A while back, when I thought Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao were going to fight each other (silly, I know), I dreaded how much analysis there was going to be leading up to March 13. Everyone, and I mean everyone with even the slightest interest in the bout and access to a keyboard was sounding off on how it would go down.
That was back in December, by the way.
Now I've discovered something even worse. Floyd and Manny aren't fighting and we're still hearing about them, seemingly all the time, from all corners.
Look, I'm as upset as anyone that the fight fell apart. I've thrown my two cents in when I felt like I had something relevant to say, so I'm as guilty as anyone else.
But I'm just worn out by all of the coverage now. At this point, I don't care about who was more responsible for the fight disintegrating, how it's a big blow to the sport, or anything of that nature.
We, the boxing fans of the world, need to move on. Mayweather and Pacquiao may be the two best boxers on the planet, but they aren't the be-all and end-all of the sport.
I promise not to write any more about the fight that wasn't after today (though I will write about their replacement fights), and I vow to focus on all of the other great boxers who will be in action soon. I invite everyone out there on the internets to do the same.
This may not be the world's best segue, but Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. have decided to go ahead with their rematch, Jones' recent KO loss be damned. Guess we'll just forget that Danny Green fight ever happened, eh Roy?
I really have no problem with this, as neither man looked to be in the running for a big money fight against anyone under 40. I hope cooler heads prevail and the fight won't be shown on pay-per-view, but I'm not holding my breath.
It's kind of amusing to see early fan reaction fairly split on who will win. B-Hop has done much better against tougher competition over the past few years, so in my mind he's a heavy favorite going in.
Hopkins' style has also aged better with time because it depends so much on fundamentals (including the dirtier type that aren't in the proverbial boxing textbook) than Roy's, built as it is/was around his superior quickness and athleticism. I'm not saying RJJ can't win, but I will consider it a fairly big upset if he does.
Finally, it occurred to me that I'd feel better about all of the above if people would start throwing punches at each other on live TV. We're still a week away from an HBO card, but Friday Night Fights and Top Rank's new Fox Sports Net show both get going this weekend.
Demetrius Andrade, Juan Carlos Burgos and Kassim Ouma might not be enough to make me forget about boxing's winter of discontent altogether, but they sure will help. Let the fights begin!
Posted by The Franchise
Showing posts with label roy jones jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roy jones jr.. Show all posts
15.1.10
2.12.09
Live Bernard Hopkins-Enrique Ornelas Round By Round Updates Tonight, Plus Roy Jones-Danny Green
Two legendary if aging American boxers are in action tonight, hoping to set up a rematch that is years in the making.
Bernard Hopkins takes on Enrique Ornelas in his hometown of Philadelphia, while Roy Jones Jr. goes down under to take on Danny Green. That fight has already taken place, so you may know what happened; otherwise, you can see how it went down on Versus tonight.
In any case, we know not everybody, even in the U.S., has access to Versus. So we'll be doing live round by round updates for Hopkins-Ornelas for as long as it lasts. Simply bookmark our home page and head back here shortly after 8 pm Eastern tonight.
Posted by The Franchise
Bernard Hopkins takes on Enrique Ornelas in his hometown of Philadelphia, while Roy Jones Jr. goes down under to take on Danny Green. That fight has already taken place, so you may know what happened; otherwise, you can see how it went down on Versus tonight.
In any case, we know not everybody, even in the U.S., has access to Versus. So we'll be doing live round by round updates for Hopkins-Ornelas for as long as it lasts. Simply bookmark our home page and head back here shortly after 8 pm Eastern tonight.
Posted by The Franchise
25.9.09
Roy Jones-Bernard Hopkins Rematch Signed for Early 2010
While Roy Jones has been staying busy fighting anyone he could line up, Bernard Hopkins has had his name attached to various potential opponents over the last few months. Though there had been talk of the two of them fighting each other a second time - the first time was back in 1993, when Jones won by unanimous decision - it was tough to tell how serious that possibility really was.
Turns out it was plenty serious. ESPN's Dan Rafael is reporting that Jones and Hopkins will meet again during the first three months of 2010. The article states the two boxing icons will split the purse right down the middle unless there's a KO, in which case the winner will get 60 percent.
For Jones, this is an undeniable coup. It's his best, and almost definitely last, shot at fighting someone relevant, and assuming the two names involved lead to decent sales (which I think they will), it will make him more money than anyone else he'd be likely to face.
Except for the opportunity to avenge the earlier loss, this appears less exciting for B-Hop, who even at age 44 is still fairly close to the elite level of the sport. But he was having trouble putting together a meaningful fight, and I suppose the prospect of another big payday can't be ignored.
Also of interest is that Rafael states that the fight hinges on Jones beating Danny Green on Dec. 2. I'm not exactly sure why Hopkins and Golden Boy would care about that, because it's not like one more loss ruins the enthusiasm for seeing two guys who will be a combined 86 years old on fight night face off. Unless Green destroys Jones, that is...
Posted by The Franchise
Turns out it was plenty serious. ESPN's Dan Rafael is reporting that Jones and Hopkins will meet again during the first three months of 2010. The article states the two boxing icons will split the purse right down the middle unless there's a KO, in which case the winner will get 60 percent.
For Jones, this is an undeniable coup. It's his best, and almost definitely last, shot at fighting someone relevant, and assuming the two names involved lead to decent sales (which I think they will), it will make him more money than anyone else he'd be likely to face.
Except for the opportunity to avenge the earlier loss, this appears less exciting for B-Hop, who even at age 44 is still fairly close to the elite level of the sport. But he was having trouble putting together a meaningful fight, and I suppose the prospect of another big payday can't be ignored.
Also of interest is that Rafael states that the fight hinges on Jones beating Danny Green on Dec. 2. I'm not exactly sure why Hopkins and Golden Boy would care about that, because it's not like one more loss ruins the enthusiasm for seeing two guys who will be a combined 86 years old on fight night face off. Unless Green destroys Jones, that is...
Posted by The Franchise
18.8.09
Franchise Thoughts: Another Delay for Kelly Pavlik, Floyd Mayweather Does WWE Again and More
Well, that didn't take long.
That was my first reaction upon my return from Uatu's very nice destination wedding and getting a text from Spartan117 that the Kelly Pavlik-Paul Williams fight that was just announced for Oct. 3 will now, um, not be on Oct. 3. Because of Pavlik's recurring staph infection problem - you may remember that as the same thing that torpedoed his June 27 bout with Sergio Mora - the fight is postponed, perhaps until late November or early December.
Dan Rafael's report for ESPN contains two interesting tidbits. The first, which doesn't seem to be disputed by co-manager Cameron Dunkin, is that Pavlik missed several doctor's appointments for his hand, possibly contributing to the lingering nature of the infection.
So does this mean the Mora fight really was canceled because of the infection? And if The Ghost can't fight until he receives a clean bill of health, why the heck is he missing trips to the doctor?
Rafael also notes that Nov. 21 is a date that would be agreeable to Pavlik, Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City and HBO. Of course it's agreeable to HBO, because it gives the network something to air opposite the final first-round fight in Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic, between Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward.
But with Dan Goossen telling ESPN in not so many words that he's not going to have his guys Ward and Williams fighting on the same day, don't expect that to happen. Maybe it will be in December, where no big fights have materialized just yet.
Or maybe it won't happen at all, giving Tim Starks of The Queensberry Rules even more ammo to call Pavlik the worst-managed boxer around. It's pretty ridiculous to see the wrong turn his career has taken clearly laid out like that.
I'll take it a step further and say that there feels like there's a bigger disconnect between the real Kelly Pavlik and the public image that the people around him have crafted than there is for any other boxer. There's a lot to lose for Dunkin, Jack Loew, Pavlik's father, and even Top Rank if boxing fans stop thinking of The Ghost as the warrior who carries the hopes of blue-collar Youngstown on his back and still sleeps on his parents' couch before fights and becomes just another guy who runs his mouth a bit too much and gripes because he's underpaid.
Thus, Team Pavlik is constantly scrambling around trying to spin things when Kelly gets off track, which is happening with increasing frequency. And though some of the more damning allegations haven't turned out to be fact, Pavlik is the only boxer for which we have an inside source, and he's convinced me there's at least a small fire to go with all that smoke.
Moving on to fighters who are actually, you know, fighting, I had to say I'm not sure why some people were surprised at how easy a time Roy Jones had stopping Jeff Lacy. It's not that I don't think Jones is old (he is), but Lacy is so clearly not good at this point that a victory for Roy should have been easy to predict.
Uatu and I agree that the term exposed is used too frequently in the aftermath of boxing losses, but it definitely applied to Lacy after his crushing defeat at the hands of Joe Calzaghe three years ago. Further evidence came when he gave Jermain Taylor a rare drama-free night last November, and I think after losing to a 40-year old Jones that it's case closed.
Lacy is a decent boxer with a strong left hook and seems like a good guy, but in his three fights against world class competition he's gone 0-3 and has won maybe four or five total rounds.
Finally, Floyd Mayweather may be training for his upcoming fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, but he'll take at least one night off to make another appearance on WWE programming. Money was one of the focal points of WrestleMania 24 last year, but one suspects he'll have a less active role as the guest host of Raw next Monday.
Floyd's larger than life personality would make him a natural for a full time WWE career once he decided to retire from boxing (for good, I mean)... except that Vince McMahon isn't known for hiring too many 5-foot-8, 150-pound performers.
Posted by The Franchise
That was my first reaction upon my return from Uatu's very nice destination wedding and getting a text from Spartan117 that the Kelly Pavlik-Paul Williams fight that was just announced for Oct. 3 will now, um, not be on Oct. 3. Because of Pavlik's recurring staph infection problem - you may remember that as the same thing that torpedoed his June 27 bout with Sergio Mora - the fight is postponed, perhaps until late November or early December.
Dan Rafael's report for ESPN contains two interesting tidbits. The first, which doesn't seem to be disputed by co-manager Cameron Dunkin, is that Pavlik missed several doctor's appointments for his hand, possibly contributing to the lingering nature of the infection.
So does this mean the Mora fight really was canceled because of the infection? And if The Ghost can't fight until he receives a clean bill of health, why the heck is he missing trips to the doctor?
Rafael also notes that Nov. 21 is a date that would be agreeable to Pavlik, Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City and HBO. Of course it's agreeable to HBO, because it gives the network something to air opposite the final first-round fight in Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic, between Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward.
But with Dan Goossen telling ESPN in not so many words that he's not going to have his guys Ward and Williams fighting on the same day, don't expect that to happen. Maybe it will be in December, where no big fights have materialized just yet.
Or maybe it won't happen at all, giving Tim Starks of The Queensberry Rules even more ammo to call Pavlik the worst-managed boxer around. It's pretty ridiculous to see the wrong turn his career has taken clearly laid out like that.
I'll take it a step further and say that there feels like there's a bigger disconnect between the real Kelly Pavlik and the public image that the people around him have crafted than there is for any other boxer. There's a lot to lose for Dunkin, Jack Loew, Pavlik's father, and even Top Rank if boxing fans stop thinking of The Ghost as the warrior who carries the hopes of blue-collar Youngstown on his back and still sleeps on his parents' couch before fights and becomes just another guy who runs his mouth a bit too much and gripes because he's underpaid.
Thus, Team Pavlik is constantly scrambling around trying to spin things when Kelly gets off track, which is happening with increasing frequency. And though some of the more damning allegations haven't turned out to be fact, Pavlik is the only boxer for which we have an inside source, and he's convinced me there's at least a small fire to go with all that smoke.
Moving on to fighters who are actually, you know, fighting, I had to say I'm not sure why some people were surprised at how easy a time Roy Jones had stopping Jeff Lacy. It's not that I don't think Jones is old (he is), but Lacy is so clearly not good at this point that a victory for Roy should have been easy to predict.
Uatu and I agree that the term exposed is used too frequently in the aftermath of boxing losses, but it definitely applied to Lacy after his crushing defeat at the hands of Joe Calzaghe three years ago. Further evidence came when he gave Jermain Taylor a rare drama-free night last November, and I think after losing to a 40-year old Jones that it's case closed.
Lacy is a decent boxer with a strong left hook and seems like a good guy, but in his three fights against world class competition he's gone 0-3 and has won maybe four or five total rounds.
Finally, Floyd Mayweather may be training for his upcoming fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, but he'll take at least one night off to make another appearance on WWE programming. Money was one of the focal points of WrestleMania 24 last year, but one suspects he'll have a less active role as the guest host of Raw next Monday.
Floyd's larger than life personality would make him a natural for a full time WWE career once he decided to retire from boxing (for good, I mean)... except that Vince McMahon isn't known for hiring too many 5-foot-8, 150-pound performers.
Posted by The Franchise
13.8.09
Weekend Predictions: Jones-Lacy, Donaire-R. Concepcion, Luevano-B. Concepcion
The Franchise says...
I've got a confession to make: I've never been a Roy Jones fan.
Don't get me wrong. I've appreciated his physical gifts, and I've certainly seen him do things in the ring I've never seen anyone else do.
But Roy's prime coincided with the early part of my time as a serious boxing fan, and something about him just put me off. I think it was the way he tried to sell some of his lesser opponents as serious contenders when they clearly were anything but.
Maybe if he had just been a little more honest about what he was doing, I'd have rooted for him. I can't say for sure, but I will say that when Antonio Tarver (someone who inspires his own strong feelings from fans) knocked him out during their second fight, I was giddy. I felt that way watching him get starched by Glen Johnson too.
It's strange then, that I have more respect for Jones now at age 40. Unless he's got serious financial issues, he's still boxing because he wants to, and you can't be mad at that.
