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By Fiona Manning for FightNightNews.com I was accused this week by a female fighter of not knowing when a fighter should give it up, hang up the proverbial gloves. 'Only a fighter knows when it time to quit,' she told me. Having watched some colossal mismatches lately, I know she’s absolutely wrong. And I’ll tell you why: we fight writers may not take punches for a living, but we are trained to see the decline in a fighter. We see it at the gym, in the ring and in their every day speech. Unfortunately, the sad and tragic decline of a boxer often goes unreported, especially when it continues in private silence, outside of the ring. |
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TAKE IT FROM CHAMP LENNOX; SOMETIMES A LOSS CAN BE FIGHTER'S BIGGEST VICTORY By MICHAEL MARLEY EXECUTIVE EDITOR SANTA YNEZ, CALIF. --Former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis was talking about Carlos Maussa's title-winning upset victory over Vicious Vivian Harris but he could have been talking about any pro boxer. Lewis was delineating, as he prepared for tonight's HBO BAD telecast from the Chumash Casino here in "Sideways" movie country, how a defeat can be the best thing to happen in a boxer's career. Lewis spoke from personal experience, citing his shocking KO loss in South Africa to Hasim Rahman. "I went through what Vivian went through.," Lewis said. "It has happened to so many world champions, including me. You can grow mentally tired, not keep your focus. For Rahman, I wasn't concerned, I wasn't worried about him. I didn't even think of losing to him. In fact, I didn't think about him at all." That loss, Lewis said, was his ultimate professional wakeup call. "You can really grow from a situation like that. I know I grew. I grew mentally. I became mentally stronger and grew more focused." Lewis, Fran Charles and Mad Max Kellerman (here wearing his obscene NY Yankees cap) will be at the mike as Harris continues his comeback against rugged, former two-time lightweight champ Stevie "Lil But Bad" Johnston. At the weigh-in, it looked like Mutt and Jeff from the old comic strips. Johnston gives away about six inches in height to the Guyanese fighter by way of Brooklyn. |
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SHE COMES FROM YALE AND NOT FROM JAIL, FEMALE FIGHTER HAMAGUCHI IS A REAL 'EVERLAST EINSTEIN' By MICHAEL MARLEY EXECUTIVE EDITOR SANTA YNEZ, CALIF.--In my forty-plus years of traversing the boxing planet, I have sometimes sarcastically labeled one goofball or another an 'Everlast Einstein." Usually they are loud-talking individuals who really don't know the difference between a left hook and a fish hook. Usually, they couldn't spell "cat" even if you spotted them the "c" and the "t." While covering, hyping or promoting fights in Ecuador, Indonesia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Italy, Mexico and Canada--not mention the hundreds of Las Vegas extravaganzas I have encountered some brainy boxing people. Besides Mike Trainer, Don King and Bob Arum. There have been a few others who IQ level is or was beyond the norm. Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson are among the brightest lamps in the superstar boxer category. Now I have crossed paths with the Grey Matter Champion, the Boxing Braniac, The Thinking Person's Fighter, and she really is an Everlast Einstein. Her name is Deidre Hamaguchi and, to steal an old 12 Steppers classic line from the halls of AA, she comes from Yale and not from jail. Literally from Yale and literally not from the Sybil Brand Insitiute in LA or tropical Rikers Island in New York. She is 41-years-old and looks 31. She is at the Chumash Casino to support old pal Vivcious Vivian Harris in his HBO bout against "Lil But Bad" ex-champ Stevie Johnston tonight. She may be the shortest person in Southern California this side of Johnston and a few li'l guys left over from the bad old days of dwarf-tossing in the shadowy culverts of Culver City. Hamaguchi, who left Yale with a degree in architecture, was born in Ottawa but, realizing she would never be much larger than a frozen puck, never took up hockey. She was a teacher in New York City, where she trained at Gleason's Gym and became friendly with Harris and trainer Delen "Pass The" Parsley. She now teaches chemistry at Fairfax High School in LA. She hung out at her Ivy League school with actor Paul Giamatti of "Sideways" fame. She thought Paul's handsome brother, Marcus, would be the Giamatti who made it big in Hollywood. The writer-poet Reinaissance Man, A. Bartlett Giamatti (dad to Paul and Marcus), was president of Yale when she was matriculating in New Haven. Later, he became commissioner of Major League Baseball. Pete Rose never liked him, either. Remember the name. Remember the IQ which is even higher than Bobby "What's A Designated Driver" Czyz's supposed Mensa member intelligence quotient. Well, Czyz was smart enough to quit against Evander Holyfield. Hamaguchi. A real Everlast Einstein. Former judo practitioner who turned to boxing. She is looking for bouts now. Notice how little I've said about her pro ring career. She is bright enough to know she is in the twilight of a less than mediocre career. Her ring log as a pro is 1-7-3. But she has made great friends and had plenty of fun in boxing. She graces the sport with her love for it and the characters who populate it. She comes from Yale, not from jail. She's Deidre 'Everlast Einstein" Hamaguchi and she never said she was The Greatest. She won't say it but this dummy will. She is, without a dbout, The Smartest. Maybe the SOAT. Dummy up, dullards. SOAT is the Smartest Of All Time. In the world of boxing, Hamaguchi is the sharpest knife in the drawer. |
