Franchise Thoughts on... Adamek-Arreola, Williams-Cintron, Khan-Malignaggi and More

Dan Rafael of ESPN was nice enough to use his blog entry for today to spell out exactly what HBO had planned for the second quarter of 2010. At this point, just about anything would be better than the network's first quarter boxing schedule, though the cancellation of its biggest fight (Shane Mosley-Andre Berto) was obviously not HBO's fault.

Here are my thoughts on what is supposedly on tap:

April:

I was a little surprised to see that Berto will be matched with Carlos Quintana on April 10. There have been quite a few names kicked around for Andre, including everyone from Paul Malignaggi to Zab Judah. Berto himself sounded off on Twitter about a week ago and didn't seem too interested in either one of those guys. Also on that card will be personal favorite Tavoris Cloud facing Glen Johnson in what should be an action-packed fight. I like Cloud in that one, but Johnson will make it a tough night as always.

The next week on April 17 is planned to be a split-site doubleheader that features Lucian Bute-Edison Miranda in Montreal and Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City. Miranda is always dangerous and should be good for some entertaining trash talk if nothing else, but the most recent version of Bute we saw was also the best one. He should win. Pavlik-Martinez is a fascinating study in contrasts; I'm withholding my thoughts on the outcome until both guys actually sign on the dotted line.

Tomasz Adamek-Chris Arreola is apparently official for April 24, much to my dismay. Don't get me wrong, because I like the match-up. But Showtime just moved the Super Six fights to that date, and now HBO is putting a card on that date. That is bad for fans and the sport in general. Alfredo Angulo vs. Joel Julio is the co-feature, which doesn't do a whole lot for me.

May:

Paul Williams will be the headliner on May 8. Rafael says his most likely opponent will be Kermit Cintron at 154 pounds. I'm biased toward Cintron because he hails from a town about 30 minutes from the hometown of the BoxingWatchers. Nevertheless, I give the edge to The Punisher if he brings his 'A' game. Assuming Martinez really does face Pavlik, this is a good bout for Williams, so I hope it gets made.

Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi on May 15? Yes, please! Frankly, Malignaggi never made much sense to me as a foe for Berto, and even though I was intrigued by the possibility of Khan taking on Juan Manuel Marquez for the obvious "youth versus experience" storyline, this is better. Khan seems to be on the fast track to superstardom, but we've seen what can happen to young boxers who are tagged as the next big thing. Speaking of those guys, Victor Ortiz is likely to be in the co-feature against Nate Campbell. That's not too shabby either.

June:

There's nothing official for June as of yet. But there is growing talk about Miguel Cotto and Yuri Foreman fighting, either on June 5 in Yankee Stadium or June 12 at Madison Square Garden. I wrote about that potential title fight in more detail elsewhere, but to sum up, it should be one of those rare matches where we learn something about both men. If Cotto's losses to Antonio Margarito and Manny Pacquiao took something out of him permanently, Foreman seems good enough to let us know. Regardless, NYC is the perfect spot for this fight, indoors or out.

Posted by The Franchise

Round by Round: Yusef Mack vs. Glen Johnson

Live on ESPN2...

Round 1

Johnson starts as the aggressor. The ring looks very bouncy. Both men jabbing early. Mack throws a few left hooks. Johnson and Mack exchange. Johnson's rights look a little loopy or Mack is dipping away. Nice jab from Johnson. Good overhand from Johnson. Mack answers back. Close round. Both men had more moments than you usually see in a careful first. Could have gone either way.

Uatu: Johnson 10-9

Round 2

Early activity both ways. Not as much footwork and a lot of in-fighting. Both men are landing, Mack gets in a solid shot. Johnson stays coming foward and active. Too many punches to recount them all here. Uppercuts, jabs and hooks from angles from both. Both men are looking confident, in shape, and are there to win. Mack throwing faster combos. I don't know. Another near impossible round to score, but Mack landed a little more cleanly with his combos.

Uatu: Mack 10-9

Round 3

More of the same in Round 3. Johnson on the prowl. Mack moving with the feet more this round. Could he be tiring of the pressure? Or maybe he is just exploiting his speed advantages and limiting Johnson's chances. Teddy Atlas mentions that there is a slight change in Glen's favor this round. He lands a couple of hooks as Mack had his hands low. Johnson jabbing away. Johnson more active. I believe Mack is throwing a tad harder. Johnson's round.

