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Fiona's West Coast Blog August 13, 2006:
The Cauliflower Ali is All Growed Up |
By FIONA MANNING West
Coast Bureau Chief
A big storm is a-brewing in California (relax Armando Garcia, you're off the hook for a change) and it has nothing to do with the relentless heat we in the San Fernando Valley have been experiencing now for weeks.
No kids, this storm is between Don Fraser and Julian Eget of the California Boxing Hall of Fame who had a nasty bust-up and parted ways.
Eget is now operating under the name of the Golden State Boxing Hall of Fame, but he also retains legal rights to the use of California Boxing Hall of Fame.
This hasn’t stopped Fraser from continuing to use the title of California Boxing Hall of Fame – even though the courts have told him that Eget owns this name.
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Michael Marley Column
- Dennis To Miince Heavyweight Title Scene |
It Was A Three (Under)Dog Night In Las Vegas: Maskev, Rappaport, Valle;
Marley, Who Picked Maskaev By KO 11. Separates The Champs From The Chumps:
Imagine Victor's Bodega, the corner joint in Brooklyn or Queens where you get cigarettes, lottery tickets and maybe a quart of milk, shutting down a big-box store like Walmart.
Never happen you say? We had the boxing equivalent of it happen at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas Saturday night and the ripple effect may turn into a heavyweight division tsunami which will roil the business for some time
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Want a one-liner to sum it up? Bobby from Boca Raton couldn't wait to phone me. He put 15 large down on Maskaev at 2-1 and cashed in big-time. Bobby said: "America's Last Line Of Defense Forget To Bring His Offense."
Unfair, Bobala, Rahman did jab for about four rounds out of the 12, lol. (Btw, you could look it up on our site. I picked Maskaev by KO in 11 rounds.) |
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Marley Picked Maskaev By KO: Goofy But
Right, Only Off By One Round |
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Marley The Magnificent. Marley The Boxing Seer With No Peer. Marley's Parlays. I"ve got to come up with some nickname or slogan to herald my pugilistic prognostications. Yes, I picked Maskaev (see below) by KO in 11 rounds. Yes, I admitted it was a goofy selection but if you laid down a wager at BetEagle.Com or elsewhere and you got paid, you don't think it was so goofy. Now, for my next selection that you can lay the morgage money on...watch this
space.
MICHAEL MARLEY
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One
Fan's Lament: Real Punchers Don't Wear Frilly Panties In The
Ring |
Dear Sir:
Please see that Teddy Atlas received my comments to wit:
Who the hell dresses the fighters that we see on Friday Night Fights and other nights as well?
I am 69 years of age and have been a fight fan all my life.
Growing up in the 40s, 50s & 60s, a fight looked like a fighter. They were masculine and dressed like a male fighter.
I almost vomit when I see these fighters on your show step into the ring wearing skirts, dresses and frilly lace lined panties, etc!
What man wants to see a fighter out there swinging in a hula skirt or frilly lace draped panties.
As I said, I am 69 years of age, and there is not a man alive that can whip my ass wearing a skirt or lace panties,..and I don't care who he is.
Do something to dress these male fighters like a man instead of some effeminate she/he!
Thank you.
John Chambers
professorjohn@tampabay.rr.com
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View From The Tube: HBO PPV
- Cinderella Lives!!! |
By ROBERT JONES
Staff Writer FightNightNews.com
The question is: Was this or was this not a rematch? In the true definition of the word, yes, it was a rematch because it was the second time Hasim Rahman and Oleg Maskaev had squared off. But, in actuality, it had been seven years since the memorable night Maskaev launched Rahman out of the ring, on to the lap of Jim Lampley, and electing a riot.
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Rahman went on to win the heavyweight championship from Lennox Lewis in April 2001, only to lose it seven months later. He then went on to fight in lackluster performances against Evander Holyfield (loss, remember the second head?) David Tua (draw) and John Ruiz (loss); fights he admits he thinks he could have won if he had came into the respective fights in better shape.
Rahman then went back to the drawing board, taking fights with the likes of Al Cole and Rob Calloway in a small arena in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Then in his first big fight back in November 2004, he knocked out Kali Meehan, who had just given Lamon Brewster one the toughest fights of his careers, in four rounds. |
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View
From The Tube: Friday Night Fights (8-11-06)
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Joe Tessitore: " A Cherry Bomb Detonates on
Alicea!"
