HEAVIES DESERVE CREDIT

We are about half way through the boxing season and I would say I'm satisfied so far. We have already seen a few fight of the year canidates. (Brewster - Lyakhovich, Cintron - Estrada, Rivera - Garcia, Bell - Mormeck, and Barrera - Jaurez). We've seen a legend end his career with a masterpiece(Hopkins beating Tarver). And we've seen more relevant action in the heavyweight divivsion than we have in years. Of course it has had it's up and downs in the past six months, but remember we're talking about a division that was irrelevant this time last year.

The heavyweights started off with a possible fight of the year canidate. Lamon Brewster and Serguei Lyakhovich put on a see-saw battle for twelve rounds. Both fighters showed heart and some skills proving they belong in this division. Then came an absolute disaster. A draw between James Toney and Hasim Rahman. This fight was supposed to send one guy to the front of the pack and the other packing. Instead it left them both right where they were before, full of question marks. Finally, a front runner was spotted. Wlad Klitchsko put on an show when he trounced Chris Byrd in 7. Wlad showed the skills needed to be seen as the leader of the pack. Along the way we have seen a few contenders be eliminated as well. Dominic Guinn finally made people see that Audley Harrison just doesn't have the heart to compete with the rest of this division. Then Guinn himself was embarrassed by Tony Thompson ending his short lived comeback. We've realized that one prospect is not as exciting as once thought in Calvin Brock. And the best thing about the heavyweight division so far this year is we haven't heard much from John Ruiz.

It looks like the second half of the year could be shaping up quite nicely for the big dogs as well. Some interesting fights have been put together for the fall, and I for one am excited. I'll give my picks later right now let's just go over what's happening.

1. Hasim Rahman (41-5-2) vs. Oleg Maskaev (32-5) II August 12
Rahman will be dealing with some demons when he faces off against Maskaev on the 12th. The last time he met "The Big O" he was knocked out cold and almost crushed Jim Lamply on his way through the ropes. Rahman not only needs to win this fight, but he needs to look good doing it. In his last fight he gave a lackluster performance against a far overweight, smaller James Toney.

2. James Toney (69-4-2) vs. Samuel Peter (26-1) September 2
This is a very interesting matchup. These two guys couldn't be more different. Sam Peter is easily the hardest puncher in the heavyweight division, but is still very raw when it comes to his boxing skills. Toney is by far the most skilled boxer in the division, but lacks punching power and size. Both guys need a win here to get a title shot. If Toney should get knocked out people will say he was a middleweight who doesn't belong. If Peter loses people will say he doesn't have the boxing skills to keep up with the elite in the division.

3. Wladimir Klitschko (46-3) vs. Shannon Briggs (47-4-1) November 11
This could be the most exciting heavyweight fight in years. These two guys are knockout artists. Both have good boxing skills, and both have something to prove against each other. Wlad needs to show the world that his chin is sturdy. There were still some questions left unanswered from the Peter fight. If Peter wasn't such a reckless boxer could he have finished Wlad? Briggs needs to show the world this time around he's taking it seriously. He's been talking a lot since his comeback but has yet to step in the ring with a top level opponent. This fight is what the heavies need. Two guys getting in the ring with the sole purpose of knocking the other one out.

4. Chris Byrd (39-3-1) vs. O'neil Bell (26-1-1) TBD
This fight would be at cruiserweight, but I thought it deserved mentioning. The fight is still in the talks stage, but if it gets put together could be a fun one to watch. This would be the first time Byrd has fought under the heavyweight limit since 1994. Bell is the first unified cruiserweight champ since Evander Holyfield. I would love to see Chris Byrd go down to cruiserweight, it would give that division the boost it needs and I think after Bell there are a few more matchups that would be interesting to watch. I'm not saying Byrd would or wouldn't win, either way it's a fight I'd like to see get put together.

