A while back, when I thought Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao were going to fight each other (silly, I know), I dreaded how much analysis there was going to be leading up to March 13. Everyone, and I mean everyone with even the slightest interest in the bout and access to a keyboard was sounding off on how it would go down.
That was back in December, by the way.
Now I've discovered something even worse. Floyd and Manny aren't fighting and we're still hearing about them, seemingly all the time, from all corners.
Look, I'm as upset as anyone that the fight fell apart. I've thrown my two cents in when I felt like I had something relevant to say, so I'm as guilty as anyone else.
But I'm just worn out by all of the coverage now. At this point, I don't care about who was more responsible for the fight disintegrating, how it's a big blow to the sport, or anything of that nature.
We, the boxing fans of the world, need to move on. Mayweather and Pacquiao may be the two best boxers on the planet, but they aren't the be-all and end-all of the sport.
I promise not to write any more about the fight that wasn't after today (though I will write about their replacement fights), and I vow to focus on all of the other great boxers who will be in action soon. I invite everyone out there on the internets to do the same.
This may not be the world's best segue, but Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. have decided to go ahead with their rematch, Jones' recent KO loss be damned. Guess we'll just forget that Danny Green fight ever happened, eh Roy?
I really have no problem with this, as neither man looked to be in the running for a big money fight against anyone under 40. I hope cooler heads prevail and the fight won't be shown on pay-per-view, but I'm not holding my breath.
It's kind of amusing to see early fan reaction fairly split on who will win. B-Hop has done much better against tougher competition over the past few years, so in my mind he's a heavy favorite going in.
Hopkins' style has also aged better with time because it depends so much on fundamentals (including the dirtier type that aren't in the proverbial boxing textbook) than Roy's, built as it is/was around his superior quickness and athleticism. I'm not saying RJJ can't win, but I will consider it a fairly big upset if he does.
Finally, it occurred to me that I'd feel better about all of the above if people would start throwing punches at each other on live TV. We're still a week away from an HBO card, but Friday Night Fights and Top Rank's new Fox Sports Net show both get going this weekend.
Demetrius Andrade, Juan Carlos Burgos and Kassim Ouma might not be enough to make me forget about boxing's winter of discontent altogether, but they sure will help. Let the fights begin!
Posted by The Franchise
Showing posts with label bernard hopkins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bernard hopkins. Show all posts
15.1.10
4.1.10
Top 10 Pound-For-Pound Boxers: BoxingWatchers.com End of 2009 List
Yes, we're a few days into 2010 now, but sometimes it takes some time to have all the BoxingWatchers give some input on... well, anything really.
Anyhow, we only do a pound-for-pound list at the end of each calendar year, because things don't generally change too much in any given month to be worth voting again. After 12 months though? That's a different story.
For starters, we lost several men from our end of list. Joe Calzaghe retired, and Antonio Margarito lost his only 2009 fight and got suspended for cheating.
A notable addition to the top 10 is Floyd Mayweather, who was still "retired" at this time last year. And the rest of the deck has been shuffled somewhat as well.
Based on nothing but our own opinions, here's our list:
BoxingWatchers.com Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Boxers - End of 2009
(End of 2008 rank in parentheses)
1. Manny Pacquiao (Last year: 1)
2. Floyd Mayweather (NR)
3. Bernard Hopkins (3)
4. Shane Mosley (NR)
5. Juan Manuel Marquez (4)
6. Israel Vazquez (5)
7. Chad Dawson (NR)
8. Paul Williams (6)
9. Arthur Abraham (NR)
10. Timothy Bradley (NR)
Also receiving votes: Nonito Donaire
Dropped out: Joe Calzaghe (retired, last year: 2), Antonio Margarito (7), Kelly Pavlik (8), Ivan Calderon (9), Rafael Marquez (10)
Posted by The Franchise
Anyhow, we only do a pound-for-pound list at the end of each calendar year, because things don't generally change too much in any given month to be worth voting again. After 12 months though? That's a different story.
For starters, we lost several men from our end of list. Joe Calzaghe retired, and Antonio Margarito lost his only 2009 fight and got suspended for cheating.
A notable addition to the top 10 is Floyd Mayweather, who was still "retired" at this time last year. And the rest of the deck has been shuffled somewhat as well.
Based on nothing but our own opinions, here's our list:
BoxingWatchers.com Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Boxers - End of 2009
(End of 2008 rank in parentheses)
1. Manny Pacquiao (Last year: 1)
2. Floyd Mayweather (NR)
3. Bernard Hopkins (3)
4. Shane Mosley (NR)
5. Juan Manuel Marquez (4)
6. Israel Vazquez (5)
7. Chad Dawson (NR)
8. Paul Williams (6)
9. Arthur Abraham (NR)
10. Timothy Bradley (NR)
Also receiving votes: Nonito Donaire
Dropped out: Joe Calzaghe (retired, last year: 2), Antonio Margarito (7), Kelly Pavlik (8), Ivan Calderon (9), Rafael Marquez (10)
Posted by The Franchise
2.12.09
Bernard Hopkins vs. Enrique Ornelas: Round By Round
The main event is coming up on Versus from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. Hometown hero Bernard Hopkins returns to action for the first time in 13 months to take on Enrique Ornelas.
Sporting a record of 29-5, Ornelas comes to the ring first. He was actually a sparring partner when B-Hop was training to face Winky Wright. Ornelas has won four of his last five.
Just a tad shy of his 45th birthday, Hopkins gets a long introduction from the ring announcer before he comes out. The Executioner gets a very warm reaction from the Philly faithful for his silent ring walk. He is 49-5 with 32 KOs.
The tale of the tape shows the two men are even in height, with Hopkins having a three-inch edge in reach. As always, Hopkins is much older than his opponent - 15 years in this case.
The in-ring introductions are done, and we're all set for a scheduled 12 rounds of light heavyweight action.
Round 1
Ornelas doesn't look too intimidated. He's trying to duck his way in to land shots. B-Hop showing excellent defense, as you'd expect, to fend off the occasional flurry. Both men throw jabs in the center of the ring. Hopkins grabs and punches on the inside. Bernard is trying to dig to the body but Enrique is smothering him a bit. Hopkins sneaks in an uppercut in the final exchange.
Franchise: 10-9 Ornelas
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 2
Ornelas is the brother of Librado Andrade, so it's not surprising he's a tough guy. He tries to get off first in the second round. Nice one-two off the jab by Hopkins. Left hook from Bernard finds the mark. The ref is busy as he cautions both men for hitting behind the head. Hopkins steps away from a combination and lands a counter, then covers up before the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Ornelas
Round 3
There's some swelling by Ornelas' left eye. Ornelas keeps trying to rush in, and the Executioner is landing some sneaky shots while that's happening. Nice action as both men land some punches during an extended exchange. Another charge ends in a counter right to Ornelas' face. More in-fighting with Bernard backed against the ropes. That round was probably closer than B-Hop would have liked.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 4
An early clinch forces the ref to step in, and both men land right hands once the action heats up. Left to the body by Ornelas and he pivots away. Ornelas lands an uppercut but also takes a counter coming in. Big misses by both guys along the ropes, and Ornelas gets another uppercut to score from very close range. They hold and hit for the final ten seconds, and that round was very close.
Franchise: 10-9 Ornelas
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 5
The ref cautioned both fighters about their heads between rounds. Hopkins slips away from a combination. Ornelas lands a light one-two and grabs Bernard's head. Left hook lead by Bernard, then a right on the inside that gets the crowd to cheer a bit. Ornelas leans on Hopkins and tries to bang away to the body. Hopkins comes right back with a body shot but has to cover up to save himself from uppercuts coming back.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Ornelas
Round 6
Left-right combo by Hopkins stuns Ornelas in the opening seconds. He returns fire with a right hand and they clinch. Ornelas holds his own again during the in-fighting. Pot shots by Bernard and they lean and bang away. Two right hands score for Hopkins, and the fans respond. Hopkins avoids a left and lands two to the body before the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 7
Neither man connects with their first punches of this round. Hopkins is coming forward more often now. B-Hop ducks and counters, which suits him fine. Right hand by Hopkins and he winds it up for some showboating. Ornelas is a bit off-balance as Hopkins looks for a big shot. They tie up with 30 to go. Bernard scores with a left hand.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 8
Bernard's counter left is catching Enrique on a regular basis now. Ornelas connects with a short left but uppercuts come right back in response. Ornelas goes down along the ropes, but it's ruled a slip. The ref cautions both boxers again. Left to the body by Ornelas but not much on it. They trade in the center of the ring and a Hopkins right snaps Ornelas' head back hard.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 9
Ornelas lands a right which is answered by a stiff right to the body. Several exchanges feature nice left hooks by Hopkins, but Ornelas manages a big right hand that was his best punch of the fight. B-Hop goes back to work and Ornelas has to charge in and grab. Not much flow to that round.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 10
Two left hooks by Bernard and he dances a bit. Ornelas tries to keep the pressure on. More of the same with Ornelas rushing in and plenty of clinching. The announcers think Ornelas may be getting tired. Right hand upstairs by Enrique. Left hand by Ornelas but Hopkins retaliates with an uppercut. Both men score in the closing seconds.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 11
Some of these rounds are quite close, but Hopkins is doing enough that he should be winning most of them. Both men jab and Hopkins counters beautifully as they trade. Left hand catches Ornelas coming forward. Right hand lead by B-Hop, but the heads and shoulders connect right after that. The ref calls time to have Hopkins' right glove fixed. One final flurry makes Ornelas wince a bit.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 12
Neither man is taking it easy as the final round begins. A head butt hurts Ornelas and he's not happy. The ref is extremely busy and telling both men to watch their heads. Hopkins closes in and rocks Ornelas in close. Enrique swings wildly to no avail. Hopkins punctuates his effort with several power shots right before the final bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Franchise: 118-110 Hopkins
Spartan117: 118-110 Hopkins
The judges score it 118-110, 120-109 and 119-109, all for the winner by unanimous decision, Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins.
They show the Roy Jones-Danny Green fight footage. Roy comes out jabbing and feinting. The first big right hand by Green puts Roy down. Green closes in and makes Jones cover up. He doesn't fight back and his legs are wobbly. One last uppercut connects for Green, and the ref calls a stop to it.
Back in Philly, Hopkins says he's seeing the footage for the first time. Bernard thinks Roy deserves the benefit of the doubt because of his status and doesn't think the ref should have stopped it so soon.
Surprisingly, Hopkins says he thinks people would still be into a Hopkins-Jones rematch. He really seems to feel strongly about Jones losing by TKO and not getting knocked out cold.
The Executioner gives Ornelas a lot of credit for his effort and vows to be heavyweight champion of the world in 2010. Can't see him fighting either Klitschko, so he must have his eye on David Haye.
Posted by The Franchise
Sporting a record of 29-5, Ornelas comes to the ring first. He was actually a sparring partner when B-Hop was training to face Winky Wright. Ornelas has won four of his last five.
Just a tad shy of his 45th birthday, Hopkins gets a long introduction from the ring announcer before he comes out. The Executioner gets a very warm reaction from the Philly faithful for his silent ring walk. He is 49-5 with 32 KOs.
The tale of the tape shows the two men are even in height, with Hopkins having a three-inch edge in reach. As always, Hopkins is much older than his opponent - 15 years in this case.
The in-ring introductions are done, and we're all set for a scheduled 12 rounds of light heavyweight action.