By ROBERT JONES
Staff Writer FightNightNews.com
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| Last night's episode of ESPN Friday Night Fights from the Mountaineer Racetrack in Chester, WV appeared it could be an explosive night of fighting. Not just because Edner Cherry goes by the
"Cherry Bomb," but because of the two styles competing in the main event. |
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Markus
Beyer
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By Per-Ake Persson
(Veteran WBC super middle titleholder Markus Beyer takes on WBA counterpart Mikkel Kessler October 14 in Copenhagen in a unification bout. Here is a look at the career of Beyer, who has often been criticized for being protected and winner of decisions a la "only in Germany," but have kept him going as a proven deceptively capable performer (much like his former stablemate Sven
Ottke).
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When I watched then WBC champ Markus Beyer, 17-0 going in, knockout Swedish challenger Leif Keiski with a devastating left hook to the body back in 2000, I was sure I had seen the next super star in super middleweight division. Beyer, short for his weight division, worked behind a tight guard, used a precise southpaw jab and had a powerful left left. He picked his shots well, showing perfect timing against a good opponent.
Five months later, Beyer, the superior boxer, fell apart against Brit Glenn Catley, stopped in the final round in a major upset. Always in top shape, Beyer didn’t lose due to lack of stamina. It was a mental breakdown and it would take years for the former champion to regain his confidence. Exactly what led to his downfall was a matter of many rumors and much speculation. |
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Happy Birthday Don King: And Many Happy Meltdowns
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By FIONA MANNING
In honor of Don "Only In America" King's birthday, I am going to recount my best, most fabulous Don King story that could have happened, well…only in America.
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It was February 2, 2003, the tail end of the most boring fight weigh-in of the century. I had a good spot in the media center at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for a world boxing title showdown and nothing was going on.
Kostya Tszyu, the defending undisputed junior middleweight champion at that time, is, unfortunately, the nicest guy
you'll ever meet. The Russian emigre who now calls Australia home was facing mouthy Sharmba Mitchell.
Yet, despite whispers of a personal grudge and lots of bad blood between them, they
couldn't even manage a single unscripted punch.
Nobody bit anyone's thighs or ears, or unzipped their flies. Where is Mike Tyson when you need a hot
story' |
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Rahman-Maskaev
Fight Picks |
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Michael Marley
Maskaev By KO Round 11
Is this in the realm of fiction? The Rock is way ahead on points but gets knocked out by sweeping overhand right? It could happen because Maskaev already owns a KO victory over Rahman.
Can you imagine 24 years after Gerry Cooney wilted against Sir Lawrence Holmes and Whacko One
(see Marley
column) Dennis Rappaport has a world heavyweight champion. The 'Red Menace' as champion and Dennis 'The Menace' as his promoter of choice. Mike Jones, Whack Two, will be spinning like a gyroscope in his grave, I am sure. So much for pulp fiction.
My real pick is Rahman W 12 in another dreary affair but I figured no one else on our fine staff would be goofy enough to pick the 'dog.
Robert Jones
Rahman By KO About Round 8
A lot of people are suggesting that the Rock is scared of Maskaev because of being knocked out of the ring seven years ago. While that is sure to be in his head, it only takes one look at Maskaev's record to see he has been knocked out more times since then. Maybe not as brutally, but a knockout loss is a knockout loss. Both fighters appear in good shape, but I think Rahman has a little more left in the tank and is really seeking redemption. I'm picking Rahman by a mid-round knockout, but a Maskaev win won't shock me at all.
Don Stradley
Holmes' Car Wash Special: Rock W 12
Neither guy has a chin, so I'm predicting a double knockout in the first round.
But if I have to be serious, I'd pick The Rock. Maskaev is a pretty good fighter, but I think his time has passed.
Hasim seems motivated by the stupid hype surrounding the fight. He's into the hero's role, even if most of the country couldn't care less about this fight. But Hasim seems to be in good shape, and since he looked so bad in his last fight, the unfortunate snoozer against Toney, he wants to make up for it and look good against Maskaev. So I'll pick Hasim by decision.
Let's face it, 25 years ago these two would have been fighting for the chance to wash Larry Holmes' car.
Nat Gottlieb
Rahman by TKO 9th
Rahman has been in the bigger battles than Maskaev, and even won a few, unlike Maskaev, who has lost five of the six fights he was in when his opponent was a contender -- Rahman being the only one he beat. Rahman's career is on the line, he has trained hard, and on his best night, he is as good as anybody in the division.
Maskaev has never lived up to the potential of the fighter who was close to beating an in-prime and unbeaten David Tua in the 11th when his glass jaw took a shot. Maskaev has retooled himself, but the chin is his for life. Rahman has the better skills and Maskaev will go as far as his chin will take him, probably about nine rounds.