Some notables:
Unfotunatley Evander Holyfield is back. He has lost three of his last four, and is scheduled to fight Jeremy Bates. This guy has a record of 21-11, and years ago wouldn't have even been allowed to sit ringside for a Holyfield fight. Now, he probably has a good chance to beat him. I wish Evander would just hang em up. Axel Schulz is slated to make a comeback. That's all this division needs another guy closing in on forty getting into ring for a comeback, don't we have enough already. Speaking of comebacks, Tommy Morrison is talking about a comeback. If it isn't bad enough the man has AIDS, he hasn't fought in ten years. Last but not least Kevin McBride is getting a title shot against Serguei Lyakhovich, I don't think I need to say anything about this. I just hope after this fight we get to see a rematch with Lyakhovich and Brewster.

WINKY THE WHINER

I had nothing but respect for both fighters leading up to this fight. They handled themselves extremely well. They both showed up to all the press conferences and never spoke a bad word about their opponent. They behaved like professionals. In the sport of boxing that is rare. After the fight I gained respect for one fighter and lost respect for another.(I have lost respect for some writers as well.) First of all, I will say I scored the fight 115-113 for Taylor. There were a couple rounds that easily could have gone the other way so I can see anyone giving the fight to Winky, or even calling it a draw. My Problem isn't with the fight or even the scoring. For once I think they actually got it right. My problem is with Winky storming off and crying about how he was robbed. In no way shape or form was he robbed. Robbery is when you clearly have a fight won and they take it from you. DeLahoya beating Sturm was robbery, Roy Jones not getting a gold metal is robbery. Winky not getting a thin decision that could go either way, is a close fight. After the fight Winky stormed out of the ring as if he had won all 12 rounds and they still gave the fight to Taylor. That's not the case and Winky should have known that. In the end Taylor got to keep his belts. I think he deserved to, after all he was the only guy who fought for all 12 rounds. I gained a major amount of respect for Jermain following the fight. He was the first one to admit if Winky had fought at all in the last round he probably would have won the fight. My other problem is all the media screaming about how Winky was robbed. If you can't watch the fight and see how close it was you're blind. Several of those rounds could have been interpreted differently. I hope there is a rematch, even though both camps say they don't want one. For the record Taylor will win the second by UD. He has gained more experience and confidence the same way he did in the first Hopkins fight.

WEEKEND WRAP-UP

This past weekend we had two dueling PPV shows, a few exciting fights, and a legend walked off in to the sunset.(we hope he walks off anyway.) I made predictions about the Malignaggi-Cotto fight and Hopkins-Tarver FIGHT. let's see how I did.

HOPKINS vs. TARVER

As I sat at the Sports Depot watching the fights with a few cohorts I realized a couple of things:

1. The Depot is a cool place to catch a PPV fight. $10 at the door is way cheaper than the $50 PPV price tag. There is an atmosphere that is almost as good as being there(slight exaggeration). The beer is cold, TV's are big, and the sesame chicken is delicious.

2. Most people don't know boxing at all. A guy sitting next to me asked my opinion about who he should put his money on, I told him Hopkins and gave my reasoning. He replied "ya, I'll put my money on the dog." The "dog" he was referring to was Bernard Hopkins! I'm sorry future hall of fame boxer Bernard Hopkins, I stopped talking to him after that.

3. My boy B-Hop is the man. Bernard Hopkins on Saturday night was like a painter painting his masterpiece. From the 1st round to the 12th B-Hop dismantled Tarver and made him seem like a boxer in his pro debut. Tarver the 3-1 favorite didn't have any sort of answer for Hopkins crafty attack. If B-Hop was a few years younger I think he even could have knocked out the "Magic Man". I know that Hopkins is usually not a very exciting fighter to watch, but knowing this would be his last fight you couldn't help but get excited as he thoroughly outclassed the bigger man. I hope Hopkins keeps his word to his mother and stops fighting, this fight would be such a nice exclamation point on his already great career. If he does fight on I will be there at the Depot cheering him on and explaining to the moron next to me that he is not a dog.

