Poor Nate Campbell. The Galaxxy Warrior may seriously be the unluckiest man in boxing.
Or at least he's been up for that honor over the last 18 months. Since his thrilling lightweight title win against Juan Diaz in March 2008, little has gone right for him.
His first title defense was supposed to be against Joan Guzman, but his foe failed to make weight and then refused to fight at all. Nate claims that cost him $400,000, and he subsequently filed for bankruptcy.
This February, he was ready to put his titles up against Ali Funeka, but he didn't make weight and lost his belts on the scale. Granted, that was bad luck of his own making, but still. At least he (barely) won that fight.
That brings us to this past Saturday and his bout with 140-pound titleholder Timothy Bradley. The record reflects that he suffered a third-round TKO, but it sure didn't look that way to these eyes.
At issue was a nasty cut Campbell suffered near his left eye early in the third round. Replays backed up Nate's version of the story, which is that he suffered it after an accidental clash of heads. The ref thought otherwise, Bradley spent the rest of the round beating on Campbell, and the fight was stopped before the fourth.
It's probably impossible to know for sure if the headbutt caused the cut, but my brother Uatu said something at dinner last night that was very true: in the hundreds of fights we've both watched, it's not too often a cut like Campbell's gets opened up by a punch.
Campbell's team will certainly appeal, and as Dougie Fischer wrote after the fight, there's probably some chance the loss could get changed to a no decision. During his angry post-fight interview, Nate seemed more upset about the TKO loss going on his record than anything else.
I'm hoping the decision is reversed, as Campbell is no spring chicken at 37 and is running out of time and chances. He's been too much fun to watch in the ring to have his career peter out like this.
Even if Campbell gets his wish, he may not get a rematch with Bradley. Gary Shaw sure didn't sound too anxious to do it when asked by Jim Gray after the match.
And maybe we don't need to see one anyway. Bradley won all three rounds and may have just cruised to an easy decision if not for the cut. I'm not quite as high on Desert Storm as some people, but you have to hand it to him for continuing to get it done.
After seeing all of his fights in 2008 and 2009, my opinion of Bradley hasn't changed. He's not elite in any one area, but he's good enough at everything that he has no obvious weaknesses to exploit.
He has quick hands but not the highlight film speed of a Manny Pacquiao. He's defensively aware but not a master like Bernard Hopkins. And he clearly doesn't have a ton of one-punch power, but he's no slapper and can get opponents' attention with head or body shots.
One thing I do agree with is Bradley's self-assessment that he can move all day. His footwork was excellent on Saturday and he always comes into fights in tremendous shape.
It's still just a little hard for me to think of Bradley as the top dog in his division, but with the old guard at 140 fading away and Pacquiao just passing through, maybe he is. You can't argue with his results.
Bradley may have some other young guys to match up with him over the next few years (Lamont Peterson, Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana come to mind), and one of them could be the winner of Saturday's co-feature. Devon Alexander faced a stiff test in Junior Witter and passed it with flying colors.
Yes, Witter claimed after the fight that he had injured his hand during the fight, leading to a strange stoppage. And the fans weren't too pleased with what they were seeing either.
But let's face it: there aren't many fighters trickier to face than Witter. The Brit has one of the most unusual fighting styles around, leaping in to punch and quickly grabbing to avoid counter shots. He also constantly switches stances from orthodox to southpaw and back.
Alexander showed a lot of patience when presented with that puzzle, picking his spots well. He caught Witter with a few hooks and straight lefts that did some damage, and he seemed to be growing in confidence as the fight went on.
He should certainly be right in the mix at junior welterweight, and could very well end up as serious competition for Bradley after another fight or two.
Posted by The Franchise
Showing posts with label nate campbell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nate campbell. Show all posts
3.8.09
1.8.09
Timothy Bradley v. Nate Campbell: Round by Round
Before the main event, Showtime plays a preview of the super middleweight "Super Six World Boxing Classic" with interviews with the six fighters.
It looks like the fighters are about to make their way to the ring. Campbell, wearing an Arturo Gatti shirt and Vernon Forrest hat, is dedicating his fight to both of the late fighters.
Now Showtime kills some time and shows a feature of each fighter's past. It should probably get up and running in about 10-15 minutes.
Nate Campbell makes his way to the ring first and he's coming out to Gatti's anthem, "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. The crowd gives him a lot of boos.
Timothy Bradley follows. He has the live rapper Darren L. Hughes rapping during his entrance. There are a lot of boos for him too but it sounds like the crowd is more for Bradley.
The tale of the tape shows that Campbell has a 2 1/2 inch advantage in reach. Campbell said that he's going to do his best to use that to his advantage. During the intros, Campbell faces plenty of boos from the crowd. He nods to acknowledge them.
Alright it's time for the fight.
Round 1
Campbell starts the action first, establishing the jab. Bradley uses the jab, but Campbell's crafty defense picks them off. Campbell misses with an overhand right. The commentators comment that Campbell looks dry to start the fight. Bradley lands a body shot and just misses to the head. Campbell is talking a lot in the ring. Bradley goes to the body and Campbell laughs and shakes his head. Bradley lands a great counter to the head. Nate goes back to the jab. Campbell gets inside and Bradley ties him up. Bradley lands some body shots at the end of the round. Close first round.
Spartan117: 10-9 Bradley
Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Round 2
Campbell comes forward again. Bradley's speed gets the best of Nate again upstairs. The ref stops the action and tells the fighters to watch their heads. Bradley is doing a lot of backing up. Campbell gets Bradley against the ropes and lets loose. Bradley blocks most of it. Bradley seems to be holding one of Nate's arms. Campbell lands a jab followed with a right. Bradley keeps throwing the jab. Another close round.
Spartan117: 10-9 Bradley
Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Round 3
Campbell grazes a right hand at the start. Campbell complains to the ref about a headbutt, but Bradley gets Campbell in the corner and lets his hands go. The crowd is on its feet as a Bradley chant starts. A cut opens up over the left eye of Campbell. My guess is its from a clash of heads. The blood is pouring into Nate's eye. Bradley's hand speed is way faster than Campbell's. Bradley is jabbing away at that eye. Campbell is in trouble late into the round against the ropes. It looks like Campbell might go down. He's complaining to his corner that he can't see because of the cut.
Spartan117: 10-9 Bradley
Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Campbell stops the fight and says that he can't see. The fight should absolutely be a no-decision. The replay shows that the cut was opened by an accidental headbutt. Bradley seems to think he has won, but there hasn't been an official ruling yet. The commentators agree that the replay shows a headbutt right before the cut opens, and it should be a no-decision.
The winner by TKO at the end of Round 3... and still WBO light welterweight titleholder... Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley.
They interview the referee first. He says that he believes the punch right after the clash of heads opened up the cut.
Bradley is interviewed now. He thanks God. Bradley says he doesn't know what happened. He knew there was a clash of heads but wasn't sure when the cut opened. They stop the interview to talk to Campbell before he heads to the hospital. Nate is furious and rightfully so. They show the replay; Nate yells that this decision is "clearly wrong". He says, "This isn't about politics any more. It's about what is right and what is wrong." He asks Bradley to "be a man and stand up for what is right."
Bradley is asked if the right decision was made. After a long pause, he says he doesn't know. Don King grabs the mic now and yells about the missed call. There is talk of a rematch now. Bradley's corner says that if the money is right and Showtime buys it, they will. Bradley says that Campbell was going to lose anyway and he was getting older and older in the ring.
Well, it's been a night of wild ending. The wrong decision was made tonight in the main event and I hope we haven't seen the last of Campbell because of this lapse in judgement from the ref.
Posted by spartan117
It looks like the fighters are about to make their way to the ring. Campbell, wearing an Arturo Gatti shirt and Vernon Forrest hat, is dedicating his fight to both of the late fighters.
Now Showtime kills some time and shows a feature of each fighter's past. It should probably get up and running in about 10-15 minutes.
Nate Campbell makes his way to the ring first and he's coming out to Gatti's anthem, "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. The crowd gives him a lot of boos.
Timothy Bradley follows. He has the live rapper Darren L. Hughes rapping during his entrance. There are a lot of boos for him too but it sounds like the crowd is more for Bradley.
The tale of the tape shows that Campbell has a 2 1/2 inch advantage in reach. Campbell said that he's going to do his best to use that to his advantage. During the intros, Campbell faces plenty of boos from the crowd. He nods to acknowledge them.
Alright it's time for the fight.
Round 1
Campbell starts the action first, establishing the jab. Bradley uses the jab, but Campbell's crafty defense picks them off. Campbell misses with an overhand right. The commentators comment that Campbell looks dry to start the fight. Bradley lands a body shot and just misses to the head. Campbell is talking a lot in the ring. Bradley goes to the body and Campbell laughs and shakes his head. Bradley lands a great counter to the head. Nate goes back to the jab. Campbell gets inside and Bradley ties him up. Bradley lands some body shots at the end of the round. Close first round.
Spartan117: 10-9 Bradley
Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Round 2
Campbell comes forward again. Bradley's speed gets the best of Nate again upstairs. The ref stops the action and tells the fighters to watch their heads. Bradley is doing a lot of backing up. Campbell gets Bradley against the ropes and lets loose. Bradley blocks most of it. Bradley seems to be holding one of Nate's arms. Campbell lands a jab followed with a right. Bradley keeps throwing the jab. Another close round.
Spartan117: 10-9 Bradley
Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Round 3
Campbell grazes a right hand at the start. Campbell complains to the ref about a headbutt, but Bradley gets Campbell in the corner and lets his hands go. The crowd is on its feet as a Bradley chant starts. A cut opens up over the left eye of Campbell. My guess is its from a clash of heads. The blood is pouring into Nate's eye. Bradley's hand speed is way faster than Campbell's. Bradley is jabbing away at that eye. Campbell is in trouble late into the round against the ropes. It looks like Campbell might go down. He's complaining to his corner that he can't see because of the cut.
