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BOXING.....now and tomorrow

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Posted by: TJ Cline

# 5: Mike Tyson vs Jack Johnson

Though Jack Johnson was roughly 32 when he fought the “Boiler Maker” in 1910, there is little doubt that he was in the best shape of his career for that fight, so we’ll use this Johnson to pair with Tyson. At the time, Johnson had a record of 57-6-12 (34) with 17 ND, according to the Cyber Boxing Zone. Johnson was to defense what Tyson was to offense and then some. The “Galveston Giant” had the ability to parry off incoming blows with his gloves while the punches were in mid-flight, a technique that has been lost with the annals of time, or maybe no one else could do it. In addition to his punch-blocking abilities, Jack was not afraid to tie you up on the inside either and was quite strong in the clinches, despite his 190 lb frame. He also had a snake-like jab that he could turn into a powerful hook, should he feel the punch would serve him better. In short, Johnson was everything that would drive Tyson nuts in the ring and cause him to give in to frustration.

Tyson, as always, would start off fast, looking to catch Johnson with a fusillade of hooks and uppercuts; but would run into a major problem with Johnson’s wide stance and ready posture. Johnson would repeatedly reach and unashamedly grab Mike as “Kid Dynamite” bull-rushed him and hold and muscle the younger man around the ring until the referee separated the two. The audience would soon realize this is not going to be an exciting match as Johnson would stop every onslaught as soon as it started. As we saw with the Smith, Tucker, Douglas, and Holyfield bouts, once frustrated, Tyson willingly gives in to being clinched on the inside. It would be no different with Johnson. Over the course of the fight, Johnson would pick and choose his shots and eventually walk away with a relatively easy, if not boring, fifteen-round decision.


Posted by: TJ Cline

# 4: Mike Tyson vs Rocky Marciano


Rocky was only 184 ½ Lbs with a record of 42-0 (37) going into his title winning effort against “Jersey” Joe Walcott in 1952. So, it’s not surprising that many would say this bout would be a statistical mismatch given “The Rock’s” size and lack of speed and presumed defensive inadequacies. What most fail to understand is the toughness and determination that was packed into that 5’ 10” frame. Walcott floored Marciano for the first time in his career in the first round of their match and beat him unmercifully for the bulk of the next 11 rounds; but “The Rock” kept coming. Marciano’s ability to take a punch was unfathomable and he blocked more than one would think.

Part of the reason he was able to sustain amidst heavy incoming was he exquisite physical conditioning; only Evander Holyfield could challenge Rocky’s superiority in this field. He was always in the best shape possible. Add to his conditioning and his toughness the fact that he was an extraordinarily powerful puncher for his size and he would hit you anywhere. If you covered up your head, he’d go to the body. Protect the body and he’d go to your head. Protect both, he’d pound on your arms and shoulders until your limbs were so battered your guard would come down and then he’d take your head off.

Seeing a smaller opponent in front of him, Mike would be frothing at the mouth for a “wam-bam, thank you, sir” kind of knock-out. Once the leather started flying, however, Mike would realize most of his hooks were sailing over the Rock’s head. At 5’ 11”, Mike has very rarely faced an opponent that was shorter than himself, so this situation would require some adjustments. Given Rocky’s willingness to trade, it wouldn’t be long before Mike would be throwing that right to the body, right uppercut to the head combination, sending a spray of sweat from Rocky’s black locks as the on-looking crowd Oooos and Owwws with every bone-jarring shot.

Tough as Rocky is, there is no way he could take this kind of brutal assault for fifteen rounds. Somewhere around the third or fourth, Mike would put together a four-punch combo and drop the Rock with a left hook that would send him sprawling backwards three or four feet. Surprisingly, the Italian would get up, cover himself a little better and survive the remainder of the round as most of Mike’s finishers catch arms and air. Not used to having an opponent come to him, Mike finds his punches being smothered pretty regularly by the crouching in-fighting Marciano, who is constantly pounding Mike’s ribcage and forearms, while most of Mike’s return volley ricochet off the Rock’s shoulders.

Occasionally, Mike will catch Rocky with a good one and the crowd responds, holding their breath for the inevitable; but it doesn’t come. As the fight rages on, Mike’s staccato bursts are fewer and fewer in number as he settles for throwing one or two punches at a time while Marciano labors on in a blue collar-style, catching Mike on the chin more and more as the head-movement becomes all but absent. Finally, somewhere around the 13th, Marciano catches Mike in the ribs with a brutal left hook, sending the bigger man to one knee. Rising at the count of eight, Mike is gasping for air like a fish on a sandbar. Smelling blood, Rocky wades in amidst desperation shots and drops Mike again with a volley of body blows, uppercuts, and overhand rights. Knowing he’s done, the referee rescues Mike from further punishment with thirty seconds to go in the round.


Posted by: TJ Cline

# 3: Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes

Many will say this is a moot bout, seeing as how Tyson easily did away with Holmes back in 1988; but remember, “The Easton Assassin” was 38 years old by the time “Iron Mike” dispatched him in four rounds. How would Mike have done against the Larry Holmes that stopped Gerry Cooney six years prior? Granted, in June of ‘82, Holmes was already 33 years old; but this fight was his defining moment, so it’s only fair to use this version of Larry. Going into the Cooney fight, Holmes had established himself as a consummate and crafty professional with one of the most devastating jabs the division has ever seen. At the time, he had a record of 39-0 (29) and was in exquisite condition at 212 ½ lbs.

Mike would come out storming and Larry would dance off to his left, away from Mike’s left hook, peppering Tyson with stinging jabs all the while. Occasionally, Larry would stop and try to catch Mike coming in with a solid one-two; but early in the fight he would catch air with the right and be countered well to the body and occasionally with a hook to the head. Suddenly, in the fifth, thunder lands as Larry brings the jab back a little too slow and Mike lands a solid right over the top: “Down goes Holmes, Down Goes Holmes, Down Goes Holmes!” Larry rises on wobbly legs at the count of six and immediately gets on his bicycle.

The crowd is in an uproar as Mike furiously pursues the fleeing Holmes, who occasionally gets cornered and grabs on for dear life. After what seems like an eternity, the bell sounds, giving Larry sixty seconds to clear his head. The sixth round consists of Larry cautiously boxing from a distance as a winded Tyson half-heartedly pursues. Through the remainder of the mid-rounds, the pattern has been established; Larry jabbing and circling to his left and occasionally stopping to catch Mike with the straight right or uppercut, while Tyson attempts to get on the inside, sometimes with success, and pounds on Holmes’ midsection before Larry can tie him up.

By round ten, the tiring Tyson, whose eyes are beginning to show swelling from Larry’s jabs, has a slight lead in the scoring; but Holmes has been catching him more and more frequently with the right hand. Then it happens. Midway though the 11th, Mike casually goes in for the clinch and Holmes steps to his right and fires a huge right-hand uppercut. Tyson’s legs betray his exhaustion and Holmes goes in for the kill. While firing off right hand after right hand, Holmes is occasionally caught by a whistling left hook or right hand; but they don’t seem to have as much steam as earlier in the bout. The round ends with Mike in a defensive posture on the ropes and Holmes firing at long range.

At the beginning of the 12th, Holmes is the one who charges across the ring and after meeting Mike just outside of ring center, he catches the shorter man with a vicious one-two that sends Tyson falling backwards into the ropes. Watching “The Easton Assassin” Fire shot after shot from a distance, well out of the way of Tyson’s sporadic counters, the referee jumps in at the one minute mark to save the spent fighter from any further punishment.


Posted by: TJ Cline

# 2: Mike Tyson vs Joe Louis


The obvious version of Joe Louis to use in this match-up is the one who fought Max Schmeling in 1938. For that fight, Joe was 25 years old when he climbed into the ring with the Black Uhlan for the second time and had compiled a record of 38-1 (32) with Schmeling handing him his sole defeat two years prior. Louis was a shuffling technician who could hit you and hurt you with either hand. Early in his career, Louis’s trainer would tie his right hand to the ropes so to teach Joe how to defend with his left hand alone, the result was one of the most accurate and devastating jabs in history. In addition to his powerful left, Joe had a right hand that was simply deadly. To this day, no one has defended the title more than Louis (25 times) or held it for as long (12 years).

Mike, as always, would come out looking to check Louis’s chin and midway through the opening stanza, a sizzling hook would deposit “The Brown Bomber” on his backside. Slightly stunned, Louis would proceed to fire the jab-right with fury, breaking Tyson’s rhythm and allowing Louis to reach the bell. Now knowing full well the raw power he’s in the ring with, Louis comes out for round two with more intention on dictating the pace, throwing jab after jab to position Mike for the follow-up right hands. On the occasions when Tyson gets past the jab, Louis meets him with uppercuts.

As the rounds mount up, Tyson’s frustration starts to show as do the lumps around his eyes as Louis keeps dictating the pace of the fight. By round 7, Tyson’s left eye is nearly shut from right after right, jab after jab and Mike is increasingly hesitant to get on the inside where Louis is jarring his molars with uppercuts. Late in the 9th, Louis catches a nearly blind Tyson with a crunching right and drops him for a five count. Upon reaching his feet, Tyson is met by the hardest punches he’s ever endured as a professional or amateur; rights, hooks, uppercuts, each one landing exactly where it’s owner meant for it.

Firing back blindly at an opponent he can no longer see, he finds himself stumbling forward to the canvas when his legs disappear from his consciousness as if they were no longer attached to his hips. Unable to rise, Mike finds himself to be a victim of the potent Joe Louis right hand in round 9.


Posted by: TJ Cline

AND Finally #1: Mike Tyson vs Muhammad Ali


On November 14th, 1966, a 24 year old Muhammad Ali climbed into the ring with Clevand Williams in Houston, Texas and showed us what a complete fighter looks like: blinding speed of hand and foot and with that speed, power that belied his frame. Ali would never look so good in the ring again as he did against Williams, so that’s the Ali we’ll use. At the time, he had a record of 26-0 (21) and weighed in at a svelte 212 ¾ lbs. For those that do not know, Ali had a rapier-like jab, and had arguably the fastest hands of any heavyweight who ever lived and most assuredly the fastest feet. Ali could start throwing a punch when he was out of range and his feet would carry him in range to land the shot and out again before his opponent could get off a counter.

When the opening bell sounds, it has to be rung twice because neither fighter can hear it over the roar of the crowd. When the bout does get under way, both men rush to ring center, with Ali, at the last second sidestepping while pulling back to miss a murderous left hook. Tyson, while fast of hand, has to be within range for that hand-speed to amount to anything and Ali is quite content to keep him at the end of a blistering jab, which, to his surprise, isn’t landing as often as he’d like. The whole round consists of Tyson bobbing and weaving very quickly towards Ali, only to be alone when he gets to where Ali was just a second before.

Every time Mike gets close, he is peppered with razor-sharp jabs and rights for his efforts and has no one to get revenge on when the punches stop. At the end of the first round, Tyson motions furiously at Ali, angry that he apparently didn’t come to fight. By the third, Ali has Mike’s timing down and begins to rip in a few hooks of his own amid the jabs and rights. While nothing seems to be affecting Tyson, the points are piling up. When the bell rings for the 8th, there is a visible swelling around Mike’s left eye and he still has yet to connect with anything solid and is starting to swing wildly, lunging out of desperation and frustration at a target that is never in range.

At the start of the 10th, Mike’s right eye is also swollen with a good sized gash above the lid and his left eye is all but closed. Smelling the end, Ali suddenly plants his feet and unloads a blur of straight rights, hooks and uppercuts on a Tyson, who is totally caught off guard by this sudden offensive outburst. By the time he can fire off a counter, Ali is out of the way again. As soon as he thinks Ali’s onslaught is over, Mike’s caught with a solid double hook off the jab, which causes him to visibly wobble.

Lunging for retribution with a whistling left hook, Mike catches nothing but air and is blasted for his trouble with a surprisingly powerful right cross, which knocks him off balance into the ropes. Before he can steady himself, Tyson is caught in a blizzard of punches that seem to be coming from every conceivable angle. Again he lunges forward with an uppercut that misses and catches a solid hook for his trouble, followed by another straight right and drops to the canvas as much out of confusion as out of hurt. Mike reaches his feet at the count of eight and affirms to the referee that he wants to continue. However the ref is now looking at Mike’s right eye, from which is flowing a cascade of crimson and waves the fight off, determining Tyson can no longer see incoming shots. Mike protests to no avail.

Undoubtedly many of you are upset that I don’t see Mike winning one of these match-ups; but think before you spew off a tirade of expletives that would make a sailor blush. The fact of the matter is this: Mike Tyson’s career will ultimately be seen as incomplete. He never achieved his potential because something of finer quality was missing. Once you got past the power and the extraordinary ability, there was a big gaping hole. Said hole, is why he never came back to win a fight he was behind in, said hole is why he bit off Holyfield’s ear when it became obvious to him that Evander was about to embarrass him again, and said hole is why he could never beat the game’s immortals.

Where he was empty as a fighter, they were overflowing with the intangible qualities of heart and will to win, or simply put….belief in one’s self. Tyson exuded arrogance and self-confidence; but I submit it was the equivalent of a scared child whistling in the graveyard. If you look at the amateur Mike Tyson that cried before his bouts out of fear of losing, you will see an athlete filled with self doubt, a man, who as a professional had no answers when plan “A” didn’t work. I’m not hating on Tyson. I’m calling it as I see it. In the end, Mike was an incomplete fighter and no incomplete fighter can beat a complete one. Mike was very good and very close to great; but close only counts in…..well, you know.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Jack Johnson: Unforgivable Blackness


Posted by: TJ Cline

12.01.05 - By Matthew Hurley: The so called "intellectuals" that deem what is worthy of praise and what should be cast aside with the backwards wave of a hand have always gotten it wrong in my estimation. There is an arrogance there that disavows anything less than pristine or seemingly cultured. Therefore boxing or a fighter could never represent beauty, civility or class. Boxers are brutes with no redeeming values or virtues and certainly have no claim to cultural progression. The primitive disgusts these egotists because there is nothing primal about them, other than their lust for money, power and face lifts. The fight game is frowned upon by the mass media and those who simply deem its combative allure abhorent in the same way they frown upon nudity or profanity, when in open company. How could the simple act of two men hitting each other represent anything of historical significance? The literati would have you believe otherwise, but Jack Johnson would dissuade you of that notion with a gold toothed smile, a shot of booze and a flair for the dramatic. Jack Johnson was having none of it in the early 1900s and his mesmerizing audacity is still being felt today..


Posted by: TJ Cline

The words I've just strung together are more than a bit over the top, but I've been around people like that and the minute I mention that one of the things I write about is boxing the noses tilt up and I'm left sipping my beer in an awkward silence as they sip on tall, thin glasses of champagne. What would Jack Johnson do in a situation like that? He'd probably snatch a glass of that sickly sweet drink, down it and then grab the arm of the nearest woman and lead her to the dance floor. Johnson was a man crippled by no inhibitions. He loved being alive and he loved pissing people off. He exuded arrogance, charm and a lust for life. He was also a black man of prominence, the heavyweight champion, in a time when race divided and dissected every aspect of existence.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Mike Tyson, the craziest non-conformist boxer one could ever hope to meet, once said, "Johnson… now, he was actually crazier than me. They wanted to kill him." Tyson was right. As was Muhammad Ali who acknowledged that Johnson did it all before he did and in a much tougher and even more racially divided world than he had known. Johnson was born in 1878 in Galveston, Texas. His philosophy of life was not political in its bent, he simply wanted to do what he wanted to do. He didn't see himself as a black man who should capitulate to the racial tenants of the times. He saw himself as a man above, a man empowered and ultimately he achieved what should have been the glory of being heavyweight champion of the world.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has pieced together a four hour film on Johnson with the help of historian Geoffrey Ward. During the final editing process Ward published a critically acclaimed biography of Johnson in November. The passion both men bring to the task of telling Johnson's story resonates with the aforementioned indifference of the general public and also the naiveté of even the most loyal young boxing fan.


Posted by: TJ Cline

"I think he (Johnson) has largely been forgotten," says Ward. "And I've been trying to think why it is. It would be hard to exaggerate how famous he was in his lifetime. He was certainly the most famous black man in the world."


Posted by: TJ Cline

Burns' documentary "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson" premieres on January 17 on PBS. The film follows last years film "The Fight" which dealt with the two bouts between Max Shmeling and Joe Louis, who became the second black heavyweight champion in 1938. The differences between the shy, retiring Louis and the loquacious, brash Johnson are stark. Johnson's individuality in a society that desperately wanted to beat him back has at last connected with a generation far removed from his troubles. Artists from Mos Def to Spike Lee have recently been honoring the late champion and now comes Ken Burns' latest epic.


Posted by: TJ Cline

"He acted all his life on the basic American premise that if you had superior skill and enough ambition you could achieve anything you want," Ward says. "Except that he had that belief in a country which did not extend that basic premise to him." Hence the title, "Unforgivable Blackness."


Posted by: TJ Cline

Johnson's legal battles have also extended far past his death in an automobile accident that killed him at sixty-eight years old. The boxer was convicted in 1913 under the Mann Act for allegedly transporting prostitutes across state lines. However, the one woman in question was his wife, a nineteen year-old white girl. Johnson had recently bested former heavyweight titlist Jim Jeffries and many white people simply could not abide the verbose black champion.


Posted by: TJ Cline

After the guilty verdict, the district attorney later said publicly, "This Negro, in the eyes of many, has been persecuted. Perhaps as an individual he was. But it was his misfortune to be the foremost example of the evil in permitting the intermarriage of whites and blacks."


Posted by: TJ Cline

A nonbinding resolution urging a pardon passed the US Senate in November of last year. But it's all a little too late if you ask me. Johnson had to flee the country in the wake of the conviction and defended his title abroad. Ultimately, at thirty-seven, the tired champion took on Jess Willard and lost his belt in the 26th round. He later insisted that he threw the bout as part of an arrangement with the government so he could come back to the US. After the bout he surrendered to authorities and served eight months in the US Penitentiary in Leavenworth.


Posted by: TJ Cline

What followed was a downward spiral into alcohol and bitterness. Johnson began to look down on other black fighters, most famously when he helped train Max Shmeling for his first fight with Joe Louis. Louis of course had been groomed by his people to be the anti-Johnson – polite, quiet and deferential. Yet in spite of his anger and resentment, he never lost his pride or the belief in his self-worth. He became something of a talkative sideshow in Times Square, taking quarters for time to talk with the former heavyweight champion.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Despite all the egregious wrongs done to Johnson the film never caters to sentimentality. Burns and Ward do not turn a blind eye to the fighter's failings. To do so would dehumanize him. In Ward's view, Johnson was narcissistic, pompous, unforgiving and abusive to women. In essence he was a very flawed individual which gives his story even more weight.


Posted by: TJ Cline

In Ken Burns' view Johnson represents an individual of his era and one who transcended it. "I call it the rise, fall and rise again of Jack Johnson. He loses his way – he drinks a lot, abuses his girlfriend and the government comes down on him. He is excluded from the game he loves. But he regains his dignity. He doesn't go to seed. He stays married to the same woman for more than twenty years. He lived in a racist environment, and he did the best he could. That ought to be a lesson for us."


Posted by: aceshigh

be one of the only boxers well famouse boxers i dont know alot about


Posted by: aceshigh

this is off topic sorry but i reckon mike tyson the night he beat spinx woulda beaten any one all the greatest fighters of all time ,,,,,,,,,in there primes that night


Posted by: aceshigh

what happened in the rahman klitchko fight??????????????//,,and anyone looking forward to green vs mundine???????????????/


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
this is off topic sorry but i reckon mike tyson the night he beat spinx woulda beaten any one all the greatest fighters of all time ,,,,,,,,,in there primes that night
Tyson was a bum.........................so was Spinx..
Mike would get destroyed by, Ali, Foreman, Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Larry Holmes, Vlad Klitchco, Ike Itchbutche....ect....ect


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
what happened in the rahman klitchko fight??????????????//,,and anyone looking forward to green vs mundine???????????????/
Klitscho and Rachman fight Nov 12 Th...

Green who???????????


Posted by: TJ Cline

Sharkies Machine: “The Contender Self Destructs”

October 16th, 2005 - By Frank Gonzalez Jr. The boxing 'reality TV show,' “The Contender,” which became a hit last season, inspiring a funny episode on Comedy Central's "South Park" and some new fans towards the sport of boxing, even after being dropped by NBC and later finding themselves picked up for another season by ESPN, committed suicide at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Saturday night. The show had mixed reviews from hard core boxing fans. Some who didn’t like it complained that it was more about crying losers and their girlfriends, conflicting personalities and sit com quality drama than about boxing. What I think they disliked most was that the fights were built up during the first half of the show and only shown in snippets at the end, denying fans the option of deciding for themselves who actually won a given bout.

Those who liked the show enjoyed the dynamic of the relationships forged by the contestants. Personalities like Jesse Brinkley made you laugh, while sneaky guys like Anthony Bonsante made you squirm. There was the manipulative Joey Gilbert, Sergio Mora’s cock sure self-esteem and the humble sincerity of Alfonso Gomez and Peter Manfredo Jr. After writing a piece about the last fight last season, I got more email from women than men about the show, asking where the show was going and how much they loved or hated it.

To the credit of the NBC’s version of “The Contender,” I can’t remember a single controversial decision during the season. With the move to ESPN, that has changed dramatically.

There were three televised fights Saturday, featuring the show’s most popular contestants in rematches of bouts that closed out the show’s season. On the menu were Alfonso Gomez vs. Luciano Perez, Jesse Brinkley vs. Anthony Bonsante and the Main Event that featured “The Contender” Champion, Sergio Mora vs. Peter Manfredo Jr.

Alfonso Gomez (13-3-1-4 KO’s) was originally scheduled to fight former Contender contestant, Jeff Fraza (who left the show early due to a case of the Chicken Pox). Fraza was replaced with unknown and smaller, Luciano Perez (12-2-1-11 KO’s), who proved to be in over his head against the noticeably improved, more efficient Gomez, who jabbed and landed combinations
consistently throughout the fight.

Perez showed a big heart and chin but had no jab and fought in wild, winging spurts. Gomez landed flush shots at will. Perez slipped in the third round but it was ruled a knockdown. In the fourth round, Gomez landed a few unanswered shots and the referee, Pat Russell, prematurely halted the contest, leaving Gomez the winner by TKO 4.

Perez appeared capable of continuing and protested the stoppage. Who knows what might have happened? We’ve all seen it before. A guy is losing and suddenly lands a shot that turns the tide. There’d be no chances for turning tides for Perez, compliments of the ref. Okay, just a small controversy.

*

In the second fight, Anthony Bonsante (26-6-3-15 KO’s), did most of the fighting as Jesse Brinkley (25-3-17 KO’s) fought in spurts that were never enough to win a single round. It was not an entertaining fight either, because Bonsante fought scared, avoiding Brinkley’s power punches on the inside and scoring points boxing from the outside. Brinkley didn’t look like he was in the kind of shape to do more than fight in the snippets that he did. I had Bonsante winning every round in a shutout victory. Brinkley looked disappointed after the final bell because he knew he lost the fight.

Stats:
Bonsante, 141 landed, 409 thrown for 34%.
Brinkley, 58 landed, 310 thrown for 19%.


The Judges’ scores were:
Julie Lederman – 48-47 for Brinkley
Fritz Warner – 48-47 for Brinkley
Raul Caiz Sr. – 49-46 for Brinkley

The Judges sold out the fans and the future of the show with these fictitious scores. Hey, I liked Brinkley more than I liked Bonsante on the show—but in the ring, Bonsante clearly won the rematch. Boos sounded like a fire alarm in the Staples Center. It looks like Brinkley’s likable appeal got him a gift win that morphs his popularity into disdain. Bye-bye Jesse Brinkley.

Bonsante stormed out of the ring and up to the locker room. Brinkley, in disbelief himself, hurled his boxing gloves in the direction of the disgusted fans in the stands, then went ahead and accepted this bogus victory, making him an accomplice in ruining whatever credibility “The Contender” may have had. Bonsante made his way back to the venue and was cheered by the only credible Judges in the house—the fans in the stands.

*

After the angry crowd calmed a bit, Peter Manfredo Jr. (24-2-10 KO’s) and Sergio Mora (16-0-3 KO’s) made their way to the ring. There seemed to be some manufactured ‘bad blood’ between them, mostly coming from Mora’s direction.

In the first round, Manfredo was doubling up on short right hooks and opened a cut on Mora’s left eye, the same cut he suffered in their first fight. Mora was rattled at the sight of his blood and was less effective as a result.

The second round saw Mora step up his offense in what looked like desperation. The cut on his eye looked bad enough to stop the fight and since it was caused by a punch, Mora would’ve lost by TKO. Manfredo, who is now trained by the elite coach, Freddy Roach, was consistently scoring the harder punches and blocking most of Sergio’s shots. Mora worked hard and Manfredo kept up the pressure in the only tough round to score.

As the fight progressed, Mora was doing more feinting than fighting, while Manfredo put on an exhibition of newly refined boxing skills that won him most of the exchanges.

In the fifth round, Mora came on strong; giving everything he had in the first half of the round. Though he scored well and often, nothing Mora did ever hurt Manfredo, but it was the first round Mora actually outscored Manfredo.

From rounds six through eight, Peter Manfredo Jr. was the man in charge. He landed the cleaner shots as he outworked and outclassed Sergio Mora. In the final seconds of the eighth, Mora tried to steal the round and continued to throw punches after the bell. It was too little, too late.

Manfredo celebrated his perceived victory, jumping up on the corner posts with arms raised as the hometown fans jeered at him for beating their homeboy from East LA.

The Judges’ scores were:
Julie Lederman – 77-75 for Mora.
Marty Denkin – 77-75 for Manfredo.
Chuck Hassett – 77-75 for Mora.
(What fight were Hassett and Lederman watching?)

Sharkie’s Machine had it 78-74 for Manfredo.

Now “The Contender” really IS a ‘reality’ show. It’s just as corrupt as regular boxing, complete with bogus scores from the Judges that rendered two winners the losers. The unaccountable Judges worked the script (the fix) in spite of the reality that transpired in the ring. How stupid do they think we are? And where was the honor in Brinkley and Mora accepting these bogus results? If THIS last event is what “The Contender” is going to be like on ESPN, then they might as well just cancel the show now.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Is Lamon Brewster the Best Heavyweight in the Division?

14.10.05 - By Tim Neilson: Previous to Lamon Brewster’s bout with Wladimir Klitschko in April 2004, Lamon was a heavyweight languishing in relative obscurity. He had been beaten twice at that point, by marginal fighters, such as Clifford Etienne and Charles Shufford, neither of whom will likely ever become heavyweight champions. At that point in Lamon’s career, no one ever expected the sudden surge in his development and confidence that sprang from his incredible destruction of Wladimir Klitschko on April 10, 2004. In that fight, Wladimir landed countless power shots to the head of Brewster, who merely shrugged them off, like a warrior, and kept on coming. It was that exact warrior mentality that carried Brewster through to victory, when he connected with a big Tyson-like left hook in the 5th round that drained the fight from Wladimir.

Although some people buy into the excuse that Wladimir was supposedly exhausted in his fight with Brewster, which, they claim, is the real reason he lost.

However, they completely ignore what made Wladimir exhausted in the first place. Namely, it was the pressure from Lamon’s constant “Relentless” attack-style offense that brought about the early end of the fight for Wladimir, not merely Wladimir imploding on his own. No, it was because Brewster never took a step backwards, always moving forward, throwing bombs, fighting like a throw back fighter from yesterday.

Before that victory, Lamon didn’t seem to grasp how good he really was. However, since then, Lamon has suddenly become, in my opinion, the best heavyweight in the division by far. He was won his last 9 fights, with 8 of them coming by knockout. His offensive syle is similiar to a slower, slightly less powerful version of Mike Tyson. However, Tyson never had the great chin, nor the heart or the will to win like Brewster. It's not even close.

What makes Lamon so dangerous as fighter is several factors. First of all, Lamon has the best left hook in the heavyweight division, which he uses like an oversized axe to soften up and ultimately chop down his taller opponents. Also, he’s very patient and waits until just the right moment where he leans forward and let his left hook fly with devastating results. Based on his height, 6’1”, he’s not a tall fighter, however, he leans forward when punching. Thus, he increases his reach by almost a foot when letting his punches fly. Most people don’t realize that he’s doing this and thereby mistake his short stature for being limited in reach.

Another advantage that Lamon has, is his ability to throw combinations. He doesn’t merely look for just one punch to try and stop a fighter. Instead, he walks forward, absorbing a few punches, gets close, and then throws multiple combinations until the other fighter flees or folds from the pressure. As soon as his opponent gets some distance, the process starts all over again, with Brewster, again, obsorbing a few punches, before he gets in close and unloads. Without a doubt, it’s an effective style that puts a lot of stress on the opposing fighter.

I’ll be the first to admit that Brewster isn’t be best boxer in the division. It’s not even close, he doesn’t even rank in the top 10 in that department. However, what he lacks in boxing ability, he more that makes up with his sturdy chin, power and heart. Brewster can come back after sustaining vicious punishment, while most fighters simply can’t.

For some reason, Brewster was born with the ability to take punishment that would put a normal man into a coma. With his huge heart and chin, there's no one in the heavyweight dvision that can take a punch like Brewster. Samuel Peter comes close, but I rule him out because he was mortally hurt by Wladimir in the 12th round, and probably would have been knocked out if Wladimir had put the slightest amount of pressure on him.

Against the other heavyweight champions, Chris Byrd, John Ruiz and Vitali Klitschko, I see Brewster winning against each of them by knockout. For obvious reasons, Vitali would be the most difficult of the bunch due to his huge size and reach. However, Vitali would actually be an easier fight for Brewster than Wladimir, in my opinion, mainly due to Vitali’s lack of hand speed and foot work. I think Vitali would end of taking a ton of punishment before succumbing to Brewster’s power late in the fight. Vitali is used to being in control of his fights, however, with Brewster, he never stops coming for a second. He would put so much pressure on Vitali, that it would cause him to expend a huge amount of energy just to try and keep Brewster off of him. Brewster wouldn't allow him to rest and pace himself like he's grown accustomed to in his fights. Brewster would presure Vitali and throw constant punches, hurting him again and again. If Vitali was a good inside fighter, I would give him a chance in this fight, however, he is mainly a long range fighter, who avoids close contact on the inside. To be honest, Vitali can’t fight backing up, and he would eat left hands all night long before being sent to the canvas late in the fight by one of Brewster’s beautiful left hooks.

So, who’s next for Brewster? Well, I have serious doubts that Wladimir will come anywhere near Lamon anytime soon, for obvious reasons. Wladimir doesn’t want to go back into the Lion's den and take on someone with the relentless style like Lamon’s. I think a rematch with Wladimir would be just like the first fight, except Wladimir would fold faster next time around. Wladimir is currently ranked number # 2 in the WBO, but has the safe option of facing Chris Byrd for his IBF title, if he so chooses. You better believe that Wladimir will decide on fighting Byrd rather than fighting Brewster. However, after Wladimir, Samuel Peter is next in line at # 3. This sets up an intriguing matchup, where you have two lethal sluggers going at each other nonstop.

Based on what I've seen of Peter, I’d predict a late knockout victory for Brewster. Peter has devastating power, true, yet he only throws punches one at a time, which makes it easier to time his attacks and get out of the way of his bull charges. Strangely enough, Peter stops attacking when the other fighter is throwing punches and is often off balance after absorbing a punch. With Brewster throwing constant bombs, Peter would be forced to play defense for most of the fight, while eating countless left hand hooks from Brewster. I don’t know if Brewster would be able to stop Peter, but based on Wladimir’s fight with Peter, where he had him hurt in the 12th, I think there’s a good chance Brewster could stop him late.


Posted by: aceshigh

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
Tyson was a bum.........................so was Spinx..
Mike would get destroyed by, Ali, Foreman, Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Larry Holmes, Vlad Klitchco, Ike Itchbutche....ect....ect
rocky marciano thats pushing it a bit too far man,,,im saying tyson before the first frank bruno fight,,,,,,,ali may have won if he kept his hands up,,,jack johnson would have been killed joe louis knocked out rocky marciano knocked out 1st round,,,larry holmes in his prime would have been good,,,vlad klitchco,,1st round,,,ike ibeabutchi,,,,would have kod tyson is he out of gaol yet???????????


Posted by: aceshigh

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
Klitscho and Rachman fight Nov 12 Th...

Green who???????????
danny green australian boxers seen him fight live,,,he is damn good he sparred with james toney a while back and was doin a job on him,,,and he is a super middle weight


Posted by: aceshigh

theres some good reading here u should be a boxing writer for a magazine like ko,,,,,,,i dont need to buy the mags now,,,, who do u think is pound for pound best in the world at the moment????????/ id say bernard hopkins


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
danny green australian boxers seen him fight live,,,he is damn good he sparred with james toney a while back and was doin a job on him,,,and he is a super middle weight
I'll have to look him up and see if he is fighting on TV in the months to come


Posted by: aceshigh

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
I'll have to look him up and see if he is fighting on TV in the months to come
febuary he is fighting mundine,,there is a massive rivalry between these 2 over here


Posted by: CancerNV

Im sure this was probably covered but does anyone think Mike Tyson in his prime would lose to any other boxer in his prime?

I just saw Tysons first 20 fights on some HBO special and the man honestly shouldnt have been allowed to fight some guys. He was so much better that I felt bad for them.

PS: Did anyone else think it was sweet how Tyson would always come over at the end of the fight to see how his opponent was doing?


Posted by: aceshigh

yeah i reckon when tyson was 20-21 would have slammed just about anyone


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by CancerNV
Im sure this was probably covered but does anyone think Mike Tyson in his prime would lose to any other boxer in his prime?

I just saw Tysons first 20 fights on some HBO special and the man honestly shouldnt have been allowed to fight some guys. He was so much better that I felt bad for them.

PS: Did anyone else think it was sweet how Tyson would always come over at the end of the fight to see how his opponent was doing?
Yes I have a few articles on that subject a few pages back on this thread

Mike would lose to all of them...Mike was a bum who was washed up at 23 by another bum.


Posted by: aceshigh

i think his oppenents were fairly hand picked to make him look awsome,,,,,buster douglas beat tyson wich does say a bit,,,,,,,i suppose u think lennox lewis was a bum too foreman????????? my favorite boxers have been first tyson,,,,then i thought lennox lewis was the best out there then i discovered roy jones on greatest knockouts tape i have he looked awsome couldnt beleive when i found out he lost 2 in a row now 3 in a row,,,,jesus,,,,,ive always liked costya tzue,,,,,at the moment i would say hopkins is the best out there james toney is a bum,,,,,,,,,although he is one funny fucker,,,,,,,,i think the heavyweight situation is looking pretty sad at the moment ,,,,,has anyone seen that neandathol russian fella fight ??? the huge fucker 7ft 2 i heard he was also heard he was crap,,,,,i always thought ike quartey was gonna blitz de lahoya,,,trinidad ,,then move up and take out hopkins but that never happened lol,,,,,,,,,what ever happened to prince nassem hamed havnt heard of him for a while????/ i thought samuel peters was gonna be the next big thing in boxing but i have been proved wrong again,,,,roll on a another tyson with more backbone and skill to liven boxing up again,,,its getting dull


Posted by: TJ Cline

lennox lewis was a great champ..................top 15 of all time at heavy weight in my book


Posted by: TJ Cline

james toney is a bum,,,,,,,,,,,,,
you just lost all credibility with me on that one


Posted by: aceshigh

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
lennox lewis was a great champ..................top 15 of all time at heavy weight in my book
hers my top 10 heavyweights of all time
1: ali
2: george foreman
3: lennox lewis
4: joe louis
5: evander holyfeild
6: joe frazier
7: sonny liston
8: larry holmes
9: mike tyson
10: jack johnson
11: trevour berbick
12; buster douglas
13: ozzie joe bugner
ok last 3 were a joke,,,


Posted by: aceshigh

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
james toney is a bum,,,,,,,,,,,,,
you just lost all credibility with me on that one
lol,,toney is a funny bum,,,he difinately has some skill,,,how big is his head and i mean that literally i heard he couldnt put head gear on during sparring one day because of his moon face lol hahahahahahaha thats some funny shit


Posted by: TJ Cline

Vernon Forrest Knocks Out Elco Garcia to Headline Six Fight Card

22.10.05 - By Kent Appel @ Ringside - The Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California was the scene of a world class professional boxing card on Friday October 21, 2005. The live card, portions of which were broadcast on Fox Sports Network's the Best Damn Sports Show Period, featured six bouts and it was promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.

The card was headlined by former world welterweight champion Vernon Forrest of Atlanta, Georgia who continued his comeback after losing his welterweight title in 2003 by a second round knockout to Ricardo Mayorga and again losing a rematch against Mayorga by a twelve round decision later that same year. Forrest scored his second win this year, after a two year layoff, by defeating Elco Garcia of Durango Colorado by a tenth round knockout.

The end of the bout came in a bizarre fashion because after controlling the action for nine rounds using a variety of effective punches with both hands, in the tenth and final round Forrest threw a hard left hook at Garcia and in doing so he found himself on the canvas from the momentum of the punch.

Referee Pat Russell signaled it was a slip but before he could get between the fighters to separate the fighters and wipe off the gloves of Forrest, Forrest unleashed two more left hooks, one that grazed the head of Garcia and a second one that knocked Garcia down. Referee Russell started to count but he decided Garcia was too badly hurt so he stopped the contest, giving the victory to Forrest.

The crowd booed their displeasure at the ending but even though referee Russell may not have been quick enough to get between the fighters, no obvious foul was committed as Forrest, unfortunately for Garcia, landed his knockout punch in the heat of battle.

Forrest, who had scored a second round TKO victory over Sergio Rios earlier this year, positioned himself for bigger and better things by defeating Garcia in this junior middleweight fight that was scheduled for ten rounds. With the win Forrest,154 pounds, improves his record to 37-2, 28 by KO while Garcia, also 154 pounds, slides back to 18-4, 8 by KO.

In the lead preliminary match, in a junior middleweight fight scheduled for eight rounds, Hector Camacho Junior of Orlando, Florida defeated Nelson Estupinan of Delicias, Mexico by a unanimous decision. All three judges saw the fight by the same score, 76 to 74.

Camacho, a southpaw, won most of the rounds by effectively using his right jab and straight left hand but the bout was not without some moments of concern for him as Estupinan knocked down Camacho twice, both times with right hand lead punches, once in the first round and another time in round number three. Camacho did not appear badly hurt from either knockdown and in particular the knockdown in round three was a flash knockdown in which Camacho was up right away without the count beginning.

I saw the fight by the score of 77 to 74 for the winner with Camacho winning eight rounds to two for Estupinan. The second knockdown was just not effective enough to give Estupinan a 10 to 8 round. With the win Camacho, 155 1/4 pounds, improves his record to 39-1-1, 22 by KO while Estupinan, 156 pounds, is now 12-2, 9 by KO

Also on the card: In a heavyweight bout scheduled for eight rounds, Chris Arreola of Riverside, California took on Dominic Jenkins of La Mesa, Texas. Arreola weighed 255 pounds while Jenkins tipped the scales at 218 pounds. Arreola came out on top by a TKO at 2:38 of round number five. The end came with Arreola pounding Jenkins along the ropes with a number of punches with both hands and the referee declared Jenkins was too badly hurt to continue.

This fight was a very competitive contest with Jenkins controlling the action in the first three rounds and Arreola coming back strong for the win by taking the fourth round and of course the fifth and final round. With the win Arreola improves his record to 13-0, 11 by KO while Jenkins takes a step back to 6-4-1, 1 by KO.

In an eight round super middleweight fight, Enrique Ornelas of La Habra, California fought Ayodeji Fadeyi of Denver, Colorado. Ornelas weighed in at 167 pounds while Fadeyi weighed 165 3/4 pounds. Ornelas was the winner by TKO at 2:37 of the second round. Ornelas was in control from the opening bell and while Fadeyi was game, he was not effective in countering Ornelas' constant attack. With the win Ornelas goes forward to 21-2, 14 by KO while Fadeyi falls to 10-6-1, 6 by KO.

In a heavyweight fight scheduled for six rounds, former national Golden Gloves heavyweight champion Rafael Butler of Rochester, Minnesota squared off against Andrew Jackson of Crossett, Arkansas. Butler weighed in at 255 pounds while Jackson weighed in at 285 pounds. Butler scored a first round knockout at just 29 seconds of the first round by knocking Jackson down and out, overwhelming him with the first barrage of punches of the fight. With the win Butler goes forward to 15-1, 11 by KO while Jackson falls to 3-3, 2 by KO.

In a four round junior welterweight bout, Lorenzo Reynolds of Saginaw, Michigan went up against Mikel Williams of Monroe, Louisiana. Reynolds weighed 140 pounds while Williams weighed 140 1/2 pounds. Reynolds, a two time national golden gloves champion at 132 pounds and 141 pounds respectively, was the winner of the contest by TKO at the end of the third round when Williams was unable to come out for the fourth round.

Reynolds used a brutal body attack to take the fight out of Williams, who suffered no less than three knockdowns from body blows, two in the second round and one in the third and final round. With the win Reynolds improves his record to 9-0, 4 by KO while Williams is now 4-13-4, 2 by KO.


Posted by: TJ Cline

I watched this fight last night......the knock out was bogus....Vernon slipped the ref was going to count then waved it off......as Vernon was seting up to punch Garcia......he didnt realise the knock down was waived...
Protect yourself at all times......but still a bullshit knock out..
Vernon looked very unimpressive in this fight.....we will see if at 34 he has anything left.


Posted by: TJ Cline

BOXING TRIVIA AND FUN STORIES


Posted by: TJ Cline

TYSON IN BLACK TRUNKS
Why Mike Tyson wears black trunks in his all fights? He wears the black trunks in the ring to show his deepest condolence for the passing away of his respected trainer, Cus d'Amato. This is a humane side of a Mike Tyson


Posted by: TJ Cline

RUMBLE IN WASHINGTON
Washington 1991, the rumble between Riddick Bowe and Ellijah Carl Tillery became a street fight. Both still fought though the bell has rung. Tillery his Bowe, which raised his manager's anger. He pulled Tillery's hair and pushed him fall out of the ring. Tillery was then decided to disqualified. In the meantime, the dissapointed audience created a big riot in the ring.


Posted by: TJ Cline

GOTCHA!
Johnny Dundee (born as Joseph Corrara) was the one who introduced a boxing technique called "The Scotch Woop". The technique was simple, he bounced his body to the rope, and attacked his opponent with full power plus the power of the bouncing. This technique was very dangerous either for his opponent or himself. In the fight against Willy Jackson, 1917, Dundee tried the technique he invented. Unluckily, Jackson was faster. His straight banged Dundee's open chin. He was KO'd in the first round. Gotcha Dundee!


Posted by: TJ Cline

NAKED BOXER
Timmy Larkin had full confidence when he was entering the ring to fight his opponent, Tommy Cross in 1942. As usual, in the fight done in Newark both fighters were introduced by the ring announcer. At that time, Larking put off his robe that he wore in the dressing room. LOL! He forgot to wear his trunks, and he was caught naked by the audience. Everybody was laughing so loud, and Larkin covered his thingie in big embarrasment. Ha ha ha.


Posted by: TJ Cline

SCARED REFEREE
Sam Russell was the referee of a featherweight match between Johnny Curley and Joe Fox in Brighton. In the first round, a wild punch blew Russell, and broke his glasses he wore. The match then was postponed for sometimes, because Russell tried the best glasses for his eyes. Then, being unpatient, the audience created a riot in the arena. Referre Russell was so scared in the incident, and he run to save himself under the ring. He then announced the night's boxing result from there.


Posted by: TJ Cline

BAD LUCK EDITOR
In 1910, the editor of San Fransisco Bulletin had a very bad luck. He was too confident that James J. Jeffries, would easily KO the remaining Heavyweight Champion at that period, Jack Johnson. That was why he publish his preview edition with the big headline "JEFFRIES Knocks outs Jack Johnson". He got so panic when he received a telegraph telling Johnson KO Jeffries. The bad luck editor then asked his staff to withdraw all the newspapers with very high price!


Posted by: TJ Cline

LIFE CHANGES
Sid BURN was a good boxer before World War 1. During his golden period, he hired a young sparring partner, Ted "Kid" Lewis. Everytime they did a sparring partner training, Burn threated Lewis so bad. Years later, Lewis became the Welterweight world champion, and then he hired his old "fella" Sid Burn who was "over the hill" already. Lewis threated Burn as he did to him years before.
The story continued, there was a young fighter joined in their training, Rolland Todd. He learned all Lewis' strenght and weaknesses, until one day Todd defeated Lewis in a world title fight.
It's true life changes.


