Ricky Hatton Is Back In The Gym... But Is He Ready????

Word on the streets is Ricky Hatton is back in the gym preparing for his next fight. Ricky's opponent is TBD, the date of the fight is TBD but hopefully in May, and his condition mentally and physically TBD. No one likes to lose and for damn sure no ones wants to be KOd. For Ricky he stepped up considerably in competition challenging Pound4Pound King Floyd Mayweather Jr. on December 8, 2007 and he was handily beaten and KOd. I have read reports that Ricky went on a drinking binge that consisted of 57 pints of beer in 3 days (WOW) and really seemed to take the loss to Mayweather extremely hard. Anytime you work so hard for a goal and it does not work you feel bad. Everyone deals with it differently but I really wonder how well Ricky has recovered from this. He had never lost before and the stakes had never been higher. With his whole country behind him and it appeared they all were at the fight, Ricky simply got beaten by a better fighter. No shame in losing to someone better than you, but the pain is still the same. You could see it all in his eyes right after the fight it was like a piece of his heart died. So now Ricky is back in the gym trying to put the loss behind him, move on with his career, but can he do it. The last time he fought he was KOd and it broke his heart. What has the time done for him, did it help or hurt the Hitman? Can he bounce back like champions are supposed to or did this loss ruin the relentless fighter he once was? Hopefully one by one all of those TBDs will be filled in with answers that make sense to his fans and most of all to Ricky Hatton himself. My only question is... Is He Ready???

PPV Or Not???

Earlier today I was talking with one of my boxing buddies about how GoldenBoy has made a great effort to put some quality boxing on regular HBO instead of PPV. One of the things we like to do is estimate how well we think a PPV will do and if it was worth the purchase. For instance we both agreed Jones Jr.-Trinidad fight did better than we anticipated. However we look at the Taylor-Pavlik rematch and think although it should be a great fight it is not PPV worthy. So what makes a fight PPV worthy becomes the question. I mean you look at Oscar, Mike Tyson(when he fought), Fernando Vargas and you think why are/were they always on PPV. Quite simple they have huge fan bases that follow their every fight whether they win or lose. We spoke about how Corrales-Castillo I which could very well be one of the greatest fights of all time did wonderful on Showtime. So Showtime figured they had a goldmine for the rematch and decided to put it on PPV. Ouch it did not do very well on PPV and I never heard the numbers of how it did on PPV. So for their third fight, which did not happen due to Castillo missing weight, it was going to be on regular Showtime. So we looked at Taylor-Pavlik I which was a great fight but the fan bases these gentleman have is not strong enough yet to warrant PPV. In my opinion the rematch should be another great fight on HBO and not PPV. Sure their first fight was great and was way better than a certain fight that 2.4 million paid $54.95 for but business is business. Although I believe Taylor-Pavlik II will be a great fight and more than likely worth my $49.95 I just do not see it doing big numbers on PPV. At this time the household names that truly generate PPV sales in no particular order are as follows.

1. Oscar De La Hoya
2. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
3. Roy Jones Jr.
4. Felix Trinidad
5. Manny Pacquiao
6. Miguel Cotto
7. Bernard Hopkins (But he did not get his first headline PPV until 2004 against Oscar)
8. Sugar Shane Mosley

However even Bernard Hopkins and Sugar Shane Mosley have to have a great opponent to even be on PPV because they do not have the huge followings like the other fighters. For instance when Mosley fought Vargas(who has a huge fan base) it was on PPV but when he fought Luis Collazo it was just on HBO. The next fight after Collazo for Mosley was against Cotto which was on PPV and did pretty good numbers. The reason for that is because Mosley's name alone does not draw huge PPV numbers. The same goes for Bernard Hopkins his fights with Tarver and Winky did okay, but it was not until he fought Oscar that he got to be in the main event on PPV. Oscar on the other hand can fight just about anyone on PPV and draw over 500,000 buys. So I truly hope in the near future we can continue to get more of the great fights and fighters to fight on our regular boxing channels rather than PPV. It is better for the fans, after all we are the ones who deserve to be happy.

KnockOut Rewind!!!!!!

Y'all Remember This

Winky...Work With Us!!!!

Ronald "Winky" Wright is one of the best fighters in the boxing world today, but he is not fighting. I wrote about this not too long ago and here I am writing about it again. Winky has made statements saying he is demanding a big name in a big fight yet he is not getting it. It is hard to imagine a top 10 Pound4Pound fighter struggling to get a big money fight but with Winky it is true. First of all he is coming off of a loss to Bernard Hopkins back in July. Sure there is no shame in having a decision loss to Hopkins but it was a boring fight. There were not a lot of fans at the fight and PPV was not exactly through the roof. Second Winky is not the exciting fighter that draws lots of fans and viewers. Yes I know he should not have to get hit a lot to win fights and fans but that is how this business rolls. In boxing in order to be a huge draw you have to have something that is very marketable. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Roy Jones Jr. are fast, flashy, cocky and demand an audience wherever they go. Ricky Hatton has a brawling style that is wild and he is all action. Arturo Gatti was all blood and guts when he fought and he had a huge following. Oscar is the GoldenBoy need I say more. Then I look at Winky. He is a southpaw which are never in demand, not too much action, hard to hit, and makes other fighters look bad. In other words his fights can tend to be boring to many fans. I know, but he has a 51(25)-4-1 record. That is true but his KO % is less than 50% which is not exciting for fans who want to see KOs. I appreciate the style and craft of Winky Wright but not everyone does. I want to see Winky fight but he has to come to terms with the economics of boxing which means you are as good as your last fight (which was a loss) and your style has to be one that fans demand to see (strong southpaw that is hard to hit, not fan friendly). I read where Winky said he has turned down fights with Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham because those are not big name fighters and they do not draw lots of money. Well yes and no. Yes they are not the Oscar De La Hoya's or Floyd Mayweather's but neither are you. Those guys have exciting styles or attitudes that draw crowds and they developed their styles and attitudes from beating fighters similiar to Kessler and Abraham. So to Winky, you are 36 and you are not fighting which is your career. I am sure you have plenty of money but you still want to continue your career. So what you need to do is get out there and fight some of these good fighters and work your way up to a big name. If you start winning then you will become big enough where someone big has to fight you, like you did with Shane Mosley. I know it is not the ideal thing you want to do, but sometimes we have to do what we got to do in order to get what we want. Remember this the longer you don't fight the harder it will be for you to get a fight and soon you may find yourself retired without announcing it. So if Kessler or Abraham calls and offers a decent amount, go ahead take the fight and get back in the win column. Then watch as the demand goes up for you. Good Luck Winky I hope to see you in the ring soon.

Just Added!!! Ruiz-McCline

Just added to the March 8 card featuring Samuel Peter vs Oleg Maskaev in Cancun Mexico is John "the Quietman" Ruiz 42(29)-7-1 taking on Jameel "Big Time" McCline 38(23) -8-3. I look at this fight as a crossroads fight for these two men. Both fighters are older and have been through a lot in their careers. Ruiz, 36, is a former 2-time WBA Heavyweight Champion and 1-2 in his last 3 fights. McCline 37, is a 3 time title challenger coming off back to back losses and in desperate need of a win to continue his career at some sort of contender level. I believe this will be a good fight for both guys with the possibility at another title shot down the road for the winner. The loser maybe considered an opponent and only be called for up and coming fighters who need a bigger test before going to the championship caliber fights. Hopefully with these thoughts in the back of the fighters mind it will be a great fight. However for the loser I guess they may have that Boyz II Men song End of the Road playing in the background as they leave the ring.

