Apparently I owe Kelly Pavlik at least a partial apology.
As an Associated Press article detailed earlier this week, The Ghost's stubborn staph infection - which has already derailed his fight with Paul Williams twice - is not only the drug-resistant MRSA variety, but it also caused him to have a near fatal allergic reaction to medication. So yeah, that's bad stuff, and I kind of feel bad for doubting that everything was as it appeared to be with regards to the infection.
Interestingly, the article also mentions the fact that some fans who were attracted to Pavlik's "Pride of Youngstown" persona have grown weary of the constant drama surrounding him this year and basically given up on him. I find that amusing because I've always felt that more than any other top boxer out there, Pavlik's public image is something of a sham. While it's certainly rooted in the truth, it's been carefully cultivated and spun to keep the most compelling parts and eliminate all the negative ones.
In the end, it really doesn't make that much of a difference to this boxing fan, as I tend to not care what boxers are like outside the ring (unless you're acting like, say, Mike Tyson at his craziest). I'd like to see Pavlik back inside the ring, free of medical problems and the unfortunate decisions and mishaps that have stalled out his career.
Speaking of medical problems, hot on the heels of the Pavlik report came the story that Chris John was hospitalized with dengue fever. Dengue isn't usually life-threatening, and isn't uncommon in John's native Indonesia, but considering that it belongs to the same family of diseases as West Nile Virus and other hemmorrhagic fevers and was once researched as a possible biological weapon, it's nothing to play with either.
ESPN's Dan Rafael says John hopes to return to action around May of next year, and I hope that's the case because at age 30, he should be in the prime of his career. Some fans dislike his lack of power, but I was impressed with his skills during his two fights with Rocky Juarez, and I would look forward to seeing him fight a few more times in the U.S.
In any event, my early hope for 2010 is good health for fighters everywhere. The sport seems to have avoided the clutches of the H1N1 outbreak for now, so let's hope it stays that way.
The other thing that caught my attention over the last few days was Tomasz Adamek's smoking KO of fellow Pole Andrew Golata. Not that beating Golata was that much of an accomplishment in and of itself, mind you, but at least the Foul Pole is a very legitimate heavyweight size-wise, and Adamek's power translated beautifully.
Is Adamek a credible threat to the heavyweight titleholders if his handlers at Main Events try to push him that way? I'd like to think so because of his power, sturdy chin and more than passable skills, but I can't see him dethroning either of the Brothers Kiltschko if he ever landed a date with one of them.
The reason is size, and not just giving away pounds, though that would certainly be a factor. Adamek is about five inches shorter than Wladimir and six shorter than Vitali, with reach disadvantages that are just as daunting. That means he'd have to bull his way inside, and no one has been successful with that tactic against either brother during their current reign.
Now a fight with David Haye, assuming he's able to wrest the WBA blet away from giant Nikolai Valuev, is one I'd pay to see. Both men have explosive power and are similar in size, and they'd be hit enough to make for an exciting bout. HBO, please suggest that you'd be interested in that one if Haye wins next weekend.
Posted by The Franchise
Showing posts with label chris john. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chris john. Show all posts
27.10.09
19.9.09
Chris John vs. Rocky Juarez II: Round By Round
We're set for the co-feature of tonight's pay-per-view, which is the rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez, who fought to a draw in February. Michael Buffer is on hand to do the introductions, and Joe Cortez is the referee in charge of the action.
Juarez is 28-4-1 with 20 KOs, while John is 42-0-2 with 22 KOs. This is scheduled for 12 rounds for John's WBA featherweight title. And away we go...
Round 1
Rocky is stalking early and both men are cautious. John tests Juarez's defense. Juarez charges but John backs off. Both men try hooks and they tie up. Rocky goes to the body and John flicks his jab. John's movement is very sharp. Cortez steps in as they wrestle. Uppercut by John and more jabs. Right hand by John and they do more holding. Juarez tries to work his left hand free for hooks.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 2
Juarez landed less than 10 percent of his punches in Round 1. John finds the range early with a few right hands. He smacks the body too before backing up, but Juarez connects with a right hand over the top. Right-left combo by John before they tie up. John sticks and moves; Rocky is trying hard to land his left hook. John's accuracy is really good right now. He doesn't waste many shots. Left-right by John as Juarez tries to establish his jab. Good right hand counter by Rocky.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 3
More combo punching by John and he's quick to hold when Juarez moves in. He scores and slides back again. Both men club each other inside, and John smacks home a left. Juarez just isn't busy enough, as Emanuel Steward thinks John is there to be hit. John's wide right almost lands behind Rocky's head. John uses jabs to set up a body shot, and Juarez lands his own in response. Juarez has his best moment so far with a left hook.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 4
Lederman did give that last round to Juarez. Rocky gets inside but John covers up well. Juarez is doing a good job dodging more punches in this frame. Nice one-two combo by John, and Rocky's left eye is starting to swell. John is racking up plenty of light punches and Juarez still can't find any consistency.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 5
We see the instructions in Floyd Mayweather's locker room between rounds. More of the same here with John controlling the distance from the outside. Right-left combo by John and more wrestling. John is great at holding whenever Rocky gets too close. Three-punch combo by John and Cortez has his hands full.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 6
Jim Lampley discusses the weigh-in deal from yesterday. Rocky comes out with a little more aggression, but John is still staying mobile. An interesting side note to the main event is that Mayweather would not allow HBO to weigh him today. JMM put on six pounds overnight. The crowd isn't feeling the action right now. The fighters work their way free, and John delivers wide shots around Rocky's guard. Nice left by John coming out of a break.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 Juarez
Round 7
This is where Rocky started to come on back in February. John is still outworking his foe by a wide margin. If he had any power, Rocky would be in big trouble. John scores on the inside and circles all the way around the ring. More combo punching by John as he bounces in both directions. Multiple jabs by John keep Rocky at bay. Juarez shows some bravado in the closing seconds but he's almost definitely losing by a lot on the cards.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 8
Juarez lands a left hook to the body right off the bat. He will need a knockdown or KO to win if Lederman's card is close to the official scores. Rocky jabs and makes John miss a bunch of punches. Two rights and a left land for John. Juarez goes to the body but eats some to the head from close range. Both men miss some big swings in the center of the ring.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 9
Juarez is actually having some success with his jab; he may have wanted to try that earlier. John is staying busy but his accuracy has decreased somewhat. John's head is snapped back but he's still landing some light punches. Juarez bulls forward and continues attacking the body. Juarez pays for missing a home run swing as John's counters find the mark.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 10
It's never good when the announcers have been talking about the main event for the last three or four rounds of this one. Lederman has Rocky down eight rounds to one. John is having a much easier round here, still sticking and moving. Juarez ducks inside and gets his left hand working, but John is landing two punches to one even at that range. John's left eye is still swelling but he should be able to make it to the end.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 11
Rocky's corner tries to spur him on for the final six minutes. John works the head and body; Juarez seems to be stuck with a single plan that just hasn't worked tonight. They lean on each other and trade shots, with John getting the best of it until Rocky lands a short left hook. John may be tiring a bit but he doesn't have far to go.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 Juarez
Round 12
I don't see how Rocky can win this fight without a KO. Juarez lands a left hook but John fires right back. Rocky complains about a head butt and they get back to work. Nice uppercut by John inside. Ninety seconds to go. Juarez lets his hands go and John retaliates with another uppercut. They slug it out along the ropes and Cortex has to stand in. Rocky lands a mean left hook and John is wobbly. The fans finally wake up with 20 seconds to go. Rocky with an uppercut but John makes it to the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 Juarez
Franchise: 117-111 John
Spartan117: 115-113 John
Uatu: 117-111 John
The judges score it 114-113, 119-109 and 117-111, all for the winner by unanimous decision... and still WBA featherweight champion... Chris "The Dragon" John.