Uatu: Johnson 10-9

Round 4

Hard to believe, but it's been over five years since Glen knocked out Roy Jones. Mack bobbing and weaving away in the corner. Atlas has it 2-1 Mack. They are slugging it out in the phone booth and the crowd gets loud. Johnson winging the body hooks. And again with two more. Mack is staying in the shell. Then he dances away. Johnson has him trapped again but steps away for space. Both men have slowed down with the output. Mack backs up to the ropes. Mack gets in a hard shot. Mack unloads and throws three haymakers. Maybe one landed. Johnson keeps the hands moving to the bell. The round had ups and downs for both men, and in action and activity. Hard to tell where this fight will go by the end. Will give the round to Mack based on the hard rights towards the end.

Uatu: Mack 10-9

Round 5

Atlas agrees with me that Mack stole it late. Mack comes out aggressive, active and throwing hard. He looks like a new man. Left for Mack. A little bit of a lull as the two men look at each other. Body work from Johnson. Atlas believes Johnson has lost a bit from his motor. Hard in-fighting both ways with combos. Nice right from Glen. Johnson doesn't seem to be overwhelmingly effective, but he was more active and had to have landed more as well.

Uatu: Johnson 10-9

Round 6

Johnson stays aggressive and chops and chops. Down goes Mack in the corner! Two minutes to go. Mack is backed against the ropes. Johnson is staying on him but is trying to keep space. Johnson has slowed already. Mack mostly in the shell. Johnson lands to the head. Mack back to the ropes. Mack gets hit with the straight right. Down goes Mack again! Mack gets up again. He is a little wobbly. Johnson lands a hook to the head, and Mack takes a knee! The ref waves it off. Johnson takes it!

Your winner by TKO at 2:21 of Round 6, Glen "the Road Warrior" Johnson

Interview to follow...

They joke about Glen finding the fountain of youth.

They ask about Glen's plan involving the right hand.
Glen says he was actually looking for the left hook to the body, but it wasn't working so he went to the right.

He says he started a little bit tight.

Atlas mentions to him about a spot where he may have showed his age.
Glen says it was a conscious effort, but he says he is getting a little bit old so he has to be smart.

Glen says Tavoris Cloud is tough and all action, but the fight would be explosive, and Cloud is the type of fighter he likes to fight.

Posted by uatu

Valero-DeMarco, Adamek-Estrada, Johnson-Mack: Predictions

The Franchise says...

Is Edwin Valero ready to graduate from seldom-seen phenom to bona fide rising star? If so, that process may begin this Saturday, when he headlines a Showtime broadcast by defending his WBC lightweight belt against Antonio DeMarco.

This one promises to be explosive for as long as it lasts. DeMarco likes to come forward, using jabs to set up his powerful left hand. He's also got a sturdy chin, as he showed en route to the ninth-round KO of Anges Adjaho last summer that earned him this title shot.

The question is whether any chin is enough to stand up to Valero, who became the stuff of internet legend by racking up 18 first-round knockouts in a row to begin his professional career. He's averaged almost five rounds of work over the last three years, but every one of his fights has ended with his foe unconscious or unable to continue.

DeMarco is taller and rangier, suggesting that he may find some success staying on the outside. But that isn't his usual M.O., and he also tends to be a slow starter.

Those two things could prove to be his downfall. Questions still remain about Valero's overall skill set, but they won't be answered this time out as the Venezuelan notches a mid-round KO.

In New Jersey, former two-division titleholder Tomasz Adamek will continue to try climbing the heavyweight ranks as he steps in against Jason Estrada. Newark's Prudential Center should be rocking, as a strong Polish-American contingent always turns out in force to support Adamek.

Estrada is a legit heavyweight whose fighting weight is usually just above 240 pounds, but he's not especially tall (listed at 6'1") or powerful (only four knockouts in 16 career victories). That means he may have trouble keeping Adamek from getting in close and making him pay when he does so.

Eventually, Adamek is going to run into someone who reminds him why it's tough to take on the big guys when you give up too much weight. I don't expect it will be this Saturday, though, as I see Adamek battering his way to a late-round stoppage.

Last but not least (and actually first in chronological terms), venerable Glen Johnson headlines Friday Night Fights in an IBF light heavyweight title eliminator against Yusaf Mack. Few boxers can be counted on to give 100 percent in the ring as Johnson, even at 41 years of age.

Mack certainly has a bit of both skill and power, and he's yet to lose since stepping up to campaign at 175. But Johnson has beaten and lost to opponents tougher than anyone on Mack's resume, and he's always in shape to go the full 12 rounds.