Povetkin Defeats Eddie Chambers

As you know Germany is ahead of the United States in time zone. So I found out Alexander Povetkin won an impressive UD over Eddie Chambers to become the IBF Heavyweight Mandatory. From my understanding Povetkin got going early in the fight and landed the harder punches and Chambers never really caught up. I still will watch the actual fight on HBO tonight but I wanted to let my fans knows when I knew.

************************************UPDATE************************************
Okay I actually saw the fight myself and I will admit it was a pretty good fight. Yes Eddie Chambers lost and it had nothing to do with the judges in Germany although one score was way off in many opinions. Eddie looked real sharp early on landing his left jab and hard right hands but around the 5th round he just quit working hard. I am not sure if he lost his focus or got tired but he just did not press for at least 4 rounds. Alexander Povetkin is a real strong fighter but he has a lot to work on. The main issue he needs to work on is keeping his hands up when backing up. He ate a lot of hard right hands because of his hands being low. If Chambers had more power he would have dropped Povetkin. In saying that if he fights Wladmir Klitschko doing that sh*t it will be lights out very early. Neither Chambers or Povetkin are big heavyweights but I think Povetkin can maintain very well in the division if he protects himself better. Chambers in my opinion reminds me of Chris Byrd who was very slick but lacked enough power in the Heavyweight division. Yes Byrd was a 2-time champion but he was not a fan favorite because of his lack of power. Chambers may want to look at going to the Cruiserweight division where the pop he does have maybe more felt. This is not a shot at Eddie Chambers because I think with his slick crafty style he can possibly get a title at Heavyweight but I think he may get more career success at Cruiserweight.

Love or Money?????

LOVE OR MONEY?????????????????

Love or Money, that is the question for many boxers. I know they all box because of their love for the sport but at the end of the day is it all for the money or for their love. This topic has come up a lot especially after hearing Floyd Mayweather Jr. is going to fight in a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya. Love or Money??? When they first fought many including myself believed it was a combination. Oscar could prove he was still one of the best boxers alive today and Floyd could get the biggest payday of his life and seal his legacy by beating Oscar as well as claiming a title in his fifth division. The rematch, well that is a different story because there appears to be no belts on the line and the only thing in the air is money. Hey they got to get paid right? Well yes they do deserve to get paid but what are they fighting for becomes the question. I am a firm believer that you do what you love and the money will follow. If you love doing something it is not a job to you and you probably either do it for free or would do it for free. When I look back to fighters such as the late Diego Corrales and Arturo Gatti, I never recall any arguments about purses (money) with them. Sure they wanted to get paid but you could see them fighting for free too because that is how much their love and legacy meant to them. When I look at Floyd Mayweather Jr. I see a fighter who swears he is the best of all times but will not take a fight if it does not promise him so much money. He made over $50 million last year alone on just 2 fights and instead of further proving his superiority he takes a fight against someone he already beat. I hear Floyd say can't no one beat him and he is the best ever but he refuses to fight deserving and worthy champions like Miguel Cotto because he says it does not generate enough money. That is sad to me because when you are at the top of your craft it is your DUTY to grant fights to the worthy opponents so they can prove themselves. Genaro Hernandez gave Floyd the chance and I think he should do the same. I think Mayweather would easily beat Cotto but at least give Cotto his chance in the ring. Cotto in my opinion is a fighter of love and legacy first and then money. Sure he wants to get his money but he fights like you should. What I mean by that is if you keep fighting the best, the money will come and I believe that. Diego Corrales who died in debt believed the same thing as well as Arturo Gatti. I was at Diego Corrales last fight in Springfield Missouri against Joshua Clottey. Anyone who was there and who knows boxing knew Diego was going to lose. The venue was small and the money Diego was going to make was not worth the punishment he was about to take but he fought anyway. I watched him in person take punches by a man far stronger than him but he kept coming because he felt it was his DUTY to prove his legacy as a champion by somehow winning that fight. Unfortunately he lost the fight and even more unfortunate he died exactly 30 days later. However when I look back to that fight I get a little misty eyed because he is no longer with us but I cannot forget what he did as a fighter. And what Diego Corrales did that night was what all deep down true champions will do and that is keep fighting no matter how much faster, stronger and talented your opponent is. Being a champion has nothing to do with belts at all, it is giving your all no matter what because there is no other way. I laugh when I hear fighters such as Floyd, Oscar and others get upset or demand purses such as $20 million. I laugh because there are fighters who fight more fights than both of them and will never make 1/10th the amount of money in their careers that some of these prestious fighters are complaining about. As much as I love watching a lot of these guys I have to admit they lose my respect when it comes to the subject of love or money especially when you have already made the money. In my opinion when you have made your $20million either continue to take challenges or retire. If you start picking and choosing who you fight and how much you should get the love is gone. You are now being clouded by money only and there is only a matter of time before your greed will take over and you make the wrong decision. Fighters who truly fight for love rarely argue about the money aspect, they just want to get in the ring and see who is the best. Yes it is true a lot of boxers die broke, homeless etc but they did it their way doing what they love. Sure Oscar and Floyd have all this money and they should not fight for less than a certain amount. But love does conquer all because rich is a state of mind. And Just because you have money... that DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE RICH!!!!!!

One More Run, One Division Lower

Chris Byrd who fought in the Olympics as a middleweight and became a Heavyweight in the professional ranks is going to make one last run at a title but in the Cruiserweight Division. Byrd who has never fought above 220lbs is going down in weight to what probably is his more natural weight. The Cruiserweight limit is 200lbs and Byrd has said he weighs 195lbs now. Never was Byrd a big puncher but he was a 2 time beltholder at Heavyweight. Byrd held the WBO Title for a short period in 2000 after Vitali Klitschko quit in their fight due to an injury. However about 6 months later Byrd was dominated by Wladmir Klitschko and lost the belt. In 2002 Byrd picked up the vacant IBF Heavyweight Belt against Evander Holyfield and kept it until 2006 when he once again bumped into Wladmir Klitschko. This time he was TKOd in the 7th round. In his almost 4 year reign as IBF Champion though Byrd made some decent defenses against Fres Oquendo, Andrew Golota, Jameel McCline, and DaVarryl Williamson. Byrd known for his slick crafty southpaw style is going down to Cruiserweight after losing 2 of his last 3 at Heavyweight both loses by KOs. The last KO loss came at the hands of Alexander Povetkin as part of the IBF Heavyweight Eliminator tournament. I wish Chris Byrd great luck at Cruiserweight. Although he never gets the respect he deserves as a fighter because of his lack of power and action I feel he brings a positive light to the sport with his class and respect.