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By Robert Jones This card was filled with four talented fighters all looking to make their mark in this business. But, it was really about one fighter getting a second chance in a business that doesn’t offer too many. First there was an undercard fight that had two evenly matched fighters, each trying to pave their way to glory in the welterweight division. The winner would be one step closer to winning a shot at the vacated IBF title. Joshua Clottey (28-1 18 KO's 1 NC) is the younger brother of the tough Emmanuel, but unlike Emmanuel he finds himself in the position to rise to great heights. Clottey's one blemish in his career came via a somewhat dubious disqualification to current welterweight king Carlos Baldomir. Clottey was actually winning the bout at the time, before the stoppage in the 11th round. That doesn't look bad against a fighter like Baldomir, who has gone undefeated in the last seven years. |
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The View From Ringside |
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VICIOUS VIV DELIVERS CLASSIC BEATDOWN OF OLD WARRIOR; CLOTTEY OUTPOINTS GUTIERREZ IN REFUND REQUEST BOUT By MICHAEL MARLEY EXECUTIVE EDITOR SANTA YNEZ, CALIF.--No one had to tell Vicious Vivian Harris what time is. He knew that he needed more than a victory in the HBO 'Boxing After Dark' main event Saturday night at the Chumash Casino. A defeat or a sluggish performance would send him to the outskirts of Palookaville. A loss or less than stirring showing and he would go from endangered species on HBO's fighter list to NCB. NCB isn't another network, something new on cable. It's No Call Back which is what the promoter and or manager get when the HBO and/or Showtime suits aren't interested. |
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Lawyer Filing Written Protest View From The Tube: Austin Shows Some 'Drawing Power' As Controversy Rages Over 7th Round Knockdown Not Called By ROBERT JONES (EDITOR'S NOTE: Mike Borao, lawyer for Austin, is filing a
strongly-worded written protest to the IBF and asking for the
draw to be changed to an Austin points victory based on the
seventh-round 'knockdown' which was clearly seen on TV but not
credited by the referee. Last night's card from the Seminole Hard Rock Arena in Hollywood, FL, looked to be a very promising one. The main event featured two fighters who are on the brink of making some serious noise in the heavyweight division. The supporting bout showed us a hot new prospect stepping up in competition, perhaps, showing us that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. Samuel Miller (16-0 14KO's) was taking a step up when he took on the rough and tough Jason Naugler (15-6-1 10 KO's). Miller, 26, is a former Columbian national champion, but he has only been fighting in the States for less than a year. Naugler, 28, doesn't have a stellar record, but he gave Miller his toughest test to date. The first couple of rounds Miller stayed on the outside while boxing well. The only action we saw out of Naugler was when he was inviting Miller to fight him. The next two rounds saw the action pick up. Naugler landed a left right combination in the first 30 seconds of the round that seemed to stop the Columbian in his tracks. Miller quickly recovered though, but most of the third round action went the way of Naugler. The fourth round was one of the more exciting rounds of the year. Both fighters stayed planted firmly in the center of the ring landing camera friendly looping punches. The tide seemed to be turning as Naugler was starting to come on strong, but this would be the Canadian's best round For the rest of the fight Miller went back to boxing. He did a great job spacing the rest of the night. Whenever Naugler tried to move in he would be greeted with a stiff jab or a nice right hand. Miller would lose a point in the eight round for a low blow, but it wasn't enough to close a considerable gap on the scorecards. The cards read 79-72 twice and 79-73. A little wide perhaps, but Miller deserved to win regardless. The main event of the evening was for a shot at the IBF heavyweight champion. The winner of this fight will be the next opponent for the winner between the IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko and Shannon Briggs. Ray Austin (24-3-4 16 KO's) probably never imagined he would be one step away from challenging for the world title. Austin's career didn’t get off to such a good start. He lost his first fight to Charles Hatcher way back in 1998. Austin, 35, then built a little momentum by winning his next 14 bouts, but then lost to unheralded Harold Sconiers. This fight was on the short-lived boxing television show 'Thunderbox' so maybe it can be slightly overlooked. After bouncing back with another win he was knocked out by the man who won 'Thunderbox,' Attila Levin. It seemed like Austin may have been heading for another career path. Since that 2001 loss however, Austin has