The really interesting thing is that since Jones relied on his physical gifts so much and never honed his craft the way a Bernard Hopkins did, I'd have guessed he'd be completely done before now. Yet he's taking on a semi-legitimate foe in Jeff Lacy this weekend.
The consensus opinion is that Jones is too old. Heck, Oscar De La Hoya thinks so, and he should know about when the end is obvious. If the Golden Boy is right, Jones is going to suffer his third career KO loss, because Lacy is built like a tank.
Somehow I don't think so though. Maybe it's because I haven't ever been able to get Lacy's destruction at the hands of Joe Calzaghe out of my head, but I think it's even more telling the way he was outclassed by Jermain Taylor last November. Taylor has been going life or death with everyone, and Lacy almost got shut out.
As long as Roy can still stick and move for 12 rounds and avoid getting lured into any protracted exchanges, I think he can pull this off. I like Jones by decision, and then he'll either try for Anderson Silva or fight one more boxer before retiring.
Since I babbled so long about Jones-Lacy, I'll keep it brief for the other big Saturday fights. I think Nonito Donaire's star is going to continue to rise, so I'll say the Filipino Flash will knock out Rafael Concepcion. Too much speed and power.
I'm more conflicted about the Steven Luevano-Bernabe Concepcion fight. I've seen Luevano's last three fights, and though there's no question he can box, he seems to make things more difficult than they need to be. You can certainly drop him if you get to him, though he has never been KOed.
Bernabe has a lot of pro rounds under his belt for someone so young, and he has what it takes to put Luevano down and keep him there. But he's never fought anyone this good before, so we'll learn something about him for sure.
I think this one's a toss-up, so just to avoid looking like a total homer (remember, the BoxingWatchers are all part-Filipino!), I'll go with Luevano by narrow decision. I wouldn't put money on it though.
Posted by The Franchise
I've got a confession to make: I've never been a Roy Jones fan.
Don't get me wrong. I've appreciated his physical gifts, and I've certainly seen him do things in the ring I've never seen anyone else do.
But Roy's prime coincided with the early part of my time as a serious boxing fan, and something about him just put me off. I think it was the way he tried to sell some of his lesser opponents as serious contenders when they clearly were anything but.
Maybe if he had just been a little more honest about what he was doing, I'd have rooted for him. I can't say for sure, but I will say that when Antonio Tarver (someone who inspires his own strong feelings from fans) knocked him out during their second fight, I was giddy. I felt that way watching him get starched by Glen Johnson too.
It's strange then, that I have more respect for Jones now at age 40. Unless he's got serious financial issues, he's still boxing because he wants to, and you can't be mad at that.
The really interesting thing is that since Jones relied on his physical gifts so much and never honed his craft the way a Bernard Hopkins did, I'd have guessed he'd be completely done before now. Yet he's taking on a semi-legitimate foe in Jeff Lacy this weekend.
The consensus opinion is that Jones is too old. Heck, Oscar De La Hoya thinks so, and he should know about when the end is obvious. If the Golden Boy is right, Jones is going to suffer his third career KO loss, because Lacy is built like a tank.
Somehow I don't think so though. Maybe it's because I haven't ever been able to get Lacy's destruction at the hands of Joe Calzaghe out of my head, but I think it's even more telling the way he was outclassed by Jermain Taylor last November. Taylor has been going life or death with everyone, and Lacy almost got shut out.
As long as Roy can still stick and move for 12 rounds and avoid getting lured into any protracted exchanges, I think he can pull this off. I like Jones by decision, and then he'll either try for Anderson Silva or fight one more boxer before retiring.
Since I babbled so long about Jones-Lacy, I'll keep it brief for the other big Saturday fights. I think Nonito Donaire's star is going to continue to rise, so I'll say the Filipino Flash will knock out Rafael Concepcion. Too much speed and power.
I'm more conflicted about the Steven Luevano-Bernabe Concepcion fight. I've seen Luevano's last three fights, and though there's no question he can box, he seems to make things more difficult than they need to be. You can certainly drop him if you get to him, though he has never been KOed.
Bernabe has a lot of pro rounds under his belt for someone so young, and he has what it takes to put Luevano down and keep him there. But he's never fought anyone this good before, so we'll learn something about him for sure.
I think this one's a toss-up, so just to avoid looking like a total homer (remember, the BoxingWatchers are all part-Filipino!), I'll go with Luevano by narrow decision. I wouldn't put money on it though.
Posted by The Franchise
10.8.09
20/20 Hindsight: Nothing New From Angulo, The Roy Jones Story That Won't Die and Other Quick Thoughts
There was no big fight this past Saturday, but there was a fight worth watching on ESPN2 on Friday night as Alfredo Angulo attempted to get his career back on the right track. In some ways, he did that by knocking out Gabriel Rosado. Certainly his confidence should be back, though perhaps it never left if his dog-themed entrance was any indication.
I'm not sure we really learned anything about Angulo though. With all due respect to Rosado, who isn't a stiff by any means, Perro was in against someone who didn't look able to hurt him and couldn't deal with his pressure.
The last time we saw Angulo, he was getting taught a lesson by Kermit Cintron, who used a good jab and superior footwork to bring Alfredo's limitations to the forefront. Rosado just wasn't good enough in the same areas for us to know if Angulo has improved.
I still think Angulo's chance to be a star is pretty good. He has fight-changing power in both hands and certainly gives fans the action they want. It's just impossible to say for sure if he's any closer to reaching his potential until he fights someone else as good as or better than Cintron.
Also in action on Friday Night Fights was Anthony Dirrell, younger brother of Andre Dirrell. Though he doesn't appear to have as much upside as The Matrix, he's fun to watch as he switches stances often and has fast hands. He's also easy to root for, having already gone through a bout with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma that put his boxing life on hold for a couple of years.
Changing gears a bit, regular readers should know that I get a lot of amusement out of the apparent infatuation that Roy Jones Jr. and UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva have with someday boxing each other. That story just won't completely go away, and it got a new boost of energy this weekend.
That's because Silva added another ridiculous (in a good way) KO to his MMA record by starching Forrest Griffin, who was in attendance in Philadelphia. Dave Meltzer of Yahoo! Sports says a Jones-Silva fight is more likely to happen than some would suspect, though not until the Spider fulfills the remaining three bouts on his UFC contract.
My opinion of this fight hasn't changed, as I'd still like to see it. Though many MMA fighters are starting to take the sweet science more seriously, I think a high percentage of them would be in for a rude awakening if forced to fight under the other sports' rules. Before anyone jumps on me, this would be true going the other way too - Andre Berto, are you listening?
But Silva is so gifted in the stand-up portion of MMA and Roy has never been a master technician, so this particular match-up is intriguing. It needs to happen before Jones gets too old though.
Other quick thoughts:
* I think Vitali Klitschko agreeing to fight Chris Arreola is another one for the "you can't blame the Klitschkos for the sorry state of the heavyweight division" side of the argument. Both he and Wladimir certainly seem willing to fight anyone.
* Am I crazy, or is there a good chance that Paul Williams will make Kelly Pavlik look silly if they fight? It's strange to me that The Punisher's camp is reportedly the one making negotiations difficult, because Williams should be jumping at the chance to take on someone as high profile as The Ghost.
* With apologies for talking about MMA on a boxing blog twice in one post, anyone who doesn't think a good chin is a valuable trait in the combat sports can just watch replays of Brian Bowles' knockout of Miguel Torres from the WEC event last Sunday. Bowles walked through some stiff shots to land his own, an even more impressive feat with the lighter MMA gloves.
Posted by The Franchise
I'm not sure we really learned anything about Angulo though. With all due respect to Rosado, who isn't a stiff by any means, Perro was in against someone who didn't look able to hurt him and couldn't deal with his pressure.
The last time we saw Angulo, he was getting taught a lesson by Kermit Cintron, who used a good jab and superior footwork to bring Alfredo's limitations to the forefront. Rosado just wasn't good enough in the same areas for us to know if Angulo has improved.
I still think Angulo's chance to be a star is pretty good. He has fight-changing power in both hands and certainly gives fans the action they want. It's just impossible to say for sure if he's any closer to reaching his potential until he fights someone else as good as or better than Cintron.
Also in action on Friday Night Fights was Anthony Dirrell, younger brother of Andre Dirrell. Though he doesn't appear to have as much upside as The Matrix, he's fun to watch as he switches stances often and has fast hands. He's also easy to root for, having already gone through a bout with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma that put his boxing life on hold for a couple of years.
Changing gears a bit, regular readers should know that I get a lot of amusement out of the apparent infatuation that Roy Jones Jr. and UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva have with someday boxing each other. That story just won't completely go away, and it got a new boost of energy this weekend.
That's because Silva added another ridiculous (in a good way) KO to his MMA record by starching Forrest Griffin, who was in attendance in Philadelphia. Dave Meltzer of Yahoo! Sports says a Jones-Silva fight is more likely to happen than some would suspect, though not until the Spider fulfills the remaining three bouts on his UFC contract.
My opinion of this fight hasn't changed, as I'd still like to see it. Though many MMA fighters are starting to take the sweet science more seriously, I think a high percentage of them would be in for a rude awakening if forced to fight under the other sports' rules. Before anyone jumps on me, this would be true going the other way too - Andre Berto, are you listening?
But Silva is so gifted in the stand-up portion of MMA and Roy has never been a master technician, so this particular match-up is intriguing. It needs to happen before Jones gets too old though.
Other quick thoughts:
* I think Vitali Klitschko agreeing to fight Chris Arreola is another one for the "you can't blame the Klitschkos for the sorry state of the heavyweight division" side of the argument. Both he and Wladimir certainly seem willing to fight anyone.
* Am I crazy, or is there a good chance that Paul Williams will make Kelly Pavlik look silly if they fight? It's strange to me that The Punisher's camp is reportedly the one making negotiations difficult, because Williams should be jumping at the chance to take on someone as high profile as The Ghost.
* With apologies for talking about MMA on a boxing blog twice in one post, anyone who doesn't think a good chin is a valuable trait in the combat sports can just watch replays of Brian Bowles' knockout of Miguel Torres from the WEC event last Sunday. Bowles walked through some stiff shots to land his own, an even more impressive feat with the lighter MMA gloves.
Posted by The Franchise
4.8.09
Franchise Thoughts: Looking at the Second Half of the 2009 Boxing Schedule, Plus the Debut of Shoe Shining
After a pretty hot start to the year in boxing, we hit a bit of a lull during the middle of the summer months. Something similar happened in 2008, but at least then we had Olympic boxing to watch (plus bitch about its ridiculous scoring system).
Anyway, we're past that now, and even if it's not necessarily pedal to the metal for the rest of 2009 - September could still use a few more fights, for one - as Jim Ross would say, business is about to pick up.
With that in mind, here are some highlights for the rest of the calendar year. This isn't intended to be an exhaustive list, and some of these fights aren't set in stone yet, but these are dates to keep in mind moving forward.
Aug. 15 - Nonito Donaire vs. Rafael Concepcion, Steven Luevano vs. Bernabe Concepcion (PPV); Roy Jones vs. Jeff Lacy (PPV)
Dueling pay-per-views are always a bummer, simply because they force you to make a choice. It will be interesting to see who has more (or more properly who has less) left in the tank between Roy and Jeff, and that event will probably sell better because of Jones' name. The little guys will be the better value pick though, and fans on the internets seem to be in love with Bernabe, so the Luevano bout should be a good one.
The Jones PPV also has Danny Green, B.J. Flores and Jason Litzau on the card, which is at least an attempt to give viewers some bang for the buck.
Aug. 22 - Juan Diaz vs. Paulie Malignaggi (HBO)
This is a nice matchup between two eminently watchable boxers; Diaz for his entertaining fighting style and Paulie for his personality. Both men are trying to get careers that kind of came off the rails in 2008 back on track, so motivation shouldn't be an issue.
The rest of the card is also loaded, with Robert Guerrero facing Malcolm Klassen and Daniel "Call me Danny" Jacobs taking on Ishe Smith. The Golden Child has been pretty defensive on Twitter about criticism of Smith as an opponent; maybe he'll channel that aggression into something impressive.
Aug. 28 - Tavoris Cloud vs. Clinton Woods, Juan Urango vs. Randall Bailey (ESPN2)
Friday Night Fights goes out with a bang with two title fights. I think the hard-swinging Cloud is on the verge of making a name for himself, but he's been off for a year and Woods is no stiff, or at least he hasn't been in the past. Urango-Bailey doesn't excite me a ton but is better than most FNF main events.
Sep. 12 - Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward (Showtime)
No, they aren't fighting each other, but tuning up and fulfilling sanctioning body obligations before the World Boxing Classic kicks off (probably, see below!). Nervous Showtime execs will be watching with crossed fingers.
Ivan Calderon also headlines a PPV the same night if pro wrestling-style squash matches aren't your thing.
Sep. 19 - Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (PPV)
So many questions to be answered here. Was Floyd really hurt and will he be rusty after his brief retirement? Will JMM handle the step up in weight? What weight is this fight being contested at, for that matter?
Unlike many HBO PPV cards, this one could end up really stacked. Already on is round two between Chris John and Rocky Juarez. Zab Judah will fight someone. And Dan Rafael has mentioned Allan Green-Sakio Bika as a possibility as well. If you're going to fork over your hard-earned money for just one PPV this fall, you could do a lot worse than this.
Oct. 10 - Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa (PPV)
Again, these two guys aren't fighting each other, but will be in action on the latest Latin Fury card. Juanma is starting to become must-see TV for any boxing fan, and wins for him and Gamboa enhance the chances of a showdown in 2010.