Eddie Chambers-Alexander Povetkin IBF Heavweight Eliminator

Chambers 219.5 lbs

Povetkin 227 lbs

Well not many probably know but tomorrow January 26, 2008 is the final fight of the 4 man IBF Eliminator tournament to see who gets a shot at current IBF Heavyweight Champion Wladmir Klitschko. On February 23, 2008 Klitschko has his hands full in a Heavyweight unification bout against WBO Champion Sultan Ibragimov so lets not just assume the winner of the tournament will end up fighting Klitschko. The tournament originally consisted of Chris Byrd who was stopped by Povetkin and Calvin Brock who lost a split decision to Eddie Chambers. Povetkin is a strong heavy punching German who won the Gold at the 2004 Olympics. He only has 14 pro fights but please do not let that fool you. He has beaten some good fighters in Larry Donald and Chris Byrd and has a lot of potential working for himself. Eddie Chambers has also faced and defeated some decent competition in Dominick Guinn and Calvin Brock. Chambers is a fast heavyweight yet somewhat small, kinda similiar to a Chris Byrd. He can be somewhat crafty and hard to hit. In order for Chambers to win he has to rely on his speed and jab to help him set up his shots. Although I believe anyone can be knocked out I just don't see Chambers having a enough power to seriously hurt Povetkin. Povetkin also has a decent jab and he will have to use it in order to slow Chambers down. I think some decent body shots could also slow Chambers down making it harder for him to move in the later rounds. Povetkin has the power to hurt Chambers I believe and if he can get in close with Chambers and land some decent shots he could possibly get Chambers out. The thing is the speed and the jab. If Chambers establishes his jab and moves quickly he may get Povetkin out of his plan and get the decision. However if Povetkin can get to the body and use his jab he can get Chambers out of his plan and win the fight. Based on what I know I think Povetkin will win by decision or late round stoppage but I can't count my American Heavyweight out. This fight will be shown on tape delay on HBO at 10pm EST along with the replay of Roy Jones Jr.-Felix Trinidad fight from last week.

Zab "Supa Dupa Dumb" Judah Always Delusional

Lets get one thing straight right now, I don't like Zab Judah. I think he is a highly talented boxer, but his attitude and disrespect for people disgusts me. So if he never won a fight ever again, I would probably smile. Well after weeks of discussions about Zab fighting Antonio Margarito it comes out that he is still signed to Prize Fight Promotional company. Prize produces a valid contract to Top Rank who was putting the fight together and Top Rank called a halt to the fight. So Zab buys himself out of his contract with Prize Fight and decides he wants to promote himself under his own promtional banner Super Promotions. So Zab gets his offer from Top Rank to fight Antonio Margarito and Zab says it was an insult. He feels like his services are worth more than he was being offered. Now I do not know what the offer was but one has to wonder about Zab. I often do because he is delusional and quite ignorant in my opinion. Well Zab since you seem to have a horrible memory as well as a distorted sense of economics in boxing let me help you out. Your last few years in boxing have not been that great man. 2005 was pretty good as you won the Undisputed Welterweight Championship of the World from Cory Spinks in St. Louis. I was actually there in person and you put on a great show and I tipped my hat off to you. However when 2006 rolled in, the a$$hole I was hoping you weren't still showed up. You were rude and disrespectful to Carlos Baldomir for no reason. Then you dummy you went in and lost the fight. Did you take responsibility... of course not you blamed Don King who looked like he wanted to smack you for being stupid. Next you somehow were saved and allowed to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr anyway. Early on you looked like you had it going on then like always your weak mental state kicked in and you began to lose. Then in the 10th round after you were getting beaten up nicely by Floyd instead of you taking it like a man you acted like the buster you are and hit Floyd way below the belt and then rabbit punched him. Honestly I would have rather seen you quit then be stupid but stupid is who you are. So the riot breaks out and instead of walking away you acted like the wannabe hoodlum you think you are and got involved earning a one year suspension and no income for the beating you just took. I am loving your business skills. So Prize Fight takes a huge risk and signs you to a contract. You fight a nobody for a tuneup and get a No Decision and parlay yourself into an undeserving title shot against Miguel Cotto on June 9, 2007. Once again talking way too much leading up to the fight and showing your lack of class you still get to fight Cotto. As always you looked decent and stunned Cotto a few times early. Now the first low blow was not a low blow but a powerful body shot that was called low. So technically I think you should have lost early in the fight by KO but oh well your time was coming. The second low blow was a real low blow and made me laugh because I thought back to April 8, 2006 when you did the same thing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Man payback is a b*tch and always comes back when you least expect it. So you finally get TKOd in the 11th round and I start laughing at how stupid you look with a cut and no eyebrows. Yes at this point I was just hating. You call for a rematch as if you deserve one. Well at this point you just needed a win I mean you hadn't had one since 2005. So you get a fight against a nobody in Edwin Vasquez and you just could not get him out. What a sad fight and what was really funny was you were on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights looking like a hasbeen. Ha ha. In November you get a fight against another nobody and you went the distance with him but at least you got two wins in a row. This brings me to the current state. Since 2006 you are 2-3 and 1 No Decision and you are thinking you deserve close to a $1million to fight on the undercard of the fighter who already beat you in a non-title bout. Man you are something else. Yeah I heard how you said Miguel Cotto should not be fighting pretenders,(a harmless shot at Alfonso Gomez) yet you also said if Bob Arum would offer you what he is giving Gomez you would fight Cotto. Well I did a little research and found out Gomez is getting about $925,000 to fight Cotto. So that means if he is the pretender making that much, then what are you because you were offered less than that on the undercard. Ha ha you stupid joke. Gomez has won a few good fights in a row, sure they were against hasbeens but he looked good doing so. You, well you have gotten beaten up by the good competition and looked only decent against the journeyman. At this point you need to take the risk of fighting for less money until you can win some good fights and bring more to the table. So Supa Dupa Dumb Judah I hope you got the general idea about why you keep missing out. If not here is a quick breakdown. Check the attitude at the door, respect people, act like you have some sense, win your fights impressively, read a few books to increase your knowledge, speak with some intelligence and hopefully you can land the big money fights again. Personally I think that was too much for you to grasp at once so I expect you to keep failing. So Cheers to your next A$$ Whooping

Breaking News!!! Cintron-Margarito II Is On!!!!!

In a fight that kinda came out of nowhere, Kermit Cintron is going to fight Antonio Margarito in a rematch of their April 23, 2005 fight in which Margarito TKOd Cintron in the 5th round. Margarito was then the WBO Welterweight Champ and Cintron was his mandatory. However a lot has changed since then. Now Cintron is the IBF Welterweight Champion and Margarito is not a titleholder. Since joining with Emmanuel Steward Cintron appears to be a better more complete fighter while Margarito appears like he is getting older. Sure he beat Golden Johnson by 1st round KO in November but who is he. This fight is supposed to take place on April 26, 2008 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City as the co-main event to the Miguel Cotto-Alfonso Gomez fight live on HBO. Assuming Cotto wins, the winner of Cintron-Margarito will likely face Cotto in July on PPV. Man how things have changed because as you know Margarito was expected to face Zab Judah but that fell completely apart. So being almost 3 years to the date of their first fight, I expect Cintron-Margarito to be a great fight with a lot of drama and trash talking leading up to the fight. All I can say is WOW there are some great fights coming up this year.

