Nonito Donaire Ready For Toshiaki Nishioka

Nonito vs Nish

By Gopal Rao - With the clock winding down on the highly anticipated double-header at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, featuring Nonito Donaire defending his unified super-bantamweight titles against Japan’s Toshiaki Nishioka, Team Donaire held a final pre-fight media conference call to discuss the fight.

"Look, this guy is very experienced. He’s one of those guys who’s been in there for so many years and had so much experience that he’s been in there with every type of opponent. But inside the ring he hasn’t been in against a Nonito," said Donaire’s trainer, Robert Garcia, about Nishioka.

"He hasn’t seen someone with that power he has, that thinks the way he thinks. Nonito has tremendous power and speed, and that’s really going to make the difference. I really admire those fighters that really see their opponent and know what punches are coming, and Nonito is one of those guys. This guy hasn’t been in there with nobody like Nonito, and that’s going to make the difference."

Donaire himself was cautious about assessing Nishioka’s chances, giving the longtime Japanese title-holder his due for being crafty. "He does pose a threat in terms of his speed, and knowing how to set up his power. He’s been boxing for a long time and knows a lot of tricks that can frustrate a fighter, and that’s what we don’t want to fall into."

Donaire acknowledged that the pressure is building up to duplicate the knockouts he scored against Vic Darchinyan and Fernando Montiel. In the wake of consecutive decision victories in the super-bantamweight division, people have been questioning whether or not his power has carried up with him. He pointed to the quality of opposition he has faced recently, and how it has forced him to fight more intelligently than he had in the past.'

"These guys are world champions, and they’re on top of their game and sometimes you don’t get the things that people expect. They expect a lot from me. We’re changing up our style to get more for this fight. Against Nishioka we can’t let our guard down. We have been going back to the old style of being smart."

Donaire didn’t want to predict a stoppage in this fight either, but he hasn’t lost faith in his punching power. "If it comes it comes. With the proper game plan, my power will be more dominant. That’s what I was known for."

Garcia echoed Donaire’s comments about Nonito’s lack of stoppage wins since moving up weight.

"The fighters are bigger and stronger and they’ve all been world class fighters. It all has been more difficult. These guys have been doing it for years. It won’t be easy, but this training camp he told me that he’s going to come back and fight the way he used to do it. The way he did it against Montiel, against Tyson Marquez, against Sydorenko."

"All those guys that he was just picking them apart little by little and knocking them out. He has been doing it in training against lightweights, junior lightweights and super lightweights. He’s been landing beautiful shots and combinations. I have no doubt that he will do it against Nishioka. I’m not asking or pushing for the knockout, I want him to perform well, look good and do what he did in training."

Donaire’s manager, Cameron Dunkin, was similarly enthused about the fight at hand. "This is s a fight that Nonito has wanted for a long time. It’s a great fight. Nishioka is a great champion, and these are the fights that really leave Nonito as not only one of the greatest of today, but also in history. These are the kinds of fights you really get excited about because this is really a historical fight."

Promoter Bob Arum promised that the fight would be a very special event, with Brandon Rios fighting Mike Alavarado in the co-featured bout. "The one hundred and twenty two pound championship title being defended by Nonito is going to be a classic. I had the opportunity to watch Toshiaki Nishioka when he fought Rafael Marquez in Las Vegas, and he is a terrific fighter. We know that Nonito is one of the great fighters in boxing, but he’s going to have his hands full with a tough competitor like Nishioka. I really believe that this fight will be as exciting and interesting as the co-feature, with Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado. Hell of a night of boxing at the Home Depot, we’ve sold over five thousand tickets. Were looking for a crowd of around seven thousand, which will be a virtual sellout, so we’re very excited."

HBO Road To Glory RESULTS — Edwin Rodriguez & Vic Darchinyan shine

MGM GRAND FOXWOODS, CT — Rising star Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez scored a dominating eighth round TKO of Jason Escalera last night in his second consecutive fight telecast on HBO. The undefeated super middleweight contender Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs) hurt Escalera (13-1, 1 KOs) badly in the first and third rounds but couldn't finish him early.

More of the same unfolded in the fifth and the fight was almost stopped. Rodriguez continued to punish a game but overmatched Escalera who just wouldn't quit. Referee Steve Smoger finally stepped in at the :12 mark of round eight.

"I hit him with a good left uppercut in the first round and his mouthpiece came out so I went right after him but he's very strong willed and has a great chin. Escalera never hurt me and I think the stoppage could have come in the first round but Steve Smoger is a great referee and he gives fighters a chance to come back."

With another win on HBO in the bank, what does the immediate future hold for "La Bomba" Rodriguez? "We want any of the top 10 guys, definitely Kelly Pavlik. Super middleweight is my division and I feel comfortable at this weight but if any opportunity comes at light heavyweight, I'm a big kid, I'm 6'1, so I'm ready."

In the co-main event Vic Darchinyan, (121 lbs) UD10 Luis Orlando Del Valle, (122 lbs) Darchinyan (38-5, 27 KOs) and Valle (16-1, 11 KOs) had no feeling out round as they both swung and landed at will from the first bell.  Darchinyan giving the better of it early on but fading late and getting hurt in the final two.  Judges had it 96-94 and 99-91 twice.

"I'm back," said Darchinyan afterwards. "I feel good at this weight. I feel strong. I worked very hard. He's a tough kid. I just felt I was in a different class than him."

Antonin Decarie, (147 lbs) TKO6 Alex Perez, (146 lbs) Decarie (27-1, 8 KOs) scores an impressive stoppage of the previously unbeaten Perez (16-1, 9 KOs), the light hitter scored a knockdown before pouring it on. Time was 2:54.

Untelevised undercard results: 

Danny O’Connor, (142 lbs) TKO3 Josh Sosa, (140 lbs) The wildly popular Framingham, MA native O’Connor (19-1, 8 KOs) makes it an early night for Sosa (10-4, 5 KOs) ending it at :33 of the third with a vicious barrage of unanswered body shots. Ryan Kielczewski, (130 lbs) UD6 Jeremy Mclaurin, (130 lbs) Kielczewski (14-0, 2 KOs) in a one-sided albeit exciting fight against Mclaurin (9-4, 5 KOs). The final tally was 59-55 and 60-54 twice. Luis Rosa, Jr., (122 lbs) TKO6 Victor Valenzuela, (122 lbs) Rosa (11-0, 6 KOs) pounds into submission the game Valenzuela (8-4, 1 KO) at 1:21 of the sixth. Sonya Lamonakis, (237 lbs) MD 6 Tanzee Daniels, (225 lbs) Lamonakis (7-0-2, 1 KO) in a tough one earns it over Daniels (4-2-1, 1 KO).  57-57 and 59-55 twice were the scores. Issac Chilemba, (177 lbs) UD 8 Rayco Saunders, (175 lbs) Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KOs) gets the nod in what was more of sparring session than a fight against Saunders (20-17-2, 9 KOs).  All cards were 80-72.