Posted by: TJ Cline

DIRTIEST FIGHTER AND TRAINER
Luis Resto surpisingly defeated favorite Billy Collins in an undercard fight of Duran vs Moore. But, then Resto and his trainer, Panama Lewis were then banned for life due to cheating during the fight.
After the fight, Collins complained his dad and trainer, Billy Collins, Sr., who then walked over and grabbed Resto’s gloves and finding out that Resto’s trainer, Lewis, had removed the padding out of Resto’s gloves.
Panama Lewis was before also suspected cheating when he trained Aaron Pryor. He was also involved in a controversy regarding Pryor vs Arguello first fight. Lewis was heard asking for "the drink" in Pryor’s corner. They gave him a bottle, and he said, "NOT that one, I want the one I mixed…" This created a controversy, but none knew what really happened unless Panama Lewis himself.


Posted by: TJ Cline

RECORDS
1. Youngest World Champion: WILFRED BENITEZ
2. Oldest World Champion/Heavyweight Champion: GEORGE FOREMAN
3. Youngest Heavyweight Champion: MIKE TYSON
4. Most Consecutive wins without loss: Hal Bagwell (180 fights, 175 wins, 2 draws, 3 no decision from 1938-1948)
5. Most consecutive KO’s: Lamark Clark (44 KO’s in a row)
6. Longest World Champion: Joe Louis (11 years 7 month)
7. Most Crowded Audience: CHAVEZ VS GREG HAUGEN
8. Biggest Purse: Mike Tyson (US$ 30 million) when fighting Frank Bruno


Posted by: TJ Cline

MISSING AFTER A MEETING WITH AL CAPONE
1926. Boxer Berdmondsey Billy Wells was scheduled to fight the welterweight champion Micky Walker in Chicago. Before the duel, Wells met the legend mob Al Capone. It was unclear about what they were talking about, but Wells has never appeared until the scheduled time of the fight. The rumble then was cancelled...


Posted by: TJ Cline

14 ROUNDS FIGHT
One Saturday night in Africa, there was a rumble between Australian Max Gornick vs the hometown hero Charlie Smith. It was scheduled for 15 rounds. Until 12.00 PM, the fight has done for 14 rounds. If the fights continued, according to a lawyer who was coincidentally seeing the match in the stadium, it would break the Sunday Observance Act. The promotor then decided the fight as a draw.


Posted by: TJ Cline

MIKE TYSON'S MOST POWERFUL BLOWS
It was a fight of Mike Tyson's before he was KO'd by Douglas (I forget which fight) broadcast live on TV. There was a small earthquake in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, then we were smiling and one of us said, "Is it because of Mike's blows? We can feel the punches while we are thousand miles away from Las Vegas!" At that time, we belived Mike Tyson was undefeatable!


Posted by: TJ Cline

BURNS DID NOT KEEP HIS WORDS!
In 1908, Tommy Burns knew that his opponent, Jewey Smith, would never resist to fight long. Then, before the fight, both made a deal that Burns would make a long fight to satisfy the audience of Paris, where the fight was done.
Suddenly, in round 1, the flashlight belonged to a cameraman burned the decoration in the ring side (you know how it was, the camera flashlight in that year!) - seeing the fire and getting panic, Burns forgot the deal they made before the fight. He gave Smith a powerful straight on his chin, and KO'd him! After this, Burns escaped to save himself.


Posted by: TJ Cline

NJURIES OUTSIDE THE RING
MAX SCHMELLING got his Heavyweight European belt in 1939, then he retired due to his injuries he got when he became a parachute troop in Kreta. He got his injuries not inside the ring.


Posted by: TJ Cline

WALCOTT VS JOE LOUIS
Jersey Joe Walcott fought the heavyweight legend Joe Louis very-very strongly in 1947 and 1948. 10 years later, when Louis prepared for the fight vs Max Schmelling, Walcott was hired as his sparring partner. Walcott then was fired after working for 2 days only, because he knocked down Louis 3 times in a training.


Posted by: TJ Cline

THE GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS
Most title fights owned by Jack Britton (USA), 3 times welterweight champion. In 1915-1922 he did 37 title fights, 19 wins and 18 no decision. (The Guiness Book of Records)


Posted by: TJ Cline

FIRST JUDGES IN AMERICA
Sept 28, 1915. Ted (Kid) Lewis outpointed Jack Britton for the welterweight 12 round title fight at that Atlas Athletic Club in Boston. The ref was Dan Lane and the 2 Judges were Bill Hamilton ans J.S. Sprago. This is known as the first fight in America using judges.


Posted by: TJ Cline

BAD LUCK TRAINER
FRANK CHURCHILL, a boxing trainer in early 20th century, recruit 3 street fighting talented boxers from Philippnes. One boxer became a workd champion, but then all of them tragically died in the ring.
1921, Featherweight Dencio Cabanella died after punished by Bert McCarthy in Australia. Four years later, Pancho Villa lost his title and life after fighting Jimmy McLarnin in California. The year after, last Churchill's boxer, Inocencio Moldes died after been punished bye Bud Taylor in the ring in Milwaukee.


Posted by: TJ Cline

ROUND BARGAINING
Abe ATELL and Owen MORAN, both Featherweight Masters, were equally satisfied after fighting in 25 rounds in 1908. The result was a draw, so they dealed to make a re-match. Owen wanted more than 25 rounds in the rematch, but Abe asked no more than 20. The Promotor stopped the bargaining and to compromise a 23 rounds fight. Again, the result was draw, but this time they decided not to make a re-match again.


Posted by: TJ Cline

AN ADVISE FOR LANGFORD
In 1917, when Sam E, Langford was going to fight the mean Fred Bulton in Boston, he requested an advise from his fellow friend, Harry Wills, "How to defeat him?"
Wills replied, "Get a golf stick, and beat his head with the stick." He contionued, "If he ducks, try once again. If you still cannot beat him with the stick, just escape to save yourself, before you die!"


Posted by: TJ Cline

LIQUOR AND BOXER
Before World War I, Irish Heavyweight boxer, Nutty Curan, flied to Paris to fight US' Kid McCoy, a 40 years old tricky boxer. In round 12, Curran floored McCoy. McCoy then crawled to the ring side, where audience put their brandy and soda. McCoy got a glass of the liquor, and drank it. He then stood up and continued the fight. McCoy then was decided to win by decision!


Posted by: TJ Cline

JOE FRAZIERNEW
When Ali's belt was revoked in 1968, WBA conducted some elimination fights to find a new world champion. Names of participants were: Joe Frazier, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson, Jimmy Ellis, Karl Mildenberger, Oscar Bonavena, Ernie Terrell and Thad Spencer. Later, Frazier cancelled his participation. After some fight, finally Ellis was crowned as the new champion after he defeated Quarry in Oakland.
2 years later, Frazier challemged Ellis, and Frazier won by KO in round 5. So, Frazier didn't need to fight some opponents to become a world champion in the elimination fights.


Posted by: TJ Cline

STREET FIGHTING RECORDS
Pat time's lightweight champion Benny Leonard had a record of street fighting. One day, he was requested to represent his gang, New York Street, to fight their competitor gangster from Sixth Street (name unrecorded). The objective of the fight was classic, to get the operation area. Leonard won in a 4 rounds duel.


Posted by: TJ Cline

A SAD MOMENT OF A WILLIE PEP
Willie Pep was paid only at 3 bucks per day as a sparring partner for Manuel Ortiz in 1938. Six years later, he fought Ortiz in Boston. Pep won in a 10 rounds duel, and he received US$ 20,000.


Posted by: CancerNV

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
Yes I have a few articles on that subject a few pages back on this thread

Mike would lose to all of them...Mike was a bum who was washed up at 23 by another bum.
Mike was not in his prime when he was 23. Have you seen his first 10 fights?


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by CancerNV
Mike was not in his prime when he was 23. Have you seen his first 10 fights?
I have watched all his fights....
20-23 was his prime....
It sure wasnt 34+ when he lost every fight when he fought a top 10 guy.....and then lost to 2 bums..


Posted by: min0 lee

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
A SAD MOMENT OF A WILLIE PEP
Willie Pep was paid only at 3 bucks per day as a sparring partner for Manuel Ortiz in 1938. Six years later, he fought Ortiz in Boston. Pep won in a 10 rounds duel, and he received US$ 20,000.
Historically boxers have always been ripped off or short changed.


Posted by: min0 lee

This is a great thread Foreman......by the I liked Ali better.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by min0 lee
This is a great thread Foreman......by the I liked Ali better.
Than who


Posted by: min0 lee

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
Than who
Your Idol...George Foreman.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by min0 lee
Your Idol...George Foreman.
I see


Posted by: min0 lee

I just realized what I wrote, it was supposed written like so "and by the way Ali was better than Foreman"
Ya just can't get good help nowadays


Posted by: TJ Cline

Acelino Freitas: Back To Prove He is No “Prince”

25.10.05 - By Gabriel DeCrease: When Diego Corrales went to war with Acelino Freitas he gave everything and never quit. Chico took heavy fire and gave the same in a seesaw battle that found both men in frantic-control of the fight throughout the early rounds. Then the brutal ebb-and-flow broke and the tide began to roll in Diego’s favor. At some point in the fight Freitas realized that—for the first time in his career—he was facing an opponent who was simultaneously as courageous and as heavy handed as himself. This realization quickly turned the self-satisfied grin that Popo had worn for the length of his professional career into a look of stern worry. Corrales saw the change in his opponent as the bell started the eighth round, and so the comebacking Chico took it straight to Freitas who failed the gut-check and found the floor three times before waving off the referee and surrendering in the tenth round of his greatest test. This was the second time “No Mas” fired from a vanquished champion’s mouth like cannon fire signaling the shocking and sudden end to a war.

The gears of pugilism ground to a halt, if not for just a moment. Freitas had been down frequently and throughout his career, and he always came up smiling. In fact, getting knocked down was often the wake up call a playful, clowning Freitas needed to bring out his vicious side. He was down twice against a sadistically tough and motivated Jorge Barrios, and came storming eagerly back to stop La Hiena in the twelfth round. In 2000, Popo went down in the first against Lemuel Nelson and came back to drop Nelson twice on his way to a second round knockout. In every fight where he had touched the canvas, Freitas had an edge—maybe he was in better condition or age was on his side or he was a harder puncher or a more naturally gifted fighter, but the Brazilian champion always had something over on his opponents. Against Corrales he was locked in a dead heat, and he folded under pressure, his game plan was in shatters, so he quit where Corrales would never say die. The victory gave Corrales the world stage to act on and the confidence to use his raw talent and his heart to make great fights ever since. The failure sent a shiver through the boxing world and sent Freitas into a period of relative inactivity where he was miles away from a title fight or any reminder of his great loss.

Anyone who has been around the fight game for a few years looked at Freitas and immediately had flashback-visions of the collapse of Prince Naseem Hamed, and hoped that Popo would not end up another gifted champion whose talent was tossed long before its expiration date. Hamed was blazing hot when he stepped into the ring against Marco Antonio Barrera. By that point in his career The Prince had tallied recent wins over Kevin Kelley, Wayne McCullough, Paul Ingle, and come off the floor to trash a then-dangerous Augie Sanchez. Hamed also possessed a rock star mystique. He was loud, obnoxious overconfident, and incredibly flashy. The Naz show came complete with elaborate garb, a large celebrity entourage, and wild ring entrances on magic carpets and in showy sports cars. Hamed’s style in the ring reflected his lifestyle. He was ostentatious, reckless, often carrying his guard at his waist, and fought mostly in intense, and often inspired, bursts. He stole every show he put on, and was undefeated, until he squared-off with The Baby Faced Assassin. Barrera dominated Hamed throughout, and the Mexican’s strict, relentless assault overcame the Roy Jones inspired song-and-dance routine that usually deterred Hamed’s competition from putting real pressure on him. Barrera, always the consummate professional, was also in fantastic shape and came in utterly ready for a fight, while Hamed had grown distracted by his celebrity and was clearly out of condition and totally lacked intensity or focus. Hamed lost royally and was clearly incapable of dealing with a loss as part of a larger legacy. The Prince gave up on boxing and fought only once before spiraling into the obscurity where he now rests with no intention of fighting again. He had talent, there was no doubt of that, and he had all the right ingredients to sell boxing as a commodity to the masses, even to those outside the general boxing public.

Acelino Freitas possesses, to a degree, the same bankable celebrity appeal that Hamed had cornered the market on. Popo has a face that begs for media coverage and is also gifted athlete who makes exciting, fast-paced, hard-hitting fights. Freitas has the main stream appeal that can bring boxing to the forefront of the sporting world. Accordingly, the hope is that Popo was not permanently cracked by the thumping that was inflicted upon him by a sharp and driven Chico Corrales. Freitas should view his loss as a learning experience from which he can return stronger and wiser. He should recognize that all of the legends of boxing—with very few exceptions—tasted defeat several times on the way to cementing their legacies. Clearly, the case of Hamed demonstrates that it is likely better for a young fighter to face a setback before they become a champion at which time they begin to think of losing as an ugly impossibility. That is simply not the nature of the sport. Marco Antonio Barrera, the very man who banished Naseem Hamed from the ring, has himself come back from several crushing losses—not the least of which was a total meltdown against a peaking Manny Pacquiao—to win his rubbermatch with Erik Morales and begin collecting alphabet titles in a new division.

Freitas has his first fight at 140-pounds scheduled for the 19th of November against an unheralded prospect named Michael Katsidis. Katsidis, 18-0 (16), is untested against quality opposition, and will serve as a basic test to determine whether or not Freitas will ever return to the perch of near-greatness that he sat proudly upon before his loss to Barrera. Freitas is tall enough and has the spare room on his frame to support a move to 140, and those that have sorely missed his exhilarating fights—myself included—can only hope he will flourish in the junior-welterweight division. If all goes well and he gets by Katsidis, a bevy of great fights might await Popo in the division. A potential clash with a rebuilding Vivian Harris could be stellar, or an always-developing Mike Arnoutis. In a division that is home to Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, and Junior Witter there are certainly some dynamic matchups awaiting Freitas if he proves himself a contender, and not a “Prince.”


Posted by: TJ Cline

James Toney responds to John Ruiz' steriod release

25.10.05 - By James Toney: "I've kept my mouth shut as it relates to responding to the continual and annoying accusations, grandstanding and somewhat disingenuous comments made by either John Ruiz or one of his mouthpieces.

However, enough is enough. Most real fighters do their talking with their fists and not their mouths...remember I said real fighters. Ruiz has done nothing but cry since being handed his WBA belt back. If he was a real man, a real fighter, he would have tried to get me back into the ring to show everyone that James Toney could not have kicked his ass if my test didn't show up positive. But he knows what I stated as the cause of my positive test was the TRUTH....prescribed medication used to reduce inflammation in my recent bicep/triceps surgery. If this wasn't the case, and he actually believed that I was using performance enhancing drugs to beat him, I can only think he would want this overblown middleweight, with the world watching his next drug test, to get back into the ring with him immediately so he could manhandle me as he said he could have done without the positive test..

Let it be said now, John Ruiz would rather go out of the country to fight, then to ever think of having to be in a ring with me again. He knows I beat him with one arm (my good one); the other arm was still recuperating from the 2004 career threatening surgery. I'm tired of hearing his continual babble and grandstanding.

The New York State Athletic Commission was given the reason why my test was positive. I believe they understood the difference of medications used for recovery purposes and those intended to enhance your performance. You didn't need to be a rocket scientist to see I was not the poster boy for steroid use.

Unfortunately, for the Commission and the WBA, their rules do not have the ability to separate the circumstances, no matter how valid they may have been.

The analogy is somewhat similar to a speeding driver who is pulled over by a policemen for going 80 mph in a 55 mph zone, but approaching the vehicle the policemen realizes the driver's wife is delivering a baby in the back seat. Now the simple act of speeding is illegal, however in this case, despite the rules and regulations of the appropriate State, the policeman now will make a determination in either giving a speeding ticket to the driver or to give him an 80 mph police escort to the hospital. The Commission didn't have the luxury in my case to make a similar determination based upon circumstances; hence the suspension.

These are the changes needed within the Commission and the WBA and anyone else the Ruiz team so designates as a future target of inadequacy.

However, like any other court of law, or system that takes into account the "possibility" of extenuating circumstances, which was the only reason I didn't fight the suspension since the rules didn't address taking prescribed medication solely for rehabilitation of my surgically repaired arm, the rules governing boxing should mirror the above referenced legal system. The Ruiz camp has taken the position of grandstanding in an area where deflection can only last so long---or at least until his next grabfest known as one of his fights.

Ruiz states, "Other sports have addressed steroid problems..." in his latest statement. Is he kidding? One of the top players in baseball received a paltry 10-day suspension for his use of steroids. Give me a break John, and go back to being the "Quiteman." Get off your high horse and fight like a man. Stop talking and whining about getting your butt kicked. I was fat, out of shape and fighting with one arm and kicked your ass---face up to it; Schwarzenegger I wasn't.

For my final and last comment on this subject, I say to the Commissions and the organizations that you've done a great job of protecting and when need be, penalizing the fighters. Keep it up.

Light's Out.

James Toney


Posted by: TJ Cline

Right on James...
Ruiz is a bitch and most of the fans know that.


Posted by: aceshigh

hehehehehe yeah ruiz is a bitch,,,,how is he even the champ?????,,,mabye tua should come and knock his ass out again


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
hehehehehe yeah ruiz is a bitch,,,,how is he even the champ?????,,,mabye tua should come and knock his ass out again



Posted by: aceshigh

nice one foreman hahaha man vs bitch lol


Posted by: TJ Cline

Iron Clad: Mike Tyson’s Place in History Pt 2

26.10.05 - By Kevin Kincade: When Mike Tyson knocked out Berbick to win the WBC Belt, the division was in a mess, much as it is today. Tim Witherspoon was the owner of the WBA Title, and Michael Spinks, the IBF title holder, was widely regarded as the real champ, based on his defeat of Larry Holmes. Not long after Tyson vanquished Trevor, “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon found himself on the canvas three times in the opening round at the unlikely hands of “Bonecrusher” Smith and Spinks found himself strapless as well, due to his refusal to face the IBF’s #1 contender, Tony “TNT” Tucker. So, Tyson, wanting to unify the title, signed to fight Smith in what many believed was going to be Foreman-Lyle all over again; but Mike Tyson has a strange effect on many of his opponents whether he knocks them out or not. For 12 of the dullest rounds anybody has ever witnessed, Tyson performed an interesting magic trick turning the Bonecrusher into the Bonehugger before our very eyes. Two down, one to go…..or was it two?

Shortly after the IBF stripped Spinks of his belt, Tucker signed to fight the #2, a fellow by the name of James “Buster” Douglas, for the right to be called “champion”, according to the International Boxing Federation.

The result of the pairing was Douglas dominating 8 ½ rounds before running out of gas and quitting after a Tucker barrage in the 10th. The main event the night Tucker won his paper belt was Mike Tyson making the second defense of his belts against the once defeated former WBC Titlist and one-time future of the division, Pinklon “Pinky” Thomas. Thomas was a good boxer with a stiff jab, who had an impressive resume, highlighted by a decision over Witherspoon for the title and a knock out of former WBA King, Mike Weaver, before losing over 12 to Berbick.

Tyson wouldn’t need half that time to do away with Pinky. Tyson started off fast, winning the first two rounds easily before Thomas got his jab going and began to put some distance between himself and “Kid Dynamite”. However, all of the boxing was for naught when round 6 rolled around and Mike put Thomas on the seat of his pants for the first time in his career; he didn’t get up.

Next was Tony Tucker, the new IBF belt-holder. Tony’s biggest wins besides the Douglas stoppage were a 12 Rd decision over James Broad and a 10 Rd decision over an ancient Jimmy Young. Tucker stunned Mike and the crowd in the early seconds of round 1 with a perfectly timed uppercut and proceeded to give Mike fits for the first half of the fight. Then, Tyson’s trainer, Kevin Rooney, calmed his man down into “boxing mode” and Mike easily dominated the rest of the fight on way to a unanimous 12 round decision and the first “unified” heavyweight championship since Leon Spinks upset Muhammad Ali in February of 1978……well, nearly.

Ironically, another Spinks, Michael, still had a legitimate claim to the throne. No fighter had ever taken his “belt” in the ring and many believed that was reason enough for him to be the sole heir to John L. Sullivan. Tyson-Spinks had to happen just as Ali-Frazier had to happen nearly 17 years before. However, Butch Lewis and Spinks would not enter the ring with this young phenom without proper financial compensation, so the games began. In the meantime, young Mike was hungry for fights and had some more “cleaning out” to do.

First on the list was 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist, Tyrell Biggs. Biggs, at 6’ 5”, with a record of 15-0 had beaten Quick Tillis, Renaldo Snipes, and David Bey and reminded some of a young Ali with his dancing feet and snappy jab. Biggs took the first round; but Tyson took his heart over the next 6 stanzas, finishing Biggs off in Round 7.

Now, Mike was ready for the official “torch passing” ceremony as 38 year old Larry Holmes came out of retirement to challenge Mike for the belt he once held, just as Muhammad Ali had come out of retirement to challenge Larry for his gold 8 years before. Larry had lost his last two to Michael Spinks, the last one under a cloud of controversy. Did he have enough left to unseat this young upstart? The jury was only out for 3 ½ rounds before the verdict came in…..NO. In round 4, Mike Tyson would drop the legendary former champ 3 times and give “The Easton Assassin” the ONLY knock-out defeat of his long career.

Next in line was former WBA Titlist, the once defeated Tony Tubbs. Tubbs’s biggest opponent since losing his “title” to Witherspoon a little over two years prior was Jerry “Wimpy” Halstead, a journeyman’s journeyman…that’s a compliment, by the way. Tony was a slick boxer, one of those fighters you don’t put your guy in with unless you have to. Even years after the Tyson fight, Tubbs proved to be a dangerous foe, upsetting young contenders Bruce Seldon and Alexander Zolkin and some would say he also beat a rising Riddick Bowe as well; but the judges didn’t see it that way.

In March of ’88, the setting was Tokyo, Japan, a city which would play a fateful role two years later for the “Iron One.” Tubbs looked good in the first round, slipping and sliding, juking and jabbing the young champion; but one round later, that was all forgotten. Two thirds of the way through the second round, Tyson landed his “right to the body, right uppercut to the head” combo which stunned Tubbs. Smelling blood, Mike went in for the kill and finished things seconds later with a solitary left hook which drove Tony into and down the ropes. His corner jumped in to spare him further punishment….as if he could have beaten the count any way.

After defeating six men who either held or had held the distinction of being “world titlists” and one Olympic Gold medalist, only one man remained: Michael Spinks. Before we examine the fight that would be Mike’s high-water mark, let’s look at our other two other contestants during the early days of their title reigns and see how they measure up.

At the time Holy took the reigns as Undisputed Heavyweight Champion with his 3rd round stoppage of James “Busty” Douglas, a former King of the Ring was beating the publicity drums for a shot at the title he had lost to a legend nearly 17 years before. It’s a given that a young champion has the option of taking an “easy” fight for his first defense; and you can’t get a much easier opponent than a 40 something former champion who had been out of the ring for 10 years and had fought a bunch of no names, never-weres and one has-been in his comeback, right? Uh, yeah. Holyfield’s 12-round decision over George Foreman was anything but easy as the old man had come to fight. Ultimately, Evander’s speed proved to be too much for Big George; but it was far from an impressive victory for a man many saw to be the world’s most finely tuned athlete. At least he got a good pay day out of the ordeal.

Next up for Commander Vander was the fight that was to legitimize his title: a showdown with…..“Smokin’” Bert Cooper? Bert Cooper?! In all fairness to Evander, he had signed to fight Tyson until Mike ran into a little trouble in Indiana. Then he was supposed to fight Francesco Damiani, the once-defeated former and inaugural WBO Champion; but he injured himself a week before the fight. Enter Bert Cooper. Cooper was as good a last minute replacement as you could find in those days, depending upon which Bert Cooper showed up, that is. In his biggest fights, Bert had quit after 2 rounds of steady pounding by George Foreman, given Ray Mercer hell while losing over 12, and been blitzed by Riddick Bowe in 2. In November of 1991 Bert was on a rare 4-fight winning streak, highlighted with victories over Loren Ross and Joe Hipp and he gladly signed to fight for the biggest prize in sports on a week’s notice.

After being knocked down in round one, Coop came back well in round 2 and dropped Holyfield for the first time in his career in round 3. This is a Journeyman?! Angered by the embarrassment in front of his hometown crowd, Evander tuned on the jets in round 4 and began finding a regular home for the uppercut. By round 7, the referee had seen enough and rescued Cooper from further punishment; but the damage had already been done to Holyfield’s reputation.

The time had come for a real threatening defense that would garner respect from the boxing public and show Holyfield in his best light. So, he signed to fight the winner of the Ray Mercer-Larry Holmes showdown. Who knew? Larry completely embarrassed the technically underdeveloped Mercer, winning a 12 round decision and four years after his four-round destruction by Tyson, the now 42 year old Holmes was going to the big dance again. Needless to say, Evander didn’t exactly improve his credentials going 12 rounds to win a decision over a man Tyson had easily done away with in 1/3 that time when “The Easton Assassin” was just 3 years removed from his title reign.

So far, through three defenses of his title, “The Real Deal” had beaten two old men and one journeyman, setting the stage for the first defining moment of his heavyweight championship career: undefeated “future of the division” Riddick Bowe. At the time of the clash between these two former Olympians, Bowe was as promising a prospect as the division had seen since Tyson, having stopped a shopworn Pinklon Thomas in 9, crushed Bert Cooper in 2, struggled with Tyrell Biggs before putting him away in 8, won a decision over former paper titlist Tony Tubbs (many had Tubbs winning this one), stopped fellow prospect Bruce Seldon in 1 and, more recently, contender Pierre Coetzer in 7. Going into the title fight, Bowe was 6’5” at 235 Lbs while Holyfield was 6’2 ½” and 205. Even though he clearly lost the decision, the heart and determination Evander showed in the effort won over the respect of his detractors, especially during the epic 10th round. Evander Holyfield’s first title reign ended with the first legitimate opponent he faced.

Now, for Britain’s first heavyweight titlist in 100 years. Lennox Lewis, after shocking the world with his two-round destruction of the dangerous “Razor” Rudduck, faced off against former paper titlist, Tony Tucker for his first defense. Since losing to Tyson six years before, Tucker took some time off before initiating his comeback. Once he began fighting regularly again in 1990, his biggest wins were two split-decision victories over perennial contenders Orlin Norris and Oliver McCall. Lewis, who had looked so promising in his win over Ruddock, once again raised questions with a lack-luster decision victory over a faded Tucker.

Lewis’ next defense was Frank Bruno’s third shot at a belt. Bruno, who had lost in title bids to Tim Witherspoon in 11 rounds in 1986 and to Tyson in 5, four years prior to the all-British showdown, had recently put together a string of victories; most notably over fringe contender Pierre Coetzer and former contender Carl Williams. For 6 ½ rounds it was anybody’s bout, with Bruno seemingly in control of things, occasionally hurting Lewis in front of the Welsh crowd. Then, in round 7, just as it seemed Bruno had stunned Lewis, Lennox lashed out with a show-stopping left hook that immediately put Bruno on Queer Street. Refusing to go down, Frank slumped into the ropes and Lewis unleashed his finishing salvo as the referee jumped in to protect the defenseless Bruno.

Next up for Lewis was the 30-1 Phil Jackson and his padded record. Jackson had beaten no one of note and it showed in this fight. Still, he lasted 8 rounds against the cautious Lewis. That’s the most I can say about this defense.

After beating two tough old salty dogs and one man who would have to aspire to be a journeyman, Lewis squared off against a true journeyman, Oliver “The Atomic Bull” McCall. Ollie had “earned” his shot at the WBC belt by defeating Francesco Damiani by an 8th round TKO….and possibly with his recent split decision loss to Tony Tucker. At the time, McCall was 24-5 with four of those five losses coming to respectable fighters such as Mike “The Bounty” Hunter, James “Buster” Douglas, Orlin “Night Train” Norris, and the aforementioned Tony “TNT” Tucker; but Lewis would not add his name to that list…..at least not on September 24th, 1994. It was all over before round 2 was a minute old and Oliver McCall was the new WBC Heavyweight Champion, thanks to a crushing right and an overachieving referee.

Comparatively speaking, so far, Mike is blowing both Holyfield and Lewis out of the water; but we’re not done yet. Stay tuned for part 3 as we get down to the nitty-gritty of Lewis and Holyfield’s reigns, the end of Mike’s; and how all three measure up against each other in the historical sense.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Gatti, Ward join forces to combat pediatric cancer

26.10.05 - Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward, two fighters who will forever be linked thanks to their epic trilogy in 2002 -2003, will join forces on October 27 to combat pediatric cancer, it was announced today by Main Events CEO Kathy Duva. The two will appear at the 4th Annual “Chicago Labor's Fight Night” event, which will take place on October 27 at the Chicago Athletic Association (located at 12 S. Michigan Ave) beginning at 6:30pm.

Approximately 200-250 representatives from labor (union officials, trustees, fire, police, etc.) and the investment industry (investment consultants and money managers) will come together to raise money for “Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation”. Gatti and Ward will sign autographs and take photos with the guests in attendance.

The “Bear Necessities pediatric Cancer Foundation” was created by Kathleen Casey in 1993 “in memory of my precious son ‘Bear’ who fought a very courageous battle with Wilm's Tumor, a form of pediatric cancer. The organization we created to serve Bear's request and his memory is now a national organization funding research toward the eradication of pediatric cancer and, in the process, serving all children who reside or are being treated in Illinois hospitals with pediatric oncology departments through our Small Miracle Program."

Gatti will return to the ring on Jan 28, 2006, in a 12 round bout against Thomas Damgaard for the vacant IBA welterweight championship. The bout will take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, and will be televised on HBO. Gatti (39-7, 30 KO’s) is a two-time world champion. Damgaard (37-0, 27 KO’s) is ranked #5 by The Ring magazine.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Fight Preview: Lacy vs. Pemberton

26.10.05 - By Gabriel DeCrease: Jeff Lacy’s meteoric rise to stardom has brought more attention to the super-middleweight division than anything else in recent memory. The young champion has succeeded where a host of others including Markus Beyer and Joe Calzaghe have failed. He has made 168-poud fighters look like part of a legitimate weight class that is more than a pit stop between the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. The division has not seen this much exposure since a prime Roy Jones Jr. was wrangling with fan-favorites James Toney and Vinny Pazienza. Lacy is undefeated in 20 fights, with 16 wins inside the distance, going into his rumble with the rugged veteran Scott Pemberton who owns a record of 29-3 with 24 knockouts to his credit.

Though the tendency is to want to make a case for his chances of pulling off an upset in the twilight of his career, Pemberton looks to have bitten off a great deal more than he will be able to chew, despite his granite jaw.

The challenger is within shouting distance of his 39th birthday while the champion is a young 28. Pemberton has had 32 fights as a professional, twelve more than Lacy, and many of his battles have been give-and-take wars. The Sandman has most often come out on top, but he has had to walk through untold blizzards of punches in the process. In his recent pair of wins over always-a-bridesmaid-never-a-bride contender Omar Sheika, Pemberton ate more than his fair share of knuckle sandwiches.

Scott is no defensive genius. That is a fact. And he is slower now than early in his career, and he was not lightning-quick to begin with. But even if Pemberton could effectively dodge enemy fire, he might not want to. The Sandman is a banger, a brawler who knows no other way. John Scully, Lacy’s trainer, called Pemberton “a true fighter, a Mickey Ward-type.” Scully went on to say that “guys like that can adjust with their age.” Scully hit the nail on the head with the first part: Pemberton is quite like Irish Mickey. However, I fear Scully was off-point with the next bit. The only adjustment Ward made as he got older was making grudging peace with getting hit even more and more cleanly as his reflexes slowed. Pemberton has followed suit and basically done the same. Warriors of their breed do not care much to try the savvy, slick boxing style that aging fighters often use to prolong their careers and salvage their bodies. In his last two outings, against so-so opponents Rick Camlin and James Crawford, Pemberton still took some leather before scoring hard knockouts.

Jeff Lacy has almost nothing working against him going into this fight. Pemberton’s experience advantage will likely add more to his ring-ware than it will to his ability to cleverly confound Lacy. The only other disadvantage Lacy could potentially be confronted with is his height. Lacy gives five-inches to Pemberton. However, Scott is not a range-fighter, and the supreme power that rests in Lacy’s compact, heavy frame will likely enable him to overcome any attempt the challenger might make to keep him at any beneficial range. Jeff is definitely the harder puncher in the fight, and arguably the hardest puncher in the division.

One could argue that Lacy’s performance against Omar Sheika was no better than Pemberton’s against Sheika in their first fight, and decidedly worse than Pemberton’s strong-showing against Omar in the return that found Sheika down for the count in the 10th. But it should be remembered that Lacy looked sluggish and uncharacteristically hesitant against Sheika, who fought unusually well. In his two fights since, Lacy has looked sharper and more mature. He floored Robin Reid, who had never been down in 43 fights, in his last outing, and dominated Reid to the extent that the Englishman’s corner thew in the towel. Lacy is getting better with every fight. Conversely, Pemberton has showed signs of slowing down in his own pair of fights since his stoppage of Sheika.

As the boxing public has seen, Jeff Lacy brings a lot more firepower into a fight than his legendary left hook. He has knockout power in both hands, and lands with surprising accuracy when he strings punches together, which he sometimes fails to do. Jeff needs to stay busy in this fight and apply constant pressure. Pemberton has proven that he will take as much punishment as is thrown his way. Any lack of productivity will be a failure on Lacy’s part. Lacy must also remember to move, use the ring, and fire from all angles. Pemberton’s best chance of stealing the fight will come if Lacy decides to stay and bang. If that happens, Pemberton can rely on his strong chin, which may hold up through enough punishment to give Pemberton a clean shot at wobbling Lacy and making a mad rush at the champion whose chin is not fragile, but not made of iron. Lacy was wobbled, albeit momentarily, against Syd Vanderpool, Omar Sheika, and surprisingly by the lightly-regarded Rubin Williams, who, incidentally, was at one point in negotiations to fight Anne Wolfe. All things considered, if Lacy gets tagged and staggered, Pemberton is the right kind of fighter to have a decent shot at taking him down in the following seconds. Lacy needs to use his superior skill set to control the tempo of the fight and wear Pemberton down before he mixes it up. If Jeff works the body early, trades solid counters against deflected shots, and uses combos when he has his opponent cornered or stunned, the fight is a lock. If Lacy’s trainer has done his job, this scenario is likely to unfold just as I have described it on fight night.

On the other end, Scott Pemberton should stop at nothing to try to bait Lacy into fighting in the proverbial phone booth. Lacy does his best work when his big punches come on the heels of well-placed set-up shots. He has never consistently landed meaningful shots in close-quarters. If The Sandman shrugs off a left hook and waves Lacy forward with a mocking look of disrespect he may well get the eager, young champion to break form and trade digs chest-to-chest. This would take Lacy out of his comfort zone and, as earlier noted, give Pemberton the chance that his chin would hold up to superior power longer than Lacy’s would hold up to less devastating shots. In this case, anything is possible. But no matter how you slice it, Lacy is the clear favorite. If he fights intelligently and sticks to his game plan, Left Hook will triumph. Even if Pemberton can throw Lacy off his chosen course, the champion still has a good shot at winning in a free-swinging fracas.

If Jeff Lacy passes this test, he can begin looking toward potential unification matches with Mikkel Kessler, Markus Beyer, and the infamous, lily-livered Joe Calzaghe. The four coveted straps are held by four different champions, but the quest to unify the division will prove thornier than the rankings indicate. The smart money is on Calzaghe retiring in infamy before he ever thinks of putting himself in a position to close his career by letting Lacy threaten his flimsy, fatty, flawless record. And if the fight ever materializes, age, injuries, and a lack of willpower will likely disarm Calzaghe before the first bell. If Joe vacates, there is no telling where the title will end up. Only time will tell. Beyer is 34, and clearly past his peak despite the fact that he continues to fight by compensating for his diminishing skills with determination and careful planning. He may be hard-pressed to justify a risky duel with Lacy at this juncture in his career. If he does wrangle with Lacy, he is probably sentencing himself to a painful sendoff. Beyer takes left hooks like they are going out of style in almost all his fights, and as Lacy’s moniker indicates, that may spell doom for the German champ. All things considered, a clash with WBA champ Mikkel Kessler may be the only viable unification match readily available to Lacy. This fight would also surely be the most perilous. The dangerous Dane, unbeaten at 36-0, is proving himself as a slick boxer and a quickdraw puncher with venom in both mitts. Kessler has looked great in his last three outings against Andre Thysse, Manny Siaca, and most recently Anthony Mundine. A fight between Kessler and Lacy would be the realization of what seems to be the best match up in the division.

Never mind the classics to come, we as fans, cannot look past a fight any more than the fighters themselves can. Despite what I have written in support of an easy victory for Lacy, there is no such thing as a sure thing in boxing. After watching, mouth agape as Zahir Raheem tactically overpowered the legendary Erik Morales, and sitting in silent shock as a near-indestructible Humberto Soto handed Rocky Juarez a one-sided loss on such short notice, I cannot count Scott Pemberton out in advance against Jeff Lacy. And if Lacy wants to better his odds, he won’t either.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Jeff Lacy-Scott Pemberton Showtime Quotes

Question: Jeff, everyone seemed to think that your next fight would be against Joe Calzaghe, but it is going to be against Scott Pemberton. Was that a letdown at all?

Lacy: No. By him (Calzaghe) taking a fight two months out for a bigger fight, I knew (our fight) was not going to happen. So we just moved on. It is a disappointment that the fans will not get to see who the best 168-pound world champ is, but I have to carry on with my career.

Question: Scott, what is going through your head now as your near your first world title fight?

Pemberton: I just have to prepare the best that I can. I feel great and I am ready to rock and roll.

Question: Scott, what is the key to winning this fight?

Pemberton: Not making any mistakes. I am in with a great fighter. I am just going to go out and try to utilize my jab and give angles and do what you are supposed to do in boxing..

Question: Jeff, what is the key to retaining your title?

Lacy: It comes down to hard work in the gym. That is where you start. I am totally prepared for this. Scott is a dangerous fighter. Everybody has been ducking Scott and everybody has been ducking me. So it is only best that the two people that have been ducked the most in the weight class should fight. I take nothing away from Scott Pemberton. It is going to be a great fight on Nov. 5.

Question: Scott, you have had to wait so long for a world title fight – did you ever wonder if it was going to come?

Pemberton: Well, of course I did. I was supposed to fight Danny Green in Australia but then he broke two bones in his back. It actually worked out for the better because now I get to fight Jeff Lacy for the IBF world championship.

Question: Scott, how have you been able to stay at a top level as long as you have?

Pemberton: I am trying to better position myself to get better things for my family. The No. 1 thing I want to do is buy a home for my family and that has been my motivational factor throughout this whole ordeal.

Question: Scott, what was it like to beat Omar Sheika twice impressively, once by knockout, and then watch Sheika get the title shot against Jeff before you?

Pemberton: It is about making money – that is the motivation for everything.

Question: So it did not bother you that if got the opportunity ahead of you?

Pemberton: It did not really bother me too much. I was more interested to see how he was going to do. The fight, in my opinion, was pretty close, but Sheika could not close the show like Jeff did in the later rounds.

Question: Scott, does that give you confidence to see a guy that you beat two times hang pretty well with Jeff?

Pemberton: Well, styles make fights. I do not take anything for granted.

Question: Jeff, did the two of you spar together for awhile?

Lacy: In training camp up in Big Bear a couple of times, yeah.

Question: What do you remember about those sparring sessions, if anything?

Lacy: I am going to leave it for the fight.

Question: Scott, what are you willing to share in regard to what you recall during your sparring sessions with Jeff?

Pemberton: When we sparred, we were not going in there to try to kill each other or anything like that. I was there, for my purpose, to help Jeff and we moved him out a little bit. It was very controlled and it was just working very easily.

Question: Jeff, because Scott is a dangerous puncher, how do you approach fighting him?

Lacy: Well, actually, I like fighting punchers more because you do not have to chase them. They have the confidence in standing there enough and trying to get their shots in. So that is the best type of fight you ever want to have, especially for the boxing public.

Question: Jeff, what is the preparation like for this fight as opposed to when you were fighting in your hometown in the last fight?

Lacy: Scott is a puncher and he is a dangerous fighter. Everybody ducked him. I am not doing any ducking and we are going to fight Nov. 5. It is something that I like to have around my waist that he is trying to get and I am not looking to just give it to him.

Question: Jeff, do you think you are becoming a more well-rounded fighter?

Lacy: In the last couple of fights that I had, I was more relaxed. I am more positive on what I want to do in the ring and how to take someone’s advantage away from them and use it to my strength. I am coming around and I feel more comfortable in the ring.

Question: Jeff, every fight is important, but put this fight in your perspective.

Lacy: Well, this fight is a great fight for the boxing public. You have two warriors that are coming to fight and both of them are punchers. There is no denying me retaining this world title that I have because I love it. Scott has waited so long to fight for the world title and I am looking at it as if I was fighting for the world title.

Question: Jeff, what gets you so geared up about the challenge of boxing as opposed to just the big paydays of it?

Lacy: I love the fight. I love the challenge. Your opponent – he is training to knock me off my throne and I am training to make sure that he does not do that. That is what excites me the most out of all this. The night of the fight, my trainer sends me in, his trainer sends him in and say, ‘Do it, go make us proud.’ That is what I like. I like having that weight on my shoulders.

Question: Scott, you and Sheika have a relatively cordial relationship. Have you talked to him about what it was like to be in with Jeff and what he thought some of his strengths and weaknesses were?

Pemberton: Yes, I did. He just said that he thought that he won the fight and that Jeff was not all what everyone said that he was cracked up to be. That is his opinion. I know what I saw on the tape. I thought the fight was fairly close going up into the ninth round, but (from there Jeff took him) into the deep waters and then just drowned him. Sheika could not keep up the pace in the later rounds.

Question: Scott, did he tell you anything specifically about something to watch out for with Jeff?

Pemberton: They call him Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy, but he has a great right hand. He is definitely a powerful man. You cannot just go in there and just sit there and be slapped or just sit there and bang with the guy. You will get your block knocked off. So you have to give angles and step around and you have to box and not just go in there and just throw it out.

Question: Scott, you have been training for other fights, but are you concerned that you have not fought in about a year or so?
Pemberton: I have been in the gym all this time and I have been sparring. I think people get rusty when you have not trained for awhile, but I have been training for a long time.

Question: Jeff, how frustrating is it for you to have to wait even longer for the Calzaghe fight to possibly happen?

Lacy: I am not worried about a Calzaghe fight. It was supposed to happen Nov. 5. Now, we have Scott Pemberton. He is the only person on my mind. I am not thinking about Calzaghe.

Question: Did you have to make any changes in terms of your training or sparring partners?

Lacy: We were just getting ready to set up for the Calzaghe fight. It was two months out. That is the time it takes to be in training for a fight like that. Being that he took a fight two months out before that fight, we knew before we started camp that he was not going to fight.

Question: So there were no surprises there?

Lacy: No, there were no surprises. I already had it in the back of my mind that he was basically talking like he was going to pull out of the fight anyway.

Question: Jeff, do you feel that if a Calzaghe fight does not happen that you may have to move up in weight for a real challenge or do you feel comfortable at this weight and would you like to stay there for awhile?

Lacy: I feel comfortable at 168, but my goal is to become the undisputed middleweight champion. If I cannot do that at this time, I will explore other options.

Question: Would that include moving up in weight?

Lacy: Of course.

Question: What about fighting some of the guys at 160?

Lacy: I will either move up or down.

Question: Scott and Jeff, what are your predictions?

Pemberton: I cannot give any predictions as far as the outcome of the fight other than I feel pretty confident that I am going to be victorious.

Lacy: There is no way I am losing my title next Saturday night.


Posted by: aceshigh

lacy is good looks big for a super middle


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
lacy is good looks big for a super middle
Lacey is 5'9 and 168 at the weigh in....so about 178-180 ripped on fight night..
He had 2 fighters just walk away from the fight at the weigh in when they saw him......never heard of that happening before..