COTTO vs. MALIGNAGGI

For this fight I had predicted that Paulie Malignaggi would be able to outpoint Cotto in a unanimous decision, I was wrong. I thought Malignaggi would use his footwork and handspeed to confuse Cotto and potshot him all night long. The night started off badly for Paulie when in the first round he got a cut above his eye. This forced Paulie to stand in a little more with the ferocious punching of Cotto. In the second Paulie took a left to the chin that put him down, not the start Malignaggi was looking for I'm sure. He did seem to find a groove in the middle rounds and even rocked Cotto twice in the ninth. Had it not been for the cut in the first I think Paulie would have found a groove earlier. In the end Malignaggi had taken so much punishment that he couldn't keep up the pace in the last few rounds. I think this fight was a win-win for both fighters. Cotto proved he could keep up with a slick boxer, Paulie proved he could hang in there with a world class athlete. Cotto surprised me with how fast his hands were, he seemed more mobile than he has in his past fights. I'm still concerned about his chin, Paulie rocked him twice in the ninth and he only has 5 KO's in 21 fights. Malignaggi should get better fights after his performance, 1st off he showed that he is an exciting fighter with a big heart. 2nd he he proved that he can promote a fight. After reading all the trash talking form Paulie how could you not want to watch this fight.

TOMMY Z

I for one am excited about heavyweight Tommy Z. I know it's tough to tell a lot about a guy after his first fight, but I have a good feeling about this one. For a big guy he seemed very light on his feet, rather than the usual plodding fat guy. Also he had very good hand speed and showed some combinations right away, most heavies early in their careers just fire off big bombs. Tommy was throwing straight fast punches that found their target rather easily. I expect big things from this guy, but I've been wrong before.

JOHN DUDDY

If you have read my blog at all you know I am a big fan of John Duddy. I have been to a few of his fights and enjoy his style and KO power immensely. What I say from this past Saturday concerned me a little. He seemed flawed in many ways, dropping his hands, backing straight up, and not moving his head. If Freddy Cuevas was a few years younger I think he could have given him serious problems. Like I said I am concerned only a little. He seems to have a good team around him and they are bringing him along slowly. So hopefully this will be another learning experience and he will only get better.

JUST MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS

OK, so I made my predictions for June. I am now just crossing my fingers hoping that they at least come close. I have had second thoughts about one prediction, Jermain Taylor vs. Winky Wright. I watched the HBO Countdown to Taylor-Wright last night and I'm starting to lean towards Dan Birmingham. That dude is scary! If you haven't seen the countdown yet you should check it out, Dan Birmingham(Winky's trainer) is one bad ass mother...shut yo mouth! Every time he speaks it seems like he's ready to whoop some ass. In all seriousness I have already had second thoughts about the fight. I probably will second guess myself again before fight time. Winky is pretty nasty and his jab is great. He could confuse Jermain all night long and shut him out the way he has so many others. I don't know, I think I'll just flip a coin.

One thing I am very sure of is that I will be ordering the Cotto-Malignaggi PPV. I think that Paulie has done an amazing job of selling this fight. He has talked so much to every boxing website that I have to watch to see what happens. On one hand I need to see if he can back it up(I have a feeling he can) and if he can't I'm dying to see what his reaction will be. Will Paulie be a sore loser or will he be gentleman and give Cotto the respect he didn't before. Also has anyone seen the pictures of Cotto from the presser? If you ask me he looks pretty dehydrated, that could be a major advantage for Paulie, and could be the reason why he's been rocked so easily in his last couple of fights. If problems making 140 is the reason his jaw is so shaky, he could be a force at 147.

Speaking of HBO Countdowns I watched Hopkins-Tarver as well. By the time I finished I thought Hopkins looked like the better man. He looks healthier and more focused, but last night on Wednesday Night Fights Tarver made an appearance and looked pretty darn fit. I still go with B-Hop, but the fight could be more interesting than I originally thought.