KO Digest Ringside Report by Edwin "Ace" Ayala
Images: Ed Diller - DiBella/Star Boxing
Edited by Jeffrey Freeman - KO Digest, EIC

Rocky Marciano Statue Rocks Brockton

The Rock unveiled in the City of Champions

BROCKTON — The City of Champions waited sixty years for a Rocky Marciano statue and on the day of the unveiling ceremony at Brockton High School's Marciano Stadium, they had to a wait just a little bit longer. Not everybody was so patient (60 years will do that to you) and there were boos heard from the crowd gathered around the still covered statue as one guest speaker after another took their time at the microphone addressing the crowd in honor of the undefeated former heavyweight champion. As the throng grew more and more impatient, the guest speakers got more and more unusual. From the rambling incoherency of Don King and Jose Sulaiman to the amusing invitation of Larry Holmes to meet him afterwards at George's Cafe where he'd be to "get drunk" - Brockton boxing fans were at their wit's end and wanted to see what they came for, the Rocky Marciano tribute statue.

When it was finally revealed, the massive monument to Marciano did not disappoint and there was an audible gasp from the crowd as the statue was finally uncovered by a big Brockton Fire Department crane. Weighing in at two tons and standing over twenty two feet tall, the imposing statue proved to be a fitting tribute to a man who was truly a giant in the ring despite his actual size.

As a gift to the city of Brockton from the World Boxing Council (WBC), the statue now takes its rightful place as an eternal reminder of why Brockton, Massachusetts is rightly called the City of Champions.

In addition to the abovementioned Holmes, Sulaiman, and King - the boxing community turned out in good numbers for the unveiling ceremony to pay their respects to Marciano. Spotted throughout the day were Tony Petronelli, Robbie Simms, Vito Antuofermo, Micky Ward, Tony Grano, Joe DeNucci, John Scully, Ray Olivera, Hank Lundy, John Ruiz, Lou Duva, Tony DeMarco, Gasper Ortega, Vinny Pazienza, Rich LaMontagne, and George Foreman Jr.

Following the ceremony, those in the know headed over to George's Cafe on Belmont Street in Brockton for some good eats and a chance to mingle with boxing immortality. George's is one of those old fashioned Italian restaurants where the walls are covered in local sports history but with a strong emphasis on boxing. Holmes entertained patrons with his singing and good humor while local legend and former welterweight champion Tony DeMarco posed for photos and met with fans. Vinny Pazienza was in the house and he delighted fans with his charm and good nature. John Ruiz was also there and he lived up to his nickname of the "Quiteman" - not really saying much but wearing a big smile that showed he was having as great a time as everybody else in the room.

In all - it was a great day in Brockton and a spectacular way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the date (September 23, 1952) that the "Brockton Blockbuster" Rocky Marciano defeated Jersey Joe Walcott for the Heavyweight Championship of the World with an unforgettably dramatic come from behind one-punch knockout!

Images & Words by Jeffrey Freeman, KO Digest

Fight To Educate Boxing Results from NH‏ - Andrade wins by TKO

Boo Boo drops and stops the Hurricane

MANCHESTER, NH - The 11th Annual Fight to Educate charity boxing card was held tonight in front of a good crowd at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH. Presented this year by Absolute Broadcasting, "Fight to Educate" raises money for local charities and people in need. This year, proceeds from the event will go to the SEE Science Center, The Bobby Stephens Fund for Education, and New Horizons for New Hampshire.

This year's card featured a mix of amateur and professional boxing highlighted by junior middleweight prospect Demetrius "Boo Boo" Andrade in the main event for the third consecutive year. 

The evening featured a black tie dinner at tables set around a boxing ring, a boxing memorabilia auction, and a chance for fans to meet with boxing stars James "Buster" Douglas, Irish Micky Ward, Dana Rosenblatt, and John Ruiz - all of whom were in attendance to raise money and mingle with fight fans. More than any other celebrity fighter in attendance, Buster Douglas drew the most attention and there was no shortage of fans eager to meet him and recant stories of Douglas' stunning 1990 upset win over Mike Tyson for the heavyweight championship of the world.

In the professional main event, Demetrius Andrade (18-0 w/ 13KO's from Providence, RI) knocked out Alexis "Hurricane" Hlores (16-5-2 w/ 12KO's from Mount Clemens, MI) in the second round of a very uncompetitive main event. Andrade used his jab and combination punching in the first round and closed the show in the second round, scoring two knockdowns, the first coming from a straight left to the face and the final knockdown coming from a whistling right hook to the chin. Hlores bravely beat the count but rose on unsteady legs and the fight was stopped by the referee. Time of the TKO was 2:59. 

Said the victorious Andrade, "I showed it, power and speed. I looked good, and sealed the deal. I want Serhiy Dzinziruk next. He lost to only the best, Sergio Martinez and I only want to fight the best. His name would be a good name on my resume."

Chris Gilbert stays undefeated

In the professional co-feature, Chris Gilbert (5-0 w/ 4KO's from Windsor, VT) stopped Antonio Fernandez (2-8-1 from Quincy, MA) in the forth round of a very one-sided welterweight fight. The rail thin Fernandez was knocked down in the first round by a powerful left hook and spent the rest of the fight in retreat mode, being stalked by the highly aggressive Gilbert. Fernandez used a flicking jab but just couldn't keep Gilbert off of him. In the fourth, Gilbert exploded with a right uppercut and Fernandez crashed to the canvas. Though he beat the count, he was ruled unfit to continue by the referee. Time of the TKO was 2:50.

On the undercard, several local amateur boxers entertained the crowd and got them warmed up for the pros. Results are as follows: 

Tevin Aleau (Providence, RI) beat Brandon Berry (West Forks, ME) by three round decision in a give and take super welterweight bout. Berry was knocked down in the second round but recovered quickly and came back with a strong body attack in the third round.

Nico Clow (Clearemont, NH) defeated  Ricky Ford (Claremont, NH) by three round decision in a closely contested light heavyweight bout. Joel Biship (Bingham, ME) won a three round decision over John Rosa (Lawrence, MA) in a hard hitting light heavyweight match. Zack Morel (New Hampton, NH) beat Phil Kyser by three round decision (Searsport, ME) in a spirited light welterweight contest. Rory Stapleton (Lancaster, NH) defeated Keenan Manzi (Keene, NH) by three round decision in a fast paced light welterweight bout.   

Wyatt Stearns (Searsport, ME) won a three round decision over Angel Tricoche (Haverhill, MA) in a light flyweight bout. Both young fighters went toe to toe from start to finish in a very entertaining opening match.

Images & Words by Jeffrey Freeman

KO Digest Previews Sergio Martinez vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr

The Bizarro World of Boxing

You almost had me fooled Julio. Like father like son I thought.

But when I saw your big mug on TMZ last January it hit me like one of your liver shots. In a moment of clarity, I realized just how related you really are to your cerveza loving father. It's not just boxing that runs in the Chavez family. Apparently, so does boozing.