Spartan117: 10-9 Bradley
Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Campbell stops the fight and says that he can't see. The fight should absolutely be a no-decision. The replay shows that the cut was opened by an accidental headbutt. Bradley seems to think he has won, but there hasn't been an official ruling yet. The commentators agree that the replay shows a headbutt right before the cut opens, and it should be a no-decision.
The winner by TKO at the end of Round 3... and still WBO light welterweight titleholder... Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley.
They interview the referee first. He says that he believes the punch right after the clash of heads opened up the cut.
Bradley is interviewed now. He thanks God. Bradley says he doesn't know what happened. He knew there was a clash of heads but wasn't sure when the cut opened. They stop the interview to talk to Campbell before he heads to the hospital. Nate is furious and rightfully so. They show the replay; Nate yells that this decision is "clearly wrong". He says, "This isn't about politics any more. It's about what is right and what is wrong." He asks Bradley to "be a man and stand up for what is right."
Bradley is asked if the right decision was made. After a long pause, he says he doesn't know. Don King grabs the mic now and yells about the missed call. There is talk of a rematch now. Bradley's corner says that if the money is right and Showtime buys it, they will. Bradley says that Campbell was going to lose anyway and he was getting older and older in the ring.
Well, it's been a night of wild ending. The wrong decision was made tonight in the main event and I hope we haven't seen the last of Campbell because of this lapse in judgement from the ref.
Posted by spartan117
Bradley-Campbell and Witter-Alexander: Live Round By Round Updates Tonight
It seems like forever since we've had a chance to watch a good card on a Saturday night, but the wait is over tonight thanks to a pair of youth-versus-experience bouts on Showtime. Timothy Bradley and Nate Campbell square off for Bradley's WBO 140-pound belt in the main event, while Devon Alexander steps up to take on Junior Witter in the co-feature.
If you can't watch the fights tonight, no worries. Simply bookmark our main page and follow along with live round by round updates from myself and Spartan117.
The action is scheduled to begin shortly after 9 pm Eastern time tonight. See you there... er, here.
Posted by The Franchise
If you can't watch the fights tonight, no worries. Simply bookmark our main page and follow along with live round by round updates from myself and Spartan117.
The action is scheduled to begin shortly after 9 pm Eastern time tonight. See you there... er, here.
Posted by The Franchise
30.7.09
Timothy Bradley vs. Nate Campbell, Junior Witter vs. Devon Alexander: Predictions
The Franchise says...
Showtime has the buzz right now in boxing because of its super middleweight tournament - and rightfully so - but there's some interesting action outside that division this Saturday night. It's youth versus experience times two in a pair of title matches.
The main event sees Timothy Bradley put his WBO light welterweight belt on the line against Nate Campbell. Desert Storm has made two successful defenses of his title since lifting it from Junior Witter in May 2008, and he'll be fighting as the champ for the first time in his home state of California.
I've seen Bradley's last three fights and my opinion of him hasn't changed. He's slightly above average in everything, but there's no part of his game that stands out as exceptional. If he was a football QB, he'd be known as one of those guys who just knows how to win games.
Campbell makes the jump to 140 having won his last five fights, though he had to gut out decisions over Juan Diaz and Ali Funeka. Nate always comes to fight and usually is better than most at figuring out tricky styles, a skill he won't need this weekend.
Though Bradley is young enough at 25 that he could still be adding new wrinkles in the ring, Campbell has him beat on boxing skills and smarts. There will be two questions the Galaxxy Warrior will have to answer, and they're both pretty big: is Father Time catching him at age 37, and will moving up in weight help or hinder his power?
My guess is that the weight will suit Campbell fine, so he'll be in there with every chance to win. Though it's possible he may fade as the young lion comes on late, I like Nate to start fast and hold on to earn a close decision.
In the co-feature, it's another bout with a similar age dynamic as 35-year old Witter takes on 22-year old Devon Alexander for the vacant WBC light welterweight strap.
Undefeated southpaw Alexander is taking a definite step up in competition, as he's been scheduled for 12 rounds just twice before. But both of those fights went the distance (including one against everyone's favorite whipping boy, DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, in January 2008), so we know he can do it.
Witter rarely leaves his native U.K. to fight, and this marks only his second appearance in the States. He's known for switching stances often and utilizes a jerky, awkward style that can make things difficult on opponents and viewers alike.
I expect Alexander to have the edge in both speed and power, so this one should come down to whether or not he's able to bring it on offense consistently. This is a tougher call than the main event, but I like the youngster's physical advantages more here, and I'm feeling Alexander staying undefeated via unanimous decision.
Posted by The Franchise
Showtime has the buzz right now in boxing because of its super middleweight tournament - and rightfully so - but there's some interesting action outside that division this Saturday night. It's youth versus experience times two in a pair of title matches.
The main event sees Timothy Bradley put his WBO light welterweight belt on the line against Nate Campbell. Desert Storm has made two successful defenses of his title since lifting it from Junior Witter in May 2008, and he'll be fighting as the champ for the first time in his home state of California.
I've seen Bradley's last three fights and my opinion of him hasn't changed. He's slightly above average in everything, but there's no part of his game that stands out as exceptional. If he was a football QB, he'd be known as one of those guys who just knows how to win games.
Campbell makes the jump to 140 having won his last five fights, though he had to gut out decisions over Juan Diaz and Ali Funeka. Nate always comes to fight and usually is better than most at figuring out tricky styles, a skill he won't need this weekend.
Though Bradley is young enough at 25 that he could still be adding new wrinkles in the ring, Campbell has him beat on boxing skills and smarts. There will be two questions the Galaxxy Warrior will have to answer, and they're both pretty big: is Father Time catching him at age 37, and will moving up in weight help or hinder his power?
My guess is that the weight will suit Campbell fine, so he'll be in there with every chance to win. Though it's possible he may fade as the young lion comes on late, I like Nate to start fast and hold on to earn a close decision.
In the co-feature, it's another bout with a similar age dynamic as 35-year old Witter takes on 22-year old Devon Alexander for the vacant WBC light welterweight strap.
Undefeated southpaw Alexander is taking a definite step up in competition, as he's been scheduled for 12 rounds just twice before. But both of those fights went the distance (including one against everyone's favorite whipping boy, DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, in January 2008), so we know he can do it.
Witter rarely leaves his native U.K. to fight, and this marks only his second appearance in the States. He's known for switching stances often and utilizes a jerky, awkward style that can make things difficult on opponents and viewers alike.
I expect Alexander to have the edge in both speed and power, so this one should come down to whether or not he's able to bring it on offense consistently. This is a tougher call than the main event, but I like the youngster's physical advantages more here, and I'm feeling Alexander staying undefeated via unanimous decision.
Posted by The Franchise
23.6.09
Belt-Go-Round: Alexander, Witter to Clash on Bradley-Campbell Undercard
There are plenty of examples of the strange and sometimes arbitrary way the titles from boxing's four sanctioning bodies float around the weight classes, but perhaps no current situation is a better illustration than what's going on with the WBC 140-pound belt.
See if you can follow along. England's Junior Witter won the strap (which was vacant at the time) back in September 2006 by beating DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley. He made two successful defenses before dropping it to Timothy Bradley last May.
Bradley won decisions over Edner Cherry and Kendall Holt since then. But he had no interest in defending against the WBC's mandatory challenger, Devon Alexander, so he was forced to give up the belt when he signed to take on Nate Campbell - no stranger to belt politics himself.
The WBC wanted to match up its top two ranked junior welterweights for the now vacant belt, which happen to be... Alexander and Witter. Oh, and just for good measure, it was recently confirmed that Alexander-Witter will be televised on Showtime on August 1 on the Bradley-Campbell undercard. Only in boxing!
For what it's worth, it sounds like an intriguing fight on paper. The young (22 years old) and undefeated Alexander is fun to watch and carries himself well outside the ring, but he hasn't beaten anyone of consequence other than Corley, everyone's favorite whipping boy.
He'll have a puzzle to solve in the form of the so-awkward-he's-fascinating Witter, who hadn't tasted defeat prior to the Bradley fight since way back in 2000 at the hands of Zab Judah. Witter is known to switch stances often, has some power and has more than twice as many pro fights under his belt, so he really should test Alexander.
I'm leaning ever so slightly at this time toward the youth of Alexander in the first fight and the skill and savvy of Campbell in the main event. But hey, if Witter and Bradley both win, maybe they can fight a rematch to reunify the WBO and WBC titles that Bradley just had until he had to vacate one.
Like I said, only in boxing...
Posted by The Franchise
See if you can follow along. England's Junior Witter won the strap (which was vacant at the time) back in September 2006 by beating DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley. He made two successful defenses before dropping it to Timothy Bradley last May.
Bradley won decisions over Edner Cherry and Kendall Holt since then. But he had no interest in defending against the WBC's mandatory challenger, Devon Alexander, so he was forced to give up the belt when he signed to take on Nate Campbell - no stranger to belt politics himself.
The WBC wanted to match up its top two ranked junior welterweights for the now vacant belt, which happen to be... Alexander and Witter. Oh, and just for good measure, it was recently confirmed that Alexander-Witter will be televised on Showtime on August 1 on the Bradley-Campbell undercard. Only in boxing!
For what it's worth, it sounds like an intriguing fight on paper. The young (22 years old) and undefeated Alexander is fun to watch and carries himself well outside the ring, but he hasn't beaten anyone of consequence other than Corley, everyone's favorite whipping boy.
He'll have a puzzle to solve in the form of the so-awkward-he's-fascinating Witter, who hadn't tasted defeat prior to the Bradley fight since way back in 2000 at the hands of Zab Judah. Witter is known to switch stances often, has some power and has more than twice as many pro fights under his belt, so he really should test Alexander.
I'm leaning ever so slightly at this time toward the youth of Alexander in the first fight and the skill and savvy of Campbell in the main event. But hey, if Witter and Bradley both win, maybe they can fight a rematch to reunify the WBO and WBC titles that Bradley just had until he had to vacate one.
Like I said, only in boxing...
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.
14.2.09
Nate Campbell vs. Ali Funeka: Round by Round
Ali Funeka is a tall dude. He's 6'1" to Nate Campbell's 5'7".
