Oscar looked to be in decent shape. No blow up in weight. He looked young and healthy.
Lopez started with some jokes about Oscar making the fights female friendly.
Oscar told an anecdote about him fighting in Texas and the crazy women. It was a sloppy segue. Obviously a fed set up from Lopez. The story said that Oscar took a path around an arena he wasn't supposed to and bras were flying everywhere. The punch line involved was that one of the bras was the size of a parachute.
Lopez complemented Oscar for remaining humble "and not throwing money at the camera." A dig at our friend Money Mayweather I imagine.
Oscar told the story about how he carries a food stamp in his wallet. Oscar said "shit," which I guess is a surprise on TBS even after 11 pm, at least to me.
Oscar was loose going into the commercial break. He was actually much more natural and in the flow than usual. He tends to sound extremely over-rehearsed when he does his promoter's spiel at the dais. Here he wasn't as robotic.
And we're back.
They showed some of Oscar's knockout highlights leading back to the show.
Lopez told a joke about Oscar fighting and complimenting him for making so much money.
Oscar announced he is coming back to fight again. He said both the place and date have been picked out. And he's fighting....Erik Estrada! Oscar isn't the world's greatest actor but it was all in fun.
Oscar did his Shaq impersonation. He told the story of "Shaq Versus." He said Shaq is a great athlete, strong, and Shaq tried hard against him, and Oscar was very sore afterward.
They moved onto Manny Pacquiao and Mayweather. Oscar said it has to happen, but it's up to Mayweather and he's his own boss.
Next up was a segment at Justin Timberlake's golf tourney, and Justin was on as well as Alfonso Riberio. I know who he is, do you? There were some sight gags; Anthony Kim was involved.
They made some weigh-in jokes and some other stuff. It wasn't horrible. Lopez is a funny guy, but this material was pretty light and not too edgy. And that was it.
I give Oscar a solid B.
Posted by uatu
Showing posts with label oscar de la hoya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oscar de la hoya. Show all posts
12.8.09
Klitschko Brothers and Oscar De La Hoya Coming for Fight Night Round 4... for a Price
Gamers, you'll soon get a chance to use two of the heavyweight titleholders and the biggest pay-per-view draw of all time in Fight Night Round 4. But only if you're willing to pony up a little dough.
First pointed out to be via Twitter by Tim Starks of The Queensberry Rules, EA Sports has announced that Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko and Oscar De La Hoya, along with alternate versions of George Foreman and James Toney (skinnier ones, perhaps?) will be available in a few weeks through Xbox Live and the Playstation Network.
Alas, while I'm sure I will enjoy beating up on... um, playing as all three of those boxers, I also have to share Tim's reaction ("Noooo.") to the news that the update will cost 800 Microsoft Points or $9.99 for PS3. I'm looking forward to seeing more current boxers released - Andre Berto has already suggested he'll be in the game, pun intended - but EA better not expect us to fork over $10 for every three fighters. That is balls any way you look at it.
I'm actually even more interested in the free download also coming later this month, which will allow the mapping of punches to the controller buttons, a feature which was included in the previous Fight Night but so far absent from this release. It's not that I don't appreciate the beauty of the Total Punch Control scheme, but the training mini-game that requires specific combos is so unforgiving it makes me want to hurl my controller at the TV. If for no other reason than that, thanks EA, for saving me money on new wireless controllers.
Posted by The Franchise
First pointed out to be via Twitter by Tim Starks of The Queensberry Rules, EA Sports has announced that Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko and Oscar De La Hoya, along with alternate versions of George Foreman and James Toney (skinnier ones, perhaps?) will be available in a few weeks through Xbox Live and the Playstation Network.
Alas, while I'm sure I will enjoy beating up on... um, playing as all three of those boxers, I also have to share Tim's reaction ("Noooo.") to the news that the update will cost 800 Microsoft Points or $9.99 for PS3. I'm looking forward to seeing more current boxers released - Andre Berto has already suggested he'll be in the game, pun intended - but EA better not expect us to fork over $10 for every three fighters. That is balls any way you look at it.
I'm actually even more interested in the free download also coming later this month, which will allow the mapping of punches to the controller buttons, a feature which was included in the previous Fight Night but so far absent from this release. It's not that I don't appreciate the beauty of the Total Punch Control scheme, but the training mini-game that requires specific combos is so unforgiving it makes me want to hurl my controller at the TV. If for no other reason than that, thanks EA, for saving me money on new wireless controllers.
Posted by The Franchise
29.6.09
20/20 Hindsight: When Annointing Someone the Next Big Thing Goes Awry, Plus What to Do About Arthur Abraham
In case you missed Saturday's HBO broadcast of Boxing After Dark, you owe it to yourself to catch a replay. Soon. You won't be disappointed.
Victor Ortiz and Marcos Maidana threw the concepts of feeling each other out and establishing the jab right out the window, deciding early on to just wing power shots early and often. The ensuing collision lasted six rounds, and three of them (Rounds 1, 2 and 5) made this writer yell out loud even though I was watching the fight alone.
It's not very often that you see someone get knocked down three times in the first round and come back to win by TKO, but Maidana pulled it off. Ortiz brought the more well-rounded game to the fight, but the Argentinian had more heart and the better chin. Those qualities plus a wild yet devastating right hand turned out to be enough (barely) to carry the day.
Much of the analysis over the last day or two has focused on what Ortiz did wrong, that he fought the wrong fight and caved when the going got really tough. There's definite truth in the former and perhaps in the latter as well, though it's always easy for us to demand that fighters show the willingness to get carried out on their shields from the safety of our own seats or couches.
Regardless, it was hard to listen to Ortiz's post-fight interview and not feel some sympathy for how discouraged he sounded. Here was a man suggesting that he might have to think hard about continuing his boxing career - and at all of 22 years of age and two career losses.
The unspoken context was that Ortiz felt disappointed not only in his performance, but that he had let so many other people down. This was a boxer who, despite his youth, was getting a massive push from Golden Boy Promotions to become the sport's next huge star.
It's not hard to see why. As Max Kellerman opined in the aftermath of the fight, Ortiz almost seemed too good to be true: touching personal story, skill and power in the ring, good looks, engaging and well-spoken personality. The phrase "total package" may be a cliche, but if Ortiz doesn't qualify, no one does.
Golden Boy's anxiousness is easy to see too. It's three biggest draws, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley, are all retired or headed that way. A company passing of the torch is in order soon.
Despite all that, we were reminded once again that all of the star-making plans in the world can quickly come apart in the ring. Whether it's Alfredo Angulo's lateral mobility issues or Ortiz's shaky chin, boxing can expose any flaws in its crop of young up-and-comers.
Actually, expose may not be the right word, because we're not talking about guys who are finished products. The conclusion is the same, though: in boxing, it's the results in the ring that will ultimately determine who will be the big names in the sport over the next decade.
It's definitely still possible for Ortiz to be one of those names. Maybe now the hype behind him will die down a bit and he'll be able to get back on track toward that goal with a little less pressure.
ELSEWHERE...
Arthur Abraham didn't exactly thrill the pants off of viewers with his tenth-round TKO of Mahir Oral on Saturday, but he did what he needed to do. He took his time and played defense until he figured out Oral couldn't hurt him, and he turned up the power in the middle rounds until his opponent couldn't take any more.
King Arthur also said all the right things after the fight about wanting to fight in the U.S. against Kelly Pavlik or any of a number of guys at 168, and he even showed some personality. I'm not sure if that was just for show or if his management is the problem, but it would be really nice to see Abraham in some bigger fights while he's still in his prime.
With his high guard and slow starts, he's not the most exciting fighter around, but he certainly goes for the kill when he senses an opening. He didn't deny that he's having a tough time making 160, so a fight with Pavlik would have to be made pretty quickly.
On the other hand, I can see why Team Pavlik wouldn't be chomping at the bit to put their guy in against Abraham. King Arthur has some holes, but it would take a skilled counterpuncher to best exploit them, and that's not really The Ghost's specialty. Since Abraham doesn't have the name value to help sell tickets in the States, it could seem like the risk/reward ratio just isn't there.
So we might be down to hoping Abraham agrees to fight Pavlik in Ohio or simply announces he's headed for super middleweight right away. He might not be the best boxer in the world, but he's good enough that it would be a shame to see him continue to fight in relative obscurity.
Posted by The Franchise
Victor Ortiz and Marcos Maidana threw the concepts of feeling each other out and establishing the jab right out the window, deciding early on to just wing power shots early and often. The ensuing collision lasted six rounds, and three of them (Rounds 1, 2 and 5) made this writer yell out loud even though I was watching the fight alone.
It's not very often that you see someone get knocked down three times in the first round and come back to win by TKO, but Maidana pulled it off. Ortiz brought the more well-rounded game to the fight, but the Argentinian had more heart and the better chin. Those qualities plus a wild yet devastating right hand turned out to be enough (barely) to carry the day.
Much of the analysis over the last day or two has focused on what Ortiz did wrong, that he fought the wrong fight and caved when the going got really tough. There's definite truth in the former and perhaps in the latter as well, though it's always easy for us to demand that fighters show the willingness to get carried out on their shields from the safety of our own seats or couches.
Regardless, it was hard to listen to Ortiz's post-fight interview and not feel some sympathy for how discouraged he sounded. Here was a man suggesting that he might have to think hard about continuing his boxing career - and at all of 22 years of age and two career losses.
The unspoken context was that Ortiz felt disappointed not only in his performance, but that he had let so many other people down. This was a boxer who, despite his youth, was getting a massive push from Golden Boy Promotions to become the sport's next huge star.
It's not hard to see why. As Max Kellerman opined in the aftermath of the fight, Ortiz almost seemed too good to be true: touching personal story, skill and power in the ring, good looks, engaging and well-spoken personality. The phrase "total package" may be a cliche, but if Ortiz doesn't qualify, no one does.
Golden Boy's anxiousness is easy to see too. It's three biggest draws, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley, are all retired or headed that way. A company passing of the torch is in order soon.
Despite all that, we were reminded once again that all of the star-making plans in the world can quickly come apart in the ring. Whether it's Alfredo Angulo's lateral mobility issues or Ortiz's shaky chin, boxing can expose any flaws in its crop of young up-and-comers.
Actually, expose may not be the right word, because we're not talking about guys who are finished products. The conclusion is the same, though: in boxing, it's the results in the ring that will ultimately determine who will be the big names in the sport over the next decade.
It's definitely still possible for Ortiz to be one of those names. Maybe now the hype behind him will die down a bit and he'll be able to get back on track toward that goal with a little less pressure.
ELSEWHERE...
Arthur Abraham didn't exactly thrill the pants off of viewers with his tenth-round TKO of Mahir Oral on Saturday, but he did what he needed to do. He took his time and played defense until he figured out Oral couldn't hurt him, and he turned up the power in the middle rounds until his opponent couldn't take any more.
King Arthur also said all the right things after the fight about wanting to fight in the U.S. against Kelly Pavlik or any of a number of guys at 168, and he even showed some personality. I'm not sure if that was just for show or if his management is the problem, but it would be really nice to see Abraham in some bigger fights while he's still in his prime.