Posted by: boilermaker

Has Floyd Mayweather lost yet? He's from my hometown. He is a tough dude. I know he won his last bout. He beat the shit out of his girlfriend in a Vegas hotel parking lot. Way to go Floyd, we are so proud!


Posted by: TJ Cline

USA Boxing’s Statement on Women’s Boxing

27.10.05 – We are disappointed that the International Olympic Committee did not accept the International Amateur Boxing Association's (AIBA's) proposal to add the sport of women's boxing to the Olympic program for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.. We will keep working to gain Olympic inclusion for women's boxing and hope to put forth a successful proposal for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

In the meantime, we remain heartened by the solid and increasing levels of female participation in grassroots and national-level boxing events. USA Boxing will continue to provide opportunities for young Americans to participate in in the Olympic movement through boxing.


USA Boxing is the National Governing Body (NGB) for Olympic-style boxing. As the NGB, USA Boxing is responsible for the administration, development and promotion of Olympic-style boxing in the United States. Headquartered at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, USA Boxing oversees a host of programs – from developing the sport and its athletes at the local, regional and national levels, to sponsoring national and international competitions to selecting teams for international events, including the Olympic Games, World Championships and Pan American Games.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Ruiz ( or the "Bitch" as I like to call him) vs Valuev Official, Laila Ali On Undercard Dec.17 In Berlin

27.10.05 - On December 17 the city of Berlin will become the capital of the world of Boxing. Nikolai "The Russian Giant" Valuev will fight World Champion John Ruiz for the WBA Heavyweight Crown and the biggest names in boxing will be ringside at the Max-Schmeling-Arena. Next to promoters Don King and Wilfried Sauerland will be Muahmmed Ali at ringside. Ali, who is already in Berlin on invitation of the German Assembly of the United Nations, who will honor him with the Otto-Hahn-Peace Award, will witness if the tallest boxer in history can become world champion and the first Russian Heavyweight World Champion ever. But not only that: Ali will support his daughter Laila who will defend her belt against the Russian Angelika Torskaja.

"We are very proud to present such a top-class event - not only with the WBA Heavyweight Championship but also with Laila Ali the best female boxer of the world. This will be the boxing highlight of the year." states Wilfried Sauerland and continues, "due to his outstanding constitution Nikolai Valuev is an aspiring World Champion and I am sure that he will beat Ruiz."

Vaulev returns to Berlin from his hometown St. Petersburg early November in order to train at the Max-Schmeling-Gym for his world title fight.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by boilermaker
Has Floyd Mayweather lost yet? He's from my hometown. He is a tough dude. I know he won his last bout. He beat the shit out of his girlfriend in a Vegas hotel parking lot. Way to go Floyd, we are so proud!
Floyd Mayweather Jr
Sex Male
Nationality US American
Alias Pretty Boy
Birth Name Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr.
Global ID US-NV-000352
Federal ID NV045572
Hometown Las Vegas, NV, USA
Birthplace Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Rated at Light Welterweight
World Rank 2 / 993
Date of Birth 1977-02-24
Age 28
Reach 72”
Stance Orthodox
Height 5' 8
Trainer Roger Mayweather
Manager James Prince
W 34 (23 ko's) | L 0 | D 0 | Total 34


Posted by: aceshigh

wait till mayweather fight that guy who beat costya tzue,,he will kick his butt


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
wait till mayweather fight that guy who beat costya tzue,,he will kick his butt
Kostya Tszyu is old.........a great fighter but............

Floyd Mayweather Jr will destroy Ricky Hatton easily....


Posted by: TJ Cline

Rahman vs. Klitschko: Is Hasim Over His Head?

28.10.05 - By Tim Nielson: On November 12th, Vitali Klitschko will be defending his WBC heavyweight title against the heavy punching Hasim Rahman at the Thomas and Mack Center, in Las Vegas, For Rahman, he will be trying to regain the WBC belt, which he lost by vicious knockout to Lennox Lewis on November 17, 2001. Rahman, if anything, has a lot of power in his right hand, which, in my opinion, is his only hope in this fight. Rashman’s boxing ability is average, with him being able to outbox slower or smaller fighters. However, in facing Vitali Klitschko, a 6’8,” 250 pound giant, with exceptional power and boxing ability, Rahman will be facing a stern test. Strange things can happen, and perhaps Rahman can reach back four years and find another big right hand bomb to stop Klitschko in his tracks, yet based on Rahman’s recent history, and his dreadful performance against Monte Barrett, who Rahman defeated in boring, 12-round decision on August 13, 2005, it doesn’t seem too likely.

To Rahman’s credit, he has won his last six fights, defeating a string of B-level fighters, most of whom he completely dominated. His recent come back has not been without a scare, when he barely squeaked by the journeyman, Al Cole, winning a close decision on March 11, 2004, that many people thought should have been ruled a draw. However, going from a fighter, such as Monte Barrett or Al Cole, to then take on one of the very top heavyweights, if not the best, in Vitali Klitschko, is a huge step to take for anyone, and with potentially disastrous results.

When thinking of what a mess Rahman has made of his career in the past four years, it's incredible that he, at one time, held the WBC, IBF & IBO heavyweight titles, after his shocking 5-round knockout victory over Lewis on April 22, 2001. Yet the victory itself is slightly tainted, in my opinion, considering that Lewis came into the fight out of shape, but still was dominating the fight up to the moment where he was tagged by a huge right hand by Rahman, a punch that flattened Lewis like a pan cake. Seven months later, Lewis avenged his defeat, by stopping Rahman in the 4th round, when Lewis connected with a monstrous right hand that nearly decapitated Rahman’s head from his neck.

From there on, Rahman’s career essentially took a nose dive, with him losing a decision to Evander Holyfied in 2002, fighting to a draw with David Tua on March 29, 2003, and then losing a 12-round decision to John Ruiz on December 13, 2003. On the one hand, you can partially assign blame for Rahman’s loses to his conditioning problems. On the other hand, even with his weight being a little high for these fights, if he considers himself to be the best heavyweight in the division, he shouldn’t have lost to Ruiz, nor Holyfield, who was 40-years-old at the time of the fight.

The key to the fight for Rahman, in my opinion, is for him to try and get Vitali into a slugging match, much like Rahman did with Corrie Sanders. If Rahman can get Vitali angry, and throwing caution to the wind, Rahman may get lucky and connect with something big. For instance, Vitali, who is noted for having a hot temper, doesn’t like too get hit with big shots, and generally comes back with heavy artillery, as if trying to even the score. Well, that’s exactly the type of fight that Rahman needs Vitali to be in, and it’s likely to be his only chance in this one. It’s not to say that Rahman doesn’t have a chance to outbox Vitali, but based on Rahman’s lack of handspeed, his low punch output, and poor defense, it’s not likely to happen. If Rahman was fighting Vitali's kind brother, Wladimir, I would give Rahman a good chance at winning a decision, after knocking Wladimir down two or three times. However, Vitali's chin is made of granite, and the punches that would put Wladimir down, wouldn't even make a dent against Vitali.

As for Vitali’s size advantage, 5 ½ inches in height, it won’t be as much of a factor as some would think, considering that Rahman will have the reach advantage due to his longer wingspan (82" for Rahman vs. 80" for Vitali). However, where Rahman goes wrong in this fight, I think, is by trying to knockout Vitali, he will get sloppy and leave himself open for counter punching, which is something Vitali is good at. Rahman, for the most part, throws long, often telegraphed punches, thus leaving himself wide open after missing a punch. Vitali will be ready to land a chopping right hand, or powerful left hook, to an off balanced Rahman.

Prediction: Vitali Klitschko by 6th round KO.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Klitschko - Rahman: Bias Flaws

29.10.05 - By Justin Hackman: As the snow begins to melt and Spring is in the air, baseball fans on the North Side of Chicago have annually believed that "This is our year!" Nevermind our sub .500 season last year. And nevermind the fact that our two aces are having reconstructive surgery in their throwing elbows. Cub fans find a way to convince themselves that they will win a championship. This false pretense is not grounded in anything substantial—they latch on to an element of the team and claim it as the second coming: "Well this offseason we picked up that shortstop who almost went to the playoffs with that one team." Though exaggerated, my imitation of these delusional fans happens to be just as strong (or weak) as their well thought out arguments that hold no validity.

Enter Hasim Rahman: a boxer who had his glory days with one strong right hand which landed the former champ right on his behind.

As Lewis got his mind right and decided not to underestimate the man standing in front of him, he returned the favor to Rahman in their rematch inside of four rounds. Let us also not forget the figurative proverbial sub .500 season, or the two aces undergoing surgery: Rahman lost three out of his next four fights, with the fourth being a draw. Since, he has, to his credit climbed back into contention by winning six consecutive fights; granted each victory has been against second or third tier fighters to be generous. Perhaps the most difficult opponent in that mix was his most recent, Monte Barrett. This fight needs no explanation, as I would have no choice but to make my dissection more boring than the fight itself.

There has been, since his loss to Chris Byrd back in 2000, significant criticism surrounding Vitali Klitschko. Many arguments of which, as I wrote in an article a number of months back, boast sound justification: he has quit on his stool with nine minutes separating him from the most important victory of his career to that point; he has defended his title against weak competition; he has even taken an eleven month hiatus during his reign. These actions (or lack thereof) have put a bad taste in the mouths of many writers and fight fans alike. However, on the night of November 12, these grounds for disdain will not be an issue! Die hard loyalty is not a justified foundation for believing a championship is right around the corner. Contempt for Vitali even when combined with support for Rahman, does not give a fighter an advantage or disadvantage in the ring. The image slate will be wiped clean as the two men prepare to do battle with one another.

In the prediction process, one must view from an unbiased level. To phrase it in an elementary fashion, Vitali Klitschko will beat Hasim Rahman. Good teams always find a way to win. The fight could not play out any other way. Vitali is a master at protecting his chin as he leans his upperbody backward, while sticking his left hand out in jabbing fashion, along with his left leg jutting forward creating significant distance between him and his opponent. Klitschko's discipline to never deviate from the game plan, that is to say, never making Lewis' mistake of underestimation, along with his 6'8" frame is recipe enough for victory. Rahman simply has no way of getting to Vitali. Vitali's jab will keep Rahman at a great distance to the point where Rahman may not land more than ten punches in each of the first few rounds. Vitali will mix in his short left hooks as Rahman's right eye begins to swell. Before the fifth round, Vitali will unleash some solid right crosses, as Rahman will not know how to defend against Vitali's arsenal. The fight will not go past the sixth round, as Klitschko will be victorious in a dominating fashion.

I was once the delusional fan of the Cubs of whom I spoke so ill. I now can see the error of my ways. Only after emotional separation do I understand that bias-based arguments are often built on a muddy foundation. The victor is not contingent upon his fan base or lack thereof. The White Sox' season ending with a World Series title? A microcosm for the events of November 12th: the town's underdog, and criticized yet more talented unit will sweep in impressive fashion.


Posted by: wetnwild

ok don't get boxing lovers but...Is bashing someone's face in a "real" sport??


Posted by: wetnwild

sorry i had my hand tied up. i meant don't get upset. i actually like boxing


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by wetnwild
i want you so bad you makemy pussy wet



Posted by: wetnwild

So you think I'm bad? I'm sorry. I am new to this site. I was just palying.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by wetnwild
So you think I'm bad? I'm sorry. I am new to this site. I was just palying.
I think you are this



Posted by: wetnwild

how do you find those pictues so fast..? hUMMMMM?


Posted by: wetnwild

Al right,,A hairy bush is one thing.. but hairy arm pits..Help doesn't anyone agree? that's yucky on a girl.


Posted by: wetnwild

i thought the talk was about boxing?


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by wetnwild
i thought the talk was about boxing?



Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by wetnwild
Al right,,A hairy bush is one thing.. but hairy arm pits..Help doesn't anyone agree? that's yucky on a girl.
.


Posted by: wetnwild

i have to make sure I visit that site.


Posted by: TJ Cline

The Resurgence of Heavyweight Boxing in Britain

01.11.05 - By Frank Maloney: People have been talking for some time now about the decline of the heavyweight boxing division. I believe that boxing's premier weight class can be seen as an indicator of the sport's health as I've long maintained that boxing is only as good as the heavyweight division. Having said that, I'm also a believer that the boxing business is really divided into two parts. You have the heavyweight boxing business on one hand and the then you have the business concerning all of the other weight classes.. It's true that the world heavyweight scene is not what it once was but the same cannot be said of the heavyweight boxing scene in England at the moment, thanks to promoter Frank Warren.

Recently people have been quick to attack Frank Warren. Quick to say that he can't deliver big shows and that he's not the promoter that he once was. But once again, when the chips are down, Frank has proven everyone wrong.

For on December the 10th, he's made a parcel of heavyweight fights that has the whole of Britain buzzing. In delivering this show at the ExCel Centre in London on that date, Frank has proven why people were wrong to underestimate his capabilities.

Everyone thought that he was going to deliver the rescheduled Matt Skelton and Danny Williams fight and there were a lot of remarks made after he announced that fight only to it have it fail to take place because a member of Skelton's management team confirmed their man's willingness to face Williams without first verifying the decision of the fighter.

What happened next is something that I believe is a measure of Frank's abilities as a promoter. He made three very high profile contests that will have repercussions on both sides of the Atlantic. You have Danny Williams taking on Audley Harrison. Matt Skelton facing Kevin McBride and John McDermott squaring off against Scott Gammer in an official eliminator for the British title.

While it is subject of course to final contractual approval by both camps, the Matt Skelton - Kevin McBride fight is one that I really hope will happen as I've worked with both fighters.

To put this matchup into perspective, McBride is someone that everyone is chasing at the moment since his win over Mike Tyson. The Irishman, now based in America, stands a full six foot seven inches and hails from the same area that produced the legendary "Clones Cyclone", Barry McGuigan.

At the age of 38, Matt Skelton is the undefeated British Heavyweight Champion, despite his disadvantage of having no amateur experience whatsoever. Yet, he's beaten everyone that's been put in front of him. Matt is extremely strong willed and he turned down a lot of money to fight Danny Williams on an issue of principle.

Not just content at the Skelton - McBride contest, Frank Warren also has announced the fight that has the whole of Britain talking; former British Champion Danny Williams against 2000 Olympic Gold Medallist Audley Harrison. People are asking just how Frank Warren could make such a pairing after he and Harrison had for years engaged in a war of words through the press?

The answer is that Frank Warren's philosophy is to not let anything get in the way of making the fights that the public wants to see, and that business is business. Obviously, Harrison has the same outlook as both he and Frank have agreed to this fight, which will headline the ExCel Centre show on 10 December.

The Williams - Harrison bout has to be one of the most eagerly awaited heavyweight fights in Britain since Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno squared off. I've heard hardened sports journalists say that the only place to be on December 10th is at the ExCel Centre. There will be a lot of questions asked in the ring on that night. Will Matt Skelton be able to master a much improved Kevin McBride, the Irish tank that put an end to the career of the once fearsome Mike Tyson?

I managed McBride for a period of time but we fell out over a personal issue. I take my hat off to him since then as he's gone to America and built his career up to earning a shot on a major show here in London. Even though the Skelton - McBride pairing is a great fight, let's not forget that all eyes will be on Audley Harrison and Danny Williams. This is a twelve round heavyweight fight that doesn't need a title, as it's for something that's more important than any belt. It is for bragging rights and pride, to be able to walk around the streets and communities of London as the great city's top fighter.

No matter who wins these two heavyweight fights, the real winners will be the ten thousand people in attendance at the ExCel Centre and the millions of television viewers. But you could also say that another real winner is Frank Warren, who has proven once again that he's the number one promoter out there. He took the bull by the horns and made the fight that everyone thought was impossible.

As is common knowledge, I work with Matt Skelton and will be involved in his preparations for the fight along with Kevin Saunders. It's certainly a fight that I would hate to see Matt lose, especially since I had released McBride from a managerial contract previously. I've got to hold my hand up and say that I was totally shocked when McBride beat Tyson. I thought that it was a foregone conclusion but that is the beauty of boxing.

I still don't believe that McBride deserves a world title fight but if he beats Matt Skelton, I will be the first to walk across the ring and shake his hand and say that he does deserve a world title fight. But I must say that I'm hoping to see McBride end up in the same position that he was in during his last fight under my management and that is on his back, on the canvas.

Even though I'll be working in the corner of Matt Skelton on 10 December, I'll be keeping a close eye on the Harrison - Williams fight but I'll be keeping an even closer watch on John McDermott - Scott Gammer British title eliminator as the winner will then most likely be scheduled to challenge British Champion Matt Skelton.

I believe that Audley Harrison will step up to the plate this time and will take Danny Williams to school. I believe that the Klitschko fight has taken a hell of a lot out of Williams. That is why I was pushing strongly for Skelton to take the fight with Danny but it seemed that no matter how we approached Skelton, he would not vary from his stance of principle. So Skelton's loss is Audley Harrison's gain and I believe that Harrison will recognize the opportunity he has been given, which is really a license to impress the British public, who have recently fallen out of love with the Olympic champion.

But a win on December 10th will rekindle that romance and Harrison would then see himself in the world top ten. And who knows? Maybe we'll see Harrison and Skelton fighting for one of the big titles.

I'm not privy to the Harrison contract but I read his notes from the recent press conference in London where Audley said this is a one fight deal. If that is the case, you still have to take your hat off even more to Frank Warren because Harrison could win and look sensational, before walking straight back to America. So that shows you a promoter who has balls and is willing to deliver the fight that the British fans have wanted for the last four years.

The American based heavyweight champions of the world such as John Ruiz and Lamont Brewster are finding it very hard to get fights on their own home ground. In contrast, three major heavyweight fights are taking place on the same card in London in December, and I think that's proof that the heavyweight scene in England is certainly picking up again.

As I mentioned before, there will be a lot of questions asked between the ropes at the ExCel Centre. Important questions such as is Danny Williams over the hill? Can Audley Harrison really do it? Just thinking about these two heavyweight fights and what heights to the two winners could climb to is what boxing is all about. But where will the losers go?

When all is said and done, the real winners on the night will be the British fans and boxing is all about winning. There is no place for losers in this unforgiving sport.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Iron Clad: Mike Tyson's Place in History Pt. 3

31.10.05 - By Kevin Kincade: Alright, boys….Let's Get Ready to Ruuumbblleee!!!! By the time the showdown with Michael Spinks was signed, Mike's world had undergone some pretty significant changes. He was now married to Robin Givens…..and apparently her mother, Ruth Roper; and Mike's long-time friend and co-manager, Jim Jacobs, had finally succumbed to cancer. Somehow, Mike had to swallow his grief and find his focus for the fight that could determine his place in history as he took on the man many considered to be the real World Heavyweight Champion.

Just like Joe Frazier, who years ago, had beaten Buster Mathis Sr. and Jimmy Ellis for the New York State Athletic Commission, WBA, and WBC recognition as world champion still had to beat the man who beat the man to be the man, Mike, after gathering the WBC, WBA, and IBF belts had to face the man who beat the man; and that man was Michael Spinks. The boxing world held it's breath in anticipation of a clash historically similar to Ali-Frazier I. Both men were undefeated. Both men had legitimate claims to the throne. Who would dare to be great?

Going into the Tyson fight, Michael Spinks had fought a total of three fights at heavyweight. He had beaten the Great Larry Holmes twice by close decisions (the second was extremely controversial) and stopped Gerry Cooney in 5, where Holmes took 13 rounds to wear him down. Surely Spinks, the giant-killer, stood a chance against Tyson….WRONG! 91 Seconds into the opening stanza it was all over. Chasing Michael into the ropes, Tyson unloaded a vicious left uppercut to the chin and dropped Spinks for the first time in his career with a thundering right to the short rib. Upon rising, Michael, true to form, met Mike at ring center to get his respect. What he got was the hardest right hand he'd ever taken as a pro, sending him falling backwards, against his momentum, and crashing his head off the canvas under the ring ropes. Mike Tyson was now, undeniably, undisputedly, The Baddest Man On The Planet!

The Spinks fight was the last time Kevin Rooney would be in the corner with Tyson. Aaron Snowell and Jay Bright would take his place. How much of a difference Rooney's presence or absence made in Tyson's ring performance is one of those debatable questions that guys will discuss over beer and peanuts for quite some time. What was obvious was the difference in the Tyson that fought Spinks and the one that climbed into the ring with Frank Bruno eight months later: the head movement was all but absent, his combinations were fewer and farther between as he looked, primarily, for the one big shot that would end matters….Tyson appeared to have become more slugger than banger/boxer.

Bruno, while no world beater, was no bum, either. Tyson dropped the muscle-bound Brit in round 1; but much to Mike's surprise and the surprise of all who saw, Bruno rose and went after Mike…..AND ROCKED HIM!! Unfortunately for Frank, the comeback was not to last as Mike's body punches began to take their toll throughout the early rounds until Tyson finally caught him on the ropes in the 5th and landed a follow up combo that encouraged both Bruno's corner and the referee to step in and call it a night for Frank. Though Mike overcame Bruno's “somewhat primitive skills”, as he called them, we saw Mike take more punches than ever before. The lack of head movement did have consequences after all.

Though Mike's “new” approach to fighting didn't hurt him against Carl “The Truth” Williams months later, it sure as hell didn't help when he faced off against the mobile and motivated James “Buster” Douglas. . Most would say that Tyson was ill-prepared for Douglas and cite his knock-down in training to Greg Page as the proof. Whatever the case, Buster Douglas fought the fight of his life that night and did what no one had ever been able to do to Mike before. His jab was a jackhammer and his right hand a sledge. James “Buster” Douglas never again displayed the heart and skill he did in Tokyo against Tyson when he had nothing to lose; but on that day he didn't win because of any conspiracy or long count…..he won because he was the better man. And in doing so, forced the public to recognize that Mike Tyson was a “MAN” as well….and beatable.

One thing boxing pundits look for with fighters is how they respond to their first defeat. This was the case with Tyson as it was with Holyfield as it was with Lewis. After Evander was beaten from pillar to post by Riddick Bowe in round 10 of their fabled first clash, there was no doubt of Evander's heart. What was in doubt was his ability to overcome physics. Evander responded to the loss by taking a few months off, changing corners from Lou Duva and George Benton to Emanuel Steward, and signing to fight Alex Stewart again. The fight was a bore; but Evander got the win over 12 rounds and was ready to challenge Bowe for the title “Big Daddy” had wrested from his waist.

Showing discipline uncommon to his warrior mentality, Evander Holyfield stuck to his game plan and fought a “Spinks-Holmes I” type of fight against Bowe; but still found the time to slug it out from time to time, even after the bell on occasion. At the end of the day, Evander escaped with an extremely close and somewhat controversial (Holy won by 2 points on one card, one on the other) Majority Decision over the younger, bigger champion and became only the third man in history to regain the linear heavyweight championship of the world. The size of the fight in the dog was surely more important than the size of the dog in the fight in this sequel; people love a comeback.

Unfortunately for Evander, his second reign was not to last. In his very next fight against mandatory challenger, Michael Moorer, Holy looked to grow old overnight. Despite dropping Double M in the second, Evander seemed unmotivated, listless, drudging, lethargic, and seemingly unable to mount an offensive. Though he had built his light-heavyweight reputation as a banger, Moorer cautiously boxed Evander for 12 rounds, ramming that southpaw jab of his into Holy's face time and again, earning a Majority Decision and the World Heavyweight Championship. Five months after avenging his loss to Riddick Bowe, Evander was strapless again.

Lennox Lewis, after losing his belt to Oliver McCall, like Holyfield, felt a change in personnel was in order; out with Pepe Correa, in with Emmanuel Steward. With Manny at the helm, the HMS Lewis began to right its course back towards the title by correcting some fundamental flaws in his technique. After two tune ups, Lewis climbed into the ring with the most feared puncher since Tyson, Tommy Morrison. As it turned out, Morrison wasn't much of a test at all. Lennox easily dominated the one-dimensional slugger in route to a 6th Round TKO. Up next on the docket, “Merciless” Ray Mercer.

Ray's history was that he could be out boxed; but was as tough as nails and could hurt you with just about any punch he threw. The crowd that witnessed the war waged at Madison Square Garden on May 10th of 1996 won't soon forget the display of guts and heart Mercer and Lewis put on the table that night. Mercer, without a doubt, tested Lewis's fortitude as no other man ever had, pushing and pounding on the big Britt and taking some pretty stout stuff in return. By the time the final bell rang, all who saw knew the fight was extremely close and could go either way. The judges gave the nod to Lewis by margins of 96-94, 96-95, and one saw it even at 95 a piece. Regardless of whom you thought won, both men did the sport, the Garden, and themselves credit.

The result of the Mercer fight was Lewis getting another crack at the now vacated WBC belt and the man who had taken it from him, Oliver McCall. Revenge is not always sweet and certainly wasn't for Lewis in February of '97. I'd never seen a man suffer a nervous breakdown before that night. It was one of the most pitiful things I've ever seen in or out of the ring. I'm not an ultra sensitive man; but I really felt for Oliver McCall that night. In the end, Lewis had his belt again; but nobody that saw that fight remembers that part.

If the second Lewis-McCall fight wasn't a fight to inspire amnesia, then the Lewis-Akinwande hug-fest should qualify. John Ruiz would have been proud; but Mills Lane had had enough by round 5 and disqualified Henry for excessive holding, thus giving Lewis not one, but two unmemorable title fights. Something had to be done. That something was Andrew Golota, the man who had beaten the hell out of Riddick Bowe twice before getting himself disqualified. In October of 1997, nearly five years after his second round destruction of “Razor” Ruddock, Lewis turned in his most impressive performance to date, clocking the Foul Pole in 95 seconds. The answer to the question of who would have won between Bowe and Lewis seemed a little clearer.

Just as Lewis had taken a couple of tune-ups before facing dangerous opposition in his comeback, so did Tyson, quickly doing away with Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart in one round apiece, though Stewart was ranked # 4 and had given the present champion fits for nearly 8 rounds. Stewart would also go on to give future champions Michael Moorer and George Foreman much trouble in defeat and last a full 12 with Holyfiled in the rematch yet lasted less than a round against the post-Douglas Tyson.

After defeating Tillman and Stewart, Tyson climbed into the ring with #2 ranked heavyweight in the world, Donovan “Razor” Ruddock. Tyson and Ruddock both came out looking to knock the other one's head clean off, swinging with bad intentions. The first knockdown of Ruddock in the second was a case of the men's feet becoming tangled more than any punch Tyson landed; but the knockdown in the third was completely legitimate. As Mike countered a Ruddock hook-right combo with a hook of his own, the Jamaican-Canadian sprawled backwards on the seat of his pants from the brutal force of the blow. He got up smiling. In Round 6 it was the “Razor” who slashed out and the “Smash” found pay dirt on Tyson's head. Anyone who doubts Mike's ability to take a punch need only look at this round. Punch after deadly punch landed on Tyson's kisser as the Razor had him reeling; but Mike wouldn't go down. Round 7 saw Ruddock try to take a breather only to be caught with a Tyson combination that sent him falling backwards into the ropes, which was enough for Richard Steele to call a halt to things……a riot ensued following the early stoppage.

Mike was now the undisputed #1 contender again and Evander's mandatory challenger; but Mike decided to settle the controversy of the Ruddock fight. He wanted there to be no questions concerning his dominance over this man. The strategy and the attitude showed and, honestly, in my opinion, Tyson looked better in the first fight style-wise. The rematch was a “you hit me and I'll hit you” affair; there was very little technique from either man. Mike was looking for the one big punch as was Razor; and Mike seemed determined to show that he could take Ruddock's best shots. Tyson's defense was all but absent as machismo took control. He dominated the foul-filled affair for all 12 rounds, only losing a round here and there. Despite his excellent body work, he did not look like the Tyson of old. The head movement was gone, the peek-a-boo defense forgotten, combinations all but a thing of the past. Still, he was geared up for Evander Holyfield and regaining his title………Until Indiana.

I can think of only two heavyweight champions who had three years off while in their late 20's and came back: Jack Dempsey and Muhammad Ali. Ali did it successfully while Jack did not; but Dempsey was a little older and a completely different type of fighter from Muhammad…..very similar in style to Iron Mike, actually. Even though Tyson was not the champion when he was incarcerated, he was on the verge of a title fight with Evander Holyfield in which he could have, potentially, won his championship back. There was still an air about Tyson, even after the Douglas loss, that he was THE MAN in the heavyweight division; and Holyfield's losses to Bowe and Moorer didn't help his case for holding that post….especially after Bowe knocked him out in their third match.

When Mike climbed into the ring for the first time in 4 years and 2 months against Peter McNeely, there was, once again, a splintered championship. George Foreman held the Linear recognition as Champ, Mike's old sparring partner, Oliver McCall, held the WBC belt and was about to make his second defense against Frank Bruno, and Bruce Seldon had acquired the vacant WBA belt by defeating the contender who won't go away, Tony Tucker, and defended it against Joe Hipp on the same night Mike made his return to the ring…..August 19th, 1995.

After defeating McNeely in 1, Tyson stopped Buster Mathis Jr. in 3 and signed to fight McCall's conqueror and new WBC Champ, Frank Bruno in March of '96. It was as if he'd never been away from the ring as far as the public was concerned. After devastating two sub-par fighters, Mike was on his way to the throne once again. Frank Bruno, who had tried for so long to win a World Title let it go as if he had merely been holding it for the return of the King. He fought more like a fan in awe of the Tyson mystique than a champion fending off a challenge. Gone was the brave display he'd shown in losing to Tyson seven years before, gone was the spunk he'd displayed against Lewis nearly three years prior, gone was the form and poise he'd used to defeat Oliver McCall for the belt six months previous; and in three rounds, gone was his WBC Title. Mike Tyson was back…..or was he?

Up next for Tyson was the WBC's #1 contender, Lennox Lewis; but Mike, like his Brownsville neighbor, Riddick Bowe, had done a few years before, opted to let his precious belt go, rather than climb into the ring with the hungry contender. THIS IS “IRON” MIKE TYSON?? Tyson, instead, chose to challenge the WBA titlist, the “Atlantic City Express,” Bruce Seldon. Compared to Seldon's defense of his title, Bruno's was positively heroic. Seldon went down from a glancing blow that skimmed over the top of his head in the opening seconds of round 1. Moments later a follow up flurry sent Seldon to the canvas again. After rising for the second time, Bruce gave the ref the “wobbly leg” routine when asked if he could continue. Any respect Seldon might have built up throughout the course of his career went up in flames with his championship that night. To this observer's eyes, as with Bruno, the "Tyson Mystique" beat Seldon more than Tyson did.

Mike's fifth comeback fight is where Evander Holyfield's legacy really comes into play; this is where the roads of the three begin to collide. Holyfield, after losing his world title to Moorer, had won a spirited decision against Ray Mercer and been kayoed for the first time in his career in the rubber match with Riddick Bowe before stopping Bobby Czyz in 5 rounds…..well, actually Bobby quit because his eyes were “burning”. On the strength of that recent list of opponents, Mike Tyson signed to defend his WBA belt against “The Real Deal”.

Make no mistake about it, even though Tyson was no longer at his best in November of '96, Evander Holyfield was considered completely S-H-O-T, hence the 25 to 1 odds in Tyson's favor. Mike was 30, which is old for a compact, aggressive puncher; but Evander was 34 going on 40, judging from 3 of his last 4 outings. Who knew? Tyson, in the prefight introductions, appeared to be more enamored with his refound celebrity than impassioned with proving he was the best. The _expression on Evander's face denoted concern, or at least it appeared so. Appearances, indeed, can be deceiving.

Mike nailed Holyfield with the first punch he threw and knocked him off balance. Going after him, Mike found himself being spun, tied up, and beaten to the punch. Every time Mike would lead with a shot, Evander would throw three or four and then get the hell out of there while Mike tried to figure out what just happened and where he went. Time after time Holy would smother Mike's punches, spin him, hold on and push him back; essentially use every trick in the book to discombobulate the puncher and get him out of his rhythm. In the second round Evander spun Mike onto the ropes and countered with two wicked left hooks that snapped Mike's head back and brought the Vegas crowd to there feet with a roar. Round after round passed with Holy completely dominating the tempo and thoroughly frustrating Tyson. Finally, in the 5th, Mike caught Holyfield coming in with a short left hook; HE HURT HIM!! Evander jumped back and tried to establish the distance, only to have Mike wade inside and throw a punch here and there; but nothing like he did against Thomas, Holmes, or Biggs. Where was the killer instinct?! What happened the the greatest finisher the game had ever seen?! The bell sounded. Mike had let him off the hook….who'd a thunk it?

In round 6, Mike started off strong; but two minutes into the round Evander caught him with a low blow the referee didn't see and began to tee off, finally dropping Tyson for the second time in his career with what, ultimately, was a balance shot. As the rounds went in the bank, Mike began to complain about head butts, looking to the ref every so often for help. At one point, Evander actually smirked at Tyson and said something through a sneer after Mike had addressed the head butt issue again in between exchanges. Shortly after, Mike charged in and collided his head with Holyfield's causing Tyson's legs to buckle. Mitch Halpern stopped the action as Mike wanted to be taken to the corner so the doctor could look at a cut…he almost seemed like he was trying to quit. The rest of the bout is history. Evander continued with his game plan until he nailed Tyson at the end of the 10th and had him in dire straits when the bell sounded, only to finish him off seconds into the 11th. Evander was back from the dead with a vengance.

Two points are significant about this fight: Evander Holyfield's heart should be cloned and implanted into every young fighter at the initiation of his career, for there never has been a greater one in the history of sports, and Tyson's championship drive apparently was still in lock-up. What I mean by that is this…..I have always maintained that, in a close, hard fight, if you see one of the fighters begin to petition the referee for help, he's a beaten man; he's lost his desire to fight, to really compete. The more Holyfield dominated their first encounter, the more this trait became apparent in Mike Tyson. During his first career, while warring with Razor Ruddock in the rematch, low-blow after low-blow landed by both men and both wanted to continue and virtually ignored the referee and points deductions; they wanted to fight. That was not the case of This Tyson against Evander Holyfield; and it took an even worse turn in the rematch. When the two collided again seven months later, two and a half rounds of being dominated was all Tyson could take before he literally snapped in the ring; placing his mouth on Holyfield's ear ridge, he BIT OFF a chunk of flesh and spit it onto the canvas…..and tried the other ear when the referee gave him another chance. He didn't want another chance….he wanted out of that ring. Though he would go on to defeat contenders Andrew Golota and Francois Botha and receive another title shot against Lennox Lewis six years later, this is where Mike Tyson's place among the division's elite faded into Bolivia.

Lennox Lewis, after defeating Andrew Golota, squared off against the man who had beaten, though extremely controversially, George Foreman for the Linear World Heavyweight Championship, Shannon Briggs, and stopped him in 5 spirited rounds. After Tyson, Evander Holyfield faced down his old nemesis, IBF Champion, Michael Moorer, and looked as good as he ever has, dropping Double M five times before Dr. Flip Homanski stepped in between Rounds 8 and 9 and told Michael that was enough. So, the stage was set for Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield to determine who the Real World Heavyweight Champion of the World was. The first fight was determined a draw, though anyone who watched it knows Lewis proved himself the better fighter that night. In the rematch, Lewis got the decision and Holyfield gave the last great effort of his career, causing some to feel he actually deserved the victory.

Lewis would go on to face the best in the division as well as over hyped media creations, while Holyfield would attain another “title”, lose it, and after being embarrassed by Chris Byrd for, yet, another “belt”, beaten up by a former middleweight champ, and outboxed by a fringe contender, had his career ended against his will. Lennox's first test after the Holyfield bouts was HBO's dream child Michael Grant, the *ahem* “future of the division”. Lewis exposed Grant as the media creation he was in 2 extraordinarily brutal rounds. Up next, the man who briefly held the IBF belt, and was beating Mike Tyson before getting caught with a helluva right in the 5th, Francois Botha. Lewis blitzed him in 2 as well.

Lewis was looking dominant and finally receiving the accolades he had sought his whole career; but there were four young heavyweights out there that wanted what he had. There names were Ike Ibeabuchi, David Tua, Hasim Rahman, and Chris Byrd. Lewis would never have to face the best of the four, Ibeabuchi, because he ended up self-destructing and ruining his career before he ever got a shot at the title; but David Tua was banging on Lewis' door and had plenty of supporters who wanted to see the match. Tua was being compared to…..you guessed it….a young Mike Tyson, with incredible strength and a devastating left hook. So, eventually, Lewis signed to face him. Tua, though strong as advertised, proved to be no match for Lewis' boxing skill as Lennox made Tua look like a rank amateur, exposing all of the flaws in his one-dimensional approach to prize-fighting. Lennox Lewis was on top of the world….until South Africa and Hasim Rahman.

Lewis was overconfident going into the first Rahman fight, even taking time out to appear in a cameo with some Hollywood stars in “Ocean's Eleven”. Taking a man lightly, as he did Oliver McCall and now Hasim Rahman is a sure way to end up seeing stars in the ring; but not the kind you want to see. In round 5, with one right hand, Lewis was an ex-champion again. However, this time he got the chance to prove the loss was a fluke and in one less round than it took Rahman to shock the world, Lewis shocked the “Rock” with one of the most devastating right hands ever thrown in the ring, making him, at 36, only the fourth man in history to regain the Linear World Heavyweight Championship.

Lewis would only fight twice more, stopping an old and chunky (36 and 234 Lbs) Mike Tyson in 8 Rounds after dishing out a tremendous beating, and laboring mightily with the giant Vitali Klitschko before "Dr. Iron Fist" succumbed to a severe cut in Round 6. With a record of 42-2-1 (32), Lennox Lewis retired as champion and one of the few men who could say he defeated every man he ever faced in the ring.

FINAL ANALYSIS

So, what does all of this mean; how do these three compare? Well, since this article is essentially about Tyson, let's start with him. First and foremost, something needs to be made clear. There were two Mike Tysons. The Tyson of '85-'91 is a completely different fighter from the Tyson of '95-'05, just as the Muhammad Ali of '60-'67 is a completely different fighter from the Ali of '70-'80 and the George Foreman of '69-'77 is separate from the Forman of '87-'97. The first Tyson thoroughly dominated and cleaned out the heavyweight division whereas the second was a top 5 fighter, at best.

To establish this hypothesis, I point to Tyson's lack of hunger against Holyfield versus the heart he showed in a losing effort to Douglas and in two winning efforts against the big-punching Razor Ruddock. In the Douglas bout, though he was being thoroughly beaten, Mike was still looking for a way to win, hence the uppercut in round 8 that put Douglas on the seat of his pants. If you'll go back and look at the tape, you'll see Mike landed that same uppercut in Round 9; but this time, Buster fell forward onto Tyson, whose back was against the ropes. Despite Mike's looking for "intelligent" punching opportunities late in the fight, Douglas just wasn't going to be denied on this particular evening.

People constantly say that Mike falls apart when a fighter isn't afraid of him; but Ruddock wasn't afraid of Tyson. In fact, Ruddock was looking to decapitate Mike with practically every punch he threw....and damn near did in the 6th. Mike, instead of falling apart, charged back into the fray, looking for opportunities to fell his foe; and probably would have in the 7th had Richard Steele not acted so hastily. Mike himself, said that Razor punched like a "f-in' mule kick".....why would he sign for a rematch unless he wanted to "prove" he was the better fighter of the two?

Speaking of the rematch, both men were fouling each other badly, yet, neither looked to the referee for assistance. Both were men, true fighters wanting to beat the man in front of them, come hell or high water. The same can not be said about Tyson after his prison stint. When he re-entered the ring, I submit for thought, he was not as hungry or as dedicated to the sport as he was before he went in. Mike Tyson #1 would have destroyed Mike Tyson #2 inside of 6 rounds because Mike Tyson #1 truly wanted to be known as the Baddest Man on the Planet whereas Mike Tyson #2 was more about the money than the fighting. The Tyson who faced Holyfield was NOT the same man who ran through the heavyweight division like a bad case of Montezuma's Revenge ten years before. To suggest such a thing is pure foolishness.

Now, that being said, though all three fought each other, I'm only taking the Tyson-Holyfield and Holyfield-Lewis bouts into consideration since the Tyson that faced Lewis was a mere shell and equivalent to the Louis that faced Charles and Marciano and the Ali that faced Holmes and Berbick. Such a fight so late in a fighter's career should never be taken into consideration for his historical standing. It is true that Lewis is a year older than Mike; but Lennox was far closer to his best days when the two met than was Tyson.

Of the three, who was more dominant? Without a doubt, Lennox Lewis was the dominant fighter of the 1990's having beaten virtually every viable challenger short of Riddick Bowe. He unified the splintered title once again by defeating Oliver McCall for the vacant WBC belt, knocking out Shannon Briggs for Linear Prestige, and finally decisioning Evander Holyfield for the WBA/IBF versions. Lewis also avenged his title loss to Rahman with a dominant performance and handed the current WBC Titlist, Vitali Klitschko a defeat before hanging the gloves up.

Tyson, likewise in the post-Holmes era, accomplished domination of the division by not just unifying the titles; but by beating the men who had previously held the belts to solidify his hold. Tyson beat Berbick for the WBC belt and the man who Trevor took the title from, Pinklon Thomas, by 2nd and 6th round kayos respectively. He blitzed Michael Spinks in 1 for universal recognition as champ and stopped the man Spinks had defeated, Larry Holmes, in 4 Rounds. After being thoroughly dominated in the first round of their fight, WBA Titlist, James Smith, sought survival rather than glory for the remainder of the rounds, thus surrendering any claim he had to the title. The only quasi-dominant mid-80's champion Tyson didn't face was Tim Witherspoon; but if his 1st round loss to Smith in 1986 is any indication, Spoon wouldn't have faired much better than anyone else.

So, we've established that Lewis was the best of his era and Tyson was the best of his; but where does that leave Holyfield? Somewhere in between, I'm afraid. Holy did avenge his title loss to Bowe; but then turned around and lost his title again in his very next match. Afterwards, in an attempt to take the rubber match with Riddick, Holyfield was thoroughly dominated, with the sole exception of the round in which he dropped Big Daddy; and was knocked out for the first time in his career. Even though his thrilling upset over Tyson gave him the WBA's recognition as champion, Mike was no longer the best fighter in the division by that point, Lewis was.....and Holy failed to secure even one win over Lennox. Evander, while a great fighter with a great fighting heart, failed to ever truly dominate the division and, hence, fails to meet the standard of All-Time-Great.

Subtracting Holyfield from the equation leaves us Lewis and Tyson; who was better? Were either dominant enough to be considered All-Time-Greats? Both dominated their respective eras; but who was more dominant between the two?

As stated Tyson fought four men for the right to rule the heavyweights; but he didn't stop there. He went on to beat the men who they (the champions he beat) defeated for their belts. After destroying the champs and former champs, Mike took on every single challenger, ducking no one. There is the instance of Mike pulling out of the proposed Ruddock match-up due to a stomach ailment in 1989; but Mike would go on to soundly defeat Razor twice two years later, so their missed 1989 showdown is a non-issue. Single-handedly, Mike Tyson cleaned out a division that had been in a mess for ten years and did so in such an impressive manor that even after more than four years away from the ring, his reputation entranced the public into believing he could still do it. That's dominance.

Lewis only beat three men who had a claim to the title at the time he fought them: Shannon Briggs, Evander Holyfield, and Hasim Rahman; and Rahman was champ because he defeated Lewis. Still, Lewis defeated every man put in front of him and turned no challenge away……uh, that is except for mandatory challengers Chris Byrd and John Ruiz, who just happen to be current title-holders. Very few think either Byrd or Ruiz could have beaten Lewis; but the fact is they were ranked #1 at the time he allowed himself to be stripped in order to face a green and over hyped Michael Grant and an over-ripe Mike Tyson for much more MONEY…..a fella does have to make a living, after all.

Negatives aside, Lewis did decimate Andrew Golota at a time when Andrew had only beaten himself. He out boxed Evander Holyfield twice at the height of Evander's popularity for universal recognition as champ. He exposed Michael Grant as a mere media creation of HBO's and turned away legitimate #1 contender, David Tua, proving he was in a different league. He dragged himself off the canvas after a brutal one-punch knockout at the age of 36 to return the favor to his younger conqueror in shorter fashion. In the end, Lewis had beaten every man to ever enter the ring with him.