Round 1
Ornelas doesn't look too intimidated. He's trying to duck his way in to land shots. B-Hop showing excellent defense, as you'd expect, to fend off the occasional flurry. Both men throw jabs in the center of the ring. Hopkins grabs and punches on the inside. Bernard is trying to dig to the body but Enrique is smothering him a bit. Hopkins sneaks in an uppercut in the final exchange.
Franchise: 10-9 Ornelas
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 2
Ornelas is the brother of Librado Andrade, so it's not surprising he's a tough guy. He tries to get off first in the second round. Nice one-two off the jab by Hopkins. Left hook from Bernard finds the mark. The ref is busy as he cautions both men for hitting behind the head. Hopkins steps away from a combination and lands a counter, then covers up before the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Ornelas
Round 3
There's some swelling by Ornelas' left eye. Ornelas keeps trying to rush in, and the Executioner is landing some sneaky shots while that's happening. Nice action as both men land some punches during an extended exchange. Another charge ends in a counter right to Ornelas' face. More in-fighting with Bernard backed against the ropes. That round was probably closer than B-Hop would have liked.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 4
An early clinch forces the ref to step in, and both men land right hands once the action heats up. Left to the body by Ornelas and he pivots away. Ornelas lands an uppercut but also takes a counter coming in. Big misses by both guys along the ropes, and Ornelas gets another uppercut to score from very close range. They hold and hit for the final ten seconds, and that round was very close.
Franchise: 10-9 Ornelas
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 5
The ref cautioned both fighters about their heads between rounds. Hopkins slips away from a combination. Ornelas lands a light one-two and grabs Bernard's head. Left hook lead by Bernard, then a right on the inside that gets the crowd to cheer a bit. Ornelas leans on Hopkins and tries to bang away to the body. Hopkins comes right back with a body shot but has to cover up to save himself from uppercuts coming back.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Ornelas
Round 6
Left-right combo by Hopkins stuns Ornelas in the opening seconds. He returns fire with a right hand and they clinch. Ornelas holds his own again during the in-fighting. Pot shots by Bernard and they lean and bang away. Two right hands score for Hopkins, and the fans respond. Hopkins avoids a left and lands two to the body before the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 7
Neither man connects with their first punches of this round. Hopkins is coming forward more often now. B-Hop ducks and counters, which suits him fine. Right hand by Hopkins and he winds it up for some showboating. Ornelas is a bit off-balance as Hopkins looks for a big shot. They tie up with 30 to go. Bernard scores with a left hand.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 8
Bernard's counter left is catching Enrique on a regular basis now. Ornelas connects with a short left but uppercuts come right back in response. Ornelas goes down along the ropes, but it's ruled a slip. The ref cautions both boxers again. Left to the body by Ornelas but not much on it. They trade in the center of the ring and a Hopkins right snaps Ornelas' head back hard.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 9
Ornelas lands a right which is answered by a stiff right to the body. Several exchanges feature nice left hooks by Hopkins, but Ornelas manages a big right hand that was his best punch of the fight. B-Hop goes back to work and Ornelas has to charge in and grab. Not much flow to that round.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 10
Two left hooks by Bernard and he dances a bit. Ornelas tries to keep the pressure on. More of the same with Ornelas rushing in and plenty of clinching. The announcers think Ornelas may be getting tired. Right hand upstairs by Enrique. Left hand by Ornelas but Hopkins retaliates with an uppercut. Both men score in the closing seconds.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 11
Some of these rounds are quite close, but Hopkins is doing enough that he should be winning most of them. Both men jab and Hopkins counters beautifully as they trade. Left hand catches Ornelas coming forward. Right hand lead by B-Hop, but the heads and shoulders connect right after that. The ref calls time to have Hopkins' right glove fixed. One final flurry makes Ornelas wince a bit.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 12
Neither man is taking it easy as the final round begins. A head butt hurts Ornelas and he's not happy. The ref is extremely busy and telling both men to watch their heads. Hopkins closes in and rocks Ornelas in close. Enrique swings wildly to no avail. Hopkins punctuates his effort with several power shots right before the final bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Franchise: 118-110 Hopkins
Spartan117: 118-110 Hopkins
The judges score it 118-110, 120-109 and 119-109, all for the winner by unanimous decision, Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins.
They show the Roy Jones-Danny Green fight footage. Roy comes out jabbing and feinting. The first big right hand by Green puts Roy down. Green closes in and makes Jones cover up. He doesn't fight back and his legs are wobbly. One last uppercut connects for Green, and the ref calls a stop to it.
Back in Philly, Hopkins says he's seeing the footage for the first time. Bernard thinks Roy deserves the benefit of the doubt because of his status and doesn't think the ref should have stopped it so soon.
Surprisingly, Hopkins says he thinks people would still be into a Hopkins-Jones rematch. He really seems to feel strongly about Jones losing by TKO and not getting knocked out cold.
The Executioner gives Ornelas a lot of credit for his effort and vows to be heavyweight champion of the world in 2010. Can't see him fighting either Klitschko, so he must have his eye on David Haye.
Posted by The Franchise
Live Bernard Hopkins-Enrique Ornelas Round By Round Updates Tonight, Plus Roy Jones-Danny Green
Two legendary if aging American boxers are in action tonight, hoping to set up a rematch that is years in the making.
Bernard Hopkins takes on Enrique Ornelas in his hometown of Philadelphia, while Roy Jones Jr. goes down under to take on Danny Green. That fight has already taken place, so you may know what happened; otherwise, you can see how it went down on Versus tonight.
In any case, we know not everybody, even in the U.S., has access to Versus. So we'll be doing live round by round updates for Hopkins-Ornelas for as long as it lasts. Simply bookmark our home page and head back here shortly after 8 pm Eastern tonight.
Posted by The Franchise
Bernard Hopkins takes on Enrique Ornelas in his hometown of Philadelphia, while Roy Jones Jr. goes down under to take on Danny Green. That fight has already taken place, so you may know what happened; otherwise, you can see how it went down on Versus tonight.
In any case, we know not everybody, even in the U.S., has access to Versus. So we'll be doing live round by round updates for Hopkins-Ornelas for as long as it lasts. Simply bookmark our home page and head back here shortly after 8 pm Eastern tonight.
Posted by The Franchise
21.10.09
Shoe Shining: Vargas the Promoter, Hopkins Gives and Jack Johnson Pardon Watch
I had so much built-up anticipation for the beginning of the Super Six World Boxing Classic that it's almost a letdown now that we're past the first weekend of fights. You know, like you used to feel six hours after you unwrapped that last Christmas present.
But the sport goes on, and actually in fine fashion with a number of fight weekends between now and the end of the year. We'll see the big Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight, Kelly Pavlik do battle with Paul Williams and more Super Six when Mikkel Kessler faces off with Andre Ward. Not too shabby.
Until then, let's do some...
SHOE SHINING
I was really scared that when I saw Fernando Vargas' name in the boxing news that he was coming out of retirement. Instead, he's working on promoting boxing and MMA shows, including the Nov. 6 show at the Palms in Las Vegas with Zab Judah and Joel Casamayor. He's got his eye on doing shows in Lindsay, California with local fighters starting early next year, and yes, he hasn't closed the door entirely on returning to the ring...
We haven't said much about Bernard Hopkins fighting Enrique Ornelas in December because, frankly, there isn't that much to say. But here's an interesting angle: The Executioner is donating money from each ticket sold to three different charities, and Golden Boy is matching the donations. Good for them...
This blog is almost entirely politics-free, which is a good thing. What happens when boxing collides with politics though? I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Jack Johnson pardon watch, which seems to be kicking into high gear right now. Do I think Johnson should be pardoned? Absolutely. But seriously, President Obama and Congress have their hands full right now with the economy, Afghanistan, Iran, etc. Maybe this isn't the most ideal time...
Might as well finish with this: Ricky Hatton says he'd consider returning for a second fight with Floyd Mayweather. Um, yeah, and I bet Floyd would consider fighting you again, Hitman, because beating you probably wouldn't be much harder than it was the first time. For all our sakes, please don't give Mayweather an excuse to take an easy fight. I'm asking you nicely.
Posted by The Franchise
But the sport goes on, and actually in fine fashion with a number of fight weekends between now and the end of the year. We'll see the big Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight, Kelly Pavlik do battle with Paul Williams and more Super Six when Mikkel Kessler faces off with Andre Ward. Not too shabby.
Until then, let's do some...
SHOE SHINING
I was really scared that when I saw Fernando Vargas' name in the boxing news that he was coming out of retirement. Instead, he's working on promoting boxing and MMA shows, including the Nov. 6 show at the Palms in Las Vegas with Zab Judah and Joel Casamayor. He's got his eye on doing shows in Lindsay, California with local fighters starting early next year, and yes, he hasn't closed the door entirely on returning to the ring...
We haven't said much about Bernard Hopkins fighting Enrique Ornelas in December because, frankly, there isn't that much to say. But here's an interesting angle: The Executioner is donating money from each ticket sold to three different charities, and Golden Boy is matching the donations. Good for them...
This blog is almost entirely politics-free, which is a good thing. What happens when boxing collides with politics though? I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Jack Johnson pardon watch, which seems to be kicking into high gear right now. Do I think Johnson should be pardoned? Absolutely. But seriously, President Obama and Congress have their hands full right now with the economy, Afghanistan, Iran, etc. Maybe this isn't the most ideal time...
Might as well finish with this: Ricky Hatton says he'd consider returning for a second fight with Floyd Mayweather. Um, yeah, and I bet Floyd would consider fighting you again, Hitman, because beating you probably wouldn't be much harder than it was the first time. For all our sakes, please don't give Mayweather an excuse to take an easy fight. I'm asking you nicely.
Posted by The Franchise
25.9.09
Roy Jones-Bernard Hopkins Rematch Signed for Early 2010
While Roy Jones has been staying busy fighting anyone he could line up, Bernard Hopkins has had his name attached to various potential opponents over the last few months. Though there had been talk of the two of them fighting each other a second time - the first time was back in 1993, when Jones won by unanimous decision - it was tough to tell how serious that possibility really was.
Turns out it was plenty serious. ESPN's Dan Rafael is reporting that Jones and Hopkins will meet again during the first three months of 2010. The article states the two boxing icons will split the purse right down the middle unless there's a KO, in which case the winner will get 60 percent.
For Jones, this is an undeniable coup. It's his best, and almost definitely last, shot at fighting someone relevant, and assuming the two names involved lead to decent sales (which I think they will), it will make him more money than anyone else he'd be likely to face.
Except for the opportunity to avenge the earlier loss, this appears less exciting for B-Hop, who even at age 44 is still fairly close to the elite level of the sport. But he was having trouble putting together a meaningful fight, and I suppose the prospect of another big payday can't be ignored.
Also of interest is that Rafael states that the fight hinges on Jones beating Danny Green on Dec. 2. I'm not exactly sure why Hopkins and Golden Boy would care about that, because it's not like one more loss ruins the enthusiasm for seeing two guys who will be a combined 86 years old on fight night face off. Unless Green destroys Jones, that is...
Posted by The Franchise
Turns out it was plenty serious. ESPN's Dan Rafael is reporting that Jones and Hopkins will meet again during the first three months of 2010. The article states the two boxing icons will split the purse right down the middle unless there's a KO, in which case the winner will get 60 percent.
For Jones, this is an undeniable coup. It's his best, and almost definitely last, shot at fighting someone relevant, and assuming the two names involved lead to decent sales (which I think they will), it will make him more money than anyone else he'd be likely to face.
Except for the opportunity to avenge the earlier loss, this appears less exciting for B-Hop, who even at age 44 is still fairly close to the elite level of the sport. But he was having trouble putting together a meaningful fight, and I suppose the prospect of another big payday can't be ignored.
