2008-Jul-31 - Decision time for De La Hoya

Oscar De La Hoya appears to be leaning toward a final farewell fight with Manny Pacquiao on December 6.  Sure, Pacman is the undisputed P4P king now that Floyd Mayweather has retired, but does this fight really make any sense?  Would beating Pacquiao do anything for Oscar’s legacy?

Oscar is a giant compared to Manny Pacquiao.  Beating Pacquiao would only solidify that fact in the mind of spectators.  Sure, Pacquiao is the better fighter, but does he carry enough pop to fight someone that much bigger than him?  If Oscar wins, he’d just a bully.  If Pacquiao wins, Oscar’s even more of a bum.

Oscar is alleged to want that one big, career-defining win.  This would typically be done by fighter the most challenging competitor available.  Manny Pacquiao is definitely not the most challenging fighter within reason.  That distinction belongs to Antonio Margarito.  Just about everyone knows that, but there are a slew of other fighters he’d be better off fighting as well.  Here is a short list, just off the top of my head;

1.        Paul Williams

2.        Winky Wright

3.        Shane Mosley (DLH is 0-2 against Sugar)

4.        Miguel Cotto (still)

5.        Ricky Hatton

6.        Zab Judah or Joshua Clottey (depending on winner of Saturday’s showdown)

What do all of the above fighters have in common?  They aren’t tiny, plain and simple. 

Finally, if Oscar really wants to go out with a bang (AND a winnable fight), why not just go after Felix Trinidad?  Tito looked okay in his loss to Roy Jones, Jr., and Oscar could exercise some demons from his past.

So man-up, Oscar De La Hoya.  Don’t just look for the easy way out.  Make a fight that boxing fans actually want to see.

For more great articles like this one, visit THE BOXING STOP.

2008-Jun-18 - The Rest of the Best (Top Ten Heavyweights 6-10)

6. Jack Dempsey (66-6-11)

“The Manassa Mauler” was not only a great fighter, but he was incredibly popular during his day with the public.  Dempsey’s aggressive style won over fans and critics, and his ability to knock opponents out with either hand would make him dangerous to anyone else on this list   Dempsey held the heavyweight title from 1919-1926, and set numerous box office records during his illustrious career.  If you’ve never seen his fight with the giant Jess Willard, then make sure you check it out at the other site. Dempsey is probably the most aggressive champion to make this list.   

7. Joe Frazier (32-4-1)

Frazier’s greatness is easy to see, and it’s hard to believe he isn’t more renowned and respected by popular media culture.  Think about it, Muhammad Ali is basically a walking national treasure, why isn’t Joe?.  In my mind, the same awe-stricken respect should be reserved for Smokin’ Joe.  Frazier was tough, and his high pressure attack made most fights more than aesthetically appeasing.  Joe Frazier only lost to 2 men in his career, both great fighters in their own right: Ali and George Foreman. 

8. George Foreman (76-5)

Foreman was the scariest man on the planet until that fateful night in Zaire when he was “rope-a-doped” by Muhammad Ali.  People seem to forget, but pre-Rumble in the Jungle, Foremen made Tyson look like a stuffed Teddy Bear.  Foreman was a scary dude alright, but an encounter with the Lord led Foreman to a new lifestyle, and he became the oldest fighter ever to win the heavyweight crown when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994. 

9.  Gene Tunney (81-1-3)

Tunney was a brilliant boxer, maybe the first heavyweight to be so.  His greatest win was his first fight against Jack Dempsey, when he dazzled the Manassas Mauler his superior skill.  The second fight wasn’t quite as great.  Tunney was knocked cold, but a famous long count gave him a chance to get up and steal the victory.  That wasn’t so good for him with the fans of the era, but his greatness shouldn’t really be tied to a poor job done by a referee.  Besides, he out-boxed Dempsey for the rest of the fight, and had a brilliant career overall only losing once in his 85 fight career.

10. Larry Holmes (69-6-0)

Larry Holmes didn’t get a lot of love after he beat up an old and out of gas Muhammed Ali, but he still defended the heavyweight crown 20 straight times.  Holmes fought all the best fighters of his age, and even stuck around to fight a few of the next.  Holmes had a killer jab, and he’d fare well with any heavyweight you could pit him against, even is he wasn’t as flashy or brilliant as others on this list.

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See highlight videos of all of the above fighters at The Boxing Stop.

**BONUS**

11. Mike Tyson (44-6-0)

I often say Mike Tyson is the most overrated heavyweight champion of all time, but that’s mostly because a lot of people rank him as the best ever..  That isn’t quite true, but what is true is that Tyson in his prime was very talented, very sound and very scary.   He was the youngest fighter ever to win the heavyweight crown, and most people thought he’d never lose it. Tyson lost quite a bit of his form after famed fight trainer Cuss D’Amato passed away and he was sent to jail, and that led to his ultimate downfall.  Still, prime Tyson has to be considered one of the greatest heavyweights ever.

Just missed the cut: Lennox Lewis,  

Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, and Ezzard Charles.

For great highlight videos of all these great fighters and more great articles like this one, visit The Boxing Stop:

The Boxing Stop

2008-May-30 - Gamboa, HBO not impressive

Protect yourself at all times.