Oct. 17 - Carl Froch vs. Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham vs. Jermain Taylor (Showtime)
Anticipation will likely be at a fever pitch as the most exciting concept to hit the sport in some time, the Super Six World Boxing Classic, gets underway. Not much more needs to be said, as every fight in the tournament is worth watching.
Nov. 7 - Chad Dawson vs. Glen Johnson II (HBO)
This is one rematch plenty of fans want to see. Johnson pushed Dawson to his limits last time and hasn't shown signs of aging yet. If Bad Chad wins convincingly, it could go a long way toward reversing some of the negative feelings regarding his lack of killer instinct. And could a certain Executioner be waiting for the winner?
This is also the date that David Haye fights Nikolai Valuev. You know, if Haye actually decides to fight.
Nov. 14 - Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto (PPV)
How can you not like this match? It pits two popular fighters with large ethnic followings and styles that usually result in action-packed fights against each other, and it will be an excellent show to attend live.
The rest of the card is still coming together, but Edwin Valero, Humberto Soto and Alfonso Gomez are all likely to be fighting.
Nov. 21 - Mikkel Kessler vs. Andre Ward (Showtime)
Assuming nothing goes awry in September, Kessler and Ward will finish off the first group of round robin matches here. My personal opinion is that S.O.G. drew the toughest initial bout, but the beauty of the World Boxing Classic is that there are no easy fights, so he might as well see how he measures up right away.
Nov. 28 - Lucian Bute vs. Librado Andrade II (HBO)
Bute is the guy who has the most reason for being upset about not being included in the World Boxing Classic, and apparently he wasn't even asked. That should be enough to put a chip on his shoulder, but there's also the fact that he was the beneficiary of some home cooking by the referee in Montreal during his first fight with Andrade.
It's tough to envision a second ending as dramatic as the twelfth round of Bute-Andrade I, but since this could very well be the last significant fight of 2009, maybe these guys will figure out a way to put an exclamation point on another good year for the sweet science.
SHOE SHINING...
Any good blog worth its salt needs a cutesy name for links and short commentary not big enough to warrant full posts, and I finally settled on shoe shining. Because who doesn't love a showy burst of uppercuts, right?
And if some boxing blogger out there has already thought of this one, I apologize. Just remember imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. On with the show...
Except for Floyd's dispute of reports that he owes the IRS a boatload of money, thus forcing him to come out of retirement, we haven't had too many appearances from Mayweather family members in the headlines for a bit. That changed over the past 24 hours when Roger Mayweather was arrested on charges of attacking a female boxer he used to train. I'm sure Floyd Sr. will have a comment or two on this one...
From the "say it ain't so" file comes Dan Rafael's blog entry mentioning how a lawsuit from Kessler's former promoter could derail the Super Six before it even gets going. To which I say, oh, hell no...
Here's a good little piece on how the Agua Caliente Casino Resort put a big effort into promoting the Timothy Bradley-Nate Campbell card. It's just nice to see boxing discussed as something to use as a draw for guests...
Andrew Walker at East Side Boxing discusses what it would take for the U.K. to get a TV channel devoted to boxing. My heart says that would be incredible for the U.S. too, but my heart knows that niche channels in general don't seem to be doing that well, and boxing's audience is too small to make that possible.
Posted by The Franchise
Anyway, we're past that now, and even if it's not necessarily pedal to the metal for the rest of 2009 - September could still use a few more fights, for one - as Jim Ross would say, business is about to pick up.
With that in mind, here are some highlights for the rest of the calendar year. This isn't intended to be an exhaustive list, and some of these fights aren't set in stone yet, but these are dates to keep in mind moving forward.
Aug. 15 - Nonito Donaire vs. Rafael Concepcion, Steven Luevano vs. Bernabe Concepcion (PPV); Roy Jones vs. Jeff Lacy (PPV)
Dueling pay-per-views are always a bummer, simply because they force you to make a choice. It will be interesting to see who has more (or more properly who has less) left in the tank between Roy and Jeff, and that event will probably sell better because of Jones' name. The little guys will be the better value pick though, and fans on the internets seem to be in love with Bernabe, so the Luevano bout should be a good one.
The Jones PPV also has Danny Green, B.J. Flores and Jason Litzau on the card, which is at least an attempt to give viewers some bang for the buck.
Aug. 22 - Juan Diaz vs. Paulie Malignaggi (HBO)
This is a nice matchup between two eminently watchable boxers; Diaz for his entertaining fighting style and Paulie for his personality. Both men are trying to get careers that kind of came off the rails in 2008 back on track, so motivation shouldn't be an issue.
The rest of the card is also loaded, with Robert Guerrero facing Malcolm Klassen and Daniel "Call me Danny" Jacobs taking on Ishe Smith. The Golden Child has been pretty defensive on Twitter about criticism of Smith as an opponent; maybe he'll channel that aggression into something impressive.
Aug. 28 - Tavoris Cloud vs. Clinton Woods, Juan Urango vs. Randall Bailey (ESPN2)
Friday Night Fights goes out with a bang with two title fights. I think the hard-swinging Cloud is on the verge of making a name for himself, but he's been off for a year and Woods is no stiff, or at least he hasn't been in the past. Urango-Bailey doesn't excite me a ton but is better than most FNF main events.
Sep. 12 - Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward (Showtime)
No, they aren't fighting each other, but tuning up and fulfilling sanctioning body obligations before the World Boxing Classic kicks off (probably, see below!). Nervous Showtime execs will be watching with crossed fingers.
Ivan Calderon also headlines a PPV the same night if pro wrestling-style squash matches aren't your thing.
Sep. 19 - Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (PPV)
So many questions to be answered here. Was Floyd really hurt and will he be rusty after his brief retirement? Will JMM handle the step up in weight? What weight is this fight being contested at, for that matter?
Unlike many HBO PPV cards, this one could end up really stacked. Already on is round two between Chris John and Rocky Juarez. Zab Judah will fight someone. And Dan Rafael has mentioned Allan Green-Sakio Bika as a possibility as well. If you're going to fork over your hard-earned money for just one PPV this fall, you could do a lot worse than this.
Oct. 10 - Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa (PPV)
Again, these two guys aren't fighting each other, but will be in action on the latest Latin Fury card. Juanma is starting to become must-see TV for any boxing fan, and wins for him and Gamboa enhance the chances of a showdown in 2010.
Oct. 17 - Carl Froch vs. Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham vs. Jermain Taylor (Showtime)
Anticipation will likely be at a fever pitch as the most exciting concept to hit the sport in some time, the Super Six World Boxing Classic, gets underway. Not much more needs to be said, as every fight in the tournament is worth watching.
Nov. 7 - Chad Dawson vs. Glen Johnson II (HBO)
This is one rematch plenty of fans want to see. Johnson pushed Dawson to his limits last time and hasn't shown signs of aging yet. If Bad Chad wins convincingly, it could go a long way toward reversing some of the negative feelings regarding his lack of killer instinct. And could a certain Executioner be waiting for the winner?
This is also the date that David Haye fights Nikolai Valuev. You know, if Haye actually decides to fight.
Nov. 14 - Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto (PPV)
How can you not like this match? It pits two popular fighters with large ethnic followings and styles that usually result in action-packed fights against each other, and it will be an excellent show to attend live.
The rest of the card is still coming together, but Edwin Valero, Humberto Soto and Alfonso Gomez are all likely to be fighting.
Nov. 21 - Mikkel Kessler vs. Andre Ward (Showtime)
Assuming nothing goes awry in September, Kessler and Ward will finish off the first group of round robin matches here. My personal opinion is that S.O.G. drew the toughest initial bout, but the beauty of the World Boxing Classic is that there are no easy fights, so he might as well see how he measures up right away.
Nov. 28 - Lucian Bute vs. Librado Andrade II (HBO)
Bute is the guy who has the most reason for being upset about not being included in the World Boxing Classic, and apparently he wasn't even asked. That should be enough to put a chip on his shoulder, but there's also the fact that he was the beneficiary of some home cooking by the referee in Montreal during his first fight with Andrade.
It's tough to envision a second ending as dramatic as the twelfth round of Bute-Andrade I, but since this could very well be the last significant fight of 2009, maybe these guys will figure out a way to put an exclamation point on another good year for the sweet science.
SHOE SHINING...
Any good blog worth its salt needs a cutesy name for links and short commentary not big enough to warrant full posts, and I finally settled on shoe shining. Because who doesn't love a showy burst of uppercuts, right?
And if some boxing blogger out there has already thought of this one, I apologize. Just remember imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. On with the show...
Except for Floyd's dispute of reports that he owes the IRS a boatload of money, thus forcing him to come out of retirement, we haven't had too many appearances from Mayweather family members in the headlines for a bit. That changed over the past 24 hours when Roger Mayweather was arrested on charges of attacking a female boxer he used to train. I'm sure Floyd Sr. will have a comment or two on this one...
From the "say it ain't so" file comes Dan Rafael's blog entry mentioning how a lawsuit from Kessler's former promoter could derail the Super Six before it even gets going. To which I say, oh, hell no...
Here's a good little piece on how the Agua Caliente Casino Resort put a big effort into promoting the Timothy Bradley-Nate Campbell card. It's just nice to see boxing discussed as something to use as a draw for guests...
Andrew Walker at East Side Boxing discusses what it would take for the U.K. to get a TV channel devoted to boxing. My heart says that would be incredible for the U.S. too, but my heart knows that niche channels in general don't seem to be doing that well, and boxing's audience is too small to make that possible.
Posted by The Franchise
11.5.09
20-20 Hindsight: Will the Real Chad Dawson Please Stand Up? And Please Roy, Knock It Off
Saturday's rematch between Chad Dawson and Antonio Tarver was better than the first one, even if that's not saying too much. It was also a perfect example of why I call these Monday posts 20-20 Hindsight, because people seem to be jumping off the Chad Dawson bandwagon in a hurry.
You may recall that after the first Dawson-Tarver bout, just about everyone was breathless in their praise for Bad Chad. Floyd Mayweather Jr. gushed that he was the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and HBO decided they had to have him on their network.
Now? Well, let's just say the enthusiasm has been dampened a bit.
Failing to excite tends to do that. Dawson obviously has some physical gifts and definitely looks the part. That only makes what we just saw so puzzling.
He clearly had much faster hands and seemed to have more pop on his punches, especially with jabs, than Tarver. He mixed up his body and head work well and showed his usual defensive savvy most of the time.
But even though he looks like he could fight all night, Dawson took some rounds off when he seemed tired. He also didn't show much sense for when to go for the kill on occasions when he stunned Tarver, and on the rare times he came out of his defensive shell, he got tagged by some pretty good shots by an older, slower foe.
The HBO crew (and Emanuel Steward in particular) did a nice job framing Dawson's performance in the context of a more determined effort by Tarver. And admittedly, no one except the Magic Man and his crew had any doubts that Chad won the fight.
Still, the questions are valid. Is Dawson really the next big thing, as observers were claiming after the first fight? Or is he, as one of the announcers (I believe Max Kellerman) put it this time, "a B-plus fighter in a C division?"
My brother Uatu text messaged me after the fight with these negatives: fights scared, lacks some power, lacks chin and stamina. It's hard to argue with those, though Dawson is only 26 and has time to improve.
The lack of KO power and a killer instinct are what worry me the most. Add in that Dawson is soft-spoken, isn't a self-promoter and doesn't have an especially compelling personal story and there's a lot of work left to be done to turn him into a big star.
ELSEWHERE...
I almost feel bad for talking about Roy Jones Jr. and his desire to fight MMA champ Anderson Silva, because now Roy's quest to cross-pollinate the sports has become the story that wouldn't die.
First he tried to get Silva, then Nick Diaz in the boxing ring. Since that hasn't worked, he's now trying - apparently with a straight face - to take one of them on in a cage.
Dana White said no, probably with an f-bomb added for emphasis, and Strikeforce, perhaps remembering what happened to EliteXC when it went the circus route (ahem, Kimbo Slice), also seems uninterested.
Given how he's pressed the issue so far, though, we probably haven't heard the last of this. And people are still writing about Jones, debating the merits of seeing him in an MMA-style bout.
Roy is a grown man and it's not for me to tell him how to make money. If he wants to continue to try to lure someone into a boxing match, I can understand it. Depending on who it is, I may even pay to watch it.
Doing it the other way is just a bad idea, plain and simple. Either the rules will have to be changed to make it a kickboxing match - which strikes me as somewhat pointless - or Jones will be done as soon as he gets taken to the ground.
There's a good chance both boxing and MMA could come out looking foolish, and that's not something I'd care to see happen.
Posted by The Franchise
You may recall that after the first Dawson-Tarver bout, just about everyone was breathless in their praise for Bad Chad. Floyd Mayweather Jr. gushed that he was the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and HBO decided they had to have him on their network.
Now? Well, let's just say the enthusiasm has been dampened a bit.
Failing to excite tends to do that. Dawson obviously has some physical gifts and definitely looks the part. That only makes what we just saw so puzzling.
He clearly had much faster hands and seemed to have more pop on his punches, especially with jabs, than Tarver. He mixed up his body and head work well and showed his usual defensive savvy most of the time.
But even though he looks like he could fight all night, Dawson took some rounds off when he seemed tired. He also didn't show much sense for when to go for the kill on occasions when he stunned Tarver, and on the rare times he came out of his defensive shell, he got tagged by some pretty good shots by an older, slower foe.
The HBO crew (and Emanuel Steward in particular) did a nice job framing Dawson's performance in the context of a more determined effort by Tarver. And admittedly, no one except the Magic Man and his crew had any doubts that Chad won the fight.
