With no big fights set for the last weekend of May thanks to Zab Judah's arm injury, it's safe to go ahead and do the latest installment of our boxing power rankings. Some of my friends have asked why we don't just do a pound for pound list, and it's quite simple: there's already plenty of them out there, some of which are done by people who know a lot more about boxing than we do.
Our rankings reflect who's done well recently (defined as three years back from today) against opponents with good records. For more, read this.
On to the May rankings...
1. Miguel Cotto - 25.50 - If you read a site like this, you're definitely looking forward to seeing Cotto fight Antonio Margarito in July. You are excited, right?
2. David Haye - 24.15 - Now that he's signed to Golden Boy, he should be able to get the fights he wants at heavyweight. Wladimir Klitschko is one of them, no doubt.
3. Kelly Pavlik - 19.03 - There don't seem to be too many challenges left for him at middleweight (Arthur Abraham, maybe?). But how about moving up to face Joe Calzaghe?
4. Wladimir Klitschko - 19.00 - Hasn't captured the hearts of American fans. But they love him back home.
5. Manny Pacquiao - 16.61 - It almost seems sacrilegious to say it, but Pacman doesn't seem like the force of nature he once was. That may be even more apparent as he moves up to lightweight.
6. Floyd Mayweather Jr. - 15.60 - Oscar De La Hoya says he's got the strategy to beat Floyd when they face off again this fall. I'm not so sure.
7. Israel Vazquez - 15.30 - Hopefully this guy is enjoying some well-deserved down time. He had one of the ugliest faces I've ever seen on a winning boxer after his third fight with Rafael Marquez.
8. Chris John - 15.05 - He's staying active, though it's against boxers I don't know. Or anyone knows, for that matter.
9. Ricky Hatton - 14.76 - Give his team credit for understanding that his style doesn't lend itself to longevity. Hopefully the Hitman gives us a few more fights worth of thrills and then walks away.
10. Samuel Peter - 13.10 - Through no fault of his own, has little chance to get a shot at unifying the heavyweight titles. He can thank Vitali Klitschko for that.
The next 7: Nate Campbell, Juan Diaz, Antonio Margarito, Joe Calzaghe, Arthur Abraham, Cristian Mijares, Lucian Bute
24.5.08
Round By Round: Ricky Hatton vs. Juan Lazcano
The introductory segment explores how much Ricky Hatton may have left in the tank and what we might see tonight that's different than what we've seen from him before. It sure sounds like The Hitman's career may be winding down. Hatton says he hopes his best is yet to come, but saying and doing are two different things.
Oscar De La Hoya is on hand as co-promoter. He says Hatton may have about six fights left. He also speaks a little bit about recovering from a loss, and he guarantees he'll beat Floyd Mayweather when they officially sign to fight again.
Juan Lazcano comes to the ring, playing up his heritage with a sombrero. Michael Buffer introduces Hatton, and the sight of so many fans filling the stands in Manchester certainly is a spectacle. A short Ricky Hatton song plays, then The Hitman emerges to his customary "Blue Moon."
The tale of the tape shows Lazcano with a height advantage and a big edge in reach, but he is older and has been inactive for 15 months. Russell Watson handles "God Save the Queen" before we get down to business. The introductions are done and we're ready to go.
Round 1
Chants start immediately as Hatton comes forward. They wrestle back to the ropes. Hatton works the body on the break. Lazcano shoved back, then Hatton walks into some shots. Ricky jabs his way in; Hatton may be bleeding from the nose already. Ricky throwing the jab but missing the follow-up shots. Double lefts by Hatton coming in.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 2
Ricky comes out with more fire and he's landing better early on. Lazcano tries to jab but gets whacked to the body. It's actually pretty even on the inside on the clinch. Hatton slips in a right to the head as they tie up. Lazcano is scoring with the jab but needs something to go with it. Multiple jabs hit Hatton though he keeps coming. Body shots and a left upstairs by The Hitman.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 3
Hatton goes down early but it's an obvious slip and called that way. Nice 1-2 to the head by Ricky; Lazcano sneaks in an uppercut. Left hook and another by Ricky. Hatton gets clocked coming in and Lazcano tries to follow to the body. The ref warns Ricky for hitting behind the head. Hatton still digging to the body but he's getting hit repeatedly in the head. That was a close round that could have gone either way.
Franchise: 10-9 Lazcano
Round 4
Hatton hooking to the body and head and walking into some return fire as his head snaps back. Lazcano landing multiple punches to the head and body. Now Hatton turns it on and lands to the head and body. Right hand to the body followed by left hooks to the head as The Hitman looks better in this round. Lazcano still surprisingly effective when they tie up.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 5
Lazcano in danger of just being overwhelmed by Hatton's continuous pressure now. Hatton still letting go with body shots with both hands; Lazcano using an uppercut in close. Right to the body and left to the head by Hatton. Now Lazcano digs in and throws a flurry in the center of the ring. Nice uppercut by Hatton followed with a left hook. They stand and trade along the ropes.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 6
Lazcano's corner wants more movement. The ref warns Juan for low shots. Hatton goes right back to work to the body and head. An extended clinch seems to frustrate Hatton. Lazcano throwing short uppercuts inside. Nice left hook upstairs by The Hitman. Good exchange in the center and both men get hit. Good action both ways as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 7
Sharp left early on by Ricky rocks Lazcano. Both men find the range as they fight with Juan's back against the ropes. The announcers think Ricky needs more head movement, but when doesn't he? Now Lazcano comes forward briefly. Hatton flurries and then ties things up. Multiple lefts and a right hand to the head by Ricky.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 8
Hatton showing some fire right out of the gate; the announcers think Lazcano may have said something to him between rounds. Right uppercut knocks Lazcano back. More in-fighting with neither man getting a big advantage. Possible low shot may have dazed Ricky. Lazcano turns it on, sensing he may have his foe hurt. Now Ricky comes back firing as Lazcano may have temporarily punched himself out. Repeated hooks landing to Juan's head, but that round may go to the challenger.
Franchise: 10-9 Lazcano
Round 9
If he was hurt, Hatton not showing it now. He's still throwing body shots and getting hit in the head in return. Lazcano comes forward and is firing more than he was earlier in the fight. Hatton batters Lazcano back to the ropes and the announcers say his right eye may be swelling. Left hook by The Hitman and they tie up. Hatton scoring with both hands but also swinging and missing some. Right hand by Lazcano answered by a Hatton left.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 10
Both guys charge in and they wrestle a bit. They both eat some leather going back into the corner. The ref checks Lazcano for something; he's cut and the ref says it was caused by a punch. Lead right lands for Hatton and he works the body. Lazcano scores with two big lefts and Hatton looks dazed. The ref stops it and sends the men back to their corners. It looks like Hatton's boot was untied, quite the break as he looked like he may have been in trouble.
Franchise: 10-9 Lazcano
Round 11
Hatton looks okay for now and scores with a right. Another nice right upstairs. Doesn't look like Lazcano can follow up on his success from last round. Uppercut inside by Hatton and the ref warns both men for grabbing. Ricky goes back to the attack but Lazcano is weathering the storm. Roughhousing inside and the ref is busy now.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 12
The fighters touch gloves to start the final round. Lazcano is trying to go for broke but there are too many clinches. Hatton backs him up and goes to the body with both hands. Ricky's aggressiveness should carry him to this victory but Lazcano certainly was game. Left hook by Hatton and another left behind it. Juan looks to be out of gas as the final seconds tick away.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Franchise scores it 117-111 for Hatton. The judges score it 120-110, 118-110, 120-108, all to the winner by unanimous decision, Ricky "Hitman" Hatton.
British officials won't let a camera in the ring for a post-fight interview; that's apparently against the rules in England. Hatton grabs a microphone and addresses the fans who haven't filed out yet. He thanks them for their support and one final chant gets going.
Wally Matthews finally catches up with Ricky outside the ring. He says he wanted to box more, but he admits he made it exciting as usual. Hatton also says fighting in front of so many fans was a big plus but also made him nervous. Ricky feels like he had Lazcano in trouble with his boxing skills but left himself at risk trying to take advantage. He also admits he was hurt in the tenth round.
Oscar De La Hoya is on hand as co-promoter. He says Hatton may have about six fights left. He also speaks a little bit about recovering from a loss, and he guarantees he'll beat Floyd Mayweather when they officially sign to fight again.
Juan Lazcano comes to the ring, playing up his heritage with a sombrero. Michael Buffer introduces Hatton, and the sight of so many fans filling the stands in Manchester certainly is a spectacle. A short Ricky Hatton song plays, then The Hitman emerges to his customary "Blue Moon."
The tale of the tape shows Lazcano with a height advantage and a big edge in reach, but he is older and has been inactive for 15 months. Russell Watson handles "God Save the Queen" before we get down to business. The introductions are done and we're ready to go.
Round 1
Chants start immediately as Hatton comes forward. They wrestle back to the ropes. Hatton works the body on the break. Lazcano shoved back, then Hatton walks into some shots. Ricky jabs his way in; Hatton may be bleeding from the nose already. Ricky throwing the jab but missing the follow-up shots. Double lefts by Hatton coming in.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 2
Ricky comes out with more fire and he's landing better early on. Lazcano tries to jab but gets whacked to the body. It's actually pretty even on the inside on the clinch. Hatton slips in a right to the head as they tie up. Lazcano is scoring with the jab but needs something to go with it. Multiple jabs hit Hatton though he keeps coming. Body shots and a left upstairs by The Hitman.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 3
Hatton goes down early but it's an obvious slip and called that way. Nice 1-2 to the head by Ricky; Lazcano sneaks in an uppercut. Left hook and another by Ricky. Hatton gets clocked coming in and Lazcano tries to follow to the body. The ref warns Ricky for hitting behind the head. Hatton still digging to the body but he's getting hit repeatedly in the head. That was a close round that could have gone either way.
Franchise: 10-9 Lazcano
Round 4
Hatton hooking to the body and head and walking into some return fire as his head snaps back. Lazcano landing multiple punches to the head and body. Now Hatton turns it on and lands to the head and body. Right hand to the body followed by left hooks to the head as The Hitman looks better in this round. Lazcano still surprisingly effective when they tie up.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 5
Lazcano in danger of just being overwhelmed by Hatton's continuous pressure now. Hatton still letting go with body shots with both hands; Lazcano using an uppercut in close. Right to the body and left to the head by Hatton. Now Lazcano digs in and throws a flurry in the center of the ring. Nice uppercut by Hatton followed with a left hook. They stand and trade along the ropes.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 6
Lazcano's corner wants more movement. The ref warns Juan for low shots. Hatton goes right back to work to the body and head. An extended clinch seems to frustrate Hatton. Lazcano throwing short uppercuts inside. Nice left hook upstairs by The Hitman. Good exchange in the center and both men get hit. Good action both ways as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 7
Sharp left early on by Ricky rocks Lazcano. Both men find the range as they fight with Juan's back against the ropes. The announcers think Ricky needs more head movement, but when doesn't he? Now Lazcano comes forward briefly. Hatton flurries and then ties things up. Multiple lefts and a right hand to the head by Ricky.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 8
Hatton showing some fire right out of the gate; the announcers think Lazcano may have said something to him between rounds. Right uppercut knocks Lazcano back. More in-fighting with neither man getting a big advantage. Possible low shot may have dazed Ricky. Lazcano turns it on, sensing he may have his foe hurt. Now Ricky comes back firing as Lazcano may have temporarily punched himself out. Repeated hooks landing to Juan's head, but that round may go to the challenger.