It's a simple, but important rule in the fight game.  Usually, if not always, one must keep his hands up in order to achieve this important element.  There are bound to be a few exceptions to this rule, but unless your name is Roy Jones, Jr. (the old RJJ, not the old RRJ) I cannot think of any.

Yuriorkis Gamboa (10-0), a highly touted, highly skilled super featherweight from Cuba, had better learn this one fast. 

In Gamboa's recent encounter with the decent but unspectacular Darling Jiminez, Gamboa found  himself on the mat for the first time in his career.  That's usually nothing to be ashamed of, but in Gamboa's case it was something to be ashamed of.

Not to take anything away from Jiminez, but Gamboa is light years ahead of him in speed, talent, skill, pedigree, and just about any other thing you can think that would be of use to a fighter. 

Well, except maybe class.

Gamboa not only consistently left his hands down at his side the entire fight, he also made a point to show his disdain for good sportsmanship by constantly pushing the other challenger to the mat.  Gamboa should be ashamed, and HBO's Boxing After Dark team should be ashamed for not calling it for what it was.

Sure, HBO has a vested interest in a 10-0 fighter who may become a world champion soon, but that has never kept HBO folk from telling it like it is before.  Have you ever seen Larry Merchant interview Bernard Hopkins?  Or hear the team discuss the obvious character flaws of Floyd Mayweather, Jr.? 

And these are established fighters, all time greats.

But Gamboa got a free pass from HBO, and he won the fight to boot, essentially getting a free pass for his career.  One of these free passes should come to haunt him soon, though.  Something tells me Gamboa didn't learn his lesson from his quick fall to the canvas (he was never really hurt).  Something tells me when he fights someone with a punch it will be lights out for him.  And something tells me HBO needs to step up to the plate and call it like it is next time.

*********Visit The Boxing Stop at www.theboxingstop.blogspot.com today!*********

2008-Apr-12 - MMA: The Science of Suck

Yeah, I said it.

I debated writing this article for a long time.  Sometimes I think boxing fans can be too hard on their ugly little step-sister.  I'd hate to seem like the school yard bully picking on the new guy.

But no, MMA sucks and that's all there is to it, and if you need me to run down the reasons for you then I will.

1. Boxing is a sport: No,  people fighting doesn't make MMA a sport.  Boxing is a sport.  Boxing has rules, history and Olympic validation .  MMA has dudes in shorts hugging on the floor until someone screams.

2. Great boxers are bigger than life: Think of guys like Joe Louis, Muhammed Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Mike Tyson.  Now think of dudes in shorts hugging on the floor until someone screams.   Which do you prefer?

3.  Impact: No, it's not the name of UFC 99.  Boxing/boxers have made huge impacts on global culture.  When Joe Louis beat Max Schmelling in 1938 it wasn't just for the heavyweight championship.  It was the world versus NazI Germany, good versus evil.  Ali-Frazier I was a clash of American cultures.  Jack Johnson knocked alleged white superiority right out of James J. Jeffries and company in one of  the most important sporting events ever.  I could go on, but you get the idea.  The biggest impact MMA has on the world is a bunch of wannabe losers putting tapout stickers on their cars.

4. MMA is boring:  Some idiots think boxing is boring.  They clammor for fighters to show less skill and more idiocy in the ring.  Tactical fighting has gone the way of baseball: dumbed down American culture just doesn't have the patience anymore.  On the other had, MMA delivers knockouts sometimes, but usually it just ends up in dudes in shorts hugging on the floor until someone screams. 

5.  The Sweet Science: Boxing is one of the few things in life that can be both beautiful and brutal at the same time.  Its poetry in motion.   MMA is just brutal and boring.  Boxing is the Sweet Science.  MMA is the Science of  Suck.

So there you have it. 

I could go on, but if you've read this far I know you're a boxing fan already because most MMA fans have the attention span of an ADD toddler.

2008-Mar-12 - Top Five Heavyweights of All Time

Here is a list of my top 5 heavyweights of all time, reprinted from my personal weblog at www.theboxingstop.blogspot.com.  Email me yours at kelseymccarson@enterto.com or just leave a comment at the other site!

TOP FIVE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONS OF ALL TIME

1. Joe Louis (69-3): Sorry, Dad. Joe Louis has to be considered the greatest heavyweight of all time. He wasted no movements, threw brilliant combinations and he was a devastating puncher. Louis recorded 25 straight title defenses, a record that will probably never be broken. He also won the biggest fight in history, defeating Max Schmelling in 1938 at Yankee Stadium in front of over 70,000 people. With the win, Louis helped derail Nazi Germany's claim of superiority and help bring parts of white and black America together.

2. Muhammad Ali (56-5): Probably the most celebrated athlete of all time, the self-proclaimed "greatest of all time" comes pretty close to actually being the greatest. Ali won the heavyweight title 3 times, a record that held until Evander Holyfield won it 4 times. Ali defeated several high profile greats, including Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Sonny Liston. If there is anyone who truly rivals Louis' greatness, it is Ali, but Louis gets him by an eye lash. No matter, a fight between the 2 in their primes would be hard to call. (But, I'll take Louis!)