This is a battle of somewhat creative nicknames. "Rush Hour" versus "The Galaxxy Warrior"
Funeka has a fourth-round KO over Zahir Raheem to his credit. Raheem has fought some decent names here and there but his career has been inconsistent. So it's hard to say what that win means. I haven't gotten a chance to see that fight yet, so Funeka is an undiscovered country for me.
Nate, too, has been inconsistent as everyone knows. He has had good efforts against the likes of Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz and Kid Diamond and then has dropped some fights he probably should have won.
Here we go.
Round 1
Funeka kind of looks like Paul Williams in this fight. Nate is certainly moving forward and throwing extremely hard to the body. Funeka pumps the jab consistently. Nate has a good jab too. Nice right by Nate upstairs. He has pushed Funeka back to the ropes a few times. So far this has been an interesting and entertaining fight. Campbell is his usual aggressive and active self and Funeka isn't being shy either.
Uatu: Campbell 10-9
Round 2
Nate doesn't get cheated in his shots. He puts a lot of steam into his blows, body and head. Nate doing a decent job of picking off Funeka jabs as he works his way in. Funeka goes triple jab, all blocked. Nate gets in a big time right that has Funeka in some trouble. Nate chases him to the ropes. He works him back to the middle of the ring and down goes Funeka! Huge overhand rights from Nate. Bombs away. Funeka escapes.
Uatu: Campbell 10-8
Round 3
It was another huge overhand right that knocked funeka down, just like the punch that stumbled him. Bob Papa refers to the punches as "roundhouse rights," which is a good description. Funeka isn't discouraged. He is still in it to win it. He continues to jab and jab and move away. Nate gets him against the ropes and you can hear the body shots booming. There's a 1-2 from Funeka. Nate is not throwing quite as often, but when he gets in close he is ripping away. Nate has fallen in love with his big overhand and Funeka isn't having it this time. That round could have gone either way. Nate was strong in the beginning but kind of petered out.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 4
Harold Lederman likes Nate 3-0 so far. All kinds of jabs from Funeka. Nate has that good high guard though. Funeka showing a lot of movement. Nate really throwing sparingly. At this point it looks like Funeka has recovered completely. He is throwing consistently. Another big right from Nate misses. Lennox Lewis comments on Nate's lack of activity versus the high output from Funeka. There's some hard body leather from Nate. Not sure it's enough though.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 5
Four punches from Funeka that get blocked. It's strange to score this because Funeka is so active but is really getting the vast majority of his punches blocked, and Nate isn't really throwing but is keeping up the pressure. Nate continues to move forward but he keeps missing the huge right. Nate moves in to phone booth distance but doesn't get in too many before Funeka dances away. Jabs from Funeka, body shots from Nate.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 6
Nate runs right in at the bell. Campbell is starting out active. He does not want to give Funeka an inch of space. Hook to the body from Funeka. Jabs from Nate, who is moving in faster this round. Both men are in great condition. Nice jab from Nate high and then to the chest. Double right hooks to the body from Nate. He backs Funeka up. Funeka gets out with no trouble. Double hooks from Funeka. Nate is just more active and effective than the previous few rounds. I liked Nate's effort in this round. I thought he landed the more solid blows.
Uatu: Campbell 10-9
Round 7
Harold has it three rounds each and Nate up by a point. Triple jabs and changing levels from Funeka. Double jab from Funeka. Four punches from Funeka. He is looking more and more Williams-like as this goes on. He is hugely tall for his weight and all kinds of busy and mobile, and he has some decent skills to boot. There's a little more posing in this round, but Funeka stays active. Nate is having trouble this round really getting in there through Funeka's flurries. Nate gets Funeka to stumble, although it may have been a trip or stumble instead of a scattered brain wobble.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 8
Close quarters fighting in the middle of the ring. Campbell is winging away to the body. Both of these guys are in great shape. Campbell backing up a little bit now. Maybe he is setting a trap for the overhand again. Funeka doesn't take the bait and fly all the way in. He is content to throw punches from the outside. A slip, no knockdown by Funeka. Nate will not be denied. He is pressing Funeka up against the ropes. Funeka has his moments too. Another close round. Funeka throws more, Campbell probably lands harder.
Uatu: Campbell 10-9
Round 9
When they show the slo-mo replays, it looks like maybe Funeka is having more success landing than it appeared. Harold has Funeka up one at this point. I am interested to see the stats to see exactly how many punches Funeka has been throwing. Lennox wants something, anything different from Nate to switch things up. He tries the huge overhand again and Funeka does not get hit with it. Nice body shots from Funeka now. He throws a jab to get the hands up, then wings to the body like cCampbell has been doing. Max thinks Nate looks tired. Funeka threw nearly 100 punches this round.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 10
Harold has given Funeka six rounds in a row. He, too, thinks Nate is tired. Perhaps the weight struggle has taken some of the energy out of Nate. It's not like Nate has stopped throwing, it's just that Funeka is super active. Funeka does the jab and then hook to the body. They are right up against each other in the middle. Nate is trying to smother Funeka, who does look a bit crisper than Nate. Campbell is doing a lot of leaning on Funeka. Lots of jabs both ways. Nate not giving up at all. Funeka just has more in the tank, it appears.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 11
I really like both of these guys. Campbell is coming out big this round. He is raking the body and trying to hook high. Funeka does block the head shots. They are in the phone booth again. Nate is really crowding him. Funeka doing the jab and away and some spinning. Funeka has slowed but is still pretty active. Nate lands a huge right again. Funeka falls into Nate. Campbell gets out of the way and down goes Funeka again! Funeka is looking extra shaky with 45 seconds yet to play out. He is grabbing like he should. Funeka throws but he is spending a lot of time running and covering. Ten seconds to go and Funeka is shaky but gets out again. Big round for Nate!
Uatu: Campbell 10-8
Round 12
It was that same overhand right. He had continued to try it and it paid off in Round 11. I have to hand it to Campbell. He continued and continued and he got it. Funeka starts throwing. Nate lands a right. Funeka holding on. He may still be shaky. Nate is smothering him and leaning in, strafing the body with both hands. Funeka is trying to keep his guard super tight. Lots of holding. Nate gets in a right. Funeka throwing really only to keep Nate honest. He seems most concerned with surviving. Nate is really going to the body, but he looks gassed maybe too. One minute to go. Nate goes both hands to the body. Thirty seconds to go. Funeka gets off a flurry of sorts. Nate looks to move in with 10 to go. That's it.
Uatu: Campbell 10-9
That was a great fight to watch with lots of intrigue. I would watch both guys again.
Uatu scores it 114-112 Campbell. Lederman has it 113-113. The judges score it 113-113 and 115-111 and 114-112 for Campbell. The winner by majority decision... Nate "The Galaxxy Warrior" Campbell.
Nate is headed up to 140, so Funeka may indeed get a title chance again soon.
This is a battle of somewhat creative nicknames. "Rush Hour" versus "The Galaxxy Warrior"
Funeka has a fourth-round KO over Zahir Raheem to his credit. Raheem has fought some decent names here and there but his career has been inconsistent. So it's hard to say what that win means. I haven't gotten a chance to see that fight yet, so Funeka is an undiscovered country for me.
Nate, too, has been inconsistent as everyone knows. He has had good efforts against the likes of Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz and Kid Diamond and then has dropped some fights he probably should have won.
Here we go.
Round 1
Funeka kind of looks like Paul Williams in this fight. Nate is certainly moving forward and throwing extremely hard to the body. Funeka pumps the jab consistently. Nate has a good jab too. Nice right by Nate upstairs. He has pushed Funeka back to the ropes a few times. So far this has been an interesting and entertaining fight. Campbell is his usual aggressive and active self and Funeka isn't being shy either.
Uatu: Campbell 10-9
Round 2
Nate doesn't get cheated in his shots. He puts a lot of steam into his blows, body and head. Nate doing a decent job of picking off Funeka jabs as he works his way in. Funeka goes triple jab, all blocked. Nate gets in a big time right that has Funeka in some trouble. Nate chases him to the ropes. He works him back to the middle of the ring and down goes Funeka! Huge overhand rights from Nate. Bombs away. Funeka escapes.
Uatu: Campbell 10-8
Round 3
It was another huge overhand right that knocked funeka down, just like the punch that stumbled him. Bob Papa refers to the punches as "roundhouse rights," which is a good description. Funeka isn't discouraged. He is still in it to win it. He continues to jab and jab and move away. Nate gets him against the ropes and you can hear the body shots booming. There's a 1-2 from Funeka. Nate is not throwing quite as often, but when he gets in close he is ripping away. Nate has fallen in love with his big overhand and Funeka isn't having it this time. That round could have gone either way. Nate was strong in the beginning but kind of petered out.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 4
Harold Lederman likes Nate 3-0 so far. All kinds of jabs from Funeka. Nate has that good high guard though. Funeka showing a lot of movement. Nate really throwing sparingly. At this point it looks like Funeka has recovered completely. He is throwing consistently. Another big right from Nate misses. Lennox Lewis comments on Nate's lack of activity versus the high output from Funeka. There's some hard body leather from Nate. Not sure it's enough though.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 5
Four punches from Funeka that get blocked. It's strange to score this because Funeka is so active but is really getting the vast majority of his punches blocked, and Nate isn't really throwing but is keeping up the pressure. Nate continues to move forward but he keeps missing the huge right. Nate moves in to phone booth distance but doesn't get in too many before Funeka dances away. Jabs from Funeka, body shots from Nate.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 6
Nate runs right in at the bell. Campbell is starting out active. He does not want to give Funeka an inch of space. Hook to the body from Funeka. Jabs from Nate, who is moving in faster this round. Both men are in great condition. Nice jab from Nate high and then to the chest. Double right hooks to the body from Nate. He backs Funeka up. Funeka gets out with no trouble. Double hooks from Funeka. Nate is just more active and effective than the previous few rounds. I liked Nate's effort in this round. I thought he landed the more solid blows.