In common opponents, Tyson beat Tony Tucker and Frank Bruno in a more impressive manor than Lewis did and both fighters were older when Lewis fought them. However, Lewis beat Ruddock in more convincing fashion that did Tyson. The same can be said of Lewis's win over Botha and Golota, though they fought the second coming of Iron Mike and not the original version. Still, even the second Tyson victory over Bruno was more convincing than Lewis' sole effort.

Truth be known Lewis and Tyson are neck in neck in terms of who dominated who's era better; but I think the difference can be found in defeat. I believe it's a fair statement to say that James Douglas, Oliver McCall, and Hasim Rahman are roughly the same class of fighter. All are good enough to be ranked; but all are plagued with inconsistency throughout their careers…..for different reasons. Rahman has all the heart in the world; but lacks versatility and true ring intelligence. Douglas has all the skills any fighter could dream of possessing; but has shown lack of a true fighting heart on several occasions, though, obviously not on the night he fought Tyson. And McCall, while relatively skilled and in possession of fighting heart, has suffered from mental instability throughout his career, most notably when he lost to Lewis.

Lennox Lewis, in essence, while dominating his era, lost to two Buster Douglases whereas Tyson, while dominating his era, lost to one; and took a tremendous beating in doing so, while Lewis went down to one punch kayos. Even in his 2002 challenge of Lennox Lewis, Tyson took a frightful beating until his body could take no more. Let no one say Tyson didn't have a championship heart. True, Lewis did avenge both of those defeats; but Tyson never got a chance to avenge his due to Douglas being kayoed in 3 by Holyfield…..which shows that Douglas would never again be able to attain the level of intensity he had in the Tyson fight. How would Tyson have done had he got a second shot at Douglas? The world will never know; but I'll bet you've got a pretty good idea.

Both Lewis and Tyson were far better champions than Evander Holyfield. Who was better between Lewis and Tyson is indeed up for debate; but this observer gives the edge to the “Man of Iron”.

Mike Tyson was born to be a champion; make no mistake about it. Any era, you pick one, that Mike came along in….he was gonna be champ. Maybe not for long; but he would have gotten the gold at least once. Did he reign forever? No; but who does? Between 1985 and 1988, Mike Tyson was the fistic equivalent of a Jimi Hendrix, a Jim Morrison or a Bon Scott: he wasn't destined to grace us with his pugilistic excellence for any more than a heartbeat; but oh, what a heartbeat. To we mere humans, a shooting star is about as spectacular display as we're going to see in the heavens. The brilliance of the dying moments of an interplanetary hunk of rock can live in a person's memory for a lifetime. Such was the career of Mike Tyson. His reign as “Baddest Man on the Planet” lasted a mere 1,021 days; but has any prize-fighting star shown as brightly in as short a time? Very few. Very few.

Bullshit...Mike is 100% bum!!!


Posted by: aceshigh

im gonna arrange mike tyson vs foremanrules at madison park around the corner from me ,,,behind the sheds,,,,,,,,i think this should be settled once and for all ,,,,i just rang mike and he said yous a bum,,,,and he is gonna gut u like a salmon....then eat your pets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ITS ON BABY ITS ON


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
im gonna arrange mike tyson vs foremanrules at madison park around the corner from me ,,,behind the sheds,,,,,,,,i think this should be settled once and for all ,,,,i just rang mike and he said yous a bum,,,,and he is gonna gut u like a salmon....then eat your pets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ITS ON BABY ITS ON
sounds good.....In a ring with a ref and I get 500,000...


Posted by: aceshigh

yeah i would do it,,,,,,,,,,,i would get knocked out but i would do it


Posted by: TJ Cline

The bitch (John Ruiz) files $10 million lawsuit against Toney

01.11.05 - By Chet Mills: According to the Boston Globe, the WBA heavyweight champion, John Ruiz, has reportedly filed a $10 million dollar lawsuit against James Toney. The lawsuit Ruiz filed alleges Toney's use of steroids was the reason for Ruiz suffering the loss, including "incurred significant financial damage and damages to his reputation". It also states ''Toney's energy, aggression and strength levels were unusually high in comparison to his apparent physical condition." (At the time of the fight, Toney weighed 233 pounds, although his physique looked soft and with noticeable fat around his midsection.)

Ruiz lost a unanimous decision (judges scores - 116-111, 116-111, and 115-112) to James Toney on April 30, 2005 at Madison Square Garden, New York.

However, 10 days later, a banned substance, “Nandrolone,” was found in Toney’s post fight urine, which resulted in Ruiz being reinstated as the WBA heavyweight title. Following that, Toney was later suspended by the New York Athletic Commission for 90 days and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.


Posted by: aceshigh

and toney cant get a woody now and has deca dick just leave the poor guy alone


Posted by: TJ Cline

Jeff Lacy Training Photo & Quotes

02.11.05 - Photo: TOM CASINO / SHOWTIME: Undefeated IBF super middleweight champion Jeff "Left Hook'' Lacy hits the mitts during a workout Tuesday at Caesars Tahoe. In Saturday's excellent main event on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on west coast), Lacy defends his 168-pound title against hard-hitting IBF No. 5 contender Scott Pemberton. IBF bantamweight titleholder Rafael Marquez risks his crown against IBF No. 1 contender Silence Mabuza in the co-feature on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

Lacy Quotes: "This is my fourth fight this year. I am ready to go. People ask how I can stay fresh and the answer is easy: I live right. I do not smoke or drink. I get the proper rest during training camp.

"But mostly it is all about me loving the sport. I put 100 percent into it..

"I fight often because that is what I am used to doing. If you fight only once or twice a year, it can affect your performance, and I want to be at the top of my game all the time.

"I still feel there is room to improve. In this sport, you can't put a cap on improving, or trying to improve. Even the top guys, they are all trying to improve because there is always room to improve.

"I am looking forward to a very good fight against Pemberton. He is a dangerous puncher who you know is coming to win. That's what I want.

"I love to fight and being in the ring. I love the weight on your shoulders of being in with another guy, just me against him, and only one guy winning.''


Posted by: TJ Cline

John Ruiz comments on lawsuit

NEW YORK (November 2, 2005) - Attorneys for World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John Ruiz announced today that a lawsuit has been filed on Ruiz's behalf against James Toney based on Toney's use of illegal performance-enhancing steroids in advance of their April 30, 2005 title fight.. In the lawsuit, Ruiz claims that Toney's use of Nandrolone, one of the most powerful performance-enhancing substances available, dramatically enhanced Toney's ability to fight by artificially augmenting his strength, speed and power. As a direct result of Toney's doping, Ruiz lost a fight that he otherwise would not have lost and sustained physical injuries that he otherwise would not have sustained. Notwithstanding that the judges' decision in favor of Toney on April 30 was overturned by the WBA after Toney's drug test subsequently came back positive for illegal steroids, Ruiz has also incurred substantial financial damages as a result of initially losing a decision in a fight that he would have won had Toney not cheated.

Several days after the April 30 fight, Toney's mandatory drug test came back with a positive result, reflecting the presence of Nandrolone in Toney's bloodstream. Use of Nandrolone is illegal under federal law, and Nandrolone is classified as a Schedule III drug under 21 U.S.C. § 812. On May 16, 2005, the WBA sanctioned Toney for his illegal use of steroids, precluding him from fighting for a WBA title for two years. The New York State Athletic Commission also levied their maximum applicable sanction against Toney, which included a $10,000 fine.

Ruiz made the following comment in connection with the lawsuit: "The problem of steroids in the sport of boxing must be addressed. This lawsuit is an effort to push this process forward. Boxers risk their lives every time they step into the ring. The illegal use of steroids increases a boxer's risk in a way that is simply unacceptable." Since the April 30 fight, Ruiz has called for the WBA and other boxing organizations to improve their standards, testing protocols and penalties to prevent and deter the use of anabolic steroids and other banned performance enhancing substances.

Ruiz's attorney, Aaron Marks of Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP in New York, made the following comment in connection with the lawsuit commenced by his firm: "This case more than underscores the epidemic problem in sports today caused by athletes' abuse of performance-enhancing steroids. This is not merely a situation where an athlete uses steroids in order to hit a baseball farther. Here, James Toney used illegal steroids to augment his speed and power so that he could hit another boxer harder. This could mean life or death for a competitor."

John Ruiz is the first and only world heavyweight champion of Hispanic heritage. He has beaten former world champions Evander Holyfield, Hasim Rahman, and Tony Tucker, as well as top 10 contenders Andrew Golota, Fres Oquendo and Kirk Johnson.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Vitali Klitschko vs. Hasim Rahman, the Little Things

02.11.05 - By Geoff Mckay: You read it right, the little things, that's the title of this article. How many times have you watched a fight end in an upset, or turn in an unexpected result, only to have analysts in droves point out “the little things” afterward? Small factors, that when seen in hindsight came together and should have painted an obvious picture of what was about to happen. This time, we are going to try and look at the little things before the fight, and see what conclusion they lead us to.

First of all, there is no way that Rahman should stand a chance in this fight. He gives up reach, height, and brute strength. The shot that Vitali soaked up in the first round of the Sanders fight would have sent Rahman into dreamland, (as Sanders nearly did when he fought Rahman) so you can bet Vitali is more durable. Rahman is the younger man, in fact, when he fights Vitali, he will be 5 days past his 33rd birthday, compared to Vitali’s 34.

However, in a strange paradox, Rahman is also the older man. He has fewer years under his belt, but he is battle worn, and obviously past his prime, while Vitali seems at the height of his prowess, at least he was before the layoff.

There it is. I’ve convinced you right? No? I didn’t think so because I haven’t convinced myself either. There is just something about Rahman. He is impossible to write off. No matter how many poor performances he turns in, no matter how many trips he takes to the canvas, or the HBO announcers table, no matter how many times he leaves the ring in defeat, you just can’t look at the guy and say “he has no chance”, therefore, we must look deeper. We must examine, “the little things”.

If you read a few of the analyses that have been written about this fight, most of the credit given to Rahman have been vague - stuff like “good boxer”, “strong puncher”, or “experienced”. I believe these comments are unsuccessful efforts to describe what makes Rahman special. I believe what makes Rahman special is his mentality, in short, his unshakable confidence.

Confidence, that’s the word that the analysts should be using. He stands a chance simply because he is confident, that is the elusive factor that everyone sees, but can’t put their finger on. When he stands on the podium and tells Vitali Klitschko, along with the rest of the world that he is going to hand Klitschko his first ever knockdown, he sounds believable, because he himself believes it - and that believability catches people’s attention.

Hasim Rahman possesses a self confidence that is almost unshakable, and that is rare. Many are the stories of fighters whose careers were destroyed or damaged by a single, brutal knockout. Oleg Maskaev was on track for a title shot when the Kirk Johnson KO forever reduced him as a fighter. Wladimir Klitschko was considered the most promising heavyweight on the planet when a second round KO robbed him of all his confidence, a tribulation he is only now recovering from. Willie Dewitt, the promising Canadian heavyweight, never returned to prominence after being scorched by Bert Cooper. Michael Grant, Michael Moorer, the list goes on, and let’s not forget the most glaring example of all, Roy Jones Jr.

Roy Jones Jr. has demonstrated the power of fear better than any other fighter I know. It was all I could do to sit down and watch the third Jones-Tarver fight. Several times I got up and shut the TV off, only to force myself back again. I couldn’t stand seeing Roy Jones do that too himself, especially since it was obvious that the old Roy was still there, in flashes, waiting to come out, but caged by fear.

Tarver was hesitant, and he himself was scared of being tagged. On the two or three occasions Jones actually got aggressive, Tarver’s eyes went wide with bewilderment and horror, as he hung on for dear life. You could almost hear him thinking, “you’re not supposed to be doing that Roy!!!” Roy must have heard it too, because he immediately obliged and stopped fighting. In the middle of the fight Roy tagged Tarver with a beautiful counter shot, and the sweat exploded off of Tarvers' head. Although Tarver didn’t seem affected by the punch, the truth revealed itself a few seconds later when Jones feinted and Tarver lurched backward across the ring, desperate to avoid being hit again. Jones didn’t throw another meaningful punch that round. It is my belief that even now, if Roy Jones Jr. were capable of completely releasing himself from his fear, (get ready for the outcry), he would clean Tarver up within 7, and dominate the whole time.

The fear and self doubt that has so devastated these men, and many others, is completely nonexistent in Rahman, even though he has been knocked out as brutally and suddenly as any of those before him. His KO loss to Maskaev was as devastating as they come. Rahman was winning the fight, he looked sharp, he was controlling Maskaev, and suddenly Jim Lamply was asking him if he knew where, and who he was. How did Rahman respond? Four fights later he was the heavyweight champion of the world. Although he was losing when he knocked out Lewis, he was still confident, and aggressive enough to pursue the opening when he saw it. He won because he believed he could, just like he does now. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and one that speaks volumes is Vitali and Rahmans' face off at the press conference. Vitali is obviously pissed off again, and is glowering down at Hasim. Rahman, while gazing up 5 inches into Vitali’s eyes, is emotionless, no fear when nature says it should be there. It kind of reminded me of an animal on the railroad tracks, curiously gazing at that bright light coming swiftly toward it.

Another “little thing” is Vitali’s inactivity. We have no way of knowing how this has affected him until we see him fight, but we may have inadvertently been given a couple of clues. First of all, Vitali went through back surgery, so we can be sure he hasn’t been as active as he would like to be. While Hasim has stayed fairly active in the last year, it is doubtful Vitali was even able to jog for an extended period of his convalescence.

Also, there have been whispers that Vitali was cut during sparring. This could mean nothing; there are many ways a cut can happen. However, it could mean a lot. First of all, if it is in the same place as before, it means Vitali’s bleeding problem may be more permanent than thought. More importantly, it might mean that he isn’t as sharp after the long layoff, and that one of his sparring partners tagged him. Remember how we all dismissed the knockdown Tyson suffered in sparring, right before he fought Douglas, and then pointed to it afterward?

Very little is said about Vitali’s hands, but the truth is after his last two fights, Sanders, and Williams, he complained on air that he had hurt them. In fact, after about the third round of the Williams fight, he stopped punching with full power, which was a big part of the reason Williams was able to last so long. If Vitali’s hands act up again, he may have trouble finishing Rahman off, giving Hasim more chances to catch him.

I have saved the final “little thing” for last, because I think therein lies the key to predicting this fight. Just as Hasim’s main strength lies within his psyche, so is the case with Vitali. Vitali has an inner fire, a rage if you will. Any careful observer will see how his temper always lurks just under his skin. Even when sitting relaxed at a press conference, or photo op, he looks pissed off. This is rare in a big man, and when this fire is released it spells disaster for his opponents.

Hasim Rahman has been plagued by terrible advice throughout his career. I remember watching his corner man during the second Lewis fight. The corner man assured Rahman that Lewis could not touch him if he simply held his arms straight out from his body, palms extended. The very next round, cameras in Lewis’ corner caught Manny Steward telling Lewis, in detail, just how to nail Rahman if he did that again. Rahman got drilled and KO’d in the following round, just as Steward had said he would.

Once again, someone has given Rahman terrible advice, and chances are it’s going to cost him what could be his last shot at the title. Why anger a man larger and stronger than you? His camp should have paid attention to the other men that intentionally angered Vitali - Herbie Hide and Corrie Sanders. They should have watched the brutal, one sided beatings those men received at the hands of a motivated Vitali, and took heed. Vitali is at his most dangerous when he’s riled, the man that irks him on purpose before sharing the ring with him is foolhardy indeed.

Rahman’s biggest victory came against an unmotivated, unsuspecting Lewis. He should have pursued the same fight plan against Vitali. Instead of mocking him, presenting him with chicken and the like, he should have quietly come into press conferences, been polite, and then disappeared. He should have gone into seclusion, and let Vitali forget about him, just like Lennox Lewis did. Then, he could have looked to surprise a rusty Vitali early, and jump on him to force the stoppage. Now someone in his camp has decided to make it personal. In their brilliance, they have decided to “throw Vitali off his game” by making him mad, and in doing so have probably wasted the great chance they had for an upset.

Even if Klitschko is covered in ring rust, even if he hurts his hands or gets cut, he’s motivated now. He badly wants to beat up on Hasim Rahman, and he will. He will because he’s bigger, stronger, and meaner. He will get hit, but in the words of Teddy Atlas, “Klitschko won’t evaporate”. Rahman’s comments indicate he expects Klitschko to fold mentally when tested. Don’t count on it Hasim, especially now, since you’ve successfully painted a target on your forehead.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Ricardo Mayorga? Will El Matador tarnish the Golden Boy’s return?

03.11.05 - By Gabriel DeCrease - The only problem with Oscar De La Hoya is that he is not as good-looking as me. -Ricardo Mayorga

Perennial fan-favorite and clean-cut megastar Oscar De La Hoya will make his return to the ring on May 6th of next year in a big-budget tangle with pugilism’s quintessential anti-hero Ricardo Mayorga. The Golden Boy is clearly looking to come back with a vengeance, and has chosen a dangerous bridge to cross on the way to what will likely be his last attempt at a title reign. But Oscar knows that styles make fights and watchable characters sell tickets and pay-per-view units. And these two are proven commodities.. Despite his recent losses, and his horrific showing against Felix Sturm, De La Hoya remains the only guy in the sport with crossover appeal as a clean-cut media machine. On the other hand, Mayorga appeals to some part of almost every boxing fan. He’s the guy fans love to hate, and the reckless anti-hero purists root for in spite of themselves. If The Golden Boy was looking to put together a fight that will get everyone’s strict attention, he has done it. There’s even a good bet an alphabet strap will be on the line to add championship appeal to the already potent cocktail of saleable ingredients. All Mayorga needs to do is hold on to that dubiously won WBC light-middleweight strap, which seems to be Don King’s gift to him for fooling the public into thinking he had a prayer against Felix Trinidad. Or, perhaps, Mayorga will lose the belt and then win it back in a return over the next seven months. Anything is possible when throwing El Matador into the mix.

By fight time The Golden Boy will have been out of the ring for well over a year. His last fight was a high-profile knockout loss to Bernard Hopkins in which Oscar looked undersized, outgunned, and clueless as to how to effectively fend off the an unusually aggressive Hopkins. The loss was arguably his second, in two outings, when he dared tip the scales at 160-pounds. His aforementioned bout with Felix Sturm was a sham in which judges, under extreme pressure to maintain the integrity of The Golden Boy’s date with The Executioner, gave Oscar a narrow gift-decision. This judgment came after Sturm’s stiff jab had been practically attached to De La Hoya’s face for the entirety of the fight, while De La Hoya threw all his best punches into Sturm’s guard and occasionally at his elbows. Immediately before that debacle, Oscar suffered a unanimous decision loss to Shane Mosely. It was a close fight, and could have easily been judged in favor of either fighter. However, De La Hoya kicked up such a fuss over the decision that he supported his formal appeal to the commission with the findings of his own personally funded investigation into the accuracy of the scoring. He was so unwilling to accept defeat; he made Bernard Hopkins recent buzzing seem like the conduct of a gracious and humble loser. All this serves to indicate that while De La Hoya remains a favorite to fans and odds-makers alike, he has suffered in recent years, and is clearly not the fighter of his dominant prime, which subjectively seemed to this author to come between his 1995 clobbering of a tough Jesse James Leija and his 2001 shutout of a not-yet-battlebroken Arturo Gatti.

The fight between De La Hoya and Mayorga will ultimately be one in which the outcome will be determined as a host of looming, unanswered questions are ultimately elucidated. Sadly, it will not be until fight night that such clarity will come, punch-by-punch. One question that comes immediately to mind is this: Is Oscar now too business-minded to get serious about preparing for a potentially tough fight against a dangerous puncher? The Golden Boy has, over the last few years, proven that his interests extend far beyond his career as a fighter. He has dabbled in the music business, winning a Latin Grammy Award and starting a Latin Music Label along the Way. He has been involved in the creation of boxing television programs, and has quickly become one of the more formidable promoters in the fight game, partnering-up with his one-time conqueror Bernard Hopkins in the process. Most fighters are lucky to score autograph-signing gigs and work at shabby gyms after they retire, but De La Hoya is clearly cut from a different cloth. He has a Sugar Ray Leonard kind of way about him that tells us he’s as much a media-institution as he is a warrior. But does Oscar have it in him to return to the ring amidst his other ventures as successfully as Leonard? Watching De La Hoya throughout his training camp will give some initial sense of how dedicated he will be to sweating and bleeding himself down to prime cuts for his date with the Nicaraguan destroyer. But it will only be on fight night that his level of determination and focus will be revealed. If throughout camp he is jabbering on a cell phone trading stocks instead of sparring with top opposition trading hooks, he may well seal his own doom. As history has taught, a fighter cannot always be judged by his physical shape.

Another question that comes to mind concerns El Matador, and it is this: Does a thirtysomething Ricardo Mayorga run the risk of being tripped up by ring-wear and an unhealthy lifestyle in taking a fight that may well go all the way into the championship rounds? Mayorga has always had a surprising amount of gas in the tank in the late rounds of tough fights despite his purportedly beer-swilling, ciggie-toting habits and a career made by taking thirty square punches for every career ending blast he lands. He went the distance in the return against Forrest, and outfoxed him relatively cleanly all the way, and then fought hard to the finish against a tricky Cory Spinks who won with the aid of a few suspect point-deductions. But he is quickly approaching that age when old-school, hard-knocks brawlers often quickly fade. The seemingly indestructible rib-smashing brawler Mickey Ward went that way after his first fight with Arturo Gatti. And then three fights later Gatti wound-up looking the shot-horse against a near-flawless Floyd Mayweather. Even Gatti’s detractors and Pretty Boy Boosters must admit that an already overmatched Gatti got old overnight, which only made the mismatch more of a shutout than it might have been if the Arturo Gatti of yesteryear had showed up (the one who battled Gabriel Ruelas to a vicious knockout win, took Wilson Rodriguez apart, and battled Tracy Patterson to a unanimous decision victory). Mayorga is cut from the same cloth, and after the hellacious beating he took at the persistent, rapid-firing hands of Felix Trinidad his stamina is surely drawn into question. Even if Mayorga’s hard-drinking sideshow is partly a publicity stunt, he is no naturalist and has certainly had a few wars with the bottle that would rival his wars in the ring, and that takes a toll—no matter how durable the fighter. De La Hoya is smart and knows his best strategy is to stylishly outbox Mayorga and only move aggressively forward once he has drawn a drained Mayorga into deep water. Ricardo’s conditioning will thus be a significant factor in the fight. His activity between now and then will also be crucial. If he can stay dedicated in training camp and score easy win or two, he will give himself the best chance of getting the drop of Oscar. But a war for Mayorga, or a lackluster cap that finds him dumping weight before a fight will be disastrous.

The fight itself should prove to be an exciting clash of very different styles. Mayorga will almost certainly go after De La Hoya with huge, wild shots from the opening bell, as is his habit. And he should do just that. If he can catch Oscar looking and establish control by hurting The Golden Boy, the fight is his for the taking. Oscar became quickly wary of Hopkins the moment he was wobbled by a hard clean shot, and, from that point, gave the fight away in the name of self-preservation. Any student of the game could see that Oscar did not try very hard to beat the count after tasting the canvas against Hopkins. Mayorga is one of those guys who is more than willing to die in the ring, and almost relishes the opportunity to eat leather. He has many times, and most recently to his discredit, invited opponents to take a free shot at his well-hammered noggin. So if he can force heavy action in the early going, it could be a short night for El Matador, and a kiss goodnight for Oscar. De La Hoya has a good chin, but any sign of danger, and he may well be looking for the bottom of a ten count rather than walking into more pretty-face-threatening punishment. A sustained war is a near-impossibility. De La Hoya has become too careful in his Golden Years, and Mayorga is too strong to trade with. Oscar needs to control the tempo from the outset. If he can retreat from the initial Mayorga-madness behind quick combos and a solid defense he will frustrate Mayorga and create an opportunity to trap him into the slow-wear of a technical mismatch. Think Mayorga versus Trinidad, but take out the knockdowns and add a standing TKO against the ropes late in the 11th round.

The date is set, and the public is already salivating. This matchup is one that has been a long time coming. Both mean face similar obstacles as age and the cost of a true-to-self lifestyle threaten their respective careers. Which makes a man weaker in the ring: a soft-and-easy life of luxury and complacency, or a fast-driving, thrill-seeking, shot-pounding, smoldering trip toward oblivion? Can Ricardo Mayorga once again shock the world by demolishing a respected champion? Or will style and technical acumen tame another savage brawler? The world will know come the sixth of May 2006.

Or will it? Mayorga is as unpredictable as a hyena on mescaline and The Golden Boy has a look on his face these days that says My retirement is in full swing, not my left hook. Perhaps the best question to be asking is whether or not this fight will ever actually happen.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Rahman Vows to End Klitschko Dynasty!

BEND, OR (November 3, 2005) -- Like the Romanov Dynasty that ended with the Russian Revolution in 1917, WBC interim heavyweight champion HASIM RAHMAN stated today, from his training camp in Bend, OR, that he would lead his own one-man revolt to end the Klitschko Dynasty, beginning with a victory over older brother and WBC Champion Vitali Klitschko on November 12. "I am going to tear down the House of Klitschko, brother-by brother," said Rahman. “I am going to personally overthrow them. Boxing needs a people’s world champion not a czar!”

Rahman, on a media conference call yesterday, discussed his imminent challenge for the championship title stating that he felt confident he would beat Vitali and would immediately seek out his younger brother Wladimir to accomplish the mission of being the first heavyweight to beat both brothers in consecutive battles. "I like the idea of letting them bring the revenge factor into it and bring his brother on," said Rahman. “Unifying the titles and sending them both back to their motherland—the Ukraine—will give me great satisfaction.”

Legendary trainer Emmanuel Steward has also stated that the chances are strong for Rahman to accomplish such a feat. "I'd put them—Rahman and the two Klitschkos—on the same level," said Steward. “Rahman might be the best heavyweight in boxing today and if he is preparing like I hear he's preparing, there’s a great chance for a victory for him.”

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with K2 Promotions, Caesars Palace and Wynn Resort, "Seek and Destroy!" -- Klitschko vs. Rahman for the World Heavyweight Championship -- will be broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View, Saturday, November 12, from the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Klitschko v Rahman: Why Vitali Has to Win


03.11.05 - By Peter Cameron: It's not exactly The Thrilla in Manilla but Vitali Klitschko's November 12 date with Hasim Rahman does represent the biggest heavyweight fight of 2005. Those from the generation who watched Smokin' Joe bob and weave as The Greatest floated and danced, look away now. For these great men have long since gone, replaced by boxers who probably wouldn't have made the top ten in Ali's era. Klitschko resembles a robotic monster with an awkward style which is uneasy on the eye. He hasn't been seen in a ring all year, his last outing being against the hopelessly out-of-his-depth Danny Williams in December 2004. Rahman unfortunately did appear this year in August and was booed repeatedly as he ground out the dullest of points victories against Monte Barrett. After numerous setbacks and delays, on November 12th the long-awaited "Whack at the Thomas and Mack," for want of a better name, will finally see Dr Ironfist taking on the challenge of The Rock. Crikes, even their nicknames can't compare anymore!

Nevertheless the result of this heavyweight collision will have a massive impact on the short term future of the division. The best possible outcome on the night would be a decisive Klitschko victory, preferably by early knockout. This will help to establish him as the outright, recognisable leader of the heavyweights, a figurehead the division so desperately needs right now. As the Tyson-Holyfield-Lewis era disappears into memory, nobody has risen from the mediocrity that now strangles the division. Boxing no longer pulls in the punters and part of the problem is the lack of a clear heavyweight number one, a focal point for the average sports fan. November 12th is Klitschko's opportunity to become that man.

This is not to say that Rahman doesn't have a chance. He has good punching power and is entering the fight on the back of six straight wins, four by early stoppage. Indeed this is the man who knocked out big Lennox with a right hand of near supernatural power. Yet if we are brutally honest, none of us really believe that Rahman is any good. In fact many of us thought we had seen the last of him back in 2003 when, after the Lewis victory, he went on to lose three of his next four outings (the other result being a draw). In fact Rahman's whole reputation is based on that momentous victory in South Africa in 2001, yet I am not even convinced that was Lennox Lewis in the ring with him! It may have looked a bit like Lewis but it certainly didn't display the skills and conditioning normally seen from the giant Briton. The real Lennox Lewis turned up seven months later to put the record straight.

The problem for Rahman is that he simply doesn't have the credibility to be considered the world's best heavyweight. You cannot lose to Oleg Maskaev and John Ruiz and ever hold that title. Baddest Man on the Planet? No chance, not after those defeats. In fact so dull was The Rock's points victory over Monte Barrett in August that many fans would rather be watching his wrestling namesake take on Klitschko on November 12.

Not that anyone would begrudge Rahman victory, given his current financial turmoil and tragic story. This is a man who, in the euphoria directly after the first Lewis fight, reportedly turned down $17 million for a rematch in favour of $250,000 in a Don King suitcase and the promise of some easy defences. Lewis's lawyers then got to work and ensured the rematch was honoured immediately. Poor Rahman went on to lose not only the WBC belt but also an incredibly large amount of money. It is always painful to see a boxer having to file for bankruptcy as a result of bad management and boxing politics, and winning back the title would be the best remedy for the man from Baltimore. Yet despite this sentiment, a Rahman win would merely confuse already-muddled matters even further.

Step forward Vitali Klitschko.

The huge Ukrainian himself is hardly an inspiration. His finest hour is getting his face shredded to pieces by another ill-prepared version of Lennox Lewis, and since acquiring the WBC belt he has defended it against three unexceptional fighters in the shape of Kirk Johnson, Corrie Sanders and Danny Williams. Yet it is still just possible to argue, following fairly sound logic, that Klitschko is in fact unbeaten. His two losses, to Byrd and Lewis, have come from being unable to continue through injury. He was ahead on the judges' scorecards in both fights at the point of his withdrawal. He was desperate to continue against Lewis, and the Byrd fight injury was a freak occurrence not caused by anything his opponent did to him.

Klitschko has an impressive knockout ratio, with 34 KOs in 35 wins compared to Rahman's 33 in 41. Klitschko has never been knocked down and possesses the granite chin required to be a good boxer. In short, he has the credentials that Rahman lacks to become the world's best heavyweight.

On November 12th I expect to see the Doctor clinically chipping away at The Rock before executing a late knockout in an otherwise dull and overcautious fight. Afterwards we will appreciatively applaud as the division at last welcomes a newly established leader and some sense of order finally returns. Yet deep down we will be hoping that another Smokin' Joe or the next Greatest is just around the corner.


Posted by: aceshigh

roll on another mike tyson or joe fraizier or george foreman ,,,,,i reckon klitchko ,s good but ,,,,,,,thats it im doin a few cycles then turning pro,,then im gonna then im gonna go through the heavyweight division like there glasses of beer


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
roll on another mike tyson or joe fraizier or george foreman ,,,,,i reckon klitchko ,s good but ,,,,,,,thats it im doin a few cycles then turning pro,,then im gonna then im gonna go through the heavyweight division like there glasses of beer
Its all technique, balance, skill and endurance................power is what you are born with...steroids are little help to a young fighter..


Posted by: TJ Cline

Boxing 2006 Fight Preview: Part II—Heavyweight-Middleweight Divisions

04.11.05 - By Gabriel DeCrease: Additionally, here is my matchmaking wish-list. These matchups, if made, could set the fight game ablaze in the coming year:

O’Neil Bell v. Dale Brown II: Brown was the victim of perhaps the worst decision in recent memory. He consistently put pressure on a lethargic Bell, and did more than enough to state his case for a win. Bell never had the shockingly fresh-looking and tough Brown in real trouble, yet Brown lost by a margin of 111-117 on one scorecard. Bell would do well to make a better showing in a return if he wants credibility as a titleholder. And Dale Brown, a longtime workhorse in the Cruiserweight division, deserves another shot at some overdue glory.

Vitali Klitschko v. Nicolay Valuev: If the giant Valuev can get cleanly by John Ruiz’s onslaught of hugging, slapping, and filing bogus lawsuits, he has the chance to give boxing fans an unlikely treat.. Nicolay could put Dr. Ironfist in a fight where he gives away every possible size advantage. How often will the world see someone of Klitscko’s stature towered over in a title fight? This one has sideshow appeal that rivals Mike Tyson’s potential career in the adult film industry.

Wladmir Klitschko v. Chris Byrd II: It was a treat to watch the slap-boxing Byrd sputter to a halt and be dominated the first time around, and after Byrd’s detestable post-fight whining after his uninspired win over Williamson, it might be nice to see him banished with a bang. This one would also be a test to see if the now more cautious, and thrice beaten, Wladmir still has the gall to put together a vicious offensive because trying to box around Byrd will be near-impossible.

James Toney v. John Ruiz II: If John “Huggy Bear” Ruiz has any interest in walking along with any of his considerable talk against Toney lately he should take a rematch and try to salvage his infamous name in a bout with a steroid-free Lights Out.

Jean-Marc Mormeck v. Guillermo Jones: Now that the cruiserweight division has something closer to a dominant champion in Mormeck, the Frenchman should test himself against fellow Big Truck crasher Guillermo Jones who hits with more pop at Cruiser than any man who started his career as a welterweight should be able to.

Antonio Tarver v. Clinton Woods: Tarver does not have many options at 175, and the public is not exactly clamoring to watch him go through the motions in a rubbermatch with Glen Johnson, so a fight with Woods seems the right move. Woods has stumbled somehow into an impressive late-peak and after all his determined work in the division, he deserves a chance to shock boxing pundits with some momentary brilliance or power. And no one wants to see a rubbermatch between Woods and Johnson either. This unification scrap would also stop The Magic Man from tempting fate with an ill-advised jump into the heavyweight division.

Jeff Lacy v. Joe Calzaghe: More trash has been talked over this fight than any unlikely-to-happen matchup in recent boxing history. The now infamous Calzaghe is running out of time, if he is to have a prayer against Lacy he had better get him while Left Hook is still green and Joe has not completely faded. This fight should happen just to settle the issue of Calzaghe’s legitimacy as de facto king of the division. That said, don’t count on the bell ever ringing on this one. There is too much weight leaning against it.

Jeff Lacy v. Mikkel Kessler: Since Calzaghe will probably never tangle with either of these young lions, the next best thing is to throw them into the arena against each other. Kessler is grossly underestimated, largely because he has been denied major network television exposure, and would give Lacy a run for his money. This fight would likely prove who the man is at 168, though the public might not see it like that.

Winky Wright v. Winner of Hopkins/Taylor II: Winky has stayed in the game and been determined and prolific for years. His day is now, and he continues to impress in high-profile fights. Wright’s technical and defensive skills could give both Hopkins and Taylor problems.

Felix Sturm v. Winner of Hopkins/Taylor: It was highway robbery when pressure from money-hungry networks and promoters gave Oscar De La Hoya the decision over Sturm. Felix won that fight. Public opinion unanimously supports that fact. He deserved a shot at Hopkins after The Executioner chewed up an unusually fleshy Golden Boy, but was passed over. In the meantime, Sturm has been cutting down top opposition with ease and looks to be near his peak. His improved power-punching, coupled with his always-deadly jab, makes him a dangerous prospect for either Hopkins or Taylor. If Sturm gets over on Macelino Masoe, and he probably will, he’ll have the final piece of the alphabet puzzle entice the victor with.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Samuel Peter Headlines “Global Warfare” on Dec. 15

05.11.05 – What do you call a boxing event packed with hard-hitting contenders from around the globe putting their fistic careers on the line in a quest for that always-elusive moment of glory? You could call it an early Holiday gift for fight fans. We call it “Global Warfare”.

On Thursday, December 15th, Warriors Boxing in association with Sampson Lewkowicz, Nafta Moskva and Duva Boxing return to the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida with an evening of world-class professional boxing destined to start your end of year fireworks off early.

In the main event, it’s “The Nightmare before Christmas” as top Heavyweight contender Samuel “The Nigerian Nightmare” Peter (24-1, 21 KO’s) returns. He is coming off his “Fight of the Year” candidate with Wladimir Klitschko where he had the Russian giant down down 3 times ( bullshit!!!! 1 time) and came within inches of knocking him out! Peter will face rugged Robert Hawkins (21-4, 7 KO’s), from the fighting city of Philadelphia.

And while a main event featuring one of boxing’s rising stars in a tough fight alone is worth the price of admission, Warriors Boxing is just getting started

In the co-main event, imposing Heavyweight contender Lance “Mount” Whitaker (31-3-1, 26 KO’s), lives up to his desire to fight only the best in the world when he tackles unbeaten 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist, Russian bomber Sultan Ibragimov (18-0, 15 KO’s), in a 12-round Title fight that will undoubtedly produce a future challenger for one of the World Champions in boxing’s glamour division

Also featured will be undefeated Colombian, Junior Welterweight star Juan Urango (16-0-1, 13 KO’s), who looks to carry the momentum from August’s knockout victory over Andre Eason as he defends his WBO and IBF Latino Titles against a former World Champion from Mexico, Cesar Bazan (44-7-1, 29 KO’s). This is a huge step up for this young contender

“We’ve started a good thing here at the Hard Rock Live Arena, and it’s turning into a snowball effect for the boxing business,” said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Warriors Boxing. “The fans are showing up in droves, and the fighters are responding in kind by asking for the toughest fights possible. These are the kinds of shows that will help resuscitate this great sport, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Nigerian-born Samuel Peter (24-1, 21 KOs) needs little introduction to fight fans. Perhaps the most talked about young Heavyweight in the game today, the 25-year-old knockout artist is seen by practically all fight observers as a future world champion. Fresh off his controversial loss decision loss to former World Champion Wladimir Klitschko, Peter gained valuable experience in a bout that will only make this former Olympian more dangerous in the months and years to come.

Blessed with thudding power in both hands and the wisdom that comes from being at or near the top of the Heavyweight division for the better part of the past six years, Lance Whitaker (31-3-1, 26 KOs) finally feels that he is ready to make his run at a world championship in 2006. Winner of his last two bouts by knockout (and four of his last five), California’s Whitaker is in his physical prime as a heavyweight fighter, and that’s bad news for the rest of his peers.

Few knew of Heavyweight Sultan Ibragimov when he first started making a name for himself in the division over the last couple of years. After winning the Silver Medal in the 2000 Olympics, Ibragimov has reeled off 18 straight wins, with only three going the distance.
Boxing fans knew Juan Urango before August 26th, and they knew the Colombian junior welterweight was a fighter to watch out for, but after his decisive seventh round stoppage of Andre Eason in a late-summer matchup, ‘Iron Twins’ has become must-see TV for any follower of the sweet science. Ranked in the top ten by three of the four major world sanctioning bodies, Urango is chasing after a world title in 2006, and he’s moving fast.


This is a PPV event


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by wetnwild
i have to make sure I visit that site.
http://mymomsfuckingblackzilla.com/index2.htm
Enjoy


Posted by: TJ Cline

TONIGHT! on Showtime


IBF Super Middleweight Champion
Jeff Lacy
vs.
IBF #5 at 168 pounds
Scott Pemberton
Rafael Marquez vs. Silence Mabuza
Sat, November 5 at 9:00 PM ET/PT
from Caesars Lake Tahoe



Posted by: aceshigh

who won


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
who won
The fight is on at 9:45PM in Az so I have no idea??


Posted by: wetnwild

So is that what you are doing tonight?


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by wetnwild
So is that what you are doing tonight?
Waiting for the Lacy fight.......1 hour to go


Posted by: wetnwild

What sould I do tonight? HUMMMM...

ON second thought maybe I'll go to the Roxbury....


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by wetnwild
What sould I do tonight? HUMMMM...

ON second thought maybe I'll go to the Roxbury....





Posted by: TJ Cline






Posted by: TJ Cline

Rahman - Klitschko bout postponed again

06.11.05 - For the fourth (!) time this year, Vitali Klitschko has been forced to pull out of his fight with Hasim Rahman. This time, a knee injury to Klitschko has forced the postponement of his anticipated World Boxing Council heavyweight title showdown against Rahman on November 12, promoter Bob Arum said on Sunday. Klitschko injured his knee in training on Thursday. He thought he might be able to fight with a brace on his knee, but found that it hindered his movement too much. A statement from Top Rank promotions said a new date for the Klitschko-Rahman fight will be announced soon.


Ok Klit is being a bitch..............shame on him!!!


Posted by: TJ Cline

The Time Tunnel: Marvelous Marvin Hagler

06.11.05 - By James Sadler: In my opinion, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, as his official full name goes, is the best (not greatest) fighter ever to grace the ring. On film, I see nobody who could rival his all-round ability, toughness and determination. Marvin Hagler was the greatest middleweight of all time. He made twelve successful defenses of his title, and reigned supreme for seven years.

Almost all of Hagler’s title defenses were against the number one contender. Not a single rightful challenger to the crown was avoided, and each one got their chance to prove themselves. When Hagler reigned, people really knew who was the middleweight champion of the world.

A breakdown of Hagler’s title opponents:

Vito Antuofermo – A tough, rough and grizzled veteran, Antuofermo possessed a granite chin and an impossible workrate.. He possessed a record of 45-6-2 in his first meeting with Hagler, in which he held the challenger to a controversial draw. Many observers, including himself, thought Hagler was robbed. In the rematch, Marvin made sure there was no room for argument, dominating Antuofermo two years later in one of his most impressive performances.

Alan Minter – Minter was a good champion in his own right, winning the title off the rugged Italian, Vito Antuofermo. Minter had an imposing record of 38-6 when he faced Hagler, and all of his losses had occurred because of his fragile face. Minter had never been thoroughly beaten by anyone. He had several notable and credible victories over name opponents such as Antuofermo, Finnegan, Tonna, Griffith and Seales. Some say that if Hagler hadn’t been Minter’s mandatory challenger, he would have reigned for a long time. Hagler slipped, ducked and countered many a jab from the southpaw Brit before dragging him down into a brawl, which ended with Minter turning away in pain when Hagler broke his nose with a big right hook. Moments later the fight was stopped, Minter left bleeding and disorientated from the onslaught.

Fulgencio Obelmejias – A tall, long, rangy fighter from Venezuela, Obelmejias was deceptively powerful. He had knocked out twenty seven of his thirty opponents before meeting Hagler for the first time, and was the undefeated number one contender. Hagler knocked him out in eight rounds. In the rematch Obelmejias earned himself the number one challenger spot again, defeating his last eight opponents all by knockout. Hagler put on another display of efficiency, working his way inside the taller challenger and chopping him down in five.

Mustafa Hamsho – This guy was like Jake LaMotta. A rough, tough, granite chinned brawler with plenty of dirty tricks up his sleeve, and a mean streak a mile long. Hamsho was rightfully the number one contender in 1981, and earned that position with wins over Watts, Minter, prospect Parker and Scypion. Hamsho was also undefeated in his last twenty eight fights, and would go undefeated again in between his two fights with Hagler, beating Benitez and Czyz. In their first outing, Hamsho was thoroughly outboxed and cut up en route to a stoppage loss, in which Hamsho was left reeling along the ropes practically defenseless. In the second fight, Hamsho blatantly fouled Hagler, and the champion did not tolerate it – the previously unfloored Hamsho was battered from pillar to post and knocked senseless in three rounds.

William Lee – Although he once lost to Frank “The Animal” Fletcher, Lee had built up an impressive knockout streak and somehow got into the number one challenger spot. He was badly overmatched, and Hagler dispatched him in sixty seven seconds of the first round.

Tony Sibson – In what would be his most complete performance in sixty seven fights, Hagler dominated the durable, hard punching Brit in six rounds. Sibson was 47-3-1, and owned wins over such quality fighters as Salvemini, Minter, Amana, Cirelli, Davison and Cabrera. Hagler switched stances, doubled up on his punches, cut his man up, floored and humiliated him in savage fashion. On this night he really did look the perfect fighting machine.

Wilford Scypion – Scypion was a rugged fighter who had been put through the gruelling middleweight ranks without proper training, and so suffered a few setbacks along the way. Nevertheless, he possessed a solid record of 26-3 against fair opposition, and was catapulted into the limelight with his win over Frank Fletcher. Scypion was no match for Hagler, who started beating on the normally durable Scypion from the first round. Scypion, dazed, disheartened and outclassed, was counted out in the fourth round, on his back from a flurry of punches.

Roberto Duran – This man needs no introduction. A great fighter capable of pulling off some miraculous wins, Duran, while not the force he once was at lightweight and welterweight, was a tough and durable middleweight who had just beaten the hell out of young, fiery and strong Davey Moore, of whom Manos de Piedra was expected to lose to. Before this win, victories over hard hitting Pipino Cuevas and Jimmy Batten secured Duran’s place in the number one spot. Hagler was noticeably tentative on the night of their fight, probably wary of his opponent’s power and in awe of the great Duran’s presence. Nevertheless, the champion showed his strength and grit, outfighting Duran in the later stages and stealing the close but clear verdict. The fight was competitive, but not nearly the paper-thin decision as some will believe.