3. Jack Johnson (100-14-14): Jack Johnson was the first black heavyweight champion, and he has gained famed recently due to the Ken Burns documentary entitled 'Unforgivable Blackness'. Johnson was great at parrying his opponent's shots and countering with his own powerful blows. Johnson was involved in the 2nd most important heavyweight title fight of all time in his defeat of James J. Jeffries, who had come out of retirement to prove "that a white man is better than a Negro". Thankfully, Johnson won by TKO in the 15 round. Nat Fleisher, former editor of The Ring Magazine, considered Johnson the greatest he ever saw.

4. Rocky Marciano (49-0): The only heavyweight champion to ever retire undefeated, Marciano was a brilliant puncher. He had power in both hands and used a brutal bob-n-weave attack to wear down opponents. Marciano was also a vastly underrated defensive fighter, always able to stay out of harms way. Marciano is often given too little respect for his perfect record, something that will probably change over time. It is doubtful that another champ will eclipse his 49-0 mark.

5. Evander Holyfield (42-9-2): Should Holyfield's greatness be discounted because he continues to fight on past his prime? Of course not. Evander Holyfield is the only man to win the heavyweight championship 4 times (and counting). A blown up cruiserweight, Holyfield's heart is undisputed. He was an all-action fighter with a granite chin. He defeated the greatest fighters of his era including Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe, and fought off hard-charging vets George Forman and Larry Holmes. Also, go back and rescore the 2nd Lewis fight and tell me Holyfield didn't win. His wins over Mike Tyson and his epic battles with Riddick Bowe allow Holyfield to round out the top 5.

2008-Mar-5 - The Mexican Assassin?: Pacquiao Ready for Marquez

From www.fightnews.com:

"I don't want people to call me 'Mexican Assassin,'" commented Pacquiao. "I'm just a fighter who does my job in the ring and gives a good fight to the fans."

Yeah, but his job seems to be assassinating Mexicans. Okay, okay, I don't want to get into a whole thing about how behind on the times boxing is in political correctness, but you get my drift. Pacquiao has cemented his boxing legacy by defeating the best Mexican fighters of the era. He beat both Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, and many thought he won the first Marquez bout.

Now, Manny Pacquiao is set to face Juan Manuel Marquez in a rematch of their controversial 2004 draw. In the first fight, Pacquiao dropped Marquez 3 times in the first round, only to see Marquez regroup and outbox Manny over the final 8 rounds or so.

Still, it was an exciting fight (as is any Pacquiao fight), and boxing fans have been clamoring for the rematch ever since. But who will win this time?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Pacquiao will not drop Marquez again in the 1st round. Marquez didn't look prepared for the speed and power of Pacquiao in the first fight, but I don't think he'll make that mistake again.

However, Pacquiao has become a much more complete fighter over the years. He's added a right hook to go along with his lethal straight left, and new trainer Freddie Roach has built him into a more patient boxer.

But can he outbox Marquez?

Probably not. Juan Manuel Marquez is a very good boxer, even sacrificing fan appeal to get Ws sometimes. He's a bit boring, but recent wins over Marco Antonio Barrera and Rocky Juarez in his last 2 fights have earned him a little more fan appeal. 

Pacquiao will have to come out guns blazing and Marquez will have to box at his best. The first fight was spectacular and I believe this one will be even better. Both men know they left a win on the table last time, and both will do their best to make sure it doesn't happen again.

*****OFFICIAL FIGHT PREDICTION: (2-2)*****

MANNY PACQUIAO WINS BY SPLIT DECISION.

Remember where you heard it first.

2008-Feb-27 - Foreman's Greatness Undisputed

While not known as "The Greatest", like fellow 70s heavyweight icon Muhammed Ali, George Foreman has a greatness all of his own.  Foreman, the former uber-menace devastator that Ali was able to overcome in perhaps his greatest performance as a fighter, was able to pull off what few fighters--nay humans-- ever do.

George Foreman listened to God.

Anyone who knows anything about boxing knows the George Foreman story, so I'll spare you the re-telling, but what is important is the message of the story. 

Foreman was a scary guy.  Heck, there were people that actually thought he might kill Ali.  I bet if you'd asked him George thought he'd kill Ali. 

But he lost.

Sure, he went on to defeat Ron Lyle in one of the greatest heavyweight fights of the era, and re-introduced fellow great Joe Frazier to the canvas a few times more, but he lost his next fight to Jimmy Young and decided to to call it quits.

Something in his life was missing.

After the fight, Foreman was emotionally drained and spiritually devastated .  He called upon God to help him, and the Lord heard his cry.  God gave George a mission.

George Foreman stopped fighting, became an ordained minister and served the Lord with zeal few could imagine.  There are very few men who would have done what George did, and probably even fewer that believed a scary guy like George would be the one to do it.

We all know about the later comeback, the fight against Moorer that won him the championship at age 45, and all those grills he sells, but if there is one thing to take away from George Foreman's legacy, it is this: George Foreman is big, but he has a bigger God.  He prays,  he listens and he obeys.

Amen to that.

2008-Feb-22 - Klitschko set to unify titles

IBF champ and current #1 ranked heavyweight on the planet Wladimir Klitschko is set to face WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov this Saturday in a much needed  unification bout on HBO.

