tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32569431962910174872024-02-06T23:41:57.554-05:00KO DigestBoxing Insider News & CommentaryJeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comBlogger243125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-75335966182820823912016-12-31T11:52:00.000-05:002016-12-31T12:07:07.978-05:00R.I.P. Ali, Pryor, & Obermayer: For Whom The 2016 Ten-Count Bells Tolled<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tFavvB0A_jNuNpbuNVYM2JMBGO-vLutjycJRVjqdgfSTCnn0YSJclcUFhG96koRi_SQEntrRf3XfySJNNR6e-9i0gLxklNKIzWD2Vs-NhF2B5huNsL7HOdgBjfS9_n1r2ln35SI9U2ZJ/s1600/636009865461733676-Aaron-Ali.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tFavvB0A_jNuNpbuNVYM2JMBGO-vLutjycJRVjqdgfSTCnn0YSJclcUFhG96koRi_SQEntrRf3XfySJNNR6e-9i0gLxklNKIzWD2Vs-NhF2B5huNsL7HOdgBjfS9_n1r2ln35SI9U2ZJ/s400/636009865461733676-Aaron-Ali.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lost Greatness</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman </b></i><br />
<br />
The year that wasn’t started off slowly last January, gaining little
momentum as the months passed by, terminating in December with
51-year-old Bernard Hopkins being knocked out of the ring in his
<i>"farewell bout"</i> by an obscure Long Island laborer named Joe Smith Jr. The "Executioner" of boxing was nearly executed.<br />
<br />
Along the way, the unthinkable, the event of this year or any other.<br />
<br />
The death of The Greatest, Muhammad Ali.<br />
<br />
It’s been more than six months since the passing of the GOAT and our
dwindling boxing community is still deeply mourning the loss of Ali; a
once-in-a-lifetime boxer, American, and man. If it’s true what some fans
and media are saying about the decline of boxing in 2016, Ali’s network
televised funeral procession in Louisville, Kentucky served as a
tragically apt metaphor for that very morbid notion.<br />
<br />
Are things really that bad today?
Ali’s funeral was seen by some keen insiders as boxing’s funeral.<br />
<br />
Care to argue with them after this past year?<br />
<br />
We now ring a final, memorial ten-count for those in the world of boxing lost in 2016:<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARGhcO6LGU86Q2p3JHsPIycywdEHNRVsXcR2B-h3GHzVUeJNK21Faflkjp8VK95AHb-owmB_AXnQLdAAHORqsNSFs6xZOE3CCS5EVGKcAZHG_zoEvp4TK7S_GX90LC2uFkPbhSuFIdU99/s1600/A-36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARGhcO6LGU86Q2p3JHsPIycywdEHNRVsXcR2B-h3GHzVUeJNK21Faflkjp8VK95AHb-owmB_AXnQLdAAHORqsNSFs6xZOE3CCS5EVGKcAZHG_zoEvp4TK7S_GX90LC2uFkPbhSuFIdU99/s200/A-36.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ali & Bingham</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Muhammad Ali</b>: On June 3 in Scottsdale, Arizona, in these United
States of America, the first born son of Cassius and Odessa Clay passed
away at the age of 74. Afflicted with Parkinson’s cruel Syndrome, Ali’s
silent suffering is now finally over. We shall remember him not just as
the greatest heavyweight champion of all-time but as one of the greatest
human beings to ever share his vision of life with humanity.
Ultimately, Ali’s greatest fights were fought and won outside of the
ring in a struggle for equality and human dignity. Ali defeated not only
Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman, but the U.S. Federal
Government itself. As memories fade and the sound of Ali’s voice grows
ever more faint, we will recall his faith, courage, and compassion for
all he came in contact with. As a postscript to Ali’s passing, his
friend and photographer <b>Howard Bingham</b> departed on December 15 in Los Angeles.<br />
<br />
Bingham was 77.<br />
<br />
<b>Aaron Pryor:</b> "Hawk Time" ended on October 9 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The
former junior welterweight champion was 60-years-old when he left the
neon world he once set ablaze with a windmill boxing style reminiscent
of the great Henry Armstrong. Best remembered for a pair of knockout
victories over Alexis Arguello, Pryor will almost certainly also be
remembered for drinking from a "special" bottle, one "mixed" by his
infamous cornerman and trainer Panama Lewis in 1982. Born into a life of
pain, that wasn’t the only dark bottle Pryor drank from. At the time of
his death though, Pryor was living a sober life and working with
troubled youth, teaching them to box. In the end, Pryor’s turbulent high
life was one of recovery and redemption.<br />
<br />
The "Hawk" soared, crashed,
and rose again before sailing home.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfp9jLdU_a5PJwdVT8aJNDJ9ROyN46hGGrCyAfj3Kt5L6Km3GLYT64iaZaAg_F66HUk3rQlQvSbzVKb13_ETfEJ6CP-z6WwSFLHa4PQuwmanNOlUI5N7jeCQq_zejVqRVcMqR33IeqwS7/s1600/299233_190649347676008_1385676752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfp9jLdU_a5PJwdVT8aJNDJ9ROyN46hGGrCyAfj3Kt5L6Km3GLYT64iaZaAg_F66HUk3rQlQvSbzVKb13_ETfEJ6CP-z6WwSFLHa4PQuwmanNOlUI5N7jeCQq_zejVqRVcMqR33IeqwS7/s320/299233_190649347676008_1385676752_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>KOJO in action</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Jack Obermayer</b>: Known affectionately as "KOJO" to readers, Jack
Obermayer was a very special boxing writer. A Vietnam War Veteran,
father, grandfather, and good friend to many, Jack, 72, succumbed to
liver cancer last June in New Jersey, approximately six years after
receiving a much needed liver transplant that extended his life. As a
new fight scribe on the beat in 2011, I was lucky enough to have a press
row seat right next to Jack in New Hampshire for a "Fight To Educate"
charity boxing card. As a long time reader of Obermayer in "The Ring"
and in Bert Sugar’s "Boxing Illustrated,” I was working right next him,
learning from the best, and making a new friend. What I didn’t know then
was that I was witnessing the first leg of Jack’s post-transplant
comeback to fight writing. Known for his relentless travel and attention
to detail, Obermayer covered 3,514 shows in over 400 cities and towns
in 49 states. One of those small towns was Skowhegan, Maine. Jack had
never been but he’d heard good things about the old diners up
there. On May 11, 2013, it was my great honor to carpool with and
work alongside "KOJO" for the successful pro debut of Mainer Brandon
"The Cannon" Berry.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxs85xW64zU1I44x1LlWf7XURXb3zhVHwjA3ulYNOtklu8cIbtiLrZ6TLGnOyMMbVIv53dDjbgAahzg185BKW0ozEHfW0kD7JoJcsTZn4UwllCvKcSBmYmw0yh1v3okBH_ayOpgxW2bwb/s1600/1473326785960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxs85xW64zU1I44x1LlWf7XURXb3zhVHwjA3ulYNOtklu8cIbtiLrZ6TLGnOyMMbVIv53dDjbgAahzg185BKW0ozEHfW0kD7JoJcsTZn4UwllCvKcSBmYmw0yh1v3okBH_ayOpgxW2bwb/s320/1473326785960.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chacon was loved by all, even "Boom Boom"</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Bobby Chacon</b>: Before there was Arturo "Thunder" Gatti to
electrify fight fans with inhuman resolve, there was Bobby Chacon. A
human highlight reel of featherweight fisticuffs, "Schoolboy" Chacon
engaged in some of boxing’s most memorable title bouts in the 1970s and
early 80s. Singer Warren Zevon thought so highly of Chacon (and Ray
Mancini) that he sang of both by name in his 1987 hit song “Boom Boom
Mancini” written about Chacon’s ill-fated challenge of "Boom Boom" for
the lightweight championship three years prior in 1984.<br />
<br />
<i>Hurry home early, hurry on home<br />
Boom Boom Mancini’s fighting Bobby Chacon...</i><br />
<br />
In his Hall of Fame career, Chacon, 59-7-1 (47) also battled warriors
Ruben Olivares, Danny "Little Red" Lopez, Alexis Arguello, "Bazooka"
Limon, and Cornelius Boza-Edwards. Sadly, Chacon lost his money and his
health before passing on last September 7 at the age of 64.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLjGBLxj1hkW0pIhSVT2Rh3-mLpdkCHmhtTKfgCyDsH1yFIOP_lJTX0W5PA9OhEqIVRzfo-OjFiZFgkHAVBP62PbKhdFbdqAIJcptM8_8zojkX28sUBR-ePuMYBtgdEiHaFLIRAdDDqfe/s1600/mike-towell-obit-boxing-mike-towell_3797591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLjGBLxj1hkW0pIhSVT2Rh3-mLpdkCHmhtTKfgCyDsH1yFIOP_lJTX0W5PA9OhEqIVRzfo-OjFiZFgkHAVBP62PbKhdFbdqAIJcptM8_8zojkX28sUBR-ePuMYBtgdEiHaFLIRAdDDqfe/s320/mike-towell-obit-boxing-mike-towell_3797591.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>RIP Iron Mike </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Mike Towell</b>: Boxing is a brutal sport. Every year it produces the
same grim reminder when a brave fighter is killed or badly injured in
the ring. Iron Mike Towell was a 25-year-old Scottish welterweight
up-and-comer with a professional record of 11-0 with 8 knockouts. His
young life and boxing career were just beginning to blossom. On
September 29 in Glasgow, Scotland, Towell was beaten into submission in
five rounds by a Welshman named Dale Evans. Towell was taken from the
ring on a stretcher and he died the following day at a hospital after
being removed from life support machines. Towell suffered a brain bleed
during the fatal Evans bout after complaining of headaches in the
lead-up to the match. Towell leaves behind his life partner Chloe Ross
and their young son Rocco.<br />
<br />
<b>Tony Burton</b>: As the actor who played Rocky movie trainer Tony
"Duke" Evers, Tony Burton was well known to boxing fans for his
reoccurring role on the big screen in the 1976 Rocky film, all the
sequels, and in 2006’s Rocky Balboa where Evers trains Rocky one more
time, imploring the Italian Stallion to "start buildin’ some hurtin’
bombs" while cracking his neck in a dusty gym. What you might not know
about Burton is that he was once a fighter himself in real life. In the
late 1950s, Burton went 4-3-1 as a heavyweight boxer hailing from
California. Knocked out in his final two bouts, Burton chose the "reel
life" instead, becoming a successful Hollywood actor. Burton was 78 when
he died of pneumonia on February 25.<br />
<br />
In addition to Rocky films, Burton
also appeared in The Shining and The Toy.<br />
<br />
<b>Alex Stewart</b>: This London-born heavyweight "Destroyer" was only
52 when he died on November 16 from a blood clot in his lung. Seen as
shy with puppy dog eyes, Stewart began his boxing career in 1986 and
quickly amassed an impressive 24-0 (24) record before stepping up to
challenge Evander Holyfield in 1989. Stewart was beaten by "The Real
Deal" in a brutally bloody encounter in Atlantic City. The technical
knockout loss turned out to be the highlight of Stewart’s career. Losses
to Mike Tyson, George Foreman, and Michael Moorer further defined
Stewart as being a step behind the elites but almost always right there
in the mix with them on fight night.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1qtWF7hO9jAW0IEPx1OXtw5ZOusM0QBkHBfLRToW-foeJJABEgSQPJvGr4-QKnT0ZvWLSPTVDvlSq_4DLjj0ADhqIxkyx0ZyCrzTYZWKocoi9zSGlAK9FLylOfoyYatYS772e3Y7gu8H/s1600/Todd-Harlib_11-15-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1qtWF7hO9jAW0IEPx1OXtw5ZOusM0QBkHBfLRToW-foeJJABEgSQPJvGr4-QKnT0ZvWLSPTVDvlSq_4DLjj0ADhqIxkyx0ZyCrzTYZWKocoi9zSGlAK9FLylOfoyYatYS772e3Y7gu8H/s320/Todd-Harlib_11-15-16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Harlib working with The Truth Spence Jr.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Todd Harlib</b>: In boxing, it is the cutman who stops the bleeding
but sometimes keeps the information flowing. I first met the late Todd
Harlib in 2015 at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. Harlib was working the
corner of Jermall Charlo as his charge challenged "K9" Bundrage for the
junior middleweight championship. Before the bout, Harlib shared with
me how Jermall and twin brother Jermell continued to push each other to
greatness through the bitter competition of sibling rivalry. As my brief
time in contact with Harlib continued, there were other tidbits he
provided which helped me to gain content and context. I was shocked to
learn Harlib passed on November 8. He was only 48. What I learned from
Harlib is that when nobody else in boxing will tell you a thing because
they have complicated interests to protect, it’s often the cutman, a
free agent of sorts, who will share his knowledge with an eager
reporter.<br />
<br />
<b>Kimbo Slice</b>: Revered more for his backyard brawls and UFC cage
fights than for any displays of pugilistic technique, Slice (real name
Kevin Ferguson) was undefeated as a heavyweight boxer, going 7-0 from
2011 to 2013. After dropping the gloves, Ferguson found his calling as
Kimbo. Slice was just 42 when his overtaxed heart failed on June 6 in
Margate, Florida. During his troubled times, Ferguson somehow managed to
grab a slice of the good life through his participation in combat
sports. Ferguson is survived by his six children.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9qMDFd6vXVLuvnjY-mB-zeXSIQIl8ncj5aZAv45uWuJ6bwB7oyPPSCPaPLtOkJ-KaFXQmqGqN6PGmdLIoMhHPQiyUSJ7_uKENKFgHEh6YIZ65QKkCYKr22xRKhornCB1ixowqTuXmpgj/s1600/edbrown1205161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9qMDFd6vXVLuvnjY-mB-zeXSIQIl8ncj5aZAv45uWuJ6bwB7oyPPSCPaPLtOkJ-KaFXQmqGqN6PGmdLIoMhHPQiyUSJ7_uKENKFgHEh6YIZ65QKkCYKr22xRKhornCB1ixowqTuXmpgj/s200/edbrown1205161.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>RIP Brown KIA in Chiraq, USA</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Ed Brown</b>: Amateur standout, 25, shot to death in a Chicago
drive-by on December 4. According to reports, Brown had been shot on
three other occasions before his murder. Manager Cameron Dunkin said
afterwards that his prospect was a future world champion.<br />
<br />
<b>Jose Becerra</b>: Mexican world bantamweight champion was 80 when he
passed on August 6 in his hometown of Guadalajara. Becerra defeated
Alphonse Halimi in 1959 to grab the title After being knocked out
by the unheralded Eloy Sanchez in a non-title bout, Becerra retired as
world champion.<br />
<br />
<b>Sean Curtin</b>: Best remembered as the longtime overseer of amateur
boxing in Chicago, Curtin was an Irish Jack of many trades in both
amateur and professional boxing, a ring historian, and an author. Curtin
died on August 11. The Army Veteran was 74.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Written by Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest </b></i> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/feature-articles/30602-10-count-bells-tolled-2016-boxing-obits" target="_blank"><i><b>Originally Published on The Sweet Science</b></i></a> Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-53135693478196512962016-12-01T06:53:00.002-05:002016-12-01T07:00:30.055-05:00Dancing With The Stars In Boston — Laila Ali Floats Into The Tradition<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY_CO-9Ivbae706nGTQFojuVRibZLT1cgU7Bn7LCdzaHZdxfKzfsQQ4MRARfsxu_ISf4CXyLMY9cErAO8sOJQrsItNPUdxrgLg-iQVboOUpjl4CNPgZ72nPtDixSGvJSPOjz4TcrSNkLj/s1600/Laila-Ali-and-Shaq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY_CO-9Ivbae706nGTQFojuVRibZLT1cgU7Bn7LCdzaHZdxfKzfsQQ4MRARfsxu_ISf4CXyLMY9cErAO8sOJQrsItNPUdxrgLg-iQVboOUpjl4CNPgZ72nPtDixSGvJSPOjz4TcrSNkLj/s400/Laila-Ali-and-Shaq.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Legends Laila Ali and Shaquille O'Neal</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<i>By Jeffrey Freeman</i><br />
<br />
BOSTON — Laila Ali doesn't box anymore. <br />
<br />
Her final professional fight was won nearly a decade ago, in 2007.<br />
<br />
The youngest of eight children born to the late great Muhammad Ali,
Laila did something in the fight game that her famous father could not
do. She retired undefeated with all of her faculties intact, on top of
an unforgiving sport that she dominated as its flamboyant super
middleweight and light heavyweight champion of the world for the
majority of her nine year professional career. And of course, even today at 38, she's still very pretty. Like father like daughter.</div>
<div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVUrvrCOGFPA7azv_LLF8zIsoiL7Aa-iL15ahyphenhyphenL8ekbFDLQxufOA7TlRdHVN_bZIG_YxMFKlFST3IDbRLsioJWpdOYYk6fcNd_oHCvjAvZ86L_MVtTZCB3ogvKQb1DLsUO-C6x-fJOO8-/s1600/laila-ali-muhammad-ali-today-tease-160606_3a73adabd6bd015c62f18340faadb7bb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVUrvrCOGFPA7azv_LLF8zIsoiL7Aa-iL15ahyphenhyphenL8ekbFDLQxufOA7TlRdHVN_bZIG_YxMFKlFST3IDbRLsioJWpdOYYk6fcNd_oHCvjAvZ86L_MVtTZCB3ogvKQb1DLsUO-C6x-fJOO8-/s400/laila-ali-muhammad-ali-today-tease-160606_3a73adabd6bd015c62f18340faadb7bb.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Father Daughter Love</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The second generation Ali's greatest triumphs in the prize ring included
wins over female fighting pioneer Christy Martin as well as a <i>"grudge match"</i>
victory over Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, the daughter of her father's toughest
rival, the late Smokin' Joe Frazier. Long retired with a permanent
unbeaten record of 24-0 and 21 knockouts, Laila now makes hers a life of
family first. With her athlete husband, former NFL wide receiver Curtis
Conway, they have two children; a five year-old daughter and an eight
year-old son. <br />
<br />
I asked Laila if an <i>Ali comeback </i>was possible. <br />
<br />
Don't count on it folks. Muhammad's baby girl seems content. <br />
<br />
But is there a future boxing champ or NFL wide receiver in her house? <br />
<br />
"My son hasn't shown an interest in boxing or in football yet so I'm
glad for that. My daughter is very athletic but she's still a Mamma's
girl," Ali told me. "But they are both definitely going to participate
in sports," she said proudly of her kids. But not boxing right Mom? <br />
<br />
"Hopefully not. I'm not encouraging that."<br />
<br />
As the years have passed and her involvement in the sweet science has
reduced to spectator and TV commentator, Laila now watches from the
sidelines as a new female boxing revolution attempts to get itself off
the ground led by two-time American gold medalist Claressa Shields and
Irish Olympic sensation Katie Taylor. Ali is <i>"very impressed!"</i>
with both girls but understands that opportunities for females are
depressingly limited. If women's boxing is to return to its former glory
such that it was when promoted by Don King on big time pay-per-view
undercards in the 90s, it is young pros like Shields and Taylor who must
pick up where Ali and Frazier left off.<br />
<br />
"I love Claressa," said Ali of her American countrywoman. "I think she's
amazing. Knowing her personally, I hope she takes her career wherever
her heart desires." I asked Ali how far she thinks Shields and Taylor
can go in professional boxing. "Opportunities have to be created,"
stressed Ali. "If a promoter gets behind them the same way they did in
the UFC with Ronda Rousey, anything is possible," she said. "There's a
lot of talent out there in women's boxing but there is nobody behind
them to promote them and that's what it takes."<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIA03R4xvHdGuPpKCV4PrukipQsQCSleJOdhcIXLaXkG7G47eTMMCmnyYOdcdaXQZk1HZ8C9U3bnNvIB_ZoURDadQPJOFYe8qrPCXK9cFChm5LoA85bdogXTyL7wQLFsWfmCn0xw1mxUAK/s1600/GTY_laila_ali_with_father_mm_160606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIA03R4xvHdGuPpKCV4PrukipQsQCSleJOdhcIXLaXkG7G47eTMMCmnyYOdcdaXQZk1HZ8C9U3bnNvIB_ZoURDadQPJOFYe8qrPCXK9cFChm5LoA85bdogXTyL7wQLFsWfmCn0xw1mxUAK/s320/GTY_laila_ali_with_father_mm_160606.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Greatest Dad</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Last year, Laila lost her father Muhammad. <br />
<br />
While she and her family mourned the loss privately, the world was
mourning in a very public way on television and on the internet. Much
was written and said about the passing of Muhammad Ali on June 3, 2016
in Scottsdale, AZ. His was a network televised funeral fit for a
departing King. Having lost my own mother last year to cancer, I can
relate to mourning with close family, but surely not with the whole
world on such a public stage. In a very real way, I felt like I too lost
a father figure when Ali died. I'm sure others felt this way also. What
an unfathomable experience that must've been for Ali's daughter to have
shared her father with the world in life -- and in death. <br />
<br />
"I don't really know any other way," she sighed as my personal inquiry
trailed off. "The world mourns my father probably close to the same
amount that I do because he was so loved by that many people. And I
really mean that when I say that," Ali assured me. <br />
<br />
I believe her. <br />
<br />
And so on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, six months removed from
the death of her father, Laila was in Boston, Massachusetts for the very
first time in her life at the <i>new</i> Garden with elder sister
Maryum Ali by her side. The close-knit pair was in town for the 15th
Annual Tradition, a sort of regional sports Hall of Fame museum for
beloved New England athletes and media members like Bob Lobel. <br />
<br />
Planned and presented by Boston Sports Museum Director Rusty Sullivan,
the annual Tradition raises money and awareness for good causes like the
One Fund. Attendance this year set a new record and it was noted by
host Tom Caron that the Tradition is now a Boston staple with "staying
power." Five years ago in 2011 at the 10th annual Tradition,
Lowell, Mass boxer "Irish" Micky Ward was honored along with Celtics
legend Larry Bird. The only other boxer to have been honored in the
Tradition's fifteen years of existence is Boston's own Tony DeMarco.
Rusty told me that his efforts to lure Marvelous Marvin Hagler back home
from Italy for the Tradition have, as of yet, been unsuccessful. Sullivan is also author of the book <i>Rocky Marciano: The Rock Of His Times</i>, a definitive telling of Rocky's story. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJP5M4CR53vIm-RPkPFBg1l_QM5ZCUIEjTnxipbODk5Si0KXi5sODEl48DlOocset-85ArzTnKrekELF0krFPQwUTL-L2l2UeU12h2sPxwUvxCUcq3Ny9Ew39qoB0JdnmCLzBrYRhZ9Bz/s1600/TheTradition-TDGTop8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJP5M4CR53vIm-RPkPFBg1l_QM5ZCUIEjTnxipbODk5Si0KXi5sODEl48DlOocset-85ArzTnKrekELF0krFPQwUTL-L2l2UeU12h2sPxwUvxCUcq3Ny9Ew39qoB0JdnmCLzBrYRhZ9Bz/s320/TheTradition-TDGTop8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Tradition has staying power</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
This year's Tradition inductees included Ali (presented on stage by
sister Maryum), former Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal, former Patriots
quarterback Drew Bledsoe, former Red Sox pitcher "Spaceman" Bill Lee,
and former Big Bad Boston Bruin, left winger Wayne Cashman. <br />
<br />
I asked Shaq about his fellow Tradition inductee. <br />
<br />
"A beautiful lady. The best female boxer to ever grace it," is how the
2016 NBA Hall of Famer gracefully described Laila to me. O'Neal also
told me it was boxing and MMA training that helped him win his
basketball championships and play ball <i>"at a crazy high level." </i>So what connection does Laila have to Beantown you ask?<br />
<br />
Ali's daughter never fought in New England and she does not live here. <br />
<br />
In fact, Laila calls Los Angeles, California home. <br />
<br />
Her father's only professional fight in the New England area was his
infamous 1965 sequel with Sonny Liston in Lewiston, Maine. The
controversial heavyweight title bout produced arguably the most iconic
sports photo of all time; Ali standing defiantly over Liston, shouting
at him to get up and fight. Interestingly, Ali had his appendectomy
performed at the old Boston City Hospital. This ill-timed medical delay
actually led to the Liston rematch being contested in Maine and not in
Boston at the old Garden as originally scheduled. <br />
<br />
Then in 1977 during the twilight of his illustrious career, Ali fought
six exhibition bouts in one day at the Hynes Auditorium in Boston. The
once-in-a-lifetime event was appropriately billed "Muhammad Ali Day in
Boston" and it caused quite a stir when Ali was reportedly late for the
inaugural press conference. Tipping the scales far in excess of his
ideal boxing weight, Ali confessed to the Boston Globe, "I wouldn't
fight a real fight at this weight." Luckily, Ali's six-pack exhibition
opposition included a bartender and a used car salesman.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhO7tfUfmgIu6BIXMcMNgejQTNFChlkoAxDKLjB0RjpV8df1C0FCiAxCBCvlP4dvMhglPeNwd7W7KAb1q8kuRKWXGx9YGo_gorRNQRDeJjpznUt3lgUcUVtcAflWcsBhAqszCDBTV3xD09/s1600/Muhammad+Ali1-1669015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhO7tfUfmgIu6BIXMcMNgejQTNFChlkoAxDKLjB0RjpV8df1C0FCiAxCBCvlP4dvMhglPeNwd7W7KAb1q8kuRKWXGx9YGo_gorRNQRDeJjpznUt3lgUcUVtcAflWcsBhAqszCDBTV3xD09/s200/Muhammad+Ali1-1669015.jpg" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ali in Boston</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
The Greatest ultimately went 6-0 in Boston against those wannabe Balboas.<br />
<br />
"My daughter could whup these suckers," Ali shouted in-between rounds. <br />
<br />
Safe at home with mother <span id="x_ms-rterangepaste-start"></span>Veronica Porché<span id="x_ms-rterangepaste-end"></span>, Laila was but a baby. <br />
<br />
The rest is boxing history.
The Ali family<i> tradition</i> lives on.</div>
<br />
<a href="http://theprizefighters.com/2016/11/30/laila-ali-talks-claressa-katie/" target="_blank"><i><b>Originally Published on The Prizefighters</b></i> </a> <b><i> </i></b>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-27517534885436660472016-11-23T10:05:00.001-05:002016-12-01T10:19:42.518-05:00KO's Kovalev-Ward Round-By-Round Scoring & Analysis: Who Really Won? <div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_3">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtC2e03Ezs3_6Alnc1KCtJYVIQOxZ7JrbmW2V8ZifE96tNl1hRMaF6MkRw1lcQ05zSe5lS1fA0kYquWEMyUOoKE9vpXFxRmnP6ND4fN4DfDc_AjYie-0M22ALOBu-SRbFPt1MN_eVue-lX/s1600/unspecified.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtC2e03Ezs3_6Alnc1KCtJYVIQOxZ7JrbmW2V8ZifE96tNl1hRMaF6MkRw1lcQ05zSe5lS1fA0kYquWEMyUOoKE9vpXFxRmnP6ND4fN4DfDc_AjYie-0M22ALOBu-SRbFPt1MN_eVue-lX/s320/unspecified.jpe" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Another boxing robbery</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>(KO DIGEST) </b><span class="caption">— </span>On November 19 in Las Vegas, Boxing 2016 offered paying fans its biggest and best fight of the year, Andre Ward challenging Sergey Kovalev for the Russian's unified world light heavyweight championships. Experts and pundits agreed only that Ward versus Kovalev was a 50/50 fight between two of the very pound for pound fighters on the planet. After twelve rounds of sometimes thrilling action, three American judges returned a very controversial unanimous decision in favor of new champion Ward, 114-113 on all three scorecards. Immediately there were cries of <i>"robbery"</i> from fans stupefied with the verdict. It looked like Kovalev had done more than enough to retain his titles based on having scored an early knockdown en route to controlling the fight with his jab and superior firepower. KO Digest takes a close look at the fight round by round to offer you, the boxing fan, an unbiased look into what really happened when Ward collided with Kovalev.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Round One:</b></u> Feeling out process early as both paw with probing punches.
Ward taps left jabs to Kovalev's body. A left jab buckles Ward's knees
and he reels away to the ropes, hurt from the power early and holding
on. When Krusher's hands are moving towards Ward, SOG is moving back
away from them and he complains to the African American referee who
warns Kovalev for pushing down. A stiff left jab from the defending
light heavyweight champion punctuates the opening round and wins it for
him, 10-9. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKQA37l9pCF5F_ugJRPRYtH7y28nwW0WDUzz_xj95_9a1v6-3xLIOxaJLeOAhQ7wceswOTT6E4YM45rVOwuMrvCv2rf8nUdBoMjW_85e4zoauqNWmU3P_GZmavuIszjzo88gYCadH9LhF/s1600/Cxrkbi9XUAA9TKR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKQA37l9pCF5F_ugJRPRYtH7y28nwW0WDUzz_xj95_9a1v6-3xLIOxaJLeOAhQ7wceswOTT6E4YM45rVOwuMrvCv2rf8nUdBoMjW_85e4zoauqNWmU3P_GZmavuIszjzo88gYCadH9LhF/s320/Cxrkbi9XUAA9TKR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Early knockdown predicted by KO Digest on RingTV</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><b>Round Two:</b></u> Ward starts the round looking to box from
an outside range. Kovalev presses the action and when it gets rough,
Ward grabs. Meaningful left hooks fail to materialize for SOG and he is
jabbed back again and put into a state of retreat. With 42 seconds left
in the frame, a smashing right to the face from Kovalev puts Ward on all
fours, victim of a clean knockdown. He is up immediately and smiling
through the mandatory 8 count. Kovalev's killer instinct is nullified by
Ward's survivalist holding tactics. Kovalev wins the round 10-8.<br />
<br />
Things
look grim for Ward.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Round Three:</u> </b>Ward leads with a left jab,
clinch combo to open the third. An SOG lead right misses and Ward
follows through with an attempted tackle. The referee warms them both
for some reason. Kovalev offered a sportsmanlike glove and SOG let it
hang. Ward struggles to avoid the left jab of Kovalev. Ward is clearly
uncomfortable under such attack. When Ward stops moving, he ends up in a
clinch of his own creation. Another stiff left jab from Kovalev has
Ward holding on again with no warning. In a round of jabs, Kovalev's
clearly had more of an effect on Ward than vice-versa.<br />
<br />
Round to Kovalev,
10-9. He's now up 30-26 after three.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFb1IBi-RKmSAPnGtnlgh-W-raBt5K9vcHEU9u32ssRXW5B14FP5mf1YL_MGuJURe2dHCRr5CA8XhYZXLHEFkFbOMu5Xj2R4fmo26RLC-s12ANFng_wyc1oysqBArNMtNrksJe1yjySJq/s1600/ward-kovalev-fight+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFb1IBi-RKmSAPnGtnlgh-W-raBt5K9vcHEU9u32ssRXW5B14FP5mf1YL_MGuJURe2dHCRr5CA8XhYZXLHEFkFbOMu5Xj2R4fmo26RLC-s12ANFng_wyc1oysqBArNMtNrksJe1yjySJq/s320/ward-kovalev-fight+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ward struggled with Kovalev</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u>Round Four:</u> </b>Ward clinches
and punches with the left hand. It's becoming clear that Robert Byrd
will do nothing to control Ward's repeated fouls. They wrestle in the
corner and maul each other equally. Another big left hook from Ward
misses. This is usually SOG's best punch. Kovalev is walking Ward back
all over the ring. Were Krusher to stop moving forward, there'd be no
fight whatsoever. As the round times out, Kovalev lands a left jab and
causes Ward to flinch from a right hand feint. It's a tell-tale moment
about who is controlling the round when actual contact is limited.
Kovalev wins another round 10-9.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Round Five:</b> </u>Typical pattern of the fight continues with Ward either backing up or dirty clinching in some
form or fashion. Kovalev's left jab lands and Ward is disrupted again by
it. Ward somehow ends up behind Kovalev and as Krusher spins out to
right himself from the awkward position initiated by Ward, SOG punches
at Krusher from behind, another foul. At the mid-way point of the round,
Ward spears Kovalev with a left jab. They trade hard left jabs with 30
seconds left in the round. Kovalev lands another hard jab just before
the bell. If you're an Andre Ward fanclub member, you give him this round.<br />
<br />
If
you're trying to be as fair as possible, it's another close round for
Kovalev, 10-9.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Round Six:</b></u> Things get ugly quick after Ward places
a few soft body punches. Clinching and mauling persist. Ward cannot
fight on even terms with Kovalev in a stand up fight or in heavy
punching exchanges. Everyone including Kovalev and the referee seems
frustrated with Ward's tendencies. A long right hand bounces off the
head of Ward at the half way point in the round. Kovalev seems to have
the answer for Ward while SOG looks lost in there at times. A sweeping
left hook and right hand to the face from Kovalev keeps Ward moving away
from the action. Ward digs a left to the gut at the ten second warning.
They fight in a clinch at the bell. Kovalev round 10-9.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Round
Seven:</b></u> Hardly a single punch of consequence lands in the first 60
seconds. Ward lands a left jab and the crowd reacts like
he just dropped Kovalev, a feat Blake Caparello (but not SOG) was once
able to pull off. They again fight in the clinches and Ward lands a
right to the body on the way out of one of them. Ward's jab is more
accurate in this round. A straight left hand from Kovalev forces Ward to
hold on and deny the power of the punch with exaggerated head
movements. Ward steals his first round, 10-9.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhO0zJgJCCVzwNQCpiFgWeZjgD5-v1UIjmrNGFWTpMMPb7pjpkVgdsTPG83JdkmIEPWCE4ansmLy3aCXN2-dUO6XhthzAQgrPwGSdYGECPPLIOofgYeY8DCzgmS6JDPyec73UxW8SeetU/s1600/960x0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhO0zJgJCCVzwNQCpiFgWeZjgD5-v1UIjmrNGFWTpMMPb7pjpkVgdsTPG83JdkmIEPWCE4ansmLy3aCXN2-dUO6XhthzAQgrPwGSdYGECPPLIOofgYeY8DCzgmS6JDPyec73UxW8SeetU/s320/960x0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ward eats a left on the ropes</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><b>Round Eight:</b></u> When
the "action" consists of so much backing up and holding, it gets hard to
stay focused on who is really winning. The first two minutes of this
round were squandered by more sloppy boxing than most people can stand
to look at. Ward lands a right hand to the body that scores points but
certainly doesn't hurt or otherwise deter Kovalev. The champion's
reaction is not to clinch or avoid follow-up but to punch and miss for
his efforts. Ward makes him pay with another pair of slapping rights to
the body. Lefts from Ward stray borderline low and his elbow is in
Kovalev's face as the round ends. Ward wins his second stanza,
10-9.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Round Nine:</b></u> When Ward sets and attacks Kovalev, I am
reminded of a prime Buddy McGirt but in this case, a less effective
version. Buddy never had to deal with a Russian as good as Kovalev.
Suddenly a snappy little boxing match breaks out and both are jabbing
and moving. Ward lashes out with another good right to the body. Kovalev
seems to be giving him the punch though. A hard right Krusher cross has
Ward holding on with a minute to go.<br />
<br />
Ward eats a left along the ropes
and a right at the bell. Kovalev wins the round 10-9.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Round Ten:</b></u><b> </b>Another
round for Kovalev. His jab is landing well. Ward responds with a pair of
lefts, the hook and the jab. Krusher's jab breaks through Ward's
timing, stymies his bolo punch attempt, something I wish Hagler could
have done better and more marvelously against that dastardly Ray
Leonard. With a minute to go, Kovalev lands a strong right like the one
that decked Ward earlier. Ward takes the blow well but finds the jab
hard to avoid. It would be impossible to score this round for anyone but
Kovalev unless you were a Vegas boxing judge on the take. Kovalev 10-9. All three judges steal this round from Kovalev, proof they were in the tank for Ward. <br />
<br />
<u><b>Round Eleven:</b></u> They wrestle to commence the championship rounds. Ward
lands a pair of jabs, up and down. His left hook misses, something few
fighters other than Kovalev have been able to consistently make happen
in a boxing ring. Kovalev appears tight and disciplined as they trade
jabs into jarring right hands that jolt Ward upon impact. By this point,
Ward appears unusually battered and bloody. Kovalev looks slightly
fatigued with a touch of blood from the left nostril. Ward lands a wide
left hook but Kovalev makes him pay by chasing him around the ring with
straight punches. A nice jab from Ward snaps Kovalev's head back as the
round ends.<br />
<br />
Krusher round 10-9. It looks to me like Ward needs a knockout to win. <br />
<br />
<u><b>Round Twelve:</b></u> Ward lands a few
left hooks early in the last round. Kovalev answers with a left hook of
his own before clean punching devolves again into sloppy infighting and
clinching. Both go well to the body during this period. Kovalev appears
to go low on purpose and gets a warning for it as the fighters exchange
more baleful stares than hard legal punches.<br />
<br />
Round goes to Ward 10-9 for
that early success and dedicated body attack late.<br />
<br />
<i>KO Digest scores the fight 117-110 for Kovalev.</i><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDGVCseHqHBUW8cpPwaep-aTgf2sIOZ9wyw7xOs2uKPW6VsfJhV78Viv-5MG85oKEleKv2oIpKNPEIAnxZVvDkAbKgfJr-hiYZ-92Ijk7O5WSEwSXfjgqjhdPEO9w6B-WcGpOkrL4Zou6/s1600/afp_afp_i93yq_86842924-e1479622479991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDGVCseHqHBUW8cpPwaep-aTgf2sIOZ9wyw7xOs2uKPW6VsfJhV78Viv-5MG85oKEleKv2oIpKNPEIAnxZVvDkAbKgfJr-hiYZ-92Ijk7O5WSEwSXfjgqjhdPEO9w6B-WcGpOkrL4Zou6/s320/afp_afp_i93yq_86842924-e1479622479991.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ward looks very surprised that he won</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All three American ringside judges manufactured identical scores of
114-113 for Ward. Was it a robbery? Yes. One of the worst I have ever
seen in my 30 plus years of observing this sport from various vantage
points. What is the strongest evidence and the biggest red flag? Only
one (1) judge gave one (1) round to Kovalev in the second half of the
fight, from rounds 7 through 12. That is a crime hiding in plain site.
Reddest flag? Ward was battered around badly in the tenth yet won the
round on all three judge's score cards, revealing obvious bias in an
effort to salvage the fight for the American. <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">An easy way to see the obvious fix is as follows:</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhHOEE8IMExrVSvkTbKGAMjU1MBAVEw9Aqs7s1ZAbmiKmlntZTJ98bTRzu-k9Yx6K15mMe1oNtWuc_ThOa0_P-_UGRR0SguRiIEXaiI7gDU3iH8XPjJvE0Zlb4D3q_FTKtgHHpwsQa3F3/s1600/ward-kov-scorecard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhHOEE8IMExrVSvkTbKGAMjU1MBAVEw9Aqs7s1ZAbmiKmlntZTJ98bTRzu-k9Yx6K15mMe1oNtWuc_ThOa0_P-_UGRR0SguRiIEXaiI7gDU3iH8XPjJvE0Zlb4D3q_FTKtgHHpwsQa3F3/s320/ward-kov-scorecard.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Crooked American Judges</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">Break
the fight into two halves. It's generally understood by those living in
reality that Kovalev dominated the first half. Ward was hurt in the
first, decked in the second, and struggling to the half way point. How did the judges rack all that up? Three judges. Six rounds. No one judge gave Krusher the clean sweep he earned.<br /><br />McKaie gave the 5th to Ward<br />Clements gave the 5th and 6th to Ward<br />Trowbridge gave the 3rd to Ward<br /><br />So
we see the judges are like Ward and his body punches. Placing them
early so they will pay off later. On to the second half of the fight.
