winner of Hopkins/Taylor seems unlikely, too. I don't think I'm the only person who'd rather see Winky Wright get that fight before Tito Trinidad. Throw into that mix the fact that everybody seems to want a piece of Oscar De La Hoya, if for no other reason than the enormous PPV draw.

I sincerely hope that after this fight, Winky will have earned the respect he deserves. I'd pay to see him fight a top contender - Hopkins, Taylor, De La Hoya, Ouma, Mosely - he's a good enough and smart enough fighter to beat any of those guys. Yes, even Bernard Hopkins.

Finally, I think the fact that this fight occured on the heels of the Corrales/Castillo fight illustrates a unique juxtaposition of boxing as a sweet science vs. boxing as a blood and guts test of manhood and endurance. It's akin to those who prefer a pitcher's duel of a baseball game, as opposed to a high scoring home run derby. Watching Winky completely dismantle one of the great fighters of our time was watching pure artistry - the sweet science at its best. As I wrote in my essay about the Corrales Castillo fight, it was everything beautiful and ugly and breathtaking about the sport of boxing. While I might say the same thing about Wright/Trinidad, I'd also add the word pure. Winky Wright is a pure boxer, and a pleasure to watch for a pure boxing fan.

******

As a postscript, all I have to say about the Judah/Rivera fight is this: This fight illustrates exactly why the alphabet organizations really get on my nerves. In order to keep his belt, Zab is forced to fight a guy so far beneath him, it's a joke. I want to see Zab fight Antonio Margarito, period. Or at least someone who deserves to be in the same ring with him. Hopefully, Zab soundly kicked Cosme Rivera and his idiot grin permanently out of everyone's top ten rankings, just so we never have to see him fight again.

Retired Boxers Foundation

2005-05-13T15:55:00.000-04:00

I just spent a little over an hour on the phone with Jacquie Richardson and Alex "The Bronx Bomber" Ramos of the Retired Boxers Foundation. These are two of the coolest boxing people on the planet. I called them to get some more information regarding a press release they sent out on the California State Athletic Commission. We ended up talking about that, and boxing in general, James Toney, the Corrales/Castillo fight, the fact that I'm from Jersey and Alex lived there for awhile, and RBF's Mike Indri lives there too. Everything. And I think I could have easily talked another couple of hours. Anyway, it was a great conversation with fascinating and friendly people. I want to give them both a shout out, to let them know that I'll do anything I can to help out the Foundation, because they are doing incredible work.

So, to all of you boxing fans out there, the RBF could really use our support. Just go to their website to find out what they're doing and how you can help. As a fan of the sport, I wish with all my heart that boxers had better futures waiting for them once they leave the ring. The sad fact is, most fighters are not raking in huge sums of money. Many suffer from boxing-related medical problems, and have a tough time making the transition to life outside the ring. The RBF helps with housing, financial assistance, rehabilitation, literacy programs, and more.

As for the California State Athletic Commission: In a nutshell, it looks like the Commission is being run by incompetents, and is a real mess. California legislators in their infinite wisdom are looking to just scrap it entirely rather than fix it properly. I'll have more to write about this in the very near future.

Still Rushing To Judgment? - Hell Yeah!

2005-05-12T18:13:00.000-04:00

Wow. I thought the Joe Mesi article would spark a debate. It did, but compared to the Toney steroid article, that was nothing. Over at ESB, the debate is raging. Now, there are some tempers flaring a bit out of control (it is ESB after all), but in general I think it's great that boxing fans are debating this. So, I'm pointing readers to the article on the ESB site so you can check out all the comments. When I checked last, it was somewhere around 225. As a writer, besides seeing a really good fight, I live for this!

Are We Rushing To Judgment About James Toney?

2005-05-11T22:17:00.000-04:00

I just heard a little while ago that James Toney was stripped of his heavyweight belt by the NY State Athletic Commission. Apparently, Toney failed a drug test, and Commission rules mandate that the challenger who wins a title fight and subsequently fails a drug test is immediately stripped of his title. Which means, the belt goes back to John Ruiz. But before everybody goes nuts about this, let's slow down a minute and really take a close look at what happened. That means you too, Norman Stone.

The substance James Toney tested positive for is an anabolic steroid called Nandrolone. As it happens, Nandrolone is found in many legal, over the counter supplements. It is also possible that Nandrolone can be naturally produced by the body. See the article Nandrolone Explained on the BBC Health web site. Further, it is also possible to test positive for the steroid if you've recently eaten a large quantity of meat contaminated with it. Somehow, the thought of James Toney eating large quantities of meat does not strike me as being at all unusual. Nor does the idea that the meat we regularly buy and eat has been shot up full of hormones, antibiotics, and steroids.

