Winky Wright concedes defeat to only one fighter: Paul Williams

The Punisher beat Winky

By Jeffrey Freeman -- During a recent media conference call to promote his upcoming June 2nd comeback fight against Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin on Showtime, former world champion Ronald "Winky" Wright talked about some of the highs and lows he encountered during his illustrious career. Winning four world titles. Victories over Shane Mosley, Felix Trinidad, and Ike Quartey. Coming within a point of winning the Undisputed Middleweight Championship against Jermain Taylor. It was a career of mostly all highs but what about those lows? KO Digest asked the now 40 year old Wright about the five losses and one draw on his record and which (if any) of these he considers to be legitimate.

Of the five losses and one draw on his record, Wright concedes defeat to only one man, Paul "The Punisher" Williams. Wright lost a wide unanimous decision to Williams in his last fight back in 2009. "My timing was off, but I do believe Paul Williams won that fight."

Only days after Wright made these comments, Williams was involved in a tragic career threatening motorcycle accident which doctors say have left him paralyzed. As far as those other four losses and one draw on his record, Winky broke them all down for KO Digest and here is what he had to say about each fight.

Julio Cesar Vasquez: In Wright's first loss as a pro, he dropped a twelve round unanimous decision to Vasquez in a 1994 bid for the WBA junior middleweight title. "I outboxed Vasquez. I slipped so much they gave him five knockdowns, and at least three of them were slips. But he didn't hit me on the chin or ever hurt me. The last two in the last round, I was just tired and he pushed me down. That was my first time going twelve rounds."

Simon says 26-0

Harry Simon: Wright lost his first world title, the WBO junior middleweight version, to Simon in 1998.

"The fight overseas with Simon, they called that a draw and then thirty minutes later they changed the decision so that was definitely not a loss. I fought him in South Africa, his home country and at first they said it was a draw.  I left and went to my dressing room - took a shower, got dressed, and got ready to leave. They said come back to the ring because they changed the decision (from a draw to a loss). I said, you all must be crazy if you think I'm going back into that ring."


Fernando Vargas: In 1999, just two fights after losing his WBO title to Simon, Wright challenged the undefeated IBF junior middleweight champion, Fernando Vargas. The majority decision in favor of Vargas was highly controversial and remains so to this day. "I definitely beat Fernando Vargas."

Jermain Taylor: The only draw on Wright's record came in a 2006 challenge of Jermain Taylor for the World Middleweight Championship. This was a very close fight that truly could have gone either way, but not according to Wright, "I definitely beat Taylor."

An evening with BHOP

Bernard Hopkins: Going into this 2007 World Light Heavyweight title fight against Champion Bernard Hopkins, Wright was on a seven year winning streak. Twelve rounds and a pint of blood later, his streak would end as Hopkins was awarded a unanimous decision in defense of his Light Heavyweight title.

"I still think I beat Bernard. He did nothing but hold and headbutt. Ya, he came on late but that's because I had a big cut on my eye. I didn't quit, I didn't give up. I could have said it was a headbutt, that I can't see - let's stop the fight and let's go to the scorecards but I wanted to fight the whole way though."


So there you have it. In his 57 professional fights against the very best that boxing has to offer, Ronald "Winky" Wright concedes defeat to only one fighter, Paul Williams.

"Williams was a tall awkward kid, really hard to gauge. I went to the press conference after the fight, the first time I ever did that - and I told him he did his thing. Williams is the one fighter who I feel beat me."

CES - Up For Grabs Results from Twin River: Biosee defeats Spina

Mr Providence doesn't ask for credit, he takes it!

LINCOLN, RI - In front of a good crowd at the Twin River Convention Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island, Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment and Sports put on a ten fight professional boxing card last night entitled "Up For Grabs." Featuring several local fighters on the undercard and a Main Event that pitted Providence against Providence, the night featured a few surprises and it settled the issue of which fighter truly rules the Providence boxing scene as "Mr. Providence" Vladine Biosse defeated the "KO Kid" Joey Spina to defend his New England Super Middleweight title with an eight round unanimous decision.

Vladine Biosse W8 Joey Spina (super middleweights) - In a battle for the heart and soul of Providence boxing, "Mr. Providence" Vladine Biosse (13-1-1 w/ 6KOs) made easy work of fellow Providence fighter Joey "KO Kid" Spina (26-3-2 w/ 18KOs) over eight rounds to successfully defend his New England super middleweight title and his claim of being the premier fighter from Providence, RI. With these titles "Up For Grabs" - Spina enjoyed a good opening round and he rattled Biosse with a left hook that caused "Mr. Providence" to grab him immediately to avoid any follow up. It looked like a competitive fight might be on tap but Biosse began to make his adjustments in the second, finding a home for his straight left hand while Spina did more posturing than fighting. The third featured more posing from Spina and the advertisement that was barely affixed to the back of his trunks began to fall off, a good metaphor for his loss of control in the fight.

In the fourth, Spina offered little more than a lazy jab which Biosse was now easily maneuvering around to land his straight left hand. A good right hand from Spina closed out the round but didn't win it for him. By the fifth, Biosse was outjabbing Spina and landing his straight lefts at will. This is the pattern that defined the remainder of the fight as Spina grew frustrated in the sixth and resorted to some holding and complaining to the referee in clinches that he himself initiated. Going into the final round, the "KO Kid" needed a KO to win but he never came close to landing anything of any significance and not surprisingly the unanimous decision went to "Mr. Providence" Vladine Biosse by scores of 79-73, 78-74, and 78-74. KO Digest scored the fight 79-73, giving Spina only the first round.   

Said Biosse afterwards, "I don't ask for credit, I just take it!"

End of the night for a bloody Rich Gingras

Terrance Smith TKO3 Rich Gingras (cruiserweights) - In the scheduled six round co-main event, Attleboro, MA native and former Contender contestant Rich Gingras (11-3 w/ 7KOs) engaged in an all-out phone booth war with Terrance Smith (8-13-2 w/ 5KOs) for two rounds before a nasty gash over his left eye ended his night in the corner, on the stool after the second round was complete.

Smith appeared to be getting the better of Gingras in entertaining close quarter combat before the fight was stopped in the Gingras corner due to the cut.  


 
Paul Gonsalves W4 Richard Starnino (super middleweights) - Known as "Bobo the Bull", the very popular Providence RI journeyman Starnino was looking to end his six fight winless streak but he once again came up short, this time against Paul Gonsalves (4-2 w/ 3KOs from Harwich, MA). Fighting much like his namesake, Bobo did his best impression of a bull while Gonsalves played the role of matador, deftly avoiding Starnino's rushes in the first round before beginning to pick him off in the second. The third was a good action round and both fighters were credited with knockdowns. First it was Gonsalves who went down to a knee, the result of chopping right hands from Starnino. Later in the round, a left hook from Gonsalves dropped Starnino although it appeared to be from a slip as much as from a punch. In the fourth, Gonsalves once again assumed the role of matador and he opened the round with a nice left right combination to take whatever fight was left in Bobo the Bull. Scores were unanimous in favor of Gonsalves: 40-37, 39-37, and 39-37.    