Uatu: Campbell 10-9
Round 7
Harold has it three rounds each and Nate up by a point. Triple jabs and changing levels from Funeka. Double jab from Funeka. Four punches from Funeka. He is looking more and more Williams-like as this goes on. He is hugely tall for his weight and all kinds of busy and mobile, and he has some decent skills to boot. There's a little more posing in this round, but Funeka stays active. Nate is having trouble this round really getting in there through Funeka's flurries. Nate gets Funeka to stumble, although it may have been a trip or stumble instead of a scattered brain wobble.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 8
Close quarters fighting in the middle of the ring. Campbell is winging away to the body. Both of these guys are in great shape. Campbell backing up a little bit now. Maybe he is setting a trap for the overhand again. Funeka doesn't take the bait and fly all the way in. He is content to throw punches from the outside. A slip, no knockdown by Funeka. Nate will not be denied. He is pressing Funeka up against the ropes. Funeka has his moments too. Another close round. Funeka throws more, Campbell probably lands harder.
Uatu: Campbell 10-9
Round 9
When they show the slo-mo replays, it looks like maybe Funeka is having more success landing than it appeared. Harold has Funeka up one at this point. I am interested to see the stats to see exactly how many punches Funeka has been throwing. Lennox wants something, anything different from Nate to switch things up. He tries the huge overhand again and Funeka does not get hit with it. Nice body shots from Funeka now. He throws a jab to get the hands up, then wings to the body like cCampbell has been doing. Max thinks Nate looks tired. Funeka threw nearly 100 punches this round.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 10
Harold has given Funeka six rounds in a row. He, too, thinks Nate is tired. Perhaps the weight struggle has taken some of the energy out of Nate. It's not like Nate has stopped throwing, it's just that Funeka is super active. Funeka does the jab and then hook to the body. They are right up against each other in the middle. Nate is trying to smother Funeka, who does look a bit crisper than Nate. Campbell is doing a lot of leaning on Funeka. Lots of jabs both ways. Nate not giving up at all. Funeka just has more in the tank, it appears.
Uatu: Funeka 10-9
Round 11
I really like both of these guys. Campbell is coming out big this round. He is raking the body and trying to hook high. Funeka does block the head shots. They are in the phone booth again. Nate is really crowding him. Funeka doing the jab and away and some spinning. Funeka has slowed but is still pretty active. Nate lands a huge right again. Funeka falls into Nate. Campbell gets out of the way and down goes Funeka again! Funeka is looking extra shaky with 45 seconds yet to play out. He is grabbing like he should. Funeka throws but he is spending a lot of time running and covering. Ten seconds to go and Funeka is shaky but gets out again. Big round for Nate!
Uatu: Campbell 10-8
Round 12
It was that same overhand right. He had continued to try it and it paid off in Round 11. I have to hand it to Campbell. He continued and continued and he got it. Funeka starts throwing. Nate lands a right. Funeka holding on. He may still be shaky. Nate is smothering him and leaning in, strafing the body with both hands. Funeka is trying to keep his guard super tight. Lots of holding. Nate gets in a right. Funeka throwing really only to keep Nate honest. He seems most concerned with surviving. Nate is really going to the body, but he looks gassed maybe too. One minute to go. Nate goes both hands to the body. Thirty seconds to go. Funeka gets off a flurry of sorts. Nate looks to move in with 10 to go. That's it.
Uatu: Campbell 10-9
That was a great fight to watch with lots of intrigue. I would watch both guys again.
Uatu scores it 114-112 Campbell. Lederman has it 113-113. The judges score it 113-113 and 115-111 and 114-112 for Campbell. The winner by majority decision... Nate "The Galaxxy Warrior" Campbell.
Nate is headed up to 140, so Funeka may indeed get a title chance again soon.
Funeka is crying in the ring. He gave a great effort. Hopefully he resurfaces.
Max interviews Nate. Nate says Funeka was tough, strong, physical, and can take a punch. His day will come. He also says Funeka used his length to keep away.
Was the weight an issue with fatigue? Nate says it was in the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds. He is going to have fun at 140.
Nate says he is hurt to have to leave the belts on the scale. He is emotional about it. Campbell is showing a lot of heart and class.
Nate Campbell is great for the sport and I am very excited about him at 140. He is exciting, he has determination, he comes in shape and he has strength and skills.
Live Boxing After Dark Round By Round Updates Tonight: Angulo-Rivera, Martinez-Cintron and Campbell-Funeka
Happy Valentine's Day! And really, what says romance more than a Boxing After Dark tripleheader featuring rising star Alfredo Angulo, a 154-pound battle between Sergio Martinez and Kermit Cintron and recently deposed former lightweight champ Nate Campbell?
If that's not your significant other's idea of a good time, may I suggest upgrading? Failing that, you can always join us here at BoxingWatchers.com, where some combination of Uatu and myself will escape from our loved ones and hit the keyboards for live round by round updates. Just remember if you're finding us through the magic of search, the updates are out on the main page, not in this post.
The fun begins shortly after 10 pm EST, and I have no idea about the order of the fights. Join us tonight and find out!
If that's not your significant other's idea of a good time, may I suggest upgrading? Failing that, you can always join us here at BoxingWatchers.com, where some combination of Uatu and myself will escape from our loved ones and hit the keyboards for live round by round updates. Just remember if you're finding us through the magic of search, the updates are out on the main page, not in this post.
The fun begins shortly after 10 pm EST, and I have no idea about the order of the fights. Join us tonight and find out!
Franchise Thoughts: Irony Abounds as Nate Campbell Loses Belts on the Scale
Nate Campbell had some harsh words for Joan Guzman after their scheduled fight last September fell apart because Guzman failed to make weight. Among other things, Campbell pointed out how unprofessional it was for a boxer to know what is expected of him and then fail to do it.
I thought Campbell was in the right to call out Guzman at the time, and you could hardly blame the guy for being a little bitter. The missed paycheck couldn't have come at a worse time for him personally, and he filed for bankruptcy shortly thereafter.
Campbell may have surrendered the moral high ground Friday, though, as he failed to make weight for his lightweight title defense against Ali Funeka. After first tipping the scales three pounds over the 135-pound limit, he tried again two hours later and had dropped only half a pound.
Unlike the Guzman fight, this one is still going forward. But it won't be a championship bout, and the Galaxxy Warrior won't even be able to call himself a champion now that the IBF and WBO have all stripped him of his titles. You have to wonder if the fight will even anchor HBO's tripleheader at this point.
It's hard to think of a boxer who's experienced a wilder range of highs and lows over the past 12 months than Campbell. He became the lightweight champion last March by earning a thrilling 12-round decision over Juan Diaz and got married later in the year. Those events were contrasted by the Guzman debacle, the bankruptcy, and now this.
Campbell has looked like his own worst enemy before, like during his 2004 loss to Robbie Peden when he was famously knocked out while showboating. He's made all the requisite comments about lessons learned in the years since then, which makes it all the more puzzling that he'd end up in a position like this just as his career finally seemed to have taken off.
Despite his missteps, Campbell has always been someone who was easy to get behind. He's been a straight shooter in interviews while coming across as a well-grounded regular guy. He's fought in a crowd-pleasing style and carried himself as someone with a strong work ethic and a real love for the game.
Those positives are now in real danger of being washed away. By failing to make weight, Campbell has not only endangered his prospects of big fights over the next year or two - no small deal since he turns 37 in a few weeks - but also made himself look unreliable and hypocritical after the way he dressed down Guzman. And to me, that's worse.
The book hasn't been closed yet on Campbell's career, but this latest turn of events sure has made it take on a gloomier tone as the pages wind down. By the looks of things, he's going to need to look in the mirror and decide for himself how badly he wants it to have a happy ending.
I thought Campbell was in the right to call out Guzman at the time, and you could hardly blame the guy for being a little bitter. The missed paycheck couldn't have come at a worse time for him personally, and he filed for bankruptcy shortly thereafter.
Campbell may have surrendered the moral high ground Friday, though, as he failed to make weight for his lightweight title defense against Ali Funeka. After first tipping the scales three pounds over the 135-pound limit, he tried again two hours later and had dropped only half a pound.
Unlike the Guzman fight, this one is still going forward. But it won't be a championship bout, and the Galaxxy Warrior won't even be able to call himself a champion now that the IBF and WBO have all stripped him of his titles. You have to wonder if the fight will even anchor HBO's tripleheader at this point.
It's hard to think of a boxer who's experienced a wilder range of highs and lows over the past 12 months than Campbell. He became the lightweight champion last March by earning a thrilling 12-round decision over Juan Diaz and got married later in the year. Those events were contrasted by the Guzman debacle, the bankruptcy, and now this.
Campbell has looked like his own worst enemy before, like during his 2004 loss to Robbie Peden when he was famously knocked out while showboating. He's made all the requisite comments about lessons learned in the years since then, which makes it all the more puzzling that he'd end up in a position like this just as his career finally seemed to have taken off.
Despite his missteps, Campbell has always been someone who was easy to get behind. He's been a straight shooter in interviews while coming across as a well-grounded regular guy. He's fought in a crowd-pleasing style and carried himself as someone with a strong work ethic and a real love for the game.
Those positives are now in real danger of being washed away. By failing to make weight, Campbell has not only endangered his prospects of big fights over the next year or two - no small deal since he turns 37 in a few weeks - but also made himself look unreliable and hypocritical after the way he dressed down Guzman. And to me, that's worse.
The book hasn't been closed yet on Campbell's career, but this latest turn of events sure has made it take on a gloomier tone as the pages wind down. By the looks of things, he's going to need to look in the mirror and decide for himself how badly he wants it to have a happy ending.
13.2.09
Predictions: Campbell-Funeka, Martinez-Cintron and Angulo-Rivera
The Franchise says...
Much as I was looking forward to seeing Ricardo Mayorga get pounded by rising star Alfredo Angulo this weekend, there's still some intrigue in HBO's Boxing After Dark tripleheader from Florida.