With his high guard and slow starts, he's not the most exciting fighter around, but he certainly goes for the kill when he senses an opening. He didn't deny that he's having a tough time making 160, so a fight with Pavlik would have to be made pretty quickly.
On the other hand, I can see why Team Pavlik wouldn't be chomping at the bit to put their guy in against Abraham. King Arthur has some holes, but it would take a skilled counterpuncher to best exploit them, and that's not really The Ghost's specialty. Since Abraham doesn't have the name value to help sell tickets in the States, it could seem like the risk/reward ratio just isn't there.
So we might be down to hoping Abraham agrees to fight Pavlik in Ohio or simply announces he's headed for super middleweight right away. He might not be the best boxer in the world, but he's good enough that it would be a shame to see him continue to fight in relative obscurity.
Posted by The Franchise
20.5.09
Pretty Boy Floyd Money Mayweather Makes the ESPN Rounds
Yesterday, I caught Floyd Mayweather Jr. on ESPNEWS where he spent the entire segment in his "bad guy" mode being combative and argumentative with the ESPNEWS anchor, whose name I did not catch.
I must admit, I found the entire segment extremely entertaining. There are many, many people who might have been turned off by Floyd's extreme confidence, but it didn't really bother me.
Floyd came on to hype up his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, and in his defense, the anchor spent most of the time cutting Floyd off and trying to get him to answer questions about Manny Pacquiao instead of JMM. Not surprisingly, Floyd was having none of it, and answered however he wanted regardless of the question.
Today, it looks like Floyd was on ESPN again, of course to hype the fight with JMM, but this time being questioned by the always reliable Brian Kenny. A report will follow.
Mayweather Interview with Brian Kenny - Pt. I
BK started by saying that they missed Floyd, the former pound-for-pound No.1.
Floyd said he is not the former No. 1 P4P, but is still the current since he has never been beat. Floyd insulted BK by saying he never laced up gloves and he doesn't know anything about boxing. Then he said it again, that BK knows nothing about boxing.
Why come back?
PBF said why not? He's the cash cow, and everyone knows what he brings.
Has Floyd drawn as much as Oscar De La Hoya? Isn't Oscar the cash cow?
PBF said Oscar was on pay-per-view a million times. PBF then said BK was a man of many traits and a master of nothing.
PBF or Manny more impressive against Oscar and Hatton?
PBF goes with himself, of course. Oscar was at his true weight and 10 oz. gloves against Floyd. Mayweather knocked Hatton out with 10 oz. gloves. And he is focused on JMM, and would focus on Manny if he was in front of him.
BK says that was only part I, and part II gets even nastier. A report will follow.
The teaser during commercials from BK said that Floyd didn't want to hear about Manny, and he really didn't want to hear about Sugar Shane Mosley.
PART II
JMM is excellent but he's a lightweight. Why pick a non-welter?
PBF gets agitated. Here we go again, he says, I was waiting for you to ask this. BK says he got full credit for both Hatton and the Oscar fight. PBF says BK is not giving him his chance to speak. Why is he too big for JMM but not Manny?
PBF asks, hasn't Manny been KO'd twice. BK says like a decade ago at lower weights. Who has beaten Floyd, Floyd asks? No one, BK concedes.
Why not Mosley, who is a champ in his weight class right now?
PBF says he doesn't fight for bragging rights. He adds that Mosley has five losses already. And nobody beats Floyd. He also says that Mosley is not a PPV attraction.
BK asks if Mosley isn't a bigger PPV attraction than JMM?
Floyd says JMM has a whole country behind him. PBF says Manny could get it, but he does have a problem with Arum.
Floyd asks where was Manny back in '95? BK says he is a whole new fighter. Floyd says JMM beat Manny both times and BK knows it.
The whole interview unedited is 13 minutes and is on ESPN SportsCenter and BK's radio show website.
Posted by uatu
I must admit, I found the entire segment extremely entertaining. There are many, many people who might have been turned off by Floyd's extreme confidence, but it didn't really bother me.
Floyd came on to hype up his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, and in his defense, the anchor spent most of the time cutting Floyd off and trying to get him to answer questions about Manny Pacquiao instead of JMM. Not surprisingly, Floyd was having none of it, and answered however he wanted regardless of the question.
Today, it looks like Floyd was on ESPN again, of course to hype the fight with JMM, but this time being questioned by the always reliable Brian Kenny. A report will follow.
Mayweather Interview with Brian Kenny - Pt. I
BK started by saying that they missed Floyd, the former pound-for-pound No.1.
Floyd said he is not the former No. 1 P4P, but is still the current since he has never been beat. Floyd insulted BK by saying he never laced up gloves and he doesn't know anything about boxing. Then he said it again, that BK knows nothing about boxing.
Why come back?
PBF said why not? He's the cash cow, and everyone knows what he brings.
Has Floyd drawn as much as Oscar De La Hoya? Isn't Oscar the cash cow?
PBF said Oscar was on pay-per-view a million times. PBF then said BK was a man of many traits and a master of nothing.
PBF or Manny more impressive against Oscar and Hatton?
PBF goes with himself, of course. Oscar was at his true weight and 10 oz. gloves against Floyd. Mayweather knocked Hatton out with 10 oz. gloves. And he is focused on JMM, and would focus on Manny if he was in front of him.
BK says that was only part I, and part II gets even nastier. A report will follow.
The teaser during commercials from BK said that Floyd didn't want to hear about Manny, and he really didn't want to hear about Sugar Shane Mosley.
PART II
JMM is excellent but he's a lightweight. Why pick a non-welter?
PBF gets agitated. Here we go again, he says, I was waiting for you to ask this. BK says he got full credit for both Hatton and the Oscar fight. PBF says BK is not giving him his chance to speak. Why is he too big for JMM but not Manny?
PBF asks, hasn't Manny been KO'd twice. BK says like a decade ago at lower weights. Who has beaten Floyd, Floyd asks? No one, BK concedes.
Why not Mosley, who is a champ in his weight class right now?
PBF says he doesn't fight for bragging rights. He adds that Mosley has five losses already. And nobody beats Floyd. He also says that Mosley is not a PPV attraction.
BK asks if Mosley isn't a bigger PPV attraction than JMM?
Floyd says JMM has a whole country behind him. PBF says Manny could get it, but he does have a problem with Arum.
Floyd asks where was Manny back in '95? BK says he is a whole new fighter. Floyd says JMM beat Manny both times and BK knows it.
The whole interview unedited is 13 minutes and is on ESPN SportsCenter and BK's radio show website.
Posted by uatu
1.5.09
Pacquiao vs. Hatton: Live Weigh-In
The show is on at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Mario Lopez is the master of ceremonies. He opens the show to pump up the crowd and now hands the mic over to Michael Buffer. Buffer is doing well. He makes some jokes about the swine flu. The crowd is really pumped up. It sounds like they are mostly there for Ricky Hatton.
They start the weigh-in with the the first undercard fight between two young super middleweights. Buffer hands the mic back over to Lopez. He says there are three more to go before the main event weight-in. The second undercard fight that weighs in has the first stare-down. Lopez now hands the mic over to Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum. Arum says something in Tagalog and receives a lot of boos from the pro-Hatton crowd. Schaefer says "There's only one Ricky Hatton!"
They now use some footage from Hatton and Pacquiao's training and press conferences for filler. The footage has ended and Lopez says that Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley will be on the stage momentarily. Here's some more banter from Arum and Schaefer. Arum says that all Mexican fighters will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao. Schaefer says that that's enough from Bob.
Sugar Shane comes on the stage first. He says the weigh-in is an impressive show of fandom. It sounded like a pretty pro-Mosley crowd.
They jump from Mosley right into the weigh-in of Michael Walker vs. Daniel Jacobs at middleweight. Jacobs looks to be in great shape. The crowd is pretty quiet now. Jacobs is a few inches taller than Walker.
Right into some more filler of Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr. from a press conference.
Hopkins is on the stage now. Wow, the crowd is a seriously hating on B-Hop. They let him have it with a loud chorus of boos. He looks a little bigger than usual, not fat, but mostly muscle. Bernard says he's picking Hatton because "he's with us," meaning Golden Boy. He doesn't sound too convinced with his decision.
It's now time for the Humberto Soto vs. Benoit Gaudet weigh-in. They both make weight and look to be in good shape.
Juan Manuel Marquez and De La Hoya take the stage now. They both get a lot of cheers. Oscar put on a lot of weight. He's certainly not in boxing shape, but I guess he doesn't need to be. The British fans start a Ricky Hatton song. Amir Khan follows De La Hoya on the stage. Khan says that it's going to be a great fight. Juan Diaz, the Baby Bull, is in attendance. They show the crowd and it is truly amazing - thousands and thousands of fans.
Now it's time for the main event weigh-in. Buffer introduces Manny first. Hatton's British band is really going nuts. Hatton comes on now. The crowd goes crazy as expected. Manny is going to take the scale first. Manny looks to be in amazing shape.
Manny weighs in at 138 pounds.
Hatton follows and also looks to be in stellar shape. He looks a little thinner than Pac-Man.
Hatton weighs in at 140 pounds.
Manny and Hatton are all smiles. They pose for some pictures. Now it's time for the stare-down. It looks like there is no height difference between them. They both look like they trained hard, but Manny looks like he has more muscle on him.
Hatton says he kept in shape and he has never had a problem making weight. He sounds confident. It sounds like his game plan is to counter punch, which will be interesting to see. Manny is on the mic now. He says he feels strong and hungry to fight. Roach says that Hatton's game plan will play right into Manny's hands and they will pick Hatton apart once he reverts to his old ways.
Hatton and Manny close the show and thanks all of the fans for traveling such a long distance to see the fight. Manny does the same and says that nobody knows what's going to happen, except God.
That's it. The weigh-in has me excited for tomorrow night. One more day!
Posted by spartan117
They start the weigh-in with the the first undercard fight between two young super middleweights. Buffer hands the mic back over to Lopez. He says there are three more to go before the main event weight-in. The second undercard fight that weighs in has the first stare-down. Lopez now hands the mic over to Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum. Arum says something in Tagalog and receives a lot of boos from the pro-Hatton crowd. Schaefer says "There's only one Ricky Hatton!"
They now use some footage from Hatton and Pacquiao's training and press conferences for filler. The footage has ended and Lopez says that Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley will be on the stage momentarily. Here's some more banter from Arum and Schaefer. Arum says that all Mexican fighters will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao. Schaefer says that that's enough from Bob.
Sugar Shane comes on the stage first. He says the weigh-in is an impressive show of fandom. It sounded like a pretty pro-Mosley crowd.
They jump from Mosley right into the weigh-in of Michael Walker vs. Daniel Jacobs at middleweight. Jacobs looks to be in great shape. The crowd is pretty quiet now. Jacobs is a few inches taller than Walker.
Right into some more filler of Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr. from a press conference.