JUNE PREDICTIONS:

Everyone loves to act as if they know everything about everything. That's why everyone and their mother calls out HOMERUN when Manny's at the plate with the game on the line.(I am one of those people.) I have called several Ortiz game winners, I have been wrong most of the time, but I don't talk about those games. That might be why I love boxing so much you have a 50/50 shot at predicting the winner. And many times the underdog is no slouch, so if you pick the underdog and you're correct people think you're the man!(at least in your head.) So here are my predictions for some upcoming bouts, a few of these may surprise you.


JUNE 3RD

DIEGO CORRALES vs. JOSE LUIS CASTILLO III
OK first off I'm going to say that this trilogy happened a little too fast for me. Not to say I'm not excited about this fight, I just wish it was the second fight this weekend not the third. That being said I will be hunkered down with some brewskies and thoughts of knock outs running through my head. This time around I feel that the weight issue will catch up to Castillo. I know he wishes people would stop making a big deal about it but, it is a big deal. They have been monitoring his weight throughout training, so I think that means he has had to make weight several times through out the weeks. I also believe that Caorrales wants this win more than anything else. Where as in the second fight he just wanted to beat Castillo at his own game and show everyone how tough he was. This time around Corrales will box instead of standing in and taking unnecessary punishment. PREDICTION CORRALES KO 9

JUNE 10TH

BERNARD HOPKINS vs. ANTONIO TARVER
If you're one of the three people who actually read my blog you know that Bernard Hopkins is one of my favorite fighters. So you have to know that I am not going pick against him. Even though he is the underdog going in I feel strongly that he will pull off the upset, and it's not just because I like him better. The experts are making a big deal about a few things and they all pertain to Hopkins. (Going up in weight, his age,he lost his last two fights). Well let me point out a few details about Tarver:
1. He just shot a movie where he played a heavyweight(rocky 6), therefore he is coming down in weight. I think that is harder on the body then bulking up.

2. Tarver is no spring chicken at the age of 37 he only beats Hopkins by 4 years. Four years would be an advantage between a 32 year old and a 28 year old but once your over 35 it's all up in the air.

3. Tarver has won his last two fights but it was to a couple of guys who beat him previously, and I don't know anyone other than Tarver who would brag about his performance in the third Jones fight.

Now I'm not saying Hopkins doesn't have his work cut out for him, I just think people are expecting too much from Tarver. I think Hopkins is crafty enough to avoid Tarvers big shots, and will wear him down as the fight goes on. (Similar to the first fight with Taylor). Tarver doesn't have youth on his side like Taylor and he has a habit of fading down the stretch. PREDICTION: HOPKINS UD


JUNE 10TH

MIGUEL COTTO vs. PAUL MALIGNAGGI

This is the pick some may call me crazy for. Maybe I've gotten caught up in the hype, maybe I like listening to Malignaggi run his mouth, maybe I just like going against the grain. I don't know what it is but I think Malignaggi can win this fight. He hasn't fought the same kind of opposition as Cotto and doesn't pack a knockout punch. (Paulie only has six ko's in 21 fights). But neither had Collazo before he fought Hatton and look what happened. I know Collazo got the loss, but did anyone expect him wobble Hatton or even lose a cotoversial decision? I happen to agree with what paulie has said all along, that his style alone will beat Cotto. Paulie is a fast handed, quick footed, fundamental boxer. Cotto is a flat footed, hard puncher. Now I'm not saying that Cotto isn't talented, Malignaggi has to have a perfect fight to win. Cotto has a ton of power and if Paulie isn't ready Cotto will make him feel it. I just happen to see a very similar match up as the Lacy - Calzaghe fight. If Paulie is in shape I see him using his jab and moving away from Cotto's left all night. Now Cotto is the heavy favorite and very obviously the more popular fighter so Malignaggi has to win convincingly. I think he has the ability to do it. PREDICTION: MAIGNAGGI UD