gone undefeated while compiling a record of 9 wins to go along with 3 draws. His most noticeable wins coming over Jo-el Scott and Owen Beck. Austin is one of the hardest working men in boxing. He may be an underdog going into the fight, but if he loses the fight, it wouldn't be because of lack of work he does in the gym. Sultan Ibragimov (19-0-1 16 KO's) has a beautiful boxing pedigree. After winning numerous amateur tournaments throughout the world, he won the silver medal in the 2000 Olympic games. Ibragimov, 31, is the distant cousin of Timur, who most recently lost to Calvin Brock is a bit of a snoozer. Sultan, however, is regarded as the more promising, and his recent ring word does nothing but prove that. In his two most recent outings, Ibragimov defeated Friday Ahunanya and knocked out Lance Whitaker, Austin could only score a draw against him. Up to this point Ibragimov, who is a southpaw, has shown he is one of the more exciting fighters in the division. He throws more punches per round then any heavyweight in recent memory. He also has power in both fists. Ibragimov has the amateur pedigree to be a force in the division, but first he would have to try to get by Ray Austin. Right out of the gate Ibragimov landed a straight left hand that left Austin hurt. Austin spent virtually the final 2:30 of the round trying to get his legs back under him. Ibragimov again stunned Austin as the bell rang to end the round. Sultan continued to be aggressive as round two began but eventually settled into looking to set up counter shots, a theme that would continue throughout the night. Austin has an odd style, one that consists of him sort of lunging punches while staying out of the range of Ibragimov shots. As Ibragimov settled for counter shots Austin won round three. Austin too began countering as he landed a looping right hand that looked good on television cameras but in reality didn't do much to hurt Ibragimov. Ibragimov would be doing the first 'hurting' of the fight soon enough. With 40 seconds left in the round Ibragimov would go from looking amateurish to seasoned pro within two punches. After missing a wild left hand that lunged him forward, he delivered a right hand that deposited Austin violently on the mat. Austin was up at five and after congratulating Ibragimov on the good shot, he hung on the final 30 seconds of the round. In rounds 5-7 Austin started using that awkward boxing style that has given him success lately. He landed counter shots of his own. The knockdown didn't seem to bother him too much either, as he also became more aggressive. While round 6 was close, due to inactivity from both fighters, Austin clearly took the other two. Sultan started round eight by doing some damage to Austin while he was on the ropes. But, Austin landed a very good right counter punch that was enough to give him the round. Finally in round 10, Sultan began to show the aggressiveness that is causing some to call him the most exciting heavyweight today. But, while coming forward he was greeted with a similar combination that he had knocked down Austin with. Austin, after missing a right hand, followed it up with a left hand that sent Sultan down to the canvas for the first time. Sultan was up quickly and the final 45 seconds saw each man swinging looping punches right down to the time expired. Sultan's corner throughout the fight was telling him he was winning, but luckily he didn't listen. In rounds 11 and 12, the championship rounds, or in this case, the right to fight the champion, Sultan woke up. Sultan landed a big left in the 11th, the difference maker in the round. In the final round Sultan wobbled Austin in the center of the ring with two big left hands. With just a few seconds to go Sultan threw his final left hand of the night that turned Austin around as the bell sounded to end this highly exciting night. It was a closely contested fight and the judge's scorecards would show just that, 114-112 Austin, 115-111 Ibragimov, and you guessed it 113-113, another draw for Austin. I scored the fight 113-113. As for who gets the title shot, who knows? But they both deserve it after this performance. If we are lucky, we will get to see the two of them square off again. |
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WILL HARRIS KNOCK JOHNSTON 'SIDEWAYS' OR WILL 'LIL BUT BAD' LEAVE VIVIAN WITH CASE OF SOUR GRAPES IN HBO CO-FEATURE By MICHAEL MARLEY EXECUTIVE EDITOR SANTA YNEZ, CALIF.--If you're like me, a wonderful wino who inhaled the movie "Sideways," then you would also love the Chumash Hotel and Casino. Chumash is in the heart of the gorgeous area in which "Sideways" was filmed. When you turn off Highway 101 into tiny Buellton ("home of the famous pea soup," which didn't seem alluring on a hot late July afternoon), you drive right by the Hitching Post Steakhouse where Paul Giamatti, the failed and mentally tortured novelist, got blotto with his failed actor but dumb as a post sidekick, Thomas Hadsen Church. And this is the wine region (pinot noir, you please) where the two aging Lotharios cavorted with Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh. What's all this got to do with the price of junior welterweights, you ask. Chumash will host Saturday night's HBO Boxing After Dark show which features former world champ Vivian Harris (thus putting Brooklyn in the house) against former world champion