Hopkins is on the stage now. Wow, the crowd is a seriously hating on B-Hop. They let him have it with a loud chorus of boos. He looks a little bigger than usual, not fat, but mostly muscle. Bernard says he's picking Hatton because "he's with us," meaning Golden Boy. He doesn't sound too convinced with his decision.
It's now time for the Humberto Soto vs. Benoit Gaudet weigh-in. They both make weight and look to be in good shape.
Juan Manuel Marquez and De La Hoya take the stage now. They both get a lot of cheers. Oscar put on a lot of weight. He's certainly not in boxing shape, but I guess he doesn't need to be. The British fans start a Ricky Hatton song. Amir Khan follows De La Hoya on the stage. Khan says that it's going to be a great fight. Juan Diaz, the Baby Bull, is in attendance. They show the crowd and it is truly amazing - thousands and thousands of fans.
Now it's time for the main event weigh-in. Buffer introduces Manny first. Hatton's British band is really going nuts. Hatton comes on now. The crowd goes crazy as expected. Manny is going to take the scale first. Manny looks to be in amazing shape.
Manny weighs in at 138 pounds.
Hatton follows and also looks to be in stellar shape. He looks a little thinner than Pac-Man.
Hatton weighs in at 140 pounds.
Manny and Hatton are all smiles. They pose for some pictures. Now it's time for the stare-down. It looks like there is no height difference between them. They both look like they trained hard, but Manny looks like he has more muscle on him.
Hatton says he kept in shape and he has never had a problem making weight. He sounds confident. It sounds like his game plan is to counter punch, which will be interesting to see. Manny is on the mic now. He says he feels strong and hungry to fight. Roach says that Hatton's game plan will play right into Manny's hands and they will pick Hatton apart once he reverts to his old ways.
Hatton and Manny close the show and thanks all of the fans for traveling such a long distance to see the fight. Manny does the same and says that nobody knows what's going to happen, except God.
That's it. The weigh-in has me excited for tomorrow night. One more day!
Posted by spartan117
14.4.09
De La Hoya Retires From Boxing
Oscar De La Hoya announced his retirement from the sport of boxing today. ESPN.com reports that at a press conference held at noon (Pacific Time) De La Hoya stated, "I've come to the conclusion that it's over inside the ring for me."
The 1992 Olympic gold medalist (36) carried his professional record to 39-6 with 30 KOs and achieved titles in six different weight classes. Having lost four out of his last seven fights, with his most recent loss coming by the hands of Manny Pacquiao, many experts predicted this retirement announcement.
Oscar will continue his ventures outside the ring as a promoter with his company Golden Boy Promotions.
He became the face of boxing for the second half of his career and gave boxing fans a number of memorable fights. He will surely be in the Boxing Hall of Fame as soon as he becomes eligible.
Posted by spartan117
The 1992 Olympic gold medalist (36) carried his professional record to 39-6 with 30 KOs and achieved titles in six different weight classes. Having lost four out of his last seven fights, with his most recent loss coming by the hands of Manny Pacquiao, many experts predicted this retirement announcement.
Oscar will continue his ventures outside the ring as a promoter with his company Golden Boy Promotions.
He became the face of boxing for the second half of his career and gave boxing fans a number of memorable fights. He will surely be in the Boxing Hall of Fame as soon as he becomes eligible.
Posted by spartan117
13.4.09
20-20 Hindsight: After Watching Winky's Beatdown, Who Wants to Fight Paul Williams Now?
When Winky Wright actually admits he's been beaten, that's saying something.
I had to leave for work right after the tenth round of the Paul Williams-Winky Wright fight on Saturday, but I had seen enough by then. As I walked out the door, I told my brother Spartan117 that I already knew what was going to happen: Williams was going to win by decision and Wright was going to complain about it.
Turns out I only got the first part right. The man AP writer Greg Beachem correctly pegged as a "notoriously sore loser" wasn't sore at all (except in the face, probably), admitting that the lopsided scores turned in against him by the judges were correct.
Wright was flummoxed by punches thrown from impossible angles. At one point, Williams threw a left uppercut under his own right arm, which was being held by his foe. The ref was so taken aback that he instinctively issued a warning to Williams.
Winky also acknowledged that while he was ready to face a lot of punches, he didn't understand it was going to be quite that many. The volume that Williams delivers really needs to be seen to be believed.
Before we get too carried away, I should stop short of making it seem like Williams is invincible. I'd stop way short of saying what promoter Dan Goossen said when he called his fighter the best in the world, regardless of weight.
His defense is a little sloppy, for one thing. Though he's quite capable of enough head and leg movement to prove evasive at times, Williams got tagged a number of times by a fighter nearly ten years his senior. He seems to have a sturdy chin but hasn't exactly faced tons of noted one-punch KO artists.
That's nitpicking though. Williams' blend of activity, offensive variety and conditioning are tough enough, even without considering his freakishly long reach and the fact that he's a lefty.
He comes across as likable as well, so he should be on his way to becoming a true star. One problem: most boxing scribes agree (as do I) that his near blanking of Wright isn't likely to make other top boxers want to fight him - which was already difficult before Saturday.
One thing Williams does have going for him is that he seems like he will actually be able to pull off his team's plan to fight anywhere between 147 and 160. With that in mind, I've brainstormed some possible opponents at welterweight, junior middle and middleweight and separated them by likelihood:
147 pounds:
Intriguingly possible - Miguel Cotto - He seems like the kind of guy who would relish the challenge, and if he convincingly gets past Joshua Clottey, his stock will be back on the rise. Cotto is also a big enough star to sell tickets if the fight is held in the right place (say, NYC).
Doubtful - Shane Mosley - Sugar Shane supposedly already nixed fighting Williams in the past. He's close to the end of his career and wants to take only the biggest money fights, which probably rules out The Punisher.
No freaking way - Antonio Margarito - He's suspended, and he's already lost to Williams once.
154 pounds:
Intriguingly possible - James Kirkland - Perhaps enough of a badass to say to himself, "I don't give a f---" and just wade through punches to go after Williams. Hard-hitting Alfredo Angulo may fit that description too, but he's less likely to be ready for such a big step up.
Doubtful - Vernon Forrest - The Viper just pulled out of a fight due to injury and is even older than Wright. Plus even he is shorter than Williams.
No freaking way - Oscar De La Hoya - It's funny just to think about the Golden Boy facing down 100-plus punches a round.
160 pounds:
Intriguingly possible - No one comes to mind, unless Bernard Hopkins jumps in a time machine and rewinds the clock by about ten years.
Doubtful - Kelly Pavlik - Team Pavlik seems to be content with a safer path for Kelly for the time being. If he and Williams cross paths, I'm guessing it will be a couple years down the road.
No freaking way - Arthur Abraham - Right now it's tough to get him to come across the pond to fight the much more conventional Pavlik. Think he's going to do it to try to solve Williams? Me neither.
Posted by The Franchise
I had to leave for work right after the tenth round of the Paul Williams-Winky Wright fight on Saturday, but I had seen enough by then. As I walked out the door, I told my brother Spartan117 that I already knew what was going to happen: Williams was going to win by decision and Wright was going to complain about it.
Turns out I only got the first part right. The man AP writer Greg Beachem correctly pegged as a "notoriously sore loser" wasn't sore at all (except in the face, probably), admitting that the lopsided scores turned in against him by the judges were correct.
Wright was flummoxed by punches thrown from impossible angles. At one point, Williams threw a left uppercut under his own right arm, which was being held by his foe. The ref was so taken aback that he instinctively issued a warning to Williams.
Winky also acknowledged that while he was ready to face a lot of punches, he didn't understand it was going to be quite that many. The volume that Williams delivers really needs to be seen to be believed.
Before we get too carried away, I should stop short of making it seem like Williams is invincible. I'd stop way short of saying what promoter Dan Goossen said when he called his fighter the best in the world, regardless of weight.
His defense is a little sloppy, for one thing. Though he's quite capable of enough head and leg movement to prove evasive at times, Williams got tagged a number of times by a fighter nearly ten years his senior. He seems to have a sturdy chin but hasn't exactly faced tons of noted one-punch KO artists.
That's nitpicking though. Williams' blend of activity, offensive variety and conditioning are tough enough, even without considering his freakishly long reach and the fact that he's a lefty.
He comes across as likable as well, so he should be on his way to becoming a true star. One problem: most boxing scribes agree (as do I) that his near blanking of Wright isn't likely to make other top boxers want to fight him - which was already difficult before Saturday.
One thing Williams does have going for him is that he seems like he will actually be able to pull off his team's plan to fight anywhere between 147 and 160. With that in mind, I've brainstormed some possible opponents at welterweight, junior middle and middleweight and separated them by likelihood:
147 pounds:
Intriguingly possible - Miguel Cotto - He seems like the kind of guy who would relish the challenge, and if he convincingly gets past Joshua Clottey, his stock will be back on the rise. Cotto is also a big enough star to sell tickets if the fight is held in the right place (say, NYC).
Doubtful - Shane Mosley - Sugar Shane supposedly already nixed fighting Williams in the past. He's close to the end of his career and wants to take only the biggest money fights, which probably rules out The Punisher.
No freaking way - Antonio Margarito - He's suspended, and he's already lost to Williams once.
154 pounds:
Intriguingly possible - James Kirkland - Perhaps enough of a badass to say to himself, "I don't give a f---" and just wade through punches to go after Williams. Hard-hitting Alfredo Angulo may fit that description too, but he's less likely to be ready for such a big step up.
Doubtful - Vernon Forrest - The Viper just pulled out of a fight due to injury and is even older than Wright. Plus even he is shorter than Williams.
No freaking way - Oscar De La Hoya - It's funny just to think about the Golden Boy facing down 100-plus punches a round.
160 pounds:
Intriguingly possible - No one comes to mind, unless Bernard Hopkins jumps in a time machine and rewinds the clock by about ten years.
Doubtful - Kelly Pavlik - Team Pavlik seems to be content with a safer path for Kelly for the time being. If he and Williams cross paths, I'm guessing it will be a couple years down the road.
No freaking way - Arthur Abraham - Right now it's tough to get him to come across the pond to fight the much more conventional Pavlik. Think he's going to do it to try to solve Williams? Me neither.
Posted by The Franchise
20.3.09
Franchise Thoughts: Floyd Mayweather Returning... But to Face Who?
Now that everyone is reporting the least surprising news in boxing - namely, that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is looking to end his retirement as soon as this July - it's time to give some more serious consideration to who Money might be fighting when he returns.
For the sake of argument, I'm assuming that Mayweather is going to be fighting a serious opponent right out of the gate even though the ESPN story raises the specter of a tune-up fight. As a fan, I sure wouldn't support the idea of a tune-up, because, let's face it, he wouldn't need one if he wouldn't have voluntarily taken the last 15 months off.
Without straining myself too hard, here's a short list of people Floyd could reasonably face before the year is out:
Juan Manuel Marquez
Why It Could Happen: JMM's stock has never been higher, and he's already made it abundantly clear he wants to fight Mayweather. Even though he went to war with Juan Diaz, he could reasonably be ready to go by July 11. His age and relatively small size might make him seem like a ripe target for Floyd.