Franchise: 10-9 Lazcano
Round 9
If he was hurt, Hatton not showing it now. He's still throwing body shots and getting hit in the head in return. Lazcano comes forward and is firing more than he was earlier in the fight. Hatton batters Lazcano back to the ropes and the announcers say his right eye may be swelling. Left hook by The Hitman and they tie up. Hatton scoring with both hands but also swinging and missing some. Right hand by Lazcano answered by a Hatton left.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 10
Both guys charge in and they wrestle a bit. They both eat some leather going back into the corner. The ref checks Lazcano for something; he's cut and the ref says it was caused by a punch. Lead right lands for Hatton and he works the body. Lazcano scores with two big lefts and Hatton looks dazed. The ref stops it and sends the men back to their corners. It looks like Hatton's boot was untied, quite the break as he looked like he may have been in trouble.
Franchise: 10-9 Lazcano
Round 11
Hatton looks okay for now and scores with a right. Another nice right upstairs. Doesn't look like Lazcano can follow up on his success from last round. Uppercut inside by Hatton and the ref warns both men for grabbing. Ricky goes back to the attack but Lazcano is weathering the storm. Roughhousing inside and the ref is busy now.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Round 12
The fighters touch gloves to start the final round. Lazcano is trying to go for broke but there are too many clinches. Hatton backs him up and goes to the body with both hands. Ricky's aggressiveness should carry him to this victory but Lazcano certainly was game. Left hook by Hatton and another left behind it. Juan looks to be out of gas as the final seconds tick away.
Franchise: 10-9 Hatton
Franchise scores it 117-111 for Hatton. The judges score it 120-110, 118-110, 120-108, all to the winner by unanimous decision, Ricky "Hitman" Hatton.
British officials won't let a camera in the ring for a post-fight interview; that's apparently against the rules in England. Hatton grabs a microphone and addresses the fans who haven't filed out yet. He thanks them for their support and one final chant gets going.
Wally Matthews finally catches up with Ricky outside the ring. He says he wanted to box more, but he admits he made it exciting as usual. Hatton also says fighting in front of so many fans was a big plus but also made him nervous. Ricky feels like he had Lazcano in trouble with his boxing skills but left himself at risk trying to take advantage. He also admits he was hurt in the tenth round.
Round By Round: Paulie Malignaggi vs. Lovemore N'dou
Manchester, England is the site for Ricky Hatton's homecoming fight, but first up is Paulie Malignaggi's rematch with Lovemore N'dou, a fight that wasn't exactly competitive the first time around. A video package takes us inside the head of the Magic Man, who promises to excite the crowd with flashy combinations. He'll have to hope that's enough to do it, because he doesn't get it done with his power.
The announcers discuss the fact that Paulie's trainer wasn't thrilled that Malignaggi moved his training camp to Sicily. Michael Buffer is ready to start the introductions, bringing N'dou to the ring first. The tale of the tape shows Paulie is nine years younger and has small height and reach advantages. Malignaggi is wearing what looks like a luchadore (Mexican wrestler) mask. The fans don't seem to be digging it, but that may be the point.
Round 1
Paulie comes out working the jab. N'dou trying to throw the right in response. He's actually landing more in the early going. Now Paulie flurries and a jab lands flush. Flurry along the ropes by Malignaggi. Quick shots to the body as they tie up. Sloppy exchanges along the ropes; Paulie is clearly quicker but doesn't look super sharp yet.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Round 2
The announcers are really giving Paulie crap for his long hair. He's jumping in with the jab again. Nice short lefts both ways. Lots of wrestling in close that the ref is letting go. A couple of left hooks by N'dou and more grappling. Big swing and miss by Malignaggi coming in. Right hand by N'dou; flurry in response by Magic Man. Neither fighter got too much done in that round.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 3
More wild swinging and missing right out of the gate. Paulie goes back to the jab. N'dou trying to load up but can't find the range when he throws. Left and a right by N'dou and the announcers think Paulie's glove touched the canvas. Malignaggi feinting but not always finding any openings. Tough round to score but N'dou may have won it off of one exchange.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 4
Paulie may have a cut along his right eye. His jab is in evidence once again. Backed into one corner for more ugliness. Paulie goes to the body and N'dou's right hand response is picked off. Magic Man ducking and snapping off quick lefts. Not sure if this is the showcase Paulie hoped for, but he is winning so far.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 5
Nice flurry backs Lovemore all the way up but he shakes his head as if to say he's not hurt. Paulie dancing around in both directions so he's not there to be hit. Rare right hands by Paulie coming in. Quick exchange and Paulie gets the best of it, then N'dou knocks him off balance with a right hand. Thudding left by Lovemore. The ref is getting a little more involved as things progress. More dancing until the end of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 6
Paulie circles but N'dou lands a quick two-punch combo. A right finds the mark as well. Magic Man backs his foe into the corner but can't land clean. They tie up in the center. Paulie goes back to the jab; nothing much of consequence landed in the second half of that round.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 7
Malignaggi getting instructions to triple up on the jab; that's pretty much all he's been doing. He snaps N'dou's head back with a few more and they tie up again. Finally a right hand by Lovemore. Paulie goes right back to the jab. N'dou has the right hand cocked but he's not letting it go. Paulie lands lefts to the body and head. Nice right hand to the head by N'dou; biggest shot so far. The announcers think Paulie may be hurt but I'm not so sure.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Round 8
After tasting the right last round, Paulie goes back to circling. The ref calls a timeout so Paulie can get his long hair tied back again; the fans aren't amused and let go with some boos. N'dou stalking and Malignaggi not throwing as much in return. Lovemore also landing a few jabs now. Right to the head and left to the body by N'dou. Paulie tries to throw to the body as they wrestle. Quick left hook by N'dou coming in. The challenger laughs a bit as the round comes to a close.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Round 9
No lie: Malignaggi got his hair cut between rounds. He seems to have a bit more spark now and works multiple jabs. Short left by N'dou. Lovemore loads up a right. Nice exchange int he center of the ring. A little better round for Paulie and his corner is telling him the fight is close.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Round 10
Wrestling along the ropes, then both guys land lefts in the center of the ring. Neither guy looking too good right now. N'dou still looking for that right hand. Nice combo by Paulie and he dances back out of trouble. Malignaggi trying to make sure he wins this one with a flurry of light punches. Quick jab by Paulie as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 11
Neither man can get the upper hand inside. The announcers want to see more from N'dou. N'dou comes firing off the ropes but nothing big lands. The fans are a little louder, but probably because this one is coming to a close. Good quick combo by Paulie. Short rights by Malignaggi and he did enough to win this round.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 12
The announcers are speculating that Paulie has hurt his right hand, a problem that has plagues him before. N'dou lands a right hand that sends Malignaggi stumbling back. Not exactly a final round for the ages. Left by N'dou and Malignaggi fires back. Right to the body by Lovemore; left to the head by Paulie and it's over.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Franchise and Uatu both score it 115-113 for Malignaggi. The judges score it 115-113 N'dou, 116-112 Malignaggi and 116-113 Malignaggi. The winner by split decision, and still IBF light welterweight champion, Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi.
Apparently Malignaggi broke his right hand (again) during the fight. He tells Wally Matthews he broke it during the sixth round, and he had to stop jabbing as well because N'dou was timing it. Paulie admits that the hair may have caught him a round or two and will never wear it that long again. He vows he'll be a better fighter with two hands if he gets a shot at Hatton.
The announcers discuss the fact that Paulie's trainer wasn't thrilled that Malignaggi moved his training camp to Sicily. Michael Buffer is ready to start the introductions, bringing N'dou to the ring first. The tale of the tape shows Paulie is nine years younger and has small height and reach advantages. Malignaggi is wearing what looks like a luchadore (Mexican wrestler) mask. The fans don't seem to be digging it, but that may be the point.
Round 1
Paulie comes out working the jab. N'dou trying to throw the right in response. He's actually landing more in the early going. Now Paulie flurries and a jab lands flush. Flurry along the ropes by Malignaggi. Quick shots to the body as they tie up. Sloppy exchanges along the ropes; Paulie is clearly quicker but doesn't look super sharp yet.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Round 2
The announcers are really giving Paulie crap for his long hair. He's jumping in with the jab again. Nice short lefts both ways. Lots of wrestling in close that the ref is letting go. A couple of left hooks by N'dou and more grappling. Big swing and miss by Malignaggi coming in. Right hand by N'dou; flurry in response by Magic Man. Neither fighter got too much done in that round.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 3
More wild swinging and missing right out of the gate. Paulie goes back to the jab. N'dou trying to load up but can't find the range when he throws. Left and a right by N'dou and the announcers think Paulie's glove touched the canvas. Malignaggi feinting but not always finding any openings. Tough round to score but N'dou may have won it off of one exchange.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 4
Paulie may have a cut along his right eye. His jab is in evidence once again. Backed into one corner for more ugliness. Paulie goes to the body and N'dou's right hand response is picked off. Magic Man ducking and snapping off quick lefts. Not sure if this is the showcase Paulie hoped for, but he is winning so far.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 5
Nice flurry backs Lovemore all the way up but he shakes his head as if to say he's not hurt. Paulie dancing around in both directions so he's not there to be hit. Rare right hands by Paulie coming in. Quick exchange and Paulie gets the best of it, then N'dou knocks him off balance with a right hand. Thudding left by Lovemore. The ref is getting a little more involved as things progress. More dancing until the end of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 6
Paulie circles but N'dou lands a quick two-punch combo. A right finds the mark as well. Magic Man backs his foe into the corner but can't land clean. They tie up in the center. Paulie goes back to the jab; nothing much of consequence landed in the second half of that round.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 7
Malignaggi getting instructions to triple up on the jab; that's pretty much all he's been doing. He snaps N'dou's head back with a few more and they tie up again. Finally a right hand by Lovemore. Paulie goes right back to the jab. N'dou has the right hand cocked but he's not letting it go. Paulie lands lefts to the body and head. Nice right hand to the head by N'dou; biggest shot so far. The announcers think Paulie may be hurt but I'm not so sure.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Round 8
After tasting the right last round, Paulie goes back to circling. The ref calls a timeout so Paulie can get his long hair tied back again; the fans aren't amused and let go with some boos. N'dou stalking and Malignaggi not throwing as much in return. Lovemore also landing a few jabs now. Right to the head and left to the body by N'dou. Paulie tries to throw to the body as they wrestle. Quick left hook by N'dou coming in. The challenger laughs a bit as the round comes to a close.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Round 9
No lie: Malignaggi got his hair cut between rounds. He seems to have a bit more spark now and works multiple jabs. Short left by N'dou. Lovemore loads up a right. Nice exchange int he center of the ring. A little better round for Paulie and his corner is telling him the fight is close.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Round 10
Wrestling along the ropes, then both guys land lefts in the center of the ring. Neither guy looking too good right now. N'dou still looking for that right hand. Nice combo by Paulie and he dances back out of trouble. Malignaggi trying to make sure he wins this one with a flurry of light punches. Quick jab by Paulie as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 11
Neither man can get the upper hand inside. The announcers want to see more from N'dou. N'dou comes firing off the ropes but nothing big lands. The fans are a little louder, but probably because this one is coming to a close. Good quick combo by Paulie. Short rights by Malignaggi and he did enough to win this round.
Franchise: 10-9 Malignaggi
Uatu: 10-9 Malignaggi
Round 12
The announcers are speculating that Paulie has hurt his right hand, a problem that has plagues him before. N'dou lands a right hand that sends Malignaggi stumbling back. Not exactly a final round for the ages. Left by N'dou and Malignaggi fires back. Right to the body by Lovemore; left to the head by Paulie and it's over.