They May Be Past Their Primes, But They Still Bring In The $$$$$$

The early PPV numbers are in for the Roy Jones Jr.-Felix Trinidad fight and they look great. Thus far they have over 500,000 PPV buys. That is the 2nd highest for Roy Jones Jr. who's best PPV numbers came from his one-time trip to Heavyweight against John Ruiz for the WBA Heavyweight Title on March 1, 2003. I believe that fight did a little over 600,000. For Trinidad it was another big PPV day but by far not his highest total. This PPV ranked 4th behind his then history making fight with Oscar De La Hoya which drew 1.4 million PPV buys, his fight with Fernando Vargas which drew about 560,000 and his previous fight against Winky Wright which drew about 520,000. However not all of the totals are in from this fight so it could possibly surpass the 520,000 mark and become his 3rd highest PPV. Plus what you must notice in the numbers is the only PPVs last year that topped 500,000 was De La Hoya-Mayweather with a record breaking 2.4 million PPVs and Mayweather-Hatton at 850,000 PPV buys. Pretty good for the old guys. Whatever happens it shows that even though they are past their primes as many would say, they still bring in the $$$$$$ and to networks that is all that matters. We will see them fight again!!!

Fighters I Watch Hoping They Get Knocked Out!!!!!!!

As you already know I watch lots and lots of boxing. I love the sport but there are those fighters that just get on my nerves. Oh come on and admit it you have those fighters too that you can't stand. However I am going to state it right now in no real particular order who some of them are. Now I know some of you will have your issues or comments about my list so post your comments and I will respond. As stated this list is in no particular order except for #1 which is a tie.

1. Antonio Tarver and Zab Judah (tie)
2. Joel Casamayor
3. Antonio Margarito
4. Oscar De La Hoya
5. Jean Pascal
6. Hasim Rahman
7. Sergio Mora
8. Shannon Briggs
9. Sergei Liakhovich
10. Jameel McCline
11. Vitali Klitschko
12. Tye Fields
13. Joe Mesi
14. Tommy Morrison

I have reasons for each one of my picks above and like I said if you have an issue or want to know why I feel the way I do just post your comment and I will respond.

Clinton Woods vs Antonio Tarver??? I'll Believe It When I See It

Word on the Light Heavyweight circuit is Clinton Woods the IBF Light Heavyweight Champion is coming to Tampa to face Antonio Magic Fool Tarver on April 12. This fight will be the main event with Glen Johnson vs Chad Dawson as the co-main event. If this actually happens it will be live on Showtime. This is an attempt to set the winners up to face each other later in the year to have a little more clarity in the Light Heavyweight division. Hold up wait a minute. I said Antonio Magic Fool Tarver was involved and when you hear his name his magic act appears by his name magically never making it as signature to a fight contract. I know some of you are like don't say that or why don't you like Tarver. Well Tarver tends to be what I call a buster, a liar and just plain fake. He claims to be the best and then makes millions of excuses as to why certain fights never happen such as a third fight with Glen Johnson or a fight with Chad Dawson. Or he will call out guys who either have lost recently or are not that good anymore such as Jeff Lacy. However he will fight club fighter Elvir Muriqi or simple journeyman Danny Santiago. Tarver strung Danny Green on until he couldn't wait anymore last year. However for Green that may have been best because he ended up fighting Stipe Drews and beating him for the WBA Light Heavyweight Belt. Tarver tends to just not sign contracts with fighters who he knows have the confidence to knock his a$$ out. Hell the other day he called me and asked me how much I weighed and if I wanted to fight (Joke). However I may not be a fighter but for a buster like him I would train hard and KO him. If the fight goes off I give Clinton Woods a strong chance to beat Tarver. He is tough and a hard puncher, a lot better than when Roy Jones TKO him in 2002. Hopefully this fight will happen and my dream of seeing Tarver go through the ropes will come true. But remember with Tarver there is always that magic disappearing trick up his sleeve.

Who's Fighting and When???

Okay my friends I have to admit the last week has been full of potential fights and dates for then everything to be twist and turn so I am going to attempt to set the record straight, at least for today. February 9th 2008 Paul Williams will defend his WBO Welterweight Title against Carlos Quintana live on HBO. February 16 the rematch between Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor at a catchweight of 166 will take place on HBOPPV. February 23, Wladmir Klitschko will put his IBF Heavyweight Title up against Sultan Ibragimov's WBO Heavyweight Title live on HBO from Madison Square Garden. March 1, 2008 Rafael Marquez and Israel Vasquez will fight their rubber match for Vasquez's WBC Super Bantamweight Title on Showtime live from the Home Depot Center. Samuel Peter will finally fight Oleg Maskaev for the undisputed WBC Heavyweight Championship Belt on March 8 from Cancun. Also on the undercard of this fight is Juan Diaz putting his WBA/WBO/IBF Lightweight belts up against Nate Campbell. These two fights will be live on HBO.March 15, 2008 the rematch of Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez is taking place at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. This fight will be for Marquez's WBC Super Featherweight Title. Miguel Cotto is going to defend his WBA Welterweight Title April 12, 2008 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City live on HBO against Alfonso Gomez of Contender fame. On the same night on Showtime, Glen Johnson is challenging Chad Dawson for the WBC Light Heavyweight Title. April 19, 2008 Joe Calzaghe is finally coming to the U.S. to challenge Bernard Hopkins for the Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight Championship live on HBO. Oscar De La Hoya is going to fight May 3, 2008 live on HBO (NOT PPV) against TBA, most likely Steve Forbes.

Plus also just fresh out of the gate, Cory Spinks is defending his IBF Junior Middleweight Title against his mandatory Verno Phillips in Spinks's Hometown of St. Louis. It is supposed to be Thursday March 27. All the details have not yet been released but when they are I will post that as well.

Well friends I hope the above information helps everyone stay on track of the major fights coming on. A lot of the dates and information have changed a lot over the past week but the above information seems to be set in stone, but in boxing you never know. If there are any changes I will post it ASAP.

MS Walk

Hey friends I am going to personally take part in the MS Walk in my area on April 19th 2008 and I want all of you to reach down and give what you can to this cause. The money will go to research for MS. What I want you to do is go to this link http://walkksg.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/KSGWalkEvents?pg=pfind&fr_id=8104 and search for my team. My team name is of course #1Pound4Pound and my name is listed as #1 as the first name and Pound4Pound as the last name. As stated what ever you can donate is much appreciated and if you cannot donate please just get some information because knowledge is power.

Thank you all in advance One Love,

#1Pound4Pound

Good News For Boxing Fans

Good news for boxing fans who buy PPV fights. The Bernard Hopkins-Joe Calzaghe clash will be shown live on regular HBO April 19, 2008. May 3, 2008 Oscar De La Hoya will fight a tune-up fight against TBA (Steve Forbes and Paulie Malignaggi are the two mentioned thus far) live on regular HBO. I am not sure about you but I can stand to save about $100 between April and May on my fights. So shot out to GoldenBoy and HBO for getting some good fights off of PPV we appreciate it.