Alex Amparo W4 Luis Felix (light heavyweights) - Unbeaten Providence, RI prospect Alex Amparo stayed unbeaten with a four round decision over Luis Felix (0-3 from Cranston, RI) in a fight that probably should have been easier for Amparo than it actually was. Maybe Amparo was having an off night but he looked sluggish and tired at times, getting hit more than he should have by a winless opponent that he looked notably bigger than in the ring. In any case, Amparo won by unanimous scores of 40-36, 40-36, and 39-37. It just wasn't a very impressive performance and given the quality of opposition, it could have been and should have been.

Falowo was emotional after his first loss

Samuel Clarkson W6 Thomas Falowo (middleweights) - In a battle of unbeaten prospects, Pawtucket RI native Thomas Falowo appeared to do enough over six rounds to earn his seventh straight win, but the judges felt otherwise and Falowo dropped a controversial split decision to Samuel Clarkson (5-0 w/ 4KOs from Cedar Hills, TX) in front of a stunned hometown crowd. Clarkson was knocked down in the first round but was not seriously hurt. Falowo boxed and punched nicely in the second, cutting Clarkson on the left cheek and drilling him with a flush right hand straight down the middle. In the third, Clarkson was reduced to more slapping than hard punching, and Falowo was just walking him down and hitting him. More of the same in the fourth from Falowo and he appeared to be cruising to the win.

In the fifth, Clarkson came alive and he stunned Falowo with a nice combination towards the end of the round. The sixth was close and could have gone either way. In the end, the judges did what they are paid to do and they returned split decision scores in favor of Clarkson: 57-56, 57-56, 55-58. Falowo (now 6-1 w/4KOs) was visibly devastated by the loss and his display of emotion in the ring told the whole story. KO Digest scored the fight 58-56 in favor of Falowo. Not quite a robbery, just a bad decision.     

Mike Wilson W4 Joesph Rabotte (heavyweights) - Looking very much like George Foreman, but not fighting like him, veteran heavyweight Joe Rabotte (11-21-1 w/ 3KOs from Atlanta, GA) was beaten by the undefeated Mike Wilson (6-0 w/ 3KOs) over four rounds. Rabotte brought a bit of a belly into the ring, while Wilson looked ripped and ready. Majority decision scores in favor of Wilson were 40-36, 39-37, and a curious 38-38. It was reported that an unhappy Rabotte trashed his locker room after the fight in disgust over the decision. That sounds a little more like something George  Foreman would do!   

Shelito Vincent W4 Carmen Cruz (female bantamweights) - Bringing a good vibe and an infectious smile, the wildly popular Shelito Vincent (3-0 from Providence RI) pounded out her third win as a professional, defeating the debuting Carmen Cruz (0-1 from Fort Meyers, FL) over four easy rounds. Vincent came on strong in the final round, rocking her opponent with a nifty combination to close the show and leave no doubts. Unanimous shutout scores of 40-36 in favor of Vincent serve to illustrate just how dominant she was.

Gardner down in the 2nd

Julio "The Butcher" Garcia W4 Joe Gardner (middleweights) - In a mild upset, Rhode Island native Joe Gardner (8-5 w/ 1KO) was defeated by lopsided decision in a foul filled four round fight against Julio Garcia (5-3 w/ 3KOs from Rincon, Puerto Rico). Representing Team Ruiz, Garcia bulled Gardner back early in the first and set the tone for the fight early in the second with a very low blow that sent Gardner down in obvious pain. Still recovering from the low blow, Gardner was knocked down later in the same round from a more well placed body punch and two follow up rights to the head. Gardner landed a nice right hand of his own in the third to almost get back into the fight but by the middle of the round, he was being bulled back again.


In the fourth round, a now bleeding Garcia butchered Gardner even further to the head and body and scored another knockdown. Scores in favor of Butcher Garcia were unanimous, 40-34, 40-34, and 39-35.       

Kevin Cobbs W4 Kentrell Claiborne (super middleweights) - The undefeated Kevin Cobbs (4-0 w/ 1KO) used a persistent jab and a nice follow up right hand to easily outbox opponent Kentrell Claiborne (2-6 w/ 1KO from Cleburne, TX) over four relatively one-sided rounds. In the third, Claiborne appeared hurt by a left right combination to the head but he held on to hear the final bell and scores of 39-37 across the board in favor of Cobbs.    

Zack Ramsey TKO3 Alan Beeman (super lightweights) - In the evening opener, highly touted prospect Zack Ramsey (Springfield, MA) made a successful pro debut, dazzling his opponent Alan Beeman with an overwhelming display of combination punching to the head and body. Ramsey did a bit of showboating in the first and carried his hands around his waist at times, but when he did punch, he threw crisp combinations that his overmatched opponent could not stand up to. Beeman (0-2 from Providence, RI) was knocked down in the second round and again in the third, this time from a wicked body punch. The referee didn't even bother to count and ruled it a TKO on the spot at 0:37 of the third.

Images & Words by Jeffrey Freeman

Friday Night Fight Flashback: Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward

Fight of the Year - Round of the Century

"THIS SHOULD BE THE ROUND OF THE CENTURY!" ~ The highly anticipated fight between Arturo "Thunder" Gatti and "Irish" Micky Ward was heading into the final round and legendary trainer Emanuel Steward had nothing but high praise for both fighters. The fight had more than met its expectations and the fight couldn't have come at a better time for American fight fans. The horrific attack of September 11, 2001 had closed the previous year out on a solemn note. While the educated follower was treated to some good fights that year, boxing was in need of a high profile fight with a great storyline to capture the attention of the average fight fan and put it back on the cover of the sport pages.

Both fighters had a fighting style that was considered fan friendly, and the average blue collar worker found it very easy to relate to them. Gatti had been in a few wars, and in order to preserve his boxing shelf life, Buddy McGirt came on board as his new trainer. Buddy emphasized boxing not brawling, and Gatti 34-5 (28KO's) looked fantastic in his last outing against Terron Millett - clearing the path for the fight with Ward.

Micky had lost his last fight by technical decision on a cut due to a head butt against Jesse James Leija (the replay proved that ruling inaccurate) but he looked fantastic in his previous fight against Emanuel Burton, an instant classic which was voted Ring Magazine's 2001 "Fight of the Year." The fight was a natural, as both men seemed to revive their careers at the same time. Both were known as good punchers, but it is Micky's left hook to the body that is known to be world class.

War erupts in Connecticut!

The fight was held on May 18, 2002 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. The SRO crowd was curious which Gatti would show up, the puncher or the boxer. At the bell, Ward 37-11 (27KO's) immediately fires a lead left hook to the head, just to let Gatti know he has more than the body shots to worry about. Gatti refuses to take the bait, and is content to box. The first half of the fight features Gatti determined to keep the fight center ring, using his jab, and occasionally throwing combinations to the head, while Ward comes forward behind a high guard, adding more pressure as the rounds mount.

In the second, Ward starts to use his jab, and is starting to find a home for his right hand. Near the end of the round, Gatti is warned to keep the punches up. In the third, Ward lands his first good hook to the body, and it slows Gatti down, forcing him to trade. Ward answers right back with more hooks to the head and body near the end of the round.

The crowd erupts, making it almost impossible to hear the bell.

Ward reacts to a low blow in the 4th

The fight fans are ecstatic, as the fight they were so eagerly anticipating is starting to unfold. Ward taps Gatti on the top of his head on his way to the corner, acknowledging it was a great round. The fighters trade heavy punches in the fourth, as Ward lands a big right cross that stuns Gatti, and he returns fire with uppercuts and hooks to the head. The body shots continue to land for Ward, as well as the right hands to the head. Near the end of the round, Gatti loses a point for a huge low blow, which drops Ward dramatically to the canvas. The intensity of the fight goes to a whole new level in the fifth, as Micky keeps a high guard, and waits for Gatti to finish throwing punches before firing back.