Also of interest is that Rafael states that the fight hinges on Jones beating Danny Green on Dec. 2. I'm not exactly sure why Hopkins and Golden Boy would care about that, because it's not like one more loss ruins the enthusiasm for seeing two guys who will be a combined 86 years old on fight night face off. Unless Green destroys Jones, that is...
Posted by The Franchise
20.8.09
Bernard Hopkins, Joe Frazier, Rocky Balboa on New Flyers Goalie's Mask
This is a completely random boxing-related item, and it's a week old, which is ancient in internet terms. Nevertheless, it's so cool I had to post and link to it.
Newly signed Flyers goalie Ray Emery has decided to go with a tribute to Philadelphia boxing history as the paint job on his mask for the beginning of the 2009-10 NHL season. It's got Bernard Hopkins on the left side, Joe Frazier on the right, and even fictional Philly great Rocky Balboa on the back.
For those of you who don't follow hockey, Emery is known as one of the more, shall we say, combative goaltenders around, and his time with the Ottawa Senators had its share of fights with both opponents and teammates. That makes it entirely appropriate for him to go the boxer route as he tries to start off on the right foot in Philadelphia.
Emery has had boxers on his masks before too. He had a Mike Tyson design ready to go four seasons ago but ended up wearing it for only one game after Ottawa management decided it was in appropriate (back when Ray was still on speaking terms with said management!). He's since had Muhammad Ali, George Chuvalo and Floyd Mayweather on his head at various times.
Posted by The Franchise
Newly signed Flyers goalie Ray Emery has decided to go with a tribute to Philadelphia boxing history as the paint job on his mask for the beginning of the 2009-10 NHL season. It's got Bernard Hopkins on the left side, Joe Frazier on the right, and even fictional Philly great Rocky Balboa on the back.
For those of you who don't follow hockey, Emery is known as one of the more, shall we say, combative goaltenders around, and his time with the Ottawa Senators had its share of fights with both opponents and teammates. That makes it entirely appropriate for him to go the boxer route as he tries to start off on the right foot in Philadelphia.
Emery has had boxers on his masks before too. He had a Mike Tyson design ready to go four seasons ago but ended up wearing it for only one game after Ottawa management decided it was in appropriate (back when Ray was still on speaking terms with said management!). He's since had Muhammad Ali, George Chuvalo and Floyd Mayweather on his head at various times.
Posted by The Franchise
4.7.09
Franchise Thoughts: The Best American Boxers Today
To all of our U.S. readers, a very happy Independence Day. This year's July 4th weekend leaves us without any major boxing action to speak of, but we hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday nonetheless.
It seems only natural to use some of my space today to examine the strength of American pro boxers as a group. While the death of boxing in the U.S. has been exaggerated (ad nauseam) by a number of sources, any rational fan would agree that the sport has fallen a long way from its peak domestic popularity during the 20th Century.
Still, the biggest bouts are still held primarily in the U.S., and American-born fighters continue to have a significant presence among the top levels of most divisions. Who are the best? Glad you asked, because I'm going to lay them out as I see them.
Two notes before I start. First, even though weight classes are becoming less important for purposes of making good fights, they're still useful for the sake of organizing fighters. For simplicity's sake, I'm placing each guy in the division in which he's ranked on BoxRec.com.
Also, I know that people born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens. But Puerto Rican fighters and fans tend to identify along ethnic lines, so I'm not including them with boxers born in the States. Obviously, adding the likes of Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Lopez would bolster America's ranks significantly.
Starting with the big guys and working down...
Heavyweight - Top American: Chris Arreola - This was a tough call, because the crop of U.S. heavyweights is both aging and, well, not very good as a whole.
It remains to be seen if Arreola has the stamina and defensive skills to truly compete with the Klitschko brothers and other top big men, but he certainly can bring it and he's yet to taste defeat. Plus his career is still on the rise and he's on the right side of 35, which is more than can be said of John Ruiz, Lamon Brewster and Hasim Rahman.
A bit of love also goes out to Eddie Chambers, who's also under 30, has lost just once and is actually fighting tonight in Germany.
Cruiserweight - Top American: Steve Cunningham - The cupboard is also pretty bare for American cruisers too, but Cunningham gets the nod as a former titlist who gave a pretty fair account of himself against the division's current top dog, Tomasz Adamek.
It's tempting to tout BJ Flores as a future hope in this weight class, but he's too old to be a prospect and hasn't exactly pushed himself to find the best fights. I like his announcing work though.
Light heavyweight - Top American: Bernard Hopkins - Until he officially retires, The Executioner remains one of the top U.S. boxers at any weight. His accomplishments speak for themselves, and he's still formidable at age 44.
Since B-Hop floats around in weight to fight so often, the real American champ at 175 could be Chad Dawson, depending on how he fares in his rematch with Glen Johnson. Big names Roy Jones Jr. and Antonio Tarver are still holding on, but just barely.
Super middleweight - Top American: Andre Ward - This was my first difficult decision, as Ward has yet to really cement himself as a top contender. He certainly looks to have all the tools necessary for future success.
If Ward is No. 1, then Andre Dirrell is 1A, and he also could very easily be a star in the making. BoxRec ranks Jermain Taylor ahead of both Andre's, but he's lost three of his last four and is just 1-1 at 168.
So there's hope for Americans in this division, but for right now the top guys (like Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler) clearly reside overseas.
Middleweight - Top American: Kelly Pavlik - This was one of the easiest calls, as the Pride of Youngstown has settled in as middleweight champ. He did get schooled by Hopkins, but that was a few pounds north of here.
BoxRec rates Daniel Jacobs in this division even though he's fought above 160 for most of his fights, so I'll go ahead and say he's the future for the U.S. if he actually can make middleweight. Other than The Ghost and the Golden Child, there's not much else near the top.
Super welterweight - Top American: Paul Williams: The Punisher exemplifies today's trend of floating around between weights, and he's made it very clear he'll fight anyone between 147 and 160. BoxRec places him here and so will I. He's one of the best boxers in the world and easily takes the top spot with his work rate, height and underrated power.
The U.S. is fairly deep at 154 aside from Williams. Vernon Forrest and Cory Spinks have been around for a while but don't look finished yet. And the beginning of the next decade looks promising thanks to James Kirkland (assuming he gets himself straightened out) and Deandre Latimore.
Welterweight - Top American: Shane Mosley - It's pretty much a two-man show at 147, but it's a good two. Sugar Shane showed he still has plenty left in the tank by beating down Antonio Margarito, even if that hasn't resulted in the big paydays he's been seeking.
The other half of the duo is Andre Berto, who has his doubters but just keeps winning. He's young enough to force bigger names to fight him in the next few years if he keeps it up.
Super lightweight - Top American: Timothy Bradley - Though he's kind of an unlikely champion, Bradley has a title and an undefeated record for now. It's tough to say if he's really great at any one aspect of the game, but he's solid in everything.
I almost gave the nod to Nate Campbell here but decided to wait until he actually had a fight under his belt at 140. It's against Bradley, by the way.
The U.S. is loaded in young talent here too, as Devon Alexander, Victor Ortiz (yes, despite his recent loss) and Lamont Peterson are all 25 and under.
Lightweight - Top American: Juan Diaz - The Baby Bull wins this almost by default as others have moved out of this weight class. Despite some rough outings over the past few years, I'd still watch him fight any time, and that counts for something.
Memphis' Anthony Peterson is the one to watch as we roll into and past 2010.
Super featherweight - Top American: Robert Guerrero - The pickings are slim for U.S. fighters at 130, and the "other" Ghost's last fight was at lightweight. His upcoming August bout with Malcolm Klassen is for a super featherweight title though, so he counts here.
Featherweight - Top American: Steven Luevano: This was a tough call. I went with Luevano for his excellent record against some pretty good opponents, but we'll see what he's made of when he fights Bernabe Concepcion in August.
The coin flip loser was Rocky Juarez. I think Rocky is talented, but he's come up short in his biggest fights and was fortunate to earn a draw against Chris John last time out.
Below featherweight - Top American: Brian Viloria: If the U.S. isn't cranking out too many excellent big men, it really isn't developing many top contenders at the lower weight classes. The weight classes below featherweight are almost completely devoid of top talent.
You have to go all the way down to light flyweight to find a notable exception. Hawaiian Punch has been rolling since a 2007 loss to Edgar Sosa, and he gets bonus points for being a frequent and often insightful Twitterer.
Posted by The Franchise
It seems only natural to use some of my space today to examine the strength of American pro boxers as a group. While the death of boxing in the U.S. has been exaggerated (ad nauseam) by a number of sources, any rational fan would agree that the sport has fallen a long way from its peak domestic popularity during the 20th Century.
Still, the biggest bouts are still held primarily in the U.S., and American-born fighters continue to have a significant presence among the top levels of most divisions. Who are the best? Glad you asked, because I'm going to lay them out as I see them.
Two notes before I start. First, even though weight classes are becoming less important for purposes of making good fights, they're still useful for the sake of organizing fighters. For simplicity's sake, I'm placing each guy in the division in which he's ranked on BoxRec.com.
Also, I know that people born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens. But Puerto Rican fighters and fans tend to identify along ethnic lines, so I'm not including them with boxers born in the States. Obviously, adding the likes of Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Lopez would bolster America's ranks significantly.
Starting with the big guys and working down...
Heavyweight - Top American: Chris Arreola - This was a tough call, because the crop of U.S. heavyweights is both aging and, well, not very good as a whole.
It remains to be seen if Arreola has the stamina and defensive skills to truly compete with the Klitschko brothers and other top big men, but he certainly can bring it and he's yet to taste defeat. Plus his career is still on the rise and he's on the right side of 35, which is more than can be said of John Ruiz, Lamon Brewster and Hasim Rahman.
A bit of love also goes out to Eddie Chambers, who's also under 30, has lost just once and is actually fighting tonight in Germany.
Cruiserweight - Top American: Steve Cunningham - The cupboard is also pretty bare for American cruisers too, but Cunningham gets the nod as a former titlist who gave a pretty fair account of himself against the division's current top dog, Tomasz Adamek.
It's tempting to tout BJ Flores as a future hope in this weight class, but he's too old to be a prospect and hasn't exactly pushed himself to find the best fights. I like his announcing work though.
Light heavyweight - Top American: Bernard Hopkins - Until he officially retires, The Executioner remains one of the top U.S. boxers at any weight. His accomplishments speak for themselves, and he's still formidable at age 44.
Since B-Hop floats around in weight to fight so often, the real American champ at 175 could be Chad Dawson, depending on how he fares in his rematch with Glen Johnson. Big names Roy Jones Jr. and Antonio Tarver are still holding on, but just barely.
Super middleweight - Top American: Andre Ward - This was my first difficult decision, as Ward has yet to really cement himself as a top contender. He certainly looks to have all the tools necessary for future success.
If Ward is No. 1, then Andre Dirrell is 1A, and he also could very easily be a star in the making. BoxRec ranks Jermain Taylor ahead of both Andre's, but he's lost three of his last four and is just 1-1 at 168.
So there's hope for Americans in this division, but for right now the top guys (like Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler) clearly reside overseas.
Middleweight - Top American: Kelly Pavlik - This was one of the easiest calls, as the Pride of Youngstown has settled in as middleweight champ. He did get schooled by Hopkins, but that was a few pounds north of here.
BoxRec rates Daniel Jacobs in this division even though he's fought above 160 for most of his fights, so I'll go ahead and say he's the future for the U.S. if he actually can make middleweight. Other than The Ghost and the Golden Child, there's not much else near the top.