Still, the questions are valid. Is Dawson really the next big thing, as observers were claiming after the first fight? Or is he, as one of the announcers (I believe Max Kellerman) put it this time, "a B-plus fighter in a C division?"
My brother Uatu text messaged me after the fight with these negatives: fights scared, lacks some power, lacks chin and stamina. It's hard to argue with those, though Dawson is only 26 and has time to improve.
The lack of KO power and a killer instinct are what worry me the most. Add in that Dawson is soft-spoken, isn't a self-promoter and doesn't have an especially compelling personal story and there's a lot of work left to be done to turn him into a big star.
ELSEWHERE...
I almost feel bad for talking about Roy Jones Jr. and his desire to fight MMA champ Anderson Silva, because now Roy's quest to cross-pollinate the sports has become the story that wouldn't die.
First he tried to get Silva, then Nick Diaz in the boxing ring. Since that hasn't worked, he's now trying - apparently with a straight face - to take one of them on in a cage.
Dana White said no, probably with an f-bomb added for emphasis, and Strikeforce, perhaps remembering what happened to EliteXC when it went the circus route (ahem, Kimbo Slice), also seems uninterested.
Given how he's pressed the issue so far, though, we probably haven't heard the last of this. And people are still writing about Jones, debating the merits of seeing him in an MMA-style bout.
Roy is a grown man and it's not for me to tell him how to make money. If he wants to continue to try to lure someone into a boxing match, I can understand it. Depending on who it is, I may even pay to watch it.
Doing it the other way is just a bad idea, plain and simple. Either the rules will have to be changed to make it a kickboxing match - which strikes me as somewhat pointless - or Jones will be done as soon as he gets taken to the ground.
There's a good chance both boxing and MMA could come out looking foolish, and that's not something I'd care to see happen.
Posted by The Franchise
14.4.09
MMA Fighters Continue to Campaign to Fight Roy Jones Jr.
What is it with MMA fighters continuing to call out Roy Jones Jr.?
Last week, the L.A. Times reported that Anderson "Spider" Silva is still trying to angle for a boxing match with Jones as soon as he's clear of his UFC contract - whenever that is. We've heard that before, but it seems like there's ongoing interest on both sides.
A newer and much more hilarious rumor turned up yesterday via Sherdog.com's Jake Rossen on his ESPN MMA blog: Nick Diaz thinks he can beat Jones too. You know, like the Fresh Prince once thought he could beat Mike Tyson.
Rossen rightly dismisses that idea as potentially suicidal for the California native. Not only is he less accomplished at his own craft than Silva, but he'd be giving up quite a few more pounds as well.
Still, the fact that these types of challenges and discussions keep popping up says a lot about the financial realities for MMA fighters. While some of them are undoubtedly doing just fine thanks to the surge in the sport's popularity over the last few years, they still get a check cut by the UFC (or Strikeforce, or whoever).
Get a boxer with the big name in the ring and you get a piece of the pie for yourself. Not as big as Roy's piece, but a nice one nonetheless.
A better question would be why it's Jones in particular who is getting so much MMA love. He's not the only fading ex-champ out there, though with Oscar De La Hoya expected to retire later today, he may be the most famous one still active.
He's also shown an affinity for the other combat sport, recently attempting to see if they could co-exist on one show.
Whatever the reasons, there's nothing but upside for Jones to actually make one of these fights happen. It would make him some more money, especially if it's against someone as well known in his own world as Silva.
There's just one catch: he needs to do it before he gets so old that someone just moonlighting in boxing actually has a real chance of beating him.
Posted by The Franchise
Last week, the L.A. Times reported that Anderson "Spider" Silva is still trying to angle for a boxing match with Jones as soon as he's clear of his UFC contract - whenever that is. We've heard that before, but it seems like there's ongoing interest on both sides.
A newer and much more hilarious rumor turned up yesterday via Sherdog.com's Jake Rossen on his ESPN MMA blog: Nick Diaz thinks he can beat Jones too. You know, like the Fresh Prince once thought he could beat Mike Tyson.
Rossen rightly dismisses that idea as potentially suicidal for the California native. Not only is he less accomplished at his own craft than Silva, but he'd be giving up quite a few more pounds as well.
Still, the fact that these types of challenges and discussions keep popping up says a lot about the financial realities for MMA fighters. While some of them are undoubtedly doing just fine thanks to the surge in the sport's popularity over the last few years, they still get a check cut by the UFC (or Strikeforce, or whoever).
Get a boxer with the big name in the ring and you get a piece of the pie for yourself. Not as big as Roy's piece, but a nice one nonetheless.
A better question would be why it's Jones in particular who is getting so much MMA love. He's not the only fading ex-champ out there, though with Oscar De La Hoya expected to retire later today, he may be the most famous one still active.
He's also shown an affinity for the other combat sport, recently attempting to see if they could co-exist on one show.
Whatever the reasons, there's nothing but upside for Jones to actually make one of these fights happen. It would make him some more money, especially if it's against someone as well known in his own world as Silva.
There's just one catch: he needs to do it before he gets so old that someone just moonlighting in boxing actually has a real chance of beating him.
Posted by The Franchise
23.3.09
Franchise Thoughts: On Vitali, Roy and Why Hybrid Cards Aren't the End of the World
After watching Vitali Klitschko dispose of Juan Carlos Gomez fairly easily on Saturday, I finally fell firmly into the camp of people who kind of feel sorry for him.
It's not his fault, as many observers have pointed out, that he is a heavyweight champion during one of the division's dimmest eras. It's certainly not his fault that his size prevents him from getting the proper due for his skills or his heart.
Even more than brother and fellow champ Wladimir, Vitali seems to want to please the fans. If there's a problem with both Brothers Klitschko, it's that they care about those title belts a little too much, meaning they will fight any mandatory challenger one of the sanctioning bodies puts in front of them just to keep the straps.
I think the situation that might finally make Vitali a compelling figure is if David Haye (or anyone, really) would beat Wladimir. That would give Vitali a unique dual unification/revenge motivation as he tried to avenge his little bro.
Unless that happens, the Klitschko-dominated heavyweight picture is likely to remain dull for many fans. But it's not Vitali's fault, because he's trying. I think.
Another guy who is still trying is Roy Jones Jr., even if his sights are set a bit lower now. He showed Saturday he could still perform and entertain, and he may be content with that at this point.
I'm not even going to try to figure out who makes sense for him to fight going forward, but as long as he stays close to his Florida home, his fans will come out to support him. Call Jones just the latest example of an emerging boxing trend in 2009: keep all but the biggest fights local, and people will buy tickets.
And speaking of locals, kudos to Square Ring for putting another Floridian, Nate Campbell, on color commentary for the boxing matches on the Jones-Sheika card. He was insightful and funny, and he certainly has a future as a commentator should he want to pursue one when his in-ring days are done.
To top it all off, the hybrid boxing/MMA card came off pretty well in Pensacola despite many naysayers - including some famous ones. At least on the broadcast, it sounded like the fans were into the MMA bouts and the Jones-Sheika main event, lagging just a bit for the B.J. Flores boxing match.
Does that mean mixed cards are the wave of the future? Definitely not, at least at the highest level. But for regional shows with fights that make sense from both sports, there appear to be some synergies that are there to be exploited.
Last 10 Seconds: If you haven't read it yet, go check out William Dettloff's excellent story on The Ring Blog about the trials of former lightweight champion Paul Spadafora. Everyone loves a good redemption angle, and it's hard not to pull for Spadafora as he attempts his latest comeback after you read his tale of learning lessons the hard way.
It's not his fault, as many observers have pointed out, that he is a heavyweight champion during one of the division's dimmest eras. It's certainly not his fault that his size prevents him from getting the proper due for his skills or his heart.
Even more than brother and fellow champ Wladimir, Vitali seems to want to please the fans. If there's a problem with both Brothers Klitschko, it's that they care about those title belts a little too much, meaning they will fight any mandatory challenger one of the sanctioning bodies puts in front of them just to keep the straps.
I think the situation that might finally make Vitali a compelling figure is if David Haye (or anyone, really) would beat Wladimir. That would give Vitali a unique dual unification/revenge motivation as he tried to avenge his little bro.
Unless that happens, the Klitschko-dominated heavyweight picture is likely to remain dull for many fans. But it's not Vitali's fault, because he's trying. I think.
Another guy who is still trying is Roy Jones Jr., even if his sights are set a bit lower now. He showed Saturday he could still perform and entertain, and he may be content with that at this point.
I'm not even going to try to figure out who makes sense for him to fight going forward, but as long as he stays close to his Florida home, his fans will come out to support him. Call Jones just the latest example of an emerging boxing trend in 2009: keep all but the biggest fights local, and people will buy tickets.
And speaking of locals, kudos to Square Ring for putting another Floridian, Nate Campbell, on color commentary for the boxing matches on the Jones-Sheika card. He was insightful and funny, and he certainly has a future as a commentator should he want to pursue one when his in-ring days are done.
To top it all off, the hybrid boxing/MMA card came off pretty well in Pensacola despite many naysayers - including some famous ones. At least on the broadcast, it sounded like the fans were into the MMA bouts and the Jones-Sheika main event, lagging just a bit for the B.J. Flores boxing match.
Does that mean mixed cards are the wave of the future? Definitely not, at least at the highest level. But for regional shows with fights that make sense from both sports, there appear to be some synergies that are there to be exploited.
Last 10 Seconds: If you haven't read it yet, go check out William Dettloff's excellent story on The Ring Blog about the trials of former lightweight champion Paul Spadafora. Everyone loves a good redemption angle, and it's hard not to pull for Spadafora as he attempts his latest comeback after you read his tale of learning lessons the hard way.
22.3.09
Roy Jones Jr. v. Omar Sheika: Round by Round
Due to some unforeseen events, I will take over for The Franchise and attempt to fight off the cousin of death and make it to the final bell of Jones-Sheika.
Doing this round by round with multiple computer screens will make for some tricky blogging.
Nate Campbell says that it is hard for Roy to let go of all of these fans.
People who criticized this card have said that there aren't a lot of crossover fans between MMA and boxing. I have heard multiple people say it's like going to an event to see two different sports, like a baseball game and a basketball game.
I disagree. I believe these two sports are closer than that. They are both types of fighting. I see it like going to a track meet and seeing races of different lengths and some with hurdles. Some are relays and some steeplechase. Those events are all track, just different disciplines. Or a swimming meet with different strokes. Just my opinion.
Here comes Sheika to the ring. He comes out to "Victory" by Diddy, who at that time was still Puff Daddy. That isn't a dumb name joke, but that album he was actually still Puff Daddy.
Here comes Roy. He is getting great applause. He came out to some R & B song. It may be "Rehab" by Rihanna or a song that sounds like it. Yes, it is "Rehab."
The crowd really seems into the event. There's more applause for this fight than I have heard for many televised events over the years.
Roy looks to be in excellent shape. You wouldn't be able to tell his age by looking at him. Of course, how you look doesn't necessarily mean that your reflexes haven't slowed, but it sure beats being fat and out of shape.
Round 1
Omar is coming forward. Jumping left hooks from Roy. Jones is showing movement. One-two from Roy and a left to the body. Omar gets him in the corner. Omar is trying hard rights. Two Roy uppercuts. Hard right from Omar. The crowd is going nuts for anything from Roy. Lead rights. A huge left hook for Roy buckles Omar.
Uatu: Jones 10-9
Round 2
Jones is in control. He is showing a ton of vintage Roy: left hand down, lead rights, jumping lefts, small hooks, huge hooks and lots of moving around. Just like vintage Roy, though, he can be pressed to the ropes like Tarver did in their first fight. Unlike that fight, Omar isn't getting through the guard or grabbing.
Uatu: Jones 10-9
Round 3
I have got a great double window thing going. This is better than doing a blog on TV. Omar gets Roy to the ropes and fires his hard rights to the head. Not sure if Roy blocked them. He is best off keeping the fight in the middle. Roy is landing all kinds of jabs now. I think Roy may have been caught there, because he did a cocky dance which makes me think he was hit a little. Big left hook from Sheika. I am not convinced that Roy's chin is sturdy. He got moved a little in Round 1, and if Omar can keep ropes pressure up... he may be winning this round. Roy is back controlling in the middle, but not for long as Omar presses to the ropes. Nice flurry by Roy to close the round. A good left hook in there.
Uatu: Jones 10-9
Round 4
The round starts and Roy is back to the ropes. Both men land there. Roy gets all the credit from The Colonel. It's clear Roy is dominant in hand speed. He is jabbing like a madman and keeping Omar away. Sheika can't get close. Very good stuff from Roy. Now Omar gets him in close, but they grab. Big right from Roy. Omar keeps coming and lands his own. I like Nate's commentary. He is being fair to both men during the fight. There's a slight lull as the men grab each other. Omar is flying in with his aggression. Can he wear Roy down over time? Lots of wrestling - that could tire them both. Left hook from Jones, and he dances as the round ends.
Uatu: Jones 10-9
Round 5
Immediately, Omar gets Roy in the corner. No damage. Big time shot in the middle of the ring form Roy - a left uppercut I think. Roy gets in two more lead left hooks. The crowd "oohs" with every shot. Nate says Omar is only a straight-line fighter, and that is a very apt description of exactly what his limitation has been. Roy is landing and dancing in the middle of the ring. Roy got a bunch of nice shots in. And the fight is over? Omar is bleeding, but not too badly. The Colonel loves the stoppage; Nate doesn't seem to agree as much. I don't agree with it.