Ward is soaking up a lot of punishment in the fifth, but incredibly, he comes roaring back near the end of the round and almost takes off Gatti's head with a hard left hook at the bell. The fight is now half way over and it's dead even.

In rounds six through eight, the momentum of the fight changes yet again. Gatti continues to box, but Ward starts to impose his will on the fight and he is finally rewarded for his work to the body in the eighth round, and Gatti looks hurt at the bell. "Keep hitting him in the body!" says trainer Dick Eklund, giving good advice in the Ward corner.

At this point, the fight has more than lived up to it's expectations, but little did the fight fans know, the Ring Magazine "Round of the Year" was still yet to come! Ward charges out of the corner for the ninth, and lands a right to the head and a hard left to the body, forcing Gatti to hold. He lands another viscous left hook to the body, and Gatti is down! Gatti's face is a mask of pain, and he barely makes it up at nine. A lesser fighter would not have made it back to his feet, and Gatti would surely have been forgiven if he'd stayed down.

The 9th round is only thirty seconds old, and Gatti is in BIG trouble. Ward goes right back to the body and lands hooks and right hands to the head but Gatti refuses to go down! Micky's punched himself out, and now it's Arturo "Thunder" Gatti roaring back with hooks and right hands to the head. Micky is against the ropes soaking up punishment, and he takes a big breath before pounding his gloves, as if to say "come on!" Now it's Gatti who is spent, and Ward hits him with with hooks, right hands, and body shots - sucking the life out of him. Gatti is totally defenseless as he's bounced from one ring post to the next. Ward adds a few more hooks to the head, and somehow, Gatti survives the round. The crowd roars in approval, again drowning out the bell.

"This should be round of the century!" famously declares Emanuel Stewart on HBO.

In the Gatti corner there is concern for their fighter's condition, and at the start of the tenth and final round, there is some confusion, as everyone thinks Gatti is done for the evening. The timekeeper forgets to stop the clock, and the final round turns into a short two minute round. For the remainder of the bout, Gatti tries to box and keep his distance, while Ward tries to land the hook to the body, and lands a few hard right hands to the head. The Ring's "Fight of the Year" comes to it's conclusion, and "Irish" Micky Ward is declared the winner by very close, but well earned majority decision.  

Ward pays the high price of victory

After the fight, both men are taken by ambulance to the hospital, but to the delight of boxing fans, they agree to an immediate rematch which was won just six months later by Gatti in another wild fight. "I used to wonder what it would feel like to fight my twin. Now I know," said Gatti. The rubber match in 2003 was also a great fight with Gatti winning by decision, but not before getting dropped in the sixth round.

The third fight was Ring Magazine's 2003 "Fight of the Year" and once again, both men needed a trip to the hospital. In the aftermath of their amazing trilogy, both men became good friends and they were spotted occasionally out on the town, or at the fights.



The trilogy was compared to the 1940's Tony Zale-Rocky Graziano classics, the ultimate compliment. After the third fight, Gatti went on to victories against Gianluca Branco, Leonard Dorin, and Jesse James Leija before losing badly to pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather. He then moved up to welterweight and won the vacant IBA belt against Thomas Damgaard. This was his last victory. He suffered a TKO loss to Carlos Baldomir and cut ties with trainer Buddy McGirt, before asking his old rival Micky Ward to replace him. On July 11, 2007 Gatti took on Alfonso Gomez and lost by brutal TKO. "I'll be back... as a spectator," said Arturo with a sheepish look on his face. Gatti's final record: 40-9-0 (31KO's). Almost two years later to the day, on July 11, 2009, Gatti was found dead in his hotel room in Brazil while on vacation with his new wife. Although it was ruled a suicide, to this day many feel it was a homicide.

Friends Forever

As for Ward, he wisely retired after the last Gatti fight, and he still lives in his hometown of Lowell, MA. To say he still gets love from fight fans would be a massive understatement. A movie was made about his career in 2010 and the upcoming sequel will feature his epic trilogy with Gatti. Today, he is part owner of a gym, part owner of an outdoor hockey rink and he stays active as a trainer in the Lowell boxing scene.

His final record: 38-13 (27KO's)


The Friday Night Fight Flashback you just enjoyed was written by self-proclaimed boxing junkie David McLeod, exclusively for KO Digest. Each week, David will flashback to a memorable fight in boxing history!

Savage Homecoming in Lowell - Eklund wins, McCreedy beaten

Team El-Amin wins in Lowell

LOWELL - After a seven year hiatus, professional boxing made its return last night to the fighting city of Lowell, MA. Home to Micky Ward, Dickie Eklund, and the rest of Lowell's finest, the Mill City played host to Chicago Fight Club Promotion's "Homecoming" - a five fight card at the historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium featuring local favorites Sean Eklund and Joey McCreedy in separate bouts. Unfortunately for Lowell fight fans, only one of their hometown heroes emerged with a win last night as Sean Eklund (11-4 w/ 2 KOs) won a spirited eight round decision over Niagara Falls native James Ventry (7-14-1 w/ 4 KOs) while Joey McCreedy (13-6-2 w/ 6 KOs) dropped a ten round decision to Flint, Michigan's Shujaa El-Amin (12-3 w/ 6 KOs) - the fighter formerly known as Dion Savage. It wasn't the kind of homecoming that McCreedy or his fans expected and El-Amin spoiled it in a big way by savagely busting up and dominating McCreedy over ten one sided rounds. Simply put, McCreedy was beaten at home by a better more determined fighter and the judges didn't even try to screw it up.  

El-Amin came all the way from Flint, Michigan to Lowell, Massachusetts to make a statement in the ring and then one outside of it. By dominating the wild swinging McCreedy with a jab that seemed to never miss and a brutal body attack reminiscent of another certain famous Lowell fighter, he succeeded in making his strong statement in the ring - picking up the vacant USBO super middleweight title by lopsided scores of 100-90, 100-90, and 99-91. The new champion then made his statement outside the ring telling KO Digest after the fight, "I fight for the freedom of my father who has been in jail for fifteen years for a crime he didn't commit. He's Dion Savage Sr and we have proof that he's innocent but they refuse to look at his case and that's an injustice." 

It was a great night for El-Amin and a tough night for McCreedy, who was cut early and battered often. When they fought on the inside, El-Amin proved superior and he worked the body with savage effectiveness. When El-Amin worked on the outside, he controlled McCreedy with a jab that seemed to get better as the fight wore on. In the eighth round, McCreedy took two jabs flush to the face the same way Rocky Balboa would take them in the movies, that's to say - he didn't even bother to move his head. In the same round, El-Amin demoralized McCreedy even further with a lead right hand that bounced off McCreedy's face. 

"I knew Joe McCreedy didn't have the boxing skills that I have. I hit him with some good shots and he didn't go anywhere, so he's pretty tough. What's next? I want rematches with Marco Antonio Periban and Adonis Stevenson." 

Periban and Stevenson both stopped El-Amin in one round back in 2011. Oh, and why the name change? It's because according to El-Amin, "Savage is a slave name, and I'm a free man now so I wanted to change my name because I represent a free people."