It is the first unification bout in the division in 9 years.

Thanks to the MMA, boxing promoters have been forced to give fight fans better fights recently.  These fights include showdowns between undefeated world champs like Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton, as well as fights for the blood lusters out there like the 2 great fights between Israel Vaszuez and Rafael Marquez.

But, this trend has been  hard to continue in the heavyweight division because there are so few viable names out there.  Evander Holyfied is 10 years past his prime.  Lennox Lewis isn't coming out of retirement and Vitali Klitschko can't stay health enough to even train for a fight, much less actually fight one.

Nevertheless, what  boxing needs is a unified, undisputed heavyweight king, and after tomorrow we will be one step closer. 

Most experts agree that Wladimir Klitschko is the man for the job.  The younger Klitschko brother has hooked up with legendary trainer Emmanuel Stewart to revitalize his career after being exposed of being a blown-up Glass Joe from Mike Tyson's Punchout.

Meanwhile, Sultan Ibragimov has used some nifty matchmaking recently, outpointing aging warriors Shannon Briggs and Evander Holyfield to earn his shot at a unification fight.  Ibragimov is a steady southpaw with a nice jab, but he really is no match for the motivated Klitschko.

"Whoever wins this fight," Klitschko says, "I hope he will go on to another unification fight."

That's a good thing to hear from the man that's certain to win. 

Klitschko is simply a better fighter than his Saturday night opponent.  He's bigger, faster, stronger and a lock to win the fight. 

Frankly, this couldn't come at a better time for me, too.  This win should get me back to .500 for my predictions so I'll be able to sleep at night!  (Oh, I can sleep)

OFFICIAL FIGHT PREDICTION: Wladimir Klitschko wins by 7th round TKO.

2008-Feb-18 - Pavlik Earns Decision, McCarson reflects on prediction

"I remember when Bernard Hopkins did it after our fight. He took some glory away. Let him be happy, the man is the middleweight champion of the world let him enjoy it,” said Taylor. “He did catch me, he hurt me with a body shot in the 11th round. I could have did things a lot different...but he had a great fight all the way around. I give it to him.”

With these words, former middleweight champ Jermain Taylor conceded 2 things. First, he admitted he had indeed lost his rematch with current champ Kelly Pavlik. Second, he reiterated that indeed, Kelsey McCarson must have been crazy picking him to win the fight in the first place.

Great.

The judges scorecards indicate that a close win was earned by Pavlik with the work he did in the championship rounds (10-12). Pavik won all 3 rounds on every scorecard except on 1, where one of the judges gave round 10 to Taylor.

Where these 2 fighters go from here could make or break their careers. Taylor, in particular, is in need of a move to a different weight division not to mention a win. Taylor is rumored to be headed to the supermiddelweight division (168 lbs) for a fight on HBO. One fighter mentioned already is Lucian Brute, but nothing is close to being confirmed as of yet.

Meanwhile, Kelly Pavlik is allegedly lining up a fight with Felix "Tito" Trinidad.

Yeah. Felix freakin' Trinidad.

Instead, Pavlik should be a real champ and give superstar Winky Wright a shot. That fight would be good for the sport and be a nice gesture toward the underappreciated Wright who always has trouble finding fighters willing to share the ring with him.

In any event, my official fight prediction score has gone down below .500 to 1-2. (bleh)

2008-Feb-16 - McCarson picks Taylor: Is he cR-aZ_y?

2008-Feb-10 - The Punisher becomes the Punished

Quintana pulls the upset

If you read my last column, then you know what a slam dunk I thought the Paul Williams vs. Carlos Quintana fight was in favor of Williams. Of course, if you follow boxing at all you know that some nights fighters just don't look like themselves, and that was clearly the case for Paul Williams who was outfought and outworked for much of the night by his opponent.

Nonetheless, upsets are good for boxing. They're good in any sport. Remember the Super Bowl? Now, I'm not saying Quintana over Williams was as much of an upset as the Giants over the Pats---well actually I am saying that.

Williams was undefeated and a heavy favorite, not to mention the resident "most avoided fighter" in the game. Quintana was just supposed to be a stepping-stone to a more lucrative fight.

Wrong.

Stepping-stones usually don't outwork opponents in the championship rounds or end up wearing a title belt at the end of fights. Carlos Quintana is from here on out no stepping stone. Rather, he is a legit titlist whose name needs to be added to the list of welterweights fight fans want to see compete with the best.

Perhaps the best thing that has come of this fight is that Quintana doesn't appear to be the type of fighter others will avoid. In fact, I can see right now from my desk in Texas a boatload of fighters waiting to line up to fight for the opportunity to clash with the underrated Puerto Rican titlist.

I can see everyone from Oscar De La Hoya to Sugar Shane Mosley trying to sign a fight with this guy as soon as possible. Oscar has a date open soon for a tune-up fight before his rematch with Floyd Mayweather while Mosley has his eyes set on a clash with Zab Judah. Both may see Quintana as a fairly easy win for a title and both may be sadly mistaken.

After all, the last guy that overlooked Quintana ended up getting punished.