Why It Might Not Happen: Despite his undeniable skills, Marquez doesn't have name recognition outside of hardcore boxing fans and may not seem like a marquee attraction who can sell tickets and/or pay-per-view buys. JMM also has yet to fight above 135, so he arguably adds the least to the Mayweather legacy with a Floyd win and detracts the most with a loss.
Manny Pacquiao
Why It Could Happen: Assuming Manny gets by Ricky Hatton, this is the biggest fight that could be made in the sport - exactly the kind of thing that should get an undefeated champion to come out of retirement. Pacquiao is thought of by many as the current pound-for-pound king but has fought most of his career at lower divisions than Mayweather, so the risk/reward ratio seems right.
Why It Might Not Happen: Team Pacquiao is unpredictable, to say the least, when it comes to negotiations, so financial issues could always be a factor. And Manny could lose to Hatton, which would torpedo this idea pretty quickly. There's also no way this would take place on July 11 - think fourth quarter 2009.
Ricky Hatton
Why It Could Happen: No doubt Mayweather would love it if Hatton wins on May 2 after handling him fairly easily the first time they met. The Hitman brings plenty of loyal fans to the party and has made enough strides over the past year and a half that he'd look like a more credible threat in a rematch, at least on paper.
Why It Might Not Happen: Put simply, I think Hatton is going to lose to Pacquiao, robbing this match-up of any potential luster. Again, it would have to be scheduled for the fall and not mid-summer.
Shane Mosley
Why It Could Happen: Sugar Shane is riding a wave of momentum after stopping Antonio Margarito and would certainly be up for fighting Mayweather. He's obviously still in possession of most of his skills, but it's not hard to see Floyd looking at his age and thinking he would be easy pickings.
Why It Might Not Happen: Mosley has never been a huge draw but has occasionally lost sight of that fact himself. Wrangling over the purse split looms as a potential hurdle.
Andre Berto
Why It Could Happen: Berto may not be ready for this kind of challenge at this stage of his career, but it's hard to see him turning a Mayweather fight down if one was offered. His status as WBC welterweight champion would allow Floyd to sell the idea (probably successfully) that it would not be a tune-up fight.
Why It Might Not Happen: With even less name recognition than Marquez and less pound-for-pound support than all the men listed above, it could be that Berto simply isn't on the radar for the Mayweather camp. Since Andre is young and potentially still improving, he's also more an unknown quantity than the 30-and-over crowd, and that's something that Floyd never seems to like.
Oscar De La Hoya
Why It Could Happen: It may have the slimmest of chances, but if you aren't cynical enough to think it could happen, then you're probably new to the sport. Welcome. The Golden Boy is certainly capable of duping... um, I mean, convincing people he just wasn't himself when he stunk up the joint against Pacquiao, and we'd hear about the narrow split decision from his first fight with Mayweather ad nauseum to reinforce that line of thinking.
Why It Might Not Happen: If there is indeed a benevolent higher power, He simply won't allow it.
Looking over this short list, I think Mosley would be the leader in the clubhouse if Mayweather and company are married to the July date, with the Pacquiao-Hatton winner even more likely if Floyd is willing to take a lesser fight first and wait until the fall for a huge one.
Posted by The Franchise
For the sake of argument, I'm assuming that Mayweather is going to be fighting a serious opponent right out of the gate even though the ESPN story raises the specter of a tune-up fight. As a fan, I sure wouldn't support the idea of a tune-up, because, let's face it, he wouldn't need one if he wouldn't have voluntarily taken the last 15 months off.
Without straining myself too hard, here's a short list of people Floyd could reasonably face before the year is out:
Juan Manuel Marquez
Why It Could Happen: JMM's stock has never been higher, and he's already made it abundantly clear he wants to fight Mayweather. Even though he went to war with Juan Diaz, he could reasonably be ready to go by July 11. His age and relatively small size might make him seem like a ripe target for Floyd.
Why It Might Not Happen: Despite his undeniable skills, Marquez doesn't have name recognition outside of hardcore boxing fans and may not seem like a marquee attraction who can sell tickets and/or pay-per-view buys. JMM also has yet to fight above 135, so he arguably adds the least to the Mayweather legacy with a Floyd win and detracts the most with a loss.
Manny Pacquiao
Why It Could Happen: Assuming Manny gets by Ricky Hatton, this is the biggest fight that could be made in the sport - exactly the kind of thing that should get an undefeated champion to come out of retirement. Pacquiao is thought of by many as the current pound-for-pound king but has fought most of his career at lower divisions than Mayweather, so the risk/reward ratio seems right.
Why It Might Not Happen: Team Pacquiao is unpredictable, to say the least, when it comes to negotiations, so financial issues could always be a factor. And Manny could lose to Hatton, which would torpedo this idea pretty quickly. There's also no way this would take place on July 11 - think fourth quarter 2009.
Ricky Hatton
Why It Could Happen: No doubt Mayweather would love it if Hatton wins on May 2 after handling him fairly easily the first time they met. The Hitman brings plenty of loyal fans to the party and has made enough strides over the past year and a half that he'd look like a more credible threat in a rematch, at least on paper.
Why It Might Not Happen: Put simply, I think Hatton is going to lose to Pacquiao, robbing this match-up of any potential luster. Again, it would have to be scheduled for the fall and not mid-summer.
Shane Mosley
Why It Could Happen: Sugar Shane is riding a wave of momentum after stopping Antonio Margarito and would certainly be up for fighting Mayweather. He's obviously still in possession of most of his skills, but it's not hard to see Floyd looking at his age and thinking he would be easy pickings.
Why It Might Not Happen: Mosley has never been a huge draw but has occasionally lost sight of that fact himself. Wrangling over the purse split looms as a potential hurdle.
Andre Berto
Why It Could Happen: Berto may not be ready for this kind of challenge at this stage of his career, but it's hard to see him turning a Mayweather fight down if one was offered. His status as WBC welterweight champion would allow Floyd to sell the idea (probably successfully) that it would not be a tune-up fight.
Why It Might Not Happen: With even less name recognition than Marquez and less pound-for-pound support than all the men listed above, it could be that Berto simply isn't on the radar for the Mayweather camp. Since Andre is young and potentially still improving, he's also more an unknown quantity than the 30-and-over crowd, and that's something that Floyd never seems to like.
Oscar De La Hoya
Why It Could Happen: It may have the slimmest of chances, but if you aren't cynical enough to think it could happen, then you're probably new to the sport. Welcome. The Golden Boy is certainly capable of duping... um, I mean, convincing people he just wasn't himself when he stunk up the joint against Pacquiao, and we'd hear about the narrow split decision from his first fight with Mayweather ad nauseum to reinforce that line of thinking.
Why It Might Not Happen: If there is indeed a benevolent higher power, He simply won't allow it.
Looking over this short list, I think Mosley would be the leader in the clubhouse if Mayweather and company are married to the July date, with the Pacquiao-Hatton winner even more likely if Floyd is willing to take a lesser fight first and wait until the fall for a huge one.
Posted by The Franchise
11.3.09
Franchise Thoughts: Who's the Better Trainer, Freddie Roach or Floyd Mayweather Sr.?
Kevin Iole's most recent boxing mailbag for Yahoo! Sports leads off with a look at an intriguing subplot to the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight: the rivalry between trainers Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr.
It's no secret that the two men don't have high opinions of each other. Iole mentioned that Roach started the verbal sparring this time by saying he'd be more worried about Hatton if he was trained by Roger Mayweather, a remark intended to get under the skin of Floyd Sr. given his contentious relationship with his brother.
Mayweather has yet to really let loose for this fight, but in the past has given Roach little credit for his accomplishments, downplaying his role in molding champions like James Toney and Pacquiao. With Floyd you get the sense that some of his posturing is strictly for show, but there's little doubt that he means it when he calls himself the best trainer in boxing.
Trying to figure out who is the "best" trainer is largely a subjective matter because there are so many factors that go into the trainer-boxer relationship that are difficult to quantify. It's also not just a two-horse race - Nazim Richardson, just to name one, would deserve some consideration after his work with Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.
Still, there are a few different areas where you can stack Roach and Floyd Sr. up head to head to see where they stand, and that's exactly what I did to formulate my own opinion:
Top fighters trained:
At first glance, I was ready to give this category to Roach. The list of fighters he's worked with at some point in their careers sometimes seems endless, and includes huge names like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins, and, of course, Pacquiao. But Roach was sometimes a short-term solution for many boxers, and it's hard to determine how much impact a trainer has when he is in the corner for just a fight or two.
Mayweather trained his son Floyd Jr. during his formative years and worked with De La Hoya when he was the most dominant force (at least economically) in the sport. He also currently trains Chad Dawson, who's getting increasing support as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters today. (Uatu note: Eddie Mustafa Muhammad trained Dawson for the Dawson-Tarver fight.)
Advantage: Push
Psychology:
At least publicly, both men do a great job propping up their fighters' confidence levels. They go about it a bit differently, with Roach preferring to make simple statements that he has a winning plan and Mayweather opting for brash, sometimes comical boasts.
Floyd Sr. clearly loves being the center of attention, but I think he's also crafty enough to know that he can take some pressure off his boxers by putting it on himself. Roach is starting to show a similar side to his game with his comments leading up to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout, but Mayweather really has it down pat.
Advantage: Mayweather
Power to transform:
Conveniently, the boxer each man is currently training provides some of the best insight into this category. Roach's impact on Pacquiao has been undeniable, changing Manny from a one-dimensional destroyer (albeit a really good one) into a complete package. Footwork, spacing, variety of punches... virtually every part of Pacquiao's game has improved under Roach's tutelage.
Mayweather may be working a similar makeover on Hatton; it's just too soon to tell. The Hitman showed a much greater range of skills when he took out Paulie Malignaggi last November, but that was the first time Floyd Sr. was in his corner.
If Hatton gets past Pacquiao, that may give Mayweather the nod here, but for now, Roach gets the edge.
Advantage: Roach
Reputation and intangibles:
Simply put, Roach is the hottest trainer in the sport. Pacquiao is considered by most reputable sources to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and even people outside the sport, like MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski, are seeking Roach's counsel.
On top of that, Roach seems like a guy who genuinely has the best interests of his fighters at heart. He's been very vocal about the more unsavory characters in Team Pacquiao and has tried to ensure Manny hasn't been taken advantage of financially.
By contrast, Mayweather comes across as much more of a mercenary, concerned primarily with his paycheck and his status. It almost goes without saying that his dysfunctional family ties always threaten to be huge headaches at any time.
Advantage: Roach
That's obviously a very simplified analysis, but it's enough for me to give Roach the nod over Floyd Sr. as the better trainer in this fight, and probably any fight in the sport today.
Posted by The Franchise
It's no secret that the two men don't have high opinions of each other. Iole mentioned that Roach started the verbal sparring this time by saying he'd be more worried about Hatton if he was trained by Roger Mayweather, a remark intended to get under the skin of Floyd Sr. given his contentious relationship with his brother.