Sean Eklund wins at home in Lowell

Sean Eklund W8 James Ventry (junior welterweights) - In the co-main event, crowd favorite Sean Eklund made his Lowell debut, fighting professionally for the first time in his hometown since turning pro in 2005. Eklund won an eight round decision over Niagara Falls, NY native James Ventry by scores of 79-73, 79-73, and 78-74. Eklund did a little of everything in the ring against Ventry - boxing when he needed to and fighting when he had to. The crowd went crazy for Eklund all night and he didn't disappoint them. "The gameplan was to box but I think it was my ability to box and dig down inside that separated us. My skills were better and I can do more than one thing in the ring. I fed off the crowd but like Micky and Dickie say - don't let it get you out of your gameplan and stay within yourself."

 
For eight rounds, Sean Eklund did just that and for him, it was a very successful homecoming.

Antonio Canas D6 Tyrone Chatman (junior welterweights) - Chicago Fight Club Promotions brought the undefeated Antonio Canas (6-0-1 w/ 3 KOs) all the way from the Windy City to Lowell, MA and the "Aztec God of War" barely escaped with a majority draw against St. Louis, MO native (9-1-2 w/ 6 KOs) Tyrone Chatman. After a slow start by both fighters in the first two rounds, Chatman came alive in the third round, dropping Canas in the corner with a straight left to the face. Canas beat the count but was down again quickly from a follow up barrage by Chatman. The knockdowns seemed to invigorate Canas and he began to live up to his nickname, battling back hard for the rest of the fight to earn a draw as Chatman slowed down and seemed to tire as the fight went on. The judge's scores were 57-55 for Chatman, 56-56, and 56-56. Said Canas afterwards, "I think I won the fight. He wasn't throwing as much as I was. I was landing a lot more than him. He did get me down in the third with a punch I didn't see but I don't think he did enough to win the fight."  

Jimmy Smith NC1 Rafael Jusino (welterweights) - US Marine Jimmy Smith from Portland, ME celebrated his 28th birthday by making his professional debut in Lowell in the very same building where he's fought many times as an amateur. Unfortunately for Smith, an accidental headbutt in the first round resulted in a deep cut over the right eye of his winless opponent Rafael Jusino (0-6) and the fight was ruled a No Contest before it ever really had a chance to get underway. Smith did drop Jusino with a left hook early in the first round before the headbutt but once the blood started flowing, Smith's chance to get the win went out the window, "Heartbreaking, all that training, all that work. It's a little anti-climactic. I don't remember a headbutt. I remember my head being pulled down a lot and I remember landing a good left hook." 

Anthony Jones W4 Bernie Ongewe (middleweights) - In the evening opener, Newark, NJ native Anthony Jones (1-0-1) spent four rounds cornering the professionally debuting Bernie Ongewe and pinning him on the ropes where he would punch away while Ongewe mostly just covered up, only occasionally punching back. Introduced as being from Lowell but billed as being from nearby Dracut, MA - Ongewe got a rousing reception from the crowd when he was introduced but then they saw him fight and the cheering stopped at that point. 

Overheard in the Lowell locker room after the fight was - "I think Bernie should go back to Dracut."

Scores were 40-35, 40-36, and 39-37 all in favor of Jones. 

Images & Words by Jeffrey Freeman

Money Talks: Mayweather Media Conference Call Highlights

Whoever said talk was cheap?

Money talks, and when he does - people listen. Such was the case yesterday as Floyd "Money" Mayweather hosted an international media conference call in promotion for his fast approaching May 5th mega-fight against Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto. The fight, which will be held in Las Vegas and aired on HBO PPV, is for Cotto's WBA junior middleweight title. It's Mayweather's first fight since his controversial demolition of Victor Ortiz last September to claim the WBC welterweight title.



Here are some of the more interesting things Money Mayweather had to say yesterday.

On the LOVE/HATE relationship he has with boxing fans: "When I go into an arena, if the fans are cheering, that's a great thing. If the fans boo, that's a great thing too because they're letting me know I'm relevant, that they know who I am. If they didn't make noise, then I'd have a problem with that. When they boo, or cheer - they know who I am. I'm relevant and at one point in their life, they paid attention to me. It's a good thing."

On the role of 50 Cent with Team Mayweather: "We don't just have a friendship, we have a tremendous bond. 50 is getting involved with boxing, he's gonna be involved in promotion. He's one of my business partners. He's a part of Mayweather Promotions. We might even let him fight on a Pay Per View card. He boxed at one time - Southside Jamaica Queens, he was a rough tough kid."

On mandatory, random drug testing in boxing: "I'm the face of boxing. I have totally changed the sport of boxing and I'm the reason why people don't talk about heavyweights anymore. I'm doing record breaking numbers. Since I'm the face of the sport, I should always be trying to change the sport and make the sport a lot better. The best thing is to always put every man on an even playing field. Manny Pacquiao should be standing behind me and saying we should clean up the sport and that he's a clean athlete. I'm letting the world know that Floyd Mayweather is a clean athlete. Eventually random blood and urine testing will be a part of boxing, I truly believe that, and everyone will say Mayweather was the first one. I'll be a part of history and a part of cleaning up the sport." 

Cotto right where Mayweather wants him?

On the susceptibility of Miguel Cotto to mind tricks and psychological warfare: "It was a mind trick when Bob Arum made him fight Manny Pacquiao at a catch-weight. He fell for that didn't he? Another mind trick is when his corner didn't thoroughly check out the hand-wraps of Antonio Margarito. He fell for that didn't he? If a guy falls for certain tricks, he'll fall for it again."



On Manny Pacquiao's next opponent Timothy Bradley: "Timothy Bradley is a good young boxer, I can't take that away from him. I don't think he's gonna be an easy task for Manny Pacquiao. Does Bradley have a chance to win it? Absolutely. I thought Bradley lost to Kendall Holt but that's in the past." 

On the fighter he rates as the best he ever faced: "If I was rating certain fighters out of every guy I fought, I'm gonna rate Emanuel Burton Augustus first compared to all the guys I fought. He didn't have the best record, he never won a world title, but he came to fight. I'd have to say Emanuel Burton Augustus is #1"

On whether he thinks he can fight more than twice a year: "I don't think so. It takes months to build a Pay Per View fight, so that's only two fights a year - if that. I want to fight this fight and then five more times if I can. I want to stay active, I want to fight again in 2012 before the year is up. I want to continue to push myself to the limit."

On respect between opponents: "Come May 5th, Cotto is gonna have to make me respect his boxing skills and earn my respect. That's not something you just get from me. Marquez, he made me earn his respect. Shane Mosley made me respect his power. I'm pretty sure they respect my fighting skills also." 

On catchweight fights in boxing:  "I never fought at a catchweight. I don't fight guys at a catchweight. I don't put plaster in my gloves."

Describing his style in the ring: "I have my own style. You have southpaw, you have orthodox, and you have Mayweather style."

On Manny Pacquiao: "I could care less what Manny Pacquiao is doing."

Here's what Manny's doing!

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

Chemito #10 P4P

KO Digest Top 12 Pound-For-Pound

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



WBA Bantamweight Champion Anselmo "Chemito" Moreno can no longer be ignored as a true Pound for Pound (P4P) quality fighter and he enters the KO Digest P4P ratings at #10 after consecutive impressive performances against Vic Darchinyan last December and most recently a 9th round TKO of David De La Mora. Combining a "Pernell Whitaker-like" defensive style with a steady offense born on the streets of Panama, Moreno is clearly bound for bigger and even better things. Considering the quality of opposition he has already faced and the quality of opposition available to him at or around his division, there's no telling how high Moreno can climb.