Steve "Lil But Bad" Johnston. It says here that Harris, 28, done licking his wounds from being upset by Carlos Maussa, may not knock Johnston "sideays" but that the sour grapes, if any, will belong to the oldcer boxer. Johnston is age 33 while Guyanese native Harris is 28. Manager Jose Nunez claims youth, strength and overall power will be the difference. "Vivian has been very quiet. He has even been ducking the press," Guzman said. "There is reason for that. He knows how badly he needs not just a win, but an impressive one in this HBO bout. Once Vivian gets inside and starts banging Johnston to the body, the older guy will get broken down. I respect Johnston's career achievements but he and Harris are trains going in opposite directions." In a co-feature, Bronx resident Johsua Clottey (28-1, 15 KOs) faces unbeaten Richard Gutierrez (19-0, 12 KOs), The promoter is Big Gary Shaw, unofficial president of the Oscar del la Hoya Fan Club, New Jersey Branch. |
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KOZERSKI PRINCE AMONG PIMPS; DUKE SHOULD CHIILL IN HIS TRAILER PARK; FREE PANAMA LEWIS, HIS DEBT PAID IN FULL; EDDIE MUSTAFA STILL FIGHTING BY PUGILISTIC PROFESSOR, DR. HARRY FOSHEEM THE MAN WHO MADE FIGHT-NIGHT FAMOUS Boxing is full of greedy, back stabbing, no good s.o.b's that would sell out their own mother to get an extra coupon to the buffet at the MGM. That being said, in all my years being in and around these scum buckets, one of the few of honest and most honorable guys I had the pleasure of meeting and working with was Bill Kozerski. You wouldn't find Kozerski up on the dais or hanging out in the ring hoping to stick his face on TV, that was never his style. Kozerski was too busy in the background making sure that the insurance was paid, fighters were being paid and small but important details like making sure the ambulance was in place with a backup. While you may not know Kozerski by his name, you know his company name Fight Night Inc. Fight Night Inc. became known around the World during his promotion of then heavyweight champions Michael Moorer and Chris Byrd and also his 10+ year run of the successful Fight Night at The Palace series. Kozerski has recently decided to slow down from his active roll of boxing promoter and get more active in the real estate business. Make no mistakes about it, Fight Night is the name Bill Kozerski made. BROKE BACK MORRISON What happens when a boxer needs to make a few million, he calls out the only name that can get him that type of money, Mike Tyson. Ladies and Gentlemen.... Tommy Morrison is back! And guess what, NO ONE CARES! That explains why he is calling the one name that will get him some ink, Mike Tyson. Tommy, give it a rest already! Mike is relaxing and enjoying life away from the ring. In your prime you got smashed by the only couple guys you ever fought that had a pulse, Ray Mercer, Michael Bent and a maturing Lennox Lewis. What happened, that gimmick about being the great-great-second cousins-nephew to John Wayne got old? No way would I ever take shots at a man who has been stricken with the HIV virus and my prayers go out to you on that note, but brother, go find something to do! Stop embarrassing yourself in the media. If you want to fight that bad, go call out Klitschko or Rahman. You would knocked all the way back to the trailer park! Truth be told, you dont want to be a fighter, you have become nothing more than just another hustler on the fight scene looking to make a score. You want to con the public and boxing so you can feed your own personal greed. KEEPING ON THE HUSTLERS ROW A while back I was out in Vegas with a couple friends of mine and wanted to surprise them with a couple tickets to the Mosley-Vargas fight. I figured the quickest and easiest way was to contact the Golden Boy Office. I spoke to a "Fight Time - Big Timer" Translation: Guy I would normally pay to wash my car that puts on the almighty FIGHT CREDENTIAL and instantly has Super Powers. He told me that if my high profile friend was actually my friend, he could call and get them himself. Now keep in mind I wanted to PURCHASE these tickets for what amounted to what this guy probably made in an entire month and it was a surprise gift. We all had no interest in attending the fight at the end of the day, so I just let it go. Fast forward and I was back in Vegas when Oscar was getting ready to fight Mayorga. Just in case I wanted to hit the fight, I made a call to MGM to secure a couple seats. I got sent back over to the Golden Boy office and you guessed it, the same guy that gasses up Oscar's car Mon-Fri had on his Superman Cape AKA Fight Credential and told me that they were sold out! Once the guy figured out I was no joke and had pockets to back it up, he had a scalper call me and offer me 2 of those "sold out" $1,250 seats for over $3K apiece! Now my name is not Columbo, but something tells me Oscar's TRUSTED staffer was trying to slide a couple tickets out the back door and then have this blood sucker re-sell them to me so they could whack up the cash. Guess he didn't know I was from the D, and I dont mean Des Moines Iowa! My man Antonio Leonard came in like a real super hero and dropped me 2 of those sold out $1,250 seats like it was nothing! Now that's class! Next go around, Oscar should send his staff over for a crash course to Gary Shaw, Jay Prince, Main Events or the good