Juan Roldan – An awkward customer, the Argentine Roldan was known to be fairly durable and hard punching, and owned a gaudy record of 52-2-2. Roldan’s place at number one was decided after he created a string of impressive performances against some quality fighters from Argentina (a place known for its tough circuit) and then knocked out the highly regarded Fletcher. The unorthodox challenger troubled Hagler in the first few rounds of the fight, and it took the now slipping champion a few frames to find his rhythm. Once he did, he started to outfight Roldan and take him apart piece by piece, stopping him in the tenth round.

Thomas Hearns – In what would be the defining fight of his career, Marvelous Marvin took on the superstar knockout artist, Tommy “Hitman” Hearns. It was a much anticipated fight, and for good reason – Hearns had a record of 40-1, and had dominated at welterweight a few years before. He proved he could not only hang with the middleweights, but knock the crap out of them – Roberto Duran was destroyed in two rounds, while Fred Hutchings was taken apart in three. In a fight after Hagler-Hearns, Tommy also beat up James Schuler in one round at middleweight. Wilfred Benitez, Murray Sutherland and Luigi Minchillo were also defeated on the way to Hagler, proving Hearns was the best of a good bunch. The fight itself was wildly entertaining, if not too short. After an exquisite first round, Hagler stalked Hearns and gradually broke him down, before stunning him with a right hook in round three and following up with a subsequent pair of leaping rights.

John Mugabi – “The Beast” was undefeated in twenty five fights, and had a one hundred percent knockout ratio. It was thought he could be the one to catch a now past his prime Hagler and dethrone him, but that was not to be. The young, fast, hard hitting challenger had his moments and landed some real bombs on Marvin, but the champion didn’t budge. Instead, he dismantled Mugabi piece by piece with his superior skills and accurate southpaw jab, and in the tenth and eleventh, literally walked him down. Mugabi was knocked out by a combination of punches and a couple of leaping right hands.

Ray Leonard – “Sugar” Ray was a former welterweight star, a popular, slick boxer who was capable of anything. He was 33-1 at the time of the Hagler fight, with wins over excellent opponents such as Hearns, Duran and Benitez, albeit at lighter weights. Leonard had looked bad in his couple of outings, and this was his first fight at middleweight in years – but rumour has it, Leonard was participating in unofficial professional fights behind closed doors from ’86 to ’87, in preperation for Hagler. Leonard had been a ringside observer at the Hagler-Mugabi fight, and took note of how the now past-prime Hagler had slowed considerably. Come fight night, another year had passed, and the champion had been involved in several wars which surely must have taken their toll by now. The two stars duked it out in one of the richest fights of all time, and thrilling it was. While the split decision went to Leonard, many felt Hagler had won. Leonard’s punching had been pitty-patty and somewhat superficial, while the real solid, damaging work came from Hagler. Leonard was exhausted and demoralised when the final bell rang, while Hagler remained unscathed. Nevertheless, the great champion had finally been knocked off his pedestal.

Marvin Hagler was fearfully avoided on his way to the top. Valdez, Corro, Antuofermo and Minter wanted no part of him. If not for politics, Hagler may have won the title in 1977, had he got a shot. He was certainly the rightful number one contender in 1977, ’78 and ’79 – he was blatantly avoided.

Hagler’s significant pre-title oppositition:

Sugar Ray Seales – Seales was an Olympic Silver medallist and a hot prospect when he met Hagler the first time. The undefeated hopefuls battled it out in 1974, with Hagler coming out on top. Seales held Hagler to a draw in their next encounter, but was thoroughly dominated when they next met – Seales was floored three times by Hagler, and stopped in the first round.

Bobby Watts – Bobby “Boogaloo” Watts was another slick stylist from Philly, who, like Monroe, was one of the best the major city had to offer at the time. With a solid record of 26-3-1, Watts was on the right end of what was perceived as a hometown decision by the local newspapers. Basically, they felt Hagler won.

Willie Monroe – Willie “The Worm” was one of the best Philadelphia had to offer, at a time when the Philly professional circuit was a very tough one. Monroe was a slick boxer and a world ranked contender with a record of 32-3-1 when he first met Marvelous Marvin, and he eked out a decision over the less experienced fighter. Hagler, while disheartened, came back and proved his superiority over The Worm with a twelfth round technical knockout win and then an impressive second round knockout in ’77.

Eugene Hart - This guy was a natural southpaw, but he fought from an orthodox stance, and so he developed a wicked left hook. Another of Philly’s finest, and a damn hard hitter. A world ranked contender, Hart hit Hagler with some real bombs in their fight, although Marvin never budged. He later claimed Hart hit him the hardest of all. And few would argue – Hart was on The Ring magazine’s list of one hundred greatest punchers.

Bennie Briscoe – Yet another Philly fighter, Briscoe was the best of the bunch. Generally regarded as being one of the best never to win a title, Briscoe was a real tough nut with a superb jab and a Joe Frazier-type attrition style. Like Hart, he appeared on The Ring magazine’s list of one hundred greatest punchers.

Honourable mention – Mike Colbert (suffered several fractures to his jaw), Kevin Finnegan (required sixty stitches), Norberto Cabrera, Marcus Geraldo.

Hagler never really lost at his best at all; he only ever lost controversially. Against Monroe he had bronchitis. He avenged that loss with two knockout wins. Against Bobby Watts, the verdict was thought to have been a hometown decision. Watts was blown away in the rematch. Many observers felt the well-past-prime Hagler deserved the nod against Leonard. His draw with Antuofermo was also considered a bogus decision, but the man was stopped in a rematch. The only other blotch left is that draw against Olympic silver medalist Sugar Ray Seales - but then again, this draw was suffered back in the ring blooding days when Hagler had not fully matured. Hagler smashed him in one round as payback.

A statistical analysis:

62-3-2 (52)

Undisputed middleweight champion of the world from 1980 to 1987. Hagler defended the lineal middleweight title twelve times successfully, before losing on a close decision to Ray Leonard.

Hagler was unbeaten in his last thirty seven fights before facing Ray Leonard, or eleven years. He avenged his first two losses more than once, and avenged his two draws, all with knockout wins.

Hagler's title opponents and their records at the time of the fight:

Vito Antuofermo 45-3-1
Alan Minter 38-6-0
Fulgencio Obelmejias 30-0-0
Mustafa Hamsho 31-2-2
William Lee 22-2-0
Tony Sibson 47-3-1
Wilford Scypion 26-3-0
Roberto Duran 77-4-0
Juan Domingo Roldan 52-2-2
Thomas Hearns 40-1-0
John Mugabi 25-0
Ray Leonard 33-1-0

Most impressive winning streaks: 17-0 (14), 20-0 (18, 16-0 (14)
Longest knockout streak: 10
Times knocked down: 1
Other titles held: Massachusetts middleweight title
Record in world title fights: 13-1-1 (12)

Hagler's total title opponents' record at the time of the fight: 444-25-6 (93.1% win rate)

Hall of famers fought: Roberto Duran, Ray Leonard (2)

Unbeaten fighters fought: Terry Ryan (0-0-0), Sonny Williams (0-0-0), Dornell Wigfall (8-0-0), Cove Green (4-0-0), John Mugabi (25-0-0), Sugar Ray Seales (21-0-0), Johnny Baldwin (29-0-0), Ray Phillips (11-0-0), Mike Colbert (23-0-0), Fulgencio Obelmejias (30-0-0)

Among Hagler's wins were three multi-weight champions, five middleweight champions and five punchers who appeared in The Ring Magazine's 100 Greatest Punchers of All Time.

Marvin Hagler was rated at #35 in The Ring Magazine's 100 Greatest Punchers of All Time, and is generally regarded as one of the top three middleweights of all time. He was effectively the best middleweight in the world for ten years – he was the champion for seven of those, but was the number one contender for three years before he won the title. And we know he was better than Valdez, Corro, Antuofermo and Minter.

Marvelous Marvin also looks very impressive on film. He could do everything. To me, he was the most complete fighter ever. Nobody can name a single attribute that Hagler didn't have or didn't perform well. He could box or brawl out of either stance, retreat or advance, move or swarm. He had perfect poise and balance, and hit with an accuracy equalled only by Joe Louis. He had crunching power in each hand, and had deceptively fast hands. With long arms, bulging muscles and shavenhead, Marvin Hagler was an imposing figure, and was always relaxed and cool under pressure. He was schooled in the old school arts of feinting, parrying, blocking, slipping and ducking, and could release stunning combinations like a box of fireworks with excellent technique. Hagler trained like no other middleweight before or after him, and made sure he was in top shape for every fight. Determined and courageous, Hagler would step into the ring with the most devastating punchers - Hearns, Mugabi, Hart, Scypion, Leonard, Duran, Briscoe... With the footwork of Ali and the boxing skills of Gene Tunney, Hagler made mincemeat of any come-forward slugger, and on his best day, could outbox the best boxers. It is truly amazing, to see Hagler on film calmly but savagely dismantling his opponents.

After 1983, he started to become more of a swarmer, in my opinion, and some of his boxing skills seemed eroded. The Hagler from ‘77-‘82 was near unbeatable, he was a slick boxer with that iron chin and an airtight defence. Hagler's defence is one of the most underrated I've seen - he'd slip jabs with a twist of his hips, block body shots with his elbows, duck under his opponents punches to get inside. He always had his hands up and was a great judge of distance - he'd come in with that awesome double jab, and before the guy has even thought about getting off a counter punch, Hagler's out of range again, always with his hands high. Coupled with that iron chin, the prime Hagler was impossible to knock out.

Marvelous Marvin possessed one of the most effective jabs the game as seen. Against a guy like Hamsho, who stalked his opponent and swarmed over them, Hagler could approach the fight in a workman-like manner and methodically take his man apart with stiff right hand leads. Even in attack mode, like against Minter, he would slip jabs with his excellent head movement and pump the jab in his opponent's face with unerring accuracy.

Hagler showed that when the going got tough, he could get even tougher. If the fight started going wrong, Hagler would start to go all-out to end the matter. Against Duran, when he was behind on the cards, Hagler stepped up the pace and made sure the judges knew who to score the fight for. Against Hamsho in their second outing, where the challenger blatantly butted Hagler at least twice, the champion decided he would have no more of it, and proceeded to finish the fight in the same round. Also against Hearns, when referee Richard Steele called time to check Hagler's cut, he stepped up the pace and knocked Hearns out because he thought the fight was in danger of being stopped.

Handspeed, footspeed, footwork, power, combinations, stamina, infighting, boxing, technique, defense, chin, accuracy, timing, balance, strength, heart, determination, toughness, body punching, switch-hitting, reach, professionalism... Name what you like, I'll bet Marvin Hagler had it in spades.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler was perhaps the greatest and most dominant champion within his weight class that the history of boxing has ever seen. On pure fighting prowess, there is nobody I've ever seen that can match Hagler's all-round ability - not even the likes of Robinson, Duran, Pep or Armstrong.


Posted by: min0 lee

He was great!


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by min0 lee
He was great!






Posted by: min0 lee

Pound for pound better than Foreman.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by min0 lee
Pound for pound better than Foreman.
I agree......Marvin was the best Middleweight ever.....and would have dominated any 154-175Lb fighter in history


Posted by: min0 lee

You...you.....agreed?!?


Posted by: TJ Cline

FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. SHARMBA MITCHELL
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19
9:00 P.M. ET. / 6:00 P.M. PT.
ROSE GARDEN, PORTLAND, OR.


"Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather (34-0, 23 KOs), of Grand Rapids, Mich., takes on Sharmba Mitchell (56-4, 30 KOs) of Tacoma Park, Md., in a 12-round welterweight bout that promises to be a display of boxing virtuosity. The undefeated Mayweather, regarded by many observers as the sport's pound-for-pound king, is moving up in weight class once again for the fight.

Heavily favored, Mayweather belongs to a select group of fighters who have held title belts in three separate weight classes. One of the sport's most entertaining and dangerous talents, he has amassed 23 knockouts in his 34 straight victories, an impressive 67% knockout rate. Mayweather's flawless performance at 140 pounds against Arturo Gatti in Atlantic City last June reinforced his standing as an elite champion.

Underdog Sharmba Mitchell promises to deliver his "A" game. With just four losses in 60 professional fights - an impressive .930 winning percentage - this former two-time world champion hopes to use his experience to thwart Mayweather's skills.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Yet Another Heavyweight Disaster As Klitschko Pulls Out

06.11.05 - By Peter Cameron: The news this morning of Klitschko's withdrawal from next Saturday's fight could not have been less welcome. It leaves any hopes of clarity in the division in tatters and raises serious doubts about the future of one of the world's best heavyweights. The cancellation of the biggest heavyweight fight of the year represents a complete disaster for boxing and the implications of the postponement are huge. I had originally thought that the worst possible outcome of the Klitschko v Rahman match-up would be a close fight with neither boxer clearly winning. The division desperately needs a clear figurehead, an established number one, and a disputed decision would merely complicate the situation further. However, any result next week would have been better than what we have now.

Klitschko was most people's favourite to win the fight, given his size advantage, arguably superior boxing skills and a better previous record than Rahman. If, as expected, he had won convincingly on the night, the division would be starting 2006 with a recognisable number one. The fear now is that, with this latest postponement, Klitschko may find himself even stripped of the belt, with the division thrown into yet more chaos.

This is the fourth time this year that Klitschko has had to postpone the fight because of injury. Originally set to take place on 30th April, there is now no real chance of it happening until the new year. After thigh and back injuries, Klitschko's latest ailment is torn cartilage in his knee. Questions will now arise about the future of the giant Ukrainian's career. At 34 years of age, Klitschko's enormous frame may no longer be able to compete at the highest level. The demands of world championship boxing may simply be too much for his seemingly injury-prone body. In fact Klitschko has been battling injuries for many years. In 2000 he tore the rotator cuff in his left shoulder during his fight with Chris Byrd and had to withdraw after the ninth round. Standing nearly 6 feet 8 and weighing around 250 pounds, it isn't unusual for a man of Klitschko's size and age to begin to experience difficulties coping with the rigours of a tough training regime. This is not a rule, as Lennox Lewis, similar in size to Klitschko, proved by remaining at the top until he retired aged 37. Yet certainly other athletes of such gargantuan size have found, in their thirties, that their careers become plagued with injuries.

Klitschko himself is devastated. He told ESPN "I feel terrible. I'm very disappointed about what's happened with my knee. It's amazing. So much trouble I have this year. I am sorry for my team who worked with me to get ready for the past 10 weeks. I am sorry to all the boxing audience, and I am sorry to Rahman and his camp." Apparently the injury occurred during a sparring session in training. Klitschko 's knee was later fitted with a brace in the hope that it would give him enough support to be able to fight, but it was eventually clear the problem was too serious for Saturday's fight to go ahead.

Rahman, understandably angry, claimed that he had heard rumours that Klitschko's sparring partners had been knocking him out. Rahman told ESPN, "All year long he's been ducking me. Four times he's pulled out. Unprecedented." Yet it is inaccurate to suggest that Klitschko is running scared of Rahman. In 2003 Klitschko agreed to fight Lennox Lewis at only ten days' notice. It would represent an implausible shift in character for him to be intimidated by and fearful of Rahman.

It is hard to see how the heavyweight division can progress without this fight taking place. Klitschko is regarded by many as the best fighter in the division, but needed this fight to reinforce that tag. Rahman has rebuilt his career with a string of six straight wins and holds the WBC Interim Heavyweight Title. Already there have been suggestions that another opponent could be found for Rahman on Saturday. Wladimir Klitschko's name has even been mentioned as a late replacement for brother Vitali. Whilst such a match-up would be highly intriguing, realistically at such short notice it is difficult to see how any top contender would be prepared to step in and take the fight. In any case, the division really needs to see Rahman fight Vitali Klitschko. Anything else could merely help to confuse matters even further.

Bob Arum hopes to announce a new date for the fight next week but is not sure how long a lay-off Klitschko will require. This morning's news will disappoint boxing fans across the globe and means that the heavyweight division will enter 2006 in as bad a state as it has witnessed for many years.


Posted by: aceshigh

mayweather will beat mitchel


Posted by: aceshigh

and hagler kicked ray leonards ass


Posted by: TJ Cline

Never Tire! Inside Floyd Mayweather Jr. Training Camp plus one on one interview

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (November 7, 2005) – by Aurelio Martinez, Photo: Rick Pineda - Hard work, hard sparring and strength of mind is what you will find inside the training camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr. “Never Tired” is the best way to describe Mayweather’s condition for his upcoming November 19 fight against Sharmba Mitchell. Mayweather is in the right frame of mind, outstanding condition and ready to fight as training camp enters its final stages.

Mayweather is always prepared to call in new sparring partners as boxers come and go during the duration of training camp. This has not been the case in this camp as Mayweather brought in boxing’s top thoroughbreds, Former champion DeMarcus Corley, Veteran Ray Collins and WBC Continental Americas champion Donald Camarena. There has been no need to call in replacement sparring partners as this high quality team of southpaws have been in camp from the start..

Typical of Mayweather’s training you will see him loosen up for a good 15 minutes and begin his sparring session. He will spar for a good 40 minutes at minimum and if that’s not enough, he then begins with his work out routine which consist of bag work, mitts and exercises. All non-stop… Never Tire!

Mayweather took the time to share some words with us:

Aurelio: How’s training camp going?

Mayweather: This training camp was alright, you’ve always got to have a positive training camp, good sparring good work good southpaws. Chop Chop former world champion, Donald an up and coming champion, he’ll be a champion in the future, Ray Collins an old school vet and they’re all southpaws so I had a good training camp.

Aurelio: You brought in a former champ, a veteran and a young guy, was this done purposely, was that the plan?

Mayweather: However the training camps falls in place is how it falls in place and it happened to fall in place like it did and that’s a great thing.

Aurelio: This fight is happing at 147 pounds; do you ever plan on coming back down to 140 or will you take over the 147 pound division?

Mayweather: We don’t know what the future holds for us. It don’t matter, it’s not about belts for us, it’s about being a legend in the sport and being the best out there, being the best in your time. Right now I’m trying to beat the best guys in my time.

Aurelio: When you first started training camp I heard you say something that stuck in my mind, and that’s when you said when you finish boxing and it’s all over with you’re going to be the greatest boxer that ever boxed. And you meant that.

Mayweather: Absolutely! And so is everybody that’s part of my training camps. Right now a lot of people don’t see it but twenty years from now people are going to say it was great being in the gym with Floyd Mayweather, I was proud being part of his team or even be part of his training camp. I’ve got a good good team behind me, I’m always positive I’m always happy and I’m giving the sport of boxing everything the sport of boxing needs as far as positive hard work and dedication.

Aurelio: Sharmba Mitchell, how do you approach him, does he bring anything different being a southpaw and a heavier fighter?

Mayweather: He’s a guy with 60 fights, He’s got more fights than anyone I’ve fought but I beat more world champions, I’ve been in more world championship fights than Shamba Mitchell has been in and I’ve beat more world champions.

Aurelio: What about the other fights out there?

Mayweather: I’m trying to stay active fighting the fights the network puts in front of me. I tried to get a fight with Winky Wright I could not get, tried with Zab Judah, couldn’t get it, tried with Ricky Hatton, couldn’t get it and the list goes on and on Shane Mosley, couldn’t get it. Sharmba Mitchell was the only one that would step up to the plate so that’s why we are fighting Sharmba Mitchell.

Aurelio: What do you think about Zab Judah and his talk about when he sees you at a press conference he’s going to make you fight?

Mayweather: Zab Judah is a video groupie he’s mad because he’s not a million dollar man. I’m HBO’s pride and joy and he hates that. The guy don’t know who he wants to be, I don’t have anything bad to say about the guy but the guy got all the celebrity status by being in guys rap videos. I got my celebrity status by doing what I’m doing, being the best (boxer) out there. Zab Judah had a chance to step up to the plate this fight but did not make the fight happen, you know this guy didn’t want to fight. A lot of guys talk about it but they don’t be about it. I be about it, I only want to fight the best out there and continue to rack up victories so I can go down as a legend in the sport.

As long as I have my good team, I’ve got Leonard, I’ve got my uncle Roger, I’ve got Rafael and if we keep having positive camps the sky’s the limit.

Aurelio: What’s the situation with Top Rank?

Mayweather: Me, and Bob Arum have ups and downs, that’s how boxing is, you have good days you have bad days but when it’s all said and done, in the end it’s about the bottom line. Bob Arum is a great guy, I have nothing negative to say about him and on the next fight we’ll be working back together.

Aurelio: We know Chop Chop and Ray Collins are top quality work how about a grade on the youngster Donald Camarena.

Mayweather: Donald is a good fighter, he’s got that peek-a-boo style, and in the future he can become a world champion.


Posted by: TJ Cline

WBC News: Klitschko/Rahman

08.11.05 - By WBC President Jose Sulaiman: "The WBC is very sorry for the postponement of the heavyweight world championship fight between champion Vitaly Klitschko and interim champion Hasim Rahman due to a knee injury sustained during training by Klitschko. I'm sure that Vitaly and Hasim share the same feeling of frustration..

"The WBC has given Klitschko one week for his medical tests, which include an examination at UCLA in Los Angeles by Dr. Gerald Finerman. Dr. Finerman is the chief orthopedic physician at UCLA and the chief doctor for UCLA's sports teams. He is the chairman of the WBC Scientific Board, as well, and has been the medical advisor for the WBC for the last 20 years. Dr. Finerman was the technical chairman for the WBC's First World Boxing Medical Congress, and will be the chairman for the Second Congress, which will be held in Acapulco, Mexico, from May 10-14, 2006.

"After reviewing the physical condition of Klitschko, the WBC will forward the information to the WBC Board of Governors for their consideration, and for a decision to be made in accordance with the majority of the Board.

"The WBC has not yet made a definite ruling about this case. I made some statements regarding the possibility of the WBC accepting a postponement of 30, 60, or even 90 days, but the 90 day postponement has been rejected without exception by the members of the Board of Governors who have already been contacted. They believe the postponement could be acceptable only with a minor injury that could have Vitali ready and the fight being promoted within the following 60 days.

"Vitaly has an appointment with Dr. Finerman this week, and we expect him to take it. I expect the decision of the Board of Governors immediately after the medical results are known."


Posted by: TJ Cline

Lacy Ready To Move Up And Meet Tarver

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (November 8, 2005) -- Undefeated IBF/IBO super middleweight champion JEFF "LEFT HOOK" LACY, 21-0 (17 KOs), sucessfully defended his title for the fourth time this year (his fifth world title fight since October 2004) on Saturday, proving that he is not only the most active world champion in boxing, but one of the sport's most exciting.. Lacy knocked out Scott Pemberton, 29-4-1 (24 KOs), the IBF's No. 5-rated contender (and the WBC's No. 1 rated super middleweight before he challenged Lacy) in the second round in front of a soldout audience at Caesars Tahoe and millions of viewers on Showtime Championship Boxing. The knockout victory, Lacy's third straight (four of his five world title fights have been won by KO), ended Pemberton's three-year winning streak.

"I want the fights that bring out the fans and raise the ratings," said Lacy. "I want Joe Calzaghe and I want Antonio Tarver and I don't care in which order I fight them. Moving up in weight is not a problem. The seven extra pounds it takes to become a light heavyweight is very close to my natural weight. I am ready to prove who the best man is and I don't want hear any excuses from either one of them."

"Jeff, like Winky Wright when he moved from jr. middleweight to middleweight to blitz Felix Trinidad, can fight at 168 or 175 pounds with no problems," said 2004 BWAA Trainer of the Year Dan Birmingham, who trains both fighters. "I wouldn't hesitate to have Jeff challenge Tarver. However, if I were training Tarver, I'm not so sure I would be as confident in taking that fight. Jeff will have Tarver bouncing off the ropes like a pinball bouncing off the bumpers. "

"I know Jeff would destroy Tarver carying those seven extra pounds," said promoter Gary Shaw. "In Craps, seven is a natural. You roll it, you win. But in my opinion, it would spell Craps for Tarver. In fact, the last time I saw Tarver, he was at the end of a dice table, crapping out. "


Posted by: aceshigh

lacy vs tarver would be great


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
lacy vs tarver would be great
Nice avatar


Posted by: TJ Cline

After Undergoing Surgery, Vitali Klitschko Decides To Retire

Vitali Klitschko was scheduled to defend his WBC title against Hasim Rahman on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the fight was cancelled because Klitschko suffered a knee injury during a recent sparring session. Because of his injury, Klitschko underwent surgery Tuesday in Southern California.

The operation was done by Dr. Neal Elattrache, Director of the Sports Medicine department at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic, in Inglewood, Calif. Dr. Elattrache treated a new rupture in the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and damage to the medial meniscus on Klitschko’s right knee.

“The surgery took 1½ hours and was a complete success, but Vitali cannot compete in professional sports for the next six months,” Dr. Elattrache said. “With this severe an injury it would have been absolutely impossible for Vitali to participate in a fight in the near future. The knee was totally unstable and it would have not held up.’’

Said Vitali: “Lately, I have been spending more time with my injuries than with my opponents inside the ring. The decision to retire from professional sports was a very difficult one, one of the hardest I have ever had to make. I love boxing and am proud to be the WBC and RING heavyweight champion.

“But I would like to end my career at its peak so I am retiring now as the champion to clear the way for my successors.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank again the WBC, especially President Jose Sulaiman, my team, the media and all my fans for the many years of cooperation and support. In the future, I plan to get more heavily involved and devote more energy to tackling social and socio-political challenges in my native Ukraine.”


Posted by: TJ Cline

Vitali Klitschko Hangs Up The Gloves

09.11.05 - By Patsys Jones: Just like anybody else, Vitali’s retirement, came in as a shock to me. I can not understand why he had to. He could have just relinquished the belt and rest for half a year then come back to challenge for it. Whilst I know the big 6’8”, 250 lbs European guy will not be as durable as say an Evander Holyfield, I never thought he will retire this soon. First of all, he hasn’t accomplished anything special in the HW division, at least not at the best of his potentials. 2nd, bar the Lewis fight, Vitali’s fights were one sided beatings on his opponents, as evidenced by his record, 34 KOs in 35 wins. He lost to Byrd, but we all know who was beating up who in that fight.

I think Vitali’s training regimen is way too tough for his kind. For a 6’8” guy to come in at a fighting weight of 250 lbs says something about it. To put into perspective, George Foreman looked like a butterball in his comeback in the 90s and he weighed 256 lbs!

An out of shape Vitali must be weighing close to 300 lbs. But then again his discipline and conditioning is what made him a championship caliber fighter (plus his size of course) because I am sure he isn’t the most powerful nor the most skilled fighter out there.

Or maybe, Vitali just started to fight at top contention way too late? At 34 years, with 36 fights, he only managed to have 4 title fights (WBO excluded). But then again it is typical of European fighters to pile up to 30+ wins before finally stepping up in competition.

Objectively Vitali’s retirement is not good for the HW division. I believe he could have accomplished a lot more as a fighter if he stayed for 2 more years. I would have loved to see him win a tourney with the rest of the belt holders. I would definitely favor him to beat Ruiz, Byrd and Brewster. And oh, he would have koed Rahman late.

Personally, I am happy he retires because I am a big James Toney fan. Not that I don’t think Toney stood a chance against Vitali. It is just that the height and reach disadvantage might just proved to be too much for any level of skill to compensate. Aside from Vitali, Toney there is only one top HW fighter out there I can see giving Toney a hard time and that is Wladimir Klitschko. Tua would be a hard fight for Toney too but he is hardly at top contention to be worried on.

Vitali will be remembered as a good HW champ, notches above the likes of Berbick, Smith, etc. Perhaps on the same level as Tony Tucker, or slightly even higher. Vitali was a good fighter who has very high KO%, hasn’t been knocked down nor lost on points. He only really lost to the great Lennox Lewis, and his performance in that fight is nothing to be ashamed of.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Hasim Rahman set to accept world title!

09.11.05 - LAS VEGAS—Former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion and current WBC interim champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman is expected to be named undisputed WBC heavyweight champion after the surprise announcement today that Vitali Klitschko intends to retire from boxing.

“After Vitali postponed his fight with me four times, I am thrilled that WBC President Jose Sulaiman is keeping his promise to me by convening his Board of Governors to automatically upgrade me from interim champion to again become the undisputed WBC heavyweight champion,” Rahman said.

Rahman’s promoter Don King is looking forward to his fighter being named outright WBC champion, which would mean he would then represent all four heavyweight world champions.

“Hasim Rahman is a courageous fighter, and I applaud him for his bravery and congratulate him on the news that the WBC will announce that he has become their undisputed heavyweight champion shortly,” King said..

Rahman (45-1-1, 33 KOs) has been the No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger to the WBC heavyweight champion Klitschko since Nov. 13, 2004. Since that time, Klitschko failed to meet Rahman on four separate occasions: A scheduled April 30 match at New York’s Madison Square Garden was rescheduled to June 18 after Klitschko suffered what was called a thigh injury while jogging.

Klitschko moved this mandatory defense to July 23 after stating his thigh did not respond to treatment. The July 23 match was again postponed after Klitschko claimed his thigh injury had spread to his back.

Klitschko then underwent what his handlers referred to as “minor back surgery” on April 19.

King responded in May by successfully petitioning under the rules and regulations of the WBC to sanction an interim heavyweight championship—at a cost of almost $2 million to Don King Productions—owing to Klitschko’s repeated inability to face his mandatory challenger, Rahman.

Klitschko responded by inexplicably petitioning the WBC asking for a second exception to face another fighter on Sept. 24—he had already received an exception to make a voluntary defense opposing Danny Williams on Dec. 11, 2004—in effect saying he was healthy enough to fight, just not against Rahman.

Rahman then took the huge risk of losing his mandatory challenger status on Aug. 13 when he agreed to face WBC No. 2-ranked, and WBC No. 2 mandatory challenger, Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett at the United Center in Chicago for the WBC interim heavyweight title.

The WBC Board of Governors subsequently rejected Klitschko’s petition on July 15 and ordered Klitschko to face the WBC interim champion on Nov. 12, which turned out to be Rahman after he scored a unanimous decision win over Barrett.

Rahman’s daring move to fight rather than wait for Klitschko now appears to have been prescient after Klitschko claimed yet another training injury—this time his right knee—on Nov. 5, which scuttled their scheduled Nov. 12 pay-per-view bout to have emanated from Las Vegas.

Rahman’s ascension to interim champion was significant because the WBC rules and regulations now call for Rahman to be immediately named its undisputed champion.

King currently represents World Boxing Association champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz; International Boxing Federation champion Chris Byrd; World Boxing Organization champion “Relentless” Lamon Brewster; and soon, it appears, Rahman as the WBC champion.

Ruiz will meet his mandatory challenger Nicolay Valuev in a previously scheduled match on Dec. 17 in Berlin, Germany. Rahman would next fight an opponent designated by the WBC.

King has gone on the record stating he thinks the public would like Rahman’s next opponent to be James “Lights Out” Toney.

After these matches, King plans to announce a tournament where all world heavyweight champions will fight each other to determine an undisputed champion. He expects the format to be similar to his 1986 box-off that produced the youngest heavyweight champion in history, Mike Tyson, and his 2001 Middleweight World Championship Series, which resulted in the first undisputed middleweight world champion since Marvelous Marvin Hagler held that distinction in 1987.


Posted by: aceshigh

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
Nice avatar
yeah my avatar is why hank visser is always hassling me ,,,he see,s ass and gets all exited


Posted by: TJ Cline

New top 46 now that Vitali Klitscho has retired


This is according to Boxing record......http://www.boxrec.com/ratings.php?na...us=A&SUBMIT=Go

I do not agree with their current or all time rankings at all.......when I find a better site I will post its statistics and rankings,,

1 Chris Byrd US American 35 1,800 1993 39-2-1

2 John Ruiz (#15 IMO) US American 33 1,772 1992 41-5-1

3 Wladimir Klitschko Ukrainian 29 1,717 1996 45-3-0

4 Hasim Rahman US American 33 1,711 1994 41-5-1

5 James Toney (#2 IMO) US American 37 1,705 1988 69-4-2

6 Lamon Brewster (#1 IMO) US American 32 1,688 1996 3-2-0


7 Samuel Peter Nigerian 25 1,611 2001 24-1-0

8 Calvin Brock US American 30 1,600 2001 26-0-0

9 Paolo Vidoz Italian 35 1,585 2001 20-2-0

10 Matt Skelton British 38 1,569 2002 17-0-0

11 Lance Whitaker US American 33 1,567 1996
31-3-1


12 Kirk Johnson Canadian 33 1,559 1993 36-2-1

13 Sinan Samil Sam Turkish 31 1,553 2000. 24-2-0

14 Danny Williams British 32 1,550 1995 33-4-0

15 Shannon Briggs US American 33 1,539 1992 43-4-1


16 Juan Carlos Gomez Cuban 32 1,537 1995 40-1-0

17 Nicolay Valuev Russian 32 1,531 1993 42-0-0


18 Luan Krasniqi German 34 1,530 1997 28-2-1

19 Monte Barrett US American 34 1,528 1996 31-4-0

20 DaVarryl Williamson US American 37 1,515 2000 22-4-0


21 David Tua Samoa 32 1,510 1992 44-3-1

22 Oleg Maskaev Kazakhstani 36 1,506 1993 31-5-0

23 Tye Fields US American 30 1,502 1999 35-1-0

24 Timo Hoffmann German 31 1,496 1997 32-4-1


25 Corrie Sanders South African 39 1,491 1989 40-3-0


26 Serguei Lyakhovich Belarussian 29 1,485 1998 22-1-0

27 Cengiz Koc German 28 1,475 2001 23-1-0


28 Jeremy Williams US American 33 1,466 1992 41-5-1


29 Henry Akinwande Nigerian 40 1,449 1989 47-2-1


30 Larry Donald US American 38 1,442 1993 42-4-3

31 Andrew Golota Polish 37 1,435 1992 38-6-1

32 Michael Grant US American 33 1,421 1994 41-3-0

33 Ray Austin US American 35 1,409 1998 23-3-3

34 Michael Sprott British 30 1,396 1996 27-8-0

35 Marcelo Fabian Dominguez Argentinian 35 1,388 1991 39-6-1


36 Vassiliy Jirov Kazakhstani 31 1,382 1997 35-3-1


37 Lawrence Clay Bey US American 39 1,382 1997 21-3-1


38 Dominick Guinn US American 30 1,373 2000 25-3-1

39 Taurus Sykes US American 30 1,368 1998 23-2-1

40 Zuri Lawrence US American 35 1,367 1994 20-10-4


41 Jameel McCline US American 35 1,366 1995 32-6-3


42 Albert Sosnowski Polish 26 1,359 1998 37-1-0

43 Oliver McCall US American 40 1,346 1985 45-9-0

44 Saul Montana Mexican 34 1,342 1988 44-13-0

45 Sultan Ibragimov Russian 30 1,334 2002 18-0-0


46 Kali Meehan New Zealander 35 1,332 1997 30-3-0


Posted by: TJ Cline

This ranking is much closer to reality
http://www.boxingranks.com/BWRP/Results/Results.htm


Boxing Writers' Rankings Poll (BWRP)





Heavyweight
(Unlimited, Over 200 lbs.)
1. Vitali Klitschko (1),,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,retired yesterday
2. Chris Byrd (2)
3. James Toney (6)
4. Lamon Brewster (3)
5. Hasim Rahman (5)
6. John Ruiz (4)
7. Wladimir Klitschko (7)
8. Samuel Peter (T-8)
9. Calvin Brock (T-8)
10. Monte Barrett (11)
11. David Tua (NR)
11. Nicolay Valuev (14)
13. Audley Harrison (NR)
14. Juan Carlos Gomez (NR)
15. Corrie Sanders (T-15)
15. DaVarryl Williamson (10)


Posted by: TJ Cline

Laila Ali Sets The Record Straight

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 9, 2005) -- World recognized female boxing champion and spokesmodel Laila Ali wants to set the record straight regarding her divorce and the rumors that she is a Lesbian. Despite being married for the last five years, reports in the news have stated that Laila got a divorce and began dating a high profile actress.

"Yes, I am in the process of getting a divorce," Laila said Thursday, "but I am not dating, nor will I ever be dating a woman, because I am not gay. It is unfortunate that my
divorce has started rumors in the media that are untrue."

Ali is currently training for an upcoming bout in Berlin, Germany, on Dec. 17, as part of a world tour that she will be embarking on through 2006.


Posted by: aceshigh

david tua is a mouri from new zealand ,,,,they have him as samoan


Posted by: aceshigh

well klitchko is gonna go down as one of the greats lol


Posted by: TJ Cline

Morales, Pacquiao To Hold Press Conference

11.11.05 - Three-time world champion Erik 'El Terrible' Morales and two-time world champion Manny Pacquiao will be in Las Vegas on Saturday and in Los Angeles on Tuesday to discuss their upcoming fiery rematch at 'The Battle!' scheduled for the Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, on Saturday, Jan. 21. "This is a fight we're very excited about," said Bob Arum. "Both Morales and Pacquiao give it their all, each and every second while in the ring."

Morales beat Pacquiao in a 12-round scorcher last March 19. Freddie Roach, chief trainer for Pacquiao, was ticked afterwards, contending Pacquiao was hampered by the brand of his gloves.

"By contract, we had to use a certain brand in the first fight," said Roach. "That's not going to happen this time. We're going to be wearing Reyes, a real punchers glove. I think it makes a big difference this time."


Posted by: TJ Cline

Bell - Mormeck: Undisputed Cruiser Championship Bout Signed

11.11.05 - DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.—Unified Cruiserweight world Champion Jean-Marc Mormeck and International Boxing Federation cruiserweight champion O’Neil “Super Nova” Bell have signed to fight each other for the undisputed cruiserweight world championship in January. Bell visited Don King Productions’ office on Wednesday to ink the deal and had a strong message for his French opponent..

“I spoke to Jean-Marc in France by phone and told him he can bid adieu to his titles,” Bell said. “Mormeck needs to be ready to face the most devastating fighter in the sport.”

Mormeck was unfazed by Bell’s challenge.

“Bell was mistaken,” the clever Mormeck said. “He must have meant I am the most devastating puncher in boxing.”

“I think I proved to the world that I am a very special boxer when I met and defeated the great champion Wayne Braithwaite in Massachusetts. I am very excited for the opportunity to become the undisputed cruiserweight world champion.

Mormeck added special thanks to Don King for matching him “with his latest
victim.”

The Frenchman also noted with great pleasure that he received many e-mails from American boxing fans after he became unified champion, many of which suggested he should adopt an intimidating nickname. He said he will bring the list to America and decide a moniker before the fight with Bell.

Mormeck’s (and event) promoter Don King is currently negotiating the exact date, site and television network for this long-awaited match to crown the first undisputed cruiserweight champion since Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield held that distinction in 1988 after he defeated Carlos “Sugar” De Leon.

The chiseled Mormeck (30-2, 21 KOs), from France, won the WBA cruiserweight championship by stopping Virgil Hill in Marseille, France, on Feb. 23, 2002. He became unified champion by defeating longtime WBC champion Wayne “Big Truck” Braithwaite in a showdown in Worcester, Mass., on April 2 in a dominating 12-round performance. He also became the first Frenchman to become unified world champion.

The hard-punching Bell (25-1-1, 23 KOs), born in Jamaica and now a longtime resident of Atlanta, has not lost a fight since 1998. He became the No. 1-ranked IBF contender in 2004 and stopped No. 2-ranked contender Ezra Sellers in just two rounds on Sept. 4 of that year, making him the mandatory challenger to then-IBF cruiserweight champion Kelvin “Konkrete” Davis.

Unfortunately for Bell, Davis cancelled their scheduled meeting at the Savvis Center in St. Louis on Feb. 5 and was subsequently stripped of his title. Bell then fought Dale Brown for the vacant IBF title, winning a unanimous decision on May 20, 2005, at the Hard Rock Hotel Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

Bell’s promoter is Warriors Boxing Promotions, and their executive director Leon Margules thinks his champion will prevail.

“We’re happy to be working with Don King and Don King Productions,” Margules said. “We look forward to seeing O’Neil Bell bring home all three
cruiserweight championship belts.




This will be an easy win for Mormeck....Bell is a Bum!!!


Posted by: TJ Cline

Tomorrow Oleg Maskaev will give it one more shot!

11.11.05 - By Izyaslav “Slava” Koza: Tomorrow night in Germany Oleg the big “O” Maskaev, will face Turkish Sinan Samil Sam in a WBC title eliminator to face newly crowned Hasim Rahman. Naturally cheering for the big “O” to score the big win, as based on our somewhat common cultural heritage, the first thought that sprang to mind after Rahman was awarded the title, was can we see Maskaev-Rahman 2?

If you’re a fan of boxing then your collection of devastating knockouts is, to put it simply, worthless without the ending to the first showdown between these two. Personally as soon as I realized I had the ability to download fights from the net, Maskaev Rahman 1 was one of, if not the first fight, I ever obtained. I cherish that ending not only because of the unique and spectacular way in which Oleg laid Rahman out but also because of who Oleg was and what he had overcome to get that tremendous knockout.

Sometimes when I am walking down the street thinking about some random subject the echoing of Lampley’s stunned and excited voice repeating, “Maskaev lands again,” and “Oh! Right hand puts Rahman on the floor right next to me!

Right next to me! Right Next to me!” surprises me just as much as that right hand surprised current champ Rahman. Ultimately what I like most about that ending is the fact that the victory couldn’t have happened for a more deserving and dedicated guy like Oleg Maskaev.

Maskaev’s career has had more ups and downs then those of most of his fellow boxers, and this has been written about before, but deserves to be written about again. His very first professional fight is according to my research one of the two or three toughest professional debuts for any fighter in the history of boxing, and Maskaev actually won! Many fans of professional boxing can look on boxrec and easily shrug off Alexander Miroshnichenko as a fighter with an inflated record and nothing more. After all how easy is it to hand pick opponents, something Miroshnichenko probably didn’t want to but had to do, and fight out of your own backyard, another necessity for Alexander? Granted Miroshnichenko’s professional record was very mediocre at best, but that little page on boxrec won’t tell you about Miroshnichenko’s amateur career which included wins over both Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis. In another sense Miroshnichenko was both Lewis and Bowe’s equal when all three started as professionals, and by the time Maskaev fought him he had developed himself enough with weak opposition. Anybody who denies the significance of Maskaev’s stoppage win over Miroshnichenko is to put it mildly plain wrong.

However, the relative obscurity of a fighter like Miroshnichenko at that time, forced Oleg to find challenges that will make the boxing public more accepting of his talents. His official sixth pro fight lasted the full 12 rounds; a distance a young professional fighter just doesn’t face this early in his career. In his very next fight he was thrown into the lion’s den once again when he faced off against the Atomic Bull Oliver McCall, a fighter who has never been down, and who was to that point the only man to knock out Lennox Lewis. The tumble from grace as Oleg lost via knockout in the first round was surely automatic; yet 5 fights later Oleg put himself on the line once again. This time the opponent was young, hungry, undefeated, fierce puncher Tua. By comparison when current WBA champ John Ruiz decided to tempt fate and fight Terminator Tua he didn’t make past the first minute of the first round, while Maskaev lasted eleven with the monstrous islander and led on the cards at the time of the stoppage. His next four opponents had a combined record of 108 wins to15 losses. After which the next meaningful fight for Oleg was against Rahman, a 31-1 fighter, with the lone loss being a disputed knockout to the same David Tua. As mentioned there was nothing to dispute after Maskaev vs. Rahman 1.

Soon after this the biggest triumph of his professional career, Oleg lost successively to talented Canadian Kirk Bubba Johnson. Johnson undefeated at the time handed Oleg his third professional defeat by way of devastating KO. As usual there would be no warm ups as Maskaev made the mistake of tackling a fighter in Lance Whitaker, with one decision loss, and a desire to put on a good show. The wound of the loss to Johnson had not properly healed and while Oleg did get up and try to fight on, that night the cards were too stacked against him and Whitaker was just better. Another knockout loss to American Corey Sanders made most believe that the inspiring journey of Oleg Maskaev as a top-flight contender had come to an end.