Not in Fo, But A Win Fo Sho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well Roy Jones Jr. did not knockout Felix Trinidad but he did get the UD victory. Early on the fight was close as Jones appeared to let Trinidad get off first hoping he would open up. Trinidad landed some decent shots to the body but Roy did not seem too affected. As the fight progressed Roy was getting more into it as he began to let his speed show. Roy is still very quick although myself I could see a slight slip in his quickness. Tito did show he can took some good punches because Roy hit him cleanly with several shots and Tito was not seriously hurt during the fight. Tito was knocked down twice in the fight once in the 7th from a hard right hand and once in the 10th from a hard right hand/right jab. However Jones did not go to work like he needed to in order to possibly score the KO. Still this was a good win for Jones that showed he still has some left in his tank but I would not recommend him fighting any young fighters who won't be still for him. Jones, Trinidad, Hopkins, they are all in that category where they are great fighters but they are not really the best anymore. They could hold their own with any fighter in their weight classes but a young fighter who has some of the skills they used to possess would cause them lots of problems. So a good fight for Roy Jones Jr. if he could get it would be a rematch with Hopkins, maybe Joe Calzaghe but someone definitely in the older generation 35 and up. Take it as you like after this fight we know this is not the last we will see of Roy Jones Jr. As for Tito you never know, he has announced his retirement twice in the past and we all know it is coming at least one more time we just don't know win. Could this have been his final fight only time will tell but as we all know when money enters the room so do all boxers.

Reunited

Floyd Mayweather Sr and Oscar De La Hoya have reunited once again as trainer and fighter. Oscar De la Hoya has announced that he will still fight on May 3, 2008 against an opponent to be named as a tune-up fight before his rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr scheduled to take place on September 13, 2008. After those two fights Oscar wants to fight again in December and then call it a career. He reached an agreement with Floyd Sr. to train him for each of the three fights including the rematch against Floyd Jr. As you already know last year when Oscar decided to fight Floyd Jr he took the services of Freddie Roach because he felt the $2million demand of Floyd Sr was too expensive. I for one did not think $2million was too much especially since Oscar made close to $50million for the fight. However Oscar chose to go with Freddie Roach and in the end lost a SD to Floyd Jr. This round Oscar is going back with Floyd Sr who says he will teach Oscar all he needs to know to defeat Floyd Sr's son Floyd Jr. When asked about the opponent for May 3, it was stated there is a list of three fighters but no names were mentioned. The venue for the fight on May 3 is between Mexico City's Estadio Azteca (holding 130,000 people) or the Home Depot Center in Carson, California (holding 45,000). Also the fight is to be on HBO and not PPV which will be a nice change of pace for true boxing fans and possibly draw more interest in from casual fans. My My My after May 3 you can smell the drama brewing for the rematch of Floyd Jr vs Oscar now that Floyd Sr is back with Oscar. Of course as that time gets closer I will discuss it more but until then Floyd Sr and Oscar are reunited and only time will tell if it feels so good.

IT'S ON!!!!!!! TITO MUST GO IN FO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Roy Jones Jr. weighed in today at a very fit 169.5 pounds and Felix Trinidad weighed in at 170 pounds. The fight is being fought at the catchweight of 170. Roy Jones Jr. looked very good and very strong and I expect him to KO Trinidad and I hope in Fo. If you want to see what these two men looked like at the weigh in go ahead and take a look for yourself. http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?&brand=null&videoId=3203148&n8pe6c=2

Tito Must Go in Fo!!!!

"Tito Must Go in Fo" says Roy Jones Jr. You know I believe it. One of my favorite boxers Roy Jones Jr. is back and looking focused and he says "Tito Must Go in Fo" and I support him. I will be the first to admit that on May 15, 2004 the night Roy was knocked out by Antonio Magic Fool Tarver I had a few tears in my eyes. For years I had watched this man dominate fighters with such ease but something was not right to me before the fight. I had a feeling that was going to be his night to lose but I was hoping it was jitters. Well I was wrong. In my opinion Roy had lost the look, desire, passion to box at that time. He was going through the motions of doing it but his passion was not there to me. So he comes back September 25, 2004 to bounce back from his KO loss to the Magic Fool and once again I don't see what I need to see and sense before the fight he was going to lose. Little did I know he would be brutally KOd by Glen Johnson and once again tears came in my eyes. Oh don't say you punk, we all have heroes we look up to and we hate to see them fail in anyway. We really hate to see them get hurt and for a few minutes on that evening I was wondering if my favorite fighter was even going to recover. Sure enough he did and he came back in 2005 to face Magic Fool for the 3rd time and I saw some desire there but I could sense the timing was not perfect. Finally on July 29, 2006 I saw flashes of my boxing hero again as he fought a journeyman but he got to shake the ring rust out and win. July 14, 2007 he fights Anthony Hanshaw and I see more flashes of the fighter I had grown to call great. The quickness was back, the desire, the passion, and the look were all back. So now I see Roy Jones Jr. doing interviews and I see what I need to see in him. I see what I saw on March 1, 2003 when he came up and defeated John Ruiz for the WBA Heavyweight title. Now I am excited. I hear all the critics (especially the ones who can't fight) saying Roy is 39, he has been KOd twice, he is a shell of himself and all this extra blah blah blah. But you know what there ain't a damn thing you can do with a man who has his swagger back, God in His corner and will not take no for an answer. Right now that man is Roy Jones Jr. and he said "Tito Must Go in Fo" and Damn It Tito is going in Fo. So welcome back Mr. Roy Jones Jr. you have been well missed by those who never stopped believing.

Life Goes On...Right Miguel??

WBA Welterweight Champion of the world Miguel Cotto was on the De La Hoya lottery list but unfortunately it appears he is not the winner. So life goes on for him. It is being rumored that Miguel Cotto is going to fight Alfonso Gomez from Contender fame. No it is not the dream fight but Gomez has really improved in skills and is willing to fight anyone. Sure I have 40-1 odds on the fight in favor of Cotto if it happens but in boxing anything can happen. Now with that said Miguel Cotto who is one of my favorite fighters because of his fight style and tough attitude is not one to train lightly or look past anyone. So I am saying Cotto will beat Gomez down like a hammer to a nail. Many would say this is a take a break fight for Cotto and I would agree. Cotto deserves it though because he has consistently fought 3-4 times a year for years and has never fought any easy fights. Fighting Zab Judah and Sugar Shane Mosley last year was not easy not including he fought a tough mandatory challenger in Oktay Urkal in March. When I watch a Miguel Cotto fight I know I am going to see a fighter who gives far more than 100% no matter how many cuts or how much blood that sheds. So for those who may complain about him fighting Gomez (if the fight does happen) understand he tried to get Mayweather and De La Hoya first and they in turn decided to fight each other instead. Although I still think he would lose to Mayweather I do think as great of a fighter as Cotto is he is more than deserving of a shot at Mayweather. Hopefully he will get the huge names to fight him soon but if not life goes on and for Miguel so will his great career.