Posted by The Franchise
Juarez is 28-4-1 with 20 KOs, while John is 42-0-2 with 22 KOs. This is scheduled for 12 rounds for John's WBA featherweight title. And away we go...
Round 1
Rocky is stalking early and both men are cautious. John tests Juarez's defense. Juarez charges but John backs off. Both men try hooks and they tie up. Rocky goes to the body and John flicks his jab. John's movement is very sharp. Cortez steps in as they wrestle. Uppercut by John and more jabs. Right hand by John and they do more holding. Juarez tries to work his left hand free for hooks.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 2
Juarez landed less than 10 percent of his punches in Round 1. John finds the range early with a few right hands. He smacks the body too before backing up, but Juarez connects with a right hand over the top. Right-left combo by John before they tie up. John sticks and moves; Rocky is trying hard to land his left hook. John's accuracy is really good right now. He doesn't waste many shots. Left-right by John as Juarez tries to establish his jab. Good right hand counter by Rocky.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 3
More combo punching by John and he's quick to hold when Juarez moves in. He scores and slides back again. Both men club each other inside, and John smacks home a left. Juarez just isn't busy enough, as Emanuel Steward thinks John is there to be hit. John's wide right almost lands behind Rocky's head. John uses jabs to set up a body shot, and Juarez lands his own in response. Juarez has his best moment so far with a left hook.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 4
Lederman did give that last round to Juarez. Rocky gets inside but John covers up well. Juarez is doing a good job dodging more punches in this frame. Nice one-two combo by John, and Rocky's left eye is starting to swell. John is racking up plenty of light punches and Juarez still can't find any consistency.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 5
We see the instructions in Floyd Mayweather's locker room between rounds. More of the same here with John controlling the distance from the outside. Right-left combo by John and more wrestling. John is great at holding whenever Rocky gets too close. Three-punch combo by John and Cortez has his hands full.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 6
Jim Lampley discusses the weigh-in deal from yesterday. Rocky comes out with a little more aggression, but John is still staying mobile. An interesting side note to the main event is that Mayweather would not allow HBO to weigh him today. JMM put on six pounds overnight. The crowd isn't feeling the action right now. The fighters work their way free, and John delivers wide shots around Rocky's guard. Nice left by John coming out of a break.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 Juarez
Round 7
This is where Rocky started to come on back in February. John is still outworking his foe by a wide margin. If he had any power, Rocky would be in big trouble. John scores on the inside and circles all the way around the ring. More combo punching by John as he bounces in both directions. Multiple jabs by John keep Rocky at bay. Juarez shows some bravado in the closing seconds but he's almost definitely losing by a lot on the cards.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 8
Juarez lands a left hook to the body right off the bat. He will need a knockdown or KO to win if Lederman's card is close to the official scores. Rocky jabs and makes John miss a bunch of punches. Two rights and a left land for John. Juarez goes to the body but eats some to the head from close range. Both men miss some big swings in the center of the ring.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 9
Juarez is actually having some success with his jab; he may have wanted to try that earlier. John is staying busy but his accuracy has decreased somewhat. John's head is snapped back but he's still landing some light punches. Juarez bulls forward and continues attacking the body. Juarez pays for missing a home run swing as John's counters find the mark.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 10
It's never good when the announcers have been talking about the main event for the last three or four rounds of this one. Lederman has Rocky down eight rounds to one. John is having a much easier round here, still sticking and moving. Juarez ducks inside and gets his left hand working, but John is landing two punches to one even at that range. John's left eye is still swelling but he should be able to make it to the end.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Spartan117: 10-9 John
Uatu: 10-9 John
Round 11
Rocky's corner tries to spur him on for the final six minutes. John works the head and body; Juarez seems to be stuck with a single plan that just hasn't worked tonight. They lean on each other and trade shots, with John getting the best of it until Rocky lands a short left hook. John may be tiring a bit but he doesn't have far to go.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 Juarez
Round 12
I don't see how Rocky can win this fight without a KO. Juarez lands a left hook but John fires right back. Rocky complains about a head butt and they get back to work. Nice uppercut by John inside. Ninety seconds to go. Juarez lets his hands go and John retaliates with another uppercut. They slug it out along the ropes and Cortex has to stand in. Rocky lands a mean left hook and John is wobbly. The fans finally wake up with 20 seconds to go. Rocky with an uppercut but John makes it to the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Spartan117: 10-9 Juarez
Uatu: 10-9 Juarez
Franchise: 117-111 John
Spartan117: 115-113 John
Uatu: 117-111 John
The judges score it 114-113, 119-109 and 117-111, all for the winner by unanimous decision... and still WBA featherweight champion... Chris "The Dragon" John.
Posted by The Franchise
Mayweather-Marquez and John-Juarez II Live Round By Round Updates Tonight
Boxing fans rejoice! That big fight feel is in the air again, courtesy of Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez. And while several factors (Floyd's possible rustiness, Juan's big jump up in weight) increase the risk that the bout itself might not live up to the hype, Money and Dinamita are unquestionably two of the best around.
In a rarity over the past few years, there's actually an undercard match worth caring about, as Chris John and Rocky Juarez face off again after battling to a draw in February. Good stuff.
There's still plenty of time to order the pay-per-view or look into seeing it in HD on a huge screen at a theater near you. For those of you who can't take advantage of either one of those options, we're here to help you follow the action.
Spartan117 and I will be blogging live during the PPV, with separate posts for the first two undercard fights, the John-Juarez rematch and the Mayweather-Marquez main event out on the home page. Join us for round by round recaps as they happen, shortly after 9 pm Eastern time tonight.
Posted by The Franchise
In a rarity over the past few years, there's actually an undercard match worth caring about, as Chris John and Rocky Juarez face off again after battling to a draw in February. Good stuff.
There's still plenty of time to order the pay-per-view or look into seeing it in HD on a huge screen at a theater near you. For those of you who can't take advantage of either one of those options, we're here to help you follow the action.