However that majority did not include Oleg Maskaev. Starting in 2003 at the age of 34 Oleg started on the long hard road back to the top. At an age where fighters take long lay offs and contemplate retirement Oleg went back on the road and racked up five wins. Now most people baulk at the fact that the victories were against no hopers, but at the same time praise Hasim Rahman for beating a different crop of his own hand picked opponents. Most of these people make Rahman’s lack of training and focus seem as a legitimate excuse for fighting “confidence building” fights. At the same time rarely if ever has Oleg Maskaev come in out of shape for a fight, regardless of the opponent. Yes he may not have the same skill as Riddick Bowe or Kirk Johnson, but can anybody question the man’s dedication to the sport?

I find inspiration in the fact that a man who has been brutally stopped in every one of his losses, at the age of 36 is still trying to fulfill the goal every boxer aspires to. Furthermore Sinan Samil Sam is definitely not what I would call a handpicked opponent. He is coming off good wins against Dennis Bakhtov and Lawrence Clay Bey as well as Peter Okhello, and always carries a big punch something that has cause Maskaev problems in the past. If Maskaev can somehow come out victorious compared to what other fighters in the division are doing it is not unfair to give him his shot at a repeat against Rahman.

Bottom line: Although I think this fight is up for grabs in regards to who will take it I sincerely hope it is Maskaev. I have nothing against Sam, and do respect him as a fighter from what I have read about him, but knowing Oleg’s journey as a professional boxer, and reading about his character in regards to the public and his family, I would like to see him come out victorious and will be cheering for the big O from Kazakhstan.


Posted by: TJ Cline

How Boxing's Referees Play a Crucial Role in the Sport

10.11.05 - By Joseph Carlo Russo: In a most technologically advanced era for sports entertainment one would assume the extinction of false calls and misleading claims on behalf of boxing referees. But, unfortunately, much to the disservice of the fans and the losing fighters, the November 5th Saturday night fight and other previous instances made clear that such an assumption is far from accurate..

As the November 5th card was foreshadowed to be a fan-friendly one it started off on a good note as Rafael Marquez handed undefeated Silence Mabuza his first taste of the canvas late in round one. Upon getting up Mabuza sustained a barrage of punches for a number of seconds until being saved by the bell. As the undefeated South African's chin was suspect in the first round, he went on to endure solid right hands and left hooks and one headbutt over the course of the next couple of rounds.

Due to the headbutt, a cut formed over the right eye of Mabuza. However, upon the referee's misconception that it was caused by a punch, Mabuza lost the bout via TKO in round three. Silence will probably never return to the States again as his chance of a lifetime had been exterminated at the hands of referee Norm Budden.

Now, referees are human and therefore are susceptible to making mistakes. But would it be so unjust, non-uniform, and implausible to have Al Bernstein and Steve Farhood deliver the message that the referee had in fact made a mistake? Would it be so irrational and preposterous to overturn a referee's call when it was clearly evidenced that he was wrong? And that, the cut was actually caused by a headbutt, perhaps allowing Mabuza a potential second chance at his deserved title shot? There is an obvious flaw afoot in the system, more importantly than that in Norm Budden's misjudgment.

It was a good thing that there was another bout following Marquez/Mabuza because then fans and viewers were given another chance to get their time and money's worth. Jeff Lacy is one of the most ferocious punchers in the sport so upon refereeing one of his fights an official must anticipate single punch knockdowns and multiple knockdowns.

When a knockdown occurs there are three steps a referee has to take. The first and most vital step is that he must offer the fighter a count. If the fighter is no longer capable of continuing he will be counted out. Some fighters, like Corrales, prefer to stay down for about eight seconds to regain their full conscience and composure. So, first and foremost a referee must proceed with a count. Second, if the fighter gets up, the referee then requests that the fighter walk to him and hold up his gloves to verify his able-bodied condition. The third step is for the referee to then decide whether to allow the fight to continue or call a halt to the bout.

On November 5th referee Vic Drakulich failed to comply with the most essential step. He jumped steps one and two and upon his own personal judgment went on to step three, based on what I saw. It was clear that Scott Pemberton was outpowered and outclassed. Upon being knocked down in round two Pemberton fell lifelessly and clumsily. But, not being given a count was a terrible disservice to him, especially considering his particular career circumstances. In addition, he rolled over after about four seconds to show the referee that he was fine, furthering the disservice that was performed to him.

Another severe instance of bad refereeing was performed by Laurence Cole earlier this year on April 9th as he failed to count out Mzonke Fana before calling a stoppage to Mzonke's only and last world title shot. Granted, Fana got caught with a great shot, which he admitted to. But, if it were enough to finish him then he would have and should have been counted out. Fana will never be seen again as whatever chance he had was stripped from him prematurely by referee Laurence Cole.

Whoever caught Wayne Braithewaite vs. Guillermo Jones on September 9th earlier this year witnessed yet another officiating atrocity as referee Jimmy Villers called an inexcusably premature halt to the bout in round four potentially ending Wayne Braithwaite's career. As Jones tried to inflict a series of punches Braithwaite kept his hands up and slipped punch after punch before Villers insisted the bout had to be stopped. Villers then went on to tell Braithwaite's camp that he can fight another day when in fact therein lies the problem.

As we continue to assess bad examples of refereeing we must also counter them and show what a good example of refereeing can do for both fighters and fans. Let us take a step back to May 8, 2004 to a war between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. A first round as dominant and one-sided as that, which began Pacquiao vs. Marquez will usually distinguish between two fighters who are of different calibers. Or will it? As Pacquiao launched an assault on Marquez knocking him down three times in the first round, referee Joe Cortez did an utmost excellent job in allowing Marquez to continue. Cortez understood that Pacquiao's one punch power could do that to a fighter and that fighters will go down off one clean Pacman shot.

But, each time Marquez went down, Cortez counted. And each time Cortez counted, Marquez got up. The fans were then treated to one of the most spectacular wars of the year as Marquez fought his way from a devastating disadvantage to earn a much deserved draw with one judge having him the winner.

"Fair but Firm" Joe Cortez is one of the most respected referees in the sport and justifiably so. He lives up to his nickname and is as fair as they come. We should have all counted our blessings after the Marquez/Pacquiao fight that someone like Drakulich or Cole or Villers wasn't the third man in the ring. Or else, Marquez would not be the top ten pound for pound fighter that he is reputed as today.

Referees are seldom acknowledged but they represent one of the most critical and essential aspects of the sport. A referee can make or break a fight and a fighter for that matter. But, as an official it is a referee's job to make sure that a fight is conducted in the most fair and balanced manner as to see to that nobody may propose an argument against his actions.

In addition, boxing is also meant to be a form of entertainment and all professional fighters understand the harm that may be caused as a result. A fighter has a right to abstain from further punishment even if he is okay, and a referee must trust that if a fighter wants to quit he or his corner will exercise that right like Freitas, Tszyu, Abdullaev, and Gatti most recently had. But, it is not the referee's job or responsibility to deny a fighter a count and a chance based on his own pre-formulated personal judgment like Drakulich, Cole, and Villers had. Also, a referee should not be considered the end all to every call that is made in a fight if a judgment made by him has been evidenced as false.

It is predicaments like Barrerra/Fana, Marquez/Mabuza, Jones/Braithwaite, and Lacy/Pemberton that exhibit a most primitive side of boxing that can do much for deterring new fans and dissatisfying current ones. But, what is most perturbing about these occurrences is that they are easily preventable. A governing body must be established in order to prevent these types of instances. And a strict set of guidelines must be instilled that, which all officials must adhere to. Hopefully, as fans with the help of politicians like Senator John McCain we can push for progression and enhancements of this sort that can create for the perfection and greatness that boxing has always had the potential to achieve.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Up from the ashes: Wladimir Klitschko

13.11.05 - By Michael Youssef: Before Corrie Sanders slapped Wladimir Klitschko around the ring like an abusive father, most of us who remember the hype surrounding the younger and now only fighting Klitschko can remember just how great the expectations of him were. Wladimir had just iced Ray Mercer and Jameel McCline in successive fights on HBO, and in the process made both accomplishments look effortless as both opponents appeared hopelessly outclassed and utterly helpless against the European. Trained by Fritz Sdunek at the time, and with the pedigree that most fighters fighting since their youth could never even hope to achieve, it certainly seemed logical that Wladimir Klitschko would never become a Michael Grant type of failed heavyweight hopeful.

Now over two years later, and with the premier heavyweight people had hoped to see Wladimir face off against long gone (Lennox Lewis), Klitschko is still ranked among the very best fighters of the division.

The fact that he has fought his way back into a mandatory position in half of the major sanctioning bodies' rankings makes Wladimir Klitschko's career already far more accomplished than Michael Grant's career ever was, following a traumatic defeat. There was however Lamon Brewster, who also knocked out Wladimir Klitschko but in much different fashion. Whereas Corrie Sanders simply abused Wladimir over and over again with a deceptively speedy straight left hand, Brewster played the roll of a punching bag for all but roughly 90 seconds of his fight with Klitschko before coming on at the end of the fifth and final round of their bout.

Detractors have used these two losses as well as an earlier loss to Ross Puritty, to justify their assumptions that Wladimir indeed had stamina issues (Puritty), a lack of chin (Sanders), and an anxiety disorder (Brewster). Critics claimed that all of these flaws were, on an individual basis fatal, and when combined both insurmountable and irreparable.

But now, as boxing fans brace themselves for what they hope won't be a repeat of 2005, Wladimir Klitschko (45-3, 40 ko's) has done something sufficient enough to not only become a mandatory challenger, but become a fighter now widely considered to be more than capable enough of overtaking this embarrassingly weak division.

The upcoming New Year is likely going to bring further change within the heavyweight division. The biggest change that also bears the greatest likelihood of occurring is Wladimir Klitschko. I believe that Wladimir Klitschko will not only become a champion before Christmas time 2006, but will be the most recognized champion of the unfortunate multitude as well. For those who can use a bit of depth perception, they may see what to me, are glaringly obvious circumstances that leave Wladimir Klitschko in a situation where he is all but certain to find himself in a position to prey on the dysfunctional heavyweight division.

Let me start out by saying that there is only one fighter on the planet now that I believe has all the tools required to beat Wladimir Klitschko, and as a matter of fact, he already did. The ability to absorb an ungodly amount of punishment, debilitating power, and the skills to utilize such power are all things that Lamon Brewster did and still does possess. In fact, the Brewster who I've seen fight lately is probably even better than the one who got the job done the first time around against Klitschko in April 2004.

Other than Lamon Brewster, every other contending heavyweight would have some very serious disadvantages. Chris Byrd lacks firepower and size, and the skills he does possess are clearly eroding with each fight, as evidenced by his last three outings, all of them, fights he was lucky to walk away from with his IBF belt. John Ruiz lacks the skills to deal with even a gun shy or timid Wladimir Klitschko, who, judging by the Peter fight probably no longer exists. Come to think of it, the last time Ruiz found himself inside the ropes with a fighter who had punching power like Klitschko, he only stayed for 19 seconds. Then there is Hasim Rahman, who would be woefully outclassed in terms of skills and even athleticism. However, what would be most detrimental to Rahman's chances of competing would be the fact that he would once again be in against another big banger. Remember, if Monte Barrett could land punches and hurt Rahman, I don't see how Wladimir could fail to do the same, in which case Rahman's chin would be a big underdog to see him through the fight.

Perhaps the most dangerous fighter for Klitschko to face, besides Brewster is Sam Peter, who of course is now a known variable. However, it was in this awkward fight that I began to think that Klitschko's time as a contender was far from over. Klitschko showed he was not gun shy, has no stamina problems whatsoever, and certainly has heart to go along with a chin that now appears to be much better than once feared. Nor did he wilt when Peter threw heat at him, and in addition, Klitschko has learned to fight at his most comfortable fighting range, as he showed by simply grabbing Peter and pushing him off in order to keep the fight where he wanted it. Emmanuel Steward has long claimed that Wladimir's goose was far from cooked, even after his humiliating loss to Sanders, and perhaps Steward knows what he's talking about.

James Toney is a great fighter, but can anybody remind me of a fight where Toney had to jab or move his way inside to land blows against a bigger fighter remotely as skilled as Wladimir? Furthermore, what would keep Wladimir from pulling an octopus on Toney and wrapping him up and pushing the much smaller man off? I would give Calvin Brock a much better chance of taking out Klitschko than Toney, who lacks the firepower and size that Brewster, Rahman, Peter, and Brock all possess.

But, all of these things are neither here nor now. What the fans know as of right now is that Wladimir Klitschko can fight against either Lamon Brewster or Chris Byrd for a world title, and he would be in a pick-em fight with the former and a heavy favorite over the latter. In addition, Klitschko is probably going to be receiving a very high ranking from the WBC now that his brother has departed. Rahman, now the WBC champ has spoken of fighting Wladimir, and with the money that such a fight could generate, such talk is not surprising.

Don King tournament be damned, there is simply no way it is going to happen unless either Brewster or Byrd are willing to lose their strap due to sanctioning rules (not fighting the mandatory within the mandated time frame). And if either fighter decided to do the unlikely and Riddick Bowe their belts into a trash can, you would have to be nuts not to anticipate the marketing number HBO would employ to promote Wladimir as the most legitimate title holder of the lot. Finally, even Don King knows that Wladimir Klitschko is by far the biggest attraction in the division and easily pulls in more money that any other heavyweight with or without a belt when he fights. His last bout against Peter was the second most viewed fight of 2005, even more than Hopkins-Taylor. The only fight that pulled in a greater audience so far was the Morales-Pacquiao brawl.

To anoint Wladimir Klitschko as the savior of the division would be premature. However, the facts surrounding the division still remain. There are some very weak and discreditable belt holders who are ripe for the taking by just about anyone who possesses just an ounce of skills, as James Toney was the latest to show. Of the fighters out there who possess such skills and other tools, Wladimir Klitschko once again heads such the list. As a result, he is in the title mix, ranked ahead of nearly all contenders, and thus is first in line for a chance to capitalize on what could be easy pickings.

In closing, no matter what Don King says, money talks even louder (but just barely in King's case). Klitschko's ability to pull the attention of the boxing community when he steps through the ropes, produce big pay days each and every outing, and apparently fight well enough to become a mandatory challenger are all factors that ensure 2006 will not pass without Wladimir in a boxing ring fighting for a title, most likely against Chris Byrd. HBO waving their pom-poms for Dr. Steelhammer is also a deciding factor for why Klitschko has the best chance of being the first non King fighter to get a title shot


Posted by: TJ Cline

What’s really the reason Vitali Klitschko has fallen apart?

13.11.05 - By Andy Meacock: Isn’t it amazing just how quickly things can happen in the sport of boxing? Just one week ago I was talking to a friend of mine about the ‘then’ upcoming heavyweight bout between Vitali Klitschko and Hasim Rahman. My friend and I were pretty confident in our views that Klitschko would handle Rahman fairly comfortably. My prediction a week ago was that the champion would knock out the challenger within seven or eight rounds. Sadly we are not going to find out if I was right or wrong.

The fight had been on and off for a long time this year, four times in fact. The reason for the delays were down to persistent injuries suffered by Klitschko in training. After this fight was cancelled for the fourth time earlier this week the WBC leniently (wrongly in my view) planned to allow Klitschko a further three months to recover and then fight Rahman.

Of course, this didn’t happen because Klitschko decided to call time on his career and has probably spared the WBC a lot of hassle. I’m glad that Klitschko decided to stand down as it would have been truly unfair to the interim champion Rahman if the WBC had decided not to hold Klitschko to the rules. Injury or not, the rules apply to everyone…

So I guess the question is, where did this all come from?

As I mentioned at the start of this article I was totally shocked at Klitschko’s announcement and a week ago I was planning on placing a bet on him knocking Rahman out. The way in which his body has just given up on him this past year is unusual and very debatable.

Now many people have made claims that Klitschko didn’t want to face Rahman in the first place. People were making comments like, ‘chicken-Kiev’ and referring that Klitschko was a coward. I wonder if these people thought he was a coward when he challenged Lennox Lewis and then subsequently called for a rematch - pressure of which contributed to the retirement of Lennox Lewis.

Do people really think that Klitschko was afraid of Hasim Rahman but not afraid of Lennox Lewis?. You’ve got to be kidding me!. Rahman is one of the better fighters about now but he’s not a great fighter and certainly not to the level of Lennox Lewis. I find it laughable that people think Klitschko was afraid of Rahman but not afraid of Lewis.

There were also rumours that Klitschko had been knocked down on consecutive days in training by much lesser sparring partners. Again, I find this hard to imagine as Klitschko has been in the ring and taken punches from heavy hitters like Lewis and Corey Sanders. With that in mind I find it hard to believe that eight round sparring partners would be able to humble the champion in such a way during training. I think those rumours were probably fabricated from someone within Don King’s office.

I do believe Klitschko regarding his injuries this year, I think they have been genuine injuries. Now my opinion of why Klitschko’s body is so brittle is probably not going to sound popular but I’m going to say it anyway. I think that a combination of early career steroid abuse mixed with his large frame has had a detrimental effect on Klitschko in his later years. Klitschko has gone on record before admitting that he has taken illegal/anabolic steroids in the past. So nothing I say here is libellous…

Now the subject of steroids and the positive/negative effect they have on the human body is a vast and detailed subject. It isn’t an issue that should be generalised and I’m not seeking to generalise this issue here but when you think about it, the steroid arguments hold some water.

I must slightly generalise on a couple of things however. Certain illegal steroids can result in the body’s joints and ligaments being weakened. Certain illegal steroids can manipulate the body’s metabolism to work at a rate that isn’t natural. This may seem great at the time you are taking the steroids but afterwards the body can have problems understanding what is normal and can struggle to adapt to its natural form. This can cause all sorts of issues with weight which can increase the pressure on joints, potentially causing injuries.

Plus when you consider Klitschko is now 34 years old, it all starts to make some sense…

Once again, I don’t want to sound like I’m smearing Vitali Klitschko, I happen to think he is the best heavyweight out there at present but presented with the facts in front of me, I can only conclude that his large heavy frame mixed with his earlier steroid abuse is the recipe of the disaster that has become his injury prone body.

So today the heavyweight picture is much changed from the one we looked at a week ago. We currently have four title holders all of which have something to prove and with a chance now to prove it. In a way I think Klitschko’s retirement is good thing on the whole for the division as we have a new opportunity to settle some arguments.

With Rahman being appointed WBC champion Don King has full control over the heavyweight division and has promised to make a tournament to establish an undisputed champion. Of course, I remember Don King promised this a few years ago and it didn’t happen, so hopefully he means it this time and we can find out at last who is worthiest of the title, ‘undisputed heavyweight champion’.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Why Hopkins Will Pull It Out Of His Hat

13.11.05 - By Jim Amato: Jermain Taylor won his first fight with Bernard Hopkins fair and square. Bernard made an error in judgment in starting too slow. He spotted a young and talented Taylor a head start that try as he might, Bernard was unable to make up. It cost the ever proud Hopkins his World's middleweight title. Hopkins is out for revenge and to regain his former glory. Taylor wants to prove that his first win was no fluke and that he is "The Man" at 160 pounds.

As Max Schmeling said in leading up to his first fight with the great Joe Louis, "I see something." I too saw some things that unfolded as the first Taylor- Hopkins bout moved in to the middle and late rounds. I saw the things I needed to see to feel that Bernard has a very, very good chance of regaining his crown.

First of all, I feel that more then ever Bernard is confident he take the best Taylor has to offer. I'm not quite so sure that Taylor can. He was stunned on more then one occasion during the "championship" rounds. Taylor also slowed down a bit and Bernard was clearly outworking the challenger.

In this rematch, I look for Bernard to start quickly and set the pace. Taylor will try to hang with Bernard and I see the first six rounds being contested on a fairly even basis. Then I see Taylor trying to surge ahead but by the end of the tenth, Bernard will have closed the gap.

It will be almost even entering the last two rounds. This is where I see Bernard forcing the action and getting the best of Jermain. Hopkins will force Taylor on the defensive and Bernard's aggression and work rate will push him ahead on the scoring.He may even stop Jermain.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Part II: Judging the judges- Controversial Scorecards Revisited

13.11.05 - by Barry Green : Why do we get so many awful scorecards? Are judges merely incompetent or do they lack real objectivity? Is the lure of judging future fights influencing their viewpoint so they get re-hired by boxing organisations and promoters alike? What follows is the second part of my list of the worst 'scorecards' that have been handed in over the previous 30 years, even though in some cases the other two judges rightfully disagreed or the fight ended by KO or stoppage; although more often than not these scorecards have lead to an outrageous decision. Numbers 25-13 featured last week, here is the Top 12 countdown.

12. Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali I

Judge: Art Lurie. The Ali magic lived on- in the eyes of Lurie that is who rewarded a badly beaten champion with a decision win, despite being hit repeatedly for 15 rounds (that's Ali not Lurie by the way). Fortunately he was overruled by the other two judges and Spinks was the new king. How Lurie thought Ali won is anybody's guess. Maybe he was star-struck?

Spinks attacked the fading champion from the outset, trapping him against the ropes and pounding away for most of the fight. Although the champion mustered some movement and jabbed a little between the 10th and 14th, Neon Leon finished stronger and had Ali out on his feet at the final bell. This time 'rope-a-dope' was never going to work, not when there was no real offence to back it up.

Afterwards, and even years later, Lurie was steadfast in his opinion that he thought Ali won that night. How one can score a fight for a fellow that impersonates a punch-bag is beyond me, as Ali was there for the taking on that February day in Las Vegas, 1978 and it could have been almost anyone in the other corner beating up the ageing legend that evening.

Indeed, if it weren't for Harold Buck and Lou Tabat (the judges that weren't wearing their rose-tinted glasses) Ali wouldn't have received the chance to become the first man to win the heavyweight crown three times- which is duly did later that year. But as scorecards go, Lurie's is up with the worst in recent memory.


11. Axel Schulz vs. George Foreman

Judges: Jerry Roth & Keith McDonald. Maybe this is the reason there are so many bad decisions in Germany as Schulz is ripped off and Foreman later 'sripped' of his title by the IBF for refusing an immediate rematch (a sure sign that something was amiss).

What was Axel Schulz doing fighting for the title in the first place one might say...and with good reason. Schulz, whose biggest win at that time came against a Bonecrusher Smith that had just been flattened by Lionel Butler a few months before. Still, this was enough for the German to receive a high ranking.

I remember seeing this fight and there being a satellite link back to Germany where fans of Shulz had gathered in a city square to witness the robbery on a big screen in the early hours of the morning. But they shouldn't have expected anything else as Big George star shined so much brighter than a man who was easily dominated by none other than Doctor Octopus himself- Henry Akinwande.

Comedian Richard Pryor once amusingly described Foreman's fighting attitude as: "Tell me which one is the referee...right I'm gonna kill the other mother-f*cker." But this was no peak George, this was the old, ponderous hamburger-chomping version who looked a little bit like The Thing from the old Marvel comics. But Foreman still had one of the best chins in the business and was almost impossible to knock-out.

After this fight, Big George's head was just a swollen blob and Axel Schulz became the first German heavyweight champion since Max Schmelling.


10. Felix Sturm vs. Oscar De La Hoya

Judges: Dave Moretti, Mike Glienna & Paul Smith. Another of our Bavarian friends feeling the power of the box-office. Did you really think they'd have given the fight to a German on the 60th anniversary of D-Day? These judges penned exactly the same scorecard of 115-113, almost as if they had already been scribbled in before the contest actually began. The act of forgiveness was not forthcoming on this day as De La Hoya set up his meeting with Bernard Hopkins.

This was one of those fairly close fights where it was evident that, despite there not being much difference in rounds won, there was a definite winner (see Duran-Leonard I and Holmes-Norton for further examples). This also makes the Top 10 because it's my least favourite 'type' of bad decision: the 'warm-up-before-the-superfight' shafting that is all too common in boxing.

Sturm controlled this fight with superior use of the good old fashioned jab. He beat De La Hoya to the punch constantly, getting his shots in first and looked like the definite winner at the end of the contest. Oscar has since admitted he didn't win this fight to his credit but that doesn't make it any easier to watch again.

Is this one of the worst 10 decisions of recent years? No. But it's still terrible and is ranked so highly because of the almost 'manufactured' scorecards that were handed in. Sturm, born "Adnan Catic," apparently named himself 'Felix' after the cartoon cat- and here he ended up on the wrong end of a Mickey Mouse decision.


9. Eusebio Pedroza vs. Rocky Lockridge I

Judge: Rodolfo Hill. The Panamanian judge in a show of defiance to his fellow countryman gave Lockridge just ONE round of this fight, in a contest that was so close it warranted an immediate rematch (although that didn't take place until 1983- three years later). This wasn't the first time Rocky was hard-done by in the eyes and pens of the judges, the next one, featured later, was even more scandalous.

Pedroza, despite being a great fighter and fantastic boxer, was also one of the dirtiest fighters in ring history. He would hit low, elbow, headbutt with alarming regularity, yet possessed the silky skills that would earn him many a unanimous decision and help him on his way to one of the greatest championship reigns of all-time.

Rocky Lockridge was always going to be robbed on this night irrespective of how the fight went, even though he was probably edged out by the crafty Panamanian, whose technical smarts counter-acted Rocky's indefatigable assault. For Pedroza it would be another five years till he was beaten again (by Barry McGuigan); for the game, courageous Rocky, even worse was still to come.

And for Rodolfo Hill, he would be allowed to judge at Pedroza's title defence against Jorge Lujan...this time learning his lesson- he gave TWO rounds to the challenger instead of one. Also, it has to be noted that the previous time Hill judged a Pedroza fight he didn't award a single round to Korean challenger Sa-Wang Kim. So at least there was some progress by the time Pedroza reached his 20th title defence.


8. Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler

Judges: Lou Filippo & Jose Guerra. Viva Las Vegas again. A showbiz town with showbiz scorecards. We'll come to Lou Filippo in a moment and first give it to the judge that has received the most flak for this verdict- Jose Guerra. Here Guerra gave Hagler just rounds FIVE and TWELVE. A terrible excuse of a scorecard. By the way, Ring magazine's Jeff Ryan fared little better- he gave Hagler just rounds five and seven. I know I'm as baffled as you are.

What is rarely discussed however is that after five rounds of this eagerly awaited contest, judge Fillipo had actually Hagler AHEAD on his scorecard, when he had hardly thrown a decent shot thereon in. Even the most ardent Hagler fan (and let's face it we're all Hagler fans) thought the Marvellous one took until the fifth to get going. Before that, Hagler looked awkward early on and it was only until he reverted back to southpaw that he started clawing back rounds.

The fight itself was extremely close and, even if you think Hagler won, no way is it a 'robbery' in the classic sense, just ridiculous scoring made it seem that way. If you ask 100 people who won this fight they'd be split about 50/50 (my brother scored this for Hagler, my sister for Leonard). Me? I have to bit my lip here, being a big fan of Marvin, but I felt that Leonard eked out a decision against a Hagler that was ready to be taken- in a fight that was five years too late in the making.

If one uses the criterion for scoring a fight, Leonard came out on top in most of those categories. He showed better defence and ring smarts and controlled the tempo of the fight. Basically, Hagler allowed him to fight HIS fight. What most people forget was that this was not a great fight by any means, although it was intriguing because of the charisma of the participants. Still, that doesn't hide the blatant bad scoring chalked up by Guerro and Filippo any more palatable.


7. Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson

Judge: Ken Morita. Morita must have thought he was judging a sumo wrestling contest when he had Tyson ahead going into the fateful 10th. Japan's very own Masakazu Uchida was almost as blinkered in having the fight EVEN! Larry Rozadilla's 82-88 was an accurate reflection of how the fight was going as the unheralded challenger dominated the lack-lustre champion whose mind
seemed elsewhere. Maybe he had a premonition of his fight with Evander Holyfield, which was scheduled for the summer of 1990.

One has to wonder who these judges would have scored the 10th had Tyson survived instead of searching for his gumshield like it was hidden treasure? My guess is that it would have been a 10-9 but with a point deducted from Douglas for not being famous enough, so 9-9 it is then. Sounds silly? But with judges like these that may just be plain logic and maybe we're the dumb ones for not recognizing celebrity enough. Of course, I jest but one has to wonder how afraid this pair were to actually score against a man of Tyson's stature.

James 'Buster' Douglas' fought the fight of his life that night against a Tyson who was either A) Unmotivated or B) Finally pitted against an opponent who would hit him with more than one punch at a time. I feel it was a bit of both.

Following the fight Don King and his flunkies Jose Sulaiman and Gilberto Mendoza spoke of Tyson claiming back the title over the long-count technicality. Never was King's monopoly over the heavyweight division more disgusting than this when he tried to get the decision suspended- and almost won!

Meanwhile, Douglas gave up the title while laying on his back pondering what do with the obscene amount of filthy lucre he was paid to meet Holyfield. But on this night he fought the fight of his, or almost anybody's life, fortunately we were saved the embarrassment of the judges scorecard tallies by a knockout in the 10th round.


6. Sven Ottke vs. Numerous

Judges: Manfred Küchler, Luca Montella and Manuel Maritxalar. What bad scorecard list if complete without an entrance from our some of our Benelux friends? And Ottke being the prize guy in the bad decision league with a glut of horror shows that tarnished the vast majority of his world super-middleweight title fights. There are just too many to declare that I'll just have to stick to the aforementioned three bandits. This 'gruesome threesome' crop up in astonishing TWENTY-THREE Ottke world title fights between them.

Ottke's ring nickname as The Phantom, 'phantom' being the best way to describe the bogus scoring at most of his fights. If one of the better super-middles of the 1990s (e.g. Roy Jones, Nigel Benn) had to face Ottke in Germany I feel they would have been given a much fairer shake. The likes of Robin Reid, Byron Mitchell and Charles Brewer etc, just aren't big enough names to wrestle the verdict away from the 'homeboy'.

Another judge, who also refereed one or two Ottke fights, was Raffaele Argiolas. When Ottke controversially beat Mads Larsen two years ago, Argiolas had the audacity of scoring the fight a draw! Suffice to say his phone was not called again by Ottke's promoters and the governing bodies. The message was loud and clear- vote for Sven or don't get the job next time.

That is not to say all of Ottke's fights were all bad decisions. If truth be known he deserved the nod in a few...well, one or two maybe. And if Kuchler and co, weren't bad enough, adding the list of Ottke's 'special friends' was one Franz Marti, he of Whitaker-Chavez fame, who gave Britain's Robin Reid just three rounds when he was robbed against the monotonous German champion in 2003.

Sven Ottke fights have become synonymous with biased, jaundiced scoring and it's predominantly down to these three men. Do I think these fights fixed? No...and the West Germany-Austria World Cup match of 1982 wasn't either (soccer fans will understand the connection).


5. Pernell Whitaker vs. Julio Cesar Chavez

Judge: Micky Vann. Despite no deduction from the referee, Vann decided to penalise Whitaker a point of his own for an apparent low blow, scoring directly against the Queensbury Rules in favour of the err.. 'Kingsbury' Rules. This would eventually cost Whitaker the decision, which he wouldn't have won anyway as Franz Marti was the other comedian who scored this fight a draw.

Despite Vann's ludicrous admission of the point deduction (in round 6), he still managed to award this stanza to Chavez, notwithstanding Whitaker's domination of said round. Shouldn't the score have read 9-9? Of course, but maths are obviously not Vann's strong point.

What was so impressive about Whitaker here was that he outboxed Chavez not by circling around the Mexican(which many felt would happen) but by planting his feet at ring-centre, while jabbing and slipping his way in.

The sports magazines had a field day after this fight, ranging from headlines such as: 'Sweet Pea Shafted' and 'Was The Fix In?' but perhaps the most telling one came from Boxing Illustrated, which read: 'Don't Buy This Magazine If You Think The Fight Was A Draw'. Very powerful indeed.

This was actually a mismatch when one thinks of it. Regardless of whom you may rate higher in an all-time list out of these two great champions, and it could go either way, but I think Whitaker would always come out on top against Chavez style wise and this fight more than proved that was the case.

Afterwards, Mickey Vann was personally thanked for his 'sterling' work in this contest by Mr Jose Sulaiman himself and was duly rewarded with refereeing the Lennox Lewis-Frank Bruno fight just three weeks later. Friends in high places as they say.


4. Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield I

Judge: Eugenia Williams. Is this a worse decision than Whitaker-Chavez? Hard to say, but Ms. Williams' scorecard of 115-113 for Holyfield is worse than the ones handed in by Laurel and Hardy...I mean, Vann & Marti. In the 5th round Lewis landed the hardest blows of the fight, one in particular took the wind out of Holyfield, who felt the big Brit's lethal power for the first time. Williams subsequently scored the round for...HOLYFIELD! Which would eventually lead her to award the fight for the Real Deal.

After the fight an inquest was called by the Manhattan District Attorney and before a grand jury Williams claimed she could not see properly because "Lewis's back was in the way of her view and therefore she found it difficult to score the fight"...so in her frustration she gave it to the Don King fighter anyway.

British judge Larry O'Connell scored it a draw as did some boxing journalists, inc: The Sun's Colin Hart and Jeff Ryan of Ring. Ryan also scored the rematch in favour of Holyfield so it's fair to say he is not the most objective of boxing hacks. Holyfield won three rounds at best and maybe shared one or two others. A scorecard of 117-112 seemed about right. But if anything, that's giving Evander the benefit of the doubt.

I remember my old gym teacher Mr Hesketh refereeing the school soccer matches and was so afraid to be thought of as too partisan, he gave decisions that were so unbelievably biased 'against' his own school that the only time we ever won a game was when we played away from home. I think this line of thinking was what affected judge O'Connell's objectivity...that or a
mystery gift from Don King perhaps. You decide!

A rematch was called, Don King was happy and Lewis won the return, in a fight that was a lot closer than the original.


3. Chris Eubank vs. Mauricio Amaral

Judges: Torben Seeman Hansen, Cesar Ramos & Ismael W. Fernandez. The three blind mice congregated to award the decision to Eubank despite the champion's worst ever showing. No one knows what they were up to during fight time, maybe they were playing bingo on their scorecards? Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't this fight they were watching.

Eubank, defending his WBO Super-Middleweight title for the 11th time, hardly threw a punch in anger all night and was easily outfought and outboxed by this unknown Brazilian, who I, and many others felt won this fight by a wide margin.

Britain's grip on the WBO belt has been in operation for a long while now. In the organisation's early days, it seemed that only the UK and Kronk gym wanted anything to do with this ugly new addition to the alphabet boys. The WBO was like Zeppo Marx, not really part of any the major scenes, just 'there'. But 'Zeppo' appears to be indebted to British boxing and therefore was, and still is, afraid to upset Messrs Warren, and in this case, Barry Hearn.

After this debacle, Eubank picked up a few more million in meaningless title defences, while the extremely unlucky Amaral secured a shot at the WBA title the following year but was easily outpoint by American Frank Liles. Amaral then soon faded into the obscurity from whence he came. But on the night in question he beat Chris Eubank...and quite easily too I must add.


2. Pernell Whitaker vs. Jose Luis Ramirez I

Judge: Newton Campos. Oh dear, Mr Campos, how could you live with yourself after this. According to him, Sweet Pea won only TWO clear rounds of this fight (giving him a share of just three others). His final tally of 118-113 set up a Ramirez-Julio Cesar Chavez clash, in which the latter dominated his countryman on a scale that Whitaker did in the first place. Even 118-113 for WHITAKER would have been too close a scorecard! Ramirez probably won about two rounds, maybe three at a stretch.

Rumor has it that the WBC insisted Whitaker, should he win, fight Chavez with immediate effect. The Duva's declined as Sweet Pea was just 15 fights into his professional career and perhaps a bit too green for a man of Chavez's calibre at that stage. It appears that by not signing that agreement they blew any chance of earning a decision win.

Fighting a Mexican in his adopted home town for the WBC title when Don King has plans for an all-Mexican showdown is not the most appealing aspect in retrospect. One has to think that if Whitaker knocked out Ramirez that night then he would have been disqualified somehow and with the combined strength of the Ramirez beard and the none-egg breaking power possessed by the fleet-footed American, that was a scenario that was not going to happen. Not in this lifetime.

Some judges and fans alike feel you have to 'take the title away' from the champion. Pardon my French here but this is absolute bollocks. The guy who wins the most rounds wins the fight. How complicated is that? Close rounds should not be automatically scored for the champion, which they often are. Louis Michel also pleased his bosses at the WBC by voting for Ramirez to set up the Chavez fight. Harry Gibbs, a judge not easily bribed it seems, scored for Whitaker: 117-113.

In this bout Whitaker was so dominant that even the French fans applauded the skills of arguably the best defensive fighter of the past 30 years. If anyone feels this should have been Number 1 in the list then I won't argue, I had a tough time deciding for myself which was the worst decision of them all. But I've placed this at two because my # 1 fight has long been forgotten as one of the worst decisions.


1. Rocky Lockridge vs. Wilfredo Gomez

Judge: Marcos Torres & Humberto Figueroa. For my money this is the one. The worst judging that I have seen in a world title fight (as at least one judge voted for Whitaker remember). Still, that doesn't make the robbery any easy to digest.

Lockridge didn't lose any of the first 10 rounds and was on the verge of stopping the legendary Puerto-Rican in the 9th and 10th. The reason this gets the nod over Whitaker-Ramirez is that Gomez probably only won the same amount of rounds that Ramirez did...the big difference being that here there were 15 of them!!!

The champion had everything in his favour 'scoring wise'. He was the aggressor, landed many more cleaner punches, controlled the tempo, dominated ring centre, fighting like the challenger. This was a great action fight by the way, which may have detracted people from realising how bad the decision was (i.e. Barrera-Morales I for a similar example, albeit a much closer fight than this one).

In round 10 itself, Lockridge, pounded the great Puerto-Rican with bombs left and right, Angelo Dundee later said he was thinking of throwing in the towel at the end of this round as Gomez was out on his feet, if not a 10-9 round, then surely a 10-8 round, if anything. So Torres showing his very own take on objectivity, then marked the round EVEN!

After those 10 rounds, which Lockridge didn't lose any, judge Torres gave Rocky just FIVE of them. Jesus! Admittedly, the champion did tire through rounds 11 to 13 but regained the initiative to finish the stronger, while Gomez desperately holding on, which he had done through large sections of the bout, till the seconds ticked away.

This fight also featured just about the longest delay from final bell to decision announcement that you will ever see. Possibly the 'old switcheroo'coming into place with different scorecards being handed in? Quite possibly methinks.

The Puerto-Rican was dethroned as featherweight champ the previous December when he was overwhelmed by the great Azumah Nelson. What happened next? He was quickly installed at Number 2 in the WBA junior featherweight rankings and immediately awarded a title shot- on home turf to boot. Lockridge had no choice but to go into the lion's den of San Juan.

Gomez remains the classic example of why there are so many weight divisions in this day and age, as opposed to the classic 'eight' of yesteryear. Formidable at 122 pounds, the best ever in fact, he struggled badly when faced with decent opposition at featherweight and above. He was comfortably beaten by both Salvador Sanchez and Nelson before this fight.

For what it's worth my scorecard on re-viewing the fight read: 147-139. Still not convinced? The report from the San Juan Star read: "Gomez was unavailable for comment Monday, following the brutal beating he received on Sunday from the ex-champion."

After the fight, Lockridge, never one for an excuse to his eternal credit, accepted the decision as one he expected if it went the distance. He had the 'I knew they'd do this to me' look that befell Pernell Whitaker that night against Chavez at the Alamodome, as yet again, the bigger name fighter was awarded a decision they truly did not deserve.

Although I have to take my hat off to Wilfredo Gomez for showing amazing courage and a champion's heart in lasting the full 15 rounds, he clearly lost this fight in what I regard as the worst decision in a world title fight of the last 20 years. And this, just like ALL the Top 5 decisions (and quite possibly a few others in the list) could easily be regarded as nothing
else but a fix.


Conclusion

What we have seen down the years is, not so much hometown decisions, but 'marquee' decisions. That is, if you're fighting in someone else's hometown, make sure you're fairly famous- and you'll probably get a good deal.

If you look at the all-time greats when they have ventured out of their continent to take on a hometown her, e.g. Ali fighting in Germany, Frazier in England or Monzon in Paris, they always received more than a fair shake- not that they needed one, mind. But my contention has always been that 'hometown' decisions take a back-seat to 'marketing' decisions.

Some judges like Mickey Vann and Art Lurie stick by their guns and insist they were right all along, while others like Zack Clayton, and even Eugenia Williams later admit they were wrong, even if their excuses were beyond feeble at least they came clean eventually. But by then the damage was done.

Dan Goosen, currently working the corner of James Toney, once said that the reason judges often get decisions wrong is that they're "only human and can often get carried away when a big name fighter is in action." But my argument to this is the opposite. Surely if judges do display 'humane' qualities than wouldn't it be the underdog that gets the decision more often
than not?

I'm sure if you or I were judging a big fight, and even if we tried to be as objective as possible, IF some personal foibles came through and we scored a fight on a 'human level', maybe, in our heart of hearts, we might just want the guy with no money, no fame and no chance to win. Wouldn't we? THAT is more of a display of humanity than voting for the multi-millionaire with a 10-fight HBO contract with a convicted felon as his promoter. So my guess is that many judges don't often work on the basics of humanity.

My thinking is that too many judges just want to keep their employer happy. Fighters with TV contracts and who are tied to one of the bigger promoters like King, Arum or Frank Warren are going to get better treatment than a journeyman with a record. If you want a pay day then keep your employers happy. These judges are so afraid of upsetting the organisation that hired them that they will gladly score for the fighter that is meant to win.

There is an old joke concerning Custer's Last Stand when the General opens a bottle to find a genie has granted him 'one' last wish...the only downside being that whatever he chooses the Indians have to have double the amount. The genie explains that if he wants a gun- the Indians get two; if he wants a hatchet- the Indians get two; if he wants a knife- the Indians get two and so on. Custer pauses for a moment and give the genie his answer, saying: "I'll have a glass eye". Yep, that is basically how I often see some of the judges at these big fights- as possessing a couple of marble peepers. Rumour has it that Jose Suilaiman and co, took this joke too literally and headed down to Little Big Horn to seek out judges for all the WBC title fights of the past 10 years.

Three main thing to be learnt from this exercise. 1. Don't fight in the other guys home town. 2. Don't fight against a guy more famous than you are. 3. You can argue amongst yourselves about the order they are in but you surely have to question the validity of all these scorecards.

It seems that the only answer to the predicament boxing is in is, if you're a fighter, make sure you win EVERY round (ala Winky Wright vs. Felix Trinidad) or only fight in a neutral venue. I guess that means from now on the only way of seeing a decent scorecard is if there is a worldwide media ban and all world title fights take place in 'Switzerland'!

But as long as us fans keep it real and retain just a modicum of objectivity (which I suppose may not always be possible) then the contents of a fight will always be discussed ahead of merely looking at a record book or surfing the web for sites like Boxrec. On the whole, our boxing news comes to us via newspapers, magazines and sites like Eastside Boxing, where were read for ourselves what really went on in the ring during a fight.

And if you own a copy of any of these fights by all means watch them at your leisure...just make sure you switch off the television before the decision is announced. And as for the awful robberies in the recent The Contender TV show? Before we had our doubts but now we know that it is not 'real'' professional boxing until the bent judges and the gift decisions surface once again. In that respect, The Contender finally belongs.


Posted by: min0 lee

When I went to Rikers for 8 years I had a cell mate called min0 lee.
The first thing I did was make him sit when he went pee.
That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.


Posted by: TJ Cline

How did you know about that?


Posted by: min0 lee

True story


Posted by: TJ Cline

How Good Was Vitali Klitschko?

13.11.05 - By Jim Amato: He has walked away from the most prestigious prize in all of sports. I was shocked but Vitali Klitschko is his own man and for whatever reasons he had, the decision has been made. How good was Vitali Klitschko? Where will he fall when rating him against the other great heavyweights of all time? It will be quite difficult to judge with the abrupt end to his career. Vitali had only 37 fights. He won 35 with 34 stoppage wins. Overall, the numbers are impressive. However, let's look at the actual quality of his opposition. Vitali began his career in 1996. He reeled off 27 straight wins, all by knockout, yet there were no big names but his resume has several fair heavyweights. Names like Cleveland Woods, Will Hinton, Anthony Willis, Levi Billips, Jose Ribalta, Herbie Hide, Ed Mahone and Obed Sullivan.