Consider this article by University of Bristol Senior Lecturer Paul May, who writes:

The findings are that dietary supplements themselves are harmless and produce no increased levels of nandrolone. Exercise alone, too, doesn't cause any problems. But a combination of both dietary supplements (none of which contain a banned substance) and exercise, can result in a positive nandrolone test. The reason for this is still unclear, but one theory is that there is a link between heavy training, the dehydration that goes with it, and their effects upon the components of high protein diets. Until more work is done, however, the 'nandrolone mystery' goes on...

The fact is, Nandrolone the substance is nothing new. Atheletes testing positive for Nandrolone is nothing new. And athletes who have later been cleared of wrongdoing after testing positive for Nandrolone? You guessed it. Nothing new. I would suggest that, given Nandrolone's track record for erroneously fouling up athelete's careers and reputations, maybe we should give James Toney the benefit of the doubt, and a chance to prove he is innocent of wrongdoing. Doesn't a Champion deserve at least that much?

SI Article On McCain's Boxing Bill

2005-05-09T21:40:00.000-04:00

I like SI, for the most part. But their coverage of boxing is just pitiful. Except for when Senator McCain and the proposed Federal Boxing Commission are in the news. Check out the article just posted on SI.com tonight, under the heading "More Sports," the SI dumping ground they should subtitle "Sports We Barely Cover Because We Really Don't Give A Crap." For whatever it's worth, that boxing bill sittin' there on Capitol Hill is now halfway home to Law.

Castillo/Corrales I - An Instant Classic

2005-05-09T09:23:00.000-04:00

It's only May, and we might have already seen the fight of the year. I don't think I yelled and generally carried on so much during a fight since the legendary Ward/Gatti trilogy. Diego Corrales now owns the WBO and WBC Lightweight Championship belts, and he'll very likely own Ring Magazine's ranking as their undisputed Lightweight Champ, too. Corrales proved he was not only the better fighter on May 7th, but that he had a will that would simply not be denied. What I want to know now is, when's the rematch?

I had this fight scored dead even going into the 10th round. When Chico went down twice, I had it 10-7, and briefly thought that the only way he could possibly win the fight was if he knocked Castillo out. Which he did about ten seconds later. Tony Weeks probably saved Castillo from getting very seriously injured. He was up against the ropes looking like a rag doll. It was a good stoppage.

Even though Corrales came out the victor in the end, this fight speaks volumes as to what both of these men are made of. They are a rare breed; true warriors who just don't know the word quit. Both were bruised and bloodied, but never gave up. I created my own scorecard that I use when I watch and score a fight. I take notes on each round for later reference. For round 8, the only thing I had written was "Jeez!" Round 9: "Crap!" Round 10 was completely blank because my clipboard ended up across the room.

From now on, when people ask me why I love boxing, I am just going to say "just watch Castillo/Corrales I" - that fight embodies everything that is beautiful and ugly and simply breathtaking about this sport.

Hats off to both Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo. They are both Champions in my book.

Castillo/Corrales - Marquez/Polo Predictions

2005-05-03T23:24:00.000-04:00

I'm approaching this fight by the stats, because my gut isn't telling me much of anything. This is not an easy fight to call. About the only thing I can say for sure, which wouldn't be a news flash to anyone, is that it's going to be a close one. Jose Luis Castillo is ranked the world's number one Lightweight. Diego "Chico" Corrales is number two. The only real advantage Corrales has over Castillo is that he's three inches taller. Other than that, they're similar enough in age, weight, and reach to be as close to evenly matched as they come. Both fighters have losses to Floyd Mayweather in common, but Floyd knocked Diego down five times before Diego's corner threw in the towel in the tenth round. Castillo fought Mayweather twice and went the distance both times, only to lose close and somewhat controversial decisions.

It's probably also worth mentioning that both of these men fought Joel Casamayor twice. Castillo beat him both times, and Corrales lost the first fight but won the second. Corrales has a little bit of ring rust, his last fight being back in August of last year when he defeated Acelino Freitas. Castillo is coming off of a decisive victory over Julio Diaz just this past March.