"I'm staying at bantamweight for maybe one more fight and then I'm ready to jump to super bantamweight to fight the biggest names out there. I wouldn't consider myself the best, but I am considered one of the best and I'm training and working hard to become the best. Right now I want to work hard and have fans be the judge."

Departing the KO Digest P4P ratings to make room for Moreno is Vitali Klitschko, rated #12 previously. The elder Klitschko brother may finally be starting to show his 40 years of age and his performance against Dereck Chisora this past February was just lackluster enough to cause him to drop out of the P4P Top 12. With the addition of the super talented Moreno to the ratings, Miguel Cotto slips from #10 to #11 and Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko drops from #11 to #12.

As the 2012 fight schedule heats up, expect changes to the KO Digest P4P ratings as key fights involving fighters on this list (Mayweather-Cotto & Pacquiao-Bradley) determine whether certain fighters move up, down, or out of the ratings entirely. Also, there are several quality fighters right on the cusp of P4P consideration; in no particular order they are Abner Mares, Orlando Salido, Chris John, Erislandy Lara, and Yoan Pablo Hernandez.

Friday Night Fight Flashback: The Hagler vs Hearns WAR

Hagler & Hearns prepare for WAR

"Come April 15th ... in three rounds ... I WILL BE THE GREATEST!" ~ The twenty city promotional tour was now coming to it's conclusion, and Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns was doing more than his share of promoting the upcoming Superfight with Marvelous Marvin Hagler. His bold prediction was a little out of character for him, as he was known as a fighter who normally lets his fists do the talking. The same could be said of the Marvelous One. But if they were going to build interest in the upcoming title fight, one of them had to step up and play to the media.

Hearns was also known as "The Motor City Cobra," a reference to his boxing skills from back in his amateur days, but it was his transformation into "The Hit Man" that really excited the fans. At 6'1 he was taller than most of his opponents, and his right hand was deadly. Back in December 1980, on the cover of The Ring magazine, they dressed Hearns in a dark pinstripe gangster suit and wide brim hat while holding a machine gun. Hearns may have been a great boxer, but let's face it, the fans loved him for his knockouts. In one of  his recent outings, Hearns had scored a spectacular knockout of the legendary Roberto Duran. Hearns showed Duran absolutely no respect, firing two up-jabs to the body to get his guard down, before landing a sickening right cross flush on his jaw. Duran was out before he hit the canvas, face down. Hearns told  the world "The Hit Man" was back, and after the bout, he claimed Hagler "was shaking like a leaf on a tree." That quote made the cover of KO magazine, and Hagler was furious.

Hagler beats Duran

Hagler had fought Duran in his first superfight one year earlier, and may have given Duran too much respect, as he needed to win the last few rounds to win a majority decision, so naturally everyone felt Hearns upstaged him. Hagler didn't see it that way. The "Marvelous One" had a different view. In fact, he felt it was Hearns that was afraid of him. Back in 1982 when Sugar Ray Leonard retired, the two men were scheduled to fight each other, and Hearns backed out, claiming an injury to his pinky.

"You know how many people would give a million dollars for that baby pinky? For a million dollars, I'd cut that thing off!" said Hagler. With the fight called off, they both went in different directions, but once again fate brought them together.  


After the Duran fight, Hearns scored an early knockout of Fred Hutchings, setting the stage for his attempt at the middleweight title. Hearns 40-1-0 (34 KO's) was the current WBC super welterweight champion attempting to move up. Hagler did his part, knocking out his old nemesis Mustafa Hamsho in three rounds. There was an ominous sign of things to come, as Hagler wore a red cap that simply read "WAR." When questioned, he simply stated, "War, that's what's on my mind." Hagler was famous for his spartan like training, and his training camps were famous for it's "jail like" conditions. He finished his training in Palm Springs, and closed the doors to the public. Of course, the Kronk Gym had it's own reputation, as some of the best fights you will never see, were held in the bowels of the building. As you would walk downstairs to the gym, the temperature would easily hit 90 degrees. Hearns finished his training at Miami Beach before heading to Caesars Palace. There he held open sessions for the public, and danced with aerobic beauties. He even found time to shoot craps at the casinos. Hearns was very relaxed for this bout. Like Hagler, he was also confident of victory.

The fight was simply billed "The Fight," and was held April 15, 1985 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the fighters warmed up in their dressing rooms, Hearns' entourage could be heard bad mouthing Hagler to boost up the confidence of their champion. "They can talk all they want, they can't help him in the ring" said Hagler. The crowd is almost equally divided, as first Hearns, and then Hagler 60-2-2 (51 KO's) enter the ring. After Doc Severinsen performed the National Anthem, Hearns gave Hagler a baleful eye as he is introduced. The intensity is equal in the opposite corner, as Hagler pounds his head as he is introduced. Richard Steele motions both fighters to center ring for final instructions, and neither fighter blinks during the intense staredown.

Both men are led back to their corners, and Hagler appears unfazed as Hearns continues to glare. Hagler went through a lot in training, and now someone was going to pay. The anticipation is high in the packed outdoor arena.


Finally, the bell rings and both men race to center ring. Hagler, who is normally a slow starter,  immediately fires a right hook to the head followed by a left to the body. Hearns, surprised that Hagler initiated the action so quickly, is trying to make space for his punches  by using his jab. Hagler is coming forward in a crouch, and fires another left to the body before firing a right cross that misses Hearns head by inches. "The Hitman" responds with two left hooks to the head of a still crouching Hagler, before firing a perfect right cross to the head. Hagler is stunned! Hearns lets his hands go and he is hitting Hagler with right uppercuts and right crosses thrown off his back foot. TV announcers Al Bernstein and Al Michaels are totally out of character, and it's understandable. They are in the moment, and they are fight fans right now, not commentators as both men begin yelling on the air through their headsets. "Oh, he bangs Marvin! Hagler is hurt, Hagler is stunned!" Hearing the two normally reserved commentators get excited, drives the fight fans into a frenzy. Everybody is up out of their seats, and Hagler ties Hearns up. His legs still look unsteady, but he is still coming forward in a southpaw stance. He lands a lead left hand that backs off Hearns. Hearns is trying to turn it back into a boxing match, but Hagler is crowding him and forcing him to either fight back, or get run over. Hearns lands another right hand, but this time Hagler handles it well. Hagler is coming forward with left and right hooks to the body. He lands a right hand to the head, and Hearns appears stunned as his back temporarily touches the ropes.

The Marvelous One at WAR!

Hagler is not giving Hearns any time to think, or any room to box. Hearns is now using his legs, and lands a left hook and then a right cross. Al Bernstein notes that Hagler should turn orthodox to block Hearns right cross. Hearns lands a low blow, but it doesn't slow Hagler down, as he lands a big right hand to the head. Hearns is on the ropes, but manages to slide out. Again, he lands a right hand to Hagler's head, but the blow is not having the same effect as earlier. Hagler is now bleeding from the forehead, courtesy of a Hearns right uppercut. Hagler ignores the blood and continues to come forward, and pins Hearns against the ropes.