Still, it's hard to get the image of Johnson's last fight, a second loss to Chad Dawson, out of my head. Did he finally start to feel his age, or was Bad Chad just better prepared for him the second time around?

Let's say for the sake of argument it was a bit of both. The Road Warrior is starting to near the end of his journey, but I'm not sure he's quite there yet.

Maybe my heart is outvoting my head on this one, but I like Johnson to take a close decision.

Posted by The Franchise

20/20 Hindsight: Chad Wins But It's Still Not All Good, Plus David Makes Haye

I think somewhere around the ninth round of the Chad Dawson-Glen Johnson rematch was the first time I heard some scattered boos coming from fans at Hartford's XL Center. That happens sometimes when a fight isn't competitive - and don't be fooled by the close official scores, because this was not a close fight - and there doesn't seem like there's much hope of a late round knockout.

The troublesome part of Saturday's booing is that it was coming from Dawson's home fans. And that's on top of the fact that he wasn't enough of a draw to manage 50 percent capacity in an arena in his home state.

Dawson put on a boxing clinic, making Johnson look old, slow and generally ineffective. His speed and timing left Glen with few answers, and his defense was good enough to keep him out of the trouble he ran into in the 10th round of their previous fight.

But Bad Chad didn't put Johnson in any trouble either, and even though that's a difficult task, it's something he really needed to do to capture fans' imaginations. I can't imagine he got the HBO brass too fired up about his next outing, especially considering the lack of under-40 names in Dawson's weight class.

Don't get me wrong. I think Dawson is an excellent boxer, and though he's not quite at the level of a Floyd Mayweather, he's similarly impressive in the way he operates and makes a difficult sport look effortless.

Floyd can get away with putting on virtuoso performances that don't excite casual fans because of his larger than life persona. Chad can't, and for that reason he seems destined to continue to win in relative obscurity. It's a shame, but unless he gets a brashness transplant or starts spontaneously knocking people out, I'm not sure how that's going to change.

And now for something completely different...

Color me surprised that David Haye was able to lift one of the heavyweight title belts from Nikolai Valuev. Not because I find the Russian Giant particularly impressive (just really big), but because I figured the size differential would be too much for Haye to handle if he decided to slug it out.

Give Haye and his team credit for deducing that hit-and-run was the way to go. Well played.

I'm not sure what's wrong with me, because I usually can't stand athletes of any type who talk trash without backing it up. That means I should dislike Haye, especially after he badmouthed the Klitschko brothers and then mysteriously ended up not fighting either of them.

But for some reason I find Haye compelling, and it probably doesn't hurt that (until this weekend, according to observers) he's fun to watch when he fights. There's really no logical reason Wladimir and Vitali should give him the time of day after what went down over the past year, but he does have a belt, and they seem to be pretty important to the Klitschko brothers, so you never know.

Love him or hate him, you have to say this about Haye: it's hard to see him ever getting booed by his home fans.

Posted by The Franchise

Chad Dawson v. Glen Johnson II: Round by Round

HBO is killing time since the first fight only went 3 rounds. They show a montage of the first fight and both of their careers.

Now Johnson makes his way to the ring. He has a big smile on his face and looks loose and ready.

Dawson follows now. He's coming to the ring to Run This Town by Jay-Z. The crowd is giving him a great hometown response.

The intos are finished. Here we go.

Round 1

They meet in the center. Dawson starts with the jab and Johnson lands a hard counter straight early to get Dawson's attention. Johnson is looking to counter punch and he's getting some good shots in. Dawson goes into the defensive shell and Johnson throws away. The first round has been a good round for both fighters.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 2

Dawson is establishing the jab. Johnson is bobbing and weaving. He throws a couple of hooks. Dawson gets a straight left through Johnson's gloves. Dawson lands a counter left uppercut. Johnson throws to the body and Dawson counters again. Dawson is loosing his trunks and waist protector is rising way up. He gets caught in the corner but gets out in time.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 3

Dawson starts by throwing 9 jabs. Johnson is trying to get on the inside but Dawson is using movement well to get out of his way. Dawson backs away and dodges a straight right from Johnson. Dawson unleashes a combo to the body that scores. Another great combo by Dawson. Johnson misses by a lot and Dawson makes him pay. The crowd gets into it. Dawson lands 2 more punches and gets off of the ropes. Johnson is having a tough time landing punches due to Dawson's crafty D.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 4