Sorry Julio. Great fighters named Chavez don't get arrested two weeks before "championship" fights for driving under the influence. They call a Tijuana taxi driver or they don't drink at all during training.

That little L.A. episode in your Land Rover sobered me right up about you while you copped a plea and barely missed a beat on your way to a fight that even Bob Arum - your promoter - has admitted you were "ducking" until the two of you felt you were more ready.

Well folks, ready or not - the battle many boxing insiders said would never happen is finally scheduled to take place on September 15th - Mexican Independence Day in Las Vegas! That's right fight fans, it's Bob Arum and Top Rank Boxing versus Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions for the heavily disputed ... vacant ... interim ... moneyweight championship of North and South America!

Boxing titles just aren't what they used to be you see.

On the undercard of Oscar versus Arum it's Sergio Maravilla Martinez (49-2-2 w/ 28KOs) vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (46-0-1 w/ 32KOs) for the middleweight championship of the world. Here we have a fight pitting the REAL world middleweight champion against a fighter dressing up as the middleweight champion complete with a green WBC title belt stripped straight out of champion Sergio Martinez's closet. When all is said and done, it will be regrettably clear to boxing's fickle fans that they were actually right about Julio Cesar Chavez Jr before they were wrong about him.

Before they were fooled into thinking he was something they knew he wasn't.

Before wins over Marco Antonio Rubio and Andy Lee convinced them that maybe there was something to this Chavez kid.

Before the preposterous notion that he could beat Sergio Martinez became a plausible one.

Before boxing fans did a heavyweight flip flop on the credibility of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Middleweight "champion" of the WBC

If that sounds like politics as usual in the bizarro world of WBC boxing where champions are challengers and challengers are champions - here is something you can believe in: Chavez Jr is exactly what his critics always said he was - an undisciplined, well protected hype job living off his famous father's name and wearing a championship belt that he most certainly didn't earn in the ring against the actual World Middleweight Champion.

That in a tortilla shell is what this fight is all about.

Is Chavez Jr for real or is he a fraud?

Is he a champion, a contender, or just a mere pretender?

Make no mistake, Chavez Jr actually has improved as a fighter since the days not long ago when he was considered by many to be a laughing stock. Yet his two best chances to win against Martinez still involve circumstances largely out of his control. The first is the possibility that at 37 years of age, Martinez gets old overnight and becomes easy prey for an undefeated 26 year old light heavyweight named Chavez. Could it happen? Sure. Will it? Probably not.

The other more likely probability involves WBC President José Sulaimán and his curious ability to see to it that Mexican fighters named "Julio Cesar Chavez" get every break imaginable. Sulaimán got Chavez Sr out of quite a few ring jams back in the day and if he somehow gets Chavez Jr out of the one he currently finds himself in against an Argentinian wrecking ball named Martinez, nobody would be terribly surprised. Chavez and WBC chicanery go hand in hand. Just ask Pernell Whitaker. Or Frankie Randall. Or Carlos Molina.

In the ring, there is really nothing that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr does better than Sergio Martinez, except perhaps take a punch and carry weight. Jr's other advantages include youth, freakish size, and trainer Freddie Roach. Chavez Jr is also a proud and extremely confident fighter with a reliable chin. These machismo qualities will ultimately prove to be his undoing against a single-minded sharpshooter like Sergio Maravilla Martinez.

On September 15th, Chavez Jr will be befuddled early and often by the quicker and more athletic Martinez. Try as Chavez Jr might to impose his size and power, the upwardly mobile southpaw Martinez will have none of it. Maravilla keeps the fight at a safe distance early while picking apart his more inexperienced challenger; patiently waiting for Chavez Jr to tire before shifting into high gear. When Martinez does kick the festivities into overdrive, Chavez Jr will be beaten from pillar to post by a fighter who promises to abuse him so badly that his own Padre will need a DNA test to identify him. That's fighting irony right there.

Paradoxically, it will be the very "performance enhancing" DNA running through the ice cold veins of Chavez Jr which prevents this fight from ending early like Marvis Frazier's pitiful challenge of Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes almost 30 years ago. Still the result will ultimately be the same - a mismatch featuring a man against a boy and a very disappointed Dad who should have known better.

The REAL Julio César Chávez will learn the same painful lesson that Larry Holmes taught Joe Frazier all those years ago. That is to say - with arsenals consisting of little more than intimidating last names and a desire to impress their fathers, the sons of Hall of Fame boxing legends don't tend to beat great fighters like Holmes or Martinez.

Winner and still World Champion - and new WBC champion!

THE FIGHT: Knowing all too well that he needs a knockout to win - and to avoid getting jobbed by No Way Jose - Sergio Martinez delivers yet another truly championship performance, violently stopping Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in the 9th round with a barrage of unanswered shots that come after Chavez Jr is knocked down and seriously hurt for the first time in his career.

The Lion Cub of Culiacán will feel positively punch drunk after the Undisputed Middleweight King is finished intoxicating him with the most potent offense in boxing. Whether Julio Cesar Chavez Jr ever fully recovers from his meeting with Maravilla remains to be seen.

Broadway Boxing Results - Oosthuizen retains title, Monaghan wins

Tommy Gun fires the left hand

NEW YORK, N.Y. - In the fourth installment of Broadway Boxing this year, promoter Lou DiBella treated fight fans on Thursday to nonstop action on a fight card that featured eight bouts. Kevin Rooney Jr., the Director of Public Relations for DBE, stated at the press conference on Tuesday that the main event featuring South Africa's top rated super middleweight Thomas "Tommy Gun" Oosthuizen and Florida's dangerous Rowland Bryant could have easily been on SHOBOX or HBO: Boxing After Dark. Being in charge of P.R., he could have been easily forgiven if he exaggerated the magnitude of the fight. After all, that's his job.

The card also co-featured undefeated light heavyweight prospect "Irish" Seanie Monaghan from Long Beach N.Y. and heavy handed George Armenta in a fight that more than lived up to it's expectations. Even the undercard fights featuring Allan Benitez and bantamweight Heather Hardy were entertaining. This venue has a feel of magic that is just right for boxing, which explains why the last three shows were done at the Roseland Ballroom. Add a great crowd, and you have something special. This card really had something for everybody. One round knockouts, multiple knockdowns, come from behind victories, and even a well deserved draw. Here are the results:

Thomas "Tommy Gun" Oosthuizen W12 Rowland Bryant (super middleweights) - This championship fight lived up to it's expectations, as Oosthuizen (20-0-1 w/ 13 KO's) was pushed to the limit in this twelve round brawl. Rowland Bryant (16-2 w/ 11 KO's) was as tough as they come, and once he warmed to the task, we had a fight with two fighters whose styles complimented each other. In the first round the champ relied on his southpaw jab to set up the left hand, while his opponent lunged with the left hook. Rowland tried to keep Oosthuizen on the ropes, but the tall champion fought surprisingly well on the inside. Bryant landed a big hook, but the champion took it well. "Tommy Gun" shot the jab to the body well, and landed a left to the head. Bryant responded by bobbing and weaving as he winged right crosses and left hooks that occasionally exploded on Oosthuizen.