Hagler is ripping him to the body and landing the left cross and right hooks to the head. Hearns is trying to fight out of the corner, but Hagler is relentless. Hearns plants his feet and hits Hagler again and yet again with viscous right hands, but the bloodied Hagler just won't budge. Hagler lands a left cross and then a huge right hook to the head, and now it is Hearns that is stunned! Hearns stumbles a few steps back, and Hagler quickly advances. They trade bombs at the bell, and a bloodied but defiant Hagler heads back to his corner.

"Wow! Perhaps one of the best rounds in middleweight history," exults Al Bernstein.

Hagler's corner is calm as they work on the cut. Meanwhile, a concerned Emanuel Steward is telling Tommy to just box. The fight fans are back on their feet as Hagler immediately goes on the attack at the start of the 2nd round, and he immediately scores with a lead left hand. Hearns is boxing, and relying on the jab as he moves around the ring. Emanuel is yelling from the corner."Keep boxing Tommy!" The crowd reacts as Hagler steps on Hearns' foot, which causes him to stumble. Hagler turns orthodox for the first time in the bout, and Bernstein believes it may be a key moment. The round is moving the way many believed the 1st round would have gone. Hearns is finding some success with the jab. Hagler is trying to cut the ring off. The crowd is roaring with every punch that is thrown. Hagler has the shorter reach, but is now getting inside. He lands the left hook. He has taken the best Hearns can offer and is now willing to take the right hands so he can land his own punches. Midway through the round, Hagler switches back to his southpaw stance and he gets instant results! The right jab is landing regular, and Bernstein admits he may have been wrong about Hagler fighting orthodox. Hagler is now working the body. Thomas' legs appear rubbery as he continues to try to box. His legs are not cooperating and now he is forced to trade with Hagler.

Hagler eats Hearns up like Pac-Man!

Hearns lands another good right hand, but Hagler continues to move forward. He traps Hearns on the ropes and lands a left cross followed by two right hooks to the head, and Hearns holds. Richard Steele tells the fighters no holding, but Hearns hangs on to Hagler's right glove. Hagler, who is bleeding heavy again, whacks him in the head over and over with his free left glove, until Hearns finally lets go. Hearns makes room, and lands a right uppercut but misses the left hook. Hagler makes him pay with a left hook to his exposed head. They are now trading, and Hagler lands a right hook and a left cross to the head with Hearns on the ropes. Hagler is turning it into a street fight as he lands some big body shots with a few low blows thrown in for good measure.

The men are still trading on the ropes when the bell rings, and the bloodied but unbowed champion heads back to his corner with a swagger, while Hearns has a sick smile on his face, as he places his right glove on the top rope and guides himself back to his corner.

Tommy sits down heavy on his stool, and Emanuel Stewart is frantic. "Just box him, Tommy! Stay away from him and move side to side." In Hagler's corner, they work on the gash on his forehead, but couldn't be happier as far as the fight is playing out. Again, the crowd is on it's feet, as Hearns is up first waiting for the bell to start the 3rd round. Just as Bernstein notes how much success Hagler has had as a southpaw, he switches back to an orthodox stance. Hagler's ability to switch from southpaw to orthodox is seamless, and creating problems for Hearns. Hagler is determined to keep it as a street fight, as Hearns tries his best to follow instructions and jab at Hagler while moving side to side. He throws in an occasional lead right hand whenever Hagler gets to close for comfort. Hagler continues to apply pressure to close the gap, and lands a right cross before turning southpaw and lands a left to the body. Hearns is finding some success with the jab, and he lands it repeatedly as Hagler continues to try and cut the ring off. He roughs Hearns up inside with bodyshots before missing a wild right hand. As Hagler's momentum spins him into the ropes, Richard Steele calls time, as Hagler's face is a bloody mess. The fight fans boo, and hold their breath, as the ring doctor is called in. He observes the cut, and sends Hagler back in almost immediately.

Hagler moves in for the kill!

Hagler is now fighting with a sense of urgency, as the last thing he wants is the fight stopped on cuts. Hagler misses a wild left hook, and Hearns is determined to keep the fight on the outside with the jab, and is moving on his toes. He lands a lead right hand, but Hagler shakes it off - and while backing Hearns to the ropes - lands a tremendous right cross to the head. He follows up with a left, right, left to the body and a hard right uppercut. Hearns appears rubbery as Steele separates the fighters. Hagler fires a left hook, switches to southpaw, and leaps with a straight jab before landing a straight left hand. Hearns is smiling as he tries to jab and move away on rubbery legs, but Hagler lands another lead straight left hand, before leaving his feet to land a huge sweeping right hand that sends a stunned Hearns flying across the ring on very unsteady legs, at one point with his back to the champion.

Hagler races across the ring and again fires another huge right hand, just as Hearns is turning back to face his tormentor. Hearns is in real trouble now. Hagler misses a wild left hook, but it puts Hearns near the ropes, with no escape route.

It's all over for Hearns in the 3rd round!

Hagler's feet leave the canvas again as he throws the fight ending right hand that explodes on Hearns' jaw. You could almost see the lights go out upon impact, and the follow through of the punch drapes Hearns body over Hagler's shoulders before he crashes to the canvas. On the way down, Hagler throws a complimentary cuffing left hand - thrown almost as an afterthought. Hearns is flat on his back, and his eyes are blank and glazed. Hagler walks to a neutral corner as Steele picks up the count. Hearns rolls over at about 7 and incredibly, is up at the count of 9. Hearns is still glassy eyed, and he is on very unsteady legs, leaving Steele no choice but to wrap his arms around the fighter and he stops the fight at 2:01 of the 3rd round!

The ringside scene is total chaos, as Hearns' mother could be heard sobbing at ringside and needs medical attention. One of the men in Hearns' entourage carries him across the ring the way you would carry a child, and places him on his stool. Meanwhile, Hagler's handlers are carrying him around the ring as he holds his gloves up in victory. "Am I the greatest?" Hagler asks Bernstein at the post fight interview. A disappointed but proud Hearns comes over to congratulate the still Middleweight Champion of the World. "We gave em' a hell of a show, we gave them their money's worth", said Hagler. No argument there. Bernstein asked Hagler if he was hurt in the first round. "No, it only made me madder. I was the champ, but I had to fight like the challenger." It was later discovered Hearns had damaged his right hand in the fight, but the classy Hearns made no excuses for the loss. Al Michaels summed it up best. "It was a great 8:01."

The fight turned out to be Marvin Hagler's finest moment. He had two more fights before retiring. Hagler's fight with John "The Beast" Mugabi was brutal, and became an instant classic. It also showed signs of him slowing down. His last fight was on April 6, 1987, a decision loss against Sugar Ray Leonard. To this day many of Hagler's fans feel he did enough to retain his belt. Hagler was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992 and is a regular attendee during Induction Weekends. His final record an impressive 62-3-2 (52 KO's). As for "The Hit Man" - he went on an incredible 21-3-1 run after the fight, beating some respectable fighters like Virgil Hill, Michael Olajide, Andrew Maynard, James Kinchen, and Dennis Andries amongst others. He picked up two losses to Iran Barkley in thrilling fashion, and a bogus one to cruiserweight Uriah Grant with an early round ankle injury where he was unable to continue. The Leonard "draw," in 1989 was a bad decision that even Leonard counts as a win for the "Hit Man." His last fight was against someone named Shannon Landberg on February 2006. Hearns final record: 61-5-1(48 KO's). He is scheduled to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame class of 2012. The fan turnout should be huge, as Leonard, Hagler, and Duran are all expected to attend the reunion. More than 27 years have passed since "The Fight" and every year The Ring magazine presents a "Round of The Year" award. Every year the winner is compared to the 1st round of Hagler - Hearns.