folks over at the MGM Executive offices for some training. Like my man Sterling McPherson once said to Greg Haugen after Haugen tried to stiff him on some monies owed: "One day I am gonna be walkin' through the airport and your gonna say excuse me sir, can I shine your shoes?" And trust me my man, I wont be the one with the shine box! FIGHT HYPE NEEDED In case you didn't know, Roy Jones Jr. fights this Saturday against Prince Badi. Did that sound right? Kind of left you sitting there shaking your head huh? That's just how I felt when I saw the commercial hyping this Pay Per View Blockbuster last night. I am not being one bit sarcastic when I tell you I made better commercials for non-televised promotions with a $5K budget that included air time! Lets hope the fight has more excitement than the pre-fight hype. Jones never was one to give his efforts to pre-fight hype, but he will soon learn that he is going to have to get more active in order to get people to back him return to the ring. Fights need serious promotion to get buys. THE GOOD OLD DAYS ARE BACK, ON VIDEO AT LEAST Like many others I was happy to see ESPN Classic and now the OLN Network (via Top Rank) start to show some of the old school fights that have been collecting dust in their vaults. It looks like however we are going to have to wait for DK to kick the bucket before we get to see any of his great collection. The good news is that what DK would charge millions of dollars for, whoever is left in charge will probably sell for pennies on the dollar. PRETTY BOY FLOYD, HE AINT NO SUGAR RAY I once heard a story that a young Floyd Mayweather wanted to know why there was not a huge poster of him next to the one of Brittany Spears that hung outside the MGM Grand. Umm, maybe because she could sell out a soccer stadium back then and he was a ballroom fighter still. I recently laid down some chips on Zab Judah and have no regrets. Judah showed me for 3 rounds what I had hoped would be for atleast 8 rounds. But rather than close the show with excitement, Mayweather hung around and did enough to win without taking risk after feeling that early heat from Judah. Risk taking in boxing spells excitement and that is what draws fans. Sugar Ray Leonard, and Robinson, knew how to close the show and turn up the heat when they had a wounded fighter in front of them. Mayweather is a very good fighter with good ring skills complete with plenty of Bling Bling, expensive cars and a huge entourage, but that is where the comparison stops. Pound for Pound Kings Leonard and Robinson could put asses in the seats, Mayweather has yet to figure that out yet. (PS) Based on ring competition and accomplishments, Winky Wright is the King of my "pound for pound" list. INSIDER TRADE INFO? A connection of mine at www.FightNightNews.com told me to call up my stock broker over at JT Marlin and put a heavy buy on Pharo-Tech, I mean Silverhawk Boxing. YOU WONT SEE IT ON SPORTS CENTER Its not the type of free agency that will make Sports Center, but heavyweight Calvin Brock is now a free agent. At least according to him. You can believe there will be an attorney chasing him like an ambulance very soon. Brock the self proclaimed "hottest undefeated heavyweight in the World" is wisely looking at all options. While I am sure there will be plenty of promoters lining up to roll the dice on the undefeated heavyweight, he did little to get me or anyone else excited at ringside in his win over Timur Ibragimov recently. PAID HIS DEBT, LET HIM WORK Carlos "Panama" Lewis is without question one of the best boxing trainers I have even been around in my life. In the 7 plus years I have known him, I have NEVER once seen anything questionable that he has done while training his boxers, but he is still refused a license to work in the corners come fight night. Is this justice I ask? Take a look around at all the shady people in boxing that are promoters, corner men, hangers on, etc. and tell me this man should not be given a second chance. When Panama recently "flat-lined" at ringside when Sultan Ibragimov KO'd Lance Whitaker, ringside doctors brought him back to life. How ironic the sport that refuses him his right to earn a living saved his life. I have a GREAT IDEA that will make a HOT story on HBO REAL SPORTS. Come spend some time with Panama and do a real story on what has happened in his life. I pray I see the day when Panama can proudly climb back through those ropes and make a successful return to the corner he loves so much. BROOKLYN WARRIOR NEVER STOPS FIGHTING Eddie Mustafa Muhammad was a hel-uva fighter during his career in the ring. He won the WBA Light Heavyweight crown against Marvin Johnson and fought the likes of Reinaldo Snipes, Michael Spinks and a dozen other guys that would mow down the entire light heavyweight division today if they were around. He is a stand up guy through and through and continues his fight outside the ring these days for fighters after their days in the ring are over. I was happy see Mustafa recently awarded by the BRC Center in Brownsville Brooklyn for his years of representing his old neighborhood to the fullest! |
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PUGILISTIC PARODY RINGING TRUE; NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD ON PPV |