Bryant's punches were eye catching bombs thrown with bad intentions that had the crowd "oohing and aahing" every time the sweat flew off the head of the champion, but he was being out landed three punches to one as the rounds continued to mount. From rounds seven through twelve, the champion doubled the jab before throwing flurries whenever Bryant would get inside. Bryant needed a knockout to win, and in the last round, he landed some of the biggest punches in the fight. Unfortunately for him, it was a case of too little too late.

Oosthuizen retained his IBO title by unanimous decision with the scores of 117-111 twice and 118-110. Steve Farhood congratulated the winner in the ring. "He was a tough guy, who took some really big shots," said the 24-year-old South African. "I know there are still things that I need to improve on and I will go back to the drawing board with my team after this.  I am happy that I had the opportunity to perform here in New York, and whatever my team decides is next for me, I will be ready."

"Irish" Seanie Monaghan KO3 George Armenta (light heavyweights) - In the co-main event, crowd favorite Seanie Monoghan improved to 15-0 w/ 10 KO's in an action packed fight that gave his fans what they came to see. Armenta (14-10 w/ 11 KO's) had his moments as he came forward with the left hook and straight right hand, but his balance was off, as he put a little too much weight on his lead foot, and this allowed Monaghan to counter with a right hand of his own. In the second, "Irish" added a double hook to the body and head, and hurt his opponent. A huge right hand dropped him at the bell. Armenta bravely beat the count, and made it back to his corner. In round three, a second right hand dropped him hard, and this time he was visibly hurt. Armenta just managed to beat the count, but the referee had seen enough, and to the delight of the hometown fans, Seanie was declared the winner by TKO at the 2:25 mark.

Heather Hardy W4 Mikayla Nebel (female bantamweights) - Heather Hardy won her professional debut with a gutsy off the floor unanimous decision over Mikayla Nebel now at (0-3). The scores of the three judges didn't really tell the story of the fight, as Heather (1-0) was dropped to the canvas in the first round by a straight right hand, while reaching for her opponent. Showing a lot of courage she did battle back with volume punches to the body and head for the remainder of the fight. Nebel put her punches together and threw her punches straight, while tucking her chin behind her shoulder and tried to counter. Heather was clearly the bigger fighter, and used her size to her advantage, pushing her smaller opponent to the ropes. Hardy won by the scores of 38-37 on all three judges scorecard. Good fight.

Boyd Melson W6 Khalik Memminger (junior middleweights) - Army Captain Boyd Melson (9-1 w/ 4KO's) almost became the first upset loser on the card, thanks to the persistence of his opponent Khalik Memminger who did his best to force the fight by coming forward behind a right hand, hoping to catch his southpaw opponent, who tended to carry the left hand a little low at times. On Boyd's part, he would shoot the jab and fire a straight left to the head and body, as well as an occasional right hook. Thanks in part to their styles, there were a few clash of heads, which is common when a righty faces a southpaw, and the fighters would occasionally check themselves to to see if they were cut. Former champion Joey Gamache was in Melson's corner, and he tried to make some adjustments.

Things heated up a bit in the fifth as both fighters landed some good punches to head and body while pushing their opponent to the ropes. In the final round, Boyd got a real scare. Perhaps sensing he needed a knockout to win, Memminger (6-9-3 w/ 4KO's) went for broke and almost pulled off the upset, with a big right hand that had his opponent in trouble, and he then stalked his opponent while he tried to clear his head. Memminger threw plenty of right hands to the head, but failed to throw anything to the body while his opponent was hurt, and he let Melson off the hook, who made it to the bell. All three judges saw it the same way, with identical scores of 59-54 giving Memminger only the final round.

Floriano Pagliara D6 Willie Villanueva (junior lightweights) - In what was easily the most difficult fight to score on this night, Pagliara and Villanueva each made a strong case for themselves. There was plenty of give and take as both men seemed to favor the right hand to the head. Pagliara (13-4-2 w/ 7KO's) would do well in a round, just to have Villanueva (10-4-1 w/2 KO's) come back and finish the round strong. Pagliara made the fight a lot tougher than it should have been by failing to go to the body whenever he landed anything upstairs. The final round was a war, as both men showed determination to win a fight that each man knew was in the balance. Pagliara had blood on his face, but I couldn't tell if it was his because Villanueva suffered a bloody nose, and the crimson could have easily belonged to him. As much as I hate draws, I looked like a genius in press row when I called it before the scores of 58-56,56-58, and 57-57 were announced. Good fight overall, and no one deserved to lose, or even win this one.

Zach Ochoa KO1 Cody Osbourne (junior welterweights) - In a fight that lasted just 42 seconds, Ochoa (2-0 w/ 2KO's) came out for the first round (fittingly wearing animal print trunks) stalking his prey. Osbourne, now 0-3 was never in the fight, and he leaned into a jab that landed more like a right hand. The dazed Osbourne didn't look right while stumbling backwards into the ropes, the referee took a good look at him, and decided to call off the fight. In this brief encounter, I did get to see some above average hand speed from Ochoa. Still very early in his career, we'll get to see more of him as the level of competition improves.

Jonathan Cepeda KO1 Orphius Waite (middleweights) - In the first stoppage fight of the night, Jonathan Cepeda (12-0 w/ 11 KO's) showed power with both hands as he dropped his off balance opponent early with a left hand, and then a big right hand, that once again dumped him on the canvas. Waite, who's record falls to 7-5-2 entered the ring bone dry, and never landed anything of significance. Pretty much like the fight that followed this one, Cepeda's skills will come to light as the level of competition gets better.

Allan Benitez W6 Osnel Charles (junior welterweights) - Both fight fans and members of press row, who find it fashionable to come to the fights a little late, paid for it dearly on this night, as the first fight on the card gave me high expectations for the evening. In a highly entertaining bout, Allan Benitez (6-1 w/ 1 KO) showed good technique in this fight, and he needed it against Charles (9-4-1 w/ 1KO) who gave a gutsy performance. After a good feeling out first round for both fighters, and a fairly competitive second, Robert Garcia (Bam Bam Rios' trainer) made a few adjustments in the Benitez corner. In the third round, Benitez wisely relied more on the jab, followed by a right hand. Charles continued forward firing right hands, landing an occasional uppercut. Benitez landed the right more frequently, and as the fight entered the last three rounds, he added a left hook behind the right cross. All three judges got it right with identical scores of 58-55.

With a little more punching power, Benitez has the potential to make a statement in his division.