It's the ultimate compliment to these two living legends.

The Friday Night Fight Flashback you just enjoyed was written by self-proclaimed boxing junkie David McLeod, exclusively for KO Digest. Each week, David will flashback to a memorable fight in boxing history! 

ESPN Friday Night Fights "ALL IN" Results

By Jeffrey Freeman -- ESPN Friday Night Fights was live tonight at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT. Promoted by Jimmy Burchfield's CES Promotions, the main event featured a battle for the NABF lightweight title between Philadelphia's Hammerin Hank Lundy (22-1-1 w/ 11 KOs) and St. Louis native Dannie Williams (21-2 w/ 17 KOs). The co-main event was originally scheduled to include Hector Camacho Jr but in typical Camacho fashion, the much maligned son of Hector Sr pulled out of his fight against Elvin Ayala (25-5-1 w/ 11KOs) two days before the fight citing a very non-specific hand injury. The notoriously unreliable Camacho Jr was replaced by journeyman Eric Mitchell (23-9-1 w/ 11KOs).


Hank Lundy W10 Dannie Williams (lightweights) - Hammerin Hank Lundy successfully defended  his NABF lightweight title with a hard fought ten round decision over "Dangerous" Dannie Williams who lived up to his nickname in the first, hurting Lundy with a powerful left hook high on the head that caused Lundy to buckle, his knee touching the canvas. That's a knockdown and referee Danny Schiavone issued a standing 8-count to Lundy. The rest of the fight belonged to the left jab of Hank Lundy and he used it effectively to control the tempo and set up his power punches. There were some furious exchanges in the third round but as the fight wore on, Lundy's jab proved the difference in the fight. Scores: 98-91, 97-92, and 97-92. KO Digest scored the fight 97-92, giving Williams the first round 10-8 and the fifth 10-9. NABF lightweight champion Lundy improves to 22-1-1 w/ 11 KO's. Williams falls to 21-2 w/ 17 KOs.

Elvin Ayala W8 Eric Mitchell (middleweights) - New Haven, CT native Elvin Ayala, fighting in front a very partisan crowd, successfully defended his WBC USNBC Middleweight title in a fight that was probably more challenging than it should have been considering that Mitchell was a last minute substitute for Hector Camacho Jr. Working behind a busy jab, Ayala methodically picked his opponent apart with combinations to the head and body. Mitchell had some success in the middle rounds and he opened a cut under the right eye of Ayala but by the seventh round he was visibly tired and Ayala cruised to the decision win. Ayala improves to 25-5-1 w/ 11 KOs while Mitchell falls to 23-9-1 w/ 11 KOs. Scores: 79-73, 79-73, and 78-74. KO Digest scored the fight 78-74 for Ayala, giving Mitchell the fourth and sixth rounds.

Joe Smith Jr TKO2 Dennis Ogboo (light heavyweights) - Working behind a strong jab to set up his punches to the head and body, the much taller Joe Smith Jr poured on the pressure in the second round, hurting his outgunned opponent on the ropes moments before the white towel came flying in from the Ogboo corner. Smith improves to 8-1 w/ 8 KOs while Ogboo slips to 6-5 w/ 5 KOs. Time of the TKO: 2:06

Shelito Vincent W4 Karen Dulin (female featherweights) - Fighting in just her second pro fight against the very same opponent she fought her pro debut against last year, the very popular Shelito Vincent pounded out an easy decision win over the feather fisted Karen Dulin. Vincent improves to 2-0 while Dulin goes to 2-11 w/ 1 KO. Scores: 40-36 and all three cards.

Paul Gonsalves TKO4 Nick Lavin (super middleweights) - In the evening opener, crowd favorite Nick "Victory" Lavin was thoroughly outboxed and outpunched by Paul Gonsalves before being stopped with a brutal barrage of flush shots along the ropes in the 4th. Lavin showed a ton of heart but in the end, the referee did the right thing by stopping the fight. Time of the stoppage was 2:07 of the 4th and final round. Gonsalves improves to 3-2 w/ 3 KOs while Lavin falls to 2-3 w/ 2 KOs. 

Friday Night Fight Flashback: Arturo Gatti vs Wilson Rodriguez

Flashback to March Mayhem!

"THE ONLY THING CERTAIN IN THIS WORLD IS DEATH AND TAXES" ... This quote made famous by Ben Franklin has been around for decades, proving his point a valid one. However, if he was born in this century, Ben may have altered the quote and added Arturo Gatti as a third certainty. You were almost guaranteed action, blood, guts, and brutality in every fight involving the fighter. Arturo "Thunder" Gatti first hit the fight scene back in 1991. At just the age of 19, the kid was already playing a man's game. He was a member of the Canadian National Team back then, and instead of representing Canada in the 1992 Summer Games, he chose not to wait and turned pro.  In boxing, this is not an uncommon story. In fact, it happens all the time. What made his story interesting is he was an Italian Canadian who relocated to the United States, and now resided in Jersey City. There he picked up a huge following as he racked up the wins. Forget the reality television series "Jersey Shore," - it was Arturo who first put Jersey on the map. Plus he had a huge Italian following, as well as the Canadians adopting him. Gatti was great for the TV ratings. He quickly flew through the ranks picking up a regional title in 1994, beating Pete Taliaferro for the USBA Super Featherweight title, with a first round KO.

In less than a year, after just two defenses of the belt, he took on Floyd Patterson's adoptive son, Tracy Harris Patterson, for the IBF Super Featherweight championship. Gatti won a close unanimous decision. HBO saw this as a a great opportunity, and they signed him up to a muti-fight deal. It looked like everything was going just fine in Arturo's world. He was a young good looking world champion, he had women throwing themselves at him, and thanks to his deal with HBO, plenty of cash. As a fighter, he was living the dream. What could possibly go wrong? Well, for starters, a tough and experienced veteran fighter from the Dominican Republic, who may have believed this was his last chance at winning a world title, fighting in front of millions of viewers. Wilson "Black Label" Rodriguez was selected as Gatti's first title defense on HBO, and the plan was to impress and move on to bigger pay days. Wilson had plans of his own.

The fight took place at the Madison Square Garden Theater on March 23, 1996. The fight was billed "MARCH MAYHEM" and even the undercard was impressive. In the co-feature of the night, Orlando Canizales, already a legend at bantamweight, took on the tall and lanky Junior Jones at a higher weight class and lost a very close decision. Junior's chin and stamina failed him in some of his other major bouts, and he made it his business not to get it tested this night. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining fight, as Orlando pressed the action, and there were some moments were it looked like "Poison" wouldn't make it to the finish line. Both fighters were applauded as they left the ring. The fight fans were now primed and ready for the main event. Wilson Rodriguez entered the ring first wearing yellow and black. His record is an impressive 43-7 w/ 24 KOs. The champion is next, and the crowd applauds as Gatti is introduced. He is in white and blue, and his record, an almost perfect 24-1 w/ 20 KOs. The late Wayne Kelly gets the call as referee. Michael Buffer does his trademark "Let's get ready to rumble," - and the fight is underway!

Let's get ready to rumble!