Spartan117 and I will be blogging live during the PPV, with separate posts for the first two undercard fights, the John-Juarez rematch and the Mayweather-Marquez main event out on the home page. Join us for round by round recaps as they happen, shortly after 9 pm Eastern time tonight.
Posted by The Franchise
18.9.09
Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez: Weigh-In Report
It's weigh-in time in Las Vegas. It looks like we may have to wait about half an hour for the main attractions, Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez. "The Colonel" Bob Sheridan and Dave Bontempo handle broadcast duties, and it looks like a pretty nice crowd on hand.
Michael Buffer kicks off the actual weighing with Cornelius Lock. He comes in at 125 pounds. His opponent, Orlando Cruz, hits 126-pound featherweight limit right on the button. Their fight will be the first one on the televised portion of the pay-per-view. They do a little bit of trash talking when they get face to face.
Next up are lightweights Michael Katsidis and Vicente Escobedo. It's Escobedo on the scale first, and he comes in at 134 pounds. Katsidis looks good at 135 pounds. There is some chanting for Escobedo as Katsidis does some talking. Sheridan mentions that some tickets are still left for tomorrow night.
The co-feature on the card will be the rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez. Before they come up, Buffer introduces Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya, who are all smiles. Radio host Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo grabs the microphone and leads a soccer-style chant for Marquez. Comedian D.L. Hughley comes out to support Floyd, humorously calling the hype show "24 Hours." Uh, that's "24/7" D.L.
Sheridan and Bontempo run down some highlights of the first John-Juarez bout. They talk about how John started quickly but Juarez came on down the stretch.
Buffer is finally ready for Juarez and John. Rocky is sporting a mohawk as he weighs in at 126 pounds. John gets down to his briefs and hears it a bit from the crowd. He is also right at the limit at 126. De La Hoya and Hopkins stand behind them as they pose, and the fighters shake hands after the staredown.
We get a little bit of a video hype package for Mayweather-Marquez. Hughley makes a urine joke, and Sotelo responds with a Kanye West joke. Hughley asks if there are any Mayweather fans in the house. Sounds like a few, anyway. Sotelo gives D.L. business cards for the dentist and the plastic surgery and Hughley gives him some more crap about the pee-drinking incident.
They continue to go back and forth as Hughley bemoans the fact that Mayweather doesn't have a catchy chant or song. Then we cut to Mayweather-Hatton highights.
Back to Buffer, who introduces WWE superstar Triple H. The Game gets kind of a mixed reaction from the assembled boxing fans.
Sheridan and Bontempo speculate about whether tomorrow's winner will face the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto winner next year. In the interest of equal time, we see highlights from JMM-Juan Diaz.
The announcers throw it back to Buffer so we can get the main event fighters on the scale. Sheridan makes one more plea to sell the remaining tickets. Roger Mayweather and Floyd's cutman come out on stage.
At last, Buffer brings out Juan Manuel Marquez, decked out in full Rockstar energy drink gear. Floyd Mayweather joins him, bouncing up the steps in a sweatsuit. There's a short delay as other TV networks from around the world cut in to join the fun.
JMM is first onto the scale, stripping off his Remetee shirt. He weighs 142 pounds, which of course is as heavy as he's ever been for a fight.
Money gets down to his boxers and looks to be in terrific shape despite his brief retirement. He weighs 146 pounds.
There's a brief staredown as a "Mexico" chant rings through the crowd, but no verbal sparring or shoving.
Bontempo moves in for a word with JMM through his translator. Marquez says he's happy with his weight, and it's exactly where they planned. Asked how he will get inside, Juan says it will be difficult but not impossible. De La Hoya moves in and says his man knows what he has to do to win, and he downplays the importance of the weight difference.
Mayweather gets his turn to talk, and he says he feels tremendous. He gives both his uncle and his dad credit for getting him ready to be the same Mayweather we've seen before. Floyd brushes off the suggestion that the fans are mostly in JMM's corner and promises the fight will be explosive.
Posted by The Franchise
Michael Buffer kicks off the actual weighing with Cornelius Lock. He comes in at 125 pounds. His opponent, Orlando Cruz, hits 126-pound featherweight limit right on the button. Their fight will be the first one on the televised portion of the pay-per-view. They do a little bit of trash talking when they get face to face.
Next up are lightweights Michael Katsidis and Vicente Escobedo. It's Escobedo on the scale first, and he comes in at 134 pounds. Katsidis looks good at 135 pounds. There is some chanting for Escobedo as Katsidis does some talking. Sheridan mentions that some tickets are still left for tomorrow night.
The co-feature on the card will be the rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez. Before they come up, Buffer introduces Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya, who are all smiles. Radio host Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo grabs the microphone and leads a soccer-style chant for Marquez. Comedian D.L. Hughley comes out to support Floyd, humorously calling the hype show "24 Hours." Uh, that's "24/7" D.L.
Sheridan and Bontempo run down some highlights of the first John-Juarez bout. They talk about how John started quickly but Juarez came on down the stretch.
Buffer is finally ready for Juarez and John. Rocky is sporting a mohawk as he weighs in at 126 pounds. John gets down to his briefs and hears it a bit from the crowd. He is also right at the limit at 126. De La Hoya and Hopkins stand behind them as they pose, and the fighters shake hands after the staredown.
We get a little bit of a video hype package for Mayweather-Marquez. Hughley makes a urine joke, and Sotelo responds with a Kanye West joke. Hughley asks if there are any Mayweather fans in the house. Sounds like a few, anyway. Sotelo gives D.L. business cards for the dentist and the plastic surgery and Hughley gives him some more crap about the pee-drinking incident.
They continue to go back and forth as Hughley bemoans the fact that Mayweather doesn't have a catchy chant or song. Then we cut to Mayweather-Hatton highights.
Back to Buffer, who introduces WWE superstar Triple H. The Game gets kind of a mixed reaction from the assembled boxing fans.
Sheridan and Bontempo speculate about whether tomorrow's winner will face the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto winner next year. In the interest of equal time, we see highlights from JMM-Juan Diaz.
The announcers throw it back to Buffer so we can get the main event fighters on the scale. Sheridan makes one more plea to sell the remaining tickets. Roger Mayweather and Floyd's cutman come out on stage.
At last, Buffer brings out Juan Manuel Marquez, decked out in full Rockstar energy drink gear. Floyd Mayweather joins him, bouncing up the steps in a sweatsuit. There's a short delay as other TV networks from around the world cut in to join the fun.
JMM is first onto the scale, stripping off his Remetee shirt. He weighs 142 pounds, which of course is as heavy as he's ever been for a fight.
Money gets down to his boxers and looks to be in terrific shape despite his brief retirement. He weighs 146 pounds.
There's a brief staredown as a "Mexico" chant rings through the crowd, but no verbal sparring or shoving.