In 2000, ahead on points, a shoulder injury forced Vitali to withdraw between rounds nine and ten against Chris Byrd. The IBF currently recognizes Byrd as champion. Vitali came back to win five fights Orlin Norris, Vaughn Bean and Larry Donald were among his victims. That led Vitali to a 2003 title shot against WBC champion Lennox Lewis.

Lennox-Vitali was a great fight but it ended in six rounds. Lewis cut Vitali down and the fight was stopped. To his credit, Vitali jumped right back in the win column. He battered highly regarded Kirk Johnson. Then when Lennox Lewis retired, they matched Vitali with dangerous Corrie Sanders for the vacant WBC title. Vitali then defended his crown by halting Mike Tyson conqueror, Danny Williams.

Vitali lost to the best of his era in Lennox Lewis. He also lost to the talented Chris Byrd in a bout that he was on his way to winning before he injured his shoulder. The best way to describe Vitali's opponents were fair to slightly above average. There are no victories over a big name foe. No Tyson, Holyfield, Moorer or even a John Ruiz.

To be honest, Vitali was slow, ponderous somewhat of a plodder. On the flip side, Vitali's little brother, Wladimir, is a much better boxer. Still, Vitali had more power and seemed to be more sturdy. Although Vitali' s record is very impressive, the quality of his opposition was only so so, I find it very difficult to rate him with Ali, Frazier, Foreman and Holmes.


Posted by: min0 lee

She's all woman....trust me I know these things.


Posted by: carlito cool

Quote:
Originally Posted by min0 lee
She's all woman....trust me I know these things.

not even just a little bit of man


Posted by: TJ Cline

Calzaghe - Lacy Is On!

14.11.05 - Promoter Frank Warren is delighted to announce that WBO World Super-Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe will face IBF holder Jeff Lacy in a sensational unification showdown set for early 2006. Warren was in New York last week locked in negotiations with Lacy's promoter Gary Shaw and US TV Network Showtime and has confirmed that the super-fight is signed and will take place in Cardiff in February or March.

"This is the fight that Joe, the media and the fans wanted and I am absolutely delighted that following some hard work over the last few days the fight is on," Said Warren who will promote the show in association with Shaw.

"It will be the biggest fight of the year in Britain and certainly one of the most highly anticipated fights on the world scene in recent years and it will take place in the UK,"

"Joe is recognised as the best in the division that he has ruled for the last eight years with a record 17 defences seeing off six former world champions,"

"Lacy has looked impressive to date and the media are describing as the new kid on the block and the heir apparent,"

"They are the top two in the division and in the prime of their careers and what's for sure is that there can only be on winner who can truly claim that he is the best."

Shaw said, "Jeff is going over to Britain to prove to everyone that he is the greatest fighter at 168 pounds,"

"This is the fight that the fans, myself and Jeff have been waiting for and will finally see who is the king of the division."

Calzaghe, who recently out-pointed Evans Ashira in Cardiff despite breaking his hand in the early stages of the fight, said, "This is the fight that I have been shouting out for over the last few years and I am delighted that Frank has secured it,"

"It has been my dream to unify titles since I won the WBO crown against Chris Eubank over eight years ago and this fight against Lacy is the one that will secure my legacy,"

"I was disappointed more than anyone when the fight against Lacy - which was scheduled for earlier this month - had to be postponed because I broke my hand against Ashira but that is in the past and I'm now fully focused on fighting and beating Lacy,"

"I saw Lacy's last fight against Scott Pemberton and it was impressive but against me he is going to be in the ring with the hardest hitting super-middleweight out there and he will know it,"

"I look at Lacy as a guy on the way up in his career not a guy on the way out so I know that he is going to be hungry to take my title but that's not going to happen."

Lacy, who has defended his IBF crown four times, said, "I am a man of few words but I am excited about finally meeting Joe in the ring and I look forward to finally unifying the title and proving that I am the best in the division,"

"Here's to a great event and a third belt around my waist."

*NOTE*

*Joe Calzaghe and Jeff Lacy will meet head-to-head at a press conference to be held in London on Monday 21 November to discuss their unification fight. Further details will follow shortly.*


Posted by: TJ Cline

Is Audley Harrison destined to be another Lennox Lewis?

14.11.05 - By Troy Ondrizek: As we come onto Audley Harrison’s twentieth career fight and marvel at the fact that Danny Williams is his first opponent of any real boxing pedigree. It has taken Harrison fives years of sporadic feasting on tomato cans to arrive at this point. Harrison won the 2000 Gold medal in the Super heavyweight division. Since then we have been left with more hype and speculation outside the ring surrounding Harrison then any real results from him inside the ring.

I was thinking to myself and wondering how Harrison, who was revered as the next big thing, supposedly to follow in Lennox Lewis’ path, how this former Gold medallist compared and ranked to other Gold medallist in the Heavy and Super Heavyweight divisions that have turned their Olympic Gold into professional careers.

So I decided to do a little research and compared him to a few past Gold medalists. So let’s take a look at how he compares.

First let’s take a look at Audley Harrison: It has taken him fifty-five months to accomplish twenty career fights. Out of the previous nineteen fights, he has fought really no-one of prominence, as previously mentioned. However, he has beaten some high profile nobodies in Julius “The Towering Inferno” Long. Long, a Valuev sized fighter with few boxing skills, best known for losing to Tye Fields and recently to Terry Smith, those were his two televised fights in the states. Harrison also conquered the mighty Tomasz Bonin. Bonin probably the second best heavyweight from Poland (not saying much), really didn’t offer up any kind of challenge to Harrison. Now Harrison’s last opponent, Robert Wiggins, which Harrison had the audacity to claim that he was a good fighter, and a dangerous opponent. Wiggins might be dangerous for someone like Long, but not for the supposed “Second Coming” of British Boxing.

Now for the most dominant force in the division since Larry Holmes and the 1988 Super heavyweight Gold medallist, Lennox Lewis: Lewis took a progressive approach to his climb to twenty. He had already beaten former Heavyweight champ in Mike Weaver, tackled former Gold medallist in Tyrell Biggs, and captured the European Boxing Union (EBU) and British Heavyweight Championship. In Lewis’ twentieth bout he blindsided Derek Williams inside of three rounds to capture the Lonsdale belt outright. Basically that means he added the Commonwealth Title to his EBU and British Titles. Lewis accomplished all of his feats and twenty fights in a total of thirty four months.

Now for the 1984 Heavyweight Gold medallist who is only a footnote in Olympic history, Henry Tillman: Tillman turned pro as a Cruiserweight and fairly quickly moved up the ladder and had racked up a few notable fights. He fought and lost to Bert Cooper who would go onto give Evander Holyfield fits for a world title shot at the heavyweight level. Besides Cooper, Henry Tillman had one more real notable fight within his first twenty attempts. He fought a World Title fight against the great Evander Holyfield. That fight wasn’t even fair. Holyfield knocked him down three times before disposing of him within seven. Tillman climbed into the ring twenty times in a thirty-five month span.

Now for the greatest fighter on this list, the 1964 heavyweight Gold Medallist, Joe Frazier: Frazier quickly turned pro after the Olympics and wasted no time taking on game opponents. By his nineteenth fight he had already beaten Oscar Bonaveda and George Chuvalo, both of whom would go onto and challenge for world titles. In Frazier’s twentieth fight he took on Buster Mathis in a World Championship fight. Frazier TKO’d Mathis in the eleventh round after a closely fought affair. Frazier is the only Gold medalist to accomplish this feat inside his first twenty fights. Frazier also completed this regimen in thirty-one months.

A man that needs no introduction and the 1984 Super heavyweight Gold medalist, Tyrell Biggs: Tyrell Biggs stepped into the ring almost immediately after the 84’ games. His first big victory came against Renaldo Snipes, a former Heavyweight title challenger. Biggs would go onto to lose to a game Gary Mason, whom Lewis beat for the EBU and British Heavyweight crown. He lost to fellow Olympian and the future fist ever WBO Heavyweight Champion in Francesco Damiani. And the marquee fight of Biggs early and total career was an embarrassing but good effort (for him) against Mike Tyson for the Unified Heavyweight crown. Biggs fought valiantly in his first twenty fights and took the longest in doing so, he took a break after his losses to Tyson, Damiani, and Mason consecutively and accomplished the feat in sixty-two months.

Now a current big time player in the division and ready to stake his claim to Champion once again is the 1996 Super heavyweight Gold medalist, Wladimir Klitschko: Wladimir had an amazing amateur background and wasted no time in piling up victories. Wladimir had won the WBC International Heavyweight title in his seventeenth fight and successfully defended it against a very promising Cody Koch, whom we should have heard more from, but his life and career was cut short two months after the fight. And in his twentieth bout Wladimir effectively ended Najee Shaheed’s hope at ever becoming a contender, in a first round Knockout. Wladimir didn’t face the best competition, but he took on some quality opponents, and his first twenty fights went by at a blistering pace of twenty-one months.

In a matter of time we will put the same pressure on the 2004 Super heavyweight Gold medallist as we have on Harrison. So let’s see how he is doing now. Alexander Povetkin: Povetkin turned pro in June of 2005. He has fought four times so far most recently this past Saturday in which he took a 4 round UD. Povetkin is 4-0 (3 Ko’s). He is slated to fight on the Valuev/Ruiz undercard on Dec. 17th. He hasn’t fought anybody of notoriety of yet, but will have five fights under his belt in six months of time. Povetkin is off to a much faster start than Harrison. Maybe we’ll see him soon on the global scene. Time will tell.

Now there is so much pressure put on a former Gold medallist shoulders to become the next great champion. Harrison seems to have the skills, but has taken his sweet time achieving greatness. Time is not on Harrison’s side. So we should expect to see a big step-up in competition for Harrison, and from that we should be able to derive whether or not Audley Harrison is the next Lennox Lewis or Tyrell Biggs.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Now or Never for Roman Karmazin

14.11.05 - Gabriel Decrease: Roman Karmazin needs to make a move, and a big one at that. With the upset glory he garnered by beating Kassim Ouma from post-to-post fading from the short-memory of the sweet science, Karmazin is now faced with the daunting task of selecting another opponent against which he can attempt to solidify his claim to the 154-pound throne. Before jawing over possible fights, here is a quick flashback to the fateful upset that hurled Karmazin headlong into the world championship mix:

Roman was an unknown, underdog—grossly underestimated and underpaid—when he went into his fight with the highly touted much-beloved Kassim “The Dream” Ouma on July 14th, 2005. “The Dream” was young, fresh, and had coolly cruised past a stiff lineup of opposition that included Kofi Jantuah, crafty veteran Verno Philips, Carlos Bojorquez, and a rough-and-rugged Angel Hernandez.

Kassim looked to be on his way to pound-for-pound notoriety. Karmazin was coming back impressively, but with little fanfare, after a decision loss to a somewhat faded Javier Castillejo. But the story behind that now notorious loss was as invisible to the boxing public as most of Karmazin’s fights, which had never been the subject of mainstream media interest. And the sad reality is that there is no such thing as an unheralded favorite. Accordingly, boxing pundits and bookmakers alike gave Karmazin a snowball’s chance in Hell of beating Ouma.

But, looking back, they should have been more mindful of the Russian’s moniker, Roman Karmazin was “Made In Hell.” From the first bell Karmazin fought his fight. He threw a deadly and persistent body attack at Ouma throughout the early rounds, flooring him twice in the process. Kassim proved tough and ambled on, sometimes forcing Karmazin to take the pressure off momentarily and use his reach to keep Ouma at bay. However, Karmazin remained in the driver’s seat and worked Ouma over until the fight’s end. Roman was instantly catapulted to the iconic status in his native Russia and to the top of the junior middleweight rankings worldwide.

Just days after the fight Karmazin was quoted as saying, “[I am] not sure when my first title defense will take place, but for me it’s the sooner the better. I’m ready to start training tomorrow if I have to.” Now, four months later, Karmazin has no fight scheduled. And if there is one thing a newly crowned champion who won his title in a massive upset needs to do it is stay as busy as possible. Karmazin had initially hoped for a 154-pound unification showdown against workhorse tactician Winky Wright.

But now that Wright is campaigning at middleweight and awaiting an elusive superfight with the winner of the rematch between Bernard Hopkins and Jermain Taylor, Karmazin must look elsewhere for an opponent. His best options are fights with Nicoroguan wildman and WBC champion Ricardo Mayorga, and perpetual fan-favorite Fernando Vargas. But both have high-profile fights scheduled in the somewhat distant future. Mayorga will be rumbling with Oscar De La Hoya this coming May, and Vargas will face a comebacking Shane Mosely in late February. Either guy—or either of the two scheduled opponents for that matter—has the time to fight Karmazin in the near future, but probably won’t because he represents a long risk for short money. Stablemate Daniel Santos might be an appetizing opponent. “El Pillin” hasn’t fought in over a year, holds the WBO alphabet strap, and won a technical decision over highly regarded boxer-puncher Antonio Margarito.

And most importantly a fight with Santos could prove an easy test for Karmazin if he comes in as motivated and effective as he did against Ouma. Speaking of which, Roman could also look to a rematch with “The Dream.” Rumors of possible illness gave Kassim some sympathy credit in losing, and a return would remove all doubt about Karmazin’s legitimacy. Beyond those fighters, Karmazin’s options are not so appetizing, and limited to unknown and untested Sergeii Dzinziruk, Alex Terra Garcia, an ancient and sadly-diminished Vernon Forrest, a now lost-seeming Kofi Jantuah, or the threadbare, but still crafty Ike Quartey, who seems to refuse to die.

Karmazin has a good shot at beating any man in the division. He is an old school warrior who commands a running knowledge of modern technical style. That, clearly, is a deadly combination. Karmazin maintain composure and land hard shots around Ricardo Mayorga’s atomic bombs the same as he could stick and move, conserve and rush, with those more slick-boxing opponents like the newly tactical “El Feroz” and Daniel Santos. Whatever the agenda, Karmazin likes to fight, and never seems concerned about marring his face or hands when he has to. He revels in the sacrifice that is a requisite part of life in the ring. His chin is made of Damascus steel, and was forged in the fires of the mob-ridden, bullet-ridden Hell from whence he rose to fistic fame. However, he’s not too Gatti-esque to recognize the strategic advantage of avoiding punches.

Karmazin knows what it’s like to get sent to the back of the line. After promotional setbacks held him back from several title fights, and a proposed fight with Oscar De La Hoya that dried up faster than a kiddie pool in the Sahara, Karmazin was left so broke, and despondent that he neglected to train properly or put up much of a fight in what turned out to be a remarkably close decision loss to lukewarm fringe-contender Javier Castillejo. After a break, and a few repairs to his outlook on his career, Karmazin finally got his shot and made way more than the most of it, proving that he belongs among the division’s elite, and has always been far more gifted than anyone gave him credit for.

He and his team need to make a fight before his international marketability runs out, or time and punishment catch up with a fighter who has, by his own admission, fought more fights in unlicensed pits and barrooms than in the prize ring. Karmazin said after his victory over Kassim Ouma, “It’s time to unify this division!” It sure is. The Russian would do well to take the example of fellow hard-luck workhorse Winky Wright, with whom he so ardently seeks a showdown. Wright has been a non-stop highlight-reel of guts and technical brilliance since his celebrated first fight with Shane Moseley, proving that there is nothing more thrilling than watching a guy fight who has had to fight for every inch he traversed on his way to the top of the mountain. If Karmazin succeeds in similar fashion, perhaps he will lure Wright into a high-stakes, high-profile fight after all.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Tarver talks about role in Rocky VI

15.11.05 - The doors are locked and the windows are shuttered. No one is allowed to look in as boxing superstar Antonio Tarver prepared for the fight of his life. His opponent? Rocky Balboa. But even though Tarver’s acting debut as Mason “The Line” Dixon in the sixth Rocky film - entitled “Rocky Balboa” - sees him portraying a fictional heavyweight champion, “The Magic Man” believes that in this case, art may soon be imitating life..

“Mason Dixon is a very brash, very skillful heavyweight champion,” said Tarver, taking a break from a hectic filming schedule. “Unfortunately, he came along at a time when the heavyweight division is much like it is today, and people are remembering the great days when Rocky Balboa was on top. It must have been a fortune teller who wrote the script because that’s what we’re gunning for in the near future. Acting in this film gives me an opportunity to really feel what being the heavyweight champion of the world is all about.”

Promoter Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing believes Tarver is a natural for Hollywood. “Boxing fans have known for years how charismatic Antonio is,” said DeGuardia. “Now the entire world will see ‘The Magic Man’ not only as a spectacular fighter, but as a true superstar.”

Now checking in at a solid 200 pounds, Tarver, the current light heavyweight champion, is enjoying his first foray into the world of filmmaking. “Believe it or not, there are a lot of similarities to getting ready for a fight,” said Tarver. “It’s just preparation. Working with a guy like Sylvester Stallone, he’s a perfectionist, he truly believes in this movie, and he wants the best. That’s why I’m here, to help him realize his vision.” Stallone, who is the writer, director, and star of Rocky Balboa, says, “Antonio Tarver is a spectacular fighter and a fantastic find who will bring the ultimate realism to this film. This is the only time in history where a reigning world champion is playing a reigning world champion.”

That experience has helped Tarver adjust to the acting life, and it also makes the fight scenes some of the most realistic ever committed to film. “We’ve been working a lot of long hours and I think the people are going to be surprised at how real this is,” said Tarver. “People won’t know the difference between a fight with me and Roy Jones Jr. and a fight with me and Rocky Balboa. The contact, the intensity, this is what’s going to sell this movie. When they say ‘lights, camera, action,’ this is going be a real fight.”

And once shooting wraps up for Tarver in mid-January, he’ll be back in the gym to get ready for his next great adventure in the ring. “I’m looking to go on to bigger and better things, and I’m going to be taking it to the next level,” said Tarver. “I think the heavyweight division is in dire need of CPR and I’m gonna be the breath of fresh air.”


Posted by: TJ Cline

Why Hopkins Will Win The Rematch

15.11.05 - By Geoffrey Ciani: I must admit, I was rather shocked when Jermain Taylor defeated Bernard Hopkins for the undisputed middleweight championship earlier this year. I didn’t think the younger fighter had what it took to beat the seasoned veteran, but I was wrong. Taylor exhibited a fine display of skills and toughness, highlighted by one of the best jabs boxing has seen since Larry Holmes.

Taylor was awarded a split decision victory over Hopkins, and rightfully so. I scored the bout the same way that two of the three judges did: 115-113 in favor of Taylor. The third judge inexplicably scored this one for Hopkins, with the ridiculous score of 116-112 – I wonder what fight he was watching? In any case, it was clear to me that Taylor had done just enough to win the boxing match. However, despite winning the boxing match, Taylor clearly lost the “fight”. Allow me to explain: Taylor certainly did enough to win the bout, fair and square. I had him winning the first four rounds, as well as the sixth, seventh, and eighth rounds.

Since there were no knockdowns and no point deductions, that in and of itself was enough to win the boxing match; but Taylor clearly lost the “fight.”

Hopkins came on very strong in the end, easily sweeping the final four rounds of the contest, while administering a brutal beating on his younger opponent in the process. It even seemed as if he may have been able to take Taylor out down the stretch, as Taylor was repeatedly shaken-up and appeared to be on weary legs. Hopkins was much more dominant over the last four rounds than Taylor was during any point of the fight, despite the fact Taylor won more rounds. Simply put, Hopkins roughed Taylor up down the stretch; he won the “fight”.

This is the way things typically go in a Hopkins match. He is a slow starter, who often starts off cautiously. He likes to feel his opponents out in the early rounds before turning the tables on them mid-fight. The reason he’s usually able to do this is because he’s extremely patient, he has a tremendous ability to adapt during the course of a fight, and he has obscene stamina. Hopkins is simply one of the best conditioned athletes in all of professional boxing (if not, all of professional sports), regardless of the fact he’s 40 years old. In fact, he’s one of the very few athletes who trains 365 days each year; his dedication is impeccable!

This match started off much like that of a typical Hopkins fight. Taylor won the early rounds, which was no surprise because Hopkins usually concedes these rounds in an attempt to figure out his opponent and get his timing down. Hopkins then came back to win the 5th round, and at the time, I had thought this was the beginning of the end for Taylor; I believed the tables had been turned.

However, Hopkins didn’t capitalize on his advantage, and the momentum returned to Taylor over the next three rounds. It started appearing as if Hopkins’s age may have finally been catching up to him before he suddenly regained control of the bout, and essentially dominated the final four rounds of the fight. The 40 year old had more left in the gas tank than did his 26 year old opponent. For this reason, I truly believe that Hopkins was the winner of this “fight”, despite having lost the boxing match.

So where did Hopkins go wrong? Basically, it was a matter of him turning things up too little too late. When these two meet again, do not expect “The Executioner” to make the same mistake again. Hopkins will know he has to turn the action up sooner, and he’ll know he has what it takes to outlast his younger opponent.

The shame of it is, Hopkins is ideally suited for 15 round fights. Unlike most fighters of today, he appears to get stronger later in the fight. When watching Hopkins fight, it actually appears as if he gets better with each passing round, and whenever his fights end, it always looks as if he could easily go another three rounds, whereas his opponents usually look exhausted and completely drained.

I, for one, think Taylor realizes he lost the “fight” and realizes he was lucky to escape with the decision against Hopkins. Going into the rematch, I’m convinced that Hopkins has the psychological advantage in this one. In the back of his mind, Taylor must realize that he was the one who took more punishment in their first fight. He may have won more rounds, but the rounds Hopkins won were much more convincing, and Hopkins was the one who looked much fresher by fight’s end.

When the rematch happens on December 3, look for this bout to look much like their first, only this time, expect Hopkins to turn up the heat a little sooner. It should be another close fight, but Hopkins will prove his superiority this time around. He just needs to move his game plan from the last fight up a few rounds This should enable Hopkins to win via unanimous decision or late stoppage.

Hopkins shan’t be denied again!


Posted by: TJ Cline

Mayweather On The Road to Glory

15.11.05 - By Goran Dragosavac: There has been lot said and written about Floyd Mayweather as the boxer whose skills are on different level from anyone else currently in sport of boxing. To be honest, his talent is out of this world. Watching him switching between offence and defense, between inside and outside, watching his quickness and power is as much art as it is sport.

Mayweather may never achieve mainstream following and recognition, notoriety or charisma like some other top boxers. He may never bring new fans into boxing in the way that others have done, (more by what they done out of the ring than in the ring) - but that's all irrelevant.

When all is said and done, it is what you do in a ring that counts. It is about how deep you go under the surface of this noble sport, it is about how well you utilize all boxing elements that makes you unpredictable, unreadable and unbeatable.

Floyd Mayweather has moved up the boxing to a level that has never been before, and I believe he is only few (big) fights away of rewriting boxing history. So, let us try to imagine hypothetically what are these "glory defining" fights:

Mayweather vs. Miguel Cotto:

Intriguing match up, even though Mayweather would have slight advantage in all "departments", it would still be the very challenging and interesting fight. Cotto has faced adversity before and certainly seem to have winning mentality, although it seems that his unbeaten record seem to be nearing to an end with each coming fight. Realistically, I don't see this fight happening any time soon - as both fighters would see it as a high risk - low return fight.

Mayweather vs. Hatton:

This fight is very much on a cards, and it is bound to happen, sooner or later. And when it does - it will be career defining fight for both fighters. In Hatton - Mayweather would face his toughest and strongest opponent. He would be put on relentless body attack, being roughed up and wrestled more than ever before.

And if Mayweather had few problems in his first fight with pressure fighter like Castillo - with Hatton, at junior welterweight division - those problems would rapidly escalate.

Mayweather vs. Zab Judah:

This would be yet another weight division and yet another unexplored territory. In Zab Judah he would be fighting pretty much copy of himself as far as is speed, power, agility (and trash talking) is concerned - but in even bigger package. That would be yet another tough challenge for Floyd.

Mayweather vs. Oscar de la Hoya:

Technically, I see this fight as possibly easiest for Mayweather, since Oscar is winding up his illustrious career, however, for Floyd this would be the fight to bring him to the mainstream followers. Also, this would bring very much "Holywood soap opera" dimension to it, since his in-fall-out father is De la Hoya's trainer. We can just imagine to what levels that would be exploited by the promoters, and the media - which would not necessarily be bad for boxing.

Suffice, to say this fight would bring rainfall of money to Mayweather - and provided he wins that fight too - not much would be left for him to accomplish, apart to risking his own legacy by fighting Mayorga's type of fighters.

And if he ever gets unbeaten through these fights, - it is fair to assume that not only his fame would be of mythical proportions - but his cockiness too, so I could even imagine Pretty Boy challenging names like Tyson or even Buterbean, and I could imagine both of them accepting it for a few dollars more - and regretting it soon after.

Anyway... back to reality, and reality is coming this Saturday in form of Shambee Mitchell.

So, before Mayweather carries on marching his walk to glory - he has tough fight on his hands. Mitchell is certainly not a pushover. He is big, fast and strong, and if Floyd Mayweather cruises to easy victory with Shambee Mitchell - the way he has done with all other his opponents (except Castillo in their first fight), then I sincerely wonder - where are his boxing limits, and does he have them at all?


Posted by: boilermaker

This is some interesting stuff, Foreman. But I have to question why "judging the judges 2" even entertains fights such as Douglas-Tyson, which was decided by knockout. How can this even be debated? Anyway, Douglas and Floyd are both from my hometown, so I still root for Floyd. Douglas shoud pony up 14.95 and post a journal. Or, is he dead, I can't remember.


Posted by: boilermaker

Perhaps the most disappointing sport on the planet is pro boxing, followed closely by Olympic boxing. Wait, I forgot the WNBA. It supersedes all as the most disappointing sport.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Harrison v Williams: A must win with style for Audley

16.11.05 - By James Allan: When Audley Harrison and Danny Williams meet at the ExCel Arena in London on the 10th of December, it shouldn’t be looked upon as a chance for either boxer to catapult themselves into a World title shot, it should be looked upon as a test of whether or not Audley has any real future in the upper echelons of the Heavyweight division.

Danny Williams is, to be fair, a limited fighter, who has risen to prominence on the back of his win over Mike Tyson, a Tyson who was nothing more than a mere shadow of the fighter he used to be. Before this victory Danny had lost to Julius Francis, had been hammered around the ring by Sinan Samil Sam and had lost his British and Commonwealth titles to Michael Sprott. It was on the back of his loss to Sprott that Williams was presented with the match-up with Tyson.

An easy victory for Mike, a decent payday for Danny and a run to another title shot Mike’s handlers must have thought. What Tyson and his handler’s hadn’t counted on was Williams actually getting through the first round. Once Williams had survived that opening three minutes it was only a matter of time before he knocked Tyson out, so completely shot was Mike as a legitimate contender.

Kudos to Danny for surviving that first round, he had to show real heart and a solid jaw to get through, but he was badly exposed in his next fight against Vitali Klitschko in which he was hit by almost every punch in Klitschko’s arsenal on his way to being TKO’d in the eighth round. Pulling out of a fight against Matt Skelton at less than a day’s notice seemed to be heralding his departure from the sport, but the offer of a fight against Harrison has given Danny another opportunity and another reasonable payday. This fight, combined with the purses he picked up from his fights with Tyson and Klitschko, should ensure that Danny has a bit of cash in the bank and it’s probably just as well, as I think Audley will finish Danny’s short spell of competing in the higher pay brackets.

Audley is the most maligned fighter in the Heavyweight division today. His gold medal from the 2000 Olympics, where he cruised through his opposition, should have been his springboard to wealth, fame and glory in the professional ranks. While it has certainly brought him wealth, a reported £2 million contract from the BBC to broadcast his first ten fights, the fame isn’t quite what he had hoped for, as witnessed by his nickname ‘Fraudley’, and the only glory he seems to have achieved is the capturing of the less than worthless WBF World Heavyweight title.

Audley is better known for his painfully slow progress in the pro ranks and the less than impressive calibre of most of his opponents. Julius Francis is an honest fighter, dogged and durable, but really nothing more than a journeyman. He is the only opponent that Audley and Danny have in common, Danny lost on points in their first encounter before winning in the fourth on their return, while Audley won on points. Not too much can be read into these encounters as they were four and three years apart respectively. Recently however, Audley has started to face people who on paper at least, are a step up from his earlier opponents. Robert Wiggins and Robert Davis have fought a few better-known fighters, although they have lost every time that they have stepped up a level. Tomasz Bonin at least came to the ring with an unbeaten record, as did Richel Hersisia. I am not defending Audley’s choice of opponents; anybody who has blown his own trumpet as consistently as Audley has should have been mixing in far better company than this by now.

The main reasons that Audley has not made faster progress are that he has been far too cautious in his choice of opponents and more interested in running and promoting his own businesses and shows than he has been in becoming World Heavyweight champion. Branching out into other interests either within or outside of the sport is fine, provided you have set out to achieve what you say you are going to do. Too many boxers have been left cheated and broke by crooked promoters and managers, that Audley has decided that he will not end up that way, is commendable. However, the chances of that happening to Audley given the massive financial pulling power that he commanded after the Olympics were very small.

Whatever else he may be, Audley is not stupid or reckless and only a very stupid and reckless person would be likely to squander the kind of money that Audley was going to earn. Audley should have focused on what he said his main goal was, becoming champion. After that he could then have moved into other areas of the sport and earned even more money. By doing it before he reached his stated target, he spent more time in a suit dealing with businessmen than he did in the gym and the ring, which is where he should have been.

Frank Warren’s Sports Network are promoting the Williams v Harrison fight. Frank may not be everybody’s favourite person, but he knows how to put on a promotion and this should leave Audley free to get into the best condition possible. A fit and motivated Audley Harrison will be too much for Danny Williams to handle. At times Audley has looked fantastic, he seems to have all the skills necessary to reach the top, a good defence, reasonable power and the ability to pick and throw difficult shots. He was excellent against Hersisia and won comfortably against Wiggins and Davis. In truth, while he may have struggled to finish off some of his earlier opponents, he has never been in any real trouble against anyone he has fought.

Danny Williams has fought in better company than Audley, but has taken a couple of serious beatings for his trouble, especially against Vitali Klitschko, were he was mercilessly hammered before the referee stopped the fight. That beating confirmed two things, one is that Danny has got heart; the other is that he is not in the top tier of fighters. Audley has the ability to be in that top tier, the fight against Williams is the perfect opportunity to showcase his talents. The division is up for grabs and a stylish victory for Audley, not a dreary points win, could put him in the frame for a shot at one of Don King’s champions. If he comes through this fight with reputation enhanced.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Hatton - Maussa: Unification at 140

16.11.05 - By Michael Montero: Next Saturday in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England – inside the Hallam FM Arena – the current IBF and WBA Light Welterweight titlists will square off in what promises to be an entertaining bout. Here’s a quick preview of the fight:

Carlos Maussa – WBA 140 titlist, Columbian, 34 years in age, 5’10 ½” in height, 73” reach

. Maussa carries a professional record of 20-2-0 (18 KOs). He was competitive in his two losses (one to current WBO titlist Miguel Cotto) and is coming off an impressive upset of former WBA champ Vivian Harris – having defeated him via 7th round KO on the under card of the June 25th Gatti-Mayweather PPV bout. His style is ugly but very difficult for opponent to figure out, and he always brings it when he’s in the ring.

Ricky Hatton – IBF 140 titlist, British, 27 years in age, 5’6” in height, 65” reach.

. Hatton boasts an unblemished professional record of 39-0-0 (29 KOs). The stocky Brit can be described as a “busy” fighter – he gets up in his opponent’s chest from the second the bell rings and looks just as fresh in the 12th round as most fighters do in the 1st. He is currently considered the “linear champ” of the 140 pound division via his 11th round TKO victory over Kostya Tszyu back on June 4th in Manchester. In defeating Tszyu, Hatton beat “the man” and thus became “the man” – that is until somebody beats him.

On paper it would seem that Carlos Maussa has the edge in this match due to his clear size advantage (4 ½” in height as well as 8” in reach. Then again, others may say that Ricky Hatton has the edge as this fight is in his homeland of England (not to mention the age factor – being 7 years younger). I say it’s a close fight, but I give a slight edge to Hatton. I feel that in the beginning rounds Maussa will use his reach and awkward style to ward Hatton off – however the Brit will constantly pressure the Columbian and begin to cut the ring off by the middle rounds. Only 6 of Maussa’s pro fights have gone beyond the 4th round, while 18 of Hatton’s have. Ricky is used to fighting late, his conditioning is always top notch, and he has the chin to handle Carlos’ punches. Therefore, I predict that Maussa wears down in the later rounds, and we see a late TKO victory for Ricky Hatton next Saturday.

NOTES (things to look forward to):

I have to admit that I was sick when I heard about the cancellation of Klitschko-Rahman as I was looking forward to this fight emphatically. It’s tough when, as a die hard fan, you are looking forward to an event and it’s taken away at the last moment. However, I was quickly pulled out of my brief depression upon learning of the upcoming super-fight between 168 pound kingpins Jeff Lacy and Joe Calzaghe. Apparently this fight is to take place in either February or March of 2006. Personally I’ll believe it when I see it – but if this thing really does happen it will completely make me forget about the disappointment of Klitschko-Rahman. The winner of this contest will carry the IBF, IBO, WBO and RING belts – and will have to enter everybody’s pound for pound top-ten list by default. I have to give the advantage to Lacy (although my heart’s with the Italian Dragon) in this one based purely on youth and strength – however if this fight takes place in Calzaghe’s prime I believe it’s an easy points victory for the Welshman…

Whether or not that Super Middleweight MEGA-fight takes place or not – we have two rematches coming up that everybody wants to see. First we have the Taylor-Hopkins rematch on December 3rd, and then Pacquiao-Morales II on January 21st. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about these fights just yet, but my gut is telling me that both Hopkins and Pacquiao get their revenge in these match-ups. However my predictions may change as these bouts draw closer…

For my fellow heavyweight fans that are down in the dumps (with me) upon learning of Vitali Klitschko’s retirement, don’t fret because there are some interesting fights coming up, and a few “hopefuls” to keep an eye on. Undefeated prospect Calvin Brock will take on veteran slugger David Tua on January 28th. Will Brock win and prove he’s worthy of a title shot – or will Tua win and show that he is definitely back? This fight is free on HBO (thank God) so even if you are only moderately interested in the heavies, you should check it out as the winner will probably get a title shot sometime in 2006. Fellow prospect Samuel Peter has a mid December “stay busy” fight, and Audley Harrison will take on fellow Brit Danny Williams in December as well. This will be Harrison’s biggest test to date against a guy who can take a punch. Also, baby brother Wladimir Klitschko is still the IBF and WBO mandatory so we should see him fight for a title in ’06 as well. This is his chance to step out of his older brother’s shadow and prove that, although flawed, he is a worthy champion.


Posted by: TJ Cline

What happened to ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley?

16.11.05 - By Geoffrey Ciani: Once upon a time, Shane Mosley was widely regarded as one of the best boxers in all of boxing. In fact, some people even viewed him as the best boxer in the world, including this author.

With his decisive victory over De La Hoya in June of 2000, Mosley became an instant star. In that bout, Mosley put on a masterful performance with an impeccable display of speed, agility, and cat-like reflexes. It was a tremendous victory! After all, Mosley wasn’t fighting some two-bit pug; he was in the ring with the biggest name in boxing – ‘The Golden Boy’! And this was back when De La Hoya was still in the midst of his prime. In fact, it was arguably the first time ‘The Golden Boy’ had ever been bested in the ring (his loss to Felix Trinidad a year earlier was extremely controversial; I had De La Hoya beating Trinidad by a score of 116-112, but that’s neither here nor there).

More impressive was the fact that Mosley had spent the majority of his career as a lightweight, where he became the IBF champion after winning a lop-sided decision against the reigning champ, Philip Holiday. Mosley would go on to defend this title eight times before abandoning the division in order to pursue other career opportunities – primarily, a big money bout against ‘The Golden Boy’. In fact, Mosley was so determined to make the De La Hoya bout happen, that he simply skipped over the junior welterweight division and headed straight for the big money (the welterweight division), where a bout with De La Hoya could become a reality. After having only two fights in his new division, Mosley secured his mega-bout against De La Hoya.

With his impressive victory over the biggest name in boxing, Mosley’s future in the sport appeared to have unlimited potential. In Mosley, boxing had what appeared to be a perfect fighting package. He was a fighter capable of throwing lightning-fast combos, and he had decent power, with a good chin, and stellar overall athleticism. He was indeed worthy of the ‘Sugar’ moniker much like Robinson and Leonard before him.

After his bout with De La Hoya, Mosley’s stock rose even further as a result of three consecutive knockout victories in which ‘Sugar’ Shane looked most impressive. Mosley was distancing himself from the pack, and had a legitimate claim as the number one pound-for-pound boxer. Unlike Trinidad (another P4P contender at that time), Mosley didn’t have any questionable victories, and unlike Roy Jones, Jr. (another top P4P candidate), Mosley was knocking his opponents out in impressive fashion. By the time Mosley disposed of Adrian Stone in an absolutely incredible display of raw talent, people began wondering: “Is there anyone out there who can beat ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley?” It certainly didn’t appear as if there was anyone who could!

However, this is boxing, and styles make fights. Unfortunately for Mosley, it turned out his very next bout would be against someone who posed a stylistic nightmare for Mosley – Vernon Forrest!

Following his knockout victory over Stone, ‘Sugar’ Shane became interested in moving up to the junior middleweight division. It appeared that there was no competition left for him at 147, so he intended to follow De La Hoya up to 154, no doubt in search of a return bout with ‘The Golden Boy’. However, after negotiations broke down with Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright, Mosley decided to remain at 147 and fight his old nemesis, Vernon Forrest.

Forrest and Mosley had already met as amateurs in 1992, and Forrest defeated Mosley for the right to fight on the 1992 US Olympics team. Despite this fact, few people thought this significant. After all, Mosley had become one of the best professional boxing had to offer, and Forrest was still a relatively unknown in the professional ranks.

"A loss in the amateurs doesn't mean anything at the professional level." These were the words spoken by Mosley leading up to his bout with Forrest – and most people assumed Mosley would win the bout, as evidenced by the fact that Mosley was a seven-to-one favorite going into the fight. However, despite all of this, Forrest entered the bout determined to win, even guaranteeing victory – he did not disappoint his fans.

Forrest shocked Mosley and the boxing world en route to winning a twelve round unanimous decision. Speaking frankly, Forrest schooled Mosley, and did so with relative ease, having twice knocked Mosley down in the second round following an accidental clash of heads. Mosley was able to regain his legs in the 3rd round, and he somehow managed to make it all the way to the final bell. It was a brave performance, despite the fact that Mosley was in survival mode for a good portion of the bout. Mosley actually started coming on strong in the middle rounds, but a series of vicious body shots landed by Forrest in the 10th caused Mosley to literally scream in agony which brought an end to any would-be rallies. This sealed the deal, and Forrest coasted in the championship rounds.

Forrest had literally knocked the ‘Sugar’ out of Shane Mosley!

Mosley would never again be the same fighter. Forrest not only erased Mosley’s aura of invincibility, but he ruined Mosley as a fighter. To be sure, ‘Sugar’ Shane was still one of the better boxers in the sport, but he would never again display the skills and athleticism that had once defined him as an elite fighter. It was as if Mosley lost his killer instinct after fighting Forrest. He no longer threw combinations the way he used to; it was as if he was reluctant to do so out of fear of being hit with a counter punch while in the midst of a wild frenzy of combination punching.

Sure, Mosley would go on to do better in his rematch with Forrest, but it didn’t matter much. That bout proved, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that the things that once made Mosley great were now gone. Forrest had ruined his psyche. Mosley had attempted to squeak out a decision, but to no avail, as Forrest decisively won the rematch, despite the fact it was a much closer fight (I scored it 115-113 in favor of Forrest). Mosley was incapable of overcoming the style difficulties presented by Forrest.

He eventually did move up to 154 for that rematch with ‘The Golden Boy’, but by that time, both men were mere shells of their former selves. Incidentally, Mosley won his rematch with De La Hoya in an extremely controversial bout that many felt ‘The Golden Boy’ should have been awarded the decision. Personally, I scored the bout 115-113 in favor of Mosley, but it didn’t matter much – it was clear that Mosley would never again be the fighter he once was.

So once again, Mosley held a victory over De La Hoya, and it appeared he may have gotten his career back on track. That is, until he made the unwise decision of choosing to fight a unification bout with ‘Winky’ Wright (instead of a third bout with De La Hoya). ‘Winky’ was a fighter who had been stuck on the outside looking in for many years. The elite fighters, such as Trinidad & De La Hoya, had never given him an opportunity to showcase his talents in a mega-bout. Unfortunately for Mosley, he afforded ‘Winky’ that opportunity and Wright took full advantage of the situation he had been longing for.

Wright defeated Mosley in back-to-back matches, the first time more impressively than the next. Mosley just couldn’t seem to figure Wright out, which is no surprise, considering the defensive wizard often had a seemingly impenetrable defense along with an awkward southpaw style. Since his bouts with Wright, ‘Sugar’ Shane moved back down to 147 where he would win a couple of unspectacular victories, putting himself back on the winning track.

So where does Mosley go from here? Well, he’s slated to fight Fernando Vargas early next year (ironically, in a bout which is being promoted by ‘Golden Boy Promotions’).

But does Mosley have enough left to offer? Can he possibly make one last run at greatness? Or has Vernon Forrest forever ruined Shane Mosley? Can Mosley return to form that made him worthy of the ‘Sugar’ moniker, or is he on a hopeless descent into mediocrity?


Posted by: TJ Cline

Floyd Mayweather: His Own Worst Enemy

16.11.05 - By Gabriel DeCrease: There is little doubt that Floyd Mayweather sits alone on the pound-for-pound throne. He is fast as a sprinting jaguar and pounces on his prey with the same precise deadliness. He has all the energy of a zealous first-year pro and the ring savvy of a well-worn veteran.

Mayweather is blessed with more raw athletic ability than any other fighter in the game, and his continuously superb conditioning only amplifies his natural edge. His style, though structured and technical, is action-oriented. A list of fighters who could make similar boasts would be a short and very exclusive one populated by legends like Muhammad Ali, Ray Robinson, Willie Pep, Carlos Monzon, and Ray Leonard.

Yet, somehow Pretty Boy Floyd has not become a legend in his own time, or a big draw among fans of the sweet science. The worldwide boxing community acknowledges Mayweather’s dominance, but many fans pathologically root against him, hoping a courageous opponent—as was the case with big-hearted brawler Arturo Gatti—will overcome Floyd’s obvious advantages and knock him through the ropes.

Floyd was brilliant and vicious in his early blowout of Angel Manfredy. He was impossibly exacting in his annihilation of rough-and-ready Emmanuel Augustus in which Mayweather’s fists were like laser guided missiles locked onto Augustus’ face and firing nonstop. And most recently, he shut-out and shut-down blood-and-guts legend Arturo Gatti inside six rounds.

So why is it that the prize fighter who seems to have the proverbial keys to the castle dangling from his many title belts met with such disdain?

The first and most obvious answer is that Mayweather has a bad attitude. He is often dismissive, arrogant, irritable, and sardonic. This tactic is all-too-effective in bullying and bamboozling people within the industry. He is convinced of his own superiority, and it is in this way that he maintains a bizarre sort of de facto hegemony over promoters, fighting peers, and media personalities. Mayweather may be one of the few Calvanists ever to lace up a pair of gloves. In an interview given before his last fight, Floyd said of his opponent, “I don’t worry about what he’s got. I can outbox this guy, outslug this guy. I’ve been world champion for so many years. Nobody can beat me. There is no way to beat me.” This is a classic Mayweather sound bite, and, in the end, he was right. The problem is, of course, that the public does not buy his line of self-satisfying rhetoric in the same way.

Yes, Mayweather is undefeated, and has turned in some truly masterful performances on the championship level. But he brags so excessively that his achievements are effectively diminished. In another interview, Mayweather claimed, “I look at the newspapers and they say Castillo and Corrales fight and they don’t want a rematch. Then they say that these guys have so much heart. I’ll show you heart, I’m willing to fight anybody and can make it happen.” Sadly, Mayweather had interpreted the post-fight comment by trainer Joe Goosen that it would be sadistic to stage a return as an indication that the fighters themselves did not crave a rematch. In fact, as anyone within a few light-years of the fight game knows, both fighters immediately signed on for, and subsequently, fought a controversial, if not brutal, rematch only months after the first fight. Floyd, undoubtedly felt comfortable making these denigrating remarks about the two brave warriors and their fistic eruption because he had beaten both in past fights. But again, Floyd was given a questionable decision in his first fight with Jose Luis Castillo. This was a fight in which Castillo out-landed Mayweather by a distinct margin. And while he won the return by a more comfortable margin, and routed Diego Corrales at a tumultuous low-point in Chico’s career, Mayweather does little to acknowledge the fact that he once nearly lost to Castillo when he brags about sweeping him in their pair of fights. Mayweather unfortunately buys his own clever soft sell.