Super welterweight - Top American: Paul Williams: The Punisher exemplifies today's trend of floating around between weights, and he's made it very clear he'll fight anyone between 147 and 160. BoxRec places him here and so will I. He's one of the best boxers in the world and easily takes the top spot with his work rate, height and underrated power.
The U.S. is fairly deep at 154 aside from Williams. Vernon Forrest and Cory Spinks have been around for a while but don't look finished yet. And the beginning of the next decade looks promising thanks to James Kirkland (assuming he gets himself straightened out) and Deandre Latimore.
Welterweight - Top American: Shane Mosley - It's pretty much a two-man show at 147, but it's a good two. Sugar Shane showed he still has plenty left in the tank by beating down Antonio Margarito, even if that hasn't resulted in the big paydays he's been seeking.
The other half of the duo is Andre Berto, who has his doubters but just keeps winning. He's young enough to force bigger names to fight him in the next few years if he keeps it up.
Super lightweight - Top American: Timothy Bradley - Though he's kind of an unlikely champion, Bradley has a title and an undefeated record for now. It's tough to say if he's really great at any one aspect of the game, but he's solid in everything.
I almost gave the nod to Nate Campbell here but decided to wait until he actually had a fight under his belt at 140. It's against Bradley, by the way.
The U.S. is loaded in young talent here too, as Devon Alexander, Victor Ortiz (yes, despite his recent loss) and Lamont Peterson are all 25 and under.
Lightweight - Top American: Juan Diaz - The Baby Bull wins this almost by default as others have moved out of this weight class. Despite some rough outings over the past few years, I'd still watch him fight any time, and that counts for something.
Memphis' Anthony Peterson is the one to watch as we roll into and past 2010.
Super featherweight - Top American: Robert Guerrero - The pickings are slim for U.S. fighters at 130, and the "other" Ghost's last fight was at lightweight. His upcoming August bout with Malcolm Klassen is for a super featherweight title though, so he counts here.
Featherweight - Top American: Steven Luevano: This was a tough call. I went with Luevano for his excellent record against some pretty good opponents, but we'll see what he's made of when he fights Bernabe Concepcion in August.
The coin flip loser was Rocky Juarez. I think Rocky is talented, but he's come up short in his biggest fights and was fortunate to earn a draw against Chris John last time out.
Below featherweight - Top American: Brian Viloria: If the U.S. isn't cranking out too many excellent big men, it really isn't developing many top contenders at the lower weight classes. The weight classes below featherweight are almost completely devoid of top talent.
You have to go all the way down to light flyweight to find a notable exception. Hawaiian Punch has been rolling since a 2007 loss to Edgar Sosa, and he gets bonus points for being a frequent and often insightful Twitterer.
Posted by The Franchise
29.6.09
20/20 Hindsight: When Annointing Someone the Next Big Thing Goes Awry, Plus What to Do About Arthur Abraham
In case you missed Saturday's HBO broadcast of Boxing After Dark, you owe it to yourself to catch a replay. Soon. You won't be disappointed.
Victor Ortiz and Marcos Maidana threw the concepts of feeling each other out and establishing the jab right out the window, deciding early on to just wing power shots early and often. The ensuing collision lasted six rounds, and three of them (Rounds 1, 2 and 5) made this writer yell out loud even though I was watching the fight alone.
It's not very often that you see someone get knocked down three times in the first round and come back to win by TKO, but Maidana pulled it off. Ortiz brought the more well-rounded game to the fight, but the Argentinian had more heart and the better chin. Those qualities plus a wild yet devastating right hand turned out to be enough (barely) to carry the day.
Much of the analysis over the last day or two has focused on what Ortiz did wrong, that he fought the wrong fight and caved when the going got really tough. There's definite truth in the former and perhaps in the latter as well, though it's always easy for us to demand that fighters show the willingness to get carried out on their shields from the safety of our own seats or couches.
Regardless, it was hard to listen to Ortiz's post-fight interview and not feel some sympathy for how discouraged he sounded. Here was a man suggesting that he might have to think hard about continuing his boxing career - and at all of 22 years of age and two career losses.
The unspoken context was that Ortiz felt disappointed not only in his performance, but that he had let so many other people down. This was a boxer who, despite his youth, was getting a massive push from Golden Boy Promotions to become the sport's next huge star.
It's not hard to see why. As Max Kellerman opined in the aftermath of the fight, Ortiz almost seemed too good to be true: touching personal story, skill and power in the ring, good looks, engaging and well-spoken personality. The phrase "total package" may be a cliche, but if Ortiz doesn't qualify, no one does.
Golden Boy's anxiousness is easy to see too. It's three biggest draws, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley, are all retired or headed that way. A company passing of the torch is in order soon.
Despite all that, we were reminded once again that all of the star-making plans in the world can quickly come apart in the ring. Whether it's Alfredo Angulo's lateral mobility issues or Ortiz's shaky chin, boxing can expose any flaws in its crop of young up-and-comers.
Actually, expose may not be the right word, because we're not talking about guys who are finished products. The conclusion is the same, though: in boxing, it's the results in the ring that will ultimately determine who will be the big names in the sport over the next decade.
It's definitely still possible for Ortiz to be one of those names. Maybe now the hype behind him will die down a bit and he'll be able to get back on track toward that goal with a little less pressure.
ELSEWHERE...
Arthur Abraham didn't exactly thrill the pants off of viewers with his tenth-round TKO of Mahir Oral on Saturday, but he did what he needed to do. He took his time and played defense until he figured out Oral couldn't hurt him, and he turned up the power in the middle rounds until his opponent couldn't take any more.
King Arthur also said all the right things after the fight about wanting to fight in the U.S. against Kelly Pavlik or any of a number of guys at 168, and he even showed some personality. I'm not sure if that was just for show or if his management is the problem, but it would be really nice to see Abraham in some bigger fights while he's still in his prime.
With his high guard and slow starts, he's not the most exciting fighter around, but he certainly goes for the kill when he senses an opening. He didn't deny that he's having a tough time making 160, so a fight with Pavlik would have to be made pretty quickly.
On the other hand, I can see why Team Pavlik wouldn't be chomping at the bit to put their guy in against Abraham. King Arthur has some holes, but it would take a skilled counterpuncher to best exploit them, and that's not really The Ghost's specialty. Since Abraham doesn't have the name value to help sell tickets in the States, it could seem like the risk/reward ratio just isn't there.
So we might be down to hoping Abraham agrees to fight Pavlik in Ohio or simply announces he's headed for super middleweight right away. He might not be the best boxer in the world, but he's good enough that it would be a shame to see him continue to fight in relative obscurity.
Posted by The Franchise
Victor Ortiz and Marcos Maidana threw the concepts of feeling each other out and establishing the jab right out the window, deciding early on to just wing power shots early and often. The ensuing collision lasted six rounds, and three of them (Rounds 1, 2 and 5) made this writer yell out loud even though I was watching the fight alone.
It's not very often that you see someone get knocked down three times in the first round and come back to win by TKO, but Maidana pulled it off. Ortiz brought the more well-rounded game to the fight, but the Argentinian had more heart and the better chin. Those qualities plus a wild yet devastating right hand turned out to be enough (barely) to carry the day.
Much of the analysis over the last day or two has focused on what Ortiz did wrong, that he fought the wrong fight and caved when the going got really tough. There's definite truth in the former and perhaps in the latter as well, though it's always easy for us to demand that fighters show the willingness to get carried out on their shields from the safety of our own seats or couches.
Regardless, it was hard to listen to Ortiz's post-fight interview and not feel some sympathy for how discouraged he sounded. Here was a man suggesting that he might have to think hard about continuing his boxing career - and at all of 22 years of age and two career losses.
The unspoken context was that Ortiz felt disappointed not only in his performance, but that he had let so many other people down. This was a boxer who, despite his youth, was getting a massive push from Golden Boy Promotions to become the sport's next huge star.
It's not hard to see why. As Max Kellerman opined in the aftermath of the fight, Ortiz almost seemed too good to be true: touching personal story, skill and power in the ring, good looks, engaging and well-spoken personality. The phrase "total package" may be a cliche, but if Ortiz doesn't qualify, no one does.
Golden Boy's anxiousness is easy to see too. It's three biggest draws, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley, are all retired or headed that way. A company passing of the torch is in order soon.
Despite all that, we were reminded once again that all of the star-making plans in the world can quickly come apart in the ring. Whether it's Alfredo Angulo's lateral mobility issues or Ortiz's shaky chin, boxing can expose any flaws in its crop of young up-and-comers.
Actually, expose may not be the right word, because we're not talking about guys who are finished products. The conclusion is the same, though: in boxing, it's the results in the ring that will ultimately determine who will be the big names in the sport over the next decade.
It's definitely still possible for Ortiz to be one of those names. Maybe now the hype behind him will die down a bit and he'll be able to get back on track toward that goal with a little less pressure.
ELSEWHERE...
Arthur Abraham didn't exactly thrill the pants off of viewers with his tenth-round TKO of Mahir Oral on Saturday, but he did what he needed to do. He took his time and played defense until he figured out Oral couldn't hurt him, and he turned up the power in the middle rounds until his opponent couldn't take any more.
King Arthur also said all the right things after the fight about wanting to fight in the U.S. against Kelly Pavlik or any of a number of guys at 168, and he even showed some personality. I'm not sure if that was just for show or if his management is the problem, but it would be really nice to see Abraham in some bigger fights while he's still in his prime.
With his high guard and slow starts, he's not the most exciting fighter around, but he certainly goes for the kill when he senses an opening. He didn't deny that he's having a tough time making 160, so a fight with Pavlik would have to be made pretty quickly.
On the other hand, I can see why Team Pavlik wouldn't be chomping at the bit to put their guy in against Abraham. King Arthur has some holes, but it would take a skilled counterpuncher to best exploit them, and that's not really The Ghost's specialty. Since Abraham doesn't have the name value to help sell tickets in the States, it could seem like the risk/reward ratio just isn't there.
So we might be down to hoping Abraham agrees to fight Pavlik in Ohio or simply announces he's headed for super middleweight right away. He might not be the best boxer in the world, but he's good enough that it would be a shame to see him continue to fight in relative obscurity.
Posted by The Franchise
26.5.09
20-20 Hindsight Holiday Edition: Thoughts on Upcoming Fights and the Riddle of Andre Berto
Hopefully all American BW readers are finishing up a pleasant Memorial Day weekend. I personally find it to be one of the more meaningful U.S. holidays, as it commemorates the sacrifices made by the men and women who died defending our country - and though neither died in action, both of my grandfathers served, and I think of them both on this day.
With no big fight to look back on, I'm looking ahead to several fights either recently announced or in the works, most of which come courtesy of ESPN's Dan Rafael and the holiday edition of his notebook:
Zab Judah vs. Matthew Hatton - July 18 (on Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez PPV undercard) - Though Zab (or whoever masquerades as Zab) Twittered not that long ago that he'd be facing Randall Bailey, he's ended up instead with Matthew Hatton, younger brother of Ricky Hatton.
Though no one will confuse Matt with his older sibling, he's fought more times in the U.S. than the Hitman had at a similar career point and has acquitted himself fairly well. He doesn't have a ton of power (just 14 KOs in 37 career wins), and one suspects he'll come up short in the hand speed department against Judah too.
The question with Zab, as always, is which version of him we'll get. If he's in good shape and his head is screwed on straight, he should win. Those are no guarantees, so this is a semi-intriguing undercard scrap.