Franchise: 10-9 N'dou
Uatu: 10-9 N'dou
Franchise and Uatu both score it 115-113 for Malignaggi. The judges score it 115-113 N'dou, 116-112 Malignaggi and 116-113 Malignaggi. The winner by split decision, and still IBF light welterweight champion, Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi.
Apparently Malignaggi broke his right hand (again) during the fight. He tells Wally Matthews he broke it during the sixth round, and he had to stop jabbing as well because N'dou was timing it. Paulie admits that the hair may have caught him a round or two and will never wear it that long again. He vows he'll be a better fighter with two hands if he gets a shot at Hatton.
Live Round By Round Updates for Hatton-Lazcano Later Today
No Versus? No problem. We'll be bringing you live round by round recaps of Ricky Hatton's return to his native England as he takes on Juan Lazcano. Also Paul "Magic Man" Malignaggi aims to set himself up for a future bout with The Hitman by winning a rematch with Lovemore N'dou.
American fans, don't forget that it's an afternoon card thanks to the time difference between the U.S. and Europe. If you can't see the fights, bookmark us here at BoxingWatchers.com and we'll tell you how it's going down as it happens.
American fans, don't forget that it's an afternoon card thanks to the time difference between the U.S. and Europe. If you can't see the fights, bookmark us here at BoxingWatchers.com and we'll tell you how it's going down as it happens.
23.5.08
Predictions: Hatton vs. Lazcano, Malignaggi vs. Ndou
The Franchise says...
Ricky Hatton returns home to soak in the adulation of his enthusiastic fans and, he hopes, set his career back on track after getting knocked out by Floyd Mayweather last December. It's tough to tell what to make of his opponent, Juan Lazcano, who hasn't fought since a February, 2007 points loss to Vivian Harris.
The Hitman's home court advantage is likely to manifest itself not only on the scorecards, but also in the way the fight is officiated. If Hatton is allowed to use his preferred roughhousing tactics on the inside without much flak from the ref, that should only heighten his expected edge in strength. Lazcano is taller and has a definite reach advantage, so his best hope seems to be to keep the fight on the outside - no small task against Hatton.
In the end, it really boils down to whether or not Hatton sustained the kind of beating against Floyd Jr. that can alter a fighter's career for the worse. When that happens it's usually pretty clear early in the next fight, so we should know in the first few rounds if that's the case with Ricky.
My gut says it's not. The home fans should provide more than enough energy for Hatton to wear down Lazcano en route to a late-round KO.
On the undercard, Paulie Malignaggi has his heart set on his own possible showdown with The Hitman. He's made that perfectly clear in recent interviews, and he's been just as frank that his career can't progress unless he keeps winning and looks good in the process.
Lucky for him, then, that he's in against someone who should provide the perfect foil. Malignaggi dominated Lovemore N'dou when they met last June, and there's no reason to expect any different outcome this time around. The only thing that would be a shock is a knockout: Malignaggi has never been KO'ed and has scored only five of his own in 24 career wins.
That makes this look like an easy call. The Magic Man cruises to an easy unanimous decision.
Ricky Hatton returns home to soak in the adulation of his enthusiastic fans and, he hopes, set his career back on track after getting knocked out by Floyd Mayweather last December. It's tough to tell what to make of his opponent, Juan Lazcano, who hasn't fought since a February, 2007 points loss to Vivian Harris.
The Hitman's home court advantage is likely to manifest itself not only on the scorecards, but also in the way the fight is officiated. If Hatton is allowed to use his preferred roughhousing tactics on the inside without much flak from the ref, that should only heighten his expected edge in strength. Lazcano is taller and has a definite reach advantage, so his best hope seems to be to keep the fight on the outside - no small task against Hatton.
In the end, it really boils down to whether or not Hatton sustained the kind of beating against Floyd Jr. that can alter a fighter's career for the worse. When that happens it's usually pretty clear early in the next fight, so we should know in the first few rounds if that's the case with Ricky.
My gut says it's not. The home fans should provide more than enough energy for Hatton to wear down Lazcano en route to a late-round KO.
On the undercard, Paulie Malignaggi has his heart set on his own possible showdown with The Hitman. He's made that perfectly clear in recent interviews, and he's been just as frank that his career can't progress unless he keeps winning and looks good in the process.
Lucky for him, then, that he's in against someone who should provide the perfect foil. Malignaggi dominated Lovemore N'dou when they met last June, and there's no reason to expect any different outcome this time around. The only thing that would be a shock is a knockout: Malignaggi has never been KO'ed and has scored only five of his own in 24 career wins.
That makes this look like an easy call. The Magic Man cruises to an easy unanimous decision.
19.5.08
20-20 Hindsight: End of the Road for Byrd, Boxing Creeping Back Into the Mainstream and More
One of the first title fights I ever had a chance to attend in person took place six years ago when Chris Byrd met Evander Holyfield for the IBF heavyweight belt at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. As I was just becoming a serious boxing fan at the time, I wasn't that familiar with Byrd, though I knew his reputation as a crafty defensive wizard.
I knew Holyfield was nearing the end of the road, but I was still impressed with Byrd's skills on that December night. He was more than just elusive, he actually had Holyfield swinging at thin air on more than one occasion. And though he didn't have much power, he could throw some crowd-pleasing combinations when he let his hands go. That performance and the fact that Byrd hailed from my mom's birthplace of Flint, Michigan were enough to win me over.
So it was with a little bit of sadness that I watched Byrd get knocked out by Shaun George this past Saturday. Already a strange sight slimmed down to 175 pounds, it was even stranger still to see him without any kind of movement in his upper or lower body. George had him lined up with right hands whenever he chose, and Byrd had nothing in the way of his own offense in most rounds.
My hope now is that Byrd hangs up the gloves. He had a successful and courageous career, campaigning against bigger foes at heavyweight more often than not and capturing two championships. You also can't argue against the competition he faced: both Klitschko brothers (Wladmir twice), Ike Ibeabuchi, David Tua, Holyfield, Fres Oquendo, Andrew Golota, Jameel McCline and Alexander Povetkin. This certainly isn't the greatest era in the heavyweight division, but Byrd fought nearly everyone it had to offer.
As for George, he looked good, but not good enough to think he'll be scaring the bigger names at 175. You got the feeling that he was there to be hit by someone with more weapons in the arsenal than Byrd had. We may get to find out down the road, as beating Byrd may open up some doors for him.
Switching gears for a minute, there was an interesting piece by Eric Raskin over on ESPN.com today. The central argument is that boxing is creeping back into the mainstream consciousness, thanks to fighters like Floyd Mayweather seeking out crossover opportunities and Ricky Hatton appearing on regular cable TV.
I agree that boxing is enjoying a mini-renaissance of sorts, but to continue to move forward, a few more things need to happen:
I knew Holyfield was nearing the end of the road, but I was still impressed with Byrd's skills on that December night. He was more than just elusive, he actually had Holyfield swinging at thin air on more than one occasion. And though he didn't have much power, he could throw some crowd-pleasing combinations when he let his hands go. That performance and the fact that Byrd hailed from my mom's birthplace of Flint, Michigan were enough to win me over.
So it was with a little bit of sadness that I watched Byrd get knocked out by Shaun George this past Saturday. Already a strange sight slimmed down to 175 pounds, it was even stranger still to see him without any kind of movement in his upper or lower body. George had him lined up with right hands whenever he chose, and Byrd had nothing in the way of his own offense in most rounds.
My hope now is that Byrd hangs up the gloves. He had a successful and courageous career, campaigning against bigger foes at heavyweight more often than not and capturing two championships. You also can't argue against the competition he faced: both Klitschko brothers (Wladmir twice), Ike Ibeabuchi, David Tua, Holyfield, Fres Oquendo, Andrew Golota, Jameel McCline and Alexander Povetkin. This certainly isn't the greatest era in the heavyweight division, but Byrd fought nearly everyone it had to offer.
As for George, he looked good, but not good enough to think he'll be scaring the bigger names at 175. You got the feeling that he was there to be hit by someone with more weapons in the arsenal than Byrd had. We may get to find out down the road, as beating Byrd may open up some doors for him.
Switching gears for a minute, there was an interesting piece by Eric Raskin over on ESPN.com today. The central argument is that boxing is creeping back into the mainstream consciousness, thanks to fighters like Floyd Mayweather seeking out crossover opportunities and Ricky Hatton appearing on regular cable TV.
I agree that boxing is enjoying a mini-renaissance of sorts, but to continue to move forward, a few more things need to happen:
- More boxing on free TV and less B.S. pay-per-views - The Hatton fight on Versus is a good start. My brother Spartan117 made a good point this weekend when he asked the bartender to put on Friday Night Fights at a bar in Florida and saw a bunch of people take interest. Casual fans will watch more boxing if they are exposed to it more often. On the PPV front, in a perfect world, only top match-ups between the biggest names would qualify for that treatment. Anything else makes hardcore fans have to decide how to spend their money - unquestionably a bad thing. It also weakens the sport in the eyes of less dedicated viewers when they see crappy fights on pay TV.
- The heavyweight division needs to get its act together - For whatever reason, the big guys have always been able to capture the imagination of the general public. It's tough to see boxing ever making permanent strides without some real drama and compelling championship fights at heavyweight.
- More personalities need to emerge - Love him or hate him, Floyd has been able to make a name for himself over the past few years because his flashy, cocky persona makes for good entertainment. It's something he didn't always understand, and he's now reaping the benefits. The next generation of champions will have to learn from his example and start to sell themselves as personalities early on. Hardcore fans will always appreciate the sport on its own merits, but the mainstream needs a little sizzle with its steak.
16.5.08
Round By Round: Chris Byrd vs. Shaun George
We're just about set for Chris Byrd's return to light heavyweight, taking on Shaun George on the main event of Friday Night Fights. A video package explores the former heavyweight champion's weight loss, as he dropped almost 40 pounds to go down two divisions. The reactions of other boxers upon seeing the slimmed-down Byrd - especially the look he got from Roy Jones - are pretty amusing. At his heaviest, Byrd fought a fight weighing 222 pounds; tonight he comes in at 174.
George comes in riding a three-fight winning streak. The trainers share some thoughts on the boxers' fight plans: Byrd needs to use his speed, George has to let his hands go and throw combinations. Referee Jay Nady gives the instructions and we're good to go.
Round 1
George comes out firing while Byrd is a little more cautious. Byrd paws with the right hand and George throws quick counters. Body and head combos by George. Now a nice counter left from Byrd. Sharp right upstairs wobbles Byrd. He gathers himself but looks pretty clueless at this point. A right hand to the body sends Byrd to the canvas, and though he hops up quickly, the announcers think he looks hurt.
Franchise: 10-8 George
Spartan117: 10-8 George
Round 2
Guest announcer Shannon Briggs says he's already worried about Byrd. He looks a little more aggressive but George is ready to return fire with multiple right hands. A hook starts off another combo for George. Byrd switches to a conventional stance but still has few answers. George looks like he can land the right any time he wants. Byrd tries to find the range with left hands before the bell but that was George's round all the way.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 George
Round 3
Byrd follows George around but can't land anything of consequence. Now Byrd gets off a combo and George is quick to respond. Briggs says George has the whole package but sometimes loses focus. Byrd ducks away from a few punches and tries to establish the jab. Left from Byrd; George scores with several rights. George looks too quick and too strong.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 Byrd
Round 4
Both men reaching with jabs. Byrd shakes his head and he looks a little more bouncy in this round. His biggest problem is an inability to land any power shots. Quick right-hand counters from George. Left to the body and right to the head by Byrd. George fighting more in spurts now; tough to tell if he's tiring or just staying cautious. Closer round.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 Byrd
Round 5
Brian Kenny touts Burd's willingness to fight the best at heavyweight but wonders about the harm it did him. Tarver is impressed with George but thinks he needs to close the show. George stays mobile and lands a right upstairs. Byrd finaly lets his hands go inside to the delight of the crowd. Byrd scoring with light punches while George looks for the big shots. Shaun finds the mark with more right hands; it would be nice to see something else with them. Byrd continuing to come forward but not throwing enough, and as Briggs points out, his jab is completely absent.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 George
Round 6
Now George uses a jab and throws the right behind it. Left uppercut and some more rights. Byrd lands some lefts but they look weak. A nice exchange in the center of the ring sees both men land. Byrd finally unleashes a combo along the ropes. He's also jabbing more. George may have lost that round by inactivity over the final two minutes.