Bontempo moves in for a word with JMM through his translator. Marquez says he's happy with his weight, and it's exactly where they planned. Asked how he will get inside, Juan says it will be difficult but not impossible. De La Hoya moves in and says his man knows what he has to do to win, and he downplays the importance of the weight difference.
Mayweather gets his turn to talk, and he says he feels tremendous. He gives both his uncle and his dad credit for getting him ready to be the same Mayweather we've seen before. Floyd brushes off the suggestion that the fans are mostly in JMM's corner and promises the fight will be explosive.
Posted by The Franchise
17.9.09
Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez, Chris John vs. Rocky Juarez II: Predictions
The Franchise says...
A number of fights have come together over the last year or two that I never would have imagined I'd be seeing in my wildest dreams. Floyd Mayweather versus Juan Manuel Marquez certainly falls into that category, yet in a few days, that's exactly what we'll be watching.
I think JMM might be the best all-around boxer in the world at any weight, and by that I mean that while he might not be the fastest, toughest or most skilled, he's above average in every category. Though the prospect of his biggest payday ever can't be discounted, Marquez deserves all the credit in the world for agreeing to his fight, because he's in as tough as he's ever been.
For Floyd, there's really only two questions in my mind: will he be rusty after his brief retirement, and will he somehow feel like he needs to prove something and expose himself to more harm than usual? In order, my answers are doubtful, and he never has before.
Marquez is so savvy that I feel like he will be able to get to Mayweather, perhaps more often than many people suspect. But I can't get past the whole weight issue. Yes, Manny Pacquiao has been able to keep knocking people out while making rapid jumps through divisions, but JMM doesn't possess the same uncanny blend of speed and power that Pac-Man has. Even if his surgical counterpunching is in full evidence, I just can't see him hurting Floyd.
On the flip side, I see Money touching Marquez more often and wearing him down as the rounds pile up. JMM will leave everything in the ring, but ultimately Mayweather will get the victory via late TKO.
The card has another fight worth anticipating in the rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez. Their first meeting was a close one, though I scored it for John and felt he should have won.
The early rounds will be key to any Jaurez upset chance, because John was strong in the early going back in February. John has the height and the know-how to control the fight from the outside, and I expect he'll have success in doing so.
I can see this one turning out close again, but I like John to come away with a somewhat more decisive win. Since neither man has huge KO power, I feel John by unanimous decision is how it's going down.
Uatu says...
I agree all the way, except I am unsure whether or not I think JMM makes the final bell. I think JMM will keep trying to win and put pressure on no matter what the odds or situation in the fight, and he's going to have to eat punches to make that happen. But I see him applying that pressure more effectively than say, Ricky Hatton did, so maybe JMM loses by unanimous decision instead. Either way, I like Money May to win.
And I too like John by decision.
A number of fights have come together over the last year or two that I never would have imagined I'd be seeing in my wildest dreams. Floyd Mayweather versus Juan Manuel Marquez certainly falls into that category, yet in a few days, that's exactly what we'll be watching.
I think JMM might be the best all-around boxer in the world at any weight, and by that I mean that while he might not be the fastest, toughest or most skilled, he's above average in every category. Though the prospect of his biggest payday ever can't be discounted, Marquez deserves all the credit in the world for agreeing to his fight, because he's in as tough as he's ever been.
For Floyd, there's really only two questions in my mind: will he be rusty after his brief retirement, and will he somehow feel like he needs to prove something and expose himself to more harm than usual? In order, my answers are doubtful, and he never has before.
Marquez is so savvy that I feel like he will be able to get to Mayweather, perhaps more often than many people suspect. But I can't get past the whole weight issue. Yes, Manny Pacquiao has been able to keep knocking people out while making rapid jumps through divisions, but JMM doesn't possess the same uncanny blend of speed and power that Pac-Man has. Even if his surgical counterpunching is in full evidence, I just can't see him hurting Floyd.
On the flip side, I see Money touching Marquez more often and wearing him down as the rounds pile up. JMM will leave everything in the ring, but ultimately Mayweather will get the victory via late TKO.
The card has another fight worth anticipating in the rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez. Their first meeting was a close one, though I scored it for John and felt he should have won.
The early rounds will be key to any Jaurez upset chance, because John was strong in the early going back in February. John has the height and the know-how to control the fight from the outside, and I expect he'll have success in doing so.
I can see this one turning out close again, but I like John to come away with a somewhat more decisive win. Since neither man has huge KO power, I feel John by unanimous decision is how it's going down.
Uatu says...
I agree all the way, except I am unsure whether or not I think JMM makes the final bell. I think JMM will keep trying to win and put pressure on no matter what the odds or situation in the fight, and he's going to have to eat punches to make that happen. But I see him applying that pressure more effectively than say, Ricky Hatton did, so maybe JMM loses by unanimous decision instead. Either way, I like Money May to win.
And I too like John by decision.
3.9.09
Quick Thoughts on September's Boxing Schedule
We're in a bit of a holding pattern right now as far as big boxing weekends go, as there's nothing of interest on Labor Day weekend. After that though, September is shaping up to be a pretty busy month. Here are my quick thoughts on each Saturday for the rest of the month:
September 12 - Mikkel Kessler vs. Gusmyl Perdomo, Andre Ward vs. Shelby Pudwill (Showtime); Ivan Calderon vs. Rodel Mayol (PPV)
All I have to say is that with all the anticipation that Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic has stirred up, Kessler and Ward better take care of business in these tune-up fights. You have to think some parties (say, HBO) wouldn't mind a stumble before the thing even starts, but I think I can safely speak for all true boxing fans and say I hope both gentlemen have quick nights.
As for Calderon, I didn't see his first fight with Mayol (stopped after six rounds due to a cut caused by an accidental headbutt), but it's clear Iron Boy had his hands full. He's always been pretty amazing to me because his lack of power means he can almost only win on the cards - and he always does. At 34, you wonder if his long streak of excellent boxing is about to come to an end.
September 19 - Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez, Chris John vs. Rocky Juarez (PPV)
I'm not sure if I can remember a huge fight in the last few years that had more questions surrounding it that featured two guys who are still at or near their primes than Floyd-JMM. Right now I'm not sure I can even say with any confidence who the aggressor will be. I hate picking against both guys, so come fight week it's going to be a tough call. I'm leaning toward Floyd right now.
I like John in the rematch with Juarez, though it will be interesting to see who is more fired up: Chris because he feels like he was jobbed in Houston, or Rocky because everyone still thinks he can't win the big one.
September 26 - Vitali Klitschko vs. Chris Arreola (HBO)
There's no reason not to think Vitali will win, perhaps easily. Does Arreola have a chance? I can't say until I see how seriously he's taking his conditioning. And given his history, there's not much reason to be optimistic.