Lightweight champion and BoxingWatchers favorite Nate Campbell moves up to the main event, defending his belts against Ali Funeka. I don't know much about the South African, but Campbell broke him down for MaxBoxing's Steve Kim this way: tall and rangy but straightforward.
Style questions aside, Campbell's biggest obstacle could be inside his own head. He hasn't fought in almost a year, but his 2008 did include getting married, declaring bankruptcy and having his fight with Joan Guzman fall apart at the absolute last minute.
Nate says he's raring to go, so maybe he'll use the distractions as motivation a la Shane Mosley. I think he will, so I like Campbell to win by unanimous decision.
Before the main event is a 154-pound scrap between two men whose only career losses have come at the hands of the recently suspended Antonio Margarito. For Argentinian southpaw Sergio Martinez, the loss came back in 2000, which may as well have been a lifetime ago.
Kermit Cintron fell twice to Margarito, most recently to a devastating body shot last April. But now that there's at least a chance that the punch was aided by the loaded glove wraps that got the Tijuana Tornado suspended, Cintron has to be holding his head a little higher.
There are plenty of reasons to pick Martinez, including his 44-1-1 record and Cintron having to step up from his usual 147. I just can't shake the feeling that The Killer is a little bit of a different animal than most of the guys Martinez has tangled with over the last couple years, so I'll stick my neck out and pick the upset with a late-round Cintron KO.
And Angulo? He's on his third different opponent after Mayorga and Danny Perez apparently both decided it wasn't worth what they were being offered to become Perro's latest victim. It might take him a while to whittle down tough veteran Cosme Rivera - who's only been stopped once in 45 career fights - but Angulo is coming away with another knockout and continuing his ascent.
UPDATE: Viewers of Friday Night Fights found out that Campbell failed to make weight for his fight, coming in over the 135-pound limit twice. All three sanctioning bodies have stripped him of their belts, though the fight is still going forward and Funeka can claim the IBF and WBO straps if he wins.
Much as I was looking forward to seeing Ricardo Mayorga get pounded by rising star Alfredo Angulo this weekend, there's still some intrigue in HBO's Boxing After Dark tripleheader from Florida.
Lightweight champion and BoxingWatchers favorite Nate Campbell moves up to the main event, defending his belts against Ali Funeka. I don't know much about the South African, but Campbell broke him down for MaxBoxing's Steve Kim this way: tall and rangy but straightforward.
Style questions aside, Campbell's biggest obstacle could be inside his own head. He hasn't fought in almost a year, but his 2008 did include getting married, declaring bankruptcy and having his fight with Joan Guzman fall apart at the absolute last minute.
Nate says he's raring to go, so maybe he'll use the distractions as motivation a la Shane Mosley. I think he will, so I like Campbell to win by unanimous decision.
Before the main event is a 154-pound scrap between two men whose only career losses have come at the hands of the recently suspended Antonio Margarito. For Argentinian southpaw Sergio Martinez, the loss came back in 2000, which may as well have been a lifetime ago.
Kermit Cintron fell twice to Margarito, most recently to a devastating body shot last April. But now that there's at least a chance that the punch was aided by the loaded glove wraps that got the Tijuana Tornado suspended, Cintron has to be holding his head a little higher.
There are plenty of reasons to pick Martinez, including his 44-1-1 record and Cintron having to step up from his usual 147. I just can't shake the feeling that The Killer is a little bit of a different animal than most of the guys Martinez has tangled with over the last couple years, so I'll stick my neck out and pick the upset with a late-round Cintron KO.
And Angulo? He's on his third different opponent after Mayorga and Danny Perez apparently both decided it wasn't worth what they were being offered to become Perro's latest victim. It might take him a while to whittle down tough veteran Cosme Rivera - who's only been stopped once in 45 career fights - but Angulo is coming away with another knockout and continuing his ascent.
UPDATE: Viewers of Friday Night Fights found out that Campbell failed to make weight for his fight, coming in over the 135-pound limit twice. All three sanctioning bodies have stripped him of their belts, though the fight is still going forward and Funeka can claim the IBF and WBO straps if he wins.
31.12.08
BoxingWatchers.com 2008 Fight of the Year: Vazquez-Marquez III
Even without them sitting beside me right now, I'm fairly certain the other BoxingWatchers would agree with me that 2008 was a pretty good year to be a fan of the sport. Plenty of fights between big name fighters came together - including one most thought laughable at the beginning of the year - and more than a handful of fights between lesser known boxers turned out to be well worth watching.
Not all of the marquee match-ups were sequels, as we got to see Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto, Bernard Hopkins and Kelly Pavlik, and, yes, Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya go at it for the first time. But when it came time to vote for our Fight of the Year, it was the third chapter in the thrilling trilogy between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez that came out on top.
If you watched and enjoyed the first two fights in the series, you were undoubtedly excited for Round Three - and maybe a little concerned that it wouldn't live up to what had come before since the bar had been set so high. As it happened, there was no reason to worry.
Part of the reason was that the styles of the two fighters suited each other so well. Marquez was a better technician and Vazquez had more power, but the differences were small. As we knew from the first two bouts, both men had plenty of heart and stamina, were willing to trade and had enough holes on defense to ensure many punches would land.
The rounds unfolded in breathtaking fashion. Both fighters had their moments, and yet both found themselves on the canvas.
What set it apart from other skillful, competitive fights in 2008 was the last-minute drama, as Vazquez scored a late knockdown that literally won him the fight. And there was even just a pinch of controversy, though it was the kind that led to discussion, not the kind that made you feel the loser got hosed.
In short, it was the proverbial fight that had everything. Here's hoping 2009 gives us another fight like that... even if it has to be Vazquez-Marquez IV.
Reader Picks: The readers also went with Vazquez-Marquez III, giving it 55 percent of the vote. Pacquiao-J.M. Marquez II came in a strong second with 30 percent.
Also receiving some love were Cotto-Margarito and Diaz-Campbell, and it's hard to argue that those were both offensive showcases.
Somewhat surprisingly, Holt-Torres II got no votes despite featuring what was absolutely the craziest single round of 2008. I also thought Cunningham-Adamek would get some support. Though I didn't feel it quite lived up to Fight of the Year status, it was an excellent scrap and was fresher in the minds of fans since it was fought near the end of the year.
Not all of the marquee match-ups were sequels, as we got to see Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto, Bernard Hopkins and Kelly Pavlik, and, yes, Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya go at it for the first time. But when it came time to vote for our Fight of the Year, it was the third chapter in the thrilling trilogy between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez that came out on top.
If you watched and enjoyed the first two fights in the series, you were undoubtedly excited for Round Three - and maybe a little concerned that it wouldn't live up to what had come before since the bar had been set so high. As it happened, there was no reason to worry.
Part of the reason was that the styles of the two fighters suited each other so well. Marquez was a better technician and Vazquez had more power, but the differences were small. As we knew from the first two bouts, both men had plenty of heart and stamina, were willing to trade and had enough holes on defense to ensure many punches would land.
The rounds unfolded in breathtaking fashion. Both fighters had their moments, and yet both found themselves on the canvas.
What set it apart from other skillful, competitive fights in 2008 was the last-minute drama, as Vazquez scored a late knockdown that literally won him the fight. And there was even just a pinch of controversy, though it was the kind that led to discussion, not the kind that made you feel the loser got hosed.
In short, it was the proverbial fight that had everything. Here's hoping 2009 gives us another fight like that... even if it has to be Vazquez-Marquez IV.
Reader Picks: The readers also went with Vazquez-Marquez III, giving it 55 percent of the vote. Pacquiao-J.M. Marquez II came in a strong second with 30 percent.
Also receiving some love were Cotto-Margarito and Diaz-Campbell, and it's hard to argue that those were both offensive showcases.
Somewhat surprisingly, Holt-Torres II got no votes despite featuring what was absolutely the craziest single round of 2008. I also thought Cunningham-Adamek would get some support. Though I didn't feel it quite lived up to Fight of the Year status, it was an excellent scrap and was fresher in the minds of fans since it was fought near the end of the year.
4.10.08
More Interesting News: Nate Campbell Declares Bankruptcy
Nate Campbell is one of the best and most exciting fighters in the world regardless of weight and one of the BoxingWatchers' favorite fighters. So Uatu is going to look at this news with a glass half-full approach.
Uatu is no bankruptcy expert, but based on what ESPN's Dan Rafael is reporting, Campbell's existing contract with Don King is currently dead. The article also reports that this means that Nate is free to sign with anyone.
There are so many great, big $ opportunities out there for Campbell, so here's hoping he cashes in big time. He is never in a bad fight. And he can beat just about anyone from 130-140, in Uatu's opinion.
Some of these are more likely than others, some bring more money than others, but here are a bunch of people that Campbell can fight and Uatu would want to see them all:
JMM
Pacquiao
Hatton
Malignaggi
Juan Diaz II
Casamayor II
Valero
Bradley
Judah
Katsidis
Soto
So whoever signs Nate Campbell, get him in the ring ASAP in a big fight. He deserves the fights, not just because he got ripped off by Joan Guzman, but because he will not disappoint when it comes to entertainment, heart, and skill.
Uatu is no bankruptcy expert, but based on what ESPN's Dan Rafael is reporting, Campbell's existing contract with Don King is currently dead. The article also reports that this means that Nate is free to sign with anyone.
There are so many great, big $ opportunities out there for Campbell, so here's hoping he cashes in big time. He is never in a bad fight. And he can beat just about anyone from 130-140, in Uatu's opinion.
Some of these are more likely than others, some bring more money than others, but here are a bunch of people that Campbell can fight and Uatu would want to see them all:
JMM
Pacquiao
Hatton
Malignaggi
Juan Diaz II
Casamayor II
Valero
Bradley
Judah
Katsidis
Soto
So whoever signs Nate Campbell, get him in the ring ASAP in a big fight. He deserves the fights, not just because he got ripped off by Joan Guzman, but because he will not disappoint when it comes to entertainment, heart, and skill.