Franchise: 10-9 Byrd
Spartan117: 10-9 Byrd
Round 7
Byrd told the announcers between rounds that he looks like crap. George shows a little more fire in the early going. Byrd's defense looking a little better as he picks off some shots with his gloves. He lands a right-left combo upstairs. Now he covers as George throws more rights. Not a real impressive round for either man.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 George
Round 8
George scores to the head with a right. Another one makes Byrd grimace. Nice left and right by Byrd and George tries to respond to the body. Joe Byrd Sr. thinks his son is getting old. Quick jab by George helps keep Byrd at bay. George's head looks like it's there to be hit but Byrd can't take advantage.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 George
Round 9
George tries to say he was hit low, but the ref says fight on. He doesn't look hurt too badly. George's trainer thinks his man should be doing more to get Byrd out of there. This round is being fought more in the center of the ring, and Briggs thinks a right hand hurt Byrd. He's still coming forward though. Nice left uppercut followed by a straight right and Byrd goes down again. Crushing lefts and rights put Byrd down a third time in the corner, and Nady calls a stop to it. George calling out Tarver and others as he yells into the camera.
The winner, by TKO at 2:45 of the ninth round, Shaun George. At the time of the stoppage, Franchise had it 79-72 for George, Spartan117 had it 77-74 for George.
Tarver says George has inserted himself as a major player in the light heavyweight division and that he expected this. He likes George's movement and the way he was able to land counter shots. The Magic Man doesn't think Byrd's fate was due to his weight loss as much as his long, punishing career at heavyweight.
George joins Brian Kenny and Briggs, and he says he had more motivation for this fight and trained harder than ever before. He was not surprised that he could hurt Byrd early, and though he says he's willing to fight anyone, he really wants Glen Johnson or the winner of Tarver-Chad Dawson.
Byrd's shoulder is injured, quite possibly when he landed awkwardly during the second knockdown.
George comes in riding a three-fight winning streak. The trainers share some thoughts on the boxers' fight plans: Byrd needs to use his speed, George has to let his hands go and throw combinations. Referee Jay Nady gives the instructions and we're good to go.
Round 1
George comes out firing while Byrd is a little more cautious. Byrd paws with the right hand and George throws quick counters. Body and head combos by George. Now a nice counter left from Byrd. Sharp right upstairs wobbles Byrd. He gathers himself but looks pretty clueless at this point. A right hand to the body sends Byrd to the canvas, and though he hops up quickly, the announcers think he looks hurt.
Franchise: 10-8 George
Spartan117: 10-8 George
Round 2
Guest announcer Shannon Briggs says he's already worried about Byrd. He looks a little more aggressive but George is ready to return fire with multiple right hands. A hook starts off another combo for George. Byrd switches to a conventional stance but still has few answers. George looks like he can land the right any time he wants. Byrd tries to find the range with left hands before the bell but that was George's round all the way.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 George
Round 3
Byrd follows George around but can't land anything of consequence. Now Byrd gets off a combo and George is quick to respond. Briggs says George has the whole package but sometimes loses focus. Byrd ducks away from a few punches and tries to establish the jab. Left from Byrd; George scores with several rights. George looks too quick and too strong.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 Byrd
Round 4
Both men reaching with jabs. Byrd shakes his head and he looks a little more bouncy in this round. His biggest problem is an inability to land any power shots. Quick right-hand counters from George. Left to the body and right to the head by Byrd. George fighting more in spurts now; tough to tell if he's tiring or just staying cautious. Closer round.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 Byrd
Round 5
Brian Kenny touts Burd's willingness to fight the best at heavyweight but wonders about the harm it did him. Tarver is impressed with George but thinks he needs to close the show. George stays mobile and lands a right upstairs. Byrd finaly lets his hands go inside to the delight of the crowd. Byrd scoring with light punches while George looks for the big shots. Shaun finds the mark with more right hands; it would be nice to see something else with them. Byrd continuing to come forward but not throwing enough, and as Briggs points out, his jab is completely absent.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 George
Round 6
Now George uses a jab and throws the right behind it. Left uppercut and some more rights. Byrd lands some lefts but they look weak. A nice exchange in the center of the ring sees both men land. Byrd finally unleashes a combo along the ropes. He's also jabbing more. George may have lost that round by inactivity over the final two minutes.
Franchise: 10-9 Byrd
Spartan117: 10-9 Byrd
Round 7
Byrd told the announcers between rounds that he looks like crap. George shows a little more fire in the early going. Byrd's defense looking a little better as he picks off some shots with his gloves. He lands a right-left combo upstairs. Now he covers as George throws more rights. Not a real impressive round for either man.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 George
Round 8
George scores to the head with a right. Another one makes Byrd grimace. Nice left and right by Byrd and George tries to respond to the body. Joe Byrd Sr. thinks his son is getting old. Quick jab by George helps keep Byrd at bay. George's head looks like it's there to be hit but Byrd can't take advantage.
Franchise: 10-9 George
Spartan117: 10-9 George
Round 9
George tries to say he was hit low, but the ref says fight on. He doesn't look hurt too badly. George's trainer thinks his man should be doing more to get Byrd out of there. This round is being fought more in the center of the ring, and Briggs thinks a right hand hurt Byrd. He's still coming forward though. Nice left uppercut followed by a straight right and Byrd goes down again. Crushing lefts and rights put Byrd down a third time in the corner, and Nady calls a stop to it. George calling out Tarver and others as he yells into the camera.
The winner, by TKO at 2:45 of the ninth round, Shaun George. At the time of the stoppage, Franchise had it 79-72 for George, Spartan117 had it 77-74 for George.
Tarver says George has inserted himself as a major player in the light heavyweight division and that he expected this. He likes George's movement and the way he was able to land counter shots. The Magic Man doesn't think Byrd's fate was due to his weight loss as much as his long, punishing career at heavyweight.
George joins Brian Kenny and Briggs, and he says he had more motivation for this fight and trained harder than ever before. He was not surprised that he could hurt Byrd early, and though he says he's willing to fight anyone, he really wants Glen Johnson or the winner of Tarver-Chad Dawson.
Byrd's shoulder is injured, quite possibly when he landed awkwardly during the second knockdown.
Friday Night Fights Report - 5/16/08 - Chris Byrd, Antonio Tarver in Studio and More
We've got quite an intriguing episode of Friday Night Fights on tap tonight. Former heavyweight champion Chris Byrd makes his return to light heavyweight against Shaun George after dropping two weight classes and almost 40 pounds. Always outspoken Antonio Tarver is scheduled to be the guest, and with Teddy Atlas off for the week, Shannon Briggs is helping out on commentary.
The first fight from Las Vegas features undefeated prospect Rulslan Provodnikov taking on Brian Gordon. Briggs says Provodnikov reminds him of Kostya Tszyu, at least in appearance and demeanor. Gordon has turned pro after two tours of duty in Iraq.
Provodnikov is the aggressor in the first round. Both men eat some hard shots but the Russian starts to find the range more often toward the end of the frame. Back in the studio, Tarver says he'd be surprised if we don't see the old Chris Byrd tonight.
The second round sees Provodnikov start to land some punishing body shots. He's definitely eating some shots in return but Gordon looks like he's coming out of the bad end of most exchanges. Briggs says he'd like to see Provodnikov jab his way in more instead of just walking forward. Gordon winces from several right hands as the second round winds down.
Gordon is definitely game, and he even opens up a cut on his opponent in the third round. But Provodnikov is throwing bombs to the body with both hands and mixing in some shots upstairs. The Russian goes down in the fourth but it is an obvious slip and is scored accordingly. Briggs gives all of the first four rounds to Provodnikov, though he admits they are tough rounds. He scores an even fifth round.
Gordon snaps Provodnikov's head back with a stiff right early in the sixth and final round. "He is Army tough, for real," quips Briggs. Both guys continue to trade until the final bell and we're going to head to the scorecards. Scores are 59-55, 58-56 and 60-54, all for the winner, Provodnikov.
Back to the studio for more with Tarver. They go over the Magic Man's resume, showing a clip from Rocky Balboa that gets him smiling. Tarver says he'd like to do more acting, but he's focused right now on his boxing career, with the specific goal of unifying the light heavyweight titles. They discuss his poor showing against Bernard Hopkins and his two victories in 2007.
Tarver is asked about his war of words with Clinton Woods leading up to their fight earlier this year, and he laughs, saying people thought he was acting. The clips are classic Tarver, and he says Woods came down with a case of "Post-Tarver Syndrome" after losing to the Magic Man.
Tonight's second fight matches Koba Gogoladze and Ji-hoon Kim in another six-rounder. Kim comes out aggressively but gets hammered by left hands from Gogoladze. But surprise, it's Kim who catches Gogoladze with a left hook and sends him down. Koba answers the count, but Kim strikes again with a sharp left and right to the head and it's all over. Kim is only 21 and he scores a nice win in his first fight in the U.S.
In the studio, Tarver weighs in on tonight's main event. He says Byrd used to have outstanding foot movement but hasn't been showing that in his last several fights after taking a pounding campaigning at heavyweight. Tarver thinks if Byrd can recapture some of his old mobility, George will have a lot of trouble with him.
The first fight from Las Vegas features undefeated prospect Rulslan Provodnikov taking on Brian Gordon. Briggs says Provodnikov reminds him of Kostya Tszyu, at least in appearance and demeanor. Gordon has turned pro after two tours of duty in Iraq.
Provodnikov is the aggressor in the first round. Both men eat some hard shots but the Russian starts to find the range more often toward the end of the frame. Back in the studio, Tarver says he'd be surprised if we don't see the old Chris Byrd tonight.
The second round sees Provodnikov start to land some punishing body shots. He's definitely eating some shots in return but Gordon looks like he's coming out of the bad end of most exchanges. Briggs says he'd like to see Provodnikov jab his way in more instead of just walking forward. Gordon winces from several right hands as the second round winds down.
Gordon is definitely game, and he even opens up a cut on his opponent in the third round. But Provodnikov is throwing bombs to the body with both hands and mixing in some shots upstairs. The Russian goes down in the fourth but it is an obvious slip and is scored accordingly. Briggs gives all of the first four rounds to Provodnikov, though he admits they are tough rounds. He scores an even fifth round.
Gordon snaps Provodnikov's head back with a stiff right early in the sixth and final round. "He is Army tough, for real," quips Briggs. Both guys continue to trade until the final bell and we're going to head to the scorecards. Scores are 59-55, 58-56 and 60-54, all for the winner, Provodnikov.
Back to the studio for more with Tarver. They go over the Magic Man's resume, showing a clip from Rocky Balboa that gets him smiling. Tarver says he'd like to do more acting, but he's focused right now on his boxing career, with the specific goal of unifying the light heavyweight titles. They discuss his poor showing against Bernard Hopkins and his two victories in 2007.