Using Mayweather as a yardstick, and coupled with Castillo's recent performances against Diaz and Casamayor, I guess I'm not really sure why Diego Corrales is favored slightly in this fight. I get it that he's hungry for another shot at Mayweather. I understand the appeal of rooting for the guy - he's had a rough couple of years. It's good to see him getting his life and career back together, and if he takes Castillo's lightweight title, then good for him. I just don't see it happening. Jose Luis Castillo is a warrior with a lot of heart, and an underrated fighter at that. I'm picking Castillo on the cards after twelve great rounds.

As for Marquez/Polo: Polo's southpaw style and reach advantage would make a difference against a less talented fighter, but Juan Manuel Marquez has talent to spare. Marquez will find Polo's weak jaw by the fourth round and Polo will find himself on the canvas.

New Poll

2005-05-03T20:55:00.000-04:00

I just added a new poll to the site: Who Do You Want To See James Toney Fight Next? Cast your vote now! For most IE users, just look over to the right for "BOXINGFAN Poll" under Quick Polls. Yeah, right there. Now vote!

Tarver Gets Rematch With Johnson

2005-05-03T14:12:00.000-04:00

Is it me, or is 2005 shaping up to be one hell of a year for boxing? I can't believe the number of great fights we've had already, and it's only May! This coming weekend we have Corrales/Castillo. Then next weekend, Trinidad/Wright. Hopkins/Taylor has been scheduled for July 16. And now, the rematch we've all been waiting for between light heavyweights Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver has been scheduled for June 18 in Memphis.

These two guys are arguably the two best light heavyweights in boxing. After his victory over Tarver in their first bout, Glen Johnson was named Ring Magazine's Fighter of the Year. I like Johnson, but I'm sticking with Tarver. I picked him in the first fight, and I'm picking him again in this one. He's an incredibly talented boxer, and I don't think he'll let this second chance get away from him. Since the fight is a month away, I'm going to leave it at that and post more in a few weeks.

It's "Lights Out" For John Ruiz

2005-05-01T00:07:00.000-04:00

Insomnia cure? No way. This fight was more than "very good."

It was what many boxing fans wanted. We railed on about his "ugly style." We hated how he clenched and held and bullied opponents against the ropes. But however ugly John Ruiz's style was, it worked for him... until tonight. In a telling statement during his ringside commentary, Jim Lampley mentioned meeting with Ruiz a few weeks prior to the fight at Ruiz's request. He wanted to discuss how he could be a "more entertaining" fighter. Bowing to fan pressure may have been his undoing.

It was apparent from the start that Ruiz had abandoned the formula for winning fights that had served him so well for so long. Ironically, his stylistic departure, while serving as his downfall, also produced his most exciting fight. He tried to box Toney on the outside, but it just never worked for him. He never could stick the jab because even a bloated James Toney was too slick for him. By the end of the fight, Ruiz was bruised, reddened, and bloody from taking body shots and hard rights from a relaxed, confident, and strong James Toney.

Norman Stone has nothing to complain about. Referee Steve "Very Good" Smoger did an excellent job. Even if you disagreed with his 7th round knockdown call (Ruiz went down on a questionable punch/trip combination), and scored it 10-9 Toney instead of 10-8, Toney still won the fight by a handy margin. The judges gave it to him unanimously, two of them scoring it 116-111, and one 115-112 (I don't know what fight he was watching; I had it 117-110).

Unfortunately, Ruiz's abrupt and classless departure after the fight did little to endear him to this fan. He didn't bother to congratulate Toney, or grant HBO a post-fight interview. I'm probably like many other fans in saying good riddance, John. Let's just hope Don King lives up to his promise to let the top men with their respective alphabet titles actually fight so we can finally have one undisputed champ. It remains to be seen if John Ruiz will ever figure into that mix again. You can bet James Toney will.

Mark Your Calendar: On July 16 It's Hopkins v. Taylor

2005-04-30T13:10:00.000-04:00

It was announced last night on ESPN's Friday Night Fights that the much anticipated Bernard Hopkins/Jermaine Taylor bout will happen on July 16. I'll post more details as I get them.

Martinez Suffers From A Nigerian Nightmare

2005-04-30T00:27:00.000-04:00

Sam "the Nigerian Nightmare" Peter continued his unbeaten heavyweight rampage, easily dispatching Gilbert Martinez with a flurry of brutal power punches that sent Martinez to the canvas about halfway into round three. Martinez, who looked more like a flabby street brawler with love handles than cagey veteran boxer, continually launched himself at Peter, following up wild swings with grabbing and holding. Referee Richard Steele could have stopped the fight after that first knockdown, but as Martinez tried to get up and finish the round, Peter was all over him, dropping him again after just a few seconds.

