PREDICTIONS

I decided that I would get my predictions in a bit early this week because I'm leaving for Vegas Friday.(I just wanted to brag that I'm going to Vegas). A couple of good fights coming up this weekend. I will keep it brief so that I can go sit in my room and mentally prepare for Vegas. It just feels so good to say it.....I'm going to Vegas!

MATT GODFREY vs. DERRICK BROWN

Matt Godfrey is an up and coming Cruiserweight fighter out of Providence R.I. who just keeps trucking along, stepping up competition bit by bit, and beating everyone in his path. Matt is taking a risk with this fight. He is ranked pretty high by the WBC and could probably fight lesser guys until he gets his shot at a title. Instead he's fighting a bigger guy who campaigned most of his career at heavyweight. I will give Matt credit, instead of taking a keep busy fight he is taking a fight fight. That being said I think Matt will use his superior boxing skill and ring generalship to control the action. "Too Smooth" will indeed be....too smooth for Brown, thus derailing the "D-Train".(Sorry I know that was lame but it had to be done). Unfortunately I will not be in attendance for this fight, due to the fact that I am going to Vegas.(There it is again!) I have not missed many of Matt's fights and am disappointed to be missing this one, but hey, Vegas calls!(I gotta stop saying that).
PREDICTION: GODFREY UD


JHONNY GONZALEZ vs. GERRY PENALOSA

Not that the last boxing after dark was a bad fight, but this is what the shows should be. A young buck taking on a cagey vet. Both guys can pack a punch and Gonzalez may have questionable chin. Penalosa is coming off a bit of a robbery when he lost a UD to Ponce DeLeon last March. He is looking to rebound and let everyone know he's the true champ. Gonzalez lost by 10th round TKO to Israel Vasquez back in 2006. Due to the fact that Gonzalez is the younger guy, and Vasquez proved how good he is last weekend, I'll take Gonzalez with a late rally.
PREDICTION: GONZALEZ UD


DANIEL PONCE DELEON vs. REY BAUTISTA

These guys are stepping into the ring with a combined record of 54 wins 1 loss and 45 wins coming by way of knockout. This should be a shootout worth watching. As Everlast once said "I came to drop bombs". Both guys should enter the ring to House of Pain Saturday because they are both looking to bring it.(I know that's worse than derailing the D-Train comment, sorry it's been a long week). This fight is a toss up for me, I want to lean towards Ponce DeLeon, but I can't bet against Bautista in this one.(I sure as heck won't while I'm in Vegas!)
PREDICTION: BAUTISTA UD

OK, now that I know philippoussis picked Amanda(I would've taken Megan), The Bryguy needs a new show to obsess over. Thank god the Contender's coming back.(It's a little manlier than Age of Love). This time they are back at Super Middleweight, and have some pretty decent names.
Sakio Bika (22-3-2, 14 KOs)
Jaidon Codrington (16-1, 12 KOs)
Sam Soliman (33-9, 13 KOs)

Rubin Williams (29-2-1, 16 KOs)

Those are just a few of the notables. They have also been listening to the fight fans and have made a few changes to the show. The fights will still be cut down and edited for the show, but the fights will be shown in their entirety later on ESPN2. This should please both the hard core fight fans and fans of the show. Also they have gotten some new trainers, Buddy McGirt and Pepe Correa. I'm a little sad to see Tommy Gallagher go, he always made me laugh. I'm very glad I don't have to listen to Jeremy Williams cliches in the corner week after week! I for one am happy the show is coming back and will be paying extra close attention because the finale will be in my back yard(TD Banknorth Garden). Look out Contenders The Bryguy's coming for pictures! I had heard a rumor that the Contender people had wanted Jeff lacy on the show, but he wasn't fully rcovered from a torn rotator cuff.(That would've been too much for The Bryguy to handle anyway). So just as ESPN Fight Nights are coming to an end I'm getting Fridays replaced with Tuesdays. The DVR will be set, the keg will be full, and The Bryguy will be giddy.
HERE'S A FULL LIST OF THE PARTICIPANTS:

• Max Alexander (26, Camden, N.J., 14-1, 2 KOs).
• David Banks (24, Portland, Ore., 14-2-1, 2 KOs).
• Sakio Bika (28, Sydney, Australia, via Cameroon, 22-3-2, 14 KOs).
• Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan (28, Capital Heights, Md., 14-1, 11 KOs).
• La Farrell Bunting (27, Las Vegas, 16-3-1, 16 KOs).
• Jaidon Codrington (23, New York, 16-1, 12 KOs).
• Miguel Hernandez (32, Chicago, 20-5, 10 KOs).
• Wayne Johnson (29, Lyndhurst, N.J., 16-1, 9 KOs).
• Donny McCrary (24, St. Joseph, Mo., 23-5-2, 13 KOs).
• Les Ralston (25, Buffalo, N.Y., 16-2, 9 KOs).
• Danny Santiago (34, Ocala, Fla., 29-3-1, 19 KOs).
• Paul Smith (24, Liverpool, England, 20-0, 12 KOs).
• Sam Soliman (33, Melbourne, Australia, 33-9, 13 KOs).
• Brian Vera (26, Austin, Texas, 14-0, 9 KOs).
• Rhoshii Wells (30, Las Vegas, 18-2-2, 10 KOs).
• Rubin Williams (31, Detroit, 29-2-1, 16 KOs).

My early prediction(this could change once the show starts) David Banks.(I have no real reason for this, but I'm sticking with it.)
Gimme your early Prediction.

PREDICTIONS

OK, tonight is short and sweet because I gotta go drinkin':

Morales vs. Diaz

I think we are going to see a repeat of Gatti-Gomez here. Morales has been going down hill ever since the first Pacquiao fight. PREDICTION:Diaz TKO 9

Marquez vs. Vasquez

I think this fight is going to pick up right were it left off. I can see both fighters hitting the deck more than once. In the end I think Marquez will out box Vasquez in the late rounds. PREDICTION: Marquez UD

OK, predictions in...DVR set....time to go boozin!

Southern New England golden Gloves

Here's another video treat from "The Bryguy":

The Southern New England Golden Gloves located in Fall River, Massachusetts and is one of the precursors to the New England finals held in Lowell Mass. It has had it's share of names pass through including Matt Godfrey, Jason Estrada, Peter Manfredo Jr., and of course Marvin Hagler. Going to this event is like stepping through a time machine. The auditorium is dank and dirty, the paint is falling of the walls, lights are flickering and the only thing anyone cares about is the boxing. It was an absolute pleasure to witness the event and I would recommend going to anyone. I went and did a small story on the event for my show Out of Bounds, I hope you enjoy it.

Videographer/editor Bryan Brennan(The Bryguy) covers the sights and sounds of the history rich Southern New England Golden Gloves in Fall River, MA.

TESSITORE AGREES

I will come right out and say it I'm happy that Ricky Hatton is fighting Floyd Mayweather on December 8th. I will also say that I would have preferred to see him take on Brooklyn born Paulie Malignaggi first. Malignaggi is a hand full for anybody at 140lbs to handle. I think it would have been nice to see Hatton test the waters with Malignaggi and then move on to the "Pretty Boy". I used to think Mayweather would be too much for Miguel Cotto to handle until I witnessed him slow down the much quicker Malignaggi, now I would love to see this match up. Well, I don't want to brag, but the voice of Friday "Night Fights" Joe Tessitore agrees with "The Byrguy". Check it out. http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=tessitore_joe&id=2956984