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.