Now that Peter has gotten past the heavyweight division's self-proclaimed gatekeeper, is he ready for some real competition? According to Peter, "I'm ready I'm ready I'm ready." I can only take from that emphatic statement that Sam Peter is ready to take on a serious heavyweight. Personally, I vote for Andrew Golota.

The Undercards

I don't really have much to say about heavyweight Javier Diaz, or his opponent Josh Cobb, son of Randall "Tex" Cobb. The 19 year-old Cobb broke into boxing nine months ago when a blown knee sidelined his football career. The useful thing about televising this fight was that anyone who previously thought boxing was just about mindless brawn could clearly see that the sport requires training, instinct, smarts, and most of all, talent. When you lace up two men who have just about none of those things and throw them into a ring, it shows. (Josh, have you thought about trying baseball?)

Junior Welterweight and Duva prospect Oscar Diaz, still recovering from his loss against Ebo Elder, took on the finesse-impaired local boy Jesse Feliciano in a scheduled ten round fight that went the distance. The obviously more skilled Diaz won the fight in a unanimous decision, though I wondered at times why he didn't stick to the formula that easily won him the first three rounds. Had he stayed on the outside, and stuck to the jab/straight right hand combos that scored him so many points early on, the fight might not have been as close as it was. Feliciano proved he was a tough guy, but Duva's boy left a lot of doubts in my mind as to whether he's a smart enough fighter to take on the big boys in such a talent-packed division.

Toney/Ruiz: Boxing Match or Insomnia Cure?

2005-04-28T19:36:00.000-04:00

Here I go again, spouting off over at Eastsideboxing.com. This time, I have a somewhat brief article on the upcoming Toney/Ruiz fight on Saturday night. I'll probably have a lot more to say about it when it's over but for now, click here to read the article on that site, complete with a lot of ESB reader's comments (last time I checked, it was close to 150). Or just scroll down and read it here.

I am definitely more excited about watching Sam Peter fight Gilbert Martinez tomorrow night on ESPN. Is Peter the real deal? I hope so!

This article was posted first on Eastsideboxing.com

James Toney has been doing a lot of talking lately, mostly about how he intends to destroy John Ruiz in their heavyweightbout coming up this Saturday evening at Madison Square Garden.What is also apparent is that Toney's been doing a lot of eating too, ballooning up to 233 pounds as of Tuesday's weigh-in. If his size is any concern, then it's only to fans and commentators. He's too busy jawing to be fazed by it. Says Toney: "If the bitch wants to fight me the way he fought the last three guys he'll have a bad case of whiplash. Uppercuts, baby."

As for John Ruiz, he's mostly been living up to his moniker as"The Quiet Man." The sixty-four thousand dollar question to many fans is, are we going to see a boxing match Saturday night, or another Greco-Romanstyle jab and grabfest? That remains largely up to Toney. We know that Quiet Man will do what he always does to win. Whether or not that creates an exciting slugfest or a twelve round snoozer is of no concern to Ruiz. He's found a formula for winning, and win he does.

While Ruiz seems like a decent enough guy outside the ring, NormanStone's thuggish antics and Ruiz's whining after the Jones fight didn't exactly endear him to any fans willing to look past his ugly fighting style. That, coupled with Toney's checkered past, make thisless about picking a guy you like to win, and more about hoping theguy you dislike more will lose. Since I'm not exactly a huge fan of either of these fighters, all I really care about is seeing a good clean fight. Unfortunately, the odds of Toney winning by a KO in the first round are probably better.

Though it pains me to say it, I think Ruiz will win by decision afteran extremely boring twelve rounds. I would be very happy to be wrongabout that.

Ring Magazine: Please Get a Web Site!

2005-04-28T18:45:00.000-04:00

Dear Ring Magazine:

Ring Magazine, I love you. Been reading you for years. You are the Bible Of Boxing. When my issue arrives in the mail, I'm like a kid with a new toy. I read it cover to cover. The latest issue came today. I flipped to ratings page, which is usually what I do first, only to be disappointed again. You went to print before the McCline/Brock fight, didn't you? It must be so, because you still have McCline ranked number eight. That just can't be right.

You know, if you had a web site, you could provide more up to date content. I'm just saying. I'd be happy to work on that for you, too. Email me at gcblogger-boxingfan@yahoo.com and we'll talk.

