A LETTER TO BOXING

With most things jobs, sports, families, there is someone in charge, someone you can bring your problems to. If you have a problem with the NFL, you can write a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell. If you have a problem with the rules at your house, you can bring it up to Mom or Dad(if your living at home, your landlord if your not). If you have a problem with boxing, you have to just bitch and moan about it, like the no good whinny cry-baby you are. Well, I have many problems with boxing, and thanks to my friend Coach, I have decided to write a letter.


Dear Boxing,

I am writing you because I feel as if I am in a one way relationship. I am not completely unhappy, I just feel that I give so much more to you, than you give back to me. There are times I feel as if I am being stood up on a date. Remember the time you had the pound for pound champ take on the most popular fighter in the game, tota l let down. Maybe you remember the time you had two of the games pound for pound best tacticians square off in a boxing chess match of sorts, then charged me 50 bucks to see it. How about when you dare ask me to give 50 dollars for match-ups that are even less interesting? You have been trying lately, but it seems as if these things you've done for me this fall will be taken away by spring time. Taylor-Pavlick II will be on PPV, Joe Calzaghe's next fight will probably land there as well. That's just more money down the drain.

I have a few suggestions for you that would change our relationship. I know that I can't ask you to be a different sport, it's too late for that. You'll never be the NFL, or MLB, or even the National Beer pong League for that matter. I'm asking for little things, just enough change to make me feel as if you care. To start, you need to fix the heavyweight division. It's the one division that no n-boxing fans pay attention to. This is easier than you think, are ready for the simple fix.......change the heavies to the Super Heavyweight division. You can then change the name of Cruiserweight to Heavyweight. Think about it, it's just a name, all people will know is that these are big athletic guys who put on good fights and can knock fellas out with one punch. The Supers will be fat and out of shape, like they have been for years. You could even extend the limit to 205 or maybe 210 if you needed to.

Idea number two, stop charging me for good fights. It's been nice this fall with the Pavlick-Tayor and Kessler-Calzaghe fights, but with that you throw at me Pay-Per-Views like Cotto-Mosley, and Mayweather-Hatton. I'm not saying thaose are bad fights, I'm just asking why can't you find advertisement money instead of taking my hard earned cash? Those are good fights, but along with those you try and get me to buy Shannon Briggs vs. Sultan Ibragimov and Fernando Vargas vs. Ricardo Mayorga. I understand that the sport is always going to have PPV's, but if you keep having these lame ones you're not promoting yourself. How do you expect to get new fans involved in the sport? No one is going to fork over 50 bucks for something they don't know anything about. That goes for cheap tickets to the events themselves too. Recently I went to the Contender Finale at The Banknorth Garden, the cheapest tickets were 45 bucks! The Garden is huge, you're telling me that selling 10 or even 20 dollar tickets would have broken the bank? On top of that you didn't even advertise it very well, I talked to at least ten people(most of whom work in the sports industry) and they had no idea there was a big fight happening in Boston. If you sold cheap tickets you would have packed the place and maybe walked away with a few extra boxing fans.

I would l ike to have more good fights televised. I don't think this is too much to ask. Why is it that Spike TV shows every UFC worth watching. ESPN Classic picked up Holyfield vs. Ibragimov, who the heck wants to see that fight? Yet I have to find David Haye vs. Jean Marc Mormeck, and Lucian Bute vs. Alejandro Berrio on youtube after the fact. Or the time you made me watch Wlad Klitschko destroy Ray Austin within seconds. Just air good fights, people will begin to watch if you do that. Along that same line, is it too much to ask to have a PPV event be shown at a bar? The way you charge a bar for PPV's is by their max capacity number. That's forcing bars to not order the fights, that means regular sports loving people are being turned away from the sport. I don't know about anybody else but if it's a sport and it's at the bar, I'll watch it. Once again, your just sucking old fans dry, and not introducing yourself to new ones. Why not just charge a flat rate to the bar, something affordable, you'll benefit in the end, I promise.

One last thing, just make some effort. You have made some real progress this fall. You put together some great fights, now don't turn back. Get the winner of Mayweather-Hatton to fight Miguel Cotto. Heck you could even have the loser fight Mosley. I will also say for the first time in a while I am happy with a PPV undercard(Mayweather-Hatton). You usually stiff on the entertainment for the prefights, but this time you're doing it right, good for you. I know you're not perfect, I don't expect you to be, just give me some effort. I'm gonna love you no matter what, I just don't want other people to say I'm in an abusive relationship, that's all. So work on a few of these things and I think we'll be alright.

Love,
The Bryguy

DOWN THE ROAD

One of the things I hate about watching boxing is I know that two guys are going to slug it out as long as they can, and then some guy who has been sitting ringside drinking tea, is going to get in the ring and say "who do you want to fight next?". As much as I hate that question, I can't help but think about who the winner, or sometimes even the loser, should fight next. At least I'll wait a few days before putting my opinion out there. Let's go over some great fights, and recent news, and look down the road for a few good match-ups.

JOE CALZAGHE

First, I would like to say Calzaghe put on another amazing performance and deserves all the credit in the world for stepping up at the end of his career and fighting the best of the best. That being said, I got tired of Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman talking about how great Kessler was! I agree that Kessler is a good fighter, let's not shove it down my throat. It seemed like they were prepared to talk about Kessler more than Joe. Why not focus on how great Joe Calzaghe is? Maybe because they know Joe is at the end and HBO plans on Kessler being their fighter? It could just be me, but that's what I thought anyway. As for Joe's future, it seems he is determined to fight Bernard Hopkins. I'm not sure why Joe is so intent on fighting The Executioner. It seems to me there is not much of an upside to it. If he loses to him, which the possibility is there, people will say he only fought over rated contenders, or see he can't win outside of Wales. If he bets him, everyone says big deal he beat a 43 year old fighter. Then again I guess there aren't too many other big money offers out there for a guy who has beaten everyone at 168. The fight has my blessing, sorry Joe I gotta root for my man Bernard.