Ward battled back. Sometimes surviving, rarely thriving, and by no means
dominating. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">In fact, if Ward was doing anything well, it was dirty
boxing and fouling.<br /><br />The judges, able to track their
own individual running tallies like a card counter in Vegas, realize
what must be done. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">Or perhaps somebody in a panic tells them. Whatever. Regardless, it is
done. Only one judge gives Kovalev one round in the second half of the
fight he's the world champ in. That's a tragedy. It's Clements. He
gave Kovalev the 12th because he has room on his card for that. Obvious
fix is obvious. Kovalev was failed and robbed by four biased American
officials, including the referee.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><i><b>Written by Jeffrey Freeman, exclusively for KO Digest </b></i></span></span></div>
Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-89690030852267794142016-09-19T12:35:00.000-04:002016-11-21T12:02:21.560-05:00KO's Open Letter To TYSON FURY<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sws1Yxh2xa0MeFBnvaTstz526CZ9Y5C5uJ-I6REEtXc7Vvb-OQzc8CF-0dJkWl8W9kpP93x400LBdcxXp4-p-_OPbcfJ_EuIj11NqMo2orUqiZ2XeZ2tyqgupM2HV1hyoUzyJ2zLxGRr/s1600/Fury-bible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sws1Yxh2xa0MeFBnvaTstz526CZ9Y5C5uJ-I6REEtXc7Vvb-OQzc8CF-0dJkWl8W9kpP93x400LBdcxXp4-p-_OPbcfJ_EuIj11NqMo2orUqiZ2XeZ2tyqgupM2HV1hyoUzyJ2zLxGRr/s400/Fury-bible.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Furious Travellers</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dear Champ,<br />
<br />
We need to talk.<br />
<br />
As Angelo Dundee would say, <i>“you’re blowing it, son.”<br />
</i><br />
Even though the bout was boring as hell, your historically important
victory over Wladimir Klitschko for the championship brought new life to
the heavyweight division. You shook up the world and boxing owes you a
collective nod of appreciation, if not necessarily all the scorn that
comes your way for blithely speaking your mind as heavyweight champion
of the world.<br />
<br />
Please keep walking the walk. And talking the talk.<br />
<br />
You said you’d<i> lick that Klitschko </i>and you did. But have you been keeping up with recent events in your kingdom since
seizing the throne last November in Germany? Your British countryman
Anthony Joshua has blown right by you in terms of popularity, scoring
two big knockouts in London this year to grab and defend the IBF title
they stripped from you after you won universal recognition from King
Wladimir. Speaking of that alphabet soup move, were you expecting the
IBF to recognize you in perpetuity regardless of how fat, happy, and
inactive you got? Good thing they saw the writing on the wall and
prevented you from taking hostage of their title belt. The only question
is would it have been big enough to keep your pants up these days? Your
American counterpart Deontay Wilder has been making new fans as the
active WBC champ but every time he hits somebody a little too hard, he
damages his brittle hands.<br />
<br />
The <i>"Bronze Bomber"</i> will probably not fight
again this year. Will you?<br />
<br />
While it’s true that you only just won the championship nine months ago,
you’ve failed to defend it since, gaining weight, injuring your ankle,
and withdrawing from a scheduled July 9 rematch against Klitschko.
You’ve been awfully quiet since that return bout got scrapped and I miss
hearing from you big guy. We all do. You’re a riot on the mic. You’re
our furious heavyweight champion who talks shit <i>and gets hit</i>—by his own
self and sometimes by others. You’re our walking, talking reminder that
the heavyweight champion <i>of a world at war </i>should be a larger than life
figure, unpredictable in his acts of sanctioned violence, beholden to no
regular man’s rules or public sensibilities. Can you be yourself inside
and outside of the ring or have the job pressures already overwhelmed
you?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedXceThtqKGWFR9FsPg6y32s2EBkUBHeJO8wCFradlRqs-EQsGCen_GHb6OtL_VCrUrZXbulMOXf1Qk8cZtEuyiy5oKBFse6gMC_ng9tuobU8zxqq7On6xch_mvqOCZ-LAVj5QmuGJoD2/s1600/tyson-fury-tape-mouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedXceThtqKGWFR9FsPg6y32s2EBkUBHeJO8wCFradlRqs-EQsGCen_GHb6OtL_VCrUrZXbulMOXf1Qk8cZtEuyiy5oKBFse6gMC_ng9tuobU8zxqq7On6xch_mvqOCZ-LAVj5QmuGJoD2/s320/tyson-fury-tape-mouth.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bored of Control</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It’s now September 2016 and you have no plan to do
anything. Talk about the Klitschko rematch has faded away, and as
heavyweight champion of the world, it appears you have no plans
whatsoever to defend that linear title; instead you’re now sidelined
watching the parade go by. It’s <i>high time</i> for you to get in shape, get
back in the ring, and handle your rematch business with Klitschko. Now I
hear he’s suing you to get in the ring? <i>How pathetic.</i> Plenty of other
well deserving big men are out there <i>(Luis Ortiz and Joseph Parker to
name two)</i> waiting for a shot at the same title you got your shot at
because the gentleman you beat was, if nothing else, an active, fighting
champion who took on all deserving comers.<br />
<br />
If none of this interests you, do us all a favor and stop jerking us
around.<br />
<br />
Vacate the heavyweight title immediately and announce your
retirement. Endorse Wladimir Klitschko as<i> "the man who sued the man"</i> and
head for the pubs. Your place in British boxing history is secure as is
your place in Irish Traveler lore. I’ve heard you say that nothing
could ever be as rewarding as having been the one to finally dethrone
Klitschko, and I can understand and respect that. I really can. Yet you
can clearly see that the business of ABC heavyweight championship fights
is moving into a lucrative future with or without you as its<i> "real
champion"</i> so why not take your rightful place as undefeated Gypsy King
of the world and be the great heavyweight champion you could be if you
really wanted to be? You ended the recent era of "boring" heavyweight
title events and replaced it with what?<br />
<br />
A world without a heavyweight champion?<br />
<br />
Yours in fistiana,<br />
<br />
<i>Jeffrey Alan Freeman,</i><br />
<i>American Boxing Writer</i><br />
<br />
<i><b><u>EDITOR'S NOTE</u>:</b> On October 12, 2016, Fury vacated the World Heavyweight Championship.</i><br />
<br />
<i><u><b><a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/feature-articles/27777-open-letter-tyson-fury" target="_blank">"An Open Letter" Originally Published On The Sweet Science on August 31, 2016</a></b></u><b> </b></i>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-2291656460785434042016-09-07T09:13:00.003-04:002016-09-08T20:32:23.496-04:00The Case For Marlon Starling: Why “Moochie” Belongs in Canastota <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKL_KGUgjxD2Xl9BP9Rw8DqiED7WZ9wyIE7lN58ilSv9U3Q9cf4Cw7gJ2B-rrQCYZHX0Bxety94AD66gdOq3E9MP0BghPuH8mbfkpRzCTbmlIDqtyTcHUc2dKUYYGD6hEz4in9rBRxr4V/s1600/marlon-starling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKL_KGUgjxD2Xl9BP9Rw8DqiED7WZ9wyIE7lN58ilSv9U3Q9cf4Cw7gJ2B-rrQCYZHX0Bxety94AD66gdOq3E9MP0BghPuH8mbfkpRzCTbmlIDqtyTcHUc2dKUYYGD6hEz4in9rBRxr4V/s320/marlon-starling.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Starling celebrates with trainers Roach and Futch</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman</b></i> — It’s hard for the typical fight fan to understand exactly what the
current criteria are for induction into the International Boxing Hall of
Fame. Boxing, unlike baseball or professional football, does not rely
on a cold and calculated interpretation of statistics to determine
eligibility and induction. It’s much more complicated than that. Or far
more simple, depending on how you look at it. In our sport, the observer
has real power. Greatness is in the eye of the individual beholder.
What he or she sees, thinks, and does -- matters.<br />
<br />
Don’t believe me? Consider any split or majority decision.<br />
<br />
According to their website, the mission of the IBHOF (located in upstate
Canastota, New York since 1989) is, among other things, to <i>"chronicle
the achievements of those who excelled"</i> in boxing. A closer look at the
site reveals more about their procedures: "Members of the Boxing
Writers Association of America and an international panel of boxing
historians cast votes. Voters from Japan, England, Canada, Mexico, South
Africa, Germany, Puerto Rico and the United States are among those who
participate in the election process."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90CNrQJT87ikFIGnzcS0sUL80LaQPzfBl9Tsi2pm0PN1-KitNcT6fDvqeExY_je75dlQhFeHfs1RCWMz0JSD0sQs-8cPXrr45qwtq5OhSzva6JjLPAffrQNOH8ZcaYyAFVnJScbsNEz7l/s1600/Riddick-Bowe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90CNrQJT87ikFIGnzcS0sUL80LaQPzfBl9Tsi2pm0PN1-KitNcT6fDvqeExY_je75dlQhFeHfs1RCWMz0JSD0sQs-8cPXrr45qwtq5OhSzva6JjLPAffrQNOH8ZcaYyAFVnJScbsNEz7l/s320/Riddick-Bowe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bowe dumped his green belt in the trash can</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I’ve been to the IBHOF many times and the Brophys, Director Ed and
historian nephew Jeff, do a great job along with their loyal President
Don Ackerman.<br />
<br />
In recent years, however, the Hall, and some of its young
new voters in particular, have come under fire for their selection of
some <i>less than unanimous</i> choices such as Arturo "Thunder" Gatti, Ray "Boom Boom"
Mancini, and Riddick "Big Daddy" Bowe. Critics and dissenters point to their losses
and other perceived shortcomings while those who voted for them must
surely have had their focus on the achievements and fame of those they
ultimately helped to enshrine.<br />
<br />
Personally, I’d have voted for two of
three but that’s just me.<br />
<br />
Enter <b>Marlon "Magic Man" Starling</b>, the former undisputed welterweight
champion of the world from Hartford, Connecticut. Starling retired from boxing in
1990, a year after the establishment of boxing’s first true hall of
fame. In those twenty five plus years, Starling’s name has yet to appear
on the ballot for IBHOF voters to either vote for or not. Before
discussing Starling’s qualifications, let me make one thing clear about
the balloting process. It’s a closed one. What that means is that a
small group of IBHOF insiders figuratively pick names from a hat and
then put those choices on the official ballot for the public
consideration of their various international voters. Arturo Gatti, for
example, could not have been voted for and voted in had his name not
been selected by this panel in the first place.<br />
<br />
The identity and
decision making process of this internal group remains a mystery to most
outsiders.<br />
<br />
They hold the 24K gold key to induction.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29b4jxnMpNzC_YaOkRUNvk7AEcgfVpBCI8AV5jJC3k4Ci5V4abNaMHFFB7nsk4b9f11lazCNbzNf61O-_RGYgVWORLjncHpgpMhGloqx7Bdf5tlkdsL0Vp1utdZBEv9pvfpTI09r_8ehb/s1600/200px-Marlon_Starling_161753397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29b4jxnMpNzC_YaOkRUNvk7AEcgfVpBCI8AV5jJC3k4Ci5V4abNaMHFFB7nsk4b9f11lazCNbzNf61O-_RGYgVWORLjncHpgpMhGloqx7Bdf5tlkdsL0Vp1utdZBEv9pvfpTI09r_8ehb/s1600/200px-Marlon_Starling_161753397.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Moochie beat Breland for the WBA</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Why then would they want to put Starling’s name on the ballot? Well, for
starters, theirs is a hall of fame, not a hall of feints. Starling was
actually a master of both. When Starling plied his craft in the
competitive cauldron of the 1980s, he frequently appeared on network
television in primetime. It was there that mainstream fight fans got to
know "Moochie" and his "Starling Stomp" signature move. In televised
battles against Donald "Cobra" Curry, Jose "The Threat" Baret,
and Johnny "Bump City" Bumphus among so many others, Starling made an
unforgettable impression on a generation of fans who still remember him
today and must wonder why he’s not in the hall if lesser skilled
pugilists are. The IBHOF’s inclusion of Gatti could be seen just as
controversially as the exclusion of Starling.<br />
<br />
Compiling a career record of 45-6-1 (27), Starling made his pro debut in
1989 after an inauspicious amateur career where he lost in Lowell, Mass
to Robbie Sims of all people. As a professional prizefighter inspired
by the late great Muhammad Ali, Starling had a defensive peek-a-boo
style that made him very difficult to hit, let alone beat. Not unlike
Ali, Starling also possessed the gift of gab.<br />
<br />
The young welterweight ran his record to 25-0 before his first loss, a
twelve round split decision to Donald Curry in 1982. To this day,
Starling disputes that subjective defeat just as he disputes his lack of
inclusion in the hall of fame where he is regularly a guest of honor
during annual induction weekends. <i>"The Hall of Fame is special. I think
Marlon Starling does belong in there,"</i> says Marlon of Starling.
Even more ironically, "Cobra" Curry is also still waiting for a call
from the hall that might never come. Curry’s qualifications include
having been the single best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet for a
short period of time, but that’s a debate for another day.<br />
<br />
From 1983 to 1986, Starling stayed busy in search of a big money
superfight against the likes of <i>Sugar Ray Leonard or Tommy Hearns</i>.
Neither match-up was meant to be for "Moochie" who had to settle for
televised bouts against contenders Kevin Howard, Floyd Mayweather Sr.,
and Simon Brown, all of whom Starling defeated by decision. "I have the
respect of the Big Four. That’s what matters to me," says Starling of
Leonard, Hearns, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, and Roberto Duran. "Whenever I
see those guys, I get their respect."<br />
<br />
A February 1984 rematch against a prime Donald Curry ended in the
disappointment of another decision loss for Starling.<br />
<br />
It was in 1987
however that Starling began to make the most of the opportunities coming
his way.<br />
<br />
A televised shot at the WBA welterweight championship against
legendary amateur Mark Breland was all that stood between Starling and
the welterweight title. Following a virtuoso performance from
Starling that highlighted the vast difference between a seasoned pro and
a professionally inexperienced amateur, Breland collapsed in the
eleventh round and just like that Starling was champion of the <i>"whole
wide world"</i> as he proudly told Alex Wallau on ABC after the win.
In actuality, Starling was not yet <i>the man who beat the man </i>because of
somebody out there named Lloyd Honeyghan.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR3WOmoJw5TL9zwoInrupHnEeGROkPzT2c0n53Yd0Xr9mWkGaMpxvVGc7b-eiUIFIgxXGDjvfuqE5KW3wIWcqMbd42-fMSEd-Q0-gc0vg1Y_mi5bFD2yfxP5XFEot_mwhG2zjPqmO2SNg/s1600/MarlonStarling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR3WOmoJw5TL9zwoInrupHnEeGROkPzT2c0n53Yd0Xr9mWkGaMpxvVGc7b-eiUIFIgxXGDjvfuqE5KW3wIWcqMbd42-fMSEd-Q0-gc0vg1Y_mi5bFD2yfxP5XFEot_mwhG2zjPqmO2SNg/s320/MarlonStarling.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Starling came back strong after the Molinares bout</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was Honeyghan who upset
Donald Curry for the world welterweight championship in 1986 and before
Starling could move to unify or win universal recognition by beating
Honeyghan, he’d have to go through the politics of a rematch <i>"draw"</i> with
Breland (one judge scored the fight for Starling as did most fans and
media) and a strange (again televised) knockout loss-turned-no contest
(NC) against Tomas Molinares in 1988. Starling was knocked<i> absolutely
senseless </i>from a punch that clearly landed after the bell to end the
fifth round.<br />
<br />
Though it was later ruled a no contest and the result
nullified, Starling lost his WBA championship and his momentum. Worse,
he was made to look like a fool by HBO’s Larry Merchant during the
<i>unforgettably uncomfortable </i>post-fight interview where Starling claimed
that not only wasn’t he knocked out, he was never even knocked down. It looked like the end was near for Marlon Starling.<br />
<br />
But like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Starling’s best days were
still ahead of him. Less than a year after the Molinares debacle,
Starling received a shot at Lloyd Honeyghan. Because Honeyghan had so
thoroughly thrashed Curry to win the WBC welterweight title, few
observers expected “Moochie” to emerge victorious, particularly after
his brutal "knockout" by Molinares. Boxing the fight of his life,
Starling totally dominated and embarrassed Honeyghan, stopping the puffy
"Ragamuffin Man" in nine rounds to lay claim to the undisputed world
welterweight championship. By fighting and defeating the very best in
the world, Starling had achieved his career goal of becoming the best
welterweight in the world, the true welterweight champion of the <i>"whole
wide world."</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXI6BqOxD-Dv4GGfXUdBA5ZkzXUlzFf0ucI9khCg0BxINvSg4rUZKnXw7bWdxRHZdQ9yL6yTANNjneRLcIqMlG83iMtjJDIb2VHAmzvowBNChlE0c_PABonO5dmckEEtiAUp4_oQm0TqwD/s1600/300px-Starling-Honeyghan_85197683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXI6BqOxD-Dv4GGfXUdBA5ZkzXUlzFf0ucI9khCg0BxINvSg4rUZKnXw7bWdxRHZdQ9yL6yTANNjneRLcIqMlG83iMtjJDIb2VHAmzvowBNChlE0c_PABonO5dmckEEtiAUp4_oQm0TqwD/s1600/300px-Starling-Honeyghan_85197683.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Starling is THE world welterweight champion</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After reaching his professional peak with the thumping of Honeyghan,
Starling defended the championship once before an ill-fated,
economically driven, move to middleweight where he came up short against
defending 160 pound world champion Michael Nunn, losing by majority
decision. One judge scored it a perfectly even draw, 114-114 while two
others had Nunn winning by wide scores.<br />
<br />
In his final bout, Starling returned to welterweight where he dropped
the 147 pound world title to Maurice Blocker by a majority decision
before retiring in 1990, never to return, <i>forever young</i> in the eyes of
those who saw him box under the bright lights of commercial network
exposure. Again, another judge saw it all even in what was a very close
fight in the ring and on the final scorecards.<br />
<br />
So, does Marlon Starling belong in the International Boxing Hall of
Fame? I’d say he does. I asked Starling himself and he answered me with a
question.<i> "How can Riddick Bowe be in the Hall of Fame if Marlon
Starling isn’t”</i> asked Marlon in his uniquely rhetorical third-person
fashion. Still, that’s not the path to Canastota, even if by all
accounts Starling should at least be on the ballot by now.<br />
<br />
You see, boxing is, like most everything else where so much money and
power is involved, very political. Being outspoken, like Starling is and
<i>always has been</i>, can hurt you in this game. Rightly or wrongly, it can
prevent you from getting where you want to go. As a fight writer, I have
experienced it personally and I have seen it applied to some brave
souls who make their living in this, the cruelest sport.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpupONXbUrJLjkiNNBSWnRRYNyBHJNWXYPBsSmdVJXsv4muZZ5ogDvKwIgPPXfoLoUj4sCAEIQi21zobKILzlieYxwmows21D7qgVOlOysNIlzaF-ndHqdCtK2Kk0eG_QFzEkmIK8oAWff/s1600/marl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpupONXbUrJLjkiNNBSWnRRYNyBHJNWXYPBsSmdVJXsv4muZZ5ogDvKwIgPPXfoLoUj4sCAEIQi21zobKILzlieYxwmows21D7qgVOlOysNIlzaF-ndHqdCtK2Kk0eG_QFzEkmIK8oAWff/s400/marl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Magic Man in Canastota where he belongs</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Marlon Starling was a master defensive fighter. He won the legitimate
world championship of the welterweight division, putting himself on a
straight line that can trace its lineage <i>all the way back to Sugar Ray
Robinson</i>, the best to ever lace up a pair of gloves. Starling was a TV
star during the glory days of Wide World of Sports and Saturday
afternoon boxing for the masses. Starling overcame strange and
controversial defeats to persevere where few expected he could or would.
Starling’s outgoing and accessible personality endeared him to fans and
it’s good to see that nothing has changed.<br />
<br />
Starling, who turned 58 on Monday, August
29, is still<i> sharp as a tack</i> because boxing is about hitting and not
getting hit. Starling still communicates with his many fans and makes
himself available at boxing events for them to meet and greet him. In
the end, Starling made his mark of excellence on the sport he chose to
compete in and he did so in a way that made an indelible impression on
all those who saw him fight. I will see you in Canastota Champ. <br />
<br />
<i><b>Written by Jeffrey Freeman </b></i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/feature-articles/27700-case-marlon-starling-moochie-belongs-canastota" target="_blank"><i><b>Originally Published on The Sweet Science </b></i></a>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-32531167586422645022016-06-22T15:06:00.001-04:002016-07-22T10:48:50.759-04:00KO Digest Rates The Top Five Best Weight Divisions In Boxing Today<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1fma0-0-0">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ff3KksauneWJtZ-5rSzcc6nm0RGWYYL7rSvXz_DbTkhXsA2AjnhicWKDdtflP5YjfnMTT4HggZozLQRGOkK_2d6dqdckDx7ax-FOnFMDm7KQD9ZgLYey4lPCaLS2ksEd3kL1xWwJEv24/s1600/kovalev-vs-ward-is-official.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ff3KksauneWJtZ-5rSzcc6nm0RGWYYL7rSvXz_DbTkhXsA2AjnhicWKDdtflP5YjfnMTT4HggZozLQRGOkK_2d6dqdckDx7ax-FOnFMDm7KQD9ZgLYey4lPCaLS2ksEd3kL1xWwJEv24/s400/kovalev-vs-ward-is-official.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ward-Kovalev is happening at light-heavyweight</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-offset-key="1fma0-0-0"><span data-text="true"><i>By Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest </i></span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="1fma0-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><i> </i></b> </span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4dmaf-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="4dmaf-0-0"><span data-text="true"><i>1. <b><u>Light-Heavyweight</u></b>: </i>An 'Original 8' weight class with an active, power-punching linear world champion on top in Adonis <i>"Superman"</i>
Stevenson. That's a hell of a good place to start. Then there's the other
champion in the division, Sergey "The Krusher" Kovalev, a
pound-for-pound star. The <i>"Krusher"</i> is supposed to defend his
belts against Andre Ward later this year. At 175, a real world champion
reigns and a real superfight is on tap. Don't forget the young guys on the
way up after their big upsets. Thomas Williams Jr. just obliterated Edwin
"La Bomba" Rodriguez in a firefight. Now he gets a title shot. Joe Smith Jr. just
upset Andrzej Fonfara on TV (KO 1) to become an overnight top ten contender. And
to round out the best division in boxing, Artur Beterbiev is a
murderous prospect-contender with future sights set on his amateur rival
Kovalev. It's like those violent 1970s again. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="4dmaf-0-0"><span data-text="true">The only thing missing is a definitive way of getting Stevenson
and Kovalev into the ring for more than just cheap talk and middle
fingers. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="4dmaf-0-0"><span data-text="true">Fans are confused about why this is not happening. The real reason is
actually the opposite of what you've been led to believe. </span></span><br />
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4dmaf-0-0">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteXJDH7q3z8sXXiQkgaf1u76ymUwiE5E5p45Re1j_nOElQz9Am7RjqLpKG_LOaW1d-h0Bv2uzrC-1TicVsm4S_0J9DJhAI_IQF7mLY0hfQ-nEaPXni0y_0GmifvVDB22QnSIZlr4R1B2q/s1600/19868249-mmmain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteXJDH7q3z8sXXiQkgaf1u76ymUwiE5E5p45Re1j_nOElQz9Am7RjqLpKG_LOaW1d-h0Bv2uzrC-1TicVsm4S_0J9DJhAI_IQF7mLY0hfQ-nEaPXni0y_0GmifvVDB22QnSIZlr4R1B2q/s320/19868249-mmmain.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Porter says he's coming for Thurman's head</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-offset-key="4dmaf-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="848j1-0-0"><span data-text="true"><i>2. <b><u>Welterweight</u></b>:</i>
Another traditional boxing weight class packed with elite talent. Floyd
Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao might be gone but the new generation
of boxing stars will <i>cut its teeth</i> right here at 147. Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter are set to rumble this weekend in Brooklyn for the WBA title. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="4dmaf-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="848j1-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="848j1-0-0"><span data-text="true">British
IBF champion Kell Brook is a truly special talent who beat Porter for
his championship. Brook might actually be too good for his own good,
like Rigo and Lara et al. Danny Garcia now holds the WBC title once held
by Floyd. The winner of Thurman-Porter will probably target DSG on PBC.
Throw Amir Khan, Tim Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Sammy Vasquez, and
super-prospect Errol "The Truth" Spence Jr. into the mix and
welterweight is looking damn good for years to come. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlFFmYpj4e3vz9ciOLqLgn6wrZijeq3nxQpoOC3YUt6UyePXT8wKwMqaMRhx7Tjd8_4QkGrl4IcmRuOjWxIN71Zm_LXqJ8NAWEg63giM_A0Gmwq9NEbrUqbIulbtcHaTWbe-Makr9hQj8/s1600/luis-ortiz-vs-bryant-jennings-04-photo-by-naoki-fukuda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlFFmYpj4e3vz9ciOLqLgn6wrZijeq3nxQpoOC3YUt6UyePXT8wKwMqaMRhx7Tjd8_4QkGrl4IcmRuOjWxIN71Zm_LXqJ8NAWEg63giM_A0Gmwq9NEbrUqbIulbtcHaTWbe-Makr9hQj8/s320/luis-ortiz-vs-bryant-jennings-04-photo-by-naoki-fukuda.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Does Ortiz have time left to win the championship?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ebr5l-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="ebr5l-0-0"><span data-text="true"><i>3. <b><u>Heavyweight</u></b>:</i>
Hard to believe isn't it? After too many long years in the Klitschko
dominated doldrums, the heavyweight division is back in action. The
price? No, not David. <i>A splintered world championship. </i>Tyson
Fury's 2015 upset of Wladimir Klitschko for THE title pumped much needed
new life into the division. The Fury-Klitschko II mandatory rematch
happens soon and we're all wondering if the first "fight" was just a
fluke, or a joke. American Olympian Deontay Wilder has the WBC title,
three defenses of his green belt, and a televised date with Chris
Arreola. Say what you want but that should be a fun fistfight. Across
the pond in the UK, the IBF has their belt on Anthony Joshua. What a
commotion he's been kicking up with his punching power. Oh and let's not
forget 37 year-old Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz. TKO winner over
Bryant Jennings, Ortiz looks like a polished heavyweight from
yesteryear.</span></span><i> </i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNweO8dqCHC46O3OTHHPruTLTIS8WZHn-IFT-n6Bs-SCGqeOSWgCecVRxWRJbwKkl-R6H96zwKb5YXq5nfS5j1XRIkyNzmsEAGSuSdMv8WrQsrircCxEzZkOqzd8TG6lv269Yxuw6V3dIV/s1600/bute-jack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNweO8dqCHC46O3OTHHPruTLTIS8WZHn-IFT-n6Bs-SCGqeOSWgCecVRxWRJbwKkl-R6H96zwKb5YXq5nfS5j1XRIkyNzmsEAGSuSdMv8WrQsrircCxEzZkOqzd8TG6lv269Yxuw6V3dIV/s320/bute-jack.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>DeGale and Jack are on a course to unify</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>4</i><span data-offset-key="ebr5l-0-0"><span data-text="true"><i>. <b><u>Super Middleweight</u></b>:</i>
It took a while for 168 pounds to snap back into shape after the slow
departure of Andre Ward from the world championship and the weight class
itself. Ward is a light heavyweight now. A new crop of excellent young
fighters are picking up where Ward left off. IBF champion James DeGale
beat Andre Dirrell for his title and has already defended it twice
against Lucian Bute and Porky Medina. DeGale, like Ward before him, has a
<i>chip on his shoulder</i> and a desire to prove just how great he can
really be. Badou Jack has the WBC title and just might be better than
anybody truly understands. He beat Anthony Dirrell, George Groves, and
arguably also Bute. WBO titlist Gilberto Ramirez is a good young
undefeated Mexican technician. His shutout of Arthur Abraham was
eye-opening. There is talk of Golovkin challenging Ramirez when "Triple
G" moves up to super middleweight. It looks like unification fights will
be able to be made while the UK's Callum Smith represents the future
for the young guns. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUcH5yNRKZ8Km90KXHyW_YeMh78CorignGA4bv2DquzsfCCE4HYuFVJWbXXs_EtbaGlZN_YtDX6FLd5wyazXJc15KhjWRUZBvU9VPQtzcUbsrrOTa4gm-PikRka5B4kGwnu91lksUQmZB/s1600/05_19131343_aca902_2875968a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUcH5yNRKZ8Km90KXHyW_YeMh78CorignGA4bv2DquzsfCCE4HYuFVJWbXXs_EtbaGlZN_YtDX6FLd5wyazXJc15KhjWRUZBvU9VPQtzcUbsrrOTa4gm-PikRka5B4kGwnu91lksUQmZB/s320/05_19131343_aca902_2875968a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Canelo carries Oscar belt</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>5</i><span data-offset-key="oeln-0-0"><span data-text="true"><i>.<b><u> Junior Middleweight</u></b>:</i>
On its face, this division looks stacked. You have Erislandy Lara,
Charlo twins Jermall and Jermell, Austin Trout, Julian Williams, and
Demetrius "Boo Boo" Andrade. If these fighters can all somehow mix it
up, 154 could be very special. The talent is right there with no rush by
anybody to jump up to GGG's 160. Keep in mind that welterweights move
up to junior middle. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="oeln-0-0"><span data-text="true">Keep in mind also the existence of Canelo Alvarez, 155 pound catchweight champion of economically correct match-ups
like one against WBO champ Liam Smith. For all intents and purposes, Canelo's <i>middleweight charade</i> is over. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="oeln-0-0"><span data-text="true">Alvarez's star power tops off the division he really fights at and belongs in. </span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="oeln-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqJPi9Zsmj85e93_jcj5e2bbCni2H6XJ3U0oCCULCBX4SY6mgjNMc3_cystvDZeIh30PRUp4jtGxsG574ftoX_JNBxXo3hQHZYOERYTxTUYy_1tuXbtgl0ZKgiE-TYqC0Xv8PmM2-mtxd/s1600/gty_539505562_82557102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqJPi9Zsmj85e93_jcj5e2bbCni2H6XJ3U0oCCULCBX4SY6mgjNMc3_cystvDZeIh30PRUp4jtGxsG574ftoX_JNBxXo3hQHZYOERYTxTUYy_1tuXbtgl0ZKgiE-TYqC0Xv8PmM2-mtxd/s320/gty_539505562_82557102.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lomachenko is the future</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-offset-key="oeln-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="oeln-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><u>Honorable Mentions</u></b>:
Middleweight (160) is ruled by undisputed champion Gennady Golovkin. While all roads should lead to GGG, Triple cleared out the
division and is now being shamelessly ducked by Canelo. Junior
Welterweight (140) will soon have an undisputed champion when Terence
Crawford meets Viktor Postol. Then what though? Crawford will be a
welterweight before you know it, leaving behind his second vacant
championship. Crawford did that at lightweight for those keeping score
at home like KO. Featherweight (126) still has star power and not for nothing but Leo Santa Cruz faces Carl Frampton soon in a top
quality pairing. Lightweight (135) has a unification fight in its
future when Jorge Linares squares off against Anthony Crolla for the WBA & WBC. This is a
good thing but how long until Vasyl Lomachenko (WBO junior lightweight
champ) is a full fledged lightweight?</span></span> </span></span></div>
<span data-offset-key="4dmaf-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="848j1-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="848j1-0-0"><span data-text="true"> </span></span> </span></span> </span></span></div>
</div>
Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-69302755061566313912016-06-20T10:42:00.000-04:002016-06-20T12:25:33.809-04:00KO's Ringside Notes & Quotes XV — The Fifteenth & Final Round <div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGj9A5pDAZ58sf413CuKxA2BZ8kTCiaP2LbK3k7hQlZItG7x8sduYzIX8fitL2HfHtedmTIDbMfErUkc559CjSdULPs6N26k8NZ-sGSgx2E-YPHYrrYoCNNnpXxJMkUC4DFZfs5dgv6StU/s1600/boxing-ring-1024x690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGj9A5pDAZ58sf413CuKxA2BZ8kTCiaP2LbK3k7hQlZItG7x8sduYzIX8fitL2HfHtedmTIDbMfErUkc559CjSdULPs6N26k8NZ-sGSgx2E-YPHYrrYoCNNnpXxJMkUC4DFZfs5dgv6StU/s320/boxing-ring-1024x690.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dark future without a star to lead the way</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman,</b></i><i><b> KO Digest </b></i><br />
<br />
Welcome to the post-Ali, post-MayPac era.<br />
<br />
It's not exactly an exciting <i>"new
era"</i> like the one violently brought about by Iron Mike Tyson thirty
years ago but it is what it is. Economically correct matchmaking.
Traditional weight divisions where the two top fighters refuse to face
off. A sport that many long-time fans no longer recognize. This is
boxing in 2016. The biggest money fight of OUR time is a bad memory and
an overdue cable bill. The "Greatest" of ALL<span class="text_exposed_show"> times is forever silenced. </span>
Thank God. Muhammad Ali's gradual decline, like that of our glorious
sport, was a painful ordeal. For Ali at least, the pain is mercifully
over. For those of us left behind, it's just the beginning. Of the end.
Our shrinking meat pie of paid pugilism cannot survive the bigger and
bigger chunks being carelessly devoured from its barely breathing
carcass.<br />
<br />
Without a new young superstar to lead us into the future, there
isn't going to be one worth waiting <i>(or paying)</i> for...<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuktarNJEELt3Q5BNEEz3uckV5dPhZ4aZu-BY9uYcmWx9IiNjAFc9Ddr27662VZaEDSxZ9GVt4Kx3LQwg6I2Pqa2MAVRlikAJqpii1F9n5nzUtEu76YIyvSGJyKPI6LbDzrFB3Jd38Gf0M/s1600/SPT_LUSTIG_JOSHUA_BREAZEALE10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuktarNJEELt3Q5BNEEz3uckV5dPhZ4aZu-BY9uYcmWx9IiNjAFc9Ddr27662VZaEDSxZ9GVt4Kx3LQwg6I2Pqa2MAVRlikAJqpii1F9n5nzUtEu76YIyvSGJyKPI6LbDzrFB3Jd38Gf0M/s320/SPT_LUSTIG_JOSHUA_BREAZEALE10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A realist against an opportunist</i><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
How good is IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua? Opponents don't seem to have much of a plan to defeat him in the ring.
Before Joshua tangled with Charles Martin, the American sized up the
undefeated British boxer. As a big underdog, I asked him what he
expected. Martin told KO Digest: "I'm a realist. I'm gonna go in there
and see what's in front of me. If I see Joshua unraveling, I'm gonna
take the initiative." <i>AJ KO 2. </i>Next up for Joshua is another relatively
inexperienced American in Dominic Breazeale. Does "Trouble" have a plan
or is he in just as much trouble as Martin found himself in? "I am an
opportunist and if I see an opportunity, if he exposes something or
shows a weakness of some sort, I am going to take advantage of it," said
Breazeale. Sound familiar?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84W_X6BbfHIi_6iALLi_ktDyNvkHNBxuT1FoUmSRG3G-S0zYmkYvG2Jte-vmcf6BKXjHpzVaB-Dk8gdXN424h6y_99wA5iNv1zuadpmql6aSrzT3l71g0T8xGe-_L4PK2tj9SSz6SvTwW/s1600/GettyImages-482691210.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84W_X6BbfHIi_6iALLi_ktDyNvkHNBxuT1FoUmSRG3G-S0zYmkYvG2Jte-vmcf6BKXjHpzVaB-Dk8gdXN424h6y_99wA5iNv1zuadpmql6aSrzT3l71g0T8xGe-_L4PK2tj9SSz6SvTwW/s320/GettyImages-482691210.0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One Question & Answer Time</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<i><b>One Time Thurman Needs More Time —</b></i> "I don't like you guys' approach to these
questions. Everyone is talking about the new king, the new king. Mayweather cast a huge shadow over this division. It's not like
there was a successor lined up waiting. There is work to do. I'm a
humble fighter. I like to humble myself on the regular. The young
generation has a lot of work to do before there is a king on top of any
of our names. Yes, I'd love to get through Danny Garcia and solidify
more of the debate of the best at 147. To see the best at welterweight,
it's going to take a little time. I feel like you writers are rushing to
get the best to claim the best. And claiming the best is cool. There is
nothing wrong with that but to get the best is not even gonna happen
this year but I look forward to the journey and process."<br />
<br />
<i><b>In Case You Missed It —</b></i> Light heavyweight Andrzej Fonfara was shockingly
knocked out in the first round on June 17 in Chicago <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pbc?source=feed_text&story_id=1202840486434431"><span class="_58cl"></span></a>by unknown Joe Smith Jr. "Now everybody knows who I am," said the 21-1
(18) winner. "This is the best thing that could have happened. It feels
great." Conversely, it was the worst thing that could have happened for
the Polish Fonfara. Positioned before the defeat as the de facto #1
contender at 175 pounds after challenging champion Adonis Stevenson and
knocking out Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Fonfara now sees his stock drop
considerably while Smith has put himself in position for a shot at light heavyweight champion Superman Stevenson.<br />
<br />
"I'll talk to my
promoter," said the big winner. "But I'm hoping for another big fight to
get myself to a world title."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjrW2z-CDdMFXXVyqsmGzdl5DmtCPICv2AkjaZT6mk1AqR8jst8floMq4dTICkXiZl2OXjGJmLoffTbRq6291jXKXl-dnUB_fUWrx3tsyQep-3yggNlx3aO4NB8z1iJIzd78F62_pskv-/s1600/molinaprovodnikov.0.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjrW2z-CDdMFXXVyqsmGzdl5DmtCPICv2AkjaZT6mk1AqR8jst8floMq4dTICkXiZl2OXjGJmLoffTbRq6291jXKXl-dnUB_fUWrx3tsyQep-3yggNlx3aO4NB8z1iJIzd78F62_pskv-/s320/molinaprovodnikov.0.0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Molina (R) upsets the Siberian Rocky</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<i><b>John Molina Jr.</b></i> talks to <i><b>KO Digest</b></i> about his
appeal — "Fans root for me because I've been the underdog every way you can imagine. I started late in this sport. I didn't start boxing
until I was 17. I didn't turn pro until I was 24. I had only 22 amateur
fights. I had to take the scenic route. I wasn't supposed to be here.