**********************************UPDATE*******************************

April 26 on HBO World Championship Boxing at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ seems to be the date, network and venue for Miguel Cotto-Alfonso Gomez. Also it is very likely on the televised undercard Zab Judah will face Antonio Margarito. Assuming Cotto wins he will meet up with the winner of Judah-Margarito. If its Judah that will be a rematch to their 2007 battle in which Cotto TKOd Judah in the 11th. If it is Margarito it will be a fight that has been talked about for some time and never happened. Looks like a great night of boxing on April 26.

Back to the Basics

September 29, 2007 Jermain Taylor fought the very tough Kelly Pavlik and lost by 7th Round KO. It was the end to a spiraling disaster many had seen. I am a firm believer that if you stick to the basics and keep what works for you everything should work out. Jermain defeated Bernard Hopkins twice to claim the Middleweight crown and I was so happy for him. He was great young fighter who had a lot of respect for himself, others and the sport of boxing. I saw some weaknesses in fight game but I figured they would be worked out with his trainer Pat Burns as time went by. Then out of nowhere to me at least Pat Burns was fired and replaced by Emmanuel Steward. I think Steward is a wonderful trainer but I had my doubts about him coming into Taylors camp. I liked Pat Burns and thought he had a love for Jermain that no other trainer would. First fight for Jermain with Steward was with Winky Wright. The fight ended in a draw but it was a hard fought draw but one that I agreed with. However in the fights after, against Kassim Ouma and Cory Spinks, I really was baffled by the fighter I was seeing. Jermain looked confused and very unsure of himself not to mention the left jab that I was loving up to he won the title had disappeared. Hell I had put a search party out to find it. Yes Jermain won the fights but he looked less than stellar and probably should have knocked both Ouma and Spinks out. So then the fight with Kelly Pavlik comes and Jermain is preparing and at first I was think Pavlik was overrated. Then as HBO flashed into the locker rooms I saw Pavlik and how his punches appeared to be harder and more crisp that Jermain's. At that time I said to my then girlfriend, Jermain is going to lose although I don't want him to. I hear some of you thinking you turncoat, no it ain't like that because I even had a bet going with someone that Taylor would win. So the bell rings and Pavlik looks very relaxed and was outjabbing Jermain and Jermain looked nervous to me. He was hyper and unsure looking to me which made me feel like Pavlik would win. Then the 2nd round and Taylor catches Pavlik and gets him hurt and knocks him down. I am like cool maybe my instinct was wrong and Jermain will finish Pavlik I mean he had over a minute in the round to do so. Wrong!!! Jermain did not put together the proper punches and ended up wasting a lot of energy. 3rd round comes and Pavlik stands up and acts like nothing happened in the 2nd round. As Pavlik gets going he appears stronger than Jermain who keeps his left hand low and was making me nervous doing so. Then it came in the 7th round a hard right hand that hurt Taylor and eventually stopped him. So now February 16,2008 the rematch is set. Emmanuel Steward is gone and Jermain is being trained by his amateur coach Ozell Nelson. I've heard Jermain say he has gone back to the basics of training which I think will benefit him. Working on his condition, strength, his jab, straight hands, and defense. As the fight gets closer I keep looking out to see the changes in Jermain and the above picture makes me think he is getting back to the basics for real. Have to admit the favorite is Kelly Pavlik but I think my man Jermain has something to prove and if he truly focuses on the basics I think he will win. Good Luck Jermain I am still rooting for you.

Besides Money... What is the Point?????

Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Oscar De La Hoya II, it is not official but it is going to happen. Trust me it is going to happen. Yes it stands to make a trunk load of money but other than that what is the point. The first fight May 5, 2007 got fans, both true and casual, very excited and hyped. HBO threw lots of money in promoting the fight with the 24/7 series and then the fight itself was a let down in boxing terms. Financially it was the greatest fight ever with 2.4 million ppv buys and a huge soldout gate. However that is where the greatness stopped. Mayweather won a SD over De la Hoya who only fights once a year and it showed. Mayweather who trashed talked about standing toe to toe and KOing Oscar did not come close to KOing him. De La Hoya once again announced he was in the best shape of his career to only look sluggish and tired from the middle rounds to the end. However (possibly September 20, 2008 now) these two men will probably get in the ring again. There is really no history or legacy at stake here unless something wild happens during the fight. Oscar will go to the Hall of Fame for what he has already done as well as Floyd. In most eyes including mine if Floyd wants to further cement his career he would fight Miguel Cotto. Sure it may not get him the same amount of money but it would still generate him plenty of cash to continue to throw around strip clubs. Oscar on the other hand just wants money and attention still. He is not as good as he was and really has lost most of the big fights of his career, Bernard Hopkins, Felix Trinidad, Mayweather, and twice to Sugar Shane Mosley. However his name still speaks volumes and demands money and attention. In my honest opinion Oscar needs to either fight more than once a year or become a full-time promoter. Granted the biggest name on his GoldenBoy Promotions books is his own but there comes a time for everyone to pass the torch. If Oscar never fought again no one could complain because he has done so much for the sport of boxing and will continue to do so with his promotional company. However my thoughts and opinions as well as many fans opinions do not matter to the fighters especially when money is available. Yes I will buy and watch the fight whenever it comes on because that is the boxing fan I am. With that said I do not see the rematch breaking any records this round unless something truly dramatic happens in the buildup to fight. But right now myself and many others are left pondering the question, Besides Money... What is the Point?????

And the Oppnonent Is...

In the boxing world our superstar is Oscar De La Hoya. It used to be Tyson but now it is all about Oscar. He fights on certain dates (Cinco De Mayo weekend or Mexican Independence weekend) and the whole boxing world stops and waits to see what he is going to say. So ever since Oscar lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5th the boxing world has speculated if he would fight again in 2007 then that passed by and we speculated on who he would fight. First it was going to be Ricky Hatton but Hatton got KOd by Mayweather in dominating fashion. Earlier in 2007 Oscar said he made a promise to his wife Mille that he would not fight another Puerto Rican because she is Puerto Rican. However money talks and promises go out the window. Miguel Cotto looked like an opponent for Oscar because he beat Oscar's friend, business partner, and the only man to beat him twice Sugar Shane Mosley. Then Oscar started saying he saw flaws in Cotto. Now the rumors going around is that Oscar is going for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. We all know the date of the fight, it is May 3 during Cinco De Mayo weekend. We just wait for boxing's Prince to make his choice and get it on. The funny thing about Oscar is he holds up everyone's plans until he states his opponent. Cotto has not made plans because he is waiting for Oscar. Ricky Hatton has not said too much because Oscar has not made his plans. Floyd is just waiting for a dollar amount and he will surface quicker than a shark at the smell of blood. Then we have the far off chance fighters who still have hope such as Zab Super Dumb Judah, Antonio Margarito, and a few others who don't have a chance at the fight. However just like them we await the say day when Oscar makes his announcement and says that on May 3, 2008 his opponent is...

*****************************UPDATE**************************

Strong rumors suggest the opponent is none other than... Pretty Boy Floyd Money Mayweather Jr. What can I say it must be the $$$$$MONEY$$$$$

Edison Miranda + Jean Pascal

January 11, 2008 Edison Miranda fought David Banks of Season 3 Contender and Jean Pascal fought Omar Pittman. The setup of this fight was it would be tuneups for Miranda and Pascal setting them up to fight in June.