BoxingWatchers.com Boxer Power Rankings: September 2008
Welcome to another edition of our pseudo-scientific boxer rankings. Though Uatu has distanced himself from this list in favor of his own (and perhaps he'll grace us with another update soon) this is an attempt to quantify which boxers have done the best over the last three years - in this case, from the end of September 2005 through the end of September 2008.
Though there isn't too much movement from last month, the next two months could shake up these rankings substantially as a host of boxers on the list take to the ring.
Here goes nothing...
1. David Haye - 24.15 - He'll finally start losing points at the end of this month as one of his wins will "expire." Fortunately for him, he's found an opponent for his first foray into the heavyweight division in Monte "Two Gunz" Barrett, and the two will square off in November.
2. Kelly Pavlik - 23.03 - The more I think about it, the more I dislike The Ghost's chances against Bernard Hopkins on Oct. 18. Of course, if Father Time shows up to aid Pavlik, maybe The Executioner finally goes down for the count.
3. Wladimir Klitschko - 21.00 - Wlad haters will be watching in December, because at least on paper, he's fighting someone who has a chance to beat him in undefeated Alexander Povetkin.
4. Arthur Abraham - 19.29 - King Arthur is actually fighting tonight against mandatory challenger Raul Marquez. I'm sure his people will again reach out to Pavlik's people after he wins, and they will once again respectfully decline to face him.
5. Manny Pacquiao - 17.28 - Lots of people voting on BoxingWatchers.com seem to think Manny can upset Oscar De La Hoya. I'm worried about what will happen when the much bigger Golden Boy lands the left hook.
6. Antonio Margarito - 16.00 - Right now the plan seems to be for Tony to defend his title once in the first quarter of 2009, then look for a rematch with Miguel Cotto in the summer. And once again, that will be one to watch for all real fight fans.
7. Nate Campbell - 13.67 - Currently inactive through no fault of his own after Joan Guzman pulled out of their fight. Here's hoping he can find a good fight soon.
8. Andre Berto - 13.67 - Berto doesn't score a lot of points for some of his wins under our scoring system thanks to substandard opposition, but he's racked up enough of them to make his first appearance on this list. He's still lacking a fight that definitively puts him on the map, but he's young enough that he's got plenty of time to find it.
9. Juan Diaz - 12.70 - The Baby Bull bounced back from his defeat to Campbell by beating Michael Katsidis. I wouldn't mind seeing him fight the Galaxxy Warrior again.
10. Israel Vazquez - 12.13 - Seems to be preparing for a return to the ring this coming spring. Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports suggests Jorge Arce is a possible opponent.
The next 7: Cristian Mijares, Paul Williams, Chris John, Joe Calzaghe, Chad Dawson, Miguel Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez
Though there isn't too much movement from last month, the next two months could shake up these rankings substantially as a host of boxers on the list take to the ring.
Here goes nothing...
1. David Haye - 24.15 - He'll finally start losing points at the end of this month as one of his wins will "expire." Fortunately for him, he's found an opponent for his first foray into the heavyweight division in Monte "Two Gunz" Barrett, and the two will square off in November.
2. Kelly Pavlik - 23.03 - The more I think about it, the more I dislike The Ghost's chances against Bernard Hopkins on Oct. 18. Of course, if Father Time shows up to aid Pavlik, maybe The Executioner finally goes down for the count.
3. Wladimir Klitschko - 21.00 - Wlad haters will be watching in December, because at least on paper, he's fighting someone who has a chance to beat him in undefeated Alexander Povetkin.
4. Arthur Abraham - 19.29 - King Arthur is actually fighting tonight against mandatory challenger Raul Marquez. I'm sure his people will again reach out to Pavlik's people after he wins, and they will once again respectfully decline to face him.
5. Manny Pacquiao - 17.28 - Lots of people voting on BoxingWatchers.com seem to think Manny can upset Oscar De La Hoya. I'm worried about what will happen when the much bigger Golden Boy lands the left hook.
6. Antonio Margarito - 16.00 - Right now the plan seems to be for Tony to defend his title once in the first quarter of 2009, then look for a rematch with Miguel Cotto in the summer. And once again, that will be one to watch for all real fight fans.
7. Nate Campbell - 13.67 - Currently inactive through no fault of his own after Joan Guzman pulled out of their fight. Here's hoping he can find a good fight soon.
8. Andre Berto - 13.67 - Berto doesn't score a lot of points for some of his wins under our scoring system thanks to substandard opposition, but he's racked up enough of them to make his first appearance on this list. He's still lacking a fight that definitively puts him on the map, but he's young enough that he's got plenty of time to find it.
9. Juan Diaz - 12.70 - The Baby Bull bounced back from his defeat to Campbell by beating Michael Katsidis. I wouldn't mind seeing him fight the Galaxxy Warrior again.
10. Israel Vazquez - 12.13 - Seems to be preparing for a return to the ring this coming spring. Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports suggests Jorge Arce is a possible opponent.
The next 7: Cristian Mijares, Paul Williams, Chris John, Joe Calzaghe, Chad Dawson, Miguel Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez
13.9.08
Campbell-Guzman Fight is Off
I was looking forward to doing round by round for the lightweight clash between Nate Campbell and Joan Guzman, but at the top of the Showtime telecast, it was announced that due to trouble making weight and "health issues" for Guzman, the fight has been canceled.
That leaves the Timothy Bradley-Edner Cherry fight as the centerpiece of tonight's show-not the best of circumstances for Showtime. We've been promised more details in the broadcast.
UPDATE:Guzman never made weight and did not return to the scale two hours after the initial weigh-in for a second attempt. He said through his translator last night that he's not sure how it happened-perhaps due to a supplement. Asked if it would be safe for him to fight, Guzman said he'd try to do it.
The Showtime crew repeats reports that Guzman came into camp over 30 pounds overweight, and it was decided that it wasn't safe for him to fight.
Campbell says he would have fought him overweight and he's very disappointed. He has an IBF mandatory, but he feels like he'll go back to the drawing board and doesn't care who he fights. Nate also says he doesn't have his check and he's sure that will be the next fight. He closes by saying he has nothing to say to Guzman, just that he fulfilled his end of the bargain and everyone can see what happened.
That leaves the Timothy Bradley-Edner Cherry fight as the centerpiece of tonight's show-not the best of circumstances for Showtime. We've been promised more details in the broadcast.
UPDATE:Guzman never made weight and did not return to the scale two hours after the initial weigh-in for a second attempt. He said through his translator last night that he's not sure how it happened-perhaps due to a supplement. Asked if it would be safe for him to fight, Guzman said he'd try to do it.
The Showtime crew repeats reports that Guzman came into camp over 30 pounds overweight, and it was decided that it wasn't safe for him to fight.
Campbell says he would have fought him overweight and he's very disappointed. He has an IBF mandatory, but he feels like he'll go back to the drawing board and doesn't care who he fights. Nate also says he doesn't have his check and he's sure that will be the next fight. He closes by saying he has nothing to say to Guzman, just that he fulfilled his end of the bargain and everyone can see what happened.
Live Round By Round Updates Tonight: Casamayor-Marquez, Mora-Forrest and Campbell-Guzman
With plenty of boxing on the air tonight, Spartan117 and I are pulling double duty to do live round by round updates. He'll handle the pay-per-view card that no one really wants to pay for, featuring Joel Casamayor and Juan Manuel Marquez battling for The Ring lightweight championship and Sergio Mora in a rematch with Vernon Forrest.
I'll be watching Nate Campbell and Joan Guzman attempt to untangle the other big part of the lightweight picture on Showtime. As always, if you aren't able to watch the fights on TV, bookmark BoxingWatchers.com to get fast, live updates as the action goes down.
I'll be watching Nate Campbell and Joan Guzman attempt to untangle the other big part of the lightweight picture on Showtime. As always, if you aren't able to watch the fights on TV, bookmark BoxingWatchers.com to get fast, live updates as the action goes down.
12.9.08
Predictions: Campbell-Guzman, Casamayor-Marquez, Mora-Forrest
The Franchise says...
It's a little bit of everything on the boxing schedule this Saturday with a championship bout on Showtime and a pay-per-view card - at least in the sense that viewers are being paid to watch - that kind of, sort of has two championships at stake.
In Mississippi, Nate Campbell defends his three lightweight titles against undefeated Joan Guzman, who follows in the footsteps of Manny Pacquiao by making the jump from 130 to 135. Campbell shouldn't be lacking for motivation after he won his belts in impressive fashion against Juan Diaz, who was also undefeated at the time. He's also miffed about:
1) The Ring magazine choosing to recognize the Joel Casamayor-Juan Manuel Marquez winner as the lightweight champ.
2) Getting mocked by Guzman and his people for supposedly ducking him - even though Guzman had yet to fight at lightweight - and even making fun of his recent wedding photos.
Guzman has a slick arsenal on offense and defense and comes into the bout off of two easy decision wins. He's not known for his power and Campbell proved in the Diaz fight he can take shots from anyone not named Robbie Peden, but it's possible Guzman may be able to consistently beat him to the punch.
Still, Campbell also showed adaptability during his fight with Diaz, a trait sometimes lacking in even top-notch fighters. The Galaxxy Warrior was able to get the better of the Baby Bull while standing and trading in the early rounds, then box judiciously in the second half of the fight. He's got the edge in experience and should have more power when he tracks Guzman down.
It's hard to pick against a talented undefeated fighter like Guzman, but my gut tells me Campbell will find a way to win. I'm taking Campbell to retain by decision.
As for that Casamayor-Marquez fight, it's going down at almost the same time in Las Vegas. While the card isn't too bad, the most intriguing angle may be seeing how many people actually shell out money to watch it. They're championship fighters, yes, but PPV draws? I think not.
Casamayor is especially lucky to be in this position. He deserves props for coming off the canvas to knock out Aussie slugger Michael Katsidis last time out, but many observers thought he was the beneficiary of a gift decision over Jose Armando Santa Cruz the fight before that. It's hard to count the veteran lefty out against anyone, but his record against top flight competition over the last five years or so is only about .500.