JUNE 17TH

WINKY WRIGHT vs. JERMAIN TAYLOR

This could one of the most difficult fights to pick that I've everseen. Both guys are very good, have solid jabs, and could beat just about anyone else. The match up kind of reminds me of the Hopkins-Taylor fight. Winky is somewhat like Hopkins in the way that he is a slick, crafty, veteran known for his defensive prowess. The thing that makes him different is that his defense is not good, it's great. He has man handled some of the best fighters in the world, Tito Trinidad, Shane Mosley twice, and lost a controversial decision to Fernando Vargas. The one thing I look at is the fact that all of these fighters were in a weight class above what they normally had fought at previously. Mosley fought most of his career at 147, and Trinidad fought mostly at 154, both moved up a weight class after their prime to fight Winky. Now Winky who has fought most of his career at 154(he has fought 5 times at 160) and will take on a naturally stronger foe in Taylor. Jermain is not just a natural middleweight, but a big one at that. Jermain has a great jab and since his last two fights were against Bernard Hopkins he has seen trickery and defense at it's best. I think he is much stronger than Winky and after fighting Hopkins twice will be more patient than Trinidad was. PREDICTION: TAYLOR UD

I'm very sorry to be long winded, but I am excited about all of these fights. Once again if I am wrong on any of these I will erase the entry and deny everything.

What I saw:

I taped both the Lacy-Calzaghe fight and Cotto-Branco fights last week and had some interesting thoughts. First, I did write it was possible that Calzaghe could beat Lacy. I thought it was unlikely because I was blinded by how much fun it was to watch Lacy destroy his opposition. Second, as I was watching Lacy get completely manhandled, I wondered if it was ok to cry.(I didn't, but I thought about it.) When I was done watching the Lacy-Calzaghe fight I turned on the Cotto-Branco fight. During this fight something occurred to me, Cotto can be beat by Paulie Malignaggi. The strange part of this thought is that if it were not for the Lacy-Calzaghe fight I probably never would have thought this. Branco would lean on the ropes and get walled on. Cotto was able to set up his punches and plant his feet. When Branco would move around the ring and use his jab Cotto didn't have much to do. Joe Calzaghe used the ring, moved to the left and potshoted Jeff Lacy all night long. He used his hand speed, footwork, and ring generalship to outsmart and outwork the young hard punching fighter. These are the exact things that I thing Paulie Malignaggi can and will do against Miquel Cotto. Paulie is in great shape and has excellent footwork and handspeed. The "Magic Man" does lack power but as long as he doesn't stop moving it shouldn't matter. So that's what I saw last week, a reason why Paulie Malignaggi may be able to tarnish Cotto's record. That and a one sided beating of my favorite fighter.

JEFF LACY VS. JOE CALZAGHE:

This was taken from a previous blog entry written 12/26/05. I made a minor adjustment, but overall I still feel the same way. I would like to state I am more excited about this fight than any other in quite some time. I have even considered staying home Saturday night just to watch it. I think due to a pub crawl a tape and Sunday viewing may have to due.
Jeff Lacy has been eating up competition ever since he turned pro. It seems as if he's been getting better and more ferocious in each fight as well. It reminds me of Mike Tyson back in the day. People are starting to wonder if he is unstoppable. Joe Calzaghe is one of those guys across the pond that many feel is a protected fighter with a fictional record. I've only seen the Calzaghe-Mitchell fight from Showtime On-Demand. I am convinced that if Calzaghe comes in and fights the same way he'll be crushed. I have read a few articles that state Joe is a very good boxer, but I've only seen the one fight, so I haven't witnessed it. I am totally biased in this prediction because Jeff Lacy is by far my favorite fighter to watch. My only fear is that Calzaghe will be to Lacy what Holyfield was to Tyson, a reality check. I doubt it Lacy is a much smarter person and boxer than Mike was. But the potential is there. Lacy: TKO 10