First up was Pascal who fought a confused looking and acting Omar Pittman who he dominated in the early rounds. However in the 7th round Pittman finally got in a good shot on Pascal while he had his left low. He was stunned and wobbled and began to hold. Pascal who keeps his guard down very low especially his left got caught on a few occasions but unfortunately not finished as he survived and won the fight by UD. Had that same situation occured with any other fighter Pascal could still be sleep now. Pittman did not know how to handle the situation at hand and let a wounded fighter get away. It would have been a great upset fight and a great confident builder for Pittman who looks like he is unsure of himself as a boxer. Jean Pascal though is very cocky and as one of my boxing friends put it Pascal ain't nothing but a broke man's Roy Jones Jr. If he would have got KOd it definitely would have been a reality check. When you watch Pascal, he tries to hang his guard low and rely on his quickness but he is far less skilled than Roy Jones Jr. Hopefully being hurt in a fight taught him a lesson but if not look for him to hit the canvas soon.

Next up was Edison Miranda who loves to get the KO and last night was no different. David Banks is a cool cat but was not even on the level of Miranda and it showed. Banks needs to fight a few more bums to get his skills in better position to see if he can really box. With no amateur experience and less than 20 professional fights he is still trying to get a decent style that works for him. Plus there is a lot he still needs to learn and getting KO can help you see the issue but can also end your career before it starts. He did frustrate Miranda a little but not much. In the 3rd round Miranda threw a blinding left jab and came back with a hard a$$ overhand right and dropped Banks on top of the bottom two ropes. Thus far the KO of the early 2008. If you want to see it look to right under First Great KO of 2008. Miranda who is powerful is starting to put his punches together better. Sure he has not been thoroughly challenged since his loss to Pavlik last year but I can see some improvements in his punches. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a new and improved Edison Miranda.

As time gets closer I will discuss the fight between Miranda and Pascal who clearly do not like each other and almost got into a fight right after Miranda KOd Banks. However for now just enjoy Miranda's KO of Banks.

Tarver-Lacy... Why??? What Is the Point???... Well Maybe Not After All

It appears Antonio Magic Fool Tarver will be fighting Jeff Long Lost Left Hook Lacy on April 12, 2008. The fight will be in Tampa which should generate a lot of interest since both guys are from Florida. This fight will be the main event with Glen Johnson challenging WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson as the co-main event. Jeff Lacy who was totally exposed by Joe Calzaghe in March 2006 for the amateur-professional boxer he is has never recovered. Lacy fought again in December 2006 winning a very unimpressive MD over Vitali Tsypko and tore his rotator cuff in the fight. A little over a year later Lacy returned to fight Peter Manfredo on the undercard of the Hatton-Mayweather fight. Again Lacy looked very unimpressive in winning a 10 round UD. However he looked bad enough (good enough) for Tarver to finally take the fight. Now that Lacy has been exposed it is time for Magic Fool Tarver to proclaim his true trash can value and fight Lacy. Tarver who is coming off his non Hall of Fame quality victories over Elvir Muriqi and the non-threatening Danny Santiago is ready to tell the world he is the best by fighting an exposed Lacy. Lets be honest Lacy's career ended in the UK on March 4, 2006 at the hands of Joe Calzaghe. Tarver's career highlight was May 15, 2004 when he closed his eyes and accidentally KOd Roy Jones Jr. Neither fighter are what they once were and the demand for this fight is only in a small part of Florida. I personally will watch the fight hoping and praying Lacy somehow finds his long lost left hook and knocks Tarver out of the ring. However logic tells me Tarver will pick apart the last pickings of Lacy and beat him by using his height and reach making Lacy swing wide and never connecting. Is this fight important, only for these two guys. Will this fight determine who is best, no however another chance for Tarver to possibly get KOd is enough for me. However if Tarver wins I will be asking the question many are asking about this fight... Why... What is the Point???


********************************Update**********************************
In boxing there is never such a thing as a sure thing. It appears the fight between Tarver and Lacy is NOT going to happen. Word is Jeff Lacy wants absolutely nothing to do with Gary Shaw who is the promoter of the card. Tarver is supposedly signed with Shaw at least for the fight April 12 and Jeff Lacy wants absolutely nothing to do with it. Shaw used to promote Jeff Lacy and somewhere in 2006 after Lacy lost to Calzaghe they had a huge falling out in which Lacy vowed to never fight under Shaw again. So since Gary Shaw is still the promoter of this card Jeff Lacy is not fighting at least against Tarver or while Gary Shaw is the promoter.

Hopkins-Calzaghe?? Early Comments

Its official, yet not official. The date is supposed to be April 12, 2008 yet nothing has been set in stone. Lets assume that it is set in stone and discuss this fight. Lets start with Joe Calzaghe. I have to admit I thought Joe was a hype from the UK until he just picked apart Jeff Lacy and made him look like an amateur who was getting paid. The combinations he put together were simply lovely, he used his height, reach, and speed advantages and showed the world he was more than a hype. For some that was not enough so November 2007 he fought Mikkel Kessler another undefeated fighter from Denmark. Just when many counted Joe out he stepped his fight game with an aggressive tough assault that broke down Kessler and proved that Joe Calzaghe is truly deserving of being a pound4pound best and possibly the best Super Middleweight ever. Bernard Hopkins is a hall of famer without a doubt based on his days as a Middleweight. Nowadays Hopkins is campaigning at Light Heavyweight where he is the Ring Magazine Champion. His activity of fighting is down to one fight a year and his last fight was not his best performance in beating Winky Wright. Now Bernard Hopkins is going to fight Joe Calzaghe. The fuel has been added to the fire by Titantic loads after Hopkins crossed the line stating he would not lose to a white boy at the weigh-in of Mayweather-Hatton. Pretty bold, stupid, uncalled for comment by Hopkins that angered me as man, boxing fan, and as a human. However I digress. So who will win the fight. Well Hopkins is a slow starter and fights very controlled. He does not like fighters who are very active, which is why he lost to Jermain Taylor twice. Bernard is almost 43, his energy level is not the same as it was in his 30s. He conserves his energy more and is very economical with his punches. If he can't get the other fighter to fight slow he is a little uncomfortable and my give up several of the early rounds like he did against Taylor. In my opinion Hopkins only fights 5-6 rounds total of a fight, the other part of the fight the other fighter is usually not moving in too fast because of Hopkins reputation of being a hard puncher and sometimes dirty. Now Joe Calzaghe is total opposite, throwing close to 1000 punches a fight and punching from many different odd angles. Joe is a southpaw who is quick and energized, not one to tire. Joe fights 3 full minutes of every round no matter the fighter. I do not see Joe being still for Bernard because that is not his fight style. This could be a gift and a curse. It could force Bernard to fight more than he wants or Joe could walk into something he does not see. One thing to remember is Bernard is undefeated against southpaws which is pretty impressive since most conventional fighters try to avoid southpaws. Speed and activity goes to Joe, but ring intelligence and power goes to Bernard. This fight looks to be taken by the fighter who imposes their will on the other fighter more consistently. The question is who will it be?