Mayweather has yet to really let loose for this fight, but in the past has given Roach little credit for his accomplishments, downplaying his role in molding champions like James Toney and Pacquiao. With Floyd you get the sense that some of his posturing is strictly for show, but there's little doubt that he means it when he calls himself the best trainer in boxing.
Trying to figure out who is the "best" trainer is largely a subjective matter because there are so many factors that go into the trainer-boxer relationship that are difficult to quantify. It's also not just a two-horse race - Nazim Richardson, just to name one, would deserve some consideration after his work with Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.
Still, there are a few different areas where you can stack Roach and Floyd Sr. up head to head to see where they stand, and that's exactly what I did to formulate my own opinion:
Top fighters trained:
At first glance, I was ready to give this category to Roach. The list of fighters he's worked with at some point in their careers sometimes seems endless, and includes huge names like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins, and, of course, Pacquiao. But Roach was sometimes a short-term solution for many boxers, and it's hard to determine how much impact a trainer has when he is in the corner for just a fight or two.
Mayweather trained his son Floyd Jr. during his formative years and worked with De La Hoya when he was the most dominant force (at least economically) in the sport. He also currently trains Chad Dawson, who's getting increasing support as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters today. (Uatu note: Eddie Mustafa Muhammad trained Dawson for the Dawson-Tarver fight.)
Advantage: Push
Psychology:
At least publicly, both men do a great job propping up their fighters' confidence levels. They go about it a bit differently, with Roach preferring to make simple statements that he has a winning plan and Mayweather opting for brash, sometimes comical boasts.
Floyd Sr. clearly loves being the center of attention, but I think he's also crafty enough to know that he can take some pressure off his boxers by putting it on himself. Roach is starting to show a similar side to his game with his comments leading up to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout, but Mayweather really has it down pat.
Advantage: Mayweather
Power to transform:
Conveniently, the boxer each man is currently training provides some of the best insight into this category. Roach's impact on Pacquiao has been undeniable, changing Manny from a one-dimensional destroyer (albeit a really good one) into a complete package. Footwork, spacing, variety of punches... virtually every part of Pacquiao's game has improved under Roach's tutelage.
Mayweather may be working a similar makeover on Hatton; it's just too soon to tell. The Hitman showed a much greater range of skills when he took out Paulie Malignaggi last November, but that was the first time Floyd Sr. was in his corner.
If Hatton gets past Pacquiao, that may give Mayweather the nod here, but for now, Roach gets the edge.
Advantage: Roach
Reputation and intangibles:
Simply put, Roach is the hottest trainer in the sport. Pacquiao is considered by most reputable sources to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and even people outside the sport, like MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski, are seeking Roach's counsel.
On top of that, Roach seems like a guy who genuinely has the best interests of his fighters at heart. He's been very vocal about the more unsavory characters in Team Pacquiao and has tried to ensure Manny hasn't been taken advantage of financially.
By contrast, Mayweather comes across as much more of a mercenary, concerned primarily with his paycheck and his status. It almost goes without saying that his dysfunctional family ties always threaten to be huge headaches at any time.
Advantage: Roach
That's obviously a very simplified analysis, but it's enough for me to give Roach the nod over Floyd Sr. as the better trainer in this fight, and probably any fight in the sport today.
Posted by The Franchise
27.1.09
20-20 Hindsight - Margarito-Mosley Aftermath Edition: What Makes an Upset, Hand Speed and Handwraps, Props and Disses
Now that a couple of days have passed since Shane Mosley's impressive knockout of Antonio Margarito, it's been interesting to watch the reaction of media and fans. Since Mosley was a 3-t0-1 underdog, was seven years older and was up against Margarito's aura of invincibility, many latched onto Sugar Shane's victory as a big upset.
Indeed, all three of us here at BoxingWatchers.com picked Margarito to win. After the fact though, it's hard to see history looking back at this as an upset at all.
Mosley is a multi-divisional champion who has been fighting top level competition for over a decade. Margarito's list of wins is impressive but much shorter, and he entered Saturday's fight only three fights removed from his last loss.
Nazim Richardson, who rightfully was given much of the credit for cooking up the winning plan of attack, practically begged reporters to keep billing Margarito as a monster to ensure his fighter got the credit he deserved. Shane will get his due, for sure, but my guess is the result of this fight will seem a lot less stunning as time goes by.
Speaking of Richardson, while his game plan may have won the day, even he was quick to say it would not have worked without an athlete of Sugar Shane's caliber. Mosley looked lightning fast in every exchange, and it became clear very early on that he had a big edge in hand speed while Margarito had... well, as The Ring's Dougie Fischer said, he had his chin, but that wasn't nearly enough.
If there's a common thread between the most recent outings of the Golden Boy Trinity (Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Mosley), it's that the man with a significant hand speed advantage won each won. Conclusive evidence that hand speed trumps all? Of course not, but at least in the case of Pavlik-Hopkins and Margarito-Mosley, we can definitely say that hand speed trumped pressure.
Finally, every media outlet covering Saturday's fight picked up on the story that Richardson asked for Margarito's hands to be rewrapped after spying what was described as a hard, plaster-like substance being inserted. What hasn't received as much play is how this revelation casts at least a bit of a pall over some of Tony's previous wins - especially, in this observer's mind, of his knockout of previously unbeaten Miguel Cotto.
Did Margarito receive some plaster-aided assistance against Cotto? We don't know, and probably never will.
But at the very least, if the expected Cotto-Margarito rematch takes shape, it's going to give Cotto a bit of a psychological boost thinking that he may have been up against literally harder punches the first time.
Props:
Disses:
Indeed, all three of us here at BoxingWatchers.com picked Margarito to win. After the fact though, it's hard to see history looking back at this as an upset at all.
Mosley is a multi-divisional champion who has been fighting top level competition for over a decade. Margarito's list of wins is impressive but much shorter, and he entered Saturday's fight only three fights removed from his last loss.
Nazim Richardson, who rightfully was given much of the credit for cooking up the winning plan of attack, practically begged reporters to keep billing Margarito as a monster to ensure his fighter got the credit he deserved. Shane will get his due, for sure, but my guess is the result of this fight will seem a lot less stunning as time goes by.
Speaking of Richardson, while his game plan may have won the day, even he was quick to say it would not have worked without an athlete of Sugar Shane's caliber. Mosley looked lightning fast in every exchange, and it became clear very early on that he had a big edge in hand speed while Margarito had... well, as The Ring's Dougie Fischer said, he had his chin, but that wasn't nearly enough.
If there's a common thread between the most recent outings of the Golden Boy Trinity (Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Mosley), it's that the man with a significant hand speed advantage won each won. Conclusive evidence that hand speed trumps all? Of course not, but at least in the case of Pavlik-Hopkins and Margarito-Mosley, we can definitely say that hand speed trumped pressure.
Finally, every media outlet covering Saturday's fight picked up on the story that Richardson asked for Margarito's hands to be rewrapped after spying what was described as a hard, plaster-like substance being inserted. What hasn't received as much play is how this revelation casts at least a bit of a pall over some of Tony's previous wins - especially, in this observer's mind, of his knockout of previously unbeaten Miguel Cotto.
Did Margarito receive some plaster-aided assistance against Cotto? We don't know, and probably never will.
But at the very least, if the expected Cotto-Margarito rematch takes shape, it's going to give Cotto a bit of a psychological boost thinking that he may have been up against literally harder punches the first time.
Props:
- To the "old men" at Golden Boy. As mentioned above, the members of the Trinity all stepped in against younger men and went 2-1 over the last four months. Not too shabby.
- To HBO. As Kvin Iole points out, the network is off to a great start to 2009. And it is resisting putting as many fights on pay-per-view, which is a blessing to boxing fans in the current economy.
Disses:
- To Jim Lampley's nutritionist. I watched Saturday's fight with two of the Official Parents of the BoxingWatchers, and both of them said the same thing: Lampley looks like he's ballooned up since we last saw him on TV.
- To Larry Merchant. He must have had his reasons for claiming Affliction was paying De La Hoya $5 million to appear at the co-promoted MMA event in Anaheim instead of watching Mosley in L.A. But with multiple sources giving better reasons for the Golden Boy's absence and quoting flat-out denials from Richard Schaefer and Tom Atencio, it sure looks like Merchant let his distaste for MMA sway him into presenting rumor as fact.
10.12.08
Impressive PPV Buys Total for the Dream Match
According to Dan Rafael on espn.com, the Dream Match sold a nice amount of ppv's with a total of around 1.3 million buys. Uatu will have to mildly apologize, as that is a higher total than he expected. But, it is nowhere near the total for the World Awaits.
What can be made of this amount?
Perhaps fans had started to see that Oscar is not what he used to be.
Maybe the economy had fans thinking the fight was no longer worth the money.
Manny may not be as huge of a star as Floyd Mayweather.
Floyd may have made a better B - side as an undefeated, and practically peerless, as well as flamboyant villian with interesting family subplots.
After the one-sided outcome, possibly Manny will become appointment viewing for some fans, with his aggressive and crowd pleasing style and pleasant personality.
Wherever boxing goes from here, from an economic standpoint, it is obvious that Oscar's star power exiting will be missed tremendously.
What can be made of this amount?
Perhaps fans had started to see that Oscar is not what he used to be.
Maybe the economy had fans thinking the fight was no longer worth the money.
Manny may not be as huge of a star as Floyd Mayweather.
Floyd may have made a better B - side as an undefeated, and practically peerless, as well as flamboyant villian with interesting family subplots.
After the one-sided outcome, possibly Manny will become appointment viewing for some fans, with his aggressive and crowd pleasing style and pleasant personality.
Wherever boxing goes from here, from an economic standpoint, it is obvious that Oscar's star power exiting will be missed tremendously.
8.12.08
Franchise Thoughts: Manny Dominates Dream Match... Now What?, Plus Torres-Holt III Off?
It was only a few short days ago that many pundits were deriding Oscar De La Hoya for agreeing to fight poor little Manny Pacquiao. Way too big, some said. The word "circus" was thrown around with reckless abandon.
Well, we all know how that turned out. Now that the dust has settled from Pac Man's ridiculously easy eight-round beating of the Golden Boy, boxing writers are pretty much in unanimous agreement over what De La Hoya's next move should be. See here or here or here for some hints if you haven't figured it out. That last one is my favorite, since it comes from The Ring blog... and of course, The Ring is owned by Golden Boy Promotions.
That leaves us with only Pacquiao's next move to ponder. Smart money seems to be on a fight with Ricky Hatton, who fortuitously looked excellent in dispatching Paul Malignaggi in his last bout. With the Hitman's chanting crazies and Manny's Filipino faithful, that would be a fantastic pairing in terms of pure atmosphere. I like Pac Man to take that one if it comes together, though obviously Hatton would be a lot more live than De La Hoya.