Troy
Ondrizek: Rahman UD.
We
seem to forget that Rahman, before the one shot against Lewis,
was a boxer. Rahman boxed well against Maskaev the night
Oleg caught him on the ropes a few times. Oleg boxed very
well against Sinan Samil Sam and will try to continue the same.
Both have shaky chins and that’s why they'll be a little
hesitant. Rahman is the better boxer, thus Rahman by UD.
Eddie Goldman pick:
HBO wins, fans lose
The Rahman-Maskaev fight is being promoted by all involved in running it as "America's Last Line of Defense" even though it involves two American citizens. The Kazakhstan-born Maskaev, as you may not know from all this hype, lives in the former Soviet republic of Staten Island, is a citizen of the red, white, and blue, and does not fly a hammer and sickle from his bedroom window.
This type of promotion is not only about as creative and intelligent as your average automobile commercial, but also shamelessly tries to exploit today's very real international crises which should be well-known to all those who explore the world by reading more than Fightnews.
Maskaev earned his shot at Rahman's WBC belt by outpointing Sinan Samil Sam last November in a WBC eliminator in Hamburg, Germany. That was worth a hamburger Tuesday, although you'll have to pay 50 bucks Saturday to see Rahman-Maskaev 2.
The real hook is their first fight in 1999, won by Maskaev when he knocked Rahman clean out of the ring in the eighth round. That outcome was so significant then that two years later, Rahman got a title shot against Lennox Lewis and knocked him out in their first encounter, while, after two wins, Maskaev was himself knocked out by Kirk Johnson and Lance Whitaker.
Now we are told Rahman-Maskaev I had maybe the significance of World War I or the Persian Gulf War I or some other last line of America's defense.
The real plan for this fight is to have Rahman win and do a partial title unification with IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko. Then the winner will claim to be the "real" heavyweight champion of the world. No doubt Ring magazine, which has Wlad ranked first followed by Rock, will agree, as will HBO and ESPN. They thus can duck WBO champ Sergei Liakhovich, who beat Lamon Brewster, who knocked out Klitschko. And, just as importantly, duck Don King.
Wlad also can duck Shannon Briggs, whom Klitschko's trainer Emanuel Steward rightly sees as a real threat to knock his charge out in an early round. Plus, such a scenario would also lock out WBA champ Valuev, whom King wants to bring to America and could make some money with for at least one or two fights.
A heavyweight unification tournament? What do you think this is, a sport? Remember, it's not boxing, it's HBO |
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The
Biofile: Wladimir Klitschko |
By Scoop Malinowski
STATUS: IBF Heavyweight champion.
HT: 6-5 WT: 241
BORN ON: March 25, 1976 IN: Kiev, Ukraine
CHILDHOOD HEROES: "I had very many heroes. Bruce Lee, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Muhammad Ali, my brother (Vitali). All the best boxers, so many people. Max Schmeling. He was an idol. I met him with my brother when he was 93. He had a great personality, very sharp. He remembered everything and spoke clearly. He was a successful boxer and businessman. We talked a long time with him. Max Schmeling is a great example that a boxer should get out of the game with their health. Boxing can be a brutal sport."
NICKNAME: Dr. Steelhammer.
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| HOBBIES/INTERESTS: "Kite surfing in my passion. Computer, surfing the Internet. I like to wakeboard, snowboard...it's so fun. I have a helicopter pilot's license. Languages...I'm from Ukraine. I now live in Hamburg, Germany. I speak very good German. My English is not so good now but I know I must learn how and I hope soon I can do much better." |
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The
Biofile Bettina Palle |
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Boxing promoter.
DOB: December 15, 1964 IN: Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Childhood Heroes: Hmm - apart from my father, boxing related, I would say the
likes of Tom Bogs, Carlos Monzon and Victor Galindez.
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Hobbies/Interests: These days I have no time for hobbies, I have a baby boy from January 13th 2006, I do like going to concerts though.
Favorite Movies: I like funny movies and gangster movies, preferably where I can relax and be entertained without having to think too much.
Musical Tastes: I listen mainly to soul music, mix in a little Latino, hip- hop, Elvis Presley, Placido Domingo and Tom Jones and even some reggae. |
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Whacko One Behind Maskaev Bid For Title
Dennis 'The Menace' Returns To Heavyweight Summit -- Every 24 Years |
What was that wicked crack Hasim Rahman, who is hardly considered the Dave Chapelle of the heavyweight division, made about Oleg Maskaev promoter Dennis "The Menace" Rappaport?