The bell rings for round one, and Gatti circles left with a high guard and jabs to both head and body, and fires a straight right hand to the head. He throws an occasional hook. Rodriguez is content for now to just circle and jab. Gatti shoots a hard right to the body, and Rodriguez is trying to time Gatti with his own right. Rodriguez continues to circle and double up on the jab. His hook is starting to land, and he continues to circle away from Gatti's heavy left hook. Gatti is having a hard time trapping Rodriguez as he continues to follow him around, instead of cutting the ring off. Rodriguez lands a straight right, followed by a left hook. The fight is barely two minutes old and Arturo's left eye is already starting to swell. Rodriguez is boxing beautiful and Harold Merchant notes, "Rodriguez is getting more bold, and landing straighter punches." At the bell, Gatti returns to his corner blinking. I can actually remember telling the guy next to me, no way this fight goes another two rounds. In the corner, Gatti is told by team Duva to stay low and move his head. In Wilson's corner, they note Gatti's eye is already an issue, and tell him to throw more left hands. Gatti comes out for the second round using head movement and stays low, just as his corner advised. He is shooting straight right hands and left hooks to the body. Rodriguez continues to use all of the ring, sliding along the ropes and snapping the jab into Gatti's eye. Gatti lands a good left hook to the head. Rodriguez decides to trade, and is now throwing in combination. He lands a right hand and left hook to the head of Gatti. Rodriguez is now dancing on his toes using the ring to inflict more damage.

Gatti now has a mouse under his right eye.

It looks pretty bad for the young champion, and Larry Merchant notes, "Gatti is in real trouble unless he can turn it around." Gatti is blinking and both his eyes are swelling at an alarmingly fast rate. Gatti lands a good left hook and Rodriguez is in the corner with his back near the ropes. He lands a right cross, a short left hook, and another right cross, and the audience gasps as Gatti goes down hard on the seat of his pants! Gatti can't see a thing, no way the ref is going to let it continue. Gatti gets up pretty quick and he gets the mandatory 8 count. Rodriguez is all over him and lands a right cross-left hook, a left hook-right cross, and a left-right-left; all to the head! Incredibly, Gatti absorbs it and is moving forward firing hooks to head and body. Gatti lands a low blow to the hip and the ref warns him. Gatti lands a hard left hook that wobbles Rodriguez just before the bell. Both men look hurt, and they each head to the wrong corner! Arturo's face looks like he went ten rounds, and cutman Joe Souza is earning his salary, trying his best to reduce the swelling. Gatti races out for the 3rd round, and immediately hurts Rodriguez with a hard right over the top followed by a left hook that sends Rodriguez to the ropes. Rodriguez is trying to survive the onslaught. He is forced to trade but Gatti has the edge in firepower. Chants of "Gatti" fill the arena as he repeatedly wings left hooks to both the head and body of Rodriguez, keeping him on his heels. Rodriguez actually lands a couple of head shots in the corner but Gatti fires back and lands a sensational left hook that momentarily stops Rodriguez's forward movement. They both trade at the bell and Gatti heads to his corner with his eyes nothing more than a pair of slits.

The doctor momentarily visits the corner to determine whether Gatti can continue. "This is world class stuff, folks" says Merchant. - "This is World War III folks!" chimes Roy Jones Jr. The visit to the corner by the doctor turns a desperate Gatti into an animal and he comes out for the 4th round looking to do damage. He is loading up with every punch and his right eye is almost shut. Gatti is stalking and lands a right to the body. "Some of the blows are landing on the hip." observes Roy Jones Jr. Gatti is doing well, and no one is sitting in their seats as they chant "Gatti." By now my throat is raw, and I know I am going to pay for it later, but in the moment, you just don't care. Rodriguez comes back with hooks and crosses to the head. "What is keeping these guys up?" asks Merchant. Gatti gets hurt with a hook in the corner, and Rodriguez is firing away. Just when it looks like the ref is going to stop it, Gatti lands a big left hook to the head,and a low blow that goes undetected by the ref. Gatti pulls the round out and incredibly, no one in the Theater has sat for the last two rounds! This is New York City!

How many fingers?

Souza is working hard in the corner and Gatti is in agony."How many fingers?" asks the doctor. "I don't think Gatti can go another round" says Merchant. This is now the 5th round and Arturo shows the world a world class heart. Gatti is landing the hook more often but still landing some shots to the hip. Rodriguez is trying to turn it back into a boxing match by using the ring and jabbing Gatti's swollen eyes. Gatti continues to move forward with the body shots. Rodriguez triples the jab and Gatti lands a right cross. Gatti finally loses a point for low blows while they are trading. Gatti is undeterred and jumps right back on his man and lands a perfect left hook to the body. Rodriguez is down! The ref is in Wilson's face, and he barely makes the count. Gatti races across the ring trying to finish his man by rightfully going right back to the body. They are both firing head shots as they trade at the bell. What a round.This may have been the best round of the fight, so far.

In between rounds, it's almost like a scene from a Rocky movie as Gatti is told "stay to the body, Rodriguez will quit." In the opposite corner, they are literally pleading with Rodriguez. "You are winning this fight, STAY AWAY FROM THIS MAN!" At the advice of his corner, Gatti comes out for the 6th round focusing on the body. Rodriguez is trying his best to just jab and stay away from him but Gatti is now moving his head and cutting off the ring, forcing him to trade. Rodriguez is taking the head shots well but the body shots are sucking the life out of him. The fight fans sense the tide has turned and once again chants of "Gatti" are filling the arena. "Thunder" throws a few more well placed body shots, before loading up with a huge left hook to the head with all his body weight thrown behind it. BOOM! Wilson Rodriguez is no more. He lands flat on his back, and even though he tries, he doesn't even come close to beating the count. What you can't see on HBO is fans racing down the aisles towards the ring to get a better look, the way you would view a car crash.

How about that!

The time of the stoppage is 2:15 of round six. The medics are in the ring immediately and Gatti's handlers are carrying him around the ring. "People will never forget this fight, they will show it over and over" says Merchant. "My new nominee for fight of the year!" says Roy Jones Jr. Larry Merchant does the interview with a victorious Gatti. "I told myself I better wake up when I got dropped" said the bruised but elated Champion. This fight turned out to be Wilson Rodriguez's last hurrah as he went on a 5-3 run before finally hanging up his gloves with a 48-10-3 record. As for Arturo, his career had more highlights than almost any fighter (he won Ring Magazine Fight of the Year honors four times) and almost every fight was memorable. As for his ring accomplishments, he had mixed results. His move up in weight saw losses to Angel Manfredy and Ivan Robinson (twice). James "Buddy" McGirt revived his career, starting with a win against Terron Millett. He then had a controversial win against Joey Gamache, impressive wins against Gabriel Ruelas, Jesse James Leija, and Leonard Dorin, his exciting trilogy with Micky Ward, with 2 of the 3 fights selected as Fight of the Year, followed by brutal knockout losses to Floyd Mayweather, Carlos Baldomir, and finally Alfonso Gomez in 2007. He retired with a record of 40-9 (31 KO's). Arturo Gatti died mysteriously in Brazil on July 11, 2009. To this day, no one really knows what happened, other than a proud warrior was taken from us way too soon.

The Friday Night Fight Flashback you just enjoyed was written by boxing junkie David McLeod, exclusively for KO Digest. Each week, David will flashback to a memorable fight in boxing history.