Tarver is asked about his war of words with Clinton Woods leading up to their fight earlier this year, and he laughs, saying people thought he was acting. The clips are classic Tarver, and he says Woods came down with a case of "Post-Tarver Syndrome" after losing to the Magic Man.
Tonight's second fight matches Koba Gogoladze and Ji-hoon Kim in another six-rounder. Kim comes out aggressively but gets hammered by left hands from Gogoladze. But surprise, it's Kim who catches Gogoladze with a left hook and sends him down. Koba answers the count, but Kim strikes again with a sharp left and right to the head and it's all over. Kim is only 21 and he scores a nice win in his first fight in the U.S.
In the studio, Tarver weighs in on tonight's main event. He says Byrd used to have outstanding foot movement but hasn't been showing that in his last several fights after taking a pounding campaigning at heavyweight. Tarver thinks if Byrd can recapture some of his old mobility, George will have a lot of trouble with him.
15.5.08
Cotto, Margarito Sign for "The Battle" in Las Vegas
It wasn't much of a surprise, and it didn't get much in the way of a creative name, but fight fans aren't likely to care. A bout that already has the boxing industry buzzing became a reality late Wednesday night when Miguel Cotto officially agreed to take on Antonio Margarito.
The fight will take place on July 26 on HBO PPV from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas - a slight disappointment to the staff here at BoxingWatchers.com, who certainly would have been up for attending it live had it ended up in Atlantic City. The collision between the undefeated Puerto Rican champ and the exciting Mexican challenger has been dubbed "The Battle," which is fitting if not terribly original.
"I get really excited about a fight like this because I know it can't be anything but great," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN earlier today. "That's why we're calling it 'The Battle.' It's a tough-ass fight. Two real men fighting. There won't be any playing around. No ducking or dodging. These are two guys who will go at it. That is their style."
A press conference is expected for next week to start hyping the fight. In the meantime, everyone can start speculating about whether Cotto will finally run into a foe he can't handle, as no one on his impressive career hit list has come at him with the combination of volume and power he'll face from Margarito.
Uatu has already weighed in with his early thoughts. And while it's too early for me to make a prediction, I will say this: if you were thinking about gathering your friends who aren't boxing fans for a pay-per-view, do it for this one.
The fight will take place on July 26 on HBO PPV from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas - a slight disappointment to the staff here at BoxingWatchers.com, who certainly would have been up for attending it live had it ended up in Atlantic City. The collision between the undefeated Puerto Rican champ and the exciting Mexican challenger has been dubbed "The Battle," which is fitting if not terribly original.
"I get really excited about a fight like this because I know it can't be anything but great," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN earlier today. "That's why we're calling it 'The Battle.' It's a tough-ass fight. Two real men fighting. There won't be any playing around. No ducking or dodging. These are two guys who will go at it. That is their style."
A press conference is expected for next week to start hyping the fight. In the meantime, everyone can start speculating about whether Cotto will finally run into a foe he can't handle, as no one on his impressive career hit list has come at him with the combination of volume and power he'll face from Margarito.
Uatu has already weighed in with his early thoughts. And while it's too early for me to make a prediction, I will say this: if you were thinking about gathering your friends who aren't boxing fans for a pay-per-view, do it for this one.
14.5.08
Alex Arthur to Become WBO Champ... Without Fighting
Think it's crappy when the sanctioning organizations that award titles in boxing can't get their acts together and put on meaningful championship bouts? How about when they award belts without even having boxers, you know, box for them?
That looks like it's about to happen with the WBO junior lightweight belt. Joan Guzman, the former titlist at 130 pounds, announced yesterday that he was relinquishing his belt because he and his team were tired of waiting for a fight to be made with mandatory challenger Alex Arthur. Since Arthur was the WBO's interim titlist (and someone needs to explain to me exactly what that means), Dan Rafael of ESPN is reporting that the sanctioning body is expected to simply name him the champ.
What a novel concept: if you want to win a world title, simply become the mandatory opponent, then stall long enough for the champ to get tired of waiting for you. He leaves, you get the gold. Brilliant!
I don't feel too bad for personal favorite Guzman, who's on to bigger (for sure) and better (hopefully) things at 135. But this does underscore why I consider The Ring magazine champs to be the real deal. The "Bible of Boxing" only allows a belt to change hands when someone dethrones the man who holds it, declaring it vacant if the champ retires or changes weight classes. A vacant belt can only be won if the number one and two (or occasionally number three) men in the rankings fight each other. It's not a perfect system, but it adds a heck of a lot more legitimacy to the sport than whatever the WBO's of the world cook up.
11.5.08
Andre Dirrell - a new BoxingWatchers Favorite?
Uatu decided to watch Andre Dirrell vs. Anthony Hanshaw on Showtime OnDemand today, and he was very impressed. Unlike his fight with Curtis Stevens of Chin Checkers fame, Dirrell was offensive-minded and exciting. He is ultra-fast with his hands, has some quick footwork and does the switching back and forth between sides thing, but unlike Junior Witter last night, he does it effectively. He punished Hanshaw before getting the mid-round TKO victory.
He is also from Flint, Michigan, where the BoxingWatchers have family residing. So he is a fighter to keep an eye on, and looks to have a bright future at 168. At the very least, he will hold a title at some time. Any time he is on TV from now on the BoxingWatchers will be, of course, watching.
He is also from Flint, Michigan, where the BoxingWatchers have family residing. So he is a fighter to keep an eye on, and looks to have a bright future at 168. At the very least, he will hold a title at some time. Any time he is on TV from now on the BoxingWatchers will be, of course, watching.
10.5.08
Round by Round: Witter v. Bradley
Witter v. Bradley is tonight's fight at the junior welterweight class. Timothy Bradley is 24 years old from Palm Springs, CA, and comes in tonight undefeated. Junior Witter is from England and 34 years old. His record is 36-2-1.
The fight is in Nottingham, England. The British fans in attendance show their distaste for the American national anthem. Witter doesn't feel that it's necessary to remove his hat during God Save the Queen."
The crowd is hyped for this one as the introductions are made and it's time to get started.
Rd 1: Both fighters try to establish the jab in round 1. Witter swings with a very wide hook and Bradley ducks away. Nobody connecting with anything big. Bradley attempts to work the body. Bradley counters with 2 hard hooks that score. Bradley's defense looks good as he catches Witter's jabs and hooks.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 2: Bradley is trying to be the counter puncher in this fight. Witter stands in a very awkward southpaw stance. It looks uncomfortable. They clash heads hard; so far no cut opened. Bradley trying to work the body again and gets in with some good jabs. Witter switches back to orthodox. Both fighters swing wildly but neither connects. Bradley scores with a right hook upstairs.
Spartan: 10-9 Witter
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 3: Bradley switches to southpaw and then switches back again in the first seconds. Witter lunges forward but doesn't connect. Its pretty cautious in the first half of the round. Witter connects with an uppercut. Bradley doesn't look hurt. Bradley now swinging for the fences and missing. Bradley gets in with a good hard jab followed by a straight right. Witter continues to switch stances.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 4: Both fighters clash again in the beginning. Lots of clinching, lots of stumbling around the ring. Witter gets hit with a hard jab and straight and then they tie up again. There's a lot of toe to toe fighting. Bradley now showing his head movement and dodges 2 straights. Tough round to score.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 5: Bradley counters and connects. The two tie up again and again. Witter keeps running in and grabbing. Witter looks very awakward in the ring. Bradley now starts throwing hard again. A bruise starts to grow over Bradley's eye, possibly from a headbutt.
Spartan: 10-9 Witter
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 6: Witter not lunging in to get inside . Not many clean punches landing in this fight. Bradley throws a long right hand and misses. Bradley gets in again and clocks Witter with a solid cross. Bradley not landing at a higher percentage but Witter still looks fine. Witter comes into a hard counter. Bradley lands a huge overhand right hand and Witter goes down. He gets up but he looks hurt.
Spartan: 10-8 Bradley
Uatu: 10-8 Bradley
Rd 7: Bradley now looking for the KO. Witter looks scared and he runs. Witter now looks tired. He falls but its clearly a slip. Bradley is swinging wildly - he might punch himself out. Witter is barely punching at all. Bradley tries the overhand bomb again but it doesn't land cleanly. Now Witter is swinging hard again, some of it connecting. I still think it was Bradley's round.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 8: The fighters start off slowly. The ref is warning Bradley for a headbutt. Witter gets a hard left hand in but Bradley doesn't back down. Both fighters are headhunting and looking for the knockdown. Bradley is trying, throwing hard bombs and it's a matter of time before one lands. The two start tying up again.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 9: Witter comes in awkwardly and pays with a counter. Now the fighters slow the action and wait for the other to throw a punch. Witter does not look like he can find a rhythm. This is the sloppiest round yet. They keep lunging forward and tying up. Bradley gets Witter against the ropes but Witter blocks everything. Hardest round to score yet.
Spartan: 10-10
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 10: No surprise, they start the round out with a clinch. Both fighters jab at each other in the clinch. Bradley lands a hard right hand, Witter looks a little hurt. Witter starts throwing low blows. The ref tells him to keep the punches up. He goes for the low blow again and gets another warning. Bradley is now loading up his right hand, but just missing. Bradley wins this one.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 11: Bradley now looking for a way to get inside. Bradley gets in a jab. Both fighters now flailing and missing. Bradley now connecting more. Witter looks tired and not landing much. Now he tries to come up with something and lands some small punches. Bradley looks fresh and confident. The commentators are ripping into Witter. Bradley lands another wide hook.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 12: Witter looks miserable in his corner. He looks like he has nothing left. Bradley now looking strictly for the knockout. Witter stumbles back after blocking. Witter doesn't look like he has any interest of attempting to win this fight. Bradley still loading up with his overhand right. Now it's turning into a street fight - both swing very wildly fighting out of clinches and spinning around the ring. Both fighters raise their hands at the end of the fight.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Spartan117 scores it 118-110 Bradley. Uatu scores it 115-112 Bradley. The judges score it 115-112 Witter, 115-112 Bradley and 114-113 Bradley. The winner by split decision and new WBC junior welterweight champion, Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley.
Bradley says he stayed and prayed and thanks Jesus for his victory. He says he felt good throughout the whole fight. He says he got a little reckless but then he slowed down. He said he noticed Witter was fading and he turned the pressure up.
The fight is in Nottingham, England. The British fans in attendance show their distaste for the American national anthem. Witter doesn't feel that it's necessary to remove his hat during God Save the Queen."
The crowd is hyped for this one as the introductions are made and it's time to get started.
Rd 1: Both fighters try to establish the jab in round 1. Witter swings with a very wide hook and Bradley ducks away. Nobody connecting with anything big. Bradley attempts to work the body. Bradley counters with 2 hard hooks that score. Bradley's defense looks good as he catches Witter's jabs and hooks.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 2: Bradley is trying to be the counter puncher in this fight. Witter stands in a very awkward southpaw stance. It looks uncomfortable. They clash heads hard; so far no cut opened. Bradley trying to work the body again and gets in with some good jabs. Witter switches back to orthodox. Both fighters swing wildly but neither connects. Bradley scores with a right hook upstairs.
Spartan: 10-9 Witter
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 3: Bradley switches to southpaw and then switches back again in the first seconds. Witter lunges forward but doesn't connect. Its pretty cautious in the first half of the round. Witter connects with an uppercut. Bradley doesn't look hurt. Bradley now swinging for the fences and missing. Bradley gets in with a good hard jab followed by a straight right. Witter continues to switch stances.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 4: Both fighters clash again in the beginning. Lots of clinching, lots of stumbling around the ring. Witter gets hit with a hard jab and straight and then they tie up again. There's a lot of toe to toe fighting. Bradley now showing his head movement and dodges 2 straights. Tough round to score.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 5: Bradley counters and connects. The two tie up again and again. Witter keeps running in and grabbing. Witter looks very awakward in the ring. Bradley now starts throwing hard again. A bruise starts to grow over Bradley's eye, possibly from a headbutt.