We will never know if Omar could have gotten to Roy down the stretch. I think it would have been interesting. The flip side to this, to be fair, is that Roy won every round. In the middle of the ring in the fifth, he ripped off some very nice combinations that had some strings of power punches thrown in there. But Omar wasn't really buckled, he never slowed down, and he was never knocked down. So it goes - a great night overall for RJJ. He looked sharp in there and the crowd loved it.
The winner by TKO at 1:45 of Round 5... Roy Jones Jr.
Doing this round by round with multiple computer screens will make for some tricky blogging.
Nate Campbell says that it is hard for Roy to let go of all of these fans.
People who criticized this card have said that there aren't a lot of crossover fans between MMA and boxing. I have heard multiple people say it's like going to an event to see two different sports, like a baseball game and a basketball game.
I disagree. I believe these two sports are closer than that. They are both types of fighting. I see it like going to a track meet and seeing races of different lengths and some with hurdles. Some are relays and some steeplechase. Those events are all track, just different disciplines. Or a swimming meet with different strokes. Just my opinion.
Here comes Sheika to the ring. He comes out to "Victory" by Diddy, who at that time was still Puff Daddy. That isn't a dumb name joke, but that album he was actually still Puff Daddy.
Here comes Roy. He is getting great applause. He came out to some R & B song. It may be "Rehab" by Rihanna or a song that sounds like it. Yes, it is "Rehab."
The crowd really seems into the event. There's more applause for this fight than I have heard for many televised events over the years.
Roy looks to be in excellent shape. You wouldn't be able to tell his age by looking at him. Of course, how you look doesn't necessarily mean that your reflexes haven't slowed, but it sure beats being fat and out of shape.
Round 1
Omar is coming forward. Jumping left hooks from Roy. Jones is showing movement. One-two from Roy and a left to the body. Omar gets him in the corner. Omar is trying hard rights. Two Roy uppercuts. Hard right from Omar. The crowd is going nuts for anything from Roy. Lead rights. A huge left hook for Roy buckles Omar.
Uatu: Jones 10-9
Round 2
Jones is in control. He is showing a ton of vintage Roy: left hand down, lead rights, jumping lefts, small hooks, huge hooks and lots of moving around. Just like vintage Roy, though, he can be pressed to the ropes like Tarver did in their first fight. Unlike that fight, Omar isn't getting through the guard or grabbing.
Uatu: Jones 10-9
Round 3
I have got a great double window thing going. This is better than doing a blog on TV. Omar gets Roy to the ropes and fires his hard rights to the head. Not sure if Roy blocked them. He is best off keeping the fight in the middle. Roy is landing all kinds of jabs now. I think Roy may have been caught there, because he did a cocky dance which makes me think he was hit a little. Big left hook from Sheika. I am not convinced that Roy's chin is sturdy. He got moved a little in Round 1, and if Omar can keep ropes pressure up... he may be winning this round. Roy is back controlling in the middle, but not for long as Omar presses to the ropes. Nice flurry by Roy to close the round. A good left hook in there.
Uatu: Jones 10-9
Round 4
The round starts and Roy is back to the ropes. Both men land there. Roy gets all the credit from The Colonel. It's clear Roy is dominant in hand speed. He is jabbing like a madman and keeping Omar away. Sheika can't get close. Very good stuff from Roy. Now Omar gets him in close, but they grab. Big right from Roy. Omar keeps coming and lands his own. I like Nate's commentary. He is being fair to both men during the fight. There's a slight lull as the men grab each other. Omar is flying in with his aggression. Can he wear Roy down over time? Lots of wrestling - that could tire them both. Left hook from Jones, and he dances as the round ends.
Uatu: Jones 10-9
Round 5
Immediately, Omar gets Roy in the corner. No damage. Big time shot in the middle of the ring form Roy - a left uppercut I think. Roy gets in two more lead left hooks. The crowd "oohs" with every shot. Nate says Omar is only a straight-line fighter, and that is a very apt description of exactly what his limitation has been. Roy is landing and dancing in the middle of the ring. Roy got a bunch of nice shots in. And the fight is over? Omar is bleeding, but not too badly. The Colonel loves the stoppage; Nate doesn't seem to agree as much. I don't agree with it.
We will never know if Omar could have gotten to Roy down the stretch. I think it would have been interesting. The flip side to this, to be fair, is that Roy won every round. In the middle of the ring in the fifth, he ripped off some very nice combinations that had some strings of power punches thrown in there. But Omar wasn't really buckled, he never slowed down, and he was never knocked down. So it goes - a great night overall for RJJ. He looked sharp in there and the crowd loved it.
The winner by TKO at 1:45 of Round 5... Roy Jones Jr.
Roy says he felt very good in there. He felt comfortable with his team of Roy Sr. and Merk.
He gives some shots out to Pensacola.
The crowd wants him back. He says he better go back to training and he will be coming back.
I don't mind that at all. If he wants to fight, and the crowd suport is there, why not? If the fight is worth watching, and this one was, then God bless him. He doesn't even have to fight the top killers in my opinion. That time is over. He can continue his career as a promoter and entertainer and everyone is happy. I wouldn't myself shell out a lot of dough to see him, but if others want to, knock yourself out.
Posted by uatu
21.3.09
Jones-Sheika "March Badness" Undercard Live Blog
We're live from the Pensacola Civic Center for the "March Badness" hybrid boxing/MMA card. Roy Jones Jr. takes in Omar Sheika in the boxing main event, with notable heavyweights Roy Nelson and Jeff Monson colliding in the MMA main event.
B.J. Flores is also in action on the boxing side, and former WWE star Bobby Lashley competes in just his second MMA bout. As an aside, it's great to have Nate Campbell on board as the color commentator for the boxing matches. Seth Petruzelli, a.k.a. the man who knocked out Kimbo Slice, is helping to call the MMA matches.
The first fight of the evening is an MMA bout between Dennis Hallman and Danny Ruiz. This is a three-round welterweight battle. Jimmy Lennon Jr. is doing his thing for the fighter intros.
Hallman shoots in early and after a little work in the corner, he takes Ruiz down. Hallman steadily works and takes Ruiz's back, and he's able to get a choke locked in that forces Ruiz to tap. The winner by submission via choke in Round 1... Dennis Hallman.
We stay with MMA for the second fight of the broadcast, this one featuring featherweights Din Thomas (22-8) and Gabe Lemley (13-8). The announce team is really going out of its way to help boxing fans understand the rules of MMA. As expected, this one is scheduled for three rounds.
An early tie up has both men trying to throw knees. Lemley bounces around and tries to throw punches and kicks while Thomas bides his time. Thomas sprawls to avoid some takedown attempts, and he lands some nice shots that put Lemley on his back. A left hand has Lemley dazed, and a knee catches Lemley right on the chin. The ref calls a stop to it, and Thomas wins by TKO at 4:13 of Round 1.
Thomas gives an entertaining post-fight interview where he downplays the difficulty of fighting in a ring instead of a cage. He gives a shout out to Nate Campbell and also volunteers to kick Chris Brown's ass if Rihanna decides she wants some help.
Next up is Bobby Lashley (1-0) taking on Jason Guida (17-19) in a heavyweight MMA bout. Lashley was supposed to face legend Ken Shamrock until he was suspended for steroid use, forcing Guida to take the fight on short notice.
The tale of the tape shows Lashley with a significant weight advantage, and he's got an edge in reach as well. Guida thinks his experience will help him pull off the upset, while Lashley feels his top-notch wrestling skills will serve him well. Petruzelli has a hilarious line where he says if Lashley can beat Vince McMahon, he can beat anybody.
Lashley shoots in right away and Guida grabs the ropes to keep himself from going down. Guida sprawls to avoid another takedown and they spend time locked up in the corner. Lashley lands a big right hand and they clinch again. Guida turns Lashley around and the ref finally breaks them up. Lashley flurries with several big punches, and they stay locked up for the final seconds of the first round.
A right hand catches Guida early in the second, and Lashley rushes in and puts his foe down with a big slam. Lashley spends some time in Guida's half guard and manages to land a few shots. Guida does a decent job defending from the bottom, but he can't do much with the physically bigger Lashley.
The final round starts with a clinch and both men trying to throw knees. Lashley opens up with big right hands in the corner. The ref puts them back in the corner, where Lashley scores a single leg takedown but falls into a guillotine by Guida. It looks fairly tight, but Lashley manages to escape. Lashley tries to work out of Guida's full guard. Giida tries for an armbar, but it looks like the fight will end in this position. The final bell rings, and we'll go to the scorecards.
The judges score it 30-27 three times, all to the winner by unanimous decision, Bobby Lashley.
Lashley says he had to dig deep to escape the guillotine, which was pretty tight. He credits Guida for getting to him a little bit by talking trash before the fight, and he says he'll go back to work to fix the holes in his game.
We're finally set for some boxing with B.J. Flores taking on Jose Luis Herrera. Nate Campbell calls Herrera an all-action fighter, and his record bears that out: all 16 of his wins and all five of his losses have come by KO.
This fight is scheduled for ten rounds with a minor title on the line. The tale of the tape shows both men almost dead even in weight and Flores holding just a tiny reach advantage.
Flores spends most of the first round stalking and looking to work off the jab. Herrera takes about two minutes to look comfortable and he starts landing some shots of his own. Flores lands a nice right hand right before the end of a close opening round.
Flores' boxing skills control most of the second round, but this time it's Herrera who scores with a right hand before the bell. There is some nice action in the third round with Flores mixing up head and body shots and Herrera getting a little busier.
Campbell thinks Herrera was hurt a bit at the end of the third. I think Flores has won every round, but Herrera is getting a few big shots in there, as he does again at the end of the fourth round.
Herrera has his best round so far in the fifth, keeping Flores a bit off guard with more body shots and more jabs. Flores seizes control once again in the sixth round using nice combination punching.
Both announcers are calling for the uppercut from Flores. I'm guessing he is well ahead on the cards, so with three rounds to go, he just needs to watch out for the home run shot coming back.
Herrera shows a burst of energy at the start of the ninth round. Flores digs to the body and goes upstairs with a left hook. B.J. is still showing excellent movement even this late in the fight.
We'll see if there are any fireworks in store in the final round. Herrera looks like he will fight until the final bell. Flores isn't exactly on his bike, but he is staying extra cautious and avoiding prolonged exchanges. Herrera gets B.J.'s attention with a big right hand with 30 seconds to go. We'll go to the scorecards.
The judges score it 98-92 and 99-91 twice, and Flores wins by unanimous decision.
Flores says he hurt his left hand early in the fight. He thinks he may have been able to get Herrera out of there if it wasn't for that, but he gives his opponent credit for being a tough guy.
The crowd was very much into the Roy Nelson-Jeff Monson MMA fight, which we joined in progress after some technical difficulties. Monson landed some very solid punches in the stand-up in a highlight package.
All three judges score it 29-28, and Jeff "The Snowman" Monson wins by unanimous decision.
B.J. Flores is also in action on the boxing side, and former WWE star Bobby Lashley competes in just his second MMA bout. As an aside, it's great to have Nate Campbell on board as the color commentator for the boxing matches. Seth Petruzelli, a.k.a. the man who knocked out Kimbo Slice, is helping to call the MMA matches.
The first fight of the evening is an MMA bout between Dennis Hallman and Danny Ruiz. This is a three-round welterweight battle. Jimmy Lennon Jr. is doing his thing for the fighter intros.
Hallman shoots in early and after a little work in the corner, he takes Ruiz down. Hallman steadily works and takes Ruiz's back, and he's able to get a choke locked in that forces Ruiz to tap. The winner by submission via choke in Round 1... Dennis Hallman.
We stay with MMA for the second fight of the broadcast, this one featuring featherweights Din Thomas (22-8) and Gabe Lemley (13-8). The announce team is really going out of its way to help boxing fans understand the rules of MMA. As expected, this one is scheduled for three rounds.
An early tie up has both men trying to throw knees. Lemley bounces around and tries to throw punches and kicks while Thomas bides his time. Thomas sprawls to avoid some takedown attempts, and he lands some nice shots that put Lemley on his back. A left hand has Lemley dazed, and a knee catches Lemley right on the chin. The ref calls a stop to it, and Thomas wins by TKO at 4:13 of Round 1.
Thomas gives an entertaining post-fight interview where he downplays the difficulty of fighting in a ring instead of a cage. He gives a shout out to Nate Campbell and also volunteers to kick Chris Brown's ass if Rihanna decides she wants some help.
Next up is Bobby Lashley (1-0) taking on Jason Guida (17-19) in a heavyweight MMA bout. Lashley was supposed to face legend Ken Shamrock until he was suspended for steroid use, forcing Guida to take the fight on short notice.
The tale of the tape shows Lashley with a significant weight advantage, and he's got an edge in reach as well. Guida thinks his experience will help him pull off the upset, while Lashley feels his top-notch wrestling skills will serve him well. Petruzelli has a hilarious line where he says if Lashley can beat Vince McMahon, he can beat anybody.
Lashley shoots in right away and Guida grabs the ropes to keep himself from going down. Guida sprawls to avoid another takedown and they spend time locked up in the corner. Lashley lands a big right hand and they clinch again. Guida turns Lashley around and the ref finally breaks them up. Lashley flurries with several big punches, and they stay locked up for the final seconds of the first round.
A right hand catches Guida early in the second, and Lashley rushes in and puts his foe down with a big slam. Lashley spends some time in Guida's half guard and manages to land a few shots. Guida does a decent job defending from the bottom, but he can't do much with the physically bigger Lashley.