Weekend Wrap

In other fight news this weekend, Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr. (35-0-1) KOd Jose Celaya (31-4) in round 8 to advance his career to a hopefully more interesting stage. The whole "son of a legend" thing is beginning to wear off and now I just want to see him fight a legit contender.

ESPN's FNF put on another good show this week. The main event was an entertaining but hard to score cruiserweight clash between Darnell Wilson and B.J. Flores. Flores won a decision by boxing and frankly refusing to engage the more powerful Wilson at times. If you watched the fight, then you're probably tired of screaming at Wilson to go to the body more instead of headhunting all night. Nonetheless, it was a good fight and a good night for the sweet science.

2008-Feb-8 - Williams Seeks To Punish Quintana

Undefeated welterweight Paul "The Punisher" Williams (33-0) is set to face solid contender Carlos Quintana (24-1) this Saturday night on HBO.

Williams' promoter, Bob Arum, seems to believe no one wants to fight his fighter.  Arum refers to Williams as the "most avoided fighter in boxing."  If that's the case, then Paul Williams is the virtual opposite of Oscar De La Hoya .  He's too good and doesn't bring in near enough money to justify the risk.

Williams is a tall and rangey fighter who throws punches in bunches.  He's a tough out for anyone, including reigning P4P king Floyd Mayweather, so it's easy to see why so many fighters would seem to be ducking him.  Recently, overrated title holder Kermit Cintron avoided fighting Williams after a hand injury allowed him enough time to find a different dancing partner. 

Unfortunately for him though, Antonio Margarito should oust Cintron just as easilyas he did in their first encounter.

Nonetheless, it wasn't so long ago that Margarito was being avoided.  But, after being disposed of by Paul Williams, many fighters didn't view him as being as dangerous as they once did and offers began pouring in.  

So is losing William's his only hope?

I don't think so.

Paul Williams just needs to keep winning.  The only thing that can get top level fighters to face each other is money, and that's exactly how it should be.  Paul Williams has to earn his way to that level the same way all the other guys do.  If he keeps winning everything will work out for him, the fans and the sport.

And who knows?  If he's lucky he'll end up being enough of a cash cow like Oscar De La Hoya that people will line up around the block to get a shot at the him.

I wouldn't bet on that happening, but you can read about what I would bet on below (if I was the betting kind, that is):

OFFICIAL FIGHT PREDICTION (1-0):

Williams punishes Quintana by unanimous decision. 

Don't forget to come back Monday for some official gloating about still being undefeated in my fight picks, too.....

2008-Feb-5 - Britain's Best

Don't look now, but English fighters are taking the boxing world by storm.  World champions Joe Calzaghe (super middleweight) and Ricky Hatton (junior welterweight) lead a stellar group of Britain's best that have also enjoyed success here in the States over the past year. 

While Calzaghe's success has mostly been in the form of long overdue respect from both American fans and media outlets alike, Hatton's success has been in a more physical form.  Hatton (44-1) has enjoyed several big fights in the United States over the past year.  Most recently, his clash with Floyd Mayweather earned him the most money he's ever fought for even if it earned him his first loss as well.

Meanwhile, Calzaghe (43-0) is poised to storm the US with a supposed megafight on the horizon against American great Bernard Hopkins.  Hopkins, the world light heavyweight champ, has set sights on fighting Calzaghe at Yankee Stadium, but the 2 sides have yet to come to an actual agreement.  Hopefully, the two sides will hammer out an agreement soon. 

Calzaghe's legacy my depend on it.  It doesn't take alot for American opinion to turn, especially about British boxers.

There are some other British fighters that are worthy of attention, too.  David Haye (20-1) is the World cruiserweight champ and looks to be the real mccoy.  He could continue to do well in that division or move up to heavyweight for even bigger money.

Another superstar in the making is lightweight Amir Kahn.  Kahn (16-0) practically shut-out former title holder Gairy St. Clair (39-6) last weekend to announce his readiness to compete at the elite level.  Meanwhile, the steady winning junior welterweight Junior Witter (36-1-2) continues to wait patiently for a showdown against world champ Hatton. 

Overall, someone should wake up the American fighters and tell them the British are coming.  Actually, it may be too late for that. 

They're already here.

2008-Feb-1 - Trusting Ring Magazine

"The Bible of Boxing" as it is known worldwide has recently undergone a makeover.  No, it doesn't have new clothes and blonde  highlights.  This makeover is on the inside and not everyone is happy about it.

If you haven't read The Ring then I urge you to start doing so.  If you want to stay informed on boxing there is no better way.  The mag is known for it's dedication to the sweet science and there is not a more knowledgeable staff of boxing writers anywhere in the world.

But I digress.  There are alot of people who are upset with the current changes in the ownership of The Ring.  Oscar de la Hoya, former champion and current promoter, has recently taken over publishment of the magazine from Kappa Publishing (a company better know for it's crossword puzzle books). 

So why all the hubbub?

The Ring magazine's ratings and championship system are currently considered the most legitimate in the sport.  The Ring has no sanctioning fees, no people in smoke filled rooms deciding to strip fighters of their belt, and no direct connections with fight promoters...until now.  While sanctioning fees and the smokey rooms haven't been added, there is no denying that Oscar de la Hoya will have significant influence on it's publication.