Spartan: 10-9 Witter
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 6: Witter not lunging in to get inside . Not many clean punches landing in this fight. Bradley throws a long right hand and misses. Bradley gets in again and clocks Witter with a solid cross. Bradley not landing at a higher percentage but Witter still looks fine. Witter comes into a hard counter. Bradley lands a huge overhand right hand and Witter goes down. He gets up but he looks hurt.
Spartan: 10-8 Bradley
Uatu: 10-8 Bradley
Rd 7: Bradley now looking for the KO. Witter looks scared and he runs. Witter now looks tired. He falls but its clearly a slip. Bradley is swinging wildly - he might punch himself out. Witter is barely punching at all. Bradley tries the overhand bomb again but it doesn't land cleanly. Now Witter is swinging hard again, some of it connecting. I still think it was Bradley's round.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 8: The fighters start off slowly. The ref is warning Bradley for a headbutt. Witter gets a hard left hand in but Bradley doesn't back down. Both fighters are headhunting and looking for the knockdown. Bradley is trying, throwing hard bombs and it's a matter of time before one lands. The two start tying up again.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 9: Witter comes in awkwardly and pays with a counter. Now the fighters slow the action and wait for the other to throw a punch. Witter does not look like he can find a rhythm. This is the sloppiest round yet. They keep lunging forward and tying up. Bradley gets Witter against the ropes but Witter blocks everything. Hardest round to score yet.
Spartan: 10-10
Uatu: 10-9 Witter
Rd 10: No surprise, they start the round out with a clinch. Both fighters jab at each other in the clinch. Bradley lands a hard right hand, Witter looks a little hurt. Witter starts throwing low blows. The ref tells him to keep the punches up. He goes for the low blow again and gets another warning. Bradley is now loading up his right hand, but just missing. Bradley wins this one.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 11: Bradley now looking for a way to get inside. Bradley gets in a jab. Both fighters now flailing and missing. Bradley now connecting more. Witter looks tired and not landing much. Now he tries to come up with something and lands some small punches. Bradley looks fresh and confident. The commentators are ripping into Witter. Bradley lands another wide hook.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Rd 12: Witter looks miserable in his corner. He looks like he has nothing left. Bradley now looking strictly for the knockout. Witter stumbles back after blocking. Witter doesn't look like he has any interest of attempting to win this fight. Bradley still loading up with his overhand right. Now it's turning into a street fight - both swing very wildly fighting out of clinches and spinning around the ring. Both fighters raise their hands at the end of the fight.
Spartan: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley
Spartan117 scores it 118-110 Bradley. Uatu scores it 115-112 Bradley. The judges score it 115-112 Witter, 115-112 Bradley and 114-113 Bradley. The winner by split decision and new WBC junior welterweight champion, Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley.
Bradley says he stayed and prayed and thanks Jesus for his victory. He says he felt good throughout the whole fight. He says he got a little reckless but then he slowed down. He said he noticed Witter was fading and he turned the pressure up.
Updates (Not Quite Live) for Witter-Bradley Tonight
Want to see if Junior Witter is everything he's cracked up to be? Here at BoxingWatchers.com, we do too. That's why we'll be tuning in tonight to catch his tape-delayed fight against Timothy Bradley tonight. And just to stay in practice, we're doing round by round updates. Bookmark us here and come back later to see how the fight shakes down in Nottingham.
9.5.08
Quick Thoughts on Witter-Bradley
Uatu may be in the minority, but he has been looking forward to seeing Witter on US TV for some time now. Mostly Uatu has only read about him badgering Ricky Hatton for a fight. In the US, he is most famous for a horribly boring performance against Zab Judah many years ago, but he has been on a serious roll since, gaining a title. He sounds exciting with an unorthodox and switching style of fighting from the left and the right. He has intrigued Uatu for many years as a possible diamond in the rough.
Bradley is built like a superhero. He too is a somewhat unknown quantity, even here in the US.
So it's absolutely a fight worth watching, and luckily Showtime agrees.
Bradley is built like a superhero. He too is a somewhat unknown quantity, even here in the US.
So it's absolutely a fight worth watching, and luckily Showtime agrees.
Franchise Thoughts: Why I'd Rather See Jones-Silva Than Mayweather-De La Hoya II
It may not yet be officially official, to coin a phrase, but it's all but certain that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya will meet for a second time in September. At this point, all that remains is for i's to be dotted and t's to be crossed.
Financially speaking, it only makes sense. Why wouldn't the two biggest names currently in the sport want to face each other again? People will watch, though maybe not quite as many as the first time they fought.
Mayweather is the most talented fighter in the game, and De La Hoya is a former multi-division champion still in possession of most of his tools. They fought to a fairly close (though undeserved, in the eyes of this fan) split decision last year. There's no question the fight will be contested at the very highest skill level.
What it won't be, though, is particularly compelling. Despite some chatter about the "new and improved" De La Hoya after his win against Steve Forbes and promises from the Golden Boy camp that they have a game plan to win, there isn't any reason to think he'll fare any better this time around.
And if you thought the Forbes fight looked like a sparring match at times, there's bound to be more of that come September. Since Oscar and Floyd are doing business together, it's just hard to believe there's any real enmity left between them. On top of that, neither man is likely to put himself in real jeopardy, since Floyd is notoriously risk averse and Oscar is looking ahead to life after boxing.
The Mayweather family circus will add some entertainment value, but otherwise this is a bout without much in the way of drama, of questions to be answered. Meanwhile, there's a potential fight that doesn't look like it's going to happen which would be chock full of just those qualities.
I'm talking about Roy Jones Jr. and mixed martial artist Anderson "Spider" Silva, both of whom have expressed interest in fighting each other. UFC head honcho Dana White seems determined to keep it from coming together, and Yahoo! Sports writer Kevin Iole, whose opinion I really respect, says it "would be a freak show."
Maybe so, since Silva has fought only two pro boxing matches. Iole doesn't even think a state commission would approve him to fight Jones due to his inexperience. I'd like to think his other fighting experience - he's at or near the top spot on every MMA expert's pound-for-pound list - would count for something.
Whether Silva could make a smooth transition from the octagon to the ring would just be one of the storylines that would create interest in the fight. There would also be a question of how much gas Jones had left in the tank, and whether fighting for the honor of their respective disciplines would bring out the best in both men. And, of course, the big one: who would win if a highly skilled boxer and an equally talented MMA fighter went at it?
It's foolish to think one match would settle that question, but that wouldn't stop people from tuning in. Even in the twilight of his career, Jones may be the third-biggest draw in boxing, and Silva is a big name in his sport. Pay-per-views would be sold and plenty of money would be made. Boxing could get that little bit of reassurance that it's still relevant and MMA could continue its reach into the mainstream consciousness.
The purist in me may cringe to admit it, but a Jones-Silva fight would have plenty of hooks to suck me in. A lot more, as it turns out, than a Mayweather-De La Hoya rematch. Sorry about that Floyd and Oscar.
Financially speaking, it only makes sense. Why wouldn't the two biggest names currently in the sport want to face each other again? People will watch, though maybe not quite as many as the first time they fought.
Mayweather is the most talented fighter in the game, and De La Hoya is a former multi-division champion still in possession of most of his tools. They fought to a fairly close (though undeserved, in the eyes of this fan) split decision last year. There's no question the fight will be contested at the very highest skill level.
What it won't be, though, is particularly compelling. Despite some chatter about the "new and improved" De La Hoya after his win against Steve Forbes and promises from the Golden Boy camp that they have a game plan to win, there isn't any reason to think he'll fare any better this time around.
And if you thought the Forbes fight looked like a sparring match at times, there's bound to be more of that come September. Since Oscar and Floyd are doing business together, it's just hard to believe there's any real enmity left between them. On top of that, neither man is likely to put himself in real jeopardy, since Floyd is notoriously risk averse and Oscar is looking ahead to life after boxing.
The Mayweather family circus will add some entertainment value, but otherwise this is a bout without much in the way of drama, of questions to be answered. Meanwhile, there's a potential fight that doesn't look like it's going to happen which would be chock full of just those qualities.
I'm talking about Roy Jones Jr. and mixed martial artist Anderson "Spider" Silva, both of whom have expressed interest in fighting each other. UFC head honcho Dana White seems determined to keep it from coming together, and Yahoo! Sports writer Kevin Iole, whose opinion I really respect, says it "would be a freak show."
Maybe so, since Silva has fought only two pro boxing matches. Iole doesn't even think a state commission would approve him to fight Jones due to his inexperience. I'd like to think his other fighting experience - he's at or near the top spot on every MMA expert's pound-for-pound list - would count for something.
Whether Silva could make a smooth transition from the octagon to the ring would just be one of the storylines that would create interest in the fight. There would also be a question of how much gas Jones had left in the tank, and whether fighting for the honor of their respective disciplines would bring out the best in both men. And, of course, the big one: who would win if a highly skilled boxer and an equally talented MMA fighter went at it?
It's foolish to think one match would settle that question, but that wouldn't stop people from tuning in. Even in the twilight of his career, Jones may be the third-biggest draw in boxing, and Silva is a big name in his sport. Pay-per-views would be sold and plenty of money would be made. Boxing could get that little bit of reassurance that it's still relevant and MMA could continue its reach into the mainstream consciousness.
The purist in me may cringe to admit it, but a Jones-Silva fight would have plenty of hooks to suck me in. A lot more, as it turns out, than a Mayweather-De La Hoya rematch. Sorry about that Floyd and Oscar.
8.5.08
Zab Judah's Fall Cancels May 31 Fight With Sugar Shane Mosley
Looks like the top poll question here is going to need to be replaced. The AP and other media outlets are reporting that the Shane Mosley-Zab Judah fight is off after Judah fell and injured his right arm, requiring 50 stitches.
Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, is quoted as saying that efforts will be made to reschedule the fight. You have to wonder, though, if Mosley can afford to wait for Zab to heal. At 36, he's closing in on the end of his career, and unless he doesn't have any other options that make sense, he may not have the luxury of remaining inactive until Judah is ready to go. The AP story says Judah will have to miss training for four weeks.
An interesting side note to the story concerns exactly how Judah suffered the injury. Early reports claimed he hurt it while training, but MaxBoxing/BoxingScene.com now has a source that reports he fell in the shower.
Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, is quoted as saying that efforts will be made to reschedule the fight. You have to wonder, though, if Mosley can afford to wait for Zab to heal. At 36, he's closing in on the end of his career, and unless he doesn't have any other options that make sense, he may not have the luxury of remaining inactive until Judah is ready to go. The AP story says Judah will have to miss training for four weeks.
An interesting side note to the story concerns exactly how Judah suffered the injury. Early reports claimed he hurt it while training, but MaxBoxing/BoxingScene.com now has a source that reports he fell in the shower.
4.5.08
20-20 Hindsight: What We Learned From De La Hoya-Forbes About Oscar's Next (Last?) Two Fights
Oscar De La Hoya's fans in California seemed to enjoy Saturday's fight against Steve Forbes - until the final round, when you could hear some boos - but they may have been the only ones. Though some dissenting voices felt Forbes might give the Golden Boy a bit of a challenge, he proved to be anything but as Oscar cruised to a lopsided decision.
Forbes showed excellent defense and some good timing with jabs and an occasional body shot, but that was about it. He posed zero threat to knock out De La Hoya and it quickly became clear that he wasn't going to win on the scorecards either.