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| I am sure someone planted the line in Rahman's uncluttered mind because The Rock was only nine years old for Rappaport's peak of fistic fame. That came in 1982 when Irish Gerry Cooney, later discovered to be a drinker/druggie with a boxing problem (he's clean and sober now), went a competitive 13 rounds with heavyweight king Larry Holmes at Ceasars Palace. |
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Shannon
Set to Stun Wlad? |
By DEREK BILTON
www.sportinglife.com
Wladimir Klitschko looks
all set to defend his IBF heavyweight title against
Shannon Briggs in New York in November.
Klitschko, who has won his
last four since being stopped by Lamon Brewster in 2004,
was impressive last time out when stopping the elusive
Chris Byrd (TKO 7).
The man they call 'Steelhammer'
is 46-3 (41), and would start as a massive favourite to
retain with the bookmakers.
However there are plenty in
the boxing trade who feel Brooklyn native Briggs, best
known for being bombed out by Lennox Lewis back in 1998,
can pull off an upset.
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Briggs
(right) - may have the tools to upset Klitschko
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Briggs has not
lost in over four years and in that time he has reeled off
11 wins. He has beefed up and of his 47 wins (against four
defeats and a draw), 41 have come inside schedule.
Floyd Mayweather Snr,
esteemed trainer of Oscar
De La Hoya and father of 'pound-for-pound' elitist Floyd
Mayweather , is one of several leading fight figures who
fancies Briggs' chances. |
"To be honest, I think
Briggs got a very good chance, depending on what Briggs
comes in. If Briggs comes in to fight the man; Klitschko
is a scared fighter anyway.
"I don't think either Klitschko brother takes a great
punch. Briggs has a very good chance.
"The whole thing
depends on which Shannon Briggs comes in. If he comes with
heart and determination to win, those Klitschko guys will
fold. I think he has a chance. I won't say he'll win, but
there's a good chance."
Miguel Diaz, who trains
Miguel Cotto and a host of other top names, also feels
Briggs has the tools to win the fight.
"It will be very
interesting because Klitschko is one of the top
heavyweights and the other kid is a little bit off boxing
for a while, but he's on a good streak.
"I saw him (Briggs) in
Puerto Rico and he almost killed the guy. I saw him at the
Warriors show recently and he looked like he's in great
spirits.
"It's exactly what he
needs; he's an emotional fighter. I worked for him one
time and it was the only time I went to the dressing room
and the fighter was listening to classical music. Chopin!
"Right now he's on a
good streak and I think it will be interesting. He's got a
lot of ability and I understand he's with good people now
too. I think this is his last chance, so that's why he'll
make the fight.
"Klitschko is a good
fighter, but he's nothing you can't beat. You saw him
fight against Samuel Peter, who knocked him down. He's got
his faults. He's got a lot of ability too but he's got his
faults. It will be very interesting. I can't predict who
will win. It's 50/50." |
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The Biofile
Jeff Wald |
The Biofile Jeff Wald
By Scoop Malinowski
STATUS: Boxing promoter and co-executive producer of THE CONTENDER.
DOB: January 27, 1944 IN: Bronx, New York
CHILDHOOD HEROES: Phil Rizzuto, Billy Martin, Gene Kelly, Sugar Ray Robinson.
HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Politics, basketball, boxing, swimming, reading, traveling.
FAVORITE MOVIES: Crash, Two Days in the Valley, Guys and Dolls, Kiss, Kiss, Bang Bang, The Godfather, Goodfellas.
MUSICAL TASTES: All R&B, Marvin Gaye, The Eagles,Kanye West.
EARLY BOXING MEMORY: Watching Gillette Friday Night Fights. I remember seeing the Gene Fullmer-Carmen Basilio fight, as well as seeing Archie Moore and Jersey Joe Walcott.
FIRST BOXING JOB: Promoting George Foreman.
FAVORITE MEAL: Food [smiles].
FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR: Pistachio.
CHILDHOOD DREAMS, AMBITIONS: Be in music and TV business.
GREATEST CAREER MOMENT: Seeing the birth of THE CONTENDER (it was
Jeff's brainchild).
MOST PAINFUL BOXING MEMORY: George Foreman getting a bogus loss to Shannon Briggs.
FAVORITE BOXERS TO WATCH: Sugar Ray Leonard, Ali, George Foreman, Mike Tyson.
FAVORITE FIGHTS: Leonard vs. Hagler; Foreman vs. Moorer, all the Ali-Frazier fights.