Another detriment to Floyd’s public image came in the form of felony assault charges levied against him after an incident in which, according to an initial complaint, Mayweather struck the mother of three of his four children several times after a lengthy and heated verbal disagreement. She later recanted, and withdrew her complaint. However, Mayweather was nonetheless ordered to trial. This sort of sordid ordeal is never good for a fighter’s image. Professional boxers, especially world champions are seen as deadly and powerful warriors, so it is doubly appalling to imagine them assaulting an unsuspecting and seemingly helpless loved one. It is almost irrelevant whether or not the charges are dropped.

Every fighter who has entered the ring after a domestic abuse scandal has taken a hit to their marketability and mainstream appeal. Mike Tyson was all-but-ruined after the controversial rape and battery case that ended with his conviction and incarceration. A similar situation temporarily paralyzed the careers of Ricardo Mayorga and Diego Corrales. But those three men had never sold themselves as handsome ambassadors of class and good behavior. In fact, they were sold on almost opposite grounds. Conversely, Pretty Boy Floyd, the former Olympian, is haunted by the expectation that he is a nice, neighborly type. This may not be the case. But the man himself does little to dispel possible myths about his probity. Mayweather spoke publicly after his dubious acquittal on the assault charges by saying, “What is the part that [the public doesn’t] know? I’m a family man. I have a strong belief and I am really blessed from God. So that’s why I feel that I’m humble. We see battered women and we see battered children and on every holiday we try to give something back. We have a big fight coming up and we give away free turkeys and are always giving something back to the community.” Retreating to the opposite extreme did not wash, but he kept that act up for some time, and ultimately was dogged by nasty comments ever since. A man would be battered and bloody who took a jab for every time a boxing commentator or journalist made a crass joke about Floyd using women as punching bags or training by sparring with the mothers of his children.

Floyd Mayweather will probably never be a national hero, and that is not to see he is any more morally bankrupt than a lot of fighters who have achieved iconic status in their native countries. Julio Cesar Chavez would probably win if he ran against Vincente Fox in the next Mexican presidential race. And Chavez has long been known as a pathological womanizer and heavy drinker. In fact, The Showtime Network reported that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. had ultimately petitioned his father to stop getting belligerently drunk at the young fighters matches because it has become such an embarrassment. But Senior remains an untouchable hero of godlike status in Mexico. Carlos Monzon was, by all accounts, an abusive scoundrel outside the ring whose unpredictable outbursts of violence against his wife and many mistresses were well known in Argentina. However, he was a legend among his people, and remained one even after he was convicted of murdering the mother of his son.

That kind of cult-like, indomitable fan loyalty does not seem to be in the cards for Floyd Mayweather. He talks a game that he may never be able to play. And accordingly, his only recourse is to take big fights, one after another, and continuously assert his dominance, if he can, or at least test himself more sternly. The sham that he is about to engage in against a threadbare, battleworn Sharmba Mitchell does not fall in line with what I am suggesting. If Floyd continues his campaign at welterweight he needs to fight Zab Judah or meet the controversially bulked up Jose Luis Castillo for a fight at 147-pounds. . If he moves up to junior middleweight he should first attempt to bait Winky Wright back into the 154-pound division with the promise of a big-payday, or seek a battle with the crafty, tough-as-nails—and shockingly fresh-looking—Roman Karmazin. If he moves back down to junior welterweight it should only be to tangle with The Hitman, that is, assuming Hatton gets by upset artist Carlos Maussa.

Mayweather has proven that idle hands are, in fact, the devil’s workshop. When inactive Floyd’s trash talk is more frequent and less palatable, and he can’t seem to stay out of trouble. The Pretty Boy is at a crucial juncture in his career. And no matter what his press team says about his place on the all-time totem pole, if he doesn’t cement his legacy with meaningful matches now, he will be remembered more for his missed opportunities than his impressive reigns as a world champion.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by boilermaker
This is some interesting stuff, Foreman. But I have to question why "judging the judges 2" even entertains fights such as Douglas-Tyson, which was decided by knockout. How can this even be debated? Anyway, Douglas and Floyd are both from my hometown, so I still root for Floyd. Douglas shoud pony up 14.95 and post a journal. Or, is he dead, I can't remember.
Judge: Ken Morita 87-86 | Judge: Masakazu Uchida 86-86 for Tyson until the KO......really bad judging....Mike was losing every round but one or two..Fight ended in the 10 th.


Posted by: aceshigh

Quote:
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
Judge: Ken Morita 87-86 | Judge: Masakazu Uchida 86-86 for Tyson until the KO......really bad judging....Mike was losing every round but one or two..Fight ended in the 10 th.
hahahahah i watched that fight live at a pub,,,i was 13 or 14,,,,,,,i was the only person there going for tyson,,,,,the whole fight was fucked,,,,,,,tyson knocked him down in the 8th douglas was down for like 14 seconds,,,,,buster did whip him in that fight though,,,everyone cheered when tyson went down and fumbled for his mouth peice ,,,i was mumbling into my beer at this stage when this chick who was like 20 was flicking out her toungue at me ,,i went and talked to her her bf had just left for work and she stayed having a few drinks with her friend,,,,she took me back to her place and sucked me dry,,,,,,my first heady,,,,,,then 4 mins lately i fucked her doggy my first fuck,,,i went back there every day for 6 weeks until her boyfriend got told by a neighbour and tried to kill me with a spear gun which i survived with minimal scarring to my right arm,,,he beat his mrs black and blue,,breaking fingers and shit,,,,she moved back in with her parent s i continued fucking her for about 6 months ,,,until i found a chick my age who would fuck and suck,,,good times man good times


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by aceshigh
hahahahah i watched that fight live at a pub,,,i was 13 or 14,,,,,,,i was the only person there going for tyson,,,,,the whole fight was fucked,,,,,,,tyson knocked him down in the 8th douglas was down for like 14 seconds,,,,,buster did whip him in that fight though,,,everyone cheered when tyson went down and fumbled for his mouth peice ,,,i was mumbling into my beer at this stage when this chick who was like 20 was flicking out her toungue at me ,,i went and talked to her her bf had just left for work and she stayed having a few drinks with her friend,,,,she took me back to her place and sucked me dry,,,,,,my first heady,,,,,,then 4 mins lately i fucked her doggy my first fuck,,,i went back there every day for 6 weeks until her boyfriend got told by a neighbour and tried to kill me with a spear gun which i survived with minimal scarring to my right arm,,,he beat his mrs black and blue,,breaking fingers and shit,,,,she moved back in with her parent s i continued fucking her for about 6 months ,,,until i found a chick my age who would fuck and suck,,,good times man good times
That my friend is a beautiful story!


Posted by: TJ Cline

WBC News: Klitschko will be #1 if he returns

17.11.05 - WBC President Jose Sulaiman: "On December 20 in paradisiacal Cancun, the World Boxing Council will present Hasim Rahman with the championship belt as the undisputed world heavyweight champion of the WBC, after Vitali Klitschko's retirement due to an injury he suffered a week before their title bout. "At the same time, the WBC has designated Vitali Klitschko as WBC World Champion Emeritus in recognition of his unquestionable loyalty and his extraordinary boxing career.

"He brought great prestige and honor to the heavyweight division, and possessed a record of 35-2-0 with an incredible percentage of 97.1 in victories by KO.

"The WBC World Champion Emeritus automatically becomes the Ambassador for Peace and Good Will in the World through sports.

"With this nomination, Vitali Klitschko will also keep the right to return to the boxing arenas as immediate mandatory official challenger if someday he would wish to come back to professional boxing, instead of retiring definitively.


Posted by: TJ Cline

WBC News: James Toney Voted as WBC Mandatory

18.11.05 - From WBC President Jose Sulaiman: “The Board of Governors of the WBC has voted to elect James Toney and Oleg Maskaev as the two official challengers to contend against the former interim WBC World Heavyweight Champion Hasim Rahman, who was appointed as the WBC undisputed world champion after the retirement from boxing of the former champion Vitali Klitschko, due to injuries..

The heavyweight division had its last mandatory title bout on June 21, 2003, almost 2 ½ years ago, by Lennox Lewis against Vitali Klitschko. Klitschko went on to win the vacant WBC heavyweight title against Corrie Sanders on April 24, 2004.

“Vitali made one voluntary defense against Danny Williams on December 11, 2004, and since then, no other world championship has taken place, except the interim championship bout due to Klitschko’s injuries, when Hasim Rahman became interim champion winning a decision over Monte Barrett in Chicago on August 13, 2005. To ratify Rahman’s undisputed championship and his mandatory defense, the WBC selected two mandatory challengers.

“The first challenger to confirm Rahman as the undisputed champion in the ring, after being appointed as the undisputed champion, shall be James Toney, who obtained 21 of the 34 total votes of the WBC Board of Governors . Toney, from the USA, has a record of 76 fights, with 70 wins, (43 by K.O.) 4 losses and 2 draws. He has been the IBF champion in the middleweight, super middleweight, and cruiserweight divisions and had his last bout with a win on October 1, 2005.

“The second challenger elected is Maskaev, who obtained four votes in favor by the WBC Board, and who will fight next against the winner of world champion Rahman and challenger Toney with no intervening voluntary defense. Maskaev, from Uzbekistan, has a record of 37 fights, with 32 victories (25 by K.O.) with 5 losses.

“The total voting by the Board of Governors of the WBC was 21 votes in favor of James Toney, USA; 5 votes in favor of Wladimir Klitschko, Ukraine, and 4 votes in favor of Oleg Maskaev, with three Governors who did not send their votes. Wladimir Klitschko was taken out of consideration after the report that he will fight for the championship of a different organization.

“During the 44 years of the WBC’s existence, we have had some of the best heavyweight champions of the world, like the greatest, Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, George Foreman, and Joe Frazier, among other great champions. It is the obligation of the WBC to take solid steps to keep boxing as good as it can be according to the times. It is also our general belief that in addition to ordering attractive title matches, this will be our way for all boxers to be best financially favored.

“The free negotiations period for the WBC World Heavyweight Championship between the WBC world champion Rahman and his official challenger Toney will begin today, and if no agreement is reached by December 15, the purse offer ceremony will be celebrated on December 20 in Cancun, Mexico.

Condolences to John Hornewer…

“On behalf of all the members of the WBC, I would like to extend our sympathy to John Hornewer for the passing away of his father. John is highly esteemed and respected in the WBC as an attorney who always represents his boxers with sound basics, and exemplary, respectful behavior for the institution.”


Posted by: TJ Cline

Finally the Great James Toney will be the heavyweight champ of the world as he should be........I can just guess what that bitch Ruiz is going to say about this decision.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Floyd Mayweather makes his first appearance at 147 pounds in an intriguing welterweight match-up.

"Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather (34-0, 23 KOs), of Grand Rapids, Mich., takes on Sharmba Mitchell (56-4, 30 KOs) of Tacoma Park, Md., in a 12-round welterweight bout that promises to be a display of boxing virtuosity. The undefeated Mayweather, regarded by many observers as the sport's pound-for-pound king, is moving up in weight class once again for the fight.


Posted by: TJ Cline

The Unknown Future of the Heavyweight Division

18.11.05 - By Troy Ondrizek: With the malcontent towards today’s top heavyweights, everyone ask, who is going to drag the glamour division out of this funk? We as fans are constantly looking for the next big fighter coming along. We all put our hopes into Samuel Peter and came out disappointed in his loss to Wladimir Klitschko. Yes he showed heart, power, and a granite chin. However, he showed he needed all of those qualities just to survive the fight. He showed no apparent boxing skills needed to lift him into the Heavyweight lure that he seeks. Instead seemingly Samuel Peter’s destiny is to be this generation’s David Tua.

So with Lamon Brewster and Wladimir Klitschko being the only two absolute legitimate great Heavyweights today, and only a handful of prospects like Calvin Brock and Nicolay Valuev, putting pressure on our “out-stayed their welcome” champions.

The division also possess’ the “Old Guard” former contenders and Champions such as Shannon Briggs, Oliver McCall, Riddick Bowe, and Tony Tubbs, trying to capture greatness that was previously within their collective grasp. So I search for relatively unknown prospects that within a year or two can make a big splash in the division and could either end up a true Champion like Lamon Brewster, or an overblown could have been like Dominick Guinn.

I picked five hopefuls and two former Olympians that I have seen in person or on film that have shown some talent and glimpses of what it takes to be a contender. All these prospects are undefeated and under twenty-six years of age. So lets travel across the pond and look at what some may say is the next Vitali Klitschko in Ukrainian Alexander Dimitrenko: He is a 6’7” 240 or so pound twenty-three year old with a record of 20-0-0, 12 Ko’s. He has steadily moved up in class after feasting on Tomato cans for his first couple of years. He has beaten the Wladimir conqueror in Ross Purity, a decent prospect in and of himself in Chris Koval, and most recently the former World Title challenger in Vaughn Bean.

Dimitrenko has Vitali type size, but he lacks the Klitschko fitness, and subsequently lacks the power and knockout ratio that a man of his stature should possess. With some road work and further emphasis on his footwork and power, he can do some damage to all the older European challengers out there.

Probably the most recognizable American prospect today is Malik Scott. The twenty-five year old has a record of 22-0-0, 10 Ko’s. He has good size in being 6’4” and around 230 lbs. His physical training looks the part of a boxer, and he has flashed the boxing skills, he reminds me of Calvin Brock. Malik has victories over Calvin’s next opponent David Bostice, and over the “Ultimate Gatekeeper” in Louis Monaco. Monaco has fought a who’s who of fighters, including, Vitali Klitschko, Lamon Brewster, Butterbean, Michael Dokes, James “Buster” Douglas, and many more of today’s fringe contenders.

Eddie Chambers is a well rounded boxer the lacks true Heavyweight size, but has true Heavyweight heart and a respectable chin. This 23 year old carries a professional record of 24-0-0 13Ko’s. Like I stated he is little for a heavyweight being all of 6’1” and around 210 lbs when in the ring. Some say he could be a viable Cruiserweight. He has faced and beaten the typical Litmus Test fighters in Melvin Foster, Ross Purity, and the aforementioned Louis Monaco. He doesn’t possess the electric knockout power that plagues Samuel Peter, but has enough ring-savvy that in time he can grow and become a true contender. Look for Chambers to fight on the 2nd of December and decide for yourselves if he is anything to talk about.

B.J. Flores has the least accomplished resume of the fighters listed. He hasn’t faced the same quality opponents, but in stark contrast to the others, he has totally out-classed everyone who has stepped into the ring with him. With a record of 14-0-1 10Ko’s, he has decent power, but really overwhelms his opponents with incredibly accurate punches, and a great jab. His footwork is well above any fighter at the same stage of their career as he. His jab looks similar to the one that Buster Douglas used against Mike Tyson, and he paces himself greatly. The knock on the former college football standout is that he too might be too small to compete in the division. However, the 6’2” 215lb fighter states otherwise with his impressive showings in the ring.

Michael Marrone is the youngest fighter on this list, and is probably the least known. The twenty year old has competed in eleven bouts and sports a record of 11-0-0 9Ko’s. He is only 6’2” and 210 to 220 lbs. He does have the body and youth to grow into a bigger stronger fighter. He has more power than any other fighter on this list. He throws good combinations and has power in both hands. He has put away former cruiserweight Cliff Nellon he has losses to current IBF Cruiserweight Champion O’Neill Bell, and losses to Vassiliy Jirov, and B.J. Flores. Marrone’s biggest victory to date is a 3rd round TKO of Forrest Neal, another former cruiserweight he was put away by Vassiliy Jirov. Marrone has the most potential to be like Dominick Guinn in regards as to power, he also lacks some fundamental boxing skills. So hopefully a few more fights will rectify that problem.

Those were the five fighters that the average fan might not be familiar with. I predict that B.J. Flores is the most ready to make a splash in the division, and is most capable of beating the top fighters out there today. Now it’s hard to fly under the radar if you achieved Olympic fame. So a quick look at 2004’s Olympic fighters is warranted. Jason Estrada was the American representative in the Athens Olympics. He didn’t capture a medal for the United States, but he has pursued Heavyweight greatness for his country. The overgrown twenty four year old is 4-0-0 1Ko. He is only 6’1” but weighs a heavy 246lbs. If Estrada losses some of that weight, his hand speed will increase dramatically and would put him in a much better situation given he lacks Heavyweight power but has above-average boxing skills. Expect Estrada to be brought along slowly and we won’t hear anything major from him for at least two years.

Another fighter is the much talked about Alexander Povetkin. The 2004 Olympic Gold medallist has been written about fairly
extensively, including myself. He carries a record of 4-0-0, 3 Ko’s. He has another fight this year on the Valuev/Ruiz undercard. He will take a little time to blossom, but he is well on his way to achieving Heavyweight greatness. Expect to see him on the scene much before Estrada.

Now only time and experience will tell us whether or not these fighters are worth reading about. However, they are starting to make waves and gather notice from better fighters and promoters. Not all of these fighters can be all-time greats. In fact the odds are they will end up more like Dominick Guinn than Lamon Brewster. However, this young crop of
fighters could very well be the future demise or saving grace for our much maligned glamour division.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Will Boxing Ever Again See a “Golden Age”?

04.10.05 - By Aaron King: From the turn of the 20th century and for many years later, boxing was a staple of American entertainment. It was second only to baseball in the sporting world, and its champions were heroes of the highest order. Jack Dempsey was the biggest star of an era that housed names such as Babe Ruth, Red Grange, and Charles Lindbergh. In fact, he made more money than any of his contemporaries.

A championship fight was the most anticipated sporting event, outside of the World Series, and even that at times was no match for a good title bout between two great champions of the day. The 1938 rematch between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling is still considered by many to be the most important sporting affair ever.

Boxing had a way to transcend the boundaries of sport in a way that no other could. Social and racial lines have been drawn and crossed throughout its history. Perhaps no other man has been hated more than Jack Johnson, the black champion in a white man’s game, who, just because he could, caroused with white women. Muhammad Ali, besides being arguably the greatest boxer of all time, was a prominent figure in the civil rights’ movement. His defiant stand on the Vietnam War spoke for a nation of people of all creeds and backgrounds. In many ways, he was their voice; the voice of a nation crying out against the social injustices and political wrongs of the day.

Names like Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson, George Foreman and Jake LaMotta are common outside boxing circles. Even more, such as Henry Armstrong, Carmen Basilio, Gene Fulmer, Sandy Saddler, Gene Tunney, Jersey Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles, just to name a few, have a lofty place in boxing lore. Champions had followings that rock stars could only wish to have. Fighters were upper-tier athletes, as well as upper-tier men.

Boxing had a steady place in the American psyche. Its champions were celebrities and heroes. So how is it that boxing finds itself where it is today, without any sign of life on news broadcasts, barely a speck in newspapers, and even scant mention in sports television?

Interest in boxing is obviously not what it once was. The last true superstar was Mike Tyson, and for the most part, his stardom was an infamous contention. Even now, the most recognizable name is Tyson’s. That doesn’t say much of the sport. What initiated this collapse from grace, this precipitous freefall from its darling status of yesteryear? Has boxing reached the point of no return?

Ask different fans what the golden years of boxing were, and you’re bound to get different answers. Some will tell you it coincided with the Roaring Twenties, the days of Dempsey, Tunney and Benny Leonard. Every town and ethnic group had their own clubs. It was a way out for the sons of the poor immigrants who flooded the cities. Still others will tell you that boxing saw its best days in the ‘70s, when the heavyweight division experienced its peak with men like Ali, Joe Frazier, Foreman, Ken Norton and many others. Other future legends like Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Salvador Sanchez, Carlos Monzon, Wilfredo Gomez, Bobby Chacon and Alexis Arguello crowded the lower divisions.

As the golden era of the ‘70s progressed, a man named Don King had begun to emerge as boxing’s premier promoter. Since that time, he has promoted hundreds of fighters including Ali, Duran, Larry Holmes, Julio Cesar Chavez and Tyson. As he and rival promoter Bob Arum began to obtain more and more of the best fighters, they began to obtain more and more of the power. It is King’s rise to prominence that many blame for boxing’s recent tribulations.

It is true that King, as well as Arum, have assumed a lot of power in boxing, especially with the major sanctioning bodies (all three have named King the greatest promoter in history). Boxing has a much more business-driven appearance to it. But, all things considered, the shrinking interest in boxing far exceeds those created by King or Arum.

Boxing is far less accessible than it was years ago. It is impossible to see a fight on the traditional stations (NBC, ABC, and CBS), and the best fights almost always have a price tag of about $50 with them. This is hardly a product of King’s tenure. Sports’ business as a whole has evolved to this point. There are more sporting options, all competing for the consumer buck, for people to watch, so young fans will tend to gravitate to the more accessible ones.

Because of this, that most marquee fights are on HBO, Showtime or Pay-Pay-View, incoming sports fans will probably watch what they can for free. Another deterrent for young fans is that they are coming up in the “highlight age”. Baseball teams each play 162 games a year. It is easy for a young fan to sit down and watch a game on almost any given day, and if they miss it, they can turn on ESPN or Fox Sports to catch the highlights of the game. The same applies to basketball, football and hockey. They each have set seasons and each team play during this season. It’s a pretty basic formula, but its reliability creates new fans easily. Your favorite team will always be playing, and you can bet that your favorite player will be their too. This reliability doesn’t exist in boxing. Fights can be scheduled at any point during the year, and the best fighters aren’t ever fighting very often. Many of the best champions fight once or, if they’re busy, two times a year. This doesn’t give the incoming fan much to observe.

A few weeks back, when the idea to write this piece first came up, I was speaking with a friend of mine. He, like me, is a sports fan, but doesn’t refine himself to just one. To be sure, he loves all sports, including boxing, although he doesn’t follow it nearly as closely as I do. I asked him why he didn’t enjoy the sport as much as he did others, and he gave me a short response. “I don’t see the fighters on SportsCenter.” It was strikingly true. As I let the comment settle in me for a second, I asked him why that mattered. Once again, there was little hesitation. “If they only fight once a year, then they aren’t on ESPN. If I don’t see them there, I have to watch the broadcast. If I have to pay $50 for something I’ve never watched before, then I’m not going to order it,” he said, later confessing that he first saw his favorite baseball player, Ken Griffey Jr., on SportsCenter highlights.

With that, he summed up much of the problem in boxing viewership - the younger people aren’t watching it as much because they don’t see the best fighters enough. And it’s perfectly logical that they wouldn’t want to buy a Pay-Per-View bout if they hadn’t seen the fighters before. If they only fight once a year, then young sports fans don’t have the opportunity to see their highlights often, as they do with their favorite teams and players in other sports. As a result, there is less demand for these highlights, so when there is a big fight, SportsCenter has less an obligation to show these highlights.

It seems like quite a cycle. So, does it mean that boxing as a popular sport is doomed?

Not quite. Most sports writers will admit that few things in sport are as electrifying as a major championship fight. That has been the case since the late 1800s. It is as addicting an atmosphere as one can find in sports, and if a hearty, young fan stumbles upon such an event, chances are good that he or she will come back for more.

There are still fights and fighters that generate enough buzz to convince people to watch. A perfect case is the trilogy between Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward. The first bout was arguably one of the greatest in the history of boxing. For those who didn’t watch it, the word spread quickly of how the two men fought like there was a championship on the line; of how it was a throwback to the earlier times; of how the excitement was unmatchable. I have personally met people whose love for boxing was fashioned by these fights. A few of them had actually never watched a match before. Gatti and Ward, respectively, had been very popular in their careers before their epic battles.

Ultimately, the heavyweight division will likely always dictate the popularity of the sport. As of late, there has been little reason to feel wound up about the “glamour division”, but there are now some men on the way in that could change that. Despite his loss to Wladimir Klitschko, Samuel Peter has the sort of power that can bring fans back to boxing. Big power leads to big knockouts, and that has always been one of boxing’s strongest selling points. Peter has the ability to charge the division.

Boxing is in a very critical time in its development. It’s competing with more sports than ever for viewers. Whether or not it gets some of this viewership is going to depend on how well it appeals to young fans. The programs on the ESPN networks and others such as MSG and Fox Sports will help perpetuate the fight game to new fans, who will then go to HBO, Showtime and Pay-Per-View, so long as the quality is good. In other words, as long as there are good boxers that fight often enough to be seen, boxing will always have a home. How big that home is, is continually changing, but we can be assured of this: There are few feelings that match the adrenaline rush of the opening bell.


Posted by: TJ Cline

Rocky Marciano - The Unstoppable Force

31.08.05 - By James Sadler: Rocky Marciano was undoubtedly one of the squared circle's greatest champions. He first came to my attention when I was sitting next to my grandfather watching the famous film "Rocky." I remember seeing the photo of Rocky Marciano on the character "Rocky Balboa's" wall, and so I naturally asked my grandfather about him. He told me the stories of how Marciano was undefeated, a human steamroller with a granite chin, who would never stop coming forward. He often told me how he won a fight with his nose split in two, and how no man was ever the same afterwards. Since then, I became vaguely intrigued, and when I reached the more 'mature' age of eleven, I recalled my grandfather's stories and started to delve deeply into the old books to find out more. I was not disappointed.

Rocky Marciano was an unstoppable force, a true ironman of the ring. An undefeated professional fighter, Rocky is one of the greatest champions of all time.

However, this is not just based on his impressive statistics - let's take it a step further and look at Marciano in more detail.

Perhaps the thing Marciano is most noted for was his ability to knock a man flat with one punch. Rocky Marciano was an extremely hard puncher, and some old timers cling onto the belief that he hit harder than huge men such as Sonny Liston, George Foreman and Earnie Shavers. This I can understand, seeing the way Rocky reduced a several 200lb, world class athletes to quivering wrecks with his crunching fists. Jersey Joe Walcott was the most famous victim of Marciano's dynamite punch, but there were others - Of his more famous victories, Joe Louis, Rex Layne and Harry Matthews were also dispatched by one or two savage punches. The right hand that knocked out Layne sheered his teeth off at the gums. Rocky even broke Roland LaStarza's arms! LaStarza needed surgery to repair the chips and cracks on his elbows, and to repair his smashed blood vessels.

Marciano used to train on a custom made 300lb heavy bag - about three times what most heavyweight's punchbags weigh. Rocky had to work harder to move the bag around - this is most probably how he developed so much punishing power.
However, Rocky had always showed a natural ability for punching. The first thing that caught trainer Charley Goldman's eye, after Rocky knocked out an audition sparring partner, was his tremendous leverage. Even from the start, he was an extremely hard hitter, and probably a harder hitter back then at the dawn of his career than after 1952.

It was once claimed during tests in the 1960s, that Rocky's right hand punch contained as much explosive energy as an armour piercing bullet.

Marciano was also terribly strong, especially for his size. Archie Moore claimed he "was far and away the strongest man I've encountered."
Joe Louis said "it hurt to even bump into him."
One of Marciano's amateur opponents said "he was the hardest, most solid man I've ever seen."
Rocky had all over body strength, and his muscles were compact and solid. His arms and legs were short and stocky, and he was very muscular. He was never wrestled about or put on the back foot by anybody, and always shoved people about in the clinches.

There's one thing about Rocky that is quite unquestionable - he had amazing stamina. He would run all year round, keeping himself in shape. He would even run six or seven miles on Christmas morning! Before fights, he'd often up that to fifteen miles - much more than any other heavyweight did or does. So, no wonder he could fight all night long.
Rocky had a great workrate, often throwing ninety punches per round. He'd have some rounds where he'd throw one hundred and twenty shots! Experienced craftsmen and good boxers such as LaStarza, Charles and Moore, simply could not cope with Rocky's onslaught. Archie Moore - "It was like fighting an airplane propeller."
Most experts agree that Marciano was the best conditioned heavyweight of all time.

Marciano had an amazing chin. He was only floored twice in his career, and was rarely hurt. The two times he was dropped, were for a three and a two count, by two great punchers. Ring Magazine's #4 All Time Great Puncher Archie Moore floored Rocky with a perfect right hand as Marciano came in, missing a punch, with one foot off the floor, and it landed right on the chin. But Rocky was up within two seconds and back fighting. Jersey Joe Walcott, also rated by the Ring as an all time great puncher, floored Rocky with one of his classic left hooks, but was surprised to see that when he turned around, Marciano was staring straight back at him, on his feet. Rocky roared; "I'll get you, you son of a bitch!"
The 6'4" 220lbs Carmine Vingo, a good prospect with a dynamite punch, staggered Rocky a couple of times, but never managed to put him down. It was a great slugfest, and Rocky fought back hard - in the sixth round Vingo was put into a coma, courtesy of a savage left hook to the jaw.

Rocky's awkwardness was actually one of Marciano's strengths. Many found his unorthodox way of fighting very difficult to cope with - even masters of the game like Louis, Walcott, Charles and Moore all found it hard to land a clean shot on Rocky. He was just so slippery. With underrated defensive abilities, Rocky would slip the jab and get inside, weaving and ducking, throwing hard punches from all sorts of inconceivable angles. He was a very hard man to fight.

Perhaps Rocky's greatest attribute was the mental side of it. He had an amazing heart, able to cope with any situation and turn it around, never discouraged. Floored, cut and beaten up by Walcott, with his eyes stinging, Rocky fought through round ten of their first clash like a true warrior and ended up winning the title. He was determined to kick your ass. Sometimes, one gets the impression he could never be beaten.

While perhaps not one of Rocky's strengths, his defence was certainly not 'bad', as some so-called historians would like to point out. No, Marciano's defence was not bad at all, and it often made for a very difficult fight. He'd come in inch-by-inch, leaning backwards and slightly to the right (away from right leads), gloves high and chin down. The whole point of this was to make himself a smaller target. Once inside, Rocky was a real terror. He would constantly be moving his head, up and down, rolling around, side to side, backwards and forwards, and he'd come in with hard punches from all kinds of inconceivable angles, possibly the most hazardous being the left uppercut which is somehow overlooked. Many men, including great craftsmen, commented on how hard Marciano was to nail with a clean shot. If accomplished masters of the game such as Charles, Walcott, Moore, Louis and LaStarza are saying this, I think we should take their word for it.

Rocky was a destroyer, he ruined people. None of his opponents, bar Moore, were ever the same again. He beat them up, rearranged their bone structure and knocked them out. He was perhaps the most devastating and destructive champion of all time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One thing a lot of so-called 'experts' like to use as ammunition to try and downplay Marciano and his achievements, is his competition. However, the fighters he fought are not to be messed with...

Rocky Marciano's competition:

Up and coming prospect Carmine Vingo (6ft 4, 220lbs), a heavy hitting slugger who was involved in a Dempsey-Firpo type match up with Rocky. Was knocked out in the sixth round and sent into a coma, which left him paralysed on one side of his body and unable to continue his boxing career.

Roland LaStarza, an acomplished mover-boxer that was beating anyone and everyone, Rocky beat him twice - the first a controversial decision, the second left LaStarza in hospital with a broken arm, several blood clots and requiring surgery.

Veteran contender Lee Savold, someone who had fought Joe Louis amongst other big name heavyweights of the time. Savold's management threw in the towel before round six ended, Savold having been bashed so badly he was unable to throw punches back.

Top contender Rex Layne. Layne was a favourite over Marciano, a heavy punching slugger who reminded people of the great Jack Dempsey, who had great success in the ring, including a victory over Jersey Joe Walcott. His record going into the Marciano fight was 34-1-2 with 24 knockouts. Marciano knocked him out in six rounds, breaking his jaw and knocking out a tooth.

Joe Louis, the great champion who had came out of retirement to help pay his bills. Although considered 'over the hill' by many, Louis was still a very dangerous fighter, beating all the other fighters around at the time, and was looking to have another crack at the heavyweight title after beating Marciano. Rocky knocked him out in eight rounds and ended Joe's career.

Harry Matthews was Rocky's last fight before facing Walcott, and he took him out in style. Another good fighter, Matthews was ranked #5 in the division, and had an impressive record of 96-3-6 before facing Marciano. In this fight, Rocky completely outgunned Matthews, knocking him out brutally in the second round with two vicious left hooks.

Jersey Joe Walcott was a 38 year old veteran who had knocked down Joe Louis three times, beaten the highly regarded Ezzard Charles and was, of course, the Heavyweight Champion of the World. Walcott was not over the hill - infact far from it, he was close to his peak. He had boxed for many years in obscurity, and after getting his shot at Louis, he finally came alive. He was a dangerous boxer who didn't learn new moves - he invented them. Rocky was being outpointed over thirteen rounds, although being blinded for three of those, only to score a devastating and brutal knockout to win the title.

Ezzard Charles, another dangerous contender, fought Rocky twice and even lasted the distance with him the first time around. Charles was a highly regarded heavyweight, an ex champion who had gotten the better of Joe Louis and Jersey Joe Walcott, and was one of the only light heavyweights in history that made it big time in the top division. Although being outclassed by Charles's skills at first, Rocky swang the fight in his favour and turned the tide in order to win a unanimous decision over Charles in a brutal fifteen round fight. In the second fight, Rocky's nose was infamously split open down the middle, when Charles hit him with an elbow after missing an uppercut. Rocky fought on with the injury, seemingly not bothered about his nose, to knock Charles out with an unstoppable barrage of punches in the eighth.

Archie "The Ol' Mongoose" Moore was one of the best light heavyweights ever, and was beating all the heavyweights around - except Marciano. Moore was a veteran and a great all round fighter, a craftsman who knew all the tricks of the trade. Although old, like Walcott he was still very dangerous and considered near his best, some even think his defensive performance against Marciano was the best in history. Coming back from an early flash knockdown, Marciano came back to batter Moore throughout the seventh, eighth and ninth rounds, leaving the courageous "Ancient Archie" literally unable to stand after being counted out.

Don Cockell was the British Champion, and although thought to be fat and out of shape, he was in superb condition - he had a medical problem, which made him slightly chubby. He was thought not to be much of a problem for Marciano, although he was still a legit contender and the best in Britain. Marciano knocked him out in nine rounds, taking a while to wear off some ring rustiness suffered through inactivity. It was a brutal fight, and Cockell was being sick in his corner between rounds, as a result of the extreme punishment his body was absorbing. The referee halted the bout to prevent any serious injuries.

If you have read this, you have hopefully come to the conclusion that Rocky Marciano didn't have bad competition. Just because fighters were old it doesn't mean they don't count as great or dangerous fighters, and just because you've never heard of an opponent, it doesn't mean they should just be dismissed as bums or nobodies.

As a champion, Rocky deserves to be in the top five somewhere. He trained religiously, never gloated over beaten opponents, was never cocky and fought everyone around. Also, outside the ring he was like a champion should be, an icon of his age. He signed autographs, spent time with fans, loved his family and tried his best to be a decent man. 49-0 is his legacy, and I hope nobody ever breaks that record.


Posted by: aceshigh

marciano couldnt lift my jock strap


Posted by: Big Smoothy

FormanRules:

Because of your thread, I've been googling the history or boxing. I still don't know much about it, but I'm getting more interested.

Ignorant quetion, but is your avatar or LaMotta or Maricano, or neither?


Posted by: TJ Cline

Maricano


Posted by: Big Smoothy

Muchas Gracias


Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_Snafu
Muchas Gracias
Rocky Marciano
Sex Male
Nationality US American
Alias The Brockton Blockbuster
Birth Name Rocco Francis Marchegiano
Hometown Brockton, MA
Birthplace Brockton, MA
Division Heavyweight
Date of Birth 1923-09-01
Date of Death 1969-08-31
Age at Death 45
Reach 67”
Stance Orthodox
Height 5' 11
Trainer C. Goldman, A. Columbo
W 49 (43 ko's) | L 0 | D 0 | Total 49


Lb St:Lb Kg | Date Date AscendingDate Descending | Printer Friendly Format | Wiki Wiki Biography

date Lb opponent Lb wld last 6 location
1955-09-21 188¼ Archie Moore 188 148-19-9

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY, USA W KO 9 15
~ Time: 1:19 | Referee: Harry Kessler | Judge: Harold Bond | Judge: Adi Agdala ~
World Heavyweight Title
Moore floored Marciano in the 2nd round for a "2" count, but was knocked down five times himself.
1955-05-16 189 Don Cockell 205 65-11-1

Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, CA, USA W KO 9 15
~ Referee: Frankie Brown ~
World Heavyweight Title
1954-09-17 187 Ezzard Charles 192½ 77-11-1

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY, USA W KO 8 15
~ Referee: Al Berl 5-1 | Judge: Frank Forbes 6-1 | Judge: Artie Aidala 6-1 ~
World Heavyweight Title
Marciano in danger of being stopped when his nose was severely cut. Charles was down for "two" in the second round and again for "two" in the eighth, before the knockout.
1954 Fight of the Year - Ring Magazine
1954-06-17 187½ Ezzard Charles 185½ 77-10-1

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY, USA W UD 15 15
~ Referee: Ruby Goldstein 8-5 | Judge: Artie Aidala 9-5 | Judge: Harold Barnes 8-6 ~
World Heavyweight Title
1953-09-24 185 Roland LaStarza 184¾ 53-3-0

Polo Grounds, New York, NY, USA W TKO 11 15
~ Referee: Ruby Goldstein 7-3 | Judge: Arthur Susskind 6-4 | Judge: Harold Barnes 5-5 ~
World Heavyweight Title
1953 Fight of the Year - Ring Magazine
LaStarza was knocked through the ropes before the fight was stopped.
1953-05-15 184½ Jersey Joe Walcott 197¾ 51-17-2

Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL, USA W KO 1 15
~ Referee: Frank Sikora ~
World Heavyweight Title
1952-09-23 184½ Jersey Joe Walcott 196½ 51-16-2

Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, USA W KO 13 15
~ Time: 0:43 | Referee: Charlie Daggert 4-7 | Judge: Pete Tomasco 5-7 | Judge: Zack Clayton 4-8 ~
World Heavyweight Title
Description of bout. (Poster)
1952 Fight of the Year - Ring Magazine
Marciano was knocked down for the first time in career, for a count of four in round one. He was behind on points going into round thirteen when a terrific right to the jaw put Walcott down and out.
1952-07-28 187½ Harry 'Kid' Matthews 179 81-3-5

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY, USA W KO 2 10
~ Time: 2:04 | Referee: Ray Miller ~
World Heavyweight Title Eliminator. Marciano put Matthews down for the count with two sharp left hooks.
1952-05-12 186¼ Bernie Reynolds 185¼ 51-10-2

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 3 10
~ Time: 2:21 ~
1952-04-21 189¾ Gino Buonvino 196¾ 27-14-8

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 2 10
~ Referee: Sharkey Buananno ~
1952-02-13 186 Lee Savold 200 91-37-3

Convention Hall, Philadelphia, PA, USA W TKO 7 10
~ Referee: Pete Tomasco ~
Savold's manager stopped the bout between the 6th and 7th rounds.
1951-10-26 184 Joe Louis 213¾ 68-2-0

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA W KO 8 10
~ Referee: Ruby Goldstein 4-2 | Judge: Joe Agnello 5-2 | Judge: Harold Barnes 4-3 ~
Louis knocked down twice in the 8th. Marciano dropped Louis for an 8-count with a left hook, and then sent him through the ropes for the knockout.
1951-08-27 187½ Freddie Beshore 196 30-12-1

Boston Garden, Boston, MA, USA W KO 4 10
~ Time: 0:50 ~
1951-07-12 185½ Rex Layne 193 34-1-2

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA W KO 6 10
~ Time: 0:35 | Referee: Mark Conn ~
Layne was a 9-5 favorite but a right to the temple put him down for the count.
1951-04-30 185¾ Red Applegate 196 10-14-2

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W UD 10 10
1951-03-26 186¾ Art Henri 184½ 13-15-1

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 9 10
1951-03-20 186 Harold Mitchell 181½ 3-11-3

Auditorium, Hartford, CT, USA W KO 2 10
~ Referee: Lou Bogash ~
1951-01-29 192½ Keene Simmons 200½ 8-8-1

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 8 10
1950-12-18 190¼ Big Bill Wilson 229½ 42-11-2

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 1 10
Bout was stopped because of a deep cut over Wilson's left eye.
1950-11-13 186 Ted Lowry 180¾ 59-55-10

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W UD 10 10
1950-09-18 190½ Johnny Shkor 220½ 29-18-2

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 6 10
1950-07-10 188¾ Gino Buonvino 199¾ 25-11-7

Braves Field, Boston, MA, USA W TKO 10 10
~ Referee: Joe Zapustas ~
1950-06-05 189¼ Eldridge Eatman 206¾ 15-19-3

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 3 10
1950-03-24 183¼ Roland LaStarza 187 37-0-0

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA W MD 10 10
Scoring in rounds: 5-4-1 Marciano, 5-4-1 LaStarza, 5-5
Referee had Marciano ahead on points and the decision went to Marciano. LaStarza was down for a seven-count in round four.
1949-12-30 180¼ Carmine Vingo 189 16-1-0

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA W KO 6 10
~ Referee: Harry Ebbets ~
Vingo was down for two counts of nine, once in the first round and again in the second, and took the full count in round six. He suffered a brain hemorrhage and was hospitalized in critical condition, but recovered, and never fought again. "Toughest fight of my career," according to Marciano in 1962. Vingo was down for nine in the first round and nine in the second.
1949-12-19 183 Phil Muscato 180 56-20-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 5 10
1949-12-02 181 Pat Richards 187 22-6-5

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA W KO 2 8
~ Time: 0:39 ~
1949-11-07 185½ Joe Dominic 190¼ 18-10-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 2 10
1949-10-10 180¼ Ted Lowry 177¾ 56-47-9

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W UD 10 10
1949-09-26 179¾ Tommy Giorgio 183¾ 10-9-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 4 10
1949-08-16 184 Pete Louthis 184½ 23-12-3

New Page Arena, New Bedford, MA, USA W KO 3 10
1949-07-18 184½ Harry Haft 174¾ 12-6-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 3 10
1949-05-23 181¼ Don Mogard 187¼ 15-8-0

Rhode Island Auditoriium, Providence, RI, USA W UD 10 10
1949-05-02 183 Jimmy Evans 181 18-7-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 3 10
1949-04-11 183 James Walls 190¼ 9-14-1

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 3 10
1949-03-28 182¼ Artie Donato 201¾ 9-5-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 1 10
Time of knockout: thirty-three seconds including the count.
1949-03-21 183 Johnny Pretzie 195½ 7-6-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 5 10
1948-12-14 178 Gilley Ferron 198 1-2-0

Convention Hall, Philadelphia, PA, USA W TKO 2 6
1948-11-29 185 Patrick (Red) Connolly 213 8-5-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 1 8
1948-10-04 178 Bob Jefferson 172 3-2-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 2 6
1948-09-30 179 Gilbert Cardone 189 0-1-0
Uline Arena, Washington, DC, USA W KO 1 4
1948-09-20 182 Bill Hardeman 206½ 0-4-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 1 6
1948-09-13 183 Jerry Humphrey Jackson 254 2-1-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 1 6
1948-08-30 184¼ Jimmy Weeks 190 0-0-0
Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 1 6
1948-08-23 184 Eddie Ross 175 15-0-1

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 1 6
~ Time: 1:03 ~
Ross reported as coming into this fight with a 26-0 (23) record
1948-08-09 183 Bobby Quinn 183 8-0-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 3 4
1948-07-19 186¼ John Edwards 173½ 1-1-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W KO 1 4
1948-07-12 185 Harry Balzerian 175 0-3-0

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI, USA W TKO 1 4
1947-03-17 190 Lee Epperson 0-0-0
Valley Arena, Holyoke, MA, USA W KO 3 4
Pro debut for Marciano


-


Posted by: TJ Cline

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=009032


Posted by: Big Smoothy

Thanks for the info. and the link Foreman.

He died young.

Quote:
Date of Birth 1923-09-01
Date of Death 1969-08-31
Age at Death 45



Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_Snafu
Thanks for the info. and the link Foreman.

He died young.
I cant tell it well but I can give you the basic idea of it.........
Marciano was in a Bar....years after he had retired, a guy was trying to pick a fight with him.....bad idea......anyway Rocky said " they paid me one million to fight Archie Moore and this guy wants it for free."


Classic boxing story.


(CLICK HERE here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

BOXING.....now and tomorrow


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