Others have asked about Antonio Margarito, to which I say this: no freakin' way. And there's the man who ceded his claim as the pound-for-pound best only because he retired, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Assuming Pacquiao fights and beats Hatton, why wouldn't this make sense for the second half of 2009? Floyd's only coming out of retirement if he sees a whole lot of dollar signs and a fight he feels confident he'll win.
As my brother Uatu recently pointed out, prime Mayweather probably beats prime Pac Man. But there's no guarantee Floyd would automatically be at his prime after such a long layoff, and it's not real smart to dismiss Manny under any circumstances right now. Okay, maybe against Margarito...
In sadder news for fight fans, it looks like the round of the year isn't going to get an encore after all. Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com says Ricardo Torres has pulled out of his rubber match with Kendall Holt, citing weight issues due to illness during training. And while Showtime is likely to find some punching bag... um, I mean, opponent, to fight Holt on short notice, the major televised boxing schedule of 2008 is likely to close out not with a bang (Torres-Holt III), but with a whimper (Wlad Klitschko-Rahman).
Well, we all know how that turned out. Now that the dust has settled from Pac Man's ridiculously easy eight-round beating of the Golden Boy, boxing writers are pretty much in unanimous agreement over what De La Hoya's next move should be. See here or here or here for some hints if you haven't figured it out. That last one is my favorite, since it comes from The Ring blog... and of course, The Ring is owned by Golden Boy Promotions.
That leaves us with only Pacquiao's next move to ponder. Smart money seems to be on a fight with Ricky Hatton, who fortuitously looked excellent in dispatching Paul Malignaggi in his last bout. With the Hitman's chanting crazies and Manny's Filipino faithful, that would be a fantastic pairing in terms of pure atmosphere. I like Pac Man to take that one if it comes together, though obviously Hatton would be a lot more live than De La Hoya.
Others have asked about Antonio Margarito, to which I say this: no freakin' way. And there's the man who ceded his claim as the pound-for-pound best only because he retired, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Assuming Pacquiao fights and beats Hatton, why wouldn't this make sense for the second half of 2009? Floyd's only coming out of retirement if he sees a whole lot of dollar signs and a fight he feels confident he'll win.
As my brother Uatu recently pointed out, prime Mayweather probably beats prime Pac Man. But there's no guarantee Floyd would automatically be at his prime after such a long layoff, and it's not real smart to dismiss Manny under any circumstances right now. Okay, maybe against Margarito...
In sadder news for fight fans, it looks like the round of the year isn't going to get an encore after all. Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com says Ricardo Torres has pulled out of his rubber match with Kendall Holt, citing weight issues due to illness during training. And while Showtime is likely to find some punching bag... um, I mean, opponent, to fight Holt on short notice, the major televised boxing schedule of 2008 is likely to close out not with a bang (Torres-Holt III), but with a whimper (Wlad Klitschko-Rahman).
Update: As you can read here, Demetrius Hopkins is stepping in to face Holt on Saturday's Showtime card. D-Hop was slated to fight on the undercard anyway, so this (hopefully) is quite different from many cases of fighters stepping in on short notice. It may not be the all-out explosion we were expecting from the rubber match, but it should be good.
6.12.08
Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao: Round By Round
After an undercard that was, to be kind, not very exciting, we're finally getting ready for The Dream Match pitting Oscar De La Hoya against Manny Pacquiao. The MGM Grand in Las Vegas is the setting, and a wide range of well-known figures are in attendance. That includes Usher, James Carville and Reggie Miller, as well as boxers Antonio Margarito, Mike Tyson and Shane Mosley.
We've got three national anthems to hear: the Philippines, Mexico and the United States. Keisha Cole handles the honors for "The Star-Spangled Banner."
The tale of the tape shows De La Hoya with a four-inch height advantage. Manny is six years younger. The big surprise is that on the unofficial HBO scales, Pacquiao actually weighs a pound and a half more than De La Hoya on the night of the fight.
Pac Man is introduced first by Michael Buffer, making his way to the ring to "We Will Rock You" by Queen. Jim Lampley points out the sizable Filipino fan contingent on hand for the fight.
The usual mariachi music signals De La Hoya's entry. He gets a large reaction from the crowd but possibly not as raucous as he sometimes receives in Vegas. Larry Merchant says he feels the fans are split pretty evenly.
Tony Weeks is the referee in charge of the action. Buffer handles the fighter introductions and we're ready to go.
Round One
Oscar throws some early punches as Manny circles. DLH trying the jab. Nice straight left by Manny as they tie up. Pac Man is trying to get inside and quickly backs Oscar up. De La Hoya goes to the body. Manny is moving well but the height disadvantage is bothering him a little. Now Oscar works along the ropes and lands a left hook. Nice jab by Manny is answered by Oscar. Pacquiao is sneaking some jabs in there too. Both men got a little bit of what they wanted in the opening frame.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Two
Oscar works off his jab to open the second. He may need to throw it more. Nice head-body combo by Pac Man. Neither man scoring in the center of the ring. Good body shots both ways. Now another left to the body by Pac Man. The crowd is really into it, reacting to almost every shot. Uppercut by Manny and he dances away. His leg and head movement have been excellent so far. Two lefts score for Pacquiao and that round was even more in his favor.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Three
Manny popping to the head with both hands. Oscar tries to get him to exchange. He hsan't come up with a game plan that's worked so far. He finally comes up with a right hand upstairs and a left to the body. Lampley says Oscar is showing some swelling already. DLH having more success with the jab. Right to the body by Oscar. Nice right hooks to the body and head by Pac Man. Golden Boy throws some shots upstairs but they are picked off by the arms of Pacquiao.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Four
The left-hand lead is just about always there for Manny. He sneaks in some rights to the head; Oscar lands a right in response. A quick flurry slows Oscar down for a second. Left to the body and right to the head by Pac Man. Oscar reaching with the jab but has nothing with it. One-two upstairs and another left for Pacquiao. Oscar really looked slow over the last 45 seconds of that round.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Five
The announcers are discussing whether Oscar can play the bully to turn things around. A combo stuns Oscar momentarily. Jabs and hooks all finding a home for Manny. He's mixing punches to the head and body well. De La Hoya can't find any room to fire counter shots. Now Oscar finds some success by going to the body and closing to very tight range. He comes forward swinging but Manny backs him up right before the bell.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Six
Freddie Roach warned Manny to stay off the ropes, as that's the only place De La Hoya has had any success. This round starts slower. Both men are able to dodge each other's jabs. A quick exchange goes mostly Manny's way. Right-left combo by Pac Man. Double jab gets Oscar's attention. Straight left scores for Manny too. A lull for the last 30 seconds ends with some fast head shots by Pacquiao, who is still light on his feet.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Seven
Harold Lederman has every round for Pac Man so far. Manny works the body to open up the head. Snapping jabs by Manny followed by lefts to the body. Oscar is backed into the corner trying to fend off the onslaught. He is taking a pounding right now. Body shots are pouring in and Oscar hasn't thrown anything back for quite some time. You have to wonder if the judges will score that 10-8 because it was so one-sided.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-8
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-8
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-8
Round Eight
The only drama left right now is if the fight will get stopped. De La Hoya will really have to reach deep just to save face. He does come out with a bit more spring this round. DLH throws some right hands and Manny fires right back. Oscar is backed into a corner and here come the body shots. They come back into the middle of the ring and Pac Man is just picking his spots now. De La Hoya flurries to the body but Manny signals that he's fine. He backs DLH into the corner with another flurry at the bell.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
There's a long discussion in Oscar's corner after the eighth round, and eventually De La Hoya is convinced by his corner to stop the fight.
The winner by TKO at the end of Round Eight... Manny " Pac Man" Pacquiao.
De La Hoya's face is an absolute mess with heavy swelling on both sides. He originally tried to convince his corner to give him one more round, but it's doubtful he could have done anything with it.
The official scores were lopsided, with De La Hoya winning just one round on one card. CompuBox numbers showed Manny landing almost three times as many punches and connecting on 59 percent of his power shots.
De La Hoya is interviewed first, and he says Pacquiao deserves all the accolades he will receive. He dodges Merchant's question about the weight loss possibly draining him, but he says he's not shocked because Manny is such a great fighter. Oscar says his heart still wants to fight, but he needs to be smart after what happened tonight.
Merchant turns to Pac Man to see if he thought he could dominate in this fashion. Manny says he could see in the first round that his speed was too much for De La Hoya to handle and it set up a pattern he could repeat. After three rounds, his biggest challenge was preventing overconfidence and staying cautious. Bob Arum sneaks in and gives Merchant credit for thinking the fight was possible in the first place. Roach also feels vindicated. Merchant throws out the idea of a Hatton fight and wonders what might be going on in the Philippines right now. Manny thanks his people and God.
We've got three national anthems to hear: the Philippines, Mexico and the United States. Keisha Cole handles the honors for "The Star-Spangled Banner."
The tale of the tape shows De La Hoya with a four-inch height advantage. Manny is six years younger. The big surprise is that on the unofficial HBO scales, Pacquiao actually weighs a pound and a half more than De La Hoya on the night of the fight.
Pac Man is introduced first by Michael Buffer, making his way to the ring to "We Will Rock You" by Queen. Jim Lampley points out the sizable Filipino fan contingent on hand for the fight.
The usual mariachi music signals De La Hoya's entry. He gets a large reaction from the crowd but possibly not as raucous as he sometimes receives in Vegas. Larry Merchant says he feels the fans are split pretty evenly.
Tony Weeks is the referee in charge of the action. Buffer handles the fighter introductions and we're ready to go.