Sincerely,
Gail -
boxingfan

This Isn't Just About Joe Mesi

2005-04-28T10:28:00.000-04:00

I wrote an article about Joe Mesi for EastsideBoxing.com. Click here to go to that site to read it, complete with a whole lot of ESB reader's comments. Or just scroll down to read it here.

So far, I haven't received any death threats, so I'll call this a pretty decent day.

This article was posted first on Eastsideboxing.com

If you're reading this article, then you probably already know that the Nevada State Boxing Commission revoked Joe Mesi's license after his fight with Vassily Jirov. Mesi won the fight, but at a high cost: he suffered from at least two subdural hematomas. Defined in simple terms, a subdural hematoma is bleeding in the brain caused by severe blunt force trauma to the head. It is quite often fatal, and is the leading cause of ring fatalities. [see the Journal of Combat Sport, online at http://ejmas.com/jcs/]. What is confounding is that even though it was reported that a month after the fight, one of the bleeds reopened and increased in size when Mesi was moving furniture, doctors who support Mesi still say there's no proof that he's more likely than any other fighter to suffer the same injuries if he gets back into the ring. So what we're left with is that neither side of the debate can prove that he is or isn't at a higher risk.

Still, the Commission's doctors decided unanimously to recommend upholding his suspension. The Commission almost never goes against the recommendations of the medical board, so the next step will likely entail Joe and his lawyers filing a lawsuit that he has a good chance of winning. If he does win the right to fight again, the Commission can and very likely will wash their hands of the matter, and lay the blame on the courts if (heaven forbid) anything bad happens. But the damage to the sport will be done.

Professional sports are how many people make a living. To say it's "just a game" or "just a sport" isn't fair to the men and women who earn their livelihood at it. Take, for example, the difference between a boxer and an Alaskan crab fisherman. Crab fishermen have the highest occupational death rate in the world, period. That's not even taking into account the serious injuries that occur to nearly 100% of crab fisherman. But we let them go out there year after year and risk their lives so we can eat crab. Do we really need to eat crab? Probably about as much as we need to watch boxing. Both boxer and fisherman alike are trying to earn a living. That they've chosen a ridiculously dangerous way to do it is their choice. As long as we keep shelling out money to watch boxing on pay-per-view, and paying upwards of $25 a pound for Alaskan King Crab legs, they will keep risking their lives to give us what we want and, if their luck holds out, live to get paid handsomely for it.

Everyone knows that boxing can be a dangerous sport. But it's not the only one. Football happens to be very dangerous too. Steve Young, the legendary San Francisco 49er QB, was warned by doctors time and time again to quit. Countless times every week, at least half a dozen Mack-truck sized men tried their best to cream him. He suffered countless concussions, but played on. NASCAR drivers risk death and serious injury every time they get behind the wheel. When Dale Earnhart crashed his car and died, NASCAR fans cheered all the more for Dale Junior. Still, despite the risks, injuries, and deaths, no one ever called for an end to pro football, or to racecar driving.

Boxing is different. Boxing is already criticized as being a barbaric and unworthy sport. Most people outside of the boxing world probably have no idea how often ring deaths occur. But now, with all the media attention focused on Mesi, a lot of people will be watching. The last time the world witnessed a fighter dying in the ring it almost killed the sport. When Benny Paret died after his bout with Emile Griffith, the public outcry nearly got boxing abolished. Advertisers pulled their sponsorships, and boxing wasn't seen on television for almost a decade.

The Commission knows it has an obligation to protect the sport as much as they do the boxers. Not only that, they're on notice. It doesn't matter if doctors can't assess Mesi's risk in the ring based on past injuries. In the court of public opinion, if anything bad happens to him, people will point an accusing finger at the Commission and all of boxing and declare, "you should have known."

While sports writers and fans debate the issue, boxing professionals remain largely quiet. So far, Vassily Jirov is the only other boxing professional outside of Team Mesi who has weighed in on the issue. For the record, Jirov has stated that he doesn't think Mesi should fight again. No one asked him if he'd take a rematch with Mesi if he could.

On his web site, Mesi makes mention of Dominick Guinn, Hasim Rahman, Vitali Klitschko and Mike Tyson and their "support and kind thoughts." What about those thoughts? There are a lot of people involved when two men lace up the gloves and go at it. First, there's Mesi's opponent. Will any of these guys who've been so supportive of Mesi actually be willing to get in the ring with him? What about the sport's referees? Tony Weeks, Joe Cortez, Jay Nady, Kenny Bayless - would any of them want to be put in a position of possibly being another Ruby Goldstein? What about ringside judges? The doctors?

