Dominick Guinn. Another underachieving American heavyweight. Then
again, are there any other kind?

Calvin Brock, who is ranked in the top 10 by three of the four
major governing bodies, defeated Timor Ibragimov of Uzbekistan on
Saturday via lopsided decision, but Brock didn’t leave us salivating
for more.

[Read more...]

You’re not too bright, are you? I like that in a man.
Kathleen Turner in “Body Heat”

Just a guess, but I imagine that the manipulative Matty Walker character, in Turner’s 1981 breakthrough role, was a boxing fan. Had to be. Because Matty’s favorable impression of the simplistic male, tunnel-visioned and generally oblivious to outside influences, is a blueprint for a goodly number of the sport’s foremost achievers.

[Read more...]

Then Oscar decided not to fight or retire. He promised to do both, eventually, but said now is not the right time for either. That happened last Wednesday. On a conference call attended by more than a hundred media personnel, Oscar de la Hoya announced he would not fight on September 16, 2006 and probably wouldn’t retire until after May 5, 2007. He also said Floyd Mayweather is the only opponent who interests him. Oscar looks forward to fighting Floyd, just not this year.

[Read more...]

Three years have gone by since the retirement of Lennox Lewis. In what we hoped for, the making of a new king has yet to come to its fruition.

[Read more...]

Some things never change. Roy Jones Jr. scheduled a breakfast press conference with the media this past Saturday morning in Memphis, and he showed up 40 minutes late.

[Read more...]

At times boxing is unfair. But mostly boxing is fair and confusing. Jermain Taylor now has a record of 2-0-1 against Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright – the stylistic masters of his epoch. Still, many fans consider Taylor an undeserving champ. And while Winky Wright just made a near perfect fight against the Middleweight Champion of the World, today he holds no titles.

Pity neither man. For all his athleticism and vigor, last Saturday Jermain Taylor failed to think at critical moments against Winky Wright. And despite his superior technique and discipline, Winky Wright just thought his way right out of Jermain Taylor’s world title.
[Read more...]

Enough word games. It’s not the WRIGHT-minus-the-W-time.

For Winky Wright, another legacy awaits. As it generously served Bernard Hopkins, Wright’s out to make his own history when he takes on Jermain Taylor this Saturday at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.

[Read more...]

It was difficult not to feel some of Wilma Pearson’s pain Monday night as she talked about yet another loss in the Quarry family. Her brother, Mike Quarry, a light heavyweight contender and younger sibling of his more famous brother, heavyweight contender Jerry Quarry, died Sunday night in an assisted living center in La Habra, Calif. He was 55
Although doctors would not confirm it, he apparently died of complications from pugilistic dementia – punch drunk syndrome. Jerry Quarry died of the same thing in January 1999,
beginning a string of painful deaths with which the Quarry family has had to deal. Jerry’s death at 55 was followed by the deaths of his brother Jimmy, sister Brenda; his father, Jack; and now his brother Mike.

[Read more...]

This past Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ , Larry Holmes turned the clock for the last time, re-securing his already established legacy with a lopsided unanimous win over the recognized light heavyweight champion, Ray Mercer.

[Read more...]

And when I die,

And when I’m dead and gone,

There’ll be one child born,

And the world to carry on, carry on …
_ “And When I Die,” Blood, Sweat and Tears
[Read more...]

No matter the ongoing fallout from Jose Luis Castillo’s antics, and despite fears of how a split pay-per-view ticket could harm boxing’s fragile reputation, last Saturday night was a success. 25,000 fans, collectively, made their ways to New York City’s Madison Square Garden and Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall. Pay-per-viewers of either card were pleased; sports-bar viewers of both cards were doubly pleased. Really, the only losers were boxing fans who sat-out the night in protest.

[Read more...]

So now we know: Jose Luis Castillo’s secret role models are Roberto Duran, George Foreman and James Toney.

All right, so that’s a semi-cheap shot at Castillo after the Mexican failed to make weight for the second straight time in his now-infamous series with Diego Corrales. What had started out 13 months earlier, as a rivalry which could have and should have become legendary, now has become a punch line for fat jokes.
[Read more...]

With the seemingly dwindling number of television dates that is being offered to boxing shows, it wasn’t that long ago that the biggest night in boxing in America was Tuesday night.

USA Network had one of the most unique boxing series running for the better part of a decade that showcased stars of yesterday, today and tomorrow. The series started and halted and re energized many careers.
[Read more...]

This one hurt more than others. When Jose Luis Castillo again failed to make 135 pounds last Friday, canceling his match with Diego Corrales, the sport of boxing did more than feel pain. It suffered injury. Our sport’s value is lower today than it was last Friday morning. And perhaps the best way to measure Castillo’s failure is to follow his promoter, Bob Arum, through last week’s happenings.

[Read more...]

“Age ain’t nothin’ but a number” A perfect phrase to describe a young prodigy.

But come next Saturday, it’s a perfect way to praise the legends.

[Read more...]