But I did make it and I'm showing everybody in the world that if you
stick to something you apply yourself to, you can make it in life. I
think that's why fans are so intrigued with my style. I'm a first class
example of getting past discouragement."<br />
<br />
WBA featherweight champion <i><b>Leo Santa Cruz </b></i>sizes up July 30 <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pbc?source=feed_text&story_id=1200374996680980"><span class="_58cl"></span></a>PBC opponent <i><b>Carl Frampton</b></i> — "Frampton is a good fighter. He has power and
skills and he moves when he has to but he has a weak chin. When he gets
caught with a good punch, he goes down. He doesn't like pressure and I
have that."<br />
<br />
WBC heavyweight champion <i><b>Deontay Wilder</b></i> talks about challenger <i><b>Chris
Arreola </b></i>for the fourth defense of his green belt — "Because of Povetkin's decision to use a banned substance, the fight
didn't happen. I'm disappointed but it's not gonna stop me from being an
active heavyweight champion. This is the longest stretch that
I've been out of the ring and I'm anxious to get back in and continue my
quest to become undisputed heavyweight champion. This
is another fight in that process. I respect Arreola for getting
in the ring with me but we all know who the<i> real champion</i> is and I'm
going to prove it July 16."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUJ8BFWcT-CBi4YOdvFNO95WSSrBqi87bkbJucpc-yyX3PuCe0epmfV0KdeeAdrErdELtldGCVeg2EicrR_LAYy_AxBkvvdOuIOzik-L41vC2AL8kjsrff7MXSEqPExz2FzqqDOp78Fi8/s1600/13413544_1737522603185552_5275259312911700312_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUJ8BFWcT-CBi4YOdvFNO95WSSrBqi87bkbJucpc-yyX3PuCe0epmfV0KdeeAdrErdELtldGCVeg2EicrR_LAYy_AxBkvvdOuIOzik-L41vC2AL8kjsrff7MXSEqPExz2FzqqDOp78Fi8/s200/13413544_1737522603185552_5275259312911700312_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>RIP GOAT</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/columnist?a=10041" target="_blank"><i>Boxing
writer Jeffrey Freeman grew up in the City of Champions, Brockton,
Mass during the marvelous career of middleweight champion
Marvin Hagler.</i></a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text_exposed_show"><i>Freeman then lived in Lowell, Massachusetts during the
best years of Micky Ward's illustrious career. A member of the RingTV
expert writer prediction panel for 4 years, Freeman is also
editor-in-chief of KO Digest, a social media outlet for the sweet
science. Known affectionately as "KO" by friends and readers, Freeman
covers boxing for The Sweet Science in New England.</i></span></span> Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-75643537760742938582016-06-06T10:54:00.000-04:002016-07-22T13:30:35.803-04:00Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee — Our World Without Muhammad Ali<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hr-xPlKIBd9D0aIV64Aa10tFcSRLM0oxGdQctFiqQigOsXcBeh8twrrORBBP9DumAFNqGgdbHlZZmV7ppWNjTF0Jdpn_VCwzc3IteYTuJZG1EiERgUWAfQK2BdDw8PObCBXfefO2EdDY/s1600/3208EB6500000578-3484098-September_15_1978_Muhammad_Ali_beat_Leon_Spinks_to_win_the_Heavy-a-162_1457539755709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hr-xPlKIBd9D0aIV64Aa10tFcSRLM0oxGdQctFiqQigOsXcBeh8twrrORBBP9DumAFNqGgdbHlZZmV7ppWNjTF0Jdpn_VCwzc3IteYTuJZG1EiERgUWAfQK2BdDw8PObCBXfefO2EdDY/s320/3208EB6500000578-3484098-September_15_1978_Muhammad_Ali_beat_Leon_Spinks_to_win_the_Heavy-a-162_1457539755709.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Greatest is Gone But Not Forgotten</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest </b></i><br />
<br />
On the Friday that devout Muslim Muhammad Ali died in the United
States of America, a ruthless Middle Eastern war was raging in Islamic
State held territory in Syria and Iraq. Western backed forces, along
with brave allies in the region, were fighting brutal ISIS jihadists to
liberate cities and towns from the genocidal terrorist organization. The
ultimate result of this global conflict continues to hang in the
balance. Only one certainty now exists in the decades long struggle
between the West and radical Islam. Things are going to get worse before
they get better.<br />
<br />
The world is again inching towards total war.<br />
<br />
I
could not possibly begin to imagine how Ali, an American Olympian from
Kentucky who took the name of Islam's holiest Prophet and joined the
Nation of Islam, regarded the often violent relationships between his
birth country and his spiritual Meccas ten thousand miles away. What I
can imagine, like John Lennon might have, is only that it could've
been very different had Ali been able to live up to his true potential
on Earth: peacemaking ambassador of goodwill for all mankind. As a
peaceful Muslim American of global fame and international respect, Ali
was in a unique position to serve as a much needed bridge between these
two increasingly disparate worlds. In fact, Ali did have some some
success in this regard, when in 1991 during the first Gulf War, he met
with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to arrange the return of American
<i>"guests"</i> held against their will by the dictator.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcmYYy995xoL-QvAzabad3prFqJrjLQfUxUQzwi1KizoB165KuGaQpmypvyBUEB95E0v06tEiKVvTmA5APgMmnHYd-CpkRjVieAZAPoszuOpWxOJhelkBA2VTyn3Zs_GJJampBoFFIPLu/s1600/1+Sc14qkOsnNYr9XM5ADAt4Q.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcmYYy995xoL-QvAzabad3prFqJrjLQfUxUQzwi1KizoB165KuGaQpmypvyBUEB95E0v06tEiKVvTmA5APgMmnHYd-CpkRjVieAZAPoszuOpWxOJhelkBA2VTyn3Zs_GJJampBoFFIPLu/s320/1+Sc14qkOsnNYr9XM5ADAt4Q.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Louisville Lips</i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unfortunately, Parkinson's Syndrome, exacerbated by the sheer brutality of boxing, robbed Ali of his once unmatched powers of diplomatic
communication.<br />
<br />
"People are bombing people because of religious
beliefs. We need somebody in the world to help make peace," Ali told a
captive audience in Newcastle, United Kingdom during a speaking
engagement there in 1977. "When I get out of boxing, I'm gonna use my
name and my popularity to help unite people," Ali told the fascinated
crowd. Nobody seemed to doubt his sincerity. "God is watching me and He wants to know how we're treating each other," Ali emphasized. Two years later
in Tehran, Iran, 52 of Ali's fellow American citizens were taken hostage
for 444 days by Muslim extremists who attacked the U.S. embassy. I'm
sorry Muhammad, nobody ever made world peace in the Middle East. Only
more war and more terrifying terror. Tragically,
Ali lived to see his religious faith hijacked by terrorists who then
rammed it into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The horror of it all continues to
rage to this day with no clear end in sight. <br />
<br />
Imagine with me a different world then.<br />
<br />
One in which Muhammad Ali
retires from boxing after winning the heavyweight championship of the
world for a third time against Leon Spinks in 1978. No more comebacks.
No terrible beating from a young Larry Holmes. Instead, imagine that Ali,
like Vitali Klitschko today in the troubled Ukraine, got out of boxing
and went immediately to work on the political problems that plagued his
people. Ali could surely have become a Mayor like Klitschko or even a People's
President. All doors were open to Ali, all possibilities within reach
for a man of his immense stature. Perhaps President Jimmy Carter might've asked
Ali to be involved in the historic Camp David Accords. In 1974, Carter's
predecessor Gerald Ford brought Ali to the White House as part of
his Presidential effort to heal the nation in the wake of Watergate.<br />
<br />
The effect of Ali was
always to turn enemies into friends. To unite the divided.<br />
<br />
Imagine Ali in a position to help negotiate peace between his Islamic
world and his Western world.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRx1j-qCk9eebgawaGvQbCoq7qDFgHV2AAdFkKjfq6iuLHA2MzuFUnDxgfGLYHcB1w0i-2iIHFPemmM8Onw2Lolyfe5ZsBbJIOk827LHgwWatN4U82r3ukv3cUXzijvb_OxCCUuXhTmOEQ/s1600/c3c5ac552adb06dd020eb31230254e67.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRx1j-qCk9eebgawaGvQbCoq7qDFgHV2AAdFkKjfq6iuLHA2MzuFUnDxgfGLYHcB1w0i-2iIHFPemmM8Onw2Lolyfe5ZsBbJIOk827LHgwWatN4U82r3ukv3cUXzijvb_OxCCUuXhTmOEQ/s320/c3c5ac552adb06dd020eb31230254e67.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ali with his parents Odessa and Cassius Senior</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Odessa Clay's magnificent son was a
perfect reflection of both cultures.<br />
<br />
Nobody but Ali in his duality could
have pulled it off. That it didn't happen without him is proof enough
of that. People are still bombing other people because of religious
beliefs. In life, Ali spoke often of his<i> "getting ready"</i> to one day meet
God.<br />
<br />
Though I'm sure he was more than ready when the day finally came, nothing could've better
prepared Ali than unifying the world in peace before he died. The sad
truth is that Ali's boxing related health complications prevented him
from becoming any of these things. Author Joyce Carol Oates put it best
in her masterwork <i>'On Boxing' </i>when she wrote of the <i>sport</i> in question:<br />
<br />
"More than any other
human activity, it consumes the very excellence it displays."<br />
<br />
Boxing afforded Muhammad Ali a great deal before demanding its heavy price be paid in full. That's pugilism's poetic justice.<i><b> </b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>What's So Civil About War Anyway?</b></i> — Bostonian Civil War soldier Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, writing home to his
mother during the war to end the institution of slavery in America: "We fight for men and women whose poetry is not yet written
but which will presently be as enviable and as renowned as any." One of those men was Muhammad Ali, the great American poet of pugilism. Shaw, along with thousands of other men who made the ultimate sacrifice, fell in battle on American soil so that Ali could one day live in freedom.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLDDvdaUFXuOydIccdQ7VoouLv6S2SA84iZ2jfj459AIM36FyXQQ07uKe7Os6zBOsgE_k-3cEMyu1xiBkDx0zlvbKRaWswn-p5ixeEXENyBq3WmJgeBlAPdmkUca0_4gD8qtuBeRsvtnm/s1600/Muhammad-Ali-017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLDDvdaUFXuOydIccdQ7VoouLv6S2SA84iZ2jfj459AIM36FyXQQ07uKe7Os6zBOsgE_k-3cEMyu1xiBkDx0zlvbKRaWswn-p5ixeEXENyBq3WmJgeBlAPdmkUca0_4gD8qtuBeRsvtnm/s320/Muhammad-Ali-017.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ali and Frazier are no more</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<i><b>Greatest Goodbye</b></i> — The only person who could possibly explain, eulogize, and
commemorate Muhammad Ali is gone. That person was Ali himself.
Ahead of his time and far beyond his Earthly peers in nearly every way
imaginable, there exists nobody out there today capable of putting into
words the true meaning of the man better than the man himself already
did. Still, many will try but all will fail. Don't take my word for it.
I'm as inadequate as the rest of these pretenders and wordsmiths. Go
back and listen to the great man. Ali said it all. He told you who he
was and why it mattered. If you didn't pay attention, I'm sorry for your loss.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Where There's Smoke There's Fire</b></i> — There's been a lot of talk about
which of Muhammad Ali's 61 prizefights find him at his absolute best.
Many fans and media point to the 1966 destruction of Cleveland Williams
and say "The Greatest" never looked better. This may be so but if you
could still ask Ali, he'd say what he always said about the question.
He'd disagree with you. He'd tell you that Williams was really not all
that good of a fighter and that he (Ali) was young and fast and pretty
when he knocked him out. Ali points to the third Joe Frazier fight as
the truest example of when he was at his very best in the ring. Ali said
Joe was much better than Williams and that he (Ali) had to be even
better than his own younger self to whoop him. So who you gonna believe? Ali or your own lying eyes?</div>
<br />
<i><b>The Week Muhammad Ali Died</b></i> — In years past, it had become a familiar
routine on social media. News would break of Ali's latest trip to the
hospital and the online world would go crazy with worry, blowing the
truth of the matter way out of proportion. Nobody was <i>"closer to death" </i>
more often than Ali apparently was. When we first became aware early
last week that "The Greatest" was hospitalized, the reaction was
deliberately muted. <i>Oh, this again?</i> Thoughts and prayers to Muhamm<span class="text_exposed_show">ad but I'm sure he's probably fine. In fact, the wolf was right outside the door, hungrier than ever. </span>As the week dragged, so did feet when it came to Ali. Nobody wanted to
believe it nor did they think they could, or should. Let's just wait and
see what happens we thought. By Friday, things went from here to there
faster than any Ali combination. Just like that, we'd been a
rope-a-doped and Muhammad Ali was gone. If you blinked, you missed it.<br />
<div>
<div>
<br />
The little boy who cried wolf is really crying now.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtN7z4vtYXAoAVIhTRYGhI5goD0RED060vhoTGajOdoWBbqXcp0SJI3QmZmmr9Ls4wf9zWDzzhBFYiKWxY8phoMZWxIiZabr3SACZSMCFywFCNJIMKx3RicwyJnZFr4FGvZA6worzDDHq/s1600/paddy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtN7z4vtYXAoAVIhTRYGhI5goD0RED060vhoTGajOdoWBbqXcp0SJI3QmZmmr9Ls4wf9zWDzzhBFYiKWxY8phoMZWxIiZabr3SACZSMCFywFCNJIMKx3RicwyJnZFr4FGvZA6worzDDHq/s320/paddy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Goodbye Muhammad, we love you forever</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i>"World Heavyweight Champions may come and go,</i><br />
<i>But in Muhammad Ali's case, this will never be so.</i><br />
<i>Because, forever, he will always be, </i><br />
<i>The People's Champion,</i><br />
<i>To you and to me."</i><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<i><b>Poem from Ali's #1 fan,</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Paddy Monaghan</b></i></div>
</div>
</div>
Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-63165303938785127962016-06-02T08:46:00.000-04:002016-06-02T13:09:53.907-04:00KO's Ringside Notes & Quotes XIV — Boxing vs MMA, Pros in Rio Olympics <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHrRtjcVYud4JGEMxFHl4FxH9UQsVjVrbiHWRKWhlZ8lK6rZ5pae5I5Io6b2KGE1mRkakzSle8aEd8XbkaiLGwvsRkg1PQLXkqZI8SULW3MVh99qwHq53CLfSY1_FS1c2o5bZVhc2qaqI/s1600/Rigondeaux-vs.-Lomachenko_lorenelise8_sh_-530x317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHrRtjcVYud4JGEMxFHl4FxH9UQsVjVrbiHWRKWhlZ8lK6rZ5pae5I5Io6b2KGE1mRkakzSle8aEd8XbkaiLGwvsRkg1PQLXkqZI8SULW3MVh99qwHq53CLfSY1_FS1c2o5bZVhc2qaqI/s400/Rigondeaux-vs.-Lomachenko_lorenelise8_sh_-530x317.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gold Medal Pugilists Loma and Rigo</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest </b></i><br />
<br />
The decision of the AIBA to allow professional
fighters to compete against amateur boxers in the Olympics raised
many eyebrows yesterday. The most common response I observed online was one
of disapproval. Why the revulsion with increased competition?<br />
<br />
A reactionary imagination immediately envisions
undisputed world middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin pummeling some
skinny Golden Glover into submission to win a Gold Medal in Rio. The
reality of <i>"pros versus ammys" </i>should prove to be very different<span class="text_exposed_show">.
Firstly, most top notch prizefighters don't wish to go backward,
compete for free, or risk any number of the undesirable outcomes which
might arise from such an unusual undertaking. They have everything to lose, and little to gain. Secondly, the line is already very blurred. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">As
recently unpaid pugilists, Vasyl Lomachenko and Guillermo Rigondeaux
could've easily handled themselves against an invasion of semi-skilled
pros introduced into their ranks to compete under their rules. My educated
guess is that there are other <i>Lomas and Rigos</i> out there waiting to
turn this debate on its ear with surprising, medal-winning victories
over unsuspecting, under-skilled pros.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCp2G88ZlPNS98oSf5P-BLPsp5jf4WCgp55JwvHpRRFZ-OYu61RURgioXXXNwI6csSk5ZnGHFvzSM7C22EUKpBq9wAqSJDysuklgRa7k4BaHBFy9gOp0U0R98baD9cOhKODMWRXdr-0KF/s1600/trump-mayweather-featured.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCp2G88ZlPNS98oSf5P-BLPsp5jf4WCgp55JwvHpRRFZ-OYu61RURgioXXXNwI6csSk5ZnGHFvzSM7C22EUKpBq9wAqSJDysuklgRa7k4BaHBFy9gOp0U0R98baD9cOhKODMWRXdr-0KF/s320/trump-mayweather-featured.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Money May and Mister Trump </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Don't Be EC</b></i> <span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">— </span></span>I<span class="text_exposed_show">n America, the 2016 Presidential Election is nearly all about
<i>"political correctness"</i> and whether or not "PC" will be rejected or
continued here in the land of the free. Boxing now faces a similar
decision. Unless it's cast off in favor of maintaining what makes boxing
so great to begin with, a strange new phenomenon I call <i>"economic
correctness"</i> will continue to take hold of how bouts get negotiated and
ultimately made. It already affects how fans relate to boxing and
boxers. You can see "EC" influence today when they argue A vs B side
dynamics, or against a particular match-up because it doesn't make
<i>"dollars & sense"</i> to the more moneyed pugilist. If we're
all not careful, <i>"talkin' boxing"</i> will soon be like studying undergrad
economics at the local community college. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3Hfgc3Ol8VJeEgEId3hivfG_BP25A9UEtqe7K_u_WhMyd3JC_rNW6lYTxfVdZJZH2PLWazkbYIIuZFziJogK4ek2ahL-lP4KKBOFJnnGgRLy9qcc59tCP2uY7HVXFql6b-3FM9rNG8Hs/s1600/SetWidth840-WILDERcopyrightTrappShowtime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3Hfgc3Ol8VJeEgEId3hivfG_BP25A9UEtqe7K_u_WhMyd3JC_rNW6lYTxfVdZJZH2PLWazkbYIIuZFziJogK4ek2ahL-lP4KKBOFJnnGgRLy9qcc59tCP2uY7HVXFql6b-3FM9rNG8Hs/s320/SetWidth840-WILDERcopyrightTrappShowtime.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">2008 Olympic Bronze
Bomber</span></span></span></span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>P</b></i><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>ugilism, Politics, Pressure & Presidents</b></i> — On a lively May 11 international
boxing media conference call with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay
Wilder, the 2008 American bronze medalist claimed that opponent
Alexander Povetkin would be under "a lot of pressure" fighting in front
of Russian President Putin when the pair collide May 21. Wilder talked
about unifying the title and bringing clarity to the division. I asked
him who he'd like to someday defend his championship in front of as new
American President: <i>Trump, Clinton, or Sanders?</i> Wilder burst into
laughter at the question. "I can't get into the politics man," he said
good naturedly. "You're sneaky," he told me before continuing
diplomatically, ever the uniter. "All of them are more than welcome to
come to a Deontay Wilder fight," he chuckled. <b>[Editor's Note: </b>Wilder-Povetkin was cancelled when challenger Povetkin supposedly failed a PED drug test.<b>] </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNi6G2Ys-uzxkLcabS7dPhxtVmfnMvtV2klBuD3ttM__1EmAj2HP48TfSU7iqv7wB-SIUd3sz0SbDejdYS3X5TbkY-F4bhXzeL2-U12Xd-Y0bvNT1PSFoXx3ojwNGsIByltbxtljNW85r/s1600/201502262313836079117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNi6G2Ys-uzxkLcabS7dPhxtVmfnMvtV2klBuD3ttM__1EmAj2HP48TfSU7iqv7wB-SIUd3sz0SbDejdYS3X5TbkY-F4bhXzeL2-U12Xd-Y0bvNT1PSFoXx3ojwNGsIByltbxtljNW85r/s320/201502262313836079117.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wilder defends a valuable green belt</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>The Man Who Didn't Beat The Man Yet</b></i> — The WBC heavyweight champion talks to KO Digest about his claim to THE
world heavyweight championship — <i>"I already feel like I am the man. I've got
the most prestigious belt. I got the WBC belt that people want their
name on. I want more though. I'm hungry. I'm greedy. All these
heavyweights know who the real threat in this division is."</i></span></span></span><i> </i></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><b><i>Middleweight Champions</i></b> </span><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">— </span></span></span></span>The real reason Canelo Alvarez versus Gennady Golovkin is (was) such a high
demand title bout is because the undefeated "challenger" GGG has been
made to wait a VERY LONG time for a shot at the linear title. Triple G
is the most deserving fighter of this kind in all of boxing, with the
possible exception of Sergey Kovalev at light heavyweight where Adonis
Stevenson still holds an iron clad claim to the linear championship. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-BIy9lNjhIHuAzcP4ZGxzRf0nwT5J7CtZSvDFLcBV3ZsvaF5WYbFm9hdSXpVVtQpmkPJGBPyb_dkqLf8S5moaHKPNQZNjR-_tXV0r0AD7cY-uW2d9_ymF5u6V-6dCr7Xt4-qQ5yr__2e/s1600/hoyla-box-ultimatum-canelo-golovkin-limite.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-BIy9lNjhIHuAzcP4ZGxzRf0nwT5J7CtZSvDFLcBV3ZsvaF5WYbFm9hdSXpVVtQpmkPJGBPyb_dkqLf8S5moaHKPNQZNjR-_tXV0r0AD7cY-uW2d9_ymF5u6V-6dCr7Xt4-qQ5yr__2e/s320/hoyla-box-ultimatum-canelo-golovkin-limite.jpe" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Canelo dropped his WBC to duck GGG</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show">Ironic is Golden Boy Ring Magazine denia<span class="text_exposed_show">l
of this inconvenient fact. Golovkin's credentials as undisputed #1
middleweight contender for years now (think Clubber Lang) have led some
to label Golovkin uncrowned champion. Catchweight manipulations have
stoked the fires of Canelo-GGG <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/caneloggg?source=feed_text&story_id=1182727861779027"><span class="_58cl"></span></a> because fans feel the recent linear champions are not playing fair
while they duck Golovkin for bigger money fights. Golovkin could lure
neither Sergio Martinez, Miguel Cotto, nor Canelo Alvarez into the ring
with him for a shot at the championship. He shouldn't have to "lure" the champion. <i>
The system is broken. The lineage is compromised. </i>Fans have grown
apathetic but at least they still understand the value of a good fight. When that's gone, will there be anything left for boxing to hang its hat
on?</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6ffg6Tx49WKO767TBychIq6PaJnkNR-O5EPqHiuGtvQQIWoSXUcP1UyqCpZm5Ny2A7GfpPvKEeeNJlhop-T6GNEDUUkXEvMwddtdM88lhcuv_m7ja824_o1s-bv63KLbs3JLKRdOpM_5/s1600/Floyd-Mayweather-653x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6ffg6Tx49WKO767TBychIq6PaJnkNR-O5EPqHiuGtvQQIWoSXUcP1UyqCpZm5Ny2A7GfpPvKEeeNJlhop-T6GNEDUUkXEvMwddtdM88lhcuv_m7ja824_o1s-bv63KLbs3JLKRdOpM_5/s200/Floyd-Mayweather-653x400.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>All about the Money</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>Ultimate Fighting Crap</b></i> </span><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">— </span></span></span></span></span>What a shame boxing can't take itself seriously enough to summarily
reject a staged Floyd Mayweather <i>"comeback"</i> against some 3X tapped out
cage fighter. With today's internet fight fans more focused on business
and economics than tactics and strategy, a "Boxing vs MMA" exhibition
bout will be very easy for the lowest common denominator fan to
understand. Mister Money May will get a 99-1 split of many million
ignorantly spent PPV dollars while his "ultimate <span class="text_exposed_show">opponent"
gets a slightly larger pile of peanuts than he's used to getting for
kicking and choking other men. Floyd will use the example of such <i>"easy
work"</i> as explanation for why he should never risk his undefeated record
for a similar payday against a real risk like undisputed world
middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. In their lust to be EC <i>
(economically correct)</i>, fans will vote against their own interests by
supporting and buying Floyd's trash.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-Ldt6N0_NA5sCkfgKC7O8PLYwQk2LbfueGg9wnltDw1GJ7J7-mrhnTwF6QPZmqg_tp9qlEL5ZM0s6ZGeIyGprFEODfEvox2Xb60n-CL10gKKAxJAfSBusQCKY_6r8IBarHT2zT3JBTjf/s1600/frankie_carbo-530x317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-Ldt6N0_NA5sCkfgKC7O8PLYwQk2LbfueGg9wnltDw1GJ7J7-mrhnTwF6QPZmqg_tp9qlEL5ZM0s6ZGeIyGprFEODfEvox2Xb60n-CL10gKKAxJAfSBusQCKY_6r8IBarHT2zT3JBTjf/s320/frankie_carbo-530x317.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Good Old Days?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><i><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">Mob Rule </span></span></i></b><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">—</span></span></span></span></span> The constant complaining from uneducated boxing fans about Al Haymon,
his PBC, and the Watson Brothers gets on my nerves. Ours is a sport
governed by no one single person, open to almost anybody with enough
economic endurance to grab the narrative and run with it. Not happy with
Haymon? Now seeing Don King's rape of the 80s through the rose-colored
20/20 vision of nostalgic hindsight? Or maybe you'd like to go even
further back to the <i>"good old days"</i> of boxing when it was run by violent
mob crime families. Perhaps you'd prefer real gangsters like Blinky
Palermo and Frankie "The Czar of Boxing" Carbo be back in charge of
promoting bouts and "setting up" fights? Like most things with a long
history, it's easy to bitch and moan without having to know any of it. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUhUDOlyoOn4YJ4lJ0cfNAiCzx-zrvdlZ2D3jBwUUjVEp-wmRhNxjT812gjZRCWvJzi2PDKYy76eQY6kzB6rYF_YnJ6hcwLWqS01wM6RPHFi4cN98Eirlei9L4d_33dIWO2dzVN_DscyR/s1600/BB4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUhUDOlyoOn4YJ4lJ0cfNAiCzx-zrvdlZ2D3jBwUUjVEp-wmRhNxjT812gjZRCWvJzi2PDKYy76eQY6kzB6rYF_YnJ6hcwLWqS01wM6RPHFi4cN98Eirlei9L4d_33dIWO2dzVN_DscyR/s320/BB4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bellew is now WBC cruiserweight world champion</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>Bombs Away</b></i> </span><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">— </span>Congratulations to Tony "Bomber" Bellew on achieving his goal of
becoming a world champion. Bellew won the vacant WBC cruiserweight
championship last weekend at home in Liverpool with a smashing TKO of
Ilunga Makabu. <a href="http://fitefansho.blogspot.com/2013/06/ko-digest-spotlight-on-boxings-up-and.html" target="_blank">Back in June of 2013, KO Digest spotlighted a then 175
pound Bellew as an 'up and comer' to keep an eye on. </a><i><a href="http://fitefansho.blogspot.com/2013/06/ko-digest-spotlight-on-boxings-up-and.html" target="_blank">"I just want to be a world champion," Bellew told KO.</a> </i>Since that time, Bellew fell to
champion Adonis Stevenson in a shot at the world light heavyweight
title, gained a revenge win over hated rival Nathan Cleverly, co-starred
as Pretty Ricky Conlan in CREED, then moved to cruiser to win the WBC
belt. Bellew's championship outlook? "You have got be able to adapt.
That's one of my strong points. I can deal with any style put in front
of me and that is what I plan on doing." </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37GR1Xccyca2Lq-oQHhIScYJCFoV2auYMoKKSqalyjNjm7f9UXV1MFNSEfACUj7ACWdbwJJl6G2N2yNzcsuC635gqooB0k-0JxYQDMqsx2qu1M0Yqzi2NIE_OOBw60Htce9BVm9bYJHFW/s1600/erislandy-lara-background-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37GR1Xccyca2Lq-oQHhIScYJCFoV2auYMoKKSqalyjNjm7f9UXV1MFNSEfACUj7ACWdbwJJl6G2N2yNzcsuC635gqooB0k-0JxYQDMqsx2qu1M0Yqzi2NIE_OOBw60Htce9BVm9bYJHFW/s320/erislandy-lara-background-photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lara claims he wants to fight GGG<br /> </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>D</b></i><span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>ream Big</b></i> — If Erislandy Lara <i>(or any other top rated junior middleweight for that
matter)</i> wants to challenge Gennady Golovkin for the undisputed world
middleweight championship, all he has to do is stop talking, move up to
middleweight (160 pounds, 6 more than 154), win a fight, and get a title
shot. Lara currently holds a WBA world title. I'm sure he'd have NO
PROBLEM arranging a shot at another WBA champion at middleweight. Truth is,
these junior middles today want nothing to do with GGG at 160. Better
for their health to wait for Triple G to get old or move up in weight. You all heard Jermall
Charlo's response when asked on SHO about moving up. Charlo suddenly
changed his mind and has decided to stay in a safe division where he will
never fight two of the other world titlists, his twin brother Jermell, or his
stablemate Lara. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/columnist?a=10041" target="_blank"><i>Boxing writer Jeffrey Freeman grew up in the City of Champions, Brockton, Massachusetts during the marvelous career of middleweight champion Marvin Hagler. Freeman then lived in Lowell, Massachusetts during the best years of Micky Ward's illustrious career. A member of the RingTV expert writer prediction panel for 4 years, Freeman is also editor-in-chief of KO Digest, a social media outlet for the sweet science. Known affectionately as "KO" by friends and readers, Freeman covers boxing for The Sweet Science in New England.</i></a> </span>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-49858264999402945332016-05-09T14:25:00.002-04:002016-05-09T14:41:44.005-04:00TSS Ringside: Alexis Santos Gets Revenge KO, Del Valle Destroys Crespo <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1D8LSE28P5w-rhFbhDkdUxsFQBVyGpw6xjttyZe2TI5BRiRDi7KRfUwvd89mEXE-3PoAkMI8bnDAQXggF5pce88A_wA_KSxURw-GFVqczl_okgPL89lGG5GdQqEeKRe772Ui1GCMkL3p/s1600/MAK_7631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1D8LSE28P5w-rhFbhDkdUxsFQBVyGpw6xjttyZe2TI5BRiRDi7KRfUwvd89mEXE-3PoAkMI8bnDAQXggF5pce88A_wA_KSxURw-GFVqczl_okgPL89lGG5GdQqEeKRe772Ui1GCMkL3p/s320/MAK_7631.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo by Pattee Mak</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>SALEM</b> — While undersized Lawrence, Massachusetts heavyweight <span class="highlight">Alexis</span> <span class="highlight">Santos</span>
(16-1, 14 KOs) was quietly getting prepared for a rematch against 6'7"
Daniel "The Mountain" Martz in the locker room of New Hampshire's
Rockingham Plaza race track, Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) was across
the pond in London, England taking advantage of a suddenly wide open
heavyweight division. Joshua knocked out American heavyweight champion
Charles Martin (a month ago, on April 9) in the second round to claim the
IBF crown. It's a newcomer success story that the 26-year-old <span class="highlight">Santos</span> would like to duplicate. The soft-spoken but palpably violent <span class="highlight">Santos</span>
took an important step in that direction on Saturday night in the Live
Free or Die State, registering a seventh round knockout of Martz to pick
up the vacant IBO International heavyweight title before a raucous
crowd of <span class="highlight">Santos</span> fanatics. <br />
<br />
There was a lot of holding <i>(and trash talking)</i> in the early going while Martz tried to use his size and <span class="highlight">Santos</span>
tried to close the gap to do damage on the inside. They both enjoyed
some success but excessive holding marred the action. Martz ignored
vulgar taunts from the pro-Santos crowd and he patiently pecked away
with the jab and follow-up right hands. <span class="highlight">Santos</span> kept himself, and his crowd, in the fight with a determined body attack that paid key dividends. In the sixth, <span class="highlight">Santos</span>
hurt Martz with an overhand right and pursued him like a man possessed.
A wicked left to the body in the sixth had Martz holding on and backing
up. In the seventh, Martz could no longer keep <span class="highlight">Santos</span> off of him. The end came at 2:02 when Steve Smoger counted to ten with Martz down from exhaustion and body pain. The 6'0 <span class="highlight">Santos</span>,
who tipped the scales at 218.5, improved to 16-1 while Martz, from
Clarksburg, West Virginia, weighing 242.8, fell to 14-4-1 (11 KOs).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrya_bZunos-0l5UzfF54ZCIeSY2BSzXSODxi4fjsiu7IYPJMKqKFsu2SmBElZugN5nAR6UzzZmPgySXo84V2jWXJc0F0wrbtA7OEg6rDJOXK6NVEsJ7kGWme40LL3ryqXMmWspksNSKxR/s1600/maert.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrya_bZunos-0l5UzfF54ZCIeSY2BSzXSODxi4fjsiu7IYPJMKqKFsu2SmBElZugN5nAR6UzzZmPgySXo84V2jWXJc0F0wrbtA7OEg6rDJOXK6NVEsJ7kGWme40LL3ryqXMmWspksNSKxR/s320/maert.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Martz earned his money</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After the fight, <span class="highlight">Santos</span>
said he'll fight anybody and fears nobody. That's the right attitude.
Martz was coming off a first round knockout loss to Kiwi heavyweight
prospect Joseph Parker, 18-0, last December. He defeated <span class="highlight">Santos</span> by TKO in 2014 at the House of Blues in Boston. <span class="highlight">Santos</span> was down in the first round and he injured his right knee in the third, causing that bout to be stopped. <br />
<br />
In
the co-main event, featherweight <b>Luis Del Valle</b>, 21-2 (16),
from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, impressively knocked out <b>Josh Crespo</b>, New
Haven, Connecticut, 6-3-3, (2) in the second round of a scheduled eight.
Del Valle was walking Crespo down early in the first, landing long
right hands with ease. In the second, Crespo ran into a perfectly timed
right cross that buckled his knees. Another hard cross sent him crashing
face-first to the canvas. Crespo tried to rise but he pitched forward
before crashing again. With Del Valle looking on anxiously in a neutral
corner, Crespo beat the count but he was hurt and defenseless. Crespo's
trainer Brian Clark got up on the ring apron and signaled for the
referee to stop the fight, which he did at 2:17. <br />
<br />
In a super
middleweight contest, <b>Russell "The Haitian Sensation" Lamour</b>, 13-2 (6),
from Portland, Maine, got back in the win column after a second decision
loss to New England rival Thomas Falowo last November, beating <b>Borngod
Washington</b>, Queens, New York, 3-18 (1), by knockout. Lamour got tagged
more than expected in the first round but that only served to wake him
up. Lamour was back in total command in the second round, scoring a
knockdown that Washington got up looking rather lame from. In the third,
Lamour trapped his hurt opponent in the corner and wailed away until he
collapsed. Referee Steve Smoger called an immediate halt at 1:38. <br />
<br />
<b>Joseph
Perez</b>, East Hartford, Connecticut, 12-3-2 (3) had an easy night at the
office against hapless <b>Paul DeSouza</b>, 0-10, Sommerville, Massachusetts,
chasing him around the ring while doing enough damage to bring about a
merciful stoppage at :46 of the second round. DeSouza is a cage fighter
who needs to stay out of the boxing ring. ~ <b>Casey Kramlich</b>,
Portland, Maine, 3-0-1 (1), scored a second round TKO over <b>Jason Kelly</b>,
Dorchester, Massachusetts, 5-1 (3). Kelly showed the effects of a bad
beating to the body and he was looking for a way out late in the second
round. Kelly's corner then stopped the fight, a wise decision
considering the defeated body language of their brave boxer. ~ In
the lid-lifter, <b>Jaba Khositashvili</b>, 1-0 (1), Georgia, made an
impressive pro debut against <b>Greg Thomas</b>, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
(1-8), scoring three knockdowns in the first round before referee Dave
Greenwood stopped the mismatch at 1:37.<br />
<br />
<i>Boxing
writer Jeffrey Freeman grew up in the City of Champions, Brockton,
Massachusetts during the marvelous career of
middleweight champion Marvin Hagler. Freeman then lived in Lowell,
Massachusetts during the best years of Micky Ward's illustrious
career. A member of the RingTV expert writer prediction panel for 4
years, Freeman is also editor-in-chief of KO Digest, a social media
outlet for the sweet science. Known affectionately as "KO" by friends
and readers, Freeman covers boxing for The Sweet Science in New England.</i><br />
<br />
Venue: Rockingham Park<br />
Promoter: Big Six Entertainment<br />
Matchmaker: J. Russell Peltz<br />
Ring Announcer: John Vena <br />
Attendance: 1,000 (approximate)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/22200-alexis-santos-gets-revenge-by-ko-del-valle-destroys-crespo-in-2" target="_blank"><b><i>Originally Published April 9 on The Sweet Science </i></b></a> Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-49042065772404488882016-04-07T12:31:00.000-04:002016-04-07T17:31:05.554-04:00Life Imitates Hart: Dashon Johnson Wages a Philly War for Redemption <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdxIc4UIYU_kmyZkuHmuUrIQaDFz7udLrKrn3TY4-66I0aNsLL5-N2NDT0MHscILiDcyCpYnugUqbb5kfKwkCHWZxefNWvcmB5Q31Qq3PNhNeGE_E_251hvUe2-_SQ_Kze1aD5qS3Bq51/s1600/dashonnm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdxIc4UIYU_kmyZkuHmuUrIQaDFz7udLrKrn3TY4-66I0aNsLL5-N2NDT0MHscILiDcyCpYnugUqbb5kfKwkCHWZxefNWvcmB5Q31Qq3PNhNeGE_E_251hvUe2-_SQ_Kze1aD5qS3Bq51/s320/dashonnm.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hollywood Ending in Philadelphia </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Terry Strawson</b></i> — To tell any story correctly, you have to start at the beginning. As an adviser to Dashon <i>"Flyboy"</i> Johnson, I almost feel as if I should begin further back, but when matchmaker, friend, and former contender Andy Nance forwarded us an offer to fight Jesse Hart for his NABO and USBA titles in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the story of the fight itself began to take shape.<br />
<br />
Initially, fighting the WBO's number three rated super middleweight, two or three weight classes above our preferred weight <i>(in his hometown of Philadelphia no less)</i> wasn't exactly provoking too much excitement in me. <i>"Hard Work"</i> Hart puts his punches together better than most fighters in the division, barring maybe Andre Dirrell, and the height and weight advantages he possessed were almost alarming. In the murky waters of professional boxing however, we are forced to consider almost every offer between welterweight and light heavyweight.<br />
<br />
We have to look at accepting fights similar to the way Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics viewed acquiring players in Moneyball: <i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>"We've got to think differently," </i>says Brad Pitt's analytical character.<i> "We are the last dog to the bowl."</i><br />
<br />
A look at Johnson's <i>(19-19-3, 6 KOs)</i> record does not offer a glaring example of shrewd business and matchmaking. He has shared the ring with countless prospects, contenders, and former world champions; often on a couple days or a couple weeks notice. Sporadic yet impressive upsets have blended with disappointing losses more often than not. However, over the last year or so, Johnson has reevaluated and refocused himself to his craft. The results have been positive. His last two victories in particular offered confidence, and enough evidence to warrant proceeding with negotiations for the Hart fight. He had captured the <i>WBA NABA</i> super middleweight title with a dramatic knockout in a rematch with once-beaten Mike Gavronski, following that up with a victory over hard-hitting Izaak Cardona.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LJKNs2dO25kML79oBRolux1eHZYLKy8EdWaBW4PWJtHqJ6HY8QvRc_FzmB_d1L7F9snhPPVP_F7mjFE19e1L4J6e8SxwWRE9CPF2x0CrnB4CXDl0RnHeMYHWE__vVkWnFAxH816Od-GS/s1600/teamj.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LJKNs2dO25kML79oBRolux1eHZYLKy8EdWaBW4PWJtHqJ6HY8QvRc_FzmB_d1L7F9snhPPVP_F7mjFE19e1L4J6e8SxwWRE9CPF2x0CrnB4CXDl0RnHeMYHWE__vVkWnFAxH816Od-GS/s320/teamj.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fly Boys Simpkins, Porche, Johnson, Strawson</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Still, it was not a decision taken lightly. We watched endless fight footage, training clips and interviews of Hart. We even followed him and his team on Instagram and Facebook. It was evident, to us at least, that there was little chance of Hart actually training for us the way we were training for him. How could a man next in line for the WBO world championship possibly be taking a man with 18 losses as seriously as <i>we</i> knew he should have been? How in the world could he possibly be?<br />
<br />
We refused to offer any material for promotional purposes, turned down interviews from the likes of Steve Kim and focused solely on a three-a-day training regimen <i>(that Dashon does alone most days) </i>geared towards dragging Hart into deep waters and drowning him. My friend, and Philly fighter Malik Scott, warned me that, "Hart is a real young lion." I told Scott: "Lions don't swim too well."<br />
<br />
They're actually not bad, but you get the point.<br />
<br />
By the time we headed to Philadelphia, hometown of Rocky Balboa and countless real life boxing greats, we were brimming with confidence. And, as in the Rocky spinoff CREED, another young Johnson <i>(Dashon)</i> was traveling from California with a point to prove in the City of Brotherly Love. It felt right. We were treated very well by Hall of Fame promoter Russell Peltz and by his team too. We ran up the Rocky Steps, took pictures at the Rocky and Joe Frazier statues, and took a ride through the mean streets of Philly.<br />
<br />
It was gritty and it was real. I loved it. We weren't there for that though.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOXiBxw6E71IdJp0nmGOtANH-F2sQsaRQrioakZuYTWBEqN0oVal2pMiUSMS9APjfDh22zYzmOGRz7A02LXKordzkpJUGQst5ZS7c6kQVjHWwOPGoW6SOYQFAZ-Fr_wgNXpiMUwur3WaN/s1600/Hart-Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOXiBxw6E71IdJp0nmGOtANH-F2sQsaRQrioakZuYTWBEqN0oVal2pMiUSMS9APjfDh22zYzmOGRz7A02LXKordzkpJUGQst5ZS7c6kQVjHWwOPGoW6SOYQFAZ-Fr_wgNXpiMUwur3WaN/s400/Hart-Poster.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>All Hart until the end, then more heart</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The bout was to take place at the 2300 Arena on Swanson Street in South Philadelphia. From the outside, and as my memory serves me, it looked a little grimy. On the inside, it was actually a beautiful building, perfect in my opinion for hosting prizefights. There was an old-school feel to it, a blend of brickwork and bright lights. The violent atmosphere was growing throughout fight night as knockouts seemed to be the favored method of victory. Most in attendance were anticipating another stoppage in the main event and the environment seemed to grow more hostile as we drew closer to fight time.<br />
<br />
The referee Ernie Sharif had come into our dressing room to give his pre-fight instructions. You know the spiel, the same shit every referee says before every fight. No punching after the bell, your shorts look a little high so this will be considered good and so on. It's worth mentioning at this point however that Sharif said: <i>"If you are to be knocked down, and you're not up by a count of nine, you will be counted out." </i>It will become seemingly apparent that he never said such a thing to Jesse Hart. We will get to that later...<br />
<br />
The fight itself was very intense. After the official introductions, with the likes of Bernard Hopkins seated at ringside, the action began quickly. To be honest, it was all Hart in the early going. We knew that though. Hart was snapping his jab and using every inch of the ring as he did so. As I eluded to earlier, Hart combines speed and power really, really well and he was pinging his shots at my fighter frequently without much of a response in the first couple of rounds. At times though, the output of Hart forced a wry smile from me. If he kept<i> this</i> up, he would not <i>be able</i> to keep this up, I thought.<br />
<br />
It was not until the third round that Dashon fired back with something significant of his own. We, his trainer Jermaine Simpkins, cutman Billy Porche and myself, were imploring him to do more, and let his hands go. At the same time, we were weary of the dynamic and sizable threat in front of him. <i>Hart looked fucking huge!</i> Obviously, we were aware of the height and weight discrepancies long before our arrival in Philadelphia, but when they got in the ring and started exchanging, you would have thought we didn't care about him. Hart was putting rounds in the bag, and looking fairly impressive doing it. There were uppercuts, left hooks, straight rights and everything in-between it seemed. My wry smile turned to concern at times and at this point, I was screaming. We knew we would forfeit the first two or three rounds but as we entered the fourth and fifth, we needed to get a move on, and to his credit, Johnson did exactly that. <br />
<br />
I don't know if it was enough to steal those rounds but Dashon's aggression was certainly becoming more effective.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVLMhXezZG17emXcJ2c_fMN-1BxCfhLGjAufnZmpNkO0fKZJ2FIbfaPvgFR2QSe4si5EQx7uzWFfvax_49t-KzCU96gCYSc-Ac0IUXSlXz1SkR4i3DNR8LF6mY2DFJTKRbJADuI5W0nuJ/s1600/3-18-16+Pa+494a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVLMhXezZG17emXcJ2c_fMN-1BxCfhLGjAufnZmpNkO0fKZJ2FIbfaPvgFR2QSe4si5EQx7uzWFfvax_49t-KzCU96gCYSc-Ac0IUXSlXz1SkR4i3DNR8LF6mY2DFJTKRbJADuI5W0nuJ/s320/3-18-16+Pa+494a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Johnson uppercutted by Hart</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The end of the sixth round is where things began to get really interesting. After a more encouraging chapter, Dashon landed a massive shot at the bell and as Hart was barreling to the canvas, referee Ernie Sharif quickly ruled that the blow had come after the bell. To me, it was pure bullshit. However, I was buoyed by our ability to hurt the bigger man rather than deflated by the apparent skullduggery of the local referee. I wasn't even mad at the old school behavior in Hart's corner that allowed for an extra ten or fifteen seconds for their charge to clear his head. Hart was on <i>Queer Street</i> and I would have done the same thing. This is not merely an opinion. You can buy the fight at GFL.TV and see for yourself.<br />
<br />
The next couple of rounds were a blur to me and the atmosphere was insane.<br />
<br />
It's difficult to explain. How can just 1,500 people be so loud, I thought? The sweat was dripping from all over me, even my forearms were drenched and I constantly attempted to dry myself with my shirt or the towel. I knew, no matter how hard I tried to yell, Dashon was not going to hear me. It felt like a bad dream where you try with all of your might to cry out, and you just cannot make a sound. I felt like we were running out of time. And we were. I turned to the lads in the corner and said, "He's too tired, I don't think it's happening."<br />
<br />
When Dashon came back to the corner before the last round, he looked spent.<br />
<br />
He's usually the most aware and relaxed fighter in between rounds but our boy seemed finished to me. Still, we rallied that man from every angle and charged him with every drop of passion and emotion we could muster. We gave him a bit of water too of course. He went straight to work. I might have made it seem like Hart was faded by this point but he was still going strong. I would not be surprised if the tenth and final scene in this drama earned <i>Round of the Year</i> recognition, as it was something else. Hart was hoping to make a statement, and Dashon needed to make one. They were both throwing, and landing, heavy leather at this stage. At one point, as Jesse unloaded with everything in his arsenal, I worried. Momentarily. The clock was ticking down, and I kept looking at the big screen as it dwindled. "Two minutes," I yelled, "One minute!" Time seemed a more daunting opponent than Hart now. With less than a minute on the clock, Jesse tagged Dashon with a combination of big punches and my heart was in my mouth, but Johnson was not done yet.<br />
<br />
As fast as he ate a big shot, he fired one back and had Hart dazed on the ropes. I was screaming at the top of my lungs as I felt one more shot would have ended the fight, but the noise inside the 2300 Arena was deafening. As Hart looked to hold on and recuperate a little, Dashon kept chopping away. As he chased Hart around the perimeter of the ring, he landed one more massive, clubbing right hand that sent Hart sprawling. <i>It was unbelievable.</i> It almost seemed too good to be true. Unfortunately for us, it <i>was</i> too good to be true. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFXE2ElFxi_gnw_2Bpv0oIkcIb9qyW2VyxGQ2Z70x5B_gQ238VKS0IBA_naJWPxYt06e1QRJeMNF6HyCDiG33BDFoEip9Wx7xyC8Bn5RMwaRhRz8MJe-nsZ1CDoy58zYcfHOrm_YpI8mp/s1600/Hart-taking-the-count-as-Johnson-waits-in-the-neutral-corner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFXE2ElFxi_gnw_2Bpv0oIkcIb9qyW2VyxGQ2Z70x5B_gQ238VKS0IBA_naJWPxYt06e1QRJeMNF6HyCDiG33BDFoEip9Wx7xyC8Bn5RMwaRhRz8MJe-nsZ1CDoy58zYcfHOrm_YpI8mp/s320/Hart-taking-the-count-as-Johnson-waits-in-the-neutral-corner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Long-count from a home-town referee?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The conduct of the referee was once again brought into question as Hart rose to his feet fairly late. To me, it was ten seconds he spent on the canvas. I mean, even Larry Merchant would've had that count at at least nine, and according to his pre-fight instructions, that should have been enough to see Dashon register a knockout victory. It was painful to watch Hart climb to his feet the way "Pretty" Ricky Conlan <i>(from my hometown of Liverpool)</i> did in the CREED climax.<br />
<br />
The only consolation, one that really has not yet fully resonated with Dashon, is that just like Adonis Creed did against Conlan, and Rocky did against Apollo, he had won the hearts and respect of the people. Hart won a close decision. <br />
<br />
Dashon had shocked everybody. Well, just about everybody.<br />
<br />
I asked promoter Russell Peltz for his two cents. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRKIkkJVH62M_Ma7NIQmIZSExxKETme9oiS17_Xfb4HnuLImtzoSNtS6eYRylRF2dSuZnowqbxHrW7B4O-BhbT3pRQSZDqzgJzB4wAw0rMSC7Q1k47wBydauZ03iAt9ioW6sUY7BTpUk-/s1600/rockyhh.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRKIkkJVH62M_Ma7NIQmIZSExxKETme9oiS17_Xfb4HnuLImtzoSNtS6eYRylRF2dSuZnowqbxHrW7B4O-BhbT3pRQSZDqzgJzB4wAw0rMSC7Q1k47wBydauZ03iAt9ioW6sUY7BTpUk-/s400/rockyhh.PNG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gonna Fly Now Boy</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"The fact that Johnson signed his contract right away, got his medicals right away, and refused to get caught up in the pre-fight hype told me he was in seclusion and taking the fight seriously," Peltz told me. "I expected it to be Hart's toughest fight but no one could have predicted a fight like that. I thought Johnson would make his presence felt earlier, and in a way he did because he forced Hart to move a lot early and expend considerable energy. I had it 95-94 (Hart) because I have to credit Johnson for the knockdown in the sixth round because I thought Hart was hurt from the first shot, not necessarily the second one which dropped him."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
"I wanted to make the rematch," Peltz continued. "I think it's a mistake for Hart to not accept it, simply to prove he's better than he showed that night and to show us a marked improvement by doing better the second time around. However, I understand the mentality of modern-day boxing where it's all about getting the W and moving on, even if it makes no sense to me. A lot of fighters today succeed that way because when they get to the title fight, nine times out of ten the guy in the other corner came up the same way, simply by getting the W's and getting the hype."<br />
<br />
Ain't gonna be no rematch? Who knows. Hart (now 20-0) has expressed no interest in it. Neither has Top Rank. I don't blame either. And I applaud Jesse Hart for showing his heart and rising from the canvas. I just applaud Dashon Johnson more for putting him there.<br />
<br />
I'll leave you with a quote fitting for both men.<br />
<br />
<i>"It ain't about how hard you hit. </i><br />
<i>It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. </i><br />
<i>How much you can take and keep moving forward."</i><br />
<br />
<b>— <i>Rocky Balboa</i> </b> Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-38000680866104068652016-04-04T11:14:00.001-04:002016-04-04T11:25:20.157-04:00The Evolution of a Trilogy: Why Pacquiao-Bradley III Matters <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7t8IzFvFjb0UYkIqt2mN4hjv_7vKkyBF0-EXrOKKpreAtzU_z6E_W_XRv9vJgFkkEPgAD0LAudN_pnpW5UJovcjnDGAlEPuZVkN5wjuhm5ePrbv0zLYBR1umMbhEin89WXOUDKRxSXnx/s1600/Pacquiao_Bradley_II-farina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7t8IzFvFjb0UYkIqt2mN4hjv_7vKkyBF0-EXrOKKpreAtzU_z6E_W_XRv9vJgFkkEPgAD0LAudN_pnpW5UJovcjnDGAlEPuZVkN5wjuhm5ePrbv0zLYBR1umMbhEin89WXOUDKRxSXnx/s320/Pacquiao_Bradley_II-farina.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Pac Man" Bible Belts "Desert Storm"</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It would be all too easy for boxing fans to dive into the depths of
cynicism and dismiss the third meeting between Manny Pacquiao <i>(57-6-2,
38 KOs) </i>and Timothy Bradley <i>(33-1-1, 13 KOs)</i>, scheduled for April 9 at
the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, as unimportant or irrelevant.