Joe is under a lot of pressure to fight again. His family, friends, members of "Team Mesi," the Italian-American community desperate for another Rocky Marciano, and pretty much the entire city of Buffalo, is counting on him. The questionable range of talent in the Heavyweight division coupled with the prospect of a championship belt must sing quite a siren song.

When all is said and done, the lawyer and the libertarian in me supports Mesi's right to earn a living. But the boxing fan in me has to beg him not to fight again. Not only for his own good, but for the good of the sport.

Duddy to fight on June 11th MSG ticket

2005-04-25T14:00:00.000-04:00

I just read over at http://www.irish-boxing.com that Irish John Duddy, the exciting middleweight prospect from Derry, will be fighting an as yet unnamed opponent as part of the undercard at Madison Square Garden on June 11th. The fight will be televised by HBO, and will include Jr. Welterweights Miguel Cotto (23-0) vs. Muhammad Abdullaev, and Lightweights Joel Casamayor (31-3) vs. Almazbek Raiymkulov (20-0).

Matchups I'd really like to see

2005-04-25T13:17:00.000-04:00

These are my top fights I really want to see (I'm not including fights that are already scheduled to happen. Of course I want to see Ruiz/Toney!)

Kostya Tszyu vs. Arturo Gatti: Are you kidding me? A PPV spectacular! This one would be one helluva slug fest! Mickey who?

Zab Judah vs. Antonio Margarito: Another great fight, and Antonio has earned his shot. Zab might not want to put his title on the line quite so fast, but I think a PPV event might make it worth his while.

John Duddy vs. Anyone: I don't care who. Seriously, I just want to see this guy fight again.

Calvin Brock vs. Wladimir Klitschko: You could argue that Wlad doesn't deserve a shot at Brock. But given his past success, I think he does. And I think a guy like Brock is going to give Wlad the kind of tough fight his fans want to see. Klitschko's victory over Castillo meant nothing. A victory over Brock means he's ready to face Byrd or Ruiz or or Toney - whoever the top guys are when that time comes (other than his own brother, who we know he won't ever fight). A victory for Brock puts him in the same position.

Vitaly Klitschko vs. Chris Byrd: Once and for all, let's just settle it. Of course, if James Toney hands John Ruiz the ass-whooping I think he will, then I'd like to see him take on Byrd instead. And the winner of that fight should get Klitschko. And maybe by then, Vitaly will be healed from his back surgery and actually ready to fight again. Why am I skipping over a John Ruiz/Vitaly Klitschko matchup? Because I don't like Ruiz. His fight with Roy Jones left a bad taste in my mouth for the guy. I don't like his style, or his attitude, and I don't think he deserves a number 2 ranking. But to be fair, if he beats Toney decisively, I'll take it back.

A thought-provoking article on boxing

2005-04-24T21:35:00.000-04:00

I just read an article in The Washington Post, written by Benjamin Wallace-Wells, entitled "Battered Women and subtitled "Female boxing is brutal and hopeless." It really made me think. Wallace-Wells would piss me off in one sentence, but then have me nodding to myself in agreement the next. As far as his disgust with women's boxing, I couldn't help but agree:

The worst male fighters know how to play defense, but these girls looked like they'd never been trained. They didn't even try to protect themselves. There was no effort to dodge, no shifting of weight, no clever, calculated movement of feet. Both girls just kept charging, swinging both fists at the same time. It was like watching six-year-olds fight before they're old enough to realize that they might be hurt: All you want to do is make it stop. The action in the middle of the ring was an inchoate tangle of limbs and fists.

Honestly, Leila Ali is the only woman I've ever seen fight who actually looked like she'd been properly trained. She's not just a fighter, she's a boxer.

I'm including a link to the article here: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2005/0503.wallace-wells2.html because it's a good read whether you agree with it in whole or in part, or not at all.

Wallace-Wells' bizarre love-hate relationship with the sport goes beyond his indictment of women's boxing. He paints an entirely oppressive and disgusting picture of the sport on both sides of the gender line, but remains a fan nonetheless. And I can't figure out why. I may email him and ask.

Yeah, Klitschko def Castillo (yawn)

2005-04-24T12:55:00.000-04:00

Wlad won. Hooray. This is how it went:

jab jab jab left
jab jab jab left
jab jab jab right

And so on, until Castillo went down in the fourth on a weak right that wouldn't have knocked down most lightweights, much less end a fight. But what that punch ended wasn't a fight, and was about as exciting and instructive as watching a group of four-year-olds play tee-ball.