One of his post-fight quotes was pretty telling:
"I felt strong and it was great to be in there like that and have the opportunity to get in there and not go down," Forbes told the Associated Press.
Indeed, the HBO announcers mentioned several times that Forbes was pretty proud that he has never been knocked down in his career. It would be easy for us to criticize that attitude from the safety of our seats and couches, so I won't do that here. If that's what Forbes wants to be remembered for when he hangs up the gloves, who am I to judge?
Oscar and Floyd Mayweather Sr. seem to think (publicly anyway) that the plan the Golden Boy followed will allow him to have a realistic chance of upsetting Floyd Jr. in their all-but-signed rematch this fall. Others think otherwise - Hall of Famer Alexis Arguello for one - and I'd put myself in that category. Oscar will give a good account of himself, certainly, but there wasn't anything on display on Saturday that should cause Floyd Jr. to lose any sleep.
Even more worrisome is De La Hoya's alleged wish to end his retirement tour by taking on Miguel Cotto in December. Unless he's really feeling it, Oscar may want to rethink trading body shots with the WBA welterweight champ. Cotto is a lot more offensive-minded than Mayweather, and while De La Hoya will have the edge in boxing skills, it won't be as wide a gap as some may think. Make no mistake, Mayweather will beat De La Hoya, but Cotto will punish him.
But Oscar's earned the right to fight anyone he damn well pleases as he winds down his career. And since a common criticism of some big name fighters of this era (Mayweather, for instance) is that they don't fight the most challenging competition, at least we'll be able to look back and say De La Hoya went out fighting the best. That and several dozen more millions in the bank should help ease the sting if he ends up with two more notches in the loss column to show for it.
Forbes showed excellent defense and some good timing with jabs and an occasional body shot, but that was about it. He posed zero threat to knock out De La Hoya and it quickly became clear that he wasn't going to win on the scorecards either.
One of his post-fight quotes was pretty telling:
"I felt strong and it was great to be in there like that and have the opportunity to get in there and not go down," Forbes told the Associated Press.
Indeed, the HBO announcers mentioned several times that Forbes was pretty proud that he has never been knocked down in his career. It would be easy for us to criticize that attitude from the safety of our seats and couches, so I won't do that here. If that's what Forbes wants to be remembered for when he hangs up the gloves, who am I to judge?
Oscar and Floyd Mayweather Sr. seem to think (publicly anyway) that the plan the Golden Boy followed will allow him to have a realistic chance of upsetting Floyd Jr. in their all-but-signed rematch this fall. Others think otherwise - Hall of Famer Alexis Arguello for one - and I'd put myself in that category. Oscar will give a good account of himself, certainly, but there wasn't anything on display on Saturday that should cause Floyd Jr. to lose any sleep.
Even more worrisome is De La Hoya's alleged wish to end his retirement tour by taking on Miguel Cotto in December. Unless he's really feeling it, Oscar may want to rethink trading body shots with the WBA welterweight champ. Cotto is a lot more offensive-minded than Mayweather, and while De La Hoya will have the edge in boxing skills, it won't be as wide a gap as some may think. Make no mistake, Mayweather will beat De La Hoya, but Cotto will punish him.
But Oscar's earned the right to fight anyone he damn well pleases as he winds down his career. And since a common criticism of some big name fighters of this era (Mayweather, for instance) is that they don't fight the most challenging competition, at least we'll be able to look back and say De La Hoya went out fighting the best. That and several dozen more millions in the bank should help ease the sting if he ends up with two more notches in the loss column to show for it.
3.5.08
Round By Round: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Steve Forbes
The telecast is on from the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, as Oscar De La Hoya gets set to take on Steve Forbes. Jim Lampley says 27,000 fans are on hand for the bout, which is pretty impressive if it's true.
It's interesting that the announcers are selling it like Oscar is doing the fans a favor by putting this fight on HBO. They mention his close call against Felix Sturm from a few years ago, plus the Mayweather family melodrama that swirls around this fight.
The first video segment explores the relationship between De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Sr. Oscar says they work together perfectly even though they are complete opposites. Forbes, of course, also has a Mayweather connection, switching from Roger to Jeff for this fight after Floyd voiced his displeasure. He says it was an easy transition between the two brothers.
Classic third-person lines by the Golden Boy: "I think we're going to see a more relaxed Oscar, and that Oscar can be dangerous." More exploration of the Sturm fight, with De La Hoya promising he won't make the same mistake again.
A pre-taped interview plays with Larry Merchant asking De La Hoya about why he's so popular despite some losses, how he won over the skeptical Mexican fans, his three-fight retirement plan, the future of Golden Boy and his personal post-boxing plans.
Celebrities and boxers on hand include Tobey Maguire, Sylvester Stallone, Brooke Shields, Sugar Ray Leonard and Bernard Hopkins. Finally, we start to get down to business with the Mexican and U.S. national anthems. Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls handles the latter.
The tale of the tape shows De La Hoya as the taller but older man. Both fighters officially weighed in at the contractually obligated weight of 150 pounds. Forbes comes out first, entering to "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics. As usual, traditional Mexican music accompanies the Golden Boy's walk to the ring, which is especially long tonight because of the way the Home Depot Center, which is usually a soccer stadium, is set up for boxing.
Michael Buffer does the introductions and the crowd shows De La Hoya plenty of love. And we're ready for action.
Round 1
Both men open cautiously. Forbes comes in behind his jab and is quickly repulsed by lefts from Oscar. One-two to the body by DLH. More jabs by Forbes and Oscar goes back to the body. Good body punches both ways. A stiff jab backs up Forbes. Jab and right to the body by Oscar. Steve getting hit by plenty of body shots in this round. Sudden good combo by Forbes right at the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 2
Forbes' corner tells him to try to steal every round at the end. Oscar jabbing his way in and slugging to the body. Body shots and uppercuts slow Forbes, but he comes back firing a left hook. The pace slows in the middle of the round. Body combo by Oscar and no answer from Forbes. Now he goes to the body with a right. The announcers think Forbes is blocking a lot of shots, but he's not busy enough in response. Nice flurry as De La Hoya bounces around. Forbes scores with a left on the chin.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 3
Body combo by Oscar to open the round. Emanuel Steward thinks he looks faster and sharper at this weight. Forbes showing a little more movement but still getting caught by some jabs. De La Hoya showing some wear on the nose and under one eye. Forbes backed up a bit by the jab again. Nice left-right to the head by DLH. Right hand upstairs by Forbes; Steward thinks he's gaining confidence.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 4
Forbes flurries and backs DLH to the ropes. Body shots and a left upstairs. Oscar gets the fight back in the middle and goes back to the jab. Forbes tries the body as they tie up. Oscar throws a combo that's mostly blocked. Now Forbes is backed up but his defense looks solid. Both men land to the head. Neither lands anything significant in the last 10 seconds.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 Forbes
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 5
Oscar opens working faster but Forbes is right there with him. A jabbing contest breaks out. Forbes goes to the body. DLH comes in but Forbes ducks away. This round slows into a chess match as no one wants to leave themselves open. DLH doubles up on the jab and uppercuts inside. Forbes covers up to weather an Oscar flurry. Forbes is fighting a smart fight but just not landing enough shots to win rounds.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 6
Right-left combo and more jabs from Forbes. Nice left by Oscar in the middle of an exchange. Forbes flurries and DLH blocks most of it. Oscar punches his way inside to the delight of the crowd. Forbes is cut outside the right eye. Short left stops Forbes from coming forward. Nice left upstairs by DLH, then a right. That may have been Oscar's best round yet.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 7
Oscar returns to the jab and right to the body. Lots of swinging and missing inside. Forbes goes to the body but eats a jab. Nice body-head combo by DLH makes Forbes wince. Good feint by Oscar and he scores with a quick left. Lefts to the body inside by DLH. Flurry along the ropes and Forbes has to scurry to get away. Another great round for Oscar.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 8
Slower start to this round. Forbes trying to jab. Nice little flurry; he's still game. Oscar piskcs off some shots and settles back in. Left to the body by DLH. Quick left catches Oscar coming in. Repeated lefts to the body by Oscar, who refuses to be tied up. Forbes escapes some fire in the corner. Kind of a cruise control type of round there.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 Forbes
Round 9
Is Oscar slowing or did he just take most of Round 8 off? Forbes jabs and throws a right to the body. Oscar goes back on the attack and drives Steve back. Two lefts score on the chin of Forbes. Now Forbes lands a few lefts and a quick right. Oscar still looking comfortable, landing jabs and hooks.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 10
CompuBox says Forbes landed only seven punches last round - that's not going to get it done. Two nice jabs by Oscar. Combos back Forbes up again. Now he comes forward though doesn't land much. Right uppercut starts a combo by DLH. Body shots by Forbes and they tie up. De La Hoya throwing from all angles now. Fans cheer as there's an exchange in the center of the ring.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 11
Looks like Oscar will cruise to the victory from here. Forbes stays busy but can't do much damage. Oscar tries some power lefts and returns to the jab. Both men go to the body. Flurry by DLH but Forbes shows he's not hurt. Sharp punches by Oscar with Forbes backed into the corner. They touch gloves at the end of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 12
Jeff Mayweather tells Forbes to leave everything in the ring, but I can't see him going out on his shield. Nice lefts to the body and head by DLH. Big left to the body by Oscar as Steve jumps in. The crowd urges Oscar on as he looks to box all the way until the end. One minute to go. Now some boos as fans realize there won't be an explosive finish. Good right by Forbes but way, way too late. De La Hoya throws one final flurry as the fight winds down.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Franchise scores it 120-108 De La Hoya, Spartan117 and Uatu score it 119-109 De La Hoya. The judges score it 120-108, 119-109 and 119-109, all for the winner by unanimous decision, Oscar De La Hoya.
Oscar says that he was disapointed with his that he could not win by knock out or even knock him down but says that he knew it would be difficult to accomplish this. He says that he was glad he got to test an aggressive style. Oscar states that he wants to go after Mayweather but says the deal isn't set.
It's interesting that the announcers are selling it like Oscar is doing the fans a favor by putting this fight on HBO. They mention his close call against Felix Sturm from a few years ago, plus the Mayweather family melodrama that swirls around this fight.
The first video segment explores the relationship between De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Sr. Oscar says they work together perfectly even though they are complete opposites. Forbes, of course, also has a Mayweather connection, switching from Roger to Jeff for this fight after Floyd voiced his displeasure. He says it was an easy transition between the two brothers.
Classic third-person lines by the Golden Boy: "I think we're going to see a more relaxed Oscar, and that Oscar can be dangerous." More exploration of the Sturm fight, with De La Hoya promising he won't make the same mistake again.
A pre-taped interview plays with Larry Merchant asking De La Hoya about why he's so popular despite some losses, how he won over the skeptical Mexican fans, his three-fight retirement plan, the future of Golden Boy and his personal post-boxing plans.
Celebrities and boxers on hand include Tobey Maguire, Sylvester Stallone, Brooke Shields, Sugar Ray Leonard and Bernard Hopkins. Finally, we start to get down to business with the Mexican and U.S. national anthems. Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls handles the latter.
The tale of the tape shows De La Hoya as the taller but older man. Both fighters officially weighed in at the contractually obligated weight of 150 pounds. Forbes comes out first, entering to "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics. As usual, traditional Mexican music accompanies the Golden Boy's walk to the ring, which is especially long tonight because of the way the Home Depot Center, which is usually a soccer stadium, is set up for boxing.
Michael Buffer does the introductions and the crowd shows De La Hoya plenty of love. And we're ready for action.