Dawson is countering beautifully. Johnson is coming forward and eating left and right hand repeatedly. Dawson is choosing his punches wisely too. Johnson seems to be changing his gameplan a bit and isn't throwing as much. Maybe he's getting tired. Dawson lands a big left. He backs away and dodges some more Johnson punches. Dawson showboats a bit before the end of the round.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 5

Dawson comes out jabbing again. Johnson is trying to land but is still struggling. Johnson is keeping his gloves really high to to try to block. Dawson counters some more punches while against the ropes. Johnson can't get in to any rhythm. Dawson throws another fast combo and Johnson covers up. Johnson continues to come forward. Another good round for Bad Chad.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 6

Johnson comes forward again but he's not throwing much. Dawson counters again. Dawson is fighting a great fight thus far. Now Johnson starts getting some punches in that are landing. A couple hooks twist Dawson's neck. Dawson lands a hard left hand. Dawson gets caught against the ropes and gets out of danger. Dawson lands some more great punches. Dawson lands a good power shot before the bell.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 7

Johnson comes forward once again. Dawson continues to counter him well. Dawson throws 2 hooks to the body and scores. Johnson is still in no rhythm to win any of these rounds, especially against some home town judges. Johnson grazes with a left hook. That's the best he's done this round. Another round on the cards for Dawson.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 8

Every fight Dawson is in he says he wants to wow the crowd and win over some skeptics. He's winning rounds but most of these rounds have been quite boring. Johnson keeps coming forward and Dawson keeps countering him. Johnson throws some more futile punches and Dawson counters him beautifully. Neither fighter is in trouble of being knocked out because neither fighter is throwing any power punches.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 9

Dawson lands 2 great body hooks. He gets caught in the corner but sneaks out once again. Johnson tries to land a punch to the body. Now Dawson turns up the heat. Johnson wiffs hard with a hook and Dawson lands a big combo. The crowd gets on their feet. Johnson is doing nothing to win these rounds.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 10

Johnson gets countered hard early in the round the crowd goes crazy. Johnson still isn't in any real physical danger besides the danger of losing this fight. The commentators have stopped talking about the fight at hand completely and are focusing on the undercard. After about a minute they get back on topic. I hear some lone "boo's" from the hometown crowd. Dawson is taking another round with counter punches. Johnson is still struggling and hasn't come up with any solutions for Chad Dawson.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 11

Johnson comes forward once again. Dawson is circling him and still picking his punches well. Now there are a lot of boos from the crowd. Johnson lands a few good body shots. The crowd continues to boo. Dawson lands a quick left hook and pushes Johnson back. He misses with an uppercut.

Spartan117: 10-9 Dawson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Dawson

Round 12

Johnson is using a last ditch effort to try to win this fight by swinging wildly for a KO. Dawson isn't doing much to win this round but who can blame him. He should have this fight in the bag. He lands 2 hooks. Johnson misses with a big left hook. Dawson lands a straight left. Both fighters coast down the stretch.

Spartan117: 10-9 Johnson

Uatu: 10-9 Dawson

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson

Spartan117: 119-109 Dawson

Uatu: 120-110 Dawson

Franchise: 119-109 Dawson

The judges score the bout 115-113, 115-113, and 117-111 all for the winner by unanimous decision "Bad" Chad Dawson

Posted by spartan117

Chad Dawson-Glen Johnson II: Live Round By Round Updates Tonight

It's rematch time tonight in Hartford, Connecticut. Can Chad Dawson win in more convincing fashion in a second bout with Glen Johnson after sweating out some anxious moments in the latter stages of his decision victory the first time?

Or can the Road Warrior defiantly spit in the face of Father Time and avenge what he considers to be an injustice perpetrated by the judges? We'll find out live tonight on HBO, along with seeing Alfredo Angulo go for the gold - sort of, in the form of a WBO interim belt - against Harry Joe Yorgey.

If you aren't able to see the fights, you can get our take as they unfold thanks to our live round by round posts. We'll have them out on the main page as they happen, beginning shortly after 9:30 pm (Eastern time) tonight.

Posted by The Franchise

Dawson-Johnson II and Valuev-Haye: Predictions

The Franchise says...

Though there's a megafight looming on the horizon next weekend, there's some business to attend to in two different locations this Saturday. First and foremost is a very interesting rematch between Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson in Dawson's Hartford, Connecticut backyard.