The highlight of the fight? The normally insufferable Larry Merchant, who quipped during the third round "I think Castillo used his arms more when he was paddling away from Cuba." Score one for Larry, because that was freakin funny, especially if you were trying to stay awake to watch.

Frankly, that and the ridiculously over the top laser show introducing the younger Klitschko were both more entertaining than the fight itself. Castillo clearly didn't want to be there. I'm not sure if anyone else needed to be either. Klitschko could have won that fight with his right hand tied behind his back. Literally.

The upshot - Wlad still has a lot to prove. Maybe next time he'll get a real opponent.

A Fight That Hurt To Watch

2005-04-24T12:45:00.000-04:00

I know I should feel happy for Antonio Margarito. Maybe now he'll get the attention he deserves. And the shot at Zab Judah he deserves. But I can't help but feel bad for Kermit Cintron. The guy came in so confident, but was so clearly and totally outclassed. This one is going to be tough to recover from for him.

Margarito was in control of that fight from the first bell. Yeah, the first two rounds could have gone either way due to very little action, but Margarito knew what he was doing. He was sizing Cintron up, waiting for a chance to get inside and do some damage. Which is exactly what he did in round three. Some nasty uppercuts and a wicked left opened up a cut over Cintron's right eye. That was the first sign of trouble. Then, early in round four, Margarito took out the whoopin stick. Margarito just beat the bigger, stronger Cintron like a bitch. Cintron went down twice. It was almost uncomfortable to watch, especially in round five, when Cintron all but gave up, taking a knee and forcing the ref and his corner to end the fight. He collapsed into his trainer's arms in tears.

This is the kind of fight that can break a man. But I think Kermit has the talent, the strength, and the skill to come back a better fighter. He's only 25. He has some time to rebuild. But right now, it's Margarito's time. You listenin', Zab?

Sugar Shane Is Back

2005-04-24T12:36:00.000-04:00

I had no doubt that Sugar Shane Mosely wasn't done fighting. And I for one am glad to see him back at Welterweight, where he should make it back into Ring's rankings after this fight.

Mosely was clearly the better, more experienced fighter in this bout. He didn't really get going until the third round, where he started using the jab more, and moved back less. In round four, Estrada really was saved the bell after two searing lefts by Mosely to the body. I thought for sure that Shane would finish him in round five, but oddly enough he backed off the body, and didn't go back to working it until round six.

By the time round nine rolled around, I was shouting at ref Robert Byrd for interjecting himself into the fight. I think he pissed off Mosely too. Instead of letting the guys punch out of holds, every five seconds he was jumping in there, pulling them apart. I hate that. Let the guys fight! In any case, when Byrd wasn't interfering, Mosely was clearly in control. I had it scored 8 rounds to 2, 98-92, Mosely.

Nice job, Shane. But I think you'll have to get in line behind Antonio Margarito and Cory Spinks before you get your shot at Zab Judah.

How the Mighty Have Fattened

2005-04-24T12:20:00.000-04:00

When I heard that Jameel McCline had slimmed down for his bout with Calvin Brock, I was psyched for him. But what I saw when he entered the round was just another tubby, slow heavyweight. Big Time came in with a 47 lb. weight "advantage" over Brock, and 4 1/2 inch height advantage which he gave up through most of the fight.

One of the reasons I like McCline is that he stays active, unlike most of the other heavyweights at the top of the pile today. "Fighters are supposed to fight," he says, which is ironic because that's exactly what he didn't do last night. Instead, he spent most of his time grappling with the smaller man, rather than throwing punches. It was infuriating to watch, and seemed to tire him more than his opponent.

All in all, I think Brock steps forward as a legitimate contender, and should make an appearance in Ring's heavyweight rankings. He did some nice work getting inside, using the jab, and taking back rounds late. In the third round, McCline had it won with a nice early spurt of connects, but Brock stole it with a sweet right hand that McCline never saw coming. In round seven, easily the best round of the fight, Brock hit the canvas after a left hook he never saw coming, but got up and won a point back, turning a 10-8 round into a 10-9 round. In the end, I scored it 96-94, 6 rounds to 4, Brock.

If McCline is thinking about staying in boxing, he needs to slim down a bit more (maybe to 250 or 255) and get a new trainer. He's not using his size to his advantage, and he needs to learn to let his hands go.