Ringside Report by David McLeod, exclusively for KO Digest
Photos DiBella Entertainment/Ed Diller

Virgil Hunter: "Chad Dawson Will Not Out-Muscle Andre Ward"

By Gopal Rao - When World Super Middleweight Champion Andre Ward meets World Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson on September 8th, in Oakland, in a fight for Ward’s titles, one of the prevailing subplots will be who will dominate in the trenches, where things get rough. Both fighters have shown a willingness to mix it up along the outer edges of the Queensbury rules. Ward won his first world title by roughing up champion Mikkel Kessler to the point where the bout was stopped due to accidental cuts. Dawson, on the other hand, separated the shoulder of Bernard Hopkins by picking him up and dumping down on the canvas, resulting in an eventual No Contest ruling by the California State Athletic Commission.


Virgil Hunter, Ward’s trainer, insists that Dawson will not be able to do to his protégé what he did to Hopkins.

“I’m not concerned about that,” he told KO Digest by telephone. “Andre’s physicality will not allow that, so I’m not concerned at all,” he said.

“Chad Dawson will not muscle Andre Ward around.”

Trainer Virgil Hunter

Hunter was non-committal when asked about whether the inside game would be a key part of Ward’s gameplan against the 6 foot, 1 inch Dawson.

“It will unfold the way it does.  Some people would say we need to get to the inside, some would say we need to fight on the outside, but that remains to be seen,” he said.

“Chad Dawson is a different style of opponent than we’ve faced before.  He’s more athletic and he’s a southpaw.  He presents a lot of challenges, like remarkable combination punching,” Hunter said.

“Also, he’s a two-time champion, so he has that confidence that goes along with it.”

Dawson beats Hopkins

Dawson eventually overcame Hopkins via majority decision in a rematch that took place in Atlantic City last April.  There are those who see the challenge to Ward as a third go around against Hopkins for Dawson, given the widely held view that Hopkins and Ward share a similar fighting style.

Hunter dismisses those comparisons, however.

“If you want to make a ten cent comparison, then you could say that,” he explained.

“The way I would compare Andre to Bernard is in terms of intelligence in the sport.  Andre is way ahead of his years in terms of his intelligence in the sport, but as far as fighting style, I don’t think he fights anything like Bernard.”

The Ward vs Dawson fight will take place on September 8th at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, and will be broadcast by HBO. The chief undercard bout, between lightweight titleholder Antonio Demarco and challenger John Molina Jr., will also be televised, as will Vitali Kitschko heavyweight title defense against Manuel Charr, which takes place on the same day in Moscow.

KO Digest Preview: Robert Guerrero vs Selcuk 'Mini Tyson' Aydin

Ghost Guerrero & Mini Tyson Aydin

This Saturday night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA - Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero will step into the ring for the first time at the 147 lb welterweight limit when he squares off against Selcuk "Mini Tyson" Aydin for the interim WBC welterweight title. This is a dangerous fight. But also a potentially very good one according to Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.

"If you liked Victor Ortiz vs Josesito Lopez and Lucas Matthysse vs Humberto Soto or  Danny Garcia vs Amir Khan - you want to make sure that, on July 28th, you are either going to be live in attendance at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. Or make sure you are going to tune in to Showtime."

Guerrero (29-1-1 w/ 18 KOs) hasn't fought since his impressive victory over Michael Katsidis - well over a year ago. "The Ghost" is a boxer-puncher who knows his way around the ring. He holds notable victories over Joel Casamayor, Vicente Escobedo and the aforementioned Katsidis.

Guerrero scalps Katsidis

The most impressive win however was the scalp of Katsidis, and more importantly how he took it. The Australian was coming off the back of a spirited, yet losing effort against Juan Manuel Marquez in which he had the Mexican legend on the canvas. "The Ghost" however, did not allow Katsidis into the bout, and kept him at the end of his jab throughout the contest, ensuring a comfortable points win.


A similar strategy will need to be adopted come Saturday night. For what Guerrero brings to the ring in pure boxing skills and ring-savvy, Aydin will look to match or trump with raw power and aggression. The Turk, dubbed "Mini Tyson" (23-0 w/ 17 KO's) is undefeated with 17 knockouts on his resume and has made no secret of his frustration towards Guerrero and the American media, who he feels is ignoring him.

Aydin would rather train than talk to the media!

Aydin, making his debut on American soil and on American cable television, has a point to prove. You could make a strong case for him coming out victorious.

On a media conference call last week he warned, through an interpreter (after initially refusing to participate in the call) that the California native Guerrero, "should spend more time training and strengthening your jaw because I am going to break it."

Aydin is a natural welterweight. A big one. And on Saturday night, one would suspect he will enter the ring close to 20 lbs heavier than Guerrero, who started his career as a featherweight.

This, of course, is not the be-all and end-all. We only have to look back as far as Manny Pacquiao's performances against Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito to see that speed and smarts can out-wit strength and power. Guerrero however, is not Manny Pacquiao and Aydin will enter the ring with more belief and hunger than either Clottey or Margarito did against the Filipino star.

Aydin's record does not offer much evidence in terms of his credentials. His notable victories over Jo Jo Dan and Said Ouali are more eye-catching because of an inability to pronounce many of his other opponent's names, rather than their actual achievements and accolades.

His size, however, is a factor.

Does the Ghost scare this BIG welterweight?

If Aydin can apply Tyson-esque pressure from the outset, which I believe he will, it promises to be the longest 36 minutes of Robert Guerrero's career should he make it the distance. It remains to be seen if Guerrero is capable of taking shots from a big and strong welterweight such as Aydin. It is also impossible to know if any of the power that helped Guererro score 18 knockouts between featherweight and lightweight will be relevant at the welterweight limit.

"Aydin said he was going to break my jaw and that motivated me more. That pushed me even harder to get in there and bring it. If they think we're looking past him, they're wrong."  

Written by The Final Bell Boxing Talk's Terry Strawson - exclusively for KO Digest
Images by Esther Lin/SHO and Tom Hogan Photos/Golden Boy

KO Digest Pound-For-Pound (P4P) Ratings Update

THE World Middleweight Champion

KO Digest Top 12 Pound-For-Pound

1. Floyd Mayweather (1)
2. Sergio Martinez (3)
3. Manny Pacquiao (2)
4. Andre Ward (4)
5. Juan Manuel Marquez (5)
6. Nonito Donaire (6)
7. Timothy Bradley (8)
8. Yuriorkis Gamboa (7)
9. Anselmo Moreno (9)
10. Miguel Cotto (10)
11. Carl Froch (11)
12. Wladimir Klitschko (12)



It's been a curious month and a half since the last KO Digest P4P update. Most peculiar was the horrendous decision in Las Vegas last month which gave Timothy Bradley a disputed split decision over Manny Pacquiao. The boxing world is still in shock over that one and the official verdict makes it more of a challenge than ever before to compile these ratings fairly and accurately.

Do we punish Manny Pacquiao and reward Timothy Bradley? Do we cover our eyes and ignore the official decision?

The answer lies somewhere in the middle. Even though it was obvious to most observers that Pacquiao beat Bradley, it should also be obvious to most observers that the Filipino superstar is slowing down and starting to shows signs of being human.