You may recall that the first fight was pretty close, and I had to go back and check out my own scorecard to see how the flow of the action unfolded. I actually had it a point closer than the actual judges, even after giving the final three rounds to Johnson, so while I thought (and still believe) that it was a very close call, I don't think the Road Warrior got robbed by any means.

That being said, while I expect this should be a hard-fought rematch with its share of excitement, I don't know that it lends itself to tons of analysis. Both men are known quantities and probably won't abandon the strategies they used the first time, since in a sense, they both worked: Dawson won plenty of rounds with his boxing, while Johnson came forward relentlessly and almost pulled it out in the late rounds.

The main variables this time around are whether the much younger Dawson has learned any new tricks since last time (who knows?) and whether Father Time has finally run down Johnson (I want to say no, but it's certainly possible). Chad did have a scare in the 10th round of the first fight that he'll want to avoid this time out, but he's also probably facing some self-applied pressure to win more convincingly this time, so tactically I'm thinking that's a wash.

Put simply, if Dawson is the pound-for-pound talent we suspect he may be, he should win more rounds in this one, and though you always hate to think this way, fighting in Hartford doesn't figure to hurt his chances. That adds up to Bad Chad by unanimous decision, but likely in more decisive fashion the second time around.

Across the world in Germany, one of the heavyweight titles David Haye has supposedly always wanted a shot at is on the line when he tries to upend the giant Nikolai Valuev. I say supposedly because Haye appeared to have title shots against both Klitschko brothers lined up and ended up fighting neither of them.

It seems strange that facing a 7-footer would be the path of least resistance, yet that's exactly the case here. Valuev can box alright for his size, but he'll never be mistaken for Wladimir or Vitali, and that's bound to be just what Haye and his team are counting on.

Still, there's the size thing. Haye has power, but extending it to hit someone who is nine inches taller... I mean, at some point it just becomes a physics problem, doesn't it?

I'd actually feel safer picking Haye if he was a technician a la Chris Byrd in his prime, so he could just get his shots in and get out of the way. As it is, despite logic suggesting someone is getting knocked out, I have a bad feeling that this is going to be an ugly mess that gets decided on the cards.

Forced to make a pick, I'll say Valuev by decision, meaning the noise coming from Haye will be how he got jobbed. If he wins, it may force one of the Klitschkos to fight him if they want to collect all the belts, and that may be the only way they'll do it after the shenanigans he pulled before.

Posted by The Franchise

More on Dawson-Johnson II and a Possible Title Fight for Tavoris Cloud

Courtesy of the Tallahassee Democrat comes another report that HBO has approved Glen Johnson as an opponent for Chad Dawson, setting up a rematch between the two men as the likely next fight for both.

Where does that leave Tallahassee's own Tavoris Cloud, who's been the number one contender for Dawson's IBF light heavyweight belt since knocking out Julio Gonzalez nine months ago? Possibly in better shape for a title shot, as the Democrat speculates that the IBF may strip Dawson of his gold. That would leave Cloud and former titleholder Clinton Woods to fight for the belt.

If you haven't seen Cloud in action, he's a treat to watch. He uses a very aggressive pressure style and swings for the fences on darn near every punch. I haven't seen enough of him to formulate an opinion on his overall skill set, but he's definitely exciting.

Woods owns two wins of his own over Gonzalez, though both were decisions and the second was relatively close. He has a big edge in experience against top flight competition (including Roy Jones Jr, Antonio Tarver and three fights with Johnson), but he's 37 and is likely to have his hands full with the younger Cloud.

Posted by The Franchise

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:

"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

Glen Johnson vs. Daniel Judah: Friday Night Fights Main Event Round By Round

Glen Johnson is the headliner for the Feb. 27 edition of Friday Night Fights from the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida. The former light heavyweight champion and 2004 Fighter of the Year takes on Daniel Judah, a man he fought to a somewhat questionable draw back in 2003.

The 40-year old Johnson is 48-12-2 and was 2-1 in 2008, with his loss coming to Chad Dawson. Judah is 23-3-3 and was 1-1 last year.

We're scheduled for 10 rounds in the light heavyweight division.

Round One

Judah is more active in the early going, with Johnson content to counter. Judah flicks the jab and throws the left to the body. Both men land head shots in an exchange. Johnson is picking off a lot of punches with his arms. Johnson lands a few counter shots as Judah covers up. A right hand comes crashing home for Johnson and Judah slumps into the ropes! He gets back up and probably only survives because it was close to the end of the round.