FIRST RINGSIDE EXPERIENCE; Ali vs. Frazier 1971 Madison Square Garden. (What memories pop out about being there?) In the general vicinity of where I was sitting were Frank Sinatra, Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster and many others. I remember everybody was dressed up. And everybody was smoking.
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Hawaii.
FUNNY BOXING MEMORY: Walking George Foreman into the ring. I walked into the ring with George's hands on my shoulders for both the Savarese and Shannon Briggs fights. What was funny is that he is so big and I am 5-6 and I was grinning so hard that my face hurt [smiles].
EMBARRASSING BOXING MEMORY: Hearing Shannon Briggs won the fight against George.
FUNNIEST BOXERS ENCOUNTERED: Ali, George Foreman. (Any funny George memories?) I went on stage with George and Ali at the Oscars the night "WHEN THEY WERE KINGS" won for best documentary. The press asked George what he thought when he saw the movie (which was about his fight with Ali in Zaire), he said "I keep hoping the ending would change [smiles]."
PEOPLE QUALITIES MOST ADMIRED: Honesty, Sense of Humor.
EDUCATION: Three years college, 22 years streets of New York. |
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View From The Tube: Wednesday Night Fights |
Wednesday Night Fights
Ends With a Bang!
Also: Best of Wednesday Night Fights!
By ROBERT JONES
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This
week’s edition of ESPN’s Wednesday Night Fights marked
the last show of the summer season. The final card of
the night featured two light middleweights looking for
at least one more big fight before their careers run
out. The fights tonight came from Foxwoods Resort
Casino and as Joe Tessitore reminded us at the opening,
“Foxwoods has built a reputation for putting on highly
entertaining and competitive fights.” |
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Interview: 10
Rounds with: Dorin Spivey |
By Robert Jones
Dorin Spivey
(32-4 23 KO’s) is one of the more underrated
lightweights in the world. He has now been on the brink
of big time fights twice, only to lose by split
decisions. Dorin Spivey is being trained by legendary
fighter Pernell “Sweat Pea” Whitaker and had a lot of
kind words to say about him.
Dorin
Spivey was nice enough to take some time out of training
with Whitaker in preparation of his October 7th
fight at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.
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Boxing's Ghost Getting Ready To Take Crown From 'Mighty Mouse'
But Labels Ex-Hero Gibson Anti-Semitic, Stupid Rat |
By FIONA MANNING
West Coast Bureau Chief
LOS ANGELES --Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero, promoting his IBF 126 pound world title challenge on September 2 on the
"No Risk, No Reward" card headlined by James Toney at Staples Center, said he is
"very disappointed" in his hero Mel Gibson's roadside antics last week.
"I
mean what a stupid thing he did. Crazy,"
said Guerrero today at his L.A. presser at Casa Vega, a
landmark Sherman Oaks restaurant.
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Guerrero, who is
18-1-1, with 11 KOs, is a devout Catholic. "This
was a great demonstration of what alcohol does. It makes
you act real stupid."
He said he was so turned off by Gibson, that he can't even
read any more articles on the subject. "They
should just ignore him."
Nobody's going to be ignoring Guerrero anytime soon.
Widely tipped to beat current IBF title holder Eric "Mighty
Mouse"
Aiken, 16-4, 12 KOs, next month, Guerrero says the outcome
"is
in God's hands"
but is leaving nothing to chance. |
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The Contender
Update - August 9th 2006 |
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Latest Chapter In ESPN's Compelling
Soap/Glove Opera:
Grady Barrett Moves On, Vinroy Barrett Hangs
'Em Up, Heads Home
By ROBERT JONES
Staff Writer
FightNightNews.com
The show opened with
highlights of what had happened up until this point.
With Walter Wright’s victory over Andre Eason, the blue
and gold teams are now tied with two wins apiece. The
win also gave the gold team power to choose who would be
fighting whom next.
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As an added gift for the gold team, they
were presented leather jackets and sunglasses from
three-time world champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley. They
were further shocked when Mosley showed up the next day
at the gym to workout with the contenders. Mosley said,
“I think the tournament it a great idea. It’s a chance
for the winner to go on to superstardom.” |
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The Biofile Scott Hirsch |
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By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Boxing manager of Shannon Briggs, Jameel
McCline, JD Chapman and Eliseo Castillo.
DOB: April 14, 1966 In: I was born in Miami. I'm
the first Floridian in my family. My father, grandfather
were all from Brooklyn.
Family: Wife, Stacy; sons Josh (13), Zach (4).