Many fans are doing exactly that. The officially non-title, 12-round
bout is in danger of falling like a tree in the proverbial woods. It can
be persuasively argued that the now long-dead issue of who's superior
has been already twice decided. After two WBO championship fights, 24
relatively tepid rounds, one outrageous 2012 robbery, and then a clear
UD points victory for Pacquiao in 2014; I'd say Bradley can't beat
Pacquiao. <br />
<br />
But not so fast. This is boxing.<br />
<br />
Things evolve. They even
marinate. <br />
<br />
Believe it or not, Pacquiao-Bradley III is being
promoted by Bob Arum's Top Rank Boxing as their Filipino cash cow's swan
song, the final fight in a legendary career that began more than twenty
years and
20 pounds ago. Would Nebraska's Terence Crawford have been a more
intriguing opponent for Manny's North American finale? Sure, but that's
just how the
primaries of pugilism work. Not enough people in the grassroots of
boxing know who "Bud" Crawford is yet or believe that he would have
pulled enough votes in the "general election" of a pay-per-view
prizefight against Pacquiao. It's still all about the money and Bradley
makes more dollars and sense, or so Arum claims about this particular
cash-out. Looking to the future, the two-term Filipino
Congressman now has a seat in the Philippine Senate to run for
in 2016. After speaking out against homosexuals last month, even
Pacquiao's own promoter was forced to rebuke his homophobic, politically
pandering comments. Perhaps feeling a bit disenfranchised on Super
Tuesday III, Arum then came out publicly against American Presidential
candidate Donald Trump. In
a Super Tuesday press release to promote the Pacquiao-Bradley III
undercard, Top Rank included a curious "No Trump" campaign slogan to
publicize the international flavor of its undercard participants.
According to Arum's publicist Fred Sternburg, "Unlike Trump, we believe
in the American Dream and in America being a melting pot for
immigrants." <br />
<br />
"The undercard," Sternburg told me, "is a symbol of that." <br />
<br />
In
fact, fighters from no less than seven nations are represented on it,
including "King" Arthur Abraham versus Gilberto Ramirez for the WBO super
middleweight championship and Oscar Valdez versus Evgeny Gradovich at
featherweight. Mexico,
Russia, Ukraine, France, Lithuania, Germany, and Armenia are all
sending their best to America to compete on the world stage of a global
sport. <br />
<br />
Interesting. But what does the main event symbolize? That's very much open to interpretation.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0c9DGahHyre3SQlrzphZ-H9aNbv8nJR7xhdFP1ZAD_fo9C3VISmq9LknbEife6mlO8KpCd5W8iqZHOdDb4tbCEPeqwj0Tq_jfoPjPlAAGrWctlQLLhXQWlw-XkeZHAPYwbj6d4R_asaj/s1600/920x920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0c9DGahHyre3SQlrzphZ-H9aNbv8nJR7xhdFP1ZAD_fo9C3VISmq9LknbEife6mlO8KpCd5W8iqZHOdDb4tbCEPeqwj0Tq_jfoPjPlAAGrWctlQLLhXQWlw-XkeZHAPYwbj6d4R_asaj/s320/920x920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The first fight was an awful robbery</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To purists, the fight represents an encounter between the de facto #1 and
#2 rated welterweights in the world. Accordingly, it is being seen by
some as a box-off for the lineal world welterweight championship left
vacant by Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year when Mayweather retired
undefeated after decisioning Pacquiao. The Transnational Boxing Ratings
Board will presumably recognize the winner as new world welterweight
champion. The TBRB rates Pacquiao #1 and Bradley #2 at 147. That's easy
to understand. Ring Magazine ratings are a bit more difficult to fathom
with Kell Brook #1 and Pacquiao #2. The Ring rates Amir Khan #3 and
Bradley #4. The real problem here is that if Manny wins as expected, he
might also retire as expected and then leave the beltless welterweight title
"vacant" again. It's confusing, I know. But maybe you're one of those
fans who thinks the notion of a linear title is outdated and antiquated.
In any case, "the" welterweight title, such that it still exists, is a key reason why Pacquiao-Bradley III matters.<br />
<br />
To
others, it represents the first official meeting between trainers
Freddie Roach and Teddy Atlas. In boxing, competition among trainers is
as
fierce as anything you'll find in the ring and both chief seconds surely
want to achieve victory against the other for personal reasons. Atlas
refers to himself and his new pupil as "firemen" putting out fires. If
they can extinguish the final embers of Pacquiao's Hall of Fame career
and emerge as the last men standing from this apparently redundant
trilogy, all will not have been in vain. Roach, longtime trainer of
Pacquiao, has already taken verbal shots at Atlas for his unabashed love
of the spotlight. It's a charge Atlas doesn't deny. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniF-NmNuMaAHWPzU0oRwjqmJBl3UuRzTWzeTimk0UngrFNBs4-wwzmPeK1l-YOeUwS2zBFDQkCHIP13cTLfszUVZeYSkKiIhNpTQLnVb0bkPx2Ri6uvgmy-Pkej435k35vYB7_dbhXHKl/s1600/0876572001454977077_filepicker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniF-NmNuMaAHWPzU0oRwjqmJBl3UuRzTWzeTimk0UngrFNBs4-wwzmPeK1l-YOeUwS2zBFDQkCHIP13cTLfszUVZeYSkKiIhNpTQLnVb0bkPx2Ri6uvgmy-Pkej435k35vYB7_dbhXHKl/s320/0876572001454977077_filepicker.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Roach vs. Atlas: Part One</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Teddy might
very well be the most entertaining aspect of the show on April 9.<br />
<br />
It's
easy to imagine the trainer getting emotional in the corner while
willing Bradley to victory. It's also just as easy to see Atlas growing
frustrated with Bradley's limitations and resorting to the kinds of
tomfoolery and ballyhoo in the corner that made him so famous in the
first place. <br />
<br />
One other reason the match-up matters is the possibility of an unexpectedly great fight. Few envisioned Pacquiao's fateful fourth meeting with rival Juan Manuel
Marquez to be anything other than what the first three fights were;
tactical affairs won, lost, or drawn by inches. When it was least
expected, a Hagler-Hearns-esque war emerged from the apathetic response
of the boxing community to the announcement and promotion of a fourth fight. What if
after two fights and 24 rounds, Pacquiao and Bradley are done warming up
and are both ready to throw down and go for the knockout? It's a
strategy that Bradley attempted without success in the second fight.<br />
<br />
Following that humbling loss, I asked Bradley about where he went wrong.
"I
went in with the mindset that I had to knock him out to win," he told
me. "The plan was to outbox Pacquiao and everybody knew it,
even Pacquiao. I didn't do that. I went straight at him. I attacked him.
I had some success on attack but I could've been a lot better
in the late rounds if I'd taken my time." <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkyfNdpbolJW4uUXPPTC5Y_-YNyAUNyHUjNMYQ-E2Aq0zQHAZAotQWnZ1wu_0y0oFx4Yku3hTiMN3qgaF9o8Rq3knMuzLvpXxfoV7zfHN_f5vfURnEmb2a__0Ke-ZtBrB57r-KsyFuTS-/s1600/manny-pacquiao-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkyfNdpbolJW4uUXPPTC5Y_-YNyAUNyHUjNMYQ-E2Aq0zQHAZAotQWnZ1wu_0y0oFx4Yku3hTiMN3qgaF9o8Rq3knMuzLvpXxfoV7zfHN_f5vfURnEmb2a__0Ke-ZtBrB57r-KsyFuTS-/s320/manny-pacquiao-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Will Bradley be lured into another brawl?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
Fans
know one thing about "Desert Storm" Bradley. He likes to battle even
when he promises to box. It's in his nature to fight back hard and find
himself in the trenches like he did with Ruslan Provodnikov and Diego
Chaves. Or Bradley can box like he did when he outpointed
the great Marquez in 2013. If Pacquiao wants to go out in a
blaze of glory, Bradley will almost certainly be willing to oblige him,
particularly with the bombastic Atlas in his corner. If Manny's shoulder
is not fully healed from rotator-cuff surgery, that could also provide
Bradley with the opening he needs to avenge his only defeat and
entertain fans in the process. <br />
<br />
A legitimate Bradley victory
would help solidify his position as a top American pound for pound star
at a time when boxing's international stars are taking over the mythical
P4P list that's now headed by a Nicaraguan named Roman Gonzalez and a
Kazakh named Gennady Golovkin. A Pacquiao win would allow for Manny to
ride off into the sunset on a high note after the embarrassing 2015 defeat to
Mayweather and the 2012 knockout loss to Marquez.<br />
<br />
Or it might open the
door to more fights and more <i>money</i>. <br />
<br />
Either way, there is more at stake here than meets the eye. <br />
<br />
To be clear, Pacquiao-Bradley III matters. <br />
<br />
And now you know why.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/22113-the-evolution-of-a-trilogy-why-pacquiao-bradley-iii-matters" target="_blank"><i><b>Written by Jeffrey Freeman, originally published on The Sweet Science </b></i></a>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-3226243652084035712016-03-04T15:16:00.000-05:002016-03-20T10:05:29.998-04:00KO's Ringside Notes & Quotes XIII — Boxing Politics Now Trump Punches<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFea3yJ-C1o0MazS-BKQunj9g59XQBA2MU1iPytd_OyfsRr2r7DPbctO09f-e1ce7h5l3ZIViNixiM_hi0DGankuIEI88QcQ5M5_15_uDKJWNDrTxI3G35xiP3Hra0AJcCFHqBSqpfgKsX/s1600/manny-pacquiao-floyd-mayweather-berto-bored.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFea3yJ-C1o0MazS-BKQunj9g59XQBA2MU1iPytd_OyfsRr2r7DPbctO09f-e1ce7h5l3ZIViNixiM_hi0DGankuIEI88QcQ5M5_15_uDKJWNDrTxI3G35xiP3Hra0AJcCFHqBSqpfgKsX/s400/manny-pacquiao-floyd-mayweather-berto-bored.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bore-a-Phobia Pugilistica</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest </b></i><br />
<br />
Stop. Listen. Observe. Well? Do you feel that? Can you hear the silence?
Boxing has ground to a gradual halt. No good fights are really
happening in 2016. None have actually happened yet and it's already
March. The one good show boxing had scheduled, <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/thurmanporter?source=feed_text&story_id=1131745730210574"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">ThurmanPorter</span></a> was just postponed when <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/onetime?source=feed_text&story_id=1131745730210574"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">OneTime</span></a> got rear-ended. Nobody cares two shits about <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pacquiaobradley?source=feed_text&story_id=1131745730210574"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">PacquiaoBradley</span></a> III and Canelo Alvarez is shamelessly ducking Gennady Golovkin like Superman Stevenson flying away <span class="text_exposed_show">from Krusher Kovalev. <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/framptonquigg?source=feed_text&story_id=1131745730210574"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">FramptonQuigg</span></a> was damn near <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/klitschkofury?source=feed_text&story_id=1131745730210574"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">KlitschkoFury</span></a> II, another dud fight going absolutely nowhere fast. Is the <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pbc?source=feed_text&story_id=1131745730210574"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">PBC</span></a>
still around to oversaturate fans and media with filler bouts? Dude,
where's my sport? Where have the fight fans gone? </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">It was fun while it
lasted but it now seems to me that the exceptional run boxing was on
from 2011 to 2015 is officially over.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgCb_GaUDp0cBqD_hhRMPwOuShMXkGbukh8zy5RNlO6g26sZ06CemOLUyrtvdMiQgRGf-jcXrNfor2uM9uWzTE3hRWFT72V3K0BlgYG444K051RnAAneQ-6_o6J7vNiHByCr_TqU0TAtX/s1600/thurman-porter-crown-boxing-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgCb_GaUDp0cBqD_hhRMPwOuShMXkGbukh8zy5RNlO6g26sZ06CemOLUyrtvdMiQgRGf-jcXrNfor2uM9uWzTE3hRWFT72V3K0BlgYG444K051RnAAneQ-6_o6J7vNiHByCr_TqU0TAtX/s320/thurman-porter-crown-boxing-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>No Show Time</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><i>Some Other Time</i></b> — The Keith Thurman versus Shawn "Showtime" Porter
bout, originally scheduled for March 12 in Uncasville, Connecticut, has,
as we all know by now, been cancelled due to <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/onetime?source=feed_text&story_id=1126692437382570"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">OneTime</span></a>
being involved in a terribly unfortunate car crash. According to
reports, Thurman was knocked out of commission by the air bag
deployment. The whole DiBella card is now scrapped. When and where it
will be rescheduled is unknown at this time. Because I was planning to
live cover the <span class="text_exposed_show">WBA welterweight title
fight for <i>KO Digest</i>, I wrote a prediction for <i>RingTV Fight Picks</i>.
Obviously, it's not getting published now and I'm not so sure I'll feel
the same way about the match-up when it does get rescheduled. So,
without further ado <i>(what's ado and why can't we have more of it?) </i>here
is my original prediction for <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/thurmanporter?source=feed_text&story_id=1126692437382570"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">ThurmanPorter</span></a> had it gone off as expected:</span><br />
<br />
There's good reason why this
welterweight match-up is already viewed as a possible Fight of the Year
candidate with hopeful comparisons being made to Gatti-Ward I. Thurman
and Porter will be swapping leather at the same Mohegan Sun Casino in
Connecticut where Arturo and Micky first went to war in 2002. Something
tells me "One Time" and "Showtime" are both well aware of all this.<br />
Stylistically, Thurman-Porter is everything we want in a potentially
great boxing match with trilogy potential. Thurman, the well spoken
knockout artist (with underrated boxing skills) against Porter, a
fireplug fighter who comes forward all night long like Smokin' Joe Frazier. We
know that both 147 pounders can be hurt and that Porter can be outboxed.
Look for Thurman to pick his man off with the jab, survive the rough
spots inside, land a well timed "critical blow" that drops Porter late,
and win a competitive unanimous decision.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nzcpwFHmoY0_ejoXbV-9-RWKIOMK19usy2J767wTp1OfN_Y69m1CtLkrrbvcu94-QM3q6mUX9UOhIfufPOyaoXqG3RMFp1-k1fntoBZQWz1qnPNHvdAwNmXTzLhx88t9l171Idmij0aJ/s1600/griffith-paret-fight-580.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nzcpwFHmoY0_ejoXbV-9-RWKIOMK19usy2J767wTp1OfN_Y69m1CtLkrrbvcu94-QM3q6mUX9UOhIfufPOyaoXqG3RMFp1-k1fntoBZQWz1qnPNHvdAwNmXTzLhx88t9l171Idmij0aJ/s320/griffith-paret-fight-580.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Would Emile have killed Manny too?<br /> </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_56d9cda103f855f45829961">
<i><b>Pack It In Man</b></i> — It's a God Damned shame Orlando Cruz can't fight Manny Pacquiao instead of Timothy
Bradley April 9th on PPV in Sin City, USA.<br />
<br />
Pac and Brad have no beef to speak
of. Boxing's only openly gay pugilist would be an ideal<i> "grudge match"</i>
opponent for the homophobic "Pac Man" to bellend his career against if
Orlando wasn't so much smaller than Manny. As the PC world turns against
Pacquiao to bash him<span class="text_exposed_show"> for his
Biblically big mouth, one has to wonder how much more interesting this
would all be if the Filipino Congressman were facing off against a
homosexual rival determined to tear him a new asshole. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Think about it. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">The last time an angry gay boxer took out his frustrations on a hateful
homophobe, Emile Griffith killed Benny "Kid" Paret for calling him a "maricón" i.e. <i>a faggot</i>. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span>
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><u><b>KO Digest Quick Quotes:</b></u></i></span> </span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_56d9cda103f855f45829961">
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Problem child <b>Adrien Broner</b> talks about recently retired Floyd <b>"Money"</b> Mayweather </span><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">—</span></span> "Big bro Floyd is
gone. Everyone else is too boring so I'm taking over the sport. I'm very
fortunate to have someone like Floyd to look up to but I don't want to
be like Floyd. I admire him and respect him, but I'm creating my own
legacy. At the end of the day, Floyd and Ashley Theophane aren't on my
side. I'm against them. They're coming to dethrone me. They're my
enemies now and I'm going to beat Ashley down. There is nothing Floyd
can teach him."</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Hammered <b>Hank Lundy</b> on the Terence Crawford stoppage by referee Steve Willis </span><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">— "I don't think it should have been stopped." </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1tYFy9-J5hPsbxLINYSH3ZjVqYp_1T4SptaZf1s1RHNOROIno1OT2yrWmOXlLf5E3bQuRA_aqoSCvGUfaayAe6XYfWyY-CTbjfIJSuX2SjFeu5AiKjiAb0GplWQngYggk2HsE6G0gezK/s1600/IMG_6098%255B2%255D.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1tYFy9-J5hPsbxLINYSH3ZjVqYp_1T4SptaZf1s1RHNOROIno1OT2yrWmOXlLf5E3bQuRA_aqoSCvGUfaayAe6XYfWyY-CTbjfIJSuX2SjFeu5AiKjiAb0GplWQngYggk2HsE6G0gezK/s320/IMG_6098%255B2%255D.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The memory remains for Micky in Lowell Mass</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Comebacking former world welterweight champ <b>Zab Judah</b> talks to KO
Digest about fighting "Pride of Lowell" <b>Micky Ward</b> in 1998 —
"Micky was probably one of the toughest fights I had in my career. It
came at a time when I was only 15-0 as a pro and this guy was like a
legend. Everybody told me don't fight him. I went in there, fought
him and defeated him [by unanimous decision on ESPN Friday Night Fights]
but it was no easy task. I'll tell you that. Big shoutout to
Micky Ward."<br />
<br />
<i>Judah faces Josh Torres (15-4-2) in Vegas March 12. </i></div>
<br />
<u><i><b>"Knockout Night at the D" on CBS Sports Network</b></i></u><i><b>.</b></i><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">With professional boxing decidedly lacking of late, the KO Digest recently covered some amateur bouts close to home. Last month at the 70th Annual Golden Gloves in Lowell, Mass, the New
England Championship finals produced some good action in the thirteen matches put on at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on East Merrimack Street.
Irish Micky was in the house to support all the young pugilists
competing under the same roof where the <i>"Pride of Lowell"</i> once battled
as an amateur boxer and as a professional prizefighter. Memorial<span class="text_exposed_show">
trophy winners Gabriel "Tito" Morales<i> (novice class, 123 lbs. Portland,
Maine)</i> and Jamaine Ortiz Rodriguez <i>(open class, 141 lbs. Worcester,
Mass)</i> were named outstanding boxers of the tournament after their big
wins in the ring.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpohoG8xUlGU6ApKlzPhwH6mXC4Q536TU0N91Y36Q-yI0PTisj18h7rpsQ7R_Buim1q76NWkGLUJWfdiTubKG3h_7hSj9gZMfonMpLNAR1FFyCWMxn_J8bjIYcdcS-3BLt7FrSRWawBC6/s1600/IMG_6125%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpohoG8xUlGU6ApKlzPhwH6mXC4Q536TU0N91Y36Q-yI0PTisj18h7rpsQ7R_Buim1q76NWkGLUJWfdiTubKG3h_7hSj9gZMfonMpLNAR1FFyCWMxn_J8bjIYcdcS-3BLt7FrSRWawBC6/s200/IMG_6125%255B1%255D.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rocky Marciano trophy</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
The <b>Rocky
Marciano Trophy</b> was awarded to New England open class heavyweight
champion <i>Demek Edmonds of Worcester, Mass.</i> Edmonds defeated Jesus Flores
in one of the most action filled matches of the night to come away with
the gold. When I told Edmonds who else won that very same trophy
(twice) a few years ago <i>(Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev) </i>he was
shocked. The only thing missing from the night's bout sheet would have
been a couple more boxers from the world famous Lowell West End Gym in
the finals for local Lowell fans to cheer for. The only<i> "West Ender" </i>in action was 18 year-old <b>Nathan Rosa</b> (6-0) who won the novice class
141 lb. finals. There were no Lowell based boxers in the open class
finals, a disappointment.<br />
<br />
And finally, the William "Bill" Hoar Memorial Award for "Most
Outstanding Open Class Team" went to Team Western New England. Congratulations
to all. Winners now look ahead to Nationals in Salt Lake City, Utah<span class="text_exposed_show">. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">For the record, the KO Digest endorses <a href="https://www.rocky2016.com/" target="_blank">Rocky De La Fuente </a>(D) for President of the United States. </span></div>
Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-18788962403860430002016-02-21T20:18:00.000-05:002016-02-28T10:21:30.578-05:00KO's Ringside Notes & Quotes XII — What Will The "Fury Era" Look Like?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4iB1U0g0tpn7xqJYRlpnbIP5pRZ4sBCbhn5VSnDOu4F19DBMydpIp72qIlrBNP9BWWuRZ9hD9rZ8J5XrDU8_-G7h4xawLwixaP7tv8TDiKC1BaJqor3Cb1Mvo5YQCyyhame2f-P9OFJt/s1600/fury2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4iB1U0g0tpn7xqJYRlpnbIP5pRZ4sBCbhn5VSnDOu4F19DBMydpIp72qIlrBNP9BWWuRZ9hD9rZ8J5XrDU8_-G7h4xawLwixaP7tv8TDiKC1BaJqor3Cb1Mvo5YQCyyhame2f-P9OFJt/s400/fury2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hughie, Lewis, and the New</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest </b></i><br />
<br />
What kind of world heavyweight champion will Tyson
Fury be? Will he be like Leon Spinks, remembered most for upsetting an
all-time great heavyweight champion and then losing the title right back
to him in an immediate rematch? Or will he be like Michael Spinks by
winning the Wladimir Klitschko rematch (by boring decision) and then
getting blasted out by American Deontay Wilder? Will Fury be like his
namesake, Mike Tyson, a devastating champion (for a while) b<span class="text_exposed_show">ut
one who gets knocked out in a huge upset for the title? </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Perhaps Fury will be like "Buster" Douglas, a one-hit, upset wonder, and then KO by 3 David Haye in his very next fight? Or will he be
like Larry Holmes and go on to a lengthy reign with nearly 20 title
defenses? Come to think of it, if that's Fury's destiny, he also then
follows in the footsteps of the man he beat. Speaking of Klitschko, will
Fury be like Wladimir, not even the best Fury in the family? Could
Hughie be his Vitali? Or will Fury be like Muhammad Ali, a global
<i>(albeit controversial) </i>boxing superstar with a mouth that people pay <i>
(and pay again) </i>to see get shut? Or maybe Fury will be like Lennox
Lewis, the last heavyweight champion from the United Kingdom, a damn
good champ whose chin occasionally lets him down? </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxqM_fqoTDWqCNg95bh26xkiQUwww79ADoDox3Malo6jIDNfAVFKgD5qSkZQWD37A9u1_UaY7LqMyorpOVzmSagfUiA5y400W529gI5xsgGCaOd8W9PSE5hhGI-a7k824XTJXy4_lbE1mf/s1600/33388_golovkin_bjm680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxqM_fqoTDWqCNg95bh26xkiQUwww79ADoDox3Malo6jIDNfAVFKgD5qSkZQWD37A9u1_UaY7LqMyorpOVzmSagfUiA5y400W529gI5xsgGCaOd8W9PSE5hhGI-a7k824XTJXy4_lbE1mf/s320/33388_golovkin_bjm680.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Triple G</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Knockout Artist —</b></i> It's been almost 8 years since a professional
prizefighter of any kind has gone the distance with World Middleweight
Champion Gennady Golovkin. The date was June 21, 2008. The place was
Brøndby Hall in Denmark. The opponent was a Frenchman named Amar Amari.
By some stroke of divine intervention, Amari was able to go the 8 round
distance with a then 12-0 GGG despite the fact that in 27 pro bouts,
Amari was stopped not once or twice but FIVE times. Amari fought only
thrice more after his 15 minutes of fame, winning one of three (all 3X
by decision) before disappearing from the sport only to become "famous"
later for not getting knocked out by the hardest puncher he ever faced.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Deutschland Raub —</i></b> If Felix Sturm won another ABC middleweight title at
home in the deep dark woods of Germany but nobody was there to care
about the bad decision, would his victory make a sound? That's what
happened 2/20/16 when Sturm defeated Fedor Chudinov by dodgy decision
for the WBA 168 lb. "super" title. The year 2004 was a long time ago but
that's when Sturm had his most meaningful bout, a controversial
decision loss to future Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya. Everybody knows
Sturm beat the "Golden Boy" but that's boxing politics. Sturm's boxing
record is now littered with so many ripoffs, it's hard to keep track of
when he was the victim and/or when he was the beneficiary of a robbery.<br />
<br />
And we wonder why people don't follow boxing like they used to. They
can't.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZ19ZsO_gBHZrIEPNkVazqFx0yPLxuOXAg8hPSgGWGczAJS8V8bTVmoylB2h_UMh0ZjHycCC91rnacJgd5XBGZzrkF9AyoZDpM9oAIPvJ2N9tvPbBsOikdbEoRrmfaznpiPtux8E00Z0Q/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZ19ZsO_gBHZrIEPNkVazqFx0yPLxuOXAg8hPSgGWGczAJS8V8bTVmoylB2h_UMh0ZjHycCC91rnacJgd5XBGZzrkF9AyoZDpM9oAIPvJ2N9tvPbBsOikdbEoRrmfaznpiPtux8E00Z0Q/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>About Bigmouths</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>No Problem Fool —</b></i> The just announced <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/bronertheophane?source=feed_text&story_id=1123683964350084"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">BronerTheophane</span></a> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pbc?source=feed_text&story_id=1123683964350084"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">PBC</span></a>
fight on April Fools Day in Washington D.C. interests me for no other
reason than to hear these two fighters talk some good old fashioned USA
vs. UK trash. I can't speak to the fight itself. It's an odd pairing. I
pity the fool who cares too much about it. But the promotion should be
fun for me as a boxing writer. Both of these 140 pound egomaniacs posses the gift of gab. That's
another way of saying they each have huge pieholes. How hug<span class="text_exposed_show">e?
The late great Morton Downey Jr. ain't got nothing on either of these
bigmouths. Broner's yap is well known. I got an earful of Theophane
during media activities for his 2013 loss to Pablo Cesar Cano on the <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/mayweathercanelo?source=feed_text&story_id=1123683964350084"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">MayweatherCanelo</span></a>
undercard. I actually liked what I heard, wanted to hear more, and
think you probably will too. KO's real question is, will AB and Ashley talk
better than they fight? We'll all know the answer soon enough.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmw6wYz8bnSm0ZEzlNt8xLct2JinaR4BminRM6vvoggZCwPkaO22H0WoPdLnILcO0V3YoOTTIBBywTc54C9pOmsqpHh-3KK8q6LjgcNmG0zUKfxZd5TyusLwY9fSI5zevtRSFesnwsZc2v/s1600/MAK_1007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmw6wYz8bnSm0ZEzlNt8xLct2JinaR4BminRM6vvoggZCwPkaO22H0WoPdLnILcO0V3YoOTTIBBywTc54C9pOmsqpHh-3KK8q6LjgcNmG0zUKfxZd5TyusLwY9fSI5zevtRSFesnwsZc2v/s320/MAK_1007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Do you see what I see Tommy?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="caption"><i><b>Illegal U Turn — </b></i>Recently re-retired Boston bad
boy Danny "Dropkick" O'Connor and members of the New York Police
Department now have something in common. Both have been beaten up by
<i>"light punching" </i>Brooklyn Brawler Gabriel "Tito" Bracero. Last October
in Lowell, Mass, Bracero did a beatdown job on <i>Danny </i>in 41 seconds flat that sent
O'Connor straight to the hospital. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="caption">It was reported by the New
York Post that Bracero allegedly put the proverbial boots to some NY
boys in blue after they pulled "Tito" over for driving while <i>punch drunk</i>
on his way home from a marijuana dispensary. Bracero, whose criminal
rap sheet is as long as Deontay Wilder's jab, has been overcharged with a
litany of other minor offenses. Where Bracero goes from here is up in the air like smoke. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>Tappin' Out Like Father Like Daughter </b></i>— When the hottest thing about<i>
"ultimate"</i> cage fighting is that their over-hyped and totally exposed media creation
Ronda Rousey supposedly thought about killing herself after a KO loss
to a talented boxer named Holly Holm, well folks, that's a dying <i>"sport"</i> that
can't kick the bucket fast enough as far as I'm concerned. Boxing wins. Human cockfighting loses. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwTxYDeHTSSNpQhymiQdy8vk7_CtJs5p7f3A8H-rRD6x6a7Mj0BwcBqxzK7dzM1mQD6nZmbhgcuHqmmnKLrnFY6G8_qUiRHIbEele95RYEJZMJmo1l8tFcV42iM6WY6cD30PSI7gJ5sxQ/s1600/Golovkin-Wade-Liam-Brady.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwTxYDeHTSSNpQhymiQdy8vk7_CtJs5p7f3A8H-rRD6x6a7Mj0BwcBqxzK7dzM1mQD6nZmbhgcuHqmmnKLrnFY6G8_qUiRHIbEele95RYEJZMJmo1l8tFcV42iM6WY6cD30PSI7gJ5sxQ/s320/Golovkin-Wade-Liam-Brady.png" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>CANELO VS. GGG better be next</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b><i>Middleweight Dominic Wade</i><br /> </b></u><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ten Facts About GGG's Next Opponent:</b> </span><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>1. "The Blade" is 18-0 with 12 knockouts. <br /> 2. He's 25 years old from Maryland, USA.<br /> 3. Was trained by the respected Barry Hunter.<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> 4. He beat the underrated Dashon Johnson.<br /> 5. Decisioned Sam Soliman to earn his shot.<br /> 6. Is the I.B.F. #1 mandatory middleweight.<br /> 7. Pro debut in 2009, was inactive in 2012.<br /> 8. Beat Edwin Rodriguez in the amateurs. <br /> 9. Signed with PBC big boss Al Haymon.<br /> 10. 100-1 underdog against <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/ggg?source=feed_text&story_id=1122390891146058"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">GGG</span></a> 4/23.</span></i></span></span>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-22981081059008716352016-02-09T09:12:00.000-05:002016-02-09T12:42:27.260-05:00KO's Ringside Notes & Quotes XI — The KOD Kayfabe Knockout Edition<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUalMmkh-xzH3xEqw7tX6wSmNcRiRIPdGfKURVCKS_eiTEXNtDG-KOgcj8iEtU3ESDJiDTg5nFmp01bWpKYLg889VzmS7hvcHZeVzJheEiotvcmeRxeO8zOKDoM3ueeJ9yzL2OdXD9gQSy/s1600/kickedinthedick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUalMmkh-xzH3xEqw7tX6wSmNcRiRIPdGfKURVCKS_eiTEXNtDG-KOgcj8iEtU3ESDJiDTg5nFmp01bWpKYLg889VzmS7hvcHZeVzJheEiotvcmeRxeO8zOKDoM3ueeJ9yzL2OdXD9gQSy/s320/kickedinthedick.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Like a kick in the nuts</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>If pro wrestling was "real" I'd write more "spoof" stories like this one:</i><br />
<br />
<b>Vince McMahon Declares: </b><b>‘Bret Gave Bret Prostate Cancer</b>!<b>’</b><br />
<br />
<i>By Freeman 'The Fabulous' Freebird</i><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<b>Stamford, Connecticut </b>— The world reacted to the terrible news with compassion and sympathy.