Posted by The Franchise
September 12 - Mikkel Kessler vs. Gusmyl Perdomo, Andre Ward vs. Shelby Pudwill (Showtime); Ivan Calderon vs. Rodel Mayol (PPV)
All I have to say is that with all the anticipation that Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic has stirred up, Kessler and Ward better take care of business in these tune-up fights. You have to think some parties (say, HBO) wouldn't mind a stumble before the thing even starts, but I think I can safely speak for all true boxing fans and say I hope both gentlemen have quick nights.
As for Calderon, I didn't see his first fight with Mayol (stopped after six rounds due to a cut caused by an accidental headbutt), but it's clear Iron Boy had his hands full. He's always been pretty amazing to me because his lack of power means he can almost only win on the cards - and he always does. At 34, you wonder if his long streak of excellent boxing is about to come to an end.
September 19 - Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez, Chris John vs. Rocky Juarez (PPV)
I'm not sure if I can remember a huge fight in the last few years that had more questions surrounding it that featured two guys who are still at or near their primes than Floyd-JMM. Right now I'm not sure I can even say with any confidence who the aggressor will be. I hate picking against both guys, so come fight week it's going to be a tough call. I'm leaning toward Floyd right now.
I like John in the rematch with Juarez, though it will be interesting to see who is more fired up: Chris because he feels like he was jobbed in Houston, or Rocky because everyone still thinks he can't win the big one.
September 26 - Vitali Klitschko vs. Chris Arreola (HBO)
There's no reason not to think Vitali will win, perhaps easily. Does Arreola have a chance? I can't say until I see how seriously he's taking his conditioning. And given his history, there's not much reason to be optimistic.
Posted by The Franchise
22.6.09
20/20 Hindsight: By the Numbers for Klitschko, Entertainment in Montreal
To summarize Wladimir Klitschko's TKO victory over Ruslan Chagaev, I'd like to quote Jay-Z before he and Nas teamed up on "Black Republican" a few years ago: "It's what you expected, ain't it?"
Another outing, another opponent who basically posed no threat to Dr. Steelhammer. Chagaev gave it a shot, but he had no answer for Klitschko's jabs and the right hands that eventually came behind them.
Until someone can either effectively get inside the jab or just show the reckless abandon to wade through it to test Wlad's occasionally shaky chin, the scene we saw on Saturday is going to continue to play out. Klitschko has improved as the decade has gone on, but in the process, he's sucked almost all of the drama out of heavyweight title fights.
Can anyone bring it back? I still have hopes that David Haye can do it if he gets another shot to fight Klitschko. He should have the boom or bust mentality necessary to liven things up, and if he doesn't, he'll look like the world's biggest hypocrite for talking so much smack.
Michael Rosenthal hinted on The Ring Blog that Chris Arreola is also a potential opponent for Klitschko, likely for L.A. in September. He'd at least try to press the issue with Wlad, though I'm not sure he'd have a great chance at pulling off the upset.
As fans, all we can hope for is that someone can push Klitschko soon, because his recent fights haven't been much fun to watch.
On the flip side of the entertainment coin, Friday's light heavyweight title fight between Adrian Diaconu and Jean Pascal didn't disappoint. The fifth round was one of the best in boxing this year, with Pascal scoring an early knockdown but finding himself holding on late as Diaconu made a determined rally.
I'd never seen Pascal fight before, and he struck me as a really poor man's Roy Jones Jr. He carried his hands low, using his reflexes and movement to dodge punches, often at the last possible moment.
He also flashed some quick hands on offense, though he didn't seem to have a ton of power behind all of his shots. You definitely got the feeling he was flirting with disaster even as he was winning rounds, which may not be the safest way to have success but does provide a good show for fans.
I'm not sure Pascal has enough upside to rule the light heavyweight division, but with the big names at 175 getting a little long in the tooth, it's not bad to have the 26-year old as an option to spice things up.
I'd love to see him in against Chad Dawson, though Bad Chad has unfinished business with Glen Johnson first.
Finally, a summer boxing schedule that already looked to have only a few truly compelling fights took another blow over the weekend when Chris John was forced to withdraw from his rematch with Rocky Juarez because of a blood problem said to be similar to anemia. That news comes as a bummer, as John and Juarez proved to be well matched the first time they threw down.
We should know more about HBO's plans for this Saturday's broadcast later today. Victor Ortiz may really be forced to put on a show in his bout to provide a reason to tune in.
Posted by The Franchise
Another outing, another opponent who basically posed no threat to Dr. Steelhammer. Chagaev gave it a shot, but he had no answer for Klitschko's jabs and the right hands that eventually came behind them.
Until someone can either effectively get inside the jab or just show the reckless abandon to wade through it to test Wlad's occasionally shaky chin, the scene we saw on Saturday is going to continue to play out. Klitschko has improved as the decade has gone on, but in the process, he's sucked almost all of the drama out of heavyweight title fights.
Can anyone bring it back? I still have hopes that David Haye can do it if he gets another shot to fight Klitschko. He should have the boom or bust mentality necessary to liven things up, and if he doesn't, he'll look like the world's biggest hypocrite for talking so much smack.
Michael Rosenthal hinted on The Ring Blog that Chris Arreola is also a potential opponent for Klitschko, likely for L.A. in September. He'd at least try to press the issue with Wlad, though I'm not sure he'd have a great chance at pulling off the upset.
As fans, all we can hope for is that someone can push Klitschko soon, because his recent fights haven't been much fun to watch.
On the flip side of the entertainment coin, Friday's light heavyweight title fight between Adrian Diaconu and Jean Pascal didn't disappoint. The fifth round was one of the best in boxing this year, with Pascal scoring an early knockdown but finding himself holding on late as Diaconu made a determined rally.
I'd never seen Pascal fight before, and he struck me as a really poor man's Roy Jones Jr. He carried his hands low, using his reflexes and movement to dodge punches, often at the last possible moment.
He also flashed some quick hands on offense, though he didn't seem to have a ton of power behind all of his shots. You definitely got the feeling he was flirting with disaster even as he was winning rounds, which may not be the safest way to have success but does provide a good show for fans.
I'm not sure Pascal has enough upside to rule the light heavyweight division, but with the big names at 175 getting a little long in the tooth, it's not bad to have the 26-year old as an option to spice things up.
I'd love to see him in against Chad Dawson, though Bad Chad has unfinished business with Glen Johnson first.
Finally, a summer boxing schedule that already looked to have only a few truly compelling fights took another blow over the weekend when Chris John was forced to withdraw from his rematch with Rocky Juarez because of a blood problem said to be similar to anemia. That news comes as a bummer, as John and Juarez proved to be well matched the first time they threw down.
We should know more about HBO's plans for this Saturday's broadcast later today. Victor Ortiz may really be forced to put on a show in his bout to provide a reason to tune in.
Posted by The Franchise
17.6.09
Franchise Thoughts: No Summer Blockbusters, But Still Some Good Boxing Coming Up
Here's a list of some pretty talented boxers: Floyd Mayweather, Juan Manuel Marquez, Kelly Pavlik, David Haye, Fernando Montiel and Amir Khan.