For this reason, Pacquiao falls one spot from #2 to #3. Moving up one spot from #3 to #2 to take his place is World Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez. As middleweight champion, Sergio has been nothing short of Maravilla and all four of his title defenses have ended in brutal knockouts. Needless to say, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will have his hands full when he tangles with the champ this September.

Tim Bradley "beats" Manny Pacquiao

As for Bradley, he does have an official win over Manny Pacquiao and that can't be completely ignored. Desert Storm moves up one notch and switches places with Yuriorkis Gamboa whose inactivity is starting to become a liability.

No other changes in the KO Digest P4P ratings and it should be noted that both Nonito Donaire and Wladimir Klitschko both notched wins (against Jeffrey Mathebula and Tony Thompson respectively) since the last update (5/27) and their performances were strong enough to maintain their current spot in the KO Digest P4P ratings.


Looking ahead, the upcoming fight with the biggest P4P implications is clearly Andre Ward vs Chad Dawson. Should Ward win as expected, his meteoric rise though the P4P rankings would likely continue with Ward moving past Pacquiao. A win for Dawson would be equally as big a deal and Dawson would almost certainly crash the KO Digest Pound for Pound party with a quality P4P win like that.

Ratings as of July 24, 2012

The number is parenthesis represents where the fighter was rated in the KO Digest Top 12 Pound-For-Pound rankings the last time an update was done, in this case that last update was done on May 27, 2012 ~ www.KODigest.TV

CES "Built to Last" Results from Twin River - Biosse & Godfrey win

Biosse pounds the body, wins again in Rhode Island

LINCOLN, RI - In front of another good crowd at the Twin River Convention Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island - Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES) put on an eight fight professional boxing card last night entitled "Built to Last." Featuring several local fighters on the undercard, the main event featured none other than Mr. Providence himself, Vladine Biosse.

With only one exception, the fights all went generally as expected and Biosse kept up his end of the bargain by pounding out a sternum smashing win over Canada's Michael Walchuck. In the co-main, cruiserweight Matt Godfrey made a successful debut at heavyweight, scoring a TKO win over Jesse Oltmanns.

Vladine Biosse TKO5 Michael Walchuck (super middleweights) - Mr. Providence retained his namesake and his title of USA New England super middleweight champion with a hard fought win over Ontario native Michael Walchuck. The fight was stopped in the corner after the fifth round. A very typical Biosse performance. Lots of high energy punching with little effect. In the 5th however, Biosse stepped it up a notch - settled down on his punches to the body and that was enough to convince Walchuck to call it a night.

"My coaches told me you have more in the tank and you're not giving it all out, you need to pick it up a little bit in the 5th and you can get him out of there. I caught him with the hook and I landed the up-jab to the sternum and after that punch, you could see that he was done. It was just a matter of either him giving up or me taking him down, so that punch really made it clear."  

Biosse improves to 14-1-1 w/ 7KOs while Walchuck goes home to Canada 9-6.

Matt Godfrey TKO5 Jesse Oltmanns (heavyweights) - This was Godfrey's first fight at heavyweight and it showed around the midsection. The former NABF cruiserweight champion scored a knockdown in the 2nd from a nice right hand and then outboxed and out-punched the very limited Oltmanns the rest of the way. Godfrey brought on the referee stoppage at the start of the 5th round in this co-main event with a sweeping left hook, right hand combination to the head of his weary and very slow opponent. Time - 0:10 of the 5th. Providence's Godfrey improves to 21-3 w/ 11KOs. Oltmanns falls to 10-4

Keith Kozlin W6 Reynaldo Rodriguez (super middleweights) - Grueling brutal fight with Kozlin winning every round on the KO Digest scorecard. Rodriguez was hurt badly in the first before steadying himself. Gutsy to a fault, Rodriguez was then absolutely abused throughout the rest of the fight. Left hooks and uppercuts landed with sickening regularity for Kozlin and after six rounds, Rodriguez's face was beginning to look like Cotto against Margarito. Standing ovation from a very satisfied crowd. Scores: 60-54/60-54/58-56 ~ Rhode Island native Kozlin goes to 7-3-1 w/ 4KOs while fellow Rhode Islander Rodriguez goes to 6-5-1.

Last minute instructions for Thomas Falowo

Thomas Falowo TKO4 Rahman Yusubov (middleweights) - Good comeback win for Falowo as he bounces back from his first professional loss last May with a nice win over the durable Rahman Yusubov. Falowo really hit a stride in the 2nd and 3rd - finding a home for his left hook and landing smooth combinations while walking his man down. By the 4th round, Falowo was having his way with Yusubov and the referee stopped the fight in the corner after the completion of four rounds. Falowo improves to 7-1 w/ 5KOs while Yusebov slips to 8-9. Said the winner afterwards, "I felt good tonight. Yusubov was a tough dude, he can take a shot. I thought I won the last fight, I really needed this win mentally. But I just love to fight, this is what I do, regardless. I felt that overall, I had a pretty good performance."   

Kevin Cobbs W4 Donte Wiggins (super middleweights) - A grudge match that was marred in the beginning by the nervous energy both fighters brought to the ring, perhaps having to do with their pre-fight online trash talk. When Cobbs boxed, he controlled the fight, when he was lured into brawling things got messy. In the 3rd, Cobbs found the range and in the 4th a right hand sent Wiggins crashing to the canvas. Both fighters embraced after the fight in a display of mutual respect. Scores were 39-36 for Cobbs on all three judge's cards.

Dennis Ogboo TKO4 Benny Constantino (middleweights) - Slow sloppy fight with far more misses than hits. In the 4th, crowd favorite Constantino suddenly took a knee, said something to the referee when he got to his feet and the fight was immediately waved off. Benny had a slight mouse under his left eye the whole night and may have re-injured his orbital bone in this fight. Time: 1:04 ~ Ogboo, from Lexington, KY, goes to 7-5 w/6 KO while Benny falls to 7-2 w/ 4 KOs.

Zack Ramsey TKO4 Damon Antoine (lightweights) - Second professional win for the flashy Zack Ramsey. Damon was down a total of three times in the fight, Ramsey finishes him with a flurry in the 4th highlighted by a cruel left hook - referee steps in to save Damon at 2:17. Like watching a cat toy with a mouse before killing it. Good win for Springfield, MA's Ramsey but still too much showboating, holding both hands low etc. Ramsey goes to 2-0 w/ 2 KO's while Damon falls to 10-39. Yes, that's right. 39 losses.

Scary scene in the ring!

Louis Cruz KO1 Jansy Rivera (welterweights) - In the evening opener, a left hook from NY native Louis Cruz dropped Rivera in the first - a perfectly flush right hand finished him a bit later in the round. Absolutely BRUTAL knockout. Rivera was unconscious before he hit the canvas. Professional debuts for both fighters. Rivera was out cold for several minutes and taken off on a stretcher. 