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Boxing PARODY By BY HARRY FOSHEEM NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, ONE NIGHT ONLY COMING SOON! CALL YOUR LOCAL FUNERAL DIRECTOR! SILVERHAWK BOXING PRESENTS; NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, GREAT WORLD TITLE FIGHTS FROM THE DADE COUNTY MORGUE (POST FIGHT PARTY AT ST. ANDREW GOLOTA'S CEMETERY) Call your local cable operator, only $499.95 Presented by DENNIS RIDER, CC RIDER, RYDER TRUCKS and RUFF RYDERS All bouts under the auspices of the Securities & Exchange Commission National Anthems--Wilson Pickett, Roy Jones, Pinklon Thomas and "Sting" 12 Rounds - NBA Super Cruiserweight Continental Americas Championship Virgil Hill vs. Iran Barkley 12 Rounds - WBB Heavyweight North American Jr. World Championship Sherman Williams vs. Mitch Blood Green 12 Rounds - UFO Heavyweight Intergalactic and Texas State Championship Commander 'Vander Hollyfied vs. Peter "Getaway Driver" McNeeley 12 Rounds - NBC Light Heavyweight Championship William Guthrie vs. John"Vanilla Ice, Ice" Scully (Scully will actually do a live between rounds fight report online. Not that anyone cares, because no one reads his stuff anyway. But it is still a historic event!) 12 Rounds - Tag Team Boxing Council Middleweight Championship Eric and Aaron Mitchell vs. Donald "Cobra" Curry and Howard Davis Special Attraction, Four Thirty Second Rounds Kirk "Buffet King" Johnson vs. Garing Lane, Lionel Butler, Richie Melito, Huey, Dewey, Louie and Chauncy Welliver plus ALL four of the Weaver Triplets! Special guest broadcasters: Leon Spinks, Thomas Hearns and Ray Mancini! Henry Mancini will appear by satellite from The Ring In The Sky! VIP PARTY HOSTED BY SUPER ZAB JUDAH, appearing courtesy of RIKERS ISLAND' STEVE 'CROCODILE' FITCH, appearing courtesy of THE BRONX ZOO |
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Now Kronk Goldfather Steward never lies but he can be a pugilistic Pinocchio. His nose seemed to be growing as he told me that the fight went according to plan. |
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MICHAEL MARLEY
COLUMN |
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Welter-Swelter: World-Class Warriors Worth Watching. By TROY ONDIRZEK Staff Writer FightNightNews.com In spectacular fashion Carlos Baldomir emphatically announced that he was the supreme chancellor of the welterweight division, with his dramatic ninth round stoppage over the formidable but limited Arturo Gatti. We all now know that Baldomir isn’t a one trick pony and that his victory over the inconsistent Zab Judah does indeed warrant merit. The linear championship that Baldomir subsequently captured the night he made Judah dance again, gives Carlos the rightful claim as the true welterweight champion. Now this is the same division that Floyd Mayweather Jr. calls home. There is no doubt that Mayweather is the best pound for pound fighter in the game today. Baldomir in his last two fights holds a points victory over Zab Judah and a stoppage win over Arturo Gatti. As for Mayweather, two of his lat three victories have been a points victory over Zab Judah and a stoppage win over Arturo Gatti. So with both Baldomir and Mayweather having claims as the best the division has to offer and both defeating the same opposition in the same fashion, why shouldn’t they meet up? Well I don’t want them to, at least not as of yet. The welterweight division boasts a level of talent deeper than most every other division combined. It all starts at the top with Baldomir and Mayweather Jr. and the talent traverses all the way down to quality prospects like Carlos Quintana and Paul Williams. There are easily five top contenders that need to square off to please the boxing fans, and five highly skilled prospects just waiting to fill the spots left void by those who have fallen from the welterweight summit. I say because of such a depth in the division, instead of having Mayweather and Baldomir meet right now, why don’t we create exciting fights between the varying styles of the highly competitive fighters. Stick with me now. Let Mayweather fight Cory Spinks. Spinks held the linear welterweight title before relinquishing the title and his consciousness to Zab Judah nearly a year and a half ago. Spinks has gone on to a controversial decision victory over Roman Karmazin earlier this month to capture a 154-pound alphabet title. Spinks can easily move back down and have this be a fight of fast hands and fast feet. It would be an interesting chess match that would assuredly please the technical fans of the sport. To be honest, the most exciting part of the night would be the ring entrances of the two combatants, but some fans prefer it that way. Next I say we pit Luis Collazo and Antonio Margarito against one another. Talk about two guys not afraid of banging a bit. Collazo might be a slightly better counter-puncher, but Margarito has as Teddy Atlas would call it “the ultimate eraser” pure one-punch knockout power. Mayweather refused an $8 million payday to fight Margarito and that’s okay. I would rather see Collazo in there trading with the thunderous Margarito than seeing Mayweather run a track meet all night. Collazo has a chance, but I give the nod to Tony. In the final bout of top tier welterweights, Baldomir and Ricky Hatton would be a match up so explosive that it could actually draw more fans into the sport. Hatton, much like Gatti, doesn’t stop coming forward. Baldomir, loves