But as wrestling fans the world over know, WWE owner Vince McMahon is
neither compassionate nor sympathetic.<br />
<br />
When word of Bret Hart's
cancer diagnosis reached McMahon via social media last week just hours
after Hart's heartfelt posting was shared online by McMahon's son-in-law Paul
"Triple H" Levesque following another grueling <i>(but successful)</i> WWE world title defense, the
stone cold boss of World Wrestling Entertainment had this to say about
the "Hitman" he so infamously screwjobbed in Montreal: "I have not, nor
will I ever forgive Bret Hart for spitting that disgusting,
non-gimmicked loogie in my face. Some of it even dripped into my mouth.
Look, I'm sorry that Bret screwed up his own prostate by insisting on
the Sharpshooter as his finishing maneuver. I tried to warn him many, many times that it would have long-term health consequences for his bread basket but
he refused to listen to me or to the 'Heartbreak Kid' Shawn Michaels."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnVlBBnMO6aojgUWMxynj87b2W72_Vah8-cNzghXs0-g1R6STSri0Vl9hi3-ctn5soQ5LqiMyXq8v6EorHW0Ish5Ln5l4EPoXQHDFGrr3lvnGtVM-2r04thgpyPy0ioZefKNv8hu6ZZG8/s1600/1297732195197_ORIGINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnVlBBnMO6aojgUWMxynj87b2W72_Vah8-cNzghXs0-g1R6STSri0Vl9hi3-ctn5soQ5LqiMyXq8v6EorHW0Ish5Ln5l4EPoXQHDFGrr3lvnGtVM-2r04thgpyPy0ioZefKNv8hu6ZZG8/s200/1297732195197_ORIGINAL.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>RIP Rowdy Roddy</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"I have no sympathy whatsoever for Bret," re-emphasized McMahon from his family compound. <br />
<br />
"Bret has always done whatever the hell Bret wanted to do and now it's
time for him to pay the piper," bellowed a rowdy McMahon from the pit of his
stomach. Asked by this reporter if he or the WWE bears any
responsibility for Hart's present condition, McMahon grew angry and
adamant while steroid filled veins bulged from his 80 year-old chicken
neck: "As an excellent sports entertainment executor, I am the best
there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. The truth
is that Bret gave Bret prostate cancer by being such a world class
championship dick!"<br />
<br />
"Nobody ever kicked out of Mr. Perfect's
Perfect-Plex but I did," Tweeted Bret from treatment. <br />
<br />
"I can pin cancer, stage one, two, three," #HashtagHart
promised his loyal, sunglass wearing fans.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9-x6pCNXZ1x_u9m0HBLAxjFsrae1dmApKa5tybsQb8URay4sr1QVIE0LuQERa1hf34qZo6GGY6nDMoH1CWESvkjbuPmD3TCXozIYpaQCIkF4MYGDERVRFVE1I6TX82UuwTpByVJ9AUd9/s1600/ggg-mexico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9-x6pCNXZ1x_u9m0HBLAxjFsrae1dmApKa5tybsQb8URay4sr1QVIE0LuQERa1hf34qZo6GGY6nDMoH1CWESvkjbuPmD3TCXozIYpaQCIkF4MYGDERVRFVE1I6TX82UuwTpByVJ9AUd9/s320/ggg-mexico.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mexican Style </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Hashtag Khanelo </b></i>— The recent Golden Boy Promotion announcement of <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/canelokhan?source=feed_text&story_id=1114191921965955"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">CaneloKhan</span></a>
for May 7 seemed to come out of nowhere. I was as surprised as anybody
to find out that <i>"world middleweight champion"</i> Saul Canelo Alvarez would be
defending his newly won Ring Magazine and WBC 155 pound <i>catchweight</i>
titles for the first time against a chinny welterweight with two
knockout losses at the hands of super lightweights.<br />
<br />
This must be what newly sober promoter Oscar De La Hoya calls <i>"marination" </i>for <span class="text_exposed_show">a
fall (down) match-up with wrecking ball Gennady Golovkin. I'll believe it only when I
see it in the ring. Don't expect that unification super-fight to come
out of nowhere. Expect it to go nowhere. Fast. Like a few other boxing
<i>"dream fights"</i> that fight fans won't be seeing anytime soon, <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/gggcanelo?source=feed_text&story_id=1114191921965955"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">GGGCanelo</span></a>
doesn't make enough dollars or enough sense to the hombres who control
Canelo and who make mucho dinero off their red-headed Mexican star.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>Show Me State</b></i> — The first time I got a live look at future IBF
heavyweight champion of the world Charles "Missouri" Martin, it was on a
ridiculously hot summer day in July of 2013 at Rockingham Park in
Salem, NH. I was ringside to cover the ESPN Friday Night Fights card for
KO Digest. Martin stopped somebody named Aaron Kinch in four rounds on
the non-televised undercard. More than anything Martin did in the ring, I
couldn't help but notice his trainer Henry Tillman of Mike T<span class="text_exposed_show">yson
fame. Notably older and heavier, I barely recognized Tillman but it was
nice to see him in the "Live Free or Die" state. Hank Lundy beat Ajose
Olusegun in the main event and "Polish Prince" Ryan Kielczewski scored a
sensational knockout of Miguel Sosa. On this night, Marlon Hayes made
more of an impression (in defeat against Alexis Santos) than Martin ever
did in victory. Today, Martin's a "world champion" in the resurgent post-Klit heavyweight division.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOh5Wvu7QqB4ZIFISqzvtAmkPA7vyodCKZwYC0Q5sF7vIWEGW-VIHsqk4UrXCgW4fXCyVnw3GTmRPl-9MoFkRn62YOXDVpViXfo6xfbZBl5LgNFLuR_tFD69nIifvHehEPFL7fnAEIT5gT/s1600/hqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOh5Wvu7QqB4ZIFISqzvtAmkPA7vyodCKZwYC0Q5sF7vIWEGW-VIHsqk4UrXCgW4fXCyVnw3GTmRPl-9MoFkRn62YOXDVpViXfo6xfbZBl5LgNFLuR_tFD69nIifvHehEPFL7fnAEIT5gT/s200/hqdefault.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Son of God before resurrection</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">Super middleweight <b>Darnell "Deezol" Boone</b> talks to the KO Digest<a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/kodigest?source=feed_text&story_id=1109932919058522"><span class="_58cm"></span></a> about the experience of fighting <i>(and knocking down)</i> a young Andre Ward in a
six round decision loss in 2005 — "I said “I want to fight this guy. I
can beat him.” No sooner did I say that, two or three months later it
came about. I knew I could beat this dude. I believe I beat him,
everybody that was there thought I beat him, and he knew I beat him.
Ward was hurt with an uppercut, straight right hand. The referee gave
him a delayed count, he got up, and he stayed away from me. First three
rounds, he won slightly. Second three I win, then I won the fight with
the knockdown but you know how boxing politics are." </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">The late, great, cigar chompin' Boxing Hall of Fame writing hero <b>Bert Randolph Sugar</b> held cage fighting in contempt —
"It's really just bad boxing combined with one guy sitting on top of another guy,
punching him in the face. Where's the martial part? Where are the arts?"</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">They're in the professional wrestling ring Bert. </span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span></span>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest </b></i></div>
Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-60649816500191265512016-01-07T16:50:00.002-05:002016-01-20T14:56:10.939-05:00The Fifth Annual KO Digest Year End Boxing Awards & 2015 Year-in-Review <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMhq_kHZSWGseswtpns6Lbw-K9os_Y4lf0l6Lr9s1uVQWNw7XVj1WvW1gZ-PFTtkt-u5vIuFY-scrK1UlHNd2X49pKAQq3NB-4StTsjJEUG1NPIeG3h5c6d4AEgNFEhXNDSC3lscahHF7/s1600/PBC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMhq_kHZSWGseswtpns6Lbw-K9os_Y4lf0l6Lr9s1uVQWNw7XVj1WvW1gZ-PFTtkt-u5vIuFY-scrK1UlHNd2X49pKAQq3NB-4StTsjJEUG1NPIeG3h5c6d4AEgNFEhXNDSC3lscahHF7/s400/PBC.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Next Big Thing</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman</b></i> — For the Sweet Science, the calendar year 2015 was one of finality and transition. Last May, Floyd Mayweather Jr. finally faced Manny Pacquiao <i>(and Andre Berto)</i> before transitioning into retirement with a perfect record of 49-0. The #MayPac money grab was like the Super Bowl without the thrills, one big commercial for the future commercialization of boxing. Mayweather might well have been saying <i>"goodbye"</i> but the sport he left behind is now saying <i>"hello"</i> to a new generation of fighters and fans. As a combat sport in recovery from self-inflicted wounds, boxing spent 2015 getting back to its mainstream roots. Beginning last March and continuing through the past year and into the foreseeable future, boxing is back in the hands of the masses. NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, ESPN, SpikeTV, and even the "BOUNCE" channel all got in on the action. In 2015, boxing was everywhere you looked.<br />
<br />
Al Haymon's revolutionary Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) platform took the sport's old guard by storm and the results have been encouraging for the restoration of boxing as something that <i>Regular Joe</i> sports fans still care about. Then in November, Wladimir Klitschko lost the unified World Heavyweight Championship to a verbose British <i>Traveller</i> named Tyson Fury. Their title bout in Düsseldorf was awfully boring but the decade long Klitschko stranglehold on the heavyweight division is finally over.<br />
<br />
King Klitschko was ultimately checkmated by little feints and long jabs. Long live the <i>furious</i> new Gypsy King.<i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>Let the young get onto the old... </i><br />
<br />
The KO Digest rings a final 10-count for those lost in 2015. May they rest in peace. <i><span data-offset-key="339cb-0-0"><span data-text="true">Promoter Cedric Kushner. Hall of Famers Harold Johnson, Gene Fullmer, and Bob Foster. Referee Frank Cappuccino. Welterweight Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis. Heavyweight Carmine Vingo. 1976 Gold Medalist Howard Davis Jr. Undisputed cruiserweight champ O'Neil Bell. BWAA member Matthew Hurley.</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="339cb-0-0"><span data-text="true">Congratulations to <i>La Familia de Camacho</i> for the Boxing Hall of Fame election of their late, great Hector "Macho" Camacho. </span></span><i> </i><br />
<br />
With fallen greatness in mind, let's now turn our attention to the best & biggest things in boxing last year.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>KO Digest 2015 Upset of the Year: <i>Tyson Fury UD12 Wladimir Klitschko</i></b></u></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23vV3iqa8G3TYG7f6g-CmL9Skm0sxDdzwZiUwKSwzLeDhmHLWkU2WiUzCW_OT3kWbGklCUaxkJWa3w7xssSBodxt3i4h6diO9yya6xHO-gq9_Wt0JXlAntQ-Hwk-_ES0sMr1IzIu1jK0G/s1600/_84404178_gettyimages-481473474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23vV3iqa8G3TYG7f6g-CmL9Skm0sxDdzwZiUwKSwzLeDhmHLWkU2WiUzCW_OT3kWbGklCUaxkJWa3w7xssSBodxt3i4h6diO9yya6xHO-gq9_Wt0JXlAntQ-Hwk-_ES0sMr1IzIu1jK0G/s320/_84404178_gettyimages-481473474.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Who's upset now Wlad?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The truth is that most people in boxing thought of challenger Tyson Fury as a clown and champion Wladimir Klitschko as a boring but consistent winner. The <i>"unbeatable"</i> Klitschko represented professionalism and dignity. Fury represented recklessness and outspokenness. "I'm going to lick this Klit," promised Fury in a Batman cape & cowl left over from a bad Halloween party. The unexpected result of their November 28 mashup in Germany turned all that stinkin' thinking on its ear and provided our world with the heavyweight champion it needs, though not necessarily the one it wants. Fury is a talker, and a singer too as it turns out. For too long now, the heavyweight champion of the world has been a quiet, misunderstood (<i>and under appreciated</i>) figure from the Ukraine. Today, the world heavyweight champion is an undefeated 6'9 Brit named after Mike Tyson. No other upset in 2015 comes close to the kind of impact that Fury's upset victory had, not just on Klitschko, but on boxing itself. For the record, the former champion has exercised his immediate rematch clause and "Dr. Steelhammer" promises that defeat is <i>"not an option"</i> in the inevitable 2016 sequel with Fury.<br />
<br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><b>Best of the Rest: </b><i>Danny Jacobs TKO1 Peter Quillin, Badou Jack SD12 George Groves</i></span><br />
<br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Hey man, some miracles are happening in American boxing, so good it's a bad union Jack.</span><br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"> </span><i> </i><br />
<a href="http://fitefansho.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-fourth-annual-ko-digest-year-end.html" target="_blank"><u><b><i>2</i><i>014 Winner:</i></b></u> <i>Rogelio Medina KO3 J'Leon Love</i></a><br />
<b><u><i>2013 Winner</i></u><i>:</i></b> <i>Jhonny Gonzalez TKO1 Abner Mares</i><br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><i><b><u>2012 Winner</u>:</b> <i>Josesito Lopez TKO9 Victor Ortiz </i><br />
<b><u>2011 Winner</u>:</b><i> Orlando Salido TKO8 Juan Manuel Lopez </i></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b><span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">2015 Knockout of the Year: <i>Gabe "Tito" Bracero KO1 Danny O'Connor</i></span></b></u></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4jy5dCpUtqJd128FYFVwT0msaT-oSEAijcsF3e-fKZn18WZM5gaVVPocBWZYuDQ5toxc2eTDidpS3oCgTqZymzd_oQ-EE528hR8j9KXJ2kYAgoCo-1ng1unLnNlpp_5_6m98g4WwT6aO/s1600/KOO.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4jy5dCpUtqJd128FYFVwT0msaT-oSEAijcsF3e-fKZn18WZM5gaVVPocBWZYuDQ5toxc2eTDidpS3oCgTqZymzd_oQ-EE528hR8j9KXJ2kYAgoCo-1ng1unLnNlpp_5_6m98g4WwT6aO/s400/KOO.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Blackout Boulevard in Lowell Mass </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">On October 10, in Lowell, Mass</span> on NBC network TV, in front of Bobby Orr, Sugar Ray Leonard, Irish Micky Ward<i> (and the world)</i> <i>"hometown favorite"</i> Danny O'Connor (Framingham) got put to sleep from the first good punch of the main event by <i>"light-hitting"</i> New Yorker Gabriel Bracero. A rematch of a 2011 distance encounter won by Bracero, this thing was over in less than a minute. When a counter right hand from Bracero impacted his head like a bullet, O'Connor's body hit the mat with a sickening thud. There was pure shock in the small Mill City auditorium as Bracero calmly celebrated like a man in the midst of his own redemption. While Danny lay stricken on his back with arms outstretched, referee Arthur Mercante Jr. waved a halt and called for help. </span><span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">O'Connor was sent to nearby Lowell General Hospital. </span>What ultimately happened was the least likely result expected from this PBC pairing of Bracero and O'Connor. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">It was the 2015 KO Digest Knockout of the Year, and<a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/21564-qlight-hittingq-bracero-scores-possible-ko-of-2015-over-oconnor" target="_blank"> I covered all 41 seconds of it live from press row for The Sweet Science. </a></span><br />
<br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><b><u>Best of the Rest</u>:</b> <i>Canelo Alvarez KO3 James Kirkland, Krzysztof Glowacki KO11 Marco Huck </i></span><br />
<br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Predictable but still a very Hagler-Hearns-esque KO, late round TV heroics for the Pole on PBC. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://fitefansho.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-fourth-annual-ko-digest-year-end.html" target="_blank"><i><span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><b><u>2014 Winner:</u></b> Andy Lee KO5 John Jackson </span></i></a><br />
<div style="text-indent: 2px;">
<i><b><u>2013 Winner</u>:</b> Deontay Wilder KO1 Sergei Liakhovich<b><u> </u></b></i></div>
<i>
<b><u>2012 Winner</u>:</b> Juan Manuel Marquez KO6 Manny Pacquiao<br />
<b><u>2011 Winner</u>: </b>Floyd Mayweather KO4 Victor Ortiz </i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>The Round of the Year: <i>Edwin Rodriguez vs. Michael Seals (Round 1)</i></b></u></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaP_j4C9sPN7v1GX4MQNeociLOhyphenhyphenxpcfN6QOtqKl82HGJQVRxfLohvF0oOhTrK4J9GQL9gBlT5XgYrkcjvCmPXLp0FPXZJfLG7edn4a1YMNXvhhDgXtLhTYJOtHxyCKjcopr-Eb6uyrFcl/s1600/rodriguez-vs-seals-0206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaP_j4C9sPN7v1GX4MQNeociLOhyphenhyphenxpcfN6QOtqKl82HGJQVRxfLohvF0oOhTrK4J9GQL9gBlT5XgYrkcjvCmPXLp0FPXZJfLG7edn4a1YMNXvhhDgXtLhTYJOtHxyCKjcopr-Eb6uyrFcl/s320/rodriguez-vs-seals-0206.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wild opening Round of the Year in Mississippi</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since his disappointing 2013 decision loss to world super middleweight champion Andre Ward, Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriquez has been in comeback mode in the larger light heavyweight division. Rodriguez hopes to land a title shot against champion Adonis "Superman" Stevenson. Both power punchers are connected to Al Haymon's PBC so the match-up seems like a natural for all involved. On November 13 in Biloxi, Mississippi, the unheralded Michael Seals (19-1, 14 KOs) nearly upset the best laid plans of mice and men. When the opening bell rang on SpikeTV, "La Bomba" came out bombing. Rodriquez's wide punches were finding their mark but they were also leaving the <i>"Pride of Worcester"</i> wide open for the improvised explosive devices that Seals was more than happy to detonate on Edwin's <i>(thought to be solid)</i> chin. Rodriguez scored the first knockdown early in the first round with a looping right hand. Seals went down on his face and it looked like Rodriguez (28-1, 19 KOs) would roll on to yet another knockout victory.<br />
<br />
This is when things got very interesting.<br />
<br />
Seals got up and with Rodriguez getting careless in an effort to finish the fight, the 33 year-old underdog from Atlanta became the first fighter to conclusively knock Rodriguez down, courtesy of a left hook. Rodriguez got up and kept right on trying to finish off Seals with right hand bombs. Trapped in a corner late in the round, Seals bounced a right off the head of Rodriguez and "La Bomba" was down again, and in serious trouble. Again, Rodriguez beat the count <i>(more slowly than before)</i> but what in the hell was happening here? Fortunately for Rodriguez, the round ended before Seals could do any more damage. A great opening round gave way to a hell of a good fight and Rodriguez scored two more knockdowns <i>(in the second and third rounds) </i>before the fight was stopped in his favor.<br />
<br />
For three dramatic minutes on free TV, Rodriguez and Seals gave boxing the best single round of 2015. <br />
<br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><b><u>Best of the Rest</u>: </b><i>James DeGale UD12 Lucian Bute (Round 12)</i></span> <br />
<br />
Outstanding title fight in Canada capped off by a frenzied final round of pure punching action. <br />
<br />
<u><b>2014 Winner:</b></u> <i>Juan Manuel Lopez vs Daniel Ponce De Leon II Round 2 </i><br />
<b><u>2013 Winner</u>: </b><i>Mickey Bey vs John Molina Round 10</i><br />
<b style="text-decoration: underline;">2012 Winner</b><b>:</b> <i>Sergio Martinez vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Round 12 </i><br />
<b><u>2011 Winner</u>: </b><i>James Kirkland vs Alfredo Angulo Round 1</i> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>The KO Digest 2015 Fighter of the Year: <i>Gennady "GGG" Golovkin</i></b></u></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonre0JbFqI_MwhUouGQliGokU8cRGVZq5aQBu0xPxuai5DsgatXAedUy-d-5xKEC5LofpsOViV74aIvdDoD42Ply_HdGjNrygDvNCwjM-Z9K5hU-OL91UI5FAIJba8r55ERLi88CDzwNJ/s1600/la-sp-boxing-golovkin-lemieux-20151018.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonre0JbFqI_MwhUouGQliGokU8cRGVZq5aQBu0xPxuai5DsgatXAedUy-d-5xKEC5LofpsOViV74aIvdDoD42Ply_HdGjNrygDvNCwjM-Z9K5hU-OL91UI5FAIJba8r55ERLi88CDzwNJ/s320/la-sp-boxing-golovkin-lemieux-20151018.jpe" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Golovkin made a real mess of Lemieux's face</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The "Triple G" knockout streak continued in 2015. It's up to 21 in a row now and that includes 15 successful defenses of the WBA middleweight title. Boxing sensation Gennady Golovkin went 3-0 with 3 KOs in the past twelve months, solidifying himself as the best middleweight in the world and as one of the elite pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. Golovkin also made his pay-per-view debut at a sold out Madison Square Garden in October when he beat up David Lemieux to add the IBF 160 pound title belt to his growing collection of middleweight hardware. Ever the busy champion, Golovkin started the<i> "year that was"</i> in Monaco against Martin Murray. In 2013, Murray gave then-champion Sergio Martinez a good run for his money in Argentina, losing a controversial <i>(hometown)</i> decision in the rain. The brave Brit was no match for Golovkin however, falling in eleven one-sided rounds. Then in May, in Inglewood, California at the famed Forum, Golovkin took on 29 year-old Willie Monroe Jr., daring the young gun to hit him with his best shots before finishing off the great nephew of Willie Monroe <i>(1976 conqueror of Marvin Hagler)</i> in the sixth.<br />
<br />
When Canelo Alvarez beat Miguel Cotto in November for the now catchweight compromised <i>"linear"</i> title, Golovkin's 2016 mandate became clear. Golovkin vs. Canelo is the biggest fight in boxing and it looks like we'll see it in the fall.<br />
<br />
The 2015 Fighter of the Year is now 34-0, with 31 KOs.<br />
<br />
Is there anyone on this planet to even challenge him? Maybe Saúl. <br />
<br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><b><u>Best of the Rest</u>: </b><i>Canelo Alvarez, Floyd Mayweather, Tyson Fury </i> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Alvarez beat Kirkland and Cotto, Floyd Jr. finally beat Manny Pacquiao, and Tyson Fury upset Klitschko. </span><br />
<span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>The 2015 Fight of the Year: <i>Lucas Matthysse MD12 Ruslan Provodnikov</i></b></u></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqn78KUeu0vFk0069dcT4XQ6azMoUMebNHWPiLDXTYv7K7PPJSjKoZp9PwQoMWVEDcOVSaA5W8zVgiEFs9_hRBKwn3ITqNLH658gWtwm-5oHGyOKZXJYpwL9qD-e-GKVAoGB-H_YhyQWK/s1600/Lucas-Matthysse-vs.-Ruslan-Provodnikov-Edit-by-John-Garita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqn78KUeu0vFk0069dcT4XQ6azMoUMebNHWPiLDXTYv7K7PPJSjKoZp9PwQoMWVEDcOVSaA5W8zVgiEFs9_hRBKwn3ITqNLH658gWtwm-5oHGyOKZXJYpwL9qD-e-GKVAoGB-H_YhyQWK/s320/Lucas-Matthysse-vs.-Ruslan-Provodnikov-Edit-by-John-Garita.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Matthysse wins the Fight of the Year in Verona, NY</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Instead of boring you with a long winded recap of this incredible prizefight which you've obviously seen several times already on HBO, I'm going to leave you with my KO Digest prediction for the fight which ran on <a href="http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/386451-fight-picks-who-wins-ruslan-provodnikov-vs-lucas-matthysse" target="_blank">RingTV Fight Picks:</a><br />
<br />
<i><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true">How do you pick a winner when Godzilla fights Mechagodzilla? Expectations are understandably high for this creature feature and it’s not hard to see why. Both fighters pack power and seem to enjoy wreaking havoc. My gut tells me that Lucas Matthysse is a little bit better technically but that Ruslan Provodnikov can take more abuse before folding or falling. “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots” this will be from the opening bell. If both guys have to get up from knockdowns, don’t be too surprised. When the dust settles, boxing will have its first proper “Fight of the Year” candidate for 2015 and Matthysse will have a close split decision win after staggering to the finish line under assault from a late Provodnikov rally.</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true">Now don't get me wrong, I know there were no knockdowns and that the decision in favor of Mattysse was of the majority variety rather than the split type, but that pre-fight prediction is more or less exactly how the 2015 Fight of the Year went down, including the crowd electrifying late rally from Provodnikov. <a href="http://fitefansho.blogspot.com/2015/04/ringside-report-lucas-matthysse-busts.html" target="_blank">From my seat in press row, I was privileged to witness the best pure fistfight of the year, an absolute slobberknocker won by Matthysse.</a> At the post-fight press conference, the evidence of such a brutal display was visible on the grotesquely mangled face of the brawler known as <i>"Siberian Rocky." </i>Six months later, in October, Matthysse paid the price for his physically taxing victory when he was surprisingly stopped in eleven rounds by relative unknown Viktor "Iceman" Postol. </span></span><br />
<br />
The upset loss to Postol cooled off Mattysse's 2015 buzz but the <i>"Machine"</i> won its unforgettable Fight of the Year. <i><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true"> </span></span></i><br />
<br />
<u><b><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true">Best of the Rest</span></span></b></u><b><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true">: </span></span></b><i><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true">Canelo KO3 James Kirkland, Francisco Vargas TKO9 Takashi Miura, </span></span><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Krzysztof Glowacki KO11 Marco Huck</span></span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Houston we had a great fight, featherweights Vargas and Miura went to war, </span></span></span><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span class="ecxuserContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Glowacki ended Huck's long cruiserweight reign.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<u><b>2</b></u><i><u><b><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true">014 Winner</span></span></b></u><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b>:</b></span></span><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b> </b>Terence Crawford TKO9 Yuriorkis Gamboa</span></span></i><br />
<i><span data-offset-key="ajqob-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><u>2</u><u style="font-weight: bold;">013 Winner</u><span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span></b><i>Tim Bradley W12 Ruslan Provodnikov</i><b><u style="font-weight: bold;"><i> </i></u></b><br />
<b><u style="font-weight: bold;">2012 Winner</u><b>: </b></b><i>Juan Manuel Marquez KO6 Manny Pacquiao IV</i><b><br />
<b><u>2011 Winner</u>:</b><i> </i></b><i>Victor Ortiz W12 Andre Berto</i><b><i> </i></b></span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>The KO Digest 2015 Comeback of the Year: <i>The Sport of Boxing Itself</i></b></u></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnNVVUnhAzta_ZysCrYtT5sn2YMo0MpikMvHmUowCs7EP7tzdP9OJx7JNejSLM_oVx0g5qlNYv9s7oDDIFN2xyofDqMmmeAC2Nh0gvaQHC0OkACH_yHTNkYfP7exPKxia0X-DaP8z0LB0/s1600/mayweather-pacquiao-fight-mgm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnNVVUnhAzta_ZysCrYtT5sn2YMo0MpikMvHmUowCs7EP7tzdP9OJx7JNejSLM_oVx0g5qlNYv9s7oDDIFN2xyofDqMmmeAC2Nh0gvaQHC0OkACH_yHTNkYfP7exPKxia0X-DaP8z0LB0/s320/mayweather-pacquiao-fight-mgm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Money Fight of the Century</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ordinarily this award would go to an individual fighter who enjoyed comeback success after a long layoff or one who overcame personal adversity to achieve his goals in the ring. This year is a little different. OK, it's a lot different. This was the year of boxing's comeback as a mainstream sport, a position it once held for years along with baseball and others. Inappropriately labelled by critics as a <i>"dead" </i>or<i> "dying" </i>sport for the past decade or even longer, boxing made its long overdue return to free network television in 2015. Under the careful guidance of Al Haymon and his revolutionary Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) concept, boxing was all over the airwaves for the first time in a very long time. When was the last time you read about boxing in a newspaper? In 2015, it wasn't hard to do. The growing momentum that our sport was building up began in 2011 and blossomed like a flower in 2015 with PBC, MayPac, a resurgent heavyweight division, and the continued emergence of Gennady Golovkin as the <i>"next big thing"</i> in combat sports. Stay tuned fight fans, 2016 promises to be even better. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>2015 Event of the Year:<i> The Mayweather versus Pacquiao Superfight </i></b></u></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4Sswho_43sZuWer8meRDt3TRIBZffKCsexN0KYD8KybcPmuR0czvqwSl7Uo0jjIJjXZjO5-7StU3KLHSLZMGjzEVRX6vkYcCr5zOcYyNInMAs5s7j0ahErZpC8xNGvLHct7OAaXcMam7/s1600/26ED72B700000578-0-image-a-1_1427131432184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4Sswho_43sZuWer8meRDt3TRIBZffKCsexN0KYD8KybcPmuR0czvqwSl7Uo0jjIJjXZjO5-7StU3KLHSLZMGjzEVRX6vkYcCr5zOcYyNInMAs5s7j0ahErZpC8xNGvLHct7OAaXcMam7/s320/26ED72B700000578-0-image-a-1_1427131432184.jpg" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Left us wanting less</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Much has been written and much has been said about the <i>"biggest fight in the history of boxing."</i> That it certainly was. From an economic perspective, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao on May 2 in Las Vegas broke all the records. It was the highest grossing PPV in boxing history and the multi-million dollar purses realized by both boxers may never be duplicated again. For one night anyway, the eyes of the world were back on boxing. A shame it didn't live up to the hype. From a pugilistic perspective, #MayPac was the <i>Farce of the Century</i>. There is no nicer way of saying it. Mayweather took no chances, he hugged a lot, and <i>"Money"</i> won a very boring decision. The always quiet Pacquiao came into the ring with a secret. His shoulder was injured, requiring no less than rotator cuff surgery. Instead of postponing the fight and risking a loss of the payday, Pacquiao answered the opening bell with a compromised shoulder. Did Floyd know about it and carry Manny for the rematch? Was it all just an excuse by Pacquiao for the embarrassing loss? We might never know. Let's just be grateful it's over and that Mayweather's threats of a rematch have been silenced <i>(for now)</i> by his recent retirement from boxing. <br />
<u><b><br /></b></u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>The 2015 Prospect of the Year: <i>Anthony Joshua</i></b></u></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiZyMqWwNXWWXnB5raDV57UsY5z24Hdyr9-z1cZeRKGKPQS9dhWSPX6I0SPmAuGFRU289RlrtYPyzrJ90XiOdNczFOi8paR08QhevAmL7QfZ5_aIWX4J_eNxlJ1xAzZJajsX9Fsw0gVsf/s1600/joshua99_3215947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiZyMqWwNXWWXnB5raDV57UsY5z24Hdyr9-z1cZeRKGKPQS9dhWSPX6I0SPmAuGFRU289RlrtYPyzrJ90XiOdNczFOi8paR08QhevAmL7QfZ5_aIWX4J_eNxlJ1xAzZJajsX9Fsw0gVsf/s320/joshua99_3215947.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Joshua is a look back into the future </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hailing out of Watford, Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, 2012 <i>Olympic Gold Medal </i>winner Anthony Joshua is the future of the heavyweight division. Just 26 years-old and now 15-0 with 15 knockouts, Joshua is already a huge star in the British boxing scene despite being a novice pro barely out of 8 round bouts. The undefeated<i> prospect-contender </i>fought five times in 2015, each against gradually increasing competition. Becoming British heavyweight champion in 2015, Joshua defeated punching bag Jason Gavern, the experienced Raphael Zumbano Love, American trialhorse Kevin Johnson, and undefeated countrymen Gary Cornish & Dillian Whyte. Against Whyte, Joshua answered some very important questions about his chin and about his resiliency. <br />
<br />
Reminiscent of a young Lennox Lewis before LL left the domestic level for the world stage, Joshua possesses the kind of <i>classical boxing skills</i> that fans hope to see again someday soon in the upper echelon of the heavyweight division. With fellow Brit Tyson Fury reigning as new world heavyweight champion, the future looks bright not just for British boxing but for Joshua as well.<br />
<br />
<u><b>2014 Winner</b></u>: <i>Sadam Ali</i><br />
<b><u>2013 Winner</u>: </b><i>Vasyl Lomachenko</i><br />
<b><u>2012 Winner</u>:</b> <i>Keith Thurman </i><br />
<b><u>2011 Winner</u>:</b><i> Gary Russell Jr </i> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>The Robbery of the Year: <i>Danny Garcia MD12 Lamont Peterson</i></b></u></span><br />
<br />
Look, Danny Garcia didn't beat Lamont Peterson last April in Brooklyn on PBC. It was an awful decision in favor of a rapidly declining <i>"Swift"</i> Garcia. For twelve rounds, Peterson put into play a patient plan to defeat Garcia and by all reasonable accounts, he succeeded. Then the judges got involved and got it all wrong. Let's take a look back, round by round at the 2015 Robbery of the Year: <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNHiGd9Yr5BSDvdhbSpjAKX1EbN6ws7iwCtc9ned9FD2F5JmKnmJJUQWFkRN-rxoMd9QMhaxfPgiqcOv1JunHtvQalsZYhhYR1zkNWIUxwym34Z06ujF_EY9qDn7IABt3exRaW-c_6-j8/s1600/hi-res-a97fc85bc3ac91ab873670f38efe6c1c_crop_north.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNHiGd9Yr5BSDvdhbSpjAKX1EbN6ws7iwCtc9ned9FD2F5JmKnmJJUQWFkRN-rxoMd9QMhaxfPgiqcOv1JunHtvQalsZYhhYR1zkNWIUxwym34Z06ujF_EY9qDn7IABt3exRaW-c_6-j8/s400/hi-res-a97fc85bc3ac91ab873670f38efe6c1c_crop_north.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Peterson was two points behind before the fight started</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<u><b>Round 1:</b></u> Peterson starts off jabbing and moving while Garcia is prone
to missing with his initial swings. Both fighters landed a single
decent right hand to the head in an opening round that was controlled by
the tempo being set by Peterson's boxing. A trickle of blood from the
nose of Garcia is evident. <i>(10-9 Peterson)</i> -- <u><b>Round 2:</b></u> Peterson is on his boxing bicycle, jabbing and making Garcia
miss, sometimes embarrassingly. Garcia could barely lay a glove on
Peterson this round and Peterson wins the stanza by jabbing and again
controlling the pace by carefully boxing his man in circles. <i>(10-9
Peterson)</i> -- <u><b>Round 3:</b></u> Peterson continued his jabbing strategy, mixing it to the head
and body while Garcia continued to fail in his efforts to cut off the
the ring. Defensively, Peterson was avoiding the incoming while doling
out just enough punch output to win the round. Sugar Ray Leonard called
it "good boxing" and "ring generalship" which quite naturally, it was.
<i>(10-9 Peterson)</i><br />
<u><b><br /></b></u>
<u><b>Round 4:</b></u> Garcia shows his first sign of frustration, waving his arms at
the fleet footed Peterson and inviting him inside for his kind of fight.
Peterson responds by landing a clean right hand to the jaw. Garcia wins
his first round by forcing himself close enough to land a few good
punches to the body as Peterson begins to showboat a little, winding up
his right hand bolo style. <i>(10-9 Garcia)</i> -- <u><b>Round 5:</b></u> Garcia's efforts to track Peterson down results in a couple
good right hands to the head but Peterson's defensive tendencies take
most of the sting off the punches. Peterson answers with a nice
left-right combo to the head of Garcia, whose nicked up face is
beginning to show the effects of being peppered repeatedly. Garcia
steals the round with an eye-catching right hand to the head with less
than 30 seconds left in the fifth. <i>(10-9 Garcia)</i> -- <u><b>Round 6:</b></u> Peterson begins to stand his ground more than move and this is
to Garcia's advantage. When Peterson stands in front of Garcia, he gets
hit more than he lands his own punches. Despite getting hit in close,
Peterson is now testing the waters and pushing Garcia back by coming
straight ahead towards him. <i>(10-9 Garcia)</i> -- <u><b>Round 7:</b></u> More of a fight starts to break out but the skirmishes are
still very limited and too close to call one way or another. Peterson
edges a tight round by power punching with Garcia on even terms and
keeping him on the end of a pesky jab when outboxing him.<i> (10-9
Peterson)</i> <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BnvYB1YuJ68e-AHuO0YGg3EB5osHl0Qq9w9Nv24bXdJGR0nicYKvXhf3UvQF2m7pOefxJ-1CIHJeoP56cmcT_a6OUUNUUUi83JzCcrUqrE6k7vMNvX6lWmDyUWXtc915tZUMnWZxr0vN/s1600/garcia-peterson-clash-large_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BnvYB1YuJ68e-AHuO0YGg3EB5osHl0Qq9w9Nv24bXdJGR0nicYKvXhf3UvQF2m7pOefxJ-1CIHJeoP56cmcT_a6OUUNUUUi83JzCcrUqrE6k7vMNvX6lWmDyUWXtc915tZUMnWZxr0vN/s400/garcia-peterson-clash-large_0.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Peterson deserved better from the judges</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><b>Round 8:</b></u> Peterson starts off aggressively and backs Garcia into a corner
with a hard shot to the body. Peterson is still making Garcia miss but
now he's doing it right in front of him by moving his body, not his
feet. This allows Garcia to land his own body punches with the left
hand. When there is clinching, it's initiated by Garcia in response to
Peterson's body attack. Late in the round, Peterson backs Garcia up with
power punches to the head, including his own left hook.<i> (10-9 Peterson)</i> -- <b><u>Round 9:</u> </b>Blood is flowing from the right eye of Garcia to start the
ninth. Peterson is again controlling the pace with a jab that sets up
his follow-up shots in close. Growing confident, Peterson showboats with a bolo punch but then starts to pay for it by getting hit
with right hands. Garcia's accuracy in the second half of the round wins
it for him. <i>(10-9 Garcia)</i><br />
<br />
<b><u>Round 10:</u> </b>Peterson is doing an Ali-shuffle. Garcia
is again being outboxed from the outside and responds not with an attack but with an Ali-shuffle of his own. Another
close round but the busier and more effective boxer won it. <i>(10-9
Peterson)</i> -- <u><b>Round 11:</b></u><b> </b>The state of Garcia's marked up face is proof that if Peterson
is "running" he's running right over it. Good
inside exchanges and it's Garcia who backs away from them in more
visible distress. Garcia shows his frustration,
flagrantly pushing Peterson down. Another close round so you have to
watch how the boxers react to being hit and it's Garcia who backs up and
accepts the clinches when they happen. Peterson is gaining ground.
Garcia is giving it up. <i>(10-9 Peterson)</i> -- <u><b>Round 12:</b></u> Peterson lands a flush right to the head off the jab, a
left hook, and some body punches that Garcia can't clinch his way out
of. It's almost all shoe-shine shots from a very tired Garcia
in the final round. They finally went toe-to-toe in the last 60 seconds
and Peterson clearly got the better of it to close the show. <i>(10-9 Peterson)</i><b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>KO Digest Score:</b> 116-112 for Lamont Peterson.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Official Scores:</b> 114-114, 115-113, 115-113.