MIKKEL KESSLER

As much as I was sick of hearing HBO kiss this guys butt over the weekend I do think he is a great fighter. The one thing I couldn't help but think about was, maybe people will now give Jeff Lacy some credit. They stop saying he was overrated, and over hyped. People should start saying there is no shame in losing to a great fighter like Joe Calzaghe. I would love to see the two Calzaghe victims get a few fights under their belts and then face off for the 168 thrown. I would also like to see a match with the Canadian Lucian Bute get made. It would be tough because both guys can draw a crowd at home, so I'm sure there would be a pissing contest for home turf.

JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ

I don't think I even need to mention what should happen with Marquez. If the rematch with Manny Pacquiao doesn't happen then I would never watch either fighter again. This fight needs to happen, for the fans, boxing, and most of all for me! I will not even write about this any longer, because it's only going to make me upset that they haven't gotten in the ring already.

ROCKY JUAREZ

This is one tough dude, that just can't seem to win the big one. He is entertaining and as I said before very tough, he is now in my eyes the perfect gate keeper for the division. I wouldn't mind seeing him give Robert Guerrero a stiff test or even take on the heavy punching Edwin Valero. Let's see if Valero could handle Rocky before being fed to Pacquiao.

SAKIO BIKA
I was ringside for this potential fight of the year, and the more I think about it, the more grateful I am for being able to witness this one in person. These two guys started fast and didn't stop swinging for the fences from round one all the way to the end. I'm still not sure what happened, I just know that I was on my feet the entire time! Where should Bika go from here? Well, I would like to see him give Jaidon a rematch later down the line. Codrington
needs to get some other fights under his belt before tangling with Bika again. I would like to see Bika in with any of the other tough 168ers, Allen Green could be a good match-up, maybe Edison Miranda, or perhaps take on the winner of Lacy-Manfredo.

JAIDON CODRINGTON

I know that Codrington was knocked out by Bika and knocked out by Green, I still think this kid is pretty good and can handle big time fights. He proved his heart by getting up in that first round and standing toe to toe with Bika for seven more rounds. I think one of "The Dons" flaws is he was pushed so fast. He was put up against Allen Green way to soon, and even after that he has never been able to get rounds under his belt. I think even though he got KO'd in eight, he should proud of what he accomplished. He went eight extremely hard rounds with a world class fighter and hasn't gone ten rounds more than once in his career. Jaidon was running solely on heart after the fifth round. I would like Jaidon to take it slow get some rounds under his belt and then try for revenge against Bika in a year or two. I have a feeling we'll see a different fight.

CONTENDER SEASON 3

Ok, so I went home last night after work completely pumped for the new season of the contender, I get excited about any new boxing on T.V. Well, I saw a few good things and a few bad things about this season already. We'll start with the good:

1. This seasons fighters seem to have the best credentials yet. I mean Sam Soliman gave Winky Wright all he could handle not to long ago, and Sakio Bika is not too shabby going twelve with Joe Calzaghe.

2. The fighters already have more personality than any of the fighters from last year. Last year took a step up in experience but a step down in personality.

3. The trainers are a step up, I mean Buddy Mcgirt, come on he's one of the best out there.

4. The music is still awesome. How can you not get pumped up when hear the Contender theme blaring over the opening credits?

5. The underdog has already been chosen. It seems that the K-9 award goes to David Banks, I'm already liking and feeling bad for the last guy picked. (In case you didn't know Cornelious K-9 Bundrage got picked last in season 2 and came in third.)

There you have it that's what I liked about last nights episode. Now here comes the bad stuff, I will however try to be optimistic about the upcoming season:

1. It was thoroughly unentertaining! Nothing really happened, it was just another look at the audition process. OPTIMISM: I'm in hopes that last nights episode was a way for us to get to know all the fighters better before two guys actually square off.

2. Listening to Sugar Ray for an hour straight makes me sea sick. He sounds like he's doing a bad impression of William Shatner! OPTIMISM: I hope he isn't in so much of the up coming shows.

3. The trainers may be a step up but they are no where near as entertaining as Tommy Gallagher. OPTIMISM: Maybe they'll open up as we get to know them better as we get to know them. Hey maybe they'll even become crabby old men, you never know.

4. I will be very upset if we are forced to see a guest celebrity every week. Especially c-list celebs like Adam Corolla! Come on man, who cares what Adam Corolla says about anything, much less boxing! I watch the show to get to know the fighters and watch some boxing, not hear the same regurgitated crap about how amazing it is to be in the presence of so-and-so. OPTIMISM: I don't really have any on this one I think we're stuck with the guests, I just hope the get better than Corolla.

5. When they show ed the previews for next week I realized they still have the same announcer. I would rather listen to Suger Ray read me a Charles Dickens novel than hear that guy gurgle through "ROUND NUMBER FIVE". OPTIMISM: He doesn't look like he keeps in the best shape, maybe he'll drop dead and they'll replace him.(Sorry I know that's a bit harsh).

Any thoughts about last nights show?

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.