Felix Trinidad Jr. has always had charisma. He has the kind of flamboyant personality that would take hold of any boxing fan, not just those adoring fans from Trinidad’s beloved Puerto Rico.
CALZAGHE AND KESSLER: PUTTING 168 ON THE MAP
October 31, 2007 By 48 Comments
The long awaited super middleweight showdown between WBO/Ring Magazine belt holder Joe Calzaghe, 43-0 (32), and WBA/WBC titlist Mikkel Kessler, 39-0 (29), finally, at long last, is on for Saturday night, November 3, at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Calzaghe’s home turf.
THE BRITS ARE COMING…TO SEE FLOYD?
October 29, 2007 By Leave a Comment
In the past couple of weeks both Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Ricky Hatton have had their turns with the media, discussing their thoughts on their December 8 showdown, fielding questions while hyping the fight. In the process while some truths were told, the spin was in full throttle as well. A great deal of that is expected. After all, they’re selling a fight. Some of the drivel managed to arouse the interest of a certain cynic who penned this article.
Calzaghe and Kessler: Embrace the unknown
October 28, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Is there a single American fight fan who doesn’t remember the night Mikkel Kessler blew out Julio Cesar Green in Copenhagen? Or that unforgettable evening in Wales’ National Ice Rink when Joe Calzaghe pounded his way through Mger “Matador” Mkrtchian?
Margarito looks to rebound
October 24, 2007 By Leave a Comment
It wasn’t long ago that Antonio Margarito was considered one of the most feared fighters in boxing. Then on July 14 at Home Depot Center in Carson, Margarito ran into Paul Williams, who took Margarito’s welterweight belt via unanimous decision.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY
October 24, 2007 By 1 Comment
It was reported recently that the fight for the WBC heavyweight title between WBC champion Oleg Maskaev and interim champ Samuel Peter will be held, at long last, at Madison Square Garden in New York City on February 2, 2008. As we all know by now, after months of haggling, threats of litigation, arbitration, and on and on and on, the two were scheduled originally to meet on October 6, but Maskaev pulled out, we were told, because of a herniated disk, a bulging disk, and a contusion to his right ankle.
DONAIRE, TARVER, AND FORREST ON RARE SHOWTIME TRIPLEHEADER
October 22, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Last week it was announced that Showtime Championship Boxing will present a championship tripleheader on December 1 at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. Showtime brushed off the recent misfortunes of injuries, postponements, substitutions and cancellations, dusted themselves off, and plowed ahead in an attempt to finish the year on a high note.
Tucson in November
October 21, 2007 By 1 Comment
Are you tired of spending $2,000 for fight-week accommodations in Vegas and still needing another $250 for a pair of binoculars to see the ring? Have you made the mistake of lunching atop the Stratosphere and partaking of the city’s off-the-strip vistas? Do loud people and cigarette smoke make you nauseous?
I may have a place for you.
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FALLING SHORT
October 17, 2007 By Leave a Comment
You’ve been a highly acclaimed champion and you want yet another title. You spend weeks in training, honing your skills so that you can prove to the judges and the fans that you can do it. The nay sayers count you out, saying you can’t do it, motivating you to take it up a notch and work even harder. You want to accomplish what no other boxer has ever achieved. And then, on your big night you take center stage and come up just oh so short.
Kelly Pavlik’s world-wind tour, his future and whats next for Pacquiao
October 16, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Twelve days remain for Jermain Taylor to exercise his rematch option with KellyPavlik, who got up from a second-round knockdown to stop Taylor in the seventh round Sept. 29 in Atlantic City.
JUAN VS. JULIO, OR, DOES PAC-MAN REALLY NEED THIS?
October 15, 2007 By 1 Comment
Just think, WBA/WBO/IBF lightweight title holder Juan Diaz is a 24 year old student who still lives with his parents and attends the University of Houston as a senior. He intends to enter law school next year, and he’s probably going to be Senator Diaz some day. For the time being, however, after watching Juan “The Baby Bull” Diaz pummel former IBF titlist Julio “The Kidd” Diaz into submission on Saturday night at the Sears Centre in Chicago, this writer is convinced that Juan is head and shoulders over everyone at 135 today, and will continue to be for years to come.
Juan Diaz’s anatomy lesson
October 14, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Boxing is not bodybuilding. Of all the qualitative lines to draw between casual fans and serious ones, none is starker than the line that separates how these fans appraise a fighter’s physique. Serious fans appreciate a fit appearance but don’t obsess over it. Casual fans, meanwhile, count abdominals more than punches.
PETER RISES TO OCCASION IN NARROW ESCAPE
October 10, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Last Saturday night Showtime Championship Boxing had a pleasantly surprising, entertaining fight in Madison Square Garden. Samuel Peter successfully defended his newly awarded WBC interim heavyweight title by winning a unanimous decision over perennial contender Jameel “Big Time” McCline by scores of 113-112, 115-111, and 115-110. (We saw it 114-111 for Peter here.)
Oscar-Shane; Juice and scandles-Pacquiao-Barrera: Evander goes for a title
October 10, 2007 By Leave a Comment
The first thought that came to mind when the “Sugar” Shane Mosley steroid scandal was recently revisited in an SI.com piece four years after the fact was, what does Oscar De La Hoya think about the idea that Mosley was juiced up prior to their second fight in 2003? Especially since Mosley won on a decision, as he did in their first fight in 2000.
PACQUIAO’S SUCCESS IS MODEL FOR FILIPINO SEARCH FOR RESPECT
October 8, 2007 By Leave a Comment
On the broadcast of the Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera fight last Saturday, Manny was described by adjectives such as “exciting” and “explosive,” while Barrera was described as “legendary.” That’s all well and good, but for Pacquiao, in the midst of his prime, the description properly depicts a supremely talented fighting machine. For Barrera, it appears to be code for “great once, but no longer.”
Barrera’s Beautiful Mind
October 7, 2007 By Leave a Comment
It really was Marco Antonio Barrera’s last fight. After an early career marked by reckless exchanges with all comers and a late career marked by careful exchanges with well-selected comers, sometime in the last month Barrera decided he could do it no longer. He was bored with the routine and finished with the fight game. Just in time, too.
THE HOOK FOR PACQUIAO-BARRERA
October 3, 2007 By Leave a Comment
You just can’t read an article on this week’s Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera fight that doesn’t somehow mention the distraction factor. HBO’s Countdown to Pacquiao-Barrera is practically dedicated to the topic. It appears to be a deliberate attempt to make the fight seem more competitive by creating the illusion that Barrera had the distractions in the first fight, contributing to his defeat, and now the situation is reversed because of Manny’s rock star status in the Philippines, therefore Barrera may be able to turn the tables and win.
Inside Pacquiao-Barrera II
October 3, 2007 By Leave a Comment
In Manny Pacquiao, we have a fighter who has not yet reached his peak. So says his trainer, the classy Freddie Roach. In Marco Antonio Barrera, we have a fighter who is a tick or two past his prime, but still possesses a combination of talent and courage that could give anyone fits on a given night.
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR -KELLY PAVLIK
October 1, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Mark it down. New WBC/WBO/ Ring Magazine middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik will be the Fighter of the Year. His action filled, exciting knockouts over Jose Luis Zertuche in eight rounds in January, his dismantling of Edison Miranda in a seventh round TKO in May, and now his spectacular TKO in seven this past Saturday over Jermain Taylor make that distinction a slam dunk decision.