Round 1
Both men open cautiously. Forbes comes in behind his jab and is quickly repulsed by lefts from Oscar. One-two to the body by DLH. More jabs by Forbes and Oscar goes back to the body. Good body punches both ways. A stiff jab backs up Forbes. Jab and right to the body by Oscar. Steve getting hit by plenty of body shots in this round. Sudden good combo by Forbes right at the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 2
Forbes' corner tells him to try to steal every round at the end. Oscar jabbing his way in and slugging to the body. Body shots and uppercuts slow Forbes, but he comes back firing a left hook. The pace slows in the middle of the round. Body combo by Oscar and no answer from Forbes. Now he goes to the body with a right. The announcers think Forbes is blocking a lot of shots, but he's not busy enough in response. Nice flurry as De La Hoya bounces around. Forbes scores with a left on the chin.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 3
Body combo by Oscar to open the round. Emanuel Steward thinks he looks faster and sharper at this weight. Forbes showing a little more movement but still getting caught by some jabs. De La Hoya showing some wear on the nose and under one eye. Forbes backed up a bit by the jab again. Nice left-right to the head by DLH. Right hand upstairs by Forbes; Steward thinks he's gaining confidence.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 4
Forbes flurries and backs DLH to the ropes. Body shots and a left upstairs. Oscar gets the fight back in the middle and goes back to the jab. Forbes tries the body as they tie up. Oscar throws a combo that's mostly blocked. Now Forbes is backed up but his defense looks solid. Both men land to the head. Neither lands anything significant in the last 10 seconds.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 Forbes
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 5
Oscar opens working faster but Forbes is right there with him. A jabbing contest breaks out. Forbes goes to the body. DLH comes in but Forbes ducks away. This round slows into a chess match as no one wants to leave themselves open. DLH doubles up on the jab and uppercuts inside. Forbes covers up to weather an Oscar flurry. Forbes is fighting a smart fight but just not landing enough shots to win rounds.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 6
Right-left combo and more jabs from Forbes. Nice left by Oscar in the middle of an exchange. Forbes flurries and DLH blocks most of it. Oscar punches his way inside to the delight of the crowd. Forbes is cut outside the right eye. Short left stops Forbes from coming forward. Nice left upstairs by DLH, then a right. That may have been Oscar's best round yet.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 7
Oscar returns to the jab and right to the body. Lots of swinging and missing inside. Forbes goes to the body but eats a jab. Nice body-head combo by DLH makes Forbes wince. Good feint by Oscar and he scores with a quick left. Lefts to the body inside by DLH. Flurry along the ropes and Forbes has to scurry to get away. Another great round for Oscar.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 8
Slower start to this round. Forbes trying to jab. Nice little flurry; he's still game. Oscar piskcs off some shots and settles back in. Left to the body by DLH. Quick left catches Oscar coming in. Repeated lefts to the body by Oscar, who refuses to be tied up. Forbes escapes some fire in the corner. Kind of a cruise control type of round there.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 Forbes
Round 9
Is Oscar slowing or did he just take most of Round 8 off? Forbes jabs and throws a right to the body. Oscar goes back on the attack and drives Steve back. Two lefts score on the chin of Forbes. Now Forbes lands a few lefts and a quick right. Oscar still looking comfortable, landing jabs and hooks.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 10
CompuBox says Forbes landed only seven punches last round - that's not going to get it done. Two nice jabs by Oscar. Combos back Forbes up again. Now he comes forward though doesn't land much. Right uppercut starts a combo by DLH. Body shots by Forbes and they tie up. De La Hoya throwing from all angles now. Fans cheer as there's an exchange in the center of the ring.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 11
Looks like Oscar will cruise to the victory from here. Forbes stays busy but can't do much damage. Oscar tries some power lefts and returns to the jab. Both men go to the body. Flurry by DLH but Forbes shows he's not hurt. Sharp punches by Oscar with Forbes backed into the corner. They touch gloves at the end of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Round 12
Jeff Mayweather tells Forbes to leave everything in the ring, but I can't see him going out on his shield. Nice lefts to the body and head by DLH. Big left to the body by Oscar as Steve jumps in. The crowd urges Oscar on as he looks to box all the way until the end. One minute to go. Now some boos as fans realize there won't be an explosive finish. Good right by Forbes but way, way too late. De La Hoya throws one final flurry as the fight winds down.
Franchise: 10-9 De La Hoya
Spartan117: 10-9 De La Hoya
Uatu: 10-9 De La Hoya
Franchise scores it 120-108 De La Hoya, Spartan117 and Uatu score it 119-109 De La Hoya. The judges score it 120-108, 119-109 and 119-109, all for the winner by unanimous decision, Oscar De La Hoya.
Oscar says that he was disapointed with his that he could not win by knock out or even knock him down but says that he knew it would be difficult to accomplish this. He says that he was glad he got to test an aggressive style. Oscar states that he wants to go after Mayweather but says the deal isn't set.
Live De La Hoya-Forbes Round By Round Updates Tonight
Will Steve Forbes simply be the tune-up Oscar De La Hoya wants before his rematch with Floyd Mayweather later this year? Or will the former Contender contestant and Mayweather family pupil prove a tougher out than expected? If you can't see the fight, catch live round by round updates right here tonight on BoxingWatchers.com.
Predictions: Oscar De La Hoya Vs. Steve Forbes
The Franchise says...
My stepfather refuses to order any more Oscar De La Hoya pay-per-views, and he may not watch him fight on HBO this weekend either. Why is this relevant? Bear with me for a second, I'm getting to that.
The grudge held by my stepdad against the Golden Boy dates back to the summer of 2004, when De La Hoya fought Felix Sturm. As you may remember, that was supposed to be a warm-up bout that would keep Oscar active for a fall showdown with Bernard Hopkins. As you may not remember, Sturm jabbed De La Hoya to death and nearly stole the fight, losing by narrow 115-113 scores on all three cards. My stepfather is convinced the judges were too scared to do the right thing for fear of sabotaging the big payday with B-Hop, and to this day he's stubbornly refused to watch De La Hoya fight again.
Maybe that has nothing to do with tonight's fight, but one has to admit that the circumstances are eerily similar. A huge fight (maybe his last) looms for De La Hoya this fall in the form of a rematch with Floyd Mayweather. Like Sturm, Forbes is seen as a huge underdog - Vegas has Oscar as an 18-1 favorite - and while he may not have one great weapon like Sturm's jab, he does bring some skills to the table.
Throw in a dose of Mayweather family drama for good measure, with Forbes switching trainers from Roger to Jeff after Floyd complained about a conflict of interest. As Kevin Iole recently pointed out, that was just an example of a strange series of events that's led us to this point.
Still, there's not much on Forbes' resume to suggest he can pull off the upset. He's smaller than De La Hoya, for starters, though his bouts on The Contender were fought at 150. He hasn't exactly been scintillating since his runner-up finish on that show either, getting beaten handily by Demetrius Hopkins and eking out a split decision over Francisco Bojado in his two fights last year. Most troublesome of all, he has only nine career knockouts, suggesting he'd need to beat Oscar the way even Sturm couldn't: on the scorecards.
That's probably not impossible, but it is highly unlikely. Despite this feeling that Oscar is ripe to be beaten, Forbes isn't the right man for the job. I expect De La Hoya to box him evenly at worst, plus do a lot more damage when he lands his signature left hook. That should be all he needs to keep his future plans intact. In other words, Oscar by fairly uneventful unanimous decision.
My stepfather refuses to order any more Oscar De La Hoya pay-per-views, and he may not watch him fight on HBO this weekend either. Why is this relevant? Bear with me for a second, I'm getting to that.
The grudge held by my stepdad against the Golden Boy dates back to the summer of 2004, when De La Hoya fought Felix Sturm. As you may remember, that was supposed to be a warm-up bout that would keep Oscar active for a fall showdown with Bernard Hopkins. As you may not remember, Sturm jabbed De La Hoya to death and nearly stole the fight, losing by narrow 115-113 scores on all three cards. My stepfather is convinced the judges were too scared to do the right thing for fear of sabotaging the big payday with B-Hop, and to this day he's stubbornly refused to watch De La Hoya fight again.
Maybe that has nothing to do with tonight's fight, but one has to admit that the circumstances are eerily similar. A huge fight (maybe his last) looms for De La Hoya this fall in the form of a rematch with Floyd Mayweather. Like Sturm, Forbes is seen as a huge underdog - Vegas has Oscar as an 18-1 favorite - and while he may not have one great weapon like Sturm's jab, he does bring some skills to the table.
Throw in a dose of Mayweather family drama for good measure, with Forbes switching trainers from Roger to Jeff after Floyd complained about a conflict of interest. As Kevin Iole recently pointed out, that was just an example of a strange series of events that's led us to this point.
Still, there's not much on Forbes' resume to suggest he can pull off the upset. He's smaller than De La Hoya, for starters, though his bouts on The Contender were fought at 150. He hasn't exactly been scintillating since his runner-up finish on that show either, getting beaten handily by Demetrius Hopkins and eking out a split decision over Francisco Bojado in his two fights last year. Most troublesome of all, he has only nine career knockouts, suggesting he'd need to beat Oscar the way even Sturm couldn't: on the scorecards.
That's probably not impossible, but it is highly unlikely. Despite this feeling that Oscar is ripe to be beaten, Forbes isn't the right man for the job. I expect De La Hoya to box him evenly at worst, plus do a lot more damage when he lands his signature left hook. That should be all he needs to keep his future plans intact. In other words, Oscar by fairly uneventful unanimous decision.
2.5.08
De La Hoya - Forbes Weigh In report
live from hbo.com
Bernard and JMM on the stage as the legendary Michale Buffer does the speaking.
Stevie Two Pounds Forbes out first. He's in a sweatsuit and headband.
Golden Boy is out next. Sweatsuit as well.
Forbes weighs in. It's great how Bernard is always over everyone's shoulder like he's seriously watching the weights for funny business, which he probably is. But he gets within inches of the opposing fighters as they weigh in. He does it for every fight and he gets right in their business.
Forbes: 150 even.
MAB is on stage now too.
Oscar 150 1/2 pounds.
Oscar took his socks off and got back on as Buffer was introducing MAB. No further announcements of weights though.
What's the limit for this fight? 150? Uatu not sure exactly what happened there.
Oscar is full of his usual theatrics and fist shaking. Photo op and that's it for the big timers.
Bernard and JMM on the stage as the legendary Michale Buffer does the speaking.
Stevie Two Pounds Forbes out first. He's in a sweatsuit and headband.
Golden Boy is out next. Sweatsuit as well.
Forbes weighs in. It's great how Bernard is always over everyone's shoulder like he's seriously watching the weights for funny business, which he probably is. But he gets within inches of the opposing fighters as they weigh in. He does it for every fight and he gets right in their business.
Forbes: 150 even.
MAB is on stage now too.
Oscar 150 1/2 pounds.
Oscar took his socks off and got back on as Buffer was introducing MAB. No further announcements of weights though.
What's the limit for this fight? 150? Uatu not sure exactly what happened there.
Oscar is full of his usual theatrics and fist shaking. Photo op and that's it for the big timers.
De La Hoya - Forbes Weigh-in Time Difference - Advantage Oscar?
Uatu usually watches the weigh-ins live on hbo.com on the Friday before a big fight. Most of the fights are out of Vegas and go off at 5:30pm over here on the East Coast. Imagine Uatu's surprise when he went to Hbo.com and saw that today's weigh in is actually at 3:30 over here on the east coast. Is the extra two hour difference for Oscar to have more time to rehyrdate? Does the two hours even make a difference? An honest explanation could be because the fight is in LA and not Vegas. Just wondering aloud.
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