Round One
Oscar throws some early punches as Manny circles. DLH trying the jab. Nice straight left by Manny as they tie up. Pac Man is trying to get inside and quickly backs Oscar up. De La Hoya goes to the body. Manny is moving well but the height disadvantage is bothering him a little. Now Oscar works along the ropes and lands a left hook. Nice jab by Manny is answered by Oscar. Pacquiao is sneaking some jabs in there too. Both men got a little bit of what they wanted in the opening frame.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Two
Oscar works off his jab to open the second. He may need to throw it more. Nice head-body combo by Pac Man. Neither man scoring in the center of the ring. Good body shots both ways. Now another left to the body by Pac Man. The crowd is really into it, reacting to almost every shot. Uppercut by Manny and he dances away. His leg and head movement have been excellent so far. Two lefts score for Pacquiao and that round was even more in his favor.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Three
Manny popping to the head with both hands. Oscar tries to get him to exchange. He hsan't come up with a game plan that's worked so far. He finally comes up with a right hand upstairs and a left to the body. Lampley says Oscar is showing some swelling already. DLH having more success with the jab. Right to the body by Oscar. Nice right hooks to the body and head by Pac Man. Golden Boy throws some shots upstairs but they are picked off by the arms of Pacquiao.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Four
The left-hand lead is just about always there for Manny. He sneaks in some rights to the head; Oscar lands a right in response. A quick flurry slows Oscar down for a second. Left to the body and right to the head by Pac Man. Oscar reaching with the jab but has nothing with it. One-two upstairs and another left for Pacquiao. Oscar really looked slow over the last 45 seconds of that round.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Five
The announcers are discussing whether Oscar can play the bully to turn things around. A combo stuns Oscar momentarily. Jabs and hooks all finding a home for Manny. He's mixing punches to the head and body well. De La Hoya can't find any room to fire counter shots. Now Oscar finds some success by going to the body and closing to very tight range. He comes forward swinging but Manny backs him up right before the bell.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Six
Freddie Roach warned Manny to stay off the ropes, as that's the only place De La Hoya has had any success. This round starts slower. Both men are able to dodge each other's jabs. A quick exchange goes mostly Manny's way. Right-left combo by Pac Man. Double jab gets Oscar's attention. Straight left scores for Manny too. A lull for the last 30 seconds ends with some fast head shots by Pacquiao, who is still light on his feet.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
Round Seven
Harold Lederman has every round for Pac Man so far. Manny works the body to open up the head. Snapping jabs by Manny followed by lefts to the body. Oscar is backed into the corner trying to fend off the onslaught. He is taking a pounding right now. Body shots are pouring in and Oscar hasn't thrown anything back for quite some time. You have to wonder if the judges will score that 10-8 because it was so one-sided.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-8
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-8
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-8
Round Eight
The only drama left right now is if the fight will get stopped. De La Hoya will really have to reach deep just to save face. He does come out with a bit more spring this round. DLH throws some right hands and Manny fires right back. Oscar is backed into a corner and here come the body shots. They come back into the middle of the ring and Pac Man is just picking his spots now. De La Hoya flurries to the body but Manny signals that he's fine. He backs DLH into the corner with another flurry at the bell.
Franchise: Pacquiao 10-9
Spartan117: Pacquiao 10-9
Uatu: Pacquiao 10-9
There's a long discussion in Oscar's corner after the eighth round, and eventually De La Hoya is convinced by his corner to stop the fight.
The winner by TKO at the end of Round Eight... Manny " Pac Man" Pacquiao.
De La Hoya's face is an absolute mess with heavy swelling on both sides. He originally tried to convince his corner to give him one more round, but it's doubtful he could have done anything with it.
The official scores were lopsided, with De La Hoya winning just one round on one card. CompuBox numbers showed Manny landing almost three times as many punches and connecting on 59 percent of his power shots.
De La Hoya is interviewed first, and he says Pacquiao deserves all the accolades he will receive. He dodges Merchant's question about the weight loss possibly draining him, but he says he's not shocked because Manny is such a great fighter. Oscar says his heart still wants to fight, but he needs to be smart after what happened tonight.
Merchant turns to Pac Man to see if he thought he could dominate in this fashion. Manny says he could see in the first round that his speed was too much for De La Hoya to handle and it set up a pattern he could repeat. After three rounds, his biggest challenge was preventing overconfidence and staying cautious. Bob Arum sneaks in and gives Merchant credit for thinking the fight was possible in the first place. Roach also feels vindicated. Merchant throws out the idea of a Hatton fight and wonders what might be going on in the Philippines right now. Manny thanks his people and God.
De La Hoya-Pacquiao: Live Round By Round Dream Match Updates Tonight
This is it. The biggest fight possible in the current boxing landscape takes place tonight as Manny Pacquiao takes on Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas.
Of course, your preference would be to be there - and if you are, we envy you! It wouldn't be bad if you could get somewhere to see it on pay-per-view as a second option, and the economy needs you.
However, there is a third option if the first two aren't open to you. Bookmark our main page at www.boxingwatchers.com and follow along with our live round by round updates. Trust us, we wouldn't miss this one.
We'll kick it off with a live blog of the undercard beginning at 9 pm EST, which doesn't look like it will be must-see TV but will feature WBO super bantamweight champ Juan Manuel Lopez and talented youngsters Victor Ortiz and Daniel Jacobs. Then we go round for round for the main event. See you tonight!
Of course, your preference would be to be there - and if you are, we envy you! It wouldn't be bad if you could get somewhere to see it on pay-per-view as a second option, and the economy needs you.
However, there is a third option if the first two aren't open to you. Bookmark our main page at www.boxingwatchers.com and follow along with our live round by round updates. Trust us, we wouldn't miss this one.
We'll kick it off with a live blog of the undercard beginning at 9 pm EST, which doesn't look like it will be must-see TV but will feature WBO super bantamweight champ Juan Manuel Lopez and talented youngsters Victor Ortiz and Daniel Jacobs. Then we go round for round for the main event. See you tonight!
5.12.08
Predictions: The Dream Match - Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao
Uatu says...
The weigh-in is over so predictions can begin.
Uatu's inclination all along has been Manny by decision. He is much quicker and will most likely have the superior cardio and work rate. It says here he will have enough strength and power that Oscar won't be able to just walk right through him. Seeing them standing next to each other, Manny doesn't look so much shorter that he won't be able to operate.
Manny will dart in and out and around, forcing Oscar to reset himself every time. Oscar will get frustrated, and he will try to load up on the power shots, which will tire him out even more. Oscar is so light, he may have overworked himself, and erased some of the size and strength advantage. Oscar will get marked up, Manny might too. Who knows, maybe either man might taste the canvas. Regardless, Manny takes more rounds and points.
Manny Pacquiao by UD 12.
The weigh-in is over so predictions can begin.
Uatu's inclination all along has been Manny by decision. He is much quicker and will most likely have the superior cardio and work rate. It says here he will have enough strength and power that Oscar won't be able to just walk right through him. Seeing them standing next to each other, Manny doesn't look so much shorter that he won't be able to operate.
Manny will dart in and out and around, forcing Oscar to reset himself every time. Oscar will get frustrated, and he will try to load up on the power shots, which will tire him out even more. Oscar is so light, he may have overworked himself, and erased some of the size and strength advantage. Oscar will get marked up, Manny might too. Who knows, maybe either man might taste the canvas. Regardless, Manny takes more rounds and points.
Manny Pacquiao by UD 12.
Spartan117 says....
I couldn't agree more with Uatu. Like most of Manny's opponents Oscar will get overwhelmed by Manny's barrage of punches. I was also surprised by the small difference in size. From looking at the fighter's numbers I expected Oscar to stand almost a head taller than Manny, but this was not the case. Manny looked fit and primed for the fight. Based on looks alone he looks like he will handle the weight well. Oscar looked weaker and more sucked down.
Oscar's only hope will be to land one of his signature left hooks but Manny will be too slick and quick, dodging and ducking, but also landing some mean shots. Oscar will look sharp early on but will slow as the fight continues as he has in many of his recent fights. The weight loss won't help this any either. It's not a long shot for Oscar to go down from a lightning fast hook either. I predict Oscar will go down in late rounds as the punches and points add up, but he will get up to fight on.
Manny Pacquiao by UD 12.
The Franchise says...
The nice thing about not being a "real" boxing journalist is that I can openly root for Manny, which I will be doing. That being said, I'm a little concerned about whether or not he can actually pull this off.
I think the weight issue has been a bit overplayed, but it's definitely a fair question to wonder whether or not Manny will be able to hurt Oscar, who's been taking punches from much larger men for years. On the other hand, De La Hoya's power could definitely take a toll on Pacquiao when they trade. As my brother Uatu has pointed out before, Manny was wobbled by Juan Manuel Marquez in their fights, and he's quite a bit smaller than De La Hoya.
If the fight goes the distance, Manny should enjoy a conditioning advantage and be able to come on strong to close things out. Will he be in range of a decision by then? If the early rounds are close, it's hard to see Oscar not getting the benefit of the doubt from the judges.
History is also not on Manny's side. Fighters jumping up in weight to take on heavier guys who are world class opponents have not generally fared well. But if anyone in boxing today has the talent and heart to overcome the odds, it's Pacquiao. It's definitely possible his speed will just be too much for De La Hoya to handle.
There haven't been too many big fights this year where no outcome would surprise me, but this is one of them. I have to make a pick though, and while I'll be rooting hard for Pacquiao, I have to make my pick with my head and not my heart. That leads me to go with De La Hoya by decision.
The Franchise says...
The nice thing about not being a "real" boxing journalist is that I can openly root for Manny, which I will be doing. That being said, I'm a little concerned about whether or not he can actually pull this off.
I think the weight issue has been a bit overplayed, but it's definitely a fair question to wonder whether or not Manny will be able to hurt Oscar, who's been taking punches from much larger men for years. On the other hand, De La Hoya's power could definitely take a toll on Pacquiao when they trade. As my brother Uatu has pointed out before, Manny was wobbled by Juan Manuel Marquez in their fights, and he's quite a bit smaller than De La Hoya.
If the fight goes the distance, Manny should enjoy a conditioning advantage and be able to come on strong to close things out. Will he be in range of a decision by then? If the early rounds are close, it's hard to see Oscar not getting the benefit of the doubt from the judges.
History is also not on Manny's side. Fighters jumping up in weight to take on heavier guys who are world class opponents have not generally fared well. But if anyone in boxing today has the talent and heart to overcome the odds, it's Pacquiao. It's definitely possible his speed will just be too much for De La Hoya to handle.
There haven't been too many big fights this year where no outcome would surprise me, but this is one of them. I have to make a pick though, and while I'll be rooting hard for Pacquiao, I have to make my pick with my head and not my heart. That leads me to go with De La Hoya by decision.
The Dream Match Weigh-In
George Lopez on the mic on HBO.com.
Will monitor ESPN as well.
Shane is on the stage with Buffer.
They are showing press conference videos at the weigh-in to hype the crowd.
ESPN has not started coverage.
George Lopez is cracking some jokes based on "Yes We Can"
Bernard is on the stage. Hatton too.
Lopez killing time.
Looks like a huge and lively crowd in Vegas.
JMM on stage too and another gentleman that doesn't look familiar.
Now Richard is on the mic.
A lot of hyping and time killing.
Lopez just called Richard "boring as sh_t" which was funny.
ESPN just showed a live look-in and went to commercial.
Hatton gets some brief mic time.
Manny is introduced, as the pound-for-pound king.
Oscar introduced, as the ten time champ.
ESPN still at commercial.
Buffer says we are waiting for them.
SC is back.
Kenny and Atlas man the desk.
Manny on the scale first.
Geez...142!
Oscar- 145.
and the pose off.
Atlas wants to know what Oscar walks around at to know the effects of his lightest weight in years.
Atlas thinks Manny might even be coming in too heavy.
He doesn't like to see the smaller man bulk up too much and sacrifice speed.
He thinks Oscar's age could hurt him, and his prediction of a ko. Atlas thinks that means Oscar thinks he is in for an easy night. That is a questionable assertion.
He predicts Manny to win. It means more to Manny. Kenny picks Oscar by decision.
Will monitor ESPN as well.
Shane is on the stage with Buffer.
They are showing press conference videos at the weigh-in to hype the crowd.
ESPN has not started coverage.
George Lopez is cracking some jokes based on "Yes We Can"
Bernard is on the stage. Hatton too.
Lopez killing time.
Looks like a huge and lively crowd in Vegas.