A frustrated Marquez makes his move to lightweight after his March loss to Pacquiao made him winless in two fights against Pacman, both of which were so close that he could legitimately feel he won them. He's got the edge in pure skill, so his biggest problems will be if the step up to 135 robs him of his pop or if those grueling rounds with Manny exacted a toll. Despite being Casamayor's junior by two years, he actually has a lot more miles on the odometer.
I'm not sure how many people will be watching, but this one could be interesting. The feeling here is that while you aren't exactly sure what you're going to get from Casamayor, you know JMM is going to be sharp. Joel will hang tough, but I like Marquez by late-round KO.
The co-feature in Vegas is a rematch between Sergio Mora and Vernon Forrest of a June fight that ended in a semi-surprising victory for the Latin Snake. Forrest had a hard time cornering the younger, quicker Mora for one of his trademark right hands that night, finally running into someone whose style was even trickier than his own.
Will The Viper have enough left in the tank to chase Mora around this time? He says yes, of course, but I'm not as confident. In the second battle of the snakes, I'm picking Mora to win on the scorecards again, possibly by a more comfortable margin.
Uatu says...
According to fightnews Guzman came in overweight. Much has been made of him blowing up in-between fights. He also has not fought since last November. He will not be able to knock Nate Campbell out, he will not be able to knock him down and he will not be able to hurt him. Chances are he will fight like Floyd Mayweather did in his second fight against Jose Luis Castillo. But his conditioning isn't on the same level as Floyd's, and he is not as talented as Floyd. Campbell presses the action effectively to win by decision.
Perhaps JMM has bitten off more than he can chew. Casamayor has fought much much larger opposition physically speaking. Casamayor by decision.
In a rematch of a close decision between a younger and older fighter, the move is to go with the younger guy, as he will win even more decisively. Mora by decision.
It's a little bit of everything on the boxing schedule this Saturday with a championship bout on Showtime and a pay-per-view card - at least in the sense that viewers are being paid to watch - that kind of, sort of has two championships at stake.
In Mississippi, Nate Campbell defends his three lightweight titles against undefeated Joan Guzman, who follows in the footsteps of Manny Pacquiao by making the jump from 130 to 135. Campbell shouldn't be lacking for motivation after he won his belts in impressive fashion against Juan Diaz, who was also undefeated at the time. He's also miffed about:
1) The Ring magazine choosing to recognize the Joel Casamayor-Juan Manuel Marquez winner as the lightweight champ.
2) Getting mocked by Guzman and his people for supposedly ducking him - even though Guzman had yet to fight at lightweight - and even making fun of his recent wedding photos.
Guzman has a slick arsenal on offense and defense and comes into the bout off of two easy decision wins. He's not known for his power and Campbell proved in the Diaz fight he can take shots from anyone not named Robbie Peden, but it's possible Guzman may be able to consistently beat him to the punch.
Still, Campbell also showed adaptability during his fight with Diaz, a trait sometimes lacking in even top-notch fighters. The Galaxxy Warrior was able to get the better of the Baby Bull while standing and trading in the early rounds, then box judiciously in the second half of the fight. He's got the edge in experience and should have more power when he tracks Guzman down.
It's hard to pick against a talented undefeated fighter like Guzman, but my gut tells me Campbell will find a way to win. I'm taking Campbell to retain by decision.
As for that Casamayor-Marquez fight, it's going down at almost the same time in Las Vegas. While the card isn't too bad, the most intriguing angle may be seeing how many people actually shell out money to watch it. They're championship fighters, yes, but PPV draws? I think not.
Casamayor is especially lucky to be in this position. He deserves props for coming off the canvas to knock out Aussie slugger Michael Katsidis last time out, but many observers thought he was the beneficiary of a gift decision over Jose Armando Santa Cruz the fight before that. It's hard to count the veteran lefty out against anyone, but his record against top flight competition over the last five years or so is only about .500.
A frustrated Marquez makes his move to lightweight after his March loss to Pacquiao made him winless in two fights against Pacman, both of which were so close that he could legitimately feel he won them. He's got the edge in pure skill, so his biggest problems will be if the step up to 135 robs him of his pop or if those grueling rounds with Manny exacted a toll. Despite being Casamayor's junior by two years, he actually has a lot more miles on the odometer.
I'm not sure how many people will be watching, but this one could be interesting. The feeling here is that while you aren't exactly sure what you're going to get from Casamayor, you know JMM is going to be sharp. Joel will hang tough, but I like Marquez by late-round KO.
The co-feature in Vegas is a rematch between Sergio Mora and Vernon Forrest of a June fight that ended in a semi-surprising victory for the Latin Snake. Forrest had a hard time cornering the younger, quicker Mora for one of his trademark right hands that night, finally running into someone whose style was even trickier than his own.
Will The Viper have enough left in the tank to chase Mora around this time? He says yes, of course, but I'm not as confident. In the second battle of the snakes, I'm picking Mora to win on the scorecards again, possibly by a more comfortable margin.
Uatu says...
According to fightnews Guzman came in overweight. Much has been made of him blowing up in-between fights. He also has not fought since last November. He will not be able to knock Nate Campbell out, he will not be able to knock him down and he will not be able to hurt him. Chances are he will fight like Floyd Mayweather did in his second fight against Jose Luis Castillo. But his conditioning isn't on the same level as Floyd's, and he is not as talented as Floyd. Campbell presses the action effectively to win by decision.
Perhaps JMM has bitten off more than he can chew. Casamayor has fought much much larger opposition physically speaking. Casamayor by decision.
In a rematch of a close decision between a younger and older fighter, the move is to go with the younger guy, as he will win even more decisively. Mora by decision.
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.
3.9.08
BoxingWatchers.com Boxer Power Rankings - August 2008
The dog days of summer were just that for the sport of boxing. August offered few fights of consequence among the top names, and few televised fights of any kind outside of the thoroughly unsatisfying Olympic variety.
Thus, don't expect too much movement in our monthly look at who's done the best over the last three years or so. Any risers and fallers came about primarily because of inactivity, plus a tweak I made to the point system to more properly punish boxers who get knocked out as opposed to losing by decision. Insert the usual disclaimer about how this is NOT a pound-for-pound list here.
On to the rankings:
1. David Haye - 24.15 - So, um, David. If you want to get on with making a splash in the heavyweight division, it may help if you found yourself someone to fight. Also it may help if it's someone half-decent, because the Nov. 15 date you have your eye on already has an HBO card featuring Jermain Taylor and Jeff Lacy.
2. Kelly Pavlik - 23.03 - The world is still waiting somewhat anxiously, I guess, for Pavlik to face Bernard Hopkins in October. Kelly will have to score a KO for Bernard to admit he lost, I'm sure.
3. Wladimir Klitschko - 23.00 - Wlad has nobody scheduled right now, but he's certain to be in brother Vitali's corner in October when he takes on Samuel Peter.
4. Manny Pacquiao - 20.61 - Freak show or legitimate bout? Opinions seem to be split on whether or not Pacman has a chance against the much bigger Oscar De La Hoya in December. Given Manny's skills, it's probably a mistake to count him out altogether.
5. Arthur Abraham - 19.29 - If he gets past Raul Marquez and Pavlik defeats Hopkins, will we see the world's two best middleweights square off in 2009? Here's hoping.
6. Antonio Margarito - 16.00 - I'm not sure most fans wanted to see him take on Josh Clottey again, but that appears to be what we're getting. Clottey is tough, but I wouldn't bet against the Tijuana Tornado knocking him out this time.
7. Miguel Cotto - 15.07 - No word yet on the next opponent for Cotto. I like him to bounce back against just about anyone not named Margarito.
8. Nate Campbell - 13.67 - The Ring's lightweight championship is on the line elsewhere on the same night, but the real battle for 135 supremacy is likely to be fought between Campbell and Joan Guzman on Sep. 13. There's been enough trash-talking between the two men and their camps to think it's personal as well.
9. Israel Vazquez - 12.13 - Vazquez is sliding in our poll as he's gone six months without fighting, and all still appears quiet on the Magnifico front.
10. Chris John - 11.72 - Guess what? Still haven't seen him fight.
The next 7: Cristian Mijares, Juan Diaz, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, Samuel Peter, Paul Williams, Nonito Donaire
Thus, don't expect too much movement in our monthly look at who's done the best over the last three years or so. Any risers and fallers came about primarily because of inactivity, plus a tweak I made to the point system to more properly punish boxers who get knocked out as opposed to losing by decision. Insert the usual disclaimer about how this is NOT a pound-for-pound list here.
On to the rankings:
1. David Haye - 24.15 - So, um, David. If you want to get on with making a splash in the heavyweight division, it may help if you found yourself someone to fight. Also it may help if it's someone half-decent, because the Nov. 15 date you have your eye on already has an HBO card featuring Jermain Taylor and Jeff Lacy.
2. Kelly Pavlik - 23.03 - The world is still waiting somewhat anxiously, I guess, for Pavlik to face Bernard Hopkins in October. Kelly will have to score a KO for Bernard to admit he lost, I'm sure.
3. Wladimir Klitschko - 23.00 - Wlad has nobody scheduled right now, but he's certain to be in brother Vitali's corner in October when he takes on Samuel Peter.
4. Manny Pacquiao - 20.61 - Freak show or legitimate bout? Opinions seem to be split on whether or not Pacman has a chance against the much bigger Oscar De La Hoya in December. Given Manny's skills, it's probably a mistake to count him out altogether.
5. Arthur Abraham - 19.29 - If he gets past Raul Marquez and Pavlik defeats Hopkins, will we see the world's two best middleweights square off in 2009? Here's hoping.
6. Antonio Margarito - 16.00 - I'm not sure most fans wanted to see him take on Josh Clottey again, but that appears to be what we're getting. Clottey is tough, but I wouldn't bet against the Tijuana Tornado knocking him out this time.
7. Miguel Cotto - 15.07 - No word yet on the next opponent for Cotto. I like him to bounce back against just about anyone not named Margarito.