What do all of those gentlemen have in common? All of them were originally scheduled to fight in late June or July. Now, none of them will be in action until this fall at the earliest.
The summer boxing schedule may not have been able to keep up the pace of excellent fights we've seen so far in 2009, but after a tight contest between Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey this past weekend, it at least had a chance. Now injuries have robbed us of a fight between two of the top guys in the sport at any weight (Mayweather and JMM) and the most intriguing heavyweight bout in quite a while (Haye and Wladimir Klitschko).
On the plus side, the fall lineup will probably end up loaded, especially if Mayweather-Marquez is rescheduled for September and Cotto really ends up fighting Manny Pacquiao in November.
In the meantime, it's not all bad. Here are three fights I'm still looking forward to this summer:
Chris John-Rocky Juarez II - June 27, HBO - It's not too often I come away impressed with and feeling like I learned something about both boxers in one fight, but that's the way I felt after John and Juarez battled to a draw in February. I scored the first fight for John, but I didn't think the decision was a ridiculous case of home cooking like some people did.
That shouldn't be a problem this time, since the fight is in L.A. instead of Rocky's hometown of Houston. I expect these guys will battle the same way they did before and provide us with a more definitive winner.
Also on that same card is a trendy pick to be the Next Big Thing, Victor Ortiz, so it's a broadcast that's well worth watching.
Joseph Agbeko vs. Vic Darchinyan - July 11, Showtime - The Raging Bull has been impressive as of late, and he's moving up a few pounds in weight to challenge for the IBF bantamweight title.
We all know Vic can slug, but he's been showing more wrinkles to his game as he goes. He'll need them against Agbeko, who is aggressive, super tough and has never been knocked out.
I expect it to be a bit of a challenge for Darchinyan. And if it's not, that pound-for-pound love he's starting to get is even more appropriate.
Juan Diaz vs. Paulie Malignaggi, August 22, HBO - This one was just confirmed last week and should be a lot of fun. Diaz is entertaining to watch win or lose, and Malignaggi has something to prove after getting smoked by Ricky Hatton last November.
The catch weight between lightweight and junior welter should add to the intrigue as well. Diaz already wasn't a big KO artist at 135 and Paulie could be drained by cutting the extra weight, so it will be interesting to see how that aspect plays out.
Posted by The Franchise
What do all of those gentlemen have in common? All of them were originally scheduled to fight in late June or July. Now, none of them will be in action until this fall at the earliest.
The summer boxing schedule may not have been able to keep up the pace of excellent fights we've seen so far in 2009, but after a tight contest between Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey this past weekend, it at least had a chance. Now injuries have robbed us of a fight between two of the top guys in the sport at any weight (Mayweather and JMM) and the most intriguing heavyweight bout in quite a while (Haye and Wladimir Klitschko).
On the plus side, the fall lineup will probably end up loaded, especially if Mayweather-Marquez is rescheduled for September and Cotto really ends up fighting Manny Pacquiao in November.
In the meantime, it's not all bad. Here are three fights I'm still looking forward to this summer:
Chris John-Rocky Juarez II - June 27, HBO - It's not too often I come away impressed with and feeling like I learned something about both boxers in one fight, but that's the way I felt after John and Juarez battled to a draw in February. I scored the first fight for John, but I didn't think the decision was a ridiculous case of home cooking like some people did.
That shouldn't be a problem this time, since the fight is in L.A. instead of Rocky's hometown of Houston. I expect these guys will battle the same way they did before and provide us with a more definitive winner.
Also on that same card is a trendy pick to be the Next Big Thing, Victor Ortiz, so it's a broadcast that's well worth watching.
Joseph Agbeko vs. Vic Darchinyan - July 11, Showtime - The Raging Bull has been impressive as of late, and he's moving up a few pounds in weight to challenge for the IBF bantamweight title.
We all know Vic can slug, but he's been showing more wrinkles to his game as he goes. He'll need them against Agbeko, who is aggressive, super tough and has never been knocked out.
I expect it to be a bit of a challenge for Darchinyan. And if it's not, that pound-for-pound love he's starting to get is even more appropriate.
Juan Diaz vs. Paulie Malignaggi, August 22, HBO - This one was just confirmed last week and should be a lot of fun. Diaz is entertaining to watch win or lose, and Malignaggi has something to prove after getting smoked by Ricky Hatton last November.
The catch weight between lightweight and junior welter should add to the intrigue as well. Diaz already wasn't a big KO artist at 135 and Paulie could be drained by cutting the extra weight, so it will be interesting to see how that aspect plays out.
Posted by The Franchise
2.3.09
20-20 Hindsight: John is For Real, JMM Stakes His Claim For No. 1
It looks like I'll have to find a new running joke to make.
My old running joke was that despite his stellar record and long reign as featherweight champ, I had never seen Chris John fight. Now I have, and I have to say he showed a lot battling a very game Rocky Juarez in Rocky's hometown.
Since he's tall for his weight class, John threw a lot of punches from unusual angles. He showed good hand speed and stayed busy the whole fight, throwing over 100 punches a round all the way to the end of the fight.
His movement and defense were good, but not fantastic, as he got out of trouble at times but also had trouble keeping the fight at the range he wanted. John also showed toughness and guts, absorbing some excellent body punches from Juarez without wilting and fighting his way off the ropes when necessary.
One obvious thing he doesn't have is a lot of power, but we kind of expected that coming in. Rightly or wrongly, I'm like a lot of American boxing fans in that I am suspect of fighters who never venture to the U.S., but John made a believer out of me.
Oh, and for the record, I thought he won the fight, but that wasn't the most horrendous decision I've seen.
No decision was necessary in the main event, as Juan Manuel Marquez added another impressive win to his resume by stopping Juan Diaz in nine action-packed rounds. Like a fine wine, JMM seems to be getting better with age.
There's little doubt Marquez would like to avenge his 0-1-1 mark against Manny Pacquiao, and he has to be a little frustrated that he followed Manny up to 135 only to see him go up even higher. His post-fight remarks expressed his resignation at landing Pac Man for a third fight any time soon, and I have this to say about his desire to fight Floyd Mayweather: not happening.
So who's next for Marquez? Cliff Rold of BoxingScene.com suggests it could be Edwin Valero, and that would be a dynamite fight. For a crazier idea, East Side Boxing's Max Lom thinks he could fight Miguel Cotto. Or maybe that's not so crazy in an era when weight classes are much less of an obstacle than they were just a few years ago.
In the meantime, JMM is certain to be receiving lots of love as the No. 1 man on various pound-for-pound lists. I'd entertain that argument, but I just can't place him above Pacquiao since he faces him twice without beating him - and yes, I think Marquez won more rounds in the two fights.
Not everyone feels the same way, so it should be a fun P4P debate over the next few months.