Childhood Heroes: Muhammad Ali, Reggie Jackson,
Don Shula, Bob Griese and all of the 1972 Undefeated
Dolphins.
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Hobbies/Interests: I love to play racquetball and
paddleball and I’m a big sports fan. Football,
basketball, baseball, tennis, golf and especially
boxing. I like to watch them all.
Favorite Movies: Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs,
anything Quentin Tarantino.
Musical Tastes: I like it all. I listen to rap,
rock, salsa but I play Jimmy Buffet to relax.
Favorite TV Shows: The Sopranos and The Shield.
Favorite Books: The Call of the Wild, Jack
London, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, The
Prophet, Kahlil Gibran.
Early Boxing Memory: Ali beating Jerry Quarry in
comeback. Joe Frazier beating Ali in the first fight. |
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Gourmand Greg Marotta's Eat & Drink, But Mostly Drink, Column |
You Deck Muhammad Ali, An Hour Later You're Hungry; Gourmand
Greg
List His National Chinese Top Ten Chowdown Locations, Chop Chop
By GREG MAROTTA
Gentleman Who Gallivants
Chink Weber...a character created by Stallone to try and buy off
Chuck Wepner; character hit the cutting room floor faster than
Chuck ever did, that's for sure.
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Top 10
Chinese Restaurants:
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Yank
Sing-San Francisco |
6. |
Chengdu
46-Clifton NJ |
| 2.
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Ping's-NYC |
7. |
Mainland-NYC |
| 3. |
Pearl-Las
Vegas |
8. |
Tommy
Toy's-San Francisco |
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66-NYC |
9. |
Susannna Foo-Philadelphia |
| 5. |
Chinoise on
Main-LA |
10. |
Wo Hop-NYC |
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The Biofile Mikkel Kessler |
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: WBA Super Middleweight champion. His record
is 37-0 with 28 KO's.
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 168
DOB: March 1, 1979 In: Copenhagen, Denmark
Childhood Heroes: "Maybe was Superman or Batman
[smiles]. In boxing, Oscar De La Hoya. I saw him a lot,
I watched him fight a lot. I liked his fighting style.
And Mike Tyson when I was a little kid."
Nicknames: "Viking Warrior. Wiggle [smiles]. It
was my sister just trying to be funny."
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"I'd like to say to boxing fans in America that I hope
they're going to see me fight on HBO or Showtime
sometime soon.
So they can see I have the same experience that Oscar De
La Hoya has. I have the same combinations, well, not the
same, but I'm bigger. And I want to show them how good a
fighter I am. And put out some great shows. (Who's the
best at 168?) Myself. Besides me, I think Calzaghe's a
good fighter too.
I don't know who's the best but I see myself as the best
in the division. And if you want to be the best and to
have all the belts, you have to trust yourself. I
believe in myself 100%. That's what I do." |
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Hobbies/Interests: "I like to drive racing cars.
I like that a lot. Champ cars. I like to watch Formula 1
too. And I like to drive myself in some of those cars."
Early Boxing Memory: "Getting beaten up in the
first couple of years (age 13). (You weren't very good
at first?) No, not that. Yes I was good but I was
fighting a lot better people, better boxers. So I had to
- that's why I get so good guard, defense - that's why I
have such good guard today. Because I used to get beaten
up - not beaten up but they were better than me."
Pre-Fight Feeling: "I'm thinking about
concentration. All the time. Even how many people are
(there), and even the press and even everybody. Keep my
focus on the fight and what I've learned in the training
gym. (Look at opponent upon entering ring?) Yes. I look
at him all the time. Just to see what he's made of. You
can look at a man's eyes to see...maybe you can see if
he's scared, sometimes you can not. But sometimes they
look away from the start. You look and suddenly he looks
away. Then he's nervous. Then he doesn't know what's
going to happen. So that's why I've always done that."
Favorite Fights: "In all my years, in all the
time, I can remember when Jimmy Bredahl fought Oscar. I
like that fight. I remember the fight because it
inspired me. He took a lot of beating and he punched
Oscar and he was shaken. But he couldn't follow up on it
and he lost. And then he went 12 rounds and he said,
Don't stop the fight, don't stop. But the doctor stopped
the fight. That's a tough guy. And that was a big
inspiration."
Favorite Movies: "Midnight Express. Shawshank
Redemption - that's a good movie."
Musical Tastes: "Everything from opera to jazz,
everything."
First Job: "Newspaper boy (age 12)."
First Car: "1984 black BMW."
Childhood Dreams: "I didn't have a specific thing
I wanted to be. But I wanted to be a mechanic. I wanted
to do machine work. Working on machines and everything.