However, what it all boils down to is this: will Golden Boy Promotions use their influence to ruin the last safe haven for honest boxing rankings and legit champions?  I doubt it.  De la Hoya wants to help clean up the sport.  He's said it numerous times.  He's even enlisted fellow fighter such as Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosely to help him, and I think it is working.

Did you enjoy the Mosley-Cotto PPV?  Like seeing Mayweather and Hatton get it on?  What about Barrera-Pacquiaou II?  Yep, all Goldenboy promotions.  Goldenboy promotions gives us the fights we want to see, and I see no reason why they wouldn't give us the magazine we want to read as well. 

Yes, The Ring is changing, but it's for the better.  Go pick one up.  You'll see that not only is the magazine's ratings system still fair and unbiased, but you'll also notice that since De la Hoya's purchase the magazine is offering more bang for your buck than ever!

**************************************************************************************************************

P4P List: February

A new feature here will be my personal pound for pound list.  As you know, pound for pound lists are the rankings of the top fighters in the world regardless of the weight they fight at.  Sugar Ray Robinson is consistently ranked as the #1 boxer P4P ever.  It doesn't mean he could have beaten Muhammed Ali or Joe Frazier, but it does mean he could beat them if they were the same size.

It's fun and there is no right answer (except mine, of course)

1. Floyd Mayweather: If you follow boxing at all than you know this is a no-brainer.  Mayweather is the best defensive figher in the world and he showed some pop in his KO of Hatton in December.  His next fight is a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya which he should win easily.

2. Manny Pacqiauo: Manny P. is a ball of lightning fast fury, and since bringing Freddi Roach on board he has been a better all-around boxer.  He has a tough test against J.M. Marquez coming up which should decide his P4P future.

3. Joe Calzaghe: Calzaghe is the best super-middleweight in the world, but can he get past light heavyweight champ Bernard Hopkins?

4. Bernard Hopkins: B-Hop is one of the greatest fighters ever and at 41 he continues to beat top rated superstars.  He is absolutely amazing even if his fights are considered boring by mainstream fan numbskulls.

5. Juan Manuel Marquez: Marquez is on a path to higher pay and increased respect if he can pull off what fellow Mexican superstars Marco Antonio Barrera and Eric Morales couldn't by defeating Manny Pacquiao.

So there you go.

Most P4P lists are top 10, but I get bored after listing about 5.  Actually, after the top 5 it gets a bit too muddled to make accurate rankings so here are the next 5 in no particular order: 

Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Kelly Pavlik, Winky Wright and Ivan Calderon (who gets no respect from anyone).

Send me your list at kelseymccarson@enterto.com!

2008-Jan-28 - Not So Fast: Povetkin Outclasses Chambers

Rising American heavyweight "Fast" Eddie Chambers was not fast enough to upend 2004 Olympic gold medalist Alexander Povetkin.  Chambers, who traveled to Germany to fight for the right to face the winner of the Wladimir Klitschko-Sultan Ibragimov bout set for February, was unable to capitalize on the slow start by his Russian opponent.

Povetkin claimed ill after the fight, but that still didn't keep him from establishing himself as the stronger fighter in the later rounds.  Chambers was able to land clean counters throughout the fight, but Povetkin proved the much stronger and busier man in the ring most of the evening to earn a clear decision by a pretty wide margin. 

Judges ringside scored the fight 117-111, 119-109 and 116-112 all in favor of Alexander Povetkin. 

Now, Povetkin (15-0, 11 KOs) will set his aim on either Wladimir Klitschko or Sultan Ibragimov.  Povetkin will need to improve on his performance to stand a chance against either of the highly talented champions, but he should be able to give either a legitimate contest.  Let's face it.  It's not like he'll be going up against Ali or Frazier.

Let's just hope its entertaining (and free).

2008-Jan-25 - Jones Sets Eyes On Future

Roy Jones, Jr., fresh off his obliteration of former welterweight great Felix "Tito" Trinidad, has released a memorandum to the entire boxing community.  Jones, never the shy one, listed these possible opponents in a recent statement:

"I'll take the winner of either the re-match between Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor or Joe Calzaghe vs. Bernard Hopkins," Jones said recently. "I'm even willing to go down to [166] pounds to face Oscar De La Hoya in May. Line them up and I'll knock them down."

Whoa.

Let's look ahead at these match-ups and predict how the Roy Jones of now would fare against these tough opponents:

Kelly Pavlik:  The undefeated middleweight champ is a formidable opponent for anyone.  He carries power in both hands and has shown the ability to get off the floor in order to win a fight.  While Jones would try to offset Pavlik's power with speed, Kelly would just be too strong for his Royness and win via late-round knockout.

Jermain Taylor: Taylor has already beaten some over-the-hill future hall-of-famers.  He won 2 controversial decisions over Bernard Hopkins and 1 even more controversial decision over Winky Wright.  In my view, Taylor lost all 3 of those fights. Against Jones he would probably try to impose his will early, get frustrated by Jones speed and power, and ultimately lose a close, controversial decision. 