Posted by The Franchise
My old running joke was that despite his stellar record and long reign as featherweight champ, I had never seen Chris John fight. Now I have, and I have to say he showed a lot battling a very game Rocky Juarez in Rocky's hometown.
Since he's tall for his weight class, John threw a lot of punches from unusual angles. He showed good hand speed and stayed busy the whole fight, throwing over 100 punches a round all the way to the end of the fight.
His movement and defense were good, but not fantastic, as he got out of trouble at times but also had trouble keeping the fight at the range he wanted. John also showed toughness and guts, absorbing some excellent body punches from Juarez without wilting and fighting his way off the ropes when necessary.
One obvious thing he doesn't have is a lot of power, but we kind of expected that coming in. Rightly or wrongly, I'm like a lot of American boxing fans in that I am suspect of fighters who never venture to the U.S., but John made a believer out of me.
Oh, and for the record, I thought he won the fight, but that wasn't the most horrendous decision I've seen.
No decision was necessary in the main event, as Juan Manuel Marquez added another impressive win to his resume by stopping Juan Diaz in nine action-packed rounds. Like a fine wine, JMM seems to be getting better with age.
There's little doubt Marquez would like to avenge his 0-1-1 mark against Manny Pacquiao, and he has to be a little frustrated that he followed Manny up to 135 only to see him go up even higher. His post-fight remarks expressed his resignation at landing Pac Man for a third fight any time soon, and I have this to say about his desire to fight Floyd Mayweather: not happening.
So who's next for Marquez? Cliff Rold of BoxingScene.com suggests it could be Edwin Valero, and that would be a dynamite fight. For a crazier idea, East Side Boxing's Max Lom thinks he could fight Miguel Cotto. Or maybe that's not so crazy in an era when weight classes are much less of an obstacle than they were just a few years ago.
In the meantime, JMM is certain to be receiving lots of love as the No. 1 man on various pound-for-pound lists. I'd entertain that argument, but I just can't place him above Pacquiao since he faces him twice without beating him - and yes, I think Marquez won more rounds in the two fights.
Not everyone feels the same way, so it should be a fun P4P debate over the next few months.
Posted by The Franchise
28.2.09
Chris John vs. Rocky Juarez: Round By Round
Tonight's World Championship Boxing broadcast originates from the Toyota Center in Houston with a doubleheader featuring two hometown boxers. In the first fight, Houston native and former U.S. Olympian Rocky Juarez takes on Chris John, the undefeated featherweight champ making his first appearance in the United States.
Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman give an overview of the state of the featherweight division. The tale of the tape show John and Juarez pretty even in most aspects, though John is tall for a featherweight and has a few inches on Juarez.
John is 42-0, with his most notable win coming in a somewhat disputed decision over Juan Manuel Marquez. Juarez is 28-4, with his losses coming to Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Humberto Soto.
Michael Buffer handles the introductions. The fans are solidly behind Juarez, as you might expect.
Round One
Both men looking to establish the jab. The crowd is urging Rocky on in the early going. John's jab looks sharper thus far. Juarez digs to the body but John is quick to tie up. Nice right hand upstairs from John. Good counter lefts by both men in close. John whacks a right to the body. Rocky responds with a right to the head. More wrestling draws boos from the fans. Left hook by John with 10 left in the round.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Two
John's corner tells him to keep his distance using his jab. He fires it early but Juarez has his going too. Juarez tries the body and forces John back. Sharp one-two by John. He circles away as Juarez flurries. John uses his jab to keep Juarez at bay, then throws to the body. Kellerman likes Rocky's body work. Juarez moves in with several more body blows as Juarez tries to fire back. Good combo by John right at the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Round Three
John starts off a little faster in this frame. Emanuel Steward is impressed with both fighters' defense so far. John tries two two-shot combos to the head. Juarez still coming forward but John hits him and moves away. Rocky is having more trouble getting inside at the moment. A right by John and a counter right by Juarez. John tries an uppercut as Juarez tries the body again. Nice exchange at the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Four
Another jabbing contest to start this round. John throws some right hands too. Triple jab and a right by John. He covers up as Juarez fires hooks to the body. The ref is busy as John looks to tie up. John's hand speed is helping him get off first most of the time. Good counter shots by Juarez and the crowd responds. Rocky moves in and both men land. John lands a few more punches off the jab in the closing seconds.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Five
Juarez has a tiny bit of swelling near his right eye. Juarez bulls forward, shrugging off jabs to get in close. Good right hand by Rocky and the ref warns John for hitting behind the head. Here comes Juarez with more body shots but John digs in and knocks him back. Straight right by John and Rocky is cut. Now Juarez fires back with a counter right. Both men thump in close. That was a tight round.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Six
Rocky's corner asks him to pick up the pace. He tries to oblige but John is still quicker to the punch. Right hook by John and he backs off. John throws his right over Juarez's jab. They lock up along the ropes and the ref has his hands full. Both guys are still covering up well and not getting caught with tons of flush punches. John goes upstairs; Juarez tries the body. Juarez tumbles forward but it's correctly ruled a slip. Three-punch combo by John. The crowd tries to rally Juarez but he's smacked by another solid right.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Seven
John is still getting off several shots to every one for Juarez. Nice left by Rocky. The announcers say Juarez is fighting as well as they've ever seen, but John has been better. John lands about five shots in a row. He looks very confident right now. John is also clinching when he needs to. Juarez lands a few to the body. John just misses with a left uppercut, but he does hit with a straight right. A right hook by John is the best punch in a two-way exchange.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Eight
Juarez runs right into several jabs. There's a nice combination in response punctuated with a left hook. John shakes it off and goes back to work. Juarez snaps a few jabs. Two lefts and a right to the body by Rocky. He lands a few more in tight. Sharp right by Rocky and they trade along the ropes. John uses an uppercut to back Juarez off a step. Great action in the final 10 seconds.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Round Nine
John goes back to his jab and left hook. He ties up quickly when Juarez moves in. Right hand over the top by John. Rocky lands a right and eats two shots in return. Double jab and more shots follow from John. The ref has to separate the two boxers again. Rocky digs to the body yet again but John still has plenty of energy. Juarez lands a nice right and John comes right back with his own. That round was pretty close.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round 10
John threw 120 punches last round. Juarez closes the distance but John forces him right back. Left hook by Juarez answered by an uppercut. Left hook by Juarez and John answers. Juarez eats a right and a left. Another right and a left from John, and they tie up. Juarez goes body and head. Rocky snaps a left but John has another uppercut for him. John's quick hands have not slowed down. Juarez is still scoring, but he's being outworked.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round 11
Both corners are giving their men very good advice, which doesn't happen all the time. Harold Lederman scored the last round even. Juarez gets the crowd going with a counter left. John is moving well and won't be cornered. John landing many jabs but not much else. Juarez lands two hooks. Both men land and Juarez isn't giving up. The crowd chants for him again. Left hook and a right upstairs by Rocky. John digs in as they trade. Big right hand by Juarez right before the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Round 12
Rocky's trainer tells him to listen to the crowd supporting him. He comes straight forward and John greets him with head shots. Nice right by Juarez but a sharp hook comes back. Good action with both men connecting. A left hook snaps John's head. Ninety seconds to go. Nice right by Juarez and a combo comes back from John. Both men are laying it all out there. John goes right down the pike with a right. John steps back and tries to clinch. Punches land both ways in a very entertaining ending to a really good fight.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Franchise scores it 116-112 for John. All three judges score it 114-114, and the fight ends in a draw.