Raul Martinez - Bantamweight Prospect to Watch

2005-04-24T12:11:00.000-04:00

Raul Martinez scored a decisive victory over veteran Jose Tirado in an exciting six round bout last night. The first fight on ESPN's first PPV event showcased the new prospect, who on my scorecard won handily, 5 rounds to 1, 59-55. The only reason I gave round three to Tirado was because he actually connected at 23% - considerably higher than his miserable 7% connect percentage in round two. Tirado's "comeback" in round three was shortlived though, as Martinez put together some nice combinations and effective counterpunches, while Tirado mostly swung wildly and missed his target much more often than not.

Pretty Freakin Wrong, Apparently

2005-04-24T00:51:00.000-04:00

So my predictions weren't so great. But they weren't really that bad. I had Klitschko by KO in the third; he did it in the fourth. I had McCline on the scorecards, but Brock came out the clear winner. I picked Cintron to go the distance and edge Margarito on the scorecards; Margarito put a hurt on Cintron and the Ref ended up stopping the fight in the fifth. I picked Mosely to win in a middle round TKO; the fight ended up going the distance with Mosely winning easily on the scorecards. So, I was two for four. If this were baseball, I'd be in pretty good shape.

In any case, it's way past my bedtime so I'm just going to have to post more tomorrow. Or, later today. In about eight hours or so.

Predictions for tonight's fights

2005-04-23T15:03:00.000-04:00

I've going to save my detailed analysis for after the fights, but I'll throw in my two cents worth of predictions now.

First off, the ESPN PPV event is now only three fights, not four. The Juan Diaz – Ebo Elder lightweight championship bout was cancelled due to injury. But I was really tuning in for the other three anyway.

First, the HBO fight:

Wlad: If you don't get punched in the jaw or rubbed down with petroleum jelly prior to the fight, you should be just fine. Take him out by the third round though, or you may run out of gas. I'm a Klitschko fan, so I'm picking Wlad, KO in the third. But I'm not putting any money on it.

ESPN fights:

Margarito/Cintron: This is going to be a great matchup. These two are both offensively minded, and will likely have some memorable exchanges. After all is said and done, I like Cintron in this fight. Yeah, I know Ring has Margarito ranked a lot higher (the number one contenter, as a matter of fact) but I like Cintron's heart. I think this fight will probably go the distance, with Cintron squeaking out a victory on the scorecards.

McCline/Brock: Both of these guys have a hell of a lot to gain with a victory, but Big Time McCline has a hell of a lot more to lose. Since neither of these guys has tremendous knockout power (yeah, Brock KO'd Clifford Etienne, but so did my grandmother), I think McCline will shock everyone by going the distance and coming out on top on the scorecards.

Mosely/Estrada: Sugar Shane is far from over. This is a must win for him, and he's going to pull it off with a middle round TKO.

My next post, tentatively titled "How Freakin Wrong Can One Person Be?" will be posted either tonight after the fights, or tomorrow after the hangover wears off.

Saturday Night's Alright for Fightin'

2005-04-23T14:44:00.000-04:00

Oh, am I psyched for tonight! While I'm watching ESPN's PPV extravaganza, I'll be TIVOing comeback fight (is it#3?) for Wladimir Klitschko, when the young Ukrainian takes on the unbeaten Cuban Eliseo Castillo. Castillo's claim to fame was a decisive victory against Michael Moorer last spring.

Five great fights, one night, two channels. Schwing!

I'm going to try to get my pre-fight analysis & predictions posted asap.

Friday Night Fell Asleep

2005-04-23T14:28:00.000-04:00

Well, I have to admit that the Litzau/Martinez fight wasn't so bad. After the first few rounds, I began to question the value of proving one's toughness at the expense of early onset brain damage. Litzau basically used Martinez's head like a speed bag. I kept wondering when the young American featherweight might actually start going to the body, but it never happened. I thought Ref Toby Gibson could have stopped the fight a round earlier, but it was a good stoppage nonetheless. I'll be keeping my eye on Litzau.

As for the main event, I have to confess that I fell asleep. So, I can't write about a fight I didn't see, because then I'd just be ripping off someone else's analysis. What I can say about the fight was that, from the few rounds I saw, I was completely at a loss as to how to score it, or how the hell I could possibly stay awake for such a snoozer. Hey, it's not like I'm a professional analyst getting paid for my opinion! Bottom line, I remain unimpressed with Dominick Guinn.