to fight this way. Hatton would take shot after shot from Baldomir coming in on the inside, and would probably have some success on the inside, even though Gatti found it hard to score in close quarters. Apparently, the only way to stop Baldomir is to forget about punching him in the head, and focus solely on his somewhat soft midsection. Hatton does work the body like a meat tenderizer and that would be his only chance, but I still go with Baldomir in an epic fight that should be fought in Buenos Aires, fans would travel from far and wide to see these two go at it. After those series of fights, the winners can fight each other for some potential block-bluster bouts that can fatten their wallets and possibly give us an incredible golden age of the welterweights. Now as for the future of the division, well the talent there is just as exciting as the proven fighters, and they are willing to step it up and fight one another. There is Carlos Quintana who just put an absolute boxing clinic on Joel Julio on HBO last month. Then there is Kermit Cintron who has seemingly overcome the beating he took from Margarito by himself returning the favor to David Estrada back in April. Delvin Rodriquez spends his time on ESPN putting his power punching on display. Paul Williams is a young fast southpaw who has veteran Sharmba Mitchell next up on his docket. The there is the hard hitting Joel Julio, his recent trip out to the shed with Carlos Quintana should’ve taught him a few things, one bodywork isn’t a bad thing when fighting a faster guy, and two, get rid of Buddy McGirt at all costs. Out of these guys, Cintron is ready and willing to go to war with anybody, and the hand-speed and power of Rodriguez would combine to make a bout between them a great fight to watch. Cintron has some boxing ability as well and could use his ring knowledge to out-smart and outwork the very green Rodriguez. Thing is though, Delvin does have incredible power and could erase Cintron’s chances at a title. Once Williams proves his mettle against Sharmba Mitchell, a TV friendly affair between he and Quintana is a must. Two slick southpaws with speed and who throw from angles would be great fun. For a description of this fight, think of Mayweather/Spinks, but with action. Julio could fight prospect Mark Juarez, it would be a great test for Juarez, and it would give Julio a nice confidence boost with his new trainer. I know I left out some other prospects and the old-time stalwarts like Mitchell and Stevie Johnston. Hey there are only so many fighters that I can focus on. Then there is the show The Contender. The show is featuring the welterweight division, and the winner will be thrust into the title scene by beating some stiff competition. The future is looking bright for the wee men we call welterweights, but the future is brighter for fight fans because of all the possible great fights and mega bouts that can had. Even if the fighters and promoters completely ignore my suggestions, there will still be some great fights on the horizon. |
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MAROTTA COLUMN: FASHION SENSE: |
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CRAPSHOOTER'S SPECIAL; |
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Like Stagger Lee And Billy Lyons I was standing on the corner When I heard my bulldog bark And he was barkin' up at two men Who were gamblin' in the dark It was Stagger Lee and Billy Two men who gambled late Stagger Lee threw seven, Billy swore that he threw eight Stagger Lee told Billy, "I can't let you get away with that", "Well you have won all my money And my brand new Stetson hat" Stagger Lee he ran home Went and he got his forty-four Said "I'm goin' to the barroom Just to pay that debt I owe" Stagger Lee went to the barroom He stood across the barroom door He said "Now nobody move" And he pulled his forty-four "Stagger Lee" cried Billy, "Oh please don't you take my life." "I got me three little children And a very sickly wife." Stagger Lee shot Billy, Oh he shot that poor boy so bad Till the bullet came through Billy And went right through The bartender's glass CRUISERWEIGHT CRAPSHOOTER'S SPECIAL IN NY (ESPN) WEDNESDAY' STEWARD BANKS ON JONATHON, HIRSCH FEELS LUCKY WITH CASTILLO By MICHAEL MARLEY EXECUTIVE EDITOR It won't be the first time a flashy dude named Emanuel Steward has rolled up his sleeves and taken the dice in hand. The 'Goldfather of Kronk' is tossing his hot, young prospect Jonathon Banks into a hot pot Wednesday night (ESPN 2) at the Manhattan Center in Manhattan. On the other side, hugely successful businessman Scott Hirsch is doing the same with veteran cruiserweight Eliseo Castillo who faces the 11-0, 8 KOs Detroit fighter in a scheduled 12-rounder for the Grey's Papaya title or something like that. Steward likes his odds. Hirsch loves his odds. This is one of the best managerial gambling contests anyone has seen in recent years. Just like Stagger Lee and Billy Lyons, rolling them in that dimly-lit New Orleans alley, only one manager and one fighter will walk away a winner. Steward's dice aren't loaded, he said, but his 24-year-old, 6-foot, 4-inch fighter is. Loaded with talent that will overcome Castillo's edge in experience and ring savvy. Frankly, my dears, Manny also admits this is a gloved game of chance for both managers and both fighters. "Normally, I would bring a kid