Timothy Bradley vs. Joan Guzman - August or September - Bradley puts his 140-pound WBO belt on the line against Guzman, who's fought mostly at 130 pounds but has had trouble making weight even at 135 (as Nate Campbell can attest) and has been talking about continuing to move up.
Though Bradley keeps finding ways to win, this may be a tough defense as Guzman has a lot of skills. I'll even go out on a slight limb and say he may prove to have more power as he moves up a la JMM, as both guys now seem like they just killed themselves a little too long trying to make lower weights.
An interesting sidenote is that Rafael mentions that Bradley didn't want to face Devon Alexander, which is unfortunate as that had the makings of a good fight. The WBC title is now vacant as a result, and Alexander will take on Junior Witter for that one on July 11 as part of the Vic Darchinyan-Joseph Agbeko undercard.
Chad Dawson vs. Glen Johnson II - Fall - For the record, I scored the first fight between these two gentlemen one point closer than the official cards. But I still thought Dawson won, and I don't agree with Johnson or some fans I heard from who felt like he was robbed.
Close fight? Absolutely. Miscarriage of justice? Uh, no.
That being said, it's ironic that Dawson and his team weren't interested in a rematch until his two unexciting victories over Antonio Tarver suddenly made this into his most lucrative option. Boxing is funny that way sometimes.
There are easier ways to earn a living than going 12 rounds with Johnson, that's for sure.
Tomasz Adamek vs. Bernard Hopkins - Early 2010? - B-Hop continues to amaze, and Adamek is limited though definitely powerful and tough as nails. So perhaps this is right in Bernard's wheelhouse.
It's worth noting, though, that Hopkins will be 45 by the time this fight rolls around if it really is headed for the first part of 2010, and he'll have been off for over a year at that point (Adamek will fight someone this July 10). Not even the Executioner can fight off Father Time forever.
Ultimately, this quote from Rafael sums up the reason for this fight perfectly:
Switching gears to someone who is definitely fighting this coming Saturday, I wanted to recommend Eric Raskin's recent examination of Andre Berto on The Ring Blog. His main theme is that there are people who feel Berto is overrated and others who think he is underrated, and Raskin decides he leans toward the latter camp.
Andre certainly has become a polarizing figure among boxing fans, and his critics seem to have gathered renewed strength after he went life-and-death with Luis Collazo in January - as if that was something that should shame him somehow.
Berto tells Raskin that he is anxious to get back to knocking people out. And it is nice to hear boxers express a desire to entertain as well as win.
But I find myself agreeing most with the author when he asks exactly what Berto's detractors are expecting. Yes he hasn't fought tons of tough opponents, but he's young and has been a pro for less than five years.
His defense has holes, though as Manny Pacquiao has shown, those can be patched up even later in one's career. He might not be ready for the Shane Mosleys and the Miguel Cottos of the world right this second, but it's not hard to see him at that level by, say, 2011.
As a frame of reference, BoxRec.com has Berto ranked fourth among welterweights, behind Mosley, Antonio Margarito and Cotto but ahead of the likes of Joshua Clottey, Sebastian Lujuan, Alfonso Gomez, Isaac Hlatshwayo and Judah. With the exception of maybe Clottey, that seems about right to me.
Posted by The Franchise
With no big fight to look back on, I'm looking ahead to several fights either recently announced or in the works, most of which come courtesy of ESPN's Dan Rafael and the holiday edition of his notebook:
Zab Judah vs. Matthew Hatton - July 18 (on Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez PPV undercard) - Though Zab (or whoever masquerades as Zab) Twittered not that long ago that he'd be facing Randall Bailey, he's ended up instead with Matthew Hatton, younger brother of Ricky Hatton.
Though no one will confuse Matt with his older sibling, he's fought more times in the U.S. than the Hitman had at a similar career point and has acquitted himself fairly well. He doesn't have a ton of power (just 14 KOs in 37 career wins), and one suspects he'll come up short in the hand speed department against Judah too.
The question with Zab, as always, is which version of him we'll get. If he's in good shape and his head is screwed on straight, he should win. Those are no guarantees, so this is a semi-intriguing undercard scrap.
Timothy Bradley vs. Joan Guzman - August or September - Bradley puts his 140-pound WBO belt on the line against Guzman, who's fought mostly at 130 pounds but has had trouble making weight even at 135 (as Nate Campbell can attest) and has been talking about continuing to move up.
Though Bradley keeps finding ways to win, this may be a tough defense as Guzman has a lot of skills. I'll even go out on a slight limb and say he may prove to have more power as he moves up a la JMM, as both guys now seem like they just killed themselves a little too long trying to make lower weights.
An interesting sidenote is that Rafael mentions that Bradley didn't want to face Devon Alexander, which is unfortunate as that had the makings of a good fight. The WBC title is now vacant as a result, and Alexander will take on Junior Witter for that one on July 11 as part of the Vic Darchinyan-Joseph Agbeko undercard.
Chad Dawson vs. Glen Johnson II - Fall - For the record, I scored the first fight between these two gentlemen one point closer than the official cards. But I still thought Dawson won, and I don't agree with Johnson or some fans I heard from who felt like he was robbed.
Close fight? Absolutely. Miscarriage of justice? Uh, no.
That being said, it's ironic that Dawson and his team weren't interested in a rematch until his two unexciting victories over Antonio Tarver suddenly made this into his most lucrative option. Boxing is funny that way sometimes.
There are easier ways to earn a living than going 12 rounds with Johnson, that's for sure.
Tomasz Adamek vs. Bernard Hopkins - Early 2010? - B-Hop continues to amaze, and Adamek is limited though definitely powerful and tough as nails. So perhaps this is right in Bernard's wheelhouse.
It's worth noting, though, that Hopkins will be 45 by the time this fight rolls around if it really is headed for the first part of 2010, and he'll have been off for over a year at that point (Adamek will fight someone this July 10). Not even the Executioner can fight off Father Time forever.
Ultimately, this quote from Rafael sums up the reason for this fight perfectly:
"Adamek and Hopkins seem to need each other at this point to produce their biggest payday."
Switching gears to someone who is definitely fighting this coming Saturday, I wanted to recommend Eric Raskin's recent examination of Andre Berto on The Ring Blog. His main theme is that there are people who feel Berto is overrated and others who think he is underrated, and Raskin decides he leans toward the latter camp.
Andre certainly has become a polarizing figure among boxing fans, and his critics seem to have gathered renewed strength after he went life-and-death with Luis Collazo in January - as if that was something that should shame him somehow.
Berto tells Raskin that he is anxious to get back to knocking people out. And it is nice to hear boxers express a desire to entertain as well as win.
But I find myself agreeing most with the author when he asks exactly what Berto's detractors are expecting. Yes he hasn't fought tons of tough opponents, but he's young and has been a pro for less than five years.
His defense has holes, though as Manny Pacquiao has shown, those can be patched up even later in one's career. He might not be ready for the Shane Mosleys and the Miguel Cottos of the world right this second, but it's not hard to see him at that level by, say, 2011.
As a frame of reference, BoxRec.com has Berto ranked fourth among welterweights, behind Mosley, Antonio Margarito and Cotto but ahead of the likes of Joshua Clottey, Sebastian Lujuan, Alfonso Gomez, Isaac Hlatshwayo and Judah. With the exception of maybe Clottey, that seems about right to me.
Posted by The Franchise
8.5.09
Friday Night Fights Report - May 8, 2009
I have some things to do tonight, but I will keep my eye on FNF in case anything interesting goes down.
Tonight's FNF brings us Brian Vera against Craig McEwen in the main event from Fort Worth, Texas.
Teddy Atlas made some opening remarks about the similarities between McEwen and Andy Lee.
Vera beat the at-the-time undefeated prospect Andy Lee on FNF, and Lee has not been very visible since. Lee actually knocked Vera down in Round 1 of that fight. Lee is 2-0 since that fight, but both fights have been back in Ireland, and as far as I know, not televised here. Lee is more than just your usual prospect, and is a very talented fighter. Vera will try to defeat McEwen as he did Lee.
Back in the studio, Brian Kenny reports that the Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Mora fight has been postponed due to staph infections.
Bernard Hopkins is in the studio. B-Hop was in the Ricky Hatton locker room following his fight with Manny Pacquiao. Ricky did not know a half-hour after the fight what he had been hit with and was asking Bernard about it.
On a side note, ESPN2 showed a Tecate commerical that was completely in Spanish. I thought that was interesting.
Adrian Broner vs. Fernando Quintero
An interesting fight between the 8-0 Broner and the 7-0 Quintero. The fight went the full eight rounds.
Teddy has it a draw.
Judges:
76-76
77-75
78-74
Adrian "The Problem" Broner wins by majority decision.
Back to the studio...
Bernard said Hatton never had a chance to change tactics. Manny was coming from all over the place. Hatton didn't know what to do.
Bernard said that hatton was overwhelmed after Round 1 and he never recovered. Bernard said he should have ducked, or put his hands up, or bought himself some time like a veteran.
Teddy said that Hatton shouldn't have gone straight into the propeller, he should have made Manny come to him.
They showed a number of photos of Ricky at the pool posing for pictures and hanging out with party-goers in Vegas, but interestingly the ESPN crew made zero reference to them. I thought maybe they were going to say that Hatton was unfocused or something, but they literally showed the pictures and never mentioned them.
Bernard said that JMM is no tune-up for Money Mayweather. Floyd has been off for a long time, and Bernard says the gym is not the same as fighting for real. He does think that Floyd will win at the end of the day.
Neither Teddy nor Bernard believes that the weight will be too much of an issue. But Teddy does think it is important that JMM's managers do not give up too much in negotiations as far as weight, ring size, gloves, etc.
Atlas believes it will be a tough fight but Mayweather will win. Teddy wonders if Money May is taking the fight for the wrong reason due to the IRS lien. Hopkins thinks that the money could actually be a motivation because of how much is on the line financially. Floyd may have the extra motivation that he needs.
Manny-Floyd? Bernard goes with Floyd. He has a lot to bring that Manny has never seen before.
Atlas is going with the Pac-Man.
Vera vs. McEwen - 10 Rounds
Round 1
Uatu: Vera 10-9
Vera landed some hard shots, McEwen stayed moving and worked in and out. A good first round and both men had their moments.
Round 2
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Another good round. McEwen fights lefty, and he's looking like a slower poor man's version of Bute, who was a close version of Calzaghe. I liked the work that McEwen did, but he did catch a big right in the early goings.
Round 3
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Both fighters have had moments that made me a little nervous. At times I thought either man could fall or get roughed up, but maybe they are just off-balance.
Round 4
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
In my opinion McEwen controlled the majority of this round.
Round 5
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Teddy has it 4-0 McEwen. McEwen hasn't been hit with that Vera right in a few rounds.
Round 6
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Marco Antonio Barrera is in some of those Tecate ads. Bernard has sparred with McEwen to prepare for Winky and JoeCal. A lot of grabbing, a lot of McEwen landing.
Round 7
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 7 was a slugfest. Both men threw some serious haymakers. Vera managed to land the right again.
Round 8
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 9
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 10
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
I enjoyed this fight. Good spirited effort by both men.
Teddy:
99-91 McEwen
Judges:
97-93
97-93
97-93
Craig McEwen wins by unanimous decision.
Freddie Roach manages and trains McEwen so I imagine we will see him again. Tarver-Dawson II up next.
Signing off...
Posted by uatu
Tonight's FNF brings us Brian Vera against Craig McEwen in the main event from Fort Worth, Texas.
Teddy Atlas made some opening remarks about the similarities between McEwen and Andy Lee.