<i>Danny Garcia "wins" the Robbery of the Year.</i><br />
<br />
<b><u>Worst of the Rest</u>:</b><i> Czar Glazkov UD12 Steve Cunningham, Robert Guerrero SD10 Aaron Martinez </i><br />
<br />
USS Cunningham gets screwed again against a foreign heavyweight, "Ghost" lucky to win after getting dropped early. <i> </i><br />
<br />
<i><b><u>Worst Victim of 2014</u>:</b> Mauricio Herrera </i><br />
<i>(robbed vs. Jessie Benavidez & Danny Garcia) </i><br />
<i><b><u>Worst of 2013</u>:</b> <i>Ricky Burns D12 Ray Beltran</i><br />
<b><u>Worst of 2012</u>:</b><i> Brandon Rios W12 Richard Abril</i><br />
<b><u>Worst of 2011</u>: </b><i>Paul Williams W12 Erislandy Lara </i></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>The Top 10 KO Digest Boxing Media Highlights For 2015:</b></u></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBa9Bf6uumfkWuiNX5bUrRLYd8GjjnSnnwCETZAnDrxfGBZlghYQv4mQDhxKz1wKETmsEDDDn4PiG71ZfIrjWcE1Qp8Nj-Dp624e5Gz1CEvDU9FXq_s7t-60q-fthrVgYn9DkxRFQEBcS/s1600/selfieff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBa9Bf6uumfkWuiNX5bUrRLYd8GjjnSnnwCETZAnDrxfGBZlghYQv4mQDhxKz1wKETmsEDDDn4PiG71ZfIrjWcE1Qp8Nj-Dp624e5Gz1CEvDU9FXq_s7t-60q-fthrVgYn9DkxRFQEBcS/s320/selfieff.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>#11: Got a selfie with Lennox Lewis in the MSG media room</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. <a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/editorial-staff/21012-jeffrey-freeman" target="_blank">Hired & Published by The Sweet Science.</a><br /> 2. <a href="http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/389005-fight-picks-who-wins-canelo-alvarez-vs-james-kirkland" target="_blank">Third year on RingTV as an insider/expert.</a><br /> 3. <a href="http://fitefansho.blogspot.com/2015/04/ringside-report-lucas-matthysse-busts.html" target="_blank">Live covered the "Fight of the Year" in NY.</a><br /> 4. <a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/21564-qlight-hittingq-bracero-scores-possible-ko-of-2015-over-oconnor" target="_blank">Live covered the "KO of the Year" in Lowell.</a><br /> 5. <a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/21608-from-boston-to-ny-to-see-good-boy-in-action" target="_blank">Live covered <span class="_58cl">GGG at</span> Madison Square Garden.</a><br /> 6. <a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/20879-ringside-report-degale-betters-dirrell-in-boston-grabs-title" target="_blank">Live covered the PBC in Boston, Mass for TSS.</a><br /> 7. <a href="http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/387179-the-travelin-man-returns-to-verona-again-part-i-2" target="_blank">Written about by name by Lee Groves on RingTV.</a><br /> 8. Won #MayPac bet and Scoop Malinowski's money.<br /> 9. Grilled George Foreman on a media conference call.<br /> 10. <a href="http://fitefansho.blogspot.com/2015/02/ko-digest-interview-ray-mancini-i-hope.html" target="_blank">In-depth KO interview with "Boom Boom" Mancini. </a></b></span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Written by Jeffrey Freeman</span></b></span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> — for the KO Digest </span></b></span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="st" data-hveid="58">© </span></span> </b></span></i>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-57012680571186403202015-12-01T12:54:00.001-05:002015-12-08T10:55:05.725-05:00Reign of Superman: Oscar's Ring Magazine "strips" the real world champion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PDH1zGmZGFNMRbYhAsgZl8a_HhbxYTBiKdWtgU-1GFrvgDbTeksEizA0myImusFtP7noIdtKUIdP-Hks0NTZtw0eSRRujU8_B8r2tieWWTtWBFlTDPmidADA2jnspiW8Q_W07Ybf-GMg/s1600/Adonis-Stevenson-a610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PDH1zGmZGFNMRbYhAsgZl8a_HhbxYTBiKdWtgU-1GFrvgDbTeksEizA0myImusFtP7noIdtKUIdP-Hks0NTZtw0eSRRujU8_B8r2tieWWTtWBFlTDPmidADA2jnspiW8Q_W07Ybf-GMg/s320/Adonis-Stevenson-a610.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Say goodbye to that RING belt Adonis</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman</b></i> — The recent Ring Magazine decision to strip
Adonis Stevenson of their <i>RING Light Heavyweight Championship</i> title belt
was an outrage, the obvious consequence of a compromised publication
now owned by Oscar De La Hoya, the founder and big boss of Golden Boy
Promotions, a boxing promotional outfit that once feuded long and hard
with Bob Arum's Top Rank Promotions. This bad blood was a longtime
disaster for the sport<i> (and for its fans)</i> and can easily be traced back
to Oscar's alcoholism and former drug abuse. Sobriety has evidently not
bettered The Golden Boy's judgement either.<br />
<br />
In the past, when
Oscar was an active boxer and a talented, popular world champion with legions of
female fans, the grizzled old Ring staff (and the other boxing magazines of the day)
were very critical of De La Hoya but they were always very fair and
accurate. Fight fans loved it because they love the truth. Do they
still? Oscar hated it for the opposite reason. He still does. This media
scrutiny played on De La Hoya's myriad insecurities when professional
journalists would routinely bypass his publicist's bullshit and more
accurately report on Oscar's inflated world title claims and other
hyperbolic exaggerations.<br />
<br />
After he retired and became a promoter,
Oscar took his revenge, buying the Bible of Boxing for a song and
ultimately firing all the best writers, replacing them with an easily
manipulated cadre of dupes just happy to be there, all too glad to "do
it for the mortgage" as they say. Efforts were taken by said dupes to
alienate their core readership, spearheaded by the aforementioned
firings (most notably of Hall of Famer Nigel Collins) and most recently
by putting a hyped up little UFC cage fighter girl on their cover, a
disgrace to boxing and an insult to the manly art of self-defense. It
was pure irony when a pure media creation named Ronda Rousey was easily
knocked out by Holly Holm, a former #1 Pound For Pound female boxer who
proved the superiority of her core sport in a most dramatic way.<br />
<br />
Holm's
victory was also boxing's victory and The Ring had egg all over its new
face.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNItNlol7rsRa6a1Oo9uzI3_wvGSgmBoXjpv4wxCIatDsmf1NeiZChzzKn7cu699IUmtt74_KFKV2WVPe_8XvSzmAKt2nNzKYD0z6_yFHNcGprVAHUZxCNvoJrPTMhinYIknh13kEVBDoi/s1600/Adonis-Stevenson_amanda-kwok-showtime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNItNlol7rsRa6a1Oo9uzI3_wvGSgmBoXjpv4wxCIatDsmf1NeiZChzzKn7cu699IUmtt74_KFKV2WVPe_8XvSzmAKt2nNzKYD0z6_yFHNcGprVAHUZxCNvoJrPTMhinYIknh13kEVBDoi/s320/Adonis-Stevenson_amanda-kwok-showtime.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Champ now knows green belt is better </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All of this leads us back to Adonis "Superman" Stevenson,
the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world, a man whose
claim to the linear throne is as iron clad as was Iron Mike's at
heavyweight in 1988 after he knocked out Michael "The Man Who Beat The
Man" Spinks in one round. You see, Stevenson too won his title with a
smashing first round knockout, stopping champion Chad Dawson with one
punch to begin his lineal, legitimate reign. Dawson you will remember
was the first true conqueror of Bernard Hopkins, the one legendary
fighter on whose back Sergey Kovalev has built his entire reputation as
parallel "light heavyweight champion" of De La Hoya and Duva's bizarro
world. Though not promoted by De La Hoya, Kovalev enjoys a familial
relationship with Oscar, Golden Boy Promotions, and Ring Magazine
because Oscar and The Ring are friendly with Kathy Duva and Main Events
promotions, Kovalev's promoter.<br />
<br />
How convenient...for all involved.<br />
<br />
Fans all want Stevenson and Kovalev to "unify" and someday it might
happen. There are well documented promotional issues currently standing
in the way, put there by people who understand that the fight will be
bigger for everybody -- later rather than sooner. As the reigning and
defending world light heavyweight champion of the one and only known
world, how has Stevenson performed in his duties? Is he a disgrace to
the RING championship and worthy of being "stripped" by a "man" who once
wore fishnet stockings and then lied for years about it? I'm sorry. I
digress. It was an ironic bitch move by a little golden boy who was once
so upset with the way The Ring treated him that he bought them out and
shut them up himself. In addiction clinics, they say that people
oftentimes victimize others in the same way they themselves were
victimized in the past. That's just something for you and Oscar to think
about.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAmvOnrUTOpk9PHqY2bt2kv91rkRMrVs0c55-PmqAV-RTzQcJMTRKkeGgqVSj9lp1s1qfAYhGttIAOO8gOyVTabR4xyfpAdKGbXpXDr-60vxEkCNiQP1M34vDlV49j0NbGGVtYXnXxJlG/s1600/article-2638630-1E2FB97500000578-886_634x471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAmvOnrUTOpk9PHqY2bt2kv91rkRMrVs0c55-PmqAV-RTzQcJMTRKkeGgqVSj9lp1s1qfAYhGttIAOO8gOyVTabR4xyfpAdKGbXpXDr-60vxEkCNiQP1M34vDlV49j0NbGGVtYXnXxJlG/s320/article-2638630-1E2FB97500000578-886_634x471.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Adonis successfully defends vs. Fonfara</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Back in the real world, Stevenson has defended his
championship six (6) times since winning it in 2013 (where titles are
won and lost) in the ring. That's what you call a busy world champion.
Who did Adonis fight while he and we all wait for <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/supermankrusher?source=feed_text&story_id=1079909712060843"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">SupermanKrusher</span></a> to materialize? One bum (Dmitry Sukhotsky), two former world champions
(Tavoris Cloud and Sakio Bika), and three solid contenders (Tony Bellew,
Tommy Karpency, & Andrzej Fonfara). The Polish tough-guy Fonfara is
now arguably the best light heavyweight boxer in the world without a
title belt. Superman fought that man and got off the canvas to beat him
fair and square. Kovalev beat who exactly? Hopkins and Jean Pascal. Two light heavyweight champions who preceded the current one, Superman.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaBKoRsdhz1NVISHs16chIN7l48lhBSgvC1vg46S2PSH1uQoKG-udbCxmXDMscSe2clDd6oUjzzmMw5T0eLX8r-IstBpPSx4iz-0Ug2Ua7CZN1-lPd0ucUP0FGk9wAZ2LgjlJhSECDCPg/s1600/Hopkins-Kov-DLH-Duva_Kane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaBKoRsdhz1NVISHs16chIN7l48lhBSgvC1vg46S2PSH1uQoKG-udbCxmXDMscSe2clDd6oUjzzmMw5T0eLX8r-IstBpPSx4iz-0Ug2Ua7CZN1-lPd0ucUP0FGk9wAZ2LgjlJhSECDCPg/s320/Hopkins-Kov-DLH-Duva_Kane.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Oscar, Hopkins, Krusher, and Duva</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Whatever justification The Ring used to <i>"strip"</i>
Stevenson is a joke and an inside one at that. Kovalev is certainly a great young
fighter, one of the best in the world, and he'd be an odds-on favorite
to defeat Stevenson if and when the fight gets made. But only a fool
would underestimate<i> Superman Stevenson </i>and only an even bigger fool would would use an
editorially irresponsible bully pulpit to deny that he's the real world
champion in the first place. How about taking a look at Canelo's
catchweight claim Oscar. Oh right, that's not gonna happen. He's your
<i>Golden Boy</i> and can do no wrong according to the magazine you've now
knocked out better than any opponent you ever beat in the ring.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Written by Jeffrey Freeman</i></b><b><i>—for The KO Digest </i></b>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-46067319082147587312015-10-19T11:00:00.000-04:002015-10-26T10:51:50.293-04:00Big Drama Show — KO goes to Madison Square Garden for The Sweet Science <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrFt0Mu5AfaVXNT92PE4zVMSIrEjdC8Sd21Ay_oySkXR031h0h6jwHNI3yUzEHOhwhzqF7oNT3kGk-xKrR1nHSiUW987NRwZFrTUSRgVcdjJ8SYrsr0o9OqH0fmmHn3sWojdNa52iYhyphenhyphenE/s1600/IMG_4557%255B2%255D.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrFt0Mu5AfaVXNT92PE4zVMSIrEjdC8Sd21Ay_oySkXR031h0h6jwHNI3yUzEHOhwhzqF7oNT3kGk-xKrR1nHSiUW987NRwZFrTUSRgVcdjJ8SYrsr0o9OqH0fmmHn3sWojdNa52iYhyphenhyphenE/s400/IMG_4557%255B2%255D.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>KOD at MSG covering GGG in NYC for TSS</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman </b></i><br />
<br />
Saturday morning, 6am. <br />
<br />
When the alarm
bells went off bright and early in Boston to awaken me for my big day in
the Big Apple, I'd already been yanked from my slumber just a few hours
prior by a 2am "Amber Alert" that sent my iPhone into a buzzing
frenzy. For some reason, I thought it was going off like that because I
had some new Twitter followers. After a quick shower and an even
quicker breakfast <i>(protein shake fruit smoothie)</i> I logged onto my
computer only to find that my popular KO Digest "friend page" on
Facebook was being converted by the powers-that-be into a Facebook "like
page", a virtual disaster for my ability to
communicate with my loyal online audience. <br />
<br />
As easy as it would have been to
let this social media mishap spoil my pilgrimage to the <i>Mecca of Boxing</i>, I
did my very best to not let it bother me too much; downloading a copy of the old KO FB page to my
hard-drive and allowing the long process of <i>conversion</i> to begin. During
this extended period while that was slowly taking place in cyber space, it was as if the
KO Digest page on Facebook was in a strange state of pugilistic purgatory,
technically knocked out before the fight even started. Are you serious?<br />
<br />
When I arrived at the Amtrak station
in Westwood, Mass after a short drive from Boston, I parked my 1997 Ford
Taurus SHO <i>(that stands for Super High Output)</i> in the MBTA parking lot
and took the short walk to the terminal. As I rounded a corner to have a
seat in the lobby, who did I see but fellow Sweet Science boxing writer
extraordinaire Springs Toledo. I told Springs about my Facebook
situation (Toledo once referred to KO Digest as the <i>"pied piper"</i> of
boxing) and he told me about the new boxing book he's writing, <i>In The
Cheap Seats</i>. That's certainly a very appropriate name for his work
in
progress considering that Springs was traveling to the same fight card I
was traveling to, but with a paid ticket in his pocket for the cheap
seats and no press pass to speak of. As my Acela
Express train rolled into the station at 8:25am, we said our goodbyes
and I took a quick selfie with the well dressed, award-winner from the
Boxing Writers Association of America. As it turned out, Springs was
taking the next train<i> (8:55am)</i> bound for Penn Station. <br />
<br />
Yes, his seat was indeed a little bit cheaper. Holy Toledo, he even rode coach.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNuiE0tbIYi_Ix9oE6-Ht_ZmzDuDz00EtImtLvrqj3PfpMwMlS1W1aZsa8xzubGOkUtCafAogodMT8IfHOYwP4c2DNUkm4h2TBYfqmrmpwakfPjOI7w8feAjf-hZBk7BXaLImfJyL7MWK/s1600/IMG_4513%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNuiE0tbIYi_Ix9oE6-Ht_ZmzDuDz00EtImtLvrqj3PfpMwMlS1W1aZsa8xzubGOkUtCafAogodMT8IfHOYwP4c2DNUkm4h2TBYfqmrmpwakfPjOI7w8feAjf-hZBk7BXaLImfJyL7MWK/s320/IMG_4513%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Good boys and girls</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On
the fly-by four hour train ride to midtown Manhattan, I sat with a young
college student from Boston University named Jennifer. She was traveling to New York
City for a student conference in the Capital District where she was planning to meet up with her
new boyfriend Blake. I asked her if she knew anything about the Gennady
Golovkin fight at MSG or if she'd even heard of the popular puncher
known in boxing circles as Triple G. "Is he in the UFC?" she asked with a puzzled look
on her face. Not surprisingly, Jennifer had no idea who or what I was
talking about. Golovkin might very well be on the verge of
becoming a crossover star in the larger sporting world, but he's still
an unknown commodity among college freshmen and pretty girls with
crushes on pretty boys.<br />
<br />
During the second half of the trip, in
between checking emails and working on this travel log, I continued to deal
with my now suddenly defunct social media outlet in an effort to get
the page up and running again for the busy day ahead. By 11am, there was
still no KO Digest on Facebook and I was starting to get concerned
messages from friends and readers in the boxing community wondering just
what the hell was going on with their trusty KO Digest. I tried to
explain as best I could but having to do so just reminded me of how
frustrated I was with the whole situation. The timing could not have
been worse for me but boxing is nothing if not a struggle for all involved. <br />
<br />
After
a pleasant ride that went by like no time at all, my train rolled into Penn Station right on
time at 11:45am. When that first blast of New York City air hit me in the
face during the escalator ride up and out of the underground station, I was
immediately struck by how cold and windy it was outside. I was expecting
brisk weather but not quite early winter conditions. I put on a light jacket
and made a loop around the historic venue to have a look around. It was
still a little early in the day for the big boxing crowds to start filling in around
Penn Station but I did hear a few folks already talking about the middleweight title fight on tap in the big room.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIOIJ7PzRqlil-T0r_8IjKx4hcG01NBNwqNIHEkTewUY5ngTRhZ3y0M52G2gfYtx583EDP4p42qrurQLtPo16Ke3QgunTanZV8vN08u90dty89BIRUIJg5PEJrjctRdf03iX9Im-GxCLe/s1600/10366022_10204461175434801_3777825029326679346_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIOIJ7PzRqlil-T0r_8IjKx4hcG01NBNwqNIHEkTewUY5ngTRhZ3y0M52G2gfYtx583EDP4p42qrurQLtPo16Ke3QgunTanZV8vN08u90dty89BIRUIJg5PEJrjctRdf03iX9Im-GxCLe/s320/10366022_10204461175434801_3777825029326679346_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Freedom is not free </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have to say, no trip to New York City is complete for me without first going down to <i>Ground Zero</i>
for a show of respect to all the lives lost and forever destroyed on
September 11, 2001. As a
Disabled American Gulf War Era Veteran, I'll never forget 9/11. On that
fateful morning fourteen years ago, I was proudly wearing the uniform
of my country as a United
States Army soldier.<br />
<br />
Seeing the site now turned into a squeaky clean
memorial is meaningful but to also see how it's become commercialized
and capitalized, well, that makes me feel dirty on the inside and even
colder on the outside. I'm reminded of Bernard Hopkins and Felix Trinidad in the wake of unimaginable tragedy. Fortunately, by 1:30pm, the sun was starting to warm up the day and my spirits along with it.<br />
<br />
If
the heart and soul of boxing is the
art of talking about boxing, that's just what I managed to do for a few
hours during the afternoon
with a fellow named Art from Long Island. Art was enjoying his coffee
and
doing a little people watching when we struck up a conversation at the
7th Avenue Starbucks location. Before
you knew it, others around us had jumped into the fray and we
talked about everybody from Muhammad Ali to Hector Camacho to Rocky
Marciano <i>("Rocky is Rocky!") </i>to Floyd "Money" Mayweather. As the banter
heated up, I heard a
wiseguy wisely say, "If Mayweather is one of the guys in the ring
tonight,
you're not gonna see a fight." I assured them there would be no
shortage of action in the Garden tonight before heading over to TGIF's
for a last minute bite before the fights. Not surprisingly, more great
conversations went down around me at the bar while I scarfed back a
Pepsi and some overpriced tuna wontons. The bartender overheard our
debate about Mike Tyson and piped in that he lives next-door to a guy in
Brooklyn who was Big
George Foreman's first professional opponent, Don Waldheim. In boxing,
it's a small world.<br />
<br />
Everybody knows somebody. Waldheim was knocked out
by Foreman
in the third round in 1969. The rest is history.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnRBaWJCRTKiJYXENrsLRaGYXkC2jPsDiodsEELIsTwgaClcvUGyec8MJVvGtlQG8NsyA1AdHa0k1EfMclEc47nDUcQS4BDSS__J_tiHTLkrf7xLDUg5iJFzR-qB2mGAjq9CYPudoZAxQ/s1600/IMG_4565%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnRBaWJCRTKiJYXENrsLRaGYXkC2jPsDiodsEELIsTwgaClcvUGyec8MJVvGtlQG8NsyA1AdHa0k1EfMclEc47nDUcQS4BDSS__J_tiHTLkrf7xLDUg5iJFzR-qB2mGAjq9CYPudoZAxQ/s320/IMG_4565%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>KO JO is the original road warrior</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From there, it was over to 31st & 8th to pick up my media
credential at 5pm sharp. The line wasn't very long and it moved
pretty quickly. As I was waiting outside to pass the security checkpoint,
former heavyweight championship challenger Gerry Cooney emerged from the
entrance and I couldn't help but shout out, "Gentleman Gerry, we loved
ya!" Cooney counter-punched quick with, "I love you," before he asked
me how I got so big. Cooney is 6'6. I'm 6'11. I told Gerry that I, like
he, ate my spinach. Of course, that didn't help the big fella when he
was poleaxed by "Big George" in 1990. With my press pass in hand, I
headed over to the media room where I was accompanied by Derek Bonnett
and Jason Pribila from the website Seconds Out. Derek could hardly
contain his excitement over getting to cover his <i>"favorite fighter"</i>
Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez. I was very happy to see "KO JO" Jack
Obermayer in the house wearing a Panamanian paper hat and a plaid shirt.
I asked Jack how he's feeling these days. Jack described himself as <i>"weak"</i> but for doing what he's still doing with what he's got <i>(cancer)</i> I'd say he's pretty damn strong. Keep punching Jack. <br />
<br />
After a quick pow-wow with my esteemed editor-in-chief, Michael <i>"Call Me Woodsy" </i>Woods,
popular referee Steve Willis made an unexpected pass through the media room and I
told Willis how glad boxing fans were that he was assigned to cover the main
event, Golovkin vs. David Lemieux. Willis is an intense <i>(bug-eyed)</i> third man in the ring. In any fight he works, the action is always written all over his wonderfully expressive face. I could only envy the unique perspective he'd have of the fisticuffs in just a few short hours.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivk4uVBdWaAim1YAermmSLk35ho1HgTa9GK4P_Ht18ngfbQwsIuB8ElRwD5rRk3g9IRczopcN_1HMHudawZoedRw2IIM6pj9kTVEg_tESpRgI7pyota38hTYQYp9rdOGKY-xEks2HfeyC/s1600/IMG_4620%255B2%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivk4uVBdWaAim1YAermmSLk35ho1HgTa9GK4P_Ht18ngfbQwsIuB8ElRwD5rRk3g9IRczopcN_1HMHudawZoedRw2IIM6pj9kTVEg_tESpRgI7pyota38hTYQYp9rdOGKY-xEks2HfeyC/s320/IMG_4620%255B2%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Credentialed Coverage</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unfortunately,
my dream of sitting ringside in press row proper at Madison Square
Garden for a big time prizefight was dashed when I took a closer look at
my red media credential. Section 327, Row #2, Seat 6. That's <i>"up there"</i>
but really not a bad view at all in a dedicated media section stationed above
the ring in the newly renovated MSG. That would be my point of view for
the night ahead but by no means am I complaining. It's a privilege and
an honor to cover professional boxing on its biggest stages and to do so
for one of the most well written and well read boxing websites in the entire
world, <a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/21608-from-boston-to-ny-to-see-good-boy-in-action" target="_blank">The Sweet Science</a>. With nothing but gratitude, I made my way up
to my seat at 7:30 by taking an escalator all the way up to the ninth
floor. The arena was not yet half-filled as undefeated Lamont Roach,
9-0, battled Jose <i>"Flash"</i> Bustos, a 7-6 junior lightweight from
one of the most dangerous places on Earth, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Bustos
lost a wide unanimous decision and nearly got knocked out in the final
round but he held up like proud Mexican fighters tend to do. <br />
<br />
At
9:30, the legendary Roberto Duran appeared on the jumbotron and the now
near-capacity Garden gave the Panamanian icon a loud reception while
the smiling<i> "Hands of Stone" </i>blew kisses to his adoring fans from
ringside. Duran famously defeated New Yorker Davey Moore at this venue
in 1983, destroying the young WBA junior middleweight champion with a
cruel precision still talked about reverentially to this very day. In
town during fight week, "Cholo" was asked about Golovkin and something
apparently got lost in translation. Duran thought the reporter was
asking him about Andrew Golota, the "Foul Pole" of boxing and scapegoat
of the infamous 1996 riot that took place right here in the aftermath of
Golota's foul-filled bout against New Yorker Riddick Bowe.
When the jumbotron showed American Presidential candidate Donald Trump
in the locker room pressing the flesh with Pound-for-Pound candidate
Gennady Golovkin, the reaction was mixed to say the least.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpLmnvnlnwjUxqUXVBiifGmmgNSAYarpOQ7R8_dBjqOt2AASFs6HGyEuqQz9Bar8dl-65hnPrxIpMcajHPsQCaFT_AcY5KHjJLbG5t1dcslTfIv27pQhIS7YtzVoXdpYXJBrVsbdmRzz8/s1600/IMG_4575%255B1%255D.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpLmnvnlnwjUxqUXVBiifGmmgNSAYarpOQ7R8_dBjqOt2AASFs6HGyEuqQz9Bar8dl-65hnPrxIpMcajHPsQCaFT_AcY5KHjJLbG5t1dcslTfIv27pQhIS7YtzVoXdpYXJBrVsbdmRzz8/s400/IMG_4575%255B1%255D.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>GGG and Trump</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By
10:00, the heavyweights were in the ring. While undefeated Cuban Luis
Ortiz and Argentine punching bag Matias Ariel Vidondo plodded around the
ring like Tony "TNT" Tubbs and Francesco Damiani, I decided to take
a quick walk around the upper levels of the building. I'm glad I did.
It was there I ran into Chip Mitchell, a Facebook friend <i>(and KO Digest
reader) </i>who crossed into my real world tonight with some kind words and
an unexpected gift. Without warning, Mitchell gave me a silver necklace
with a silver boxing glove on it. "Keep doing what you're doing sir," he
told me as if he knew I needed to hear it. I thanked him and went back
to my work station to watch Ortiz stop Vidondo with a straight left hand
in the third round of a clumsy mismatch. To my immediate right, Stefan
Oliva, a young deadline writer from an Argentine newspaper <i>(its name escapes me)</i> scrambled
around as he tried to <a href="http://www.rionegro.com.ar/diario/ortiz-fue-demasiado-para-el-neuquino-vidondo-7971676-9574-nota.aspx#" target="_blank">file the disappointing story of his countryman's face first defeat. </a><br />
<br />
In the co-main event, World Flyweight
Champion Roman <i>"Chocolatito"</i> Gonzalez and Brian <i>"Hawaiian Punch" </i>Viloria
didn't exactly light the joint on fire but they did put on a very high
quality title fight with a definitive result. Viloria was knocked down
early in the bout and was getting batted around at will by the smooth
punching Nicaraguan. There's a good reason why Gonzalez, who draws
comparisons to his idol Alexis Arguello, is seen as the number one pound
for pound boxer in the world today following the recent retirement of
Floyd Mayweather. Nobody out there today is as technically perfect in
the ring as Gonzalez. To his credit, Viloria did his best to avoid a bad
beating but he was catching one whenever Gonzalez let his hands go. In
the ninth round, Gonzalez let them go and didn't stop until referee
Benjy Esteves stepped in at 2:53 with Viloria on the ropes taking
punches from all angles.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ad9HLcov_tda_enomD7cN-xrU0A2BnVUnvbGAsx9tiiy0tLEASUYF82At_9zvHMOHLP0PPvC0_Z6okzJ5AWhyphenhyphenopICaGQHUmX56sy5uompXeq1e9VGZQUIFNIdEh_qL-bkgyATJ_Pds_6/s1600/IMG_4579%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ad9HLcov_tda_enomD7cN-xrU0A2BnVUnvbGAsx9tiiy0tLEASUYF82At_9zvHMOHLP0PPvC0_Z6okzJ5AWhyphenhyphenopICaGQHUmX56sy5uompXeq1e9VGZQUIFNIdEh_qL-bkgyATJ_Pds_6/s320/IMG_4579%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>God Bless America</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By 11:30, Golovkin and Lemieux were in
the ring and the Garden was rocking with spontaneous chants of <i>"Triple
G ... Triple G"</i><b> </b>ringing out to start the fight. Golovkin was patient in the
first round, using his stiff left jab to spear Lemieux, keeping the
Canadian honest and his vaunted left hook home. People talk all day
about Golovkin's offense but his defense was good enough to easily avoid
the wild power of Lemieux in the second round by just leaning back away
from it. In the third, Golovkin landed a hard left hook to the liver,
left hook to the head combo and he finished it up with another flush jab
to the face of Lemieux. The pace picked up in the fourth round and it looked
like Golovkin might lower the boom but Lemieux stood in there like a
champion and took the abuse while returning fire. Back on his heels in
the fifth from more Golovkin jabs, Lemieux wasn't landing much and when
he did, Golovkin walked through it. After a knockdown of Lemieux by Golovkin in the fifth from a body punch, the round ended with Lemieux on unsteady legs. Lemieux showed his grit
in the sixth as the blood began to pour from his nose and mouth.<br />
<br />
In the
seventh, referee Steve Willis brought the bloody Lemieux to see the
ringside physician and the fight resumed after a cursory look by the
doctor. In fact, it was referee Willis that was taking the closest looks
at Lemieux and as the IBF middleweight champion was getting smashed
about the head by Golovkin, the horrified look on Willis' face told the
story of the fight. In the eighth, Willis had seen enough carnage for
the night and he jumped in to stop the one-sided fight at 1:32 of the
frame. With the win, Golovkin improved his record to 34-0 with 31 KOs.
Golovkin now has 15 successful defenses of his WBA middleweight title,
21 consecutive stoppages in the ring, and of course, sole possession of
the IBF 160 pound title that he won tonight from David Lemieux.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJE09pOUBxjO85Zj-wTGIyhO6gtf66B-BTN3kAE_FMcAFd5ak4WY55vV0GgAOHkxg9idbZjslJSQHBTy_utHHzlwtPQwq8LpfSkTBrmDoY2_h0Ul0Qa4EegHo2m7Hud16hN6MDYUWRIkO/s1600/IMG_4619%255B1%255D.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJE09pOUBxjO85Zj-wTGIyhO6gtf66B-BTN3kAE_FMcAFd5ak4WY55vV0GgAOHkxg9idbZjslJSQHBTy_utHHzlwtPQwq8LpfSkTBrmDoY2_h0Ul0Qa4EegHo2m7Hud16hN6MDYUWRIkO/s320/IMG_4619%255B1%255D.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Look at GGG with his four belts</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At
the post-fight press conference, middleweight Tureano Johnson
<i>(decision winner over Eamonn O'Kane on the undercard) </i>said
he's the one to beat Golovkin in the future. "He can hit me with all
he's got. I can knock him out too," the Bahamas bred boxer claimed. "I
have a cast iron chin," he told the press. When the black and blue
Lemieux hit the stage, he gave credit to Golovkin but the ex-champ did
say he thought the stoppage was a little premature. Golovkin, smiling
with four belts spread out before him, wrapped up his experience in the
ring against Lemieux: "It was not an easy night but it was a good
night." <br />
<br />
At 2:05am on Sunday morning, I filed this write-up with
The Sweet Science and made my way back down to Penn Station for the long
train ride back to Boston.<br />
<br />
In the end, Golovkin was right of course, it
wasn't an easy night but it was a damn good night.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Written by Jeffrey Freeman, <a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/21608-from-boston-to-ny-to-see-good-boy-in-action" target="_blank">originally published on The Sweet Science </a></b></i>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-82917052238515629182015-10-13T10:24:00.001-04:002016-01-03T15:03:33.847-05:00Lights Out in Lowell — The PBC on NBC TV is a Smash Hit in the Mill City<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFa2QaHa5DAt5iPFr1T1EQ2VMwJvoxhm6JrTSLT4RbZUWWdubYVaa99Zhh3eJ5lQqPQEVpqFP5WbPzGS5wqKucbyE4qWvpLIW5twHzXe8zF58v-GRg5laYkRuVVYchblBUADewNZ-8_cVh/s1600/IMG_4414%255B2%255D.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFa2QaHa5DAt5iPFr1T1EQ2VMwJvoxhm6JrTSLT4RbZUWWdubYVaa99Zhh3eJ5lQqPQEVpqFP5WbPzGS5wqKucbyE4qWvpLIW5twHzXe8zF58v-GRg5laYkRuVVYchblBUADewNZ-8_cVh/s400/IMG_4414%255B2%255D.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Danny O'Connor is knocked out cold in 41 seconds</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>LOWELL MASS </b>— This is a boxing town. Fights happen all the time
here. Several broke out last Saturday night at the venerable Lowell
Memorial Auditorium during a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) fight card
promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Boston's Murphy
Boxing. This is a <i>very</i> good thing.<br />
<br />
Televised on NBC Sports Network,
PBC's revolutionary ringleader Al Haymon continued his strategic
takeover of boxing here, producing prizefights in a city best known for<i> </i>Irish Micky Ward of <i>Gatti Trilogy</i> fame and Dickie Eklund of <i>Crack
Street</i> infamy. When recent attempts by Chicago Fight Club Promotions to
promote boxing in the Mill City fell flat at this venue and at the
nearby Tsongas Arena in 2012 and 2013 respectively, it was obvious that
change was needed in Lowell's professional boxing scene.<br />
<br />
That was then.
This is now. Give Lowell boxing fans good fights<i> (with body punches in
bunches)</i> featuring local fighters they can cheer for, and that's just
what they did while Dropkick Murphys tunes blared through the sound
system. A fun brawler named <i>"Spike"</i> from Cork, Ireland on the undercard
doesn't exactly hurt either. With Sugar Ray Leonard calling the punches
from ringside in the same building where he once competed as a young Golden Glove amateur boxer,
the stage was set for fight night. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjsQ_2aWGxXEOZw1kEYvsI03FT_o0rmfcC84-92l_hyphenhyphen8SjPXtzqzsEafj8f6J6lYFRPef4Cobhg0uk07bJEQMO91vRFxhEN-xdDCNCQoY-oZbFeP6p9XxLVRgQfFZXnHXBCD_fJ2If4xR/s1600/IMG_4448%255B1%255D.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjsQ_2aWGxXEOZw1kEYvsI03FT_o0rmfcC84-92l_hyphenhyphen8SjPXtzqzsEafj8f6J6lYFRPef4Cobhg0uk07bJEQMO91vRFxhEN-xdDCNCQoY-oZbFeP6p9XxLVRgQfFZXnHXBCD_fJ2If4xR/s320/IMG_4448%255B1%255D.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Tito" Bracero was a classy winner in Lowell</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
In the main event, welterweight <b>Danny O'Connor</b>, Framingham, MA, 26-3, 10 KOs, 146, was knocked out cold in just 41 seconds of the first round by a counter right hand from <b>Gabriel Bracero</b>,
Brooklyn, NY, 24-2, 5 KOs, 146.8, a punch that sent O'Connor down and
out for what could've easily been the 2015 Knockout of the Year.
O'Connor, fighting for redemption from a 2011 decision loss to Bracero,
never got untracked and his swift defeat was rightly seen as a huge
surprise by everybody in attendance. Nobody was expecting a knockout in
this fight, least of all one like that from Bracero. O'Connor made it to
his feet after the brutal loss, but where he goes from here is anyone's
guess. Said Bracero, "I was depressed after my last
loss. This is a dream come true."<br />
<br />
Bracero's trainer Tommy Gallagher, amazed by the power display, spoke of an Adrien<i> "The Problem" </i>Broner fight on the horizon for his charge. <br />
<br />
In the co-main event, super bantamweight knockout artist<b> Jonathan Guzman</b>, Lawrence, MA, 20-0, 20 KOs, 121.6, beat up <b>Danny Aquino</b>,
Meriden, CT, 17-3, 10 KOs, 121.6, scoring a ninth round stoppage to
keep his twenty fight KO streak alive. Coming off the biggest win of his
career against Ryan Kielczweski last April on ESPN Friday Night Fights,
Aquino was down from a sweeping left hook in the second round and down
again in the same frame from a cuffing right to the chops inside. Aquino
battled back into the fight in the third round but the writing was
already on the wall for the native Mexican. Too much speed and too much
power from Guzman. Aquino was walking himself straight into his own
defeat and Guzman was glad to oblige him with skillful precision. In the
ninth, Aquino was again dumped to the canvas from a hurtful barrage of
punches and referee Jackie Morrell put a stop to it at 1:19.<br />
<br />
Aquino
didn't like the decision to end the fight but going the distance was the
best he could've hoped for. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xekLrenpRadpbw-SVA7bIPkvgGzUXLwdtWN-7vyTthCuI2P97A9l-bypaqDxlNakx60dj9xAg8tGR-a-Wbc-hql2fiACHOzTcd0RdXeidkfiArDJxwbi9oq3wIYs6rusg7VxcZB221wL/s1600/IMG_4446%255B1%255D.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xekLrenpRadpbw-SVA7bIPkvgGzUXLwdtWN-7vyTthCuI2P97A9l-bypaqDxlNakx60dj9xAg8tGR-a-Wbc-hql2fiACHOzTcd0RdXeidkfiArDJxwbi9oq3wIYs6rusg7VxcZB221wL/s320/IMG_4446%255B1%255D.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ryan K wins the fight of the night</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Ryan "The Polish Prince" Kielczweski</b>, Quincy, MA, 24-1, 7 KOs, 125.8, got a roaring reception before <i>(and after)</i> his televised bout against <b>Rafael Vazquez</b>,<b> </b>Brooklyn,
NY, 16-2, 13 KOs, 126. The popular local featherweight is a crafty
boxer with a tight defense and he put those skills on display from the
outside early against Vazquez, a durable if not particularly creative
fighter. Using his young fresh legs in a 22 foot ring, Kielczweski gave
the New Yorker a lot of different looks as he gradually dialed in the
left hook to the head and body. When Vazquez would lean to avoid punches
, Kielczweski chopped away with right hands to the side of the head. In
an excellent sixth round, Kielczweski stood in the middle of the ring
and punished his tiring opponent before taking his best in return.<br />
<br />
In
the eighth, the <i>"Polish Prince"</i> poured it on when Vazquez suddenly
appeared to gas out. At the end of the round, a cut appeared around the
left eye of Kielczweski and the ringside doctor took a close look at the
slice in the corner before the ninth round. Just like that, Vazquez
had new life in the ring and he went for Kielczweski's injured eye with
every punch he threw. The pair wailed away in the tenth after giving an
appreciative crowd a competitive fight worth standing up to cheer for.