Joe Calzaghe: As much as I love RJ, something tells me that Calzaghe would out-box and frustrate Jones in a lopsided decision.  Calzaghe is one of the most underappreciated fighters of his era, and he's still at the top of his game.

Bernard Hopkins: These two fought way back in 1993.  Jones won a boring but unanimous decision the first time.  Since then, each has done his part to secure his legacy.  Hopkins defended the middleweight crown 20 straight times while Jones became the heavyweight champion of the world.  I'd bet anything on Jones winning another unanimous decision.  Hopkins usually outsmarts opponents, but Jones is one of the smartest fighters in the game.

Oscar De La Hoya: In a fight that might break all box office records known to man, Jones would win easily by a KO.  Jones is too big, too fast and too strong for an old Oscar.  This fight would probably be even less competitive that the Trinidad fight. 

So there you have it. 

But, how would a prime Roy Jones do against these opponents?

Let's make this fair and put all these opponents in their primes as well.  Guess what?  It doesn't matter.  Jones wins all five of these fights easily, and that's not a knock on what these other guys have done in the sport.  Roy Jones was just that good.

2008-Jan-20 - Patient Jones Too Much for Trinidad

Roy Jones, Jr. shook off the cobwebs and returned to vintage form in his win over Felix "Tito" Trinidad last Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada.

While I'm not ready to proclaim "the return of the Royness" as ESPN.com is doing, I will say that Roy proved something very important in the win.  The biggest problem Roy was facing was that after some of his natural athletic ability began to detiorate due to his age, he was left with a gameplan that simply would not work for anyone without lightening-quick reflexes and handspeed. 

Now, that's changed.

Roy has evolved from a fighter that relied only on his immense physical giftedness, to a smart, steady and patient boxer-puncher looking for openings behind a quick jab.  His handspeed is still far above that of most fighters and he still uses this to his advantage, but the new Roy also keeps his arms up to protect himself.

This new style is both safe and effective.  Roy is able to deliver quick counters and sharp one-twos, but he also doesn't leave himself open to the danger that allowed him to be pulverized by Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver.

Honestly, I was not sure if I'd ever see Roy Jones adapt as well as he has to his current set of boxing skills.  The Roy Jones the world saw in his last fight is a far cry from the one that suffered two brutal knockouts in a row not so long ago, and a legit threat against any fighter in his weight division.

As for the fight itself, both fighters should be commended for the excellent job they did in preparation for the fight.  Both R.J. and Tito had great game plans and fought the right fight.  Roy varied his approach by using his foot speed and creating angles alternating it with times when he simply walked down his smaller opponent.  Trinidad stalked Roy looking to test his chin and delivered sharp blows to Roy's torso whenever he could.  I was particulary impressed with Trinidad's ability to fight hard for 12 rounds in a fight he was essentially out of from the 6th round on.  Depsite the loss, he showed grit, heart and determination. 

In the end, the boxing world is left with some great news for the future.  Roy Jones looks to be a major player in upcoming fights with either light heavyweight champ/old nemesis Bernard Hopkins or undefeated super middlweight champ Joe Calzaghe.  Heck, I'd even like to see him matched up against defensive jab-master Winky Wright. 

As for Trinidad, he showed he still has a lot of fight left in him if he chooses to continue to get inside the ring.  There are no names of future opponents for Tito at this time, but a rematch with Oscar de la Hoya would be a good place to start.  Oscar plans to fight 3 times in 2008.  Perhaps his final fight in December would be a good slot for another shot at Trinidad.   

In any event, both fighters showed why they were such revered fighters in the past, showcased the impressive skills they still have in the now, and made boxing fans wish to see them even more in the future. 

*[Oh, and if you're keeping score, I'm now officially 1-0 in fight predictions.]

2008-Jan-18 - Trinidad Has No Chace

Felix "Tito" Trinidad is fighting Roy Jones, Jr. for little more than pride and respect. 

Okay, he's fighting for a bunch of money, too, but the point is that there is no title (mythical or otherwise) on the line this Saturday night in New York.  These two fighters, once considered P4P superstars, are now just old legends looking for a new paydays.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm looking forward to the fight.  Its always a pleasure to watch two boxing legends fight each other no matter what their ages.  Anyone remember Ali-Frazier III?

But, let's get one thing straight.  Felix Trinidad has no chance in this fight, and frankly never would.  There are 3 easy keys to the fight that would have been true at any time in their careers.

Now, 10 years ago, or 5 years from now:

1. Roy is bigger.                                              

2. Roy is faster.                            

3. Roy is stronger.

It doesn't take a brilliant boxing mind (like mine) to figure out how this fight will end.  Roy Jones will either win by a unanimous decision or a late round KO. 

Trinidad has no chance. 

Think about it: every big fight Felix Trinidad has ever fought against a naturally bigger fighter he has lost badly.  Remember the Bernard Hopkins fight?  Catch the Winky Wright debacle?  See the Mayorga fight...errr...okay, so he beat Mayorga, but Roy Jones, Jr. is no chain-smoking, Nicaraguan madman. 

No, Jones is one of the greatest boxers to ever live, and Trinidad is out of his league. 

Don't believe me?  Then come back Monday for some humble pie.