Vera beat the at-the-time undefeated prospect Andy Lee on FNF, and Lee has not been very visible since. Lee actually knocked Vera down in Round 1 of that fight. Lee is 2-0 since that fight, but both fights have been back in Ireland, and as far as I know, not televised here. Lee is more than just your usual prospect, and is a very talented fighter. Vera will try to defeat McEwen as he did Lee.
Back in the studio, Brian Kenny reports that the Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Mora fight has been postponed due to staph infections.
Bernard Hopkins is in the studio. B-Hop was in the Ricky Hatton locker room following his fight with Manny Pacquiao. Ricky did not know a half-hour after the fight what he had been hit with and was asking Bernard about it.
On a side note, ESPN2 showed a Tecate commerical that was completely in Spanish. I thought that was interesting.
Adrian Broner vs. Fernando Quintero
An interesting fight between the 8-0 Broner and the 7-0 Quintero. The fight went the full eight rounds.
Teddy has it a draw.
Judges:
76-76
77-75
78-74
Adrian "The Problem" Broner wins by majority decision.
Back to the studio...
Bernard said Hatton never had a chance to change tactics. Manny was coming from all over the place. Hatton didn't know what to do.
Bernard said that hatton was overwhelmed after Round 1 and he never recovered. Bernard said he should have ducked, or put his hands up, or bought himself some time like a veteran.
Teddy said that Hatton shouldn't have gone straight into the propeller, he should have made Manny come to him.
They showed a number of photos of Ricky at the pool posing for pictures and hanging out with party-goers in Vegas, but interestingly the ESPN crew made zero reference to them. I thought maybe they were going to say that Hatton was unfocused or something, but they literally showed the pictures and never mentioned them.
Bernard said that JMM is no tune-up for Money Mayweather. Floyd has been off for a long time, and Bernard says the gym is not the same as fighting for real. He does think that Floyd will win at the end of the day.
Neither Teddy nor Bernard believes that the weight will be too much of an issue. But Teddy does think it is important that JMM's managers do not give up too much in negotiations as far as weight, ring size, gloves, etc.
Atlas believes it will be a tough fight but Mayweather will win. Teddy wonders if Money May is taking the fight for the wrong reason due to the IRS lien. Hopkins thinks that the money could actually be a motivation because of how much is on the line financially. Floyd may have the extra motivation that he needs.
Manny-Floyd? Bernard goes with Floyd. He has a lot to bring that Manny has never seen before.
Atlas is going with the Pac-Man.
Vera vs. McEwen - 10 Rounds
Round 1
Uatu: Vera 10-9
Vera landed some hard shots, McEwen stayed moving and worked in and out. A good first round and both men had their moments.
Round 2
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Another good round. McEwen fights lefty, and he's looking like a slower poor man's version of Bute, who was a close version of Calzaghe. I liked the work that McEwen did, but he did catch a big right in the early goings.
Round 3
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Both fighters have had moments that made me a little nervous. At times I thought either man could fall or get roughed up, but maybe they are just off-balance.
Round 4
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
In my opinion McEwen controlled the majority of this round.
Round 5
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Teddy has it 4-0 McEwen. McEwen hasn't been hit with that Vera right in a few rounds.
Round 6
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Marco Antonio Barrera is in some of those Tecate ads. Bernard has sparred with McEwen to prepare for Winky and JoeCal. A lot of grabbing, a lot of McEwen landing.
Round 7
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 7 was a slugfest. Both men threw some serious haymakers. Vera managed to land the right again.
Round 8
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 9
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 10
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
I enjoyed this fight. Good spirited effort by both men.
Teddy:
99-91 McEwen
Judges:
97-93
97-93
97-93
Craig McEwen wins by unanimous decision.
Freddie Roach manages and trains McEwen so I imagine we will see him again. Tarver-Dawson II up next.
Signing off...
Posted by uatu
1.5.09
Pacquiao vs. Hatton: Live Weigh-In
The show is on at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Mario Lopez is the master of ceremonies. He opens the show to pump up the crowd and now hands the mic over to Michael Buffer. Buffer is doing well. He makes some jokes about the swine flu. The crowd is really pumped up. It sounds like they are mostly there for Ricky Hatton.
They start the weigh-in with the the first undercard fight between two young super middleweights. Buffer hands the mic back over to Lopez. He says there are three more to go before the main event weight-in. The second undercard fight that weighs in has the first stare-down. Lopez now hands the mic over to Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum. Arum says something in Tagalog and receives a lot of boos from the pro-Hatton crowd. Schaefer says "There's only one Ricky Hatton!"
They now use some footage from Hatton and Pacquiao's training and press conferences for filler. The footage has ended and Lopez says that Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley will be on the stage momentarily. Here's some more banter from Arum and Schaefer. Arum says that all Mexican fighters will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao. Schaefer says that that's enough from Bob.
Sugar Shane comes on the stage first. He says the weigh-in is an impressive show of fandom. It sounded like a pretty pro-Mosley crowd.
They jump from Mosley right into the weigh-in of Michael Walker vs. Daniel Jacobs at middleweight. Jacobs looks to be in great shape. The crowd is pretty quiet now. Jacobs is a few inches taller than Walker.
Right into some more filler of Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr. from a press conference.
Hopkins is on the stage now. Wow, the crowd is a seriously hating on B-Hop. They let him have it with a loud chorus of boos. He looks a little bigger than usual, not fat, but mostly muscle. Bernard says he's picking Hatton because "he's with us," meaning Golden Boy. He doesn't sound too convinced with his decision.
It's now time for the Humberto Soto vs. Benoit Gaudet weigh-in. They both make weight and look to be in good shape.
Juan Manuel Marquez and De La Hoya take the stage now. They both get a lot of cheers. Oscar put on a lot of weight. He's certainly not in boxing shape, but I guess he doesn't need to be. The British fans start a Ricky Hatton song. Amir Khan follows De La Hoya on the stage. Khan says that it's going to be a great fight. Juan Diaz, the Baby Bull, is in attendance. They show the crowd and it is truly amazing - thousands and thousands of fans.
Now it's time for the main event weigh-in. Buffer introduces Manny first. Hatton's British band is really going nuts. Hatton comes on now. The crowd goes crazy as expected. Manny is going to take the scale first. Manny looks to be in amazing shape.
Manny weighs in at 138 pounds.
Hatton follows and also looks to be in stellar shape. He looks a little thinner than Pac-Man.
Hatton weighs in at 140 pounds.
Manny and Hatton are all smiles. They pose for some pictures. Now it's time for the stare-down. It looks like there is no height difference between them. They both look like they trained hard, but Manny looks like he has more muscle on him.
Hatton says he kept in shape and he has never had a problem making weight. He sounds confident. It sounds like his game plan is to counter punch, which will be interesting to see. Manny is on the mic now. He says he feels strong and hungry to fight. Roach says that Hatton's game plan will play right into Manny's hands and they will pick Hatton apart once he reverts to his old ways.
Hatton and Manny close the show and thanks all of the fans for traveling such a long distance to see the fight. Manny does the same and says that nobody knows what's going to happen, except God.
That's it. The weigh-in has me excited for tomorrow night. One more day!
Posted by spartan117
They start the weigh-in with the the first undercard fight between two young super middleweights. Buffer hands the mic back over to Lopez. He says there are three more to go before the main event weight-in. The second undercard fight that weighs in has the first stare-down. Lopez now hands the mic over to Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum. Arum says something in Tagalog and receives a lot of boos from the pro-Hatton crowd. Schaefer says "There's only one Ricky Hatton!"
They now use some footage from Hatton and Pacquiao's training and press conferences for filler. The footage has ended and Lopez says that Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley will be on the stage momentarily. Here's some more banter from Arum and Schaefer. Arum says that all Mexican fighters will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao. Schaefer says that that's enough from Bob.
Sugar Shane comes on the stage first. He says the weigh-in is an impressive show of fandom. It sounded like a pretty pro-Mosley crowd.
They jump from Mosley right into the weigh-in of Michael Walker vs. Daniel Jacobs at middleweight. Jacobs looks to be in great shape. The crowd is pretty quiet now. Jacobs is a few inches taller than Walker.
Right into some more filler of Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr. from a press conference.
Hopkins is on the stage now. Wow, the crowd is a seriously hating on B-Hop. They let him have it with a loud chorus of boos. He looks a little bigger than usual, not fat, but mostly muscle. Bernard says he's picking Hatton because "he's with us," meaning Golden Boy. He doesn't sound too convinced with his decision.
It's now time for the Humberto Soto vs. Benoit Gaudet weigh-in. They both make weight and look to be in good shape.
Juan Manuel Marquez and De La Hoya take the stage now. They both get a lot of cheers. Oscar put on a lot of weight. He's certainly not in boxing shape, but I guess he doesn't need to be. The British fans start a Ricky Hatton song. Amir Khan follows De La Hoya on the stage. Khan says that it's going to be a great fight. Juan Diaz, the Baby Bull, is in attendance. They show the crowd and it is truly amazing - thousands and thousands of fans.
Now it's time for the main event weigh-in. Buffer introduces Manny first. Hatton's British band is really going nuts. Hatton comes on now. The crowd goes crazy as expected. Manny is going to take the scale first. Manny looks to be in amazing shape.
Manny weighs in at 138 pounds.
Hatton follows and also looks to be in stellar shape. He looks a little thinner than Pac-Man.
Hatton weighs in at 140 pounds.
Manny and Hatton are all smiles. They pose for some pictures. Now it's time for the stare-down. It looks like there is no height difference between them. They both look like they trained hard, but Manny looks like he has more muscle on him.
Hatton says he kept in shape and he has never had a problem making weight. He sounds confident. It sounds like his game plan is to counter punch, which will be interesting to see. Manny is on the mic now. He says he feels strong and hungry to fight. Roach says that Hatton's game plan will play right into Manny's hands and they will pick Hatton apart once he reverts to his old ways.
Hatton and Manny close the show and thanks all of the fans for traveling such a long distance to see the fight. Manny does the same and says that nobody knows what's going to happen, except God.
That's it. The weigh-in has me excited for tomorrow night. One more day!
Posted by spartan117
11.3.09
Franchise Thoughts: Who's the Better Trainer, Freddie Roach or Floyd Mayweather Sr.?
Kevin Iole's most recent boxing mailbag for Yahoo! Sports leads off with a look at an intriguing subplot to the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight: the rivalry between trainers Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr.
It's no secret that the two men don't have high opinions of each other. Iole mentioned that Roach started the verbal sparring this time by saying he'd be more worried about Hatton if he was trained by Roger Mayweather, a remark intended to get under the skin of Floyd Sr. given his contentious relationship with his brother.
Mayweather has yet to really let loose for this fight, but in the past has given Roach little credit for his accomplishments, downplaying his role in molding champions like James Toney and Pacquiao. With Floyd you get the sense that some of his posturing is strictly for show, but there's little doubt that he means it when he calls himself the best trainer in boxing.
Trying to figure out who is the "best" trainer is largely a subjective matter because there are so many factors that go into the trainer-boxer relationship that are difficult to quantify. It's also not just a two-horse race - Nazim Richardson, just to name one, would deserve some consideration after his work with Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.
Still, there are a few different areas where you can stack Roach and Floyd Sr. up head to head to see where they stand, and that's exactly what I did to formulate my own opinion:
Top fighters trained:
At first glance, I was ready to give this category to Roach. The list of fighters he's worked with at some point in their careers sometimes seems endless, and includes huge names like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins, and, of course, Pacquiao. But Roach was sometimes a short-term solution for many boxers, and it's hard to determine how much impact a trainer has when he is in the corner for just a fight or two.