I would like to be it. (How did you start in boxing?)
Because one of my father's friends took me to the gym
when I was 13. And then I just fell in love with it. But
a couple of years after. I played a lot of soccer and
athletics. Then three of my friends and me went to
boxing and it was a big challenge to me."
Favorite Meal: "My favorite meal was my mom, she
cooked curry with chicken and pasta."
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Strawberry."
Greatest Sports Moment: "Was being world champion
WBA (TKO Manny Siaca in Copenhagen in 2004). And being
youth European champion as an amateur. That was a great
moment too (age 16). I beat a Russian in the final."
Most Painful Moment: "[Pauses]...Yeah, ahhh...I
haven't lost in a pro fight. Most painful was when I
lost in an amateur fight. I was a junior (age 16) and
fighting a senior (23 or 24) in a Danish against
England. And I lost. That was a bad moment for me."
Worst Injury: "My hands (shows me scars on both
hands). Hand injuries."
Funny Boxing Memory: "A lot of things made me
laugh but I don't have a specific moment. Not that I can
remember right now. I have to chew on that one...one
time we were sparring. And he was fooling. And he fell
down at the end and hit his head and passed out in the
gym. That was funny, we were all laughing."
Embarrassing Boxing Memory: "I don't have
anything embarrassing. I don't think so."
Favorite Boxers To Watch: "Today, there's a lot
of fighters. I don't have just one. Still I like Oscar
De La Hoya. I like to watch Roy Jones. A lot of
fighters."
Favorite Vacation Spot: "I've been in Thailand. I
like to be in Thailand. And then I'd really like to go
to Mexico and El Salvador. I have a friend - Carlos
Famoso Hernandez - he has a house in El Salvador. I'd
like to go down there and visit. He's my good friend."
People Qualities Most Admired: "People that don't
give up and people that always have a smile on their
face. And enjoy their life, even if they don't have so
much. I like to see that." |
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Stradley's Boxing Notebook |
HOF Trainer Angelo
Dundee Remembers:
‘The Magnetism’ Of Honest Bill; Arcel's
Ready Robe And Other 'Tricks Of The Fistic Trade
By DON STRADLEY
Staff Writer FightNightNews.com
Angelo Dundee, the 85-year-old trainer and manager who
has guided the careers of enough fighters to fill up his
own wing in Canastota, chatted with me recently about
the lost art of scale tampering.
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The subject came up when we were discussing Jose Luis
Castillo's problem with the 135-pound limit, and how his
doctor was caught messing with the scales at the weigh
in for Castillo's second bout with Diego Corrales.
"I knew all the tricks," Dundee said from his Florida
home. "I could show them how to do it. |
Of course, the best at it was Honest Bill Daly, who had
Carlos Ortiz, the biggest lightweight I ever saw.
When he fought my guy, Sugar Ramos, they looked like
Mutt and Jeff in the ring. But Daly always had Ortiz at
135. I don't know how he did
it. When they weighed guys in Puerto Rico they always
kept you three feet away from the scale on all sides.
You couldn't see what was going on. When no one was
around I checked the scales and looked all around; I
couldn't see anything. He must have been using magnets
or something.
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Michael Marley Column: Dog Day Evening At Garden: Must Be Reason
Viper And Bazooka Don't Seek Rematch |
Michael Marley Column:
Dog Day Evening At Garden: Must Be Reason Viper And
Bazooka Don't Seek Rematch
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Dog days jottings of a
comebacking boss scribe: Lost in the post-fight shuffle
and the contrived controversy of the Ike Quartey-Vernon
Forrest main bout Saturday night at the Garden is the
fact, Jack, that it was not an enthralling match. In
fact, it was extremely repetitive from beginning to end.
Two matchmakers couldn't wait to put the knock on the
bout in the wake of my column yesterday which called for
a rematch and said that is what Garden great Teddy
Brenner would've done, put Ike and Vernon back in the
ring asap.
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Michael Marley Boxing Blog
Hasim's Rock-y Reviews Are In: Dull, Made In Hell, Certified Dud
and Boring |
If Rahman Was A Movie, He
Would Be 'Waterworld,' Biggest Flop Ever
If Hasim Rahman
was a movie, he would either be "Waterworld" or
"Heaven's Gate." two of the biggest flops in cinematic
history. If Rahman was a movie, as his reviews shown
below, he would be a mauling, clinching, horror show.