Posted by The Franchise
Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman give an overview of the state of the featherweight division. The tale of the tape show John and Juarez pretty even in most aspects, though John is tall for a featherweight and has a few inches on Juarez.
John is 42-0, with his most notable win coming in a somewhat disputed decision over Juan Manuel Marquez. Juarez is 28-4, with his losses coming to Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Humberto Soto.
Michael Buffer handles the introductions. The fans are solidly behind Juarez, as you might expect.
Round One
Both men looking to establish the jab. The crowd is urging Rocky on in the early going. John's jab looks sharper thus far. Juarez digs to the body but John is quick to tie up. Nice right hand upstairs from John. Good counter lefts by both men in close. John whacks a right to the body. Rocky responds with a right to the head. More wrestling draws boos from the fans. Left hook by John with 10 left in the round.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Two
John's corner tells him to keep his distance using his jab. He fires it early but Juarez has his going too. Juarez tries the body and forces John back. Sharp one-two by John. He circles away as Juarez flurries. John uses his jab to keep Juarez at bay, then throws to the body. Kellerman likes Rocky's body work. Juarez moves in with several more body blows as Juarez tries to fire back. Good combo by John right at the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Round Three
John starts off a little faster in this frame. Emanuel Steward is impressed with both fighters' defense so far. John tries two two-shot combos to the head. Juarez still coming forward but John hits him and moves away. Rocky is having more trouble getting inside at the moment. A right by John and a counter right by Juarez. John tries an uppercut as Juarez tries the body again. Nice exchange at the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Four
Another jabbing contest to start this round. John throws some right hands too. Triple jab and a right by John. He covers up as Juarez fires hooks to the body. The ref is busy as John looks to tie up. John's hand speed is helping him get off first most of the time. Good counter shots by Juarez and the crowd responds. Rocky moves in and both men land. John lands a few more punches off the jab in the closing seconds.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Five
Juarez has a tiny bit of swelling near his right eye. Juarez bulls forward, shrugging off jabs to get in close. Good right hand by Rocky and the ref warns John for hitting behind the head. Here comes Juarez with more body shots but John digs in and knocks him back. Straight right by John and Rocky is cut. Now Juarez fires back with a counter right. Both men thump in close. That was a tight round.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Six
Rocky's corner asks him to pick up the pace. He tries to oblige but John is still quicker to the punch. Right hook by John and he backs off. John throws his right over Juarez's jab. They lock up along the ropes and the ref has his hands full. Both guys are still covering up well and not getting caught with tons of flush punches. John goes upstairs; Juarez tries the body. Juarez tumbles forward but it's correctly ruled a slip. Three-punch combo by John. The crowd tries to rally Juarez but he's smacked by another solid right.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Seven
John is still getting off several shots to every one for Juarez. Nice left by Rocky. The announcers say Juarez is fighting as well as they've ever seen, but John has been better. John lands about five shots in a row. He looks very confident right now. John is also clinching when he needs to. Juarez lands a few to the body. John just misses with a left uppercut, but he does hit with a straight right. A right hook by John is the best punch in a two-way exchange.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round Eight
Juarez runs right into several jabs. There's a nice combination in response punctuated with a left hook. John shakes it off and goes back to work. Juarez snaps a few jabs. Two lefts and a right to the body by Rocky. He lands a few more in tight. Sharp right by Rocky and they trade along the ropes. John uses an uppercut to back Juarez off a step. Great action in the final 10 seconds.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Round Nine
John goes back to his jab and left hook. He ties up quickly when Juarez moves in. Right hand over the top by John. Rocky lands a right and eats two shots in return. Double jab and more shots follow from John. The ref has to separate the two boxers again. Rocky digs to the body yet again but John still has plenty of energy. Juarez lands a nice right and John comes right back with his own. That round was pretty close.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round 10
John threw 120 punches last round. Juarez closes the distance but John forces him right back. Left hook by Juarez answered by an uppercut. Left hook by Juarez and John answers. Juarez eats a right and a left. Another right and a left from John, and they tie up. Juarez goes body and head. Rocky snaps a left but John has another uppercut for him. John's quick hands have not slowed down. Juarez is still scoring, but he's being outworked.
Franchise: 10-9 John
Round 11
Both corners are giving their men very good advice, which doesn't happen all the time. Harold Lederman scored the last round even. Juarez gets the crowd going with a counter left. John is moving well and won't be cornered. John landing many jabs but not much else. Juarez lands two hooks. Both men land and Juarez isn't giving up. The crowd chants for him again. Left hook and a right upstairs by Rocky. John digs in as they trade. Big right hand by Juarez right before the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Round 12
Rocky's trainer tells him to listen to the crowd supporting him. He comes straight forward and John greets him with head shots. Nice right by Juarez but a sharp hook comes back. Good action with both men connecting. A left hook snaps John's head. Ninety seconds to go. Nice right by Juarez and a combo comes back from John. Both men are laying it all out there. John goes right down the pike with a right. John steps back and tries to clinch. Punches land both ways in a very entertaining ending to a really good fight.
Franchise: 10-9 Juarez
Franchise scores it 116-112 for John. All three judges score it 114-114, and the fight ends in a draw.
Posted by The Franchise
8.1.09
Stop the Presses: Chris John to Fight in America!
Anyone who reads this site on even a semi-regular basis knows I have a running joke about never having seen Chris John fight. There's a good reason for that: despite being one of the top-ranked featherweights in the world for years, John has never fought in the United States, and has made just a few trips outside his native Indonesia.
But my joke may have to end come February, because the AP is reporting that John will fight Rocky Juarez in Houston on the Feb. 28 undercard for Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz. On paper, that should be a terrific fight, the kind that really should be on televised undercards more often.
And like Diaz, Juarez calls Houston home, so it should help the paid attendance as well. Kudos to the promoters for putting it together, and thanks John, for finally letting us see what you're all about.
But my joke may have to end come February, because the AP is reporting that John will fight Rocky Juarez in Houston on the Feb. 28 undercard for Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz. On paper, that should be a terrific fight, the kind that really should be on televised undercards more often.
And like Diaz, Juarez calls Houston home, so it should help the paid attendance as well. Kudos to the promoters for putting it together, and thanks John, for finally letting us see what you're all about.
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