Kielczweski was rewarded for his exciting effort with a unanimous
decision. Official scores were 97-93, 97-93, and 96-94. Said the
winner, "I knew Vazquez could punch and I avoided it for the most part
but then he rocked me in the tenth round. I didn't know where my feet
were, it was great." <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><u><b>Non-Televised Undercard Results:</b></u></i></span><br />
<br />
In the evening opener, lightweight <b>Fernando Saucedo</b>, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 57-6-3, 10 KOs, stopped <b>Carlos Fulgencio</b>,
Santa Domingo, RD, 19-17-1, 12 KOs, in the second round of a scheduled
eight rounder at 1:23. Dropped along the ropes and draped on them for
support, referee Arthur Mercante counted out Fulgencio and then gave him
a pat on the head for a good effort. <br />
<br />
Super featherweight<b> Titus Williams</b>, Elmont, NY, 3-0, 2 KOs, 131.2, abused a defenseless <b>Arthur Parker</b>,
Pennsylvania, 1-14-2, 1 KO, 134.6, with a variety of outside shots
to the head and body of his game but undertrained opponent. In the
second round, Parker went down in a corner under assault to the
midsection and it was there that he took a full count from referee
Jackie Morrell at 1:04. <br />
<br />
Middleweight <b>Gary "Spike" O'Sullivan</b>, Cork, Ireland, 22-1, 15 KOs, 172.6, wore <b>"WAR"</b> on his boxing trunks and war is what he waged on <b>David Toribio</b>,
Miami, FL, 21-16, 14 KOs, 174.2, from the opening bell, dropping his
overmatched opponent twice in the first, once with a jab. O'Sullivan
quickly attacked a still hurting Toribio in the second round, dropping
him in a corner with more punches downstairs. Time of the knockout was
:28 of the second round. I spoke to Spike afterwards and the plan
according to him is to fight Chris Eubank Jr. next and then hopefully
Gennady Golovkin in the near future. Dream big Spike, dream big.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXBRra1oHw0Zy2nBl4kKfPoGsMxvMPMY8v1TY2Pp26QowM4Oi84Je7pD10nG3vthyA9h6jRbh96u045Djz8fHMGy-K4eIUk3XUQ5bLZw4teXqVbM75xbQXmixFaKQYv7lNUboU98g_2EE/s1600/IMG_4428%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXBRra1oHw0Zy2nBl4kKfPoGsMxvMPMY8v1TY2Pp26QowM4Oi84Je7pD10nG3vthyA9h6jRbh96u045Djz8fHMGy-K4eIUk3XUQ5bLZw4teXqVbM75xbQXmixFaKQYv7lNUboU98g_2EE/s200/IMG_4428%255B1%255D.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Credentialed Coverage</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Junior lightweight<b> Steve Ormond</b>, Dublin, Ireland, 19-2, 10 KOs, 139, wore out <b>Michael Clark</b>,
Columbus, OH, 44-14-1, 18 KOs, 140.6, to the body at 1:49 of the very
first round, scoring two knockdowns before busy Lowell referee Jackie
Morrell counted to ten. <br />
<br />
In a televised "swing bout," heavyweight<b> Adam Kownacki</b>, Brooklyn, NY, 12-0, 10 KOs, 261.2, pounded out an eight round decision over <b>Rodney Hernandez</b>,
Modesto, CA, 8-3-1, 1 KO, 240, in a slow motion slugfest. All three
judges had it 78-74 for Kownacki, who goes by "Baby Face." <br />
<br />
Lightweight<b> Patrick Hyland</b>, Dublin, Ireland, 31-1, 15 KOs, 128.4 defeated a game <b>David Martinez</b>, Albuquerque, NM, 18-8-1, 3 KOs, 128, by technical knockout at :17 of the eighth round.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Images & Words by Jeffrey Freeman, <a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/21564-qlight-hittingq-bracero-scores-possible-ko-of-2015-over-oconnor" target="_blank">originally published on The Sweet Science </a></b></i> Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-9255450488967209182015-09-16T13:42:00.000-04:002015-09-16T13:59:06.604-04:00Ringside Report: Quillin brutalizes Zerafa on TV, Charlo dogs out K9 in 3 <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjU05SFzAwz9vmYOAenw_vjMF9mWDHwxbMMLsPgROydYjO13JM_7scYEljdzSqsAn1TF0gtWTdGI8bh6jTz_DZreEcAnNnycGhcQ3wqWCHCs2VAdhAtA-dTqRM1txboyzRTmVJKQe7qrV/s1600/IMG_3924%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjU05SFzAwz9vmYOAenw_vjMF9mWDHwxbMMLsPgROydYjO13JM_7scYEljdzSqsAn1TF0gtWTdGI8bh6jTz_DZreEcAnNnycGhcQ3wqWCHCs2VAdhAtA-dTqRM1txboyzRTmVJKQe7qrV/s320/IMG_3924%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kid Chocolate was on full blast at Foxwoods</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0"><span class="ecxtext_exposed_show"><span class="ecxtext_exposed_show"><b>Mashantucket
</b>—</span></span> Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin is sick of answering
the same question. You know the one. Was it really a good move to give
up your WBO middleweight title and a million dollar plus payday against
Matt Korobov to follow boxing's Pied Piper, Al Haymon, into an unknown
fistic future? According to Quillin, it definitely was. <i>"When somebody
can revive boxing the way he's done, you have to respect that,"</i> Quillin
told me in regards to the controversial figure. In his second fight
under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner, Quillin, </span></span><span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0"><span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0">Brooklyn, NY, 160, 32-0-1, 23 KOs,</span></span>
now beltless and coming off a disputed draw against current WBO
middleweight champion Andy Lee, took on an unknown Australian named <b>Michael Zerafa</b>,
Melbourne, Australia, 162, 17-2, 9 KOs, at Foxwoods Casino in
Mashantucket, Connecticut last Saturday afternoon at the Grand Theater,
formerly known as the MGM Grand. </span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0"><br /></span></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAP16fk_lrfPU20duGFfEC57bs-yhLM9n4SHcrZUSCvc8eiXEOH4aBUw8GJQDsiipL9I_7sXkvxp8suFuGVw37AaWdJVgIY4gNnjWC2Uz4cMILz67u7YDSk3Z0TPlND0m9KPzIkpb4EA2V/s1600/IMG_3903%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAP16fk_lrfPU20duGFfEC57bs-yhLM9n4SHcrZUSCvc8eiXEOH4aBUw8GJQDsiipL9I_7sXkvxp8suFuGVw37AaWdJVgIY4gNnjWC2Uz4cMILz67u7YDSk3Z0TPlND0m9KPzIkpb4EA2V/s320/IMG_3903%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Pretty Boy" got hit by flying chocolate </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0"><span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0">It was a showcase fight for
Quillin and he shined brightly as the powerful puncher that he still is. </span></span>Scrappy but not terribly skilled, Zerafa managed to avoid a
patient Quillin's power early in the fight, even landing a hard right
hand and an uppercut in the third round that got Quillin's attention and
won the underdog the round on my card from press row. As the pace
picked up in the fourth, Quillin began to pick his opponent off with the
jab and sneaky left hooks. In the fifth, an entertaining fist fight
finally broke out and Quillin took his chance to pounce, <i>pulverizing
Zerafa with a clubbing right hand</i> on the ropes that sent the Aussie down
and out, flat on his back, where he was taken from the ring on a yellow
stretcher that matched his bright ring attire. </span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0"><br /></span></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP-SycBPucX9ZtVkNagvXKltYjiIv4x2pkSqZ3rUATyLImNxtngnxACHaNyvusn5QyDKDtcsR3WOMckMXICsQDZiofgM_Urr2uz7TQyh1GMIWYntiVS14yuTzloPA8y6y29qodg4Lue2G/s1600/IMG_3914%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP-SycBPucX9ZtVkNagvXKltYjiIv4x2pkSqZ3rUATyLImNxtngnxACHaNyvusn5QyDKDtcsR3WOMckMXICsQDZiofgM_Urr2uz7TQyh1GMIWYntiVS14yuTzloPA8y6y29qodg4Lue2G/s320/IMG_3914%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Zerafa was taken out on a stretcher </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0">The official
time of the scary knockout was 1:06 of the fifth. The winner then
jaw-jacked back and forth with "regular" WBA middleweight champion <b>Danny "Miracle Man" Jacobs</b>,
seated ringside as an announcer for PBC, and the pair are reportedly
scheduled to tussle December 5 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, this
according to promoter Lou DiBella. During the post-fight presser,
Quillin was handed a cell phone by DiBella and on the other end was his
battered opponent, Michael Zerafa, calling from the local hospital to
say that he was fine. The fighters exchanged pleasantries before an
emotional Quillin reminded the media in attendance that boxing is a
sport and that the last thing he wants to do is hurt somebody
permanently. </span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0"><br /></span></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2rdeocNVR-GkDIx9UO5COLY56z54pGv4yTcJksAFRcCXTTkSDU5Kv8V2kAUA_TpihZVRi0VmgSxQEtfZRs9ImXwB3e6jUaGUszbotcvweq8dEr_mb2XJARZr_SX0_33uusvJJejRq7Io/s1600/IMG_4018%255B1%255D.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2rdeocNVR-GkDIx9UO5COLY56z54pGv4yTcJksAFRcCXTTkSDU5Kv8V2kAUA_TpihZVRi0VmgSxQEtfZRs9ImXwB3e6jUaGUszbotcvweq8dEr_mb2XJARZr_SX0_33uusvJJejRq7Io/s320/IMG_4018%255B1%255D.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>What the future looks like</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0">The card, aired on NBC television and
promoted by DiBella Entertainment, also featured an IBF super
welterweight championship title fight between the aging champion <b>Cornelius "K9" Bundrage</b> (Detroit, MI, 153, 34-6, 19 KOs) and undefeated upstart challenger <b>Jermall Charlo</b> (Houston, TX, 153, 22-0, 17 KOs). Twin brother of Jermell Charlo,
boxing fans can be excused if they can't tell the pair apart. The
brothers look incredibly similar and both have recently seen world title
opportunities slip through their fingers. Not to be outdone, Charlo did
his best to distinguish himself from his own kin as early as the first
round with a chopping right hand that sent Bundrage crashing to the
canvas with a stunned look of shock on his face. Charlo pressed his
overwhelming speed advantage in the second round, scoring another
knockdown against the defending champion, this time off a short left
hook. The in-ring disaster for Bundrage continued unabated into the
third round which saw Charlo nearly blow "K9" out of the ring with two
more knockdowns, the second of which caused referee John Callas to call a
halt at 2:33.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0">With the dominating knockout victory, Charlo is now the
IBF junior middleweight champion and he put the entire 154 pound
division on notice that he is a true force to be reckoned with.<i> "I am
the future of boxing,"</i> proclaimed the proud new champion in the ring
with his brother Jermell by his side. After an impressive performance
like that on network television, he might just be right. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0">Said the
defeated but upbeat 42 year-old ex-champion, <i>"You win some and you lose
some." </i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0">I</span></span><span data-offset-key="5ojm3-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$5ojm3.0:$5ojm3-0-0.0"><span data-offset-key="bdtpr-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$bdtpr.0:$bdtpr-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$bdtpr.0:$bdtpr-0-0.0">n the third televised fight of the day,<b> Hugo Centeno</b> (Oxnard, CA, 161, 23-0, 12 KOs) defeated <b>Lukasz Maciec</b>
(Poland, 159, 22-3-1, 5 KOs) by unanimous decision in an eight
rounder. Neat and tidy, Centeno resembles polished junior welterweight
Jose Benavidez in the ring and he used his advantages in size and skill
to outpoint his plodding Polish opponent by score of 79-73, 79-73, and
78-74. </span></span></span></span><br />
<b><u> </u></b><br />
<b><u>U</u></b><span data-offset-key="8pi3f-0-0" data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$8pi3f.0:$8pi3f-0-0"><span data-reactid=".73.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$8pi3f.0:$8pi3f-0-0.0"><b><u>ndercard Results</u></b>: Super featherweight <b>Gary Stark Jr.</b> (Staten Island, NY, 25-3, 8 KOs) defeated <b>Anthony Napunyi</b>
(Kenya, 15-16, 8 KOs) by six round unanimous decision (59-55, 58-56,
58-56) in the opening bout of the afternoon. Bantamweight prospect <b>Antonio "Another" Russell </b>(Washington, DC, 4-0, 3 KOs) overwhelmed <b>Manuel Rubalcava</b> (Mexico, 2-15) to score a second round knockout at 1:26. Super featherweight <b>Titus Williams</b> (Elmont, NY, 2-0, 1 KO) crushed <b>Benjamin Burgos</b> (New York, NY, 2-13-1) with an overhand right for the knockout in the first round of a scheduled four. Light heavyweight <b>Marcus Browne</b> (Staten Island, NY, 16-0, 12 KOs) blasted out a faded <b>Gabriel Campillo</b>
(Madrid, Spain, 25-8-1, 12 KOs) in the first round with an impressive
display of power, scoring two knockdowns to bring about a compassionate
stoppage from Arthur Mercante Jr.</span></span> at :55 of the first.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2xFt7u1NlIuccdH3kvWTJfcAUY5Wyvm1uDBIvYKMQEdPFrwwE22I_PIiTUO2RgBdDe7R0nGSHdIjgNopdUiJ7w52L__Cx7IfeBmyt14RkXfOCFY6JXu3RHVASOzWRASaz3OXUP74MldQ/s1600/IMG_3948%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2xFt7u1NlIuccdH3kvWTJfcAUY5Wyvm1uDBIvYKMQEdPFrwwE22I_PIiTUO2RgBdDe7R0nGSHdIjgNopdUiJ7w52L__Cx7IfeBmyt14RkXfOCFY6JXu3RHVASOzWRASaz3OXUP74MldQ/s200/IMG_3948%255B1%255D.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Credentialed coverage</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Campillo, who came in overweight by two pounds, hasn't been the same since he was crushed by <b>Sergey "The Krusher" Kovalev</b> in 2013 at nearby Mohegan Sun. Female super bantamweight sensation <b>Shelito Vincent</b> (Providence, RI, 15-0, 1 KO) outworked and outclassed<b> Brittany Cruz</b>
(Thornton, CO, 10-7-2-2) over the eight round distance, winning by
unanimous decision. Cruz came to the ring with a smirk on her face but
Vincent managed to wipe it off with a methodical attack on the inside of
her taller, leaner opponent. Super featherweight <b>Bryant Cruz </b>(Port Chester, NY, 16-0, 8 KOs) defeated<b> Jonathan Perez</b>
(Columbia, 33-13) by a wide eight round unanimous decision in an
entertaining scrap that went off in the ring after the NBC broadcast
ended. Fans who stuck around saw a nice little fight to end the night. Perez thought he won the bout and so did a few folks seated at
ringside. <b> </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheKODigest" target="_blank">Images & Words by Jeffrey Freeman</a> </b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<b><a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/21434-quillin-blasts-out-zerafa-on-nbcpbc-show-in-ct" target="_blank"><i>Originally published on The Sweet Science </i></a></b>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-60183735987164347052015-09-10T13:26:00.000-04:002015-09-11T14:26:30.116-04:00KO's Ringside Notes & Quotes X — Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions reign <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09fcRYx18S9mNeI0fVacFoqFEQ497Ih6orit-PQEX7lbPU4VKEXDATXss7Gzdb0fKC9LFX0Wp5uvPydBeScJ0LyvCdgfqYQJkO5Bg3XXcDISr8ZwQOb0IS6EEXrwHIkIvyYkPckwX4d8s/s1600/Glowacki-Huck-KO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09fcRYx18S9mNeI0fVacFoqFEQ497Ih6orit-PQEX7lbPU4VKEXDATXss7Gzdb0fKC9LFX0Wp5uvPydBeScJ0LyvCdgfqYQJkO5Bg3XXcDISr8ZwQOb0IS6EEXrwHIkIvyYkPckwX4d8s/s400/Glowacki-Huck-KO.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Down Goes Huck on SpikeTV for PBC</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest </b></i><br />
<br />
August is my least favorite month. Not because of the beautiful late
summer weather in New England, but because of the boxing drought that we all experience
year after year. For whatever reason, rare is the big or important bout
held in the eighth month of the year.<br />
<br />
Sometimes I think of it
like this: If a year represented a 12 round title fight, August would be
the round both fighters take off in order to save a little
something extra for the championship ro<span class="text_exposed_show">unds
still to come. As the weather cools, boxing heats up in the fall and
into the winter. Last month was not without its exception to the rule of
course and by that I mean the incredible Marco Huck-</span><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show">Krzysztof Glowacki </span>brawl aired on SpikeTV by Premier Boxing Champions. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">The defending cruiserweight champ
was cruising to a record setting 14th successful title defense when he
was brutally stopped late in the fight by Glowacki of </span><span class="text_exposed_show"><span data-offset-key="fr0em-0-0" data-reactid=".51.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$fr0em.0:$fr0em-0-0"><span data-reactid=".51.1.0.1.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$fr0em.0:$fr0em-0-0.0">Walcz, </span></span>Poland. Like it or not, 2015 has been, and will continue to be, the year of
Premier Boxing Champions. Al Haymon's revolutionary production concept
is now in full swing. Boxing is suddenly everywhere you look. Fighters <i>
(and fans)</i> are actively benefiting from all the exposure and all the
action. Yet only the fighters seem to know this and appreciate it. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Perpetually impossible to please boxing fans seem unappreciative of
Haymon's efforts to preserve and restore their fa<span class="text_exposed_show">vorite
sport through clever use of nostalgia and all-you-can-eat knuckle
sandwiches on <i>"free"</i> TV. After some of their early bouts fell flat, PBC
now has a legitimate <i>"Fight of the Year"</i> candidate in Glowacki's <i>"made for television"</i> knockout of Huck to win the
cruiserweight title with a stunning, come from behind, get up off the
floor, and knock the long reigning, defending world champion through the
ropes KO. It is exactly these kinds of improbably exciting results that
will create new boxing fans and bring old ones back to the fold. Thank
you Mr. Haymon, thank you PBC, and thank you to the fighters who put it
all on the line for our televised entertainment.</span> </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKTkN5sHDzw0pJx4OEzW-YuSXxH5MCcXHYNBA6SZR7QVlk7NtacDdjWJr1Zx1Wun3ZPZLoX2PPh-ZFXu9atb-Zehc8VtoNkjNN0mRZJNpszlLUn63_2UciVrzfAuKzHDfHWp0FG9GW_yze/s1600/070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKTkN5sHDzw0pJx4OEzW-YuSXxH5MCcXHYNBA6SZR7QVlk7NtacDdjWJr1Zx1Wun3ZPZLoX2PPh-ZFXu9atb-Zehc8VtoNkjNN0mRZJNpszlLUn63_2UciVrzfAuKzHDfHWp0FG9GW_yze/s320/070.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lowell Golden Gloves </i><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
PBC in Lowell, Massachusetts is right up my alley.<br />
<br />
Not only has KO Digest
live covered the last two significant boxing cards held in the Mill
City <i>(2012 at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium and 2013 at the Tsongas
Arena, both Chicago Fight Club Promotions shows headlined by Irish Joey
McCreedy)</i> but I also lived in Lowell during the best years of Micky
Ward's memorable career, from 1998 to 2003. I know the city. I know the
people. I know the history of fisticuffs on the streets and in the r<span class="text_exposed_show">ing
there. I even covered the entire 2012 Lowell Golden Gloves tournament
from start to finish and let me tell you, that's a lot of amateur bouts
to have kept track of. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">In this photo I took from ringside during the
2012 Lowell GG's, that's <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1512193682" href="https://www.facebook.com/matt.doherty.14">Matt Doherty</a>
<i>(born and raised in nearby Salem, MA where they once famously burned
"witches" to death)</i> in the corner with Lowell's Cowboy cutman <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1626715038" href="https://www.facebook.com/bill.murphy.3154">Bill Murphy</a> and trainer <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=738590575" href="https://www.facebook.com/michael.strazzere">Michael Strazzere</a>.
Doherty, now 3-1 as a professional lightweight, and known as <i>"The
Mantis"</i> will be competing when big time professional boxing returns to
the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on Saturday October 10. That's just 6
days after Micky Ward <i>("The Pride of Lowell")</i> celebrates his 50th
birthday in style on October 4. Additional details on the card are
"sketchy" at this time <i>(that just means I can't say anything yet)</i> but
what I can tell you is that this is a Murphy's Boxing card under the
Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner. Local New England talent will be
in action and the rich history of boxing in Lowell, Massachusetts will
be featured prominently. Look for KO in press row again for this one. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfGJsPHvtF6xeXsdARGjsubY7i6dwW1eOtocKS55GIAkZMoSs5QYKcjtA6xwRUNpuRc8k4Lmw_50rjejfOIc3FUpqekZE0pOEXXwXnTw8xCW4GlZeSLxhhUG5Mp6fZteKMIhfbNXU5Mvq/s1600/santa-cruz-vs-mares-news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfGJsPHvtF6xeXsdARGjsubY7i6dwW1eOtocKS55GIAkZMoSs5QYKcjtA6xwRUNpuRc8k4Lmw_50rjejfOIc3FUpqekZE0pOEXXwXnTw8xCW4GlZeSLxhhUG5Mp6fZteKMIhfbNXU5Mvq/s400/santa-cruz-vs-mares-news.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Santa Cruz batters a Schaefer-jinxed Mares on PBC on ESPN</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show">Just days before his crushing KO loss to Jhonny Gonzalez and
approximately two years before last month's thrilling majority decision loss to
Leo Santa Cruz in Los Angeles, Abner Mares was badly jinxed by Golden
Boy CEO Richard Schaefer who said on international media
conference call for all to hear loud and clear — "Abner Mares is a pound
for pound star. I believe Mares belongs in
the number two spot. We have Andre Ward, a fighter I respect, who's<span class="text_exposed_show">
had tremendous accomplishments. He won the Super Six. Mares
won the bantamweight tournament. Both fought the best in their division.
Look what Mares has done since. Look at what Ward has done since. No
question Abner belongs in the number two spot. You look at Juan
Manuel Marquez, who I believe is in the number three spot. He got
dominated every second of every round, by Floyd Mayweather, who is the number one pound for pound star."</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDeIz7unVSQCGWhovTZqmOTFos-NZbc3yr1TKDQ0WBiIhZdUKeqmYjQXWyzWthMQotLhy7T8sEnAKMnCTd-CbT6CGIQpEw-nKKsHpeDUirTG1m0ozNC31Ydy1Ygd7EZSdaqEzWLoBpbXY/s1600/635662095805249737-USP-BOXING-MAYWEATHER-VS-PACQUIAO-72771512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDeIz7unVSQCGWhovTZqmOTFos-NZbc3yr1TKDQ0WBiIhZdUKeqmYjQXWyzWthMQotLhy7T8sEnAKMnCTd-CbT6CGIQpEw-nKKsHpeDUirTG1m0ozNC31Ydy1Ygd7EZSdaqEzWLoBpbXY/s320/635662095805249737-USP-BOXING-MAYWEATHER-VS-PACQUIAO-72771512.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Catch me if you can Manny</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>In Praise of TBE </b></i>— Look, I know everybody is frustrated with boring
mismatches and overblown Pay-Per-View costs. I know everybody would rather see
Floyd "Money" Mayweather take on just about anybody but Andre Berto for victory
#49. I get it. Trust me, I do. But the man is a living legend and if
what he says is true, this is his Sweet Science swan song. Does that not
warrant some attention and respect? I think it does even if I like to
have some fun with Floyd's antics from time to time. Say w<span class="text_exposed_show">hat
you like, but Mayweather has fought all comers and only a handful of
them could even compete with him. That's not an accident. Mayweather is
one of the greatest defensive fighters in the history of boxing and his
timing, instincts, and ring intelligence are off the charts. Rare is the
glove that's been solidly laid on him. Most great champions at his age,
38, are in sharp decline and showing signs of it. Not Mayweather. He's still
P4P #1 and as strange as it may sound, he'll surely leave us wanting more. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghahDGYUIru3tsN67CEZgRRNtazGOVk5TKPI_ZpxFlFc0o6Ct-29jdDeSK4laQFrHUeaxWB8kYytu4FXNQsqqM2xI2FBkV2gjcyyqhOhLSp8dRq7-syu4gjjuREqpSWFWqiomv4BbnyqVM/s1600/11811394_408718259339176_8403024218444556604_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghahDGYUIru3tsN67CEZgRRNtazGOVk5TKPI_ZpxFlFc0o6Ct-29jdDeSK4laQFrHUeaxWB8kYytu4FXNQsqqM2xI2FBkV2gjcyyqhOhLSp8dRq7-syu4gjjuREqpSWFWqiomv4BbnyqVM/s320/11811394_408718259339176_8403024218444556604_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hunter gives the boxing media a cerebral tongue lashing</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>Andre Berto's trainer Virgil Hunter on boxing writers & media members backlashing over </b></i><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/mayberto?source=feed_text&story_id=408652216012447"><i><b><span class="_58cl">#</span></b></i><span class="_58cm"><i><b>MayBerto</b></i></span></a>
— "Some people don't have any grasp of what it takes to
be a fighter. When I see the attitudes that come along with such an
event, it usually comes from somebody who doesn't know what fighters go
through. We acknowledge
everybody whether you come up to us with a set in one of these rooms, or
whether you come up to us with yo<span class="text_exposed_show">ur
camera phone. A lot of you can't even get us past YouTube but we still
acknowledge you because we understand the sport and we appreciate that
you're participating in our sport. So we love you just the same. It's
time you give back to the sport. Anybody who has any negativity about
it, who's fighting who, we can sit up here and go through
history and contradict everything that coming from the negative side."</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcbW-0DE3XriAmK3ogFYbYYQfq8zw7limyaQvMJAzohQi0QUd2sW-pCJCW8IOrZCwRO3dP76J7NHIcpSrGnprQZWcyhNPCc9WzbwHC8cuVU3WrnEmm7RQTePHdHUoxaR_VtNC9jigyjTT/s1600/1399185328000-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcbW-0DE3XriAmK3ogFYbYYQfq8zw7limyaQvMJAzohQi0QUd2sW-pCJCW8IOrZCwRO3dP76J7NHIcpSrGnprQZWcyhNPCc9WzbwHC8cuVU3WrnEmm7RQTePHdHUoxaR_VtNC9jigyjTT/s320/1399185328000-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Only the Ghost of Rocky Marciano can stop 49-0</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>KO's <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/mayberto?source=feed_text&story_id=419313081613027"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">MayBerto</span></a>
Prediction </b></i>— Ordinarily, for a fight of this magnitude, you would read
my prediction published on RingTV but this one is such a forgone conclusion,
they're not even doing a "Fight Picks" article. That should tell you
something. Now let me tell you something else. Floyd Mayweather will
"punish" disinterested boxing fans for their wholesale rebuke of this
fight by making it fun and semi-competitive, not unlike what he did with
Marcos Maidana the first time. And also<span class="text_exposed_show"> not unlike what he did with Manny Pacquiao, but in the opposite way. In
that farce of the century, Floyd "punished" fans and media alike for
forcing him to fight Pacquiao by making the fight a grossly overpriced
and boring shit show. Against Andre Berto, Mayweather will rumble more
than usual, win eight of twelve rounds, and say: "See, I told you Berto
was a tough competitor, he gave me a better fight than Manny did." This
serves to humiliate Pacquiao further, something Mayweather won't be able
to resist.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvikbjtBYQCyVAb4SmocJhHnvH24yzqcEp-vvu2AjKnsCDE6Ibys8ycwWy9UK3rJ-_n_-Kjt_r8k4ids421ufKfT7aJU7PIzDRfBla1TfeFw2WWzpSL7JXeWY1QSwGO9w3qs7pqA9x7Xr/s1600/1488410297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvikbjtBYQCyVAb4SmocJhHnvH24yzqcEp-vvu2AjKnsCDE6Ibys8ycwWy9UK3rJ-_n_-Kjt_r8k4ids421ufKfT7aJU7PIzDRfBla1TfeFw2WWzpSL7JXeWY1QSwGO9w3qs7pqA9x7Xr/s320/1488410297.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The greatest upset in sports history, for Mom</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Busted Upset</b></i> — The quick and easy comparisons to Douglas-Tyson as they relate to Saturday's <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/mayberto?source=feed_text&story_id=418896398321362"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">MayBerto</span></a>
farce don't really fit beyond the similarly long odds against the
motivated underdogs. For one thing, Mayweather is a training
machine who never slacks off or shows up to fight in poor condition. By
contrast, Tyson trained for Buster on a diet of drugs, alcohol, and
cheap Japanese geishas.<br />
<br />
As a challenger to the best fighter on the
planet, Douglas, unlike Berto<span class="text_exposed_show">, was known
for a questionable heart and for quitting under fire in a title fight.
Berto, immeasurably less talented than Douglas but no less written off,
suffers from no such ticker issues as evidenced by his many entertaining
wars in the ring. If Berto somehow beats Mayweather, it will be because
he outfought him not because he caught him unprepared or undertrained.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>Divine Intervention</b></i> — What do Evander Holyfield and Manny Pacquiao have
in common? Both now claim to have been miraculously healed of physical
afflictions by the power of the Lord our God. Long time fight fans will
recall that when <i>"The Real Deal"</i> was diagnosed with a pin sized hole in
his enormous heart back in the 1990's, Holyfield actually claimed it was
God and God alone who healed his ticker and ultimately made him fit for
epic battle against Iron Mike Tyson. Pacquiao, h<span class="text_exposed_show">e
of the torn rotator cuff and ensuing <i>"fraud of the century"</i> against
Floyd Mayweather last April, now claims that his injured shoulder was
healed by God and swimming in salt water, this according to boxing
writer <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=15600465" href="https://www.facebook.com/mcoppinger2">Mike Coppinger</a>
in his new piece about Pacquiao on Boxing Junkie for USA Today Sports.
But the questions remain, was either condition ever legitimate to begin
with and does God really heal prizefighters? </span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUna2uKGmvFRUNBpH_DU9XvtjjV5zAG3zzlUGocGClfEtzFy37AWXA46psSD4bMuzJ77Rg1LSfLmRSq3Y5_PxBF1HtjcUxRGRHtX4PoBhbb_dDDX3XpgeqXXfy0_G96JhIeByqu_Ku_yGb/s1600/2mmfkg3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUna2uKGmvFRUNBpH_DU9XvtjjV5zAG3zzlUGocGClfEtzFy37AWXA46psSD4bMuzJ77Rg1LSfLmRSq3Y5_PxBF1HtjcUxRGRHtX4PoBhbb_dDDX3XpgeqXXfy0_G96JhIeByqu_Ku_yGb/s320/2mmfkg3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Times have changed in boxing</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>The Bottom Line</b></i> — Have you ever wondered why boxing insists on
maintaining the controversial status quo of 24-hour weigh-ins <i>(the day
before the fight)</i> as opposed to the more traditional "same day"
weigh-ins used in the past? Do you realize that the political will to
stick with the current method has more to do now with publicity <i>(and of
course money)</i> than safety? Back then, nobody much cared about
weigh-ins as an important event to be observed personally and only t<span class="text_exposed_show">he
very biggest fights drew fan attention to the scales. As the domain of
newspaper writers and other industry insiders, the weigh-in was more of a
formality than a function of the fight. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"> </span>Then in the 1980's, when <i>"same day"</i> weigh-ins went the way of 15-round
title fights and mob control of the Sweet Science, the rationale behind
the change was easily attributable to health concerns and fighter
safety. A boxer who has to dehydrate his body to make a strict
divisional weight limit will be weakened to the point of peril, or so
the claim went. Give that fighter a full day to rehydrate with fluids
they argued. That makes sense, fans said, and so it went on and on that
way for over 30 years now.<br />
<br />
Today, weigh-ins are big business and
a big part of the <i>"fight week"</i> experience. Fans and media attend in
droves, even paying for the right to be there, as was the case last
April for <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/topic/Floyd-Mayweather-Retiring/109434282408200?source=whr&story_id=412910225586646"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">MayPac</span></a>
when a ticket cost $10 to something that was traditionally free.
Mayweather's greed aside, in a down economy, a niche sport like boxing
must do everything within its own power to squeeze every last drop of
publicity possible and the structure of today's boxing weigh-in allows
for that. So again we can see clearly that the powers that be don't
really care about the safety of the fighters as much as they care about
selling a few more tickets or a few more pay-per-views. That's why the
24-hour weigh-in is here to stay no matter how much weight today's
boxers put on between the scale and the ring.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJRKo4JftUhS_kh0XTVcL2n6V-Jb4HDIJ0DpX0UjRPQXNRyS7AjK10F4MtYfkiUxee1vlT95j4izUZ52yvfkThTdEitoaq_CaEn_KAKMIPi3_QWejjQC33aHuL17yVK-6BuuCAx2xiRPs/s1600/arum-with-knockouts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJRKo4JftUhS_kh0XTVcL2n6V-Jb4HDIJ0DpX0UjRPQXNRyS7AjK10F4MtYfkiUxee1vlT95j4izUZ52yvfkThTdEitoaq_CaEn_KAKMIPi3_QWejjQC33aHuL17yVK-6BuuCAx2xiRPs/s320/arum-with-knockouts.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Don't forget the girls Bob</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Promoter Bob Arum talks to KO Digest about changes in the boxing
broadcast business</b></i> — "When I first started in the sport back in the mid
60's, there were no satellites, no international satellites, no domestic
satellites so the communication was, you would look at it as like being
in the dark ages. When we did a closed circuit fight we had to use
telephone company long lines. It was a whole different business model
because of how limited in retrospect, we were in communicatio<span class="text_exposed_show">ns.
Now we have all the satellites, we have pay per view, we have stuff
that nobody even contemplated 45 years ago. In the next 10 or 15 years
people will be buying a PPV fight on their iPad. And not only buying it
on their iPad but electing which corner to watch between rounds, which
camera angle to watch a fight from. Everything changes and yet
everything stays the same. Ultimately it's still <i>two guys</i> in the ring facing
off against each other."</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNkOOHPKRuEoYlUsNb8FtOL-pL3n7nJF4iPsSv605LlNyeEDTOAQXUdkuAh5bH-ay-YuLWtEuReMdc3xTwqc-0xrgNsR4lP2xPrj9bZr7KI5pEx9KDZhxhueoXI0VAQX-GJGu6NBLg5Tv/s1600/Holly-Holm-660x330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNkOOHPKRuEoYlUsNb8FtOL-pL3n7nJF4iPsSv605LlNyeEDTOAQXUdkuAh5bH-ay-YuLWtEuReMdc3xTwqc-0xrgNsR4lP2xPrj9bZr7KI5pEx9KDZhxhueoXI0VAQX-GJGu6NBLg5Tv/s320/Holly-Holm-660x330.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Holly Holm is next up for Rousey in the UFC</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>The Sweet Side of the Sweet Science </b></i>— Holly Holm, once considered to be the #1 pound for pound rated female
fighter in the world, shocked the sport she ruled in April of 2013 when
she announced her departure from boxing to pursue her goals in mixed
martial arts. The decision to switch sports closed the door once and for
all on an all-girl superfight against <i>"First Lady of Boxing"</i> Cecilia
Braekhus, the new #1 P4P female fighter. More than two years later,
Holm's dream has come true in the form of a fight against UFC superstar
Ronda Rousey on January 2 in Vegas. Said<i> "The Preacher's
Daughter" </i>at the time of her difficult decision: "When we were deciding
which way to go with my future, my trainer, Mike Winkeljohn, said it
best, ‘You want to climb a new mountain.’ This has created a new spark
in me, and I’m following my heart. I just want to fight where my passion
is."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhitvTBwfIlV1xrO9EBDDBK-eF2gBmywihoV6sBLFhdLWjD2qpDlW6bMPB3rVhVyJbJhIEJmUCs_mxkVIg48GIrvklkrXn6T1bBtj1DyvYQcmxj_JdFuTPHrGoK3zG-P9u7uLUhI-H1Fa/s1600/cotto-vs-canelo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhitvTBwfIlV1xrO9EBDDBK-eF2gBmywihoV6sBLFhdLWjD2qpDlW6bMPB3rVhVyJbJhIEJmUCs_mxkVIg48GIrvklkrXn6T1bBtj1DyvYQcmxj_JdFuTPHrGoK3zG-P9u7uLUhI-H1Fa/s320/cotto-vs-canelo.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Will the winner risk it all against GGG?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Reversal of Fortune</b></i> — 34 year old middleweight champion of the world
Miguel Cotto is reportedly set to make 30 million dollars for his HBO
PPV defense of the WBC title against Mexican heartthrob Canelo Alvarez,
who himself is set to make 10 million dollars. What's evident here is
that Cotto has played his economic cards correctly even if boxing fans
know in their heart of hearts that Gennady Golovkin is more deserving of
a middleweight title fight with Cotto, a Puerto Rican w<span class="text_exposed_show">arrior
who's Mama didn't raise no fool. If you're going to lose, and perhaps
get beat up badly in the process, it's better to make 30 million dollars
than 3 times less. Though an underdog against his 25 year old
challenger, Cotto is not in an unwinnable fight against Alvarez. As
always, boxing is all about the money, that risk-reward ratio, and
that's why it's Canelo and not GGG that Cotto will risk it all against
in November.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XACXS-TJq2BYzWkf_HY3D46uG6vPVNSAz86Ih1qXFKV2NmRq4_VKE1PVgIoSvdYccd0quw7dkzR0KWR9YP3F43ilzjm_LwrTj96NyqSHH1TwVx65tGpJCCN4fImaXXJvq92_UICscW7y/s1600/Michael_Nunn1-530x317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XACXS-TJq2BYzWkf_HY3D46uG6vPVNSAz86Ih1qXFKV2NmRq4_VKE1PVgIoSvdYccd0quw7dkzR0KWR9YP3F43ilzjm_LwrTj96NyqSHH1TwVx65tGpJCCN4fImaXXJvq92_UICscW7y/s320/Michael_Nunn1-530x317.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nunn has been locked up too long for drug charges</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>Second To Who </b></i>— I've been thinking a lot lately about former World
Middleweight Champion Michael Nunn. Currently incarcerated for buying
two pounds of cocaine from an undercover police officer, Nunn was one
hell of a good fighter. Back in 1988, when I was just 18, all I wanted
in this life was to see him fight Sugar Ray Leonard. That's how highly I
thought of Nunn. Hell, the whole boxing world was impressed with him
and for damn good reason. His beatings of Frank Tate, Juan Rolda<span class="text_exposed_show">n,
and Sumbu Kalambay were all equally impressive in their own special
way. The body punch that dropped Tate was tricky quick, the knockout of
Roldan was of the ten count variety, retiring the Argentine for good.
Kalambay? He fell in one round from one punch. The sky looked the limit
for Nunn, who 26 years ago in 1989, decisioned Iran Barkley to
retain the title. Nunn made two more defenses <i>(against <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100001390572668" href="https://www.facebook.com/marlon.starlingsr">Marlon Starling</a>
and Donald Curry)</i> before he ran into the unchecked fury of James "Light
Out" Toney who lived up to his nickname, leveling Nunn in eleven.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show">
</span><i><b>Editor's Note</b></i> <span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b> </b></i>—</span></span> The KO Digest Boxing News has changed a lot through years since its
inception in 2010. Writers have come and gone. Monthly columns have come
and gone as well. Change, while never easy, is a sure sign of growth.
All in all, the changes we've experienced have been for the better and I am as proud of KO
Digest today as I was when it first started to take shape, and take off
in the boxing community. Our brand is well known and well respected.
Our ringside reporters are credentialed for <span class="text_exposed_show">many
of the biggest and best fights in boxing today. Our content is read
throughout the world by fight fans, eager for unbiased and informative
reporting. Mission accomplished. Today, it is primarily myself and David
McLeod who hold down the writing fort. <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1678883741" href="https://www.facebook.com/john.scheinman">John Scheinman</a>, <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1456186455" href="https://www.facebook.com/ulsterman">Chuck Marbry,</a> and Steve Bridge remain as occasional (but valuable) contributors. I'm forever grateful to all who have contributed to <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100006030166019" href="https://www.facebook.com/TheKODigest">KO</a> Digest in the past and they include <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1461130169" href="https://www.facebook.com/edwin.ayala.583">Edwin Ayala</a>, <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=633445175" href="https://www.facebook.com/terry.strawson">Terry Strawson</a>, <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100000195460590" href="https://www.facebook.com/joel.sebastianelli">Joel Sebastianelli</a>, <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=631851732" href="https://www.facebook.com/boxingjones">Mark A. Jones</a>, and <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1370213917" href="https://www.facebook.com/derek.d.bonnett">Derek</a> Bonnett. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9c1mXJxZN-HJXqYVC93eEJC0sbEMN8y39-GVeKoSD69CcOMkokYLtOKkoy1eLzF9Ix1R8QQzavfTy1cnYKbuAy2Masil_093Z_0BjAstFxaZo6Vgl4aCQ8RltlyEMV_ulKyd7EaBYYvN/s1600/559439_215550675225774_100003125292806_363511_1500156772_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9c1mXJxZN-HJXqYVC93eEJC0sbEMN8y39-GVeKoSD69CcOMkokYLtOKkoy1eLzF9Ix1R8QQzavfTy1cnYKbuAy2Masil_093Z_0BjAstFxaZo6Vgl4aCQ8RltlyEMV_ulKyd7EaBYYvN/s320/559439_215550675225774_100003125292806_363511_1500156772_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Freeman</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i><span class="text_exposed_show">If</span><span class="text_exposed_show">
you enjoy KO Digest and appreciate the quality writing, boxing
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Thank you for reading and thank you for the continued support. The KO
Digest cannot and does not exist without its readership.</span></i><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span></span></span>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-28743347674989077372015-08-05T15:56:00.000-04:002015-10-14T11:14:24.473-04:00KO's Ringside Notes & Quotes IX — #MayBerto, Klitschko, Fury & Krusher<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSY4t7KH2LYts5yl1MiiIs68XgwuPMnClinknn-65nAdK0vwK2I5C7JnA7gIv-ljFDJlEnSbOOvg5vq6NZdpc8765tkGOdOfdRV5KkWdl-iXJ8v2hWPWL8GE6xq8uOOdbJFzSBV8XCsXkf/s1600/tumblr_nsku0rgpgT1usb64to1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSY4t7KH2LYts5yl1MiiIs68XgwuPMnClinknn-65nAdK0vwK2I5C7JnA7gIv-ljFDJlEnSbOOvg5vq6NZdpc8765tkGOdOfdRV5KkWdl-iXJ8v2hWPWL8GE6xq8uOOdbJFzSBV8XCsXkf/s320/tumblr_nsku0rgpgT1usb64to1_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Back to back Money grabs</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest </b></i><br />
<br />
Back in August of 2011, on an international media conference call
held to promote Andre Berto's comeback bout in Biloxi, Mississippi
against unknown Slovenian journeyman Jan Zaveck, I questioned the former
WBC welterweight champion about his future in boxing and whether or not
he had one after a decision loss to known quitter Victor Ortiz. I asked
Berto if he believed he was at risk of becoming a "forgotten
fighter" were he to lose to Zaveck.<br />
<br />
Perturbed,<span class="text_exposed_show">
Berto's response was two parts annoyance and one part incredulity. It
was the first time a prizefighter had ever gotten publicly irritated
with me for doing what I consider to be my job as a boxing journalist.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
"Is that what it is?" Berto asked rhetorically instead of answering my
question. "You lose one fight you’re forgotten about? Fighters have
shown for years and years they lose one fight and then come back a whole
lot bigger than they were before. Saying that kind of thing blows my
mind about you reporters and just the sport in general sometimes." Berto then continued to let me have it.<br />
<br />
"You’ve seen a guy like Shane Mosley resurrect his career three or four
times. A guy like Bernard Hopkins and all these other guys, and they
have four, five, six losses. I’m still young. I went through a tough
defeat. I had a bad night. I don’t care about what people think or what
they’re gonna write. At this point I’m just doing this for me, my family,
and the real Berto fans out there and that's it!"<br />
<br />
Four years later, Berto has two more losses. And a September 12 SHO PPV date in Vegas with Floyd Mayweather.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf3lN3rSb2z72e9VB0qZLH7SzMkQ9sYICR2yKAXtUzo5kJTp4fXvWZtsXuYfMb88W9j0kPrueyvQk4QmvDmIfUQcMOvU3HQFRclL-VYMLkN5wyEG0vbCEI81qaTDq43UPLDNEIzR6dMbz/s1600/IMG_2897%255B1%255D.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf3lN3rSb2z72e9VB0qZLH7SzMkQ9sYICR2yKAXtUzo5kJTp4fXvWZtsXuYfMb88W9j0kPrueyvQk4QmvDmIfUQcMOvU3HQFRclL-VYMLkN5wyEG0vbCEI81qaTDq43UPLDNEIzR6dMbz/s320/IMG_2897%255B1%255D.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fuck You</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Middle Finger To The World </b></i>— Light heavyweight champion Sergey <i>"The
Krusher" </i>Kovalev is very crass. Read some of the things he supposedly
says in Russian and you might think he could be called KKK to Gennady
Golovkin's GGG. While the always smiling <i>"Triple G"</i> embraces fans of all
colors and nationalities, Kovalev seems stuck in a Cold War mentality.