JMM on stage too and another gentleman that doesn't look familiar.
Now Richard is on the mic.
A lot of hyping and time killing.
Lopez just called Richard "boring as sh_t" which was funny.
ESPN just showed a live look-in and went to commercial.
Hatton gets some brief mic time.
Manny is introduced, as the pound-for-pound king.
Oscar introduced, as the ten time champ.
ESPN still at commercial.
Buffer says we are waiting for them.
SC is back.
Kenny and Atlas man the desk.
Manny on the scale first.
Geez...142!
Oscar- 145.
and the pose off.
Atlas wants to know what Oscar walks around at to know the effects of his lightest weight in years.
Atlas thinks Manny might even be coming in too heavy.
He doesn't like to see the smaller man bulk up too much and sacrifice speed.
He thinks Oscar's age could hurt him, and his prediction of a ko. Atlas thinks that means Oscar thinks he is in for an easy night. That is a questionable assertion.
He predicts Manny to win. It means more to Manny. Kenny picks Oscar by decision.
3.12.08
A Warning Sign on Dream Match Buys?
There is a certain sports bar chain, that has locations in 25 or so of the 50 states here in America, that usually shows major ppv fights. The location nearest to Uatu has a 100% record of showing all of the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and NCAA football and basketball games. This restaurant has a mixed record for showing ppv's. The major fights they show with no problem. PPV's with Oscar, Mayweather, Roy Jones, and Hopkins are always shown. They don't show mid-level fights like Cotto-Mosley, or small ppv's like Pacquiao-Diaz or JMM's. They did actually show MAB vs. Juarez though. They also show all of the major UFC ppv fights.
In an interesting move, that could be a sign of the economic times, or lack of interest for this fight, or time of the year, or previous business generated to this specific location, or some other unknown reason, they have decided not to show the Dream Match.
So at the very least, in Uatu's location, there is some doubt that the Dream Match is a guaranteed attraction. If this was a 80's-90's Tyson fight, forget about it, it would be shown without a doubt.
There is a local, non-chain sports bar right across the street from Uatu's apartment, that shows most ppv boxing and UFC fights, even the mid-level ones like Cotto-Mosley. Uatu will keep an eye out to see if they show the Dream Match or not.
In an interesting move, that could be a sign of the economic times, or lack of interest for this fight, or time of the year, or previous business generated to this specific location, or some other unknown reason, they have decided not to show the Dream Match.
So at the very least, in Uatu's location, there is some doubt that the Dream Match is a guaranteed attraction. If this was a 80's-90's Tyson fight, forget about it, it would be shown without a doubt.
There is a local, non-chain sports bar right across the street from Uatu's apartment, that shows most ppv boxing and UFC fights, even the mid-level ones like Cotto-Mosley. Uatu will keep an eye out to see if they show the Dream Match or not.
1.12.08
In-Depth Preview: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao
Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao
Birthplace: Bukidnon, Philippines
Height: 5' 6 1/2"
Reach: 67"
Current Titles Held: WBC Lightweight (135 lbs.)
Former Titles Held: WBC Super Featherweight (130 lbs.), IBF Super Bantamweight (122 lbs.), WBC Flyweight (112 lbs.)
Professional Record: 47-3-2, 35 KO's
Record in World Title Fights: 8-1-2, 7 KO's
Record at 147 lbs.: First fight at this weight
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 3-1-1
Notable Wins: TKO11 Marco Antonio Barrera I, KO3 Erik Morales III, SD12 Juan Manuel Marquez II
Notable Losses: UD12 Erik Morales I, KO3 Medgoen Singsurat
"The Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya
Birthplace: Montebello, CA
Height: 5' 10 1/2"
Reach: 73"
Current Titles Held: None
Former Titles Held: WBO super featherweight (130 lbs.), WBO, IBF lightweight (135 lbs.), WBC super lightweight (140 lbs.), WBC welterweight (147 lbs.), WBC, WBA junior middleweight (154 lbs.), WBO middleweight (160 lbs.)
Professional Record: 39-5, 30 KO's
Record in World Title Fights: 24-5, 17 KO's
Record at 147 lbs.: 10-2
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 8-4
Notable Wins: UD12 Pernell Whitaker, TKO8 Julio Cesar Chavez, TKO11 Fernando Vargas
Notable Losses: MD12 Felix Trinidad, KO9 Bernard Hopkins, SD12 Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Analysis:
This bout is fittingly billed as The Dream Match, because until earlier this year, there was no reason to think these two multi-divisional champions would ever be in the ring together. But when Floyd Mayweather's unexpected retirement erased De La Hoya's lucrative rematch, this fight took its place as the biggest fight possible in the current boxing landscape.
Like Mayweather, Pacquiao is considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet today. His dazzling combination of speed and power has helped him blast his way by opponents from 112 to 135 pounds, and his defense has made vast improvements under the tutelage of Freddie Roach.
De La Hoya is also a former titleholder at 130 and 135 pounds, but that's where the similarities end. He's been fighting some of the best in the world at welterweight and above since before this decade started, raising the very legitimate question of whether he'll simply be too big for Pacquiao.
With the Golden Boy enjoying large advantages in height, reach and pure bulk, his patented left hook looms as a larger threat that it has in most of his last half-dozen fights. He figures to be facing a significant disadvantage in pure hand speed, so he'll be relying on his unquestioned boxing skills and the wisdom gained in dozens of previous world title fights.
Facing his biggest challenge both figuratively and literally, Pacquiao says he feels fast and strong despite bulking up to fight two weight classes higher than he's ever fought before. If his quickness rules the day or his power translates to 147, he'll stand a very real chance of coming out on top and adding another entry to an already impressive resume.
Pacquiao's Winning Strategy: Speed Kills
Some of Manny's supporters seem to think he'll be so blindingly fast that Oscar won't be able to lay a glove on him. That seems unlikely though, as his style has always been more seek-and-destroy than stick-and-move.
Regardless, Pacquiao's speed is still his primary weapon and his biggest key to victory. He'll have to be busy enough on the outside to neutralize De La Hoya's jab and let his hands go once he gets inside.
Since he's used to scoring knockouts, he'll also have to face up to the fact that his foe has been hit by much bigger men and may be able to take his best shots. That means the quantity, and not quality, of punches landed will likely punch Manny's winning ticket.
And since speed applies to more than just hands, Pacquiao will be in good shape if he uses his legs as well. He's not going to jump in and out, but he can use good movement around the ring to his benefit against the older De La Hoya.
De La Hoya's Winning Strategy: Size Matters
With the exception of an overmatched Ricardo Mayorga, De La Hoya hasn't been a serious knockout artist for at least five years. That won't be the case against Pacquiao, as Oscar's relative size and power have to be respected.
The Golden Boy may find that he's taking two punches to set up one, but it's what he does with that one that matters. De La Hoya will look to jab while Pacquiao is coming in and use hooks to the head and body once he gets there.
Anyone who thinks Pacquiao will prove too difficult to track down need only think back to De La Hoya's close loss to Mayweather, who possesses similar offensive gifts but has many more subtle defensive moves. There will be occasions where Manny is there to be hit, and Oscar will need to make him pay.
To make this strategy most effective, ring generalship will also be important. That shouldn't be a problem for De La Hoya, who's been facing top-notch competition for more than a decade and knows more than a little bit about cutting off the ring.
23.11.08
Quick Thoughts on Dream Match 24/7 Episode #2
That was the best episode of 24/7 or Countdown that has been shown in awhile. Some of the previous episodes had been kind of stale.
There was some legit sparring footage, even though it wasn't complete, some of the other fighters had refused to show sparring footage at all, so that was nice.
And even though the fame of Manny has been shown before, to Uatu's knowledge, this was the first interview with his parents, and his crew of hangers-on are a funny addition as well.
HBO has also shown Oscar's family before, including his relationship with his father, but this may have been the first focus on his mother's extended side, his family still in Mexico.
Add in a sprinkle of Angelo Dundee, a bit of Freddie Roach not liking Nacho, and you have yourself an entertaining episode.
So far, 24/7 has just added strength to Uatu's early prediction of a Manny win. He just looks way too fast for Oscar. He has enough power to keep Oscar honest to go with that speed, and he will have the superior cardio. Oscar still has the equalizer in the left hook, but if Manny is too fast to be found with it, it could be a long and frustrating night for the Golden Boy. Oscar's power could be a factor though. Juan Manuel Marquez did sort of wobble Manny, and Oscar would presumably hit harder than him. JMM though may have a level of crispness and accuracy in his punches that not even Oscar can match.
There was some legit sparring footage, even though it wasn't complete, some of the other fighters had refused to show sparring footage at all, so that was nice.
And even though the fame of Manny has been shown before, to Uatu's knowledge, this was the first interview with his parents, and his crew of hangers-on are a funny addition as well.
HBO has also shown Oscar's family before, including his relationship with his father, but this may have been the first focus on his mother's extended side, his family still in Mexico.
Add in a sprinkle of Angelo Dundee, a bit of Freddie Roach not liking Nacho, and you have yourself an entertaining episode.
So far, 24/7 has just added strength to Uatu's early prediction of a Manny win. He just looks way too fast for Oscar. He has enough power to keep Oscar honest to go with that speed, and he will have the superior cardio. Oscar still has the equalizer in the left hook, but if Manny is too fast to be found with it, it could be a long and frustrating night for the Golden Boy. Oscar's power could be a factor though. Juan Manuel Marquez did sort of wobble Manny, and Oscar would presumably hit harder than him. JMM though may have a level of crispness and accuracy in his punches that not even Oscar can match.
19.11.08
Live Vegas Odds on Hatton-Malignaggi and De La Hoya-Pacquiao
Normally we poach some odds with a link to a website. But BW's own Franchise is actually in Vegas as we speak! He is staying at the Planet Hollywood Casino, so presumably that's where these odds are from:
Hatton - 250
Paulie +200
Oscar -220
Manny +180
Once again, these aren't the official predictions, but betting strategies.
Paulie +200 is very attractive. It is not inconceivable that Paulie could outbox Hatton all night long. If you consider his inspired performance against Miguel Cotto, and if you consider Cotto to be the superior boxer to Hatton (which Uatu does), then there you go.
Manny +180 is also attractive for similar reasons, in that he has a really good chance of winning.
These are two fights, at least in Uatu's opinion, that will be highly contested and could go either way. So betting both underdogs would be his play. And right now, he is leaning towards actually predicting both men to win anyway.
Hatton - 250
Paulie +200
Oscar -220
Manny +180
Once again, these aren't the official predictions, but betting strategies.
Paulie +200 is very attractive. It is not inconceivable that Paulie could outbox Hatton all night long. If you consider his inspired performance against Miguel Cotto, and if you consider Cotto to be the superior boxer to Hatton (which Uatu does), then there you go.
Manny +180 is also attractive for similar reasons, in that he has a really good chance of winning.
These are two fights, at least in Uatu's opinion, that will be highly contested and could go either way. So betting both underdogs would be his play. And right now, he is leaning towards actually predicting both men to win anyway.
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