8. Nate Campbell - 13.67 - The Ring's lightweight championship is on the line elsewhere on the same night, but the real battle for 135 supremacy is likely to be fought between Campbell and Joan Guzman on Sep. 13. There's been enough trash-talking between the two men and their camps to think it's personal as well.
9. Israel Vazquez - 12.13 - Vazquez is sliding in our poll as he's gone six months without fighting, and all still appears quiet on the Magnifico front.
10. Chris John - 11.72 - Guess what? Still haven't seen him fight.
The next 7: Cristian Mijares, Juan Diaz, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, Samuel Peter, Paul Williams, Nonito Donaire
2.8.08
BoxingWatchers.com Boxer Power Rankings: July 2008
We definitely had to wait until the month of July was completely finished to roll out updated power rankings since the Cotto-Margarito took place on the final weekend. Now we've got some movement both up and down the top 10 thanks to some big performances on the part of some boxers and inactivity on the part of others.
If you're not familiar with how our rankings work, the first thing you're going to do is look at them and say, "How the hell can Cotto be above Margarito?" Well folks, this isn't a pound-for-pound list, but a pseudo-mathematical reflection of how fighters have fared over a rolling three-year period. While Cotto is falling thanks to his KO loss, he's still faced and beaten more quality fighters in that time than Margarito - though that's not necessarily Tony's fault, since numerous potential foes wanted no part of him. The Tijuana Tornado does make his well-deserved return to this list though, and if he adds another win later this year he should continue to climb.
For now, here's how we stand at the end of July, 2008:
1. David Haye - 24.15 - I've heard from fans who want to see The Hayemaker in against Wladimir Klitschko now, but it would behoove him to get his feet wet against other heavyweights first. Still waiting to see who he'll face in November.
2. Kelly Pavlik - 23.03 - The Ghost is kind of in a no-win situation against Bernard Hopkins this fall, as The Executioner can make even someone with Pavlik's talent look bad. Hope for an exciting fight but don't be shocked if it's less than thrilling.
3. Wladimir Klitschko - 23.00 - He proved at least a little bit with his knockout of Tony Thompson. Wlad still seems awfully vulnerable for someone who aspires to be universally recognized as the heavyweight champion of the world.
4. Manny Pacquiao - 20.61 - Like Haye, Pacman has a November date in mind for his next fight but no dance partner as of yet. It remains to be seen if a bout with Oscar De La Hoya is reality or fantasy.
5. Arthur Abraham - 19.29 - Probably the guy Pavlik should be fighting, though it doesn't seem too economically appealing since King Arthur isn't well known to the general public. While he awaits his big chance, he'll stay busy taking on Raul Marquez in October.
6. Miguel Cotto - 18.07 - On top of this list just a few months ago, the proud Puerto Rican has to regroup after his punishing loss to Antonio Margarito. His next outing will tell us a lot about the size of his heart.
7. Antonio Margarito - 16.00 - The Tijuana Tornado is on top of the world and in better position than ever to have foes come to him instead of vice versa. We know for sure that he won't back down from anyone.
8. Israel Vazquez - 15.13 - Fans would love to see him back in the ring, but there still hasn't been word of an upcoming fight.
9. Chris John - 15.05 - My streak of never seeing John fight adds another month.
10. Nate Campbell - 13.67 - Has a chance to impress any lingering doubters by beating Joan Guzman in September, but the lightweight picture is as muddled as any division right now.
The next 7: Juan Diaz, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Samuel Peter, Paul Williams, Nonito Donaire
If you're not familiar with how our rankings work, the first thing you're going to do is look at them and say, "How the hell can Cotto be above Margarito?" Well folks, this isn't a pound-for-pound list, but a pseudo-mathematical reflection of how fighters have fared over a rolling three-year period. While Cotto is falling thanks to his KO loss, he's still faced and beaten more quality fighters in that time than Margarito - though that's not necessarily Tony's fault, since numerous potential foes wanted no part of him. The Tijuana Tornado does make his well-deserved return to this list though, and if he adds another win later this year he should continue to climb.
For now, here's how we stand at the end of July, 2008:
1. David Haye - 24.15 - I've heard from fans who want to see The Hayemaker in against Wladimir Klitschko now, but it would behoove him to get his feet wet against other heavyweights first. Still waiting to see who he'll face in November.
2. Kelly Pavlik - 23.03 - The Ghost is kind of in a no-win situation against Bernard Hopkins this fall, as The Executioner can make even someone with Pavlik's talent look bad. Hope for an exciting fight but don't be shocked if it's less than thrilling.
3. Wladimir Klitschko - 23.00 - He proved at least a little bit with his knockout of Tony Thompson. Wlad still seems awfully vulnerable for someone who aspires to be universally recognized as the heavyweight champion of the world.
4. Manny Pacquiao - 20.61 - Like Haye, Pacman has a November date in mind for his next fight but no dance partner as of yet. It remains to be seen if a bout with Oscar De La Hoya is reality or fantasy.
5. Arthur Abraham - 19.29 - Probably the guy Pavlik should be fighting, though it doesn't seem too economically appealing since King Arthur isn't well known to the general public. While he awaits his big chance, he'll stay busy taking on Raul Marquez in October.
6. Miguel Cotto - 18.07 - On top of this list just a few months ago, the proud Puerto Rican has to regroup after his punishing loss to Antonio Margarito. His next outing will tell us a lot about the size of his heart.
7. Antonio Margarito - 16.00 - The Tijuana Tornado is on top of the world and in better position than ever to have foes come to him instead of vice versa. We know for sure that he won't back down from anyone.
8. Israel Vazquez - 15.13 - Fans would love to see him back in the ring, but there still hasn't been word of an upcoming fight.
9. Chris John - 15.05 - My streak of never seeing John fight adds another month.
10. Nate Campbell - 13.67 - Has a chance to impress any lingering doubters by beating Joan Guzman in September, but the lightweight picture is as muddled as any division right now.
The next 7: Juan Diaz, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Samuel Peter, Paul Williams, Nonito Donaire
3.7.08
BoxingWatchers.com Boxer Power Rankings: June 2008
Yes, it's actually July now. But since June had fights all the way until the end of the month, we had to wait until the month was completely over to see how everything shook out.
Remember that this is not a pound-for-pound list (in which case Manny Pacquiao would be number one), but a reflection of how well each boxer has done over the past three years, taking into account how active he's been, how decisively he's won and the winning percentage of the opponents he's faced. Granted, that doesn't always mean the opposition is good (ahem, European boxers!), but sometimes it's the best objective measure we've got.
In any case, on with the show:
1. David Haye - 24.15 - He's got a date picked out for his heavyweight debut but no opponent as of yet. We're definitely anxious to see if he can get it done against bigger foes.
2. Kelly Pavlik - 23.03 - Put on a clinic against Gary Lockett, for what it's worth. The Ghost is well on his way to becoming one of the sport's biggest stars.
3. Miguel Cotto - 22.07 - It seems like it's taking forever, but his showdown with Antonio Margarito is almost here. Gather your friends for that one and show them what boxing is all about.
4. Arthur Abraham - 20.96 - Answered some questions in his rematch with Edison Miranda. Unless Pavlik moves up in weight, their paths should cross some time in 2009.
5. Manny Pacquiao - 20.61 - Pacman easily handled his first fight at 135. If he faces Edwin Valero later this year, it could redefine the term "explosive."
6. Wladimir Klitschko - 19.00 - Wlad's fight with Tony Thompson comes on in the afternoon here in the Eastern U.S. So I guess I should thank him for giving me something to do on a Saturday afternoon.
7. Israel Vazquez - 15.13 - Still no word on the next fight for Magnifico.
8. Chris John - 15.05 - Every month that goes by adds to my streak of not seeing John fight.
9. Nate Campbell - 13.67 - I'll be kind of conflicted in September. The Galaxxy Warrior has become a BoxingWatchers favorite, but I'm a fan of Joan Guzman too.
10. Juan Diaz - 12.87 - The Baby Bull also returns to action in September. His fight with Michael Katsidis should be entertaining.
The next 7: Antonio Margarito, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, Samuel Peter, Cristian Mijares, Nonito Donaire, Paul Williams
Remember that this is not a pound-for-pound list (in which case Manny Pacquiao would be number one), but a reflection of how well each boxer has done over the past three years, taking into account how active he's been, how decisively he's won and the winning percentage of the opponents he's faced. Granted, that doesn't always mean the opposition is good (ahem, European boxers!), but sometimes it's the best objective measure we've got.
In any case, on with the show:
1. David Haye - 24.15 - He's got a date picked out for his heavyweight debut but no opponent as of yet. We're definitely anxious to see if he can get it done against bigger foes.
2. Kelly Pavlik - 23.03 - Put on a clinic against Gary Lockett, for what it's worth. The Ghost is well on his way to becoming one of the sport's biggest stars.
3. Miguel Cotto - 22.07 - It seems like it's taking forever, but his showdown with Antonio Margarito is almost here. Gather your friends for that one and show them what boxing is all about.
4. Arthur Abraham - 20.96 - Answered some questions in his rematch with Edison Miranda. Unless Pavlik moves up in weight, their paths should cross some time in 2009.
5. Manny Pacquiao - 20.61 - Pacman easily handled his first fight at 135. If he faces Edwin Valero later this year, it could redefine the term "explosive."
6. Wladimir Klitschko - 19.00 - Wlad's fight with Tony Thompson comes on in the afternoon here in the Eastern U.S. So I guess I should thank him for giving me something to do on a Saturday afternoon.
7. Israel Vazquez - 15.13 - Still no word on the next fight for Magnifico.
8. Chris John - 15.05 - Every month that goes by adds to my streak of not seeing John fight.
9. Nate Campbell - 13.67 - I'll be kind of conflicted in September. The Galaxxy Warrior has become a BoxingWatchers favorite, but I'm a fan of Joan Guzman too.
10. Juan Diaz - 12.87 - The Baby Bull also returns to action in September. His fight with Michael Katsidis should be entertaining.
The next 7: Antonio Margarito, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, Samuel Peter, Cristian Mijares, Nonito Donaire, Paul Williams
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