Mayweather trained his son Floyd Jr. during his formative years and worked with De La Hoya when he was the most dominant force (at least economically) in the sport. He also currently trains Chad Dawson, who's getting increasing support as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters today. (Uatu note: Eddie Mustafa Muhammad trained Dawson for the Dawson-Tarver fight.)
Advantage: Push
Psychology:
At least publicly, both men do a great job propping up their fighters' confidence levels. They go about it a bit differently, with Roach preferring to make simple statements that he has a winning plan and Mayweather opting for brash, sometimes comical boasts.
Floyd Sr. clearly loves being the center of attention, but I think he's also crafty enough to know that he can take some pressure off his boxers by putting it on himself. Roach is starting to show a similar side to his game with his comments leading up to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout, but Mayweather really has it down pat.
Advantage: Mayweather
Power to transform:
Conveniently, the boxer each man is currently training provides some of the best insight into this category. Roach's impact on Pacquiao has been undeniable, changing Manny from a one-dimensional destroyer (albeit a really good one) into a complete package. Footwork, spacing, variety of punches... virtually every part of Pacquiao's game has improved under Roach's tutelage.
Mayweather may be working a similar makeover on Hatton; it's just too soon to tell. The Hitman showed a much greater range of skills when he took out Paulie Malignaggi last November, but that was the first time Floyd Sr. was in his corner.
If Hatton gets past Pacquiao, that may give Mayweather the nod here, but for now, Roach gets the edge.
Advantage: Roach
Reputation and intangibles:
Simply put, Roach is the hottest trainer in the sport. Pacquiao is considered by most reputable sources to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and even people outside the sport, like MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski, are seeking Roach's counsel.
On top of that, Roach seems like a guy who genuinely has the best interests of his fighters at heart. He's been very vocal about the more unsavory characters in Team Pacquiao and has tried to ensure Manny hasn't been taken advantage of financially.
By contrast, Mayweather comes across as much more of a mercenary, concerned primarily with his paycheck and his status. It almost goes without saying that his dysfunctional family ties always threaten to be huge headaches at any time.
Advantage: Roach
That's obviously a very simplified analysis, but it's enough for me to give Roach the nod over Floyd Sr. as the better trainer in this fight, and probably any fight in the sport today.
Posted by The Franchise
It's no secret that the two men don't have high opinions of each other. Iole mentioned that Roach started the verbal sparring this time by saying he'd be more worried about Hatton if he was trained by Roger Mayweather, a remark intended to get under the skin of Floyd Sr. given his contentious relationship with his brother.
Mayweather has yet to really let loose for this fight, but in the past has given Roach little credit for his accomplishments, downplaying his role in molding champions like James Toney and Pacquiao. With Floyd you get the sense that some of his posturing is strictly for show, but there's little doubt that he means it when he calls himself the best trainer in boxing.
Trying to figure out who is the "best" trainer is largely a subjective matter because there are so many factors that go into the trainer-boxer relationship that are difficult to quantify. It's also not just a two-horse race - Nazim Richardson, just to name one, would deserve some consideration after his work with Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.
Still, there are a few different areas where you can stack Roach and Floyd Sr. up head to head to see where they stand, and that's exactly what I did to formulate my own opinion:
Top fighters trained:
At first glance, I was ready to give this category to Roach. The list of fighters he's worked with at some point in their careers sometimes seems endless, and includes huge names like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins, and, of course, Pacquiao. But Roach was sometimes a short-term solution for many boxers, and it's hard to determine how much impact a trainer has when he is in the corner for just a fight or two.
Mayweather trained his son Floyd Jr. during his formative years and worked with De La Hoya when he was the most dominant force (at least economically) in the sport. He also currently trains Chad Dawson, who's getting increasing support as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters today. (Uatu note: Eddie Mustafa Muhammad trained Dawson for the Dawson-Tarver fight.)
Advantage: Push
Psychology:
At least publicly, both men do a great job propping up their fighters' confidence levels. They go about it a bit differently, with Roach preferring to make simple statements that he has a winning plan and Mayweather opting for brash, sometimes comical boasts.
Floyd Sr. clearly loves being the center of attention, but I think he's also crafty enough to know that he can take some pressure off his boxers by putting it on himself. Roach is starting to show a similar side to his game with his comments leading up to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout, but Mayweather really has it down pat.
Advantage: Mayweather
Power to transform:
Conveniently, the boxer each man is currently training provides some of the best insight into this category. Roach's impact on Pacquiao has been undeniable, changing Manny from a one-dimensional destroyer (albeit a really good one) into a complete package. Footwork, spacing, variety of punches... virtually every part of Pacquiao's game has improved under Roach's tutelage.
Mayweather may be working a similar makeover on Hatton; it's just too soon to tell. The Hitman showed a much greater range of skills when he took out Paulie Malignaggi last November, but that was the first time Floyd Sr. was in his corner.
If Hatton gets past Pacquiao, that may give Mayweather the nod here, but for now, Roach gets the edge.
Advantage: Roach
Reputation and intangibles:
Simply put, Roach is the hottest trainer in the sport. Pacquiao is considered by most reputable sources to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and even people outside the sport, like MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski, are seeking Roach's counsel.
On top of that, Roach seems like a guy who genuinely has the best interests of his fighters at heart. He's been very vocal about the more unsavory characters in Team Pacquiao and has tried to ensure Manny hasn't been taken advantage of financially.
By contrast, Mayweather comes across as much more of a mercenary, concerned primarily with his paycheck and his status. It almost goes without saying that his dysfunctional family ties always threaten to be huge headaches at any time.
Advantage: Roach
That's obviously a very simplified analysis, but it's enough for me to give Roach the nod over Floyd Sr. as the better trainer in this fight, and probably any fight in the sport today.
Posted by The Franchise
14.1.09
Bernard Hopkins on the Max Kellerman Show
Apparently B-hop has become a hot commodity due to the Eagles' march through the NFL playoffs. Bernard made an appearance on today's Max Kellerman radio show on ESPN Radio.
This was pretty close to a replay of his appearance earlier on First Take on ESPN2. Bernard mentioned that he has become a wanted man for such appearances due to his well-known criticisms of Donovan McNabb. Not a whole interesting was said, and the focus was entirely on the Eagles, McNabb and fans in Philadelphia.
At the close, there was a brief exchange about boxing. Max straight-up asked him if Calzaghe in Wales is the only fight he would take or he would retire, and Bernard said yes.
This was pretty close to a replay of his appearance earlier on First Take on ESPN2. Bernard mentioned that he has become a wanted man for such appearances due to his well-known criticisms of Donovan McNabb. Not a whole interesting was said, and the focus was entirely on the Eagles, McNabb and fans in Philadelphia.
At the close, there was a brief exchange about boxing. Max straight-up asked him if Calzaghe in Wales is the only fight he would take or he would retire, and Bernard said yes.
9.1.09
Bernard Hopkins on ESPN2's First Take
B-hop made a morning appearance on ESPN2's First Take this morning. He was on to chat with Dana Jacobson as well as to plug his appearance tonight on Friday Night Fights.
As usual, Bernard was an awesome guest. He came off as being thoughtful, honest, and as a cool person to have a conversation with.
Jacobson asked him some questions about Philly sports teams. He made some comments about how big it would be if both the Eagles and Phillies were to win championships in the same year.
He was also asked if his win over Pavlik was a bigger win than the Phillies'. He said that personally it was because he is over 40, he was a 4-1 underdog, and he won with no controversy.
He of course was asked about his future plans. He mentioned a third fight with Taylor and a rematch with Calzaghe. He said late spring or early summer would give him enough time to train and promote another fight. Bernard said he definitly had another fight in him. But, there were no other guys he wanted to fight that were big fights that he cared about. He said he wasn't going to risk himself against some guy that wasn't a big name. He also said his wife wanted him to retire, and he joked that he wasn't going to leave her, so he would be retiring soon.
The segment closed with a discussion about his on-air appearance on Friday Night Fights. Hopkins said that he loved to analyze boxing and all sports. He made a joke about Joe the Plumber, which showed that Hopkins has some pop culture knowledge outside of boxing. He said that he would like to be a commentator in the future.
All around the performance gets a solid A for Bernard, although the segment itself didn't really get into any serious boxing, which considering the program, is no surprise.
As usual, Bernard was an awesome guest. He came off as being thoughtful, honest, and as a cool person to have a conversation with.
Jacobson asked him some questions about Philly sports teams. He made some comments about how big it would be if both the Eagles and Phillies were to win championships in the same year.
He was also asked if his win over Pavlik was a bigger win than the Phillies'. He said that personally it was because he is over 40, he was a 4-1 underdog, and he won with no controversy.
He of course was asked about his future plans. He mentioned a third fight with Taylor and a rematch with Calzaghe. He said late spring or early summer would give him enough time to train and promote another fight. Bernard said he definitly had another fight in him. But, there were no other guys he wanted to fight that were big fights that he cared about. He said he wasn't going to risk himself against some guy that wasn't a big name. He also said his wife wanted him to retire, and he joked that he wasn't going to leave her, so he would be retiring soon.
The segment closed with a discussion about his on-air appearance on Friday Night Fights. Hopkins said that he loved to analyze boxing and all sports. He made a joke about Joe the Plumber, which showed that Hopkins has some pop culture knowledge outside of boxing. He said that he would like to be a commentator in the future.
All around the performance gets a solid A for Bernard, although the segment itself didn't really get into any serious boxing, which considering the program, is no surprise.
12.12.08
Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Boxers: BoxingWatchers.com End of 2008 List
Thus far, we've resisted doing a pound-for-pound list, simply because everyone does them, and it seems unnecessary to do them as often as some people do. Monthly updates? I don't think so, because it's a really good (and rare) month when more than two boxers in the top 10 are in action.
Still, it doesn't seem ridiculous to do one at the end of the year. So when asked recently by a writer at another site to come up with a top 10, we put our heads together and came up with the following list. Voting was simple, with 10 points for first, nine for second, etc.
The year's not quite over, as there are quite a few notable fights this weekend. None of the men on this list are in action before the end of 2008 though.
Feel free to tell us how wrong we are. Or how right, though that probably won't be as much fun.
Here goes nothing...
BoxingWatchers.com Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Boxers - End of 2008
Spartan117's 10 is not enough honorable mentions: Chris John, Ricky Hatton, Vic Darchinyan
Still, it doesn't seem ridiculous to do one at the end of the year. So when asked recently by a writer at another site to come up with a top 10, we put our heads together and came up with the following list. Voting was simple, with 10 points for first, nine for second, etc.
The year's not quite over, as there are quite a few notable fights this weekend. None of the men on this list are in action before the end of 2008 though.
Feel free to tell us how wrong we are. Or how right, though that probably won't be as much fun.
Here goes nothing...
BoxingWatchers.com Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Boxers - End of 2008
- Manny Pacquiao (30 pts.)
- Joe Calzaghe (25)
- Bernard Hopkins (24)
- Juan Manuel Marquez (23)
- Israel Vazquez (15)
- Paul Williams (14)
- Antonio Margarito (13)
- Kelly Pavlik (9)
- Ivan Calderon (5)
- Rafael Marquez (3)
Spartan117's 10 is not enough honorable mentions: Chris John, Ricky Hatton, Vic Darchinyan
5.12.08
The Dream Match Weigh-In
George Lopez on the mic on HBO.com.
Will monitor ESPN as well.
Shane is on the stage with Buffer.
They are showing press conference videos at the weigh-in to hype the crowd.