Franchise: 10-8 Johnson
Uatu: 10-8 Johnson

Round Two

Johnson wants the right hand again and is able to land it twice with a body shot or two mixed in. Teddy Atlas thinks Judah needs to increase the distance to have any chance. He lands a left but Johnson is firing right back. Glen goes to the body and covers up well when Judah responds. Another right to the head sets up a Johnson combination. Judah is coming forward but not landing anything too big.

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson
Uatu: 10-9 Johnson

Round Three

Nate Campbell and Jameel McCline are both in attendance. The fighters trade at very close range with nothing of consequence landing. Judah is staying busy but Johnson's punches look and sound harder. He backs Judah up with the jab. Johnson tries hooks to the head and body around Judah's tight guard. They trade again in the middle of the ring. Judah lands a nice right to the body and left to the head just before the bell.

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson
Uatu: 10-9 Johnson

Round Four

Judah is still moving well but his margin for error looks to be small. He boxes his way out of a tight spot along the ropes. Both men jab and work from very close range. Judah shakes his head as Johnson lands several shots to the arms or body. Johnson is looking for uppercuts and hooks but not landing as many flush right now. Judah scores with a right and appears to be gaining some confidence now.

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson
Uatu: 10-9 Johnson

Round Five

The announcers visit with Jermain Taylor during this round. Johnson forces Judah back with punches from both hands. Judah ducks and weaves and begins throwing back. Johnson tries more hooks as they hold their heads up against each other. Johnson ends a stalemate with rights to the head and body. Nothing too hugs is landing but Johnson is controlling the pace and distance.

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson
Uatu: 10-9 Johnson

Round Six

Judah opens this round with some energy, but as soon as the range closes, Johnson takes over with short, hard shots. His left hook to the body is possibly the only punch from either fighter that is scoring consistently at this point. Judah lowers his guard and invites Johnson in, and he's happy to oblige. Johnson continues his relentless body attack in the final 30 seconds.

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson
Uatu: 10-9 Johnson

Round Seven

Barring the unlikely possibility that Johnson runs out of gas late, I'm not sure what Judah can do to win this fight. Johnson works off the jab in the center of the ring. Left to the body for the umpteenth time. Judah ducks and counters but his punches don't have much on them. Another left to the body catches Judah's attention. Johnson lands a right and Judah lands a pretty nice counter, but that was still Johnson's round without a doubt.

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson
Uatu: 10-9 Johnson

Round Eight

Johnson turns it on early in this round. Judah may be trying to set a trap, but without the power to make Johnson pay, that's a risky ploy. Judah does some theatrics to show he's not hurt. He is still punching back, but without much effect. Both men try the body and Johnson remains much busier.

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson
Uatu: 10-9 Johnson

Round Nine

Judah forces Johnson to chase him a bit. Glen continues to keep the jab flowing as he stalks. Judah scores to the body and backs out. Johnson throws an uppercut and two hooks. He sits down behind a few head shots and lands a right hook. Judah paws with his left and keeps circling.

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson
Uatu: 10-9 Johnson

Round 10

I think we'll see more of the same instead of all-out fireworks in the final round. the ref pauses things for a second due to a clash of heads. Judah is milking it, but it did look like a pretty stiff headbutt. Glen charges in and they brawl along the ropes. Ninety seconds to go and Johnson is still throwing a high number of punches. Judah deserves credit as he is still giving it his all. Both men swinging wildly (and missing) as the fight wraps up.

Franchise: 10-9 Johnson
Uatu: 10-9 Johnson

Both Franchise and Uatu scored it 100-89 for Johnson. The judges score it 99-89 and 99-90 twice, all for the winner, Glen "The Road Warrior" Johnson.

Posted by The Franchise

Round By Round: Chad Dawson vs. Glen Johnson

We're waiting for the first of two light heavyweight fights to start tonight on Showtime. I was talking to the rest of the BoxingWatchers.com staff a little while ago and we were wondering which fight would be first. Looks like it will be Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson.

The announcers think Johnson looks good for 39, and discuss how he probably should have a few less losses because of questionable decisions. Dawson comes to the ring to Lupe Fiasco's "Superstar" and he looks confident.

It will be interesting to see if the crowd is behind Johnson, since he has lived in Florida for a while.