The final round starts with a clinch and both men trying to throw knees. Lashley opens up with big right hands in the corner. The ref puts them back in the corner, where Lashley scores a single leg takedown but falls into a guillotine by Guida. It looks fairly tight, but Lashley manages to escape. Lashley tries to work out of Guida's full guard. Giida tries for an armbar, but it looks like the fight will end in this position. The final bell rings, and we'll go to the scorecards.
The judges score it 30-27 three times, all to the winner by unanimous decision, Bobby Lashley.
Lashley says he had to dig deep to escape the guillotine, which was pretty tight. He credits Guida for getting to him a little bit by talking trash before the fight, and he says he'll go back to work to fix the holes in his game.
We're finally set for some boxing with B.J. Flores taking on Jose Luis Herrera. Nate Campbell calls Herrera an all-action fighter, and his record bears that out: all 16 of his wins and all five of his losses have come by KO.
This fight is scheduled for ten rounds with a minor title on the line. The tale of the tape shows both men almost dead even in weight and Flores holding just a tiny reach advantage.
Flores spends most of the first round stalking and looking to work off the jab. Herrera takes about two minutes to look comfortable and he starts landing some shots of his own. Flores lands a nice right hand right before the end of a close opening round.
Flores' boxing skills control most of the second round, but this time it's Herrera who scores with a right hand before the bell. There is some nice action in the third round with Flores mixing up head and body shots and Herrera getting a little busier.
Campbell thinks Herrera was hurt a bit at the end of the third. I think Flores has won every round, but Herrera is getting a few big shots in there, as he does again at the end of the fourth round.
Herrera has his best round so far in the fifth, keeping Flores a bit off guard with more body shots and more jabs. Flores seizes control once again in the sixth round using nice combination punching.
Both announcers are calling for the uppercut from Flores. I'm guessing he is well ahead on the cards, so with three rounds to go, he just needs to watch out for the home run shot coming back.
Herrera shows a burst of energy at the start of the ninth round. Flores digs to the body and goes upstairs with a left hook. B.J. is still showing excellent movement even this late in the fight.
We'll see if there are any fireworks in store in the final round. Herrera looks like he will fight until the final bell. Flores isn't exactly on his bike, but he is staying extra cautious and avoiding prolonged exchanges. Herrera gets B.J.'s attention with a big right hand with 30 seconds to go. We'll go to the scorecards.
The judges score it 98-92 and 99-91 twice, and Flores wins by unanimous decision.
Flores says he hurt his left hand early in the fight. He thinks he may have been able to get Herrera out of there if it wasn't for that, but he gives his opponent credit for being a tough guy.
The crowd was very much into the Roy Nelson-Jeff Monson MMA fight, which we joined in progress after some technical difficulties. Monson landed some very solid punches in the stand-up in a highlight package.
All three judges score it 29-28, and Jeff "The Snowman" Monson wins by unanimous decision.
Posted by The Franchise
Edited by uatu
Live Klitschko-Gomez, Jones-Sheika Round By Round Updates Tonight
First of all, a big thumbs down goes to ESPN for moving the Vitali Klitschko-Juan Carlos Gomez heavyweight title fight from its regular station to ESPN Classic. Yes, I know Classic shows a lot of boxing programming, but why bother obtaining the rights to show the fight if you aren't going to put it in front of the widest possible audience?
In any case, if you don't get ESPN Classic or are too carried away with March Madness to watch the fight, we've got you covered. Head on over to our main page and look for a new post with live round by round updates shortly after 6 pm Eastern.
Also, we'll have live updates of the Roy Jones Jr.-Omar Sheika fight later tonight. You can actually watch that mixed boxing-MMA card through your computer thanks to the people at MaxBoxing.com, and if you live outside North America, it works out to just $9.95 U.S. Still, if you can't swing that, our main page will have a round by round thread for the Jones fight as well.
Posted by The Franchise
In any case, if you don't get ESPN Classic or are too carried away with March Madness to watch the fight, we've got you covered. Head on over to our main page and look for a new post with live round by round updates shortly after 6 pm Eastern.
Also, we'll have live updates of the Roy Jones Jr.-Omar Sheika fight later tonight. You can actually watch that mixed boxing-MMA card through your computer thanks to the people at MaxBoxing.com, and if you live outside North America, it works out to just $9.95 U.S. Still, if you can't swing that, our main page will have a round by round thread for the Jones fight as well.
Posted by The Franchise
4.3.09
Slightly OT - Lashley, Shamrock Set to Meet on Jones-Sheika Undercard
This is not 100 percent boxing-related, but the BoxingWatchers do watch other things in our spare time, and one of us has been writing for this site for over a decade.
With that in mind, I saw that something my brother Uatu alerted me to a few days ago became official on Tuesday, with MMAjunkie.com reporting that former UFC and WWE star Ken Shamrock had agreed to face fellow former pro wrestler Bobby Lashley on the undercard of the Roy Jones-Omar Sheika boxing/MMA pay-per-view - officially sporting the humorous name "March Badness."
While Jones will no doubt sell a bunch of tickets fighting in Pensacola and some PPV buys off of his name recognition, I wondered a while back how he'd assemble the MMA portion of the card. Though Shamrock is viewed as spent (and ancient) by many fans, he's a big name in the sport, and the obvious "pro wrestler vs. pro wrestler" angle to his fight certainly won't hurt.
There are other recognizable names in the other fights, including Seth Petruzelli (a.k.a. the man who knocked out Kimbo Slice), former WEC light heavyweight champ Doug Marshall and heavyweights Jeff Monson and Roy "Big Country" Nelson. For an MMA card put together without the assistance of the UFC, Strikeforce or Affliction, you couldn't realistically ask for or expect much more.
Will that plus a well-known but past-his-prime boxer fighting on his home turf be enough to make "March Badness" a success? I think it just might be, but we'll know for sure in just a few weeks.
Posted by The Franchise
With that in mind, I saw that something my brother Uatu alerted me to a few days ago became official on Tuesday, with MMAjunkie.com reporting that former UFC and WWE star Ken Shamrock had agreed to face fellow former pro wrestler Bobby Lashley on the undercard of the Roy Jones-Omar Sheika boxing/MMA pay-per-view - officially sporting the humorous name "March Badness."
While Jones will no doubt sell a bunch of tickets fighting in Pensacola and some PPV buys off of his name recognition, I wondered a while back how he'd assemble the MMA portion of the card. Though Shamrock is viewed as spent (and ancient) by many fans, he's a big name in the sport, and the obvious "pro wrestler vs. pro wrestler" angle to his fight certainly won't hurt.
There are other recognizable names in the other fights, including Seth Petruzelli (a.k.a. the man who knocked out Kimbo Slice), former WEC light heavyweight champ Doug Marshall and heavyweights Jeff Monson and Roy "Big Country" Nelson. For an MMA card put together without the assistance of the UFC, Strikeforce or Affliction, you couldn't realistically ask for or expect much more.
Will that plus a well-known but past-his-prime boxer fighting on his home turf be enough to make "March Badness" a success? I think it just might be, but we'll know for sure in just a few weeks.
Posted by The Franchise
20.1.09
Report: Roy Jones to Face Omar Sheika on Combined Boxing-MMA Card
Golden Boy Productions and Affliction have been kicking around the concept of top-level cards combining boxing and MMA for a while. So far they haven't acted on that idea - and are actually doing the exact opposite this Saturday by promoting separate boxing and MMA events on the same night - but now it looks like they'll have a chance to watch someone else take the risk of trying it first.
ESPN's Dan Rafael reports that Roy Jones Jr. will take on Omar Sheika as part of a mixed boxing-MMA card in Jones' hometown of Pensacola on March 21. The event will be on pay-per-view and is planned to include multiple boxing and MMA bouts.
Though the article states that the state of Florida has already given its blessing to hold a combined card, it's not immediately apparent who Jones and Square Ring are working with to fill out the MMA side. Several regional promotions that have held successful events call Florida home, including Xtreme Fighting Championships and the Mixed Fighting Alliance, and the popular American Top Team camp has fighters training all over the state.
On the boxing side, Jones seems to have found the perfect foil in Sheika: someone Roy should be able to beat if he's not completely shot but credible enough to avoid allegations that the fight is a farce. Sheika owns a victory over Glen Johnson and has been in against Joe Calzaghe and Jeff Lacy, though he's fought just once since 2005 while battling various injuries.
While there's little doubt Jones will draw at the gate in his hometown, the real question will be whether going pay-per-view in a down economy will bear fruit, especially since other bigger fights seem to be headed the other way in 2009. Jones and company will have to hope his name and curiosity about the hybrid card can translate into buys.
ESPN's Dan Rafael reports that Roy Jones Jr. will take on Omar Sheika as part of a mixed boxing-MMA card in Jones' hometown of Pensacola on March 21. The event will be on pay-per-view and is planned to include multiple boxing and MMA bouts.
Though the article states that the state of Florida has already given its blessing to hold a combined card, it's not immediately apparent who Jones and Square Ring are working with to fill out the MMA side. Several regional promotions that have held successful events call Florida home, including Xtreme Fighting Championships and the Mixed Fighting Alliance, and the popular American Top Team camp has fighters training all over the state.
On the boxing side, Jones seems to have found the perfect foil in Sheika: someone Roy should be able to beat if he's not completely shot but credible enough to avoid allegations that the fight is a farce. Sheika owns a victory over Glen Johnson and has been in against Joe Calzaghe and Jeff Lacy, though he's fought just once since 2005 while battling various injuries.
While there's little doubt Jones will draw at the gate in his hometown, the real question will be whether going pay-per-view in a down economy will bear fruit, especially since other bigger fights seem to be headed the other way in 2009. Jones and company will have to hope his name and curiosity about the hybrid card can translate into buys.
8.11.08
Round by Round: Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr.
The undercard is over and Joe Calzaghe and Roy Jones Jr. are getting ready to head to the ring. The tale of the tape has them basically even in height, weight and reach. Calzaghe is three years younger than Jones.
Jones comes to the ring first. He promised to come out to a song he recorded himself, but it is hard to hear over the crowd. Calzaghe is up second. His current period of inactivity is the longest of his career.
We've got two national anthems to do, of course. Michelle Cleary handles the "Star-Spangled Banner." Michael Buffer is handling the introductions. Jones is in black and orange, Calzaghe is wearing blue and white.
And we're ready to go!
Round One
Calzaghe tries a quick jab and a lunging left. Both men jabbing but not landing. Joe backs Roy into the corner and Jones covers up. Soft left by Calzaghe. Jones finally tries a power shot but has to back away. Joe throws a flurry to the body and head in the corner. Counter right to the body by Roy. Jones is able to duck some shots back in the center of the ring. Jones lands a right hand and Calzaghe goes down! The announcers think he's hurt but he's standing in there.
Franchise: 10-8 Jones
Spartan117: 9-9
Round Two
Blood is coming from Joe's nose. Calzaghe tries some roughhousing as they tie up. Joe goes back to the jab. Both men swinging and missing right now. Calzaghe flurries to the body but Roy shakes his head. Joe still attempting to push the pace. Sharp right by Jones as he backs up. Another big flurry by Joe in the corner; a few landed but many were blocked.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Jones
Round Three
Calzaghe backs up Jones and lands a left upstairs that is quickly answered. Back in the corner again, Jones laughs but he is getting hit. Nice straight right by Jones. Joe landing some clean shots to the body even though Jones acts like they don't hurt. Roy is doing a lot of covering up and not throwing too many punches. Both men doing a lot of showboating as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Four
Joe goes right back to the body to begin this frame. Both men land jabs as they jockey for position. Good right by Calzaghe. Big flurry by Joe in the corner. Quick snapping right hand by Jones. They tie up with nothing landing. Body-head combo by Calzaghe. Roy landing some counter but eating a lot more coming back. Right-left combo to the head by Roy but Joe shakes it off.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Five
Lots of dancing to start this frame. Roy looks a little more active now. A straight left sets up a flurry by Calzaghe. Thudding body shot by Joe answered upstairs by Roy. The ref breaks them up as they wrestle. Hard right by Jones but Calzaghe slips away from the follow-up. Nice exchange both ways along the ropes and Jones' left eye is starting to swell. That was an entertaining round with Calzaghe landing quantity and Jones answering with power.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Six
Left hands back up Jones right away. He covers up and picks his spots. Roy flicks a jab and they tie up. Calzaghe resumes his body attack. Lots of feinting in the center of the ring. Good counter right by Jones. Shots land both ways in the corner. Now they work out into the center where Roy has had more success. Jones is still trying to counter but Calzaghe not giving him much. There's a nice uppercut by Roy that was the best punch of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 Jones
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Seven
Roy tries to dig in and stand his ground in the opening seconds here. They wrestle in the corner to no avail. Goob jabs by Roy. Calzaghe hasn't done much so far this round. Now he scores with a left and flurries away. The announcers think Roy is hurt as he backs into the corner. Jones' left eye is bloody and his counter shots aren't bothering Calzaghe as much. Joe mocks Roy's dancing as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Eight
It didn't look like Roy's corner could get the cut completely stopped. Both men look like they want to showboat again. Joe whacks him with a right upstairs. Calzaghe stalking as Jones backs away. Joe flurries in the corner and Roy's eye is a mess. Nice shots in close by Jones. Calzaghe scores with the straight left. The final 30 seconds see more flashy combos by Joe while Roy looks for one big shot that isn't coming right now.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Nine
There's an extended look at Jones' eye but they are letting him continue. Joe comes in and Roy counters. Jones almost needs a KO because of the condition of that cut. He turns a little more aggressive now. Roy digs to the body as they wrestle in the center of the ring. The grappling continues in the corner and Roy is having trouble with the volume flying at him. Joe is taking part of this round off though. Nice exchange with both men landing. They both shake their heads at each other as the bell rings.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 10
Calzaghe throws an immediate combo to the body as the announcers criticize Jones' corner for their handling of his cut. Jones comes forward but doesn't throw. Roy still has some snap on his short shots but they aren't coming frequently. Joe isn't doing as much but still probably enough to win the round. The ref has turned very busy keeping them apart. Roy covering up because he is having trouble seeing the punches coming.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 11
More dancing than boxing right now. Calzaghe attacks the body and head effectively. Jabs keep coming at Roy's left eye. Not sure it's smart for Joe to taunt Roy so much, but it's not hurting him. Calzghe lands to the body and ducks away. The crowd is booing a little as that round sort of petered out.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 12
Unless the ringside judges saw a much different fight, Jones needs a KO to win. He's looking for the home run shot but doesn't have an opening right now. Calzaghe not taking too many risks and landing the occasional punch. Roy is backing with his hands down. He covers and Calzaghe flurries; the crowd tries to spur Jones on. Calzaghe dances again and Jones tries to load up the right. Body shots both ways. Nothing big lands at the bell and we'll head to the cards.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
The judges score the fight 118-109, 118-109 and 118-109, all for the winner... and still undefeated Ring Magazine light heavyweight champion of the world... Joe Calzaghe.