ESPN has not started coverage.
George Lopez is cracking some jokes based on "Yes We Can"
Bernard is on the stage. Hatton too.
Lopez killing time.
Looks like a huge and lively crowd in Vegas.
JMM on stage too and another gentleman that doesn't look familiar.
Now Richard is on the mic.
A lot of hyping and time killing.
Lopez just called Richard "boring as sh_t" which was funny.
ESPN just showed a live look-in and went to commercial.
Hatton gets some brief mic time.
Manny is introduced, as the pound-for-pound king.
Oscar introduced, as the ten time champ.
ESPN still at commercial.
Buffer says we are waiting for them.
SC is back.
Kenny and Atlas man the desk.
Manny on the scale first.
Geez...142!
Oscar- 145.
and the pose off.
Atlas wants to know what Oscar walks around at to know the effects of his lightest weight in years.
Atlas thinks Manny might even be coming in too heavy.
He doesn't like to see the smaller man bulk up too much and sacrifice speed.
He thinks Oscar's age could hurt him, and his prediction of a ko. Atlas thinks that means Oscar thinks he is in for an easy night. That is a questionable assertion.
He predicts Manny to win. It means more to Manny. Kenny picks Oscar by decision.
Will monitor ESPN as well.
Shane is on the stage with Buffer.
They are showing press conference videos at the weigh-in to hype the crowd.
ESPN has not started coverage.
George Lopez is cracking some jokes based on "Yes We Can"
Bernard is on the stage. Hatton too.
Lopez killing time.
Looks like a huge and lively crowd in Vegas.
JMM on stage too and another gentleman that doesn't look familiar.
Now Richard is on the mic.
A lot of hyping and time killing.
Lopez just called Richard "boring as sh_t" which was funny.
ESPN just showed a live look-in and went to commercial.
Hatton gets some brief mic time.
Manny is introduced, as the pound-for-pound king.
Oscar introduced, as the ten time champ.
ESPN still at commercial.
Buffer says we are waiting for them.
SC is back.
Kenny and Atlas man the desk.
Manny on the scale first.
Geez...142!
Oscar- 145.
and the pose off.
Atlas wants to know what Oscar walks around at to know the effects of his lightest weight in years.
Atlas thinks Manny might even be coming in too heavy.
He doesn't like to see the smaller man bulk up too much and sacrifice speed.
He thinks Oscar's age could hurt him, and his prediction of a ko. Atlas thinks that means Oscar thinks he is in for an easy night. That is a questionable assertion.
He predicts Manny to win. It means more to Manny. Kenny picks Oscar by decision.
28.11.08
Franchise Thoughts: Things I'm Thankful for in Boxing This Year
I should probably be out helping to stimulate the ailing economy right now, but until BoxingWatchers.com turns into a profitable side gig, I have to stay at the keyboard. At this time of year, it's a bit of a cliche (okay, more than a bit) to cook up a list of things to be thankful for, but here in the U.S., it got that way for a reason. It's just the right time of the year to do it.
So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the boxing-related people, places and things making me give thanks as 2008 comes to a close:
So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the boxing-related people, places and things making me give thanks as 2008 comes to a close:
- Manny Pacquiao - Aside from his status as my favorite boxer (Disclaimer: the staff members of BoxingWatchers.com are all part Filipino!), the new episodes of 24/7 are showing once again that he's just a compelling personality. The wide range of opinions about whether he can and will beat Oscar De La Hoya are adding to my anticipation for Dec. 6.
- Freddie Roach - He seems to be taking the high road more often than not after his perceived snub at De La Hoya's hands, and he sure is doing his all to show his confidence in Manny. You sometimes forget he is battling through ongoing health concerns to continue on in the sport he loves.
- Affliction - Yes, their stuff is a bit pricey, and I have to pick shirts carefully to avoid scaring my small children. As long as they keep sponsoring fighters and fight cards, I'll keep supporting them.
- Bernard Hopkins - His domination of Kelly Pavlik was something to see. If his other performances over the past three or four years were carried out in the same way, I'd probably be a huge B-Hop fan.
- Volume punchers - I like to think I'm sophisticated enough as a boxing fan to appreciate some of the subtler aspects of the sport. That being said, it's sometimes fun to see guys throw 100-plus punches a round and just try to overwhelm the other boxer.
- Boardwalk Hall - My ultimate goal is still to be in Vegas for a fight weekend in 2009. Still, it's nice to have a venue within driving distance that puts on championship fights, and it's possible to get a decent seat there without draining your entire bank account.
- David Haye - Quite possibly positioned to give the heavyweight division a jolt of electricity - win or lose, actually. I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but said jolt is long overdue.
- Versus - With ESPN cutting back on its boxing content in 2009 (so long Wednesday Night Fights), Versus is at least trying to give fans in the U.S. more fights on cable. It will also soon be home to The Contender, which I'm likely to watch despite the presence of Tony Danza.
- Tavoris Cloud - My favorite discovery of 2008, in the sense that I did not know who he was before this year. He's still raw but immensely entertaining, and he sure doesn't get cheated any time he throws a punch.
- Emanuel Steward - Almost singlehandedly keeps the HBO crew from cheerleading too much for one particular boxer at times. I don't always agree with him, but I do appreciate his insight.
- Ricky Hatton - As my brother Uatu has mentioned on numerous occasions, he's great for boxing because of the atmosphere he brings to his fights. And as an added bonus, he looked great in his most recent fight.
17.11.08
Another PPV Buyrate Comparison - Bernard Hopkins
B hop is also often looked down upon as a draw. Here are his numbers, some good, some bad:
Pavlik - 190k
winky - 305k
tarver - 350k
taylor II - 410k
taylor I - 370k
oscar - 1million
trinidad - 475k
Pavlik - 190k
winky - 305k
tarver - 350k
taylor II - 410k
taylor I - 370k
oscar - 1million
trinidad - 475k
20.10.08
20-20 Hindsight: What Happened to Pavlik, What's Next for Hopkins, Boxing's Big Fall Schedule and More
Didn't see that one coming.
It wasn't the outcome of Saturday night's meeting between Bernard Hopkins and Kelly Pavlik that was the big surprise. I thought it would be a hard-fought win for Pavlik, closer than the betting line suggested. It was the way it went down that was the stunner.
Considering his age and the fact that many people wanted to anoint his opponent as boxing's next big thing, the performance Hopkins put on was the most impressive one I've seen since becoming a serious boxing fan. He dominated the fight from the opening bell, to the point that I probably was being overly generous by scoring one round for Pavlik.
His ability to take away Pavlik's offense was no shock, as Hopkins is a defensive master. But his hand speed and power were revelations, and because they were on display so prominently, he was able to win without making the fight a boring clinch-fest - which was the way I thought he'd have to win.
Pavlik's camp will have to search hard for answers to why The Ghost was so ineffective. It could be the step up to 170 pounds really was a big deal. Perhaps his elbow injury, which Pavlik had dismissed as no big deal, was a factor, or he wasn't feeling 100 percent, as sources close to him have suggested he was battling bronchitis leading up to the fight.
Those factors wouldn't explain what I saw as a fan though, and that was confusion. Pavlik looked taken aback from the opening bell when Hopkins didn't fight the way he expected, making him reluctant to even throw the jabs that set up his offense. Pavlik's trainer says they went to Plan A, B and C, but it didn't look that way to this observer.
We often learn the most about fighters in defeat, so we're bound to find out more about Pavlik as he regroups. A fight with mandatory challenger Marco Antonio Rubio, which was dismissed as recently as early Saturday night, seems likely now. Hopefully he'll stay at middleweight long enough to take on Arthur Abraham during the next year, but he may want to regain his confidence first.
Hopkins made no bones about waiting anxiously to see who wins the Joe Calzaghe-Roy Jones Jr. fight in November. A fight with Jones would be huge, the rare event these days that could suck in some of the mainstream sports fans. If Calzaghe wins, I'm not so sure we need to see him fight Hopkins again. The Executioner has fought every other big name out there, so that might be the end of his brilliant career.
Something else that stood out on Saturday was HBO promoting the fight as just the start of a great fall season of boxing. Of course it's in their best interest to do so, but as a fight fan you couldn't help but get excited for what's in store for the rest of 2008.
On HBO, we've got Jermain Taylor versus Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton taking on Paulie Malignaggi, Wladimir Klitschko facing Alexander Povetkin and Paul Williams fighting Verno Phillips (which I only learned was official during Saturday's broadcast). There are the big pay-per-views for Calzaghe-Jones and Oscar De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao, plus a couple of interesting cards on Showtime. And that's all in the next two and a half months.
Despite the constant talk from some corners that boxing is dead or dying, it's a good time to be a fight fan. Like we saw Saturday, no other sport has the power to surprise, and the fall schedule is set up to provide plenty more compelling moments.
It wasn't the outcome of Saturday night's meeting between Bernard Hopkins and Kelly Pavlik that was the big surprise. I thought it would be a hard-fought win for Pavlik, closer than the betting line suggested. It was the way it went down that was the stunner.
Considering his age and the fact that many people wanted to anoint his opponent as boxing's next big thing, the performance Hopkins put on was the most impressive one I've seen since becoming a serious boxing fan. He dominated the fight from the opening bell, to the point that I probably was being overly generous by scoring one round for Pavlik.
His ability to take away Pavlik's offense was no shock, as Hopkins is a defensive master. But his hand speed and power were revelations, and because they were on display so prominently, he was able to win without making the fight a boring clinch-fest - which was the way I thought he'd have to win.
Pavlik's camp will have to search hard for answers to why The Ghost was so ineffective. It could be the step up to 170 pounds really was a big deal. Perhaps his elbow injury, which Pavlik had dismissed as no big deal, was a factor, or he wasn't feeling 100 percent, as sources close to him have suggested he was battling bronchitis leading up to the fight.
Those factors wouldn't explain what I saw as a fan though, and that was confusion. Pavlik looked taken aback from the opening bell when Hopkins didn't fight the way he expected, making him reluctant to even throw the jabs that set up his offense. Pavlik's trainer says they went to Plan A, B and C, but it didn't look that way to this observer.
We often learn the most about fighters in defeat, so we're bound to find out more about Pavlik as he regroups. A fight with mandatory challenger Marco Antonio Rubio, which was dismissed as recently as early Saturday night, seems likely now. Hopefully he'll stay at middleweight long enough to take on Arthur Abraham during the next year, but he may want to regain his confidence first.
Hopkins made no bones about waiting anxiously to see who wins the Joe Calzaghe-Roy Jones Jr. fight in November. A fight with Jones would be huge, the rare event these days that could suck in some of the mainstream sports fans. If Calzaghe wins, I'm not so sure we need to see him fight Hopkins again. The Executioner has fought every other big name out there, so that might be the end of his brilliant career.
Something else that stood out on Saturday was HBO promoting the fight as just the start of a great fall season of boxing. Of course it's in their best interest to do so, but as a fight fan you couldn't help but get excited for what's in store for the rest of 2008.
On HBO, we've got Jermain Taylor versus Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton taking on Paulie Malignaggi, Wladimir Klitschko facing Alexander Povetkin and Paul Williams fighting Verno Phillips (which I only learned was official during Saturday's broadcast). There are the big pay-per-views for Calzaghe-Jones and Oscar De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao, plus a couple of interesting cards on Showtime. And that's all in the next two and a half months.
Despite the constant talk from some corners that boxing is dead or dying, it's a good time to be a fight fan. Like we saw Saturday, no other sport has the power to surprise, and the fall schedule is set up to provide plenty more compelling moments.
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