Perhaps this <i>war footing</i> suits Kovalev best and we should all just
appreciate his honesty as well as his brutality.<br />
<br />
Boxing, at t<span class="text_exposed_show">he
level Kovalev plies his dark art, is not courtesy class. Such
candidness is hard to come by in today's politically correct era. The
<i>"Krusher"</i> is anything but PC. Kovalev employs two primary methods of
verbally dealing with opponents he dislikes and who he plans to crush.
The first is to call them <i>"pieces of shit" </i>when asked by the media about
them. Adonis Stevenson and Jean Pascal have been so excrementally
labelled by Kovalev. Who'll be next? His second method is to threaten an
ass kicking and then casually deliver one. When I met Kovalev in New
York last year at his WBO ring ceremony, I caught a candid shot of him
as he was being photographed. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">They say a picture is worthy of a thousand
words.</span> This one of KK is worth at least two.<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4c-Pa3T7OF_jfbz4-UjTvcSjy9BbN5ccwZfW9g1gADezlRkHaT_7ty_EpyEExswPwtCMQn_4MTKE50qBSJBTZbeOz42qBxYXgEpFnNrArQYJ5TQEjvWFLMpmM83WhA70-GoUtPTx3ahC/s1600/CKbZLhrWoAA85pc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4c-Pa3T7OF_jfbz4-UjTvcSjy9BbN5ccwZfW9g1gADezlRkHaT_7ty_EpyEExswPwtCMQn_4MTKE50qBSJBTZbeOz42qBxYXgEpFnNrArQYJ5TQEjvWFLMpmM83WhA70-GoUtPTx3ahC/s320/CKbZLhrWoAA85pc.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Business as usual for Klitschko</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Furious Styles </b></i>— Tyson Fury wants his fight against Wladimir Klitschko
to be personal between them. At a recent face-to-face press conference to
promote their highly anticipated October 24 heavyweight championship title bout in Germany,
Fury repeatedly told the defending champion that it's <i>"personal"</i> for
him and <i>"personal"</i> for them. Klitschko was quick to interrupt Fury to
remind him that it's never personal for him, that boxing is always
business, that there is no animosity here or in the ring. Dr. S<span class="text_exposed_show">teelhammer,
ever the chess grandmaster, does not want his opponents to dislike him
or to arm themselves with a burning contempt for him as a person. It's
another subtle way Wlad K protects himself at all times. More than anything,
Klitschko wants everyone he fights to be in complete and total awe of
him, the long reining world champion with hands and arms full of strapping title belts. Some
are awed and some are not but most are beaten before they ever get in the ring
because Klitschko disarms them with his pure class.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">
<a href="http://fitefansho.blogspot.com/2014/04/ko-digest-interview-wladimir-klitschko.html" target="_blank">Last year, KO Digest interviewed Wladimir Klitschko (64-3, 53 KOs) by telephone. It was a great 45 minute Q&A with "Dr. Steelhammer" as he readied for the challenge of Alex Leapai. We asked the champion about some of his future potential challengers, including the UK's massive Tyson Fury (24-0, 18 KOs) who Klitschko faces on October 24 in Germany. Regarding the young Fury, Klitschko kept it short and sweet: "He's young and green behind his ears." </a><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKL_-tFBOzZWNgjBIzzTy5bm_RH7_06h3SxNbLVa6D8Clck28QikbVmHLuKNxWDGunBBP2NAJyQ5FSq8VR64gCs4eKN2hwoCXHGDoCj5k2dDMJn9fR7cOqfbNIYaLjy-4HrZNtVBvOAZ8/s1600/a45484ba179cef1dbc1529b14ac4e4b2_XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKL_-tFBOzZWNgjBIzzTy5bm_RH7_06h3SxNbLVa6D8Clck28QikbVmHLuKNxWDGunBBP2NAJyQ5FSq8VR64gCs4eKN2hwoCXHGDoCj5k2dDMJn9fR7cOqfbNIYaLjy-4HrZNtVBvOAZ8/s320/a45484ba179cef1dbc1529b14ac4e4b2_XL.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>George is still taking Cannon shots at Briggs</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>KO Digest Grills Big George Foreman </b></i><i><b>— </b></i>On the current state of the
heavyweight division and why American fans have lost interest in
recent years: "It's like a vacuum cleaner from outer space. We're
looking for heavyweights, we're searching everywhere, looking under beds and rocks, looking for a great heavyweight. There just aren't
any around. If there were, we could take over. But for some reason,
everybody has the glamor of all the other sports, basketball, footb<span class="text_exposed_show">all,
and baseball has taken over. But boxing will be back. A heavyweight
will come on the scene and you won't have to worry about who's
heavyweight champ of the world. His name will ring loud but it will be
an American."</span><br />
<br />
What about old 43 year old Shannon Briggs George?<br />
<br />
"I don't think he was very good even when he was good."<span class="text_exposed_show"> </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNTTO1lge30HctyV0alJpp2Plhy9BwqNjMF9QGPmwimnDs9XlxupwB7YUPXP_vYfF-VvVqX-OwSqadtAhJ_M-jFpbmGsvXHNCgp2pSWMwc0OfQ3YzEKHEZHtqqa3iNqZRPuFyG1y74Wp5/s1600/71715chavez00t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNTTO1lge30HctyV0alJpp2Plhy9BwqNjMF9QGPmwimnDs9XlxupwB7YUPXP_vYfF-VvVqX-OwSqadtAhJ_M-jFpbmGsvXHNCgp2pSWMwc0OfQ3YzEKHEZHtqqa3iNqZRPuFyG1y74Wp5/s320/71715chavez00t.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Waiting for Chavez Jr. to get serious about boxing</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><i><b>Wasted Talent </b></i>— Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is frustrating for boxing fans
to abide with his myriad weight issues because we can see the obvious
talent he possesses underneath all that baggage. A great fighter lies
just beneath the surface and we have seen flashes of that potential,
particularly in the championship rounds against Sergio Martinez. When
Chavez Jr. punches, it's clear how big and strong he really is, what
he's truly capable of in the ring, and the damage he can inflict. It's
not too late for Junior to live up to his birthright but we're all
growing tired of seeing it squandered. Will the real J.C. Jr. please stand up? </span> </div>
<br />
<i>Before Shawn Porter fought Kell Brook, I asked him:</i><br />
<i>If you beat the "Special One" will you fight Keith Thurman?</i><br />
<i>"Showtime" told me: "I'll fight 'One Time' two times!"</i><br />
<i>Now that he's beaten Broner, will he fight him one time? </i><br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<i>"It's a fight I wouldn't turn down," Porter told KO Digest.</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>The Super 6 is History </b></i>— The super middleweight division just ain't what it
used to be. Andre Ward doesn't really fight at that weight class any
longer. Carl Froch is officially retired. Arthur Abraham is a fossil who
just refuses to go away. Robert Stieglitz was knocked out by him last month.
James DeGale is a new world champion who I had the pleasure of covering
up close and personal in Boston last May. Badou Jack is one of the
worst fighters to ever hold a WBC title. George Groves may turn out to
be a good fighter but Froch whooped him twice. The Dirrell brothers are
overrated and fresh out of title belts in their fighting family. J'Leon
Love turned out to be a TMT bust. And there is no superstar prospect in the
168 pound weight class for boxing fans to look ahead to.<br />
<br />
If Gennady Golovkin moves
up from 160, there isn't much there for him.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDI2y-ggryuoa2QF4itzk0I9lwsZvJMw2JPssW-6m4S0QDokqeLd71QTKgG_PyKc5itH6-BgTTVInjYhJOOQbZ3B617fAEEuAUrfNh6pi5LWyDEzWii8xRCi9Vcj_Dg18Ykq8XAfkBsnQ/s1600/11a6141fac66488063c155aeb6745ca0_XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDI2y-ggryuoa2QF4itzk0I9lwsZvJMw2JPssW-6m4S0QDokqeLd71QTKgG_PyKc5itH6-BgTTVInjYhJOOQbZ3B617fAEEuAUrfNh6pi5LWyDEzWii8xRCi9Vcj_Dg18Ykq8XAfkBsnQ/s320/11a6141fac66488063c155aeb6745ca0_XL.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Super model with her super middle man</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Shedding Skin</b></i> — Carl<i> </i>Froch was wise to retire from boxing last month. At age 38, the writing was on the wall for the former WBC
& IBF super middleweight champion. A youthful George Groves couldn't
beat Froch in two fights but he did send a strong message and a hurtful
warning that was too loud to be ignored. Far too many in boxing linger
on past their primes or past their potency. It's refreshing to see that
not all boxers are cut from this same cloth. There is an u<span class="text_exposed_show">ndeniable
dignity in walking away on top or very close to it. Carl Froch was a
throwback fighter whose record of consistently facing top quality
opponents more than earned him the right to retire before having to face
even more of them as his own skills waned. Gone now is the possibility
of Froch vs. Gennady Golovkin. There will be no Wembley Stadium rematch
with Andre Ward. Fellow Brit James <i>"Chunky" </i>DeGale can have Froch's old
title belt but barring an unlikely "Cobra" comeback, he'll never get
Froch in the ring. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">All of this fleeting allure only adds to Froch's
legacy in the squared circle. History will now have to be the final judge of where Froch rates in
comparison to Joe Calzaghe and all the other great super middleweight world champions. In the meantime, Froch can now finally
afford to let that beautiful woman in his life <i>(red hot model Rachael Cordingley)</i>
weaken his legs a little more often. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiRPPmxZnLU1ermnUgDrzV_u2SqGHsnyj5EGcXTg6ad0O7cYWqZE0XOMor60Ioy2t_t1MyTYuyRI2GBO4_i2FwtpN-U2mlCFfNT3Cu1kTuJwUj5BqeV3pfGjZTgQcGgvpycV8dEZB1RbM/s1600/8fcfe3f66918b7d6162d7b52cf83682a_crop_north.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiRPPmxZnLU1ermnUgDrzV_u2SqGHsnyj5EGcXTg6ad0O7cYWqZE0XOMor60Ioy2t_t1MyTYuyRI2GBO4_i2FwtpN-U2mlCFfNT3Cu1kTuJwUj5BqeV3pfGjZTgQcGgvpycV8dEZB1RbM/s320/8fcfe3f66918b7d6162d7b52cf83682a_crop_north.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Paulie and Froch have a similar future in retirement</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<i><b>Malignaggi's Media Magic Trick</b></i> — He might not have looked it after Danny <i>"Swift"</i> Garcia was done beating him up last Saturday night in Brooklyn, but Malignaggi really is one of
the lucky ones. The <i>"Magic Man"</i> doesn't have to say goodbye to boxing
even though he'll probably retire from active competition at age 35
after back to back TKO losses. For many fighters, retirement from boxing
is the hardest thing in the world to deal with because for most of
these guys, there is no longer a role for <span class="text_exposed_show">them
in the sport they love. Some boxers keep the love alive by becoming
trainers but the vast majority have no boxing in their lives after
boxing aside from what they see on TV. This is one of the best parts
about being a fight writer. Boxers come and go though the years but the
writer gets to stay and see this cycle play out. For Malignaggi, his
role as a ringside commentator will serve not only his own need to stay
involved but it also benefits all of us who get to bask in the glory of
his wisdom.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8Vu04PpV0jrh3hhdkcg8tQLYSdqKGTvRaifUFwe5_P79FVLD9D-ZkxLe2EPed4UUAUSz6EjH6u78vGwTTihYfusxVxfHDxLAF-WM8eD_tWwS8JnQNgmjukfaKLQuJQaBAJM9aB8h0twr/s1600/confc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8Vu04PpV0jrh3hhdkcg8tQLYSdqKGTvRaifUFwe5_P79FVLD9D-ZkxLe2EPed4UUAUSz6EjH6u78vGwTTihYfusxVxfHDxLAF-WM8eD_tWwS8JnQNgmjukfaKLQuJQaBAJM9aB8h0twr/s400/confc.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Winner gets a shot at Hulk Hogan?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u><span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-size: large;">Crossing The Mason-Dixon Line</span></span></u></b><br />
<br />
<i><b><span class="text_exposed_show">Hulkster & Antonio Tarver Talk Trash</span></b></i><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"></span><br />
With Sylvester Stallone's ROCKY spinoff CREED hitting theaters soon,
it's interesting times for former protagonist ROCKY characters
Thunderlips (played by Hulk Hogan) and Mason <i>"The Line"</i> Dixon (Antonio <i>"Magic Man"</i> Tarver). Hogan, a pro
wrestling icon and an overly protective father <i>(as well as a self-admitted racist)</i> is now embroiled in an
N-word controversy that's already resulted in his complete removal from WWE history books. The Romans, in their reign, called it <i>damnatio memoriae</i>, condemnation of memory.<br />
<br />
Apparently, Vince McMahon is still a<span class="text_exposed_show"> stone cold promoter and one badass boss. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Racial tirades are no longer tolerated in the year 2015 and nor should they be.</span> Coincidentally, Tarver, 46, and still vying for a very unlikely shot at the
heavyweight championship of the boxing world, got all fired up
on an international media conference call the very next day with upcoming opponent "USS"
Steve Cunningham, a <i>"real American"</i> who, as a <i>"war tested Veteran of
this damn country,"</i> fights for the rights of everyman. Things got
verbally heated during the pro wrestling like exchanges and at one
point, Tarver actually said to Cunningham, "Nigger, you out your rabbit ass mind
if you think you're going to fucking beat me. You're distracted homie."<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>KO Digest Special Feature: Rating Boxing's Five Best Weight Classes</u></b></span><br />
<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6c3s9d8GRRhb7NemtGnmXtORfCMKzYlYksy-QTeRRwsjVpvYcSjNJxrvJcNAjhJMIBaZKsOcvfVyHkEkj62v9u8WNSiEI3ADkTBQdRlGuS5wrKPftHKIBwEnd14U067H5nseewT_8FNt/s1600/bradley_vargas_150627_006a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6c3s9d8GRRhb7NemtGnmXtORfCMKzYlYksy-QTeRRwsjVpvYcSjNJxrvJcNAjhJMIBaZKsOcvfVyHkEkj62v9u8WNSiEI3ADkTBQdRlGuS5wrKPftHKIBwEnd14U067H5nseewT_8FNt/s320/bradley_vargas_150627_006a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bradley survives a late storm against Vargas</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>1. Welterweight</b> — Packed with stars, up and comers, power punchers, and
defensive wizards, this Original 8 division is championed by the best
fighter in all of boxing, <b>Floyd Mayweather Jr.</b>, while its top ten rating
list reads like a who's who in boxing today with the likes of <b>Manny
Pacquiao, Tim Bradley, Shawn Porter, Amir Khan, Kell Brook, </b>and<b> Keith
Thurman</b>.<br />
<br />
Welterweight is also where the best junior welterweights show up when
they're looking to move up for the big money.<b> Danny Garcia</b> stopped <b>Paulie Malignaggi</b> in 9 at 147 to begin his welterweight campaign. One
can even envision former lightweight champion <b>Terence Crawford</b> packing
on the needed pounds to someday soon compete with the big boys. And
let's not forget <b>Sadam Ali</b>, one of the best prospect/contenders in all
of boxing.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Light Heavyweight</b> — It might look a little top
heavy right now with <b>Adonis Stevenson</b> and <b>Sergey "The Krusher" Kovalev</b>
as rulers of a division without too many credible threats left <i>(beyond
each other)</i> but 175 will very soon be the place to be. Former super
middleweight champion and elite P4P talent <b>Andre Ward</b> has his sights set
on Kovalev's title belts. <b>Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez </b>will soon
be lobbing bombs at <i>"Superman" </i>for the linear title. Polish puncher <b>
Andrzej Fonfara </b>is better than anybody thought he was and we'd now like
to see more of him after he made Chavez Jr. quit on his stool. <b>Artur
Beterbiev </b>is just 9-0 but a serious force to soon be reckoned with.
<b>Bernard Hopkins</b> and <b>Jean Pascal</b> represent the old guard and both might
have a trick or two left up their sleeves. <b>Sullivan Barrera</b> (16-0) looks
like a solid pro and you should keep your eyes on him.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZgGiJQH4WpKUxQPh2foB5v8yOXiujK4xXL6hTbdL0PpAfbRNSxZ8UXGq9StiS5Sx_ILfM8nb1ksfEcqKJN1JEwB823m2G7lMB_WCywIjsDjswPR0jh-_DGYY_Kp-X4JyryQOwlGL4uxm/s1600/Gennady_Golovkin_David_Lemieux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZgGiJQH4WpKUxQPh2foB5v8yOXiujK4xXL6hTbdL0PpAfbRNSxZ8UXGq9StiS5Sx_ILfM8nb1ksfEcqKJN1JEwB823m2G7lMB_WCywIjsDjswPR0jh-_DGYY_Kp-X4JyryQOwlGL4uxm/s320/Gennady_Golovkin_David_Lemieux.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Golovkin is a middleweight wrecking ball </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>3.
Middleweight </b>— The always popular glamour division that was once ruled
so marvelously by Hagler and Hopkins is now ruled with bloody fists by
<b>Gennady Golovkin</b>, winner of his last twenty prizefights by knockout. The
WBA champion appears unbeatable, fights often, and routinely makes
trophies of other men. The aging and undersized <b>Miguel Cotto</b> still holds
the linear title for what that's worth and a Superfight against <b>Canelo
Alvarez </b>promises to bring excitement to the championship before GGG's
takeover of 160 is complete.<br />
<br />
Fighters like <b>Peter Quillin, David Lemieux,
</b> and<b> Andy Lee</b> should not be counted out and they will soon be tasked
with the dirty job of dismantling Golovkin if they can. Lemieux gets a chance on October 17 at MSG in NYC.<br />
<br />
<b>4.
Super Bantamweight </b>— Small in stature but big in star power and
potential marquee match-ups, the 122 lb. weight class boasts fighters
such as world champion <b>Guillermo Rigondeaux, Carl "The Jackal" Frampton, Scott Quigg, Leo Santa
Cruz, Abner Mares, </b>and<b> Nonito Donaire</b>. Santa Cruz and Mares
are set to rumble this month on ESPN. Frampton and Quigg both just won
impressively and the pressure is on to make them fight before Frampton
moves up to featherweight. Donaire has now won twice since the brutal TKO loss
to featherweight champ Nicholas <i>"Axe Man"</i> Walters last year and the <i>"Filipino
Flash"</i> looks ready for a return to big fights against the best in his
weight class.<i><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKGvKPB6qQi2Gveu-whBJOmIbN_Ljk_Ky6enuONzXlVbGWaLOB4bI4NY2Z-rqlOkgBOhx4Cm4uRykmIjc2aYTigyK8AuCyPqL6ieJQ27rl4eb0fGbkAZFuUw9JAUwkM9iLpbII_7QhYiX/s1600/559439_215550675225774_100003125292806_363511_1500156772_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKGvKPB6qQi2Gveu-whBJOmIbN_Ljk_Ky6enuONzXlVbGWaLOB4bI4NY2Z-rqlOkgBOhx4Cm4uRykmIjc2aYTigyK8AuCyPqL6ieJQ27rl4eb0fGbkAZFuUw9JAUwkM9iLpbII_7QhYiX/s320/559439_215550675225774_100003125292806_363511_1500156772_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Freeman</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i><span class="text_exposed_show">If</span><span class="text_exposed_show"> you enjoy KO Digest and appreciate the quality writing, boxing
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Digest through PayPal by using my PP email address: jeffreyafreeman@hotmail.com ~ No donation amount is too big. No amount
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Thank you for reading and thank you for the continued support. The KO Digest cannot and does not exist without its readership. </span></i></div>
</div>
</div>
Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-36155713040400804312015-07-21T09:53:00.000-04:002015-07-26T19:44:08.703-04:00Gennady Golovkin's Hunt For Greatness and Signature Fights Continues...<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHLNDWc6zdcWTQQcSSLK0KRf_d8ONnOlyM-qPwSrJdYZmD1HNgWHbS9aC9rXfo7d7WIry5Vxg1B9ju3Fzialy9bIuCru-jErhgVci40ZLoPPJsmbeDiUkS6w4usiWvnxkphlawZeUHmbF/s1600/hi-res-186666209-gennady-golovkin-in-action-against-curtis-stevens_crop_exact.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHLNDWc6zdcWTQQcSSLK0KRf_d8ONnOlyM-qPwSrJdYZmD1HNgWHbS9aC9rXfo7d7WIry5Vxg1B9ju3Fzialy9bIuCru-jErhgVci40ZLoPPJsmbeDiUkS6w4usiWvnxkphlawZeUHmbF/s400/hi-res-186666209-gennady-golovkin-in-action-against-curtis-stevens_crop_exact.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Triple G</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Nobody really wants to fight WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. Not if they know what's good for them they don't. Junior middleweights Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara claim they do. 50 year-old <i>"Alien"</i> Bernard Hopkins says he does too but that's just to chide Floyd for boss Oscar. Add American welterweight Timothy <i>"Desert Storm"</i> Bradley as well. He's no coward, or so he says.<br />
<br />
Let's get serious. <br />
<br />
Golovkin, 33-0, 30 KOs, has now defeated twenty consecutive opponents by knockout. The overall record of those twenty doomed pugilists was a combined 496-66-12 going into combat with Golovkin. Half of those twenty men GGG hammered into submission had never been stopped before in their professional boxing careers. Then they ran into <i>"Kazakh Thunder" </i>as Jim Lampley likes to call it on HBO. The newly inducted International Boxing Hall of Fame announcer is right. Golovkin is a force of nature. His fourteen successful defenses of the WBA 160 pound title have all come by stoppage against credible contenders (to wit: Martin Murray, Marco Rubio, and Daniel Geale, et al.) whose best was just not good enough to even go the distance.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidwi6uasnb-Mmuu8eTylv1O_SWfG-zn1Iw7FlEuDDvxTpmSm1w_yLEpqymBc_a32UR5TCQnlGSIpec_l7TaGK-OlJnfja8b0Xm4hy92IUzTwpZtSH-yLUySSSLb5qrAxbSKJj2XUNoV-f/s1600/golovkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidwi6uasnb-Mmuu8eTylv1O_SWfG-zn1Iw7FlEuDDvxTpmSm1w_yLEpqymBc_a32UR5TCQnlGSIpec_l7TaGK-OlJnfja8b0Xm4hy92IUzTwpZtSH-yLUySSSLb5qrAxbSKJj2XUNoV-f/s320/golovkin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Golovkin massacres Gabe Rosado </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With Golovkin on such a brutal tear through a glamour division once ruled so marvelously by Hagler and Hopkins, there are not many options left for <i>"Triple G" </i>and some of his remaining potential opponents are literally making themselves scarce. After every new win, the talk from GGG is always of "big fights" but who really wants to get beaten up by a modern day Mike Tyson who looks like Harry Greb and sounds like Borat Sagdiyev? And so Golovkin waits for his career defining fight(s); wins again and again (by KO) and waits some more...<br />
<br />
Andre Ward, recently thought to be an ideal adversary for Golovkin, is now suddenly in the light heavyweight title picture against unified WBA, IBF, and WBO champion Sergey <i>"The Krusher" </i>Kovalev, this according to Main Events promoter Kathy Duva on a media conference call held to promote Kovalev's July 25 mandatory defense against 40-1 long shot Nadjib Mohammedi.<br />
<br />
"We all agree that fight [Kovalev-Ward] is going to happen," said Duva of ongoing negotiations with Team Ward to make the match-up a reality at 175 pounds. This development rules out the possibility of Ward fighting Golovkin anytime soon or before a bout with Kovalev can materialize in late 2016. <i>"Triple G" vs. "S.O.G."</i> at 168 seemed reasonably doable, if not handicapped in favor of the larger Ward, but Golovkin against a light heavyweight strikes me as unrealistic. Golovkin is a small but powerful middleweight. Ward was 171¾ for his recent return bout against Paul Smith. This is the "moving up and away from" strategy by Ward. Some might argue that Ward's recent inactivity issues and current jump in weight suit him just fine if the objective all along was to avoid a dangerous fight with Golovkin at or near super middleweight. <br />
<br />
Floyd Mayweather Jr.? Andre Berto is up next for <i>"TBE"</i> from what I hear.<br />
<br />
I'm sure <i>"Money"</i> would rather swim with sharks than fight a hungry apex predator like Golovkin.<br />
<br />
After one or two more "easy wins" Mayweather will almost certainly retire undefeated rather than glove up with Golovkin at any weight. <br />
<br />
Carl Froch did just officially retire. No GGG for that defanged <i>"Cobra" </i>and there had been talk. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxouTJWShm6Pa7K-156gJHOLByYvEY9wD9zw_kGkLibhzJhB5xQbTohDDmKuowFr99J1YmC11oU0L4n3DXXG7qa8uvViyJHkcXfDaYjll8fsW-f6KDEOrFdjc5sKumCbKM69t0qzbv_unn/s1600/Cotto-Golovkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxouTJWShm6Pa7K-156gJHOLByYvEY9wD9zw_kGkLibhzJhB5xQbTohDDmKuowFr99J1YmC11oU0L4n3DXXG7qa8uvViyJHkcXfDaYjll8fsW-f6KDEOrFdjc5sKumCbKM69t0qzbv_unn/s320/Cotto-Golovkin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cotto and Golovkin</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And Poor Miguel Cotto, the Puerto Rican star sounded like he forgot his English homework last month on HBO when Max Kellerman asked the undersized linear world middleweight champion about the unbeaten Kazakhi elephant in the room. Funny and sad at the same time, it was something boxing fans won't soon forget. Even sadder, Cotto and Golovkin will probably never clash as they should. More than any fighter in boxing, Golovkin<i> "deserves" </i>a linear title shot. When Cotto finally sells his championship claim in a business arrangement similar to the one in which he purchased it from Sergio Martinez, the buyer <i>(...and the new!) </i>will hopefully be Golden Boy's cash cow because there's good reason to believe Canelo Alvarez is at least willing to challenge Golovkin for middleweight supremacy. Still, Cotto versus Canelo will definitely have to happen before Golovkin can get either of them in the ring.<br />
<br />
I don't exactly hear animal lover Peter Quillin barking for a Golovkin fight.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, <i>"Kid Chocolate" </i>is melting away before he can even be devoured.<br />
<br />
Who else is there? Canadian firecracker David Lemieux, the new IBF middleweight champ? Fun fist-fight it'll be for sure but a pure massacre in the ring. Another KO for Golovkin. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.? He got stepped on like a stone by Andrzej Fonfara last April. For now, the<i> "Lion Cub of Culiacán" </i>is out of the GGG mix. Maybe someday he'll serve as a suitable punching bag for Golovkin. <br />
<br />
Former Emanuel Steward KRONK protégé Andy Lee should thank his lucky stars that fate interceded on his behalf. If that one had gone off as scheduled last year, <i>"Irish Eyes"</i> would not be smiling so brightly for Lee today. Accordingly, Lee gets the one and only pass when it comes to <i>"ducking Golovkin"</i> because he did already sign on the dotted line. The popular WBO middleweight champ is now more appropriately matched against Billy Joe Saunders this September at home in Ireland.<br />
<br />
It's not that Lee won't fight Golovkin, it's that he shouldn't.<br />
<br />
No chance to win. High probability of getting hurt.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, Golovkin's championship knockout streak continues.<br />
<br />
So too does his long wait for a <i>"big name"</i> fight. <i><b> </b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>By </b><b>Jeffrey Freeman,<a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/21166-triple-gs-hunt-for-greatness-and-signature-fight-continues" target="_blank"> originally published on The Sweet Science </a></b></i>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-69141009978472913052015-07-11T10:11:00.000-04:002015-08-10T17:14:51.672-04:00KO Digest Ringside Report — Beltway Boxing in Parkville, Maryland Results<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE340usGF4iKY_IzxQG3OPtiMiNcT1Thcl-oo79Qy8o2M1-ostC1AfQIwTIn31_9NDn9rQ020rHOn_h6unP4pzOikfh4e9iexsjG27j_fLchOqHT6ixLmdl_5_4q6WjZjGNf1t6-MuF_wN/s1600/IMG_2649%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE340usGF4iKY_IzxQG3OPtiMiNcT1Thcl-oo79Qy8o2M1-ostC1AfQIwTIn31_9NDn9rQ020rHOn_h6unP4pzOikfh4e9iexsjG27j_fLchOqHT6ixLmdl_5_4q6WjZjGNf1t6-MuF_wN/s320/IMG_2649%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Barakat belted out on the boxing Beltway</i></td></tr>
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<b>TALL CEDARS HALL</b> — <span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">A perfectly fine little club show almost ended in disaster
Thursday night when <b>Travis Reeves</b>, Baltimore, Md., 194 ½, (10-2-2, 4
KOs) knocked out <b>Samer Barakat</b>, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 193, (5-2, 3
KOs) in the sixth round of a main-event eight-rounder.
Barakat, a powerful but very crude slugger, fell partially out of the
ring, unconscious from a right-hand shot in a neutral corner and began
to breathe heavily. He was taken overnight to the University of Maryland
Shock Trauma hospital and passed his cat scan and was released Friday
morning, according to a spokesman with the Maryland State Athletic
Commission.
It was the kind of knockout that should make a fighter – and boxing
commissions – think long and hard about retirement. <br /><br />In March,
Barakat lost his first fight, to Eric Martel Bahoeli, of Quebec City,
and in that bout he was dropped and dazed in the first and then floored
again. He scored a knockdown in the second and was dropped himself again
in the third on the way to a loss by decision in a four-round bout.
<br /><br />Reeves controlled most of the action against Barakat and scored
a third-round knockdown. Barakat is a roundhouse puncher who wades in
with his gloves down. With any separation between himself and any decent
opponent, he is an accident waiting to happen. Despite the obvious
openings, however, Reeves could not finish him off.
By the fifth round, the fight was devolving and getting sloppy, which
played into the stronger Barakat’s hands, but the sixth-round landed him
on a stretcher, ending the night.
<br /><br /><b>Kevin “The Scarecrow” Womack</b>, Baltimore, Md., 154, looked like
the best 7-5-3 (5 KOs) fighter in the world in stopping <b>Tyson Harrison</b>,
Greensboro, N.C., 155 ½ , (2-3) by TKO at 1:56 of the first round in a
scheduled six.
Womack, 5-foot-11, scored a knockdown with the very first punch of the
fight, a stiff jab, and it was stunning to see. As soon as the fight
resumed, he was on Harrison with a blur of young <i>Thomas Hearns-like</i>
combinations. Referee Ken Chevalier finally waved it over with Harrison overwhelmed by punches in his own corner.
Womack went to center ring, landed a perfect back flip that
left him facing his opponent’s corner and he walked over to wish him
well. </span></span><span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">It was the kind of awesome performance that makes you want to see a
fighter again.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">Womack fought at 152 pounds in the Gold Gloves but he dropped down into
the 140s early in his pro career, which began in 2011. After winning
his first four bouts, he went 0-5-2 in his next seven. Now, he’s 3-0-2
in his past five, drawing with Jesse Cook (14-1), inhaling Nathaniel
Rivas (5-1) and now the win over Harrison. He’s fought four times since
May 8, and he is fast and exciting.
<br /><br /><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Undercard Results:</i></span></u></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><b>Damont Giddins</b>, Salisbury, Md., 147, (2-1, 2 KOs) admired himself for three rounds before rallying to score a TKO 1:40 in the fourth and final round over <b>Travis McClaren</b>, Danville, Va., 147, (1-7, 1 KO). McClaren dropped Giddins with a hard right uppercut in the second round and looked like, although far less strong or talented, he might hustle his way to a decision win. Giddins pulled himself together in the fourth and scored a devastating knockdown with a right that saw McClaren land on the side of his head. In no condition to continue and barely responsive, McClaren was allowed to continue by Chevalier and he got blasted out against the ropes. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">Totally unnecessary punishment. </span></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYk2ksBYmA2X7_Wc-Amq9p9tM6SuFTYP7i0kZ07Go5wtP6DL8s79xpDvT4QCEcgwNZZQSDPI7yJ1UfWj1fcR87lhXocreKWN-GCGI9EWfhbfGgvaDb0K3A8Mh8VQrBaqw2XePfZrwth3S/s1600/IMG_2650%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYk2ksBYmA2X7_Wc-Amq9p9tM6SuFTYP7i0kZ07Go5wtP6DL8s79xpDvT4QCEcgwNZZQSDPI7yJ1UfWj1fcR87lhXocreKWN-GCGI9EWfhbfGgvaDb0K3A8Mh8VQrBaqw2XePfZrwth3S/s200/IMG_2650%255B1%255D.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Benson (R) decisions Black</i></td></tr>
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<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><b>Dennis Benson</b>, Hampton, Va., 227 (3-5-2, 1 KO) scored a split-decision win over <b>Carlos Black</b>, Washington, D.C., 224 ½, (1-2, 1 KO) in a four-rounder. We saw it 39-37 for the winner in a spirited and somewhat crude encounter of in-shape big men. </span></span><br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><br /><b>Shakeel Phinn</b>, Brossard, Quebec, Canada, 174, (2-1, 1 KO) turned out to be the good fighter down from Canada as he scored a sharp unanimous decision win over <b>Danny Waters</b>, Rockville, Md., 169 ½, (0-1) in a fast-paced four-rounder. Waters had a lot of success in the <i>muay thai</i> ranks and was trying conventional boxing as a pro for the first time. He fought well but the sharp, well-schooled and busy Phinn was just too much. </span></span><br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><br /><b>Nicholas Rodriguez</b>, Somerset, Ky., 127 ½ , (0-2-1) and <b>Arthur Parker</b>, IV, Lancaster, Pa., 131 ½, (1-13-2) fought to a split draw in the quiet opener, for which the first bell rang at 8:34 PM. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><b><i>Images & Words by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/john.scheinman?fref=ts" target="_blank">John Scheinman</a></i></b></span></span><span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><i> —</i><b><i> for KO Digest </i></b></span></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KvEOOWPjvXD9EVLKh-Q7XyEuTJ0-FjP0-2sBdIM5UKmg4__5zdmnmhDzU6xZTe7JJsg0rhPMlOoTaoVmN9wW3ccHL-lvbZnw7Sbu8kfUcvO1hOHNybZZeLFTFstuuv-DTOE7zmKmSuxZ/s1600/boxingbeltwaybanner_edited-1%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KvEOOWPjvXD9EVLKh-Q7XyEuTJ0-FjP0-2sBdIM5UKmg4__5zdmnmhDzU6xZTe7JJsg0rhPMlOoTaoVmN9wW3ccHL-lvbZnw7Sbu8kfUcvO1hOHNybZZeLFTFstuuv-DTOE7zmKmSuxZ/s400/boxingbeltwaybanner_edited-1%255B1%255D.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><i><b><span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".13.$mid=11436555784959=25a062184c4104a1909.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"> </span></span></b></i></span></span>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256943196291017487.post-74267661445935625912015-06-21T11:04:00.000-04:002015-06-21T12:02:13.979-04:00Clearly Canadian: Lemieux chills out N'Dam in Montreal, wins IBF 160 lb. title <div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEcsRT7-fdrolSOF5LUFfrx2N_B605L-hZI5C98wYrKYHL0B1yYeurI0yHTndIMi7OFcFhT3LZbxZafBWBzGjaTK7d9HEbP8x0-W3r1gNrGPUeKcK8JkVDnWt6FAYvBa-Io0Ifshvj6_N/s1600/David-Lemieux-640x360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEcsRT7-fdrolSOF5LUFfrx2N_B605L-hZI5C98wYrKYHL0B1yYeurI0yHTndIMi7OFcFhT3LZbxZafBWBzGjaTK7d9HEbP8x0-W3r1gNrGPUeKcK8JkVDnWt6FAYvBa-Io0Ifshvj6_N/s400/David-Lemieux-640x360.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lemieux's potent left hand is raised at home </i><br />
<br /></td></tr>
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<b>BELL CENTER</b> — Middleweight contender Hassan N'Dam has a great chin and
he showed it again in Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday night against power
puncher David Lemieux. Fighting for the vacant IBF middleweight
championship, the pair put forth a spirited battle at the Bell Center
which saw N'Dam knocked down four times throughout the fight from
Lemieux's sizzling left hooks. The result was a unanimous decision for
Lemieux and with the victory, he lays claim to the IBF title which
was recently stripped from Jermain Taylor. Promoted by Golden Boy and
Eye of the Tiger Management, the fight itself was very entertaining and
it was a nice style match-up with N'Dam (31-2, 18 KOs) as the boxer and Lemieux (34-2,
31 KOs) as the
pressure fighter. Two judges scored the fight 115-109 for Lemieux while the third had it 114-110 for the new champion. Off TV, I scored it 115-110 for Lemieux. <br />
<br />
In the
opening round, Lemieux, 26, set the pace with intense pressure and his
left hook landed well as N'Dam, 31, tried to establish his range. In the
second, N'Dam (from Pantin, France via Cameroon) found himself under
pressure on the ropes and he actually tackled Lemieux as a defensive
tactic. His relief was only temporary as a massive left hook from
Lemieux dropped N'Dam in the corner. Lemieux's efforts to finish off the
badly wobbled N'Dam were in vain as the game N'Dam managed to stay on
his feet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhru9bu4FAydykvlVhPGV4Q3HIvD_pH_2QQbf1TDjNuY98H13BsM8Bm_MVHvbz2lgJTWYxxI4vDKpNAyzBlhNRhV91FKYpPBuggZvG2zvjWBCEws5XPXrVHdLHT8AAQsUcpTwvJ7k44KSDO/s1600/david-lemieux-and-hassan-ndam1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhru9bu4FAydykvlVhPGV4Q3HIvD_pH_2QQbf1TDjNuY98H13BsM8Bm_MVHvbz2lgJTWYxxI4vDKpNAyzBlhNRhV91FKYpPBuggZvG2zvjWBCEws5XPXrVHdLHT8AAQsUcpTwvJ7k44KSDO/s320/david-lemieux-and-hassan-ndam1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lemieux scored four knockdowns</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the third, N'Dam missed wildly as Lemieux wisely targeted
his body. When Lemieux's punch accuracy began to wane, N'Dam got himself
back into the fight behind a solid jab. N'Dam boxed well from the
outside in the fifth round but another left hook from Lemieux had N'Dam
backing up before N'Dam was able to reestablish control of the frame.
The sixth was a disaster for N'Dam and he fell twice from left hooks,
resulting in a 10-7 round for Lemieux. N'Dam stole the seventh round
with cute boxing but Lemieux again caught up to him in the eighth round,
scoring yet another knockdown off a crunching left hook.<br />
<br />
In the ninth,
N'Dam continued to box while Lemieux looked to end the fight. As the
later rounds wore on and turned into the championship rounds, Lemieux
seemed to tire a bit and he ran out of viable ideas for putting N'Dam
away. In the eleventh, they traded power punches and it was hard to tell
who got the worst of it. In the final round, N'Dam let his hands go
good but Lemieux kept up his attack until the final bell. Before
the fight, N'Dam's manager Gary Hyde insisted that Lemieux was nothing
but a "hype job" and N'Dam all but guaranteed an early KO win over
Lemieux.<br />
<br />
With the impressive performance in front of his frenzied
hometown fans, Lemieux takes another step closer to a middleweight
unification fight against WBA champion Gennady "Triple G" Golovkin (33-0, 30 KOs) while N'Dam looks towards an
uncertain future in a glamor division where he's good enough to be a contender,
but not good enough to be a world champion.<br />
<br />
<i><b>By Jeffrey Freeman, <a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/21023-tss-ibf-160-ndam-vs-lemieux" target="_blank">originally published on The Sweet Science </a></b></i><br />
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<i><b><br /></b></i>Jeffrey Freeman ~ fitefansho@hotmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447225263776185003noreply@blogger.com