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If Rahman
was a car, he would be the Edsel, which as to be
Detroit's all-time automotive loss leader. If Rahman was
a play,. he would have closed in Hartford and never made
it to Broadway.
Yet HBO is shilling a new 2-for-1 boxing sucker's pitch.
They urge you to pay $50 to watch snore-bore Rahman
against Oleg Maskaev and they have turned Jim "Lamp Unto
My Feet" Lampley and Larry "Life Is A Spit Sandwich When
Rahman Clinches" Merchant into pit bulls trying to knock
out the planned Waldimir Klitschko-Shannon Briggs IBF
title bout, set for Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden.
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Their commercial goal? As
scripted by Bob Arum, it's to put Rahman, if he gets
ring revenge against Maskaev, into the slot on Nov. 11.
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Fiona's
West Coast Blog: When Boxing Writers Allegedly Kill |
By FIONA MANNING
WEST COAST BUREAU CHIEF
The news that boxing
photojournalist Dale S. Hausner was arrested two days ago
as one of three serial killers terrorizing Phoenix ,AZ,
didn't come as a big shock to me.
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His name didn't
mean anything to me.
I was just relieved that the cops had arrested
Hausner and his room-mate as the Serial Shooter Killers.
One Phoenix serial killer,
called the Baseline Killer operating separately, remains
at large.
Like I said, I didn't think I knew Hausner when boxing
photographer Mary Ann Owen first contacted me about his
arrest - until she mentioned he took a lot of photos of
her femme fighter Elena "Baby Doll" Reid.
Something twigged in the back of my tiny brain and I
checked my stack of old reader e-mails and sure enough,
there was an exchange of e-mails from 18 months ago that
Hausner and I had about femme fighters from Arizona,
California and Nevada. |
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met (according to his first e-mail) at a fight in Phoenix.
I didn't remember. I was bleary-eyes after driving nine
hours to get to the venue. He says we spoke. I take his
word for it. |
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Michael Marley Column From A Cool Cave In Pakistan |
Beared Guru Explains Why
Heavyweight Is So Borrrrr-ing!
"Learned One" Dispenses Enlightment About Rahman's Necessary
Dullness
AKBAR'S ALIBI LOUNGE, IN THE SEEDY SECTION OF KARACHI-- It
was a long, arduous journey. By taxi, then plane and taxi again.
Then the trip continued by taxi at the Karachi International
Airport. It was hot and steamy in Pakistan but this seeker of
pugilistic and television wisdom had to ignore the oven-like
heat. |
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Boxing Blast By Michael
Marley |
Stop The Crying ; Make
Bazooka-Viper Rematch Like The Old Days, Like Teddy
Brenner Would Have
By MICHAEL MARLEY
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
I'm mad as hell and I can't take it anymore. Let's put
aside this mild and mostly contrived "controversy" over
the official scoring of Saturday night's Ike Quartey-Vernon
Forrest junior middleweight 10-rounder at the Garden.
Sure, promoter Lou DiBella is still whining and
whimpering about the result.
That's his job description.
Lou probably got an "A" in trial advocacy at Harvard Law
School. Closest I got to Harvard was when I drove
Ambassador Taxi #78 in Harvard Square (best passengers:
Faye Dunaway and Peter Wolf of J. Geils Band fame but I
digress). So Luigi is only doing an important part of
his job.
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point for Forrest and would've had him in front by two
if not for the ninth round penalty point for a low blow.
Scribbling for The Daily News, Tiny Tim Smith had
Bazooka Ike in front, 95-94, The press section majority
thought Quartey won, yes, but many of them do not
understand the vital scoring difference between
aggression and effective aggression. Add to that the
fact that highly-respected Melvin Lathan and Steve
Weisfeld were two of the three arbiters. |
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If this is an outrage it is a milquetoast one. It's not
armed robbery, it's petty theft. Which is why I find
DiBella's remarks about his taking orders from the loser
for no rematch to be suspect. You telling me neither
Quartey nor Forrest really want to prove who is the
better man?
Forget what Quartey wants. What do the paymasters at HBO
want? In the Teddy Brenner era at the Garden, a rematch
of such a close decision between two former champions
and now top contenders would've been quickly penciled in
for the next Garden show. They'd be making the yellow,
red and black posters screaming "Rematch of Scoring
Controversy" now. The fuel for a rematch fire, while
flickering rather than roaring, is there.
But DiBella won't light the rematch?
As for Forrest, if he gets the proper purse and
pugilistic puppet master Al Haymon OKs it, he will take
the rematch in a heartbeat. From what I see and hear,
Haymon has the power to change the scripts and casting
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