Round 1

Dawson opens with some jabs and Johnson comes forward as expected. Chad looks light on his feet and his hands look fast. He finds the range with a few straight lefts. Johnson lands a few counters as he tries to come in. Dawson also looking to the body. Nice combo to the body and head by Dawson. Now a nice right by Johnson. They trade right before the bell but Dawson landed more punches.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Dawson

Round 2

Dawson lands some quick shots but Johnson is on top of him and lands a few rights. The announcers think Chad is staying inside too much. Nice right-left combo by Chad. Johnson is able to pick off some shots to the head with his arms. Two nice lefts upstairs by Dawson. Johnson comes in behind a right and a left hook; Dawson stands his ground and returns fire. Johnson hit by a number of quick shots right as the round ends.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Dawson

Round 3

Johnson starting to make the jab work a bit though he's getting hit in the body setting it up. Dawson doing a bit better circling instead of going straight back. Johnson lands a few rights; Dawson beginning to find a target with the uppercut. Quick left by Chad and Glen scores with a counter riht. Now a flurry by Johnson and Dawson stands and returns fire. Another great exchange before the bell with Johnson landing a few big right hands. The crowd applauds that action.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Johnson

Round 4

The announcers think Dawson may have been hurt at the end of Round 3. He's throwing but his punches don't seem to be fazing Johnson. Nice right to the body by Glen. Dawson can't stay inside because Johnson is too effective in there. Straight lefts by Dawson and a right to the body. Big punches both ways. Right lands upstairs for Johnson. Now another gets through. Johnson slips at the bell and Dawson tries to jump on him. That was the closest round so far.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Dawson

Round 5

Johnson jabbing away and staying covered up. He lands a left and Chad responds with a combo. Inside rights by Johnson and he eats some coming back. Big right knocks Dawson backwards. Both men land to the body. Some vicious shots thrown by Johnson and they take some of the starch out of Chad. Now a left hook and a right upstairs. Johnson took control from the middle of the round onward.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Johnson

Round 6

I have to imagine Dawson is losing on the cards and Johnson hits harder, which is a tough combo to beat. Johnson finds the range with both hands inside. Now Dawson goes back to circling. Both guys throw lefts in the middle of the ring. Dawson digs to the body as Glen continues to stalk. The crowd boos because Dawson is retreating. He's picking his spots much better in this round. Johnson tries to steal the round at the end but I think Dawson fought that round very well.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Dawson

Round 7

Both boxers are getting very good advice from their corners. Dawson comes out moving and jabbing. Johnson goes to the body. Chad unleashes a combo but it was more sizzle than steak. Right by Johnson but Dawson's right in response is even bigger. That was the first time Glen's looked stunned so far tonight. Dawson looks like he's regained some confidence. Quick combo to the head by Chad. Johnson still coming forward but not throwing as many punches, and his jab has gone away. Both men trade with Johnson landing the biggest punch and Dawson landing quantity.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Dawson

Round 8

Dawson showing very good movement but Johnson looks more determined this round. His volume has definitely picked back up. Dawson tries a few lefts. Chad slips a right and goes back to his jab. He lands a few shots to the head in succession. Another quick combo that at least looks good. Body and head combo and Johnson lands a straight right in response. Right uppercut by Dawson. A nice exchange both ways. Johnson gets inside but Dawson throws back at the bell. Close round.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Dawson

Round 9

Johnson's corner told him he needs every round. He comes out like he thinks that's true. Nice right upstairs by Johnson and another. Dawson throws a combo and Johnson is caught off balance. Glen gets back inside and Chad dances away. Both guys find the range in the center of the ring. Nice straight left by Dawson. Right to the body by Johnson. Dawson goes upstairs as the round ends, and that was another close one.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Dawson

Round 10

Dawson's corner screaming at him to box and not get trapped inside. He lands early and circles away from Johnson. Chad works the head and body but the punches aren't that hard. Johnson goes to the body with a right. Nice left by Johnson but it's in the middle of a Dawson flurry. Big right by Johnson staggers Dawson and he's hurt! He's trying to close the show but Dawson is showing some heart. Wow, the action goes all the way to the bell and Dawson hangs in there.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Johnson

Round 11

We're going to learn something about Dawson now. He looks steady early on and is throwing with both hands. Johnson gets inside and lands some rights. Dawson soldiers on but he might be hurt again. Uppercut by Glen with Chad leaning on him. Now Dawson finding the range. Incredible action as both men are throwing bombs inside. Left hook by Johnson and he goes to the body. Dawson shows some late zip but Johnson lands a right to knock Dawson back. That was a fantastic round and very even.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Johnson

Round 12

Last round and it seriously could go either way. Dawson still has spring in his step early on. He's trying to keep it outside but Johnson pushes forward. Now Johnson finds the body and head. Big right and left by Glen. Dawson lands a mean uppercut in response. Johnson definitely showing no quit. Johnson with chopping rights in close as we hit 30 seconds to go. The crowd boos because Chad is backing away. Johnson paws to try to land a few more shots; Dawson seems content to play out the string. That was a great fight.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Johnson

Franchise scores it 115-113 for Dawson. The judges score it 116-112, 116-112 and 116-112, all for the winner and still WBC light heavyweight champion, "Bad" Chad Dawson.