****UPDATE****

Weigh-in: Jones 169.5, Trinidad 170

Jones looks like chiseled granite while Trinidad looks like he just ate 3 chocolate pies.  Oh, and for those of you who are going to watch the fight on PPV, here is the televised undercard schedule:

• Heavyweights: Andrew Golota (40-6-1, 33 KOs) vs. Mike Mollo (19-1, 12 KOs), 12 rounds

• Junior middleweights: Roman Karmazin (36-2-1, 23 KOs) vs. Alex Bunema (26-9-2, 14 KOs), 12 rounds

• Junior welterweights: Devon Alexander (13-0, 9 KOs) vs. DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley (31-7-1, 17 KOs), 12 rounds

2008-Jan-14 - The World Awaits...Again?; Miranda, Pascal Win

According to various news outlets, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather will meet again in De La Hoya's next fight, presumably May 5, 2008.  Mayweather defeated De La Hoya by majority decision last May in a much anticipated showdown. 

This would dispel the rumor that De La Hoya has his eyes set on a superfight with Puerto Rico's undefeated superstar Miguel Cotto. 

Cotto's promoter Bob Arum seems to think a Mayweather-De La Hoya rematch is a sure thing.  In a recent interview, Arum called the rematch a "done deal".  Arum went on to say that he thinks Oscar just used the possibility of a Cotto fight as "leverage" against Mayweather in  negotiations for the rematch.  There is no official word yet from either camp.

In other news, Edison Miranda (30-2, 26 KOs) knocked out former Contender particpant David Banks (15-4-1, 2 KOs) with a thundering right in round 3 of Espn's Friday Night Fights main event.  Banks fell backwards throught the ropes in one of the most brutal knockouts you'll ever see.  Can anyone say mismatch?

On the same card that evening, future title contender Jean Pascal (21-0, 14 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Omar Pittman (15-4-1, 8 KOs) in a largely one-sided affair.  This one was a mismatch as well, but at least Pittman gave it his all througout the fight to make things entertaining .  Pittman was able to stagger Pascal with some hard shots late in the fight, but Pascal regained composure to pull out the win.

Looking ahead, most of the boxing world is eyeing the weekend as Roy Jones, Jr. and Felix "Tito" Trinidad square off this Saturday, January 19th at New York's Madison Square Garden.  Jones is a considerable favorite in the fight at almost 3-1, but with a PPV price tag of $49.95 many fans may just choose catch the HBO replay. 

Something tells me that'd be a mistake...

Questions or comments?  Email me at kelseymccarson@enterto.com.

2008-Jan-11 - Jones Predicts K.O., Trinidad Says No

Next Saturday's bout between two all-time greats is building steam as a PPV of interest.  While no one will deny that Roy Jones, Jr. and Felix Trinidad are no longer at the top of their games, both fighters bring enough to the fight to at least make it an interesting night for boxing. 

Boxing fans know that the sport thrives on interesting nights and interesting fights.  Jones-Trinidad could be both.

In a recent interview, Jones predicted he would knockout "Tito" Trinidad in round 4 of the upcoming 12 round scheduled showcase.  Trinidad responded with his own prediction of a 2nd round stoppage in his favor.  Most likely neither will come true, but one can hope.  While most fight experts think Jones will win a boring decision, some believe that their two styles will come together to make an instant boxing classic. 

Only time will tell. 

If these guys fight as hard as they say they will then the fight could be spectacular, but pre-fight boasts are seldom a good predictor of what will actually occur.  The only exception that I can recall is the build-up to the 1985 middlweight title fight between Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearnes.  Aptly named "The War" by fight promoters, the bout was a rip-roaring slugfest that saw each man set out to destroy his opponent. 

Of course, the bigger man would ultimately win the fight.  Hagler took the best of what Hearnes had to offer but wore down the naturally smaller man to win by K.O.  Could this be the case for Jones-Trinidad?

Maybe.

Trinidad has always had a large fan base and for good reason.  He is technically sound and has power in both hands.  He made a name for his self as a welterweight champ before moving up to face Bernard Hopkins for the middleweight crown.  Ultimately, Hopkins imposed his will (and weight) on the smaller Trinidad and won a dominating decision in a huge upset.

Roy Jones, Jr. ain't no middleweight. 

Jones, former middleweight, light-heavyweight, and heavyweight champion of the world was once known as the best fighter in the world.  Many claim he is the best fighter of his generation and some even call him the best ever. 

But that was the "old" Roy Jones, and now Roy Jones is just plain old.

In his prime, Jones relied on his superior athletic ability and uncanny reflexes to bedevil his opponents.  He also possessed devastating power and incredible speed  that allowed him to get in and out of range without taking too many shots in return.  He threw crushing combinations and could not be hit.

But now, Jones gets hit.  He has lost much of his bewildering speed and has fallen to the ranks of the mortals.  He has since suffered two devastating knockouts, but has made a comeback  taking on relatively decent opponents in hopes of landing another big fight.

Roy Jones, Jr. versus Felix "Tito" Trinidad is a big fight.

Sure, it's not as big as it would have been a few years ago, but both fighters stand to earn a significant amount of money.  It'll be fun to watch, interesting to dissect and hopefully as full of fireworks as the two fighters are predicting.