along slower," the Motown legend who "invented" Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns said. "But these are not normal times in boxing. Things are rough out there with TV and everything else. You've got to do something to stand out from the crowd, to get attention in the marketplace. So, yes, I am taking a shot with Jonathon. I am rolling the dice with Jonathon." Is it a sucker's bet? Have Hirsch and promoter Cedric Kushner snookered Steward into taking a test that Banks can't pass? You have to wonder when you look deeper at Bank's limited pro record. Sure, he's banged out six of his last seven opponents in one round but you couldn't find as much red sauce at Patsy's Restaurant as you do in their laughable records. The only ones with a winning mark are Mike Word (3-0-1) and Abdul Shabazz (1-0). The other names might as well come from the intake sheet at Rikers Island with similar numbers: Sebastian Hill, 10-10-1; Joe Johnson, 6-8; Roosevelt Johnson, 4-4; Ray McLamore, 3-7-1, and the world-renowned Anterio Vines, 4-4. Any detective squad could fill out a lineup with the entire crew and not even the most fanatic of fight fans could name a suspect. You think Manny is shaving those bones? Steward said to ignore Banks' ring resume and look at how the kid has done his homework. "Most people don't know but Banks has been (IBF heavyweight champ) Wladimir Klitschko's main sparring the last 18 months or so," Steward said. "I know the gym is different than being in a real fight but he sparred with Wlad for the Sam Peters fight and the Chris Byrd fight. I had him turn southpaw for the Byrd fight. "After a round, Wlad came back to the corner and told me, 'Banks is tougher than this guy, referring to Peters." (Let's ignore the fact that wild swinger Peters floored Wlad thrice.) Steward's roll of the dice is also based on his lack of esteem for Castillo. "I know all about Castillo. He is not a real pressure fighter, not some cagey veteran and not a super banger. That's also why I am taking this chance." Steward also puts his Irish middleweight prospect, Andy Lee, into sparring with the giant Klitschko and he doesn't see anything wrong with it. "I had Tony Tucker as IBF heavyweight champ years ago," Steward said, "and I would have him work with Hearns. You should be able to spar with any guy at any of the higher weights." The dice are heating up like the New York weather. What can you say to comfort the loser? I remember being a kid going to college in Reno, University of Nevada (Harvard of Northern Nevada, you know) and seeing some schnook blow a big wad on a craps table at Harolds Club. The sad sack had clearly blown his whole wad. The stickman did not miss a beat. "Hey, it's not your life, it's not your wife, it's only money...next shooter coming out." If I'm Mr. Hirsch I'm checking Manny's sleeves before the opening bell. |
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Burt Bloodworth thinks opponent Ed Gutierrrez won't go down like an overused bowling pin, either. They do call the squatty, 40-year-old Gutierrez (15-2-1, six KOs) "Iron Man," you know. Those two losses were both to unbeaten but green as a Granny Smith apple JD Chapman, both by decision. "I thought Ed beat Chapman last time but he didn't get the decision," Bloodworth said. "He comes to fight and David won't have to go looking for him. But, the way I see it, Ed has no pressure on him. Nobody expects him to win. All the pressure is on David Tua in this fight. "People expect a lot from David Tua. They expect to see the big left hook. They expect to see the splashy knockout. If it happens, fine. But, to me, what's important for David are all the parts of the game and handling that pressure is one of those parts." Tua and Bloodworth worked out in 118-degree "oven heat" at Phoenix's Central Gym a Mike Tyson training site of recent vintage, but then they noticed that Central had no central or any other kind of air conditioning. They found another gym with some a.c. and went back to work. You might say Bloodworth is the master mechanic and Tuaman is in for a tune-up, not a fistic overhaul. "The time off (mainly due to a bloody legal with his former managers) may have done David good. He did not need the physical rest because, physically, he is fine. But I think the rest have done some mental good for him. He's ready to fight again, to live his life fully again. All I want to do is to add some things to his arsenal." Bloodworth's former clients include such names as Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker and heavyweight whack job, Andrew "Foul Pole" Golota. Bloodworth was "nuts" about all except Golota who should have been trained by Siggy Freud. Bloodworth has been around too long to use that boxing obscenity "tuneup." He's seen his share of "tuneups" that turned into awful "tuneouts." But he thinks, one way or another, the Tuaman will plow through the "Iron Man." What follows? A jump to an eliminator or a title bout? Bite your tongue. The blue-collar trainer doesn't panic, he works organic. One step at a time. "Nah," Bloodworth said. "But in two or three more fights, yes, then David Tua will be ready for anybody." And, if he is lucky, the Tuaman will still have the blue-collar trainer in his corner. Bloodworth, the great boxing name, that belongs to damned good trainer. |
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