Max Kellerman asks Calzaghe about the first-round knockdown, and Joe admits he was stunned by a good shot. He says he always comes back harder when he's on the canvas, and he says it was an honor to fight Jones. Calzaghe thanks his fans for their support too. Kellerman asks why he'd fight with with his hands down, but Joe says he can fight many styles and it's hard for his opponents to deal with that.
What's the future? Calzaghe says he'll have to sit down and think about it instead of making a final decision tonight. Kellerman asks about Chad Dawson, but Joe kind of deflects the question.
Now it's Roy's turn. He says he could have gone two different ways after the knockdown, and by throwing big punches, he got out of his game a bit. Jones says it was a good right hand that caused the cut over his eye.
Roy sneaks in a shout-out to Obama and claims he was game to the end of the fight. He's not ready to say this is his last fight, as he'll regroup and talk to his team.
Jones comes to the ring first. He promised to come out to a song he recorded himself, but it is hard to hear over the crowd. Calzaghe is up second. His current period of inactivity is the longest of his career.
We've got two national anthems to do, of course. Michelle Cleary handles the "Star-Spangled Banner." Michael Buffer is handling the introductions. Jones is in black and orange, Calzaghe is wearing blue and white.
And we're ready to go!
Round One
Calzaghe tries a quick jab and a lunging left. Both men jabbing but not landing. Joe backs Roy into the corner and Jones covers up. Soft left by Calzaghe. Jones finally tries a power shot but has to back away. Joe throws a flurry to the body and head in the corner. Counter right to the body by Roy. Jones is able to duck some shots back in the center of the ring. Jones lands a right hand and Calzaghe goes down! The announcers think he's hurt but he's standing in there.
Franchise: 10-8 Jones
Spartan117: 9-9
Round Two
Blood is coming from Joe's nose. Calzaghe tries some roughhousing as they tie up. Joe goes back to the jab. Both men swinging and missing right now. Calzaghe flurries to the body but Roy shakes his head. Joe still attempting to push the pace. Sharp right by Jones as he backs up. Another big flurry by Joe in the corner; a few landed but many were blocked.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Jones
Round Three
Calzaghe backs up Jones and lands a left upstairs that is quickly answered. Back in the corner again, Jones laughs but he is getting hit. Nice straight right by Jones. Joe landing some clean shots to the body even though Jones acts like they don't hurt. Roy is doing a lot of covering up and not throwing too many punches. Both men doing a lot of showboating as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Four
Joe goes right back to the body to begin this frame. Both men land jabs as they jockey for position. Good right by Calzaghe. Big flurry by Joe in the corner. Quick snapping right hand by Jones. They tie up with nothing landing. Body-head combo by Calzaghe. Roy landing some counter but eating a lot more coming back. Right-left combo to the head by Roy but Joe shakes it off.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Five
Lots of dancing to start this frame. Roy looks a little more active now. A straight left sets up a flurry by Calzaghe. Thudding body shot by Joe answered upstairs by Roy. The ref breaks them up as they wrestle. Hard right by Jones but Calzaghe slips away from the follow-up. Nice exchange both ways along the ropes and Jones' left eye is starting to swell. That was an entertaining round with Calzaghe landing quantity and Jones answering with power.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Six
Left hands back up Jones right away. He covers up and picks his spots. Roy flicks a jab and they tie up. Calzaghe resumes his body attack. Lots of feinting in the center of the ring. Good counter right by Jones. Shots land both ways in the corner. Now they work out into the center where Roy has had more success. Jones is still trying to counter but Calzaghe not giving him much. There's a nice uppercut by Roy that was the best punch of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 Jones
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Seven
Roy tries to dig in and stand his ground in the opening seconds here. They wrestle in the corner to no avail. Goob jabs by Roy. Calzaghe hasn't done much so far this round. Now he scores with a left and flurries away. The announcers think Roy is hurt as he backs into the corner. Jones' left eye is bloody and his counter shots aren't bothering Calzaghe as much. Joe mocks Roy's dancing as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Eight
It didn't look like Roy's corner could get the cut completely stopped. Both men look like they want to showboat again. Joe whacks him with a right upstairs. Calzaghe stalking as Jones backs away. Joe flurries in the corner and Roy's eye is a mess. Nice shots in close by Jones. Calzaghe scores with the straight left. The final 30 seconds see more flashy combos by Joe while Roy looks for one big shot that isn't coming right now.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Nine
There's an extended look at Jones' eye but they are letting him continue. Joe comes in and Roy counters. Jones almost needs a KO because of the condition of that cut. He turns a little more aggressive now. Roy digs to the body as they wrestle in the center of the ring. The grappling continues in the corner and Roy is having trouble with the volume flying at him. Joe is taking part of this round off though. Nice exchange with both men landing. They both shake their heads at each other as the bell rings.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 10
Calzaghe throws an immediate combo to the body as the announcers criticize Jones' corner for their handling of his cut. Jones comes forward but doesn't throw. Roy still has some snap on his short shots but they aren't coming frequently. Joe isn't doing as much but still probably enough to win the round. The ref has turned very busy keeping them apart. Roy covering up because he is having trouble seeing the punches coming.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 11
More dancing than boxing right now. Calzaghe attacks the body and head effectively. Jabs keep coming at Roy's left eye. Not sure it's smart for Joe to taunt Roy so much, but it's not hurting him. Calzghe lands to the body and ducks away. The crowd is booing a little as that round sort of petered out.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 12
Unless the ringside judges saw a much different fight, Jones needs a KO to win. He's looking for the home run shot but doesn't have an opening right now. Calzaghe not taking too many risks and landing the occasional punch. Roy is backing with his hands down. He covers and Calzaghe flurries; the crowd tries to spur Jones on. Calzaghe dances again and Jones tries to load up the right. Body shots both ways. Nothing big lands at the bell and we'll head to the cards.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
The judges score the fight 118-109, 118-109 and 118-109, all for the winner... and still undefeated Ring Magazine light heavyweight champion of the world... Joe Calzaghe.
Max Kellerman asks Calzaghe about the first-round knockdown, and Joe admits he was stunned by a good shot. He says he always comes back harder when he's on the canvas, and he says it was an honor to fight Jones. Calzaghe thanks his fans for their support too. Kellerman asks why he'd fight with with his hands down, but Joe says he can fight many styles and it's hard for his opponents to deal with that.
What's the future? Calzaghe says he'll have to sit down and think about it instead of making a final decision tonight. Kellerman asks about Chad Dawson, but Joe kind of deflects the question.
Now it's Roy's turn. He says he could have gone two different ways after the knockdown, and by throwing big punches, he got out of his game a bit. Jones says it was a good right hand that caused the cut over his eye.
Roy sneaks in a shout-out to Obama and claims he was game to the end of the fight. He's not ready to say this is his last fight, as he'll regroup and talk to his team.
Calzaghe-Jones Live Round By Round Updates Tonight
Economy got you down? The BoxingWatchers hear you, and we're here to help!
We know that as a boxing fan, you'd love to be at Madison Square Garden tonight to watch the fight that's billed as the Battle of the Superpowers, Joe Calzaghe versus Roy Jones Jr. Failing that, you'd prefer to be watching the fight on pay-per-view, ideally in HD.
But we also know life, and yes, money, sometimes get in the way. So if those first two options don't work for you tonight, bookmark our main page at www.boxingwatchers.com and enjoy live round by round updates for Calzaghe-Jones. The fun starts at 9 pm EST, when we'll at least try to feign interest in the undercard.
We know that as a boxing fan, you'd love to be at Madison Square Garden tonight to watch the fight that's billed as the Battle of the Superpowers, Joe Calzaghe versus Roy Jones Jr. Failing that, you'd prefer to be watching the fight on pay-per-view, ideally in HD.
But we also know life, and yes, money, sometimes get in the way. So if those first two options don't work for you tonight, bookmark our main page at www.boxingwatchers.com and enjoy live round by round updates for Calzaghe-Jones. The fun starts at 9 pm EST, when we'll at least try to feign interest in the undercard.
Predictions: Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr.
The Franchise says...
As my brother Uatu noted during his weigh-in report, these two look just about even from a physical standpoint. One suspects Jones will be the harder puncher, as he's shown more KO power in the past and he's been at or above this weight for some time now.
Bernard Hopkins recently went on record saying he felt Jones would have the faster hands, but loathe as I am to disagree with a master boxer like The Executioner, I wonder if that will be the case. While Roy still possesses gifts other fighters will never have, unless he's as close to his peak as he claims, I think Calzaghe will be able to beat him to the punch when they exchange.
The other thing Hopkins provided was a blueprint to beating Calzaghe - and many people felt The Executioner won their fight. The trouble is, Jones has admitted he can't fight the same fight. When asked how he'd deal with his opponent's style, he's pretty much just said he'll come up with something. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
Calzaghe has no such problems. Once Jones started looking mortal a few years ago, he had some trouble with volume punching (against Antonio Tarver) and relentless pressure (facing Glen Johnson). Joe can do both of those things, which may be why he feels like Roy's style sets up well for his own.
There are plenty of reasons for both men to be highly motivated, so I expect the fight to be spirited and competitive. I give Jones a definite chance to win, especially if he can recapture enough of his old magic to turn back the clock a few years. As Hopkins showed, it's certainly possible.
I just don't think it's likely. By consistently throwing and landing more punches, I like Calzaghe to win by decision and (probably) ride off into the proverbial sunset with an unblemished professional record.
Spartan117 says...
I wanted to go with Jones a few months ago. I thought he would see this fight as a must win to help solidify his legacy, but after seeing some of his training camp and interviews leading up to this fight it doesn't seem like he's taking Calzaghe as seriously as he should if he wants the victory.
As Franchise recalled Jones doesn't really seem to have a solution ready to put into play for Calzaghe's massive punch output. So if Calzaghe brings his normal game plan of smothering his opponent with a high volume of punches, and we've never seen him not bring that game plan, he'll be able to score points on the judges' cards.
Calzaghe surely wants to retire with an undefeated record and he will be ready to fight tonight which is why I'm predicting Calzaghe by decision.
3.11.08
In-Depth Preview: Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr.
Joe Calzaghe
Birthplace: Hammersmith, England
Height: 5' 11"Reach: 73"
Current Titles Held: Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight (175 lbs.)
Former Titles Held: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO Super Middleweight (168 lbs.)
Professional Record: 45-0, 32 KO's.
Record in World Title Fights: 23-0, 11 KO's
Record at 175 lbs.: 1-0
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 12-0
Notable Wins: SD12 Bernard Hopkins, UD12 Mikkel Kessler, UD12 Jeff Lacy
Notable Losses: None
Roy Jones Jr.
Birthplace: Pensacola, Florida
Height: 5' 11"
Reach: 74"
Current Ttiles Held: None
Former Titles Held: IBF Middleweight (160 lbs.), IBF Super Middleweight (168 lbs.), WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO Light Heavyweight (175 lbs.), WBA Heavyweight
Professional Record: 52-4, 38 KO's
Record in World Title Fights: 23-4, 14 KO's
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 12-1
Notable Wins: UD12 John Ruiz, KO1 Montell Griffin, UD12 Bernard Hopkins
Notable Losses: KO9 Glen Johnson, TKO2 Antonio Tarver, DQ9 Montell Griffin
Analysis:
Add this to the list of "dream fights" for boxing fans which would be just a little bit more interesting if both participants were in their respective primes.
The undefeated Calzaghe seems closer to his, coming off a razor thin yet no less impressive decision over Bernard Hopkins. He got up off the canvas in that bout and also shook off some difficult moments in his previous fight against Mikkel Kessler, both times showing a rare ability to adapt on the fly.
Jones clearly isn't the same boxer in 2008 as he was prior to 2004, when his air of invincibility was shattered by consecutive starchings at the hands of Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson. His last three outings have been better though, and he's sporting a new, more carefree attitude that could serve him well.
If Jones can summon up enough of his old magic at age 39, there's no reason this couldn't be a barnburner. Despite his obvious skill, Calzaghe has really only stepped up his level of competition in the last two or three years, and Saturday will be just his second fight in the United States. Neither man should be short on motivation, with Calzaghe wishing to leave the sport with an unblemished record and Jones eyeing a very lucrative rematch with old rival Hopkins.
The hand speed of both boxers allows for fast flurries that dazzle even if they don't land clean. And since neither fighter has shown an abundance of KO power as of late - Calzaghe, especially, has been derided as a slapper - this has the look of a crowd-pleasing contest with an excellent chance to go the distance.