Images & Words by Jeffrey Freeman

Ringside Report: Donaire unifies - Pavlik wins convincingly

Written by Gopal Rao - Photos by Harry How

CARSON, CA - In March of 2008, Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez staged one of the classic encounters in the history of the super bantamweight division by fighting for the unified title at the Home Depot Center, just outside of Los Angeles. Four years later, Nonito Donaire and Jeffrey Mathebula attempted to replicate the feat by unifying the WBO and IBF super bantamweight titles at the same venue in Carson, California.

Although the pair couldn’t match the historic back-and-forth intensity of their predecessors, the fight did manage to demonstrate that perhaps the road to supremacy in the division runs through Donaire, who quickly imposed his speed and punching power on the overmatched Mathebula.

Outfitted in a set of matching yellow & black trunks and boots, meant to conjure images of Bruce Lee in the film Game Of Death - Donaire controlled the fight from the opening bell. He darted in and out, bobbed up and down, and threw punishing blows that made the awkward Mathebula seem wary of taking any additional risks.

Donaire appeared to be going for the fences in the first round, throwing every punch as though he thought he'd knock out Mathebula as soon as he landed. As a result, there were openings for Mathebula to land the jab throughout the fight.

Mathebula down in the 4th

Mathebula attempted to hold off the oncoming Donaire by backpedaling constantly and flicking out the jab, as well as a few chopping flurries that appeared to be meant more to keep Donaire at bay rather than to inflict damage.

Donaire managed to land his primary weapon, the left hook, right on Mathebula’s cheek in the fourth round, depositing him on the canvas, and bringing the crowd to it’s feet.

The crowd roared with every punch Nonito threw, however, and when he didn’t punch, Donaire’s clowning antics seemed to delight his fans nonetheless.

Donaire used his elusiveness to showboat along the way, snaking underneath Mathebula's punches and pivoting his body into odd angles, out of range. He spent much of the middle and late rounds stalking Mathebula in this manner, bobbing and weaving just beneath Mathebula's wheelhouse, and then springing up to throw a few home run swings. In fact, there were moments when Donaire seemed more interested in creating an interesting punching angle than in actually throwing punches at Mathebula.

It is possible that these antics cost him rounds on the official scorecards, however, which read 117-110, 118-109 and 119-108, all in favor of Donaire. Otherwise, it was difficult to rationalize how Mathebula could have won more than two rounds. Perhaps it was telling that, despite the seeming inability of Mathebula to mount any significant offense aside from jabs and a few right hands, Donaire was still unable to finish him off inside the distance. "That jab really took me out of my power range. He's a great champion. He wouldn't let me get in there and let me work." Donaire said afterward.

Mathebula also managed to produce a bit of swelling under both of Donaire’s eyes with his jab, although he never appeared to seriously hurt him. The final punch stats, compiled by Compubox, had Donaire landing 102 of 261 total punches versus 91 connects in 308 attempts for Mathebula.

“Mathebula is a very difficult fighter to fight. Everybody who’s fought him fought a very close fight. As the judges indicated, this was not a close fight. I thought Nonito won 10 or 11 rounds.” Promoter Bob Arum said afterwards.

Fellow super bantamweight fighter Abner Mares was in attendance to witness Donaire’s performance, as was Japanese rival Toshiaki Nishioka. “He’s beatable.” was Mares’ assessment of Donaire. “I think I could beat him, and I think it would be a good fight for the fans.”

“I think the fans want to see the best out there, and that is me and Donaire.” said Nishioka.

“As usual, I think his performance was excellent. I’ve been waiting for him since I fought Rafael Marquez. I’ve been studying the way he’s fighting. That’s the fight that excites me most.” he said.

HBO analyst Max Kellerman weighed in on Donaire’s remaining options in the 122 pound division by singling out Cuban Olympic champion, Guillermo Rigondeaux. “The fight I’m most interested in seeing is probably Donaire and Rigondeaux, because I believe that those are the two most talented guys. Rigondeaux only has ten pro fights though. He needs some pro fights against some tough guys to see how he does against another really good pro fighter.”

With the victory, Donaire earned his sixth professional world title, bringing his overall record to 29-1-0. Mathebula drops to 26-4-2.

Pavlik drops Rosinsky, wins convincingly

Rosinsky gets Ghostbusted by Pavlik! 

In the chief support bout before the main event, super middleweight Will “Power” Rosinsky started off energetically, trying to make good on his pre-fight promise to turn his challenge of Kelly Pavlik into a war. Power circled with great agility, coming in low and shooting punches to the body to set up quick flurries upstairs during the opening round.

A short right hand from Pavlik put Rosinsky on the canvas in the 2nd round, and the emergency medic from Queens, New York went into retreat mode shortly thereafter.

A constantly advancing Pavlik maneuvered Rosinsky to the ropes several times throughout the fight, although Rosinsky still managed to throw token flurries here and there to escape.

Despite opening up a cut over Pavlik’s left eye, and bloodying his nose, Rosinsky was unable to stop Pavlik from consistently marching forward behind a stiff jab, and a ramrod right hand. By the fifth round, the crowd was chanting Pavlik’s name as he pursued an opponent who seemed out of ideas about how to mount an effective offense.

Pavlik showed a surprising array of inside skills as well, given his usual propensity for fighting from range, using his height and reach. He blocked, parried and picked off shots when Rosinsky attempted to flurry, and he returned fire with a left hook that has seemed to develop under the tutelage of Robert Garcia.

Pavlik also mixed in body shots throughout the encounter, which might have taken the legs out from underneath Rosinsky, who relied on constant movement to stay out of danger.

After ten rounds, the scores were announced as 97-92, 98-91 and 98-91, all in favor of Pavlik.

The win marked Pavlik’s third straight victory since moving his training camp from Youngstown, Ohio to Oxnard, California under the guidance of Garcia, who also trains Nonito Donaire.

Pavlik said he hopes to return in the fall for a bigger fight, against a more recognizable name. Possible future opponents for Pavlik are Carl Froch, Andre Ward and Lucian Bute, all of whom he mentioned in his post fight in-ring interview with Max Kellerman.

By Gopal Rao, exclusively for KO Digest
Photos Harry How/Getty Images 

KO Digest LIVE at Ringside

Pros weigh in on the Pacquiao-Bradley controversy

The judges beat Pacquiao in Vegas

"100% I believe that I won the fight. The decision has already been done. So you have to give credit to Bradley. I'm still here. I can fight. I always believe that I won. I want a rematch." - Manny Pacquiao  

Unless you've been under a rock, by now you've heard all about the controversial Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley decision in Las Vegas last Saturday night. Or like most fight fans, you've seen the fight and have your own opinion. For those of you just emerging from under the rock to find out what all the fuss is about - undefeated Timothy Bradley "defeated" Manny Pacquiao by twelve round split decision to win the WBO welterweight title. If only it were that simple. What followed the announcement from Michael Buffer that Bradley had officially ended the Filipino superstar's 7 year winning streak was pure shock. It was difficult to find anyone who thought Bradley won the fight.