That's an unpopular decision but not a robbery by any means. Dawson fought a very smart fight and got great advice from his corner. Johnson did what everyone thought he would do, and in retrospect he probably needed that knockdown in the 10th round.

Johnson thinks he got ripped off and isn't happy because he says Dawson has the whole future ahead of him and he is nearing the end of his road. He says he'll definitely take a rematch but he thinks he should be getting it as the winner, not the loser. Dawson seems kind of amused by his foe's outburst.

Dawson says he'll stay at light heavyweight and doesn't seem as thrilled about a rematch as Johnson. He gives credit to Glen but he really seems to think he did enough to win.

Showtime Predictions: Woods-Tarver and Dawson-Johnson

The Franchise says...

Though The Ring magazine rankings respectfully disagree with Showtime's claim that Saturday's card features the four best light heavyweights in the world, it will go a long way toward sorting things out in that division. Of the combatants I probably know the least about Clinton Woods, but I guess he must be taken at least somewhat seriously at this point. Aside from getting knocked out by Roy Jones Jr. in his first trip to the U.S. in 2002, his most notable fights have been against Glen Johnson, and he went 1-1-1 in those three bouts - and the win was a split decision. Not terribly inspiring.

Then again, who knows what to make of Antonio Tarver, a personal favorite? He bounced back with two wins last year after getting badly exposed by Bernard Hopkins in 2006, but The Executioner has been known to make plenty of people look bad. If he has his head on straight I think he is still capable of performing at a high level, but that's a huge "if."

Neither man is young, so age shouldn't be much of a factor. Tarver has fought the better competition, and if he's in shape and throwing a lot of punches, he can be a handful in the early rounds. I wouldn't be shocked if Woods weathers the storm and knocks Tarver out late, but I don't think that's the most likely outcome. I'm seeing Tarver hanging on to win a close decision, though not impressive enough to make anyone think he's headed back for bigger things.

Speaking of handful, that description is very apt for Glen Johnson. He's not afraid to take a punch to land one, and his opponents always have to be ready for a long night. He has wins over Woods, Tarver and Jones to his credit, which isn't too shabby.

Chad Dawson can't say the same, but he did earn comfortable decisions over Eric Harding and Tomasz Adamek, two guys who aren't scrubs. He was even tested early in the Harding fight, coming back from a knockdown in the first round.

I've got no doubt that Johnson will be very game and won't prove to be an easy out. But I just can't pick against Bad Chad's youth and speed. Father Time will catch up with Johnson as Dawson wins by late stoppage.

UATU says...
It's interesting, over the last five years, Tarver has three big wins. Two over Roy Jones and one over Glen Johnson. The second win against Roy wasn't great, as Roy looked really to be just trying to survive and not get knocked out again. The first win over Roy came in such sudden fashion, there's nothing to even evaluate. Even though that was a tremendous win, a win that made Tarver's career and shattered Jones, nothing much can really be analyzed about it, other then the fact that that was the most memorable single left hand of this millennium. The whole fight was five minutes long. And that left was thrown four years ago. There isn't anything from those fights over Jones that can really be pointed to to base a prediction on the current Tarver.

Tarver's loss to Johnson was a somewhat listless performance, although the fight could have gone his way as it was a split decision. His win over Johnson was a better showing, although that was three years ago.

So those fights have to be somewhat discounted when looking at tomorrow's fight. If Tarver does win, it's going to be a close decision in a life and death effort. Woods is likely to throw more punches and press the action to a point that Tarver isn't going to be able to keep up with. Tarver's defense will be better, and perhaps his power. He'd better hope his power keeps Woods honest or knocks him down. Don't want to do it. Hate to say it. Woods by close decision, perhaps split decision.

Dawson over "Gentlemen" Glen Johnson ud 12. Hopefully Johnson keeps the pressure up and makes it interesting. Unlike the other fight, where the aggressor Woods has the younger legs, in this fight the younger legs go to Dawson. That will make the difference when combined with his speed.