Calzaghe's Winning Strategy: Keep Up the Pressure
Anyone who saw Calzaghe fight Jeff Lacy probably remembers that it looked like a really solid shot from his opponent that night might destroy him. Lacy never got a chance though, as Calzaghe pummeled him by continually getting off first and keeping the volume of punches flowing for 12 rounds.
The Pride of Wales has since shown that he doesn't necessarily have to fight that way to win, but it still might be his best bet against Jones. Roy's difficulties with Antonio Tarver and, to a lesser extent, Glen Johnson showed that at this stage of the game, he doesn't deal well with boxers who will keep leather in his face all night.
Calzaghe got caught and dropped by Hopkins early on, and Jones is more than capable of doing the same. The best way to avoid that is to beat Jones to the punch whenever possible.
If constant pressure isn't the way to go, Calzaghe should know within three or four rounds. Fortunately for him, few current fighters are better at identifying what's not working and coming up with a Plan B should the need arise.
Jones' Winning Strategy: Don't Live in the Past
Once upon a time, Jones was so physically gifted that he didn't need to fight with solid fundamentals to win. Some of his most spectacular KO's have come from sequences you'd never find taught at a gym.
If Jones forgets that he's no longer that fighter, he's in for a long night. Calzaghe has very fast hands, and inconceivable as it may have seemed back in the day, Roy's probably slower to the punch than his opponent.
What Jones does have is a lot more experience against championship-caliber foes. He has to have learned a lot from all of those rounds, and while he's not going to suddenly morph into a master technician, he'll need to employ all the lessons he's learned to hang the first 'L' on Calzaghe.
Also, while the stats say both men are built about the same, Jones' extended time at light heavyweight and above suggests he will be bigger and stronger than Calzaghe and may get the best of things in close.
Roy the bully? Now that would be something different than we're used to seeing from him, and in this case, different is better.
Anyone who saw Calzaghe fight Jeff Lacy probably remembers that it looked like a really solid shot from his opponent that night might destroy him. Lacy never got a chance though, as Calzaghe pummeled him by continually getting off first and keeping the volume of punches flowing for 12 rounds.
The Pride of Wales has since shown that he doesn't necessarily have to fight that way to win, but it still might be his best bet against Jones. Roy's difficulties with Antonio Tarver and, to a lesser extent, Glen Johnson showed that at this stage of the game, he doesn't deal well with boxers who will keep leather in his face all night.
Calzaghe got caught and dropped by Hopkins early on, and Jones is more than capable of doing the same. The best way to avoid that is to beat Jones to the punch whenever possible.
If constant pressure isn't the way to go, Calzaghe should know within three or four rounds. Fortunately for him, few current fighters are better at identifying what's not working and coming up with a Plan B should the need arise.
Jones' Winning Strategy: Don't Live in the Past
Once upon a time, Jones was so physically gifted that he didn't need to fight with solid fundamentals to win. Some of his most spectacular KO's have come from sequences you'd never find taught at a gym.
If Jones forgets that he's no longer that fighter, he's in for a long night. Calzaghe has very fast hands, and inconceivable as it may have seemed back in the day, Roy's probably slower to the punch than his opponent.
What Jones does have is a lot more experience against championship-caliber foes. He has to have learned a lot from all of those rounds, and while he's not going to suddenly morph into a master technician, he'll need to employ all the lessons he's learned to hang the first 'L' on Calzaghe.
Also, while the stats say both men are built about the same, Jones' extended time at light heavyweight and above suggests he will be bigger and stronger than Calzaghe and may get the best of things in close.
Roy the bully? Now that would be something different than we're used to seeing from him, and in this case, different is better.
9.9.08
Franchise Thoughts: 10 Fights I'd Like to See
Thinking about the convoluted roads that led to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao and Pavlik-Hopkins fights got me thinking about how much easier life as a boxing fan would be if there was just one all-powerful being in charge of matchmaking. Say, me, for instance.
While I'm not going to hold my breath for that to happen, it doesn't mean a boy can't dream. So I thought to myself, "Self, if you had ultimate power over boxing, meaning money and politics were out of the way, who would you most like to see fight?"
To make it a little more interesting, I limited myself to first-time meeting - no sequels. I mean, no one would mind seeing Marquez-Vazquez IV, but it's not really exercising your brain to come up with that one. Also, even though jumping up or down multiple weight classes is all the rage right now, I'm a firm believer that there are plenty of good fights to be made at most weight without resorting to that nonsense, so I imposed a limit of one class up or down when matching fighters.
Since this is my list, I naturally picked fighters who I enjoy watching. But I did throw a couple in I don't care for if I thought they could be paired with someone to make an especially compelling storyline or style matchup.
In no particular order, here are 10 fights I'd like to see. With any luck, at least some of them will actually get made.
Antonio Margarito vs. Floyd Mayweather
I wouldn't consider myself a Floyd hater, but I'm also not his biggest fan. His immense skill can't be questioned, but the quality of his opposition is just suspect enough that I'll always wonder if he was as good as it seemed he was. I expect him to come out of retirement, but not to take this fight - which is the only one I'm really interested to see him take. If he would beat the Tijuana Tornado, I'd consider all questions answered, because Margarito would test him.
Kelly Pavlik vs. Arthur Abraham
History has shown that it's wise to be at least a little skeptical when it comes to boxers who rack up impressive records fighting only in Europe. Abraham falls into that category, but he does have some wins on his resume (Kingsley Ikeke and Howard Eastman, for instance) that are legit, and he definitely proved something by putting a beating on Edison Miranda this summer. He deserves a shot at Pavlik, and only the fact that he's not that well known in the U.S. - and thus wouldn't sell too well - is keeping it from happening.
Chad Dawson vs. Tavoris Cloud
Though separated by only a year, Dawson has been in with much tougher competition so far, and Cloud may not be ready for this just yet. But Bad Chad is in a division with primarily older contenders, and eventually he'll need new challenges. Dawson has a well-rounded set of skills, and Cloud is a beast who is looking for the knockout every time out. This would be a fun fight for fans.
Paul Williams vs. Andre Berto
Here are two more young lions who would almost guarantee fireworks if they faced off. Williams is a punch-throwing machine, and his first-round KO of Carlos Quintana showed that he's not as slappy as some have suggested. Berto is a certifiable badass who is ready to step up and face tougher foes.
Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye
You know Haye actually has this in mind as his actual goal. He could be the shot in the arm the heavyweight division needs, but he's yet to prove himself against the big boys. Meanwhile, Wlad's recent fights haven't exactly been scintillating, but perhaps he just needs the right challenge to find the champion's heart inside him. Or maybe I'm just a hopeless optimist.
Chris John vs. Israel Vazquez
It's a running joke on this site that I have never seen John fight. There's a good reason for that, as I don't get too many boxing feeds from Indonesia. My gut tells me he can't possibly be a total stiff, as he does have wins over Derrick Gainer and Juan Manuel Marquez, though the latter is rumored to be due at least partly to some home cooking. In any case, if The Dragon ever wanted to test himself on this side of the world, may I suggest Vazquez? With his power, offensive skill and heart, he'd make sure we all know exactly what John is made of.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Nate Campbell
Manny is an easy choice as my favorite fighter since I'm Filipino on my mom's side. Oh yeah, it doesn't hurt that he's the best boxer active in the sport right now. Campbell put on a tremendous performance when he beat Juan Diaz that really opened my eyes. He's also a great success story overdue for a nice payday, which he'd get if he fought Pacman.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Edwin Valero
This was actually discussed as a possibility before Pacman moved up to much bigger and financially better things by signing to face Oscar De La Hoya. From a purist's standpoint, this bout would be a lot more aesthetically pleasing, pitting the pound-for-pound king against Dougie Fischer's favorite son, an internet legend who has knocked out every foe he's faced thus far. Potentially explosive? I would say so.
Roy Jones Jr. vs. Anderson Silva
Before UFC head honcho Dana White put the kibosh on this idea, I was pretty excited to see if it would actually happen. Silva is considered by many to be MMA's most talented fighter, and his striking skills are something to watch. Still, I wonder about how even The Spider would fare against a top notch boxer -especially defensively - and Jones has enough gas left in the tank for us to find out. This fight would also do amazing business at the gate and on pay-per-view, with Jones still a draw among casual fans and Silva continuing to be built up by the UFC.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley
This appears to be a violation of my self-imposed weight rule, but Manny is going up to welterweight to face De La Hoya, so I'm letting it slide on a technicality. This is strictly a personal pick, as these two men have been my favorite boxers since my brother Uatu first got me into the sport. Mosley is obviously bigger and hits pretty hard even at 147, but he's also older than Manny and has lost at least a half-step. If Manny was going to take a big step up in weight, this is the fight I'd rather see.
While I'm not going to hold my breath for that to happen, it doesn't mean a boy can't dream. So I thought to myself, "Self, if you had ultimate power over boxing, meaning money and politics were out of the way, who would you most like to see fight?"
To make it a little more interesting, I limited myself to first-time meeting - no sequels. I mean, no one would mind seeing Marquez-Vazquez IV, but it's not really exercising your brain to come up with that one. Also, even though jumping up or down multiple weight classes is all the rage right now, I'm a firm believer that there are plenty of good fights to be made at most weight without resorting to that nonsense, so I imposed a limit of one class up or down when matching fighters.
Since this is my list, I naturally picked fighters who I enjoy watching. But I did throw a couple in I don't care for if I thought they could be paired with someone to make an especially compelling storyline or style matchup.
In no particular order, here are 10 fights I'd like to see. With any luck, at least some of them will actually get made.
Antonio Margarito vs. Floyd Mayweather
I wouldn't consider myself a Floyd hater, but I'm also not his biggest fan. His immense skill can't be questioned, but the quality of his opposition is just suspect enough that I'll always wonder if he was as good as it seemed he was. I expect him to come out of retirement, but not to take this fight - which is the only one I'm really interested to see him take. If he would beat the Tijuana Tornado, I'd consider all questions answered, because Margarito would test him.
Kelly Pavlik vs. Arthur Abraham
History has shown that it's wise to be at least a little skeptical when it comes to boxers who rack up impressive records fighting only in Europe. Abraham falls into that category, but he does have some wins on his resume (Kingsley Ikeke and Howard Eastman, for instance) that are legit, and he definitely proved something by putting a beating on Edison Miranda this summer. He deserves a shot at Pavlik, and only the fact that he's not that well known in the U.S. - and thus wouldn't sell too well - is keeping it from happening.
Chad Dawson vs. Tavoris Cloud
Though separated by only a year, Dawson has been in with much tougher competition so far, and Cloud may not be ready for this just yet. But Bad Chad is in a division with primarily older contenders, and eventually he'll need new challenges. Dawson has a well-rounded set of skills, and Cloud is a beast who is looking for the knockout every time out. This would be a fun fight for fans.
Paul Williams vs. Andre Berto
Here are two more young lions who would almost guarantee fireworks if they faced off. Williams is a punch-throwing machine, and his first-round KO of Carlos Quintana showed that he's not as slappy as some have suggested. Berto is a certifiable badass who is ready to step up and face tougher foes.
Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye
You know Haye actually has this in mind as his actual goal. He could be the shot in the arm the heavyweight division needs, but he's yet to prove himself against the big boys. Meanwhile, Wlad's recent fights haven't exactly been scintillating, but perhaps he just needs the right challenge to find the champion's heart inside him. Or maybe I'm just a hopeless optimist.
Chris John vs. Israel Vazquez
It's a running joke on this site that I have never seen John fight. There's a good reason for that, as I don't get too many boxing feeds from Indonesia. My gut tells me he can't possibly be a total stiff, as he does have wins over Derrick Gainer and Juan Manuel Marquez, though the latter is rumored to be due at least partly to some home cooking. In any case, if The Dragon ever wanted to test himself on this side of the world, may I suggest Vazquez? With his power, offensive skill and heart, he'd make sure we all know exactly what John is made of.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Nate Campbell
Manny is an easy choice as my favorite fighter since I'm Filipino on my mom's side. Oh yeah, it doesn't hurt that he's the best boxer active in the sport right now. Campbell put on a tremendous performance when he beat Juan Diaz that really opened my eyes. He's also a great success story overdue for a nice payday, which he'd get if he fought Pacman.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Edwin Valero
This was actually discussed as a possibility before Pacman moved up to much bigger and financially better things by signing to face Oscar De La Hoya. From a purist's standpoint, this bout would be a lot more aesthetically pleasing, pitting the pound-for-pound king against Dougie Fischer's favorite son, an internet legend who has knocked out every foe he's faced thus far. Potentially explosive? I would say so.
Roy Jones Jr. vs. Anderson Silva
Before UFC head honcho Dana White put the kibosh on this idea, I was pretty excited to see if it would actually happen. Silva is considered by many to be MMA's most talented fighter, and his striking skills are something to watch. Still, I wonder about how even The Spider would fare against a top notch boxer -especially defensively - and Jones has enough gas left in the tank for us to find out. This fight would also do amazing business at the gate and on pay-per-view, with Jones still a draw among casual fans and Silva continuing to be built up by the UFC.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley
This appears to be a violation of my self-imposed weight rule, but Manny is going up to welterweight to face De La Hoya, so I'm letting it slide on a technicality. This is strictly a personal pick, as these two men have been my favorite boxers since my brother Uatu first got me into the sport. Mosley is obviously bigger and hits pretty hard even at 147, but he's also older than Manny and has lost at least a half-step. If Manny was going to take a big step up in weight, this is the fight I'd rather see.
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