Sergio "The Latin FAKE" Mora

It is approaching almost 3 years since Sergio Mora won the first season of the Contender. And to be honest since then he has appeared to be everything less than a real contender. I have to admit I was rooting for Sergio to win the competition because I liked his attitude on the show but what a disappointment since. In October 2005 Mora had a rematch with Peter Manfredo Jr. in which I leaned towards Manfredo winning but Mora got the decision anyway. Mora then fought twice in 2006 against okay competition and winning both. However something just did not seem right for our Contender winner. He was not fighting other contenders but journeyman who most would never hear of again after he beat them. Then the chance of a lifetime came, Sergio Mora was offered the chance to fight then Undisputed Middleweight Champion of the World Jermain Taylor. I read articles and interviews Sergio conducted saying Jermain Taylor could never beat him, he was too quick for Jermain and all this other mess. Many including myself questioned why did he deserve this chance but yet just knew he would not miss this chance. Boy was I wrong, Mora like a true dumba$$ and fake turned down the fight because he did not like the location of Memphis where the fight was going to happen. He said he thought Taylor being from Arkansas would have the hometown edge. I mean for goodness sake he won the first Contender how dare the venue not be of Sergio's choice. So Sergio did what any smart businessman and boxer would do and stayed idle (What a dumba$$!!!). His fight with Kassim Ouma scheduled for the undercard of a HBOPPV in September was cancelled when Juan Manuel Marquez got injured. However have no fear, Sergio had a backup plan, an ace under his sleeve. His great plan was to fight the very dangerous, never heard of Elvin Ayala for less money and no notoriety. In this fight I think Sergio lost but somehow was awarded a gift draw. Now to prove his status as a true fake I mean contender (I was right the first time), Sergio is fighting January 11, 2008 against Rito Ruvalcaba who has not fought since 2004 when he was KOd in the first round by Jose Luis Zertuche. Sergio believes if he wins this fight it will put him right in the mix for a fight with current Middleweight Champion of the world Kelly Pavlik (Oh My!!!). If it does put him in the mix you better make sure the venue is the choice of The Contender Champion Sergio "The Latin Fake" Mora or else he may just have to sit idle and fight a bum for less money and respect.


***********************************Update**************************************
Congratulations to Sergio The Latin Fake Mora on his TKO over an opponent who had not fought since 2004. You are a true fake champion. Now do not hesitate to turn down anymore great opportunities to later fight bums from the past.

Lying and Proud of It

Antonio One Hit Wonder Tarver is a straight liar. I said it and I mean it. He knocked out Roy Jones Jr on May 15, 2004 and that was his claim to fame. However many wish he would use his magic and disappear. He keeps proclaiming to be the best at light heavyweight fighting bums at the bus stop. He thinks he belongs in the Hall of Fame from one punch. I will admit he KOd Roy Jones Jr and then won a UD over him in 2005 however other than that he is just a basic fighter. When he fought Glen Johnson he lost the first fight and won the rematch and ran from the trilogy. He gets a role in Rocky Balboa and claims to be so great. Then he faces Bernard Hopkins who he claimed he would KO in 5 rounds and even wears a shirt into the ring saying Legend Killer. Wrong he gets dominated and we do not hear from him for a long time. Then damn he came back and fought Elvir Muriqi and won a MD, not impressive. Chad Dawson calls him out and he has a million reasons why he did not take the fight. He then picks Danny Green to display these great skills and then would not sign the contract. So he picks Danny Santiago, wow a tough one there and KOs him. Then he gets on tv and says he is the best although he won't answer challenges. He won't fight Glen Johnson, Chad Dawson or anyone who is got any type of heart of a champion but he lies and says he is the best at light heavyweight. Honestly speaking he is my favorite fighter to watch in hopes that he will get knocked out of the ring and I am not the only one who feels that way. It is one thing to lie but being proud of it is ashame. However Antonio Tarver is proud to continue to lie and take up our television time. Only in America could a con artist be proud of lying on our tv. Congratulations Antonio Tarver you are a liar and proud.

Rumor... Wrong!!!! Possibility... Sadly Yes

Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield III????? I know I know this has got to be a horrible rumor. No it is not a a rumor it is a possibility. Mike Tyson who used to be the baddest man on the planet turned prisoner, turned drug addict is thinking about returning to the boxing ring. In an interview the other day Tyson stated he may return to the ring this year to face Evander Over the Hill Holyfield. So most thought after reading the interview with Tyson that Evander would come out, say no way and that would be the end of that. Wrong!!! Evander was interviewed yesterday and basically said he would take the fight. In case you missed their first two meetings, Evander beat up and KOd Tyson in the 11th round in their first meeting as a huge underdog and their second meeting is most known because Tyson bit off a piece of Evander's ear and was DQd. That was in 1997, now we are in 2008 and both fighters are way past their prime and in Tyson's case flat broke trying to stay drug free. In Evander's case he is chasing the dream of becoming Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World again which this fight will not even help. Plus if he loses he should do what he should have done years ago, retire. This fight would just be for money, lets be honest. There is no belts involved, no history involved, no recognition involved. As much as I love my legends enough is enough. However the fan I am for both I will buy the fight hoping I can see the legend that once was in both fighters and hopefully Tyson will win. If it doesn't happen I will be content, but if it does although I will shake my head, I will watch with my own dream of seeing their greatness again.

The Peterson Brothers

Last night on ShoBox the Peterson Brothers were in action again. First off was the younger more powerful brother, Anthony Peterson fighting an extremely rough Cuban Jose Izquierdo. Izquierdo was very active early going but Anthony was tagging him with some hard right hands. Eventually Anthony hard punches caught up with Izquierdo in the seventh round when Anthony dropped him. Then in the eight Anthony dropped him twice more forcing the stoppage. Anthony Peterson's record is now 26-0 with 19KOs. He is a strong lightweight contender and I think by the end of 2008 with at least 2 more tough fights in the middle Anthony could be ready to challenge for a world title.

Older brother Lamont Peterson put his undefeated record up against 35 year old undefeated Antonio Mesquita. Lamont is the better boxer of the two brothers and he outboxed, outpunched and outworked Mesquita over 10 rounds. Mesquita who had an undefeated record of 34-0 with 27KOs was game the whole fight and took some hard punches from Lamont but never went down. Just like his brother I think Lamont, 24-0 with 11KOs, could possibly be ready for a shot at a world title by the end of 2008 if he passes some harder test throughout the remainder of the year. So keep an eye out for the Peterson Brothers because they could both be champions by the end of 2008

R.I.P Yo-Sam Choi

January 2, 2008 Former WBC Flyweight Champion Yo-Sam Choi passed away. On Christmas day Choi fought and defeated Henri Amol on points and collapsed after the decision. Choi was rushed to the hospital where he had a 2 hour brain surgery. On Tuesday Jan 1, 2008 Choi was declared brain dead and officially died on January 2, 2008. Lets keep Choi and his family in our prayers. Once again R.I.P to Yo-Sam Choi, one of our boxing family and forever a champion. In a good act of kindness the WBC donated $10,000 to the Choi family.