To the vast majority of boxing fans, it was a dominating performance by Pacquiao and the decision was seen as another black eye for a sport that's fast running out of eyes to blacken. The boxing media was likewise overwhelming in their collective belief that Pacquiao not only won the fight handily, but that he was robbed of his hard fought victory. KO Digest scored the fight 118-110 (10-2 in rounds) in favor of Pacquiao.

By returning scores of 115-113, 115-113, and 113-115 in favor of Timothy Bradley - the official judges Duane Ford, C.J. Ross, and Jerry Roth have spoken - so too have the boxing fans and writers. Now it's time to hear from some fighters. After all, it is they who must now navigate their way through the kind of dangerous shark infested waters of boxing where nobody, not even Manny Pacquiao, is safe from the judge's scorecards. KO Digest polled several past and present professional fighters of various shapes and sizes and here is what they each had to say in their own words about the fight, and about the now infamous decision:

The most sense Ortiz ever made

Victor Ortiz (former WBC welterweight champion) "From an outsider looking in, I thought it was an unjust fight. I think a boxer knows when he loses or when he did bad and I just thought that was a slap in the face for Pacquiao. I saw that Manny could have done whatever he wanted to do at any given time to where Bradley just had trouble from the get-go. I happen to know both fighters, and they are both good friends of mine. I could only go as far as giving one round to Timothy."

  

Tony Thompson (heavyweight contender) "I thought the fight was good for the first half, Pacman couldn't over run Bradley and Tim did a good job of fighting back hard even though I thought he lost every round outside of maybe the first one. I thought Pacquiao swept the fight even though Bradley keep it competitive. I didn't think Bradley was winning rounds. I was so sure of the decision I left before the fight was over in the last round and someone had to tell me that Bradley had won."

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (former WBA light heavyweight champion) "Manny won the fight.
The decision was so bogus! My scoring was 10 to 2 for Manny Pacquiao."

Brandi Montoya (female bantamweight prospect from New Mexico) "Pacquiao won hands down! The fight was good, I wish Pacquiao was a little more active. Bradley has a ton of heart and I respect him so much more for putting up a fight and giving it everything that he had. But skill-wise, I don't think they were anywhere near the same level. The decision was an absolute disgrace! It was a disgrace to the fighters, to the judges and to boxing itself. Anyone with two eyes could see who the winner of that fight was, and it certainly wasn't Bradley. I wouldn't have even called it a close fight. Pac-Man outclassed him in so many ways. I probably would've scored it 118-110 for Pacquiao."

Mike Weaver (former WBA heavyweight champion) "Before the fight, I had a few people text me, asking my opinion about fight. I said there's not going to be a 3rd or 4th round knockout like so many people believe. It's going to be a hard close fight I told people and if Pacquiao is just a little less than what he was his last fight he going to lose. I thought the decision went to the right person. My scoring was Bradley 5, Pacquiao 3, with 4 rounds going either way."

Reggie Johnson (former WBA middleweight and IBF light heavyweight champion) "The Pacman was KO'd by his own promoter. Like most attorneys, promoters do what is in the best interest of themselves and their Law Firms. It reminded me of my first World Title fight with James Toney on ABC. I know in my heart that I beat James Toney and I know that James knows this as well. When I watched the fight, who do I see leaning over talking to the one of the judges? Bob Arum, who was Toney's promoter. The Pacman won the fight hands down in the eyes of the people and I'm one of those people. I had Pacquiao winning by three rounds."

Caleb Truax (Minnesota state middleweight champion) "Pacquiao-Bradley was a decent fight. Both men came to win and there was some good action and exchanges. The decision was embarrassing! Every friend I have who is just a casual fan is coming to me for answers and I don't have any! All I can say is boxing shit the bed on its biggest stage. It was clear that Pacquiao won. He was the aggressor/ring general, and he landed more cleaner and harder punches. Pacquiao was not effected by Bradley's punches to the same degree Bradley was by Pacquiao's. Bradley was simply outclassed by a better fighter. I had it scored 9-3 for Pacquiao and that's only because Pacquiao let off the gas in rounds 10-12."

Shelito Vincent (female bantamweight prospect from Rhode Island) "I thought PAC came in an controlled the whole fight. So convincingly that at the end of 12, I got up an walked out because I knew PAC took that. Then I got all the "can you believe that?" texts. That was one of the most blatant robberies I've seen in a while. It's pitiful and a disgrace to the sport. Whatever the situation, just a bad look for boxing. That's why our ratings are dropping and why we're losing our crowd to MMA. We were ALL using our EYES that night right? I had PAC winning all but two rounds. There has to be something done as a whole to help save our sport. This was shameful." 

Results: 7-1 for Manny Pacquiao

Who really won and how did YOU score the fight?

Baby Doll Montoya photo credit Jose Leon Castillo

Why I LOVE the International Boxing Hall of Fame

I'm giddy with excitement. Today is like the day before Christmas for me. I hope I can get to sleep tonight!

That's because tomorrow morning I make my pugilistic pilgrimage from Boston all the way to Boxing Heaven - the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in Canastota, NY. It's Induction Weekend again and there is no place in the world I'd rather be than Canastota, a quaint little village town located right off the New York Thruway.

Exit 34 to be exact!

Canastota is home to the IBHOF, birth place of Carmen Basilio and Billy Backus - and for die-hard boxing fans like me, it really is like dying and going to Boxing Heaven. And the best part is, you can go every year if your heart desires and your budget allows it! 

This year's induction class is headlined by Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson, Al Bernstein, Freddie Roach, Michael Buffer, and Michael Katz. What a great thrill it will be to see these men bask in the adulation of their friends, fans, rivals, and peers. There is no greater honor in boxing than induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame and each and every inductee (past and present) is deserving in their own special way.

But what is it about the IBHOF that I truly love?

At the IBHOF, people are incredibly polite, respectful, and knowledgeable when it comes to boxing. That is something I appreciate and cherish. At the IBHOF, fighters mingle with fans and usually sign autographs quite willingly. You can see that the fighters enjoy these interactions as much, if not more than the fans who idolize them. It's truly an amazing dynamic and one that I'm lucky to have been a part of in 1997, 2003, 2011 and now again in 2012. 

I love the fact that I get to see my friends and colleagues in the boxing community. It's like a wonderful family reunion among friends - and speaking of friends, I am absolutely certain that I'll make many new friends this weekend and that's another one of the great things about boxing and the IBHOF in particular, just how easy it is to make friends in that wonderful fistic fraternity of fans, fighters, and fellow writers.

I love the IBHOF because it's the last place on Earth that truly takes me back to my early years of extreme boxing fandom (the 80's and 90's) and makes me feel like I'm still living in those days. From the memorabilia show on Saturday afternoon to the VIP Cocktail reception on Saturday night, all the way to the Banquet of Champions, and then through to the Induction Ceremony on Sunday - being at the IBHOF for Induction Weekend is like walking through a dream in the nostalgia capital of MY world! 

It's like dying and going to Boxing Heaven.

That's why I LOVE the International Boxing Hall of Fame!

KO Digest Editor in Chief Jeffrey Freeman at the IBHOF